On the 30th of March Rasarani and myself took the train from Zagreb to Hungary to visit New Vraja Dham. Rasarani is 18 years old and grew up in Mayapur - her father is from Hungary and her mother from the Canarian Islands. She was one year old when they moved to Mayapur, and she recently graduated from Bhakti Vidya Purna Maharaja's Girls' School. Her entire family is very devotional - her parents, brother and older sister are all seriously practicing devotees. Her brother is only 23 years old, and traveling preaching in China!
I had invited her to join me on a little tour around Europe in order to give her an opportunity to discover the world and broaden her life experience, and she had flown from Calcutta to Zagreb to join me here. She had only been out of Mayapur two times for a couple of weeks in her entire life, just to get a new passport. The Western world was completely foreign to her, having grown up in a different environment and mind set.
Sometimes it was almost a little amusing to see how so many daily details were very new and foreign to her, not knowing for example what a celery root looks like, or what raspberries taste like. And only recently she came to know what Mc Donald's is all about.....! Certainly a great fortune to grow up in such a different reality and spiritual environment like Mayapur, and being protected from so many contaminating influences and propaganda. I almost felt like I had a Bengali village girl with me - so innocent and pure hearted.... Now she had reached the right age to explore the world a little. Especially our teenagers need to orientate themselves to find inspirational authority figures and role models to move forward in their life and mold their character. The parents cannot give much discipline and guidance in this phase in life, since both are meant to detach themselves from each other: the parents are meant to let go of controlling the children, allowing them to grow up and chose their personal path within their life, and the teenager is meant to cut the umbilical cord to the parents in order to establish him/herself in life.
Sometimes it was almost a little amusing to see how so many daily details were very new and foreign to her, not knowing for example what a celery root looks like, or what raspberries taste like. And only recently she came to know what Mc Donald's is all about.....! Certainly a great fortune to grow up in such a different reality and spiritual environment like Mayapur, and being protected from so many contaminating influences and propaganda. I almost felt like I had a Bengali village girl with me - so innocent and pure hearted.... Now she had reached the right age to explore the world a little. Especially our teenagers need to orientate themselves to find inspirational authority figures and role models to move forward in their life and mold their character. The parents cannot give much discipline and guidance in this phase in life, since both are meant to detach themselves from each other: the parents are meant to let go of controlling the children, allowing them to grow up and chose their personal path within their life, and the teenager is meant to cut the umbilical cord to the parents in order to establish him/herself in life.
So I saw it as my opportunity to offer some humble service to inspire and care for our teenagers by inviting such a sincere devotee as Rasarani for a little tour around Europe. It would certainly be an eternal spiritual investment, hopefully creating joyful and unforgettable impressions and Samskaras in her mind. Teenagers want some fun and adventure, and if we don't offer it within Krsna consciousness, they will search for it outside of Krsna consciousness.
In New Vraja Dham I was invited to give the seminar on "The False Ego - our Constant Companion and Troublemaker" over four morning sessions during the time of SB class. It was certainly the best timing in order to have maximum participation, since throughout the day all the devotees are very busy with so many services. In the evenings we conducted an informal question-answer session in the restaurant area, which was very well attended. Devotees came up with deep and relevant questions, which brought about an enlivening discussion and further elaboration. I have observed that it is often not so easy for us to ask good questions. It requires that we hear attentively and deeply contemplate the topic to apply it in our spiritual practice. The fact that the devotees here in Vraja Dham asked so many good questions were an indication to me that they are mature and serious devotees. And I especially enjoyed these evening sessions, which created a very personal atmosphere. They also helped me to receive new insights and discoveries. This is how the audience serves the speaker: by being inquisitive and drawing deeper answers from the speaker and thus intensifying his/her meditation and realizations.
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Many devotees also came with personal questions, and I happily extended myself to serve them in this way. New Vraja Dham has many senior and seriously practicing devotees who deserve all the support and care they can receive.
We also spent a couple of days in Budapest. Rasarani visited some devotee friends of her family and also her grand-parents, and I stayed with one mataji and conducted a ladies' program in her home. All the brahmacarinis and some ladies from the congregation attended, and we had a transformational discussion in a personal and trusting setting. We concluded the program with kirtan and tasty prasadam.
I also took the opportunity to consult a specialist for orthodedy and sportsmedicine about my foot which I had overstrained in India when walking around too much in slippers. As the body gets older some parts are getting gradually worn out a little. I had heard before that wearing only Birkenstock's can easily damage our feet, and it seemed like I had received a little sample of this phenomena. The doctor was a thoughtful and experienced man and gave me good advice. And in return I shared our wisdom and gave him a "Science of Self-realization". A perfect exchange of service and knowledge.....
I also took the opportunity to consult a specialist for orthodedy and sportsmedicine about my foot which I had overstrained in India when walking around too much in slippers. As the body gets older some parts are getting gradually worn out a little. I had heard before that wearing only Birkenstock's can easily damage our feet, and it seemed like I had received a little sample of this phenomena. The doctor was a thoughtful and experienced man and gave me good advice. And in return I shared our wisdom and gave him a "Science of Self-realization". A perfect exchange of service and knowledge.....
On the 7th of April we flew off to Cologne/Germany....
Your servant, Devaki dd
Your servant, Devaki dd
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