All glories to Srila Prabhupada,
All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga,
It is not appropriate for an ordinary practitioner to write about his own life. But on the instruction of His Holiness Hanumat Preshak Swami, as a service to him, I write this Blog.
HpS/ASA - All of the followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are so powerful that any one of them can deliver Krsna to whomever they meet. AgtSP. Paoho.
I was born in fairly religious North-Indian family and I remember the early days of my life, in Delhi, when my grandmother would take me to few Satsang programs with her. I was too young to absorb anything there, being a toddler.
I observed even my father sometimes chanting holy names of Lord Rama. He would also tell us the food we ate was supplied by Lord Vishnu. But, the family was hardly ritualistic. I saw them sitting in front of laminations of gods only once a year, the day of Deepawali.
I also had a religious bent and was a natural believer in God along with my weaknesses. I would chant daily prayers to Hanumanaji (Hanumana Chalisa) for many years. I had sensual weaknesses right from childhood and was attracted to girls and crave for money and fame. All good and bad mixed, I grew up with ambitions for my carrier and worked hard to rise for material success. I did well in my academics to secure always a top position in junior college days in Delhi. There was no space for spiritual inquiries and practices, except on festival days.
When I reached my Bachelors degree course in Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, my dream college, I was still obsessed with the desire to attain prestige and money. But in the competitive environment, I would find myself tiny and insufficient.
Despondent, I was no more a topper here and lost interest in going far in my professional carrier.
It was becoming harder and harder with every step in the world of glamour and cut throat competition.
I didn't ( and don't ) look attractive and have always been very poor in flirting, so never thought of having a girlfriend.
Therefore, the material life was gradually slipping away. Krishna was preparing me for some sort of surrender.
HpS/ASA - How many of us are echoing your history like 97%! 🙂
Right when I had been becoming disappointed in my life, Krishna sent His devotees to my room in the hostel, IIT Kharagpur. They pulled me from frustrations and despondency I then faced for my inabilities to make big in material life.
Srila Prabhupada entered my life through his books - the devotees gave me.
I was finding refuge and solace in them.
I remember I would read for hours everyday to feel peace of mind. Devotees' love healed my wounds of frustrations. Srila Prabhupad's books and devotees words combined showed me goals I could be ambitious about with no more competition and envy.
I could be peaceful while pursuing the spiritual goals.
There was no comparisons, no envy, no unhealthy competitions. I was a fit. I would take shelter of Srila Prabhupada's books and the chanting of the Holy names of the Lord attentively.
I realized peace of mind and happiness, that I had never known, in Krishna conscious practices. All questions I had met with satisfactory answers.
By the time I graduated, my consciousness had taken roots in Krishna consciousness and I was no more interested in making a professional carrier, earning money and even in girls.
ASA - Not even Srimati Radharani and the Gopis? 😎
These were exciting days because I was finding freedom from material desires and experiencing deeper insights into Krishna consciousness.
Since, now in this phase, I happily lost interest in material prosperity, I gave up my job in a Multinational company that was planning to post me to France for a project. I was not sure I would be able to maintain my 'consciousness' in France, while being away from devotees, I decided to quit. I decided to join Brahmachari ashram as a full time monk in Kolkata.
The decision to quit job and join Brahmachari ashram was also aided by the fellow devotees who had also graduated with me from IIT Kharagpur and had also quitted their jobs to join ashram.
The next phase, life in Brahmachari ashram was very very thrilling. It was a very disciplined life. Practicing austerities in a disciplined environment with my devotee friends was too good. This is the best phase of my life. I would sleep with satisfaction and rise with excitement. I was in a frame of mind prepared to do any service with happiness. This is when I also received formal initiation from my eternal father - His Holiness Radhanath Swami.
When in Kolkata, I was told to preach to young college students. I spent time travelling to colleges and meeting, talking with boys for about 7 years (my last assignment in IIT (ISM) Dhanbad).
Later in 2016, I stopped youth preaching in the colleges and started taking my studies of scriptures seriously. I did my Bhakti shastri and Bhakti Vaibhav and later became a teacher for the same. I now teach Bhakti Shastri and Bhakti Vaibhav while doing myself Bhakti Vedanta from Mayapur Institute.
I came in touch with His Holiness Hanumat Preshak Swami during one of the classes of Bhakti Vedanta. I feel very fortunate that Maharaj is compassionate on me and considers me worthy of his mercy.
I live in Kolkata now preaching to families here and teaching Bhakti Shastri courses. I will be happy to serve the devotees if I could. I can be reached out at :
[email protected]
Maha Raas Das ( ISKCON Kolkata)
HpS/ASA - So nice. To our perception ISKCON is heading into Phase Three:
- They will laugh at you.
- They will attack you and try to destroy you.
- They will become interested and want to learn from you.
In Phase One we have to appreciate ridicule, in two we have to duck a lot, in three we have to actually know how to guide nations and the world in practical situations. Chapter Three of BG, vrtti, professional devotional service.
- Political Science - Danda Veda.
- Architecture, City Planning - Vastu Veda.
- Medicine - Ayurveda.
- Singing, Dancing and Drama - Gandharva Veda, Lord Caitanya's path!!!
- Etc
All success to Sriman Maha Rasa Das in developing his Sankirtan in Bhagavata Dharma and Daivi-varna-ashrama-dharma!!! Hoping to send other posts to this ASA community as they develop!
