I GOT A SPOT
Last night electricity went out,
Was lucky to be near the couch,
With bed far away - so here I lay,
Windows open - wasn't terribly hot,
Thinking to self "I got a spot."
Feeling its warmth and security,
Safely and cozy beneath me,
Allowed thoughts another place to stroll,
Toward this Movement - it's my life and soul,
How on earth did I get to enroll?
Lost in it's problems, a sense of Responsibility,
About worthy causes, kids and kuli's......
Other issues too - all need resolving,
Then wondering how to pursue.
Often I think of shastra - or pray,
It's never enough, but aim for the sky,
If ya get treetops, it won't have far to fly.
But electricity off, forced to slow down,
The most fascinating thing I found,
Is with all that's going 'round,
Life's ups and its downs,
Be it luck or whatnot,
......I Got a Spot.
Sometimes I'm a bad fit,
Independent you see,
Not blind to surrender,
Only to qualified authority.
This got in my way,
Yet kept me from going astray,
Always asking "What's your SOURCE?"
As Prabhupada taught us - Of course.
Wonder how me - an independent personality - arrived,
Yet now the Movement has become my life,
Am thankful - 'tis true,
Even if sometimes it brings with it, strife.
But birth and death, than birth some more,
Who was I last time - I might implore,
Was I a boy, a hunter, a bidder,
Did I pull capers? Or just a late night baker?
Did I do something good?
To the hungry give food?
Try to change the world,
With issues of value?
Was I a big wig?
A little wig?
Who was anyone before?
My eyes began to shift to the floor.
One thing I know,
Thinking back on the days,
When ashrama life was all the craze,
And I slept on that hard floor,
Blissful in my sleeping bag,
Didn't matter how many past births I had,
At that point in time it made me so alive,
With Krishna's protection from all sides,
I didn't need to be a big-shot,
All I knew was......I Got A Spot.
Out the door for book Distribution,
Airports, red lights, Grand Central Station,
My Sankirtana abilities were poor at best,
But Prabhupada said it, so I tried with zest.
Back to the asrhama late at night,
Maybe tomorrow I'd try Harinama instead. :)
Unimportant how few possessions upon my shelf,
All I needed was Balarama's floor, strong beneath self,
Was told "Don't lean on temple walls - it's Him!"
So too must be ashrama floors supporting us, therein.
I did not feel qualified, but grateful to be there,
Worldly worries ceased and were out of my hair.
As I learned to spread Krishna's glories about,
Prabhupada said our chanting created WWIII bailouts.
Now, with godsisters in this new found family,
Of those days in the early 1970s,
To which I recall feeling,
Tho a diamond in the rough,
"I belong," regardless of what came up,
I stayed, and sing that transcendental song,
"Hare Krishna"...thus His mercy carries us along.
Things have changed, but none can take this away,
As hard as some try, they have no say,
Prabhupada's lotus feet I hold tight -
While self still needing to purify,
My heart desires Krishna - so here I stay.
If you're reading this, a devotee you be,
Never mind whence joined, you too are free,
Grab Prabhupada's feet, put up his pic,
Offer him an incense stick,
Do what he says, don't let others trick,
Cling to what he told us to do,
Then feel his love & protection shower you anew.
This Movement shall forever grow,
Even if back and forth 10,000 years it goes,
Cuz once you surrender to Prabhupada,
Then you too have ....."Got A Spot." :-)
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Y.S.,
Priitaa dd
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