(Srila Prabhupada and Professor Stillson Judah)
Dr. J. Stillson Judah was for many years the Professor of the History of Religions and Director of the Library at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California, U.S.A, After an exhaustive study of the Krishna consciousness movement in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s he published "Hare Krishna and the Counterculture." Srila Prabhupada was very pleased with Dr. Judah's book and also with Professor Judah himself whom he met and discussed philosophy with many times over the years. They had a uniquely personal and mutually respectful relationship.
"Since I have come to Honolulu from Melbourne, I got the opportunity to read your nice book 'Hare Krishna and the Counterculture' with profound interest. I am also very much obliged to you as you have shown to me so much mercy, even by illustrating my photograph instead of your goodness. The presentation has been done just fit for reading by all scholars and educationists. If you so permit I can ask my assistants to publish some important extracts from your work in our magazine BTG for benefit of all our readers. Besides that we can sell your book also along with our other books by arrangement. I don't know what is exactly your address and therefore I am dispatching this letter through my disciple Sriman Jayananda Adhikari. I shall be very glad to meet you again when I go to the mainland. You have taken so much pain for writing this book and I thank you very much again & again. May Lord Krishna bless you more & more."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter to Professor Judah, Honolulu, June 3, 1975)
"Now the educated learned scholars, they are appreciating our movement by reading books, by taking practical result. Dr. Stillson Judah, he has written one book, perhaps you know, Hare Kṛṣṇa and Counterculture, a very nice book about our movement, and he is giving importance. He has admitted that 'Swamijī, you have done wonderful thing because you have turned the drug-addicted hippies into devotees of Kṛṣṇa, and they are prepared for the service of humanity.' So this movement is so important. We are giving the best service to the humanity."
(Srila Prabhupada Arrival Address, Los Angeles, June 20, 1975)
"Yes. He has written one book, Hare Kṛṣṇa and Counterculture, about our movement. He has read all our books. Here are, you have shown all these books? So he appreciates, many gentlemen appreciate, even the priestly class, they also appreciate. So this is a movement which is trying to create at least a section to become first-class.”
(Srila Prabhupada Conversation with the Mayor of Evanston, Chicago, July 4, 1975)
"Yes, when you go to the court in Mexico, show them a copy of Professor Stillson Judah's book, 'Hare Krishna and the Counterculture', and a copy of the letter from him to me which I have enclosed. Our movement is a genuine movement and we are being accepted as such by the higher educational circles all over the world."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, June 10, 1975)
"So far your lecturing is concerned, you simply put in your own language the purports of our books. That will make your lectures successful. And everywhere you can refer to the book, Hare Krsna and Counterculture, written by Professor Judah."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, November 9, 1975)
Devotee: Recently there was one study that was published by a very eminent sociologist in America from the University of California, the Union Theological Center, and he stated in that book that the members of this movement, formerly they were drug-addicted hippies, and now they have become servants of Kṛṣṇa and humanity, loving servants. So he has given proof through intensive interviews that one who follows and joins this movement, dramatically his life becomes changed.
Prabhupāda: Perfect. He is a big professor, and his books are being sold in higher circles. Professor Judah. And he has studied this movement for five years. And... (aside:) You have got that book?
Devotee: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Show him. So they are appreciating. Appreciation has begun. Formerly they thought it is another edition of hippie movement, but now they are realizing it is not. A cultural. He has given the name of the book, Hare Krishna and Counterculture. He is selling at the cost of twelve dollars; still, all high class, educated class, are purchasing."
(Srila Prabhupada Press Conference, Mauritius, October 2, 1975)
"Our religion is not a part time transcendental recreation. We live in God. Of course, Hare Krishna is there on all these newspaper reports, that I want, that somehow or other hundreds and thousands of men will chant Hare Krishna. They have made all plans to avoid God, and our plan is that they accept God. The struggle will become acute, because formerly they thought we were simply hippies, but now they see our books, that we are here to stay. The professors are writing books, like Hare Krishna and Counter Culture, beginning to realize that Hare Krishna is here to stay."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, May 29, 1976)
"Here is one book by Professor Stillson Judah. He's a great, learned scholar. After five years' studying of this movement he has written this book, Hare Krishna and Counterculture. He has given his verdict that 'This movement will stay.' He has very thoroughly studied the statistics and meeting every member, in this way. There are many books about us, small and big. But here is a responsible master of religious studies."
(Srila Prabhupada Evening Darshan, Bombay January 7, 1977)
.
.
