Kirtan Greed

Last night was amazing, HH Guna Grahi Goswami Maharaj and HG Ajamil Prabhu had bhajans in the temple room after the feast and I was fortunate enough to play with them. I felt extremely uplifted and felt the urge to dance towards the end, so I put down my instrument and went to the back of the temple room. On Friday we had the opportunity to hear Ajamil prabhu sing at Devaprastha prabhu's home and it was as if we were all lifted out of the material realm and traveled into the spiritual reality. I wish I could have more opportunities like this. The last time Maharaj and Prabhu came to Dallas, I had just returned from India myself and was really depressed and suffering from culture shock. I can't fully describe how wonderful and welcoming it felt to hear an ecstatic Bengali padavali kirtan in the West. I immediately remembered long and sleepless nights of padavali kirtans back in Bengal; the penetrating Baul voices piercing through the winter night, across mustard and paddy fields and straight into my bedroom, chanting Hare Krishna well into the early morning hours of the next day. Ki anando! What fun we had then! When I wasn't given the opportunity to listen in person, I would stay up all night in bed, listening, chanting japa, reading or reminiscing other spiritual encounters. Sound can easily transport you into a different time, places and dimension; music is actually the best medium for astral travel and meditation. Sometimes I completely forget that. There will be another program tonight at the famous vegetarian restaurant Cosmic Cafe and I selfishly pray not too many people show up.... I'm really greedy for an small and intimate kirtan session with Maharaj and Prabhu like we there had last time. I'm lucky they even allow me to play with them. :-)