Srila Prabhupada gets in a fight at an airport

[Alok Ranjan]

(From The Great Transcendental Adventure by Kurma Prabhu)

Melbourne, 12 February 1973

Srila 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.