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Srimad Bhãgavatam - 10:25:18,

‘Tasmãnmaccharanam goshtam mannãtham matparigraham |
Gopãye svãtmayogena soyam me vrata Ãhitah’ ||

“I protect those who have surrendered unto ME and look upon ME as their Lord. This is my vrata (vow)!” ---- uttering these words Sri Krishna lifted Govardhana to protect His beloved people (of Vrindavan) from Indra’s wrath.

Introduction	Daily Routine	Nandotsav	Procession to Malaipattu
Procession to Mãhanyam	Punnaimara Vãhanam	Garuda Vãhanam	Govinda Pattãbhishekam
Nikunjotsav	Jãnavãs	Radha Kalyanam	Vidaiyãtri

Bhãgavata Saptãham - Day Five!
(Rukmini Kalyanam)

5.30 a.m. Sri Swamiji and the entire crowd of devotees started their trek up the Divine little Mount right across Mathurãpuri Ashram. Premika Varadan-Madhuri Sakhi were carried in a palanquin by four strong young men. The Divine little Mount has a flat circle top and this year it seemed to have widened to accommodate the crowd that had doubled! It is absolutely inexplicable that the Divine Mount is always just full, be it ten or hundred or thousand!
	High up in the sky a ‘Garuda’ circled the Divine little Mount, in its own smooth way, throughout the function and was still seen to be gliding as Sri Swamiji and the devotees returned to the Ashram!
6.00 a.m. Sri Swamiji performed Thirumanjanam to Premika Varadan-Madhuri Sakhi on top of the Divine little Mount. Sri Mallikãrjuna Sarma alongwith the Patasala students - Bhuvanasundar, Venkataraman, Tatvamasi, Hari, Rajagopal, Siva, Praveen, Jagdeesh and Dattatreya - chanted the Upanishads. Purushasuktham was also chanted.
This was followed by Sahasranãma archana to Premika Varadan-Madhuri Sakhi. Sri Swamiji performed pãrãyana of the relevant chapter from Srimad Bhãgavatam (10th canto-Govinda Pattãbhishekam), accompanied by Sri Mallikarjuna Sarma and Sri Narayanan, Bangalore.
	7.15 a.m. Sri Srikanth Sarma discoursed on Govinda Pattabhishekam. The Professor of Sanskrit spoke on the highest state (‘parãkãshta’), that is, ‘BHAKTI’ - even Jnãniis desire Bhakti. He then went on to describe the Govardhana Uddhãrana lila of Sri Krishna.
‘Abhyasinchata dãshãrham Govinda iti chãbyadhãt!’ ……… (Srimad Bhãgavatam - 10:27:23) Krishna was thus named ‘GOVINDA’!

8.00 a.m. Govinda Pattabhishekam and Anna koodotsavam were performed by Sri Swamiji.

Rain of flowers was showered (Jasmine, Sampangi, ‘panneer’ Rose, Tulasi) on Govinda and His consort! Sri Balaji Bhãgavata sang ‘Govardhana Giridhari’ very melodiously. Smt. Jayanti Janakiraman rendered ‘Anru ivvulagam allandhãi adi potri’ (Thiruppãvai).

9.00 a.m. Sri Swamiji sat on a rock overlooking our Mathurãpuri Ashram and blessed each and every devotee with theertha prasad.
	The ‘Garuda’ was still up in the sky gliding over the Divine little Mount.
The Divine little Mount top was now taken over by the local Malaipattu village children. Seated in a circle they performed Namasankeertanam of ‘Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare! Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare!’ Clad in neat cotton school uniform, faces wearing an innocent smile, hands clapping, all of them chanted the Name of the Lord with high enthusiasm.
	Sri Swamiji stood in the middle for full half an hour enjoying the sound of His favourite Sankeertanam. The children were blessed with the variety of dishes prepared for ‘Koodotsvam’.
Around 9.30 a.m. Sri Swamiji climbed down the Divine little Mount, accompanied by few devotees who had stayed back with Him. The ‘Garuda’ was still around circling smoothly.
	2.30 p.m. - 4.15 p.m. Bhajan led by Sumanth Bhãgavata. Beginning with ‘Hare Rama Hare Rama...’ several kirtans of Sri Swamiji were sung -
‘Sadguru Pãdukãm pranamãmyaham sadã’ ‘Namãmi sadguru devam’ ‘Govindapuram enru selveno nãn’ ‘Gurunãthan vãzhi! Gurunãthan vãzhi!’ ‘Ãgachha ãgachha sajjana sangam’    Mãgachha mãgachha durjana    sangam’	'Nãmãvai pãduvom! Prabhu nãmãvai pãduvom’ ‘Bãgyam ullore vãrungal’ ‘Premika varadam pranamãmi’ ‘Chinthaiyare Srinivãsam’ 'Krupã samudra Srinivasa’ ‘Ãkalaya ãkalaya Govinda’ 'Unaiyanri enakku pugalidam edhu’

4.30p.m. - 6.30 p.m.

Upanyãs by Sri Swamiji on Srimad Bhãgavatam.

7.00 p.m. - 11.00 p.m. Procession to Manimangalam- Yãnai Vãhanam Manimangalam is considerably big (the biggest of the three villages visited. A very ancient one, it acted as the gateway to Kancheepuram, one of the main centers of learning in ages past) where the locals are literates, live in comfort with well laid out streets, electricity in every house and street and ‘pucca’ houses.
	Sri Swamiji, Bhãgavatãs and devotees assembled at the Bhajan mantap in the village. The locals received Sri Swamiji with all honours and led Him into the village. The procession here covered the four main streets. Sri Swamiji stopped at every door and blessed the residents of the village. Premika Varadan-Madhuri Sakhi followed behind with the Bhãgavatas singing and dancing Bhagavan Nãma. The locals offered flowers to and fell at Sri Swamiji’s Lotus Feet and sought His blessings.
All of them offered betel leaves, nut, banana, coconut and camphor to Premika Varadan-Madhuri Sakhi. ‘Sugar candy’ (‘kalkandu’) prasad was given to all the locals. A very striking feature in all these village visits was that the ladies were highly involved in their worship setting an example to the children who rushed behind them. All of them rushed to fall at Sri Swamiji’s Lotus Feet and worship Premika Varadan-Madhuri Sakhi who followed closely.
	Sri Swamiji quite frequently quotes Ãndãl - ‘arivonrum illada ãikulam’ while describing the devotion of the cowherds of Vrindavan. The cowherds of Vrindavan were not intellects. They were simple minded, innocent lot who ‘JUST LOVED’ their Beloved Krishna! Intellect is a big block for Bhakti. Bhakti is unconditional and unquestioning. There are no two ways to Bhakti.

The villagers of the two smaller villages of Malaipattu and Mãhãnyam came forward with much zeal to worship the Lord and His consort who had come to their very doors! The Lord waited at each and every door accepting their worship, earnestly! Sri Swamiji, in his discourse on Tirupãvai - “In Srirangam, Lord Ranganatha, out of deep compãsion (‘avyãja karunai’) goes out on to the streets of the Town in procession, all through the year, only to give darshan to the old, the disabled and the atheists. The Lord feels extremely happy when anyone just looks at Him even if only indifferently and irreverently!”

The procession finally wound its way to the ancient Sri Rajagopalaswamy Temple. This is one of the three Rajagopalaswamy Temples in the State. Just outside the Sanctum Sanctorum, Ms. Sangeetha, at the behest of Sri Swamiji, sang a kirtan on the Lord.

The Bhattãcharya offered theertha prasad to Sri Swamiji and all the others.

Sri Swamiji then moved over to the Mantap just outside, to the right side of the Sanctum Sanctorum and sat with the devotees around. The Temple authorities offered ‘Puliyodarai’, ‘Akkãra vadisal’ and ‘Dadhi anna’ prasad to all.

It was 10.15 p.m. when Sri Swamiji along with 30 odd devotees and Premika Varadan-Madhuri Sakhi walked all the way back to Madhurapuri Ashram. Holding the ‘theevatti’ (hand torch made of cloth dipped in kerosene oil) was a village youngster, a keen chanter of

‘Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare!’

Murugesan, another devotee and volunteer at the Sunday clinic of the Mathurãpuri Ashram carried the petromax lamp on his head. Sri Swamiji walked slowly to enable the Palanquin bearers carry Premika Varadan-Madhuri Sakhi with ease and joy. Premika Varadan-Madhuri Sakhi were being taken in procession with all honours due to an Emperor! They were on ‘Yãnai vãhanam’ (Elephant) Wafters were being waved on either side, a big colourful umbrella was held above them, a silver umbrella, a blue silk cloth umbrella fringed with silver trinkets were held as well. Two big round cloth fans carrying a picture of an elephant were being fanned from either side. Sriram, a young Patasala student, walking much ahead of the procession blew on the long metal pipe producing the auspicious sound announcing the coming of the Lord!

All through the way, Sri Swamiji conversed with the devotees, making the long (night) walk easy and enjoyable. Sri Swamiji, turning back to take a look at Premika Varadan-Madhuri Sakhi, said, “The Lord, the real Emperor, should be treated like one!”

‘Ãrati’ was taken to Premika Varadan-Madhuri Sakhi, at the gates of Mathurãpuri Ashram. It was 11.30 p.m.

11.40 p.m.

Dolotsav.

‘HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE!
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE!’

Introduction	Daily Routine	Nandotsav	Procession to Malaipattu
Procession to Mãhanyam	Punnaimara Vãhanam	Garuda Vãhanam	Govinda Pattãbhishekam
Nikunjotsav	Jãnavãs	Radha Kalyanam	Vidaiyãtri

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