Clever monkeys

Saci Mata Devi Dasi: I was very much anxious to help in Prabhupada’s kitchen. But Yamuna mataji, she did not allow. Then Prabhupada said, "Okay, you take care of my sister and clean my rooms, like you do every day. This is your service here."

I said, "Okay Prabhupada." I was so happy! Everyday, five o’ clock in the morning, with a bucket and broom stick, I used to go up the stairs and he used to come down with his stick. He used to just swing the stick and then say, "Saci Mata, remember there are monkeys, very clever. So you close the door while you are working." I used to say, "Okay Srila Prabhupada." And I totally forgot this. Everyday these things happened.

It was Dvadasi. Prabhupada had a big, whole container of pedas kept on his table. I was just doing his bed, then I suddenly heard a sound. A huge monkey grabbed that box and went away. I did not know what will happen. I was, at that time, 20, maybe. I prayed to all the demigods, and I said, "Four annas," "Five annas," like that, to Sani God, Vishvakarma, whoever I knew, Sarasvati, Siva.

I saw that monkey in the next-door courtyard, eating one by one, peda. One mataji was sitting down and she was making... Vrajavasi mataji, she was making chapatis. I told her, "Mataji this monkey has grabbed my Guru Maharaja’s tiffin box." Then she, in Braja-bhasa, you know in Vrindavana Braja-bhasa language… she told something to the monkey - monkey came down, she offered chapati, then monkey dropped that box, and I brought it back. I was so anxious, so worried about what Prabhupada will say about the pedas. Then I locked the key and cleaned the room.

Again monkey came in, kicked the whole bucket of water, and made a big mess. Everything I cleaned and I came down by the stairs and handed the key to Srila Prabhupada. Prabhupada said, "Everything alright Saci Mata?" I kept quiet. Again Prabhupada said, "Everything alright Saci Mata?" I said, "No. This thing happened."

I thought, maybe, he will be very angry with me. But instead of that he laughed. He laughed loudly, "Ha, ha, ha," gave me ten rupees note and said, "Have jalebis with your God-brothers and sisters."