A Trek and a Visit
Bernal, Argentina
Just prior to departing from Bernal, a neighboring city, I took a trek 2 blocks form the temple when a man and woman sitting in a small office for a car business beckoned me forward. Despite the great language barrier it posed no barrier whatsoever. I tried to decipher what they were saying in Spanish and for the most part I was able to mime my way through or illustrate through sound.
First, they wanted to know what order I belonged to. They assumed it was a Christian order.
“No! Krishna! Christ, “I explained by drawing with my finger invisible ink on the wall, “ is 2000 anos. Krishna is 5000 anos. Krishna form India.”
“Si! Si! Si!” they replied.
They tried to ask if I was married by indicating holding a baby in arms. I said no. “I am a monk.”
“Si! Si!”
They asked what we eat. I indicated through mime and sound “No chickens, no pigs, and no cows.” The couple went hysterically happy and could understand. I invited them to the temple for Sunday. “Templo, Domingo!”
“Si! Si! Si!”
“Adios Amigos!”
“Adios!” They responded with oceanic smiles.
After this episode of making friends a taxi was ready to take my assistant, Janmastami, and I to a large extended family situation at the home of Jiva Goswami in Bernal. The family mentioned a bit about the settlement’s history. In the days of Colonialism the British attacked the alliance of Spanish and natives but had to retreat twice. Hot boiling oil being flung in the air was one of the strategies used to ward off British invaders.
Our real focus for the evening was singing songs from Bhaktivinoda Thankur, a bhakti master, and speaking about our personal devotion as likened to a vine that grows and takes daily watering through mantra power. The toughest battle is within and not without and devotional chanting can bring the chanter to a victory situation.
6 Km
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