Hare Krsna, dear devotees!

Below are some exerpts from inmates, as well as some Chaplains' appreciation for the work done by ISKCON Prison Ministry. I hope they bring you pleasure and inspiration.

INMATE'S EXCERPTS 

“Everything here is coming along very nicely. I try to plant as many seeds of Krsna Consciousness as I possibly can. At the moment, I have one inmate in my pod with whom I am studying KC with. I put him in touch with Balabhadra Prabhu in Boise. When I received the C.C. he also received some wonderful books. He was really excited, he ran to my cell to show me what he had received. It was beautiful to see his utter joy! Hare Krsna!

Benjamin B., Buckeye, Arizona

“I had fallen away from chanting the Maha Mantra over the years, after losing the good association of bhakta Jason, and had eventually passed on all the books I had on Krishna Consciousness to other interested bhaktas at the various prisons in which I’ve sojourned.

I feel like the prodigal son spoken of in the Holy Bible, as I’ve been wandering to and fro, lost in the world of Maya. Yet, by Krishna’s boundless mercy, I am once again on the same yard (prison) as bhakta Jason, and a devotee has begun coming here once a month to share Krishna’s love for us. I am rejoicing over this great blessing and am beginning to feel alive again! We’re allowed to spend 2 hours in the presence of this devotee and are in the process of getting approval for a weekly study group for seriously interested inmates. I wonder if you could kindly provide for me a copy of Bhagavad Gita As It Is? I am certain that this one book would put me back on track. I have begun chanting again lately. It’s wonderful to have purpose in this life again. Krishna’s mercy and love have been there for me all along!”

Bhakta Edmund G., Columbia, SC

“Dear Mother Bhakti-Lata Dasi,

Thank you for the books “Life comes from Life” and “Chanting Hare Krsna”. They are beautiful. I love Prabhupada’s books. I love what how they are put together, illustrated, organized; I love everything about them, especially Krsna’s mercy which flows freely from them. The Holy Scriptures are alive as are Prabhupada’s books. Hare Krsna. I love to remember the story of the devotee of Lord Chaitanya who was illiterate, but followed the instructions of his spiritual master to read the Gita, and he was sitting with the book open upside down with tears pouring down his face. Books are such beautiful forms of Krsna, and glory to following the instructions of Sri Guru.

   I began to read parts of “Chanting Hare Krsna”, and found the stories of Haridas Thakur. Thank you again, this is just the food I need. Thank you for this prasadam. May we all be so dedicated in our service to Krsna. May Krsna bless you always”

Bhakta Joel S., Coaltownship, PA

“Dear friend, first and foremost allow me to extend my deepest gratitude for your receiving my letter with and open heart, thank you. My name is Bryant. I am a friend of an inmate here, Kalki Das, who has referred me to you. I’ve been studying Buddhism for the last five years, meditating, learning and practicing the “dharma”. I have been doing my best to spread loving kindness to others, but I still felt empty… until I found Krsna about a year ago, and now I met Kalki Das. I want to learn from him. He recently told me about Lord Nrsimha; I can’t wait to hear more, learn more. I want to be with Krsna and bask in Krsna’s love, and light. As I write now I listen to the sounds of my soul and I know Krsna is in my Heart, I can feel it. I want to dance and chant. I feel awakened, over-joyed and filled with love, but also humbled. I do my best to abide by the laws; I do not eat meat, fish or eggs. Could you send me books, perhaps even CDs? I do not have any money, so maybe you could help me a little?”

Bryant Mau, Corcoran, CA

CHAPLAINS' APPRECIATION

 10-28-201

"Dear Bhakti-lata Dasi,

            I received your package yesterday. Thank you so very much for your ministry, through your donations, to your fellow Hindu brothers who are detainees here, and for the enrichment and education of the general population of the facility. It is appreciated more than words can say."

Rev. Richard G. Barnes, MDiv, Chaplain

MTC Imperial Regional Detention Facility

Calexico, Callifornia

10-2014 

"Wow, your generosity is amazing. The books listed below arrived today, expecting the others any day now. Thank You again for caring so much!

We have had a very positive response about Krishna from some of the institutions. We are distributing your literature, tapes, DVD's and music.

Beads will be a great pleasure to the Inmates during their prayers! If you could send 30 sets, we will distribute them as needed by the Inmates. Also, all Inmates have access to DVD and SC players within the Chapel at the various institutions. 

 I want to thank you again for your response to the request of the inmates! I am relying on you to help me provide them with anything and everything that they might require for their Worship Services. I enjoy talking with the Inmates and hearing of their Spiritual progress. Chris L. has even started a small Worship Group at his Facility and I am proud to help him and the other Inmates on their paths!

I wish to thank you again for helping out! Most organizations are too willing to turn their backs on these unfortunate people. That is why I am so pleased by your response!
Thank you again, and Peace and Blessings,"
Namaste.

Reverend Michael Sims

Assembly of Ancient Paths Church

Ellendale, Tennessee 

10-21-2014

"We received the material you sent. Thank you for all you do. It really makes a difference.

Haribol,"

David Muchin

Clinical Social Worker

Napa State Hospital

Napa California

To read the full newsletter, please click on the link below:

http://www.iskconprisonministry.org/node/461

Thank you!

Your servant, Bhakti-lata Dasi

By Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya's infinite mercy, here all the books and material distributed from the Alachua, Florida IPM office in 2013:

Prabhupada’s Books total: 2,717
Magazines (10 to 50 pages): 864
Small: 816
Medium: 242
Big: 311
Maha-Big: 484

Books by other devotee authors: 332
BTGs: 758
Audio tapes: 104
CDs: 343
DVDs: 24
Japa Mala Sets: 97
Neck Beads: 25

GRAND TOTAL of all Books and BTGs in 2013: 3,807 !!!

In 2014, we would like to make more DVDs and CDs available to the inmates. They need to be new, or looking like new. Can you help us make this possible? :)

SRILA PRABHUPADA, KE! JAYA!!!

If you want to receive IPM NEWS, our bi-monthly electronic newsletter, please send us an e-mail with “Subscribe to IPM NEWS” in the subject line.

To help with this prison program, please contact Mukunda Dasa or Bhakti-lata Dasi at:

ISKCON Prison Ministry
PO Box 2676
Alachua, FL 32616-2676
IskconPrisonMinistry@gmail.com
www.iskconprisonministry.org
352-575-0458

Article by Inmate Bhakta Joseph P.

     Galesburg, Illinois

        The time I spend chanting the Maha-mantra in the quiet early mornings is one of my most favorite times of the day. It is that special time spent in direct association with our dear Lord Sri Krsna. But there are days when I don’t feel anything special, that even in this most auspicious transcendental activity, I feel alone, and oh, so far from my dear Lord. When this happens, it is easy to wonder if I am actually receiving His mercy; if there is purpose to my chanting or if I am just wasting my time.             Recognizing my own faults in this process is Krsna’s merciful way of allowing me to become more sincere and attentive towards Him.

                I must be considered is the fact that we are never actually apart from Him (BG 15.15); sometimes it just feels that way. But even in this, we are receiving Krsna’s divine mercy in that we, by missing Him, are connected through feelings of separation. Any time we are thinking about Him, He is present in our thoughts; whenever we feel deeply His absence, He is strongly in our hearts; and when we chant His name, Krsna dances on our tongue. Even the blessed Gopis of Vrndavan relished Krsna’s presence in separation when they couldn’t find Him in the woods that late autumn evening.

                Whether in joyful closeness, or despairing separation, we are always with Him. In our thoughts and words, He manifests; He exists personally in our very heart. I absolutely know this, so there is no question of Krsna not being present, though I sometimes have that impression. So when my chanting seems a failure, when I feel no connection to dear Krsna, I can at least relish that I am thinking of Him, and that is His mercy. I should never forget that. He is everywhere- in my hopes and dreams, in the love of my heart. And even if Krsna bestowed no mercy upon me, ever, isn’t He still worth my most sincere efforts?

                I am set to be released from prison in about 6 years, and after over two decades behind bars, the world I will be entering will seem quite foreign to me. The way people work, communicate, and even shop, has changed (not to mention the changes within myself). Not only that, but the people I knew and cared about have either passed from this world, or rejected me (with good reasons). I will leave here penniless, homeless, unsupported, and with little chance to fit well into this new society. It is truly daunting, and I have asked myself many times how I am supposed to survive on the outside. How do I achieve any level of security and happiness in a world I don’t understand, and which doesn’t want to understand me?

                In September of 1965, another man, a truly great soul, found himself in an externally similar condition. With only a few dollars in his possession, and little experience of the customs and practices of our society, Srila Prabhupada arrived in New York. Far from his home, he was separated from the common man in the way he dressed, spoke, ate, and even thought. Truly a daunting condition and one I can hardly imagine.

                The truly amazing thing is that, unlike most anyone else, he welcomed this condition as an opportunity. Srila Prabhupada came here, no under threat or exile or any other such thing. No, he came freely and willingly. In order to fulfill the mission given to him by his Guru Maharaja, and to offer the only means of salvation to a degraded people, His Divine Grace eagerly sought the means to come here.

                So what made him so willing to take this dangerous and scary chance, to risk homelessness, starvation, and death just to help those who he had never met?

                “In all activities just depend on Me and work always under My protection. In such devotional service, be fully conscious of Me. If you become conscious of Me, you will pass over all the obstacles of conditional life by My grace.” BG 18.57-58

                His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada came, not worrying about his personal needs or condition, because he was assured of success. Home, food, money…everything, he knew, would be provided; he trusted absolutely in the promise of Krsna to care for His devotees, and Prabhupada is truly a pure devotee of Sri Krsna. No matter what happened, regardless of the hardships, he willingly and eagerly jumped into the fire of Americanism because he absolutely knew God would provide and care for him.

                Such faith is so rare and amazing that it defies our logic. But for those with this conviction, no place, no danger can deter them. For most of us, for me, this trust doesn’t come easily, and the idea of stepping out into a world unknown to me, with no support, is a scary proposition. But even as my faith may be lacking, I can look to this example of Srila Prabhupada, and know that Krsna does indeed care for His devotees. I needn’t simply trust and believe, because the Lord, in His divine mercy, has shown us a practical example by sending His pure devotee to not only teach us, but also to show us the glories of Krsna.

                As my release date draws nearer, my fears may grow about what will happen to me. But even in this, I can be assured that as long as I depend and trust in Krsna to help me, my ultimate success is guaranteed. I will be OK, and my path, though certainly difficult, will lead me back to my divine Father, Sri Krsna.

*************

Note from Bhakti-lata Dasi

This article is just a small part of the bi-monthly IPM NEWS, an electronic newsletter I send the 450 devotees.

If you wish to receive it in your mailbox, simply email me at iskconprisonministry@gmail.com with "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject line. Thank you!

by Candra Dasa

volunteer with ISKCON Prison Ministry

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! Hare Krishna, Jai Sri Sri Radha Bankebihari Ki Jai!

My Initiated name is Candra Das. I am a disciple of H.H Bhakti Tirtha Swami Maharaja. I am currently employed as a correctional counselor at Snake River Correctional Institution in Ontario, Oregon (Snake River Correctional Institution is located 11 miles east of the Idaho/Oregon state line). I have been employed with the Oregon Department of Corrections for 18 years. 

I first became interested in starting a prison-preaching program during my second year of employment. I sought the assistance of the Gupta family who currently run the Boise Hare Krishna (Idaho) temple. I felt I had no qualification, therefore I determined they would be more qualified to conduct this prison-preaching program. In 1996 the Gupta’s had serious reservations about conducting a program at a prison but when I approached them again in the summer of 2003, they committed themselves to doing this service and I helped to facilitate the means for them to do so. However, due to all the service they had in maintaining the temple, they could not continue the prison preaching. As a result, I had to become rapidly qualified to take over this program.

I was not sure how the employees would view me now that I was becoming a religious volunteer. My concerns revolved around openly advertising that I was a Hare Krishna Devotee. What I discovered was that most employees had no clue what a Hare Krishna was! As it turns out, Ontario, Oregon is not the “Mecca” of cultural/religious awareness. Very quickly, I forged ahead with the full “devotee” attire; tilak, dhoti, and kurta. Of course, I got the strange looks, but, since the body that I occupy is black, I was accustomed to strange looks. My current bodily condition prepared me for tolerating being stared at. In due course of time, staff and inmates became accustomed to my foreign attire and even accept prasadam, which is an extra means to defuse their bias, pacify their trouble minds and extend Krsna’ s mercy.

Years later, the program is running strong and expanding. Due to the mercy of Sri Sri Radha Bankebihari, we now have our own altar, conduct Gaura Arati on an occasional Friday evening, read from the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, and share prasadam (bananas, oranges and apples). I could not have anticipated the benefits the IPM program could have made on the lives of the inmates. Some inmates learned slokas, others committed themselves to drawing art and others were simply drawn to the holy name.

Just recently, one of our new members joined the program because of hearing the holy name. He attended another religious service program and heard the chanting from our program when he walked by. Weeks later, he approached me and asked, “What was that you were singing?” I responded, “What are you referring to?” He said, “You were signing in that class and playing the drum… what you were signing touched my heart, so I would like to join your class”. Another example is from on inmate member who worshiped Buddha. He had many doubts about his own belief, let alone subscribing to Bhakti Yoga. He now chants 9 rounds a day and reads and memorizes slokas from the Bhagavad-Gita. In the ten years of the program, he is the first inmate who, with or without prompting, is motivated to learn slokas.

When dealing with the inmate population, I am reminded of a statement that my Guru Maharaja would say in his many lectures: “You’ve got to have an attitude of gratitude.” My attitude is that I am very grateful to have this service and it pulled me through some of my own trials and tribulations. I can conclude that the recipe for the suffering soul is service to Sri Krsna. After all, we too are inmates in this material prison or macrocosm called the material universe.

 Hare Krsna dear devotees,

Below are the very first Vyasa-puja offerings written by two inmate-bhaktas. I hope they will bring you great transcendental pleasure!

Your servant, Bhakti-lata Dasi

1) Offering of Bhakta Richard

nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine

namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesha-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine

            Prabhupada, during my initial years of practicing Krsna consciousness I respected and even revered your writings, but never quite understood how or why you were worshiped. Western Culture made me uncomfortable giving glories to an ordinary man. Oh, but now I know that you are extraordinary! Your transcendental nature permeates your writings, audio recordings, and videos. I remember when I first saw you on video, after 4 years of only reading your books; you captivated me instantly. Your Shakti emanates from the screen.

            Gaudiya Vaisnavism is the epitome of perfection for extinguishing the agony of material existence and the more I watched and listened to you, the more I understood who I am and what I am doing here.

            Prabhupada, you taught me one could be on a beach in Malibu or in the hole of a miserable jail and Lord Krsna’s bliss -His ananda-  is available to him immediately, through the maha-mantra. Because of your mercy, Prabhupada, that mukti, that liberation, is right there as the maha-mantra rolls from the tip of one’s tongue.

            When I say your pranam, my heart wrenches in gratitude. After 7 years of practicing Krsna consciousness, I can avow with all my heart that I deeply love you, Prabhupada. I have your image tattooed on my arm and I say with the purest conviction; Jaya Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Your lowly bhakta,

Bhakta Richard C.

Petersburg, Virginia

2) Offering of Bhakta Douglas

            All obeisances and praise unto the lotus feet of Sri Sri Krishna, who is the supreme person and Lord of all, and also unto the assembly of the pure and unalloyed devotees who serve Him with their love and devotion—ceaselessly and beautifully.

            I bow down at the lotus feet of my spiritual master, His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Prabhupada, through whom I have received—finally—the solution for the vexing and dangerous complications of material existence.

            From practically the first time I remember being alive and conscious, I remember being afflicted with the tendency to ask, “Why?”

            Answers I received to the big “why questions” gave me doubts about the capacity of the “adult world”. I found such answers as “You can do anything you want,” to be false, simply pat assurances. I found that there were a multitude of injustices, imperfections and ugliness both within and without. Hypocrisies and cruelties seemed to abound just about everywhere I looked. And when I looked inside, I found, to my horror, the same things inside of myself. Why?

            The scientists said, “There is no spirit!” They told me that there was just this electromagnetic soup in which we swim and nothing else. They asserted that all the sin, dominance-displays, corrupted competition and other human vices, derived from the actions of chemicals upon our monkey brains. They told me there was nothing else. Although I tried to go with this, I felt that there was something good inside myself, although it was dirty, corrupted, and covered. But I wasn’t a Petri dish; I couldn’t just clean it. Bad habits and errors accumulated. I hurt others. I hurt myself. I hurt. Why?

            Then I stumbled and fell into people who were into health and funky books. I got into yoga, fasting, vegetarianism. I had figured out! Why? Because the body was sick! That was the source of my misery—The Body!

            Healing the body helped a bit but still, there was a darkness and distrust and anger and sadness inside of me that the carrot juice just couldn’t take away. I still couldn’t manage my life well, what with the peaks and valleys and guilt and anger and shame about the past—I fluctuated. I failed. I tried to cast up false fronts on all sides in an attempt to dress up the internal flaws. I played Hero. I played scholar. I played mystical guy who knows about the obscure and the arcane. I played artist, musician, writer, and adventurer. I played these roles pretty well some of the time, just enough to maintain hope for some kind of eventual ‘score’. Because when I could just catch my breath, I had a plan; I would rescue myself from this huge mess I had made out of my life and I would come clean. Why?

            Because, on the stumbledy-dumbledy course of my life, I had kept crossing paths with two very important things: Vedic knowledge and the devotees of Sri Krishna. And of all of my encounters in life, I had found that only these two fountains truly contained fast, final and seamless answers to the question, “Why?” that I had eventually become obsessed with. And not only were there answers to the “why?” but even more importantly, answers to those next questions; “How do I fix it?” “How do I get free?” and, “What does it all mean?” All the answers were also contained in the lives of the devotees and along with the complete symmetrical agreement between the Upanisads, the Vedas, the Vedanta, the Bhagavad-gita, and the Srimad Bhagavatam.

            Prabhupada knew. All praise, glory, and devotion therefore goes unto the lotus feet of His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta, Swami Prabhupada, and those pure devotees of Lord Sri Krishna, whom they serve so well.

            Did I run from Vedic wisdom and Prabhupada? Sadly, yes. I told myself that I would get around to it later. I would “dabble”. I would mince around the edges. I would wait—and “prepare myself” for “eventual transformation”. What I was really doing was the worst sin I can imagine; I was running away. Having so eagerly flopped and fried and whined and screamed and lied about my “search for an answer”, when it finally  came to me, my reply was: “Uh…not yet…I’ve, uh…got more living to do! Check ya’ later!”

            Yeah, right: as in, “I’ve got to first dig the hole of my errors and deceits and imperfections and manipulations all the way down to the bedrock of the El Paso County Jail.” Job well done, Douglas. Low point achieved.

            But as crazy-stupid as that trajectory may have been, way down there, in the bottom of the pit, was a ray of light—a ray of light which I knew, with every fiber of my being, was a real light, the real light, the benediction moon of His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s life mission; the turning towards real and final Truth. The turning towards Krishna, under the perfect and ever-loving tutelage of Prabhupada.

            So now, here in my cell (what a fitting analogy for all the cages and traps I prepared for myself), I take you, Srila Prabhupada, as my father and my family, and as my “boss”, and as my friend, and as my authority, and as my guide-post, and as the fount for all the answers and the salve for when I’m lost and asking, “Why?”

            Srila Prabhupada, you are the unassailable bastion of love and kindness that brought forth the answers to all of my “Whys”. And the fact that I did not immediately turn completely towards the practice of Krishna Consciousness from day one of my encounter with you, is the only real reason I have to ever cry a tear.

            But I will not let my regret rule the roost, Srila Prabhupada. The past is gone, but your words and movement and teachings live on. Thank you master, for your hyper-excellence, steadfastness, intelligence, charm, wit, surrender, and love. Oh, Hare Krishna! Thank you for this song of your life, this saving grace of the Holy Names and your beautiful devotees who, by your instructions, care for my fallen soul by sending me books, a foldable altar, and kind words while, by the laws of this world, I am locked up like a wild animal!

            Thank you, thank you, thank you Srila Prabhupada. The benediction of your appearance has been responsible for the re-animation of spiritual life in this tumultuous existence of mine. Thank you for being you.

Your fallen servant lies prostrate at your lotus feet,

Bhakta Douglas G.

Colorado Springs, Colorado

            To read more excerpts of inmate letters and to see some of their artwork, please visit our website at www.iskconprisonministry.org

            If you want to receive IPM NEWS, our monthly electronic newsletter, please send us an e-mail with “Subscribe to IPM NEWS” in the subject line.

To help with this prison program, please contact Mukunda Dasa or Bhakti-lata Dasi at:

ISKCON Prison Ministry

PO Box 2676

Alachua, FL  32616-2676

IskconPrisonMinistry@gmail.com

www.iskconprisonministry.org

352-575-0458

            The inmate ladies were very receptive; they were smiling and hearing the Holy Names as they did some yoga asanas. They learned to say the maha mantra, and then we started up a full force kirtan.              Madhumati was inspired to gather all the ladies into a circle, like the women do in the temple, and hold hands while they chanted. This really got them going, and then she had them dancing into the center, and then back. They were smiling, laughing and the room was filled with so much transcendental joy. I looked at Akuti and Laxmimoni and we were all grinning from ear to ear, amazed at the Lord’s potency and at how much bliss these ladies were experiencing.

1)      Send check or postal money order to:

ISKCON Prison Ministry

PO Box 2676

Alachua, FL 32616-2676

2)      Donate with PayPal through our website: www.iskconprisonministry.org

3)      For automatic, monthly donations, you can use your bank’s “Automatic Bill Pay” option, which is free and easy.

We can send you a tax deductible receipt at the moment of the donation or at the end of the year, as you wish.

Questions? Inquiries? Please contact Mukunda Dasa or Bhakti-lata Dasi at:

ISKCON Prison Ministry

PO Box 2676, Alachua, FL 32616-2676

IskconPrisonMinistry@gmail.com    

www.iskconprisonministry.org

352-575-0458

             In May 2012, a Chaplain from El-Paso, Texas, Steven Cottingham, emailed me in the hope of getting some books for the inmates he served. He said,

            “My name is Steven. I serve in 5 jails, 3 federal prisons, and 2 state prisons and there are people asking for books in each of these institutions. What I do is place books in each institution’s Religious Services library, so it is cost-effective that way. Do you have books we could have?”

            Of course I was very happy to help him out and this was the beginning of a wonderful cooperation. I sent him books a few times over the next months. One day, as we talked on the phone, he told me he had been reading Prabhupada’s books and he was really interested himself. I gave him his personal copy of the Bhagavad-gita.

            On January 1st, 2013, a fellow chaplain, Michael St.James, replied to the last email I had sent to  Steven:

            "Steven is no longer with the Bureau. He began to read the items your group sent, and, from what I understand, began to practice your faith. As he was hired as a Christian Chaplain (he was/is an Episcopalian Priest) his employment was terminated. Steven is in a very bad spot right now. Having lost his job, he and his wife are finding it difficult to live on just her salary. I know they will make it through this.

            The Bureau's decision to fire him is one that has left us all reeling. Some of us will be going to court on his behalf. You must understand that Steven, for years, fought for many faiths-- including the Hare Krishna one-- to be recognized by the Bureau. In doing that, and his wanting to support those of different faiths, he has made a few enemies here."

            At the beginning of February, Chaplain Steven went to court and won his case, the judge agreeing that Steven had been wrongly fired because of discrimination. In addition, Warden Smith, who had fired Chaplain Steven, lost his job due to his treatment him.

            On February 7, Chaplain Michael St-James emailed me again:

            “There is a bit of stress here. Seems there are a few people that didn't want Steven back. You must understand, Steven will fight to correct a wrong. And he has helped inmates that have been wronged by both the system, and the staff.”

            And on February 10:

            “I have just left my last meeting for the day, and will soon clock out. Have a couple of questions for you. These particular questions concern Chaplain Cottingham, and his advancement here at work.

            Steven has become a Hare Krishna. He zealously practices his faith, and seems to have found a higher level of peace. I have done research, and have discovered that within your faith movement one must be installed as a member.

            The head of our national chaplaincy department would like for Steven to become certified as a Hare Krishna member. We have a few questions.

            There are, in addition to our director, several individuals within our chaplaincy program who would love for Steven to progress within this movement. So, if you could get back to me at your earliest.”

            This was exciting news, indeed! I put Chaplain St-James in contact with Mukhya, our temple president here in Alachua. But, as with any plans, everything depends on Krsna, and as Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati used to say, “Krsna willing.”

            As Krsna would have it, however, on February 23, Steven was killed in a car crash. He left a wife and young baby. At the present moment, I am awaiting a response from his wife, Jan. Hopefully the devotees can provide her support for her continuing Krsna consciousness.

            Please pray for Chaplain Steven and the family he is leaving behind. Krsna was so kind to allow him to surrender in the last months of his life and to embrace the holy name with such enthusiasm and conviction!

            I keep in regular contact with Chaplain St-James; the books will keep being circulated. He also appreciates the devotees very much. Last January he wrote me:

            “Yes, we serve ten prisons. Total population is 14,951-- as of this morning.

            Total number of inmates who have listed their religion as either Hindu, or Hindu-Hare Krishna is 3,416-- as of this morning.

            The Hare Krishna numbers have grown. Yours is a very peaceful religion. I wouldn't mind having the whole prison population become Hare Krishna; in a recent riot in the prison, none of the Hare Krishna inmates have participated; they all remained peaceful.”

INMATE LETTER EXCERPTS

8-9-12

            “Haribol!!! Vaisnava Pranama! Jaya Jaya Prabhupada!!!

Me and Bhakta Brad are joyously fasting for Janmastami today, in transcendental ecstasy! This morning we (Bhakta Brad, Jon, and me) chanted rounds and read from the Bhagavad Gita. This afternoon we made a new bhakta, Bhakta Jon and gave him his mala and the 3 of us took turns reading from the Krsna book about His birth. This evening we will be going back to the chapel for Kirtan and watching Prabhupada DVDs! Jaya!

Hope you are having a fantastic Janmastami and have a wonderful Prabhupada appearance day tomorrow! Your most humble servant,

Bhakta Richard C.

Petersburg, Virginia

 6-21-12

            “Hare Krsna! I got my release for July 5th. I am so very grateful for your service and generosity. I will never forget you. The other day I was outside with my japa bag and beads, trying to share the Gita with a friend. A guy from India saw me with the japa beads and got very excited. He’s from Bangladesh. We talk of Krsna often.”

Luke S.

Rockwell City, Iowa

5-22-12

            “I am very much enjoying the book, “Chanting Hare Krsna”. Thank you so very much for the opportunity to associate with Srila Prabhupada. When I read it, it is like Prabhupada is talking with me and bringing new and fresh realizations, letting the sun shine bright within my heart, with transcendental knowledge. Hare Krsna.”

Brandon B.

Mayo, Florida

4-18-12

“The devotees are the prisoners’ connection to the world of Krsna. I cannot explain how much letters and material from you all mean. It serves as a constant reminder to stay steadfast! So again, thank you.”

Bhakta Brian B.

Somerset, Pennsylvania

2-12-12

“I used a piece of cloth as a japa mala by tying knots in the cloth; 108 knots. It took me 6 hours to make it, and the inner seam of my pants-but it beats counting on your fingers.”

William B.

Wiwahitchka, Florida

8-25-2011

            “I just wanted to take a moment to write and thank you for the issue of Back to Godhead. The first article I read was exactly something I needed to read. I find myself seriously lost and disturbed if I am not constantly reading, thinking about Vaishnava subjects. Lately I've been going through some mental battles, things getting to me. I am so grateful to have all the books I have acquired from you all in ISKCON IPM. It is my medicine in this diseased environment. Hare Krishna! I enclosed 2 stamps. I know it's not much but maybe it will help when you mail someone else some “meaning” for this life! Lord Krsna bless you all! Forever grateful,”

Bhakta Clayton S.

Milton, Florida

9-20-11

“I have been able to share my books with others; some show more sincerity than others. I’m pretty simple minded but I am trying to cultivate that sincerity and share the desire to chant. I just filed a request to allow us to have a weekly program in the prison chapel and have been filing a lot of grievance on our diet and how it is handled. I’m hoping to get something we can offer the Lord. Hare Krsna! If Krsna decides to give it to us, these people will be powerless to deny it. I’m hoping a devotee from New-Vrndavan might be willing to come from the temple and lead us in a chant and give us some nice instruction if possible. We’ll see. It’s hard for me to talk to the other guys very much because when I talk or think hard about the Lord, I get all teary eyed. What a tender and loving God Lord Krsna is. I don’t want these guys to think I’m flaky and lose how important the message is, you know?”

Bhakta Thomas L.

Moundsville, WV

Chaplain Letter

            “Yes, the materials arrived and we have been playing the DVDs on the inmate television station.  Thank-you very, very much for them. All inmates can listen to the inmate television station [it plays throughout the prison], unless they are in segregation [solitary]. They are greatly appreciated. Blessings, “

Chaplain Rader

The Ohio State Penitentiary

Youngstown, Ohio

CAN YOU HELP?

            From time to time, the proper management and further development of this volunteer Krsna Conscious preaching program requires making relatively small administrative expenses. If these expenses are not funded separately they will take away from our limited budget to provide transcendental literatures and other paraphernalia to the inmates. It is for some of those expenses that we ask for your help today. As many of you already know, the Prison Ministry service is a loving collaboration between the IPM volunteers who write to and/or visit inmates, the chaplains, whose job is to tend to the inmates’ spiritual needs, and the devotees like you who financially support this preaching program. The more collaboration, the more souls we can reach, and the more we hope to please Guru and Krsna. We are most thankful to all of you who make this program possible. By Srila Prabhupada’s mercy, together, we are changing the lives of thousands of inmates!

Here a list of the few expenses incurred recently:

Annual expenses

•           Website domain name renewal: $57.11

•           Non-profit status annual reports: $80.00

Recurring expenses

Toner and a drum for the 2 IPM printers (these cartridges typically last about 8 months):

•           One printer is used by Bhavananda dasa, in Arkansas. He produces, prints, and mails the Freedom Newsletter to 150 inmates each month. This toner cartridge is $110.21 We also purchased a replacement drum he will need in the course of the year: $128.99

•           The second printer is in the IPM Alachua office. It is used on a daily basis to print letters and other material we send inmates (lectures transcript, pamphlets, etc). The toner is $161.88

Office Supplies:

Lastly, the cost for the recent office supplies (paper, envelopes, mailing tape) is: $98.08

Whether you wish to donate a small amount, the entire amount ($636.27), or anywhere in between, please know that every donation is very much appreciated and makes a big difference. And yes, we will be glad to send you a tax-deductible receipt.

You have 3 Donation Options:

1)         Send check or postal money order to:

ISKCON Prison Ministry

PO Box 2676

Alachua, FL 32616-2676

2)         Donate through PayPal at: www.iskconprisonministry.org

3)         For automatic, monthly donations, you can also do so on our website (with the PayPal button), or through your bank “Automatic Bill Pay” option, which is free and easy.

We can send you a tax deductible receipt at the moment of the donation or at the end of the year, as you wish.

            Here are a few other ways you can serve the prison ministry:

         become a transcendental pen-pal for one or more inmates

We always need more devotees to correspond with inmates. To be successful in this endeavor, you need to be motivated, to feel truly inspired by this service, and you need to like/love writing. Of course, you also need to practice Krsna consciousness yourself, so your words have potency.

         give a one-time or monthly donation (we provide tax-deductible receipts).

         donate books and magazines; new or used (not too damaged though).

         donate DVDs and music CDs (kirtans). (These items need to be new, or appearing to be new)

         donate pictures of deities or of Krsna paintings

         in the next few months we will need some extra japa and neck beads, along with bead bags and counter beads.

Questions? Inquiries? Please contact Mukunda dasa or Bhakti-lata dasi at:

ISKCON Prison Ministry

PO Box 2676, Alachua, FL 32616-2676

IskconPrisonMinistry@gmail.com

www.iskconprisonministry.org

352-575-0458

                                                           ***********************

The above is only a part of our IPM NEWS, the newsletter for ISKCON Prison Ministry. There is more about inmates passing away, inmates released, a program in Croatia, and more...To read the whole newsletter, please go to: http://www.iskconprisonministry.us/sites/default/files/3-2013-ipm%20news_0.pdf

If you wish to receive IPM NEWS electronically, please send us an email at: iskconprisonministry@gmail.com with "subscribe" in the subject line. There's lots more nectar for you to read and see!

On the website, www.iskconprisonministry.org, we also added a section on Prison Programs, with new reports from Croatia, Bosnia, and USA!!!

                                                        ***********************

The following article has been written by Radha Dasi, from Australia. She is very sincere and Krsna is thus giving her the intelligence and guidance about how to develop the prison ministry in Australia. Please support her any way you can!

Radha dasi

      By the mercy of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada and my Guru Maharaja, I received the inspiration to serve the ISKCON Prison Ministry.

            On Vyasa-puja day, while chanting my japa, the inspiration came to me to serve in the prison ministry. Interestingly enough, at that time I didn't even know the prison ministry existed. I researched the internet, saw on the web site a request from IPM for volunteer pen pals. I thought this was an easy service, one I would enjoy and could do from the comfort of my home and in my own time. I contacted Bhakti-lata mataji and expressed my interest. Unfortunately, as I live in Australia, it was not possible to correspond with prisoners in the US as they couldn’t afford the overseas stamps. She suggested that I start up the prison ministry here in Australia.

At first I was excited and enthusiastic, but then became a bit overwhelmed by the task. Bhakti-lata suggested beginning by taking some small steps, one at a time. I followed her advice and with her blessings began the endeavor.

            I contacted prison Chaplains, explaining I was from ISKCON Prison Ministry, and asking if I could send some books on Hinduism. The Chaplains I spoke to were Christian and all of their chapel books were Christian; I was not getting a positive response and decided to take another approach.

            I contacted the prison librarians and education departments, explaining I was from Gold Coast Bhakti Yoga (as we do have a Bhakti Centre here on the Gold Coast) and that I had books on Yoga, Meditation, Karma and Eastern Philosophy that we'd like to donate to the prison library. Immediately I had an overwhelmingly positive response, and it was as if the prison doors opened to welcome and receive Prabhupada's books!

             In Australia if you mention religion people tend to run a mile, but if you say Yoga, Meditation and Karma people are favorable and accepting. 

            I sent out small sets of 8 books, which include Bhagavad Gita, to the prison libraries. I opened a P.O. Box and stamped all the books with our address and, with Bhakti-lata's advice, our prison ministry’s name: Gold Coast Bhakti Yoga. 

            I needed to set a goal, so by the end of 2013 we hope to have Srila Prabhupada's books in 50 prisons across Australia, if this is Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya's desire; I am merely an instrument in Their service. From there- who knows, but at least the seeds of Prabhupada's books will be planted behind prison walls in Australia. 

            I have now contacted most of the Correctional Centers in Queensland and decided to move on to the next state, New South Wales. I was finding it a bit tough at first and was not having much success or positive outcomes. Most of the prisons are operated by a government department and will not accept books directly in the prison libraries.

            I finally got an e-mail address for the lady in charge of the government library department and contacted her. Within a few days I received a reply and she gave her OK to send the books. Even better, I just have to send them to one address where they get security-checked and then sent out to the individual prisons, allowing me to box them up and save a fortune on postage!

            Here’s another inspiring story- I called one prison and spoke to the man in charge of education and learning, explaining that I wanted to send some books on Yoga, Meditation and Eastern Philosophy.

            He says, "Oh, are they for prisoners so and so," mentioning  2 specific inmate names.

            I say, "No, I don't know anyone from the prison; I'm just sending these books to all prisons across Australia."            

            He says, "Oh, just last week a few of the guys were asking for some info on Yoga and I was trying to print some pages from the Internet for them."

            I said, "These books must be for them then."

            Then he gave me the address and we chatted some more. I wanted to know where Junee is, as I'd never heard of it. It turned out to be very remote, somewhere inland from Canberra and North of Wagga Wagga. If you know Australia, it’s a very vast country and some places are extremely remote. Imagine Prabhupada's books going to this prison and inmates waiting to read them! Lord Caitanya's mercy knows no limits- in every town and village - even Junee! J

            I sincerely thank Bhakti-lata mataji for her help, her guidance and her enthusiasm which has enthused and inspired me to serve the IPM in some small way here in Australia. I pray to all the devotees for their mercy and guidance that I may continue this service to please Srila Prabhupada- for He gave so much for us. Hare Krishna!

Radha dasi lives with her husband in Queensland, Australia

If you want to give Radha your support, you can contact her at: radharani_das@msn.com  

Closing a year of ecstatic preaching and opening a new one is very exciting. More opportunities to serve the sweet lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada and Krsna.

This year I am hoping for more volunteers to correspond with the many inmates reaching out for support and guidance. Below is some more nectar from the inmates as well as an overview of the activities of IPM in 2012.

New Inmate Letter Excerpts

How I came to Krsna
by Bhakta Ben
Allow me to share with you how I came to become a bhakta. I am sitting in a cell on the close custody level of the Fourth Avenue jail that is in Maricopa County, AZ. I am currently awaiting trial for a capital death penalty case. And in all honesty, I may very well spend the rest of my life on Death Row. But that does not hold the anxiety for me that it once did. Allow me to share with you what changed in my thinking.
To read the rest of Ben’s story, please go to: http://www.iskconprisonministry.us/node/392

I See Gradual Changes Inside Myself
by Bhakta Mark, Iowa Park, Texas
I can see gradual change inside myself. I respond to things with less anger (as evidenced by the last confrontation I had), and I feel less frustration over events that I obviously can’t control. I am learning to be still inside, and listen to the mantra that seems to be going on all the time in my head. I have repeated it so much that it seems to be going on without any effort on my part, as if it was a constant refrain running just on the other side of my conscious mind. As I stated before, this is a comfort and my only refuge at this time.
To read Mark’s whole letter, go to: http://www.iskconprisonministry.us/node/393

Honoring the memory of Mother Shyama Priya
by Bhakta Abner, Madras, Oregon
The prison has allowed us to donate to the “Relay For Life” program by the American Cancer Foundation in any one of the following ways: in honor of a cancer survivor, in memory of one who hasn’t survived it and in association with groups and/or care providers. A 4x5 inch placard or a 5 inch round circle placard is used and put up on the wall in the visiting room and includes the donor’s name and the person memorialized or honored. So, there’s a placard that reads: In memory of Mataji Shyama-Priya Devi Dasi and we just saw it tonight! It’s almost perfectly centered on the wall at about head height. I’m also going to donate $ 10 in association with the Gaudiya Vaisnava of New Raman Reti, who cared for Mataji Shyama Priya Devi Dasi, devotees of Sri Sri Radha Krsna, one and all.
Bhakta Abner, Madras, Oregon

____________________________________

There is some new artwork on the website, in all 5 categories; Srila Prabhupada, Lord Caitanya’s Pastimes, Krsna’s Pastimes, Incarnations, and Miscellaneous. Although not all of them are works of art, they are all works of devotion. Many inmates, although not having any artistic training or background, will spontaneously feel compelled to express their appreciation of Prabhupada and Krsna by drawing Them. Their heartfelt appreciation is why these drawings, even those not expertly accomplished materially, have great value and are worth seeing.

_______________________________________

IPM Volunteers: The Inside Story

The following two letters are from IPM volunteers.

A Sense of Contentement
by Bhakta Bruce Gatten
I have been serving the Prison Ministry for about 3 years and while this service can be overburdening at times, I find great joy in preaching to the bhakta inmates and I can always rely on the prisoners for lessons in devotion and humility. This brings me a sense of contentment which, despite all the burdens that this life entails, gives me a reason for joy and thankfulness to His Lordship Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

“Be Their Friend and Repeat the Words of Srila Prabhupada”
by Bhakta David Ehler

As a congregational member of the New Dwarka (Los Angeles) community, I wondered how I could help this noble cause. As I lived and worked outside the temple, I began collecting up books and sending financial donations to Shyama Priya. With great enthusiasm she would relate stories of how my contributions had helped bring Krishna Consciousness to the lives of countless individuals.
By 2008 I had met several other IPM devotees across the country like Hari Priya in Tucson, AZ and Bhakta Jerry in Chicago, IL. Chandrasekhara encouraged me to begin writing inmates myself. Although I was initially hesitant (due to lack of preaching experience), he asked me to simply “Be their friend, and repeat the words of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Sri Krishna”.
With these words, I became an active member of IPM. Over a year later, I have written to 119 different inmates in 29 states (9 states of which have no ISKCON temple and/ or rural farm community). By the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai, prison preaching has taken off in Los Angeles.
To read all of David’s article, please go to: http://iskconprisonministry.us/node/417

______________________________________

2012 Book Distribution Report

Below are the books and other material that were sent to inmates and prison libraries in the US, through the Alachua IPM office this year. These numbers don’t include the books distributed by volunteers and other devotees whose scores have not been compiled. If you are also sending books to inmates and would like them reported by IPM, please contact us.

2012:

Srila Prabhupada’s Books: 2,251

Books by Other Devotees: 583

(a total of 2,834 books)

BTGs: 1,911

BBT Calendars: 60

Audio Tapes: 40

Audio CDs: 152

DVDs: 26

Japa Beads: 48

Neck Beads: 31

_______________________________________

We need your help!

At the moment, we are very much looking for back issues of BTGs!

Most of us have many of those BTGs lying around the house, doing nothing. Why don’t you send them to the prison
ministry? We guarantee that the inmates will devour those like hot cakes! Not only that, but a single copy often gets passed around to dozens of inmates!

Here are a few other ways you can serve the prison ministry:
 become a transcendental pen-pal for one or more inmates
We always need more devotees to correspond with inmates. To be successful in this endeavor, you need to be motivated, to feel truly inspired by this service, and you need to like/love writing. Of course, you also need to practice Krsna consciousness yourself, so your words have potency.
 give a one-time or monthly donation (we provide tax-deductible receipts).
 donate new DVDs and music CDs (bhajans, kirtans).
 in the next few months we will need some extra japa and neck beads, along with bead bags and counter beads.

3 Donation Options

1) Send check or postal money order to:
ISKCON Prison Ministry
PO Box 2676
Alachua, FL 32616-2676
2) Donate through PayPal at: www.iskconprisonministry.org
3) For automatic, monthly donations, you can do so on our website (with the PayPal button), or through your bank “Automatic Bill Pay” option, which is free and easy.

We can send you a tax deductible receipt at the moment of the donation or at the end of the year, as you wish.

Questions? Inquiries? Please contact Mukunda Dasa or Bhakti-lata Dasi at:

ISKCON Prison Ministry
PO Box 2676, Alachua, FL 32616-2676
IskconPrisonMinistry@gmail.com
www.iskconprisonministry.org
352-575-0458

Here is an article by one of the IPM volunteers, Sarva-drik dasa. Hope you enjoy it!

Ever hear the phrase, “The long arm of the law”? Most of you probably have. But just in case you haven’t, this phrase refers to the tendency for legal authorities to always, “Get their man”. Well in my experience Lord Krishna’s “arm” is much longer than the law, and He has extended it through His beloved representative Srila Prabhupada, and Srila Prabhupada’s faithful servants, to reach out to devotees in every circumstance of life. And that includes those fortunate souls who practice Krishna Consciousness, yet somehow or other, find themselves incarcerated in one of the thousands of state and federal prisons that operate in the United States.

 I remember the first time I entered a federal prison. It took some time since there is a lengthy background check process, but when the large, heavy steel door closed shut behind me during my first visit, I thought to myself, “I’m glad that I’m just visiting.” But there are hundreds of devotees of Lord Krishna whose visit to these correctional institutions is not so brief. They live there, and some of them will die there. In the meantime, while they spend time as inmates, many of them, by their good fortune, come in contact with devotional service through one of Srila Prabhupada’s wonderful books, through another incarcerated devotee, or by attending an in house devotional program. Prison is a microcosm of the outside world. And as there is a certain percentage of the outside population that are  undiscovered devotees, so also in the prison environment there are devotees waiting to be discovered by the process of thoughtfully presenting Lord Krishna and our way of devotional life.

Preaching Krishna Consciousness in prison is really quite natural since there are so many parallels to life in Federal and State prisons and our own individual incarceration within the prison of our own mind and senses.  Inmates live in the small prison inside the big prison and all of us live in the big prison of material life, Maya’s kingdom, and we all need to get out. How does that happen?  How is it possible? Our ultimate release begins when we acknowledge our criminal behavior in relation to the Lord, rectify ourselves, behave ourselves and expect to be on “parole” for some time. Taking up devotional life is like being on parole. We have a relative degree of freedom which will mature to complete freedom in due course of time, but if we fall back down to non-devotional activity we are again sentenced to another term of birth and death in the Maya’s kingdom, the real “big house”.

For the last six months I have been traveling to the Petersburg Prison in Richmond, Virginia. After arriving, getting checked in and being escorted to the Chapel, I was surprised again to see the, “long arm” of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krishna. The devotees there transform a vacant room into Vaikuntha twice weekly with their devotional attitude and all the paraphernalia you would expect to find in any Iskcon temple. They have two mridangas, several sets of kartals, most of Srila Prabhupada’s books, deities of Gaura-Nitai and Radha-Krishna, and about a dozen devotional photos are hung on the wall. Sweet incense perfumes the room and candles illuminate the whole scene.  And the most amazing thing… they had never met a devotee face to face until I had come. Needless to say, I was quite amazed and very impressed with their devotional commitment.

When it was time for kirtan I requested Bhakta Richard Chase to lead, and was again very pleasantly surprised. Because they have never heard a regular temple style kirtan the melody and style was unique, but what enthusiasm!  These devotees were diving deep into Hari Nam rasa in their own individual way. It made me realize that this is really what chanting is about, not just the particular rhythm, style and melody, but much more importantly, the substance, feeling and absorption in the process. In contrast it made me think of supermarket fruit that has beautiful color and form but when you taste it you might as well be eating cardboard. What matters in every aspect of life, and in devotional life in particular, is substance, how substantial the experience is, and not the external appearance or form. Ultimately it is this quality, the quality of Bhakti that attracts the merciful glance of the Lord. And it is His mercy alone which nourishes and maintains our spiritual life.

After a lively kirtan we had a stimulating discussion touching a variety of subjects from the practical aspects of devotional life like applying tilak, dealing with other inmates, and learning to offer prasadam to more esoteric topics concerning our spiritual identity, karma and the nature of the spiritual world.  Many of the bhaktas are not very experienced in devotional life and are still exploring Srila Prabhupada’s books and the process of chanting japa on a regular basis. Still, as I left I felt so blessed that I was able to help encourage the devotees there, strengthen their faith and encourage their practice of Krishna Consciousness. By doing so I hope the “long arm” of the Lord will also pull me to His lotus feet where I may remain eternally serving Him and all His wonderful devotees.

There are literally thousands of correctional institutions in America alone. If you live near one, or even if you don’t,( I drive four hours one way to Petersburg), I strongly recommend making whatever arrangement you require to visit these institutions to extend a helping hand to the devotees that live there. By showing mercy to them in this way, we also become the object of the merciful glance of the Lord.  Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu stated emphatically that this chanting of Sri Harinam Sankirtan would spread to every town and village, which includes the prisons too! Hare Krishna.

Sarva-drik dasa lives in Prabhupada Village, NC, with his wife Sudevi Dasi and is engaged in many preaching programs in prisons as well as in other venues. 

To read more articles about the prison ministr, please visit our website at www.iskconprisonministry.org

If you want to receive IPM NEWS, our monthly electronic newsletter, please send us an e-mail with “Subscribe to IPM NEWS” in the subject line.

To help with this prison program, please contact Mukunda Dasa or Bhakti-lata Dasi at:

ISKCON Prison Ministry

PO Box 2676

Alachua, FL  32616-2676

IskconPrisonMinistry@gmail.com

www.iskconprisonministry.org

352-575-0458

     AS YEAR 2012 is coming to a close, I am reflecting on all the service rendered to Lord Krsna by the prison ministry, and I feel very grateful to all who have been involved in pleasing the Lord in this way.

            In preparing more excerpts from inmates’ letters to share with the devotee community, I had to go over the ones that haven’t been published yet. Although a majority of them are from letters I have received in the course of the year, reading them again was as refreshing and inspiring to read as the first time around. I felt the same eagerness to drink this very unique nectar.

            The realizations of the inmates taking up Krsna consciousness for the first time, or pursuing it after many years of dedicated practice, have a depth that undeniably touches me to the core, as I am sure it touches all of the devotees’ compassionate hearts.

            I am thrilled to be able to share the nectar of the Sankirtan movement with all of you. Lord Caitanya’s mission to reach out to the most unfortunate is manifesting in this prison ministry, as wave after wave of suffering souls have their hearts transformed and purified.

            Srila Prabhupada’s powerful books are the “bombs” that break open the walls of incarceration for hundreds of inmates every year, year after year.

Here’s a preview of what you’ll find on the website:

 Realizing I can change my karma is a tremendous relief</strong>

“I am writing to inform you of my receipt of the Bhagavad-Gita. Many thanks for this blessing and this gift.  I have already learned from it! I was always under the impression that my karma was a permanent situation, now just realizing I can change my personal karma is a tremendous relief. I also now have a better understanding of my position in not only this yet all my lives.”

Charles McIlwain

Susanville, CA

I am accepting what I am reading as Absolute Truth</strong>

 “I acquired your address from a book I’ve been analyzing titled: Bhagavad-gita As It Is. I am accepting what I am reading as Absolute Truth. I would like to know more but don’t know where to start. The things mentioned in the Gita are very enlightening. I would love to begin my devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but I need guidance. The odds of me encountering a spiritual master here are slim to none. I need help. I want to know Vedic wisdom. Please accept my words as genuine interest and contact me as soon as you can.”

Andre Dillard

Daytona Beach, FL

“Don’t trip - I gotcha.” </strong>  

“I’m going to use Caitanya’s blessings and share the wonders of KC with everyone on my row, so it’s important to receive BTG’s as I think it’s Krsna Consciousness’s best missionary tool…..

     All I can say is WOW. Last night, the final indignity North Las Vegas Detention Center subjected me to was making me roll up (pack) with 5 minutes’ notice and force me to wait in a cold holding cell for 12 hours… Well, FINALLY my chance to chant Japa and sing Kirtan. For the first time since being a devotee (I’m ashamed to say) I chanted a full 16 rounds, out loud, hearing His sacred names reverberating off the cement cinderblock. It made the 12 most uncomfortable hours (without medication; they removed it again from me) melt away. I chanted with as little fruitive desire as I could. I knew I just needed to chant for Krsna to serve Him, like He tells us in the last chapter of the Bhavagad-gita - to paraphrase: “Don’t trip - I gotcha.”

Richard Chase

North Las Vegas, Nevada

For the rest of this nectar, please go to: http://www.iskconprisonministry.us/node/118

      ISKCON Prison Ministry is teamwork; it takes the cooperation of many devotees in order to keep IPM running for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada.

             I want to express my profound appreciation and gratitude to:

• Guruprada Dasa (Ontario, Canada) for donating the stamps to mail the Freedom Newsletter to 120 inmates monthly, for year 2011 and 2012
• Mr. Kamlesh Patel and Peggy Ordonez for donating a desktop.
• A devotee, who desire to be anonymous, for donating a wireless printer/scanner
• Mahamaya Dasi for donating her monitor and laptop.
• Mr. Bharani for covering the annual Blue Host cost for the website.
• Hari Kirtan dasa, for helping with the website maintenance.
• Our regular monthly donors who make this program possible; Bhavananda dasa; Jitarati dasa; Ankur Sethi dasa; Shashi Raina dasa; Dina Sharana dasa; Kalindi dasi; Stava Mala dasa and Rene Waisvisz
• The one-time, or intermittent donors (of laksmi, books, or other services) whose support is also crucial to IPM: Bhakta Andrew; Madhu Kiran; Radha-Jivan dasa; Madhuha dasa; Vinode Vani dasi; Jeff Cornia; Natasha Jagarnath; Melissa Wells; Ravi Jadhaw; Bhakta Jerry; Thomas Doliner; Ananga Manjari (from Australia); Nitin Kumar; Bayahari dasa; Karthikeyan Selvan; Ram Metha; Nityananda dasa; Harinam Press

And last, but not least!

• The many dedicated IPM volunteers: Candramauli Swami; Candra dasa; Candrasekhara dasa; Nandini Radha dasi; Bhranti dasi; Akhilananda dasa; Sarva Drk dasa; Bhakta Kevin; Balabhadra dasa; Bhakta Andrew; Dandavats dasa; Ganga-gati dasi; Pavana-Gaura-Gopal dasa; Govindanandini dasi; Janudvipa dasa; Mrgendra dasa; Nandarani dasi; Daru Brahma dasa; Pradyumna dasa; Nidra dasi; Ram Tulasi dasa; Saktipati dasa; Srutadeva dasa, Sri Hanuman dasa;  and a volunteer who prefers to remain anonymous, but to whom I am very indebted (you know who you are! J)

                If I forgot anyone, please forgive my lapse and know that I am thankful to anyone who is helping with IPM in any way.

Service opportunity !

Bi-monthly, 190 inmates receive a copy of Back to Godhead magazine, which is a very important aspect of their spiritual development (read the testimonial below).

            At the moment, the postage to send 95 magazines is covered by one generous donor (who wish to remain anonymous), but we still need someone to donate the postage for the other 95 inmates. It comes to $100 a month.

            Will you be the fortunate person to sponsor the BTG postage for 95 inmates this year?

            It comes to $100 a month. You may want to sponsor that whole amount, or part of it.

            If Krsna is inspiring you to be that sponsor, please contact Bhakti-lata at: 

IskconPrisonMinistry@gmail.com or 352-575-0458

In the words of inmate Bhakta Charles:

            "I received the Jan/Feb issue of Back to Godhead which was sent to me and I wanted to write and thank you and everyone else who made it possible for me to receive a new issue. I have been a member of ISKCON for about two years now and some of my pen pals have sent me back issues of BTG and I thoroughly enjoy the magazine. I would subscribe to the magazine, but I just don't have the funds available, so being able to receive a fresh copy is a treat. Then again, any copy I receive is new and fresh to me and I read and re-read every copy several times, before I set them out for others to read, in the hopes that maybe others will join me in the quest for Krsna realization." Bhakta Charles

If you want to receive IPM NEWS, our monthly electronic newsletter, please send us an e-mail with “Subscribe to IPM NEWS” in the subject line.

ISKCON Prison Ministry

PO Box 2676

Alachua, FL  32616-2676

IskconPrisonMinistry@gmail.com

www.iskconprisonministry.org

352-575-0458

by Mother Vinata, from Rejika Croatia

     "Where is your tilak?“ Candramauli Swami asked us as we gathered in front of Karlovac vege restaurant club, managed by local devotees, preparing to go for a preaching progam in a nearby prison. Quickly running to refresh my already invisible vaisnava marking, I overheard Maharaja quoting Prabhupada on the importance of wearing tilak and vaisnava clothes and remembered Sridhar Maharaja's instruction, "If you are unable to preach by explaining philosophy, just dress as a Vaisnava and go out. You will be a walking advertisment for Krsna consciousness.“

     Happy to be engaged once again in the service of translation, I hurried up to join other devotees already on their way to the prison. Raghunath was easiest to catch since he was carring harmonium. He is peaceful and smiling as always,looking a little weary from numerous KC engagements but obviously very satisfied for having just transformed his home into a temple for big Nitai Gaura Candra Deities and Their servants. Beside him in our team today there are also Mohan, Dasaratha – who has just left his cooking tools in the restaurant to join us  -  and Mahasimha, pioneer,and after this program appointed leader of Prison Preaching Program in Croatia.

     Once at the entrance, one by one we were searched by the police officers and then let in the small corridor room, which turned out to be the place for our program. Maharaja and Mohan found out the best way to arrange a table and two chairs that were at our disposal when a lady, prison director, came in to wellcome us. Mahasimha was little dissapointed that she couldn't take part in the progam, so she left her representative with us. Soon after that inmates started to pour in the long and narrow  space in front of us and the managers began bringing in extra chairs for them. They were of all walks of life – very young and innocent looking, mature and old and very serious. Sure enough, almost at the very beginning some amongst them asked about our tilakaJ and Mohan promptly explained it.

     After introductory words, we distributed the Maha mantra printed on a nice card, and then Raghunath started singing while playing on harmonium. Our audience joined in as best as they could. During the subsequent lecture Maharaja was talking about the need to find out who we really are in order to be really happy. Then he asked them to participate in an experiment which they shyly accepted. Asked to point at different parts of their body, serious and maybe even dangerous grown up men appeared bewildered just as children when at the end they were to point to themselves.Two of them somewhere in the back were quite loudly discussing something they have just heard while others were intently listening and occasionally nodding their heads in approval. When it was mentioned how Krishna is all-atractive, one young and cocky inmate filled in, "I'm also all-attractive. I'm God.“  Explaining peacefully to him that he might be attractive to some women, but definitively not to everybody, Maharaja warned him, smiling all along, "Don't try to compete with Krishna. You will be the looser!“ At the end of the talk, when the inmates heard that one can be freee and happy even within prison walls, they eagerly took the books that we brought in.

      During the question and answer session inmates inquired about the book for practicing KC in prison and its author, meditation and value of different mantras, meaning of Hari bol, while one of them shared his previous experiences with devotees in Lička Jesenica, some 100 km distant village in which several devotee families live, cultivate land and annualy organize a summer Vaisnava festival. A few officers on the other side of the glass wall running through entire room were also quite interested to hear something new.  It seems everybody really liked the bhajan, since they requested us to sing more. Dasaratha won their happy smiles with his jolly melodies and Mohan captured their hearts inviting them to a free prasadam lunch in our nearby restaurant, as soon as they get out.

Mother Vinata is a disciple of Smrta Krsna Maharaja. She publishes a regular monthly journal on Krsna Consciousness activities in the Balkans.

To read more excerpts of inmate letters and to see some of their artwork, please visit our website at www.iskconprisonministry.org

If you want to receive IPM NEWS, our monthly electronic newsletter, please send us an e-mail with “Subscribe to IPM NEWS” in the subject line.

To help with this prison program, please contact Mukunda Dasa or Bhakti-lata Dasi at:

ISKCON Prison Ministry

PO Box 2676

Alachua, FL  32616-2676

IskconPrisonMinistry@gmail.com

www.iskconprisonministry.org

352-575-0458

ISKCON Prison Ministry

IPM Volunteer Leaves His Body in August 2012

by Bhakti-lata dasi

Hare Krsna dear devotees,

            On August 24, 2012, long time IPM volunteer, Bhakta Jerry, left his body in Chicago. IPM is nothing without his volunteers and supporters, and Bhakta Jerry was very attached to this service, despite his personal challenges. For many years he was putting together and mailing the monthly Freedom Newsletter for the inmates. He was also corresponding with and sending books to many inmates. Below is an article that Bhakta Jerry wrote about how he came to Krsna consciousness. Following his article, you can follow a link to read about his passing away and the positive impact he had in his short life.

The Answer to the Mystery of Life

By Bhakta Jerry

            Growing up, I always tried to make sense out of life.  I thought life was a mystery to solve and everyone else knew the answers except me.  I searched for answers in different religions, esoteric and conspiracy literature and even cults.  But everywhere I searched, no one had a satisfying answer to my questions.   I have always had a very passionate propensity to enjoy life and material pleasures, so, unable to find answers, I started experimenting with alcohol and drugs at a young age. 

When I became intoxicated, I thought I was experiencing a higher state of consciousness, but all I experienced was a conscious state where the pains of this world were temporarily mitigated.  This mitigation was more pleasurable than any other religion, philosophy or endeavor I had previously experienced.  But “pleasure” of this kind comes with a dangerous price. 

By the age of 18 I was an alcoholic, a cocaine addict and addicted to any other form of illicit activity.  Somehow, I was able to keep good grades, good jobs and other external fronts to make my life look orderly, but on the inside I was suffering very badly.  Without spiritual happiness, I hurt so much. 

For several years I experienced drastic highs and lows in life.  One month you might find me wearing a suit and tie to an office job and the next month I was in Cook County Jail.  I thought life would be perfect if I could just obtain an abundance of money; that way I’d be able to do drugs and also maintain the material status quo I desired.  And like a dream come true, it all manifested. 

The late 1990’s found me part of the Internet boom working for start-up companies. I was the sales manager for a nation wide Internet Service Provider.  I was directly responsible for twenty employees, a $75,000.00 monthly budget and a monthly quota of $25,000.00.  I excelled at what I did and soon assumed responsibility for our network expansion.  Our vendors lavishly gifted me with an endless variety of perks. This, added to my salary of over six figures a year, meant I had finally achieved the status quo I had always desired.  

I sacrificed two years of my life doing nothing but working and was rewarded with a greater fortune than I could have ever imagined.  In 1999, we sold our company for over $150 million.  So, at twenty-two years of age, even with my small portion of stock, I was able to enjoy semi-retirement. 

I traveled the country in a Lear jet, staying at the fanciest hotels and golfing at the most privileged courses. If someone wanted me to work for them, I demanded a company-owned BMW and a company-rented apartment.  I had apartments and cars in Miami Beach and other cities.  In spite of all these material facilities, I could find no peace of mind and, hence, no happiness. 

My frustration with not being able to enjoy life reached a new low.  At this time I did not have to work and I had more money then I knew what to do with, but I still did not know how to find fulfillment.  I continued to pursue spiritual happiness through meditation classes, performing bizarre “religious” rituals, and attending many different types of churches, yet alcohol and drugs provided the only form relief, so, I tackled them with abandon.  The problem was that this time I did not have to stop using drugs to go to work or because I ran out of money.  Instead, I ran out of sanity and entered a state of madness.

In the summer of 2000, I remember spending a day crying, praying to God - whoever He was, begging for mercy.  I needed answers, I needed peace and I needed His help.  He then proceeded to remove me from a situation I could not remove myself from. In a very deluded condition I entered the state of Texas, ignoring the sign that says, “Don’t mess with Texas,” and decided to start committing crimes.  Among other inexcusable acts, I walked into a gas station and demanded money.  For this, I was sentenced to seven years in prison.

So there I sat in prison, in a demented condition, but still hopeful that I could find the spiritual answers to life that I was always seeking.  Here, I renewed my quest to find happiness by searching through Eastern and New Age philosophies, and any other self-help material I could find.  All these schools of thought were beneficial because they helped me to uplift myself from a fallen state, but there was still something missing.  There was still a purpose to life, an absolute truth that I could not seem to discover.

One day I saw a book with beautiful artwork on the cover. There was a chariot driver speaking to a warrior.  The artwork was like a magnet forcing me to take hold of the book.  The picture on the cover was so attractive; I could only imagine what lay inside.

This book belonged to an eccentric gentleman, Sri Manta dasa, whom I had spoken to a few times.  I approached him to find out if he knew anything about the secret of life.

“What do you believe in?” I asked.

With a quick laugh, he said, “We believe in a lot of things.  But first you must understand that you are not this body.  The reason you suffer in life is that you are trying to please the body while you neglect your spiritual self.”

In a matter of seconds, the mystery of life was solved!!  It only took me twenty-three years to find someone who knew the solution!  I suffered through so much trying to find the answers to life and this gracious gentleman mercifully told me the answer as if it were common knowledge. 

I was immediately attracted to the philosophy of Krsna consciousness.  One of the first things I remember reading was sat, chit, ananda.  In my natural condition I was eternal, knowledgeable and blissful, but, in this temporary world, I could not experience these states.  Instead, in the temporary world everything has to come to an end.

I could understand this concept of the temporary when I reflected on my life.  All my wealth was temporary: the stock market pretty much wiped me out.  The friendships I had acquired based on money were now gone.  Through the years, all the highs I had experienced from alcohol and drugs had to come to an end, usually with bad results. 

Even in prison, I could see this perverted reflection of our spiritual selves.  For example, grown men would fight over a table or a spot in line just to try to enjoy something that would soon be over.  On the other hand, the Bhagavad-gita was presenting the everlasting philosophy which provides eternal bliss and knowledge. This was not a religion based on sentiment or a philosophy with no conclusion, but was the eternal duty of the soul which was practical and required me to put forth action. 

I started to develop sadhana and gradually learned how to incorporate Krsna consciousness into my life.  I would wake up at 4:00 a.m., not because it was mangala-arati time, but because it was the only time it was quiet enough to chant my rounds.  Unlike most inmates who bitterly complained about working for the state, I would eagerly go to work because I worked for Krsna.  I would happily make prasadam in the dorms and share with other inmates.  They were always amazed how vegetarian food could be so good.  My spiritual disciplines included reading Srila Prabhupada’s books.  I would read them over and over again.  Even though I did not understand much of what I read, I did it because my contaminated intelligence needed and wanted more.  The books ISKCON Prison Ministries sent me became the foundation of my spiritual life.

There were many challenges in prison.  Just existing in such an environment is a burdensome task.  Trying to be a devotee in such an environment, without devotee association, is almost impossible.  The letters IPM volunteers, such as His Holiness Candramauli Swami, wrote were my instructions on how to live.  The encouraging and merciful devotees who worked with the IPM were my life and soul.  They kept me engaged in Krsna consciousness in every capacity possible.  They kept books flowing my way and transcendental letters in the mailbox.  They were the reason I was able to start and maintain any type of sadhana and, so, begin the long and grueling process of purifying my contaminated consciousness.

Throughout five years I spent five years in prison I was shown so much mercy. Mother ShyamaPriya and Mukta Kesa Prabhu sent me so many books that purified my intelligence.  Chandrasekar Prabhu and Jagannivasa Prabhu sent the most heartwarming and philosophical letters.  Just reading these letters brought me out of the hell of prison and to the place of no anxiety, Vaikuntha. Candramauli Swami gave me direction and deepened my faith in the holy name.  And that devotee who told me that I’m not the body was with me the whole time. Besides his countless talks about Krsna consciousness, his wife would sent me japa beads and performed the austerity of  dealing with the prison administrators and their politics.  Sri Manta and Cookie treated me like their own son. 

    During the last three years I followed the four regulations and chanted sixteen rounds daily.  Finally, on an Ekadasi in October 2005, I was unexpectedly released.  I returned to my home town of Chicago, where His Holiness Candramauli Swami is based. 

            When I was released from prison I felt like I did not have a choice but to reciprocate with these devotees but trying my best to distribute the mercy of Srila Prabhupada’s books to inmates.  After everything they did for me, I had to do something to show my appreciation.  After all, they helped free me from a world of hell that so many inmates and people in general, are suffering through.

For the first few months I spent a couple of nights a week at the temple and the other days with my family.  While all my friends and family were encouraging me to engage in another business venture and pursue family life, I was quickly becoming attracted to the bliss of Sunday kirtans and prasadam.  Although getting up at 4:00 a.m., serving devotees and other challenges were difficult, there was still the indescribable pleasure of practicing Krsna consciousness in the presence of devotees.  These are some of the pleasures I had spent so many years searching for. 

In January 2006, by the mercy of Kishore Kishori, I became a fulltime resident of the Chicago temple.  I am engaged in service with IPM and have helped to revive the Food for Life program.  The decision was a simple one; I spent my whole life working very, very hard to make economic progress so I could gratify my senses, but these endeavors only brought me misery.  I have discovered that ISKCON is the vehicle for using this same energy to engage in Krsna’s service, and, hopefully, to perfect my life.

I am a very fallen soul.  Although I know I am not this body, I am naturally attracted to the pleasures of this world.  In only a few short decades of life I created an attachment so strong that sometimes I feel that I do not have a choice in what I do.  The modes of material nature control me.  It is only by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and the devotees of ISKCON that I have a chance to prevent myself from being a menace to society.  Even better, now have a chance to make spiritual advancement. Maybe one day I will be able to resume my eternal duty in the spiritual world.

            Since I have been engaged in service for IPM realizations come forth on a weekly basis for me.  At first I was judging the success of IPM by material standards but I soon realized that devotional service is not something to be judged materially.  I have been in the middle of praying to Lord Nityananda for help on an IPM project and at that very moment some devotee will ask me if they can help IPM in any way.  That was such a clear sign of the existence of Lord Nityananda’s mercy.  When I have been in need of laksmi to mail the newsletter or books, I have received donations from devotees that I do not even know personally.  The more I do this service the more I see that I am not the controller but only the middleman to help spread Lord Caintanya’s sankirtana movement.

            IPM is such a practical service to do. After a long day of work and material commitments to keep this body together, I can come home and spend 20 or 30 minutes writing letters to inmates sharing what I have recently read or watched on a Srila Prabhupada DVD. 

            Prison is the perfect environment to preach.  Suffering is abundant, most of the inmates have spiritual inclinations because they have been searching for pleasure in this world but have not found them yet and the environment is austere forcing one to control his senses.  So many devotees are reaching out for the mercy Srila Prabhupada gave us.  We have a responsibility to give it to everyone, especially inmates. 

This knowledge, this process of Krsna consciousness, is amazing.  It is the means and the ultimate goal of life.  It is the bliss I had always wanted, but could never find.  Devotees know that anyone not chanting Hare Krsna in this day and age is suffering.  We have a responsibility we must take very gravely. If a rascal like me can be sent to a prison somewhere in the big state of Texas and be turned into a devotee, ISKCON has a chance to save the whole world. 

ISKCON Prison Ministry is engaged in preaching on the “front lines” of Kali-yuga.  If it was not for the many IPM devotees who spent their valuable time guiding me, I would still be living in the darkest of ignorance.  I therefore offer my most humble thanks to Sri Manta dasa and his wife Cookie, Chandrasekar Prabhu, Mother Shyama Priya, Jagannivasa Prabhu and Mukta kesa Prabhu.  I am eternally indebted to all of you.  And to His Holiness Candramauli Swami, I beg to be your devoted servant for the rest of this human sentence and for the rest of eternity. 

*****

To read about Bhakta Jerry’s passing away, please follow the link:

                http://www.iskconprisonministry.us/node/366

You will find a wealth of excerpts of letters and also artwork from the inmates on our website:             www.iskconprisonministry.org

            If you want to receive IPM NEWS, our monthly electronic newsletter, please send us an e-mail with “Subscribe to IPM NEWS” in the subject line.

To help with this prison program (laksmi, books, typing, corresponding, website), please contact Mukunda Dasa or Bhakti-lata Dasi at:

ISKCON Prison Ministry

PO Box 2676

Alachua, FL  32616-2676

IskconPrisonMinistry@gmail.com

www.iskconprisonministry.org

352-575-0458

 Bhakta%20Jerry%20pic.jpg

Hare Krsna dear devotees!

It's my great pleasure to present a new addition to the IPM website; article about prison preaching programs outside USA!

Here is the link you can follow to read the 3 articles just added: http://www.iskconprisonministry.us/taxonomy/term/68

Be sure to click on the titles or on "read more" so you can see all the pictures included.

Thank you all for your amazing support!

If you want to receive IPM NEWS, our monthly electronic newsletter, please send us an e-mail with “Subscribe to IPM NEWS” in the subject line.

To help with this prison program, please contact Bhakti-lata Dasi at:

ISKCON Prison Ministry

PO Box 2676 Alachua, FL

32616-2676

IskconPrisonMinistry@gmail.com

352-575-0458

www.iskconprisonministry.org

Hare Krsna, dear devotees!

Below is a beautiful and moving letter from inmate Bhakta Mark. I hope you will be as touched as I was when I read it. This is the type of letter that inspires me to keep doing this service. There are real people out there, who are in such a dreadful situation, people who suffer, locked in with the worst of characters and under very severe, oftentimes brutal conditions, and they long for something more, something that will help them transcend the miseries they are forced to endure day in and day out, for years, and sometimes for life. As we all know from experience, Krsna consciousness is the only real refuge they can have and it is a privilege to be allowed to play even a small part in Prabhupada’s great plan to re-spiritualize society by inundating it with his transcendental books.

After reading this letter, please visit the IPM website to view the NEW ARTWORK I have added today (www.iskconprisonministry.org). When Mother Shyama Priya entrusted me with her IPM service, in 2009, she gave me a three ring binder with a collection of inmate art. I always wanted to share it with the devotee community worldwide and, with the newly donated IPM  scanner, I can do just that, by Krsna's grace. I will add more artwork as times passes.  

I have grouped the artwork into 4 categories: Srila Prabhupada; Krsna Pastimes; Lord Caitanya Pastimes; and Miscellaneous. Please take the time to go over these 4 categories to see all  the new additions.

IN LOVE AND GRATITUDE, I OFFER MYSELF AND MY HEART

1-15-12

Dear Bhakti-lata,

Hare Krsna!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

All praise to IPM!

Please accept my humble respects and obeisances.

Thank you for your letter dated 1-10-11.  There really is no way for me to fully express my appreciation for your time and especially patience in writing me, answering my questions, and providing me with so much good KC information.  Your letters are always filled with so much information and are very much looked forward to.  Your love of Krsna and the strength of your convictions are evident and I feel especially blessed by the Lord to be in your association.  I’m sure this seva can be very frustrating, at times, especially when the same questions are asked, again and again.  If I do this, please accept my apologies.

            First, let me say that I did indeed receive the very nice calendar.  Also I received the Caitanya-caritamrta, and the copy of On Chanting Hare Krsna.  This is FULL of good, sweet nectar, a real asset to my japa.  In fact, it answered a question I had on my mind the same day I got it in the mail!

            What I was blown away by the most was Holy Jail.  I cannot tell you how much this book lifted me up.  My only experience of this path is Prabhupada’s book, and the association of my devotee friends via the postal service.  I had an idea, of sorts, that there must be prisons that accept devotees, but my experience here on this unit was different.  I learned, to my great delight, that there are many prison bhaktas.  In fact, some prisons actually assist their devotees in their pursuit of KC.  Encourage it, even! When I read the letters from various prison Chaplains to IPM, I saw what a sad difference our own Chaplain is, here.  I Was embarrassed and, to be honest, felt sorry for him.

            It was just sort of a nice surprise to see that prisoners, not just in this country, but others, too, were chanting, and seeking the feet of the Lord.  This boosted my spirits, a lot, for often I feel like the only kid in a big swimming pool, despite my pen-pal association….

                        In prison, as in the free-world, some days are better than others.  Often it is quite routine, but there are moments when stark terror can rule.  A few weeks ago I found myself in the center of one of those times.  I will not go into the horrid details of what went on; suffice it to say that I found myself at my wits end, my nerves all but shattered from the stress.  This rollercoaster ride of prison life was telling on me and my heart felt like a lead weight.  I finally escaped he chaos and went back to the relative peace of my cell.  There I fell down on my face before a picture of the Deities Sri Sri Radha-Govinda.  Tears rolled down my nose and fell on the floor.  I cried out before the Lord.  I am so tired, Lord.  So very tired.  I do not know how much more I can take of this.  I am trying to be strong, but my strength is failing.  I am ashamed to be asking you for anything.  I am a miserable devotee, and truly have nothing that you would find worth of at all.  But I am your creature, Lord, and this place has me in distress.  I am in dire need of help.  Your servant needs you.  Lord, this system has me found in chains.  The system is too strong for me, and they do not want to let me go.  Lord, I am sorry that I cannot put tougher words in such a manner as the saints, or that my efforts are without the poetic sounds I know that you deserve.  But, Lord, if I am ever to have a shred of hope of leaving this place, then I must humbly ask your help.  I am not asking, Lord, that you make it easy on me; I am only asking that, somehow, you make a way.  I am not so bold as to try to tell you how, my Lord, I just ask that, if you have found anything deserving in me, at all, that you help me leave this place when my time for parole comes.  I am destitute, Lord, and have only two things to offer you.  In love and gratitude I offer myself and my heart.  And I offer my family.  I will bring my children to your feet, Lord.  I am just asking for the opportunity to be with them again where I can live as an example of your mercy.

                        Now, I do not claim to know if this was right and proper, I only know that I poured out my heart to Lord, Krishna.  I prayed to Srimati Radharani, knowing that if She found my prayers acceptable, then the Lord would, as well.  I did my best to envelope myself in Her compassion.  I ran to Her and fell at Her feet.

                        After I had totally spent myself in this kind of prayer, I wiped the tears off the floor and went about the rest of my day.  In fact, I felt a bit awful for asking the Lord for anything, when it is I that should be giving to Him.  Still, I had my back against the wall and turned to the only fountain of strength that there is.

                        The next day I was called to the Head Warden’s office.  Now, this was a shock.  Normally, a visit to the Warden’s office is NOT a good thing.  The Warden told me, without preamble, “You’re an Outside Trusty.”  I asked him how this happened, since to get such status you must request it, then the Head of Classification, the Warden and the Administration in Huntsville must approve it.  The Warden answered my question simply, “Because I put you there.”

                        Within an hour my entire situation changed.  I was moved to the best dorm on the farm.  I was given Trusty status.  My job is to work outside the unit. I am actually outside the main fence with freedom to go where I wish.  The best part is that this Trusty Status looks very good to the Parole Board, and will only be a major benefit when I finally come up for parole.

                        Everyone I speak with about this is shocked.  The guards are disbelieving because the Warden, for some strange reason, up and personally picked me to take this job.  I have never spoken to the man in my life and I cannot fathom how he might have chosen me.

                        There can be only one explanation.

                        The whole thing really hit me the other day.  It was cold outside, and I was busy shoveling rocks, filling in holes in a road.  Suddenly it hit me.  The Warden called me into his office exactly 24 hours to the hour that I made that plea to the Lord.

                        TO THE HOUR!

                        Now, I did not ask that the Lord make it easy, and He didn’t.  Five degrees outside, and me shoveling rocks.  But as the realization hit me, I shoveled with pleasure and said, “Hare Krsna!” with every breath.

Now, there is the story.  I know that some would call it mere coincidence.  But I can assure you that no one I speak with has ever heard of the Warden just up and putting an inmate in a job outside the fence or in the best dorm on the unit, just all the sudden.  No one can figure out how it happened.  I do not care what anyone says.  The Lord took pity on me.  Or else Radha smiled at me.  Regardless, my chance at parole has improved dramatically.  Now, it is not certain, but it’s much encouraging.

            In your Reflections (6-10-08) you said, “Lord, pleasure drive my chariot today.”  I can see how this is a deep secret, a mystical truth, and a lesson for me.  It is an “open secret.”  That Mark must step out of the way and stop trying to interfere in his own affairs.  In some ways, I feel badly for begging the Lord to help me out of a situation of my own devising.  And I know that I should not be making deals with God.  I know that it was wrong me me.  But I am convinced, without a shred of doubt, that I was heard.  The Absolute heard and acted.  I believe this.

            I have never before experienced such a dramatic thing.  It was almost as if He had suddenly appeared in front of me.

            I can tell you that I am not one to ask the Lord for things.  I see other religions doing this and preaching “prosperity” and such and it makes me ill.  God is not a “wishing well.”  Perhaps He just wanted me to have a little uplifting moment, I don’t know.  I do know that my situation has changed dramatically 24 hours to the very same hour I prayed.  That I know.

            And I know something else: When I am released—whenever that may be—I will pack as many of my family as I can get into a car and go to the Temple.  My intention is to offer my services in the least appealing chore that can be found.  One thing for sure is that Mark is humbled.  I will clean toilets, wash dishes, take out garbage—whatever.  Because I will not ever forget the moment I realized that Govinda heard my sad little prayer.

            Another uplifting thing, though MUCH less dramatic, involved the placing of two KC books in the library.

            Quite some time ago, perhaps a year, I think I read in the IPM prison newsletter that Chandrasekhara was offering to put copies of the Krsna book in the prison chapel library.  I thought this was a good thing, as there are NO KC books in the Chapel library.  There are Christian, Muslim, Catholic, and Jewish, but Prabhupada is not represented.  I wished to change that.

            As required, I got letters of permission from the Chaplaincy to place the books in the library.  I then sent the letters to Chandra, and he had the two books mailed to me.  Upon receiving he books, I contacted the Chaplain.  To my surprise, he told me quite bluntly, and without explanation, “You need to bring these books to the chapel library.”

            A lot of emotions went through me, not the least was shock at bigotry of the whole thing.  I tried to reason with them, to no avail.  Well, what to do?  The books were not mine, but were acquired for a specific reason.  Finally, I decided to donate them to the main, General Population library.  I did this.  But the library never put them on the shelf.  No explanation was forthcoming.  Finally, I went to check on them, once again (call me determined, if nothing else) and to my delight, there they are on the shelf!  The first KC books on Allred Unit!

            Now, my first feelings of disappointment were unnecessary.  I can see the Lord driving the cart again.  Had the books been placed in the chapel library, as was first planned, they would likely have only collected dust.  And they cannot be checked out to study or enjoy.  But they can be in the Main Library.  The librarian finally told me that they were simply behind in getting them on the shelf.  But there they are!  Jaya!

            My question now is, is is possible to get a hard-cover copy of the Gita?  If it is I will donate it to the library.  I think it would be awesome to get this jewel someplace where it can be accessed, and now that I know that they can be put in the library, I am more than ready to do so.  It made me so happy to see the two Krsna (Vol. 1&2) on the shelf.  Progress!

            Again the lesson:  Get out of the way, Mark, and let the Lord drive!  He knew what He was doing, huh?  Still it makes me sad that these men claim to be representatives of God and attempt to stifle anyone reaching for the Light (unless it’s the “Light” that they approve of, of course).

            I was surprised (and pleased) that you saw fit to post something I wrote on the IPM web site.  Though I have to admit that I’m perplexed as to what I could have written that might affect anyone else.  Especially an experienced devotee.  Often I feel as if I am sort of stumbling around in the dark.  Thank you, Krsna, for IPM and the devotees who you have sent to me to guide and uplift!

            I really got into the good nectar you sent about Radharani.  I do not know why it is that I am so drawn to this side of God.  And, even though I still do not fully understand all the things behind it, I am not going to question it much.  I’m just going to “go with it,” and allow myself to fully fall in love with this aspect of Krishna. It may be that I feel that Radha is more approachable than the Lord is.  Whatever, I’m head over heels for Srimati Radharani!

            I have begun applying tilaka.  I am unable to use anything but water, at this time, however.  I can only imagine the reaction of the guards were I to have clay tilaka.  It would take me about 20 seconds to get thrown in the lockup!  But, I am using what I can, and it is amazing what it does to my mental outlook.  The Lord, and I know it’s there.  He can see it, and I can feel it, and for now that is enough….

            In your letter you defined “dharma” as “the supreme occupation.”  I thought dharma meant something like “right action” or ethics.  And I see in this SB 1.2.6 just how far from real, pure KC I am.  Unmotivated?  No, I admit that I am motivated by so many selfish reasons.  I do not want to die, I want to live forever, I want to go live with God in the place I came from, I want to hang out in paradise, I’m beginning to see the misery that this world is and I dislike it, I’m tired of being tired, worried, sickly, addicted, confused.  I don’t want to grow old  I feel a longing for…for something.  Something I have never been able to find in all my years of searching.  Some satisfaction to vague, nagging, desire.  I’ve searched for it in drugs, money women, things—the craving is still there.  It may diminish for a short time, but it always comes back.  I know that God Krsna is real;  I know that He is not some concept or idea.  And I know that I should be some unmotived devotee, happily working with the least care of going back to that eternal place where he came from.  But I am not this person.

            I AM motived.  I DO have an ulterior motive.  Lord help me, but I do.  Wrong or not, there it is  Mark wants to go home (and I mean my ORIGINAL home).

            The other day I was reading in the “song of God” about karma.  For some reason, in the West we tend to find the thought of coming back and being born in this putrid place somehow comforting.  But as I began to really think on it—being born yet again in who knows what circumstances, pooping in diapers once again, all the horrors of childhood, then those even worse teen years, and the whole thing going on and on and on and…the massive insanity of it just fell on top of me.  I actually became afraid.  And what is even worse is that, somehow, following this path if NOT making my enjoyment of life any better.  I know that my life should be becoming free of worries and such, or that is supposed to be one of the effects of chanting, but to be honest, the more I learn of KC, the LESS I like this existence.  In some respects I feel like I’m just sort of “doing my time” and going through the motions of this life.  And it’s even more so being in prison (within a prison!).

            No, Mother Bhakti-lata, I am totally motivated.  This world is crap.  Oh, we find our little joys, here and there.  Like a band-aid on a gaping wound, but mostly, it’s all crap.  And I suspect that if I were released from prison today, given a zillion dollars, and all the wonderful goodies life has to offer, it would STILL be crap, only crap in a different way.

            Desires?  Yep, I got them.  I desire to be free of this place, to return to my mother and children.  To find a nice companion that will not look down on me because of my past and will be a part of my KC life.  I desire to do SOMETHING to promote KC—write something worthy, distribute books, clean the “john” in the Temple, mow the grass or sweep the floor—whatever.  And I desire to disappear from this crap place and return to the One.  I want to hang out with the Lord—or even just see Him from a distance!

            So, there it is.  Mark is an awful, conniving devotee that has a bunch of selfish desires.  I’m terrible but there it is in all its base ugliness.  NOT the “pure devotee,” am I?

            Yes, I received the BTG’s.  The article about Radha was uplifting.  You know, this may sound strange to you, but when I made that plea on the floor of my cell, and the next day I was promoted and such, well, that was the first time I’d even made such an emotional prayer to Radha.  I mean, I’d never included Her to such a degree.  Do you think that She had a greater role in the answer than I’m giving Her credit for?  I’m saying, really, that only recently have I been studying and speaking to Her.  She is supposed to be the MOST compassionate.  Was all that Her doings?

            You know, I’m so grateful that I have you to discuss such things.  The world would consider me mad, for considering such things.  But, who is insane?  Us (the devotees), or the world?...

            Constant, attentive prayer is something that, unfortunately, comes with years of practice.  My version of this has been to “talk” to the Lord.  Often my sort of one-sided conversations would to most seem to be a bit casual or familiar.  I mean, here is the All-In-All,, The One, The Supreme Lord, and I’m in the chow-hall [cafeteria]commenting to Him about the quality of the beans that I’m having for dinner.  Or walking a long having a nice chat, really about not much at all, with the Lord of Creation.  I know that, once again, the world might view it as mad, and in fact, many here see me talking to myself (??) and thin me strange.  How many times I’ve been asked, “Hey, who are you talking to?”  What to say?  (Oh, well, I’m just discussing the color of the pretty blue sky with Radharani, because She is so pretty and sweet and She loves Krishna so much and I wish I had a fraction of her devotion.  Nope, mostly I just say, “Myself” and let it go at that.)

            But in that article (which really should be straighten out because it is infused with what I believe to be good, solid core, nectar on prayer and chanting; it should be almost required reading) it says “inattentive chanting is my main defect.”

            I have long believed that emotion is necessary to prayer.  Words repeated by rote do nothing to attract or bend the ear of God.  In fact, words actually are not needed in prayer.  I believe that words are for OUR benefit.  The Absolute needs no words to know what you mean.  Heart-felt prayer.  In fact, some of my most intense prayers used no words.  When spirit cries out, Spirit responds!  And I recall you saying that I could bring any emotion into japa.  Perhaps this is the key that I am missing.  Prayer IS japa, and japa is prayer.  Am I correct in this?  That emotion is the ingredient that will supercharge my chanting?

            My mind wanders, I bring it back.  Someone is screaming down the run, I bring my mind back.  What time is it?  Bring it back.  Am I done yet?  Bring it back.  I have to pee.  Bring it back.  What did that guard yell?  Chow time?  Bring it back.

            The Buddhists have a name for it.  They call it “Monkey Mind.”  And that is how it feels.  I try to do my rounds quickly.  Get them done.  Sometimes I get 9 or 10.  Sometimes I get the required 16, but not so often.  I make excuses, not believing them to be good ones.

            Perhaps, what I should do, actually, is slow down.  Concentrate on allowing the holy Names to resonate inside me.  Concentrate on the vibration that it makes as I say it.  Perhaps I need a bit of “mindfulness” in order to keep the mind from doing what it wants, which is a lot of busy, thinking activity.  I know that many say that a certain number of rounds should be done in a certain time period.  So many seconds per repetition of the mantra.  But maybe I need to slow down a bit, in order to seep up.  I’m certain that you have heard this before.  What is your response to this?  I know it sounds weird—slow down in order to speed up—but I think you get what I’m saying….

However, I know that chanting is the foundation of bhakti.  It’s a habit that needs to be developed.  The monkey mind does not want to let go of this illusion we are mired in.  I wonder why this is?...

When I am finally released, I will  have to go to the temple (Dallas, most likely, since that will be the closes to my home, that I am aware of), as fast as I can get there.  I cannot allow the outside world to take away all that I learned.  I have built a small foundation.  Through my pen-pal association, the efforts of IPM and the books, papers, and BTG’s, I have done much studying, and that is good to build something on.

            But it is ONLY a start!

            I have never even heard a traditional Hare Krsna melody, not to mention sankirtan!  When I get out, IF I am allowed to parole, then the State will have so many requirements that I will be busy almost every moment.  I know this.  They will have cleasses, and meetings and such.  I will have to find a job (My family has a business, and I may work for the, IF parole allows it).  The pressure will be intense.  They design parole to try to make one to fail, in Texas.  Despite all this, I know that I MUST get to the temple.  If I’m going to stay out of prison, and if I’m going to keep on the path, then my spiritual life MUST be a priority.

            The good thing is that my family is supportive of my faith.  My mother has placed pictures of Krsna in my room that she has made for me in her home (bless her heart!)/  She does not fully understand KC, but she sees me seeking God, and to her, and rightly so, this path is a good thing for her son.

            I wish to bring my kids to KC.  I have 4 children.  The youngest if 13, the oldest is 22.  My oldest and my son (20 years old) will likely be driving me to the Temple, since when I get out I will not instantly have transportation.  This is also part of my secret method to introduce them to Krsna.

            From what I have raed, sankirtan can be very exciting.  My prayer is that they will enjoy it as much as I am sure that I am going to.  This is a dream of mind, anyway. 

            But for now I keep pressing on.  Just another prison of the Lord’s, fumbling his way towards the Light, and perhaps eventually, to the feet of Krsna. 

            I will end this letter now.  I hope you enjoyed the story I related about my answered prayer.  Still, kids freaked out by it.

            One thing is for some, prabhu, I will never forget to include “the feminine side of God” in my prayers.  I suppose this is why we first say “Hare” when we address “Krsna.”

            Thank you for all that you do to help this ppor prisoner in his quest for KC.  Hare Krsna!

Mark Davis

Iowa Park, TX

Service Opportunity:

Lately, the refurbished laptop I had purchased for IPM in 2009 has been acting up again. Ramai Gasbeek has very kindly repaired it, but it is doubtful it will last another year. My desire is to purchase a desktop computer; they seem to last longer and be sturdy and reliable. This computer has been recommended to me:

Asus - Essentio Desktop - 4GB Memory - 500GB Hard Drive

www.bestbuy.com

This desktop it is right now on sale for $300.00, plus a 2 years warranty for $50.

I will also need a flat screen like this one: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/RCA+-+19%26%2334%3B+Class+-+LED+-+720p+-+60Hz+-+HDTV/5573529.p?id=1218665501035&skuId=5573529

 If you would like to assist the prison preaching in this way, I will be very grateful. Please contact Bhakti-lata dasi at:iskconprisonministry@gmail.com

Thank you!

If you want to receive IPM NEWS, our electronic newsletter, please send us an e-mail with “Subscribe to IPM NEWS” in the subject line.

To help with this prison program, please contact Mukunda Dasa or Bhakti-lata Dasi at:

ISKCON Prison Ministry

PO Box 2676

Alachua, FL  32616-2676

IskconPrisonMinistry@gmail.com

www.iskconprisonministry.org

352-575-0458 (this phone number only takes messages)