By Vasudeva Datta Dasa
We were distributing books in Vallipuram Krishna Temple (Jaffna), where they held one of the biggest festivals in Sri Lanka. The temple authorities allowed us to have a book table and banners just next to the entrance where no other salesmen are allowed, therefore people thought that we were part of the establishment.
On the second day there was a “Samudra Tirtham Festival” where more than 500.000 people gathered! It is said that whoever takes bath on that day will get rid of all sins. It was also the disappearance day of Srila Haridasa Thakura. In the morning we were reading from Sri Caitanya Caritamrita about his glorious departure in Jagannatha Puri. We were praying for his mercy so that we could deliver the holy name to the jivas.
Our mike system broke down (welcome to ISKCON :) but nevertheless we decided to do the harinam. We walked for some 2-3 km to the beach where an ocean of people was anticipating to take darshan of Lord Krishna and to take a holy bath. Somehow they allowed us to enter the highly guarded inner square where they held the Deities. There all the youth who were carrying the Deities joined us in the kirtan. The rest of the crowd was on the hilly area around so they could all clearly see our kirtan. We were distributing maha-mantra cards and split our chanting in half of the maha-mantra so that people could repeat.
Then we decided to get right into the crowd. We would induce people to chant “Hare Krishna!” and they would respond with “Hare Krishna!” In this way we would go through two maha-mantras. Then I would address the people, explaining who we were and what we were doing. Then we would proceed with the harinam group.
Some people joined us for some time. After some 50 m we would again stop and give a short speech. Sri Damodar Prabhu and I took turns. In this way we gave some ten lectures on the spot. The cameras were flashing all the time and at the end a radio reporter came and made three separate interviews with us. He was completely excited, like a Brazilian football reporter. “Amazing, unbelievable, Italy nadu serndavargal (devotees from Italy have come) …:)!” He was repeating maha-mantra, and he didn’t let us go, he was broadcasting our kirtan, and called us to the main altar where we received special chandan maha-prasadam from the Lord.
After some three hours of such adventures singing without a mike, my voice was completely finished. In the meantime Amrita Krishna Prabhu who stayed back alone at the book stall sold books for more than Rs. 17.000. We all swiftly returned to help him. People took many books including one Srimad-Bhagavatam set.
We tangibly felt the special mercy of our Gurudeva and blessings and empowerment of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Haridasa Thakura. Otherwise how would it be possible that only four of us (without the mike system) would attract such attention within the crowd. We think that all 500.000 people saw and appreciated our harinam and many of them chanted with us. It was an unforgettable experience.
The next day we drove to Colombo where we met His Holiness Jayapataka Maharaja. He was very happy to hear our preaching reports and he talked to us for some half an hour.
Praying for the mercy of Vaisnavas. Your servant, Vasudeva Datta Dasa