Hare Krishna!

[Guest guest]

hare Krsna,

 

Can anybody forward to me songs of Srimati Radharani,

 

I have her "Stava" only, I am seeking songs such as her astaka, and much

more. Please keep a look out for me.

 

Thanking you all,

 

haribol

Leenesh

 

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[Guest guest]

Dear Candrasekhara Prabhu,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

We have some very good news for you. Yesterday we had our first programme

with the Agra Range of Jails. After contacting the Deputy Inspector of

Police, Mr. D.D. Misra, who you and I met here in Vrindavan, he invited us

to both the Central Jail and the District Jail of Agra. The Central Jail

houses 750 convicted prisoners, and the District Jail holds 1600 prisoners

awaiting trial. Since the courts have been on strike for a month now, the

District Jail is in a pathetic condition with extreme overcrowding.

 

At the Central Jail, the Senior Superintendent, Mr. V.K. Jain, gave us a

very pleasant welcome. We noticed that he had a huge painting of Krishna and

Arjuna on his wall with the sloka:

yada yada hi dharmasya

glanir bhavati bharata

abyutthanam adharmasya

tadatmanam srjamy aham

"Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O

descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion--at that time I

descend Myself." (Bg.4.7)

 

Mr. Jain arranged for 500 prisoners and 20 officers to attend the program.

Everyone ecstatically joined in kirtan, heard two lectures in Hindi by Deena

Bandhu Prabhu and Braja Bhumi Das, and enjoyed a second kirtan with the

officers standing and raising their hands to encourage the prisoners to sing

louder. The grand finale was prasad distribution of laddu to every prisoner

and officer. Mr. Jain then received a full set of 25 Hindi books by Srila

Prabhupada for the prison library with a great round of applause. We also

gave a Bhagavad-gita to him as a personal gift. Mr. Mishra telephoned and

thanked us for the program and asked if he could also personally receive

some of Srila Prabhupada's books. We sent him five big books as well. Mr.

Jain then called ahead to inform the District Jail that we were on our way.

 

At the District Jail we were greeted enthusiastically by the Jailor, Mr.

D.K. Vajpayee, a devotee himself who encouraged us immensely to have regular

programs at his jail. As our party went through the gates into the jail

compound, we were amazed to see another gigantic painted mural of Sri

Krishna and Arjuna (at least 20 by 30 feet big) above the entrance into the

jail. The same sloka was written below. It seemed then obvious that the mood

here in the Agra jails was first and formost a sense of duty on behalf of

Lord Krishna to reform the miscreants.

 

Mr. Vajpayee arranged a hall full of 300 men to join in kirtan, two

lectures, a second kirtan, and prasad distribution. Then he and his officers

escorted us to the ladies jail where we were in for a pleasant surprise. We

had a kirtan, then Deena Bandhu spoke about Lord Caitanya in Hindi, I gave a

short explanation of the meaning of the Hare Krishna mantra in Hindi, and

then we had another kirtan. Then the lady warden told the women to start

their own program. Then ran and got a dhol (wooden mridanga), some bells,

and they starting the sweetest bhajans you can ever imagine. There was one

eunuch staying in the jail with the women, and he began to dance with the

bells on his feet, and everyone enjoyed the singing so much. Our brahmachari

mridanga player joined in, and the ecstacy increased with the ladies singing

all together. When they finished, we gave everyone laddus, and started to

chat with the ladies. My daughter was so surprised that such nice girls were

in the jail, and we had to pull her away to go, they all wanted to speak

with her so much.

 

Mr. Vajpayee then begged us to come to his home. His wife had prepared a

pure vegetarian dinner for our party of six, and his children served us all

respectfully. During dinner, my daughter asked Mr. Vajpayee about the girls

in the jail, what crimes could they have possibly committed since they all

seemed so sweet. Just like Yamaraja, he went on to explain one by one what

each girl had done, one had murdered her entire family, one was involved in

a dowry murder, another had murdered her husband, and the eunuch had stabbed

someone to death. We were amazed how by the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

they had all become liberated that day from all the reactions of their past

sins just by chanting Hare Krishna and taking Krishna Prasadam.

 

Mr. Vajpayee's wife then showed us their temple room with laminations and

Deities of practically every avatar and demigod known to mankind. They were

definitely very nice devotees who appreciated our efforts to come and

preach, and they reciprocated so sweetly. Again and again they asked us to

return, and we also invited them to visit us at Vrindavan.

 

So here the story ends, because we utilized your entire donation to purchase

the books and arrange the conveyance. I don't know how or from where I will

be able to raise donations to go again, or to visit the remaining 11 jails

in Agra Range. Mr. Vajpayee also told us they have a juvenile ward with 100

boys that he wants us to visit. This entire day of preacing cost us about

$50. See what you can do, whether anyone there is willing to help with this

program. We are ready and happy to continue.