Volume 7, Chapter 12

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Diary of a Traveling Preacher

 

Volume 7, Chapter 12

 

By Indradyumna Swami

 

August 2 - 7, 2006

 

 

"No Ordinary Festival"

 

 

After Woodstock, we moved our operation back to the Baltic coast. It wasn't

easy. Our 250 devotees were tired from the 18 festivals in July, not to

mention Woodstock. Only their determination to serve guru and Gauranga

enabled us to set up a festival in the town of Dzwirzyno after a break of

only three days.

 

We held Harinama in the morning to advertise the program, and more than

5,000 people came that afternoon. Certainly the demigods helped: it was

sunny while we did Harinama on the beach, but by late afternoon the sky had

become overcast and most people left the beach and came straight to our

event.

 

devan bhavayatanena

te deva bhavayantu vah

parasparam bhavayanta

sreyah param avapsyatha

 

"The demigods, being pleased by sacrifices, will also please you, and thus,

by cooperation between men and demigods, prosperity will reign for all."

 

[bhagavad-gita 3.11]

 

After the grandeur and majesty of Krsna's Village of Peace at Woodstock, the

festival seemed small, but that didn't diminish the quality of those who

attended. I went into the Book tent and saw people photographing our

beautiful Deities, Sri Sri Gandarvika-Giridhari on Their altar, while others

browsed through Srila Prabhupada's books.

 

As a young girl and her mother left the tent, Radha Caran das approached me.

"Guru Maharaja," he said, "that 11-year-old girl was one of the most amazing

children I have ever met. She came in with her mother and went straight to

the altar. She stood there with folded hands gazing at the Deities for a

long time.

 

"Her mother told me this was the first time they had met us, but her

daughter was displaying an amazing amount of devotion for everything we do.

She said, 'Since my daughter was a small child, she was always saying Hare

Krsna. I don't know where she learned it. I never taught her. I knew nothing

about you.

 

" 'One day, she asked me to buy her a sari. Can you imagine? Where was I

going to buy a sari in a small Polish village? Two years ago she shocked the

priest and the congregation at mass when she refused the wafer. She told the

priest she was Krsna's devotee.

 

" 'This year in religion class she told her teacher that all religions are

good, but only in India do people know who is God. She became defiant when

challenged that Hindus are crazy for not eating meat, saying that the

killers of animals will suffer for many births. My little daughter,

preaching reincarnation!

 

" 'When she saw you people singing on the beach this morning her face lit up

like never before, and she insisted on going to your festival. When we saw

you singing on the stage she announced that this is the best way to pray,

and now I can't get her away from your altar. Just look. She's staring at

the statues as if she were in love.'"

 

Radha Caran stood there, beaming. "What do you think of that Guru Maharaja?"

he said.

 

"You know," I said, "I think there are many devotees taking birth all over

the planet who will continue the work that Srila Prabhupada started."

 

purvabhyasena tenaiva

hriyate hy avaso 'pi sah

jijnasur api yogasya

sabda-brahmativartate

 

"By virtue of the divine consciousness of his previous life, he

automatically becomes attracted to the yogic principles - even without

seeking them. Such an inquisitive transcendentalist stands always above the

ritualistic principles of the scriptures."

 

[bhagavad-gita 6.44]

 

As I left the Book tent I saw the head of the security company that guards

our festivals. He was part of a team of four security men protecting the

festivals during the month leading up to Woodstock. Another group from the

company has since replaced them, but he was in uniform and appeared to be on

duty.

 

"What a surprise!" I said. "I thought you had gone home for a vacation."

 

He laughed. "Yes," he said, "I am on vacation, on your tour. When I got home

I missed the festivals so much I decided to come back with my family.

They're watching the stage show, and I'm guarding the event."

 

"Really?" I said. "You mean you're working during your vacation?"

 

"I don't consider it work," he said. "It's pleasure."

 

"He's truly on his way back to Godhead," I thought. "He's rendering

devotional service with no thought of material reward."

 

As I approached the restaurant I saw a man I had noticed earlier on

Harinama. As our chanting party stepped on to the soft sands of the beach

that morning, most devotees took off their shoes. One devotee was in charge

of putting them all in a large plastic bag to carry over his shoulder behind

us, in case any devotees needed their shoes again.

 

As soon as we started down the beach a man got up from sunbathing and asked

if he could carry the bag. At first I thought he was joking, but then he

took the bag and followed us for an hour, all the way down the beach and

back. I had the impression he might be mentally impaired, but when I saw him

at the festival - dressed in fine clothes, with his equally well-dressed

wife and two children - I understood that he was a professional person.

 

"Amazing," I thought. "Such a high-class person inspired to perform such a

humble service for the devotees."

 

Just then I saw Nandini dasi speaking to a man and woman at a table next to

the restaurant. She motioned for me to come over and introduced them as

father and daughter. The man was the baker in the town where we have our

summer base.

 

"His wife died recently," Nandini said.

 

The young woman turned to me. "Nandini has been so kind in helping us come

to terms with my mother's death," she said. "Your philosophy makes so much

sense. My mother is gone, but I know she is living elsewhere, continuing on

her path back to God. Previously I was attracted to the cultural aspect of

your festival - the music, dance, and theater, but now I realize it has much

more to offer. Your philosophy gives a sense of purpose and higher meaning

to life."

 

Another woman at the same table spoke up.

 

"Excuse me," she said, "I hope I'm not being rude by interrupting."

 

"Not at all," Nandini said.

 

"I couldn't help overhearing your conversation with this young lady," the

woman continued. "I must say I am also impressed with your philosophy. This

is the second time I have come to one of your festivals. Last year I was so

skeptical I wouldn't even speak to any of you. I simply looked around. In

fact, I don't know what brought me back again this year. But after hearing

what this lady has to say about her mother I've changed my opinion. The

solutions you propose to the problems of life are truly remarkable."

 

"May I ask who you are?" said Nandini.

 

The woman smiled. "I'm a lawyer from Warsaw," she said.

 

Nandini turned to the woman's husband. "And what do you do?" she said.

 

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he said.

 

"He's one of the most prominent politicians in Poland," his wife said.

 

Just at that moment I received a signal from the stage manager that I was

due to give my lecture in five minutes.

 

I excused myself. "We'll be listening to learn more," the husband said.

 

As I walked up the steps of the stage I reflected on the hundreds of

lectures I give on the tour. "I must always remember how important they

are," I thought. "For some, like the father and daughter I just met, the

knowledge we give relieves them from the miseries of material existence."

 

>From the stage I looked out at the audience and saw among the crowd the

mother and her 11-year-old daughter, the head of the security company, the

man who carried the bag of shoes, the baker and his daughter, and the lawyer

and the politician - all eager to hear.

 

"Ladies and Gentlemen," I began, "I thank you for being present today and

participating in this great event. As many of you have already experienced,

this is no ordinary festival: it presents a spiritual culture that elevates

us to the transcendental platform. We encourage you to stay with us this

evening and experience the wonderful world of Krsna consciousness, a world

far beyond the dualities of material life, a world of eternity, knowledge,

and bliss. "

 

As I spoke, all the special people I had met that evening nodded their heads

in appreciation. What could be more satisfying for a servant of the Lord?

 

"Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally traveled to different regions of India

to spread the bhakti cult throughout the country. By His personal behavior

He has given an example for devotees to follow. That is, one should

broadcast the cult of devotional service. A Vaisnava is especially

interested in para-upakara, doing good to others. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

also wanted His mission spread all over the world. Following in His

footsteps, we are trying to broadcast His message. By His mercy, people are

taking this movement very seriously."

 

[sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 25.264, purport]

 

Indradyumna.swami (AT) pamho (DOT) net

 

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