The Real Radha Kunda Appearance Day

Mahanidhi Swami

There is an amazing story behind this. The day before Caitra Purnima 2017, I met with 108 Pandit Sri Krishna Dasa Babaji Maharaja and had the following conversation:

10. Madan Gopal Das: “Gurudeva, since Sri Sanatana Goswami says in (SB 10.45.3) Vaisnava Toshani tika that today, Caitra Purnima midnight is the ACTUAL AND REAL APPEARANCE DAY OF RADHA KUNDA, should we bathe tonight to honor that wonderful, most merciful lila of Radha and Krishna?”

Gurudeva: (replied affirmatively while looking straight into my eyes from about one foot away), “Yes, you should!”

mmgd: “Should I tell all your disciples about this?

Gurudeva: “Yes, get a microphone, go around Radha-kunda and tell everyone.”

mmgd: “Really, Gurudeva, are you serious that I should do that?”

Gurudeva: “Yes, because the Karttika Bahulastami snana is NOT THE APPEARANCE DAY OF Radha-kunda. In Mathura Mahatmyam, Sri Rupa Gosvamipada says that devotees should BATHE ON THE KARTTIKA DAY OF BAHULASTAMI just to please Bhagavan Sri Hari. It says nothing about appearance day. According to our Gaudiya Vaisnava mahajana and supreme praman, Srimad Bhagavatam, today at midnight Caitra Purnima IS THE REAL APPEARANCE DAY OF SRI RADHA KUNDA!”

mmgd: (Since Gurudeva is 99 years old,  I never expected him to say yes, but nevertheless, I curiously asked him the next question):

“Gurudeva, would you like to join us and take Radha-kunda midnight snana tonight?”

Gurudeva: (Much to my surprise, Pandit Baba looked at me innocently like a child and said enthusiastically, “YES, I’LL WILL TAKE MIDNIGHT SNANA TOO!”

And that’s how our first annual Caitra Purnima Radha-kunda Appearance Festival started. On behalf of Sri Advaita Prabhu, Sri Gurudeva and all the faithful followers of the six Goswamis, we invite all the devotees to come bathe at midnight on every Caitra Purnima to celebrate the actual, real APPEARANCE DAY OF RADHA KUNDA.

Radha-kunda Annual Avirbhava Mahotsava ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!