Skip to main content

THE FESTIVAL OF RAINS

"Thus observing the beauty and opulence of Vrindavana's rainy season, a perennial source of great happiness, Lord Krishna offered all respect to that season, which was expanded from His own internal potency." - Srimad Bhagvatam 10.20.31

Every season and every time is a wonderful opportunity to meditate on the Lord and engage in His devotional service. But, rainy season is all the more special. With the summer gone and the rains come, a sense of newness and freshness comes in life. The weather is perfect for our Bhajan - cool and pleasant. Mother Nature is at her best with fresh green grass and fresh leaves. She is nourished and refreshed by the rains, encouraging us to nourish and refresh ourselves through the nectar shower of the Holynames. The external environment is now clean, bathed by the continuous rains signaling us to summon the clouds of Lord's mercy to rain in the landscape of our heart and thereby clean it.


The traveling preachers, saints and devotees of Vedic times, would take a break from their traveling during the rainy season and stay put in one place and absorb themselves in their Sadhana. They would make the best use of this special and festive season to deepen their connection with God and experience an internal festival of chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord. Just as a peacock which is very dear to Krishna becomes enlivened and welcomes the rains, a devotee of Krishna becomes enlivened and welcomes the rainy season as an opportunity to welcome the God of rains, Krishna in his heart and life.

- Achyut Gopal Das

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE VICTORY FLAG - Offering to H.H. Jayapataka Maharaj

  Today is the Vyas Puja (Appearance Day) of one of the greatest heroes the world has ever seen and definitely one of the biggest heroes in my life. Today is the Appearance Day of His Holiness Jayapataka Maharaj. "Jayapataka" means "Victory Flag" . As his name suggests, Maharaj has achieved victory over insurmountable and seemingly impossible obstacles. His life is an emblem of one-pointed dedication to Guru, selfless service to the Vaishnavas and unparalleled compassion to the common people. Even after going through a life-threatening brain hemorrhage, a liver and a kidney transplant, he still continues to preach the message of His Dear Lord Chaitanya with great vigour and zeal. For him the word "Impossible" means "I am possible". His life is a glaring example to the entire world that, if one is possessed by a burning desire to serve Guru and Gauranga, then anything, literally anything is possible.  Srila Prabhupada, in...
1 comment
Read more

THE BREATHING BELLOWS

Every morning when I wake up and notice my breathing and observe my chest swelling up and down being pumped with air, I invariably remember a verse from the Srimad-bhagvatam which states that our breathing is like the breathing of the bellows of a blacksmith. Both the bellow and our body is made of leather. The bellow may feel that it is breathing on it's own and is fully independent but, it does not know that as soon as the blacksmith stops pumping air in it, it will stop breathing and lay lifeless. Similarly, we may be proud of our breathing and our life and may feel fully independent but, we don't realise that as soon as God decides to stop pumping air into our system, our body will stop breathing and lay lifeless.  What is there to be proud of when we don't even have control over our breath?  We should be grateful to God for giving us the wonderful opportunity and gift to breathe and live. And, the way we express that gratitude is by using ...
Post a Comment
Read more

GOOD TO EXPECT BAD

Mosquitoes are something that bother me and very often as an unconscious reflex action and many times as a conscious action, I catch myself killing many of them. This is just one of the many sins and offenses I commit, mentally, verbally and physically. How can I then not expect any reactions for these actions of mine. Why should I pray for a life of no difficulties. Rather, I should be praying to God to give me my quota of reactions so that I learn my lessons quickly and rectify my offensive and sinful mentality.  The Srimad-bhagvatam mentions the episode of King Pariksit garlanding Shamika Rsi with a dead snake due to being afflicted with unbearable hunger and anger which is very unusual of the tolerant and saintly King. What is commendable is his thought process as soon as he commits this offense.  The Srimad-bhagvatam 1.19.1-3 mentions it in this way - "While returning home, King Parīkṣit felt that the act he had commit...
Post a Comment
Read more