Smiles are Contagious

First of all I offer my unlimited obeisances at the lotus feet of my Guru Maharaja, Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Damodara Maharaja. Praying for a particle of mercy to be able to say something of value.

Remember the last time you felt lousy about yourself... something happened to you, and you wish you had acted differently, been stronger, taken a stand? But you were just a coward and felt terrible afterward? And then we keep replaying the scene in your head, like, "Oh, I should have, could have, would have, but didn't." I will not go into detail about the incident, but with each sunrise is a new day, right? And with each prayer comes answers, in some form or another.... Especially in Vrindavan Dham, praying for mercy or to receive a sign of some sort has almost eerie and instantaneous results.
    I got the answer I needed just before Yogamaya Arati began. I looked out to the street and saw a cow walking by- she lowered her head (which had horns) and headbutted a monkey who was sitting on a storefront stoop. Maybe the monkey was antagonizing her, I don't know. (Actually, it wasn't until this happened that I realized cows have horns-- I though it was just bulls.) But there was my answer, so simple and clear, "Sometimes a girl just needs to grow horns and headbutt a two-legged monkey." 

Cow with horns

     So in Vrindavan Dham it doesn't just rain mercy, sometimes it pours. Some really beautiful things subsequently happened at Radha-Damodar Temple...
     Today when I offered a garland, the pujari immediately put it around the neck Radha (wearing the orange garland) who is with Madhva (see pic below). Today is the first time the deities accepted the garland right away. Surely that is mercy! And Radha-Madhva were smiling! Note: Today I realized that for anyone staying long-term in Vrindavan, weekdays might be a better time to offer garlands because there are fewer visitors than on weekends when many visitors bring offerings.

Radha-Madhva at Radha-Damodar Temple, worshiped by Jaidev Goswami

     Then I received mercy from the Vaisnavas. For example, when I walked by the pushpa-samadhi of Sri Srimad Bhakti Promoda Puri Maharaja, a god brother of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, his door was open and someone gave me maha-prasada (food remnants) from his pushpa-samhadi. He is always smiling!

Pushpa-samadhi of Bhakti Promoda Puri Maharaja

     Finally, I took a snapshot of a cow smiling :) She is probably just chewing, but still, it is a happy cow pic! The cows at Radha-Damodar Temple must be very happy since the are serving the deities by providing their milk! And cows are very dear to Sri Krishna!

California claims to have happy cows, but really they are in Vrindavan!

     So the deities are smiling, the Vaisnavas are smiling and the cows are smiling. So what is there to do besides join them?! Of course, in actuality, this can all be chalked up to mercy of my Guru Maharaja! Jai Gurudeva!