Here's an interesting question from Bhakta Stanislav in Riga Latvia:
Answer
The various rings that Srila Prabhupada is sometimes seen wearing were all gifts from disciples and admirers. Srila Prabhupada had no interest in wearing jewellry of course, but he liked to recognise the devotion and service of his followers. On that basis, he sometimes was given a ring and he wore them.
Sometimes he would receive a ring, wear it for some time and then give it away:
[TD 1] March 21 1976 – Mayapur
"In the afternoon devotees gathered in Prabhupada's room for a last darsana. On behalf of the Philadelphia temple, Ravindra Svarupa prabhu gave him an eighteen-carat gold ring made by Gopinatha dasa. Prabhupada held it for a moment, puzzled as to what the design was. "It is a crown?" he asked.
Ravindra Svarupa reached forward and turned it up the other way. That revealed the words "Hare Krsna," with three small diamonds forming the diacritic dots under "Krsna."
Prabhupada smiled with pleasure and appreciation, and he slipped it on the little finger of his right hand. Then, opening the drawer in his desk, he pulled out another ring, a large, decorative, golden one with a big, black stone, which he handed to Bhavananda Maharaja. Very gratefully, Bhavananda immediately put it on, and it fitted perfectly."
April 16 1976 – Bombay
"Prabhupada has been taking his noon massage sitting on the tiny balcony between his bedroom and the kitchen. When we began today, I slipped the Hare Krsna ring from his finger. He has been wearing it continuously since it was given to him in Mayapur, but because it is a little loose I usually take it off to massage his hand.
Prabhupada looked at it when it came off. Then he looked at me and said, "It is loose? So, now you try it."
Surprised, but very eager, I put it on the little finger of my left hand, but it was a bit slack.
He said, "Oh, too big?"
Not wanting to lose the opportunity, I didn't reply but quickly tried it on the little finger of my right hand, and it fit nicely.
"All right," he smiled, "you can have it!"
I immediately offered him my obeisances and very gratefully tucked it into the fold of my gamcha.
Prabhupada doesn't give away such items often, so I was in ecstasy to get this special gift from him without any prompting and for no apparent reason."
[TD 2] June 19 1976 – Toronto
"Before he left, Subhavilasa came forward with an unusual gift — a child's piggy bank. Srila Prabhupada laughed to see it. It belonged to Subhavilasa's son, Indriyesha, and it was stuffed full of coins. When Srila Prabhupada came to Toronto last year, he had done a similar program at Subhavilasa's house and Indriyesha had handed the piggy bank to him. Prabhupada had held it in the air and shook it and then laughed — it was half empty. He had handed it back to the boy and told him "Fill it up!" So throughout the year the boy has been faithfully adding one coin after another in anticipation of Srila Prabhupada's next visit. Now today, he got his chance to again present it. This time Prabhupada very happily accepted it, greatly pleasing the entire family.
Subhavilasa also presented a gold ring as guru-daksina, which Prabhupada put on. Then at about 8:00 P.M. he returned to the temple. A few minutes into the journey Srila Prabhupada slipped his new ring off and gave it to Pusta Krsna, who was both surprised and grateful to receive it."
[TD 3] July 30 1976 – New Mayapur
"One of the devotees gave Srila Prabhupada a gold ring with the maha-mantra inscribed on it. He put it on and now wears rings on three fingers of his left hand and two fingers of his right."
A ring he wore constantly on the third finger of his left hand was a small gold ring with a diamond in the center which I believe was given to him by Yamuna dasi.
In the last couple of months that His Divine Grace was with us in 1977 he wore a large blue sapphire mounted on a white gold ring on the advice of an astrologer.
Tamal Krishna Goswami writes about this in his TKG's Diary:
TKG's Diary – July 19 1977 Vrndavana
"This morning, the swelling was the least I have seen. Last night, Srila Prabhupada called me into his room and handed me the one ring that previously could not be removed from his finger."
August 4 1977
"After lunch, Srila Prabhupada had me read again the astrologer's report brought by Yasodanandana Maharaja. Prabhupada found it to be quite accurate regarding his past. For the future, it stated that Saturn was exerting a very bad influence, which could be counteracted by wearing a blue sapphire. Abhirama contacted Guru-krpa Swami in Hong Kong, who was going to purchase one there or in Delhi. Srila Prabhupada described the precaution to be taken with the valuable stone when it was purchased. "It should never be allowed to pass into another's hands. A goldsmith should be called to our house. After seeing the stone, he can prepare the ring at his shop. Then he can bring the ring and we will give him the stone. In front of us, he can fix the stone. It is simply curing the teeth of the setting and the stone becomes locked up. And while the ring is being prepared, the gem can be wrapped in some silk cloth and tied around the arm. But the stone should never pass into others' hands."
August 9 1977
"This morning, Guru-krpa Maharaja arrived and immediately placed a blue sapphire ring on Srila Prabhupada's right ring finger. The mounting was made of white gold and was studded with diamonds."
The sapphire ring was left on Srila Prabhupada's body when it was put into samadhi on November 15 1977.
The last ring to be to him came from the New Vrindaban community:
[TKG's Diary] October 7 1977 – Vrndavan
"Kirtanananda Maharaja arrived to the delight of Srila Prabhupada, who immediately inquired about New Vrindaban. Kirtanananda presented Srila Prabhupada many gifts. There were 7,500 dollars from initiations, a silver-threaded, crocheted bead bag, onyx boxes containing jewels, and a gold ring set with valuable stones. Prabhupada put the ring on his finger and laughingly said, "So we will have to find out some bride."
There was a valuable brooch that Prabhupada said could be given to Krsna-Balarama.
Kirtanananda Maharaja then requested Srila Prabhupada to please pray to Krsna to be allowed to live. Srila Prabhupada was very much moved by the touching request. When Kirtanananda expressed his intense desire for Prabhupada to come to the palace in West Virginia (of which he later showed photos), Prabhupada said, "Unless I become a little strong, I can't go." Prabhupada tried a little ice cream they had brought and said it was first-class. He then requested Kuladri to keep everything carefully.
Prabhupada was considering what to do with the gifts Kirtanananda Maharaja had brought him. He wanted to give the brooch to Krsna-Balarama but felt that the temple would not keep them safe. He called for Kirtanananda Maharaja and told him to keep the jewels for Radha Vrndavana-candra. I suggested that the money could be deposited in Prabhupada's personal account, but Prabhupada wished that the money be "utilized for developing New Vrindaban. I shall come; and if I survive, I have a strong desire to go and live there. It will be a great pleasure." Kirtanananda Swami said that the devotees already felt Prabhupada was living there: puja was being performed twice daily at the palace. Prabhupada said, "Yes, that is the way. You are worshipping Radha Vrndavana-candra very intelligently, and the place is being developed very nicely. Whenever you require money, you can ask. He [Tamala Krsna] will give." Kirtanananda Swami said, "I prefer to give." Prabhupada countered, "No, give and take. You are fulfilling my desires. New Vrindaban! I dreamt all this. Wonderful things have happened. He is the first student. From the very beginning, when I was in the storefront, he was bringing carpet, bench, some gong, lamp-seva-service attitude. Jaya! Live long! Serve long!"
In 1977 when Vrindaban Candra De, Srila Prabhupada's youngest son, and his wife had their first child, a baby daughter they named Gauri, Srila Prabhupada gave him a gold ring for the child that I had been gifted in the early 1970s by Bhurijan das and his wife Jagattarini dasi when they were in Hongkong.
Bhurijan's 'P' ring on Srila Prabhupada's left little finger
Bhurijan narrates this pastime and the giving of another ring, in his book "My Glorious Master."
MGM 8-10: Stealing a Heart
"During Prabhupada's transit through Hong Kong, I had heard that he was dissatisfied with ISKCON leadership and had therefore temporarily disbanded the GBC. With boyish naivete and the desire to encourage him, I bought him a 24-karat gold ring and engraved it with the words, "Jaya ISKCON." I presented this ring to Prabhupada in Hong Kong before we traveled together to Tokyo. Now as I sat with Prabhupada in Tokyo during his massage, Sudama carefully rubbed mustard oil onto Prabhupada's chest, back, legs, and hands. Sudama then noticed Prabhupada's golden "Jaya ISKCON" ring.
"Prabhupada," he asked, "you have a new ring."
"Yes."
"Who gave it to you?" Sudama asked, as he massaged the back of Prabhupada's neck.
Prabhupada slowly lifted his head and stared at me. Only the three of us were in the room, and I felt softened by Prabhupada's glance.
"Who gave you the ring, Prabhupada?" Sudama repeated.
Prabhupada kept looking at me and said softly, "Oh, someone."
* * *
Prabhupada could have told Sudama that I had given him the ring. Instead he replied, "Oh, someone." When he said those two words, my heart melted and flowed to his lotus feet in the intimacy of our simple and loving secret."
[MGM] Hongkong Part One – 1974
One day an aerogram arrived from Prabhupäda's secretary, Satsvarüpa Mahäräja, informing us that Prabhupäda would visit us in two weeks. His letter closed, "Hoping to see you again in Kåñëa consciousness." My left eye twitched. Full of anxiety, I began to prepare for Prabhupäda's second visit to Hong Kong. …
MGM 12-13: The Respect of a Vaisnava
"When Prabhupada arrived, we had offered him a 24-karat gold ring with a raised "P" on it, a gold necklace with a "P", and a gold bracelet engraved with the full word, Prabhupada. We had also arranged a Rolls Royce to carry him from the airport to his luxurious hotel suite. Prabhupada appreciated our recognition of his position as the representative of Krsna and told Satsvarupa Maharaja, "This is a great credit for the one who has made these arrangements." …
"Prabhupada was concerned about how I was withstanding the pressure of his purification. He inquired, "So, how are you doing?"
"I'm all right, Prabhupada, but I'm afraid my wife isn't doing so well."
Prabhupada looked worried and asked me to call her in. He also handed me his dictaphone tape and requested I give it to Satsvarupa Maharaja to type. I stepped outside and insisted that Jagattarini go in and see Prabhupada.
Jagattarini had chosen not to be in Prabhupada's room. She felt it too painful to be in her spiritual master's presence and yet feel so hopeless. Instead, she waited outside, wondering how such a terrible condition had come upon her so quickly. When the tape began, however, she listened earnestly and she felt as if Prabhupada was diagnosing and treating her condition and her questions were being answered.
MGM 12-16: A Special Ring
"As we entered and offered our obeisances, Prabhupada was grave. Slowly he removed a thin, gold wedding ring from his finger. He held it delicately between his thumb and forefinger and turned to Jagattarini. "This is for you." Prabhupada extended his arm and placed the ring into her outstretched palms. He appeared thoughtful, gentle, and soft like a loving father. Jagattarini bowed her head and began to cry."
[MGM] Melbourne May 1975
Srutakirti vigorously massaged sandalwood oil into Prabhupada's head. I suddenly noticed that he still wore the gold ring with the engraved "P" on it that I had given him when he visited Hong Kong in 1974.
"You still have the ring," I said in near surprise. "Yes," said Prabhupada, "It is a good ring."
* * *
That Prabhupada not only accepted but wore my offering for years thrilled me. I saw him wearing the ring many times. Because the gold was pure and soft and the ring-size expandable, he would at times wear it on one finger and then move it to another.
Years after Prabhupada's departure from this world, I learned what finally became of that ring. Prabhupada's "son" had come to see him in Calcutta and had requested him again and again for money for bangles for his daughter. Prabhupada finally give him the ring and he left, satisfied. Prabhupada then turned to his servant and said, "I am not attached."
--
Your Insignificant Servant
Prem Kishore Das
(Jai Srila Prabhupada)
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