There is a Sanskrit proverb that there is no any better knowledge than that of a musician. Our Krishna Consciousness movement is practically based upon music and dancing. Since the appearance of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha mantra got an extra importance because it is the best way to please Krishna and purify our and others’ consciousness.
As you already know, in Holland, there is a group of enthusiastic congregational devotees who like to go to harinams into the different cities and villages. Recently we found on one website (markten.nl) that there is a schedule when and where different markets are open. So, following in the footsteps of Lord Nityananda we started to go to different markets to distribute the holy name for free. Yeah, on the market we are the only ones who don’t ask for money. There are usually different reactions when people see and hear us. Some are surprised, some are astonished, some become happy and yet others even began to dance.
Yes, although we are not professionals, which Srila Prabhupada did not consider necessary, people are attracted and our most desired goal is that the holy name again becomes a daily house word. If people remember Krishna they will certainly get benefited and this will prove that one hour of public Harinam is worth thousands of hours of solitary japa, and thus it is hundreds of times more powerful and beneficial.
To end, here is one interesting story. Recently we received interesting news from Partha-sarathi dasa who is now a soldier in the US army. He wrote: “I thought you all might get a laugh at what happened the other day. We had to do a 6 mile run for fitness. It’s a custom to sing during these runs to build the soldier’s cohesion. So, they asked me to sing. I agreed and as we were running down the street an idea popped in my mind to get them to chant the Hare Krishna mantra. Now, this wasn’t a group of 6 or 7 people, there were a total of 600 soldiers and for 3 miles they chanted the Maha Mantra as loud as they could. They were really into it. Amazing what the power of the Holy Name can do.
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu said: O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names like Krsna and Govinda. In these transcendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies. There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach You by chanting Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them.
(Old news from a Newsletter, 2006)