Nectar From the Beehive
Diary Entries from The Freedom Village
By Muchukunda Das
I was leaving Nurturing Soul after a retreat to go back north to Auckland. Sitapati was in his car with Prahlad about to drive south for wellington. He asked if I was coming and I said no as I had stuff to do to prepare for India where I was meeting my fiance.
I so wanted to go to that protest kirtan but I was being sensible and tending to my own affairs.
Somehow I ended up on a bus going there anyway justifying it by thinking I would be able to sort my passport for India better in Wellington where the consulate is.
On the way there I was posting on social media asking for donations for books to distribute at the Profest. I stayed in Hamilton at Mantra Lounge the night before. Sri Jiva and I went there to do kirtan and a class for Krishna Fest.
The next morning he drove back to Auckland and I caught a bus to wellington. Before leaving I asked to buy some books from the brahmacharis (monks) who live at Mantra Lounge. The monk I asked where I planned to distribute them. When I told them they said they wouldn't support me. I wanted to steal the books but controlled myself by only taking one book.
What follows is a conversation with a concerned devotee on the bus trip to Wellington:
Devotee: Hari. I have noticed quite a few posts by you on social media and groups. As a friend and God Brother I think it might be a good idea to ask whether affiliating the Hare Krishnas with anti-vaccine and government protests is pleasing to your spiritual master or not? Have you asked him ??
Or are you acting without basic philosophical thought ? Our simple and whole process is based on pleasing the spiritual master. That’s it. Bottom line. Perhaps it might be a good idea to check whether you’re going down a route that will compromise your spiritual progress. Just like with Prabhupada presented his anti Gandhian positon and current actions against the British. His consulted the guru. His spiritual master clearly wanted no affiliation with any material or mundane movement anti or pro. There is absolutely nothing wrong obviously with Harinam and distributing the holy name. But to have our movement affiliated on camera and national media that we are supportive of a mundane program is certainly a disservice. Anyhow I am sure the wave has swept u up. Again have u made sure what u r doing is pleasing him?
Muchukunda das: Hare Krsna prabhu. It's really simple. Where you chant doesn't imply affiliation with anything. Haribol.
Just like we can chant at a Pride parade without being affiliated with the pride movement. And maybe what these folks are saying aligns with our sastra. For example they say the government are non devotees and are exploiting the citizens. To those things we say yes but your solution is a fallible soldier. Your protest will do nothing. Therefore we are here, Chant with us, come into our tent. Your war cries and bhoga will not bring you any progress towards your goal"
And look... spiritual progress.. It is unfortunate that the spiritual master... OK it's a great idea, I will consider asking him his thoughts.
We spoke back and forth via voice message and then got to writing.
Muchukunda Das: Youre assuming a lot about my motives. You have a great project that captures a type of candidate and so do we. I don't care about the mandate. That's all in the past. What's there for me now is simply a great opportunity to create bhaktas. I appreciate your concern. There's no need to worry. I'm safe in service and the reputation of our movement is flourishing. If you meet someone who says they're disappointed in us and no longer wants to practice bhakti because they saw us on the news refer them to me and I will deal with it. Hundreds of people here are chanting and befriending us and that's the point😊
Devotee: It is important when and where you do sankirtan, especially if it has implications on our krsna consciousness movement and how were seen and how we're affiliated. Its not rocket science prabhu.
Muchukunda das: If you meet someone have them call me. I can speak with them.
Devotee: The devotees from out of town have ruined the hard work of the local authorities and leaders. Did any of the devotees coming into town ask the leaders if it was okay to come in and represent them in Wellington? They have spent the last two years building a positive and amazing profile with the locals in these difficult times. This passionate run to support these protesters was a very insensitive things to do without asking the hard-working long-term devotees who put their lives into spreading Krishna consciousness in Wellington. I train with the police in Auckland in martial arts and they are changing the way they see me and Hare Krishna’s now. Thanks a lot
What follows are the posts I made beginning from the bus ride to wellington up until about halfway through the occupation. The other half didn't get captured in writing as writing it was taking me away from the mahi.
12.2.22
What is an inappropriate time and place to do harinam?
On the bus going to chant at the Beehive and I get some messages from friends who don't think it's a good idea.
They had a similar script. It's some version of "you'll make us look like we're affiliated with the protesters and you're bringing mundane political views into what we're up to"
Where is the person who saw us on the news chanting and said "I no longer want to come to the Hare Kṛṣṇa centre, temple or restaurant because those people are affiliated with the anti mandate protest?"
When Srila prabhupada says "The only remedy for such conditions is to enhance the sankīrtana movement under the banner of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and protest against the sinful activities of all the world’s governments." (CC Adi 17.141) are they his own mundane views?
No. They are the views of the acarya.
12.2.22
Two hours to go till I reach the beehive.
It's crazy how crazy you look to our own tribe when you do what the books say in all circumstances.
Through on going conversation I'm uncovering the underlying issue.
It seems to be a concern or commitment to being recognized by the masses as a society who's sensitive to circumstance.
What a beautiful sentiment.
And it's not true that this effort is inherently insensitive.
All there is for human beings are feelings, needs and strategies.
We also have those going on.
12.2.22
3 others on this bus are excited to see the devotees at the bee hive. They are following me online now. Friendships with devotees is the key to eternal life.
One Moari brother had Hare Kṛṣṇa and Hare Rama written all over his kurta. It was a gift from a healer he just met in Whangarei.
The other two remind me of my 16 year old self.
Day 5
This thing is literally a pandal program.
We've ordered $5000 worth of Chant and be Happy and Bhagavad-Gita and have covered $3000 in donations.
The reception of these people towards our temple at tent city is truly amazing. They look at us with the starry-eyed admiration that bhaktas have.
They buy books as soon as you say you have them.
They just stand around soaking up whatever we're doing.
Whether the kirtan is fired up or just kindling, they have their eyes closed absorbing the transcendental vibration.
Day 6
Just had a japa session, breakfast and washed our clothes. Some of the devotees have gone to the warehouse to get some waterproof shoes and then we're going back down to the Hare Kṛṣṇa festival at the beehive to feed and share bhakti with the people.
Come eat with us and get some books.
Last night at about 8:45 people came into our gazebo attracted by the chanting. It gradually filled up and flooded the walk way. It seemed noone walked past the kirtan.They all stopped and honoured the special event
After an hour leading the Prabhupada melody and playing mrdanga in fast tempo I sat down.
Keeping pace, I starting pronouncing the mantra clearer for my own benefit and for others. At first it sounded less musical but then it became funky and tasty.
People starting beating on things, clapping, yelling and some had their eyes closed while others danced and interacted with others.
One man strummed a guy rope like a double bass.
It was a responsibility I felt burdened by to keep the kirtan rolling at the same intensity because people were so alive and expressed for Kṛṣṇa.
Then Krishna inspired me to stop playing the mrdanga and have us all chant without music.
After about 5 minutes Lenny had everyone continue chanting without stopping.
I was relieved. It was now their kirtan and required no leader. We all chanted without music for about 5 minutes.
Then it suddenly went back to me leading and them responding.
A violinist joined.
It was ecstatic.
We ended at around 10:30pm
I stayed with some people from Voices for Freedom at a lodge on Courtney place. On the way one lady started chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, I joined her harinam and we talked about kirtan. She said I won't be able to get this out of my head tonight. I said "that's the point" I told her to follow @harekrishna.beehive and DM me for a link to gauravani kirtan.
I got to the lodge and Leonie wasn't answering their phone. They're about 50 years old and we're all sleeping peacefully.
I was stuck at the front door for 5 minutes. Someone opened the door to come out. I went in, found the room and knocked. I was let in and directed to the bed they made for me on the floor out of all their yoga mats and sleeping bags.
Hare Kṛṣṇa
Day 7
As I walked here from the lodge with Chris and Gill, I notice people wearing masks. They're not self expressed or friendly. On Courtney place that's pretty normal. They have nothing to do with the festival.
I'm in a silk dhoti and red rain jacket and they're in casual clothes and hiking boots. We don't even own masks, what to speak of masks with printed patterns.
When I got to the entrance of freedom village a young boy asked me if I had a drill to make a hold in a plank of wood to make a swing from the high tree the shades the front gate.
I didnt have a drill handy so I encouraged him to keep asking.
People greet me and I respond with "Hare Kṛṣṇa" and they respond with "Hare Kṛṣṇa"
Right now as I make this post, Prahlad is resting, Vrajanari is talking to a dairy farmer about our farm, Cecilia is cooking sweet rice and asking someone to get a 'no smoking' sign, devotees I haven't seen before are setting up a kitchen with help from protesters and others are at the place they stayed chanting japa.
Some of the men in Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s civil disobedience movement were agitated because they could not control their minds. But the Lord was thoroughly peaceful, sober and unagitated. Therefore when the Kazi came down to see Him, the Lord offered him proper respect and a seat because he was a respectable government officer. Thus the Lord taught us by His personal behavior. In pushing on our saṅkīrtana movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we might have to face difficult days, but we should always follow in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and do the needful according to the time and circumstances.
Chaitanya Charitamrita
Day 8
Yesterday we put the mic on Kṛṣṇa Murari.
He lead Hare Kṛṣṇa for a while and then lead Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa he.
That was cool. Seeing his lips just create the holy name repeatedly like that reminded me of what we're up to - just producing this name.
"I don't know how much Nectar these two syllables have produced. For when I chant them 8 want millions of ears and tongues to chant them" - Rupa Goswami
That was the kirtan that turned into our massive procession around the protest.
That was the coolest thing I've ever experienced on harinam.
We ended the procession inside our 5 man tent with 10 people, fed them Prasad and then each shared “what are you present to”. Kṛṣṇa Murari shared the Kazi lila where Gauranga brings everyone to the house of the president Chand Kazi to protest not being allowed to chant outside...
I requested Cam to share the reading group opportunity with them.
As I was about to leave for the night Sitapati requested a last kirtan.
People gathered around and danced. Kids participated and the holy name was bathing us all.
Then I remembered I also made a promise to my coach in the Self Expression and Leadership Programme (a self development training I’m taking) to tell someone about the reading project. In the Self Expression and Leadership Programme I have to design a community project and I designed a project where devotees pick 3 people each and read a verse a day with them using the record feature on whatsapp or signal. The idea is to have people be supported as they go through the Gita. There were 3 people still in our temple tent so I knelt in the door way and created the opportunity for them. They had either tried to read it or wanted to read it. They asked for a workshop so I offered a three minute one right now. We read 6.6-7 and shared a reflection.
I got their numbers and created the group. They are now bhakti yogis who do sadhana!
I chanted 2 rounds walking to the lodge, showered, created our new email Harekrishna.beehive@gmail.com and rested.
This morning before I left, I asked the people I'm staying with if they'd like to hear a verse from Bhagavad Gita. They said yes and we read from 2.6.
They appreciate and agree with the principle that economic development doesn't solve problems of life. They offered me some breakfast and I ate a fig.
Hare Kṛṣṇa
Day 9
Drums resound, young people follow us dancing freely and beating their own drums, incense fills the air, the mantra is sung in unison, everyone smiles, people are walking past with Jagannath stickers on them, the sky is blue, and we're constantly being filmed or photographed.
Prahlad has started his 12 hour book table shift by lighting 3 sticks of incense and putting them in a holder by books, Krishna Kirtan is leading the Prabhupada melody, old and young people play djembes that turned up here yesterday, a guy with a red swandri jacket plays the mrdanga like a djembe, Martini just turned up with gopi dots above her eye brows, a guy with a beard sits in the temple tent and claims he meditates here every day.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 17.141:
The loud sound of the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra certainly made the Kazi very much afraid, and he hid himself within his room. Hearing the people thus protesting, murmuring in great anger, the Kazi would not come out of his home.
PURPORT
The Kazi's order not to perform saṅkīrtana could stand only as long as there was no civil disobedience. Under the leadership of the Supreme Lord, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the chanters, increasing in number, disobeyed the order of the Kazi. Thousands assembled together and formed parties, chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and making a tumultuous sound of protest. Thus the Kazi was very much afraid, as naturally one should be under such circumstances.
In the present day also, people all over the world may join together in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and protest against the present degraded governments of the world's godless societies, which are based on all kinds of sinful activities.
During the gundica marjanam lila the devotees simply chanted. They didn't need to use other words to communicate.
This is the way.
I've noticed that since I've been chanting all day every day I don't appreciate conversation much. Whereas before I was the one always wanting to connect and converse.
The congregational chanting is proving to be a complete way to connect and converse with others.
Bhakti starts and ends with chanting.
Day 10
Last night I stayed at the home of my mentee and his mum. They're from Ghana.
Their milk was off, so I had juice and granola for breakfast and broke pieces of banana to add to it.
I needed to do some washing but they don't have a washing machine so I went to the unit adjacent theirs and knocked. No answer, so I went to the next one. No answer but the previous one answered. She neither spoke English or agreed to wash my dhotis. Then the other door i knocked on opened and I went back and shared how I was staying with Suzi during the protest and needed to wash my clothes. She said yes and while she literally did my washing for me II spoke with the guys in the lounge room. They were vegan so i shared about our food tent at parliament.
From the Beehive kirtan videos group, I can see that Krsnendu Knight gave a Gita class today which we haven't done before.
The girl with the constant smile is there listening and there are some devotees listening.
The sun is shining and my voice is deeper from chanting all day every day.
Hare Kṛṣṇa
Day 11
On the way in today, I noticed a guy with a walky-talky. I said "cool walky talky" we walk alongside each other and after some banter, i say I'm from the Hare Kṛṣṇa tent. He says "I want to come learn from you guys. I invite him to tomorrow's Gita class at 8:30 am.
Prahlads have been manning the book table since the morning. It's evening. Yesterday he distributed 54 books.
The Prabhupada melody has been sung all day and sometimes people from the public lead .
I lead for 4 hours or so and missed dinner.
Our kitchen is overflowing with donated avocados and there's a crate of my favorite potato chips so I grab a bag and an avo for dinner.
Before I sit down I ask the lady at the massage tent if they're still massaging.
The lady I asked has sat in kirtan and helped serve Prasad.
She asks me what I need a massage for.
I just want a massage. I say I've been playing drums all day.
She asks me to exaggerate the posture I play in. I pose like a devotee in a Rathayatra painting I like.
She then holds my arms and gently moves them.
They feel light and relaxed. She does this to my back and neck and I realize I needed it. All she does is hold my limbs and move them and it makes a huge difference!
Back in the kirtan tent.
Hayim blows the conch now and then and some Maori boys blow the other one.
The kids in the tent next to us have started their kirtan! They are literally doing their own kirtan with each other. It's not in time with ours. I'm in ecstacy. I take a video but its completely black as its mainly the moon thats lighting this part of the village.
Yesterday the organizer asked us to come chant on the road to keep the protesters peaceful so we did.
The stage manager James who I requested a generator from smiles when he sees me and Today he said "I really appreciate the work you're doing" I literally just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and dance i think to myself…
One boy who looks like my 10 year old self with big front teeth winked at me while I was leading the kirtan and I take it to be a blessing from the Lord.
Rudraram, Vrindavan, Akka, Akarsani and Vrajanari made appearances at the village today.
It's 9:23pm and it's dark now. Someone from the protest is leading the Prabhupad melody and getting the words a bit mixed up.
A 6 year old boy just came into the temple with some glow sticks. I said "do you want a hug?"
He said yes so we hugged.
Hare Kṛṣṇa
A comment from Mitra das on this post: Take any opportunity to give prasad and kirtan. If you don't publicly choose sides on any issue you'll be accepted everywhere.
A Maori brother comes up to Tulsi prabhu and asks what diet he should do.
Prabhu says "as devotees of Krishna we offer what we eat to Him. He likes fruits, vegetables, grains and milk products.
Kicheri has the protein your body needs and so does beans and rice"
I said there's an opportunity to help prep lunch in our kitchen tomorrow. He says he'd love to do that.
Vrindavan Madhurya prabhu said everyone who bought books from him on Courtney place was from the protest.
Right now I'm walking to Newtown where I'll rest tonight.
Hare Kṛṣṇa
Day 12
At 11.15 pm I get to the home of some devotees in Newtown. It used to be called Bhava Ashram and now it's not really set up like an ashram.
I arranged with them to stay a night and on arriving there they said they actually came to an agreement they wouldn't host "devotees" during the protests.
I said "Can you see how this is a communication breakdown and it means I have to find another place to rest at 11pm. Just then I get a call from a devotee saying they arranged a place for me to stay tonight.
The folks at the old bhava ashram hear the conversation and tell me “Krishna has your back”
I am delighted by Krishnas care and glad they get to witness it. My host for tonight is Atom.
I start walking up the hill to my new hosts place and someone pulls up and offers me a ride.
I hop in and he asks me to put my destination in my map app.
After some bantar and sharing what I'm here for he asks me to take his number to arrange for him to volunteer at the Hare Kṛṣṇa kitchen.
When saving his number I ask what his purpose in life is. He said he doesn't know and asks mine. I say "I'm committed that everyone gets an opportunity to live the life I live as a devotee of Lord Krishna”
Then I get to Atom prabhus home and we talk for an hour. I got to be an ear for him sharing a difficult situation he's dealing with and invite him to a community guest event for the Landmark Forum.
Hare Kṛṣṇa
Day 13
A guy comes to the book table and says to Prahlad "okay I brought my money, where do I start?"
Prahlad is so committed but so detached.
The next time I look there's someone else buying books.
There's a lady with green kurta and silver hair clapping and chanting in the kirtan with a big smile.
Mark is taking our bins.
The lady who brought her drum is still here after 3 hours and now joins the chanting with a smile like she's about to cry.
Hare Kṛṣṇa
Day 14
This morning a 10 year old boy who came to Bhagavad Gita class lead kirtan for 1.5 hours. His mum told me he cried happy tears telling her “mum, I'm a Hare Krishna now”
I told her "You should follow in his footsteps"
She said she met a monk and got a Teachings of Queen something and the yellow one and knows Hare Kṛṣṇas in Keri Keri.
Bhakta Regan is leading kirtan with many joining in.
Prahlad and I were speaking to a Maori man from Auckland who met T and was in a reading group but had to pull out due to "getting caught up in this stuff"
He's been coming to our tent daily and chants for hours a day. he said he is reading Gita.
A lady was standing looking at our book table. I stood by her and asked what interests her.
She said "I just want to get more knowledge about this and about the chanting"
I suggested Chant and be happy.
She asks if it's a religion. I share what Sanatan Dharma is.
Now that she's enrolled it's time for the call to action. This was our conversation:
Her: I don't know if I want to get a book
Me: Why not?
Her: I don't know. Someone else could need it
Me: Thats your mind talking
Her: You're right
Me: Just do what I say instead
Her: OK recommend me a book
Me: I recommend the Bhagavad-gita but if you get that book it says in the introduction that one can only understand this secret with the help of a devotee of Krishna.
Her: OK that sounds great
Me: I've set up groups on WhatsApp and signal and you can read a verse a day with a devotee.
Her: OK I'll go get some money
Me: OK I'll get your number for the reading group
Hare Kṛṣṇa
Day 14
An 8 year old boy took my mic off me and lead kirtan for 30 minutes. The crowd went wild.
I went for a japa walk knowing I'd meet someone. Whenever I go for a japa walk I let krishna guide my steps.
I saw Axel who plays karatallas in our kirtans.
He asked for my number to "learn more".
Prahlad distributed 40 books today.
35 people or so came on a harinam around the village playing instruments.
One guy came up to us and asked us to stop by his van to celebrate a mates birthday who “loves chanting”. He came over with a layered pancake cake as we approached and gave it to his friend.
I put my silk chaddar around his neck, grabbed 2 hand fulls of cake and stuffed it in his mouth smearing it all over his face while the kirtan went wild and people cheered.
Then we left and I licked my fingers.
2000 plates of Prasad were given out today. The line was about 100 meters long for hours.
I asked Mark to sponsor a mic for my gopro to interview people and he immediately gave me the cash. Bhakta Dan from the UK went and bought it from Jaycar.
Mark said he got given money from his friends and family in Auckland who couldn't come. They said he could distribute it here wherever there was need. He said he was thinking about donating to the Hare Kṛṣṇa food tent.
I said “Sitapati just bought a generator. Maybe you could sponsor that because the kitchen gets all their ingredients donated” I suggested he go talk to them and ask them what they think. He did and Abhay told him to sponsor the generator so he did.
This is the guy in his 50s who came on harinam on Courtney place yesterday.
Hare Kṛṣṇa
Day 15
Today I rode a scooter from Dan's place and arrived around 9.
Bhakta Regan who's banned from every temple in NZ and AUS gave class. He's a sincere young man finding his feet in bhakti and sometimes gets admitted to mental hospitals. Here he's not only allowed to come to our centre but is encouraged to take responsibility. He is completely unrecognizable in his dhoti and nam chaddar top cloth leading kirtans for hours.
When I arrived one young boy was leading kirtan.
Later his mother came up to me while I was leading mid mantra and beaming with eyes wide open and a smile I'll never forget, she exclaimed "my son chants this in his sleep"
I said "yeah he isn't ordinary"
During that kirtan the tough maori woman with the blond hair and big shark tooth looking necklace grabs the mrdanga and starts pounding the ISKCON smasher beat. I look at her and match her fierceness. Everyone is present to this woman's perfectly timed and powerful playing and they all cheer.
I go into some mrdanga fill frenzy I've never done and I'm in ecstacy.
I interview a French girl with a plate of Prasad. She said last night she saw men fixing a toilet and everytime they got closer to their goal the chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa and when they finished the job they walked off chanting.
I asked Mike the security guard if he'd like to say anything for our instagram and he said "kiaora I'm security and I also chant a bit of Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hold the line and be happy because that's what Krishna wants. Peace"
I stood in the 1 hour Prasad line and talked to Shani about the Bhagavad Gita. She has Gita and pitches my reading group project for me. She said "I have the book but I could only get so far". From there I only needed to say a few words. Bella Jones turned up right at that moment.
I introduced them to each other and asked if she'd like to support Shani reading a verse a day. She happily agreed and I suggested Martini to be in the group as an apprentice so she can support others soon too. She later told me she couldn't wait to come back here after reading my posts about what was happening.
Shani told me she woke up with the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra in her head. She said she's either chanting it or singing it in her head and she saw people on the waterfront chanting it too. She also said she'd been reading the Perfection of Yoga earlier this morning.
Cameron asked me if there were Hare Kṛṣṇa people in Palmerston North. I told him to come back to me later.
On my japa walk I see him about to leave with his parents as they have work tomorrow. Krsna obviously led me to him I fist bump him and say Hare Kṛṣṇa. He says wait, did you find out the answer to my question. I remembered Shani saying Daniverk was on the other side a mountain where Palmerston is so I told to visit Nurturing Soul on Saturdays for kirtan.
He whispered to me that his mum loves us and loves Hinduism. She tells me she loves Hare Kṛṣṇa and the father says "you are beautiful people. My dad told me I should never become one of you and thats what we had to believe but that all changed when I met you with my wife"
The mum holds up Chant and be Happy and in a caring tone says "son, just read this book and learn. You'll find inner peace"
Around 4pm we're requested to do harinam at the border so we run down there and chant. Kids form half the response. The other half is people who came with us and the people holding the line. People 50 meters away have there arms up chanting.
Someone official comes up to us requesting us to stop because 20 police are marching towards us. Sitapati takes a moment before responding and then says no and starts roaring the mantra louder than I've ever heard anyone chant.
His face has turned ferocious and he's literally taking this guy's request as a demoniac attack like the Chand Kazi who banned kirtan. I notice our new devotee friends are enjoying the whole thing and continue to chant.
Someone unplugs my mic. I don't notice till 5 minutes later and plug it back in. Protesters want us to stop. One said to me "people aren't understanding it"
I am simply being the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and nothing else. Its just 2 men telling us to stop out of all these other people and what they're saying doesn't correlate with my observation at all. Everything was fine and everyone was happy. We go on chanting. We stop for a maori lady to do a speech in te reo. It's sacred. Afterwards they explain to Sitapati what they were saying and I notice him being agreeable now.
I bring the kirtan behind some vehicles and pass the mic to Bhakta Dion. I notice Sitapati and that guy go off separately like they were going to fight. one lady goes and chants near them playing karatallas. She winks at me as if to acknowledge my concern and say don't worry, I'm chanting near them. Nothing will happen.
2 minutes later the man and Sitapati are hugging.
A maori lady says "thank you for what you do. It's working and it's wairua. Don't listen to people who tell you to stop. Just do your thing"
We go back chanting and those men invite us to chant in their village area. We chant for 10 minutes in a harinam circle and all their friends join. One of the guys is doing a live and has his arm around me talking. He says "I'm not becoming a fanatical religious person" I say yes you are, let's chant one together and we chant.
All my needs are arranged for by Krishna. I was thinking about dinner and Sunshine hands me a plate of hot Prasad. I was thinking I wanted some juice and Cam offers me some juice. I had no plan for accommodation and Tane is right behind me telling Prahlad their neighbors moved out and we can use their room.
I needed my clothes dried and Tane just comes and offers to do it.
I needed a sleeping mat and despite admin at the village being technically closed they gave me a new foam mat and right now I'm on a king size mattress. I needed a mic and Mark gives me $50 for one. Chaitanya Vihar just wrote to me offering $100 to sponsor 10 Gitas.
Hare Kṛṣṇa
Day 16
Sometimes you have to do the thing and get the results before being authorized.
And sometimes you'll never be officially authorized as a tactic.
Either way Hare Kṛṣṇa beehive is fully authorized by The Lord as evidenced by the 14 hour kirtans that thousands of people join every day. Many are there most of the day and some are now coming to class and reading in groups online.
Hare Kṛṣṇa
Got here at 10 and asked the police why they put concrete blocks around the border. They said "beyond my pay grade"
This is a typical way to respond to be off the hook.
Stephan the barber was setting up so I requested to get a shave. He tells me he loves the nutritional value of the Hare Kṛṣṇa food. I asked if he needed water. He said yes please so i go grab a bottle from our tent and give it to him. He tries it and spits it out. I try it and we agree its some chemical. I apologise for getting him a chemical cleaner instead of water.
4 people greeted me with Hare Kṛṣṇa between his tent and ours.
Shaligram is sitting on his throne in a box in the ashram tent.
I bought two cans of black paint on the way here and put them in the bottle holders either side if my military hip bag. When I arrive One young guy playing with mrdanga saw me and said "putting up a few throwies aye?"
Sitapati just gave a speech on stage inviting everyone to take the case that nothing is wrong and that the will of the Lord is always perfect.
One maori guy came here with a light blue turban asking for a cloth like Sitapatis dhoti.
I told him to come back with a sheet or fabric. He came back with a dark blue sheet and Regan showed him how to make a dhoti. He walks off in a blue dhoti, blue turban and it just happens to be nityananda trayodasi - the festival for the appearance of Lord Nityananda Who wears blue garments. This guy literally just got inspired to dress for the occasion.
Tulasi Das is leaving this morning and I tell him his kirtans made a real difference. Devotees who see our videos will see that we are simply doing sankirtan because who he is is literally sankirtan personified. With tears in his eyes we hug and he pays obeisences to shaligram.
An older maori man comes in and shakes my hand saying "respect for your presence" I say "thank you for being here"
Kids come in asking for drums.
Luke is reading his pocket Gita and he's up to 2.2
Hare Kṛṣṇa
Day 17
I went to get some more festive colorful clothes. I ask the lady there if they had anything like what she was wearing on her head. She says "why do you call this a festival? This is a grieving thing" I feel her mana and fear her chastisement. I say "because we are all sharing love". I wait for her response.
Then a woman my age comes up to me in a volunteer vest and says "Muchukunda" she hugs me for a decent 20 seconds or so and I say "how can I serve you?" With moist eyes she says "you won't remember me but in 2012 I went to Melbourne from Hamilton and my friend Clay Regas told me to meet up with you. I had no way of finding you but I met you when you were spray painting and you introduced me to Crossways restaurant Hare Kṛṣṇa. I've often wondered if I'll meet you again".
The older lady said "that was beautiful and you know you're right. This is a festival and you are healing the grievance and you have been since your ancestors did what they did to ours. Thank you so much for being here" I say "thank you for having us on iwi land" she says good luck finding something festive. Just then I see the exact thing I came for and say "there it is" I grab the scarf and another one for someone else and go back to the temple. On the way I see the guy I met on the bus here. I notice he has a bandage on his head and we talk about it. He got kicked in the head by police.
I give him a hug and invite him to kirtan. He says "let's go now"
After some hours the lady from admin came and gave me a bunch of colourful clothes.
She had a sari-like thing and asked me to give it to “a sister”. I hugged her goodbye and said "I love you"
Shani is here having Prasad and Prahlad is telling her the Kazi lila. The boy who said he'd be here all day is keeping his word.
The moment I think of Prasad Dion offers to go get some for Sitapati and I.
The kirtan boy named Rapid comes and tells us he likes Cams conch best and his friend offers us some chewing gum.
The lady who gave me the clothes comes by the Prasad tent when I was in line for dinner and I ask her if the scarf she gave me earlier was the one she was wearing on her head. She says "yes and I want you to have it"
Someone gave Prahlad 20 dollars for a small book and Gaura Nitai are now dancing on the book table near the insence donated by Tulasi Das this morning. He Saud its made from cow dung.
Hare Kṛṣṇa
A guy I met in the Prasad line says "love prasad." I say "how do you know this special word?"
He said "I've been coming to kirtan for years. I should have brought my Haribol hat" his name is Scott.
We ate together and he tells me he mostly likes kirtan and he was just trying to be a humble person.
I tell him he just summed up Lord Chaitanyas siksastakam and how prabhupada said we should string the 3rd verse on the holy name and wear it around our neck. He looked it up.
On a japa walk I meet people who want to talk every 10 meters or so. They want to thank us for chanting. One girl named Jazz was on a video call with her mum Debbie in Kalgoorlie. I tell Debbie I lived down the road in Coolgardie when I was 5. I even got to meet her mum and say hare Krsna.
She says she always has Hare Kṛṣṇa food when they go to Perth.
When I get back I ask Sevaka if he'd like to come on a 2 man Harinam and meet people in our community. We leave and Regan comes.
Then 3 girls join in and Hayim is there too and gives one a mrdanga. This girl goes in front and leads us around the village. Then Sitapati and Cam come join and we keep going. The girl who told me the story of the guys who were fixing the toilets and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa took photos of us.
Then we saw Scott holding a sign that read "join the dark side. We have cookies" He chanted with us and these 3 maori boys joined us. They all had sikhas.
Sitapati says to one of them "I gotta go to the bathroom, wanna play mrdanga?" And hands it to him. I give the karatallas to another boy and he nails the beat.
Shani was in the kitchen all day and washing pots all evening.
I tell her she's a demigod disguised as a human and she just smiles.
Buddhimanta Khan Das arrives and then dissappeared. Apparently he has the tulasi mala and japa beads and a whole bunch of other paraphernalia we requested.
I was telling his partner Vanessa about how I needed a mattress at 10.15pm and admin gave me one even though they had “closed” at 10pm and this guy who overheard me stops and says he had the same experience. I ask him if that's the only mystical experience he's had here and he says "No. Every moment has been like that!"
Vanessa tells me she wants to help me compile all these stories into a book.
There's a big kirtan at the border and they're all chanting to Lord Siva. I got the vivid realisation this is a mela of gods disguised as a protest.
I saw two woman walking and singing Hare Kṛṣṇa.
I ride a scooter back to Marks place and one bhakta is there looking sad. I ask when he last got a massage and he's says I don't know. I give him an oil massage and then chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
He became happy.
I realised Sometimes people need your shoulder, not your mouth.
Hare Kṛṣṇa
Day 18
Jasmine and her partner speak to me while I'm charging my phone at the charging station. I tell them they must be demigods to be here. Jasmine just smiles and when I see the follow from her on our instagram her name is @iamgoddessjasmine.
Louie also stops to talk and I mention how 'God is a title and Krishna is His name. A huge smile comes upon his face and he seems to be ecstatic about this simple truth.
Sevaka facilitates 108 Aums and the participants spill out onto the path. After 15 minutes or so when its complete he says "who wants to do this everyday?" And the crowd says yes.
Jacob sits next to me taking Prasad and says he's collecting used spoons. I give him my spoon.
The lady from Manaakitanga Media said she wouldn't still be here if the Hare Kṛṣṇas weren't here.
Timothy is humility personified.
He sits in the tent cutting brochures and flyers one at a time while I talk with Isvari. When I finish he says he's been eagerly waiting to talk about krishna consciousness with me. I thought I was being rude and he was thinking how rude I was. Instead he was anxiously waiting to connect.
I offer him some of the chocolate and kambucha Dev brought and offered to Shaligram, a sacred black stone found in Nepal non different from Krsna Himself.
He tells me he just donated $70 and could donate some more. I told him he could sponsor a guillotine which he immediately agreed to. I looked one up and told him it was $30 so he gave me $50 saying we could print more flyers too.
He stands in the path cheerfully passing out brochures called The Peace Formula. He later told me how a guy who was initially aggressive ended up telling him his life story.
Someone comes to our tent requesting paint to decorate 12 large ply boards which will be used as shields to hold the line. Sitapati says "well Muchukunda is a graffiti artist" and asks me if I have paint.
I say yes and he says let's go.
We go up there and they give us ginger beer, hugs and I see they are using black spray cans to write peace and other words and colouring the letters with coloured chalk.
Sitapati tells me to paint Aroha with Sri Radha in the O. I made the o into a heart with “Sri Radha” in sanskrt calligraphy.
Then he requested a Manaakitanga on the next board and when it was done he asked if I could put a tilak in the space near the last A.
We get back to the temple and Sitapati asks where the blanket is that i got from admin on the way to keep warm. I told him I left it where we painted the boards. Sitapati tells me I've disrespected a gift from the demigods and I should go get it. “Theres a nectar story waiting for you, go there now”
I go up there and they just got 6 more boards delivered. I Paint them with their black spray can “hare krsna” Ange tells me she just called her nieces to tell them to chant the mantra. They thought she said “make nachos” We laugh
Kate came over to our tent to leave her stuff with us while she went to take photos. We talk for some time and she mentions how there's some radiation coming from a tower by her tent up by hill Street. I invite her to stay in our guest house tent. I shared how someone was going around the village reading the emf with a special device and that only our temple has a reading of zero. I tell her this is due to our kirtan.
Debbie who I stayed with on my first night has two friends from the medic tent and they want a guided meditation. Everyone has gone to marks place and sitapati is resting. I am in the temple tent talking with guests and Debbie who I stayed with for the first three nights asks if I could do a guided meditation. It's 11pm. I say yes and we chant japa for 10 minutes.
Then Isobel sits down, Harry asks to join and so does the lady with her dog who spins around on our bean bag for 5 minutes preparing it to lay on. Then Ricky with the red scifi sunnies come and shares about his day. He speaks of Krishna with such fondness.
All of them have the same mood. Mood is the future we live into - our approach to the future.
They all speak about energy, light, darkness and levels of consciousness, how we are the observer of the body and how this world is decaying but the soul is everlasting.
Ricky shares how he met a young girl today who looked sad and sat with her till she felt better then gave her $50. Just then $20 got handed to him over his shoulder. His friends accounts were frozen at the bank so he went in there and does a loud prayer in te reo.
He said “I demand justice!” and they unfreeze the accounts. His friends then withdrew their funds and gave it to members of the community.
Mike the security guard tells me he has been chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa for 30 years when he's not at work because his boss doesn't let him chant while on shift.
Isabel, Harry and I go search for hot water and cant find any. We end up being led to a tent of some folks who have a stove and a billy.
We go fetch them more water and I offer to read a story about Krishna while it boils. They all accept my offer with enthusiasm and bring their seats in close and set up the billy for boiling water. We read the Killing of Salva and have katha till 2am.
We each take turns reading a paragraph and Scotty who is humility and enthusiasm personified reads the paragraph after mine and we pass it around until 1:30am and then I share the Narasimha lila and we discuss until 2am.
Hare Kṛṣṇa
Day 19
I slept on site for the first time and Sitapati did his first shift as security from 11pm to 7am
How he ended up doing security was Timothy asked us if we have a car to replace his at the top gate to block police from coming in. The conversation revealed that a security person was required. our motto here is say yes to everything so we said yes.
I slept from 2am to 7am, chanted 5 rounds and give Gita class at 8:30. I read 1.9 amd shate that if we protect dharma, dharma will protect us and how we are all originally Krishna consciousness and by whakarango or deep listening to the message of Godhead that we awaken that pure consciousness of God.
After class I talk with Pagen who wears a visor, sun classes and fitness clothes and set her up with japa mala. She said she has a friend who was bought up in Krishna consciousness and has beads hanging from his car mirror.
I see her twice during the day wearing her new around her neck and she tells me she's been chanting.
After breakfast some boys are playing with the mrdangas. We have yellow, blue and red fibreglass mrdangas and one clay one. Someone also offered to leave a djembe here while he went back home for a few days so we have that too. I noticed a kahon by our bhoga kitchen too.
I ask if they want a mrdanga lesson and the older boy with long hair and a hat says "can you sing and we will play?" I say yes and Krishna inspired me to say "this Mantra is a weapon" he says "I know"
Claudia who seems to have come to this place just to serve the sankirtan yajna with us joins the kirtan and Louie joins with a friend who is equally excited about the kirtan. Louie shouts "this is my happy place! This is what I've been looking for with drugs" He stands up and devotees who were present to his sincerity give him a hug.
This morning Sitapati shared 2 ideas with a kaumatua: graffiti art on the concrete blocks police put on the borders and to minister to the people who are out in the tent city “suburbs”
The kaumatua immediately arranges for him to share these ideas with the community by giving him a platform on stage.
Back at the tent he asks if I can paint different names of God on the concrete blacks and I say I need more paint. He gives me $100 and I get ready to go back Marks for a shower. It's 2pm. I ask Shani to write on our black board "108 OM's starting at 2:22" and realize sevaka isn't coming so I run to the portaloos and find them closed. They are closed because police blocked vehicles from accessing them to replace them.
I'm directed to the church bathroom.
I get back at 2:19 and Sevaka arrives at 2:20 and facilitates the OM’s
I leave for Mark's and see Blake on cuba street. We catch up and I invite him to be a guest at my community guest event for the Landmark Forum.
I get to Mark's, wash my clothes, shower and nap. I see a missed call from Sitapati and call him back. He asks if I got the paint. I see the time is 5:36pm.
I see online that Cheapskates is open till 6 and it takes 11 minutes to get there on foot. I look for a flamingo scooter and only see Beams which I don't have the app for so I just run all the way there. I buy 8 colours, a black and a white and go back to the beehive. I See a devotee I know riding the opposite way and he stops for a chat. Then he decides to come for Prasad so we walk back together. Sevaka is there talking with some people and we all sit down opposite the Krishna food tent. Kate joins and Atom shows up on his bike. He says he's been riding around all day looking at houses. I offer him the spare plate I got and he declines. Atom’s been helping devotees for decades. After prasad I tell Sitapati who's talking with some people in the kirtan tent that I'm going to paint now. He's says OK we're coming to do kirtan.
I go down and paint a Kṛṣṇa piece with beige letters and a pink back ground and yellow line around it. Someone came over and I say Hare Kṛṣṇa. She said "that's what I was going to say to you" I said OK say it, Hare Kṛṣṇa and she chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Sitapati and 5 others came down doing kirtan while I was painting IO which is a Maori name for God someone requested I write. As I finished it, it started to rain so we went under a shelter where there was a big concrete block there also. Sitapati requested I paint it. I asked Mark what name to write. He said Govinda so I did. After completing Govinda he asked me to write love on the other side. People loved it and Sitapati hugged me and thanked me. The rain stopped and we were going to the other border to do the same thing there. A young man named Tom came over and I offered him an opportunity to do a piece.
Then we got requested to stay there because the protesters were planning to move the concrete blocks and let the people who's cars were parked at the stadium come in.
We do harinam for 2 hours on the road behind the blocks and people come and join.
Someone comes and requests us on the other border so I say I'll go. I go to get mrdsnga and Connal is already leading kirtan and playing mrdanga. I tell him we're needed up on Hill street and Romy says she will go grab an instrument.
We go up there and on the way someone on the main stage calls out "hariboool"
After 2 hours of kirtan there Sitapati and his kirtan party come join. Police come in with shields seemingly ready to push us all and we do soft kirtan. People come and thank us, join, dance or smile.
The police retreat and everyone cheers and sings a waita.
On the way back Sevaka is finishing his 7-11pm security shift and comes back with us. Prahlad and I go back with Mark and Tane and Sitapati and Sevaka stay on site. Kate stays in the guest house.
Hare Kṛṣṇa
Day 20
It's 10:33am on Thursday and I've caught up on 2 days Journaling.
It took 2 hours.
Last night the protestors moved the concrete blocks and from the videos I can hear devotees were there doing kirtan as more freedom fighter came in from the stadium.
5 of us stayed in this room that Marks landlord is lending us for free.
Suraya is in the bathroom. Cam is still asleep because he got back at 2am and Regan is sitting awake waiting for the bath room.
Prahlad just left with his headphones and a can of soft drink
Day 21
Arrived to the scene where police were adding more concrete blocks to their blockade
I took out my karatallas and started kirtan and a few people joined including a small Asian lady who said she didn't know the words.
I had a mantra card just for this situation and gave it to her. We chanted for some time and someone came around with muesli bars. It was 2pm and I hadn't eaten so I put my hand up. I grabbed one and noone wanted the other one so I took that too and ate them while the Asian lady and the maori lady continued the kirtan.
I was handing out flyers and made eye contact with a young lady with bleached hair. She walked towards me and said my eye contact was so intense. 2 men joined our conversation.
The guy who rides the longest skate board I've ever seen was within talking distance so I chatted with him. I told him that when I first saw him I thought "if a demigod skated, that's what he'd ride" he didn't deny it or affirm it but simply invited me to try it.
Sunshine comes up to me and breaks down crying on my shoulder. I escorted him and Bella to the alter tent where bhoga is offered to 10 inch deities of jagannath, baladeva and Subhadra. We read a verse from BG, chant a round then I open to 16.1.
Heres the verse
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Fearlessness; purification of one’s existence; cultivation of spiritual knowledge; charity; self-control; performance of sacrifice; study of the Vedas; austerity; simplicity; nonviolence; truthfulness; freedom from anger; renunciation; tranquillity; aversion to faultfinding; compassion for all living entities; freedom from covetousness; gentleness; modesty; steady determination; vigor; forgiveness; fortitude; cleanliness; and freedom from envy and from the passion for honor – these transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men endowed with divine nature.
I read the first 3 qualities and ask him to listen for himself in this description. Every subsequent quality brought us all to tears because it so perfectly described his saintly character.
It was a powerful experience for all of us.
We took Prasad and I confessed to him id been judging him for his long hair. I said ive been walking around with a story that devotees are either pukka or out of it.
I got present to the insignificance of keeping long hair. He said "I could shave it off and it would make no difference because my bhakti is in my heart"
Simone and I discussed the possibility of her reading a verse a day and she said yes. She is in her 60's and is always smiling and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa when I see her.
The security guard Mike told me he wrote a song about Krishna and when I asked him to sing it, it was the names in the maha mantra in a different order. He was really stoked on it. Then he told me “i went up to a police officer who spat on me and got right in his face and told him he will go to hellish planes because that's what Krishna does to people like him”
Gabbe and I discussed Kṛṣṇa technology and what leadership looks like from the isavasya conception. We talked for an hour and I invited her to read in a group with Esther and James with bhakta Scott as their guide. She said yes.
Vanessa gave me a card for an editor who said she'd edit this book for free.
Jess agreed to teach yoga on behalf of Vrajanari.
Sitapati facilitates the 108 Om's and leads a round of japa.
Sitapati and I stay on site tonight and we both have symptoms of a flu.
Hare Kṛṣṇa
Day 22
There's a lot going on that you can't see on the news.
However that is changing as mandates get lifted and Winston Peters calls Jacinda out for not even speaking with protesters which is unprecedented.
One lady ripped off her police badge and threw it on the ground resigning on the spot after seeing what was going on.
Police hug protesters who talk of vaccine injuries.
These are all the external details of how the golden age is beginning.
Today we did a very slow walking harinam.
The maha mantra was the prominent leader.
We were following Him.
People followed us or closed their eyes to absorb Him.
It was a warm experience.
An undercover cop helped bring our valuables outside the gate before the other police came through flattening tents and putting pepper spray on anyone who wouldn't leave.
Dear Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Thank you for flooding New Zealand in love of God.
Today I pray that I become a walking embodiment of purity so people experience what they experienced during your personal pastimes on tour of Bharat Varsha or your flash flood at parliment. May I never forget that all people are searching for you only and that it's Your will that I help them find You in Your Holy Names.
Nothing is wrong here. There's simply what's so and what's so is just what's so. Why be a materialist about it and complain?
What happened was I went on harinam, someone said you'll be "not considered ISKCON" nothing seems to have changed in reality, life goes on and I can't wait for prasadam tonight.
Government hasn't transformed. Out of necessity and strategy they lifted mandates for some people. If someone stole my socks and then gave one back wouldnt celebrate and say they are generous.
I'll celebrate when Jacinda reads the Bhagavad-gita and requests council and input from the qualified brahmana devotees. She already has a hardback copy of Bhagavad-gita AS IT IS by Srila Prabhupada which she received as a gift from Sankarsan Ram on Diwali.
Now she can read it and become self realized.
Only a self realized person can make choices that are good for everyone.