Mumbai is the city where everyone is always in a hustle trying to compete with the artificial way of life and trying to find happiness by inventing newer and newer concepts of happiness but real and ever-lasting happiness is found only where the glories of the Lord are sung. Srila Prabhupada says that even hell becomes Vaikuntha where the devotees glorify the Lord. The same I experienced during my this time’s visit to Mumbai where I had the causeless mercy of the Vaisnavas (Sridama Syamadas Prabhuji and Mataji, Komal and Jay Prabhu, Payal, Namtu and family of Jaydeep prabhu) and got the most auspicious opportunity to spend the three best days of my life at Sri Sri Rasabihariji Temple, Mumbai. Thank you very much.

So through this note I just wish to share my blissful experience with all my dear devotee friends.

Day one: We landed Juhu temple by 6:00 am and freshened up immediately and came down for the Guru Puja and Sandhya Aarti. The moment we entered the temple, all anxieties and feelings of tiredness were transformed into joy which is beyond words. Sri Sri Radha Rasabihariji Lalita Devi & Vishaka Devi, Sri Sri Ram Sita Laxman Hanuman, Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and our merciful Srila Prabhupada greeted with such mercy which just makes my faith stronger that the Lord is always ready to accept us no matter how fallen we are. The devotees were blissfully dancing, singing Sri Guru Carana Padma followed by ecstatic kirtan and a simply wonderful Bhagavatam class by His Grace Ekalavya Prabhu. The devotees are really so blissful because they have realized that ‘I am not this body’ and being spirit soul because they are engaged in the service of the Lord, They just spread the transcendental joy of Krsna Consciousness by Their holy presence. Then we had a small ceremony with Namtu and Family followed by wonderful kirtan in the afternoon. The evening was the Sangeet and Ring Ceremony of Namtu and Jaydeep. This wedding was so different from the usual weddings because Krishna was in the center and every moment of the evening was filled with the Lord’s Name. The highlight was the kirtan by His Grace Ekalavya Prabhu, His Grace Gopinath Prabhu,  His Grace Pradyumna Prabhu and His Grace Maha Bhagavat Prabhu. From morning till night, these devotes were chanting and spreading Harinama and were always smiling, happy and blissful and not an inch of tiredness or anxiety was ever displayed by them. The Kirtan was totally transcendental and truly Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and our Guru Parampara have given us such a joyful and simple way for deliverance from all threefold miseries of this heavy Kali-Yuga – Chant Hare Krishna.

Day Two: Alarm rings sharp at 4 AM and quickly we rush down for Mangala Aarti. Their Lordships were dressed in Yellow, it was not day neither night and the temple hall was surrounded by sound of Kartal and Mridanga and blissful devotees chanting and dancing on Samsara Dava. So long when I was in Dubai, I always wanted but was never able to fulfill my desire of getting up early due to my lethargic attitude and the shuffled routine and mindset of sleeping late. The temple however is different and the whole feel of that particular time is so spiritual and does not belong to this material world. Then we did Tulasi Aarti which was done by another beautiful devotee Mataji who was going to get married also on the same day. Then all the Brahmacaris, Prabhu’s and Mataji sit and complete their rounds and the feeling of chanting early morning in the association of devotees is very very potent. Then we had Namtu and Jaydeep’s wedding starting at 9:00 am. Both the Bride, Groom and entire family were dazzling and looked extremely joyful. This was the first time I attended a Vedic Wedding and the thing which really I admire about the couple was that during the entire wedding period and during the rounds (saat phera) they were only chanting Hare Krishna Maha Mantra and totally depending on Krishna’s shelter. J Again there was out of the world Kirtans by the Bhaktivedanta Band and everyone heard the Holy Name and is benefitted for sure. The wedding was followed by Reception from 2-4 pm and then the couple left for Puna. It’s not over!!

To our surprise, there was a Nagar Sankirtan from 5-8 pm from temple till Juhu Beach and me, nisha and another senior mataji had decided to go for it. We reached the entrance of the temple sharp at 5 pm but noticed that there were only Prabhuji’s and Brahmacari’s going for it so we felt odd as there were no Mataji’s to accompany. Very depressed and broken at heart we participated in the inauguration kirtan at 5 pm headed by Ekalavya Prabhu and felt morose as we could not go for the Nagar Sankirtan. The party left and one senior temple Prabhuji appeared and told us Mataji’s that we can also join them. This was the biggest surprise from Sri Radha Rasabihariji. They actually hear every thought of ours and if our spiritual desire is strong, then there is nothing which cannot happen. We just ran and caught up with the Sankirtan Party and this feeling was completely different. We felt like warriors in the mission of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and our Parampara in spreading the holy name to each and every corner of the world. Blissful devotees dancing, singing, people participating and devotees selling books. The spirit, enthusiasm and dedication of the devotees was selfless, unconditional, without any motivation except one – to serve Krishna and ISKCON forever. This made me realize personally that I call myself a devotee but in actuality there is a long way to go to reach at the level of commitment and purity that all the devotees displayed.

The life of Brahmacaris and temple devotees what is it – austerity, living just with a saffron cloth and adhering to the strict rules of the temple which regulates eating, sleeping, control on the senses, body, mind and words. Sounds impossible for us to imagine – how can they be happy in this life?! But the beautiful essence is that these devotees who live a simple life dedicated to Krishna’s service are the most happiest because they are engaged in their natural constitutional position of service. The are like the fishes who have gone back into the water and living peacefully and the other fishes (like me and many of us in modern and artificial city life) are struggling for every breath outside water!

Life can be lived very simply as actually the demands of the body are very little but due to the effect of Kali-yuga and industrialization, everyone is accustomed to the mindset that there is no life without a wardrobe of latest designs, tv, mobiles, a nice luxurious apartment and latest technology. But in actuality real life for the soul trapped in this body is when one engages in devotional service. The stress and anxiety in city life even hampers our spiritual growth which is the topmost priority but living simply makes us appreciate every second the Lord has given us and when the artificial conception of happiness from material things is eliminated, then real joy begins in Krsna Consciousness. My humble obesiances again and again to all the devotees all over in all the planets who have dedicated their every breath in Krishna’s service. They are not ordinary souls.

To continue, we even distributed books there. I always followed chanting “transcendental book distribution ki jai” during Prema Dhwani but actually realized the transcendental nectar just that time. The satisfaction level when we gift Krsna Consciousness is the highest form of ananda. Everyone is confused, bewildered and trying to be happy but always defeated and devotees are the only hope for all people to be delivered. We returned back by 8:30 pm and the day ended with blissful Bhagavad-gita class and Aarti.

Day Three: It was a wonderful start with Mangala Aarti where Their Lordships were dressed in White and during darshan Aarti in Pink and all devotees yet again enjoying the bliss of spiritual life. Then we chanted our rounds in the powerful association of devotees and after attending Guru Puja, headed for Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Temple, Chowpatty. Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Temple ki Jai. There we had the opportunity to meet wonderful devotees and had Maha-prasadam. Unfortunatley, the time was nearing when we had to leave the spiritual abode and return to the artificial land of Dubai. It was sad and mixed emotions but yet again the belief that Krishna is suhrdam sarva bhutanam (the well-wishing friend of everyone) and the statement that the Lord makes: “mad bhaktah yatra gayanti, tatra tishtami Narada” (I am there where My devotees assemble to sing My glories) is what gives the strength to stay strong.

So the solution is to remain amongst devotees, chant the Holy Name and sing Krishna’s glories. If no association then press the play button of your mobile, laptop or player and enjoy the nectar of Krishna’s name chanted in Sankirtan and wherever we are, it’ll be transformed into Vaikuntha (The place without anxiety).

As an aspiring dasanudas, I beg forgiveness as my writing skills are not very exemplary but I hope I’ve been able to convey the bliss of living in a temple. Please pray that we be engaged always in service to ISKCON as that’s the highest welfare work for all species of life.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Sri Sri Radha Rasabihariji ki Jai!

Sri Harinama Sankirtan ki Jai!

Ananta koti Vaisnava Vrnda ki Jai!