By Bhakta Manfred
Srila Prabhupada created a home where everyone can live in, I have personally experienced this at the Hare Krishna Training centre( ISKCON NAIROBI). As early as 3:30 am you can hear distant chanting as the boys here prepare for morning program and meditation. The Hare Krishna Training Centre (HKTC), officially Opened by HH. Gopal Krishna Maharaja on 11th January 2017 with a population of fifty students then has now been running for seven years. Students here get a training for the real world; spiritual practice. From the program held on Wednesdays and Saturday they are taught why it is important to start their day early with meditation on the supreme personality of Godhead; Krishna.
There are two weekly sessions for university students with a registration of at least 150 students per week. At least fifty of those start voluntarily attending Bhagavatam and Bhagavad Gita classes in the temple due to a desire to understand more about Vedic culture. After a few months of the weekly classes a number of students opt to move into the training center due to high standard of morality and discipline portrayed by those already living there. By the entrance the students are reminded of Srila Prabhupada’s dream to have Nairobi as the jewel of Africa and how important it is for a person to take up to spiritual life at a young age.
With the help of Her Grace Manasiganga Mataji and HG. Govinda prem Das the students first learn Bhakti yoga followed by a series of sessions on the science of the soul and how to serve the real self. “Our goal is not to convert anyone, we just want to make them perfect human beings” Says Govinda prem which echoes Srila Prabhupada’s desire. There are students from all walks, Vaishnavas, Christians and Muslims across more than 35 professions, all chanting Hare Krishna and assimilating more and more of Vedic culture into their lives. “I am a better Christian; how would I understand that I am a spirit soul and despite the fact that there exist secondary differences among us the principal nature is one?” says Dennis Munene commonly branded as “Reverend” by the students here. The teachers here emphasize on the importance of association and reverence to each other which builds a good relationship among the students. You can barely know one of the boys for the only name used to call out each other is “Prabhu”.
While at the training center the students have learnt the importance of service and therefore, they are always busy. After the morning meditation program most of them go to their respective universities or engage in their personal study and activities. They then come back to the center where they engage in temple seva like food for life, cleaning, cooking and sankirtan followed by daily evening temple programs and classes. The students here also help in preparation for the Wednesday and Saturdays University preaching programs.
On November 6th 2018 the training center held its seventh graduation program with 80 graduates out of the 700 students who registered for the weekly university program. As from 6:00 pm kirtan plays in the background as the boys make final touches on prashadam, decoration and sound system set up. As of 7:30 the students start coming in and at 8:00pm the Graduation program started officially. In attendance was Narendra Raval chairman of the Devki group, HG. Umapati prabhu the temple president and his assistant HG. Rukma prabhu and other senior devotees from the temple.
The program kicked off with a prayer and dedication from HG. Padmalocan Prabhu, a local pujari with a great passion for local preaching. He led the students through devout chanting of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra after explaining the importance of the holy name in this age and how he obtained realization by it.
Next on stage was “Mama”; Her Grace Manasi ganga mataji who passionately explained to the students that man’s highest benefit starts when he begins to satisfy the Lord but we can only begin this practice after pure knowledge appears in us. Unfortunately, most people think that they can enjoy the world now and worship the Lord in old age which is unacceptable since time is a precious and we should begin to practice from the day we realize this, for man’s life is rare and insecure. We should never think that we should not worship Krishna when we are young for we see how Dhruva and Prahlada Maharaja received the Lord’s mercy when they were young.
HG. Rupanuga prabhu then presented the first piece of art on how most young people desire to forever remain young but never get to understand that they can only get that in Krishna Bhakti by identifying with the true self. Bhakta Manfred & Timothy Prabhu followed with a song prayer request for mercy as we take up to the spiritual journey. Next up Dennis and K-ten presented a joyous celebration of Krishna as their object of anchoring which was confirmed by student testimonies from Anthony Wangila a Law student and Cynthia who both revealed how they had abandoned their past ways after finding a higher taste in Krishna Bhakti.
H.G Umapati Prabhu gave an address on the importance of spiritual life and how we should try to please the Lord from genuine attraction. He thanked the HKTC preaching team for the endeavor to spread Krishna consciousness and encouraged them to keep it up.
Narendra Raval closed with a keynote address of spirituality as the growth of life and how assimilation of the holy name and Krishna bhakti made him the man he is today. He encouraged the students to maintain their morality, practice what they had learnt prior to the graduation and never give up for Krishna has a plan for each of them. He emphasized the importance of sharing the knowledge if at all we wish to build our society after which he then issued certificates to the graduates by help of his wife Mrs. Raval. HG. Govinda prem closed the ceremony by leading the students in chanting the hare Krishna Mahamantra.
The students were then served with delicious prasadam preparations by Her Grace Draupadi Mataji with the help of the training center boys. As the evening came to an end the students could be seen trying to take association from the senior devotees, take pictures and share what they had learnt and their future plans. Surely Krishna is very merciful to have introduced me to the Vaishnava Community. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
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