The Lord of the universe in the heart of Soweto!

(This is the article I wrote for our temple newsletter)


For weeks … no … for months devotees have been waiting for the Soweto Ratha Yatra festival. Every now and then we’d hear snippets of the preparations taking place which would only increase our anticipation. And finally the day came!


From all over South Africa devotees came to witness this historic event. Arriving in bus and car loads we all met at the procession starting point. Imagine the Lord of the universe in the heart of Soweto! As the Lord and Srila Prabhupada were gracefully placed on Their cart bystanders looked on in interest bobbing to the vibes of the kirtan.


The parade began. Searching for a place to grab the rope I couldn’t find any as tiny African hands where everywhere, pulling with all their might. As the chariot made its first turn up a road the atmosphere was thick with excitement. Nowhere have I seen a crowd so willing to join in the festivities. Beautiful African girls were singing sweetly, while moving to the rhythm of the African drums. High flags were being waved about while inside the ropes devotees sang and danced in abandon.


Soweto was transformed to another world. Due to crime many people have reservations about entering this African township; however we found the people of Soweto warm and welcoming. With big smiles people came out of their houses and quickly joined the festival parade.

The procession ended at the festival site where an open air stage was the main attraction while other Q&A, prasadam and book tents surrounded the area. The stage program was a combination of international and local artists. Spanish band Dhira rocked the park while martial art expert Dinadayal Prabhu stunned the audience with his performance. Radha Rae had the little kids dancing and Bongani was a constant thrill with the ladies. The star show, however, was the play conducted by the Soweto devotees under the direction of His Holiness Bhakti Marg Swami.


The next day the Q&A tent was filled with enquiring minds while His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Maharaja, the organiser and inspiration behind this amazing festival, started off the stage program with sweet kirtan. Another dramatic and instructive play was performed and the festival ended off with the Dhira band, along with the spiritual masters, singing long into the evening while devotees and guests danced and chanted to their hearts content.


All glories to the devotees who put this festival together! It is indeed an event that will be marked in ISKCON South Africa’s history forever.

Soweto, we will see you next year for another awesome festival!

Unexpected Association

This weekend Jaya Pataka Maharaja passed through JHB on route to London.

Maharaja is cool and totally aware of etiquette. For example, Maharaja saw Tulasi devi and so immediately circum-ambulated her. Than the curtains were closed when Maharaja entered, but when the curtains opened Maharaja immediately got up from the vyasasana to offer obeisance. When Maharaja first sat down he also asked his servant for a packet of nuts which Maharaja than handed over to a devotee saying”for the Deities”

You can learn a lot from devotees just by observing them. Souls dedicated to Krishna are the best to observe – it makes you see proper behaviour, how you should behave too. For example one might become callous in taking darshan of Their Lordships but here Maharaja specifically shows that the Deities are persons, such great persons that when They come in to view one should get up to great Them.

The energy emanating from Maharaja, I feel, is unique; Maharaja has the enthusiasm or more the bliss of a new bhakta who finds everything exciting and is so eager to learn and observe more, who is determined to follow all rules carefully. He is also very down to earth wanting to “rub shoulders” with us.

All glories to Srila Jaya Pataka Maharaj, who is a dedicated servant of Srila Prabhupada and is merciful even to wretches like me!

Maharaja flew in on Saturday, did 2 programs and then on Sunday did the Sunday program before leaving for the airport.

Unfortunately we missed Maharaja’s association on Saturday but only because we were celebrating the birthday of an incredibly warm, loving person. Someone who has gently pushed us to Krishna without us even realising it.

This person is none other than my mum, or Ma as we call her. She turned 64 on the 4th of October.

My mum has a heart of gold. Everyday for some 40 years she has been taking care of me and 4 other siblings. My mum’s been through quite a lot in life. First the dark-skinned gutsy child, then the long-legs teenager, the first Indian nurse, first marriage, the loss of her husband and brother and soon after the birth of her first born than second marriage, in-laws!, a less than satisfactory husband, 4 more kids, and this doesn’t cover half of the things Ma’s been through. But the thing that stands out most is her ever loving, ever ready smile and laugh. The protection she gave (and continues to give) to her kids in spite of all odds.

My mum has a heart of gold and it attracts everyone to her. She is not only my mother but practically everyone she meets somehow is drawn to her to come again and again and is quick to call her their mom.

If you wondering if you in the right place (in KC), my mum’s the proof. She’s been through many circumstances and she says nothing is better than THIS! And in this spirit her faith and conviction in Srila Prabhupada, our sweet spiritual masters and Sri Krishna is incredible.

I love you, Ma.

Om Namoooooooooo CAT!

Painted the kids faces for the play, "The Yogi's Dilemma"

Arbor day and paint your mark held 15 Sep

first paint the wall white



then plant a tree



take bunny chow prasadam



then make your mark

Kadamba Kanana Maharaja visits Lenasia Temple

Did he speak anything new?

After Lord Krishna had learnt everything from His teacher Sandipani Muni, Krishna asked His teacher what can He do for him. Sandipani Muni replied that his son had died, Krishna must bring him back. Krishna obliged, Sandipani Muni was very happy and so he gave the benediction to Krishna that, “Let whatever you speak be ever fresh!”

Power of Harinaam

When devotees perform Harinaam on the street the effects are so great that not only are the people who are present while the harinaam is going on lives have changed but actually the entire street changes and anyone else who may walk on that street becomes effected! – I didn’t know that.

By the effects of this Krishna consciousness movement the whole world is changing. We can’t see it but it will become like the Satya yuga, where all the people were hamsa, transcendental personalities. It will be a time where no money will be required, where if you make clothes than you give it out for free, or if you sell fruits than you give the fruits out for free.

In the Vedic culture young girls would not inherit anything but they would have these thick gold bangles so if at any point they required something then they could use that. And no one would touch them. Actually even if there was a lump of gold on the street no one would touch it because it does not belong to them.

Well wisher VS I don’t want the karma

There are 2 levels of being situated in transcendental knowledge. Initially a person will not perform a bad act because they do not want the karma. But a higher level is that a person becomes the well wisher of all then where is the question of causing harm to another. Where is the question of unnecessarily speaking harshly to one?

In sickness and in health?

The past 4 or 5 days I’ve been down with the flu, and as my health deteriorated the little spiritual practices I do slipped away too. Actually “slipped away” indicates a gradual reduction but it was almost immediate. So much for being steady! It is a clear indication of my level in bhakti – not very high.

I need to become steady – to not become overcome by my circumstances. To chant my 16 rounds come hell or high waters.

Dearest Gokula Taruni, She whom all the young girls of Gokula Worship,


Dear beautiful lady, all glories to your most enchanting form. All glories to your limitless glories which I am too dumb and dull headed to even remember or think about. Dear Srimati Radharani, please show compassion on this most foolish child. O best of worshipers, there is no end to my misfortune. Who knows what lives I’ve been living, somehow this life time I have been given You and Krishna by Srila Prabhupada. My spiritual master takes great pains in trying to help me please you. Each lecture, each letter, each conversation is aimed at trying to make me chant better, with attention, with love. He knows that this will help me because it will give me You. But Radhika, I am so unfortunate, so lacking in love, so lacking in discipline, so lacking in duty that I can not or is it will not listen. A hundred times I have heard the glories of pure chanting but still I will not chant.

Dear sweet Lady, Mother of the universe, please grunt your disobedient child, a life of service. Please grunt me the shakti to please gurudev and Srila Prabhupada. Please bless me to somehow find it in myself the ability to preach. Please Radharani, please help me serve. Please give me some little service to assist in spreading Gauranga’s mission. Please grunt me taste for the holy name.

I am an unworthy child who only wants, wants and wants. But I beg you to please consider these. I want to be a servant of your servants, but I can only be one with your blessings.

Forever begging your mercy,
Sitala dasi

Who else can I take shelter of but you?

This was Srila Giriraja Maharaja’s theme in Maharaja’s offering to Srila Prabhupada. Maharaja’s offering was so sweet and so clearly defined Srila Prabhupada.

The character of Lord Krishna who saw only the maternal affection in the demon witch Putana!

character


Dearest Srila Prabhupada,

Please forgive me for not writing an offering sooner. I am most ill mannered and uncaring for not making it my most important duty to glorify and thank you.

The truth is I have no words to say what you mean to me.

Sometimes my heart is hard and I can not even remember who you are and can not realise the significance of what you’ve given me. And other times like when I was hearing the beautiful offerings I was thinking “Wow! This is Srila Prabhupada!”

Dear, Srila Prabhupada, as you know recently I have visited New Vrindavan and Gita Nagari. It was incredible and has left me inspired. But it has also left me anxious. All your devotees are serving you with such enthusiasm. Not a moment goes by where they are not thinking of how to advance further and thereby please you. My Lord, I want to please you very, very much. I want to come closer and closer to your lotus feet. I want to be a puppet in your hand guiding me in spreading the mercy of Lord Caitanya.

I know these requests are like a dwarf reaching for the moon; however I have full faith in your mercy and your superb guidance. How else would I be where I am now? If it were not for your causeless mercy no doubt I would still be a quiet bystander to the Hare Krishna Movement.

My dear Srila Prabhupada, please help me develop a spotless character. A character full of compassion, free from greed and envy. This is a tall order however, however painstaking and however long it takes I would like to be a model devotee. Someone for you and Guru Maharaja to be proud off.

Please forgive my multitudes of offences. All glories to your causeless mercy!

Your eternal servant
Sitala devi dasi