# The Hare Krishna People **Duration:** 30:35 <div class="video-container" style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%;"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q3qE0qm6Gq0" style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; pointer-events: auto; z-index: 10;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3qE0qm6Gq0) --- ## Transcript **[00:12]** By the grace of Lord Sri Krsna, **[00:15]** His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was born a pure devotee. **[00:35]** In 1933 Prabhupada was accepted as a disciple by a bona fide spiritual master **[00:37]** and ordered to spread Krsna consciousness to the English speaking world. **[00:44]** Then in 1965 at the age of seventy Prabhupada, **[00:48]** a renounced saintly person with neither friends nor money came from India **[00:54]** to New York City to fulfill the instructions of his spiritual master. **[00:59]** Prabhupada was destined to spark a revolution in consciousness, **[01:04]** to ignite the Hare Krsna explosion. **[01:34]** Transcendental knowledge was first spoken by the Lord Himself and has been **[01:40]** passed down since that time from spiritual master to disciple in an unbroken chain. **[01:48]** Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Gaurakisora dasa Bhabaji, **[02:00]** Bhaktsiddhanta Saraswati Goswami and Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. **[02:10]** In 1966 Prabhupada founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness **[02:16]** or ISKCON, widely known as the Hare Krishna Movement. **[02:21]** Prabhupada translates on a dictaphone original Sanskrit and Bengali scriptures into English. **[02:29]** The tapes are then sent to ISKCON Press in New York. **[02:40]** The entire operation from typing to illustrating to printing is carried out by **[02:46]** the Krsna devotees all of whom serve without salary. **[03:14]** The message is love of Krsna. **[03:17]** Krsna is recognized as God by all the great saints and the scriptures of India. **[03:24]** He is the all-attractive person and the reservoir of pleasure. **[03:29]** To pass on the science of self realization Prabhupada is presenting the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, **[03:37]** the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the Nectar of Devotion, and many other philosophical works. **[03:43]** From a Los Angeles warehouse these literatures are shipped to centers **[03:50]** in the United States and abroad. **[03:52]** Within a few years Prabhupada and his disciples have organized **[03:57]** an ambitious book distribution program that every year sees thousands of tons of books **[04:03]** distributed around the world. **[04:24]** The Krsna devotees say that by reading these books and chanting the names of God **[04:29]** a person can attain God consciousness even in this difficult and disturbed age. **[04:34]** The most popular mantra is the now familiar: **[04:38]** Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare. **[04:58]** This chanting resounds from London to Mexico City, from Paris to Tokyo, **[05:04]** from New York to Nairobi. **[05:44]** Here in London thousands flock to attend ISKCON's annual Ratha-yatra festival. **[05:50]** This festival is held in major cities around the world. **[06:28]** Constantly traveling Prabhupada often makes personal appearances. **[06:32]** Here he is introduced to a New Delhi audience by the Canadian High Commissioner **[06:38]** and garlanded by a leading citizen. **[06:47]** Everything that we see, that is created by God, **[06:51]** so you should at least recognize that it is God's property, **[06:57]** but they are thinking their property. So there must be no restriction. **[07:02]** Prabhupada says God is great and we are very small. **[07:06]** He is the supreme proprietor and everything should be used in His service. **[07:11]** All living creatures are sons of God and are therefore equal. **[07:16]** Thus Krishna Consciousness is beyond any sectarian and national limitations **[07:22]** and is the perfect peace formula. **[07:24]** Prabhupada denounces so-called gurus who claim to be God. **[07:29]** Such "Gods" are very cheap. **[07:32]** "I am not God and you are not God. We are all eternal servants of God." **[07:38]** ...on account of being seperated from Krsna, they do not know that. **[07:42]** We are part and parcel of God, Krsna, we are not enjoyer. **[07:50]** We asked Jadurani Devi Dasi, one of the artists at ISKCON press, **[07:56]** to tell us about her involvement in the Hare Krishna movement. **[07:59]** So I met Srila Prabhupada in 1967 and I was up in his apartment and the first thing he **[08:09]** said to me, because previously I didn't know what I was supposed to do, so he said, **[08:18]** "When you reach the top then everything else is included." **[08:22]** So that answered all the questions. **[08:25]** Just like if you have a million dollars all your ten dollar problems are solved. **[08:30]** So he was implying that when you become Krsna conscious then **[08:36]** all the other desires and aspirations and ambitions, everything is fulfilled **[08:41]** just be taking to the process of Krsna consciousness. **[08:44]** And then he asked if I could come to his morning classes, and then I started coming. **[08:50]** And then when he saw that I had a propensity for painting so he gave me two businesses, **[08:58]** he said, "Just be attached to Krishna and to painting." **[09:03]** So this is Kesava. Kesava is a name of Krsna and it means, "one who has fine hair." **[09:10]** So God has hair, He has a face, He has a body, He is not impersonal. **[09:14]** He is the creator and the maintainer, the destroyer, everything. **[09:17]** And he is the dearmost friend of every living entity. **[09:22]** And before you were asking how my consciousness has changed, **[09:27]** just like a lilly leaf or something like that that is on the water **[09:31]** even though it is on the water it is not touched by the water, **[09:33]** so even though we are in the material world, **[09:35]** because we are working for a pure devotee and for Krsna **[09:38]** we are not touched. We feel satisfied to be in association with Krsna's lotus feet. **[09:51]** Another engagement is the making of Spiritual Sky incense. **[09:55]** The Krsna devotees believe that since everything belongs to Krsna, **[10:00]** everything can be used in His service, including business. **[10:04]** Spiritual Sky scented products company is a commercial enterprise started by **[10:10]** Srila Prabhupada's disciples to gather funds for use in spreading Krsna consciousness. **[10:16]** The company markets and manufactures incense, oils, shampoos, soaps and other scented products. **[10:23]** Spiritual Sky has doubled its profits each year since 1969 **[10:28]** and is now America's leading incense manufacturer. **[10:39]** A computer at the Los Angeles factory keeps the accounts, checks inventory, **[10:44]** and bills incense orders and like any other Krsna devotee chants: **[10:49]** Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare. **[11:15]** Prabhupada's disciples handle all aspects of the operation from dipping the sticks **[11:20]** in scented oils to packaging, sales, distribution and manufacturing display racks. **[11:37]** From the Los Angeles factory Spiritual Sky products are shipped to temples around the world. **[11:44]** "I never expected such a big business to blossom." Prabhupada has often said. **[11:49]** "Now it is our duty to use it to serve Krsna." When people buy Spiritual Sky products **[11:55]** they will automatically think of Krsna and be benefited. **[12:02]** Los Angeles is not only the center of incense manufacturing, **[12:06]** it is also ISKCON's Western world headquarters. **[12:10]** The devotees assemble daily at 4:30 am before the Deities of Radha and Krsna. **[12:33]** Chant sixteen rounds at least... **[12:35]** At the time of initiation the disciple vows to abstain from extramarital sex, intoxication, **[12:41]** meat eating and gambling. **[12:44]** Initiation and marriage rights are performed by ancient Vedic fire sacrifice. **[12:57]** Initiates also vow to chant some 25,000 names of God daily, a two-hour feat. **[13:05]** And to serve the spiritual master without reservation. **[13:08]** Marriage means working together in Krsna consciousness. **[13:15]** We asked a young husband why he joined the Krsna consciousness movement. **[13:20]** As a student I was sensitive to the problems confronting our society **[13:25]** and I could see that our leaders were unable to deal with them. **[13:28]** Despite their promises for materialistic advancement I could see that the people **[13:32]** were becoming more and more dissatisfied. **[13:34]** Even though we are very advanced materially something very basic is missing **[13:40]** in our way of life. By understanding Krsna consciousness I realized that here was **[13:45]** the philosophy that could fill the gap in our materialistic culture. **[13:48]** By providing scientific practical understanding of God **[13:52]** Krsna consciousness can give meaningful purpose to life **[13:56]** and it is the duty of the leaders to provide this educational instruction to the people. **[14:00]** Therefore I have begun the process of Krsna consciousness and I advocate it **[14:06]** as the practical solution to the problems of our modern technological society. **[14:14]** Some of the women learn the devotional art of making dresses for the Deity of Krsna **[14:19]** and His consort, Radha. **[14:25]** Milk, grains, fruit and vegetables are bought wholesale by the society **[14:31]** and sold to its members at nominal prices. **[14:34]** Devotees shop and prepare food for their families in a spirit of service to Krsna. **[14:40]** The children are taught to see Krsna or God as the central point in life. **[15:10]** Krsna conscious education is offered at Gurukula in Dallas, Texas for school-aged children. **[15:18]** Gurukula or the place of the spiritual master is staffed solely by devotees. **[15:25]** Here the children learn the science of Krsna as well as reading, **[15:29]** writing, arithmetic and, believe it or not, Sanskrit. **[15:45]** Each teacher lives in full-time association with the children. **[15:49]** Another word that starts with "C". Kimey? Chandra Muki **[15:56]** What's a word that starts with "A"? Billey. Apple. **[16:02]** Who was the most merciful of all of Krsna's incarnations? What's His name? **[16:07]** The most merciful incarnation of Krsna. **[16:09]** Yes. Lord Caitanya. Jaya. **[17:03]** What is the sound that it begins with? **[17:07]** And what is the letter it begins with. **[17:10]** K. K for kirtan, K for Krsna. **[17:32]** The plays depicet the pastimes of Krsna. **[17:36]** Generally they concern the slaying of a demon by Krsna **[17:40]** or the Lord's activities with His devotees. **[17:52]** Here is one of Krsna's pastimes enacted. **[17:55]** The devotees explain that God is not an old man with a white beard, **[18:00]** He is the reservoir of pleasure and here he swings joyfully with Radharani. **[18:06]** Thus the children learn that God is not a fearsome, alien or vindictive personality. **[18:13]** He is the supreme friend and He allows himself to be pushed on a swing. **[18:57]** Krsna devotees are also teaching in high schools and colleges around the world. **[19:03]** ..the word "Krsna" is divided into two syllables, "krs" and "na" **[19:06]** and together these two words mean the greatest pleasure. **[19:10]** Rama also means the reservoir of all pleasure. **[19:13]** The more people that chant the more you will feel this room become surcharged by **[19:19]** spiritual energy. This is a fact. **[19:21]** Transcendental sound vibration is made available on radio and television, **[19:26]** on records and tape cassettes by Golden Avatara productions. **[19:30]** The self realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth. **[20:16]** Apart from urban temple life is New Vrindavana. **[20:20]** The Krsna conscious community in the West Virginia hill country. **[20:24]** Kirtanananda Swami, president of the community, explains the project in this way. **[20:30]** Hare Krishna, we would like to welcome you to New Vrindavana. **[20:35]** New Vrindavana is Srila Prabhupada's country ashram, **[20:39]** one of his original ideas for spreading Krsna consciousness in the Western world. **[20:44]** It was a great vision of presenting to everyone, not only in this country, **[20:51]** but in the whole world, how one can become Krsna conscious **[20:55]** living just as Krsna lived in Vrindavan, depending on nature and the cows. **[21:03]** Simply on the basis of this simple life of some fruits and vegetables and milk **[21:11]** man can become Krsna conscious. The economic problem is solved very simply **[21:19]** and with the balance time saved one can prosecute Krsna consciousness. **[21:47]** Srila Prabhupada wrote us a number of years ago that if we at all want to develop **[21:52]** the concept of New Vrindavana we don't need to have much machinery. **[21:56]** We don't have to become very much concerned with the modern amenities, **[22:01]** but simply to depend on natures beauty and the cows. **[22:14]** So we are very fortunate here at New Vrindavana, so many cows they are coming, **[22:21]** and the milk is coming. **[22:23]** Daily now we are getting more than seven hundred pounds of milk and from the milk **[22:28]** we are making cheese, butter, ghee, so many nice sweets, rasagula, sandesh. **[22:36]** Now we are beginning to distribute these things to our temples **[22:40]** and also they are distributing to so many people all over. **[22:43]** That everyone can see what is this nice life of Krsna consciousness. **[22:49]** What Srila Prabhupada is giving us is a way of life. **[22:53]** A way of awakening our senses to the eternal beauty of Krsna. **[23:00]** And Vrindavana is the land of Krsna. **[23:04]** And now we are constructing here Govindaji temple. **[23:09]** This temple will exhibit to the world this wonderful process of Deity worship, **[23:16]** or seeing Krsna in the temple. **[23:18]** We want everyone to wake up to the blissful life Srila Prabhupada is offering to us. **[23:24]** It is not dry but it is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss. **[24:12]** Whether in the West Virginia hills or on old Mexico the Krsna celebration is the same. **[24:18]** On Sundays ISKCON holds an afternoon festival with free feasting and philosophy. **[24:24]** This Mexico City Sunday festival is typical. **[24:31]** The women often make elaborate garlands. **[24:34]** Generally if a person sees a beautiful flower he offers it to his girlfriend, **[24:39]** Prabhupada says, but if you are in Krsna consciousness you think, **[24:43]** "O what a beautiful flower. Let me offer it to Krsna." **[24:58]** Here Hihayia, a Columbian who is the president of the Mexico City temple, **[25:02]** tells the Sunday guests that one should learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master, **[25:08]** the self-realized person can give you knowledge because he has seen the truth. **[26:11]** The Sunday feasts take considerable preparation since no tinned **[26:15]** or previously prepared foods are used. All meat, fish, eggs and even onions are shunned. **[26:23]** Various savory dishes are prepared according to ancient recipes. **[26:28]** The Krsna diet supplies the body with all necessary nutrients **[26:32]** without pandering to the whims of the senses. **[26:44]** The devotees say that God owns everything and has no need of food **[26:48]** but by such offerings the devotee is made conscious of Krsna. **[26:53]** And loving reciprocation with God is established. **[27:15]** After the food is offered to Krsna it becomes prasadam or Krsna's mercy. **[27:20]** Devotees distribute this prasadam freely to everyone **[27:25]** for its effect is said to be spiritually purifying. **[27:28]** Thus every Sunday more than 100 Krsna temples world-wide are filled with guests **[27:35]** who partake of Krishna's mercy in the form of sweet rice and burfi and chapattis **[27:41]** and halava and even something called "Brahmin spaghetti." **[27:51]** Prasadam knows no national boundaries, no creeds or classes. **[27:56]** Here the devotees are distributing prasadam at Bhaktivedanta Manor, **[28:01]** the societies European headquarters in London. Here, as elsewhere, **[28:07]** philosophical differences are reconciled over ladus and tamarind water. **[28:15]** Prasadam is also distributed throughout India by the Krishna devotees. **[28:36]** And as for the future of the Krishna consciousness movement? **[28:40]** One of Prabhupada's first disciples, Rupanuga dasa Goswami gives us his opinion. **[28:46]** There have been literally hundreds of versions of the Bhagavad-gita in the Western world **[28:52]** and not one of them has produced a single Krsna conscious person. **[28:57]** But since the appearance of the "Bhagavad-gita As It Is" so many people **[29:02]** throughout the whole world have revived their original dormant Krsna consciousness. **[29:07]** People are becoming purified by this knowledge. **[29:11]** It does not require a change in activity, that one shave his head, **[29:16]** or change his clothes, give up his job or leave his family. **[29:21]** What is required is a change in consciousness. A change in heart. **[29:26]** Five-hundred years ago Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu predicted **[29:31]** that this movement will go to every town and village in the world. **[29:59]** This is the story of the Hare Krsna people.