{"id":4231,"date":"2007-09-04T13:23:52","date_gmt":"2007-09-04T12:23:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/?p=4231"},"modified":"2007-09-04T13:23:52","modified_gmt":"2007-09-04T12:23:52","slug":"let%e2%80%99s-dance-in-france-and-go-into-trance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/?p=4231","title":{"rendered":"Let\u2019s Dance in France and Go into Trance"},"content":{"rendered":"

By HH Janananda Gosvami<\/strong> <\/p>\n

LA. Feb 20th 1970 \u2013 \u201cPrabhupada: Hare Krsna Hare Krsna… Hare Krsna Hare Krsna. Now chant Hare Krsna. Dance.
\n(break\u2014prema-dhvani) So, this is now formal accepting of sannyasa, but real sannyasa purpose will be fulfilled when you’ll be able to induce the people of the world dancing like you. That is real sannyasa. This formal dress is not sannyasa. Real sannyasa is when you can induce other people to become Krsna conscious and they dance in Krsna consciousness\u201d. <\/p>\n

How fortunate we are \u2013 there is absolutely no shortage of opportunities to engage in Harinama Sankirtan. For many years we have been hearing about the woes of the French yatra. Requests to help in various ways have spread far and near. Remembering back to the hey days of the 70\u2019s and 80\u2019s I often thought about visiting. The opportunity came and there we were. What to do? I don\u2019t speak French. Not knowing what to expect. What a surprise to find a yatra eager to associate, to chant and hear, clear positive feelings for the future. Many wonderful devotees, deities installed by Srila Prabhupada, a fantastic preaching field. With some positive input the mercy of Mahaprabhu can again expand to every corner of this country. A united force of devotees preaching everywhere. <\/p>\n

In Paris on July 20, 1972 Srila Prabhupada\u2019s first words of address were as follows: \u201cSankirtana movement. This sankirtana movement was started by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu five hundred years ago for mitigating the sufferings of the people of the world. He predicted that in every village, in every town on the surface of the globe, let this sankirtana movement be spread out and people will be happy and they’ll find Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That was His prediction. Actually this is happening now. So our simple method\u2014we go everywhere all over the world, chant this Hare Krsna-mantra, and we attract people\u201d <\/p>\n

Paris \u2013 Europe\u2019s largest city, a metropolis of culture, tourism, architectural wonders, religious night life, tree lined avenues, monuments, cafes, education, museums, revolutions, <\/p>\n

First time here for 25 years. Radha Paris Isvara \u2013 1973 installed by Srila Prabhupada. Now living in a tiny house soon to move to bigger premises. The future is bright, even though it\u2019s been a bit like night, I feel sure They will soon be in the light. Such an exciting preaching field. There are many nice devotees around \u2013 need a bit of confidence, encouragement and loving reciprocation. Some enthusing maybe. Well one good way to start is to come together to chant the lord\u2019s Holy names. The Temple President Nitai Gaurasundara is really into sankirtan. Books and chanting in the streets and there are some good kirtaniyas here.
\nHarinama in the Latin quarter where the revolutionary students would meet. This is the real revolution. Changing the face of the earth. Changing the face of the people, changing our faces. I heard people don\u2019t like us here. Who said that \u2013 it\u2019s fantastic. If anyone wants to really experience bliss \u2013 or as close to it as you can imagine- then take a break in Paris and go on Harinama. Notre dame, Eiffel Tower. It\u2019s terrific \u2013 the place is crawling with thousands and thousands of tourists and locals and they really love the devotees, at least when they are dancing and chanting. Streets everywhere \u2013 it seems like an unending beehive extruding honey. But one devotee says \u2013 today is really quiet. Well I can only imagine what it\u2019s like on a busy day. It\u2019s busy 24 hours, another says. Yes people appreciate Harinama much more now than ever before. <\/p>\n

Objector: Ah but that was Paris. Elsewhere the story is different.
\nOkay let\u2019s hear it.
\nOff we go to New Mayapura in the centre of rural France. Beautiful deities of Gaura Nitai, Radha Govinda Madhava and Krishna Balarama (Installed by Srila Prabhupada) A 200 acre property with more than 100 acres of beautiful forest. A chance to take it easy. Let\u2019s make it easy by going on Harinama Let\u2019s go on Harinama.
\nObjector: But it is one hour drive to the nearest town.
\nReply: Town \u2013 why only towns. Lord Caitanya said every town and VILLAGE.
\nLet\u2019s look at the map. Look there\u2019s a village or maybe a town \u2013 it\u2019s got a population of 3000 and it\u2019s only 15 minutes away. Come on \u2013 Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
\nObjector: But we\u2019ve been here 32 years and we\u2019ve never been on harinama there before. The people there don\u2019t like us.
\nReply: How do you know?
\nObjector 2: Well when the Padayatra went near there many years ago they had a bad reception.
\nReply: Give them a chance \u2013 this is a mercy mission to plant the seeds.
\nSupporter: Aha \u2013 tomorrow is market day there \u2013 there should be more people about.
\nReply: That settles it \u2013 we\u2019re going<\/p>\n

Somehow 12 of us get there and wow. The streets are busy. It\u2019s a really quaint little place and the kirtan begins. Up and down the narrow street and a half. Wow \u2013 am I blind or mad but it seems to me like anywhere else. These are all really local French people \u2013 conservative. Waves and dances, smiling faces handshakes and inquisitive looks. We have no books \u2013 another mistake. But at least we can give our hearts. That\u2019s the real value. Chant and dance in France and go into trance. It works without a doubt. Let\u2019s get out. <\/p>\n

The people like us. The devotees love it. Sometimes I feel the only problem is our mentality. We don\u2019t want to do it. We are too self conscious. We protract a mentality of they don\u2019t like us and that tends to reflect back. But just go out and smile, wave and reciprocate with them. They are our brothers, let us share. By the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu everyone is entitled to the seed of Love of God. <\/p>\n

Okay time to go. End of the show. No. What about somewhere else. We haven\u2019t got much time. There\u2019s a small town \u2013 same size just down the road. Let\u2019s go. Is this it. Where\u2019s the town \u2013 we\u2019re there. But where are the people. Over there, all two of them. Wow this is quiet!
\nAnyway we are here so let\u2019s chant.
\nAround we go chanting to the houses and cars passing by. Suddenly from above an old lady waves frantically from the balcony. Face beaming. Young new age girls come running out of their house to see the fun, hippies pass by waving from their cars and bikes. The numbers are small but the Holy name has His plan wherever we go. Just as we are to leave one devotee said \u201cbut there is a devotee living here\u201d \u2013 we search him out and he\u2019s there \u2013 kirtan in his house \u2013 dancing and chanting in ecstasy.
\n\u201cEverywhere is a good place for preaching\u201d
\nEveryone is a devotee. We have the medicine to cure the disease \u2013 our disease- let\u2019s take it and give it to others.
\nHarinama is our life and soul
\nHarinama is our final goal
\nHarinama saves us from Maya\u2019s toll
\nHarinama the heart can console
\nHarinama, Harinama, Haribol!
\nThe holy names are the saving grace
\nTo deliver the entire human race
\nSometimes hard to keep up the pace
\nBut the surest way to change our face
\nBhaktisiddhanta clearly states <\/p>\n

\u201cChanting is the best form of Krishna seva. If other sadhanas help us develop in our chanting, then they deserve to be called sadhana. Otherwise they are simply impediments on the path of chanting.
\nCongregational chanting of Krishna’s holy name is the king of sadhana. It is the only infallible sadhana capable of bringing us to perfection. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not teach Deity worship in His siksatakam: He simply taught us to chant.\u201d
\n(Sri Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura) <\/p>\n

mahaprabhoh kirtana-nrtya-gita-
\nvaditra-madyan-manaso rasena <\/p>\n

Chanting the holy name, dancing in ecstasy, singing, and playing musical instruments, the spiritual master is always gladdened by the sankirtana movement of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. <\/p>\n

Happy dancing and Chanting
\nDance while you can. <\/p>\n

Yours servant
\nJanananda Gosvami <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"HareBy Janananda Gosvami <\/strong><\/p>\n

How fortunate we are \u2013 there is absolutely no shortage of opportunities to engage in Harinama Sankirtan. For many years we have been hearing about the woes of the French yatra. Requests to help in various ways have spread far and near. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,79],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4231","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles","category-janananda-gosvami"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4231","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4231"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4231\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4231"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4231"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4231"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}