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"Hare Krishna" Greeting/Farewell to non-devotees

Posted by David Garvin on February 15, 2011 at 9:15pm in Krishna

Hare Krishna!

Hi everyone... I was wondering if and when you say "Hare Krishna" to people who are not obviously devotees (grocery shop, post office, customer service, phone rep, etc.)?

 

Personally, I really like saying HK to non-devotees, especially if I am not dressed in devotional clothing or have on tilak. The only persons I don't greet with HK is co-workers and the only place I won't wear tilak is work (not allowed). I don't work with the public, so outside of work, anyone and everyone is in danger of hearing Lord Krishna's name from me. Also, I live in Texas, so that maybe a factor on the frequency which I get a "Hare Krishna" in return. It's fun seeing who does and doesn't have a reaction (always positive!).

 

I hope you can answer my fun question above... Thanx and...

 

Hare Krishna!

 

- Bhakta David

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Replies

    • David Garvin > Sriman John Martini Krishna Dasa February 16, 2011 at 10:55pm

      Hare Krishna John Prabhuji,

       

      Yeah, good ideas and I agree with you. I have had folks come up to me with they see a tshirt I have on whether with Srila Prabhupada or "HARE KRSNA" on it. Ive only had positive reactions, same with the sticker on my car.

      And luckily I have not had any bad reactions to my telling them "Hare Krishna", at the worst so far they just give me a "What?" expression.

      Better the Mahamantra than promoting Nike, Armani Exchange or whatever "trendy" brand fashion folks wear to be cool. Nothing cooler than the Holy Name! :-)

       

      Your eager servant,

      David

       

    • Volunteer
      Shravn Prabhu > Sriman John Martini Krishna Dasa February 16, 2011 at 1:56pm

      Caitanya Mahaprabhu (please correct me if I am wrong), used to stop people in public and beg them to chant the Holy Name of Krishna.. just once.

      Prabhu, please forgive me, I disagree with your soft sell approach.

      I sometimes chant in downtown Sacramento, with the homeless people and we stand outside bars/restaurants when people walk out, we stop them and ask them,

      "Can you say Hare Krishna?" and when they say hare krishna softly,

      we ask, can you say it Louder? HARE KRISHNA!

      They say Hare Krishna (slightly louder)

      Say it LOUDER  Say HARE KRISHNA!!!!!!!!!!

      They go HARE KRISHNA !!!

      Such joy you get when this happens.

      HARE KRISHNA !!!!!!!!!

      • Sriman John Martini Krishna Dasa > Shravn Prabhu February 17, 2011 at 9:05am

        Why is Religion so Often a Source of Conflict?

         

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfY7iJMcHDI

      • Sriman John Martini Krishna Dasa > Shravn Prabhu February 17, 2011 at 8:37am

        Hi Shravan,

         

        I am certainly not against the "hard sell" approach either,and have done plenty of it in my day too. 

        I support your views and encourage them. ;))))   Hari Bol!!!! Ki Jai!

        • Volunteer
          Shravn Prabhu > Sriman John Martini Krishna Dasa February 18, 2011 at 9:04pm

          "and have done plenty of it "in my day" too"

          Sriman Prabhuji, if you say that, what can we neophyte devotees do? We look up to you Senior devotees for example.

          Thank you for your ideas on the softsell approach. I need to remove all my A&F (Abercrombie) with HK, so when someone asks what HK (instead of AF), stands for, I can tell them Hare Krishna.

          • Sriman John Martini Krishna Dasa > Shravn Prabhu February 19, 2011 at 12:25am
            It seems to me that all your into doing is judging me, as if you somehow know better and that I am being insincere. You don't know me at all. You have no idea of what I have experienced in my Krishna consciousness. I am not you and you are not me. Lord KRSNA as Paramatma is residing within both of us, and in all of us. I am a Jiva (an individual living entity) with my own karmic history, as you are. But somehow you fancy yourself as more Self realized than me because you are more than willing of making yourself into an unnecessary disturbance in society through basically being a madman to the public. AS IF THAT IS GOING TO TURN ANYONE ELSE ON TO KRSNA. But hey, knock yourself out. Rather anyone listening to you, I think the young devotees should only look to Prabhupada as any kind of example of how to live their Krishna consciousness. He didn't get all up in peoples faces. He was a Mahaprabhu, a great gentleman. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (an enlightened great gentleman). NOT AN EMBARRASSMENT.
            • Volunteer
              Shravn Prabhu > Sriman John Martini Krishna Dasa February 20, 2011 at 3:40am

              Sriman Prabhu, please accept my humble obeisance and respects

              My response to "AS IF THAT IS GOING TO TURN ANYONE ELSE ON TO KRSNA"

              Prabhu, dont underestimate the power of chanting the Holy Names of Krishna even once!

              Thats more than sufficient to lose ALL negative karma acquired in millions of lifetimes. Namacharya Haridas Thakore said, "All reactions from bad karma are dispelled, even before one about to utter the Holy Name of Krishna, just as the darkness is dispelled even before the sun rises"

              Srila Prabhupada said, when accused of creating unnecessary disturbance, "Yes we do create a disturbance by chanting the Holy Names in public." He went on to say that we are trying to wake people up, that this is not their home.... Back to Godhead.

      • David Garvin > Shravn Prabhu February 16, 2011 at 11:00pm

        Hare Krishna Shravan!

         

        I am very pleased to hear of your "hard sell" :-)

         

        I had not thought of doing this before and am actively trying to think of when and how I can do this form of harinam here in Houston! Hare bol!

         

        Your eager servant,

        David

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