Prabhupada's interactionsIt seemed that a number of other guests wanted to see Srila Prabhupada before his departure for Sydney the following day. Two Indian gentlemen, regular donors to the Melbourne temple, had asked to have Prabhupada's audience and were waiting outside his room.Madhudvisa invited them in. "This is Mr. Thakuraj. He is a very good friend of ours, a loyal supporter, and is very much attracted to your books. And the other gentleman, Srila Prabhupada, this is Dr. Sudhakaran. He came to the temple to deliver Cekitana's baby -- the temple president's wife. The baby was born at mangala-arati time. They called her Bhakti-moti."Dr. Sudhakaran spoke a little about his profession as a doctor and then ventured into philosophical areas, admitting that he was a devotee of Mother Durga. "I consider Krsna and Mother the same. I'm a devotee of Mother. I may be wrong, but this is the training I got."Prabhupada's reply was to the point. "You are devotee of Mother. We are devotee of Father. That is the difference. The Father is predominator, the Mother is predominated."Mr. Thakuraj changed the subject. "Your Divine Grace, what do you think is wrong with Gandhi-ism? Where do you think our Gandhi went wrong?""We don't say Gandhi-ism," said Prabhupada. "Any '-ism' without Krsna is wrong."Mr. Thakuraj was submissive. "I see. When I say Gandhi-ism -- not the political side -- but as far as his spiritual and religious approach ..,"Prabhupada was frank. "He had no knowledge about spiritual life. He was a politician. If he had any knowledge of spiritual life, he would have commented on Bhagavad-gita in a different way.""How did he comment?""He has commented on Bhagavad-gita -- 'Kuruksetra is this body. Pandavas are the five senses.' In his own way. He has no knowledge of spiritual life."Prabhupada turned to Dr. Sudhakaran. "You are a medical man. If I take a medical book and comment in my own way, is that authorised?"The doctor agreed that this was not a very good proposal.Prabhupada continued to expound more timeless and practical philosophy. Later the men excused themselves, and Prabhupada's room was again quiet.Monday, 12 February 1973Srila Prabhupada was due to depart mid-morning. As he relaxed and softly chanted japa in the airport departure lounge, his two young newly-initiated disciples, Sukla and Ganesa, applied sandalwood paste to his feet and forehead.John's two-year-old son Yenaka, bare-chested, shaven-headed and wearing a little dhoti, approached Prabhupada with a flower. Prabhupada accepted the offering and smiled affectionately at the boy. A few minutes later Yenaka returned, gesturing that he wanted the flower back, and Prabhupada graciously assented.The boy repeated the procedure a few more times, offering a flower, and then asking for it back. As he came up to take back a flower for yet another time, Srila Prabhupada held onto the flower, refusing to return it. The boy grabbed for the flower, but Prabhupada would not let it go.Yenaka decided to change tactics. Stopping the tug-of-war, he picked up a flower and threw it at Prabhupada. Prabhupada reciprocated by throwing it back. Yenaka threw another, and so did Prabhupada. Finally, out of ammunition, Yenaka tried to grab a flower directly from Prabhupada's garland. Prabhupada grabbed the boy's hand in mid-air and held it tightly, not letting it go. With a mock grave expression, Prabhupada took a flower from his garland with his other hand and threw it at Yenaka at point-blank range.Much to the delight of the devotees, the exchange now escalated into a fully-fledged flower fight. The boy sometimes crept up behind Prabhupada, collecting more ammunition from Madhudvisa, and throwing them with unabashed glee. Prabhupada reciprocated, all the while laughing and enjoying the fun.- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu
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