On 03 May (Sat) Sai took us to the Livermore Shiva Vishnu temple (please refer http://www.maps.google.com/ ),along with Stephanie .Earlier on, he told us that he is keen on marrying Stephanie and Stephanie is equally keen to marry him ;that they know each other for the past one year or so ;that they were both office colleagues and that he had found that she has all the qualities that he was looking for in a wife .We discussed the pros and cons of marriage to an American girl and finally came to the conclusion that if he had made up his mind and had taken everything into account like a mature boy then we had no objection .
The trip to Livermore temple was excellent. The temple is being maintained in the best Hindu traditions. It is very neat and clean and the Temple has its own sanctity .They have an excellent marriage hall too where Sai's marriage can take place tomorrow I thought! On one side there were a lot of devotees who were chanting the Tiruppavai and Tiru vembavai. On another side Navagraha Abhishekam was going on.
Explained to Stephanie the significance of idol worship . Told her that Although God is present everywhere and is Omnipresent, Man finds it difficult to viualise His Formless nature and to help him concentrate on the Formless God a Form was devised .And hence the Temple concept and Idol worship has been in existence for thousands of years.
Explained to Stephanie the significance of idol worship . Told her that Although God is present everywhere and is Omnipresent, Man finds it difficult to viualise His Formless nature and to help him concentrate on the Formless God a Form was devised .And hence the Temple concept and Idol worship has been in existence for thousands of years.
Also explained the significance behind the Abhikesham and the mantras. Told her that Mantras have great power as the sound vibrations that they produced had a very beneficial effect on all those who chanted or even listened to the same .She was listening very keenly as I was putting across everything in a logical manner .
After visiting the Temple we came back to Berkeley (please refer http://www.maps.google.com/ )and had lunch, salad and sandwiches, vegetarian of course! It was very good. At 2 in the afternoon a few ISCKON devotees went past in the busy road singing Hare Rama Hare Krishna bhajans all Americans .One of them was wearing a saree and seeing Latha in a saree invited her to the ISCKON temple in Berkeley!
Sunday is always Sai's day. He takes over the kitchen and cooks an excellent meal .On 04 May (Sun) ,he made some delicious Chana and Fried rice .After lunch we went to Sausalito to watch the Sausalito Spring Festivalbeing conducted there. The Show did not last long because the wind velocity near the water front was just too much blowing all the shop tents away. One Rock Band however kept performing with a lot of vigour in spite of the wind and the cold (40 deg Fahrenheit).
On 9th May (Fri) attended a Bhajan at Harsha's place, quite close by in San Rafael. Met Brian and Carlos also in the Bhajan center. Both husband and wife sing excellent English, German, Latino bhajans. Brian plays the guitar and is very good at it .He sings beautifully too. Sang Love is my Form an English bhajan.Here the group is small, five or six families may be, but all of them old devotees and devoted to Swami's teachings. I was choking with tears when they sang one thrilling beautiful Bhajan which really takes you into Ananda - supreme bliss, the tune is so good and the meaning superb. The Bhajan goes like this:
Baba love, Baba love, Baba love, Baba love, Om Baba love.
He smiles at us, through flowers and trees, nature's love sweet harmony
After visiting the Temple we came back to Berkeley (please refer http://www.maps.google.com/ )and had lunch, salad and sandwiches, vegetarian of course! It was very good. At 2 in the afternoon a few ISCKON devotees went past in the busy road singing Hare Rama Hare Krishna bhajans all Americans .One of them was wearing a saree and seeing Latha in a saree invited her to the ISCKON temple in Berkeley!
Sunday is always Sai's day. He takes over the kitchen and cooks an excellent meal .On 04 May (Sun) ,he made some delicious Chana and Fried rice .After lunch we went to Sausalito to watch the Sausalito Spring Festivalbeing conducted there. The Show did not last long because the wind velocity near the water front was just too much blowing all the shop tents away. One Rock Band however kept performing with a lot of vigour in spite of the wind and the cold (40 deg Fahrenheit).
On 9th May (Fri) attended a Bhajan at Harsha's place, quite close by in San Rafael. Met Brian and Carlos also in the Bhajan center. Both husband and wife sing excellent English, German, Latino bhajans. Brian plays the guitar and is very good at it .He sings beautifully too. Sang Love is my Form an English bhajan.Here the group is small, five or six families may be, but all of them old devotees and devoted to Swami's teachings. I was choking with tears when they sang one thrilling beautiful Bhajan which really takes you into Ananda - supreme bliss, the tune is so good and the meaning superb. The Bhajan goes like this:
Baba love, Baba love, Baba love, Baba love, Om Baba love.
He smiles at us, through flowers and trees, nature's love sweet harmony
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