Oh, you've forgotten already

Kanka Dasi: The first time was the initiation ceremony in 71 of July 21st is when I got initiated in 1971.  Srila Prabhupada came and there were about 60 to 80 people that got initiated. It was like a three-day, I'm pretty sure, it was like a three-day initiation. But previous to that Bhavananda wanted me to get initiated through the mail and Srila Prabhupada wrote back and said, “No, I need to wait until I come.” He said, “If I had wings like a dove, I would fly there right now.” He wrote that in the letter, it was actually a letter to Bhavananda about us all of the devotees because at that time it was like a lot of new devotees at the Brooklyn temple. But the only one he let get initiated so she could cook was Bhadra. So, then we took initiation because I guess because I had waited almost an entire year.  Srila Prabhupada gave me the first initiation in the morning and then in the afternoon he gave Swaroop and me together with the second initiation on the same day. 

But an unusual thing when we were in his quarters was that, well first what I remember of the initiation is that he was kind of in a jolly mood. He said, “What is your name?” I said, "Susie." So, then he said, “No, what is her spiritual name?” So then because he was asking whoever was reading off the names, "Kanka." Then he said, “Kanka was the daughter of a great king who was a great devotee of Krishna.” He said many times we named our female disciples after great female devotees. He said, what the regulative principles were. Then he said, “So, how many rounds do you chant?” He also said, “So, you will be a great devotee?” He asked me that question and I was really shy because I was only 19. Then I said, "Well I'm gonna try." Then he said, “How many rounds do you chant.” I said, "16." His eyes got really big and he said, “That's all?” So, I said, "More if I can." Then he said, “So, what is your name?” I said, "Susie," and he goes, “Oh, you've forgotten already,” because he had given me the name Kanka.