KIRTANA BRINGS THE RAIN!
by Mandakini dasi
First there was a drought over most of Australia. Livestock and wildlife as well as rural properties were severely suffering.
Water levels in most catchment dams were down and restrictions on water use were enforced by most councils.
As if this was not enough, there came the bushfires destroying homes and killing wildlife.
For the most part of the last three months of 2019, the skies above appeared to be smoggy Delhi rather than the usual clear blue. Or sometimes even worse, like hell, with red haze all around.
The bushfires were a real ongoing threat with many located close to New Govardhan and surrounding areas.
New Govardhan temple organized a week-long kirtana to bring the rain to help with the drought and bushfire situation.
The Bhagavad-gita teaches that from sacrifice comes rain and getting together and singing the Holy Names of the Lord -sankirtana yajna- is the best and the recommended sacrifice in
this age of Kaliyuga.
The scriptures state chanting together is the most powerful way of attracting the Lord’s attention.
From the 6th to the 12th of January, there was kirtana in the temple room for eight hours the first six days and a 12 hour kirtan on the last day.
Old and young, expert and neophyte, all devotees joined together to sing and beseech the Lord for rain and healing where it was needed. It was easy to see how sankirtan is the common platform in this age of Kali and also that by directly watering the root of the tree, that is, connecting to the Lord in kirtana, He listens and then perfectly sends the energy where it’s needed.
The rains started that week of January with a really dramatic downpour then settling into daily showers, has more than replenished catchment dams and doused the fires. The Lord kindly heard our prayers. Harinama sankirtana yajna ki jai!