Vrajavasis: Krishna’s Promise

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

In the beginning of the rasa lila, Bhagavan Sri Krishna says something very special to Srimati Radharani. Krishna’s words are very inspiring and encouraging to all the fortunate devotees now living in Vrndavana Dhama performing Krishna bhakti bhajan, or to any devotees planning to live here in the future.

The great rasika acarya Sri Visvanatha Cakravartipada mercifully reveals the golden promise of parama bhakta vatsala, Bhagavan Sri Govinda Gopala thus:

“Acyuta Sri Krishna says, ‘O Radha! You are always bathing in a matchless nectar of sweet affection (anupama sneha amrta snana)! I want You to know something. It is my unbroken vow and promise (me vratam abranam) that anyone who comes to My Vrndavana and lives here, serving Me, doing bhakti bhajan, and looking and searching for Me, I guarantee that I will keep that person deep in My heart. And I will always look after his/her needs and take complete care of them. This is My solemn promise.” (Krishna Bhavanamrta 19.2)

Jai Sri Krishna! Great words of encouragement to live in Vraja doing Krishna bhakti bhajan, and to come to Vraja for bhajan. Living in Vrndavana means being accepted directly into the heart of Sri Krishna. He is personally saying that here, and that He will take care of everyone in Vrndavana.

Krishna is telling this to Radharani, the eternal Empress of Vraja, Vrndavanesvari. Indeed, any Vrndavana nivasi Vaisnava will always cherish in their hearts this most wonderful golden promise of satya-sankalpa, Syamasundara Bhagavan.

In 1958, to practice Vraja bhajan, Srila Prabhupada left everything he had in the world to live in Sridhama Vrndavana. In that first year in Vraja, he wrote the following emotionally packed poem “Vrndavana Bhajan”. Here are a few pure devotional effusions from that work which clearly reveal the extraordinary power of living in Vrndavana and doing Krishna bhajan.

FUTILITY OF PLAN MAKING

Srila Prabhupada said:

“Again and again making plans, and again and again they are destroyed.

Sometimes he falls on the dry earth and sometimes in the mud.

In this way the universe is filled with wandering jiva souls

who finally by the grace of Guru and Krishna

get bhakti, the eternal wealth.” (folio: EA 23-7)

RELATIVES? ALL ARE BROTHERS

Srila Prabhupada said:

“But everyone is your relative, your brother on the spiritual platform

This relationship is not tinged with the smell of maya.

The Supreme Lord is the soul of everyone,

In relation to Him, everyone in the universe is the same.”

“All are your relatives, brothers! All the billions of jivas.

When seen in relation to Krishna they are all in harmony.

Forgetting Krishna, the jiva [living entity] desires sense gratification,

And as a result he is firmly grasped by maya!” (folio: EA 23-4)

ILLUSION OF “MY FAMILY”

Srila Prabhupada said,

“Everyone has abandoned me, seeing me as penniless

Wife, relatives, friends, brothers, everyone.

This is misery, but it gives me a laugh. I sit alone and laugh.

In this maya-samsara, whom do I really love?”

“Where have all my loving fathers and mothers gone to now?

And where are all my elders, who were my own folk?

Who will give me news of them, tell me who?

All that is left of this family life is a list of names.”

“Gaining the wealth of Krishna bhakti,

then he can give up all other so-called wealth,

Then very easily he crosses over the ocean of samsara.

There on the other side is unparalled spiritual variegatedness.

There he enjoys eternal happiness and peace.” (folio: EA 23-2)

Vrndavana bhajan ki jai! Srila Prabhupada ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!