Apart from the pujari, Srila Prabhupada and his entourage, the temple was deserted. The devotees were all busy decorating the cavernous Melbourne Town Hall with flowers, and unloading instruments, pictures, incense and boxes of sweets. Srila Prabhupada and his assistants walked out into the slightly chilly, early autumn night, and stepped into the waiting car. Syamasundara slowly drove the late model Holden sedan through the streets of St. Kilda towards downtown Melbourne.
Crossing the Swanston Street Bridge, traffic slowed. All around, bustling crowds were absorbed in their Friday night shopping. Since Prabhupada's party was early, Syamasundara decided to drive Srila Prabhupada around the city, while Upananda tried his best to be a tour guide. "Here's the Post Office, Srila Prabhupada .. This is where we do harinama; and here is the City Square -- and here's the Station .."
Srila Prabhupada noted with interest the old Victorian-style buildings on the corner of Bourke and Elizabeth Streets, but he was not looking with the eyes of a tourist. "As soon as they sell these buildings," he advised, "we should buy them."
The car circled the main city blocks. On Bourke Street, Srila Prabhupada looked out at the brightly-lit department stores -- Buckleys and Myers -- with their glamourous display windows and festive Easter decorations, and the various fashion shops and jewellery stores.
"If any Indian man comes to this Melbourne city, he will be surprised with the standard of living." Prabhupada laughed. "They will think that, 'Oh, it is heaven!' The material prosperity is far different from Indian cities."
At a few minutes before 8pm, the car turned into Swanston Street and drove through the VIP gates of the Town Hall. People were still streaming into the main entrance. Srila Prabhupada and Syamasundara entered the waiting room behind the stage to the strains of a hearty and passionate "warm-up" kirtana, led by an equally hearty, passionate and warmed-up Nanda Kumara.
Prabhupada entered stage right into a hall thick with fragrant incense smoke. Mrdanga drums thundered, and the devotees leapt into the air, fiercely clashing their karatals and chanting with ecstatic abandon. "Jaya Prabhupada, jaya Prabhupada! Jaya Prabhupada, jaya Prabhupada!"
Srila Prabhupada quickly sat on the large, flower-bedecked lemon and pale green vyasasana brought from the temple, its new golden trim shining under powerful spotlights.
At the completion of the kirtana, Prabhupada intoned obeisances to the previous spiritual masters. He picked up his shiny karatals and sang: "Jaya Radha-Madhava, kunja bihari .." his voice strong and full of spiritual emotion. For the devotees seated eagerly around him in a semi-circle on the massive stage, this was yet another opportunity for close, blissful association with their spiritual master.
cont'd
- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu
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