Mid-morning, Saturday 10 February 1973, Srila Prabhupada descended to apacked temple room for the installation ceremony of Radha and Krishna. He tookhis seat adjoining the small brick fire pit. Then Madhudvisha carried the marbleDeities Who were still covered in pink satin cloth and placed Them one by oneinto small bathing receptacles in front of Srila Prabhupada.While Srutakirti decorated the sacrifical arena with coloured rice flour,Madhudvisha lifted the cloth that covered Srimati Radharani. The assembleddevotees cried, ?Jaya! Hari Bol?, seeing Radharani for the first time. Prabhupadagazed lovingly at Radharani, noting Her pure white complexion and freshyouthful beauty.Then the bathing ceremony began. The devotees loudly sang the Hare Krishnamantra as Prabhupada poured a small brass pot of scented water over Srimati Radharani?s head. Next, the cloth covering was removed from Krishna. Glossy andblack in complexion, Krishna also accepted the loving service of His greatdevotee, Srila Prabhupada by way of the inaugural bath.To Prabhupada?s right sat the three devotees taking initiation: a young boy andgirl who would become pujaris?priests?and a slightly-built elderly lady seatedon a chair. Prabhupada gave a short talk on the significance of initiation, then,exacting a promise from the young boy and girl that they would not leave butrather would always remain in the service of the Deity, handed them theirsanctified strands of chanting beads. The boy and girl became Ganesa dasa andSukla dasi. The elderly lady received the name Aruni dasi.Prabhupada lit the sacrificial fire. The customary mantras were intoned to theaccompaniment of kirtana and readings from sacred texts. Devotees chanted?svaha? and threw ghee-soaked grains into the flames. Prabhupada poured gheethat sent the blazing fire higher and higher. When, finally, bananas were placedinto the fire, thick smoke quickly filled the room. Srila Prabhupada remindedthe devotees that the smoke was ?very nice? and told them not to open thewindows.Prabhupada rose from his seat. He planned to personally offer the first araticeremony to the newly-installed Deities. While the kirtana was roaring, SrilaPrabhupada left the temple room, and, accompanied by Dipak, approached theDeity room door as the pujaris were completing their altar decoration. SrilaPrabhupada slipped off his brown canvas shoes and entered. Dipak picked upthe shoes and placed them to the side of the door. Suddenly Srila Prabhupadaturned. Setting the proper standard of cleanliness, he said: ?You should washyour hands?you have just touched my shoes. You are unclean now?please gowash.?
Reference: The Great Transcendental Adventure by Kurma Dasa
