The East Village Other Displays Swamiji Front Page and Centerfold

Ravindra Svarupa was walking down Second Avenue on his way to the Swami’s morning class when an acquaintance came out of the Gems Spa Candy and News Store and said, “Hey, your Swami is in the newspaper.  Did you see?”  “Yeah,” Ravindra Svarupa replied, “The New York Times.”

“No” his friend said.  “Today.”  And he held up a copy of the latest edition of The East Village Other.  The front page was filled with a two-color photo of the Swami, his hands folded decorously at his waist, standing in yellow robes in front of the big tree in Tompkins Square Park.  He was speaking to a small crowd that had gathered around, and his disciples were at his feet.  The big steeple of St. Brigid’s formed a silhouette behind him.

Above the photo was the single headline, “SAVE EARTH NOW!!” and beneath was the mantra: “HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE.”  Below the mantra were the words, “See Centerfold.”  That was the whole front page.

Ravindra Svarupa took the newspaper and opened to the center, where he found a long article and a large photo of Swamiji with his left hand on his head, grinning blissfully in an unusual, casual moment.  His friend gave him the paper and Ravindra Svarupa hurried to Swamiji.  When he reached the storefront, several boys went along with him to show Swamiji the paper.

“Look!” Ravindra Svarupa handed it over.  “This is the biggest local newspaper!  Everybody reads it.”  Prabhupada opened his eyes wide.  He read aloud, “Save earth now.”  And he looked up at the faces of the boys.  Umapati and Hayagriva wondered aloud what it meant—“Save earth now.”  Was it an ecological pun?  Was it a reference to staving off nuclear disaster?  Was it poking fun at Swamiji’s evangelism?

“Well,” said Umapati, “after all, this is The East Village Other.  It could mean anything.”

“Swamiji is saving the earth,” Kirtanananda said.

“We are trying to,” Prabhupada replied, “by Krishna’s grace.”  Methodically, he put on the eyeglasses he usually reserved for reading the Bhagavatam and carefully appraised the page from top to bottom.  The newspaper looked incongruous in his hands.  Then he began turning the pages.  He stopped at the centerfold and looked at the picture of himself and laughed, then paused, studying the article.  “So,” he said, “read it.”  He handed the paper to Hayagriva.