Mining Memories

  What a festival for the eyes it is to behold beauty personified! For the past few days, my mind has been captivated by the beautiful form of RadhaGopinath at ISKCON, Chowpatty. Then, just yesterday, I received a text announcing it was His birthday. Nothing could hold us back from visiting the Most Beautiful Blue-Boy. After my college classes, I called my husband to arrange our meeting time and place so we could hurry to greet the "Birthday Boy." With excitement and a bit of breathlessness, we arrived at His merciful abode. The curtains were closed, building our anticipation, while a gentle kirtan eased our eager hearts as we waited for darshan. Finally, the conch shell blew, the curtains opened, and our eyes drank in the long-awaited sight. Sri Sri Radha Gopinath appeared resplendent in a yellow dhoti, a green waistband, and a red headpiece, captivating us with His vibrant colors. Yet it was clear His heart was enchanted by the beautiful Sri Radhe, dressed in elegant oran...

Often we do not realise the value of people while they are with us. And when they are gone, it gets too late to repent and express our Love and Gratitude to them. This morning I was listening to a lecture. A part of the lecture was about Daughter-Father relationship. The part where Mother Sita is married and King Janak has to see her going to her new Home in Ayodhya. The description of the loving relationship shared between Fathers and Daughters was so beautifully described by the speaker that almost all of the people in the audience felt it through tears. Sometimes we so easily fail to understand or rather simply overlook the care hidden when our father scolds us. We turn deaf to the concern behind his every call when we are out of our homes. We turn blind to all the hard-work he does to fulfil our every desire. His Love-filled questions appear to us like a frustrating interrogation. And in all these beliefs of our mind we ...

This morning I was cleaning cupboard drawer with my mom; suddenly with moist eyes she told me, "For whom would I do this after you go? Your dad left me first and now you would leave in next 40 days" I had nothing to reply. She kept talking to herself, "how would I live without you". In the evening we both went to visit my Godmother after a very long time (for me). My Godmother expressed her feelings to me, She started by asking me about my recent trip to Mayapur, (which reminds me, I need to pen down that incredible experience too) what is the meaning of parikrama? How do I feel about Devotion to Krishna? what are my experiences? For the first time she sincerely wanted to know about what I was doing, but I couldn't speak much as I was completely surprised by her loving inquiries. I had expected a nice session of taunts, scoldings, dissapointment to shoot at me, but she was simply open to hear me with all her heart.She told me " Initially I was ups...

Krsna always tests us at every step of life. Sometimes we are tested when nothing happens at all and sometimes when everything happens all at once. What is the Difference? Actually there is no difference. In both the cases our behaviour and true nature is tested. However, apparently, when nothing happens our faith and patience is tested and when everything happens our composure and tolerance is tested. We know Mahaprabhu's prayer; some of us may be reciting it every day "yatha tatha va vidadhaatu lampato, mat prana nathastu sa eva naaparah"- Sikshastakam-8. Treat me as you like; embrace me or make me brokenhearted, but you will still remain the lord of my Life, Unconditionally.In this prayer Sri Caitanya mahaprabhu has clearly explained that there is no point at which we need to lament for any kind of material loss. A very common scenario is the test when Money or Wealth in any form is absent or present. When I have money, I am tested how I use it; whet...

After observing different kinds of relationships and of course from my personal experience, I recently had a realization. Few days ago my mum was angry over some reason I still don’t know, maybe her obvious frustration that she has to deal with all the challenges without dad. In her anger she just gave away freshly cooked food, just because I didn't wanted to eat that moment, and she was fighting with me for reasons which were otherwise not wrong to her.  Also just a couple of days back, my friends had a fight over a small thing but it went for quite a long time and it went on increasing for almost 2 days. I have also faced similar senseless, pointless fights with my dear ones. What I realized is, the main reason we fight is because we are so much determined to prove that it was the other person’s fault due to which the fight never ends and the battle starts with most common statements like, “I did so because You always do the same…”, “ If I didn't call couldn't you...

“ If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart. ” - Nelson Mandela . As I read this line, I started thinking over it. Besides its direct meaning, a different interpretation occurred to me; I thought,  isn't  it a reason why people believe in ‘Tit for Tat’ , to try to hurt others in the same way and in the same language as they might have knowingly or unknowingly offended us. I don’t know exactly how much percent of people do it; but, I am definitely one of them, who wait till the right time to fire back exactly the same words so that it affects or rather hurts more. And those who are not from this species, they have a different way to follow this principle, most others cannot be calm and peaceful unless they have insulted their so-called offender enough, may not be in exactly same words, but in many ways that can best hurt others. In fact, you must have heard many people proudly say...

Just a small incident I wish to share. Krsna has His own ways to instruct. Recently I was caught by the TC; as my season ticket (monthly pass) expired just the previous day. I had completely forgotten about renewing my pass. I requested him to excuse me as it was an honest mistake. But he was very strict and penalized me with an amount which could have got me a travel for more than 2 months. My mom and friends mockingly laughed at me. They found it quite amazing because I am always very particular about having proper tickets, giving rightful fare; just try to follow senior devotees. But this incident was an epic for them. My mom said good lesson for you, some friends said never mind. For me it was very embarrassing. Although I too laughed at it, but somewhere I was affected by it. I realized, just a carelessness of one day, and I was penalized despite of following the ethics all the time every time. This incident taught me the importance of being alert and careful, we may have b...