Realizations from a pilgrimage in Mayapur.
Aniruddha Dasa: Flew into Melbourne this morning after an odd night on the flight from Singapore to Melbourne. I donât think it possible to be comfortable in an airplane even if you are in First Class. We were in Business. We used up frequent flyer points, just for the record.
Hereâs the rub. The material world is meant for suffering. First class, second class and third class passengers are all suffering in the material world. Whichever class you are in you canât avoid the jet lag of material life.
Otherwise we had a very productive and enthusing time in the holy dhÄmas. By Ká¹á¹£á¹a and the devoteesâ grace I managed to participate in full morning programs and focused japa sessions, especially in Mayapur. What a wonderful place to chant. It is immensely powerful. Now the challenge is to duplicate the same here at home. Visiting the dhÄma and taking advantage of the valuable association there is meant to enthuse us to do the same, wherever we are. That way all the temples of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness are places of pilgrimage where one can associate with and learn from those who know the science of Ká¹á¹£á¹a. Those sincere persons looking for spiritual life will naturally be attracted, like iron filings to a magnet. The atmosphere should be so surcharged with knowledge and renunciation; focused on service to the Lord, that it is irresistible. And it is!
That comes from chanting good rounds, hearing attentively, remembering who we are and why we are here, serving with the goal of pleasing Ká¹á¹£á¹a whether it be the upkeep of His temple, or the distribution of PrabhupÄdaâs books, distributing prasÄdam, or whatever.
If we, all of us, keep Ká¹á¹£á¹a in the centre then we will be happy and so will those who associate with us.
The picture is from the ISKCON Disciple Course I taught on the weekend in ISKCON Dwarka (Delhi).