Owen Maher: The brahmachari ashram has a growing number of residents who are fully engaged in devotional service to ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and New Govardhana’s most merciful presiding Deities. I was able to interview two such residents, Govardhana dasa and Suratanath dasa. Govardhana dasa received first initiation from His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami almost two years ago. Originally from Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandira in North Sydney, he moved to New Govardhana in May. He has taken on a variety of services since moving here, but Govardhana’s main service is distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books. This is something that he has always loved to do, as this was the way in which he was introduced to Krsna consciousness about five years ago.
A verse that Govardhana finds inspiring and necessary to imbibe as a devotee is one from the 3rd Canto (Chapter 29, text 18) of Srimad-Bhagavatam, where Lord Kapiladeva is instructing His mother Devahuti in the science of devotional service. The verse is as follows: “A devotee should always try to hear about spiritual matters and should always utilize his time in chanting the holy name of the Lord. His behavior should always be straightforward and simple, and although he is not envious but friendly to everyone, he should avoid the company of persons who are not spiritually advanced.” Suratanath dasa received first initiation from His Holiness Devamrita Swami. Before New Govardhana, Suratanath spent six years in New Zealand engaged in full-time book distribution. However, his recent move to New Govardhana was not the first time he had the opportunity to see the Deities here. As a newborn, his mother had brought and offered him to Radha Govardhanadhari.
His main service since moving to New Govardhana is cooking for the temple while studying to be a school teacher. An inspiring verse for Suratanath is Bhagavad-gita 3.25. “As the ignorant perform their duties with attachment to results, the learned may similarly act, but without attachment, for the sake of leading people on the right path.”
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