Because it was customary, at weddings in India, for the bride?s family to cook, Srila Prabhupada asked Joan to help cook the feast. He began training her how to cook, and taught her the cleanliness standards when cooking for Krsna. The wedding was festive, and a great success, with everyone enjoying the feast.

Always youthful even at age 71, Srila Prabhupada was happy. It was a time of blossoming, of new powers, a time when future hopes expand without limit. One day Srila Prabhupada gathered everyone together and headed for Washington Square Park for chanting. His followers were upset about it? ??..scared of making a public figure of yourself. Later, Jagannath said it was a marvellous experience?.

On another occasion Srila Prabhupada and his half dozen disciples walked the eight blocks from the Storefront to Tompkins Square Park. He dressed in his usual Swami garb together with Kirtanananda, in loose, flowing, canary yellow robes and shaven headed. This caused a sensation. Traffic slowed, drivers pulled over to stare. People came to their windows. They were taunted by hecklers, but the hecklers did not know what to make of the dignified, graceful, peaceful, gentle, well-meaning being, holding his head high.

On arriving at the Park, Srila Prabhupada joined the kirtana (chanting), already going for ten minutes, and when they stopped singing, he took the lead, and slowly people gathered and joined in. The disciples got up and began dancing with raised hands and some hippies joined them. When he stopped, Srila Prabhupada moved on to speak. He said later, that this should be done daily in the park, and after this, things grew, and more disciples were made.

Srila Prabhupada taught his disciples to cook as he wanted the free Love Feasts to become an important part of ISKCON. Food offered to Krsna becomes spiritual, and whoever eats the prasadam (food first offered to Krsna) receives great spiritual benefit. Prasadam means mercy.

Srila Prabhupada had begun the Back to Godhead magazine in India in 1944. Single-handedly writing, editing, publishing, financing and distributing each issue. In 1959 he also began writing and publishing the Srimad Bhagavatam. Now he wanted to give the responsibility to his disciples.

Alan Kallman, a record producer had read about the swami from India in November, and proposed that Srila Prabhupada make a record of his chanting, and two weeks later in December, the recording was made at the Adelphi Recording Studio near Times Square. Srila Prabhupada was joined by a few of his disciples, and he played a two headed Indian drum deftly, accompanied by two karatalas (cymbols), rhythm sticks, a pair of brass Indian bells, tamboura and harmonimum. Srila Prabhupada's singing was sweet and loving. Alan, the record producer exclaimed to Srila Prabhupada, ?It was great, Swami. Great.? When the playback was heard, and Srila Prabhupada could hear his chanting, he became happy, stood and began dancing, swaying back and forth, his arms raised, dancing in ecstasy. His disciples, startled from their sleepiness, joined him in dancing.

The next day, Srila Prabhupada was exhausted and had over-exerted himself. He said his heart had skipped which alarmed his disciple Kirtanananda. On this day, a letter arrived from Mukunda in San Francisco. He had left to go to India to study music but now had a better idea ? to help Srila Prabhupada to start his Hare Krisna movement in the hippy Haight-Ashbury district.

During the first week of the New Year, Mukunda again wrote enclosing a plane ticket to San Francisco. The New York devotees were left shocked and wondering how they could continue without Srila Prabhupada.

Srila Prabhupada had come to America for this, and Krsna desired him to preach. Showing a spirit of complete detachment, he left for the airport without even a farewell scene or farewell address.

Sources: Planting the Seed (Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta, Volume 2, by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami, Your Ever Well-wisher by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami.