My visit to Mumbai had several purposes: first of all I was invited to conduct the course "Women in Spiritual Culture" at the newly opened temple in Mira Road, near Bhaktivedanta Hospital. Furthermore, I wanted to do a general health check-up at the hospital - something which I had not done for two years. And last but not least Vaisnavaseva Prabhu who is arranging the Desiretree website had requested to shoot several 10-minute youtube videos with me on various topics, in order to put them on his website.
I was accomodated in the Guest House of the temple - the newly inaugurated palace of Sri Sri Radha Giridhari, Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra, and Sri Sri Gaur Nitai. Every morning I could come to Mangal Artik and chant japa in the spacious temple room, together with the other ladies. And the devotees took nicely care of me and my specific dietary needs.
I remembered visiting here almost nine years ago, before this new temple was built - when the beautiful Deities were in a simple and humble dwelling. At that time I spent 5 weeks in the nearby Bhaktivedanta Hospital, and Vaisnavaseva Prabhu had performed a cancer surgery on my body with his wife doing the anesthesia. They had both taken care of me very nicely, and sometimes I had gone to the old temple to take darshan of the Deities. I remembered how I had attended the program here for Nrsimha Caturdasi, just a week after my surgery. I had come in a punjabi suit, with a chadar covering a plastic bag in my hand containing three bottles collecting the lymphatic fluids coming through six pipes from my chest. I had called it my bag of "liquid beauty"....! And I had to walk around with this bag for two weeks. The temple president knew that I had had a cancer surgery, and he invited me to bathe Lord Nrsimhadev in the abhishek! I was shocked about such proposal, and I burst out in surprise, pointing at my outfit: "Prabhu, I am not dressed for the occasion!" And he simply smiled, saying: "That's OK - don't worry about it...!" So I was bathing Lord Nrsimhadev, with my bag of liquid beauty in my left hand.....! I was truly impressed about such liberal and personal approach, allowing me to get Lord Nrsimhadev's mercy even though not being able to follow the proper standard. True personalism, knowing well in what mood to apply rules and regulations! I recall going back to my room in the hospital - exhausted, but feeling a deep satisfaction and joy within my heart.....
Now, after almost nine years I had Their Lordship's darshan again......
In those days I was doubtful whether I would still be in this body after so many years....
We conducted our course for the ladies over the weekend, with a morning and afternoon session on Saturday and Sunday, and a final session on Monday evening. A nice group of wonderful ladies of all different ages assembled, and we had a sweet time together, churning deeper topics of what it means to be driving a "female vehicle". Once again I realized how important it is for the ladies to receive this training - especially here in India. The young generation is confused - drawn to the world views of materialistic culture, which propagates equality of men and women, independance, and material success being the goal of life, such as professional career, money and prestige within society. But spiritual culture still being mixed into their blood, they know deep within their hearts that these are not the values they had received from their mothers and grandmothers.
The course gave reassurance to many ladies, who intuitively could sense that material success was not really what they were meant to strive for. They could sense it would not bring true happiness and satisfaction to their hearts. Some had even already experienced a divorce. And in this course they found so much confirmation to these intuitions, and solid knowledge of the reasons behind them. It was rather easy for them to once again accept Krsna's system.
The course gave reassurance to many ladies, who intuitively could sense that material success was not really what they were meant to strive for. They could sense it would not bring true happiness and satisfaction to their hearts. Some had even already experienced a divorce. And in this course they found so much confirmation to these intuitions, and solid knowledge of the reasons behind them. It was rather easy for them to once again accept Krsna's system.
It was nice to visit Bhaktivedanta Hospital once again. The experience of having been diagnosed with cancer had become very dear to me - indeed one of the most valuable experiences of my life! Standing a little closer to the edge had given me so many deep realizations which had transformed my spiritual practice and enriched my preaching. And sweet memories returned when visiting now for a health check-up. I met a few doctors and nurses who had taken care of me nine years ago, and we shared memories of those days. A few ladies from the spiritual care department reminded me of the farewell party which I had arranged in my room, surprising everybody with vanilla ice cream and fresh mangoes! They were still remembering the tasty combination, which had been something new to them.
The results of my health check-up went well in all regards - my vehicle was once again approved for the next two years.
The results of my health check-up went well in all regards - my vehicle was once again approved for the next two years.
I spent a couple of days filming youtube videos for the desiretree site, which I also posted on the websites theholynameretreat.net and therootsofspiritualculture.net.
The strongest urgency I feel for the following two messages "Are Men and Women Equal?"
The strongest urgency I feel for the following two messages "Are Men and Women Equal?"
and "Why so much tension over the Topic of Culture?"
These two topics seem to bring about a lot of confusion and even conflicts.
One evening I visited Vaisnavaseva Prabhu and his good wife in their home. It was nice to catch up again.
On the 10th of December I flew on to Calcutta to give the same course to the ladies of their community. I had visited here once before, exactly a year ago. This time a bigger group of young girls had assembled to join the course. The time was a little short, so we did not manage to cover all the topics. Nevertheless, it was once again so well received, with the young ladies sharing heart moving realizations.
On the 14th of December I traveled out to Mayapur, together with my two assistants Anna and Damodara-priya matajis, who had arrived meanwhile in Kolkata.....
Your servant, Devaki dd
One evening I visited Vaisnavaseva Prabhu and his good wife in their home. It was nice to catch up again.
On the 10th of December I flew on to Calcutta to give the same course to the ladies of their community. I had visited here once before, exactly a year ago. This time a bigger group of young girls had assembled to join the course. The time was a little short, so we did not manage to cover all the topics. Nevertheless, it was once again so well received, with the young ladies sharing heart moving realizations.
On the 14th of December I traveled out to Mayapur, together with my two assistants Anna and Damodara-priya matajis, who had arrived meanwhile in Kolkata.....
Your servant, Devaki dd
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