Devotional Bhajans

This article, "Devotional Bhajans," was published in The Hindu, May 23, 1975, in Chennai, India. 

Swamy Achutananda, the founder and head of the International Krishna consciousness cult, sang devotional bhajans in Sanskrit and Bengali and danced to the frenzied singing of Namasankeertana at the Conference Hall of the Karnataka Chamber of Commerce, Kempegowda Road, Bangalore. French and German disciples supported him. 

A group of six persons sang in full throated voice chanting verses from the Gita and the Bhagavatam. Snatches of god's names like Hari Govinda, Yasoda Kanda, Nanda Mukunda, Madhava Gopala and snatches from Chaitanaya Prabha's and Jayadeva's compositions were sung in pleasing voices. Admirers flocked in thousands to listen and participate in the Namasankeertana from May 14 to 18. It was a five-day keertana yagna. 

At the end of the five-day programme Swamy Achyutananda delivered a discourse in English on the nature of Krishna Consciousness. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, known also as Gouranga, is the perfect incarnation of Krishna, declared the Swamy and Namakeertana, as taught in the Bhagavatam and the Gita is the best way to get at the Krishna consciousness. - D.R.