In the 1970’s the Hare Krsna movement underwent a rapid expansion. Temples sprang up all over the United States and Europe, started by sincere disciples of Srila Prabhupada. They been inspired by him, especially during the years 1966 to 1970, to take the Krsna consciousness movement to every town and village. This was a program of outreach envisioned and predicted by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the golden avatara who appeared in the 15th century. Furthermore, Srila Prabhupada’s worldwide success in spreading the Krsna consciousness mission was the fulfillment of the desires of the previous spiritual masters coming in the line of Lord Caitanya.
During the zealous revolutionary period that arose from the ashes of the hippie communal movement—which had been rendered disheartened and degraded by a lack of authentic spirituality, extensive drug use, and extreme hedonism—real spiritual communalism broke forth in the form of the Hare Krsna explosion. Krsna communities were popping up everywhere, espousing shared assets, powerful spiritual practice, and a life of abstinence and joy. This included chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, sacred dance, and feasting on vegetarian prasadam, a kind of sanctified foodstuff which induced higher consciousness in all who partook.
— Rupa Vilasa Das
Hardbound, 575 pages, 5.75" x 8.75", 8 color photos, 2 endplate pictures B&W
