Morning Memories

Los Angeles, California, USA,1972

After mangala arati, and in the middle of japa, a friend and I would run out of the temple room and through the sanctuary to the side of the building. Soon Srila Prabhupada would be going for his walk and we had a chance to see him. We grabbed a broom and a couple of flowers so we could sweep and drop petals on the steps outside his door. Then we’d hide behind a telephone pole down the alley so we could see him as he was driven off for his morning walk.

The anticipation between the time he left for his walk and the time he returned was palpable. Everything that needed to be done had to be done by the time he came back. Anticipation and stress combined to create a morning rush of ecstasy.

When word of his arrival came, we could hear the bustle of activity in the kitchen and altar room—Deities were bathed and dressed, carinamrita was prepared, arati paraphernalia was ready, incense charcoal lit, and devotees packed the temple room. As we waited for him to come in the door our japa became louder, more concentrated.

We fell to the ground when we saw him come through the door. Some would watch him pass and then bow to the ground, waiting to get a glimpse of his feet. Bells would ring and the altar doors would open with huge clouds of incense billowing out.
He greeted the Deities with such reverence--a slow approach to the ground and ultimate surrender in his dandavat.

We were so happy to see him we would sing the Govinda prayers with tears in our eyes. All our senses and emotions were fulfilled and conflicted at the same time. We would spend the next hour watching his every move, riveted to his words.

When the class was over and he left the temple room, that little bit of Vrndavana stayed with us throughout the day. In that hour or so of time with Srila Prabhupada we got an inkling of what it was to love Sri Sri Radha and Krsna and how to be Vaishnavas to the glory of our guru. I pray that those days stay with us forever.

Jaya Srila Prabhupada!






Photos used
with permission
from BBT International
http://www.prabhupada.krishna.com/



Posted on the 36th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada accepting me as his disciple.
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Flower house update

Here's the latest permutation of the Second Life flower house. Can't you just imagine the Deities there?


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