Christmas and New Year thoughts.

Christmas and New Year is literally around the corner, for me it’s always been a day for celebration. It’s not only a day when I think that Christ was born but also a day where I celebrate the love of my life Radha Krishna together under the Kalpavriksha tree.

When I was much younger Swamini Sushree Gopeshwari Devi will come to Malaysia (during the mid 80's to late 80's) after the annual Sadhana program had finished in India. At times she would stay with us till the New Year with 12 hours of Hari Nam Sankirtan and to conduct satsang. During that period we would celebrate Christmas and New Year in unique fashion. A day before the 24th of December we would go out to the small forest and look for a Pine tree and we made sure it was at least 5 feet tall in minimum height. It was an arduous task getting the tree chopping it down and putting it into the back of the car with its fern like twigs jutting out of the car window we would drive through town bringing it back home. Thanks to the young and boisterous satsangees who made it possible.

Once we were home we would get a pot and plant the tree into a pot placing stones and dirt to make the tree stand tall and erect. We would then move it into the house hall where we conduct satsang and make an altar with the tree in the background. We then decorated the tree with tinsels and small photos of cut out Radha Krishna in various forms and sizes and decorate them like any other Christmas tree, we would even throw in the blinking lights to make it beautiful and under this tree we would place get a deity of Shri Krishna with a cow we would place them there. We would then place pictures of Radha Krishna and of Shri Maharaji ( Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj Ji )  our beloved guru. The altar would be decorated with fresh flowers and beautiful garlands. In short we would try to create a small Vrindavan.

On the eve of Christmas everything would be ready; Prasad would have been cooked and placed in small bowls for offering of Bhog (food offering). We would do chantings and Sushree Gopeshwari Devi Ji  would tell us about the significance of celebrating Christmas in that way.

The tree would be named Krishna tree, and Shri Krishna sits there under that tree with Radha Rani. The love play between the Divine couple would take place just like how Shri Maharaji describes it in his Pad Kirtans in His Prem Ras Madira. We as devotees of the Lord keeping that in mind lovingly meditate upon the loving form the Divine Couple and sing the Kirtans. The great tree is like the Kalpavriksha tree (the wish fulfilling tree). The only wish that we would ask for is that we want to be in the service of the Lord in this life and the life after. The Divine cow is Kamadhenu (the wish fulfilling cow) and we would ask her for nothing but Bakthi in our hearts. With this in mind we the devotees celebrate Christmas.

Aarati is performed at the end of the satsang and we would eat the Prasad. After that the younger devotees would continue doing the Kirtan chanting till midnight and do the Aarati again. We sometimes exchange gifts in the spirit of family amongst satsangees.

Then on the eve of New Year we would celebrate the welcoming of New Year with a 12 hour Maha Mantra ( Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare). Beautiful tunes in in various styles will be sung by devotees while lovingly we meditate on the beautiful form of the Divine couple and our Guru. At midnight we will have the grand Aarati of Shri Maharaji and of  Yugal Sarkar ( Shri Radha Krishna).

As 2011 comes to an end we have to ask ourselves on how much of Sadhana Bhakti (Preparatory devotion) have we committed ourselves for? . How humble has our heart become?  Whilst in this mayic (materialistically) world we somehow seems to lose track of our goal.  Our Gurudev Shri Maharaji says "during the time of Kali Yug, the mind easily forgets". Having said that our beloved Gurudev, Shri Maharaji is and has still not given up hope on all of us. He is hoping that, when will the day come when this soul will truly realise the potential and rise to the occasion. He constantly graces the souls at every opportunity as it is always in a disciple's hands how much grace he gains from his Guru. A disciple's selfless love causes his Spiritual Guide to think about his disciple, and that Saint's favourable thinking takes the form of grace, which promotes the disciples feelings of devotional love.

With the coming 2012, we need to move faster, shed tears of humbleness and yearn for the Divine vision and service of our beloved Hari and Guru.  Saint Tulsidaas Ji says "How fortunate is that soul who has attained satsang! Without the least effort, he crosses this ocean of ignorance."  Make 2012 a truly fruitful year for yourself by associating with Hari and Guru more.

Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year. 

Gopal