alternate reality

Deal With It!

2009-06-30T21:41:00.002-04:00

I've officially abandoned this blog in preference for sabjimata.blogspot.com, but even there I am not posting much these days.

But since this blog gets fed to Planet Iskcon and the Sabjimata blog is not being fed since I changed the url recently, i am posting this link here for anyone interested in honesty on the path to Krishna.

A longtime friend of mine has written an excellent post at his blog, A Convenient Truth, complete with a warning for the squeemish. My blog carries no such warning. His original cartoon, which accompanies the post, appears below.

Enjoy!

Open Letter to BBT Art Calendar Peeps

2009-06-18T09:41:00.001-04:00

Dear BBT--

I know you are not a person, but an organization that publishes stuff. Nevertheless, please hear my plea.

Please make the BBT art calendar, particularly the Ekadasi/variant date thing, more user friendly.

I have blown too many Ekadasis because of my own user error in reading the calendar. Here's a suggestion. How about highlighting the Ekadasi day and the variant date? Or how about marking the variant date right on the two boxes instead of some calendar small print footnote which, in my advanced age, find difficult to read.

Sure, there are online resources for finding out the correct date, but that would mean I would have to go on the computer...and anyone who knows me even a little bit knows I am hardly on this thing, what with being such a busy mom and all.

Who really likes the variant date thing? Pretty much no one who is subject to it's rule. I'm not asking you to change the phase of the moon for me but just the calendar layout.

Sincerely,
Fastingthewrongday V. Dasi

Where I'm At

2009-06-13T19:58:00.003-04:00

I will be blogging @ sabjimata.blogspot.com from here on out.

Blue & Pink

2009-06-12T00:42:00.000-04:00

Jacksonville Ratha

2009-06-04T23:00:00.003-04:00

I just read Adi Kavi Prabhu's piece on improving safety in regards to future Ratha festivals. I appreciate his deep meditation on this and also appreciate the seva he and Kirtiraja Prabhu performed at the festival last Saturday since my kids and I came a little too close to receiving the mercy of Jagannatha via the wheel of his cart.

If I saw a spot to leave comments after Prabhu's article, I would have. But without any spot (that I could find) I decided to awaken my blog and use this space! I have a humble suggestion for the organizers of the Jacksonville Beach Ratha for next year--a suggestion which would both improve the safety of the participants and reduce the WTF look on the faces of all the beachgoers who were just chilling on their towel one minute, only to have to make a dash to grab their stuff while a band of they-don't-even-know-whats comes parading by banging on drums and ringing bells (whew, that was one long sentence!).

So here it is. My big idea...which I realize I should probably keep to myself but if I was that kind of girl I wouldn't have a blog. Okay. So about a half hour before the parade, some folks can head out along the path, passing out flyers/invitations, giving beachgoers a heads up as to what's coming their way. This way the onlookers get some warning and maybe even a little bit of a clue as to what's going on.

I know the idea of Jagannatha Ratha Yatra is blissful, especially when it takes place on the beach and the wheels of the cart and the feet of the devotees are bathed in ocean water. Nectarean, as the really fired up would say. But me, well...somehow that salve of love has been wiped clean from my eyes and I am having a really hard time these days getting them all muddled up with bhakti again. My vision is way more ordinary and material. And while the average blissed out devotee may not have noticed that a lot of the onlookers were kind of pissed off that their day at the beach was interrupted by god only knows what ;) I sure as heck did. And hence, my suggestion. A shout out to Lord Jagannatha. A heads up to the people maxin' and relaxin' on Jacksonville Beach. And then some space on the side of the cart so people (like myself) can move over instead of forward (does anyone understand the words "jeldi" and "agay"??) if the threat of getting smooshed becomes imminent.

Okay. I'll go back to my hole now...

Too. Tired. To. Post. Too. Much. Life. To. Live.

2009-03-14T16:37:00.002-04:00

Gaura Purnim. Alachua. Very Good. Gurkula. Kids. Videos. Singing. Nice.

Girls from Mother Tapasvini's School

Short Video Bhakti Bhavan

Little Bit Longer But Still Short Video Bhakti Bhavan

Zombie Butler Candy Bowl

2009-02-08T16:46:00.002-05:00

Another devotional blog recommendation: Ekendra de Planet Cow and the Outer Universes.

I seriously recommend his writing. He is so funny he threw me into labor a week and a half early on my first pregnancy. Now that's funny!

Kickin' It Old School on Nityananda's Appearance Day

2009-02-07T12:12:00.003-05:00

This morning the Bhaktivedanta Academy Choir performed an original song written by Mother Mrgaksi, founder of The Little Vaisnavas. Performing in the choir were three of Mrgaksi's grandchildren. The kids did a great job. I have no idea if my own little Vaisnavas understood what the heck they were singing, but they looked cute and happy performing.

Jaya Nitai!

Watch the Video!!!!!

Part One

Part Two

Highly Recommended

2009-01-29T19:23:00.003-05:00

Jayadeva Das, reporting for Mangala Aroti.

Although it seems he has no interest in a blog feed to Planet Iskcon, there is nothing stopping me from giving a shout out to Jayadeva's blog: A or The (I Don't Remember) Convenient Truth.

Jayadeva and I were former inmates at Sri Gita Nagari Dhama way back before the end of the world happened in 2000. Whew, glad we made it through the apocalypse. When not blogging or thinking about Lord Nityananda, Jayadeva can be found in New Jersey, going to art school, working his j-o-b and being the best darndest step-dad this side of the Raritan River.

His blog is g-o-o-d. Hope you check it out.

(Ooops! And don't forget to check out his little missus' blog...but just don't leave any mean comments about her dog, okay? It's spirit soul, too!)

Gopi Bhava

2009-01-28T20:15:00.004-05:00

Like all little girls raised in the Vaisnava tradition, Madhumati loves acting like a gopi. She is always singing Jaya Radha Madhava, acting out the song with mudras she picked up in preschool. It is, like most things Madhumati, super cute.

Here she is chanting the famous bhajan of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur. To be honest, it was like the thousandth time in a row she was doing it so I think, by the time I decided to pick up the camera, that she started to loose a little steam. Okay, a lot. Honestly, she used to know all the words pakka but I think now that she is concentrating on the complex assortment of hand gestures, she has definitely lost some points for accuracy.

Jaya Radha Madhava, The "Only a Mother Could Love" Version

Alright Already

2009-01-27T21:25:00.002-05:00

So I set my blogs to invitation only...me being the only reader invited. Maybe you already know.

But here we are again. I am taking (I think) a blog vacation for now. I am a bit overwhelmed by the amount of email, etc. that the blogs generate.

And, well, I need my space.

But since taking blogs offline generated even more email...including a worrisome plea by my mother-in-law requesting that I don't say bad things about her on the blog behind her 'uninvited' back...I decided to return.

At least in my blog form.

XO D

Wide Open Compassion

2009-01-24T06:08:00.003-05:00

My family is headed out this morning to Tampa to visit with the in-laws visiting from DC, but in response to my porn posts, I just wanted to quickly add this link for an NPR story I heard a while back about a chaplain who ministered to men about to be executed in Texas. The movie, which I have not seen, is called At the Death House Door. To read more about it, or to hear Terry Gross's interview with Revered Carol Pickett,click this link.

The interview is very compelling and complicated and even haunting.

I have no time to get deep about it. Listen and feel. Soul to soul. Lifetime through lifetime.

MORE PORN!!!!!

2009-01-22T19:58:00.003-05:00

So within a short amount of time I have received a few emails from devotees asking who I am referring to and urging me to "alert the temple management."

Here's my response.

I did not write my earlier post as a threat to lynch, blackmail or out any devotee. Seriously, I have compassion for all devotees--there are so many personal struggles which make our lives so difficult. Neither above or beyond these sorts of things, I am not trying to persecute anyone.

Sure, I find porn offensive and yucky and bleah. And totally think the library is, perhaps, the most inappropriate place for it. But nevertheless, I am not going to report anyone to "authorities." We are adults and, to be honest, I don't think it is appropriate for people to be micro-managed. And besides, I figure we all answer to a higher authority.

From my knowledge of addictions and vices, people don't normally indulge in these sort of things without great shame and remorse.

I am confident that, as adults, we are trying to work on ourselves. Sometimes compulsions may get the best of us and we may not act soberly. Or maybe we just don't think anyone, you know, notices.

My previous post was written in the spirit of being grossed out, but also to let devotees know that the "privacy screens" are not that private. It is not so difficult to see what you are looking at, especially if it is a full color naked woman.

Also, I think it is a good idea to get devotees talking about the realities of life. In this day of unlimited internet access, porn is one of those realities. As the mother of a son (and daughter!) I wonder how I am going to allow my children to become computer literate without exposing them to confusing and way too graphic images.

Just the other day, when doing a Google image search for "Homer Simpson" for my other blog, there in the mix of all the Homer pics was some really nasty stuff. My kids were just a few feet away. Thankfully they didn't see anything because I have no idea how I would have explained it to a five year old and 3 1/2 year old.

Anyway, the internet is there. Porn is there. People are tempted. These are the problems of everyone, even those desiring to become God conscious.

Again, I didn't write my earlier post to start a witch hunt. Dialogue was more what I was going for. The problem is probably so widespread that to single one person out just doesn't make sense.

Love to all,

Devadeva

PORN!!!!!!!

2009-01-22T16:26:00.002-05:00

Dear Devotees--

If you live in Alachua and like to look at internet porn while visiting the Alachua Library and think that no one can see what you are looking at because of the "privacy screens" (screens mounted below keyboard level), please know.... I CAN SEE WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT!

And no, I am not trying *that* hard, although I have to admit that when I see a sikha at a computer carrel I do stand on my tippy toes just a little since I'm not even five foot two.

So this is just to say, please don't look at internet porn at the library. It's bad public relations, I don't want my kids to see that stuff as we are walking from the bathroom to the checkout and if I see you checking out porn at the very public library, next time you act like a super important, serious pakka devotee and can't tell me the time of the abhishek because you are chanting japa and how dare I interrupt you, I might just tell you that I saw you looking at internet porn at the library.

Your servant,

Devadeva

Call Me!

2009-01-22T13:30:00.001-05:00

I love you.

Pillow Talk

2009-01-11T07:18:00.004-05:00

I know many of you are experts on all sorts of things. Herbs, magnets, internal cleanses, baskets, cell phones, wood stoves, cobb houses, yoga, cooking, cows, etc....so I am posting this to see if someone--anyone--out there has already researched this.

I need a good pillow.

I prefer something natural and, of course, good for my back.

Sleeping is difficult for me because my back aches the whole night. I basically feel like it is kind of broken/weak. I suppose I need to improve my "core strength" but first I would like a good pillow.

Here's my sleep situation--I sleep on an extra-firm mattress and prefer sleeping on my back but do try lying on my side at times because my back just hurts. The achiness is in the middle of my back. I use one pillow but have recently tried using two but that only made my back hurt in a different spot.

What should I go for? Buckwheat hulls, memory foam, mustard seeds, natural wool, a dictionary? If it will make me feel better, I am willing to try it!

Thanking you in advance...XO D

My Better Half

2009-01-07T08:31:00.005-05:00

I just read a posting that Jagat-pati Prabhu suffered a stroke yesterday and is hospitalized.

Jagat-pati and I sat in on the same initiation yajna. Our names kind of go together--mine being the first half and his being the second half of the last line of a Gita sloka. (That initiation was like reading through the index of Bhagavad Gita.)

Jagat-pati is one of those far out devotees who requires very little and gives all that he does have to Krishna. I haven't been in touch with him for a few years, but last time I checked, he was living in the boiler room of the Brooklyn temple.

He is the kind of devotee who would chastise you for putting your feet on the bottom rung of another chair while sitting. But his chastisements are more his way of sharing what he has learned as a devotee rather than a way to put someone down. Jagat-pati is a talker. He has a lot to say and it always relates back to his guru, Srila Prabhupada (hence the chair chastisement) or Krishna. Always.

I hope that Jagat-pati can continue serving in the association of the devotees and that I get another opportunity for him to run my ear off about the mercy of our spiritual master. He is a regular fixture at the Brooklyn temple and I pray that Radha-Govinda continue showering Their mercy upon him.

BG 10.15

svayam evātmanātmānaḿ

vettha tvaḿ purusottama

bhūta-bhāvana bhūteśa

deva-deva jagat-pate

TRANSLATION

Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own internal potency, O Supreme Person, origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, Lord of the universe!

PURPORT

The Supreme Lord, Krsna, can be known by persons who are in a relationship with Him through the discharge of devotional service, like Arjuna and his followers. Persons of demonic or atheistic mentality cannot know Krsna. Mental speculation that leads one away from the Supreme Lord is a serious sin, and one who does not know Krsna should not try to comment on Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is the statement of Krsna, and since it is the science of Krsna, it should be understood from Krsna as Arjuna understood it. It should not be received from atheistic persons.

As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.11):

vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattvaḿ yaj jñānam advayam
brahmeti paramātmeti
bhagavān iti śabdyate

The Supreme Truth is realized in three aspects: as impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā and at last as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So at the last stage of understanding the Absolute Truth, one comes to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A common man or even a liberated man who has realized impersonal Brahman or localized Paramātmā may not understand God's personality. Such men, therefore, may endeavor to understand the Supreme Person from the verses of Bhagavad-gītā, which are being spoken by this person, Krsna. Sometimes the impersonalists accept Krsna as Bhagavān, or they accept His authority. Yet many liberated persons cannot understand Krsna as Purusottama, the Supreme Person. Therefore Arjuna addresses Him as Purusottama. Yet one still may not understand that Krsna is the father of all living entities. Therefore Arjuna addresses Him as Bhūta-bhāvana. And if one comes to know Him as the father of all the living entities, still one may not know Him as the supreme controller; therefore He is addressed here as Bhūteśa, the supreme controller of everyone. And even if one knows Krsna as the supreme controller of all living entities, still one may not know that He is the origin of all the demigods; therefore He is addressed herein as Devadeva, the worshipful God of all demigods. And even if one knows Him as the worshipful God of all demigods, one may not know that He is the supreme proprietor of everything; therefore He is addressed as Jagatpati. Thus the truth about Krsna is established in this verse by the realization of Arjuna, and we should follow in the footsteps of Arjuna to understand Krsna as He is.

34 Years Closer to Death

2009-01-06T15:58:00.010-05:00

The only thing certain at the time of birth is death. What comes in between is really up for grabs. While many devotees choose not to celebrate their birthday I have, since joining, made it a point to not let the day go by unmarked.

Since my first year in the temple, I began cooking for the devotees on my birthday. And while that probably doesn't seem that surprising now--since it seems like I am always cooking something--at the time I was just a floor mopper and toilet scrubber. My cooking experience was limited to microwaving vegetarian meals for myself while living at my folks' house.

I still remember that first birthday at Towaco. I cooked stuffed shells, bread rolls, steamed broccoli and prepared a salad for the devotees. At that time there was no question of offering the preps on the altar to Sri Sri Gaura Nitai since I wasn't even initiated. I cooked in the kitchen and then offered everything to Prabhupada on a makeshift altar above the Deity sink.

All of us young devotees--maybe 25 in all--attended the evening aroti lead by Mahamuni (HH RVSD) and as a special gift to me Muni Prabhu chanted a tune that HH Bhakti-tirtha Swami would often chant. Considering how at the time Muni and I had a sort of adversarial relationship, it was pretty darn sweet of him.

After aroti we headed to the prasadam hall where I served out the birthday meal. Tomato sauce, cheese and pasta is always a surefire hit, especially with devotees in bodies younger than 30 without any digestive problems. And steamed broccoli and salad seemed, in those Gujarati prasad abundant days, like an exotic luxury. Everyone was happy and I was instantly hooked. Serving the devotees on one's birthday is the most pleasurable way to enjoy in the material world.

And today was no different.

I cooked a pretty solid menu:

khandvi

dahi bada

tamarind chutney

sak/bhaigun/khala chana sabji with fresh tomato

bhatura

blackberry shrikand

cupcakes

Because of some unexpected events after school the previous day, I got started cooking a little late. Before cooking I did a maha-cleanup of my upstairs kitchen which took me until 11 pm to complete. One hour before midnite the cooking began. Honestly, I didn't plan on starting this late. But in order to get it all done in time for getting the preps on the Lord's offering, there really was no choice on the matter. I had to do it all by 6:30 because once I dropped the offfering at the temple, I had to get the kids ready for school.

I cannot even begin to explain how warmly the devotees received my offering. When I dropped stuff off at the kitchen, Mother Laksmi was so excited about the Lord's breakfast. Me too! I don't really get a chance for cooking for the Deities, other than Their kheer, and I was really relishing the opportunity, which of course, was available to me through the mercy of the devotees. Thank you, Mother Mukhya.

After class my husband and I headed over to help serve out; Saksi Gopal and Kishor were already there getting things going. Right away I knew we were going to run short of cupcakes. Individual servings of things are always a bit sketchy. Note to self: 48 cupcakes is not enough!

Anyway, I could go on and on but let me cut it short because who is really going to read this anyway? In summary, service to the devotees is the topmost. I love cooking for the devotees. So much mercy available. The goal of life is Vaisnava seva. I don't mind taking birth again as long as I am in such good company. And can cook for the devotees.

And as one final point--it probably should have been the first--I want to thank my diksa guru, HH Bhakti Tirtha Swami--for being an example of service to the devotees. Because of my karma and conditioning, I was limited in what I learned from him. But from the very beginning of my spiritual life, I was able to identify this as the most important lesson.

If only every day was my birthday!

Because the morning was so hectic, I didn't get a pic of the preps. Here are some shots from after the serve out.

Saksi getting Babu (my husband/Madhava Pandit) a plate of what's left...a little khandvi and dahi bada.

Thanks, Prabhus!

The cupcakes were super cute, colored with blackberry juice. This was one of the few that had not been eaten by the time I was done serving. Apparently most devotees went for the dessert first.

"Honoring"

Gopal is so cute. Just thought I would get a shot of him.

Happy Devotees = Happy Birthday

Sweet Walli Malati Prabhu with one of her cupcakes.

Thank you, devotees of New Raman Reti, for making my birthday super fun and fulfilling and allowing me the opportunity to start my 35th year off right. Hopefully we can do it again next year.

SB 11.7.20

2009-01-05T09:28:00.002-05:00

“An intelligent person, expert in perceiving the world around him and in applying sound logic, can achieve real benefit through his own intelligence. Thus sometimes one acts as his own instructing spiritual master.”

Srila Prabhupada's Purport:

As illustrated in this chapter by the conversation between King Yadu and the avadhūta, a sensitive, reasonable person can acquire real knowledge and happiness simply by carefully observing the world around him. By observing the happiness and distress of other living entities, one can understand what is beneficial and what is destructive.

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī states in this connection, gurv-anusaraṇe pravartaka ity arthaḥ: the knowledge acquired by one's own perception and intelligence leads one to appreciate the value of the representative of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The word śreyas in this verse indicates that one can advance in life through one's own intelligence. By good association one should gradually come to understand one's eternal position as servant of Kṛṣṇa, and then one becomes very eager to live in the company of other enlightened persons. Birds of a feather flock together. The symptom of an enlightened servant of Kṛṣṇa is that he is eager for the company of other such great souls. Thus by one's sensitive and rational observation of this material world, one should come to appreciate the value of spiritual life in the association of the devotees.

Look Who's Chanting

2009-01-03T20:18:00.004-05:00

st. augustine, florida

This post is inspired by my friends, Laghima-siddhi dasi and Kalpa-vrksa das. They coined "Look Who's Chanting" when they posted a bunch of pics from their recent visit to the Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum. A blog may be forthcoming.

Bowl Not Bol

2009-01-02T23:12:00.002-05:00

Tonite the family and I went bowling.

The last time I went bowling was a few years back. It was for a child's birthday party in New Jersey and I wore a sari and sindhur. My how the times sure do change. Neither my husband nor myself ever fancied ourselves bowlers, but when we got the invitation to get out and bowl we were into it just for the opportunity of leaving the house and seeing other people on a social level.

How do I have time for all this bloggy stuff anyway? That is what people often ask me. I have time for it because I am basically always home. I go bhoga shopping some, to the temple some and the occasional jaunt to Ross Dress For Less, but other than that I am mostly home...a self imposed shut in. So anyone who may read one of my blogs and think I am having oh so much fun in Alachua--well, think again. It must just be the trick of some kind of literary device.

But tonite we actually had fun. Kind of unexpectedly. The bowling alley itself was a bit freaky. Not the kind of place we usually take our kids to (or ourselves for that matter), but it seemed to work out fine. They really enjoyed the nite out way past their bedtime and I think Venumadhava remembered bowling from Madhavi and Narayan's birthday party a few years back. And me...well I totally get affected by the modes so I tend to have a good time when the lights are dim and the musics loud and the beer is flowing. It wasn't flowing at our lane, but you get the gist of the environment. High class.

Bowling shoes were a big issue for me and Salagram. Most everyone else didn't have a problem with them. But hey...that's so gross--materially and spiritually. So we bowled without the bowling-alley issued footwear and ran into no problems whatsoever.

Krpamoya Prabhu and family were visiting from New V and he and my husband had a pretty spiritual conversation about the game. Prabhu decided that the pins represent the 10 offenses to be avoided when chanting the holy name. My husband came up with the idea that the ball represents guru's mercy. These guys were so on it. Watch out, Bagger Vance!

And yes, I have turned into that totally annoying person with the video camera. But at this point, people still find me slightly amusing if not a teeny bit cute. I promise I will cut back. Really I do.

But in the meantime, I have these videos. And admittedly, they are rather weak. But whatever, my mom will like them.

Bowl Not Bol
I Bowl Without the Shoes

Oat Water

2008-12-31T12:54:00.002-05:00

Over on my cooking yesterday I posted about gruel, referencing the famous New Vrindavan Oat Water.

Ahhh, the memories. Not for me but for some longtime New V residents. While the stories I've heard about the oat water never sounded so yummy (and usually included phrases like, "You were lucky if you got a raisin!"), Ghosh and Soma Prabhus have different memories. And they were even gracious enough to share recipes. In quantity!

And there was no mention that the oats used were from animal feed sacks as I heard. Just see how important prajalpa niyamagraha is.

Okay...so here are the comments...for the pleasure of the Vaisnavas. May your new year be filled with devotion and oat water!

Madhava Gosh said...
"just oatwater" ?

Apparently you have never had real oatwater.

It happens to be the one thing I do know how to cook, having been the one who first made it and taught the regular cooks how to do it.

Kirtanananda told me how to do it so I did and introduced it to the other devotees.

About half the normal amount of oats to water, it was cooked for 1-2 hours at a simmer until the oats lose their form and become one with the water, creamy. A few raisins added later but soon enough that they plump up. Some ginger and a bit of salt, and a tablespoon of ghee per gallon.

"Oat water" was a bad marketing choice for a name, oat broth or cream of oats would have conveyed the idea better.

Oat water was great, not an austerity, when taken hot.

December 30, 2008 11:41 PM

Soma said...
ahhh... oatwater, it is my favorite breakfast. I would eat it everyday if i could. I have such warm memories of it. We rarely ate oat water by itself. It was used like gravy on the rice. And it was an unbelievable improvement from the previous fare. it was one part of the day that we all looked forward to. Personally i didn't like the raisins or dates in the oatwater. but because they would sink to the bottom i could just scoop it off the top and miss the raisins and dates.
anyway, i cooked the oat water for a few months in 1985. i still have the recipe that Amburisha prabhu wrote on a scrap of paper for me.
here it is;
14 gal. water
1 overflowing gal. of oats
3/4 cup of salt
2 cup rasin or dates
ginger and gee impurites if any.

(for the rice)
4 1/2 gal. rice
6 gal water(slightly less)
2 cups salt.
gee impurities if any

that's the historical recipe from 1985.

Going YouTube Crazy!!!

2008-12-31T12:00:00.006-05:00

Just in time for the New Year I have figured out how to upload video to YouTube. Whoopee! This is a big moment in my life.

Unfortunately I don't have much worth sharing just yet, but the Holy Name is always a safe bet.

Here are some quick clips taken pretty soon after we moved to Alachua. My friend Gopi, who moved here from North Carolina just a couple of days after we did, as well as Premananda Gour Prabhu and his wife Mayapur Malini are all chanting away along with my family. Fun fun fun. Premananda and Mayapur left for India shortly after we moved here and have been there ever since. They are very exuberant devotees.

Okay so here is the rip roaring kirtan ;)

Part One
Part Two
Part Three

As you can see from the video, Premananda Prabhu is great at engaging the children, whom he truly loves. This is also evident from seeing his own kids, Bali and Kish, in kirtan.

Gopi (Gopiparandhana Dasi) chants super sweetly. She went to gurukula in Guyana an now her daughter attends the gurukula in Alachua.

Happy New Year to all..hoping to develop taste for the Holy Name...sweeter than....money!

"Mata, Look at My Butter. I'm Lalita Sakhi."

2008-12-27T12:16:00.001-05:00

My favorite gopi, back from the forest collecting honey. Okay, that's what Madhumati does. But this is Lalita and she just churned some pink butter.

The Day After

2008-12-27T12:00:00.003-05:00

Blue skies, white clouds, Krishna and Balarama following the cows over on Govardhana where the cows play....

Christmas was pretty non-monumental for us. But the day after marked our first trip to St. Augustine.

I enjoy the beach but not in the traditional sense. I am not an ocean swimmer nor am I into exposing my body to the sun--or anyone else for that matter. But since we do now live in Florida, I am open to visiting the beach often. The warmth of the sun, the ocean air and the soothing sound of the waves don't take much effort to enjoy.

And the kids thoroughly love it. We never took them to the beach before moving to Florida simply because we didn't do much stuff like that. The beach always required some effort (meaning driving) and since there wasn't going to be any devotees there, I never thought it was worth the effort.

Now I am realizing that childhood is kind of a long process and we need to fill the time with something. St. Augustine was absolutely beautiful. The temperature was in the mid-eighties and the sky was nice and blue. The kids went into the ocean with my husband and I headed up the sand castle building. All in all, a day full of mode of goodness fun. Can't wait to go back.

On the way back home my husband and I agreed that Florida surpasses its reputation. Eighty five degrees at the beach sure beats twenty degrees with snow on the ground. In this way, I don't miss Gita Nagari.

Now if only my friends would come visit. Gopa, I'm keeping the waffle iron warm for you!

Dwarka Palace construction crew.

This was only half way through construction. We were all too sand covered at the end to snap pics. Madhuati decorated the palace with shells and Venumadhava hoisted a flag made from a gull feather.

These guys checked out the ocean and decided 56 degrees was not too cold to swim in.

Me soaking up the rays in my string bikini.