The chanting Krishna monks

This article, "The chanting Krishna monks," was published in Ames Daily Tribune, January 2, 1970, in Ames, Iowa.

By LESTER KINSOLVING 

On streetcorners and college campuses in major cities from Boston to Honolulu, groups of young men and women, the former dressed in peach-colored sheets, with their heads shaven are attracting considerable attention as they dance and endlessly chant: 

"Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare."

Abstentions 

Their organization, the International Society For Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) requires this constant chanting; as well as their total abstention from eggs, meat, tobacco, beverage alcohol, coffee, tea, gambling or any sexual aclivity - except marital, and that only for purposes of procreation. (Moreover, they cannot remain in good standing if they marry anyone outside the cult.) 

This movement was established, according to its publication "Back To The Godhead", in 1966; by "His Divine Grace, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, who came from India on the order of his Spiritual Master, to preach the love of God to the people of the West." 

His Divine Grace's Spiritual Leader, the magazine reveals, was "Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarawasta Goswami Maharaj" who was (prior to "His Disappearance Day from this mortal world") "highly regarded throughout India. For during his lifetime, he founded hundreds of centers in all parts of the country, and had literally thousands of followers." 

On the University of California campus in Berkeley, the current leader of the newly acquired house that is the Krishna Couciousness Temple is a young man identified only as "Bahulazza Das." 

Mr. Das was asked: "Who in India knows anything about your movement?" 

"Many people," he replied assuredly.

"Does this include the Government of India?" 

"Yeah sure", he answered. 

But in San Francisco, Mr. K. Raghunath, the Indian Consulate's Information Officer, commented: 

No Indians 

"You don't see any Indians in that group do you? This is a United States Organization. There are various sects with something like this - but it doesn't exist in India." 

Bahulazza Das, a decidedly Occidental-looking young man who disclosed that he once attended C. W. Post University in New York State, explained that he has been chanting for nearly two years - "We try to chant 24 hours a day." 

"When you say Krishna's name anywhere, he actually becomes present in that sound vibration." 

Whether Krishna is absent or displeased unless he is summoned and adored by the repetitious lung power of his devotees was not explained by Mr. Das. Nor is any such earthly logic necessary, because in the United States almost anything claiming to be oriental and mystic will sell - witness the Beatles' friend, the Maharishi. 

This fact of life - particularly Southern California life - was well perceived by another Krishna: a barefooted "Reincarnation of Adam" and "The Messiah", who, in 1949, established his own colony, "The Fountain of The World", in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley.

A Mistake 

Krishna Venta's colony thrived - until 1958 - when he made the mistake of issuing a Messianic order that all of the colony's wives were henceforth to "cleave only to him." 

Two of his male disciples strongly resented their spouses being so recruited - even to a Messianic harem. They manifested their displeasure with 20 slicks of dynamite, dispatching themselves and Krishna into an instant Nirvana. Only the Messiah's false teeth survived the explosion. 

Police records disclosed that this mystical Indian name was only one of four aliases used by Adam Reincarnate. Further: his rap sheet included seven convictions in five states: petty larceny, petty theft, vagrancy, burglary, sending threatening letters to the President of the United States, bad checks, non-payment of alimony and violation of the Mann Act.