It is my supreme good fortune that I have a sister who about once every year hosts my Guru Maharaja at her place. This time Maharaja stayed for 5 days and I off course couldn’t miss out and so took leave to assist in serving my beloved spiritual master. I pray to the Lord to always grant me these little drops of nectar. My heart is steel framed and I have a long way to go in my relationship with Gurudev but I thank the Lord for these truly rare gifts and pray that I may somehow or the other always have such opportunities!
Maharaja conducted a program at the Krishna Balarama Youth Group on Thursday night and since it was the disappearance day of Srila Gaura Kisore das Babaji Maharaja, Maharaja spoke on him. Describing his life of a grhasta and how when his wife died he took it as the Lords arrangement and immediately went to Vrindavana where he roamed the pastime places of Krishna for 30 years! Srila Gaura Kisore das Babaji Maharaja then went to Mayapur and thereafter would spend 6 months in Vrindavan and 6 months in Mayapur. Guru Maharaja described the house of Bhaktivinode Thakur and how Srila Gaura Kisore das Babaji Maharaja used to spend a lot of time there as well. Gurudev spoke of his own visit to Bhaktivinode Thakur’s house and how he managed to get in without anyone seeing him and how so many things in the house just “fell” into his hands while he was there :o)) Maharaja also described how he swam across the Jalangi to get to Godruma dvipa where Bhaktivinode Thakur’s house is situated. Maharaja didn’t want to get his clothes wet so he took them out held it above the water in one hand and swam with the other way all across using the other hand. Maharaja is really funny when he tells these experiences. :o)
On Friday night Maharaja conducted the program at the South Peacock Bhakti Vrksha Group at Paresh Prabhu’s place. It was a really nice program where Maharaja spoke about how one can practice Krishna consciousness perfectly in the grhasta ashram if the family does four things: chant, offering ones food to Krishna, discussing scripture and deity worship. Maharaja read a section from the Bhagavat Gita 13:8, purport, where Srila Prabhupada is describing that it is natural to have affection for family memeberes and if they are favourable to your devotional service that is ok if they are not then it is better to be detached from them.
On Saturday night Maharaja did the program at Priya Malini’s place in Midrand, that was also very nice although I can not remember exactly what was spoken. Maharaja really liked the tune Gaura Prabhu sang at the youth group on Thursday night so he asked him to sing it again. It is a reeeeeally sweet tune where you can actually chant quite prayerfully.
On Sunday Maharaja gave 1st and 2nd initiation to some 30 devotees! The names given were really, really nice! We are so lucky Maharaja sacrifices so much to connect us to the Srila Prabhupada. Actually Maharaja’s health is going down again :o( and he said that if he does not give initiation now when he gets back from his travels his health will be in an even worse condition so rather he give now. The mercy of the spiritual masters is really incredible! Please let us not make Maharaja regret giving us these sublime gifts!
On Monday Maharaja had a “break” recovering from Sunday and on Tuesday Maharaja left for India! ...oh Guru Maharaja oh Guru Maharaja when oh when will I develop real love for you? When will I be spontaneously engaged in your service with mind, body and heart at every moment? When will I be so in tune with you that I will feel your presence at every moment? Guru Maharaja with your mercy the impossible can become possible. Jai Guru dev!
Free to be
Friday, November 6, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Gurudev is in town :o)
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!!!
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!!!
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.
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