Tattva-viveka
Vyasapuja and Gaura Purnima Festivals
Agnideva Dasa - March 21, 2006 10:26 pm
I wish to thank Guru Maharaja and the Audaryites for putting on such a wonderful festival this past weekend. I know how much hard work goes into creating a weekend like this but you would never know from the resident devotees, they are so gracious and generous. Guru Maharaja's talks were so inspiring and the feasts are of such superior quality I always wonder how they will top it but by Sri Gaura Nitai's mercy they continually produce sweeter and sweeter prasdam. It is like an oasis for those of us floundering out here and Agni and I always come away with the sweetest taste. It means so much to us, I just wanted to give credit where it's due and tell what a valuable service you are performing.
Ratna-cintamani devi dasi
Babhru Das - March 22, 2006 6:29 am
Sounds wonderful! And we outlanders are waiting eagerly for the Audaryavasis to have a chance to post reports and pictures.
Caitanya-daya Dd - March 22, 2006 3:44 pm
the inlanders are waiting too! 
Guru-nistha Das - March 22, 2006 5:33 pm
It was a super nice festival, indeed. I was just hearing laughter, kirtan, Guru Maharaja's words and laidback conversing all around and kept thinking that we really have a nice group.
Actually, I'd rather hear the guests' reports than write anything myself since I was in the kitchen most of the time so I didn't really get to hear how everybody were doing and all that.
Also, the residents didn't have time to take pictures but I know that at least Nanda-Tanuja and Madan took pics.
So post your words and pictures up, ladies and gentlemen!
Nanda-tanuja Dasa - March 22, 2006 6:46 pm
1. Guru-nistha attentively reading the cookbook
2. Beautiful cows
3. Gauravani peeping out the kitchen
4. Agnideva and Ratna-cintamani warming by fire pit
5. Gaura Krsna and Vamsidhari catching up with the latest
6. Madangopal leading bhajan
7-8. Guru Maharaja giving a talk on Guru-Tattwa
9. Vrindaranya is completely absorbed
10-11. Guru-puja
12-13. Preparing the offering
14. Audarya-lila chanting
15. Agnideva leading bhajan
16. Guru Maharaja giving Gaura Purnima talk
17. Gauravani offering pancapradipa
18. Guru-nistha is still in the kitchen, puffing puris
19-20. Ecstatic kirtan
21. Citta Hari and Nanda-tanuja
22. Syamasundara and Forrest enjoying sunny day
23. Brahma and his mom
Madangopal - March 23, 2006 6:02 pm
Actually, I'd rather hear the guests' reports
So post your words and pictures up, ladies and gentlemen!
Just now coming!!! We're trying to catch up to normal life, but we'll have something up soon.
Syamasundara - March 23, 2006 11:33 pm
These pictures are beautiful, by the way, especially Guru Maharaja's.
Madangopal - March 24, 2006 8:11 pm
Here are some pictures with a few notes:
1. Nature at Audarya dhama.
2. The main house from below.
Madangopal - March 24, 2006 9:26 pm
3. The sweet Geet(a).
4. Guru Maharaj at his best. He's describing catur vidha shri bhagavat prasad... What an ecstatic explanation.
5,6. More prasad katha. What great pics!
7. Devotees enjoying the four types of prasad!
8. Audarya gods.
9. Parama Karuna Gaura
10. Guru Maharaj explained in the catur vidha verse that Mahaprabhu would distribute prasad with his own hand. Here is that large beautiful hand.
11. Nityananda Rama
12. Guru Maharaj's Gaura Nitai.
13. Giriraj, who exclaimed aniyor, aniyor! Bring more (food)! The whole talk was focused on the nature of prasad. It was easy to relate everything to prasad lila. Get the lecture!
14. Agnideva prabhu.
15,16,17. the other ecstasy, besides prasad and katha - KIRTAN! Guru Maharaj grabbed the drum a few times and was relishing kirtan rasa. You had to be there!
18-19. Practicing kitchen religion
20. The new addition - Sukhi meets her herd.
Jagannatha - March 25, 2006 3:04 pm
Thank you, Nanda-tanuja and Madangopal for these wonderful photos and descriptions!
Panchatattva - March 27, 2006 2:37 am
I'm finally having a chance to write.
First I would like to send a HUGE thank you to the Audaryavasis for treating me so good. Thank you Gurumaharaj, Cittahari, Vrindaranya, Gauravani, and Gurunishta. Thank you for your hospitality. I truely felt welcome.
Being at Audarya was wonderful. It's a beuatiful place, and it was a real spiritual vacation for me. I really enjoyed the morning and evening programs, and the oppurtunity to be absorbed. It took me a day or two to adjust to the austerities, and missing my kids, and not knowing what to do with myself being not engaged by mothering every minute. But by Saturday, with the Vyasa-puja celebration, I felt really happy being there. I liked the engagement of helping prepare for the festivities. Anytime I come, please count me in for cooking seva, so that you all can go to more of the programs.
A big highlight for me was being able to be there for Sukhi's arrival. I feel more attached to her, seeing her start off her life there. I also really fell in love with Gita and Mohan. They are quite the little couple already.
Having the cows around, hearing them moo, and hearing their bells really creates an amazing atmosphere.
I don't have time to write lots of details. It just was wonderful to meet so many devotees, and put so many faces to writings from here. I tell you, it's such a difference meeting someone in person. I've seen photographs and heard writings of so many of those devotees, but meeting them in person I understood so much more about their personality. It was a simple, but powerful proof to me that one must have a living guru. You can't really know someone unless you meet them. Anyway, it was a pleasure meeting so many of you. Really, really, nice devotees!
Jai Audarya Dhama!
Guru-nistha Das - March 30, 2006 10:29 pm
Interesting tidbit about the weather in Audarya and the festivals:
it has been raining on 28 days this month, so there has been only two sunny days. And those two days happened to be the two festival days.
I remember how we were anxious before the festivities that it would rain and we wouldn't have enough room for all the 30 deovtees. It rained the day before the Vyasa Puja but in the evening it started to cleare out. And on the festival day the sky was clear blue, as it was on Gaura purnima. And the next morning after Gaura Purnima i woke up to the sound of hard rain hitting my yurt roof.