By Mandakini devi dasi
Venugopal dasa recalls seeing vividly graphic images in his childhood dreams. These recurring visions always featured an elderly spiritual gentleman and a handsome young couple!
Not surprisingly, his early interest in metaphysics blossomed at a rapid pace. He soon recognised the futility of mundane existence and yearned for higher awareness.
An interest in music simultaneously emerged. As early as seven years of age, Venu knew all the popular radio songs verbatim, and would sing himself to sleep. Much to his mother’s exasperation, this nightly ritual would take two or three hours. From age 11, the course was set as Venu instinctively began his youthful career in various boy bands, including a couple of memorable stints on TV.
His obsession for ‘truth’ continued and was further stimulated when his drummer friend presented him with a Back to Godheadmagazine in 1971. The intriguing editorial immersed his consciousness fully. He wanted to give up all other aspirations and simply surrender to guru and Krishna. Venu Gopal dasa taking the herd out to pasture.
The now 15 year old (already a vegetarian for two years), made his own chanting beads and began following all the regulations of Krishna consciousness that he had read about.
Taking note of Srila Prabhupada’s definitive instructions on the importance of devotee association, Venu eventually joined ISKCON in 1973, becoming Srila Prabhupada’s formal disciple in 1974.
He was first based in Brisbane and later in Adelaide, where he learned to cook and make milk sweets as a fulltime pujarifor Panca-Tattva. In 1977, Venugopal was requested to relocate to NG farm as head pujari.He nostalgically remembers serving Gaura-Nitai in the White House, cooking on an open fire and distributing prasadamto the many Nimbin hippies who would visit.
In 1981, Venu teamed up with Ramai Swami’s Travelling Bus Party, eventually taking over that service. The visits to Cairns were found to be lucrative for the preaching mission and Venu was encouraged to take up the role of Temple President there. In 1986 he returned to New Govardhana to manage Krishna’s cows. Inwardly he nurtured a desire to populate the herd with the very transcendental Gir cows.
Venu works closely with Madreya dasa in the WWOOFer programme; looks after the worm farm; ploughs the land; and maintains the fencing. He is a Co-Manager of New Govardhana and is the official Australasian Minister for Cow Protection. As Minister, these duties include acting in an advisory capacity and submitting reports for the annual meetings.
Still involved in making music, Venu fronts the local kirtanaband ’The Bhajana Babas’. This very lively and popular group is presently working on producing a CD.