An excerpt from another letter to another friend, we've been discussing the importance of name and reputation.
~ ~ ~
About this:
"If Srila Prabhupada wouldn't have an impeccable reputation, would you
have listened to him and taken to him as your spiritual master back
then..."
Actually, when I met Srila Prabhupada, when I was 14, and decided to follow him, totally, I did not know a single thing about his reputation, or character.
In fact, as far as my understanding, based on my "good reputable upstanding, D.A.R., Christian, Church class teaching", extended family, he was totally disreputable.
According to all the understandings I had grown up with, known, and been exposed to he was a "filthy Indian derelict beggar, come into our good clean Christian country, to take our money, and steal our youth, like he stole me".
(In fact, my Grandmother, who I adored most in life, due to her impeccable qualities, incredible reputation, numerous awards, and commendations, and recommendations, her spotless home, always decorated with the best floral arrangements, grown in her own garden, and who taught Sunday school class at the church, and held all the meetings for the local women, (and a few personal things also) decided to pronounce me "DEAD" and refused to even have any photos of me, told her friends I was dead, etc.... all because of following this "degraded derelict Indian refugee, here to take our Good American Things".)
When I took formal initiation, that was formal, yes, but I had already given him my heart, and my life, from the first time I met him.
It had nothing to do whatsoever with any reputation or name, or any other "qualification" of his.
It was based solely one what he was teaching me about Krishna, what he said in his books, what he taught, and also, the person that he was when I met him.
Meeting him in person was like the final straw, because he exuded such spiritual potency, it matched every single other thing he said in his books, and that I also heard in his recorded voice before I met him.
Check Mate.
Stale Mate?
: )
Case in point. Exactly.
Hope you are well today,
Hare Krishna,
Navasi
*Footnote: Re-reading this today, I need to add something. I was discussing the importance of reputation with this person, as regarded Srila Prabhupada and myself. However, upon thinking more about this, and re-reading this, I really have to say that there is a key ingredient missing here.
The main thing, was that I LOVED Srila Prabhupada. When I met him, I loved him.
That's the missing ingredient.
I loved him. I didn't even know then what that love meant I would need to do, it didn't matter. I loved him, so I learned, and am still learning, but I have always loved him.
*
