This post could well be titled “Inspiring Devotees Part II” but just for the sake of it I decided to change it a little. Before I relate the story let me write in something about my own self –When I had just started chanting and was quite new to the philosophy I aspired to become a Gopa in Goloka Vrindavan, that because I am not very fond of girly chores that keep the Gopis busy all day besides Krishna spends most of His time with the Gopas so that was it I wanted to be a cowherd boy. Later as I grew in Krishna Consciousness and came to know about Nitai Gaurhari’s wonderful Leela my aspirations shifted to becoming an eternal mridanga player in Gauaranga’s Nagar Sankirtan. Dancing, Chanting and pleasing the devotees by playing wonderful mridanga that became new definition of perfection of life for me until this happened (Read on -)One of my Godsisters who is a regular at Sri Sri Radha Gopinath temple ordered me to show around Sri Sri Radha Rasbihari temple. I readily agreed because she had just returned from her trip to Barsana as a volunteer in the Barsana eye camp, I was keen to hear her realizations. We met, I took her to Srila Prabhupada’s quarters where Jayshree Mataji blessed us with His Divine Grace’s Maha Maha Prasad. We sat in the library next hoping to watch some nice videos. I chose to watch a Prabhupada’s video and followed that up by a video on existence of soul hoping I would be able to pick up some arguments for preaching when suddenly I caught a glimpse of my guest watching most reverentially one of our Gurudev’s videos. Man!! trust me right at that moment I wished I had half the love and attachment that she has for Guru Maharaj. All glories to her! We moved next towards life membership hall where we were to honor dinner prasadam we settled around a table and then started our Krishna Katha. She told me that before going to the Dham she was to hand over her duties as the class representative of her college to one of her friends for she were to miss a couple of her lectures, as she did that news of her taking leave spread throughout her class and every one came up to her asking “Are you going home?” for she is an outstation student in Mumbai. She patiently corrected few early birds but to later she changed her answer to “Yes I am going home” for she realized that Barsana is every living entities’ home. To which I added “Wow!! Won’t it be wonderful that some day we will all go back home to be eternally with the Lord” picturing Gauranga’s eternal Sankirtan in the eternal sky in my head. She moved her head form left to right and said “You know Guru Maharaj very long back has explained we should only aspire for service” and boom!! I felt a bomb just exploded and my dream just got shattered. I think she read all this on my face for she continued to say “Please forgive me I really did not intend to offend you”. All I could say was “No No!! You are right that is what we should aspire for! Service”So there!! That is how I learned my lesson to aspire only for eternal service. No matter where Krishna chooses to put us in Prabhupada’s leela, Gauranga’s leela , His own leela service or where ever.
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1. We are put to test and trial in this world. Only those who attend the kirtana of the devotees can succeed.2. Every spot on earth where discourses on God are held is a place of pilgrimage.3. Possession of objects not related to Krsna is our main malady.4. Let me not desire anything but the highest good for my worst enemies.5. As dalliance with the body in luxury increases, so wanes the spirit of service of the Lord.6. Those favored by God find their paths set by thorns.7. There is no peace or happiness in our worldly life. Circumstances create turmoil and annoyance.8. Chant the maha mantra loudly and with attachment. This will drive away inertia, worldly evils and pests.9. Be indifferent to bazaar gossips, stick firmly to your cherished goals, no lack or impediments of the world will ever stand in your way.10. Pay due respects to the extroverts of the world, but do not be appreciative of their manners and conduct. They are to be shaken off from your mind.11. A devotee feels the presence of God everywhere, but one averse to the Lord denies His existence anywhere.12. You cannot appreciate transcendental matters with the reasoning of the world. It is sheer nonsense to decry them with the measuring stick of your intellect.13. To recite the name of Sri Krsna is bhakti.14. Life is for the glorification of topics on Hari. If that is stopped, then what need is there to carry on life.15. Physical illness with Hari-bhajana is preferred to physical fitness without Hari-bhajana.16. Our span of life on earth is short. Our life will be crowned with success if the body wears out with constant discourses on Hari.17. We are here on earth not to work as artisans for making big buildings with wood and stone but to work only as messengers for the teachings of Sri Caitanya Deva.18. A sycophant is neither a guru or a preacher.19. To transform the adverse desires of the jivas is the supreme duty of the most merciful. To rescue one person from the stronghold of Mahamaya is an act of superb benevolence, far superior to opening innumerable hospitals.20. Unless we are devoted to God, secularism shall not leave us.21. Look within. Amend yourself, rather than pry into the frailties of others.22. In this world of Maya, averse to the Lord, full of trials and tribulations, only patience, humility and respect for others are our friends for Hari-bhajana.23. The Lord, Gaurasundara, puts His devotees in various difficulties and associations to test their patience and strength of mind. Success depends on their good fortune.24. When faults in others misguide and delude you - have patience, introspect, find faults in yourself. Know that others cannot harm you unless you harm yourself.25. I wish that every selfless, tender-hearted person of Gaudiya Math will be prepared to shed two hundred gallons of blood for the nourishment of the spiritual corpus of every individual of this world.
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There are few things I am proud of one of them is the fact that almost all of my God brothers and God Sisters who I have met so far are very sincere and serious devotees. They inspire and encourage others in the path of Bhakti and hence I look up to them. This pride however is mixed with the aspiration of being like them some day, well! hopefully someday soon.I wish to share a little incident of how a grihasta couple comprising of two aspiring disciples of my Gurudev, in their own little way inspired me to strive harder on the path of Bhakti. Thus follows the story -I was doing some little insignificant service at Sri Sri Radha Rasbihari when suddenly I came across my lovely God Sister. She told me about her wedding which had taken place just a day before we met, we chatted in our own sweet way and then danced in the Gaur Aarti. During prasadam she introduced me to her "Prabhu", who is a petroleum scientist working in Kuwait. All three of us were sitting together talking about what we love the most our Guru Maharaj and His devotees, well occasionally we did talk about Krishna but that was occasionally or rather rarely or let me make it barely [:O]. Now we were endlessly talking and talking without realizing that we were long done with our prasadam, empty steel plates lied in front of us. Our engrossing conversation was suddenly and rather rudely interrupted by this one prabhu who was employed to wash the plates. He walked right up to us and mildly but rebuked the only male member seated on our table (my god brother of course!!) for keeping the plates with us for too long. Now, as per my understanding no man would like to be chastised by a man lower to him socially, financially and probably even age wise, that to right in front of his newly wedded wife and her friend. But my god brother proved me wrong, he so humbly folded his palms and begged forgiveness from this prabhu and got up right at that moment to put his plate at the required place.So he inspired me and I am sure made my Guru Maharaj proud, well the world knows how much my Gurudev insists on this particular aspect of devotion, "humility".My god sister is a constant source of inspiration to me for she is "Kirtanya Sada Hari", while I and my kind struggle to finish our daily quota of rounds she is often seen chanting extra rounds. It was only after being inspired from her that during last kartik month I chanted 24 rounds a day.Well!! I know I know!! Pride is a dirty word in the dictionaries of aspiring Gaudiyas but I can't help it my God Brothers and God Sisters are so near to perfect that pride automatically manifests in my heart. All credit of course goes to our Gurudev and the Sweet Lord who He represents.
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If you are in India and you mix around with people at large or ocassionaly even switch open the idiot box and come across religious channels like sadhana, shradha or whatever, you will not fail to notice that how people so fervently follow some Guru or some organization. These Gurus may offer either Nirvana, Salvation, Sense gratification or ocassionaly Bhakti. In such situations what dawns over my mind is what Krishna says in Bhagvad Gita -Every one is on a path to meThis means in words of my Guru Maharaj all roads lead to Krishna, but just as, my Guru Maharaj explained the road that leads to Rome has several exits these offers of instant nirvana, salavation and sense gratifictaion are exits from the path that is leading to Krishna. Even though if a jiva chooses to take up one of these exits, when he gets frustrated for he is looking for love and ecstasy which only a relationship with Krishna can give him, he will come back to this path and resume his journey back to Krishna. But why take chances?? Why waste one more life??Somehow by mercy of Srila Prabhupada, Guru and Gauranga we have been allowed entrance into a high speed highway to Krishna so I keep counselling my mind to stop looking at the dangerous exit signs and push the accelerator hard.
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Posted by Ankita Sharma on November 8, 2008 at 1:31pm
BHAKTI LATA YOUTH FESTIVAL FOR GIRLSMy Day with Lord KrishnaHare Krsna Dear Vaishnavi Sakhis/Matajis,Announcing our forthcoming Youth fest : "Bhakti Lata"The fest is to be held on 30 November 2008, Gurukul hall. Its a whole day festival starting from 7am until 7pm. The activities are summarised as below :KirtanSeminarsDramaGamesQuiz CompetitionFilm ShowsNot to forget the Sumptuous Prasadam for breakfast, lunch and dinner.....along with the tons of prizes to be won on the spot!!!Only Girls under the age category : 15 - 30 years can participate.Organised by ISKCON JuhuOnly for Girls Age 15-30 yearsth On Sunday 30 November at Gurukul HallRegister Now! Contact: 9320010827 / 9820534683
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