ISKCON NewsThe News Agency of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

Hare Krishna Soldier Discharged, Plans Spiritual Mission

Partha-sarathi Dasa, a Hare Krishna devotee from New York City, separated from the US Army on Monday, January 26, 2009.  He held the rank of Sergeant First Class.

Partha-sarathi enlisted in the Army in 1995 at age 17.  He served in Bosnia in 1998, in Kosovo in 1999, and in Iraq for thirty-six months between 2003 and 2008.  "I arrived in Kuwait in February 2003, and was in Iraq right after the ground war started," he recalls. On August 15, 2007, he received a Combat Award for his actions during and after a mass casualty evacuation of Iraqi civilians.

Like many other soldiers in Kosovo, he was shaken by his experiences. "I just got sick of this world and wanted something better after having to pick up some dead children."  A few months later, he met devotees from the Hare Krishna movement.

The Hare Krishna movement is officially known as ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.  The movement was started five hundred years ago by Lord Caitanya in Bengal, India.  It was brought to the USA in 1965 by the Founder-Acarya of ISKCON, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.  Over the next eleven years before his demise, Srila Prabhupada established the Hare Krishna movement on all the continents of the world, except Antarctica.

The day after he met the devotees, Partha-sarathi joined the Hare Krishna temple in Nurnberg, Germany.  Krishna consciousness helped Partha-sarathi accept the reality of birth, death, disease and old age, and put his war-time experiences in perspective.  He conducted book distribution with the devotees while continuuing all his responsibilities as an active duty soldier.

Partha-sarathi found that in Iraq, death was even more prevalent than it had been in Kosovo. Thanks to Krishna consciousness, he had a philosophy perfectly tailored to his situation.  The philosophy is based on the Bhagavad Gita As It Is, an ancient Vedic scripture from India.  Hare Krishna devotees read Srila Prabhupada's translation of the Bhagavad Gita As It Is, which provides the ancient verses in both Sanskrit and English, as well as a comprehensive English-language purport to each verse.

The Bhagavad Gita As It Is is a dialogue between Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and His dearmost friend Arjuna.  The conversation takes place on the Battlefield of Kurekshetra, just before the commencement of the most destructive war in human history. Knowing the horrors of war, Arjuna does not want to fight.  Arjuna begs Lord Krishna to tell him what to do.  Lord Krishna chastises Arjuna for his "petty weakness of heart," and orders Arjuna to fight as an act of devotional service.  Similarly, when Partha-sarathi was unsure about his duty, he inquired from a senior devotee of the Hare Krishna movement. The devotee told Partha-sarathi to "go and be a devotee." Armed with practical guidance, Partha-sarathi returned to the battlefield of Iraq and performed his duty as an offering to Lord Krishna. 

On duty in Iraq, Partha-sarathi continued his practice of book distribution. Many soldiers received comfort and protection from the books. One soldier, who received a book shortly before he was injured, told Partha-sarathi that reading the book had made the difference during his recovery.  The soldier then picked up a pile of books and distributed them to his friends, saying, "These books can save your life."

Even military personnel in the US are asking Partha-sarathi for books. During his mandatory finance briefing earlier this month, the civilian who processed Partha-sarathi's paperwork told him that she had heard that the books he is distributing in Iraq are "powerful." She was delighted to receive two books written by the Founder-Acarya, Srila Prabhupada.

Just like the philosophy, Hare Krishna spiritual practices have proven themselves perfectly suited to the situation in Iraq.  According to the Bhagavad Gita As It Is, life is a preparation for one moment -- the moment of death.  The most important spiritual practices relate to the art of dying.  Thus, Krishna consciousness confronts the reality of death squarely.  Partha-sarathi says, "In Iraq, the reality of death is inescapable.  Every time a soldier rolls out of the gate, he doesn't know whether he is coming back.  The soldiers are very receptive to the philosophy."

The practices are designed to steady the mind and all five senses (sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing.)  For example, camphor is an aromatic herb used during the arati ceremony.  Camphor has the property of cooling an over-heated body and mind.  This is of great value in the deserts of Iraq during the summer, or for a soldier who is suffering from anxiety or battle fatigue.

The most important spiritual practice is the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.  The maha-mantra can be chanted by anyone, in any time, place, or circumstance.  It is an ancient prayer that releases the mind from the fear of death.

"There was one soldier who would never take a book.  He would avoid me and wouldn't accept anything that had to do with Krishna consciousness," recalls Partha-sarathi.  Was Partha-sarathi disturbed by this response?  Not at all.  Instead, Partha-sarathi thought, "I'm not going to push anybody.  I want to leave everybody with a favorable impression of devotees."

On patrol one day, this same soldier's vehicle was hit.  Partha-sarathi could see that the soldier was unlikely to survive.  Because of his training as a Hare Krishna devotee, Partha-sarathi knew what to do at this critical moment.  He began talking to the soldier about Lord Krishna, and chanted the maha-mantra in his ear.  The soldier, who was barely alive, suddenly said to Partha-sarathi, "For so many months and for so long, I ran away from Krishna.  And now at the time of death, He's the only one here."  Immediately after saying this, the soldier died.  The entire event lasted five to ten minutes.

According to the Bhagavad Gita As It Is, anyone who remembers Lord Krishna at the moment of death attains Goloka Vrindavan, or the Kingdom of God.  Did this soldier return back to Goloka Vrindavan?  Partha-sarathi says, "Lord Krishna was there.  He can make this happen for everyone." 

Why did Partha-sarathi make such an effort to help someone who had avoided him and his books?  "Because it is the duty of a devotee to help people return to the spiritual world.  I had been in this situation a few times, so it was second nature for me to go to him, calm him down, and prepare him for what might happen."

Naturally, the other soldiers present were shocked by the death.  But many also felt inspired by the fact that Partha-sarathi knew exactly what to do at that critical moment.  Moreover, the soldiers knew there was some concrete evidence that their friend had returned to the Kingdom of God.

Partha-sarathi proved that the maha-mantra can be chanted anywhere. He once led a rousing chorus of the maha-mantra when his barracks was bombed.  Another time, on a six-mile run with five hundred soldiers, Partha-sarathi substituted the maha-mantra in place of a traditional cadence call.  His commander remarked, "That was amazing – the most motivating run I've been on in thirteen years."  Partha-sarathi handed his commander a Bhagavad Gita As It Is.

Partha-sarathi was a trailblazer by bringing the Hare Krishna movement to the US Army.  Now, he has a very different future ahead of him.  He is currently in India for the first time.  He plans to visit the holy site of Vrindavan, the birth place of Lord Krishna.  And afterwards?  Partha-sarathi says, "I have my plans, but of course, Lord Krishna has His plans.  I want to just continue distributing books.  My goal is to continue distributing books until I leave my body."