Above: Harinam in Tel Aviv. You won’t be seeing this in Gaza City anytime soon.
Nrisimhananda Dasa: I’m born Jewish. Let’s get that out of the way. I have identified as a Vaisnava three times longer than as a Jew in my life. I identify as a devotee of Krishna,not as a Jewish devotee. I’ve been to Israel three times; Gaza once (when it was open to everyone while being administrated by Israel in 1979). I drove all over the tiny country, and I jogged in and amongst Israeli and West Bank Arab Tal villages. I have limited, but tactile experience of the people in the Old City, including Palestinians, sabra’s (Israeli’s born there), and others from everywhere. Israeli society is cosmopolitan. I’ve chanted in the streets and beaches there.
But I can’t dance and chant in Gaza even if it were open. I can’t do it in the West Bank either. Hamas, Hezbollah, and the PA (Palestinian Authority) won’t allow Hare Krishna’s to propagate their religion in public, and they make severe restrictions even in private. It’s that way all over the Middle East. Except Israel. Israel is the ONLY Middle Eastern country where we as Hare Krishna’s are free to practice and promote our spirituality tp our heart’s content. If any of the administrators of the Palestinians have their way, Israel will be destroyed. In their version of Palestine, Hare Krishna’s will be silenced. What does that tell you?
Certainly a Vaisnava cries for the suffering of our brothers and sisters wherever they are in anxiety, danger, or oppression. However, like Duryodhana, the leaders of these Arab organizations are dedicated not to let the Israeli’s, even those born in Palestine, have a head of a pin to stand on. And when these fascist organizations take power, so many other restrictions on women, education, etc. will swiftly follow. Just look at the brutality of the ISIS army of fanatics. Just what the world needs, another group of extremists severing heads, fingers, and lives so they can rule by fear. Their brand of Islam (not to be confused with other interpretations of Islam) is a creed of retribution and hate, not forgiveness and love, There are noble and pure Muslims amongst the Palestinians; unfortunately, they are not in charge.
Srila Prabhupada was the emblem of love of God; he literally wouldn’t hurt a fly. So when you think of the unfortunate Palestinians in Gaza, remember what is at stake in this flashpoint of civilizations. On one side of the border, you can preach the “peace formula” from a podium in a public park, in a college class, or at Harinam in the busiest of intersections. On the other, you will be prohibited and persecuted. If you doubt it, go there and try to preach. You’ll be lucky to survive with your tongue still in your mouth.
Having lived and preached in eight Middle Eastern countries over five years (with periodic visits to Israel), I’m convinced that there are receptive souls everywhere. My sankirtana partner (who prefers to remain anonymous) wrote of our experience in Lebanon:
“In the beginning we lived in the poorest part of town, with rats in our shower room and a central underground base of Arab guerilla fighters next to us. There was bombing, tanks, and machine gun fighting all the time. In one week the Syrians fired 1,400 rockets on a part of town where we had just sold our books, so we were glad for those souls who received the Gita and gave a donation just before their bodies were turned into rubble. There was a picture of Krishna and Srila Prabhupada in each book.
Every evening, some Arab soldiers of various groups raided our flat to see what we were doing. After our attempts at preaching they would usually put aside their machine guns and sit down with us to sing the maha mantra. They really liked doing kirtan with us and went wild about it. The only problem was how to stop the kirtan after a few hours, without making them angry. We tried to always smile. And we depended on Srila Prabhupada.”
I don’t have a dog in this fight, but I’ve spoken with Palestinians who lived in Gaza and the Occupied Territories, and I think it’s fair to say that there are atrocities on both sides of the fence. No one is blameless, but a devotee is a friend and well-wisher to everyone.
What to speak of Middle Eastern countries, Russia is again conspiring to stop Sankirtan in Russia. The challenges need to be placed in perspective. The most important process is preaching to the devotees, to help them surrender and love Krishna. Preaching in public is a duty, even one which can be troublesome and dangerous. You don’t have to prove that you are brave to preach in Islamic countries. Lord Chaitanya preached during the time of Muslim government domination in Bengal.
If something is favorable for executing devotional service it may be accepted. If not, it can be rejected.
I would not have any illusions that you will be able to build temples and do street sankirtan in the hotbed of jihadist Islam. Christians, Bahai, and other religious sects have been slaughtered indiscriminately in many of these places. You have nothing to prove. One of the offenses of the Holy Name is to preach to the faithless. Religious convictions do not necessarily make one a fertile ground for preaching Krishna consciousness, if accompanied by demonic mentality (desire to do harm to others, etc.).
It is one of the many frustrations of human life today that freedom of religious is not protected by every government. We sometimes forget how lucky we are to live in countries where those rights are protected. And if demoniac people perceive that you are creating an obstacle for their evil intentions, they will do serious harm to you and your loved ones. Desa, Kala, Patra…Time, place and circumstance.
Further, when Atreya Rsi was creating a “preaching center” in Tehran, and he wrote to Srila Prabhupada to inform him that he was getting some of the Muslims to chant “Hare Krishna”…Srila Prabhupada replied, “Why are you making Lord Chaitanya’s movement sectarian. Let them chant Allah”. Enough to digest for now I hope. Pusta Krishna das
We didn’t go to the Muslim countries to prove anything. We went because it was an opportunity to please Srila Prabhupada. We had heard what Prabhupada said about preaching in those countries, so it was a great opportunity to get the mercy by distributing the mercy.
“Gargamuni told Srila Prabhupada that two men on the Library Party were distributing Prabhupada’s books to the universities in Indonesia, a Muslim country.At that time, other devotees, like Padmapani and Tribhuvanath, were also in Muslim countries. Prabhupada was pleased that devotees were going to preach in the Muslim countries, and he told Gargamuni, ‘I put on my head the dust from the feet of whoever preaches in the Muslim countries.’ When we heard that, we were in ecstasy. That was wonderful.”
(Vaiyasaki das, Memories-Anecdotes of a Modern-Day Saint)
“We have great news about printing Srila Prabhupada’s books. For the first time, the BBT’s Far East/Middle East division has printed Arabic books. Srila Prabhupada once said, ‘Anyone who preaches in any way in the Muslim world, I take the dust of their feet on my head!’ Preaching in Muslim countries can be risky, and that is why Prabhupada said this.”
(ISKCON Book Distribution website, Aug 16, 2014)
Our humble desire was to please Srila Prabhupada and not to become so-called heroes.
Dear Padmapani das,
Dandavat and All Glories to Srila Prabhupada. My first engagement as a newcomer to ISKCON was to go to Dacca, East Pakistan in early 1971. Gargamuni M. and I arrived during the revolution, when East Bengal was trying to break free from West Pakistan. The war itself broke out in Dacca while we were present there. There is no need to go into details regarding the early events of the war, but they were brutal indeed. We met up with Srila Prabhupada by chance in Bombay several months later.
Just be careful! Remember what Srila Prabhupada recommended to Atreya Rsi in my comment above.
As you know, Amogha lila, apparently for sometime a babaji, has spent many decades cultivating his approach to preaching in West Pakistan. He is fluent in Urdu, and is unique in having earned the respect of many Muslims in West Pakistan for his support of the best in their society there. You may also benefit from contacting him and he can share his successes with you. I think he has a facebook site dedicated to his unique approach. At least, that has been his approach.
You know that there is a great deal of intolerance to any outside religious sentiments among Islamic radicals, whether for spiritual reasons or social reasons. We are not looking for you to become martyrs!
Lord Krishna protect you! Pusta Krishna das