Narada Muni das: I remember in the airport after the ecstatic greeting and kirtan there were some reporters there, and this reporter kept asking Srila Prabhupada when it was that he realized God. Srila Prabhupada, as we know, would never ever put himself forward or take credit. He was always a humble servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the most intimate devotees of Krishna. So Srila Prabhupada would just explain to the person that anyone can realize God and how God is there in the transcendental sound of His Holy Name. So Srila Prabhupada was trying to give him some philosophical understanding. But the man was very persistent and he kept inquiring, “But you, Swamiji, when did you first realize God?”
So Srila Prabhupada smiled and he said, “I first realized God when I was 5 years old.” Of course, Srila Prabhupada then said, “Actually there was never time when I did not remember God.” So we know that, that Srila Prabhupada displayed the symptoms of a pure devotee from birth. He talks about that in the Bhagavatam and how his symptoms also of holding Rathayatra and worshipping Radha-Krishna, these are symptoms of a liberated soul coming into this material world just for the purpose of delivering the conditioned souls. So here Srila Prabhupada confirmed his full God realization from inception in this material world.
Reference: Following Srila Prabhupada-A Chronological Series by Narada Muni Dasa
