The first time I ever met His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj was in 1979. That was the first time he came to the United States of America. He wanted to go to preach and to serve at Srila Prabhupada's various temples in America and it was also the grand opening of Srila Prabhupada's palace at New Vrindavan. I happened to be traveling and in the college towns and preaching, I believe at that time and I came back to New Vrindavan and when I came back, you know I went to Srila Prabhupada's palace to have darshan of Srila Prabhupada and I don't remember if it was just after the opening or just before, but in the little kitchen was Bhakti Charu Maharaj cooking. He would spend hours and hours every day just all alone cooking for Srila Prabhupada. And when I met him for the first time, there was just such a beautiful, unforgettable connection that was in my heart. Here he was a person who was so exalted in his service to Srila Pabhuapada, with his association with Srila Prabhupada and his very culture, he was born in Prabhupada's birthplace and he was just in the most humble spirit, he was just cooking for Srila Prabhupada, he was putting so much of his heart and his soul into everything he was cooking and it was just to offer the deity of Srila Prabhupada. And I asked him if I could assist him just by washing his pots, I was a brahmacari at that time, by washing his pots and by cutting the vegetables and cleaning the floors or any menial service I could do to assist him and he he was he was happy just doing it all himself in fact it kind of seemed like he just, he relished cleaning everything himself and cutting everything himself but out of his kindness, he allowed me to help.
