Note on Krishna Consciousness:

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is a group of mostly young people who are dedicating their lives to living the teachings of the topmost Vedic transcendental scripture, The Bhagavad-gita As It Is, under the direction of their spiritual master; His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada came from Vrindaban, India three years ago just to impart this knowledge to the Western world. Hitherto the Bhagavad-gita, as well as other Vedic teachings, were beyond the scope of comprehension as presenting a practical way of life for the average American. But when His Divine Grace, who is acharya (one who teaches divine life by example), came to this country, his scholarly knowledge as well as his ability to perfectly live the divine scriptures immediately drew hundreds of disciples to him. The Rathayatra Car Festival is only one of many such occurrences which are emerging untainted from the scriptures under his masterful guidance. The huge crowds that gathered chanting Hare Krishna and dancing in ecstasy are an excellent example of the magnetism of these transcendental festivals. Everyone had a glorious time; the festival and feast were over only eight hours after the beginning of the march to the sea. The guests all went home at peace with themselves, carrying to their various abodes the transcendental vibration, Hare Krishna, Hare Rama, the endless song of Krishna's Abode. As for the devotees, they were already planning the next festivities to be held, in Los Angeles, in New York, in Boston-and throughout the twenty-five Krishna conscious centers around the world, which are all being carefully guided by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.

"The spiritual master is receiving benediction from the ocean of mercy. Just like the cloud pours water on the forest fire to extinguish it, so the spiritual master extinguishes the blazing fire of material existence. I offer my respecfful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such spiritual master."

Prabhupada writes in Nectar of Devotion, "… as it is said in the Brahmanda Purana, 'A person who sees the Lord's Rathayatra Car Festival, and then stands up to receive the Lord, can curb down all kinds of sinful results from his body.' " Many people stood that day, July 27th, when Prabhupada's devotees and many other young people pulled the Rathayatra Car through the streets of San Francisco. On the car sat Lord Jagannath, the Lord of the Universe, and Prabhupada, the Lord's best friend. Thousands of people stood alongside the road or came to their windows or stood on elevated places and rooftops to watch the Rathayatra Car Festival pass by.

"A person who is in jubilant spirit and with profound devotional ecstasy while dancing before Me [Krishna], manifesting features of bodily expression, can burn away all the accumulated sinful reactions he has stocked up for many, many thousands of years."

-Dwarka Mahatmya