Whole moon
Durban, South Africa
Today is the greatest day of the year. For starters, you look out into the dark (well, not so dark) and you see the whole moon. Purnima refers to moon. Gaura, the particular name of the moon today reflects on Sri Chaitanya, who became a wondering monk at age 25. Today is a fast day to honour his birth.
Two things that endear me. Apart from the promenades, is His inaugurating kirtan. Basically He has brought chanting to the world. Chanting became the stuff of our life.
Secondly He has so well incorporated into His life and the people under His influence, the philosophy unity in diversity. The principle of simultaneous “oneness and difference” is just a perfect formula to apply to life. Philosophically the principle becomes very accommodating and it steers away from “absolutism” and fanatism. What a relief!
What made my day doubly auspicious was meeting some godbrothers who also carry monk status. Although a family man, Bada Hari, well known for his kirtans, he is genuinely a soul of devotion. He and I shared the message of the class today as we spoke about Sri Chaitanya’s contributions.
I also met Indradyumna Swami, who started the South African Ratha Yatra festivals 25 years ago. To his good fortune he has brought the venue back to the beach where it was highly popular. The event will take on a new age flavour. Various spiritual groups will join hands.
Indradyumna Swami looked like he was in ecstasy being that here was hard labour and negotiations involved in restoring the sandy place for attracting all kinds of people.
Lastly, I also met Partha Sarathi Swami, who was an early pioneer for Krishna Consciousness in this country. He admitted to me that his health was failing. “You can be in a perfect place like Hawaii but if your health is not up to it, then you lose out (karmically)”.
If you got health, keep it. If you don’t, try to regain it. That failing, there is always a second chance. There is always a whole moon or a new moon.
4 KM
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