Reflections on Woodstock 2010

The following are my godsister, Sitala dasi’s, reflections on the success of Krsna’s Village of Peace at the Woodstock festival in Poland this summer. A gifted writer and deep devotee, she helps us to understand how the mercy of Lord Caitanya unfolded at that mammoth event. I beg the readers to overlook her kind remarks about myself. The credit actually goes to each and every one of the five hundred sincere devotees who participated in that great yajna.

“At the Polish Woodstock festival, amid the chaos and insanity of thousands of young people coming together to try to enjoy, I looked out at the throng spread before me like a great ocean of tamas. I saw one young person with a garland of beer cans hung around his neck, a couple with hot-pink and lime-green spiked Mohawks with safety pins piercing their lips, and a group of drunken teenagers sliding happily in the muddy fields, half naked. For a moment, I felt disgusted and repulsed. Then Indradyumna Maharaja’s words resounded in my mind: “Don’t think you are better than these kids. You are not any better, you are only more fortunate.”

Humbled, I recalled my own degraded condition more than forty years ago, immersed in ignorance at the original Woodstock in Upstate New York. Through that ocean of darkness, I suddenly saw what looked like a bright light in the distance, which turned out to be a couple of devotees chanting the holy names. What a great fortune to meet devotees! That is what we bring to these festivals – a bright light in the darkness. Certainly, in the crowds there were many kids just like I was – souls who are searching, who feel empty, who are looking for meaning in life, who need the light of devotee association to bring good fortune into their lives. Guided by Paramatma, such souls arrive at Krsna’s Village of Peace, where they enter a Vaikuntha bubble – a colorful, bright, clean, joyful environment; a stark contrast to the darkness outside. There they begin their journey back to Godhead by tasting Krsna prasadam, joining in the kirtans, hearing philosophy and associating with devotees. There’s no doubt that for many these experiences mark the beginning of the end of their material existence, just as it was for me all those years ago. And for us, the devotees, there is no greater service.

Some may say that this festival has been going on for a long time, so why aren’t there more devotees joining in Poland? It’s impossible to calculate the long-term effects of the distribution of hundreds of thousands of plates of prasadam, of thousands of hours of harinam, of endless hours pulling the ropes during the numerous Ratha-yatras. Who knows what Krsna has planned for Poland? But something will certainly come from such an unprecedented flood of mercy. Hundreds and thousands of seeds of bhakti have been sown here through the years. How and when those seeds will sprout is up to the Lord, but it is certain that the seeds are in the ground and the process has begun. Surely we will see the results eventually; it is only a matter of time. Hare Krsna is definitely cool to thousands of Polish youngsters, many of whom have grown up with this appreciation and are gradually becoming the adults who will run the country.

Actually, we don’t have to wait – during the festival we regularly saw transformation taking place in people’s hearts. During my seminar I often explained from the ceto darpana marjanam verse how chanting Hare Krsna is like swimming in an ocean of nectar, then encouraged everyone to go to the mantra rock tent to have this experience. One night at the height of a most extraordinary, deep meditative kirtan led by Madhava das, I noticed a couple of girls who had attended my seminar dancing jubilantly with abandon. One of the girls saw me looking at her and excitedly started moving her arms as if swimming, telling me, “This is it, right? Swimming in the ocean of nectar?” I beamed and nodded, for there was no doubt about it, an ocean of nectar was flooding that tent and we were all bobbing and diving in the waves. None of us will ever forget those kirtans.

One day Indradyumna Maharaja was watching excitedly as people were lining up to participate in the various events. Suddenly he said, “Sometimes I just want to offer my obeisances to them.” I was a bit surprised – “You mean to the karmis?” He replied, “Yes, without them how could we have such amazing experiences?” I was impressed. This is the heart of a devotee – so filled with gratitude and seeing Krsna everywhere, even in the smallest or lowliest. What a wonderful vision of humility and appreciation. That comment has helped me to see the non-devotees differently and to more deeply appreciate what we are doing at Woodstock. There is really nothing more gratifying than being a foot soldier in Mahaprabhu’s army, marching to the tune of Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna Hare Hare …

I think the Woodstock festival is just as much a blessing for the devotees as it is for the kids, because we have the opportunity to be with some of the most experienced kirtan masters in the world – Indradyumna Swami, BB Govinda Maharaja , Sri Prahlada, Madhava, Rucira dasi , all wonderful kirtaneers. When such devotees join together for kirtan, especially when we are out in the world giving the name to the non-devotees, it raises the bar to a whole new level. The heart blossoms as we delve into the mellows of chanting the holy name, awakening greater faith, greater taste and deeper affection for the devotees. It also gives us greater realization of the potency of devotee association. Individually we may be weak, incapable, even uninspired, but when we join in the mission of Lord Caitanya something magical happens. We become a dynamic spiritual force capable of creating a powerful spiritual environment which impacts on the non-devotees. As Srila Prabhupada said, a single stick can be snapped easily, but a handful of sticks are virtually unbreakable.

I wish there were thousands of such festivals going on all around the world and thousands more devotees who could have the experience of distributing Krsna consciousness in such a big way. Sometimes I tire of hearing devotees discussing controversies and conflicts. Surely if that energy were used to get out in the world to help others, so many doubts and disappointments would dissolve. As the saying goes, someone who is wrapped up in himself makes a very small package. Interestingly, the more we forget ourselves in the service of the spiritual master’s mission the happier we become.

I talked to the mother of a devotee who had come to the festival for the first time. She was about my age and well acquainted with the New Age scene. She was there more to check out what her daughter was getting into, rather than personal interest. I could see she was gradually being won over by the devotees, and just before she left she said she was deeply impressed by how we distribute food to the young people and offer them seminars for minimal expense. She said she had never seen that charitable mood among the New Age groups, and it was the desire to bestow spiritual benefit that set us apart.

I am always amazed to see how much can be achieved when one person is extremely enthusiastic and determined. Indradyumna Maharaja’s spirit carries the whole thing, “the power of one.” He is the power-house that makes the festival happen year after year. I offer him my most humble obeisances for giving all of us the opportunity to join him in his offering of love to Srila Prabhupada.

Your servant,

Sitala devi dasi.


Views: 627 • September 5, 2010 HG Sitala Mataji, Reflections, Uncategorized, Woodstock festival