Monday, June 11, 2012

The Transcendental fever

Sangeeth Theatre, Sec'bad.
11th June, Saturday 2012 5:00 Pm
She stood high up on a platform, not by her pride but where the masses put her, with her strong hearted frail body bent down, more due to humility than age.
It was a statue of Mother Teresa, well known for her service to humanity, at a triangular junction on the way to Sangeeth theatre, Secunderabad. I walked on watching her hands stretched forward to bless people, following the straight road from the Railway station to the ISKCON temple at Sec'bad.
I was wondering if the same security guard at the temple was still there, whom i had befriended, when i had been there 3-4 weeks ago for the first time ever. As i got nearer to the temple, halting at the traffic signals, i became friends with the traffic police this time. He was quite eager to know what ISKCON is all about and why some well educated and highly paid people he knew quit their jobs to 'join' Iskcon. As I excused myself to walk ahead to the temple, he promised to buy himself a copy of the Science of Self Realization, by Srila Prabhupad.
The temple here is really quite small and undisturbed by the buzzing world around. But as I took darshan of little Radha Gopinath, it really felt, that though this is a very small temple, Srila prabhupads centres are truly oases in a world like this.
However the curtains of Jagannath were down because he was enjoying his transcendental 'FEVER' behind the curtains, which he got due to being bathed too much by his devotees out of love. I spent my time chanting and looking around the temple as i saw the 3 men team of Saturday Nagarsankirtan go out and return. I stayed for the Gaura arati and returned home by nightfall.

Friday, June 8, 2012

The supreme power house

'OH Goddd, there was a powercut for 3 1/2 hours at night today, i just couldn't sleep. I was soaking wet in this summer.'
Iv been hearing that quite many times these days from colleagues at office.

But I'm really lucky, because that isn't the case with my nights. And how is that? I don't depend on the local power supplies to sleep at night. I get supplies of cool breezes all night, from HIM, who is the ultimate source of all power houses. He never runs out of supply.

The roof of my room is extended towards the staircase, creating a little open shed.
When i go home every night, i sprinkle enough water on that area and by the time i finish cooking and having dinner, it is ready for the night.
 I prepare my bed, put up the mosquito net and happily go to sleep with cool breezes flowing all night; no power cuts and no disturbances.

Even waking up is easy with the birds chirping, the sky growing brighter, sounds of the milk men and sounds of the construction workers.
 The day starts with Darshan of Tulasi devi, whos just beside the bed, at my head. Its been more than a month and a half like this.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Gurudev kripa bindu diya

I took one glance at Lord Nrsimhadevs smiling pic, bedecked in the window frame visible from the doorway, for his protection before turning the key to lock the door. While i walked away i started praying to him to keep me safe n alive till i return back. "NO, NO, not necessary" i thought. So I restructured the prayer and said "my lord, keep me safe and alive till i see my Guru Maharaj today". Little did i know then what amount of treasure lay ahead for me. I would be celebrating my Gurumaharaj's Vyasapuja on the day of Ram Navami. Did i dream of this day? I wondered many times before if i would ever be able to get close to serving him like i did a few years ago, all alone with him, no one else around to serve him? He is always with lots of assistants around guarding and caring for him, Would i ever be able to get back that lucky day? But he showered more mercy than i even could imagine, he let me do more service than ever before. ~
"Dont go anywhere, stay with him!" said one of Guru maharaj's assistant referring to the other assistant with Gurudev, who was preparing Gurudev for his bath.
Took off the black rubber band and untied the long golden flowy shikha, let it down to flow while bathing him.
The same lotus feet for which thousands throng to have a glance and touch,Washed those lotus feet with my hands, soaped&scrubbed n washed&dried.
Touched n bathed the same body which travels around the world tirelessly preaching and liberating thousands, overloading the boat of Srila Prabhupad with
more n more souls from this horrible world.
I consider myself more lucky than those devotees of lord Shiva who follow different rituals and vows waiting for the day to bathe lord Shiva, pouring holy
waters of Ganges on his head, because i got a greater opportunity;he represents God himself!!! And it is the same head that touched and bowed down to the lotus
feet of Srila Prabhupad.
"WHAT IS YOUR NAME?...WHAT DO YOU DO?...WHAT LANGUAGE?... DO YOU KNOW JAVA?...ONE DEVOTEE WAS PREPARING A JAVA APPLICATION FOR PREACHING ON FACEBOOK, IT IS HALF DONE, BUT HE NEEDS A PROFESSIONAL TO COMPLETE IT..."
WHAT DO YOU SPEAK, BENGALI? ENGLISH?...JOL DAO, JOL, WATER"
When i came to Hitech City railway station, could lord Bramha tell me that this awaited me?
Boarded the train, people looked at me strangely at the railway station and the train too beholding the Indian attire of dhoti n kurta. The trio sitting on the train beside n in front of me gave me the same weird looks but started speaking up. The ice hardened instead of breaking unlike my expectation, bcos they assumed i was a priest whom they could hire for the inauguration rituals on Ram Navami. But my one worded-back-turning answers disappointed them and silenced them bcos every priest they tried for the next day was already on some appointment.
They fell back to conversing to themselves and i relaxed and murmured a few more mahamantras on my counter.
Walk left or walk right? I was at Nampally station, had to reach the temple on "nampally station road"! Was walking towards the right, as directed by a truck
driver. "How do i go to Pulla reddy sweets?" i asked. "Keep walking this way and you will find it right in front of the Hare Krishna temple" he said. Should i start laughing or just look like a fool to myself because i had asked him that question to find the hare Krishna temple itself! So i just kept walking towards my destination smiling to myself.