Radha Damodara: Part 2

HH Sacinandana Swami meeting Radha Damodara for the first time

Radha Damodara at Govardhan dressed in outfits handmade by some wonderful devotees


...Continuing from Part 1

And so I had received these incredible deities. The first thing I did was receive permission from my spiritual master to start worshiping Radha and Krishna. It's one thing to be completely unqualified and have blessings from the spiritual master but quite another thing to be unqualified and have no blessings!

Upon receiving blessings, the next thing of priority was to get them painted. I have a wonderful friend in Radhadesh who is very expert in painting deities but the problem was I didn't have any immediate plans to go to Radhadesh. Knowing my ineptitude, Radha Damodara made the most perfect of arrangements.

At the end of November 2007, a dream of mine came true....I was to go spend two and a half weeks in Vrndavana! And inspiration struck...perhaps someone in Vrndavana could paint Them! In speaking to a very dear god sister of mine, Yugala Piriti, she told me about her friend Shatadhama who resides in Vrndavana and whose main service is to paint deities!

After that everything really happened on its own. Since I'd only be in Vrndavana for a short time, one of the first things I did upon arrival was to find this incredible devotee- Shatadhama dd. Seeking the help of some resident Vrajavasis I have the honor of knowing, my best friend Sudevi and I went in search of Shatadhama in the holy dhama of Vraja. I was told that she might be away on parikrama or doing other services but Radha Damodara arranged everything so perfectly that when we arrived at her place she was there. Not only was she there, but even before I could properly introduce myself she asked, "You have deities for me to paint?" WOW! How amazing. Really Vraja dhama is cintamani...

So the next day I introduced Radha Damodara to Shatadhama and left Them in her loving home. A few days later she called me back to see Radharani and it was incredible...love at first sight! Her beautiful big blue eyes just captivated anyone who looked at Her. However Damodara was another story. Even after thoroughly bathing Him, Shatadhama told me of how there were all these marks on his body and suggested that He be painted black!

So having gotten my first glimpse of Them, I left to go on both the Varsana and Govardhana retreats. Shatadhama told me she would bring Them to me in Govardhan and so on the last day of the retreat she came looking effulgent and brought my beautiful Lords back to me....WOW! I couldn't imagine a more fitting place to receive Them. At the most merciful place in the universe- at the feet of Giriraj. I was totally stunned and felt so tiny and unqualified. How lucky am I to be the servant of these beautiful deities.

HH Sacinandana Swami had just finished his class when I had received Them and so I brought Them to him to get his blessings and introduce Them to him. He said that They reminded him of his own incredibly beautiful Radha Kanayalal and that Radha Damodara were deities "you could grow old with".

As if this wasn't amazing enough...some devotees were making beautiful outfits for Radha Kanayalal and upon seeing Radha Damodara they so lovingly made outfits for Them too.

I beg the blessings of the vaisnavas that my service and love for Radha Damodara will ever increase.