An Authentic Life 1.1 for pdf - Universalist Radha-Krishnaism

woman. I didn't know what to do. I chanted and offered
my blessings. Breaking free, I ran into the nearest
temple to collect myself. It was the Sahaji Temple,
a large, ornate marble temple with crystal chandlers
and good deity worship. They kept a ping pong ball
balanced on a stream of water from a fountain in front
of the deity of Krishna for his amusement.
Discovering Brindaban’s darker side, I sat in
back of the temple collecting myself. A party of pilgrims
came through to see the deity. As they left and
saw me, they threw coins at my feet. I gathered them
and threw half to Krishna. I took the other half and
bought a large glass of hot milk in the bazaar.
I stopped carrying my monk’s staff. It attracted
too much attention. Most renunciants in town didn’t
carry a staff. It’s a sign of office and high position in a
caste society--one who can meet out punishment and
interpret the law. However, the mood of the devotees
of Vrindaban is "humbler than a blade of grass" as
taught by Krishna Chaitanya. We are the "servant of
the servant of the servant of the cowherd girls of
Vrindaban" who were Krishna's greatest devotees because
they gave their all to him.
I was torn between the potential depth of spiritual
beauty and the depth of poverty and harsh living
conditions that exist side by side in India. It seemed a
combination of heaven and hell. Hindu scriptures say
earth is a middle planet with aspects of heaven and
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