As an experiment

On the morning of the appearance day of Sri Caitanya, Jayananda gathers with the devotees in the storefront. Prabhupada has instructed them to spend the day reading about Lord Caitanya, chanting japa, and performing kirtan. They are also to observe a fast until moonrise. Gurudasa: I remember Jayananda and I looked at one another and non-verbally communicated, "Let's chant outside." So we went in the Haight and did kirtan and it was really nice. We went around the corner up to the house on Willard Street where I used to live, and where Prabhupada was living now. It had parquet floors and a piano, with nice sun in the back. Prabhupada was living in the back room. We went to his house and stood in front of the window on the street and chanted loudly. Prabhupada came to the window. He beckoned us to come in the way the Indians do, with the palm of the hand going down, which is opposite to what we do in the West. But we didn't know that was the Indian way of saying "come here." We thought he was saying "go away." We were dejected. We didn't understand what was going on. So with our tails between our legs, we started back to the temple. Then Upendra came bounding out of the house and said, "No. Prabhupada wants you to come in." So we all went up to Prabhupada's room, not knowing what to expect. He said, "Lord Caitanya has given you the intelligence to chant out in the streets. This is very good. Now we can start this and do it every day." That's how street sankirtana began in San Francisco. When Srila Prabhupada arrives at the temple in the evening, he sees that the devotees have built a wonderful redwood altar for the Deities. He begins kirtan and then chants one round of japa out loud with devotees and guests. Hayagriva reads the short sketch on the life of Lord Caitanya from the Bhagavatam introduction. As dusk encroaches the streets of San Francisco, a large crowd gathers at 518 Frederick Street to see the Deities of Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra installed in Their new home in San Francisco. After a short lecture Prabhupada asks the devotees to come before the Deities to offer a candle while he leads kirtan. Everyone rises to dance, swaying back and forth to the rhythm of the kirtan, arms stretching out as they chant in surrender to the festive mood. Hayagriva begins offering the flame on a platter making large circles before the altar. One by one devotees and guests come forward to perform the simple ceremony of offering the flame to the Lord. When the kirtan stops, Prabhupada explains that this ceremony is called arati. Everyone should place their hands over the flame, taking the heat, and then touch their forehead. By doing this they are now worshipping Lord Jagannath. The devotees have been following the devotional processes of sravanam and kirtanam, hearing and chanting, but now at the installation of Lord Jagannath, arcanam, Deity worship, is being introduced as a simple arati ceremony. The feast is ready, and everybody sits down in rows to honor prasadam. Sumptuous preparations have been cooked to celebrate the rising moon of Lord Caitanya, by whose mercy Lord Jagannath has also arrived. The devotees serve more and more prasadam, as the guests can't get enough. Midway through the feast Srila Prabhupada leans over to the microphone and introduces a new mantra, "jagannatha svami nayana pathagami bhavatu me." He has Hayagriva repeat the prayer in Sanskrit and then give its meaning: "O Jagannath, Lord of the Universe, kindly be visible unto me." Strict caste Brahmins in India might criticize this installation procedure, but the original Lord Jagannath in Puri is so merciful He allows even the sabara, hog farmers, to become His intimate servitors. Now Lord Jagannath in San Francisco is accepting the service of hippies and druggies. The Lord soon becomes a special attraction in the Haight-Ashbury psychedelic scene. Devotees continue worshipping Him with this simple ceremony and soon the offering of incense is added. Word gets round that Prabhupada has asked everyone to bring an offering when they come to the temple, so the hippies start bringing whatever they can, like fruit, flowers, candles and home-baked goods. Jayananda heeds every word that Prabhupada speaks, accepting everything at face value as the Absolute Truth. He is convinced that Lord Jagannath is the Supreme Lord and takes shelter immediately, offering whatever service he can render. He wants to please his spiritual master by setting a good example, so he works harder and longer than is expected of him. Mrs. Kohr: We went to San Francisco quite a bit, my husband and I, and he told us one time what he was doing. We were a little bit leery at first when we found out Jim was so involved in this. When we met the Swami, I remember going up millions of stairs to this little old house in Haight-Ashbury. I had never met anybody like him before. He was such a massive figure; people worshipped him practically. It was quite an experience. You want your children to be happy at all costs. We had no objections if this was going to make him happy. Good heavens, go for it! We can't all be white collar executives. I think he was happier. That was one thing that we really felt good about. He seemed to be a lot happier and more enthusiastic about things. He just seemed to find what he was looking for. One day as Srila Prabhupada looks out his window, he sees a flatbed truck moving along the road. "Like that," he says to Gurudasa and Syamasundara, who quickly look out and see the flatbed. "We shall get a truck like that for a Jagannath festival." Immediately he has the idea of putting the Jagannath Deities on such a truck with a parade and introducing Ratha-yatra. Taking some paper, he begins to sketch a canopy decorated with flags and flower garlands. He calls Syamasundara over, shows him the sketch, and asks him to make arrangements for a festival to be held in July. The summer of '67 is being billed as the "Summer of Love." Experimentation with psychedelic drugs leads to new music, especially at the Fillmore. Scott Mackenzie has a big hit with, "If You're Going to San Francisco." Thousands of young people are migrating to Haight-Ashbury in search of an alternative to establishment culture. They are guided to the Diggers, a volunteer group that feeds hippies, whose doors are always open to kids newly arrived in the Haight. The Diggers' Free Store flanks the temple on one side, a Chinese laundry on the other. The Diggers recommend the temple to many of the new arrivals. In preparation for the Summer of Love, there is a meeting of various groups who are expecting a huge influx of young people. Prabhupada is invited to represent the Hare Krishnas. Gaurahari: I represented the Diggers with another fellow. Prabhupada didn't speak; Hayagriva spoke on his behalf. That was my first contact. The next time I saw him was at Morning Star. Lou Gottlieb opened his ranch to the Diggers, as an experiment, and I had gone out there. Then Prabhupada came.