from alpine wilderness to Prabhupada's feet

[bhaktachris 0]

Hare Krsna Prabhus and Matajis,

All Glories To Srila Prabhupada's and Lord Chaitanya's sankirtana movement.Obeisances at the Vaisnava's feet.

I wanted to write a short story of my coming to the path towards Krsna, since i too had an adventure getting there and seeing how others are enlivened too by reading of such.

My journey towards the light of Prabhupada's instructions started in the state of my material birth, Vermont the "Green Mountain State".I had quit high school, my parents were fighting it out in superior court for their piece of the 'pie' and divorse.My best friend also had quit college and we spent the winter in our hastely constructed log cabin preety deep in the woods bordering the national forest and "wilderness" part of Vermont.We spent the days playing in 5 feet deep snow,snowshoeing and sledding and other frivalous activities of 18-19 year old "men".Then in the long night of the cold north we would huddle by the wood stove and read by karosine lamp,while the wind howled and snow drifted.During this winter our favorite reading was eastern philosiphy including the abridged Bhagavad Gita,B.T.G. and other smaller Prabhupada books.(the year was '77')These were given by the friend of a sister of ours.(prabhupada calls his books time bombs,and they went off in our minds!)After the winter started to melt we got ideas to leave Vermont.Over that winter we had given up smoking pot, tobbacoe,alcohol,and eating meat.And when the spring came we left and started walking on the Appalacian Trail which was just a few miles away from our cabin.We would walk and chant various mantras including the Maha Mantra on the trail with some direction in mind,south america,or india and looking for a guide for life.Our guidebooks were a page ripped out of BTG "centers around the world"and the same for Kundalini Yoga.When we were walking through Pennsylvania we came to endless rocks and descided to get "real" shoes to replace our Moccasins.Then again later in Penn.we needed to make a stop where we could get a supply box (previously made up) sent to us.We pulled out our centers around the world,first the one for kundalini yoga and found that there was a center near us.When we got to their place the kundalini yoga people saw us (we were dirty,bearded long hairs from the trail)and said that our "aura" was so bad it would probably kill one of their people and they would not let us in.

So we took out "centers around the world" Back to Godhead style and also found a center not very far away.When we called,the hare krsna's said"where are you,we will send a van out right away"Wow what a difference.

After weeks on the trail and being renunciates of modern technology we were quite dirty and weird.From our homemade moccasins(replaced by sneakers)homemade backpacks and clothes, hair to our butts and what ever beards we had grown(being only 19) Our food supply was only three things

raw peanuts, roasted salted soybeans and dried apples(from a tree outside our vt.cabin) water along the trail.

When we got to the hare krsna temple we were not only dirty and weird but very emasiated from hard hiking and this diet. But of course that all changed soon enough, because the first place we went to was the prasadam hall. Sometimes the Hare Krsna's are called the kitchen relegion, because they offer Krsna incredible food, vegetarian ofcourse.Then we went to shower up and rest for the day was near done and we were told to be ready to wake at 4am.to prepare for the "morning program".

The month was May and the year was '78' which made the time only 5 months since the departure of THE FOUNDER/ACARYA A.C.BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADA.And at this temple the so called (at the time)zonal acarya had not yet arrived.Everyone was preparing for his arrival though and one devotee who was a great inspiration to us,daily would sing "Vande Hum 'new' Guru"a parody on Vande Hum Sri Guru. We got a kick out of the irreverance of his attitude,later he also got a kick as in out!A new vyasasana was constructed by him and it towered over Srila Prabhupada's later it was pared down some,to below Prabhupada's.

When i first wore a dhoti to the morning program i was taught to tye it by one brahmacari who was from the Radha Domodhara Travelling Sankirtana Party.Since the party had just recently been disbanded.Looking back,what a sad thing to stop that program which put Srila Prabhupada's books in every library,and was such a recruiting tool.Stopped so some of the sanyasis could take their new role as "zonal acaryas" and write books of their own.

After a few days the supply box came from vermont for our continuing hike to india and the search for a guide for life.I said to my friend and co-traveler lets go,and he turned to me surprised,and said " this is what we were looking for,this is the absolute truth".That day we filled a trash can with our collected hair,accept for our sikhas. And we gradually developed attachment to Krsna's name and Srila Prabhupada's instructions.A year later we both took initiation from the local "zonal acarya"

I was lucky because this transition time between the Nitya Sidha Paramahansa Guru,Prabhupada and the "new"guru kept me in the association of mostly disciples of Srila Prabhupada.My service was to pick up where a Prabhupada disciple had left off.And i spent my days listening only to Srila Prabhupada and doing my service started by and dedicated to Him. So i gained much love and attachment to Srila Prabhupada and my service was for Him. Those good feelings towards the Jagat Guru helped me stay on the path towards Krsna all these years later,even after the fall of so many "new" gurus. I became a follower of Srila Prabhupada

and knew when the "new" guru was asking for something bogus and refused to comply.(thats another story with lessons)

So i do not know what is right ritvik,diksa,guadiya math or whatever for i am a simple person.But i do know that Srila Prabhupada is an infallible Acarya,a Sampradaya Acarya,and the only person i trust my life to.I may not be initiated by Him chanting on the beads He chanted on,or maybe i am with the "new"guru being the ritvik or whatever.Or perhaps i am the disciple of that "new" guru with the spiritual name he gave me.

I am trying to be a follower of the Founder/Acarya of the Krsna Consciousness Movement.

Dont be like the so called "Christians" who are followers of the followers of the followers so many times removed and not actually following Christ's instructions or even acknowledging those instructions. We have had the "Saviour"or "Messihia" in our rescent times,That must be acknowledged and His instructions must be followed to our best ability.Read His books develope love for Him who is infallible.

I apoligize for my very poor gramer and spelling but i am a lowly drop out after all. 'bhakta christopher'