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Jaladuta Dairy - The Swamiji is too old to go to the United States

By 1965, Bhaktivedanta Swami published the third and final part of the first canto of Srimad- Bhagavatam. One day he met Mr. Agarwal, a Mathura businessman, and mentioned to him in passing, as he did to almost everyone he met, that he wanted to go to the West. Although Mr. Agarwal had known Bhaktivedanta Swami for only a few minutes, he volunteered to get him a sponsor in America.

With Sponsorship papers in hand, Bhaktivedanta Swami went to Bombay and met Sumati Morarji, the head of the Scindia Steamship Line, who had helped him with a large donation for printing Volume Two of Srimad-Bhagavatam. He showed his sponsorship papers to her secretary, Mr. Choksi, who was impressed and went to Mrs. Morarji on his behalf.

"The Swami from Vrindavana is back", he told her. "He has published his book on your donation. He has a sponsor, and he wants to go to America. He wants you to send him on a Scindia ship.

Mrs. Morarji said no, "The Swamiji is too old to go to the United States and accomplish anything."

Mr. Choksi conveyed to him Mrs. Morarji's words, but Bhaktivedanta Swami listened disapprovingly. She wanted him to stay in India and complete Srimad-Bhagavatam. "Why go to the United States?" She had argued. "Finish the job here."


Reference: Excerpts from Acharya book with illustration by Bhaktisiddhanta Dasa