Vrindavan, 2017.02.05 (Krishnaa Kinkari and VT): The irresistible rhythms of the folk songs called “rasiyas” are synonymous with the Holi season, which started in Vraj on Vasant Panchami. They are characterised by exuberant melodies and repetitive phrases which are very joyful and uplifting.

Most of the songs depict the divine romance of Shri Radha and Krishna. Rasiyas are often sung for the Divine Couple in temples, to the heart-beat of a large, flat Persian frame drum called the daph. 

“Rasiya” is probably the most frequently used word during the Holi season. It refers to the Lord and characterizes Him as a Beau, Lover, Dandy or a very fanciable cheeky Personality who is enchanting and fascinating, dripping with loving sentiment, and the Supreme Enjoyer of His devotees’ love.

Like the word rasik, the root of the word rasiya is of course rasa (रस), which means liquid, delightful juice or the bliss of sacred relationship. Thus Rasiya is the most fitting Name to invoke during Holi as the Lord and His Beloved soak each other completely in the colors of love.

The following four songs are some of the most common rasiyas that you will hear in Vraj during the season of Holi. We hope to provide more such songs throughout this blessed Spring season.

Mriganaini Ko Yaar Naval Rasiya
Poet: Purushottam

मृगनैनी को यार नवल रसिया
अतलस कौ याकें लहँगा सोहै
झूमक सारी मनबसिया

mṛganainī ko yār naval rasiyā
atalas kau yākẽ lahaṅgā sohai
jhūmak sārī manabasiyā

The Youthful Krishna is the Rasiya (Player-Lover) of Holi. His Lady, Shri Radha, is supremely enchanting, with lovely wide eyes like a doe’s. Her gathered skirt is made of reams of fine silk cloth and Her matching veil is sparkly and very pleasing to see.

छोटी छोटी अंगुरिया मुदरी सोहै
बीच आरसी मनबसिया
बाँह बरा बाजबंद सोहै
हियरे हमेल दिपै छतिया

choṭī choṭī aṅguriyā mudarī sohai
bīc ārasī manabasiyā
bā̄h barā bājband sohai
hiyare hamel dipai chatiyā

On Her dainty fingers She is wearing fine rings, and upon one of them is a beautiful mirror [which She uses to sneak glances at Her Beloved]. Her wide armlets are very attractive and a lovely necklace glorifies Her chest.

बड़ी बड़ी अँखियन कजरा सोहै
टेढ़ी चितवनि मेरो मन बसिया
गोरी गोरी बंहियन हरी हरी चुरियाँ
बंद जंगाली मनबसिया

baḍī baḍī ãkhiyan kajarā sohai
ṭeḍhī citavani mero man basiyā
gorī gorī bãhiyan harī harī curiyā̄
band jaṅgālī manabasiyā

Her large eyes are decorated with kajal and Her sidelong glances steal away the heart. Her fair arms are adorned with green bangles, while Her ornate blouse of a lovely blue shade has truly swept away His mind.

रंग महल में सेज बिछाई
लाल पलंग पचरंगा तकिया
पुरुषोत्तम प्रभु की छवि निरखे
सबै छोड़ व्रज में बसिया

raṅg mahal mẽ sej bichāī
lāl palaṅg pacaraṅgā takiyā
puruṣottama prabhu kī chavi nirakhe
sabai choḍ brij mẽ basiyā

Up in Her palace, She has prepared a red sofa with pillows of five colours. The Poet Purushottam says, “Seeing this beauty of the Beloveds, I will leave everything else and simply go to live in Braj.”

Brij Mandal Des Dikhay Rasiya
Poet – Purushottam

ब्रज मंडल देस दिखाय रसिया
तेरे बिरज में मोर बहुत है
कूकत मोर फटै छतिया

brij maṇḍal des dekhāy rasiyā
tere biraj mẽ mor bahut hai
kūkat mor phaṭai chatiyā

Oh Beloved Rasiya ji! Show us Your wonderful Braj land! In Braj there are many peacocks who puff out their chests as they sing.

तेरे बिरज में गैय्या बहुत है
पी पी दूध भई पटिया
तेरे बिरज में ज्वार बाजरौ
हरी हरी मूंग उरद कचिया

tere biraja mẽ gaiyyā bahut hai
pī pī dūdh bhaī paṭiyā
tere biraj mẽ jvār bājarau
harī harī mūṅg urad kaciyā

In Your Braj there are many many cows: by drinking their milk the folk become strong and healthy. In Your Braj grows so much barley, millet, green moong and urad lentils.

तेरे बिरज में बंदर बहुत है
सूनो भवन देख घुसिया
पुरुषोत्तम प्रभु की छबि निरखें
तेरे चरन मेरो मन बसिया

tere biraj mẽ bandar bahut hai
suno bhavan dekh ghusiyā
puruṣottam prabhu kī chabi nirakhẽ
tere caran mero man basiyā

In Your Vraja there are many many monkeys. Whenver they see a house with no-one in it, they go inside to loot! The poet Purushottam now sings, “When I see You, my dear Lord, my heart surrenders at Your feet!”

Meri Chunri Pai Par Gayo Daag Ri
Poet – Vraj Das

मेरी चुनरी पै परि गयो दाग री
ऐसो चटक रंग डार्यो
औरन सों होरी नाँय खेले
याकी मोही सों लग गई लाग री

merī cunarī pai pari gayo dāg rī
aiso caṭak raṅg ḍāryo
āuran sõ horī nā̄y khele
yākī mohī sõ lag gaī lāg rī

[With divine stubbornness, a gopi complains (or perhaps she is actually boasting!)] My entire veil is covered in stains of colour! Such deep dye He used! He does not want to play with anyone else! He has fixed His heart on me alone!

मोंहू सो अधिक और ब्रज सुंदरि
ये मोहि सों खेलै फाग री
बलि ब्रज दास आस ब्रज छोडे
ऐसी होरी में लगि जाय आग री

mõhū so adhik aur brij sundari
ye mohi sõ khelai phāg rī
bali brij dās ās brij choḍe
esī horī mẽ lagi jāy āg rī

There are so many Braj Gopis more beautiful than me, but He only wants to play Holi with me. I feel like leaving Vraj. Let such Holi play go up in flames!

Khaatir Karle Nai Gujariya
Poet – Meghshyam

खातिर करले नई गुजरिया
रसिया आयो तेरे द्वार

khātir karle naī gujariyā
rasiyā āyo tere dvār

“Oh lovely young Lady, Your Beau has arrived at your door; make Him welcome!

यह रसिया तेरे नित नहीं आवें
प्रेम होय जब दरसन पावे
अधरामृत को भोग लगावै
कर महमानी अब मत चूके
समय न बारम्बार

yah rasiyā tere nit nahĩ āvẽ
prem hoy jab darasan pāve
adharāmṛt ko bhog lagāvai
kar mahmānī ab mat cūke
samay na bārambār

This charming Rasiya does not come along every day. Only those who truly love Him get to see Him and taste the nectar of His lips. So, make no mistake; take Your chance and make Him Your guest!

हिरदै की चौकी कर हेली
नेह को चन्दन चरच नवेली
दीक्षा ले बन जइयो चेली
पुतरिन पलंग बिछाय
पलक की करले बंद किवार

hirdai kī caukī kar helī
neh ko candan carac navelī
dīkṣā le ban jaiyo celī
putarin palaṅg bichāy
palak kī karle band kivār

Make Your heart into a chair in which He can sit, oh Sakhi. Caress Him with sandal paste filled with all Your love; take initiation and give up Your home to become His disciple! Spread out a sofa in the pupils of Your eyes and close the door of Your eyelids.

रसिया कहै सोई तू करियो
सोलह कर बत्तीस पहरियो
सास ननद कौ डर मत करियो
दै दै दान सूम की संपति
जीवन है दिन चार

rasiyā kahai soī tū kariyo
solah kar battīs pahariyo
sās nanad kau ḍar mat kariyo
dai dai dān sūm kī saṁpati
jīvan hai din cār

Do exactly what He tells you to without worrying about Your mother or sister in law. Adorn yourself with sixteen types of ornamentation and don Your skirt made with 32 yards of cloth. Don’t be like a miser over wealth! Give Him whatever He asks of You; life is too short!

सबते तोड़ नेह की डोरी
यमुना पार उतर चल गोरी
निदरक खेल्यो करियो होरी
श्याम रंग चढ़ जाय
वा दिना है जाय बेड़ा पार

sabte toḍ neh kī ḍorī
yamunā pār utar cal gorī 
nidarak khelyo kariyo horī
śyām raṅg caḍh jāy
vā dinā hai jāy beḍā pār

Break all Your ties of affection with anyone else. Oh fair One, cross over to the far banks of the Yamuna River and go with Him. There, play Holi fearlessly! The poet Meghshyam now sings, “When You are dyed with that Dark One’s colour, then You will cross the ocean of worldly life!”

[Featured Image by Yugala Priya]

The post Songs for the Holi Season: Some Popular Rasiyas (Part 1) appeared first on Vrindavan Today.

Radha Kund, 2017.01.05 (Vishakha Dasi for VT): The village of Karhala is the the home town of Champaklata Sakhi, one of Shri Radharani’s eight close female friends (ashtasakhis). It is near Barsana, not far from Vishakha Sakhi’s village, Kamai.

To reach Karhala you need to take a rural road, which resembles a tunnel flanked on both sides by tall thorn bushes, which, I must warn you, will scratch your car abundantly, but through which you will get intermittent visions of beautiful green fields.

Champaklata Sakhi in Karhala

Once you reach the village, you must wind your way through the very narrow and muddy streets, asking locals the way until you find a white wall with an open gateway.

Inside is the spacious, very clean and peaceful campus of Champaklata Sakhi’s temple. Nearby is a large jhula (swing) and a lake called Kankan Kund. And directly in front of the temple, adjoining it, is a large raas manch (Raas Lila Stage) where the yugal mahamantra is sung to the constant beats of the dholak.

The Temple

According to residents of Karhala, this is the birthplace of the Raas Lila tradition. (You can read more about the different possible origins and inspirations for the tradition here). It originated with a saint named Shri Ghamand (Uddhav) Devacharya. Shri Ghamand Devacharya was from the Nimbark Sampradaya; one of the twelve disciples of Shri Harivyas Devacharya.

About five hundred years ago, with the rediscovery and renewal of the bhakti tradition in Vraj, Vaishnavs from many different places began to visit the holy land on pilgrimage. However, few were able to understand the native dialect, Braj Bhasha. The language barrier meant they were also unable to understand and relish many sacred texts which reveal the eternal lila of Shri Radha and Krishna.

Thus there was a need to present the lila in a way that was beyond language. And so, Shri Ghamand Devacharya developed the concept of the Raas Lila; or I should say, Shri Krishna caused it to be manifested through him.

Since that time, Brajwasi Brahmin boys take on the roles of Shri Radha and Krishna and Their companions, to present the vani of the rasik saints onstage. This is more properly called Raas Lila anukaran: a depiction, if you will, of the eternal Raas Lila and other lilas of Shri Radha and Krishna.

Nauka Vilas (Boat) Lila – Copyright John Stratton Hawley

On my first visit to Karahala village, we met the priest of Champaklata Sakhi’s temple. He was short in stature with a very gentle presence, and a voice that was sweetly rough in a way that only Brajwasi voices can be. He had startling bright blue eyes and his name, he said, was “Radhe.”

“Your name is Radhe?” I asked, “Not Radha Vallabh or Radha Kant or something?”

“No, just Radhe.”

Radhe

A couple years later when we visited again, I remember asking him if he had been in Raas Lila plays when he was a child. He said yes, that he had portrayed Radharani. I also clearly remember how, when I touched his feet, he was wearing the most amazing slippers creatively sewn from plastic cement bags.

The last time we visited, Radhe was not there. We were told he had left to serve Shri Radha and Krishna in another village. But I digress.

Gesturing towards a large painting on the altar, Radhe explained the lila it depicted with the fluidity of a person who had told the tale hundreds of times.

When Shri Krishna decided to initiate the Raas Lila tradition, He came to Ghamand Devacharya ji and instructed him thus:

“Bring young Brahmin boys from Karhala village and teach them to enact My lilas. I give you one of My crowns, along with the crown of my Beloved Shri Radha. When the performance is about to begin, place Our crowns on the boys’ heads.

“At that moment My Beloved and I will manifest through the children to enact Our lila and bless the devotees.

Ghamand Devacharya did as Shri Krishna instructed. He found two handsome, talented and intelligent young lads – one dark and one fair. After taking their parents’ permission, he trained them in the roles of Radha and Krishna. When he felt they were fully ready, Ghamand Devacharya ji made preparations for them to perform in public.

The night before the Raas Lila was to debut, Shri Ghamand Devacharya suddenly felt that he should have the boys try on the crowns. Perhaps he wanted to test whether or not Shri Radha and Krishna would really appear. But the moment he placed the crowns on the two boys’ heads, they vanished without a trace!

Ghamand Devacharyaji was shocked and extremely upset. He started crying. His weeping was so pitiful that Shri Krishna felt compelled to return and help him.

“What happened? Why are you crying?” asked Shri Krishna.

“I placed the crowns on the boys’ heads just as You said. But when I did, the boys vanished!”

“I see,” said Shri Krishna. “Well, what is the problem?”

“There is a very big problem! What about the boys’ parents? What will I say to them? Shall I tell them that You have given me a crown, and that when I placed it on their children’s heads, they disappeared? Surely they will die of sadness, but not before killing me too. Please, oh Dearest One, please have mercy and bring the boys back!”

Shri Krishna grinned broadly and replied, “The boys are in Golok now. They aren’t coming back. But don’t worry. My Beloved and I will personally enact the Raas Lila tomorrow in front of the audience. And thereafter, we will stay in Karhala and live in the homes of those two boys.”

In this way, Shri Radha and Krishna played the role of those two boys for the rest of what would have been their natural lives.

Shri Radha and Krishna in Karhala

A Resident of Karhala gaon

The post Karhala Village, Origin of the Raas Lila Tradition appeared first on Vrindavan Today.

2017.01.30 (VT): The Vrindavan municipality didn’t get any relief from the Supreme Court on the Environment Compensation imposed on it by the National Green Tribunal.

The Apex Court has instead asked the government’s counsel to deposit the compensation amount in the registry of the Supreme Court. The court has also asked the counsel to submit the status report within two weeks’ time.

The appeal was called on hearing on 30th January, 2017, before the bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Prafulla C. Pant.

The Vrindavan Municipality had approached the Supreme Court of India by filing an appeal with the Apex court against the order of the National Green Tribunal, which had imposed an environment compensation of Rs. 5 lakhs each upon the District Administration, as well as the Vrindavan Municipality.

Apart from these two agencies, the Green Court had imposed a compensation of one lakh rupees on the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board and Rs. 50,000 on the Sate Government of Uttar Pradesh.

In its judgment, the National Green Tribunal had said, “There shall be total prohibition on the dumping and/or burning of municipal solid waste in any street at any place near the water bodies, market or residential areas. The waste shall be collected by the local authorities on a daily basis and dumped at the site strictly in accordance with Municipal Solid Waste Rules, 2000.”

When no effective steps were taken by the municipality in compliance with its order, the NGT imposed an environmental compensation on the Municipality and other government bodies.

Talking to VT, the petitioner Madhumangal Shukla said, “I have full trust in our judiciary. It has always provided a safeguard to the environmental concerns. I trust that Honorable Supreme Court will pass such an order that the Municipality will be compelled to maintain the cleanliness of the Holy Dham, which is visited by thousands of devotees every year.”

The post No relief on Environment Compensation from Supreme Court appeared first on Vrindavan Today.

We eagerly yearn to see Tāṇḍavika (ताण्डविक), the king of peacocks, remembering how he blossomed in joy whilst hearing Krishna’s flutesong, and how he delighted the Divine Couple by spreading out his feathers and engaging in a festival of dance before the gate of Their forest haven (nikuñj) on the bank of Sri Radhakuṇḍa.

VERSE 50:

sphītas tāṇḍaviko harer muralikā nādena nṛtyotsavaṁ
ghūrṇaccāru śikhaṇḍa valgu sarasī tīre nikuïjāgrataḥ
tanvan kuïja vihāriṇoḥ sukha-bharaṁ sampādayed yas tayoḥ
smṛtvā taṁ śikhi-rājam utsukatayā bāḍhaṁ didṛkṣāmahe

Stavāmṛta Kaṇā Vyākhyā:  In this verse, Das Goswami praises Sri Krishna’s beloved peacock Tāṇḍavika. All the animals, birds, trees and vines in Vraja are Sri Radha-Mādhava’s playmates, and the Divine Pair considers them all Their very own. They have a sweet relationship with each of them, and thus the flavours of Their pastimes are nourished.

Tāṇḍavika is Sri Krishna’s beloved peacock. When Tāṇḍavika hears Sri Krishna’s flutesong he spreads out his feathers and shows the wonderful sweetness of his dancing.

From Śrīmad Bhāgavata‘s ‘Veṇu-Gīti‘-chapter we learn how the Vraja-gopīs, in their pūrva-rāga (preliminary stage of love) experienced the sweet dancing of the peacocks when they heard Sri Govinda’s flute – govinda veṇum anu matta mayūra nṛtyaṁ prekṣādri sānvaparatānya samasta sattvam (Bhāg. 10.21.10)

The purport of this verse is that when Sri Krishna came to the forest and began to play his flute, the peacocks took him to be a fresh monsooncloud, his dress to be lightning and his flutesong to be the soft rumbling of the clouds, and they began to dance in ecstatic love, extending their feathers.

Then Sri Krishna increased their enthusiasm by playing his flute even more blissfully. In this way, Sri Krishna’s flute-playing and the dancing of the peacocks reveal a wonderful transcendental bliss, which causes all the different birds and animals of the forest to become immersed in utmost ecstasy.

Speechless and motionless, all the animals stand in the pasture at Govardhana hill, relishing the mellows of Sri Krishna’s flute-playing and the dancing of the peacocks as spectators.

When the peacocks blissfully spread out their feathers and start dancing, some of their feathers fall out, making Sri Krishna think: “These peacocks are pleased with my flute playing and are giving me presents in the form of these nicely coloured peacock feathers. It is as if they are saying: “Oh Vrajendra Nandan! We are just birds! We don’t have any jewels and money, but the people love our feathers. Being pleased with Your flute playing we are offering You these colourful peacock feathers as presents. Will You accept this humble offering?” Vraja Rāj Nandan then devotedly wears these loving offerings on his head. Hence he is called Śikhi-piñcha-maulī (He Who wears peacock feathers).

When Sri Krishna tucks these peacock feathers in his crown all the mobile and immobile creatures become enchanted by his beauty and the peacocks, considering themselves fortunate, dance in even greater loving ecstasy!

This verse praises Vrindavan’s greatest peacock Tāṇḍavika. Tāṇḍavika plays a very beautiful role in the pastimes of the Divine Pair.

During the kuñja bhaṅga-pastime[1] he awakens the fear in Their hearts that some unwanted, adverse person is coming by crying out ‘ke-o’ ‘ke-o’, [Who goes there?] and thus he urges Them to return home.

When the Divine Pair meets, he awakens desires for romance in Them with his dancing. And how much bliss he gives to the Divine Pair and Their sakhīs when he is put at stake during gambling matches like the dice-game!

And then again, when Sri Radha and her girlfriends see Tāṇḍavika when they are separated from Sri Krishna, they can understand that Krishna must be nearby.

This verse depicts the remembrance of a sweet pastime that was perceived one day. The Divine Pair was once enjoying Themselves freely and sweetly in the woods around Sri Radhakuṇḍa at noontime. Sri Radha-Mādhava entered into the forest named Varṣāharṣa (joy of the monsoon), where the sky was covered by garlands of monsoon clouds, rain was pouring down incessantly, and the directions were filled with Kadamba, Arjuna, and other trees.

The monsoon-season, like a sakhī, arrived to render her service to the Divine Pair, wearing a black dress in the form dark rain-filled clouds, embroidered with golden threads of lightning, adorned by a pearl necklace in the form of a row of ducks and jeweled ornaments in the form of the rainbow with its multi-coloured beams of blue, yellow and red.

After admiring the beauty of the monsoon forest, the Divine Pair sat down on a jeweled throne in a kuñj, where the sakhīs and mañjarīs became absorbed in their seva.

Meanwhile Tāṇḍavika, the king of peacocks, entered the courtyard of the kuñja and began to dance sweetly, to inspire the Divine Pair embrace each other. How wonderfully sweet, the way the deep rumbling of the clouds is decorated by the soft sound of the fresh Krishna-cloud’s Muralī-flute!

In the sky, there is a garland of clouds inset with restless lightning strikes, and ahead, in the kuñja, is a fresh Krishna-cloud embraced by Sri Radha, who has the luster a millions times more beautiful than the lightning’s gold! There is  no limit to Tāṇḍavika’s joy!

The king of peacocks, Tāṇḍavika, dances in an enchanting way, turning and turning amidst an abundance of enchanting flowers. Sri Radha-Mādhava are fascinated to behold Tāṇḍavika’s dance.

Remembering this pastime, Das Goswami says: “Remembering this Tāṇḍavika I eagerly yearn to see him!” Along with seeing Tāṇḍavika’s dancing, Das Goswami is eager to see the sweetness of the pastimes of the Divine Pair.

mohana muralī nāde rādhākuṇḍa tīre;
parānande mātiyā ye nikuñjera dvāre
puccha pasāriyā ghuri nṛtyotsava raṅge;
sukha dāna koriteche śrī rādhā govinde
sei śikhi-rāja śreṣṭha ‘tāṇḍavika’ nāma;
nitya daraśana lāgi ākulita prāṇa

“With an anxious heart I always yearn to see the greatest king of peacocks named ‘Tāṇḍavika’, who delights Sri Radha-Govinda by spreading out his tail and swaying in a festival of ecstatic intoxicated dance at the gate of the nikuñja on the bank of Sri Radhakuṇḍa, accompanied by the enchanting sound of the Muralī-flute.”

[1] Radha and Krishna’s pastime of awakening, occuring between 3.36 and 6a.m., described in the opening chapters of Govinda Līlāmṛta and Krishna Bhāvanāmṛta.

© Translated by Advaita dāsa in 1994
Source: Tarun Govinda Das, Flowing Nectar Stream blog.
(Slightly altered by the editor for Vrindavan Today)

The commentary of Sri Radha Kund Mahant, Pandit Sri Ananta Das Babaji Maharaj, is named Stavāmṛta Kaṇā Vyākhyā (a drop of the nectar of Stavāvalī).

It was published in Gaurābda 503 (1989 A.D.) by Sri Krishna Chaitanya Shastra Mandir, Vrajananda Ghera, PO Radhakunda (district Mathura), U.P., India.

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

The post Krishna’s Peacock, Tandavika appeared first on Vrindavan Today.

Radha Kund, 2017.02.06 (Vishakha Dasi for VT): Last week Shri Sitram Bharadwaj kindly shared with me about his experiences as part of the Pushtimargiya Shri Krishnalila Sansthan in Vrindavan.

I am not sure he realizes this, but it was kind of a dream come true for me. When I saw the group perform for the first time at the Sandipani Muni School around 2009, I was absolutely blown away by the expertise and heart they brought to their art.

And when the late Shyam Das and Krishnaa Kinkari Devi presented a Raaslila play about the great saint Ras Khan’s life story, it was Sitaramji in the title role. That was a particularly glorious performance. Ever since then, I had wished for a chance to learn more from them.

The Pushtimargiya Shri Krishnalila Sansthan of which Sitaramji is a part, also produces English translations of Pushti Marg literature through their publishing company Vraja Kishori Publications. Excerpts from those translations are a regular feature here at Vrindavan Today.

With the proceeds from book sales, they serve the community in various ways through charitable distributions and supporting children’s education.

But what is most interesting to me is their new project – a Raas Lila school where interested devotees and the children of Raasdhari families can go to learn the traditional music, dance and literature of Braj.

So far, they have started offering voice lessons at their property on the banks of the Shri Yamuna River near Madanmohan Temple. The lessons are taught by a young gentleman named Deveshji – Sitaramji’s son who recently portrayed Radharani in their productions. Deveshji is currently teaching several students including a few foreign devotees from the Jiva Institute.

I also took advantage of the chance by signing up for his class. And that is how I got the opportunity to do this interview with his father, Sitaramji.

(If you would like to learn the traditional music of Braj from these expert artists, please contact Pandit Ghanshyamdas at (0)941-228-0802)

Shri Sitaram Bharadwaj

V: When did your family start performing Raaslila?

SB: Our family has been doing this for 125 years. It began with my grandfather, who was a famous sarangi player of Braj. His name was Swami Lakshman Prasadji.

V: Why Raaslila?

SB: The tradition of Raaslila anukaran originates in the Shrimad Bhagwat. The gopis performed the Raaslila, and the first Raaslila anukaran was also from them. [Sitaramji was referring to the chapter in Raas Panchadhyayi where the gopis act out Shri Krishna’s pastimes in a state of total absorption in the grief of separation from Him.]

After that, in Nimbark Sampraday there was Shri Ghamand Devacharya. Shri Thakurji appeared to him and gave him His crown, and instructed him to perform this Raaslila. But when he placed the crown on the boy’s head, the children disappeared. You know this story… you must have gone to Karhala before. [Read the story here].

From that time, the Raaslila tradition really began. When Shri Acharya Charan (Shri Gusainji Shri Vitthalnathji) came to Vraj, he also called the Raasdharis to perform. Since Chandra Sarovar was one of the places where the Maha Raas occurred, Shri Acharya Charan came with his sons, Shri Balgopalji, Shri Giridharji, and others to watch Raaslila there. It is a very old tradition.

One can say, just as Shri Shukdev Goswami spoke the Bhagwat, and after that the tradition of Bhagwat Katha was passed down through guru-parampara (the lineage of gurus), and still today Shrimad Bhagwat Katha is performed – in the same way, the Raaslila tradition has been passed down from one generation to the next in an unbroken succession, and still today this tradition is maintained by Brajwasi Brahmins.

Our ancestor, Swami Lakshman Prasadji created a Raasmandali, or a Raas Lila anukaran mandal (group). But the Raaslila tradition itself, which he followed, is from beginningless time. Our family is continuing the tradition set by our grandfather. We are now in the fourth generation.

V: The audience at a Raaslila have a particular experience. Some people in the audience may be feeling that, this is actually Thakurji onstage, this is actually Radharani Herself, this is actually Ras Khan, and so forth. But I would like to know, what is your experience? For example, if some great saint of Braj is sitting in the audience and watching, feeling that you are Radharani… I can understand this may be a private question and I can understand if you don’t want to answer. But I was wondering, how does that feel?

SB: Listen, Vishakhaji, I will tell you about that experience. Whatever feelings there are, happen on their own. Whichever swaroop (divine Person) we portray, we have to become completely absorbed in Their feelings and dive into that swaroop.

Like during the Maha Raas, the gopis were completely absorbed. One gopi said that “I am Kanhaiya,” and she began to act like Kanhaiya; one said “I am Balaram,” and she acted as Balram; one said “I am Yashoda,” and she acted as Yashoda. This is anukaran. We perform as in a play, but from time to time by the Lord’s grace, such feelings come that when we are portraying a part, we have no recollection whatsoever that we are on the stage and performing a play. The feelings come within the heart, for Shri Thakurji or for Shri Radharani, as if we are completely immersed in Ras Khan or whomever.

The play is happening, the saints are sitting in the audience and we are presenting some jhanki of Thakurji, but at that moment a special feeling comes within the heart and with that bhav we portray the scene. And later, when we change out of our costumes, we cherish those moments of bhaav from the heart. Whether it was for two seconds, five seconds, ten minutes or fifteen minutes, those moments are very beautiful for us, because we feel that that day, for that amount of time, through the medium of Raaslila anukaran, we were connected with Thakurji.

Yes, there are also some instances, which happened in front of my eyes, that a boy is in Kanhaiya’s swaroop, and a devotee comes and says, “I am in great pain, please help me”… and Thakurji says, absorbed in who knows what bhaav, “It shall be done.” And later we find out that indeed, the needful happened for that person. But unless and until one has bhaav towards the swaroop…

See, the saints and rasiks and devotees sitting in the audience are ascending the stairway of upasana (spiritual practice and worship). If someone is sincerely following the path of upasana, on any bhakti path, this Raaslila is for him or her. If I see you in the audience and think, “There is Vishakha sitting there…” Or, see, [gesturing to Deveshji], this is my son but when he is in the swaroop of Radharani, or a gopi, as long as he is in that swaroop, I should keep that bhaav towards him. If I keep that bhaav, then my upsansa will be nourished. If I do not, then it will be just like any other material interaction.

The devotees in the audience [who have this mood] receive great nourishment for their upasana. If you read Shrimad Bhagwat or other scriptures, then you are only performing shravan. Shravan means to listen, for example hearing Shrimad Bhagwat or a discource by any saint. Or when you read, you get bliss from that reading. But Raaslila is such a medium that it gives you shravan, darshan, gun and chintan as well. You get everything all together.

Just as amongst the nine rasas – hasya, virya, shringar, etc… one famous saint of Vraj said in a beautiful verse:

nav ras mein kaviyan kahyao
saras adhik shringar
tahu me puni ati saras
so yaha raas vihar

Amongst the nine rasas, shringaar ras (the romantic mood) is foremost. But above even Shringar ras is Thakurji’s Raas Lila.

If you see with laukik (materialistic) bhaav, it is a downward path. The bhaav [towards Thakurji’s divine romance] is rooted in the understanding that Shri Radha is Krisha’s atma – His Soul. Where paramatma and His atma meet, there is no kaam (lust or desire). There is only sukhanubhuti (the experience of supreme bliss). It is the loving Union of the Supreme Soul with His very own Soul. This is the mood.

The devotees who are sitting in the audience and watching Thakurji’s nitya vihar are experiencing the meeting of Thakurji with His own Soul. We must not approach this with a materialistic mood. Those that do are brought low, but those who approach this lila with bhav attain the supreme end.

V: Have you been in Raslilas since your childhood?

SB: Yes.

V: At what age did you start?

SB: When I was four years old.

V: What did you do at four years old?

SB: First I appeared in a gopi swaroop. After that, when I got a little bit older, I started to portray Thakurji. Our mood is that when a child reaches the age of sixteen or seventeen, they remove that boy from the role of Thakurji and place a new boy, who till then had portrayed child Krishna, in his role. My grandfather felt that a boy may portray Thakurji only as long as laukik vichar (worldly thoughts, ie. about men and women) has not entered his heart.

Before, there was also a tradition that when the role of Thakurji was bestowed upon a boy… like my elder brother before me, and after me Ghanshyamji – we have all taken the swaroop of Thakurji… so at that time, a Brahmin Bhojan would be held, and the crown of Shri Thakurji was bestowed upon the boy by the hands of a saint, thus initating him into the role. And the child would also be bathed in panchamrit, just as abhishek is performed for the Deity in a temple. And as long as he donned the crown of Thakurji, he was not to portray any other part other than that of Shri Krishna.

V: That was before? Not anymore?

SB: In our family it is still done. I cannot say say anything about other mandalis, but we follow the tradition, and we will continue to do so as long as Thakurji thus blesses us.

It’s a wonderful thing. I started at the age of four and now I am forty-six. My whole life has passed with this [Raas Lila] as my seva, my karm, my dharm. This has been my life, and going forward, my hope is that I may continue serving Shri Girirajji in this way until He calls me to His lotus feet. What could be more wonderful than that?

V: Do you have a favorite lila?

SB: Yes, for me the most beautiful one is the conversation between Uddhav and the gopis. It is compeltely absorbing from the start and whether it lasts for three hours, four hours, five, six, seven, eight… even sometimes it goes on for ten hours; still it is completely consuming, and it feels as if we are in that Braj four and a half thousand yers ago, when Kanhaiya lived here [in manifest lila]. And we imagine at that time how, if Brajwasis today, simply reinacting that lila come to the point where we cannot stop our tears… if we had been there at that time and our Kanhaiya had left our Braj… what must have been the state of the Brajwasis then?

The poets have spoken that the tears of the gopis became another Yamuna River. And it is actually true. And whenever I see this lila, whether in Vraj or abroad in Gujarat, or any other place, I cannot forget that sight and for two or three days afterward, the memory persists in my heart and I continuously relish it.

Vishakhaji, people cry for this material world – that this is my mother, this is my father, this is my brother. But if a few tears fall in remembrance of Shri Thakurji, the bliss of that is so much greater [than anything in this world]. For us, this Raas Lila is pooja. It is just like how a sadhu chants naam jap, and however much naam he chants, that is accumulated in his account. No one can take that wealth away from him. In the same way, we feel that during the time of anukaran, when we were there in Thakurji’s presence or we received that bhaav, then that is accumulated wealth for us, and no one can take it away.

V: There are so many songs about Uddhav lila, especially by Surdasjii. Do you have a favorite song from Uddhav Lila?

SB: Yes, there are many pads of Surdasji and we perform them, but more or less we can say that however many poets there are, most of them have written something on Uddhav lila. But yes, there is one particular pad on Uddhav Lila by Surdasji.

In that song, Uddhav Ji comes to Vraj, and he is telling Yashoda that Kanhaiya has sent a message.

kaan kahyo sun yasomat maiya
avenge din paanch saat me hari-haladhar do bhaiya

Uddhav explains that Kanhaiya has said, “Don’t worrry! I and Dau Bhaiya will come home in just five or seven days.”

There is a line in this song where Kanhaiya says to Yashoda Maiya:

praat na kiyao kaleu maine, sanjh na pii gaiya
ja din te mai tum te bicaro, kaahu na kahi kanhaiya

Kanhaiya is saying, “Mother, you used to feed Me breakfast with your own hands. But since I left Braj, I never ate breakfast again. And never again did I drink milk as in the evening, at the time of milking cows, you used to feed Me milk straight from the cow’s udder – one stream into the dohani (pot) and one into My mouth.

“And Mother, since I have left Braj and left you, nobody has called me Kanhaiya. They call Me Mathura Nath, or Mathuradheesh, or Maharaj. But the way you called me so lovingly, “Kyo re Kanua? Kanhaiya…” Nobody has called me so sweetly till today.” For me, this pad of Surdasji is the most beautiful.

In the end, the bhav we experience [in Raas Lila anukaran] is completely dependent on Shri Thakurji’s grace. Sometimes it also happens that the lila is going on but, by Thakurji’s grace, the bhaav doesn’t come. And at other times, we perform and the bhaav arises in the heart all on its own. But this happens only by Thakurji’s grace.

The post A View from the Raaslila Stage with Shri Sitaram Bharadwaj appeared first on Vrindavan Today.

This is the continuing serialization of 252 Vaishnavan ki varta, the lives of the saints following Vitthalnath, son of Vallabhacharya. It has been translated from the original Braj Bhasha by Krishnaa Kinkari Devi. This is the final section of the fifth varta, part 7-9. See previous.

**Part 7**

The beautiful cloth that Narayandas sent to Sri Gusainji was accepted into the Seva of Sri Nathaji and Sri Gusainji’s Sri Thakurji at home, for Sri Gusainji and his seven sons. Some of it was left over, and out of that Narayandas had a turban sent, the threads of which could only be seen if sprinkled with a little water.

Narayandas sent such a lovely lightweight [of only 50 grams] turban to Sri Gusainji every year. The turban was such that if it was wet it would immediately become dry whilst tying it on. If one soaked it water and put it down on the floor for it to dry, it would become invisible. One would have to sprinkle water on it to be able to see it. That was how fine the cloth was.

**Part 8**

At one time, there arose a necessity for funds for the store. Narayandas was sent a letter asking for the amount.

It took the messenger three days to reach Narayandas. Narayandas, however, had already sent a cheque to Sri Gusainji, which reached there at this same time. Champabhai the store manager went to Sri Gusainji and informed him, “O, Maharaj! We sent a request to Narayandas for funds, but he had already sent a cheque which has just arrived. What should I do?”

Sri Gusainji replied, “send one man to bring back the first demand.”

Champabhai said, “The man who went in the first place will already have reached that far place. Where would he meet the man we will send now to tell him to retract the request?”

Sri Gusainji said, “Well, alright, what has been done has been done.”

On the day that the letter requesting funds Sri Gusainji had sent arrived, Narayandas had a celebration. He made a huge donation, saying to Viram, “Sri Gusainji has greatly blessed me today by thinking of me as his own and asking for a donation.”

Narayandas was very happy. He fulfilled the request and sent the messenger back after feeding him Mahaprasad. Narayandas sent this letter to Sri Gusainji with that messenger:

“O, Maharaj, after so many days you have showered your blessings on me today. I am the fallen servant of your servants.” Narayandas filled that letter with such humble statements. The messenger returned to Sri Gusainji and presented the letter to him. Champabhai read it out loud. He presented the donation contained therein to Sri Gusainji and bowed to Sri Gusainji on behalf of Narayandas.

Sri Gusainji was most delighted to receive the letter from Narayandas. Indeed, Narayandas was the recipient of great grace from Sri Gusainji.

**Part 9**

On one occasion, Narayandas wrote a letter to Chacha Harivamsaji in which he asked how much were Sri Gusainji’s expenses for one whole year.

“Please write to inform me and I will regularly send that very amount to him.”

Narayandas sent this letter with one of his own house employees to Harivamsaji, who was very happy to read it and who then presented to Sri Gusainji.

Having read it Sri Gusainji pronounced, “This Vaishnava was very nice, but now he has become useless. How can an embodied soul possibly provide all the expenses for my house? These expenses are provided by the Provider alone.”

Chachaji did not write this reply in his letter. He simply wrote that he would reply after some time.

Some days later, Narayandas fell prey to a disease. The Patshah came to Narayandas’ house to see him. He announced that he would give whatever they asked for to anyone who could heal Narayandas, although he knew that what the Lord wishes can not be forcibly changed. Then the Patshah consoled Narayandas’wife Viram, saying that she should not worry about anything because he would provide for her for the rest of her life, because she was his spiritual daughter.

“I will look after you in the same way as I look after my own daughter. So do not worry about anything.” Having said this the Patshah returned home.

Narayandas advised his wife, “Please make Sri Thakurji’s Seva in the best possible way. She replied, “If the Lord allows me to serve Him in the same way that I have always done then I shall indeed make His Seva.”

**Bhavaprakasha**

Here is the meaning of her statement: “Up till this day I have always thought of Sri Thakurji as my very husband and dressed up in the sixteen wifely adornments whilst serving Him. When you leave your body, I will not be expected to don these adornments because people will be opposed to this. Therefore, I prefer to return to the Eternal Lila along with you.” This is the inner meaning of her statement.

**Part 9 continued**

Narayandas became very worried. He lay on the ground for three days.

On the fourth day Viram bathed and entered Sri Thakurji’s temple to serve Him. She went into His bedroom and saw that He was not in bed, and that all the offerings were as she had placed them: they were untouched.

Sri Thakurji seemed to have disappeared: but then He appeared to her, in her heart. She stepped out of the temple and told Narayadas the situation. As he heard this Narayandas left his body.

Viram made the funeral pyre in the house itself and entered the fire along with her husband. The two of them had their last rites together.

After some time, this news reached Sri Gusainji. He was terribly sad. He said, “Narayandas was a great Vaishnava, but he fell down by thinking that he could provide my living expenses.”

**Bhavaprakasha**

The teaching given here is that a Sevak should always be very careful in Seva. They should know that the house belongs to Sri Thakurji. Which embodied soul is capable of providing His expenses? He runs everything by His own power, and a soul should never consider themselves capable of being the ultimate provider.

Narayandas had thought that in trying to do something good, a bad result was had. It is most important for Vaishnavas to be very humble.

**Part 9 contd.**

Narayandas pleased Sri Gusainji and Sri Nathaji with the Seva he offered them with both his body and his wealth. The first time that Chacha Harivamsaji visited Narayandas home, the latter asked Chachaji to bless him in such a way that he might be able to see the Lord eating His meal. Narayandas then made the offerings to his Sri Thakurji. A second later Chachaji called out to Narayandas, “Hey, Narayandas! Look now!” Narayandas looked, but, because Sri Thakurji is so effulgent he was not able to focus on His personal Form through the light [to see Him accepting the offerings].

Up till that point the Lord graced him, but in a split second it was spoilt because Narayandas’ intelligence was still in his limited consciousness as an embodied soul. For this very reason it is extremely important for accomplished Vaishnavas to be very careful and serve most humbly.

Narayandas was a Recipient of Great Grace and an accomplished Vaishnava.

Thus concludes Varta 5, the story of Narayandas, although truly there is no end to his tale.

The post Narayandas’ Mistake and Viram’s Inner Mood appeared first on Vrindavan Today.

Vrindavan, 2017.02.07 (Purusharth Aradhak for The Hindu): Uttar Pradesh roads claim among the maximum number of lives in India with Noida and Ghaziabad being major contributors to the figures.

According to data provided by different States, Uttar Pradesh recorded the maximum number of road deaths (17,666), followed by Tamil Nadu (15,642), Maharashtra (13,212), Karnataka (10,856) and Rajasthan (10,510).

Data available with the Uttar Pradesh Traffic Department suggests that the Yamuna Expressway witnessed a 98% increase in deaths from 2014 to 2015. A total of 801 deaths were reported in 2014 on the 165-km expressway, which increased to 1,585 in 2015.

Anil Agarwal of ADG Traffic (Uttar Pradesh), told The Hindu that 17,666 accidental deaths were reported across Uttar Pradesh in 2015. “The figure for the Yamuna Expressway stands at 1,585, which is around 9% of the total,” said Mr. Agarwal. Most accidents on the expressway, he added, were due to speeding.

“We deploy enforcement officials at different places, but commuters themselves should refrain from speeding,” said Mr. Agarwal.

The Yamuna Expressway covers five districts, which include Gautam Budh Nagar, Aligarh, Mathura, Hathras and Agra. Aligarh reported the highest number of deaths in the last two years. The Traffic Department recorded 85 deaths in 2014, which increased to 396 in 2015, an increase of 365%. Aligarh was followed by Agra, which recorded 211 deaths in 2014. The number increased to 366 in 2015, an increase of 73%.

According to Mr. Agarwal, Gautam Budh Nagar district recorded a 67% rise in deaths on the Yamuna Expressway. Noida itself recorded 198 deaths in 2014, which rose to 331 in 2015.

“We work on enforcement and awareness. We have to ensure road discipline in terms of lane driving and observing of traffic signals. But the most important part is to give pedestrians their right on the road,” said Gautam Budh Nagar Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Prabal Pratap Singh.

Hathras, meanwhile, saw a total of 78 deaths in 2014, which rose to 134 in 2015, an increase of 71%.

Mathura recorded 229 deaths in 2014, which increased to 358 in 2015.

The Traffic Department also released data about 10 districts that saw the maximum number of accidents and fatalities in 2015. According to this, Kanpur topped the list with 655 deaths and 1,085 people injured in 1,479 accidents. This was followed by Aligarh, which recorded 609 fatalities and 639 people injured in 759 accidents. Lucknow ranked third with 585 deaths and 874 injured in 1,388 accidents.

The post 98% increase in deaths on Yamuna expressway appeared first on Vrindavan Today.

Govardhan Hill was lovingly held upon the graceful hand of Sri Krishna who eagerly protected Gokul for seven days, and who was thus given the honour of worship by the Lord, whose caves are coloured by the saffron that has fallen from Sri Gāndharvā and Giridhārī’s bodies during Their loving pastimes, and whose boulders are like beautiful jeweled couches for the Divine Couple to sit on. May that Govardhan Hill protect you.

VERSE 51:

saptāhaṁ muramardanaḥ praṇayato goṣṭhaika rakṣotsuko
vibhran mānam udāra pāṇi ramaṇair yasmai salīlaṁ dadau
gāndharvā murabhid vilāsa vigalat kāśmīra rajyad guhas
tat khaṭṭāyita ratna sundara śilo govardhanaḥ pātu vaḥ

Stavāmṛta Kaṇā Vyākhyā: In this verse, Girirāj Sri Govardhan is being praised.

Sri Girirāj is Vraja’s saubhāgya tilak (the mark of glory and fortune), and because of him, Sri Vrindavan is so lovely. aho vṛndāvanaṁ ramyaṁ yatra govardhano giriḥ (Skanda Purāṇa)

By stopping the cowherders’ traditional sacrifice to Indra and by establishing the worship of Girirāj instead, the Lord has personally announced the glories of Girirāj to the world. He extended the net of logical arguments before his worshipable father Sri Nand Maharaj, to make him lose confidence in the worship of Indra, and then preached the worship of Govardhana hill.

Finally, Indra became angry and began to cause mischief in Vraj by pouring down rain and thunderbolts upon the area, and the Lord powerfully held up Girirāj with his left hand, thus protecting the people of Vraj.

One of Sri Krishna’s names is Mura-mardana, which means that he easily killed a demon named Mura, who was adverse to the gods headed by Indra. He could have protected Vraj through so many other means also, but just to establish the glories of Girirāj, Sri Krishna lifted his beloved mountain and thus protected Vraj by providing its inhabitants, who were attacked by Indra, a place of shelter under it.

Not only that, he himself worshipped the Govardhan hill with his lotus hands for seven days and nights without interruption. Just as the means of worshipping the Deity is laid down in the scriptures that show how to make pure mudras with the hands, which indicate one’s expertise in ritual worship, similarly Sri Giridhārī held Sri Girirāja on the little finger of his left hand and worshipped Girirāj as if he were a worshipper himself, by holding him continuously for seven days and nights, showing pure mudras with his left hand. By thus personally worshipping Girirāj, who is also known as Haridās Varya, the best of Hari’s servants, the Lord taught the people of the world how to worship a devotee.

The Lord personally told Sri Uddhava: mad bhakta pūjyābhyādhikā (Bhāg. 11.19.21) “One of the causes of attaining devotion unto me is to know that it satisfies me even more if my devotee is worshipped than if I am personally worshipped.”

For this reason also, the Lord told his beloved associate Arjuna in the Ādi Purāṇa:

ye me bhakta janāḥ pārtha na me bhaktāś ca te janāḥ
mad bhaktānāṁ ca ye bhaktās te me bhaktatamā matāḥ

“O Pārtha! Those who are only my devotees are actually not my devotees, but those who are the devotees of my devotees, I consider to be my topmost devotees!” Śrīman Mahādev also told Devī:

ārādhanānāṁ sarveṣāṁ viṣṇor ārādhanaṁ param
tasmāt parataraṁ devi tadīyānāṁ samarcanam
(Padma Purāṇa)

“O Devi! Of all the worship of gods, the worship of Viṣṇu is the greatest, and even greater than the worship of Viṣṇu is the worship of his devotee!” The reason is:

siddhir bhavati vā neti saṁśayo’cyuta sevinām
niḥsaṁśayas tu tad bhakta paricaryāratātmanām
(Varāha Purāṇa)

“There may still be doubts about whether or not one attains perfection simply by serving Acyuta, but there is no doubt about it that perfection is attained when the devotee of Acyuta is served.” Thus:

kṛṣṇa sevā hoite-o vaiṣṇava sevā boḍo;
bhāgavata-ādi sab śāstre koilo doḍho
eteke vaiṣṇava sevā parama upāya;
bhakta sevā hoite se sabāi kṛṣṇa pāya
sevakera dāsya prabhu kore nijānande;
ajaya caitanya siṁha jine bhakta vṛnde

The service of the Vaiṣṇavas is even greater than the service of Krishna, all this has been firmly concluded by scriptures like the Bhāgavata. The service of the Vaiṣṇavas is the greatest means to attain Krishna. The Lord himself revels in the service of the devotees. Thus the devotees subdue the invincible Caitanya-lion.

Then Das Goswami shows how Sri Girirāj Govardhan is the greatest of all of Lord Hari’s servants by saying: gāndharvā-murabhid vilāsa vigalat kāśmīra rajyad guhas tat khaṭṭāyita ratna sundara śilo govardhanaḥ pātu vaḥ: “May Govardhana hill, whose caves are coloured by the saffron that has fallen from Sri Gāndharvā and Giridhārī’s bodies during Their loving pastimes, and whose boulders are like beautiful jeweled couches for the Divine Couple to sit on, protect you.”

There are many devotees known as Haridās in this world, but no one like Girirāj Govardhana can offer a lovely playground to the Lord with his own body. The most lovely solitary caves of Śrī-Sri Girirāj are decorated by the saffron that has fallen off Śrī-Sri Radha-Mādhava’s bodies during Their amorous pastimes, and this shows that the most intimate pastimes of the Divine Pair take place there. In this way Sri Girirāj has become blessed by carrying hundreds of charming caves and groves on his body, that are decorated with Śrī-Sri Radha-Mādhava’s necklaces, bangles and garlands, that were broken during Their amorous Union. Śrīmat Rūpa Goswami has written:

gāndharvāyāḥ keli kalā bāndhava!
kuñje kṣuṇṇais tasyāḥ kaṅkaṇa hāraiḥ prayatāṅga
rāsa krīḍā-maṇḍitayopatyakayāḍhya!
pratyāśāṁ me tvaṁ kuru govardhana pūrṇām
(Stavamālā)

O Govardhana! You are the assistant in Gāndharvā Sri Radha’s artistic pastimes. Your body has been decorated with Sri Radha’s broken bangles and garlands, and Your valleys have been enriched by having been adorned with Sri Radha and Krishna’s Rāsa-pastimes. Please fulfill all my desires!

In this way Girirāj’s boulders are like beautiful jewelled couches for Sri Radha and Krishna, where the playful Pair can blissfully sit and enjoy a little rest and so forth. Śrīmat Rūpa Goswami has written: prājyā rājir yasya virājatyupalānāṁ kṛṣṇenāsau santatam adhyāsita madhyā: “O Govardhan! Your garland of boulders shines very beautifully because Sri Krishna always sits on them!”

Śrīpāda Dās Goswami says: “May that Govardhan, whose boulders are like beautiful jeweled couches for the Divine Couple to sit on, protect you!”

In other words, “May he protect the surrendered soul by giving him prema!” This is Śrīpād Goswamicaraṇa’s merciful blessing upon the world.

mura-nāśana śrī govinda, rakṣā lāgi kori chanda,
prāṇa priya vraja vṛndāvana
yāra pūjā jānāite, nija manohara hāte,
sapta dina korilo dhāraṇa

yugala vilāsa kāle, duhuṅ aṅga sveda jale,
vigalita kuṅkuma candane
yāra guhā surañjita, ratna-khaṭṭā śilā-yuta,
rakṣā korun sei govardhane

May Govardhana hill, who was held for seven days on the enchanting hand of Mura-nāśana Sri Govinda, who wanted to protect his heart’s beloved Vraja Vrindavan, and who wanted to show the world how to worship Girirāj, whose caves are coloured by the saffron that has melted off the perspiring bodies of the Divine Pair during Their amorous pastimes, and who has boulders like jeweled couches, protect you.

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Mathura, Feb 8 (PTI): The BJP’s National Secretary and its media face Shrikant Sharma is wooing voters here promising “uplift” of the Braj area, among other things, to unseat Congress’s Pradeep Mathur, who is banking on his “connect with locals” to win this seat for a fourth consecutive time.

Sharma has made a slew of promises for the Braj area, including getting Mathura included in NCR area and the Yamuna river cleaned.

He accuses the Samajwadi Party and Mathur of doing little for the cause of Mathura.

“There is problem of drinking water on the one hand and that of waterlogging on the other. This is the birthplace of Lord Krishna but there is lack of basic facilities. The electric supply is erratic, there are transportation problems and the crime rate has risen more alarmingly than areas like Mainpuri and Etah,” says Sharma.

As he reaches out to the people of the constituency, which has both urban and rural segments, he tries to raise larger issues as well.

He claims despite the Akhilesh Yadav government receiving funds from the Centre under the JNNURM scheme, the people of Mathura have not benefited due to improper implementation.

Attacking the SP-Congress combine, he alleges that it is a “cocktail of crime and corruption”.

“There is one flop yuvraj (prince) who stayed at the Centre for 10 years. Another yuvraj benefited because of the anger against the Mayawati government over corruption and crime. But he has continued the same legacy and is now enacting a drama.

“The tie-up is a sign of weakness; otherwise why would a chief minister with majority try to retain power on Congress crutches?” Sharma asked.

However, Congress veteran Mathur is optimistic of returning to the assembly for a fifth time “purely on the basis of my connect with the local people as I have been always accessible to them and worked for the areas development”.

He asserts that while often in Uttar Pradesh politics, candidates are evaluated by the strength of their caste, in Mathura he has been able to surpass the boundaries of caste as well as religion.

Mathur also says demonetisation has affected the people and exudes confidence that the Congress-SP alliance will emerge victorious in the crucial polls.

Supporters of Sharma dismiss speculation that there is resentment among party workers over BJP giving the ticket to him.

“There is a craze for Shrikant ji in the area. Many youths rush to take selfies with him,” said one of his supporters.

However, those in the Mathur camp say there were other aspirants for the BJP ticket, who may not work enthusiastically for Sharma’s campaign.

BSP has put up Yogesh Dwivedi, who had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election here unsuccessfully against BJPs Hema Malini, while Ashok Aggarwal, who fought the last assembly election on the SP ticket, is the RLD candidate.

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2017.02.10 (Joydeep Gupta) Electricity, roads and water have been the holy trinity of Indian poll promises for decades, but water comes such a distant third that it is not even an important issue as Uttar Pradesh, the country’s most populous state, gets ready to vote.

“Yes, Ganga and Yamuna have turned into drains. But no candidate is talking about this, nor is any voter asking,” says Abhishek Srivastava, as he buys a wallet in Agra’s Sadar Bazar. “Why not?” “I don’t know. Voters only echo the points raised by candidates during the campaign.”

Over 140 million people are eligible to vote as Uttar Pradesh — the land of the Ganga and the Yamuna — gets set to elect a new state government. The ongoing campaign is characterised by bitterness, sarcasm and extravagant promises of laptops to each student. Opinion polls show a tight race between the Bharatiya Janata Party that rules India, the state’s ruling Samajwadi Party which is in alliance with the Congress, and the Bahujan Samaj Party, with around 40% of voters still saying they are undecided. Polling will be in five phases in February and March.

Agra will go to the polls in the first phase on February 11. Looking outside the shop where he is choosing his wallet, Srivastava points to a stagnant open drain with its stink and cloud of mosquitoes, and says, “No one raised the issue of such drains even in the municipality polls. Do you think they will do it in the state assembly polls? No way.”

Sadar Bazar is less than a kilometre from the Taj Mahal, and behind that the Yamuna, which is literally a drain downstream of Delhi — around 200 kilometres to the north — till the Chambal joins the river 200 km further downstream of Agra.

Widespread apathy

Everybody agrees that the poison affects drinking water and irrigation. Still, the apathy is mirrored in town after town of western Uttar Pradesh, all in that fertile belt between the Ganga and the Yamuna.

Gokul Ram, who plies a cycle rickshaw in Hathras, says, “It’s the same everywhere. My village is in eastern Uttar Pradesh, near Sonebhadra. There the ash flying from a power station has made the soil infertile. Here you can’t get any clean water to drink unless you buy a bottle, and we don’t have the money for that. The water in the wells is yellow, and it stinks.”

Has he heard anybody talking about it during the campaign? “No.” Why not? “I don’t know.”

There’s a heartening example of philanthropy in the Khurja town centre. Coordinated by the district administration, there is a place for donating and collecting warm clothes. But within 100 metres, on the road leading to the town’s poorer neighbourhood inhabited mostly by Dalits and Muslims, there’s the omnipresent open garbage dump with wallowing pigs.

Butcher Akhlaq Qureshi has his shop right in front of the dump. “I don’t have clean water even to wash the meat,” he says. “One of the candidates was holding a meeting in our neighbourhood. I asked him if he would provide at least one tap for us. He did promise. Let us see.”

Poisoned water

The district hospital in Bulandshahr has the usual preponderance of patients suffering from water-borne diseases, two doctors confirm. Sadashiv Mishra has brought his five-year-old son for treatment of a case of mild poisoning. The thirsty child drank water flowing out of a sugarcane field. The high concentration of pesticides in the water has made him ill for over a week.

“Where will we get clean water?” Mishra asks. “My farm is near Garh Mukteshwar, on the banks of the Ganga. There is hardly any water in the Ganga, and whatever there is, is dirty. You get the same dirty water in the shallow wells. We don’t have the money to dig deep.”

Did he raise the issue when candidates came to his village seeking votes? “I asked two candidates, from different parties. There was no answer. Then I stopped. What’s the point?”

Data journalism website IndiaSpend sponsored an opinion poll in Uttar Pradesh in the last week of January to examine the issues voters considered most important. Of the 2,513 interviews conducted over telephone, 28% said power cuts was the most important issue, followed by 20% who identified jobs, economy and development, 10% who identified water shortages and clean water, 7% who identified roads and 4% who said food was the most important issue in these polls.

Clean water not an issue

Despite that, unless prompted, no voter who spoke to this reporter identified clean water as an issue in these polls. In Uttar Pradesh, only 20% of rural and 52% of urban households have piped water supply. Of the 75 districts in the state, 33 over-exploit groundwater. Just in Kanpur, over 40 million litres of untreated waste is released into the Ganga by 400 tanneries every day.

The voters appeared indifferent about air pollution as well, though in the IndiaSpend survey, 46% urban voters said the air they breathe is polluted, and 26% rural voters said the same. Uttar Pradesh has four of the ten worst polluted cities in India in terms of air quality — Lucknow, Kanpur, Allahabad and Firozabad.

It is not as if these issues do not appear in the manifestos of the contending political parties. They do, along with a host of promises to improve healthcare and government-funded educational institutions. But till these issues make a buzz, there is little reason to believe the manifesto promises will be kept.

A raft of NGOs has prepared a separate manifesto for sustainable development of Uttar Pradesh. Their suggestions include a strong focus on decentralised renewable energy; incentivising green building materials and house designs that integrate water supply, sanitation and energy facilities; a complete ban on releasing untreated sewage into rivers; proper waste management systems in all towns; revival of ponds, rivers and lakes; and rainwater harvesting.

But unless the candidates and the more importantly the voters talk about these issues, such ideas are likely to remain at the margins of the electoral debate.

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Kanika Prasad Goswami performing abhisek

Vrindavan, 2017.02.06: Thakur Shri Radha Damodar’s appearance day was celebrated on Monday at Radha Damodar Mandir. A Special abhishek was performed by the ‘ Sevait Goswamis’ of the temple, which was led by Mahant Shri Kanika Prasad Goswami.
The deities of Shri Radha Damodar were given a sandal oil massage. After the massage the deities were bathed with panchamrita (milk, curd, sweetened water, ghee and honey) and panchagavya. The deities were then bathed with exotic fruit juices and water mixed with herbal extracts. The Sarvaushadi and Mahausaudi snana was followed by 108 kalasha snana.
The deities were offered Chhappan Bhog (56 kinds of items) and a feast was organized during the noon when the Mahaprasadam was distributed among the devotees. Nam Sankirtan was performed by the Vaishnavas in the evening.
Shri Radha Damodar Mandir is one of the ‘Sapta Devalaya Temple’ of Vrindavan. It was established by Srila Jiva Goswami in the year 1542 C.D. The deities were served by Srila Jiva Goswami himself. This temple attracts thousands of devotees in Kartik, as the holy month is named after Damodar.
According to Shri Krishna Balaram Goswami, “The deities of Shri Radha Damodar were manifested by Srila Rupa Goswami, who handed over their ‘seva’ to his dear disciple and nephew Jiva Goswami for service and worship.”
“Later due to the invasion of the Muslim king Aurangzeb, the presiding deity of Radha Damodar was shifted to Jaipur for some time. The deities were again brought back to Vrindavan in 1739, when the situation became favorable in Vrindavan,” said Krishna Balaram.

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This is the continuing serialization of 252 Vaishnavan ki varta, the lives of the saints following Vitthalnath, son of Vallabhacharya. It has been translated from the original Braj Bhasha by Krishnaa Kinkari Devi. This is the entire sixth varta. See previous.

Varta 6

The story of Vitthaldas Kayastha, who lived in a village on the other side of Delhi at a distance of four miles.

**Bhavaprakasha**

Vitthaldas is a devotee with a “tamasi” disposition. His name in the Eternal Lila is Vallavi. Vallavi [a gopi] manifests from Sri Vishakha and is thus a form of her divine loving sentiment. Vallavi is expert in secret and intimate Love. She often meets with Sri Thakurji in Nanda’s palace but they meet in private and their encounters are concealed from others.

Once Premlata was playing with Sri Thakurji in Nandalay. Vallavi played a trick and took Sri Thakurji to sit in her lap. Then she took Him off to a secret bower and implored Him, “O, my Lord! Please grace me and fulfill my hearts desire!” Sri Thakurji smilingly replied, “If Premlata were to find out, she will tell Mother Yashoda who will forbid you from coming to Nandalay. Then what will you do? You should therefore take Me to Nandalay straight away.” Vallavi pleaded again, “This in not the time for You to refuse me. Bless me now!” Seeing her intense longing Sri Thakurji fulfilled her desires. One Sakhi came to know of this and went and told Premlata who then angrily addressed Vallavi,” Hey, did you deceive me?” Premlata was very upset. For this offense Vallavi had to manifest on the earthly plane.

Four miles outside Delhi, there is a village, and she was born there as a son to a family of the writer caste. The head of the family was an employee at the government Court and was very wealthy, so he had Vitthaldas well educated. He taught him all about governmental matters.

Vitthaldas was twenty-five when his father died. He decided to go on a pilgrimage. He came to Mathura, bathed at Vishram Ghat, fed some Brahmins and gave them some donations. Then he traveled on to Gokul.

At that time Sri Gusainji had come to Thakurani Ghat to perform his evening prayers. Vitthaldas saw him there and became immediately attracted to Sri Gusainji and approached him with the request to regard him as his own and to accept him into his shelter.

Knowing Vitthaldas to be a Divine Soul, Sri Gusainji told him to bathe in Sri Yamunaji and come to the temple in a state of purity. “There I will initiate you as a disciple.” Having said that, Sri Gusainji went into the temple, accepted back the lunchtime offerings as Prasad and performed the Rajbhog Arati to Sri Navanitpriyaji. By then, Vitthaldas came there in a pure state after bathing. Sri Gusainji gave him the Holy Name initiation and then the second, Brahma Sambandha initiation.

Having put Sri Navanitpriyaji to rest, Sri Gusainji came into his baituk. Vitthaldas came there and sat down. He asked “O, Maharaj! What are your instructions for me?” Sri Gusainji told him that he would be incapable of doing anything other than constantly contemplating on Sri Acharyaji’s treatise ‘Wisdom, Perserverance and Refuge’ [Vivekdhairyashraya]. He said, “By doing this you will gain a perfect understanding of the righteous path of Devotion.”

Vitthaldas asked him to explain the treatise to him in full. Sri Gusainji instructed him in every aspect of that treatise in great detail. Vitthaldas stored all of it carefully in his heart. He remained constantly immersed in its inner most purport. Vitthaldas stayed there for some days before taking permission to return home. When he reached home he changed all his pots, plates and pans, and began to live according to Vaishnava ways.

Vitthaldas used to come every year to have the sight of Sri Gusainji in Gokul. He would always bring something of the very best quality as an offering. Sri Gusainji was very pleased with him. After some time, Vitthaldas’ wealth dwindled away. He needed to get a job and so, after some thought, came to Gauda Desh.

Vitthaldas became a servant of Narayandas’ Patshah. He did not reveal to Narayandas that he was a Vaishnava, but simply served at the Court. If anyone were to ask what lineage he belonged to, he would say that he was a Vaishnava, but Narayandas did not know this.

Some days later Narayandas, after discussing with the Patshah, sent Vitthaldas to a sub-division of the kingdom. When he had completed his collections there, he returned to Narayandas and showed him all the accounts from that place.

There was some money still owing from Vitthaldas’ side. Narayandas told him, “You still owe the government some money here: You should pay that now.

Vitthaldas said, “Well, I have no more money left. If you send me to another area I shall make it up from there.

Narayandas put Vitthaldas into prison.

On the third day Narayandas pulled him out of the cell and had him whipped. As he suffered the whip’s lashes, Vitthaldas’ body became infected but he still did not tell Narayandas that he was a Vaishnava disciple of Sri Gusainji.

**bhav-prakash**

Why? It is not appropriate to use ones status as a Vaishnava to fulfill ones own purpose, otherwise one can fall from the Path. Therefore he did not reveal that he was a Vaishnava.

***

When Vitthaldas’ condition was very deteriorated, Narayandas let him go. His body healed and Narayandas did not beat him any more, but he still kept him in prison.

One day, Sri Gusainji set off for a pilgrimage to Sri Jagannath Puri. One of his men came to Narayandas and told him that Sri Gusainji was nearby. Narayandas, very happy to hear this, got ready to go to see Sri Gusainji.

Vitthaldas told him, “You are going for the sight of Sri Gusainji. Please, will you let me accompany you?

Narayandas exclaimed, “O, What a great shame! Why did you not tell me you are a disciple of Sri Gusainji?”

Vitthaldas simply stated, “O, Narayandas! I came here to work for you; I did not come to sell you my Vaishnava Path.”

Narayandas released Vitthaldas who, wearing a long shirt, then accompanied Narayandas to go before Sri Gusainji. They reached there, and Vitthaldas bowed before Sri Gusainji.

Sri Gusainji smiled when he saw him and asked him how long he had been there.

Vitthaldas replied that he had been living there for a short time near Narayandas. Sri Gusainji again addressed him, “Oh Vitthaldas! It has been a long time since I heard your news.” After this, both Narayandas and Vitthaldas sat down in Sri Gusainji’s presence.

Narayandas’ face began to shrivel.

Sri Gusanji had cooked and made the offerings to the Lord. He asked Vitthaldas, “You used to be quite healthy, but now you seem to have become weak. Why is this?”

Vitthaldas replied, “O Maharaj! I have been here working for the Patshah. He put me in prison. That is why I am weak.”

Sri Gusainji asked him why he had not told Narayandas about this. Vitthaldas replied that he had come there to work and not to sell his beliefs. “My body deserved punishment and so it was necessary for me to suffer that. Why would it be necessary to reveal my beliefs to anyone?”

Hearing the strength of his devotion, Sri Gusainji praised him profusely. Narayandas’ face turned white.

Sri Gusainji went to accept the offerings back as prasad. On returning, he invited Vitthaldas to have prasad there itself.

Vitthaldas said, “Oh Maharaj! I am not very well, and I have not bathed.”

Sri Gusainji instructed him to bathe there. He told his personal servant to help him to bathe. In order to fulfill his instructions Vitthaldas removed his long shirt.

Narayandas began to tremble. That personal servant of Sri Gusainji bathed Vitthaldas.

As Vitthaldas was sitting down to bathe, Sri Gusainji came there to wash the Lord’s pots and pans. He trembled when he saw Vitthaldas’ body and asked him what on earth had happened to him.

Vitthaldas was on the verge of tears when he said, “I was whipped.” Then Sri Gusainji asked who had whipped him. He looked over at Narayandas.

Sri Gusainji asked Narayandas, “Why did you whip such a Vaishnava in this way?” Narayandas supplicated, “I did not know he was a Vaishnava.”

Sri Gusainji again addressed him, “You did not know he was a Vaishnava, but you did know that he was a human being. A Vaishnava should never be so cruel. Vaishnavas should be compassionate to all living beings.”

Narayandas said, “Oh Maharaj, I have committed a terrible offense.”

Narayandas urged Vitthaldas to stay with him but he refused. When Sri Gusainji left Narayandas’ area, Vitthaldas also left there along with him.

**Bhavaprakasha**

He left because Narayandas now knew that he was a Vaishnava.

Thus concludes Varta 6, the story of Vitthaldas, who was the recipient of Sri Gusainji’s great grace and an accomplished Vaishnava. His story truly has no end.

THUS CONCLUDES VARTA 6, THE STORY OF VITTHALDAS WHO WAS THE RECIPIENT OF SRI GUSAINJIS GREAT GRACE AND AN ACCOMPLISHED VAISHNAVA. HIS STORY TRULY HAS NO END.

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Acharya Naresh Narayan offering final shraddhanjali to Shriji Maharaj’s ashes in Vrindavan on Jan. 18, 2017.

Vrindavan, 2017.02.09 (Acharya Naresh Narayan for VT): With the departure from this world of Jagadguru Shri Nimbarkacharya peethadhishwar Shri Radha-Sarveshwaracharya Shri Shriji Maharaj, the lovers and servants of Shri Dham Vrindavan are feeling an unsettling emptiness.

Shri Shriji Maharaj had intense love for Shri Vrindavan. Throughout his lifetime, he faithfully served the Holy Name and the holy dham; the two foremost pillars of the bhakti marg. Amongst bhakti’s nine main practices, the Holy Name is given the greatest emphasis because the Name and the “Named” (the Lord) are one. For this reason, devotees immerse themselves in constant chanting of the Holy Name. By the power of the Name, the “Named” – the Divine Couple Shri Radha-Sarveshwar, Radha-Madhav – personally appear and bestow the supreme treasure of Their darshan.

Shri Vrindavan Dham is the sacred home of Shri Priya-Priyatam’s nikunj lila, and the greatness of this land is like Their own. Thus blessed souls crave eternally for the touch of her earth. Not only the great sages, even the Goddess of Devotion herself dances here in blissful abandon.

In the Shrimad Bhagwat Mahatmya it is written:

dhanyam vṛndāvanaṁ tena bhaktir nṛtyati yatra ca

Blissful is Shri Vrindavan Dham, where bhakti herself dances.

Overwhelmed by this ecstatic nature of Shri Vrindavan, a great saint of Shri Ramanuj Sampraday, Shri Kuresh Swamiji Maharaj, wrote in his Pancha Stavi:

govardhano girivaro, yamunā nadī sā
vṛndāvanaṁ ca mathurā ca purī purāṇī
adyāpi hanta sulabhāḥ kṛtināṁ janānām
ete bhavac-caraṇa-cāra-juṣaḥ pradeśāḥ

Even today, Shri Govardhan Hill, the Shri Yamuna River, and Shri Vrindavan Dham, blessed by the touch of Your supremely delightful lotus feet, are here to be experienced by virtuous souls. The powerful devotion of the rasik saints towards this divine land of Vrindavan is greatly to be praised, to be observed, and to be lovingly meditated upon.

On the basis of a particular incident, which occurred about twenty years ago, I can say with with full confidence that Anant Shri Vibhushit Jagadguru Shri Nimbarkacharya Peethadhishwar Shri Radha-Sarveshwaracharya Shri Shriji Maharaj’s devotion to Shri Vrindavan Dham was unparalleled.

It was about twelve o’clock in the afternoon when my respected father (Pandit Shri Keshav Devji Shastri, Editor of Anant Sandesh, Vrindavan) came home and announced, “Shriji Maharaj has just entered Vrindavan. It is extremely hot. But he is walking with bare feet from Atalla Chungi to his kunj.” Upon hearing this news from my father, such eagerness overcame my childlike heart that I suddenly ran out of the house at that very moment and started off towards the bazaar to have his darshan.

The beautiful sound of sankirtan made the atmosphere even more delightful as he walked along, inundating all the longing devotees with his divine presence. And then my eyes went to his feet. It was true; his feet, tender like lotus flowers, walked bare upon the ground. But untroubled by the heat, he was experiencing the bliss of Braj raj.

Then I also stood on the ground with bare feet to feel the heat; it was unbearable for me. With that, I bowed my head to him in humility and great respect.

Blessed is Shriji Maharaj’s love for Vrindavan. His divine bhav and devotion for Shri Dham is of the highest order.

In the Shrimad Bhagwat, Shri Shukdevji Maharaj says:

vande nanda-braja-strīṇāṁ pāda-reṇum abhīkṣṇaśaḥ
yāsāṁ hari-kathodgītaṁ punāti bhuvana-trayam

“I bow to the dust from the feet of Braj gopis, who purify the Universe with their voices as they lift up the songs of Hari’s glorious acts.”

Shriji Maharaj used to say that this shlok was the fulfillment of his life. We Brajwasis are blessed to have had the association of such a dedicated, supremely renounced saint. Despite having every facility, he would always get down from his conveyance at the border of Braj, place Braj raj upon his head, and wander through Braj barefoot and with great devotion.

(Acharya Naresh Narayan is the Chief Editor of the monthly Anant Sandesh Patrika and a founding member of the Braj-Vrindavan Heritage Alliance)

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Vrindavan 2017.02.11 (VT):  The month of Maagh ended yesterday with hundreds of devotee couples taking a holy dip in the Yamuna.

Even before the sun rose yesterday, Prayag Ghat in Mathura witnessed many devotees coming to the riverfront as a part of a local ritual in which a holy dip in Yamuna is taken during Maagh month to get blessings for their families.

Several women reached the Yamuna Ghat yesterday while singing Braj bhajans to please the river goddess. Many couples took a holy dip in the sacred river and floated 108 diyas (oil lamps), followed by a grand Yamua arti, to get the mercy of the Lord. Many offered food items to the river as well and donated food, blankets, Brahmavaivarta Purana, etc.

Local beliefs state that a couple should daily bathe in Yamuna during the Maagh month of the Hindu calender. The last day of the month is even more pious, so if someone has failed to follow the ritual the whole month, they can bathe on the last day to balance it out and attain the same blessings. As a result, hundreds of devotees thronged Prayag Ghat starting from 5 am yesterday.

After the bath, devotees visited Veni Madhav temple to get His mangla darshan. Even Thakur Ji in this temple was dressed in a beautiful way in tune with the celebration. Many devotees did havan here before bidding farewell to the sacred month.

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Vrindavan, 2017.02.09 (with input from Jagannath Poddar, VT): For one day every year, on the 13th day of the waxing moon in Magh, the center of attention for the Gaudiya Vaishnavas in Vrindavan is Shringar Bat. Though Nityananda Trayodashi, the appearance day of Lord Nityananda, is celebrated in all Gaudiya temples of Vrindavan such as Imlitala Mahaprabhu Mandir and Radha Gopinath, Shringar Bat, which is also known as Nityananda Bat, is the center for the veneration of Nityananda Prabhu in this town of Radha worship.

There is no Gaudiya Vaishnava in Braj who does not recognize that without Nityananda Prabhu’s grace, they would have never attained the shelter of the Dham, or ever attained the hope of entering the lila of Radha and Krishna. It was Nityananda Prabhu who established the methods of preaching of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s movement from town to town and door to door, falling down at everyone’s feet and begging them to chant the holy names of Krishna and Gauranga.

heno nitāi bine bhāī rādhā kṛṣna pāite nāi
dṛḍha kori dhoro nitāira pāya
nitāiera karuṇā hobe braje rādhā kṛṣṇa pābe
dhoro nitāi caraṇa du’khāni ||

Without Nitai, one cannot attain Radha Krishna, so hold on tight to Nitai’s feet. When Nitai is merciful you will attain Radha and Krishna in Braj, so hold on to those two feet. (Narottama Das, Prārthanā)

Krishnadas Kaviraj, whose summary of the life of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was written exactly 501 years ago, credited his coming to Vrindavan — his association with Rupa and Sanatan and Raghunath Das — all on Nityananda Prabhu’s mercy alone.

jaya jaya nityānanda nityānanda rāma
jāhāra kṛpāte pāinu vṛndāvana dhāma

Anupam Goswami, the current mahant of Shringar Bat and 13th descendant of Nityananda Prabhu, and 10th descendant from Rasikananda Goswami, the founder of the Shringar Bat temple and family line, proudly says, “I worship Nityananda Prabhu alone. Not even Radha. Nitai is the thakur for the Kaliyuga and all the tattvas reside in him, including Radha tattva!”

Anupam Goswami makes a point of saying emphatically “Joy Nitai!” even in response to the local greeting of “Jai Radhe!” And he is behind the signs painted on walls on the Parikrama Marg that say Nitai. And in this land of Radha it is indeed sometimes possible to forget Nityananda Prabhu. But on this one day at least, Shringar Bat beckons.

Goswamis from the Nityananda family and others from Radha Damodar participate in the abhishek or ritual bathing of Gaur Nitai and the Radha Krishna deities in panchamrita (milk, curd, sugar, honey and ghee) and pancha gavya, after which they were given a massage with scented oil.

The Lords were also bathed with the fruit juices and herbal extracts. This was followed by the offering of a feast of 56 items or chappan bhog — even though the devotees observe a fast on that day — and arti.

Hundreds of devotees, many from far off lands and different associations, participated in the suchak kirtan in glorification of Nityananda Prabhu. They avidly watched the abhishek while singing the Hare Krishna maha mantra being led by Acharya Sri Kanika Prasad Goswami of the Radha Damodar temple. After the abhishek and arti were complete, the crowd surged forward in eagerness to get a share of charanamrita.

One lucky woman from South America was given Nitai Prabhu’s prasadi cloth from the ceremony and was approached by an elderly Vaishnava from Bengal who asked to be able to touch it. Afterwards he marveled at her good fortune for receiving such glorious mercy.

As the crowds started to leave, we sat down with Anupam Goswami who glorified Nityananda to us before taking us into his inner temple where he keeps various relics that have come down to the family through the ages.

Dhruva Goswami displays the khunti, a symbol of the Muslim emperor adorned with tilak, which was given to Nityananda Prabhu’s sankirtan party to assure that they would not be harassed by the Muslim law officers.  Photo by Rukmini Vittal Das.

Jiva Goswami Prabhu’s japa mala, which was gifted to Anupam Goswami’s father Birchandra Goswami by the Goswamis of Radha Damodar.

Sri Sringara (Bata) Ghata

North of the Imli Tala Ghat is the Sri Singara Ghata. On the bank of the Ghata is the most charming Sri Singara-Bata (Banyan-tree). When Sriman Nityananda Prabhu came to Sri Vrindavana he sat down at this place, beholding the supreme beauty of Sri Yamuna, who is also known as Amrta Vahini, the stream of nectar. Absorbed in His ecstatic childhood pastimes Lord Nitai Canda played in the dust here every day. His descenents are taking very nice care of the deity-service of Sri Nitai Gaura here. Anyone who lives at this place will get the grace of Sri Nitai Canda. When Sri Krshna sat down at this Ghata during the Rasa-night He arranged for Sri Radhika’s dressing.

The painting of Krishna braiding Radha’s hair with flowers after the Rasa that is displayed on the site. Photo by Rukmini Vittal Das.

In Bhakti-ratnākara Narahari Chakravarti describes Shringar Bat while recounting how Raghava Pandit took Shrinivas Acharya and Narottam Das on Braj 84 kos parikrama:

dekho apūrva baṭa yamunāra tīre
sakale śṛṅgāra baṭa kohoye ihāre
ethā śrī kṛṣṇera veśādi vilāsa
bādhāilā subalādi sakhāra vilāsa
ihāre-o nityānanda baṭa keho koy
je jāhā kohoye tāhā sab satya hoy

nityānanda ethā jaiche koilo āgamana
saṁkṣepe kohiye tāhā korolo śravaṇa

Translation: “Behold this wonderful banyan tree on the bank of the Yamuna, which everyone calls Shringar Bata. Sri Krishna played the different pastimes of dressing Radha, and the cowherd boy friends like Subala, increasing their joy. Others call this place Nityananda Bat, which is also true. Let me now tell you briefly how Nityananda came here. (Bhakti-ratnākara)

After this, Narahari recites the pastimes of Nityananda Prabhu, who was born twelve years before Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Ekachakra in Birbhum district of West Bengal, not far from Rampur Hat. In Narahari’s description, at the age of 12 Nitai realized that Nimai had taken birth, he made the decision to

Under the beautiful banyan tree Nityananda prabhu would sometimes sit down in meditation, sometimes he would decorate himself with flower in his hair. Sometimes he would cry, “where my beloved, where is kanay!”, and sometimes his eyes would fill with tears. This way he would pass his time in Vrindavan. Who can understand the pastimes of Nityananda Prabhu?

It was here that Nityananda realized that Nimai had started to manifest his sankirtan pastimes and made his decision to return to Nabadwip. Nityananda’s great grandson came here in the mid-1600’s to establish the temple and seva to Sri Sri Gaur Nitai. According to Anup Goswami, who is 13^th in descendance from Srila Nityananda Prabhu

In the Vraja-rīti-cintāmaṇi (2.82), Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakur describes Shringar Bat in the following words.

śṛṅgāra-śāntau yad-adho nikuñje
śṛṅgārayāmāsa parāṁ priyā saḥ |
śṛṅgāra-nāmā sa baṭo’dhunāpi
saṅgīyate tat tad ivekṣate ca ||

Translation: “That Banyan-tree, under which was a nikuna in which Sri Krishna decorated his most beloved Sri Radhika, is even now known as Shringar Bata.”

Under the banyan tree a shrine has been built commemorating the nikunj where Krishna performed these intimate pastimes with Radha. It is said that at the time that Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakur wrote the above verse, there were still dense groves on this spot.

At present the buildings are in a somewhat dilapidated conditions. The original banyan-tree under which Krishna braided Radharani’s hair intertwined with flower garlands, has long since died. Little attention has been given to repairing and restoring the temple.

In 1973 some excavation was done here and a place for performing the rasa lila was discovered. According to some, this is one of several places marked by Harivamsa as sites for such rasa performances. Many sites in Vraja are said to be places where Radha and Krishna decorated each other after the rasa dance, but Sringara Bata has place of prominence among them all.

More photos from Shringar Bat by Vittal Rukmini Das.

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Vrindavan / New Delhi, 2017.02.13 (VT): Vrindavan’s garbage issue is set to be resolved with the courts’ intervention. The case is pending before the National Green Tribunal as well as the Supreme Court of India. The National Green Tribunal on Monday granted last opportunity to submit the status report on Vrindavan’s garbage management. The Vrindavan Municipality has to submit the compliance report of NGT’s earlier order in two weeks time.
In its order on Monday, the Green Court has asked the senior most officer of the Vrindavan Municipality to be present before the Tribunal on 14th March, 2017, in the case of default in submitting the status report.
Meanwhile the required penalty of Rs. 5 lakh, as ‘Environment Compensation’ has been deposited in the registry office of the Supreme Court by the Nagar Palika Parishad Vrindavan. It has also deposited the same amount on behalf of the District Magistrate of Mathura. The Supreme Court had also asked the Municipality to submit the status report in two week’s time, and deposit the amount of penalty before submitting the report. The Apex Court had passed this order on 30th January, 2017.
The court has also instructed the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board to file its response after physical inspection of the garbage sites as well as the general cleanliness of the temple town.
The Green Court had fined the Vrindavan Municiality, District Magistrate, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board and the UP State Government for not complying it order to keep Vrindavan Clean.
On 11th May, 2016, the court had directed the Municipality to develop the site on the Maant road for dumping of the Municipal Solid Waste and waste processing plant in accordance with rules. The site was to be developed within four week’s time.
The court had observed, “There shall be total prohibition on dumping and / or burning of Municipal Solid Waste in any street, at any place near the water bodies, market or residential areas. The waste shall be collected by the local authorities on daily basis and dumped at the site strictly in accordance with Municipal Solid Waste, Rules, 2000.”
“We also hereby prohibit the use of carry bags and other plastic waste in the entire city of Vrindavan. The state has already issued prohibitory order which should be effectively complying in this area,” ordered the Green Court.
The court had even appointed a local commissioner who made a visit to Vrindavan and submitted an adverse report on Vrindavan’s garbage management. After receiving the report from the local commissioner the court had fined Rs. 11.5 lac as ‘Environment compensation’ on the Municipality, District Magistrate and the UP Pollution Control Board.
The government departments had appealed against the fine, which was rejected by the court. After that the Municipality had filed an appeal with the Supreme Court of India to get relief. But the Apex Court had asked to deposit the fine in the Supreme Court itself, within two week’s time.
Madhumangal Shukla, the petitioner in this case said, “Vrindavan’s sanctity must be maintained by keeping it clean. The orders passed by the National Green Tribunal are in the interest of Vrindavan’s environment.  The Municipality must comply its orders.”

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I take shelter of the saṅgam, the place where Radhakuṇḍ and Śyāmakuṇḍ meet. It is Shri Radha-Mādhav’s dearmost playground, which is charmingly surrounded by kadamb trees, champak vines, excellent aśoka trees, mango trees, nāga-keśar trees, bakul (maulsari) trees, clove vines and mādhavī vines.

VERSE 52:

nīpaiś campaka pālibhir nava varāśokai rasālotkaraiḥ
punnāgair bakulair labaṅga-latikā vāsantikābhir vṛtaiḥ
hṛdyaṁ tat priya kuṇḍayos taṭa milan madhya-pradeśaṁ paraṁ
rādhā mādhavayoḥ priya sthalam idaṁ kelyas tad evāśraye

Stavāmṛta Kaṇā Vyākhyā:  After praising Sri Govardhan, Raghunath Das Goswami now praises Sri Radhakuṇḍ – the most lovely crownjewel of Vraja, which is situated at the base of Sri Govardhan and which is his exclusive sanctuary – beginning with the saṅgam, the place where Sri Radhakuṇḍa and Śyāmakuṇḍa meet.

After Sri Krishna killed the bull demon Ariṣṭāsur, he struck the ground with his left heel and created Śyāmakuṇḍ on the pretext of purifying himself. Then he called all the holy waters of the world to come and enter it.

When he challenged Sri Radharani in this way by making a kuṇḍ that contained all the holy waters, she, seeing a large hole on the western side of Śyāmakuṇḍ that Ariṣṭāsur had made at the time of death by kicking it with his hooves, began to make Sri Radhakuṇḍ there by digging out the soil with her girlfriends.

In this verse, Raghunath Das Goswami praises the saṅgam, the place where Sri Radhakuṇḍ and Śyāmakuṇḍ meet. This saṅgam place is extremely charming due to being surrounded and covered by different trees and vines. The mere sight of this place fills the minds of the playful Pair, Śrī-Sri Radha-Mādhav, with a strong desire for romance.

In Sri Vrindavan Mahimāmṛtam (4.102-107) Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī describes the wealth of natural beauty that surrounds Sri Radhakuṇḍ and Śyāmakuṇḍ:

praphulla divya mallikā labaṅga jāti yūthikā kadamba campakāvalī sthalāravinda vīthibhiḥ;
śirīṣa kunda ketakī kusumbha kiṁśukādibhir manojña mādhavī latādyananta puṣpa vallibhiḥ
priyaṅgu nāga keśarair aśoka karṇikārakaiḥ sphuṭātimukta saptalā suvarṇa yūthikādibhiḥ;
vicitra bheda jhiṇṭikā sugandha bandhujīvakair hayāri kubjakādibhiḥ praphullitair vicitritam
vicitra pallavodgamair vicitra puṣpa sambhṛtair vicitra patra mañjarīr vicitra guccha jālakaiḥ;
vicitra saurabhodayair vicitra sīdhu varṣibhir vicitra rocir ujjvalaiḥ paraiś ca śākhibhir vṛtam

“All around the two kuṇḍs are blooming divine jasmine vines, clove vines, jātis, yūthikās, kadamb trees, rows of champak trees, land lotuses, śirīṣ, kund, ketakī, kusumbha and kiṁśuka flowers, innumerable flowervines like the mādhavī latās, priyaṅgu, nāga keśara, aśoka, and karṇikār trees, blooming mādhavī vines, fresh jasmines, golden yūthikās and so, different kinds of jhiṇṭikās, fragrant bandhuk flowers, hayāri, kubjak and other trees. The woods around the kuṇḍ are decorated with wonderfully effulgent trees that bear wonderful budding sprouts, an abundance of wonderful flowers, wonderful leaves and buds and wonderful garlands that are spreading a wonderful fragrance and are creating a wonderful shower of honey.”

And then again:

rādhā-kṛṣṇa raha kathānuvadanād āścarya mādhuryavad
dhvānaiḥ śrī śuka sārikā-vyatikarair ānanda sarvasvadam
karṇākarṣi kuhūḥ kuhūr iti kalālāpair vṛtaṁ kokilair
nṛtyan matta mayūram anya vihagaiś cānanda kolāhalam
tan madhye nava mañju kuñja valayaṁ śobhā vibhūtyāsamā-
nordhvaṁ divya vicitra ratna latikādyānanda puṣpa śriyā
antastalpa varaṁ varopakaraṇair āḍhyaṁ samantād dadhad
rādhā-mādhava bhukta bhogyam akhilānandaika sāmrājya-bhūḥ
madhyaitādṛśa kuñja maṇḍalam aho kuṇḍaṁ mahā mohanaṁ
sāndrānanda mahā-rasāmṛta bharaiḥ svacchaiḥ sadā sambhṛtam
ratnābaddha catustaṭī vilasitaṁ sad ratna sopānavat
tīrthaṁ śrī taṭa sat kadambaka talacchāyā maṇī kuṭṭimam

“The kuñjas give great delight with their sweet and amazing male and female parrots that loudly repeat Sri Radha and Krishna’s intimate talks, and they are decorated with cuckoos that delight the ears with their sweet singing of kuhū kuhū, intoxicated peacocks that beautify the place with their dancing and various birds that make a great ecstatic tumult. These fresh groves have attained a peerless status with their treasure of beauty and the blissful flowers of the wonderful and divine jeweled vines and so forth. Here again are the greatest couches that are endowed with the most excellent ingredients for the enjoyment of Sri Radha and Mādhava. In this way nothing else can be perceived anywhere but the kingdom of transcendental bliss”.

“In the middle of these kuñjas is a charming pond, which is always filled with clear nectar-like water that crystallises the strong flavours of deep bliss. Its four banks are studded by jewels, the ghāṭs (steps down to the water) are beautified by super-excellent jeweled staircases and enchanting jeweled platforms that lie in the shade of the kadamb trees.”

In this way the saṅgam, the place where the two kuṇḍa meet, which is endowed with the most amazing natural beauty, is Sri Sri Radha-Mādhava’s dearmost playground, where Their wonderful sweet pastimes take place.

Shri Giridhari at the Sangam

The two kuṇḍs are nondifferent from Sri Sri Radha-Śyām. This sweet meeting place of the two kuṇḍs awakens desires for amour in the hearts of the Youthful Pair and thus makes Them unsteady. Das Goswami says: “I take shelter of this most confidential playground of the Sri Yugal.”

This playground is transcendental and the reservoir of all compassion. The kuṇḍs will be merciful to anyone who is sincerely and earnestly surrendered and will bless such a soul by showing him the pastimes that are taking place there. This is the main purpose of surrender.

kadamba campaka-śreṇī, abhinava aśoka śreṇī,
bakulādi āmra nāgeśvara
labaṅga mādhavī dvārā, cāri dike āche gherā,
ye sthānera śobhā manohara
rādhākuṇḍa śyāmakuṇḍa, madhye ratna bhūmikhaṇḍa,
yethā nitya yugala vihāra
divya cintāmaṇi dhāma, saṅgama sthala yāra nāma,
āśraya kori vāsanā āmāra

“I yearn to take shelter of the divine cintāmaṇi (unique and wish-fulfilling) abode called the saṅgam, the jewelled grounds that connect Radhakuṇḍ and Śyāmkuṇḍ, where the Divine Pair always enjoys and which is beautifully surrounded by enchanting rows of kadamb, campak, aśoka, bakul, mango and nāgeśwar trees as well as clove and mādhavī vines.”

© Translated by Advaita dāsa in 1994
Source: Tarun Govinda Das, Flowing Nectar Stream blog.
(Lightly altered by the editor for Vrindavan Today)

© Art by Samik De

The commentary of Sri Radha Kund Mahant, Pandit Sri Ananta Das Babaji Maharaj, is named Stavāmṛta Kaṇā Vyākhyā (a drop of the nectar of Stavāvalī).

It was published in Gaurābda 503 (1989 A.D.) by Sri Krishna Chaitanya Shastra Mandir, Vrajananda Ghera, PO Radhakunda (district Mathura), U.P., India.

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

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2017.02.15, Vrindavan (IANS): Once famous for its 12 dense forests and hundreds of water bodies, Vrindavan, the “leela-bhoomi”, sacred land, of Sri Krishna and his consort Radha, Hinduism’s popular divinities, is fast turning into a concrete jungle.

“Instead of trees you have multi-storeyed apartment buildings coming up all over. Where are the sacred forests where Sri Krishna frolicked with the gopis and thousands of the devout meditated for salvation?” asked a Hare Krishna devotee from Russia, not wanting to be named.

“The green cover has vanished. The dominant colour is brown and gray today,” he lamented. The holy town has several hundred foreign “bhakts” seen chanting “Hare Krishna” while performing the “parikrama”– circumambulation of sacred places — along the Yamuna.

Local environmentalists blame large-scale construction and extensive sheet-piling activity on the flood-plains of the Yamuna river for the steep decline in the water table of this holy town, visited by millions of Sri Krishna devotees round the year.

At most places, the fall has been precipitous, say activists.

“The quality of water pumped out has also suffered. In many places, it is muddy and black. The Yamuna remains dry for most part of the year. What flows down is waste, sewage and industrial effluents from upstream industrial clusters. The odour is noxious,” said Madhu Mangal Shukla, a petitioner in the Allahabad High Court, which has stayed construction on the flood-plains.

The imminent water crisis ahead of summer has caused anxiety. Local environmentalists say the Yamuna River-Front Development Project of the Uttar Pradesh government on the flood-plains has choked the aquifers.

“Metal sheets were inserted 25 feet deep inside the ground in a two kilometre area in front of the heritage ghats of Vrindavan,” said heritage conservationist Shravan Kumar Singh.

“The groundwater level of Vrindavan is entirely dependent on the Yamuna as the town is surrounded by the river on three sides. The percolation recharge of Vrindavan’s ground water is determined by the river’s water level. The sheet-piling activity may have impacted the city’s water level,” he added.

The priests, or pandas, of local temples fear that the depleting water table may hit Vrindavan hard, as the city’s water supply is largely dependent on the tubewells bored on the banks of the Yamuna.

Since the Yamuna’s water is unfit for human consumption, it is the 50-odd tubewells along the river which cope with the city’s water needs.

“Groundwater decline has become a real and serious problem in Vrindavan. Although a large number of tubewells were dug by the municipality to provide water to the residents, no steps have been taken to conserve water,” said B.L. Upadhyay, a resident of the Cheer Ghat neighbourhood.

“There are 14 wells and a water tank (kund), in our temple. Water supply for all the rituals of the temple is largely dependent on the water of the wells and the kund. We have seen a drastic fall of water level in our water reservoirs. The borewells in many parts of the city have dried up even before the onset of summer,” Charchita Rangacharya of the Rangji temple explained.

Acharya Naresh Narayan, a senior member of the Braj Vrindavan Heritage Alliance, said: “The floodplains have been a self-recharging and self-sustaining aquifer for the city’s water. The illegal dumping of debris, construction rubble and the extension of settlements on the flood-plain are the chief reasons for the groundwater not being adequately recharged. Now, the sheet piling activity has sounded the death knell in the potable water supply of the temple town.”

The National Green Tribunal and the Allahabad High Court have stayed the River Front project started by the Uttar Pradesh government without expert consultation and NOCs from appropriate authorities, including the Archaeological Survey of India. But the civil works undertaken so far has already fundamentally impacted Vrindavan’s fragile ecology.

“Unfortunately all over the Braj area, including Goverdhan, Barsana, Gokul and Mathura, one sees unprecedented construction activity, often without permission. The world’s tallest Sri Krishna temple being built in Vrindavan could only add to the pressure on scarce water resources,” fear green circles here.

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Vrindavan, 2017.02.15 (VT): Environmental activists of Braj are rejoicing over a new law against any construction on flood plains of the Ganga and its tributaries.

The notification issued by the Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation banning construction of any structure, whether permanent or temporary for residential, commercial, industrial or any other purposes in the floodplains of Ganga or its tributaries has given a big boost to the legal battles of the Yamuna activists of Braj – Vrindavan.

Yamuna activists from Vrindavan have been fighting a legal battle against the unbridled construction on the Yamuna floodplain in Vrindavan. This notification will make their case stronger against the Riverfront Development and Beautification Project which has so far been stayed by the National Green Tribunal and the Allahabad High Court.

The majority of the ghats, where Yamuna once touched the land of Vrindavan, have been buried under construction rubble and debris. The Riverfront Development Project proposed to lay sewage pipes on the Yamuna riverbed and build new ghats beyond the ancient ghats, changing the course of the river.

Several groups have objected to the project and raised their voices for the protection of the ghats and bringing Yamuna back to these ghats.

The Ministry of Water Resources issued a notification on October 7, 2016 which provides for protection of the flood plain, its demarcation, repair thereof and activities which can be carried out in the flood plain.

In cases where construction has been completed before the issuance of the notification, the “National Mission for Clean Ganga shall review such constructions to examine whether they caused interruption in the continuous flow of water or polluted the river or its tributaries, and if that be so, it shall cause for removing them.”

The notification further states, “No person shall construct any structure, whether permanent or temporary for residential or commercial or industrial or any other purposes in the Ganga or floodplains of its tributaries.”

Talking to VT, Mahant Madhu Mangal Sharan Das, a petitioner in the Allahabad High court said, “Although there were several directions given by the National Green Tribunal, High Courts and the Supreme Court against the construction on the flood plains, there was no law that prohibited these constructions. The new notification will sharpen our fight against concretizing the Yamuna flood plain in Vrindavan.”

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Vrindavan, 2017.02.14 (VT): Shri Rajkumar Rinwa, the Minister for the department of Devasthan, Government of Rajasthan visited Vrindavan on Tuesday. He visited the Radha Kant Mandir, situated on the Parikrama Marg, near Vihar Ghat and Shri Radha Madhav Mandir or Jaipur Mandir, along with the officials of his department.

Shri Rinwa announced that his department will celebrate the ‘Patotsava’ of the Radha Madhav Mandir in a grand way, as the temple completes one hundred year of its establishment in this year.
Several cultural events are planned during the Centennial Ceremony of the Jaipur Mandir. The Jaipur Mandir was built by Sawai Madho Singh II in 1917.

Minister visiting Jaipur Mandir

He said that the architectural marvel of Shri Radha Madhav Mandir, (Jaipur Mandir) is unmatched with any other architecture. The temple is not less than a spectacular sight for which Vrindavan should feel proud of.
The Minister said, “The Rajasthan government will pay attention to the properties, which belong to the Department of Devasthan. The illegal occupancy on its properties will be strictly dealt and removed. We are gathering information on such properties, and shall take the legal route to get them vacated soon.”

Architectural beauty of Jaipur Mandir

“We are also working on a plan to arrange accommodation in our temples for the pilgrims visiting Vrindavan, so that they can enjoy the temple mood during their visit to the holy town,” said Rinwa.
He also elaborated his plans on restoration and beautification of the temples, and making them pilgrimage friendly.
He was welcomed by the BJP president of the local unit of Vrindavan Shri Rajesh Pandit. Shri Anil Pathak, Shri Hemant Bharti, Shri Sunil Goutam, Shri Akhil Agrawal, Shri Madan Gopal Banerjee were present.

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