New Braja 2008 (Badger, CA)

[Jaya Sri]

The festival was amazing! It was my first since being initiated by Gurudev (Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaj). The previous festivals like Ratha Yatra or Janmastami, etc. were all under ISKCON, which are really good too though there is no presence of a true spiritual master since Srila Prabhupad's departure. Many of my friends are always at Gurudev's festivals around the world, and I had the pleasure of seeing my old old kirtan crew. It was so great seeing everyone, having satsang, chanting and eating prasadam together. But mostly the nectar came from Gurudev's lectures and presence. He gives the Hari Katha of Radha Krishna and the Gopis and their wonderful pastimes together. I had the great fortune of sitting near Gurudev's feet the entire time. One just cannot get enough of him. And I plan on going to Gaura Purnima in Navadvip next year and doing the pakrima around the islands. I'm overjoyed about it. I don't exactly now how I'll accomplish it yet but Gurudev said I'll be there, so that's it!

The lectures were in remembrance of the Lords visit with us to enjoy himself. Later as the world became more irreligious (unspiritual), the avatar Sri Caitanya came to give us Krishna's mercy to "all" with the Chanting of the Holy name. This is our lineage and our family. Krishna is Godhead in most of all the important Vedas, and this truth all need to know no matter how much it has been minimized and distorted. The demigods desire to lick the dust off his feet as well. Vaisanvas do not rely on the material platform. We know that the only way to true liberation is to detach from Maya and so we go forth on the process of chanting and doing our sadhana/bhajana (tapasya). Though we don't completely renounce everything since we have to survive on this material plane, but we try to stay unattached to the fruits of our labors and stay blissful in God, who is not a "void", or some unimaginable, impersonal entity, but instead always with us and dancing, laughing and playing with us, just due to material contamination we sometimes cannot perceive it. That's why we chant the holy name, because it will uncover Maya who covers us in the form of doubt and fear.