Blog

Thursday, 8 May 1975

Prabhupada took his second morning walk in picturesque Hyde Park that overlooked the city. As with its namesake in Sydney and London, the park was a special civic feature with ornamental lakes and shaded with mature native trees - jarrah, paperbark and jacaranda. The walk was again filled with animated and lively conversation. Prabhupada's party passed a lake inhabited by various birds out searching for their breakfast. Ducks splashed and quacked, while famous native black swans with their characteristic white-tipped wings and orange-red bills gave their distinctive trumpet call.

"We are afraid of water; they are enjoying," Prabhupada said with a grin. "Black swans. They are also aware of how to protect their interest. Every living entity knows how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex and how to defend from fear."

Prabhupada pointed to a large tree standing nearby that he recognised from morning walks in North America, and asked its name. Ganesa volunteered an answer. "It looks like a maple." Prabhupada confirmed that it was, and nodded in agreement as Amogha added that the Australian maple trees did not yield edible syrup.

Srila Prabhupada paused by the lake beside a large plane tree, speaking on the closed-mindedness of thinking that the Earth was alone in the universe. The fact was, Prabhupada pointed out, that the universe was filled with many planetary systems. In each of these systems were many planets just like this one.

"Here on this planet we have gold and copper in the mines, so also in the sky there are millions of miles of gold and copper. Similarly," Prabhupada added, "the sun not only sustains life on this planet, but also on every other planet in the universe."

As the fast-paced walk continued, the conversation ranged over many topics, including comparative religion, Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism Communism, and meat-eating. Devotees brought up horrendous examples of contemporary degradation, and tested their convictions by posing as agnostics. As always, it was clear to the devotees that whether responding to ordinary sights and sounds, social issues, or to philosophical inquiries, Srila Prabhupada continually saw things from the transcendental perspective.


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