Showing gratefulness to devotees and Krishna’s creation
“Padayatra is initially and especially organized for devotees to strengthen their spiritual life and to be deeply engaged in practical spiritual activities,” emphasized Lalita Govinda prabhu, the organizer and initiator of all padayatras in Slovenia. He especially emphasized gratefulness to the devotees and to Krishna’s creation. “As devotees, we should genuinely try to be nice to the people we meet and be respectful to the natural resources that we use. For example, showering for a long time under warm water as guests in schools is not appreciated,” he said with the gravity born of the experience of 14 years.
The itinerary for 18 days (June 31st to July 17th) was traced out along the Slovenian coast. The Padayatra started on a sunny day in Dekani, a small coastal town, with Sri Sri Nitai Gaura Natharaj on a small cart ( in fact a modified wheelchair). The coast is short – the distance from the Italian border to the Croatian border is small, 47 kms – with only 17 kms in a straight line. Small, but full of diversity and variety. You see people of many nationalities: apart from Slovenians, the coast is home for Italians and Croatians, and during summer holidays many tourists come from all over Europe and other parts of the world.
This year the Padayatra Slovenia’s crew consisted of around thirty devotees, mainly of Slovenian origin, with only five ladies. Half of the devotees were temple devotees and the other half members of the congregation. Besides the single devotees there were two families with children and teenagers. The average age of the padayatra devotees was under 40 years, exactly 34,6 years! Padayatra indeed requires good physical, mental and spiritual condition. When you walk for18 days in a row physical condition is crucial. All the padayatris enjoyed nature’s beauty while walking past fig and olive trees, oleander bushes with full blossoming flowers. Cricket’s sounds united harmoniously with the maha-mantra and the flagrance of lavender was carried by a gentle breeze..
Learning how to be undisturbed in any situation
Devotees were full of anticipation. They knew that padayatra is full of bliss and Krishna’s mercy but at the same time that, due to inconveniences (hot weather, tiredness, injuries, etc), their high consciousness may collapse in a moment. As Radhanatha Swami said in one lecture: “ In Bhagavad-gita (2.14) we read that we should tolerate all things and carry on with our devotional service. We should not be disturbed by heat or cold, by wind or rain, happiness or distress, success or failure, wealth or poverty, health or disease, youth or old age, safety or danger. These dualities are always friends to a sincere devotee because they help us to take shelter of the Lord. The expression of sincerity is that we carry on in pursuance of our objective in life despite whatever may come upon us.”
“Padayatra can be one of the tests of how sincerely we are able to take shelter of the Lord in the form of His holy name.” said Anuradha mataji, one of the full-time participants. Each and every devotee is committed to chant the maha-mantra with concentration. “Chanting really helps. Seeing people appreciating our mission and opening their hearts to the maha-mantra is blissful. Otherwise I would not be able to overcome the scorching sun, the thirst and tiredness that accompanied me every day on padayatra.” Such was the experience of Padayatra’s kirtana leader, Jaya Nitai Gaura Prabhu. In their lectures, Prahladananda Swami and Bhakti Prabhava Swami encouraged the devotees to chant with the proper attitude, and to be enthusiastic. Prahladananda Swami emphasized that our attitude towards people is very important: “Padayatra helps devotees to present Krishna consciousness to people in a perfect way. We should try to appreciate people even if we do not like them at all. That helps devotees to have the right attitude towards people and create the right environment for them. With the theoretical understanding of being all parts and parcels of Krishna, genuine love towards people and other living beings can be attained.”
Almost 40 more devotees came to participate in padayatra for one or a few days. Most of them joined during week-ends and for the evening harinama that was held in the tourist town of Portorož. Most of the tourists appreciated the joy of the devotees while chanting and the bright colors of their clothes. In Portorož the sankirtana devotees distributed three times more Srila Prabhupada’s books than in other places. Some kirtana leaders were young, and some devotees distributed Prabhupada’s books for the first time.
Father Bojan touching the heart of all the padayatris
In Strunjan devotees slept in a building that used to be a Christian monastery. The communist had usurped this monastery and unfortunately left the building to partly dilapidate. The Christians got it back but it needs a lot of renovation. Alone, a 79 year-old priest runs the church, the attached building (the previous monastery, now called Pilgrimage Parish Church Home) and spiritually guides the local Christians. He introduced himself as Brother Bojan, but people call him Father Bojan. He was very gentle and humble. When Lalita Govinda Prabhu was arranging for Padayatra’s accommodation for the night and knocked at the door of the church, Father Bojan received him by saying:” Oh, you’ve come. Please come in and sit down,” as though they were friends. Lalita Govinda was pleasantly surprised. Devotees were mesmerized by his attitude towards them and other people. “Do you need anything?” was his main concern. “I am only God’s servant,” he often explained. When he observed the devotees chanting during early morning, he considered that they were sanctifying the ground with their feet. When we left the next day he said: “I would like to make tea for all you but I do not possess a big enough pot. Namaste!” He then folded his hands and explained: “I respect God in your heart!” He really touched the devotees’ hearts. “It is so enlivening to meet that kind of persons. I feel such joy when people wave and smile at us,” said Taralaksi mataji with a blissful smile.
Devotees also encountered some unpleasant situations. Once four police cars drove in the street and blocked the way to the devotees. The policemen jumped out of the cars with handguns. Lalita Govinda Prabhu fearlessly talked to them. He was so convincing that he did not need to show any documents, he only gave them his name. Probably a frightened observer had phoned the police to check what was happening in the street. Alas, for some people devotees may look like terrorists.
“My plan was to stay only a few days just to check it out, but after the first morning lecture I decided to stay a few days more. I felt such good energy among devotees that I stayed all 18 days. Being in devotees’ association is really mercy. My experience was that my day changes when a devotee smiles at me. ” explained Bhaktin Mitja, a new devotee who came on padayatra for the first time. Padayatra revives this universal principal, “in giving you receive”. Devotees agree that Padayatra is an excellent spiritual experience, really worth their time.
BOOK DISTRIBUTION Total: 1202 books
24 maha big; 66 Big; 37 medium and 1075 small
Details: 24 Gitas, 57 Science of self-realization, 427 Sri Isopanisad, 11 Nectar of Instruction, 524 Bhakti, 9 Prabhupada, 13 Teachings of Lord Caitanya , 24 Krishna’s Kitchen, 113 Chant and be happy, and 5000 brochures/pamphlets.
The itinerary:
Dekani – Škofije – Ankaran – Prade – Pobegi – Marezige – Izola – Stunjan – Portorož – Lucija – Korte – Šmarje – Koper – Sežana
