By Hari Narayana das
Singaraja, known for its beautiful beaches and picturesque sites of natural wonders, is also the most important education hub in Bali, Indonesia. The Hare Krsna Centre or ISKCON at Banyuning, Singaraja or more affectionately called by the devotees there as Sri Radha Gopisvara temple, is unbelievably vibrant considering its small area and very small number of devotees. The main ornament of this centre is the group of very enthusiastic young boys and girls who never miss to conduct the mangal-arti, chanting their 16 rounds of maha mantra, guru puja,morning and evening classes, lively kirtans as well as cooking and cleaning the temple. Certainly a wonderful experience.
Dattatreya prabhu, a senior devotee and veterinary doctor by profession, and Vaikunthanath prabhu, a young journalist and lecturer at University of Hindu Religion along with other equally enthusiastic devotees organised a seminar on Bhagavad-gita at the University of Health Sciences (Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Kesehatan, STIKES), Buleleng on 28 December 2017. The institute’s authorities preferred to call it ‘International Seminar on Bhagavad-gita: Spiritual approach in health care’ and was attended by more than two hundred students from School of Nursing and Midwifery. The speaker was Mr. Robindro Aribam (Ramanuja Das) from Manipur India representing Yayasan Institut Bhaktivedanta Indonesia. The question and answer session continued for more than an hour. The students were very happy to receive copies of Srila Prabhupada Bhagavad-gita as it is and other books as well. The rector of the University was very pleased with the program that he signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with ISKCON Singaraja representative Dattatreya das citing that for the following two consecutive years the university will conduct similar events with ISKCON for the benefit of the students.
“Another thing is, wherever I shall be from now on I want the Bhagavata Seminar to go on. In San Diego, I spoke at one such seminar on ‘Hinduism’ which attracted many scholarly persons from all over the United States. So I am thinking that if we arrange similar seminar programs in the future, wherever I am speaking at the time, that will be a great success. (SPL to Rupanuga, 1st July, 1972)
All the participants also received packets of Mahaprasad as refreshment after the seminar. After the seminar later in the evening one lecturer from the University visited our ISKCON Centre Singaraja. He told that he liked the seminar and had come to the centre to attend our evening class so that he could learn more about Bhagavad-gita. He also said that the explanations in Bhagavad-gita as it is were very easy to understand and that he was feeling more enthusiastic to study Bhagavad-gita every-day. This was a wonderful offering to the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada and all the previous acharyas at the end of the year 2017.
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