Sunday 29 April 2012

Care for Krishna's Devotees



1. [from Hari Sauri's Transcendental Diary #3]
"Shortly after eight thirty he [Prabhupada] brought the meeting to an end. As he prepared to retire to the house, he looked at one of the women, Gopalasyapriya dasi, who was rather under dressed considering the chill of the evening. He was concerned and he turned to Kuladri, the temple president. "Um hmm. This girl? This cloth is sufficient? So you have no covering? They do not require covering?"
Kuladri was casual about it, trying to explain it away to assuage Srila Prabhupada's disquiet. "It is warm for us, Srila Prabhupada."
But Srila Prabhupada wouldn't allow it to be passed off lightly. "No, if they require, they must be supplied. You must ask them what you need, and provide them. Because they do not say, you'll also keep silent -- that's not good. Every month they should be asked what they need. Necessities, they must be supplied. We have already discussed this point. The women, they  require protection, children, women."
[Later, Srila Prabhupada requested the managers/leaders in NV to check monthly with those under their care to see if the devotees need anything.]

2. On a morning walk, a devotee was not wearing shoes although it was quite chilly and the path was dirt with small rocks and gravel. Srila Prabhupada noticed the devotee without shoes and asked "You do not have shoes?" The devotee replied with a string of flowery praise "Oh Srila Prabhupada, when I am with you I do not feel any material discomfort or pain".
Srila Prabhupada replied "There is enough difficulty in life without inventing more. Go get your shoes" and Srila Prabhupada waited until the devotee retrieved a pair of shoes before continuing his walk.

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