Back to Russia
Today is a very sweet day because today we are crossing the border into Russia. There is a lot of red tape and we have to walk across a long bridge with our luggage. But it is well worth it. There is no story more heart warming than the story of the Soviet Hare Krishna devotees who suffered unspeakable persecution including imprisonment and death at the hands of the cruel godless former communist regime to establish the Krishna consciousness movement in Russia. Here is their story told by them:
PLANTING THE SEED OF KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS ON THE RUSSIAN SOIL
During the eleven years of his preaching in the West, Srila Prabhupada [Founder Acharya for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, ISKCON] traveled around the world fourteen times. Among other countries he also visited Soviet Russia which at that time was behind the Iron Curtain. The four days visit of Srila Prabhupada to Moscow in 1971 miraculously brought many changes to that country of atheism.
During his visit he discussed philosophy with Prof. Kotovsky, a Soviet scholar of Hinduism, but most significantly met with one young, educated Russian boy who later became his first and only initiated disciple from the Soviet Union, Ananta Shanti. This Russian boy single-handedly started preaching the eternal message of Bhagavad-Gita, and in this way the teachings of Srila Prabhupada became known to the hundreds and hundreds of Soviet people, so much so that in the beginning of the 1980's the KGB declared ISKCON one of the greatest threats to the Soviet nation. In this way, the war was declared............the war of the totalitarian state against the handful of first devotees of Krishna in Soviet Russia.
THE YEARS OF STRUGGLE FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
The KGB started massive persecution campaigns against the first followers of ISKCON. For their belief, around hundred of the first Russian devotees were thrown into prisons, labor camps and psychiatric hospitals. They underwent tremendous sufferings and tortures, but kept their strong, unflinching faith in Lord Krishna and His words in Bhagavad-Gita.
One of them, Sarkis Ohanjanyan was only 21 when he was put in prison. His only "guilt" was that he believed in God, chanted the Hare Krishna mahamantra and refused to eat meat. One and a half years later he died in the winter of 1986 in a labor camp out of malnutrition and tuberculosis. Before departure he was chanting on the beads made fro
m the prison bread, and had applied tilaka on his body with the toothpaste.
Olga Kiselyova was put in prison in 1983 when she was pregnant. Her "crime" was that she helped in translating the Bhagavad-Gita into the Russian language. After undergoing tortures and long, arduous interrogations she delivered a baby girl Marika in prison who died only two months later.
Amala Bhakta Das father of 5, was sentenced for 5 years of labor camps, and was only released on the personal plea from Nancy Reagan.
These are only a few stories among many. Early devotees in Russia sacrificed their health, freedom and sometimes even life for the preaching and for the service to Srila Prabhupada.
Hare Krishna devotees around the world started a campaign of protest against religious persecution in the USSR. As a result, in 1988 all Soviet Hare Krishna devotees were released by Mr. M. Gorbachev and the new era of religious freedom in Russia had begun.
****************
So remembering the above story as I cross the river today into Russia, I will be feeling so grateful to Lord Krishna for the privilege of being able to openly preach the glories of Krishna in Russia.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Srila Prabhupada in Moscow--June, 1971
I have noticed that after having my faith developed into Krishna consciousness, my problems have increased. I am not sure whether to believe in the Supreme Personality at this point. Unfortunately, I am being led into doubtfulness of the Supreme Personality. Please help me regain my faith in Krishna.
Awaiting your answer,
Yours sincerely,
Sarita
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
PLANTING THE SEED OF KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS ON THE RUSSIAN SOIL
During the eleven years of his preaching in the West, Srila Prabhupada [Founder Acharya for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, ISKCON] traveled around the world fourteen times. Among other countries he also visited Soviet Russia which at that time was behind the Iron Curtain. The four days visit of Srila Prabhupada to Moscow in 1971 miraculously brought many changes to that country of atheism.
During his visit he discussed philosophy with Prof. Kotovsky, a Soviet scholar of Hinduism, but most significantly met with one young, educated Russian boy who later became his first and only initiated disciple from the Soviet Union, Ananta Shanti. This Russian boy single-handedly started preaching the eternal message of Bhagavad-Gita, and in this way the teachings of Srila Prabhupada became known to the hundreds and hundreds of Soviet people, so much so that in the beginning of the 1980's the KGB declared ISKCON one of the greatest threats to the Soviet nation. In this way, the war was declared............the war of the totalitarian state against the handful of first devotees of Krishna in Soviet Russia.
THE YEARS OF STRUGGLE FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
The KGB started massive persecution campaigns against the first followers of ISKCON. For their belief, around hundred of the first Russian devotees were thrown into prisons, labor camps and psychiatric hospitals. They underwent tremendous sufferings and tortures, but kept their strong, unflinching faith in Lord Krishna and His words in Bhagavad-Gita.
One of them, Sarkis Ohanjanyan was only 21 when he was put in prison. His only "guilt" was that he believed in God, chanted the Hare Krishna mahamantra and refused to eat meat. One and a half years later he died in the winter of 1986 in a labor camp out of malnutrition and tuberculosis. Before departure he was chanting on the beads made fro
m the prison bread, and had applied tilaka on his body with the toothpaste.
Olga Kiselyova was put in prison in 1983 when she was pregnant. Her "crime" was that she helped in translating the Bhagavad-Gita into the Russian language. After undergoing tortures and long, arduous interrogations she delivered a baby girl Marika in prison who died only two months later.
Amala Bhakta Das father of 5, was sentenced for 5 years of labor camps, and was only released on the personal plea from Nancy Reagan.
These are only a few stories among many. Early devotees in Russia sacrificed their health, freedom and sometimes even life for the preaching and for the service to Srila Prabhupada.
Hare Krishna devotees around the world started a campaign of protest against religious persecution in the USSR. As a result, in 1988 all Soviet Hare Krishna devotees were released by Mr. M. Gorbachev and the new era of religious freedom in Russia had begun.
****************
So remembering the above story as I cross the river today into Russia, I will be feeling so grateful to Lord Krishna for the privilege of being able to openly preach the glories of Krishna in Russia.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Srila Prabhupada in Moscow--June, 1971
Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Questions: How to Regain Faith?
Respected Maharaja,I have noticed that after having my faith developed into Krishna consciousness, my problems have increased. I am not sure whether to believe in the Supreme Personality at this point. Unfortunately, I am being led into doubtfulness of the Supreme Personality. Please help me regain my faith in Krishna.
Awaiting your answer,
Yours sincerely,
Sarita
Answer: Transform Suffering into Bliss
A devotee accepts all suffering as the special blessings of Krishna to help him overcome the reactions to his past misdeeds. In this way the suffering is no longer suffering. It becomes another form of transcendental bliss.Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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