May 6, 1969 : Boston
Srila Prabhupada conducts marriage of Rukmini Dasi and Baradraja Dasa, Saradiya Dasi and Vaikunthanatha Dasa, and Jahnava Dasi and Nanda Kishore Dasa.
Saradiya: Around August of 1968, I went with Malati, Shyamasundar, Mukunda, Janaki, Gurudas, and Yamuna to Montreal to see Srila Prabhupada. At that time I met my future husband, Vaikunthanatha. I was only seventeen years old and very confused. I went into Srila Prabhupada's room, and I told Prabhupada that I was attracted to Vaikunthanatha. I assumed that Srila Prabhupada would preach to me to get me out of maya. Instead, Prabhupada said, "You want to get married?" That thought hadn't occurred to me, but when Prabhupada suggested it, I said, "Okay." Prabhupada said, "I will speak to him."
Vaikunthanatha was in New York for a brief time, and when he came back to Montreal, Prabhupada called him into his room and asked him if he would like to marry me. Vaikunthanatha agreed. Basically, Srila Prabhupada arranged our marriage. Prabhupada told me that when I was eighteen and had finished high school he would perform the wedding. "In India," he said, "girls get married at the age of twelve, but in this country wait until later. The wedding will be very nice."
In May the next year, 1969, Srila Prabhupada came to Boston. I had almost finished high school, and I thought, "Okay, this is it." Prabhupada performed a wedding ceremony for Jahnava and Nanda Kishore, Rukmini and Baradraja, and Vaikunthanatha and me. This was the first time a Vedic wedding had been performed in Boston, and two newspaper reporters reported the occasion. During the lecture, Prabhupada talked about how a woman should be covered from head to toe, so that even the sun could not see her. He said, "And they should not wear miniskirts." Everyone laughed. I knew that was for me, because when I first became a devotee I used to come to the temple in a miniskirt.
After the wedding, Prabhupada said to me, "So, Saradiya, now you are happy?" Prabhupada was sitting on the vyasasana, and we offered him a lot of prasadam. He looked down at it and said, "Since I am not God, I cannot eat so much." Also, the next morning, Vaikunthanatha and I and one other devotee went on a walk with Prabhupada. Prabhupada said to me, "So you are no longer Miss Saradiya, now you are Mrs. Saradiya." That was very sweet of him.
Saradiya: Around August of 1968, I went with Malati, Shyamasundar, Mukunda, Janaki, Gurudas, and Yamuna to Montreal to see Srila Prabhupada. At that time I met my future husband, Vaikunthanatha. I was only seventeen years old and very confused. I went into Srila Prabhupada's room, and I told Prabhupada that I was attracted to Vaikunthanatha. I assumed that Srila Prabhupada would preach to me to get me out of maya. Instead, Prabhupada said, "You want to get married?" That thought hadn't occurred to me, but when Prabhupada suggested it, I said, "Okay." Prabhupada said, "I will speak to him."
Vaikunthanatha was in New York for a brief time, and when he came back to Montreal, Prabhupada called him into his room and asked him if he would like to marry me. Vaikunthanatha agreed. Basically, Srila Prabhupada arranged our marriage. Prabhupada told me that when I was eighteen and had finished high school he would perform the wedding. "In India," he said, "girls get married at the age of twelve, but in this country wait until later. The wedding will be very nice."
In May the next year, 1969, Srila Prabhupada came to Boston. I had almost finished high school, and I thought, "Okay, this is it." Prabhupada performed a wedding ceremony for Jahnava and Nanda Kishore, Rukmini and Baradraja, and Vaikunthanatha and me. This was the first time a Vedic wedding had been performed in Boston, and two newspaper reporters reported the occasion. During the lecture, Prabhupada talked about how a woman should be covered from head to toe, so that even the sun could not see her. He said, "And they should not wear miniskirts." Everyone laughed. I knew that was for me, because when I first became a devotee I used to come to the temple in a miniskirt.
After the wedding, Prabhupada said to me, "So, Saradiya, now you are happy?" Prabhupada was sitting on the vyasasana, and we offered him a lot of prasadam. He looked down at it and said, "Since I am not God, I cannot eat so much." Also, the next morning, Vaikunthanatha and I and one other devotee went on a walk with Prabhupada. Prabhupada said to me, "So you are no longer Miss Saradiya, now you are Mrs. Saradiya." That was very sweet of him.
Reference: Srila Prabhupada Remembrances - Siddhanta Dasa
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