By Radhikakrpa devi dasi
On my recent preaching tour I reached Vancouver, the Canadian city famous for being a second home to Punjabi population. I was informed that I was scheduled for a talk show with a very popular anchor on Radio Red Fm the very next morning. The interviewer; a Sikh gentleman was to interview me in Punjabi, that would air in most of the cities of Canada and North America. It was a golden chance to utilize this powerful medium of communication as a preaching tool.
Amidst the Guru Puja in the morning I got the message of my escort to the show having arrived that was to drive me to the studios. I prayed to Srila Prabhupada for blessings and paid obeisance’s to the beautiful presiding Deities Sri Sri Radha Madana Mohan .I was in dire need of Their mercy as this was my first ever radio talk show though I had been on Indian television for sometime. That had been recordings with a room for editing but as I had been told this was to be live on air. This was a reason fair enough for butterflies to flutter in my stomach. Despite all anxiety a soldier on the front puts a show of self confidence. Truly speaking preachers too are the soldiers enrolled in Srila Prabhupada’s army facing difficulties; may it be from outside or within. I was driven to my destination not very far from the temple where I was lodging.
On reaching the studios I was welcomed by a soft spoken lady who showed us to a waiting room where we had to wait for few minutes before the anchor would go on a break (on air) and then invite me in. I was murmuring Narsimha arti so as to overcome all fears. The anchor was aware of my being an author to a book called ‘Vaisanava Teachings in Sikhism’ and I wondered what he would ask me. I did not want to indulge in any controversies as this was being aired to the masses. Soon the anchor asked for me to be shown into the recording room. After brief introduction he enquired about my upbringing and what was I doing in Vancouver? He was deft in his job. Within no time I heard his voice saying ‘ready’ and there I could hear his powerful voice in fluent Punjabi announcing my name on air. He very nicely put forth my background describing myself to be a progeny of Khatri Sikh couple and an author to a book that would make bridges and break the barriers.
He asked questions pertaining to the meaning of spiritual life, goal of human life, meaning of ‘motivation’. Is a spiritual life a path to escapism?
With Guru and Krsna’s mercy I don’t how I was instilled with courage and answered his queries right from the Bhagavad Gita As It Is and the Holy Sikh Scripture –The Guru Granth Sahib ; giving the masses the clear co-relation . The anchor seemed impressed as he was giving me lot of time to speak rather than intervening in between to confuse me that he is famous for. I had been cautioned of his nature to grill his guest on the show; the secret of his popularity. As the session went on I felt comfortable and quite at ease.
He questioned me on Karl Marx theory of Capitalism and how we refute it. Further he put the ‘Here and Now’ philosophy to which the common man surrenders taking to it easily. This thinking attracts hordes to ‘sense gratification’.
He wanted my views on Osho’s popularity in the western world earlier on the basis of enjoying sex to the fullest to which I replied quite confidently that the talk I was giving was not my personal views; this was the knowledge of the authentic and bonafide Scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita As It Is or the Granth Sahib.
These clearly say that Lust, Anger, Greed are three gates to hell. So how can one agree to something that goes against the Scriptures? These scriptures are the manuals for human life to which a sane man cannot deny. They contain the directions, the path and the goal of human life.
These answers left no room for doubt or mental speculation.
As the Vancouver Rath Yatra was round the corner I did not want to miss this opportunity to announce the event to the listeners . I disclosed on the show about the first Sikh Guru –Guru Nanak Dev ji’s visit to Jagganath Puri Temple and also of a place called ‘Bauli Math’ where he resided for sometime and till date Pandits take care of that place situated at Swarag Dwar in Puri.
When we went off the air he opened up more with me on these subtle issues and acknowledged his approval to what Srila Prabhupada had given to the world; a ‘Vision to see Oneself in the Light of Knowledge’. He congratulated on my endeavor to spread the message of the Lord to which I humbly replied in one line “All Glories To Srila Prabhupada”.
Thanks Radhikakrpa for the important preaching you are doing among the Sikh community and on the airwaves.
I would like to see a growing presence of devotees on radio and TV. The other day while I was going for a court appearance I hear a local SF Bay Area talk show in which there was a discussion about secularism in different faith communities in America. Host Michael Krasne had a Hindu professor from Univ. of San Francisco as well as a Buddhist and a Muslim as his guests. I wanted to call in but I had to be in court. When my hearing before the judge was over and I got back into my car, the live talk show was just ending and I did not have the opportunity.
Sometimes I meet people who say, “Oh you are a Hare Krishna? I didn’t know you guys were still around.” It always saddens me. We need more of a multi media presence, including especially TV, cinema, radio, print media and billboard advertisements. (Our artwork is so attractive, I would love to see signs along highways and on the sides of city buses.)
I remember once in Vancouver Bahudaka and a group of devotees were invited to appear on a TV talk show. It must have been 1977 or early 1978 (it was before the temple moved to Burnaby). I stayed back at the temple and was not one of the devotees who went on TV.
Unfortunately, that time the host did kind of trick the devotees and hit them with some sneak attacks. The TV show lured the devotees into thinking they were being invited to make a good impression of Hare Krishna, but really on the air it was a kind of anti-cult mood of trying to make the devotees look ridiculous. At least, I remember that was the impression of the devotees who participated. [So, devotees who do appear in mass media have to be wary and prepared for unexpected questions and pointed criticisms.]
Almost all the Sikhs I meet are very respectful to ISKCON. All over the US and the rest of the world I meet Sikh men from Ludhiana, Jalandhar, etc. who drive the taxis I ride in. I say “Sat Sri ‘Kal” and give them small books and some prasadam if I have it. They seem to have the knack of appreciating devotion and obedience to God wherever they encounter it.
I sometimes get a similar appreciation from educated South American Catholics. Too many cultures think of religion as something that cannot be discussed without embarrassment or even quarreling. I love those cultures that have an open, broad-minded respect for varieties of genuine religious expression.
Hare Krsna HG Akruranath Prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Thanks for boosting my morale. It’s the blessings of Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada ,my spiritual master and vaisanavas for all little I am able to do for the movement.
Please keep on encouraging me.
Haribol
your servant in the service of Srila Prabhupada
Radhikakrpa dd