{"id":683,"date":"2023-08-15T08:31:30","date_gmt":"2023-08-15T08:31:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/indradyumnaswamiparikrama.com\/?page_id=683"},"modified":"2023-08-20T09:51:59","modified_gmt":"2023-08-20T09:51:59","slug":"about-indradyumna-swami","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/indradyumnaswamiparikrama.com\/about-indradyumna-swami\/","title":{"rendered":"About Indradyumna Swami"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"683\" class=\"elementor elementor-683\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-14d6a9df elementor-section-content-middle elementor-reverse-mobile elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"14d6a9df\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6be3ef13\" data-id=\"6be3ef13\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bc8a9b4 elementor-widget__width-auto elementor-widget elementor-widget-hub_fancy_heading\" data-id=\"bc8a9b4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"hub_fancy_heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<div id=\"ld-fancy-heading-65f65bf395ba4\" class=\"ld-fancy-heading pos-rel\">\n\t\t\t<h6 class=\"ld-fh-element d-inline-block pos-rel  elementor-heading-title lqd-highlight-classic lqd-highlight-grow-left h6\"  > About<\/h6>\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3a97f92f elementor-widget elementor-widget-hub_fancy_heading\" data-id=\"3a97f92f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"hub_fancy_heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<div id=\"ld-fancy-heading-65f65bf3972ac\" class=\"ld-fancy-heading pos-rel\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"ld-fh-element d-inline-block pos-rel  elementor-heading-title lqd-highlight-classic lqd-highlight-grow-left lqd-highlight-reset-onhover h2\"  > About Indradyumna Swami<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2a0046b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2a0046b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 13-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<div class=\"av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3 blockquote modern-quote avia-builder-el-5 el_before_av_textblock avia-builder-el-first av-inherit-size\"><p style=\"text-align: left;\">H.H. Indradyumna Swami appeared in this world on May 20th, 1949 in Palo-Alto (California, USA).<\/p><\/div><section class=\"av_textblock_section\"><div class=\"avia_textblock \"><p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"justify\">Leaving aside his university studies at an early age, Indradyumna Swami devoted himself to the search for spiritual knowledge. He finally reached his goal in 1970, when he discovered the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in Detroit, Michigan. After several months of associating with devotees, he joined the temple on East Jefferson near the center of the city.<\/p><\/div><\/section>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5326e1ec\" data-id=\"5326e1ec\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff6e67a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ff6e67a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 13-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"563\" height=\"385\" src=\"https:\/\/indradyumnaswamiparikrama.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/c94e86577ba716206997fc33a7ec4598.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-661\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/indradyumnaswamiparikrama.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/c94e86577ba716206997fc33a7ec4598.jpg 563w, https:\/\/indradyumnaswamiparikrama.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/c94e86577ba716206997fc33a7ec4598-300x205.jpg 300w, https:\/\/indradyumnaswamiparikrama.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/c94e86577ba716206997fc33a7ec4598-18x12.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 563px) 100vw, 563px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2602f69d elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2602f69d\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3b89787f\" data-id=\"3b89787f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cd041c0 elementor-pagination-position-outside elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-carousel\" data-id=\"cd041c0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;slides_to_show&quot;:&quot;3&quot;,&quot;slides_to_scroll&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;navigation&quot;:&quot;dots&quot;,&quot;autoplay_speed&quot;:3000,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_hover&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_interaction&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;infinite&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;speed&quot;:500}\" data-widget_type=\"image-carousel.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 13-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image-carousel .swiper,.elementor-widget-image-carousel .swiper-container{position:static}.elementor-widget-image-carousel .swiper-container .swiper-slide figure,.elementor-widget-image-carousel .swiper .swiper-slide figure{line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-image-carousel .swiper-slide{text-align:center}.elementor-image-carousel-wrapper:not(.swiper-container-initialized):not(.swiper-initialized) .swiper-slide{max-width:calc(100% \/ var(--e-image-carousel-slides-to-show, 3))}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-carousel-wrapper swiper\" dir=\"ltr\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-carousel swiper-wrapper\" aria-live=\"off\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"1 of 5\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/indradyumnaswamiparikrama.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/71256377_10215227578265724_154987992274960384_n.jpg\" alt=\"71256377_10215227578265724_154987992274960384_n\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"2 of 5\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/indradyumnaswamiparikrama.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/75561630_10215604920619047_7626872709418319872_n.jpg\" alt=\"75561630_10215604920619047_7626872709418319872_n\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"3 of 5\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/indradyumnaswamiparikrama.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/88424874_10216514536598878_924606008133681152_n.jpg\" alt=\"88424874_10216514536598878_924606008133681152_n\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"4 of 5\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/indradyumnaswamiparikrama.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/261324510_10220710096965265_7615695194622463343_n.jpg\" alt=\"261324510_10220710096965265_7615695194622463343_n\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"5 of 5\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/indradyumnaswamiparikrama.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/313324596_10222344133455156_8484802396795633867_n.jpg\" alt=\"313324596_10222344133455156_8484802396795633867_n\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-pagination\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4d2afdb e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"4d2afdb\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-827c432 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"827c432\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 13-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-column .elementor-spacer-inner{height:var(--spacer-size)}.e-con{--container-widget-width:100%}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-spacer,.e-con>.elementor-widget-spacer{width:var(--container-widget-width,var(--spacer-size));--align-self:var(--container-widget-align-self,initial);--flex-shrink:0}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-spacer>.elementor-widget-container,.e-con>.elementor-widget-spacer>.elementor-widget-container{height:100%;width:100%}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-spacer>.elementor-widget-container>.elementor-spacer,.e-con>.elementor-widget-spacer>.elementor-widget-container>.elementor-spacer{height:100%}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-spacer>.elementor-widget-container>.elementor-spacer>.elementor-spacer-inner,.e-con>.elementor-widget-spacer>.elementor-widget-container>.elementor-spacer>.elementor-spacer-inner{height:var(--container-widget-height,var(--spacer-size))}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-spacer.elementor-widget-empty,.e-con>.elementor-widget-spacer.elementor-widget-empty{position:relative;min-height:22px;min-width:22px}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-spacer.elementor-widget-empty .elementor-widget-empty-icon,.e-con>.elementor-widget-spacer.elementor-widget-empty .elementor-widget-empty-icon{position:absolute;top:0;bottom:0;left:0;right:0;margin:auto;padding:0;width:22px;height:22px}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-45bd658 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"45bd658\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-29772f6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"29772f6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Within a week of joining, he began participating in and even leading harinam (congregational chanting of the Lord\u2019s Holy Names) and book distribution parties. That same year, Indradyumna Swami met his eternal spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness, and received both harinam and brahminical initiation from him.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">Following the instruction of his spiritual master to \u201cpreach boldy and have faith in the holy names,\u201d Indradyumna Swami left the USA in 1971 (only a year after joining) and headed for Europe where he would assist devotees in opening new centers.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">Srila Prabhupada\u2019s desire was that noble and educated men should dedicate there lives to spreading Krishna consciousness all over the world. In order to fulfill this desire of his spiritual master, Indradyumna Swami took sanyassa (renounced order of life) in 1979, at the age of 29. In 1983, he served as temple president for a few years at the New Mayapur Project in France.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">Since 1986, Indradyumna Swami has been traveling and spreading the message of Krishna Consciousness throughout the world in countries such as the USA, Poland, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Hungary, Ukraine, Russia and South America. He is well-known as one of ISKCON\u2019s most active preachers.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">A shining example of his large-scale preaching is the traveling Festival of India tour which he organizes every year in Poland. These festivals attract thousands of people, who learn about and relish the nectar of Krsna Consciousness through music, dance, drama, spiritual discussion, and prasadam (food that is first offered to the Lord).<\/p><p align=\"justify\">Since 1995, Indradyumna Swami has been writing his Diary of a Traveling Preacher, which describes many of his adventures and realizations while continuously traveling. The following autobiographical essay, \u201cShelter Beyond Duality,\u201d was published in the 1993 edition of ISKCON\u2019s Back to Godhead Magazine.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-62d2d5a1 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"62d2d5a1\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6287cd97\" data-id=\"6287cd97\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-76183949 elementor-widget elementor-widget-hub_fancy_heading\" data-id=\"76183949\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"hub_fancy_heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<div id=\"ld-fancy-heading-65f65bf3a5d32\" class=\"ld-fancy-heading pos-rel\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"ld-fh-element d-inline-block pos-rel  elementor-heading-title lqd-highlight-classic lqd-highlight-grow-left h2\"  > \u201cShelter Beyond Duality\u201d <em class=\"h3\" style=\"font-size: inherit\"><br><br>by Indradyumna Swami<\/em><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-037d1e2 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"037d1e2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-936e493 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"936e493\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p align=\"justify\">This is the story of my life. Or better yet, the story of two lives: the one my spiritual master saved me from, and the one he gave me. Both concern the same person, but one life was temporary, ignorant, and full of suffering, and the other is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss. This is the story of the miracle, for me at least, of how I was delivered from the ocean of material life.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">You could say my story begins within the womb. But I know it goes back many lifetimes, to a past too distant for me to know or understand. If cameras had existed that long ago, I imagine we\u2019d see on these pages photos of kings and paupers, animals and men, the famous and the infamous \u2014 all dying and then being born again. But this chapter of my story begins, like all life stories, from the day I was delivered anew, with a mother and father, sisters and brothers, cousins and nephews.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">Life was tough from the start\u2026 a slap on the backside. But at age four came my first hard taste of reality: I contracted spinal meningitis. The doctors were experimenting with new drugs, but none of them had proved reliable. I remember seeing my mother cry when they told her what I had. All I knew was a raging fever and lonely months in the hospital ward as doctors desperately tried to save my life. I remember once hearing nurses whispering about my inevitable death. Anxious for shelter, I wondered, \u201cWhere is my mother now?\u201d<\/p><p align=\"justify\">But after some months the medicines proved effective. I left the hospital a little wiser. I was only four, but I knew more what to expect. Life wasn\u2019t going to be all what the storybooks said.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">When I was six, Old Yellar died. He was the neighborhood hound, the best friend of all the boys on the block, our constant companion until the day he crossed the road a little late. The car that hit him didn\u2019t even stop. Some of the boys ran after it throwing rocks. The rest of us cried at Old Yellar\u2019s side as we watched his life ebb away. We pleaded to Mr. Franklin, who came by in his ice cream truck, to save Old Yellar. He just stood motionless, because it was too late. Again a distant thought came into my mind: \u201cWho can we turn to for help?\u201d<\/p><p align=\"justify\">As I grew, I mostly learned how to survive. School seemed irrelevant. I became disillusioned quickly, my mind pondering the dualities of birth and death, happiness and distress. Nothing would last. That I had seen\u2014not the shelter of the womb, Old Yellar, or for that matter even me.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">I began to see that others were also perplexed and suffering. Not only people, but animals as well.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">But not everyone was sympathetic to how I looked at things. At twelve years old in school we were asked to draw what we\u2019d like to see on the table at the upcoming Thanksgiving Feast. I drew vegetables, no turkey or meat. My classmates saw it as hilarious; my teachers thought it odd. And the day I refused to eat meat my father figured I was downright impolite, and he sent me to bed without supper. As I lay in bed, I thought how hard life is, even if you try to do things right.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">At sixteen I made the break. \u201cMaybe it isn\u2019t like this everywhere,\u201d I thought. Perhaps somewhere else I could find a really satisfying life. Sometimes I\u2019d felt I\u2019d come close, especially when my friends and I surfed the waves at Stinson Beach, near San Francisco. Out there, we were free and moving.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">With great hope and expectations we packed our gear that summer and headed south. Perhaps in Mexico we\u2019d find the perfect wave. But even as we left, my friends chided me when I said, \u201cBut it won\u2019t last forever.\u201d<\/p><p align=\"justify\">At San Blas we were thrilled when we caught waves that gave rides a mile long. But the real challenge was around the point, at Rodger\u2019s Bay. There the waves broke in perfect formation. The curl was flawless\u2014you could shoot the tube! It seemed perfect. But there was one problem\u2014the waves broke onto a coral reef.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">I don\u2019t really know what impelled me to paddle toward the reef that day. Some boys challenged me; others pleaded with me not to go. Perhaps I was desperate.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">I caught the wave with ease. It was big, beautiful, and long. I quickly turned left, crouched, and suddenly found myself racing into the tube. I was thrilled, exhilarated\u2014this was it! But in my excitement I lost my concentration and slipped\u2026 right into the deadly reef.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">I remember screaming for help as the coral tore into my skin. But in the back of my mind I thought again, \u201cWho can help me now?\u201d<\/p><p align=\"justify\">I rolled and tumbled across the rocks and landed close to the beach. Some villagers came and pulled me out. I was fortunate; except for a large gash on my left leg, I had mostly minor cuts and bruises. But my surfboard was finished, and so was my search for the perfect wave.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">Back in the States, I reflected that if I couldn\u2019t save myself, maybe I could save others. So I enlisted in the Marine Corps, America\u2019s top fighting unit. My country was fighting in Vietnam to stop the spread of communism. I thought if we could win in Vietnam, perhaps we could bring peace and happiness to the world.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">It\u2019s been said that we can see heaven and hell even in this life. That year I saw hell as I went through the ordeal of becoming a killer. But often as we\u2019d fix our bayonets for a practice duel my mind would object, \u201cYou don\u2019t really believe in the war, do you? Be honest with yourself\u2014you\u2019re only here for name and fame. And you might well lose your life for it.\u201d<\/p><p align=\"justify\">One day I approached my authorities and refused to fight. The next several days in jail gave me time to think. \u201cIt\u2019s easy to kill but so hard to know what to live for.\u201d<\/p><p align=\"justify\">By the time I received my discharge papers, I didn\u2019t know whether to go left or right. I wandered in desperation, thinking how each time I made a step in life I met with frustration and despair. One day in the privacy of my room, I called out to God. \u201cMy Lord, I\u2019m in a world of distress! If You\u2019re really there, please give me shelter.\u201d<\/p><p align=\"justify\">The next afternoon I wandered into a museum, intent on forgetting myself by browsing through antiquities. An exhibit on India\u2019s culture and traditions caught my eye. As I surveyed the paintings and artifacts, my eyes fell upon the most beautiful painting, marked \u201cKrsna and His Milkmaids.\u201d The scene captivated my attention, and I moved closer to read the text that went with it:<\/p><p align=\"justify\">\u201cThis scene depicts heaven, where God enjoys eternal life.\u201d<\/p><p align=\"justify\">\u201cYes,\u201d I thought, \u201cthat\u2019s what I\u2019m looking for\u2014eternal life, a place beyond the dualities of the world. But could it be like this? Who is Krsna, and what is a \u2018milkmaid\u2019 anyway?\u201d<\/p><p align=\"justify\">I looked around for someone to explain the painting in more depth. But a guard announced that the museum was about to close. Disappointed, I walked out the main entrance and came upon a most amazing sight. Seated on the lawn before me were orange-robed monks with large staffs in their hands. They were speaking intently to a crowd around them.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">I inched forward to hear better and was stunned when the tallest monk told the crowd about Krsna and the spiritual world. I learned later that what he was speaking is found in the ancient Vedic scripture Brahma-samhita:<\/p><p align=\"justify\">Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He lives forever in the spiritual world, beyond the dualities of material life. His transcendental land of Vrndavana is populated by goddesses of fortune, who appear as milkmaids and who love Krsna beyond anything else. The trees there fulfill all desires, and the waters of immortality flow through land made of wish-fulfilling stone. There all speech is song, all walking is dancing, and the flute is the Lord\u2019s constant companion. Cows flood the land with abundant milk, and everything is luminous like the sun. Since every moment in Vrndavana is spent in loving Krsna, there is no past or future.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">\u201cThat\u2019s it!\u201d I yelled out.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">Surprised, the monk turned toward me. \u201cThat\u2019s what?\u201d he asked.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">\u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019m looking for!\u201d I replied. \u201cI prayed last night. Then I saw the painting in the museum\u2026and now I\u2019ve found you!\u201d<\/p><p align=\"justify\">\u201cHe\u2019s probably on LSD,\u201d remarked a woman to my left.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">I composed myself, a bit embarrassed that the entire crowd was staring at me.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">But I was determined. Never before had I heard such knowledge, and so concisely explained. I introduced myself to the monk.<\/p><p align=\"justify\">\u201cI\u2019m Visnujana Swami,\u201d he said, \u201cand we\u2019ve come to take you home.\u201d<\/p><p align=\"justify\">And so it began\u2014this new life, my life as a devotee of Krsna-way back in 1971. If I could show you all that\u2019s happened since then, you\u2019d see many photos on this page\u2014of singing the holy names and dancing, of feasts and illuminating discourses too numerous to mention or explain. Let it suffice to say that on that day I started home again, beyond the dualities of birth and death, to the shelter of the eternal realm.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>About About Indradyumna Swami H.H. Indradyumna Swami appeared in this world on May 20th, 1949 in Palo-Alto (California, USA). Leaving aside his university studies at an early age, Indradyumna Swami devoted himself to the search for spiritual knowledge. He finally reached his goal in 1970, when he discovered the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/indradyumnaswamiparikrama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/683"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/indradyumnaswamiparikrama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/indradyumnaswamiparikrama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indradyumnaswamiparikrama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indradyumnaswamiparikrama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=683"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/indradyumnaswamiparikrama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/683\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1339,"href":"https:\/\/indradyumnaswamiparikrama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/683\/revisions\/1339"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/indradyumnaswamiparikrama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}