Only in Vrndavana

The last time I came to Vrndavana I was running around like crazy. I was attending the Varsana and Govardhan retreats and so spent very little time in Vrndavana itself. The few days I spent in Vrndavana were spent in the chaotic madness of Loi Bazaar. This time, I am not travelling so much but instead spending time chanting and taking in the sights and sounds of the dham itself.

Yesterday I saw the funniest thing ever. I was sitting and chanting when I happened to look up to the balcony of a house across the street. There were some clothes hanging on the line, drying in the mid-afternoon sun. At that very moment, a mischevious monkey happen to come by and start pulling on the clothes. Slowly but surely, this monkey started pulling down each of the items on the line and throwing it on the ground. As if that wasn't enough, it took one of the cadars and started wrapping it around its head and over its shoulders. I was laughing like anything. Only in Vrndavana would you see something like this.

I was thinking about this incident a lot while I continued to chant and was thinking, "I'm just like this monkey. I'm always trying to disturb and steal Krsna's things in the form of his energy." While the monkey causes a disturbance to the owner of the clothes by ripping and throwing them on the ground, I cause a disturbance to Krsna by trying to pass off and manipulate his energies like my own. Instead of being a mischevious burden, instead if I could only, and at all times, remember who the REAL owner is, then I could always find a way to use everything in Krsna's service.

Don't Take Krishna Out of Vrndavana!

Today we had an incredible class on the glories of Tulasi Maharani (Please visit www.mayapuracademy.wordpress.com to find out more details about the class).

As we were listening to the class and were hearing about how exalted Vrnda devi is and how she is the personification of humility, Jananivas Prabhu said something really interesting that caught my attention. He was describing how Krishna never leaves Vrndavana. He also mentioned that anyone who claims to be a devotee will never take Krishna out of Vrndavana.

That got me thinking. Srila Prabhupada was so munificient and magnanimous that he brought Vrndavana to so many places around the world. In fact, we are often told that Vrndavana is not just a physical location but a consciousness. Our temples, in particular, should be Vrndavana. That got me reflecting even more. Do we as individual devotees help to contribute to the Vrndavana atmosphere in our local temple?

When we go to the temple our attitude should become, "How can I serve the guests and wonderful vaisnavas." Instead sometimes we find that the temple becomes the "social scene." LOL! Our material inclinations and tendencies that we try to leave behind tend to creep up even in our devotional practices and activities. I know that I am guilty of just "hanging out with my devotee friends at the temple." Not really talking or thinking of Krishna but just talking about all sorts of unrelated topics.

But this point of "If we claim to be a devotee, we should never take Krishna out of Vrndavana" got me really thinking. What more can I do in my local temple to help Krishna feel "at home-in Vrndavana." Sitting here reflecting it comes to me that it means that I become more Krishna-centred and less self-centered. Being here in Sridham Mayapur constantly hearing about Krishna, I am begining to experience some glimpse of how happy one can truly be when one just focuses on Krishna and less about one's own self.

Wishing all of you success on making Krishna feel at home-in Vrndavana.

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.