On the 18th of May I flew from Simferopol to Moscow, with an onward flight to Munich/Germany to attend Nrsimha Caturdasi in Simhachalam. When going through the passport control in Moscow the immigration officers stopped me. My passport had been slightly damaged on the way into Russia, and now they did not allow me to leave the country with this damaged passport, claiming that it was invalid. They even accused me of having put in the front page myself with sticky tape. It did indeed look like this - to a person who does not know how German passports are made. The first and laminated page could look indeed like it was inserted with sticky tape, especially when it is a little damaged on the top end.
No matter how hard I tried to explain them the situation, that the passport was damaged by their collegues when entering the country - they were stubborn and insisted to keep me in the country, not allowing me to board my flight to Munich. Russian bureaucracy! I tried everything - emphatically telling that I had an extremely important conference (on Lord Nrsimhadeva's appearance) to attend, which I couldn't possibly miss. But they were unfazed by my dramatic performance and arranged for an airline officer to deliver the bad news to me - that I would have to miss my flight.
No matter how hard I tried to explain them the situation, that the passport was damaged by their collegues when entering the country - they were stubborn and insisted to keep me in the country, not allowing me to board my flight to Munich. Russian bureaucracy! I tried everything - emphatically telling that I had an extremely important conference (on Lord Nrsimhadeva's appearance) to attend, which I couldn't possibly miss. But they were unfazed by my dramatic performance and arranged for an airline officer to deliver the bad news to me - that I would have to miss my flight.
My mind was reeling....! Rasarani Mataji would be arriving from Florence at the Munich airport, and we had planned to travel out together to Simhachalam by public transport. And she was simply too inexperienced to find her way by herself. And during the festival I was scheduled to give a seminar on the false ego, which I also did not want to miss. And I certainly didn't want to spend Nrsimha Caturdasi in a Russian jail.....!
It took me a couple of hours to let go of my plans and be ready to accept Krsna's plan. And I welcomed the opportunity to do this exercise since sooner or later we will have to indeed give up all of our plans, no matter how dear and important they may be to us, and get ready to leave our body accepting Krsna's plans. All kinds of thoughts reeled through my mind, remembering amazing stories how seemingly innocent people would sometimes get entangled in some legal problems and thrown into jail, or even given the death sentence for crimes which they hadn't even done - at least not in this life. A certain feeling of helplessness overcame me, having to surrender to my fate of being entangled in Russian legal issues - whatever it would lead to.
It took me a couple of hours to let go of my plans and be ready to accept Krsna's plan. And I welcomed the opportunity to do this exercise since sooner or later we will have to indeed give up all of our plans, no matter how dear and important they may be to us, and get ready to leave our body accepting Krsna's plans. All kinds of thoughts reeled through my mind, remembering amazing stories how seemingly innocent people would sometimes get entangled in some legal problems and thrown into jail, or even given the death sentence for crimes which they hadn't even done - at least not in this life. A certain feeling of helplessness overcame me, having to surrender to my fate of being entangled in Russian legal issues - whatever it would lead to.
While sitting at the airport and awaiting my fate I managed to contact the Munich temple through a Skype call and informed them of Rasarani Mataji's arrival, and they reassured me that they would take care of her. At least this matter was settled.....
Finally I was told the verdict of the Russian law: I had to get a new German passport and pay a fine for approaching the immigration counter with an invalid and falsified passport! Well, it could have been worse.....
Finally I was told the verdict of the Russian law: I had to get a new German passport and pay a fine for approaching the immigration counter with an invalid and falsified passport! Well, it could have been worse.....
Thank God I still had a few phone numbers of devotees in Moscow temple, and after waiting for two hours to get my checked-in luggage back I was picked up by Alona Mataji, the secretary of Moscow temple. She had attended our Matajis' retreat a couple of weeks before and had assisted me as my translater. She was on the ball and had already contacted the German embassy and made an appointment for me for the next morning at 8am. And they had given some hope that I might be receiving a temporary passport on the same day in the afternoon, valid for one year. So I booked another flight for the next evening to Munich, hoping for the best.
On the next morning we arrived early at the embassy, and the security guard told us to wait for 45 minutes outside the gate. One of the German officers going to work asked me whether I was the one with the damaged passport who was not allowed to leave the country. It seemed like the entire embassy had already heard of my story. When I described the damage he exclaimed: "Oh yes, this happens a lot to people who travel all the time, for example with business men... Seems like the German passport has a little weak point there...." And he invited me to come in, saying: "We don't want to let you wait here outside the gate..."
How amazing, that Germans who are known for producing things in good quality
can't even make solid and lasting passports! It was the last time that I would applied for an oversize passport with 48 pages since it wouldn't last for that long anyway.....
Even though I didn't have a birth certificate with me, nevertheless within
five hours I was the owner of a new passport. They had sent an inquiry to the city where I was born, and within a couple of hours they received a birth certificate via internet. Sometimes it is helpful to be German and be able to take advantage of the German efficiency....
Needless to say, I felt great victory and relief when holding my new passport in my hand - the happiness which is nothing else but relief of distress. The hope to still reach Simhachalam in time for Nrsimha Caturdasi dawned on the horizon.....
How amazing, that Germans who are known for producing things in good quality
can't even make solid and lasting passports! It was the last time that I would applied for an oversize passport with 48 pages since it wouldn't last for that long anyway.....
Even though I didn't have a birth certificate with me, nevertheless within
five hours I was the owner of a new passport. They had sent an inquiry to the city where I was born, and within a couple of hours they received a birth certificate via internet. Sometimes it is helpful to be German and be able to take advantage of the German efficiency....
Needless to say, I felt great victory and relief when holding my new passport in my hand - the happiness which is nothing else but relief of distress. The hope to still reach Simhachalam in time for Nrsimha Caturdasi dawned on the horizon.....
On the same evening when going through the passport control to board the flight to Munich, out of curiosity I showed my old and damaged passport to the immigration officer, and this time they didn't even notice the damage, and within two minutes I had passed through the immigration.....
Krsna was indeed playing a joke here.....
Finally, in the early morning of Nrsimha Caturdasi I arrived at Simhacalam, happy to have reached just in time! Finally I had been able to leave behind this crazy circus and had returned to a different world - the spiritual realm....
Krsna was indeed playing a joke here.....
Finally, in the early morning of Nrsimha Caturdasi I arrived at Simhacalam, happy to have reached just in time! Finally I had been able to leave behind this crazy circus and had returned to a different world - the spiritual realm....
Nrsimha Caturdasi was once again a beautiful festival. We had the saintly association of HH Krsna Ksetra Maharaja and Bhakti Vaibhava Maharaja, who enlightened us with wonderful katha and uplifting kirtans. Many devotees had come from all corners of Germany and also the neigboring countries of Switzerland, Austria, Poland, Czeck Republic, Hungary and others. The mood was exhilarating, and for three days we were intensely absorbed in remembering Lord Nrsimhadev being the center of all festivities, by witnessing so many pleasing arrangements His faithful servants had offered to Him in great devotion: an elaborate abhishek, where we women were also allowed to bathe the Lord. I had the good fortune to pour freshly made mango juice over Him. Then there was a special darshan consisting of many short darshans, where the Lord was covered in a banana pack, a few minutes later He re-appeared with special fruit garlands, and with so many colorful and extraordinary arrangements. A real feast to the eye and soul, drawing devotion from our stone-like hearts....
As every year, the Lord also had the opportunity to sit on the swing, giving us a chance to offer some pleasure to Him, and another highlight was the sandesh outfit - the Lord being dressed in colorful sandesh! I was marvelling at the Lord's patience and mercy, accepting and all the while tolerating our loving service....!
As every year, the Lord also had the opportunity to sit on the swing, giving us a chance to offer some pleasure to Him, and another highlight was the sandesh outfit - the Lord being dressed in colorful sandesh! I was marvelling at the Lord's patience and mercy, accepting and all the while tolerating our loving service....!
Inbetween those amazing offerings of devotion to the Lord I spent my time reaching out devotees, connecting and offering encouragement and guidance wherever I could. Existing relationships were strengthened and deepened, and new relationships were established. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to catch up with so many devotees who I don't meet so often, and to offer some humble service to them. Service to the Lord's devotees is even more pleasing to Him.....!
On the last day of the festival I had a chance to offer a shortened synopsis to the theme of "The False Ego - our Constant Companion and Troublemaker," after missing the first seminar slot due to my late arrival. The topic nicely connected with Hiranyakasipu being the personification of false ego, and it was well received by an eager audience.
On Nrsimha Caturdasi Simhacalam is certainly the very best place to be within Europe. In most other temples it is a three-hour event, especially when it falls on a working day. But here it is a three-day event, in great joy and excitement....!
On the 24th of May I boarded a direct flight to Montreal/Canada, while Rasarani flew for three weeks to the Canarian Islands, visiting devotee friends.....
Your servant, Devaki dd
On the last day of the festival I had a chance to offer a shortened synopsis to the theme of "The False Ego - our Constant Companion and Troublemaker," after missing the first seminar slot due to my late arrival. The topic nicely connected with Hiranyakasipu being the personification of false ego, and it was well received by an eager audience.
On Nrsimha Caturdasi Simhacalam is certainly the very best place to be within Europe. In most other temples it is a three-hour event, especially when it falls on a working day. But here it is a three-day event, in great joy and excitement....!
On the 24th of May I boarded a direct flight to Montreal/Canada, while Rasarani flew for three weeks to the Canarian Islands, visiting devotee friends.....
Your servant, Devaki dd
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