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Devotees arrived for their special afternoon darsana with Srila Prabhupada with garlands, fragrant bouquets and other gifts. Soon the shiny parquet floor of Prabhupada's room was covered with devotees. Srila Prabhupada sat in their midst, appearing relaxed as he sat on his chaise longue, his left leg folded over his right knee, his right leg pointing downwards in front of him. One by one, devotees came forward and offered their garlands, flowers and various gift-wrapped parcels.

A young New Zealand girl of hippy appearance stood and presented her rather unkempt daughter in front of Prabhupada. She asked Srila Prabhupada if he could give her daughter a name. Prabhupada thought for a moment, and smiled graciously. "Mrnalini," he said. Another girl came up with her young son and proceeded to show Prabhupada all his drawings one by one. "This is a timingila fish, this is a surabhi cow, this is Krsna " Prabhupada patiently sat as the girl slowly went through a large stack of drawings one by one. The devotees fidgeted nervously at the disproportionate amount of time that the girl was taking up. Prabhupada patiently received all the gifts and then sat silently, slowly looking around the room.

Madhudvisa Swami spoke up. "Srila Prabhupada, these devotees have come here because they would like to have more personal association with you."

Srila Prabhupada laughed. "I also like. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado, yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto 'pi, this is essential, to be anxious to be associated with the spiritual master. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has stated that by the mercy of Krsna one comes in contact with a bona fide spiritual master, and by the mercy of the spiritual master one gets Krsna. Krsna is in everyone's heart. He knows what we want."

Prabhupada gazed around the room at the mixed group. There had been a rumour that at this meeting Prabhupada would defuse the tense stand-off situation between the "inside" and "outside" groups.

Prabhupada continued. "So, when we sincerely want Krsna, then Krsna sends his representative, guru. Guru is the external representative of Krsna. So to the sincere student, Krsna teaches from inside and outside. That is the way so that he quickly becomes fit for going back to home, back to Godhead. Your behaviour to be attached to the spiritual master is a good qualification, and it is very much appreciated, both by Krsna and His devotees. So please continue this attitude and follow the instructions. Then you will go back to home, back to Godhead. It is guaranteed. It is not difficult to go back to Godhead, especially since in this age Krsna has personally appeared as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and He is very, very kind to the fallen souls."

Srila Prabhupada quoted from his favourite bhajana -- Narottama dasa Thakur's Ista deve vijnapti. "In this age, everyone is papi, most sinful, and tapi, always suffering. Lord Caitanya along with His associates have come to deliver all the papi-tapis. If we take shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, by His mercy we get everything. So now Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda have come to Melbourne, looking very nice. Please keep yourselves always engaged in Their service. How? Sri vigraharadana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau. Sri vigraharadana: by the process of Deity worship, arcana, beginning from mangala arati, up to the sayana arati, everything should be done very nicely and the temple should be made very clean. Tan-mandira-marjanadau. To dress the Deity is as important as cleaning the temple also, not that the temple will remain dirty, simply you are dressing the Deity. No. Keep everything within the temple very neat and clean. And the more you keep the temple neat and clean, you will be neat and clean within your heart. Then you will understand Krsna very easily. Presently we cannot understand Krsna, because our heart is piled up with so much garbage. So we have to clean the heart, then Krsna understanding will come."

The room was very still. Srila Prabhupada concluded: "So, I am very much pleased that we have secured this nice building. Keep it very neat and clean and go on chanting and dancing. Utilise the open land to grow flowers. In this way make the centre unique. And it is a recognised building. If people understand that this building is now a temple and very nicely kept, people will come and see. So keep yourself always in touch with the principles and chant Hare Krsna. You are all educated, so read the books, try to understand the philosophy. Then your life is successful. Thank you very much for coming."

It was time to go, but none of the devotees wanted to leave the room. They were happily basking in Srila Prabhupada's presence. Madhudvisa looked around the room, turned to Srila Prabhupada, and grinned. "I don't think any of the devotees want to go, Srila Prabhupada. They want to stay with you!"

Prabhupada reciprocated with a mild smile. "Then that is all right." The devotees stayed for five minutes more, then it was over. As devotees offered their obeisances, Prabhupada turned to Madhudvisa. "These are all residents in the temple?" he asked, with a slight gesture of his hand.

"We would like them all to be residents," replied Madhudvisa, "but some of them find it a little difficult."

Prabhupada's reply , "So, make it suitable" - spoke volumes. It was quite clear from the content of his talk that his consistent desire was for all the devotees present -- those living both inside and outside -- to centre their devotional lives around the temple. Prabhupada had stressed cleaning the temple, worshipping the Deities, growing flowers in the temple gardens, and encouraging temple tours. Yet Prabhupada's final comment -- "So, make it suitable", was clearly to impress upon those living in the temple -- especially the leaders -- that they had a grave responsibility: their behaviour should demonstrate such a high standard of Krsna consciousness that those coming to the temple would feel welcome and at ease, not threatened or alienated.

Prabhupada had written: "Our different centres are meant for organising a group of pure devotees so that neophyte visitors may take examples from them and thus become attached to Krsna consciousness." If the devotees became sufficiently advanced in Krsna consciousness, then the natural decorations of a saintly person -- mercy, humility, equality, mildness, peacefulness, respectfulness and freedom from false prestige -- would attract people to not only come to the temple, but to actually take up the process themselves.

Prabhupada's use of the word "suitable" was a clear instruction to those devotees fortunate enough to already have the opportunity of full-time shelter in Krsna's temple to avoid animosity and confrontation. In short, Prabhupada was making it clear that example was far better than precept.

The devotees reluctantly rose to leave the room. Prabhupada spoke out kindly: "Take prasadam!" The devotees filed past as Prabhupada calmly and happily gave without discrimination. His deft hands and elegant fingers picked up the flat pera sweets and expertly placed them into each extended palm, making no distinction between stalwart men, shy women or eager children. Prabhupada desired that prasadam be distributed widely from all his ISKCON centres. Now, Srila Prabhupada demonstrated the simple act by offering sweetmeats from his own hand.


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