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Tale of an unknown Hare Krishna Vaishnava Devotee who walked all over India

A Hare Krishna Devotee wrote a long comment to the article on the Canadian Hare Krishna monk Swami Bhaktimarga who is undertaking a cross-country walk. The commenter is an American Hare Krishna devotee and he mentions about a Vaishnava devotee he met during his stay in India.

While I lived in India 1977-86 I met a Vaishnava devote who at age 80 left home to see if Lord Krishna would take of him as he does all the birds and bees. He was 88 years old when I met him and he had such clear and glossy eyes which were just like Srila Prabhupad’s.

I foolishly gave him only a few rupees as I was strictly told by the authorities at that time never to give a farthing away to any body, but I gave him some anyway.

He was so usually clean. His dhoti was spotlessly clean, like a women’s even gown and yet he told me that he often slept a train stations if he didn’t find any place else like a temple, where he usually stayed for not more than three days.

He was a beautiful person and he used to draw pictures of Radha and Krsna in his small drawing book and around each picture he printed the Maha Mantra in such fine, small and clear print about a 14 font print size.

I don’t even think he wore any glasses as he showed me all his belongings, within his shoulder book bag. Only he had a razor, an extra dhoti, kirta some soap and that picture book and that is all I remember him carrying.

Of course, this was India and he did not need any heavy clothing as he just traveled South in the cooler moths and North in the warmer months. He told me in his 8 years of walking that he walked from the Eastern Provinces of India to Pakistan as well as from the Himalayas to Cape Comorin (Kanyakumari).

The blogger profile of the commenter could not be accessed. But thanks for sharing such a wonderful experience.

When some people realize the Brahman in them, they become silent. They stop preaching and they remain in the blissful state. We might come across such people but never realize it. Such people are known to undertake long walks or they constantly travel. The only way to realize them is that they will never crave for any material possession.

Once such self realized person (Sage) was given a large amount of money and valuables by a wealthy man. The wealthy man also asked a servant to escort the sage to his next destination.

The servant carried the valuables and placed it carefully and safely on a train and went out to collect water and asked the sage to look after it. When the servant returned the valuables were missing.

To a confused servant the sage said ‘you are relieved and you no longer need to look after the valuables. Another person came and took it away, now he will carry the burden.’