Diary of a Traveling Preacher
Charlotte Bhakti Yoga
July 18 - July 22, 2006
By Indradyumna Swami
"For the Benefit of Everyone"
Amritananda dasa and I were on our way to set up a festival when we
stopped
at a car lot in Trzebiatow to look at a truck. We were greeted by the
owner
of the lot, a man in his 70s.
"You have not been here for a long time," he said. "For years you held
your
festival every summer here. Then you stopped, and you started doing
them
nearby, in Mrzezyno."
"More people," I said quickly. I was anxious to see the truck and get
to
the
festival.
"Do you know how much the people of Trzebiatow miss your festivals?" he
said. "We're a small country town, and nothing ever happens here. Your
festivals were the highlight of the year for us."
Suddenly the truck wasn't important any more. "How could I be so
callous?" I
thought. "How could I not reciprocate with this man's interest in Krsna
consciousness?"
We spoke for a while, and after a brief look at the truck, the three of
us
walked back to the van. "I'll be at the festival in Mrzezyno tonight
with
my
granddaughter," the man said. "She's ten and has been going to your
festival
since she was five."
As we drove away, I thought about how a devotee should never be so busy
that
he can't address someone's interest in devotional service to the Lord.
Sharing Krsna consciousness is the very essence of a devotee's life.
"After all," I thought, "it wasn't so long ago that I was also in
forgetfulness of the Lord. Had Visnujana Maharaja not taken the time to
preach to me, where would I be now?"
I thought of a passage from Sri Caitanya Caritamrta:
"Although Vasudeva Vipra was a leper and had suffered greatly, still
Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu cured him. The only return the Lord wanted was that
Vasudeva preach the instructions of Krsna and liberate all human
beings.
That is the process of the International Society for Krsna
Consciousness.
Each and every member of this Society was rescued from a very
abominable
condition, but now they are engaged in preaching the cult of Krsna
consciousness."
[Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 7, 148 purport]
When we arrived at the festival site in Mrzezyno I was surprised to see
that
the stage crew and tent crew had not yet begun setting up. Then I saw
Nandini dasi talking nearby to some frowning men.
"What's happening?" I asked a devotee.
"The shop owners in the area don't want us to set up the festival
here,"
he
said. "They say it detracts from their sales. They've blocked our
semi-trailer from entering the area."
Although it was getting late, I decided not to intervene. I would let
Nandini handle the situation. Negotiating under pressure is her forte.
After an anxious half hour she came over to speak to me.
"Guru Maharaja," she said, "they are adamant about not letting us use
the
same spot we had last year. It blocks the view of their stores.
Although
we
legally have permission to set up where we want and could force the
issue, I
don't think it would be wise. These people will be here every year and
become more and more antagonistic. I suggest we compromise."
My initial reaction was one of anger and a desire to assert our rights,
but
when I heard Nandini's cool-headed suggestion, I calmed down and
agreed.
Our
willingness to cooperate softened the hearts of the store owners, and
they
suggested a spot nearby. Coincidentally, it faced their stores, making
them
appear to be part of our festival. Later that evening, I visited one of
the
stores to buy some fruit.
"How's business?" I asked the owner.
He smiled. "Better than ever," he said.
By the Lord's arrangement, the new location proved to be better for us
than
the other one, and the preaching too was better than ever in Mrzezyno.
During the festival, I complimented Nandini on her diplomatic handling
of
the affair, as even a devotee must sometimes use diplomacy:
"A diplomat in the material world knows how to deal with people,
especially
in political affairs. In many instances we have seen the diplomacy of
Rupa
Gosvami, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and Ramananda Raya employed in the
service
of the Lord. When Raghunatha dasa Gosvami's father and uncle were to be
arrested by government officials, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami hid them and
personally met the government officers and settled the affair
diplomatically. The conclusion is that diplomacy used for the service
of
the
Lord is a form of devotional service."
[Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 12.45, purport]
I have often seen devotional service soften a person's heart, as the
hearts
of the storeowners were softened, and such transformations deepen my
faith
in Krsna consciousness. In fact, I live for such moments because for me
they
are manifestations of Gaura-sakti, the internal spiritual potency of
Lord
Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They are the reward for whatever austerities a
preacher
goes through in spreading the teachings of the Lord.
Another case came later in that evening.
As always, thousands of people came to the event. At the end, when we
were
having the final kirtan, I noticed Nandini sitting and talking with a
gentleman. Even the roar of the kirtan and the fact that 100 children
were
dancing with us, causing a cloud of dust to rise above the festival,
didn't
disturb their conversation. Only when we had finished and most people
had
left the festival grounds, did Nandini and the man finish and say
goodbye.
I asked Nandini about the man. I could see that she had been touched by
Lord
Caitanya's mercy upon a fallen soul of Kali-yuga.
"He's in charge of cultural affairs in Trzebiatow, nearby," Nandini
said.
"He helped us get permission and organize our festivals there for
years.
He
was sad that we don't hold them there any longer."
I thought of the elderly man at the car lot. "Yes," I said, "I know
someone
else in Trzebiatow who feels the same way."
"Well," said Nandini, "This gentleman said he remembers how we shared
many
things about Krsna consciousness with him over the years. 'I was always
listening to you,' he told me, 'but nothing really made sense to me at
the
time.'
"Then several months ago, his mother was diagnosed with terminal
cancer.
He
was devastated. He had no one to turn to for solace. Watching his
mother
die, he said, was the most agonizing time of his life.
"Then suddenly, he began remembering little bits and pieces of the
knowledge
we had given him in personal discussions and at the festivals. 'I
remembered
about karma,' he said, 'and reincarnation and the temporary nature of
this
world and the reality of the spiritual world.' It all worked like a
balm
to
sooth his suffering soul, he said.
"As the days went by and the situation became tense, he said he found
himself becoming calmer and reflecting on the wisdom we had shared with
him.
When his mother finally died, it was painful for him, but he was able
to
tolerate it. He told me, 'I came here today to thank you for the
spiritual
knowledge you gave me.'
"I told him that we were happy to share with him what had also saved
us.
I
wanted to reciprocate with him for all he had done for our festivals in
Trzebiatow, so I took him to the gift shop to give him some presents.
"When he realized what I was doing, he said, 'The real gift you can
give
me
is not in here.'
"Then he took me outside the gift shop and to the book table. He picked
up a
Bhagavad-gita and said, 'This is the best gift anyone can receive.'
"Then, to my amazement, he picked up a set of japa beads from the
table.
'This too,' he said.
" 'I have to reciprocate with your kindness in a spiritual way,' he
said.
'The little I have learned has helped me so much. I can only imagine
how
much there is to be gained by going deeper.'
"With that he left a donation and walked back to his car. I am amazed,
Guru
Maharaja, how this festival program is changing the hearts of so many
fallen
souls."
"I am too," I replied, shaking my head. "There must be many similar
stories
among the thousands of people who come to our festivals. Let us pray
for
the
privilege to be engaged in this way for many years to come. Such
festivals
are the desire of the Lord and His pure representatives, who long ago
chalked out a plan to flood the world with the ocean of love of God."
That evening, before I went to bed, I came upon a passage in Prema
Vilasa,
by Sri Nityananda dasa:
"One morning Jiva Goswami summoned Srinivasa Acarya and Narottam das
Thakur.
"'Both of you take permission from your spiritual masters before
departing
for Bengal with the books,' he said.
"The two prabhus first went to Lokanatha Goswami.
"Lokanatha Goswami said, 'What you are about to do is the perfection of
everything I have taught you. Remember to practice renunciation; do not
use
perfumed oil or other luxurious items. Eat simply - and only once a
day.
" 'Serve the Vaisnavas with the same love and devotion you serve Krsna.
Remain always vigilant and avoid offenses while rendering devotional
service.
" 'And most important, perform sankirtan and hold grand festivals for
the
benefit of everyone. That is my order.' "
[Prema Vilasa, Sri Nityananda das, Twelfth Vilasa]
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