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An Authentic Life v 1.2 - Universalist Radha-Krishnaism

An Authentic Life v 1.2 - Universalist Radha-Krishnaism

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The small storefront temple was full of guests and<br />

Swami’s disciples. Incense wafted through the air. He<br />

remained in his apartment upstairs in the same building.<br />

Only his disciples from New York could visit him<br />

that day as he was too tired from the flight to receive<br />

many visitors. His disciples in the temple led more<br />

chanting, served a vegetarian meal, and invited everyone<br />

to attend morning and evening classes as well<br />

as a Sunday afternoon "love feast."<br />

The devotees served curried vegetables, fried pastries,<br />

spiced fruit, rice, and fried curd balls soaked in<br />

sugar water. Being on a simple macrobiotic diet, I<br />

thought the food contained too much sugar and spice.<br />

I had a hard time even identifying what the sweet<br />

balls of fried cheese were since I didn't eat milk products<br />

or sugar.<br />

Some years later, I spoke to Bhaktivedanta about<br />

that first experience at the temple. He said the cheese<br />

balls were “ISKCON bullets, and when they pierce<br />

the heart they kill the material propensity and develop<br />

attraction for Krishna.”<br />

We were eager to hear Swami Bhaktivedanta's<br />

teachings the next day. Since we lived only a few<br />

blocks away, it was easy to attend his classes. Sitting<br />

on a cushion on a raised platform, he chanted Hare<br />

Krishna before and after each lecture and made a<br />

point of emphasizing its potency as a means of attaining<br />

enlightenment and love of God.<br />

“Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.<br />

<strong>Radha</strong>, his consort, the Divine Mother, is addressed as<br />

Hare. Krishna means the All Attractive, and Rama is<br />

34

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