All were ready to build a temple in the heart for Lord Damodar and Sri Radha and to offer the first ghee lamps to the Deities. As the first verse of the Damodarastaka prayers was chanted, the atmosphere in the temple changed, and everyone became absorbed in singing and praying. The temple filled with pleasant, peaceful energy.

In the evening, Laksmimani Dasi used the weekly sanga for students and teachers to talk about the importance of vows. Many devotees came, and we offered ghee lamps again to Lord Damodara. Laksmimani had prepared a nice surprise for the devotees: everyone wrote a vow on a piece of paper and put it in an envelope; then Laksmimani put the envelope under Srimati Radharani's lotus feet on the altar. Everyone was enthusiastic about making a vow, since this year the vows will stay under Srimati Radharani's feet for the whole month. Making vows was even more auspicious and powerful in the presence of many wonderful Vaishnavas.

At the end of the sanga we ate both sweet and salty pancakes prepared by our hosts.

After the sanga ended, the students went to the temple to sing bhajans for the Deities and Srila Prabhupada. Amazingly, even more devotional activities were being performed in the temple. Two devotees were decorating a corner of the temple with flowers, colorful curtains, various Vrindavana animals and birds, because on this very night Radha, Krishna and the gopis have a rasa dance. The corner resembled a Vrindavana grove. We were all delighted at this wonderful service. Kartik has started so wonderfully. All the devotees were talking about their realizations. Pots of sweet rice are awaiting Sri Sri Radha-Gopinatha in the grove.

For us it is getting late. We want to wake up tomorrow for mangal-arati so that Srimati Radhika can see our eagerness and embrace us, by Her mercy.

Sri Kartik vrata, ki jaya! Sri Sri Radha-Gopinatha, ki jaya! Srila Prabhupada, ki jaya!