By Anita dasi
For ekadasi we again invited all the devotees to get together for bhajans at the Rama Temple. We took turns singing bhajans. Various visitors to the temple would stop and join us for a few songs, or pick up the free Hindi or English pamphlets with a simple introduction to the maha-mantra and addresses for the temples in India. A few stayed for a long time, singing along with the Hindi song books. One Bengali man was so enthusiastic to sing with us, and wanted his seven year old son to get some inspiration for bhajans.
In the afternoon we went to Dylans coffee shop in old Manali. Not to have a coffee on ekadasi but to meet the proprietor Raj. Jaya Sri dasi and Nanadini dasi stayed in the ladies ashram in Gopinatha bhavan this last winter after taking initiation during Kartika. Some years before they both visited India as travelers and spent some time in Manali and made a connection with Raj who has a very open and caring mood. He is spiritual but not sectarian, and feels his service to God is to make all people feel accepted and affection. We chatted for a while, and when we left him a few Hindi and English books he said with a grateful smile, “thank you, and I will share these, because many who come here are seekers.”
From Dylans we wandered up the winding road towards the Manu temple stopping to offer books to shopkeepers and those on the road. Its always a surprise to see that sometimes those with the least money most readily take the books. One man selling cherries in plastic cups on the side of the road took a Bhakti Tattava Viveka. By the time we returned he was halfway through the book, and he asked us to see the other books we have. He carefully selected a Camatkar-chandirka.
We went for darshan at the Manu temple. Manu is the father of mankind and first heard this science of the relationship with the Supreme from Vivasvan, the sun god who heard it from the Lord. Of course over of time this knowledge became lost, and Sri Krsna had to give the instructions again to Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra.
On stairway out of the temple there was a bell hanging over the stairs. It was up quite high and I couldn’t reach it on the way in, so fooling around I tried to jump up and ring it. I made a terrible landing.
TO BE CONTINUED
Tune in tomorrow to find out what happened and the fate of the book distribution trip . . .
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