Anecdote of the Day
Srila Nayanananda Das Babaji Maharaj: I usually lived in Campahati, since it was my family's place, but I would frequently visit Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja's matha at Bagh Bazaar in Calcutta, and it was there that I first met Sri Abhaya Carana Prabhu in 1927. We used to associate together in the matha. I made a close friendship with him at that time, although I was a brahmacari and he was a grihastha. Because he waited eleven years before he took initiation, I was initiated before him. However, he was older than me and senior in many ways - senior in age, senior in qualification, and even senior in meeting our gurudeva.
Abhaya Prabhu behaved very humbly to everyone, even though he was senior in many ways to most of the people who came later during those eleven years. He would always pay dandavat to others just because they had taken initiation first. Though he had made that devoted connection with our gurudeva first, he didn't formally take initiation until later on because of his family and his business. I clearly recall how very serious, simple and humble he was.
Sometimes when I was in Calcutta I would go to visit him at Sita-Kanta Banerjee Lane, where he had his home and chemical business. Sat-Prasangananda Brahmacari (who is ninety-three years old now) and Satisa Prabhu (who is seventy-three) used to accompany me when I visited his house on Sita Banerjee Lane. He was very affectionate to us. He always welcomed guests into his home. He opened his house to any Vaishnavas from the Gaudiya Matha, whether they were his godbrothers or young brahmacaris who weren't godbrothers and hadn't even been initiated.
When we used to go out on preaching programs in Calcutta, we would sometimes finish very late at night. We would go to his house at that late hour, and his policy was always to open his door to have us stay with him, even though we had not given him any warning. We would come and knock on his door and he would always open the door and welcome us in. Often, he would even give us his own room, and sleep out in the living room himself. When we woke up in the morning, he would cook and offer prasadam to us. We came there so many times. On many occasions, I also came as a guest at his house along with Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja.
Photo in reference is a picture of Hotel Ramayana which was once a rented house of Gaudiya Matha - Srila Prabhupada's diksa took place there
Reference: Our Srila Prabhupada a Friend to All by Mulaprakriti Dasi
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