How George Harrison felt — by his chanting Hare Krishna
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Hare Krishna
Sep 11, 2016, 7:56:30 AM9/11/16
to FOLKBHILAI, HKMBHILAI
How George Harrison felt — by his chanting Hare Krishna
Compiled by Damaghosa dasa
George Harrison: "There is one sort of problem in a way, that I found when chanting all the time, and that was that I start being able to relate less and less to all the people I know. I mean then it's, there’s only times when I see people like Śyāmasundara or just a few people. Then, that's okay, but most of the other people… I suddenly found myself on such a different level that it’s hard to relate and then it’s like it feels as though it’s a point where I have a decision of either slowing down and pulling back towards those people in order to try and pull them with me, or maybe if, because I’m not ready to go, or just cutting the thing off and just going completely. You know what I mean? Just in day to day things. The more and more, the buildup…"
Srila Prabhupada: "Material management."
George Harrison: "But the buildup of the mantra and the effect is so subtle in a way that there’s that point where I just can’t relate any more to anybody. Maybe you don’t have that experience."
Shyamasundara: "He says that when he chants he becomes spiritualized so that it’s difficult to relate with his business associates, colleagues."
George Harrison: "But not even that, to my friends, even to my wife. I mean to anybody. You know, it’s…"
Shyamasundara: "And it’s sometimes difficult to see…"
Srila Prabhupada: "But your wife is very favorable. She is nice girl."
George Harrsion: "Yes, she’s an angel. In a way she is okay."
Srila Prabhupada: "If wife is favorable then that is a great advantage."
George Harrison: "But you see what happens is, this is also what Terry was saying yesterday, is that… You know, like if I’m not into it too deeply then I’ll come down to begin a day and I’ll be quite, say, do this, okay, and off we go to do… But the days, the periods when I’m so deeply into that, chanting all the time, then when I finish chanting, I come down, I’m like Ravana. (Prabhupada laughs) You know, I come down and I’m not smiling and I’m not particularly happy because I’m saying, 'Do that! Get that! Why is this!' You know? There’s like there is more urgency involved. The realization that everybody is wasting their time and everybody is doing mundane things which are, and you know, just having a little bit of mundane fun."
Shyamasundara: "But when you were chanting you wrote the song and it’s proven by people’s purchasing all those songs that they want to hear that."
George Harrison: "Hm. But the problem is this, where to find a balance. Because obviously I know where I benefit by doing that. But I’m benefiting so much that suddenly I find I’m out on a limb and it’s hard to be able to pull those people with you. You know there’s a point where suddenly I’m not going to be… I’m not going to know them any more."
Shyamasundara: "Is it that it’s difficult when he becomes spiritualized by chanting he feels it’s a dangerous position in a way because then he will be cut off from his audience. From people who will, the ordinary people. He’s afraid they will not understand him. He will not be able to take them with him to that point. So he has to find a balance."
Srila Prabhupada: "Yes, you keep balance. You keep balance. Don’t spoil your position. Keep your position but… within you just keep yourself always Krishna conscious. Outside you just deal just like ordinary man. This is the tactics. Because your talent is not ordinary talent."
(Conversation between Srila Prabhupada and George Harrison, Bhaktivedanta Manor, August 22, 1973)
———————————-
Below is why, according to the Srimad Bhagavatam, George Harrison was feeling the way he did—-
SB 1.2.7-“By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.
———————————–
"As advised in the Thirteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita (13.8-12), one should culture knowledge in the following way:
1. One should himself become a perfect gentleman and learn to give proper respect to others.
2. One should not pose himself as a religionist simply for name and fame.
3. One should not become a source of anxiety to others by the actions of his body, by the thoughts of his mind, or by his words.
4. One should learn forbearance even in the face of provocation from others.
5. One should learn to avoid duplicity in his dealings with others.
6. One should search out a bona fide spiritual master who can lead him gradually to the stage of spiritual realization, and one must submit himself to such a spiritual master, render him service, and ask relevant questions.
7. In order to approach the platform of self-realization, one must follow the regulative principles enjoined in the scriptures.
8. One must be fixed in the tenets of the revealed scriptures.
9. One should completely refrain from practices which are detrimental to the interest of self-realization.
10. One should not accept more than he requires for the maintenance of the body.
11. One should not falsely identify himself with the gross material body nor consider those who are related to his body to be his own.
12. One should always remember that as long as he has a material body he must face the miseries of repeated birth, old age, disease and death. There is no use in making plans to get rid of these miseries of the material body. The best course is to find out the means by which one may regain his spiritual identity.
13. One should not be attached to more than the necessities of life required for spiritual advancement.
14. One should not be more attached to wife, children and home than the revealed scriptures ordain.
15. One should not be happy or distressed over desirables and undesirables created by the mind.
16. One should become an unalloyed devotee of the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, and serve Him with rapt attention.
17. One should develop a liking for residence in a secluded place with a calm and quiet atmosphere favorable for spiritual culture, and one should avoid congested places where nondevotees congregate.
18. One should become a scientist or philosopher and conduct research into spiritual knowledge, recognizing that spiritual knowledge is permanent whereas material knowledge ends with the death of the body.
These eighteen items combine to form a gradual process by which real knowledge can be developed."
(Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 10, Purport)
Compiled by Damaghosa dasa
George Harrison: "There is one sort of problem in a way, that I found when chanting all the time, and that was that I start being able to relate less and less to all the people I know. I mean then it's, there’s only times when I see people like Śyāmasundara or just a few people. Then, that's okay, but most of the other people… I suddenly found myself on such a different level that it’s hard to relate and then it’s like it feels as though it’s a point where I have a decision of either slowing down and pulling back towards those people in order to try and pull them with me, or maybe if, because I’m not ready to go, or just cutting the thing off and just going completely. You know what I mean? Just in day to day things. The more and more, the buildup…"
Srila Prabhupada: "Material management."
George Harrison: "But the buildup of the mantra and the effect is so subtle in a way that there’s that point where I just can’t relate any more to anybody. Maybe you don’t have that experience."
Shyamasundara: "He says that when he chants he becomes spiritualized so that it’s difficult to relate with his business associates, colleagues."
George Harrison: "But not even that, to my friends, even to my wife. I mean to anybody. You know, it’s…"
Shyamasundara: "And it’s sometimes difficult to see…"
Srila Prabhupada: "But your wife is very favorable. She is nice girl."
George Harrsion: "Yes, she’s an angel. In a way she is okay."
Srila Prabhupada: "If wife is favorable then that is a great advantage."
George Harrison: "But you see what happens is, this is also what Terry was saying yesterday, is that… You know, like if I’m not into it too deeply then I’ll come down to begin a day and I’ll be quite, say, do this, okay, and off we go to do… But the days, the periods when I’m so deeply into that, chanting all the time, then when I finish chanting, I come down, I’m like Ravana. (Prabhupada laughs) You know, I come down and I’m not smiling and I’m not particularly happy because I’m saying, 'Do that! Get that! Why is this!' You know? There’s like there is more urgency involved. The realization that everybody is wasting their time and everybody is doing mundane things which are, and you know, just having a little bit of mundane fun."
Shyamasundara: "But when you were chanting you wrote the song and it’s proven by people’s purchasing all those songs that they want to hear that."
George Harrison: "Hm. But the problem is this, where to find a balance. Because obviously I know where I benefit by doing that. But I’m benefiting so much that suddenly I find I’m out on a limb and it’s hard to be able to pull those people with you. You know there’s a point where suddenly I’m not going to be… I’m not going to know them any more."
Shyamasundara: "Is it that it’s difficult when he becomes spiritualized by chanting he feels it’s a dangerous position in a way because then he will be cut off from his audience. From people who will, the ordinary people. He’s afraid they will not understand him. He will not be able to take them with him to that point. So he has to find a balance."
Srila Prabhupada: "Yes, you keep balance. You keep balance. Don’t spoil your position. Keep your position but… within you just keep yourself always Krishna conscious. Outside you just deal just like ordinary man. This is the tactics. Because your talent is not ordinary talent."
(Conversation between Srila Prabhupada and George Harrison, Bhaktivedanta Manor, August 22, 1973)
———————————-
Below is why, according to the Srimad Bhagavatam, George Harrison was feeling the way he did—-
SB 1.2.7-“By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.
———————————–
"As advised in the Thirteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita (13.8-12), one should culture knowledge in the following way:
1. One should himself become a perfect gentleman and learn to give proper respect to others.
2. One should not pose himself as a religionist simply for name and fame.
3. One should not become a source of anxiety to others by the actions of his body, by the thoughts of his mind, or by his words.
4. One should learn forbearance even in the face of provocation from others.
5. One should learn to avoid duplicity in his dealings with others.
6. One should search out a bona fide spiritual master who can lead him gradually to the stage of spiritual realization, and one must submit himself to such a spiritual master, render him service, and ask relevant questions.
7. In order to approach the platform of self-realization, one must follow the regulative principles enjoined in the scriptures.
8. One must be fixed in the tenets of the revealed scriptures.
9. One should completely refrain from practices which are detrimental to the interest of self-realization.
10. One should not accept more than he requires for the maintenance of the body.
11. One should not falsely identify himself with the gross material body nor consider those who are related to his body to be his own.
12. One should always remember that as long as he has a material body he must face the miseries of repeated birth, old age, disease and death. There is no use in making plans to get rid of these miseries of the material body. The best course is to find out the means by which one may regain his spiritual identity.
13. One should not be attached to more than the necessities of life required for spiritual advancement.
14. One should not be more attached to wife, children and home than the revealed scriptures ordain.
15. One should not be happy or distressed over desirables and undesirables created by the mind.
16. One should become an unalloyed devotee of the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, and serve Him with rapt attention.
17. One should develop a liking for residence in a secluded place with a calm and quiet atmosphere favorable for spiritual culture, and one should avoid congested places where nondevotees congregate.
18. One should become a scientist or philosopher and conduct research into spiritual knowledge, recognizing that spiritual knowledge is permanent whereas material knowledge ends with the death of the body.
These eighteen items combine to form a gradual process by which real knowledge can be developed."
(Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 10, Purport)
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