Then as loud as you could imagine, everybody chanted, Jaya, Prabhupada!

Radhanatha Swami : After the kirtan and arati, Srila Prabhupada told the devotees to read Krishna Book. It was a small temple, and it was completely overcrowded with devotees. The Deities were in the front, Prabhupada was in the back, and there was an aisle between Prabhupada and the Deities that was left open. Along the two sides of the aisle were all the sannyasis of North America, sitting facing each other with their dandas in hand. Behind them the devotees were crowded tightly together. A sannyasi started to read. By this time it was late at night, and it was so hot you could hardly breathe. Everyone was falling asleep. People were falling down and being caught by each other. You would see the sannyasis’ dandas bobbing back and forth as they fell asleep. Nobody could stay awake in the whole temple room, but Prabhupada was sitting on the vyasasana with his back straight, attentively hearing the glories of Lord Krishna. When the devotee finally read, “Thus ends the First Chapter of the Krishna Book, entitled, ‘The Advent of Lord Krishna,’” everyone was so happy that they chanted, “Jaya, Srila Prabhupada!” Not because of the book, but because it was over (Laughs). With complete gravity Srila Prabhupada said, “Next chapter.” Someone started reading the next chapter while the devotees were still falling asleep. We had fasted all day, and everyone was struggling and straining, because besides being tired, we were also very hungry. By this time it was after midnight. The second chapter is long. It seemed to go on for hours. Finally the devotee read, “Thus ends the Second Chapter of Krishna Book, entitled, ‘The Prayers By the Demigods to Krishna in the Womb.’” Everyone was happy that it was over, thinking in terms of prasadam and sleep. They chanted, “Jaya, Prabhupada!” Prabhupada said, “Next chapter.” They started reading the next chapter. Looking at Srila Prabhupada, I thought of how Maharaj Pariksit sat for seven days and seven nights hearing the glories of the Lord with rapt attention and tasting the sweetness of the ambrosia. Srimad-Bhagavatam states that the sign of a great soul is that he has a taste for hearing Krishna’s glories. While we were struggling and straining, falling asleep, falling down, and praying that the reading would end, Prabhupada was completely immersed in the ecstasy of hearing Krishna’s lila. Finally the next chapter ended, and by that time the devotees were hardly able to say, “Jaya, Prabhupada” (laughs). Srila Prabhupada looked at the pathetic group of us. He smiled, still sitting erect, completely immersed in Krishna’s lila, and said, “I think that you are all very tired and hungry, so we will end here.” Then as loud as you could imagine, everybody chanted, “Jaya, Prabhupada!” Srila Prabhupada was happy to see all of us together at New Vrindavan.