“Please chant Hare Krishna Maha Mantra!” This is what I heard in my first ISKCON Youth Club prayer meeting in Noida when I was just 25. Prayer meeting! Seriously? What took me to a Hare Krishna discourse at a young age of 25 you may wonder. I should rather be in a pub boozing or getting high on weed. Or go on a date, speeding a bike on the Express Way. What business I had looking for God?

BACK TO COLLEGE DAYS

I graduated from a premier Technology Institute from Karnataka. I spent most of my 4 years there in sleeping, watching movies, jogging, playing computer games, sports, partying and random stuff. My dad wished me to be a top techie but my own purpose I would discover later.

From being a teetotaler I began boozing. I spent the final year in cracking a high paying job and enjoying life to the fullest.

So here I was with my first job with the makers of Fotoshop in Noida. Met some interesting people here. All kinds of techies, freaks, philosophers, artists and travelling photographers. Explored different life ideals and perspectives.

With financial independence, I could do more stuff now. Staying in a sprawling Apartment in Noida, I and my buddy Srinivas would spend time on the balcony and release rings of smoke from the homemade Hookah.

Amidst all these fun times I would wonder about the meaning of life. I had most things people would vie for at 23 but they never gave me real happiness. Although I was enjoying externally, deep down I could see a dark black abyss swallow me within. I begged for help but did not know where to find it. All the booze, smoke and binge eating only made me more miserable. But one fine day I found myself reading the Bhagavad Gita.

What – the Gita !

Bhagavad Gita! Seriously? Yes, buddy – The Holy Gita. How did I get the Gita you may wonder? The reason – my lovely mom. She had begun a spiritual journey and was into reading the holy Gita. She was in an overzealous spree of distributing the Gita to everyone she would meet. From newlyweds to widows she distributed this book to one and all. How could me – her eldest son be spared? Especially since the younger one never obliged. The sight of my mother would bring a bright smile on the face of the Gita preachers sweating out the whole day to distribute some books. She would never disappoint them.

She gave me the Gita and said it will help you during such times. My brother did not find the same fascination for the book. I put the book on the table and was not very keen. But my atheistic flatmate Srinivas surprisingly gave a strong approval. I said let’s give it a try. I read a few pages and the author spoke a lot about Krishna. I wondered about the claim ‘Krishna -The Supreme Lord?’. I was like – maybe. My Sri Vaishnav buddy had once mentioned that although he considered Vishnu as supreme some sects considers Krishna as supreme. I was quite intrigued but my inquisitiveness was forgotten between childhood banter.

Challenge to Krishna

While reading Gita I was like – maybe Krishna is supreme. Who cares. If he is the supreme, He definitely can cure me of my existential crisis. I challenged Krishna – If you are indeed the Supreme Lord you should – fix my life. I was suffering from insomnia and host of other problems. I was into several vices as well and existential crisis even worse. I left the book on the shelf and had forgotten all about it.

But Krishna did not forget. Soon I would find my life change and how. I fell ill with muscular pain in my back. I lay bedridden for some days. I was making slow progress. I lost courage as the illness prolonged. I was sad that my friends were having a good time but me – am stuck to my bed. The acute suffering during this period made me ask – Why these things are happening to me? In such times I was drawn to the Bhagavad Gita.

THE HEALING

I was sitting with the Gita in my arms and drinking the nectar coming from the pages. Line by line, page by page, chapter by chapter I could feel myself getting cleansed of all dirt. I could feel the transformation. Srila Prabhupada, the author mentioned that “All distress we suffer are the reactions of past sinful activities.” I recalled the number of sinful activities I had done. Hearts I had broken. words I had spoken. Acts I had done. Repentance poured. Heart wept and I was transformed in a short time. It is said

There is no atonement like repentance.

I decided to give up my vices. Srila Prabhupada said “meat-eating, intoxication, illicit relations and gambling are the pillars of sinful life. You stop this and all sinful activity will collapse.” As these habits left me I was drawn more to Krishna.

FORWARD TO THE ISKCON MEETING

I figured out about the author Srila Prabhupada. He was the founder Acharya of International Society for Krishna Consciousness. (ISKCON). I had visited their premium vegetarian restaurant Govinda’s a few times back but never bothered to visit the temple. But this time it was different. This time I went to the temple to meet the Lord and the devotees.

The temple in Noida was being constructed and it was a huge concrete structure. Small deities of Radha Krishna adorned the altar. I walked in on a Saturday evening. A volunteer approached me and said ‘There is a class now on happiness – Can you attend ?’ This was what I was looking for here.

MY FIRST HARE KRISHNA CHANT

The speaker a young boy in his late twenties gives an amazing class about happiness. He spoke about how futile material happiness is and how sublime Krishna consciousness is. I could relate it through my own life. Finally, at the end of the program, he said chant Hare Krishna to progress in spiritual life. The volunteers distributed the beads and I was holding the beads on my fingers. The host said we should hold the beads on the middle and avoid the index finger. My preconceived notions of a middle finger made me smile. The session began and I chanted the first round (108 beads) of Hare Krishna.

One round equals 108 times chanting of the mantra. The chanting made my mind peaceful. I decided to do it every day. At least a few rounds I promised. As I chanted regularly I saw great changes in me. Controlling my mind became much easier. I quit smoking. Hated the smell of alcohol. Weed smelt like burnt vegetation. and meat felt like a dead body.

Krishna became the most desirable person. Old friends were replaced by devotees. Temple became my principal weekend getaway. The kirtans( hymns) gave me the new high and the rounds of whisky was replaced by rounds of Hare Krishna Chanting.

The happiness I experienced was in a completely different realm altogether.

VEDIC TESTIMONIES

I came to know that Lord Brahma – A top Hindu deity had this to say.

These 16 syllabes of Hare Krishna mantra are the only solution for the age of quarrel and hypocrisy(Kali Yuga) . It destroys all the vices and makes one a devotee of Krishna. One should chant this mantra to experience the highest spiritual bliss.

These testimonies from Kali Santarana Upanishad made my conviction even stronger. I have seen great transformation in myself and in the lives of many others. I wish everyone could experience this. My only regret is I should have got into it even younger. And everyone I met whatever be their age always agree on this point.

I have seen great transformations by chanting Hare Krishna. When will you begin your journey of chanting Hare Krishna? You can start by going here.