Today was another wonderful day for the Japa Weekend. As Mahatma Prabhu instructed, Japa Weekend does not just mean the 10am - 6 pm time period that you are at the seminar/workshop, no it is actually the whole weekend that you must commit to so that you can get full benefit.
By the blessings of Krishna's devotees I was able to wake up before my alarm clock at 4am which is quite rare. Namely both waking up before the clock, and me setting the clock at four. The night before I finished writing the previous small blog at 11:15pm. I usually get to bed around this time or later due to baby Visakha restlessness. So needless to say setting the clock for that time was a little intimidating. But by grace of all of the devotees somehow or other I woke up refreshed around 3:45. I was able to make it to the temple at 4:30 just in time for the mangala artik which was nicely sung by Mahatma Prabhu. We then sang and meditated upon Tulasi devi, Krishna's dear devotee, offered our obeisances to the devotees and on to chanting. Chanting was more focused then usual, attempting to keep in mind that it is not a process it is a relationship. Our chanting should not be like the proposal of an unwilling groom in an arranged marriage but rather a loving appeal reestablish a lost relationship.
Today workshop was great, many different exercises helped us with internal and external issues in chanting, helping us with the tools to progress. If one wants some results, good japa, one must then step out of their comfort zone and not just do the same habit. Even physical actions, which was touched on briefly, such as not letting the eyes wander, keeping one's back erect, reading mantra, was shone to have great impact on our mind. Thus allowing ourselves to hear the Holy Names with less clutter.
His Holiness Giriraja Swami led us in a discussion on appreciating the holy name as Mahatma Prabhu helped us chant with intention. So much can be said, but it is pass 11pm again, lets see if can again get your blessings to be up my 3:45am .
Hare Krishna
Your humble servant,
Nityananda Chandra Das
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Japa Workshop Day One.
I have just had the privilege to attend day one of the japa workshop here in Dallas and it is wonderful. There is so much could be said but I would just like to focus on one element, the mood. Upon arriving at the program it was immediately noticeable the loving mood that was present amongst the devotees. Mahatma Prabhu and others very intelligently arranged everything that somehow it produced a very loving mood amongst the devotees. The day earlier I had the fortune to meet some of the organizers, Madri Dasi from Minneapolis and Karnamrita's wonderful wife Mother Archana Siddhi. Madri worked diligently to make sure everything went smoothly, and she duly engaged me in service of helping with the transportation and set up.
The elements that Mahatma Prabhu introduced that he stated were essential for getting full advantage of the seminar I found to be in the Upadeshamrita, or Nectar of Instruction. In the fourth verse Srila Rupa Goswami speaks about 6 essential items to develop loving relationships between Krishna's devotees. Dadati, offering gifts. Prati Grihnati, accepting gifts. Ghuhyam akyati prichati revealing ones mind in confidence. Prichati, and inquiring confidentially. Bhunkte Bhojayate Caiva, offering prasadam, and accept prasadam Sad vidam priti laksanam, are the six ways that enhance our loving exchanges between devotees.
So the program started with wonderful prasadam which was lovingly cooked by Mother Sucharya. This was distributed in a very loving fashion, with senior and junior members voluntarily, and spontaneously serving others with second helpings. I was too ignorant to take my opportunity to make advancement by joining in this personal service, maybe I will go for it next time. In groups of two we revealed our minds in confidence and inquired confidentially, we must not be afraid to give up our image and just be humble and just present ourselves in our actual state of consciousness. This is honesty is more attractive then false vigor. Then Mahatma Prabhu at the end of the wonderful session, in preparing of the next day, had us all pray for each other so that we may achieve this goal of chanting with loving attention. He told the story how Srila Prabhupada was sitting once with his disciple Shivananda and turned to him saying, "Please pray for me" Shivananda said, "but who am?" "You are Krishna's devotee and thus He will most certainly hear your prayers." And at last Mahatma Prabhu asked us to share one more gift before we leave. He said that touching the body of the devotee is the perfection of touch according to the Sastra. So must give five gifts before we leave. We must hug five devotees. He had the ladies find five ladies or more and hug each other and the same for the men. I am sure no one just gave only five hugs because everyone was so satisfied and happily in a loving mood. I also got to hug His Holiness Giriraja Swami and Mahatma Prabhu. Jaya! Krishna devotees Ki Jaya!! Japa Workshop Ki Jaya! Gaura Premanande !! Hari Haribol.
Your humble servant,
Nityananda Chandra Das
The elements that Mahatma Prabhu introduced that he stated were essential for getting full advantage of the seminar I found to be in the Upadeshamrita, or Nectar of Instruction. In the fourth verse Srila Rupa Goswami speaks about 6 essential items to develop loving relationships between Krishna's devotees. Dadati, offering gifts. Prati Grihnati, accepting gifts. Ghuhyam akyati prichati revealing ones mind in confidence. Prichati, and inquiring confidentially. Bhunkte Bhojayate Caiva, offering prasadam, and accept prasadam Sad vidam priti laksanam, are the six ways that enhance our loving exchanges between devotees.
So the program started with wonderful prasadam which was lovingly cooked by Mother Sucharya. This was distributed in a very loving fashion, with senior and junior members voluntarily, and spontaneously serving others with second helpings. I was too ignorant to take my opportunity to make advancement by joining in this personal service, maybe I will go for it next time. In groups of two we revealed our minds in confidence and inquired confidentially, we must not be afraid to give up our image and just be humble and just present ourselves in our actual state of consciousness. This is honesty is more attractive then false vigor. Then Mahatma Prabhu at the end of the wonderful session, in preparing of the next day, had us all pray for each other so that we may achieve this goal of chanting with loving attention. He told the story how Srila Prabhupada was sitting once with his disciple Shivananda and turned to him saying, "Please pray for me" Shivananda said, "but who am?" "You are Krishna's devotee and thus He will most certainly hear your prayers." And at last Mahatma Prabhu asked us to share one more gift before we leave. He said that touching the body of the devotee is the perfection of touch according to the Sastra. So must give five gifts before we leave. We must hug five devotees. He had the ladies find five ladies or more and hug each other and the same for the men. I am sure no one just gave only five hugs because everyone was so satisfied and happily in a loving mood. I also got to hug His Holiness Giriraja Swami and Mahatma Prabhu. Jaya! Krishna devotees Ki Jaya!! Japa Workshop Ki Jaya! Gaura Premanande !! Hari Haribol.
Your humble servant,
Nityananda Chandra Das
Ps. Our homework for tomorrow is to chant the best rounds that we ever have chanted in our entire lives, so please pray for me, please
That I may develop my loove for the Holy Name
Sunday, October 5, 2008
SMU Bhakti Yoga Club Update by Ratna
Here is a little update on one of the services that I am involved in right now--the Bhakti Yoga Club at SMU.
A.: a hot-tempered, liberal, undergraduate student who had been attending the sessions for the past five weeks or more. Last night it was A.'s birthday. After the regular Bhakti Yoga session of japa, kirtana and short discussion, we planned to bring out the cake and have a little celebration for him. A. was torn whether to stay for our session or go out with his friends who invited him for "lobster" dinner (eewwww!) He kept getting pestering phone calls from his friends. As we asked him to stay at least 5-10 more minutes, he agreed. At one point, he went in the hallway and yelled on the phone, "Stop pestering me. It's rude to leave. I told you already.... Just leave me alone! (with swear words in between of course)." He canceled his lobster dinner, stayed with us the whole evening and ended up bringing some of his friends there to have cake. He told us that it was the best birthday celebration he ever had.
Last night, some students stayed even after the program was over. Bhadra Prabhu somehow got five students to participate in spontaneous kirtana. Next thing I knew there was an ecstatic kirtana and the five students were dancing, arms raised, with huge smiles on their faces. It was contagious and everyone in the room began dancing. Here we were in a posh, SMU meeting room dancing up and down in ecstasy. No one could really explain how or why it happened, but everyone was laughing as if intoxicated. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ki jaya!
B.: in her late forties, works for a recycling company, into meditation, yoga, mode-of-goodness. She told me after her first experience of Bhakti Yoga that she never felt so good as after that session. She went through a difficult phase in her life which sent her searching for higher meaning. Christianity didn't satisfy her questions. She tried different kinds of yoga also, but nothing satisfied her. "I have never felt so fulfilled as I do now," she told me. She has been coming for the last 5 sessions. Here is an e-mail she wrote to me recently: "Hey Ratna! I am looking forward to tomorrow night. I have not had a chance to fetch up a set of beads of my own, but you know, I may be able to do that today. I have however been chanting in my mind frequently, and it is fine. I am so happy to have found you, or rather, that you all found me!"
Every week, for the three hours in front of the student center, we pass out flyers advertising our club. Someone passes out the flyers and I usually do the kirtana. People are so attracted to the music and interesting instruments. Two older ladies (maybe faculty members) stopped yesterday and kept telling me how beautiful it sounded. They stood there a long time just listening to the maha-mantra and trying to sing along.
C.: a graduate student who just joined SMU from China, one of the first members of the club this semester. She not only attended the first session, but she also joined us the next day for the flyer distribution, even though she doesn't speak English very well. She still comes and even though she is not really into the philosophical part of the program (and is a little skeptical), she just loves the family we have created for her. She doesn't have a car, so sometimes we drive her places. She helps with the setup for the programs and the "break down" at the end. I introduce her to others as one of the "oldest" members of the club and she is proud of it. Not an ordinary soul!
There are many more stories....but I will stop there. It is wonderful to see Krishna orchestrating everything. He is sending inquisitive souls and making all the arrangements. We just have to be willing instruments and ready to serve the sankirtana movement in whatever capacity we can. I hope these stories are of some inspiration.
Your servant, Ratna Radhika dasi
A.: a hot-tempered, liberal, undergraduate student who had been attending the sessions for the past five weeks or more. Last night it was A.'s birthday. After the regular Bhakti Yoga session of japa, kirtana and short discussion, we planned to bring out the cake and have a little celebration for him. A. was torn whether to stay for our session or go out with his friends who invited him for "lobster" dinner (eewwww!) He kept getting pestering phone calls from his friends. As we asked him to stay at least 5-10 more minutes, he agreed. At one point, he went in the hallway and yelled on the phone, "Stop pestering me. It's rude to leave. I told you already.... Just leave me alone! (with swear words in between of course)." He canceled his lobster dinner, stayed with us the whole evening and ended up bringing some of his friends there to have cake. He told us that it was the best birthday celebration he ever had.
Last night, some students stayed even after the program was over. Bhadra Prabhu somehow got five students to participate in spontaneous kirtana. Next thing I knew there was an ecstatic kirtana and the five students were dancing, arms raised, with huge smiles on their faces. It was contagious and everyone in the room began dancing. Here we were in a posh, SMU meeting room dancing up and down in ecstasy. No one could really explain how or why it happened, but everyone was laughing as if intoxicated. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ki jaya!
B.: in her late forties, works for a recycling company, into meditation, yoga, mode-of-goodness. She told me after her first experience of Bhakti Yoga that she never felt so good as after that session. She went through a difficult phase in her life which sent her searching for higher meaning. Christianity didn't satisfy her questions. She tried different kinds of yoga also, but nothing satisfied her. "I have never felt so fulfilled as I do now," she told me. She has been coming for the last 5 sessions. Here is an e-mail she wrote to me recently: "Hey Ratna! I am looking forward to tomorrow night. I have not had a chance to fetch up a set of beads of my own, but you know, I may be able to do that today. I have however been chanting in my mind frequently, and it is fine. I am so happy to have found you, or rather, that you all found me!"
Every week, for the three hours in front of the student center, we pass out flyers advertising our club. Someone passes out the flyers and I usually do the kirtana. People are so attracted to the music and interesting instruments. Two older ladies (maybe faculty members) stopped yesterday and kept telling me how beautiful it sounded. They stood there a long time just listening to the maha-mantra and trying to sing along.
C.: a graduate student who just joined SMU from China, one of the first members of the club this semester. She not only attended the first session, but she also joined us the next day for the flyer distribution, even though she doesn't speak English very well. She still comes and even though she is not really into the philosophical part of the program (and is a little skeptical), she just loves the family we have created for her. She doesn't have a car, so sometimes we drive her places. She helps with the setup for the programs and the "break down" at the end. I introduce her to others as one of the "oldest" members of the club and she is proud of it. Not an ordinary soul!
There are many more stories....but I will stop there. It is wonderful to see Krishna orchestrating everything. He is sending inquisitive souls and making all the arrangements. We just have to be willing instruments and ready to serve the sankirtana movement in whatever capacity we can. I hope these stories are of some inspiration.
Your servant, Ratna Radhika dasi
Friday, September 26, 2008
birthdays times 2 times 2
It was twinfest at the Gurukula playground last Saturday! Laxmipriya and I combined birthday parties for our twins...and my best friend brought her twins, so there were three sets of twins at this party.
It was an awesome party. Laxmipriya and her older kids made pizza galore and a delicious salad. I brought my spinach curry dip, chips and soda. Everyone was well fed and had a blast at the playground.
This was the first time my best friend had come to the temple since we were 16. We have been best friends since we were 13, and even tho she is a dyed in the wool Baptist, we have been able to maintain our friendship,lol.
The party was only supposed to last about 2 hours but everyone was having such a good time that the lst straggler left at 5:pm. I especially enjoyed all the devotee association my kids got, since we live so far away, it's hard to get them together with other devotee kids.
From what I heard, we at the Dallas temple have the highest number of twins born to devotees. Could it be the water in the fountain by the prasadam room? At one point we had three sets of twins here at the same time and another set had recently moved away. The theory behind my twins is that when Laxmipriya had her twins, my husband and I went to visit them in the hospital. Her babies were in the Special Care Nursery, and my husband and I were the only visitors they had that were brave enough to hold Gandiva and Arjuna...well...our twins were born 4 days before her twins turned 1yr old!
I just want to thank everyone who made our party such a success! We all enjoyed the company of each and every one of you, and especially to Laxmipriya and her kids, because I can NEVER be as organized as she is!!
It was an awesome party. Laxmipriya and her older kids made pizza galore and a delicious salad. I brought my spinach curry dip, chips and soda. Everyone was well fed and had a blast at the playground.
This was the first time my best friend had come to the temple since we were 16. We have been best friends since we were 13, and even tho she is a dyed in the wool Baptist, we have been able to maintain our friendship,lol.
The party was only supposed to last about 2 hours but everyone was having such a good time that the lst straggler left at 5:pm. I especially enjoyed all the devotee association my kids got, since we live so far away, it's hard to get them together with other devotee kids.
From what I heard, we at the Dallas temple have the highest number of twins born to devotees. Could it be the water in the fountain by the prasadam room? At one point we had three sets of twins here at the same time and another set had recently moved away. The theory behind my twins is that when Laxmipriya had her twins, my husband and I went to visit them in the hospital. Her babies were in the Special Care Nursery, and my husband and I were the only visitors they had that were brave enough to hold Gandiva and Arjuna...well...our twins were born 4 days before her twins turned 1yr old!
I just want to thank everyone who made our party such a success! We all enjoyed the company of each and every one of you, and especially to Laxmipriya and her kids, because I can NEVER be as organized as she is!!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
tv time
I wish I had some devotional dvds for my kids to watch. I hate to admit that I do use the tv as a babysitter at time, but with three kids under 5, if I want to get anything done they have to be occupied by something. Don't even suggest paper and crayons, lol, they have already redecorated my living room walls with their um..art.
We watch PBS Sprout, they have safe shows for the most part, Sesame Street, Bob the Builder and a show I even like called Zooboomafoo, all about animals. My kids like Caillou and that is the show I am going to tell you about.
Caillou is about a 4yr old boy, he lives with his mom and dad and his baby sister Rosie, his grandparents are active in his life, he has multicultural friends, is helpful to elderly neighbors and although I find him irritating, my kids love him.
One day we were watching and Caillou's grandfather decided to take him fishing. My first instinct was to shut the tv off or change the channel, but my husband said, "Let's see where they are going with this" I agreed, but kept the remote in my hand. Caillou and his grampa went out on a small boat and his grandfather started reeling in the fish. Caillou was disappointed that he hadn't caught anything, but then lo and behold he hooked a small one. My kids were horrified. My 3yr old son Rama asked, "Why are they hurting the fish?" Even at his age he understood that a hook in the face cant be comfortable. My husband said, "Some people think that hurting fish is ok. We dont hurt fish" After they caught enough fish, they went home with their catch..and you know what happened next..Gramma starting cooking the poor fish. When Caillou sat down and started eating the fish, little Rama said , "Daddy!! They are EATING THE FISHIES BODY, ...yuck, that's gross!!!" My husband said, "Yes, Rama, some people think it's ok to eat other creature's bodies.They call it meat. We do not eat bodies. That is very gross" Harsh lesson for a three year old? I am not sure...he needs to know we dont eat meat, he needs to know WHY we dont eat meat. I am all for protecting my kids from the ugliness of life, but he has to learn sometime.
This made some kind of impression on Rama. He wasn't scared like I thought he would be. He actually turned into quite a little vegetarian activist!. Soon after we went to Walmart and he engaged a lady in line behind us in conversation. he told her we were going home to "make dinners" She asked him what we were having. He said, " potatoes and carrots" (his faves) She said,"What else? Are you going to have some chicken with that?" He said, "No, I don't eat bodies" The look on her face was priceless. I explained we were vegetarian and she asked the classic"Is that healthy for kids?" I asked her, "Does he look like he is malnourished?" She said, "NO" and I said, "OK, would you believe me if I told you he was premature and weighed 4 pounds at birth?" She was amazed, "I guess it is a healthy diet. That kind of gave me a new perspective hearing a little kid call meat a body, that is really gross, isn't it?" She put her rotisserie chicken back on the hot table next to us, "I think I will just go home and have a salad" Well done, Rama!
One show I want everyone with kids to check out is WonderPets. It's about 3 little animals that save other animals from all kinds of perils. They had a really awesome show where they went to India to save a Bengal Tiger. It was soooo cute, had a great lesson about how all life is important no matter how small, and they did some yoga!!
We watch PBS Sprout, they have safe shows for the most part, Sesame Street, Bob the Builder and a show I even like called Zooboomafoo, all about animals. My kids like Caillou and that is the show I am going to tell you about.
Caillou is about a 4yr old boy, he lives with his mom and dad and his baby sister Rosie, his grandparents are active in his life, he has multicultural friends, is helpful to elderly neighbors and although I find him irritating, my kids love him.
One day we were watching and Caillou's grandfather decided to take him fishing. My first instinct was to shut the tv off or change the channel, but my husband said, "Let's see where they are going with this" I agreed, but kept the remote in my hand. Caillou and his grampa went out on a small boat and his grandfather started reeling in the fish. Caillou was disappointed that he hadn't caught anything, but then lo and behold he hooked a small one. My kids were horrified. My 3yr old son Rama asked, "Why are they hurting the fish?" Even at his age he understood that a hook in the face cant be comfortable. My husband said, "Some people think that hurting fish is ok. We dont hurt fish" After they caught enough fish, they went home with their catch..and you know what happened next..Gramma starting cooking the poor fish. When Caillou sat down and started eating the fish, little Rama said , "Daddy!! They are EATING THE FISHIES BODY, ...yuck, that's gross!!!" My husband said, "Yes, Rama, some people think it's ok to eat other creature's bodies.They call it meat. We do not eat bodies. That is very gross" Harsh lesson for a three year old? I am not sure...he needs to know we dont eat meat, he needs to know WHY we dont eat meat. I am all for protecting my kids from the ugliness of life, but he has to learn sometime.
This made some kind of impression on Rama. He wasn't scared like I thought he would be. He actually turned into quite a little vegetarian activist!. Soon after we went to Walmart and he engaged a lady in line behind us in conversation. he told her we were going home to "make dinners" She asked him what we were having. He said, " potatoes and carrots" (his faves) She said,"What else? Are you going to have some chicken with that?" He said, "No, I don't eat bodies" The look on her face was priceless. I explained we were vegetarian and she asked the classic"Is that healthy for kids?" I asked her, "Does he look like he is malnourished?" She said, "NO" and I said, "OK, would you believe me if I told you he was premature and weighed 4 pounds at birth?" She was amazed, "I guess it is a healthy diet. That kind of gave me a new perspective hearing a little kid call meat a body, that is really gross, isn't it?" She put her rotisserie chicken back on the hot table next to us, "I think I will just go home and have a salad" Well done, Rama!
One show I want everyone with kids to check out is WonderPets. It's about 3 little animals that save other animals from all kinds of perils. They had a really awesome show where they went to India to save a Bengal Tiger. It was soooo cute, had a great lesson about how all life is important no matter how small, and they did some yoga!!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
a child's devotion
the Parker family was' in sunny Florida, just south of Tampa, while I was trying to take it easy with a broken foot. It had been pretty relaxing here, having been able to make my mom understand the vegetarian thing more,she hadn't had meat since we had been here, so Jai! Life was easy and relaxing here, but the are two things that always make us antsy to go home...we miss Kalachandji and we miss our temple family. Even tho we don't make it to temple every week, we know that it is just down the road.
My kids don't take the separation from Kalachandji very easily. Every day while in Florida we hear, "Can we go see Krishna?" It's almost as if they KNOW that we were not just 20 minutes away from our temple.It's not easy explaining to an almost three year old that the nearest ISKCON temple is 3 hours away and with gas prices the way they are it's not feasible to go. The last time we were here, I found a tiny Hindu temple that had beautiful deities if Lord Krishna, Radha, Rama, Sita and others. Their altar is open and the deities are so close you can touch them. In an attempt to quiet the kids, especially my very vocal daughter, I agreed to take them on Sunday.
Sunday afternoon was the nicest day we had this trip. It was clear and hot, perfect beach weather. I thought about not mentioning the temple to to the kids and hitting the beach, but my little daughter, Padma, spoke up at lunch and said, "Are we going to see Krishna?" I said, "Don't you want to go to the beach?" "No, I wanna see Krishna" I sighed and said, "Ok, later" Padma said, "No mamma, we have to go now before Krishna is nah nee (sleep)" GRRRR.. I told her ok...
My mom came in from her garden and asked my daughter to come pick flowers with her. Padma went out with her gramma and I could hear her little voice asking, "Can I take some flowers to Krishna?" She came back in with a huge armful of marigolds and tiny white flowers, yelling, "Mamma, look what I picked for Krishna!" Ok, I got the message, I was taking her to the temple.
We loaded up the boys into our van and I tried to take her flowers so I could buckle her in the car seat. "No mamma! I am taking the flowers to Krishna!" I tried to reason with her, (yeah, I know, she's almost three) "Let mamma hold the for you so they dont get crushed" "No mamma, I am taking then to Krishna" I didnt want to argue, it was too hot.
Padma fell asleep in the car, her tiny fist in a death grip with those buds, and I could practically see them wilting by the second. By the time we got to the temple they were limp, and I thought, she can't offer those, they are ruined. She woke up as soon as the van engine died, and was ready to go, fresh from her nap, with a bunch of dead flowers. Again, I tried to reason with her (it must have been the heat), "Padma, they are dead, you can't offer dead flowers" I tried to pry them out of her hand and she started to howl, "Nooooooo" I gave up......
We walked into the tiny temple, there were maybe 15 people there, all Indian. They gave us a friendly smile and watched as my little girl laid her dead flowers at Krishna's feet. "There!" she said, "So beautiful!" I was so afraid that we were making offence by offering obviously dead flowers , and I guess it showed on my face. The pujari smiled and pointed to a plaque on the wall, ......" He who offers Me with devotion only a leaf, or a flower, or a fruit, or even a little water, this I accept from that yearning soul, because with a pure heart it was offered with love".......... So there you go..it wasn't the offering itself, it was the devotion in which it was offered. And I couldn't see that because I was too wrapped up in the material illusion of the flowers.
"I am the same to all beings, and My love is ever the same; but those who worship me in devotion, they are in Me and I am in them"
I walked into the tiny temple seeing dead flowers and walked out seeing Krishna in the heart of my daughter.
My kids don't take the separation from Kalachandji very easily. Every day while in Florida we hear, "Can we go see Krishna?" It's almost as if they KNOW that we were not just 20 minutes away from our temple.It's not easy explaining to an almost three year old that the nearest ISKCON temple is 3 hours away and with gas prices the way they are it's not feasible to go. The last time we were here, I found a tiny Hindu temple that had beautiful deities if Lord Krishna, Radha, Rama, Sita and others. Their altar is open and the deities are so close you can touch them. In an attempt to quiet the kids, especially my very vocal daughter, I agreed to take them on Sunday.
Sunday afternoon was the nicest day we had this trip. It was clear and hot, perfect beach weather. I thought about not mentioning the temple to to the kids and hitting the beach, but my little daughter, Padma, spoke up at lunch and said, "Are we going to see Krishna?" I said, "Don't you want to go to the beach?" "No, I wanna see Krishna" I sighed and said, "Ok, later" Padma said, "No mamma, we have to go now before Krishna is nah nee (sleep)" GRRRR.. I told her ok...
My mom came in from her garden and asked my daughter to come pick flowers with her. Padma went out with her gramma and I could hear her little voice asking, "Can I take some flowers to Krishna?" She came back in with a huge armful of marigolds and tiny white flowers, yelling, "Mamma, look what I picked for Krishna!" Ok, I got the message, I was taking her to the temple.
We loaded up the boys into our van and I tried to take her flowers so I could buckle her in the car seat. "No mamma! I am taking the flowers to Krishna!" I tried to reason with her, (yeah, I know, she's almost three) "Let mamma hold the for you so they dont get crushed" "No mamma, I am taking then to Krishna" I didnt want to argue, it was too hot.
Padma fell asleep in the car, her tiny fist in a death grip with those buds, and I could practically see them wilting by the second. By the time we got to the temple they were limp, and I thought, she can't offer those, they are ruined. She woke up as soon as the van engine died, and was ready to go, fresh from her nap, with a bunch of dead flowers. Again, I tried to reason with her (it must have been the heat), "Padma, they are dead, you can't offer dead flowers" I tried to pry them out of her hand and she started to howl, "Nooooooo" I gave up......
We walked into the tiny temple, there were maybe 15 people there, all Indian. They gave us a friendly smile and watched as my little girl laid her dead flowers at Krishna's feet. "There!" she said, "So beautiful!" I was so afraid that we were making offence by offering obviously dead flowers , and I guess it showed on my face. The pujari smiled and pointed to a plaque on the wall, ......" He who offers Me with devotion only a leaf, or a flower, or a fruit, or even a little water, this I accept from that yearning soul, because with a pure heart it was offered with love".......... So there you go..it wasn't the offering itself, it was the devotion in which it was offered. And I couldn't see that because I was too wrapped up in the material illusion of the flowers.
"I am the same to all beings, and My love is ever the same; but those who worship me in devotion, they are in Me and I am in them"
I walked into the tiny temple seeing dead flowers and walked out seeing Krishna in the heart of my daughter.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Amarillo Ananda
Hare Krishna so last night we had a very nice program in Amarillo Texas, a town that is only really known for the their consumption of cows. Our host Rakesh Shah and his wife and family kindly invited us from the Dallas temple to do a Janmastami program at the Hindu temple that they helped develop. Rakesh Prabhu, a radiologist whose parents became initiated disciples of HH Tamal Krishna Goswami when he was just a young boy, works with the Hindu community of Amarillo and regularly invites devotees from our temple in Dallas to come and host programs at their temple in Amarillo. We arrived Saturday at 1pm from a 1 hour flight from Dallas. Our host Rakesh, who sponored our flight kindly picked us up and took us to his beautiful house. In his house he had the beautiful deities of Sri Sri Radha Krishna and also he had very nice art of Krishna throughout the house as well.
At 5:15 we took our leave to the temple and arrived there 15 minutes later. At the temple we were very nicely received by all the guest, mostly Gujarati families of doctors and lawyers. We had a three hour time slot so we decided to break the program in a way to keep everyones attentioned fully enlivened. What we did is that we would have a bhajan for about 15 to 20 minutes lead by Haridas sporting his dad's portable Aindra harmonium (nicknamed by Aindra Prabhu himself Screaming Babies), accompanied by Kapil who is wonderful with mrdanga. This would be followed by me speaking about the pastimes of Krishna for about 15 to 20, I spoke a little from the Garga Samhita of Garga Muni which has many wonderful pastimes including the pastime of the Devas going to Vaikuntha to request the Lord's assistance. In that journey upon reaching Goloka, the door keeper, a girl by the name of ShatakaChandrana asked the Devas, "From which universe may I know that you are coming from so that I may inform the Lord of your arrival?" Confused by this statement the Devas replied, "The one and only universe," the doorkeeper laughed, but the wise Lord Vishnu of our realm who was accompanying the Devas replied, "We are coming from the universe where the eternal Prishnigarbha has descended, the universe where Lord Trivikrama has broke with the tip of his toe nail and thus the Ganga flowing in" These pastimes were intersperced with the philosophy of Lord Krishna and covered such topics such as meat eating, persons claiming to be God, and impersonalism. So after a 15 min discussion we would again return back to the bhajan and everyone in the temple sang enthusastically. Over 200 guests showed up for the program and it appeared to be a great success. We ended with a final class on the Bhagavad gita. There is a point that I have been repeating in my discussions lately this week, something that both Srila Prabhupada and Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur discuss in their purports to the Srimad Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 verses 6-9. Krishna says that he comes to protect His devotees but later in Bhagavad Gita Krishna states mam ca yo vyabhi charena bhakti yoga sevate sa gunan samatityatan brahma bhuyaya kalpate that one who engages in devotional service, bhakti, is already saved already free from the modes of material nature. So what does it mean, paritranaya sadhunam, if by bhakti alone the sadhus are already saved. The conclusion given is that Krishna descends to appease His devotees who suffer in absence of the Lord. That is how sweet the relationship is with the Lord. This is one of the conculsions of this verse of Bhagavad gita. This verse, mam ca yo vyabhi charena also refutes the paradigm of castism because simply by engaging in service fully on becomes transcendental to the brahmana what to speak of the other classes, varnas.
This was then followed by a kirtan along with Jhulan Yatra, the swing festival, when we swing Radha and Krishna on a beautifully decorated swing. Both Haridas and myself lead this kirtan and it lasted a good 45 minutes being that their was so many people in line to partake in the swing festival. After the kirtan one gentleman approached me and asked that he had read that in the Vedas sometimes it is mentioned that there was this or that person who ate meat. My response was that neither the Vedas nor infact any traditional system of religion, such as Christianity, Muslim, or Hinduism, none of them, support the unrestricted slaughter of animals. In the Vedas, if a man wanted to eat flesh he would first sacrifice a goat in front of the deity of Kali and before killing the animal would chant, "in this life I am killing you, and in my next life you shall kill me." Also the brahmanas of the past were very powerful, sacrificing an old animal into the fire they could cause that same animal to appear out fire with a new youthful body. He seemed satisfied with the answer. Haridas and Kapil when back to the house to rest and I ended the night with dramatical Krishna story telling with all the youngins. 
Our host mentioned that the turn out and response was fantastic, they all loved to hear and chant about that Most Attractive One, Sri Krishna.
Your humble servant,
Nityananda Chandra Das
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