Few hours in the Spiritual world.

I could not get to participate much in the kirtan program at the home of the Ravals (NY), but got some pictures of the Annakut and their home deities. It was simultaneously like being in Vrindavan with the Annakut festival, in Mayapur with the Sankirtan and in Jagannath Puri with all the prasadam. Here are some pictures.

The Altar

Sri Sri Radha Vasant Bihari


Gaura Nitai .



They need no intro...

The Annakut

Our Jagannath Baladev and Giriraj Shilas, The Guests of honor.

My Offering to Giriraja and the two brothers.


After the feast- Giriraja still eyeing the offerings.

Resting.

Between the two Ears!

36 hours? surely you must mean 36 minutes. Why don't you use that time in spreading joy among the poor, distribute food maybe? You mean you chant every single day? These are questions that we get asked sometimes, while inviting newbies to a kirtan program. At the outset this might be like comparing apples and bananas. What has spending time in kirtan got to do with helping the poor?
Historically we can see that Prahlad Maharaj and Caitanya Mahaprabhu themselves were questioned about the meaningfulness and intentions of Akhanda Sankirtan. Taking our own example, the mind questions us every single day. Just as we pick up our japa beads, the mind says " What is the hurry? You have many more hours to go in the day do you really want to waste your time rising early to chant? Rest some more!"
Its easier to explain to the new comer than to explain to the mind that "yes we can distribute food to the poor, but where does the food come from?"

In his purport to the verse 3.11 in the Bhagavad Gita Srila Prabhupada explains:
Krsna Himself is the beneficiary of all kinds of yajnas: Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam. Therefore, ultimate satisfaction of the yajna-pati is the chief purpose of all yajnas. When these yajnas are perfectly performed, naturally the demigods in charge of the different departments of supply are pleased, and there is no scarcity in the supply of natural products.

Srila Prabhupada repeatedly mentions that in Kaliyuga the yajna to be performed is the chanting of Holy Names: yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyairyajanti hi su-medhasaḥ[SB 11.5.32] Those who are highly intellectual, su-medhasaḥ, they perform the saṅkīrtana yajña, and by that saṅkīrtana yajña, the Lord, whose complexion is not black and who is always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and is accompanied by His associates, sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam, yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ. So in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, everything is being performed according to the scriptural injunction. It is not that we are manufacturing something.

If yajna is not performed where is the question of food grains or feeding the poor.

As far as the mind goes, I remember my older brother, the family prankster stealthily recording all our conversations and playing them back for us to hear. Sure, we laughed at some things which we said and were angry with others who said things about us but mostly we were embarrassed for saying things about others. I also remember hearing a long time ago, my English teacher explaining in his inimitable way about the working of the mind as that which goes on between the two ears. If one does record it all and plays it back it will bring out all the negativity and filth that we carry. One can try reasoning with the mind. "Ah! my friend japa in the morning means one-on-one time with my spiritual master, something which I crave and compete for in his physical presence." One can try engaging it in the service of Krishna, but if all else fails beating the mind black and blue with shoes and brooms seems the only way. " But wait should I use the blue sneakers or the black sandals?" Oh! N0!, here we go again.

Yato yato niscalati manas cancalam asthiram. [Bg 6.26]

With this being said, off we go for the concluding day of the 36 hour kirtan, being broadcast live on Planetiskcon.com.