This is his third visit to India. A highly successful furniture designer, at thirty one-years-old he owns six companies and enjoys a world-wide reputation. To all intents and purposes he has everything material anyone could want. But as he became increasingly successful, he began to find name, fame and fortune lacking in any satisfaction. Rather he was finding himself increasingly alone midst the increasing crowd of what he called "anonymous friends." In 1974 he began to withdraw from his social circle and worldly commitments and embark on an introspective search. He visited China and came here to India, gradually becoming drawn to spirituality. He was searching out a guide but failed to find anyone who could provide the inspiration to fulfill his needs. Thus he decided to practice austerity and study seriously with the hope of purifying himself so that God would reveal to him the proper way to go.
He recently returned to India with Eliseo, a friend, and spent some time in an asrama in the Himalayas, intently studying Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. While there he made friends with a man about the same age as himself. As they attended the programs at the asrama and shared their thoughts, the man one day told him, "If you want to be happy you have to devote your life to Krsna, and in order to do that you must meet Srila Prabhupada. He can introduce you to Krsna. You should leave this place and go to Vrndavana and speak with Prabhupada."
Marco had never heard of Prabhupada and had no impression of Krsna as the Supreme Lord although he was reading Bhagavad-gita. He was impressed with the man, who revealed that he was a Vaisnava and was there to preach. He told Marco all about Prabhupada and explained the philosophy of Krsna consciousness, informing Marco that the version of Bhagavad-gita he was reading was not authentic. He told him that Krsna could only be revealed to him by a pure devotee and therefore he must come to meet Prabhupada.
Marco stopped attending the asrama and began meeting daily with the devotee on the banks of the Ganges. The devotee taught him how to chant Hare Krsna and told him some of Srila Prabhupada's pastimes.
Two days ago, he decided to leave the Himalayas and journey to Vrndavana to search out Srila Prabhupada and Krsna. Taking Eliseo with him, he traveled by train through Rishikesh, Haridwar, Delhi and finally arrived in Mathura. Taking a tunga to Vrndavana, he arrived there in the late afternoon. Not having any idea where to go he simply asked the horse cart driver to take him to the temple of Krsna. For several hours he went from temple to temple asking for Srila Prabhupada, until finally the tunga driver became frustrated. Perhaps thinking that Marco was leading him on without any intention of paying his fare, he became angry and simply dumped him and his companion with their luggage in the middle of the road and drove off.
Tired and thirsty, he had no idea where to find Srila Prabhupada. As he sat by his luggage against a boundary wall he noticed a steel door and decided to knock. He was overjoyed when the door opened to reveal one of our devotees, an Italian at that. The devotee immediately brought him in, invited him to bathe and rest in the guest house and offered him prasadam. More importantly, he assured him that he would soon meet Srila Prabhupada.
One of the Vrndavana brahmacaris, Sajjanasraya dasa, who is of Italian origin and an old friend of mine from Australia, met with him and made him a life member on the spot. Marco easily handed over $300 cash that he had left over, but he was far more interested in the philosophy and Srila Prabhupada than in an official membership. They discussed devotional service and Sajjanasraya offered to come with him here to Delhi to meet Srila Prabhupada.
Thus, the following day, yesterday, they set off, armed with an introductory letter from the Vrndavana temple. They arrived late last night, stayed in a hotel, and now finally got the opportunity to speak with His Divine Grace.
Cont'd
- From "A Transcendental Diary Vol 4" by HG Hari Sauri Prabhu
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