Many saintly persons used to visit my father's house. My father was Vaisnava. He was Vaisnava, and he wanted me to become a Vaisnava. Whenever some saintly person would come, he would ask him, "Please bless my son that he can become a servant of Radharani." That was his prayer. He never prayed for anything.

And he gave me education how to play mrdanga. My mother was against. There was two teachers — one for teaching me A-B-C-D, and one for teaching me mrdanga. So the one teacher was waiting, and the other teacher was teaching me how to play on mrdanga. So my mother would be angry, that "What is this nonsense? You are teaching mrdanga? What he will do with mrdanga?" [chuckles] But perhaps my father wanted that I should be a great mrdanga player in the future. [laughter]

Therefore I am very much indebted to my father, and I have dedicated my book, Krsna book, to him. He wanted me. He wanted me to be preacher of Bhagavata, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and player of mrdanga, and to become servant of Radharani.

So every parent should think like that; otherwise one should not become father and mother. That is the injunction in the sastra.

(Srila Prabhupada; Lecture — March 3, 1975, Dallas)