The Blind Monkey - In Vraja Journal

New in the Vraja Journal, The Blind Monkey. I am posting a separate thread, expecting a thought or two to spark off the entry.

Also: New photos.

As far as the ontological meanings of the article, I am still examining it for content.
Certainly, the intent and feelings are genuine.

I would just like to comment about one possible grammatical correction you might want to make.

QUOTE

If there is a good thing in the external world, then certainly we to take advantage of it and to utilize it in the service of our beloveds;

Maybe you could have said "then certainly we ARE to take advantage of it".

Yes, that is what I intended to say. Thank you for the fix.

Madhavaji, I'm afraid that I'm still absorbing your deep philosophical insights before I can comment on it, although I especially loved the way you viewed the huddled group of monkeys.

But I cannot help but gasp at the astounding quality of those pictures! Any chance of us getting a full-size version for desktop wallpaper?

I'll understand if you cannot do it anytime soon, but seriously, those pics are BEAUTIFUL!

Yes, well done Madhavaji. Will we ever be fortunate enough to hear about the activities that were going on this year in Radha Kund during Govardhana puja?

QUOTE(Gaurasundara @ Nov 6 2005, 07:41 PM)

I especially loved the way you viewed the huddled group of monkeys.

QUOTE(Madhava @ Vraja Journal, Nov 6 2005)

Today, I saw a group of six to ten monkeys all cuddled together, keeping warm in the already chilly mornings of Radha-kunda. The heart-warming sight reminded me of a group of sadhakas taking shelter of each other in their pursuit of the divine treasure of prema, protecting each other from the cold and cruel world surrounding them in all directions. This world is not a good place to be in; it is a world of himsa, violence, and matsarya, or envy. It is a world of inflated egos, a world of countless evils.

I loved that portion as well...we are all in a precarious postion and we need the association and support and love of our fellow servitors. The Vaisnava/i is our shelter in this world.

QUOTE(Sakhicharan @ Nov 7 2005, 02:42 AM)

QUOTE(Gaurasundara @ Nov 6 2005, 07:41 PM)

I especially loved the way you viewed the huddled group of monkeys.

QUOTE(Madhava @ Vraja Journal, Nov 6 2005)

Today, I saw a group of six to ten monkeys all cuddled together, keeping warm in the already chilly mornings of Radha-kunda. The heart-warming sight reminded me of a group of sadhakas taking shelter of each other in their pursuit of the divine treasure of prema, protecting each other from the cold and cruel world surrounding them in all directions. This world is not a good place to be in; it is a world of himsa, violence, and matsarya, or envy. It is a world of inflated egos, a world of countless evils.

I loved that portion as well...we are all in a precarious postion and we need the association and support and love of our fellow servitors. The Vaisnava/i is our shelter in this world.

In some ways, maybe all us members of this forum are like monkeys cuddled together seeking to share our body heat to hold off the cold cruel world of maya?

Reminds me of the time when I was in Vrindavan, India. As I attempted to enter the seva-kunja complex I was confronted at the gate to buy a bag of peanuts to feed the monkeys inside. I purchased a bag of peanuts thinking that I would have fun feeding the monkeys inside. However, just after entering the gate a large monkey came up from behind me and snatched the whole bag of peanuts out of my hand. I was startled for a moment. But, after the peanuts were gone the monkeys left me alone and I took darshan of the deity there and had a very wonderful spiritual experience.
That monkey was mean and strong. That was just one of the several times that something happened to scare me when I was in Vrindavan.

Great stuff..

We thirst for more from the land of sweet bhajan and Hari kirtana.