The First Conference

Early in the morning of October 14 the first day of the Conference I went to see Srila Prabhupada. He told me, "I want to come to your conference, but because of my health I cannot do so. So take this bust of mine and put it on a desk in the conference room and garland it every day during the conference. That will be as good as I am personally present." During the conference we were all dressed in suit and tie and Srila Prabhupada was so eager to know about the proceedings that he called me three times that morning at about two hour intervals just to enquire how everything was going. I would give him report, about who is speaking, what they are saying.

Then, at 6:00 in the evening when the first day of the conference was over, all of the devotee scientists went to see Prabhupada. There was Brahmatirtha Prabhu, Sadaputa Prabhu, Madhava Prabhu, Jnana Prabhu, Rūpanuga Prabhu and myself. We were dressed in suit and tie, and when we came in Prabhupada's room Tamal Krsna Maharaja said, "Prabhupada, all the scientists are here. They're all dressed in suit and tie." Srila Prabhupada immediately opened his eyes wide and asked for chairs. We told Srila Prabhupada that it was all right if we sat on the floor. But Prabhupada insisted that we must sit on chairs. Then he asked how the scientists were doing, whether their Prasadam was arranged properly, whether their staying is comfortable. After he was satisfied, very affectionately he said, "You must all be tired now. Go and take rest."

Early on 17th morning when the three-day conference was over Prabhupada asked me, "What is your opinion about the conference?" He asked me how many scientists had come and what their overall reaction had been. I replied, "Only fifty scientists came, I was expecting more. Many more had promised to come but did not come. Still, those few who came were very interested. They thought it was a very good conference because it opened up some dialogue about the real status of our present understanding of the origin of life. It was a small beginning, and I would have been happier if more scientists came."Srila Prabhupada was quiet. Then he remarked, "It was a success." Prabhupada was always appreciating whatever service we did. He then said, "In this way hold conferences everywhere and establish Krsna consciousness as a scientific movement. That will be a great contribution. Whatever money, resources are required I will send them."