 | Sometimes when sitting on the beach blanket in New Jersey, Srila Prabhupada would look out at the waves while chanting japa. He was very beautiful and serene, always absorbed in Krsna, yet also carefully scrutinizing the world around him. On some days there were big waves and surfer boys would be out, swimming and surfing in the waves. Srila Prabhupada watched with great interest as they mounted their boards and slid down the faces of the waves. He asked us: “What is this?” And Gaurasundara and I replied that this is a sport called “surfing” wherein one mounts a board and slides swiftly on the water as the waves roll in. Srila Prabhupada watched intently for some time, then began to chuckle. He said: “You call it surfing, I call it suffering. They are simply wasting their valuable human form of life by jumping in the ocean waves. They have no idea what will happen next. If they become so much fond of remaining on the ocean, then Krsna is very kind: he will satisfy their desire and give them bodies of fishes so that they can enjoy jumping in the ocean more and more but that will be greater suffering. So I call them sufferers, not surfers. He mused as he continued his eternal chanting of Hare Krsna, softly and serenely with the crashing ocean waves in the background. Even now when I see surfers mound their boards on the waves of Sunset beach, North Shore, near where I live, I am always reminded of Srila Prabhupada’s observation and the nick name Srila Prabhupada gave surfing and I am reminded of his kindness in walking amongst us foolish living entities, wasting our lives this way and that and his compassion for us who live in various states of delusion. Srila Prabhupada you are so kind, you observed us in surfer consciousness, dog consciousness, money consciousness, so many various forms of consciousness, and you so mercifully taught us about Krsna consciousness, and you gave us the opportunity to serve you and Krsna. Thank you, Srila Prabhupada!
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