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Vrindaban/Delhi I leave as scheduled

January 12th, 2001

Vrindaban/Delhi

I leave as scheduled to Delhi to pick up my train to Calcutta, where I will meet the devotees coming from the US for pilgrimage. As usual, when traveling out of Delhi, I stop for prasadam at the house of my friend, Ghanashyama. They are exceptionally hospitable. With a phone call and a few hours notice I can send anyone there to take prasadam or stay the night.

Ghanashyama left home when he was ten years old to go to Vrindaban to be a sadhu. His father finally found him and told him that he didn?t mind if he didn?t want to get married, but he should help his family until he reached maturity. On the request of his father he completed his education and became a civil engineer to help support a joint family of his five brothers. However, he still remained somewhat of a sadhu and never married. He is renown in his community for his beautiful brajabasi bhajans?especially about Giriraja.

He is now working on a construction project in Nigeria, but his brothers always welcome me. When he is informed that I am staying at his house in Delhi, he often sends me a message by email. Last year he shared with me a thought-provoking realization:

?I think Vaishnavas sometimes get all their remaining karmic reactions for several lives in one lifetime so that they can finish up their business in this world and return to Godhead at the end of this life.?

This year, as planned, he retired to Vrindaban at fifty.

I can only stay a few hours and rush to catch the late afternoon Rajadhani to Calcutta. I am eager again to see Mayapur.

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