Readers of ‘Back to Godhead’ who were practically disappointed to learn that the Government of India had twice refused to give permission for the continuance of publication of “Back to Godhead”, will be glad to know and see that in the third attempt by their humble servant, the Government of India has kindly given special permission to continue the publication of ‘Back to Godhead’.
Indians have neglected God consciousness. The British introduced materialism, and Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India, simply followed this policy, although his spiritually inclined mentor, Mahatma Gandhi, was opposed to it.
Lord Caitanya stated that anyone born in India has the responsibility to take up this chanting of Hare Krishna and spread it, and He has quoted scripture to state there is no alternative for spiritual realization in this age than chanting the holy name of God.
We have traveled throughout India—to Calcutta, Bombay, Delhi, and to smaller cities too. Practically everybody is won by kirtana—the sound representation of Krsna.
The tour of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada throughout India attracted much daily news coverage, and many major magazines ran features about Srila Prabhupada and his foreign disciples.
The Indian reporter asked why Americans and Europeans are becoming Hindus. Srila Prabhupada said, “Krsna is not Hindu—you won’t find the word Hindu anywhere in Vedic literature.”
News of tragedy from India shocked the world—first, the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi followed by mass murders and mayhem, then, hardly a month later, the catastrophic poisonous gas leak at the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal.