If there wasn’t the Mrdunga, there would be no such thing as the Mayapuris. We feel that it’s the best drum in the whole universe, especially for kirtan. That is our happy bias. Today we play other instruments, like tabla, flute, harmonium, etc, but the mridunga was the first instrument each of us, the Mayapuris, learnt to play. Actually, my mother played mridunga often when she was pregnant with me, so I began to learn the rhythms from within the womb. The first mridunga I played was a nicely decorated Quaker Oatmeal box, with a strap attached to it. Kish practiced on a wooden block for years, because his little arms couldn’t reach both sides of the mridunga. In fact, Kish’s dad remembers him playing on one side, ti ti ti, then crawling to the other side, ta ta ta.
There is a mridunga pranam mantra that I learnt from my teacher, Bablu Mashai, whom I studied under from the age of ten. We would chant thismantra before each class to offer respects. The mantra begins by offering respects to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the founder of kirtan, who also invented the mridunga five-hundred years ago. Earlier they played big heavy wooden drums. Instead, the mridunga makers used the clay from the nearby banks of the Ganga to create a light-weight drum. “Mrid” means clay and “anga” is body, so literally clay-body. It’s the primary instrument in Gaudiya Vaishnava kirtan, the kirtan of Western India, the style that our music is rooted in. Bhaktivinode Thakur, a scholar and poet from the Gaudiya tradition, says, “When I hear the sounds of the mridunga, all my worries, all my problems and sorrows fly away like crows at the sound of thunder, and my heart dances in ecstasy.”
Another interesting point of the mridunga is the range from the small, high side to the larger, low side. There is a symbolism inherent here as well; the sweet sound of the high side represents the feminine energy, or Radhe, and the low, bass side is the masculine energy, Shyam. Practically speaking, it’s a very dynamic drum. It can be played very softly and sweetly with lots of intricacies, and also very loudly with full vigor and passion. You can sit with it, dance with it, walk, and twirl with it. It’s the heart-beat of the kirtan.
The kirtan movement was inaugurated in Mayapur, which lies along the banks of the Ganga in West Bengal, India. This special place is very close to our heart. My brother Bali and I studied and lived in the ashram there, Vish lived there with his family, and Vrinda was four the first time her parents brought her all the way from Sweden. Even now when we go to Mayapur, there is a feeling of having gone back in time, five-hundred years ago, to the time when Caitanya Mahaprabhu danced in kirtan through the villages. The story of how kirtan started is one we relate to quite a bit. Initially, the kirtan movement started surreptitiously. The doors were open only to Caitanya’s intimate associates who gathered together blissfully singing the night through. They dove deep into the essence of the holy names. This was the secret “nocturnal school of kirtan.” Eventually, Caitanya, full of compassion for the lost souls in the world, brought kirtan out into the streets of Mayapur and eventually all of India. Everyone was encouraged to join in this kirtan, which caused quite a revolution in the caste-divided India.
We love the history of kirtan because we’ve been singing at home and in our temples for many years before the idea of becoming kirtan-musicians even crossed our minds. Unknowingly, we’ve spent all our life doing kirtan, preparing in a sense to do what Mahaprabhu did, go out into the world and share this singing, this dancing, this happiness!
We were also quite inspired early on by the Manipuri drummers from Manipur, who have a well-developed style of dancing and seemingly flying with their drums. Once we had our mridunga-techniques down, we spontaneously began dancing with our drums, and the name “Mayapuris” manifested from this joint love of the mridunga-dance and the place Mayapur.
The story behind our first official photoshoot is actually pretty funny. To see the entire picture story click on the link below. (Read along each photo so you get the full picture=)
The month of Kartik is just a few days away (beginning on Saturday, October 3rd). This auspicious month also marks the one year anniversary of this blog! I am currently working on some new posts that will hopefully be ready soon. As always any suggestions for content are always welcome.
As a special treat, you can view a wonderful animation of the Damodarastakam prayers (complete with lyrics and translation) below:
The month of Kartik is just a few days away (beginning on Saturday, October 3rd). This auspicious month also marks the one year anniversary of this blog! I am currently working on some new posts that will hopefully be ready soon. As always any suggestions for content are always welcome.
As a special treat, you can view a wonderful animation of the Damodarastakam prayers (complete with lyrics and translation) below:
I am currently working toward establishing a unique and exciting new project for ISKCON: the Devi Ashram, an International Vaishnavi Training and Retreat Centre. Based in the beautiful natural environment of Pandavas Paradise (Paraíso dos Pândavas, Brazil), the Devi Ashram … Continue reading →
I'm taking a seminar on Bhakti this semester. Part of the course involves reading the Bhagavad Gita's twelfth chapter and commentaries by the four Vaisnava sampradayas. The translation we are using is by someone who hails from a branch of the Sri Sampradaya. It's much better than the standard nirvisesas and sunyavada renderings that permeate the academy, so i'm not grumbling. But, still, i always go back to Prabhupada's Gita so that i can understand what is being said. Even on the simple level of just being clear about what each verse of the Gita means, Prabhupada's translations and purports far surpass any others that i have read.
I'm taking a seminar on Bhakti this semester. Part of the course involves reading the Bhagavad Gita's twelfth chapter and commentaries by the four Vaisnava sampradayas. The translation we are using is by someone who hails from a branch of the Sri Sampradaya. It's much better than the standard nirvisesas and sunyavada renderings that permeate the academy, so i'm not grumbling. But, still, i always go back to Prabhupada's Gita so that i can understand what is being said. Even on the simple level of just being clear about what each verse of the Gita means, Prabhupada's translations and purports far surpass any others that i have read.
lei·sure: : freedom provided by the cessation of activities; especially: time free from work or duties
I have been missing this little noun for eons now. Finally I've caught a hold of this elusive little thing today - today being a holiday for Eid. This is such an interesting definition of leisure. Are we ever free from activity? The very nature of the soul is to be active so where do you draw the line between activities that count as work and activities that count as pleasure? When we engage in activies of pleasure, it becomes leisure.
In yesterday's program, Yadav prabhu made such beautiful points. He mentioned that one of the Radha raman pujaris from Vrindavan once said that, "Krishna gives himself to us in our old age, if we give him our youth".
And then I realized how I'm slowly crossing this stage of 'youth'. After my wedding in December, my day is just going to get busier. I will have officially become an adult with so many responsibilities to juggle. How to juggle? How do I immerse myself in the Lord's name, pastimes, service with a household to take care of? How am I going to give my youth to Krishna, when I am struggling with paperwork, phonecalls etc from dawn to dusk?
Well, here is where I get lucky :) Even though the world seems to get too big to handle, my day seems filled with meangingless phonecalls and paperwork - offering all this to Krishna makes it seem so much lighter at the end of the day. Leisure? Well, who needs it when you are blissful in your busy day anyway. Trick is to link my meaningless paperwork to Krishna.......well not so successful sometimes, but I'm getting there. It's going to get easier to do this when I have a half hour of kirtan together with family to look forward to. Or 15 minutes of Bhagavatam reading. And really, the light at the end of the tunnel - Mayapur.
lei·sure: : freedom provided by the cessation of activities; especially: time free from work or duties
I have been missing this little noun for eons now. Finally I've caught a hold of this elusive little thing today - today being a holiday for Eid. This is such an interesting definition of leisure. Are we ever free from activity? The very nature of the soul is to be active so where do you draw the line between activities that count as work and activities that count as pleasure? When we engage in activies of pleasure, it becomes leisure.
In yesterday's program, Yadav prabhu made such beautiful points. He mentioned that one of the Radha raman pujaris from Vrindavan once said that, "Krishna gives himself to us in our old age, if we give him our youth".
And then I realized how I'm slowly crossing this stage of 'youth'. After my wedding in December, my day is just going to get busier. I will have officially become an adult with so many responsibilities to juggle. How to juggle? How do I immerse myself in the Lord's name, pastimes, service with a household to take care of? How am I going to give my youth to Krishna, when I am struggling with paperwork, phonecalls etc from dawn to dusk?
Well, here is where I get lucky :) Even though the world seems to get too big to handle, my day seems filled with meangingless phonecalls and paperwork - offering all this to Krishna makes it seem so much lighter at the end of the day. Leisure? Well, who needs it when you are blissful in your busy day anyway. Trick is to link my meaningless paperwork to Krishna.......well not so successful sometimes, but I'm getting there. It's going to get easier to do this when I have a half hour of kirtan together with family to look forward to. Or 15 minutes of Bhagavatam reading. And really, the light at the end of the tunnel - Mayapur.
Nice to see another Hare Krishna temple blog! Welcome to the blogging world, ISKCON Utah! Ping us if you would like to chat! (Your Friends at the ISKCON Toronto Blog)
Nice to see another Hare Krishna temple blog! Welcome to the blogging world, ISKCON Utah! Ping us if you would like to chat! (Your Friends at the ISKCON Toronto Blog)
Tomorrow marks one year since the passing of His Grace Sadaputa Prabhu. To honor this occasion I have decided to share some of my memories of him. About 10 years ago, after finishing my master’s degree in astrophysics, I took … Continue reading →
A small number, four seems Only four defects innate within Miseries untold it causes Incapability overwhelms me binds me
Cause of misery to one entity? No. Helplessly I am led to cause misery to millions Only four defects they are.
I am tired Nitai tired of this bad bargain tired of my conditionings tired of my imperfect service.
Unqualified, yet I beg to make that day mine when your form, glories and name become inseparable from my breath... inseparable from my mind... inseparable from ME...
A small number, four seems Only four defects innate within Miseries untold it causes Incapability overwhelms me binds me
Cause of misery to one entity? No. Helplessly I am led to cause misery to millions Only four defects they are.
I am tired Nitai tired of this bad bargain tired of my conditionings tired of my imperfect service.
Unqualified, yet I beg to make that day mine when your form, glories and name become inseparable from my breath... inseparable from my mind... inseparable from ME...
I begged, borrowed and stole that mercy caused by serving your lotus feet Undeserving, I blissfully swam in that ocean drinking in and savoring the taste of spiritual bliss
Carelessness. Ungratefulness. The two ugly monsters that dwell within Devoured the little mercy that came my way Not a glimpse of the spiritual bliss they reveal Those horrible monsters shadow everything
People say, "Its the thought and love that counts" A friend said, "True love ensures its perfection that counts" Perfection does not happen when endeavors are tainted with those monsters of mine Prabhupad gave us the panacea - Chant!
Lamentably this vicious cycle entangles me What to do if my endeavor to chant is also shadowed by these ugly monsters? Hence my plea to you Gopinath....
Focus, concentration and sincerity. Slowly but steadily the monsters will be slain if your names are chanted with Focus, concentration and sincerity,
O gopinath, Help me chant Help me purify myself Help me slay these monsters Help me my dear Gopinath....
"...another kind of distraction occurs when one is too eager to complete the fixed number of holy names even at the sacrifice ofquality. One must therefore always insure that he chants hisrounds sincerely. Also, one should better improve the quality ofhis chanting rather than try to increase his daily number ofrounds for show. The name of the Lord should be always bepronounced distinctly. Only by the grace of the Lord can this beachieved. Thus one should pray to the Lord that he never fallsvictim to the wiles of the illusion of distraction, and that hecan continue to taste the full nectar of the holy name." - Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, Sri Harinama Cintamani
I begged, borrowed and stole that mercy caused by serving your lotus feet Undeserving, I blissfully swam in that ocean drinking in and savoring the taste of spiritual bliss
Carelessness. Ungratefulness. The two ugly monsters that dwell within Devoured the little mercy that came my way Not a glimpse of the spiritual bliss they reveal Those horrible monsters shadow everything
People say, "Its the thought and love that counts" A friend said, "True love ensures its perfection that counts" Perfection does not happen when endeavors are tainted with those monsters of mine Prabhupad gave us the panacea - Chant!
Lamentably this vicious cycle entangles me What to do if my endeavor to chant is also shadowed by these ugly monsters? Hence my plea to you Gopinath....
Focus, concentration and sincerity. Slowly but steadily the monsters will be slain if your names are chanted with Focus, concentration and sincerity,
O gopinath, Help me chant Help me purify myself Help me slay these monsters Help me my dear Gopinath....
"...another kind of distraction occurs when one is too eager to complete the fixed number of holy names even at the sacrifice ofquality. One must therefore always insure that he chants hisrounds sincerely. Also, one should better improve the quality ofhis chanting rather than try to increase his daily number ofrounds for show. The name of the Lord should be always bepronounced distinctly. Only by the grace of the Lord can this beachieved. Thus one should pray to the Lord that he never fallsvictim to the wiles of the illusion of distraction, and that hecan continue to taste the full nectar of the holy name." - Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, Sri Harinama Cintamani
We just finished Nrsimha Arati and were sitting down to eat our prasad, plan our next kartal lesson, exchanging tunes, enjoying some Maha prasad and so on when Sri Vallabh prabhu with his commanding presence walked in.
"Are we all ready to start our Janmastami meeting?" his voice resounded in Flat 607.
We all quickly finished whatever was left of our sandwiches and meekly sat down on one side in a group of 10 eagerly anticipating what sevas we would get to do on one of the most auspicious days in our Vaishnava calendar.
"So what can the youth get into? " And Sri vallabh prabhu started suggesting a few sevas. And in his usual humorous manner he encouraged us, "All you youth should take up everything, get into it and takeover. Let us baldies and oldies take a seat back. What say everyone? Shouldn't we let the youth takeover?"
And then came the damper on our enthusiasm and eagerness, "Prabhu, I don't think they are ready yet, they need to be held back a little. Their sins need to be purified first"
Honestly, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Thankfully Sri Vallabh prabhu immediately retorted with, "They are held by Krishna and by doing seva they will automatically get cleansed. We cannot wait for the waves to stop before going for a swim."
I feel extremely sorry that we have potrayed such an image. I feel sorry that I have such a big false ego which got a blow.
There are so many sincere souls in the youth who deserve to be encouraged and nurtured in KC rather than be discouraged. I humbly request senior devotees to take the time to find out about so many of us who have the spark of KC and just need a little fanning
I offer my obeisances to all of the youth from who I learn something new every week as I associate with them:
Laxmi - her devotion to her deities ? She is a perfect example of a true pujari. Her eagerness to serve, to cook for the devotees, to preach to all the youth, her passion to learn kirtans and sing........
Samiksha - who started chanting 16 rounds since she's been back from Mayapur. Who shed tears as she was leaving....how many of us can shed a tear for the holy dham in seperation?
Natasha - who voluntarily transcribes Radhanath Swami's lectures online for iskcondesiretree.com. How much nectar does she absorb by doing this service?? Who is so eager for a kirtan program, to chant to advance in KC to serve, to preach...
Namrata (chotrani) - who tirelessly arranges for prasadam EVERY week for the youth class... who is everready to serve in whatever way she can....
Namrata (keshwani) - on whose mind Krishna constantly dances :) in the form of kirtans, quotes , you tube videos ...... someone whose enthusiasm rubs off on me when I see her.....
Ashish - who has taken up to KC and chanting like lighting fire to dry wood. In the short few months, he's already handling the book table, accounts ...learning Mrdanga from Yadav prabhu (oh yeah we're getting our band ready :)) been to Mayapur.......
Vicky prabhu - who tirelessly comes to class every Friday just to enthuse all of us in kirtan and share his wonderful knowledge.
Sneha aka Bunty :) - who never misses associating with us, responsibly handles her seva and tirelessly calls up every one of us every week to attend programs
Pavan - who is our little pujari :) His love for Radha Madhav - something I need to get an ounce of. I still remember how excited and ecstatic he was when I got him some Tulasi from the feet of Madhava from Mayapur....
Simi - who has gone through a lot of harships materially and has constantly been attracted to Krishna and is another example of fire to dry wood...
Roshni - who always keeps the class alive by asking questions :) Her excellent presentations and videos... Her sincerity to read Prahbupad's books and gain knowledge....
Keshavi - who has definitely been a devotee in her past life :) She grasps playing instruments and singing kirtans so easily!
and of course the backbone of our class - H.G Vasudev Gopal Das :) who at the age of 12 was the only boy in children's class who did not raise his hand up when Sri Vallabh prabhu asked everyone, "who wants to be liberated and go back to Krishna?" why? "Because..." He answered, "If all the devotees go back to Krishna then who will stay back and tell about Krishna to others?" My full dandavats to you VGD for contantly working to preach to spread Prabhupad's movement among us disillusioned youth in Dubai.
And my gratitude goes out to Sri Vallabh prabhu, Nand Prabhu and ESPECIALLY Shuba mataji for creating this opportunity for all of youth to come together every week and inspire each other to progress in KC.
Dandavats!
P.S: I've written this in one shot and apologize to all the youth whom I have left out! If I have left you out then please come and do seva for youth class and Janmastami so your name will be up there right next to VGD ;)
We just finished Nrsimha Arati and were sitting down to eat our prasad, plan our next kartal lesson, exchanging tunes, enjoying some Maha prasad and so on when Sri Vallabh prabhu with his commanding presence walked in.
"Are we all ready to start our Janmastami meeting?" his voice resounded in Flat 607.
We all quickly finished whatever was left of our sandwiches and meekly sat down on one side in a group of 10 eagerly anticipating what sevas we would get to do on one of the most auspicious days in our Vaishnava calendar.
"So what can the youth get into? " And Sri vallabh prabhu started suggesting a few sevas. And in his usual humorous manner he encouraged us, "All you youth should take up everything, get into it and takeover. Let us baldies and oldies take a seat back. What say everyone? Shouldn't we let the youth takeover?"
And then came the damper on our enthusiasm and eagerness, "Prabhu, I don't think they are ready yet, they need to be held back a little. Their sins need to be purified first"
Honestly, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Thankfully Sri Vallabh prabhu immediately retorted with, "They are held by Krishna and by doing seva they will automatically get cleansed. We cannot wait for the waves to stop before going for a swim."
I feel extremely sorry that we have potrayed such an image. I feel sorry that I have such a big false ego which got a blow.
There are so many sincere souls in the youth who deserve to be encouraged and nurtured in KC rather than be discouraged. I humbly request senior devotees to take the time to find out about so many of us who have the spark of KC and just need a little fanning
I offer my obeisances to all of the youth from who I learn something new every week as I associate with them:
Laxmi - her devotion to her deities ? She is a perfect example of a true pujari. Her eagerness to serve, to cook for the devotees, to preach to all the youth, her passion to learn kirtans and sing........
Samiksha - who started chanting 16 rounds since she's been back from Mayapur. Who shed tears as she was leaving....how many of us can shed a tear for the holy dham in seperation?
Natasha - who voluntarily transcribes Radhanath Swami's lectures online for iskcondesiretree.com. How much nectar does she absorb by doing this service?? Who is so eager for a kirtan program, to chant to advance in KC to serve, to preach...
Namrata (chotrani) - who tirelessly arranges for prasadam EVERY week for the youth class... who is everready to serve in whatever way she can....
Namrata (keshwani) - on whose mind Krishna constantly dances :) in the form of kirtans, quotes , you tube videos ...... someone whose enthusiasm rubs off on me when I see her.....
Ashish - who has taken up to KC and chanting like lighting fire to dry wood. In the short few months, he's already handling the book table, accounts ...learning Mrdanga from Yadav prabhu (oh yeah we're getting our band ready :)) been to Mayapur.......
Vicky prabhu - who tirelessly comes to class every Friday just to enthuse all of us in kirtan and share his wonderful knowledge.
Sneha aka Bunty :) - who never misses associating with us, responsibly handles her seva and tirelessly calls up every one of us every week to attend programs
Pavan - who is our little pujari :) His love for Radha Madhav - something I need to get an ounce of. I still remember how excited and ecstatic he was when I got him some Tulasi from the feet of Madhava from Mayapur....
Simi - who has gone through a lot of harships materially and has constantly been attracted to Krishna and is another example of fire to dry wood...
Roshni - who always keeps the class alive by asking questions :) Her excellent presentations and videos... Her sincerity to read Prahbupad's books and gain knowledge....
Keshavi - who has definitely been a devotee in her past life :) She grasps playing instruments and singing kirtans so easily!
and of course the backbone of our class - H.G Vasudev Gopal Das :) who at the age of 12 was the only boy in children's class who did not raise his hand up when Sri Vallabh prabhu asked everyone, "who wants to be liberated and go back to Krishna?" why? "Because..." He answered, "If all the devotees go back to Krishna then who will stay back and tell about Krishna to others?" My full dandavats to you VGD for contantly working to preach to spread Prabhupad's movement among us disillusioned youth in Dubai.
And my gratitude goes out to Sri Vallabh prabhu, Nand Prabhu and ESPECIALLY Shuba mataji for creating this opportunity for all of youth to come together every week and inspire each other to progress in KC.
Dandavats!
P.S: I've written this in one shot and apologize to all the youth whom I have left out! If I have left you out then please come and do seva for youth class and Janmastami so your name will be up there right next to VGD ;)
“Don’t eat meat, ride a bike, and be a frugal shopper.” – Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change in a press conference in January 2008
“As long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seeds of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love.” – Pythagoras
In the wider world of environmental activism it is no longer a secret that animal-protein rich diets and the global animal industry it has spawned are one of the major causes of agricultural inefficiency, environmental degradation and unsustainable natural capital depletion. Our diets are a very practical way to express our compassion and how much we actually care about the environment. ISS therefore promotes a diet which is organic, vegan/vegetarian and locally produced and consumed.
Though our society’s food consumption and production habits are far from reaching this standard, there are inspiring initiatives from all over the world that are raising awareness about the indispensable role our diets play in the quest for a sustainable society. Last week ISS was involved in one such initiative. In conjunction with Students for a Sustainable Planet, ISS helped start a Meat Free Mondays program which launched the Victoria University of Wellington’s Environment Week on the 20th of July. Click on the gallery to view photos from the event.
Recently we have divided some land into 10 plots for devotees to live in Pandavas Paradise. The designated land is in-between the temple and the waterfalls, with about 10 minutes walk either way. GD and I are hoping to build … Continue reading →
Back in May, New Vrindaban hosted another visit from the Global Leadership Project at Ohio University. Student groups from OU have been visiting for several years, staying overnight, and interviewing devotees, each time focusing on a different topic of study. Several of the students even came back for the 24 hour kirtana in June. Below are excerpts from 2-3 page reflections of most, but not all (just didn't get around to it), of the students on their visit in May. It's always interesting to get a glimpse into what visitors think about the community.
***
“What I experienced at New Vrindavan was entirely different than what I expected…. Because it’s part of the Krishna religion to be evangelists, I thought that the devotees would be extremely pushy in showing their beliefs to us. I found most of them to be extremely understanding and they were not pushy at all.”
“It was fun dancing at the service although I was afraid I would do something wrong… The next morning I went to the 7:30 service. Once again I was shocked at the dancing and liveliness from everyone in the temple, especially it being that early in the morning…We had a session where many devotees told their stories of how the came to the Hare Krishna religion…. It was definitely an interesting experience and very unique.”
“Tapapunja, the gardener, was very knowledgeable regarding organic gardening and made a whole lot of sense…In comparison to Catholicism, the religion I grew up in, I felt that the Krishna religion was so much more exciting and enjoyable… I wirily dug my spoon into the meal and was pleasantly surprised. The food tasted so pure and natural… My New Vrindavan experience will be two days in my life that I will never forget.”
“I have never seen such jubilance and happiness in any religious ceremony… I definitely want to include kirtan into my religious practices….I love the whole idea of ‘simple living, high thinking’…. I realized that constructing a spiritual community is very difficult and carries with it much responsibility and care.”
“It was an experience filled with spiritually evoking thoughts accompanied by a tranquil external environment. Before visiting New Vrindavan, I could not remember the last time where I was at peace with the world and not concerned about the stresses of school and work…. The prasadam meals are the most fresh and delicious meals I have ever had…. The devotees are more that willing to answer questions and engage in meaningful conversation…. Almost every aspect of New Vrindavan has something to offer spiritually….I will remember this trip for the rest of my life.”
“Before arriving, I envisioned New Vrindavan as a place of tranquil meditation and communal living…. I could not figure out the spiritual relevance of the huge concrete elephant…the call of the peacocks served as a reminder to the celibate monks that sex is an integral part of nature,,,,, the sights and sounds of New Vrindavan were similar to that of a circus equipped with a semi-religious theme…Is a remote controlled swam boat related to Prabhupada’s ‘simple living , high thinking’ standard?…. It seemed that college educated devotees were placed at a higher level of the hierarchical system and asserted control over the others.”
“Before the trip, I was most excited to interact with the devotees and try to understand their lives and their devotion to their beliefs. I’m not sure I was able to achieve the level of understanding I initially hoped for…. To an extent I wish I knew more about why certain things were being done and what they meant…Sankirtana gave us a tour of the Palace also gave us additional background knowledge that I had been looking for throughout the trip….I found it easy to take any of their religious stories or practices, no matter how ‘bizarre’ and draw a comparison to my own beliefs.”
“What I enjoyed most about being there was the feeling of being transported to another world that was so different from the everyday reality of life in Athens … I saw a fascinating religious community that was sincere in its pursuit of Hare Krishna consciousness….Hari Bhakta, the devote we interviewed, was one of the coolest and most interesting people I have ever met….My time at New Vrindavan was a very positive experience.”
“I always thought that the life of a Christian seemed intense…The devotees are so strict in their eating and drinking intake. I could not believe that so many people were happy at 5AM without caffeine!…. One of the most surprising aspects of New Vrindavan was the kindness of the children. I am used to children being frightened of strangers and uncomfortable with anyone who is not in their family. This is not the case at New Vrindavan….While I do question some aspects of New Vrindavan, my overall experience was quite impacting.”
“I tried to have an open mind when I went to New Vrindavan…The ceremonies were fascinating. It was like watching a documentary film…I thought there would be more people around at the ceremonies…My favorite part was learning about the garden and cows…I found all the food really good. The people were friendly, even if some were a little pushy…I am not sure I would visit again.”
“The chanting started slowly, but by the time the ceremony was over all the devotees and students were dancing like crazy…. This was very memorable. I was thinking the culture we were studying was going to be very basic and austere. I was happy to discover that they were such a vibrant and animated religious society which sees dancing and having fun as a way to worship God… To finish off the day we were served a fantastic dinner.”
“In the temple the chanting began and soon transitioned into a harmonious melody. Soon I was taping my feet to the rhythm and slightly muttering the chant…Before I realized, one devote took my hand and dragged me into the middle of the dancing….I was dancing with every move I had in my arsenal, and the devotees were accepting me for who I was… At dinner I dug in and thought ‘Wow. This is amazing’… We interviewed Madhava Ghosh, his wife and son. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I didn’t expect our interview to be three hours long… He is an extremely intelligent man, and I’m glad I had the privilege of meeting him…. The trip opened my eyes to a different belief system and a different outlook on life. Meeting the devotees is an experience I will never forget.”
“Prior to my research, my concept of the Hare Krishnas was that it is a cult of oblivious people with shaved heads who dance and sing Hare Krishna for most of the time…. I was surprised to see just a few people around the temple partaking in the daily events… The worship ceremony was not as uncomfortable as I thought it might be. Most ceremonies involve sitting quietly for long periods of time. The Krishna ceremony incorporated music and dance. The worship was actually a more spiritual experience and probably my favorite aspect of the Krishna practice.”
“I wonder how they can be so certain that their religion is the correct one. So much so that they dedicated their lives to it. To me it almost seems a little naïve. But maybe they are right, and I should read Bhagavat Gita and join the enlightenment.”
Back in May, New Vrindaban hosted another visit from the Global Leadership Project at Ohio University. Student groups from OU have been visiting for several years, staying overnight, and interviewing devotees, each time focusing on a different topic of study. Several of the students even came back for the 24 hour kirtana in June. Below are excerpts from 2-3 page reflections of most, but not all (just didn't get around to it), of the students on their visit in May. It's always interesting to get a glimpse into what visitors think about the community.
***
“What I experienced at New Vrindavan was entirely different than what I expected…. Because it’s part of the Krishna religion to be evangelists, I thought that the devotees would be extremely pushy in showing their beliefs to us. I found most of them to be extremely understanding and they were not pushy at all.”
“It was fun dancing at the service although I was afraid I would do something wrong… The next morning I went to the 7:30 service. Once again I was shocked at the dancing and liveliness from everyone in the temple, especially it being that early in the morning…We had a session where many devotees told their stories of how the came to the Hare Krishna religion…. It was definitely an interesting experience and very unique.”
“Tapapunja, the gardener, was very knowledgeable regarding organic gardening and made a whole lot of sense…In comparison to Catholicism, the religion I grew up in, I felt that the Krishna religion was so much more exciting and enjoyable… I wirily dug my spoon into the meal and was pleasantly surprised. The food tasted so pure and natural… My New Vrindavan experience will be two days in my life that I will never forget.”
“I have never seen such jubilance and happiness in any religious ceremony… I definitely want to include kirtan into my religious practices….I love the whole idea of ‘simple living, high thinking’…. I realized that constructing a spiritual community is very difficult and carries with it much responsibility and care.”
“It was an experience filled with spiritually evoking thoughts accompanied by a tranquil external environment. Before visiting New Vrindavan, I could not remember the last time where I was at peace with the world and not concerned about the stresses of school and work…. The prasadam meals are the most fresh and delicious meals I have ever had…. The devotees are more that willing to answer questions and engage in meaningful conversation…. Almost every aspect of New Vrindavan has something to offer spiritually….I will remember this trip for the rest of my life.”
“Before arriving, I envisioned New Vrindavan as a place of tranquil meditation and communal living…. I could not figure out the spiritual relevance of the huge concrete elephant…the call of the peacocks served as a reminder to the celibate monks that sex is an integral part of nature,,,,, the sights and sounds of New Vrindavan were similar to that of a circus equipped with a semi-religious theme…Is a remote controlled swam boat related to Prabhupada’s ‘simple living , high thinking’ standard?…. It seemed that college educated devotees were placed at a higher level of the hierarchical system and asserted control over the others.”
“Before the trip, I was most excited to interact with the devotees and try to understand their lives and their devotion to their beliefs. I’m not sure I was able to achieve the level of understanding I initially hoped for…. To an extent I wish I knew more about why certain things were being done and what they meant…Sankirtana gave us a tour of the Palace also gave us additional background knowledge that I had been looking for throughout the trip….I found it easy to take any of their religious stories or practices, no matter how ‘bizarre’ and draw a comparison to my own beliefs.”
“What I enjoyed most about being there was the feeling of being transported to another world that was so different from the everyday reality of life in Athens … I saw a fascinating religious community that was sincere in its pursuit of Hare Krishna consciousness….Hari Bhakta, the devote we interviewed, was one of the coolest and most interesting people I have ever met….My time at New Vrindavan was a very positive experience.”
“I always thought that the life of a Christian seemed intense…The devotees are so strict in their eating and drinking intake. I could not believe that so many people were happy at 5AM without caffeine!…. One of the most surprising aspects of New Vrindavan was the kindness of the children. I am used to children being frightened of strangers and uncomfortable with anyone who is not in their family. This is not the case at New Vrindavan….While I do question some aspects of New Vrindavan, my overall experience was quite impacting.”
“I tried to have an open mind when I went to New Vrindavan…The ceremonies were fascinating. It was like watching a documentary film…I thought there would be more people around at the ceremonies…My favorite part was learning about the garden and cows…I found all the food really good. The people were friendly, even if some were a little pushy…I am not sure I would visit again.”
“The chanting started slowly, but by the time the ceremony was over all the devotees and students were dancing like crazy…. This was very memorable. I was thinking the culture we were studying was going to be very basic and austere. I was happy to discover that they were such a vibrant and animated religious society which sees dancing and having fun as a way to worship God… To finish off the day we were served a fantastic dinner.”
“In the temple the chanting began and soon transitioned into a harmonious melody. Soon I was taping my feet to the rhythm and slightly muttering the chant…Before I realized, one devote took my hand and dragged me into the middle of the dancing….I was dancing with every move I had in my arsenal, and the devotees were accepting me for who I was… At dinner I dug in and thought ‘Wow. This is amazing’… We interviewed Madhava Ghosh, his wife and son. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I didn’t expect our interview to be three hours long… He is an extremely intelligent man, and I’m glad I had the privilege of meeting him…. The trip opened my eyes to a different belief system and a different outlook on life. Meeting the devotees is an experience I will never forget.”
“Prior to my research, my concept of the Hare Krishnas was that it is a cult of oblivious people with shaved heads who dance and sing Hare Krishna for most of the time…. I was surprised to see just a few people around the temple partaking in the daily events… The worship ceremony was not as uncomfortable as I thought it might be. Most ceremonies involve sitting quietly for long periods of time. The Krishna ceremony incorporated music and dance. The worship was actually a more spiritual experience and probably my favorite aspect of the Krishna practice.”
“I wonder how they can be so certain that their religion is the correct one. So much so that they dedicated their lives to it. To me it almost seems a little naïve. But maybe they are right, and I should read Bhagavat Gita and join the enlightenment.”
There are a few things about Krishna that just hold me in complete fascination that I just start gushing about my fascinations and discoveries about Krishna's personality and pastimes to everyone! If you've met me and known me for a decent period of time, then you've probably heard this from me already.
When Madhavi first told me this on the altar, I just exclaimed ! "How adorable!" So what every Radha Krishna pujari would know and most other devotees would not know is that, the Lord of the Universe, the controller of everything moving and non-moving, THE Supreme personality of Godhead......sleeps with his flute under his pillow! :)
i.e The pujari who puts the deities to sleep at night usually takes Krishna's flute and keeps it under his pillow physically. I've heard a couple of reasons for this but the official ones from Jananivas prabhu are:
1) The flute is sooo dear to Kanha that he does not want to be separated from it since it is with the flute that he controls the gopis
2) The gopis know that with this flute Kanha controls them so they are always looking to steal his flute. He keeps it under his pillow for protection
"When the rivers hear the flute-song of Krishna, their minds begin to desire Him, and thus the flow of their currents is broken and their waters are agitated, moving around in whirlpools. Then with the arms of their waves the rivers embrace Murari's lotus feet and, holding on to them, present offerings of lotus flowers." - Srimad Bhagavatam 10.21.15
There are a few things about Krishna that just hold me in complete fascination that I just start gushing about my fascinations and discoveries about Krishna's personality and pastimes to everyone! If you've met me and known me for a decent period of time, then you've probably heard this from me already.
When Madhavi first told me this on the altar, I just exclaimed ! "How adorable!" So what every Radha Krishna pujari would know and most other devotees would not know is that, the Lord of the Universe, the controller of everything moving and non-moving, THE Supreme personality of Godhead......sleeps with his flute under his pillow! :)
i.e The pujari who puts the deities to sleep at night usually takes Krishna's flute and keeps it under his pillow physically. I've heard a couple of reasons for this but the official ones from Jananivas prabhu are:
1) The flute is sooo dear to Kanha that he does not want to be separated from it since it is with the flute that he controls the gopis
2) The gopis know that with this flute Kanha controls them so they are always looking to steal his flute. He keeps it under his pillow for protection
"When the rivers hear the flute-song of Krishna, their minds begin to desire Him, and thus the flow of their currents is broken and their waters are agitated, moving around in whirlpools. Then with the arms of their waves the rivers embrace Murari's lotus feet and, holding on to them, present offerings of lotus flowers." - Srimad Bhagavatam 10.21.15
Well, it's been nearly 3 months since my last blog entry. Not really much going on besides soccer mom duties that ran until May, lots of end of school year activities, and getting run over by household duties.
Without going into too much detail i'll also say that my husband and I have been really contemplating the future and where it may take us. I'm beginning to have anxiety for my children's spiritual lives and am thinking that a change of environment may be looming on the horizon. It is becoming more and more difficult to shelter them here. They go to school and thrive materially, but I want so much more for them. I don't have enough self determination and motivation to provide all of their spiritual needs. I'm praying to Krishna for some guidance and of course i need to humble myself and ask my guru maharaj for guidance.
Well, it's been nearly 3 months since my last blog entry. Not really much going on besides soccer mom duties that ran until May, lots of end of school year activities, and getting run over by household duties.
Without going into too much detail i'll also say that my husband and I have been really contemplating the future and where it may take us. I'm beginning to have anxiety for my children's spiritual lives and am thinking that a change of environment may be looming on the horizon. It is becoming more and more difficult to shelter them here. They go to school and thrive materially, but I want so much more for them. I don't have enough self determination and motivation to provide all of their spiritual needs. I'm praying to Krishna for some guidance and of course i need to humble myself and ask my guru maharaj for guidance.
Is been a while since I've posted anything so I thought I'd share some pictures of my deities dressed in pink on Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi, click here for more pictures. Hopefully more posts will be ready soon, but this is a busy time of the year with Ratha-Yatra planning in full swing! To learn about Toronto's 37th annual Ratha-Yatra (July 18 & 19) visit http://www.feedyoursoul.to/! Also visithttp://www.torontotunnel.com/ for a unique kirtan experience!
Is been a while since I've posted anything so I thought I'd share some pictures of my deities dressed in pink on Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi, click here for more pictures. Hopefully more posts will be ready soon, but this is a busy time of the year with Ratha-Yatra planning in full swing! To learn about Toronto's 37th annual Ratha-Yatra (July 18 & 19) visit http://www.feedyoursoul.to/! Also visithttp://www.torontotunnel.com/ for a unique kirtan experience!
"When a devotee with all his heart and soul serves Krsna, dresses him in nice garments and gives him a flower, Krsna smiles. If you can get Krishna to smile upon you just once, your life's goal is fulfilled."- Srila Prabhupad, Lecture SB 3.25.12, 12th November, 1974
Vishaka mataji's girirajji
As my eyes took in the slow dawn of day my fingers felt the soft wood bead by bead - transcendental wood of tulsidevi My mind the wonderful traveller a thousand places did it visit A thread of desire was visited and explored Memories entangled with that thread of gopi dots, peacock feathers, ghee lamps of chandan, mukut pieces, chadars caused that familiar longing longing to serve your beautiful deity form...
How can I ever anticipate that sweet mercy of yours? "Anuradha? Can you come paint and dress up my girirajji?" Amazement and wonder continues to be my friend as your mercy continues to flow...
"When a devotee with all his heart and soul serves Krsna, dresses him in nice garments and gives him a flower, Krsna smiles. If you can get Krishna to smile upon you just once, your life's goal is fulfilled."- Srila Prabhupad, Lecture SB 3.25.12, 12th November, 1974
Vishaka mataji's girirajji
As my eyes took in the slow dawn of day my fingers felt the soft wood bead by bead - transcendental wood of tulsidevi My mind the wonderful traveller a thousand places did it visit A thread of desire was visited and explored Memories entangled with that thread of gopi dots, peacock feathers, ghee lamps of chandan, mukut pieces, chadars caused that familiar longing longing to serve your beautiful deity form...
How can I ever anticipate that sweet mercy of yours? "Anuradha? Can you come paint and dress up my girirajji?" Amazement and wonder continues to be my friend as your mercy continues to flow...
I thought I was settled but up in the air again. Travels are calling, perhaps it’s in my blood, at least says so on my palm. But not aimless wandering as I am truly looking for a home. A place to do some service and also help change the world. Where that place will be remains to be seen, but this summer we will try to find out. Hope to meet you there.
I thought I was settled but up in the air again. Travels are calling, perhaps it’s in my blood, at least says so on my palm. But not aimless wandering as I am truly looking for a home. A place to do some service and also help change the world. Where that place will be remains to be seen, but this summer we will try to find out. Hope to meet you there.
The sweetest sounds to mortals given Are heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven. ~William Goldsmith Brown Definitely in heaven!
Of all the descriptions given in the scriptures about Krishna, the one I have most trouble visualizing or conceptualizing in my mind are the sounds of the spiritual world. The one thing I yearn most to hear... Krishna's flute, the cakora birds, the koyal, the peacocks, and of course the 'deep resounding thunderlike' voice of Krishna.
"Krishna's deep voice resounds like a rumbling cloud and his tinkling ornaments allure the ears...." - Chapter 6, Gayatri Mahima Madhuri
This quote about his voice was a little hard to find. I used to wonder and wonder if there are any descriptions about Krishna's voice and then I chanced upon this when I was reading the Gayatri book. But there are countless about his ever enchanting, mesmerizing flute playing :)
"..Krishna's flute vibrates eight different tunes. Demigods like Lord Brahma and Lord Siva break their meditation and forget everything when the first tune pierces their ears. Lord Siva stops playing his din-din drum. Lord Brahma sits astonished on his lotus flower, and Lord Ananta Sesa begins swaying hypnotically. The second tune makes the Yamuna flow backwards. The moon stops moving upon hearing the third tune. Cows run up to Krishna, and stand motionless with upraised ears to drink the nectar of the fourth tune. The fifth note brings the gopis madly running-eager for Krishna's love. The sixth tune creates autumn, replete with juicy fruits and rich foliage Stones melt when caressed by this note The seventh note instantly ushes in all six seasons manifesting their full splendor with gentle, sensous southern breezes carrying the perfumed aromas of fresh forest flowers.
The eighth note of Syama's seductive flute takes the name of Radha...."
Well I don't know whether it is going to take me lifetimes or just this lifetime to hear what I yearn to hear but one thing is for sure.... all my yearnings for sounds of the spiritual world is COMPLETELY satisfied by .....
Ching Ching Chinggg.... Ching Ching Chinggg.... Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare... Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare...
Yess.....those soul stirring kirtans that just teases those senses of ours with visions of the spiritual world and incomparable bliss...
The sweetest sounds to mortals given Are heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven. ~William Goldsmith Brown Definitely in heaven!
Of all the descriptions given in the scriptures about Krishna, the one I have most trouble visualizing or conceptualizing in my mind are the sounds of the spiritual world. The one thing I yearn most to hear... Krishna's flute, the cakora birds, the koyal, the peacocks, and of course the 'deep resounding thunderlike' voice of Krishna.
"Krishna's deep voice resounds like a rumbling cloud and his tinkling ornaments allure the ears...." - Chapter 6, Gayatri Mahima Madhuri
This quote about his voice was a little hard to find. I used to wonder and wonder if there are any descriptions about Krishna's voice and then I chanced upon this when I was reading the Gayatri book. But there are countless about his ever enchanting, mesmerizing flute playing :)
"..Krishna's flute vibrates eight different tunes. Demigods like Lord Brahma and Lord Siva break their meditation and forget everything when the first tune pierces their ears. Lord Siva stops playing his din-din drum. Lord Brahma sits astonished on his lotus flower, and Lord Ananta Sesa begins swaying hypnotically. The second tune makes the Yamuna flow backwards. The moon stops moving upon hearing the third tune. Cows run up to Krishna, and stand motionless with upraised ears to drink the nectar of the fourth tune. The fifth note brings the gopis madly running-eager for Krishna's love. The sixth tune creates autumn, replete with juicy fruits and rich foliage Stones melt when caressed by this note The seventh note instantly ushes in all six seasons manifesting their full splendor with gentle, sensous southern breezes carrying the perfumed aromas of fresh forest flowers.
The eighth note of Syama's seductive flute takes the name of Radha...."
Well I don't know whether it is going to take me lifetimes or just this lifetime to hear what I yearn to hear but one thing is for sure.... all my yearnings for sounds of the spiritual world is COMPLETELY satisfied by .....
Ching Ching Chinggg.... Ching Ching Chinggg.... Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare... Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare...
Yess.....those soul stirring kirtans that just teases those senses of ours with visions of the spiritual world and incomparable bliss...
A devotee once told me, " We offer so many services to Krishna......we offer him garlands, we make prasad and offer it, we offer our kirtans, our bhajans yet in the process of offering him all these services, we forget to offer him ourselves! " Krishna accepts anything offered with love but all he is really looking for is YOU. And that is the hardest thing to offer. The false ego of me, mine never lets us actually do this. Every activity we do, each and every step and action we take in our lives, from bathing, eating, studying.....everything is geared towards one goal......satisfy the self.
We can classify every action as geared towards 1) Sense pleasure 2) Intelligence & Mind pleasure 3) False ego pleasure
Think about it....every small thing we do can be classified under these things. Even devotional service. When I make garlands, it satisfies my senses to see the beautiful flowers, satisfies my intelligence to arrange it in a pattern, and finally satisfies my ego when somebody says, 'oh what a beautiful garland you've made!'. Even though, I'm making it for Krishna, this tinge of ego pleasure never goes away. I would say that ego pleasure is the hardest to overcome. Whatever service we do, the sense of the self doing it hardly goes away.... (I am of course talking about common neophyte devotees like me and not elevated souls where can see actual 'selfless service')
Now you can argue that if even devotional service is performed to satisfy the material senses and ego then why do it? Well.....the only answer I have for this is to ask you to actually spend a day doing service. Yes, my ego is being satisfied, my intelligence is being satisfied when I listen to a good lecture or read sound philosophy, my senses are being satisfied when I listen to beautiful, heartmoving kirtans and bhajans.......yet, at the end of the day, when I go home....when I get a moment to ponder on my pleasure and enjoyment, I realize, this pleasure is something much much deeper.......it is the pleasure of the satisfaction of the soul....:)
A devotee once told me, " We offer so many services to Krishna......we offer him garlands, we make prasad and offer it, we offer our kirtans, our bhajans yet in the process of offering him all these services, we forget to offer him ourselves! " Krishna accepts anything offered with love but all he is really looking for is YOU. And that is the hardest thing to offer. The false ego of me, mine never lets us actually do this. Every activity we do, each and every step and action we take in our lives, from bathing, eating, studying.....everything is geared towards one goal......satisfy the self.
We can classify every action as geared towards 1) Sense pleasure 2) Intelligence & Mind pleasure 3) False ego pleasure
Think about it....every small thing we do can be classified under these things. Even devotional service. When I make garlands, it satisfies my senses to see the beautiful flowers, satisfies my intelligence to arrange it in a pattern, and finally satisfies my ego when somebody says, 'oh what a beautiful garland you've made!'. Even though, I'm making it for Krishna, this tinge of ego pleasure never goes away. I would say that ego pleasure is the hardest to overcome. Whatever service we do, the sense of the self doing it hardly goes away.... (I am of course talking about common neophyte devotees like me and not elevated souls where can see actual 'selfless service')
Now you can argue that if even devotional service is performed to satisfy the material senses and ego then why do it? Well.....the only answer I have for this is to ask you to actually spend a day doing service. Yes, my ego is being satisfied, my intelligence is being satisfied when I listen to a good lecture or read sound philosophy, my senses are being satisfied when I listen to beautiful, heartmoving kirtans and bhajans.......yet, at the end of the day, when I go home....when I get a moment to ponder on my pleasure and enjoyment, I realize, this pleasure is something much much deeper.......it is the pleasure of the satisfaction of the soul....:)
The Mridunga – Our Favorite Drum
