Preparing for the Conference

When I went to US, Srila Prabhupada was going to Rishikesh for treatment and improving his health. During August Karandhara Prabhu called for a meeting in Los Angeles on the First American Theistic Exhibition, 'FATE'. Rameswara Maharaja, Jayatirtha Maharaja, Sadapūta Prabhu, Nara-Narayana Prabhu, Baradraja Prabhu, Karandhara Prabhu and myself were present for the meeting. While the meeting was going on we got a telephone call saying that Srila Prabhupada was coming to the US. We were shocked; we could not believe it. We sent a telegram to Srila Prabhupada in Vrndavana saying that "Srila Prabhupada, please do not come, your health is not suitable for journey." But within a few days we heard that Srila Prabhupada was already in London. I was to return to India, after finishing the work on the monographs, and I decided to stop in London to see Srila Prabhupada. Meanwhile, I got a telegram from Tamal Krsna Maharaja saying that the Vrndavana Conference is canceled. I immediately started from Boston via London back to India.

The devotees at Boston had made a huge garland for Srila Prabhupada and I was carrying it with me. Srila Prabhupada was at the Bhaktivedanta Manor in London. I went to offer the garland to Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada was very sick. As soon as he saw me, he cried with tears in his eyes. I offered the garland. Then he started talking about science. He said that he was not against the scientists, but he is against their atheistic presentations. He said that he appreciates their intelligence, their contribution to the society, and their hard work, but they should not mislead the innocent people in the name of science.

The following morning Srila Prabhupada called me in his room in the Manor and in Bengali he said to me, "amara jivana sada pape rata" (my life is coming to an end). "Now I have to go back to India. So make arrangement immediately so that I can go." Referring to Tamal Krsna Maharaja's telegram I asked Srila Prabhupada whether the Vrndavana Conference was cancelled or not. Srila Prabhupada replied, "Why? The conference is not canceled, the conference will take place." I then told Tamal Krsna Gosvami that Srila Prabhupada wants to go to India and we must make arrangements.

I came to Bombay one or two days before Prabhupada so when Prabhupada arrived in Bombay I was already there. Prabhupada's room Bombay was very noisy because of construction work and I asked Srila Prabhupada if he wanted to stop the construction for a few days. But he said, "Why do you want to stop the construction? No, No, the construction will go on." After staying for a few days in Bombay, Prabhupada left for Vrndavana.