Om Bhur Bhuvah Svah Tat Savitur Varenyam

" 'Let me worship,' Lord Brahma said, 'the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda [Krsna], who is the original person and under whose order the sun, which is the king of all planets, is assuming immense power and heat. The sun represents the eye of the Lord and traverses its orbit in obedience to His order.' "

Bg 4.1

Yesterday we made a day trip to the Sun Ceremony at Friendship Village where Vamsa is on a 4 day complete fast from food, while dancing many hours a day in the sun. On the way, I was navigating and missed the turnoff for a shortcut. Since we knew we were on a road parallel to the one we wanted to be on, I arbitrarily picked a graveled road and headed across country. Naturally, we ended up lost, but took it as an opportunity to do some sight seeing along the twisting hilly roads of rural Southeastern Ohio. Stumbled on an old log shed that had been converted into a barn, where I took this picture of some horses.

We missed the first round of dancing for the day, but were there for the next two; each lasted about 1.5 hours, in the sun. They were going to have one more right after we left, but I don't know if that would be the last one, maybe another one at sunset. Since it is a Sun Ceremony, typically there will be rounds at sunrise, high noon, and sunset, the traditional times for chanting gayatri. There can be as many as six.

I did end up hugging Grandmother Parisha, the spiritual leader. She is 10 years older than me, and has, at times, been my surrogate mother. I have shared some adventures with her, and her people, though not so much recently. We chatted together at lunch between rounds. She has a great attitude about life and we discussed death, living in completeness, and future plans. There was some laughing involved.

After his first trial verdict was reversed on appeal, Kirtananada (Bhaktipada) was riding high, feeling vindicated and home free. He was surrounded by a large core of dedicated disciples. At that seeming zenith, Grandmother Parisha (who had come to NV several times during the interfaith period) advised him that he needed to physically move away from New Vrindavan, stop giving classes, stop initiating, and not act as a guru for an extended period, or he would end up in prison. With the humility clad smugness that can only be mustered by an "advanced" devotee, surrounded by adoring and, at least at that point, fiercely loyal disciples, he declined the advice. FYI, he just got out of a 10+ year stint in prison for copyright infringement, and most of his disciples are nowhere to be seen. Of course, with the attitude of “forgiveness” so much ballyhooed by elements in ISKCON now, perhaps we shall see him initiating again soon, (sorry, that was inexcusably cynical, but... unable... to... delete;... tongue... too,,, powerful,... can’t... control).