Vrindavan, 2017.10.03 (VT): At a meeting on Thursday, the Mathura-Vrindavan Development Authority (MVDA) discussed the beautification of the neighborhood around Banke Bihari. Other government departments were also involved in the meeting, during which various plans were discussed, such as the beautification and widening of the roads around the temple, as well as better parking areas.

The discussion of improved parking around the temple comes as some surprise to many, since the current parking area is located on the Yamuna floodplain (khadar) and is probably illegal. If the government were to build a fancy parking lot on the Yamuna floodplain, where dozens of homes and ashrams were recently demolished by order of the Allahabad High Court, that could cost the government dearly in public faith.

Similarly, locals are concerned about the road-widening and beautification plans.

“They have been talking about this project for a long time,” said Gaura Nagar resident Jagadbhushan Mishra. “The government has financing from the World Bank, so naturally they want to spend the money. But the people of Vrindavan deserve to see the government’s plans before anything is done.”

Widening the roads around Banke Bihari Temple would entail demolishing smaller temples, shops and homes in the vicinity, many of them centuries old. A wider road would not necessarily mean a less dense crowd. Similarly, adding parking close to the temple would simply bring more traffic into an already tight space.

“Something certainly needs to be done, but I don’t know what that is,” said Haribol Baba of Raman Reti. “On crowded days it is almost impossible to go anywhere near Bihariji. I tried on Gopashtami and gave up before we even got to the narrower portions. But knocking down temples and old houses where people have lived for generations is not the solution we need. Perhaps controlled one-way traffic. In temples like Neelkanth near Rishikesh or Vishwanath in Kashi, people line up for hours to get darshan. This will probably have to be done here too.”

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Vrindavan, 2017.11.03 (VT): Yesterday the festival of Nimbark Jayanti began in Vrindavan. The celebration will continue for three days, culminating with the famous shobha-yatra from Nimbark Kot.

On the first day of the festival, a ceremony was organized by the World Nimbark Parishad. Under the auspices of Sant Vrindavan Bihari Das Kathiya Baba, a procession went out from Shriji ki badi kunj. Bhagwan Nimbarkacharya’s aarti was performed.

The procession continued from Retiya Bazar to Bankhandi, Bankebihari Bazar, Vidyapeeth Chaurah, Fogla Ashram, ISKCON and Raman Reti to Ali Madhuri Kuti. In the evening Yamuna Poojan and deep daan were performed by devotees. At night, Padmabhushan Vikash Maharaj sang traditional songs.

Yesterday also marked the beginning of the Radhavallabh Sampraday’s 510th “Vrindavan Prakatyotsav”. Shri Radhelal Goswami inaugurated the function.

During the program Shri Viditi Singh Chauhan and his group performed the Yamunashtak and Shrimad Chaturasi, written by Shri Hit Harivanshji himself. The devotees were thrilled to hear the sacred pads celebrating the love of the Divine Couple.

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Two hyenas rescued from well. In Mathura’s Chambal forest, two hyenas have shown that fighting does not pay. The animals are believed to have fallen into the well during a vicious battle. What shocked observers was that, even after falling into the well, the animals did not stop fighting. Forest Protection Officers quickly launched a rescue operation to pull the hyenas out of the well. Striped hyenas are an endangered species that live mostly in the arid ecosystems of India including Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.  Read more (Hindi)

Waste water pumping station on Parikrama M

A step forward with Yamuna cleaning. Municipal officials have been asked to submit a report and photographic evidence of the progress that they claim is being made with Yamuna cleaning. The report is due to be presented in the Allahabad High Court on November 6^th. Yesterday, the Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development, Manoj Kumar Singh, visited Mathura and Vrindavan to inspect the sewage and drainage systems. The Chief Secretary visited several of the 8 sewerage plants in Mathura-Vrindavan. He arrived at Atala Chungi, hoping to meet with officials in relation to the sewage pipe network in Vrindavan, however the municipal officials did not arrive at the site.

There is a 112 km sewage pipe in Vrindavan, however, previous inspections have found sewage treatment plants to be dysfunctional. Reports have also come to the surface about drainage from illegal colonies emptying into Yamuna. At a hearing of the Allahabad High Court yesterday, officials claimed to have blocked off drains which were pouring sewage directly into Yamuna. The prominent activist, Madhumangal Shukla, is mounting the case in the high court to ensure that the municipality will rectify the laxity in sewage and grey water treatment that has gone on for so many years. Read more (Hindi)

P.C. Jagran

Rally cry:  Come make Vrindavan polythene free! Wednesday, Vrindavan: During a rally at Hanuman Prasad Dhanuka girls school, MP Hema Malini and the Vice President of Braj Tirtha Vikas Parishad, Shailjakant Mishra, were among the dignitaries adding their voice to the call for a polythene free Vrindavan. The school’s principal, Dr. Anju Sood said that cloth bags should be used instead of plastic bags. Mishra talked about the negative effects of polythene and Malini gave a motivational speech, saying that Vrindavan needs to become completely polythene free.

P.C. Tunzaecogeneration

With the recent recognition of Vrindavan as an official pilgrimage site, increased efforts are being made to make the city clean and beautiful. Mishra, has been spearheading the anti-polythene campaign since 2001. Mishra’s campaign against polythene is fueled by his love of animals, especially cows, and he has twice been a member of the Animal Welfare Board. At a meeting of foreign devotee leaders last month, Mishra mentioned that he had previously arranged an exhibition showing photos of cows’ stomachs full of polythene. Mishra said that the exhibition was effective in helping people think about the consequences of their actions.  Unfortunately, many people throw vegetable scraps onto the street in plastic bags or do not separate garbage, causing cows forage for food scraps in amongst plastic garbage.

These days, more and more public figures are adding their voice to the cleanliness campaign. At a recent Bhagavat Katha program, Sadhvi Ritambara Didima said that PM Modi cannot do all the work alone, but, if people clean their hearts and stop being lazy, India will become clean.

Mathura Parikrama: 5 day program. For those who cannot spare the 40 days or so it takes to do Braj Mandal 84 kos parikrama, followers of late Guru Gopal Peeth Bitthalesh Ji Maharaj are organizing a 5 day program which includes the Mathura 5 kos Parikrama. Between the 13-18^th November, devotees will perform kirtan and parikrama of Mathura, with the bravest devotees doing dandavat parikrama. Dandavat parikrama involves completing the parikrama by lying down (like a stick) as many times as it takes to complete the length of the parikrama. It is more common for devotees to complete dandavat parikrama of Vrindavan. The first group dandavat parikrama of Mathura was conducted in 2014 on the anniversary of Bitthalesh ji Maharaj’s disappearance.  Read more (Hindi)

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Vrindavan is abound with tales of Lord Krishna descending into physical form to help out his beloved devotees. One of the most famous one is as follows:

Not so long ago, on outskirts of Vrindavan lived an elderly woman. Those who used to go around on the parikrama of Vrindavan would invariably see her sitting in the small hut, humming some sweet melodies in the praise of lord and engaged in some sort of sewa – devotional act – like making a garland of flowers collected from nearby gardens, or rolling out cotton wicks for aarti or some other similar duties. She had almost nothing in the name of material belonging in the hut other than a few essential utensils, minimal of linen and clothes. In spite of her advanced age she always displayed a childlike smile and innocence, a look of contentment and a divine glow played at her face. She always offered cold sweet water to the travelers and it used to be surprisingly refreshing and rejuvenating. Her daily routine included a visit to Shri Bankey Bihari temple where she would sing, dance or simply sit in a corner with eyes closed and tears rolling down her cheeks. Nobody knew who she was, who were her parents or where from had she come to Vrindavan and how she developed that great sense of devotion.

On a scorching summer afternoon, one of our elder Goswamis who was passing through that path stayed at her hut to quench his thirst. Having quenched his thirst with cold sweet water, Goswamiji just insisted her to relate her story as to who she was, who were her parents or where from had she come to Vrindavan and how she developed that great sense of devotion. What follows is a brief account of the story related by the lady in first person and scripted by our elder.

The story

I originally belonged to Aligarh, the district town in Uttaar Pradesh, around seventy kilometers from Mathura. I am daughter of a simple school teacher by name of Gopal Das. I was the eldest child in the family and had two younger brothers. We were a small, contended and happy family. Though we had limited means, we never felt deprived as my father was a devoted person and sincerely believed that only God’s desire prevails. After schooling, as I grew up my parents started to looking up for a suitable match for me. By the grace of God, they soon came in contact with a reputed and educated family in a nearby place and liked the boy of the family very much and the relationship was finalized. From this moment onwards my father got disturbed as he did not know from where and how to arrange money for solemnizing my marriage.

At last my father naturally went to his friends and acquaintances asking for loans. He was in for a rude shock as all his friends dismissed him outright saying how my father would ever return the money. The day of my marriage was fast approaching and there was no money to organize the wedding. Money is always needed for marriages – for feasts, ceremonies, and dowry and so on. My father became extremely tensed and disturbed. All throughout the day he would wander here and there trying to arrange funds for my marriage but he did not meet any luck. He would often skip his dinner after returning home and would sulk and go straight to sleep. He was also deeply hurt at the behavior of his friends.

Finally only 5 days remained for my marriage. I saw my father coming home with lots of marriage items like bed, clothes, utensils, sweets, jewellery and so on. Both I and my mother was extremely surprised as to how out of the blue my father could arrange all this when just a day before he had virtually no money at all. Upon asking my father replied with quiet confidence that he had mortgaged the house and borrowed money from Seth Lakshmi Chand, the money lender. On hearing this, all hell broke loose on my mother for she had heard several tales about Lakshmi Chand’s dishonest ways. Any one who had mortgaged his house or land with Lakshmi Chand was doomed for he could be certain he would never get it back. Lakshmi Chand was a greedy cheat who was adept at juggling account records to dupe poor villagers of their property. He would keep duplicate records, one real and the other fake. He was also well versed in legal matters, had a good hold over hawkish lawyers and so would indulge in brazen manipulations to carry out his misdeeds. My mother rebuked my father sharply and tension prevailed in our home. My mother was certain that we were doomed but my father tried his best to calm my mother, saying her fears were unfounded and after the marriage he would surely pay back the money to Lakshmi Chand and get the house released. My mother doubted father’s words for she thought that after my marriage, father would become more carefree and would not take much care to repay the loan.

However, my mother’s doubt turned out to be unfounded as after my marriage my father toiled day and night to earn money to repay the loan. After four months of very hard work that took its toll on his health, my father was able to repay the loan. True to his extreme simplicity, my father did not insist for the receipt for payments, cancellation of mortgage deed and returning the papers of the house immediately on making the payment. Rather he took the words of money lender that the formalities would be completed in a couple of days.

In India, Hindus consider it a sacred duty to take a holy dip in the Ganges after one has married off his daughter. Just a few days after my father had repaid the loan, my mother started insisting my father for the Ganges pilgrimage. My father did not have money then so he asked mother to wait a little. But my mother insisted and only God knows from where, she arranged some money to finance the trip. My parents then went on the Ganges pilgrimage. The day they returned, a registered postal letter awaited my father. When he read the letter he collapsed in disbelief! The document was a court notice sent by none other than the wicked Lakshmi Chand. It stated that if by a certain date my father did not repay the loan with interest, the house would be confiscated and my father thrown out.

Upon reading that notice all life seemed to have left my father. He had honestly repaid the loan with full interest so why this notice? He was a simple man who had never been to the court. The court for him seemed to be a dreadful place where the rich and the powerful openly manipulated legalities to twist cases in their favour to cheat the poor and the helpless. The court was a place where truth and honesty was butchered every day and every minute and falsehood reigned supreme. Every brick of the court building was like a snake’s bloody fangs ready to strike the helpless and the meek at the slightest chance. My father nevertheless gathered courage to seek the help of his friends. Once again they all cold shouldered him. They refused to help my father saying that as my father had not returned the money to Lakshmi Chand in their presence, how any of them could become a witness to the case. Besides, Lakshmi Chand was a powerful and influential man so nobody wanted to pick up enmity with him.

Once again my father was plunged in gloom. He despaired and seemed to lose his balance completely. He wondered at the ways of the world. How strange this world is. Even after one has repaid the loan with interest he is served a court notice. He shuddered to think what would happen to him if he did not vacate the house. He would be dragged to court; humiliated; made to beg and grovel before the judge, lawyer and Lakshmi Chand; his family honour would bite dust and what not. My mother kept her hand over my father’s forehead. My father was burning with high fever.

The next morning my father woke up in the same condition. He decided to visit Lakshmi Chand and ask him why he was doing all this. My mother sensing an altercation decided to accompany my father. When my father reached Lakshmi Chand’s house, he was warmly greeted by the latter and was served tea and snacks. Lakshmi Chand even touched my father’s feet (as a sign of respect) and enquired after his well being. Upon being asked by my father, Lakshmi Chand admitted that my father had repaid the loan in full along with interest. He said he was primarily interested in my father’s house and wanted that house at any cost. He even offered my father all the money my father had repaid him as a price for the house. He said if my father did not accept the offer he would have to face harassment in the court.

My father begged Lakshmi Chand not to do this and said that if he were to vacate the house where he would live with his wife and two sons. Besides, the house was his ancestral property and he could not abandon something so precious. This was of no use as Lakshmi Chand refused to melt. He warned my father not to teach him what was right and what was wrong. He insisted that he had kept a proposal before my father. If my father agreed he would get the money from Lakshmi Chand for his house or else he would have to run from pillar to post to settle the matter in court, where also he would lose the case and finally evicted. At this my mother lost control and warned Lakshmi Chand that it was not proper to harass someone like this and there was a court higher than all the courts in the world and that was God’ court and God would surely take Lakshmi Chand to task.

Acutely disappointed, my parents returned home. My father was already disgusted at his friends’ indifference and so did not bother to consult anyone. Everyone was your friend as long as you had money. The moment you were penniless and needed help, you were abandoned. My mother kept insisting my father to seek help. Finally he got fed up and left home. Coincidentally that day was ‘Hariyali Teej (the swing festival in the month of Shravan, in rainy season) and a bus of devotees was going to Vrindavan from Aligarh. My father lost in thought, absentmindedly boarded the bus. He had no idea where the bus was going, so mired he was in his mental agony. It so happened that the conductor of the bus turned out to be one of father’s old students. He offered my father a seat beside his great respect. During their talk, father came to know that on special occasions the bus goes from Aligarh to Vrindavan with devotees of Lord Krishna. Today was one of such days. My father had heard of “Banke Bihari” before also. It was only today that he came to know that several devotees go to Vrindavan just to visit the “Banke Bihari” temple. So endearing was He to his devotees. My father’s soul too now yearned for a darshan (devout glimpse) of “Banke Bihari” – the one and only Lord Krishna. The bus conductor narrated several miraculous stories about Lord Krishna to my awe struck father. He had heard several tales from bus passengers. Besides, his own life had been blessed by Krishna. He narrated his own story to my father – how many years ago he had arrived in Vrindavan as a penniless, hungry youth with no dwelling whatsoever; how he had cried and prayed to Krishna and how miraculously he was spotted by his long distant aunt – a rich lady, who adopted him and put him in service in her little transport business. That bus was one of the many buses she owned.

In the meantime the bus arrived at Vrindavan. The passengers alighted from the bus which was supposed to stay in Vrindavan for two hours after which it would go back to Aligarh. The passengers had two hours to stay in Vrindavan. The conductor took my father to the famous “Banke Bihari” temple. My father devoutly offered his soul to Shri Bankey Bihari ji and in a spirit of true devotion, surrendered completely to the Lord. It seemed that the grace of Krishna was beginning to touch my father. His entire mental agony seemed to flow down in the river of his true surrender.

At midnight my father returned home – a different man. He walked with a confident and steady gait. It seemed now, he had no worries; he needed no one’s help; he depended on no one; he had no fear whatsoever. He had obtained His assurance – He who was the greatest of all helpers.

The very next day my father confidently sent a bold reply to Lakshmi Chand’s lawyer stating clearly that as he had already repaid the loan with interest in full he would not under any circumstances vacate the house. Infuriated at this, Lakshmi Chand filed a legal suit against my father in the local court. The court issued summons to my father asking him to appear in the court on a specified date. The court summon which would ordinarily terrify my father beyond any limits, was today received like a royal invitation by my father.

He did not feel the slightest fear upon receiving the court summons. How could he feel fear when the Lord was with him? On the specified day, my father alone went to the court. There he was asked by the judge about the whereabouts of the payment receipt which Lakshmi Chand must have handed over to my father upon receiving the full payment. Upon this question my father innocently replied that he was not given any receipt nor had he insisted Lakshmi Chand to give him a receipt. There dealings were of mutual faith and trust and a receipt was unnecessary. The judge further asked my father whether he could tell him as to on what dates he had repaid the loan installments and also the amount he had repaid in every installment. My father looked up his diary and readily told everything. Lakshmi Chand kept duplicate records and presented the false records at the court. The false records, quite obviously did not have any trace of the transactions. My father kept insisting that he had seen Lakshmi Chand enter the amounts in his records but today there was no trace of the payments in Lakshmi Chand’s records. Lakshmi Chand’s lawyer started accusing my father of being a liar. Lakshmi Chand’s lawyer further asked my father to present any witness in whose presence my father had given the payment. My father kept quiet as he had no witness- there was in fact no witness. Hope seemed to dim, he could seek help from no one but suddenly he remembered “Banke Bihari” – the saviour behind all saviours. The glorious form of the Lord stood there in my father’s vision, with his flute playfully at his beautiful lips, smiling a very familiar and charming smile at my father. Father prayed deeply to Krishna – that ocean of mercy. My father blurted out to the judge,”Banke Bihari,………Banke Bihari .. is my witness. He was there with me every time I went to make a payment”.

At this, the lawyer again asked my father to tell the name of the witness. My father said that “Banke Bihari” was the name of the witness. The lawyer growled at my father and asked him the witness’s address. My father replied “Vrindavan, district Mathura, Uttar Pradesh”. Upon being asked the name of the father of the witness. My father replied after some hesitation “Swami Haridas”. (Swami Haridas was a great saint who lived in the sixteenth century, in Vrindavan. It was he to whom Lord appeared in person with His celestial consort and then they left behind the idol of Shri Banke Bihariji which till this day is worshipped in that famous temple of Vrindavan).

Anyway, the court attendent reached Vrindavan to present the court summon to the “witness” Banke Bihari. On reaching there he was accosted by a young beautiful dark skinned lad who offered to take him to Banke Bihari.

Before the attendant could answer, the lad took him by his hand and brought him to the Banke Bihari temple. It was afternoon and the temple was closed. The lad requested the attendant to stick the summons document on the temple door and said Banke Bihari would read it when he returned. He assured the attendant that on the day of the court proceedings, Banke Bihari would surely be present to give witness. Satisfied, the attendant returned to Aligarh.

Some people later told me that Lakshmi Chand’s wicked lawyer had gleefully remarked to his client that the latter need not worry as the case would surely be settled in his favour as God would not descend to give witness in favour of the poor Gopal Das (my father). They both had had a hearty laugh at my father.

The judge was in a dilemma. He knew not what to do. Deep down he knew my father was innocent and Lakshmi Chand was fleecing him but then what could he do. My father had no proof, no witness. He wondered at my father’s devotion and innocence. This man, he mused, has named Banke Bihari as his witness. Banke Bihari is the judge of all judges, the ruler of all creation, lord of all that lives. Will He have the time to come to give witness in favour of this ordinary fellow?

Just a few days now remained for the court date. My father now decided to go to Vrindavan one more time. Everyone in the household made fun of my father and tried to dissuade him from going but my father did not listen and left for Vrindavan. On reaching the temple he once more prayed fervently for the Lord’s help. His surrender was complete. In the afternoon he sat outside the temple and went to sleep. In the dream Lord Krishna appeared to him and promised him that he would come to give witness in his favour. In the evening my father took a dip in the holy Yamuna and returned home.

Except for my father everyone in the household felt sure that the case would be decided in Lakshmi Chand’s favour. But my father was supremely confident that he would win the case. My father’s faith was dismissed as eccentricity by everyone else.

On the day of the proceeding, the judge asked my father whether his witness was ready. My father said that the witness had indeed arrived. The court attendant shouted out “Banke Bihari, present yourself to the court”. There was no response. He called out again “Banke Bihari, present yourself to the court “. No response. He called out the third time “Banke Bihari, present yourself to the court “. This time a voice spoke from outside the room “I am here”. Just that instant a man wrapped in a black blanket entered the court room. Everywhere there was exclamation of utter surprise. “Who is this Banke Bihari?” “Are you Gopal Das’s witness?” the judge asked the mysterious stranger. The figure nodded. The stranger’s blanket covered face was irritating the judge. “Please show your face and reply clearly, what is your name?” asked the judge now getting stern.

The figure slightly removed the blanket from his face and replied to the judge “Banke Bihari”. The moment the judge looked at the stranger’s face, he was completely awe struck at the divine luster on the stranger’s face. This face was unlike that of any other human being the judge had ever seen. It was no human face; it was the face of God himself. The pen dropped out of the judge’s hand, his forehead began to sweat profusely and he forgot to ask anything else. The stranger spoke, “Gopal Das has returned each and every pie with interest to Lakshmi Chand. If you want proof of this then it is to be found in a yellow file kept in the topmost partition of the almirah which lies at the right of Lakshmi Chand’s office seat. All of Gopal Das’s transactions appear under the name of “Das” and are fully recorded in page 2 of the file. I will now even tell you the exact amount and the dates on which Gopal Das made the payments.” The witness went on to narrate every detail about the transactions. Everyone in the court was dumbstruck. Lakshmi Chand stood there trembling. His lawyer stood there staring in blank space like an idiot.

After some minutes, the judge regained his composure and asked the witness, “Can you recognize the file?”. “Absolutely”, replied the witness. The judge adjourned the court and went to Lakshmi Chand’s office (a part of his dwelling itself) along with the witness, Gopal Das, Lakshmi Chand, Lakshmi Chand’s lawyer and two court attendants. There it turned out to be exactly what the witness had told him in court. Lakshmi Chand was caught red handed.

The judge turned around. The witness had vanished! My father after that day never returned home. He who obtains the Lord makes the whole world his friend. The very next day, the judge resigned from his job and became a renunciate and devoted his remaining life to Krishna.

Not only this. Everyone related to this incident in any way whatsoever soon abandoned their dwellings and vocations and got lost in the divine charm of Vrindavan for the rest of their lives -and why not? They had become useless to the world.

And so am I. I believe, it is me who caused Bihariji to undergo all this trouble as it was for my marriage that my father raised the loan and the entire episode followed. I really do not know how to express my deep regards to Him. I stay at this place always waiting for Him to come to me in the afternoon like this one, tired of chasing cows all day long, asking for water, may be in a disguise like He came to the court in Aligarh.

Source:  https://www.bihariji.org/divineglimpses1.php

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Priest claims: Tarauli Kund heals skin problems. Tarauli village, Mathura: Yesterday, devotees of Swami Baba took a dip in the village’s kund and watched wrestling matches. After the wrestling match, thousands of villagers and guests bathed in the kund. Village priest, Balaram Gautam, said the kund has the power to cure skin diseases. The festivities are part of the village’s annual Lakhi Festival, which begins from Devotthan Ekadasi. Yesterday, wrestlers came from all over India to participate in a tournament. The winner, Jitendra Singh, bagged Rs. 31 000 in prize money. Tarauli village is famous for being the place where Lord Kartikeyi slayed the Tarkasur demon. Read more (Hindi)

P.C. Jagran

Winter offering: roasted almonds and hot milk. In Goverdhan’s Daan-Ghati temple, special preparations are being made so that Giriraj ji will be well served during this winter season. These days, Giriraj ji’s usual offering of makhan mishri is being supplemented with roasted almonds and hot milk. Thakhurji’s breakfast includes special sweets with winter-warming ingredients, such as black pepper, cloves, saffron, nutmeg, small cardamom and large cardamom. At lunchtime, special ingredients (bajra and mewa) are added to the regular offering of daal and rice.  Read more (Hindi)

P.C. Brajdarshan

ISKCON parikrama reaches Rawal. Yesterday, the thousands of devotees on ISKCON’s Braj Mandal Parikrama camped at Rawal. Rawal is Radha Rani’s birthplace and is 4kms south of Gokul, Sri Krishna’s birthplace. Today is Kartik Purnima, the last day of the month long Kartik festival. Some foreign devotees are even flying out today – flight prices are cheaper today, because, who would want to leave Braj on Kartik Purnima? The temples of Rawal were filled with ISKCON devotees chanting the Mahamantra and taking the last opportunity to get the 1000 fold benefit from spiritual activities performed during Kartik.

Russian woman accuses bank manager of rape. The manager of UCO Bank’s Vrindavan branch,  Mahendra Prasad Singh, has been arrested based on a complaint filed by a Russian woman; Deputy Superintendent of Police, Vijay Shanker Mishra told the press. The Russian woman met Singh online in November 2016 and came to Vrindavan to meet him. She alleges that after she arrived in Vrindavan, she was taken to a house and raped repeatedly. She said that the bank manager threatened her with consequences if she complained to the police, however, after gaining the support of other Russian women, she filed a report.  Read more (English)

P.C. ANI

CM Yogi paints his office saffron. State CM, Yogi Adityanath’s office is a five-storied building which was erected in 1982 during the regime of the then chief minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh. It remained off-white for several years, until the arrival of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati. During her last stint (2007-2012), the BSP chief decided to make it spotless white. Her successor Akhilesh Yadav, of the Samajwadi Party, chose to maintain the sparkling white colour, but, now CM Yogi has now changed it to saffron. The BJP’s passion for saffron has seen the colour of buses and even the straps of Government ID cards changed to saffron. CM Yogi’s passion for saffron is seen as positive by some, whereas others feel it is divisive. Read more (English)

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German woman denied visa after 38 years of serving injured cows. A Radha Kund goshala is facing an uncertain future as its owner is being forced to leave the country. German national, Friedrich Arena Berning, who is known locally by her spiritual name, Sudevi, is facing the prospect of having to leave her life’s work when her visa expires next month. Sudevi used money that her parents had saved to purchase 5 acres of land in Radha Kund. For 38 years, Sudevi has been running the goshala with her personal funds, bringing in up to Rs22 lakh per month for the fodder for 1200 cattle and the salaries 60 staff members. Speaking to Vishakha Dasi from Vrindavan Today, Sudevi said that the calves in the goshala, “are like my children and I cannot leave them.” Sudevi’s  Radha Surabhi Gaushala specializes in treating badly injured cows. Sudevi personally administers the medication and worries that no other organization will be able to provide the same level of care for her ‘children’.

The dilemma that Sudevi faces is that she cannot take Indian citizenship because doing so would cause her to lose the income on rental properties in Berlin, which she uses to run the Goshala. Sudevi plans to meet with external Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, to plead for an extension of her visa. We are all praying for her and hoping that such a giving and devotional heart will not be broken. Read more (Hindi)

P.C. Jagran

Barricades at Mathura Station to stop cows and thieves. Last week, when MP Hema Malini was leaving a meeting at Mathura railway station, a bull entered the station. Malini visited the station to meet with officials about the beautification project, which will see murals of Radha-Krishna decorating the walls of the station. The bull was walking in the opposite direction to Malini. People tried to dissuade it from walking towards her, but it was not to be dissuaded (see video). The bull went along its way and no one was injured, but, the incident has highlighted the security issue of the station being open from many directions. As well as animals entering the confined space of the station platforms, thieves can also enter and leave easily. Efforts to build barricades and patrol the entry and exit points are now underway. Read more (Hindi)

P.C. divineindia

Guru Nanak Jayanti celebrations. Kartik Purnima also marks the appearance day of Guru Nanakji, the premier guru of the Sikh community. It is said that Gurunanak Dev came to Masani garden in Mathura from Haridwar in August 1512 and performed a miracle by sweetening the salty groundwater. The largest Gurudwara in Braj is at Holi Gate, Mathura. Here, a recitation program was held from Thursday to Saturday. As well as listening to the recitation, devotees lit lamps and prayed for world peace. Guru Nanak famously said that, if you can’t see God in everyone, you can’t see Him at all.  Read more (Hindi)

P.C. Amar Ujala

9 untreated sewage drains in Mathura-Vrindavan. Disparities have been found between the National Green Tribunal’s report  and the Municipal Corporation’s report on the progress in stopping the drainage of raw sewage into the Yamuna. These disparities forced the Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development, Manoj Kumar Singh, to visit the area to gain a proper estimation of the situation. Amar Ujala reports that in Vrindavan, 5/19 drains are outlets for raw sewage, whereas, in Mathura, the sewage in 4/12 drains is untreated. In Mathura, there are also several factories who drain  their waste water into the Yamuna. Affidavits have been served against offending factory owners. The hearing of the complaint against the  Municipal Corporation for its slow action in preventing effluent draining into Yamuna will continue in the Allahabad High Court tomorrow. Read more (Hindi)

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Kartik Purnima was celebrated on Saturday in Vrindavan. The coming of the full moon marks the last day of the holy month of Kartik. It is also known as Dev Deepawali.

Dev Deepawali lamps in Mathura (P.C. Amar Ujala)

Dev Deepawali

The gods are said to be sleeping throughout the four months of chaturmasyai, which includes Deepawali, and awaken only on Devotthan ekadashi. Thus they celebrate the festival of lights on Kartik Purnima instead. In Mathura, the Dev Deepawali festival committee and the Tirth Purohit Mahasangh celebrated in the evening by lighting thousands of lamps on the Yamuna shore from Swami Ghat to Bangali Ghat. Lakshminarayan Chaudhary inaugurated the program with a lamplighting ceremony.

Yamuna Bath and Parikrama

On Kartik Purnima, thousands of devotees bathed in the Shri Yamuna river at Vrindavan and Mathura. They also performed pooja of Shri Yamunaji with flowers and lights. The number of devotees who undertook Vrindavan parikrama on this day is huge. It was like a human chain was formed along the parikrama marg from day to night. The whole city rang with with the melody of “Radhe Radhe!” “Hare Krishna!” as parikrama-goers sang and danced along the way.

Nimbark Jayanti

Kartik Purnima marks the appearance day of Shri Nimbarkacharya, the father of the Nimbark Sampradaya. On this day a special seminar was held, where sants expressed their love for Radharani and spoke about Radha Tattva. Scholars from all corners of the country praised Vrindavan as the land of rasa and emphasized Radha’s importance. “Without Radha, Krishna of Vrindavan cannot be attained,” was the gist of the day’s discussions. As part of the Nimbark Jayanti celebration 5,100 lamps were offered to the Divine Couple.

Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu on procession. (P.C. Anuragg Goswami)

Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Agamanotsav

Kartik Purnima marks the day that Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the father of the Gaudiya Sampradaya, came to Vrindavan. In honor of that holy event the yearly shobhayatra (procession) was taken out on parikrama from the Amiya Nimai temple in Gopinath Bazar. Mahaprabhu in the form of his chitrapat (portrait) was taken from Gopinath Bazar to the Yamuna River, Gopeshwar Mahadev, Mathura Road, Nagar Palika, Seva Kunj and Nidhivan before returning back to his temple. The procession was accompanied by heart-stirring songs of Mahaprabhu’s lila.

Special Raas Lila Darshans

In the sapta devalay, Shri Radha and Krishna were dressed beautifully for their Raas Lila. Special decorations, lighting and dioramas in each temple enchanced the beauty of the night. Darshans at Banke Bihari and Radhavallabhji were also unique and devotees relished visiting all of them. Several temples remained open till late at night, allowing more time for the Divine Couple to reveal their Raas Lila Darshan to the devotees.

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I worship and praise the most brilliant Praskandana Tīrtha, the great holy water that became manifest from the drops of sweat that trickled from Govinda’s body as he was being served from all directions by the intense heat offered by the twelve suns, and that is filled with spotless water that is greatly scented and made lovely by the perfumes that came from Govinda’s tender and extremely beautiful auspicious limbs.

Stavāmṛta Kaṇā Vyākhyā: In this verse, Praskandana Tīrtha, which lies very close to Dwadashaditya Tirtha, is being praised. Along with removing the poison from Kaliya’s lake during his pastime of subduing the Kaliya snake, Līlā Puruṣottama (the Most Playful Personality) Sri Krishna also revealed two enchanting lakes nearby.

Narottam Das says, sarva-tīrtha govinda-caraṇa (Prema-bhakti-candrikā 17): “All holy places appear in connection with Sri Govinda’s lotus feet or with his pastimes.” The water of these holy places destroys all sins and afflictions of those who bathe there and at the same time the remembrance of the divine pastimes that took place there destroys the seeds of all the material desires that have been within the heart since time immemorial, and awakens the experience of the sweetness of these pastimes.

When Sri Govinda, who is always engaged in sweet, human-like pastimes, came out of the water of the Kaliya-hrada he shivered of cold, and to remove that cold the twelve Ādityas (suns) became manifest. After the hot rays of the twelve suns removed the cold from Govinda’s very tender and beautiful limbs, drops of perspiration began to appear on it. It was as if countless pearl-drops were trickling from a sapphire doll. These many beads of sweat trickled from Krishna’s limbs and formed a great stream that merged with the Yamuna and became known as Praskandana Tīrtha.

In Bhakti-ratnākara it is written:

Ah Śrīnivāsa! Because of the heat of the sun the cold went away and sweat appeared on Krishna’s body. This sweat again met with the daughter of the Sun (Yamuna), and hence this place is called Praskandana Tīrtha. See, by bathing in Praskandana Kṣetra all sins are destroyed and one who leaves his body here attains Vishnuloka.

In the Ādi-Varāha Purāṇa Sri Varāha-deva tells Dharaṇī Devi:

O Vasundhare! I will tell you about another holy place, listen! There is an auspicious spot named Praskandana which destroys all sins. A person who bathes there is freed from all sins and a person who leaves the body there will certainly attain my abode!

Raghunath Das Goswami says: “The water of Praskandana Tirtha has become very clear and fragrant due to being filled with perfumes from Sri Krishna’s most fragrant and auspicious limbs. An odor of lotus mixed with camphor emanates from the eight lotus flowers of Sri Krishna’s body – his two eyes, two hands, two feet, navel and face.

He who attracts the Vraja-gopīs with the waves of his bodily fragrance, which defeats that of musk, extends a fragrance of lotus mixed with camphor on the eight lotus flowers of his body. (Govinda-līlāmṛtam 8.6)

During his Gambhira pastimes Sriman Mahaprabhu, whose heart was filled with the love of Sri Radha, spoke the following ecstatic words while revealing the sweetness of Sri Krishna’s bodily fragrance:

The fragrance of Krishna’s body defeats that of a blue lotus flower anointed with musk. This fragrance pervades all the fourteen worlds and attracts everyone, blinding the eyes of the girls! (CC Antya 19.92)

O sakhi! Krishna’s fragrance maddens the world! It enters the women’s nostrils and always remains sitting there, holding them and taking them to Krishna! (CC Antya 19.93)

There are eight lotus flowers on Krishna’s body – his eyes, his navel, his face, his hands and his feet – and these eight lotus flowers smell of lotus anointed with camphor. (CC Antya 19.94)

Raghunath Das Goswami says: “I worship this most brilliant Praskandana Tīrtha by praising it.”

The severe heat caused by the service of the twelve suns caused many sweatdrops to appear on Sri Govinda’s body and that perspiration created an enchanting and effulgent holy pond that was scented with that bodily fragrance.”

That sacred water always trembles and is known as Praskandana Tīrtha. I take shelter of this place, praise it and live on its bank so that all my desires will be fulfilled.”

Commentary of Sri Radha Kund Mahant, Pandit Sri Ananta Das Babaji Maharaj is named Stavāmṛta Kaṇā Vyākhyā (a drop of the nectar of Stavāvalī), and was published in Gaurābda 503 (1989 A.D.) from Sri Krishna chaitanya Shastra Mandir, Vrajananda Ghera, PO Radhakunda (district Mathura), U.P., India.

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

© Translated by Advaita dāsa in 1994

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

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In the previous two posts (Part I and Part II), I have been trying to discuss the relationship of the foreign Vaishnava community to present-day Vrindavan looking through the lens of globalization and the way that Srila Prabhupada anticipated the developments that would take place. The conclusion of the last article was to stress that Prabhupada stimulated a desire for a more traditional ethics and morality, as well as a lifestyle oriented towards spiritual realization, what he called “simple living and high thinking.”

One cannot separate Srila Prabhupada from the general trend of Hindu nationalism, even though he vociferously stated, as a part of his preaching platform, that he was not teaching “Hinduism,” but the mystical Vaishnava path, which transcends all material identities, including that of being a Hindu. Be that as it may, Prabhupada claimed that this was the true teaching of the Veda and Bhagavad-gita, the “Hindu” shastras, and he accepted “Hindu” concepts like Varnashram Dharma and Sanatan Dharma; though his interpretation may have been different, he certainly fit within Hinduism’s millennial tradition of theological debate. So it is not really a surprise that his preaching in the West was considered a triumph for Hindus who still believe in their religion’s spiritual worth.

We have noted on these pages the geographical and historical importance of Vrindavan now that the Hindu nationalist party has taken the helm of the Center, the State and in all likelihood, the municipal corporations in the upcoming elections. There is no secret that every political party in India stands for economic development, the only difference is really that the BJP claims to represent the interests of the Hindu religion and its followers. Now the question arises: What kind of society is the modern “Hindu” society? And how does modern economic development fit in with the vision of the Hindu scriptures and traditions?

When Srila Prabhupada was on the Jaladuta traveling to America, he wrote a poem in which he speculated on the nature of life there:

I guess you have some purpose for me here, otherwise why would you bring me to this terrible place? Most of the population here is covered by the material modes of ignorance and passion. Absorbed in material life, they think themselves very happy and satisfied, and therefore they have no taste for the transcendental message of Vāsudeva. I do not know how they will be able to understand it.

Prabhupada was not mesmerized by the glitter of material advancement in the West. He came to America to give people there an alternative to a lifestyle that is currently dominating the world, what he called

And though it may be too much to ask that vestiges of the Vedic tapo-vana should be plentiful in India, it is dangerous to steamroller over the tapo-vana to create parking lots and concrete jungles.

The voices of foreign devotees

Vrindavan’s development must be in keeping with the desires of the Brijbasis, as Mr. Shailjakant Mishra has repeatedly stated as the VP of the Braj Tirth Vikas Parishad. Of the some 3 crore visitors to Braj last year, only 60 thousand or so were foreign nationals. Yet we should not underestimate the symbolic power that Prabhupada’s disciples exerted when they came to India with him, exhibited by him as “dancing white elephants.” If anyone should think that Vrindavan’s renaissance is not in great part inspired by his success in inspiring people from America and Europe to take up bhakti-yoga, they are not thinking clearly.

Therefore, the Westerners, who followed Prabhupada in accepting the meaning of civilization as being something other than the enhancement of material pleasures and comforts, are ahead of the curve on globalization. They can see that this kind of exploitative, materialistic consumption society is not sustainable. We can see that the Western societies are being propelled down a road to increased social anxiety and violence. Is it not clear that material advancement alone is not the solution to the problems of humanity? Can India, especially its spiritual leadership, not recognize this?

Vrindavan is the most sacred place in India. There is no place like it anywhere in the world. Those who come here should find a place that promotes the spiritual life by every means possible. And it should be emphasized that Vrindavan, being by definition a place where the natural world intersects with the spiritual, that natural environment must be a part of any development plan, not gross tourist attractions like theme parks and skyscraper temples. These are good for gawking and not much else.

The Brijbasis are being carried away by the waves of enthusiasm for material development and increased revenues. Greed is a great motivator and in times like these, greed is given full sway. This leads to corruption and bad decision making, and certainly in a place like Braj, bad decision making can be fatal.

Westerners may have samskaras that are not purely “Hindu,” but those who are leading the Hindu charge for progress and seeking India’s rightful place as a global leader should remember that their real claim for Hindu national pride is that this is the civilization of the rishis and sants and acharyas.

Braj is a sacred land. The real tourist attraction here is the sants, sadhus and rishis and Bhagavata acharyas. They should be at the center of any discussion of development, and the voices of secular engineers and economists should be vetted by them.

Foreign devotees and living in Braj

Recently we learned that a longtime foreign devotee residing in Radha Kund was denied a visa extension. In the globalization context, this is a big problem. Millions of Indians have traveled to the West, to the US, to Canada, the UK and Australia where many have materially done very well. This has also been very good for Indian financially as remittances from pravasi Indians is a big economic boost for the country.

So the question is, why does the Indian government not recognize the spiritual connection that Western seekers have for India and adopt them as permanent residents and citizens. Western Hindu (and Buddhist) converts like Jayapataka Swami, Radhanath Swami and Kriyanananda Swami — and many, many others — now preach in India and make Indian disciples. But just as important, hundreds of Western devotees come to take shelter of the Holy Dham as an integral part of their spiritual practice. We want more of such people in the Dham, people who understand the purpose of this world as manifest in the “human sanctuary” of the holy land, where they can pursue a life that is dedicated to cultivating love for God. They want to serve the Dham. Who would not want such enthusiastic immigrants, who only want to glorify the holy land of Mother Bharata and its sacred places like Vrindavan?

Braj-Vrindavan is the creation of foreigners. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his followers were outsiders, mostly from Bengal. Narayan Bhatta, one of the most prolific discoverers of puranic sites in Braj, was from South India, as was Vallabha Bhatta. But many others came from Gujarat, Punjab, Orcha, and elsewhere to create the culture and heritage of this land. Globalization has brought foreigners also, who are helping to revitalize and enrich that culture and heritage. Should they not be welcomed and given facility? Surely any bad apples can be weeded out by India’s security apparatus.

We appeal to the Indian government to create a category of visa for serious practitioners of spiritual life from anywhere in the world. These people do not have a relationship of tourism to the Dham, they have a relationship of love. There is no Radha and Krishna without Vrindavan. Manifest Vrindavan and Radha and Krishna will manifest. The Hindu leaders of the BJP should recognize this and develop Vrindavan accordingly.

My eyes have become filled with the avid desire to completely envelop that form of eternal youth that has been fashioned from the sweet essence of love-ambrosia, which can only be observed in Vrindavan. Even the most elevated section of the Upanishads has not been able to reach that form, nor have great personalities like Shiva and Shuka perceived it in their meditations. (Rādhā-rasa-sudhā-nidhi 76)

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Cows starving in temple Goshala. Radha Mohan Goshala in Chaumanha village, Mathura, has been accused of starving its cows. A few years ago, goshala owners received Rs 53 lakh compensation when some of the goshala land was used for widening the highway. Mahant Ballabhadas Maharaj of Sri Radh Mohan Ji temple, Mathura says that the compensation money was used to feed cows, but now there is nothing remaining. The Maharaj said that previously, the surrounding villagers had formed a committee and each member made a contribution of cow fodder to the goshala, however, due to bickering, the committee has been dissolved. The cows in the goshala are in a terrible condition, previously, the heard was 150 strong, now the numbers have decreased to 80. Amar Ujala reports that, every day, several cows die from starvation.

P.C. Jagran

Bhagwat Shobhayatra. Devotees from Anand Lok took their Thakurji out onto Parikrama Marg during a parade marking the beginning the Bhagwat Katha program at Mor Kuti Ashram. Acharya Mridulkant Shastri began the katha by speaking about the great power of the Bhagawatam. Shastri said that listening to the Bhagawatam paves the way for liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Shastri is one of Vrindavan’s prominent Bhagavatam preachers. He organizes tours to pilgrimage places around India and believes in the importance of social service.  Read more (Hindi)

P.C. Amar Ujala

Canal overflow damages wheat crop. Farmers are demanding compensation for damage done to gestational wheat plants due to flooding. The flood, which affected hundreds of acres of farmland, was caused by a breakage in the banks of the Agra Canal. Several Goverdhan villages, including Basonti village, were affected. Farmers are demanding compensation from the District Magistrate. The farmers allege that that re-digging of the canal that was underway, weakened it, causing the water to break the banks and flood the fields while the plants are still small and delicate.

The canal’s beginnings. P.C. Wikipedia

The Agra canal begins from Okhla in Delhi. It irrigates around 1.5 lakh hectares of farmland in Agra, Mathura, Faridabad, Rajasthan and Delhi. The canal opened in 1874 and the weir from which it begins was the first of its kind to be built in Northern India. The canal gets its water from the Yamuna and connects the Yamuna with the Banganga river 20 miles south of Agra. The Agra Canal has previously been associated with problems of water shortage, which were linked to accusations of illegal water siphoning in Haryana. Read more (Hindi)

P.C. Trade India

Polythene solutions. Reasons for the repeated failures of bans on plastic are slowly coming to light. Centre for Science and Environment’s Swati Singh Sambyal says that the government cannot “just impose a ban” and be done with it. “You have to first give users alternatives to plastic bags, then you impose the ban and only after that you penalize violators with fines.” If not, the plastic reappears…There has to be at least six months of aggressive campaigning before such a ban is imposed. And, “banning plastic should be targeted towards behavior change”, she said. The experts agree that what is needed is a ‘people’s movement’, and, this is happening to some extent in Vrindavan, with the goswamis of Radha Raman temple getting involved in the manufacturing of cornstarch carry bags. Read more (English)

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Vrindavan, 2017.11.06 (VT): A land-mafia gang based in Vrindavan has reportedly expanded their property-grabbing efforts to Delhi. On Friday, a Gurgaon businessman and politician lodged an FIR against nine people who have allegedly been stalking him and trying to sell off his properties without his consent.

The victim reported that a woman, who said her name was Seema Mittal, has called him repeatedly threatening to kill him and take over several properties owned by him. The properties are located in Vrindavan, Delhi and Gurgaon.

Several men alleging to be accomplices of “Seema Mittal” have also called with similar threats.

On one occasion the gang drew up a fake agreement and tried to sell a two-crore piece of the man’s land for only two lakhs of rupees. On another occasion the gang had a fake aadhaar card and death certificate made in his name. The mobile numbers of the suspects are reportedly under surveilance and police are confident they will soon be caught.

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Vrindavan, 2017.11.06 (VT): On Saturday a record-breaking vat of khichdi was cooked at the World India Fair in Delhi. Chef Sanjeev Kapoor supervised the making of the 918kg meal, which took the Guiness world record for “largest pot of rice and beans”. The finishing touch in the form of tempered spices was added by Baba Ramdev.

A large amount of the khichdi was distributed to Akshay Patra for distribution to school children in Braj. A part of it was also served up at Gurudwaras in Delhi on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti. Attendees of the fair also got to sample a portion of the meal.

The khichdi, which was cooked in a specially-designed thousand-litre vat, weighed in at 918 kilograms. It took a team of twelve to complete the cooking process and crane was used to weigh the dish.

Twenty-five kilos of rice, fifty kilos of mung beans (moong dal), and 200 hundred kilos of ghee, millet and other ingredients, and 700 kilos of water were used to make the khichdi.

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Time is running out for Sudevi and her 1200 cows. Friederike Irina Bruning, who is known locally by her spiritual name, Sudevi, is being forced to leave India after 38 years of running a Goshala in Radha Kund. Sudevi’s visa expires on December 3 and she has not yet been granted a visa extension. Sudevi has the support of local residents and cow lovers across India who are campaigning the Government to allow her to stay, however, as yet it has been to no avail. Sudevi’s case has been covered by most major news networks and her supporters are also running campaigns on social media. In an article yesterday, Patrika reported that Brijwasis are united in wanting Sudevi  to stay. If Sudevi is forced to leave India, her goshala for 1200 cows is likely to close, 60 Radhakund locals will lose their jobs and it is unlikely that anyone else will pick the 10-12 cows that Sudevi’s Radha Surabhi Gaushala picks up from the streets every day. Read more (English)

Cyber warfare in local election! Over 6500 youth have joined the BJP’s campaign team, and will use their computer skills to wage an online campaign in the lead up to local elections. The 6500 strong team will work in the Braj region, including Agra, Aligarh and Bareilly Mandal. Even after winning both Central and State elections, the BJP has not become complacent in its promotion strategies.

Local body elections will be held in Uttar Pradesh in three phases – on November 22, November 26 and November 29 and the votes will be counted on December 1. In Uttar Pradesh, there are 16 municipal corporations, 198 municipal boards and 439 nagar panchayats. For the first time, Mathura-Vrindavan will share one mayor, as the Adityanath-led government has recently constituted the Mathura-Vrindavan Nagar Nigam municipal corporation. Read more (English) (Hindi)

P.C. Jagran

Recognition for foreign returned preacher. Yesterday, Bandhu Kunj held its 32^nd annual awards ceremony at Ramkrishna Mission. Among those who received recognition was, Upsak Bandhu Brahmachari, who has returned to Braj after a successful preaching tour in America. Read more (Hindi)

Corrupt officers destroying scheme for poor. Dishonest staff are compromising the Government’s free electricity connections for the poor scheme. In one case, Brij Mohan Sharma says that he was fined Rs18,190 by the Electricity Department after registering a complaint. The complaint was made against Prem Sharma, who, it is alleged, demanded a bribe for installing their electricity connection. After making the family wait for over a month for the connection and taking a bribe of Rs7000, workers hung a meter on a pillar and left. After a complaint was lodged, it is alleged that workers removed the meter during the night, however, this action was fruitless, as a photo of the meter had already been sent, along with the complaint. Read more (Hindi)

P.C. Jagran

Casualties narrowly avoided as road collapses.  A major accident was narrowly avoided as a burst sewer pipe caused a road to collapse on the Mathura-Vrindavan road yesterday afternoon.

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Vrindavan is abound with tales of Lord Krishna descending into physical form to help out his beloved devotees. One of the most famous ones is as follows:

Gwariya Baba, a former resident of Vrindavan, dared to ask a question loudly, and that too in Shri Banke Bihari temple. During the morning darshan time, Babaji, who always referred to the Lord as his friend (being a fellow cowherd), loudly asked everybody present in the temple, “Has any of you seen my friend eating?”

Many people were present in the temple at that time – the senior elderly Goswamis, devotees from far and near, ladies, children, volunteers and guests. While Baba repeated his question loud and clear for to all, nobody came forward to give the answer.

Most people thought, ‘Baba has gone mad’. Somebody sarcastically remarked, “Arey Baba, lord never eats. Just think, if he starts eating who will offer him bhog? Everybody knows, He does not eat, therefore everybody offers him so much of bhog. They are sure they will get everything back to feed themselves and earn punya at the same time by offering bhog.” They just laughed at Baba. True to his saintly nature, Baba ignored all the sarcasm and teasers and kept repeating his question.

Babaji started cornering senior Goswamis and asked them individually, “Have you ever seen Him eating?” Still nobody dared to answer. As Baba repeated his question, a voice came from an elderly Goswami, “Yes Baba, I have seen your friend eating.”

Hearing this Baba’s joy knew no bounds. He rushed to the Goswamiji, held him strongly by the arms, shaking him vigorously he almost shouted, “Tell me, revered sir, kindly tell me when, how and where did you see Him eating? Your words are like nectar to me. Sir kindly tell me quickly: when, how and where did you see him eating?”

The Goswami said, “Baba have patience, I will tell you everything. Come here, sit with me. I will narrate you what I experienced here, in this very temple itself.”

Everybody in the temple courtyard fell silent. In fact, nobody had imagined such an answer could come out for Baba’s most unexpected question. Not only Baba, but everybody present was keen to hear what Goswamiji was about to say.

Goswamiji narrates his experience:

A few months ago, I was doing sewa. I entered the sanctum sanctorum at the appointed hour and performed all my duties –  cleaning, washing the floor, awakening the Lord from His sleep, offering the kalewa, achman, giving bath, adorning with beautiful dress, ornaments, flowers, applying sandalwood paste, perfume, snacks and beeri (betel). Having done all this I opened the doors for Darshan.

The temple was crowded as usual, devotees were continuously offering their respects and offerings of flowers, Bhog, money etc. The temple was filled with the din of ‘Bolo Shri Banke Bihari Lal Ki Jai! Bolo Swami ji Maharaj ki Jai ! Jai Jai Shri Radhe!’ I was continuously on my toes accepting offerings from the devotees, distributing prasad, flowers etc. It was all so routine that I did not have the slightest hunch that it was going to be very special day for me, that I was about to have a divine glimpse, that Bihariji had chosen me to reveal himself.

Such a fool I was. I was engaged in performing all the usual duties of a pujari mechanically. By the time it came to make the bhog offering, I was quite tired, I drew the curtain, closed the doors and cleared the floor of flowers, etc., to create the right, clean ambiance for offering bhog. As I was performing my duties, my mind strayed wildly. I started thinking how wasteful it all is? We all are putting in so much effort to feed Bihariji, who is nothing but an idol, an inanimate object. How can an idol eat? Knowing it very well, all of us are still repeating the ritual of bhog several times every day. How foolish we all are!

While my mind was wandering, stray and wild, my body was doing its duty. I do not know as to when I pulled up the tables in front of Bihariji, when I placed the bhog on those tables, when I placed water etc. My mind was occupied by random thoughts, and my conscious was trying to repel those, it was a sort of war going on inside me. In such an unstable mental state I finally put the tulsi patra (holy basil leaves) onto the offering, and  prayed, ‘Shri Kunj Bihari Deva Arpanam…’ Then I came out of the sanctum from the private side door, closing the doors behind me.

Now I had a break of about thirty minutes as singers started to sing Bhog Pad (prayers sung at the time of bhog). During this time I chatted with some friends sitting in the Jagmohan. I forgot all about my dilemma during the chat and became mentally stable.

As the singing came to an end, it was time to enter sanctum again and resume my priestly duties. I went inside, unmindful of the thoughts I had been having while making the offering. But, Bihariji remembered everything and now listen carefully to what I saw there: As I pulled the tables away, I noticed that one of the besan laddoos was dented. I did not consider it abnormal as it could have been done due to my own fault in handling the dish or could be the halwai’s (cook) fault. After removing tables I lifted the water vessels to offer achman (drinking water). As I lifted the water vessel close to the lips of Bihariji, I saw his face for first time after the bhog offering, and I was stunned. I saw a few particles of besan laddoo sticking to his lips! Almost in a trance I went back to the dish and now I saw what I had not seen earlier- the dents on the ladoo were clear imprints of a child’s teeth! I again looked at the divine face, yes besan ladoo particles were there and, there was that charming, mischievous but reassuring smile as if saying – believe me – I AM.

Baba, I did not exactly see your friend eating but I can tell you He eats and only He can show you that He eats.

What happened after?

As Goswamiji narrated his experience, Baba became highly emotional, tears were rolling down his cheeks and he was almost sobbing like a child. With great patience and mustering all his courage he said, “Goswamiji, you have done a great favour to me by narrating your experience. My friend Bihariji never eats with me. I always ask him to come to me and share the food but he does not come. I always thought He does not eat, He does not require food like all of us. But now I know He requires food, He eats also. Today I will do something different and see if He does not come to me and eat with me. The fellow may be going hungry all these days, I will see that he eats properly.” Saying so Baba got an earthen vessel full of sweets and stood in the temple courtyard, holding the vessel in his hand, he started to coax the Lord to come to him and taste those excellent sweets.

Now everybody was sure that Baba had lost his balance, how could Bihariji could come out to him? The story narrated by Goswamiji was altogether a different matter. But Baba was determined. He continued his efforts to invite his friend, who was not able to come out of the sanctum,. Finally it was time for bhog. As usual the doors were shut and the bhog placed in front of Bihariji; the priests then came out of the private side doors.

Disappointed but not defeated, Baba sat in a corner with his vessel of sweets. He was still determined to feed Bihariji with his own hands and waited for Darshan to open again. The temple courtyard was full of devotees and nobody paid any attention to Baba.

A handsome boy, dark complexion, about 8-9 years of age walked down to Baba. In a sweet voice the boy uttered, “Baba, I am hungry. What are you holding in that earthen vessel? Why don’t you give it to me?”

Without looking at the child, Baba said, “No, No, it is not for you or anybody else, it is for my friend. He will come soon. I am holding it for Him, I can’t give it to anybody else. Try your luck somewhere else.”

The child giggled, “Look at me. Who am I? If I am not your friend, then who else is your friend?”

Baba looked at the boy. It was He! That enchanting smile, those big eyes, that sharp nose, those beautiful locks of hairs and .. and ..Baba was lost. the child lovingly shook him out of the trance, saying, “Baba, I am hungry. Feed me please. I am very hungry.” And Baba made the child to sit on his lap and started to feed Him. Baba just kept on feeding the child and looking at His innocent face. Time stood still for him while it passed as usual for the world.

It was now time to open the Darshan after the bhog offering. The priests tried to open the private side door but it did not open. It seemed as if it was locked from inside. They tried again and again but, no chance. Confusion prevailed in the temple as to how this could it happen and what to do. The child sitting on Baba’s lap suddenly became restless, He said, “Baba, I am getting late, I have to rush off.” Saying so, the child jumped off Baba’s lap and disappeared in the crowd. Satisfied, Baba now came back to his surroundings. As he heard of the prevailing confusion, Baba walked up to the priests and said confidently, “Try to open the doors now, they will open.”

The doors were again tried and they opened this time effortlessly! When they asked how he knew the doors could now be opened, Baba said, “My friend was with me, He sat on my lap and I fed Him with my own hands. As a precaution He might have locked the doors from inside while sneaking out. He got late and therefore all of you were put to inconvenience.”

There was great thunderous cry of ‘BOLO SHRI BANKE BIHARI LAL KI JAI’ and the darshan doors were thrown open for the devotees.

Source: https://www.bihariji.org/divineglimpses2.php (with light editing by Vrindavan Today)

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This is the story of Shani Dev temple in Kokilavan, Kosikalan: As mentioned in Garga Samhita, When Lord Krishna appeared, all the demigods visited Nanda Maharaj’s house in Gokul. Lord Shani dev was one of them. Everyone was allowed to take Darshan of Lord Krishna, but not Shanidev. When Shani Dev tried to take darshan of Krishna, Yashoda stopped him at the door saying, “You can’t see my baby because your very name is fearful. If my baby sees you, he will be frightened.”

Hearing these words of Yashoda Maya, Shani Dev felt disappointed and went to do penance to get the mercy of the Lord. After a short time, Lord Krishna appeared before him and asked, “What is the problem? Why you are in forest?” Shani Dev replied, “O Lord! Please tell me one thing, when I am doing my duty to punish people according to their deeds (karma); why do people think that I am malignant and cruel? Why do people think that Shani Dev only creates trouble? Why do they avoid even my shadow? Today, when all could enjoy the bliss of your darshan, I was denied that right and benediction.”

Lord Krishna advised Shani Dev to stay at Kokilavan. Lord Krishna granted Shani Dev the boon that whoever comes to a Shani Dev temple to pray would immediately be freed from all worries and afflictions. Thus, Lord Krishna gave Shani Dev his darshan and also made him famous. Though Kokilvan is the place where Krishna sang in a cuckoo’s voice in to call Radha Rani, these days, Kokilavan is better known for its Shani Dev temple.

Source: http://www.holydham.cohoom/kokilavan/ (with light editing by Vrindavan Today)

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Iron gates to stop cars entering Goverdhan Parikrama. On Monday, on the orders of the District Magistrate, Arvind Malappa Bangari, the entry of four wheeler vehicles to Parikrama Marg was restricted. There is widespread agreement that vehicle access to Parikrama marg needs to be restricted, for the safety and peace of mind of those doing traditional parikrama – on foot and by dandavats. Closing the road to four wheelers has previously been attempted, however, without much success. There are several logistical problems that need to be sorted out.

When the temporary barricades were put in place on Monday, they became bottlenecks, causing devotees doing parikrama on foot to be delayed and have to struggle to get though the barricade. There is a proposal to build gates a little distance from the Parikrama Marg so as to avoid the walking traffic jams that the temporary barriers have been causing. The other logistical problem is that residents of Radhakunda, Anyor and Jatipura villages need to travel on the Parikrama marg to access their homes. Timed openings of gates is one option that is being considered. Read more (Hindi)

P.C. Patrika

5 injured, 10 arrested in village riots. Farah police have arrested 10 people of Olh village over riots, which ensued after a car hit a house yesterday. The riots started when village resident Ramgopal hit a parked van and Munna and Aikil’s house after he swerved to avoid a cyclist.  Superintendant of police, Shravan Kumar, said that after the car hit the house, tensions flared and people began throwing stones and using sticks to beat each other. Several people have been admitted in the district hospital and the ringleaders have been arrested. Olh village both is home to both Hindus and Muslims, so the incident is being described as a flare up of longstanding tensions between the two groups. Read more (Hindi)

P.C. Wikipedia

Bollywood singer Sonu Nigam visits Vrindavan. Yesterday, Sonu Nigam visited Vrindavan. Nigam took darshan of Bihariji and also spoke at a press conference. Speaking at the conference, Nigam said that devotional music can be considered a genre of music but it is really a field apart. He said that devotional music has the power to give comfort and peace to the mind, it gives strength and leads to self-realization.

Nigam is credited with being one of the ‘most versatile’ of Bollywood singers. He was trained in Hindustani classical music by Ghulam Mustafa Khan, and started his singing career at 4 years old by singing with his father at weddings. He is famous for playback and live performances in several Indian languages. Read more (Hindi)

P.C. Economic Times

Chopper services promised for all pilgrimage places. The BJP is focusing on beautification and cleanliness in its election campaign for the local bodies elections that will take place later this month. In addition to promising goshalas in every city where land is available, the party is also promising chopper services for all pilgrimage places, including Ayodhya, Vrindavan, Kashi, Chitrakoot and Mirzapur. Read more (English)

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During program at Vatsalyagram, Dance India Dance winner, Kamlesh Patel, impressed audiences by dancing on his hands. He also stood on one hand, while spinning a plate with the other hand. Not only that, Patel jumped from the stage and landed on his hands, proving once and for all that disabled persons really are differently-abled. After the performance, Patel also gave a speech saying that he feels thankful to God, because his disability has helped him rise to stardom, and, even though he does not have the use of his legs, he realizes that he has a greater gift – a heart that is ready to serve God.

At Vatsalyagram, preparations are once again gearing up for the best-ever cultural program on the occasion of International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD). This year, IDPD falls on Sunday 3^rd December. The program at Vatsalyagram will be held on 4^th December, so that school children from integrated and special schools around Braj can attend.In the program, children from Vatsalyagram’s  Vaishshtyam  school children will perform alongside disabled celebrities from across India. This will be the third year that Vatsalyagram has held an IDPD function, which is part of international efforts to raise awareness for the plight of the disabled and to promote their dignity, rights and well being.

Minakshi Agrawal, the principal of Vaishishtyam school, said, “The kids look forward to this day all year, its their special day.” Speaking about the condition of the disabled in Braj, Agrawal said, “The needs of disabled persons are often not considered to be a priority, so disabled persons who come from poor families are often left without basic equipment like a wheelchair. Every year, as part of the program, we distribute tricycles and wheelchairs. Last year, over 60 wheelchairs were distributed and we are hoping to distribute more this year”

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Shri Pran Krishna Das Babaji’s Samadhi at Kaliyadaha

Vrindavan, 2017.11.09 (VT): Today is the disappearance day of Sri Pran Krishna Das Babaji Maharaj.

Pran Krishna Das Babaji hailed from a small village in Bengal. He was initiated by Prabhupad Sri Yadunandan Goswami, a descendent of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. However, he spent many years learning from Siddha Bhagavan Das Babaji Maharaj of Ambika Kalna.

Although he was not educated and could barely read or write, he came to the same conclusion that Shyamananda Prabhu found after deeply studying the scriptures. His belief was that seva, especially serving Shri Guru and the Vaishnavs, was the highest form of bhajan or spiritual practice. Just like Shyamananda Prabhu, he loved to sweep the bowers of Vrindavan. Every day he used to sweep the place where he lived, known as Kaliyadaha, with great love and care. In fact, this was his eternal seva for the Divine Couple.

Pran Krishna Das Babaji would spend most of the day serving devotees, especially Sri Jagdish Das Babaji, who lived nearby. Jagdish Das Babaji Maharaj was always absorbed in the eternal lila of Sri Radha and Krishna. He would remain in trance most of the day. Pran Krishna Das Babaji looked after all his physical needs. He would also sing songs about the lila ccording to Baba’s mood.

Through rendering such personal service to Sri Jagadish Das Baba, Pranakrishna Baba attained perfection in lila smaran (meditation on the lila). Late at night, one could always hear him laughing, weeping, and talking happily, although he was alone in his kutir.

Entrance to the samadhi mandir

Pran Krishna Das Baba was always absorbed in Krishna’s lilas internally, but he longed for someone with whom to share them. Oftentimes, Prana Krishna Das Baba would go out to the parikrama marg and sit with the beggars. While the beggars would ask people on parikrama “Give me five rupees!” Baba would grab someone’s hand and say, “Give me five minutes.” He would then take that person aside, feed him a little prasad, and fill his ears with such delightful stories about Shri Krishna, that the person wanted to keep on hearing only that for the rest of his life.

Pran Krishna Das Baba used to keep a little bucket in Sri Jadgish Das Babaji’s kutir where visitors would place donations. Once a jata-dhari baba (a sadhu with dreadlocks) told Jagdish Das Baba, “Give me the money from that bucket.” Jagdish Das Baba said, “Of course!” and gave him all the money. Then he thought, “I should give the jata-dhari baba the money every day. He must need it.” But he forgot to tell Pran Krishna Baba to do so. A few days later, the jata-dhari baba returned and threw a big rock at Jagdish Das Baba, which came close to hitting him.

Jagdish Das Babaji was very upset.  “I have committed an offense against this Mahatma,” he said to Pran Krishna Baba. “Go and bring him immediately. We must please him.”

Pran Krishna Baba immediately went and humbly asked the jata-dhari baba to return. He seated the jata-dhari baba comfortably in front of Jagdish Baba and fed him different kinds of expensive sweets while cooling him with a hand-fan made of leaves. Jagdish Baba handed him the bucket of money and said:

“Maharaj, I beg you! Please excuse us for forgetting to give you the money. I am so negligent! Although I am an old man, spiritually I am like your son. We are so weak and stupid that we may yield to the temptations money brings. I consider myself incredibly fortunate that you have come here to relieve us of this burden.

“You are so powerful that Maya cannot touch you. You hold Maya captive in your kamandalu (a monk’s water pot). Please keep your kamandalu here for collecting the donations. Come and pick it up every evening at your convenience.”

As Jagdish Das Baba finished speaking, the jata-dhari baba began to cry. He went back to his hut without touching the money. From that day on he became a true follower and servant of Jagadish Das Baba and Pran Krishna Das Baba.

It is said that Pran Krishna Das Babaji lived to the age of 136, leaving his body in 1938AD. His samadhi (tomb) is just behind the samadhi of Sri Prabhodananda Saraswati at Kaliyadaha.

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Nine SC candidates in the running for mayor, 1 candidate rejected. Nominations have been registered for the mayor post for the upcoming local elections, which will be held in three phases; on 22^nd, 26^th and 29^th November. The nominees are as follows: The BJP candidate is Mukesh Arya Bandhu; the Congress candidate is Mohan Singh; the BSP candidate is Govardhan Singh; the SP candidate is Shyam Murari Chauhan; the Aam Aadmi Party candidate is Ganesh Mahaur; Ashok Kumar, Yogesh Chauhan, Pramod and Dinesh Maurya are running as independent candidates.

Kinnar Munna had his application rejected because he was unable to provide a caste certificate. Munna’s caste application is currently before the court, so he was unable to provide a certificate showing that he is a member of a scheduled caste. In this election, the Mayor seat is reserved for a SC candidate so all candidates must present a caste certificate. In the state of UP, SC persons make up 21% of the population. The caste includes Chamar (skinners), Dhobi (washer persons) as well as persons from minority religions. Read more (Hindi)

P.C. Amar Ujala

Lokraj Party President caught in Whats App scandal. Both the group admin as well as the person who posted offending remarks are being held accountable for comments in relation to yesterday’s communal riots in Olh village. A case has been filed against Manoj Chaudhary and Satish Singh for comments inciting racial hatred. Singh made the comment, “Hindus got beaten” (Hinduon ko pita gaya). In relation to the case, SSP Swapnil Mamgai said that anyone who speaks or acts in a way that disturbs the peace will not be spared. Read more (Hindi)

Amar Ujala

Winters first fog becomes a deathtrap. Today the media is full of stories of accidents caused by the fog. Most people you talk to have a ‘near miss’ or an ‘accident I saw’ story from yesterday, including a children’s school bus which went off the road, injuring several children. The worst accident happened on the Yamuna Expressway, at Baldev.  Expressway manager, Major Manish told Amar Ujala reporters that 60 vehicles collided and 22 people were injured. Jagran reports that dozens were injured, including a foreign couple, and one person was killed. The pile up happened after a truck overturned. The vehicles were removed from the expressway by bulldozers and cranes.

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Vrindavan, 2017.11.10 (VT): As we walk from Gopinath Bazar towards Gopeshwar Mahadev, we pass through the area of Vrindavan known as Dheer Sameer. Sameer means the breeze and dheer means soft and slow. The Yamuna River used to flow just next to this place, and the entire area was covered with her soft and sparkling sands, fine as ground camphor.

dhira samire yamuna tire vasati vane vanamali

This part of Vrindavan has been glorified often in Vaishnav literature. In the Gita Govinda, the poet Jayadeva describes how Shri Krishna, adorned in forest flowers, awaits Radha’s arrival in Dheer Sameer, where the soft breeze plays on the bank of the Yamuna River.

Today Dheer Sameer is covered with concrete and the Yamuna River has moved far away. But many important temples and saint’s tombs remain in the area.

Dheer Sameer Kunj: Shyam Ray Temple and the Tomb of Gauridas Pandit

Tucked away in a small alley behind Ma Sharada Kutir lies Dheer Sameer Kunj. Within the temple premises is the Shyam Ray Temple and the tomb of Gauridas Pandit.

Gauridas Pandit was a close follower of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu. He was the incarnation of Shri Krishna’s cowherd-boy friend, Subal Sakha. He is also the param-gurudev (grand-guru) of Shri Shyamananda, whose temple is one of Vrindavan’s sapta devalay.

Once Chaitanya and Nityananda visited Gauridas Pandit’s house in Ambika Kalna, West Bengal. He got the opportunity to serve them to his heart’s content. When it was time for them to leave, Gauridas said, “Please don’t leave me. I will die if you go.” Shri Chaitanya then had two life-size deities made – one of himself and one of his companion Nityananda.

The incomparable Shri Shyam Ray

Chaitanya and Nityananda stood next to the deities and asked Gauridas to choose. Of course Gauridas chose the originals. It is said that the deities are the ones who left his house that day and completed the rest of Chaitanya Lila.

Gauridas Pandit’s Nitai-Gaur are in Bengal, and no photographs of them are allowed. But one photograph of them is displayed in Gauridas Pandit’s tomb (samadhi) at Dheer Sameer Kunj. The picture is fading but you can still see Nityananda’s sweet moonlike face and Chaitanya’s handsome smile.

The deity of Shyam Ray in the temple is also Gauridas’s own. The deity is said to have been found by Gauridas whilst he was bathing in the Yamuna behind the kunj. In the modern day, Dheer Sameer Kunj is well-maintained by the followers of Shri Sitaramdas Omkarnath Thakur. There is also a gaushala, a tulsi garden, a temple of Shri Ram darbar and Mahadev, and a charitable medical dispensary on the premises.

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