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Diary of a Traveling Preacher - “The Will of the People”

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Diary of a Traveling Preacher - “The Will of the People”

Diary of a Traveling Preacher - "The Will of the People"

Volume 7, Chapter 8

By Indradyumna Swami

June 30 - July 17, 2006

“The Will of the People”

Though I relished every minute of my pilgrimage to Jagannatha Puri, I was worried about the Polish tour. With Jayatam dasa and me in Puri, all the responsibility for organizing the tour was on Nandini dasi. Nandini is certainly capable, but taking care of the whole tour is a lot for one person.

This year we had bigger plans than ever. We had chosen “A Summer of Yoga” as the tour’s theme. Jayatam and Nandini had both taken intensive teacher-training courses in yoga during the year in order to give lessons at the festivals. The Polish media had picked up on the theme, and the main national radio in Poland, Program One, was talking about the festivals every day. Gazeta Wyborcza, the country’s biggest newspaper, was also advertising the festivals in its daily “Summer Recreation” section.

Just before I left for Puri, Nandini had been busy arranging visas for 250 Russian and Ukrainian devotees, mobilizing 25 tons of equipment kept in storage through the winter, arranging a base in a school on the Baltic coast, and signing contracts for 42 festivals.

But during our stay in Puri neither Jayatam nor I had any contact with her. Our cell phones didn’t work, most likely because connections were jammed from the one million other pilgrims using the town’s strained telecommunications system.

As soon as we arrived at the airport in Madras for a flight back to Europe, my cell phone started ringing with text messages stored during the previous week. The first one I opened read, “Urgent. Contact me immediately. Fierce opposition. Already one festival canceled. Nandini.”

I called Nandini immediately, but because it was late at night in Poland, she didn’t answer. I couldn’t sit still during the flight back to Europe.

“What sort of problems do you think we’re facing?” I asked Jayatam.

“I won’t speculate,” he said, “but I was expecting trouble this year because the new government is extremely conservative.”

Later in the flight I was startled to find an article in the International Herald Tribune entitled “Stung by EU judgment, Poland has a rebuttal.”

“Two weeks ago,” it began, “the representatives of the European people [European Parliament] sitting in Strasbourg passed a resolution that expressed general alarm at the increase of racial hatred and xenophobia in Europe, mentioning several countries that have had violent racial or religious incidents, but expressing a particular concern for Poland.”

Immediately upon arriving at Frankfurt, I called Nandini again. This time she answered and quickly updated me.

“The Catholic Church is closely aligned with the new government,” she began, “and it is taking every advantage to assert itself. We have attracted attention with the unprecedented media publicity advertising our festivals.

“There is now a parallel campaign called ‘Summer Against the Cults.’ In all the media, people are being warned about cults taking advantage of the summer season to spread their propaganda.

“For the past few weeks the priest in the main church in Kolobrzeg, the biggest city on our tour, has been vilifying us in his Sunday sermons. It’s all he talks about. The result is that the city has revoked permission for the choice spot near the beach that it had allocated for our festival in two weeks.

“The priest in Siemysl, where we have our base, is also stirring up sentiment against us. He tells his Sunday congregation to watch their children carefully while we are in town. He’s posting daily warnings about us on a public notice board just outside the church. The mood in the village is tense. There’s more, but I’ll wait until you arrive to tell you everything.”

I mulled over the situation on the flight from Frankfurt to Warsaw. “When I was in Puri,” I thought, “I prayed to Lord Jagannatha for the blessing that I might always distribute His mercy to those less fortunate than I, but such mercy may not always be appreciated by those for whom it is intended. Therefore a preacher has to be tolerant.”

At our tour meeting the next afternoon, I spoke to Nandini about the canceled festival in Kolobrzeg.

“The Indian Ambassador to Poland is supposed to be the guest of honor at that festival,” I said. “It will be a big embarrassment for the Polish government if we have to tell the ambassador that the event has been canceled because of religious discrimination.”

“I’m aware of that,” Nandini said, “and I plan to discuss it in my meeting with the mayor of Kolobrzeg at the end of the week.”

I looked at all the devotees present. “None of us should be discouraged,” I said. “The opposition we’re facing is nothing new. We’ve had opposition every year.”

“But they’re particularly aggressive this year,” said Jayatam, “especially after the recent elections. Our security manager, Raksana dasa, is getting threatening text messages on his cell phone every day warning us not to do any festivals this year.”

“Let’s wait and see the reaction of the people,” I said. “When we go on Harinama tomorrow, we’ll be able to judge the situation.”

The next day the others and I headed for the beach in Pobierowo to advertise that night’s festival. As I thought about the concern of the European Parliament about xenophobia in Poland and the bad publicity from the “Summer Against the Cults” campaign, I was apprehensive, to say the least.

As we stepped out of the bus, I looked around. “Maybe the people won’t even accept our invitations,” I thought.

But the effect of doing festivals for 17 years along the coast was not going to disappear so quickly. As soon as we walked onto the beach the will of the people was manifest, despite the government’s opposition.

“A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood of ideas in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.”

[John F. Kennedy]

The moment our colorful procession of 100 devotees stepped onto the sand, the onlookers grabbed their children, but not in fear. They were pushing the children forward to take photos with us. The devotee women took off the silk garlands I had bought on my trip to Puri and put them around the necks of the kids.

It created a sensation. Everyone wanted to put on a silk flower garland and take a photo with us. But with so many people crowding around us for photos, we were moving down the beach at a snail’s pace.

I turned to Amrtananda dasa. “It’s great,” I said, “but how will the festival ever get advertised at this rate?”

Amrtananda laughed. “I don’t think you could get better publicity than this,” he said.

As we chanted along the beach, people waved and smiled. And for the first time, many people called out “Hare Krsna!” or “Hare Hare!”

I shook my head. “Things are certainly changing,” I said softly, “and for the better.”

As we neared a family of sunbathers, a girl of about seven sat up straight when she heard the kirtan. Immediately I saw she was blind. As the Harinama party proceeded she turned her head slightly. She began to smile, and as we got closer she reached into a bag and fumbled to find something. Then she ran forward with a big smile and gave me a one-zloty coin.

“Hare Krsna,” I whispered in her ear.

Another hundred meters down the beach we met the day’s only opposition. A woman came up to the kirtan party and started complaining loudly that we were disturbing (of all things) the wildlife in the area. She pointed to the seagulls that had been scared away by the sound of the Harinama.

“You’re disturbing the poor animals, birds, and fish with your loud racket!” she screamed, attracting a lot of attention from the sunbathers.

Suddenly a young seal poked its head out of the sea just a few meters from us. It slowly swam to the shore and lumbered on to the sand, stopping just two meters from the chanting party. It cocked its head and sat there listening to the kirtan. The people were laughing, and the woman had a look of shock on her face.

“It must be seal that followed us in the water along the beach last year,” I said to the devotees. “Let’s see if it follows us again.”

Sure enough, as we started chanting down the beach the seal jumped back in the water and swam alongside us. Every time we’d stop it would lift its head to watch us.

That evening our festival site was inundated with people. A local schoolteacher came with 50 little girls to the fashion booth, where we dress visitors in saris.

“There’s a wedding in town in one hour,” the teacher said, “and my class has been invited. All the girls want to wear saris from the Hare Krsna festival.”

We had to call in reserves to help dress the girls in time for the event.

At the same time, devotees in the gopi-dot tent almost fainted when a camp counselor appeared with 320 young girls who wanted their faces decorated. It took the entire evening to complete the task.

As soon as the stage program started, people flocked towards the front to get seats. They sat mesmerized as the dancers from Bali performed the Ramayana in their beautiful traditional costumes.

The next day we went on Harinama on the same beach to announce the evening’s performance. The weather was perfect. It had not rained in weeks. In fact, devotees told me they had not seen a cloud in the sky for a month. It was an unusually hot summer, with temperatures in the high 30s.

The situation was ironic, however, because local authorities had banned swimming in the Baltic Sea. They feared the difference between the soaring temperatures and the cold water would be too much of a shock for people. As we chanted along the beach people lay sunbathing, but with no way to get relief from the heat.

I was also feeling the heat. In order to advertise our programs we spend four hours a day chanting in the sun along the beaches. With six festivals a week, it comes to 24 hours of Harinama, and it can be exhausting.

“I’m already tired,” I thought, “and it’s only the first week of the tour. We have seven more weeks to go.”

Then I noticed a number of people on the beach reading Srila Prabhupada’s books, which they had bought at the festival the night before. I couldn’t think of a greater reward for all the austerities, and I felt a surge of renewed energy.

On the way to the festival that evening, I was talking with a devotee. “The Harinama parties are really powerful,” I said. “They awaken people’s appreciation for Krsna consciousness.”

“But unfortunately,” he said, “many thousands of them don’t come to the festivals.”

“That’s okay,” I said. “The Harinamas are festivals in themselves. People get so much benefit just seeing them.”

“Trivikrama Swami told me a story recently,” I continued. “One time he went to see Srila Prabhupada after a Harinama.

“‘Did the people like the Harinama this afternoon?’ Srila Prabhupada asked.

“‘Yes, Srila Prabhupada,’ he said. ‘Many people enjoyed it.’

“‘That’s good’ Srila Prabhupada said. ‘Even if they just appreciate in their minds, they will make spiritual advancement.’”

Two days later our festival moved to Revel. During that program, a woman walked around the festival criticizing devotees. Then she came up to me.

“Hey, everyone!” she shouted. “Just look! A wolf in sheep’s clothing! He calls himself a holy man, but his intentions are evil!”

To my surprise, the police quickly arrested her for disorderly conduct and later fined her 800 zlotys.

The next day, Nandini met the mayor of Kolobrzeg. He knew that our festival had been canceled, but he had not been involved in the matter. Nandini pressed him to override the decision and give us back the choice spot by the beach.

“That, I cannot do,” the mayor said, “but because the Indian Ambassador is coming, I will give you another venue - the square in the center of town. It’s full of tourists all summer long.”

His secretary gasped. “Mr. Mayor,” she said, “You’re a brave man to give them that square. Remember, there are elections this fall.”

A week later we began a three-day festival in the square. The weather was beautiful, and thousands flocked to the site. In addition to our normal program, a group of dancers from Rajasthan, organized by the Indian embassy, enchanted the crowd.

My Australian Godbrother Kurma das also pleased the crowd with his cooking demonstrations in one of our tents. And Jayatam’s yoga tent was packed with young and old for the entire festival.

On the last day, we held an Indian wedding. Subuddhi Raya das and his bride, Radha Katha dasi, took their vows before a thousand people. The crowd on the broad square was so large that no one could move.

After the wedding the Indian Ambassador and the mayor spoke from the stage. I was in the sound tent relishing every minute, as the ambassador praised our efforts to share the culture of India with the people of Poland. As I looked over the huge audience, I marveled at how, despite the carefully orchestrated opposition, our festivals were bigger and more successful than ever.

And as if to put the icing on the cake, the Lord sent a message of assurance in a phone call from Pracarananda dasa, who is in charge of our movement’s relations with the government.

“Maharaja,” he said, “you may be interested to know that the Ministry of Internal Affairs has just released a report on the cults in Poland. It’s a comprehensive study of each and every group the government considers dangerous. To my amazement, we’re not listed. In fact, we’re not even mentioned once. Things are changing. Of course it’s not the end of our problems with the opposition, but it’s a big step in the right direction.”

I was so elated by the news that I walked around the festival site in a state of euphoria. And the cherry was put on the icing when a devotee who had been in the Questions and Answers tent came up to me.

“Maharaja,” he said, “a teacher from a local high school came to the tent. She really appreciated the ambassador’s praise of our festival, and you’ll be stunned by what she said.”

“Please tell me,” I answered.

“She told me that the Hare Krsna Movement is just what the youth of Poland need,” he said, “and that we should join forces with the government to fight the cults.”

Once again, the truth of Srila Prabhupada’s words came to my mind:

“We have no business creating enemies, but the process is such that non-devotees will always be inimical toward us. Nevertheless, as stated in the sastras, a devotee should be both tolerant and merciful. Devotees engaged in preaching should be prepared to be accused by ignorant persons, and yet they must be very merciful to the fallen conditioned souls. If one can execute his duty in the disciplic succession of Narada Muni, his service will surely be recognized. We must sincerely serve the Lord and not be deterred by so-called enemies.”

[Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.5.39, purport]

Indradyumna.swami@pamho.net

www.traveling-preacher.com Official website for Diary of a Traveling Preacher


Diary of a Traveling Preacher - "The Will of the People"


Comments • [comment feed]

1 Unregistered

Thank you for this wonderful story. It brought tears to my eyes, and has simply increased my appreciation of this wonderful sankirtana movement. Tamoharadasa.

Comment posted by Tamoharadasa on August 2nd, 2006
2 Unregistered

I can only echo Tamohara das’s comment.
Keep going for it Maharaja,you are an inspiration for us.
mvdas

Comment posted by mahavidya das on August 3rd, 2006

Comments are closed. Please check back later.

Home » Diary of a Traveling Preacher - "The Will of the People"

Diario de un predicador viajero - "La Voluntad del Pueblo"

Diary of a Traveling Preacher - "The Will of the People" 2.214 Vistas / Email este post / Imprimir este Mensaje / Inicio »Diario de un predicador viajero -" La Voluntad del Pueblo "

Volume 7, Chapter 8 Volumen 7, Capítulo 8

By Indradyumna Swami Por Indradyumna Swami

June 30 - July 17, 2006 30 junio-17 julio, 2006

“The Will of the People” "La Voluntad del Pueblo"

Though I relished every minute of my pilgrimage to Jagannatha Puri, I was worried about the Polish tour. A pesar de que disfrutaba cada minuto de mi peregrinación a Jagannatha Puri, estaba preocupado acerca de la gira polaca.With Jayatam dasa and me in Puri, all the responsibility for organizing the tour was on Nandini dasi. Con Jayatam dasa y yo en Puri, toda la responsabilidad de organizar la gira fue en dasi Nandini. Nandini is certainly capable, but taking care of the whole tour is a lot for one person. Nandini, es apropiada, pero teniendo cuidado de todo el recorrido es mucho para una persona.

This year we had bigger plans than ever. Este año hemos tenido planes más grandes que nunca. We had chosen “A Summer of Yoga” as the tour's theme. Habíamos elegido "Un verano de Yoga" como tema de la gira. Jayatam and Nandini had both taken intensive teacher-training courses in yoga during the year in order to give lessons at the festivals. Jayatam y Nandini había tomado dos cursos intensivos de formación de maestros de yoga durante el año para dar clases en los festivales. The Polish media had picked up on the theme, and the main national radio in Poland, Program One, was talking about the festivals every day. Los medios de comunicación polacos había recogido sobre el tema, y la radio más importantes de México en Polonia, un solo programa, hablaba de las fiestas todos los días.Gazeta Wyborcza, the country's biggest newspaper, was also advertising the festivals in its daily “Summer Recreation” section. Gazeta Wyborcza, el periódico más grande del país, también los festivales de publicidad en su diario "Summer Recreation" sección.

Just before I left for Puri, Nandini had been busy arranging visas for 250 Russian and Ukrainian devotees, mobilizing 25 tons of equipment kept in storage through the winter, arranging a base in a school on the Baltic coast, and signing contracts for 42 festivals. Justo antes de irme para Puri, Nandini había estado muy ocupado arreglando los visados para 250 devotos rusos y ucranianos, la movilización de 25 toneladas de equipo que debe conservarse en el almacenamiento durante el invierno, la organización de una base en una escuela en la costa báltica, y la firma de contratos para 42 festivales.

But during our stay in Puri neither Jayatam nor I had any contact with her. Pero durante nuestra estancia en Puri Jayatam ni yo ni tenido contacto con ella. Our cell phones didn't work, most likely because connections were jammed from the one million other pilgrims using the town's strained telecommunications system. Nuestros teléfonos celulares no funcionaban, lo más probable porque las conexiones eran atascado de la un millón de peregrinos de otros usando el sistema de telecomunicaciones de la ciudad tensas.

As soon as we arrived at the airport in Madras for a flight back to Europe, my cell phone started ringing with text messages stored during the previous week. Tan pronto como llegamos en el aeropuerto de Madrás para un vuelo de regreso a Europa, mi teléfono celular comenzó a sonar con mensajes de texto almacenados durante la semana anterior. The first one I opened read, “Urgent. El primero que abrió decía: "Urgente. Contact me immediately. Ponte en contacto conmigo de inmediato. Fierce opposition. la feroz oposición. Already one festival canceled. Ya un festival cancelado. Nandini.” Nandini. "

I called Nandini immediately, but because it was late at night in Poland, she didn't answer. Llamé a Nandini de inmediato, pero porque era tarde en la noche en Polonia, ella no respondió. I couldn't sit still during the flight back to Europe. No podía quedarse quieto durante el vuelo de regreso a Europa.

“What sort of problems do you think we're facing?” I asked Jayatam. "¿Qué clase de problemas cree usted que estamos enfrentando?" Le pregunté a Jayatam.

“I won't speculate,” he said, “but I was expecting trouble this year because the new government is extremely conservative.” "No voy a especular", dijo, "pero yo esperaba problemas este año porque el nuevo gobierno es extremadamente conservador".

Later in the flight I was startled to find an article in the International Herald Tribune entitled “Stung by EU judgment, Poland has a rebuttal.” Más tarde en el vuelo que se sorprendió al encontrar un artículo en el International Herald Tribune titulado "Herido por sentencia de la UE, Polonia tiene una refutación."

“Two weeks ago,” it began, “the representatives of the European people [European Parliament] sitting in Strasbourg passed a resolution that expressed general alarm at the increase of racial hatred and xenophobia in Europe, mentioning several countries that have had violent racial or religious incidents, but expressing a particular concern for Poland.” "Hace dos semanas", comenzaba, "los representantes de los ciudadanos europeos [Parlamento Europeo] en Estrasburgo aprobó una resolución que expresa su alarma general por el aumento del odio racial y la xenofobia en Europa, que citan varios países que han tenido violentos racial o incidentes religiosos, pero expresando una preocupación particular para Polonia ".

Immediately upon arriving at Frankfurt, I called Nandini again. Inmediatamente después de llegar a Frankfurt, llamé a Nandini nuevo. This time she answered and quickly updated me. Esta vez, ella respondió, y rápidamente me actualizada.

“The Catholic Church is closely aligned with the new government,” she began, “and it is taking every advantage to assert itself. "La Iglesia Católica está estrechamente alineado con el nuevo gobierno", comenzó, "y está tomando todas las ventajas para afirmarse. We have attracted attention with the unprecedented media publicity advertising our festivals. Hemos llamado la atención por la publicidad en los medios de publicidad sin precedentes, nuestras fiestas.

“There is now a parallel campaign called 'Summer Against the Cults.' "Ahora hay una campaña paralela llamada" Verano contra los Cultos. In all the media, people are being warned about cults taking advantage of the summer season to spread their propaganda. En todos los medios de comunicación, la gente está de haber sido advertido acerca de las sectas aprovechando la temporada de verano para difundir su propaganda.

“For the past few weeks the priest in the main church in Kolobrzeg, the biggest city on our tour, has been vilifying us in his Sunday sermons. "Para las últimas semanas, el sacerdote en la iglesia principal en Kolobrzeg, la ciudad más grande en nuestro recorrido, nos ha estado vilipendiando en sus sermones dominicales. It's all he talks about. Es todo lo que habla. The result is that the city has revoked permission for the choice spot near the beach that it had allocated for our festival in two weeks. El resultado es que la ciudad ha revocado el permiso para la elección de terreno cerca de la playa que había asignado para nuestro festival en dos semanas.

“The priest in Siemysl, where we have our base, is also stirring up sentiment against us. "El sacerdote en Siemysl, donde tenemos nuestra base, también está provocando un sentimiento en contra de nosotros. He tells his Sunday congregation to watch their children carefully while we are in town. Él le dice a su congregación el domingo para ver a sus hijos con cuidado mientras está en la ciudad. He's posting daily warnings about us on a public notice board just outside the church. Es anuncio advertencias diarias sobre nosotros en un tablón de anuncios públicos en las afueras de la iglesia. The mood in the village is tense. El estado de ánimo en el pueblo es tensa. There's more, but I'll wait until you arrive to tell you everything.” Hay más, pero esperaré hasta llegar a contar todo. "

I mulled over the situation on the flight from Frankfurt to Warsaw. Yo reflexionó sobre la situación en el vuelo de Frankfurt a Varsovia. “When I was in Puri,” I thought, “I prayed to Lord Jagannatha for the blessing that I might always distribute His mercy to those less fortunate than I, but such mercy may not always be appreciated by those for whom it is intended. "Cuando estaba en Puri," pensé, "oré al Señor Jagannatha por la bendición que siempre podría distribuir su misericordia a aquellos menos afortunados que yo, pero tal misericordia no siempre puede ser apreciada por aquellos para quienes está destinado.Therefore a preacher has to be tolerant.” Por lo tanto un predicador tiene que ser tolerante ".

At our tour meeting the next afternoon, I spoke to Nandini about the canceled festival in Kolobrzeg. En nuestro recorrido reunión de la tarde siguiente, hablé con Nandini sobre el festival cancelado en Kolobrzeg.

“The Indian Ambassador to Poland is supposed to be the guest of honor at that festival,” I said. "El Embajador de la India a Polonia se supone que es el invitado de honor en el festival," dije. “It will be a big embarrassment for the Polish government if we have to tell the ambassador that the event has been canceled because of religious discrimination.” "Será una gran vergüenza para el gobierno polaco, si tenemos que decirle al embajador que el evento ha sido cancelado debido a la discriminación religiosa".

“I'm aware of that,” Nandini said, “and I plan to discuss it in my meeting with the mayor of Kolobrzeg at the end of the week.” "Estoy consciente de eso", dijo Nandini, "y pienso hablar de ello en mi reunión con el alcalde de Kolobrzeg al final de la semana."

I looked at all the devotees present. Miré a todos los devotos presentes. “None of us should be discouraged,” I said. "Ninguno de nosotros debe ser desalentada," dije. “The opposition we're facing is nothing new. "La oposición que enfrentamos no es nada nuevo. We've had opposition every year.” Hemos tenido la oposición cada año ".

“But they're particularly aggressive this year,” said Jayatam, “especially after the recent elections. "Pero son particularmente agresivos este año", dijo Jayatam ", especialmente después de las elecciones recientes. Our security manager, Raksana dasa, is getting threatening text messages on his cell phone every day warning us not to do any festivals this year.” Nuestro jefe de seguridad, dasa Raksana, está recibiendo mensajes de texto amenazantes en su teléfono celular todos los días de alerta que no debemos hacer algún festival este año ".

“Let's wait and see the reaction of the people,” I said. "Vamos a esperar y ver la reacción de la gente", le dije. “When we go on Harinama tomorrow, we'll be able to judge the situation.” "Cuando salgan a la harinama mañana, vamos a ser capaces de juzgar la situación".

The next day the others and I headed for the beach in Pobierowo to advertise that night's festival. Al día siguiente los demás y me dirigí a la playa en Pobierowo para anunciar que el festival nocturno. As I thought about the concern of the European Parliament about xenophobia in Poland and the bad publicity from the “Summer Against the Cults” campaign, I was apprehensive, to say the least. Mientras pensaba en la preocupación del Parlamento Europeo sobre la xenofobia en Polonia y la mala publicidad del verano "contra los cultos" campaña, me temía, por decir lo menos.

As we stepped out of the bus, I looked around. Como salimos del autobús, miré a mi alrededor. “Maybe the people won't even accept our invitations,” I thought. "Tal vez la gente ni siquiera se acepta nuestras invitaciones", pensé.

But the effect of doing festivals for 17 years along the coast was not going to disappear so quickly. Pero el efecto de hacer las fiestas de 17 años a lo largo de la costa no va a desaparecer tan rápidamente. As soon as we walked onto the beach the will of the people was manifest, despite the government's opposition. Tan pronto como entramos en la playa de la voluntad del pueblo se puso de manifiesto, pese a la oposición del gobierno.

“A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood of ideas in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.” "Una nación que tiene miedo de dejar que su gente juzgar la verdad y la falsedad de las ideas en un mercado abierto es una nación que tiene miedo de su pueblo."

[John F. Kennedy] [John F. Kennedy]

The moment our colorful procession of 100 devotees stepped onto the sand, the onlookers grabbed their children, but not in fear. En el momento en nuestra colorida procesión de 100 devotos se subió a la arena, los espectadores tomaron sus hijos, pero no en el miedo. They were pushing the children forward to take photos with us. Ellos fueron hacia adelante presionando a los niños de tomar fotos con nosotros. The devotee women took off the silk garlands I had bought on my trip to Puri and put them around the necks of the kids. Las mujeres devoto se quitó las guirnaldas de seda que había comprado en mi viaje a Puri y los puso alrededor del cuello de los niños.

It created a sensation. Se creó una sensación. Everyone wanted to put on a silk flower garland and take a photo with us. Todo el mundo quería poner una guirnalda de flores de seda y tomarse una foto con nosotros. But with so many people crowding around us for photos, we were moving down the beach at a snail's pace. Pero con tanta gente alrededor de nosotros hacinamiento de fotos, que se movían por la playa a paso de tortuga.

I turned to Amrtananda dasa. Me volví hacia dasa Amrtananda. “It's great,” I said, “but how will the festival ever get advertised at this rate?” "Es grandioso", dijo-, pero ¿cómo va el festival de publicidad alguna vez a este ritmo? "

Amrtananda laughed. Amrtananda se echó a reír. “I don't think you could get better publicity than this,” he said. "No creo que usted podría conseguir una mejor publicidad que esto", dijo.

As we chanted along the beach, people waved and smiled. Como hemos cantado a lo largo de la playa, la gente saludaba y sonreía. And for the first time, many people called out “Hare Krsna!” or “Hare Hare!” Y por primera vez, mucha gente llamó "Hare Krishna" o "Hare Hare!"

I shook my head. Negué con la cabeza. “Things are certainly changing,” I said softly, “and for the better.” "Las cosas están cambiando sin duda", dije en voz baja, "y para mejor."

As we neared a family of sunbathers, a girl of about seven sat up straight when she heard the kirtan. Cuando nos acercábamos a una familia de bañistas, una niña de unos siete se enderezó al oír el kirtan. Immediately I saw she was blind. Inmediatamente vi que era ciego.As the Harinama party proceeded she turned her head slightly. Como el partido harinama procedió volvió la cabeza ligeramente. She began to smile, and as we got closer she reached into a bag and fumbled to find something. Ella empezó a sonreír, y como nos acercábamos metió la mano en una bolsa y perdió el balón para encontrar algo. Then she ran forward with a big smile and gave me a one-zloty coin. Entonces corrió hacia adelante con una gran sonrisa y me dio una moneda de un zloty.

“Hare Krsna,” I whispered in her ear. "Hare Krishna", le susurré al oído.

Another hundred meters down the beach we met the day's only opposition. Otro centenar de metros por la playa nos encontramos con la única oposición del día. A woman came up to the kirtan party and started complaining loudly that we were disturbing (of all things) the wildlife in the area. Una mujer se acercó a la parte kirtan y comenzó a quejarse en voz alta que nos inquietantes (de todas las cosas) la fauna de la zona. She pointed to the seagulls that had been scared away by the sound of the Harinama. Se refirió a las gaviotas que se habían ahuyentado por el sonido de la harinama.

“You're disturbing the poor animals, birds, and fish with your loud racket!” she screamed, attracting a lot of attention from the sunbathers. -Usted es molestar a los pobres animales, aves y pescado con su algarabía! "Gritó, atrayendo una gran atención de los bañistas.

Suddenly a young seal poked its head out of the sea just a few meters from us. De repente, un joven foca asomó la cabeza fuera del mar a pocos metros de nosotros. It slowly swam to the shore and lumbered on to the sand, stopping just two meters from the chanting party. Lentamente nadó hasta la orilla y pesadamente sobre la arena, deteniéndose tan sólo dos metros de la fiesta cantando. It cocked its head and sat there listening to the kirtan. Se ladeó la cabeza y se quedó allí escuchando el kirtan. The people were laughing, and the woman had a look of shock on her face. La gente se reía, y la mujer tenía una mirada de choque en la cara.

“It must be seal that followed us in the water along the beach last year,” I said to the devotees. "Debe ser el sello que nos seguía en el agua a lo largo de la playa el año pasado," le dije a los devotos. “Let's see if it follows us again.” "Vamos a ver si nos sigue otra vez."

Sure enough, as we started chanting down the beach the seal jumped back in the water and swam alongside us. Efectivamente, como ya empezó a cantar en la playa el sello de un salto hacia atrás en el agua y nadó junto a nosotros. Every time we'd stop it would lift its head to watch us. Cada vez que nos dejaría sería levantar la cabeza para mirarnos.

That evening our festival site was inundated with people. Esa noche nuestro sitio festival fue inundada con la gente. A local schoolteacher came with 50 little girls to the fashion booth, where we dress visitors in saris. Un maestro de escuela local llegó con 50 niñas a la cabina de la moda, donde los visitantes nos vestimos con saris.

“There's a wedding in town in one hour,” the teacher said, “and my class has been invited. "Hay una boda en la ciudad en una hora", dijo el profesor, "y mi clase ha sido invitado. All the girls want to wear saris from the Hare Krsna festival.” Todas las chicas quieren llevar saris de la fiesta Hare Krishna ".

We had to call in reserves to help dress the girls in time for the event. Tuvimos que llamar a sus reservas para ayudar a vestir a las chicas a tiempo para el evento.

At the same time, devotees in the gopi-dot tent almost fainted when a camp counselor appeared with 320 young girls who wanted their faces decorated. Al mismo tiempo, los devotos en la tienda de gopi-punto casi se desmaya cuando un consejero de campamento apareció con 320 jóvenes que querían que sus caras decoradas. It took the entire evening to complete the task. Le tomó toda la noche para completar la tarea.

As soon as the stage program started, people flocked towards the front to get seats. Tan pronto como comenzó el programa de fase, las personas acudieron en masa hacia la parte delantera para conseguir escaños. They sat mesmerized as the dancers from Bali performed the Ramayana in their beautiful traditional costumes. Se sentaron hipnotizados como los bailarines de Bali realizó el Ramayana en sus hermosos trajes tradicionales.

The next day we went on Harinama on the same beach to announce the evening's performance. Al día siguiente fuimos a harinama en la misma playa de anunciar el rendimiento de la noche. The weather was perfect. El tiempo era perfecto. It had not rained in weeks. No había llovido en las últimas semanas. In fact, devotees told me they had not seen a cloud in the sky for a month. De hecho, los devotos me dijeron que no había visto una nube en el cielo por un mes. It was an unusually hot summer, with temperatures in the high 30s. Fue un verano muy caluroso, con temperaturas altas en los años 30.

The situation was ironic, however, because local authorities had banned swimming in the Baltic Sea. La situación era irónico, sin embargo, porque las autoridades locales han prohibido nadar en el Mar Báltico. They feared the difference between the soaring temperatures and the cold water would be too much of a shock for people. Temían la diferencia entre las temperaturas crecientes y el agua fría sería demasiado de un shock para la gente. As we chanted along the beach people lay sunbathing, but with no way to get relief from the heat. A medida que nos cantaban lo largo de la playa la gente estaba tomando el sol, pero con ninguna forma de obtener alivio del calor.

I was also feeling the heat. También fui sintiendo el calor. In order to advertise our programs we spend four hours a day chanting in the sun along the beaches. Para dar a conocer nuestros programas que pasar cuatro horas al día cantando bajo el sol a lo largo de las playas. With six festivals a week, it comes to 24 hours of Harinama, and it can be exhausting. Con seis festivales a la semana, se trata de 24 horas de harinama, y puede ser agotador.

“I'm already tired,” I thought, “and it's only the first week of the tour. "Ya estoy cansado", pensé, "y es sólo la primera semana de la gira. We have seven more weeks to go.” Tenemos siete semanas más para ir. "

Then I noticed a number of people on the beach reading Srila Prabhupada's books, which they had bought at the festival the night before. Entonces me di cuenta de un número de personas en la playa leyendo libros de Srila Prabhupada, que habían comprado en el festival la noche anterior. I couldn't think of a greater reward for all the austerities, and I felt a surge of renewed energy. Yo no podía pensar en una mayor recompensa por todas las austeridades, y sentí una oleada de energía renovable.

On the way to the festival that evening, I was talking with a devotee. En el camino a la fiesta esa noche, yo estaba hablando con un devoto. “The Harinama parties are really powerful,” I said. "Las partes harinama son realmente potentes," dije. “They awaken people's appreciation for Krsna consciousness.” "Despiertan agradecimiento de la gente de conciencia de Krishna."

“But unfortunately,” he said, “many thousands of them don't come to the festivals.” "Pero, por desgracia", dijo, "muchos miles de ellos no vienen a las fiestas."

“That's okay,” I said. -Está bien-le dije. “The Harinamas are festivals in themselves. "Los festivales son Harinamas en sí mismos. People get so much benefit just seeing them.” La gente consigue mucho sólo beneficien a verlos. "

“Trivikrama Swami told me a story recently,” I continued. "Trivikrama Swami me contó una historia reciente,-continué-. “One time he went to see Srila Prabhupada after a Harinama. "Una vez fue a ver a Srila Prabhupada después de un harinama.

“'Did the people like the Harinama this afternoon?' "'¿La gente como el harinama esta tarde?'Srila Prabhupada asked. Srila Prabhupada pidió.

“'Yes, Srila Prabhupada,' he said. -Sí, Srila Prabhupada, "él dijo. 'Many people enjoyed it.' "Mucha gente lo disfrutó."

“'That's good' Srila Prabhupada said. "'Eso es bueno", dijo Srila Prabhupada. 'Even if they just appreciate in their minds, they will make spiritual advancement.'” "Incluso si sólo apreciar en sus mentes, ellos harán el avance espiritual."

Two days later our festival moved to Revel. Dos días más tarde se trasladó a nuestro festival Revel. During that program, a woman walked around the festival criticizing devotees. Durante ese programa, una mujer caminaba por el festival criticar devotos. Then she came up to me. Luego se acercó a mí.

“Hey, everyone!” she shouted. "Hey, todo el mundo-gritó ella-. “Just look! "Basta con mirar! A wolf in sheep's clothing! Un lobo con piel de cordero! He calls himself a holy man, but his intentions are evil!” Él llama a sí mismo un hombre santo, pero sus intenciones son malos! "

To my surprise, the police quickly arrested her for disorderly conduct and later fined her 800 zlotys. Para mi sorpresa, la policía rápidamente la arrestaron por conducta desordenada y posteriormente le impuso una multa 800 zlotys.

The next day, Nandini met the mayor of Kolobrzeg. Al día siguiente, Nandini reunió con el alcalde de Kolobrzeg. He knew that our festival had been canceled, but he had not been involved in the matter. Sabía que nuestro festival ha sido cancelado, pero no había estado involucrado en el asunto. Nandini pressed him to override the decision and give us back the choice spot by the beach. Nandini lo presionó para anular la decisión y nos devuelva el terreno elección por la playa.

“That, I cannot do,” the mayor said, “but because the Indian Ambassador is coming, I will give you another venue - the square in the center of town. "Eso no lo puede hacer", dijo el alcalde, "sino porque el Embajador de la India está llegando, te daré otro lugar - la plaza en el centro de la ciudad. It's full of tourists all summer long.” Está lleno de turistas durante todo el verano. "

His secretary gasped. Su secretario quedó sin aliento. “Mr. "El señor Mayor,” she said, “You're a brave man to give them that square. Alcalde ", dijo," Eres un hombre valiente para darles esa casilla. Remember, there are elections this fall.” Recuerde, hay elecciones este otoño ".

A week later we began a three-day festival in the square. Una semana más tarde se inició un festival de tres días en la plaza. The weather was beautiful, and thousands flocked to the site. El tiempo era hermoso, y miles acudieron al sitio. In addition to our normal program, a group of dancers from Rajasthan, organized by the Indian embassy, enchanted the crowd. Además de nuestro programa habitual, un grupo de bailarines de Rajastán, organizado por la embajada de la India, ha encantado a la multitud.

My Australian Godbrother Kurma das also pleased the crowd with his cooking demonstrations in one of our tents. Mi australiana Kurma Godbrother das también se complace al público con sus demostraciones de cocina en una de nuestras tiendas. And Jayatam's yoga tent was packed with young and old for the entire festival. Y la tienda Jayatam de yoga estaba lleno de jóvenes y de edad para todo el festival.

On the last day, we held an Indian wedding. El último día, tuvimos una boda india. Subuddhi Raya das and his bride, Radha Katha dasi, took their vows before a thousand people. Subuddhi das Raya y su novia, Radha Katha dasi, tomó sus votos ante un millar de personas.The crowd on the broad square was so large that no one could move. La multitud en la plaza amplia era tan grande que nadie podía moverse.

After the wedding the Indian Ambassador and the mayor spoke from the stage. Después de la boda del Embajador de la India y el alcalde habló desde el escenario. I was in the sound tent relishing every minute, as the ambassador praised our efforts to share the culture of India with the people of Poland. Yo estaba en la tienda de sonido saboreando cada minuto, como el embajador elogió nuestros esfuerzos por compartir la cultura de la India con el pueblo de Polonia. As I looked over the huge audience, I marveled at how, despite the carefully orchestrated opposition, our festivals were bigger and more successful than ever. Al mirar más de la enorme audiencia, me maravillé de cómo, a pesar de la oposición cuidadosamente orquestado, nuestras fiestas eran más grandes y más exitosa que nunca.

And as if to put the icing on the cake, the Lord sent a message of assurance in a phone call from Pracarananda dasa, who is in charge of our movement's relations with the government. Y como para poner la cereza sobre la torta, el Señor envió un mensaje de garantía en una llamada telefónica de dasa Pracarananda, quien está a cargo de las relaciones de nuestro movimiento con el gobierno.

“Maharaja,” he said, “you may be interested to know that the Ministry of Internal Affairs has just released a report on the cults in Poland. "Maharajá", dijo, "es posible que le interese saber que el Ministerio del Interior acaba de publicar un informe sobre los cultos en Polonia.It's a comprehensive study of each and every group the government considers dangerous. Es un estudio exhaustivo de todas y cada grupo que el gobierno considera peligroso. To my amazement, we're not listed. Para mi asombro, no estamos en la lista. In fact, we're not even mentioned once. De hecho, estamos ni siquiera se menciona una sola vez. Things are changing. Las cosas están cambiando. Of course it's not the end of our problems with the opposition, but it's a big step in the right direction.” Por supuesto que no es el fin de nuestros problemas con la oposición, pero es un gran paso en la dirección correcta ".

I was so elated by the news that I walked around the festival site in a state of euphoria. Me regocijo por la noticia de que caminaba por el recinto del festival en un estado de euforia. And the cherry was put on the icing when a devotee who had been in the Questions and Answers tent came up to me. Y la guinda fue puesto en la formación de hielo cuando un devoto que había estado en el Preguntas y Respuestas carpa se acercó a mí.

“Maharaja,” he said, “a teacher from a local high school came to the tent. "Maharajá", dijo, "un profesor de una escuela secundaria local llegó a la tienda. She really appreciated the ambassador's praise of our festival, and you'll be stunned by what she said.” Ella realmente apreciado elogio del embajador de nuestro festival, y usted quedará sorprendido por lo que dijo. "

“Please tell me,” I answered. "Dígame, por favor-le contesté-.

“She told me that the Hare Krsna Movement is just what the youth of Poland need,” he said, “and that we should join forces with the government to fight the cults.” "Ella me dijo que el Movimiento Hare Krishna es sólo lo que los jóvenes de Polonia necesitan", dijo, "y que debemos trabajar conjuntamente con el gobierno para combatir a los cultos."

Once again, the truth of Srila Prabhupada's words came to my mind: Una vez más, la verdad de las palabras de Srila Prabhupada vino a mi mente:

“We have no business creating enemies, but the process is such that non-devotees will always be inimical toward us. "No tenemos las empresas de crear enemigos, pero el proceso es tal que no devotos siempre será hostil hacia nosotros. Nevertheless, as stated in the sastras, a devotee should be both tolerant and merciful. Sin embargo, como se indica en los sastras, un devoto debe ser a la vez tolerante y misericordioso. Devotees engaged in preaching should be prepared to be accused by ignorant persons, and yet they must be very merciful to the fallen conditioned souls. Los devotos participan en la predicación debe estar preparado para ser acusado por personas ignorantes, y sin embargo, debe ser muy misericordioso con las almas caídas acondicionado. If one can execute his duty in the disciplic succession of Narada Muni, his service will surely be recognized. Si uno puede ejecutar su deber en la sucesión discipular de Narada Muni, su servicio seguramente será reconocido. We must sincerely serve the Lord and not be deterred by so-called enemies.” Sinceramente, debe servir al Señor y no ser disuadidos por supuestos enemigos ".

[Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.5.39, purport] [Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.5.39, pretenden]

Indradyumna.swami@pamho.net Indradyumna.swami @ pamho.net

www.traveling-preacher.com Official website for Diary of a Traveling Preacher Web oficial www.traveling-preacher.com de Diario de un predicador itinerante


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1 1 No registrado

Thank you for this wonderful story. Gracias por esta maravillosa historia. It brought tears to my eyes, and has simply increased my appreciation of this wonderful sankirtana movement. Se trajo lágrimas a mis ojos, y ha hecho más que aumentar mi aprecio por este movimiento sankirtana maravilloso. Tamoharadasa. Tamoharadasa.

Comment posted by Tamoharadasa on August 2nd, 2006 Comentario enviado por Tamoharadasa el 02 de agosto 2006
2 2 No  registrado

I can only echo Tamohara das's comment. Sólo puedo hacerme eco de un comentario das Tamohara.
Keep going for it Maharaja,you are an inspiration for us. Mantenga a su favor Maharaja, que son una inspiración para nosotros.

mvdas mvdas

Comment posted by mahavidya das on August 3rd, 2006 Comentario enviado por mahavidya das en 03 de agosto 2006

Comments are closed. Los comentarios están cerrados. Please check back later. Por favor, vuelva más tarde.

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Cover Me - may 06


Indradyumna Swami (72) - dandavats.com

Apr 19 2010 Cover Me

By Indradyumna Swami

After two months of preaching and fundraising in the United States, I was ready for a break, so when Swarup Damodar dasa, president of the Durban temple in South Africa, asked me to come in April for Ratha-yatra, I jumped at the chance

1,769 Views

Mar 29 2010 Greatly Rewarded

By Indradyumna Swami

After my unsettling experiences in the San Diego and Vancouver airports, where I was interrogated by security officials, I again considered wearing non-devotional dress while traveling in the United States.

1,773 Views

Mar 15 2010 Lessons from the Road

By Indradyumna Swami

As my flight to Los Angeles took off, I looked through the window at the disappearing Australian landscape and thought about my three-month visit to the country. "Our festival tour was intense," I thought, "but it went by in a flash. When you enjoy what you're doing, time passes quickly."

1,399 Views

Jan 25 2010 My Spiritual Brothers

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

With the hustle-bustle of Hong Kong behind me, I boarded a plane and settled in for the long haul to Sydney. Twenty-eight devotees from my summer festival program in eastern Europe had arrived in Australia the previous week. We would be touring the country for three months

1,505 Views

Nov 17 2009 The Source of My Good Fortune

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

He gave me a salagrama sila that had been worshiped in his family since the time Mahaprabhu stayed with them. And he made it clear that it was in appreciation of ISKCON and the great work you did in spreading Krsna consciousness all over the world.

1,857 Views

Nov 10 2009 Twenty Beads of Causeless Mercy

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

By serving Madan Mohan one conquers material desires; by serving Govindaji one purifies the senses; and by serving Gopinatha, master of the gopis, one achieves pure love of God, the perfection of life

3,281 Views

Oct 8 2009 Feelings of Separation

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

My dear godbrother Sridhar Maharaja, Each of us in his own way benefited from your saintly association when you were among us: your disciples from your fatherly guidance on the spiritual path, your friends and well-wishers from your brotherly love and affection, and the fallen jivas from your learned talks on the Absolute Truth.

1,075 Views

Sep 28 2009 The Yogi

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

The day after our last festival in Poland, I boarded a flight for India and landed the next morning in Delhi. I was going down a flight of stairs leading to Immigration and Customs when my knees buckled and I began to fall. A large man grabbed me from behind in the nick of time.

1,963 Views

Sep 21 2009 Will Those Sweet Days Ever Return?

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

After the Woodstock festival we went back to our programs on the Baltic Sea coast. We were exhausted but determined to make it through the last seventeen days of our tour. There might be some austerities, but the satisfaction of sharing Krsna consciousness with thousands of people would far outweigh any discomfort.

1,502 Views

Sep 10 2009 How Fortunate We Are to Have Seen It!

Hare  KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

"Over my dead body!" screamed the woman over the telephone. As I entered the office I could hear every word she was saying to Nandini dasi: "Never! I'll never rent my school to you people! Not in a million years!" With that, she hung up.

1,811 Views

Aug 27 2009 This Sacred Task

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

My dear spiritual master, I know that one day the curtain will close and my part in this festival program will come to an end. My hope and prayer is that my disciples will continue to push it on, having imbibed the purpose and spirit of this service from their own spiritual master.

1,021 Views

Aug 6 2009 Summer Has Never Been the Same

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

"Losing the battle doesn't mean losing the war," I said to Nandini dasi. One of our festivals had been canceled despite her determined efforts, and she was sitting there fuming

1,754 Views

Jul 22 2009 Friends and Enemies in High Places

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

On Monday the Polish police raided our school base looking for drugs. The next day, the devotees went for harinama on the beach. Most of the devotees went by bus, and I was in a van with a few others.

2,225 Views

Jul 16 2009 The Enemy Never Sleeps

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

The atheists are always prepared to harass a devotee; therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu suggested that one be very tolerant of these people. Nonetheless, one has to continue chanting the Hare Krsna mantra and preaching the chanting of this mantra because such preaching and chanting constitute the perfection of life.

1,745 Views

Jun 28 2009 Never Too Late to Pray

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

One thing I appreciate about traveling in Russia is the constant reminders that this world is an unhappy place. I am reminded again and again to become serious and to focus on my devotional service.

2,317 Views

Jun 20 2009 A Blessing in Disguise

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

I am happy in Krsna consciousness. With each rising and setting of the sun, I come closer to the goal of my life. I constantly thank Krsna for allowing me to meet with Srila Prabhupada's books and my eternal spiritual master in this life.

1,575 Views

Jun 11 2009 One Step Closer to the Goal

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Srila Prabhupada says: "I have been in Russia also. It is not that they are godless. The population is as good as in other country, but the government is suppressing. So that is another chapter...

1,311 Views

May 15 2009 It’s Krsna!

By Indradyumna Swami

A monsoon of ecstatic spiritual love brings great floods. All of Santipura floats on those waters. Alas! Ananta-raya's heart was not swept away by those flooding nectaran waters

1,749 Views

Apr 22 2009 A Difficult Place

By Indradyumna Swami

So I have seen so many prisoners. They were shackled with iron chains. So we are also chained up here, and what is that chain? That is our sense enjoyment. Yes. We are chained in this material world by sense enjoyment. That's all.

1,554 Views

Feb 26 2009 Following In His Footsteps

By Indradyumma Swami

Our festivals in Sydney were a huge hit. We had given the event a French name, Le Carnaval Spirituel. During December we averaged more than five hundred people a show. After the New Year, we traveled north to Brisbane and held another round of successful programs on the Gold Coast.

1,494 Views

Jan 19 2009 Down in the Pits

By Indradyumna Swami

Our festival programs continued in the Sydney area with great success. I had come with twenty-eight devotees from various countries, and many of them were staying in rooms at the Sydney temple. Devotees from other parts of Australia were also staying there for the Christmas Marathon.

1,698 Views

Dec 19 2008 Coming Home

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

During the 1970s, I would get culture shock whenever I went to India. The crowded cities, the heat, the food, the occasional sickness, and the austerities of local travel would painfully remind me that I was a stranger in a foreign land.

2,320 Views

Nov 26 2008 In Her Own Handwriting

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

For most people the New Year begins on January 1st. For me it comes in early October, when my yearly worldwide preaching tour finishes and I head to Vrindavan for spiritual rejuvenation.

1,733 Views

Oct 13 2008 The Warlock

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

As we were driving through beautiful forests on our way out of the Republic of Adegeya, a disciple turned to me. "Guru Maharaja," he said, "there's a man who lives nearby who is said to have amazing healing powers...

2,226 Views

Oct 8 2008 A History of Discontent

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Wherever the service to the Lord, who is the protector and creator of the universes, and wherever the congregational chanting of His names were well established, they set the worlds in peace.

1,577 Views

Sep 29 2008 The Fortune Teller

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

The next day I flew to the Greek city of Thessaloniki with Uttama-sloka das and several other devotees. Tara das and his wife, Radha Sakhi Vrnda dasi, had recently opened a preaching center there and had invited us to present two programs.

2,736 Views

Sep 25 2008 Until We Meet Again

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

My dear Godbrother Sridhar Maharaja, today is the celebration of your Vyasa-puja. It is a day of mixed feelings for me: I am happy to remember your exalted service to Srila Prabhupada, and at the same time I am sad. I miss your association and friendship more than you can imagine.

1,677 Views

Sep 19 2008 Ready and Willing: A Vyasa Puja Offering

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

O Sanatana! Your lotus feet surpass even the nectar of the gods. Finding in this lotus flower of your feet the essence of sweetness which is endowed with truly wonderful mellows, I pray that today the bee of my mind will eternally reside there.

1,161 Views

Sep 8 2008 Good and Faithful

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

When we reached Moscow, one of the devotees meeting us rushed up to me in the parking lot. "Guru Maharaja," he said, "after your flight took off from Irkutsk, there was an earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale. There are reports of 900 people injured, some dead as well.

1,644 Views

Sep 2 2008 Rain or Shine

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

We enjoyed perfect weather the first two days of the next festival, in Rewal. On the third and final day, we began preparing early in the morning for a Vedic wedding of two couples, expecting a big crowd. But Mother Nature had other plans, and just before noon it began pouring rain.

1,210 Views

Aug 28 2008 In Adoration

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

In Srimad-Bhagavatam, Prahlad Maharaja says that a devotee should see his advanced Godbrothers on an equal footing with his spiritual master. Just as we need the help of our spiritual master to understand the Supreme Lord, we also need the help of our Godbrothers to appreciate and serve our beloved spiritual master.

1,490 Views

Aug 19 2008 Woodstock: A New Direction

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

O all-auspicious Krishna! May You be victorious! You perform all kinds of sweet pastimes. Let my name also be there when You count Sri Radha's associates. This is my prayer. Although I am covered by material consciousness I can still aspire for this. O Lord, may my prayer be fulfilled

1,683 Views

Aug 11 2008 Times Have Changed

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Although we have had resounding success with our festivals this summer, we have had some setbacks as well. We thought we had another setback when Nandini dasi called the man in charge of the amphitheater in Miedzyzdroje, where our festival was to take place in two weeks.

1,618 Views

Aug 5 2008 Special Mention

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

I'll never forget how the crowd applauded the Lord that day. They went on and on, and some even looked towards the heavens. As we were all loudly acknowledging His mercy, I took it to be as good as sankirtan, the congregational chanting of the holy names. Such is the effect of just one of our festivals

1,616 Views

Jul 28 2008 The Curse

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Srila Prabhupada writes:"Because of the curse of Daksa, Narada is never allowed to live continuously in one place. Sridhara Swami, however, has pointed out: in Dwarka there is no influence of curses or other such evils, because Dwarka is the abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is always protected by His arms.

1,732 Views

Jul 22 2008 Can You See This?

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

The first two festivals of the Polish tour went exceptionally well, with thousands of people attending. Throughout both of them, however, devotees were meditating on the third festival - in the town where the deputy mayor had almost succeeded in canceling the event. It would be our biggest and most prestigious festival of the summer.

1,867 Views

Jul 1 2008 Enemies in Powerful Positions

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

If the preachers in our Krsna consciousness movement are sincere devotees of Krsna, Krsna will always be with them because He is very kind and favorable to all His devotees.

2,105 Views

Jun 21 2008 Hurricane Katrina Revisited

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Most important is that our distribution of prasadam and chanting of the holy names earned us respect and admiration, especially among the local and federal authorities. By combining forces with them, we were able to offset some of the suffering that Katrina wrought and to give people genuine spiritual welfare.

1,175 Views

May 13 2008 Taxi Driver Wisdom

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

"My philosophy is that man is here to do good for others," he continued. "And the best way you can help another man is to encourage him to follow his religion. It makes no sense to condemn his religion. And let me tell you what the cause of all the problems in the world is. You wanna know?"

2,003 Views

Apr 1 2008 Pastimes of the Holy Names

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Because of the cramped space, I was unable to move out of the way and sat pinned in the middle of the frantic scene. The man continued shaking, flailing his arms and grimacing in pain. Unable to offer any more practical help, I continued chanting clearly so he could hear every syllable of the holy names.

1,879 Views

Mar 21 2008 The Mother Temple

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

On the flight from Hong Kong to Bali, I thought about a conversation I had had with my Godbrother B. B. Govinda Maharaja the previous day. We were talking about seeing Srila Prabhupada at the Detroit airport in 1971. It was our first meeting with Srila Prabhupada, and I asked Maharaja if he remembered anything from Srila Prabhupada's arrival address.

1,712 Views

Mar 2 2008 A Perfect Ending

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

I understood Chandrasekhar's anxiety. He and a team of local devotees had been organizing the festival for six months. At great cost they had rented an auditorium with 1,000 seats for two evenings at a prestigious university in downtown Hong Kong. Never before had the small yatra attempted such a bold preaching program.

1,974 Views



Jan 30 2008 Troopers

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

My friend told them that you are planning to hold a festival in Byron Bay, the bus driver continued, and that you're on the way to advertise it. The SES said you should turn around immediately and go back to your community. The advice is to pack up your stuff and get out of the area fast.

1,776 Views

Jan 17 2008 No Worries Mate

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

After a month-long parikrama of Vrindavan, Mayapura and Jagannatha Puri, I was sad to be leaving India. I boarded my flight to Sydney, Australia, on December 2 with memories of the places I had visited still fresh in my mind.

1,930 Views

Jan 9 2008 Just Wander

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

As we sat down to have bhajan, one of the local priests, who had overheard me, came and began whispering in my ear. "The chief priest here, who oversees the worship of Radha Kanta, may be able to tell you where the other three Deities are," he said. "He's an old sadhu in his 80s and very learned in the Vaisnava tradition."

2,080 Views

Dec 12 2007 Feelings of Separation

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

I sometimes try to envision how the residents of the spiritual world must have celebrated the day you rejoined them. What festivities did they perform to welcome you, the Lord's chosen son, back to that transcendental abode?

1,970 Views

Oct 15 2007 Farewell

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Dear Nirguna prabhu, Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I am following the news of your departure from this world due to cancer through the Dandavats website, as well as through devotees who are coming to Vrindavan from Mayapura Dhama. The website has a telephone number and an invitation to call you and say farewell.

2,467 Views

Oct 12 2007 Vyasa-puja Offering

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Today I sit to compose my Vyasa-puja offering to you just minutes before I will be called on to speak. Ordinarily a disciple writes his or her offering days, weeks or even months before the appearance day of the spiritual master, but this year service to your lotus feet went on day and night, without respite.

2,064 Views

Oct 10 2007 Prepared for Peace - Ready for War

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

After a series of programs in the Republic of Ireland, I drove north with several other devotees to Belfast. On the way I turned to Praghosa das, the local GBC representative, and congratulated him on the Ratha-yatra we had held the previous day in Dublin. "I was amazed how the crowds lined the streets to watch the cart pass by," I said. "And so many people came for the festival in the park afterwards."

2,490 Views

Sep 7 2007 Self-evident Truths

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

As I sat down before the harmonium to begin singing, I looked out at the huge crowd stretching back 100 meters. Pausing for a moment, I closed my eyes and prayed to the Lord for the mercy to share the nectar of His holy names with such people for as many years, or as many lifetimes, as He saw fit.

1,831 Views

Aug 30 2007 One Love

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

I grew up in the United States in the 1960s and 70s. As with many other young Americans of my generation, my world view was significantly influenced by the music of Bob Marley. His songs about revolution, social change, world peace, and racial equality inspired me.

2,718 Views

Aug 11 2007 A Flood of Happiness and Joy

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

"All the other events along the coast pale in comparison to yours," said the woman reporter. "Your event is so big, so well-organized, and so entertaining that besides including it in our report we're planning a documentary on your festivals."

1,739 Views

Jul 28 2007 The Sunshine of His Mercy

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

We'll just have to show the Supreme Lord that our desire to distribute His mercy is stronger than the impious deeds of those who've caused the excessive rain to fall. Surely, if all of our devotees pray together the sunshine of His mercy will prevail.

1,764 Views

Jun 5 2007 A Second Chance

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

As a devotee grows older, he becomes more and more aware, by the grace of the Lord, that his life is coming to a close and his time to achieve perfection in Krsna consciousness is running out.

2,189 Views

May 15 2007 The Duty of a Mendicant

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Sometimes the Krsna consciousness movement sends its representative sannyasis to foreign countries where the danda and kamandalu are not very much appreciated. We send our preachers in ordinary dress to introduce our books and philosophy. Our only concern is to attract people to Krsna consciousness.

2,436 Views

Apr 2 2007 “An Old Friend”

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Through eons of time I had forgotten You, but You have never forgotten me, not even for a moment. Your greatest act of kindness was to lead me to my spiritual master, my savior, who is kindly teaching me the art of loving You. Please help me to act in such a way that he may always be proud of me

2,228 Views

Mar 13 2007 An Unsung Hero

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

But mostly about Tribhuvanath Dasa. Because of his efforts these people, and many more Africans like them, have been given the chance to taste the nectar of chanting Krishna's holy names. Such a Vaisnava hero should be given the recognition he deserves

2,580 Views

Jan 17 2007 Vyasa Puja Address to Partha Sarathi das Goswami

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

I offer my respectful obeisances to Das Goswami, who helped pioneer the mission of Srila Prabhupada in the southernmost tip of the world. He is devoted to bhajan and is caring and affectionate to all those who take shelter of his lotus feet

2,419 Views

Jan 12 2007 Disappearance Day Offering to Srila Prabhupada

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

O Srila Prabhupada! The list of such disciples is endless, both here and beyond, for your glories are known throughout the three worlds. All glories to all your followers, their service to you, and their compassion upon the fallen conditioned souls!

1,220 Views

Jan 4 2007 Fruit of Vrindavan

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Better you yourselves do as much as possible to spread Krsna consciousness there by distribution of literature, kirtana and prasadam. That will be as effective as my personally coming. I am very keen on the distribution of my books and I am very indebted to all of you for your untiring efforts to see that every man and woman in America gets one of my books. If they simply read one page, even if they do nothing else, they can become perfect.

1,669 Views

Dec 22 2006 “Mysterious Antiques”

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Going to India is more of a necessity than a luxury for one in the renounced order of life. To do his service well, a sannyasi must remain always pure in heart, and there is no better means of purifying the heart and building one's spiritual strength than spending the auspicious month of Kartika in the holy land of Vrindavan.

3,019 Views

Dec 13 2006 Luck of the Irish

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

When I was young, my mother would often speak of her Britannic forebears. "Your grandmother was from Wales," she told me on many occasions. But what she liked best was the Irish part. "Your grandfather was an Irishman from Cork," she would say proudly

1,681 Views

Nov 16 2006 A Lion among Men

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Now that Lord Gaura has descended to this world, the waves of the holy names of Lord Krsna are suddenly flooding this planet, and the hearts of the sinful conditioned souls, which were as hard as thunderbolts, have now become as soft as butter. Let me take shelter of that Lord Gaura.

1,592 Views

Nov 2 2006 “Bearing the Burden”

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Although Tamala Krsna Maharaja once told me not to attribute bad health solely to the karma of my disciples, I couldn't ignore Srila Prabhupada's statement in Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers, that a spiritual master takes on the burden of the sinful activities of his disciples.

2,749 Views

Oct 5 2006 Our Fervent Prayers

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

"Fortunately, a teacher in a local school took pity on me and tutored me in her spare time. Going to church and praying to God was all that made sense in life at that time, but as I grew older, I became dissatisfied with the sermons, as they didn't explain enough about God. I was frustrated. 'How will I ever know Him?' I often said to my friends.

1,790 Views

Sep 28 2006 Old Cleaning Man

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

“A man works all his life,” he continued, “and he gets a pension to live out his remaining days, but the cow gives milk all her life, and then people kill her. It’s wrong. And the whole world is suffering the reaction in the form of wars. Therefore God sends messengers at different times to enlighten us to these truths, but people just don’t listen. What can be done?”

1,821 Views

Sep 21 2006 “Give More Than You Take”

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Our spiritual master said that in this material world a boy naturally desires a girl and a girl naturally desires a boy, and they come together in holy matrimony to make it sacred, and they advance in material prosperity and spiritual prosperity together. I think that is a nice definition of love: “to be concerned about the needs of your beloved.”

1,482 Views

Sep 19 2006 “Giving and Receiving Gifts”

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

If the opulence or knowledge of many millions of universes were clustered together, they would hardly equal a small fragment of the glory of Krsna's holy name. Krsna's holy name is my life. It is the goal of my life. It is the means I will employ to attain the goal of my life

1,644 Views

Aug 24 2006 “Modern-Day Pastimes”

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Whether it was the cowherd boy Lord Krsna or the young shepherd Jesus Christ, it appeared the great Woodstock Festival had been purified of all animosity and both groups were now free to peacefully share their message of love. "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb; and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them."

1,786 Views

Aug 18 2006 “The New Site”

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

The headmistress smiled. "I visited your village at Woodstock last year," she said. "When I came, one of your leaders was speaking on the stage. After listening to his talk, I understood that the values you uphold are everything we try to impress on the children we teach. But the real change came when I walked through the whole Woodstock festival.

1,544 Views

Aug 15 2006 For the Benefit of Everyone

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Although Vasudeva Vipra was a leper and had suffered greatly, still Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu cured him. The only return the Lord wanted was that Vasudeva preach the instructions of Krsna and liberate all human beings. That is the process of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness.

1,591 Views

Aug 2 2006 Diary of a Traveling Preacher - “The Will of the People”

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

We have no business creating enemies, but the process is such that non-devotees will always be inimical toward us. Nevertheless, as stated in the sastras, a devotee should be both tolerant and merciful. Devotees engaged in preaching should be prepared to be accused by ignorant persons, and yet they must be very merciful to the fallen conditioned souls.

2,212 Views

Jan 30 2008 Troopers

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

My friend told them that you are planning to hold a festival in Byron Bay, the bus driver continued, and that you're on the way to advertise it. The SES said you should turn around immediately and go back to your community. The advice is to pack up your stuff and get out of the area fast.

1,776 Views

Jan 17 2008 No Worries Mate

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

After a month-long parikrama of Vrindavan, Mayapura and Jagannatha Puri, I was sad to be leaving India. I boarded my flight to Sydney, Australia, on December 2 with memories of the places I had visited still fresh in my mind.

1,930 Views

Jan 9 2008 Just Wander

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

As we sat down to have bhajan, one of the local priests, who had overheard me, came and began whispering in my ear. "The chief priest here, who oversees the worship of Radha Kanta, may be able to tell you where the other three Deities are," he said. "He's an old sadhu in his 80s and very learned in the Vaisnava tradition."

2,080 Views

Dec 12 2007 Feelings of Separation

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

I sometimes try to envision how the residents of the spiritual world must have celebrated the day you rejoined them. What festivities did they perform to welcome you, the Lord's chosen son, back to that transcendental abode?

1,970 Views

Oct 15 2007 Farewell

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Dear Nirguna prabhu, Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I am following the news of your departure from this world due to cancer through the Dandavats website, as well as through devotees who are coming to Vrindavan from Mayapura Dhama. The website has a telephone number and an invitation to call you and say farewell.

2,467 Views

Oct 12 2007 Vyasa-puja Offering

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Today I sit to compose my Vyasa-puja offering to you just minutes before I will be called on to speak. Ordinarily a disciple writes his or her offering days, weeks or even months before the appearance day of the spiritual master, but this year service to your lotus feet went on day and night, without respite.

2,064 Views

Oct 10 2007 Prepared for Peace - Ready for War

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

After a series of programs in the Republic of Ireland, I drove north with several other devotees to Belfast. On the way I turned to Praghosa das, the local GBC representative, and congratulated him on the Ratha-yatra we had held the previous day in Dublin. "I was amazed how the crowds lined the streets to watch the cart pass by," I said. "And so many people came for the festival in the park afterwards."

2,490 Views

Sep 7 2007 Self-evident Truths

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

As I sat down before the harmonium to begin singing, I looked out at the huge crowd stretching back 100 meters. Pausing for a moment, I closed my eyes and prayed to the Lord for the mercy to share the nectar of His holy names with such people for as many years, or as many lifetimes, as He saw fit.

1,831 Views

Aug 30 2007 One Love

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

I grew up in the United States in the 1960s and 70s. As with many other young Americans of my generation, my world view was significantly influenced by the music of Bob Marley. His songs about revolution, social change, world peace, and racial equality inspired me.

2,718 Views

Aug 11 2007 A Flood of Happiness and Joy

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

"All the other events along the coast pale in comparison to yours," said the woman reporter. "Your event is so big, so well-organized, and so entertaining that besides including it in our report we're planning a documentary on your festivals."

1,739 Views

Jul 28 2007 The Sunshine of His Mercy

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

We'll just have to show the Supreme Lord that our desire to distribute His mercy is stronger than the impious deeds of those who've caused the excessive rain to fall. Surely, if all of our devotees pray together the sunshine of His mercy will prevail.

1,764 Views

Jun 5 2007 A Second Chance

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

As a devotee grows older, he becomes more and more aware, by the grace of the Lord, that his life is coming to a close and his time to achieve perfection in Krsna consciousness is running out.

2,189 Views

May 15 2007 The Duty of a Mendicant

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Sometimes the Krsna consciousness movement sends its representative sannyasis to foreign countries where the danda and kamandalu are not very much appreciated. We send our preachers in ordinary dress to introduce our books and philosophy. Our only concern is to attract people to Krsna consciousness.

2,436 Views

Apr 2 2007 “An Old Friend”

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Through eons of time I had forgotten You, but You have never forgotten me, not even for a moment. Your greatest act of kindness was to lead me to my spiritual master, my savior, who is kindly teaching me the art of loving You. Please help me to act in such a way that he may always be proud of me

2,228 Views

Mar 13 2007 An Unsung Hero

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

But mostly about Tribhuvanath Dasa. Because of his efforts these people, and many more Africans like them, have been given the chance to taste the nectar of chanting Krishna's holy names. Such a Vaisnava hero should be given the recognition he deserves

2,580 Views

Jan 17 2007 Vyasa Puja Address to Partha Sarathi das Goswami

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

I offer my respectful obeisances to Das Goswami, who helped pioneer the mission of Srila Prabhupada in the southernmost tip of the world. He is devoted to bhajan and is caring and affectionate to all those who take shelter of his lotus feet

2,419 Views

Jan 12 2007 Disappearance Day Offering to Srila Prabhupada

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

O Srila Prabhupada! The list of such disciples is endless, both here and beyond, for your glories are known throughout the three worlds. All glories to all your followers, their service to you, and their compassion upon the fallen conditioned souls!

1,220 Views

Jan 4 2007 Fruit of Vrindavan

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Better you yourselves do as much as possible to spread Krsna consciousness there by distribution of literature, kirtana and prasadam. That will be as effective as my personally coming. I am very keen on the distribution of my books and I am very indebted to all of you for your untiring efforts to see that every man and woman in America gets one of my books. If they simply read one page, even if they do nothing else, they can become perfect.

1,669 Views

Dec 22 2006 “Mysterious Antiques”

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Going to India is more of a necessity than a luxury for one in the renounced order of life. To do his service well, a sannyasi must remain always pure in heart, and there is no better means of purifying the heart and building one's spiritual strength than spending the auspicious month of Kartika in the holy land of Vrindavan.

3,019 Views

Dec 13 2006 Luck of the Irish

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

When I was young, my mother would often speak of her Britannic forebears. "Your grandmother was from Wales," she told me on many occasions. But what she liked best was the Irish part. "Your grandfather was an Irishman from Cork," she would say proudly

1,681 Views

Nov 16 2006 A Lion among Men

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Now that Lord Gaura has descended to this world, the waves of the holy names of Lord Krsna are suddenly flooding this planet, and the hearts of the sinful conditioned souls, which were as hard as thunderbolts, have now become as soft as butter. Let me take shelter of that Lord Gaura.

1,592 Views

Nov 2 2006 “Bearing the Burden”

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Although Tamala Krsna Maharaja once told me not to attribute bad health solely to the karma of my disciples, I couldn't ignore Srila Prabhupada's statement in Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers, that a spiritual master takes on the burden of the sinful activities of his disciples.

2,749 Views

Oct 5 2006 Our Fervent Prayers

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

"Fortunately, a teacher in a local school took pity on me and tutored me in her spare time. Going to church and praying to God was all that made sense in life at that time, but as I grew older, I became dissatisfied with the sermons, as they didn't explain enough about God. I was frustrated. 'How will I ever know Him?' I often said to my friends.

1,790 Views

Sep 28 2006 Old Cleaning Man

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

“A man works all his life,” he continued, “and he gets a pension to live out his remaining days, but the cow gives milk all her life, and then people kill her. It’s wrong. And the whole world is suffering the reaction in the form of wars. Therefore God sends messengers at different times to enlighten us to these truths, but people just don’t listen. What can be done?”

1,821 Views

Sep 21 2006 “Give More Than You Take”

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Our spiritual master said that in this material world a boy naturally desires a girl and a girl naturally desires a boy, and they come together in holy matrimony to make it sacred, and they advance in material prosperity and spiritual prosperity together. I think that is a nice definition of love: “to be concerned about the needs of your beloved.”

1,482 Views

Sep 19 2006 “Giving and Receiving Gifts”

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

If the opulence or knowledge of many millions of universes were clustered together, they would hardly equal a small fragment of the glory of Krsna's holy name. Krsna's holy name is my life. It is the goal of my life. It is the means I will employ to attain the goal of my life

1,644 Views

Aug 24 2006 “Modern-Day Pastimes”

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Whether it was the cowherd boy Lord Krsna or the young shepherd Jesus Christ, it appeared the great Woodstock Festival had been purified of all animosity and both groups were now free to peacefully share their message of love. "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb; and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them."

1,786 Views

Aug 18 2006 “The New Site”

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

The headmistress smiled. "I visited your village at Woodstock last year," she said. "When I came, one of your leaders was speaking on the stage. After listening to his talk, I understood that the values you uphold are everything we try to impress on the children we teach. But the real change came when I walked through the whole Woodstock festival.

1,544 Views

Aug 15 2006 For the Benefit of Everyone

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

Although Vasudeva Vipra was a leper and had suffered greatly, still Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu cured him. The only return the Lord wanted was that Vasudeva preach the instructions of Krsna and liberate all human beings. That is the process of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness.

1,591 Views

Aug 2 2006 Diary of a Traveling Preacher - “The Will of the People”

Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

We have no business creating enemies, but the process is such that non-devotees will always be inimical toward us. Nevertheless, as stated in the sastras, a devotee should be both tolerant and merciful. Devotees engaged in preaching should be prepared to be accused by ignorant persons, and yet they must be very merciful to the fallen conditioned souls.

2,212 Views





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