In Focus: Sridham Navadwip Dasa And Krishna Bhakti Devi Dasi.
Anasuya dasi: Krishna Bhakti and Sridham Navadwip are long-term devotees, New Govardhana residents and a great team.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about yourselves.
KB: My name is Krishna Bhakti. I was born in Colombia and my mother met devotees when I was seven. My family are all disciples of His Holiness Jayapataka Maharaja, including my husband and myself. Sridham and I have two children, Dhananjaya and Savitri Rani. Dhananjaya, now 20 years old, went to the gurukula on the farm and Savitri, at 13, is attending high school here as well.
SN: My birthname, Sridas, was given to me by my father Vaisnava dasa (Wally Johnson). It was later changed to Sridham Mayapur, and then I was initiated as Sridham Navadwip dasa. My family moved to New Govardhana in 1978 and was one of the first families here. In the late 1980s, we purchased a five-acre block close to the farm where my mother, Mitravinda devi dasi (Marion Johnson) still lives. I married Krishna Bhakti in 1996, when I was 19 years old. We travelled until the birth of our son and then moved back here in 2001.
Q: Sridham, you have a construction company that employs many devotees.
SN: Yes, we own a company called Das Carpentry and Constructions, which has been running for about five years and employs 15 people. Most of our workers are second- and third-generation devotees, four of whom have completed their apprenticeships with us. We also had the opportunity to donate carpentry labour to help build the new goshalla.
Q: Krishna Bhakti, you recently received brahmana
initiation from His Holiness Jayapataka Swami. Can you tell us about your new services?
KB: Yes, Iām fortunate to have the blessings of my guru maharaja to take brahmana initiation. It hasnāt been easy, but all the stress and studies have been worth it, for as the saying goes, ānothing good comes easy!ā Serving the Deities has been amazing. Serving Their Lordships is what keeps me focused and strong in my sadhana, and I feel very blessed to have this opportunity.
Q: Sridham, as a dedicated kirtaneer, please describe the experience of kirtana.
SN: For me, kirtana is like therapy. Growing up in
ISKCON, the one thing that I have always been able to
rely upon is standing in front of Shri Shri Radha-Govardhanadhari and baring my soul. I do this through
kirtana. Kirtana is not just an extra activity that I grudgingly perform, but it is a big part of my sadhana. Kirtana allows me to interact with my Vaishnava peers on another level. We are all very focused when we chant together.
Q. What is your favourite festival?
KB: My favourite festival has to be celebrating the month of Kartika. Offering candles is wonderful, but the best thing about this month is how many spiritual benefits we gain by doing the same spiritual activities that we do
every day.
SN: My favourite festival is Ratha-yatra, because it gives me an opportunity to directly serve the Lord.
Q: Krishna Bhakti, what keeps you strong in your devotional practices?
KB: My guru maharaja, chanting japa, Deity seva, sadhana
and the association of temple devotees. Without these things, I truly couldnāt keep focused in my spiritual life. There is too much that can distract one from the goal of spiritual life.
Q: As husband and wife, you work great as a team (including cooking amazing offerings for Radha-Govardhanadhari). Can you give any advice?
SN: Well, we have a very good, strong relationship, which took time to build ā¦ believe me! But after a long journey together we have learned our strengths and weaknesses, to communicate and, most importantly, to listen to each other. We have learned to treat each other with respect and remember that it is not all about being right, but about keeping peace and harmony in the relationship.
Q: Any final words?
We are very grateful to the New Govardhana community for accepting us and allowing us to grow in our Krishna consciousness. As far as we are concerned, it is the best, brightest and fullest Vaishnava community on the planet, and we are so happy to be a part of it.