By Dvarakarani Devi dasi
These are U.S. troops. The soldier facing the camera, weapon in hand, is Partha-sarathi dasa.
Besides engaging the enemy his mission is to hold a Ratha-yatra festival in Baghdad.
His dilemma—what to do for prasadam? His solution—Ratnabhusana dasa and the New Dwaraka cookie baking crew. So far Ratna has sent three batches of 1,800 cookies each to Partha to distribute to the troops. Along with the cookies Partha has received Deities of Their Lordships Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra, and other devotional items. Jai Srila Prabhupada!
The response from the troops has been so uplifting. The Mercy of the devotees is far reaching.
Here are some excerpts from some letters that Ratna received from these troops in Iraq:
“
Thank you soooo much for all this…. that is so far out that you all took the time out to help me. Things have been very intense here, almost took a round the other day but Narasimha is here next to me, everywhere I go.”
“Our center is growing at the moment, 10 bhaktas have been made. They are chanting rounds and following the 4 regs all by Krsna’s and your mercy.”
“I lost a soldier recently and the amazing thing was that he did so much service for Krsna without knowing.
He bought dry fruit, incense etc. And the amazing thing was that he ate like 50 of the last batch of cookies.
When we packed his stuff up I found a card I have given him in his helmet… it said Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare… and I was told before he died he yelled Krsna.”
If you would like to join the troops—the Cookie Prasadam Troops that is—please write to Ratnabhusana dasa. All donations no matter how small are welcome. Ratna’s e-mail
address is:
isanahratna@yahoo.com
Ratha yatra ki jai! Srila Prabhupada ki jai!
simply amazing…… I dont have any othe words to describe greatness of this devotee…… Jai Jaganath…..
Is this for real? This sounds like a futuristic spiritual science-fiction story….. Sincerely, my respects…
This anecdotes should become a book…
Ys,
Hari Bol
PAMHO. AGTSP.
Any pictures, videos of Baghdad Rathyatra? Please post them.
Hare KruShNa
your servant
What is the official opinion Iskcon concerning preaching in war zones?
In my humble opinion,the holy Name of Jaganatha should not be associated with any army for the time being.Machine gun in one hand and prasadam in the other!How will muslims [children and women]observe such a contradiction?The US Army is despised all over the world for this war,including in the USA,as it is a war for stealing the petrol of Arabic countries,of controlling this region of the planet,and not really to implement democracy.It’s very serious matter for the future reputation of Iskcon and Srila Prabhupada,and all senior devotees should give their opinion about this issue.
Our main weapons should be the Maha Mantra,free distribution of prasadam to all the afflicted area,telling the recipients that it’s food offered to God,whose Names are multiple,according to customs and countries.
There should be special funds to support such preaching,that should not be done by soldiers in uniforms,as soldiers mean violence and abuse of most horrible kind,due to weapons made of depleted uranium,which is contaminating the whole world with dangerous radioactive effects,provoking a special kind of cancer to soldiers and populations.
If any preaching is organized there,it should be done by fearless devotees,who would distribute the Holy Names and prasadam,with the great benediction of the Founder Acarya,who said he would worship such devotees by putting the dust from their lotus feet on his head by preaching to the muslims.
In South Africa,the only white people who could walk safely in black areas,were Iskcon devotees who were doing Food For Life.
What a wonderful programme in Baghdad and the mercy that people will recieve from Lord Jagannatha all Glories to the devotees who are in the war torn zone preaching the glories of Krishna
Words can’t picture as to how happy I’m. Keep it up Prabhus! Just let me know if I could be of any help.
Hare Krishna
Cidanandas: Jaya prabhu, I totally agree. So much so in fact that I’ll sponsor your ticket, or at least make a contribution toward it. Let me know when you’re headed over. :-)
ys,
Sita-pati das
This is very very encouraging…
PAMHO, AGTSP.
Cidanandas Prabhu, first of all, maybe you should read the article again. Parthasarathi Prabhu is preaching to the AMERICAN TROOPS!!! Not preaching to the local people. Though I’m sure as a compassionate vaisnava he will try to give some prasadam to locals if he is able. And I’m sure, given the chance he would preach to them too.
It’s very easy to sit in front of a computer screen and issue proclamations about how the preaching should and shouldn’t be done. But I’d like to see you preaching every day in the face of death. Plus you should consider to whom he is preaching. American soldiers are very tough, often hardened individuals. While he is having success with many, I’m sure there are as many who may ridicule our beliefs. Soldiers tend to make the staunchest christians!
You say “fearless devotees” should be doing the preaching. Well what would you call Parthasarathi Prabhu? A woos!!! Do you realise the danger those soldiers face every day? Every time they leave their camp they don’t know if they will come back in one piece or not. Who would be preaching to the troops if he wasn’t?
Parthsarathi Prabhu is doing a wonderful service according to the time, place and circumstance in which he is situated. Which is exactly what Srila Prabhupada did. Was Srila Prabhupada any the less a pure devotee because he head to keep his bhoga in a fridge alongside meat when he first came to America? Of course not! He did what he had to do.
Lastly I would like to say I am in full and total agreement with Sita-pati Prabhu. I will also make a contribution to your airfare. Put your money where your mouth is and get out there and do it yourself. Unless you are willing to put yourself in the line of fire then shutup and stop criticising those who are! Get a life! Go preach! Then Srila Prabhupada will take the dust from your feet…..
Yours in the service of the spiritual warriors.
Hari Bol
PAMHO. AGTSP.
Cidanandas Prabhu, i will send you US$50/=, once you reach Iraq and start preaching in the warzone.
Hare KruShNA
your servant
PAMHO, AGTSP.
Having just read this article again I realise that I also didn’t read it properly. It does actually state quite clearly that Parthasarathi Prabhu does want to hold Rathayatra in Bhagdhad. Whether that means in the city itself or his camp, I don’t know but either way, I stand by what I said before and wish him full success and the protection of Lord Nrsimhadeva and Lord Balaram – the ultimate warriors – in his endeavours. May he recieve the full blessings of Srila Prabhupada .
Jagannath ki jai!
I can’t agree at all with Cidananda prabhu’s comments on the preaching that Partha Sarathi prabhu is doing in Iraq. Partha Sarathi’s efforts have nothing to do with the polictics of the situation. Devotees are transcendental to such things. He is distributing prasadam and books, chanting and holding festivals and that has nothing to do with anything other than distributing the mercy of the Lord where it is most needed.
Iraq is probably one of the toughest but most receptive places on earth right now for spreading Krsna consciousness and Partha Sarathi is doing the most wonderful service possible.
Srila Prabhupada often said that dead men cannot preach. Even though he is in the ‘dead zone’ Partha Sarathi prabhu is very much alive and he is giving real life to all those who he comes in contact with. According to the report, one solider that was killed chanted Krsna’s name as he died. This is the highest fortune. It reminds me of the story Srila Prabhupada told George Harrison in 1976 about Kartikeya’s mother:
July 26, 1976–Bhaktivedanta Manor meeting with George Harrison:
“Our one students, Karttikeya, his mother was very fortunate. So his mother had nothing to do with this Society, but the boy was attached, and she heard several times ‘Krsna,’ that this boy is attached to Krsna. At the time of her death, she asked her son, ‘Is your Krsna here?’ — and died. Just see how fortunate she is. She simply uttered this word, ‘Is your Krsna here?’ then she died. Very fortunate. So on account of her son she got salvation.
“Otherwise, Karttikeya told me that he went to see his mother, and the mother was going to ball dance, and the mother did not receive him well. ‘All right, you sit down. I’ll come again.’ She was such lady. But by Krsna’s grace, at the time of death, she inquired her son, ‘Is your Krsna here?’ Very fortunate.”
Prabhupada’s narrative inspired George to describe his own experience of dealing with death. “When my mother died, I had to send my sister and father out of the room because they were getting emotional. And I just chanted Hare Krsna.”
“Oh, very nice,” Prabhupada said. “So she could hear?”
“I don’t know,” George said. “I don’t know, she was in like a coma or something. It was the only thing I could think of. In 1970. It was the only thing I could think of that may be of value, you know.”
“Anyway,” Prabhupada told him, “if she has heard Hare Krsna, she’ll get the benefit. Either she chants, or somebody chanting, if she hears, sravanam kirtanam, both the same thing. Little chance, sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. So let us practice in such a way that at the time of death we may remember. That is success.”
Ref. VedaBase => TD 3-4: London
Although I can’t do much, I am happy to donate to the cookie prasadam team and I hope all devotees who read this will do the same.
Your humble servant, Hari-sauri dasa
Dear Devotees, Please accept my most fallen and unworthy obeisances, All glories to Srila Prabhupada! Hare Krsna, I am writing this letter to explain myself and my motives behind what I am doing in Iraq. I am not here to be a hero, make waves in ISKCON and certainly not to make Srila Prabhupada and place a negative preception of ISKCON. I joined the Army prior to becoming a devotee. While some talk harshly about my being there, and some praise me, the fact is that I am stuck here. I signed my name and gave my word to lead soldiers. After reading Srila Prabhupada’s books, I have understood that Srila Prabhupada wanted us to take advantage of any chance we have to preach this wonderful message. This brings me to Iraq (the fourth time), where after years of preaching in the Army, am finally getting facility and means to cultivate and introduce jivas to Srila Prabhupada’s books. To be able to have a Ratha Yatra on a US Army base, to be given a building to be used for eucationg and advancing this culture. Will all do respect to all the devotees. None of you are here, none of you have to have someone covered in blood and die i your arms and see that his only hope is to hear the Holy Name. I belive if not mistaken Srila Prabhupada wanted us to develop a quality called compassion. It is lonely here and while most live a community of devotees, I live not in a comfrtable temple, but in a warzone. There is no life here, only death. Death of the the material body and even more importantly death of the intreset in spirtual life. But when they hear about Krsna….. their lives light up.
All of you are more advanced and senior than me, after all I am just a dumb soldier but I ask each of you, do these soldiers not deserve the right and oppurtunity to learn about Krsna? Do they not deserve a chance to end the cycle of birth and death? I am not a savior but Srila Prabhupada is and if I have to go through all of this to bring one to Srila Prabhupada, then it is worth. That is my desire, no it is my DUTY to Srila Prabhupada and to my Spiritual Master. It is the duty of all that claim to be a vaisnava. Where would we be if Srila Prabhupada never left India? We would be rotting in the material suffering.
Contrary to some, not all of us soldier are the cause of the greatest horrors. A shame, such a broad and intelligent movement and such narrow minded thinking. After all, with this logic should we label ever Hare Krsna as a demon after the events of the late 1970’s and 1980’s? These men and women are thirsty for the nectar of Bhagavad-Gita. Who here has the right to take the cup of nectar away, that would relieve their thirst?
With all this said, I ask all the devotees to look past politics, to look past their personal opinions and for a chance be supportive of one another. After all, as Srila Prabhupada said “the dogs may bark, but the caravan will pass.”
Please forgive me for any offenses I have made. It is not my desire to upset anyone. I fall at each of your feet repatedly and beg for your forgivness.
your’s in the service of Srila Prabhupada,
Partha-sarathi dasa
Hari Bol,
PAMHO. AGTSP.
Some devotees had raised some concerns about iskcon’s image in the minds of Iraqui people earlier, when ParthaSarathi Prabhu had declared his plans about Baghdad Rathyatra. Prabhuji explained that this Rathyatra would be only for American soldiers and yatra would happen on an American army base.
Hare KruShNA
your servant
SriGopaldas Says:
September 24th, 2007 at 6:59 am
Hare Krishna. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Sri Bhishmadeva promised his father that he would protect and serve Hastinapura but his ill luck would have it that Dhritashtra, father of Duryodhana became the King of Hastinapura and Sri Bhishmadeva had to fight under Dhritashtra’s Kingship against Sri Arjuna who was under the protection of Sri Krishna. This didn’t made Sri Bhishmadeva less of a devotee, Sri Bhishmadeva remained one of the greatest devotee of Sri Krishna and one of the Mahajanas. Mahajana Yena Gata sa pantah – traverse the path that mahajanas have shown. You are duty-bound to America and Srila Prabhupada chose America to start his mission so America is very special right now there maybe some problems that shouldn’t stop us from serving the country. So, Parthasarthy das prabhu, take example from Sri Bhishmadeva and follow in His footsteps, success is guaranteed. don’t worry about few opinions that may sound narrow-minded, carry on with your preaching because preaching to others also is preaching to our mind and is very purifying and this is the reason Srila Prabhupada always encouraged preaching. There is no higher happiness than hearing and speaking about Sri Krishna. Let the merciful Lord Jagannatha, Sri Subhadra Devi and Sri Balarama, the Adi Guru shower Their Divine Mercy on you and all the soldiers so all of you can come back home safely and continue to practice your Krishna Consciousness in a peaceful atmosphere. Please pray to Lord Narasimhadeva of Sri Mayapur when in warzone, Srila Prabhupada introduced Sri Narasimhadeva’s worship in ISKCON to protect his disciples from all kinds of dangers. Hoping this meets you in blissful mood of Sri Krishna Conscious.
Sri Gopaldas
If some of the Krishna consciousness spills off the military base and becomes available to some fortunate Iraqi people, so much the better. Why should devotees be apprehensive or insecure about this?
Krishna consciousness is like sunlight. Whatever it touches will be illuminated.
The war itself is a fiasco of American foreign policy (but it did drive Saddam and his family from power). It is very nice, though, that many of the U.S. troops are getting an opportunity to contact Krishna consciousness by the mercy of Partha Sarathi prabhu and those who are helping him.
If some of the Iraqi people also become attracted to this Krishna consciousness movement, this will be an unintended positive consequence of the war.
Eventually, whether in three years or ten years, the American troops will no longer be present in Iraq. The American operations there will just be another blip in the long history of that region, another fiasco in a history of many fiascos. But if a Krishna consciousness movement can be started there it will be very beneficial for everyone.
If some foolish person thinks poorly about Krishna consciousness because it is being introduced by American “occupation” forces, we cannot help that. The emergency is to get the message of Krishna out to those who are intelligent enough to appreciate it, and we cannot worry what some foolish people in the darkness of ignorance might think.
In spite of the inevitable resentment and mistrust of a foreign occupying force, history has shown that the culture of the occupiers does tend to become influential. Lebanon and Syria still have some French influence, for example. Maybe the Americans will not be there long enough to exert much influence, but American culture (I use the word “culture” advisedly) is pretty influential everywhere in the world these days, and Hollywood is just a small part of it. The world is increasingly becoming smaller and more culturally homogeneous, but there is a sense that it is also becoming dull and tasteless.
However, Krishna consciousness is not American or Indian. Krishna consciousness is not “foreign” anywhere. It is the natural culture of all people, because Krishna is Lord of the Universe. It has the power to bring unity where there are divisions in the world. It has the power to bring purity where there is degradation and baseness.
Another important thing: this Sankirtan movement has the power to transform the lives of modern people in spite of the current modern atmosphere in which we live. We cannot go meditate in the forest, and most of us have to work in cities among many uncongenial conditions, but Srila Prabhupada has given us a way to live gracefully and spiritually in spite of those modern conditions. Even soldiers facing ambushes in a foreign country can get the benefit, and so can Iraqis living in turbulent times.
Eventually it will be Iraqis themselves and not foreigners who learn best how to spread the Krishna consciousness movement among other Iraqis, Arabs and Kurds.
Iraq was created out of three mutually distrustful provinces of the former Ottoman Turkish empire, as British and French politicians sought “mandates” in the middle east during the peace conference at Paris after WWI.
Iraqi politicians will use national or ethic identities such as Kurdish, Shi’ite or Sunni Arab to organize people and gain power. Meanwhile, most people are just struggling to live their lives without too much trouble, as they are everywhere.
Krishna consciousness is transcendental to such external identities and gives fortunate people an opprtunity to taste real spiritual happiness and gain positive scientific knowledge about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, regardless of their ethnic background.
Of course, Vedic culture is best, but Krishna consciousness can purify anyone and bring them up to the standard of the best of Vedic society. And even a little advancement on this path is sufficient to deliver our from the most dangerous type of fear.
Dear prabhus,
It has rightly been said that practicing Krsna consciousness need not be bound by any material situation, military or otherwise. Preaching Lord Chaitanya’s message is so urgent that we can hardly be choosy about a potential muslim backlash due to being a US soldier.
It is interesting to note that even within the US armed forces are followers of Islam. They are following orders of course, but to be squeamish in the face of tyranny or the muslim brotherhood would have them court marshalled. Many of these soldiers in fact prescribe to a moderate brand of Islam, if it be called that.
Partha-sarathi prabhu is only doing what a devotee naturally does – to preach. Is there any crime in this? He is breaking conventional norms and being an innovative preacher.
As for whether the Iraqi people will identify Krsna conciousness with American ‘imperialism’ will be corrected by reading Srila Prabhupada’s books translated into Arabic. Perhaps it would be an idea to have such books (if allowed to do so) for distributing to certain fortunate locals, some of whom I am sure will be open to a dose of Lord Krsna’s message, considering the ravages of war and all things going on in that country.
Go for it Partha-sarathi prabhu! Do not let the negative comments affect you. If anyone is afraid to do anything for fear of being criticized by others, he may as well not do anything at all. What a boring life that would be.
Ys, Kesava Krsna dasa.
Hari Bol,
PAMHO. AGTSP.
i would like to make a small donation to ParthaSarathi Prabhu’s preaching efforts in Iraq. Please post details to send donations. can we setup a paypal account?
Hare KruShNA
your servant