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Originally Posted by Poppies
DASA: Would it be okay if I asked you how long you've been involved with Krishna consciousness? And how you came to be involved with it in the first place?
:)
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I've been meditating with the Hare Krishna mantra now for about 10 years. The reason I became involved goes back a few years...
In 1922, a young Bengali gentleman in Calcutta, India was called by a friend to meet a 'sadhu' (holy man) who was speaking at his house that evening. The gentleman, called 'Abhay' had met many so-called sadhus before and was largely unimpressed by people who often did not practice what they preach. But anyway on the request of his friend he went along, and met the sadhu. The name of the holy man was 'Srila Bhaktisiddhanta'. Abhay was supprised by this sadhu, he was different to those he had met in the past - he became inspired by what Srila Bhaktisiddhanta was saying, and debated with him, and listened to his answers with great attention. By the end of the evening he was so taken by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta's manner - his depth of knowledge and clarity of speech, that in his heart he then accepted him as his guru. On that very night Srila Bhaktisiddhanta gave Abhay instructions to 'go to the west and spread this Krishna consciousness' and to 'translate the Vedic texts in the English language'. A few years later Abhay took initiation from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, and became an official discple.
In his late fifties, Abhay took to the renounced order of life, and was given the title 'Bhativedanta Swami'. He lived as a monk, staying in humble circumstances at the historic temple of Radha-Damodar in Vrindavan. He had not moved into the temple to retire, but to prepare for his life's mission. In the following years he began his life's masterpiece of translating the ancient text 'Srimad-Bhagavatam' into English. After completing the first three volumes of this work he then decided to leave India to go to the West, and in 1965 at the age of 69 and practically penniless he boarded a freighter ship bound for New York.
When he told others of his plan to leave they would try and talk him out of it, but Bhaktivedanta Swami was not put off.
During the 3 month Atlantic-crossing voyage he suffered multiple-heart attacks, and his health, at age 69 was poor, but Bhaktivedanta Swami did not give up.
Upon arriving in New-York penniless he faced a harsh winter. Living in the ghettos of New-York he had his few valuable belongings stolen from him, and for the first year there was little sign of anyone taking to the teachings, but Bhaktivedanta Swami did not turn back.
Then one day in 1966 he went into a park and began singing the Hare Krishna mantra out-loud under a tree: 'Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare'. So people came to see 'who is this?', and then a crowd formed, and people spontaneously joined in with the Swami and began singing and dancing in the park! Following this event
his mission in New York was to become a great success: a large number of people began to follow the ancient process of self-realisation which Srila Prabhuapada was teaching and gradually step by step the 'Hare Krishna' movement (untill then unheard of in the west) was to become well-known throughout the city of New-York. But Bhaktivedanta Swami did not stop there.
Next he travelled to other cities in America, and set up new centres in those places as well, gradually the movement was growing. Each night he would translate the ancient Vedic scriptures of India into English, sometimes untill way into the night, having only 2-3 hours of sleep, and now some of the books were starting to get published. Some time later he then sent some of his disciples to London with the purpose of 'meeting the Beatles'. Within a few weeks Prabhupada found himself staying at John Lennon's estate and talking with George Harrison and John about the philosophy. At that time they were probably the most influential celebrities in the western world. George organised for a record to made, and 'Hare Krishna' the song became No# 1 in the English charts. 'Hare Krishna' was now becoming a house-hold name. But Bhaktivedanta Swami was not stopping to rest yet.
Within the following ten years he encircled the globe some fourteen times (Africa, India, USA, South America ....), opened over 100 temples and enriched the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the world through his many personal encounters and now highly aclaimed books. In a very small amount of time this one man had managed to achieve more than anyone could ever have imagined. The doctors were saying that now he was too ill to travel and that he should take rest. But Bhaktivedanta Swami did not stop there.
Now affectionately known as 'Srila Prabhupada' by his disciples, he continued to travel around the world to try and inspire the members of his movement to continue the process of self-realisation he had given them. 'To be more Krishna conscious'. He was quoted as saying: 'My devotees are my jewels and they will illuminate the whole world', and he showed his deep love and care for them especially in later years, risking his health to visit temples around the world before finally travelling back to Vrindavan in India for the final time. In September 1977, after uttering the sentence 'this consciousness is Krishna Consciousness' he passed away from this world. Bhaktivedanta Swami had never given up.
So in answer to your original question Poppies, the reason I became involved in Krishna consciousness is because this man, Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, had not been put-off, had not turned back, had not stopped, had not been put off by ill-health, had not rested on his laurels, and had never given up in his desire to please the Lord, by distributing Krishna(God)-Consciousness throughout the world.
Thus when I visited my local library 10 years ago out of an interest in finding out more information about spirituality, and the processes of self-realisation I came across his translation: 'Bhagavad-Gita, As-it-is' which Prabhupada had wrote the transcripts of late into the evenings all those years ago, and then, as they say: the rest is history ....
"I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds.
Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly
know this engage in My devotional service and worship
Me with all their hearts."
Bhagavad-Gita 10.8
Hare Krishna :-)
Your servant,
Das
I thought you were going to say something really profound... and then you wrote the bit about: 
:laughing: but he does tell good jokes!!!!
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