Brisbane. Australia

June 24,
For two non-consecutive days, one black dog named “Isi” offered outright obeisances to the Holy Name. Every time the dog saw me on my morning Japa walk, in a first move, she rubs the left side and back of her head on the floor and then would just lie down on her belly, as if offering obeisances, with front leg outstretched. Even if coincidental, the Holy Name will take it that way as obeisances, just as Krishna made a mother of the witch Putana, even though she approached Him with the evil intention to kill Him. What to speak of this friendly dog, that did not show any malicious intentions whatsoever toward the Holy Name or the carrier of the Holy Name!

August 7,
This morning on my Japa walk I again met Isi, the dog. According to Isi’s master, Isi is short for Isabella. Isi sure enough paid her obeisances to the Holy Name. This is the third time I meet Isi and Isi never failed to pay her obeisances to the Holy Name even once. What a pious bitch she is! Actually today it looked as if she were going to forget the procedure and was already walking away, pulled and controlled by her master. But then sure enough, at the last minute, she put down her head and the rest of the body followed. I gave her a big pet too. After that one is rewarded with a big dog-lick in the face, which I always avoid by moving out of her reach very quickly. I offered the lady master a pamphlet about the Janmastami celebrations, as I did to so many other walkers and joggers.

August 21,
This morning again I met Isi on my morning Japa walk for the fourth time. She offered obeisances to the Holy Name 3 times. First she made an attempt to pay obeisances but she was restrained by her lady master through the means of the leash. The procedure always follows the same pattern as described in the June 24th entry. Today I noticed how responsive she is to the chanting of the Holy Name. She is a two year old black bitch endowed with a quite tall and strong body and Raktak Prabhu from Punjab, India says that black dogs are auspicious dogs. They are called kalu in his home town, from the word kala meaning “black”. Ghee from black cows is also more auspicious for sacrifices, Raktak Prabhu asserts.

After offering obeisances, she almost jumped on a passing cyclist as many cyclists train in these suburb streets. She was half a meter away, when her master fortunately restrained her. It was a close call and being in a dog’s body, she has no choice but to act like one indeed. I made an effort to chant clearly, distinctly, loud enough and regularly and we traveled together for a distance. I could see her ears moving to the sound of the Holy Name and she responded by paying obeisances three times. I requested the master to not refrain her from going down. I explained to her that, in her last life, she would have probably been a human being chanting Hare Krishna mantra but committed some major mistake and had therefore to take up a dog’s body. I also asked her whether she believed in the transmigration of the soul. She answered negatively. Another favorable lady, regular morning walker, happened to pass the scene, noticed it and she commented:” Oh look, she (the dog) likes to be with him (me, the chanter). I shall try to post Isi on the dandavats. com. She really deserves it. The title shall be: “The black dog (bitch) that deserves a post on dandavats.com”

Param Vijayate Sri Krishna Sankirtanam!