I just came back home after an ecstatic evening. This weekend was just so incredibly Krishna Conscious. I didn't go for the event on Thursday, but I went yesterday and today.
Yesterday, HH Bhakti Brnga Govinda Maharaj sang such a beautiful kirtan. But my mind is foolish. I was so not into it. I was looking around me and everyone was just taken in by the kirtan. Why not me? There was a picture of Radha Madhav in front of me, so I stared at it for a while, and I pleaded with Radha to let me taste the bliss and ecstasy that everyone was tasting. A few minutes later, I found myself lost in the kirtan. So quickly Radha bestowed mercy! I was just absorbed in it for a few minutes, clapping and singing, literally relishing the Holy Name dancing on my tongue. Haribol!
HH Vidyapurna Das gave a little lecture then. He defined self-realization and consciousness. He said that in order to become Krishna Conscious, we must first become conscious. In order to drive for Krishna, we must first learn to drive. So the activity remains, but the consciousness changes. And that's when we become self-realized. HH Bhakti Brnga Govinda Maharaj read out some beautiful verses about the Holy Name. I have fallen absolutely in love with it ever since I heard it:
May Krsna's holy name, which is
(1) A reservoir of all transcendental happiness,
(2) The destruction of Kali-yuga's sins,
(3) The most purifying of all purifying things,
(4) The saintly person's food (or lunch) as he traverses the path to the
spiritual world,
(5) The pleasure-garden where the voices of the greatest saints, philosophers,
and poets play,
(6) The life of the righteous, and
(7) The seed of the tree of religion, bring transcendental auspiciousness to
you all.
- Author unknown
After that, HG Madhava Prabhu held a kirtan. By then, I was exhausted. My legs were hurting from having sat on the floor for way too long. I was not enjoying the kirtan at all. I was rather tired and wanted to go out and get some fresh air. However, devotees around me begged to differ. There were these 2 gorgeous, exotic looking girls sitting in front of me. They looked Iranian. They were participating in the kirtan was so much ecstasy! They were even crying with love. One of those girls looked so happy to be in the kirtan. Again and again she would scream, "Gouranga! Haribol! Gaura Nitai!" Tears filled her eyes and she seemed so taken in. God, what a wonderful blessing sankirtan is. I just felt sad that I was too exhausted and uncomfortable. Soon, the entire hall began to dance in praise of Krishna. It was just amazing to watch all of them dance.
Today, the event was held at Dubai Dolphinarium at Creek Park. WHAT A DAY! First there was a dolphin show and we also saw seals perform. HH BB Govinda Maharaja performed a kirtan first. Then Madhava Prabhu performed. Before Madhava Prabhu began his kirtan, I was asking Krishna for some sort of miracle, some sort of sign that He was happy and accepting of our chanting. So I made a deal with Him. I would have to concentrate on the kirtan and participate in it. So when Madhava Prabhu began his kirtan, I tried to concentrate as much as I could. Soon, tears started to fill my eyes. I felt so delirious. I didn't know what to do, I didn't know what was happening. I was lost and I was in love. I changed my mind about the signs I was asking Krishna for. This was enough. I didn't need anything more. These tears in my eyes, this feeling in my heart... it was a miracle alright. Everyone was dancing all around me. It was a huge stadium and there were so many people. Everyone was dancing in love and ecstasy. That was another miracle. Oh Krishna, I don't want this to ever end. Sometimes I don't want to feel ecstasy just so I can see everyone feeling it, so I can see the joy in their eyes and the love on their faces. It's just such a wonderful sight!
God has given us this wonderful gift of His Holy Names. Take advantage. Take full advantage.
Listen to the names and let yourself get lost in the holy sound.
May Krishna's holy name bring transcendental auspiciousness to you all.
hi!!!
ReplyDeleteAm so glad you put up this post, have been expecting it after your previous post! :)
//God has given us this wonderful gift of His Holy Names. Take advantage. Take full advantage.//
Yes, i recently read something on a tamil blog that i wanna share here.
We usually chant "Om Namo Narayana"
in tamil, this is like 8 letters (i guess in Hindi also), and given Hare Krishna comes to 16 words, u can always draw a parallel.
Anyways, the verse from the Prabandham was about the goods of chanting.
While i will get into the phenomenal meaning of the verse later, i REALLY liked the author's comment:
"The Holy Name is like our mother. We may be vexed with our mother, or she may be with us, so much so that we may be happy when she ie "ama" finally leaves the room, but even our relief we express by her name "Ammadi!" (an exclamation in Tamil which translates as "dear mother"). The same way, even in His percieved absence, His Name gives us respite"
Speaking of His names, Aandal asks her friends to:
"Naamam palavum navindrelorempaavay"
"Sing His praises, Sing His different names!"
(Why different names? Because each name praises Him in a different way :)
"...Hari endra peraravam
Ullam pugurndhu kulirndhelor empaavay!"
(Let the roaring, deafening sound of Hari's name enter our hearts, and leave us cool and exhilirated)
Wow, that was really nice!! I love that there are so many names of Krishna. You're so right, each name is a different praise, a different attribute of Him. Simply by His name we understand His different qualities! How easy has Krishna made all of this for us?! Yet He is unconceivable. He can only be understood by unalloyed devotional service.
ReplyDeleteLet the roaring, deafening sound of Hari’s name enter our hearts, and leave us cool and exhilirated
Omg, that verse is just so intense. I'm not going to forget it for a long long time! Such a beautiful way to describe Hari's name!
When we feel distant from Krishna, the only thing we can do in this supposed "absence" is chant His name. For the Good Lord has promised us that He is in His name. When we chant, He is really there. In this age of Kaliyuga, the Lord's incarnation is His Holy Name. Simply by His beautiful name, we can connect with Him directly.
harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha
"In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari."
Adi 17.22