Monday, June 30th, 2003

Durban, South Africa.

Gundicha Marjana

Cleaning the temple of the heart

Today is Gundicha Marjana: the cleaning of the Gundicha Temple at Puri Dham, India, and the cleaning of all temples of the Lord. It is the temple of my heart that most needs cleaning (ceto darpana marjanam).

The insidious desire for wealth, sex, and popularity (kanaka, kamini, pratistha) constantly attack me, subverting my consciousness. Like dacoits they jump out of the dark recesses of my mind, ambushing me, plundering my wealth.

The enemy is within me; I am hopeless! I am my own worst enemy (atmaiva ripur atmanah). I am lower than the straw in the street (trnad api sunicena). Why? Because my intelligence is misguided. I am moving in the wrong way, going against my own best interest, whereas the straw is stationary, maintaining its fixed position without deviation...

I see on the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math website that Srila Gurudeva is now at our temple in Jagannath Puri to attend the famous Ratha Yatra festival.

O Srila Gurudeva, I am feeling separation from you today. I wish I could be with you, but you have given me some responsible service (bhajana-kriya) here. Please give me your association (sadhu-sangha) so that I may have the eye to see what is what (sraddha) and properly engage in that service:

"I worship my Gurudeva, who with the shining light of knowledge opens my eyes that are blinded with the darkness of ignorance."