Hare krishna,

Srila Narrotam Das Thakura whose prayers are so often sung and meditated upon by our beloved Guru maharaj Srila Prabhupada, he wrote that in order to understand the loving pastimes of Radha & Krishna in the land of Vrindavan we should humble ourselves to take shelter of the six goswamis of vrindavan.
Visaya…sri vrindavan
Thakur Narottam prays, “when will that day come, when my mind is no longer tormented by the desires for selfish material enjoyment. Only then will i be able to see vrindavan. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura told us do not try to see Krishna, try to serve Krishna in such a way that Krishna is pleased to see us.
Ye yatha mam
Krishna reveals himself according to the sincerity and the purity of how we surrender. Srila Prabhupada writes that you cant actually enter vrindavan simply by purchasing an airline ticket or a train ticket or a rickshaw ticket. But by folowing the foot steps of Akrura, how he enterd Vrindavan, in a completely humble state of mind with his mind totally fixed in prayers on remembering the beautiful names, pastimes, qualities of Krishna and begging for mercy. Akrura, by the power beyond his own, he was indirectly associating with Kamsa and even doing the will of Kamsa, Akrura was ashamed of that. But at the same time he knew his real purpose was some how or other facilitate the Lords will. He believed that Krishna and Balaram would understand this and while begging for shelter and forgiveness, he was absorbed in crying out for mercy. And therfore Vrindavan was revealed to him. If any body could just come to Vrindavan and see the spiritual world with kalpavriksha trees, chintamani dust on ground, every cow as kamadhenu cow, every monkey as a perosonal associate of Krishna, then what would make Vrindavan different from so many material places. The fact that we can’t see Krishna so well here, it shows us that what Krishna tells us in scriptures is true. We have to have this laulya, this eagerness, this greed to please Krishna and we please Krishna by taking shelter through our service. And thats why we have come here. By the grace of Srila Prabhupada and the association of so many devotees we have come here to realize how fallen we really are. How so far away we have become and the farther we think we are the more we should yearn, the more we should strive to become Krishna Conscious.

Srimad Bhagavatam is the story of Krishna and his devotees. In most of the primary stories we read about how the devotees were challenged with such insurmountable difficulties, but they never gave up their faith, they never gave up their hope. The more difficult the challenge, the deeprer they surendered and how Krishna revealed Himself in most incredible ways to each of these devotees. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, his lesson was, that the crest jewel of all vedic literatures is this Srimad Bhagavatam. The culmination of the holy scripture is Krishna’s pastimes in Vrindavan, the highest summit of the pastimes of Vrindavan is Krishna’s loving relations with gopis. And the super most highest revelation is the love of Radha & Krishna. Lord Caitanya is Krishna who has come to not only experience but to share the love of Radha with the whole world. And Lord Caitanya taught us bhakti means to serve. we cant see Krishan and we cant see Vrindavan if we come like tourists with our cameras. And today its become so out of control, every one has these cameras on their cellular phones. You can take 10 million photos, but you will not see Vrindavan. It is when Krishna reveals himself, it is when sri Vrindavan reveals herself to us according to the sincerity of our devotion. Do not try to see Vrindavan but try to serve Krishna, try to serve Srila Prabhupada, the vaishnavas and the holy name in such a way that vrindavan tries ro reveal herself to us.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, after taking initiation in Gaya from Ishwara Puri, in the middle of the night in the ecstacy of prema, with out telling anything to anyone, He ran into the forest towards Vrindavan. Nothing was going to stop him. As he was rushing and rushing, in sepreation, He was now 24 years old and He was feeling that He had wasted His whole life and now by the mercy of His guru, in His lila, His love of Radha & Krishna was blazing like an uncontollable fire and His ultimate goal was to renounce everything and go to Vrindavan. But the voice of devas spoke from the sky, “My Lord You have descended into this world to manifest the Harinam Sankirtan movement. You have come to this world to reveal the treasures of prema of Vrindavan. So go back to Navadwip. You can come to Vrindavan some other time.” Ultimately the Lord was more concerned with the conditioned souls, He was more concerned to going to Navadwip and meeting people like Jagai and Madhai, than to go to Vrindavan. That is munificence. And for about 6yrs he estblished nama sankirtan and revealsed he highest spiritual ecstasies in Navadwip and than took sannyasa in Khatwa and after receiving His spiritual names, the danda the cloth of a sannyasi, He cried out to every one surrounding Him, “I will go to Vrindavan”. Keshava Bharati Maharaj, His sannyasa guru, told Him, “I am going with you”, and every one in the whole of Khatwa wanted to come with Him. Who could give up His association? After some time Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, instructed every one to return to Kanaka nagar and just his closest associates and He were gong to Vrindavan. But Nityananda Prabhu undertood His heart of hearts. Ultimiatly His love for His devotees was paramount, they were dying in seperaton. Nityananda Prabhu by His own transcendental ways redirected the Lord to shantipur. Where the devotees from Navadwip, led by Sacimata came. There was Sacidevi, who was cooking wonderful prasad for her son everyday. He would sit on her lap and she would embrace him and cry. “If You go to Vrindavan I will never see you again. But the same Krishna who lives in Vrindavan is living in Puri as Lord Jagannath. Please go there and I will regularly hear your pastimes. So to please His mother and the devotees He settled in Puri. Yes, He did visit Vrindavan, He came here and wandered here throught out the 12 forest for 2 months but then returned to Puri for His mission. And He told Rupa Goswami and Sanatan Goswami that what I want to to establish in Vrindavan, I will do through you. By My mother’s will I will reside in Puri”, and He sent them to Vrindavan.

To understand the principle deities established by the Goswamis of Vrindavan is what we belive is the most effective way of entering into the mood of Vrindavan. It is written in our Vaishnav scriptures that after Yudhistir Maharaj heard that Krishna had disappered form this world he personally with his four brothers retired and went to Himalyas and corronated Pariksit, the son of Uttara and Abhimanyu as the king. And established Vajranabha the great grand son of Krishna as the king of Vrajadham. Vajranabha, he understood that after Krishna’s disapperance so many of the holy places where He performed His lilas were forgotten. He sat on the banks of the yamuna under a kalpavriksha tree and there he prayed. He prayed to Lord Krishna to reveal to him, His eternal abode and it was there that Krishna revealed His eternal transcendental pastimes in the Land of Vrindavan. So he excavated many of those places and wanted to establish particular deities in the most important part of Vrindavan. He called for Vishvakarma, the architect of devas, to carve those deities.

The first deithy that was carved was Madanmohan. And he called Uttara, who had personally seen Krishna with her own eyes. And she said His feet from His waist down perfectly reveals Krishna, of course every part of Him was, but that was the special feature of Madanmohan. He carved Radha Govinda dev and Uttara saw that His beautiful smiling face perfectly reveals. And he carved Gopinath, how He is playing His flute is perfecly revealling Krishna. Many other deities also were established by Vajranabha. But over the millenniums, approximately 4500 years, almost all of them were lost. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came here, there was the Adi Keshava temple in Mathura and here in Vrindavan, it was a beautiful forest. And Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, personally was rediscovering various holy places. On His way back from Vrindavan He met with Srila Rupa Goswami and then Sanatan Goswami. A little background, they were from the Sarasvat brahmana family in Karnataka. And the forefathers of Rupa and Sanatan were living as great brahmana kings. But due to certain circumstances thay settled in Bengal, some time in Orrisa. They were 3 sons of Kumara dev that were most exalted. Rupa, Sanatan and SriVallabha. It is described that Sanatan Goswami, he once had a dream that a brahmana came to him and gave his Srimad Bhagvatam. Sanatan Goswami in that dream became deeply attached to that scripture. When we woke up he was longing and yearning for Srimad Bhagvatam. In those days it was not so easy to get Srimad Bhagvatam. There were no printing presses. Now you can order online, whether you like it or not, a devotee will give it to you in the airport. But at that time if you wanted a Srimad Bhagvatam, you had to find a scribe who could find an original copy and hand copy that for you. Very rare and very difficult. The next morning the same brahmana who appeared in the dream came to Sanatan Goswami and gave Srimad Bhagvatam to Sanatan Goswami. It became his life and soul, his every thing.

Rupa Sanatan Goswamis were such loving, gentle, kind vaishnavas, so deeply learned, that everybody loved them. So the King of Bengal at that time Nawab Hussain Shah some how or other induced them to become his chiefministers. Because he would have the support of the vast majority, which was the Hindu community. If Rupa and Sanatan were with him and they did so well that the king literally accepted them as their own brothers and divided his wealth with them. He built them magnificient palaces and gave them huge areas of land excavated lakes for them gave them mass treasuries of wealth. But Rupa Sanatan and Sri Vallabha, they were not attached to anything. What they did is they established a temple of Madanmohan and in seperation from Vrindavan they created Vrindavan gardens – replicas of Radhakund and Shyamakund and little places where they would meditate on Krishna’s lilas. Meanwhile while the king was out conquring other nations, they were the one practically taking care of the kingdom and the people.

Sanatan Goswami had a dream of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who appeard to him, and Sanatan Goswami understood that He was the Supreme Lord Krishna Himself. When he told this to Rupa Goswami, Rupa Goswami absloutely agreed. “Some how or the other we have to excape this government post to serve Him.” Meanwhile their father was doing special pujas constantly to liberate his children from the mass power and wealth they had, so that they could worship Krishna directly as their life and soul. Their mother told them, “why dont you write a letter to Lord Caitanya and ask Him how to escape?” They wrote letter after letter, but they never got an answer. Finally they got an answer, it was a cryptic answer. They understood it perfectly. He wrote, ” If a wife has a lover, other than her husband, the wife serves her husband very nicely, but is always meditating on the lover.” Now this does not mean the literal idea, because Lord Caitanya was talking of the transcendental love of the gopis and they understood. We have to perform our duties so nicely, that we have to meditate upon Krishna. And Lord Caitanya said, “just wait for Krishna’s mercy to deliver you.” So the first attempt of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to go to Vrindavan, He went through an indirect route through Ramkeli where Rupa and Sanatan were living. At that time they were honoured by Nawab Hussain Shah by the very distinguished titles of the government of Sarkar Mallik and Dabir Khas.

Sri Cantainya Mahaprabhu came to Ramakeli, according to Sri Caitanya Bhagavat, with 100s and 1000s of people doing harinam sankirtan. Now this was very contravertial and the king outlawed any public display of religon beyond his own. And here is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, dancing right in the streets where the king was resideing. And the beauty of his dancing and the tumultous sound of the holynames vibrating in all directions soon attracted billions of people. One police officer went to Nawab Hussain Shah and said, “I cant explain to you what I have seen. There is this sannyasi, very young, very beautiful. I have never seen any one like him. His complexion is like molten gold, effulgent. His eyes are like beautiful lotus petals that extend almost till his ears. And his eyes are shedding rivers of tears, poutring. And His long arms, extending till His knees. His nose is like beautiful seseme flower. And as he is dancing loudly calling out “Haribol! Haribol!” there are millions of people completely intoxicated, surrendering their bodies, their minds, their lives, their everything. They will do anything He says. Everyone is weeping in the ecsaty of love as He is chanting Krishna’s names. His body is soft like fresh butter, yet when he leasps in the air and falls on the ground he breaks stones and still He is not injured. His hairs are standing on end, his limbs ar trembling. He is indundating the whole of Ramakeli in some sort of a hypnotic trance and He is distributing love of god. I have seen many saints and mullahs and babas coming here, but I have never seen such love and influence upon every one like him.”

Nawad Hussain Shah called from Keshava Khan who was one of his ministers. Keshava Khan was a devotee. He was asked by the king, “Do you know about this swami that has come to our town?” He was thinking, ” If I talk the truth about Lord Caitanya, he may beceome envious. And he will be wild”. So he said, “Its all just an exaggeration. He is just a common old sannyasi, with just a few disciples and He is begging from house to house. Don’t take Him seriously.” Nawab Hussain Shah said, “Why are you talking like this? You are asking me not to take Him seriously. I pay people huge amounts of money to do what I say and still they do not do what I say. Ths sannyas does not pay anything to anyone and he has millions of millions people who are surrendering their lives to him totally. When i heard about His ecstatic loving trance, He is giving love of God everywhere. Who the holy khoran calls allah, who the vedas call Rama, Krishna, that same supreme absloute truth the personality of Godhead has come to my kingdom to distribute love of god to every one. And you are calling him an ordinary beggar. This is an offence. I declare on this day, let there be a law let this swami Sri Caitnaya, let Him preach in any way and everywhe he wants and let him induce any one He wants to loudly chant the holy names.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
And if any one tries to disturb him I will punish or ever kill that person. Declare this. Keshava Khan offered his obeisances and then Nawab Hussain Shah called Dabir Khas and Sarkar Malik and asked do u know who this sannyasi is. Rupa and Sanatan said, “He is the properitior of everything that exists. He is the Supreme Lord of all Lords. What ever you have is only by His mercy. You are the king, the king is suppose to be the representative of God and so therore why are you asking us. You should know these things.” And Nawb Husain Shah said, “Yes. I understand that he is the Supreme personality of Godhead. They sent a message, beacsue they understood that he heard nice things about Lord Caitanya. But if he hears somehting not nice, his history is that he was so powerful and so cruel and his mind was so unsteady. They tried to send a message to Lord Caitanya to leave Ramakeli. But He was in the middle of the kirtan. When Lord Caitanya was performing Nama Sankirtan he was totally absorbed. In the love of Sri radha He was crying out the holy names. And as He was dancing ans singing with millions of people arounf him, tumultously crying out the holynames, they were trying to give Him the message. They waited hours they went to Lord Caitanya’s personal associates. They said, “This is dangerous, th king is envious. Lord Caitanya should stop the kirtan and leave.” And the associates were waiting. First the messengers, they waited about a day. But Lord Caitanya, He would not talk to people during kirtan. Nothing could ditract his attention even for a moment form the holyname. Finally they just told some assocaites of Lord Caitanya and siad this was an emmergency. And several went by and Lord Caitanya was just chanting chanting and chanting.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Finally Lord Caitanya could sense that there were some people in anxiety. So He stopped the kirtan and called out with great compassion and emotion that, “I have descended to this world to flood peoples hearts with the holynaemes for krishna and love for krishna. Why should anyone be afraid. The king or any other power, if I do not give them the power to speak, they cant say a word to me. If I cant give them the power to walk, they cant approach me. So why should you be afraid.” And then the famous shloka was recited by Lord Caitanya, that every town and village my names will be chanted. Sri Caitnaya Mahaprabhu, with just a few of his associates he sat whre there is a kadmaba tree and tamal tree. It is said the descents of those trees are still there today. And in the very late part of the night Damir Khas and Sarkar Mallik along with Sri Vallabha, they put on common clothes and went incognito to meet Sri Gauranga. And Sri Vallabha’s little son Jiva, he followed behind. They approached Lord Nityaanada and thakur Haridas, who brought them into the presnece of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Caitanya Caritanrita explains so beatifully how in the spirit of humility they took lumps of straw and put it in their mouth wrapped cloths around their necks and offered their prostrated obeisances. In those days this was the tradition of totally humbling one selves before a superior. they began to cry. Lord Caitanya had to lift them up, they wer not even willing to get up. With folded palms they offered prayers from their heart. Praising Him as the supreme Lord who has descended to deliver the most fallen. In esence they explianed you will not find any one more falled than us. Our activities are aboinbale, our association is abominable and we are abominable. You delivered Jagai and Madhai but not so very difficult for you, as they were Brahmanas from Navadwip. But they never became the obeidient servants of yavanas and mallechas. we are million times more sinful and fallen than Jagai and Madhai. Since you are patita-pavana, the deliverer of the most fallen, you should consider that your fame and glory for this name will be fulfilled only when you show your mercy upon us. We dont even deserve to be asking you for your mercy is like a little dwarf trying to touch the moon. That is our condition. Yet we have no other hope. By these words they were weeping and crying for Sri Caitanya’s mercy. They fell at Lord Caitanya’s lotus feet. Lord Caitanya picked them up and embraced them. Lord said, “Please, you should know you are my old friends. stop talking like this becsaue your humility is breaking My heart.” And then Lord Caitanya gave them the names Rupa Goswami and Sanatan Goswami. They fell at his feet again and He picked them up again and Lord Caitanya bathed their bodies with his tears. They requested Lord Caitanya that it is not safe to remain in Ramakeli and also advised them not to go to Vrindavan with so many millions of people, as it will be such a disturbance, better to go just your self or a few other close assocatees. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told them “I came to Ramakeli only to meet the three of you.” Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu indicated to them that they must give up their government services and go to Vrindavan. After that Lord went to Kanainatashala and took the words of Rupa and Sanatan seriously and went back to Puri. And He started telling all of his associates, “that these people have such wealth knowledge and power but they are so humble, they are such sincere souls, i have compleltly bestowed my mercy upon them.”

Rupa Goswami left loading his wealth in boats and distributed it half to the brahmins, vaishnavas a quarter to his family members and some for emmergencies. But Sanatan Goswami could not leave because he was the top most Chief Minister of the whole government. But after some days Nawab Hussain Shah saw that Sanatan Goswami was not coming. Sanatan Goswami sent the message that he was very sick. He was sick of serving the king. And he invited these schlor vaishnavas to discuus Srimad Bhagavatam with them all day everyday. so the whole kingdom was becoming unmangable without them. So the Nawab sent a doctor. The doctor came back said that he was fine. “what is he doing”, “He is just studying Srimad Bhagavatam” He was furious. Right in the middle of the Bhagavat katha he stormed into the room and said, ” What is this, what are you doing, why? don’t you know that me your older brother is fond of cruel deeds and I have to go Orissa to conquer that place and I need your help and your are doing this.At  this Sanatana Goswami  heart was revealed he said you can do anything you want but I could no longer be the part of your government . the King ordered him to be punished and left . And it’s a long story but he was a prisoner . the way of the world one day a billionare magnificent palaces and fine foods  and the next day he is in the prison.If you go around the place it has still the prison and underground dungeon. But by somehow being clever he told the jail keeper that I have the all these gold coins. Rupa Goswami  somehave gave him the coins . He said actually I want to go to pilgrimage to the land of Mecca and according to your religion if you assit a person  in a holy pilgrimage you will get abundant blessings of god  and said because you are such a saintly person and you love god so much I know that this is what you want to do he said that I am a saintly person and I want to serve god .Sanata Goswami said just say to the king that I went to pass stool in Ganga and with all my chains and in my legs I jumped into the Ganges and I somehow drowned and I could not be found anywhere and I might be dead .Then he gave him all gold coins . So he released Sanatana Goswami . And then with many many difficulties and tribulations and travelling through forests he finally came to Varanasi  and he heard that lord caitanya was at the house of chandrashekhar  and he was sitting in a courtyard outside the house. And lord Chaitanya told chandrashekhar , that there is a great saint who is outside bring him in . He went around and came back and said that there is no great saint there . Is there anyone there . Just that there is some downtrodden mendicant there. That’s him  and Lord caitanya came outside and greeted him . He wept tears along with Sanatana Goswami . It’s a long story and Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu instructed Sanatana goswami on Devotional Service every day for two months in the science of Krsna Consciousness and then he told Sanatan Goswami  to go to Vrindavan and stay for some time and then come back to stay in Jagganath Puri. I have four purposes that you and your brother Rupa Goswami  needs to fulfill fully .

To rediscover the  places of Krsnas pastimes .and to establish Vrindavan  as a holy place of pilgrimage where people could come to get spiritual rejuvenation to give shelter

To establish temples and discover the ancient dietes that have been lost for so long .By your own personal living examples to show people how to live in the spirit of true renunciation and devotion

And to take the essence of all the Vedic literatures and to establish the Supreme glory of pure bhakti in the mood of residents of Vrindavan as a highest goal of life. Sri caitanya Mahaprabhu  mercifully wrote only eight verses of  Siksastakam but he empowered the six goswamis and his followers to take the teachings that he spoke to them and amplify throughout the world .Sanatana Goswami came to Vrindavan  and he met Subuddhi Raya who was a very great devotee  who was one time a very powerful wealthy man . He came to Vrindavan at the inspiration of Lord Chaitanya and his life and soul was to serve him .He took Sanatana Goswami throughout all the forests  and thn Sanatana Goswami Eventually came back to Puri and spent almost an year with Lord chainatnya and was sent back to Vrindavan . When Sri Advaita Acharya was in Vrindavan he had a holy banayan tree that was called Advaita Vat . The ancient diety of Madan Mohan in those days known as Madan Gopal was given to him and he worshipped the deity. Later he entrusted the diety to a one great Brajwasi in  Mathura  named Purushottam Chowbey . When Sanatana Goswami was wandering about Vrindavan living under different trees each night he also visited Mahavan and he saw from a distance very beautiful little boy who was playing along with the children . Mysteriously Sanatana Goswami was so attracted to this little boy  that he couldn’t stop watching him and then the whole day passed by and the little boy started going home . Sanatana Goswami followed him the and the little boy went to the temple and Sanatana Goswami went to the temple . There was no boy  just the little diety . Sanatana Goswami understood that the little boy was none other than Krsna .So that madan gopal was being worshipped in Mathura and as Sanatan Goswami was doing Madhukari . he came to the place where he was invited and was given some rotis and Sanatana Goswami saw something peculiar . That this Brahman was Chastising the diety and I have offered you all this Bhoga why aint you eating it and he said how will you be well nourished if you don’t eat whatever I give you Sanatana was watching . He said to the Brahman actually Krishna is the supreme personality of Godhead . This is not the way you worship the diety .HE said I am sorry I will not do so . Meanwhile Sanatana Goswami came to Vrindavan where he was living at Dvadasaaditya Tila . A mountain just over the Yamuna River Lord Krishna reveled to him that Purshottam Chowbey is a pure devotee but now I want to be worshipped by you . Sanatana Goswami said Lord then I don’t have a home , I have no food how will I take care of you . But all that Lord wants from us is Love .So Madan Gopal appeared to the Brahman and told him to give himself to Sanatan Goswami  which he did . And it was here in  Vrindavan the Dvadasadity tila Snatana Goswami installed Madan Mohan . He used to go to Madhukari  sometimes  the Brajbasis would give him some wheat flour and he had some Yamuna water which he mixed with flour and bake it . He used this burned cakes by removing the black part and offer it to Madan mohan . And one day Krsna asked him this is very simple can you put some salt, and Sanatan Goswami said my Lord this is all I have . Krsna tells in Gita even if you offer me some leaf a flower , or some fruit or even some water  with all devotion I will accept it.

Not only does Krsna accept it but Krsna is conquered by a single leaf that is offered by love . When devotees from Bengal ot Puri would visit Vrindavan and they would come back so the people would ask tell us how Rupa and Sanatana are living . They said you ask how they are living they have given up the wealth that everyone longs for and now they are sleeping on the hard floor on all the five seasons  under different trees and under different bushes every night . Their cloth is just the old discarded clothes of the Brajvasis which they tear into a Kopin and a chadar in the winter and as far as food they just beg for some piece of Rotis  . Sometimes they get some chickpeas . As far as sleeping  hardly two hours a night they sleep because they just don’t have time . They are constantly singing the holy names in the Kirtan and Dancing and discussing Krsna with each other . They are immersed in writing transcendental books to give this knowledge of Krsna to the whole world . They are always in the ecstasy of highest love this is how the six Goswamis are living So one day when Sanatan was up there a merchant with boat carrying quantities of riches as well as salt got stuck in the mud of Yamuna . Now please understand in those days Yamuana had a very very secluded place.It was like middle of nowhere and by material prespective he had no where to go this was a dangerous task it is said that Madan Gopal who is Krsna himself came as a little boy  and went to Krsnadas Kapoor who was in so much distress . He said there is a saint living on the hill and he will help you with the problem .The merchant went to hill and by associating with Sanatana Goswami  he felt such shelter . Sanatana Goswami instructed him on the principles of Bhakti that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had told him in Varanasi . Sanatana Goswami said that his life is surrendered to Madan Mohan so please take the shelter of Madan Mohan.

He surrendered his life to Madamohan and accepted Sanatana goswami as his spiritual master and when he did that suddenly his boat was free. When he sailed across to the other area and sold everything he had. And he did not want anything for himself and he came back to Sanatana goswami offering everything. Sanatana goswami had already given up the wealth of this world. He said, “For myself there is no greater opulence than to ….. It is a great landmark in Vrindavan even today after five hundred years later, the first major temple in the Vrindavan area.

The temple of Chakaleshwar Mahadeva was installed by Vajranabha. Sanatan goswami was liked by everyone. Because he loved everyone. He was so expert … He would travel from one village of Vrindavan to another. When he would come to a village, all the people would greet him with tears of affection. The children would see him as a father. The older people would see him as their son. People of the same age saw him as a friend. They would say, please come to our homes. And when he would come he would ask them, “How are your cows? Did your daughter get married? How is your health? How many calves your cows gave birth to? He knew everything about everyone and so intimately related to them. This way he captured everyone’s hearts. And after establishing a connections and close relationships with everyone felt so cared for and loved by him. He would spend hours and hours and hours with them discussing Krishna katha and having Naam sankirtana. And he would open people’s heart so deeply that whatever he said they fully … This was his method of preaching. He would conquer their love with his love and that then fill them with Krishna. And the next morning as he was leaving, they were crying and crying. How could they bear separation from him? And then he would go to the next village and they all were crying and crying to greet him. The next morning, they would be crying as he would be leaving to the next village and they would be crying to greet him. And this way Sanatana goswami travelled to so many hundreds and hundreds of villages in Vrindavan area.

There is a famous story at Chakaleshwar Mmahadeva. He was near Govardhana. He would light little lamps with ghee and he would write his books. In those days, writing books was such a nice experience. There wasn’t a word processor or computers or Dictaphones or type writers. There wasn’t paper or pens or even pencils. He would take leaves that he had to personally process in such a way that he had to carve the Sanskrit letters on the leaves and then he would get certain herbs from trees to make a certain type of ink that he would wipe over the carved letters. Mosquitoes would bite him. He was thinking it is too difficult to do my service all night because there are so many mosquitoes so he decided that the next day he would leave for a more suitable place to perform his devotional service. Lord Shiva who is Chakaleshwar Mahadeva, he could not bear the thought of separation from Sanatan goswami so he appeared in a form of a brahmana and said, “ why are you leaving swamiji? He told the reason. He said,” just stay one more night. And if mosquitoes bother you then leave. Sanatan goswami could refuse what he was asked with so much affection. And lord Shiva who is Mahadeva called for the demigod in-charge of the mosquitoes. He gave the order,” don’t allow any of your insects to disturb Sanatan goswami. And from that day on, not a single mosquito bothered. Sanatan goswami would perform parikrama everyday around Govardhana.

One time Rupa Goswami wanted offer little prasad to Sanatan goswami. And a beautiful little girl from a village, she offered Rupa goswami some milk, some rice and some Vrindavan sugar and some spices and told him to prepare some khir. In fact, she herself prepared the khir and Rupa goswami brought it to Sanatan goswami. And Sanatan goswami along with Rupa goswami started eating it together and soon as they tasted it they both started trembling in ecstasy. Sanatan goswami said where did you get this? Rupa goswami said some girl gave it to him. Sanatan goswami asked him to describe her. As he was describing both Sanatan goswami and Rupa goswami understood that Srimati Radharani had personally appeared and cooked for them. And through this story we can understand the principle of devotional service. Because Sanatan goswami was very sad. He said to Rupa goswami, “ Radharani has served us. We are the servants of the servants of the servants of Her servants. How could allow her to serve us?” Part of him was ashamed and the other part of him could not stop eating the khir because it was just so good.

Today in the world most people worship God as their order supplier. But here we find the standard of what is actually consciousness of Vrindavan – pure devotional service. Simply to give pleasure, not to expect anything in return except the opportunity to serve. And when we have this spirit, Krishna reveals Himself in full when we chant His holy name – Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

When Sanatan goswami was very old, he was still doing the parikrama of Sri Giriraj Govardhana. He was doing a long parikrama going to Candra Sarovar and all those places in the path. And one day a cowherd boy who was Krishna Himself in disguise said to Sanatan goswami, “Why in your old age are you taking so much trouble to do this circumambulation?” Sanatan goswami said, “It is my service to Krishna. It’s my life and my soul.” So then the boy went on Govardhana hill and started playing His flute. And a stone from Govardhana melted under His feet. And the boy came down with the piece of that stone and said, “Do you see Krishna’s footprint and footprint of His calf and the impression of His stick is on the stone. Just circumambulate this stone, some say 4 times, some say everyday, and that will be equal to doing the full Govardhan parikrama. And the little boy personally carried the shila back to Sanatan goswami’s bhajan kutir. And after the boy disappeared, Sanatan goswami realized “Krishna Himself has given me this order”.  When Srila Sanatan goswami was taken by Krishna from this mortal world, practically every brajvasi of Vrindavan area, the whole brajbhumi offered honor and respect to him because he was their dearest friend and their spiritual master.  In honor of Sanatan goswami with tears of separation they perform Govardhana parikrama.

And on his disappearance day – Guru Purnima – even to this day among the brajsasis, there is the largest crowd in the whole year to do Govardhan Parikrama; and to establish, to honour the compassionate life of Sri Sanatana Goswami. Madanmohan temple of Sanatana Goswami respresent Sambandha. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu taught us that the essence of all the the true vedic literatures can be understood to be revealing Sambanbdha, Abhideya, Prayojana. Sambhanda means to establish our relationship with Krishna. To understand who we are, Lord Chaitanya began his teaching to Sanatana Goswami in Varanasi with this simple principle jivera swarupa hoya krishnera nitya dasa. We are not this body, we are the eternal forms which is sat cid ananda. Eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss. Mamaivamso jiveloke jiva bhuta sanatana. We are all parts and parcels of Krishna. Just like a spark of sun. ______________ achintya bheda abheda tattva. Qualitatively, we are not different than Krishna. But quantitatively, Krishna is the complete whole and we are just an infinitesimal part. Krishna is the supreme enjoyer. Krishna is the  supreme proprietor. Krishna is the supreme controller. And we are all eternally the servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord. Inherent within the heart of every living being is love for Krishna. And the highest dharma is to awaken that love of god within our heart. To understand Krishna as the ultimate object of our love, and our seva is the beginning of true Bhakti. in this world, we have forgotten Krishna because we are endlessly distracted.

Recently, in America I was giving a lecture with a very prominent professor in Princeton University. And this professor during the talk he said “The problem with the world that we live in today is that everyone is being conquered by the weapons of mass distraction.” Maya is constantly conquering us birth after birth after birth through distraction. And what is that distraction? Ultimately, bewildering us to think I’m the enjoyer, the controller and the proprietor. We are looking for love. We are looking for prema. But we are trying to find it through superficial temporary pleasure. Pleasure to the senses. Rubbing something against our physical body ____ against our tongue. On a certain level, rubbing certain elements of sound against our ears. Rubbing sights against our eyes. The pleasures of fame, prestige, control over others. And if one takes to the spiritual path, these distractions do not stop. Infact often they are intensified.

But in the path of Bhakti the more they are intensified, the more we realize we only have one shelter – Krishna’s mercy. Sambandha means the only hope of overcoming this unlimited distractions of this world created by madana and kamdev is parama drstva nivartate. To experience a higher taste. And that higher taste is the most precious. The whole world is conquered by madana, but madana is bewildered by Krishna. When we take shelter of Krishna; when Krishna reveals himself to us by his mercy, we could rise above the feel and the temptations of this material existence.

Abhideya means once we establish our relationship with Krishna as His eternal servant, and we understand. Isvarah parama Krishna satcidananda vigraha, anadiradira govinda sarva karana karanam. That Krishna’s body is parabrahman. The all-pervading light of the Brahman is simply the bodily rays of Krishna – the all-attractive one. His body is eternal. It’s the source of all beauty, the source of all sweetness. And to love Krishna as the supreme person is the true aspiration of every soul. To engage in the nine processes of devotional service with detachment is abhideya. And Radhagovinda is that murti and Rupa Goswami is that guru.

I would like to speak briefly about…  Actually I was hoping to speak about all the temples of the Goswamis this evening, but I got carried away. Should I continue? I will go very fast now. Otherwise we will have to extend our yatra.

When Sri Rupa Goswami left Ramakeli, he and his brother Anupama distributed all his wealth. Then he sent a messenger to Jagannath Puri. They asked where is Lord Chaitanya. And they got a message back, that Lord Chaitanya has gone to Vrindavana. So Rupa Goswami and Anupama, they started heading towards Vrindavan. And when they came to Prayag – the confluence of the Yamuna, Saraswati and the Ganga – they saw something that has never been seen before. Although the three river since time immemorial have been coming there together, the town of Prayag has never been completely flooded. But Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, during the month of maagha, after he left Vrindavan, he was doing hari nama kirtan in literally 100s and 100s of 1000s of people were loudly crying our the holy name and the whole Prayag was flooded with Prema Bhakti. Lord Chaitanya at the Venu Madhava temple ecstatically dancing and Rupa and Anupama when they saw Him, they offered their prostrated obeisances.  And it was at that time, in that scene, that Rupa Goswami composed that famous verse….namo mahavadanyaya Krishna prema pradaya te, Krishnaya Krishna Chaitanya, namine gaura tvishe namah. Krishna has appeared in this beautiful form of Lord Gauranga. He is Krishna himself, but the most munificent of all incarnations, because he is giving love of Krishna in the mood of the residents of Vrindavana freely to the people in this age of Kali. I offer my obeisances to Him. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu he instructed Rupa Goswami at the Dasavamedha ghat at prayag for 10 days. He began his teaching by describing how rare this human form of life is. There are 840000 species. To take the human form is so special. But among people who are human, most people simply follow the mind and senses, and do not regulate their lives according to spiritual, religious principles. And most people who do that they follow spiritual principle, simply so that they can get some temporary enjoyment either in this life or through heavenly attainment. But very rare to find someone who is actually approaching God for a transcendental purpose. And of those who do that, so many are trying to find liberation in the impersonal Brahman. It is very rare to find someone who is actually seeking the highest perfection of Krsna prema. When a human being or a spirit soul wanders though millions and millions of births throughout universe, the greatest  fortune is when that person meets a bonafide spiritual master, who plans the seed of devotion, the Bhakti lata bija within the heart. There is nothing so sacred as that seed. And Lord Chaitanya taught by watering that seed through hearing about the Lord, through chanting the names of the Lord, through the nine processes of devotional service that seed is nourished. But one must be very careful, because alongwith that seed many weeds will grow. The weed of desire for profit, adoration, distinction. The weed of false ego. The weed of the tendency to criticize others, to waste our time. And unless we can very carefully identify what is the true Bhakti lata bija, through maya’s power we will water the weed thinking that that is seed of devotion. But that we need to discriminate. Srila Prabhupasa have given his books and the association of devotees to help us to actually discriminate. And continue to water the seed of devotion. We must by following the regulative principles protect the seed of devotion. And if we continue watering and watering, Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told Rupa Goswami that seed will grow. It will grow beyond the heavenly planets. It will grow beyond the viraja – the river that is the demarcation between material and spiritual worlds. It will go to the brahmajyoti. It will reach the Vaikuntha planets, continue growing, until ultimately it comes to the highest planet of the spiritual world – Goloka. And then it will bear fruits. That fruit will fall as an offering at the lotus feet of Lord  Krishna. And the gardener who still in this world practicing devotional service will taste that fruit and all his/her desires will fulfilled with that fruit.

Lord Chaitanya taught Rupa Goswami about the difference aishwarya bhava and madhurya bhava. The difference between the love of God in Vaikuntha, which is limited by the knowledge of Krishna’s supreme majestic supremacy, and the love of inhabitants of Vrindavan, where we can love love Krishna as our  intimate friend – sakhya rasa, where we love Krishna as our own child – vatsalya rasa, where we have the complete freedom of loving Krishna as a transcendental lover. Vrindavan is the place when liberation from all material desires, entanglement, and all traces of ego have long before been transcended. Vrindavan is the place where Krishna accepts all as an intimate friend and lover. He explained all these beautiful principles to Rupa Goswami and ordered him to go to Vrindavan and expand upon them through Vaishnava literature. At that time Lord Chaitanya was going to Varanasi where he was about to meet Sanatana Goswami. Rupa Goswami wanted to go with Him. But Lord Chaitanya said you can go to Vrindavan and after some time come and meet me in Puri. Lord Chaitanya got on the boat and Rupa Goswami in separation fell to the ground unconscious. And eventually came here to Vrindavan. Subuddhi Raya took him to the twelve forests. And then he went to Puri with the hope of meeting Sanatana Goswami. But Sanatana Goswami went by one road and Rupa Goswami went by another road and they missed each other. In Puri, so many beautiful revelations of Rupa Goswami’s glory will be manifested by the Lord. Rupa Goswami stayed at Haridas Thakur’s siddha bakula. Sanatana Goswami, Rupa Goswami, Haridas Thakur they never even attempted to enter Jagannath temple because they saw themselves unqualified. So Lord Chaitanya gave them a place where they could see the chakra and worship jaganath in that form. And every single day Lord Chaitanya who is Jagannath himself would come out of the temple of jagannath with mahaprasad, and personally offer it to haridas thakur ____________________________. And Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would spend hours with them. Discussing Krishna katha and exchanging love with them.

During the ratha yatra, Rupa Goswami saw Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu _________ love in the mood of Radha taking Krishna to Vrindavan after long, long separation. And Lord Chaitanya was singing in front of Jagannath‘s chariot in the mood of Sri Radha’s love a beautiful verse. Krishna dasa kaviraja Goswami reveals eloquently what Lord Chaitanya’s mood was. When the brajwasis headed by Srimati Radharani met Krishna in Kurukshetra after long long separation, Sri Radharani was praying to Krishna that here in Kurukshetra you are dressed as a royal prince and are surrounded by soldiers. And majestic elephansts. But I long, I long to bring you back to Vrindavan, where you are wearing a kunja mala and a garland of forest flowers and a beautiful peacock feather in your hair. And surrounded by cows and kadamba tres and the beautiful river Yamuna. Krishna I know that you do not enjoy even a fraction of happiness, anywhere other than Vrindavan. For your pleasure I want to take you back. This was the mood of Lord  Chaitanya praying to jaganath. And lord Chaitanya was presenting it in such a way that it appeared just like two young lovers of this world. And Rupa Goswami wrote a commentary to Lord Chaitanya’s mood and put it on a little palm leaf and stuck it in the roof of haridas thakur’s  hut. And then went to take a bath. Lord Caitanya happened to come at that time. Rupa Gowami was not there and Lord Caitanya happened to see this palm leaf and when he read this He was stuck in wonder.

Rupa Gowami has understood the most intimate confidential feelings of my heart. He brought that palm leaf to Swarupa damodar goswami and Swarupa damodar goswami  said, “It is only possible because you have showered your mercy upon him.” Lord Caitanya said “yes. When I met Rupa Goswami at prayag. Seeing his humility, seing the sincerity of his devotion, I embraced him. I empowered his heart to completely and fully understand the inner most secrets  of my heart and reveal them to the world. When rupa goswami came back to the hut, he bowed down to Lord Caitanya and Lord caitnaya asked “how did you know my mind?” Rupa Goswami didn’t say anthying and Lord caitnaya gently slapped him.

Another day Rupa Goswami was visited by Lord Caitanya and the lord asked him “Please show me what you are writing today.” So he had shown a particular verse he had wittern on the plam leaf. Just seeing the handwriting of Rupa Goswami, Lord Caitanya was intoxicated, even before reading it. He siad your hand writing is as beautifu las rows of pearls. And then he read the verse. “I do not know how much nectar the two syllable krs-na have produced. When I chant the name of krsna I wish I had many many tongues for the name to dance upon and when that name enters my ears I desire millions and millions of ears and when it enters my heart it conqures my mind and my senses become inert.”

Haridas thakur hearing this never heard anything that so powerfully and beautifully and comprehensively describes the glories of the holy name.

The next day lord chaitanys brought ramananda ray, sarvabhauma battacharaya and many other confidential devotees, there chaitanya mahaprabhu had rupa goswami read his writings. That’s a  beautiful narration in sri  chaitanya charitamrita and the conclusion of that meeting is the most confidential associate of sri chaitanya and the lord himself all unanimously established that rupa goswami was that personality who was empowered to lead our sampradaya and there fore all the gaudiya sampradaya we identify ourselves as rupanugas, those who follow the teachings and the foot steps  of sri rupa goswami.

Lord chaitanya sent him back to vrindavan where along with sanatan goswami they were excavating the holy places, they were writing transcendental literature, they were living by the highest standard of ecstatic love in the mood of the gopis, teaching by their example in every way. What Rupa goswami had accomplished was inconceivable, unvelievable but yet in his heart he was feeling an emptiness. Because sri chaitanya mahaprabhu especially wanted rupa goswami to find the deity of   Radha govindha, sri rupa goswami searched throughput the vraj bhumi , going into the temples, going into the homes of vraj bhasis asking so many questions, looking through scritures , trying to find map. But he couldn’t find govinda dev, the prominent deity of this section of vrindavan according to the ancient times of bajranath. One day rupa goswami was sitting on the banks of river Yamuna and he was feeling heaviness of heart and a beautiful little braja vashi boy,he was so calm  , peaceful so swwt , swami you look distressed , can you tell me what is wrong and this little boy won so much of the trust and affection of goswami, that he poured his heart to him. Rupa  goswami he is a great pandit, he is a great renunciate and he is porung his heart to this  tiny little boy, he said I have looked every where , I have not fulfilled the mission of sri chaitanya mahaprabhu because I can’t find govind dev and the little cow herd boy  said don’t be in distress swami, I know where govinda is . close by there is little hill called gomat hill and there, there  is surabhi cow that comes every day and  she let’s down large quantities of milk without any one milking her and that milk goes into the ground , unto the ground  in that place is where you will find govindha, come with me I will show you, the little boy took goswami by his  hand and they ran to this mountain, little hill, the gomat hill and there rupa goswami saw this cow letting down large quantities of milk,all alone into the ground and then the boy disappeared and as soon as the boy was no longer to be soon , rupa goswami understood that, that was govindha himself, Krishna appeared to me and took me by his hand and I din’t even recognize him, I din’t offer any seva to him , rupa goswami fell unconscious.

So long time when he came to consciousness, he understood what his service was, he went and informed the local braja bhasis that govinddev was under the ground and they all came there just as they approached the place lord balaram in the form of an invisible voice spoke to them and told them exactly where to dig, and after they diged some dirt up , there before their eyes , sri govinddev, most beautiful than ten’s and millions of cupids, kanadavas , every one was struck with wonder, their hearts melted , they brought govindadev out and established him right where they had found him. And sri rupa goswami began the puja of sri Radha govindadev , after some time raghunath bat goswami who was the son of tapan mishra , who personaly served lord chaitanya with love and devotion, when he was just a boy in Varanasi , lord chaitanya told raghunath batta goswami that you should stay with your parents , they are great vaisnavas and serve them . After some time when he grew up he went to puri and served lord chaitanya by cooking for  him and massaging him . and then  lord chaitanya sent him back to Varanasi and told him to do three things , he said , remain a brahmachari , serve your parents and under the guidance of senior vaisnavas study srimad bhagavatam , he did that until his parents passed away and they blessed him to go back to puri to be with the lord. He  stayed with the lord for about eight months and then the lord chaitanya sent him to join rupa and sanatan goswami in vrindavan and he became such a powerful , powerful vaisnava . one of his disciple raj man sing who was general under the king akbar built the temple of Radha govinddev . Raghunat batt goswami who is celebrated in chaitanya charitamrita because he offered govindadev  a beautiful flute and earrings that were shaped like shark. Raghunath batt goswami himself he was happy to sleep in the dirt under the tree , to be  the servant of the servant of rupa goswami he built the most magnificent temple in this entire part of india, govindadev. He wore simple torn, loin cloth, but ornamented govindadev wth elegent jewels.

Srila prabhupada taught us that the pleasure of the soul is to give pleasure to Krishna. No matter how nice our house is, it will always be a source of anxiety. Just the other day I was driving with some brahmacharis. I was passed by a very big, expensive, famous house. And the devotees were telling me, how much anxiety the owner of the house has, because it just wasnt right. How much money it costs , how much   time it costs, but it just wasnt right. And I was telling one of the brahmcharis, you are sleeping on the floor, under a mosquito net that costs about Rs20.

And everything is right and happy. No matter  how much money, effort you put, into a place of residence ts never right, its alwaays a caue of anxiety. And nom atter how much we decorate trhese bodies it will never give any satifction to the heart and even if u have beautiful diamonds and rubies and emeralds and gold and silk decorate your body, your body is still going to grow old and get all wrinkled up. Wnd even if you have the nicest oils, your hair is still gong to go grey and white. So raghunath bhatt goswami is teaching us the secret of happiness. Make K happy. SP once made it so simple if you actually find the pleasure of decorating K, then you areso happy you dint have to decorate yourself and if you do you do it for K. if you learn to find pleasure in K find food then you wll be happy with anything. Bhakti is the art of giving pleasure to K when u water the roort of the tree then every part of the tree is nourished. When you supply food to the stomach every part of the body is satisfied. Raghunath bhatt goswami symbolized that. He had his disciple built Radha Govinda Mandir, 7 storied high. The most incredible monumnet in all of northern India. And he slept on the ground under a tree. We cant imitate that. But Mahajano yena gatah samaptha to follow in the footsteps of the great souls is the perfection of the life.

When Rupa Goswami sent a letter to Lord Chaitnya, actually Lord chaitnya went the tota gopinath temple of Gadhadhar pandit in Puri and while he was there, he said, I havent heard about rupa goswami for a long time and exactly at that moment he said that a meesenger came in with a letter from Rupa goswami. Now to deliver a letter in those days you have to find a someone who is willing to walk thousand miles by foot to deliver the letter. Look what people accomplish. Today we can not achieve anything what 6 goswamis did. Now we have internet and email and with in seconds, you accidentally type the wrong thing and press the button and the whole world. But when Lord chaitnya got this message being delivered from Vrndavan, he read it to the devotees from Rupa goswami. I found radha govinda dev. Lord chaitnya was very happy. Lord chaitnya called for  his personal servants, Govinda and Kasishvar. Kasishwar Pandit was the private servant, along with Govinda, of Iswar Puri Lord Chaitnya’s Guru. And they both came after Lord Caitanya returned from South India and said, “Our Guru Maharaj, told us to come and be your personal servant.”

Shri chaintnya Mahaprabhi returned to Sarvabham Bhatacharya saying that, “this is not right, they are my god brothers.  They are the personal servants of my guru. How can I allow them to serve me.You are expert in the science of the sastras and ettiquettes, What is your opinion?” Sarvbham Bhattachrya replied, “there is nothing more powerful then order of the spritual master.” It is their order to serve you and it takes presidence over all other ettiquettes.

Lord Chiatnya allowed Govinda to massage him and do all minial service and Kasisvar was very strong. So when Lord chaitnya would dance in ecstacy. Kasisvar will keep the crowds back and when Lord chaitnya will go to Jaganath temple he created way for him. Lord chaitnya asked him, Iwant you to go to vrndavan, and assist Rupa goswami in doing seva of Radha govind dev. It was heartbreaking for kasishvar pandit. To give up the personal service and association of Lord chaitnya. Lord chaitnya could see his feelings. Lord chaitnya personally gave him a small diety of himself. The name of diety was Gaur Govinda, little  diety of Krishna. Lord chaitnya said this is me. Place it in the right side of Govinddev. When ever you will offer bhoga to Govinddev you can personally see me  eating. And when ever you worship gaur govinda you will feel my personal presence. Kasishvar pandit brought the deity to Vrindavan and worshipped it next to Govinda Dev.

Raghunath Bhatt goswami and Rupa Goswami and so many others they all rendered loving service to Sri Sri radha govind dev. The son of King Prataparudra, King Purushottama, wanted to establish the deities of Radharani beside to Madanmohan and Govinda Dev. Becasue as they appeared to Sanatan Goswami and Rupa Goswami, it was only Krishna.  They had the transcendental vision to see that Krishna and Radharani are never seperated in vrindavan. But in Krishna’s heart is always Srimati Radharani and when they worshipped Madanmohan and Govindaji they could see Radharani in the heart of Krishna. But Purushottam Jana was thinking that for the rest of us Radha Rani should visible. So with great effort he made 2 beautiful beautiful dieties of Srimati Radha Rani and sent them in an entourage to Vrndavan and everyone in Vrindavan were so much excited and they were preparing beautiful festival for installation of Srimati RadhaRani for Govinddev and madanmohan. But when the 2 dieties of RadhaRani arrived, just before the two festivals, the pujari of MadanMohan temple had a vision in dream, where  Srimati RadhaRani appeared to him and said, “actually everyone is thinking that both these dieties are me, RadhaRani, but the truth is one of them is RadhaRani and other is Lalita Sakhi. And they should both be insatalled on the right side and other on the left of MadanMohan.

As soon as the Puari told all the vrajavasis and everyone this story, they all accepted it and there was a wonderful fetival to install Radha and Lalita with madanmohan. Meanwhile Purshottam Jana was very happy but he wanted RadhaRani to be with govind dev also. Some time passed and he prayed. But in those it was not so easy for the dieties to be made, it was very very rare and special thing. Then he had a dream, Srimati RadhaRani appeared to him and told him a story, sometime back in land of orissa in the village of Radhanagara, there lived a great devotee named Brhatbhanu. who had murti of radhrani, and he loved her like her own daughter and served her hs whole life. But  then he died and he had no children. So the deity was left without anyone to do seva.

At that time the King of orissa came to  that viallge of radhanagar and saw that this most beautiful diety of RadhaRani , was without any sevite. so he brought that diety to Puri and installed in Jaganath Puri temple. But over the years gradually people forgot that she was Radha and began serving her like lakshmi. So you go in jagannath’s temple and go to that deity of lakshmi, but actually thats me Radharani. I want to go to Vrindavan to be served with Govinddev. So he sent in a beautiful procession to Vrindavan and Radharani was installed on the left hand side of Govinda dev in their beautiful temple in Sri Vrindavan Dham.

And we will continue tomorrow, it is getting late. To conclude sri Rupa Goswami , the 6 Goswamis of Vrindavan they actually opened the doors of this most secret and confidentail abodes of the  Lord to the world. Through their writings through their example Lord Caitanya literally opened the doors of Vrindavan to the world.

And under the order of Srila BhaktiSiddhant Sarawati Prabhupad, inspiration of Bhakti Vinod Thakur, the will of Lord Chaitnya and Lord Nityananda, Srila Prabupada  came out from these doors traveled around the world about 12 times and built the Krishna Balaram temple, to facilitate people from all over india and all continents of the world to come into those doors and enter into the trancendental atmosphere and enter into the trancendental state of conciousness of Vrindavan. When Srila Prabhupada was living in Radha Damodar Temple he prayed to Rupa Goswamin again and again to empower him to fullfil mission of his Guru Maharaaj. At that time Srila Prabhupada practically had no money, he had no one to assist him in any way. He left Vrindavana to go to the west with nothing except love and compassion and the holy name of Krishna and his books. In 1972 he had a handful of devotees from all over the world, come to Vridnavan in the month of kartik, sit at Rupa goswami’s samadhi , and for one month Srila Prabhupada gave classes on Bhakti Rasamrit sindhu, the Nectar of Devotion. By Srila Prabhupada’s divine grace, even in his difficult absence what was then about 20-30 devotees, Matalti devi Prabhu was there, yadubar prabhu was there at  that time. And the whole world wide movement, I think it was about 30-40 devotees who came for that in the month of kartik. And today during kartik I don’t know how many 10’s  and thousands of devotees are evrywhere in Vrindavan under the influence of Srila Prabhpdad. Thank you very much .

Srila Prabhupada ki Jai!!!

Written by

Radhanath Swami

H.H Radhanath Swami is one of today’s most beloved and respected spiritual teachers. A Bhakti Yoga practitioner for 40 years, he is a guide, community builder, philanthropist, and acclaimed author.Born and raised in Chicago,at the age of 19 he discovered India's Mystical devotional tradition and now spread his message of compassion and love around the world.

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About Me

Radhanath Swami

H.H Radhanath Swami is one of today’s most beloved and respected spiritual teachers. A Bhakti Yoga practitioner for 40 years, he is a guide, community builder, philanthropist, and acclaimed author.Born and raised in Chicago,at the age of 19 he discovered India's Mystical devotional tradition and now spread his message of compassion and love around the world.