Yes, it has been LONG since I last blogged! A lot has happened in my life since the last time I blogged, which incidentally was just over a year ago, graduating from university, getting initiated into this movement under the shelter of HH Jayapataka Swami, a brilliant 2009 Ratha-Yatra etc etc etc..
I wasn't taking a blog hiatus because I didn't know what to write about as there was so much happening! But most often, it is the smallest thing that can result in a realization that I would like to share with you all.. like rain...
For those of you who were in Toronto for the Ratha-Yatra a few weekends ago would remember that the City of Toronto was on strike resulting in piles and piles of garbage. A few days ago, the protestors and the government reached a conclusion and work began for the clearing of the streets. Lord Indradev decided that he should also take matters into hand and today was one of the strongest rainfall I had ever seen in Toronto this year!
After over an hour of torrential downpour, the rain subsided and I thought that this was probably the best time to for a japa walk. As I walked down the familiar roads which till very recently were infested with garbage seemed unexceptionally clean today. The fresh smell of rain hitting the earth was in the air and everything seemed so bright, clean and beautiful.
On my way back I was meditating on Lord Balarama as it is his glorious appearance day tomorrow and I couldn't help but remember our last years celebrations at the temple where we had a really fascinating presentation about "Destroying our Anarthas" and how each of the demons Lord Balarama destroyed represented an anartha and by medidating on Lord Balarama, we can help to destroy those anarthas.
As my thoughts wandered back to the rain and dirt, I realized that just as the rain washed away the dirt accumulated in the city, the only way to wash away the anarthas and the dirt accumulated in our hearts is the rain of the holy name. As Vinodini mentioned in one of our conversations with respect to Lord Balarama, "We should pray that the plough of the holy name will bring the river of our consciousness to the lotus feet of Radha and Krishna". Indeed, this holy name, that has so wonderfully present in form of japa and kirtan is the only solution to purify our hearts.
No wonder Caitanya Mahaprabhu stresses - "there is no other way..there is no other way.. there is no other way..."
