German AdventuresKoln
Maharaja led an ecstatic and exuberant kirtan in Koln, Germany. He picked up Hari Haraye namah Krsna tune from H.H. Suhotra Maharaja and chanted it by his own original way. Everyone was pleased by this wonderful kirtan. After that he gave a class where he spoke about unexpected calamities that arise in the material life and how to be ready to face them through Krsna consciousness. He mentioned his experience from the czech summer camp where one devotee suddenly left his body. Later he led another Gaura arati kirtan. I always wonder how much energy he has although he says:"I am an old man."
Berlin
Next we travelled by train to Berlin. Maharaja performed an initiation ceremony and initiated 3 devotees. Bh Thomas became Tamohara das. Bh Robert became Rupa Manohara das and Bhn Anke was given the name Arundhati devi dasi. The whole ceremony was blessed by the presence of H.H. Sacinandana Swami and many other elevated Vaishnavas. Although you can't jump high in the Berlin temple, because of the weak floor, the kirtans were blissful and the devotees were sweet.
We also joined the home program from at Bhn. Angelika's home. She became a devotee and gradually inspired also his son and daughters to practice Krsna consciousness. Maharaja led kirtan and spoke on the basis of reading from Srila Prabhupada lilamrita.
Radhadesh Seminar
Time to catch a plane to Brussels. Maharaja explained me that with Easyjet you get the best places when you come first so Maharaja hurried to the plane. I had to run to not loose him from sight. He was fixed like anything. Finally maharaja gained victory and was the first passenger on board. He later said that in his school days he was always first in running. Only one boy who later became a famous soccer player in Real Madrid was faster. We were picked up by Gauravani devi dasi from the airport. It was a really fast car. The automatic alarm system was ringing all the time over crossing the allowed speed. Gauravani likes to drive fast.The devotees in Radhadesh were happy to see Maharaja back again as he promised before. This time he gave an ecstatic seminar on Caitanya Caritamrita. Although Maharaja was first thinking to make a power point presentation with computer and projector, he changed his approach after he found out that the machines were not working. It was still structured but also more spontaneous and spiced with Maharajas displays of different lilas. Like for example Nityanandas breaking danda of the Lord Caitanya, the Saksi Gopal story or Krsnadas Kaviraj walking with a cane. I told Maharaja that he could be a movie star. Maharaja went through different pastimes explaining their meaning and significance. He explained how all members of Sri Panca Tattva represent different categories of Krsna avataras based on Gaura Ganoddesa dipika from Kavi Karnapur. He explained the proof about our connection with Madhva sampradaya on the basis of Srila Baladev Vidyabhusan. We discussed the meaning and necessity of sannyas in connection with Gaura lila. And we were also discussing the meaning of Sri Caitanya Caritamrita in connection to our present situation in ISKCON. At the end Maharaja made an exposition of 20 books which he used as a reference and interesting study material for deeper study of CC. But it was not the end!
At the end of the seminar Maharaja inspired all students to make presentations based on the seminar. We had a theater directed by Shyamananda Prabhu displaying the pastime of Chota Haridasas falldown. Although a quite difficult topic matter devotees made displayed it very nicely. Afterwards we provided a philosophical explanation to pacify the audience and Maharaja concluded it by explaining that although sannyasi can fall down they still can continue with devotional service in another ashrama. The ladies also performed theater where an old vaishnava grandmother describes pastimes of the Lord Caitanya to small vaishnava children. Last but not least Bhagavati mataji and Manasi Ganga mataji gave a presentation explaining the meaning of the Saksi Gopal pastime. And course Maharaja did more nice kirtan!
Please accept this small attempt to describe an unlimited pastimes of our spiritual master!
