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Miracle on Second Avenue: Hare Krishna Arrives in New York, San Francisco, and London 1966-1969
Miracle on Second Avenue is a short, carefully researched documentary book written in a you-are-there style, that catalogs the start and growth of the Hare Krishna movement. Miracle on Second Avenue won the 2012 National Indie Excellence Award for Biography. The work is a memoir of Mukunda Goswami, one of the pioneers of the religious group that is now known throughout the world formally as the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Miracle is a series of historical events that include the movement's founder, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, and his interactions on two continents with the author over the three-year period from August 1966 until December 1969.
574 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 19, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 3, 2022
The Matchless Gift
This is an excellent memoir of the birth and establishment of the great spiritual movement of Krishna Consciousness during the period of 1966-69. The author recalls the beginnings of the movement while events were still fresh, from notebooks, diaries, and his memory. It covers the life of his guru and the principal disciples in New York, and later in San Francisco with flourishing hippie culture that believed in rebellion, LSD, love, music, and sex. The last section of the book describes the building of the temple in London with strong support from George Harrison, John Lennon, and other American disciples. This book convinces its readers that this spiritual awakening in 1966 was genuine and the circumstances were natural for the creation of Krishna Consciousness movement now known as International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON.) Miracle on Second Avenue is a good description of endless horizons when Krishna consciousness would become a worldwide religion. This book will inspire millions of souls to the wonders of the Spiritual Master because much of it came from the heart of the author and his close involvement with the organization. The author’s wife Janaki also played a significant role.
During the formative years, Shrila Prabhupada played the dual role of spiritual teacher and an inspired chief executive officer of a global organization. Many of his leading disciples experienced personal and spiritual difficulties which increased with their power. Prabhupada was aware of them but pushed on like a general with wounded soldiers. Internally, the movement suffered from corrupt and errant leadership of disciples. Some of them participated in criminal activities. Children of Srila Prabhupada's disciples suffered at the hands of abusive teachers in the schools. These difficulties were an internal push for reform. ISKCON leaders and devotees sought to address historical problems. In the late 1960s and 70s most devotees lived in the temples and distributed Krishna literature in and around cities and airports, which posed certain problems.
There are some touching parts in the book that included the announcement of the news that Shrila Prabhupada had passed away owing to the devastating illness that ravaged his body. Later, devotees who had been at Prabhupada's bedside said that he had continued translating Srimad-Bhagavatam into a dictation machine until just minutes before his departure. Another sad moment for the author and his wife was Janaki was that she was troubled by Swami's suggestion that devotees should renounce marriage partners and dedicate themselves to Krishna Consciousness. But the wedding of the author with Janaki was officiated by the Spiritual Master and asked them to never separate or leave the institution of marriage, that was a very confounding moment especially for Janaki.
A great deal is written about the first disciples of Prabhupada in this book, but rarely mentions the very first disciple like Swami Kirtananda, and Hayagriva Dasa. Hayagriva authored a similar book about the beginnings of ISKCON under the title, “Hare Krishna Explosion” that also cover the building of the New York and Fan Francisco temples during 1966-1969. These two books give different perspectives; this book illustrates the personal interaction of this author with Srila Prabhupada, and Hayagriva Dasa from the perspectives of himself and Kirtananda with Srila Prabhupada. The difficulties in building a religious order of this magnitude are described well by both authors. Hayagriva Dasa was an English professor and played key role in helping Srila Prabhupada in the English translation of the Sanskrit literature. And both authors have a strong personal touch and enthusiasm in their narratives. This book reads flawlessly, and strongly recommended to readers interested in ISKCON history and the teachings of Srila Prabhupada.
This is an excellent memoir of the birth and establishment of the great spiritual movement of Krishna Consciousness during the period of 1966-69. The author recalls the beginnings of the movement while events were still fresh, from notebooks, diaries, and his memory. It covers the life of his guru and the principal disciples in New York, and later in San Francisco with flourishing hippie culture that believed in rebellion, LSD, love, music, and sex. The last section of the book describes the building of the temple in London with strong support from George Harrison, John Lennon, and other American disciples. This book convinces its readers that this spiritual awakening in 1966 was genuine and the circumstances were natural for the creation of Krishna Consciousness movement now known as International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON.) Miracle on Second Avenue is a good description of endless horizons when Krishna consciousness would become a worldwide religion. This book will inspire millions of souls to the wonders of the Spiritual Master because much of it came from the heart of the author and his close involvement with the organization. The author’s wife Janaki also played a significant role.
During the formative years, Shrila Prabhupada played the dual role of spiritual teacher and an inspired chief executive officer of a global organization. Many of his leading disciples experienced personal and spiritual difficulties which increased with their power. Prabhupada was aware of them but pushed on like a general with wounded soldiers. Internally, the movement suffered from corrupt and errant leadership of disciples. Some of them participated in criminal activities. Children of Srila Prabhupada's disciples suffered at the hands of abusive teachers in the schools. These difficulties were an internal push for reform. ISKCON leaders and devotees sought to address historical problems. In the late 1960s and 70s most devotees lived in the temples and distributed Krishna literature in and around cities and airports, which posed certain problems.
There are some touching parts in the book that included the announcement of the news that Shrila Prabhupada had passed away owing to the devastating illness that ravaged his body. Later, devotees who had been at Prabhupada's bedside said that he had continued translating Srimad-Bhagavatam into a dictation machine until just minutes before his departure. Another sad moment for the author and his wife was Janaki was that she was troubled by Swami's suggestion that devotees should renounce marriage partners and dedicate themselves to Krishna Consciousness. But the wedding of the author with Janaki was officiated by the Spiritual Master and asked them to never separate or leave the institution of marriage, that was a very confounding moment especially for Janaki.
A great deal is written about the first disciples of Prabhupada in this book, but rarely mentions the very first disciple like Swami Kirtananda, and Hayagriva Dasa. Hayagriva authored a similar book about the beginnings of ISKCON under the title, “Hare Krishna Explosion” that also cover the building of the New York and Fan Francisco temples during 1966-1969. These two books give different perspectives; this book illustrates the personal interaction of this author with Srila Prabhupada, and Hayagriva Dasa from the perspectives of himself and Kirtananda with Srila Prabhupada. The difficulties in building a religious order of this magnitude are described well by both authors. Hayagriva Dasa was an English professor and played key role in helping Srila Prabhupada in the English translation of the Sanskrit literature. And both authors have a strong personal touch and enthusiasm in their narratives. This book reads flawlessly, and strongly recommended to readers interested in ISKCON history and the teachings of Srila Prabhupada.
April 24, 2012
Rarely at a loss for words, but this book has left me so. This is a beautifully articulated story of the birth of the Krishna movement in America and London. Maharaj has penned a book which truly does his spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, a great honor. A must read for all seekers, historians, and the purely inquisitive. There should be more than a five star rating here.
September 13, 2020
Inspiring book on the early days of ISKCON..
H.H. Mukunda Goswami Maharaja has brought up the details of the early days of our movement in this book. Also he throws light on how charismatic and influential Srila Prabhupada is. A must read book, by all sincere followers of ISKCON. The struggles of these pioneering devotees should enthuse us to push forward this movement in whatever ways we can.
H.H. Mukunda Goswami Maharaja has brought up the details of the early days of our movement in this book. Also he throws light on how charismatic and influential Srila Prabhupada is. A must read book, by all sincere followers of ISKCON. The struggles of these pioneering devotees should enthuse us to push forward this movement in whatever ways we can.
February 28, 2022
Goswami writes of his time with Srla Prabhupad at the start of Prabhupad's life in the States and starting the ISKCON movement; it had a lot of interesting elements, but I think non-devotees would have a hard time relating to and getting a lot of the items accepted as spiritual teachings. It's very much a book for believers. It's very much from his perspective and you don't really get a lot of other people's experiences with him (like I would like to have learned about Yamuna Devi's studying of cooking bc I love her cookbook). The ending felt a bit abrupt, and it was sad, to learned that him and his wife Jannaki split and he left her (and their child, assuming) to go back to live a devoted sanyasi life.
February 3, 2021
Absolutely beautiful, I was so immersed and deep within the story and I loved it so very much!
February 25, 2017
This is an excellent chronicle of the spiritual movement of Krishna consciousness in the Western World during the period of 1966-69. The author is one of the very first few disciples. The book offers an intimate, lively, and highly engrossing story, recalling the beginnings of the Hare Krishna movement in the West.
December 31, 2016
Amazing book.... takes you right back to the starting days of Srila Prabhupada in New York even before ISKCON was incorporated. Very simple presentation of the exciting story of initial days, initial accomplishments that almost reads like a bestseller novel. Very much recommended for anyone curious about the movement or already an active participant.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews