An Evening with the Ahmadiya Muslims

This evening I accepted an invitation to go to a presentation given by the Ahmadiya Muslim Association. They are a Muslim missionary organisation, perhaps the only Islamic group to actively reach out to others, and I remember them from my time in Kenya some 25 years ago.

They’ve been going door to door in the local area for a couple of weeks now, and had called on my home while I was away. Their message was ‘Love to All, Hatred to None’ and I at first presumed they might be trying extra hard to to counter the reputation that Islam has gained of late.

I wasn’t too sure whether or not I had been specifically targeted as a Vaishnava, or whether their public meeting - just 200 yards from Bhaktivedanta Manor in the little village hall of Letchmore Heath - was arranged to reach the Hindu community, but since they were quite determined - and a missionary group - I went along thinking that I might learn something.

It turns out that this is a special year, 2008 is the centenary of the death of their founder. Their movement, which now has 190 branches, started in the Punjab region of India back in 1889. The first leader of the community, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, declared himself the messiah, or successor to the prophet Muhammed. One thing that’s sure when you declare yourself to be the messiah is that some people are going to love you, and many more will hate you.

Because of this significant departure from conventional Islam, the community was eventually persecuted, a situation that persists today in Pakistan, where preaching on behalf of Ahmadiya will get you a stiff prison sentence.

The Ahmadiya Muslims describe themselves as a renaissance within Islam, a fact that might come as good news to those who wish to see a reformation within the religion. Of course, renaissance doesn’t exactly mean reformation. The former can indicate a revival of a religion back to its early days of glory, the latter a revival of popularity due to useful changes in philosophical understanding or practical application, or adjustments in organisational structure. Their distinctive characteristic, which they take great pains to articulate, is that both Muhammad and his essential messages are peaceful; a position that many these days would contest.

Back in 1979-80 when, as a young man on the streets of Nairobi and Kisumu, trying to interest the locals in the message of Krishna (try being a white man selling religion in Africa and you’ll get to hear some heartfelt opinions) I had seen the Ahmadiyas with their Saturday book tables attracting big crowds. More recently I’d heard of their huge, tented gatherings on their 200 acres down in Surrey. That’s a very English county to host a temporary Islamabad of 25,000 people, but now its an established annual convention - the jalsa salana.

As a relatively early member of the Hare Krishna movement, I admire and sympathise with any religious group thats established itself through hard graft and honest outreach. I know what they’ve been through and all the effort it takes.

My evening with them was pleasant enough, and I found them gentle and well mannered. I also liked the fact that they’d invited us and had requested another devotee to speak to the public at the event. The assembled masses in the Letchmore Heath Memorial Hall amounted to a few Krishnas and the local Church of England vicar and some of his parishioners. Not a great turnout for all the effort they’d put in, but thats life in a world of HD plasma screen TV. Religion is not much competition.

The vicar and I were both presented with a Holy Qur’an and another, smaller summary of Islamic teachings. I will definitely have a go at the smaller book. Whatever else we do in life, we can always spend a few minutes trying to understand other people and their beliefs. Besides, you never know when you might need to know something about Islam these days. Always better to be prepared.

More Music with Message

I like artists of all kinds who try to spread Krishna consciousness through their art. Our Vaishnava tradition is a very appealing one because Krishna Himself, His form, name, activities, and His messages, are endlessly attractive and always fresh. For thousands of years devotees have used dance, graphic art, sculpture, architecture, poetry and music to convey something of the beauty of Krishna.

The great saint and revivalist, Bhaktivinode Thakura, wrote that in the future the kirtan of the holy name of Krishna would be sung in local languages and according to local musical traditions. These days young Vaishnavas in particular try to share not only the name of the Lord but also an uplifting message in the lyrics of their songs. Often they have to be cryptic in order to do that, conveying a feeling rather than direct teaching. Still others write more directly. They are straightforward in their lyrical content, often quoting chunks of scripture.

It seems to have something to do with how large your existing fanbase is. More established artists can write more directly, safe in the knowledge that their fans will allow them some spiritual thoughts and statements in a song or two. George Harrison was pretty safe, when, in 1973, he wrote an album pretty much based on Srila Prabhupada’s words, and under his request to put the philosophy into his songs. Proceeds from Living in the Material World paid for Bhaktivedanta Manor, the place where he was asked to write more songs for Krishna.

Similarly, Stevie Wonder, Van Morrison and Sting all wrote lyrics based on themes they’d heard from devotees. Much later, the New York band Shelter took things further and rendered an entire purport of the Srimad Bhagavatam in their still powerful Message of the Bhagavat. Even more up front in their early days was Kulashaker with their astonishingly blatant Acintya Bhedabheda Tattva. I heard a story of a crowd at a working mens club in the Welsh valleys all singing along to the Sanskrit of this one!

So here’s another band that got my attention when I first met them years ago. These are my favourite songs of theirs, and I thought I’d share them with you. Tirtha is from Sweden, his wife Laksmana from South America, and the other members from Spain. Last time I met them was in Madrid, when I was invited to lunch in their home. Collectively they began as Undrop, then became Dhira Sound System - or just plain Dhira - later on.

Here’s one that compares the great movement of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to a train, taking us to our supreme destination.

And another that describes how all the perceived differences between people are rendered unimportant when we develop spiritual vision. With this vision we can all be one family. (You’ll get more from this if you know Spanish - but listen anyway)

And finally, one of my favourite ancient Vaishnava songs delivered as never before.

Mother Earth honoured at new Hindu state school

I went along to the Bhumi Puja for the new Krishna-Avanti school in Harrow the other day. The ceremony to mark the UK’s first ever government-funded Hindu faith school generated quite a bit of media interest and a short television news report can be viewed here:

Bhumi Puja for new school

Faith schools are regarded by the neo-secularists to be an unecessary reversion to Britains religious past, when spiritual life and educational life were held to be both equally important in building the character of a child. However, despite the clamour of the opposing parties, recent statistics still prove that faith schools in general deliver a better exam pass rate than average. And Hindu children seem to achieve high results. In a country where, as in most places, education is a key yardstick in measuring the competence of the government of the day, such figures are important. Put the figures together and the idea of a Hindu faith school seems to make good educational sense.

Hence this particular government of the day is keen to show support to a Hindu school, the first of its kind. At least one government minister, several members of parliament, the head of school inspectors, and the head of the local council, joined the governors and staff for the occasion.

Government-funded means that both the majority cost of building the school and the ongoing teachers salaries are provided by government. This leads to the stability of being able to plan for the future. It also means that the curriculum must be taught in accordance with national requirements yet the faith partnership means that Vedic wisdom, ethics and values will accompany the children through their years of education.

The design of the school is very forward-looking and has been conceptualised and executed by a team of architects who specialise in educational spaces. Solar panels and a ‘green roof’ along with outdoor teaching, lots of daylight in classrooms, and spaces for vegetable growing have already attracted favourable comments. And the idea of yoga for children also seems to have got people nodding their heads in approval in these days of childhood obesity.

The school is not expected to be fully operational until September 2009, and by that time will be heavily over-subscribed if current enquiries continue as they are. You can find out more at: www.krishna-avanti.org.uk

Slugs in my Lettuce Patch

On Monday morning I was reminded why I don’t particularly like slugs. The night before, two rows of bright green baby lettuces were gently pressed and watered into their cosy earth beds. The next morning some of them were gone completely, and many others had precious baby leaves missing. I was disappointed but not surprised. Slugs have no respect for other people’s boundaries.

Slugs. Those slimy, blobby, grey-brown mucus-tubes. They don’t care how much I’ve toiled digging the earth; how I’ve carefully raised my lettuce children from packet to tray to pot; how I’ve gently watered them at the right time of day. All they know is that they want to eat. They offer me no respect, but are very happy to help themselves to the fruits of my labour.

People can be like that too can’t they? Last night, in the Eurostar train terminal in Brussels, Belgium, I was very gently pick pocketed. The thief stole my wallet that was in my pocket and under my coat. I never felt a thing. There was no knife, no fight, and no words exchanged. Just a very quiet robbery by someone with the consciousness of a slug. Someone who was no respecter of boundaries or the fruits of someone’s labour. Just someone who wanted what someone else had.

Slugs are very much at work in the world of religious movements too. A preacher, priest, vicar or rabbi works hard to spread the good word of spiritual life. Much labour is expended and hours of time employed. After careful nurturing a person takes to regular practise, growing day by day into a soul that is happy to be strongly situated in a divine garden.

Then along comes a slug. Someone who wants to feed off the spiritual growth of the new person for his own purposes. Through charisma, propaganda, false promises or free chickens, the new member of the church, synagogue, temple or sangha is mentally, physically and emotionally first sucked then chewed by the slug. The preacher wakes up the next morning to find that his spiritual garden has become depleted.

The Christians call it ’sheep-stealing’ when a rival preacher takes away a member of their congregation. Other groups call it ’stealing apples from our tree.’ Still others say: “We invited them to our home, but they stole the cheese off our bread while we ate together’

Now, dear readers, you will know that I believe in a world where people can make up their minds about what religion they follow, and which fellowship they finally settle for. But I object strongly when others do no work, respect no boundaries, create falsity in the minds of others, and exploit my humble efforts to share the message of my spiritual master. It has happened too often and I’ve had enough.

So my message to all slugs this morning is as follows: Whether you want my lettuce, my wallet, or my spiritual students, things have changed. I’m ready for you.

Developing a Eurovision

For the past two days I’ve been over here in Radhadesh, Belgium, helping to prepare for our next European Leaders Meeting. Devotees from more than fifteen countries are coming together for the sixth annual conference, and its important that their time is well spent and the results of the conference productive.

There’s still a few months to go, but we want to ensure that proposals already submitted for discussion adequately represent the concerns of the members in the different European countries, and that everyone who still wants to submit a discussion topic sends their proposals in a form that guarantees adequate and thoughtful discussion.

The ELM is an informal think-tank, designed to provide feedback on topical issues for an executive body which then creates policies. Each of the ISKCON temples sends one or more delegates from their national council. In this way, the resulting conference decisions are held to represent the collective Vaishnava thoughts on the major issues of the day. The conclusions of the ELM conference are then submitted to a higher body for further discussion. This higher body is made up of GBC members who have responsibilities within Europe, and others specialising in some area of expertise. The Euro-GBC decides bye-laws for ISKCON in Europe in addition to ensuring that existing international ISKCON laws are observed in the member communities.

We’ve also been following up the progress on last year’s conference resolutions, allotting time slots for the two days, and figuring out how many delegates each country can send. This year, we are prepared for 80 in total, with larger representations from Germany, Italy, Croatia, Sweden and the UK. So enthusiastic are our devotees in Croatia, they’ve already offered to host the conference in 2009.

Discussions took place under the compassionate glance of Gopinath, as seen this morning

A Taste of Hare Krishna Heaven: New Audio-Magazine

I’ve previously written about the Nectar of Devotion radio programme being broadcast weekly throughout East London. The presenter, Dwarakadisa Das, reckoned his listeners totalled some 7,000 live on the day, and many more listening online at different times during the following week. My regular readers will know that I like to find out new ways that devotees are presenting Krishna consciousness so may I recommend you have a look at his new audio magazine, also found here.

The current magazine focuses on Lord Nrsimhadeva and features bhajans by assorted singers, class with transcription by Srila Prabhupada; a brilliant puppet show soundtrack; and the Nrsimha Kavaca by Sivarama Swami.

Here is more on the new audio-magazine:

Nectar of Devotion is a monthly online audio magazine dedicated to sharing the best
Music, Lectures, Audio Theatre and Information from the world of Hare Krishna.
Hosted by Dwarakadisa das and originally broadcast as a weekly radio show on
NuSound Radio in London, Nectar of Devotion has now moved on to a new monthly format
and is available seven days a week here at our home on the world wide web.
With over half a million listeners in it’s first year, the Nectar of Devotion Radio Show
proved immensely popular with audiences of all ages and on all continents.
It was ready for a bigger and more beautiful incarnation of it’s one hour radio format.
So the Nectar of Devotion Monthly Audio Magazine was born.
This updated internet version can now offer you more quality content than ever before.
More of everything that made the Nectar of Devotion Radio programme so appealing.

More of Narasimha

Here is some more from the recent festival in Simhacalam, Germany

This was taken on the night before Caturdasi. The brightly coloured silken ropes are known as pavitra, so this part of the festival is known as pavitra-utsava. After this the Lord is worshipped with many ghee lamps, building up gradually from a lamp with one wick to one with dozens. Amaraprabhu Das is here offering incense

Some of the lamps that were offered to Lord Nrsimhadeva after the pavitra-utsava. I was fortunate to be asked to offer all of these

Telling stories on Nrsimha Caturdasi. Dinasharana dasi, who supervises much of the development of ISKCON in Germany, is to my right. Kadamba Kanana Swami is on the far left of the picture

The Lord in His flower outfit on the Caturdasi day. The Sri Yantra is embroidered in gold on a red backdrop behind Him.

On the first evening of the four-day event, I was asked to lead kirtan for the hoisting of the Garuda flag, signifying the beginning of the festival. Sacinandana Swami and Kadamba Kanana Swami kindly invited me.

Strategic Sanga: every member counts in the final success

Its good for devotees to get together for some strategic planning, and assessment of strengths and weaknesses. Here’s a wartime picture of an RAF operations room where the strategy depended on the newly invented radar. Our Vaishnava weekend gathering was near Bawdsey, where the first radar was developed.

We had a little get together/ spiritual retreat last weekend. My wife Padma, son Mali and myself went up to Bawdsey Manor, a remote place on the coast of Suffolk, not too far from Ipswich. The place is quite historic in that for a few years - 1936 to 1939 - it was home to a top secret research and development team. Robert Watson-Watt and his team were working on the idea that through the use of measured electromagnetic waves someone might be able to detect the position, speed and location of enemy airplanes.

Luckily for Britain they were right. The team developed the first radar and Britain had a technological advantage at the outset of the war, despite having fewer planes.

Our team of 20 devotees were there for a distinctly non-military purpose, yet no less strategic. We’d decided to have a gathering so that all the devotees from around the region known as East Anglia could get to meet each other. The towns of Norwich, Ipswich and Cambridge are the main places where devotees gather either monthly or bi-weekly. They all lead busy lives and so its good for them all to meet each other and discuss their mutual experiences and challenges.

Organisation and prasadam was generously provided by Michelle from Cambridge, cooking in a rented seaside cottage over in Aldeburgh. Sejal and Dipti offered their hospitality and some excellent bhajias at their home the following day. Later still, Vinay welcomed us all to his home, which is also the venue for the Ipswich group.

Small groups such as these only happen by each member contributing something essential to the groups healthy survival. Each member is therefore very important for the establishment of Krishna consciousness in that particular town.

When two or three groups get together we call that a Maha-Sanga and it serves to broaden everyone’s understanding of the scope of the devotee population in a particular region and how we are all prospering.

Of course, for a movement like ours to grow, we need the book distributors to also become interested in the people who actually read the books as well as those who buy them. We also need them to be interested in someone who, after reading one of Srila Prabhupada’s books, decides to take up the practises of bhakti-yoga such as chanting the Hare Krishna mantra and offering food on their home altar.

Whilst it is tempting for any of us to simply be a book distributor, it defies logic if, after a person reads the book you gave them, for us to then not be interested in that newcomer’s welfare. It defies logic but it does happen sometimes. Unfortunately, there are not enough devotees for some of us to ‘only’ be book distributors. Each of us must also be well-rounded teachers and encouragers to everyone who takes up our Vaishnava path.

And for those of us who do a lot more teaching and encouraging than others, well, the same logic applies. We must also distribute books.

Just like in war time, we may all have our specialities, but each of us must be prepared to be well-rounded members in the great effort to take Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission to every town and village. And if that effort can be compared - as Srila Prabhupada did sometimes - to a ‘war on maya,’ then the war is not over yet. In fact, its only just begun.

Friends in Slovenia

Some years ago I conducted the wedding of two young devotees over in Slovenia, one of the republics created when Yugoslavia separated back into its constituent parts. They recently wrote to me to tell me how they were getting on and to invite me to lunch. I’d like to accept their invitation; Jyotirmaya Das and his wife Gauracandranana Dasi are a friendly couple, and Slovenia is a nice place - 60% forest and a beatiful Pancha-Tattva temple in the capital city of Ljubliana. Now they have a son named Narayana and they were all recently featured on Slovenian television.

Unless you’re learning the Slovene language you won’t catch everything in the video, but Krishna consciousness is popular in this young country, and these devotees have an interesting home altar. Slovenia un point!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuvfZUiP3zI

Srila Prabhupada visits a Franciscan Seminary

I received this account today from Kurma Das, the famous chef, and wanted to share it with all my readers. Its taken from his book The Great Transcendental Adventure, about the beginnings of Krishna consciousness in Australia. This section describes the time when Srila Prabhupada visited a Franciscan Seminary.

A particularly successful series of liaisons with important
guests in London the previous year had prompted Srila Prabhupada to write to
one disciple that he wanted to continue meeting such persons wherever he
travelled:

‘Wherever I shall go now, this policy of important men being invited
to talk with me about our Krishna consciousness movement should be
implemented.’

Madhudvisa had been informed and had since appointed
Sabhapati to look after publicity for Srila Prabhupada’s Melbourne visit.
By the time Srila Prabhupada had arrived, Sabhapati had arranged a number of
major speaking engagements, and had invited several important guests to meet
Srila Prabhupada.

Srila Prabhupada was scheduled to speak at St Paschal’s
Franciscan Seminary.  Later in the day he was due to meet the head of Scot’s
Church in Melbourne, the Reverend Gordon Powell.  In the evening, he would
meet the Vicar-General of the Roman Catholic Church in Melbourne, the Right
Reverend J.A. Kelly.  It was certainly going to be a day of inter-religious
dialogue.

The weather was sunny as Prabhupada arrived at St Paschal’s
at Box Hill, in Melbourne’s Eastern Suburbs around mid-morning.  St
Paschal’s Franciscan Seminary was a college for training Friars for the
Franciscan Order in the Roman Catholic Church.  The Yarra Theological Union,
a separate entity from the Franciscan Order, was one of the accredited
faculties of theology which conducted courses and granted degrees in
Christian Theology in Victoria.  Although separate from the Franciscan
Order, it used it’s Seminary as it’s centre of operation for administration.

Srila Prabhupada’s car drove through the acres of pleasant
grounds and pastures and stopped in the circular driveway outside the hall
where he was to speak.  A large group of black-robed Franciscans, both young
and old, trainee priests and Y.T.U. private students, stood alongside the
chanting devotees to greet His Divine Grace.

As Prabhupada emerged from the white Ford LTD, the kirtana
became quiet.  Srila Prabhupada, surrounded by devotees and senior monks,
walked up the pathway to the lecture hall.

Srila Prabhupada’s large temple vyasasana had been set up in
front of a blackboard.  Srila Prabhupada, wrapped in a white cadar wearing a
single marigold and gardenia garland, sat before the one hundred
seminarians, twenty tutors and thirty temple devotees.

Father Greene, the host, greeted Srila Prabhupada in an
introductory talk.  After another short introduction by Sabhapati,
Prabhupada began to speak.  Father Greene had hinted on the common platform
of religion in his speech and Prabhupada took his lead from there.

“Common platform is not very difficult to understand because
religion means to know God and abide by the orders of God.  That is
religion.  You take any type of religion   these three things are there,
that we must try to know God, to know His desires and to fulfil them.  It
doesn’t matter whether it is in India or America or Australia, any human
being, if he tries to satisfy God and read the scriptures, never mind Bible,
Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavata, then he will understand God.”

Prabhupada explained the benefits of understanding God.
“Yenatma suprasidati…   then you will be fully satisfied and pleased.  If
you are engaged in the service of the Lord without any motive and without
being impeded spontaneously loving, then you will feel complete
satisfaction.”

Prabhupada gave the example of the young five-year-old boy
devotee, Dhruva Maharaja, who, desiring a benediction, had gone to the
forest to find God.  After meditating in the forest for six months, Dhruva
Maharaja saw God.  But on seeing God, his mind had changed.  He said, “My
Lord, I am now fully satisfied.  I don’t want any benediction from you.”

“Svamin krtartho ’smi varam na yace.  That is the real
realisation of God.  God realisation means there is no more want, no more
want.  All demands, all want, is finished.  Therefore it is said Yenatma
suprasidati.  Because we want something, there is demand.  So long there is
demand, we will never be satisfied.  When there is no demand, fully
satisfied, that is God realisation.  So the common platform is there.  At
the present moment people are suffering.  Not at the present moment, always.
Anyone who is in this material world, he is full of anxieties, because
material wants cannot be satisfied at any time.  It will simply increase.
So unless one comes to God conscious, understanding, there is no possibility
of satisfying.   Yenatma suprasidati.  Prasidati means fully satisfied, no
more want.”

After speaking for some time, Srila Prabhupada brought the
talk back to it’s original theme   the common platform of religion.
Prabhupada suggested to his attentive audience that submitting oneself to
the spiritual energy of God would enable them to reach the spiritual
platform.  Such submission would entail getting free from false
designations.

“What are those designations?  ’I am Hindu’, ‘I am Muslim’,
‘I am Christian’, ‘I am American’, ‘I am Indian’, ‘I am this’, ‘I am that’
these are designations.  And to become free from designation means:  ’I do
not belong to any of these categories.  I am eternal servant of God.’  If
you come to that position, then that is the common platform.  Let everyone
perceive that he is eternal servant of God, then all the problems will be
solved.”

“So in this our Krsna consciousness movement.  We are
chanting the holy name of God and we are recommending others also to chant
the holy name of God.  God must have some name.  In the Bible also it is
said Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.  So there is name,
God’s name is there.  God’s name is Christ or Kristo or Krsna.  So we can
chant combinedly.  Where is the difficulty?  So those who are professing
Christianity, never mind.  You have got the name of God. Otherwise why Jesus
recommended that ‘You glorify the name of God’?  That is chanting.  So let
us combinedly glorify the name of God.  That is common platform.  Thank you
very much.”

The priests and seminarians present expressed their
appreciation by applauding Srila Prabhupada for some time. During question
time, the seminarians were very respectful.  They stood while questioning
and addressed Srila Prabhupada as ‘Your Divine Grace.’  One priest asked,
“How would His Grace see Jesus Christ?”

Prabhupada’s obvious veneration for Lord Jesus moved the
audience.  ”Jesus Christ, Lord Jesus Christ… he is son of God, the best
son of God.  So we have all respect for Him.  Yes.  Anyone who is teaching
people about God consciousness, he is respectable to us.  It does not matter
in which country, in which atmosphere, he was preaching.  It does not
matter.”

Another priest asked, “St Francis, the founder of this
particular order, expounded upon the teachings of Christ and seeing God
everywhere.  He even spoke of  ’Brother Dog’ and ‘Sister Cat’, ‘Sister
Water’ and ‘Father Wind.’  How would Your Grace respond to this?”  The room
was tense and quiet.

Prabhupada opened his eyes very wide and nodded.  ”This is real God
consciousness.  This is real God consciousness, yes.   Not that ‘I am God
conscious, and I kill the animals.’  That is not God conscious.  To accept
the trees, plants, lower animals, insignificant ants even as brothers is
real God consciousness.  This is explained in Bhagavad-gita, samah sarvesu
bhutesu.  Samah means equal to all living entities.  One must see the spirit
soul.  Anyone, whether he’s a cat, dog, tree, ant, insect, or a big man, is
part and parcel of God.  Each is simply dressed differently. One has the
dress of a tree, one has the dress of a king and one has the dress of an
insect.  It is also explained in Bhagavad-gita, panditah sama darsinah.
‘One who is a pandit, learned, sees with equal vision’.  So if St Francis
was thinking like that, he had a higher standard of spiritual
understanding.”

It was a touching moment;  it appeared that Prabhupada was
giving an insight into St Francis that perhaps many had never understood
before.  It became clear to those present, Christian and devotee alike, that
Prabhupada had as much as, or even more appreciation for St Francis than the
Franciscans had themselves.

During kirtana, many monks and priests stood and
participated.  Some clapped, others chanted;  a few even shed tears. The
once sombre atmosphere was transformed into a joyful event.  The men offered
a large plate of cut fruits to Srila Prabhupada, who accepted a couple of
pieces.  The rest, he indicated, should be distributed to everyone present.
Srila Prabhupada rose to leave, and the successful program was completed.

Cittahari recalls: ‘As Srila Prabhupada was leaving the monastery, I
introduced him to my mother.  He smiled at her and said, “You have a very
nice child”.  My mother replied, “Well, I’ve got another nine.”  Prabhupada
grinned.  ”We can take them all,” he said.’

On his return trip to the temple Srila Prabhupada expressed
his pleasure to the devotees present.  It had been a successful event, he
said.  Later that day in a letter to a couple of disciples in Bangalore, he
made mention of the event:

“Your report that a Christian gentleman became a life member after
being attracted to our books is also our experience.  Just today we spoke at
a seminary in Melbourne, Australia, and the young Franciscan monks listened
very respectfully.  When speaking to Christians we never say our religious
system is better than theirs, but we speak on the principles of love of God,
sa vai pumsam paro dharmo.  They become convinced and pleased to hear our
explanations of God consciousness based on the Vedic conclusion   if they
are at all sincere.  So whenever you come upon such gentleman or
institutions, try to place our books there and make them life members also.”