Reflecting on Half a Century

“Bhakta Tom,” he said the first week, “we’re going out to chant Hare Krishna. Please come with us.” His sincerity encouraged me. He regularly organized the inspiring chanting and dancing on the streets. Tall and charismatic, he played a drum and led the singing. Once, on seeing Jayananda entering the temple, Prabhupada paused his lecture and said of him, “Jayananda looks like Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Yes! He was tall and stout and strong. Caitanya Mahaprabhu.” Sri Caitanya benevolently gave humanity a dispensation, five hundred years ago, to chant Krishna’s names as the sufficient means of spiritual deliverance. Just a recipient of the grace of Prabhupada and Sri Caitanya, I lacked any further qualifications to join the Hare Krishna movement.