While in Barsana recently, I was standing in the Ladli temple on the outside terrace portion and someone appeared to have fainted. An elderly Brijbasi Gosai, with a bushy white moustache, a colorful turban and yellow silk dhoti, a stick in his hand, was walking toward me. For some reason I was impelled to say something stupid and started to speak, but my Hindi tongue was tied and could not express, “We must all pass by that.”

At the Brajvasi’s insistence I repeated myself again without success and ended up stuttering out the words andham tamah, “the darkness of ignorance.” Which I knew the instant they came out of my mouth that they did not fit at all what I really wanted to say, pointless as it was.

The Gusai responded vehemently in a tone of chastisement, but even singing a Brijbhasha song, glorifying Braj Dham as sat-cit-ananda, and how nothing that happens here can ever be andham tamah. I stood there with my head down looking like a stupid schoolboy as he continued, his final word being, “You are only a beginning Brajvasi.”

Well better a beginner than none at all. But he is perfectly correct. It is not an easy thing, to be a Brajbasi.

The eternal glory of residence in the Dham

Taking shelter of Braja Dham is the ultimate achievement of the sādhaka devotee of Radha and Krishna. It is the culmination of many lifetimes of devotional practice and culture.

Living in Vrindavan is both the process (sādhanā) and the ultimate goal (sādhya). Of all the 64 sādhanas listed in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, five are identified as best of all:

(1) Faith and special love for serving the Deity,
(2) relishing the topics of the Bhāgavatam in the company of rasikas,
(3) 1keeping the company of saintly persons who share the same devotional aspirations, who are affectionate and superior to oneself,
(4) chanting the Holy Name, and
(5) living in the region of Mathura, i.e., Braja-mandal.

(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.90-92)

Only in the sādhanā of Braja-vāsa are all five sādhanās possible simultaneously.

On the one hand, it is the easiest of sādhanās, because all it requires is your physical presence in the Dham, allowing its inherent potency (vastu-śakti) to work its magic on one. In other words, you don’t really need to do anything else but be there.

On the other hand, it is the hardest of all because it truly penetrates to the very core of what all bhakti-sādhanās are about. It is about cracking the hardest nut of all — the ego, the knot that binds us to material existence. This is what I call the sādhanā of identity. Therefore, the true results of living in Braj is that one will take delight in devotional practices precisely because that is what one has become, that is what it means to be a Brajbasi.

This is why Rupa Goswami calls the instruction to reside in the Dham along with executing the other practices, “the essence of instruction.”

Gradually engaging the tongue in sweetly chanting and the mind in constantly remembering Krishna’s name, form, pastimes and so on, one should remain in Braj and pass the remainder of one’s days under the guidance of a passionate lover of the Lord. This is the essence of all instruction. (Upadeśāmṛta 8; See also VMA 1.30.)

Kālaṁ nayed akhilam, “to pass the remainder of one’s days”, i.e. to stay there forever, indicates that this is expected to be something that happens at the end of one’s life, as an attempt to finalize the business of bhakti-sādhanā before it is too late.

So what is the nature and meaning of Braja-vāsa sādhanā? In essence, it is integral to the culture of rāgānugā bhakti itself, since rāgānugā bhakti truly does focus on the transformation of one’s identity. Therefore it is no surprise that Rupa Goswami includes residence in Braj as one of the essential elements of rāgānugā practice:

One should live forever in Braj, remembering Krishna and the most beloved associates who surround him and remaining absorbed in hearing and chanting about them. Here in this very place, Braj, one should serve the Lord [and the Dham, which is not different from him] following the residents of Braj in both the external sādhaka-deha and well as internally in the siddha-deha, out of the desire to attain their loving mood. (BRS 1.2.295-296)

One has to follow both internal and external exemplars. That is why we often hear the words ānugatya-maya, it is based in obedience and conscious adherence. There is a very significant psychological truth involved here, because this dual culture of identity is one that is designed to converge, that is, one attains psychological harmony of the internal and external selves.

So Rupa Goswami confirms the upadeśa-sāra given by him in the Upadeśāmṛta, but he is making it a little more clear. Rāgānugā bhakti sādhanā is about identity above all. It is about becoming something which at present one is not. It is about replacing our material identities, our upādhis, with a new identity, namely that of a resident of the Supreme Lord’s own abode.

Now Jiva Goswami states here, “If one cannot live in Vrindavan physically, he or she should do so mentally.” (sāmarthye sati vraje śrīman-nanda-vrajāvāsa-sthāne śrī-vṛndāvanādau śarīreṇa vāsaṁ kuryāt, tad-abhāve manasāpīty arthaḥ).

This does not really mean that living physically in Braj is optional, but that one should not depend on living in Braj before beginning one’s rāgānugā sādhanā. But if one is given the grace to come physically to Braj, then this is the best way to perfect his or her transformation of identity into a Brajabasi. This is because that sādhanā takes place on an external as well as an internal level, and direct service to the Brijbasi who is a rāgātmika bhakta in the worldly Vrindavan is the indispensable element.

The threefold nature of residence in the Dham and its goal of is further described by Raghunath Das Goswami:

Not having worshipped the holy dust
that sprinkles from Śrīmatī’s lotus feet;
not having taken shelter of Braja Dhām,

marked with her dainty tread;
not ever having spoken with the souls
so laden with a weighty love for her,
how foolish those who think that they can plunge
into the secret sea of nectar that is Śyāma!
(Raghunath Das Goswami, Sva-saṁkalpa-prakāśa-stotra, 1, See more commentary at VMA 1.43 )

This verse was sent by Jiva Goswami to Gadadhar Bhatta Goswami precisely for the purpose of wooing him to Vrindavan, making it clear that (1) he was an adhikāri for Brajavāsa sādhanā, and (2) that it was necessary for him to act in keeping with that adhikāra if he truly wished to immerse himself in the blissful ocean of rasa that is the goal of every sādhaka. Without the complete transformation of identity, external and internal, that is impossible.

So the first thing to understand that Braja sādhanā is an essential element of a sādhanā of identity, which operates in two dimensions, as do all sādhanās, one external and one internal.

Those who have taken the long road through many lifetimes from a strictly external consciousness (bahirmukhatā) to Braja-bhāva, are impelled by the search for authenticity in both. This generally means following an authentic teacher in a tradition or paramparā that teaches such a culture.

Jai Radhe. Part II will follow soon.

The post What does it mean to be a Brajbasi? Part I : The eternal glory of residence in the Dham appeared first on Vrindavan Today.

Radha Kund, 2017.09.18 (PTI): As many as 1,200 cows – mostly abandoned, sick and injured – have found a saviour in 59-year-old German national Friederike Irina Bruning. When she landed in India from Berlin in 1978 as a tourist, she had no inkling of the life destiny had in store for her.

Sudevi Ji’s Guru, Prabhupad Tinkodi Goswami

“I came as a tourist and understood that to progress in life, you need a guru. I went in search of a guru in Radha Kund,” she said while narrating her journey in Mathura. She then bought a cow at the request of a neighbour and since then everything in her life changed.

Bruning purchased books on cows and learnt Hindi. “I saw that people of late abandon their cows when they grow old and stop giving milk,” she said.

Fondly called Sudevi Mataji, she started her cowshed known as ‘Radha Surabhi Gaushala‘.

“They are like my children and I cannot leave them,” she says while referring to the large family of cows and calves in the sleepy town of Radha Kund here.

Once a cow reaches her 3,300 sq yard gaushala, she takes full care of the animals by providing food and medicine. “Today, I have 1,200 cows and calves. I do not have sufficient space to accommodate more as the place is getting smaller. But still I cannot refuse, when somebody leaves a sick or injured cow outside my ashram, I have to take her in,” she said.

Bruning has divided her place in such a manner that cows needing special care are kept at one place. Blind and badly injured needing attention are kept in a separate enclosure. When asked about the finances, she said as much as Rs 22 lakh per month is required for medicines, feed and salaries for about 60 workers.

“I have some property in Berlin. I get rent from that. Initially my father used to send some money but now he is a senior citizen. Every year I visit Berlin to see him. He is not well. I am not getting any help from the local authorities, but somehow I am managing my work,” she said.

Observing that things are increasingly getting difficult, she said, “I cannot close this [gaushala]. I have 60 people working here and they all need money to support their children and family and I have to take care of my cows, who are my children.”

The other major issue was about visas, she said, adding that the Indian government has not given her a long-term visa. She has to renew the visa every year.

“I cannot take Indian nationality as I would lose the rental income from Berlin. My father was working in the German Embassy in India. It’s the money of my parents that I have put into this gaushala,” she said.

The post This German Woman is Renting Out Berlin Property to Save Mathura Cows appeared first on Vrindavan Today.

Vrindavan, 2017.09.19 (VT): In a recent order, the Allahabad High Court has placed great pressure on the government to rectify the sewage situation in Vrindavan. It has also clarified the current situation on the Yamuna floodplain, which for the last several weeks has been shrouded in rumour.

Court orders solution to the sewage situation

One of Vrindavan’s two STPs, established in the late 90s. Now completely dysfunctional.

With all the focus on the floodplain, it is a little-known fact that the sewage situation of Vrindavan is bundled together with the demolition case. The case, which has been pending since 2010, is part and parcel of the complaint against the half-moon bridge made by Shri Madhumangal Shukla on behalf of the BVHA.

The Municipal Comissioner reported to the court that Mathura and Vrindavan generate approximately 120 Million Litres per Day (MLD) of sewage. This is more than double the current maximum capacity of the existing sewage treatment plants (STPs), which is only 56.5 MLD.

The High Court’s order, under the Honorable Justices Arun Tandon and Ritu Raj Awasthi, reveals a great deal of information about the lack of sewage treatment facilities Vrindavan.

As early as 2010, the local government requested the State for funding to create additional STPs. However, the request was never even answered. The order further states that in 2014, the Chief Engineer of the Jal Nigam (Water Department) sent a detailed project report for the same on January 10th, 2014, but that was ignored by the State government as well.

High Court warns of possible FIR against Government officials

Vrindavan’s functional STP near Pagal Baba Ashram. Established circa 2012.

In a scathing conclusion, the High Court has written, “What logically follows from the aforesaid affidavit is that at least nearly 70 MLD of sewage water has been falling into River Yamuna by […] Mathura-Vrindavan for decades together.

“The U.P. Pollution Control Board and the State Government, including its highest officer responsible for ensuring that the river Yamuna is not polluted by untreated dirty water, continue to sit silent in the matter.”

The High Court went on to remind the government that, following the 1988 ruling by the Apex Court in the case of MC Mehta vs. Union of India, that it is “the responsibility of every local body to ensure that untreated sewage water does not enter the rivers.”

The High Court then proceeded to warn the respondents (ie. the responsible government officials) that FIRs may be filed against them for inaction.

“We, therefore […] issue notices to respondent numbers 6 to 9 [specifically the Special Secretary of the Department of Urban Development, the Pollution Control Board, the MVDA and the Municipal Comissioner of Mathura-Vrindavan, Dr. Ujjwal Kumar] to show cause as to why this Court [should] not direct lodging of a first information report [FIR] against all the responsible in terms of the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 for continuous discharge of 70 MLD untreated sewage water into river Yamuna,” said the Court.

Illegal Constructions Still Coming Down

Destroyed building on Parikrama Marg near Banke Bihari temple

The recent order by the Allahabad High Court also sheds some much-needed light on the Yamuna floodplain.

Earlier the Court had ordered fifteen demolitions to be done in fifteen days. Thereafter, a hearing was to be held in order to hold the government accountable.

With the completion of the first phase of demolitions and the subsequent hearing, there was a short lull in the process. This lead to to mistaken reports that the demolitions had been cancelled altogether. However, the second phase, consisting of 15 more demolitions, will soon begin.

The demolitions will continue in groups of 15 until all the illegal buildings are destroyed.

In its latest order, the High Court acknowledged receipt of the MVDA’s affidaivit, which states that the initial 15 buildings have been destroyed.

The order goes on to say, “Another 15 [constructions] shall be demolished within 15 days as per the [affidaivit] dated 23rd August, 2017.”

Legal Complaints Rejected

Following official complaints submitted to the court by several parties whose property was destroyed without any written notice, the order also clarifies the circumstances under which demolition may occur.

According to the court’s previous order, people who constructed on the Yamuna floodplain were issued warnings from 2009-2010. In general, the demolitions begin with those who received the notices first, then move to those who received notices later.

However, the recent order states: “We, however, clarify that if the Development Authority finds that there are other unauthorized constructions [ie, who have not received notices], it can always proceed under Section 27 of the Act, 1973.”

The next hearing is set for September 20th, 2017.

In a separate case, several residents of the Yamuna floodplain requested the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court to prevent the government from destroying their property alleging a lack of due process. However their request was turned down the case dismissed.

The resulting order states, “We are not inclined to entertain the […] petition since the petitioner has not stated […] why he is apprehending demolition of house, nor has he placed any material on record to show that the respondent-Authorities are about to or are likely to demolish his house without following due process of law.”

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Vrindavan, 2017.09.19 (VT): Sometimes one gets the impression that there is a certain movement afoot. Suddenly, one figure bursts into prominence and influences the general mood of the community, sets the rhythm that others follow. When the flowers bloom and their fragrance is carried by the breezes in the spring, the bees and hummingbirds who feed on the nectar automatically swarm to the colorful garden where they are arrayed.

For the past few months people have been asking me with regularity, “Have you heard Premananda Baba’s Vrindavana-mahimamrita lectures? Then I started looking on the internet and saw that his enthusiasts were making his lectures available every day, so I began listening.

And today, finally, I went to Shri Hit Dham on the Parikrama Marg, in the Varaha Ghat area a bit west of the Bhaktivedanta Goshala. Vishakha Dasi accompanied me and took some photos, which you can see here: Gallery.

Madan Ter and Shri Hit Dham

Shri Hit Dham is right next to Madan Ter. It appears that the two properties, both in the hands of the Radha Vallabha Goswamis, were divided up at some time. The area now known as Madan Ter, which is the original site where Hit Harivams Mahaprabhu first stayed in Vrindavan and where Radha Vallabh was first worshiped in Vrindavan.

According to his biographers, although he was born in Braj, Harivams spent the first 31 years of his life in Devavan (Deoband) in what is currently northeastern Uttar Pradesh. He then received a dream order from Radharani who told him to go and live in Vrindavan. While on his way there, Harivamsh stopped in a place called Charthawal near Muzzafarnagar, where he again received a dream command from Radharani to marry the two daughters of a brahmin in the village, who gave him the murti of Radha Vallabha as a part of his dowry.

Harivansh arrived in Vrindavan in 1535, taking shelter in the place known as Unchi Thaur (“high ground”), which is also known as Madan Ter. The date of Karttik Shukla Trayodasi is usually given for the celebration of Radha Vallabha’s Patotsava, which marks when his worship was inaugurated. This festival is celebrated annually, primarily at Madan Ter.

Though Shri Hit Dham is the property of Radha Vallabha Goswamis, the place is occupied by a few sadhus and gardeners who take care of the bagicha. There is a small temple building and a shrine to Hit Harivamsh in generally pristine surroundings, but plans for new buildings are afoot. This inevitably happens when many people start to frequent a particular site.

The mood

And there were many people, perhaps 500, who came to listen to Premananda Maharaj. The small temple building only seats thirty or forty people at most indoors, so the greater number of people sit outside in the pleasant garden surroundings, under an old but flourishing jasmine vine. Others sit on chairs under a canopy. They are of all ages and of all sampradāyas, as many women as men.

One can see the tilak of Haridasis, Nimbarkis, Gaudiyas and Ramanandis amongst others. Premanandaji’s kathā is for people who are coming to take shelter of Vrindavan, who are ready to follow Prabodhananda’s strong instructions to take to exclusive bhajan of Radha and Madana Mohan in the nitya-vihāra. As a matter of fact, Prabodhananda Saraswati’s bhajana sthali and samādhi are just a few hundred meters away in Purana Kalidaha, right next door to Madan Mohan.

[The names Madana-mohana or Madana-gopala appear 23 times in VMA, Radha-vallabha only twice. Radha-ramana or Radhika-ramana, seven times.]

Hit Premananda Govinda Sharanji Maharaj

Those sitting outside cannot see Premananda Baba, they can only hear his voice on the microphone. You can see what he looks like clearly on YouTube, though. His hair is dishevelled and his beard untrimmed. He wears tilak of Radha Kund mitti and smears it across his forehead along with chandan and saffron.

I heard that more than twenty years ago he was an Advaita sannyasi living in Benares. Then he came to Vrindavan and took shelter of a Baba in the Radha Vallabha line, which seems eminently appropriate for one who follows in the mood of Prabodhananda. He then took up a serious study of the Radha Vallabhi vāṇī texts, especially Rādhā-rasa-sudhā-nidhi and Vṛndāvana-mahimāmṛta, along with the Braja bhasha works by Sewakji and Dhruva Das. But in his lectures, he also refers frequently to Rāma-carita-mānasa and the vāṇī-granthas of the Haridasis and the Nimbarkis, as well as the lesser known poets of the Radha-vallabhi line.

This openness to all the saints of Vrindavan is clear from the beginning of the morning sat-saṅga, when everyone sings a prayer by Bhagavant Mudita (initiated as a Gaudiya) addressed to the original greats of Braja from all sampradāyas, including those above-mentioned, as well as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Rupa, Sanatana, Raghunath Das and Jiva Goswamis.

Baba has only been giving pāṭha this way for the last couple of years, and most of his disciples have come to him in that time. None of his disciples lives there at Shri Hit Dham, but in other refuges nearby. They are told to devote themselves to bhajan in their own way, but to come every day for morning satsang and for another satsang in the afternoon when there are readings from the vani texts.

The pāṭha

His voice is somewhat hoarse, but clear and forceful. Indeed he thunders relentlessly in the style of one who is fully renounced and dedicated to ekānta-bhajana. His presentation is scholarly. There is no compromise in his voice.

aparataḥ puruṣārtha-catuṣṭayaṁ
bhagavato bhajanaṁ ca bhaved bahu |
dhruvam idaṁ tu vinā vṛṣabhānujā-
vanam aho na mahojjvalaṁ bhaktayaḥ ||

You can attain the four goals of life elsewhere; you can even attain the worship of Bhagavan, but outside of Radha’s forest of Vrindavan, there is no attaining this devotion in the brilliant mood of erotic love. (VMA 15.24)

Verses like this are the ones that allow him to express the unique nature of the bhakti of Vrindavan Dham and the need to recognize the good fortune that one has to be there, among the trees and vines, the flora and fauna of the Dham, listening to the glories of Piyari and Pritam Shyam-Shyamaju, Yugal Sarkar, surrounded by other, chatak-like devotees who thirst for the nectar of their topics to the exclusion of everything else.

Most of the time Baba speaks with his eyes closed, except when he opens a book to cite some relevant passage. Today the principal verse was the following:

vṛndāraṇye sva-kara-racitāścarya-sat-puṣpa-vāṭyāṁ
nānā-puṣpādbhuta-racita-san-maṇḍape sat-pathena |
svāstīrṇāmbhoruha-mṛdu-dalenābhisāryāśu rādhāṁ
krīḍan kṛṣṇo’vatu sa bhavato juṣṭa-vartmopahāram ||

May the playful Krishna who has with his own hand made a garden in Vrindavan full of an incredible array of flawless flowers, and therein built a pavilion with various other wonderful blossoms, and who has covered the path whereby Radha will soon come to meet him with the soft stalks of lotus flowers, protect the gift of your chosen devotional path. (VMA 15.2)

His trance-like descriptions come especially when the verse is, like this one, a meditation on the beauty of Vrindavan or the Divine Couple, or some lila. For the first half of today’s class, for instance, he was absorbed in remembering Krishna’s preparing the kunj for Radha’s arrival, with all the uddīpanas of ujjvala-rasa, and especially emphasizing the nature of prema as taking joy in the happiness of the Beloved, tat-sukhe sukhī bhāva.

The second half of the class was taken up with a response to a question about the gradual process of advancement in bhakti. He quoted verses from Bhakti-rasāyana by Madhusudana Saraswati giving an eleven-step sequence, explaining it in terms of madhura-bhakti in the Radha-vallabhi mood:

prathamaṁ mahatāṁ sevā tad-dayā-pātratā tataḥ |
śraddhātha teṣāṁ dharmeṣu tato hari-guṇa-śrutiḥ ||34||
tato raty-aṅkurotpattiḥ svarūpādhigatis tataḥ |
prema-vṛddhiḥ parānande tasyātha sphuraṇaṁ tataḥ ||35||
bhagavad-dharma-niṣṭhā’taḥ svasmiṁs tad-guṇa-śālitā |
premṇo’tha paramā kāṣṭhety uditā bhakti-bhūmikā ||36||

(1) Service to great souls; (2) becoming the recipient of their grace; (3) faith in the path they teach; (4) listening to the descriptions of Krishna’s qualities; (5) the first sprouting of love (rati); (6) attaining knowledge of one’s own spiritual identity; (7) the increase of love, (8) its manifestation in supreme joy; (9) firm commitment to the Bhagavat Dharma; (10) the attainment of Krishna’s qualities in oneself; (11) the attainment of the highest state of love.

These are explained in Bhakti-rasāyana with reference to the Bhāgavatam.

It is nice to see that there is a hunger for this kind of uncompromising message of bhakti to Vrindavan. It is good that Radha Vallabh Jiu has sent someone to remind us all of Vrindavan’s glories on a regular basis. Jai Sri Vrindavan Dham!!

The post Glorifying Vrindavan: Where those thirsty for Braj rasa are going these days appeared first on Vrindavan Today.

Vrindavan, 2017.09.20 (VT): Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited Vrindavan on Tuesday. Traffic was stopped and the streets were cleaned in preparation for the CM’s arrival, and security forces were strategically placed throughout the town.

Adityanath first visited the Shri Banke Bihari Temple to bow at the lotus feet of Shri Krishna, before proceeding to the birthplace of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay in Farah.

Addressing the public, Adityanath said that Braj will be developed according to the wishes of the Brajwasis. He praised the good fortune of the residents of Vrindavan, whether they be humans, birds or animals, for they have the opportunity to see and serve the Lord all the time.

The CM stressed the importance of serving the Dham and keeping it clean. It is for this purpose, said Adityanath, that he has has created the Braj Teerth Vikash Parishad. He assured the Brajwasis that the State Government will provide sufficient funding for the Parishad’s projects.

Adityanath also announced the Tourism Department’s latest development plans for Braj, which include rainwater harvesting, investment in gardens and the renovation of ancient Kunds. The beginning budget for the project is set at five crores.

The post After Six Months as CM, Yogi Adityanath Visits Vrindavan appeared first on Vrindavan Today.

Prabodhananda Saraswati is the ācārya for Braja-vāsa-sādhana, i.e., the devotional practice of living in the Dham. Sometimes people find it difficult to understand his niṣṭhā and his vision of the Dham, which sometimes seems at odds with logic. Indeed, the “city of love” (Prema-pattanam) is full of contradictions. For those who believe that Vrindavan is everywhere and there is no need to think that a particular geographical location has any special characteristic, Prabodhananda says:

वृन्दारण्ये वरं स्यां कृमिरपि परतो नो चिदानन्ददेहो
रङ्कोऽपि स्यामतुल्यः परमिह न परत्राद्भुतानन्तभूतिः ।
शून्योऽपि स्यामिह श्रीहरिभजन-लवेनातितुच्छार्थमात्रे
लुब्धो नान्यत्र गोपीजनरमण-पदाम्भोज-दीक्षासुखेऽपि ॥२.१॥

vṛndāraṇye varaṁ syāṁ kṛmir api parato no cid-ānanda-deho
raṅko’pi syām atulyaḥ param iha na paratrādbhutānanta-bhūtiḥ |
śūnyo’pi syām iha śrī-hari-bhajana-lavenātitucchārtha-mātre
lubdho nānyatra gopī-jana-ramaṇa-padāmbhoja-dīkṣā-sukhe’pi ||2.1||

I would rather reside even as a worm in Vrindavan,
than somewhere else in a blissful spiritual body.
I would rather live here, even as a poverty-stricken beggar,
than as one possessing wonderful, unlimited wealth elsewhere.
I would rather reside here in Vrindavan,
even without doing any bhajan to Lord Hari whatsoever,
absorbed in greed for the most trivial things,
than elsewhere, even if I could there know the joy
of being initiated in the service of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna,
the lover of the gopis.

Commentary

Vrindavan is the soul of this universe. The ultimate truth of Radha and Krishna’s divine love is the all-pervading, underlying fact of existence, which has become manifest here in the incarnation of their Dham.

Even after Radha and Krishna become invisible to the world, their Dham remains. Although it is the nature of Maya to attempt to cover the Dham, and Kali does everything in his power to do so, nothing can ever fully cover the svarūpa-śakti‘s presence here. Those who say that the presence of material imperfection in the Dham is an indication that it is not special or necessary are wrong.

The svarūpa-śakti exercises its influence on all who stay here. But it becomes most clearly manifest when those who reside here cultivate the understand of the Truth of the Divine Couple and devotion to them. Whether they are here from birth or come from afar due to the attractions of the Dham — because of the potential that Prabodhananda Saraswati is revealing in his Vṛndāvana-mahimāmṛta — if they deepen their understanding of the revelation given to Vrindavan’s “avatar generation” – from whichever tradition or sampradāya — then they make the Dham reveal its true form.

It is much like the story told by Rupa Goswami where Krishna was able to hide his true identity by assuming the form of Narayan. He could fool some of the gopis even though their attraction to him was diminished by his disguise, but when Radha came by, he could not maintain it. He was obliged by her devotion to reassume his three-fold crooked form, playing the flute and smiling sweetly in the mood of the ujjvala-rasa.

gopīnāṁ paśupendra-nandana-juṣo bhāvasya kas tāṁ krtī
vijñātuṁ kṣamate durūha-padavī-sañcāriṇaḥ prakriyām
āviṣkurvati vaiṣṇavīm api tanuṁ tasmin bhujair jiṣṇubhir
yāsāṁ hanta caturbhir adbhuta-ruciṁ rāgodayaḥ kuñcati ||

What capable person could possibly fully understand the manifestations of the gopis’ mood of love for the son of Nanda Maharaj, which rises to the highest extremes of incomprehensibility? When they saw Krishna disguised in his Vishnu form in all its splendor with four arms, their attraction diminished even though they knew it was God Himself. (Lalita-mādhava 6.15, CC 1.17.281)

So it is for Prabodhananda Saraswati or Raghunath Das or any other sādhaka who has attained the level of recognition of Vrindavan’s true glories. No other place, not Mathura, not Dwarka, not Haridwar or Bhadrinath, despite their purity and holiness, can ever attract the single-minded aspirant for the service of the Divine Couple.

But Radha’s love is so strong, her dedication so powerful, that Krishna cannot hold onto his disguise.

rāsārambha-vidhau nilīya vasatā kuñje mṛgākṣī-gaṇair
dṛṣṭaṁ gopayituṁ svam uddhura-dhiyā yā suṣṭhu sandarśitā |
rādhāyāḥ praṇayasya hanta mahimā yasya śriyā rakṣituṁ
sā śakyā prabhaviṣṇunāpi hariṇā nāsīc catur-bāhutā ||7||

At the beginning of the Rasa dance, when Krishna hid from the doe-eyed gopis in one of the kunjas, he cleverly disguised himself by taking on the Vishnu four-armed form so that even when they saw him they did not recognize him. But just look at the glory of Radharani’s love, despite being all-powerful . (Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi 5.7, CC 1.17.293).

So, the work of those who reside in Vrindavan is to make the Dham manifest. They do so by perfecting their bhajan at whatever their level of understanding or the strength of their devotion. The innermost circle may be the least visible — those who practice devotion in hiding. Others may preach or engage in welfare work or in cleaning, it does not matter as long as they work to make Radha and Krishna’s abode into a living and breathing reality, inwardly and outwardly into God’s own playground, to make it manifest to as many people as possible.

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Farah/Mathura, 2017.09.20 (Anuja Jaiswall, TNN): A day after former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh claimed that demonetization and hasty implementation of GST was adversely impacting the country’s GDP growth, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday slammed the Congress party and claimed that India was “flourishing” under the Narendra Modi government. “Since Independence those who thought that the country cannot run without them are shocked today as massive strides in development have been taken under the Modi government,” said Yogi, while addressing his first public rally in Braj region after taking charge as the chief minister. The event was part of the UP government’s ongoing commemoration of the birth centenary year of Deen Dayal Upadhyay.

Incidentally, Yogi’s Mathura visit also coincided with his government completing six months in office. “As many as 30 crore Jan Dhan accounts have been opened. Women who hadn’t even seen LPG cylinders have got free connections. Farmers have been provided relief through loan waivers,” he said.

The chief minister also announced to set up a degree college named after Deen Dayal Upadhyay for girls in Nagla Chandrabhan area of Farah in Mathura. He said that once the college comes up, girls will not have to travel for 14km to study. Yogi said that his government had taken several steps to ensure growth and development in the state. “We want to work like the Modi government, which has successfully completed three years in office.”

Lauding Deen Dayal Upadhyay for his contribution in nation building, the CM said, “Panditji is an inspiration for our generation. There is so much to learn from his life. He gave us the mantra of ‘Integral Humanism’, which has been the guiding principle for our government. We are committed to uplifting the poor, Dalits, women and farmers.”

Earlier, UP power minister Shrikant Sharma, who had accompanied Yogi to Mathura, said that law and order situation in the state had improved immensely and 1100 crime accused had been sent to jail and 421 encounters had taken place. Sharma said that if anyone tries to protect criminals, action will be taken against him and this is a clear message to those who have been protecting criminals for the past 15 years.

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Vrindavan, 2017.09.21 (Aman Sharma, Economic Times with other sources) : The Yogi Adityanath government is loosening its purse strings to spend nearly Rs 100 crore to renovate the Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan and nine historic ponds related to Lord Krishna in Braja Mandal. [These plans have been announced previously. Follow the links.]

He said the development work will be taken up by the newly established Braj Teerth Vikas Board.

The ponds, located on the pious parikrama (circumambulation) route around Vrindavan, are in a dilapidated condition with contaminated water found unfit for bathing in a study carried out by the Uttar Pradesh government.

Officials said the plan is to cleanse and beautify these ponds, which are visited by devotees as part of the 84-km parikrama of Braja Mandal, and improve the access and pedestrian facilities to Banke Bihari temple in the town which is one of the most widely-visited pilgrim spots for Hindus in the country.

As per the government, the ponds have great mythological significance.

Vihwal Kund, for instance, is said to be the one where Lord Krishna and Radha met for the first time. The pond is believed to have been formed from the tears that rolled down the eyes of both as they were overwhelmed by each other’s beauty. This kund is in Sanket near Nandagaon.

The Potra pond in Mathura near the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple is said to be the one near which Lord Krishna first appeared.  This is the place where Devaki and Vasudev, the parents of Lord Krishna washed the baby clothes of Lord Krishna.

Govind Kund in Govardhan is the place where Krishna took a bath after lifting the Govardhan

“These ponds are bound by cultural values limited within the parikrama path and hence have immense religious and tourist significance. It is customary for pilgrims who visit the ponds as part of the parikrama to take a sacred dip and move ahead to the next destination,” the state government has said in a proposal for renovation.

Vihwal Kund. Photo: The Braj Foundation

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Vrindavan, 2017.09.21 (VT): Monkeys stole the glasses of Mathura’s Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) on Tuesday. The SSP was outside the Banke Bihari Temple overseeing security arrangements for Yogi Adityanath’s visit when the primate snatched his glasses and absconded.

Police officers made every attempt to apprehend the monkey, but all in vain. According to Inspector Vinod Kumar Pal, the monkey smugly chewed the SSP’s glasses as the police looked on. The glasses were, of course, ruined.

Theft by monkeys is a daily occurrence in Vrindavan’s main markets. The monkeys steal eyeglasses, shoes, phones and other items of worth, hoping to get food in exchange. “Frooti” tetra packs are a particularly popular bribe.

Unfortunately the monkey problem has become serious of late, with about a dozen deaths and hundreds of injuries over the last few years being attributed to the monkeys.

It remains to be seen whether the administration will be able to resolve the situation more effectively than the incident of the SSP’s glasses.

The post Monkey steals SSP’s glasses during Yogi visit appeared first on Vrindavan Today.

Vrindavan, 2017.09.21 (VT): The Haryana Red Cross held a training camp in Vrindavan from 15^th to 20^th September to train 300 girls in first aid, disaster relief and assisting disabled persons. The program included a recital of the Bhagavad Gita by blind Muslim girls, which lasted over 2 hours.

Haryana governor Kaptan Singh Solanki attended the program and was most impressed by the Muslim girls’ recital. He said that everyone should read the Gita for success in life.

The Bhagavad Gita slokas were read during the opening ceremony of the program, along with patriotic songs, Braj folk songs and dances by children. The program organizers hope to raise awareness about life-saving actions like blood and organ donation. The program also provided cultural education about traditional Braj samskars to the visiting Haryana children.

There have been several other impressive incidents concerning Muslim children learning the Bhagavad Gita including a report by Times of India about a 7-year-old blind girl from Delhi who memorised the entire text by listening to the principal of her school recite it.

Asif Siddiqui, who encouraged his daughter to enter a Bhagavad Gita quiz competition run by Mumbai ISKCON, said that he wanted his daughter to learn about other religions so that she can have informed discussions and will not be misled. Mariyam Asif Siddiqui, who was the winner of the competition, said that she enjoyed learning the Gita because it echoed some Muslim teachings. She said that the Gita impressed upon her that, “The path to the truth is non-violent and no one should insult anyone else.”

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Story by K.C. Gupta from Gajiyabad. Published in Banke Bihariji ke chamatkar (“Miraculous stories about Banke Bihariji), ed. Acharya Vilas Chandra Goswami.

We had decided that we would make our annual trip to Vrindavan to take darshan of Bihariji. We took buses from Gaziyabad to Delhi and from there to Mathura. This was in 1956 and in those days there were no direct buses to Vrindavan. Travellers would have to find some other means of getting there — bus, tonga or rickshaw.

When we got down from the bus, I went to the lineup of tonga-wallahs to agree on a fare. I asked one young fellow, “How much to the Bihariji temple?”

“Are you going to hire the tonga by yourself or are you going to share?” He asked back.

“I will take the whole tonga. Tell me how much,” I said.

The young man laughed and said, “Whatever you think is right, give that. You won’t overstrain me, I am sure. Go on, put your luggage on board.”

“Come on now. First tell me what you expect to get,” I said forcefully. “Otherwise we will end up having a quarrel at the end.”

“No no, Babuji,” he said. “Whatever you think is the right amount, you will give it. I won’t argue with you, I promise.”

He helped load our suitcases onto the tonga. I was rather pleased by his good manners and said to him, “Well if you are on the level, then we will hire you for the return journey as well. But that time, you will have to set your price.”

“As you like,” he answered.

And with that the whole family climbed on board.

It took quite a while for the tonga to clear the city and get out onto the road leading to Vrindavan, even though in those days there was no crowded road filled with cars and tuktuks. The tonga driver was very talkative and drove at a leisurely pace. He regaled us with stories of the different temples and other interesting facts about the Dham. We also found ourselves listening to him and getting absorbed. We became so familiar it would have been hard for someone watching to think that we had just met. Our three children were also fascinated by all the new information he was giving and asked him all kinds of questions, like children do. And he would laugh and answer them.

When we got to Vrindavan, the sun was high overhead. It was November and the sun was pale in the sky. As we passed Bihariji’s Bagicha, the tonga-wallah asked a passing sadhu how long it would be before Bihariji’s midday arati. The sadhu answered, “Bhoga has already been offered. You’d better hurry if you still want darshan. I just came back from the temple myself.”

The tonga wallah sped up and in a few minutes we arrived at the narrow entrance of the alleyway leading to the temple. He stopped in front of the police post. Nowadays, the police chowki is named after Banke Bihari, but in those days it was called the Govardhan Gate chowki.

The tonga-wallah said, “Babuji, if you take the children, you won’t get darshan. They are small and will slow you down. It’s late and you will miss darshan if you don’t hurry. Why don’t you leave them with me and I will watch them until you get back. And you can leave your shoes with me also, that way no one at the temple will steal them.”

I thought for a moment and then told my wife to hurry up and get moving. We left the children with the tonga driver.

When we got to the temple, the curtains had been pulled back and the Gosai was letting the devotees look at Bihariji. Then he began raja-bhoga arati. Thousands of voices sang in unison reverberating through the temple compound,

We went to the police post and made a report. Obviously thinking we were fools to have left our children with a complete stranger, the policeman on duty nevertheless gave us some assurances, “Come back in a bit. We will look for them and will give you whatever news we have. We will catch the culprit don’t worry.”

Completely unnerved and exhausted, we returned to Banke Bihari’s temple. The main door was closed. I silently prayed to Bihariji, “Oh Prabhu! What have you done? Is this just? What have you done to us when we came here to take shelter of you. O savior of the miserable, Dinabandhu! Please help us.”

The flow of tears from my wife’s eyes did not stop for a second. We sat by the main door of Bihariji, completely devastated by the situation.

Other visitors to the temple saw us and asked us what had happened. They offered to help. Some people wanted to give money or to help us buy tickets. After all, our suitcases were gone too. But our children had disappeared! What good was money now? We had no option but to depend on Bihariji completely. We had come for him, it was now his responsibility to see us through.

Three hours went by very slowly. Suddenly I saw the tonga-wallah running up the stairs leading to the verandah in front of the main entrance. He ran up to us and threw himself on the ground, putting his head down at our feet, his eyes filled with tears. “Kill me, Babuji. I am a great sinner. Turn me over to the police. Or do with me as you like.”

I immediately roared, “Where are the children?”

“They are with the tonga.”

“Where’s the tonga?”

“It’s standing in front of the Munger temple.”

We practically ran all the way to the Munger temple. The children were unharmed and cheerful. We felt as though our lives had been returned to us.

So now I turned back to the tonga-wallah and asked him what on earth was going on? Why had he taken the children so far away? He began to speak:

“Babuji, I will tell you the whole truth. I won’t hide anything from you. The fact is that I am from Agra. I am a thief and kidnapper. That is my profession. The tonga is just a cover. When you went for darshan then my habit took over and I decided to take the chance and run off with the children and your suitcases. I told the children that I was going to give them a ride around Vrindavan and show them things and started to drive off. But this is as far as I got. I could not go any further and my plan fell apart.”

“Why? What happened?” I asked.

“When I got here and was going to turn west on the Mathura Road I suddenly saw a boy about eight or ten years old. He was dressed like a goala. He stood right in front of the tonga and smiled mysteriously at me. My entire body started to shake and the reins fell out my hand. My head started to spin. I fainted and fell to the ground.

“When I came back to consciousness I immediately came running back here like crazy. I found you and asked for forgiveness. The boy I saw said to me — his words are still ringing in my ears — ‘You fool! You are running off with my devotee’s children. If you don’t give them back right away I will take away your eyesight. I will completely destroy you.'”

The tonga-wallah’s eyes were filled with tears. “I tried over and over again to drive the tonga towards Mathura, but the cowherd boy did not let me move an inch. Now I am at your mercy. Turn me over to the police. I have committed a grievous crime.”

My wife and I took the whole affair as Bihariji’s inconceivable mercy. We forgave him and indeed returned to Mathura that evening in his tonga.

To this day when I remember this event, my body trembles and the hairs stand on end.

The post Banke Bihari and the Tonga-wallah appeared first on Vrindavan Today.

Govardhan, 201709.21 (VT): Under the auspices of Shri Giriraj Seva Trust an amazing offering of chappan bhog will be arranged for Shri Govardhan Maharaj in honor of Sharad Purnima on October 2nd. The preparations for the massive offering have already begun.

This event is a continuation of a twenty-five year tradition. The day before the chappan bhog, on the first of October Shri Giriraj Maharaj will be offered abhishek at the “chappan bhog sthali” with panchamrit and other fine substances. The abhishek will begin at ten in the morning and continue till one in the afternoon, after which Govardhan Maharaj will be dressed and decorated in the Nathdwara style.

On October second at the same place, sants and Vaishnavs will join hands with members of the Trust to offer the chappan bhog. Fifty-six delightful dishes will be offered in 2,111 traditional wicker baskets for the pleasure of Shri Giriraj. The bhog will be prepared with appropriate Vaishnava etiquette by the famous chef Ramesh Halwai of Mathura.

A forty-foot high waterproof pandal has already been erected in preparation for the event.

Source: Dainik Jagran

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Vrindavan, 2017.09.22 (VT): After 17 years of living in fear, a Sadhvi has filed a sexual abuse case against the management of a Vamshivat goshala. Now, with the help of Dr. Lakshmi Gautam, founder of the Kanak Dhara foundation, the Sadhvi has found the courage to file a case, despite the threats against her.

The Sadhvi came to Vrindavan from Madhya Pradesh in the year 2000 and supported herself by selling garlands and singing. The president of the goshala is accused of raping her and keeping her prisoner. She says that the abuse started soon after she started staying at the accused’s ashram, and although she was not physically trapped, she was too terrified to leave. It is only with Dr. Gautam’s help that she has found the courage to escape the cycle of abuse.

Dr. Laxmi Gautam has been nicknamed the “Angel of Vrindavan” for her tireless efforts in the service of Vrindavan’s women, children and particularly the widows, which has also won her awards and accolades from the highest eschelons of the government. DNA India’s Amrita Madhukalya wrote of her efforts in 2015:

For professor Dr. Laxmi Gautam, a normal day begins in the alleys beside the ghats of the Yamuna. She walks the alleys with a fortitude that few can muster, looking for any dead bodies of the widows of Vrindavan with a simple resolution: providing them a dignified end.

Dr Gautam is one of the bravehearts awarded the Nari Shakti Puraskar by President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on International Women’s Day. The award, given out for the first time this year, along with the Stree Shakti Puraskar by the ministry of women and child development, commemorates exceptional contribution by women in various fields and carries a citation of Rs.1,00,000.

Once she finds a dead body, Dr Gautam springs into action. She arranges for a respectable cremation; logs are arranged and last rites are performed. There are days when she lifts dead bodies with her own hands to put them on the pyre. “I’m never scared of the dead; it is the living who frighten me. They can harm you, but not the dead,” she says.

She also looks after the living. Dr Gautam provides for countless abandoned widows; sometimes a warm meal, a blanket, medical needs, and also emotional care, through her NGO Kanak Dhara Foundation.

Dr. Lakshmi Gautam singing with Vrindavan widows

Dr Gautam had served as the deputy mayor in 1995 where she instituted medical help and pension plans for the widows of Vrindavan. Named after her late mother-in-law, the NGO was formed five years ago. Without much financial help, Dr. Gautam looks after the widows on her own. At the moment, three widows live with her in her house where she takes care of them and cooks for them.

“These women are abandoned, left to fend for themselves after their husbands are dead. Several die in penury, and young widows are forced into prostitution,” says Dr. Gautam. In all, Dr. Gautam has ensured that more than 500 widows have been bestowed with a decent cremation.

After the awards, Dr. Gautam met prime minister Modi, who asked her if there was any incident that moved her to tears. “I told him of a call I received on Holi. An 80-year-old woman has been thrown out of her house by her sons without a single piece of clothing. Along the way, all I could think of was how many people would have seen her,” says Dr Gautam. The recounting moved the gathering, and PM Modi, to tears.

But that’s just in a day’s work for Dr Gautam. “I’ve seen worse: dogs eating away abandoned corpses. I’ve washed worm-infested feet of the widows with my own hands before taking them to the hospital,” she says.

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This is a continuing series on the less-frequented temples of Vrindavan. Read Temples of Chhipi Gali (Part 1) here.

Vrindavan, 2017.09.23 (VT): Near the mid-point of Chhipi Gali we found an attractive mandir painted powder blue. The door was locked but we could see a beautiful courtyard inside, with a gorgeous madhu-malati creeper.

A shopkeeper nearby told us there was a doorbell and asked us to ring it. Soon a gentleman in an elegant white dhoti appeared to let us in.

Shri Radharaman Mandir (Nimbark Kot)

350-400 year old deity of Gopalji at Nimbark Kot

The four Kumars

The temple, we learned, is Vrindavan’s historic Nimbark Kot. On the temple’s altar reside the sweetly smiling deities of Shri Radharaman Lal and Radharani. Around the Divine Couple are many other beautiful murtis, including the four Kumars, Hans Bhagwan and Nimbarkacharya. But the oldest is a beautiful Deity of Bal Gopal (baby Krishna), who the caretaker says is about 350 or 400 years old.

The altar once held a deity of Narad Dev too, but unfortunately the murti was stolen by someone who had come for darshan. Perhaps that is why they keep the front door locked, I thought.

Upon request our host Shri Anshuman Gopalji, son of Nimbark Kot’s mahant Shri Vrindavan Bihari Goswami, kindly spoke to us about the temple’s fascinating history.

“We have been celebrating Shri Nimbarkacharya’s utsav for the past 174 years. This tradition was started by Shri Gopaldasji Maharaj.

“Two centuries ago, Shri Gopaldasji Maharaj was a famous exponent of Shrimad Bhagwatam Katha. He used to travel up and down the Ganga River from Badrinath to Allahabad performing Katha.

Shri Gopaldasji Maharaj

“Once when he was performing Katha in Haridwar, Shri Ganga Devi (the Goddess of the Holy River Ganges) appeared to him. She told him that the tradition of Shrimad Bhagwat Katha had all but disappeared in Vrindavan. After the Mughal invasion, the Katha tradition suffered a blow under Muslim supression, and many saints of the Gaudiya Sampraday who performed Katha went into hiding and did their spiritual practices in secret.

“In order to help revive the tradition, Ganga Devi instructed Shri Gopaldasji to come to Vrindavan and perform Katha. He used to perform Katha at Purani Kunj near Bankhandi, and in other places as well. It became his sole mission, and wherever he found three or four people gathered together, Shri Gopaldasji would sit and perform Katha.

‘The acharyas of Tatiya Sthan requested Shri Gopaldasji to arrange a celebration for Shri Nimbarkacharya Jayanti, which falls in the month of Kartik. As they are followers of Swami Haridas, the saints of Tatiya Sthan focus on the acharyas of their lineage who came after Swami Haridas. As Shri Gopaldasji Maharaj was also a Nimbarki, they thought it fitting that he should arrange for Shri Nimbarkacharya’s festival.

“Shi Gopaldasji had the supernatural ability to create gold. He used his powers to make two golden coins and used that wealth to prepare for the celebration. In 1843 AD Shri Gopaldasji Maharaj performed Nimbarkacharya’s utsav for the first time.

Shri Hansdasji Maharaj

“Shri Gopaldasji Maharaj had a disciple named Baba Hansdasji Maharaj, who lived and performed bhajan (spiritual practice) at Vilasgarh in Barsana. Sri Gopaldasji asked Sri Hansdasji to learn his supernatural method of creating gold. However, Sri Hansdasji declined saying, ‘This is Kaliyug. People will take advantage; they may threaten to kill me and force me to make gold for them. I don’t want this occult knowledge. I will beg for alms instead, and use whatever I receive to arrange for the festival.’ And so he did.

“Shri Hansdasji Maharaj left this world about 80 years ago. After him, his disciple Shri Vansidasji Maharaj carried on the tradition, with the help of my Dadaji (grandfather) and his elder brother, who were both his disciples. Shri Vansidasji Maharaj left this world two years ago.

“This temple was built in 1926, and we still continue the festival of Shri Nimbarkacharya today. This year marks the 174th utsav. On Kartik Purnima, Shri Nimbark Bhagwan’s abhishek is held in our temple, and the following day a shobha yatra (procession) goes out from the mandir. It is probably the oldest shobha yatra in Vrindavan, as I am not aware of any records that mention an older one.

“Another special feature of this temple is that it houses a vial of Shri Tulsi Dasji’s charanamrit.”

Shri Ajab Manohar Lal Temple (Bikaner Mandir)

Ajab Manohar Temple Gate

A little further down the lane, walking towards Pratap Bazar, we found another Nimbarki temple which, according to the signage, is under the care of the Government of Rajasthan’s Devasthan Vibhag.

Speaking to the caretaker we learned that the temple was founded 180 years ago by Shri Ajab Lalji, the Raja of Bikaner. The temple deity is named Shri Ajab Manohar Lalji Maharaj.

The deities were fascinating to behold. A sandstone slab contained more information about the temple, but it was worn down and difficult to read. More research is certainly due.

Some other places run in whole or in part by the Rajasthan Devasthan Vibhag in Braj include:

1. Shri Radha-Madhav Temple (Jaipur Mandir), Vrindavan
2. Karauli Kunj, Vrindavan
3. Bheem Kunj, Vrindavan: This temple was built by the rulers of Kota. Bheem Singh was the disciple of Shri Hit Jugal Dasji Maharaj. The Kunj is situated on the banks of the Yamuna, and the Deity’s name is Radhakanta.
4. Kushal Bihari temple in Barsana. This is a major temple on the hill near the Shriji temple, built by the kings of Jaipur.
5. Madan Mohan. Built by Udaipur rulers. Swami Ghat, Mathura.
6. Chatur Shiromani temple. Built by rulers of the Jaipur Riyasat.
7. Radha-Gokulananda, Vrindavan, the responsibility for which was given to the recently departed Sri Purushottam Goswami of Jai Singh Ghera.
8. Bharatpur temple, build by Shri Badan Singh Ji. Keshi Ghat, Vrindavan.
9. Bihariji, Govardhan.
10. Lakshman temple, built by Bharatpur kings. Govardhan
11. Jugal Kishor temple, Barsana.
12. Kishori Shyam temple (Bharatpur temple) in Radha Kund. Also built by Bharatpur rulers.
13. Kunj Parvati Ji, Vrindavan.
14. Rupa Kishor temple, Bankhandi, Vrindavan.

Shri Ajab Manohar Lalji Maharaj

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Vrindavan, 2017.09.23 (VT): Navaratri means ‘nine nights spent worshipping shakti’, the female principle of divine energy. The Navaratri festival takes place twice per year and is currently underway. This year the festival falls from 21^st to 29^th September.

Every Navaratri, crowds gather at popular Durga temples, especially Katyayani temple, where the gopis of Vrindavan are said to have prayed to Mother Durga to get Krishna as their husband.

Srimad Bhagavatam 10.22 includes this prayer from the gopis of Vrindavan:

“Katyayani Mahamaye Mahayoginyadhishwari
Nanda Gopa Sutam Devi Patim Me Kuru Te Nama”

“O Katyayani! Hey! Hey Mahayogini! Oh, all-powerful goddess! We bow down to you and beg you to make the son of Nand our husband.”

The Mother Goddess is also considered to be a Brajwasi herself, as she was born in Gokul as the twin sister of Shri Krishna. The Durga Saptashati 11.42states:

“Nanda gopa grihe jaata yashoda garbha sambavaa“

“I will be born in Nanda’s house from the womb of Yashoda.”

Yogamaya Devi, Shri Radha-Govinda Dev Temple, Vrindavan

Ram lila is also inseparable from Durga lila. Sita and Ram met when Sita was picking flowers for Durga pooja and Sita prayed to Goddess Durga for Sri Ram to become her husband. Sant Tulsidas mentions in Sri Ram Stuti that Sita entered into a state of spiritual ecstasy after worshipping Mother Durga and Sri Ram prayed to Mother Durga for victory before engaging in war with Ravan.

Writing for Hindi Vrindavan Today, historian Tarun Sharma describes the importance of Navaratri, which is celebrated in almost every home in Braj. In the tradition exemplified by Sita Ram, devotees pray to Mother Durga for success before undergoing difficult work.

During Navaratri, the atmosphere in Braj is festive. On the morning of the 8^th and 9^th days, people welcome young girls into their homes and honour them with specially-cooked festival food and gifts. There are street parades and kirtans and an evening fair with rides for children at the showground outside Katyayani temple.

In almost every neighbourhood, temporary Durga temples are erected and children dance in front of the deity. After nine days, the Navaratri deities are dismantled, which serves as a reminder of the impermanence of everything material.

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Story by Vijay Kumar Sharma. Published in Banke Bihariji ke chamatkar (“Miraculous stories about Banke Bihariji), Vol II, ed. Acharya Vilas Chandra Goswami.

This is a story from about 100 years ago. In those days, Vrindavan was still a pretty small town. Running through the middle of it was a dirt road, joining Banke Bihari to the Mathura Road, cutting across the rail line, now known as Gandhi Road.

The area surrounding the rail-crossing, covering present-day Davanala Kund, Kaimar Van and Motijheel, was undeveloped scrub and forest land. There were many ber (Indian jujube), neem, kaith (wood apple) and kareel (caper) trees spread throughout the area.

Jaipur Mandir, Exterior (P.C. radha.name)

The king of Jaipur had a part of this jungle cleared away in order to build the famous Jaipur mandir. It is said that the railway line itself was built in order to transport the sandstone slabs for the temple from Rajasthan.

Because the forest was thick and there was no people living there, not too many people venture in this direction except to go to and from Mathura. Still, there were a few hermits who had built huts near Davanala Kund. Other than going into the village to beg for a few pieces of bread to stave off their hunger, these hermits would stay in their huts and  do their bhajan. And of course, in they would go to Vrindavan for darshan of Bihariji.

One day a group of nomads from Rajasthan set up camp by the side of the railway crossing, in the place where the long wall of Shrauta Muni Nivas ashram is now standing. Among the 25 or so men, women and children of the group was a woman named Mani, “jewel.”

She was short in stature, dark and somewhat weathered, with ordinary features, with hair unkempt and tangled. Who knows when she had last combed them. She had big silver rings in her nose and ears, and wore a heavy silver chain around her neck. She wore a dirty, torn bodice that barely covered her drooping breasts. She was probably about 50 years old. That’s what Mani looked like.

One day Mani went to take darshan of Bihariji. Just on seeing him, something overcame her. She became perfectly still and seemed to lose all connection with the world around her. Bihariji’s large eyes shone like a beam of light at her and she became completely mesmerized by them.

When she returned to the encampment, she came physically, but her mind and soul had been left behind with Bihariji. From then on, waking or sleeping, sitting or moving or doing her daily chores, on her lips was only one prayer, “Hear my plea, Banke Bihariji, hear my plea. (merī suna lo araja śrī bihārījī)” These few words reverberated throughout the nomads’ camp. This song was her bhajan, this was her worship.

Days went by and Mani’s bhajan became stronger. Her thoughts of Bihariji became more intense and her interest in the daily life of the group and conversations with the other women correspondingly decreased.

Mani’s husband was not in good health. She had to take care of him day and night. But throughout it all she never stopped chanting her refrain, “Hear my plea, Banke Bihariji, hear my plea.” (meri sun lo araj shri-banke bihari!)

It was winter. The day had broken, but the morning fog was still so thick that Surya Narayan had not made an appearance. Some of the people in the nomad tribe had gotten up and quietly started their daily routine.

Then out of the fog came voices singing, breaking the fog-bound stillness. “Banke Bihari ! jai ho tihari!”

Slowly piercing the misty curtain came the shadowy forms of several men moving slowly closer to the camp. The kirtan they were singing also got louder and louder. Mani followed along and began singing with them, “Banke Bihari ! jai ho tihari!”

It was the sadhus from those cottages by the Davanala Kund. They had completed their morning ablutions and gone for the darshan of their life and soul, Bihariji. Mani had watched them go and come for many days now. It had been some time since she herself could go for darshan because of her husband’s illness.

As the kirtan approached, she could not keep her feet still and she ran towards the doorway of her hut to watch the singers come closer. As soon as they came into sight it seemed they were already disappearing back into the fog, leaving behind only the sounds of the kirtan ringing in her ears. Who knows how long Mani stood in the doorway, motionless?

Mani had seen them coming and going before, but on this day, just as the group of sadhus was about to disappear into the mist, she suddenly stopped them. “Baba!” she called out.

“What is it, Maiya?” asked the leader of the sadhus.

“Where are you coming from, Baba?” she asked him.

“Why, we’ve just come back from seeing Bihariji’s shringar arati.”

“Oh wonderful! Can you describe him for me? Can you tell me what color dress he was wearing today?” She asked eagerly, “What was his shringar like?”

“What was he wearing?” The babaji was a bit taken aback. “What color?” The sadhus thought a bit, but no one was able to say anything.

Finally one of them said, “Well, we did go for darshan, but we don’t remember what he was wearing.” They looked at each other, frowning, hoping someone would be able to answer her question, but no one came forward. They had no answer.

“We went for darshan, but we don’t remember anything about the color of the dress, or the way he was dressed,” they admitted again.

Mani laughed and said, “So did you go for darshan or just for a stroll to the temple and back? Today Bihariji wore yellow. It was bordered with red and had silver sequins on it. He was wearing a yellow turban! Around his neck he had a Chandrasaini necklace. Go back again and take darshan a second time. Then come back and tell me if I am right or not.”

The men were astonished. She seemed so sure of herself. They talked to each other and decided to test her by going back and seeing for themselves what Bihariji was wearing.

As they turned around, she called to them again, “And yes, ask the Gosai why he did not offer my Ladli laddus when he woke him up this morning. He really loves those motichur laddus made with besan and ghee.”

The group returned silently to Bihariji’s temple and were astonished to see that Mani had been right. Bihariji was dressed exactly as she had described him. The sadhus were amazed at the mercy Bihariji had shown her.

They went up the stairs to the jagamohan where they could get a closer look. The curtain was closed and the Gosai was handing out tulasi garlands to the devotees. One of the babas called out, “Jai Bihari ki!” to attract the Gosai’s attention. “Tell me, Maharaj, did you forget to put motichur laddus in the early morning wake-up bhog offering?”

“Of course I didn’t forget,” said the indignant priest. “I do it every day. Why are you asking?”

In fact, after seeing that Mani was right about the shringar, they expected her to be right about this too.

“Maharaj,” the baba said, “Please just go inside one time and check to see if you made the offering properly. I just need to have my doubt cleared about whether Bihariji got the bhog or not.”

“Well, if you insist, I will go and have a look.” With that, the Gosai went into the inner chamber. He had no reason to think that he had not done his duty that morning. But when he uncovered the offering plate, he saw that there were no laddus on it.

Beads of perspiration came onto his forehead. He came out and said to the sadhu, “Baba, I have committed a great offense today. It is true that I forgot to offer the laddus.”

The sadhus returned to the nomad encampment and praised Mani’s devotion and good fortune. Then they went back to their own kutirs.

For the rest of her days, Mani continued to meditate on Bihariji and when her time came the dust of her body mixed with the dust of Vrindavan. She was not only a jewel in name, Mani, but by the grace of Bihariji, she had also become the crown jewel of his devotees.

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I offer my obeisances unto the Krishna-vedī, the place where the youthful amorous hero Sri Krishna, surrounded by his friends, became a toll-collector for King Cupid one morning and jubilantly played the dāna-pastime by obstructing Sri Gāndharvikā and her girlfriends on the pretext of collecting tax from them on their dairy products.

Stavāmṛta Kaṇā Vyākhyā: In this verse Raghunath Das Goswami praises the Krishna-vedī, the place at the Dāna-ghāṭī of Govardhana hill.

It was here that the crown-jewel of amorous heroes Sri Krishna had a lot of fun by dressingHimself wonderfully as a toll-collector and stopping Sri Radharani and her girlfriends on the road on the pretext of collecting tax from them. For the welfare of Sri Krishna-Baladeva Vasudeva had engaged Bhāgurī Rṣi to commence a great sacrifice near Govinda Kund, at the base of Govardhana hill. It was announced all over Vraja that any gopī who would personally take a jug of ghee on her head and donate it to the sacrifice would certainly have all of her desires fulfilled.

Sri Radharani and her girlfriends took golden jugs with fresh and fragrant ghī on their heads and headed towards Govardhana. Hearing this news from a parrot, Sri Krishna and his dearmost friends went to the peak of Govardhana hill and erected a peerless Dāna Ghāṭī (toll-station) there on a large platform called Śyāma Vedī.

Seeing Sri Radha walking with the charming gait of a swan, decorated with different garments and ornaments, holding a golden jug with ghī on her head, and being surrounded by her girlfriends, Śyāmasundara became enchanted and thought:

Is this a blooming Campaka vine? No, because that does not move! Then is it a lightning strike? No, that also not, because the lightning rests in a cloud in the sky! Then is it a riverstream of effulgence? No, that is also not possible, because that has no form! Then I know for sure that it is Radha coming this way, surrounded by her girlfriends!”

Seeing Sri Krishna, premamayī Sri Radha was also astonished and told her girlfriends –

O fair-faced girlfriends! Is this a fresh raincloud, a fresh sprout of sapphire, a new kind of blue lotus or a musk perfume? No, it is none of these things, because they do not give us so much pain! It must be wonderful Śyāma, the moon of Gokula, there on the hill! (Dāna-keli-cintāmaṇi, 18-20)

Seeing Sri Krishna, Sri Radha, who was overwhelmed by mindstealing feelings of ecstasy, walked on slowly with her girlfriends. Then suddenly Subala came running up to them, stood before them and loudly exclaimed: “O hey you milkmaids! Why are you avoiding this toll-station? Come here and pay your dues!” The proud girls on the road proudly shrugged their shoulders and walked on without even blinking an eye in his direction. At each and every step Srimati extended a net of very powerful influence over Śyāma Nāgara’s mind. Nāgara was enchanted by the sounds of her ornaments! As if bewitched by a mantra, the enchanting toll-collector came running – flute in his hand, a smile on his face, casting sidelong glances. Obstructing the way for Srimati our hero stood there and said: “Pay me my toll!” How beautiful Svāminī looked! How wonderfully she manifested her kilakiñcita-bhāva!

When Sri Radha is obstructed by Sri Krishna on the road to the Dāna Ghāṭī her glance attains some brightness because of her slight smile, which is caused by her inner joy, her eyelashes are studded with teardrops, the corners of her eyes look ruddy, her glances are sprinkled with lusciousness, but become crooked when she faces Sri Krishna, and the pupils of her eyes are crooked in a sweet mood and thus carry an extraordinary beauty. May this kilakiñcita-bhāva in Sri Radha’s eyes, which is like a bouquet of flowers, bestow all auspiciousness on you! (Dāna-keli-kaumudī, 1)

Listen to the description of the emotional ornamentation named kilakiñcita-bhāva. When Sri Radha is decorated with these ornaments she steals Krishna’s heart. When Krishna sees Radha and wants to touch her he goes to the Dāna Ghāṭī and tries to stop her there on the road, and when she comes to pick flowers Krishna tries to lay his hands on her in front of her girlfriends. At all these places the kila kiñcita bhāva awakens in her, starting with joy, which is the primal cause of infused emotions (sañcārī bhāvas).

The other seven ecstasies naturally meet with the first one, and when all the eight ecstasies are found together we have mahābhāva. When these eight different delectable ecstasies, like pride, desire, fear, dry weeping, anger, envy and mild smiling come together, the relish satisfies Krishna’s mind. It is as sweet as Rasālā, which contains yoghurt, rock candy, ghī, honey, black pepper, camphor and cardamom. When Krishna sees Sri Radha’s face and eyes endowed with these feelings it makes him millions of times happier than when he directly unites with her. (CC 2.14.169-174)

Because he hankers for the indescribably sweet relish of Sri Radha’s emotional displays like kilakiñcita Sri Krishna initiates humorous pastimes like the Dāna-līlā. Śyāmasundara speaks with the sakhīs, while Svāminī remains silent. The sakhīs say: “We never heard of a toll station near Govardhana hill before!” Śyāma says: “How amazing! They have never heard yet of the king of toll-collectors named Madana (Cupid)! Don’t speak like that again! If King Madana hears it you will have to suffer a great royal punishment!” How many hundreds of memories are awakened of the wonderful erotic flavours of laughing and joking of the enchanting tollcollector with Sri Gāndharvikā and her girlfriends, when seeing Krishna Vedī in this way. Das Goswami says: “I offer my obeisances unto this Krishna Vedī.”

I praise the Krishna-Vedī, where the crownjewel of relishers becomes a great taxcollector, eagerly desiring to play the Dāna-līlā, and where he always comes in the morning with his friends and has great fun in levying tax from Radha and the Vraja-gopīs. Slightly smiling and saying “Pay me tax of all your yoghurt and ghī on the order of King Cupid, here at this toll-station!”, Nāgarendra stopped the gopīs on the road. When will the day be mine when I can go there with Sri Radhika and her sakhīs?

Devotional songs in Bengali that follow each commentary were composed by Dr. Haripada Sheel.

© Translated by Advaita dāsa in 1994

More of Ananta Das Pandit’s writings in English translation can be found at Tarun Govinda’s blog, Amrita Tarangini.

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Vrindavan, 2017.09.25 (VT): Lakshmirani Kunj, part of Vrindavan’s historic Keshi Ghat, was attacked earlier this week. The current owner of the property Ms. Chandi Duke Heffner was out of the country at the time.

A group of men broke into the Kunj, looting it and burning a portion of the property. The assailants seem to have been targeting the area where files were kept, and a number of important files are reported to have been lost in the fire. The Kunj’s staff members were assaulted. The attackers allegedly prevented staff from feeding and giving water to Ms. Heffner’s animals, and they also ordered her charitable clinic to be shut down.

The harassment continued over the course of several days. One of them reportedly said they would leave the property if Ms. Heffner gave him three crores (30 million) rupees.

The attackers eventually began using bricks to wall off a portion of the Kunj in an apparent effort to take posession of it. At this point, police stepped in and removed the assailants from the premises. Initially it was rumored that hundreds of men assailed the Kunj, while current reports conflict by saying it was either four or twenty men. Two men have been arrested.

The attackers appear to be from Delhi and are trying to assert a claim on the Kunj. They were likely emboldened by the recent death of Ms. Heffner’s friend Mr. KPS Gill. Vrindavan Today has no further information regarding their claim to the property.

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Vrindavan, 2017.09.25 (VT): Yesterday was the disappearance day of Siddha Krishna Das Babaji of Govardhan.

Krishna Das was from a wealthy family in Orissa. When his father died, his mother committed Sati. Just as she was about to climb on the funearal pyre, she blessed Krishna Das that he would become a great devotee of Radha and Krishna.

This made a great impression upon him, and he left home for Vrindavan at the young age of sixteen. There he studied for two years before proceeding to Jaipur, hoping to serve Govinda Dev on the altar. The King of Jaipur granted his permission, and Krishna Das spent about ten years serving Govinda Dev.

However, although Krishna Das was always absorbed in serving Radha and Krishna, he still had physical desires. From time to time, these desires distracted him from his seva, which hurt his heart greatly. He felt that this was happening because the prasad he ate was funded by the Maharajah. And so he left Jaipur for Vrindavan.

In Vrindavan, Krishna Das took to a life of intense vairagya (renunciation). He lived in a dilapidated hut in the forest. He used to beg for flour and mix it with neem leaves. Sometimes he made dough out of this mixture and cooked flatbreads, and sometimes he ate it raw.

Due to lack of nutrition, Baba became very weak and eventually went blind. When his vision left him, he could no longer go to the village to beg. He only drank water from a nearby pond, until he became too weak even to leave his hut.

Seeing his sorry state, Radharani felt compassion for him and sent her sakhi Lalita with a plate of her prasad. After feeding Baba the prasad, Lalita said,

“Baba, why don’t you go for begging?”

“Lali (little girl), I am blind! How can I go?”

“If you could see, would you beg then?”

“Of course I would, Lali. Why wouldn’t I?”

“My father has a magic ointment. If I put it on your eyes, you will see again.”

Lalita Sakhi touched Baba’s eyes and his sight immediately returned. But Lalita had disappeared.

Baba immediately understood that something divine had just happened. Who was that little girl, and why had she left him alone? How did she disappear so suddenly? Would he ever meet her again? Baba was so distraught with separation and overwhelmed with thoughts like these, he simply remained laying in one place without moving for three days.

On the third day, Radharani herself came and granted Baba her darshan. She instructed him to go to Govardhan and reside at Chakleshwar near the bhajan sthali of Sanatan Goswami on the bank of Mansi Ganga.

Once Baba went to take a bath in Mansi Ganga and did not come back. Everyone was afraid he had drowned. But in reality he was lost in the jal keli lila of Radha and Krishna. After seven days, Baba suddenly rose up out of the waters of Mansi Ganga. When people expressed surprise, Baba said, “Why are you so shocked? I just went for a bath and now I am coming back! What is so unusual about that?”

Shri Lalita Sakhi

At Chakleshwar, Baba started learning Sanskrit because he wanted to read the books of the six Goswamis in the original language. But he found that he was unable to perform his devotional practice and study Sanskrit properly. There just wasn’t enough time in the day. He could not abandon his worship, yet his longing to read the six Goswamis’ books  was extremely intense. Unable to find a solution, Baba decided to drown himself in Mansi Ganga.

At dawn, just as Baba was about to drown himself, Sanatan Goswami and Lalita sakhi appeared to him. They blessed him that all the knowledge of the scriptures would be manifest within him spontaneously. They also forbade him to ever contemplate suicide again and placed their feet on his head as a blessing.

Krishna Das Baba became one of the greatest scholars of Braj and wrote many books, which served as a guideline for meditation on Radha and Krishna’s lilas. The most famous of these books is the Gutika. Siddha Baba’s festival is celebrated every year at Chakleshwar in Govardhan.

Excerpts from Siddha Krishna Das Babaji’s Gutika:

How Shri Krishna celebrates his birthday in Eternal Vrindavan

The Yoghurt Fight: Part 2 of Shri Krishna’s Birthday Celebrations

How Shri Radha celebrates her birthday in Eternal Vrindavan

You can also read a more detailed biography of Siddha Krishnadas Baba of Govardhan here.

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