ISKCON Arcana Journal -1- The Deity Responds

The ISKCON Deity Worship Journal

Realisations

The Deity Responds

by ®acinandana Sv€m…

THROUGH OUT OUR literature - especially in the Caitanya-carit€mta - we hear how the Deity transcendentally responds to the devotees. If we look at Saki Gopal, who was witness for His devotee, or Gopala, who ordered Madhavendra Pur… to find Him and serve Him in various ways, or if we look at Madana-mohana who gave His garland to KŠad€sa Kavir€ja Gosv€m… as a confirmation to write the Caitanya-carit€mta, we see that the Deity responds to His devotees sincere appeal.

Also in our modern ISKCON there are many stories of our devotees who either felt directly encouraged in a darana with a Deity or experienced wonderful events happening in relation to a Deity.

I personally remember doing an €rat… before Their Lordships ®r… ®r… Gaura-Nitai on a huge stage in Moscow. At that time we had the Gaura‰ga Bhajana Band concert, and for the first time since "Glasnost", devotees of KŠa could assemble in public, chanting. Many TV cameras, even the American CBN, broadcasted world-wide. The international media was full: “Hare KŠa is the fastest growing religion in the world”.

When the Gaura‰ga Bhajana Band sang the €rat…-song I was permitted to do the €rat…, and I had the distinct impression that ®r… ®r… Gaura-Nitai wanted to jump off the altar into the crowd. As I looked to the crowd, I all of a sudden saw waves in this huge mass of people (35.000). It looked like an ocean which was developing flood-waves. And when I looked at the Deities, They seemed to smile, confirming my feeling: Lord Caitanya Mah€prabhu had actually entered the crowd and danced in a - for my material eyes - invisible form amongst them.

But there is another realization, even more concrete, which I would like to share with the readers in regard to R€dh€-Londonivara, whom ®r…la Prabhup€da described as his favorite Deities. When I was a young bhakta in 1971 the custom was that the Deities were opened during the japa period. I remember chanting every morning all my rounds before these beautiful Deities. They gave me so much strength and encouragement during my beginning days of KŠa consciousness, that Their transcendental Personalities are forever present in my grateful memories of the early days. Half a year ago I came to London and gave a lecture. When I looked at the Deities, I was overwhelmed with gratitude and began to praise Their mercy. In the midst of the glorification a transcendental jewel fell from ®r…mati R€dh€rani’s crown. It danced mysteriously over the floor and stopped right where I was sitting. I felt like a suta, who praised his Lord and Mistress and was graciously rewarded by a costly jewel which was thrown to him. For me it was a direct confirmation that ®r… ®r… R€dh€-Londonivara had not forgotten our earlier exchange, and showed me - and the whole audience who looked in a fascinated way, as the transcendental jewel bounced towards me - that the Lord is indeed responding to His devotees.

Excerpt from the GBC Journal, Summer‘96:

Notable Devotees

Svavasa D€sa, Tadit devi dasi and šc€rya dasa, Los Angeles,CA,USA:

...Svavasa and his family share in the worship of ®r… ®r… R€dh€-Govinda, beloved Deities of the late Gauri devi d€si. An L.A. book distributor for many years, Gauri d€si named Tadit as the new servant of R€dh€-Govinda just before her departure in Vndav€na-dh€ma.

Shortly after ®r… ®r… R€dh€-Govinda arrived in Los Angeles, Svavasa Prabhu held a meeting with many of ®r…la Prabhup€da’s grand-disciples in Their presence. At that time many devotees were very disturbed over problems in management. Svava-sa, having also recently arrived in Los Angeles, said in particular the grand-disciples looked “like someone whose dearest relative just died."

Svavas told them that faith in KŠa is often a question of one’s devotional attitude. He gave this example: two devotees may take darana of the Deity and a jewel may fall from the Deity’s head.

One will say, “Oh,the p™j€r… blew it.“ Another will think hopefully, “Oh, I saw the jewel fall. Perhaps this is a sign from the Lord.

When the meeting ended the devotees paid obeisances and got up to leave. As they rose, they found an ornament of R€dh€-Govinda’s which had fallen to the floor.

For us in KŠa consciousness it is very life-giving and transcendentally inspiring to see how the Lord cares to look our way. There are many stories by many devotees, and I would encourage the readers of this wonderful Newsletter to contribute realizations unhesitatingly. ---by ®acinandana Svami