Diary on 15-02-2009
HH Jayapataka Swami gives lecture at Srinathji Dham -Mumbai.
As usual every Sunday we have some special program for HH Jayapataka Swami
Gurumaharaja, as it is the only day free for him to go out of the hospital
and have minimum number of therapies.
This Sunday was decided to attend the invitation of the devotees from ISKCON
Juhu and ISKCON Surat who are organizing a picnic for the devotees
especially the ISKCON Youth forum from Juhu and the Bhakti vriksha groups,
at a site in the forest on the north-west side of the outskirt of Mumbai,
almost 35 minutes from Mira Road.
At this site HG Janmastami Prabhu a disciple of HH Gopal Krishna Goswami is
planning to build a temple for Srinathji and a gurukula with the same style
as the Mayapur Gurukula with traditional Vedic system and architecture
(huts), for the time he has a hut temple for Sri Sri Gaurnitai and has many
Shalagramshilas. It is a place with a fresh air and far from the city and
any kind of pollution.
HH JPS had his normal duties in the morning and was ready to leave at noon,
so we left after 1:30 pm and first we went to the second floor of the
Bhaktivedanta Hospital to offer fruits and prayers to Lord Hanuman then GM
went to the ground floor and was greeted by almost 30 devotees who came from
Surat for this program, they offered garlands and were blessed by GM with
the stick of Lord Jagannath. After we took GM to offer respects and
obeisance’s to his divine Gurudeva, HDG Srila Prabhupada, then we went out
and while waiting for a bus to come we took GM to the patio to be under a
tree so he can give darsan and talk to the devotees, this took like 20
minutes.
Finally everything was ready and we all left to the Sri Nathji dham, 2 cars
and one bus, we reached there after 40 minutes, Gm was received by kirtans
by the devotees then he was taken up to the temporal temple which is a hut
and that has Gaurnitai deities, shalagram shilas and photos of Srinathji
deity. A pandal for the prasada was set up and also they have a goshala
there.
GM was received by HG Janmastami prabhu (Srinathji dham temple President)
and HG Mukunda Madhava Prabhu the vice president of JUHU temple, who came
with the IYF group of devotees; he is a disciple of HH Bhaktiswarupa Damodar
Maharaja and has PHD in Philosophy. He also was acting as master of ceremony
for the small festival picnic.
HH BVV Narasimha Maharaja who came also to give lecture and association to
devotees, was welcoming GM as well, He is great and humble Vaishnava, always
simple and dedicated preacher in Southeast Asia. He also gives classes in
the Bhaktivaibhava courses in Mayapur dham.
HH JPS GM greeted the deities, offered donations and was explained by
Janmastami prabhu about the altar and the shalagram shilas, he sat beside HH
BVV Narasimha Swami who had already given a lecture about Goloka Vrndaban
and explained to GM about his lecture, then GM said to devotees, well if
Maharaja spoke about Goloka Vrndaban I must speak on something less
complicated. So I thought that GM may have said that as you all know that
the highest above of lord Krishna is not easy to understand and since this
picnic was for Bhakti Vriksha so gm elaborated the lecture on this topic.
As you all know he is the Minister of Congregational preaching and the
devotee in charge to develop and expand the Bhakti vriksha as started by
HHDG Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura and instructed by Srila Prabhupada to
Gurumaharaja to continue with this great mission
Mukunda Madhava prabhu was so happy that gm came, since the main issue for
them was to talk on Bhakti vriksha and there was no confirmation that he
will come, but suddenly GM comes. So Mukunda Madhava prabhu mentioned that
as GM is the main preacher of this area in ISKCON was sent by Krishna for
that.
First GM spoke about how picnic is also part of Krishna’s pastimes with his
friends. HH JPS elaborated more about the importance of Bhakti vriksha in
ones daily life, as also he told a story of a couple disciples where they
complained to him that they use to fight a lot and that they don’t tolerate
each other, so he suggested, why you don’t sponsor one day Bhakti vriksha in
your house and invite friends to a program. They did so, then after some
time they came and told GM that they were amazed with his idea, as this
solved their personal problems, when they found themselves working together
for Krishna, so he was occupying them and the fighting stopped. Now they
have made bhakti vriksha as their normal life activity and have made until
now so far 600 devotees. After hearing this all chanted haribol for this
inspiring story.
He also mentioned that ISKCON has more then 3000 Bhakti vriksha groups, 2000
namahattas, more then 200 counseling groups; Pune has Bhakti Vrikshas to
students, etc. He added that now a day 95% of devotees lives in their
houses.
HH JPS also mentioned that the lotus petal was established during Srila
Prabhupada’s Centennial celebration (I think this was to identify the
preaching missions). During this time His Holiness was made Minister of
Congregational preaching. Since 1978 He is doing the namahatta preaching.
Now in Mayapur there are more then 500 or 600 namahatta groups. In Calcutta
there are 70 Bhakti Vriksha groups for business men and students. 70 Bhakti
vrikshas in Delhi, this year due to this BV they were the number one book
distributors in the world, but we have to add that also half of this book
distribution was due to the congregation as well. Surat devotees who were
present informed that they have 7 Bhakti vriksha groups.
HH JPS was telling that HDG Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura who started the
Bhakti Vriksha was preaching to Grihastas basically as at that time few were
renounced and were living in temples. Gurumaharaja added that in fact the 9
islands of Navadwipa, represent the 9 processes of Bhakti and Godrumadwipa
correspond to the second process which is Kirtan, that means the
glorification of the Holy name. So we want to expand the congregational
preaching of the glories of the Mahamantra Hare Krishna.
After the lecture, devotees took group photos with Gurumaharaja, then all
went for honoring prasada while GM took his prasada in a room behind the
altar hall (hut).
As many buses were leaving at 4:30 pm, devotees started preparing to leave,
then we also took GM to the car and left for the Bhaktivedanta hospital.
At night the program was as normal, GM took rest at 10 pm.
Ys
Tustimohan Krishna das
Note; I am adding some photos of HH Jayadwait swami who came to visit GM
yesterday night 17-02-2009, at the hospital.