Padayatra America 2004 #7

From Avadhuta Siromani dasa

Posted May 16, 2005

Lord  Nityananda
Click here for photos.

October 3–After three months of resting and gearing up, with the horses shoed and healthy-hoofed, we left Los Indios. During this period, many people had the opportunity to come in touch with the Lord and render some aspect of devotional service towards the mission, some more than others.

Because of our situation—no transportation, no facilities, not even water—it has been extremely, extremely difficult to communicate with the outside world and to organize supplies, websites, reports, Spanish books, etc.

We relied on the kind help of several local families especially Ms. Diane Gonzalez and Ms. Dora Pena and their families, who kindly went out of their way to facilitate the mission and thus engaged themselves in devotional service. Now, finally after some research, our security guards were in position: Buddha is an Akita/German-Shepherd mix, and Parvata is a Great Pyrenees, a breed of dog from France used as guard dogs for ranches. The Great Pyrenees are especially known for traveling with livestock herds (sheep, goats, etc) and are nocturnal, which is perfect for us, as nighttime is when we require attention. To have dogs in the party definitely brings respect.

A lot of laksmi has gone out for organizing our third trek, from the U.S.-Mexico border to Costa Rica, approximately 1,700 miles. We are not sure how we will manage the import-export fees for five more countries along with all the other expenses at this rate. Nonetheless this program belongs to the Lord, and surely He will provide what we need at the proper moment. We just have to set out.

On Oct 2 we were supposed to leave in the afternoon, but Candrabhaga had to contact her mother Somehow or other, the phone wasn't available until evening, so we had to wait one more day. Hare Krsna.

Suddenly we heard a voice from the forest: "Haribol!"

Bhaktas Jonathan and Pepe had arrived unexpectedly. Somehow they made it. We had been told five weeks ago that two new members had left the Mexico City temple to join us, but nothing, nothing. Lord Nrsimhadeva again reassured us with His guidance that He doesn't forget us. If we had left yesterday, they would not have met us here, and the Lord knows how much we need some help.

Sunday–We left at 7am under auspicious rainy skies filled with rainbow spectrums—a glorious reception, courtesy of the demigods. Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundara ki jaya!

After just one week on the road, we were already seeing that the results were ecstatic: already four newspapers and some television. Our movements were smooth, our party was reinforced, Harinam was more regular. Everybody wanted something from us. The people were simple and pious. They inquired about the Deities with respect, looked at Them, and even prayed to Them. They could relate to Them very easily. Everywhere we went people crowded around the wagon to hear, to see, or just to hang around. Thousands in the small towns and villages, even a few big towns now (bigger than any in the United States) were hearing the chanting and receiving information, flyers, Krishna-conscious books, and prasadam.

Kana and Balaji steady as always. Our security guards were working well. They were friendly but barked at night, making people reluctant to approach. The bhaktas were busy all day with people. Candrabhaga was learning Spanish quickly, and often you would see her preaching to a crowd.

As we approached San Fernando, the police escorted us into town (a lot of hills), and we spent the night at the local Catholic church. As the sun was going down, all the villagers came to hear. After some time, we had to ask them to leave, but we invited them for the morning service. Ten people showed up for the whole program, and more came and went. Very appreciative. They came and participated. A woman asked if she could touch the feet of the Deities. Well, that was a little too much, but they got all kinds of mercy from the Lord. The kirtana was sweet. Moving on through San Fernando.

9-13–After San Fernando, a huge surprise: 180 kilometers of nothing but arid land with cactus and few houses. The roads were the worst so far: up and down and extremely narrow. Kana and Balaji could manage, steady as always, the Lord's trustworthy servants.

Tuesday was another experience and reaffirmation of Krsna consciousness. It was 3 P.M. I was feeding the horses across the street from the wagon. Without looking for an extravagant rest area, we simply pulled off at the proper time to rest for the afternoon, a few feet from the highway, the horses on one side in the shade, the wagon on the other. Suddenly we heard something like an explosion just 500 feet from the place where we parked. Two pickup trucks had smashed into each other from the front, and two more behind them couldn't stop in time. One of the trucks passed us, swirling out of control, and a second car went to the side and bumped the wagon in the back wheel.

Candrabhaga writes:

"I had just made the afternoon lunch-offering to the Deity and was chanting Gayatri mantras with my head down. It was sunny and hot. I was groggy. A loud cracking sound, and the rumble of grinding asphalt. I felt something hit the wagon. What's happened?

"Without curiosity, I simply looked at the Deities, who were fresh and cool despite the chunks of asphalt and broken glass all across the altar and on the offering trays and food. Without hesitating, we began cleaning everything and chanting the holy name to keep the mind in reality. 'We are still alive by the mercy of the Lord, so let us continue with our duties.'

"Someone was crying loudly in pain a few hundred feet away. After completing the cleanup, I went to give some sacred water and the holy-name Mahamantra card. Funny, people looked surprised as they drove by slowly, but this happens all the time and can happen at any moment. Knowing this, seeing this, again reminded by the Lord. We are foolish to be attached to temporary things."

Avadhuta Siromani continues:

The result: three trucks destroyed, one man mangled in a wreck—it took a 22-wheel semi truck to pull apart the door to release his legs—others injured, our party okay by the mercy of Lord Nrsimhadeva. Just a strong realization that "padam padam vipadam"—there is danger at every step, and every minute may be the last in this world. Therefore let's engage in devotional service to God, the ultimate reality. Let's try to glorify Krsna. It may be our last moment here.

Who is old? Old age is supposed to mean "close to death." but who is old? If a 5-year-old boy dies today and I see a 90-year-old person walking down the street, which one is old? The boy was older because he died today. And today may be our last day here—only Krsna knows—but in Padayatra it is one day more of reviving our eternal relationship with the Lord.

We finished cleaning and honored prasadam. It was almost an hour and a half before the ambulance and police arrived. We continued walking on our way toward Soto La Marina.

15:25

We crossed into the tropical zone, the humidity was rising, and the land was more fertile.

The Pena family visited us on the road, after driving some 300 kilometers. We had a nice visit and took prasadam together. "I will keep you in my prayers," Dora said. "I am chanting almost one round every day, and have learned the mantra"

Hare Krsna! Moving on...

The roads are difficult, many ups and downs, like material life. After Soto La Marina we saw many more villages. We stopped in San Gilberto, and a traditional Padayatra scene manifested: dirt roads, pigs, chickens in the yards. We rested the horses under the shade trees outside someone's yard on the path, and all day the families came with vegetables, fruit, milk, and questions. "I live in the next village," a woman said. "I will wait for you with some corn [from her garden]."

In the afternoon, after walking a few kilometers, we came to the end of a big hill, and to our surprise we saw at least half the village waiting for Nitai-Gaurasundara's mercy, with all kinds of bags in their hands. As soon as we stopped, they practically lunged forward to place them in front of the saints, as they call the Deities. A mother brought her children and put one on the wagon. She immediately went to try to touch the Deity. She asked the children to give "persinar" to the Deity, which is something we are now regularly seeing. It is a tradition of the Catholic Church, and it signifies sentiments of humility and respect for God. It is done by placing the hands on the body in the sign of a cross.

It was quite a beautiful reception. We had to leave, as the sun was getting low. They were all fully grateful that the Lord had come to their village. People appreciated the message and frequently asked about the altar. They went away captivated by the beauty of Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundara. "My first impression was of something completely different," a woman said, "but honestly there is some purity, something very strong and unique that attracts me, making me feel that this is a place where God is."

Jaya Parama Karuna Nitai-Gauracandra!

We crossed many more villages, most of them named after saints: San Geronimo, San Lucas, Santa Clara, and others. We came to a school, and the teacher asked us to please stop for a "few minutes" and share our mission with the school. Suddenly there were 150 boys and girls between 14 and 18 years of age and several teachers around the wagon. I took the microphone and introduced the program, frequently pointing out the importance of sacrificing ourselves for the pleasure of God, therefore making Him the center of our life, and I introduced the Mahamantra as a prayer for glorifying God.

It is not easy to keep so many jivas listening for long in the middle of a parking lot. Therefore I spoke for only 10 minutes and kept everyone's attention. Then some questions and 10 minutes of kirtana. Some of the students wanted books so they could read more. We had brochures, and most of them came forward to give coin donations. We distributed some fruit that had been offered to the Deities.

Everyone was attracted, and the teachers came forward to shake our hand and wish us well. I thanked everybody and we moved on. Hare Krsna.

At night we met a member of the charros' association of cowboys in Aldama. He proposed an idea for welcoming us into Aldama.

We wouldn't reach there until the next day, but he suggested meeting us six kilometers before town. We agreed, and in the morning we moved steadily towards town. At the time of stopping I was not able to find any suitable shade with water. We continued another few kilometers and found a stretch of tall trees ahead, so we planned to pull off.

As we arrived at the spot, we found yet another arrangement of the Lord: a public high school. Hare Krsna! The festival began. Students and teachers flooded us from all sides. The literature was flying, and today we ran out of books. People wanted beads, pictures, books, anything we could give them in relation to the "santitos" (the Deities). They were inquisitive and wanted to know about everything.

Bhakta Jonathan was fired up to be preaching to the young people. We had a kirtana and spent five hours there, and then—tick tick tack tack—a group of charros arrived with their horses to escort the program and the Lord into town. Hare Krsna!

With the police in front, the charros in front of us, a nice Harinam at the wagon (a family had decided to walk with us for some time) and a few trucks in the back, they paraded us into their place and invited us to stay the night.

Such a grand and sweet reception! All the people who witnessed the procession became captivated, and for the next 40 hours the whole neighborhood came bringing all kinds of gifts including fruit, tropical flowers, artificial flowers, and money. We had visitors starting from mangala arotik and continuing all day long. People were asking, "When will the spiritual chanting begin?" Everybody wanted something and was not too shy to ask—incense, flyers, cards. Altogether, in the first three weeks at least 1,500 pieces of literature went out.

Now we have to see what kind of arrangement the Lord has for getting more books to the eager Mexican population.

We left Aldam with another procession, leaving friends touched by Krsna consciousness.

Moving on....

Hare Krsna.

© dipika.org May 16, 2005