Sriman Acyutananda could not remain separated from me

Achyutananda Swami has also compiled the first Vaishnava songbook, Songs of the Vaishnava Acharyas, which greatly pleases His Divine Grace. Prabhupada writes in the introduction to the book: When I became sick in 1967, I left the United States and returned to India. Sriman Achyutananda could not remain separated from me, and therefore he joined me in Vriindavan when I was staying there. Since then, Acyutananda Swami has worked very hard in India. He has preached extensively in Calcutta and other parts of Bengal. He has learned how to sing in Bengali and play mridanga like an expert professional, and now he has compiled this book of Bengali songs with English explanations. I am greatly pleased to see this collection of songs composed by Thakur Bhaktivinoda, Narottama Das, and other great acharyas of the Gaudiya Vaishnava community (sampradaya). Songs composed by the acharyas are not ordinary songs. When chanted by pure Vaishnavas who follow the rules and regulations of Vaishnava character, they are actually effective in awakening the Krishna consciousness dormant in every living entity. I have advised Sriman Achyutananda Swami to sing more songs of the Vaishnava padavali and record them in books so that my disciples and others in the Western countries may take advantage of this chanting and thus advance in Krishna consciousness more and more.