Dhanvantari dasa - New Govardhan Aus.
last updated 26th August 2006

The Altar - May 2006

close-up of altar

Lord Matsya showing His alankaras - His ornamental fins etc

Lord Varahadev

Lord Matsya

Lord Matsya from the otherside

The pot (kumbha) of Dhanvantari

Sesha

Lord Kurma

The underside of Lord Kurma

Lord Kurma marked with the various symbols of what came out of His enjoying His back being scratched by
the Devas and the Danavas as they churned the milk ocean........ (Srimad Bhagavatam 8th canto)

Lord Kurma the pivot of the Universe
(Some might call Kurma-sumeru)

The coils of Lord Ananta

The Hala (plough share) of Lord Balaram on Lord Ananta's back

On my recent visit to Mayapur in February this year I was very enlivened upon arrival, but after two days Krishna gave me the wonderful gift of humility... in the form of a rather large dose of Delhi Belly. my dear God brother Dhruva dasa decided to take me to see a devotee named Mahasringa prabhu for some treatment. When we arrived he was busy serving prasadam to the devotees in his house which i found later in following visits was a constant pastime of his so he ask us to wait in the deity rooom until he could see us i was so unwell all i could do was look at his beautiful alter with many beautiful forms of the lord in deity and  saligram forms. Lord matsya was the most most intriguing form of the lord to my eyes as i had not seen this form before He had a strikingly serious stern, and very royal appearance . Mahasringa prabhu was very busy, and after a while had passed, he came to see us. He applogised that he had no time to accomodate us that day and invited us for breakfast the following day. While visiting I inquired about his wonderful alter and the saligram forms of the Lord. I expressed my attraction to this form of worship and Mahasringa replyed that he had one saligram in which I  could engaged in serving the Lord in this way. All I could do was think about which personality of the Lord I would be engaged in the privilege of serving. On subsequent visits to Mahasriga prabhu's house this subject was not brought up again because he was always busy serving many different devotees and there was no appropriate time for this conversation. I began to become anxious because all I could think and dream about was Krishna's saligram form.  This continued for 2 weeks as I didn't want to disturb Mahasringa or be rude and press him on the matter. Three days before leaving to Vrindavana, I had the opportunity and humility to inquire about this subject again.He casually requested me to return to his house the following morning to receive the Lord. When I arrived I was very nervous and excited at the same time. He promptly gave me a wonderful and unidentified form of the Lord which I received with great awe and reverence.Which later identified as Lord Kurma by Jaya Tirtha Charan dasa.  We proceeded to his deity room where we began to talk. Part way through the conversation, his eyes lit up and he called for his wife. He then asked me to wait while he was conversing with her. Half an hour later, while I was singing bhajans in the deity room, he returned and informed me that he had called his daughter in Switzerland and convinced his wife that his most beloved Lord Matsya should accompany me on my journey. I was amazed as I had no idea why he had asked me to wait or what he was doing. So again I received the Lord. By this time my hands were shaking and I was sweating profusely. Lord Matsya was very serious and at the same time very understanding. Then accompaning him were two Govardhana shilas. Lord Giriraj and Krsna-Balarama. By now my head was totally swimming in the unexpected mercy of the Lord. After wonderful exchanges, I left for my apartment and floated all the way there. By then I myself was treating many devotees in Mayapur with Ayurvedic treatments over the last two weeks from 4pm-9pm. While visiting another devotees' house then again the Lord arrived...more to come!

I hope this story gives you some pleasure and look forward to continuing the story of the subsequent arrivals of the Lord after leaving Mayapur.

Dhanvantari dasa, New Govardhana, Australia.

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