Re: Srila Prabhupada Speaks About Bob Dylan [Audio Recovered]

[Ameyatma das (ACBSP)]

Why are you people so entranced with this man?  Bobby Zimmerman.      (Dylan).    Calling him Prabhupad's  MOST dear disciple.  Jai Bob Dylan... 
You are in total delusion.  At least you shouldn't take yourselves so seriously,  no one else does.

Before becoming devotee Dylan was one of my favorites.     Harrison   Donovan   Dylan   Lennon  - in that order.   I had all his records, including the basement tapes with the Band.   I turned on many friends and other aspiring musicians to his music.  But, he really never did much for Prabhupad.  Prabhupad spoke one time,   said something nice,   but, that was about it.  I saw Dylan in 74, he attended evening Artik at the LA temple.   But, i never heard that he did very much.  I think he gave some donation,   what,  one time?    He had opportunity, but, what did he do?

Demi-Prophet -   that BTG article is referring to Dylan that way,  not as a glorification or flattering way,        they are saying the record companies turned him into a demi-prophet.   Srila Prabhupad certainly did not speak of him that way. 

To say that he was a prophet and that Mr Tamborine Man was about Prabhupad,    that is not only really stretching it, it is ridiculous.  Putting that out on the internet,  in my view,  makes you people look - well, i cut out the words dumb, stupid and ridiculous because i thought your might get offended (I am writing this a positively seriously light-hearted way)   i am at a loss for the right word, here.   Maybe plain 'weird' will work.  It's sort of innocent and naive,  but, then it isn't... 

I never saw SP playing tamborine (I have been playing tamborine once in a while in kirtan now for past 10 years, but never saw Prabhupad play).    (Maybe we can do a 'Hey Mr Mrdanga Man,   or Hey Mr Kartal Man'?  - but, then,  I could never speak to Srila Prabhupad in such a way,   Hey Prabhupad sing a song for ME...   What sort of way is that to address Jagat Guru.   Hey guy,   sing a song for ME.     Prabhupad sings for Radharani and Krsna's pleasure,  and I would never approach him as    Hey Mr...  do this or that for me...    it is   my dear Srila Prabhupad,  how can i serve your lotus feet...    What can i do for you?   I do not see how you see that song as about SP...  Sheesh,      )     (I wonder what Dylan would think if he sees what you'r writing?    he'll either laugh or wonder what flavor of LSD you people are on,  Orange Barrel, Purple Haze,  or Cocaine All Around Your Brain?  Or some Mellow Yellow - Electric Bananas? )   One thing I heard is that after Dylan came to the temple in 74 he wrote the song,   ah,  i don't know the name of it,   where he sings,   Everybody's got to serve somebody sometime.  We were reading in SB class then about how everyone is servant,  you either serve Krsna or serve Maya, but everyone is servant, everyone serves somebody.  I was told a devotee preached to Dylan like that.    Dylan sang    you might serve the devil, or you might serve the lord, but everybody's got to serve somebody -  something like that...  (one of my favorites of his was    It's All Right Ma,  I'm Only Bleeding   Or Hard Rains Gonna Fall...   But I liked Leon Russel's rendition better.     whoa,  i just found this one on the internet,   Dylan 1975  AFTER he came to the temple,    he looks a bit angry,  but then, he always is..  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axGwD9B8SxY&feature=related ).   

Now if want a song that he sang that more better could be adapted to Srila Prabhupad's coming,    Give a listen to     When The Ship Comes In.     Srila Prabhupad,   the Captain of our Ship  -   taking us across the ocean of birth and death...   (yet, about SP,  no way,  he wrote it as a retort after a hotel clerk refused to let him get a room, because the clerk said he looked too disheveled.   Joan Baez was with him, and convinced the clerk he was harmless.   She said he wrote it that night... how such people will be swept away -  when the ship comes in...     And, according to Dylan,   the person who inspired Mr Tamborine Man was another musician, from Greenwich area, who played a large tamborine-like drum.   (Bruce Langhorne), who also played electric guitar on the song.   And, Dylan wrote it after partying and drinking at the New Orleans mardi gras     how can that be the inspiration to sing about SP's coming?     Sheesh...  
 
But, what about Donovan?    He was actually interested in KC and seemed to want to hear more from SP,   but,  his girl friend was not interested, she had him by the balls and didn't want to let go of them and their rampant sex,   so she kept him from getting involved.   Still,   I took his Hurdy Gurdy Man song and turned it into Hare Krsna Man.  (I've attached it)  (He wrote the song during the 3 months he spent with the Beatles at Maharishi's ashram in India in 1968.  Donovan was good friends with Harrison and along with Mia Farrow, went to Maharishi's ashram with the Beatles.   Even though he likely wrote it about Maharishi,    obviously,   i have changed it to be about Srila Prabhupad).  (at least it has a more 'spiritual - enlightening beginning then a drunken party at Mardi Gras-  singing about some guy playing a tamborine.   the poetic imagry of the song is just Dylan's poetic expression.  That is why I like the song,   but,     about SP,   no way...)  Here's some of Donovan's Hurdy Gurdy lyrics
(
Histories of ages past
Unenlightened shadows cast
Down through all eternity
The crying of humanity.
'Tis then when the (Hurdy Gurdy) Hare Krsna  Man
Comes singing songs of love [of God],
)
Donovan said that they had just been sitting in meditation with Maharishi, in silence, for some hours, and that night in the courtyard of their bungalow gazing at the clear stary night, sitting with the Beatles, he picked up his guitar and began composing the song.  At one point George Harrison turned to him and said he could add a line to it,   and he did,  but Donovan said that when they recorded the song,  the producers had to cut it out of the  release, it was too long,  and they didn't want to cut out jimmy page's guitar licks...  (page created the original licks in rehearsals with Donovan, but he was traveling in Miami and signing contract to form Led Zeplin when Donovan recorded the song,  so Page did not play on the final take, but the person playing was copying Page's rehearsal tape.  Jeff Beck recorded it first, but the producer didn't like his playing and erased the track,   and they got a studio guitar player to mimic Page's playing).
Anyway, here is the line (I just found it)   that   Harrison wrote and it was left out,    I want to actually do my own recording of this song, and put in harrison's lyrics and dedicate to SP
- When the truth get buried deep
beneath a thousand years of sleep
time demands a turn around
and once again the truth is found
Awakening the (Hare Krsna) Hurdy Gurdy men who come singing songs of love   [of God]-

(My favorite song of his is Catch The Wind, but it is a mundane love song).  

Or James Taylor,   I over dubbed his   "You've Got A Friend."  Again, a mundane love song,   but, it can be nicely dovetailed as a KC song.  
 (just call out Krsna's name, and you know where ever you are, He'll come running, oh yeah, to see you again  - Winter Spring Summer or Fall, all you got to do is call, and Krsna will be there, yeah,   oh ain't it good to know, you've got a friend).

Or Lennon & Yoko's Plastic Ono Band...   Instant Karma...   I made into Instant Acharya Karma -  (I am sending those 2 on separate posts,  as some people may not be able to download all in one email) (that one i used a cheap sounding midi file, dressed it as much as i could,  but, i don't like the music - i made it 6 yrs ago, never had the time to redo it yet, or the instruments.   I would like to get a prof keyboard and do a few songs.   My son just got a Yamaha guitar he is learning on.

ys ameyatma das  


PS   A few years back I wanted to start an internet radio show   whose theme was to tell of SP's coming,  and the early days of his preaching.  I wanted to tell it in the songs of the day.   Starting with the early 60's and Dylans   The Times They Are a Changin       and show the world that SP came to,    the Greenwich Village scene and music atmosphere where he began Hari Nam Sankirtan in Thomkins Square Park.  The music his followers listened to when they saw this Holy Man from India walking down the street in safron robes and pointed shoes.   And, SP's influence on the music culture of the day -  and the spirit of the young generation.   We are Star Dust  We are Golden and We've Got To Get OurSelves,  Back to the Garden  (of Varnashram Dharma, simple living high thinking cottage industry based living...)   Problem is   the only people interested in that time period seems to be the old geezers who lived it.  My kids have shown no interest to listen to those old songs,  and i would like to reach the young people,   so i have shelved the idea for now.   Any input on the idea is welcome. 


matthew taney wrote:

Bob Dylan Realized As Srila Prabhupada's Most Dear Disciple
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d4hiD14PoI

Prabhupäda: Bob Dylan. He is as good as, or more than. He has asked one of my students, "Ask Prabhupäda, what can I do for him.'' He is reading my books.  [Room Conversation February 9, 1974.] Link has the audio!!!

We have now recovered Srila Prabhupada speaking about Bob Dylan in audio. Bob Dylan's
connection to Srila Prabhupada can no longer be refuted. Any mayavadi claims that Bob Dylan
is eating meat, taking intoxication,  or that Srila Prabhupada said something "offhanded" can
no longer be spoken, as the actual words of Srila Prabhupada he spoke about Bob
Dylan are now being broadcasted to the world in audio. This revelation of Bob
Dylan's position as demi-prophet which one Back to Godhead magazine referred to him as
will re-ignite Lord Chaitanya's movement once it has become fully realized.

 Srila Prabhupada was heralded by Bob Dylan in his songs like Mr Tambourine Man and When
The Ship Comes In. Bob Dylans role in the Hare Krishna Movement was prophesied
as early as the Christians who say that a pious jew will herald the Second Christ with
with a trumpet [harmonica]. No more can it be said that Bob
Dylans service to the Hare Krishna Movement is mundane speculation. The proof is
here, Srila Prabhupada has spoken it himself, Bob Dylan is also in Srila
Prabhupada's books, The Science of Self Realization in Chapter 7. Thank you. All glories to His
Divine Grace. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada for translating the Bhagavad-Gita As
It Is so we could understand God, Krishna. Jaya Bob Dylan, Srila Prabhupada's most dear
and beloved disciple!


 

---

[Ameyatma das (ACBSP)]

[Ameyatma das (ACBSP)]

Jai
All glories to your kind Vaishnav mood. Prabhu.

Please accept my humble obeisances.  All Glories to our Savior, Jagad Guru  Srila Prabhupad.

I was expecting such a response...    Such responses seem to be the norm these days. 

The problem I find with your logic regarding Mr Dylan is that,  while it is a fact that Srila Prabhupad said this kind remark about Dylan at that one time,  which was due to a particular circumstance,    you will find that he did not say much more if anything else about him ever.  Where as Harrison he had remarked many times later about him.     Why would that be?  Because Dylan came, some beginning seed was there,  but, he (Dylan) did not water the seed much after this. He didn't take advantage of the pure mercy presented before him, and he did not do much after this in the way of service or surrendering to Srila Prabhupad.   It appears that he must have taken a humble mood before Srila Prabhupad, and asked what he could do for him,   and for that Srila Prabhupad praised his beginning efforts to try and encourage him to surrender more.  But, in the end, we don't see that he did all that much.    Can you point out what on-going services Dylan performed for Prabhupad?  Did he keep coming to see Prabhupad?  Did he surrender to his feet and ask to be initiated?  Did he take up chanting?   Did he serve the vaishnav's?  What did Mr BD do after this that would warrant your heaps and heaps of praise on the mortal man?  

We can find Srila Prabhupad also gave very nice remarks to a number of his disciples,   but,   not all of us could continue to live up to those kind words.  Using your logic,  if he ever said anything wonderful about anyone even once,  then no matter how abominable that devotee acts later on,  we should continue to glorify him for the previous way SP spoke of them.  

For instance,   Srila Prabhupad had called Kirtananda a pure devotee.  According to your logic, then,  we should all be glorifying Kirtananda to this day as a pure devotee,  because Srila Prabhupad one time said he was. 

There are holes in your logic prabhu,   you are missing common sense here, and not taking into consideration his many other instructions that would provide clear understanding.  

Following your logic,   since SP called Kirtananda a pure devotee at one time,   then we have no choice but to go on calling him like this.   After all, Srila Prabhupad did say this about him,   we must accept Prabhupad's words      YES?    That is your logic with Dylan,   then without other understanding,   you must equally apply the same logic to Kirtananda...    yes?     

But, we know that in Kirtananda's case, he let Srila Prabhupad down.  Kirtananda did not continue to live by the standard Prabhupad has defined as that of a pure devotee.     Can a pure devotee fall down?   Srila Prabhupad did not call him Unalloyed pure devotee.   Unalloyed mean there is not a spec of material contamination.  He did not call Kirtananda unalloyed pure,  just pure.   

Yet,  we find that SP called ALL his disciples Pure Devotees:

"All of my disciples are pure devotees."   
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Tusta Krsna -- Ahmedabad 14 December, 1972

Using your logic, prabhu,   you should not just be broadcasting the glories of Dylan,  but, you should be broadcasting the glories of all of SP's disciples as pure devotees,   including Kirtananda and Bhavananda,    right? 

But, then Prabhupad went on and defined the way he was using the term pure devotee, in this sense.    He went on to say
"Anyone sincerely serving the spiritual master is a pure devotee..."

Applying this definition, we can now see that there were limits, restrictions,   criteria attached to the understand that all Prabhupad's disciples are pure devotees.   Those who are sincerely serving the spiritual master.       Obviously, when Kirtananda's was molesting children,  or having devotees murdered, etc., he was no longer sincerely serving Srila Prabhupad,  and thus he FELL from grace, and fell from being a pure devotee. 

Prabhupad's praise of Kirtananda had criteria attached.  Thus, it was not a statement that would stand for all time regardless of how kirtananda may act in the future.  

In Dylan's case, Dylan had made a gesture to want to serve Srila Prabhupad - Srila Prabhupad reciprocated by saying he is better then George Harrison.  This was given to encourage him.     BUT,   if we cannot find any evidence that Dylan actually made good on his gesture AFTER this,  if we can find no real evidence that Dylan actually surrendered to Srila Prabhupad AFTER this,  and really served him in a submissive mood,    then we should understand the criteria for referring to him as better the GH can not be sustained.   The criteria never manifest,   therefore the praise is not withstanding. 

Just like, even though Prabhupad once called Kirtananda a pure devotee, an intelligent devotee would not today be broadcasting to the world that he still is...   regardless of his abominable acts.    That would be a disservice to Srila Prabhupad.  Agreed?    In the same way we don't want to ms lead people,  and give them the wrong idea that SP would have continued to praise a man who never gave up intoxication, illicit sex, etc.    
Use common sense. 

Having written this,   I really don't expect you to agree with me,   i say that from past experience dealing with others.     It appears that your attachment to Dylan is so strong it would cloud your vision and you will remain fixed on the idea that this man should continue to be glorified as such.     I find that no different from anyone who was attached to Kirtananda and clung hard to the idea that he was a pure devotee,   no matter how abominable he acted.    Do you think their praise today of KS will give any benefit to the lost conditioned souls,  who may conclude that child molestations and murder of other devotees is part of the nature of pure devotees of Krishna?       I would think not.   Yet,  I see no difference in your praises of Dylan.   Someone who likes Dylan, but knows he takes intoxicants,  or lives a less then pure life,   they may easily conclude that they can go on with their abominable actions - and be just like Dylan and be a genuine follower of SP at the same time.     That would be misleading such people.  

The safer thing for you to do is just glorify SP directly,   then there is no risk of doing the wrong thing.   or misleading anyone.     

aspiring to become Prabhupad's and his follower's humble and worthy servant,      ameyatma das,   servant of Ameyatma Sri Krishna.
 



matthew taney wrote:

"A farmer may consider: 'The front part of the hen is very expensive because I have to feed it. Better to cut it off.' But if the head is missing, there will be no eggs anymore, because the body is dead. Similarly, if we reject the difficult part of the scriptures and obey the part we like, such an interpretation will not help us. We have to accept all the injunctions in scriptures as they are given, not only those that suit us." (SSR, p.129)

Prabhupäda: Bob Dylan. He is as good as, or more than. He has asked one of
my students, "Ask Prabhupäda, what can I do for him.'' He is reading my
books.  [Room Conversation February 9, 1974.]

Note: As good as or more than refers to George Harrison. Bob Dylan is as good as, or more than George Harrison. Srila Prabhupada refers to George Harrison in this room conversation as a "very good boy" and that he is "chanting Hare Krishna". This means that George Harrison is a very good soul and is chanting with no offense. Srila Prabhupada says Bob Dylan has said "Ask Prabhupada, what can I do for him." This proves Bob Dylan is nittya siddha. a conditioned soul only cares about themselves, while a liberated soul only wishes to satisfy the desires of their spiritual master. Srila Prabhupada says "He is reading my books". This means Bob Dylan is reading all of Srila Prabhupada's books, so he is associated with Srila Prabhupada's vani directly. Just like Sanjaya.

"Sanjaya was a student of Vyasa, and therefore, by the mercy of Vyasa, Sanjaya was able to envision the Battlefield of Kuruksetra even while he was in the room of Dhrtarastra. "

This is how Bob Dylan knew Srila Prabhupada was coming to the west in the first place so he could herald Srila Prabhupada in his music. I dont see how you can argue against the room conversation. Do you even know what a room conversation is ameyatma? You seem like someone who has never studied one in your entire life. We are basing our glorification of Bob Dylan as Srila Prabhupada's most exalted disciple based on sastra alone. Srila Prabhupada never would have spoken of Bob Dylan like this if he had nothing important to say about him but he did. Srila Prabhupada had something VERY important to say about Bob Dylan and we have it on audio for you to listen to and understand. Why have you not taken Srila Prabhupada's word seriously? Has your devotional creeper been pulled? Have you been reading nonsense like Satsvarupa's bogus lilamrita and not Sulochans Guru Business? Why did you not find this out about Bob Dylan yourself by researching Srila Prabhupada's room conversations? You are denying Srila Prabhupada's word, while accepting other scriptures. We are not in delusion for accepting Bob Dylan's position in the Hare Krishna Movement because Srila Prabhupada has spoken about it himself however you ameyatma das have not taken Srila Prabhupada's word seriously.

[Pratyatosa]

I did the following Google search:

https://www.google.com/search?q=is+bob+dylan+a+hare+krishna%3F

...and this thread came up #3!