Anandambuddhivardhanam
Sankirtana Yajna Ki Jai!
I attended the Festival of Inspiration in New Vrindavana and got inspired. It seems that the festival get's bigger each year.The Hare Krishna movement is definitely expanding and increasing in potency. I recommend that as many devotees as possible should go to that festival. While I was there a devotee named Jaya Murari even gave me a piece of Srila Prabhupada's Sannyasa cloth! Especially inspiring was the class and Sankirtana seminars given by Vaisesika prabhu. Vaisesika prabhu is really inspiring devotees to distribute books. I was in a room with Vaisesika and around 25 Indian devotees who have jobs and families but still manage to distribute hundreds of books a month. It's really inspiring to see the residents from Bharata Varsa fulfilling the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
After the festival we returned to Chicago temple. I went out with some Brazilian devotees to the mexican part of Chicago for Book Distribution. I had ten dollars stolen from me by a devotee the day before so I was feeling a little sad, but before I could even start distributing a Mexican man came up to me and pulled the Hard Back spanish Bhagavad Gita out of my bag and told me he wanted to learn about Krishna. He pulled out ten dollars and gave it to me without me even having to ask him for a donation. He said he wants to learn more so I invited him to the Sunday feast. I regretted I didn't get his contact info, but my spanish isn't so good to I didn't know how to ask him for it anyway. That made up for the previous days inauspiciousness.
The next day, I went north to Kenosha, Wisconsin. where I stayed at Bhagavan Acarya prabhu's house. Bhagavan Acarya travelled with Radha Damodara TSKP back in the 70's with Vishnujana and other devotees so I visit him when I can and try to absorb the nectar. Bhagavan Acarya travelled with RAdha Damodara till 1977 when Srila Prabhupada left. After Srila Prabhupada returned to Krishna he felt very sad to be bereft of his beloved Guru Maharaja's physical association so he returned home to Kenosha for a bit to study Srila Prabhupada's books and reflect on how he will continue his service. He told me he got a little weak and has stayed there ever since but he never forgot Krishna. A few months ago I met him online since I travel in Wisconsin a lot as a member of the New Radha Damodara Travelling Sankirtana Party.
One thing I really enjoy is Bhagavan Acarya Prabhu's cooking. He still cooks like they did on Radha Damodara. He only uses Ghee and he uses Vishnujana and Bhakti Vishramba Madhava Maharaja recipes so the prasad is nectar. He even has some old Vishnujana tapes I'm going to try to make into cd's.
On Friday I went to Madison Wisconsin which is a little north of Kenosha. Madison is a very liberal, alternative place. When you combine that with a good economy and friendly Wisconsin people, it's a good place to distribute books. One guy I met, took a few books and told me he is a Sitar player. I invited him to come with me next time and play his Sitar in the Kirtan. He said that the Sitar will help us to dissipate the effects Of Kali Yuga. It turns out he's read some Vedic literature and knows a little bit. I met many nice people, and I took down their addresses and next time I visit I'm planning a program with Kirtan, Gita reading and Prasadam in a park somewhere. I also met a devotee in New Vrindavan while milking cows one morning who goes to the University here who is a disciple of Radhanatha swami. He has a program every Saturday. I'm going to compile a list of favorable people and contact them a week before and plan out a festival. I've struggled for years to get a travelling preaching program going and now that it's becoming effective I'm feeling very satisfied. I can appreciate a little bit of Srila Prabhupada struggling alone in India and New York. He once said," If you at all feel indebted to me then preach vigorously like Me" Sometimes it can get very difficult, but if you are sincere, Krishna is alway's with you and will alway's protect you. The results will come. Krishna guarantees that his devotees will never perish.
Your Servant,
Devaki Nandana Dasa.
