The 1960 Delhi edition of “Easy Journey to Other Planets” is a landmark publication in the history of the Gaudiya Vaishnava movement. It represents the first book ever published in English by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, years before he traveled to the West to found ISKCON.
Bibliographic Data: 1960 Delhi First Edition
Full Title: Easy Journey to Other Planets: By Practice of Supreme Yoga
Author: Tridandi Goswami Abhay Charan Bhaktivedanta Swami (later known as A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)
Publisher: The League of Devotees
Place of Publication: Vrindaban [Vrindavan], U.P. / Delhi, India
Year of Publication: 1960
Format: Small booklet / Paperback (Original India printing)
Language: English
Notable Sections: * Dedication: “Dedicated to THE SCIENTISTS OF THE WORLD, with blessings of, HIS DIVINE GRACE, Sri Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Maharaj, MY SPIRITUAL MASTER.”
Scientific Dialogue: Includes a unique section titled “A Scientist’s Appreciation” featuring correspondence with Indian physicist Dr. Y.G. Naik.
Content Origin: Derived from essays originally published in the author’s fortnightly magazine, Back to Godhead.
Click here to read the Publication History of Easy Journey To Other Planets
Key Differences from Later Editions
If you are listing this for collectors or historians, note these specific variations found in the 1960 Delhi edition that were changed in the 1970/1972 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) editions:
- The “Anti-Matter” Discussion: The 1960 edition contains a much more direct and extensive comparison to the 1950s discovery of the anti-proton and the work of Nobel laureates Segrè and Chamberlain.
- Page Count: The original India edition was a slim volume (roughly 40-60 pages depending on the specific press run), whereas the Western BBT editions were expanded with illustrations and glossaries to ~96 pages.
- Cover Art: The 1960 edition featured simple typography and early Indian press graphics, lacking the iconic 1970s “space-yoga” paintings found on modern copies.
Research Tip: Because this was printed on low-grade “newsprint” or local Indian paper during a time of austerity, surviving copies are often browned (acidic) and very fragile.
The 1960 First Edition: A Historical Milestone
The Context: The Space Race
In the late 1950s, the world was gripped by the “Space Race” between the US and the USSR. The successful launch of the Sputnik satellite and the looming prospect of a moon landing dominated global headlines. Seeing this, Srila Prabhupada—then living as a humble renunciant in Vrindavan and Delhi—saw an opportunity to present the “Science of the Soul” in a language that contemporary, science-minded people could understand.
From Magazine to Book
The content of Easy Journey was originally written as a series of essays for Back to Godhead magazine. In early 1960, Prabhupada received a letter of appreciation from a prominent Indian physicist, Dr. Y.G. Naik. Encouraged by this scientific validation, he compiled the essays into a standalone volume.
The Original 1960 Printing (Delhi/Vrindavan)
The first edition was printed in Delhi and published under the banner of The League of Devotees (Prabhupada’s early organization in Vrindavan).
Dedication: The book was uniquely dedicated to “The Scientists of the World”, reflecting Prabhupada’s intent to bridge the gap between Vedic wisdom and modern physics.
Terminology: He famously adopted the term “Anti-matter” (a buzzword in 1950s physics following the 1959 Nobel Prize) to describe the spirit or the jiva. He argued that while scientists defined antimatter as a form of unstable material energy, the “true” antimatter was the eternal, indestructible spirit.
Unique Content: The 1960 edition contained a specific section titled “A Scientist’s Appreciation,” featuring his exchange with Dr. Naik. This section was largely omitted from later Western editions (post-1970).
Production Challenges
As an independent author in India, Prabhupada faced immense struggles. He would often walk miles in the heat of Delhi to buy paper, supervise the manual typesetting at local printing presses, and personally distribute the books to libraries and government officials.
Legacy of the First Edition
The 1960 edition is now a highly sought-after collector’s item. It stands as a testament to Prabhupada’s visionary approach—presenting ancient Bhakti-yoga not as a “religion,” but as a superior technological process for interplanetary travel that did not require “playful sputniks” or mechanical spacecraft.