Indian PM Gets Janmastami Prasad

[Guest guest]

Indian PM Gets Janmastami Prasad

 

BY DEENA BANDHU DAS

 

INDIA, Sep 18 — On the 2nd September, the day after Nandotsava and Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa Puja, devotees from Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir in Vrindavan gave Chappan Bhog Janmastami Prasada to the Honourable Prime Minister, the Honourable Deputy Prime Minister, the Honourable President and Vice President of India.

 

Sarvabhauma Prabhu, co-director of Indian Communications, along with Rupa Raghunatha, director of Vrindavan Food for life, presented the Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Bajpayee with a specially designed metal container with five kilos of Vrindavan Janmastami Prasad with Tulasi on top. This meeting was organised by Sri Col. R. C. Ravat, the secretary of the Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Committee. This is an advisory committee formed by co-president Devakinandan Prabhu of prominent well-wishers among local industrialists and professionals.

 

Sri Bajpayee immediately picked up some Tulasi leaves touched them to his head and honoured them. Then he was presented with Bhagavad Gita As It Is and a small statue of Makhan Chora. He was enchanted seeing all these wonderful gifts and exclaimed, "How come you brought all this?" Sarvabauma Prabhu replied, "It was Krishna's desire that He inspired us to bring this special mercy to you so that you will be able protect the citizens of this great country." The Prime Minister said, "If He desires and gives me the energy, I will try to bring peace in this country." Smiling, Sarvabhauma replied, "He lifted Govardhan Hill on his little finger, so if He desires, He can give you. He inspired us to convey all this to you today."

 

Sri Bajpayee then invited the devotees to sit and they requested him to visit Vrindavan. The Prime Minister immediately replied, "It is my hearts desire to have darshan of Vrindavan." The devotees requested him to visit in Kartik, especially since this Kartik marks 25 years since Srila Prabhupada's disappearance.

 

Following this, they visited the Honourable President of India, Sri A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. Although there was very heavy security to visit the Prime Minister, after seeing his pleasure on our visit, the security phoned our car number ahead. Everywhere else we went, on seeing our car number, all the gates automaticaly opened just like the gates to Kamsa's prison on Janmastami Day.

 

Mr. Kalam immediately honoured prasadam, and inviting us to sit, he reciprocated by offering lemon juice and sweets. The president asked the devotees what was their mission. Sarvabhauma replied, "We're a spiritual movement spreading love of God to bring brotherhood and peace globally." Mr. Kalam exclaimed, "Oh, spiritual group! Good, I don't meet religious people, I meet spiritual people. Spiritualality is the post-graduate of religious movements." Then he offered a challenge that your spiritual movement bring peace in Gujerat and Kashmir in the next 10 years. That will be a great achievment for the glory of India.

 

Mr. Kalam was also appreciative of receiving Bhagavad Gita As It Is and Makhan Chora. Unfortunately the official photographer did not arrive on time and due to security reasons, no one else is allowed to take pictures. So we have no photo.

 

Their next visit was to the Honourable Vice President, Bhairav Sing Shekhavat.

 

Upon receiving the Janmastami Prasad, he honoured Tulasi prasada and exclaimed, "Jaya Gopinatha!" He explained that in his native village of Rajasthan, they worship Gopinatha. When the devotees requested Sri Shekhavat to visit Vrindavan and see the Food for Life programs of Rupa Raghunatha, he happily replied, "That now I have ample time to visit Vrindavan and Hrishikesh!"

 

The Honourable Deputy Prime Minister, Sri Lal Krishna Advani, was not present in the city that day, so the devotees returned to Vrindavan. The next day, Mr. Advani called Vrindavan asking, "Where's my prasad?" So the devotees returned to Delhi and delivered Janmastami Prasad, Bhagavad Gita, and Makhan Chora to his wife. Sarvabhauma explained, "Mr. Advani was called to an important meeting before we could reach Delhi, so we met his wife. I spoke to her in her native language and she was charmed. She said she was very interested to visit Vrindavan and see the Food For Life programs of feeding and educating children and providing drinking water in the villages of Vraja. Mrs. Advani expressed her appreciation to Rupa Raghunatha Prabhu for his service."

 

In service of Sri Sri Krishna Balaram, Deena Bandhu dasa

 

[Guest guest]

It is amazing that these gentlemen retain a very polite attitude despite their achievements.

 

When Jayalalitha won the elections, she told the devotees in Chennai that it is by their prayers that she overcame all the obstacles.

 

It is easy to say "I will help you and you can approach me any time." But it is difficult to recognize God's hand especially when you are winning.

[vsdprasad]

when is president Bush / PM TonyBlair / PM's of other countries going to get their prasad from krishna temples in their respective countries!

 

-vsdPrasad

[Guest guest]

When their sukriti deserves it. And they burn out some of the desire to control others. I would imagine they would be too skeptical or suspicious to take any offering from strangers in eastern sects. But Krsna can arrange anything. Maybe just taking the dharsan of these Indian leaders would help them, going on this report of the PM they sound at least some of the way there.Can you imagine George touching a tulasi leaf to his head.

It's a hard call being a politician!

[stonehearted]

There are a couple of factors that will determine when world and national leaders get Krishna prasad (Krishna's mercy). One is sukriti, as mentioned; that will manifest in their being open to receiving devotees. The other factor is our determination to become vehicles for Krishna's mercy. When we are merciful enough, when we're willing to give the two hundred gallons of blood Srila Bhaktisiddhanta requested for the nourishment of the rest of the world's spiritual life, then we'll see Krishna consciousness start to spread like wildfire. In the meantime, we'll express amazement at incidents like this.

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

[karthik_v]

 

when is president Bush / PM TonyBlair / PM's of other countries going to get their prasad from krishna temples in their respective countries!

 

 

I hope never. I am myself an ardent Hindu and detest any anti-Hindu politics. I am even appreciative of those politicians who are supportive of Hinduism - primarily because the general trend among the Indian politicians has been one of anti-Hinduism. Having said that, I believe that a government has to be secular, progressive and should never hobnob with religious organizations. I am all for preserving pluralism. A citizen should have the right to practice the religion of his choice, be an atheist or even criticize and condemn any religion or religious persona. Virtually every religious organization is opposed to pluralism. When political masters hobnob with religious organizations it sets a dangerous trend - a trend that can be witnessed in the history of the Christian west. A trend that led to sycophancy and decadence.

 

When religious organizations court politicians, that is a clear indication that spiritualism has given room to commerce or even worse. This is not something to be glorified.

 

Indian history holds a clear lesson for us. Every time a king surrendered to his guru and let him guide the society, his kingdom was weakened and very soon became extinct. The most successful kings, though religious themselves, always maintained a distance from religious leadership - a distance that saves both the king and the guru.

[gHari]

I remember a few years back when the Mayor of Toronto became quite fond of prasadam at the Ratha Yatra festival. Bhaktimarga Swami has an incredible way of engaging everyone and anyone in Krsna's devotional service. He is quite remarkable to watch in action.

 

So maybe George and Tony and the Pope will be blessed soon enough.

 

My old temple president told me I was going to eat my way back to Godhead. So let it be written. So let it be done.

 

Burp!

[gHari]

I forgot to mention the pride I felt as I read this article about the Prime Minister. I have read much about him and am a fan. That the devotees of Srila Prabhupada extended Krsna's mercy to him made me realize the tremendous growth in stature that ISKCON has been able to maintain despite all these conspiracies that too often permeate the internet.

 

I also feel better about India's and the world's future because of this incident.

 

Srila Prabhupada would indeed be very happy.

[sushanta]

It is good news to distribute the Prasad to anyone, and especially I do not find it correct to publicise this as a great thing. When we say it is prasad from Krishan it is for the people let him be a ordinary man or a highly political leader or anyone else.

[raga]

 

It is good news to distribute the Prasad to anyone, and especially I do not find it correct to publicise this as a great thing. When we say it is prasad from Krishan it is for the people let him be a ordinary man or a highly political leader or anyone else.

Bhagavad Gita 3.21 states that whatever great men do, the common folk will follow. If the deed of a great, prominent man is presented to the public, it will certainly influence them. So it is certainly great.

[sushanta]

Dear Sadhak,

 

Thanks for your information, I did not know the same.

[Guest guest]

Hello sir ,I have a Great pronam to you.

 

 

 

 

THANKS

[Guest guest]

http://vnn.org/world/WD0309/WD13-8345.html

 

BY DEENA BANDHU DASA

 

INDIA, Sep 13 (VNN) — Remembering our successful program from last Janmastami, this year also the devotees from Krishna Balaram Mandir, Vrindavan presented Janmastami Prasad to the Honorable Indian Prime Minister, Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Our good friend and secretary of the Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Committee, Col. RC Ravat, again made all the arrangements and he went with Sri Sarvabhauma Das, Vice President of ISKCON Vrindavan and Rupa Raghunath from Vrindavan Food For Life. Rupa Raghunath commented that five thousand years ago, all the doors in Kamsa's prison opened automatically. In the same way, although there was very strict security, five thousand years later, when we mentioned Krishna Prasad from Janmastami in Vrindavan, all the doors automatically opened for us.

 

All of them were given a copy of Krishna Book, a very beautiful murti of Krishna playing His flute, a lamination of the Lotus of Braja Mandal, and a tiffin with some of the Chappan Bhog Mahaprasad from Janmastami at Krishna Balaramm Mandir in Vrindavan.

 

First the party of devotees went to the residence of Sri I.D. Swami, Honorable Minister of Home Affairs. Vvery happy to receive Janmastami prasadam, he received the devotees at his residence in a very friendly and informal manner. They saw that his whole house was decorated with many of the ISKCON picures of Krishna. When he was invited to Vrindavan, he immediately replied that he would try to come for Radhastami.

 

On arriving at the house of the Honorable Vice President of India, Sri B. S. Shekhawat, the devotees greeted him with "Jai Gopinathji!" remembering from last year that in his village they are all devotees of Gopinathji. He warmly invited the devotees in to sit and talk with him for some time. He was very interested in the fact that they were presenting this very valuable Janmastami Mahaprasad to all the leaders of the Government.

 

The next day, the devotees went to visit the Honorable Deputy Prime Minister, Sri Lal Krishna Advani. Although he was quite busy, on hearing that Janmastami Prasad from Vrindavan had come, he made an appointment to meet the devotees. On their invitation to visit Vrindavan, he lamented that he really wanted to come, but everywhere he goes the security makes so much inconvenience for the public. He said that he didn't want to trouble anyone who was coming to Vrindavan to take darshan of Lord Krishna. He was very happy when the devotees suggested that we could make arrangements in the slow season.

 

The visit with the Prime Minister was still pending. This was the time when there was to be a vote of confidence in the Parliament, which he easily won.

 

Finally at 11 at night, the PM office called that he wanted to meet the devotees the next day. Then Rupa Raghunatha made his comment about even five thousand years later, for Krishna Prasad, all the doors are automatically opened.

 

When the devotees met the Honorable Prime Minister, Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he appeared to be tired. But as soon as he saw the enchanting form of the Lord, he immediately perked up and took him in his hand lovingly taking darshan. He again prayed that by sending this Janmastami Prasad from Vrindavan, the Lord should bless him to lead the country to peace.

 

In Service of Sri Sri Krishna Balaram,

Deena Bandhu dasa