SP considered this our best center

In the evening Prabhupada sat in the garden, choosing a spot under a tree on the top of a bank that sloped to the water's edge. It was surrounded by flowers and trees and there were seven peacocks dancing and struting in the gardens. One called from the tree tops just above and behind Srila Prabhupada, attracting his attention. With Prabhupada present it seemed just like Vrindavana. He said that he considered this our best center, especially with its waterside aspect. He enjoyed it so much that he sat for three hours on the multi-colored satin pillows, chanting on his new large tulasi beads and commenting on various philosophical and social issues. Satsvarupa Maharaja, Dhristadyumna Swami, Madhavananda prabhu and Jayadvaita prabhu all informed and entertained His Divine Grace with stories of their preaching in the colleges and airports. Srila Prabhupada was relaxed, leaning back against the pillows, smiling, commenting and enjoying his disciple's exploits. At one point a dark featured, quiet mannered devotee came to join our little party. Madhavananda introduced him to Srila Prabhupada. "This is our biggest book distributor of the men?Panca-tattva dasa. One day in the airport he distributed three hundred Srimad-Bhagavatams. That is the record." Prabhupada's eyes lit up with surprise and appreciation. "Hardbound Srimad-Bhagavatams?" "Yes," Panca-tattva said modestly, a bit shy in front of his spiritual master. "How did you sell so many?" Prabhupada asked. "Unless you have got supernatural power." "Krishna empowered him," Madhavananda said. "Actually, it is not... It is uncommon," Prabhupada assured us. Madhavananda told Srila Prabhupada, "Sometimes the karmi salesmen, they stand around to watch us distribute books. Because they are so amazed at our techniques of sale and distribution, they want to learn." Jayadvaita confirmed his statement. "They become very respectful. They don't know anything about our philosophy, but they see how nicely we..." "Good salesmen," Prabhupada said. "Yes. And sometimes they even offer jobs to the devotee," Madhavananda continued. "That 'You come and work for me. You will be salesman for my...'" "'And what nonsense book you have got?'" Prabhupada rejoined with a big smile, causing laughter all around. "'We are going to stop your sales.' Tell them. 'Instead of helping you for selling your books, we are going to stop all these nonsense books. That is our mission.' Tad vayasam tirtham. That is explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Na yad vacas citra-padam harer yaso... pragrinita karhicit tad vayasam tirtham usanti manasa. That verse, that however nicely it is written metaphor, poetic ornaments and very good language, grammatical set-up, and so on, so on. So that, although it is very nicely written from literary point of view, but because it does not contain any glorification of Krishna, it is just like the spot where the crows take pleasure. Crows. The crows means they go the nasty place where all nasty things are thrown. They take pleasure there. So all these other literatures, they are meant for the crows. And this literature is meant for the swan, paramahamsa, white swans. So it is not the bodily color. It means those who are advanced in their development of life, consciousness, it is meant for them. It is not for the crows, who are still eating all nasty things in the garbage. Crows, they do that. And the big swans, they will like water like this, garden like this. Even in the lower animals, there is difference between the crow's society and swan's society." Prabhupada enjoyed his evening's respite so much he stayed out until 9:00 P.M. When I mentioned the time, suggesting it was getting late, he was reluctant to go back in. "It may be ten o'clock," he said, full of good humor. "What is the difference when here and there?" He laughed. "Just like a blind man, he's sleeping, now his son is getting, 'Please rise, it is now morning.' So he said, 'For me, morning and evening is the same thing. I am blind.' Keba ratra keba din. 'For me, there is no difference between day and night, because I cannot see anything.'"