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Friday, 16 May 1975

Prabhupada's morning walk conversations continued to be topical, fascinating -- and sometimes controversial. According to the Vedic version, Prabhupada said, the modern astronomers' proposition that the moon is nearest to the earth should not be accepted. Actually, he said, the moon was far, far away and could not be approached by a so-called "moon expedition". As evidence, Prabhupada cited the chronological order in which people all over the world re

Later in his room, Srila Prabhupada discussed more about Vedic cosmology with Paramahamsa. The different planetary orbits, Prabhupada said, were all independent; the so-called law of gravity was not mentioned as such in the Vedic literature. Prabhupada answered a few more of Paramahamsa's questions about the current work on Srimad-Bhagavatam, Fifth Canto, and then fell silent.

"Actually," he added, after a few minutes, "I am not giving any more information -- simply what is t

Paramahamsa surveyed the morning newspaper. The day before, in what US President Ford described as "an act of piracy", the Cambodian Government seized the 10,000 tonne US freighter Mayaguez, 96km off the Cambodian coast in the Gulf of Thailand. Now, in retaliation, the US Navy had sunk three Cambodian gun boats. Paramahamsa reported these war-like events to Srila Prabhupada in his room.

Prabhupada was ominously dismissive: "The capitalists will destroy the communists, the communis

On his morning walk at City Beach, Prabhupada spoke more about the flaws of modern civilisation. Paramahamsa described a news article he had read describing how New York City was bankrupt and had practically given up the fight against noise, pollution and crime.

"Because it is conducted by fourth-class men," Prabhupada warned, "the whole civilisation will collapse. There is no social structure, no spiritual understanding and no good character."

A municipal bus, with only

Thursday, 15 May 1975

The devotees had set up two bells in Prabhupada's room. A wind-up bell, more like a buzzer and operated by pressing a button, was for Prabhupada to call Srutakirti to his room. A small brass hand bell sitting on Prabhupada's desk was rung by Prabhupada whenever he wanted to speak to Paramahamsa Swami.

Ganesa: It was about 4am. I had taken my early morning bath under the tap in the front garden. Srutakirti and the others were splashing and divi

Later, Ganesa's mother and sister arrived, and Prabhupada spoke to them in a kindly manner. Ganesa's mother, apparently worried that Krsna consciousness was a challenge to her beliefs, asked Srila Prabhupada a question: "What about the Hebrew religion?" Srila Prabhupada assured her that any religion by which one could know God was good. She asked again, and Prabhupada reassured her. Then, when she felt less defensive, he humbly asked her: "Do you know God? Can you tell me about

Amogha had done well in arranging the evening guest. Justin Murphy -- a well-groomed man in his early thirties, wearing a business suit and tie -- appeared bright and alert. Justin was a geographer, and worked as a Scientific Services Officer for the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation).

Justin began the conversation by describing to Prabhupada some of the goals of his organisation: to protect and preserve Australia's diverse fl

On his walk in King's Park, Srila Prabhupada spoke about the unemployed Indian boy who had visited him the previous night. "This man is unemployed and if we engage him for ploughing, will he do that?"

Paramahamsa said that he didn't think so.

Prabhupada laughed. "Just see -- therefore, there must be division of job. That is catur-varnyam maya srstam. He's a sudra. He does not want to produce his own food. If you give him some salary, then he will be satisfied.

Wednesday, 14 May 1975

Paramahamsa Swami: At 4.30am, Srila Prabhupada called me into his room and we discussed for one hour about how the scientists' astronomical calculations of the universe are all wrong. He said: "You say I am wrong, I say you are wrong, but what is the standard? Your conclusions change, mine are fixed, hence you are wrong. All the exact astronomical calculations are given in the Srimad-Bhagavatam."

Prabhupada knew that modern scientists

Srutakirti was in the habit of cooking quite a substantial amount of prasadam for Srila Prabhupada's lunch during their stay in Perth. It had become part of the daily routine that while Amogha was out looking for potential guests to meet Prabhupada, and Ganesa was out on sankirtana, Srutakirti, Jayadharma and Paramahamsa would stay back and enjoy the remnants of Prabhupada's lunch -- in very large quantities. Supplementing the meal with extra quantities of excellent A

A difference of opinion had sprung up amongst some of the Australian devotees about reading books written by the predecessor spiritual masters. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, Srila Prabhupada's spiritual master was the author of many books, and his father, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, wrote prolifically in English.

A good number of the devotees who were living separately from the temple had developed a habit of reading such books, and some of the devotees living in the temple accused them

Tuesday, 13 May 1975

During the walk on City Beach, Srila Prabhupada spoke candidly about the ill-effects of the increase in the world's demonic population. One of the most prominent features of the move towards a more materialistic society, Prabhupada explained, was an increase in an unwholesome taste for sex.

"Their inclination is for illicit sex. Therefore, when we say: 'You shall not have illicit sex', it is revolutionary. They want sex enjoyment to the best capacity -- homosex, thi

Prabhupada had made it clear on a number of occasions that he felt that Srutakirti had been one of his best, if not the best personal servant. During his earlier years as a brahmacari, Srutakirti had accompanied Prabhupada to many places, including Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland in 1973. Having recently gotten married, Srutakirti had been thrilled at the chance to accompany Srila Prabhupada again as his servant.

A good servant, Prabhupada said, knew the mind of his ma

Monday, 12 May 1975

Although the house in Marimba Crescent was not strictly a temple, the devotees staying there with Srila Prabhupada had established a semblance of a morning program. Every morning at 4.30am they held a small mangala arati ceremony, chanting the eight prayers to the spiritual master as softly as they could. Srutakirti wondered whether it was disturbing Srila Prabhupada who would be regularly translating in the adjoining room at that time, so he asked hi

Prabhupada had very little appetite while in India. Since arriving in Perth, however, his appetite had returned, and he was able to eat more healthily. In the early evening, Prabhupada requested some honey-dew melon. Later he ate some fried potatoes and hot milk, and a little burfi and sandesa. Before taking rest after his night-time massage, Prabhupada asked Srutakirti, "How long does it take to read one verse and purport of my books, and understand it?"

S

Amogha had been unsuccessful in arranging anyone to come for an evening meeting with Srila Prabhupada. After being out for a considerable part of the day, Amogha returned to the house to find Srila Prabhupada pacing back and forth in his sitting room. Prabhupada turned to Amogha. "Garland is very nice. Is anyone coming?"

Amogha: I took this to mean that 'You have made a nice flower garland for me, but did you bring anyone for me to preach to?' It was my duty to find intellig

Prabhupada took his usual breakfast of fruits, but with a new addition. The day before, Srila Prabhupada had shown Jayadharma how to cook pera. Prabhupada poured milk into a wide-mouthed pan and, stirring rhythmically, condensed it down the same way as he did when making burfi. Since he was making pera, however, Prabhupada cooked the milk without sugar until it became khoa, a thick, unsweetened fudge-like paste. Then, towards the end of the operation, Prabhupada added a litt

Sunday, 11 May 1975

Prabhupada had once said: "There are three things that keep me alive -- my walks, my massage and my medicine." Thus, even with no temple in Perth, Srila Prabhupada demonstrated his firm regularity by rising early and going on his daily morning walk. Prabhupada was not only regulated in his own service to Krsna, he rose early to regulate his men to do the same. He preached to his disciples at times convenient for their schedules. Even while i

Friday, 9 May 1975

As Prabhupada and his small group of disciples walked near City Beach, they could see the sky becoming illuminated. Nuances of colour revealed the horizon, and the devotees could see the vast Indian Ocean stretching away to meet the sky where the last stars twinkled then faded. Prabhupada and his small group of disciples walked along a section of road adjoining the large sand dunes that separated them from the beach proper.

The party came across some fishermen, casti

Amogha's offering Prabhupada an opulent rose garland after his morning walk was becoming part of the daily routine. After his bath, Prabhupada wore the garland as he sat in a chair with his back to the sun.

Srutakirti: The devotees asked me whether Prabhupada chanted sixteen rounds a day. I related to them the story of when I was once with Prabhupada and he was chanting japa. He put his beads down and joked with me, playing the role of a novice devotee glad to have completed his daily