gurudev! kripa bindu diya
Although my Guru Maharaja is in Pretoria at the moment which is a bit of a distance from Lenasia temple, I got to go to the Pretoria Sunday program through Krishna’s devine grace. Maharaja gave a most amazing class about death. Yes...even classes about death can be amazing. As Maharaja described in class we, Krishna devotees, are pessimists always seeing the down side of life because actually it is a fact! There is nothing good about material life and at any moment our time will be up.
The analogy given by Srila Prabhupada and emphasised by Gurudev is a prisoner who has been put on death row and is called up to be executed. The journey from the prisoner’s prison cell to the execution table is like our journey through life. Now just imagine you are called up to be executed and you are offered a last supper, first class supper, will you be able to eat at all? No, probably not because you are about to die and before your supper can even be digested you’ll be a goner. So similarly the sense gratification we are offered during this lifetime is like being offered that last supper which is basically useless, can not be enjoyed properly and can not stop death.
So how to overcome death? By doing 3 things:
1. Associating with sadhus
2. Chanting the holy names of the Lord
3. Reading scripture so that by our intelligence we can improve.
Maharaja encouraged us all to do these things and make our lives perfect. It is very rare for a spiritual soul to come to Krishna consciousness so we must try our best to make the most of our very good fortune.
Srila Gurudev ki jai!
Maharaja then sang the bhajan ”jaya radhe jaya krishna jaya vrindavan” which is such a sweet bhajan especially when sung the way Maharaja sings it…this bhajan flowed in to a kirtan which Maharaja was blissfully swaying to and actually for us younger devotees we have not seen Maharaja lead kirtan much because of Maharaja’s health.
I am feeling great appreciation to the Lord for allowing us to experience Maharaj in this way. I thought we would never be able to see this side of Maharaja and here we are!! Thank you, my Lord!
I had come to the program with Nadiya Matajee and 4 other ladies. When we were getting into the car to go home Nadiya Matajee’s purse was stolen by a man posing to be a car guard! It was quite dramatic and Nadiya Matajee was left slightly shaken although I’m very happy to say that she immediately started called out to Nrsingadev when the man was looking for her purse. I am very fortunate to be surrounded by such steadfast devotees as it took me a while to register that I need to call out to the Lord! In any case as the man ran off some of the devotees came to see what happened and who should drive up as well..Gurudev! :o) Maharaja was very kind and reminded us that this was just what Maharaja spoke on …at any moment our time may be up. Maharaja is kindness itself and I am so grateful to the Lord who has given me the kind shelter of such a spiritual master.
May I please be always engaged in sincere service at Gurudev’s lotus feet.
gurudev kripa bindu diya!!!
Free to be
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
I’m thinking about Giriraj Govardhan
I’m thinking about Giriraj Govardhan…actually I can not think of Him clearly because I don’t know Him! When will I know Him? When my heart clears of all dust accumulated over millions of lifetimes! Yet that merciful personality was...is...so incredibly kind to me! Please, Giriraj Govardhan, Supreme Servant and Supreme Godhead, please, please shower some mercy on a fallen soul …I have no right to even think of you what to speak of addressing you in this way. Dear Hill, who was declared Haridas Varya (the best devotee of Lord Hari) by the gopis of Vrindavan, please bless me that is in some future time I can be with You again…the kindness of the Lord is overwhelming.
Namaste Girirajaya!
Namaste Girirajaya!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Holy names vibrating off the walls
Gurudev looks well in health and in spirits! Haribol! :o)
Some things from the class: the nitya sidhas have 10 million times love for Krishna than they do for themselves! Wow! What is love? To give ... just to keep giving, and keep on giving. What Srila Prabhupada wanted us to do was to preach so we need to do something even if we can not be in the forefront but we must do something for Srila Prabhupada’s mission. Our service must be balanced with our bhajan. We need to find the balance you can not practice Krishna consciousness by doing one and not the other. We must develop attachment for the previous acaryas, than if we can think of them and remember them and pray to them then what is their hearts will come in to our hearts!
All glories to Srila Gurudev! Who is an ocean of transcendental bliss and mercy :o) Krishna Chandra Prabhu and Ashish Prabhu performed this hilarious play taking us back to the 1979 when Maharaja was at his prime conducting the tent campaigns. I think being inspired by that Maharaja had us all raising our hands shouting out the Holy names, first the right side than the left, first the Prabhus than the ladies …the ladies were louder ;o))
How much good fortune the Lord has bestowed upon me to be connected, in the most amazing way, to the most amazing person! How unfortunate am I that am too shallow to fully appreciate and love and serve my Guru. I beg the sweet Lord to be guide this fool in serving her spiritual master with humility, love and attention.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada for giving us so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so much!
Some things from the class: the nitya sidhas have 10 million times love for Krishna than they do for themselves! Wow! What is love? To give ... just to keep giving, and keep on giving. What Srila Prabhupada wanted us to do was to preach so we need to do something even if we can not be in the forefront but we must do something for Srila Prabhupada’s mission. Our service must be balanced with our bhajan. We need to find the balance you can not practice Krishna consciousness by doing one and not the other. We must develop attachment for the previous acaryas, than if we can think of them and remember them and pray to them then what is their hearts will come in to our hearts!
All glories to Srila Gurudev! Who is an ocean of transcendental bliss and mercy :o) Krishna Chandra Prabhu and Ashish Prabhu performed this hilarious play taking us back to the 1979 when Maharaja was at his prime conducting the tent campaigns. I think being inspired by that Maharaja had us all raising our hands shouting out the Holy names, first the right side than the left, first the Prabhus than the ladies …the ladies were louder ;o))
How much good fortune the Lord has bestowed upon me to be connected, in the most amazing way, to the most amazing person! How unfortunate am I that am too shallow to fully appreciate and love and serve my Guru. I beg the sweet Lord to be guide this fool in serving her spiritual master with humility, love and attention.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada for giving us so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so much!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
kalpataru…touchstone
After a long time I am blogging , at a personal level, again! This weekend is the vyasapuja of my spiritual master. Every year we take the 5 hour drive to sunny Durban to relish this sweet festival. I can’t wait to see my spiritual master after so many, many months. The last time Maharaja was very sick and we had a 24 hour kirtan to pray for his recovery, so this vyasapuja is going to be extra sweet I think.
If you read Sri Harinama Cintamini chapter six you’ll realise what good fortune it is to have a spiritual master..don’t ever think it is mundane…only after many lifetimes if one is very fortunate will one find a spiritual master. The spiritual master must be kalpataru…touchstone. My spiritual master is certainly a touchstone to have captured my iron like heart – I pray he turns it to gold.
Simply by serving the spiritual master according the scriptures one can attain all perfection.
My dear Lord Sri Krishna! Please have mercy on this poor fool so I may be able to serve my spiritual master to the best of my ability on my own I can not do a thing.
If you read Sri Harinama Cintamini chapter six you’ll realise what good fortune it is to have a spiritual master..don’t ever think it is mundane…only after many lifetimes if one is very fortunate will one find a spiritual master. The spiritual master must be kalpataru…touchstone. My spiritual master is certainly a touchstone to have captured my iron like heart – I pray he turns it to gold.
Simply by serving the spiritual master according the scriptures one can attain all perfection.
My dear Lord Sri Krishna! Please have mercy on this poor fool so I may be able to serve my spiritual master to the best of my ability on my own I can not do a thing.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Seconds from disaster
Couple days ago on the way to work we were about 6 cars back from where this one car on our side of the freeway sped across to other side where another car was speeding down, they crashed into each other causing another car to spin across to our side of the road causing several cars to bump into each other in which we were just missed because my brother swerved to the side of the road.
This was the first time I had witness an accident to this extent. It left us with our hearts thumping at the horrific sight. If we had been couple of seconds earlier that morning it could have been our own fate that we had witnessed. This thought brought me very quickly to reality. Am I ready for death? Ready to leave this body? The answer is obviously, sadly no. Although we both said Krishna couple of times during the accident all I was thinking about was “I don’t want to die!”
As a Hare Krishna devotee the whole point of devotional practice is so that at the time of death your only attachment will be Krishna and you are confident that the Lord will care for you.
The time to start working on your final exam is now, because you never know when your finals will come – so look sharp, Sitala, and use every moment to come closer to Krishna.
This was the first time I had witness an accident to this extent. It left us with our hearts thumping at the horrific sight. If we had been couple of seconds earlier that morning it could have been our own fate that we had witnessed. This thought brought me very quickly to reality. Am I ready for death? Ready to leave this body? The answer is obviously, sadly no. Although we both said Krishna couple of times during the accident all I was thinking about was “I don’t want to die!”
As a Hare Krishna devotee the whole point of devotional practice is so that at the time of death your only attachment will be Krishna and you are confident that the Lord will care for you.
The time to start working on your final exam is now, because you never know when your finals will come – so look sharp, Sitala, and use every moment to come closer to Krishna.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Devine personalities
HH Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja visited us again before flying of to Russia. Fortunately Maharaja’s visit fell on the auspicious day of Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakur and the Supreme Personality Sri Gadadhara Pandit’s disappearance day.
On the one day Maharaja spoke about Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur. Actually the Thakur use to worship the deity Gaura-Gadhadara so he chose to leave on the same auspicious day as that personality. We are truly indebted to Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur for unlimited reasons. The obvious one is Mayapur Dham. It was Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur who excavated the different important holy places and established them so that future devotees (us) could come and absorb its spiritual potency. Actually there was some controversy over the actual birth place of Lord Caitanya and Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur revolved this for us.
Another important development Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur made was that he was the first to reach the broader globe in terms of spreading literature to many universities in England. Maharaja told us that Srila Prabhupada’s disciples went to these universities and found the books and also (lowered voice) sold them! :o) but we’ve reprinted these books so that is ok :o)
On the next day Maharaja spoke about Sri Gadadar Prandit. Gadadar Pandit is a form of Srimati Radharani. Srimati Radhika has 2 natures to Her personality – the one is very fiery and the other is soft and abiding. Gadadhar Pandit takes on this soft, abiding nature. Actually He is very sweet and extremely merciful. There was one devotee who constantly wanted to be in the close knit association of Lord Caitanya and always felt that those devotees who were and indeed Lord Caitanya Himself didn’t realise his true value. So he thought he would say something truly remarkable that will make all the devotees think he was very wonderful. So he said something really ridiculous (that I can’t remember) and all the devotees they used to find his association a bit “heavy weather” and now well it was little worse. So then he thought “oh no, I haven’t achieved my goal.” And then he thought about it and the different devotees and decided that Gadadhar Prandit is very, very nice, He will not ignore him. So he started sort of following Gadadhar Pandit around. And Gadadhar Pandit thought, oh no , why does he have to be with me all the time. But then He actually took this devotee under His wing and eventually gave him initiation that finally got him accepted in the close knit association of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Jai Gaura Gadadhar bol, haribol, haribol!
On the one day Maharaja spoke about Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur. Actually the Thakur use to worship the deity Gaura-Gadhadara so he chose to leave on the same auspicious day as that personality. We are truly indebted to Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur for unlimited reasons. The obvious one is Mayapur Dham. It was Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur who excavated the different important holy places and established them so that future devotees (us) could come and absorb its spiritual potency. Actually there was some controversy over the actual birth place of Lord Caitanya and Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur revolved this for us.
Another important development Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur made was that he was the first to reach the broader globe in terms of spreading literature to many universities in England. Maharaja told us that Srila Prabhupada’s disciples went to these universities and found the books and also (lowered voice) sold them! :o) but we’ve reprinted these books so that is ok :o)
On the next day Maharaja spoke about Sri Gadadar Prandit. Gadadar Pandit is a form of Srimati Radharani. Srimati Radhika has 2 natures to Her personality – the one is very fiery and the other is soft and abiding. Gadadhar Pandit takes on this soft, abiding nature. Actually He is very sweet and extremely merciful. There was one devotee who constantly wanted to be in the close knit association of Lord Caitanya and always felt that those devotees who were and indeed Lord Caitanya Himself didn’t realise his true value. So he thought he would say something truly remarkable that will make all the devotees think he was very wonderful. So he said something really ridiculous (that I can’t remember) and all the devotees they used to find his association a bit “heavy weather” and now well it was little worse. So then he thought “oh no, I haven’t achieved my goal.” And then he thought about it and the different devotees and decided that Gadadhar Prandit is very, very nice, He will not ignore him. So he started sort of following Gadadhar Pandit around. And Gadadhar Pandit thought, oh no , why does he have to be with me all the time. But then He actually took this devotee under His wing and eventually gave him initiation that finally got him accepted in the close knit association of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Jai Gaura Gadadhar bol, haribol, haribol!
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