A picture can speak a Thousand Words- The Asta Sakhis

                                                      Sudevi and Ranga Devi

Looking at the art work done by his disciples in the past, Srila Prabhupada is said to have mentioned that they were windows to the spiritual world. Art is a very effective method of conveying your thoughts and involves a great deal of observation. Like everything art can also be classified as belonging to the mode of goodness, ignorance or passion...and then when Krishna is involved, it is transcendental art. In the following posts we will feature some art done by my little Vrinda (9 years). This is Vraja as she sees it, if you look closely she has not arbitrarily sketched the pictures. She has studied the color that is worn by the Ashta Sakhis, the particular seva that they perform and has in her own way visualized their appearance. Its no wonder then that they say that a "Picture can speak a thousand words." We invite you all to enter into Vraja Art, a title that she has chosen and have a peek into the spiritual world, through the eyes of a nine year old.

Sri Gandharvika Giridhari Jiu

For a week now Sri Gandharvika Giridhari Jiu have become a part of our home and lives.  Here are some pictures! We cannot decide who looks more beautiful bringing us to meditate on the beautiful conversation that happened between Suka and Sari as described in Chapter 17, Madhya Lila of Sri Caitanya Caritamrita and we, like them, came to the conclusion that both look the best together!

When a male and female parrot appeared on the branches of a tree, the Lord saw them and wanted to hear them speak.

CC Madhya 17.209: Both parrots flew onto the hand of the Lord and began to chant the transcendental qualities of Krsna, and the Lord listened to them.

CC Madhya 17.210: The male parrot sang, "The glorification of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is beneficial to everyone in the universe. His beauty is victorious over the gopīs of Vṛndāvana, and it subdues their patience. His pastimes astound the goddess of fortune, and His bodily strength turns Govardhana Hill into a small toy like a ball. His spotless qualities are unlimited, and His behavior satisfies everyone. Lord Kṛṣṇa is attractive to everyone. Oh, may our Lord maintain the whole universe!"

CC Madhya 17.211: After hearing this description of Lord Krsna from the male parrot, the female parrot began to recite a description of Srimati  Rādhārāṇī.

CC Madhya 17.212: The female parrot said, "Srimati Rādhārāṇī's affection, Her exquisite beauty and good behavior, Her artistic dancing and chanting and Her poetic compositions are all so attractive that they attract the mind of Krsna who attracts the mind of everyone in the universe."

CC Madhya 17.213: Thereafter the male parrot said, "Krsna is the enchanter of the mind of Cupid." He then began to recite another verse.

CC Madhya 17.214: The male parrot then said, "My dear Sari [female parrot], Sri Krsna carries a flute and enchants the hearts of all women throughout the universe. He is specifically the enjoyer of the beautiful gopīs, and He is the enchanter of Cupid also. Let Him be glorified!"

CC Madhya 17.215: Then the female parrot began to speak jokingly to the male parrot, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was struck with wonderful ecstatic love to hear her speak.

CC Madhya 17.216: The female parrot said, "When Lord Sri Krsna is with Rādhārāṇī, He is the enchanter of Cupid; otherwise, when He is alone, He Himself is enchanted by erotic feelings even though He enchants the whole universe."

CC Madhya 17.217: Both parrots then flew onto a tree branch, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu began to watch the dancing of the peacocks with curiosity.

Keshava Dhrta Narahari Rupa

Our little Jagannatha in Narahari Vesha on the occasion of Narasimha Chaturdasi 2012

End of India Series- Navaneeta Krishna, Dodda Malur

Dodda Malur in Channapatna Taluk, in Karnataka, has some hidden treasures. While in Bangalore this year we visited 4 such wonderful temples in and around the place. First we visited the Rama Aprameya temple which is home of the famed Aprameya Swami or Lord Vishnu. The temple is dated to be almost 1500 years old. There is a separate altar for Lakshmidevi or Aravindavalli Thayar on one side of the temple and on the other is a beautiful deity of "Ambegal Krishna" or Navaneeta Krishna, Krishna who is crawling on all fours and holding a ball of butter in one of his palms. He is carved of black granite and is absolutely enchanting to behold. On the ceiling of His sanctum are numerous miniature cradles. Some in silver and the others made of the famous Channapatna wood crafts. The local folks believe that childless couples who pray to this Lord are blessed with children. My mind went back to a conversation that I had with a devotee some years ago where she mentioned that in their tradition a woman who has only daughters is also considered barren because she doesn't have a putra /son to liberate her. . That it should come up at the moment when I was having Darshan of the Lord made me think of the powerful nature of Samskaras on our Citta. The impressions created by words sometimes torment us. Thankfully the Shastras and songs provided by our Acharyas and the positive impressions that they create far outweigh the negative impressions, and I quickly became reminded of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakura's song from Saranagati where he eloquently establishes that our only true relationship is with KRSNA. Janaka, janani, dayita, tanaya prabhu, guru, pati--tuhu sarva-moya Father, mother, lover, son, Lord, preceptor, and husband; You are everything to me. 

Srila Prabhupada's translation and purports on Putana rung in my ear Pūtanā Rākṣasī's heart was fierce and cruel, but she looked like a very affectionate mother. Thus she resembled a sharp sword in a soft sheath. Although seeing her within the room, Yaśodā and Rohiṇī, overwhelmed by her beauty, did not stop her, but remained silent because she treated the child like a mother. SB 10.6.9

Elsewhere in the purports of Canto 3 Srila Prabhupada mentions Lord Kṛṣṇa accepted the motherhood of Putana because she pretended to be an affectionate mother, allowing Kṛṣṇa to suck her breast. The Lord accepts the least qualification of the living entity and awards him the highest reward. That is the standard of His character. Therefore, who but the Lord can be the ultimate shelter?

Offering Prayers to Srila Prabhupada, I prayed to the Lord in His mind boggling baby form to please accept my least qualification and destroy the Putana like tendencies that sometimes strike my heart.

For pictures of the beautiful deities you can visit this link 

http://www.doddamallurtemple.net/visual%20treat.htm

We also visited Sri Ugra Narasimha temple in Maddur. We were rushing to have Darshan before the temple closed and from a distance we could hear a voice singing “ ito Narasimho Parato Narasimho” I was confused, how is it that I am hearing a standard ISKCON song being sung here in a somewhat remote place in Maddur, something that was not usual.. For almost a month and a half now I had been without much devotee association except for a small trip to the Bangalore Jagannath Mandir one Sunday and this was the sweetest music to my ears. After hearing next comes seeing. Then I saw the devotees with beautiful tilaks singing in rapt attention while clapping to the beat, no kartalas or mridangas, just clapping with their hands. After having Darshan of Narasimhadev who was unique with 8 hands and 3 eyes we stepped out. As wee headed to the temple of Sri Varadaraja across the Ugranarasimha temple, Iinquired  one of the matajis about their whereabouts and came to learn that they belonged to the new narasimha temple of ISKCON in Bangalore and had won this trip to Ugra Narasimha temple for having distributed many books during the Christmas Marathon. She added that many of them who had purchased Srila Prabhupada’s books also made a trip to the temple but paid for their own travel expenses. Jaya Srila Prabhupad I exclaimed, again recounting Lord Caitanya’s words "Prithivite ache yata nagaradi gram. Sarvatra pracar haibe more Nama".

You can read about this most unusual deity here http://www.vishnutemplesofkarnataka.info/Mandya/madnar.htm

We stopped next at the Varadaraja temple where the deity is carved to match the original deity at Kanchipuram and is said to have been built by Raja VishnuVardhana. The deity is said to have restored the eyesight of his aged mother who could not travel to the original temple in Knchipuram.

It was January 26, a beautiful Republic day to remember by. While remembering that I am not a Brahmana, not a kshatriya a vaisya a sudra, I quietly, offered mental obeisances for having taken birth in this wonderful land filled with treasures that shape our spiritual unfolding. I next thanked all my preceptors for having made this trip one filled with unique flavors and realizations. Without their intervention life would have been a meaningless maze of material pursuit.

Pushya Abhishek at Sri Jagannatha temple in Bangalore

Rama Navami

It was raining quite heavily. The roads were still crowded with a host of vendors.Cows stood staidly swishing their tails and accepting the soft mushy bananas from the banana vendor. Her cart and the cows together blocked the corner of the road. We carefully darted through the crowds and walked almost two blocks before turning right onto a street which would lead us to the Ramaswamy temple. The stench of the side road a mixture of human waste putrefying vegetable peels etc, made the road seem longer. At last we caught sight of the temple wall and rushed forward like a swarm of bees rushing for the nectar in a flower. Once in the temple we heaved a sigh of relief and caught our breath before we could move to the sanctum. We decided to go around the temple and circumambulate it, because the altar doors were still closed. After going around the temple and marveling at the wall paintings that depicted Lord Rama's pastimes we headed back to the altar. The altar doors opened and the pujari looking at our Tilaks called out in Tamil " Hare Krishna, come forward,"  I could not suppress a smile as I thought Param Vijayate Sri Krishna Sankirtanam. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's words and Srila Prabhupada's mission have made these words come true "Prithivite ache yata nagaradi gram. Sarvatra pracar haibe more nama".The pastime of Lord Caitanya travelling through South India, making the local brahmanas who were  devout Rama Bhaktas become attracted towards Sri Krishna also came into my mind. Thoughts of the Caitanya Mahaprabhu, described as the golden Volcano visiting these very places suddenly overwhelmed me with a sense of great good fortune of being part of this wonderful movement, furthered by our Acharyas and Srila Prabhupada. Thinking this way, I absently stretched my hand out for the camphor scented Caranamrita. The deities Themselves are amazing. I tried getting pictures of the deities on the web, but cannot find any. Lord Rama and his Parivar are said to be unique because they are in a coronation pose. Hanuman is situated as always at the Lotus feet of Lord Rama with a veena in one hand and a scripture in the other. You can read more about it at http://archives.chennaionline.com/HotelsandTours/Placesofworship/June08/06temple231.aspx

In one sense this recognition is a tall order, because  the world is looking at us, looking to us in some cases, we have to become conscious of this fact and become more accountable so that we wear our philosophy and walk our talk.

Some pictures from Rama Navami at home