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Everything Srila Prabhupada did, he did for our benefit, for the benefit of the living entities and especially for his disciples. Everything Srila Prabhupada did, he did for our benefit, for the benefit of the living entities and especially for his disciples.
\nAmbarish: I found a palatial estate that was the Fisher Mansion and later became the Bhaktivedanta Cultural Center. We went there to look at it, and Srila Prabhupada immediately liked it. He mentioned, \u201cWho would not like such a building?\u201d
\nGovardhan said, \u201cWell, Ambarish doesn\u2019t like it.\u201d It was dirty, and there were dogs in it, and the neighborhood was really bad. I couldn\u2019t see what was going to happen to it, but Prabhupada had a vision of what this place could be.
\nGovardhan said, \u201cAmbarish thinks it\u2019s maya.\u201d Prabhupada said, \u201cYes, but Krishna is also maya, and maya can be utilized in the service of Krishna.\u201d
\nAfter we looked at the building, we went to see the man who owned it. We were sitting by his pool. He was materialistic and greedy and wanted as much money as he could get, but the neighborhood was so bad that I couldn\u2019t see how he was possibly going to get that much money, three-hundred-fifty thousand.
\nPrabhupada told the man that he liked the building. He said, \u201cOf course, we\u2019re mendicants, we\u2019re monks, we don\u2019t have much money.\u201d He suggested that the man give the building.
\nThe man was cool. He didn\u2019t seem too shocked with that suggestion, but the real-estate lady almost fell over backwards in her chair, because she was counting on her commission. Her jaw dropped when Prabhupada said that.
\nThe owner was respectful and said he couldn\u2019t possibly do that, as he had invested money in the property. So they settled on a price, and Prabhupada asked if Lekhashravanti and I could come up with the money. We ended up purchasing the building that way.
\nWe were walking in the gardens, when Prabhupada explained that he wanted to make this Detroit building a showplace for Krishna consciousness. He specifically mentioned putting in diorama exhibitions.
\nHe was very enthusiastic about these diorama exhibitions because his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, had used dioramas throughout India as an effective way of preaching.
\nPrabhupada saw that non-devotees like Disney were using them, and he wanted us to have them. Dioramas were one of the first things that I wanted to get working on when we bought the property.
\nI was concerned with the neighborhood because there was a lot of crime and burned-out buildings. Prabhupada said \u201cIf you simply bring Krishna here, everything will improve.\u201d At the time, I didn\u2019t have much faith in that, but it\u2019s well known how the neighborhood has improved.
\nNow there are luxury condominiums there, and there\u2019s the first new housing development within the city limits of Detroit in forty or fifty years.
\nThe whole neighborhood has been transformed, and they have said specifically that it\u2019s because the temple is there. Prabhupada could see that this was going to happen.
\nWhat I learned from this experience was that simply by following the instructions of the spiritual master, you become successful. As disciples, we don\u2019t have to try to be innovative or think up new things, but just by following Prabhupada\u2019s directions things will work out.
\nPrabhupada could see past, present, and future because he was in touch with Krishna. The Detroit building has worked out really well.
\nIt has become a wonderful center and people who would never visit any other temple come there. I think Prabhupada would be very pleased with the way things developed.
\nThe night after the new temple was purchased, the real-estate lady and her partner, two middle-aged Polish women, came to congratulate Prabhupada. They both were intoxicated and were laughing.
\nPrabhupada was kind and friendly with them, and he was very happy too, because he had purchased the building at a good price. Prabhupada didn\u2019t discriminate. He always made whomever came feel comfortable. His attitude was so personable it was amazing.
\nDuring the last few months of his life, I knew Prabhupada was really ill, but I never thought that he was going to depart. I thought, \u201cHow can he leave? He can\u2019t leave us now,\u201d so I did not go to India.
\nIn retrospect I wish I had gone, but Govardhan, the president of the Detroit temple, went, and when he first went into Prabhupada\u2019s presence, Prabhupada said, \u201cHow is Ambarish?\u201d
\nHe was on his departure bed, yet he was asking how I was doing. It\u2019s amazing to me that he was always so concerned. Right up to the end, he was translating and giving instructions.
\nEverything he did, he did for our benefit, for the benefit of the living entities and especially for his disciples. It\u2019s such an example of love. I never knew what love was before I met Srila Prabhupada.
\nI had no idea, because we get so many perverted reflections. He was an example of Krishna\u2019s love, and it is amazing that we\u2019re able to see that.
\n\u2014Ambarish
\nExcerpt from \u201cMemories-Anecdotes of a Modern-Day Saint\u201d
\nby Siddhanta das
\nwww.prabhupadamemories.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![](\"http:\/\/68.media.tumblr.com\/25a6aff5b12ef52009a8cd35bdf70950\/tumblr_o3cyo2FiHA1sbj0vuo1_500.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nAmbarish: I found a palatial estate that was the Fisher Mansion and later became the Bhaktivedanta Cultural Center. We went there to look at it, and Srila Prabhupada immediately liked it. He mentioned, “Who would not like such a building?”
\nGovardhan said, “Well, Ambarish doesn’t like it.” It was dirty, and there were dogs in it, and the neighborhood was really bad. I couldn’t see what was going to happen to it, but Prabhupada had a vision of what this place could be.
\nGovardhan said, “Ambarish thinks it’s maya.” Prabhupada said, “Yes, but Krishna is also maya, and maya can be utilized in the service of Krishna.”
\nAfter we looked at the building, we went to see the man who owned it. We were sitting by his pool. He was materialistic and greedy and wanted as much money as he could get, but the neighborhood was so bad that I couldn’t see how he was possibly going to get that much money, three-hundred-fifty thousand.
\nPrabhupada told the man that he liked the building. He said, “Of course, we’re mendicants, we’re monks, we don’t have much money.” He suggested that the man give the building.
\nThe man was cool. He didn’t seem too shocked with that suggestion, but the real-estate lady almost fell over backwards in her chair, because she was counting on her commission. Her jaw dropped when Prabhupada said that.
\nThe owner was respectful and said he couldn’t possibly do that, as he had invested money in the property. So they settled on a price, and Prabhupada asked if Lekhashravanti and I could come up with the money. We ended up purchasing the building that way.
\nWe were walking in the gardens, when Prabhupada explained that he wanted to make this Detroit building a showplace for Krishna consciousness. He specifically mentioned putting in diorama exhibitions.
\nHe was very enthusiastic about these diorama exhibitions because his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, had used dioramas throughout India as an effective way of preaching.
\nPrabhupada saw that non-devotees like Disney were using them, and he wanted us to have them. Dioramas were one of the first things that I wanted to get working on when we bought the property.
\nI was concerned with the neighborhood because there was a lot of crime and burned-out buildings. Prabhupada said “If you simply bring Krishna here, everything will improve.” At the time, I didn’t have much faith in that, but it’s well known how the neighborhood has improved.
\nNow there are luxury condominiums there, and there’s the first new housing development within the city limits of Detroit in forty or fifty years.
\nThe whole neighborhood has been transformed, and they have said specifically that it’s because the temple is there. Prabhupada could see that this was going to happen.
\nWhat I learned from this experience was that simply by following the instructions of the spiritual master, you become successful. As disciples, we don’t have to try to be innovative or think up new things, but just by following Prabhupada’s directions things will work out.
\nPrabhupada could see past, present, and future because he was in touch with Krishna. The Detroit building has worked out really well.
\nIt has become a wonderful center and people who would never visit any other temple come there. I think Prabhupada would be very pleased with the way things developed.
\nThe night after the new temple was purchased, the real-estate lady and her partner, two middle-aged Polish women, came to congratulate Prabhupada. They both were intoxicated and were laughing.
\nPrabhupada was kind and friendly with them, and he was very happy too, because he had purchased the building at a good price. Prabhupada didn’t discriminate. He always made whomever came feel comfortable. His attitude was so personable it was amazing.
\nDuring the last few months of his life, I knew Prabhupada was really ill, but I never thought that he was going to depart. I thought, “How can he leave? He can’t leave us now,” so I did not go to India.
\nIn retrospect I wish I had gone, but Govardhan, the president of the Detroit temple, went, and when he first went into Prabhupada’s presence, Prabhupada said, “How is Ambarish?”
\nHe was on his departure bed, yet he was asking how I was doing. It’s amazing to me that he was always so concerned. Right up to the end, he was translating and giving instructions.
\nEverything he did, he did for our benefit, for the benefit of the living entities and especially for his disciples. It’s such an example of love. I never knew what love was before I met Srila Prabhupada.
\nI had no idea, because we get so many perverted reflections. He was an example of Krishna’s love, and it is amazing that we’re able to see that.
\n—Ambarish
\nExcerpt from “Memories-Anecdotes of a Modern-Day Saint”
\nby Siddhanta das
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