From: <russia@scsmath.org>
Date: Wed, 7 Aug 2002 09:45:59 -0700
To: SCSMath Info <info@scsmath.com>
Subject: ...Reporting from St. Petersburg
Sri Sri Guru-Gaurangau Jayatah
My obeisances to all the devotee who may read this short article from St. Petersburg.
Here it's a full-on transcendental happening with midnight Hari-katha and night-long ista-gosthis, Nagar-sankirttans, public preaching events, massive Prasad distribution and boisterous Kirttans. Everyone is careful to be up and in the queue at 3:30 a.m. in order to get a space to sit for the captivating darshans of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj. These are all digitally recorded in audio and video by the Russian 'technical department' of devotees for distributing later for the benefit and pleasure of the Vaishnavas world-wide.
Sri Gurudev is always absorbed in the thoughts and concepts of his Divine Master and is speaking publicly and privately all day to the devotees and friends here. Yesterday, a large group of visitors came to see Srila Gurudev from the St. Petersburg Circus including elephant trainers. They were all overflowed by his grace. He lectured to them for a full hour about the auspicious significance of elephants with scriptural references, miraculously concluding with the glories of Sri Harinam.
Amazingly enough, in the midst of all the excitement, Sri Gurudev is finding sufficient time to rest and relax for maintaining his health. This is yet another manifestation of the management skills of the dynamo leaders here: Prabhu Jagannath Vallabha, Prabhu Vijay Raman and their enthusiastic team of devotees.
Preparations are under way for tomorrow's Disappearance Festival of Srila Param Guru Maharaj, Om Visnupad Sri Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. All of us here are feeling extra fortunate that we shall be able to observe this holy day in the presence of His Divine Grace Sri Gurudev, the most beloved servitor and associate of Srila Param Guru Maharaj.
Reporting from the splendid Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, St. Petersburg, at the lotus feet of Sri Sri Guru-Gauranga-Radha-Madhavasundarjiu and the Vaishnavas.
-B. Lalita D. Dasi
7 August 2002
Other dispatches and pictures from St. Petersburg as well as from London.