The devotees hurried back to Swamiji to tell him all that had happened. He had been sitting at his desk, translating the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Although he had not been physically present at the kīrtana, his disciples had acted on his instruction. So even without leaving his room, he was spreading the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa. Now he sat waiting for the report. They burst into his room with shining eyes, flushed faces, and hoarse voices, relating the good news. Not only had they dutifully chanted, but hundreds of people had joined them and sung and danced in a big circle, in a spirit of unity. "Swamiji, you should have seen," Brahmānanda exclaimed, his voice now exhausted from chanting. "It was fantastic, fantastic!" Prabhupāda looked from one face to another, and he also became like them, elated and hopeful that the chanting could go on like this. They had proved that their chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa could lead the love and peace movement. It could grow, and hundreds could take part. "It is up to you to spread this chanting," Swamiji told them. "I am an old man, but you are young, and you can do it." Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta - Satsvarūpa dāsa Goswāmī Vol. 2: Planting the Seed: New York City 1965-1966
Posted on: Mon, 02 Sep 2013 12:31:42 +0000