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Radharani’s Three Day Party

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

To celebrate Sri Krishna’s Janmotsava every year, King Vrshabhanu, Rani Kirtida, Radharani and their whole family stay four days in Nanda Baba’s palace (Bhadra Krishna 7-10th).

Two weeks later, Nanda Maharaj, Yashoda Maa, Krishna and family come to Varshana and stay three days in King Vrshabhanu’s palace to celebrate Srimati Radhika’s birthday. From the first to the 8th day of the bright half of Bhadra month, King Vrshabhanu elaborately decorates all the homes and streets in Varsana in preparation for Radha’s appearance. Musicians and drummers purify the atmosphere with a continuous flow of auspicious songs and ragas.

Two days before Radhashtami, Vrshabhanu Maharaj sends Sridham to invite Nanda Baba and family to come honor Sri Radha’s birthday. On the 7th morning, Nanda Baba, Sri Krishna and Their family come to Varshana in bullock carts, palanquins and by walking. Kirtidarani and Vrshabhanu Maharaj warmly greet them, arrange their rooms and feed them nicely.

Sri Radha, Lalita-sakhi, Vishakha-sakhi and other gopi yutheshvaris cook rice, puris, sabjis and kheer, which is offered to Bhagavan Narayana and then served out to all the guests.  Sri Radhika and the gopis lovingly quarrel over serving first. Yashoda pacifies everyone by making different lines with a different sakhi serving each one. After eating, everyone rests in their guestrooms.

As per the usual asta-kaliyalilaschedule, Sri Radha cooks something for Krishna. Then carrying these items, Srimati and all go to Radha-kunda, meet Krishna, and enjoy Their midday pastimes.

Radhashtami

In the morning of Radhashtami, everyone watches Radhika’s grand abhisheka performed by Gargi, daughter of the kula-guru Garga Rishi. Musicians play vinas,dolaks, mrdangas, dundubhisand pakhowajas. Paurnamasi blesses Radha with different mantras. After bathing Radhawith herbal water, panchaamrit and gavya, a hundred pots of water, and a huge conch showering water through the 1,000 jalpatra, Sri Radha is anointed with fragrant oils, musk, sandal and camphor and dressed.

The manjaris offer a beautiful arati to Radharani. Yashoda Maa offers blessings and wonderful gifts of costly clothes and ornaments to both Sri Radha and Her yutheshvaris. Vrshabhanu Maharaj and Radharani donate ornamented cows and calves. Then Radhika and Her sakhis take some prasada and then start cooking a feast.

In jest, Yashoda Maa says to Kirtida, “Sakhi, you are so hard hearted that you make tender Radha cook so much!” Kirtida replies, “Because our Radhika got a unique boon to cook nectar-filled health foods, my Prabhu Vrshabhanu wants you and Nanda Maharaja to savor Radha’s delicious preparations today. After Radha and the sakhis finish cooking, Yashodarani blesses them all and has some manjaris fan Radha to remove Her fatigue. 

The Yogurt Game

Later everyone proceeds to the bank of Bhanukhor, King Vrishabhanu’s bathing tank on the east side of Varshana hill. Then like Janmashtami, everyone starts playing Dadhikada, a game of throwing yogurt, butter and milk on each other. Afterwards, according to age and gender, everyone bathes in different corners of Bhanukhor, eats and takes rest.

Later Sri Radha goes to Radha-kunda and enjoys all Her usual pastimes with Krishna. The only exception to Their daily asta-kaliyalila flow is that for these three days, Sri Krishna is staying with Radha in Her own palace in Varshana!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

Naumi Lilas

The next morning in Varshana, Radha-Krishna and the gopis bathe, eat and go out to perform Their usual morning pastimes. At noontime, Radha-Krishna and the gopis go to Mor Kutir in Varshana and Krishna entertains the gopikas by dancing like a peacock. Then Radha and Krishna throw laddus to all the sakhis. Later in the midday, Radha and Krishna dance the Rasa in a secret place in Gehvara, Radha’s personal garden/forest just near Her father’s palace.

In the late afternoon everyone returns to the palace.At that time, Sri Krishna, Nanda Baba and his family take leave from King Vrshabhanu and return home to Nandagram in the topmost bliss.

Sri Radha’s three day janmotsava ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Seeing Radha Through Krishna’s Eyes

Mahanidhi Madangopal Das

One day in Goloka Vrindavana, Shyama sat alone under the shade of a beautiful flowering kadamba tree that was filling the entire forest with a sweet fragrance reminiscent of Radharani. Becoming absorbed in vivid memories of His sweet beloved, Krishna spontaneously began glorifying Radha with the choicest words full of love.

Brilliant green parrots gathered in the branches, curious innocent deer collected nearby, and swans floated in the peaceful waters of the Yamuna. All were stunned in bliss and spellbound in amazement to hear what Shyam was saying.

Contemplating within Himself, –vichar –antare (238), Krishna said:

cin-maya –purna -tattva, radhika –prem –unmatta
“I am full of spiritual truth, but Radhika’s love makes me mad. (122)

na –jani –radha –prema –bal, kare -sarvada -vihval
What is that power of Radha’s love by which Radha always overwhelms Me? (123)

Everywhere, everyone says I am the adi-guru, jagat-guru, spiritual master of the universe. But now I know the real truth is this:
radhika –prem –guru, ami –shishya –nat
ama –nana –nrtye, nachaya -udbhat
 “Radhika’s prem is the Guru. I am Her dancing disciple. Radha’s sweet love always makes Me dance in wonderful ways. (124)

radha –prem –vibhu,
kshane –kshane –baday –sadai
“Although Radha’s love is all-pervading, it increases at every second.” (128)

While Shyam was praising His beloved Priya, He suddenly remembered Her divine form and how Radhika’s rupa, gandha, shabdha, rasa, sparsha and vritti completely attract and captivate all His senses of seeing, smelling, hearing, tasting, touching and thinking.

Krishna continues speaking: “Ten million Cupids are conquered by My matchless, unsurpassed sweet beauty. But My eyes find the greatest happiness in seeing Radha. (242-3)

vamshi –gitakarshay –tri -bhuvan
radha –vacane –hare -shravan
My flute song attracts the three worlds. But Radha’s voice fully enchants My ears. (244)

amara –gandha –jagat –sugandha
chitta –prana –hara, radha –anga –gandha
The fragrance of My body fills the universe with sweet aromas. But the naturally sweet scent of Sriji’s limbs fully enthralls My mind and heart. (245)

amara –rasa -jagat -sarasa
radhara –adhara –ras –kar –vasha
Although My rasas fill the world with sweetness, I am totally controlled and subjugated by the sweet taste of Radha’s lips. (246)

amara –sparsha –kotindu -shital
radhika –sparsha –amasushital
Although My touch is cooler than ten million moons, I am completely refreshed by the cooling caress of Kishori. (247)

jagat -sukha –hetu, radha – rupa -jivatu
Although I am the cause of happiness in the world, Radhika’s sweet beauty is My life and soul. (248)

anya –sanga –yata –sukha –pai, radha -sukha –shata -adhikai
I get a hundred times more happiness from meeting Radha than from anyone else.” (258)

Somehow by divine arrangement, that very Queen of Shyam’s heart suddenly appeared at that lonely spot beside the Yamuna. Seizing the opportunity to flatter the cherished treasure of His heart, Gopinatha said:

“O Devi! Your divinely attractive body is the source of all beauty.
O Sulochana, Your radiant cherry-red lips are softer than the sense of immortal sweetness.
O Pranapriya! The effulgent orb of Your perfectly shaped face bears the aroma of a lotus.
O Radha! Your heart-touching, honey sweet words silence the soothing warbling of the cuckoo.
O Sriji! Your shapely golden limbs are cooler than sandalwood.

“Actually, O Shyamaa! Each and every one of My senses floods with bliss whenever I am with You, who are the abode of the most attractive and sensational qualities.”

Jai Jai Sri Radheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

P.S. Verses numbered above are from “Sri CaitanyaCaritamrta” adi-lila, chapter four.

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Bhagavan Surya Narayana Health Puja

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Hare Krishna! Yes, we consult doctors and take medicines of different types to remove our various ailments and diseases. But at the same time, devotees know that real cause of any cure, and the background of success in all actions is the will, mercy and kindness of our sweet loving Master, Bhagavan Sri Krishna.

In Gita (18.14) Sri Krishna states, “There are five factors of success in all actions.”

  1. Place (ksetra or adhishthanam [home, office, world]
  2. Instruments (karanam) [senses, hands, legs etc.]
  3. Actions (ceshtah) [work, activities]
  4. Performer (karta) [you, and others]
  5. Bhagavan (daivam) [Sri Krishna, the Paramatma and the celestial controllers, Devatas]

Of these five, Daivam or Bhagavan Sri Krishna is the ultimate, most powerful and invincible force or factor behind all the cures, wins, successes or achievements one may attain. As it’s said, “You propose and Bhagavan disposes, as He deems fit!”

To help everyone live happy, balanced and healthier lives, Bhagavan Sri Krishna, out of His infinite mercy and compassion, has manifested two most beautiful and powerful forms of His transcendental personality i.e. Bhagavan Surya Narayana and Bhagavan Sri Dhanvantari.

The original supreme Devata of good health is a form of Sri Krishna known as Bhagavan Surya Narayana. He lives on the Sun Planet, Surya grahan, with His eternal consort Sri Lakshmi Devi, and is forever worshiped by Suryadeva and his two wives, Samgya and Chaya. [See Srimad Bhagavatam canto 5, chapter 22]

In Gita (10.21), Sri Krishna says, “Among all brilliant lights, I am the Sun, jyotisham –ravih -amshu –man.”

Besides utilizing doctors, hospitals and medicines to cure our diseases, as devotees we should always remember, pray to Krishna and take His shelter in every aspect of life—be it healthy times or hard times. Thus for devotees facing health issues, we suggest you add the following transcendental pujas and prayers to your daily health regimens.

For thousands and even millions of years, the residents of dharma -bhumi, Bharatavarsha, have regularly prayed to Bhagavan Surya Narayana, the Devata of health, and Bhagavan Sri Dhanvantari, the father of Ayurveda, for both maintaining and restoring their health.

Although the Ayurveda recommends various medicines and cures, it still recognizes the supreme and ultimate control of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. In fact, the Ayurveda says that before taking any of its medicines, they must first be offered to a murti or Deity of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, and before taking them the patient should chant:

om achyutaya namah
om anantaya namah
om govindaya namah

And also don’t forget to chant the topmost, complete cleansing, healing and liberating maha-mantra:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna
Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Simple Bhagavan Surya Narayana Puja

*** Rise before sunrise= Bathe, wear clean cloth (red color is good). If you can’t take bath, just wash legs, arms and face.

*** DAILY Sunrise to 8 AM= Offer water to Bhagavan Surya Narayana in a 1-2 liter copper lota while facing East, standing barefoot on earth, or on red asana if in an apartment i.e. veranda. If it’s cloudy still follow same procedures.

[[SUNDAY; offer water, and also a full arati to Bhagavan Surya Narayana with red incense, ghee lamp, kunkuma, red flower (especially red, pink lotus), red cloth (wave like fan). You can also offer with tulasi red fruits like anar, apple, cherries. ]]]

*** Hold lota in both hands above your head.

*** SLOWLY POUR the water onto the earth, on a plant or into a flower pot while looking at the sunrays THROUGH THE FALLING STREAM of WATER. Don’t look directly at the Sun.

No water should touch your feet.

As much as possible, expose your body to the healing light rays of sunrise and the water falling from your lota.

*** Chant all the following 12 names of Suryadeva either once or 11 times, with love and devotion, while SLOWLY POURING THE WATER from the lota. Pour the water so slowly that when the water finishes your chanting is completed.

  1. Om Adityaya Namaha
  2. Om Arkaya Namaha
  3. Om Bhanave Namaha
  4. Om Bhaskaraya Namaha
  5. Om Hiranya Garbhaya Namaha
  6. Om Khagaya Namaha
  7. Om Marichaye Namaha
  8. Om Mitraya Namaha
  9. Om Pushne Namaha
  10. Om Ravaye Namaha
  11. Om Savitre Namaha
  12. Om Suryaya Namaha

*** Or you can chant this mantra 21 times, “O Suryaya Namaha”.

*** Personal Prayer:

“O Bhagavan Surya Narayana! You are the loving Master of good health. Please be kind upon me and cure all my diseases. Please give me good health, so I can enthusiastically serve Sri Sri Radha-Govinda Yugala, my beloved Gurudeva and all the wonderful Krishna bhaktas. And please forgive me for any mistakes made in Your worship.”

*** Offer sincere obeisances to Bhagavan Surya Narayana.

Bhagavan Surya Narayana ki jai! Bhagavan Surya Narayana ki jai! Bhagavan Surya Narayana ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

*** You can also pray to Bhagavan Dhanvantari, Krishna’s expansion as the Devata of health, medicine and Ayurveda, “The Vedic Science of Life”.

Srimad Bhagavatam (8.8.34) says, “Dhanvantari is an expansion of Bhagavan Sri Visnu, sa -vai -bhagavatah –sakshad -vishnor –amsha.”

“O Bhagavan Sri Dhanvantari, may the medicines I am taking quickly cure my disease, and please bless me with strength and vitality to nicely serve Bhagavan Sri Krishna.”

Bhagavan Surya Narayana ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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20 Ways To Love Krishna

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

There are twenty amazing and intimate ways to express your devotion, dependence and attachment to your Priya Thakuraji i.e. beloved transcendental murti form of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. Of Sri Rupa Goswamipada’s sixty-four limbs of bhakti sadhana, ten forms of bhakti (#23-42) directly involve Sri Thakuraji and His worshipers—us!

Upon reading this description you will discover that our beautiful, sweet, charming and playful master, Sri Krishna, not only likes formal worship, but Syama also likes the wild frantic dancing of His bhaktas.

The term Sri -Thakuraji means one’s favorite and beloved murti or Deity (Devata) of Sri Krishna i.e. Bankebihari, Radha-Vallabha, Radha-Syama or Radha Ramana.

By citing Srimad -Bhagavatam and other Puranas, Sri Rupa Goswamipada reveals twenty different ways to please and personally interact with Radha and Krishna in their most beautiful, merciful, and accessible transcendental forms.

After listing each item, Sri -Rupa mentions the benefits attained by these loving exchanges with Bhagavan Sri Krishna. The benefits and their sources from Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu are in brackets. By engaging in these ways with Sri -Thakuraji, you will: conquer maya, and become free from disease, sin and rebirth (1.2.125-6, 129); attain liberation to Vaikuntha (1.2.139); and fulfil all your desires (1.2.165).

20 WAYS TO LOVE KRISHNA

1 Accept Sri Thakuraji’s -Nirmalya (1.2.125)

Eating, smelling, touching and wearing Krishna’s divine food, perfumes, flower malas and celestial clothing.

2 Dance Frantically Before Sri Thakuraji (agre- tandavam: (1.2.128)

3 Dandavats -To Sri Thakuraji (1.2.129)

4 Stand Up To Greet Sri Thakuraji (1.2.130)

5 Follow Sri -Thakuraji In Procession (1.2.131)

6 Visit Sri -Thakuraji’s Sacred Places (1.2.132)

(i.e. mandira, Vrndavana, Navadvipa etc.)

7 Parikrama (1.2.135)

(Sri -Thakuraji’s -murti or temple four times)

8 Worship Sri Thakuraji “Deity Worship” (1.2.137)

(bathing, dressing, feeding)

9 Paricarya -Seva to Sri -Thakuraji (1.2.140)

(wave camara, ring bell, blow conch)

10 Gita, Solo Singing Bhajans for Sri -Thakuraji (1.2.144)

11 Sankirtana, Singing Loudly (1.2.145)

(Krishna’s names, qualities, pastimes)

12 Japa, Silently Utter Diksa -Mantras (1.2.149)

(before Sri -Thakuraji)

13 Vijnapti, Submissive Prayers (1.2.151)

(express your worthlessness, and submit your inner feelings towards Sri -Thakuraji while ever yearning for His personal service)

14 Stava -Patha (1.2.157-9)

(before Sri -Thakuraji, recite Bhagavad-gita; prayers of acaryas and mahajanas; and your spontaneous outpourings and heart’s compositions)

15 Naivedyam -Svado, Relish Maha -Prasada (1.2.160)

(honoring Sri -Thakuraji’s tulasi, grains, fruits etc.)

16 Padya -Svado, Drink Sri -Thakuraji’s -Caranamrta (1.2.161)

17 Dhupa -Saurabhyam (1.2.162)

(smelling Sri -Thakuraji’s incense, flowers, malas, perfumes)

18 Sri -Murti -Sparsanam (1.2.165)

(touching Sri -Thakuraji if one is qualified)

19 Sri -Murti -Darsanam (1.2.166)

(looking at your Priya -Sri -Thakuraji, and being overwhelmed by feelings of love)

20 Aratrika -Darsanam (1.2.167)

(seeing Sri -Thakuraji’s -arati, festivals, and puja—bathing, dressing etc.)

Love your Thakuraji -ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!