By Kesava Krsna Dasa
Some of us must have thought of doing Harinama Sankirtana in Mecca, of all places, or would like to set up a temple there? How about the Vatican, Pyongyang or Beijing, and Tripoli, Havana or the pyramids of Egypt? Not too long ago most people thought that Moscow, Bucharest and half of Berlin would be democratised way beyond their lifetimes.
Mention this thought of Mecca to an average Muslim, and the likely response will be, “Ha-ram!” in disgust, to which those sharing Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s broad and futuristic vision, will reply, “Thank you very much for chanting the holy name of the Lord.” But Mecca, the very bastion of Islam, where no democracy exists, seems at present to be one of the last places thought of to openly introduce Krishna consciousness.
Many people have passed comment on the upheavals in North Africa and the Middle East. With Tunisia and Egypt now under transition it remains to be seen whether these nations have truly changed to democracy as the rest of us know it. True democracy is that which allows freedom of religion aside from other political and social expressions. If freedom of religion is enshrined in their new national constitutions, then it allows us the chance to help manifest Lord Chaitanya’s living prediction that His names shall spread to every town and village.
This “every town and village” reality is something that has already come to pass, but it is His followers who can manifest it into physical reality. It is a worldwide service given to vaisnavas. Within this ever-present vision is included all the above cities and seemingly impossible places to preach. And how long before they become democracies? Does the holy name depend upon democracy to spreads its glories?
We all know that Srila Prabhupada was not too fond of democracy simply due to its allowance of any manmade ideas passing as substantial threats to people’s own spiritual wellbeing. But guess what? Srila Prabhupada himself went first to the very bastion of democracy, the United States of America. He knew he could get a fair hearing of the same timeless message of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. And he succeeded in mainly democratic countries, but had to go ‘underground’ in non-democratic nations.
Devotees may sometimes copy Srila Prabhupada’s style and also lambast democracy while at the same time being allowed to say so. It is worth remembering that Hitler contested a democratic election and won. Then he dissolved democracy with fanatical and deadly consequences. This means that while we can, we have to try and purify our nations before they could possibly change from democracy to other extreme forms of government. We see evidence of this in Latin America where leftist ideologues try to form parity with the likes of Havana and Tripoli. Anyone for Harinama in Tripoli at present?
Just as Moscow, Bucharest and half of Berlin felt the surge of democracy that enabled Krishna consciousness to spread, we shall discover if the same phenomenon applies to Tripoli, Mecca and Pyongyang. Isn’t it interesting to see how the present yearning for freedom is already expressed but is suppressed by military might? If Srila Prabhupada indicated that the Chinese would possibly be the last people to take to Krishna consciousness, then this trend appears to be moving eastward in their direction. Of course, they are already surrounded by allegedly democratic nations.
It is also interesting to hear repeated claims of North African and the Arabic nations being run by a clique of leaders, most of whom were educated in the UK and the West. Surely, at some stage of their learning years at university they must have at least heard of, or even witnessed a Hare Krishna Harinama chanting party. Lord Chaitanya’s message and His names might be forcing them now as kings and heads of state, through the people of their lands, to allow democracy to prevail.
Since the holy names do not require democracy to spread its glories, this is the political language that the world understands. Those millions of people who are battling the established order are crying out for democracy, but actually it is a cry for misplaced emancipation; if the holy names get in quick enough, this can help give proper direction. After all, aren’t we looking at re-establishing a long lost spiritual culture that existed in those lands before the rise of Judaic and subsequent religions? There are hundreds of archaeological sites from ancient times dotted around the Arabian landmass, or what used to be called, “The land of Horses.”
We can look at India itself and the spread of Krishna consciousness. The four known sampradayas were always in place with or without democracy. When Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur excelled in spreading Krishna consciousness and had some 60,000 disciples, while the British were there, could that be due to democracy? Perhaps not. But then this is indigenous to the people of India. Yet after Indian independence post 1945, and being the world’s largest democracy, can we say that democracy today has helped the cause of spreading Krishna consciousness? Has it made a difference? Lord Chaitanya’s spreading of His message did not appear to be hampered by Muslim rule during His time.
One certainty is that as India has gotten more prosperous and is gaining in economic clout. This has the effect of causing others to take India more seriously. Along with this comes a greater respect for what India stands for, and the eternal message of the Vedas is no exception. Yet this message can only truly flourish within open democratic allowances in other countries where these truths are alien to them. At least the task is made easier that way.
As we witness the challenges posed in Libya, should we, as members of Iskcon support such a toppling of the Libyan leader unwilling to stand down? We are not political, and neither do we take sides in situations like this. We know that the Lord has His plan. We can even resign to the fact that nature will take its course. But isn’t there an element of desire to be considered?
Our desires generally accord with the Lord’s desires. Even though we see that Muslims are battling among themselves in these disputed situations, is there something inside of us that wishes for some dramatic change? A change to foster genuine democracy that might allow us to carry out the Lord’s same desire to have His name spread to every town and village? And if our desires are strong enough, who knows, that Mecca and Beijing could become prominent holy places outside of India.
Ys Kesava Krsna Dasa