Hare Krsna from India!
~ by Krsnanandini Devi Dasi ~
Hare Krsna! Just sharing a little Christmas thought from India:
Most people know that Lord Jesus Christ did not appear on December 25. Because intelligent, thoughtful people have researched and given historical evidence to that fact. Most people know there is no Santa Claus who comes down a chimney leaving much desired toys, games, clothes and other gifts. Still, in spite of this knowledge, a lot of intelligent, thoughtful people participate in Christmas gift-giving. Why? Because fundamentally we like to give and receive gifts—it’s actually two of the six kinds loving exchanges between people who care about each other.
One of our foremost spiritual teachers, Srila Rupa Goswami lists six kinds of loving exchanges between devotees (or servants of God):
1. Giving gifts with thoughtfulness and care2. Receiving gifts with appreciation3. Offering food with love4. Accepting food with love and gratitude5. Sharing the confidential desires of your heart6. Hearing confidentially and respectfully, honoring confidences
Christmas season, then, gives people a pretext to do what we should be doing all the time. Showing our love by giving. Showing our love by gratefully receiving. And this doesn’t have to be, should never be the over -commercialized event that it has become—where people spend too much for gifts, go in serious debt and forget the purpose of the season.
Something else we should consider: If we are actually trying to honor the great servant of God, Lord Jesus Christ, we should figure out what gift we can offer to him this season. We know he wasn’t materialistic, so what gift can we give? What about the gift of respecting the sacrifice he made of his life and do something -- if only one thing -- that he asked of us — like being a peacemaker.
That would be such a blessed gift!And you would truly be called a child of God.He said so himself.
Krishnanandini Devi Dasi was brought to Krsna consciousness by her mother as a young teenager along with her other siblings. Her mother was a simple woman and a devout Christian who deeply resonated with the Bhakti perspectives given by Srila Prabhupada in his writings. But when she came to the local temple along with her children, ready to join the community there, she faced bigotry and racism. She was treated as a troublemaker and was turned away.She took her children and put them in the car. She didn't know where to turn, but somehow by the grace of God she was given the intuition to drive all the way to Dallas, Texas. When they arrived there, to their surprise, Srila Prabhupada himself was there visiting. She explained her situation to the temple president there, that she and her children were not welcome at the temple in their hometown of Cleveland. Srila Prabhupada out of his great compassion, that very day gave initiation to her and her children as well. I've always called Krishnanandini's Mom the 'Rosa Parks of ISKCON'.