Sri Sri Radha Madan Gopala
Srila Prabhupada said that Radharani looked very beautiful, that She had lotus eyes and she looked Mexican. Therefore he said They should be sent to Mexico City.
Srimati Malati devi dasi: “I was in Jayapur preparing to leave to go to Bombay when I received a telegram. The telegram said, 'BRING DEITIES LARGE SIZE A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI.' So from literally being on my way to the train, I quickly readjusted and was somehow or other able to find a very suitable pair of Deities. Anyone who has had any involvement with purchasing Deities can understand that its not like you go to the supermarket, you find them, but it’s a quite more involving experience. Sometimes when you find a suitable pair of Deities there will often be some remodifications to be done. Somehow or other these Deities were there ready and there was only a minimum amount of extra work to be done on them. I personally packed the Deities in a box put them on a truck and rode with the truck to Bombay. When I arrived at Juhu Beach the devotees told me that Srila Prabhupada was waiting for me. He was not staying in Juhu at that time, which was only a tent city. Srila Prabhupada was staying in an empty apartment that had belonged to a life member. The apartment had just been vacated due to the life member's death, so Srila Prabhupada had a very nice apartment. I was called in to cook and clean together with my daughter. My husband, who was Srila Prabhupada's secretary, had arrived with him. The Deities were brought up into the living room and unpacked. Srila Prabhupada came soon after this, looked at them, and said to bring them to his room. He had them positioned right in front of his desk and he looked at the Deities very fondly, and it was obvious that he really liked them. In front of Srila Prabhupada, the devotees measured the Deities and put clothes on them. Srila Prabhupada said that Radharani looked very beautiful, that She had lotus eyes and she looked Mexican. Therefore he said They should be sent to Mexico City."
(Interview in Mayapura by Andarupa devi dasi)
A telegram from India
Srila Prabhupada names the Deities
After the installation ceremony a letter was sent to Srila Prabhupada to inform him that the Deities he had personally chosen for "ISKCON de Mexico" were already presiding over Mexico City and to humbly request that His Divine Grace name Them as he has done with other Deities around the world. Also, several devotees were recommended for initiation.
Ramanya das: “Early in 1974 Haihaya das, the temple president had recommended some devotees for initiation. One day Radha Krishna das, the temple secretary, told me that a letter from Srila Prabhupada had arrived with the name of The Deities and the names of the devotees that would take initiation. 'You are one of them,' he told me. Srila Prabhupada had named the Deities Sri Sri Radha Madan Gopal."
Sunday Feast Report
(English Translation)
The Krishna Conciousness temple in Mexico had a celebration due to the visit of the teacher and founder of this philosophy, His Divine Grace Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta A.C.
Due to this reason, around 300 people gathered recently to hear the words of the priest and to celebrate the Kirtan.
There were songs and food, incense, water, flowers and fire were offered to God; all these were preceded by custom prayers belonging to the celebration.
In the center of the living room of the temple, there was a big couch placed over the podium. The teacher guided the ceremony and spoke with great emotion to all his followers who were congregated under the name of the International Society for Krishna Counsiousness.
This philosophy, of Bhagavat Gita, arrived in the west about seven years ago, and it originated from the Hindu philosophy properly call bhakti-yoga, and which literally means devotion and union with God.
After the religious ceremony, His Divine Grace Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta, held various conferences addressing the basic principles of the Doctrine, answering questions from all the people gathered.
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Tridandi Swami
R.G. Bhakti Prapanna Parvata Maharaja
(Rama Govinda das from Guadalajara)
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