BLUE LOTUS REPORT - TKG's DIARY

Haribol wonderful devotees
Please Accept My Humble Obeisances. All Glories To Srila Prabhupada!

What a fantastic book club meeting we had last night? It left us all inspired and high spirited. We read the book TKG's Diary" by HH Tamal Krishna Goswami. We started by singing Sapärñada-bhagavad-viraha-janita-viläpa Lamentation Due to Separation from the Lord and His Associates (from Prärthanä) a beautiful bhajan lead by Sitala Matajee who sings very sweetly and plays the mrdanga very well. Gita Govinda Matajee and Kandarpa Matajee played the kartels so melodiously not to mention little Gopi who was also playing so nicely.

All the Vaishnavis were highly inspired by HH Tamal Krishna Goswami’s dedication to Srila Prabhupada. Nayan Matajee, Daksha Matajee and Aarti matajee were feeling especially sad for Srila Prabhupada’s suffering and expressed their sincere admiration for Srila Prabhupada’s determination and high standard ensuring that everything was in order before he left his body. Gita Govinda Matajee shared her experience when she went to the Bhaktivedanta Manor in London and how by Srila Prabhupada’s mercy that she actually got to see his rooms even though they are normally closed during festival time. Vishaka Matajee also described how Srila Prabhupada’s rooms are still so well preserved in Vrindavan and also made mention of how particular Srila Prabhupada was about the paintings that his disciples used to complete. Sitala Matajee was describing when she visited Srila Prabhupada’s samadi and the potency that one feels there and also made mention of the following point further elaborated by Kandarpa Matajee who read the extract where HH Tamal Krishna Goswami told Srila Prabhupada that he is a fool and Srila Prabhupada then replied to him that as long as he thinks himself a fool Srila Prabhupada can instruct him but as soon as he thinks that he knows everything then nothing can be taught. Kandarpa Matajee said we should adopt this attitude to for advancement in our spiritual lives and we all happily agreed. We also had two surprise guests which we warmly welcomed and they will be visiting our temple more often which pleased all the blue lotuses.

We all felt so blessed by HH Tamal Krishna Goswami who was so compassionate for sharing his diary with us and the entire world. Only by his mercy ordinary people like us could know the truth as it was about the greatest leader who walked on this earth, Srila Prabhupada. We were feeling so blissful and started to appreciate all of Srila Prabhupada’s amazing disciples. Srila Prabhupada was truly an outstanding spiritual father who had so many dedicated and loving sons who has followed/follows him exactly, that is why ISKCON still stands so firm with proper standards, highly maintained and always will, continually growing from strength to strength!

"Srila Prabhupada lives with those who live to fulfil his desires. We take shelter beneath the lotus feet of our beloved Guru Maharaja, whom we eternally serve" HH Tama Krishna Goswami from TKG’s diary pg 357. We see this statement is practised by all of our ISKCON leaders and we can only try to follow in their footsteps.

SRILA PRABHUPADA KI JAI!!!!
HH TAMAL KRISHNA GOSWAMI MAHARAJA KI JAI!!!
BLUE LOTUS BOOK CLUB KI JAI!

We would like to extend our gratitude to all for providing delicious prasadam.

Your loving servant
Hema Patel

For and on behalf of The Blue Lotus Book Club
(31 March 2009)

Vraja’s Goddess

kyaham parah sata-nikaty-anuviddha-cetahsankalpa esa sahasa kva su-durlabhe’rtheeka kalpaiva tava mam ajahaty upadhi-sunyeva mantum adadhaty agater gatir me

O Srimati Tulasi-devi, how low I am, my heart pierced by hundreds of offenses! How exalted and difficult to attain is my aspiration! Your causeless mercy is my only hope. It is by Your mercy that I, who am so fallen, can have these desires in my thoughts.

( Sri Sankalpa-kalpadruma,Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Srimati Tulasi devi is a dear most servant to Radha Krishna and under Purnamasi’s guidance arranges the pastimes of Radha and Govinda. For this reason she is a great shelter for devotees who are aspiring to reside and serve the Lord in Vraja. But she has another special characteristic making her mercy so freely accessible to all! And that is her form within this material world is a plant. Just by watering and singing prayers to Tulasi devi we are able to receive the highest perfection. Tulasi devi, Vrinda devi ki jai!

For such a special personality as this devotees, Mother Radhakunda and Damodara Prabhu, painstakingly over a few months arranged for a beautiful house and garden for Tulasi devi to reside in. The opening for this special place took place last weekend and the mood was incredibly sweet.

Our youth group and book club arranged the décor and assisted in the gift bags.

This here is Neha accompanied by her mum, Prabha Matajee, and aunt, Daksha Matajee.



They created a beautiful Vrinda devi backdrop for the stage.


It was very nice to be able to mediate on the different names of Vrinda devi that they had scribed to the backdrop.


Daksha Matajee also took care of the Tulasi skirts that were arranged for each and every tulasi plant.


This here is my dear friend, Hemisha, and my sweet sister, Gita Govinda devi dasi, who are also the local décor gurus.

For years they have been dedicated to the service of decorating the temple and Lord Jagannath’s cart and tent at the annual Ratha Festival in Lenasia. Their devotion and meticulous service to the Lord is inspiring.

Hema Matajee and Syamarani devi dasi prepared fancy gift bags holding ekadasi sweets, Maha Tulsi leaves, Tulasi devi info pamphlet and Tulsi book marks. All the guests so much appreciated this thoughtful gesture.

Once again the true bliss of the festival was everyone working so nicely together at such short notice on all of this to make the day special for Tulasi devi and all her guests.

We hope the Lord and devotees engage us more and more in divine service.

Thank you to all the youth group members and mothers who assisted so willing in all our endeavors.

Hare Krishna Food for Life

Last Saturday we joined the Lenasia Food for Life team in distributing sanctified food in Kliptown, an African township, a 10 minute drive from the temple.

Hare Krishna Food for Life (FFL) is different to other welfare organisations as it does not only provide physical relief but spiritual relief as well. Supplying food to the body is temporary as one again becomes hungry but by providing spiritual relief (of Krishna prasadam and the Holy Name) one is given the opportunity to never again take birth in a material body, thus providing permanent relief from the pangs of material existence.

FFL is a truly satisfying experience. We distributed at an orphanage that is part of an informal settlement. Several young kids and older ladies came inside the clean and neat dining area.

This here is Minesh Prabhu, the head organiser, getting an energetic kirtan started up.

With the enthusiastic encouragement of Sharad Prabhu and others the ladies began clapping their hands and the kids danced to the rhythms of the holy Name.



Some of the youngsters brought out their African drums taking the whole experience to another level.



While others were overjoyed to play some of our instruments



All glories to Srila Prabhupada’s perfect solutions to all troubles! Global Food for Life Ki Jai!



FFL in Lenasia takes place from the temple every Tuesday and Maha (big) FFL takes place every last Saturday of the month. You are most welcome to be a part of it!