Chasing Rhinos with the Swami-Vol. 2, the fantastic story of ISKCON’s birth by Prabhupada’s secretary Shyamasundar prabhu will be going to press in April.
If you are as excited about this as I am you can order advance copies from his website chasingrhinos. com.
Here’s a hint from Syamasundara prabhu of what’s in store:
It starts in India, October 1970, with Prabhupada’s and twenty green western devotees almost day-by-day whirlwind movements around India; the national fascination he aroused in his country; Kumbha Mela; Cross Maidan. Then I become his secretary, and he immediately penetrates Moscow behind the Iron Curtain (talk about impossible!) to plant vibrant Krishna consciousness in that most godless land.
Then, in late June 1971, back west around the world: SF, LA, NYC (including George Harrison’s “Bangla Desh Concert”), then a month in London, where we begin our daily debates on Western philosophers. By the time this book’s over, we will have discussed every philosopher, from Plato to Heidegger; essential portions of those debates
(Prabhupada defeated me every time!) are presented in this book.
Then we’re off to Africa, Nairobi; see Srila Prabhupada in action on the Dark Continent!
Then it’s back to India for a series of huge pandal programs in major cities, Prabhupada’s first guided tour of Vrindaban with his western disciples, Madras, Vishakapatnam, and then–perhaps most amazing of all–Prabhupada acquires the land and lays the foundations for three huge temples at Mayapur, Vrindaban, and Juhu–in three weeks’ time!
We leave India on April 1, 1972 and travel to Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Tokyo–lots of great stories from these exotic locales–and then on to a wonderful month in Hawaii (SP in relaxed mode), finishing off in Los Angeles, where Prabhupada is the new cultural icon of America.
At 77 yrs. old, Shyamasundar prabhu needs some help to get this wonderful narration into the hands of his readers. If anyone would like to help him please contact him directly on his above website or by email to:
samspeerstra@yahoo.com /or/ shyamasundar1967.acbsp@pamho.net