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In Memory of Sripad Aindra Prabhu

Dhanurdhara Swami July 21st, 2010

In Memory of Sripad Aindra Prabhu

(The following is an interview with Sripad Aindra dasa done last year for the forthcoming book  Kirtan Meditations The Mood and Technique of Bhakti Kirtan compiled by Dhanurdhara Swami and Akincana Krishna dasa.  Due to the unexpected loss of this great soul I decided to release his interview quite before the editing has been finished. I hope it gives some pleasure and solace to the congregation of the devotees feeling the loss of this great soul.)

AINDRA DASA

Doing kirtan for Srila Prabhupada

When Srila Prabhupada came to Washington in 1976, we would all briefly stop at his quarters before going to the temple to greet the Deities. One morning, somehow or other, the mrdanga was pushed into my hands and I was told to lead the kirtan. I guess there was nobody else to do it so I was trying to play as best as I could in a very simple way.  I was walking right by Srila Prabhupada's side when he suddenly turns to me, lifts his head in his typical, regal way, and says with a very positive glance of approval “Jaya!” And that's the only word he said to me in my whole Krishna conscious life.

But that one word carried so much inspiration and potency.  How did I get a “jaya!” out of Srila Prabhupada? It was simple–I was performing harinam sankirtan. I thus thought “why not continue to perform harinam-sankirtan, as at the least that simple service got a ‘jaya!’ out of Srila Prabhupada.” And that's been my whole idea ever since.

Chanting with purity

Harinam-sankirtan means to loudly chant the holy name for the benefit of othersWe should seriously consider to what extent we are benefiting others, and also to what extent we are benefiting ourselves. There is apparent kirtan and real kirtan. Only sankirtan where the pure name is chanted is real sankirtan.  If someone is making offenses to the name, simply articulating the syllables “Hare Krishna,” that is not real sankirtan.  One must thus carefully consider the offenses to be avoided in the matter of chanting.

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Does a fallen soul have to be depressed?

Dhanurdhara Swami June 30th, 2010

June 30, 2010

Does a fallen soul have to be depressed?

A saintly soul prays in the mood of dhainya, utter humility:

“For my own pleasure I never fear to commit any sin. I am devoid of pity and full of selfishness; I’m sorry at others’ happiness and am an inveterate liar. Indeed, I take delight in others’ miseries.” Amara Jivana – Bhaktivinoda Thakur

If the great devotees feel like this, shouldn’t the actually fallen practitioner of bhakti feel depressed and ridden with guilt?

Remorse is certainly healthy, but does the sincere and weak need to feel shame? I don’t think so. I found a reference to support this.

“Having awakened faith in the narrations of My glories, being disgusted with all material activities, knowing that all sense gratification leads to misery, but still being unable to renounce all sense enjoyment, My devotee should remain happy and worship Me with great faith and conviction. Even though he is sometimes engaged in sense enjoyment, My devotee knows that all sense gratification leads to a miserable result, and he sincerely repents such activities.” [emphasis mine] (Bhag. 11.20.27-28)

I like the balance. We do need to be humble and repent if we cannot maintain our practices. We shouldn’t, however, embrace the type of shame and excess guilt that is depressive and lowers self esteem, that makes the adoption of spiritual life miserable and debilitating.

 

The Passing of Rasajna devi dasi

Dhanurdhara Swami December 29th, 2009

December 29, 2009
Sri Vrindavana

This morning I got the news that my dear god-sister, Her Grace Rasajna devi dasi, passed away from this world. I will miss her dearly. I can't remember where I heard the saying, but it goes something like, “One will be remembered more for how one made others feel than for what one has accomplished.” I think of Rasa in this way. It's not that she didn't have significant accomplishments, but whatever she accomplished is overshadowed by the simple fact that there was just nothing bad in her heart. I can't say that about many; I certainly can't say that about myself. I can say that, however, about her. It is rare to know such a person. I feel grateful that I did.

She was a regular listener on my sanga classes twice a week and her contributions were always thoughtful. I learned a lot from them. She was always on the side of compassion over law, essence over form, but all couched in unflinching faith in the words of Srila Prabhupada over every thing else. And because of that unswerving faith and because of her pure heart, there is no doubt about her eternal destination at the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada.

I just wrote Ekacakra yesterday that I would be visiting Austin as soon as I came from India so that I might see Rasa before she left. Today he wrote me that she left. I feel sad that I won't see her again, but relieved that her Lordships took Rasa quickly to be with Them and to free her from any more pain.

I need to thank you, Rasa, for giving your love, example, and intimate friendship to so many of my students and friends. It is a very significant and prominent part of their spiritual lives. I am indebted to you for that.

Thank you for your desire to hear about Krishna and thus engaging me in talking about Him. The most important sign of spiritual advancement is the desire to hear about Krishna. You were thus a very elevated soul that will be missed dearly by all.

Thank you for your encouragement and support in my own devotional service from the thoughtful birthday cards to the kind donations. We all need to be encouraged in devotional service, especially from those senior and more elevated than us. I pray that I may follow your example of empowerment, kindness, and reciprocation.

I am writing this early in the morning in Sri Vrindavana on the day after she left. When I finish this I will chant for several hours and pray that whatever little benefit comes from my chanting here this morning in Sri Vrindavana Dhama will be transferred to her soul. I realize, however, that I am probably doing this more for myself. I have little doubt that she has already achieved what I am only aspiring for, the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha-Shyamasundara.

 

Govardhana Retreat Part 2

Dhanurdhara Swami November 20th, 2009

This is the second part of my lecture notes from the VIHE Govardhana Retreat this year.

November 20, 2009
Sri Govardhana

Lecture 2: The Mystical Keys for Entering the Presence of the Divine Couple by Srila Sacinandana Swami *

“How to love Krishna? It starts with giving attention. It is called mindfulness.”

“Our mind gets colored by our thoughts. Our thoughts should thus be of the quality of ultimate benefit (sreyas). Instead we think constantly of a thousand small things that are only immediate needs (preyas). The method of developing a mind of ultimate thoughts is to hear and meditate on the Lord's associates - for their thoughts are focused on the highest considerations.”

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Govardhana Retreat

Dhanurdhara Swami November 17th, 2009

Although I am not writing my journal as regularly as before, but rather concentrating on articles and books, occasionally I will continue to send journal entries. I hope you enjoy them!

 

November 17, 2009
Sri Govardhana

 

Every year I have the opportunity to attend the Govardhana Retreat led by Sriman Bhurijan dasa and Srila Sacinanandana Swami. It is a pleasure to sit with a peaceful mind, free from other responsibilities, to just hear the realizations of accomplished practitioners. Here are some of my notes. First from Bhurijan Prabhu:

Lecture 1: The Path and Empowerment of Sri Rupa by Bhurijana dasa*

Bhurijana (BJD) discusses Sri Caitanya's pilgrimage to South India. He comments on the benefits of walking to the places of pilgrimages in India as Sri Caityana did:

“Today when we come to a holy place we usually come very much in the mode of passion by airplane. Our mind thus generally arrives days after us. Saints like Sri Caitanya, however, walked peacefully to the holy places, mindfully anticipating their destination. In contrast to us, their mind would arrive days before.”

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