Tirupati: A beacon for the rest of the world

[Guest guest]

When I was in Mayapura the devotees of Tirupati asked me to visit their

Temple. For the past few years I have seen the Tirupati Temple go very high

on the charts in the book distribution world newsletter. After being there a

few days I could see why they have so much success. The temple president,

Revati Raman Prabhu, is very enthusiastic to distribute books and this is

the main activity at this temple. Twenty five devotees go out on book

distribution every day, they have a traveling sankirtan party, they set up a

table at the Balaji Temple, the Padmavati Temple,the Govinda Raja Temple,

there's a mobil book shop, the congregation distributes, and they have a

table on their property.

 

The sadhana at this temple of sixty devotees is also an inspiration, at

4:15 everyone is there or no morning prasad (this gives some extra

transendental impetus to attend). I remember Srila Prabhupada praising one

mataji that was the head of a company, if anyone didn't go to get the darsan

of the deity in the morning she would have them pay a fine, so it's

bonafide. Because they all attend the Mangal Aroti the rest of the morning

program is also fully attended. In the evening they have Tulsi Aroti,

(something I haven't seen for twenty years). Then Gaura Aroti and class, all

fully attended.

 

Yesterday the devotees asked me to join them for book distribution at the

Balaji Temple. For many years I've heard of this temple. It's the most

famous and richest temple in the world. Sometimes pilgrims have to wait in

line for a day and previously they would wait sometimes four days before

they could get darsan of the deity. Yesterday I only had to wait two hours

(because the day before India lost the world cup in cricket to Australia, I

guess they were lamenting). It was a very nice experience to be around so

many thousands of devotees anxiously awaiting the audience of Balaji while

chanting, "Govinda! Venkatesvaraya namah! Om namo Narayana namah!. In the

Krsna book it's mentioned that even Balaram went to get the darsan of

Balaji, Lord Caitanya as well. Know one knows how long the deity has been

worshiped, which means a long long time.

 

I tried to distribute some books at the table but there was a slight

language problem. The devotees have eight languages of books displayed on

the table, and all the devotees know at least three of them, some know five,

I know one, and the one I know no one spoke, but it was nice seeing the

books going to the many people that had come to get the darsan of Balaji.

 

Revati Raman Prabhu is building a huge temple on the property that the

devotees are presently residing at. The deities worshiped in this temple

will be Radha Govinda and the eight sakis, like in Mayapura, and it is all

being funded by book distribution. He's expecting it to be finished in two

years. Srila Prabhupada said, "If you distribute books then all success will

be there".

 

It's clear to see that Srila Prabhupada and Lord Balaji are showering

their blessings on these sincere devotees.

 

your servant, Vijaya das