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An Authentic Life 1.1 for pdf - Universalist Radha-Krishnaism

An Authentic Life 1.1 for pdf - Universalist Radha-Krishnaism

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It was spring,<br />

and devotees from the<br />

West began arriving <strong>for</strong><br />

Chaitanya's birthday<br />

celebrations. The new<br />

three story building was<br />

ready to accommodate<br />

them. I was glad to have<br />

separate quarters. Many<br />

became sick with dysentery<br />

shortly after arriving.<br />

Dinanath, a black<br />

devotee, lead wonderful<br />

kirtans in the first floor<br />

Subal center on morning<br />

walk with Swamiji left<br />

open air temple. He reminded me of James Brown at<br />

the Apollo.<br />

<strong>An</strong>other black devotee, Sudama Maharaj came<br />

to Mayapur. I first met him in San Francisco when I<br />

received second initiation. Now, he was Governing<br />

Body Commissioner <strong>for</strong> the Pacific region of ISKCON,<br />

headquartered in Honolulu. He invited me to Honolulu<br />

to help him develop the temple.<br />

Although I had thoughts of spending the rest<br />

of my life in India, I was realizing the impracticality<br />

of doing that. I wanted to preach to receptive Americans.<br />

I also witnessed the downhill slide of ISKCON<br />

as a spiritual movement, and I thought I would prefer<br />

leaving ISKCON in Hawaii rather than in India.<br />

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