Srila Prabhupada spoke throughout the night. As the sun rose and some devotees arrived from the temple for Prabhupada's walk, Srila Prabhupada was still talking with Syamasundara. Some devotees recalled the verse from the Bhagavad-gita: "Always chanting My glories, endeavouring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship me with devotion."
Srila Prabhupada decided not to go on a morning walk. Mohanananda reminded him that reporters from a couple of TV stations were coming to the house at 10am to interview him. Prabhupada discussed with his disciples whether he should take a little rest beforehand. He decided to stay awake. After taking a light breakfast, he prepared to meet the media representatives. Prabhupada sat behind his low desk as the men entered, watching quietly as they set up their hot lights and large cameras.
Prabhupada appeared very grave as a large-bodied interviewer spoke up. "Swami, we're just going to ask you some questions."
"May I ask you questions?" asked Srila Prabhupada.
"We're going to ask you questions," answered the man.
Prabhupada was insistent. "But can I ask you questions?"
The man glanced nervously at his colleagues, and said: "Yes, later on." Srila Prabhupada appeared satisfied with the answer.
The man's enquiries were predictably superficial, dwelling on social issues. At one stage the man asked what the devotees were going to do about the City Council's attempts to stop the devotees chanting on the streets of Sydney. Prabhupada told him about Lord Caitanya's original civil disobedience movement. The Muslim magistrate, he said, had tried similar repression five hundred years before in Bengal, but Lord Caitanya had arranged 100,000 men to perform sankirtana in the city, and the magistrate's attempts were foiled.
After several more minutes, the cameras stopped rolling and the bright lights were turned off. The crew started packing up. "Okay, Swami," the man said, "now you can ask questions."
Throughout the interview, Srila Prabhupada had sat back on the bolster cushions with half-closed eyes, appearing a little disinterested, and very subdued. From an external point of view he appeared tired. The devotees were surprised as Prabhupada suddenly sat bolt-upright, resting his left arm on the big polished desk and pointing his right index finger at the interviewer. Prabhupada, now given the opportunity to speak, appeared instantly refreshed. His eyes were wide open and bright.
"What is the difference between an animal and a man?" he asked forcefully.
The interviewer was taken aback and flustered. "Er .. The man has intelligence .. and the animal doesn't?" the man replied, hesitating.
Prabhupada did not accept his answer. He proceeded to explain that animals also have intelligence. He gave the example of how a mouse uses its powers of discrimination to search out and eat cheese. But, he said that whereas the animal's intelligence is directed towards basic physical propensities, the human intelligence is best directed towards God realisation. Prabhupada continued to preach until, after a few more minutes, the man looked at his watch and spoke up nervously. "Well, I think you've got me there. I've got to go."
The session was over. Whatever material the men would use from the interview, or whether or not it would even go to air was up to them; but Prabhupada's purpose was the same. Whether addressing a packed temple, speaking all night in his room to a lone disciple, translating, or speaking to the media, Srila Prabhupada used every occasion as an opportunity to glorify Lord Krsna.
- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu
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