Samarpan

A Monthly e-Magazine by 

Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas

Issue: 2 

November 2014

In This Issue

सर्वकर्माणि मनसा संन्यस्यास्ते सुखं वशी |
नवद्वारे पुरे देही नैव कुर्वन्न कारयन् ||
 

The embodied beings who are self-controlled and detached reside happily in the city of nine gates, free from thinking they are the doers or the cause of anything.  
Bhagavad Gita, chapter 5, verse 13
From the Editor's Desk
Although a few weeks have passed by since the Radha Krishna Temple had organized the Diwali dinner and cultural event on October 18, 2014, the memories of that evening still linger in our hearts. The evening was magical! We sat back and marveled at God's work, and wondered how He brought us all together for a noble cause. With awe, we watched how His divine power worked through the earnest devotees, enthusiastic volunteers, and supportive friends and family.

 

We often tend to forget that we act because He inspires and moves us. Instead, we think that we are the ones accomplishing noble deeds and doing seva. It is a precarious thought, conceived by our own ego. Even staunch devotees sometimes stumble over their ego. In the Bhakti Ras column of this issue, you will meet such a devotee, who was initially swayed by Maya, but with God's grace, realized that ego drives a wedge between his soul and the Supreme Soul. That satsang helps us to break away from the destructive power of ego and engage in bhakti is illustrated through the story of saints in the Inspirations for Living column.

 

This month, we bring words of wisdom on ego, so read on.....

Radha Krishna Temple Update

With the blessing of Radha-Krishna, the construction of underground utility infrastructure at the temple site continues as planned. A maze of trenches crisscrossed the 3.2-acre site when the water, sewer and storm lines were installed. The sounds of clanking metal and stone were like music to the ears of devotees, indicating that we are a few steps closer to the abode of God. The last lines to be installed were the sewer and storm lines.

 

 

 

The trenches for the sewer lines are 10 to 12 feet deep. At this depth, the utility contractors encountered dense blue shale rock, which made this phase of construction quite laborious. Yet, it appears as if Lord is guiding the construction process of our very own temple because the workers skillfully and patiently excavated by working around other existing utility lines, requiring the delicacy of a surgeon in order to not disturb other existing lines.

 

 

 

The utility contractors continued their work with four large backhoe-loader machines and several crew members. Once these lines were installed and inspected, backfilling of the trenches was initiated. The next stage of construction will involve installation of the lines for electrical power, natural gas, and phone and data connections. This will be followed by more grading and excavation work prior to pouring the concrete for parking lots, fire lanes and the building foundation. How fortunate are the construction workers to be involved in building a temple for the Lord and this too is a form of bhakti!

 

Bhakti Ras
Ego Clouds Bhakti

 

Ego, one of the five sheaths of Maya, is the biggest hurdle on the path of God-realization. It clouds our mind, leads to arrogance, and tricks us into believing that "I am doing everything." This is a dangerous trend says Saint Kabir:

 

मैं मैं बड़ी बलाई है, सकै तो नकसो भाजी |

कब लग राखौ है सखी, रूई लपेटी आगी ||


Mai-Mai Badi Balai Hai, Sakai To Nikso Bhaji,

Kab Lag Rakhou  He Sakhi, Rui Lapeti Aagi.

  

In other words, "My friend, it is better to put aside the ego instead of exclaiming 'I, I' all the time. Such proclamation is as dangerous as cotton balls surrounded by fire".

   

Sometimes, even an earnest devotee becomes an easy prey to his ego. King Toṇdamān, who built the initial structure of the Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirumala-Tirupati, was a great devotee. He was such an ardent devotee that he used to have conversations with the Lord Himself. Folks in his kingdom would say, "O king, you are so blessed! You built a temple for the Lord, you offer your prayers and serve the Lord every day, and you are in His blissful company all the time. You are a great devotee of Vishnu, there is none like you."
Hearing this day in and day out, the king was swollen with self-pride; he became a victim of his self-admiration. One day, while conversing with the Lord, Toṇdamān asked, "O Lord, I don't think there is a devotee like me on this entire planet, is there?" The Lord smiled at his ignorant question, and decided to teach him a lesson, as He always protects His devotees from Maya.
Lord Venkateswara and Toṇdamān 

After a few days passed by, Toṇdamān went

to the temple one morning for the Lord's darshan, sat down with his closed eyes and started praying. When he opened   his eyes, he saw the Lord appear in front of him, with the golden lotus flowers that he offered at His feet. Along with the sparkling, beautiful, golden lotus flowers, he a saw a withered, muddy, pink lotus flower at the Lord's feet. The lotus lying at the Lord's feet surprised the king Toṇdamān. So he asked the Lord from where that lotus emanated.

With a gentle smile, the Lord answered, "My child, near the foothills, there lives a poor villager in a hut. He loves and adores me. He carved my image in a little piece of wood, made a niche in the mud wall of his hut, placed it in the niche, and worships it every day. He envisages me in this little, crudely carved wooden form. You know that I appear where ever my devotees see me - either in animate or inanimate objects. That's my law of love. You heard of how I manifested from a pillar for Prahlada, did you not?

This poor villager neither knows any mantras nor performs any yagnas. He just chants my names and sings simple bhajans. He does everything in my consciousness. Whether he is working, walking, or eating, he always meditates on me. Every morning, he wakes up before the Sun rises, walks two miles to get to a pond before anyone else, gathers the lotus flowers in the pond, offers them to my wooden form in his hut, all the while chanting my names. The withered, muddy, pink lotus that you see here at my feet is the one that he offered me today. I am bound by his love and devotion."

Hearing these words of the Lord, king Toṇdamān fell at His feet. With teary eyes and choked voice, he said, "O Lord, please forgive me. What do I know? I am such an ignorant fool to assume that I am the best devotee. You are so compassionate; you saved my soul and extinguished my ego. I will go to the village and meet that great devotee of yours right now."

So, we need to completely strip off our ego if we wish to make our soul an abode for God. Like the German scholar Paul Deussen said, "Egotism is like a cloud that keeps God hidden from our sight. If egotism vanishes by the mercy of the true Guru, then God is seen in His full Glory." Saint Kabir has put this very nicely:


 जब मैं था तब हरि नहिं, अब हरि है मैं नाहीं |

 प्रेम गली अति सांकरि, या में द्वै  न समाहीं || 


Jab mein tha tab Hari nahin, jab Hari hai mein nahin,
Prem gali ati saakri, ya me dwai a samaiye.

He says, "The prem gali (the path of divine love) is so narrow that there is room for only one - either God or 'I'.  As long as it is all about I, Me and Mine, God will not make an appearance. The day we annihilate our ego, the darkness within us will vanish and we will experience devotion for God, as He enters the prem gali."

To quote Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, "
Through His beauty, Grace, sweetness, merciful nature and loving ways, the sweet Lord has the power to attract even the coldest heart, and lighten even the heaviest of minds. He showers Divine love on all, without giving any thought to whether or not the recipient is worthy of the gift."
Inspirations for Living

Importance of Engaging in Bhakti through Satsang

 

We are not only known by the company we keep, but our association also molds our destiny. When we choose to be in the midst of those who have discarded their pride, we experience God's grace along with them.  Time and again, the saints, who are God's chosen representatives, have proved that God always graces those who have developed noble thoughts and associated with pious souls.

 

Azhwars, the great devotees of MahaVishnu and the saints of Tamil Nadu, sang the glory of the Lord and kept the divine nectar flowing continuously. The first three - Poigai Azhwar, Pei Azhwar, and Boothath Azhwar - were contemporaries that showed us how to overcome the ego and engage in bhakti.

             Poigai Azwar                               Pei Azhwar                         Boothnath Azhwar 

Once, while doing penance in the forest on a stormy day, Poigai Azhwar decided to take refuge in a cave nearby.  The cave was rather small and dark, but there was enough room for one person to lie down comfortably.  He thanked his beloved Lord and lay down, as he was tired from the day's work, and continued chanting the Lord's names.  As coincidence would have it, Pei Azhwar, who was meditating in the same forest, also came to the cave to take shelter from the storm.  Since there was only enough room for two to sit down comfortably, they both sat down and continued chanting His names. Soon, Boothath Azhwar, who was also meditating in the vicinity, came to the same cave to seek shelter.  Because there was only enough room for three people to stand, they all stood up chanting, drawing inspiration from one another.  Their devotion intensified and their enthusiasm in calling out to Sri Hari knew no bounds!

 

All of a sudden, the cave felt very crowded.  They felt a lot of pushes and tugs and could not stand their ground; however, the dark cave filled with the fragrance of Tulsi and chandan.  When they opened their eyes, to their amazement, they saw none other than the Lord Himself, along with MahaLakshmi, Garuda, and surrounded by all the great saints from the divine abode, trying to squeeze into the limited space in the cave. The Lord, who is an ocean of kindness, bound by the loving calls of His bhaktas, left His divine abode and rushed to the tiny cave to be with them.

 

If you ever think that you are alone in the time of stress or hardship, please draw inspiration from the knowledge that the Lord Himself has established the importance of Sadhana with sincere devotees in a Satsang. Participation in Satsangs helps to abolish the ego and make room for the Lord.

By Champa Sriram 

Bal-Mukund: Playground for Vedic Wisdom 

Self-Assessment Requires Courage to Face the Truth

 

A little boy whose name was Nirmal, walked into a store to buy something for his class project. He could not find what he was looking for and asked a customer representative for help. While he was waiting for her to bring the specific item he was looking for, Nirmal pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and pressed a number on his speed dial list. The manager of the store was walking toward Nirmal to ask if he had been helped, but stood aside because the boy had started speaking with someone on the phone. So, the manager waited and listened to their conversation.

  

Nirmal said, "Mrs. Singh, can you give me the job of cutting your lawn?" Mrs. Singh said loud enough to be heard by others, "I already have someone cutting my lawn and do not need anyone at this time."   Nirmal persisted and said that he would cut the lawn for half the price than what she paid someone else. Mrs. Singh reiterated that she was very happy with the person who was presently cutting her lawn but Nirmal did not take "no" for an answer. He told her that he would even sweep the floor and the stairs of her house for free if she hired him to cut her lawn. With a little irritation, Mrs. Singh told Nirmal to stop insisting or else she would track his number and tell his parents. Nirmal smiled and turned off the phone.

 

The store manager, who was waiting and listening to this exchange, walked over to Nirmal and said that he liked his positive attitude and good communication skills and would be happy to offer a job in the store. Nirmal said very politely, "No thank you." The manager was taken by surprise and asked Nirmal why he was so persistent with the lady if he did not want a job. Nirmal replied, "I was just taking stock of my performance at the job I already do. I am the one who cuts Mrs. Singh's lawn."

 

This is called self-assessment because we all want to do the very best we can with the ability that God has given to us. That said, self-assessment requires courage to face the truth. Courage to face the truth can sometime be difficult because it requires us to let go of our ego (or the thought that I know everything or I know more about something than anyone else).

 

We would like to hear from our Bal-Mukund friends or their parents about ways in which our Bal-Mukunds have shown courage to face the truth or not been afraid to risk failure for the good of someone else. Please contact us at info@radhakrishnatemple.net

We love to hear from you!

Community Event Updates

For the benefit of the community, Radha Krishna temple provides abundant opportunities to volunteer and participate in various events. 

Weekly Satsangs

 

These satsangs truly propel one in the ocean of bhakti through a combination of prayer, singing bhajans/kirtans, viewing a video lecture, and followed by arati, and Prasad.    

For local satsang information visit:

www.radhakrishnatemple.net or info@radhakrishnatemple.net.

Free Community Yoga Classes

 

Yoga is much more than a physical exercise  - it is a unique individual journey to inner peace that uplifts body, mind and soul and can be deeply transformative.  All mobility and experience levels are welcome and accommodated.

Sessions will include the 5 Yogic Sciences of yogasan (yoga poses); pranayam or breathing exercises; meditation; subtle body relaxation; and science of proper diet.  Learning of some useful mudras will also be incorporated into sessions.

 

Where:

Watters Montessori Academy, 292 Bossy Boots Dr., Allen, TX 75013

When:

Saturdays, 9:30 to 10:45 AM CST [starting November 22nd]

Contact:

 info@radhakrishnatemple.net         412-407-4782

For details & FREE registration visit: www.radhakrishnatemple.net 

Note: Wear comfortable loose fitted clothing and bring your own yoga mat (blanket/pillow).

The Bhagavad Gita Study Group 

 

"Those who meditate on Gita will derive fresh joy and derive new meanings from it everyday," said Mahatma Gandhi once. Let us come together to comprehend this priceless gift of God, implement the knowledge in our daily lives, and uplift ourselves.

 

Where:

Conference Call 

When:

2nd and 4th Wednesdays, 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM CST (starting December 10th) 

Source:

Commentary written by Swami Mukundananda, discussion in English

   Contact:

info@radhakrishnatemple.net

   For details & FREE registration visit:  www.radhakrishnatemple.net 

Vishnu Sahashra Naam 

 

God's names are no different from Himself. Every name in Vishnu Sahsranam (thousand names of Vishnu) is a drop of nectar. Whether we chant it or hear it, it gives an immense sense of peace and indescribable solace.

 

Where:

4020  Sendero Trail, Plano, TX 75024 

When:

1st Saturday, 3:00 to 4:00 PM CST 

  Contact:  info@radhakrishnatemple.net

For details & FREE registration visit: www.radhakrishnatemple.net 

Little Hands Big Hearts  

Radha Krishna Temple Supports Homeless Children in DFW Area

Through Little Hands Big Hearts, we wish to inspire you to take to heart the plight of needy children in our very own DFW community.   Beginning November 20th, 2014 - the day designated by a United Nations Declaration to raise awareness for children's well-being around the world - Radha Krishna Temple will be collecting essential items for the approximately 48,000 children with nothing more than the clothes on their back.   A small act of kindness from each of us, coming together in support of these disadvantaged children in the DFW area, can make a world of difference in helping these little hands grab hold of a better future.

Radha Krishna Temple and JKYog volunteers welcome you to be a part of Little Hands Big Hearts and share the warmth of our big hearts, to kindle hope for a brighter future in the lives of homeless children. Collection of essential items will run through January 20, 2015. All items collected will be given to Captain Hope's Kids, which assists 46 area organizations in serving homeless children throughout 5 counties of the DFW area.

Do something positive for a homeless child today!

  • Purchase items on wish list of children's essential items and leave them at the drop-off locations;
  • Solicit or sponsor a large quantity bulk donations (pick up for bulk donation may be available);
  • Spread the word about the drive to your friends and encourage them to donate;
  • Serve as a drop off point for our collection drive.

We are counting on your

big hearts for support!

Please visit www.radhakrishnatemple.net 

for a list of essential items accepted towards donations and to find a drop-off location near you, or if you wish to volunteer, please contact us at

info@radhakrishnatemple.net 

 

'Dollar A Day' - Pledge Continuous Support!

 

Donate a Dollar a Day towards the building and upkeep of the Radha Krishna temple! By donating just $1 everyday,
you'll help this noble cause!

 How many of us have the opportunity and are fortunate enough to build a house for God?

Set up monthly contributions through credit card/debit card by calling: 860-605-3685 or by visiting temple website at Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas (click).

   

Wellness for Life

Thanksgiving Recipe- Cranberry Pickle

Given how time flies, in the wink of an eye many of us will be planning for Thanksgiving. One popular item at Thanksgiving is cranberries.

History says that Native Americans used cranberries for a variety of purposes, including medicinal and cultural (e.g., to make dyes). Many nutritionists have labeled cranberries as a "super food" given their high antioxidant and low caloric content. Cranberries also help to boost the body's immune function and are rich in Vitamins C, E and K, fiber, and many minerals including manganese. According to the USDA nutritional standard, ½ cup of cranberries provides 55 grams of protein but very low amount of fat.

Cranberries are beneficial for preventing gum disease and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, urinary tract infections, and slowing the growth of tumors in the liver, prostate, breast and colon.

Cranberries are typically used for making sauce, relish, homemade trail mix with other kinds of nuts, supplemented in stuffing or breakfast muffins, added to desserts and even for beverages and smoothies. An item that might be appealing to those who have a spicy palate is cranberry pickles. Here is an easy recipe for Indian-style fresh cranberry pickle for immediate use.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups fresh cranberries
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili powder, adjust to taste
  • 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds ground (rai)
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds crushed (saunf)
  • 1/8 teaspoon asafetida
  • 2 tablespoon mustard oil
  • 2-2 ½ teaspoon salt

Method:

  1. Thoroughly wash the cranberries and wipe them dry on a paper towel.
  2. Slit the cranberries into two halves and move to a wide bowl.
  3. In the same bowl, mix the chili powder, ground mustard seeds, crushed fennel and salt.
  4. In a kadai, heat the oil, add asafetida and pour the oil over the cranberry mix, and mix it well.
  5. Pour into a serving bowl and eat fresh with any of your Thanksgiving recipes. However, it does taste better if it has been marinated for a day.

Readers, please provide us with your feedback and requests for the type of features you would like to read at info@radhakrishnatemple.net. We really want to hear from you.


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