© 1999 VNN
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USA August 16, 1999 VNN4515 Comment on this story Nrisimhadeva Story BY NISCINTYA DASA  USA, Aug 16 (VNN) — (see also VNN story# 4441) Dear Prabhus, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! As many of you know, on Ratha-yatra day this year, Lord Nrsimhadeva was abducted from my asrama here in New Dvaraka, Los Angeles. Since then, there has been such an outpouring of love, concern and prayers, that I am now convinced that only good can come out of this seemingly horrible event. In fact, it seems that Lord Nrsimhadeva intends to seize this opportunity to increase His already universal fame, to expand His equally glorious Name and endear Himself even more to His loving devotees. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all those who have been moved by this event, and have taken the time to write, call, or in any other way express their concern, support and love. In reciprocation, I would like to share with you the blissful details of how Lord Nrsimhadeva came into my care. One Tuesday in April of 1990, while in Hawaii, I chanted the Prayers of Prahlada Maharaja to Lord Nrsimhadeva, as found in the 7th Canto Srimad Bhagavatam. This was not for any special purpose, but simply because Tuesday is the day of Theus, or Thor, God of Wrath, who is none other that Lord Nrsimhadeva, who is also known as Manyu, the personified wrath of Sri Krsna. The next day, I went to visit one of my Astrology clients, Doris Duke, who lived on a beautiful five-acre ocean front estate named, Shangri La. At that time, Miss Duke was reputed to be the richest woman in the world. When I met her that Wednesday evening, she and her daughter Chandi were busy preparing for a trip in their private jet. Chandi was carefully packing her Radha-Krsna deities. Suddenly and to my great surprise, I noticed, stashed behind a vase, uncared-for, unfed, without either clothes or jewelry, and looking as ticked-off as anything, Lord Nrsimhadeva! "Oh, " I said, "Are you taking Lord Nrsimhadeva?" "Oh, no" Chandi snapped back, startling me with her sudden intensity "You take Him. You take Him. You care for Him." I was both surprised and delighted by her answer. Examining the deity, I thought at first He was Ugra Nrsimha. He looked so fierce, so angry! I wrapped Him carefully in some cloth and Chandi gave me a bag containing some of His paraphernalia. When I left Doris Duke's utopia that day, I felt as if I had been given its greatest treasure. As Ugra Nrsimha, this particular deity required a very high standard of service. So I brought Him to the Honolulu Temple and one of the brahmacari pujaris there agreed to clean Him up and take care of Him for me. Some of the ladies at the Temple also consented to make some outfits for Him. There was only one problem. We had to find Prahlada Maharaja! We found him in the bottom of a bag in the gift store! Now the two were together and nice worship was being offered. After a while however, I came to realize that the deity was not Ugra Nrsimha, but Yoga Nrsimha. I could take him into my home and worship him as a household deity. Earlier on in my relationship with the Dukes, I had agreed to do a Nrsimha puja on behalf of Miss Duke's friend, Emelda Marcos of the Philippines, who was battling a court case in New York. Doris had bailed her out of jail to the tune of some $5 million and had flown her to New York in her private jet for her trial. I traveled to Los Angeles in May, 1990. When I arrived, Rabindranatha prabhu, now Head Pujari, told me that he had heard that I had a deity of Lord Nrsimha, and wanted to know whether He would be abailable for the upcoming Nrsimha Caturdasi. In the past the L.A. Temple had used the deity in the care of Gaura Kesava prabhu, but since he had moved to Hawaii, there was no deity available. I readily consented, and we set about planning a big festival. On that day, Lord Nrsimhadeva was elaborately worshipped with a fire sacrifice, an abbhiseka in which he was bathed with strawberry juice resembling the blood of Hiranyadasipu, honey, ghee, yogurt, and other wonderful ingredients. He was offered 108 lamps, and His 108 Names were chanted by the assembled vaisnavas who later enjoyed a sumptuous feast. It was a most wonderful event. I had offered this puja to Lord Nrsimha partly on behalf of Mrs. Marcos according to the discussion with Miss Duke and also on behalf of the L.A. community and ISKCON in general, for success in the Robin George case. By the mercy of the Lord, Mrs. Marcos won her case and a settlement was reached in the George case. Following His very ecstatic appearance and reception in Los Angeles, Lord Nrsimha was taken up to Srila Prabhupada's quarters, where he would be worshipped over the next eight years. Generally He would spend six months in L.A. and the other six months traveling with me, either to Hawaii, or Chicago, or wherever I was called upon to be. But He was always merciful, gave shelter to all that approached him and accepted service from anyone. I continue to pray for his speedy return. By the way, if anyone is interested, the entire account is detailed in the book, "Dollars, Diamonds, Destiny and Death, " which deals with the life and death of Doris Duke. Hare Krsna. Your humble servant, Niscintya dasa Comment on this story  Contact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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