ridewithin

This last weekend was the 24 hour kirtan festival in New Vrindaban. I can honestly say it was the best festival of the year. Flat out. If anyone would like say differently I would appreciate hearing your reasoning although I wont agree.

The festival was direct and to the point. It provided opportunities for 1. Developing taste for chanting the holy name(Nam Ruci) 2. Service to the Vaishanvas(Vaisnava Seva) and 3. Sharing the essence of Krishna Consciousness with others(Jiva Daya).

More devotees were in attendance than Festival of Inspiration and the energy was beyond the limits of all expectations. The lodging was very inexpensive, $25 for two nights, and the prasadam was free. There were tshirts and other merchandise for sell which sold old rather quickly.

The kirtan line up was extraordinary; HH Sivaram Swami, HH Radhanath Swami, HH Niranjana Swami, HG Badahari Prabhu, HG Madhava Prabhu and countless other exemplary musicians.

Devotees showed up on Friday night for an amazing kirtan with HH Sivarama Swami and most went to bed early to prepare for a the next day’s devotional madness.

Every melody was eloquently chosen and perfectly accompanied by hundreds of sincerely dancing, crying, and singing participants. Literally all day and all night every kirtan was impressive. Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra seemed to be ingesting the devotion being offered and infusing the audience with the remnants. The kirtan was enhanced by every moment of dedicated participation.

The lights went out! This made the festival only sweeter. What else does one need than the holy name? The water still worked and the stoves still lit. I personally did not hear one complaint.

Just a week before the kirtan festival my heart had grown some what distant from New Vrindaban. There are many reasons for this. Primarily a lack of vision. I am young and enthusiastic to serve. But eager to serve a mission, a vision of something which is fulfilling and where my skills, talents, knowledge and contacts can be utilized fully. I could no longer see myself letting days, weeks, months and years go by without accomplishing much for New Vrindaban. Basically I felt useless in my connection to New Vrindaban. Meaning I felt that either (whether this is a reality or not) anything I do is not appreciated, any of my ideas are not respected, or that the way things move anything i do will not be supported, and any ideas I have will not be implemented or given room to develop. So I came to a conclusion that better i just not affiliate with the project of New Vrindaban and that would open up new doors by clearing up a lot of guilt of not serving Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra and Srila Prabhupada effectively.

Then the festival happened… and I reconnected with the potency of New Vrindaban. When I returned from New York to New Vrindaban I was truck by the shear beauty and tranquility of the environment. First thing that pops into my mind when I am in New York is, “this is hell”. First thing that pops into mind everytime I walk around New V is, ” wow look at the potential, this is heaven!” My mind floods with ideas as to how to develop and utilise each aspect of New Vrindaban.

Then my Gurumaharaja arrived. This is the greatest enjoyment/satisfaction in the world for me when I get to serve HH Radhanath Maharaja. Any environment becomes Vaikuntha when I am engaged is his service.

Anyone who knows me closely understands my life is desirous of this service eternally. In his service I feel complete. I am learning slowly to see all I do as his service, but it is a slow process.

The Vaishnavas started to show up in masses. The devotees truly decorate and beautify any situation. Other than serving HH Radhanath Maharaja I am often blessed with the opportunity to serve HH Romapada Swami when he comes to New Vrindaban. In between their services(i have a great story about cutting someone’shair), I got to lead up the lunch prasadam cooking with HG Dayal Gauranga Prabhu, HG Jagadisha Chaitanya and HG Janaka Rishi(JR). It was so much fun cooking for 500 people. We got to break out the 55 gallon pots!!! I was ready to stoke up a fire pit but we recently bought new candy stoves in the kitchen that

did the job. The meal reminded me of the good ole Rainbow gathering days yet also put a seed of doubt in my mind about this years Burning Man festival.

So everything worked out, the festival was a huge success and everyone left. I was chanting in the temple room on Sunday late afternoon when HG Malati devi approached me and decided to share a few words with me. She has always been a big supported of my endeavors to serve. She truly respects me as a person and eagerly attempts to engage me according to my abilities. She always respects my opinions and needs in regards to everything. She also equally give words of wisdom and caution when she sees I may be moving upon a dangerous path. So she came up to me and began to speak to me. I could understand that she sensed my recent disconnect and cared for me anough to try to talk to me about it. That is what she did. Primarily

she began to share her experience of the recent festival and how much faith she developed in the Youth as capable servants of Srila Prabhupada and holders of the legacy of New Vrindaban. She pleaded with me in the nicest and kindest of ways to stay connected with New Vrindaban and Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON. We have lots of work to do and we musn’t push away our calling to serve that mission. Talking with her confirmed my connection renewed confirmation that I msut remain connected with New Vrindaban. I love New Vrindaban and appreciate the community as a whole but recently I re-read Sita Pati’s article about community and felt

horrible not being at New Vrindaban right now and doing my own thing. But really I am not….. I am trying to learn how to develop and assit NEw Vrindaban. I am trying to develop a vision as to how to in one way eneable New Vrindaban to attract and care for Americans.

Ill share more on this topic later.

Right now I plead with you, do not miss next years 24 hour kirtan festival! The kirtans will remain forever documented but dont miss our chance to experience a  kirtan as performed by Sri Chaitany Maharpabhu for one full year.