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“Agriculture and cow protection are the way to become sinless and thus be attracted to devotional service.”
SrilaPrabhupada, SB 8.6.12Purport
The next halt of the Sri Govind Gau Gram Prachar Yatra devotees after Madhavaram village was Choutapally, their sixth village in six days.
The day of the Yatra devotees would begin early at about 0300-0330 hrs and wind up late at night, sometime around 2330 hrs, leaving them with mere four hours of rest after a physically and mentally exhausting day. Yet each one of them had bright faces, right from 15 year old young devotee to 83 year old ToshanKrishna prabhu. They could see the spiritual adventure in the Yatra. However, there was something else also in the offing on that particular day which would test their determination to serve Srila Prabhupada and Sri Guru.
[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””][fusion_imageframe lightbox=”yes” lightbox_image=”http://www.srisurabhi.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/22721727762_f67caea14f_o.jpg” style_type=”bottomshadow” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
[/fusion_imageframe][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””][fusion_text]In the early morning hours, a few devotees including Toshan Krishna prabhu and Rupanuga prabhu were lying on a mat in the temple hall. It was dark and Gour Gopal prabhu passed by. Just as he stepped on their mat, he could feel a sudden shaft of excruciating pain as if burning coal had been kept on his foot. He had been bitten by a scorpion, who was right there on the mat. A city dweller would think of rushing to Specialty-Hospitals, but in a village they have their own traditional way of addressing such accidents. It may appear superstitious to the modern sophisticated people, but it works! The village vaidya tied his leg with a cloth, applied some herbs and began chanting the mantras to remove the poisonous effect. By evening it was bearable though there was swelling and associated discomfort and pain. Later when I asked him about the bite, he complacently replied –[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”0″ padding_bottom=”0″ padding_left=”0″ padding_right=”0″ hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]“See it (scorpion) was already there on the mat, so surely it must have bitten one of the devotees sleeping there. But good that it chose me; I am much stronger. I can withstand the pain, but Toshan Krishna prabhu because of his age factor could not have borne it. Don’t worry about me. I am fine. Just imaging the difficulties that Maharaj (HH Bhakti Raghava Swami) must have undergone when he was out preaching in the villages, that too single handedly, single leg on a bicycle with no knowledge of the local language and from completely alien background. Mine is nothing in front of him.” I could understand the determined spirit that these simple looking devotees had in their hearts, their devotion and commitment to serve Sri Guru and Srila Prabhupada. One by one all their faces were appearing in my mind’s eye – Gour Gopal prabhu, Sripati prabhu, Ram Lakshman prabhu, Rupanuga prabhu, Toshan Krishna prabhu, Jananivas prabhu, Gajanand prabhu (the cook for the Yatra team), Siddha Balram prabhu… All of them without exception were simply inspirational figures.
[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”0″ padding_bottom=”0″ padding_left=”0″ padding_right=”0″ hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””][fusion_imageframe lightbox=”yes” lightbox_image=”http://www.srisurabhi.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/22721684712_59a85c29e9_o.jpg” style_type=”bottomshadow” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
[/fusion_imageframe][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””][fusion_imageframe lightbox=”yes” lightbox_image=”http://www.srisurabhi.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/22746409351_ef382167bf_o.jpg” style_type=”bottomshadow” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
[/fusion_imageframe][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”0″ padding_bottom=”0″ padding_left=”0″ padding_right=”0″ hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]Despite all these challenges, the show must go on. The Yatra devotees including Gour Gopal prabhu were on the streets with Jagannath-Baldev-Subhadra mai on Their chariots. As usual he led the kirtan as other devotees cheered and spoke to the villagers about the evening program in the village temple.
Hundreds of villagers were present to see what this small group of devotees had to share with them. Soon the program began with another round of Harinam kirtan and then lecture in Telugu by Sripati prabhu and Ram Lakshman prabhu. Their lectures were more interactive in nature. They made the villagers comprising especially farmers, women and youth participate in their discussion on organic farming, contribution of cows and bulls to one’s material and spiritual progress, sustainability of cow-based economy and importance of chanting in one’s life.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””][fusion_text]In a situation when Bharatvarsha is experiencing an unfortunate phenomenon of mass exodus of villagers to the city, the Yatra came as a lifeline. It was successful in instilling faithin villagers about their traditional lifestyle – the Vedic lifestyle. Not just that it proved to them the significance of villages and their pivotal role in protecting the world’s spiritual health. It reminded them of their traditional village technologies, their value system of treating gomata as a member of the family, organic farming using manure, tilling the land with the help of bullocks and the intricate sambandha of a human with cows, land and Krishna.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””][fusion_imageframe lightbox=”yes” lightbox_image=”http://www.srisurabhi.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/22547288710_45d4ab3117_o.jpg” style_type=”bottomshadow” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
[/fusion_imageframe][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]All the villagers, with their characteristic simplicity listened attentively and participated actively in all the discussions. They appreciated ISKCON for its compassionate gesture to reach out to them, and requested for frequent visits to their village in future. Once again there was a good distribution of books and panchgavya products, with about 40 maha-books and 60 small books of Srila Prabhupada. Even a newly-wed couple who were present in the temple took blessings of the devotees and Srila Prabhupada’s books. About 150 people took the “Sacred Oath” to protect Mother Cow and be a part of the ongoing spiritual revolution across the villages.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”0″ padding_bottom=”0″ padding_left=”0″ padding_right=”0″ hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””][fusion_imageframe lightbox=”yes” lightbox_image=”http://www.srisurabhi.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/22114044163_513629be29_o.jpg” style_type=”bottomshadow” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
[/fusion_imageframe][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””][fusion_imageframe lightbox=”yes” lightbox_image=”http://www.srisurabhi.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/22746359961_198e3b0bd7_o.jpg” style_type=”bottomshadow” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
[/fusion_imageframe][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””][fusion_imageframe lightbox=”yes” lightbox_image=”http://www.srisurabhi.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/22547389480_0e776eafc9_o.jpg” style_type=”bottomshadow” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
[/fusion_imageframe][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]These wonderful results of spreading Harinam in such remote villages and corners would not have been possible had a few devotees not taken the risk for Srila Prabhupada. Life is meaningful only when used in His service. Scorpion bites, absence of basic amenities, alien land, alien language, limited resources… nothing can stop the Sankirtan Movement and varnasrama dharma from reaching every town and village. The show must go on. We have to see how we can be somewhere an instrument in this. We might be a mere squirrel bringing a few grains of sand in building the bridge over the ocean, but it is worth it!
Those who can actively participate in the exciting Yatra are welcome; those who cannot be there physically are requested to pray and support those who are there on the battlefield.[/fusion_text][fusion_separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”20″ bottom_margin=”” sep_color=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”” class=”” id=””/][fusion_text]
Jai Srila Prabhupada!
Jai Sri Govind Gau Gram Prachar Yatra!!
Hare Krsna!!!
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