June 27, 2014 NYC Hari Nam Report
Ramaraya Prabhu has been valiantly singing the Holy Names of Krishna in Union Square Park for the last 2 and half years and has built up a team of steady team of devotees to help, so that we regularly have Hari Nam parties of 25 or more, every single day, without fail on the streets of New York City. When he began this yajna, things were not so easy; already in his mid-fifties, he started this with only a few devotees and had no financial support or even a place to stay. Today they stay in a brand new ISKCON Hari Nam Ashram, just 30 minutes from the center city and boast a team of 18 steady Hari Nam Warriors.
Ramaraya was one of Aindra’s key kirtaniyas in Sri Vrindaban Dham for decades and felt an urge to carry forward the same kind of valiant dedication to Sri Nam that had been instilled in him during those years. As many may know, Aindra Prabhu who loved HariNam used to say that he would only return to the west for doing Hari Nam in the streets of New York. Srila Prabhupada once said that “New York was the Father Land of ISKCON and India was the Mother Land”, so it was a natural for Ramaraya to carry forward his continued service to Sri Nam in New York, remembering Srila Prabhupada and Aindra Prabhu’s love for preaching here.
Many Manhattan workers became attracted and spontaneously joined him daily. As a variety of other came to join him, Ramaraya continued throughout the first freezing winter months performing kirtan daily in the subways of New York and after 18 months passed this way, he still had only 4 dedicated men, but with no fixed residence or even a place to cook prasad.
As Abhiram Prabhu (ACBSP) was himself looking for a new inspiration, he came to see this lonely kirtan team, sitting in the heart of New York and became so inspired by their effort that he decided to also join the party. Having a long history of building up temples and other facilities for devotees, like the MVT, Abhiram first rented a basement with what little monies they had and began living and chanting with them. The team grew over the summer of 2013 to 7 full time and strong brahmacaris; slightly improved facilities were rented. This ‘improved’ facility meant that now 7 men could pack into a 500 square foot apartment and at least have a regular prasad and morning program.
Now, Abhiram could lead the morning program, cook the kichidri and send the team out with ‘General Ram’ (Ramaraya) who would continue for 6 hours daily, with an enlarged, well fed and eager team. The Hari Nam Party always has the support of many other devotees, who live around New York as well as others, who are learning about Krishna Consciousness while sitting in kirtan on the streets. Some team members have now been through the full cycle of getting a first exposure on the streets from the Hari Nam Party and eventually dedicating themselves and shaving up. Bhakta Lee is a shining example; formerly the leader of a Rap Band whose members were mostly vegetarians, he has shaved his lion-like dread locks and donned a dhoti and tilok to support the kirtan with strong mrdanga and kartal playing. So the Hari Nam becomes both a kirtan party and new bhakta program all at once and continued to grow.
These early team members remember their struggle as wonderful times, for they were daily just begging the Lord to help them get by, each day, with one more meal and the ability to pay one more rent, so they could keep chanting His Holy Names. They all felt it a great privilege to have shared these most challenging of times with others similarly committed to fearlessly spread the Name of Krishna in the heavy materialistic city of New York and to see how, like Lord Narasingha Dev saved Prahlad Maharaj, the Lord also came to their rescue, in the form of this new ashram facility and a greatly increased team, with book distribution, a cook and a small temple room.
When out of the blue, offers were made to assist in finding a proper ashram, the Harinam Party felt certain that the Supreme Person, Krishna, had actually reached into the hearts of those who made it possible to provide a newly renovated wonderful facility: a four-story residential ashram 30 minutes door-to-door by subway from the daily Harinam spot at Union Square in Manhattan was purchased in May, fully renovated just prior to occupancy.
The NYC Harinam Ashram is now growing so fast! Nearly every corner of the new facility is filled to capacity. There are 18 full time devotees, plus several constantly visiting devotees. Normally breakfast is served for around 22, since a few guests also come in the morning to hear the class.
Some of the young devotees who stay in the Ashram say that they never want to leave the exciting preaching field of NYC. A primary inspiration is being able to serve the sacred mission of glorification of Krishna, despite the challenges of residing in this harsh city, following in the footsteps of our Founder-acarya.
On Saturday June 22 alone, the NYC Hari Nam party distributed 250 large books and received over $1,200 in contributions! All the books were distributed by devotees in dhotis and saris and tilok, directly in front of the Harinam party, "just like the Old Days"! Although the average is still only 1/3 of that amount, the team is determined to become a major factor in book distribution by gradually building their skills. So now, in addition to broadcasting the Holy Name, book distribution is also growing!
We constantly pray that Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya will be pleased by our efforts and invite all devotees to consider a mass return to the streets, where this ISKCON revolution met with so much success in the past. Srila Prabhupada’s system for preaching is as relevant and practical as it was in the so-called ‘olden days’ and still brings in devotees from the innocent souls! New Yorkers love to see us and we meet with only gentle smiles and often clapping and dancing by the passers-by. We have included a YouTube link, for your pleasure, of some of the kirtans, at http://youtu.be/kP7CZ7m4sQ0
Thank you Romapada Swami. ys Kuladri das
Comments
अस्मदाचार्य पर्यन्तां वन्दे श्रीगुरू परम्पराम् ।।
Vedā Vyasā Ji himself has said that there is no such Vedā, no such Upanīshad, no such Puranā, no such Samhitā and no such Smrìti which is not equipped with the name and glory of Śrī Rāma.
In the same row we will see the Glory of Śrī Rāma Nāam from Lomashā Samhitā;
Chapter 1:~
शिवशकादयो देवा ध्यायन्ते यमहर्निशं ।
तं वंदे रामभद्रं यलीला रच्यतेोऽखिलं ॥ 1
I bow down to the gracious Śrī Rāma whom the gods Shivā, Indrā and others meditate upon day and night and by whose playful act the entire (world) is created.
Śrī Lomashā said;
एकदा मुनयः सर्वे शौनकाद्या बहुश्रुताः ।
नैमिषे सूतमासीनं पप्रच्छुरिदमादरात् ॥ 2
Śrī Lomashā said: Once in Naimishãranyā, all the sages beginning with Shaûnakā, who were all very learned, asked with due respect, the seated Sutā the following.
अज्ञानध्वांतविघ्नेश कोटिसूर्यसमप्रभः।
कथिता भवता पूर्व कर्मणां गहना गतिः ॥ 3
O the destroyer of the darkness of ignorance! O the one with a brilliance of million Suns! The obstruse path of karma has been spoken by you earlier.
कर्मणा जायते विप्रः कर्मणा क्षत्रियश्च सः ।
कर्मणा जायते वैश्यः तथा शूद्रादि कर्मणा ॥ 4
(A man) is born as a vipra by the virtue of his karma. He is a kshatriya by the virtue of his karma. By the virtue of his karma he is born as a vaishya. Also he becomes a shudra etc by the virtue of his karma.
कर्मणा सर्वमेतद्धि स्थितं यत्कर्मणा जगत्।
पूर्वजन्मकृतं कर्म कथं ज्ञेयं शुभाशुभम् ॥ 5
This entire world, whatever it is, exists because of karma. How can the good and bad karma done in the previous lives be known?
एतन्मे संशयं छिन्धि भगवन्भूतभावन ।
सुताख्याहि कथां श्रेष्ठां सर्व मे वक्तुमर्हसि ॥ 6
O lord! O the benefactor of beings! Dispell this doubt of mine. O Suta! Speak the excellent story. You deign tell me everything.
मुनिरुवाच (Muni said)
ऋषीणां वाक्यमाकर्ण्य जगाद लोमहर्षणः।
तान्प्रति भगवान्सूतः प्रवकुमुपचक्रमे ॥ 7
The sage said: After hearing the words of the sages, Lord Lomaharshana Suta began to speak to them.
श्रीसूत उवाच (Śrī Sutā said)
शृणुध्वं ऋषयः सर्वे रहस्यं परमद्भुतम्।
पार्वतीशिवसंवादं चतुर्वर्गप्रदायकम् ॥ 8
Śrī Sutā said: Listen all sages, a supreme and astonishing secret, a conversation between Parvati and Shiva, which bestows the fourfold objectives (dharma, artha, kama and moksha).
कैलासशिखरासीनं देवदेव जगह लोकानां ।
च हितार्थाय पार्वत्युवाच शंकरम् ।। 9 ।।
Parvati spoke to Shankara, the god of gods, the teacher of the world, who was seated on the peak of mount Kailasha, for the benefit of the world.
देवदेव महादेव सर्वज्ञ परमेश्वर त्वत्तः ।
श्रुतो मया पूर्व मंत्रतंत्राण्यनेकशः ॥ 10 ॥
सर्वधर्माणि जीवानां व्यवहाराणि यानि च।
O god of gods! O Mahadeva! O omniscient one! O supreme lord! Earlier I have heard several kinds of mantras and tantras from you. (I have heard about) all the dharmas of living beings and all their conducts and practices.
अधुना श्रोतुमिच्छामि किं तत्त्वं कृतनिश्चितम् ॥ 11
गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं गुह्यमैहिकं परमं च यत् ।
सुगमं चाप्रयासेन सिद्धं साध्यं जनैरपि ॥ 12
Now I desire to listen (to the answer of the following question). What is that secret tattva which is decidedly the most secret amongst the secrets, which is relevant to both this world as well as the afterworld, which is easily understood without much effort, which is well proven and which is accomplishable by ordinary men as well?
पार्वतीवचनं श्रुत्वा विरूपाक्षी जगद्गुरुः ।
प्रोवाच शैलजा भर्गो वचनं सर्वसिद्धिदं ॥ 13
After hearing the words of Parvati, Virupaksha', the teacher of the world, Bharga, spoke to the daughter of the mountain, words which bestow success in all endeavours.
श्रीशिव उवाच (Śrī Shivā said)
धन्यासि कृतपुण्यासि यस्माते मतिरीदृशी।
पृढं लोकोपकाराय तस्मात्त्वां प्रवदाम्यहम् ॥ 14
Sri Shiva said: You are blessed indeed! You have done meritorious deeds because of which your mind is (asking) such (a question). You have asked for the benefit of the world hence I am answering you.
रहस्यं परमं पुण्यं सर्वसिद्धिप्रदायकम् ।
रामनामपरं तत्त्वं सर्वशास्त्रेषु च स्फुटं ।। 15
The name of Śrī Rāma is a secret supreme and auscipicious. It confers all kinds of successes and it is enunciated in all sacred texts.
तस्य नामप्रभावेण सर्वज्ञोऽहं वरानने।
रामनामात्परतरं नास्ति किंचिज्जगत्त्रये ॥ 16
O the one with a beautiful face! It is by the grace of his name that I am omniscient. There is nothing in the three worlds which is superior to the name of Śrī Rāma.
रामेति यक्षरं यत्र तत्र वैकुंठमुच्यते ।
रामं देवं परित्यज्य योऽन्यदेवमुपासते ॥ 17
दिव्यवर्णसहस्राणि कुम्भिपाके प्रपच्यते।
Wherever are present the two syllables of the word Rāma, there is Vaikuntha'. Those who worship other gods rejecting Rāma, they suffer torments in the hell named Kumbhï Pākam for a thousand divine years.
अज्ञानाद्यदि वा ज्ञानाद्रामेति व्यक्षरं वदेत् ॥ 18
जन्मजन्मान्तरकृतं पापं नाशयति क्षणात् ।
स्थितं रामे जगत्सर्वं रामः सर्वेषु संस्थितः ॥ 19
The one who, either knowingly or unknowingly, utters the two syallabled word Rāma, his sins committed in this birth as well as those committed in previous births are destroyed in a moment. The entire universe is situated in Rāma and Rāma is situated in everything.
वृक्षेषु कल्पवृक्षच वथा नृषु च वैष्णवः।
नदीषु च यथा गंगा सागरेषु पयोदधिः ॥ 20
ग्रहेषु भगवान्सूर्यो व्रतेष्वैकादशी यथा ।
संवत्सरेषु प्रभवः स्वयने चोत्तरायणः ॥ 21
यथर्तुषु वसंताख्यो मासेषु मार्गशीर्षकः ।
तिथिषु विष्णुदैवत्यो यथा वारेषु भास्करः ॥ 22
नक्षत्रेषु यथा पुष्यो योगेषु हर्षणाहयः बभौ ।
यथा श्रुतौ ब्राह्मः मुहूर्तेषु यथाभिजित् ॥ 23
पुरीषु च यथा काशी पर्वतेषु हिमाचलः ।
यथा गावः पशुष्वैवं यथा धातुषु कांचनम् ॥ 24
आश्रमेषु च सन्यासो यथा वर्णेषु भूसुरः ।
यथा दासेष्वहं भद्रे देवेषु गरुडध्वजः ॥ 25
अक्षरेषु यथाकारशकिष्वैकः प्रकीर्तितः।
अर्थेषु च यथा विद्या धर्मेषु शरणं हरेः ॥ 26
भगवद्भक्तिः कामेषु सायुज्यं चैव मुक्तिषु।
तथा सर्वेषु शब्देषु रामशब्दो विधीयते ॥ 27
Just like Kalpavriksha is supreme amongst trees, just like a Vaishnavā is supreme amongst all men, just like the Ganga is supreme amongst all rivers, just like the ocean is supreme amongst all water bodies, just like the Sun is supreme amongst all planets, just like the vrata of Ekadashi is supreme amongst all uratas, just like Prabhava is supreme amongst all the samvatsaras, just like Uttarayana is supreme amongst the two ayanas, just like Spring is supreme amongst all seasons, just like the month of Margashirsha is supreme amongst all months, just like the tithi ruled by Vishnu is supreme amongst all tithis, just like Sunday is supreme amongst all days, just like Pushya is supreme amongst all constellations, just like Harshana is supreme amongst all the yogas, just like the Brahm shines forth in all Vedas, just like Abhijit is supreme amongst all muhurats, just like Kashi is supreme amongst all cities, just like the Himalayas are supreme amongst all mountains, just like the cow is supreme amongst all animals, just like Gold is supreme amongst all metals, just like sanyaasa is supreme amongst all ashrams, just like Brahmana is supreme amongst all varnas, just like I am supreme amongst all servants and Vishnu is supreme amongst all lords, just like the letter A is supreme amongst all letters, just like the number one is supreme amongst all numbers, just like knowledge is supreme amongst all possessions, just like taking the refuge of Vishnu is supreme amongst all religious duties, just like the desire for bhakti of the Lord is supreme amongst all desires, just like Saayujya is supreme amongst all kinds of muktis similarly the word Rāma is supreme amongst all words.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन रामभक्तिं कुरु प्रिये ।
विहाय रामं सर्वज्ञं नान्यः संसारतारकः॥ 28
Therefore, O beloved one! Perform devotion to Rāma by all efforts. There is no one except Rāma who takes (men) beyond the ocean of samsara.
इति ते कथितं देवि रहस्यं परमाद्भुतम्।
गोपनीयं प्रयलेन येन श्रेयो वाप्स्यसि ॥ 29
O Goddess! Thus I have spoken the supremely astonishing secret to you. It should be kept hidden by you using all your efforts, through which you will certainly obtain prosperity. ॥
इति श्रीलोमशसंहितायां षष्ठिसाहस्रायां प्रथमोत्थाने श्रीशिवपार्वतीसंवादे परमरहस्यकथनो नाम प्रथमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the first chapter entitled "The Enunciation of the Supreme Secret" in the conversation between Shiva and Parvati in the first part of Lomasha Samhita of sixty thousand verses.
Chapter 2
सूत उवाच (Sutā said)
श्रुत्वा रहस्यं परमं रामनामयशोऽमृतं ।
पुनः पृच्छति सा देवं पार्वती नीललोहितं ॥ 1
Suta said: After listening to the nectar of the fame of Rāma, the supreme secret, Parvati asked lord Nilalohita' again.
पार्वत्युवाच (Maa Parvati said)
यत्त्वया कथितं देव सर्वशास्त्रौघवियहं।
श्रीरामपरमं तत्त्वमित्यहं कृतनिश्चितं ॥ 1
Parvati said: O lord! I am convinced that the name of Śrī Rāma, the embodiment of all the sacred texts, that you have mentioned, is the supreme tattva.
After few chapters the supreme nectar i.e. Rasik lila of Śrī Rāma starts which can't be written here as all are not eligible for that nectar, so stopping here with a quote;
Stop The Mind's Drama Just Chant Hare Rāma
Hail to Priya Pritam Sarkar ❤️
Hail to Ānand Bhāshyakār Śrīmad Jagādgurü Ramānandacharya 🚩
beautiful, where is it exactly they sing? I may take a stop in :)