Question: What is your strongest memory of Srila Prabhupada?

Jayapataka Swami: There are several! One time when he was calling me and he was in the bathroom and there was a snake caught in the door trying to bite Srila Prabhupada and he told me do something! Ha! Ha! And then one time I went into Srila Prabhupada’s room when he was preaching to my purvasrama mother and he was telling her how you are not the body, you are the living force in the body. I had never heard Srila Prabhupada said the words ‘living force’ before in such a simple way to teach my mother about devotional service! So I have many, because Srila Prabhupada would spend every year, twice in Mayapur and he would come a month and a half before, during or after, usually before or after the Kartik month and then he would come during Gaura Purnima time for two weeks. So lots of experiences. I finished my book about Memoirs of Srila Prabhupada, and it has been edited, and it is supposed to be revealed by the BBT editorial board in LA. But so many pastimes. In Montreal, Canada, he told me that ‘I need to have a rose, a rose will increase my life.’ So I called a florist to get a rose. And then the temple president, said, ‘what are you doing? You cannot do this! I am the temple president.’ I said, ‘I follow you all the time, morning and night, but Srila Prabhupada asked me to get him a rose and I am getting him a rose!’ ‘You cannot do this’ he said, ‘I am the temple president.’ ‘I don’t care who you are!’ Ha! Ha! I was a tough nut! Then I got Srila Prabhupada the rose and he said, thank you! I went back. Got the sore side of the president!
08-NOVEMBER-2019 BHAKTIVEDANTA MANOR, ENGLAND