Nityananda Trayodasi - 2010

Nadiya Godrume Nityananda Mahajana Patiachhen Namahatta Jivera Karuna
-The mercuful Lord Nityananda walks through Godruma opening up Namahatta to bestow mercy upon fallen conditioned souls of this world. In other Vaishnava Song, Nityananda Prabhu is referred to as one who is situated in transcendental happiness and is requested to bestow mercy on the suffering conditioned soul. Yet another song glorigies the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda giving cooling effect to the burning of the conditioned soul in the fire of material existence.

Also on a personal note, the Appearance Day of Lord Nityananda was the first festival I ever attended in ISKCON. Even though I had got associated in Sept 2005, yet this day in Jan 2006 was officially my first festival. As it was a working day I could not attend it completely, but definitely managed to sneak out during lunch to catch the glimpse of the merciful lord. I still remember the dress their Lordships were wearing that day. A blue dress with swans on it. The altars were so opulently decorated beyond my wildest imaginations. Whoa! Melons hanging here n there. Along with strings of apples and oranges. Where else would one get to see things like that?

So 2010 Trayodasi is my 5th one. How fast time passes by? Though getting senior in number of years, my heart is still far far away from making any advancement. How unfortunate I am. Only by Nityananda Prabhu's causeless mercy can I hope to achieve some gain in my devotional life.

The day started early with a quick trip to flower market. Then came back and decorated the altar, simultaneously prepared for the abhisheka of the lord. Then after it was performed, my mother performed the arotik offering all the 6 items (Only on festival days, the lord gets to enjoy the full arati, other days its only incense, lamp and flowers). After this we dashed off to temple to attend the main festival.

We reached in time to see the most beautiful view where the two merciful lords were being bathed with various liquids. His Grace Mohan Rupa Prabhu was leading devotees into an ecstatic Kirtan. After this the Lord were offered grand Bhoga, and then a grand arati, while all the devotees danced while HG Sriniket Prabhu and HG Ram Bhadra Prabhu led the Kirtan.

Thereafter was a feast awaiting all. I got the opportunity to do little seva there, making it a complete day for me. And then amidst company of devotees, I enjoyed feast prasadam. By the way it was Ekadasi feast, so all the more delectable.

Came back home and then in evening helped Mithilesh in preparing a small feast bhoga for Gopinath.