Your name is Sridhara Dasa Brahmacari

When he [Srila Prabhupada] called me up for the initiation, he called my name, John. And again here I was — it was the time he was giving me my beads, but I was almost frozen with fear. So I went up and he said, “So? You are brahmacari?” I didn’t know what to do; I just offered my obeisances and somebody shook me: “Prabhupada is talking to you.” Then I sat up. Prabhupada told me, “Don’t worry; it’s OK.” Then he said, “So you know the mantras?” You know, I was supposed to say, “No illicit sex, no intoxication . . .” I said, “Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna . . . (laughter) I completely blew it all the way around. Then he gave me the name, Sridhar dasa Brahmacari.

Told by ISKCON’s Sridhara Swami, From “The Jolly Swami” by Adbhuta Hari Dasa

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