Australia at the time had quite a conservative immigration policy. One requirement was that a large amount of money, $1,500, had to be shown to Immigration upon arrival. Upendra managed to collect the fare, but could not raise the "show money". Gargamuni, who ran a small import-export business in San Francisco, reluctantly agreed to lend him the money on the strict condition that Upendra return it immediately on his arrival in Australia.
Bali-mardana was also preparing for his trip, and towards the end of the last week of January, 1970, he received yet another encouraging letter from Srila Prabhupada:
I understand that you are now preparing to go to Australia, and I am so much glad that you are so enthusiastic in preaching the transcendental cult of Krishna consciousness. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu will be very much pleased upon you. Lord Caitanya desired that this cult of love of Krishna, which is the highest benefit for the living entity, shall be preached all over the world. As an intelligent boy, you can understand how much this Krishna consciousness movement is necessary for the upliftment of human society.
The musical Hair had opened on Broadway two years previously, attracting large crowds and a great deal of attention, particularly due to its scenes of unabashed nudity. Prabhupada noted to Bali-mardana in his letter that this highlighted the urgent need to spread Krsna consciousness:
Due to their extraordinary materialistic way of life, the so-called "civilised" human society has degraded to the position of the animals. They are now dancing naked on the public stage and so-called "respectable" persons are going to enjoy such performances. The animals wander here and there naked, the monkeys walk naked; even the aborigines in the jungles, they also cover their private parts by some skin or tree or leaf. I do not know how the so-called "civilised" men are gliding to the stage of animal life, and still they are proud of their advancement of education and civilisation. So the disease of human society is becoming more and more acute, and Lord Caitanya desired that the Indians should preach this cult for the benefit of human society. Unfortunately, the present generation of Indians is more attracted to technological knowledge than this cult of Krishna consciousness. Their position is very precarious.
Somehow or other, under the order of my spiritual master, I have brought this cult of Krishna consciousness and handed it over to the American boys and girls. So I am appealing to everyone, especially intelligent boys like you, to take up the propaganda work of the Krishna consciousness movement very seriously, and it will be a great service to the human beings. We have now got sufficient books and literatures, and our philosophy is super-excellent. We are authorised, and we shall go ahead, more and more ..
- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu
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