Prison inmates, who have hit rock bottom in their pursuit of
\nmaterial happiness and have plenty of time to think about their
\nchoices and the real purpose of life, are one of the most
\nreceptive and enthusiastic audiences to Krishna consciousness.<\/p>\n
Since relaunching in 2009 under director and full-time
\nvolunteer Bhakti-lata Dasi, the U.S. branch of ISKCON Prison
\nMinistry has been reaching more and more of this audience
\nthroughout the country\u2019s correctional system.<\/p>\n
And with another year reaching its end, the results are purely
\ninspirational. With December still to go, Bhakti-lata\u2019s office
\nin Alachua, Florida alone has sent out 3,020 pieces of
\ndevotional literature to inmates, consisting mostly of Srila
\nPrabhupada\u2019s books as well as Back to Godhead magazines and
\nbooks by other devotee authors.<\/p>\n
She has also sent out pictures, calendars, sacred neck beads,
\nover 200 spiritual CDs and DVDs (which inmates are often
\nallowed to play in their chapels) and nearly 100 sets of japa
\nbeads. And she would have sent out a lot more, she explains, if
\nmany prisons didn\u2019t ban beads because of their possible use as
\nweapons.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile other ISKCON Prison Ministry volunteers in ten other
\nU.S. states have also been sending inmates many more books,
\nspiritual accessories, and of course letters explaining the
\nbasics of Krishna consciousness and answering questions on
\nspiritual life.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/news.iskcon.org\/media\/images\/prizi2.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Pancha-Tattva Sankirtan Party, by inmate Bhakta Brian \u201cI estimate that this year about 500 inmates received one or Inspired by the letters and books they read, inmates begin to These usually consist of a kirtan, an arati if allowed, a Meanwhile Chandra Das not only organizes weekly Krishna There are, of course, very active prison programs beyond the Inmates especially inspired by Krishna consciousness also \u201cThere are dozens of such programs going on in U.S. prisons at These programs, along with the letters and books they receive, Caitanya embracing Sanatana, by Bhakta Robert Humple<\/em><\/p>\n Many write letters to ISKCON Prison Ministry that positively \u201cThank you for the books Life comes from Life<\/em> and \u201cI want to be with Krishna and bask in Krishna\u2019s love, and And Benjamin B. from Buckeye, Arizona, wrote, \u201cI try to plant Even after prison, ex-inmates continue practicing Krishna So where do all these inmates hear about ISKCON Prison \u201cOne inmate was praying for guidance one night,\u201d says Often, chaplains are the connection between ISKCON Prison Lord Nrsimha, by Bhkata Ferril Mickens<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThank you so very much for your ministry\u2026\u00a0 and for the \u201cWe have had a very positive response about Krishna from some One Virginia chaplain was so enthusiastic that he had an inmate For Bhakti-lata, hearing these stories is her lifeblood.<\/p>\n \u201cMy IPM service is the rock that gives me stability in my \u00a0*<\/strong><\/p>\n IPM gives tax-deductible receipts. To donate, or to find To subscribe to IPMs \u201cFreedom\u201d newsletter, send an email Tags:<\/p>\n
\nBabinski<\/em><\/p>\n
\nmore letters from IPM volunteers in the USA,\u201d says Bhakti-lata,
\nwho also includes a picture and a transcript of one of Srila
\nPrabhupada\u2019s lectures with each letter.<\/p>\n
\nattend programs arranged by ISKCON devotees in prisons all over
\nthe country \u2013 currently, devotees in Florida, North Carolina,
\nVirginia, and Utah all hold regular programs.<\/p>\n
\nBhagavad-gita lecture with time for questions, japa chanting
\ntime, and some prasadam distribution when allowed \u2013 often just
\nsome fruit or candy.<\/p>\n
\nconscious programs at the Snake River Correctional Institution
\nin Oregon where he works, but also engages inmates and prison
\nemployees in caring for \u201cRadharani\u2019s garden,\u201d where they grow
\nflowers to offer to Krishna.<\/p>\n
\nU.S. too. Chandramauli Swami and others hold programs at
\nprisons in Brazil, Chile, Bosnia, Croatia, and Slovenia;
\nKrishna-kripa Das in Spain holds regular programs for which
\nhe\u2019s allowed to cook full opulent prasadam feasts in the prison
\nkitchen; and there are also very active prison programs in
\nIndia, Spain, Australia and other countries.<\/p>\n
\norganize their own weekly programs in a room of their prison
\nchapel.<\/p>\n
\nthe moment,\u201d Bhakti-lata says. \u201cSome of them really blossom. In
\nPetersburg, Virginia, for example, Bhakta Richard started a
\nprogram three years ago that now regularly draws 20 to 25
\ninmates.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nhave a major impact on inmates\u2019 lives. Two inmates who work in
\na prison kitchen offer every vegetarian dish they make so that
\nthe whole prison has prasadam (sanctified food offered to
\nKrishna). Other inmates prepare taffee in their cell from hot
\nwater and the small cream containers they receive, then offer
\nit and distribute it to other inmates regularly.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/news.iskcon.org\/media\/images\/prizi3.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nglow with realization and gratitude.<\/p>\n
\nChanting Hare Krsna<\/em>,\u201d wrote Bhakta Joel S. from
\nCoaltownship, Pennsylvania. \u201cThey are beautiful. I love
\nPrabhupada\u2019s books. I love how they are put together,
\nillustrated, organized; I love everything about them,
\nespecially Krishna\u2019s mercy which flows freely from them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nlight,\u201d wrote Bryant Mau from Corcoran, California. \u201cAs I write
\nnow I listen to the sounds of my soul and I know Krishna is in
\nmy heart, I can feel it. I want to dance and chant.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nas many seeds of Krishna consciousness as I possibly can. At
\nthe moment, I have one inmate in my pod with whom I am studying
\nKC with. I put him in touch with Balabhadra Prabhu in Boise.
\nWhen I received the Chaitanya Charitamrita he also received
\nsome wonderful books. He was really excited, he ran to my cell
\nto show me what he had received. It was beautiful to see his
\nutter joy!\u201d<\/p>\n
\nconsciousness and finding solace in it. Despite struggling with
\nher mental stability, Jackie, in a half-way house in South
\nFlorida, calls Bhakti-lata regularly and and is fond of reading
\nabout Krishna and sharing Prabhupada\u2019s books with other
\nex-inmates. She also chants between 3 and 16 rounds nearly
\nevery day and shares the maha sweets she receives from the
\nAlachua temple with her roommates.<\/p>\n
\nMinistry? Some hear of it by word of mouth, some by reading
\nabout IPM in a prison resource guide, and some through more
\nserendipitous experiences.<\/p>\n
\nBhakti-lata, \u201cAnd the next morning he saw that someone had
\nslipped a Bhagavad-gita under his cell door!\u201d<\/p>\n
\nMinistry and the inmates, arranging for them to get books and
\nspiritual paraphernalia. Many are grateful to IPM for caring
\nfor the spiritual needs of their Hare Krishna and Hindu inmate
\npopulation, and some begin to really see the benefits of
\nKrishna consciousness.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/news.iskcon.org\/media\/images\/prizi4.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nenrichment and education of the general population of the
\nfacility,\u201d wrote Rev. Richard G. Barnes of MTC Imperial
\nRegional Detention Facility in Calexico, California. \u201cIt is
\nappreciated more than words can say.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nof the institutions,\u201d wrote Reverend Michael Sims of Ellendale,
\nTennessee. \u201cI enjoy talking with the inmates and hearing of
\ntheir spiritual progress.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nwho was practicing Krishna consciousness come into his office
\nand order an amazing $1,500 worth of books and accessories from
\nHare Krishna websites in one sitting. Now, after several
\nordering sessions, his prison has every one of Srila
\nPrabhupada\u2019s books, as well as Deities, mridangas, kartals and
\na harmonium along with instructional videos, incense, kurtas,
\ntilak, DVDs and CDs.<\/p>\n
\nKrishna consciousness,\u201d she says. \u201cSince I became a devotee,
\nchanting my rounds and reading Prabhupada\u2019s books have always
\nbeen very important, but it is even more so since I started
\nwriting inmates. After all, what will I have to tell them if I
\nmyself do not appreciate the matchless gift I am offering
\nthem?\u201d<\/p>\n
\nout more information, please visit<\/em> www.iskconprisonministry.org<\/a>,
\nwrite to<\/em> IskconPrisonMinistry@gmail.com<\/a>,
\nor contact Bhakti-lata Dasi or Mukunda Das at ISKCON Prison
\nMinistry, P.O. Box 2676, Alachua, FL 32616-2676.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nto<\/em> IskconPrisonMinistry@gmail.com<\/a>
\nwith \u201cSubscribe\u201d in the subject line.<\/em><\/p>\n