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Since the Ratha-yatra festival in January 1975, disgruntled parents of two Melbourne devotees had been causing trouble. They had hired underworld thug Tom Ericksen, a so-called private detective, to "investigate" the devotees. Ericksen and his men had first been sighted at the Royal Exhibition Building on the day of the parade. They stood around displaying menacing looks, wearing dark glasses and sporting holstered guns that bulged from their double-breasted suits. Soon they increased their intimidation, regularly appearing outside the temple at all hours of the day and night. From time to time they would show their guns, and verbally harass devotees as they came and went from the temple. Security tightened, especially when Ericksen and his men began regular "stake-outs" on the grass median-strip.

Since Prabhupada's arrival in Melbourne, the thugs had increased the war of nerves yet again. They had intensified their so-called espionage by hooking-up long range microphones, pointed directly at Prabhupada's room, to a powerful radio receiver in one of their cars. In the last few days they had been photographing -- with mini-cameras -- everyone that came and went from the temple. Now, temple security was on red alert. Fearful for Prabhupada's safety, specially selected devotees sat in parked cars all night and patrolled the temple grounds with torches.

After class, Pusta Krsna Swami had gone down to talk to one of the "investigators" who sat in an old Holden car trying to look menacing in dark sunglasses and trench coat. The man replied to Pusta Krsna with a stream of obscenities. Although generally making a nuisance of themselves, however, nothing had eventuated so far besides threats and intimidation. In fact, the whole continuing affair appeared somewhat preposterous. Still, their sinister presence had succeeded in what it had set out to do -- keeping the devotees on edge.

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Extra security meant extra opportunity to render intimate service to Prabhupada. Guard duty had intensified outside Prabhupada's rooms, although more than one devotee admitted that it felt more like Srila Prabhupada was guarding them. Once again, they felt blessed to be able to be so close to their beloved spiritual master as he walked to and from his rooms in the early hours of the morning. Sometimes he asked their names, smiling encouragingly and acknowledging their sincere obeisances.


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