By Madhusudanan das
It was the month of Damodar. Even more memorably, it was Diwali day. One could not have asked for a better timing for devotees to pack their bags and head to the Riverslea retreat at Otaki, near Wellington city in New Zealand. The bi-annual retreats have become a regular phenomenon among the Journey of Self Discovery group members in the city. It was their “mini yatra” – the spiritual respite that helped them recharge their devotion and embed themselves deeper into Krishna Consciousness. But it was something more subtle that made this event very special. Something which wasn’t evident until the end.
As the devotees streamed in on Friday evening with their cars packed to the hilt with luggage, the groceries were immediately unloaded and the kitchen set up in less than an hour to dole out prasadam to over forty devotees. The invisible hand of expert planning by HG Anang Manjari DD made such things possible. This time it was a three day retreat – a day more than the usual. The devotees retired early on the first day for an early start the next morning.
The morning arati and congregational chanting was followed by a much anticipated seminar carefully prepared by HG Ambarish Maharaja Das and inspired by the teachings of HH Bhakti Rasamrita Maharaj. The topic for the retreat seminar was kept secret and never revealed until that day. Devotees took turns guessing the subject from scriptural clues presented to them. The fact that devotees turned up unquestioningly without knowledge of the subject of the retreat seminars was testament to the faith they had in HG Ambarish Maharaja Das’ ability to deliver and present an interesting and spiritually elevating topic in an engaging way. And they weren’t disappointed. It was a simple topic, yet one that possessed immeasurable value – The Austerity of Speech.
The five pillars of austerity in speech as spoken by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita are – ‘non-agitating’, ‘truthful’, ‘pleasing’, ‘beneficial’, and ‘regular recitation of Vedic literature’. These elements also defined the first group activity. By enacting skits which reflected scenarios in day to day life, devotees learnt to apply each element according to time, place and circumstances. Prizes were also awarded to the best skit, which the matajis won by popular vote. ‘Beneficial’ speech is the most important of the first four pillars defining samskriti of speech. These seminars definitely qualified.
While mornings were marked by lectures, evenings were dotted with recreational activities such as yogasana. Some devotees ventured onto a small trek down to the Otaki gorge to relax and chant around the sounds of flowing river water. Evening games included the ‘Body and Soul’ musical chairs, where the chairs were analogous to bodies and the devotees represented souls. The ‘souls’ had to find their way from a plant, to an animal, to a human or demigod body, and eventually become a devotee to go back to Godhead.
The kids were engaged in value education activities. Notable among them was their excitement in learning to bake muffins which not only gave them a peek into the process of preparing prasadam, but also develop appreciation for the effort put in by their mothers every day. On Diwali day devotees offered sumptuous bhoga to a beautiful Govardhan decorated with the help of the children, while a video showing real footage of Govardhan hill enthralled the audience. Fireworks enlivened the silent night with colorful sparklers and glowing fountains. In a place where firework use is strictly controlled and regulated, this was sufficient to spur the children to jump and scream in joyous rapture.
The retreat also focused on the cultivation and training of devotees through services and activities such as mini-mangala arati. On Sunday, devotees watched ’The Simple Temple’ – a short documentary on the growth of the Chowpatty temple through building a culture of bhakti, discipline and welcoming warmth for existing and new devotees. That night, devotees went to bed with thoughts and conversations about binding and growing the Krishna conscious community in Wellington. The final day of the seminar focused on speech in the three modes of material nature. Devotees discussed real-life cases which had been collected anonymously from the group earlier. They analysed each scenario around the elements of austerity and determined better and alternative ways in which those words could have been spoken.
As the retreat came to a close on Monday afternoon, it seemed like any other. But when the devotees reached home, they exchanged messages indicating how they were already missing the association. This retreat had been only a day longer than the usual, yet it had created the opportunity to connect in a special way. For the real transformation was below the surface – it was the cementing of relationships, the tightening of bonds. They are the hallmarks of a committed and closely-knit devotee community blossoming in Wellington.
Video: Click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p0VcXqu_ws
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