My Altar

Family getting bigger
 

Please accept my most humble obeisances.
All glories to Guru Maharaj and Srila Prabhupada.

When my first Salagram Sila came, in 2007, I never thought I would ever
want to have or have more than one. I thought maybe Lord Jagannath would be
jealous if I ever brought home more Salagrams. I also thought maybe I could
neglect the service unto Him.

But somehow or other, this year 2010 made everything different. After the
second Salagram came, a Sudarshan Chakra Sila, and I realized I could not
worship Them alone, I was given a Kurma Sila.

To my surprise, I also learned that I could not worship 3... and Lord Rama
came, kindly granted by your good self.

The most amazing is reading one passage by HH Bhaktisiddhanta Swami
Maharaj, in which he mentions that Salagrams attract each other.

I guess this is what has been happening because I was just given another 4
Salagrams!

They are very unique in Their moods and, as you say, I am getting to know
Them. And contrary to what I had thought, my attachment to Lord Jagannatha,
my pradhan sila, is only increasing, and He is not jealous - He is very
happy seeing the family grow bigger and bigger.

Thank you very much for all the help and inspiration.

Your servant,
Mitra Gopi devi dasi.
UNQUOTE

The Ram Shila is best explained by Jaya Tirtha Caran Prabhu, who had been
serving the Lord before me. I always tend to think about the small part of
a chakra at the top of His head as something royal. We can also see the bow
or Lord Rama. And Jaya Tirtha Caran made me understand a pointed edge -
Lord Rama's elbow. Unfortunately this is not the best shot to see the elbow though.

Rama Shila

Rama Jagannath Sudarshan Kurma

I am worshipping another Sila as Lord Jagannath. He is very flat and has a
very smooth surface. I could not see anyone but Lord Jagannath.

Jagannath

I got really impressed by this Matsya Shila. You can see the dorsal fin and
sometimes I look and see a dolphin-like shape.

If you turn the Sila, you will see Him like this:

Some can say it is a big mouth with teeth, but I'd rather take Him as two
transcendental personalities that were bound together, forming this fish-
like shape. I want to make him a tail!

I also got a Matsya Nrsimha Shila. When I first saw Him, I could clearly
see the angry look and the teeth.

When I turned the Lord, I noticed a fish like mouth wide open.

This is Him after pancamrta abhisek

Now you can clearly see the sharp teeth, and even see the eye and the pupil
more clearly. Jaya Tirtha Caran Prabhu kindly informed me that a Matsya
Narasimha Shila does exist.

Last, but not least, my eigth Salagram. He is still a mistery. For some
days I could see a sort of umbrella imprinted on His body. I was told that
an umbrella indicated either Vamana (obviously) or Parasuram. So I rushed
home to check and guess what: the mark simply vanished into thin air. Gone.
I am still waiting for Him to manifest His form to me.

(then the rest of the pix, I guess two more, lost the count ...)      :)

Thanks.

ys mgdd
 

12th April 2010

"Well, I was not supposed to have 2 Salagrams, so somehow or other Another
One came... I was a bit doubtful about who He is... but some hints popped up
- the Lord's surface always kind of wet, cold, and He kept shining all day
long after his bath and ghee massage... For some days I thought He was
Matsya... but then I realized He is really heavy. Yes, He is a Kurma Shila.

Now Jagannatha Shila, Sudarshan Chakra and Kurma Shila are waiting for a
Rama Shila to come... So more coming soon..."

Yes, more coming, as soon as the Ram Shila reaches Brazil... so far, big mistery...

Thank you!!!

Ys, MGdd
 
 
 

8th February 2010

After seeing my Guru Maharaj's (Jayapataka Swami) Sudarshan Chakra "ring", I developed the desire of having one.

Yes, we are not supposed to worship 2 salagrams.

But my idea was having the Sudarshan not as a separate salagram, but as the
weapon of Lord Jagannath.

I do not know how it is. But after 2 and half years, one devotee friend
showed up here at work, and gave me the Sudarshan Chakra Salagram I had been waiting...

A view of the full altar, night time. Sri Jagannatha Swami ki jay!
On the right, we can see a small altar, with Sri Hanuman Yantra.

This Salagram Sila arrived in my house in Jan 2007. Since the day I saw Madhava-lila Mataji's HDG Jagannatha Sila (check her link), I somehow desired to have a Sila to worship Him as Lord Jagannatha, and this was in 2003.

Damana Krsna Prabhu JPS (check his link), at that time told me that he could choose among the ones he had a Salagram that resembled Lord Jagannatha. He wanted to send Him to me in 2004. But at that time, my private life was not so arranged (I was leaving Nova Gokula Farm and moving to the city) and I thought it was not proper to take up one more responsibility. So I asked him to keep the Sila for me, until things got settled.

Then I started to think that what kind of person I believe I am to have so much mercy, to have a Salagram!
I thought this was too much for me, I did not deserve that!

In this way, I kept my desire deep inside my heart, and decided to forget all about it, and concentrate on my Jagannatha Baladev Subhadra Deities, which have been with me since 2001. I avoided even checking salagram.net website to avoid the "temptation" (laughter).

When I heard Lilavilasini dd JPS (check her link) also had a Salagram, her Sundar Gopal simply captured me. It was Dec 2006. The desciption posted about how Sundar Gopal came to her and how He looked like a small mango got me. Suddenly, I found myself with that hidden desire to have a Salagram sprouting up again from my heart. I just could not help it.

But again thought: okay, forget!

A couple of days later, I got a letter from Damana Krsna Prabhu saying he believed it was high time the Salagram came to me, and the Salagram on already on His way to Brazil. He was sending via a Godbrother, Gurusevananda das JPS, who was about to arrive in a few weeks more.

I couldn't possibly believe my eyes reading the letter. I had mixed emotions. I was thrilled with the arrival of the Lord, but at the same time, felt the responsibility I was about to take up. I wrote Lilavilasini then, mentioning to her that somehow or other it was her fault (laughter). She immediately instructed me on the standards of worship and said, "Now you pray for His arrival, and meanwhile prepare lots of ghee wicks". Lilavilasini dd is always very very sweet.

When I saw the Salagram, I could immediately see Lord Jagannatha smiling face upon me. Some other devotees would say that He was propably Matsya, or Someone Else. But I could not see anyone but Lord Jagannatha Himself.

The Salagram is small sized, and He looks like a Baby Jagannatha. His mood is much of a baby, very sweet, naughty, and in a way spoilt. Some devotees tell me to buy Jagannatha eyes or tilak to Him, but I prefer painting His lotus face, that can defeat the light of millions and millions of moons, everyday, allowing Him to manifest different moods each time.

When He arrived, while taking Him home, a name came to my mind: Bhadra Jagannatha. But everybody calls Him Baby Jagannatha.

Somedays I cannot really measure the bliss I experience by having Him in my house. My spiritual life changed completely. Last year (2007) I had a serious health problem, caused by stress, and almost left my body. I am sure I am still here by Lord Jagannatha's sole mercy. 2007 Gaura Purnima I celebrated at home, with full pancamrta abhisek.

As every Jagannatha, He enjoys eating. And He loves even more when we distribute his mahaprasadam.

Your servant,
Mitra Gopi devi dasi
 
 
 
 
 

This murti of Srila Prabhupada was the first Deity I ever had, in 1998-1999.
My Spiritual Master, HH Srila Jayapataka Swami Guru Maharaj, whose Sudarsana
Salagram Sila "ring" deeply caught my heart in 2004.

Sri Sri Jagannatha Baladev Srimati Subhadra Devi & Sri Sudarsana Chakra in
red outfit. Sri Sri Radha Madhava Asta Sakhi in a picture below Them.

Lord Baby Jagannatha looking very blissful with His red nose ring.

Right below the five dots on the right cheek of the Lord (right considering
the observer's point of view) He has a line, which I believe is a brahmana
thread.

Lord Dharmeswar Mahaprabhu picture, from Srimati Visnupriya Temple, where we
can get immersed in the flow of separation Srimati Visnupriya felt for her
Lord. Jagannatha Salagram in the middle, in His red cushion, sweetly smiling
to us. Lord Narasimhadev, protecting from all sides!

This is the Lord after Snana. Note the natural pupils. I just paint around them.
 
 
 
 

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