Battlefield Bhajans Vol. III Iraq, 17 April 2008 Jump on the Godhead Express! I am back on missions, which means long days. But I am still continuing with programs. We were having a program when all of a sudden, we heard the incoming alerting system. The rocket impacted 100 feet from the ashram. I directed everyone to run to the bunker. When everyone was out the door, I grabbed my Lords and my mrdanga and ran to the bunker. For those that have never experienced the bliss of going through a mortar or rocket attack, it is a waiting game. You sit in this little bunker waiting, sometimes it is only one rocket, sometimes five or six. So your there for some time. Everyone in the bunker stared at me as I ran in with the Lord and this weird drum. I placed the Lords down on a box. Slowly people started coming up to me asking questions. I explained about the Lord in His Deity form and about the chanting of the Holy Name. They listened with absolute attention. Their minds were fixed on the Holy Name and as I slowly taught them the Maha Mantra. They asked if I could play the drum, and I showed them I could play a little. I suggested we all sing to pass the time. Everyone agreed except one man, who said some negative comments. As we started some were nervous, but as time went on their inhabitation's left and they gave their hearts to the Holy Name. Some eyes were closed and strained in concentration, some had huge smiles, some were chanting as loud as they can. We chanted and chanted and chanted some more, we didn't even hear the all clear announcement. By this time more and more people heard the bhajan and came into the bunker. As we finished two hours have passed. Afterwards one girl and a few boys talked with me and asked if they could come chant with me everyday. Looks like another is hooked on the nectar. kali-käle näma-rüpe krsna-avatära näma haite haya sarva-jagat-nistära "In this Age of Kali, the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Krsna mahä-mantra, is the incarnation of Lord Krsna. Simply by chanting the holy name, one associates with the Lord directly. Anyone who does this is certainly delivered." Ädi 17.23 Library of Nectar Every Wednesday, I re stoke my smart boxes with books. I went today to the Morale Welfare and Recreation building. This is the most popular smart box, and average of 80-117 books weekly leave this site. As I was stoking books, a man approached me and said "Are you responsible for placing these books here!" Oh... busted I thought. But his demeanor changed, he then explained that he has been taking books from here for the last 6 months. He reads them and places them in the base library. Every time he goes to place a new one there, the old one is gone. He is very impressed with Srila Prabhupada's books. Turns out he wants me to stock the base library with Srila Prabhupada's transcendental literature. Srila Prabhupada is the best book distributor in the universe, I just assist him. I have realized it isn't my smooth talking, or smile or my knowledge, it is his words, his heart that was put into each word that awoke the super-soul in the conditioned soul to want to re-engage the soul in Krsna's service. Realization: In verse 32 of the Bhagavad Gita, we can see the mood and mission of Srila Prabhupada., In this verse it says about a perfect yogi, "He is a perfect yogi, who, by comparison to his own self, see the true equality of all beings, in both their happiness and their distress, O Arjuna!" In the purport Srila Prabhupada says that a perfect yogi is aware of everyone's happiness and distress. He emphasis how distress comes from us forgetting their relationship with the Lord. Srila Prabhupada could understand that they are unhappy because as conditioned souls they are subject to the modes of material nature. Because he is happy, he distributes that happiness to everyone. He is understands the need to bring the conditioned souls to the Lord's lotus feet. This is the compassion of Srila Prabhupada, he risked his health, just to come to save us fallen souls. Srila Prabhupada came and engaged us all in the service of the Lord. He traveled the world at an advanced age, with total disregard to his personal inconvience. Each time he signed his letters, three words were there; your ever well-wisher. This perfectly describes Srila Prabhupada, he saw past all our faults, al our impurities and gave us devotional service. Here in Iraq experienced the mercy, the compassion that has been given to us by Srila Prabhupada. We assisted Srila Prabhupada in his Ratha Yatra. We saw through his eyes the happiness the Holy Name brings. In a place where death is seen everyday, they forgot about it and focused on their relationship with the Lord. As they pulled the ropes of the Ratha, they also pulled the Lord closer to their hearts. If Srila Prabhupada never left India, these boys and girls would stay in ignorance of devotional service, of spiritul life. In the Army, we call that selfless service. If we anazlyze this verse we can get a glimpse in the life of a pure devotee. How Srila Prabhupada sacrificed so much, just to give us this wonderful process. This is the compassion of Srila Prabhupada. He is prepared to do what ever it takes to enage us in the service of the Lord. sadhana: Salagram and Govardhana Sila seva: This is very powerful for me, to everyday wake up and such intimate contact with the Lord early arise, chant your rounds as if you can die at any moment (here that is a reality) 25 everyday still. I need to develop my chanting. I need to absorb myself in my rounds. Reading the CC at the moment, The pastimes of the Lord in His Childhood and Youth Waves of Devotion by Dhanuradhara Swami Bhakti Sastri, Chapter 11 BG Mangala Arati everyday 22 now come! Sankritana: 15 BG 34 Sri Iso 10 Perfection of Yoga 4 months left in Iraq to make our goal Please forgive any offenses we made, we are trying out best to engage our limited intelligence in the lord's service. yours in service of Srila Prabhupada, Partha-sarathi dasa ISKCON Iraq