April 14, 1972 : Auckland
Kurma: The Auckland Town Hall was an ornate, Victorian-style building standing beside the Square in the centre of the city. The smaller of its two halls, the concert chamber, had been booked as the venue for an evening lecture by Srila Prabhupada.
Akshayananda's stepfather, Hector (Robbie) Robertson, had volunteered to drive Prabhupada to the hall. Early in the evening, the same quaint old car that had picked up Srila Prabhupada at the airport that morning coughed and spluttered to a halt outside the temple. Prabhupada, lightly dressed in dhoti, kurta and sweater, sat in the front seat next to Robbie, while some disciples squeezed in the back.
Prabhupada's mood was once again relaxed. At one stage, while discussing the plight of modern youth, Prabhupada, with a twinkle in his eye and a broad grin, turned to Robbie. "I know how to handle these naughty boys," he said.
The aged car pulled up at the Town Hall steps. Entering the hall, Prabhupada was satisfied to see a good-sized gathering. Posters, handbills, as well as notices in the local newspapers had attracted a broad spectrum of mainly young people to the hall. Prabhupada passed large panels of decorative stained-glass windows, and mounted the large, solid dark wood stage.
Robbie: After the lecture I discovered a parking ticket on the dashboard of the car. I later complained to the council that we had a dignitary on board. They waived the fine in recognition of Prabhupada's VIP status.
Akshayananda's stepfather, Hector (Robbie) Robertson, had volunteered to drive Prabhupada to the hall. Early in the evening, the same quaint old car that had picked up Srila Prabhupada at the airport that morning coughed and spluttered to a halt outside the temple. Prabhupada, lightly dressed in dhoti, kurta and sweater, sat in the front seat next to Robbie, while some disciples squeezed in the back.
Prabhupada's mood was once again relaxed. At one stage, while discussing the plight of modern youth, Prabhupada, with a twinkle in his eye and a broad grin, turned to Robbie. "I know how to handle these naughty boys," he said.
The aged car pulled up at the Town Hall steps. Entering the hall, Prabhupada was satisfied to see a good-sized gathering. Posters, handbills, as well as notices in the local newspapers had attracted a broad spectrum of mainly young people to the hall. Prabhupada passed large panels of decorative stained-glass windows, and mounted the large, solid dark wood stage.
Robbie: After the lecture I discovered a parking ticket on the dashboard of the car. I later complained to the council that we had a dignitary on board. They waived the fine in recognition of Prabhupada's VIP status.
Reference: The Great Transcendental Adventure - Kurma Dasa
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