Every year Sri Mayapur International School (SMIS) gets a month off of school so that the students can attend the Mayapur Gaura-Purnima festival. In a sense, it is like the Christmas holidays that we have become accustomed to in the West. The last week of school before the break there is a always a sense of excitement among the students and teachers in the air. In Mayapur, however, instead of seeing an old bearded man with a red suit exhibiting a whimsically jolly mood, we see Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu dressed with a brilliant yellow dhoti exhibiting a mood of deep, genuine ecstasy. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu does not have a list of who is naughty and nice. Instead, He is willing to give the gift of ecstatic love of God to whoever opens their hearts to receive it. He knows that, for those who have sincerely accepted the name of Krishna into their hearts that the naughty and nice list can be thrown into the garbage bin. Since there is more than enough of this transcendental product to go around there will not be any quarreling over the commodity. Additionally, the nature of this transcendental commodity is that the more you receive the more you are inspired and want to give it to others. In turn, the more you give it to others the more condensed your own stock becomes.
A unique feature of this annual Mayapur Gaura Purnima Festival is the diversity of ethnicities and backgrounds of the participants. The ISKCON community here in Mayapur is already diverse in that people from every continent (except Antarctica) stay here throughout the entire year, My seven year old son Balagopal has close friends from Nepal, Ghana, South Africa, France, Russia, Australia, Japan, India and even a few Americans! During the festival, however, the amount of devotees here increases exponentially. One can take a walk around the ISKCON complex and overhear many different languages. The spiritual practice of sanatana dharma gives one realization of our identity beyond designations that would normally separate us. Most of the people that come for this festival are fluent in the philosophy and practice of transcendence. The substantial realization that arises by regularly practicing Krishna Consiousness is unique in that even in the neophyte stages one understands the dynamic nature of the soul (atma). It is on this platform and only on this platform true equality is based. Equality on any other platforms such as nationality, ethnicity or gender is superficial at best.
We are grateful that we have been given the good fortune of being involved in such a revolutionary movement. It is a movement with the soul purpose of distributing genuine compassion and care to all living entities.
Let's go the kirtan is beginning...
sri-krsna-caitanya-daya karaha vicara
vicara karite citte pabe camatkara
Gauranitaidas.com
