Visakha-devi dasi (right): "When I frist met the devotees, I had no interest in spiritual life. But my work as a writer forced me to talk and argue with them. Eventually I met rila Prabhupada, the spiritual master of the Hare Krsna movement, and read his books. My faith and understanding slowly grew, despite myself. The scriptures and the saints and spiritual masters through the ages all say that chanting the Lord's holy names is the best way to make spiritual advancement in this idfficult time. Besides, it's practical; it works. Materially and spiritually, my life has changed for the better since I've been chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra."
Turiyasangitananda (Alice Coltrane) musician (left): "When you're chanting the maha-mantra, your soul responds, because the soul knows these names. The soul relates to them, the soul is enlivened, the soul is lifted up upon hearing the names of the Lord. It's something people whould open their hearts to and experience. They don't have to be any certain age they can even be children. And they don't even have to understand the meaning of the words. Whether they understand or not, the hearing of that chanting is going to produce their spiritual good."
Satyasena dasa, book distributor (above): "Each day when I go to distribute my spiritual master's books, I see that everyone is looking for happiness from sensual satisfaction. My job is to let them know they can get a higher pleasure from chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Since God is absolute, He is personally present in His name Krsna which means 'the all-attractive.' So chanting Hare Krsna is the most satisfying, beautiful experience, because it puts you directly in touch with the most satisfying, beautiful person."
In Gainesville (home of the University of Florida) there's one fraternity that's quite differemt from the others. At the Radha-Krsna temple (pictured left) everyone chants the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. So they anturally relate to one another (and to everyone else) as kindred souls fully happy and satisfied in their relationship with the Supreme Friend, Krsna.
Find out more about Krsna consciousness in this issue of BACK TO GODHEAD.