In a particular direction that cannot be traced by any loss or gain of this world (Srila Sridhar Maharaj)

Excerpt from Follow the Angels

Srila Srdihar Maharaj - Vaisnava

In the Vaisnava [devotee], the truth is animated more than in the vigraha [Deity], the tirtha [holy place of pilgrimage], or the sastra [scriptures].We find a direct connection with Krsna in the consciousness of a Vaisnava. We find that which is regulating all his activities and withdrawing him from worldly attraction, guiding him towards some unknown and most desirable direction. He is moving towards that direction. The Lord is making him move in a particular direction that cannot be traced by any loss or gain of this world. 

What is that thing?

Service, Beauty (Srila Sridhar Maharaj)

Excerpt from Follow the Angels

Mahaprabhu says: naham vipro na ca nara-patir napi vaisyo na sudro... gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah... ["I am not a brahmana, I am not a kshatriya, I am not a vaisya or a sudra. Nor am I a brahmacari, a householder, a vanaprastha or a sannyasi. I identify Myself only as the servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna, the maintainer of the gopis." — Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya 13:80]

At the beginning is varnasrama dharma, regulated life. This is just the beginning, then gradually there is improvement and we are to go up to the absolute service of Krsna. Krsna is independent of any form of life; without consideration of any law or any form — only service. Yat karosi yad asnasi... ["Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform — do that as an offering to Me." — Bhagavad Gita 9:27]. Whatever we do, think, speak, everything should be for the service of Krsna. That is the standard of devotion. 

And mere formalism may be favorable, but not always. The spirit is all-important, even when crossing every formality. What is required of us is our absolute attraction for service, for beauty. [---]

The pure inclination towards the service of Krsna. The innermost tendency to want Krsna, to get Him, to have Him; the earnest desire to have Him. Anywhere you find that desire, a drop of that divine attraction, try to purchase it for any price. Acquire it!

Auspicious Nectar (Nimaihuset News Bulletin): Reinforcement

“Krishna Consciousness is also a sort of fight; but not with rifles. Our weapon is karatalas [small hand-cymbals].”
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, 3/8/1969)

Madhavendra Puri das with karatalas, below Srila Prabhupada

For one month Nimaihuset is visited by Madhavendra Puri das, senior swedish devotee, in Krishna consciousness for 25 years, disciple of Srila Narayan Maharaj, friend of our Gurumaharaj, and with 150 mp3-lectures by Srila Sridhar Maharaj on his computer (we only have 70 in the lounge-player). 

Right now he is "between Vrindavans" - comes straight from a 2-months-stay there and is going back again next month, and he asked us if he could stay in Nimaihuset in between. (However, since Nimaihuset is Gupta Vrindavan, hidden Vrindavan, he never really leaves it but just makes a little geographic acrobatics.)

The temple - at the same time an embassy for the Spiritual Kingdom and a military underground base behind enemy lines - is greatly benefitted in the energetic war against maya by his chanting, studying, adding devotional energy to the morning and evening programs, giving lectures, cooking for Krishna, speaking hari-katha (talk about Krishna), going out on book distribution sankirtan with Subal das and Raj, and playing karatalas.

"A declaration of war against Maya" (Letter from Srila Prabhupada)

“Our Movement is a declaration of war against Maya, that you can understand very well, so we have to recruit many fighting soldiers – so do it vigorously.”
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, 3/5/1970)

“The temple is a place not for eating and sleeping, but as a base from which we send out our soldiers to fight with Maya.”
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, 3/8/1973)

Srila Prabhupada playing karatalas and 

singing Hare Krishna on the streets of London 

* 

Los Angeles

3 August, 1969

                     

My Dear Robert Hendry, 

That land

I found this picture googling for Nimaihuset. To me this is a visual representation of the sound-vibration I hear in Srila Sridhar Maharaj's voice, as he's talking away on his veranda.

New Vacuum Cleaner

Continued Godliness Guaranteed

During Nimaihuset's yearly Christmas Tables the temple vaccum cleaner drew its last in-breath. The situation was a bit anxious for a while – "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" (Srila Prabhupada) – but the mataji ashram nearby has graciously lent their Small Blue to the temple to save it.

The new vacuum cleaner

Now an old friend of Nimaihuset, Prem Sita, has donated a new, very hot vaccum cleaner that looks like a combination of a Porsche of last year's model and a big laser chain gun, and sounds like a 5-star hotel elevator. Or rather, Prem donated money for a vaccum cleaner, quite a lot, far more than what a nice little functional machine like the last one would cost, and Mahahari das took the service (and all the money) and went off to procure it (he did call the temple to discuss model, but later chose one that better served its purpose). The new machine was presented to the temple president with a "might as well"-smile and together they started trying out the prestanda. Which is exceptional. If you put the machine on max effect and pull up the floor brush, it virtually sucks to the floor and is almost impossible to get loose – you have to be two. 

The Godliness of the temple is again guaranteed as far as cleanliness goes. 

Even a slight regard

One who has imbibed even a slight regard for Krishna consciousness is assured of success in spiritual life, today or tomorrow.

— Srila Sridhar Maharaj, The Search for Sri Krishna - Reality the Beautiful

The Spiritual Sun / Source / The Absolute

“...and we can enter into His service, the highest position, and thereby see the affection, love, harmony, and beauty that exist there.” - Srila Sridhar Maharaj

His Most Special Party Dress (Reprise)

From "Laddu Gopal has got new clothes"

"[---]Rather for bigger celebrations than everyday."

[In search of the perfect new everyday dress for Laddu Gopal]

Laddu Gopal has got new clothes (1) (Pictures)

Baby Krishna

The second Deity of Nimaihuset, Laddu Gopal (Krishna as sweet-loving baby), was not brought and installed by Guru, but "showed up in a mysterious way", as it is called. 

Laddu Gopal is from the holy city Vrindavan, India, and turned up in Nimaihuset two years ago, after Tulasi devi dasi, who is very good at making sweets, every evening for two weeks had offered laddus (a sweet-ball) to the altar Deity Nimai. Laddu Gopal ("Laddu" as in the sweet-balls that His extended hand is always asking for) came via a sannyasi, who brought Him from Vrindavan to Ecuador, where the swedish temple president Madhu Mangala das strongly felt that he should buy the Deity from the sannyasi, and then that he should give Him to his visiting father and tell him to bring the Deity to Sweden and give to Nimaihuset. From Vrindavan to Nimaihuset, via Ecuador, in a couple of days...

Needless to say, making laddus (and other sweets) for Laddu Gopal is a big issue in Nimaihuset. (We also give Him extra sugar in the tea and on the strawberries etc, and last midsummer we offered the swedish soda classic Sockerdricka to Him, which, as far as can be judged, was gladly accepted.) Some time ago the owner of indian restaurant chain Masala Kitchen wanted to donate to the temple, and hearing about Laddu Gopal he sent one of his cooks with a 12 kg-box of chickpea flour and a 4 kg-can of butter-ghee (the main ingredients in laddus, besides sugar). That is a lot of laddus...

New friends of Nimaihuset Harish and Surekh from India went to Bangalore over christmas (they claim everything there seemed artificial and false and that they are happy to be back in Sweden and Nimaihuset). Among the donations to the temple they brought back from India was new clothes for Laddu Gopal - four sets! So today we tried them out to find a new everyday-dress for Him. Subal das came by and took pictures.

The Deity was nicely dressed (Letter from Srila Prabhupada)

Los Angeles

7 January, 1974

Bhaktivedanta Manor

Dear Malati,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 22, 1973.

You write that things are in a crisis in England, with oil shortage and IRA bombing. Therefore, we have to take shelter of Krsna. If Krsna wants to kill us that is not wrong, if it is His desire. Our business should just be to follow the regulative schedule, deity worship, distributing prasadam, chanting, book distribution and never mind the material danger. Krsna Consciousness means to be on the platform of deathlessness. Every sloka in Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam is informing us of this. If you read these books carefully you will understand this platform of deathlessness as opposed to the material condition in which no one wants to die but no one can check death. 

When I was there I saw the Deity was nicely dressed. So continue all your programs at Bhaktivedanta Manor and Krsna will save you. 

Madhavananda and Kausalya are an able couple. I have already written to Madhavananda and Mukunda about their difference of opinion. We have so much work to do, we cannot lose our solidarity. Do not cause a crack there with any fighting spirit or competition. Whenever I hear complaints or disturbances in our centers my mind becomes too much disturbed and I cannot properly translate my books. So please spare me from such disturbance by cooperating all together Godbrothers and Godsisters.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

I should act for myself (Srila Prabhupada)

From Krsna, the Reservoir of Pleasure 

by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

If one is a little thoughtful, he can understand, "Oh, I am not this body. I am consciousness." Sometimes, in our leisure time, we can see, "Oh, this is my finger, and this is my hand. This is my ear, and this is my nose. Everything is mine, but what 'I', what 'I'?" I am feeling that this is mine and that I am. Simply a little thought is required. Everything is mine - my eyes, my finger, my hand. My, my, my, and what is the 'I'? The 'I' is that consciousness, in which I am thinking "This is mine". 

Now, if I am not this body, then why should I act for this body? I should act for myself. Then, how can I work for myself? What is my position? What will my activities be?