By Acarya Dasa – All India Padayatra Leader
Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundara made them devotees
On May 9th we were at Gadag, a district in the state of Karnataka where a couple of devotees, Gopipran Govind Dasa and Gaurangi Gopinathpriya Mataji, live. They had darsana of Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundara in 1996 and since that time they had a strong desire that Their Lordships should visit their house. The seed of desire to preach was sowed in their heart, but they lacked association, and we all know that without association one cannot do anything.
Association of devotees is a must for advancement in Krishna consciousness
satamprasangan mama virya-samvido
bhavantihrt-karna-rasayanaḥkathah
taj-joṣanadasvapavarga-vartmani
sraddhratirbhaktiranukramiṣyati.
“The spiritually powerful message of Godhead can be properly discussed only in a society of devotees and it is greatly pleasing to hear it in that association. If one hears from devotees, the way of transcendental experience quickly opens, and gradually one attains firm faith that in due course develops into attraction and devotion.” (Srimad-bhagavatam 3.25.25)
This couple was always seeking the association of devotees, and by the Lord’s grace in 2002 they shifted to Muscat (the capital of Oman in the Middle East) where they were blessed with the association of devotees, and got initiated by Jayapataka Maharaja. Since their return to India they have been powerfully preaching and serving devotees. They invited the padayatris and Nitai Gaurasundara to their home, where we had a wonderful program. They confessed, “Today our desire is finally fulfilled, our life is successful. Since 1996 we had a strong desire that padayatra should come to our house. The padayatris are the ones who inspired us to accept devotional life and preach. We are highly obliged to all of you for bringing the Lord to our house.”
Kirtana with the school boys of Hulkoti
We also went to Hulkoti, another town in the Gadag district, situated on the way from Hublito Gadag. This town has many educational institutions and it is one of the most well-developed in India. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam ((former President of India and an aerospace scientist) had visited the Sri Rajeshwari Vidyaniketan School where children are taught Bhagavad-Gita and how to recite slokas. We were invited to the school where we had a grand sankirtana. The boys not only joined us in the chanting, they also played karatalas and danced with us. They were all very cheerful and looked charming in their vaisnava dress and tilaka. When Lokanath Maharaja sees somebody in vaisnava attire with tilaka and kanthi mala, he says it looks like he has come straight from Vaikuntha. We were also pleased to see their enthusiasm at such early age. The asrama authorities requested us to give a class to the boys. I talked about the importance of accepting spirituality at an early age and I glorified them for taking up the path. A MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) and his team had come from Hubli to this village for election promotion. They all took darsana of Their Lordships and bought a set of Caitanya Caritamrita.
Visit to Panduranga Dasa’s village
Belhofis is a small village situated 10 kms from Gadag. We had no plan of going there but Panduranga Dasa, a disciple of Bhakti Vikas Maharaja, invited us. He was excited to take us to his village, even though the route was narrow and uneven. To our amazement the villagers had arranged a grand welcome for us. They performed arati of Their Lordships and also washed the hooves of our oxen, after which we all engaged in a wonderful harinama sankirtana.
Entering Maharashtra soon
We will next walk to Hubli, Dharwad and Belgaum in Karnataka, then we’ll enter the state of Maharashtra, where we’ll visit Kolhapur, Sangli and Aravade, Lokanath Maharaja’s birthplace. By July 20th we will reach Pandharpur dhama on the auspicious occasion of Asadi ekadasi and attend the Vyasa- puja celebration of Lokanath Maharaja. Then we’ll continue walking through Maharashtra.
