On August 8 the All-India Padayatra reached Nathdwara in Rajasthan. I was eagerly waiting for the arrival of padayatra. It was my birthday and I was thinking this would be my best birthday for I would be blessed by darshan of Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar and my dear padayatris. Padayatra stayed for two days in Nathdwara and I was with them totally the whole time.
I would like to share some of my realizations.
Padayatris are coming directly from Goloka. They are serving with almost no facilities, which is very difficult for a common man. They are always in a serving mood and always smiling. Even when they are sleeping, they are concerned about the oxen.
While preparing bhoga Kaunteya Sakha dasa was reciting Bhagavad-gita shlokas. You can imagine what state of mind he is in and when prasad enters our body it will have spiritual effects.
Padayatris are fully versed in spiritual scriptures, which can be seen in their preaching where the whole village becomes devotees.
Acarya dasa is the best manager I have ever seen, managing so many different types of devotees with different moods and keeping them together.
Even after so much seva, they are never in rest mood. They never compromise with purity and eat only what they prepare and not from any non-Brahmin devotee.
Even if they bring a cotton sheet, they offer it to Gaur-Nitai and then use it.
Every day searching for a new place, then setting everything there and then winding it up again. Hats off to them. I could not manage it for two days.
The list of their qualities will not end. I am very fortunate by the mercy of Guru Maharaja that I could meet such devotees and stay with them.
They have the special mercy of Guru Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada, otherwise they cannot do what they are doing. They are all empowered devotees. I wish and pray that I always get seva of such devotees and Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar.
Jai Srila Prabhupada.
