wandering

Recently, I have been spending time wandering around the nine islands of Navadwipa on a bicycle. Sometimes I am able to convince friends or family to go and other times I go alone. While I haven’t the spiritual vision to see the full blown glory of the dhama I can at least theoretically understand the nature of this place by hearing from scriptures and other sadhus. On our adventures we encounter a variety of interesting landscapes, old temples and quaint villages. The villages are always filled with friendly and curious onlookers who often greet us with the standard “hare Krishna” or my favorite “Nitai Gaura Hari Bol!” Often times we will say Hare Krishna to the villagers only to find later that we were in a Muslim village. Even though they live life as Muslims they still excitedly reply “Hare Krishna!” The relations between these two faiths are very friendly throughout Nadia. After leaving villages we often encounter acres and acres of rice fields with raised dirt paths between them for passing. Sometimes right in the middle of nowhere we will come across a temple related Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. One such place was the shrine indicating where the great Vaishnava Kholaveca Shridhara used to live. This is one of my favorite places to visit. The stories relating the relationship between Nimai and Sridhara are such sweet descriptions of transcendental relationships.

Other times we wander around the area and do not come across any obvious holy places. I would often remind myself that the simple fact that we are in Navadwipa Dhama is in itself spiritually uplifting. Just a few days ago a came across a verse confirming this conviction by Prabhodananda Saraswati:

Sakala-vibhava-saram sarva-dharmaika-saram sakal-bhajana-saram sakala-siddhayaika-saram sakala-mahima-saram vastu khan de navakhye sakal-madhurimambho-rasi-saram viharah

To wander through the nine islands of Sri Navadwipa-dhama is the essence of all opulences, the essence of all religious principles, the essence of all bhajana, the essence of all perfections, the essence of all glories and the essence of all kinds of oceans of sweetness

sankirtan devotee

There is a harinam party that goes out everyday throughout Mayapur. Some days they go to other islands of Navadwipa and others they stay in the Mayapur Chandrodaya complex. It is led by Sastra Prabhu, Kavi Karnapura and several other regulars. One unique regular is the devotee named Sankirtan. This devotee is not yet initiated nor is he even in a human body! He is a dog. Nonetheless without fail when the devotees go on harinam in the complex he accompanies the procession. When Radhanatha Swami was here speaking Gaura-Katha under the pandal he would also come and sit under the pandal. Some of the devotees that were not from Mayapur would try to chase him away but he inevitably returned. Even Radhanatha Swami noticed that this dog may be some special soul. There are several pastimes in the Sri Caitanya Mangala, Sri Caitanya Bhagavat and Sri Caitanya Caritamrta about Nimai giving ecstatic prema to dogs. Jaganatha das Babaji also spoke in favor of the “dogs of Navadwipa dham.”

Object of Meditation

In the Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu by Srila Rupa Goswami are some descriptions of the divine qualities of the Supreme Lord Krishna. As a neophyte Vaishnava sometimes I take for granted the fact that we have access (at least theoretically) to these qualitative descriptions. These qualities are revealed in order to give the devotees an understanding of the dynamic nature of the object of their worship. Indeed, when advanced Vaisnavas practice meditation they meditate on these qualities and the attractive activities that the Lord performs. The advanced Vaishnavas experience deep ecstatic symptoms upon hearing these descriptions. The more one becomes purified by offenseless chanting of the names of Krishna the more he can relish these qualities.

One interesting point about these qualities is that some of the qualities are minutely shared by spiritually advanced human beings. When we say that someone is godly it means that they are manifesting these qualities which originate in the Lord. The individual living entities can possess these qualities to a minute degree, however the Lord is the actual personification of these qualities. Some examples of these qualities are truthfulness, cleanliness, intolerance of another’s unhappiness, the power to control anger, self satisfaction, straightforwardness, steadiness of mind, control of sense organs, responsibility, equality, tolerance, equanimity, faithfulness, knowledge, absence of mundane sense enjoyment, leadership, chivalry, influence, serenity, kindheartedness, ingenuity, gentility, magnanimity, determination, perfection in all knowledge, joyfulness, fidelity, fame, pridelessness, eternal and a few more.

There are additional qualities that can exist in living entities that are more advanced beings. These beings are not minute living entities like us but are also not on the level of the Supreme Lord. The author cites Siva as belonging to this category. Some of these qualities are omniscience, forever young, always situated in His eternal form, and possessive of all mystic powers.

Next the qualities that exist only in the Supreme Lord in His grand form or as the person who the controller and creator. This list of consists of qualities that one would expect in God. Other living entities cannot at any time manifest these qualities. Some of these qualities are possession of inconceivable great energies, has a form which can exist over tens of millions of universes, the source of numerous avataras, and attracts self satisfied living entities. These qualities evoke worship in the mood of awe and reverence in the devotees.

The highest most advanced souls are attracted by these qualities but what attracts them more is the sweetness of His qualities as displayed as a cowherd boy in Vrindavan. These highly advanced souls rarely think of the majestic qualities like creating the universe, omniscience or as the supreme controller. Their natural attraction of these great souls is towards having sweet relations with the Lord as a personal friend, lover and even as a parent. Since the qualities of majesty in the Lord can hinder these sweet relations, the Lord often covers these majestic qualities from these advanced souls so that His advanced devotees can relate intimately with Him as young, beautiful cowherd boy in Vrindavan. The four qualities that manifest only in this sweet form of Krishna are: 1. He is a wave filled ocean of the most astonishing display of pastimes 2. He is surrounded by loving associates decorated with incomparably sweet prema (pure love) 3.He plays sweet notes on His flute which attract all the minds in the three worlds. 4. He astonishes all moving and non-moving entities with the beauty of His form to which there is no equal or superior.

When one’s heart becomes pure through the chanting of the Holy name of Krishna and receiving the blessing of the great souls, he can see this form of the Lord in His heart. Thus he can taste the nectar and bliss for which he has been hankering life after life.

Gaura Purnima

The other day one devotee asked me if I had ever been in Mayapur during the auspicious day of Gaura-Purnima. Although I have been to the Mayapur Gaura-Purnima Festival six times I have never been here for the actual day of Gaura Purnima. I would always leave a few days before Gaura-Purnima. When I would tell my friends that I was leaving before Gaura-Purnima they would often say “yes, Vrindavan is also a nice place to go for Gaura-Purnima.” I would inevitably reply “no, I am not going to Vrindavan. I am going to Mumbai for Gaura-Purnima” My friend would inevitably reply with a tone of disgust on hearing the name of Mumbai. "Mumbai...for Gaura-Purnime?!?"

The fact is that it is often easier to appreciate the Lord and His Holy abode while hearing from highly realized souls. Every year at the Chowpatty temple in Mumbai there is a grand multi day festival for Gaura-Purnima. Generally Radhanatha Swami would speak Gaura Katha for many hours on those days and then the kirtans were intense, ecstatic and long. I really felt close to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu at these Mumbai festivals. The festival would culminate with a Gaura Aratika as the moon was rising. Totally ecstatic.

In any case we will spend our first Gaura-Purnima here in Mayapur and I am looking forward to it. I do feel the desire to go to Mumbai for the festival but I have no money to travel so the Lord has arranged for us to stay here in Mayapur. Oh well...I will have to stay in Mayapur for Gaura -Purnima!

Pictures of the new elephant...Laxmi Priya.

Here are some pictures of the new elephant here in Mayapur. She comes out daily. She is already comfortable around people (especially when they have food). She comes out on the Saturday procession but does not carry the deities yet.

Bhaktin Laxmi Priya

Today a new resident moved to Mayapur. Her name is Laxmi Priya and although she is not married she will not be staying in the bramacharini ashram. Since she eats about 150 pounds of food every day she will probably not be dining at any of the prasadam halls. Despite her hefty weight and wrinkles all of the bramacharis are anxious to do service for her.

After two years our Iskcon Mayapur has another ELEPHANT (hati)! She is eight years old and since elephants live to be up to 70 years old she is a mere youngster. Everyone misses Radha Madhava's old elephant Gulab Kali. So Laxmi Priya has come to perform Gulab Kali's old service of taking Radha Mdhava around the complex during the Saturday processions.

The kids were especially excited watching Laxmi Priya eat her breakfast of an entire Banana tree and then some.

I will put up some pictures as soon as I take some.

ELEPHANT HATI ELEPHANT HATI ELEPHANT

Laxmi Priya ki jai!

The new GBC

A few days ago we brought the entire school (Sri Mayapur International School-SMIS) to the GBC meetings. We entered the conference room with an exuberant kirtan led by Krishna das. Apparantly these meetings are a real austerity for the participants so the kirtan was a welcome relief to them. Since all 150 (or so) kids came the room was packed. The GBC members then rose from their chairs and offered them to the some of the younger kids. Anuttama Prabhu then gave a heartwarming address to the children. He encouraged the kids to take up leadership roles in our spiritual society. Many of the devotees there did not realize how large and diverse the International school in Mayapur had become. Needless to say they were greatly inspired by seeing all of the bright faced students. Lalita, the principal of the school then gave an informative talk to the GBC on the details of the school and plans for the future. Prasadam was then distributed to the kids and teachers.

United Nations

Our school is called the Sri Mayapur International School. The word "International" is certainly an appropriate description of
the identity of our school. Below are some flags representing the countries that my students are from. Keep in mind that this is only a representation of students in my classes. Other teachers here could add other flags to this collection. I will let you do the research to find the names of these countries.
















Srila Prabhupada used to say that our Krishna conscious society was the real United Nations. This is because the members perceive their own identities as purely spiritual beyond temporary designations. It is then possible to appreciate our temporary material differences while maintaining unity on a spiritual level. The problem with the official United Nations is that there are unlimited desires from many different parties but only limited resources to fulfill those desires. Countries and their citizens thus fight for their share of resources.
The properly situated spiritual ego however impels us to identify with our true selves as a substantial spiritual entity. Every living being has this in common and this is the true basis for equality. Every soul is composed of eternity, bliss, and knowledge and their are no material impediments to such a realization. The only impediment is the material ego which blinds us to our eternal identity. The commodity for which a spiritualist craves is the harmonious association with other devotees in a mood of glorifying Krishna through His holy names.

Here in Mayapur, especially during the Gaura Purnima season, there are people coming here from all over the world with a large variety of backgrounds (race, ethnicity, economic status, social status, tall short, etc.) They have come to benefit from and share the association of other spiritually minded souls. Indeed their is automatic bond between those people who have experienced a lifestyle molded around the glorification of the Lord. This bond is most apparent during the evening and morning programs when devotees come together to sing, dance and meditate on the spiritually potent names of the Lord.

Hare Krishna!
Gauranga!