Connecting the dots.

Thoughts lead to Actions, Action to habits, habits to character. The collective characters of individuals forms the culture of a nation. Its really not so hard to connect the dots. In the past three months, on two occasions I have received racist comments from young boys in the age group of twenties. I was called names and when I responded by laughing it away and thanking the person, I guess it irked them more. I do not want to go into details of the last incident because it pains me to see a nation that has embraced a culture of swearing. It seems to have become the national language, that anyone who doesn't speak that language is considered a misfit. The whole of last week one thought rewound and played itself back in my mind. It were the words of HH Bhakti Vasudev Maharaja. The thought was that Krishna gives the best to His devotees! I was very deeply affected by this simple story. Maharaja spoke on determination and about the cowherd boy Swarup who returns to the spiritual kingdom after a long sojourn and is seated with Krishna for a meal. The meal is cooked by none other than Radharani and brought before Krishna. Krishna takes a bite, contorts His face in mock distaste and puts it into the mouth of Swarup. By doing so Krishna wants Swarup to taste the best. Radharani's cooking can never contain any flaws, Krishna just wants to give the best to His devotees and hence hatches this plan.

The best however is not defined in our terms, but in Krishna's terms. The best could be an embrace, pat on the back or a kick in the face. Knowledge sharpened by the words of the shastra is absolute knowledge they say and, though you cannot alter any situation, the way you react to a situation is certainly under your control. By reacting aggressively to the remarks, I would have stooped down and betrayed the words of shastra, guru and sadhu. Though I put on a brave front and smiled at the comments, as I turned around hose pipe in hand, my face flushed with anger and hot tears spilled out onto my cheeks. Tears of anger at the lack of proper leadership, tears of anger at the media that exploits the mind of young children making them zombies and filling them with hatred. I wiped my eyes and tried to justify it as my karma, as Krishna's love coming in another form but my tears indicated that I had failed in my understanding. I had let anger to take control of me even if momentarily. I had succumbed to the taunts of identifying with this body. This material world is a School of Love and to learn to Love one has to pay a hefty price involving stepping out of our comfort zone. I reflected on the bumper stickers God Bless America! and thought yes America does need blessings special Blessings.

Believe it or Not!

On Saturday, the 11 July we had the third Rathayatra in Atlantic city. This time we were given the seva of Bringing Srila Prabhupada to the venue. While the other devotees called up to say that the roads were clogged with beach traffic, we sailed into Atlantic city with Prabhupada sitting in the passenger seat of our Nissan Quest. Head held High he rode on majestically. The Rathayatra was on the Boardwalk. All parking slots were taken and the cops were ready for the parade as well. As we sat around wondering one lady who apparently had changed her mind pulled out of the parking lot. As we parked and jumped out enthusiastically waiting for the cart to arrive, we noticed that the parking had been paid for 7 hours. Unknowingly, this lady had just earned pious credits for serving a pure devotee of the Lord. The cart arrived in a Penske truck. As they went about setting up the cart, The Lords arrived in a van. Seated in the back seat in a reclining position, They looked gorgeous in a pink outfit with a blue border. With lot of seva on hand i did not have the time to make Bhoga for the Lord. All through the way my mind was chastising me for not planning and bringing an offering for the Lord. After a few minutes one of the devotees approached me and asked if I could offer the afternoon lunch to the Lord. I had just read that just offering water to the Lord, the Lord would be pleased. Here was my chance to offer. Along with the paratha, sabzi and fruits was a bottle of water. Pulling out a ziploc bag from my bag, I placed a Tulasi leaf in the water bottle and offered it to the Lord. After His Bhoga, The Lord was eager to proceed to Vrindavan and knocked of the foil lid that I had placed as a screen signalling He was ready to mount the chariot. The Rathayatra was ecstatic from start to finish. Remembering Janananda Maharaja's words from 2 years ago, I tried to dance and call out the names of the Lord as loudly as I could. When we reached the venue where prasdam would be served, one man in a black body stood around observing Srila Prabhupada and the arotik that was taking place. On seeing my husband he apparently mentioned " This man is very strong, He does not even blink." Not wanting to spoil his mood my husband just smiled in agreement. A little while later I approached the cart for something and as I stood around listening to the devotees singing the Jagannath Astakam Prayers, he said " Miss is this an Indian festival?" I explained to him that it is a festival of the heart where we were sharing our happiness at the Lord's return back to our hearts after long years of separation. He was clearly intrigued by Prabhupada and asked a few more questions. When I said that our only true relationship is with the Lord he exclaimed concurred and shook my hand. As I reluctantly shook hands with this inquisitive stranger Jagannath Baladev and Subhadra looked on. I ran to the devotees and asked them for a cookie. All the 4000 cookies that we had made had been distributed! One devotee put his hand into his pocket and pulled out a cookie he had saved for himself, thanking him I went back and handed the cookie to the man. He thanked me and went on to examine the cookie label. I mentally thanked my Guru Maharaja for whatever little service I could render.

Srila Prabhupada ki Jaya. Jagannath Ratha Yatra ki Jaya.

Sarvatma Snapanam

cheto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha--davagni-nirvapanam

shreyah-kairava-chandrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam

anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamritaswadanam

sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krishna-sankirtanam

Glory to the Sri-Krsna-Sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious.

I was just reflecting on this beautiful verse of the Siksastakam prayers and how I practically felt this cleansing last Saturday. It was an intense day for all of us devotees starting with wonderful mangala Arotik, followed by cleaning up a huge shed, a marathon pizza making session that took 4 hours. I felt drained by the lack of sleep, but I was determined to attend the Bhakti Vriksha that very evening and wanted to drown in the nectar of the holy names. The Kirtaniyas took their place. As if connected by an invisible bond all those with a penchant for music filled in the slots forming a natural circle. The kirtan began with the chanting of the Mahamantra and I felt layer after layer of tiredness peeling from my body. As I sat absorbed in the kirtan, I felt my eyes turning moist listening to Kalpavriksha Prabhu's chanting. Srila Prabhupada's words "Chanting should be like the cry of a child for his mother" rang in my ears and pictures of the drowning soul saved by Lord Visnu seated on Garuda flashed across my closed eyes. As they started singing Jaya Sri Krishna Bolo jaya Radhe, I felt all the weariness melting away, as if i had been bathed in the cooling waters of Mother Ganga. With all my insecurities rising into thin air, I felt safe in the company of the holy names that had enveloped all the people seated there..No one went back the same person that day. They had tasted the sweetness of bathing themselves in the nectar of the holy names. One mataji had slipped away from home almost 40 minutes away from the venue to drink in this nectar and sat mesmerized by the sound of the kartals, mridanga and the sweet names of Krishna. Sarvatma Snapanam Param Vijayate Sri Krishna Sankirtanam. Clearly, everyone there experienced this first hand that Summer Saturday night! An overwhelming gratitude for Srila Prabhupada surged in my heart and I felt thankful for being a part of this wonderful sankirtana movement.