What makes a monk Tick? What kind of mellows do they find in it? Why do it?
I had the fortune of posing a unique question to one of our teachers, Niranjana Swami, as he prepared to leave for Russia, back to his base of teaching Krishna Consciousness. He had been talking a few days back about the gift of the human body. Why just use it for eating sleeping mating and defending? aren't such pleasures available to other animals as well? We as humans have access to our inner senses as well. Why not try to experience life from that perspective?
He happens to be one of my favorite chanters of Bengali and Sanskrit verses glorifying Krishna and his devotees and so he led the chanting for about an hour.
The english translations reveal the deep sentiments in each song we sang and i realized that only a person experiencing life from within can write like this. It wasn't along the lines of the regular "i love you forever, unbreak my heart, hit me baby one more time, wanna be starting something" kind of songs. No sir! How bout this one:
I had the fortune of posing a unique question to one of our teachers, Niranjana Swami, as he prepared to leave for Russia, back to his base of teaching Krishna Consciousness. He had been talking a few days back about the gift of the human body. Why just use it for eating sleeping mating and defending? aren't such pleasures available to other animals as well? We as humans have access to our inner senses as well. Why not try to experience life from that perspective?
He happens to be one of my favorite chanters of Bengali and Sanskrit verses glorifying Krishna and his devotees and so he led the chanting for about an hour.
The english translations reveal the deep sentiments in each song we sang and i realized that only a person experiencing life from within can write like this. It wasn't along the lines of the regular "i love you forever, unbreak my heart, hit me baby one more time, wanna be starting something" kind of songs. No sir! How bout this one:
1) The divine couple, Sri Sri Radha and Krsna, is my life and soul. In life or death I have no other refuge but Them.
2) In a forest of small kadamba trees on the bank of the Yamuna, I will seat the divine couple on a throne made of brilliant jewels.
3) I will anoint Their dark and fair forms with sandalwood paste scented with cuya, and I will fan Them with a camara whisk. Oh, when will I behold Their moonlike faces?
4) After stringing together garlands of malati flowers I will place them around Their necks, and I will offer tambula scented with camphor to Their lotus mouths.
5) With the permission of all the sakhis, headed by Lalita and Visakha, I will serve the lotus feet of Radha and Krsna.
6) Narottama dasa, the servant of the servant of Sri Krsna Caitanya Prabhu, longs for this service to the divine couple.
2) In a forest of small kadamba trees on the bank of the Yamuna, I will seat the divine couple on a throne made of brilliant jewels.
3) I will anoint Their dark and fair forms with sandalwood paste scented with cuya, and I will fan Them with a camara whisk. Oh, when will I behold Their moonlike faces?
4) After stringing together garlands of malati flowers I will place them around Their necks, and I will offer tambula scented with camphor to Their lotus mouths.
5) With the permission of all the sakhis, headed by Lalita and Visakha, I will serve the lotus feet of Radha and Krsna.
6) Narottama dasa, the servant of the servant of Sri Krsna Caitanya Prabhu, longs for this service to the divine couple.
So I asked him why or what was so attractive about this process that made him give up his future of dreams and travel to Russia to teach? What was so awarding or rewarding?
He smiled and said something in five words alone that made the rest of my journey as a monk as clear as crystal clear water. I was so overjoyed and amazed at such a simple answer that i thought i'd enjoy this for a little while longer before you guys get to hear it:)
So I'll talk about it when I get back to America.
Way to keep ya'll in suspense eh? LOVE IT ! ! !
OK fine. How bout some pictures
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"Without vision, the people perish."
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