For the past two months, I have been staying at Simhachalam in Germany. Time has been flying - much faster than when I am constantly traveling. When traveling from one place to another, life is action-packed and eventful, meeting so many people and visiting so many places and countries. In this way, one month is filled with many impressions and experiences and thus feels like 3 or 4 months.
Staying in one place, however, each week goes by rather swiftly - one after another...
Staying in one place, however, each week goes by rather swiftly - one after another...
Apart from the nice temple programs and the personal exchanges with the devotees in private discussions I have been consciously relishing living so close to nature, and observing how gradually the European spring awakens.
Simhachalam is a farm project and situated in the Bavarian forest - away from everything! The closest little village is around 2 km's, the nearest country town with some shops is 10 km's, the next bigger city around 40 km's. For the whole past one month, I didn't even go anywhere except for walks in the forest! Then, just recently we could go on harinama again on the condition we would follow various safety regulations in regards to the Corona situation. So last Friday we went on harinama in Passau, the nearest bigger city. We were not allowed to move but had to stay in one spot which was perfect for our purpose. I was on the book table and distributed a few books - it felt good to be out there again, talking to people and seeing how life is going on out here. And it was reassuring to once again discover that we really don't miss out on anything staying in Simhachalam....
Gradually the trees have become green, and everything is blossoming. Of all seasons, Krishna declares to be the spring. And it is indeed such a beautiful season, especially when we live surrounded by nature and can observe it unfolding from day to day.
Simhachalam is a farm project and situated in the Bavarian forest - away from everything! The closest little village is around 2 km's, the nearest country town with some shops is 10 km's, the next bigger city around 40 km's. For the whole past one month, I didn't even go anywhere except for walks in the forest! Then, just recently we could go on harinama again on the condition we would follow various safety regulations in regards to the Corona situation. So last Friday we went on harinama in Passau, the nearest bigger city. We were not allowed to move but had to stay in one spot which was perfect for our purpose. I was on the book table and distributed a few books - it felt good to be out there again, talking to people and seeing how life is going on out here. And it was reassuring to once again discover that we really don't miss out on anything staying in Simhachalam....
Gradually the trees have become green, and everything is blossoming. Of all seasons, Krishna declares to be the spring. And it is indeed such a beautiful season, especially when we live surrounded by nature and can observe it unfolding from day to day.
Every day I go for a walk for around one hour, and I pick some wildflowers to decorate my simple little altar. For each day I chose a different color combination. How amazing Krishna is, that He has created such a variety of colors and designs of flowers! And they all have their distinct fragrance! All this information is put in a tiny seed - simply amazing! We can view them as little living entities, simply waiting to be used to beautify Krishna...! And there is such a variety of different grasses! It all can be combined to a beautiful flower arrangement to be offered to the Lord and His pure devotee...
From the window of my room I have a nice view into the garden of our temple property and onto the surrounding mountains, and I can see the sun rising in the morning. Already before Mangal Artik, during the brahma-muhurta hour, the birds start to sing and become more and more jubilant throughout the day.
My meditation is to imagine how these birds chant the glories of the Lord. Prabhupada describes the atmosphere of Vaikuntha in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, where every living entity including the birds are engaged in sravanam kirtanam... And they enjoy hearing other's glorification much more than their own sound. In the material world however, even an ass enjoys his own sound vibration thinking everyone should hear it, although rather ugly...
From the window of my room I have a nice view into the garden of our temple property and onto the surrounding mountains, and I can see the sun rising in the morning. Already before Mangal Artik, during the brahma-muhurta hour, the birds start to sing and become more and more jubilant throughout the day.
My meditation is to imagine how these birds chant the glories of the Lord. Prabhupada describes the atmosphere of Vaikuntha in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, where every living entity including the birds are engaged in sravanam kirtanam... And they enjoy hearing other's glorification much more than their own sound. In the material world however, even an ass enjoys his own sound vibration thinking everyone should hear it, although rather ugly...
I can sometimes watch the birds busily engaged in building a nest, carrying straws and pieces of fluffy moss back and forth. Sometimes, their load is so heavy for them, that they have to make a big effort flapping their little wings forcefully to reach the high location of their "construction site". And they keep themselves so busy, all day!
The thought entered my mind, how we should also keep ourselves just as busy - from early morning to late evening - but serving Krishna and His devotees, all the while chanting Krishna's glories....! We can learn from them...
Once when Srila Prabhupada returned from a morning walk in Mayapur, he saw a bird building his nest in one of the chandeliers in the temple room. Prabhupada was surrounded by a group of disciples, and pointing his cane up to the chandelier, he asked: "What does it mean when a bird builds a nest?" The devotees ventured all kinds of philosophical and esoteric answers, but Prabhupada was not satisfied. Finally he gave the answer himself: "It means, his wife is pregnant and he is building a house...!"
How little difference there is between these animals and human beings, if they don't use the human form of life for the higher purpose of developing their relationship with Krishna....!
Your servant, Devaki dd
The thought entered my mind, how we should also keep ourselves just as busy - from early morning to late evening - but serving Krishna and His devotees, all the while chanting Krishna's glories....! We can learn from them...
Once when Srila Prabhupada returned from a morning walk in Mayapur, he saw a bird building his nest in one of the chandeliers in the temple room. Prabhupada was surrounded by a group of disciples, and pointing his cane up to the chandelier, he asked: "What does it mean when a bird builds a nest?" The devotees ventured all kinds of philosophical and esoteric answers, but Prabhupada was not satisfied. Finally he gave the answer himself: "It means, his wife is pregnant and he is building a house...!"
How little difference there is between these animals and human beings, if they don't use the human form of life for the higher purpose of developing their relationship with Krishna....!
Your servant, Devaki dd
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