Dear Friends, Family and exhalted Devotees!
Please accept my humble obesiances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada,
Guru, Gauranga, and all the Vaisnavas!
This is the last email I'll be sending from my 5 month stay here in
Chowpatty Mumbai.
I'll be leaving tomorrow morning with about 2,000 other devotees on
South India Yatra with H.H. Radhanath Maharaja.
I can definately say that this has been the most transformational
experience of my life.
I came here with high ambitions to accomplish many things, and as
Krsna is all-knowing He has fulfilled all my desires by thwarting all
my plans and giving me His causeless mercy, leaving no other options
but to fully surrender to the instructions of my Gurudeva and the
Vaisnavas.
Independance means to suffer anxiety and distraction, ever having to
face that deep down feeling that there's something I still have to do,
something I'm forgetting, something that's missing.
When I am caught up in my own schemes on how to be happy in this
world, I'm perpetually miserable. But here I have been given the
greatest gift: Freedom. Freedom to surrender my heart in loving
service to my Spiritual Master. Being under his watchful gaze,
receiving his affection and chastisement, getting ever pushed to do
more, go further, more intensely. This is real peace of mind, to know
I'm not just a stray dog, but that I have a loving master, who is
always protecting me.
During my stay I initially enrolled in the Bhaktivedanta Academy for
Culture and Education, which held classes every weekend. They gave
wonderful classes on comparitive religion, Nectar of Devotion,
Overcoming Anger, etc.
I was given the mandate by Govinda Prabhu to fast from
computer-related service, which I sincerely adhered to.
But after a few weeks, due to festivals etc. the BACE schedule was interrupted.
Radhanatha Maharaja was to arrive soon, and the Govinda's restaurant
was supposed by be ready to open by Radhasthami. They needed to design
the menu, and as I had spoken to Gauranga Prabhu in the USA about
doing it, he engaged me in that service as the ultimate managing
authority here at that time.
After a month of no computer service I was blissful to get back into
my element. After finishing the Menus and overseeing their printing
and binding etc. I was asked to design the front awning and signboard
for the restaurant, as well as provide artwork to temporarily decorate
the walls inside.
This service has kept me busy the duration of my stay. After designing
everything, I have had to oversee its production from start to finish,
managing workers and materials, schedules and budgets, all the while
learning how to give up procrastination and inattentiveness to details
in my service.
During this time I also took up assisting Yadubara Prabhu and the
devotees at ISKCON Cinema with some of their projects.
I've just barely finished them all today, and now I have to run to
pack for my trip.
I don't know if I've done what I've been supposed to, but I have had
to face many internal struggles and attachments which I never would
have thought I even had, let alone needed to face.
But Krsna has His plans, and knows exactly what we each need to
experience in order for us to come closer to Him.
During my services I've had much interaction with Radhanath Maharaja,
having to approve all my plans by him, and get his guidance and
direction. But Maharaja doesn't just stop there, he has been teaching
me how to treat other devotees, how to be responsible, how to have
integrity, and how to be sincere.
I can only thank the devotees who have encouraged me and tolerated my
foolishness. I've only been given the assosciation of Radhanath
Maharaja and the chance to stay here in Chowpatty due to my connection
to all of you who are so dear to the devotees.
Please forgive me for writing too much and saying too little, but I'm
afraid I have to summarize this summary by saying that if there's
anything I've learned here it's that to take the assosciation and
guidance of the devotees is the only way to find shelter and hapiness
in this world. It's only by their mercy that you get the mercy of
Guru, who gives the mercy of the entire Parampara, showering the
Nectar of devotional service to the Divine Couple, Sri Sri Radha
Gopinatha.
Wishing you all the best,
I beg to remain,
your humble beggar,
Radha Madhava dasa
PS: Here is a link to photos of the opening of the Govinda's Signboard
by Radhanath Maharaja.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/radhamadhava/
--
"This is love. And if God accepts your offerings, then what more do
you want? He becomes your most intimate friend. If you make God your
intimate friend, then there is nothing wanted. You'll be fulfilled.
You'll find that "I have got everything." And if we become convinced
that Krsna is my protector, then how much happy and peaceful we will
be. Offer something. Just be in love with Him. Then just see how much
peaceful you feel. How much tranquility you feel and how you are
protected by Krsna, how you avoid insufficiency, how you become pure,
and how you make progress in spiritual life." - Srila Prabhupada
