Sri Sri Radha Madhava on 19 December 2006Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Pisima Gosvamini
A summary of some of the activities of Smt. Candrasasi Mukherjee, better known as Pisima Gosvamini, and her Gaura-Nitai
Mukunda Datta Das
(They are in a very small temple right across the street from Bankhandi Mahadeva, about three doors down from the intersection of the Loi and Bankhandi bazars. It looks rather like a closet door, beneath the second floor window of a plain, whitewashed building. I think it's unmarked too. Coming from Krishna-Balarama Mandir, it will be on the left as one heads for Radha-Syamasundar, Radha-Ramana, etc.)
In a village named Rayapura (Siudi District, Bengal), there were Deities of Sri Gaura-Nitai that were worshiped by the descendants of Sri Murari Gupta, the eternal associate of Lord Caitanya. These Deities of the Lords Caitanya and Nityananda in childhood form were worshiped until there was no one left in Murari Gupta's family to look after Them; after an outbreak of malaria, everyone had left the area and it became overgrown by the jungle. The temple was abandoned, the Deities were eventually buried beneath so much foliage and dirt, and having forgotten the history of the place, people began to use the area a pasturing ground for their cows. Once, a gopa noticed that his most productive cow used to drip her milk into a spot on the ground. Curious, they dug in that spot and found the Deities there. Removing Gaura-Nitai, they saw that the word "dasamurarigupta" was written on their base.
The Deities were again established in a temple with first-class worship. After some time, and according to directions he had received in a dream, one resident of Orissa, Balaramadasa Babaji, came there and began to worship Gaura-Nitai.
Fortuitously, a respectable young brahmani named Candrasasi Mukhopadhyaya had come to Rayapura on business related to her wealthy family's nearby land holdings (around year 1900). She happened to be staying near the Gaura-Nitai temple. Daily taking darsana of the Deities, a desire to render Them service arose in her - she wanted to make Them some payesh (sweet rice khir) for Their bhoga offering. She later had a dream in which Gaura and Nitai came to her, saying, "Ma, we're very hungry. Feed us some payesh that you've cooked for us." When she later told the temple priest Balaramadasa Babaji about this, he said, "According to Vaishnava sastras, an uninitiated person cannot cook for the Deity." Smt. Candrasasi Mukherjee then accepted her mantra from Balaramadasa and thus she fulfilled her desire to prepare bhogas for Gaura-Nitai with her own hands.
That very night in a dream Gaura-Nitai came again and pulling on her ancala (the edge of her sari) said, "Ma! Don't go away. If you go away, who will feed us payesh? You are our Mata. We won't let you go." Candrasasi affectionately smiled and told Them to let go of her cloth, but They wouldn't let go; from Their repeated tugging at her ancal, a piece of it finally ripped and the swatch of her cloth was in Gaura's hand. Candrasasi's dream broke and she woke up. But she saw that the corner of her ancala had indeed ripped! At that very moment, she went to inform Balaramadasa everything about her dream.
At that time, before the sun had risen, the temple wasn't opened yet. Balaramadasa went to the temple to wake the Deities. To the amazement of all present, everyone saw that the piece missing from Candrasasi's cloth was in Gaura's hand. All were immersed in premananda and everyone began to praise Candrasasi's good fortune. Candrasasi lost all sense of her body and mind, and began to dive and surface in thousands of unprecedented, transcendental feelings all at once.
She forgot all thoughts of going back to her native place. The illusions of family, prestige, wealth, and so forth had been lost. She began to serve Gaura-Nitai in the temple as her life and soul. On account of her leaving home at such an age (she was only 20 at that time) to live in the temple along with the Babaji, people naturally began to talk about their relationship in so many ways and this gave her intolerable mental distress. One night, after praying repeatedly and having emptied her heart before Gaura-Nitai, she eventually fell asleep in that state. Gaura-Nitai came to her in a dream and hanging on to her neck They said, "Ma, take us to Vrndavana now - chalo (let's go)."
Immediately she took Gaura-Nitai and along with Balaramadasa Babaji proceeded by boat to Vrndavana. As They arrived there, a devoted lady from Nadiya named Bhakta devi was bathing in the Yamuna and saw Them. She respectfully invited Them to her home in Vanakhandi-mohalla. In great ecstasy, Candrasasi began to serve Gaura-Nitai in her home and Bhakta devi used to assist her. People in the neighborhood called Bhakta "Pisima," and so they began to call Candrasasi "Pisima" as well. Consistent with the Lords' statement to that effect, Pisima used to dandle and nurture Gaura-Nitai as if They were her own sons. Gaura-Nitai were always pleased by her service. One day, as she was busily cooking for Them, she noticed indications of her monthly stri-dharma. Going outside of the temple kitchen, she remained in the courtyard looking again and again in the direction of Gaura-Nitai and crying - "Today I won't be able to offer my own cooking for Gaura-Nitai's bhoga!" Thus suffering over the matter, she saw a kind of dream-vision, even though she was awake. Both brothers, Gaura and Nitai, came and said, "Ma, there's nothing to be sad about. You just do what mothers in your condition usually do. There's no fault in that. Get up. Take your bath and give us something to eat. We're very hungry. From now on, you'll be free of this disease." Pisi Ma did as she was told. After that, she never had her courses again.
After coming to Vrndavana, Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai began to play with many other devotees and perform various pastimes. Sometimes, if there was a need for this or that, they would beg, borrow, or steal it from anywhere and everywhere. For example, Gaura-Nitai had no shoes. They asked Pisi Ma for them, but since she didn't want Them to leave her even for a moment she probably simply told Them, "What do You need shoes for? Do you have to come or go anywhere?" Thus, Gaura-Nitai remained on the watch for some other devotees who might come there.
Once, in the month of Savan, a woman of a Bengali family traveling from Serpura Beguda came to Vrndavana to see the swing festival. They stayed near Gaura-Nitai's temple, in Cidiyakunja. That very day, in the midmorning it was raining. Pisima was sitting on the temple veranda. With her left hand, she was pulling the rope attached to Gaura-Nitai's fan. With her right hand, she was chanting on her japa-mala. It began to rain very hard. Pisi Ma dozed off a little. At that time, she saw that Nitai had left the temple and was running about the courtyard in the water. Gaura then followed Him. Pisima shrieked, "Oh! Where are you going? You'll catch a cold!" This dream was as clear as if it weren't a dream at all - it seemed as if she saw it while yet awake. But she again began pulling on the pankha and eventually dozed off again.
Meanwhile, Nitai-Gaura had arrived in Cidiyakunja. The woman from Serpura Beguda was sleeping at that time. Gaura-Nitai went in and sat at the end of the bed. Shaking Their heads, they said, "Have you come here to sleep? Get up!"
In her sleeping state, the woman mumbled, "Wha... who are you?"
"Our names are Nitai and Gaura; we're the sons of Pisi Ma of Vanakhandi."
"Pisi Ma's kids? How's that?"
"People in the mohalla just call us Pisi Ma's boys. Everybody in Vrndavana knows we're her children."
"So why are you here?"
"Look at how our feet are covered with mud. Give us some shoes."
Upon seeing Gaura-Nitai's extraordinary beauty, the woman became fascinated. She had never before imagined such beauty. Awakening, she began to cry, remembering the two boys. Weeping thus, she left the house, even though it was still pouring rain. On the road, she asked anybody she saw where Pisi Ma's children lived. One Vrajavasi showed her Nitai Gaura's mandira at Banakhandi. The woman went inside. Pisi Ma was still pulling the pankha and chanting japa. The woman asked, "Is this the house of Pisi Ma's Gaura-Nitai?"
"Yes, mother, this is the home of Pisi Ma's Gaura Nitai. Mataji, why are you crying?"
"Where are your two boys? I want to see them," the highly agitated woman said, trying to be demure and respectful.
Pisi Ma respectfully seated the woman and opened the mandira. Taking Gaura-Nitai's darsana in the temple, which exactly resembled the vision in her dream, the woman burst into tears. Her very being was filled with trembling in all her limbs. She was simply unable to do anything at all; for a long time she remained fallen on the floor in a state of faint. Upon coming to consciousness and controlling herself, she related the whole story of her dream to Pisi Ma. Pisi Ma too told of what she had seen. For quite some time, both simply remained in an embrace, shedding tears of ecstasy. That fortunate woman later made silver shoes for Gaura-Nitai, which remain in Their possession even today. Nitai and Gaura continue to use them with love.
Prasanna dasi of Serpura Beguda lived in Vrndavana. One day she dreamt that Gaura and Nitai were decorated with all kinds of dazzling ornaments and came before her. Showing Their lotus feet, which were marked with flag, ankusa, thunderbolt, etc., and which are desired even by Brahma and Siva, They said: "Look at all the ornaments We got. But We don't have nupura (footbells). Give us nupura." Upon awakening, Prasanna dasi went to Pisi Ma and narrated the whole story, streaming tears of love. Having them made and then putting the golden nupura on Gaura-Nitai's lotus feet, her life became successful.
For some days one babaji, a very pure, dear servant of Lord, was assisting Pisi Ma in the seva-puja of Nitai Gaura. An impure idea arose in his mind. Opening the temple door at night, he stole the ornaments worth Rs. 500 and left with them. Arising early next morning, Pisi Ma was horrified to see that the door was opened and the Deities were without Their jewels. She thought, "Oh who has done this despicable thing? Is there anyone so sinful living in this world?" Full of anxiety, she fell down in the corridor of the temple and remained there, devastated and depressed. She saw Gaura-Nitai in her mind and said, "Who took your jewelry? They replied, "Ma, that Vaisnava is very poor, but he fed us brothers so much rabdi. So we gave it to him. Please, don't say anything to him about it."
What did she do? She was furious over the behavior of these spoiled children. From where would she get more jewelry? Personally, she had already left her own incomparable wealth long ago - coming to Vrndavana in beggar's dress, her only possession was now Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai. Laughing, she said, "Okay. You can either give Your things to somebody or keep them. What's it to me? If you need something again, then You'll get it from somewhere. You certainly aren't bashful about asking people for things."
In another dream, Gaura-Nitai told Pisi Ma, "Take us out for Braja-mandala-parikrama." She then readied a palanquin and assembled some devotees for Harinama-sankirtana and they set out the very next day. The Deities were extremely happy on this trip. After a month or so, when They were concluding the parikrama and were at the outskirts of Mathura, Pisi Ma went with one devotee, Krsnadasa, to make arrangements ahead. Mathuradasa followed behind with the palanquin. At that time, there were British soldiers camped in Mathura. Some of the soldiers were curious about the spectacle of the parikrama procession. Pointing at the palanquin, they asked, "What's in that?"
Mathuradasa replied, "Thakuraji is inside."
The soldiers garrulously said, "Let's see Thakuraji!"
Mathuradasa became afraid - somehow the mlecchas shouldn't touch the Deities. He replied in a very humble voice, "Just now Thakuraji's darsana won't be possible."
His comment had escaped the attention of the soldiers, who overwhelmed him and tried to see the Deities. At that very moment, a blinding flash of light bolted from the palanquin, as powerful as thunder, and blasting them away, scorched the eyes of the soldiers. Screaming out, "Oh God!" they all fled in terror.
When Mathuradasa later narrated the whole episode to Pisi Ma, she said, "Now my boys are able to take care of Themselves. I'm very happy to know this. Now I have no anxiety."
Pisima thus passed many years, serving Gaura-Nitai faithfully. Even when she was 100 years old, she continued to take three baths daily in the sacred Yamuna and personally performed Gaura-Nitai's seva herself. But gradually this became impossible for her to continue and so she entrusted the seva-puja to Gopesvara Gosvami, a devotee in the family line of Lord Nityananda. He was a staunch bhakta but wasn't very experienced in Deity seva. Thus he happened to bathe Gaura-Nitai in cool water once, at the beginning of the cold season. They caught a cold and Their noses began to drip. But Gopesvara Gosvami didn't even notice this. Pisima mostly stayed on the second floor - she could not easily negotiate the stairs anymore.
But in temple, the Deities were sad because Pisima wasn't there anymore to pamper Them with her maternal attentions. Somehow Pisima perceived this. She came down one day and saw that Gaura-Nitai's eyes were red and Their noses were dripping. Going near Them, she felt that They were hot. She could not bear this. She wiped Their noses with the edge of her sari and called for Gopesvara Gosvami. Crying, she said in disbelief, "How could you do this? Bathing Them in cold water, you've now made Them sick! See how Their noses are running!" She wiped Their noses and showed it to him. Gopesvara didn't believe it and he told her so. Pisima fairly bristled with anger. She indignantly held the other end of her sari to Gaura's nose and then thrust it into his face, saying, "Gaura's snot!" Just then, Gaura's nose began to drip again. This filled the temple with an unprecedented, divine fragrance from beyond this world. Astonished and full of remorse, Gopesvara fell at Pisima's feet and begged forgiveness.
When she was 103, Pisima mentioned to Gopesvara Gosvami that she would someday leave her body. On that very day, in good health, while sitting before Gaura-Nitai, beholding Their beautiful moonlike faces and chanting Their names, she gave up her earthly body and entered the eternal pastimes of the Lord.
Sri Gopesvara Gosvami Prabhu and Srimati Pisima's Gaura-Nitai
During Pisima's presence, everyone was afraid of inciting her wrath. Everything had to go according to her desire. If anything at all went against her wishes, she would become enraged and no shortcoming could withstand the face of her display of anger.
Ten lamps used to be lit above the temple doorway. On the Kojgara-purnima day, Gaura-Nitai used to enjoy Themselves on the veranda. One day it was Kojgara-purnima. After the evening arati, Gopesvara Prabhu had gone out somewhere, extinguishing the ten lamps, since their oil was expensive. That day Gaura-Nitai were not even taken out onto the veranda. In the temple, only one flame was burning, in a large brass ghee lamp. Pisima was seated on the veranda chanting Hare Krsna. All at once there was a loud sound. The temple was then engulfed in darkness. Gaura had lifted up the lamp and thrown it into a corner of the mandira. It took no time for Pisima to understand the anger of Gaura. Upon Gopesvara's return, she said, "Gopesvara! You didn't take Gaura-Nitai out on the veranda today. You also put out the ten lamps. Just see - for this reason Gaura in His anger threw His lamp and sits in the darkness. Why do you act like this?"
Pisima's order to Gopesvara Gosvami was not to give prasada to anyone before having taken their donation. One day, someone placed two annas before the Deity and requested prasada. Gopesvara Gosvami neglected Pisima's order, or perhaps he didn't notice the donation, but he gave prasada to that person. This time too, Pisima was sitting on the veranda chanting japa. She saw that a candana-grinding stone came barreling out from within the mandira, as if someone had very forcefully thrown it. Dashing and knocking against the sides of the veranda, it went into an adjoining room and struck a large pot filled with grains of rice. The pot was shattered, the rice scattered. Calling Gopesvara prabhu, Pisima said, "See Gaura's two-anna's worth of anger? He broke my big pot and scattered all the rice. Why do you do things that make Him so angry?" After this incident, Gopesvara prabhu became more careful in Gaura-Nitai's seva.
Once, after the disappearance of Gosvamini Pisima, Gopesvara Prabhu became dreadfully ill with smallpox and was bedridden for a month. He eventually lost the power to speak and then even fell into a coma. It seemed as if he would die but even in that condition he was able to render service to Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai internally. Late one night he saw that a fearsome raksasi was trying to take him away but just at that time Pisima Gosvamini and Gaura-Nitai came to his bedside and the raksasi disappeared. The greatly merciful Nitai stroked Gopesvara's limbs with His transcendental hand and said, "Dada (uncle), if you remain so listless, who will give us anything to eat? Get up! We're very hungry." Shortly thereafter, Gopesvara Prabhu regained consciousness and coughed up a great deal of phlegm. Sitting up in bed, it then seemed that there was no more disease in his body.
Srila Gopesvara prabhu was a brahmacari from his childhood. He always used to tour holy places before coming to the service of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai. It was against his nature to be bound to one place. Therefore he initially hadn't wanted to accept the service of Gaura-Nitai. But, being helpless, in the face of Pisima's strong insistence, as well as Gaura-Nitai's desire, he had to accept the seva. He would personally do all of the cooking, offer all of the bhogas, all of the aratis, all of the sringaras, sing the kirtanas, even up to scrubbing the Thakuraji's pots, and all the other services as well. Sometimes, becoming fatigued after this work, he would even abusively swear at Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai.
Some time after Pisima's disappearance, one day Gopesvara Prabhu considered, "What is the gain from all of this seva that I have done? So many days I have spent doing puja, but nothing has happened. If I go to do bhajana in seclusion, something would happen." Thinking in this way, he entrusted the seva to another person and went to Kusuma Sarovara with the intent of doing his own bhajana. At midnight on the third day, while doing his bhajana seated beneath a bakula tree on the bank of the sarovara, he saw a transcendental vision - it seemed as if Nitai and Gaura were coming to him. Arriving there, They stood before him and said, "Dada! Today, for three days we haven't had any food or water - chalo!"
Clearly Gopesvara prabhu's bhajana was finished. So he left. One mahatma at Govardhana saw him on the way and said, "Ah, Gopesvara! Now you've come - last night in a dream Nitai-Gaura said to me that They haven't eaten anything in three days! Listen, bhai, go to Vrndavana - do Their seva and make Them happy." Gopesvara prabhu thought, "Accha, now these Two are going all over the place slandering me!" His mind filling with indignation, he said to the mahatma, "I will not go to Vrndavana; I'll do bhajana right here!" The mahatma told him to take prasada and get a little rest. A little later, when his anger had subsided, he was contrite and agreed to go to Vrndavana. As he arrived in the village of Datiya, it was dusk, and it began to rain very hard. With the intention of waiting out the evening there, he stayed in the house of a Vrajavasi.
Meanwhile in Vrndavana Gaura-Nitai were anxiously awaiting his arrival. Each and every second was a great burden for Them. As soon as it was morning, one tanga-wala (horse cart man) who had been searching everywhere for Gopesvara Gosvami, arrived at the house of the Vrajavasi. He said, "Where is Gopesvara Gosvami? I'm here to take him to Vrndavana. I was ordered to do so in a dream." Climbing onto the tanga, Gopesvara prabhu went to Vrndavana. As soon as he arrived in the doorway of the temple, he perceived a terrible odor. He asked the pujari, "What's this smell?" The pujari answered, "I don't know; for three days I haven't even been able to go into the temple on account of the stench." Gopesvara prabhu went into the temple and investigating every direction, saw that a rat had died on top of the Deities' mosquito net. He then cleansed the temple and washing and wiping everything, he started the seva again.
Gopesvara Gosvami was a staunch devotee of Lord Caitanya but he aspired to worship the Lord in sakhya-rasa. During the time of Pisima Gosvamini, Nitai-Gaura had the forms of children, in accordance with her maternal devotion (vatsalya-rasa). The core of his heart wasn't fully satisfied in the service of Bala-Gaura and Bala-Nitai. As soon as Gopesvara Gosvami prabhu assumed the seva, an extraordinary thing happened. According to some, Gopesvara Gosvami had incessantly prayed to Nitai-Gaura, and as a result of his supplications, They gradually began to grow, such that within a few years, They assumed Their present form as full-fledged youths. But others say that when Gopesvara once told Pisima that he wouldn't be able to worship such small Deities with complete love, she then went to the temple with him and lifting both brother's chins, raised Them up to Their current dimensions. Whatever happened, those who had seen Them in both conditions attested that the two Deities were previously smaller.
Mukunda Datta Das
(They are in a very small temple right across the street from Bankhandi Mahadeva, about three doors down from the intersection of the Loi and Bankhandi bazars. It looks rather like a closet door, beneath the second floor window of a plain, whitewashed building. I think it's unmarked too. Coming from Krishna-Balarama Mandir, it will be on the left as one heads for Radha-Syamasundar, Radha-Ramana, etc.)
In a village named Rayapura (Siudi District, Bengal), there were Deities of Sri Gaura-Nitai that were worshiped by the descendants of Sri Murari Gupta, the eternal associate of Lord Caitanya. These Deities of the Lords Caitanya and Nityananda in childhood form were worshiped until there was no one left in Murari Gupta's family to look after Them; after an outbreak of malaria, everyone had left the area and it became overgrown by the jungle. The temple was abandoned, the Deities were eventually buried beneath so much foliage and dirt, and having forgotten the history of the place, people began to use the area a pasturing ground for their cows. Once, a gopa noticed that his most productive cow used to drip her milk into a spot on the ground. Curious, they dug in that spot and found the Deities there. Removing Gaura-Nitai, they saw that the word "dasamurarigupta" was written on their base.
The Deities were again established in a temple with first-class worship. After some time, and according to directions he had received in a dream, one resident of Orissa, Balaramadasa Babaji, came there and began to worship Gaura-Nitai.
Fortuitously, a respectable young brahmani named Candrasasi Mukhopadhyaya had come to Rayapura on business related to her wealthy family's nearby land holdings (around year 1900). She happened to be staying near the Gaura-Nitai temple. Daily taking darsana of the Deities, a desire to render Them service arose in her - she wanted to make Them some payesh (sweet rice khir) for Their bhoga offering. She later had a dream in which Gaura and Nitai came to her, saying, "Ma, we're very hungry. Feed us some payesh that you've cooked for us." When she later told the temple priest Balaramadasa Babaji about this, he said, "According to Vaishnava sastras, an uninitiated person cannot cook for the Deity." Smt. Candrasasi Mukherjee then accepted her mantra from Balaramadasa and thus she fulfilled her desire to prepare bhogas for Gaura-Nitai with her own hands.
That very night in a dream Gaura-Nitai came again and pulling on her ancala (the edge of her sari) said, "Ma! Don't go away. If you go away, who will feed us payesh? You are our Mata. We won't let you go." Candrasasi affectionately smiled and told Them to let go of her cloth, but They wouldn't let go; from Their repeated tugging at her ancal, a piece of it finally ripped and the swatch of her cloth was in Gaura's hand. Candrasasi's dream broke and she woke up. But she saw that the corner of her ancala had indeed ripped! At that very moment, she went to inform Balaramadasa everything about her dream.
At that time, before the sun had risen, the temple wasn't opened yet. Balaramadasa went to the temple to wake the Deities. To the amazement of all present, everyone saw that the piece missing from Candrasasi's cloth was in Gaura's hand. All were immersed in premananda and everyone began to praise Candrasasi's good fortune. Candrasasi lost all sense of her body and mind, and began to dive and surface in thousands of unprecedented, transcendental feelings all at once.
She forgot all thoughts of going back to her native place. The illusions of family, prestige, wealth, and so forth had been lost. She began to serve Gaura-Nitai in the temple as her life and soul. On account of her leaving home at such an age (she was only 20 at that time) to live in the temple along with the Babaji, people naturally began to talk about their relationship in so many ways and this gave her intolerable mental distress. One night, after praying repeatedly and having emptied her heart before Gaura-Nitai, she eventually fell asleep in that state. Gaura-Nitai came to her in a dream and hanging on to her neck They said, "Ma, take us to Vrndavana now - chalo (let's go)."
Immediately she took Gaura-Nitai and along with Balaramadasa Babaji proceeded by boat to Vrndavana. As They arrived there, a devoted lady from Nadiya named Bhakta devi was bathing in the Yamuna and saw Them. She respectfully invited Them to her home in Vanakhandi-mohalla. In great ecstasy, Candrasasi began to serve Gaura-Nitai in her home and Bhakta devi used to assist her. People in the neighborhood called Bhakta "Pisima," and so they began to call Candrasasi "Pisima" as well. Consistent with the Lords' statement to that effect, Pisima used to dandle and nurture Gaura-Nitai as if They were her own sons. Gaura-Nitai were always pleased by her service. One day, as she was busily cooking for Them, she noticed indications of her monthly stri-dharma. Going outside of the temple kitchen, she remained in the courtyard looking again and again in the direction of Gaura-Nitai and crying - "Today I won't be able to offer my own cooking for Gaura-Nitai's bhoga!" Thus suffering over the matter, she saw a kind of dream-vision, even though she was awake. Both brothers, Gaura and Nitai, came and said, "Ma, there's nothing to be sad about. You just do what mothers in your condition usually do. There's no fault in that. Get up. Take your bath and give us something to eat. We're very hungry. From now on, you'll be free of this disease." Pisi Ma did as she was told. After that, she never had her courses again.
After coming to Vrndavana, Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai began to play with many other devotees and perform various pastimes. Sometimes, if there was a need for this or that, they would beg, borrow, or steal it from anywhere and everywhere. For example, Gaura-Nitai had no shoes. They asked Pisi Ma for them, but since she didn't want Them to leave her even for a moment she probably simply told Them, "What do You need shoes for? Do you have to come or go anywhere?" Thus, Gaura-Nitai remained on the watch for some other devotees who might come there.
Once, in the month of Savan, a woman of a Bengali family traveling from Serpura Beguda came to Vrndavana to see the swing festival. They stayed near Gaura-Nitai's temple, in Cidiyakunja. That very day, in the midmorning it was raining. Pisima was sitting on the temple veranda. With her left hand, she was pulling the rope attached to Gaura-Nitai's fan. With her right hand, she was chanting on her japa-mala. It began to rain very hard. Pisi Ma dozed off a little. At that time, she saw that Nitai had left the temple and was running about the courtyard in the water. Gaura then followed Him. Pisima shrieked, "Oh! Where are you going? You'll catch a cold!" This dream was as clear as if it weren't a dream at all - it seemed as if she saw it while yet awake. But she again began pulling on the pankha and eventually dozed off again.
Meanwhile, Nitai-Gaura had arrived in Cidiyakunja. The woman from Serpura Beguda was sleeping at that time. Gaura-Nitai went in and sat at the end of the bed. Shaking Their heads, they said, "Have you come here to sleep? Get up!"
In her sleeping state, the woman mumbled, "Wha... who are you?"
"Our names are Nitai and Gaura; we're the sons of Pisi Ma of Vanakhandi."
"Pisi Ma's kids? How's that?"
"People in the mohalla just call us Pisi Ma's boys. Everybody in Vrndavana knows we're her children."
"So why are you here?"
"Look at how our feet are covered with mud. Give us some shoes."
Upon seeing Gaura-Nitai's extraordinary beauty, the woman became fascinated. She had never before imagined such beauty. Awakening, she began to cry, remembering the two boys. Weeping thus, she left the house, even though it was still pouring rain. On the road, she asked anybody she saw where Pisi Ma's children lived. One Vrajavasi showed her Nitai Gaura's mandira at Banakhandi. The woman went inside. Pisi Ma was still pulling the pankha and chanting japa. The woman asked, "Is this the house of Pisi Ma's Gaura-Nitai?"
"Yes, mother, this is the home of Pisi Ma's Gaura Nitai. Mataji, why are you crying?"
"Where are your two boys? I want to see them," the highly agitated woman said, trying to be demure and respectful.
Pisi Ma respectfully seated the woman and opened the mandira. Taking Gaura-Nitai's darsana in the temple, which exactly resembled the vision in her dream, the woman burst into tears. Her very being was filled with trembling in all her limbs. She was simply unable to do anything at all; for a long time she remained fallen on the floor in a state of faint. Upon coming to consciousness and controlling herself, she related the whole story of her dream to Pisi Ma. Pisi Ma too told of what she had seen. For quite some time, both simply remained in an embrace, shedding tears of ecstasy. That fortunate woman later made silver shoes for Gaura-Nitai, which remain in Their possession even today. Nitai and Gaura continue to use them with love.
Prasanna dasi of Serpura Beguda lived in Vrndavana. One day she dreamt that Gaura and Nitai were decorated with all kinds of dazzling ornaments and came before her. Showing Their lotus feet, which were marked with flag, ankusa, thunderbolt, etc., and which are desired even by Brahma and Siva, They said: "Look at all the ornaments We got. But We don't have nupura (footbells). Give us nupura." Upon awakening, Prasanna dasi went to Pisi Ma and narrated the whole story, streaming tears of love. Having them made and then putting the golden nupura on Gaura-Nitai's lotus feet, her life became successful.
For some days one babaji, a very pure, dear servant of Lord, was assisting Pisi Ma in the seva-puja of Nitai Gaura. An impure idea arose in his mind. Opening the temple door at night, he stole the ornaments worth Rs. 500 and left with them. Arising early next morning, Pisi Ma was horrified to see that the door was opened and the Deities were without Their jewels. She thought, "Oh who has done this despicable thing? Is there anyone so sinful living in this world?" Full of anxiety, she fell down in the corridor of the temple and remained there, devastated and depressed. She saw Gaura-Nitai in her mind and said, "Who took your jewelry? They replied, "Ma, that Vaisnava is very poor, but he fed us brothers so much rabdi. So we gave it to him. Please, don't say anything to him about it."
What did she do? She was furious over the behavior of these spoiled children. From where would she get more jewelry? Personally, she had already left her own incomparable wealth long ago - coming to Vrndavana in beggar's dress, her only possession was now Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai. Laughing, she said, "Okay. You can either give Your things to somebody or keep them. What's it to me? If you need something again, then You'll get it from somewhere. You certainly aren't bashful about asking people for things."
In another dream, Gaura-Nitai told Pisi Ma, "Take us out for Braja-mandala-parikrama." She then readied a palanquin and assembled some devotees for Harinama-sankirtana and they set out the very next day. The Deities were extremely happy on this trip. After a month or so, when They were concluding the parikrama and were at the outskirts of Mathura, Pisi Ma went with one devotee, Krsnadasa, to make arrangements ahead. Mathuradasa followed behind with the palanquin. At that time, there were British soldiers camped in Mathura. Some of the soldiers were curious about the spectacle of the parikrama procession. Pointing at the palanquin, they asked, "What's in that?"
Mathuradasa replied, "Thakuraji is inside."
The soldiers garrulously said, "Let's see Thakuraji!"
Mathuradasa became afraid - somehow the mlecchas shouldn't touch the Deities. He replied in a very humble voice, "Just now Thakuraji's darsana won't be possible."
His comment had escaped the attention of the soldiers, who overwhelmed him and tried to see the Deities. At that very moment, a blinding flash of light bolted from the palanquin, as powerful as thunder, and blasting them away, scorched the eyes of the soldiers. Screaming out, "Oh God!" they all fled in terror.
When Mathuradasa later narrated the whole episode to Pisi Ma, she said, "Now my boys are able to take care of Themselves. I'm very happy to know this. Now I have no anxiety."
Pisima thus passed many years, serving Gaura-Nitai faithfully. Even when she was 100 years old, she continued to take three baths daily in the sacred Yamuna and personally performed Gaura-Nitai's seva herself. But gradually this became impossible for her to continue and so she entrusted the seva-puja to Gopesvara Gosvami, a devotee in the family line of Lord Nityananda. He was a staunch bhakta but wasn't very experienced in Deity seva. Thus he happened to bathe Gaura-Nitai in cool water once, at the beginning of the cold season. They caught a cold and Their noses began to drip. But Gopesvara Gosvami didn't even notice this. Pisima mostly stayed on the second floor - she could not easily negotiate the stairs anymore.
But in temple, the Deities were sad because Pisima wasn't there anymore to pamper Them with her maternal attentions. Somehow Pisima perceived this. She came down one day and saw that Gaura-Nitai's eyes were red and Their noses were dripping. Going near Them, she felt that They were hot. She could not bear this. She wiped Their noses with the edge of her sari and called for Gopesvara Gosvami. Crying, she said in disbelief, "How could you do this? Bathing Them in cold water, you've now made Them sick! See how Their noses are running!" She wiped Their noses and showed it to him. Gopesvara didn't believe it and he told her so. Pisima fairly bristled with anger. She indignantly held the other end of her sari to Gaura's nose and then thrust it into his face, saying, "Gaura's snot!" Just then, Gaura's nose began to drip again. This filled the temple with an unprecedented, divine fragrance from beyond this world. Astonished and full of remorse, Gopesvara fell at Pisima's feet and begged forgiveness.
When she was 103, Pisima mentioned to Gopesvara Gosvami that she would someday leave her body. On that very day, in good health, while sitting before Gaura-Nitai, beholding Their beautiful moonlike faces and chanting Their names, she gave up her earthly body and entered the eternal pastimes of the Lord.
Sri Gopesvara Gosvami Prabhu and Srimati Pisima's Gaura-Nitai
During Pisima's presence, everyone was afraid of inciting her wrath. Everything had to go according to her desire. If anything at all went against her wishes, she would become enraged and no shortcoming could withstand the face of her display of anger.
Ten lamps used to be lit above the temple doorway. On the Kojgara-purnima day, Gaura-Nitai used to enjoy Themselves on the veranda. One day it was Kojgara-purnima. After the evening arati, Gopesvara Prabhu had gone out somewhere, extinguishing the ten lamps, since their oil was expensive. That day Gaura-Nitai were not even taken out onto the veranda. In the temple, only one flame was burning, in a large brass ghee lamp. Pisima was seated on the veranda chanting Hare Krsna. All at once there was a loud sound. The temple was then engulfed in darkness. Gaura had lifted up the lamp and thrown it into a corner of the mandira. It took no time for Pisima to understand the anger of Gaura. Upon Gopesvara's return, she said, "Gopesvara! You didn't take Gaura-Nitai out on the veranda today. You also put out the ten lamps. Just see - for this reason Gaura in His anger threw His lamp and sits in the darkness. Why do you act like this?"
Pisima's order to Gopesvara Gosvami was not to give prasada to anyone before having taken their donation. One day, someone placed two annas before the Deity and requested prasada. Gopesvara Gosvami neglected Pisima's order, or perhaps he didn't notice the donation, but he gave prasada to that person. This time too, Pisima was sitting on the veranda chanting japa. She saw that a candana-grinding stone came barreling out from within the mandira, as if someone had very forcefully thrown it. Dashing and knocking against the sides of the veranda, it went into an adjoining room and struck a large pot filled with grains of rice. The pot was shattered, the rice scattered. Calling Gopesvara prabhu, Pisima said, "See Gaura's two-anna's worth of anger? He broke my big pot and scattered all the rice. Why do you do things that make Him so angry?" After this incident, Gopesvara prabhu became more careful in Gaura-Nitai's seva.
Once, after the disappearance of Gosvamini Pisima, Gopesvara Prabhu became dreadfully ill with smallpox and was bedridden for a month. He eventually lost the power to speak and then even fell into a coma. It seemed as if he would die but even in that condition he was able to render service to Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai internally. Late one night he saw that a fearsome raksasi was trying to take him away but just at that time Pisima Gosvamini and Gaura-Nitai came to his bedside and the raksasi disappeared. The greatly merciful Nitai stroked Gopesvara's limbs with His transcendental hand and said, "Dada (uncle), if you remain so listless, who will give us anything to eat? Get up! We're very hungry." Shortly thereafter, Gopesvara Prabhu regained consciousness and coughed up a great deal of phlegm. Sitting up in bed, it then seemed that there was no more disease in his body.
Srila Gopesvara prabhu was a brahmacari from his childhood. He always used to tour holy places before coming to the service of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai. It was against his nature to be bound to one place. Therefore he initially hadn't wanted to accept the service of Gaura-Nitai. But, being helpless, in the face of Pisima's strong insistence, as well as Gaura-Nitai's desire, he had to accept the seva. He would personally do all of the cooking, offer all of the bhogas, all of the aratis, all of the sringaras, sing the kirtanas, even up to scrubbing the Thakuraji's pots, and all the other services as well. Sometimes, becoming fatigued after this work, he would even abusively swear at Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai.
Some time after Pisima's disappearance, one day Gopesvara Prabhu considered, "What is the gain from all of this seva that I have done? So many days I have spent doing puja, but nothing has happened. If I go to do bhajana in seclusion, something would happen." Thinking in this way, he entrusted the seva to another person and went to Kusuma Sarovara with the intent of doing his own bhajana. At midnight on the third day, while doing his bhajana seated beneath a bakula tree on the bank of the sarovara, he saw a transcendental vision - it seemed as if Nitai and Gaura were coming to him. Arriving there, They stood before him and said, "Dada! Today, for three days we haven't had any food or water - chalo!"
Clearly Gopesvara prabhu's bhajana was finished. So he left. One mahatma at Govardhana saw him on the way and said, "Ah, Gopesvara! Now you've come - last night in a dream Nitai-Gaura said to me that They haven't eaten anything in three days! Listen, bhai, go to Vrndavana - do Their seva and make Them happy." Gopesvara prabhu thought, "Accha, now these Two are going all over the place slandering me!" His mind filling with indignation, he said to the mahatma, "I will not go to Vrndavana; I'll do bhajana right here!" The mahatma told him to take prasada and get a little rest. A little later, when his anger had subsided, he was contrite and agreed to go to Vrndavana. As he arrived in the village of Datiya, it was dusk, and it began to rain very hard. With the intention of waiting out the evening there, he stayed in the house of a Vrajavasi.
Meanwhile in Vrndavana Gaura-Nitai were anxiously awaiting his arrival. Each and every second was a great burden for Them. As soon as it was morning, one tanga-wala (horse cart man) who had been searching everywhere for Gopesvara Gosvami, arrived at the house of the Vrajavasi. He said, "Where is Gopesvara Gosvami? I'm here to take him to Vrndavana. I was ordered to do so in a dream." Climbing onto the tanga, Gopesvara prabhu went to Vrndavana. As soon as he arrived in the doorway of the temple, he perceived a terrible odor. He asked the pujari, "What's this smell?" The pujari answered, "I don't know; for three days I haven't even been able to go into the temple on account of the stench." Gopesvara prabhu went into the temple and investigating every direction, saw that a rat had died on top of the Deities' mosquito net. He then cleansed the temple and washing and wiping everything, he started the seva again.
Gopesvara Gosvami was a staunch devotee of Lord Caitanya but he aspired to worship the Lord in sakhya-rasa. During the time of Pisima Gosvamini, Nitai-Gaura had the forms of children, in accordance with her maternal devotion (vatsalya-rasa). The core of his heart wasn't fully satisfied in the service of Bala-Gaura and Bala-Nitai. As soon as Gopesvara Gosvami prabhu assumed the seva, an extraordinary thing happened. According to some, Gopesvara Gosvami had incessantly prayed to Nitai-Gaura, and as a result of his supplications, They gradually began to grow, such that within a few years, They assumed Their present form as full-fledged youths. But others say that when Gopesvara once told Pisima that he wouldn't be able to worship such small Deities with complete love, she then went to the temple with him and lifting both brother's chins, raised Them up to Their current dimensions. Whatever happened, those who had seen Them in both conditions attested that the two Deities were previously smaller.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
A statue story from the south
A statue story from the south
Due to the absence of coverage in the mainstream english media (CNN-IBN is running yet another headline about who is greater King Khan or Big Bee). Here is a compilation from the vernacular print media about the recent events in the state of Tamilnadu. This time it has nothing to do with Dalits like in Maharashtra. You can see the difference between violence born of oppression and that born of hatred.
Read on - no comments offered. Just a direct translation, so excuse the sentence construction.
What happened ?
First an intro about the place for north Indians and foreign visitors to this blog. Srirangam (Tiruvarangam) is the oldest, largest, and arguably the most important of all temple complexes in India. It is an ancient structure, parts of which are atleast 1500-1800 year old, even the Silapadikkaram the ancient tamil epic refers to it. All of the alwars (vaishava saints) have sung in praise of it. It is a magnificient temple complex with various architectural styles, the sheer size and sculptures of the temple are awe inspiring. It doesnt matter what your religious inclination might be - the temple is there and it is a stunning reminder of the empires past such as Chola, and Vijayanagar.
Enter the statue. The tamil rationlist leader EV Ramasami Naicker also known as Periyar is the father of the atheist rationalist movement called the Dravidian movement. This forms the guiding ideology of the DMK and to a lesser extent the AIADMK (the AIADMK is not atheist). He had his positives, but he also broke several idols and garlanded statues of Ram with slippers. He also virulently hated brahmins and hindu temples in particular. Now his organization, Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) wants to install a life size statue of him right outside the main tower of the world renowned temple on Dec 16th. If you dont like temples because you are an atheist, fine - consider it to be a world famous historical site. Either way, this arguably provocative move ruffled the feathers of hindus (of all castes) . This led to some miscreants damaging the statue.
The Retribution
Enter the statue. The tamil rationlist leader EV Ramasami Naicker also known as Periyar is the father of the atheist rationalist movement called the Dravidian movement. This forms the guiding ideology of the DMK and to a lesser extent the AIADMK (the AIADMK is not atheist). He had his positives, but he also broke several idols and garlanded statues of Ram with slippers. He also virulently hated brahmins and hindu temples in particular. Now his organization, Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) wants to install a life size statue of him right outside the main tower of the world renowned temple on Dec 16th. If you dont like temples because you are an atheist, fine - consider it to be a world famous historical site. Either way, this arguably provocative move ruffled the feathers of hindus (of all castes) . This led to some miscreants damaging the statue.
The Retribution
This set off an unprecedented chain of violence against hindu temples and brahmins in the state. This is unreported or under-reported in the national news media.
1. Ayodhya Mandapam attacked with Petrol and Acid bombs (story)Sri Ram Samaj also known as Ayodhya Mandapam is a well known Ram temple and religious centre in the heart of Chennai in West Mambalam. Around 330PM on Dec 8th around 15 dravidian activists allegedly descended on the temple in two autorickshaws with deadly weapons and shouted “Dont spare anyone who wears sacred thread, or marks on their head Tilak or Vibhuti, thrash them” at passers by. Then they proceeded to attack the temple. First they threw an acid bomb into the temple complex,the acid struck a screen which caught fire. When devotees rushed to douse the flames, the activists hurled a petrol bomb on the idol outside the temple and another inside the temple. They shouted this was in revenge for the damage caused to the EVR Periyar statue kept outside the world famous Sri Ranganath Swamy temple in Srirangam. Then they attacked a poor Brahmin Dhandapani who was selling pooja items outside the temple on the footpath with a wooden stick, they also did not spare Murali a flower seller.
2. Slipper garland for Sri Ram picture in HosurIn Hosur in Krishnagiri district, a Sri Ram pattabhisekam (coronation) picture was garlanded with slippers and set on fire in the middle of the road. A bunch of activists belonging to Pudiya Jananayaka Munnetra Kazhagam (New Democratic Progressive Party) arrived at the Sri Ram temple near Gandhi Statue and shouted slogan condemning the damage to EVR Periyar statue in Srirangam. They then placed a Sri Ram picture outside the temple and garlanded it with slippers, they carried the picture in a procession before setting it on fire near the Gandhi statue. Hearing this BJP ,Hindu Munnani and RSS supporters arrived on the scene in hundreds. An altercation broke out between them and the Periyar supporters, in which the head of the person who set the picture on fire, Parsuraman was broken [sic] and it started bleeding. Following that BJP and its supporters blocked the roads and demanded action.
3. Salem Shankaracharya Mutt and vedic school ransacked (Story)In Salems Maravaneri area, there is a mutt and vedic school run by the Kanchi Shankar Mutt. This was ransacked by a gang of dravidian activists to protest the damage caused to the EVR Periyar statue in Srirangam. Terrified priests rushed outside screaming. They proceeded to ransack the place,tables, chairs, pooja items were smashed and thrown all over the place.They smashed the pictures of Shankaracharya Jayendra and Vijayendra Saraswathis to pieces. They did not even spare the telephones, tubelights, or bulbs. Following this five activists belonging to Periyar Dravidian Party, Tamil Youth Party, Tamil National Party were arrested.
4. Chemplast VP and 4 others attacked in MetturIn condemnation of the Periyar statue damage, Chemplast Industries Vice President Parthasarathy and four others were attacked. Members belonging to the DK (Dravidar Kazhagam) were apprehended.
4. Chemplast VP and 4 others attacked in MetturIn condemnation of the Periyar statue damage, Chemplast Industries Vice President Parthasarathy and four others were attacked. Members belonging to the DK (Dravidar Kazhagam) were apprehended.
statue damage, about 50 members of Makkal Kalai Iyakkam (Peoples Art Org) brought a picture of Sri Ram and set it on fire outside the temple. Dravidar Kazhagam president K. Veeramani meanwhile announced that a 5.5 ft tall bronze statue of Periyar would now be installed outside the temple.
6. Lord Vinayak (Ganesh) statues descrated near Villupuram (story )A vinayaka temple near the taluk office in Sankarapuram in Villupuram dist was vandalized and two Ganesh idols were uprooted and smashed by miscreants. Some activists belonging to the Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam allegedly uprooted the idol and later smashed it and threw it outside the taluk office. Similarly, another temple (Shakti Vinayakar near the said Taluk office)was damaged, the vimanam tower and nandi statues were dismembered. This was to protest the damage done to the EVR Periyar statue in Srirangam. Townfolk lead by RSS and Hindu Munnani who came to pray in the morning were shell shocked. In the hundreds, the blocked the Tiruvannamanail-Kallakurichi road. The collector tried to pacify the group by they would not disperse until the miscreants were arrested. Police found a bit paper amidst the broken statues which claimed this was revenge for the damage caused to the Periyar statue and Ambedkar statue. No group has claimed responsibility. The idols are in police custody. Tension is prevailing in that area, and police are swarming the place.
7. Swami Dayanand Saraswathi made accused in FIR (story)Tiruchi police have filed an FIR on Swami Dayanand Saraswathi in link with the Periyar statue case. A Periyar statue which was kept ready for inauguration by the Dravida Kazhagam (DK) president K.Veeramani was recently damaged by miscreants. In response to this, throughout Tamilnadu Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) and other associated outfits have launced attacks on Hindu places of worship. Police have included the leader and convenor of the Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha and renowned sanyasi Swami Dayanand Saraswathi as an accused. This is apparently based on information provided by four people who were apprehended. The police refused to comment on whether he would be arrested. Swami Dayanand Saraswathi also condemned the damage done to the statue and said this issue can be resolved peacefully. Swami Dayanand Saraswathi runs a vedic school called Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Anaikatti near Coimbatore. He was devotees and supporters all over the world. Subraminian Swamy condemned this FIR on the sanyasi for merely issuing a statement against the installation of the statue right in front of the world famous and ancient Sri Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam.
7. Swami Dayanand Saraswathi made accused in FIR (story)Tiruchi police have filed an FIR on Swami Dayanand Saraswathi in link with the Periyar statue case. A Periyar statue which was kept ready for inauguration by the Dravida Kazhagam (DK) president K.Veeramani was recently damaged by miscreants. In response to this, throughout Tamilnadu Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) and other associated outfits have launced attacks on Hindu places of worship. Police have included the leader and convenor of the Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha and renowned sanyasi Swami Dayanand Saraswathi as an accused. This is apparently based on information provided by four people who were apprehended. The police refused to comment on whether he would be arrested. Swami Dayanand Saraswathi also condemned the damage done to the statue and said this issue can be resolved peacefully. Swami Dayanand Saraswathi runs a vedic school called Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Anaikatti near Coimbatore. He was devotees and supporters all over the world. Subraminian Swamy condemned this FIR on the sanyasi for merely issuing a statement against the installation of the statue right in front of the world famous and ancient Sri Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam.
8. Raghavendra temple ransacked in Erode, devotees cry (story)Priest and cook attacked and sacred thread cut
Raghavendra Brindavanam is located in the Kaarai Vaaykal area in Agraharam street in Erode. Today, arrangements were being made for the Sayarakshai Puja, devotees had just begun to trickle in when around 5.15 PM a group of Dravidar Kazhagam volunteers, entered the temple calmly. Suddenly they started attacking anyone in sight, and smashing anything they could get their hands on. Then they entered the sanctorum and removed the presiding deity Sri Ram which was between Sitadevi and Hanuman idols. They uprooted the idol and took it outside to the street and smashed it with a hammer. A priest Narasimhan attempted to stop the gang of 10 members, he was beaten up. 60 year old priest Venkatraman Acharya was assaulted and his kudumi (tuft of hair) was removed and hit sacred thread was cut. The temple cook Balaji and some others were also assaulted. The idols and pooja items kept ready for the evenings “Oonjal Sevai” were smashed. No robbery was committed and the Hundi was left untouched, it appears the sole purpose was to vandalize the temple. Upon hearing this hundreds of devotees surrounded the place. RSS and Hindu Munnani volunteers protested to the police. Some devotees started weeping publicly.Seven people of the Thanthai Periyar Dravida Iyakkam (Father Periyar Dravidian Party) have been detained in this connection.
Raghavendra Brindavanam is located in the Kaarai Vaaykal area in Agraharam street in Erode. Today, arrangements were being made for the Sayarakshai Puja, devotees had just begun to trickle in when around 5.15 PM a group of Dravidar Kazhagam volunteers, entered the temple calmly. Suddenly they started attacking anyone in sight, and smashing anything they could get their hands on. Then they entered the sanctorum and removed the presiding deity Sri Ram which was between Sitadevi and Hanuman idols. They uprooted the idol and took it outside to the street and smashed it with a hammer. A priest Narasimhan attempted to stop the gang of 10 members, he was beaten up. 60 year old priest Venkatraman Acharya was assaulted and his kudumi (tuft of hair) was removed and hit sacred thread was cut. The temple cook Balaji and some others were also assaulted. The idols and pooja items kept ready for the evenings “Oonjal Sevai” were smashed. No robbery was committed and the Hundi was left untouched, it appears the sole purpose was to vandalize the temple. Upon hearing this hundreds of devotees surrounded the place. RSS and Hindu Munnani volunteers protested to the police. Some devotees started weeping publicly.Seven people of the Thanthai Periyar Dravida Iyakkam (Father Periyar Dravidian Party) have been detained in this connection.
9. State BJP leaders protest in ChennaiState BJP gen sec, Thamizisai Sounderrajan lead a BJP delegation to protest theattacks on temples. AIADMK leaders SV Sekar and VP Kaliarajan met the victims and expressed sympathy.
10. DK President Veeramani asks for restraintDravidar Kazhagam president K. Veeramani on Friday appealed to people to exercise restraint. In a statement, he said nobody should take the law into theirhands and cause embarrassment to the State Government.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Games of your life......
Today, while driving by, I noticed the banner "The games of your life...". Normally, when you add "....of your life" it means the best thing in life or the most important thing - something like that. Can you take it seriously ? No, because, there may be something bigger waiting in life - who knows !!! Even admitting that this might be the biggest games till date, there is no guarantee that it will remain so. Some bigger event will replace this one. So, the so called "happening of your life" keeps changing !!! Remember, change is the only constant in life. Everything keeps changing. Likes and dislikes change. Friends change. Living conditions change.
Even our body changes.
"dehino'smin yahta dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara" (BG 2.13) ...the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age.
So, whats the most important thing - the happening of our lives, so to say ?
We have to agree that everything keeps changing including the body, nothing to speak of the mind which keeps changing faster than we can fathom !!!
The only thing that's a surety in life is death !!! There you have it - the exam of your life.
"Have the time of your life" - the adverts on TV say - somehow, the senses must be indulged. The more you indulge - the more you will have - the time of your life !!! TV is nicknamed the one-eyed guru because, it has only one eye.... And guru because, it dictates your life from the moment you get up till you go to bed at night. The TV tells you - to start with - which toothpaste to brush with, till- which brand of health drink to have at night !!! So, the one-eyed guru instructs and we follow just like how a faithful disciple is supposed to !!! Of course, its a wholly different thing that the guru keeps confusing us every now and then, but then we are used to such inconsistency. So, when the bonafide spiritual master comes along - by mercy of Krishna and gives us consistent instructions - the unchanging - the eternal - the chanting of the maha mantra - Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare -
Now we find that we are not such sincere disciples after all. We find consistency boring !!! Its the same mahamantra - they have been chanting through generations and achieving perfection. But we find it difficult - because we want - "new and improved", "now with iron-shakti", "now with power-packed" blah blah blah.
Little do we realize - this mahamantra is already "power-packed, with transcendental-sakti" good enough to purify naradhamas like Jagai and Madhai !!! Of course, we are much worse, but that doesn't matter, the Hare Krishna mahamantra can still purify. Only we need to chant sincerely, with faith..... Thats the only way we can be prepared for the "day of our lives" !!!
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Vijnana - Practical Realization
Today at work, I overheard a heated discussion in Arabic – all I could make out was Barcelona, Real Madrid, Arsenal and Chelsea… For those of you who do not know, these are some of the top European football clubs and it’s a favorite pastime of many people to discuss the lilas of players belonging to these hallowed names !!! In a not too distant past, the writer was also an ardent devotee of some of these demigods of football…. I could make out that the discussion was regarding team performances. Judgements were being dished out indiscriminately – all by potbellied overweight gentlemen who have never played the game in their life. This lead me to think – what kind of practical realization do these people have that make them experts? Factually none – and that would actually make their judgements null and void being devoid of any practical understanding about the subject.
Same thing applies for devotees..........
Same thing applies for devotees..........
“To become free from material conditions means to liberate the soul. As soon as one is, therefore, situated in absolute knowledge, his material conception of life is removed, or he emerges from a false conception of life. Thus the function of the pure soul is revived in spiritual realization. This practical realization of the living being is made possible due to his becoming free from the reaction of the three modes of material nature, namely goodness, passion and ignorance. By the grace of the Lord, a pure devotee is at once raised to the place of the Absolute, and there is no chance of the devotee’s becoming materially entangled again in conditioned life. One is not able to feel the presence of the Lord in all circumstances until one is endowed with the required transcendental vision made possible by devotional service prescribed in the revealed scriptures. Arjuna had attained this stage long before on the Battlefield of Kurukñetra, and when he apparently felt the absence of the Lord, he at once took shelter of the instructions of the Bhagavad-gita and thus again he was placed in his original position. This is the position of visoka, or the stage of being freed from all grief and anxieties. SB 1.15.32 (purport)
“The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brähmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste].” (Bg. 5.18) On the spiritual platform, the learned person not only gives up the duality of man and woman, but also gives up the duality of man and animal. This is the test of self-realization. One must realize perfectly that the living being is spirit soul but is tasting various types of material bodies. One may theoretically understand this, but when one has practical realization, then he actually becomes a pandita, one who knows.
[SB 7.12.10 (purport)]
“Knowledge is information gathered from the scriptures, and science is practical realization of that knowledge. Knowledge is scientific when it is gathered from the scriptures through the bona fide spiritual master, but when it is interpreted by speculation, it is mental concoction. By scientifically understanding the scriptural information through the bona fide spiritual master, one learns, by one’s own realization, the actual situation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
(Teachings of Lord Caitanya- Chapter 23- Why study the Vedanta Sutra ?)
“When a person is situated on the practical level of spiritual realization, it should be understood he is actually situated in yoga. It is not that one should continue to attend yoga classes and yet remain the same throughout his life; there must be practical realization. And what is the sign of that practical realization? The mind will be calm and quiet and no longer agitated by the attraction of the material world.”
(Perfection of Yoga - Chapter 5 – Freedom from duality and designation)
The points are very clear – because they are all noted down by Srila Prabhupada. Its right here for all of us to understand, assimilate and emulate in our own lives.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Seeing Krishna's hand in this wonderful creation
I was talking to one of the devotees yesterday. This devotee is an auto-mechanic and a very good one at that. However, he is not a qualified engineer, so his knowledge about the computerized systems in the latest autos is very limited. Since we were on the subject of automobiles, he remarked : “hats off to the man who invented electronics, its just some sand chips and steel wires and everything is inside there. No one can understand how it works inside.” He was quite wonderstruck and I was too, more so because I am not a “scientific man” so to speak. The way electronic gadgets work has always been a source of fascination to me from a very early age. However, this brought my thoughts to a related subject – the creation at large. No doubt, the electronic gadgets are great help to us. In fact, kali-yuga is the ‘iron age’ – so many machines around us and we have become very dependent on them.
But, consider the creation of the Lord. The nature, the beauty and the perfection of Lord’s creation. The variety and the uniqueness of each and every created being. Isn’t it wonderful !!! And nobody can understand how it all comes about….
yad yad vibhutimat sattvam, srimad urjitam eva ca
tat tad evavagaccha tvam, mama tejom’sa sambhavam
“Know that all opulent, beautiful and glorious creations spring from but a spark of My splendor.” (Bhagavad Gita, 10.41)
Any glorious or beautiful existence should be understood to be but a fragmental manifestation of Krsna’s opulence, whether it be in the spiritual or material world. Anything extraordinarily opulent should be considered to represent Krsna’s opulence. (Purport)
Everything is but a manifestation of Krishna’s opulence. Our secret of success lies in being able to understand and see things as such. Unlike the man-made machines which more often than not let us down in some way or the other, the manifested creation of the Lord is very much different. In fact every human being is very much dependent on what the Lord is supplying through His agency of the material nature – prakrti. Without the supply of basic elements by prakrti, no invention is possible for even the most so-called intelligent man. Alas, our failure stems from the fact that we refuse to acknowledge this simple, straightforward truth. Krsna comments in the Bhagavad Gita :
prakrteh kriyamanani, gunaih karmani sarvasah
ahankara vimudhatma, kartaham iti manyate
“The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature.” (Bhagavad Gita, 3.27)
Can the advanced intelligence of man produce the kind of varied wonderful scent produced by the different flowers that we find in nature ? Of course, not… This is just one simple thing – its something we take for granted, in fact. But its an impossible task for the intelligent man !!!
punyo gandhah prthivyäm ca
tejascäsmi vibhävasau
jévanamsarva-bhütesu
tapas cäsmi tapasvisu
“I am the original fragrance of the earth, and I am the heat in fire. I am the life of all that lives, and I am the penances of all ascetics.” (Bhagavad Gita, 7.9)
Punya means that which is not decomposed; punya is original. Everything in the material world has a certain flavor or fragrance, as the flavor and fragrance in a flower, or in the earth, in water, in fire, in air, etc. The uncontaminated flavor, the original flavor, which permeates everything, is Krsna. Similarly, everything has a particular original taste, and this taste can be changed by the mixture of chemicals. So everything original has some smell, some fragrance, and some taste. Vibhävasu means fire. Without fire we cannot run factories, we cannot cook, etc., and that fire is Krsna. The heat in the fire is Krsna. According to Vedic medicine, indigestion is due to a low temperature in the belly. So even for digestion fire is needed. In Krsna consciousness we become aware that earth, water, fire, air and every active principle, all chemicals and all material elements are due to Krsna. The duration of man’s life is also due to Krsna. Therefore by the grace of Krsna, man can prolong his life or diminish it. So Krsna consciousness is active in every sphere. (Purport)
But, consider the creation of the Lord. The nature, the beauty and the perfection of Lord’s creation. The variety and the uniqueness of each and every created being. Isn’t it wonderful !!! And nobody can understand how it all comes about….
yad yad vibhutimat sattvam, srimad urjitam eva ca
tat tad evavagaccha tvam, mama tejom’sa sambhavam
“Know that all opulent, beautiful and glorious creations spring from but a spark of My splendor.” (Bhagavad Gita, 10.41)
Any glorious or beautiful existence should be understood to be but a fragmental manifestation of Krsna’s opulence, whether it be in the spiritual or material world. Anything extraordinarily opulent should be considered to represent Krsna’s opulence. (Purport)
Everything is but a manifestation of Krishna’s opulence. Our secret of success lies in being able to understand and see things as such. Unlike the man-made machines which more often than not let us down in some way or the other, the manifested creation of the Lord is very much different. In fact every human being is very much dependent on what the Lord is supplying through His agency of the material nature – prakrti. Without the supply of basic elements by prakrti, no invention is possible for even the most so-called intelligent man. Alas, our failure stems from the fact that we refuse to acknowledge this simple, straightforward truth. Krsna comments in the Bhagavad Gita :
prakrteh kriyamanani, gunaih karmani sarvasah
ahankara vimudhatma, kartaham iti manyate
“The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature.” (Bhagavad Gita, 3.27)
Can the advanced intelligence of man produce the kind of varied wonderful scent produced by the different flowers that we find in nature ? Of course, not… This is just one simple thing – its something we take for granted, in fact. But its an impossible task for the intelligent man !!!
punyo gandhah prthivyäm ca
tejascäsmi vibhävasau
jévanamsarva-bhütesu
tapas cäsmi tapasvisu
“I am the original fragrance of the earth, and I am the heat in fire. I am the life of all that lives, and I am the penances of all ascetics.” (Bhagavad Gita, 7.9)
Punya means that which is not decomposed; punya is original. Everything in the material world has a certain flavor or fragrance, as the flavor and fragrance in a flower, or in the earth, in water, in fire, in air, etc. The uncontaminated flavor, the original flavor, which permeates everything, is Krsna. Similarly, everything has a particular original taste, and this taste can be changed by the mixture of chemicals. So everything original has some smell, some fragrance, and some taste. Vibhävasu means fire. Without fire we cannot run factories, we cannot cook, etc., and that fire is Krsna. The heat in the fire is Krsna. According to Vedic medicine, indigestion is due to a low temperature in the belly. So even for digestion fire is needed. In Krsna consciousness we become aware that earth, water, fire, air and every active principle, all chemicals and all material elements are due to Krsna. The duration of man’s life is also due to Krsna. Therefore by the grace of Krsna, man can prolong his life or diminish it. So Krsna consciousness is active in every sphere. (Purport)
We always hear that the pure devotee is able to see Krsna in everything, everywhere and many times we wonder how !!! The above verse and Srila Prabhupada's purport seems to answer that question very effectively indeed....
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Thoughts regarding faith……
When we raise our unmixed faith to the lotus feet of Krsna, everything is revealed. Krsna also says in Bhagavad-gitä (7.1):
When we raise our unmixed faith to the lotus feet of Krsna, everything is revealed. Krsna also says in Bhagavad-gitä (7.1):
mayy äsakta-manäh pärtha
yogam yunjan mad-äsrayah
asamsayam samagram mam
yogam yunjan mad-äsrayah
asamsayam samagram mam
yathä jnäsyasi tac chrnu
“Now hear, O son of Prthä [Arjuna], how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt.” Simply by raising one’s staunch faith in Krsna and His instructions, one can understand reality without a doubt (asamsayam samagram mäm). One can understand how Krsna’s material and spiritual energies are working and how He is present everywhere although everything is not Him.
However, our situation is something like this...
.....Unfortunately, however, people sometimes do not have staunch faith in the words of the spiritual master who comes by the disciplic succession, and therefore they are unable to understand transcendental knowledge. (SB 7.7.17 purport)
yasya deve parä bhaktir yathä deve tathä gurau
tasyaite kathitä hy arthäh prakäsante mahätmanah
“To one who has staunch faith in the words of the spiritual master and the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the secret of success in Vedic knowledge is revealed.” [SU 6.23]
This verse is quoted by Srila Prabhupada in so many places. We can find this verse scattered throughout the purports of Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. It just goes to show how weighty this sloka is. Srila Prabhupada will not repeat a sloka so frequently unless its very important.
By various practices, one may come to the point of controlling the senses, but simply controlling the senses does not bring one to a substantial conclusion. However, by staunch faith in the spiritual master and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one not only controls the senses but also realizes the Supreme Lord.…(SB 7.15.28 purport)
The result of implicit faith….
Such a pure devotee, who has implicit faith in the lotus feet of the Lord, can create sacred places in any part of the world where he decides to remain. Tirthi-kurvanti tirthäni (SB 1.13.10).
This is confirmed in the Upanisads: the import of Vedic instruction is revealed automatically only to one who has implicit faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and in his spiritual master. One may be materially considered an illiterate man, but if he has faith in the spiritual master as well as in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then the meaning of scriptural revelation is immediately manifested before him.
I think its good for aspiring devotees to do a reality check about one's own faith levels. It helps.......
Monday, November 13, 2006
SRILA BALADEVA VIDYABHUSANA AND THE GOVINDA BHASYA COMMENTARY
Srila Prabhupada dedicated his commentary of Srimad Bhagavatam to "Baladeva Vidyabhusana who wrote the Govinda bhasya commentary to Vedanta Sutra". How did Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana come to write this Govinda Bhasya ? Read below the victory of Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya brought about by this sincere disciple of Srila Viswanatha Chakravarthy Thakura.
SRILA BALADEVA VIDYABHUSANA
Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana was a highly renounced, pure devotee, who had not even a fraction of desire for name or fame. He compiled many literatures in order to benefit mankind. However he never mentioned his birth place or anything about his family background and therefore the details are not known for sure.
Historians have estimated that he was born sometime in the eighteenth century,most probably in Orissa (possibly near Remuna). At a very early age, he finished his studies of grammar, poetry, rhetoric and logic and then went on pilgrimage. During this time he spent some time with the Tattvavadis in SouthIndia and thus became conversant with the teachings of Sri Madhvacarya. He became a powerful exponent of this philosophy throughout India.
During his travels he again came to Utkaladesa (Orissa) and met with a grand-disciple of Sri Rasikananda Deva, Sri Radha-Damodara Deva by name, with whom he discussed philosophy. Sri Radha-Damodara Deva explained the conclusions of Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy as expounded by Sri Gaurasundaraand requested him to consider the unlimited mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.These talks penetrated his heart and awakened divine love within. Thus, after a few days he was initiated with Radha-Krsna mantra and began to study the Sat-sandarbha of Sri Jiva Gosvami.
In a very short time he became very expert in Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy.With the permission and blessings of his guru, he moved to Sri Vrindavana Dhama to further study these teachings under Sri Visvanatha CakravartiThakura.
Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura was exteremly pleased to see the humble and gentle nature and the renunciation and profound mastery of the Vedas that characterized Baladeva. He carefully instructed him in acintya-bhedabheda-tattva. Baladeva fully accepted the Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy and began to preach it with great vigor.
Around this time, the members of the Sri sampradaya began to raise some arguments in the court of the king at Jaipur. They complained that as the Gaudiya Vaisnavas had no commentary on the Vedanta-sutra, they were not qualified to worship the Deity and therefore the worship should be turned overto the Sri sampradaya. They also objected to the worship of Srimati Radharani along with Sri Sri Govinda-Gopinatha as not being authorised anywhere in the sastras.
The king, Sadacari Raja, was initiated within the Gaudiya sampradaya. Thus he quietly sent word to Vrindavana, informing the devotees there of what had happened. But at the same time the king was obliged to remove Radharani fromthe Deity room as well as suspend the Bengali Gaudiya Vaisnava pujaris from partaking in the Deity worship.
At that time Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada was very aged, so it was not possible for him to make the journey to Jaipur. In his place he sent his student, Sri Baladeva, who was fully conversant with the sastras and thus ableto competently face the challenge. In a great assembly he posed such forceful arguments to the followers of Ramanuja that they could not reply to them. He further explained to them, "The originator of the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, has accepted Srimad Bhagavata as the natural commentary on the Vedanta-sutra, as composed by Srila Vyasadeva Himself. This is proven in the Sat-sandarbha."
The scholars in the assembly, however, refused to accept anything other than a direct commentary on the sutra. Having no other recourse, Baladeva promised to present them with one.
Feeling very aggrieved, Sri Baladeva came to Sri Govindaji's mandira and after offering his prostrated obeisances, informed Sri Govinda of everything that had happened. That night the Lord appeared to him in a dream and instructed him to write a commentary on the Vedanta-sutra. "I will dictate to you what to write and therefore no one will be able to refuse to accept it."
Having seen such a wonderful dream, Baladeva was totally enlivened and felt renewed strengh flow into his heart. Thus he began to write, and within a few days completed the commentary which was titled 'Sri Govinda Bhasya'.
Vidya rupam bhusanam me pradaya kyatim nitya tena yo mamudarah Sri Govindasvapna nirdista bhaso radha bandhubandhurangah sa jiyat: "May He Who so mercifully and munificiently was kind towards me, and bestowed his favour by ordering me in a dream to write down His own commentary, which He would compose, and which attained such renown amongst the learned circles that they bestowed upon me the title 'Vidyabhusana'; may that dear friend of Srimati Radharani, who holds Him dearer than Her own life, be glorified. May that Sri Govinda be glorified."
Bringing the commentary with him, Sri Baladeva again came to the assembly of the Ramanandi scholars. After reading the commentary they were simply speechless. Thus the victory of the Gaudiya sampradaya was announced far and wide and the king, as well as the other devotees, began to float in the oceanof bliss. The scholars then bestowed upon Sri Baladeva the title 'Vidyabhusana'.
This assembly took place in the year 1628 Sakabda, at Golta near the present city of Jaipur. Baladeva Vidyabhusana installed the Deity of Vijaya Gopala there at Golta Mandira, but the whereabouts of this Deity are at present not known. From this day the Maharaja of Jaipur announced that Sri Govinda's arati would be performed first and then the other temples could perform their aratis.
After accepting defeat, the Ramanandi scholars expressed their desire to accept initiation from Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana. However, he declined their request by stating that amongst the four authorized sampradayas, the Sri sampradaya was highly respectable and the foremost adherent of dasya-bhakti(devotion in servitorship). If there was any cause of loss of respect to the sampradaya this might be considered an offense.
Returning from Jaipur to Vrindavana, Sri Baladeva presented the certificate of victory to Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and narrated all of the events that had transpired. All of the devotees were in great ecstacy to receive this news and Cakravartipada bestowed his full blessings on Sri Baladeva. At this time, Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana began to write a commentary on Srila JivaGosvami's Sat-sandarbha.
Sri Jaya and Sri Vijaya Govinda, residing at Gokulananda Mandira inVrindavana, were worshiped by Baladeva Vidyabhusana personally. According to the opinion of some devotees, the Deities of Syamananda Prabhu, Sri SriRadha-Syamasundara, were installed by Sri Baladeva Vidybhusana.
After Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura finished his pastimes in this world, Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana became the next acarya of the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya.
At the end of Vedanta-syamantaka, Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana acknowledges his spiritual master thusly: "I have been sent here to Vrindavana by one brahmana guru, Sri Radha-Damodar Deva, to present a compositon namedVedanta-syamantaka, composed by his mercy for the pleasure of Srimati Radharani."
Srila Baladeva Vidybhusana became known later as Sri Govinda dasa. He had two well-known disciples: Sri Vidya dasa and Sri Nandan Misra.
He is the compiler of the following books:
Sri Govinda-bhasya,
Siddhanta-ratnam,
Sahitya-kaumudi,
Vedanta-syamantaka,
Prameya-ratnavali,
Siddhanta-darpana,
Kavya-kaustubha,
Vyakarana-kaumudi,
Pada-kaustubha,
Isadi-upanisad bhasya,
Gitabhusana-bhasya,
Sri Visnunamasahasra-bhasya,
Sanksepa-bhagatamrta-tippani-saranga-rangada,
Tattva-sandarbha-tika,
Stava-mala-vibhusana-bhasya,
Nataka-candrika-tika,
Candraloka-tika,
Sahitya-kaumudi-tika,
Krsna-nandini,
Srimad-Bhagavata-tika,
Vaisnava-nandini,
Govinda-bhasya-siksma-tika,
Siddhanta-ratna-tika,
Stava-mala-tika.
(Tthere's a lot more than this:Bhasya-pithaka, commentaries on Gopala Campu, Krsna-bhavanamrta,Samsaya-satini, etc.etc.)
(Tthere's a lot more than this:Bhasya-pithaka, commentaries on Gopala Campu, Krsna-bhavanamrta,Samsaya-satini, etc.etc.)
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Prabhupada in a dream
The article posted below is very inspiring. It shows that Srila Prabhupada's mercy continues to manifest in varied ways for the sincere follower. For the aspiring bhakta, inspiration is needed - and that too, tonnes of it. In the neophyte stage, as told in the sastras, the faith is very tender - komala sraddha. Its easy to loose the enthusiasm. Incidents like the one below will help bolster our tender faith. Even the advanced vaisnava will relish hearing these experiences of other devotees. Hearing about Lord Krishna and his pure devotees enliven every one whether he is a kanishta or an uttama-adhikari. Hare Krishna.......
Dear Devotees,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Every day, thanks to Srila Prabhupada's love, I have the opportunity to go out and distribute his books.
Recently Lilananda Prabhu and I have been distributing books in a working-class area of Rome known as Centocelle.
Visualize blocks of flats at least seven storys high, working-class dwellings where you find the strangest situations and the worst smells emanating from within. Below the apartment complex is an interminable series of shops where the people, under a high dose of passion, enter and exit without taking notice of anyone around them. Now add all the raucous noises of the city: welcome to Centocelle!
Unfortunately, yesterday I woke up late, and so I could not finish my rounds before our morning program (here it starts at 6:15 am). So after doing various things, I managed to go out at 11 o'clock. While driving toward Centocelle, I was trying think of a place to finish my rounds peacefully, but I could not. Then I had an idea: on previous days I had noticed a street right before reaching "the jungle area" that led to a zone of humble villas that might be peaceful.
Once there, I knew I had done the right thing: there were airplanes in the sky and trains on the tracks, but it was much more peaceful than the rest of the area. I parked the car and went to chant. There weren't many passersby, but every once in a while someone would appear, mostly older people, curiously looking at this strange person dressed in white, with no hair and murmuring to himself. I would say hello in a friendly way and try to put them at ease, but unavoidably the word spread in the area and more than one person "by chance" walked nearby to see the strange sight. After finishing my rounds and honoring prasadam, I went forth to distribute books. After visiting some houses, I reached an old green wooden gate, a young man and woman came to open the gate and invite me into their garden. I learned that they were brother and sister, Antonio and Stefania. After a while their sister Maria joined us; she was very curious to hear about the books. While I spoke, Stefania went away three times, later explaining to me that she had to check on her three-year-old daughter Helena, who was having difficulty breathing. I learned she had difficulty especially during sleep, and so it was very important that special care be taken at that time.
I saw that these people were very simple and innocent, not wealthy at all but very well disposed to hear about Krsna. After some time their parents arrived and Antonio exclaimed, "Mom, Dad, he is a Hare Krsna monk!" The mother jokingly said to me: "I saw you walking back and forth before and thought you had just escaped from a clinic nearby!" We all laughed. The father, in a wise mood, said, "But I told them that you were meditating!" (In fact, I had met him earlier on the street, where he told me that he already knew the devotees and that he was a follower of Father Pio. I sensed then that he was not interested in the books, so I politely greeted him and walked on).
After I had spoken to them for twenty minutes, Stefania, Helena's mother, felt inspired to buy "The Journey of Self-Discovery." Enchanted by this simple family, I decided to give them a BTG for free. Then I invited them to the Sunday Feast and left. When I meet such people, I feel the urgency to improve myself and become a better instrument in Srila Prabhupada's hands to distribute the transcendental knowledge found in his books.
Around 5 p.m. I decided to head back to the temple. While walking to the car, I thought of Maria, Stefania's sister. I remembered how attracted she was by devotional music, and since I had a CD in the car, I decided to go to their home and give it to them as a gift. They had all left such a nice feeling in my heart.
As I approached their house I saw Stefania standing outside. As soon as she saw me she called to me loudly: "Padre Giovanni! Padre Giovanni!"
"I'm coming!" I called.
Breathlessly she continued, "As soon as you left us, my daughter Helena woke up and ran toward me with a very blissful face, such as I had never seen before, and exclaimed, 'Mom, mom, I dreamt of an angel with no hair!!'
"I said, 'Oh! And what was He like?'
"'He was wonderful -- bright-faced, without hair, but with a pony-tail on the back of his head and a sign on his forehead. He was baptizing everybody!'"
Upon hearing that, I was a little confused. Then the grandmother said, "I took your magazine and showed it to Helena, asking her to tell me if she recognized the angel as I turned the pages. When I reached the first page, where there is a picture of your spiritual master in saffron clothes, Helena opened her eyes wide and pointed to him: 'Here he is! It's him! It's him!!'"
At this point, I have to admit, I struggled to hold back my tears. Srila Prabhupada had appeared in the dream of this special soul in the body of a little girl, just as I was in the garden presenting his books!
The grandmother continued: "We were all amazed and asked Helena if he had told her something. She said 'Yes, I remember that he was speaking about books, books, reading books.'" At this point a shiver went up my spine -- it really was Srila Prabhupada!
They invited me into the house to meet Helena. I noticed the little girl playing with her cousin, but when she turned and saw me with the tilak and no hair, she retreated and started to cry: "I don't want to see! I don't want to see!" She hid behind a wall, and Stefania took her into another room.
Meanwhile, the grandmother told me Helena was not new to these miraculous encounters. "Once, while Helena was in the hospital, she told me that Padre Pio was by her side telling her to be peaceful because everything would be ok." Curious, the grandmother had shown her a photo of Padre Pio, and Helena had said that it was him! Another time, Giovanna (the grandmother) dreamed that Pope Jean Paul II entered their house carrying a letter and saying, "This is the letter you are all waiting for. You can give it to Helena. Everything will be ok." At that time the entire family was in anxiety, waiting for a reply from the Vatican Hospital about whether Helena had a certain rare and grave illness. The day after that dream, a letter arrived saying she did not.
Feeling at ease in that house, I started preaching about the importance of book distribution and how this service is so dear to Srila Prabhupada. Helena calmed down but was still afraid of me, so after a little while I gave them the bhajan CD and left. While driving back to the temple I was moved and had a constant thought: Srila Prabhupada in His infinite mercy never leaves us. He is present when we read his books, and much more when we distribute them. At the temple I told the devotees what had happened, and they were all enthusiastic and full of gratitude. They also perceived Srila Prabhupada's presence.
I had an idea: I asked for Helena's birthday details and gave them to Ramanuja Dasa, a devotee from Peru who is living in Rome. He has studied Vedic astrology extensively and teaches it. After a week, during the Sunday Feast, Ramanuja called me aside to show me Helena's astral chart. "You know, Prabhu," he said, "I've been doing this work for about twenty years, but I have seen an astral chart like this one only once or twice! This is a very elevated soul. She has all the planets favorable for spiritual life, she's intelligent, and she has positive karma. For sure in her last life she was a devotee."
Upon hearing those words, I felt very lucky. I've been going on sankirtana for a whole year, but I never had a meeting like this one. I went to visit them again four or five times, bringing them prasadam, garlands, devotional pictures, music CDs, and t-shirts for Helena.
I learned that the miracle continued: From the day of the "meeting with the angel," Helena has told the story to everyone she meets, and even if she cannot read, she opens Srila Prabhupada's books often because, she says, "Prabhupada told me to read." In her room she insisted there be a photo of Srila Prabhupada and one of Gopal Krsna close to her bed. She often wants to hear stories about Krsna, and in particular she likes the maha-mantra. When she listens to the maha-mantra, she insists on wearing a t-shirt with a picture of mother Yasoda and Krsna, and then she dances while chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Simply wonderful!
This is Srila Prabhupada's mercy! Even a child of three can perform devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead! I sincerely hope this story can infuse in the core of your heart the desire to serve more and more this eternal mission, which only Srila Prabhupada could have founded: ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
Your aspiring servant,
Bhakta Giovanni Battista
An appeal that goes straight to your heart......
I found this appeal very inspiring to me personally. In case you feel the same way, maybe you can also do something.....
My dear devotee friend,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Over seventy students are participating in this year's Bhakti-sastri andBhaktivaibhava Courses and everyone is excited about the refinements andenhancements we have implemented in these courses. (Please view our newsletter www.mihet.org/newsletter/pvd1.htm)
As we witness these developments, Srila Prabhupada's words come to us:
"Throughout the whole world there is no institution to impart education inthe matter of spiritual understanding. So we are going to open a big center in Mayapur where this education will be internationally imparted. Students from all parts of the world will go there to take education in this important subject."
It's been hard work getting to where we are today, but we are beginning tosee Srila Prabhupada\'s dream realized.
Along the way, meeting the needs of our students in the best way we can isalways a challenge. But, today I face a challenge that goes beyond the reachof our team in Mayapur.On my desk in front of me is a list of 20 devotees, whom we have admittedinto our courses even though they lacked the funds to cover the courseservice charges.
Like Ram Kumar.
Ram Kumar has completed his studies in the Sri Mayapur International School,and is now eager to study Srila Prabhupada's books in-depth in the MIHETBhakti-sastri Course. Since arriving in Mayapur at 5 years old, Ram Kumar's poor family from near Delhi has depended on scholarship funds for his education.
In the last 10 years, he has made great progress, determined to be a devotee in ISKCON. Bhakti-sastri is the natural next step for him, but we still must find the money to cover his fees. Here at the Mayapur Institute we work hard to keep service charges at a minimum. We are so very fortunate to have wonderful teachers and staff who contribute hours upon hours of voluntary service. Through these efforts,last year we were able to accommodate a limited number of scholarships for needy students.But this year, the demand is much more and the fundraisingwe planned was disrupted by the flooding in Mayapur.
We also have many devotees applying for scholarships for the upcoming GauraPurnima Courses and we want to facilitate their sincere desires to increasetheir services to Srila Prabhupada's movement.
These students and the MIHET need your help, and we've come up with a simple way for you to participate through the Mayapur Institute Annual Fund with a range of membership levels beginning from just $25. Through the Annual Fund, you have the opportunity to provide both scholarship funding for deserving students and to help keep the administrative service charges low by bridging the gap between these service charges and the actual costs. Educational institutions throughout the world depend on public support andthe Mayapur Institute is no exception. With the start of the Annual Fund we hope to begin a vibrant and dynamic relationship with you as both a friend and supporter working together to ensure both the growth and sustainabilityof the Institute.
As a token of my appreciation for your help, I will be very happy to send you our new set of Mayapur Institute Bhakti-sastri Sloka Cards - with many of the important slokas Srila Prabhupada regularly used in his preaching.
And, if you can find a way to contribute more than the basic $25 membership, I've arranged for a variety of additional benefits which you'll find on our online donation form.I'm especially hopeful that you will find it within your means to join at the $108 level or more. With this level of your support, I can take care of at least one scholarship for someone on the list in front of me. And, I will have the great pleasure of sharing with you my appreciation by sending youy our choice of either a copy of Bhurijan prabhu's excellent Bhagavad-Gitastudy guide - "Surrender Unto Me" or our exclusive set of Bhaktivaibhava sloka cards.
Please take a minute to contribute online thttp://www.mihet.org/annual fund. Whatever amount, large or small, will make a significant difference in the lives of our students.
And, while you are there please explore the newly designed web site to learn about our upcoming course offerings and new developments.Thank you for taking the time to hear about this new opportunity.
I hope you can respond as soon as possible so that these wonderful educational opportunities can be made available to deserving devotees regardless of their financial situations.
From Ram Kumar and all our other scholarship applicants, and from the MIHET staff, teachers and me - thank you for your support. And may Sri Pancha-tattva shower you with Their blessings.
Your servant,
Janmastami dasa
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Nobody is safe, no place is safe.....
Basically, I am not at all against Indians settling in other countries. But, the point is that they go out of India looking for better lives.......
Then this happens. Read on. This is an article from Hindustan Times...
The Indian community in Adelaide, south Australia, is living under the shadow of terror these days, with increasing incidents of apparently racially-motivated bashings at night by roaming gangs of youths.
In the last six months, there have been 10 such attacks, with eight of the victims being of Indian origin, including students. Police admit they have little information about the gang(s) of teenagers attacking Indians in Adelaide's inner northern suburbs.In most cases, the attackers, generally young men, demanded money from their victims before assaulting them."The bashings might deter foreign students from coming to Adelaide," said the treasurer of the multicultural communities council, Dilip Chirmuley, to ABC Online.Last Wednesday, in the most serious attack so far, a subway employee, Mihir Parakh, was hospitalised after being bashed with sticks by around five men.A police officer is quoted as telling newspaper Australian that it was not known if the same gang was responsible for all the attacks or if they were deliberately targeting Indians.All of the attacks occurred in darkness, before midnight."I've no doubt that the method that's being used would be very intimidating and very scary to the victims involved," the officer was quoted as saying."There's certainly an over representation of members of the Indian community who are victims. We're treating the incidents very seriously and that's why we've got a significant police presence in the area," the officer added.
This brings us to our philosophy - nobody is safe in this world.
TRANSLATION: For those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Muräri, the enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf’s hoof-print. Their goal is param padam, Vaikuntha, the place where there are no material miseries, not the place where there is danger at every step.
Sometimes devotees think, "if I go back to India, I will be able to do better devotional service. " Its similar to many people thinking that if they leave India and settle abroad their problems will be solved. Many times I hear about people complaining about the poor standards of life in India as compared to many western countries. They site this and many other reasons like better opportunities for career fulfillment and so on and so forth....
For the devotee, the principle is very simple, wherever he is he will serve Krishna to the best of his ability. That way, his peace, happiness and safety is guaranteed. The verse mentioned above is ample illustration.
We should always think, "Krishna has given me an opportunity now. I shall serve Him right now, right here and the best I can. I shall not wait for anything to happen in the future, I shall not wait for a better opportunity, I shall not wait for more favourable circumstances or situations." If we use our present opportunity as best as we can, Krishna will surely see that and grant us more service.
Then this happens. Read on. This is an article from Hindustan Times...
The Indian community in Adelaide, south Australia, is living under the shadow of terror these days, with increasing incidents of apparently racially-motivated bashings at night by roaming gangs of youths.
In the last six months, there have been 10 such attacks, with eight of the victims being of Indian origin, including students. Police admit they have little information about the gang(s) of teenagers attacking Indians in Adelaide's inner northern suburbs.In most cases, the attackers, generally young men, demanded money from their victims before assaulting them."The bashings might deter foreign students from coming to Adelaide," said the treasurer of the multicultural communities council, Dilip Chirmuley, to ABC Online.Last Wednesday, in the most serious attack so far, a subway employee, Mihir Parakh, was hospitalised after being bashed with sticks by around five men.A police officer is quoted as telling newspaper Australian that it was not known if the same gang was responsible for all the attacks or if they were deliberately targeting Indians.All of the attacks occurred in darkness, before midnight."I've no doubt that the method that's being used would be very intimidating and very scary to the victims involved," the officer was quoted as saying."There's certainly an over representation of members of the Indian community who are victims. We're treating the incidents very seriously and that's why we've got a significant police presence in the area," the officer added.
This brings us to our philosophy - nobody is safe in this world.
samasrita ye pada pallava plavam
mahat padam punya yaso murareh
bhavambudhir vatsa padam param padam
padam padam yad vipadam na tesam
TRANSLATION: For those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Muräri, the enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf’s hoof-print. Their goal is param padam, Vaikuntha, the place where there are no material miseries, not the place where there is danger at every step.
Sometimes devotees think, "if I go back to India, I will be able to do better devotional service. " Its similar to many people thinking that if they leave India and settle abroad their problems will be solved. Many times I hear about people complaining about the poor standards of life in India as compared to many western countries. They site this and many other reasons like better opportunities for career fulfillment and so on and so forth....
For the devotee, the principle is very simple, wherever he is he will serve Krishna to the best of his ability. That way, his peace, happiness and safety is guaranteed. The verse mentioned above is ample illustration.
We should always think, "Krishna has given me an opportunity now. I shall serve Him right now, right here and the best I can. I shall not wait for anything to happen in the future, I shall not wait for a better opportunity, I shall not wait for more favourable circumstances or situations." If we use our present opportunity as best as we can, Krishna will surely see that and grant us more service.
The First Post...
Hare Krishna,
I am trying this for the first time. If things go well, I shall keep adding posts here.....
Aspiring for vaisnava-pada-renu,
Dasanudasa,
Govardhan Giri Dasa
I am trying this for the first time. If things go well, I shall keep adding posts here.....
Aspiring for vaisnava-pada-renu,
Dasanudasa,
Govardhan Giri Dasa
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