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Today I arrived back in Vrindavan after 8 long months away. I immediately went to Srila Prabhupada’s samadhi and gave him a
first-hand report of my preaching throughout the year in Australia, Russia, Poland and most recently the USA. After taking darshan of Radhe Syama myself and a small group of devotees went to the Radha Raman Temple in downtown Vrindavan. I was fortunate to be asked to lead kirtan for the Lord there! Finally we went to to the nearby samadhi of Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami where I met my old friend, Jnana-Syama das babjaji, the caretaker of that most sacred place. Many thanks to Ananta Vrindavan dasa for so nicely capturing in photos our first day back home. Jaya Srila Prabhupada!

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Katwa, Where Lord Caintaya Took Sannyasa

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Ever since taking sannyasa in 1979, I have had a strong desire to visit the town of Katwa, where Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa 500 years ago.Today my wish was fulfilled when myself and 60 devotees made the 2 hour journey from Sridham Mayapura to Katwa. Naru Gopal prabhu took us to the exact spot where Mahaprabhu was shaved up by a barber and where He took His sannyasa vows from Kesava Bharati Maharaja. He expertly described the pastime in great detail. Afterwards we took darshan of the samadhi where Lord Caitanya’s hair is kept, as well as the samadhi of Kesava Bharati Maharaja. We prayed at the historic tree under which Lord Caitanya’s beautiful long hair was shaved and also bowed down to the samadhi of Das Gadadhar. Naru Gopal explained that Lord Caitanya had kirtan where we were for 3 days straight after taking sannyasa. Following in His footsteps we chanted and danced for hours in front of a beautiful deity of Lord Caitanya in a large temple on the grounds. It was a most wonderful day! All glories to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

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The Sacred Village of Srikhanda / Святые места: деревня Шрикханда

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 The village of Srikhanda, a 3-hour scenic drive from Sridham Mayapura, is mentioned many times in Caitanya Caritamrta. Yesterday we spent 5 hours exploring the village where a number of Lord Caitanya’s personal associates resided 500 years ago. We had kirtan and katha at the exact place where Locan das Thakur wrote Caitanya Mangala. We also visited numerous temples where we had darsan of historic deities connected to the lila’s of Lord Caitanya. The highlight of the day was an exuberant kirtan we held through the entire village. The local people were in bliss seeing us. Here in the holy dhama of Mayapura we are trying our best to follow in the footsteps of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, who wrote:

“In the company of intimate and beloved devotees, I will go to all the places that Mahaprabhu joyfully visited.”

(Suddha-Bhakata, verse 3)]

В трех часах езды по живописной дороге от Шридхамы Майпура находится деревня Шрикханда, много раз упоминаемая  “Чайтанья-Чаритамрите”. Здесь жило несколько личных спутников Господа Чайтаньи, и вчера мы исследовали ее на протяжении 5 часов. В том самом месте, где Лочана Даса Тхакур писал “Чайтанья-мангалу”, провели киртан и катху. Побывали во многих храмах, получив даршан Божеств, связанных с лилами Господа Чайтаньи. Самым важным событием стал яркий киртан через всю деревню. Местные жители были от нас в совершенном блаженстве. Так что здесь, в святой дхаме Шри Майапура, стараемся следовать по стопам Шрилы Бхактивиноды Тхакура, который писал:

“В обществе близких преданных отправлюсь в те места, где Махапрабху, наслаждаясь, побывал”.

( “Шуддха-Бхаката”, стих 3 )

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Christmas In Jaipur

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We spent Christmas in Jaipur visiting various temples of the Lord. It seemed a fitting way to respect such a day which is so dear to our Christian brothers and sisters. We were particularly touched to see the mood of devotion in the eyes of of the residents of Jaipur as they took darshan of Radha Govinda in the main temple of the city.

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Beautiful Kamyavan

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Today we went on parikrama to Kamyavan. Kamyavan is fourth among the twelve forests of Vraja-mandala. The word kamya means “extremely beautiful”, “well adorned” or “highly attractive”. Many pleasant lakes, wells, ponds, trees, creepers, flowers, fruits and species of birds contribute to the beauty of this place. Krishna performed many of His childhood pastimes in Kamyavan. According to the Visnu Purana, there are eighty-four sacred ponds, eighty-four temples and eighty-four pillars in Kamyavan. This holy place has countless kundas as well as a parikrama path of fourteen miles. Some of the prominent kundas are Vimala Kunda, Dharma Kunda and Kama Kunda. Dharma kunda is where Maharaja Yudhisthira successfully answered the 100 questions of Yamaraja.

The deity of Kameswar Mahadeva, who resides in Kamyavan, was personally installed by Vajranabh, Krishna’s great-grandson. A most beautiful deity of Vrinda devi resides in Kamyavan as well. Srila Rupa Goswami had installed this deity of Vrinda devi in his Radha Govinda Temple in the forest of Vrindavan 500 years ago. But later on, by Her sweet will, Vrinda devi moved to her temple in Kamyavan.

In the Puranas it is said that the forest of Kamyavan fulfills the innermost desires of the soul.

“In this Kamyavan Krishna performed enchanting pastimes. Here you will be able to take darsana of many Kundas and other holy places. I cannot even describe in writing all the sacred tirthas found at Kamyavan.”

[ Bhakti-ratnakara, Fifth Wave ]

 

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In Bandiravan

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Yesterday on our parikrama with Sri Prahlada dasa we met Jaya Rama das, a well-known and respected sadhu residing in Bandiravan, one the 12 forests of Vrindavan. When we offered our respects to him he smiled and kindly said:

“What your Srila Prabhupada has done for the whole world all the saints in India combined together haven’t done. I am just sitting here taking care of this little parcel of land, but you his disciples, are travelling all over the world preaching the glories of the holy names.”

 

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The Mystical Forest

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Yesterday I took Sri Prahlada, who is visiting Vrindavan, to the Mystical Forest. Not far from Varsana is a forest of 5,000 year-old trees. Local Vrajavasi tradition says that the trees were planted by Srimati Radharani and Her girlfriends as a place of pastimes for Herself and Krsna. They are described as kalpa-vriksa trees – wish-fulfilling trees – able to fulfill all of one’s spiritual desires. As we hugged them I prayed for more service to my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, in fulfilling his wishes that the holy names of the Lord be spread to every town and village in the world. I also whispered in my prayer that one day, when he feels it proper, I might join him in his pastimes in the spiritual world, where all walking is dancing, all talking is singing and there’s a festival every day. From the Mystic Forest we proceeded to nearby Varsana to continue our parikrama. All glories to Sri Vrindavan dhama!

 

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Chandra-sarovara

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Yesterday my good friend Sri Prahlada arrived in Vrindavan. To enter into the mood of Vraja we decided to first do Govardhan parikrama. We began on the ‘outer’ 40-kilometer parikrama road, the path used by Srila Sanatana Goswami 500 years ago. We first visited Chandra-sarovara, a beautiful holy site, where the gopis spoke the famous ‘Gopi Gita’ which make up most of the 31st chapter of the 10th canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. There is beautiful lake there, as well as the samadhi of Sura das, the famous blind Vaisnava poet who appeared in 1487. There we chanted and prayed for his mercy that by following in the footsteps of our spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, we might enter into the mysteries of pure devotional service. From there we proceeded to the general parikrama path. Along the way we encountered a number of old Vrajavasi friends that I have come to know through the years by wandering in the transcendental land of Sri Vrindavan dhama. We also made some new acquaintances! Hours later we finished our parikrama at Sri Radha Kunda.

 

 

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Strolling Through Vrindavan / Бродя по Вриндавану

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I arrived back home in Sri Vrindavan dhama yesterday. This afternoon I strolled through the town of Vrindavan proper, visiting old friends and making new ones. The sights, sounds and colors of Vrindavan all helped to remind me of my good fortune to once again be present in Lord Krsna’s eternal playground.
“My life and soul is the most opulent land of Vrindavan, which is overwhelmed by the pastimes of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna, which is decorated with many groves and fountains, which is beautified by khadira and sandalwood forests on the banks of the Kalindi River, which is decorated with many beautiful caves at Govardhan Hill, where eternal good fortune is constantly showering, and where Sri Sri Radha and Krsna constantly perform the most wonderful pastimes.”
[ Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati, Sri Vrindavana Mahimamrta, Sataka three, Text 60 ]

Вчера вернулся домой, в Шри Вриндаван-дхаму. Сегодня побродил по Вриндавану, навестил старых друзей и встретил новых. Виды, звуки и цвета Вриндавана, – все возвещало об удаче вновь побывать на земле вечных игр Кришны.

«Цветущая земля Вриндавана… жизнь и душа моя. Исполнена Шри Радхи-Кришны лилами, украшена родниками, рощами, лесами акаций и сандаловых деревьев по берегам Калинди и множеством пещер на Говардхане. Здесь вечная удача проливается потоком – тут Шри Шри Радха-Кришна вечно совершают лилы».

[ Шрила Прабодхананда Сарасвати, «Шри Вриндавана Махимамрита», шатака третья, текст 60 ]

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Sacred Sound Festival, New Govardhan, Australia / Фестиваль “Святой звук”, Нью Говардхан, Австралия

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“By chanting the holy name of the Supreme Lord, one comes to the stage of love of Godhead. Then the devotee is fixed in his vow as an eternal servant of the Lord, and he gradually becomes very much attached to a particular name and form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As his heart melts with ecstatic love, he laughs very loudly or cries or shouts. Sometimes he sings and dances like a madman, for he is indifferent to public opinion.” [ Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.2.40 ]

“Воспевая святое имя Всевышнего, человек приходит на уровень любви к Господу. Тогда преданный становится неизменен в своих обетах вечного слуги Бога и постепенно – очень сильно привязанным к определенному имени и форме Верховной Личности Бога. Сердце его плавится от экстатической любви, и тогда он громко смеется, плачет или кричит. Иногда он танцует и поет как безумный, поскольку безразличен к общественному мнению”. [ Шримад Бхагаватам, 11.2.40 ]

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