This year for Sri Krsna Janmastami, I sit at the deathbed of a vaisnava – my uncle, Kundara das.

He has not complained in these weeks of his body’s demise at the hands of cancer; he has not protested.  He has embraced this time – this opportunity, with a gentle smile.

We may ask ourselves, what opportunity can news of one’s immanent death bring?  And what is the duty of a person about to die?

For vaisnavas, death is an opportunity to make their lives successful.  The vaisnavas happily absorb themselves in hearing, chanting, and remembering the glories of the Supreme Lord, Sri Hari (Krsna), leaving all worldly duties and considerations aside.  And so it goes as no surprise that my uncle took  his rendezvous with death as an opportunity to immediately purify his body,  mind, and senses, and to focus on the ultimate goal of life.

He requested that his life be celebrated; so, without time to say all that could be said about his beautiful life, I simply collect these thoughts as an offering in the approaching moments of this astami twilight:

To some he was a father, a lover, a brother, and a son.  He had nick names with curious stories behind them: “Wedgie” — a boy with fantastic adventures from the Nevada desert lands; “Kun-Dawg” — a surfer guy, a free sprit, a singer / songwriter, and a poet.

But most significantly, Kundara das is the disciple of a pure devotee of Lord Krsna, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada.  After taking shelter of the lotus feet of his spiritual master, Kundara das lovingly served him to the best of his capacity.  He offered his youth for the cause of hari nam sankirtan yajna, giving up personal comforts and sacrificed many things within himself to fulfill the desire of his divine master.  He served on the Radha Damodar traveling sankirtan party and distributed Srila Prabhupada’s books. In 1977 he had the great fortune to be with Srila Prabhupada in Sri Vrndavan dham. Through studying and distributing transcendental Vedic literatures and singing the glories of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna and Sri Chaitnaya Mahaprabhu, he became very dear to sri sri Guru and Gauranga.

In the absence of the association of his spiritual master in later years, he seemed to drift and toss in an ocean of suffering, tasting the bitter fruits of material failures, frustrations,  and heartbreaks.  Yet through everything, he nurtured his nistha in sat-guru and his faith in the power of hari katha (narrations of the Supreme Lord’s name, form, qualities and pastimes).  In good times and in bad, he continued reading the sastras, especially Sri Caitanya Caritamrta.

At fifty-five years old, he has become humble, tolerant, compassionate, gentle, at peace within himself, and detached from material ambitions.  He shared an infectious mood of joyful light-heartedness with everyone he met, and was always ready to share the wealth of his heart (his bhakti) with them.   He was a very natural devotee, never pretentious or artificial.  He was charming and witty and could burst into song at any given moment.  He was very human and very wonderful.  Now he lays across the threshold of the most important transition of his life.

This morning Srila Gurudeva sent instructions to my family on how to perform his final rites when the time comes, and he sent my uncle the following blessings:

“My special heartly blessings are for Kundara prabhu. Your uncle is about to leave his body. He is a sincere devotee and all of you desire that he will receive Krsna’s causeless mercy.

I pray to Sri Giriraja that very soon, without any difficulties, Kundara prabhu should leave his body and receive the constant association of pure devotees in his next birth. This will give him the golden opportunity to perfect his bhajan and obtain pure Krsna Bhakti.”

Sri Krsna Janmastami ki jai!

Srila Gurudeva ki jai!

Srila Prabhupada ki jai!

Sri sri guru gauranga gandharvika guiridhari sri sri radha-vinode bihari jiu ki jai!

Adornment by the Beloved

After His sudden departure from the rasa dance, Sri Krsna took Srimati Radhika to a secluded forest bower.  There, He decorated her hair with flowers and adorned her form with various types of ornaments.  The place where this lila took place is called “Srngar vat” and is located in Seva kunj, Vrndavan, near the banks of the Yamuna River.  Its sacred dust is visited by pilgrims every year, particularly during Vraja-mandala parikrama in the month of Karttika.

Sri Gopi-gita

I feel blessed to have received the opportunity to depict this sacred subject matter in oil paint on canvas.  The making of it has marked a profound personal journey for me.  It has been printed as the cover of the recent Hindi edition of Sri Rasa-Pancha dhyay, and the English publication Gopi Gita.  By this offering, I pray that the deep purport and reality of this pastime may enter my heart, that its katha (narrations) may always adorn my ears, and that its kirtan may always dance upon my lips.

About the book:

This celebrated Sanskrit classic of India reveals the purpose of human life and the nature of pure spiritual love. Its divine poetry was originally sung by the young cowherd-maidens (gopis) of Vraja to their beloved Sri Krsna, God Himself, while searching for Him in the autumn moonlight on the banks of the sacred river Yamuna. Concealing Himself from their sight, He listened in adoration and wonder to their expression of amorous love for Him.

This authoritative edition of Gopi-gita is yet another of Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja’s invaluable literary gifts to humanity. Enlightening and thought-provoking, it illuminates the glories of the transcendental maidens of Vraja, and especially of Srimati Radharani, the Supreme Feminine Personality and the embodiment of the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna’s pleasure potency.

“I repeatedly offer my respects to the dust from the feet of the women of Nanda Maharaja’s cowherd village. When these gopis loudly chant the glories of Sri Krsna, the vibration purifies the three worlds.”

Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.47.63)

To find out more about the book please visit its official website:

http://www.gopigitabook.com/

A rough sketch for an upcoming publication.

Sri Krsna (as a King in Dwarka) sits alone in the moonlight, gazing out over the ocean in rememberance of the dear ones He has left behind in Vrndavan.

This, and many other profound narrations, are the subject of Sri Brhad Bhagavatamrtam by Sanatan Gosvami ji.  Composed in three volumes, this ambitious work will very soon be translated and published in English.

A great epic not to be missed by inquiring minds.

It’s been a very restful few days in Seattle, reminding me of forgotten summers and long cherished dreams.  After a couple of nights at a youth hostel, we are now couch surfing with two very awesome girls. These days are all about being one’s self, making music, and living art.

Today was my official first day busking at the market. It was a very spiritual experience. To share my own songs for the first time in a public setting felt very liberating.  There is a power in singing in a language that the general public can understand.

Singing in English, singing my own words, felt so honest and simple.  The more I sing my own songs, the more I feel I am following my own sure compass; the more I feel that I am myself.

Still, as grounding as it is, it doesn’t bring the joy that kirtan brings.  The way that kirtan touches the soul goes beyond words and language barriers.  Both seem to be elements of my art, my life.

If kirtan is the boat (as the famous Bengali bhajan states “harinamer naukakhani”) then my songs are its wake, trailing through the ocean water which is this world.

Vrnda Devi from Sri Rupa-Sanatan Gaudiya Math, Vrndavan, 2009

Last month was the month of Keshava. Kesava is a name of God, Sri Krsna, meaning, ‘He who is expert at decorating the hair of his beloved’.

During this month, all those who desire to achieve transcendental loving service to the Divine Couple, sri sri Radha and Krsna, take a vow to water the holy basil plant, Tulsi devi, every day and worship her along with Giriraja ji or Salagram sila.

Check out the sweet li’l bhajan link below. The song starts at about :30 sec. It’s just a rough recording on an MP3, so it peaks at times…but well worth the listen! This was recorded with about seven little girls from Vrndavan and myslef for my going away party. We did kirtan for almost 2 hrs! Awww… I miss them.

Vrnda Devi Astakam

This month I am appreciating the gift of friendship; if it wasn’t for two of my good friends, I might never have taken a vacation last week to Bangalore and Pondicherry. It was their kind insistence that drew my away from my comfortable routine. I didn’t realize how much I needed it. But none of the days can compare to the unforgettable 2 1/2 days I spent in Pondicherry. I highly recommend it as a destination spot to anyone who plans on visiting India.

Although brief, the charm and character of Pondi (its sparkling beaches, temples, churches and art), renewed and inspired me. The following slides are my tribute to those amazing 2 days. It’s a selection of 41 photographs set to “Sunday Smile”, by Beirut (running time 3:35). It may take time to load, but it will be worth the wait.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I returned to India at the beginning of October; it has been so wonderful to be home again. Nothing comforts me like the chorus of temple bells chiming softly on these winter mornings. Everything becomes calm and cool at this time of year.

I am still staying in Gopal Krsna Bhavan, but I have shifted to the ground floor apartment. The light pours in through the front room’s windows from about 8 am until 4pm, so it’s perfect for painting. I cannot express in words how nourishing to the spirit it is to have a room of one’s own.

Some of my young friends made a welcome home party for me with pizza, ice cream, and a brand new badminton set. We had so much fun playing in the front yard!

I have accomplished so much since my last post; and unfortunately it’s not possible to recapture the moments of joy and frustration that have passed. I am in the final days and hours of completing “The Beggar of Prem”. I have never painted such a deep subject before. I become so engrossed in every detail, and the psychology of the characters…I practically fall into the abyss of magenta (my nick name is Magentasaura, after all).

I have made a decision to spend six months in America every year. My heart is so much a part of this place, but I am optimistic about my new plans to make a base in the Northwest (Seattle). This move could mean a lot of good things for me, for my art, and for CHARM.

Good news: a beautiful new website for the Children’s Art Mission will be ready by the new year (cross our fingers).

Posted in Uncategorized Tagged: badminton, home, India, winter ]]> http://manjaridasi.wordpress.com/2008/12/13/home-again/feed/ 0 manjari http://manjaridasi.wordpress.com/2008/08/22/words-from-george-harrison/ http://manjaridasi.wordpress.com/2008/08/22/words-from-george-harrison/#comments Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:00:41 +0000 manjari http://manjaridasi.wordpress.com/?p=117 ]]>

Today I have completed a nine-week intensive painting marathon! Lots of new material (pics coming soon). It has required a lot of discipline and grit to see it through — 10 and 14 hour days. Sigh. Anyways, my painterly paradox could not have been completed at a more perfect time: tomorrow morning marks the auspicious appearance of Sri Krsna (AKA: Sri Krsna janmastami).

Over the past few days, in the in-between moments, my mind has wandered off to vibrant recollections of this day in Mathura/Vrndavan. The merriment, the dancing, the joy, the music, and of course, the extraordinary krsna-katha early in the morning at Kesava ji Gaudiya Matha. . .

In the course of refreshing my mind and spirit with narrations of Sri Krsna’s lilas, I came across this famous introduction to the classic volumes entitled KRSNA, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which I present below. Although not in Sri Braja-Mandala dhama this year, I feel blessed and happy to be alive on this planet, mother earth, whose heart has been touched by the soft lotus feet of her Beloved, Sri Krsna. May we all be so lucky, one day.

Krsna Book Introduction by George Harrison:

Everybody is looking for KRISHNA.

Some don’t realize that they are, but they are.

KRISHNA is God, the Source of all that exists, the cause of all that is, was, or ever will be.

As God is unlimited, he has many names.

Allah-Buddha-Jehova-Rama: All are KRISHNA, all are ONE.

God is not abstract; He has both the impersonal and the personal aspects to His personality which is SUPREME, ETERNAL, BLISSFUL, and full of KNOWLEDGE. As a single drop of water has the same qualities as an ocean of water, so has our consciousness the qualities of God’s consciousness… but through our identification and attachment with material energy (physical body, sense pleasures, material possessions, ego, etc.) our true transcendental consciousness has been polluted, and like a dirty mirror it is unable to reflet a pure image.

With many lives our association with the temporary has grown. This impermanent body, a bag of bones and flesh, is mistaken for our true self, and we have accepted this temporary condition to be final.

Through all ages, great saints have remained as living proof that this non-temporary, permanent state of God consciousness can be revived in all living Souls. Each soul is potentially divine. Krsna says in Bhagavad Gita: “Steady in the Self, being freed from all material contamination, the yogi achieves the highest perfetional stage of happiness in touch with the Supreme Consciousness.” Ch. 6, text 28

Yoga (a scientific method for God (self) realization) is the process by which we puirify our consciousness, stop further pollution, and arrive at the state of perfection, full knowledge, full bliss.

If there’s a God, I want to see Him. It’s pointless to believe in something without proof, and Krishna Consciousness and meditation are methods where you can actually obtain God preception. You can actually see God, and Hear Him, play with Him. It might sound crazy, but He is actually there, actually with you.

There are many yogic Paths–Raja, Jnana, Hatha, Kriya, Karma, Bhakti–which are all acclaimed by the masters of each method.

Swami Bhaktivedanta is as his title says, a Bhakti Yogi following the path of DEVOTION. By serving God through each thought, word, and deed, and by chanting His Holy Names, the devotee quickly develops God-consciousness. By chanting

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama

I request that you take advantage of this book KRSNA, and enter into its understanding. I also request that you make an appointment to meet your God now, through the self liberating process of Yoga (union) and GIVE PEACE A CHANCE.

(I just stumbled across this essay in my ‘drafts’ file. Can’t remember why I didn’t publish it. I wrote it while teaching and living in Vrndavan this winter. It was a comforting find for me, since now I am in America again for the summer and missing my home there terribly.)

Today as I entered the main gate leading to a friend’s house, I noticed an old woman sitting on a cot in the cold winter afternoon, knitting, her back facing the sun. As I passed, glancing at her, she turned her head just enough to glimpse at me, and enough for me to catch the sparkle in her eye. I’ve seen her there a few times now, I thought.

“Radhe Radhe, Amma.”

As I greeted her, she replied in a voice strong and matter-of-fact with a soft overtone of genuine caring,

“sraddha, sraddha.”

I was startled all at once. The message seemed to electrify me and nearly stopped me in my tracks.

“Faith, faith.”

Her words echoed in overlapping swirling whispers through my mind’s ears.

It was a statement; it was an answer; it was an emancipation proclamation. It was as if all of my tangled thoughts, worries, and questions to the universe were read by the cold wind and whispered into her ear. Her answer was pronounced just as I was thinking “Whatever can be the solution???”

“Faith, faith.”

My center of gravity seemed to drop for a fraction of a second and a sort of heat spread instantly to the tips of my toes and fingers; it was weirder than a de ja vu. It was more like falling through a hole where three phases of time intersect; where everything is everything. All at once.

Continuing on briskly and glancing back at her, I smiled and chuckled at myself; no. I was mistaken. She had said, “sri Radha, sri Radha.” Quite normal for this neck of the woods.

Yet, as I climbed the stairs to my friend’s flat on the third floor, I reflected on that moment of wind and time and stream-of-consciousness inner monologue which reached the fervor of spilling into and through the environment.

Sraddha; sraddha.

The thing is, I had heard it. But who had uttered it?

Reading about the recent discovery of a major newspaper in India ripping off the photo of a Blogger has reignited my anger and paranoia about web plagiarism, and at the same time, has at last fanned my desire to keep blogging anyway. (see the whole expose at: Wide Angle View of India A major Indian newspaper steals a blogger’s photograph!! )

This incident has struck a nerve with me.  Nearly two months ago, I was shocked, concerned and disgusted (okay, okay!  freaaaked out!) to see my entire essay (Cake Not Bombs) and photograph splogged! I did everything a frantic new blogger could hope to do. I wrote cease and desist letters, contacted the evil-doer’s web host (with no reply).

Worst of all, it threw a huge wet blanket on my blogger spirit. The euphoria of finding an outlet for my writing, my thoughts, my point of view…well, just evaporated. I guess I just always secretly hoped that in my bloggy life such things would never happen to me, the way someone might think accidents or diseases will never happen to them.

Now I guess I have gotten to the point where I have accepted that regardless of whatever precautions I could take, there is no real way to prevent some jerk from ripping off some of my pictures, or art, or writings. This awareness does affect my inner censor more than before, and definitely makes me rethink posting any of my art here. Sigh…

So, while I’m still left with the question, “are such audacious acts of plagiarism preventable?” and “what is the most one can hope to accomplish by hounding the perpetrators?” I’ve finally decided not let the threat of it prevent me from putting my thoughts into black and white. In fact, I am approaching my writing, and participation in cyber reality, with more of a warrior’s spirit. Ready to rumble. Go ahead, make my day.

Still, I continue to hope for answers to nagging blogging thievery questions by staying informed of any headway bloggers such as Sherma (hi!) and Nita may make in their battles in the belly of this media beast.  Perhaps, as many bloggers say, the best recourse is in blogging itself.

May ethical blogging prevail! wohooo!!

LOVE THE EARTH AND SUN AND ANIMALS,

DESPISE RICHES,

GIVE ALMS TO EVERY ONE THAT ASKS,

STAND UP FOR THE STUPID AND CRAZY,

DEVOTE YOUR LABOR AND INCOME TO OTHERS,

HATE TYRANTS,

ARGUE NOT CONCERNING GOD,

HAVE PATIENCE AND INDULGENCE TOWARD THE PEOPLE,

TAKE OFF YOUR HAT TO NOTHING KNOWN OR UNKNOWN OR TO ANY MAN OR NUMBER OF MEN,

GO FREELY WITH THE POWERFUL UNEDUCATED PERSONS AND WITH THE YOUNG AND WITH THE MOTHERS OF FAMILIES,

READ THESE LEAVES IN THE OPEN AIR EVERY SEASON OF EVERY YEAR OF YOUR LIFE,

RE-EXAMINE ALL THAT YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD AT SCHOOL OR CHURCH OR IN ANY BOOK,

DISMISS WHATEVER INSULTS YOUR OWN SOUL,

AND YOUR VERY FLESH SHALL BE A GREAT POEM AND HAVE THE RICHEST FLUENCY NOT ONLY IN ITS WORDS BUT IN THE SILENT LINES OF OF ITS LIPS AND FACE AND BETWEEN THE LASHES OF YOUR EYES AND IN EVERY MOTION AND JOINT OF YOUR BODY. . .

(WALT WHITMAN)

V.S. Narasimham

I stumbled upon this in You Tube and it took my breath away. I was rapt in attention; this music took me on a journey. It felt like theme music to my life, or my soul’s long journey. It touched a very tender and sacred part of my being. The more I describe my feelings the more they evaporate…so let it sing to you without any narrative; and find your own.

Last night I attended the wedding of two friends, Kanta and Sukhananda. I had the honor of doing the bride’s make-up and singing during the ceremony. It was a fabulous, well-organized event. Even a news channel from Mathura came in to cover the story: Candian girl weds local Braj basi boy. The odds are stacked against them, yet they are in love. We wish them all the best.

The highlight of the evening for me was the holi lila reenactment by a local drama troupe where the drama players attacked the audience with fragrant water from squirt guns (silver pichikaris), colored powder, and heaps of flowers petals. The experience was very dramatic as both the actors and the audience sparred with roses and marigolds accross the hall and the tufts of petals glided through the air and ricocheted off of the ceiling fans.

I have a great video clip of the ending ceremony where the bride and groom shower the young actors with flowers, but I have not yet figured out how to upload video. . . so bear with me. I will be out of touch, yet again, with the cyber dimension of reality as I go for about two weeks on a journey with friends to West Bengal. Yes…expect lots of pics when I get back. Hope everyone out there has a lovely spring.