Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015
Canton, Michigan
A Wedding
Most people like to be at a good wedding for the bride
looks gorgeous and the groom is handsome, and where it’s a feel good situation,
and where parents from both parties are in attendance. That’s what it was like today, in matrimony
of Vitaliy and Ananda Rupa. Oops! I forgot to mention about the fabulous feast
at the end.
The priest, Jambavan, had his mighty army of four of his
eight kids to assist him in the samskar,
or sacrament, which entails a glorious fire emerging from the sacred
pit. There was his speech and mine. I chose to quote from the Gita,
18.5, “Acts
of sacrifice, charity and penance, are not to be given up; they must be
performed, indeed, sacrifice, charity and penance purify even the great
souls.” It was also requested to speak
after the wedding feast was over, but my thought was, “No, we’re going
to sing
and dance,” that’s what we did.
The event took place in the Hindu temple in Canton, a
great facility. What I found most
interesting was meeting a younger man in the WC area who had a profound
interest in monastic life.
“So, you’ve been a monk for how long?”
“42 years,” I said.
“What do you do about the sex urge?”
I said, “Get busy, such as pick up a drum and beat it and
chant like crazy.”
“How long does the urge stay in a person’s life?”
“It should diminish in time as you mature in years.”
The fellow had a slew of questions to follow. I asked him if celibacy was an omission of
his, and he remarked that he’s been contemplating it for some time. I assured him that the key principle to
follow was a focus on superior engagement,
“Let there be determination and a concentration on devotional service, and as
long as that keep you enriched and fulfilled, nothing like the fleeting urges
of lust can swerve you from the prime function.”
May the Source be with you!
4 km
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