26.06.2015 Views

An Authentic Life 1.1 for pdf - Universalist Radha-Krishnaism

An Authentic Life 1.1 for pdf - Universalist Radha-Krishnaism

An Authentic Life 1.1 for pdf - Universalist Radha-Krishnaism

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

jana. <strong>An</strong>thony later became Rebatinandan Swami and<br />

then Shambu.<br />

The next week, Joe and I prepared a feast to<br />

celebrate Krishna’s appearance day on earth 5,000<br />

years ago. We were disappointed no one come to<br />

share the food with us, but later in the day, <strong>An</strong>thony<br />

and his friends came and finished most of it. After<br />

leaving the temple, they went to the plaza to hang out<br />

and were arrested on a variety of petty charges such<br />

as vagrancy.<br />

A couple of days later, fiesta took place in the<br />

plaza at night. Mariachi bands played, and people<br />

had a big party. Joe and I went there to chant Hare<br />

Krishna. A small crowd gathered around to listen.<br />

Soon, a couple of detectives came and arrested us <strong>for</strong><br />

disturbing the peace and assembling without a license.<br />

The crowd yelled <strong>for</strong> our release, and some<br />

people threw bottles and cans at the cops.<br />

When they took us in and booked us, <strong>An</strong>thony<br />

and his friends chanted in the cell block. I was put in<br />

the same cell as <strong>An</strong>thony. I told the story of when the<br />

fifteenth century devotee, Hari Das Thakur was arrested<br />

in India as a <strong>for</strong>m of religious persecution. He<br />

told the other prisoners they were <strong>for</strong>tunate to be in<br />

jail because they were free of material distractions and<br />

could concentrate on Krishna. After the story, the cell<br />

block resounded with Hare Krishna chanting late into<br />

the night and again early in the morning. We also experienced<br />

religious persecution.<br />

We all went to trial in the morning. Joe and I<br />

were given suspended sentences and placed on pro-<br />

65

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!