By Acarya Dasa
On the 21st of January 2016, our party reached Sriperumbudur, the birth place of Ramanujacarya. The Sri Perumbudur taluk[1] is located in the Kanchipuram district in the Indian State, Tamil Nadu. The headquarters of this taluk is the town of Sri Perumbudur where we stayed for two days.
Ramanujacarya is regularly worshipped here. The followers of the Sri Sampradaya often arrange a special palakhi yatra[2] where the deity of Ramanujacarya is carried on a palanquin in a procession singing his glories. The people do not usually allow outsiders to sing kirtana on the procession but by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada when we entered the temple, we were called upon to sing kirtana during the procession. There was also a fair visiting the town and we took the opportunity to distribute books and many Bhagavad-gitas and small books. For the entire duration of two days here we held sankirtana and book distribution.
The last time that padayatra visited Sriperumbudur was eight years ago, at this time Rupa Goswami Dasa was the leader of the ‘All India Padayatra’. When we were here last, several wonderful things transpired. We met a disciple of the Sampradaya movement to whom we gave a Bhagavad-gita . He became so inspired by it that today he is a disciple of Jayapataka Maharaj. This is the power of ‘Bhagavad-gita As It Is’ which has been given to us by Srila Prabhupada. We also came into contact with a Christian boy who was in search of real happiness. He had seen the padayatris dancing on the streets and was amazed at how happy and enthusiastic the devotees were and naturally inquired as to what makes them so ecstatic to continue dancing in the burning sun. The devotees answered all his questions and then invited him to join the padayatra for the day. Due to the mercy of Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundar, that boy is now Parthasakha Dasa, a disciple of Lokanath Maharaj, and because of his love for Their Lordships he joined padayatra and has been serving ever since as an efficient member of our party.
We also met another wonderful soul when we were here all those years ago –an old lady named Paripurna. She was inspired by Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundar and started to read scripture and follow the rules and regulations important for spiritual life. When we visited last she served us and the bulls and now that we were back in this place we had encountered a predicament. We had searched everywhere but could not find accommodation. It was then that we remembered Paripurna Mataji or should I say Nitai Gaurasundar reminded us of her. So, having no other option we went to see her at her home. When Paripurna Mataji saw Their Lordships she started to cry out of love for Them; she caressed Narsingh the bull and praised him, “Oh you have completed padayatra of India! Jai! And I am old I can’t do anything.” She was seeing us all after eight years. We asked for her help and she readily made arrangements for everyone. She also worshipped Their Lordships and offered Them bhoga. Paripurna Mataji also offered clothes to all the devotees and gave us grains and food for the bulls. She also donated 10, 000 Rs to padayatra. When we were about to leave she tearfully said to all that we were welcome any time and asked us to please engage her in seva by visiting her small house again. So, it is by the Lord’s desire when things work –all our plans are tentative. If the Lord desires to be served by a particular devotee, He goes to that devotee for seva. The Lord does not forget even the smallest service rendered to Him and thus saves us from all dangers. As stated in Bhagavad-gita ‘sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya | trayate mahato bhayati’, which refers to the fact that “in this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear”[3]
This is how the most merciful Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundar engages everybody in seva. These are just a few miracles amongst thousands that are happening daily on padayatra. It is by experiencing these miracles of Nitai Gaurasundar that we fall more in love with Them and feel sheltered. Everyone on padayatra is most fortunate to serve Nitai Gaurasundar and Srila Prabhupada, and this is only possible because of the unlimited mercy of our beloved Gurudev, Lokanath Maharaj . Every day Nitai Gaurasundar takes us on a new journey filled with wonderful adventures.
[1] An administrative district for taxation purposes, typically comprising of a number of villages.
[2] Palanquin procession
[3] Bhagavad-gita Chapter 2, text 40.
