Once again, I had the chance to see Ekalavya Dasa Prabhu. Today at Bhakti Vriksh, we were having Govardhan celebrations. We had kirtans for around 2 hours! It was crazy! So much energy, so much fun. Everyone was just absorbed in the kirtans.
Ekalavya Prabhu so sweetly mentioned that he feels very sad when Kartik month ends. He said we were going to have a Damodar Aarti.
"Those of you who thought that Kartik month is over, I'm sorry. It's extended now!" he said.
He mentioned that the first time he heard that Kartik month was over, he cried because he was so sad. Such purity! During the aarti, while offering the diyas, he was just smiling and gazing at Krishna with so much love. No one who would see Ekalavya Prabhu smiling the way he was during the aarti would ever doubt and question his love. It was just so pure and it shone right through. At one point, Ekalavya Prabhu was blowing his trumpet during the kirtan, and his eyes were fixed on the alter of Krishna in front of him. At that second, I swear, I realized his focus. We always hear that we should do everything for Krishna, we should always act for Krishna, engage our senses in the service of Krishna... and the likes. But when I saw Ekalavya Prabhu holding his trumpet, his gaze fixed on Krishna, I felt in my heart and realized so completely with all that I am made of, that he was blowing his trumpet for Krishna. He was doing this JUST for Krishna. It felt amazing to realize that and to see it. Ekalavya Prabhu is so evidently in love with Krishna. And he definitely loves the devotees. I kind of understand now why they call gurus 'spiritual fathers'. He kept looking at the mridanga player, encouraging him to play, with this look of love in his eyes. He looked at all of us, making eye contact with each one, encouraging us to sing and dance. The way he was encouraging us was in typical fatherly fashion. He was just overflowing with Krishna's love, distributing it as freely as the Lord does.
Everyone was raising their hands at some point in the kirtan, but I wasn't. I feel kind of shy, plus I was filming Ekalavya Prabhu so I didn't raise my hands.
"Raise my arms, Krishna," I said. I shouldn't have challenged Krishna like that, really. Several minutes later, Ekalavya Prabhu stood up and everyone followed suit. An ecstatic dance followed, with everyone jumping and screaming out the Holy Names, enjoying to the fullest. I had to raise my arms to film properly. I shouldn't have challenged Krishna. At the end of the kirtan, while we were all still standing, the time came for everyone to raise their arms. And I didn't hold back this time. I owed that much at least.
I just love it when devotees raise their arms in praise! The kirtans were amazing. Ekalavya Prabhu is just SO good with music! I was wishing and wishing that he would record and release his songs. To my surprise, they were selling some of his audio CDs at the end of the program. I'm listening to it right now and it's just FANTASTIC! Great great songs and Ekalavya Prabhu's voice is just mesmerizing! He has such a unique style, especially with his trumpet! Just lovely :) I felt like I was being annoying because I had to ask 2 times for an autograph. Embarrassing, lol. But when he handed it over to me, I said thanks to him, and he looked at me and joined his hands and smiled.
In one of the pictures framed on the wall, Krishna was gazing at Radha. While looking at it, I found myself begging Krishna to gaze upon me lovingly. Oh Krishna, call us back Home! When I saw Ekalavya Prabhu singing 'Jaya Radhe Jaya Krishna', he looked like he was in Vaikuntha. I kid you not, I think that's where he really is! He just looked so happy and peaceful all the while. How can anyone be this happy? He had taken us there too. It really felt like Vrindavan. Krishna is where the devotees are. And wherever there is Krishna and His devotees, that place turns into Vrindavan. At that moment, in the presence of all the devotees, Krishna really was there. I know because I saw the happiness on everyone's face. Just plain happiness. The kind that everyone's looking for. The kind that those who have renewed their eternal relationship with God have found.
Haribol
WOWWW!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteDrainpiper, the comment is late, but i can't tell you how much this post affected me the morning i read it.
You talked about feeling like Vaikunta during the kirtan, well, i had a remote experience.
It left me revelling sooo much at Him, and rekindled something in my heart i had been thinking i lost- the ability to express total surrender.
i had lost the ability to think about Him every next second, and something about reading your post put me on track!
ooh, and thanks!!!
ReplyDeleteTnx 4 posting something so phenomenal- perhaps your best so far :))
Aww, that's very pleasing to hear :)
ReplyDeleteYou really should listen to Jaya Radha Jaya Krishna if you haven't already. Goodness, I just know 2 lines from the song, but it brings tears to my eyes when I sing it. It really really takes me to Vrindavan. It's so beautiful. Those 2 lines itself are so wonderful. I could literally just sing it all day long and not get tired of it!
Thanks, you're too kind :)
ReplyDeletebtw, i WILL be in Vrindavan, if only i work hard at something i ought to do.
ReplyDeleteParthaSarathy, guide me!!!
*Sigh* I know what you mean! The bliss tastes so sweet but maya is so strong :(
ReplyDeleteLord, hold the reins of our unsteady minds and steer us Home!
Drainpiper, you got a sweeter, better meaning of what i said. :) :)
ReplyDeleteIt fits, perfectly :), but what i meant REALLY was there's two months between me and Vrindavan- and loads of hardwork.
And, only Parthasarathy can guide me Home!!
Oh! Lol! I took it figuratively! Wow, how fortunate! Don't forget to put up pictures and your entire experience, please :)
ReplyDeleteJust keep your mind fixed on Krishna. Work hard for Him. He will do the rest ;)
//Just keep your mind fixed on Krishna. Work hard for Him. He will do the rest //
ReplyDeleteDrainpiper, is that you, or Krishna from within you?
Amazing!!
i can't believe you said that!!!
Hehe, mind if I ask why it's so surprising? :)
ReplyDeleteI believe in that firmly. I have found that it's my secret to success and happiness: to work for Krishna. When I offer my activities and my efforts to Him, surrendering the results to Him, letting Him give me the consequences He sees fit, and I give it my best shot, He always rewards me. He gives me a sign, or He gives me success, or He gives me the ability to be steady through the failure. So I really believe that one should work to please God. And like a lot of Christians say, we live for the glory of God. Krishna should be our focus and the reason for all our endeavors. After all, He is the ultimate enjoyer :) Everything belongs to Him anyway... He has so mercifully let us borrow His things for some time as Srila Prabhupada says :)
And I will surely keep you in my prayers :)
Drainpiper, Thanks for everything!
ReplyDeleteActually, what i meant was you had said that even before i typed my next comment, and this seemed such an apt answer for that comment! It was like, i submit my comment, and scroll down, and then i see this! That's what was so surprising!!
Ah I thought as much.. I said that because you mentioned that you had a lot of hard work to do before going to Vrindavan. I was thinking along the lines of you having to complete some work before being able to go there. I said it rather generally but yea it actually turned out to be pretty relevant lol!
ReplyDelete