Tiday's outfit is one of about two that are made by a different seamstress. This one is made in a style is quite typical of the international society. Krsna has a big skirt along with a flowing chaddoer Radha with a ruffled dress and short veil while Mahaprabhu has a simple dhoti and straight and narrow chadder. It's a red-pink and purple combination. It has the name of it's make, T.Rock
The storm took the day off today and my bike came back from it's winter tune-up. Someone asked me if i didn't just want to put the bike in the trunk of their car and ride back to the temple like that. But as i was saying "no thank you" the cashier in the bike shop was coming to my aide saying "It's fresh, he's got to ride!"
Even though it was in the dark it was still a satisfying ride complete with the challenges of a night ride. That is there is the need for a light, people dart out from behind parked cars and of course there are potholes and the all pervessive headlights of the cars. So what if the cars come within only a few inches of me or any other cyclist. There are times when the ride doesn't call, it screams!
This evening's dress is the only silver night dress they wear. Since it was offered for Radhastami and in the Caitanya Caritamrta class that morning the reader made a point of spelling the word "doe" so it wouldn't be confused with the stuff breads are made of, this is called "Oh deer dough, have you seen Krsna?"

The seamstress made this dress a sky blue and silver with a small amount of red trim. "Should there be a red back drop?" She wondered aloud, "Or would that make it scream?" Scream, like make you want to get up and scream. Who does that but a foxy lady? What word would mean a foxy lady? Urvasi! The outfit's name is Urvasi.
A day of "fool's rain" That is not enough to make you want to stay off your bike, but at the same time enough that when you do ride you get drenched. So riding had to be done on the trainer, the nowhere bike. Well it gets the blood pumping and at the same time keeps you from getting wet with something besides sweat.
This evening another Nrsmha deva's appearance dress. This one is called 'Rralad a dad' in memory of the devotee who called the Lord to rescue the earth.

The seamstress made this dress a sky blue and silver with a small amount of red trim. "Should there be a red back drop?" She wondered aloud, "Or would that make it scream?" Scream, like make you want to get up and scream. Who does that but a foxy lady? What word would mean a foxy lady? Urvasi! The outfit's name is Urvasi.
A day of "fool's rain" That is not enough to make you want to stay off your bike, but at the same time enough that when you do ride you get drenched. So riding had to be done on the trainer, the nowhere bike. Well it gets the blood pumping and at the same time keeps you from getting wet with something besides sweat.
This evening another Nrsmha deva's appearance dress. This one is called 'Rralad a dad' in memory of the devotee who called the Lord to rescue the earth.

The magican is dressed in satan and velvet in colors to be seen with eyes you've not used yet. Those are the words one of the devotees used to describe today's dress. When the seamstress told me that the outfit was going to be velvet i began to wonder. She told me that Mahaprabhu had green and Krsna had a red coat with a white dhoti. Then i thought to myself, please don't tell me that...but no sooner had i started the thought than she was saying, Gandharvika has blue. There was no stopping it, She wore blue velvet... So the name became nayanam galid asru dharaya. Or when will my eyes be decorated with tears while i chant Your holy name?
A quick ride before noon helped make this the longest one since before Thanksgiving!
This evening,as each Monday, the night dress is the gratful dvipa

Today was Ekadasi so it was a day to "don't tug on Superman's cape" This is an outfit that no matter how many times they have worn it someone always sees something new about it. Amazing. It must be that Krsna keeps it ever-fresh that way.
This was also Jimi's birthday. Out and about the Christmas shoppers are flying here and there. It was a good afternoon for cycling with no particular place to go. The rain of a few days ago has left by now. The cold hasn't but at least the air and roads are dry.
This evening's dress is smooth as milk, made from red and cream colored Chinese silk. Offered on Nrsimha Caturdasi, so it's got the touch that kills.

"What color shall the dress be for your birthday?" The seamstress asked the Guru. "Make it white, yellow, and gold." Came the reply. So since this outfit was decided that way it still causes the devotees to stop and take a long look each time the Deities wear it. You might say it makes them dance before the Deities like a thousand peacocks, and calls them on and on so the name of this one is 'Across the Universe' jaya gurudeva.
No rain to dampen our spirits today. Ah, but there was a fresh wind that blew against the cyclist. So it took just a bit longer to complete the apointed rounds today.

"Originally Radha and Krsna are one but They have separated Themselves for pastimes. Now these two have once again united in the form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. " Some Gaura Purnimas back the seamstress put Gandharvika in a blue sari and Krsna in a yellow dhoti. Mahaprabhu is in green. So the verse from Caitanya Caritamrta works to bring the name of this dress 'yellow and blue combine as green'
Today was a day of riders on the strom. The winter rains are begining to fall here on the coast. So people in their cars slide more and us cyclists have to be more alert for the hydroplane effect 'cause the water is cold full of road dirt. YUCK!!!!
This evening the night dress could have been called 'here comes the judge' since on the Gaura Purnima day it was offered young bobi was reminded of a comedian who used to put on powder puff wig and judge's rob and dance across the stage repeating that phrase.

Tell her to make Him a kirta of deep forest green. Are you going to the San Jose Math? Is the arati starting on time? This dress is from Guru Mahraja's appearance day. It's deep forest green, silvery grey and black. As with most names for outfits it hits me in such a way that it leaves no doubt, this one is Parsely Sage Rosemary and thyme
Today most of the people gave thanks. The roads were quiet except for the police who were watching for speeders and those whose thanks had made them just a bit too happy.
A recent pilgrim returned bearing gifts for the Deities both large and small. Jewelry, wigs and incense. Also tirm for future dresses. Also stories of holy talks.
This evening the night dress has multiple names. The one i'll use tonight is Krsna is a brahmacari. Once the gopis were going to serve Durvasa Muni but first they needed to cross the Yamuna river. There weren't any boatmen to take them across. So they asked Krsna how they would get across and carry out his order. He told them to say "Krsna is a brahmacari". In this dress Krsna has orange dhoti and kirta something like those in the brahmacari asram wear so that's how this name came.

when the gurus on the altar
get up and tell you where to go
and you’ve just eaten a pakora
that’s got material conception low
just ask Mrgari, i think he knows
When dollars and diplomacy have fallen sloppy dead
and the dhotis are sewn backward
‘cause the tailor is off his head
might be what the pujari said
it’s only where the angels tread


“The white knight is talking backward” is it’s name

It was also a Nrsmha Caturdasi outfit.
As i pedaled today i saw a bumper sticker for the first time that asked the question "What part of'Thou shalt not kill' don't you understand--God" i took a unique path today . Sort of the same as usual but inside out and backward. Some cyclists with lights some without. Some of the withs chastiesd the withouts. "What good is your helmet without a light?!!" If the right answer wasn't given they would respond "that's what I mean, you don't understand!!!"

This evening the dress is called the Lotus Nails. It's another Nrsmha's appearance dress. Since it has a rust color to it to accent the green.

Our swamiji went to Navadvipa one year and bought a deep blue sari for Gandharvika. Combind with a mango yellow for Mahaprabhu and some sunshine yellow and purple as Krsna's clothes this one is called Sue 'nila Vasana. Or a beautiful blue dress. As i recall this one was also a Gaura Purnima dress.
Nacre amar man nacre amar man
One evening a young lady came to the altar
to tell me of a program she had attended.
As i came out through the door she saw
Mahaprabhu’s kirta swinging on it’s hanger
“They’re dancing! They’re dancing!”
She excitedly exclaimed.
“I saw Their clothes swirling”
Even as i tried to deny
she became more convinced.
So much that i could never convince her
otherwise.
Once long ago Srila Prabhupada had been out
at a program. When he returned he saw the light
still on on his Deities altar. “Tonight Radha and Krsna are dancing” And though we tried we couldn’t see.
May that Mahaprabhu appear in my mind and dance there also.
And the dress the Deities were being changed to is called the Lions Club since it was made for Nrsmha Caturdasi

This Janmastami outfit was made in Vrndavan. But try as they might,the seamstress and her companion couldn't get the tailor to follow the patern nor any of her other requests. He must have been underwhelmed by the amount of money they were spending. Thatis some societies spend between three and ten times as much on dresses. So this one came to be known as "You can't have it your way"
While pedaling down a street this afternoon i saw a man with what at first appeared to be a strange walking stick. But as our paths began to intersect i could see it wasn't a stick at all but some japamala. Hmmmm. No bag or covering of any kind. But he was counting some kind of mantra in meditation. My mind drifted back to London in early seventy-two when while riding on the underground i saw among the advertisments,a sticker made by the devotees that quoted a verse from the tenth chapter of"Bhagavad-gita" which says "Among sacrifices I am japa" around the circle there was the Hare Krsna mantra. Amazing how by the influence of Srila Prabhupada Krsna consciousness has changed the world. If it weren't for that would the man i saw today have been chanting?
This evening the Deities took rest wearing their grateful dvip clothes.

There is one book of Srila Sridhara Maharaja that wasn't published by Goswami or Sagar Maharajas. It's named "Folow the Angels" i first saw an add for that book around the time of Srila Guru Maharaja's appearance which is when today's outfit was offered. Mahaprabhu and Gandharvika have green with yellow accents while Giridhari has yellow with green. Also since the California Angels had just won the world series the dress is called 'Follow the Angels.'
Cycling before noon today had a crisp autum feel to it. Indian summer has kept the temperature quite warm this week still there is an unmistakable fall atmosphere. Seeing the yuppies jogging some push their babies in front of them in strollers others in pairs and some just on their own. Many others also cycling. From the racers to the beach crusiers folks out for a Sunday work out or just a jaya ride. Through it all the pujari pedals along the pacific watching license plates and house numbers to see what might be hidden there like 1515, ah sarvasya ca ham,,,,or RGP yes RamaGopal Prabhu... Well you get the idea...
Tonights dress was also presented on Guru Maharaja's appearance day,the ninth day of the waning moon of Kartik. So this one is named 'In the ninth'

Radharani appeared under a golden lotus. This dress offered in 1998 on the Radhastami day is made from white beige silk. It's cutinto the shape of petals and has flowers hand sewn on. The seamstress and her crew worked for months on this one. And by now if you haven't guessed this one is called Hiranya Padma or golden lotus.
Cycling down by the world wide westside i came upon a side of the beach that was formed by a large rock. The water had worn a tunnel like hole in it to form natural bridge. Also there were about a million monarch butterflies in the trees in a near by park. People come from all around to see the clusters butterflies hanging from the branches so thick sometimes it's hard to tell them from leaves until their wings move.
Cycling back to the temple in and out of the holiday shoppers return for the vaikalika offering, sandhya arati and later the putting the Deities to rest.

Today's dress features a skirt that the seamstress wanted to be sure is full enough. So she put some hoops in it. It was offered on Janmastami. Because of that the chipmonks were singing in my mind, 'Janmastami time is here time of joy and time of cheer...' so i called the outfit the chipmonks.
i once heard a story i don’t know from where
but it was with five people riding bicycles to go
to visit their spiritual master. As i recall he was
a Buddhist.
When they arrived, got off their bikes
and went to greet him each spoke in turn.
The first said that
“I ride my bicycle to remind me of the balance we all
must keep to remain detached from the world while living within it”
The master replied “In this way you will attain to peace,
the supreme nirvana”
The second said
“I ride my bicycle to get me here more quickly to have
darshan of your holiness”
The master answered “So your exit from this world will
also be swift”
The third said
“I ride my bicycle so I can more easily
carry what I need for performing service for you Gurudeva”
The teacher said “In this way you will be able to become
all accommodating.”
The fourth said
“I ride my bicycle to make all distances smaller”
The Guru blessed him saying
“Similarly you will be able to dissolve your ego”
The fifth said
“I ride my bicycle because I like to ride my bicycle”
Hearing this the spiritual master leapt up out of his chair
and came to sit at the feet of this student and said
“I am your disciple!”
This evening the night dress was offered as a day outfit first. Then the seamstress decided to give it a make over and turn it into night clothes. It was offered on Gaura Purnima. Someone offered Mahaprabhu a wig that looked like Flip Wilson. That could have been the name or one of his bits came to mind also, that is, 'Here comes the judge' but if who brought the wig heard one of those names and asked for an explanation then i would have to tell her lies. So this dress is called 'tell me lies'

On the full moon day the Deities wear white. This full moon day Giridhari wore a white silk turban to show the value of a silk turban. In the Bhagavatam there is a question that asks "What is the value of a silk turban if not bowed down before the Lord? So by wearing the turban He has shown us 'the true value of a silk turban' which is the name of that dress.
This is also the day that Mahaprabhu arrived at his new temple in San Jose. i pedaled over from Soquel. A wonderful ride. Through the woods and over the Santa Cruz mountain. Huffing and puffing up the mountain and flying down past Holy City glass studio. Winding along the resevior through the kids and senior citizens in Vasona Park down Bascom Avenue, There was a Sharks game so i went down Santa Clara to sixth street. Then on to join the devotees in their celebration. During the course of assisting with the offering i asked many questions to make sure i was doing things as they do. After the first few Rohini began reporting me saying "He's asking me for instructioin again!!!" "He's done this for so long." My only reply was that "i'm just your hands tonight, you need to tell me how it's done. After all Srila Prabhupada taught us 'there must be only one style, many may assist but there must be only one style." All enjoyed the festival and hearing of each devotee's specific service.
Meanwhile back in Soquel the Deities wore a pale green and silver night dress. It was offered on Radhastami. That day Kamala Krsna Prabhu read Caitanya Caritamrta and made a point of spelling out one quote saying "Oh dear doe, have you seen Krsna?" So the outfit was called 'Oh deer doe, have you seen Krsna?'
Today the Mahaprabhu's kirta has an aplique that came from a backdrop that we used when the temple was on thriteenth street. Thus this outfit is called "the oldest of all, but in a new dress"
This evening's dress was offered on Srila Prabhupada's appearance day. It was made in such quick style that it is called, 'It's a miracle mom!'

Today the Deities wore one of their first dresses. It's blue and gold. Nila means bluein Bengali.One of the young devotees here is named Nilamani. The other kids all call him simply Nila. One of the kids in his neighborhood some times calls him'nila like vanila wafers.hmm. So from all that and with the gold color kind of the shade of the cookie, i call this outfit 'Nila.
Pedaling this afternoon was wild. Three different roads were undergoing construction and had detours. Then there were a couple of accidents which brought more detours and long round about ways of traveling. A couple of times i had to ride down the sidewalk a few times in order to get around the bottle-necked traffic.
This evening saw the Deities wearing yet another set from Nrshmia Caturdasi.It's orange mostly with beige trim.
This one is called "Pralad a dad" Tomorrow is the Rasa purnima. Today was the disappearance day of Kasisvara Pandit and Bhugarbha goswami For now that will ahve to be all

Well this outfit has one of the less thought out names i know. Back when it was offered i wasn't using pictures to show people what dress the Deities would wear i just had the names. So the seamstress made a description of the outfits cause she didn't like the idea of naming them like i do. She still won't even hear the manes one time even now. So i saw that and wrote on it that the definitions were done by Mr. Webster but the names were made up by the evil personified. So this one is called Yudhisthir and the evil Sukuni.
This morning while the kirtan leader sang away he kept forgeting the lines and at one point i thought i heard him say, "all I really want to know is how does this song go?"

The lady who made SanJose Mahaprabhu's clothes about five years ago had a calendar that only showed Govardhana Puja and not Guru Maharaja's appearance. So that year she thought the outfit she did was for Govardhana Puja. When that was discovered the devotees there told her and made some joke aboutit. Not knowing how it affected her, i aked her one day when the Deities here were wearing the same dress if this was the Govardhana Puja outfit. She showed her sweetest prepie smile and said "Shut up kid" so saying, she named this dress.
Just before the sandhya arati tonight, there was a birthday party for an Indian boy. It was his first birthday. Somehow his parents had a pinata, imagine that. All the children had fun breaking it taking "batting practice" swings. Later all the devotees had a laugh singing "happy birthday dear Om". Of course the child's name is Om, still it gave everyone a laugh.
The nightdress is made of Chinese silk embroidered with red roses. Taking cue from song in the play where i first heard the Hare Krsna mantra, it's called "the touch that kills". It was also first offered on Nrsimha Caturdasi.

One day in London as i pedaled along in the south east near Greenwhitch mean time,i came upon a ship called Cutty Sark. There was a sign nearby explaining that 'cutty sark' was an old Scottish word that means short skirt. It said that the captain of this ship had been on land and walking along when he came to a house where a girl was dancing inside wearing a very short skirt. i think the story went that then he took her back onto the ship and gave it the name Cutty Sark.
So a couple of Janmastamis back our seamstress made Radharani's skirt a little too short. She corrected it by adding an underskirt decorated at the bottom which comes below the skirt, That way it's long enough. So for that reason the outfit the Deities are wearing today is also called Cutty Sark.
This afternoon i pedaled down by the beach. Many of Srila Prabhupada's morning walks took place on beach somewhere. There i saw many people who he jokingly called 'sufferers' with their long boards and wet suits. Some cheered and shouted out " Spandex warrior!" as i pedaled by. But i don't believe they knew that i am a pujari.
Then this evening the Deities were dressed in clothes offered on Srila Prabhupada's appearance day simply called, the most blessed event.

One of the first appearance days of Srila Guru Maharaja we celebrated with the Deities saw a dress offered that the seamstess described as being "like a rainbow". (haha) i wanted to callit 'her satanic majesty's request' but when she then asked me to put it on the Deities a week later,i thought she might not know thati didn't mean her, so i followed her lead and since Gandharvika has a copper or gold color skirt anc choli,i let that musical question, 'have you seen her dressed in gold, like The Queen in Days Of Old' be the name.
Last year's Guru Maharaja's appearance day saw this green dress offered. Since there is purple trim and accents, the name the came to mind was another musical question,' isit tomorrow, or just the end of time?
Many Gaura Purnimas ago the curtain opened
and a lady exclaimed
”That dress is too kingly!
Let us e-mail Gurudeva!’
When she was satisfied and gave her
A OK
the outfit came to be called,
Don’t tug on Superman’s cape
and is worn each Ekadasi day

Today Gandharvika wore a royal blue sari. When Srila Govinda Maharaja saw it he said "this is the color that Radharani chooses for herself. I would choose something different, but this is what she chooses for herself." So this dress is called Radha's Own
Well between the morning puja and the evening dressing for rest,i went for my usual ride. By now the dark is comming earlier and earlier so i have to use a light. The lights on cars are such a drag. Now they have halogen blubs which may be wonderful for the driver but for me the cyclist they're terible. So bright they blind me. That way i have to ride a little slower otherwise my vision is so impared that i can't even see the road. Tonight it was increased because my usual light needed a charge. So using a less powerful light it was twice as easy for the car lights to blind me.
Then in evening the Deities wore a dress that was offered on Nishima deva's appearance. So it's called'the lion's club" Also Krsna's coat is so tight that it takes the strength of a lion to put it on him.

When this dress was completed the seamstress was very pleased with Krsna's chodder and how colorful it is.
As she enthusiastically described it to me i thought, "you don't know it but you named the outfit." She'd kick herself if she found out that with her exicitment she provided the name, Krsna's amazing technicolor dream chodder.

Today Mahaprabhu wore a turban. The clothes are pink, white and silver. It was also first offered on Gaura Purnima. Some gave Mahaprabhu a bracelet with star on it so i named this dress Superstar.
Last year when Srila Govinda Maharaja was here he saw them dressed in this outfit and said how nicely they looked that day fulfilling the name. in the evening the Deities wore one of the night dresses offered on Guru Maharaja's appearance day. Since he appeared on the ninth day of the moon,it's called in the ninth.

In a land far enough away it takes about a day to get there if you travel by dragonfly
is where you'll find the name of the dress today. That is Bengali Mahal Jadhu or Bengali castle magic.
It's formed with silk painted with water colors. There are lotus flowers along with a few dragonflies.
This day is Srila Prabhupada's disappearance day. Severalof his disciples remember where they were when he left.
Some say how he was like our father, others see him more grandfatherly. All recall his princely demeanor. In Calcutta some pay for a feast in celebration. There they prepare his favorite things such as luchi,sandesh,eggplant pakoras, aloo dham and such. He came to America where there was no Krsna culture. "Alone" or so it seemed. But he so deisred to carry out the desire of his own guru, that Nityananda Prabhu came and worked through him. Miracle done your divne grace.
Then at the Govardhana Puja time he departed from Vrndavan. No one could have understood that he would have been able to conquer the world for Krsna and Mahaprabhu. And as Nityananda Prabhu's function was to reclaim fallen souls and deliver them to Mahaprabhu, he reclaimed us. Once he told Srila Sridhara Maharaja told that he was bringing him raw materials and hoped Srila Sridhara Maharaja would finish them. Then upon his departure we were allowed to go there and take shelter at Srila Sridhara Maharaja's lotus feet. Miracle done your divine grace.
This evening the Deities danced into the night in a night dress made for the appearance day of Srila Prabhupada and thus called "The most blessed event"

Today the Deities wore the dress that was first offered on Gaura Purnima three years ago. While the devotees waited for the arati i was asked to wait because the speaker was bringing his English as a second language class and he wanted them to see the ceremony. Since the other devotees didn't know about it they became impatient. That year Easter was very near Gaura Purnima . This dress has the same shade of purple that Christian priests wear in their stoles for the season. As the speaker was trying to explain Gaura Purnima to his class he said it was like our Saint Patrick's day since his students had been quite excited about that day which had been the week before. All these combined to make the name of this outfit "Saint Patrick's Easter comes fashionably late"

One day a young girl was taking darsan of the Deities. She asked me if the Deities had clothes that are red and yellow. i answered they didn't. That same day the seamstress asked me for a suggestion for a new outfit. When i told her about that she went straight to work. She added a little orange. Krsna's dhoti is yellow and has roses embroidered. This one is called, therefore, out of the mouths of babes.

Is there any thing said by the dressing up along with the parties and parades all hell'seve, Halloween? While the next day, all saiints day, is almost completely ignored?
This evening while watching one of the parades i saw someone dressed as Siva. That reminded me of the fact that Siva and his bhutas and pretas circle the earth at sunrise and sunsst.
Which reminded me further of how once Srila Govinda Maharaja had been out and encountered some Kali worshipers. At that time he was staying with Srila Prabhupada and at the direction of Srila Guru Maharaja, he was studying Bhagavad-gita from Srila Prabhupada. At one part of a conversation Srila Prabhupada and Srila Govinda Haharaja had, Srila Govinda Maharaja said he couldn't come with anything to change their minds. Srila Prabhubada asked "couldn't you have said something like Kali garlands Herself with the skulls of Her followers and stays around cremation grounds. Her followers may want tolive like that but the followers Krsna don't.They want to live with Krsna who stays around cow pastures and drinks the cow's milk, eats cheese and cream. Isn't that a nicer life? The pure devotees derive great satisfaction and bliss enlivening one another anc conversing about Krsna,

When the devotees saw the nightdress the Deities are wearing tonight, they asked meif it is tiedyed. Which led me to name this one 'the greatful 'dvipa" .....yes each outfit has a name. Justdon't tell the seamstress,it would cause her head to spin too much.