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A late-morning speaking engagement at La Trobe University's Agora Theatre had been advertised widely. When Prabhupada entered the chilly hall he found it packed with students. Devotees held a kirtana on stage and introduced Srila Prabhupada, who, looking grave, began speaking very basically about the soul and the body and how this education is required for all people.

But after no more than ten minutes, a young man in the audience stood up and began to shout profanities at Srila Prabhupada, shocking the devotees' ears. "And how do you explain your Rolls Royce?" he added. The audience had been quiet up till this interruption, but now they became very noisy and restless.

Buddhimanta, Hari-sauri, Sabhapati and Caru decided to position themselves at the back of the hall from where the man was shouting. Meanwhile, Srila Prabhupada stopped speaking and sat tolerantly, waiting. The shouting stopped and he began again. "As I was explaining, in material life we have been changing from one body to another. This is not a very good condition of life. Nobody wants to die, but he is forced to die."

After five minutes, the abusive language again broke out. This time Srila Prabhupada's four disciples pushed the shouters out the back door. In the fight, one of the students pulled a knife from his boot, but Buddhimanta disarmed him. The atmosphere inside the auditorium was tense, and many people were talking loudly. Some got up to leave.

Madhudvisa Swami, taking the microphone, pleaded with the students to remain calm and continue hearing from Srila Prabhupada. Some students in the audience seemed on the verge of violence, and the devotees feared for Prabhupada's safety. But Prabhupada was willing to continue. He called for questions.

A young student stood. "I'm a Christian, and I would like to know what is your opinion of Jesus Christ."

"We respect Jesus Christ as you do, because he is a representative of God, the son of God. We are also speaking of God, so we respect him with our greatest veneration."

The student had a sarcastic edge to his voice. "You are a son of Jesus, too?"

"Yes, I am a servant of Jesus. I don't say I am Jesus."

"I want to know if you have the power of Jesus."

Prabhupada looked down humbly. "No, I have no power of Jesus."

Student: Well, I've got the power of Jesus!

(Laughter)

Because I'm a Christian.

Srila Prabhupada: That's all right. You are Christian. We are Krsnian. It is practically the same thing.

(Laughter and applause)

Student: I have one other question. I believe Jesus is coming back, and not Krsna. What are you guys going to do when you see Jesus?

(Laughter)

Srila Prabhupada: When he is coming, welcome. We shall welcome. It is very good news that Jesus is coming.

Student: Jesus had no reputation. He wore sandals and was crucified between two thieves. And your spirituality is on a Rolls Royce and a padded seat, and you're all into money -- you Krsnas, you want money....

Srila Prabhupada: I don't want money.

Student: and you say violence is violence, that's what you believe. Jesus turned the other cheek, and he expected his followers to.

(Applause)

By now most of the devotees sat shocked in stunned disbelief at the turn of events. Some lady disciples were crying. Despite all the attacks from the crowd, however, Prabhupada, his head slightly lowered, remained humble and non-defensive. He spoke on.

"This Krsna consciousness movement is not a sentimental religious system. It is science and philosophy."

Prabhupada explained that understanding the science of God was transcendental to Christianity or Hinduism. The real goal was to learn to love God. Another student asked a question about Krishnamurti.

"Krishnamurti stresses that when you are speaking in the Western world, you should speak and present yourself as a Westerner, not as an Indian or as you would speak in India. Instead of sitting on a raised dais and dressing in the robes of a monk, Krishnamurti would say, "dress in Western clothes and sit on a chair". What is your opinion of this?"

Prabhupada's reply was frank and honest. "Actually a God conscious man is neither a Westerner nor Easterner. So anywhere the devotee goes, as they receive him, he accepts. These devotees have arranged a raised seat, so I have accepted the raised seat. If they wanted me to sit down on the floor, I would have gladly accepted. I have no objection to this or that. But as devotees receive and give honour, that is good for them, because actually we should honour the Supreme God, and His representative. Nowadays it is different. Students are not learning to honour. But that is not actually the system. According to the Vedic system, the representative of God must be honoured as God."

A student called loudly from the audience. "Do you consider your movement the major form of enlightenment emanating from the United States today?" (Laughter) "What particular role does your movement play in the White House Psychological Warfare Department?" (More laughter) "Will you be coming to our Fourth of July demonstration against the United States this year to try to f -- - it up and divert people away from taking up real political issues concerned with Australia?"

The devotees felt helpless. As more students started shouting, Madhudvisa Swami again took the microphone. "I can answer if you like. Our movement is not from the United States. If you have some paranoia that everything is coming from the United States, well, that's your hang up, not mine. (Applause)

"And second of all, our spiritual master came to the United States to start this Krishna consciousness movement because he got a free ticket on a boat to go there. If you would have sent him a free ticket, he probably would have come to Australia first. So he's trying to spread love of God. He's not trying to start any kind of political movement. He is trying to spark a revolutionary consciousness.

Cont'd


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