Aksayananda's stepfather, Hector (Robbie) Robertson, had volunteered to drive Prabhupada to the hall. Early in the evening, the same quaint old car that had picked up Srila Prabhupada at the airport that morning coughed and spluttered to a halt outside the temple. Prabhupada, lightly dressed in dhoti, kurta and sweater, sat in the front seat next to Robbie, while some disciples squeezed in the back.
Prabhupada's mood was once again relaxed. At one stage, while discussing the plight of modern youth, Prabhupada, with a twinkle in his eye and a broad grin, turned to Robbie. "I know how to handle these naughty boys," he said.
The aged car pulled up at the Town Hall steps. Entering the hall, Prabhupada was satisfied to see a good-sized gathering. Posters, handbills, as well as notices in the local newspapers had attracted a broad spectrum of mainly young people to the hall. Prabhupada passed large panels of decorative stained-glass windows, and mounted the large, solid dark wood stage.
Hanuman Prasada Goswami, who had joined Prabhupada for his New Zealand visit, opened the talk with a short preamble, introducing Srila Prabhupada as Krsna's representative. Prabhupada took this cue to speak about the parampara system.
"Sriman Hanuman Prasada Goswami has spoken something about Krsna's representative. So naturally the question may be raised, that how I became Krsna's representative. Krsna appeared five thousand years ago. I am recently born, say, seventy-six years ago. How I became Krsna's representative? This question may be raised. But the answer is also there, ready. We have got a disciplic succession: from Krsna to Brahma; from Brahma to Narada; from Narada to Vyasadeva; from Vyasadeva to Madhvacarya; from Madhvacarya, so many in disciplic succession. Later, five hundred years ago, Madhavendra Puri, in the line of Madhvacarya, then his disciple Isvara Puri, his disciple, Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya, we consider him Krsna Himself, but he also accepted a spiritual master, Isvara Puri."
Prabhupada described that the knowledge passed down through this disciplic succession is accepted as "gospel truth" and that this was the system of understanding transcendental knowledge, as Veda-pramana, evidence from the Vedas. Prabhupada gave an analogy: In the law court, where two lawyers are arguing, if one lawyer quotes from the lawbook, the judgment is given in his favour because of his authorised presentation. Similarly, in the Vedic system, if one learned scholar presents Vedic evidence, his position is very strong.
"A Vedic statement is accepted in Indian spiritual society. There are hundreds and thousands of men who are still dedicated. Practically the whole population of India is dedicated to spiritual life. Perhaps you may not know, but anyone who has taken birth in India has got a natural inheritance of spiritual life. Unfortunately, at the present moment the leaders are under the wrong impression, that 'India being too much spiritual inclined, its material advancement has been checked'."
Prabhupada explained that anyone could become a representative of Krsna provided that he actually presented what Krsna says, in the same way that the postman becomes a bona fide representative of the postal department if he delivers one's letter without mishandling. "Some friend has sent you a money order. He gives you the paper, you sign, and he pays you. But if he pilfers, then he is no longer a representative. He becomes a thief, a rogue. So a representative of Krsna is also in the same way. If you present Krsna's word as it is, without pilfering, without any adulteration, then you become Krsna's representative; there is no difficulty."
Unfortunately, Prabhupada explained, many so-called scholars, eager to show their eruditon, try to present Bhagavad-gita from different angles of vision. "Now there are over 600 different types of editions commenting on Bhagavad-gita. All these 600 editions are studied from different angles of
vision, and they are all absurd and nonsense. It is very difficult. People have been misled by the so-called commentaries. There is no need of unnecessary commenting on certain things. Commentary or interpretation is required when things are not very clear. Then you can suggest 'The meaning may be like this'."
Prabhupada gave a technical example. "Gangayam ghosapalli. Gangayam. 'On the Ganges there is a neighbourhood which is known as Ghosapalli.' So one may question that 'the river Ganges is water. How there can be a neighbourhood which is known as Ghosapalli? On the water, how can there be a quarter or neighbourhood of human habitation?' You can question that. Gangayam ghosapalli. Then the interpretation should be, 'No, not on the Ganges. "On the Ganges" means on the bank of the Ganges.' This interpretation is nice. When one cannot understand clearly, there is interpretation. But when the matter is clear ..r just like sunlight. The sunlight, sunshine, does it require your lamp to show the sunlight? The sunlight is itself so illuminous that everyone can understand, 'This is sunlight'. If somebody brings some lamp: 'I will show you the sun'. Sun is already visible. Why your lamp is required? So these unauthorised commentators, they bring some lamp to show the sunlight of Bhagavad-gita. That is their business. Therefore people have been misled."
Prabhupada gave a contemporary example of the results of misinterpreting Krsna's words. He explained how the verse from Bhagavad-gita, "Always think of Me, become My devotee and worship Me, offer your obeisances to Me", had been foolishly misinterpreted by a "so-called big scholar".
"I do not wish to utter his name. He is a very big man, but now he is 'living dead'. Because he has committed so many offences, now he is living, but he has lost his memory. Very recently I went to see him. He cannot .. he is like that .." Prabhupada partially raised his hand in a way just to indicate that the man could now not even move his limbs. "So all his intelligence is finished. Nature is so strong that you can misinterpret, but one day, He will make you forget everything -- brain paralysis."
Prabhupada concluded that the best and safest means of understanding Vedic knowledge is to simply accept it as Vedic injunction, without argument. "You accept it -- you are benefited. You save the time. Whatever is stated in the Vedas, if you accept, then you don't need to make research how to found out God, or how to find out yourself. Everything is there, simply if you accept it."
Prabhupada brought the lecture to a close. "So our becoming the representative of Krsna is not a very difficult job because we do not misinterpret the readings of Bhagavad-gita. We accept them as it is. If there is some doubt, it may be due to my poor fund of knowledge, that I cannot understand it -- that we should admit. As we are representative of God, we are canvassing door-to-door: 'Please become Krsna conscious and make your life successful, that's all.' Now it is up to you to take it or reject it. That is your business. Our business is to canvass. The representative goes to secure business door-to-door. Somebody purchases; somebody does not. So that is not the representative's concern. Similarly, our concern is that we shall dedicate our life to preach this Krsna consciousness movement all over the world. Now it is up to you to accept it or not to accept it."
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Robbie: After the lecture I discovered a parking ticket on the dashboard of the car. I later complained to the council that we had a dignitary on board. They waived the fine in recognition of Prabhupada's VIP status.
- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu
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