Radha Krsna Temple
Encyclopedia
The Radha Krishna Temple was the headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
in London
from the late 1960s. The temple came to prominence when The Beatles
and especially George Harrison
started to publicly express their interest in Eastern philosophy and Krishna consciousness. The Radha Krsna Temple was also the name of an album of devotional music issued by the Temple on The Beatles' Apple Records
label. The album was produced by George Harrison.
-Krsna Temple at 7 Bury Place, London
was the initial headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
in the UK from the late 1960s.
on the set of Help!
and receiving a book on Hinduism
on a beach in the Bahamas was the beginning of George's interest in Eastern religion and mysticism - which led to a journey to India
to meet up with sitar
master Ravi Shankar
. In 1967 he met with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
and later that year, after they had already played their last concert together, he took the rest of the Beatles to Rishikesh to meet the Transcendental Meditation
guru.
George was already aware of the devotees of Krishna
before meeting the movements leader A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and had purchased 20 copies of the Happening album, the first recording by Swami Prabhupada and his disciples. But it wasn’t until 1969 that George was to meet Shyamasundara dasa in the London
offices of Apple Records
, the Beatles’ recording company. “Where have you been? I’ve been waiting two years to meet you fella's” was how he greeted the devotee. Shyamasundara and five others had come to London to start a branch of ISKCON and they had sent apple pies and clockwork apples with the Hare Krishna mantra written on them to the Beatles at Apple. This initial meeting eventually led to the recording of 'The Hare Krishna Mantra' by the Radha-Krishna Temple with George, Paul, Linda and drummer Ginger Baker all in the studio helping. George produces the song and is believed to have played harmonium and bass guitar on the "Govinda
" and "Hare Krishna Mantra". Harrison also attended the Radha Krsna Temple's Top of the Pops
appearance when they performed the single "Govinda", although he did not appear in front of the cameras. It reached the charts in twenty countries it was even sung one afternoon by 40,000 people at Wembley
.
Swami Prabhupada made a deep impression on George: “Most of these yogi
s say ‘Look at me, I am the divine incarnation, let me help you,’” he explained, “Prabhupada said: ‘I am the servant of the servant of the servant.’” When George once asked Srila Prabhupada if he should also shave his head and join the temple, Prabhupada replied that he could do more for Krishna through his music. Many years previously, the great-grandfather of the Hare Krishna movement, Bhaktivinode Thakur, had predicted a day when the Maha Mantra
and songs of Krishna would be sung throughout the world in the local musical style and in the local language. George would be one of the first to help towards making that prediction come true. When Prabhupada heard George’s orchestrated version of the Govindam
Prayers for the first time he was moved to tears and asked for it to be played every morning in each of the movement’s temples which still happens to this day.
and the philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita
. In January 1971 came the album 'All Things Must Pass
' which included the classic song 'My Sweet Lord
' followed by 'Living in the Material World
' which contained 'The Lord Loves The One (That Loves The Lord)'. Both this and the song 'Here Comes the Sun' were inspired by George's meetings with Prabhupada and the Krishna Consciousness philosophy.
raged outside, and just as he discreetly asked the question, lightning flashed, there was a loud clap of thunder, and all the lights went out. The two sat in complete darkness without saying anything for a minute or two. When the lights came on, George was smiling and said: “I suppose that means yes!”
’ was purchased for £230,000. Since that time the Manor has gone on to become one of the most famous Krishna
temples outside India.
Over the years, George became a very private person. But it was apparent that he still remained a devotee of Krishna; he visited the Mayapura temple, ISKCON’s international headquarters in West Bengal
. After touring the complex and taking prasadam, he spent the remainder of his time talking to the gardener about the many varieties of flowers and fruits growing there. He stayed for a few days in Vrindavan
, unrecognised by everyone except the westerners there. He also kept friendships with a number of the devotees he had met in his earlier days such as Mukunda Goswami
.
produced by George Harrison featuring devotional music. The album sleeve pictures the deities
situated in the original temple from whom the temple name derives; these have now been moved to the ISKCON temple on Soho Square
in London where they are known as 'Radha-Londonishvara'.
Both "Govinda" and "Hare Krishna Mantra" were released as singles.
The band consisted of George Harrison on harmonium, guitar and bass guitar, Tamal Krishna Goswami on flute, Harivilas, Yamuna, Jivananda, Lilavati, Yogesvara on lead vocals, and assembled Hare Krishna devotees feature on vocals, mridanga and kartals
.
The track "Govinda" is played every morning at all of the ISKCON temples around the world, to greet the deities. This was on the request of Srila Prabhupada. The album was later reissued as Goddess of Fortune on the Spiritual Sky record label, and is now available as The Radha-Krishna Temple Album. All royalties went to ISKCON. The album was re-released and remastered in 2010, and features in the box set Fresh from Apple Records
All songs were traditional, and arranged by Mukunda Goswami
.
Side One
Side Two
Compact Disc
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness , known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization. It was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
from the late 1960s. The temple came to prominence when The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and especially George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
started to publicly express their interest in Eastern philosophy and Krishna consciousness. The Radha Krsna Temple was also the name of an album of devotional music issued by the Temple on The Beatles' Apple Records
Apple Records
Apple Records is a record label founded by The Beatles in 1968, as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mary Hopkin, James Taylor, Badfinger, and Billy Preston...
label. The album was produced by George Harrison.
The Radha Krishna Temple
The RadhaRadha
Radha , also called Radhika, Radharani and Radhikarani, is the childhood friend and lover of Krishna in the Bhagavata Purana, and the Gita Govinda of the Vaisnava traditions of Hinduism...
-Krsna Temple at 7 Bury Place, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
was the initial headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness , known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization. It was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada...
in the UK from the late 1960s.
George Harrison's involvement
Playing a sitarSitar
The 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
on the set of Help!
Help! (film)
Help! is a 1965 film directed by Richard Lester, starring The Beatles—John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr—and featuring Leo McKern, Eleanor Bron, Victor Spinetti, John Bluthal, Roy Kinnear and Patrick Cargill. Help! was the second feature film made by the Beatles and is a...
and receiving a book on Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
on a beach in the Bahamas was the beginning of George's interest in Eastern religion and mysticism - which led to a journey to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to meet up with sitar
Sitar
The 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
master Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar , often referred to by the title Pandit, is an Indian musician and composer who plays the plucked string instrument sitar. He has been described as the best known contemporary Indian musician by Hans Neuhoff in Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart.Shankar was born in Varanasi and spent...
. In 1967 he met with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi , born Mahesh Prasad Varma , developed the Transcendental Meditation technique and was the leader and guru of the TM movement, characterised as a new religious movement and also as non-religious...
and later that year, after they had already played their last concert together, he took the rest of the Beatles to Rishikesh to meet the Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental Meditation refers to the Transcendental Meditation technique, a specific form of mantra meditation, and to the Transcendental Meditation movement, a spiritual movement...
guru.
George was already aware of the devotees of Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
before meeting the movements leader A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and had purchased 20 copies of the Happening album, the first recording by Swami Prabhupada and his disciples. But it wasn’t until 1969 that George was to meet Shyamasundara dasa in the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
offices of Apple Records
Apple Records
Apple Records is a record label founded by The Beatles in 1968, as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mary Hopkin, James Taylor, Badfinger, and Billy Preston...
, the Beatles’ recording company. “Where have you been? I’ve been waiting two years to meet you fella's” was how he greeted the devotee. Shyamasundara and five others had come to London to start a branch of ISKCON and they had sent apple pies and clockwork apples with the Hare Krishna mantra written on them to the Beatles at Apple. This initial meeting eventually led to the recording of 'The Hare Krishna Mantra' by the Radha-Krishna Temple with George, Paul, Linda and drummer Ginger Baker all in the studio helping. George produces the song and is believed to have played harmonium and bass guitar on the "Govinda
Govinda
' and ' are names of Krishna, referring to his youthful occupation as a cowherd. He is regarded as the Supreme Godhead in the Vaishnava tradition and also by much of the pan-Hindu tradition...
" and "Hare Krishna Mantra". Harrison also attended the Radha Krsna Temple's Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
appearance when they performed the single "Govinda", although he did not appear in front of the cameras. It reached the charts in twenty countries it was even sung one afternoon by 40,000 people at Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
.
Swami Prabhupada made a deep impression on George: “Most of these yogi
Yogi
A Yogi is a practitioner of Yoga. The word is also used to refer to ascetic practitioners of meditation in a number of South Asian Religions including Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.-Etymology:...
s say ‘Look at me, I am the divine incarnation, let me help you,’” he explained, “Prabhupada said: ‘I am the servant of the servant of the servant.’” When George once asked Srila Prabhupada if he should also shave his head and join the temple, Prabhupada replied that he could do more for Krishna through his music. Many years previously, the great-grandfather of the Hare Krishna movement, Bhaktivinode Thakur, had predicted a day when the Maha Mantra
Maha Mantra
Maha Mantra may refer to the following:*Any mantra thought to be particularly "great" or important*A common name for the Hare Krishna mantra in Bengali Vaishnavism*a name of the Aum Namah Shivaya mantra*the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra...
and songs of Krishna would be sung throughout the world in the local musical style and in the local language. George would be one of the first to help towards making that prediction come true. When Prabhupada heard George’s orchestrated version of the Govindam
Brahma Samhita
The Brahma Samhita is a Sanskrit Pancaratra text, composed of verses of prayer spoken by Brahma glorifying the supreme The Brahma Samhita is a [[Sanskrit]] [[Pancaratra]] text, composed of verses of prayer spoken by [[Brahma]] glorifying the supreme...
Prayers for the first time he was moved to tears and asked for it to be played every morning in each of the movement’s temples which still happens to this day.
My Sweet Lord
After helping the devotees at the Radha Krsna temple to make an album, George started writing his own songs about KrishnaKrishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
and the philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita
Bhagavad Gita
The ' , also more simply known as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, but is frequently treated as a freestanding text, and in particular, as an Upanishad in its own right, one of the several books that constitute general Vedic tradition...
. In January 1971 came the album 'All Things Must Pass
All Things Must Pass
All Things Must Pass is a triple album by George Harrison, recorded and released in 1970. The original vinyl release featured two LPs of rock songs as well as Apple Jam, a third LP of informal jams...
' which included the classic song 'My Sweet Lord
My Sweet Lord
"My Sweet Lord" is a song by former Beatles lead guitarist George Harrison from his UK number one hit triple album All Things Must Pass. The song was written in praise of the Hindu god Krishna...
' followed by 'Living in the Material World
Living in the Material World
Living in the Material World is a studio album by George Harrison, released in 1973.-Background:As a follow-up to 1970's greatly received All Things Must Pass and his mammoth charity project, The Concert for Bangladesh, Living in the Material World was among the most highly anticipated releases of...
' which contained 'The Lord Loves The One (That Loves The Lord)'. Both this and the song 'Here Comes the Sun' were inspired by George's meetings with Prabhupada and the Krishna Consciousness philosophy.
Krishna Book
In 1967 Prabhupada had experienced a severe heart attack and wondered whether he would live to present his disciples and the world with a translated version of the 'divine pastimes’ of Krishna on earth. He had translated the second canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam, but knew that many years of translating remained before he would reach the tenth canto where these accounts are contained. So he decided to write Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When he was finished, he requested Shyamasundara to ask George if he could help to publish it. Shyamasundara tells that he wished to be careful in making the request, as he didn’t want to give George the impression that the devotees in the temple were after his money. But Srila Prabhupada had asked him and the spiritual master’s desire was the life and soul of the disciple, so he found himself sitting in a restaurant with George one evening. A thunderstormThunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
raged outside, and just as he discreetly asked the question, lightning flashed, there was a loud clap of thunder, and all the lights went out. The two sat in complete darkness without saying anything for a minute or two. When the lights came on, George was smiling and said: “I suppose that means yes!”
Bhaktivedanta Manor
Due to George’s celebrity endorsement, his songs, and the help he’d given the devotees in meeting other famous people who passed on the word, the little temple at 7, Bury Place near the British Museum was becoming too small for the number of devotees who lived there and others who wanted to join. Again, George was asked if he could help. And again he agreed. He told the temple devotees that if they found a suitable building then he would purchase it. Devotees found Piggots Manor, a former nursing home with 17 acres (68,796.6 m²) of land in the Hertfordshire countryside. George could not spare the time to come and see it, but said if they liked it he would make the arrangements immediately. And so it was that ‘Bhaktivedanta ManorBhaktivedanta Manor
Bhaktivedanta Manor is a Gaudiya Vaishnava temple set in the Hertfordshire countryside of England in the village of Aldenham near Watford. The Manor, as it is called by those familiar with it, is owned and run by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, better known as ISKCON or the...
’ was purchased for £230,000. Since that time the Manor has gone on to become one of the most famous Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
temples outside India.
Over the years, George became a very private person. But it was apparent that he still remained a devotee of Krishna; he visited the Mayapura temple, ISKCON’s international headquarters in West Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
. After touring the complex and taking prasadam, he spent the remainder of his time talking to the gardener about the many varieties of flowers and fruits growing there. He stayed for a few days in Vrindavan
Vrindavan
Vrindavan also known as Vraj is a town in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India...
, unrecognised by everyone except the westerners there. He also kept friendships with a number of the devotees he had met in his earlier days such as Mukunda Goswami
Mukunda Goswami
Mukunda Goswami is a spiritual leader within the International Society for Krishna Consciousness ....
.
Charity album
In April 1970 an eponymously titled album was released by Radha Krsna Temple on Apple RecordsApple Records
Apple Records is a record label founded by The Beatles in 1968, as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mary Hopkin, James Taylor, Badfinger, and Billy Preston...
produced by George Harrison featuring devotional music. The album sleeve pictures the deities
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
situated in the original temple from whom the temple name derives; these have now been moved to the ISKCON temple on Soho Square
Soho Square
Soho Square is a square in Soho, London, England, with a park and garden area at its centre that dates back to 1681. It was originally called King Square after Charles II, whose statue stands in the square. At the centre of the garden, there is a distinctive half-timbered gardener's hut...
in London where they are known as 'Radha-Londonishvara'.
Both "Govinda" and "Hare Krishna Mantra" were released as singles.
The band consisted of George Harrison on harmonium, guitar and bass guitar, Tamal Krishna Goswami on flute, Harivilas, Yamuna, Jivananda, Lilavati, Yogesvara on lead vocals, and assembled Hare Krishna devotees feature on vocals, mridanga and kartals
Cymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
.
The track "Govinda" is played every morning at all of the ISKCON temples around the world, to greet the deities. This was on the request of Srila Prabhupada. The album was later reissued as Goddess of Fortune on the Spiritual Sky record label, and is now available as The Radha-Krishna Temple Album. All royalties went to ISKCON. The album was re-released and remastered in 2010, and features in the box set Fresh from Apple Records
Track listing
LPAll songs were traditional, and arranged by Mukunda Goswami
Mukunda Goswami
Mukunda Goswami is a spiritual leader within the International Society for Krishna Consciousness ....
.
Side One
- "Govinda" – 4:43
- "Sri Guruvastakam" – 3:12
- "Bhaja Bhakata-Arati" – 8:24
- "Hare Krishna Mantra" – 3:33
Side Two
- "Sri Ishopanishad" – 4:03
- "Bhajahu Re Mana" – 8:53
- "Govinda Jaya Jaya" – 5:57
Compact Disc
- "Govinda" – 4:43
- "Sri Guruvastak" – 3:12
- "Bhaja Bhakata-Arotrika" – 8:24
- "Hare Krsna Mantra" – 3:33
- "Sri Ishopanishad" – 4:03
- "Bhajahu Re Mana" – 8:53
- "Govinda Jai Jai" – 5:57
- "Prayer to the Spiritual Masters" – 3:59 (bonus track on 1993 and 2010 versions)
- "Namaste Saraswati Devi" – 4:59 (bonus track on 2010 version)