(Satyanarayana Dasa was interviewed by a devotee “BALADEVA V”; his question or comments are in “Quotes & Bold, & Blue” Font.)
It was in 1977 and Prabhupada was in Vrndavana. Yes, it was from this period, May 17 to August 27, 1977 and I had just come down from Srinagar in Kashmir. By Lord Caitanya’s grace, I was able to get some Muslin universities to take Prabhupada’s books, about three or four Muslin universities. So, they had taken all of Srila Prabhupada’s books. I brought a big bottle of Himalayan honey to offer Prabhupada. I knew he was in Vrndavana. He would always be overwhelmingly pleased when he heard about library work, America, Europe, India, anywhere. So, I asked Jagadisa who was secretary then, if he would allow me to go to see Prabhupada. I wanted to please him once. He said,
“Yes, you can go in”.
He was a little bit ill I think, so I was told to be quiet. I started walking in and Jagadisa had announced that this boy in on a library party. I did not even come close to him, I just started walking in, and immediately he gave a big smile, and I knew that I was doing something right. So, I walked in and gave him the honey, and started to tell him that some Muslin schools had taken his books, and his eyes opened very wide, and he was very happy.
I remember that just to agree with him on anything, was ecstatic, even if it was a very trivial thing. He immediately became very interested in what I had done. He said,
“Oh, you went to Kashmir. Where did you go?”
“Jombo?” I said,
“Yes, Prabhupada, I went first to Jombo and then to Srinagar and it is a very, very long road.”
“Yes, it is a very, very long winding road. It is off to the foothills of the Himalayas. It takes eight hours. It is a very beautiful road.”
“Yes, Prabhupada, and we went to the top of the mountain, and you could see into the valley of Kashmir and, Prabhupada, that is one of the heavenly portions of the earth planet. There are heavenly varshas in heavenly planets and there are heavenly varshas on the earth planet. So, Kashmir
is one of the heavenly varshas and it looks it. It is incredible.”
He said,
“Yes, that top of the mountain. That is 14,000 feet, is not it?”
“Well, Prabhupada, it says 7,000 feet.”
But he has got to be right. So anyway,
“Srila Prabhupada. there is a big tunnel up there”
“YES, A TUNNEL!!!” His head went back and forth.
I was in ecstasy. Just engaging on something, anything. He said,
“Yes, I remember that tunnel.”
And then he said a really fascinating thing, He said,
“In 1935, I went through that tunnel and I put some of my books in a library in Srinagar.”
In 1935, I did not know what books he printed in 1935, but he said he went through. You can ask Jagadisa, but I did not think he would ever remember this.
Well, that is good. I mean we might be able to find those books in a library.
He said,
“Yes, in 1935 I also went through there and I had put books in a library.”
That was all? Did he say anything more about his book distribution?
No, I should have asked.
Maybe we will find out who he gave them to.
Yes, I am not sure if it is the capital of Kashmir, Srinagar. I cannot imagine anywhere else he would have put the books, but I did not remember him saying Srinagar. But this huge tunnel. It is an incredible tunnel. It is like a rocket. You just see a tiny hole at the end. So, I could really relate to him, and he could relate me with that tunnel. It is an incredible tunnel. So, at the end of that tunnel, it is another two hours to Srinagar, and you pass some little towns, and one of those towns was the place where I had put the books in a university. He must have gone to Srinagar; maybe to the book stores, because he was very big on books stores; putting his books in book stores.