<\/p>\n
During the final phase of our summer tour, more and more people were coming, as many as 6,000 on some days. The mayor of a beach town told us that just before summer his secretary had been inundated with calls asking whether our festival was coming. By the time we were due, there wasn\u2019t a single room to rent in town.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe hotels are all saying that people are here for your event,\u201d said the mayor. \u201cEven I myself had to open my house to a family who had come for your festival but couldn\u2019t find a place to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n
But as always, our success was the envy of our opposition, who stepped up their campaign to discredit us. The local priest in the town where we stayed continued his daily postings on the town bulletin board, sometimes going beyond the ridiculous: \u201cAttention, citizens! The Hare Krsna cult is now growing rice in the football field to feed the guru.\u201d<\/p>\n
But serious measures were being taken against us as well. A newly formed National Committee for Protection from Cults was distributing tens of thousands of pamphlets along the coast telling people how to guard against cults and where to find help if needed. \u201cIf we don\u2019t fight the cults in Poland,\u201d said the head of the committee in a media statement, \u201cwe will have a real Armageddon.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought we were no longer classified us a cult,\u201d I said to Jayatam das.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s true,\u201d he said, \u201cbut the damage has been done, and the image will remain for many years. Besides, the Church considers us as dangerous as ever.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Internal Affairs, who had initiated a \u201cSummer against Cults\u201d campaign, sent a comprehensive report to every police station in the country asking them (and the military!) to monitor all groups perceived as cults, including us.<\/p>\n
\u201cMainly us,\u201d Jayatam said.<\/p>\n
As a result, the police chief in the town where we were based showed up at one of our festivals. \u201cI\u2019m here on business,\u201d he replied curtly when Nandini dasi greeted him, \u201cand I have nothing to discuss with you.\u201d<\/p>\n
He spent an hour walking around the festival site and then, apparently for want of anything else to do, sat on a bench among the large crowd watching the stage show. When the crowd cheered loudly at the end of the Balinese dance performance, he looked surprised. When the master of ceremonies, Tribuvanesvara das, called all children on to the stage to sing with him, more than 60 responded. As they began singing and dancing to a rhyme about Krsna \u2013 giggling and laughing all the while \u2013 I saw the police chief\u2019s heart melt. The coup de grace came at the end of the Ramayana play. As the actors bowed, the crowd clapped wildly. When a few people near the police chief rose for a standing ovation, he stood with them clapping his hands loudly and yelling, \u201cBravo! Bravo!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a relief,\u201d I said softly. \u201cIf there\u2019s any police chief we\u2019d like on our side, it\u2019s the local one.\u201d<\/p>\n
But winning a battle is not the end of a war, so I kept my eyes open for the opposition\u2019s next move. I didn\u2019t have to wait long.<\/p>\n
The next evening, at our festival in Kolobrzeg, I was giving my lecture when Trisama das came up front and made a sign that I should finish immediately. It was unusual, but I heeded his call and wrapped up my lecture. As I sat down to begin the final kirtan, he came on stage and walked up to me. \u201cMaharaja,\u201d he whispered, \u201cthere are credible rumors that a large gang of skinheads are coming in a few minutes to break up the festival. Police are on their way, but security says we should stop the festival immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though my mind was racing, I stood up and calmly bid our guests goodbye. As I stood watching them leave, Jayatam came running up to me and grabbed my arm. \u201cGuru Maharaja,\u201d he said, \u201cyou have to get into your van immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n
Surrounded by several security men, he escorted me to my van, opened the door, and put me inside.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about all the other devotees?\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not telling them what\u2019s happening,\u201d Jayatam said. \u201cWe don\u2019t want them to panic. We\u2019re rounding them up and getting them into the buses as quickly as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
I burst out of the van. \u201cWhat?\u201d I said angrily. \u201cDon\u2019t expect me to sit in there while the devotees are still on the field.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 10 minutes we had everyone in the buses and on their way.<\/p>\n
Our eight security men were soon joined by two vans of policemen, preparing for a fight. \u201cWe\u2019ve never had a threat like this on the summer tour\u201d I said to Jayatam. \u201cIt\u2019s always very peaceful. What\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cProbably someone sent them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
He just looked at me. There was need to reply. We both had the same suspicion. \u201cYeah,\u201d I muttered. \u201cThey must want all that rice in the football field.\u201d<\/p>\n
I scanned the edges of the festival site, looking for trouble. \u201cIt\u2019s like war,\u201d said Jayatam.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d I said shaking my head, \u201cbut I never thought here on the Baltic.\u201d<\/p>\n
When we arrived back at the base we waited anxiously for a call from Raksana dasa, the head of devotee security. Eventually he phoned Jayatam.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe skinheads didn\u2019t come,\u201d Jayatam told me. \u201cThey must have seen that our security and police were too much for them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid the devotees figure out what happened?\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cKeep it quiet,\u201d I said. \u201cDevotees are happy on this tour. I haven\u2019t told them about the bad publicity we\u2019re getting.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do we do now?\u201d Jayatam said.<\/p>\n
\u201cKeep preaching,\u201d I said. \u201cThere are more people who love this festival than oppose it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jayatam nodded his head.<\/p>\n
As I retired to my room I realized how much these threats were taking their toll on me. I was becoming overanxious. Even little problems began disturbing me. In particular, a bus driver we\u2019d hired was getting on my nerves. Antoni was a short, pudgy, elderly man, with a red nose (probably from drinking), always in a cranky mood. He would shout at devotees for the slightest things.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe drives way too slow,\u201d I said one day to Jayatam while we were following the bus. \u201cIt\u2019s dangerous. Look at the line of cars behind us.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot only that,\u201d Jayatam added, \u201cbut he often gets lost. And the devotees complain that he smokes in the bus.\u201d<\/p>\n
I was astounded. \u201cI\u2019m going to tell him a thing or two when we arrive,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
At our destination I quickly got out of the car and walked towards the bus. \u201cWhere\u2019s the driver?\u201d I asked a devotee.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe just stormed off,\u201d came the answer. \u201cHe had an argument with a devotee, and he walked away cursing. The problem is that he has the keys to the storage bays in the bus. We can\u2019t get the instruments.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the last straw!\u201d I said. As we sat waiting for him to return, I became increasingly angry. After half an hour Antoni appeared. While the devotees removed the instruments, I prepared to chastise him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s such a nonsense,\u201d I thought. \u201cNo brains.\u201d<\/p>\n
I walked up to Antoni. \u201cI want to speak with you,\u201d I said firmly. He looked surprised. \u201cOh,\u201d he said, \u201cI wanted to talk to you, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u201d I thought, \u201clet him speak first. I\u2019ll get more on him that way.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst of all,\u201d he said, \u201cI don\u2019t like the theater performance you do at your festivals, nor do I like the dances of those people from Bali.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cKeeping talking,\u201d I thought. \u201cYou\u2019ll soon be out of a job.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t like your food either,\u201d he continued, making a face. \u201cAnd I can\u2019t stand it when all the little kids get on the stage.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s enough!\u201d I thought. \u201cNow is the time to chew him out.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNow listen here . . .\u201d I said raising my voice.<\/p>\n
But before I could say anything more he interrupted me. \u201cBut there\u2019s one thing that I really love,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s when you sing on the stage at the end of the festival. Something happens to me when I hear you sing that beautiful song about Krsna.\u201d<\/p>\n
I was speechless.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know,\u201d he went on, \u201cI\u2019m an old man with a very bad nature, but as you say in your lectures, I have a deeper spiritual nature.\u201d<\/p>\n
He pulled a battered card out of his pocket. \u201cI\u2019m always praying to Mary to help me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
I saw a picture of the Virgin Mary on one side of the card and two prayers in Polish on the other.<\/p>\n
\u201cI pray every morning and every night,\u201d he said softly, looking at the card. \u201cI\u2019ve had it since I was a boy. My mother gave it to me. It\u2019s the most precious thing I own.\u201d<\/p>\n
He carefully put the card away. \u201cYou\u2019ll be singing again tonight won\u2019t you?\u201d he said. \u201cThe other night someone else sang. It wasn\u2019t the same.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, uh, it\u2019s not me,\u201d I said. \u201cIt\u2019s the nature of the song. Believe me.\u201d<\/p>\n
He laughed. \u201cYou\u2019ll never convince me of that,\u201d he said. \u201cAnyway, what did you want to tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUh .. Oh, nothing,\u201d I said. \u201cI mean, it can wait.\u201d<\/p>\n
As I walked back to my van to get ready for Harinama, I felt like a fool. \u201cSuch a pious man,\u201d I thought, \u201cand I saw no good in him.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the road back to the base, I was silent. At one point Amritananda das turned to me. \u201cGuru Maharaja,\u201d he said, \u201cis everything okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is now,\u201d I replied. \u201cI just figured out who actually is the opposition.\u201d<\/p>\n
Amritananda laughed. \u201cThe church or the government?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cNeither,\u201d I said. \u201cIt\u2019s the impurities in my heart. One time Srila Prabhupada said he had a plan to take over the world in 18 days. When a disciple asked about the plan, Srila Prabhupada said, \u2018But you boys and girls aren\u2019t ready yet.\u2019 Now I understand what he meant.\u201d<\/p>\n
The festivals continued without any major incidents. One day Nandini dasi received a call from the woman in charge of the Miss World Pageant, which was going to take place in one month in Warsaw.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was at your festival the other day on the Baltic Coast,\u201d she began. \u201cIt was wonderful. This year we want to open the pageant in Warsaw with an Indian flare. We\u2019d like you to open the show with some of your singing, dancing, and theater. It will be broadcast throughout the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMost of our devotees are foreigners,\u201d Nandini said, \u201cand their visas will run out before your pageant begins. But I\u2019ll see what we can do.\u201d<\/p>\n
One evening I asked Amritananda to invite Antoni to sit on the stage with us for the last kirtan. When Amritananda returned he was laughing.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said he wouldn\u2019t come up on the stage in a million years. He\u2019s nervous around crowds. That\u2019s why he stays in his bus for most of the festival. He comes out only when you start to sing, and even then he\u2019s way at the back of the crowd where there\u2019s no lighting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Finally, the last festival of the season arrived. It was a day of mixed emotions for all the devotees. On the one hand, all 230 of us were tired. We had done 46 festivals, with hardly a break. But on the other hand, we couldn\u2019t imagine life without the excitement of spreading Lord Caitanya\u2019s mercy. All the devotees felt purified and uplifted by so much service. I heard that even Antoni had had a change of heart. He was now polite to the devotees and would help them whenever needed. Each night he continued his ritual of sitting at the back of the crowd, almost in darkness, watching the final kirtan on stage.<\/p>\n
As I was sitting in my van, resting before the final kirtan, Amritananda came up to me. \u201cAntoni asked me to give this to you,\u201d he said. \u201cHe\u2019s too shy to approach you personally. He said it\u2019s a surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n
Amritananda handed me the old picture of the Virgin Mary.<\/p>\n
\u201cHuh?\u201d I said. \u201cIt\u2019s his most precious possession.\u201d<\/p>\n
Amritananda smiled. \u201cYes,\u201d he said, \u201cthat\u2019s exactly why he\u2019s giving it to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at the picture for a long time.<\/p>\n
When the moment for the final kirtan arrived I walked onto the stage in front of a huge crowd. Deep in thought about Antoni, I was at a loss what to say. After a few moments of silence, I began: \u201cLadies and gentleman, as you all know this is the final performance of the night. It\u2019s also the final moment of our festival season.\u201d<\/p>\n
I paused for a few seconds. \u201cAnd now,\u201d I continued, \u201cI\u2019d like to dedicate this final kirtan to a very dear friend who means a lot to me. He taught me to see good in others. He taught me humility. And he gave me faith that God\u2019s holy names can purify everyone\u2019s heart.\u201d<\/p>\n
I paused again. \u201cIt\u2019s our bus driver, Antoni,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
The crowd burst into applause.<\/p>\n
I took the picture of the Virgin Mary out of my pocket and held it up. \u201cAnd he gave me the best gift I have ever received,\u201d I said, \u201ca gift from his heart.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked out over the crowd. \u201cAntoni,\u201d I said, \u201cif you\u2019re out there, this kirtan\u2019s for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
As devotees joined me on the stage I began the kirtan. Within 15 minutes we were all chanting and dancing blissfully. A big group of children were dancing in the front of the stage.<\/p>\n
I was chanting with my eyes closed. When I opened them, I saw Antoni coming through the back of the crowd towards the stage. He took a seat in the front row and sat with his eyes closed, listening intently. In a few moments tears were rolling down his cheeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy Dear Lord,\u201d I said softly, \u201cjust see the power of Your holy names.\u201d<\/p>\n
After 45 minutes I brought the kirtan to a close. As I stood to say the final goodbye of the night \u2013 and the season \u2013 I saw Antoni still sitting in the front row, his head bowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cLadies and gentleman, before we all part, I\u2019d like you to welcome to the stage the person who gave me that special gift tonight: Antoni.\u201d<\/p>\n
The people applauded, and Antoni looked up. For a few moments he fidgeted nervously, then looked at me and smiled. He stood up slowly and started walking to the stage. The closer he came, the louder the applause became. As he walked onto the stage we hugged each other.<\/p>\n
But this time, I was the one with the surprise. I reached behind me, picked up a gift-wrapped box, and handed it to him. \u201cToday,\u201d I said into the microphone, \u201cI bought a gift for my favorite bus driver.\u201d<\/p>\n
The audience laughed, and Antoni opened the present. His eyes got big when he saw the CD player inside. Along with it was a CD of all the bhajans we had performed throughout the tour. His eyes filled with tears again as he turned and kissed me on each cheek.<\/p>\n
\u201cLadies and gentleman,\u201d I said, \u201cwhat a fitting way to end our festival tour. We bid you farewell. May we meet again next summer, at this festival of love.\u201d<\/p>\n
I struggled to hold back my own tears.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the opulence or knowledge of many millions of universes were clustered together, they would hardly equal a small fragment of the glory of Krsna\u2019s holy name. Krsna\u2019s holy name is my life. It is the goal of my life. It is the means I will employ to attain the goal of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n[Srila Rupa Goswami, Padyavali, Text 23]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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