I first joined in the Vrndavana temple, but stayed for a short time, because I had to go back to Europe: visas: tickets and everything else, and then after sometime I moved again into the Amsterdam temple; and in the Amsterdam temple in those days it was a well oiled sankirtana machine and there was only one question, how much? And it wasn’t like how much Krishna praying- It was like “how much?” So I found that impersonal.
Maha Virya, this devotee I was speaking about, was the only one who would ask questions like, “How are you?” just a human, the human touch. So for me, that made all the difference. Without the human touch I would have not survived! And yes it was tough! and even at one point it got so tough, that I decided to take a little vacation from Krishna Consciousness, but it was difficult and yes it’s a long story; I have to leave a few details out because of time constraints. But I remember in those days of vacation.
I went to the movies and in the movies there were Hare Krishnas! But their tilaks were wrong. There was no Tulasi leaf on their nose. So that I can see these are fake! And the next moment these fake Hares they went into a bar: sat down at the bar: some girls came in, they were brahmacaris, and sat on their lap, and they ordered some beer!
And they said, ”It’s good to have a drink after a hard days work!”
And I was so upset!
But it was still...I went to the movies: a little bit of maya, But Krishna was there!
Then when I came home, there was a message that Maha Virya in the Amsterdam temple was fasting till I would come back! I let him fast for 3 days! But he brought me back! He brought me back. And then when I came back, he told me: “So now you have to get more serious about spiritual life”
(Kadamba Kanana Swami , Radhadesh 04/2010)
