I wrote this poem at a time in my
life when I was at a spiritual crossroads in my life…
I had been practicing bhakti yoga for 24
years and had done a variety of services for Krishna. For seven years I was a pujari (altar priestess) in a temple in
Calcutta, India, then seven years distributing Bhagavad Gita throughout Mumbai and
several states of India, then for another seven years I was a mother.
But in
1994 my son went to gurukula
(boarding school), and for the first time in my life I was alone. My husband had
left me the previous year, so I did not know what my next service to my
spiritual master and Krishna would be.
I decided
to chant Hare Krsna meditatively and listen for an answer. The answer was this poem: "To Be
a Cloud for Krishna". Whatever I had learned over so many years should be shared
with others, like rain falling from clouds!
This poem
was an actual experience I had while chanting which showed me my future
service. This is the same service I have been performing for the last 20 years: trying
to bring others to Krishna consciousness as a cloud for Krishna.
The poem explains how I've received so much mercy from Lord Krishna and thus I've become blessed in many ways. But then I become inspired to share my good fortune with others so they also get Lord Krishna’s mercy.
The poem explains how I've received so much mercy from Lord Krishna and thus I've become blessed in many ways. But then I become inspired to share my good fortune with others so they also get Lord Krishna’s mercy.
To Be a Cloud For
Krishna
In the garden of my heart
I pick round mogra flowers
one by one,
putting them in my basket,
giving them to Radha
to make Krishna’s garland.
I pick round mogra flowers
one by one,
putting them in my basket,
giving them to Radha
to make Krishna’s garland.
Each flower is one bead
of Hare Krishna’s mantra.
of Hare Krishna’s mantra.
When the garland is finished
I will see Krishna and
be with Him.
I will see Krishna and
be with Him.
One by one,
patiently picking--
be satisfied with this service
for Radha.
patiently picking--
be satisfied with this service
for Radha.
Each bead
becomes a pearl-like stone
that I throw
in front of me
making a bridge
like Hanuman did,
but my bridge
is taking me home
to Krishna.
that I throw
in front of me
making a bridge
like Hanuman did,
but my bridge
is taking me home
to Krishna.
Now so many beads, flowers
are showering down on me.
My basket is too small.
are showering down on me.
My basket is too small.
I make myself into a basket
to catch all the mercy
falling from above.
to catch all the mercy
falling from above.
I'm still picking the flowers
but they've changed into
Your aspiring servants.
I pick them and
give them to Radha
who makes a garland
for You.
~
but they've changed into
Your aspiring servants.
I pick them and
give them to Radha
who makes a garland
for You.
~
 |
'Shy Radha' painted by Dhriti Dasi Narayani Devi Dasi was born in 1948. She joined the bhakti yoga tradition at the ISKCON temple in Boston in 1970, and moved to India in 1972. Remaining in India until now, she served in Calcutta in the 70’s as pujari (altar priestess) for the Radha Govinda deities there, and in the 80's as traveling book distributor in Mumbai (former Bombay). Since 1993, Narayani has been living in the holy village of Vrndavan teaching at VIHE (The Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education). Beside her poetry book 'Garden of Devotion' Narayani has also written eleven other books available here, including 'Srimad Bhagavatam at a Glance' and 'Bhagavad Gita at a Glance'. Srimad Bhagavatam at a Glance is also now expanded as a series with a picture for every verse of Srimad Bhagavatam. In 2022, she became the first female initiating guru in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. |
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