Vrindavan, September 25th 2015: When Vrindavan is home of all the tirthas (pilgrimage places), where all the gods take shelter, and then it becomes essential for everyone to keep the holy abode clean. This low profile humble service was recognized even in centuries before. The sweeping or cleaning service of Shri Dham Vrindavan was seen with great respect. To add divineness to this service, the saints of Vrindavan named this service as ‘Sohni Seva’. The tradition of serving Shri Dham Vrindavan with the brooms is being carried in Nidhi Van, Tatiasthan and in some other temples and shrines.
In a time when the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi has stressed in the ‘Swaccha Bharat Mission’, the religious leaderships of Shri Dham Vrindavan began this service voluntarily centuries back. This was the result of this humble service; Shri Shyamananda Goswami Prabhu found the anklet of Shri Radha Rani while sweeping the sacred groves of Shri Dham Vrindavan.
According to Shri Tamal Krishna Das, a saint from Imli Tala Siddha Peeth, “The service was considered as so sacred, that most of the saints of the contemporary time would clean the surroundings of their places voluntarily. It is not just limited to the cleaning, but they identified a place where they would store the brooms (Jhaaru). They even named the place after the brooms as ‘Jhaaru Mandal’. The saints would take up a broom and start cleaning whenever they found time from their daily meditational practices.”
‘Jhaaru Mandal’ became a sacred place where many saints lived in later times. This holy place is also related with another interesting story. An old woman named Radha Dasi also used to live there. She was completely absorbed in the transcendental services of the Divine Couple that she didn’t have any time to earn her livelihood. Therefore she would get up at 3 in the morning to grind the wheat for the brajwasis. She would either get some flour or money in return for her own survival.
It was too much for her adored deities whom she worshipped. Shri Krishna appeared Himself and asked her why she was working in an odd hours when everyone was sleeping.
Radh Dasi replied that she didn’t find any time from her devotional services during the day. Earliest in the morning was the most appropriate time for her grinding wheat. Pleased with her reply Krishna placed His foot firmly on the grinding stone which left permanent imprint on it. The Lord asked her to stop grinding wheat for her livelihood. He said that the devotees would pay offerings on His footprint after having its darshan. She could meet her expenses from the offering.
This place is also known for having the Samadhi of Siddha Balaram Das Baba ji.
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