Shukasari

   When I started the Kids for Kids Program (Friends of GATE) in Facebook, I wondered how am I to go around collecting stationery for the school children that Srila Gurudeva started in Navadvipa. GATE stands for Golden Avatar Trust Education Initiative and by the order of my Srila Gurudeva, some of my godsisters and godbrothers are doing great service in providing free education besides incorporating kirtans and hari-katha into the school curriculum.  The strong desire to do some service, kept me going. I told this venture to my students. At first they gave me blank stares. Then a little boy, gave his pencil. Another little girl gave her unused eraser. The ball started rolling from there. From colour pencils to sharpeners, note books and little purses. I know they cannot buy new ones. So my idea was to get them to part with anything that they don't need. Instead of throwing the stationery away, they can give it to others. But it most be in good condition. Ch...

( A short excerpt from Sripad Bhaktivedanta Tirtha Maharaja's class when His Holiness was in Malaysia. ) Sakhis (the beloved cowherd girls of Lord Krsna) always have competitive mood to always serve the Lord. They want Krsna for themselves as well. But the manjaris (the dear most maid servants of Srimati Radhika) have always servitor mood - always wanting to serve their swamini Srimati Radhika. This is our goal and object. We have to pray for the mood of the maidservants of Srimati Radhika. If we want to worship Srimati Radhika's lotus feet, then we must respect all here, in this world. We must practice and avoid all offenses. Once a babaji from the Babaji Sampradaya did hard austerities, doing special sadhana and bhajana of asta-kaliya-lila. When he left his body, all his disciples cried bitterly. One disciple, even after a long time, felt so much separation mood for his Gurudeva. He felt that he was embroiled in the material world and prayed he could serve his Gurudeva. Then ...

On the recent passing away of Vijay Krsna prabhu's father, Sriman Kanu Priya prabhu, Sripad Bhaktivedanta Madhava Maharaja gave a short class. Below is the excerpt of the class: We come to this world with our hands closed. When we die, the hands are open. We cannot take anything with us. At every step of our lives, we face difficulties. We are doing everything for our family and children when we are young. But then old age and disease come to rob our vitality. When we are old, children may not want us anymore. They will think when will this old lady or old man will die. Govinda - 'Go' means mother earth, the Vedas or giving pleasure to senses. Here when one dies, especially a South Indian, they will say, "Govinda! Govinda!" In North India, it is "Rama Nama Sathia Hai" ( the only truth is Lord Rama ) When we leave this body, we cannot take any of our belongings our any of our beloved. Once, when I was in north Malaysia, a gentleman approac...