Memories from 2007

 om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah
"O Gurudeva, you are so merciful. I offer my humble pranama unto you and am praying from the core of my heart that, with the torchlight of divine knowledge, you open my eyes which have been blinded by the darkness of ignorance."


I found some notes I took in 2007 on the first day of the New Braj (Badger) festival. Srila Gurudeva asked the devotees to speak on this question: "Why do pure devotees travel all over the world?"

Following are some of the things they said. I hope it is okay that I share who spoke what:

Gopanandini didi: "Gurudeva can hear our hearts. What kind of ears the pure devotees must have, to hear our hearts crying out."

Nirguna prabhu: "Prabhupada had an arsenal of weapons [for preaching and spreading Krsna consciousness]. First, the books, more books, and then the final weapon - the brahmastra weapon - Srila Gurudeva!"

Sravana prabhu: "We are very fortunate to be here. Some people come and think it's vacation - seven days off of work. But this is not vacation; this is where the work begins! We are so fallen that we have sadhu-sanga available, but are still entangled in maya and material life. So the pure devotee comes to us, since we will not go to him."

Sripad BV Niskincana Maharaja (Brajendranandana prabhu): "I am mad, I am bad, I am sad. I hope you make me glad!"