Founder Acharya His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Australian Kuli “Dovetails” his Rapping Talents
By Antony Brennan   |  Oct 16, 2010
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Dhruvananda Dasa is an Australian Gurukuli who has found his voice as a musician rapping out the rhythm of Krishna consciousness, inspired by Srila Prabhupada’s instruction to dove-tail everything with the will of the supreme. Dhruvananda was born in a devotee family and had the “most awesome fun” being raised amongst the devotees at the New Govardhana farm in New South Wales, Australia.

“The artist name I have chosen is “Dovetales,” says Dhruvananda. “It is something that will hopefully sit well with the masses. I am hoping that there are others who want to join presenting Krishna consciousness in new and innovative ways.”

Currently, Dovetales is a solo act, with Dhruvananda both writing the lyrics and creating the beats. “I am trying to express that Krishna is with me in the heart, He is the ultimate doer,” he says. “All I’m doing is trying to put Prabhupada’s books, Lord Gauranga’s message, mixed with my little tiny realisations and life story into rhymes to reach the younger generations and anyone else who will listen.”

He continues: “All our abilities are given by Krishna so it’s only proper to use them for His pleasure right? It’s also more fun and meaningful. So Dovetales is a play on words—Prabhupada was good at that.”

As a teenager Dhruvananda spent time living away from the devotee community. “I saw a lot of things and realized people are really suffering. I tried to do revolutionary music out there, but I was drowning also,” he says. “Fortunately my Lord Krishna was always with me watching over me, just waiting for me to wake up and return. So one day I did. I’ve being doing book distribution and harinam for the last four years in Melbourne, Sydney and now Brisbane. Now I have an urge to speak, but also I have Prabhupada’s boat of transcendental knowledge.”

Dhruvananda says he is inspired to present the teachings in rhyme and put them to a beat. “If others are inspired by it also then that inspires me even more,” he explains. “It just seems like the natural thing to do. Once my spiritual master, Devamrita Swami, told me to make music for Krishna. So I’m just doing that.”

As for musical inspiration, Dhruvananda points to Srila Prabhuapada and all the devotees. “My hip-hop influences are mostly conditioned souls who have forgotten Krishna and therefore have wasted their talent,” he says. “But I’ve recently discovered another devotee rapper, ‘Atma.’ He is a truly empowered artist.”

The mission statement for Dovetales is to inspire and engage the younger generations of this planet in the excitement of Krishna consciousness; to present the teaching of Krishna with modern music and therefore targeting a large audience with tasty spiritual medicine; and to purify our conditioning by engaging everything in Krishna’s service and praying for His mercy to accept us back at His lotus feet.

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