My One Experience with Madhudvisas Prabhu (ACBSP)

Sriman Madhudvisa dasa (ACBSP)

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaishnava devotees of the Lord. They can fulfill the desires of everyone, just like desire trees, and they are full of compassion for the fallen souls." - Vaishnava prayer

I just learned this morning that Sriman Madhudvisa dasa (ACBSP) one of the very early disciples of my Guru Maharaja, Srila Prabhupada, passed away.

Madhudvisa was mostly known to me, in the early days as one of Srila Prabhupada's personal secretaries, at that time being Madhudvisa Swami, and that's how I knew him. He was one of the intimate inner circle devotees, while I was one of the rank and file, so I really had almost no other association with him, other than the following most transcendental experience. Through Madhudvisa Prabhu, I received a great benediction in Mayapura India in 1975.

At the 1975 Mayapura festival, (the same one I mentioned in an earlier post), I had been told that Srila Prabhupada's feet smelled like roses. Shortly after hearing this, Srila Prabhupada, (and all the devotees) were offering obeisances to the Deities, and I was just behind Srila Prabhupada. Wanting to verify this rumor, and perhaps have an opportunity to touch his lotus feet, which was NOT allowed (I actually didn't know that), I slowly creeped up toward Prabhupada. I was probably only a foot or two away when suddenly I got thumped on the head. I looked up, and there was Madhudvisa Swami, standing above me grinning, and holding Srila Prabhupada's cane while he was offering obeisances.

The Transcendenta Cane thut thumped me?

Ultimately, I was not able to test the veracity of the rumor, but I did receive the great benediction of being 'thumped' by Srila Prabhupada's cane. For this alone, I will be eternally indebted to my dear Godbrother, Madhudvisa Prabhu!

I pray that he has joined Srila Prabhupada in his eternal pastimes.

Prabhupada walking with cane.

These two last photos of Srila Prabhupada's cane look similar, but I can't be sure which one hit me.  This was nearly 40 years ago, but I think it looked more like the one the Prabhupada is walking with, as opposed to the one on the alter.