February 3, 1971 : Gorakhpur
Satsvarupa: The Ardha-kumbha-mela over, some devotees went to Delhi, some to Bombay, and others to Calcutta. Prabhupada and the remaining devotees went to Gorakhpur - a ten-hour journey on the antiquated meter-gauge railway. Prabhupada had been invited by his only disciple in Gorakhpur, Dr. R. P. Rao (now Ramananda), a research chemist who had met Prabhupada in San Francisco, taken initiation in 1967, and since returned to his family and four children to teach chemistry at Gorakhpur University.
Prabhupada and his disciples moved into crowded quarters at Ramananda's modest home, and about one hundred people attended Prabhupada's lecture that evening. Prabhupada already had plans for a Radha-Krishna temple on the Gorakhpur University campus as well as accredited courses and degrees in Krishna consciousness - B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. He envisioned graduates going out to teach Krishna consciousness in schools, colleges, and temples all over the world.
He inspired Ramananda and a group of his friends to form a committee to introduce Krishna consciousness within the university, and he initiated about one dozen disciples. Since they all professed to be following the rules against illicit sex, intoxication, and gambling and had been lifelong vegetarians, he waived the usual six-month trial period. He asked them to chant sixteen rounds daily and to make their city Krishna conscious. In his absence they should maintain Ramananda's home as an active ISKCON center and try to establish courses in Krishna consciousness at the university.
Prabhupada and his disciples moved into crowded quarters at Ramananda's modest home, and about one hundred people attended Prabhupada's lecture that evening. Prabhupada already had plans for a Radha-Krishna temple on the Gorakhpur University campus as well as accredited courses and degrees in Krishna consciousness - B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. He envisioned graduates going out to teach Krishna consciousness in schools, colleges, and temples all over the world.
He inspired Ramananda and a group of his friends to form a committee to introduce Krishna consciousness within the university, and he initiated about one dozen disciples. Since they all professed to be following the rules against illicit sex, intoxication, and gambling and had been lifelong vegetarians, he waived the usual six-month trial period. He asked them to chant sixteen rounds daily and to make their city Krishna conscious. In his absence they should maintain Ramananda's home as an active ISKCON center and try to establish courses in Krishna consciousness at the university.
Reference: Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta Volume 4 - Satsvarupa dasa Goswami
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