Bhakta Piyush Gupta: Hare krishna prabhus
ISKCON columbus Bhakti Yoga club will be organising a two day festival on May 13th and 14th at the heart of Ohio State University campus.
ISKCON yoga club has been existing for 6 years now and has successfully conducted yoga sessions, cooking demonstrations, Bhagavad gita classes and festivals for the university students.
Sriman Jayananda Prabhu graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in Mechanical engineering. HG Hayagriva Prabhu was a professor in English at the University. Srila Prabhupada visited OSU in 1969 where he led 2000 students in chanting with Allen Ginsberg.
Columbus Krishna house located in the heart of the University has been a spiritual oasis for hundreds of University students who throng the temple all week and especially on Thursday and sunday evenings.
This year festival will be held on Main Oval in front of the main library and will feature Live kirtans, prasadam, exhibits and Srila Prabhupada books.
Please join us in this event and make it memorable.
Your servant
Bhakta Piyush Gupta
Prabhu,
Hare Krsna. Dandavats. Agtsp.
Just down the road from OSU, I was attending college at Antioch in Yellow Springs. It was there that I received my first BTG from devotees visiting from New Vrndavan. The year was 1969 or perhaps 1970. I distinctly remember reading an article about my Srila Prabhupada attending the function at OSU with Allen Ginsberg. I read that BTG from cover to cover and joined Krsna Consciousness within a few months. Prior to being in college, my first contact with Krsna Consciousness was in New York back in 1967 when I saw and heard Allen Ginsberg on television playing harmonium and chanting Om and Hare Krsna. Just hearing the Hare Krsna mantra once was enough to excite me to start chanting on my own. At the age of 17, I remember chanting at the top of my lungs in my car. By 19, I attended my first Sunday love feast in Boulder, Colorado and after several helpings of sweet and sour pineapple chutney I moved in. On the second or third day , I shaved up and became eternally situated in the service of Lord Jaganatha under the guidance of Srila Prabhupada. I remember going out for the first time on Hari Nama in orange dhoti and freshly shaven head with japa beads around my kneck and book bag on my shoulder. We went up and down the streets of Boulder enlightening the students with Hare Krsna chanting and BTG’s. I could hardly believe how quickly I was transformed from a denizen of planet earth to a Vaikuntha – jana. Although my mind was still giving me troubles ( and still is), my soul was free and liberated to serve the Lord of my heart. Waking up to see Lord Jaganatha. Lord Baladev and Lady Subhadra was priceless. I can understand now that Krsna was so causelessly merciful for making arrangements for my devotional service, that He rescued me from the repetition of birth and death in the material world and that each day I take His name on my japa beads, He is preparing me for His eternal loving service. I am overwhelmed with humility and gratitude to know that God truly loves me beyond words. I fall repeatedly at the feet of my dearmost gurudeva who came to these western countries and snatched me from the family of meat eaters and made me taste delightful Krsna prasadam. Please allow this most fallen soul to stay in the association of Vaishnavas, to chant the Holy Names and to hear topics of Lord Krsna from the lips of His Divine Grace! I have no other desire.
Haribol Mahashakti Prabhu,
What you have said here is very inspirational and moving.
All I can think about when I hear about the excellent preaching at Ohio State is … how much better we have to do at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. (LOL)
When ever someone says “Go Blue”, I think blue like Krishna. The yellow in Michigan’s school colors is for Krishna’s silk cloth. How did those old 19th century U of M founders know? :-)
Anyway, it looks like the Buckeyes beat the Wolverines in the preaching department this time. I don’t think Srila Prabhupada ever visited Ann Arbor. :-(
But I think the Michigan devotees can roll up their sleeves and parlay a long-standing football rivalry into a good old-fashioned book distribution rivalry.
(Actually I look forward to visiting the Ann Arbor devotees someday. I was hoping to attend my 20-year law school reunion last year and check out the local preaching, but unfortunately I could not make it.)