Growing Deities

[Guest guest]

Growing Deities

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(by His Holiness Bhakti Vikasa Swami)

 

 

When I joined ISKCON at Bhaktivedanta Manor in 1975 the devotees

were so poor that there was no heating inside, although there was snow

outside. Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda were offered garlands largely made of

leaves, and the bhoga offerings were tiny. Devotees would queue up to

supplement their daily semolina porridge and chickpea breakfast with a mite

of maha-prasada.

 

Then Jayatirtha Prabhu, famed for his opulent Deity worship in LA,

became the new GBC. He immediately ordered superb garlands for Their

Lordships, along with massive bhoga offerings starting at 4 a.m. with 108

whopping milk sweets. He also enthused the hitherto torpid devotees to get

out and collect for this increased service.

 

And although Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda cannot be perceived by

mundane vision, it soon became obvious that Their previously slender forms

were becoming rather chubby. So much so that a whole new wardrobe had to be

made for Them, as the old clothes no longer fitted.

 

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[Guest guest]

On Wed, 1 Feb 2006, Radhe Govinda (dasa) ISM (Split - HR) wrote:

> Growing Deities

> -------------------------------

> (by His Holiness Bhakti Vikasa Swami)

 

> And although Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda cannot be perceived by

> mundane vision, it soon became obvious that Their previously slender forms

> were becoming rather chubby. So much so that a whole new wardrobe had to be

> made for Them, as the old clothes no longer fitted.

>

> -----

 

 

The Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai Deities of Lord Caitanya's associate Murari Gupta, are

mow in Vrindavana, near Banakhandi Mahadeva. They are said to have grown

considerably just about 150 years ago, in connection with the pure devotion of

Pisima Gosvamini and her successor Gopesvara Bandhyopadhyaya. Pisima was in

vatsalya-bhava and worshipped Gaura-Nitai as if They were children; Gopesvara

prabhu was in sakhya-bhava and was not satisfied with Gaura-Nitai as children,

so They grew up a bit so as to better reciprocate with his pure devotion.

 

Mukunda Datta dasa