February 26, 1970 : Los Angeles
Vaiyasaki: On the appearance day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, ISKCON Los Angeles acquires a new temple on Watseka Avenue. It is also a former church, but much bigger than La Cienega. The mission has grown so fast that Prabhupada has decided to buy Radha and Krishna Their own property. Although They won't move in until April, Prabhupada decides to hold an inaugural ceremony as part of the celebration for Srila Bhaktisiddhanta's advent.
That evening, as Nanda Kumar drives Prabhupada up to the new building, they are greeted by a roaring kirtana party. Inside, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta's picture sits prominently on a temporary altar, set up for the occasion. Prabhupada humbly expresses, "I have nothing to offer my Guru Maharaja, so I am going to offer all of you." After arati, kirtana continues as Prabhupada joins in dancing amongst the devotees. At the height of a tumultuous kirtana, he begins displaying transcendental symptoms.
Narada Muni: I was a pretty new devotee, but Prabhupada completely transformed the entire room into Vaikuntha. He went from one side of the room to the other, like Lord Chaitanya twirling at Ratha-yatra. Prabhupada was dancing like that, back and forth. It was an amazing thing, totally amazing. Tears were flowing from my eyes. Prabhupada was just extracting all these impurities from us. The whole room was transported to Goloka. You were actually transported. Everyone went wild in that kirtana, and Vishnujana was leading. Everyone was crying.
It was almost like when Lord Chaitanya reappeared many years later in the kirtana with Narottama dasa Thakura at Kheturi.
That evening, as Nanda Kumar drives Prabhupada up to the new building, they are greeted by a roaring kirtana party. Inside, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta's picture sits prominently on a temporary altar, set up for the occasion. Prabhupada humbly expresses, "I have nothing to offer my Guru Maharaja, so I am going to offer all of you." After arati, kirtana continues as Prabhupada joins in dancing amongst the devotees. At the height of a tumultuous kirtana, he begins displaying transcendental symptoms.
Narada Muni: I was a pretty new devotee, but Prabhupada completely transformed the entire room into Vaikuntha. He went from one side of the room to the other, like Lord Chaitanya twirling at Ratha-yatra. Prabhupada was dancing like that, back and forth. It was an amazing thing, totally amazing. Tears were flowing from my eyes. Prabhupada was just extracting all these impurities from us. The whole room was transported to Goloka. You were actually transported. Everyone went wild in that kirtana, and Vishnujana was leading. Everyone was crying.
It was almost like when Lord Chaitanya reappeared many years later in the kirtana with Narottama dasa Thakura at Kheturi.
Reference: Radha-Damodara Vilasa I - Vaiyasaki Dasa
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