ISV Monthly Sankirtana Offering

By Neil Jariwalla

 

ISV’s Offering of the Results from the MSF of “Krishna’s Most Dearest Servant”

 

On behalf of Team ISV, we hereby make this offering of the Results from the Monthly Sankirtana Festival of Krishna’s Most Dear Servant that took off in October 2012 and concluded today, January 6, 2013.

 

In Chapter 18 of the Bhagavad Gita (Text 68) Lord Krishna explains:

 

Ya idam paramam guhyam

Mad-bhaktesu abhidhasyati

Bhaktim mayi param krtva

Mam Evaisyaty asamsayah

 

“For one who explains this supreme secret to the devotees, pure devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to me.”

 

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport to this verse that the Bhagavad Gita should be explained to persons who are ready to accept Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is a subject matter for the devotees only, and not for philosophical spectators.

 

In Text 69, Lord Krishna adds:

 

Na ca tasman manusyesu

Kascin me priyah-krtamah

Bhavita na ca me tasmad

Anyah Priyataro Bhuvi

 

“There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.”

 

And Srila Prabhupada comments: Anyone who tries to sincerely present the Bhagavad Gita as it is will advance in devotional activities and reach the pure devotional state of life. As a result of such pure devotion, he is sure to go home back to Godhead.

 

The Team ISV goals of this MSF were:

 

To distribute 16,108 Bhagavad Gitas

 

To collect $65,000 in laxmi points

 

We are pleased to report that these goals have been met, surpassed, and smashed!

 

In keeping with the spirit of this MSF’s theme, devotees conducted massive book distribution in colorful and distinctive ways, beginning with the Diwali festival and culminating in the Gita Jayanti festival held at ISV. In between, ISV devotees participated in expansive door-to-door distribution all over the Bay Area, including Cupertino, Foster City, Pleasanton, Sacramento, and Fremont. Book distribution was carried out across the seas in Germany, the Netherlands, and India. Additionally, Gitas were placed in Washington, Fremont, and Kaiser hospitals, as well as various public libraries. A huge portion of this MSF was due to the success of the Motel Gita team, which was able to place thousands of Gitas in motels across the country, thanks to the generous contributions by Ramananda Sakha Prabhu, Shraddha Mataji, Govinda Charan Prabhu, and Rasika Siromani Mataji, and others. Additionally, Motel Gita conducted a traveling Sankirtana team who placed Gitas in motels off Interstate 5.

 

For the first time in the history of ISV, a Gita Jayanti festival was held at the Quinlan Community Center in Cupertino, which featured sloka recitation, an art competition, and a puppet show. This proved to be a big success and plans for an even bigger festival next year are in the works.

 

We would like to thank our Sankirtana leaders, Malini Mataji and Sri Krishna Purusottama Prabhu, for spearheading this huge marathon and making it a big success. A big thank you also goes out to those dedicated devotees who went out every single weekend starting from October until today. These goals would not have been met without their persistence, enthusiasm and spirited effort. We are also very grateful for those devotees who took part in Corporate America MSF to collect funds for the Motel Gita project. Their tireless efforts continue to inspire us.

 

Before I read the final results, I would like to take a moment to remember my dad, Rasika Shekhara Prabhu. He dedicated the latter part of his life in service to Lord Krishna and there was never a temple service of which he wasn’t a part. My mom, Nisha, and I are very grateful to each and every member of our congregation for having selflessly and magnanimously dedicated this marathon to him. We would like to thank everyone for all the support given to us during this difficult and trying period in our lives, especially Vaisesika Prabhu and Nirakula Mataji, who have been in touch with, supported and looked after us every single day since his passing.

 

Lastly, we would not be standing here today listening to this offering were it not for the inspiration and leadership of our dear President Vaisesika Prabhu. His guidance, motivation and belief has made all of this possible. Thank you.

 

Here is a summary of the final resul

 

A total of 17,546 Gitas were distributed and

 

$87,962 in Laxmi points were collected.

 

We hereby offer these results from this MSF of Krishna’s Most Dear Servant to Srila Prabhupada and the Lordships, and hope that they are pleased.