Lessons from Bhaktin Hima.

She had visited us many times this year, but I knew we would get private time with her this time round. So, after a hectic weekend of mixed feelings of happiness, anger and sadness, I was ready to meet with Bhaktin Hima come Monday Morning. The brightness seeping in from the windows signalled that she had arrived. My daughter and I welcomed her with Maha Flowers, a woollen scarf to protect her from the wind and made her feel at home. After all she had met Srila Prabhupada, here in 1965-1966 and again, in the subsequent years and would definitely have memories to share. I hastily proceeded to the kitchen, leaving my daughter to regale her with her childish banter. Grinding the soaked urad dal, I peeked from the kitchen to see that they were having darshan of the deities. Knowing that time was of the essence I moved quickly, adding the spices and frying the vadas. Yes, Hima would get to taste some authentic South Indian Rasam Vada prasadam. The soupy, spiced Rasam would provide her succour from her long and arduous journey, and comfort food that it is soothe us all.

Though she has been around from a long time, she looked no older than a little girl with shiny black eyes and a cheery smile. Wearing a white gown dotted with flowers and with the Mahaprasadam flowers tucked in her hair, she polished off the vadas with gusto and then narrated the following story of how she had the chance to obtain the dust of Srila Prabhupada on her head and how she was humbled by this pure devotee of the Lord, in a conversation with his disciples.

" Srila Prabhupada was walking in St. James’s Park, tapping his cane on the ice that had formed overnight. At one point he asked, “What does this mean?” We looked at each other and wondered what we should say. Prabhupada asked again, “What does this mean?” We couldn’t fathom what Prabhupada meant. Suddenly he said, “Ice is maya. The original constitution of water is liquid, but when it comes in contact with freezing weather it becomes hard ice. And when there is ice, there is the possibility that you may slip.” Prabhupada may have been breaking the ice because he didn’t want anyone to slip. He continued the analogy, explaining that the heart becomes hard, but just as the sun rises and melts the ice, in the same way the continued chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra softens the heart and reinstates the individual in his natural constitutional position."

Finishing her narration she smiled at us, a kindly wise smile full of compassion and knowing. Waving us goodbye, she continued on with her journey, leaving us wiser and enriched.

"Goodbye Hima (Snow), hope you bring us many more valuable lessons next year".

I hate the prospect of shoveling piles of snow, but what started off as a drudgery became something therapeutic, the nature of devotional service, through the mercy of Srila Prabhupada's analogy. Jaya Srila Prabhupada!