By Anuradha Devi Dasi<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cCan I get you a chair, Mataji?” a young Vaisnavi asked as I was pacing the roof while chanting my japa. It was just before dawn. The air was fresh and crisp and the view absolutely spectacular. Given my painful knee, the offer was tempting, but I felt hesitant because I did not want to disturb her japa and make her walk two flights of stairs just to get me a chair. But before I could articulate anything, she continued, “Mataji, you can sit nicely and get a beautiful darsana of Govardhana!” She was gone, only to return within seconds with a chair. The next half hour was the perfection of spiritual life \u2013 chanting Hare Krsna with other keen devotees right in front of Govardhana Hill, with the sweet temple of Gopala perched to the left, the peaceful misty township of Jatipura down below, and the natural countryside all around. For me, this feeling of perfection lasted the entire duration of this year\u2019s VIHE International Vaisnavi Retreat. <\/p>\n
Held in a spacious asrama, far away \u201cfrom the madding crowd,\u201d the retreat bestowed upon us many blessings. I was happy to leave behind computer, internet, phone, and the comforts of my daily life, and just be absorbed in bhajana. As Prasanta Devi had explained in the opening ceremony, “To go on a retreat means to get away from all our pressures and worries to simply become absorbed in cultivating our relationship with Krsna and the devotees, so we may return to our life strengthened and enlivened.” Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto… \u201cAlways think of Me,\u201d Lord Krsna instructs. The retreat, safe and free from anxieties and politics, was a perfect venue to do just that. The organizational team was simply amazing! From hot water for bathing, wholesome prasadam, drinking water, garlands for senior vaisnavis, to a functioning sound system, bus and cars \u2013 every aspect of the retreat was well thought out, the fruit of expertise born from years of experience. All possible needs were considered and taken care of so we could focus on hearing and taking part in all the activities. An ever-enthusiastic group of young vaisnavis were continually looking out for us “oldies.” <\/p>\n
The sun rose, causing the sparkling rocks on Govardhana to change colour, and the spidery trees seemed more like personalities. It was time for the morning prayer session. The altar in the temple room looked breath-taking with Sri Sri Radha Govinda Madhava, Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and Giriraja casting smiling glances at us. Over the next six days, everyone had a chance to lead a kirtana, offer an arati, or somehow be included in one seva or the other. Soon a family atmosphere of comradeship developed, in which it was easy to form new friendships and catch up with each other, which is often not so easy in our all-so-busy-devotee lives. After a few days I had a hearty laugh with some devotees I had been seeing for years but had never had a chance to get to know, as we discovered our false conceptions of each other. We all face the same struggles and fears, but the world quickly becomes a happier place with just a little kindness and understanding, and by putting Krsna in the centre we can live in harmony. <\/p>\n
For the first morning session we proceeded to the roof to bathe in both the warm morning sun and Prasanta\u2019s delightful katha entitled “Return from the Pasturing Grounds,\u201d based on the 15th chapter of the 10th canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. It was simply beautiful, a mesmerizing description of Krsna and Balarama returning to Vrndavana with all Their cowherd friends after playing in the forest throughout the day. Our minds swelled with interest upon hearing of the trees, deer, and other forest creatures\u2019 being plunged into sadness due to separation; while Mother Yasoda, in intense anticipation, was running backwards and forwards between the kitchen and the path on which Krsna \u201cmust surely come any moment now;\u201d and with the young gopis\u2019 drone-like eyes slipping away from the control of their shyness to glance at Krsna. It was not just katha. It was spiritual television, enhanced with explanatory comments from The Nectar of Devotion and the Vaisnava acaryas\u2019 commentaries to help us rise beyond mundane understanding and impressions.<\/p>\n
After a delicious breakfast we were geared up for more nectar. For several days Her Grace Narayani Devi Dasi spoke on the prayers of Prahlada Maharaja. Though only a little boy, he had been asked to pacify fierce Lord
\nNrsimhadeva and showed such confidence and fearlessness. Hearing those teachings in that wonderful atmosphere increased our own confidence in the fact that without Krsna, material remedies are impermanent. We heard of why we should surrender to Him and how to do it in a practical way. Each day, Narayani gave us a little homework to help us become a better servant of the servant. By learning how to follow in the footsteps of Sri Prahlada, we felt that we too could develop these qualities. <\/p>\n
Mother Narayani\u2019s seminar was followed by a workshop by Her Grace Sukhavaha Devi Dasi, another American disciple of Srila Prabhupada, from New Vrndavana. Having been trained as a life and relationship coach, she gave us much inspiration and realisations on compassionate communication, a serious and much needed topic. She wrote a small book entitled “Revealing the Heart\u2013A Practice of Compassion,\u201d based on the experience she gathered through the many hardships she faced in her life. She pointed out how \u201cit is my mind telling me she is like this and she is like that” when we judge others. She also made us look through the “straw of expectations,” teaching how suffocating and limiting it can be to view things, people and events of our life on the basis of what we consciously or unconsciously expect from them. We discussed how women are known to be emotional, which is fine, but we need to recognize the underlying “needs” beneath the emotions and work to fulfil those appropriately, in a way favourable to Krsna consciousness. <\/p>\n
By now it was time for lunch. What a life – no shopping, no cooking, no washing dishes – simply be there and enjoy! The lunch was prepared by Radha Padadhuli Devi dasi from Pune, and the devotees who served did such a
\nnice job, all with a fine service attitude. No doubt everyone’s blessings came to them. <\/p>\n
The afternoon programs varied and offered much excitement. The range of speakers allowed for many topics. It never became boring or tedious. Gaurangi Devi Dasi, a devotee from France, gave a workshop on forgiveness, inspired by His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Svami. Following his concepts, she had put a lot of effort into her presentations. First she gave the twelve principles of forgiveness and we discussed why it is important to forgive. Our Lord, Krsna, likes this quality best in His devotees! We explored what forgiveness is not and discovered many misconceptions. The subject was dealt with both seriousness and a touch of humour. We felt relief. <\/p>\n
On one of the days we had an enchanting afternoon at Airavata Kunda, just a few steps from the asrama, with a group of four of Srila Prabhupada’s spiritual daughters sharing their experiences and realisations. As Narayani Devi described the austerities of the very first days of ISKCON at Juhu Beach and Calcutta, we all felt awed, humbled, and deeply grateful for all the hard and dedicated work Srila Prabhupada\u2019s disciples did, without which we wouldn’t be here. Others, like Krsna Kirtana Devi Dasi and Sudevi Devi Dasi, spoke with urgency to inspire us in our connection to Srila Prabhupada. In the middle of the retreat however, the weather changed. Clouds moved over. It rumbled and thundered. The next afternoon\u2019s program was to be in a garden next to our asrama. Carrying Srila Prabhupada, we reached there in a harinama procession. It drizzled. But the Odissi dance drama performed by six dextrous dancers from the Venunad Kala Kendra of Vrndavana went on undeterred! This nrtya natika, based on Srila Jiva Gosvami\u2019s “Sri Madhava Mahotsava,” elegantly presented the coronation of Srimati Radharani as queen of Vrndavana. Huddled under umbrellas and caddars, we could not leave. The gentle rain didn’t dampen anybody\u2019s enthusiasm at all. The weather condition and the echoes of the daily morning katha in our minds combined together to make Krsna look so real. Unfortunately the next day\u2019s rainy weather did not let us go to Ter Kadamba for our planned five-hour kirtana. We had no regrets though, for we had an intimate and joyous kirtana for many hours in the temple hall instead. <\/p>\n
In conclusion, I would like to sincerely thank all the devotees who cheerfully facilitated this retreat. Well done! What a treat was this retreat! The final realizations session revealed the accomplishment. In the words of the vaisnavis present we found a powerhouse of spiritual energy, unique association, the best beauty parlour for a natural glow, a mountain of love and protection in Giriraja, a place in Srila Prabhupada\u2019s mission, and many friends. Wishing all vaisnavis many more successful and blissful sangas! Hare Krsna!<\/p>\n
——-
\nAnuradha Devi Dasi joined ISKCON in 1979 in Vrindavana. Within month of joining she was send to Australia for Sankirtan preaching. After her marriage she assisted her husband in opening a preaching centre in Manly and establish the North Sydney temple. For many years she covered services like cooking, deity worship, harinama, etc. but mainly taking care of the brahmacarini ashram. Later her large family lived for six years in Orissa with her revered spiritual master Sri Srimad Gaura Govinda Svami Maharaja. After he left this world in 1996, she and her husband tried simple living on their own farm in Australia. Since eight years she is in the vanaprastha ashrama and serves as one of the bhakti shastri teachers in Mayapur.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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By Anuradha Devi Dasi<\/strong><\/p>\nHeld in a spacious a\u00e7rama, far away \u201cfrom the madding crowd,\u201d the retreat bestowed upon us many blessings. I was happy to leave behind computer, internet, phone, and the comforts of my daily life, and just be absorbed in bhajana. As Pra\u00e7\u00e4nt\u00e4 Dev\u00e9 had explained in the opening ceremony, “To go on a retreat means to get away from all our pressures and worries to simply become absorbed in cultivating our relationship with K\u00e5\u00f1\u00eba and the devotees, so we may return to our life strengthened and enlivened.” <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16544","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16544","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16544"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16544\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16551,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16544\/revisions\/16551"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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