Gaura Purnima 2008

Happy Gaura Purnima

2008

Advaita Saptami 2008

I had a good experience today. After so many months of being unable to visit the temple, I finally went today for the occasion of Advaita Saptami. This occasion is always exciting, because it means that Nityananda's and then Mahaprabhu's advent days are coming up. :-)

Thankfully, and unlike as usual, I turned up in time for the Rajbhog arati so I was able to have a good darshan of the deities. Today the deities were dressed up beautifully, apparently in Rajasthani style. I found myself wishing that I had brought my camera, but never fear, take a look at this beautiful picture from the temple's Flickr site:

What I liked most about it was the fact that Krishna's hair could be seen. Usually Krishna's hair is covered because of the ornate headdresses or flower garlands, but today it could be seen and I always love it when His hair is showing.

While I was enjoying the darshan, it seemed that nobody was there to pass the arati flame etc. through the crowd - almost unbelievable. I sprang into action and took care of it myself; first taking the 'first' arati and then the second, then the "water spray" thing (what is that called?) and then the prasadi-flowers through the crowd.

Such great mercy! I never imagined that I could be allowed to this, after so many months of not coming to the temple. What can I say? I was so grateful for the experience.

Pancha-tattva pic

This is a photo of a picture of Sri Pancha-tattva which is present in the bhajan-kutir of Sri Pran Krishna das Babaji Maharaj. It shows Sriman Mahaprabhu in His sannyasa-lila dancing in ecstasy with His associates for the Jagannath-Baladeva-Subhadra deities of Puri. Surprisingly, Sri Srivas Thakur (playing mrdanga) is depicted with long hair.

I like this picture, if only I could go to India and get pictures as beautiful as this.

Vaishnava relations

This is a photo of Pran Krishna das Babaji of Radhakunda (far right) with Govinda Gopal Gosvami on his lap. The little girl is Alankrita Gosvamini. They are the children of Prabhupada Prem Gopal Gosvami, a 14th-generation descendant of Sripada Nityananda Prabhu. I like this photo, it's nice to see the relation between the Vaishnavas of Radhakunda and Navadvipa. I have been told by a disciple of Pran Krishna das Baba that he has a special love for the members of this Gosvami family because he himself is diksita of Prabhupada Yadu Gopal Gosvami (grandfather of Prem Prabhu, 12-generation descendant of Nityananda Prabhu).

Govinda Gopal is now growing into a very handsome boy as this photo shows:


He is being garlanded by a female disciple of Sri Madan Gopal Gosvami (Govinda Gopal's grandfather, 13-generation descendant of Nityananda Prabhu) on some occasion. Alankrita is there on the right.