Srila Prabhupada’s England Visit

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Srila Prabhupada’s England Visit
by Kulashekara Das

The journey with Swami Prabhupada has been the most satisfying aspect of my life. His values of life has given a new dimension to the world and has helped people in all the facets of life.

Advent

In the late 1960’s I first came in contact with practitioners of the Vaishnava tradition. Several American disciples of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada had arrived in the UK to establish a Radha Krishna Temple.

I was quite impressed with the depth of Vedic philosophy and especially with the chanting of the Holy Names of God. Almost overnight I quit my entire Rock n Roll lifestyle and my job and began my life as a Brahmachari. I soon found myself living at John & Yoko Lennon’s eighty plus acre estate – “Tittenhurst” and ended up staying there for six months.

Govinda

The verses 30 and 32 from the Brahma-samita are sung in the morning Srngara Arati in all ISKCON temples, while the first track of the 1970 album “Radha Krsna Temple” is played. Srila Prabhupada enjoyed this track very much and was so moved that he said that this track will play at all ISKCON temples for the Srngara Arati. As a result, no one ever leads kirtan for this song, as it is played through that track.

Govinda
The Radha Krsna Temple Album
Sung by Yamuna devi
Produced by George Harrison

veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam-
barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam
kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

veṇum—the flute; kvaṇantam—playing; aravinda-dala—(like) lotus petals; āyata—blooming; akṣam—whose eyes; barha—a peacock’s feather; avataṁsam—whose ornament on the head; asita-ambuda—(tinged with the hue of) blue clouds; sundara—beautiful; aṅgam—whose figure; kandarpa—of Cupids; koṭi—millions; kamanīya—charming; viśeṣa—unique; śobham—whose loveliness; govindam—Govinda; ādi-puruṣam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajāmi—worship.

I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept in playing on His flute, with blooming eyes like lotus petals with head decked with peacock’s feather, with the figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and His unique loveliness charming millions of Cupids.

aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛtti-manti
paśyanti pānti kalayanti ciraṁ jaganti
ānanda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

aṅgāni—the limbs; yasya—of whom; sakala-indriya—of all the organs; vṛtti-manti—possessing the functions; paśyanti—see; pānti—maintain; kalayanti—manifest; ciram—eternally,; jaganti—the universes; ānanda—bliss; cit—truth; maya—full of; sat—substantiality; ujjvala—full of dazzling splendor; vigrahasya—whose form; govindam—Govinda; ādi-puruṣam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajāmi—worship.

I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose transcendental form is full of bliss, truth, substantiality and is thus full of the most dazzling splendor. Each of the limbs of that transcendental figure possesses in Himself, the full-fledged functions of all the organs, and eternally sees, maintains and manifests the infinite universes, both spiritual and mundane.

The Beatles The Inner Light

“The Inner Light” is a song written by George Harrison that was first released by The Beatles as a B-side to “Lady Madonna”. It was the first Harrison composition to be featured on a Beatles single. The lyrics are a rendering of the 47th chapter (sometimes titled “Viewing the Distant” in translations) of the Taoist Tao Te Ching. The Beatles’ recording of this song features lead vocals from George Harrison and brief backing vocals from John Lennon and Paul

Radha Damadara Traveling Sankirtan Party

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…I loved being a devotee.  I would look forward to going to the park or college campus, and putting on a festival.  We set up the stage, brought on our musical instruments and chanted, while others arranged the distribution of prasadam and books.  After the chanting when we went to mingle with the students or guests gathered there, I would enjoy preaching to new people and answering all sorts of questions like “why do you guys shave your head? And why do you put mud on your foreheads, etc., etc.?  But sometimes the preaching was so sweet and people wanted to know who is Krishna? Who is Srila Prabhupada?  And my joy knew no bounds.  I hardly knew the philosophy myself, but when my desire to preach was unmotivated by false ego, Srila Prabhupada would give me the intelligence.  I would be amazed how the words would just flow out of my mouth.  By Srila Prabhupada’s great mercy, to one who has taken to this process of sharing with others, he gives the intelligence.  I was gaining an understanding of the process of Krishna Consciousness, simply by acting in Krishna Consciousness.  It was so sublime.  So simple!

Radha Damadara Traveling Sankirtan Party
by Vyasasan das
 
 
     First let me begin by offering my respectful obesiences to all the vaisnave devotee’s of the Lord, who are so merciful to the fallen conditioned souls that they put themselves in perilous and austere conditions of life voluntarily, in order to help others.  And as always, let me offer my most humble obeisances to my beloved spiritual master A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krishna, haven taken shelter at his Lotus feet.