Daily Archives: October 21, 2013

There are no coincidences in Krishna Consciousness

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Hare Krishna.

I have never believed in coincidences nor took too much notice of them ever in my life.

But to my surprise I have found myself increasingly taking more hints than ever in my life. I wrote in brief about it in my earlier blog on Parmatama a few days back.  I am sharing the latest incident which happened on 19th Oct which made me share it again on this topic.

I am quite dunce, more so in taking hints and my wife can share a long list on this topic. Over the last one year I have been getting so many hints, and such broad ones, that I have no other option but to notice them. It is like someone is raising a flag in front of me to notice the obvious hint.

Be it a trip, a lecture, seeing Lord, the hints have started dropping in like never before.

Sumeet Prabhu called me up on 19th morning around 7.45am. He had just returned from USA was sharing his experience at Seattle temple and in general about our spiritual journey. During the conversation he spoke about HH Bhakti Tiratha Swami ji and then suggested  that I should read the book `Surrender’ by Maharaj. I replied with a lame yes but in my mind I thought I already have so many books to read and I don’t want to read too many books. Then the topic changed and we spoke about whether devotees should glorify each other or not. Inspite of good council by Sumeet Prabhuji in the past I stood on my ground that too much glorification among neophytes may lead to pride and then fall down. After talking for some time I requested Sumeet Prabhuji that I need to listen to the weekly lecture of HG Rukmini Krihsna Prabhuji over internet and we will meet on Sunday morning at the temple and catch up.

The lecture had already begun by the time I logged in and Prabhuji was speaking about envy. To my utter surprise after a few minutes HG Rukmini Prabhuji too talked about HH Bhakti Tiratha Swamiji and then asked the audience to read … what else… his book `Surrender’   ! I could not believe my ears. And then the next big surprise, after the lecture was a over a devotee asked prabhuji what should we do when we get appreciation or if someone over-glorify us. Prabhuji explained that it is all right  to accept glorification and we should accept it with proper etiquette. We should not reply that please don’t speak like this and then get into a verbal duel with the other person on how we don’t deserve it. He explained that glorification cleanses the speaker and it is also our seva to accept it, he quoted the words  Dadati Pratigrihnati, it is both accepting and giving . He explained that we should fold our hands and accept it, ensuring that we don’t get puffed up inside, we should then immediately transfer it to the Guru Paramapara. We should say `thank you so much that you could see this particular quality in me, it is all thanks to the mercy of Guru and Guru Parampara. Prabhuji explained that if we don’t allow the other person to speak then we stop other person’s cleansing and we too miss an opportunity to glorify Guru Parampara. It is win win for both provided we don’t `drink’ the glorification our own self.

The same evening HG Asit Prabhu spoke about … what else.. glorification of devotees among themselves, at the Gurgaon centre.

Now is there any way I could have missed the point ??

How merciful are all the Vaishanavas and how merciful is the sweet Lord who guides us repeatedly even when we ignore Him continuously. We all must learn to keep our internal ears tuned to the messages from the Lord. I have no idea how this tuning happened and I can take it as a causeless mercy of Guru Maharaj (how everything is happening so fast since I got initiated), HG Rukmini Krishna Prabhuji, HH Bhakti Madhurya swamiji, the wonderful devotees of Gurgaon, my sweet Lord and all the Vaishnavas whose heart is as soft as melted butter.

Or May be the most undeserving get most mercy. I remain most grateful and the only way I can hope to reciprocate is by praying that I get a chance to serve the Vaishanavas, ISKCON and my Guru Maharaj.

All Glories to Guru Parampara.

All Glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga.

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Dancing in front of Deities

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Hare Krishna,

Srila Prabhupada dances in front of the Deities at ISKCON’s Bhaktivedanta Manor, Lechmore Heath, Watford, UK. 1974.

Srila Prabhupada dances in front of the Deities at ISKCON’s Bhaktivedanta Manor, Lechmore Heath, Watford, UK. 1974.

In my initial years I used to wonder why, or even how, devotees dance after the morning Guru puja. I would place them as sentimental devotees, priding myself as the one who is here for the serious knowledge. I still remember, at Punjabi Bagh temple, some devotee would try to pull me in and I would reply with a lame shrug. Of course, I never danced in my whole life, was an introvert and on top of it I am gifted with two left feet.

Bewildered, one day I finally asked one senior devotees why do they dance ? I got the reply that dancing  is to please the Lord, that dancing in front of the Deities is recommended in the Vedas as well and is also part of bhakti. I was not convinced.

This changed over last 1 year. I slowly let go of my shyness to join in and my awkwardness about dancing steps and then came to a stage where I actually started to look forward to it and would happily jump in.

How much I have changed, I realised 2 week back, when at the Gurgaon centre, HG Haridas Thakur Prabhuji started a kirtan after the  morning Bhagavatam class. May be the prasadam was delayed or some other reason but I knew it was going to be a short kirtan.  After few minutes of listening I felt like dancing and not just dancing but jumping with joy. The kirtan was very melodious and Prabhuji always sings very well that but the surge in my heart was a new surprise, and shock, for me. In few seconds I felt that I would choke if I don’t start dancing immediately. I tried to stop myself as I could see everyone else was very nicely standing and clapping. I prayed let someone else start it and I looked around for any eye contact but to no avail. I had no idea how but I took the first step and then requested the devotees to join in, ever merciful, some devotees obliged and we dance for a few minutes.

Now at home or in most of the kirtans I always feel like dancing in front of the Lord, the feelings come like a big surge and I have to control myself to hold them, but mentally I dance and I dance – for the pleasure of the Lord  !

All glories to the most merciful Lord Jagannath.

All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga.

Lectures with deep philosophy

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Hare Krishna.

Till now, I would  always `judge’ devotees based on how they would give lectures. Similarly when some `simple’ lecture would be going on I would get impatient and would pray that Prabhu ji will soon discuss something important or `deep’. It is only recently that I realised how foolish I was, or rather I am, that most of the time the limitation is not with the speaker but with the listeners. An intelligent speaker always see who is the general audience, he then speaks according to what they can absorb rather than what only a few devotees can relish. I realised that the the austerity may be with the speaker who may wish to speak of deeper topics but has to control himself for the benefit of the majority of listeners. I touch my ears and promise myself never to judge devotees based on their lectures.

I also realised that  all the limitation is within me if I can’t get taste out of simple topics.

All glories to the ever merciful Vaishanavas.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.