Haridas: I hadn’t been initiated and Tulsi das, the temple president, didn’t think I was fit. He would say to Prabhupada, “He’s a thief, he’s scum.” Prabhupada looked at him as if to say, “Keep quiet, I know what I’m doing.” Then from the other side of the vyasasana Giriraj Maharaj came to say something and Prabhupada just gave him a look and Giriraj Maharaj went back. Prabhupada said, “Do you know the four principles?” I said “No.” Then Giriraj said, “You know, no meat eating, no tea and all that.” I said, “Yeah,yeah those I know.” He said, “What is your name?” I said, “Haridas but I really don’t know.” I was a bastard child and I never knew my name. I became a pickpocket and every time I’d get caught the police would ask me, “What is your name?” Anything that came to my mind I’d tell them that name. So Giriraj Maharaj came to me that day and said, “Listen mister, today is a very good day. Would you like to shave your head?” I said, “What is a good day?” He said, “Today is a good day since it’s Haridas Thakur’s appearance day.” I said, “Okay.” Giriraj said, “From today we’ll call you Haridas.” So I told this incident to Prabhupada, and he said to keep that name and follow his life. That was my initiation.
Reference: Remembrances by Sidhanta Das- Folio Vedabase
