Prabhupada would sometimes ask his disciples to do impossible things…Syamasundara went from America to England and Syamasundara had been close to many musicians in America and he was determined to meet the Beatles, and eventually he did and he became close to George Harrison especially, because he became a good friend of George Harrison. So he was regularly meeting with George Harrison, and Prabhupada also had met George and the other Beatles. And one time, Prabhupada told Syamasundara, he said, “Syamasundara, you must go and you must ask George for a donation to print the new that I translated- the Krsna book. We are 19 000 pounds short, so why don’t you ask George?” Syamasundara said, “Oh no! I cant do that, because you know, he’s very sensitive; people always ask him for money and I never ask him for money because that would spoil our friendship. No, no, Srila Prabhupada really, I cant do that. Prabhupada said, “No, it’s no problem. You can ask him, Krsna will help you.” Syamasundara (thought), “Oh no! Oh God!”That night there was a dinner and George was also there and Syamasundara was also there and Syamasundara was sitting next to George and well, they went through the different courses of the meal and they were already at the desert and Syamasundara had still not asked George for the donation! Then he thought, “I have to ask him because if I don’t ask him then I’m not following Prabhupada’s order, then my spiritual life is finished! Oh, what will I do! What will I do!” so he said, “uh…George?”
“Yes Syama?
“Err…George, you know Prabhupada wrote a new book…”
“Oh really! What’s it about?”
“Oh, it’s very nice! It’s the Krsna book- all the stories about Krsna. But you know George?”
“Yes?”
“Well you see…Prabhupada is a little short for the printing cost…and well…”
And George’s face was getting tight! His face was getting very pale! And Syamasundara’s heart started to bang in his throat…and he was getting very worried….and then…
There was a terrible thunderbolt!!! A terrible, loud bang in the sky! The next moment all the lights went out……20 seconds later, the lights went on and George was sitting there with a big smile, and he took a cheque book out of his pocket, and he said, “how could I refuse after that!” And he gave it- the 19000 pounds! And when Syamasundara told Prabhupada the story, Prabhupada said, “I told you Krsna would help!”
(Excerpt from Newcastle class, September '08, HH Kadamba Kanana Maharaja)
