In regards with the preaching efforts in Iraq

By Praghosa Das ( NYC )

My Dear Paratha Sarathi Das

Praghosa Das here.

I had in the past promised to write you something in regards to your kind efforts to share the blessings of our Dear Srila Prabhupada with anyone willing to accept them while you are there in the midst of the present conflict in Iraq. I offer you now my thoughts and encouragement today.

I have noted some of the recent questions being posed about the efficacy and/or value of your efforts there in Iraq and they do not seem to take into consideration some important spiritual principles. In some cases – the discussion has entered into the political aspects of this war, but for soldiers on both sides of this conflict, engaged in doing their prescribed duty, the political element is of minor or no importance. Of course there are many negative perceptions of this present conflict in Iraq. Sentiments are greatly aroused here in the United States; both pro and con. No one knows this better however – than the troops on the ground – each of whom are facing ALL the relevant matters that pertain to executing your duties there day after day – while having to internally deal with these matters. I would like to contribute something for your benefit and perhaps the benefit of any of your fellow soldiers there with whom you have provided the mercy and blessings of Srila Prabhupada and Krsna Consciousness.

I recall after you and I exchanged letters – that I had cautioned you to take care that your efforts would not be misidentified with the invasion or US occupation by the Iraqis themselves. You had assured me then, that all your efforts were directed to your fellow officers and US troops who have found themselves by force of circumstances in this present conflict. I want to encourage you in every way to go on with your efforts unhindered by even a shred of doubt or fear – no matter what objection might be offered from any other quarter.

First – the validity of or actual necessity for this present war in the MIddle East and most wars in Kali Yuga – can be and usually are questioned or challenged by all those whose task it is to pay for or support them in anyway. The intellectuals will challenge. The Economists will challenge. The politicians will challenge. The religionist will challenge. Most importantly – the men and women – who are either asked or forced – to enact this policy of “Politics by other means” – will either challenge the validity of war in general or a particular war, as they are the principals who will be asked to make the greatest “contribution” or sacrifice to the effort; their very lives! They either challenge before they find themselves caught up in the maelstrom, if they have a choice at all, or doubts and fears and challenges fully manifest within them once they find themselves in the center of the fray.

As you have explained – this is your 4th tour of Duty there in Iraq. Clearly – you are answering the call from our Srila Prabhupada to deliver the blessings of simple Krsna Consciousness – the chanting of the Holy Names and honoring of the slightest bit of the Lord’s prasadam – to men who are as Srila Prabhupada would describe it – placed in a materially speaking “less than adorable” situation. For the devotee of the Lord – hell can be converted to heaven, where he is able to share this simple method of fully and perfectly connecting with Lord Krsna. Conversely – for the devotee, even the most “heavenly” situation can be transformed into a hellish nightmare – if this simple method of fully and perfectly connecting with Lord Krsna is denied him.

When I was just a young brahmacari book distributor working hard day after day to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books to the conditioned souls, I found myself in Washington DC in the centennial summer of 1976 on the 4th of July. There are many wonderful lectures, room conversations and articles from His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada during that period. Srila Prabhupada even attended the wonderful fireworks display in the center of Washington DC celebrating our nation’s 200Th Anniversary! He was surrounded by many devotees as he gazed up at the sky taking in the display! It was a very wonderful 4Th of July for all of us. I would hope that you can acquire as much of the above nectar from Srila Prabhupada from that period and share that with your men there. I am sure they would delight in this history as well.

Anyway – during this period – I seemed to be missing a lot of the daily darshans and each day I would arrive from the airport where we were doing our daily samkirtan and would be greeted by a different devotee “Oh Praghosa you really missed another doozy” and with each passing day – I was becoming a little more disappointed. Then one night – I came home and by Krsna’s Sweet Will – I was directly confronted with the presence of Srila Prabhuapda – standing directly in front of me with a couple of men. I immediately fell to the ground – too shocked for words really – as I had been only 15 minutes earlier driving home from the airport – offering my protest to Krsna – promising a permanent grudge against Him if I was continually denied the kinds of “nectar” the other men seemed to be getting! Now suddenly – it was as if Krsna had tore open the raincloud of mercy and just unleashed a torrent of mercy upon me! I could hardly breathe as I looked up into Srila Prabhupada’s eyes. Srila Prabhupada wasted no time.

“So who is this?” and his servant told him we were the samkirtan boys from the airport. “Ahh! So how was the book distribution today?” Srila Prabhuapda asked me. I stood and without hesitating answered “Srila Prabhupada. Between Vaisaseka, Subbhudi Raya and Myself – we distributed 140 copies of the Bhagavad Gita!” Srila Prabhupada threw his arm in the air and said “Jaya! Victory” and smiled with such affection you could scarcely imagine!

In that moment – my heart was stolen by him forever. There was not a single shred of a doubt – that at least for that moment – I had been made the most fortunate man in the entire universe! I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt – precisely what he had meant when he said in one letter “If you want to please me – then distribute my books”. This is your position as well. Each day there in the field – no matter what happens – when you share this simple method of connecting absolutely with Lord Krsna with your fellow soldiers – His Divine Grace is indescribably pleased with you and you should know it – he is likewise smiling upon you and your efforts and throwing his arms up shouting “Jaya! Victory!”

I then proceeded to tell him all about a young soldier from the US Army, stationed in Fort Jackson South Carolina – who had accepted 4 of Srila Prabhupada’s books from me in exchange for a donation of $80.00! Srila Prabhupada was absolutely delighted as I told him this. I then said to His Divine Grace the following and the exchange that followed – has served me for the rest of my life in countless ways.

“Srila Prabhupada, this young man asked me a very good question also”.
“Oh. What was that?” Srila Prabhupada asked as he resumed walking to the porch of his little residence.
“He asked me “Is it possible for me to be Krsna Conscious and remain a soldier?
Srila Prabhupada stopped walking, turned and asked me “And how did you answer him” evidently interested in my reply.
I said “Well Srila Prabhupada…I told him that this Bhagavad Gita was originally spoken to the greatest soldier in the history of the world. His name was Arjuna and Lord Krsna states in this converstation ….that the message of the Gita is most importantly, meant for the saintly kings and their soldiers.
Srila Prabhupada paused for a moment, thoughtful, and then smiled and said “You have answered rightly! Arjuna WAS a military man!”
Then Srila Prabhupada invited us in to his quarters and asked us point blank “So tell me more about this book distribution!”
I proceeded to tell him more and he asked various questions. At one point I told him of another young soldier I had met the previous day – who purchased 4 Bhagavad Gitas from me saying “These are for my buddies on the base down at Fort Jackson. 8 of us fellas get together every week and study this Gita”.
Srila Prabhupada looked at me surprised and asked “OUR Bhagavad Gita?” I immediately replied “Yes Srila Prabhupada. YOUR Bhagavad Gita!” Srila Prabhupada looked at his servant and smiling said “Just see!”. Clearly he was pleased. He was pleased that they were carefully reading on the base together in Fort Jackson. He most certainly would be pleased if they read it and act upon it – while engaged in fighting upon the battlefield!
So do not entertain a single doubt about your dedicated service to Srila Prabhupada. Nor your dedicated service to all the men in your company there in this battlefield. Soldiers of the genuine warrior class are not called upon to decide the issues that lead to and result in war. Their job is to prosecute the war – and as effectively and successfully as possible.
Many will object to this and cite so many seemingly reasonable arguments against this fact.

As much objection as there may be to this or any war – still war remains with us as a facet of human existence. There are so many who will protest or struggle against all that appears to unnecessarily generate war in this world. Still no one has been able to prevent what often in hindsight appears inexplicably irrational, unprovoked or unwanted.

Why this occurs cannot be explained too well by the materialists; those who do not see or acknowledge the Divine Hand or Will of the Lord behind all that happens in this world. But His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada provided us the most comprehensive explanation for this phenomena called WAR in his rendition of the Krsna Book Volume III Chapter 10. This chapter highlights Lord Balaram’s touring of the Sacred Places. Here are the facts about WAR given us by Srila Prabhupada:
“When Lord Balarama returned to Prabhasatirtha He heard from the brahmanas that most of the ksatriyas in the Battle of Kuruksetra had been killed. Balarama felt relieved to hear that the burden of the world had been reduced. Lord Krsna and Balarama appeared on this earth to lessen the burden of military strength created by the ambitious ksatriya kings. This is the way of materialistic life: not being satisfied by the absolute necessities of life, people ambitiously create extra demands, and their illegal desires are checked by the laws of nature or by laws of God, appearing as famine, war, pestilence and similar catastrophes. ” Srila Prabhupada once gave another example in this regard to illustrate just how and why such catastrophes are from time to time forced upon mankind in this world. He told the story of the teacher who was tired of the misbehavior of two of his students. They were causing such disturbance that the rest of the class was not able to concentrate on their studies. So the teacher called the two young rascals to the front of the class. He raised his cane, threatening to strike them both, but instead of beating them himself, he ordered them “You each take hold of the others earlobes with both hands and you grip them tightly! Now – when I order you …you each pull the other’s ear until I order you to stop!” The boys were shocked – but – they saw that unless they did as he compelled them to do – he would beat them even more severely with his cane! So – when the teacher ordered “NOW PULL you rascals!” they each in turn began tormenting the other by pulling on the others ears. Naturally – as each pulled harder and harder – they became more and more angry with the other! They were now not only tormented by the teacher and his cane – but they were directly tormented and wounded by the other! In time – the teacher then relented and order them to cease. “Now go back to you seats and see that you do not disturb my class again” he commanded them.

So this is the situation of this material world. Srila Prabhupada says in the introduction to his translation of the First Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam – we are all forced to suffer “large scale quarrels over less important issues”.

Now – into the midst of this “large scale quarrel” you and so many other US soldiers and Iraqi nationalists have found themselve thrust into battle. Sometimes as comrades. Sometimes as enemies. Certainly this present conflict could be discussed and analyzed – literally to the point of tears – and indeed it most certainly has been and will continue to be – but all that discussion from every possible angle – does not change the moment to moment – day to day life of one G.I. or Iraqi fighter one iota! Each of you – on each side of this conflict is confronted by your prescribed duties as they pertain to your position as soldiers. There are many who would argue vehemently against your doing this or accepting your duties in this way. I would not. As you have stated – “I signed on for this to lead my men and I take it this committment seriously”.

However – your efforts to bring the beautiful opportunity of Krsna Consciousness, the chanting of the Lord’s Holy Names and the acceptance of His prasadam – to any and all who might be willing and grateful to accept it – whether they be US Soldiers or otherwise – are indescribably pleasing to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. I applaud your efforts and wish only to encourage you and the “boots on the ground” your fellow soldiers, to continiue.

You can inquire from every single man and woman who ever seriously engaged in the distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s books and they will all tell you that we all found and still find the military men of the US forces to be some of the most sincerely interested in receiving Srila Prabhupada’s books. All of us have literally COUNTLESS stories that demonstrate how they valued and or value receiving them. Naturally they are faced with very important and oft times vexing circumstances. Having the comfort of the Lord and His simple devotees – who deliver to them unsolicited the sweet names of Lord Krsna and His prasadam, in the midst of what are extraordinary circumstances – will have a lasting impact upon each of them who can take advantage of your wondeful efforts.
Certainly – YOU more than anyone from the safety of our computers in the West – knows exactly how sensitive the situation there is as regards the sentiments of the Iraqis. Any attempt on our part to caution you in this regard has most certainly been deeply considered by both you and your Commanding Officers there in the midst of it all.

I write to you only to tell you – that for however long you are either obliged or willling to remain there – perform your duties as efficiently and expertly as possible and simultaneously continue to share this wonderful and simple process of Krsna Consciousness with every man you can. In so doing – you will be pleasing His Divne Grace Srila Prabhupada unlimitedly and you will be doing the greatest possible good for yourself and all the men you so support.

Despite all that may appear as threatening or chaotic or unwanted or undesirable around you all there in Iraq at this time, if you all can simply hear the following from His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, taken from the 11th Chapter of his rendition of the Krsna Book, entitled “The Meeting of Lord Krsna with Sudama Brahmana” – and apply it moment to moment – then despite what your circumstance might look like – you will see it – as it actually is.

King Pariksit continued: “The capacity for talking can be perfected only by describing the transcendental qualities of the Lord. The capacity for working with one’s hands can be successful only when one engages himself in the service of the Lord with those hands. Similarly, one’s mind can be pacified only when he simply thinks of Krsna in full Krsna consciousness. This does not mean that one has to be very thoughtful, but one simply has to understand that Krsna, the Absolute Truth, is all-pervasive by His localized aspect as Paramatma. If only one can think that Krsna, as Paramatma, is everywhere, even within the atom, then one can perfect the thinking, feeling and willing function of his mind. The perfect devotee does not see the material world as it appears to material eyes, but he sees everywhere the presence of his worshipable Lord in His Paramatma feature.”

I salute you prabhu and all your fellow soldiers who are taking this gift of Krsna Consciousness so seriously and are so generously offering it to one another in the spirit of our Dear Srila Prabhupada.

Hare Krsna!
Praghosa Das NYC

pdhedemark@yahoo.com