Romapada Swami Stories | One of the Best Lessons
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07 Feb One of the Best Lessons

Posted at 06:39h in Uncategorized by

As far as I can remember, I remember His Holiness Romapada Swami always being at the front of the sankirtan movement. I can see older pictures from before I joined the Krishna Conscious movement, of His Holiness Romapada Swami sitting in an assembly of devotees at Prabhupada’s Lotus feet. And I remember distinctly, when I did then join the movement would see him here, there and everywhere – always advocating for expanding book distribution or any other program that Srila Prabhupada advocated for. He’s one that took the advice about the mantra – become one with the mantra, and to become one in desire with Prabhupada’s desire.

I remember in New York, when we all lived together under one roof at 340 West 55th. During one Christmas Marathon the airport had gotten slow; near the very end there was a lull. So Romapada Swami turned to me:

Romapada Swami: “You should go on travelling sankirtan!”
Vaisesika Dasa: “Okay! Who should I go with?”
Romapada Swami: “No. It’s just you!”
Vaisesika Dasa: “But aren’t I supposed to travel with somebody or go with somebody?”
Romapada Swami: “Prabhupada said always remember that, ‘You’re never alone! Krishna’s there in your heart’.”

It was one of the best lessons I ever got because I took that to heart, and when I went on the travelling sankirtan I felt that Krishna was assisting me in all different ways that I couldn’t have imagined. I owe a great debt of gratitude to Romapada Swami.

His advice worked for me, and it was a very blissful time. I remember him throughout the early years of the 1970s and then the 80s, 90s, 2000s and up into the current time that he has always been at the lead of the sankirtan movement. He has always been an example of humbly following Prabhupada’s instructions.

So, I feel a great debt of gratitude to him for all he has done and want to thank him very very much for being a gracious and exemplary older brother and a leader in the Krishna Consciousness movement that people can look to and see how to use one’s whole life, from pillar to post, in Srila Prabhupada’s service.

– Excerpt transcribed from a public appreciation by His Grace Vaisesika Dasa