The sun had just risen when Srila Prabhupada arrived at Centennial Park. Seeing that he had enjoyed his visits there last year, the devotees had chosen it again as a venue for his early morning walks. The park, the largest public reserve in Sydney, was named in 1888 to celebrate 100 years of settlement by Europeans in Australia. With its lakes, lawns, paths and statues, Centennial Park still retained its nineteenth century ambience.
Prabhupada walked fast and spoke very little as the cluster of devotees followed his example by softly chanting japa. Arthur ran ahead, crouching down behind trees, filming Srila Prabhupada with a small, hand-held super-8 camera. Prabhupada appeared not to notice him.
Prabhupada's silence appeared impenetrable. As he had written in The Nectar of Devotion: "A person who doesn't express his mind to everyone or whose mental activity and plan of action are very difficult to understand is called grave." Prabhupada's demeanour certainly matched this description.
The pathways were long and straight, with well-trimmed lawns on both sides. Tall, mature palm trees lined the path at intervals. Some palm fronds had dropped off and were lying across the path. Thinking that it would inconvenience Prabhupada to have to step over them or around them, Harry ran ahead without asking anyone (a daring thing for a very new devotee to do) and removed the fronds from the path. As he rejoined the group, Srila Prabhupada nodded his approval. Harry was thrilled to have achieved Srila Prabhupada's appreciative recognition.
Towards the end of the walk, Prabhupada stopped. Turning to Mohanananda, he commented: "This is better than New York's Central Park."
- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu
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