It is our great pleasure to report that the Mantra Rock Dance, held at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco on January 29 in order to raise funds for the Radha Krishna Temple there has proved a great success. The assistance of poet Allen Ginsberg is noted, and deeply appreciated. As a result of this success, the spread of Krishna Consciousness on the West Coast is steadily gaining momentum. The Swami has given lectures at the Christian Yoga Society's ashram, and to other groups in that area. Furthermore, the construction of an ashram in upper California is now being planned.
The picture which immediately follows our cover this issue is more of the fine work of our art directress, Jadurani Devi Dasi (Judy Koslofsky). It portrays Krishna, hiding in a tree, with His girl friends, the Gopis, below. Krishna had taken the girls' clothing while they were bathing, and would not return it unless each came to ask for hers personally. This is meant to teach us that we must be willing to stand naked before the Lord, if we want His association.
At the close of this issue, (again, forgive our numbering of pages) we have added the only writings of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the originator of the Samkirtan movement. These eight prayers have been rendered into English by Swami Bhaktivedanta, and into verse by Hayagriva Das (Howard Wheeler). We hope to publish them again, in the near future, along with an essay on Lord Chaitanya.
Hare Krishna,
The Editors.