By Acarya Dasa
We stopped by at the Chennai temple where we met some senior devotees and took their blessings. Our party met with Nimai Nitai Dasa, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada. He was part of padayatra in 1984 when it first started and served Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundar for two years –his service was to drive the ratha and take care of the bulls. When we met with him he shared with us many of the realizations he had experienced on padayatra. Nimai Nitai Dasa encouraged us by saying, “You are all very fortunate to always be doing sankirtana and book distribution. These two activities please the Lord the most.”
Later we spoke to Smita Krishna Dasa, the president of ISKCON Chennai. When the ‘All India Padayatra’ first started and eventually traveled to Chennai, there were no devotees when the padayatris reached there. Smita Krishna Dasa was the only hope the padayatris had at that time. He announced to everyone in all the towns around Chennai about the arrival of the padayatra and even did all the advanced party seva. Padayatra stayed in Chennai for a month back then, traveling to villages and towns, preaching and distributing books. Smita Krsna Dasa instructed all the namahatta devotees to arrange grand receptions for the padayatris and arranged accommodation. He did not forget about the bulls, whom he described as being “more fortunate than us because they carry the Lord on their shoulders, they are glorious.” This time when the ‘All India Padayatra’ returned to Chennai, Smita Krishna Dasa helped the padayatris yet again. He welcomed us enthusiastically, assisted us with all our preaching activities and inspired us to serve more and to do more book distribution.
We also had the opportunity to meet with Vijay Dasa who is responsible for recording the book distribution scores worldwide. He held a seminar for us on book distribution and also shared his realizations with us. He said that Srila Prabhupada’s books are very powerful and through them we are reaching every nook and corner of India. “Keep going. Do not stop”, he said. We told him that we often give small books to anyone who approaches us and those who don’t we approach and insist that they buy books. Whoever we meet, we explained further, never leaves empty handed; he gets prasadam and a book. If someone gives a donation we also give them books. We follow this simple statement from Srila Rupa Goswami, “yena kena prakarena manah Krishna nivesayet” which translates as “first of all fix your mind, somehow or other, on Lord Krishna.” Vijay Dasa was very happy to hear this.
It was with their blessings and words of wisdom that we proceeded to our next destination.
