Archive for February, 2008
Tuesday, February 19th, 2008
Fire At RVC Temple
An unattended incense stick ignited a padded chair in a room on the second floor of the temple. This set off a sprinkler head which extinguished the fire. The chair is ruined and there is a burnt place on the floor, but the key thing is that the temple itself was saved.
Sri Krsna das […]
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Tuesday, February 19th, 2008
Gita Moves On
At first I said, “Don’t do that Gita! Don’t stress yourself!” And I would put his head down. After several hours of Chaitanya Bhagavat and I trying to make him comfortable, we came to realize he was trying to leave his body. He was opening his mouth so his soul could leave upward. We had given him Ganga water, placed the tape deck of Srila Prabhupada chanting next to him, as the winds were so fierce we could not hear it from the top of the barn, and placed Govardhan Sila on his head. Govardhan Sila then sat on his altar on the wall facing Gita.
He had arthritis for several years and each year it became more difficult for him to walk. This winter we put him in the geriatric barn so it would be easier for him to access his food and move around. Gita was one of our oldest cows. He turned 18 years old recently. His twin brother, Vraja, died last summer. He also had arthritis. Together, they led many Rathayatra parades in the United States and appeared at many events. They greeted guests with their handsome appearance and endearing personalities. In this way, they presented cow protection to the public.
Around February 9, Gita was not able to get up. He did not have the power in his back legs to push up his large body. Since he was an old cow, we expected that he would leave his body in the near future. We kept him as comfortable as possible and fed him as much as he wanted to eat and drink. In preparation for parting, He daily listened to Srila Prabhupada’s sacred chanting and received holy Ganga water.
On February 13, we attempted to move Gita into a better place with an apparatus called hip huggers. He was near the gate of the barn and a lot of wind was blowing on him. As he was lifted and placed down, he surprised everyone and started walking around. However, he was weak for he was down for a few days. After a few hours of walking, he sat down again in the same place.
On February 16, we moved him again and he again surprised everyone and walked around. This time we made certain he was in the larger part of the geriatric barn and he eventually sat down in a good place. However, the next day, after Chaitanya fed him his grains, Gita collapsed. From that point, he struggled to get upright. When he couldn’t, Chaitanya came to get me and we both went to the barn to access what could be done. We realized that we needed to flip him to get him into a better position but the two of us would not be enough to do it. Then, Chaitanya went to the temple to see what help he could get. About forty-five minutes later, Chaitanya came back with six devotees to help flip Gita. We had four devotees on Gita’s legs and three at his head to make sure his head moved with his body. We expertly flipped Gita and he landed sitting up. We braced him with square bales and then he tried to eat the bales. Enthusiastically, all the devotees ran to him with hay to eat. The cows ran to the gate to see. Everyone was very happy at what appeared to be a miraculous recovery. Joy permeated the atmosphere. I was inspired and moved to see the selfless service of the devotees and their joy at Gita’s recovery.
When I checked on Gita later in the day, he was lying down obviously struggling again to get upright. However, this time he was near one of the barn poles and flipping him would not be possible. It was six o’clock and it would be dark at 6:30. As he struggled to get up I tried to brace his back with square bales but he was too heavy and moved them away when he would fall back. He was fighting and trying to eat the bales that I tried to use to brace him. I knew Chaitanya was coming to check on Gita and I tried to comfort Gita until Chaitanya came.
When Chaitanya came, we spent a couple of hours trying to make Gita comfortable. The winds were so strong and loud and then there was a change in Gita. He started putting his head in the air and opening his mouth. He no longer reacted to our words. We felt he was in the process of leaving this material world. By then it was late evening. A few hours away and it would be lord Nityananda’s Appearance day. Just like Gita. We had always called him the Brahman of the twins. He was always the gentleman, sensitive to the feelings of others. Listening to Srila Prabhupda chanting, tasting Ganga water, with Govardhan Sila in his sight, on Lord Nityananda’s Appearance day, he left his body.
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Tuesday, February 19th, 2008
Lord Nityananda
Made it to the temple for the celebration. Some old and new faces to catch up with, mantras, dancing, children, prasada.
The best part for me was Devananda Pandit and Bhaktin Yaitza performing a guitar and cello duet, with Devananda doing the vocals in that poignant voice he has that drips with a sense of […]
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Monday, February 18th, 2008
Drawn by nature
My good friend Theresa-ji came to visit on the same day of the power outage. She is such a wonderful and inspiring person. At mid afternoon, we both grabbed our beads and headed off on a japa walk around the Temple grounds. The power outage lasted un…
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Monday, February 18th, 2008
Unplugged
Last week the power went out in New Vrindaban and the greater Moundville and Wheeling area due to a strong wind storm. What an interesting experience, especially since it got to be 20 degrees outside by the time night settled in. It was a taste of au…
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Monday, February 18th, 2008
Real
“Real religion, dharma, means service by the infinitejiva soul to the Supreme soul, Lord Krishna.Except for this, there is no othermeaning to life”
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Monday, February 18th, 2008
Help Protect Cows
“Without protection of cows, brahminical culture cannot be maintained; and without brahminical culture, the aim of life cannot be fulfilled.”
Srimad Bhagavatam 8.24.5
I have just set up a cow protection fund raising page for GEETA, a 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to cow protection. It owns land and barns formerly owned by New Vrindaban Community, Inc., […]
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Monday, February 18th, 2008
God really is a teenager. Live with it.
Lord Varahadeva: Sri Krishna’s Boar incarnation
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Monday, February 18th, 2008
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Monday, February 18th, 2008
Krsna Prema Prada Sri Gaura Hari.
Lord Nityananda used to travel with me for three years or so. Now He and His brother Lord Chaitanya are residing in a little wooden box for various reasons. I miss them. Actually I miss everything about Krsna Consciousness. Oh Nitai! emana nirghrna more keba krpa kare, eka nityanada vinu jagat bhitare. Maybe I have […]
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Monday, February 18th, 2008
Krsna Prema Prada Sri Gaura Hari.
Lord Nityananda used to travel with me for three years or so. Now He and His brother Lord Chaitanya are residing in a little wooden box for various reasons. I miss them. Actually I miss everything about Krsna Consciousness. Oh Nitai! emana nirghrna more keba krpa kare, eka nityanada vinu jagat bhitare. Maybe I have a chance, if only I meant it.
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Monday, February 18th, 2008
Happy Nityananda Day!
And in honor of such a festive event, here’s quite a great class given by Varsana Swami sometime in the 80’s. You’ll dig it lots.
Haribol!
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Monday, February 18th, 2008
“The Initiate” by Charles Simic
St. John of the Cross wore dark glasses
As he passed me on the street.
St. Theresa of Avila, beautiful and grave,
Turned her back on me.
“Soulmate,” they hissed. “It’s high time.”
I was a blind child, a wind-up toy . . .
I was one of death’s juggling red balls
On a certain street corner
Where they peddle things out of […]
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Sunday, February 17th, 2008
Response To “Things Were Looking Good in 1983?
Written by Hrishikesh (Henry Doktorski)
Many thanks to MG for posting the photograph of Radhanath Swami with United States Congressman from West Virginia Alan Mollohan and other guests and dignitaries. If I am not mistaken, that is West Virginia House of Delegates member Thais Blatnik behind him.
Exact date of photo was May […]
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Sunday, February 17th, 2008
Winter Sights: Are You Happy Now?
Believing the evidence of my senses, I am forced to accept that it is winter. As I don’t hibernate all winter (as attractive as that may seem at times), occasionally I push away from the computer and get out and about.
I pulled into the local building supply store to pick up some vent covers […]