SYAMA’S VASANTA PURNIMA RASALILA

      Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Every year in Vraja Dhama in spring time (Mar-Apr), cool sandal- scented southern breezes arrive to excite the hearts  of Syama and His beloved cowherd damsels. Kamadeva, the invincible God of Eros, starts dancing in the minds of Krsna and gopis. The full moon  rises majestically and illuminates the Rasa Mandala with royal crimson hues. In Gita  Govinda, Sri Jayadeva Gosvami wonderfully describes this Vasanta Rasalila. Feeling anxious and lonely, Radhika searches for Her Priyatama Syama in each and every forest bower along the Yamuna. Suddenly, Radha discovers that Syama is nearby dancing and revelling in amorous sports amidst a group of playful gopis. Feeling indignant at being neglected, Radha runs away in a huff to hide inside a shady bower resounding with buzzing bees. Realizing  His mistake, Syama abandons the gopis, goes to a lonely bower, and enters a deep state of depression and remorse in separation from His Priyaji Radhika. Sakhi messengers then run back and forth between the separated lovers, conveying news of each other’s feelings and changing attitudes.

Eventually Priyatama Syama pacified Priyaji’s wounded heart. Then the Divine Couple unite again in blissful embraces followed by spins and whirls, Bends and bows, glances and prances as they dance the night away in the joy of Rasalila.

Nikunjesvari Radharani ki jai!

Rasabihari Syama ki jai!

DAUJI’S RASA DANCE

  Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

SriBalaramaRasayatra #Dauji’sRasaDance #BalaramaRasaDance #Dauji’sRasayatra

While living in Dwaraka Balarama once felt intense separation from the Vrajavasis, so He returned to Vraja for two months (Mar-Apr, chaitra-vasaka). His pangs of love and separation became so great that Dauji (Krsna’s elder brother, Balarama) even left His dearly beloved brother behind in Dwaraka and ran to Vrndavana. Although Sri Krsna wanted to accompany His brother, the Yadus in Dwaraka prevented Krsna from going to Vrnddavana due to fear that Krsna would not return. This is the magical and mystic power of Vrndavana that once you go there and actually taste the unique flavor of Vraja prema, you can never leave.

Upon meeting His beloved cowherd friends, Balarama ’s voice choked with prema as He enquired about their welfare. Although they are extremely shy and would never reveal before Balarama their internal pain of separation from Krsna, Krsna’s beloved gopis smiled ecstatically when they saw Balarama. This happened because they were overwhelmed by transcendental madness and prema. The gopis asked Balarama about Krsna’s welfare, and if Krsna still remembered the many sevas that they had offered like stringing flower garlands, smearing sandal wood on His body, making fans, bed and canopies of fragrant flowers. As the gopis remembered Syama’s sweet smile, playful talks, exciting glances, graceful gait and loving embraces, they broke down and started crying right in front of Balarama. To pacify the distressed gopis, Balarama relayed to them Krsna’s heartfelt internal messages, which were dignified, sweet, apologetic and full of divine wisdom. For two months, Balarama danced at Ramaghata beside the Yamuna, with His own gopis, as well as those gopis who had missed Krsna’s rasa dance because of being too young at that time. The  Rasa Mandala was bright with the rays of full moon, fragrant with blooming white lotuses and refreshed by cool breezes. Balarama wore white Vyajayanti mala and a single earring. The beads of perspiration decorating His smiling lotus face looked like snowflakes. For two months, Balarama enjoyed dancing with His gopis. However, all those nights passed as if they were a single night since each night brought a completely new experience of joy in association with the beautiful damsels of Vraja.

Rasabihari Balarama ki jai!

Krsna Kanhaiya Dauji ka bhaiya ki jai!!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!!!

THE LORD OF LOVE APPEARS

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#TheLordofLoveAppears #CaitanyaMahaprabhu’sgift #Themostrarelyattainedgift

We are very fortunate to have been born in a Kali-yuga wherein svayam bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa has united with the bodily complexion [dyūti] and sentiment [bhāva] of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī to appear in His most merciful form as Rasarāja Mahābhāva, who is none other than Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Unlike so many Lord Caitanya’s that have appeared in previous Kali-yugas, Mahāprabhu is freely giving the most rarely attained gift of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa prema-bhakti.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in 1486 A.D. on the sacred banks of the Gaṅgā in Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur within the Nadia district of West Bengal. The Lord appeared on a Sunday at dusk during a lunar eclipse of the Phālgun full moon [February-March]. Because of the eclipse, the entire town of Navadvīpa was vibrating with the melodious sound of hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana.

“During the eclipse, limitless millions of children, adults, women, saints and sinners bathed in the Gaṅgā calling out, ‘Hari bol! Hari bol! Hari! Hari!’ The sound of Hari’s holy name filled the four directions of Nadia and all the universes. The demigods beat drums and roared ‘Jai! Jai!’ while showering flowers everywhere. Seeing this wonderful event, the devotees cheered, ‘May this eclipse last forever.’ ” (CB)

May we realize our good fortune to be living just a few moments after this most-merciful Golden Avatāra, sincerely surrender to Him, and purely chant the yugala-mantra for obtaining Vraja-prema: Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare!

Mahanidhi Swami

THE BEST FORM OF CHARITY

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#TheBestFormOfCharity #Charity #GivingCharity

Pious people are always interested in giving charity to worthy individuals and institutes because it makes them feel good and improves their own position. Of all forms of charity, which is the best and most beneficial? Vedic scriptures like Bhagavad Gita and the Puranas states that giving transcendental knowledge is the best of charity. In Hari Bhakti Vilasa, Sanatana Gosvami quotes Skanda Purana, where Brahma told Narada, danam vidya danam param “Giving transcendental knowledge is the greatest form of charity. By giving transcendental knowledge, one attains good qualities, wealth, happiness, freedom from sins and kingdom of God.” (HBV 2.250-253)

One can easily obtain all these wonderful benefits by following Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s request to, “Tell everyone you meet about Krsna.” You can also give a Bhagavad Gita or some small spiritual books to people, and encourage them to read and follow the teachings to attain a life full of love, happiness and perfection. There is no better form of charity than this.

Om Tat Sat!
Jai Jai Sri Radhe!!

No One Equals Radha

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#Radha #NoOneEqualsRadha #Radharani #Rasalila

On the night of first Rasalila, Krishna experienced the matchless madhuri sweetness of Radhika and became compeletely  attached to Radha alone. Nevertheless, to satisfy His curiosity, Shyama sought out all other sakhis of Vraja-bhumi, desiring to find and equal to Radha. But Krishna was unsuccessful. Then Yogamaya inspired Kamsa to bring Krishna to Mathura, a fabulous city populated with thousands of highly attractive and sophisticated women. Still not finding an equal to Radha, however, Krishna went on to Dvaraka, and married eight princesses of the richest kings of India. Yet again, Krishna could not find an equal to Kishori. Then Krishna married the 16,100 princesses kidnapped by Narakasura. Among these beautiful ladies, there were celestial maidens and human damsels. But lo and behold, again Krishna could not find anyone like Srimati Radhika. Thus Krishna returned to Vrndavana wherein Priyatama Syama remains eternally enjoying with Priyaji Radha,  Who has no equal anywhere in the entire creation. Jai Ho!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!!