In the afternoon, Srila Prabhupada met with Syamananda's parents in his room. He told them that he was pleased with their son's new altar construction. Syamananda's father, Harvey Buttonshaw, was a late middle-aged man with longish grey-black hair and a substantial moustache. He had been a mercenary for many years and had even served with the French Foreign Legion.
Prabhupada spoke kindly to Harvey, and, to the surprise of some, gave him specific instructions that he should go to the forest and chant "Om". After his fifteen-minute talk, Harvey left feeling grateful for having met Srila Prabhupada. For the rest of Srila Prabhupada's stay, Harvey regularly brought gifts of flowers and could be seen dancing and chanting enthusiastically in kirtana and taking prasadam with the devotees.
- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu
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