By Stritama dasi ACBSP
Krishna is not limited in any way, shape or form. Sharing Krishna is therefore not limited as well. Srila Prabhupada used everything in the service of Krishna. His disciples in Sydney are following his mood of utilizing everything in the service of Krishna in a progressive and innovative way at Govinda’s Restaurant and conscious movie theater.
I had the good fortune to have a trip down under to the Gold Coast and visit the locally renowned restaurant in the heart of the city. The bottom floor is a large meditation and sacred sound room.Second floor is the gorgeous and scrumptious Govinda’s Restaurant with Lord Govinda welcoming you upon entry and the prasadam buffet keeping your gaze as you make your way in. The next floor the movie theater that shows conscious films after people have filled themselves with Krishna prasad, making them even more open to open to a ‘simple living – higher thinking’ lifestyle. The people who come to the restaurant-movie evenings are general public members; not yoga people, new agers, Hindus or other spiritual people. It is a market hard to reach and they doing it in an insightful and effective way.
I can’t help but think Srila Prabhupada is very pleased by their service to this movement of spreading Love of Godhead.
Their preaching is progressive and so out of the box, yet at the same time so simple and connected to the core of what preaching is all about – sharing our love for Krishna and Srila Prabhupada in a way that people will take it. And it is working. The team at Govinda’s: my god brother Pratapana dasa and his amazing wife Jayasri dasi are making the citizens of Sydney favorable towards the Hare Krishnas, Krishna consciousness and general higher consciousness and isn’t that what it’s really all about? We know not everyone is going to move into a temple, not everyone is going to take initiation, but if we can get everyone to like Krishna, we have succeeded in what Srila Prabhupada set out to do? I think so.
My hats of to the powerhouse couple for their insightful, thoughtful and above all personal approach to spreading Krishna consciouness in Sydney. The Govinda’s restaurant is off the chart in ambience, service and of course delicious prasadam. They have a team in place that really delivers the goods in consistency and style. The real treat is upstairs, the movie room: comfortable and cozy sofa-like seats that are so inviting. The movies that they show are not solely for entertainment, but are deep and thought provoking, heart touching films. In this day and age this is what it’s all about. Getting people thinking, feeling, and communicating is the first step towards self-realization and on a full belly of prasadam they are making leaps and bounds in their spiritual advancement.
As Srila Prabhupada said, “first become conscious then you can become Krishna Conscious”.
To follow up with interested people they have Sound Meditation programs. Between the candle-lit, smells and ambiance creating a sacred space, helping people to connect to divine chanting of ‘Jai Jai Radha Ramana Hari Bol, Jai Jai Radha Ramana Hari bol’, for example, one of my all time favorite mantras. All of this ecstatic chanting was followed by the real deal; a scrumptious meal from Govinda’s – that is my idea of a great Saturday night and I know those attending agree. For those who want to go further in their spiritual journey they are suggested to go to the temple in the other part of the city, and some move into the ashram just walking distance from the center for full immersion.
These venues are attracting crowds that we may never get at a temple or traditional preaching center. I would like to make it known the impressive and powerful preaching Pratapana das and Jayasri dasi are doing in Australia by their hard-work and dedication.
I can’t glorify them enough! Bravo for having the forethought in their preaching efforts. They were also kind enough to host me in the ladies ashram on short notice.
All Glories to the devotees of the Lord.
All Glories to the devotees who have followed in the footsteps of Serial Prabhupada.
All Glories to His Divine Loving Grace Srila Prabhupada for this wonderful amazing life he is giving the entire World.
Yours in service,
Stritama Dasi Sherreitt