A song called Throw It Away, by the talented Abbey Lincoln, is a song I’ve often sung to call to the Spiritual World in times of distress… I would use the song (and its affect on me) to call to the ancestors to impart guidance and wisdom in times of material crisis – of which I’ve had my share.
I think about the life I live… I think about the things I lost, the things I gave away…
when I’m in a certain mood I search the house…
one night I found these magic words in a magic book
A magic book. On May 24th, I was offered a gift – Caitanya Caritamrta, a multi-volume set of books which cradle eternal knowledge in biography format… the biography and philosophy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu who lived from 1486 to 1533 as a Vaisnava Saint; He founded the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya. Because of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Russell Brand chants the Hare Krsna Maha Mantra in 2017; Because of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, food is distributed for free every Sunday at temples around the United States of America (a program created by one of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s grand-disciples – Srila Prabhupada – and which is maintained still by Prabhupada’s disciples).
The Caitanya Caritamrta details the process of Bhakti-yoga and specifically focuses on congregational chanting and the healing nature of the Maha Mantra and its transcendental sound vibration! Hare Krishna Hare Krishna – Krishna Krishna Hare Hare – Hare Rama Hare Rama – Rama Rama Hare Hare
I waited. And I waited for the package, the transcendental gift, my very own Caitanya Caritamrta. And I waited. Then, I worried. Then I called for help. And I called again. And again. And I emailed, I stomped my feet – with every passing day, anxiety increased.
A multi-volume set of books would be heavy, I knew, but my anxiety was so bad, I was forced to do something – so I got on my bike and rode to the big post office where the postal worker on the other end of the phone said my Caitanya Caritamrta sat (probably in a dusty corner, forced to listen to horrible music blasting out of a workers’ radio or electronic device – I was in extreme anxiety over this).
When I arrived, the postal worker said the package was not there – it was at the other, smaller, post office.
On June 16th, I was finally united with my Caitanya Caritamrta!
Because I was on my bike, I had to figure out how to make it home with my treasure! A block, two blocks… the box dropped, the bike fell, sweat poured down my face. I was angry again at the postal workers… The anger made me disoriented. I yelled like a lunatic.
Then suddenly, a construction site appeared. The workers might have some kind of cloth I could use as a sling to carry my box, my treasure.
Instead, they handed me a rope.
Aindra Prabhu said: What is devotional Service – What is devotional Service – I’ll tell you what is devotional Service… Devotional Service is 2 inches of rope! Mother Yasoda needed 2 inches of rope and because of those 2 inches, she engaged the whole village in devotional Service to Krsna!
I wrapped my spiritual rope around the box and then across my shoulders and rode home.
His Grace Deva Madhava Prabhu, from Michigan, suggested I start reading at Madhya Lila 13 “right in time for a Jaganatha Rathayatra!!”
As I read this, I am. once again, brought into contact with the rope… as everyone pulls the cart by rope! And I’m also reminded of the fact that until God wants the Rope to serve or the cart to move, the rope won’t work, the cart won’t move!
Comments
Krsna Shakti here from Dallas....this book, The Journey Within is one of my favorites, is so inspiring.
I have been a devotee in Dallas since 1972 and this kind of material is so inspiring to keep my journey back to Godhead as forefront..Thank you Radhanath Swami...Hari bol!