Hari Sauri: Hansaduta Swami spent a few minutes this morning discussing with Srila Prabhupada about his bus program. Hansaduta started his Indian bus preaching earlier this year after being inspired by Prabhupada last December when we went to Gujarat. Since the 1950s, Prabhupada has had a desire to tour and preach in the villages where some spiritual culture is still extant, and he is happy that Hansaduta has taken up the idea. His enthusiasm has also been rekindled by the recent reports of the village preaching in West Bengal. He was in good humor and the meeting was light and pleasant.
“I want to do something in India,” he said, “so if you can, arrange. Now I am purchasing car; I have given money to Gargamuni. One car here in Delhi side, one in Calcutta side, one in Bombay for my going.” He laughed and looked over to me. “And he is a good driver; he will drive. Eh?” He was teasing me. “I do not know, but he said.” Prabhupada chuckled and I was a bit embarrassed. Recently he has asked me to start driving him, but first I have to retrieve my license from Australia. Quite apart from being apprehensive about driving Srila Prabhupada, driving in India is a bit daunting to me. It is a different proposal entirely from what it would be in the West.
Prabhupada smiled and continued, “So I want to preach a little in the village. For that purpose in the big bus like that, we shall go with our tents, and we camp in a place where there is water and begin our preaching. And Hindi book we are getting. In this way let me try in India, in the village, not in the city.“
Reference: A Transcendental Diary Volume 5 – Hari Sauri Dasa
