‘Fanning Around The World’
By Gauridasa Pandita Dasa
I used to take care of Srila Prabhupada’s garden in Sri Vrindavan Dhama in the summer of 1977. Srila Prabhupada used to come into the garden every morning and chant japa or listen to some devotees chant Bhajans or read his books outloud. Srila Prabhupada liked the chanting of the Gurukula children and Sacitananda Prabhu a lot. Sometimes the secretary would read letters and Srila Prabhupada would dictate a response. Srila Prabhupada liked his Lord Brahma fountain a lot. It always had to be running when he was in the garden. It created a soothing sound in harmony with the chirping birds and temple bells in the distance.
Before Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in the garden early in the mornings, I would change the cloth on his vyasasana and light his favorite incense. I would stick about 10 sticks in the ground on both sides of the vyasasana and the smoke would billow up and around the vyasasana nicely. One day I lit ‘Sai Flora’, a very strong incense, and Srila Prabhupada told me to take it away. He said it was too strong. (especially when you light so many sticks!) I brought back a mellower scent, Kesar-Chandan, (saffron-sandlewood), and Srila Prabhupada said it was very nice; so that’s the kind I lit from then on.
One of my favorite duties was fanning Srila Prabhupada all morning in the garden, then in the Temple Room under the Tamal tree. I used to be a pujari there in Vrindavan and I thought I was the best chamera fanner around. I was puffed up thinking I got that service because I was so qualified, doing the fancy motions.
One day as I was tending to His Divine Grace in his garden a fly landed above his lip. He was chanting with his eyes closed and I was trying to shew the fly away with my finger without touching his face. Just then Srila Prabhupada opened his eyes and looked at me as I jumped back and said, “You are fanning around the world; but you can’t get the fly off my face!” He then told me to give the chamara to him and he demonstrated how to fan him by whisking it right across his face, saying, “Do like this”. Moments later the fly reappeared determined to get some more mercy from the lotus mouth of the pure devotee. I reluctantly brushed the chamara across the face of His Divine Grace and he smiled and nodded his head and said, “Very nice!”. That made my day, after a near disaster.
I learned from that experience that devotional service was not just for show but is supposed to be practical, the way to please the spiritual master and the Lord Sri Krishna. After fanning Srila Prabhupada in his garden we would escort him to the Temple where he would sit under the Tamal tree and listen to Bhajans from about 9am until about 11am. I shared my fanning service then, it was always ecstatic to be in the presence of His Divine Grace, Srila Prabhupada.
One day a guest brought a big bag of mangoes and offered them to Srila Prabhupada under the Tamal tree. I cut them all into juicy cubes and loaded up a big plate with them. Srila Prabhupada took one cube and nonchalantly tossed in into his mouth and then told me to distribute it to all the devotees and guests there. He always made sure all the guests received attention and Prasadam.
In Hawaii, the devotees asked Srila Prabhupada what type of mangoes they should bring to him and he replied, “Bring the ones from the eastern side of the tree.” He explained that the eastern side receives the morning sunlight that gives the Prana, the life force. He did everything with intelligence, not for simple sense gratification. He also said a yogi could live on just two young coconuts a day. They are the highest food, because they grow so high.
I received a letter many years ago from the secretary of Srila Prabhupada, Tamal Krsna Maharaja, saying that he was having ‘visions’ of me fanning Srila Prabhupada. I hope those visions come true again in the future! All glories to our jagat guru Srila Prabhupada and all those fortunate souls now and in the future who will serve him.
Hoping this meets you well and Happy in Krsna Consciousness
Your eternal friend and servant
Gauridasa Pandita Dasa
Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful!
¨When one approaches persons who have real knowledge, emptiness overflows with fullness, death becomes immortal nectar, and disasters can seem like good fortune.¨
Brhad-Bhagavatamrta
In light of the topic, and the light-heartedness of the topic, I will share some stories with you. It is true as a former sannyasi, I had too many privileges given to me. Once in LA, the personal servant of Srila Prabhupad had to do something else and so he asked me to give him a massage. He only told me to start with the head using sandalwood oil, and then from there down using mustard seed oil. So, Srila Prabhupad was seated in the hallway outside his LA quarters on a straw mat. I came in, offered my obeisances, and began applying some sandalwood oil to his head. I did not know how to massage, what to speak of massaging Srila Prabhupad, and so I started very gently on the top of his head with my fingertips. Srila Prabhupad then said, “What is this? Massage means hard!” So I proceed to give His Divine Grace a firm massage. I had many opportunities to massage Srila Prabhupad several dozen times over the years. Once in South Africa, on the recommendation of Hari Sauri das, I was trying to ‘crack’ his toes also, which HS said he liked. Srila Prabhupad did not complain but chuckled. It was during one of those massages in South Africa, that Srila Prabhupad said to me: I am always having to borrow some life member’s car in India. I replied, ‘Do you want me to buy you a car for India?’ Srila Prabhupad said: “Yes”. So with collections from South Africa, we purchased a 220 Mercedes Diesel Sedan which we were to pick up in Stuttgart, Germany for driving overland to India. Accompanied by Riddha Prabhu, and another bhakta which I am afraid to say I can’t recall his good name, we picked up the car in Germany in February, 1976 and drove overland in a treacherous winter. It took us 10 days to complete the 8,000 mile ride to Mayapur, filled with too many adventures to mention here.
We were very fortunate to have the opportunity to get to know Srila Prabhupad somewhat. We were all very young, and at the time he was an elderly man, more than a grandfatherly figure to be sure. But, he was supremely inciteful, kind-hearted, and patient. I have mentioned this before, but he would like to hear all of the mail that was sent to him by his disciples, etc. And, he would usually comment and have a letter typed on his behalf, which he personally read, edited, and signed…as Your Ever Well-Wisher……….
Pusta Krishna das