Monday, October 31, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Diwali Sunday Program
Today's Sunday program was very nice. I didn't stay all the way at the end as it got a little too crowded for me.I recorded most of the kirtan at the end.
The Deities were looking beautiful as always. Today i spent most of the day in Tulasi'sgreen house transplanting her. I still have a few more to go yet. I will not be taking care of her anymore after this week. I have to train Rashmin how to take care of her since I will be leaving soon. I have one more month left.
Anyway back to the Sunday program.I attended the 6pm Aarti. And then took a short break.I bought two new photo of Srila Prabhupada. I feel I don't have enough photos of him. So these two will be nice to take with me when I go back to the United States.
When i went back into the temple I discovered that my guru Maharaj and BhaktiVasudeva Swami Maharaj would be giving the lecture this evening. So I sat through the whole thing. I am always eager to hear my guru give lectures. He's the only one who can keep me awake lol. I try to be attentive though to other devotees. That can be a challenge sometimes. Both my maharaj and BhaktiVasudeva Maharaj explained about Diwali, and also about chanting rounds and performing kirtans. They also talked about the age of Kali Yuga.
Then after that the lights dimmed and we all chanted with Srila Prabhupada. It was a nice feeling surrounded by devotees and chanting. Lastly they led a fabulous kirtan at the end. It got too crowded for me at the end because I felt I was being pushed around too much with people making their way in the temple room so I left at the end. I spoke to maharaj for a few minutes also and told him I want to send a letter to my Cleveland devotee friends from me to be read to them. So I will send it with him. I really wish I could go to Cleveland but unfortunately I cannot. Krishna wishes me to remain here and then after that He is sending me to Los Angeles.
It was a nice Sunday. I was very quiet for most of the day. I've been pretty quiet lately. I just get into those moods where Im just quiet and stay in my own space. Sometimes I prefer it that way.
The Deities were looking beautiful as always. Today i spent most of the day in Tulasi'sgreen house transplanting her. I still have a few more to go yet. I will not be taking care of her anymore after this week. I have to train Rashmin how to take care of her since I will be leaving soon. I have one more month left.
Anyway back to the Sunday program.I attended the 6pm Aarti. And then took a short break.I bought two new photo of Srila Prabhupada. I feel I don't have enough photos of him. So these two will be nice to take with me when I go back to the United States.
When i went back into the temple I discovered that my guru Maharaj and BhaktiVasudeva Swami Maharaj would be giving the lecture this evening. So I sat through the whole thing. I am always eager to hear my guru give lectures. He's the only one who can keep me awake lol. I try to be attentive though to other devotees. That can be a challenge sometimes. Both my maharaj and BhaktiVasudeva Maharaj explained about Diwali, and also about chanting rounds and performing kirtans. They also talked about the age of Kali Yuga.
Then after that the lights dimmed and we all chanted with Srila Prabhupada. It was a nice feeling surrounded by devotees and chanting. Lastly they led a fabulous kirtan at the end. It got too crowded for me at the end because I felt I was being pushed around too much with people making their way in the temple room so I left at the end. I spoke to maharaj for a few minutes also and told him I want to send a letter to my Cleveland devotee friends from me to be read to them. So I will send it with him. I really wish I could go to Cleveland but unfortunately I cannot. Krishna wishes me to remain here and then after that He is sending me to Los Angeles.
It was a nice Sunday. I was very quiet for most of the day. I've been pretty quiet lately. I just get into those moods where Im just quiet and stay in my own space. Sometimes I prefer it that way.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Srila Prabhupada Disappearance Day
I went to Mangal Aarti like I do every morning and attended the 7 am morning program where we worship guru and Lord Damodar since it is still the month of Kartik. Gaura das who is a Prabhupada disciple gave a long class this morning about Srila Prabhupada. Everyone seemed a bit emotiona. My guru Maharaj well he just spoke very gently but even he seemed to be a bit teary eyed too even though I couldn't see him on the other side of the room from where I was sitting.
The celebration was at 12 noon. Maharaj led kirtan almost the whole entire time. And another Prabhu who was visiting for the day led a fabulous kirtan at the end of the program. Toward the end Prabhupada disciples shared a five minute story abotu Srila Prabhupada and a few were very emotional as it was a tough time for them because I know the feeling of separation from guru. I feel it all the time when Maharaj is away travelling. But this is different because Prabhupada is not physically here like my guru Maharaj is. But as everyone always says to me Prabhupada is still here making disciples and he's present in his books as he used to say.
My guru Maharaj made a point at the end. He had one major fear. He fears that in the future that Srila Prabhupada may be forgotten. He wants us to try our best to keep Srila Prabhupada in our hearts and teach others about him so that he will always be remembered. Im not sure how I can help with that. Maybe I can ask him and see what he suggests. Im the shy type around people. But I should tell Maharaj that I want to help ease his fear about Srila Prabhupada being forgotten in the future.
Over all it was a nice program remembering Srila Prabhupada even though I never got the chance to meet him. A great soul like him a pure devotee. I know I certainly wasn't pure enough or fortunate enough to meet him personally. BUT I do however feel fortunate enough to have a guru Maharaj who happens to be Srila Prabhupada's disciple and that I am very fortunate to meet Srila Prabhupada's other senior disciples such as my close friend Mother Sudevi, Mother Malati, Mother Subhuddhi, Dharma Prana Das, Hara Kumar, Jayasri, Hari das Thakura and a whole list of others that I did not mention.
So thank you Srila Prabhupada for eveything you brought to us and everything you taught us about Krishna. All glories to you.
Here are some of my favorite photos of Srila Prabhupada to bring this blog post to a close:
Friday, October 28, 2011
Chatisement From Guru
Well I've had my share of chatisement from guru. Guru means "heavy" and he is supposed to come down somewhat heavy on his disciples if they are not doing what they are supposed to and i fell victim to that today.
And the reason why I got chatised is because I was being very forgetful and ignorant of the service I was doing. I know I had no excuse for it and no one to blame but myself as my guru Maharaj indirectly said to me today. So I have no need to be chatised by any other devotee on this situation as Maharaj had already taken care of it. I'd rather have him chatise me than someone else. I needed a good lesson learned. I'd rather not get into the details about what I had forgotten but this is all what i will say of the incident.
Im sure in the past Srila Prabhupada's disciples have gotten heavier chatisement from him than what I got from my own guru Maharaj. I have read and heard certain stories about that. You can learn from those if you are in the Krishna Conciousness movement or even if you are not. Prabhupada taught us alot.
So in a way I needed Maharaj to knock some sense into my head. A lot of the time I feel so incredibly guilty because he does have to repeat himself to me. My mind refuses to listen. Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that the mind can be one's best friend but if one is not concious of Krishna or his prescribed duties to Krishna or his devotees, then the mind is the greatest enemy. And what hit me in the head today is that my mind was my greatest enemy. :( What to do? I will have to ask maharaj this tomorrow later in the day after our celebration to Srila Prabhupada. As for now I have to focus on Srila Prabhupada since it is his disappearance day tomorrow.
My main point I wanted to make here is that it's better to be chatised by the guru rather than be praised. It's a good wait to practice humility and be more humble and try not to be so forgetful of things. I shouldn't have gotten so upset earlier but as i've said my mind was being it's greatest enemy. I'll just have to remind myself the next time I receive chatisement from Maharaj. I should consider it a great blessing from him of being chatised by him.
And the reason why I got chatised is because I was being very forgetful and ignorant of the service I was doing. I know I had no excuse for it and no one to blame but myself as my guru Maharaj indirectly said to me today. So I have no need to be chatised by any other devotee on this situation as Maharaj had already taken care of it. I'd rather have him chatise me than someone else. I needed a good lesson learned. I'd rather not get into the details about what I had forgotten but this is all what i will say of the incident.
Im sure in the past Srila Prabhupada's disciples have gotten heavier chatisement from him than what I got from my own guru Maharaj. I have read and heard certain stories about that. You can learn from those if you are in the Krishna Conciousness movement or even if you are not. Prabhupada taught us alot.
So in a way I needed Maharaj to knock some sense into my head. A lot of the time I feel so incredibly guilty because he does have to repeat himself to me. My mind refuses to listen. Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that the mind can be one's best friend but if one is not concious of Krishna or his prescribed duties to Krishna or his devotees, then the mind is the greatest enemy. And what hit me in the head today is that my mind was my greatest enemy. :( What to do? I will have to ask maharaj this tomorrow later in the day after our celebration to Srila Prabhupada. As for now I have to focus on Srila Prabhupada since it is his disappearance day tomorrow.
My main point I wanted to make here is that it's better to be chatised by the guru rather than be praised. It's a good wait to practice humility and be more humble and try not to be so forgetful of things. I shouldn't have gotten so upset earlier but as i've said my mind was being it's greatest enemy. I'll just have to remind myself the next time I receive chatisement from Maharaj. I should consider it a great blessing from him of being chatised by him.
Krishna Is Seated In Everyone's Heart.
This morning toward the end of class, my guru Maharaj was talking about how Krishna is seated in everyone's heart. He had asked if any of us could find out how many times does Krishna say in the Bhagavad Gita "I am situated in everyone's heart." So I found quite a few and it took me an hour to go through the whole Bhagavad Gita to find the verses. I discovered that Krishna says it 4 times. I found three other similar verses to them. But here are the 4 verses.
Ch.7 Text 22
I am seated in everyone's heart as the Supersoul. As soon as one desires to worship some demigod, I make his faith steady so that he can devote himself to that particular deity.
Ch.10 Text 21
I am the Supersoul O Arjuna, seated in the hearts of all living entities. I am the beginning, the middle, and the end of all living beings.
Ch. 15 Text 15
I am seated in everyone's heart, from me comes remembrance, knowledge, and forgetfullness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed I am the compiler of the Vendanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.
Ch. 18 Text 61
The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities who are seated as a machine made of material energy.
I liked the assignement Maharaj asked for us to do. I don't know if anyone else will take up the assignment but I did. I felt I needed to do more reading in the Bhagavad Gita and more serious studying. I need to ask my guru Maharaj for the Bhagavad Gita course that he has that way I can be more disciplined. I think I am going to tell him this.
Ch.7 Text 22
I am seated in everyone's heart as the Supersoul. As soon as one desires to worship some demigod, I make his faith steady so that he can devote himself to that particular deity.
Ch.10 Text 21
I am the Supersoul O Arjuna, seated in the hearts of all living entities. I am the beginning, the middle, and the end of all living beings.
Ch. 15 Text 15
I am seated in everyone's heart, from me comes remembrance, knowledge, and forgetfullness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed I am the compiler of the Vendanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.
Ch. 18 Text 61
The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities who are seated as a machine made of material energy.
I liked the assignement Maharaj asked for us to do. I don't know if anyone else will take up the assignment but I did. I felt I needed to do more reading in the Bhagavad Gita and more serious studying. I need to ask my guru Maharaj for the Bhagavad Gita course that he has that way I can be more disciplined. I think I am going to tell him this.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Govardana Hill Puja
This year's Govardana Hill Puja I have spent here in Toronto. Last year I was in West Virginia in New Vrndavan's temple. I liked the Govardana Hill presentation here in Toronto much better.
Govardana Hill is a past time of Lord Krishna. I may have mentioned this in one of my earlier blog posts. Lord Krishna made King Indra who is a demigod in control of the rains and king of the heavenly planets very angry when He had stopped the yajna (fire sacrifice) ceremony for Indra. Lord Krishna wanted to teach King Indra a lesson so He had lifted Govardana Hill to show that He was the Surpreme Personality of Godhead and to protect the inhabitants of Vrndavan from the devastating rain fall that Indra was causing. Lord Krishna had then crushed King Indra's pride and made him realize that he is a servant to Lord Krishna and he then became humble.
The temple was beautifully decorated with a small Govardana Hill made from sweets and real cake. Underneath the cake was small dolls and a real Deity of Gopalnathaji lifting Govardana Hill. I took many photos of this transcendental display.It was very beautifully done. I brought downstairs two big Tulasis to put on both sides of the Hill. My little baby Tulasi was put on the altar for the first time. I know that she was very happy to be on the altar near her Lord Krishna.
Anyway, when the program started, there was the 6pm Aarti.Then BhaktiVasudeva Swami Maharaj is here to visit us for three days. I met him before at my friend Dayal Nitai's home program. I have chatted with him a bit today with other people around of course. BhaktiVasudeva Maharaj really does have a sense of humor and he's so open and friendly just like my own guru Maharaj. So I have two other Swamis now that I like. Guna Grahi Swami Maharaj and BhaktiVasudeva Maharaj. They are two great souls.
A major kirtan was then held after class. And a surprise came toward the end. My guru Maharaj H.H Bhaktimarga Swami, had let part of the kirtan toward the end and it was just AWESOME. I LOVE my guru Maharaj's kirtans! I hope he will lead a wild one on my birthday in a couple weeks. That's all I want for my birthday is for Maharaj to lead a wild kirtan party like the one he did in New Vrndavan during the festival of inspiration. I had given a flower and a flower garland for my guru Maharaj as well. It's just how I was trained in the beginning and I felt that my guru Maharaj should always get a flower garland whenever he comes back from a long trip. Maharaj had been on a long trip for two weeks and I am happy he returned to us safely. Soon as I saw him I had offered my obeisances to him at his feet and when I do that I always feel so sheltered and protected. I told him I felt so much better now that he is here and that he's safe. He told me in a gentle voice that I need not to worry. He also even gave me some direct service for me to do for him. He asked me to wash his bead bag for him. He is so merciful. I noticed that his bead bag was starting to fall apart and I told him that I'd try and fix it for him.
So now I feel so relieved that he is back safe and sound and I feel so much happier now with him here.
Over all it was a great night.This Saturday we will be celebrating Srila Prabhupada's disappearance day and then on Sunday we will be celebrating Diwali Festival of Lights. It was really yesterday but I guess they wanted the guests to come and celebrate it on Sunday since many people have to work during the week. So it will be an interesting weekend.
Here are some photos of Govardana Hill Puja celebration. I took what pictures as I could as it did get very crowded.
Govardana Hill is a past time of Lord Krishna. I may have mentioned this in one of my earlier blog posts. Lord Krishna made King Indra who is a demigod in control of the rains and king of the heavenly planets very angry when He had stopped the yajna (fire sacrifice) ceremony for Indra. Lord Krishna wanted to teach King Indra a lesson so He had lifted Govardana Hill to show that He was the Surpreme Personality of Godhead and to protect the inhabitants of Vrndavan from the devastating rain fall that Indra was causing. Lord Krishna had then crushed King Indra's pride and made him realize that he is a servant to Lord Krishna and he then became humble.
The temple was beautifully decorated with a small Govardana Hill made from sweets and real cake. Underneath the cake was small dolls and a real Deity of Gopalnathaji lifting Govardana Hill. I took many photos of this transcendental display.It was very beautifully done. I brought downstairs two big Tulasis to put on both sides of the Hill. My little baby Tulasi was put on the altar for the first time. I know that she was very happy to be on the altar near her Lord Krishna.
Anyway, when the program started, there was the 6pm Aarti.Then BhaktiVasudeva Swami Maharaj is here to visit us for three days. I met him before at my friend Dayal Nitai's home program. I have chatted with him a bit today with other people around of course. BhaktiVasudeva Maharaj really does have a sense of humor and he's so open and friendly just like my own guru Maharaj. So I have two other Swamis now that I like. Guna Grahi Swami Maharaj and BhaktiVasudeva Maharaj. They are two great souls.
A major kirtan was then held after class. And a surprise came toward the end. My guru Maharaj H.H Bhaktimarga Swami, had let part of the kirtan toward the end and it was just AWESOME. I LOVE my guru Maharaj's kirtans! I hope he will lead a wild one on my birthday in a couple weeks. That's all I want for my birthday is for Maharaj to lead a wild kirtan party like the one he did in New Vrndavan during the festival of inspiration. I had given a flower and a flower garland for my guru Maharaj as well. It's just how I was trained in the beginning and I felt that my guru Maharaj should always get a flower garland whenever he comes back from a long trip. Maharaj had been on a long trip for two weeks and I am happy he returned to us safely. Soon as I saw him I had offered my obeisances to him at his feet and when I do that I always feel so sheltered and protected. I told him I felt so much better now that he is here and that he's safe. He told me in a gentle voice that I need not to worry. He also even gave me some direct service for me to do for him. He asked me to wash his bead bag for him. He is so merciful. I noticed that his bead bag was starting to fall apart and I told him that I'd try and fix it for him.
So now I feel so relieved that he is back safe and sound and I feel so much happier now with him here.
Over all it was a great night.This Saturday we will be celebrating Srila Prabhupada's disappearance day and then on Sunday we will be celebrating Diwali Festival of Lights. It was really yesterday but I guess they wanted the guests to come and celebrate it on Sunday since many people have to work during the week. So it will be an interesting weekend.
Here are some photos of Govardana Hill Puja celebration. I took what pictures as I could as it did get very crowded.
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