Request for a Prayer for the Earthquake Victims
By Jasomatinandan Dasa

Dear Maharajas, Prabhus and Mothers,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

You are all aware of the most devastating earthquake in the recent history of the world that shook up the whole Indian subcontinent from Kerala to Nepal and Pakistan to Calcutta. I have never heard of such a wide spread earthquake. It really shook up Gujarat.

I have been living in Ahmedabad for twenty three years and in Gujarat for all my fifty two years, barring five years in USA where I joined ISKCON in 1972, and two years in Bombay. I have never experienced any earthquake in Gujarat. So this was really a bolt from the blue. The devastation physical and mental is beyond description.

While we tended to the need of quake affected areas of Ahmedabad, where more than two thousand people have died, the devotees from ISKCON Bombay and Baroda went to Kaccha, where they did a lot of prasadam distribution and helping. Bombay doctors from Bhaktivedanta hospital did very long and sincere service.

Now the real thing is giving a permanent healing touch to their souls. That can only be done by spiritual mercy. If Vaishnavas pray for someone, Krishna never lets him down. Some of our social worker friends who came out on our street sankirtana, on the first monthly anniversary of the earth quake, were so enlivened by the experience that they immediately said "This is the best way to help all the affected people both living and dead." They requested us that you please ask all the ISKCON devotees all over the world to pray for them. That will be the greatest homage from them and ISKCON to these suffering people.

I know many of you have been quite shocked by the horrible effect of this earthquake that killed over a hundred thousand people and want to help in whatever little way you can. Here is your chance. A Vaishnava is "para duhkha duhkhi.” He becomes unhappy to see others' suffering.

We beg you all to please pray for these very afflicted souls from Gujarat by offering one round of your chanting Hare Krishna Mahamantra and five minutes of your kirtana, congregational chanting on the auspicious Gaura Purnima day. We will announce this in the media and an avalanche of appreciation for Srila Prabhupada and his movement will follow. Thank you all very much in anticipation.

Your servant Jashomatinandan Dasa.
President, ISKCON Ahmedabad, Gujarat

© CHAKRA 12 March 2001

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