Jagattarini was feeling very uncomfortable for having slept through Prabhupada's lecture. Not long after the devotees had assembled in his room, Srila Prabhupada, his head tilted slightly to one side, turned to her. "Jagattarini," he said, looking at her straight in the eye, "what did you think of my lecture?"
Jagattarini felt terrified. She wasn't sure whether or not Prabhupada was chastising her for sleeping. She studied Prabhupada's face for a brief moment, but could not discern his intentions.
"It was very .. nice?"
Much to Jagattarini's relief, Prabhupada agreed. "Yes, yes, I think it was a very nice lecture. I explained to them how Krsna was the supreme artist." After summarising the main points of his lecture, Prabhupada turned to Syamasundara. "This lecture should be published. I want this made into a book." Syamasundara complied, and later transcribed the tape recording of the lecture.
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Monday, 17 April 1972
Plans were under way for the following day's Deity installation and temple inauguration. Tusta Krsna called a press conference in the morning with the local media to draw their attention to the official opening of the first branch of the Krsna consciousness movement in New Zealand. At 10am, Prabhupada's tiny room was full of press photographers armed with cameras and microphones. Srila Prabhupada sat, holding a rose between his right thumb and forefinger.
A reporter from The New Zealand Herald asked most of the questions. "Why have you come here? What is your mission? What are you trying to teach? How will this benefit the New Zealand people? What is the difference between you and the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi? What's the meaning of the mark on the forehead?"
Prabhupada patiently answered all of them. Then, still holding the rose delicately in his hand, he humbly appealed to the reporter. "Please -- I have given you this information -- please do not misrepresent us. This is a very important movement. We have come here to help the people of New Zealand."
The reporter was taken aback by Prabhupada's soft, genuine demeanour, and agreed to his request. With that, Prabhupada handed the man the rose and the conference was over.
- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu
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