[Nectar] The Holy name of Sri Hari is surely all that be

[Guest guest]

By Janananda das

 

SYDNEY - BREAKING THE BONDS ON BONDI BEACH

 

World famous Bondi beach, Christmas day 2006. 25 devotees descend

amidst the thousands of beach combers with their surf boards and

numerous other gadgets for trying to find happiness. The kirtan begins

winding our way along the promenade. Then into the bar areas, onto the

grass, with bodies lying everywhere in different states of awareness.

The kirtan reaches higher and higher peaks raising the fallen to their

feet.

 

 

Suddenly we are engulfed with dozens and dozens of youngsters dancing

feverishly to the beat. Okay every one put your hands up - Hare

Krishna - they roar back with gusto. The dancing and chanting goes on

and on into the depths, lifting up the hearts of thousands,

penetrating the darkness of ignorance. They cry with hands folded

bending down on their knees. More, more! Sing more. Give us another

tune. It's hard to stop and why should we. One young man from Eire

comes forward and speaks up - sing a song for me it's my birthday.

What's your name I ask - Sham he says - "Shyam" - Jaya Radhe Shyam......

 

Lord Caitanya's sankirtan is the only panacea. It's just indescribably

blissful and carries us away from our false egos and the apparent

problems of this world and cures the problems at the root.

 

Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur stated "Lord Caitanya did not advent Himself

to liberate only a few men in India. Rather, His main objective was to

emancipate all living entities of all countries throughout the entire

universe and preach the Eternal Religion....

 

There is no doubt that this unquestionable order will come to pass....

 

Very soon the unparalleled path of hari-nama-sankirtana will be

propagated all over the world....

 

Oh, for that day when the fortunate English, French, Russian, German,

and American people will take up banners, mrdangas, and karatalas and

raise kirtana through their streets and towns! When will that day

come? ...

 

That day will witness the holy transcendental ecstasy of the Vaisnava

dharma to be the only dharma, and all the sects and religions will

flow like rivers into the ocean of Vaisnava dharma.

 

When will that day come?

 

______

 

NEW YEARS EVE

 

Sydney - teaming with millions - they say as many as two million

assembled on the quay to witness the New Year Celebrations and the

seven million dollar firework display. Our party of chanters weaves

its way in towards the Quay but the cloth of people is so tight we can

hardly progress. We spin around on the periphery of the packed crowds

whipping up a storm. What can I say - everywhere people are amazed at

the kirtan and dancing - how can they not be - it's the most natural

thing for the soul. When they are drunk they let down their

egotistical barriers and are freer to act. It seems as if Nityananda

Prabhu Himself is with us, dancing through the madness - it's

wonderful. The Television gets us for the news. "What are you guys on?

What makes you so happy and dance like this?"

 

The chanting of the Holy names I reply. Try it and see. He jumps in

with us spinning around and chanting as best he can. We stop and

announce to the still sleeping people......"Happy New Year everybody and

chant Hare Krishna for everyone's welfare. Let's chant and bring in a

really auspicious new year." To see the smiles, laughs and joy on

people's faces upon coming in contact with the sankirtan, is

indescribably rewarding and satisfying. It is contagious. Why is it

that even though practically every feels the same way the next time

the sankirtan party goes out we find some excuse not to go? Harinama

sankirtan is the sure medicine for us and the general public. There is

no other solution. Chanting together with devotees. We even begin to

realize that all the so called karmis are devotees as well - just a

little more covered and the chanting removes the covering.

 

______

 

THE QUAY IS THE KEY

 

We go down to the quay where devotees rarely go - through the check in

areas for the ferries on to the sleazy bar areas clustered along the

water's edge. Our small and inexperienced crew wonder what will happen

now. As usual Nityananda has a plan and these half drunk visayis are a

big part of it - it's only 7 pm. The cameras flicking, karatals

clicking, Lord Caitanya's tricking His mercy sticking, their hearts

pricking they begin ticking with the beat of the sweet names of the

Lord. Faces smiling in every bar, hands waving , for what they are

craving they begin raving at the sound of the names of our Sweet Lord.

- it is such happiness to see these brothers and sisters happily

reciprocating with the sankirtan party. We can really experience the

words of our acaryas - the holy name of Sri Hari is surely all that

be. Everything else in this world is transient - here one minute gone

the next. Only the soul and the Holy names remain.

 

We have the highest gem, the greatest treasure which produces the

nectar we are always hankering for. When we plug in and feel the surge

of nectar, we ask "why don't I do this more often?"

 

Over 35 years of going out on Harinama, it seems to me the response

nowadays is far better than ever before. From Sydney to Auckland, to

London, to Berlin, to New York and Vancouver, to Amsterdam, to Prague,

to Mumbai and Washington, to every town and village on and on. The

chanting is the life of the soul. Wake up sleeping souls chant the

holy names.

 

Oh for that day when I take this seriously and realize there is

nothing to be had in the fourteen worlds but the Holy names.

 

HARI NAMA PRABHU KI JAYA

 

Hoping this finds you more and more absorbed in chanting the holy

names.

 

Your servant,

 

Janananda das

 

 

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