auspicious birth

[Guest guest]

Dear Vaishnava devotees of Srila Prabhupada,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Herewith is a brief account of the appearance of another devotee in our

family.

 

Mohini Rupa and Radhika met His Holiness Jayapataka Swami by Srila

Prabhupada's Samadhi. He gave each one of his flower garlands, and asked

about the imminent baby and Mohini's health. He held his hand in the

direction of the baby in the womb and chanted mantras blessing the child. He

said we should do a yajna for safe delivery.

 

Inspired by this we asked Prahlad Nrsimha Prabhu to arrange a yajna. He

brought Suveksana Prabhu at an auspicious time to our apartment. Nrsimha

Pali and his wife Srimati joined in the yajna for their expected baby and a

small gathering of friends attended. Siva Caitanya Prabhu blessed our home

by his presence for awhile before attending his classes.

 

The yajna left us all feeling peaceful and blissful.

 

As I described before when I arrived and first visited the temple I saw the

lotus feet of the 8 Sakhis and Radharani on Gopastami, and I received a

small garland of sweet smelling flowers from Radharani's feet. A devotee put

a garland around my neck, kartals in my hand, and pulled me into the kirtan.

 

About six days before our baby's birth, I walked around at sunrise and after

seeing the beautiful rising sun, with flocks of birds soaring in the sky, I

strolled past the lake by the old Gurukul area. One devotee who studied

Bhaktivinode Thakur's writings feels that his description places this lake

as being Radha Kunda.

 

As I returned home I saw a group of four or five animals that looked

something like large squirrels but with pointed noses, red-orange eyes, and

long, straight fur tails. They were agile and perceptive. As I stopped to

look at them, two of them came around the corner of some wood and looked at

me. Then they all scurried away. I asked what they were and devotees told me

they are Mongooses. Devotees said it is very auspicious to see them.

 

Another day Hanuman appeared in our home. Rama devi, our midwife, told our

daughter Radhika that she was looking for a home for this 2.5 foot high

Hanuman statue and Radhika brought him home. So now Hanuman was there,

carrying a mountain of medicinal herbs in his hand, before the baby's

arrival.

 

Many devotees inquired about Mohini's well being and the baby over the days

preceeding birth. Jayapataka Swami asked for Rama devi's report on two

occasions, and there were many other inquiries. Rama devi said she has never

seen so much interest in the birth of a baby. It seemed that all the

devotees were with us and thinking of us. I met Pankajangari Prabhu on the

footpath in the housing area. He inquired about our well being and he said

he would pray to Lord Nrsimhadev. Jayapataka SWami told me he would pray to

Panca Tattva for the baby's safe delivery.

 

We waited about two weeks for the birth, staying at home, reading the

Caitanya Mangala, and Hari Sauri Prabhu's diary of Srila Prabhupada's

nectarean words and activities. We also played bhajans and kirtans by Srila

Prabhupada and his devotees.

 

Three nights before our baby arrived, Radhika and her friend Vishnu saw

three white owls sitting outside our apartment. We usually never see white

owls, but the usual scruffy brown ones. Devotees told us that the white owl

is the carrier of Laksmi, and it is very auspicious to see white owls.

Radhika, Vishnu and Ramadevi saw white owls two more nights after that,

sitting outside our apartment.

 

Mohini Rupa was having a contraction whilst standing and looking out our

window, she was thinking how the pain she is suffering in the dham is

freeing her of past sins. She asked what the unusual animals were. I looked

down and saw two Mongooses there browsing about in the grass. We have never

seen them before by our apartment.

 

Labor was long and Rama devi felt it was not sufficient. Mohini Rupa was

exhausted. We decided to go to the clinic in Krishnagar that we had visited

before in case it was needed. We arranged for a car and made phone calls.

Just as we were about to walk out the door, Bhakta Gana Mataji came to the

door bearing the posie bouquet--red flowers, sweet smelling white ginger

flowers and leaves--from Radharani's hand. She said she was doing service in

the Deity room and became inspired to take Radharani's posie, which would

usually remain in her hand, and bring it to us. She also brought tulasi

leaves from small Radha Madhava and Gouranga's feet.

 

Blessed with this gift from Radharani we proceeded towards Krishnagar in the

car. The roads are pocked with potholes and the bouncing moved the baby

downwards for birth. The doctor said by telephone he would be there soon,

but as we waited with Rama devi abor proceeded. In the labor room, Rama devi

was able to carefully deliver our baby daughter.

 

Normally the mother stays in the clinic, but there were no rooms available

and no spare beds. I intended to stay with Mohini Rupa in the special care

unit, but the head doctor said it would not be allowed. We were about to

part when Mohini said, "I don't like it!" She said she did not want to stay

there alone, and she was very very hungry. So she would rather go home than

stay alone. After we signed papers exonerating the clinic from

responsibility and paying the fees, we drove carefully home with our little

angel. Arriving after midnight we all rested well, and baby didn't awaken

during the night. We have not named her yet, and are considering names. She

is very peaceful and doing well. She has a small circular mark on her

forehead, just between and above her eyebrows. It is positioned exactly

where devotee ladies wear a "bindi" and is about that size.

 

Today we had run out of rice so our prasadam was curd sak subji and capatis.

We were thinking we would have to do some cooking later. Soon after that,

Krsna Madhuri Mataji visited us with a prasadam meal from Lord Jagannath

further along Bhaktisiddhanta Road at the ISKCON Jagannath temple. We were

blessed with Lord Jagannath's prasadam, which had mellow tasting subjis and

copious amounts of rice.

 

After that I walked to the internet office to write this description. On my

way I met Pankajangari Prabhu, who is auspicousness personified, as he

walked on the footpath at the same spot I had met him before. He asked about

he baby and gave me a prasadam sweet from Lord Jagannath.

 

We are very thankful for the expert assistance of Rama devi, the mercy of

her Giriraj, the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, Jayapataka Swami and all the

well-wishing devotees of the Lord. We are thankful for the mercy of Lord

Gauranga, and for the mercy of Srimati Radharani who benedicts all with her

love.

 

your servants, Amogha das, Mohini Rupa devi dasi, Radhika and baby.

 

 

A day has passed since I wrote this account. Last night about 2 a.m. I was

thinking about Jayapataka Swami when our baby's name came into my mind:

Radha-priya Sakhi.