To the One Who Inspired
Today is just another one that holds much inspiration.
A few of us at the ashram were remembering a soul by the name of
Jayananda. Hailing from Ohio, he was one of the most helpful persons when
Krishna Consciousness was in its infancy in the west. He passed away from
leukemia in ’76, so this makes it an anniversary day.
He was not known as a walker, but rather as a cab
driver. With his income he supported devotional efforts in the Bay area
and what you could call the beacon of hippie-dom in the ‘60’s. Perhaps he
didn’t put all energy into his feet and legs, but he did put physical energy
into everything. He used every part of his body in the service of others,
and his endeavours ranged from priestly work to taking out the garbage, all
done in the spirit of joy. For him, everything was an opportunity.
He worked tirelessly, selflessly, and where saintliness really counts, it truly
shone in him in many ways. One way was his strong resistance to hearing
criticism of others. Basically, he loved people and life.
Now, I personally never met him, but I have plenty of peers
who shared invaluable time with him, whether it was doing mechanical work on
the communal car, or assembling the chariots for the big parade on Fifth Avenue
in New York. He seemed to capture the mood and spirit of bhakti, devotion.
In this regard you could classify him as a true yogi in the devotional sense.
Inspiration is a difficult concept to grasp, perhaps, in
scientific terms, but it is very real when you get motivated just by seeing
someone in selfless action. That’s what Jayananda did for people.
May the Source be with you!
5 KM
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