Monday 23 February 2015

Saturday, February 21st, 2015

Mayapur, India

On the Roof

On the roof of the education building, the Chaitanya Bhavan, a priest had prepared a havan, a small sand-pit arrangement.  It was paraphernalia all set up for a fire ceremony to acknowledge two candidates for initiation into our Vaishnava culture.  And I must say they are very excited about this personal step forward.

Luke is the father of one of the candidates.  His son, Philippe Lussier, has been aspiring for this moment, and was anticipating that it could happen in his dad's presence.  Luke is Canadian and it’s his first trip to India.  Michelle, his friend, to accompany him, just loves it here.

The other candidate, is Jon Strickland, from the USA.  He had served with the Marines and he finds the devotional regimentation of Krishna Consciousness to be very second nature to him.

It was a fine morning, a bit misty, up there on the flat roof.  The sun from a far distance, attempts to pierce through.  I counted five raindrops to brace my shaven head.  Jon sports a beard, a green light I gave him as an actor in our drama.  I spoke from 16.5 of the Bhagavad-gita, wherein Krishna identifies with the qualities of divinity declaring them as the road to liberation.  The qualities contrary are sources of bondage.

In my role as the guru I like to see in all the initiates that they become, or rather remain in this life, as at least, sensitively moral, if not, then better still, lovers of the Creator.

Joh took on the Sanskrit name Jnanagamya in honour of our recently deceased dear god-brother.  Philippe accepted the name Pradyumna.  Got bless them!

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

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