(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 4 January 2013, Ladysmith, South Africa)
So little by little, by hearing and chanting, our remembering also changes. It says sravanam, kirtanam, smaranam – hearing, chanting and remembering. These three come together. In the beginning, we chant but it’s not so deep and we think, “Ok! How long is this going to go for? Hope it’s not going to be for too long.” So in the beginning, we are chanting without so much taste and ten minutes is enough. But then, after some time, we get some more taste. We hear more about Krsna and gradually our meditation changes.
Now, after so many years from the day that I did mantra meditation with that musician, if you say Krsna, it is different than it was then. Because now I’ve heard so much about Krsna. So now when you say Krsna, immediately I can think of so many pastimes of Krsna, qualities of Krsna, service that I have done for Krsna or that I was allowed to do for Krsna or the devotees of Krsna. As soon as you say Krsna, I see Krsna and his devotees and I think of all those devotees.
I remember that in 1984, we were in Vrndavan installing the deity of Srila Prabhupada for the samadhi. So there was a big abhishek and someone had built a table for the deity to sit on because the deity was quite heavy – the deity is very large is in Vrndavan; made of metal. So they had made a strong table with some bars on the legs for support which makes sense from a construction point of view. The only oversight was that there was supposed to be a drum under the table and they had measured the drum and height of the table but they forgot about the bars for support. So there was no way that we could get that drum under the table without lifting the table, putting it under and then we could never get it out again. So there was a real problem… What to do?
It was at the last minute and all the VIP’s were ready to start and it had to start. So I said, “No problem.” I volunteered. I said that I’ll go under there with some buckets and I’ll have a team and we’ll just do it like that! You know, it’s an emergency arrangement and it’s not going to get the beauty prize but it will do the job. So I said, “Alright, let’s do it.” So we did. I remember that abhishek very well. I remember when the milk came. Some went in the bucket but a lot went over me. I remember when the honey came; I got covered in honey – I mean from head to toe. I got the full abhishek! Prabhupada got it first and then I got. So, what mercy! Meanwhile I got kicked by all the senior vaishnavas. Brahmananda even stood on my hand. You know Brahmananda weighs 300 kilograms or something. Extraordinary! I remember that.
So now the smaranam, the remembrance in relation to Krsna in Krsna consciousness has changed so much. It is like that. Automatically; by hearing, chanting and serving; our Krsna consciousness will develop and grow. It is not that we have to force ourselves. How will I ever become Krsna conscious? It’s so difficult! How will I ever… It grows, it automatically grows. That is so nice because there is no loss. That is why I said 2012 was a good year, 2013 will be better. I can’t wait for 2014!
