Battlefield Bhajans Vol. 42

Dedicated to HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Dedicated to his dear servants Caitanya Nitai and Bhakta Nitin
written from New Panihati Dham, Atlanta 24 June 2009

Atlanta to Boston

The night before my flight I did not sleep well. The weather in Atlanta is very humid and hot. Even with a fan blowing directly on me, sleeping was very uncomfortable. When I boarded my flight to Boston, I was extremely tired. I sat in my seat and prepared to get a little rest, but the woman next to me had other plans. She introduced herself, and ask me what religion I follow. I explained I was a Hare Krsna. She asked about what our teaching were and as I explained, she would ask questions about the essence of spiritual life. I asked her what she does for an occupation. She explained she worked in the human resources field, but was in her way to New York to give a presentation about what her church organization is doing in Selma, Alabama. Read the rest of this entry »

Updated Travel Schedule

June 18-22 Boston

July 1-6 Youth Bustour (youth sankirtan marathon anyone interested in these areas in participating contact me)

1-2 Philly

3-4 DC

5th NJ

6th Boston

17-21st Toronto Ratha Yatra/ Yoga Meltdown

22-27 Pandava Sena Youth retreat Prabhupada Village, NC

29 July to 4 August: South America, Costa Rica-Peru-Uruguay-Paraguay

4 August to 13 August: Santiago, Chile

13 August to 21 Oct South Africa

22 Oct. Chile Ratha Yatra

Battlefield Bhajans Vol. 41

Dedicated to HDG A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

When it rains it pours

Panihati Festival was kicking off in Atlanta. Devotees from all over the world converged on New Panihati Dham for the festival due to HH Jayapataka Swami being present. It was his first time traveling outside india since his stroke. Many senior disciples of Srila Prabhupada were present.  Excitement was in the air.  I was talking about book distribution with some senior disciples of Srila Prabhupada, they told stories of the seventies and how they distributed books in the airport. The stories were amazing and  despite leaving the next day for Chicago, I went out on book distribution. The sky looked black, and the wind started to kick up, but I thought, it will hold off.
I walked form the temple to the Little Five Points, an alternative area. As soon as I arrived, the sky opened up and started pouring. Read the rest of this entry »

Battlefield Bhajans Vol. 40

Dedicated to HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Also dedicated to HG Bhakta Antony and HG Omkara Prabhus.

Soldiers Cry

On my way back to Iskcon Silicon Valley I stopped in Los Angeles for a day. It was very nice to see Sri Sri Rukmini Dwarkadish. Also I was able to spend time with some good friends like HG Ratna Bhusana and HG Omkara Prabhu, as well as all the brahmacaris from the temple. The Sunday feast lecture was given by HH Devamrta Swami, I was outside talking to someone before the class when I turned around and saw the man, the myth the legend…. Bhakta Antony. For those that don’t know, Bhakta Antony is a great soul, not only is he a devotee but also a Captain in the Marine Corp (we won’t hold that against him). During my time in Iraq we would email each other everyday. Once in a while we would call each other and talk about life in ISKCON, the military and how to connect both. I tried to help him through his tour, and arranged for some prasadam and other items to be sent to him. Bhakta Antony is also a preacher and took on the mission of spreading Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission seriously. Read the rest of this entry »

Here is a link to an interview in Reflections Newsletter

http://www.4shared.com/file/108020156/1f679213/Reflections_May_09.html

Battlefield Bhajans Vol. 39
Dedicated to HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and all the sankritan devotees

My flight to Santiago, Chile was for the most part uneventful. When I changed flights in Capetown, South Africa; I was met with a nice young man. He kept looking over at me, and then finally came and sat next to me. He asked me why I was dressed in robes; Are you a monk? He asked.  Yes, I am. What kind of monk are you? I replied I was a Hare Krsna monk. He was amazed, and stated how he just returned from China and was going to Buenos Aires, Argentina. We sat and talked for a while. He was very interested in coming and visiting the temple and maybe spending the weekend. I had one small book and a Bhagavad-Gita with me. We exchanged email addresses and I asked him if he would like a book and he said yes and asked if he could give a donation. Of course you can; and thank you very much for donating for these books. He made one comment before he went back to his seat. He said, I went to China and became attracted to monk life, but thought how could I become one and now on my flight; I see a monk and he answers my questions about God. I told him, Krsna arranges everything for us and when we come in contact with Him, He captivates our heart.
“Yet when the same jéva misuses his innate free choice and thus becomes engrossed in material activities, the merciful Çré Kåñëa is stricken by compassion and concerned about the bad fortune of the jéva. Lamenting, the Lord shadows the movement of the jéva, planning means to save him. Çré Kåñëa knows that His nectarean and immortal léläs are not available to the conditioned jéva and thus out of deep compassion, He manifests His acintya-lélä, inconceivable and wonderful pastimes, from within the material nature for the edification of the conditioned jéva. However, realizing that the jéva in his conditioned state is unable to properly comprehend His transcendental activities, Çré Kåñëa has descended to earth at Navadvépa, appearing as the most munificent incarnation, Çré Kåñëa Caitanya Mahäprabhu.” (Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura; Jaiva-Dharma)
Santiago, Chile
I arrive and went through customs with ease. I was a little worried because I heard from some devotees they are very strict. As I walked through most of the officials bowed there head a little and very respectful. The ride back to the airport was nice and I was surprised when I arrived. The temple is in the university area of Santiago. I lead bhajans for an hour and then settled in to get some rest.
This visit was very pleasant. The temple is filled with young devotees. Most are tattooed, with big holes in their ears from wearing big earrings. The first big program was on Friday. Every Friday they have Prabhupada night. The theme of the night is Srila Prabhupada. I was very pleased and gave a class about the qualities of Srila Prabhupada.  We observed Guru Puja to Srila Prabhupada and this was my first taste of Chile Yatra kirtan. I lead the chanting and what can I say. Before I knew it, the whole temple was shaking. The floor felt like it was going to cave in. As the tempo and pace of the kirtan picked up, the devotees went more and more wild. There was break dancing, bodies flying all over the temple room.  The drummers were playing so fast I could barely keep up. I looked up see the devotees crowd surfing and being passed around.
The next morning was the Sabado Sanga, or the Saturday Sanga.  This is a nice program; a lot of youth spend the night in the temple and participate in the morning program. The morning program was again fast paced and again the devotees were losing themselves in the kirtan.  At one pint there must have been over thirty devotees in the small temple room. They were dancing, smiling, laughing, clanging kartels and banging mardangas.
I was up in my room performing puja to Sri Ugra Narasimha and Sri Sri Radha Giridhari when my room started to shake. I thought of man another kirtan; but was wrong. It was an earthquake. Very surprised I just sat where I was and chanted. When it ended I was surprised, and found out it was small one. I went down to the temple room and gave class. Later in the day we went on harinam.
Harinama is perfect for the devotees in this yatra. One the mrdangs started, the devotees got right into it. They were singing so loudly, and dancing and smiling. The ladies went ahead of the harinam part to dance. We came to a populated part of town and the harinam really picked up. I was singing and noticing how many people stopped and watched and clapped. Some danced, some sang along. Devotees were giving out prasadam and talking to devotees. After one hour, I stopped the harinam and gave a short talk through a translator.
I gave a basic talk about the happiness that is experienced when one chant the Holy Name of Krsna. How when we chant Gods name, we have direct association and this life is meant for becoming the servant of God. I noticed many people nodding in agreement and some smile bright smile. It was obvious that this city is very pious. I walked back to the temple with one devotee and we discussed the day’s events.
Next day was the Sunday Feast. That meant another wild kirtan and class. I lead a bhajan and then using the same melody chanted Jaya Radha Madhava. The devotees were singing at the top of their lungs. You can tell they relish the Holy Name.  The talk was of the necessity to take seriously Krishna Consciences now. How Srila Prabhupada wanted us to take this message seriously at this very moment. The devotees asked many question.
The rest of the week was met with me giving both morning and evening class. I also talked with many devotees. The traveling brahmacaris came back on Thursday night. On Friday morning I gave Srimad Bhagavatam class. We talked about King Prithu in the fourth Canto. I was describing how King Prithu gave us the perfect example of how to rule a kingdom. I then spoke how as devotees we show the world how we have the perfect answers to the problems of the world through our actions. We should become serious and become pure devotees in this. During breakfast a nice boy approached me. He asked some very nice questions. I answered all his questions and told him, so what do you want from life. He said how he had sat in my class, and the verse from the Srimad Bhagavatam made complete sense. He expressed his desire to live in the temple and take this process serious. As a joke I said ok, lets go shave your head. He smiled and said YES! YES Lets go and do that. I told the brahmacaris, and they started banging on the floor and yelling shave in Spanish. We all ran up stairs and told him to get into a towel. The bathroom is small and everyone was crowding in to see the shaving.
He asked me to be the first one to cut his hair. As I cut the hair off his head, all the devotees started yelling haribol and banging on the walls, the doors the floors. Some were hitting their plates. It was a site. Some devotees took pictures. When this boy was finished, another boy sat in the chair and said ok, shave me up also! Wow, this was nectar for the devotees. The devotees where fired up and later that day he went out on sankritan and did six books. I was so happy to hear he had a taste for book distribution. Another boy came and talked to me later that day about his desire to experience temple life. His name is Bhakta Sarathi. The devotees named him this cause, well; we look like brothers. He also decided to spend sometime in the ashram and go out on book distribution. Read the rest of this entry »

Read the rest of this entry »

Battlefield Bhajans Vol. 38

Dedicated to HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Pretoria to Durban, South Africa
I waited to check in for my flight to Durban and a young man was staring at me.  He finally approached me, and asked me if I was a monk. I replied yes, I am a Hare Krishna. He went to say that he works at a new age yoga studio, and he had some questions for me. I sat next to him and just listened to what he had to say. He opened his heart to me; he started describing how he started practicing yoga to escape the pain in his heart from failed relationships, from the pain of disappointing his family. He expressed that he thought of suicide once. He was in tears as he was revealing this to me.  He wanted to know if yoga is such a peaceful way of using your energy, then why does he feel that something is missing. He has been practicing for over six years and feels no difference in his heart.
I sat back and just listened, I could understand that this mans heart was heavy with the bourdon of material life. When he finished, I asked him what does he want from life.  He looked off into the distant lights and just shook his head. He said man; I just want to become happy. Can you help me please, can you show me happiness. I said Of course, that is my duty to help you. The reason your yoga has not worked is because you are missing the key ingredient, that ingredient being God. The object of yoga is to reconnect to Krsna. But better than practicing hatta yoga is to practice bhakti yoga, bhakti meaning serving Krsna with all your heart, with all the love you can muster. Read the rest of this entry »

Battlefield Bhajans Vol. 37
Dedicated to Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, savior of the whole universe.

Pretoria, South Africa
I arrived in Pretoria via Durban and received a phone call from the temple president that I would have to walk over to the international arrival terminal to get picked up with HH Bhakti Narasimha Swami. I met Maharaja at the airport and we chatted about the future of South African preaching. For the temple devotees it was nice for Maharaja to spend sometime at the temple. When senior devotees come to the temple, it charges the ashram devotees batteries and they are ready to go back out and preach.
That evening I took the devotees on harinama in an area called Sunnyside. We had about twenty-five devotees with us, and when they chanted it sounded more like one hundred. I lead the beginning and soon Braja Vallabha Prabhu took over.  Soon he had the devotees dancing and singing in the streets. The devotee’s enthusiasm increased with each sound resonating from the mrdanga.  As he chanted with more enthusiasm, the devotees responded with even more enthusiasm. The chanting became contagious and soon the onlookers were dancing and chanting with the devotees. I saw some very interesting dance moves that evening. I saw some moves that look as if the dance defined all law of psychics.  One boy danced like he was a robot, another start break dancing; the devotee’s feed off the energy of the crowd and the crowd feed off the energy of the devotees. I lead the final portion of the harinama and gave a short explanation of what was happening. The crowd listened and when all was done, one boy came back to the temple with us.
The following day was a harinama in the city center in Pretoria. Maharaja sang the first leg of the harinam and had the devotees in ecstasy. Before I knew it, there was a crowd of about fifty people gathered around and watching and smiling. I started to approach people in the crowd with our literature. Somewhere very favorable, some weren’t; but still I was determined to at least show them Srila Prabhupada’s books. One man smiled the whole time I explained what was happening. He said “ Man I don’t care what those books say, if I can be as happy as them, I’ll take it.”  One woman asked me if I was a Buddhist, I said no ma’am sorry I am not. She said that’s ok; you’re going to hell anyway because you’re not a Christian.  I just looked her in the eye and said we are in hell, because we have forgotten our relationship with God and walked off.
The harinama kept moving and I sang for a short while before the heavy gun was brought out.  Bhima Prabhu led the rest of the time with his trusty accordion. He had everyone mesmerized with his singing. I decided to break off from the harinama and concentrate on distributing books. I approached a group off ten youth. They asked me what I was doing, and I explain that I am a monk and we are singing God’s name. These youth asked many interesting question and I tried my best to explain. When I asked for a donation, they looked down and said they had no money. Just then one of the kids father walked up and asked what I was doing with these boys. He said, “ Are you trying to hustle my son?” Very respectfully I said no sir, I am simple trying to give the best gift in the world. These books are windows to the spiritual world, when he reads these books, he will understand what the goal of life is.” The man surveyed the scene and saw the smile on his son’s face. He pulled out a hundred (rand) and bought all the kids books and shook my hand.  The rest of the day I played catch up to the chanting party. I would find them, then distribute some books and look up and seem them gone again.  Overall it was a very successful day, and we planned on performing more chanting throughout the streets in the future.

The next weekend the temple devotees joined the youth group and their Food for Life program. Food for life is ISKCON’s program of providing free meals to souls all over the world. We decided to make this program a festival and give a meaningful presentation of Krsna Consciousness in an African village. We had devotees serving prasadam or sanctified food, others chanting, and a few distributing books. As soon as this festival hit the parking lot, dozens of onlookers showed up. Plates of prasadam were given out, books were distributed, and smiles were seen from devotees and non-devotees alike. South Africa is a dangerous area of the world. It has a high crime rate and a high murder rate, etc. Since I have arrived I have noticed small pockets of piety in the people. Every person I approached took a book and gave a donation. At one point I ran out of books.  I was looking for more when I saw Vaisnava Prabhu in a conversation with a gentleman.  The discussion looked deep and without Vaisnava noticing I took books out of his bag. For over twenty minutes this went on, Vaisnava would talk with this guy and I would take books out of his bag and distribute them. Finally he distributed a Bhagavad-Gita to this man and looked into his bag to find only a few books left and a puzzled look. Myself and another devotee started laughing. You snooze you lose is what I told him.  At the end of the day everyone was satisfied Read the rest of this entry »