Tag Archive for: RadhaKunda

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Wonderful Radha Kunda part one

Mahanidhi Swami

 

Sriman Mahaprabhu unveiled Radha-kunda and bathed there about 500 years ago.

 

After offering the following prayers, Mahaprabhu became overwhelmed in prema, and danced in bliss on the banks of Radha-kunda while meditating upon Radha-Madhava’s pastimes there, premäviñöa haïä tére nåtya kare kuëòa-lélä saìariyä. (Cc. 2.18.13)

 

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu:

  1. Radha-kunda is very dear to Sri Krishna because it is very dear to Radha, taiche rädhä-kuëòa priya ‘priyära sarasé’ (Cc. 2.18.7)
  2. In Radha-kunda, Krishna eternally associates with Radhika enjoying water sports and other rapturous pastimes on Her banks, yei kuëòe nitya kåñëa rädhikära saìge, jale jala-keli kare, tére räsa-raìge. (Cc. 2.18.9)
  3. Sri Krishna gives ecstatic love like that of Radha to whoever BATHES EVEN ONCE in Radha-kunda, sei kuëòe eka bära yei kore snäna, täre rädhä sama prema kåñëa kore däna!” (Cc. 2.18.10)
  4. The glorious sweetness Radha-kunda resembles Radha’s sweet glories, kuëòera ‘mädhuré’ yena rädhära ‘madhurimä’, kuëòera ‘mahimä’ yena rädhära ‘mahimä’. (Cc. 2.18.11)

 

Glorification of Sri Radha-kunda by Gaudiya Vaisnava Acharyas:

 

Sri Rupa Gosvami:

  1. Radha-kunda is the topmost holy place in Vrindavana because it immerses one in the nectar of Gokulapati Krishna prema. What discriminating person would not wish to serve this magnificent lake beside Giri-Govardhana, rädhä-kuëòam ihäpi gokula-pateù premämåtä plävanät, kuryäd asya viräjato giri-taöe seväà viveké na kaù. (Upadeshamrita 9)

 

Srila Prabhupada Purport:

Rädhä-kuëòa is superior to all because here love of Kåñëa overflows. Advanced devotees prefer to reside at Rädhä-kuëòa because this place is the site of many memories of the eternal loving affairs between Kåñëa and Rädhäräëé (rati-viläsa). Who, then, would give up Rädhä-kuëòa and try to reside elsewhere? No person with transcendental intelligence would do so.

 

  1. Radha-kunda is as profoundly dear to Sri Krishna as Radharani, the most beloved of the gopés. Who, then, will not reside at Rädhä-kuëòa and, in a spiritual body surcharged with ecstatic devotional feelings [apräkåta-bhäva], render loving service to the divine couple Çré Çré Rädhä-Govinda, who perform Their añöakäléya-lélä, Their eternal eightfold daily pastimes. Indeed, those who execute devotional service on the banks of Rädhä-kuëòa are the most fortunate people in the universe. (Upad. 10)

 

Srila Prabhupada Purport:

Srimati Radharani the most exalted devotee of Kåñëa and Her Çré Rädhä-kuëòa is the most exalted place. Therefore everyone interested in Kåñëa consciousness should ultimately take shelter of Rädhä-kuëòa and execute devotional service there throughout one’s life.

 

  1. Upon one who bathes just once in Her waters, Radha-kunda bestows gopi-prema which is very difficult for Krishna’s dear devotees to attain what to speak of ordinary sadhakas, yat preñöhair apy alam asulabhaà kià punar bhakti-bhäjäà, tat premedaà sakåd api saraù snätur äviñkaroti. (Upad. 11)

 

Srila Prabhupada Purport:

It is stated that a devotee will at once develop pure love of Kåñëa in the wake of the gopés if he once takes a bath in Rädhä-kuëòa. Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé recommends that even if one cannot live permanently on the banks of Rädhä-kuëòa, he should at least take a bath in the lake as many times as possible. This is a most important item in the execution of devotional service.

 

Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura writes in this connection that Çré Rädhä-kuëòa is the most select place for those interested in advancing their devotional service in the wake of the lady friends (sakhés) and confidential serving maids (maïjarés) of Çrématé Rädhäräëé.

 

Living entities who are eager to return home to the transcendental kingdom of God, Goloka Våndävana, by means of attaining their spiritual bodies (siddha-deha) should live at Rädhä-kuëòa, take shelter of the confidential serving maids of Çré Rädhä and under their direction engage constantly in Her service.

 

If, by great fortune, one gets an opportunity to come to Rädhä-kuëòa and bathe even once, he can develop his transcendental love for Kåñëa, exactly as the gopés did.

 

It is also recommended that one should live on the banks of Rädhä-kuëòa and should be absorbed in the loving service of the Lord. One should bathe there regularly and give up all material conceptions, taking shelter of Çré Rädhä and Her assistant gopés.

 

If one is thus constantly engaged during his lifetime, after giving up the body he will return back to Godhead to serve Çré Rädhä in the same way as he contemplated during his life on the banks of Rädhä-kuëòa.

 

THE CONCLUSION is that to live on the banks of the Rädhä-kuëòa and to bathe there daily constitute the highest perfection of devotional service. Thus there is no limit to the glory of Çré Rädhä-kuëòa.

 

By serving Rädhä-kuëòa, one can get an opportunity to become an assistant of Çrématé Rädhäräëé under the eternal guidance of the gopés. (All quotes above from Srila Prabhupada Upadeshamrita 11 pur.)

Radha-kunda snana ki jai! Radha-kunda vasa ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

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Amazing Benefits of Bathing in Magha

Mahanidhi Swami

The yearly one month long (Jan.-Feb.) world famous Kumbha Mela offers amazing benefits for a daily sunrise bath in a holy river like the Ganga, Yamuna, or especially the Triveni in Allahabad U.P.

Here in a series of articles, we will highlight some of the glories of the “Magha Month Vrata” which focuses primarily on sacred bathing in addition to one’s other daily sadhana.

As Gaudiya Vaisnavas, we follow the teachings of Gita and the Bhagavata, the books of our Mahajana acharyas like the Six Goswamis, and the instructions of our spiritual teachers. One major work is the Hari Bhakti Vilasa, compiled by Srila Sanatana Goswamipada. This is our Gaudiya Vaisnava smrti, which means a book of rules and recommended practices for endearing oneself to Bhagavan Sri Krishna.

To prove and establish the immense importance of the Magha snana, the Hari-bhakti Vilasa quotes 160 Sanskrit verses from different Puranas such as the Bhavisottara, Brahmavaivarta, Narada, Padma and Skanda. Here’s a sample:

The Padma Purana (Uttara-khaëòa 126.9) states, “It is an injunction that one must bathe in a holy place during Magha to please Bhagavan Vasudeva [Sri Krishna], priyate vasudevasya, magha snanam prakirttitam.” (HBV 14.54) Skanda Purana: “By bathing in a holy place in Magha, one will not take birth again, snanam karoti yo maghe, samsara na bhavet punah.” (HBV 14.72)

The following benefit befits the bhaktas, who want to be with Radha-Krishna forever serving Their lotus feet: “If one desires to live near Vishnu [Sri Krishna], iccha vishnu vasam, he should bathe every year during Magha, magha snanam tada karyyam varshe varshe. (HBV 14.76)

In Skanda Purana, Narada Muni glorifies the tremendous blessing power of Magha snana: “Magha snana destroys all sins committed by thoughts, words and deeds.” And further, “Bath, charity, chanting and sacrifices done in Magha yield unlimited benefit, snanam danam japa homa, kriyate maghe ananta phalam.” (HBV 14.80-81)

One can take the next quote to mean that a woman will become beautiful, charitable, supremely chaste and fortunate by a Magha snana. “Vashishta Muni said, ‘Because of bathing during the month of Magha, Shachi became beautiful; Arundhati became charitable; Anusuya became most chaste; and Rohini attained good fortune.’” (HBV 14.100-101)

Any contact with the transcendental Yamuna, Ganga or other sacred waters will produce wonderful benefits like good health, purity and promotion to Vaikuntha. So what makes holy waters so especially powerful during Magha month? The Narada Purana answers, “The devatas cast all their respective powers into water during Magha, devata teja pari kshiptam, magha mase jaleshu vai.” (HBV 14.163)

However, of all the holy waters one can bathe in, there is an astonishingly unique value in bathing in Sri Radha Kunda!

Srila Rupa Goswamipada explains, “Even ONE BATH in Radha Kunda can manifest that prema, tat premedam sakrd api sarah snatur avishkaroti.”

What is “that prema” (tad prema) you may ask? Srila Rupa answers saying, “You will receive that special oneness in love for Krishna felt by Radha, the foremost of all Krishna’s beloved sweethearts, radha preyasibhyah uccaih vasati pranaya krishnasya.” (Upadeshamrita 11)

So plan now and try to bathe daily during the entire Magha month either in Radha Kunda, Vrindavana, Navadvipa or Jagannatha Puri. In this regard, Sri Dattatreya said, “Magha month is the best of all months, as far as doing good deeds, masanam magha shreshtha.” (HBV 14.159)

If you can’t spare a month, however, then you can follow Sri Dattatreya Muni who said, “At least bathe for three days during Magha, and you will attain wealth and long life.” (HBV 14.161-162)

When is the bathing period?

“One should begin his Magha snana on Pausha Purnima (Jan. 24) and end on Magha Purnima (Feb. 22).” (HBV 14.67)

Magha Mas Tunda Snana ki jai! Radha Kunda Dhama ki jai!

Gopi Prema ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!