Yesterday morning for my birthday, my friend Mandali and I took a rickshaw to Bhaktisiddhanta
Saraswati Thakur's bhajan kutir. This is the place where the Thakur made a vow
to chant one billion names of the Lord in prayer for the fallen souls of this
age. He chanted for 9 years and 3 months.
I had wanted
this quiet, meditative morning; obviously Lord Chaitanya had a different plan.
Yesterday so happened to be the last day of Navadwip Mandala Parikrama! This is an organized pilgrimage that draws thousands of people from every corner of the world. Mandali
and I were moving among rivers and rivers of people, their eyes glowing, faces bright. We kept shaking our heads and grinning, letting ourselves get carried with the current.
The kutir itself is usually quiet, but
yesterday thousands had gathered in the courtyard to sing kirtan and listen to saintly people
speak about such a holy place. I felt moved by how the Lord has
truly reciprocated with the Thakur's prayers to flood the world with love of God.
This kutir
is the place to pray to be empowered to give. I prayed that this year I can be
strong and share with others the love that has been given to me by the great souls.
Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur
Srila Prabhupad
my spiritual master, Radhanath Swami
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