You are not punctual at all

Saci Mata Devi Dasi: In 1970, I was coming back from my school, that was my final year of school. With my friends we were passing. There was a huge pandal program in South India. We entered and we saw the devotees. One of them was Dinanatha Prabhu who could do very good harinama sankirtana in those days. He asked us about who we are and where do we stay, and he asked us to come in the evening time because Prabhupada will be giving lecture in Bengali. So I thought I will come and listen. Then I managed my family and I came there and was listening.

Prabhupada was speaking from Bhagavad-gita, patram pushpam phalam toyam. He was giving Sanskrit explanation, "God is so near to us. If we have love and affection then we can reach God very easily."  These things touched my heart, what Prabhupada said. I did not know, I was so moved. I was listening his class.

Then I saw Prabhupada coming from the dais. He was going towards his car and I was standing by his car. Then I did my pranam. Prabhupada said, "Please come and see me tomorrow at 11 a.m." I remembered that. But I was hesitating the next day - whether I should go or not. I could not tell my parents because parents will immediately stop, they won't let me go anywhere like that. But I made myself go there anyway.

It was so late, near about 12.30 p.m. That was Prabhupada’s bathing time. One of his secretary, those days it was Shyamasundara Prabhu, he came and said, "No, you are not allowed in this time. This time Prabhupada takes bath, takes lunch and then takes his rest. You come back in the afternoon." I said, "It won't be possible for me. Please ask him. I will wait outside." Then he said, "Okay, he is asking you to come." After seeing me Prabhupada said, "You are not punctual at all. I told you 11. 00 a.m but you came so late." I kept quiet.

Then Srila Prabhupada asked me about my family: Who am I? Who I belong to? What does my father do? What I do? What is my education? like that. From then I told my parents that I want to do this and do that.

Every evening Prabhupada gave lecture. My father never stopped me; he liked my choice. That is how I became close to Srila Prabhupada.