By HH Janananda Gosvami
LA. Feb 20th 1970 – “Prabhupada: Hare Krsna Hare Krsna… Hare Krsna Hare Krsna. Now chant Hare Krsna. Dance.
(break—prema-dhvani) So, this is now formal accepting of sannyasa, but real sannyasa purpose will be fulfilled when you’ll be able to induce the people of the world dancing like you. That is real sannyasa. This formal dress is not sannyasa. Real sannyasa is when you can induce other people to become Krsna conscious and they dance in Krsna consciousness”.
How fortunate we are – there is absolutely no shortage of opportunities to engage in Harinama Sankirtan. For many years we have been hearing about the woes of the French yatra. Requests to help in various ways have spread far and near. Remembering back to the hey days of the 70’s and 80’s I often thought about visiting. The opportunity came and there we were. What to do? I don’t speak French. Not knowing what to expect. What a surprise to find a yatra eager to associate, to chant and hear, clear positive feelings for the future. Many wonderful devotees, deities installed by Srila Prabhupada, a fantastic preaching field. With some positive input the mercy of Mahaprabhu can again expand to every corner of this country. A united force of devotees preaching everywhere.
In Paris on July 20, 1972 Srila Prabhupada’s first words of address were as follows: “Sankirtana movement. This sankirtana movement was started by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu five hundred years ago for mitigating the sufferings of the people of the world. He predicted that in every village, in every town on the surface of the globe, let this sankirtana movement be spread out and people will be happy and they’ll find Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That was His prediction. Actually this is happening now. So our simple method—we go everywhere all over the world, chant this Hare Krsna-mantra, and we attract people”
Paris – Europe’s largest city, a metropolis of culture, tourism, architectural wonders, religious night life, tree lined avenues, monuments, cafes, education, museums, revolutions,
First time here for 25 years. Radha Paris Isvara – 1973 installed by Srila Prabhupada. Now living in a tiny house soon to move to bigger premises. The future is bright, even though it’s been a bit like night, I feel sure They will soon be in the light. Such an exciting preaching field. There are many nice devotees around – need a bit of confidence, encouragement and loving reciprocation. Some enthusing maybe. Well one good way to start is to come together to chant the lord’s Holy names. The Temple President Nitai Gaurasundara is really into sankirtan. Books and chanting in the streets and there are some good kirtaniyas here.
Harinama in the Latin quarter where the revolutionary students would meet. This is the real revolution. Changing the face of the earth. Changing the face of the people, changing our faces. I heard people don’t like us here. Who said that – it’s fantastic. If anyone wants to really experience bliss – or as close to it as you can imagine- then take a break in Paris and go on Harinama. Notre dame, Eiffel Tower. It’s terrific – the place is crawling with thousands and thousands of tourists and locals and they really love the devotees, at least when they are dancing and chanting. Streets everywhere – it seems like an unending beehive extruding honey. But one devotee says – today is really quiet. Well I can only imagine what it’s like on a busy day. It’s busy 24 hours, another says. Yes people appreciate Harinama much more now than ever before.
Objector: Ah but that was Paris. Elsewhere the story is different.
Okay let’s hear it.
Off we go to New Mayapura in the centre of rural France. Beautiful deities of Gaura Nitai, Radha Govinda Madhava and Krishna Balarama (Installed by Srila Prabhupada) A 200 acre property with more than 100 acres of beautiful forest. A chance to take it easy. Let’s make it easy by going on Harinama Let’s go on Harinama.
Objector: But it is one hour drive to the nearest town.
Reply: Town – why only towns. Lord Caitanya said every town and VILLAGE.
Let’s look at the map. Look there’s a village or maybe a town – it’s got a population of 3000 and it’s only 15 minutes away. Come on – Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Objector: But we’ve been here 32 years and we’ve never been on harinama there before. The people there don’t like us.
Reply: How do you know?
Objector 2: Well when the Padayatra went near there many years ago they had a bad reception.
Reply: Give them a chance – this is a mercy mission to plant the seeds.
Supporter: Aha – tomorrow is market day there – there should be more people about.
Reply: That settles it – we’re going
Somehow 12 of us get there and wow. The streets are busy. It’s a really quaint little place and the kirtan begins. Up and down the narrow street and a half. Wow – am I blind or mad but it seems to me like anywhere else. These are all really local French people – conservative. Waves and dances, smiling faces handshakes and inquisitive looks. We have no books – another mistake. But at least we can give our hearts. That’s the real value. Chant and dance in France and go into trance. It works without a doubt. Let’s get out.
The people like us. The devotees love it. Sometimes I feel the only problem is our mentality. We don’t want to do it. We are too self conscious. We protract a mentality of they don’t like us and that tends to reflect back. But just go out and smile, wave and reciprocate with them. They are our brothers, let us share. By the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu everyone is entitled to the seed of Love of God.
Okay time to go. End of the show. No. What about somewhere else. We haven’t got much time. There’s a small town – same size just down the road. Let’s go. Is this it. Where’s the town – we’re there. But where are the people. Over there, all two of them. Wow this is quiet!
Anyway we are here so let’s chant.
Around we go chanting to the houses and cars passing by. Suddenly from above an old lady waves frantically from the balcony. Face beaming. Young new age girls come running out of their house to see the fun, hippies pass by waving from their cars and bikes. The numbers are small but the Holy name has His plan wherever we go. Just as we are to leave one devotee said “but there is a devotee living here” – we search him out and he’s there – kirtan in his house – dancing and chanting in ecstasy.
“Everywhere is a good place for preaching”
Everyone is a devotee. We have the medicine to cure the disease – our disease- let’s take it and give it to others.
Harinama is our life and soul
Harinama is our final goal
Harinama saves us from Maya’s toll
Harinama the heart can console
Harinama, Harinama, Haribol!
The holy names are the saving grace
To deliver the entire human race
Sometimes hard to keep up the pace
But the surest way to change our face
Bhaktisiddhanta clearly states
“Chanting is the best form of Krishna seva. If other sadhanas help us develop in our chanting, then they deserve to be called sadhana. Otherwise they are simply impediments on the path of chanting.
Congregational chanting of Krishna’s holy name is the king of sadhana. It is the only infallible sadhana capable of bringing us to perfection. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not teach Deity worship in His siksatakam: He simply taught us to chant.”
(Sri Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura)
mahaprabhoh kirtana-nrtya-gita-
vaditra-madyan-manaso rasena
Chanting the holy name, dancing in ecstasy, singing, and playing musical instruments, the spiritual master is always gladdened by the sankirtana movement of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Happy dancing and Chanting
Dance while you can.
Yours servant
Janananda Gosvami
Maharaja, you’ve already got me dancing just by reading your article. This means you are a real sannyasi!
What Maharaja has posted is certainly true. Paris is one of the greatest spots on the planet for sankirtana, especially the Latin Quarter of Saint Germain/Saint Michel. It is perhaps second only to Times Square in New York City:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA40nHG13lQ
When I presented a framed picture of Radha Parisisvara to Srila Prabhupada in his room in Los Angeles in 1974, he touched it to his head and said, “Radharani is most beautiful.” Their Lordships have been waiting very patiently for Their new temple.
When the Deities are properly situated in a gorgeous home, I believe it will be a turning point for the whole movement.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH> I pray your mood will spread. There are no hard and fast rules for where we can chant the holy name.
I am thrilled to be able to announce that for the first time in 20 years Sri Sri Radha Parisisvara have a new home that is completely owned by the devotees and we do not owe a single penny on it. We paid cash for this new house and signed all the final documents at 5pm today and received the key. Now we have to do some renovations and then we will invite Their Lordships to Their new home.
Your servant, Praghosa dasa.
This is amazing news, Praghosa prabhu! I hope you will soon post a description of the property and perhaps some pictures. All glories to the servants of Sri Sri Radha
Parisisvara who have faithfully maintained the Deity program under the most difficult circumstances for the last twenty years!
Dear Locanananda prabhu,
Yes I hope to be able to post more details soon, including pictures……. watch this space :-)
oh my God i just love harinam.
thats all i want .to travel on harinam sankirtan
When His Divine Grace first visited Paris in 1971, and moments before a press conference was to begin, he asked me if the Harinam party was going out daily, to which I replied, “Yes, Srila Prabhupada.” Then he asked, “Are YOU going out daily?” and again I replied, “Yes, Srila Prabhupada!”
That was the standard in those days throughout the movement: daily harinam sankirtana in every city where a temple or preaching center had been opened, and every devotee would go out to chant and distribute literature and invitations every day.
The first temple in France was in my tiny apartment. At one point, we were living there with no heat, electricity or hot water, but we still managed to go out daily on Sankirtana. Sometimes, there would be just two of us, myself and Harivilasa prabhu, and we would take turns playing the mrdanga and chanting and distributing magazines. We were so poor that we couldn’t afford to buy gloves in the wintertime. Instead, we would wear a second pair of socks on our hands so we could play the karatalas, which were as cold as ice. When Harivilas prabhu’s shoes fell apart, we couldn’t afford to buy new ones, so he wrapped them up with scotch tape rather than go shoeless. And when his glasses broke, he wrapped a piece of string around his ear to keep them from falling off.
I don’t know if we will ever see that degree of austerity again in France, but one thing I know is that Srila Prabhupada, who was in India at the time, would mention how his two disciples were going out to preach on the streets of Paris even without a temple to invite people to come to.
Many thanks for posting the picture of Srila Prabhupada at the Eiffel Tower at the top of the article by Janananda Maharaja. I’m the tall guy standing on the curb facing
Srila Prabhupada and Harivilas prabhu is at my right. All of our austerity was rewarded by that one moment of association with Krishna’s pure devotee.
Regarding the acquisition of a new temple for Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Paris-isvara in Paris… this is some of the best news for our movement and for the souls of Paris we have heard in a long time. It is a cause to rejoice and appreciate the wonderful cooperative effort that went into such an impressive accomplishment. All glories to Their merciful Lordships and to Srila Prabhupada!
In 1983,I met Locananada das when he was the bhakta leader,and together with 10 brahmacaries,we toured France in a small van,for just harinams and book distribution.We slept,cooked,stored books in this small van,and woke up every day at 4 am for mangal arati,taking bath sometimes at whatever available water source we had.While the class was given at 7.30,a brahmacari was cooking sweets for distribution during harinams[9-12.00] ,while another one,the prasadam for devotees.In the evenings,we sat on a special Indian cloth and chanted for hours,sometimes forgetting the time!Once it stopped at 11 pm!
So,there was no time for any prajalpa or maya!And I thank Locanananda das for his training.
For the festivals,about 15,000 crowd danced to the sounds of reggae Krishna band,and all had prasadam,under the guidance of HH Indradyumna Mahraja.
The New Mayapura temple had organic agriculture,with the best chapatis in France!
There were,at the time, about 500 devotees in France!
As France is the most cultured country in the world,people there are most interested in Indian traditional dancing/musical instruments[professional]/theatre/food,expertly presented.They are not so much attracted to hippie type of organisation,dishonesty,weird dress etc…
All the best to France Yatra!
I believe the year was 1975 when Srila Prabhupada visited Paris and traveled with a group of devotees to central France to see a chateau that was for sale in Vichy. Vichy is know for its natural spring water and for having been the seat of French government during the German occupation during World War II.
At one point during the five hour drive, we pulled off the road for breakfast prasadam.
Srila Prabhupada was seated on a big folding cushion placed against a Citroen DS, probably the fastest car on the road in France at the time. A devotee photographer,
Bhargava prabhu, had come along and one of his pictures of Prabhupada sitting on that cushion honoring prasadam appeared in a Vyasa Puja book in a sebsequent year.
While Srila Prabhupada was waiting to be served, Harivilas Prabhu and I began a little
two-man kirtana, and Srila Prabhupada encouraged us by saying, “Yes, why not chant Hare Krishna!”
When we arrived at the chateau, we walked up a path and Bhargava prabhu asked
Prabhupada to pose. Prabhupada was holding his cane and had a nice charcoal gray chaddar on. He stood in front of a low stone wall with lush green foliage behind him.
This picture has been reproduced in many of our books and magazines.
As we approached the building, Srila Prabhupada pointed to the sunken roof with his cane and said it would have to be replaced and at great expense. We continued walking to a spot from which we could see a vast forest stretching for miles in all directions. Seeing how isolated we were, Srila Prabhupada said to me, “No one will come here.” After we walked another few steps, he added, “But where there is Krishna, people will come.”