{"id":93339,"date":"2021-02-16T05:30:29","date_gmt":"2021-02-16T04:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/?p=93339"},"modified":"2021-02-16T11:40:26","modified_gmt":"2021-02-16T10:40:26","slug":"my-lockdown-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/?p=93339","title":{"rendered":"My Lockdown Family"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n\"\"<\/p>\n

By Radhika Krpa Devi Dasi<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear,\u201d rightly said by Nelson Mandela. The year 2020; the frightful year tested us beyond measure. A year that no one would want to revisit. Fear strengthens the damage of the disease; leads individuals to not to think rationally when reacting to this virus COVID-19. This pandemic disrupted the lives of people across the world due to its rapid spread, high mortality rate, the toll on health care systems, and devastating economic impact . Its spread has been exponential being now in most world countries and becoming an emergent global challenge. Early months of the year 2020 saw the pall of gloom descending through out the world.
\nI landed back home from a preaching trip to the Middle East and United Kingdom in the second week of February ,2020. Cloud of fear was hovering over India by that time and soon within a three weeks time we went into a complete lockdown. Indians along with the whole world entered the mode of \u2018\u2019pause\u2019\u2019. Our lives came to a standstill ; one could see the life ahead for sometime would be of isolation and containment. It would be full of despair. One could sense virus of fear more in the air. Physcologists were predicting the toll on people\u2019s mental health. Depression and stress was visible among the families. <\/p>\n

Places of worship too were closed for an indefinite period. Temples being closed sense of hopelessness prevailed. Being a part of International Society For Krsna ConcsiuosnessS I could understand the aching hearts in the atmosphere of moroseness.<\/p>\n

Srila Prabhupada established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness to accomplish the preaching mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Chaitanya unveiled the benediction rays of the His sankirtana mission to illuminate the whole world with love of Godhead. Srila Prabhupada wanted the devotees of ISKCON to march as soldiers on a great war against maya with the torch of sankirtana held high in order to spread the holy name to every town and village in the world.
\nTrained in the Vedic knowledge I took this as my moral responsibility to make the masses aware of the spiritual understanding. Srila Prabhupada\u2019s movement is all about instilling fearlessness.
\nI understood that materially too not all could reach out to the counsellors for relief. And an aware family, relatives ,friends and society could help in prevention of the mental illnesses from becoming another pandemic. I turned to the safe haven of electronic media in this time of crisis. This was the most secure and fastest medium to reach out to large number of people.
\nOn the 22 nd March I took to my Youtube channel and Facebook Page to broadcast the specially chosen verses from the sacred scripture of Bhagavad Gita. \u2018\u2019Specially chosen verses\u2019\u2019; the verses pertaining to strong steady mind.The peace formula given by Sri Krsna in the Bhagavad Gita instantly attracted the stressed out masses. I took question and answers sessions to relieve their anxieties. The viewership started soaring as the people found solace. I could notice some names that were regular enthusiastic attendees. I invited them for zoom sessions to open up for serious discussions on spiritual topics that influence our day to day lives.
\nI named this group as Devotional Group. Day by day the size of the group increased. The sincere spiritual inquest in the budding devotees paved the way for them to follow the said rules and regulations. With the mercy of Srila Prabhupada they took to the devotional service with depth. Many of them joined me everyday without fail early morning on line for Mangal arti . The Brahammuhurta chanting of the\u201d Hare Krsna Mahamantra \u201c became a routine with many. There were people from all over the world who were completely new to the Vaisanva culture.
\nAs I am an author also of a book named \u201cVaishnava Teachings in Sikhism\u201d that gives an insight into the study of Bhagavad Gita and Sri Granth Sahib. Quotes from the book captivated the viewers. People were eager to grasp the light of knowledge in this moment of darkness. They were yearning for true knowledge. Now while house arrested they were getting access to the pure transcendental wisdom. Their craving was very evident. They wouldn\u2019t let me take a single leave. Every single day I spent an hour or two online with my new family.
\nI became a new member in their families.I was \u201ctheirs\u201d now onwards.<\/p>\n

I made whats app groups so that I could answer their queries and interact with them all the more. I wanted them to have their faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be unflinching and Sri Krsna was helping me. The prayers to the Guru Pramapara was giving the Shakti; the energy.
\n Days and months passed by in the shelter of the Holy Name with my Lockdown Family. I finished the whole Bhagavad Gita As It is verse wise with new family members. They all felt elated on the completion. <\/p>\n

I kept my spiritual master HH Gopal Krsna Goswami Maharaja ji well informed as his blessings were the source of success in the preaching mission. As I am from punjabi Sikh background he encouraged me to speak the discourses in my mother tongue too. I did as per his orders. People loved them and shared the discourses far and wide. Thus our family members increased by leaps and bounds.<\/p>\n

The Bhadra Purnima Srimad Bhagavatam Marathon of the year 2020 was round the corner. My Lockdown family ; the new spiritual warriors were all geared up for the War with Fear. I and my group didn\u2019t lack the enthusiasm despite the virus attack on some members of my group and in my own home too. The discourses and the marathon did not stop. By the end of the marathon my Lockdown Family accomplished the target of 450 (Four hundred and fifty ) Srimad Bhagavatam sets from all over the world. Not only they got the The Bhagavad Mahapurana for themselves but they gifted it to their near and dear ones and sponsored to the needy ones too. Each one of them had a unique style of welcoming the Srimad Bhagavatam to their respective homes. They all shared the videos and pictures of the Aarti and Bhoga they offered to the Mahapurana. <\/p>\n

The month of December brought new challenges of Bhagavad Gita Marathon for my devotional family. The marathon participation was with full vigour. My Lockdown Family did 5500 (five thousand five hundred) Bhagavad Gitas with me. The ISKCON ,New Delhi where our scores were being added stood first in the all year round Book Distribution in the world. All Srila Prabhupada\u2019s mercy. <\/p>\n

Till date the online class with them goes on.
\n Nomore my lockdown family ; they are my Devotional Family. <\/p>\n

I am adding realisations of few members of my Devotional Family.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/center><\/p>\n

I, Prasad PVN holding the post of Chief Manager in State Bank Of India took to Krsna Consciousness during the lockdown.
\nI was in total confusion and full of fear in the dark days of lockdown. I started surfing the You tube,Facebook etc to quench my thirst \u2026searching answers to my questions. By the grace of Krsna I got to watch Radhika krpa mata ji\u2019s class on Facebook page. All my questions were being answered it seemed and fears started receding. I became a regular attendee and started following her advice. I took to chanting commencing from 2 rounds and have reached now 11 rounds with eating only Prasadam. With her guidance I participated in Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad Gita Marathon also. I thank Krsna for letting me meet Radhika krpa mata ji with whose association I have found true peace and happiness.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/center><\/p>\n

I ,Ritu Dubey ,Principal Coordinator, International School of Estonia reside in Estonia.
\nGroping into the darkness of the Covid-19 times last year, I came across the one online lecture on youtube, that proved to be the turning point of my life. That was Radhika Krps mata ji online lecture on Facebook. More than 10,000
\nmiles away from her, whom I had only seen and heard through her online lectures. I began with one round of japa of Hare Krishna Mahamantra, increased it to 4 in two days’ time, and then to 16 rounds within a week, waking up during the Brahma muhurta, followed by fasting on Ekadashi days.
\n My strong support and inspiration were my everyday virtual association with my Mata ji Radhika Krpa through her lectures. The time difference between Estonia and India, has never deterred me from not having her virtual association a single day. She inspired me to participate in the Srimad Bhagavad and Bhagavad Gita Marathon.
\nFollowing Radhika Krpa\u2019s mata ji\u201ds guidance I have been able to visit regularly the Harinam temple (ISKCON) at Tallinn.
\nEstonian, Russian and Indian devotees. Together we have been holding small Sankirtans at my home also. My association with Mataji has transformed my life all around for positive growth, peace and happiness. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/center><\/p>\n

\u201cI am working as a Faculty (Assistant Professor of Psychiatry) in PGI Chandigarh Hospital. I was involved in taking care of the COVID-19 patients during the pandemic since the onset of the pandemic (March 2020). I was moved by the pain, sufferings, deaths and grief faced by the patients and family members. . One fine day (last week of March 2020), I got to listen to Radhika Krpa Mataji discourse on a topic \u201cOvercoming the Fear\u201d. I would say that was a turning point in my life, I liked the discourse so much that I listened back to back all the previous lectures she had delivered in her Youtube channel. I felt so calm and relaxed, felt as if my wondering anxious mind has got a new perspective. I started to listen daily, would schedule or post-pone my not so important works during the class time to listen to Mataji\u2019s way of discussing complex things from the Bhagwad Gita and Guru Granth Sahib made me more closer to Krishna. With Mataji\u2019s pursuance, I started to chant Hare Krshna Mahamantra, came to know about Srila Prabhupada and Guru Maharajji and I can now say it was a lifetime change. Mataji\u2019s narratives of Krishna\u2019s land Vrindavan and Krishna\u2019s past times started to attract me so much that one day I even drove to Vrindavan (4.5 hrs by car from Chandigarh in November) and visited ISKCON Vrindavan and Radha Kund. Feeling more relaxed, confident, able to face all adversities calmly and at the same time, I am now able to guide my patients and those who need help from Bhagwad Gita\u2019s preachings. I would also like to say that whatever I had learnt from Mataji\u2019s lectures, I had used them to counsel many of my patients who had attempted suicide and few had started to listen to the lectures as well. I am grateful to her eternally.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/center><\/p>\n

I, Poonam Mehta a trained High School Teacher reside in Jodhpur,Rajasthan with my family.<\/p>\n

In March of 2020, I was physically exhausted and<\/p>\n

mentally drained because of stress when i was working from home during the lockdown. I decided to unwind myself n started scrolling through my facebook
\nfeed of cooking recipes n tips on how to survive this covid19 with yoga methods n ayurveda etc.
\nNothing seemed to have satisfactory answer to the fear and mode stress I was dealing with.
\nThen I found a sophisticated middle aged woman who was preaching gracefully about the righteousness of Life. I stopped to listen to her more. As I listened, her words filled my blankness. As she was describing about how we can separate ourselves from the pains and struggles of life. <\/p>\n

I followed Radhika Krpa mataji’s personal page on youtube and waited every day to hear her discourses from Bhagwat Gita to get enlightened.
\n I started following four regulated principles along with the chanting of 16 rounds of mala.
\nI quitted meat, onion, garlic and eventually tea.
\nGradually by eating prasadam everyday I was a changed person, a new and happy person… my family
\nnoticed and began to acknowledge that change in me. They also started chanting My fears n tensions are past and I have become a Krishna devotee and a fearless woman.I was fortunate to be a part of Book Marathon.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/center><\/p>\n

I, Narain Kheerpaul, an IT professional reside in Mauritius.
\nTrapped in this so-called paradise, I sought solace to fill that void within me. Being an IT professional, I thought my knowledge would bring me peace and happiness but here I am stuck in this zoo submerged by misery, stress and anxiety. Finally came a ray of hope, called it fate or chance, I stumbled on a video on the social media platform teaching us the real purpose of mankind. The preacher was a very accomplished lady and I started to follow her online classes as her explanations were very simple and concise. At first the lectures seemed contradictory to what I have learned from my entourage but slowly, in the midst of adversity caused by the worldwide pandemic, as we deep dived into the depth of the song of the Supreme Godhead, everything became clear. What looked like ordinary classes turned into a whole devotional family. The preacher, Radhika Krpa Mataji, unquestionably became my spiritual mentor and then started my journey into devotional service to Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Under her guidance, I started to follow the regulative principles laid down by our eternal Spiritual Guru – A.C. Bahktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Waking up in Brahma muhurta, doing narsingh aarti and chanting sixteen rounds of Hare Krsna Mahamantra became pure nectar. Simplicity and humility became my new attire. Along also came obstacles from my dear ones but I never deviated from my path. By the grace of Lord Sri Krishna and Gopal Krishna Goswami Guru Maharaj, we completed the whole “Bhagavad Gita As It Is” in eight months. With the constant inspiration and encouragement of our spiritual mentor we participated in the Book Marathon thereby setting new records. Radhika Krpa Mataji put in every effort so that my home could be blessed by the literary incarnation of Lord Sri Krishna. Today our online spiritual group is having daily Srimad Bhagavatam classes and this all due the constant endeavour of our spiritual mentor – always keeping us on our toes, motivating us, guiding us and pushing us to be better devotees. We are all very fortunate to be part of her devotional groups.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/center><\/p>\n

My name is Ajit Pal Singh, being born in a Sikh family and am turbaned sikh. It was always my desire and longing to discover the references about Sri Krsna and His teachings of Bhagavad Gita in our Holy Scripture \u201cSri Guru Granth Sahib.\u201d My thirst got quenched when I found her giving live discourse on Youtube. I started attending Mata ji\u2019s lectures daily during peak covid times where in between Mataji was quoting verses from the Guru Granth Sahib which were sung by our Gurus for Lord Krsna. Under Mata ji\u2019s guidance I started chanting of the holy names that gave me immense peace.
\nAfter the association with Mata ji even my 13 year old daughter started attending her classes.
\n Matajis presence in our lives during these crucial times turned out so that I became more inclined in bhakti and feel blissful.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/center><\/p>\n

We Rishi Kapoor and Gitanjali Kapoor are partners in life and partners at work too. We both are lawyers, being in practice since last two decades now. Practicing in Supreme Court and High Courts all across India. <\/p>\n

By the end of the first lock down it was evident that the lock down was here to stay. And there could be no other way to pass through this unknown phase of life without the help of spiritual growth.
\nIt was during these hard times that we came across the online discourses of HG Radhika Kripa Mata ji. And then each day we rescheduled our day so as to ensure that we keep our self completely free to hear her lectures. Our whole house used to sit in front of the big screen to listen to her lectures Mata ji guided us the importance of Book Distribution and we were fortunate to contribute to the Book Distribution Marathon with her.
\nMata Ji guided us well, we also use to get home works, which we loved doing.
\nIt was our immense fortune to have her to guide us and helped us to cross that tough phase of life. Till date when we are back to our normal hectic lives we don\u2019t miss her online lectures. <\/p>\n

Rishi Kapoor
\nAdvocate
\nSupreme Court || High Court || NCLAT|| NCLT<\/p>\n

Gitanjali Kapoor
\nAdvocate\/Mediator (Delhi Govt.)
\nDirector Legal Social Legal Affairs \u2014NARITAAV
\nAwardee- ICUNR(Excellence in the field of Law)
\nEx- Member Max Super Speciality
\n(Renal Transplantation\/ Transplantation of Human Organs & Tissues)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Radhika Krpa Devi Dasi<\/strong><\/p>\n

Srila Prabhupada wanted the devotees of ISKCON to march as soldiers on a great war against maya with the torch of sankirtana held high in order to spread the holy name to every town and village in the world. Trained in the Vedic knowledge I took this as my moral responsibility to make the masses aware of the spiritual understanding. Srila Prabhupada\u2019s movement is all about instilling fearlessness. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-93339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93339","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=93339"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93339\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":93345,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93339\/revisions\/93345"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=93339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=93339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=93339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}