Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Each year as I begin preparations for Janmasthami and Vyasa puja festivals, I read about your glories from Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta.
I read about you moving into room 307 at West Seventy-second Street.
Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta: “Room 307 was never meant for use as a residence or āśrama or lecture hall. It was only a small, narrow office without furniture or a telephone. Prabhupāda placed his blankets on the floor before his metal footlocker, which now became a makeshift desk where he wrote. He slept on the floor. There were no facilities here for cooking or even for bathing, so daily he had to walk to Dr. Mishra’s apartment.
When he had lived in room 501 at Dr. Mishra’s yoga āśrama, Dr. Mishra had financed his needs. But now Prabhupāda was on his own, and whatever he could raise by selling his books, he would have to use for his daily maintenance and for the monthly rent of seventy-two dollars. He had no guaranteed income, his expenses had increased, and his physical comforts had reduced. But at least he had his own place. Now he was free to preach as he liked.”
Srila Prabhupada, you never worried about your physical comforts. As long as you were able to bring others closer to Lord Krishna, you were satisfied.
Satsvarūpa Dāsa Goswami writes: “Robert Nelson went to Room 307 and knocked on Prabhupāda’s door. He remembers the Svāmī inviting him in and handing him a small piece of paper with the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra printed on it. “While Swamiji was handing it to me he had this big smile like he was handing me the world.”
I meditate on your smile whilst endeavouring to offer some service at Bhaktivedanta Manor, for your pleasure.
Your servant
Ananta Gopal Das
05.08.2025
Bhakti Wisdom 