Today is the disappearance day of Raghunandan Thakur.

Raghunandan was born in Shri Khanda, West Bengal, but he was a Brajwasi in his previous life. In fact, he was the incarnation of one of Shri Krishna’s sakhas. His father, Mukunda Das, was the incarnation of Vrinda Devi, the goddess of Vrindavan forest.

One day Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave Mukunda a half-chewed piece of His paan. Mukunda fed the prasad to his wife. The next day, on Vasant Panchami, Raghunandan was born.

Baby Raghunandan in the lap of his mother

Mukunda was a doctor. Once day around noon, when Raghunandan was still a small child, someone needed urgent medical treatment. Mukunda had to leave home quickly.

Mukunda prepared a plate of food for his beloved Deity, Gopinath, and offered it to him. He told his Raghunandan to keep an eye on the offering to make sure no mice or bugs crawled on Gopinath’s food, or that nothing else untoward happened.

“I will be back soon!” said Mukunda.

Raghunandan kept a close eye on Gopinath, expecting to see him eat his lunch. When Gopinath did not eat, Raghunandan got upset.

“Gopinath! Why won’t you eat? Do you only eat when my father feeds you? Don’t you love me at all?” saying this Raghunandan burst into tears.

Gopinath too started to cry and said, “O Raghu, don’t you know I am yours!”

“If you are mine, then please eat! You must be very hungry!” said Raghunandan.

“I am eating! See?” said Gopinath, and began to eat. Gopinath ate everything on his plate and did not leave a single crumb. Raghunandan was very happy.

When Raghunandan’s father returned home, he asked Raghunandan to bring him Gopinath’s prasad.

“Papa, there is nothing left! Gopinath ate it all,” said Raghunandan.

Raghunandan Thakur’s Gopinath (P.C. Shri Jeevsharan Das Babaji, Shri Nityananda Janmasthan)

Mukunda was shocked. It seemed impossible that his son was telling the truth. But Raghunandan never lied. Mukunda decided to get to the bottom of the mystery by hook or by crook.

The next day, Mukunda pretended to go out again for some urgent business and asked Raghunandan to feed Gopinath again. But instead of leaving, he hid behind the door.

Mukunda watched intently as Raghunandan picked up a laddu from the plate and put it in the hand of Gopinath. “Eat, Lala, eat!” he said, and Gopinath took a big bite.

Just at that moment, Gopinath noticed Mukunda watching him from behind the door. He froze like a statue with the half-eaten laddu still in his hand.

Mukunda was overwhelmed and he embraced his son, kissing him again and again as tears of joy flowed from his eyes.

Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu once asked Mukunda, who is the father, you or Raghunandan? Mukunda said, certainly Raghunandan is my father, and I am his son, for I have learned so much from him about bhakti.

When Raghunandan was eight years old, his father took him to see Mahaprabhu in Nilachal (Jagannath Puri). As soon as Raghunandan bowed at Mahaprabhu’s feet, this beautiful verse spontaneously flowed from his mouth:

“O my Golden Gauranga! How sweet is your form, from which hundreds of streams of lustre flow. Even Cupid feels jealous of your beauty, by which you easily steal the heart of anyone who sees you even once. Please bless me that the image of you in your dancing pose remains in my heart forever.”

Mahaprabhu and his divine associates were amazed and blessed the child.

By Mahaprabhu’s orders, Raghunandan served Gopinath till the end of his life. Due to his great devotion, at least two flowers bloomed every day on the kadamb tree in his yard, even though kadamba flowers only bloom in the rainy season. He would offer these special flowers to Gopinath.

Raghunandan Meets Abhiram Gowami

Once a great Vaishnav named Abhiram Goswami came to have darshan of Raghunandan. The two great souls embraced when they met and started to dance in ecstasy. One of Raghunandan’s anklets flew off his foot as he danced, and landed near the house of his disciple Krishna Das in Akaihat some two miles away. A Kund appeared on the spot where it landed. The Kund was named Nupur Kund, and it can still be seen even today.

Raghunandan left this world whilst singing kirtan in the company of saints.

Sadly, Gopinath of Srikhanda was kidnapped (stolen by robbers) on October 27th 1987. It is unknown where he is now. This image was published in the yearly magazine Dhimahi by Shri Jeevsharan Das Babaji, the Mahant of Ekchakra Nityananda Janmasthan (Birthplace of Nityananda Prabhu).

If anyone has any information pertaining to the location of Raghunandan’s beloved Gopinath, please contact us on private message.

Raghunandan Thakur’s Gopinath (P.C. Shri Jeevsharan Das Babaji)

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Vrindavan, 2017.07.27 (VT): On Tuesday night, Shri Banke Bihari Lal’s sevayat Rohit Goswami was attacked at gunpoint in front of the temple. Goswami ji was driving home on his motorbike around 11pm when a group of drunken young men accosted him in the street.

The men began abusing him with vulgar language and demanded that he give them 25,000 rupees. When he refused, they fired at him with a pistol. The shot narrowly missed. At the sound of gunfire, people came running, and the hoodlums fled via the so-called “VIP Road” towards the Yamuna Riverbank.

Police have arrested two suspects: Vishnu from Dusayat and Puneet from Kishorpura.

The head of the local police station said that both the main suspects are now in jail. Luckily, there are also CCTV cameras covering the scene of the crime, and the footage is under review. But the temple Goswamis and area residents still find the incident extremely unsettling.

The matter is currently under investigation.

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Vrindavan, 2017.07.28 (Sakhicharan Das): I would like to briefly discuss one way of serving the Holy Name that is not often spoken of. It is called likhit jap. Likhit jap or written repetition of the mantra is an extremely effective spiritual practice that consists of writing down a fixed amount of your mantra, the mahamantra, the name of your Ishta-dev, or the name of your guru in a notebook.

In his commentary on the ninth verse of Brihad Bhagwatamritam, Shri Sanatan Goswami says:

Although we normally think of chanting as being the business of the tongue, all of one’s conscious faculties can be engaged with the Holy Name. The mind can contemplate the syllables of the Lord’s names and their meanings, and the external senses can interact with the Name each in their own way. Speech and hearing are obviously involved, but the sense of touch can also feel the Name written in sacred clay on one’s body, the eyes can see the name written in various places, the hands and legs can work to carry a banner inscribed with the name, and so on.

Likhit jap is one of the most potent forms of sadhana because so many of your senses are engaged simultaneously in the practice. The mind, the eyes, the fingers and the hands all combine and cooperate together to create a highly concentrated form of meditation. It is deceptively simple, yet amazingly powerful.

To practice likhit jap, one should make a vow to write a certain number of names or write for a certain length of time daily. Forget everything. Observe silence and remain alone with your Ishta-dev or your gurudev and for a least a half hour and get fully absorbed in your likhit jap.

Below is an inspiring story from The Life of Love. I couldn’t help but to remember this story when discussing likhit jap.

One year during Ratha Yatra, Sri Radharaman Charan Babaji (Babaji Mahashay) was singing and dancing in ecstasy before the cart of Jagannath Dev. When the cart reached Rajbari, suddenly a particular realization came to the mind of Babaji Mahashay and he slipped out of the procession to sit alone on the verandah of Gopal Prasad Dutta. He appeared sad and grave and no one who saw him had the courage to speak to him to ask what was worrying him.

The reason for his anxiety was that he realized that his dear disciple named Chaitanya Das, who had long been ill, was soon to breathe his last breath. Chaitanya Das was staying in a nearby house and was being taken care of by Jai Gopal Das. Babaji Mahashay was the life and soul of Chaitanya Das, who was a highly elevated mahatma absorbed in Gopi-bhav. Whether awake or asleep, eating or drinking, talking or meditating, the subject of his thoughts and speech was always his beloved gurudev, Babaji Mahashay.

When Jai Gopal could understand that Chaitanya Das was nearing the end of his life, he was uncertain what to do. Chaitanya Das told him, “There is no cause for anxiety. Please somehow bring Babaji Mahashay here. If you can do that, then I will know you are a true friend. I want to die while looking at Sri Babaji Mahashay. The only thing I can give you in return for this service is the aprakrit gopi-bhav so difficult to achieve even by the Rishis, but which gurudev has kindly bestowed upon me. You shall have it, and even while you serve the Lord in this world you will enjoy the highest bliss of the transcendental world.”

By this time, Nabadwip Das had begun searching for Babaji Mahashay. He stopped at the room of Chaitanya Das and was alarmed to see his condition. Jai Gopal told him that they needed to find Babaji Mahashay and bring him to Chaitanya Das quickly. Nabadwip Das found Babaji Mahashay and told him that Chaitanya Das is dying and wants his darshan before he passes away.

Babaji Mahashay did not respond in the slightest; he didn’t even give a sign to indicate that he heard what was being said. Nabadwip Das returned and told Jai Gopal to speak to him. Jai Gopal was but a boy and he could hardly muster the courage necessary to speak to such a grave Babaji Mahashay. He pulled himself together and went and stood before Babaji Mahashay and said commandingly, “What kind of a mahapurush are you? Your disciple is dying and he wants your darshan and you are sitting here like one absolutely indifferent and unconcerned. Come, don’t waste time.”

Babaji Mahashay immediately got up and went to stand behind the bed of Chaitanya Das. Nabadwip Das announced to Chaitanya Das that Babaji Mahashay had come.

Chaitanya Das beckoned with his eyes, silently requesting that Babaji Mahashay stand in front of him. Babaji Mahashay moved towards his feet and Chaitanya Das observed him from head to toe. Then he fixed his eyes upon his face.

Nabadwip Das lifted Babaji Mahashay’s right foot and placed it on Chaitanya Das’s chest. Tears came from the eyes of Chaitanya Das as if to bid him farewell. Babaji Mahashay was so far standing motionless and speechless, but now his heart broke and tears cascaded from his eyes. He said, “O Chaitanya! You are leaving me to go where peace and happiness reign supreme. What can I say, except that I take upon myself all your sins, past and present, so that you may go with a pure heart and attain your desired end – the loving seva of the Lords of your heart, according to your bhav.

Meanwhile the cart of Jagannath Dev came to a halt and Babaji Mahashay’s dear disciple, my param gurudev, Ramdas Babaji who had been so far dancing and chanting in front of Jagannath’s cart suddenly felt an internal attraction and came running with the kirtan-party to the place of Chaitanya Das. They were all astonished to see such an inspiring and elevating scene. Chaitanya Das’s eyes were fixed on the face of Babaji Mahashay and he was drowning in an ocean of bliss from the touch of the lotus feet of Babaji Mahashay. Everyone was inspired to sing aloud:

“Ha! Nitai-Gaur Radhey-Shyam ~ Ha! Hare Krishna Hare Ram”

Tears were streaming from the eyes of all. All of a sudden they saw that the entire body of Chaitanya Das trembled as leaves do in a breeze. His eyes widened, and he seemed to be seeing something new in Babaji Mahashay. He looked at him with exhultation and with this he breathed his last.

When Nabadwip Das removed the cloth from the chest of Chaitanya Das, he found two pieces of paper under it. One containg the Guru-vandana and the other containing a hundred thousand names of Babaji Mahashay in his handwriting which showed his utter dedication to the feet of Babaji Mahashay, his guru.

Babaji Mahashay said mournfully with tears in his eyes and his throat choked with emotion, “Nitai Chand kindly gave me the company of such a pure and dedicated soul. I do not know why he has now deprived me of it.”

The body of Chaitanya Das was taken to the seashore with a kirtan procession. Babaji Mahashay himself washed it with water of the sea, dressed it with his own kaupin and bahirvas and then clasped it and danced like one maddened in love. The face of Chaitanya Das rested on his shoulder and his arms were flung round his neck. Baba danced for a long time. Who could stop him? People who saw this were reminded of Mahaprabhu dancing with the dead body of Thakur Haridas.

After some time when Babaji Mahashay came to his own, Govinda Das took the body of Chaitanya Das from him and laid it on the pyre of sandalwood. Fire was set to the pyre and everyone circumambulated the burning pyre dancing and singing:

“Ha! Nitai-Gaur Radhey Shyam ~ Ha! Hare Krishna Hare Ram”

Sakhicharan Das (1960-2016) was a dedicated sadhak, writer, and resident of Sri Radhakund in the lineage of Shri Radharaman Charan Das Babaji Maharaj.

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Vrindavan, 2017.07.28 (VT): Beautiful Unchagaon is the village of Shri Lalita Sakhi, one of the very closest companions of Shri Radha and Krishna. Her village lies about one kilometer from Radharani’s home town of Barsana. Here you will find the ancient temple of Revati Raman Balaram, located down the hill from Lalita Sakhi’s temple on the Barsana side of the village.

Revati Raman Balaram’s 572nd Prakatyotsav was celebrated with great joy this week by local devotees. Local women prepared a performance of folk dance and folksongs for the pleasure of Sri Baldev. But the main attraction of the festival was the abhishek which was held on Thursday at noon. The ancient deity was bathed in panchamrit to the sound of bells and Vedic mantras as the crowd of devotees eagerly watched. After the ceremony, prasad was distributed to the sadhus, Brahmins and devotees.

The deity of Revati Raman Balaram was worshipped by Shri Narayan Bhatt Goswami, a saint of the Gaudiya Sampraday who was instrumental in recovering the lost holy places of Braj around 500 years ago. His samadhi (tomb) is located in a beautiful garden not far from the temple.

Narayan Bhatt Goswami

Narayan Bhatt Goswami was a disciple of Krishnadas Brahmachari, who was in turn a disciple of Gadadhar Pandit. Narayan Bhatta was born in Madurai in Tamil Nadu. His father was a Tailanga brahmin named Bhairava, a member of the Madhva Sampraday. He arrived in Braj in 1602 VS (1546 CE). He made many contributions to the Gaudiya Sampraday in Braj, principally that of designating and cataloguing the various pilgrimage sites in Braj.

His book, Braj-bhakti-vilas, is perhaps the earliest authoritative source for the Braj Mandal Parikrama. Shri Haridas Das Babaji says that he inaugurated this custom as well as the Raas Lila performances in the vernacular in Braj. The latter attribution may be less likely than the former, but it would nevertheless be no exaggeration to say that he played an important role in this aspect of Braj culture.

Other books by Narayan Bhatt Goswami include: Bhakti-rasa-tarangini, Vraja-dipika, Vrajotsava-candrika, Vraja-mahodadhi, Brihad-vraja-gunotsava, Bhakta-bhushana-sandarbha, Vraja-sadhana-candrika, Vraja-prakasa, Bhakti-viveka, Rasikahladini (a commentary on the Raas Lila), Sadhana-dipika, Premankura-nataka, Ladili-lala-yugala-paddhati, and Ladileyastakam.

His biography has been written in the Puranic style by his descendant Janaki Prasada Bhatt. It is known as Narayana-bhatta-caritamrita (published by Baba Krishna Das). Further biographical information is found in Swami Radhakrishna’s Rasa-sarvasva. Both these books credit Narayan Bhatt with creatijng the Raas Lila performance institution. He is also mentioned in Nabhaji’s Bhaktamal (Chappaya 88).

According to Narayan-bhatta-caritamrita, he was an incarnation of Devarshi Narad, who descended specifically with the mission of establishing the Raas Lila.

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Vrindavan, 2017.07.28 (VT): Brajwasis celebrated Nag Panchami in their own special style on Thursday, Shravan Shukla Panchami. Shri Kaliya Daman – Krishna dancing on the back of the serpent Kaliya – was worshipped in Jaint where the day marks the beginning of the village’s yearly Nag Panchami festival.

Village women used a mixture of black colour and milk to draw folk paintings of snakes on the walls of their homes. The images were then worshipped with milk and different kinds of food offerings.

Meanwhile in Mathura, devotees congregated at a small fair at Nag Tila in Kampu Ghat. The temple was elaborately decorated with flowers and the temple’s image of Nag Devta was worshipped. The ancient Shiv Temples of Mathura and Vrindavan like Gopeshwar Mahadev, Bhuteshwar Mahadev and others, were also very crowded on this day.

Nag Panchami at Garud Govinda

Shri Garud Govinda, Chhatikara

The Garud Govind temple in Chhatikara, near Vrindavan, is a unique temple featuring Shri Krishna in the guise of Vishnu sitting on Garuda.

Once Shri Krishna was playing with his friend Shridam. Shridam pretended to be the divine bird Garuda, and Krishna pretended to be Vishnu. The temple depicts this pastime of Shri Krishna with his friend.

The temple is located in the village of Chhatikara near Vrindavan, just off of NH-2. Chhatikara is deeply connected with Krishna lila. From the time Krishna was born, the evil king Kamsa (Kans) sent many demons to try to kill the divine child. Eventually his father decided to abandon his village of Gokul, considering it unsafe. He moved with his entire community in a caravan of bullock carts, which stopped for some time at Chhatikara. There the villagers parked their carts in a protective crescent-moon formation. The name Chhatikara comes from the Sanskrit word shashti-kalaa or crescent moon.

Considering Garuda to be the enemy of snakes, devotees seek the blessings of Garud Govinda to ease the effects of “Kala Sarp Dosh” (an astrological disorder). On Naag Panchami “Kala Sarp” poojas were held at the temple on a grand scale.

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Vrindavan, 2017.07.27 (VT):  Former NDA home minister, Chinmayananda Saraswati was in Vrindavan for Hariyali Teej. Speaking at the inauguration of Jhulan festivities at Fogla Ashram, former MP and minister, Swami Chinmayananda gave a positive view of the future under the BJP governments at the Center and in Uttar Pradesh.

He said, “National development is taking place in such a way that all Indian citizens, regardless of their community, benefit from it. Now that the BJP is solidly situated in Delhi with Modi as PM and with Adityanath Yogi in Lucknow, governing the largest state in India, they are firmly moving to place India as one of the leading nations in the world. It is the duty of all citizens to cooperate with the government and to become shareholders in the development.”

However, he pointed out that the Modi and Yogi governments are about more than just economic development. “It is about a spiritual renewal,” he said. “The BJP wants to protect and preserve the ancient Indian culture and its Sanatan Dharma. This is how India will be recognized as the spiritual guide for the rest of the world.”

Yogi Adityanath and Swami Chinmayananda have been close friends within the BJP for many years. Both are considered to be hardline Hindu-vadis.

“With Adityanath’s election, UP will now take a new direction. There is no sectarianism or communalism involved. Like PM Narendra Modi, development benefits everyone and the steps that Modi has taken on the economy and getting many governmental tasks put on-line are having a positive effect. Adityanath will know how to get along with everyone in order to help with economic development,” said the Swami.

“Now that Ram bhakts are in charge, the problems surrounding the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya will be removed. A government of Ram devotees will build a beautiful temple there. The building of the Ram temple will be the spark that lights India’s spiritual renewal. If it is necessary, the sants of Uttar Pradesh are ready to be activated in a movement to see the temple built.”

Under Rasacharya Swami Devakinandan Sharma’s direction the Jhulan festival was inaugurated by staging a performance of Krishna lila. Many devotees from different states joyfully relished the flavors of bhakti-rasa during the performance.

Swami Chinmayanand was born in Gonda district (UP) in 1947 in the Kalhams royal family, but inspired by the teachings of the Buddha and Mahavir he renounced any claims to royal status when still a young man. He completed an MA as well as a doctorate from Lucknow University.

He took sannyas in Haridwar in 1974 and established the Mumukshu Ashram in Shahjahanpur (UP). He also stays at the Paramarth Ashram in Haridwar. He first got involved in national politics through activism in the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. He was also director of the Ganga Raksha Samiti and national coordinator of the Ram Janma Bhoomi Sangharsha Samiti.

Then in 1991 he fought and won election to the Lok Sabha from the Jaunpur district seat. He won three elections as a member of the Lok Sabha and was the Union Minister of State for Home in the Third Ministry of Atal Bihari Bajpayee (2003-2004). He received the World Peace Award from Global Studies (USA) for getting the Bodo movement activists in Assam to lay down their arms.

He has now quit active politics and currently lives the life of a sannyasi in his ashram in Shahjahanpur and in Haridwar. Nevertheless, he makes frequent pronouncements on political matters, especially as related to religious matters such as the building of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

He is editor of two monthly Hindi magazines, Paramarth and Vivek Rashmi. He has written some books in Hindi on tantra, philosophy, yoga and Hindu mythology.

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New Delhi, 2017.07.28 (PTI): The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Mathura Cantonment Board to comply with its order and pay Rs 10 lakh as environmental compensation for causing pollution in the temple town and river Yamuna. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar asked the cantonment board to deposit the amount with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

“The sum of Rs 10 lakh that the Cantonment Board was directed to pay to the CPCB shall be paid, however, the Cantonment Board will submit its proposal along with its payment, the manner in which they wish to develop the dumping site maintained by it. After such a submission is made, the CPCB along with its comments would submit a report to the tribunal and subject to orders of the tribunal, the amount may be spent on development of the site,” the bench said, while hearing a review petition filed by the Cantonment Board.

The green panel, in its April 13 order, had directed the UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) and the Mathura Cantonment Board to pay Rs 5 lakh and Rs 10 lakh respectively, as environmental compensation for causing pollution. The UPPCB had moved the Supreme Court which has stayed the NGT decision, while the Board approached the tribunal seeking a review of its order.

On April 13, the tribunal had directed the Cantonment Board to complete the construction of a wall between river Yamuna and the dumping site within three months to ensure that municipal solid waste (MSW) does not enter into the flood plain or the river directly or indirectly. It had also asked it to provide green belt and put barbed wires around the dumping site to ensure that no animal enters the trenching site.

The tribunal had earlier castigated the UPPCB and the Cantonment Board, which works as a municipal body, for failing in their constitutional duties and causing continuous air and water pollution. The order had come on a plea filed by Mathura resident Tapesh Bhardwaj alleging that the Cantonment Board after collecting MSW from areas under its jurisdiction dumped the waste on the Yamuna floodplains.

It claimed that the Board has destroyed Yamuna riverbed by using it as a landfill site and is also throwing the waste into the river and making the water very toxic.

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Vrindavan, 2017.07.28 (VT): This Hariyali Teej, all traffic was completely stopped at the border of Vrindavan.

Traffic bans are common on large festival days, but this time it seems police were stricter than ever. Even residents of Vrindavan were reportedly banned from driving their cars into town.

Barriers were imposed on all entry routes, and police were stationed at each checkpoint to enforce the ban. Ample parking, both permanent and temporary, was provided to visitors for a fee. Due to the long distance between the parking areas and the temples, devotees faced significant difficulty in moving from the parking area to their destinations. Although auto rickshaws and e-rickshaws were allowed in, some areas of Vrindavan were chained off.

But once they reached the old city, devotees breathed a sigh of relief. The lovers of Radha and Krishna were able to walk from temple to temple in peace, enjoying their darshan without stress. The traffic ban also made it easier for police to manage the massive crowd and make sure everyone was safe.

The lanes near the Shri Banke Bihari Temple were all closed off with chains, so that only pedestrians and motorbikes could pass through. The local people helped police enforce the ban.

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Vrindavan, 2017.07.29 (VT): Summer in India means scarcity of water, and the demand greatly exceeds the supply. Each year around this time there are reports of water being “stolen” for commercial use. There is even a so-called “water mafia” that illegally extracts water from dicey sources and sells it as drinking water.

Recently it was reported that 1,000 cusecs of water from the Agra Canal earmarked for Mathura and Agra is being “stolen” by Haryana farmers.

P.C. TOI

The huge amount of water was released from the Okhla Barrage for agricultural use in Mathura and Agra, yet the region continues to suffer a water crisis. Now, a  recent survey has uncovered 200 illegal siphoning points in the area of Faridabad and Palwal.

These illegal siphoning points are all located within a mere 79 kilometer radius. Forty three individuals are believed to be responsible for the water theft. It is said that formal complaints have been lodged against them.

A previous survey in 2016 found 334 illegal siphoning points in the same area, which were subsequently shut down at great expense to the government.

The Agra Canal originates from the Okhla Barrage and continues through Haryana into Uttar Pradesh. The Yamuna River is is the source of its water. About 1.5 lakh hectares of land in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are dependant on the Canal for irrigation.

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Vrindavan, 2017.07.30 (VT): Sadhvi Ritambara announced a new museum project last Saturday during a presentation before Hindu leaders in Houston, Texas.

The museum, which is scheduled to open in Vrindavan in 2020, will feature women’s contributions to Hinduism from Satya Yug to the present day. Goddesses like Sita Devi, associates of the Lord like Draupadi and saints like Meera will be showcased alongside female philosophers like Lopamudra.

Also featured will be the various deities of Hinduism and their methods of worship, along with the stories of the Avatars. The use of dioramas and special effects will be sure to attract crowds. Sri Brahm Aggrawal, a Hindu philanthropist and resident of Florida, USA, announced his contribution of 1.8 million US dollars to the project.

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Nimbarkacharya Peethadhishwar Shri Shaymsharan Devacharya “Shriji Maharaj” P.C. Nimbark Teerth Salemabad

Vrindavan, 2017.07.30 (VT referencing HS): Earlier this week the head of the Nimbark Sampraday, Jagadguru Shri Shaymsharan Devacharya “Shriji Maharaj”, stated that those who protect cows are trying to preserve Sanatan Dharma. It is the government’s duty to maintain harmony in society and ensure no violence occurs.

The recent incidents of violence in relation to cow protection are completely henious and blameworthy, yet at the same time, it is inappropriate to label every person who wants to protect cows as a “gunda” (a thug or gangster).

These throughts were expressed by Shri Shriji Maharaj at the Shriji temple located in Retiya Bazar.

Shri Shiji Maharaj condemned those incidents in which people were beaten or harmed in any way in the name of cow protection. However, he continued to say the fact that cows – a sacred animal in Hinduism – are being illegally rounded up and slaughtered, is also completely inacceptable and not enough is being done to stop it. He encouraged the followers of Sanatan Dharma to remain firm and determined in their faith, describing spirituality as a complete commitment to ones sacred beliefs and spiritual culture.

He further said that development should and will continue, but the people must not forget the ancient culture of this land. There is a constant force from various internal and external elements working to weaken our dharma. Sanatan-dharmis need to remain firm to face these elements.

Nimbarkacharya Peethadhishwar Shri Shriji Maharaj is in Vrindavan for his first visit after his enthronement as the head of Nimbark Sampraday.

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New Delhi, 2017.07.31 (Sunday Guardian Live): India is home to a large variety of local art forms which are there for centuries and have been practiced for centuries. They are a testimony to the skills of local artisans. One such art form is Sanjhi. It is the art of hand cutting stencils from paper to create patterns on the floor. It is believed that this particular form has its origins in Mathura and Vrindavan, the birthplace of Lord Krishna.  As a part of the temple rituals in this region, intricate multi-coloured rangoli or floor patterns have been created, for hundreds of years. There is a generous use of coloured powder using stencils. The art depicts Indian mythological stories in numerous forms. But over time, the use of Sanjhi declined steadily and the numbers of artisans practising the craft were reduced to just a few families.

Delhi Crafts Council has been involved in reviving this dying art for more than three decades now. Its first exhibition of Sanjhi was called Kagaz and was presented in Delhi in 1990. This gave a certain visibility to the craft and opened up many possibilities including the involvement of several designers in this craft.

The Council held another exhibition in 2015, exploring the possibilities of using Sanjhi in contemporary interiors. Now in 2017, one more exhibition is planned which will introduce the viewers with Sanjhi Art.

Sanjhi Revisited is a five-day exhibition which will be held at Visual Art Gallery, India Habitat Centre, Delhi from 8-12 August, 2017. The exhibition has been conceptualised and curated by the Delhi Crafts Council as one of the special events marking the council’s golden jubilee this year. It will showcase new concepts based on the theme of architecture.

Talking about the exhibition, Radhika Bharat Ram, General Secretary, Delhi Craft Council, says, “The exhibition has been specially curated to mark the golden jubilee of Delhi Crafts Council. It will feature an entirely different concept of using architecture as the theme. The Council has collaborated with the artists to create works that have not been seen before in Sanjhi. The fact that the Exhibition is one of the special events marking its Golden jubilee this year makes it all the more meaningful as it is bound to bring into sharp focus this traditional art form and give it a more contemporary feel and flavour.”

She adds, “We are happy to have contributed to the development and revival of this marvelous tradition. Our support to the artisans lies in designing and marketing new products for this remarkably versatile craft. We dedicate this exhibition to the skilled Sanjhi artisans of Mathura who over the years have remained committed to the development of the craft and have continued to practise and nurture it.”

The show will be on view at Visual Art Gallery, India Habitat Centre, Delhi,  from 8-12 August

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Vrindavan, 2017.07.31 (VT): The second National Rural Olympics was held at Ramanlal Shorewala International Senior Secondary School in Rawal village this week.

The event, which ran from July 29th to 31st, featured kabaddi, kho-kho, volleyball, basketball, chess and table tennis. Players from fifteen states participated in the competition.

The event is perhaps to some degree inspired by (but not to be confused with) the Kila Raipur Sports Festival, formerly known as the Indian Rural Olympics, which is a local festival in Punjab.

But while the Kila Raipur festival features extreme Punjabi rural sports like horseback acrobatics and being run over by farm machinery, the National Rural Olympics gives rural youths from across India a chance to compete in more conventional sports.

The National Rural Olympics is currently in its second year. The inaugural competition was held in Nasik in 2016.

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Vrindavan, 2017.07.31 (VT): A young man left his body (passed away) while bathing in the holy lake Radhakund this weekend.

It appears the youth was in the process of doing Govardhan parikrama when he stopped to take a dip in Radhakund.

Local residents say the boy arrived in Radhakund at about 4am and entered Radhakund from the Western ghat near the vegetable market. After swimming into the deep water, he was unable to return to the shore and began to drown

Noticing his struggle, some local Brajwasis tried to save him, but by the time they brought him out of the kund he was already unconcsious. When efforts to revive the young man were unsuccessful, the Brajwasis notified local police.

It is unlikely that any of the first responders were trained in first aid.

Police are still trying to identify the young man. He was reportedly wearing a shirt and shorts, and had “Shri Hans” tattooed on his hand.

According to scriptures, Radhakund is a form of Radharani Herself. Thus to die in Radhakund is a blessing that many would covet.

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An invitation to the 2017 Sri Rupa Goswami Conference on Vaishnavism, Vrindavan’s premier seminar on Vaishnavism for three decades, under the auspices of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaj:

AUGUST 4 · 5 · 6 · 2017

Srila Rupa Goswami is revered in the Gaudiya Vaishnava community as the chief of the Six Goswamis, the direct disciples of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. His voluminous writings, dramas and songs have elaborated upon the instructions of Sriman Mahaprabhu and comprise the theology of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

For thirty years, the Rupa Sanatana Gaudiya Math, under the guidance of Srila B.V. Narayana Maharaja, has held a conference (conducted in Hindi) to discuss the glories of Srila Rupa Goswami. Thirteen years ago, Srila Maharaja began English morning sessions, and they continue at nearby Gopinath Bhavan. The conference is a forum for Vaishnavas and scholars to speak on the glories of Srila Rupa Goswami and various aspects of Vaishnavism in relation to him, as well as to engage in extended discussion on these subjects. It is meant to enliven the Vaishnava community with topics that are relevant to their devotional practice and about which they are eager to hear.

 The venue is on the top floor of Gopinath Bhavan, which is located on the Parikrama Marg next to Imli Tala in the Seva Kunj area. Our Program is listed below.

This year, for the first time, we will be live-streaming the Rupa Goswami Conference. It can be viewed on the following Facebook address: https://www.facebook.com/Rupa-Goswami-Conference-123213948300853/. We will be posting the videos as the conference is in session, but they can also be viewed on the Facebook page at any time.

The Rupa Goswami Conference now has a Youtube address: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiMohk9SKrmm8f-eYG2K8MQ

We are in the process of uploading videos of past conferences.

Your servant,

Manjari dasi

PROGRAM

SRI RUPA GOSWAMI CONFERENCE ON VAISHNAVISM

VRINDAVANA’S PREMIER SEMINAR ON VAISHNAVISM FOR THREE DECADES

under the auspices of Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja

AUGUST 4 · 5 · 6 · 2017

Gopinath Bhavan · Rupa Sanatana Gaudiya Math · Vrindavan

FRIDAY · AUGUST 4 · Srila Rupa Gosvami Tirobhava Mahotsava

Sunrise Lectures · Rupa Gosvami’s Samadhi

Conference Breakfast   ·   8:15   ·   Doughnuts and Khichari

Morning Session  Gopinath Bhavan  ·  8:45 to 12:30

Bhakti Sangita                    Yan Kali Rupa             Sriman Krsnadasa

Srimad BV Visnudaivata Maharaja     The Glories of the Holy Name, as Taught by Sri Rupa Gosvamipada

Srimati Savitri dasi                                          Sri Rupamrta

Sri Pankaja dasa                                              The Perspective of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti and Srila Narayana Maharaja on Rupa Siksa

Sri Mukunda Datta dasa                                 Ujjvala-nilamani

Srimati Vichitri dasi                                        Sri Rupa Siksa

Sri Panca Gauda dasa                                     Sad Gosvamyastakam

Sri Rohininandana dasa                                  Sadhana Bhakti and Rupanuga Bhakti

Bhakti Sangita                        Sri Rupa Manjari Pada           Sri Rama Sraddha dasa

Evening Session   Rupa Sanatana Gaudiya Math  ·  5:00 to 8:30

Mangalacharana/ Sabhapati  Srimad Bhaktisarvasva Govinda Maharaja

Chief Guest                              Srimad Bhaktivijnana Bharati Maharaja

Moderator                              Sri Ramacandra dasa

Distinguished Speaker             Srimad Bhaktividagdha Bhagavata Maharaja

Speakers                                  Srimad Priyananda Vana Maharaja, Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narasimha Maharaja, Sri Tamala Krsna Brahmacari, Sri Vamsivadana Brahmacari, Sri Uttama Krsna Brahmacari

SATURDAY · AUGUST 5

Conference Breakfast   ·   8:15   ·   Cinnamon Rolls and Flat Rice with Kadhi

Morning Session  Gopinath Bhavan  ·  8:45 to 12:30

Bhakti Sangita                        Sri Rama Sraddha dasa

Srimad Bhagavata Maharaja                           Assorted Poems of Rupa Gosvami

Kumari Savita dasi                                         Rupa Gosvami’s Maha-maha-vadanyayata

Srimati Lola dasi                                             Akhila-rasamrta-murti

Sri Dhira Krsna dasa                                       Harer Nama and the Development of Sadhana Bhakti

Srimati Uma didi                                             Rupa Gosvami’s Visesa Avadana

Srimad BV Vana Maharaja                              The Glories of Rupa Gosvamipada

Bhakti Sangeet                        Srimad Paramananda dasa Babaji Maharaja

Evening Session   Rupa Sanatana Gaudiya Math  ·  5:00 to 8:30

Sabhapati                                Dr. Achyut Lal Bhatt Goswami

Moderator                              Srimad Bhaktivedanta Madhava Maharaja

Distinguished Speaker             Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vana Maharaja

Speakers                                  Sri Rohininandana dasa, Sri Madhava Priya Brahmacari, Sri Sanjaya Brahmacari, Sri Paramesvari Brahmacari, Sri Dhira Krsna dasa, Sri Radhanatha dasa,

SUNDAY · AUGUST 6

Conference Breakfast   ·   8:15   ·   Doughnuts and Khichari

Morning Session  Gopinath Bhavan  ·  8:45 to 12:30

Bhakti Sangeet                        Sri Rama Sraddha dasa

Sri Rama Sraddha dasa                        The Life of Rupa Gosvami

Srimati Vrndavana Vilasini dasi         The Heart of Rupa Gosvami

Srimati Poonam dasi                          The Glories of Rupa Gosvami

Sri Gokulacandra dasa                        Haàsaduta

Srimati Manjari dasi                            Bhakti-tattva-viveka: a distillation of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu

Srimati Bakula dasi                             From Kurupa to Sri Rupa

Dr. Achyut Lal Bhatt Goswami                          Anyabhilasita-sunyam

Evening Session   Rupa Sanatana Gaudiya Math  ·  5:00 to 8:30

Sabhapati                                Srimad Prem das Babaji Maharaj

Moderator                              Sri Radha Madhava dasa

Distinguished Speaker             Srimad Bhaktisvarupa Govinda Maharaj

Speakers                                  Srimad Bhaktivedanta Sridhara Maharaja, Srimad Bhaktivedanta Visnudaivata Maharaja, Sri Jitendra dasa, Sri Krsna dasa, Sri Sundargopala dasa, Sri Gokulacandra dasa

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New Delhi, 2017.07.30 (Daily World): The Limca Book of Records has recognised two organisations for training a whopping 5,700 girl students in self-defence techniques.

The recognition has been granted to Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat (JKP) Education and the Abhiself Protection Trust for training the girls under their ‘Meri Raksha Mere Haathon Mein’ programme. Uniquely, most of the girls were from rural areas.

Earlier, Delhi Police and the Delhi Government had been recognised when they trained over 5,000 girls in self-defence.

“The increasing crime graph for girls is a social problem, and its solution is within our society… without women’s empowerment society cannot be strong enough,” said JKP Secretary Ram Puri, explaining why the organisation undertook the self-defence training campaign.

JKP has been working for the empowerment of the girl child and runs three schools that charge no fees from girl students from the primary level till post-graduation, Puri said.

Abhishek Yadav Abhi, founder of Abhiself  Trust, said the aim of the self-defence campaign was to “create awareness among women”, adding that similar programmes were underway in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

The Limca Book of Records citation notes that the 5,700 girl students were from JKP’s three schools as well as 13 other schools from the Kunda region of Uttar Pradesh and that the campaign was held at Bhakti Dham, Pratapgarh.

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Sanatan Goswami’s Bhajan Kutir, Pavan Sarovar (Nandgaon)

Vrindavan, 2017.08.01 (VT): Once a renounced Vaishnav of the Gaudiya Sampraday named Shri Gaur Das Babaji was living in Nandgaon. He resided at Pavan Sarovar in Shri Sanatan Goswami’s bhajan kutir. It was sometime around the year 1893 AD (Bangabda 1300).

Gaur Das Babaji used to bring flowers every day from Gazipur near Prem Sarovar, and make beautiful garlands for Shri Krishna and Balram. It was through this flower seva that he attained Shri Krishna’s grace.

After making garlands every day for five or six years, Baba began to feel sad. “I have served Shri Lalju (Krishna) every day for all these years, but till now we have no relationship to speak of. I don’t even know if he is enjoying my seva or not.”

That day, Krishna and Balram did not wear Baba’s garlands. Later that afternoon, he found the same garlands abandoned in the temple premesis. Some little boys were playing catch with them and blissfully tearing them to pieces.

Sri Krishna-Balaram, Nandgaon

Seeing this, Baba began to cry. “Just see… Shri Lalju doesn’t enjoy my flowers at all. I should move to Barsana and make garlands for Radharani instead!”

The next day, Baba packed his water pot inside his ragged patchwork blanket and left for Barsana. It was just before sunset when Baba set out across the grasslands on foot. The cowherds were already bringing the cows back in from pasture.

Suddenly he saw the boys from the day before – the same ones who had been playing with his garlands. Feeling hurt, he tried to divert his path, but the boys noticed him. “Hey! Babaji! Where are you going?”

“I’m going to Barsana!” said Baba.

“Oh!” said one of the boys. “When are you coming back?”

“I’m not coming back!” said Baba.

“Don’t say that, Baba! How can you leave?” said another boy, the ringleader of them all.

Pastureland near Barsana (P.C. Unknown)

“Lala, I can’t explain. Just get out of my way and let me pass.”

“No, Baba! Now you listen to me. You’re not going anywhere,” said the little boy sternly, blocking his path with his arms stretched out.

“Get out of my way!” Baba shouted, and he tried to run.

Baba was not very fast, and the boys easily stopped him. No matter which way Baba turned, the boys blocked his way.

Finally Baba got lost all his patience and screamed, “Are you kids or monkeys?! Enough of this nonsense!!”

Twilight had just set in. The boy said softly, “But Baba! If you go, who will make garlands for me?”

Baba turned to look at the boy. “Kid, who are you…?”

But the boy was already gone. All his little friends, the cows and the calves had also disappeared.

Crying with anguish, Shri Gaur Das Babaji rolled on the dust of Braj and lamented, “O Lalju! You are so kind and yet so cruel! I didn’t recognize you… I didn’t understand what you were telling me. Please don’t stop having mercy upon this poor servant of yours!” Baba returned to his hut in Nandgram and wept all night long.

That night Shri Krishna came in the Pujari’s dream and said, “Make sure Gaur Das does not abandon my flower seva.”

P.C. HariHarji

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Mathura, 2017.09.01 (Hindustan): India Rail has responded to popular requests to convert the meter-gauge rail line connecting Mathura Junction to Vrindavan station so that services can be provided from major urban centers directly to the holy city.

Station Director NP Singh told the press that the detailed project report (DPR) has been prepared and sent for approval to the North Central Railway headquarters in Allahabad. Work will be started upon approval.

The report shows that without major improvements in the streets the railway tracks cross, there will major disturbances in the city traffic system.

At present, the 12-km meter gauge rail line connects Mathura to Vrindavan, on which the railbus runs a couple of times a day. Once the line has been upgraded to broad gauge, India Rail has prepared plans for running long distance trains and several passenger trains, including one to Kolkata, which has received the most popular support.

Apart from this, a proposal for upgrading the Vrindavan railway station has also been included in the DPR, as well as expanding the stations at Shri Krishna’s birthplace and at Masani.

Since the rail line cuts through the heart of the city, it will have a major impact on vehicular traffic.

The Vrindavan railroad track passes crosses important and busy roads at Murg Phatak, Saunkh crossing, Sri Krishna Janmasthan, Govind Nagar, Masani Road, Atala Chungi and Vrindavan Parikrama Marg.

Closing gates at all these crossings to allow trains to pass will have a huge knock-on effect and substantially worsen an already difficult traffic situation throughout the city. Even now, there are already extensive traffic jams most of the time at the Janma Sthan, Saunkh Gate, Masani and Govind Nagar crossings.

Prior to making this change, the city’s traffic system will have to be considered, otherwise there is a great danger that the cure will be worse than the disease. It should perhaps be reviewed whether this is truly a necessary step.

Furthermore, bringing trains all the way to the current Vrindavan station seems unnecessary. Nowadays, most of the rooming houses and hotels are further from the center of Vrindavan, which is also extremely congested, so what will be gained if people come into the center of Vrindavan and then have to travel to the outskirts to find a room? Why not build a new station somewhere outside the Parikrama Marg boundaries, at Chaitanya Vihar?

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Vrindavan, 2017.08.02 (VT): The security of Shri Banke Bihari Temple is being called into question after two shootings occurred within one week. The incidents do not appear to be related. The first incident occurred last Tuesday at around 11pm, when Shri Banke Bihari Lal’s sevayat Rohit Goswami was attacked at gunpoint in front of the temple.

Scene of the crime (P.C. Dainik Jagran)

The most recent incident occurred about 200 meters from the temple in Thakur gali, on the edge of the Dusayat neighborhood. A man named Aman Gautam was sitting at a shop in the area when he was attacked by a group of men, who beat him with sticks. One of the men then pulled out a gun and shot him in the arm.

The hoodlums proceeded to flee fearlessly on motorbikes, waving their weaponds in the air as they went. The sounds of gunshots panicked devotees, which resulted in a stampede in the temple area.

Luckily, the victim was able to identify six of his attackers, and police are searching for them. Security cameras were also installed at an ashram and a shop near the scene of the crime. The footage is currently under review.

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Vrindavan, 2017.08.02 (VT): On Tuesday afternoon a German tourist was robbed at the Mathura’s New Bus Stand. Suspects include a woman and four young men.

The small group had been following the tourist for some time when suddenly they pounced upon him. After checking his pockets and taking his ID, credit card and 6,000 rupees in cash, the five piled onto two motorbikes and fled in the direction of the State Bank intersection.

The gentleman called the police immediately after the incident, and he was taken to the station. He had had come via Agra to visit Mathura and Vrindavan.

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