An anecdote related by Gaura Prabhu.

I went to India to receive brahmnical initiation from Srila Prabhupada. When I attended the Mayapur Festival in 1977, I became stricken with amoebic dysentery. Even though there was 1000 devotees or more present, Srila Prabhupada heard about my debilitating health from Bhavananda das, since I was assisting him with lining up classes for the devotees.

Through Bhavananda , Srila Prabhupada sent instructions that I was to take the natural remedy of flat rice, dahi , and green (astringent) bananas, along with Isobgal. When this failed he sent Raghava Pandit das to bring me hot salty puris , fresh out of the wok. When that failed and chlorostreptomycine did not work, Srila Prabhupada ordered that an Ambassador Taxi take me to the Calcutta Research Hospital, as I now weighed under 100 lbs.

I was very amazed that though there were so many devotees at the Mayapur Festival, with so much going on, and Srila Prabhupada himself had to be carried down to give Srimad Bhagavatam classes on a stretcher / pallenquin, even in his external illness, he was still protecting me and looking out for my welfare. This made the illness much easier to deal with, knowing that Srila Prabhupada was personally caring for me.

How many of us would be concerned about protecting other devotees from sickness if our own body was very ill? Even when we are well, how many of us are concerned to protect someone?

On the drive to Kolkata I thought I would leave my body in a taxi collision the crazy way the driver drove, but once I checked in at the hospital, the nurses and doctors were very attentive to me . They put me on intravenous glucose , and after almost a month of convalescing, I was able to return to serve Sri Sri Gaura Nitai at our Ottawa temple where I was able to receive 2nd initiation. Thank you very much Srila Prabhupada for protecting me then and how you continue to protect me through your books , recordings , and this reunion sanga of your disciples.