Over the last week, we have been looking into options for how to remove the dirty stickers on the floor in the temple room. During the lockdown, those stickers were placed on the temple floor to guide guests towards the entrance and exit doors, and for keeping a two-metre distance. It has been two years since those stickers were installed. They look very dirty and damaged.
After nobody at the temple found a solution on how to remove them, I decided to try it myself.
At 4:20 pm, when the altar curtains opened, I went to Radha Gokulananda and asked Them for help.
I was only equipped with old scissors. I went on my knees and tried to remove the stickers. It didn’t work but I still tried. I looked at Radha Gokulananda; “please send me help, I want to do this for you”.
A few guests came to take darshan and looked at me strangely, a character with scissors on the temple room floor!
I continued with my effort whilst at the same time asking Gokulananda for help. A few minutes passed when a devotee came and observed what I was doing; he left immediately and returned with a small razor blade. “Try with this, it may work,” he said to me.
And yes, it did. We found the solution! A devotee who gave the razor blade decided to help to peel off the stickers. We started to make progress, and one by one, we removed a number of stickers. But then another problem arose.
How to remove the sticky glue that was underneath the stickers?
The only thing I could do was to again look at Gokulananda; “I need your help again,” I said. “I’m doing this for your pleasure, please send me help.”
A pujari who had just completed the arati came to inspect what I was doing, and thanked me for my efforts.
“That must be Krishna encouraging me,” I thought to myself.
I continued with my endeavours. The devotee who brought the razor left at this point, but I was not alone for long.
One guest looked at me and asked if he could help. I gave him gloves and a sponge and seconds later he was on his knees, helping me to wash off the glue from the temple floor. Cleaning with the sponge was a very slow process.
I kept looking at Gokulananda and asking for help. “There must be a better way to do this,” I thought. “Krishna, please help me”.
It was 5:15 pm, and the electricians working at the temple had finished their work, and before going home they came to the temple room to take darshan. One of them saw me struggling to remove glue with a sponge and water.
He came closer and told me that we should use a particular spray, which would remove glue from the floor very quickly.
He suggested that we call his friend, who could give us the spray before they left the temple. We called his friend, who then brought the spray.
From that point onwards everything became quick. My helper left, but I was not worried because I had all the tools and knowledge on how to complete the service. By now, I had realised that I’m not alone. Radha Gokulanada have been witnessing my endeavours from the very beginning.
After 2 hours of hard work, I completed the service and the temple floor was again clean. I was satisfied.
I went in front of Radha Gokulananda, offered full dandavats and begged the Lord to accept this small service that I had carried out.
“What a day”, I thought to myself, whilst leaving the temple room.
There is nothing in this world that can substitute the satisfaction and bliss that comes from devotional service.
I live for these moments!
When we want to serve Krishna and we don’t have any other motive, and at the same time trying our best despite our lack of qualification, then Krishna reveals Himself and gives us knowledge on how to serve Him.
Try your best, and Krishna will do the rest!
Ananta Gopal das
11.01.2022
Bhakti Wisdom 