Had another great day here in New Dwarakadish. I attended the regular morning program both Mangal Aarti and Guru Puja. The kirtans are very nice here. The Deities well They leave me stunned so far after the programs.
This morning Prabhupada gave class. We went over Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 Ch. 2 Text 33. Prabhupada spoke a lot about Krishna's energies and how it is controlled by Him and also about how we should not stay on one platform. One must try to rise above their current platform in order to spiritually advance. I took about two and a half pages worth of notes from the lecture as intructed by my guru Maharaj. He wanted me to take notes from Prabhupada's lecture which I did obediantly. So going furthur on about the lecture Prabhupada said that the only way we can rise above our current platform is by becoming more sincere and serious to perform our devotional service. he said that attending the programs and worshiping the Deity in the temple is a good start but one must rise above that too. One must know what a Bhakta really is. A Bhakta is someone who helps others and spreads the Holy Names. So I really liked what Prabhupada had spoken about and I can try to work on rising above the platform i am currently on. I have felt myself advance a little more but Im terrified of finding myself in a pithole if I let anything slide or don't try to do something new.
After breakfast I headed over to the kitchen again. no one had asked me to come and help. I just went there on my own, trying to keep in mind what Prabhupada said and also my guru Maharaj's instructions. The Prabus who were in the kitchen were grateful for me helping them and they seemed very pleased. One of them even wants the temple president to keep me in the kitchen. It made me think of what Maharaj had told me before I left Toronto. He said to do service that I do well with and like, and also keep the devotees pleased by helping them then I'd be pleasing him. So I felt it in my heart that Maharaj is pleased. It's still hard for me to serve Maharaj in separation, hopefully it will get better in time. Im always concerned if I am serving Maharaj properly while I'm away and I try to follow his instructions the best I can. Im so used of him telling me that I am doing well with service and all but like I said now that Im away it's harder to tell.
I am thinking of getting my own set of Deities. In this temple I can do a small Aarti for Them in my room here. I am going to start off with Gaura Nitai first and of course my Lord Nrsimahadeva Deity too that was given to me by my friend Dayal Nitai. With small Deities you don't have to be second initiated. Gaura Nitai accepts all offenses so since I am still a bit new with Aartis and serving Deities I really should start with Them. I pretty much know the basics about how to serve Deities but i know it goes a lot more deeper than what I already know. I hope they have some Gaura Nitai Deities here that are small that I can start of with and something I can afford. I probably won't get Them until after Christmas. Then when I come back to Toronto I can ask if Maharaj can name my Deities if I do get them if he doesn't mind.
Today is the Sunday Feast. The program I believe starts here at 4pm with the Aarti and then class. The Feast here is at 6pm. Im probably going to have prasadam then because we don't have lunch here on Sundays. Im already hungry for prasadam. i have a banana i can eat to hold me off until later.
The buffet here is separate so if devotees want it they have to pay for it too which is $8.00
I had some potato salad from the buffet last night it was sooooo good. I love their potato salad here.:)
Tomorrow I will find out what my service shedule is and post it here.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
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