Srila Prabhupada Writes to George Harrison: “Preach to John Lennon!”
By the grace of Krsna, you have already realized to some extent about the necessity and importance of Hare Krsna movement in the world. Similarly, if John also does so, it will be a great event.
Los Angeles, 16 February, 1970
Sriman George Harrison
c.o Apple Record Co.
London
England
My Dear George,
Please accept my blessings. I am so much obliged to you for your valued cooperation in spreading my movement of Krsna Consciousness throughout the whole world. I beg to acknowledge receipt herewith of your contribution of $19,000 (nineteen thousand dollars) for publication of my book, Krsna, now going to the press within the week.
Please note that every farthing of this money will be employed in the service of the Lord, and the Lord is so kind and grateful that He will bestow upon you benediction at least ten times more than that you have done for Him.
It does not, however, mean that Lord Krsna is like a business man, and He bestows benediction when He is profited by our service. The Lord is full in Himself; He does not require our service, but if we render service unto Him in love and devotion, such action enriches our very existence.
The example in this connection is given that when a man decorates his face, he does not feel much enjoyment because he cannot see his own face.
But he enjoys his beautiful face when it is reflected on the mirror. In other words, when a living entity, by rendering service to the Lord, feels happy, the Lord enjoys the situation.
Under the pressure of illusory energy, especially in the age of “Kali,” all the people of the world are unhappy; but I am sure if they take to this simple chanting of the Holy Name of the Lord
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
under the guidance of Lord Caitanya, certainly they will be happy.
I know that both you and John are very good souls. Both of you are pledged to do something for the peace of the world. By the grace of Krsna, you have already realized to some extent about the necessity and importance of Hare Krsna movement in the world. Similarly, if John also does so, it will be a great event.
John and his wife were very kind upon me when I was staying at Tittenhurst Park as their guests. I always prayed for them to Krsna for understanding this great movement. Please inform him this message on my behalf. I have dreamt something very nice about John which I shall disclose in proper time. In the meantime, please ask him to cooperate with this movement as you are doing, and he will be very happy.
Please try to understand the philosophy of Krsna Consciousness in a nutshell: Every living entity has a dormant propensity to love somebody other who is very excellent in his opinion. Everyone of us therefore wants to love somebody else, attracted by his different varieties of opulences. Somebody loves some other either on account of riches, power, popularity, beauty, knowledge, or renunciation. But this loving propensity for somebody else is fundamentally meant for the supremely rich, powerful, popular, beautiful, wise, and unattached Lord Krsna.
Everyone is hankering after loving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but none of them has the right information. By Krsna Consciousness movement we want to broadcast this information that if anyone reposes his loving propensity upon Krsna, he will immediately feel full satisfaction, as much as he feels full satisfaction by supplying food in the stomach. Otherwise, everyone will be frustrated.
Please try to understand this simple philosophy by critical analysis, and I hope by the grace of Krsna you will be a great servant of His in fulfilling His desire that He may be known by His Holy Name in every village and every city all over the world, and thus the people will become happy.
Hope this will meet you in good health and shall be very much pleased to hear from you.
Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS:db
About the Author
HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Founded the Hare Krishna Movement in 1966 in New York. In only 11 years he spread the movement all over the world. He wrote more than 80 books including Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Sri Isopanisad. Prabhupada's books constitute a complete library of Vedic philosophy, religion, literature and culture.
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Jai Srila prabhupada ki jai jai George Harrison ki jai 🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Jai John Lennon ki jai jia the Beatles ki jai jai srila keshava Maharaj ki jai jai srila Govinda Maharaj ki jai jai srila Sridah Maharaj ki jai jai srila prabhupada hi jai jai guru parampara ki jai jai all vaisnavis and vaisnavas ki jai jai Sri rade Krishna ki jai jaya Sri Krishna caitanya prahbu nityananda Sri avaita Gadadara srivasaidi gaura Bhakta vrinda Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna hare hare hare Rama hare Rama Rama Rama hare hare jaiiiii
So True.
Hare Krishna to ALL
Just last week, 2 devotees from the East Village told me that at the time when John Lennon was brought into the hospital after being shot, it happened that he came into contact with a devotee and just before he expired, Lennon had realization.
Chant Hare Krishna and be free.
All Glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga!
In the last comment Mr. Kenny said that before Srila Prabhupada’s departure He instructed some devotees to give George His blue saphire ring, eventhough it had been “…some time after Srila Prabhupada had recieved little or no contact from Sri Hari Georgeson…”
Does anybody know why of this little or no contact?
Haribol!
His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupa felt such a strong connection to George Harrison that he designated him his “Arch Angel” and gave him the name Sri Hari Georgeson. Such was His Divine Grace’s deep affection for this extremely important and wonderful soul,George Harrison. It is also known amongst inner circles that before Srila Prabhupada passed away he took off his hand made blue sapphire ring and told the Sanyasis there to “give this to George Harrison”. This was some time after Srila Prabhupada had recieved little or no contact from Sri Hari Georgeson, yet His Divine Grace still retained a powerful recongition of him and humble gratefulness for his transcendental service as his Arch Angel.
Its amazing that Bhaktivedanta Swami had connection with Jorge Harrison. But is that John is john Lennon?? And did Harrison believe in Sri Krsna or Hinduism?
Hare Krishna Prabhu
George Harrison knew Krishna. Because Srila Prabhuapda introduced him to Krishna. But Krishna has nothing to do with Hinduism. Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is God, He is universal, He is for everyone. So George was nothing to do with a Hindu and we also as followers of Krishna are nothing to do with Hindus. Hindu, the word, you can not find this word anywhere in the Vedas. It is a Muslim word. The Muslim’s used to call the people on the other side of the Indus river “Indus” and it became Hindus. And it does not mean anything more that the people who live on the other side of the Indus river. And that includes people who believe in so many radically different things. Worshippers of Kali, Durga, Shiva, Visnu, Krsihna, etc, they are all called “Hindus”. Mayavadis, impersonalists and bhaktas are all called Hindus. But these groups are vastly different. So the word “Hindu” has no meaning in the spiritual sense. It is just a collective term used by the Muslims to describe the people in India.
We are Vaisnavas or “Hare Krishna People”.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
PS: Although John Lennon invited Srila Prabhuapda to live in his house and Prabhuapda and a group of his disciples lived with John Lennon and George Harrison for a few months, John Lennon never accepted the ideas of Krishna Consciousness. Rather he revolted against Krishna and wrote songs like “Imagine,” in which he imagines how good the world would be with no religion, no god above us… So John Lennon was quite heavily influenced by the demoniac side. George Harrison, however, was a very sincere devotee of Krishna. And he followed Srila Prabhuapda’s instructions. George asked Srila Prabhupada if he wanted him to shave up and join the temple like his other devotees, but Prabhuapda said no, that it would be better for him to remain as a singer and write songs about Krishna. So he did that. His most famous song is “My Sweet Lord.” That is about Krishna and includes the devotees chanting Hare Krishna. It is still popular today and regularly played on the radio all over the world. He has a whole album, “Living in the Material World” and on that album all the songs are about Krsihna and Krishna consciousness.
But John Lennon, although in the beginning was somewhat attracted to Krishna, later revolted against Krishna…
Mr Madhudwisha:
It´s time to think about the “weight” and meaning of words like
“So John Lennon was quite heavily influenced by the demoniac side”.
You wrote
“Rather he revolted against Krishna and wrote songs like “Imagine,” in which he imagines how good the world would be with no religion, no god above us”.
John´s revolt was against religious institutions and dogmas. Imagine isn´t against Krishna Bhagavan, the George´s Sweet Lord.
Hare Krishna!
All the best for you.
In time:
“Above us only sky” is different, too much different, from ” no god above us”.
Hare Krishna Fernando
John Lennon was not very happy with George’s relationship with Krishna and he was revolting against Krishna. There are only two things: Krishna and maya. There is no third thing. So we are either serving Krishna or serving maya. There is no other alternative. And John Lennon under the bad association of Yoko Ono was very much on maya’s side. He was certainly not on Krishna’s side.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krsna Madhudvisa dasa prabhuji. Is it true that George harrison was on drugs at some point. My father just a little while said although did not know or pay attention to when he earlier said about him taking drugs during college times. Now today he is telling me about a whole lot of things. That George Harrison is a person who did something and people respect him and things like that when he saw my chant Hare Krishna and be happy book. And that George Harrison got or in some way influence my father and other along with him others on drugs. Although I believe you about George Harrison being a devotee. But was he ever on drugs. Wikipedia says he was on psychedelic drugs. “In 1968 he travelled to Rishikesh in northern India with the other Beatles to study meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.[275] Harrison’s use of psychedelic drugs encouraged his path to meditation and Hinduism.” From Wikipedia page on George Harrison.
You can not really believe Wikipedia but realistically in the 60’s most young people were on drugs to some extent. Out of all the Beatles George was the most serious about Krishna consciousness and really did a lot of practical service for Srila Prabhupada. He paid for the entire first printing of Krsna Book and wrote the forward to it, he purchased Bhaktivedanta Manor, the Hare Krishna temple in London for Srila Prabhupada, he paid for a number of Radha-Damodar traveling temple buses. And many other things. So George actually practically spent a lot of his money serving Srila Prabhupada and Krishna.
He may well have taken some drugs at some point but it does not appear to me that he was at all very serious about taking drugs.
Srila Prabhupada liked George very much and considered him a nice devotee. So that is the main thing. He pleased Srila Prabhupada. If you look at almost anyone’s life you can find some imperfections, but a Vaisnava does not look like that. He looks at the good points. And there are many good points for George Harrison and his service to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
im very pleased to know that george harrison was such a wonderful devotee of lord krishna. all westerners should consider him as an ideal person.
hare krishna.
haribol….haribol…
NOTHING ELSE MATTERS ANYMORE
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Allglories to srila prabupad
All glories to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu
All glories to Supreme Personality of Godhead KRSNA.
Oh this is truly amazing, it was so touching and an eye opener. Reading anything from Srila Prabhupad is always mesmerizing.