 After his arduous boat trip from India, Bhaktivedanta Swami arrived in New York on September 19, 1965 and travelled to Butler Pennsylvania, to stay with Gopal and Sally Agarwal. Sally remembers that he was never any trouble and was always chanting. While in Butler the Swami lectured to different groups and on October 18 1965 he headed for New York. Sally said she really loved the Swami.
In the huge metropolis of New York, Bhaktivedanta Swami resided with Dr Ramamurti Mishra in his apartment on the fourteenth floor, later moving to Dr Mishra?s hatha yoga studio near Central Park which was small and windowless. During this time Bhaktivedanta Swami wrote to his God-brother Tirtha Maharaja to open a centre in New York but received an unfavourable reply. Not a day went by that he did not write, offer food to Krishna and speak on Krsna's philosophy of Bhagavad-Gita. Forced to live in very austere conditions he was also subjected to the disappointment of having his typewriter and tape recorder stolen. A move to the Bowery with a boy, named David, was then necessary. The area, known as skid row, was inhabited by drunks and vagrants and he told how this was no place for a gentleman. It was the most corrupt place in the world. Undaunted by the hundreds of derelicts in the same city block, Bhaktivedanta Swami continued his work of translating Srimad-Bhagavatam (ancient scriptures) into English. His duty was to establish Krsna consciousness as the prime necessity for all humanity. A number of people were attracted to the Swami especially coming for the kirtanas (musical chanting of the Hare Krsna Mantra). Bhaktivedanta Swami soon had to move again because David went mad on LSD, and the Swami fearing for his safety, moved in with Carl Yeargens for a week. Bhaktivedanta Swami suggested that he and Carl take a walk to Michael Grant's house. Michael (now His Holiness Mukunda Goswami) had shown some inquisitiveness, and helped the Swami to find a place. The Swami moved once again, to 26 Second Avenue, a storefront property which had previously been called, Matchless Gifts. At the rear of the building was a courtyard with trees and an apartment building. The second floor served as Bhaktivedanta Swami's living quarters. In 1966 thousands of disillusioned hippies converged on the Lower East Side in search of life?s answers. They doubted their parents, teachers, clergy, and public leaders, and were against the Vietnam War. Some were attracted to the Swami?s kirtana and simple lectures. At this time Bhaktivedanta Swami incorporated the International Society for Krsna Consciousness (ISKCON).. After teaching and feeding the young American boys for some time, the boys decided to secretly decorate the place to surprise the Swami. ?The secret was well kept, and the boys waited to see Swamiji's response. That night, when he walked in to begin the kirtana, he looked at the newly decorated temple (there was even incense burning), and he raised his eyebrows in satisfaction. ?You are advancing, he said as he looked around the room, smiling broadly. Yes, he added, this is Krsna consciousness. His sudden, happy mood seemed almost like their reward for their earnest labours. He then stepped up onto the platform while the boys held their breaths, hoping it would be sturdy and he sat, looking out at the devotees and the decorations. They had pleased him. But he now assumed a feature of extreme gravity, and though they knew he was certainly the same Swamiji, their titterings stuck in their throats, and their happy glances to each other suddenly abated in uncertainty and nervousness. As they regarded Swamiji's gravity, their joy of a few moments before seemed suddenly childish. As a cloud quickly covers the sun like a dark shade, Prabhupada changed his mood from jolly to grave, and they spontaneously resolved to become equally grave and sober. He picked up the karatalas (cymbals) and again smiled a ray of appreciation, and their hearts beamed back........Now guests who entered were suddenly in a little Indian temple. An historic date was September 8, 1966 the date of the very first initiations, and eleven initiates sat in front of Prabhupada as head priest of the Vedic rite. In the back ground the continual drone of the chanting of the Hare Krsna Maha-mantra, (Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare), accompanied the purification rituals and mantras. Suddenly Prabhupada raised a hand and in the ensuing silence he began his lecture. After the lecture the chanting resumed and each initiate was summoned, shown how to chant on beads and Prabhupada announced the initiate?s spiritual name. The disciple then took the beads, and bowed to the floor reciting the mantra in glorification of his spiritual master. With fixed attention the Swami's congregation watched as the fire ritual proceeded and Sanskrit prayers were recited. The room was smoke filled, and the fire still smouldered. Prabhupada rose from his seat and began clapping his hands and chanting Hare Krsna. Placing one foot before the other and swaying from side to side he began to dance before the fire. His disciples joined him in chanting and dancing. In this auspicious atmosphere prasadam (food offered to Krsna) was distributed to all the devotees and guests. The first initiates were Wally (Umapati), Howard (Hayagriva), Bill (Ravindra Svarupa), Carl (Karlapati), James (Jagannatha), Mike (Mukunda), Jan (Janaki), Roy (Raya Rama), Stanley (Stryadhisa), another Stanley (Satyavrat), and Janos (Janardana). Sources:Planting the Seed (Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta Volume 2 by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami, Your ever well-wisher by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami |
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