From Bhaktisidhanta Swami
One Wednesday the LA skp crew went to one of the Warp tour concerts outside of SanDiego and after the incoming of cars, Bhrigupati and myself decided to visit one devotee named Radhanatha das who became a disciple of Srila Prabhupada at the age of 16. He lives off the beaten path up in the mountains next to the Cleveland National Forest near a cluster of Indian reservations. For the last 20 years this devotee has been paralyzed from the neck down and he maneuvers about within his fields of service in a semi bed wheel chair.
Our plan was to do a home program after the concert and give some association to this devotee and minister to what ever congregation that he could muster up at his rustic house and leave the following day. Honestly speaking I wasn't so keen about this step into the wild. It had been a long day and I was tired, but Bhrigu kept tricking and pushing me and surprisingly what transpired became an unforgettable event.
By talking to him before the program we realized that we were conversing with a highly determined sage living in his custom made house for handicapped habitation. Behind him was a complete arsenal of Srila Prabhupada books,videos,tapes and a complimentary backdrop of computer paraphernalia. Seeing his condition amidst all this we kept thinking what keeps him pushing on despite the obstacles? Why not just hang up the holster, go to a Holy Dhama and fast until death? The reason for his focus was that he had a unique addiction. He was fascinated with the worlds of distribution and contact cultivation.
For anyone to view the struggle this devotee undergoes in the ordinary bodily affairs and despite such obstacles still distributes the books daily, will overlook all the excuses that may have arisen to avoid bds in the last 33 years. Without any financial support he goes out 6 days a week alternating between these Target department Stores. He sits next to the entrance with a disguise of selling flowers and having various petitions for people to sign with respect to local interests(any solicitation is illegal unless one is in a booth). When the right person comes up, 'from within' he is inspired to sneak the Gita into the exchange with such accuracy that they take every time and he will distribute between 3 to 20 books in a 6 hour day. Even the store managers would try to stand in front of him and break up his sales because they just didn't want him there, but he was 'legal and determined' and now they have resigned to the fact that he is there to stay.
Radhanatha's condition acts like a natural screen that attracts persons of real character, persons who relate with him admire him and are not condescending. Through the email he nourishes his special friends and they will visit him and render service. He gives Gita classes once a week on his day off with 3-6 visitors coming. People may first approach him with respect to his environmental concerns and his non threatening presence, but in time become entwined within a captivating web of bhakti. The appearance of book Bhagavat followed by the exemplary person Bhagavat softens hearts and soon these "friends of Krishna" are ready to be brought to the more traditional grounds, the temple.
The quests began to come in and for some reason or other only a few locals came, a mother, her daughter, a 2 month old child and Jim, an elder distinguished man who had once met Radhanatha on book distribution and later became his next door neighbor. During the kirtan we realized that these people were not just your ordinary home program duffers. All individuals including the 2 the child sat with eyes closed and heads tilted towards the ceiling in complete rapture. These persons had such respect for Radhanatha and with that came an attachment for hearing.
After the discussion, Jim, who was very reserved but a real examiner began to ask questions. Ordinarily a person of his stature might ask technical or even challenging questions but on the contrary he asked the best and most complimentary assortment that one could possibly desire in a guest. He was an ordained ex- Episcopalian minister for 11 years and after this a psychologist for 12 years. At the age of 59 he had become frustrated with the non dynamics of both ventures and was now at the threshold of a new phase in his life.Krishna Consciousness.
Here we have the proof of where character attracts character. Bhrigupati and I were astonished at how Krsna had unveiled before us such a rare sample of an interdependant 'bhakti group' in the middle of nowhere. And we had only met part of the clan. Here was another example of how the distribution seeds flowers into the playing field of cultivation care. Speaking with Jim became a late night affair. It was such a pleasure to meet some one who is so qualified on many fronts finally approaching the royal road of long term devotion. Radhanatha had to retire early but requested that the doors to his room be kept open so that he could still participate.
The next morning, Nrsimha das, the able care giver for Radhanatha gave us a tour of the grounds that had perfect facilities for accommodations. We had just found a perfect retreat facility for our LA workshop programs. The pieces to the puzzle of this trip were now coming together. One event follows another.
After this, Nrsimha creates the 'green drink', a veggie juice mix that is the meal for the early morning and then prepares the beat up Ford Econoline van for sankirtan. After a few final words, Radhanatha is pushed along this makeshift ramp into the awaiting chariot. As he passes Bhrigupati and myself basking amidst the mountain scenery(it was our day off of course), and wearing this helmet like beanie, he nonchalantly waves his hand to us as he is being jostled along the rickety planks and then secured in the vehicle. It was like watching a sadhu whose actions relayed "all right enough is enough.now its time to get back to work.someday you will get the taste". The both of us stood there with gaping mouths. Here so few devotees come out to see him and the #1 SP disciple for bds on the planet and a sidekick swami come out to visit him and he just ignores us maintaining his schedule and goes out on book distribution! As the rundown van maneuvered on the dirt road out of sight the resulting dust particles sparkled in front of the early day sun and sporadically settled around us…our mouths were still open.
Here was someone who had fully entered the balanced event of distribution,follow up and character cultivation.
