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Çré Ramä Ekädaçé Issue no:98 4th November 2018 The Glories Of Dhama The Difference Between Vrindavan Glories Of Vrindavana Dhama And The Ordinary World Srila Rupa His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada

Vrindavan-dhama Is In This World The Status Of The Earth Is Higher But Untouched By Matter. Than That Of The Heavenly Planets Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Srila Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura Visit To Brajamandala Autobiography of Çré Bhaktivinoda Issue no 98, Page — 2 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä

The Difference Between Vrindavan And live there. The sädhus keep cows and The Ordinary World provide milk to the tigers, saying, "Come His Divine Grace here and take a little milk." Thus envy A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and malice are unknown in Vrindavan. That is the difference between Vrindavan and the ordinary world. We are horrified The word vana means "forest" or to hear the word vana, but in the forest “jungle”. Generally, we are afraid of of Vrindavan there is no such horror. the jungle and do not wish to go there, Everyone there is happy in pleasing but in Vrindavan the jungle animals are . Kåñëotkértana-gäna-nartana- as good as demigods, for they have no parau. Whether a Goswami or a tiger envy. Even in this material world, in the or other ferocious animal, everyone's jungle the animals live together, and there ambition is the same—to please Krishna. are no attacks when they go to drink Even the tigers are also devotees. This is water. Envy develops because of sense the special quality of Vrindavan. gratification, but in Vrindavan there is no In Vrindavan everyone is happy. The sense gratification, for the only purpose calf is happy, the cat is happy, the dog there is to please Krishna. Even in this is happy, the man is happy—everyone. material world, the animals in Vrindavan Everyone wants to serve Krishna in a are not envious of the sädhus who also different capacity, and thus there is no Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 98, Page—3 envy. One may sometimes think that of yore: the monkeys in Vrindavan are envious, because they cause mischief and steal food, ärädhyo bhagavän vrajeça-tanayas but in Vrindavan we find that the monkeys tad-dhäma våndävanaà are allowed to take butter, which Krishna ramyä käcid upäsana vraja-vadhü- Himself distributes. Krishna personally demonstrates that everyone has the right to vargeëä yä kalpitä live. This is Vrindavan life. Why should I live and you die? No. That is material life. The çrémad-bhägavataà pramäëam amalaà inhabitants of Vrindavan think, "Whatever premä pum-artho mahän is given by Krishna, let us divide it as çré-caitanya-mahäprabhor matam idaà prasäda and eat." This mentality will not taträdaräù naù paraù appear all of a sudden, but it will gradually develop with Krishna consciousness; by The Supreme Personality of Godhead, spiritual practice (sädhana), one can come the son of Maharaja, is to be to this platform. worshiped along with His transcendental In the material world one may go all abode, Vrindavan. The most pleasing form over the world and collect funds in order of worship for the Lord is that which was to distribute food freely, yet those to performed by the of Vrindavan. whom the food is given may not even Çrémad-Bhägavatam is the spotless feel appreciative. The value of Krishna authority on every subject matter, and pure consciousness, however, will gradually love of is the ultimate goal of life for be appreciated greatly. For instance, in all. We have the highest regard for these an article about the temple of the Hare statements, as they are the opinion of Çré Krishna movement in Durban, South Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Africa, the Durban Post reported, "All the —Caitanya-maïjuña, a commentary on Çrémad Bhägavatam devotees here are very active in the service of Lord Krishna, and the results are obvious to see: happiness, good health, peace of Krishna, the son of Nanda, is the full mind, and the development of all good manifestation of the Supreme Personality of qualities." This is the nature of Vrindavan. Godhead. Lord Krishna manifests Himself Haräv abhaktasya kuto -guëäù: in three features before His devotees without Krishna consciousness, happiness according to their respective qualifications. is impossible; one may struggle, but one All of these features are complete. They cannot even have happiness. We are are not partial or indirect manifestations therefore trying to give human society of Krishna the way His manifestations as the opportunity for a life of happiness, Paramatma and are partial. These good health, peace of mind and all good three features are described as complete, qualities through God consciousness. more complete, and most complete — Srimad-Bhägavatam ( Purana) » Canto 10: The and are situated in Dvaraka, , Summum Bonum » SB 10.13: The Stealing of the Boys and Calves and Vrindavan respectively. In Dvaraka by » Verse: 60. Krishna’s manifestation is complete, in Mathura, He is more complete, and in Vraja, He is most complete. Vrindavan-dhama Is In This World But Untouched By Matter. We live on earth, which is situated within Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura the fourteen planetary systems. These fourteen planetary systems consist of seven upper planets, beginning from earth, and We find Sri Caitanyadeva’s philosophy seven planets below the earth. Among the authoritatively summarized in one verse seven upper planets the first three are Bhü, www.ibmedu.org Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya Issue no 98, Page — 4 Top left 4 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Bhüva, and Svaù. These are the residence Sri Caitanyadeva established the of the pious, ambitious materialists. The supremacy of serving the Lord of Vrindavan rest, beginning with Mahar, Jana, Tapa, or Gokula. Krishna is the fountainhead of and Satya are the destination of those who all the incarnations; He is the son of practice renunciation. Among them those Nanda and the beloved child of . brahmacäris who live at the gurukula He is also the beloved Lord of . for a fixed period of time and then return This Supreme Personality of Godhead home after offering dakñiëä to their , Krishna alone is the eternally worshipable attain the planet called Maharloka. Those Lord of the Gaudiyas, the followers of Sri brahmacärés who remain in their guru’s Rupa like ourselves. Sri Caitanyadeva has äçrama for their entire lives and who instructed everyone to worship Krishna, practice strict celibacy attain Janaloka. the Lord of Gokula. The destination of the vänaprasthas is — Amåta Väëé: Nectar of Instructions of Immoratality by His Tapaloka, and sannyäsés to Satyaloka. Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura Prabhupäda, Beyond this however, the devotees who compiled by Çrépäda Mayukha Bhägavat Mahäraja, have no desire either to enjoy the material adapted and published by Éçvara däsa. world or to merge into Brahman, attain the most rare Vaikunthaloka. Glories Of Vrindavana Dhama Above is Dvaraka, above Srila Dvaraka is Mathura, and above Mathura is Vrindavan. Those spiritual “May Vrindavana, which is fragrant with abodes, which are eternally present in a gentle breeze that makes the lotuses in the spiritual sky, are also manifest in this the rock to and fro, where there world. Whatever is absent in the spiritual are groves of kadamba trees and many world cannot appear in this world. As gopis, whose hearts are blossoming with lotus flowers grow in the water but are happiness by hearing the music of Lord not touched by the water, so Vrindavan Mukunda's flute, grant me her shelter." dhama is in this world but untouched by matter. Those whose hearts are not "May Vrindavan, where Lord Brahma inclined to serve the Lord cannot realize and other jagad- desire to be born the transcendental nature of the Lord’s even as an insignificant blade of grass, abode as it appears in this world. and which, even though it is a forest, is many thousands of times more opulent, Holy places like , Dvaraka, beautiful, charming, and sweet than the and are particular provinces of spiritual of Vaikuntha, be my sole Vaikuntha. The happiness one feels in shelter." Ayodhya is superior to the happiness one feels in Vaikuntha; the happiness "May Vrindavan, where the fragrance of one feels in Dvaraka is superior to the the eternally blossoming flower vines fills happiness one feels in Ayodhya; and the the goddess of fortune Laksmi- with happiness experienced by the residents wonder, and where the bumblebees in of Goloka Vrindavan is the crest jewel of the trees filled with very sweet honey are all happiness. poets who bow down and recite eloquent prayers, be my sole shelter." The reason the happiness felt in one dhama is superior to the happiness felt "May Vrindavan, whose body is in another is based on the intensity of the decorated with the charming, gracefully rasas expressed in the particular dhamas. marked footprints of the youthful divine The distress the devotees feel in Goloka couple of Vraja, who are as glorious as dances on the head of all happiness. a dark monsoon cloud coupled with Distress in the spiritual world nourishes brilliant lightning, and who incessantly supreme happiness. perform playful pastimes and where the Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 98, Page—5 tender sprouting grass blades idolize and emulate Their toenails be my sole shelter." "May Vrindavan, every one of whose inhabitants - both moving and inert- celebrate a festival of great happiness by seeing the beautiful and glorious pastimes of the daughter of the King of Vraja Nanda Maharaja’s friend Vrsabhanu, Srimati Radharani, and where the deer taste the nectar of the sweet flute-music of the younger brother of Pralambhasura’s slayer , be my sole shelter." "May Vrindavan, where the peacocks dance in joy to see the prince of Vraja, who is more charming than a host of monsoon clouds, and where the doves, birds, and flowering vines become jubilant to hear the friend of the sun god’s daughter Yami, Srimati Radharani, proudly proclaim the glory of the earth, having obtained the Vraja forest as Her property, be my sole treasure of the lotus feet of Krishna, the shelter." son of . The peacocks dance madly “May Vrindavan, who witnesses both the when they hear ’s flute, and expertise in art of lover's quarrels within upon seeing them from the hilltops other the many splendid forest kuïjas of Srimati creatures all become stunned.” Radharani, the best of all virtuous heroines, Krishna marked Vrindavan not with His and the gracefully dancing feet of Lord shoes but with His bare feet, which are Krishna, the teacher of fine arts to the three compared to lotuses because of being very worlds, be my sole shelter." tender. The ground of Vrindavan, therefore, "May Vrindavan, where is Govardhana is exceedingly lucky to be touched by Hill, which is fortunate to be the best Krishna’s lotus feet despite being strewn servant of Lord , and where is the rasa with pebbles and thorns. Vrindavan is most dance arena, which fills the beautiful gopis fortunate because of Krishna’s presence. with wonder, and where is the splendid Though Lord Vishnu and other forms of sweetness of many charming forest groves, Godhead appear in Svargaloka and other be my natural place of shelter." places, they are only avatäras of Krishna, but Devakinandan, who appeared in — Sri Vrndavana-astakam Stava-mala Srila Rupa Gosvami: Vrindavan, is the source of all avatäras. Translated by Sarvabhävana däsa . Therefore to establish Krishna as avatäri, the source of all expansions of God, the The Status Of The Earth Is Higher Than gopis need only call Him Devakisuta, the That Of The Heavenly Planets son of Devaki. Saying this is enough to Srila Sanatana Goswami prove that Vrindavan has raised the earth to a status higher than that of the heavenly våndävanaà sakhi bhuvo vitanoti kértià planets, for even when Krishna appears yad devaké-suta-padämbuja-labdha-lakñmi as other incarnations on other planets of govinda-veëum anu matta-mayüra-nåtyaà the universe, those planets never become prekñyädri-sänv-avaratänya-samasta-sattvam as blessed with opulence (labdha-lakñmi) as the earth does when He appears in “O friend, Vrindavan is spreading the Vrindavan. In other incarnations Krishna behaves like the supreme controller, and www.ibmedu.org Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya Issue no 98, Page — 6 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä this makes it difficult for Him to leave His peak of Govardhana Hill is prekñya, most bare footprints freely here and there. beautiful and always visible to the people Although the gopis know everything there of Vraja. At the outset of the Govardhana is to know, their overwhelming ecstatic , as the multitude of offerings were love forces them to see the Supreme Lord being presented to feed Govardhana. as the son of Yashoda, and no one else. Later, the Supreme Personality of Godhead They call Him Devakisuta only because it seated Himself on Govardhana’s peak and was Devaki who brought Him, the original announced, çailo ’smi: “I am this hill.” avatari, into this world. The words avaratänya-samasta-sattvam Only in Vrindavan does the Supreme mean that all other creatures become Person appear as Govinda, the Lord of stunned. But these words also apply to the cows (gaväm indraù), who delights Vrindavan in the sense that the lower in playing with the cows and cowherds, material modes—passion and ignorance— wears a peacock feather and gunja berries cannot act there and only the perfectly on His head, decorates Himself with a pure mode of viçuddha-sattva prevails. garland of kadamba flowers and other As confirmed in Çrémad-Bhägavatam forest ornaments, and holds in His hand (10.35.9), even the trees and creepers in His constant friend, the flute. Vrindavan have attained the status of pure As soon as the peacocks in Vrindavan hear goodness: the murmuring of Govinda’s flute, they conclude that a dark cloud is announcing vana-latäs tarava ätmani viñëuà the approach of rain and begin to dance. vyaïjayantya iva puñpa-phaläòhyäù And seeing the peacocks dancing, all the praëata-bhära-viöapä madhu-dhäräù other living beings gather in groups on the prema-håñöa-tanavo vavåñuù sma peaks of the hills and stop whatever they are doing, just standing there, stunned “The trees and creepers in this forest in ecstasy. Thus Vrindavan makes the seem to be manifesting Lord Vishnu within earth more glorious than any other realm, their hearts as they are so luxuriant with including even Vaikuntha. fruits and flowers.. As their branches bend The words veëum anu (following the low with the weight of this bounty, the flute) mean that as soon as the peacocks filaments on their trunks and vines stand drink with their ears a few drops of the erect in the ecstasy of love of God, and nectar coming from Krishna’s distant flute, from both the trees and the creepers a rain they burst into wild dancing. But the words of sweet sap is exuded.” can be split differently. Veëu-manu (the chanted by the flute) indicates that Viçuddha-sattva is the substance the sound of Krishna’s flute has the mystic of Vaikuntha, as described in the power to enchant the peacocks and make Bhägavatam’s Second Canto (2.9.10): them dance in intoxication. That powerful mantra produces various unique effects pravartate yatra rajas tamas tayoù throughout the reaches of Vrindavan. The sattvaà ca miçraà na ca käla-vikramaù peacocks are the first to respond to it, but na yatra mäyä kim utäpare harer its echoes extend to even the peaks of anuvratä yatra suräsurärcitäù the hills, which are attractive (prekñya) to everyone and are the source of the birth “In the spiritual world there is neither of the bamboo flute. Hearing this mantra, the mode of passion, nor the mode of all the living beings standing on the peaks ignorance, nor a mixture of them, nor cease their activities. is there adulterated goodness, nor the Another possible reading is that the influence of time or Maya itself. Only the

Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 98, Page—7 pure devotees of the Lord, worshiped both Sri Krishna, the various creatures were by demigods and by demons, reside in the arranging for their protection (ava) from spiritual world as the Lord’s associates.” the terrible pain of being separated from In other words, in Vaikuntha the mode of Krishna, and they were busily absorbed sattva is never mixed with rajas or tamas; (ratäni) in their own services for Krishna. it is always viçuddha, completely pure. Not only the dancing peacocks but all the Thus in Vaikuntha there is no material other animals (anya-samasta-sattvam)— goodness, which is a product of Maya. the kokila birds, for example—were Na yatra mäyä kim utäpare: “Maya and busily engaged in service. And for the her expansions have no presence in mischievous and violent animals, the main Vaikuntha.” The transcendental nature of way to serve Krishna was to put aside their Vaikuntha is called sattva only because the natural proclivities. behavior of Vaikuntha’s residents in some Alternatively, the logical connection of ways resembles that of persons influenced the phrases in this verse can be understood by the material sattva-guëa; Vaikuntha in a different order: First Krishna saw the has demigods, for example, who resemble peacocks dancing, and then He responded their sattvika counterparts in the material by playing His flute. When the peacocks world. And since Vrindavan on earth equals first noticed Krishna entering the forest, and surpasses Vaikuntha, Vrindavan too is they saw the friend of all peacocks—the one permeated by vishuddha-sattva. with a peacock feather always decorating And there is yet another way to understand His head—pick up their feathers from the the phrase prekñyädri-sänv-avaratänya- ground. They then became mad with joy samasta-sattvam: When the creatures of and began to dance. Seeing the peacocks Vrindavan hear Krishna playing His flute, dance, Krishna happily raised His flute to many of them faint from ecstasy and fall His lips and began playing. All the living on top of one another, and stacked in beings on the mountain peaks responded piles they resemble the peaks (sänus) of to the sound by stopping all activity other Govardhana and Vraja’s other beautiful than looking at Krishna and listening to hills (prekñya-adri). Others respond to His flute. And as implied by the word the sound of the flute by standing still and samasta (all), the peacocks as well stopped staring into the distance to try to locate dancing. At first they manifested the ecstasy Krishna. Actually, apart from the peacocks, of dancing, and then after hearing the flute all living beings at once cease their external they were stunned, overcome by ecstasy. activity when they hear Krishna’s flute; but Such an ecstatic scene is never observed in transcendentally they respond in various Vaikuntha. ways. When the peacocks dance wildly, — Srila Brihad Bhägavatamrita of Srila Santana Goswami the other animals remain motionless to fix 3.7.109, Translation and commentary by Srila Gopiparandhan their minds on hearing the flute and to look Das. for Krishna. Every one of them, however, experiences ecstacy to the greatest limit. Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura There is also another possible reading: Visit To Brajamandala All the living beings of Vraja who were Autobiography of Çré Bhaktivinoda Thakura standing in high places (sänu) were intently engaged (avarata) in offering their services to Krishna. The birds, for example, were “I went to Vrindavan in the month of mildly chirping for Krishna’s pleasure, and Shravana(July) in 1881. Radhamohan all other beings were happily absorbed Babu took me to a place called Kalakuïja. in their own personal services. Or else; I associated with many saintly persons by standing in high places to better view there in Braja (Vrindavan) during my visit of a few days. There I received palatable www.ibmedu.org Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya Issue no 98, Page — 8 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä !! Sri Sri Gaurchandra Jayati !! ISKCON Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya is a branch of International Society for Krishna Consciousness Founder-Äcärya: His Divine Grace A.C. BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupāda

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