14^th October 1975

Prabhupada’s daily activity was very intense and demanding. On one occasion when Srila Prabhupada received some advance books of the newly-printed Caitanya-caritamrta from Los Angeles he immediately began reading them. In fact Prabhupada requested Harikesa to read out aloud to him on the front lawn. We all listened attentively seated at his feet to the realm of Sri Caitanya’s lila. Although it appeared that Srila Prabhupada was resting, he was totally submerged in the narration. He went into samadhi and was transported to our sweet lord. We sat there for hours and hours the whole afternoon, may be four hours or more. The most amazing thing is that Prabhupada never flinched or moved his body. He was absolutely still, internally absorbed in Krsna consciousness.

* * *

Nobody could have understood how demanding it was being Srila Prabhupada’s personal servant as Harikesa dasa Brahmacari was. He was responsible for cooking for Prabhupada most of the time, and recording all the talks. He would handle the international travel arrangements as well as a whole multitude of tasks. For Harikesa this was only a humble role, for the time being. What was ahead of him was a much more difficult and near impossible mission. This became clear to me one day when I was outside Prabhupada’s room. A very intense Harikesa walked out after being with Srila Prabhupada in his room for a long time. He explained to me that Srila Prabhupada was on a marathon discussion session with him. Prabhupada had explained to Harikesa how to preach, influence and defeat the Communists in the Soviet Union. Srila Prabhupada was not only insistent but he had explained to Harikesa for ten or so hours about preaching in the USSR. That was not the only session. It had been going on before for many hours on a previous trip in Gujarat, and now it was going to continue for Harikesa.

Srila Prabhupada, the "great general," was personally training and counselling Harikesa in his personal mission. For me it seemed that Prabhupada was just trying to defeat the Communists by logic and philosophy but Prabhupada had his own agenda. He had a plan and that was to preach and establish Krsna consciousness in the most atheistic countries in the world, the Soviet Union and the Eastern Block. Harikesa was keeping a cool head about the whole matter. Srila Prabhupada was systematically teaching him step by step in the Johannesburg temple. In time, this was to prove one of the most dangerous projects ever undertaken by one of Srila Prabhupada most trusted and sincere disciples Harikesa.