Saturday Night's Hollywood Sankirtan Party

This past Saturday, I went on another sankirtan party. This time we went to Hollywood. Nope I did not see any celebrities. But where we were the place was packed with people. We were on part of the Walk of Fame. I saw a couple of the stars with actors names on them that I have heard of like Antonio Banderas and Anthony Hopkins. Then As I observed Hollywood more it looked more like Las Vegas with the whole street decorated with neon flashing lights. There were some people on the street dressed up as comic book characters and someone was dressed up as Darth Vader from the Star Wars movies. So us devotees fit right in with the crowd because we were dressed up in devotional cloths such as saris, dhotis, mrgdangas, kartals, books, and tilak on our foreheads.

Our kirtan was pretty ecstatic. About four of us distributed books while the kirtan was going on. People had stopped to watch us. As I noticed the people who watched us, some had a strange look on their faces wondering what we were singing and dancing about, others just wanted to take a break and just see what we were doing and some even joined in on the dancing part. Others accepted books that we were distributing. I made my second attempt to distribute books that evening. It took me nearly an hour to distribute at least one book. Krishna was merciful to me. He had sent this young kid who is about my age. He walked up to me and said "I hate my job!" So I said to him cheerfully "Im sorry you hate your job, but I have something that will make you happy." I showed him the Bhagavad Gita. The boy said he knew about it and said he had lost his copy. So I let him have another copy and he gave a small donation for the book. I couldn't believe it. I distributed one of Srila Prabhupada's books for the very first time. Then about 15 minutes later this one older guy not too much older than me, said his girlfriend was a strict vegetarian. I showed him the Higher Taste Book. I told him there is some great vegetarian receipies in there for her to try. So he had made a small donation as well. I didn't think I could distribute books. I was afraid that I'd get people confused, but Krishna gave me enough intelligence to distribute the books.

We were out there until 8pm then headed back to the temple for the 12 hour kirtan. However I did not go to the 12 hour kirtan as I felt a bit exhausted from the sankirtan. But I hope Srila Prabhupada was pleased that I distributed at least two of his books. I wasn't expecting to distribute any at all but it had finally happened. :)

Anyways here are some photos of the Hollywood Sankirtan party. I didn't have time to make a small recording just pictures.

Last Night's Sankirtan Party Santa Monica

Yesterday I decided to go out on Sankirtan. I figured well it's time to get out some and see the city a bit since Im in a new area. Our Sankirtan party met in front of the temple around 5:45pm. Ganesh Prabhu was the driver. Ganesh Prabhu is a funny guy always cracking some transcendental joke. But I liked his enthusiam. I was chatting with a few of the devotees while we waited for the others to show up. About 12 to 15 of us went on Sankirtan.

It was about a 10 minute drive to Santa Monica. We were at this giantic out door mall. The trees surrounding the area had bluish white lights decorated all around. It was actually a beautiful spot to hold a harinam and there were hundreds of people walking the streets. There were other people however doing their little performances. I saw a sign being held up called Jokes For $1.00. Kind of silly if you ask me but this is Kali yuga and people will do anything to get their money in. Then I saw someone else holding up a sign that said "God Kills  Repent."  and on the back of it said "Jesus Loves and Hates." What is interesting about that sign is that it reminded me of Krishna because Krishna is God and He does kill, He kills the demons inside of us and around us. But He still loves us and wants us to return to Him. And the things that Krishna hates are envy and pride in His devotees and in other ordinary people.

Anyways we were out on Sankirtan for two hours so I put some more service in that way by chanting and then I gathered up enough courage to distribute our yellow cards that advertises our temple New Dwaraka that has the maha mantra on it. I distributed at least 40 of those cards. Then as the kirtan got even more ecstatic, I even dug through the boxes of books we brought with us and made an attempt to do some book distribution. I didn't distribute any last night but I came VERY close to distributing one book to this middle aged lady but she couldn't make a donation so I gave her one of the yellow cards about our temple on it instead. So how I gathered up courage to do a little book distribution was that I looked for people who looked friendly or that were just standing there watching us with interest. I managed to speak to a few people out there. They were polite at least. I know Krishna will eventually send someone to me who may be rude but I will just have to deal with that. There is always one bad apple in the crowd.

But the realization I had from the sankirtan is this: I felt Srila Prabhupada's presence alot more strongly than I have ever before. I never met Srila Prabhupada personally because he left this world before I was born. But I felt him standing near me, and before I went to grab some books to hand out I could almost hear him giving me a little push gently by saying "Go on and try it. Distribute my books." I hope he will forgive me as I did not distribute any that night but i at least made an attept to distribute and even came close to giving one out.

Anyways, here is a short video of the sankirtan party last night and some pictures.

click on the blue highlighted link to watch the video.

http://youtu.be/sGH4SCpCDlA

Today's Darshan Sri Sri Rukmini Dwarakadish 12-31-2011

Daily Darshan of Sri Sri Rukmini Dwarakadish

Today's darshan of Sri Sri Rukmini Dwarkadish 12-30-2011

My Gaura Nitai Deities And Message From My Guru Maharaj

Today I had gotten my very own Gaura Nitai Deities. I loved Them the moment I found Them. They are 6 inches tall and They are a copper color. I loved how Their Lotus Faces looked. I bought Them a nice purple outfit with crowns to match and a cup to offer Them water everyday until I can do more for Them. I had begged Them for Their mercy and to forgive me for any offenses the minute I brought Them into my room. Gaura Nitai accepts all offenses which is why I got Them first. I hope and pray I can do more for Them soon because I want to.

Here is what They look like.

I hope to buy Them a few more outfits soon. I saw a nice green and yellow outfits that I saw in the gift shop today that I liked for Them. But I wanted purple as that is my favorite color.

I really want to do an aarti for them but I don't have the items yet to do that with.  I have to save some laxshmi for that first.

And today the best news yet I had received an email from my guru Maharaj! I was so happy to see his email. He told me that he was happy to hear from me and he told me he got my package that I sent to him in the mail. I bought him a new bead bag because I thought he could use it and I hope he will use it soon. He was very pleased with it. That made me happy. He also left me some instructions. He told me to always remember that we are servant of the servant of the servant of the gopis and he also told me to do well with Sri Sri Rukmini Dwarkadish's blessings. He also hopes to meet my dad one day too. I hope he will come here. I really want to see my guru Maharaj again soon. I hope my phone hurries up and activates the long distance so that I can call him sometime too. 

Daily Darshan of Sri Sri Rukmini Dwarkadish

Todays darshan of Sri Sri Rukmini Dwarakadish 12-29-2011

A Familiar Bhagavad Gita Verse

Today I was in the pujari room a lot. This moring I had to help with the flower arrangements. I had to trim off the stems and put them in buckets. I had to bring in the buckets from outside. Then I helped in the kitchen for 2 and a half hours. I cut up tomatoes, red, and green peppers. Later in the day after lunch I went into the pujari room again to do a little cleaning. I cleaned up in the room where they keep the Deities' clothes. I had to clean the baseboards around the room. I had to move heavy things around all of which were not easy for me to move but I somehow managed it determined to do my service. My service didn't take me long to do however only about an hour. I also swept the entire pujari room and wiped off the counter top where they do the flower arrangements. So I did a total of about four hours today. I still haven't reached six hours of service yet.

But to get to my point when i was cleaning the room where the Deities' clothes were kept I saw a familiar Bhagavad Gita verse on the door to the room. It was from Ch. 18 Text 42. That verse reads Peacefullness, self control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom, and religiousness-these are the natural qualities of a brahmana's work. Maharaj had told me to memorize this verse to prepare myself for second initiation next year. I had asked Maharaj if I should still try for second initiation and he said yes. I asked him when he thinks I'd be ready for second intiation, and he said next  year! I was so shocked when he told me this. I was expecting him to say in two to three years! But apparently he thinks I am ready for it. My anniversary of my initiation day is Janurary 1st. I am going to send Maharaj another written offering to him to show him appreciation for accepting me as his disciple.

I should ask Maharaj to give me another Bhagavad Gita verse to memorize. It seems like if he tells me what verses to memorize then I can become determined to memorize them somehow. Next time I email him I will ask him to send me a verse to memorize. That too will help me to advance more and to remember Krishna more.