Rishikesh
Sitting on the banks of Ganga is inspiring and satisfying. Yet my heart yearns for Ganga of Gomukh, born from the glacier. Her steel blue dancing waters is icy and taste sweet. Every year yogis come from all over for the greatest yoga festival on the planet. It starts March 1st to March 22nd. I came a couple of days before the devotees for some alone time, to try and chant without distraction and pressure. Yet, Sri Harinama had other plans. By chance I met with people from the yoga scene and they wanted Hari Kirtan. One time we were a small group sitting in a circle on the banks of the Ganga. Everyone was absorbed until some felt the thrust of a determined want-to-be participant. A cow nudged persistently, intent to be in the middle. Her fortitude finally won her the coveted spot. We all kept chanting and she just stood there, quiet and peaceful. After a while she left to quickly return with her calf. Again, they came in the middle for a while and then wandered off to the side to stand immobile, as if intent on hearing. I was also greatly relieved we weren’t splattered with sacred cow produce. It is cold and laundry is not so easy.
Tomorrow one of the great Sankirtan stalwarts of our time is arriving. Despite a recent critical operation, Indradyumna Maharaj is behind this Kirtan festival this year. In a few purports of CC, Prabhupada states it is the duty of all members of this Hare Krishna movement to take this chanting all over the world. Maharaj is doing just that. This inspires the heart in a real, active way. I also wish to dedicate my life selflessly to the mission. Without the blessings of Vaisnavas one cannot be engaged in unmotivated devotional practices. Here the plan is Harinam every day, to chant with the crowd and invite them to our evening program of kirtan and delicious prasadam. We ardently pray to Ganga that we imbibe a little the conviction Maharaj has of Sri Hari Nama, so that we may please Prabhupada and attract Krishna’s sidelong glance.
KIRTAN FOREVER
