Bangalore To Tirupati

This week got a chance to have the darshans of the richest deity of world - Lord Tirupati Balaji This temple is located at Tirumala Hill in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.

All thanks to my friend Arpit (my college friend), who was more than enthusiastic to accompany me to the auspicious dham। We booked a 1-day Tirupati Package. It is hassle-free, comfortable and economical at the same time. Just 750 bucks.

So we boarded the bus at 10:00 p.m. the bus was AC and had superb reclining chairs, making the journey all the more comfortable. We reached Tirupati by 02:30 a.m. and got tickets for the darshan. The ticketing system is highly IT-enabled, for it took a digital photo and a fingerprint of every pilgrim. Anyways we got the reporting time of 01:00 p.m the same day itself.

We were then taken to a hotel for getting fresh. We were to report in the lounge by 04:30 am. But as usual we were late. But coming down, we saw the lounge was empty and there was no one in the bus either. Then an old couple came and on enquiry got to know that reporting time was 05:00 a.m.. So I decided to listen to some kirtan on my i-pod, while Arpit went outside to feel the fresh air. Just then he saw our bus pass by. It dawned upon us that the bus standing outside was not ours but of a different group and their reporting time was 5:00 am, not ours. But the problem was resolved as both the buses belonged to the same tour agency.

So then we visited Padmavati temple. The temple is located in the heart of city. No electronic item is allowed inside the temple. To facilitate pilgrims, there is a locker facility where a police man registers the person and keeps their mobiles safely. There's a ticket for darshan that costs 25/- per individual.

Then we came back to the same hotel. Our original bus was standing there. We rushed for the breakfast, as our bus passengers had already done away with theirs. We boarded the governmen run bus which takes us uphill to Tirumala Devasthanam. The journey was scenic and a bit too taxing for my poor companion. He always get sick while travelling in bus. On the way we discussed some philosophy. Now he is a Jain by religion, but he knows somethings about hindu culture too. The fact that he was excited to visit Tirupati, says it all. We talked about Buddhist philosphy, that how Lord Buddha tricked people away from vedic culture which was totally polluted down the ages and how Shankaracharya brought people back to vedic culture. The whole situation can be compared to formatting a pc when it's files get corrupted and then re-installing the OS.

Reached uphill within an hour or so. Then our guide asked us to assemble back at the bus drop point by 9:00 AM, so we had 1 hour to our discretion. Did some shopping for my friend Priyanka.

Later we proceeded for the waiting area, where we sat till 12:30 pm to get to the queue. Mind you this waiting is to join the queue, then it takes more time. Finally we got to the temple compound after long 3 hours. Mind you the queue is not 1 person wide , but a corridor. So there is a lot of pushing, crushing and suffocating. Be prepared for a minor discomfort.

The temple is so constructed that at every turn you'll feel that now you'll see the divine form of Lord Venkateshvara, but you keep on moving. Different queues keep on joining, like tributaries join a river.

The sanctum sanctorum is all gold। It seems so. And the moment you enter the door and take a turn left, there HE is. The dark one, wearing glittering dresses and a big white tilak. People cry out his name "Govinda" in love and devotion. The moment you see him, all the effort put in seems worth it.

Then we were pushed out after being inside for about 30 seconds or so. Outside on the walls the whole pastime of Lord Tirupati is described. Through the big glass window, you can see the counting going on. Huge sacks filled with notes and coins are emptied and many people are sitting there to count them.

I also met one ISKCON devotee. Lord knew my desire and fulfilled it. He was from Hyderabad and had been to this place many times. He had attended the Mangala Arotik at Radha Govind & Ashtasakhi Temple and then came up here. He filled me in on a tip that its best to stay at ISKCON dormitory and come up with the book distributing party. They people have good contacts with Tirupati Management. We then parted our ways and proceeded towards the exit. Arpit & me also got parted at the entrance as i had a bag which needed to be passed through security systems. We got together after having darshans separately. Then we got two complementary Laddoos. They were big, full of dry-fruits and delectable. (Tirupati Mahaprasadam ki Jai).

We then boarded our bus and journeyed back to the hotel. Had our at approximately 4:30 pm. Then we boarded our comfortable bus back for Bangalore. I slept through most of the journey.

It was a great experience. Thank you krishna for getting me to Bangalore and giving me this chance.

Narasimha caturdasi @ Jagannath Temple, Bangalore

Hare Krishna,

Yesterday was the auspicious appearance day of Sri Narsimha deva.

Had the fortune of being a part of an ecstatic celebration at Jagannath Temple, ISKCON, Bangalore.

The temple is small, but with a strong and devoted congregation. The devotees thronged the temple's main hall, kitchen, yard and the entrance. Everyone was involved in some service. At one side matajis were working with flowers and prabhujis were involved in cutting vegetables, decorating the entrance and Srila Prabhupada's altar.

Jagannath's altar was already decorated beautifully with flowers and leaves.

At around 6:15, the program started with tulasi arotik, followed by Gaura Arotik. Then after much wait, the deity of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha were brought out and were welcomed with loud chantings of Hari bol!.

Then the usual process of abhisheka started, with conches blowing, and devotees reading the Brahma Sanhita verses. All in all the environment was really charged up.

Then we chanted 108 times the following mantra:

ugram veeram mahavishnum
jvalantham sarvatho mukham
narasimham bheeshanam bhadram
mrityor mrityum namamyaham

After that prabhuji announced that all the devotees dressed in Vaishnava attire can also have the most blissful opportunity of doing milk abhisheka of the deity. And by mercy of Mayapur Sashi prabhu, I learnt how to wear a dhoti a month back only. And as a result I was also dressed in vaishnava attire. It was a great experience to bath the lord.

Then the fragrant oil abhisheka of the deity started. Narasimha deva would sometime turn green sometime red and sometime yellow as if expressing different moods. The scene was really beautiful.

Finally the abhisheka ended after long 2 hours. Then bhoga was offered to Sri jagannatha Sri Baladeva and Srimati Subhadra. In the meanwhile Prabhupada's purports of SB Canto 7, Chapter 7 were read which descriped the Hiranyakashipu and Prahlad Maharaja's conversation concluding in appearance of the most magnificient and effulgent form of lord - half lion, half man.
Then the darshans opened, kirtana was ecstatic. Some one announced that it was Mayapur Style Kirtan. offering arotik to the lord. We all proceeded towards prasadam feast. It was very relishing and very hot too.

Yesterday was an eventful day when I got to see the enthusiasm and devotion of Bangalore devotees. The community is small but yet very much involved. It felt like being a part of a big family.

May this day come again and again.

Hari bol!

Depend upon whom ?

With heavy heart I accepted HIS decision. So it was sure that I would have to spend 2 months in Bangalore, a strange south Indian city. Not so strange to people though, being the Silicon Valley of India. Tried many things, pursuing our placement team and even the HR to give Gurgaon as the location of my summer internship. But, all my hardships failed.

My favorite one liner being "If you make god wanna laugh, tell him your plans" manifested in my own life. I had been wondering all these times that whenever I leave a decision on Krishna, its always that the thing i want to happen happens, How will I feel, if someday the other thing happened. And it happened. Superficially I reiterated " hari ichhaa" but deep inside I could not accept the fact, that I won't spend 2 months in the comfort of my home but rather in a forsaken city where I know no one. It was unbelievable of his cruelty.

So I landed at Bangalore's HAL Terminal, went straight to Ashish' house (a relative related to me in a complex way). The next day had to go for induction @IBM, which was a pleasant experience. Then the following week passed in confusion regarding our location in Bangalore, consequently could not decide where to shift. The weekend came and I was on the verge of crying. Nothing seemed right. Had no local number to call from. Had to pay huge auto fares. Didn't get a place to stay, didn't get a local number. It was infuriating.

The subsequent Monday was the ultimate test of my Krishna conscious patience. It took me 4-1/2 hours to reach IBM's outskirt campus. And while going back, my cousin said, he would be late and that I would have to wait for him outside his house. I was just about to get all complaining, when a very beautiful thought dawned. We have been reading all this while in Prabhupada's books that this material nature is temporary and could not be depended upon. But only if we depend on him, fully taking to his shelter then there would be no danger. So here I was in a strange land where people speak a different language. Its dark, have no place to call my own.

Who could I depend on ?

My friends ? No they were no there.

My intelligence ? It was failing me.

My family? My parents? They were not there.

Who could I depend on. Yes the answer was very crystal clear. KRISHNA, my sweet lord gopala, the thief of butter and radha's heart.

The wonderful feeling that I am in a situation created by him felt like I was sitting on his lap and that he was caressing me and making me better in every which way. Oh! Shyamsundara, how I had forgotten to depend on you, my only dear friend. My lord, how could I stop even for a second to doubt your shelter.

So all this while it was his own sweet pastime to keep me engaged in the material distress and finally conclude that nothing is better but the nectarine bhakti rasa that bestows strength, courage and bliss to face any situation. Krishna is so personal that he personally takes care of his fallen devotees( like me) to regain their faith and enthusiasm. But I, being the most fallen soul of this time, still don't get straight with my act. I remain the greedy, lusty person I am.

Today read a wonderful blog of a young guy my age who belongs to the caretaker family of Sri Radha-Ramana temple. He stated the same fact that "our bhava rises only in distress, in normal times, its lakshmi bhava". In illness we'll take time out to do our devotional practice, but in normal times, meetings and appointments, and TV shows grab a priority to the service of lord. Such is the mystic potency of maya devi. But he is the mystic lord Jagannatha. If he comes on our side, victory is ours. "param vijayate sri krsna sankirtanam"

Hare Krishna

The ULTIMATE Dance Party

mahaprabho kirtana-nrtya-gita-
vaditra-madyan-manaso rasena
romanca -kampashru-taranga-bhajo
vande guro shri-caranaravindam

We sing this verse every morning during the mangala arotik. This verse means

Chanting the holy name, dancing in ecstasy, singing, and playing musical instruments, the spiritual master is always gladdened by the sankirtana movement of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Because he is relishing the mellows of pure devotion within his mind, sometimes his hair stands on end, he feels quivering in his body, and tears flow from his eyes like waves. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.

Dancing and singing, these two activities are the central beam of Mahaprabhu’s movement. He’s made the process of self-realization so easy. All we have to do is just sing and dance to the tune of holy names of the lord Krishna – The mahamantra. Can there be something easier than that? And over that it is not difficult to dance as the mridangas, the kartalas, the shankhas and other instruments produce such transcendental vibrations that it becomes difficult to stop rocking feet from one side to another.

That day while coming down from college to back home, I was hearing “Nadiya Godhrume Nityananda Mahajana” on my i-pod. It was difficult to walk straight as this particular kirtan is really rocking. Especially if one visualizes the video clip in which hoards of vaishnava jana are following the big deities of their lordships – the Panchatatva. The whole crowd seems to be dancing in ecstasy. Then I thought where are they going dancing on the way? To the temple hall where the deities would be installed. During the installation there is even more ecstatic kirtana, more jubilations more dancing.

And the festivities would begin at Mayapur Chandrodaya Temple. And on all these festivities there would be singing and dancing. Where will this process stop ?

Seeing devotees dancing like madmen, people in general will also leave their shyness behind and dance a bit, and slowly they’ll be immersed into the ever-increasing pleasure of sankirtana movement. Dancing will lead to more dancing and singing would lead to even louder singing. Resonance Effect or Inductive Effect…whatever…?

Then one day at the end of the road of life, which was not walked by but danced by in divine love for Sri Krishna, the reservoir of pleasure the devotee would enter the ULTIMATE DANCE PARTY. After living a life as instructed by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a living entity would enter into the spiritual abode, which is the transcendental abode of Sri govinda, the giver of pleasure to cows and gopas.

That supreme place known as Goloka dham, where each word is a song and each step is a dance step. In this material world while dancing and singing we feel breathlessness and tired. But up there, nothing of this sort exists. There is eternal uninterrupted dance of emotions, eyes, limbs going on. Each and every particle of that pure place dances in love of Sri Krishna. And whats best is that He, himself dances with his eternal consort Srimati Radha Rani. He dances with all his gopis. He plays with his gopa friends, dances with them, jokes with them.

So all in all it is an unending dance party going on which will never be interrupted, never be stopped. Such is the magnanimity of Mahaprabhu, who makes us expert in our eternal function on this earth only for he knows that this is what we’ll ultimately do after reaching our original home.

All those people who are mad after dance parties, rock shows. Whose life starts with the late night parties and ends with them, I request them to take to this way of life, take to Krishna Conscious way of life. For they will attain a place where there will only be a party, a blissful gathering of expert dancers and rockers and singers – the lead performer being Sri Krishna himself.

Hare Krishna.

H.H. GopalKrishna Maharaja in Pune

On Dec 17, 2006, HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja graced the city of Pune with his srimad Bhagwatam lecture. Like every year in the month of gita marathon, maharja visits Pune ISKCON to inspire devotees to sistribute books with more enthusiasm.

He gave a lecture on SB 1.8.37, where Maharani Kunti is praying to Lord Krishna, saying that "now that we have no one else to protect us and we have enemies all around, you are leaving for dwarka" He told that all the devotees shd aspire for this kind of surrender. Even after winning the battle and having so much, Kunti devi still remain dependent on madhusudan for protection. Like this we should also not falsely think that our money, power or relatives will save us from dangers. We should be under only one protection and that is under the feet of Lord Mukunda. But at the same time we should not be lazy to remain dependent on Krishna for our daily livelihood. Like pandavas we should fight.

After this powerful lecture, Bhima Prabhu, another senior disciple of Prabhupada talked about the glory of book distribution.

Then Maharaja was presented with a gift which was a Gita Cover. Made with red clothe and beautifully embroidered it is perhaps the best thing to come up in this trancendental month.

Then maharaja sang the hare krishna mantra, which led to a a great dancing kirtan for 15-20 minutes. All the devotees danced and danced like anything.

After this all the devotees honored a sumptuous feast prasadam.

May this day come again and again.

Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj Ki jai.

Where has it all gone ?

Coming to pune, back to college. One could understand my plight. Now that I was completely out of regular social activities, I was forced to witness some and be a part of some. The whole batch is young, most of them out of their safe protective houses for the first time and many who already learnt the art of staying away from family. The newly found freedom mixed with pune's youthful life. Life @ SITM was bustling with enthusiasm and hopes. Hopes for a better....(nah!).....romantic...(nah!)....pleasurable future.

New faces, clean new slates to start with, forging new friendships, developing new crushes with same old gut wrenching feelings. Life was usual. We had many outings arranges to which i didn't wish to be a part of. Singhad Fort, Manas Resort and A night out at Fire n Ice. The pics were bubbling with fun and enjoyment. It seemed life took a pleasuarable turn for a group of 98-99 people, for they were finding the life too good to be true. Finding good friends in such a competitive course as SITM, it was a miracle. So sweet, so nice and so short sighted.

It wasn't long since the regular life started taking a toll on all the goodie goodie stuff, everyone dreams about. 90%boys were broken hearted as it came to their surprise, that 95% of the gals were engaged or commited. The crushes developed into more intense crushes, raising expectations to the next level, where most people are not able to stand. Committee work having an effect of its own, friendships becoming more and more bitter. People turning negative, jealous, indifferent and aggressive.

where has it all gone?
The FUN ?
Where has it all gone,
the FRIVOLITY
Where has it all gone,
the FRIENDSHIP
Where has it all gone,
the FREAKINESS.
Where has it gone...?

Then came the final hour of test. Examining our understanding (They people think they can really do that...!) Spending hours trying to finish the course and then to mug it all up. People shifting their base camps to people where they got a more conducive environment. People stayed with newer groups so as to avoid bitterness with old friends.

Then we went to MRA....agin the spirit of enjoyment surged like a phoenix rises from its ashes. But this was short term, almost 4 days and 3 nights long. It was a fad, practical manifestation of a recently learnt concept in marketing. Fad - short term fashion.. The relations got strained, friends got more professional, more distant, more diplomatic, more intolerable. And life continues at SITM.

So much so for the background. The sum total of all this has been succintly stated by Sri Krishna in Bhagwad Gita as " dukhalayam, asaswatam".........That this world is ,first, full of miseries and second, temporary. So no no matter how much we try, and how much we endeavor for happiness, we'll only get is more misery, hopelessness and suffering. For there is no such thing as happiness in this world. Its an illusion, that people run after. And even if someone is happy, very soon his illusionary happiness would leave him. Who can describe a creation better than the creator. And if Krishna is calling it that, it has to be that.

The only real happiness is in.....guess what.....surrendering to this very same person, lord Mukunda, the Vrajendranandana, the Radha kanta. For he is the most magnanimous, merciful and big hearted. He is welcoming all of us to his opulent house to enjoy with him. So LET'S GO, Lets go back to GODHEAD.

Rare Opportunity

Its been almost 1 year since I started associating with ISKCON. It was these very days since I had been initiated into the most sublime method to purify oneself and live a perfect life by constant chanting of the holy names of the lord.

I remembered the winter mornings when I was in middle school and got ready for the school. My mother used to play a very nice cassette. It had a hymn as follows:

Sri Krsna Chaitanya Prabhu Nityananda
Sri Advaita Gadadhara, Srivasa Adi Gaura Bhakta Vrinda

Taking it to be a hymn in praise of Lord Visnu, I memorized it and over the years forgot it. Then when I entered ISKCON Delhi for the first time, the sound of kirtan hit me like shock waves. I was disoriented for a few seconds. I have a very hazy picture of what I could see around, the sound was so blaring loud. I felt as if something awakened inside me. The kirtan was so ecstatic and nice, that I could feel my hair standing and I nearly cried. Though now that I know the importance of these mptoms, they are totally absent.

So here I heard the hymn again and gradually got to know its real meaning. Some devotees say that I had already connected to the movement of Sri Chaitanya in childhood, it was just a matter of time to actually physically associate. Mahaprabhu had already showered his mercy.

I downloaded gaura arotik, heard it over and over and memorized it too. I loved all the kirtans and arotiks so much that it was a matter of time, I learnt all of them.

Deep inside I had this urge to sing the glories of my beautiful lord. When I closed my eyes and sang, I used to imagine a group of people sitting and listening to what I was singing and the kirtan would be so potent that people would not be able to stop themselves from going into the sweet trance of love for govinda.

Got to know that no matter how well you sing or how many orchestras u take, if it doesn’t pleases Krishna it won’t please any devotee. So our service is to attract Krishna, not the crowd by our singing.

Then in Pune, the fortunate day: 25^th of November came, I visited temple. Gaura Arotik went nicely. We all danced. Then what happened next was so exhilarating, that I could not stop and take a toll of what was going on in my head. I was asked to sing Narsimha Pranaam. Yes, Narsimha Arotik, that too alone. I took the service and started singing. I felt good about thinking the wonderful opportunity I got to sing for my thakurji. So its true, that only a devotee can show true mercy to a beginner, and I sincerely thank that prabhuji to give me that rare opportunity.

I hope I will get such chances again and next time, I will concentrate more on pleasing HIM rather than myself.

Beginning @ Pune

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Blessed by Sri Krsna, I am in the city of Pune...perhaps the eastern oxford in contemporary times.
Devotees say, its a rare opportunity to associate with ISKCON, Pune. Spearheaded by H.G. RadheShyam Prabhu, the youth preaching movement of ISKCON has inundated Pune with the sweetness of Krishna Consciousness.
I remember the last day at Radha Parthasarthi Temple in delhi, when Mayapur Shashi prabhu advised me to take full advantage of my stay at Pune.

With mixed emotions I arrived at Pune. Having known that my room mates booze as well as eat non-veg added to my fears. First few weeks were pretty hectic, with all the assignments, classes and informal sessions. After 15-20 days or so I called up one Prabhu, whose number I had taken from NandGopal Jivan prabhu. Taking directions from him, I went to temple in the evening.

Pune's temple is built on a big land and is not as opulent as the ones in Vrindavan and Delhi. Met Vipul prabhu near the shoe-stand. Introduced myself and requested him to show me around the temple and intoduce me to some one. Its stated in Bhagwatam that only devotees can help fallen souls take to the Krsna Consciousness. By their mere association, people in general learn the process of bhakti yoga. So here I was at his discretion.

He showed me around, the main temple hall, with the beautiful deities of Sri Sri Radha Kunjabihari & Sri Sri Gaur Nitai. We also moved around the prasadam hall, brahmchari ashram, bace, library, balaji's altar. And then he introduced me to Jai Nitai Prabhu.

Attended the Gaura Arotik, danced to my heart's content. Then attended the bhaktivriksa under the supervision of Jai Nitai Prabhu and Sri Kesava Prabhu.
There's a lot more to be told......

Prelude to Pune

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada

I still remember the day when I was on my way to Pune Airport to catch a flight to Delhi. I had come to appear for GD & PI process for SITM. I was thinking about what made me come all the way to Pune all alone for the process and whats makin me think that i'll be shifting to Pune in case I get through. I was a bit afraid and felt uncomfortable.
Then I thought, that there's a hand behind all this. I've done my work, now its upto Krishna to decide my fate. If he wants me here in Pune, he'll make arrangements and if he doesn't, probably i will stay in Delhi.It was February.

Three and a half months later I found myself at the Syamsundara altar in Vrindavan, ferverently praying to not to let me fall down and forget him. Rather he should keep me calling back to have the darshan of his trancendental beauty.

I asked him to take care of me, while I would for the first time in my life step out of the (false) sense of security that my home provides. I was scared.

3 days later I boarded down at Pune Station, experiencing a sense of wonder, excitement and fear. It was a pleasant day as it had rained the whole morning. I was in Pune to explore the new realities, to expand my horizon, to test my faith and to test my strengths. I was at the mercy of Lord Sri Krishna's lotus feet. Relying upon him for shelter and protection.

Dancing

Hare Krishna,

People say we devotees dont enjoy life. Who says so?

Most of the parties, the so called night long parties generally end at 4 A.M. From where they end we begin. For dancing to the ecstatic singing of mahamantra at Mangala Arati is not a new thing. Does any party starts in the morning before even sunrise. Our does, and that too everyday.

The bliss that devotees feel when singing and dancing in the temple for the entertainment of their lordships Sri Sri Radha Parthasarthi is inexplicable and can only be experienced personally.

The revelation happened when I inititally started visiting ISKCON. The loud kirtan hit me like a shock wave. I felt a change in my consciousness. My vision was blurred and could partially see the divine couple of Radha Rani and Parthasarthi. Standing there with folded hands I felt too shy to even look around and enjoy the dancing. People in general were enjoying themselves. Guys my age were involved with the saffron clad devotees in a friendly dance competition. This was new to me, but still I was never alien to this singing and dancing thing unlike many.

I generally preferred to stand close to the altar, thinking of myself as a high level devotee who would personally want to enjoy the transcendental beauty of the lord's form. From there I could hear the fastening mridanga beats and the excited shoutings of hari nam by devotees. I felt in love with the idea that Krishna, our very own syamsundara is makin people dance like mad men. Oh! I ached to join the bandwagon but couldn't because of my inhibitions.

Srila Prabhupada says all that Hare Krishna's devotees have to do is Sing, Dance and Feast. Where's the difficult part ?
Its so natural that one's hands go up in surrender and the feet start rocking at the perception of harinam. I personally feel it to be a blessing by God. For the mridanga and kartalas create such a charged up atmosphere that it becomes difficult to not to dance. The natural tendency, our Krishna consciousness revives when we dance at the harinama sankrtana.

Ever seen the vaishnavas in perfect vaishnava attire of a dhoti kurta, kanthi and tilak dancing in ecstacy of love for supreme personality of godhead: KRSNA. Just try it. I promise you wont be able to restrain yourself from dancing.