Report | Introduction | Daily Events | Inaugural Function | Day 1 - Day 4 Events | Day 5 - Rukmini Kalyanam | Day 6 - Jaanavaasam | Day 7 - Avabhruta Snana/Radha Kalyanam
Sri Swamigal's Discourses: Inaugural Address | Lilaa Stalas | Valedictory Address

Sri Raghunath Ashram, Vrindavan, U.P., India
18th March, 2001 - Sunday
3.00 p.m.

Sri Swamigal,

"HARE RÃMA HARE RÃMA RÃMA RÃMA HARE HARE
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE"

" Vrindãvan is a great Kshetra! Many are interested in visiting the Lila stalãs (the places of the divine play of Krishna) here.

Vrindãvan was once a dense forest. Trees, birds, animals abound this soil once. Nandababa’s palace is in Nandgaon that is about 14 kms. from here. Krishna and his playmates lived there. They came here to Vrindãvan to graze the cattle and returned to Nandagaon at dusk. The various Lila stalãs are nearby viz Vastrãbaharana stala, Vamshi vatam (the tree beneath which Krishna plays His divine flute), Nidi vanam (rãsa lila place), Seva kunj (place where Krishna serves Radha).

Katyãyani mandir lies just adjacent to the Raghunath Ashram.

“Kãtyãyani mahãmãye mahãyoginyadhishwari
Nandagopasutam devi patim me kuru te namah!”

We are today conducting the programme in the very shadow of the Feet (‘charanachãyal’) of Kãtyãyani, the Goddess whom all the gopis worshipped in order to attain Sri Krishna as their Lord (‘pati’). There are several temples here in Vrindãvan, such as, Banke Vihari, Radha-Madhava mandir, Gopeshwar mandir, etc.

Srimad Bhãgavatam says,

“Kalau Khalu bhavishyanti Narãyana parãyanãh
Tamraparni nadi yatra kritamãla payasvini”,

Several Saints will be born in this Kali Yuga along the banks of Tamraparani, Vaigai, Pennai rivers. Every Saint has had an ‘ãdarsha purusha’. For example Ramadas has been the ‘adrasha purusha’ for Sri Thiãgarãja Swami. Saint Purandaradasa, too, has had an ‘adarsha purusha’. But for all those who perform Nãma Sankeertana, the Ãzhwãrs have been the ‘adarsha purusha’. The Ãzhwãrs (devotees of Lord Vishnu) were even before Nãyanmãrs (devotees of Lord Siva). All the Ãzhwãrs hail from Dravida desa where our previous Saptãha Shatakrathu was performed. And this year we are performing the Bhãgavata Saptãha Shatakrathu in Mathura, the birthplace of Bhagavãn, the very place that has been the ‘jivana adhãra’ (the very basis of life) of Mahãtmãs such as Chaitanya Maha Prabhu, Sri Vallaba, Nimbarka and Harivamsha.

Vrindãvan is the ‘antapura’ of Lord Krishna. No one can step on to this soil without the grace of Vrinda, Radha and Krishna. Possession of wealth or other such means are no qualification to enter Vrindãvan. Mahãtmãs have yearned to be born on this holy soil of Vrindãvan.

Oothukkadu Venkatakavi sings,

“Pulãi piravi tara vendum
Pulãyinum nedunãl nillãdu
Ãdalinãl kalãi piravi tara vendum!” (Tamizh)

(bless me with a life of a grass
but lo! a grass does not remain long
so, a stone, let me born as)

while, Meera sings, “I will sweep the lanes of Vrindãvan, sell curd and milk and live here!”

Adi Sankara says, “I do not even care for the darshan of Krishna or Radha. Let me born as a wolf in Vrindãvan!” (as per the Shastras it is the worst sinner who is born as a wolf).

How can the glory of Vrindãvan be compressed into mere words if Mahãtmãs have thus longed for a place on this Holy soil? The Vrindãvan seen by us through ‘stula drishti’ (physical eyes) is different from the one ‘seen’ by the Mahãtmãs through their ‘sukshma drishti’ (subtle vision). Even today the Mahãtmãs see the nitya lilas of Bhagavãn.

We have all assembled here for Srimad Bhãgavata Saptãha and Satsang. Let not our minds dwell on worldly thoughts. Let us all put up with any occasional inconvenience and discomfort. All of us have come here to enjoy ‘shanti’ (peace). ‘Shanti’ can be attained only through Satsang. For those of us who are not well versed in Sanskrit, Tamizh Bhãgavatam is available. Let us all place ourselves totally - in mind, speech and body - in the Saptãha."

"GOPIKÃ JEEVANASMARANAM
GOVINDA! GOVINDA!"

NOTE: Any discrepancy/lapse in the translated version of the Upanyasam is the sole responsibility of the person/s who translated the work from Tamizh into English.

Report | Introduction | Daily Events | Inaugural Function | Day 1 - Day 4 Events | Day 5 - Rukmini Kalyanam | Day 6 - Jaanavaasam | Day 7 - Avabhruta Snana/Radha Kalyanam
Sri Swamigal's Discourses: Inaugural Address | Lilaa Stalas | Valedictory Address

Home • e-MM • Contact

Radhe Krishna