“The International Society for Krishna Consciousness was established in New York in the year 1966. After my arrival in the United States in September of 1965, I personally underwent a difficult struggle, and in 1966 I rented a storefront and apartment at 26 Second Avenue. When ISKCON was incorporated, a boy named Chuck Barnett joined me, along with a few others, to form the nucleus for the institution’s future development. At this time I used to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra underneath a tree in Tompkin’s Square Park in New York. Sriman Barnett and another boy, Bruce, were the first to begin dancing in front of me, and others in the audience joined them. The New York Times published a report of this, with our picture and a headline declaring that I was attracting the younger generation to the Hare Krsna movement.
Later both Chuck and Bruce, along with others, became my initiated disciples, and still later, in 1970, both took sannyasa, receiving the names Acyutananda Svami and Brahmananda Svami. Now Brahmananda is preaching in Africa, and Acyutananda is preaching in India.
When I became sick in 1967, I left the United States and returned to India. Sriman Acyutananda could not remain separated from me, and therefore he joined me in Vrindavana when I was staying there. Since then, Acyutananda Svami has worked very hard in India. He has preached extensively in Calcutta and other parts of Bengal, he has learned how to sing in Bengali and play mridanga like an expert professional, and now he has compiled this book of Bengali songs with English explanations.
I am greatly pleased to see this collection of songs composed by Thakura Bhaktivinoda, Narottama dasa, and other great acaryas of the Gaudiya Vaishnava community (sampradaya).Songs composed by the acaryas are not ordinary songs. When chanted by pure Vaisnavas who follow the rules and regulations of Vaisnava character, they are actually effective in awakening the Krsna consciousness dormant in every living entity. I have advised Sriman Acyutananda Svami to sing more songs of the Vaisnava padavali and record them in books so that my disciples and others in the Western countries may take advantage of this chanting and thus advance in Krsna consciousness more and more.
I confer all my blessings upon Acyutananda Svami for his genuine attempt to advance in Krsna consciousness. I hope he will thus advance more and more and never be hampered by maya. We should always remember the danger of maya’s influence and endeavor to save ourselves from her great power. We must therefore always merge in the transcendental mellow of kirtana-rasa, for kirtana-rasa is the safest situation within this material world. Hare Krsna.”
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, 1974
Hare Krishna Prabhus,
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I find this paragraph above in the Srila Prabhupada article very significant ; ” I confer all my blessings upon Acyutananda Svami for his genuine attempt to advance in Krsna consciousness. I hope he will thus advance more and more and never be hampered by maya. We should always remember the danger of maya’s influence and endeavor to save ourselves from her great power. We must therefore always merge in the transcendental mellow of kirtana-rasa, for kirtana-rasa is the safest situation within this material world. Hare Krsna.”
As long as we the conditioned Jivas stay in touch GENUNINELY with the VANI of Srila Prabhupada rendering SELFLESS service for the cause of the Spiritual Master, the blessings always flow towards those who adhere to the Instructions of Srila Prabhupada as is seen in the life of Shriman Acyutananda Svami. Srila Prabhupada hopes for him more and more advancement in KC.
However at one point, due to the Maya’s influence his service was indeed hampered because of ones’ own grossly or subtly deviation.
Therefore, rendering SELFLESS service for the transcendental mellow of kirtana-rasa as per the Instructions of Srila Prabhupada is the safest situation within this material world.
Jai Srila Prabhupada.
Here is the Songbook with ATS (audio/text synchronization):
http://causelessmercy.com/a/?MM=1&CS=4
I received all this over the last number of days from from Yasodananda prabhuji. I still have Songs of the Vaisnava Acharyas book in my library but did not have Achutananda Swami prabhu’s song version. I sent what I received right away to PrabhupadaNews and they have kindly posted it for everyone around the world.
Very nice, wise and expertly written sentiments posted by Amar Puri prabhu.
Thank you.
Ys Hasti Gopala dasa