Start a Long Journey

December 8, 2003

A WONDERFULL GIFT FROM SRI KRISHNA

Please accept my most humble obeisance’s to your lotus feet. All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.

I would like to share my wonderful experiences to all of you, the devotee of Lord Krishna. It is about a gift from Sri Krishna to me, a precious gift that can sustain me in the turbulent and insane world like today, and it is about my first encounter with Sri Krishna’s pure devotee.

Before I began my story, I need to tell you a little bit about my self. I am an Indonesian citizen who comes from Bali and since childhood live in Jakarta the capital of Indonesia, even though my parent’s religion is Hindu but I didn’t know much about our religion and a lot of question rise when I am a teenager about the entire basic thing that we have to know, for example: Who am I? Where I come from, who is the Lord? What He wants from me, what is my relation to my Lord, What is my duty in this world? I remember that nobody can give me the answer that can make me satisfy. Until one day when I am in junior high, I found that my father had a book with the title “Bhagavad Gita” and the translator is Nyoman S. Pendit (a Balinese man). One of my hobbies is reading, so I read the book with full of curiosity, I finally realize that Bhagavad Gita is a very good book and since that day the book never leave me, I always find peace every time I read the book and I forget my problem. Bhagavad Gita accompanies me until I am in college, for the moment a part of my question has an answer but I am not fully satisfied. I am still searching.

In 1995 my father who is a central figure in our family is past away after one month in a hospital because of stroke. I suddenly become the head of the family; I have to admit that I not prepare for that role. In these difficult times my uncle introduces me to Lord Krishna. Actually since a few months ago my uncle wants to talk to me about Krishna Consciousness, but at that time I didn’t put much attention until after my father die, my uncle came again to talk about Lord Krishna. At first I a little confuse about his explanation, finally I ask him to give me some book about this subject. A few days later my uncle came up with full set of Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad Gita as It Is by His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Read those two books (Srimad Bhagavatam & Bhagavad-Gita as it is) is like people who are thirsty and ask for some glass of water but instead somebody give him an ocean. No need for me to read those entire books to know that finally I find the answer that I am looking for all of my life. Never before I feel so grateful and full of happiness, of all sudden the burden that I feel so heavy on my shoulder is gone and since that day I cannot stop reading, I always brought one of the book with me.

Times goes by, April 1999, my uncle phone me from Bali (he lives in Bali) that a spiritual master will come from India to Bali and he ask me whether I want to spent the holiday in Bali. I never met with a spiritual master before and I am very anxious to meet him. His name is His Holiness Srila Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami Sripada Maharaja, who came all the way from Manipur to Bali. So many people in Bali want to meet Maharaja and he always accompany by a lot of devotee who wants to be as close as possible to him. I only can saw him from a distance and hoping that I will have a chance to be near him, I feel fortunate enough that I have a chance to meet a spiritual master--- Lord Krishna representative, from many book I know that His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada in his morning walk sometimes looking for him: “where is the scientist?” I feel so grateful that because of Lord Krishna arrangement I have a chance to meet his dear devotee, even though I feel I didn’t have any qualification to meet His representative, it is only because His causeless mercy upon me.

Almost six month latter, my uncle phone me again, this time to inform me that His Holiness Srila Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami Sripada Maharaja will come to Cisarua (up in the mountain, it is about 80 km west Jakarta) there is a temple there, but Maharaja and his disciple need to stop in Jakarta to go to Indian Embassy regarding his visas. I feel so happy to have a chance to meet Maharaja again; this time the distance is not far like before (in Bali). At the end of the conversation my uncle suddenly came with a proposal that maybe they can use my house as a base while they are in Jakarta. I didn’t believe my ear as I hear my uncle plan; I never dreamed that my humble house is suitable enough to receive a spiritual master and above all I didn’t know how to serve a spiritual master (I am afraid, without knowing I will make an offense in his lotus feet). My uncle didn’t give me much time to think because Maharaja will come in two days.

Almost like a dream my family and I prepare for the big day, I keep asking my self whether it is real or not and prepare for cancellation in the last minute. But everything is already confirmed and Maharaja came by train from Bali to Jakarta very early at 06:00 in the morning, they all must be very tired. When Maharaja’s car finally came in front of my house it seem like a slow motion to see him enter our living room, the first word Maharaja spoke is “Hare Krishna”. So wonderful it is to hear the maha mantram came from an advance devotee like Maharaja, so different it sound. It is true when the scripture said that we have to hear the maha mantram from a pure devote of the Lord. Fortunately, I wasn’t forgetting to offer my obeisance’s onto him because I feel like a statue cannot move, not knowing whether this is a dream or a reality.

To make the story short, Maharaja decided to spend the last day in my house, because his plane is going to leave very early in the morning so it is very far if he has to go from the temple in Cisarua. Well, this is another surprise arrange by Sri Krishna, because to have a spiritual master in your house for a few hours is one thing but to have a spiritual master spent the night in your house is another thing. So, that night we have a wonderful time, listening Maharaja and his devotee singing beautiful bhajana. Only ten people at that night because we didn’t know about his lat minute plan to stay in my house so I didn’t have time to tell another devotee to come and met Maharaja. I cannot sleep that night, afraid that Maharaja and his devotee may need something and I am not there to serve them. I remember that Maharaja rose very early in the morning at three o’clock and they are leaving my house at four o’clock. It is sad to see them leave and when I go inside, I feel the house is so empty and quite. The day wrapped up with a nice thing in the afternoon, my postman brought me “Back to Godhead – The Pioneer Years” that I order almost a month ago. Thanks Krishna, You really know how to make your devotee crying in happiness.

Lord Krishna already sealed my faith in Him. I have no qualification to call myself a devotee, I still far away from that. Only because His causeless mercy all this wonderful thing can happen and He open the door for me through His pure devotee to let me start a long journey in this spiritual path. Because of my ignorance, maybe I will come to His abode after million of million of years, I will keep this treasure tight in my heart. Any miseries happen to me in the past, in present and in the future are nothing compare to what He is given me. You let me to utter Your Holy Name. With folded hand, I bowed my head; I give my obeisance’s onto You, Lord Krishna, my savior.

Again and again I glorify Your Holy Name, You are the answer of my prayer, there is nothing that can compare to the gift that You kindly bestow upon me, the knowledge about Your real name.

And my uncle, he is now a disciple of His Holiness Srila Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami Sripada Maharaja and his spiritual name is Guna Avatar Das, he already go to Manipur, Mayapur and Jaganatha Puri, only because of his stubbornness I finally know this Krishna Consciousness, I am so indebted to him. I hope someday I am worthy enough to be a disciple of a spiritual master.

Hare Krshna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare!

Ps: With Lord Krshna mercy, 11 April 2003, in Bali, on the auspicious day of Rama Navami, I got my initiation from His Holiness Srila Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami Sripada Maharaja.

Thank you very much for reading this.

Hare Krishna!

Very sincerely,

Your most insignificant servant,

Rasa Priya devi dasi

December 8, 2003

Gongrats my dear frend, this is a beautiful story, your always safe at the feet of the Lord.

Chant Hare Krsna and be Happy

December 9, 2003

HareKrishna!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!I offer my humble obesiances unto Him!

I envy you for doing good in Krishna Consciousness. Hope I become something like you getting initiated and serve a pure devotee.Lord Krishna is the sweetest and He answers to anyone who just thinks about Him.HareKrishna!

Ananda