Captain Antony living every moment for Krsna
Hare Krsna All,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I pray this message finds you all in the best of spirit, mind and body. I
have truly missed corresponding with you all and certainly look forward to
doing so again in the future.
The past 30 days since I returned to Iraq have been busy and challenging in
so many ways. My unit has sent detachments to over 5 cities in the province.
I’m leading one team in the provincial capital where we have had to almost
start from scratch in tems of setting up our stations. All this was occuring
before and now during the Holy month of Ramadaan. Some of our camps had
sufficient standoff from the cities or populated areas but now I can look
directly at the neighborhoods that surround us. It is truly a beautiful
sight seeing the mosques of the city lit with green and gold lights at
night. As the sun sets, the calls to prayer echo across our camp. When the
fasts are broken, celebratory gunfire is heard which hightens everyone’s
senses because we don’t know if it’s aimed at us. Our means of communication
back home are fewer and less reliable than before. Ten Marines huddle in a
musty room waiting turns to use a phone that’s one dial tone away from
death. They whisper a quick “Hello”, “I love you too” and “Goodbye” before
handing off to someone else and making a 20 minute walk back to their tents.
Their resilience and creativity motivates me as they come up with new ways
to run cables and build furniture from discarded palettes and ammo crates.
Everyday there is a new discovery, a new sight, a new sound, a new item
discarded by the previous units that were lessening their loads, just trying
to get home. In a few months, we will be amongst those as well.
I’ve also been researching how to have Krsna Consciousness or ISKCON
recognized by the Department of Defense as a faith organization. So far, no
one has provided me any real answers. I have a letter to the Armed Forces
Chaplains Board with no response. I will be reengaging again once things
slow down.
I look forward to returning fully to my routine of japa, study and prayer. I
have come to find increased enjoyment chanting at night here. There are
various vacant buildings here with nice high concrete ceilings that nicely
reverberate the Holy names. I’ve also scouted a few spots are prime for
distribuiting books once I get settled in. I continue to think about the
time spent at the temple between San Diego, Laguna Beach and LA. I look
forward to hearing more about the festivals and pujas and perhaps seeing the
pictures as well. I thank you for your thoughts and prayers. You are in mine
as well.
In your service,
Antony
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September 6th, 2008 at 10:04 am
I love to read your updates, Antony. I’d love to meet and hang out with you sometime.
Be safe, Brother.
YS,
Andrew
September 6th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
Bhakta Anthony,
i am not sure if its politically correct, but i took the easiest way to have my religion recognized. My dog-tags say “Hindu” my name tape says “Singh” and I am as white as a white body can get. that in itself gets alot of conversation going where i can introduce Krsna Consciusness.
Oh yea, my husband is from north India, that’s my name Singh, i met him at the temple. i have been vegetarian 27 years, blah blah…No I was born in Cleveland I am actually Italian….See, Hare Krsna’s can be any color from any nation.
i do not have to explain much.
not sure if that is what we should do but its what i have done.
mitravinda
September 8th, 2008 at 12:42 am
Andrew, how is that Spiritual Warrior Battle Rifle holding up?
Mitravinda, I certainly understand how electing “Hindu” would seem sufficient. The issue to me has a couple of aspects. One, the term Hindu for us still wouldn’t be a true representation of our faith. I knew that I could get anyting put on my dog-tags. The real issue was when I was reviewing my personal record. The system that we use, allows the individual Marine to select amongst a list of options what his/her religious preference is. When I saw the list of what was offered, I was like, “This is unbelieveable.” There weren’t just faiths but also a whole slew of faith organizations, mostly Christain based, that really covered the spectrum. Wicca was listed as was atheist. Now, I do recall that Wiccans have had to deal with a lot in terms of being recognized but I’m thinking to myself, “Why not Krishna Consciousness?” For all that this movement has done for the spiritual lives of people across the globe and even in changing the social/cultural fabric of America, why has it not been recognized? Take the four us (Partha, you, Andrew, and myself) we are serving or have served honorably and are just as important as any other person who is currently serving in the Armed Forces. Why should we have to settle for “Hindu” or “Other Eastern Religions” when those of Christain faith with whom we serve can have the specific church/organization almost down to the city and county reflected in their military record. I can only imgaine the looks on the faces as they read my chain of emails and letters to the various offices and agencies. Hare Krishna who? What? In the military? I was just glad that they would have to read or say it to someone else, just to have the Holy name spoken. Imagine the clerk in admin checking you in and reading Hare Krsna in your record book. The tiniest of sparks turns curiosity into full inquiry. Please don’t get me wrong, I usually don’t comment on my faith to others unless asked. In the long run it matters not what the papers or computers say, but what is living in our hearts. If my record says Muslim or Christian or Hindu but my true faith and practice is that of a Vaishnava, then I am a Vaishnava. I simply don’t want us overlooked. I would like the next devotee who makes the hard choice to enter the armed service light up when he or she looks and sees Hare Krishna under religions. I would like the aspiring devotees who have listened and seen us chanting japa, reading the Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam, passing by all the assorted meats in the DFAC just to get a bowl of rice and a sparse salad, who look with love at these beautiful pictures of deities and say, “These people are for real. I can do this. I can practice Krsna Consciousness while in the military.”
I beg for your mercy and always appreciate your association and friendship.
In your service
Antony