Salted Bread -- Krishna Consciousness Comes to Russia

The teachings of Krishna consciousness have existed since time immemorial, but it was not until his divine grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, began his worldwide preaching that the revolutionary spread of Krishna consciousness began taking place across the planet. During Srila Prabhupada's historic visit to Russia in the June of 1951, when he stayed there for five days, he met two young men. One was an Indian called Narayan and another, a Russian boy named Ivan.

In planting the seed of Krishna Consciousness in the heart of this one young Russian boy, Srila Prabhupada found the real purpose of his visit to Russia and the birth and spread of Krishna Consciousness in Russia became a major chapter in his herculean efforts. Hey, where is page number 4? Oh, there it is. Got it.

Keep all the papers here. So Prabhu, how's the punching going? Prabhu, this punching has not been done properly. See?

See this? We'll have to do it again. Srila Prabhupada wanted his books to be of first class quality. Who knows which fortunate person will receive it and have his life transformed.

Bro, you're right, Sanyastabu. The other day, I met a person who had handwritten the entire Bhagavad Gita to give it to his best friend. I told him he need not do it another time because he had more copies. He was so surprised to know that existed another copy of this rare book in the whole of Armenia.

Hey you guys there, Paco and Galgo, can you take these books and stack them in the box there? You two friends are doing a fabulous job. Don't you think they make a great team? You bet it.

That's true. Guys, I was thinking we must all learn each step of operation perfectly. So tomorrow, if someone gets arrested or leaves, others could carry on doing his part. Yes, true.

You're right. But we pray, Sanyas Prabhu, that you may never be arrested. Without you, the whole book distribution program will collapse. Come on, Nagu.

Krishna can use anyone as an instrument. A few months ago, could both of you even imagine that your lives would change in such a way? We were simply into drugs, meat and adventure. They are sorry.

We have been friends right to kindergarten school and high school. We would love reading books. Yes. We would visit a lot of bookstores and libraries.

We were searching for something. Though exactly we didn't know what we were searching for. Gago and I would visit old and abandoned churches and clean them up thoroughly well. And write a notice to all the visitors to not destroy the sacred houses of God.

Only to find the very next day a stool on the altar. Remember? and bad words on the walls everywhere. Krishna has brought us from the rotting filth of materialism to the ever new joys of Krishna Consciousness. Gago, I am so very grateful to you for saving my very life and bringing me here.

Thank you Prabhu. Thank you a million. Arme, Sanyasnu, Krishna, Arme, Are you all here? What?

Okay. Yes, we will do that. Okay, Armen, thank you. Guys, it was Armen.

He was saying there is something important on the news. Let's check it. Put on the news. misguided by these dangerous cult followers who, as they suspect, are members of the CIA. Hare Krishna is a crazy person who brainwashes a wide range of people and is suspected of buying literature from them.

The General Secretary of the Communist Party, Comrade Gorbachev, issued an official declaration that all active members of Hare Krishna should be arrested by KGB. And they will be warned. Because our devotional army is striking, is shaking the very roots of the atheistic and established communist regime. That's why.

Right. Now, we have been able to gather strong public support. But the communist party is trying in every possible way to put obstacles and crush our preaching. Sometimes they say that we are disturbing the peace, or that we are crazy.

They say we do not have a proper permit, that we do not represent a bona fide religion, and on and on and on. The obstacles to our establishing a far-reaching organization here are seemingly insurmountable. Each time, each time those KGB confiscates our books, it's so painful. These books, which are smeared with our very blood, which we all are spending so much time and effort to make secretly, They just come and destroy everything like that.

It's painful guys. But the fact still remains that fear is in everyone's hearts. And so, people are either not coming to the temple, or just leaving out of fear of being blacklisted. But do not worry.

Very soon, very soon we will have hundreds and thousands of Shri Prabhupada's books from the entire Soviet Union. So, Prabhupada said, success is inevitable. If you want, we can all take the credit. Therefore, let us continue our service of printing and distributing.

And while doing the service, sing the song of Bhaktivinoda Thakur who says, Bhaja Huremana Shri Nandarajana Amaya Charana Huremana Shri Nandarajana The liberation unnerved the devotees from their determination to create. Instead of becoming turtles that hide in pools, every one of them came back tiger and began to quench and distribute more books, clearly seen. Like someone is back from book distribution. I hope it is one of our devotees and not the KGB Who also learn to knock just like us?

I'll check It's Advaita our our KGB Krishna's great Bhakta Please come Advaita. We are so glad you are finally back after three days come Are you okay? I hope the KGB didn't beat you too bad the other day. I just met a person whom I accidentally happened to hand over a book.

He turned out to be a KGB agent. He started asking me many questions and I realized I had encountered the wrong person. I wanted to run away. He showed me the gun and took me to the nearest police station.

Then the usual thing. Three day arrests have now become a part of our life. We cannot avoid being persecuted and arrested. If we have to continue our dedication to our mission, only suspense is who will be the next.

This strong premonition while riding on the bus today. Strange faces were staring at us. Serious danger was awaiting us. Did you feel the same, Sako?

Yes. I felt the same way. It was a terrible exhaust. It was a narrow escape.

And I was really close. Krishna, save me. Oh, Lord. Open the door.

Who's there? I said open the door. We cannot open the door for strangers, so just leave us in peace. This is the police department.

Open the door or we will break it down. Whatever you please. This is our Guru Maharaj in Pachadatta. Hide them somewhere soon.

One of these devotees begins a story of undaunted sacrifice. It shows how the most powerful thing in the world is faith in God. The quality of faith which even the most ruthless demoniac forces cannot disturb. At least you know it.

I don't know. Come on, don't be stubborn. I don't know. You also don't know.

But Sanyas told us that you knew everything. Before he died, he told us all your secrets. Come on now. Tell us, where is the main folks' storage?

Sanyas has already told you everything. Why are you asking us the same questions again? Okay then, that thick heavy metal dough will help you remember. Crush them, jackass! ...burning a nation by disputing this sort of nonsense!

Remember, we are going to become Hindus and worship these hundred gods! There is only one God, and this book is not against Christianity! Shut up! have lost so much of blood just to become a Christian country and you stupid guys want to destroy everything that you want from yourselves. If you refuse, if you refuse to open your mouth, then you go to jail.

There are four of them already dying there and you could be one of them too. The horrors of that place will wane, even make a wild jungle feel safe. Historically, the growth of pure religious movements have always met with stiff opposition by people of malicious intent who try to sabotage its existence. Religious persecution is nothing knew.

Prahlad was willing to suffer for it. Haridas Thakur went through it. Jesus Christ was also not spared. And those willing to be martyred for their faith have always been amongst us.

Perhaps the most difficult of all places for Srila Prabhupada and his followers penetrate was the iron curtain of the former Soviet Union take these guys to jail under section 244 part 2 we think all these seven guys are the most active ones and hopefully there are no more that's the devotees were brought to Soviet Russians jail where they were held for a very long time That's what is a brag. I didn't like it. I thought I would occasionally become crazy sending a young, healthy man to this dark dungeon for nothing. Friends, call me Mago.

I belong to the Hare Krishna. I'm Khajsek. Hello. Hello.

You smoke? Cigarette? Thank you. What?

He doesn't smoke! Is this the place where in the... on the white? No, no. Soon they will be sending us to different groups according to the types of crime.

That is, until they sentence you and send you to the latest crime. And how long does that take? How long? Your God can tell.

Do you, Hare Krishna, have a different God than the Christians? God is only one, but he is understood differently according to the extent of revelations made by the saints and prophets. But the central message is the same. And what's that?

That this whole world is a big prison house for rebellious prisoners from the kingdom of God. And the only way to come out of this suffering, this prison, is by taking shelter, by surrendering to his supreme will in all the circumstances of life. For surrendering to Canada. Here he comes again.

One, two, three, four, five. Here's the priest I brought for you. Praying for you guys? Every day we have to go through the same thing again and again.

Davey, don't fight. You'll soon get used to the new rules. It is your place. Drekpar, come on.

Dago, where's your bowl? I'm sick of that stuff. What's this? It tastes so bad.

And it tastes even more horrible. Now you will understand. Why the prisoners get thinner and thinner. And these raps get patterned.

So the days began to pass slowly, and devotees were getting more and more familiar with the new lifestyle. They learned some tricks and interesting things. When we don't have a word, we would make japa beads from bread like this. The prayer is very simple.

Please always engage me in Krishna Incarnated. 500 years ago, to spread the holy chanting of the 16-worded mantra, It can be sung in a group, or chanted alone, on beads. Watch the game. God is pleased.

God is pleased. God is pleased. God gets rid of these f*****g bloody things. And dies into something.

Unless we create something for life. Full of fear, grief and suffering. It's a dark embrace of loneliness. Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare Hare.

These pains, these pains are a small price we must all pay for Krishna Prabhupada's dream of establishing this moment all over the world. This is our exile in Karnataka. Let us keep strong faith in Sri Krishna and Srila Prabhupada. All these pains and sufferings are all so very temporary.

Very soon, very soon we will all be together. Yes, believe me. Your faith gave me strength to distribute Srila Prabhupada's books when we were in the temple. And your faith gives me strength in all these sufferings.

It's your faith. Where are they going? Hospital. But why there?

To see your friends. Wouldn't you like to see them? But why there? Well, according to some Russian psychiatrists, most of you people involved in this fanatical religious activity have some kind of mental disorder.

So they want to check you all and see whether everything is alright or no. Understood? But do we look like someone who has a mental disorder? Enough of your questions!

Come on, get going now! This is just an understatement of the KGB. They want to make people believe that we, Hare Krishnas, are a bunch of fools and phantoms. Come on, you baboons!

I'm waiting for you! How does Hare Krishna have so much energy, only after eating bread? See what they've done to our Sannyas Prabhu! That was Sannyas Prabhu?

Sannyas Prabhu? Sanyas Prabhu! Sanyas Prabhu! Sanyas Prabhu!

Sanyas Prabhu! What have you guys done to my brother? You have already made him a half-person! Could you do this to innocent people like this?

Looks like someone... What did you do to my brother? Dago! Looks like someone sent an injection.

Get him over here. No! Don't! Don't do that to him!

Please! Please! He...He... He does not rule!

Sanyas, please! God, take him! Explain! Please!

Sanyas, please! Please! I don't know. He speaks too much.

But before that, we will not forgive him for his sins and offences. Come out, you rascals! Come out. Leave him I say.

You will all be punished. You will all be punished. What will you gain? What will you gain?

Why are you punishing innocent people? Leave him I say. Leave him. Just leave us alone.

Leave him. God will punish you, you atheistic demons. You rascals. Remove one more bottle of blood from him today.

The blood of Hare Krishna will fetch us a good amount of money. The heavy injections had a toxic effect on the nervous system of the devotees, causing serious brain dysfunction. Looks like you are very happy. Happy today, huh?

Come on. Why don't you dance and entertain us? Yes, yes, sing for us. Come on.

Such persecution of the devotees was secretly sent out so that the world at large would know the real picture. Kirti Raj Prabhu and others began organizing demonstrations of free the Soviet Hare Krishnas in front of the Russian embassies. They also collected thousands of signatures to be sent to Mikhail Gorbachev and composed a song to release the devotees. But in the meantime, the court passed a judgment.

They announced two to three years of colonial sentence for most of their devotees. Thank you, sir. How are you, Bhagik? Very well, sir.

Do you know me? No. And I don't want to know you either. And why do you say that, Gagik?

Because I have seen many like you. There is absolutely no use knowing one more. No, Gagik. I am not one of them.

I am the head of the Armenian KGB. What do you want? Look, Gagik. I have come here specifically to see you and to talk to you personally.

This is important. Read it. See what you think. If you like it, sign it.

In which case, I personally promise you that within just one month, you will be free from this dark hell and go home. But, if you refuse, then my dear friend, we would have to send you to Siberia, the land of the white base, where you will die from hunger. And that I promise you, cent per cent. Never.

I would rather go to Siberia, to the white base, any day. Then sign that garbage. You should not sign this, Gagik. Because I am bound for God.

A God who never fails. Featuring the God I worship. Please get out of here and do not sign this. I cannot sign lies.

Power shapes my way. But my feet are set upon the path I must follow. Whatever I am doing, I am compelled to do. Alright, Gagik.

Alright. What I am going to do now, I am compelled to do. Now that your fate is sealed, Gagik. Do you have any last request?

Gagik, I'm asking you once again. Do you have any last request? If you can, please, please send my friend Sako to be with me in the same cell till we go to the labor camp. Okay, Gagik.

I will do that for you because I know you're a nice person. And I do not see why you should be suffering this way. anyways now that your fate is sealed good luck to you and be prepared for the worst for the next few days Gago and Sarko happily spent time together chanting, eating, preaching sharing everything that had gone on during their 7 month separation in hell until one day spending our last few days together very happily Those days now become into hours, and in a few minutes we will have to say goodbye to each other and move on to different labor camps. But you know what I am most worried about? What is that I am most worried about?

That I will never be able to sing or distribute the Armenian Bhagavad Gita. Only after 16 months, we will all be out of this hell. And then who knows, the state of this world may change one day. Then Guru Maharaj told us in his letters, we are so very fortunate that Guru Maharaj accepted us as his disciples and gave us initiation even where we are in this.

I have never seen my Guru Maharaj speak like that. We will all be together. I don't want to segregate my force on my degree. You must come soon.

After their initiation in jail, Gagu got the name Sarvabhavana Das and Sakho became Satchisuttas. Soon, in accordance with the court decision, the devotees were deported to the labor camps in Siberia for the rest of their confinement. Even though these devotees faced these persecutions with undaunted determination, their physical bodies, however, began to wear down due to relentless suffering and a starvation diet of only salted bread. Each day, there was one more hole on the calendar.

During this period, Satchisattva's physical condition deteriorated beyond repair. The following is an account by his only cellmate living with him during the last three months of his life in the prison hospital. Sako was very sick and hardly walking even to the bathroom. But he was chanting his sixteen rounds every day. day he was always talking about Krishna we were the only two in the cell so we became very close friends I don't believe in God but after having so much association with him I I actually started to believe in Krishna he was somehow always very happy and he didn't feel his pain his suffering none of that any time I asked him about his health he started to preach to me about the differences between the spirit soul and the material body one morning he asked me to shave his head and leave a little bit of hair on the top at the back he somehow managed to take a shower he covered himself with the clean bed sheet tied as a dhoti he made a nice garland by stringing some colored papers torn from magazines he used toothpaste to make Tilak marks on his body after that he sat in the lotus yoga position and he chanted Hare Krishna as usual on his bread beads while looking at the Pancha Tattva and his Guru Maharaj's small pictures in his left hand he was happier happier than usual and I thought he was recovering I went out for about 20 minutes and when I returned I saw he was still sitting in the same way I lay down on my bed reading my newspaper but I noticed he wasn't chanting he was simply smiling to ask him why but he didn't reply so I asked him again but still no reply so I went close to him and I pushed him gently and I understood that he was no more in the registration of ISKCON and bringing about many positive changes in the USSR.

Finally, the seed that Srila Prabhupada planted in this destitute land during his visit in 1971 fructified in 1990 and ISKCON was registered as an official religion during the post-soviet period of reform established in the former ussr and by the sacrifices of the new generation wonderful krishna is destined to flourish in the midst of this decadent age of funny will confirm the structural prediction that chanting of the holy of the lord will spread to every town and village of the world itself explained one thing i was watching this drama We need memories to us, and as Lord Krishna said in Bhagavad Gita, without memory we cannot have intelligence. And without intelligence our life is not worth living. So we have to remember what happened. Because without remembering what happened, we will not be able to appreciate what we have.

The intelligence is this capacity which really brings or makes us humans. Which really helps us to understand what we are doing, why we are doing, what is the highest purpose of everything we are doing. And without memory we cannot do the problem. So, I really want to thank very sincerely all of you for remembering this.

This thing which we saw really happened just a few years back, and much more horrible things were going on, but we could see how people sincerely put their hearts and their lives into spreading this glorious mission of self-promotion. We could really appreciate what we have now, only if we remember what happened. Sometimes we take changing of Hare Krishna mantra for granted. Sometimes we take food which we ate for granted, prasadam, we ate it every day.

Sometimes we take so many things for granted, but actually there is nothing for granted here. We have to be eternally thankful to Krishna for giving us everything which He gave. And we have to be, first and foremost, be eternally grateful to Śrīla Prabhupāda for giving us this wonderful process of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. So, again, I just wanted to thank Dvora Parishferno and all the actors and all of you for making this memory there and for doing what you are doing.

Because you are giving glory to this movement and everyone of us is trying the same in our respective positions in our countries. so again I would like to thank you very very much for everything which you have done for Sri Prabhupada and I am sure you will do much more in the future. Thank you very much Hare Krishna Prabhus before we depart for the day we have a very very special surprise this presentation was done based on this beautiful book called the salted bread and we are very very happy to announce that the person who wrote this book, who lived this book, who actually participated in this most momentous occasions of Soviet liberation, His Grace Sarvabhavana Prabhu, is very much with us today here. I would now like to invite, with great honor and pleasure, our dear friend Sarvabhavana Prabhu to kindly come on the stage, along with his wonderful wife, Dhanavisha Madaji, wherever you are Prabhu if you are not in a puddle of tears please come the person who actually lived every moment of this was willing to give his life to Srila Prabhupada was willing to be eaten by the birds in Siberia that level of integrity that very high level of commitment to Srila Prabhupada mission which is very very rare to see in this horrible world an act of pure love for the spiritual master we see a living example and it is our great fortune to ask him to come on the stage and hear the heart of this wonderful Vaishnav what he has to say about the occasion today this is that wonderful person Sarabhavana Prabhu I was not able to put garland on my friend in a light so I would like to do it in a I have no words to express and my english dictionary is not enough to glorify all these wonderful devotees and i went through almost the whole story again together with you all and it was very painful i don't know how you all feel but i feel very sorry about ramsharam prabu and and Dwarakadish Prabhu, because they got the most heavy part in it.

I hope it was not so much hurting. Not like yours. And I think the most credit of all should go to His Holiness Radhanath Swami Maharaj, because of his such a wonderful preaching and example. i think here in this stage we can see all the fruits all the role models he made for all of us to worship them serve them and continue being happy in this krishna consciousness with our beloved spiritual master his divine grace ac bhaktivedanta swami shilapra upad I know everybody is rushing to the trains and wants to go home, but please allow me, give me 10 minutes to give some special presents, which my son, Sachi Sutadas, whom we name after my good friend, he made some presentations, some certificates for all the devotees, 38 devotees, who have prepared. struggled so much to make this drama available on this stage please allow me to present them all before we go the first one of course will go to my very good friend Sachi Sutta and second one will go to Ram Sharan Prabhu I'm sorry thank you very much even your shirt looked just exactly like I was in jail.

I purposefully didn't ask devotees, although I made them many times, I didn't ask about any details of how they're preparing. I thought maybe it's better if they do themselves the way how they perceive, the way how they understand after reading the book. It was excellent. His Grace Maha Vishnu Das is here.

I'll do it quickly so we can... Hare Krishna Prabhu. His Grace Mukunda Das Mukund Okay, you hold it for him His Grace, Shyamal Das Shyamlal Das Hare Krishna Your Sanyas Advaita, Hare Krishna Okay, Shyamkumar Das Hare Krishna, Sanyas Pandava His Grace, Haripadas Those are the certificates My son made And we have actually our GBC for the former USSR Bhakti Vijayan Goswami Maharaj's approval and signature for this all beautiful certificates Haripada's Vishwaroop das thank you so much Ayodhya Patti das hold please thank you so much His Grace Satchitanuj Das. Hare Krishna.

Thank you. Never be as KGB. His Grace Sundar Rupa Das. Sundar Rupa.

Hold, hold please. His Grace Jagadananda Pandit Das. Hare Krishna. Udharam Daddas, his grace Pramvalabdas, his grace Sadashivadas, Haridevdas, and all their fruits of Radhanath Swam Maharaj, ripe fruits.

Rajeshmistri, his grace Gajanan Prabhu, Hare Krishna, his grace Ajay Gadri, Wow, heavy police. Balaji Lier, I hate polices. Until now I cannot forgive them. Varun Talwar, you get the most.

Nidhi Pandey, another one. Siddharth Prabhu, another police. i never hold the police so let me hug at least once in my life harshad kachar who was you oh okay deepak prabhu thank you harry krishna oh my god harry krishna harry krishna thank you so much we know the utekar wonderful don't start smoking though you know you were enjoying like her grace prem manjari devidasi another one for you okay oh okay wonderful wonderful i know devotees are all so expert of utilizing everything for krishna consciousness even cigarettes that's our specialty no one can do that. Kamani Gopi Devadasi. Thank you.

Gulmalata Devadasi. Such colorful names. Vishaka Priya Devadasi, one of the most important. Hare Krishna Mataji.

She is the main, main person in all this what we see here. That's what I was told. Prem Rupa Devidassi, Radha Devidassi, Prem Priya Devidassi, Rangini Devidassi, Rajkumari Devidassi, Ram Priya Devidassi, oh okay okay wonderful very nice thank you so much very good thank you very much so oh one more time we will get get yours all the wonderful children was somehow or other we miss them but we will give them big haribol lighting for wonderful performance haribo haribo haribo one only last thing i would like to tell is that what we have done was the just 50 and another 50 we left for all of us all of you to do on all we together we could do please help us to build moscow temple and make Srila Prabhupada's dream become true, become reality. We suffer so much for building this temple and Bhakti Vigyan Maharaj is practically struggling for every centimeter of land and every signature to collect for this temple.

Please help us to make Srila Prabhupada's dream come true in any ways you can. Actually, when we were watching these videos, when children were chanting and dancing. That's what makes us to come out of the jail. Trust me, by one signature you can make so much.

When we were suffering in the jail, once I heard in the radio how the devotees were doing some demonstrations and collecting signatures from here and there, going in front of the Russian embassies and doing different kind of activities. it make us to feel really so happy even in that hellish condition please do whatever you can for Moscow Hare Krishna thank you my wife want to say couple of words you don't mind Hare Krishna I am sorry my English is not good I have to read my short speech they are devotees and the respectful guests please accept my humble obeisances all glories to shri la prabhupada thank thank you all for coming here this evening and sharing these transcendental emotional moments together i would like to thank and offer my humble obeisances to all the organizers and participants of this wonderful drama for the all forts and great arrangement i would like to offer my obeisances to my husband for whose sufferings I worry and cry very much. During past 20 years of our marriage life, we had many happy and sad times together while discussing his painful past.

However, two incidents hurt me most more than others, and I can't forget them. One, how they pressed his fingers on the door, and second, how our good friend Sachi Suta Prabhu was asking from the police one glass of milk and one boiled potato, but they refused. Till now I cannot understand how people can be so stone-hearted and cruel. Drama is drama, but fact is fact that many, many devotees have suffered in the past for spreading and establishing this wonderful Krishna consciousness in the demoniac and atheistic country like Soviet Union.

I am humbly bowed down and offer my full respects and obeying senses to all the devotees feet who had sacrificed their life for Srila Prabhupada's mission. And I am here to offer my obeisance and appreciation to all of you who are gathering here today to show your appreciation and gratitude to all those special people. And at the end, I would like to ask for your kind mercy and blessings so that I can go on for the rest of my life to service my family, Srila Prabhupada, all the devotees and the supreme divine couple, Shishirada and Shamasundara. thank you very much this baton which hit so many devotees was filled with the love of Radha Priya Mataji thank you very much this Prabhuji is going to be here for a few days, I am totally sorry and those of us who would like to meet him talk to him, take his association maybe get a book from him he is available, so kindly take advantage of his wonderful presence while he is in Mumbai and thank you all very much for staying back for this last part.

Hare Krishna.