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EDITORIAL August 24, 1999 VNN4581 Related VNN Stories Pickpockets BY ANANTACARYA DASA EDITORIAL, Aug 24 (VNN) — In recent days, there has been frequent talk of pickpockets. What has to be the world's best pickpockets are situated in the country of Guatemala, in Central America, a foreign place. When a Guatemalan takes something from you, he does it so smoothly, so perfectly, so politely, and with so much expertise, that when he gets done you feel that whatever he took must have actually been his property all along. Right from the start, and that he was only taking back that which was already his. That's a fact. It's actually the case. So now you have an introduction to what comes next. Because it is rumored that in your neighborhood there is a transcendental pickpocket who has been imported form a foreign place, far, far away; from a region where the inhabitants are accustomed to stealing each other's hearts. When this pickpocket takes from you that which he wants, he does it s nicely, so sweetly, so wonderfully, and with so much love that when he gets done, you will feel that what he takes actually belonged to him all along. Right from the start. That's a fact. It's actually the case. The start, in this case, is the morning of November 15th, 1977 in Vrndavana, India, when Srila Narayana Maharaja took charge of the pre-samadhi parikrama, and samadhi preparations for my Gurudeva, His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupada. Although Swami Prabhupada had departed the evening before, we continued to serve and worship his divine form through the night, with a parikrama of Vrndavana and samadhi planned for the next day. The following is an excerpt from the diary of the devotee who is writing this letter. By 5:00 A.M. everyone is back. As Mangala arotic starts a little later, many devotees turn their backs to Srila Prabhupada in order to pay prostrated obeisances to the Deities. Narayana Maharaj and his associates remain motionless and do not budge. In no time at all, Narayana Maharaj is laying it on the line to Gopal Krishna Das -- the devotees are to stay at the Vyasasan facing Srila Prabhupada, and there is to be a simultaneous arotik for Srila Prabhupada at the Vyasasan while the arotik also goes on for the Deities. Gopal Krishna quickly gets everything arranged nicely, and a nice arotik is held at each 3 altars plus at the Vyasasan. Narayana Maharaj leads the kirtan and winds up everything with repeated and resounding "Jaya Gurudevas" on after another. Afterward, there is also an arotik for Tulasi Devi. The Parikram begins at about 6:45 A.M., and the palanquin is lifted from the Vyasasan and carried to the center of the courtyard of the temple room where we circumambulate Srila Prabhupada with more chanting, of course. We then proceed through the front gate of the Mandir, down to the road to Vrndaban, and parikram to each of the (7)? Temples of Vrndaban. Narayana Maharaj is arranging everything nicely, leading the procession, leading the kirtan, and seeing with great attention that everything goes along perfectly for Our Gurudev. Narayana Maharaj is now conducting the parikram, acting on our behalf as our very capable leader, and seeing to it that everything is conducted nicely for Srila Prabhupada. For the next 6 hours, he is indefatigable, watching everything, and continuously providing the devoted and competed leadership needed so that all the details of the parikram and samadhi are executed perfectly. The excerpt was written 22 years ago in 1977. So this letter is an offering to His Divine Grace Narayana Maharaja from someone who very much appreciates everything that he did for my Gurudeva and his disciple on that morning "right from the start" and everything that he has been doing for us ever since. Just like my own Guru Maharaja, he is simply wonderful, when it comes to sweetly, graciously and lovingly stealing your heart, and putting it in his pocket. Thank you very much, Your Servant Anantacarya Dasa Related VNN Stories  Comment on this storyContact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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