Day 6 - Saying Goodbye to the Dhama of Separation

The final day of the Puri yatra started with an intimate Tulasi Puja followed by a fortifying Japa circle led by HG Vaisesika Prabhu.  

The main points from the Japa circle were:

1. Determination in chanting means to finish what you started; namely, completing your daily chanting.
2. For the Hare Krishna mantra to have its complete effect on the devotee, it's essential to stay away from criticism of devotees, and not take undue advantage of the merciful nature of the holy name.
3. Paying attention to the sound vibration of the mantra is the key to all spiritual realization.
4. The best remedy for material consciousness is to sit down tightly, chant loudly for a long time until one is fascinated by the holy name and doesn't want to stop.
5. A practitioner is better off aiming to chant steadily over many decades, than waiting to get a taste for the holy name.

In the Srimad Bhagavatam class, we heard the personal account of Narada, who heard from and served pure sages at a young age, who in turn blessed and inspired him to take up devotional service. 

In the purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.27, Srila Prabhupada highlights the importance of hearing for a long time under the apprenticeship of an experienced devotee.

After a wholesome breakfast, the harinaam sankirtan party took over the beach, distributing spiritual goodies to tourists, shop owners, hawkers, rickshaw drivers, and even went inside obscure barber shacks! Many approached hoping for material profit and left with spiritual wealth. Everyone got to hear the holy names and receive Jagannath stickers, prasadam lollies and Srila Prabhupada's books.

We then went to Srila Haridas Thakur's Samadhi Mandir, where His Grace Vaisesika Prabhu led us in singing bhajare amara, remembering the previous acaryas, followed by a talk about Srila Haridasa Thakura.

Haridasa Thakura was born in a Muslim family, which in those times, was considered untouchable. Because of his steadiness and determination in chanting his daily quota of 300,000 names, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu awarded him the title of Namacarya. He did this to show that anyone, regardless of their birth, can rise to the level of a pure Vaisnava.

By the strength of the holy name Haridasa Thakura was able to resist temptations from the personal manifestation of Maya-devi herself. 

Having thoroughly used his human birth in the service of the holy name, Haridasa Thakura's body had become completely transcendental.  Caitanya Mahaprabhu proved this when he held Haridasa Thakura's body in his arms and danced after the Namacarya had passed away.

At the lotus feet of Haridasa Thakura, we offered our lives to the sankirtan movement. Led by Vishnu Gada Prabhu and Vaisesika Prabhu, we made our way to ISKCON Puri, entering with beautiful bhajans and kirtans echoing off the temple's marble walls.

With hearts full of joy, the devotees burst into a spontaneous "suitcase sankirtan" outside the ISKCON Puri temple on the way out.

The final day in Puri closed with Vaisesika Prabhu's encouragement to share personal reflections from the Puri yatra. Many devotees poured out offerings of gratitude to Vaisesika Prabhu, Nirakula Mataji, Shraddha Mataji, and all the devotees who made the yatra happen. 

Even with the consolation of tomorrow's journey to the holy dhama of Vrindavan, feelings of separation from Puri dhama set in. Gratitude turned bittersweet as our wisely used time only made the pain of leaving burn all the more.