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New Govardhana continued to flourish. Devotees regularly picked fresh vegetables and herbs from their burgeoning garden. Plans were afoot to plant an orchard. By August, the dairy herd had increased to 14 cows -- some of them pedigree Jerseys. Several calves, including two bullocks, had recently been born. A neighbour had volunteered to train the bullocks to work as soon as they were old enough, and a cow shed was almost completed.

Hari-sauri sent a full report of the latest developments in Australia for June and July to Srila Prabhupada in Vrndavana. Along with the update, Hari-sauri enclosed some interesting news clippings.

On the eighth anniversary of the so-called moon landing, an article had been published in The Australian entitled "A Giant Step for Mankind -- Or Was It?" Questioning the ultimate value of the first step on the moon, the writer had wondered whether it had just been "one great technological ego trip, of no real significance in the daily lives of the world's 4,000 million people". The writer asked for comments from readers.

The devotees knew that Prabhupada had been eager to preach strongly against the scientists and challenged their ludicrous statements. Consequently, Cittahari, Melbourne temple's public relations officer, wrote a well-informed reply, announcing that, according to the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the so-called moon landing had actually been a hoax.

Picking up the story, Melbourne journalist Phillip Adams again responded, writing his second article on the devotees in a few months, entitled,

MAN ON THE MOON? -- DON'T YOU BELIEVE IT.

America's Great Space Hoax Exposed,

Thanks to Hare Krishna

The full-page article appeared in most of the leading daily newspapers in Australia. Despite Adams' trademark frivolous style, the article quoted Cittahari's letter in full.

Tamal Krsna Goswami read the entire article to Srila Prabhupada, who laughed at Adams' description of the moon hoax. Prabhupada appreciated that, despite the article's levity, it helped bring Krsna consciousness to the foreground of the news. He asked Satsvarupa dasa Goswami, "What was that man's actual version of what happened?" The news items had given him transcendental food for thought. The article, Prabhupada concluded, indicated that the devotees' vigorous preaching in Melbourne had been getting a good response.


- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu