The blue Kombi van was regularly being used to pick up Srila Prabhupada from his Renny Street house and drive him to the temple for the evening program. Brahmacaris, packed to capacity in the back of the van, would hold a kirtana, sometimes chanting Hare Krsna and at other times the Sanskrit prayers to the spiritual master. That afternoon, however, Srila Prabhupada agreed to be driven to the temple in the double-decker bus. As Raghunatha manoeuvred the lumbering vehicle up and down the hilly streets from Paddington to Glebe, Srila Prabhupada sat on a special, soft, vinyl-covered platform constructed over the back wheel arch. Resting on two large cushions, Prabhupada smiled broadly. It was obvious that he enjoyed the ride immensely.
As Srila Prabhupada entered the front door of the temple, the devotees offered their obeisances and knelt on either side of the entrance corridor leading to the temple room. After an enthusiastic kirtana and before beginning his class, Prabhupada spoke to a packed room of devotees and guests, repeating what he had said when he first arrived: that he was happy to see the Deities beautifully dressed and well cared for. "Krsna has given you the intelligence from within your hearts to look after Him nicely," he reiterated.
Many devotees and guests had come for the Sunday feast. Prabhupada spoke strongly from Bhagavad-gita, and then asked for questions. The second or third question was more of a challenge. A young bearded man stood, claiming that Meher Baba was God, not Krsna. In an argumentative tone, he asked Prabhupada what he thought about Meher Baba. The audience was quiet and expectant.
Srila Prabhupada looked lovingly at Radha-Gopinatha on the altar. "I don't know anything about these people. I only know about Krsna. Krsna is so wonderful that he lifted Govardhana Hill on his little finger for seven days." As he spoke, Prabhupada, smiling brightly, held his left hand in the air, with his little finger sticking up, while still looking at the Deity. Prabhupada's eyes widened; he turned to the man. "You can have Meher Baba. We take Krsna."
He paused and turned again to Gopinatha. "Krsna is very beautiful. You can take Meher Baba, we take Krsna."
Srila Prabhupada quickly stood, offering full obeisances before the Deities, as the devotees followed suit. A kirtana commenced and Prabhupada walked towards the temple door. He turned and spoke out humbly to the bearded young man in the crowd: "Don't be misled. Don't be misled -- Krsna is very beautiful and you can know Him."
Devotees and guests escorted Prabhupada to his waiting Kombi van as they chanted in kirtana. Then pots and buckets of prasadam were brought out of the kitchen for the ever-popular Sunday feast.
- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu
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