Seeing through another's eyes.

As we were studying about Chapter 6: How to Discharge Devotional Service in the Nectar of Devotion, the class reached a discussion on the worshippable rivers like Mother Ganga and Yamuna. The discussion found its way to the topic on being able to see the dham. Seeing the dham requires the mercy of Gopisvara Mahadev who is the gatekeeper of the dham and also that of the Vrajavasis. The question arose "Can we partake the water from River Yamuna or Ganga?" "Can we risk having a dip in the water?" From our viewpoint Yamuna or Ganga is another river that is polluted by tonnes of industrial waste and fecal matter. It is a place where the ashes of the dead find an end, the beginning of a hope that the departed souls move on to an auspicious life in the future!

I remembered a class that I heard by HH Mahanidhi Swami on how every realized soul beginning with Caitanya Mahaprabhu, started parikrama of Mathura Mandal-Vrindavana by having a dip in the Yamuna. Though devotees (aspiring or fanatics), we still tend to forget how Yamnua Mayi is a person, how Ganga Mayi is a person and how they have a spiritual form in the Spiritual world. While we look through our pricey coolers and judge the Yamuna as being filthy, polluted and dirty, Mother Yamuna is looking at us wondering "There he comes with years of filth and he/she is going to dump all of it in my waters."

Description of Yamuna Devi from the KRSNA Book, Chapter 58

While they were resting and drinking water, they saw a beautiful girl of marriageable age walking alone on the bank of the Yamuna. Krsna asked His friend Arjuna to go forward and ask the girl who she was. By the order of Krsna, Arjuna immediately approached the girl, who was very beautiful. She had an attractive body and nice glittering teeth and smiling face. Arjuna inquired, "My dear girl, you are so beautiful with your raised breasts--may I ask you who you are? We are surprised to see you loitering here alone. What is your purpose in coming here? We can guess only that you are searching after a suitable husband. If you don't mind, you can disclose your purpose. I shall try to satisfy you."
The beautiful girl was the river Yamuna personified. She replied, "Sir, I am the daughter of the sun-god, and I am now performing penance and austerity to have Lord Visnu as my husband. I think He is the Supreme Person and just suitable to become my husband. I disclose my desire thus because you wanted to know it."

While we hold our noses for fear of throwing up, Mother Yamuna or Ganga cannot bear the stench of our perspiring bodies, the stench of our inflated ego and the stench of our sometimes diseased and sore bodies.

She who is fragrant with scented ointments from Lord Krishna’s transcendental body has taken on the sins of countless sinners and has become tainted. It is not They who are polluted, it is us, and the reflection of our own lusty impure hearts is the pollution visible today.

As one verse in the Yamunastakam reads:

May Sri Yamuna, the daughter of Suryadeva, who is the famous splendid spiritual river flowing through the Bhuh Bhuvah and Svah planets, who burns away the greatest sins, and who is fragrant with scented ointments from Lord Krishna’s transcendental body, always purify me.

This discussion and my own thoughts made me realize our insignificance and the greatness of the benedictions of Krishna and His many wonderful associates and devotees.

Personal and Sweet!

The past Sunday we celebrated the Snan Yatra- The Appearance Day of sorts;of Lord Jagannath. I love festivals related to Lord Jagannath and Giriraja because there is no austerity of fasting involved. No growling tummies, dizzy heads and cranky tempers to deal with. So, Jaganntha has His annual bath in full public view and then promptly falls sick. Firstly he reciprocates with the sincere desire of a devotee and offers him Darshan as Ganesha and then by falling sick He makes devotees care for Him by offering herbal teas, fruit juices, rasamalai etc. where the devotees and the Lord gain great pleasure through this transcendental loving exchange. Even this sickness Lila of the Lord is sweet as are all his Lilas, His Flute, His form and His Love. It also gives a much needed opportunity for cleaning up the temple or the house preparing for the subsequent Rath yatra.Just cannot imagine serving Lord Narayana like this? The sweetness of Lord Krishna's Lilas clearly shone through the entire Festival and I was thinking about a question asked by our friend Saahithya where she was asking if Mula Mantras would have an effect even without Brahman Diksha...The answer is yes, but when there is a relationship with Krishna we wouldn't want to bring in formality by chanting mulamantra, showing the mudras and then making the offering. It is said that Lord Jagannath loves Khajas so much that He directly accepts the Khaja right out from the frying pan, soaked in sugar syrup...

The Lord of contradictions is several years old when He displays His Mahabhava Prakash Lila, but I cannot help thinking of Them as little children.

advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusham nava-yauvanam ca vedeshu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami

"I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is inaccessible to the Vedas, but obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul, who is without a second, who is not subject to decay, is without a beginning, whose form is endless, who is the beginning, and the eternal purusha; yet He is a person possessing the beauty of blooming youth." (Sri Brahma-samhita, 5.33) This is an e-mail we received last year on how to observe the Anavasara Period.
As per H.G. Pankajanghri Prabhu of Mayapur ISKCON, following is the standard way of taking care of Lord Jagannath (Balaram and Subhadra) during two weeks of His Sickness and Seclusion (Anvasara) period after "SnanYatra": - You may wake Lord Jagnnath after 6 AM. He can take longer rest in afternoon and take rest about 7 PM everyday. - For eating: soups, boiled sabjis, sweet rice, fruits, fruit juice, tea/s and milk at night. - Medicine: Chyavanprash, mixture of chenna, cream, butter, sugar candy, cardamom, milk and pinch of camphor. - There is no need to change the dress, nor jweleries, nor perform any aratis, nor ringing bell.Hope this information is valuable who serve Lord Jagannatha. Jagannath Snan Yatra ki Jai!

http://picasaweb. google.com/ SriJagannath. ISKCONNJ. Mandir/20090607S riJagannathSnanY atra?authkey= Gv1sRgCK- axvyliJPGgAE&feat=email

Going on Their Rickety Rath Ride

Nilacala Nivasaya Nityaya paramatmane, Balabhadra Subhadrabhyam Jagannathaya Te Namah!

Tried Making a Replica of Shankha Kshetra Sri Jagannath Puri Dham and surrounding Dhams of Utkal or Orissa with fondant. More pictures on chappanbhog!

A Get well card made by Vrinda.

Jagannath in Padma Vesh Attire.

Look Ma; Subhadra has hands..Yes this deity of Subhadra has hands..

The fruit of austerity.

"Therefore Rukmini Devi knew very well that obtaining the favor of Krishna was not easy. Since even Lord Siva must purify himself for this purpose, surely it would be difficult for Rukmini who was only the daughter of a Kshatriya King. Thus she desired to dedicate her life to observing severe austerities and going without bodily comforts. if it were not possible in this lifetime to gain Krishna's favor by these activities, she was prepared to die from such austerities and to undergo similar difficulties lifetime after lifetime. In the Bhagavad Gita it is said that pure devotees of the Lord execute devotional service with great determination. Such determination as exhibited by Rukmini Devi, is only the price for purchasing Krishna's favor. One should be strongly determined in Krishna Consciousness and that is the way to ultimate success."

-Krishna Book, Chapter 52

The past Sunday the Oriya devotees at the temple observed the marriage of Goddess Rukmini and Jagannath at the temple. Of course Jagannath did not get down from the altar, but He always fulfills the desires of His devotees and so, Gokulananda came down to marry Rukmini and as HH Janananda Maharaj mentioned, "Jagannath doesn't marry Rukmini, but Krishna does and becomes Rukmini Dwarakadeesh, another of His wonderful pastimes." This pastime extols the virtues of Rukmini who was none other than the Goddess of fortune and brings out the sweet reciprocation of the Lord with his sincere devotee. The story is like a thriller for one who is not accustomed to Krishna or His pastimes. What will happen to princess Rukmini, will she marry the man of her dreams? I remember reading this one from the Amar Chitra Katha series with great excitement. Anything that the Lord does is cool and in this instance on the request of his devotee He kidnaps the princess right in front of the valiant soldiers trying to protect Rukmini. It is so hard for me to understand that Rukmini was only a small girl and yet undergoing so many austerities to gain the favor of the Lord and all by just hearing about Him.

Here we are given the biggest favor by Nityananda Rama who is begging everyone to take up the holy names at the the market place of the holy names, no need for earth moving austerities, yet I disregard His advertisement and think nothing of wanting to gain the Lord's favor, considering the most pleasing activity of chanting the holy names itself as the biggest austerity and pushing it to the fag end of the day.. We too are hearing about the Lord, but am I developing an attachment, a desire to see Him, Nope I am only attached to my material relationships and consider them my biggest asset.

It was hard for me to take the bride's side or the groom side, with Radharani watching from the altar; for Rukmini is none other than Chandravali, the daughter of Chandrabhanu and the cousin of Srimati Radharani in the Vrindavana pastimes. Chandravali adds the extra sweetness to the pastimes of Radha and Krishna by heading the Vipaksha/opposing team of sakhis who are antagonistic to Srimati Radhika.

All is well that ends well since everything is fair in love and war, so with the grace of HH Janananda Maharaj, we enjoyed his humorous katha, there was blockbuster sales of the Krishna Book and a roaring Kirtan to celebrate the pastime of the marriage of Krishna and Rukmini and to just celebrate the joy of being in Krishna Consciousness.

Guru Maharaj was once mentioning in his class that performance of austerities increases the determination and brings about prosperity. I did not understand how it brings about prosperity, but now I do because what is more auspicious than gaining the Lord's favor.

Spiritual Stock Taking

Yesterday (30 May) was the 5 year since we received Harinam Diksha or first initiation. Your name will be ...My heart was beating fast, and my stomach was churning , my daughter wanted to be fed while I was sitting at the fire sacrifice. I looked at the grim faces of the Maharajas and Guru Maharaj as they talked about the ten defences and the gravity of of initiation and initiation vows. Will I be able to chant 16 rounds every single day?? I was feeling dizzy from fasting and wanted to run out of the temple room. I looked at Radha Damodara helplessly. How am I going to do it, chanting seemed an insurmountable formidable task with an attention seeking 1.6 year old child. Mothers looked at me and shrugged saying . "Been there done that." Others told me Guru is like that switch through which you get connected to the Powerhouse or Krishna...

It was my turn to receive the beads, I had no Guru Dakshina for Gurudev, save a hastily put together sketch of Narasimhadev. I stretched my hand out holding the framed sketch. Gurudev graciously accepted my dakshina with a big smile encouraging me like a father would encourage a small child. I accepted my beads not graciously but with trepidiation. I was very sure I would get my 4 regs wrong but somehow I threw the words out into the mic. I could barely hear Guru Maharaj as he said "Your name again is based on your personality and means servant of the eternally fresh transcendental pastimes of Srimati Radharani- Nitya Navina DASI".Fast forward, 5 years later I'm still struggling to chant without offenses, but am trying hard. I am still trying to accept that I am a servant not the master and still missing the mercy due to my countless offences.Yet due to the services rendered to Jagannath, however small they may be, I received a birthday present, for my 5 spiritual birth anniversary! I got to attend the Ratha Yatra at Baltimore, have Darshan of the beautiful Gaura Nitai deities at New Kulina Gram, have darshan of devotees from my God Family and get a copy of the book Reflections on Sacred Teachings - Radha Sunya-Missing Mercy, by Gurudev- HH Bhakti Tirtha Swami. As I pulled on the Ratha Yatra cart I kept begging Lord Jagannath to please make His way back into my heart knowing fully well that there was no space for Him because it is full of filth. I haven't cleaned up the temple of my heart, performing the Gundica Marjanam, how than can deserve what I desire? But I can still try. I have heard that the Lotus eyed Lord is Bhava Grahi Janardhan and reciprocates with sincere desire of His devotees. He displayed the form of Ganesh, became Rukmini Dwarkadeesh and interacts in countless ways at the behest of His devotees, surely some day he will enter this wretched heart.

Tilakam Madhuram

We are on the way back from the temple, from the Sunday feast program. We are out of milk and I need to get it for Monday but wait a minute I am draped in a sari, with a bright tilaka adorning the ajna chakra covered by the layers of flesh and skin - my forehead. I pass a palm over my forehead trying to clear up the tilaka before I can enter the grocery store. "What will people think of my appearance!"

That was my initial reaction when I started putting on the tilaka. Nowadays, it doesn't really matter, I'm less conscious of my bodily appearance and am immune to the stares and glances of onlookers. The Urdva Pundra or the Tilaka is one of the 5 items received at the time of initiation, where a Vaisnava can adorn his body with tilaka.

The smrti-sastras explain panca-samskara in the following manner:
tapah pundram tatha nama mantro yagas ca pancamah/ami hi panca-samskarah paramaikanti-hetavah//
"Tapa, pundra, nama, mantra, and yaga-these five items comprise panca-samskara. They are the cause of intense devotion to Lord Hari." [3]
When a faithful person learns about panca-samskara, he approaches a religious teacher and humbly requests him for initiation, or diksa. After considering the student's sincerity, the teacher mercifully gives tapa and pundra to the student in order to sanctify his body. Some religious groups give tapa by marking the student's body in various places with the symbols of Sri Visnu's conch, disc, club and lotus using hot iron brands. Other religious groups imprint the name of Hari with clay using a sandalwood stamp. [In reference to tapa the smrti sastras further state:
hari-namaksarair gatram ankayet candanadina/sa loka-pavano bhutva tasya lokam avapnuyat// [4]
"One who marks his body with the syllables of Hari's name using sandal paste purifies the world and after death attains the kingdom of God."
[In the Sri Sampradaya of Ramanuja tapa is given by branding the body with the symbols of conch and disc, but Sri Caitanyadeva has instructed that we mark the body with Harinama using sandal paste etc. instead of brands. This rule is a blessing for the souls of kali-yuga.]
Pundra, or tilaka marks, are vertical lines drawn on the body. The sastras interpret these vertical marks either as symbols representing the Temple of Hari, or as His footprints. Accordingly each religious group has its own prescription for pundra which is universally accepted within that particular group. [5]

So when my daughter's friend came home the other day, she looked at my daughter first and said what is this mark you have on your forehead. She then entered and looked at a picture of prabhupada with the same mark, Guru Maharaja with the same mark, Jayananda Thakura and said why do so many guys have this strange mark. The typical third generation preacher that she is my daughter said to her " You know we follow a different religion." Pointing to the altar she said, " There are more guys in there with the same mark, but you have to be clean before you can open it." I let her do the talking. It is all in the eyes of the beholder, some people think its bird poo, others think its a weird paint, but Vallabhacharya has said it all in his Madhurastakam, and since we follow the Lord our business is to be reminded and remind others of Him at all times through our words and actions and appearance.

Gitam madhuram pitam madhurambhuktam madhuram suptam madhuramrupam madhuram tilakam madhurammadhur-adipater akhilam madhuram
His song is sweet, His drinking is sweet, His eating is sweet, His sleeping is sweet,His beautiful form is sweet, His Tilaka (mark on the forehead) is sweet,Everything is completely sweet about the Lord of Sweetness.
Text5

Narasimha Chaturdasi

Since the actual day of Narasimha Chaturdasi was a weekday we celebrated it at the property which will someday house our Radha Krishna in a temple. Here are some pictures of the celebrations.

Our Ugra and Jwala Narasimha Shilas.

Our Pancha loha Lakshmi Narasimha deva deity.

Radha Gokulananda surrounded with mustard blossoms

The Grass IS greener on the other side!

My sister and her family visited us en route, on a tour of America. When relatives visit it is always bittersweet. My sister (who is a good eight years older than me), or for that matter no one from my family can relate to the fact that I am no longer the person that I used to be. In the high school years of my sister, my parents received a complaint from the teachers that she was not paying enough attention to her studies. She was so attached to her new younger sibling; me... that she she was neglecting her studies and consequently scoring less marks. She still sees me as that little younger sister and is not able to fathom my affiliation to ISKCON or my fascination for Krishna and His pastimes.

As discussions always take the familiar route she said, "Why don't you'll come back to India?" I tried evading this all too familiar question smiling and serving them more upma. As if to highlight this fact that this is not the place where I should be, that very same evening when we went to the park,

My sister and her family with Vrinda.

some kids threw an empty can at us as they passed us by in their car and also swore at us using foul language. My sister was a little taken aback. I offered silent prayers to Srila Prabhupada and Jayananda Thakura, to give me strength to see those kids as lost souls. Jayananda Prabhu was expert at converting negative situations to positive ones and he is my role model,the very personification of humility. However my sister's question kept tormenting me especially since I keep expressing so much reluctance to go back and reside in a place like Mayapur. In Mayapur, the chances of someone swearing and throwing an empty can at us is naught! What is it that I'm holding on to and why do I fear going back? It is not that I have lived in a city all my life and won't be able to adjust to a secluded life. I am not able to submit to the will of the Lord and do as He desires. I want to be the controller and therefore have to pay the price in terms of mental torture. The park incident did cause some pain and some understanding that I don't belong here. The grass IS greener on the other side. When will I be able tear off the layers of conditioning and realize this. When will I give up my comfort zone and allow myself to be utilized like a puppet in His hands?

When will I be able to understand this whole existence on this planet is but a temporary transit lounge? Please do not let me get comfortable. I need the association of sadhus who will cut to shreds with their words my false ego and make me realize my place. Incidents like this make me wake up a little but I go back to sleep again comfortably! Ohe Vaisnava Thakura, Doyara Sagara E Dase Karuna Kori.

(1)ohe! vaiṣṇaba ṭhākura, doyāra sāgara,e dāse koruṇā kori'diyā pada-chāyā, śodho he āmāya,tomāra caraṇa dhori

(2)chaya bega domi', chaya doṣa śodhi',chaya guṇa deho' dāsechaya sat-sańga, deho' he āmāre,bosechi sańgera āśe

(3)ekākī āmāra, nāhi pāya bala,hari-nāma-sańkīrtanetumi kṛpā kori', śraddhā-bindu diyā,deho' kṛṣṇa-nāma-dhane

(4)kṛṣṇa se tomāra, kṛṣṇa dīte pāro,tomāra śakati ācheāmi to' kāńgāla, 'kṛṣṇa' 'kṛṣṇa' boli',dhāi tava pāche pāche

TRANSLATION
1) O venerable Vaisnava. O ocean of mercy, be merciful unto your servant. Give me the shade of your lotus feet and purify me. I hold on to your lotus feet.

2) Teach me to control my six passions; rectify my six faults, bestow upon me the six qualities, and offer unto me the six kinds of holy association.*

3) I do not find the strength to carry on alone the sankirtana of the holy name of Hari. Please bless me by giving me just one drop of faith with which to obtain the great treasure of the holy name of Krsna.

4) Krsna is yours. You have the power to give Him to me. I am simply your servant running behind you shouting, "Krsna! Krsna!"

REMARKS/EXTRA INFORMATION:
*The six passions are those pertaining to words, the mind, anger, the tongue, the stomach and the genitals. The six faults are overeating, attachment to material things, inability to follow regulative principles, sense gratification, useless idle talk, and impure habits. The six positive qualities are enthusiasm in practicing devotional service, firm faith in devotional processes, a strong desire to attain prema-bhakti, a favorable service attitude, avoidance of non-devotees, and appreciation of the company of devotees. The six methods of association are to go to an assembly of devotees, to invite devotees into one's home, to discuss and hear devotional topics, to take the maha-prasada of devotees and to offer maha-prasada to devotees.