Everyone loves ??

Everyone loves Jagannath. Though some of us find Him different looking we are nevertheless attracted to Him. This was very evident from the Rathayatra that we had in Queens, New York last Sunday. These deities are very different, because they were carved in New Jersey by Kalpavrksa dasa, our God brother, who is a very empowered devotee. Their very first public appearance was two weeks back, where they were brought to our Sunday feast hall. By some strange orchestration of events They came home from the Sunday feast and are presently being worshipped by us.Last Sunday They went on Their first Rathayatra. Rathayatra in Fall I thought? I began to agree with the Pandas in Puri for a minute, but the weather was far from windy, it was warm and wonderful.

So, it was a wonderful ride to Queens needless to say. I had to slide down and sit on the floor of the van so that I could hold Jagannath's lotus feet and prevent Him from sliding down the seat. On reaching Queens They mounted their chariot also made by Kalpavrksa Prabhu. The Rathayatra was part of a Peace march held by the Indian community there to commemorate Mahatama Gandhi's birthday on October 2nd. So, Mahatma Gandhi posthumously :-) lead the way, on this occasion. The star of the show was of course Jagannath. The kirtan party rocked the already colorful streets of queens with their sonorous voices and djembe beats. Jagannath Balabhadra and Subhadramayi, looked resplendent dressed in blue and red silks and mercifully let the devotees bind them with the seat harness ropes. An apt meditation in the month of Kartika. Krishna das our enthusiastic 11 year old was the helper to Jagannath's pujari (his sister). Again the personal aspect of worship taught by Srila Prabhupada accented the whole Rathayatra. All devotees marveled at the fact that they manifested locally. Devotees stopped by to talk to Jagannath. Some kids addressed Him as Jaggu, Jaggli. One Mataji quietly walked up to the Van where They were seated ready to go home after the long ride, thanked Them for coming and requested Them to be back next year, all as if conversing to a dear friend. After Their first Rathayatra, the Lords came back with a satiated smile. I was musing about how much They love the devotees and the locations They choose for Their outings and how merciful They are.. The whole incident was as if from Srila Prabhupada Lilamrita with Jayananda Prabhu working on the Rathayatra cart in the streets of San Francisco. I was reflecting on the past where I would try to serve the deities all by myself. After repeatedly hearing the glories of Jayananda Prabhu, I now understand that when service is shared with the goal of pleasing Krishna, it gets accepted by Krishna and is also very sweet.

In the past month I was thinking of starting a daycare from home and was wondering how the experience would be like. Some how things did not go as per our plan, and I am now babysitting 3 wonderful children, in addition to my own. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to see if its a dream or if its real that They mercifully accepted our meagre accommodation. I will miss Them when They leave. Service is like an umbilical cord that keeps us connected to the Lord and makes us alive and spiritually nourished. As I turn off the lights bidding Them to please sleep well I pray hard to Guru Maharaja to direct them to my heart where They can stay forever.

tava kathāmṛtaḿ tapta-jīvanaḿ
kavibhir īḍitaḿ kalmaṣāpaham
śravaṇa-mańgalaḿ śrīmad ātataḿ
bhuvi gṛṇanti ye bhūri-dā janāḥ

The nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one's sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent.

Thank you Srila Prabhupada!

Krishna Balaram-Some Pictures.

Wonderful dancing of Krishna and Balaram

Excerpt from a lecture by HH Varsana Swami, Submitted by Manoj

The holy dham is to be respected as the expansion of the Lord Balaram, Who sets the scene for the pastimes. And what are the Lord's embellishments, decorations?Mother Yasoda comes into Krishna's bedroom, singing sweet songs about the loving pastimes that took place before and she wakes up Krishna. And then all the cowherd boys come and they assist in dressing Krishna. And to please Mother Yasoda, He puts on jewelery and fancy clothes, and the cows… they won't even give milk until they have darshan of Lord Krishna.And then what happens! Krishna goes to the forest. He takes off the fancy jewelery that Mother Yasodha put and that gets covered with the forest gifts. The flowers and the peacock feathers, the mango twigs, and Krishna decorates Himself … the Gopis see this about 20 miles away, premanjana churita bhakti vilocenena, with eyes anointed with the salve of love, they can clearly see what is going on 20 miles away. They say, why is He dressing so nice? How's He dressing … Like a dramatic actor. Somebody who is about to do a stage performance, a dramatic act, and they are suspended in rapt attention, from inside their houses 20 miles away or so. Why is He dressing so nicely ? Is He dressing to please the cowherd boys? Well, they are dressing Him, so that's not it. Is He dressing to please Mother Yasoda? Well, she already dressed Him. So who is He dressing to please?Who do young boys dress to please? Young girls … So the Gopis feel very happy.Nanda Maharaj, Mother Yasodha and the elders all follow Krishna upto the point where Krishna assures them with a look, we'll be alright … you can go back … we'll be well behaved … And then painfully they go back …And then as the acharyas explain, as soon as Nanda and Yasodha turn to go back, Krishna and the cowherd boys turn like baby elephants who just got released. So the cowherd boys are joking and talking. So when the devotees asked Prabhupada, what do the cowherd boys talk about … Prabhupada said, Non-sense, ofcourse. But it has all got one purpose and one center, and that is Krishna. Which creates harmony, and peace, and sweetness, through out all of creation. And carrying that message of peace through the process of sankirtan is the most benevolent activity and the only antidote to the hideous influence of cruelty. So when Krishna and the cowherd boys begin to play, naturally all the cows, the birds, the peacocks get into a very playful mood and the cowherd boys … they also like to fight. How do they fight? with nuclear missilens … No … with flowers. They launch flowers. Sometimes they play ball …And then Vrndavan forest is not a dull inert, inanimate forest, full of darkness. Everything is enlightened. So understanding Krishna's mood, it creates a stage. And one of the cowherd boys starts drawing out his design, how the stage should be, with a stick. Ok, this is the center stage for Krishna and Balaram, Who come on. Krishna like a sapphire, and Balaram like an emerald. And Krishna's bluish effulgence, cast a nice bluish hue all over the forest and Balaram, when He gets enlivened, He starts sparkling like lightning. And the cowherd boys decide, ok, the musicians can go on this side and the deer and the rabbits sit in front, creating an audience. And then Krishna and Balaram come on to the stage, bow down to the audience, to bhumi, to Goddess Saraswati, Goddess of music and dance, and then they begin to Dance. Krishna begins dancing like a peacock. And the earth planet is so blessed, that no where else in the universe does Krishna dance. No where else does He even appear and bless the planet with the emblems of His bear lotus feet. So Krishna begins to dance. And everyone begins to sing. Krishna then begins to adjust His clothing, in a very accentuated manner. And then Krishna begins tap dancing. Creating a musical rhythm. When Krishna and Balaram begin to dance, They become to attracted in mutual love for each other and everyone witnessing this lila become so filled with love for Krishna and Balaram that their natural response is to embrace and love one another. If we have love for Krishna, you cannot have enimity for anyone or anything …And then Krishna, begins playing His flute and this enlivens Balaram to start dancing in a way no one can imitate. When Balaram gets enlivened, How would you compare? He gets so enlivened that with one hand on the ground and His whole body pivoting in the air and His lotus feet, circling in the sky, that just enlivens Krishna to no end … so that Krishna cannot even contain His joy, and Krishna begins dancing which culminates in doing cart-wheels around Balaram, who is rotating on His hand, with His body in the air and Krishna is doing cartwheels circumumbulating Him While simultaneously playing His flute; While simultaneously taking the dust from Balaram's feet in the air and also Distributing that dust to everybody in the audience until finally all that anyone can say is WONDERFUL ! WONDERFUL ! And Krishna begins boasting … Can anyone in the world out-do us in dancing … And everyone say NO WAY … First there is the competition who is the best. And the cowherd boys to please Krishna, they dance the best. But finally Krishna and Balaram dance even better until finally everyone in the forest and the earth is so enthralled and the sound even penetrating the outer coverings of the universe reaching Vaikuntha, Lord Narayan begins smiling. And Lakshmi is asking, What is causing you so much pleasure?There is such a correlation between love and wonder that everyone is just enraptured by the dance. And then as Srila Prabhupada points out, Krishna and Balaram, not having undergone the hair cutting ceremony, everything is dancing … Their ear-rings, Their hair … Their garlands, Their ornaments, everything …If we have love there will be no room for malice in our hearts. It is not by hatred, or fighting that malice can be killed, but it is only by love is envy stilled. This is a lesson repeatedly emphasized in the life of Haridas Thakur. And the symptom of love is humility, service attitude. The expression is service. And who is the best servant - Krishna is the best everything. He is also the most humble. Because after this dance, theatrical performance, that enraptured and enchanted everyone, everyone is saying - Krishna, you're the best … And Krishna saying yeah, Iam the best … And Sridama comes and says, Hey Krishna, you know I got evidence that under the cloak of darkness you sneak out sometime and take dancing lessons from my older sister. Sridama is Radharani's brother … So you know, Krishna says, Yea … I was actually kind of presumptuous to proclaim that I am the supreme dancer when I've got my own teacher.Ofcourse, this is all so esoteric and above our heads we should understand that we don't have connection with anything spiritual, except by the Grace of our Spiritual Master, the supreme expression of love, kindness and mercy, who has come to redeem us from the plight of this world and save us from the viciousness that destroys everything and everyone in this world and teaching us how to sing and dance in sankirtan.Sankirtan has two meanings - everyone coming together to sing and dance; and also means everything being used in the missionary work of Srila Prabhupada and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to develop love for Krishna, which is the purpose of our chanting Hare Krishna. By one mantra Which consists of three names, Hare Krishna and Rama, we can derive our dormant Krishna consciousness and counteract all the evil tendencies of the age of Kali, perfect the human form of life, benefit all living entities, by assisting one another in the path back home, where everyone lives eternally, in perfect peace and harmony.

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!

Winds of Change.

My neighbor's neatly maintained lawn resembled a rubbish heap. Empty Styrofoam cups floated around. The kids broke out in a frenzy running around flapping their arms. The dry winter leaves flew in the air looking like a flock of sparrows. Plastic bags hung from tree branches and the wind howled and roared at times as if making an announcement. "Who is that?" questioned the little girl. In the whole universe where everything is personal and a manifestation of the energy of Krishna, the wind too is a person. I was simultaneously awestruck by the dance of the leaves and frightened by the noise of the blowing winds. Weather forecasts reported hundreds of people were rendered power less. Aren't we powerless against the forces of nature anyway? Here was the often quoted Adhidaivik force at work. Though the storm chasers believe that the early onset of high velocity winds, tornadoes etc. is due to the effects of global warming, I wanted to find out more about the cause of natural disasters and it is interesting how our literature provides an answer for everything.

According to the science of Vedic Astrology, the deity of storm, wind and the hunt is believed to be Rudra and the meaning of which is to cry out loud. No wonder then that the winds made this loud wailing sound creating a kind of fear.

Reminded of Trinavrta who represents the false pride that arises from material scholarship, which gives rise to deviant philosophies, I turned to Srimad Bhagavatam and found that in his purport to 3.17.5 dealing with the birth of asuras Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha, Srila Prabhupada has explained lucidly the reason for such natural disasters.

There blew winds which were most uninviting to the touch, hissing again and again and uprooting gigantic trees. They had storms for their armies and clouds of dust for their ensigns.
PURPORT
When there are natural disturbances like blowing cyclones, too much heat or snowfall, and uprooting of trees by hurricanes, it is to be understood that the demoniac population is increasing and so the natural disturbance is also taking place. There are many countries on the globe, even at the present moment, where all these disturbances are current. This is true all over the world. There is insufficient sunshine, and there are always clouds in the sky, snowfall and severe cold. These assure that such places are inhabited by demoniac people who are accustomed to all kinds of forbidden, sinful activity.

These are winds that signify a change in the already degraded Kaliyuga, winds that howl and announce the birth of deviant philosophies and false pride.

Liberation comes only through Kirtana, the only good quality in this ocean of faults.

Kaler dosha nidhe rajan astihy eko mahan gunah

Kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta sangah param vrajet.