On the 31st of July I travelled by train from Simhachalam to Bad Oeyenhausen in Germany - around a 7 hour's journey from the South Eastern to the North Western part of the country. A Russian grihastha couple had purchased a hotel - outside of the city, on a hill and surrounded by forest. They have transformed it into a temple, and at the same time they also run it as a hotel business. It offers a great facility for programs and retreats and has become Chaitanya Chandra Charan Prabhu's base in Germany for the Russian preaching. He is a prominent diksa guru in Russia and Ukraine and also has Russian disciples in Germany and other parts of Europe.
I only now discovered this wonderful little community, and the devotees invited me for the celebration of Balarama's appearance day and the 2-year's anniversary of the Brahmotsava of their beautiful little marble Gaur Nitai Deities.
For the festival days, I always like to roll up my sleeves and go to nature to collect flowers and greenery to make nice vases for the altar. And I also coordinated the decoration of the temple room. Devotees were happy to be part of it, and we managed to arrange beautiful flower-decorations which created a festive atmosphere and were inspiring to all. Now the standard was set for future events....!
Around 35 devotees participated in both events on Sunday and Monday - a nice crowd considering that the Corona restrictions are still going on in Germany! And the mood was very joyful, sweet and eager. It is a very young community, and most devotees have recently embarked on their devotional journey. In the following days I further offered several classes and also a matajis' sanga, which was well attended and received. And Saturday morning I participated in the harinam in the nearby city.
The month of August is marked with many important Vaishnava festivals, which Bhaktivenoda Thakura describes as the mother of devotion. When observed with absorption and endeavor in great determination, such events immensely draw bhakti from our hearts - we actually do something practical in devotion to make pleasing arrangements for the Lord and His devotees. Such events give the opportunity to practically apply our philosophy of understanding the Lord to be the supreme enjoyer. And we receive the direct experience of tasting so much joy and deep satisfaction, when we selflessly engage in His service.
Around 35 devotees participated in both events on Sunday and Monday - a nice crowd considering that the Corona restrictions are still going on in Germany! And the mood was very joyful, sweet and eager. It is a very young community, and most devotees have recently embarked on their devotional journey. In the following days I further offered several classes and also a matajis' sanga, which was well attended and received. And Saturday morning I participated in the harinam in the nearby city.
The month of August is marked with many important Vaishnava festivals, which Bhaktivenoda Thakura describes as the mother of devotion. When observed with absorption and endeavor in great determination, such events immensely draw bhakti from our hearts - we actually do something practical in devotion to make pleasing arrangements for the Lord and His devotees. Such events give the opportunity to practically apply our philosophy of understanding the Lord to be the supreme enjoyer. And we receive the direct experience of tasting so much joy and deep satisfaction, when we selflessly engage in His service.
It is not a coincidence that the festive events come in this particular order. It begins with Jhulan yatra, where we swing Radha Krishna. On the last evening before leaving Simhachalam, we had a very nice get-together in the garden. A swing decorated with flowers was hanging down from a branch of a huge tree, and devotees came together to swing their Lordships. There were sweet kirtans, and in between there was spontaneous katha in a joking mood of vraja.
Jhulan yatra prepares our heart in service and devotion to receive Lord Balarama Who is the personification of the service mood to Krishna. Srila Prabhupada describes in the purport to the SB.10.2.8, how the first six children of Mother Devaki who were killed by Kamsa represent the six demoniac qualities of lust, anger, greed, illusion, madness and envy. Symbolically, mother Devaki's constant fear of Kamsa was purifying her from the last traces of these unwanted qualities. Thus, a devotee should always be alert in fear of the contaminating effects of being in the material world, which gradually diminishes our material association. In this way, all the asuras of material association will be killed within our hearts, and we become naturally uninterested in material enjoyment.
Jhulan yatra prepares our heart in service and devotion to receive Lord Balarama Who is the personification of the service mood to Krishna. Srila Prabhupada describes in the purport to the SB.10.2.8, how the first six children of Mother Devaki who were killed by Kamsa represent the six demoniac qualities of lust, anger, greed, illusion, madness and envy. Symbolically, mother Devaki's constant fear of Kamsa was purifying her from the last traces of these unwanted qualities. Thus, a devotee should always be alert in fear of the contaminating effects of being in the material world, which gradually diminishes our material association. In this way, all the asuras of material association will be killed within our hearts, and we become naturally uninterested in material enjoyment.
Only then could Lord Balarama appear in Mother Devaki's womb to demonstrate the undivided service mood towards His younger brother Krishna. And finally, this creates the suitable situation of pure devotional service for Krishna to appear. Only bhakti can bring one in contact with Krishna. He appeared from Mother Devaki's womb, and therefore she symbolically represents bhakti, and Kamsa symbolically represents material fear. When a pure devotee always fears material association, his real position of bhakti is manifested and his natural Krishna consciousness is awakened. Then Krishna appears within our hearts and minds. This is the explanation given by Srila Visvanath Chakravati Thakura, as Srila Prabhupada explains.
On the 6th of August I took a train to Copenhagen/Denmark....
Your servant, Devaki dd
On the 6th of August I took a train to Copenhagen/Denmark....
Your servant, Devaki dd
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