Los Angeles (USA), September 08 (H.S.): Renowned Indian Bhagwat storyteller Thakur Pandit Krishnachandra Shastri, who is on a month-long tour of Canada and the United States, said here on Saturday that bliss is the highest form of divine devotion and has no substitute. He said it is essential for a person to remain joyful in every circumstance. He also observed that this is currently an era of devotion, with thousands and even lakhs of devotees attending religious discourses by Bhagwat narrators in India and abroad and listening to saints and spiritual teachers.

According to a report by senior Indian-origin journalist Lalit Mohan Bansal, who is based in the United States, Shastri said during the Bhagwat Katha in Los Angeles that members of the Indian diaspora were reflecting deeply on the questions and answers presented during the discourse. In this context, he spoke particularly about Canada and the United States. He said thousands of people have been attending Bhagwat Katha sessions in congregations across both countries. He was in New Jersey on September 4, where thousands of people gathered at a large Veda temple. He also cited the example of a Bhagwat Katha held in Ara district of Bihar, India, where lakhs of people attended.

During the second leg of his 30-day tour of Canada and the United States, Thakur Krishnachandra completed the first day of his Bhagwat Katha at the Pasadena Hindu Temple near Los Angeles despite persistent rain throughout the day. He said that bliss is, in essence, divine bliss. He explained that consuming food and various delicacies merely satisfies the taste buds. The Supreme Being is present everywhere. He urged people to refrain from sins committed through thought, speech and action.

Advising people to stay away from sinful acts, he said it is difficult to escape the consequences and punishment of sin. Despite the rain throughout the day, hundreds of Sanatan devotees remained at the temple to listen to Thakur Ji’s discourse. Temple office-bearers Dr. Nirmal Kumar, Dr. Manju Kumar, Ms. Reema, Mr. Ojha and temple priest Jagdish Rajgaur performed the aarti of Thakur Krishnachandra with great reverence. Earlier, 21 women dressed in traditional Indian attire took part in a ceremonial Kalash Yatra, which was led by Thakur Krishnachandra. He also appealed to devotees to extend maximum support for the construction of the Pasadena Hindu Temple, which is currently under construction.

Thakur Krishnachandra described the heavy rainfall on the day of the discourse as auspicious and began the first day of the Bhagwat Katha with devotional chanting of “Radhe Radhe, Govind Radhe.” The 76-year-old spiritual storyteller has delivered 1,600 Bhagwat Kathas in India and abroad over the past 52 years. For the last three decades, he has continuously conducted Bhagwat Katha programmes at various temples and religious venues across Canada and the United States.

At the beginning of the first day’s discourse, he said that God is Sat, Chit and Anand — existence, consciousness and bliss — and is present everywhere. He explained that because God is formless and beyond attributes, He can also manifest in a form accessible to devotees. He then narrated stories concerning Shukadeva’s arrival on Earth, his secretly hearing the narration of the Shrimad Bhagavatam from Lord Shiva at Amarnath, and Suta’s meeting with sages such as Shaunaka at Naimisharanya, where Suta was asked six questions.

He also spoke at length about Bihar’s tradition of education and learning and its significance. He said that, apart from its spiritual importance, the state has also produced a large number of IAS officers who have gone on to hold senior positions in the government.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar