Visnujana Swami

Memory by Gauridas Pandita das

Associating with His Holiness Visnujana Swami for my first year in Krsna Consciousness was amazing. Chanting with him all day every day was nonstop bliss. He used to say we should be so busy in Krsna Consciousness that we have no time for Maya.

I used to make the flower garlands for Sri Sri Radha Damodar which included picking the flowers wherever we were. Since I was serving Sri Sri Radha Damodar in this way Their pure devotee Visnujana Swami showed me favor. Most devotees that joined our party got shipped out to other buses. I got to stay a whole year.

Visnujana was very mellow most of the time except in Kirtan when he would explode. He was always controlled and rarely showed anger or stress. On a rare occasion he did show his anger. We were chanting at the University of Cal at Berkeley for a few weeks and this big heckler was bothering us every day. Visnujana told us to just ignore him until he went too far one day. The heckler raised a stick and yelled he could break our idol’s in a thousand pieces. Visnujana had had enough! He popped up from his seat like Lord Nrisimhadeva crashing out of the pillar. He grabbed his danda from the side of the alter and raising it up charged at the man who was about 6’4″ and 250 Lbs. The heckler looked shocked as his eyes widened like he saw a ghost and turned and starting running away as Visnujana Swami chased him for blocks striking him back and forth with his Danda. What a sight to see that was! The heckler never came back. LOL

We deal with people first with philosophy then diplomacy then bribery and if none of those work, the stick.

Later, in New Orleans, we cruised into town for some Harinam Sankirtan and the Temple President warned us we better not park the bus in the front of the temple because people were driving by throwing eggs and things at the temple. We parked there anyway in our Kshatriya spirit. As we were having Sri Goura Aratika on the bus I heard a thud thud sound on the bus. Looking out the window I saw eggs running down the bus and a new looking convertible car full of teenagers driving away. Visnujana told me to go to the beginning of the block and watch for the car and yell if I saw it come back. All the other devotees were told to get rocks and boards etc. And hide along the street. A few minutes later I saw the same car come back and letting it pass me I yelled out that that was the car full of teenagers. The devotees came out of the woodwork and commenced to striking the car all around as they were going slowly. Visnujana had a huge branch and dented every part of the car like Lord Nrisimhadeva taking out Hiranyakasipu’s army! Sanjaya Prabhu came out with a huge boulder raised over his head and let it drop on the windshield smashing it completely. At that the teenagers screened and drove off unharmed never to return.

These events were rare. We preferred to keep spreading the peace and love of God but it’s a world full of rascals out there and sometimes in defense we have to deal with them. Good thing we have our sweet Lord on our side to protect us and our sweet guru, Srila Prabhupada, to follow all the way home, where we can join him and Visnujana again.