Living in Mercy

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

In Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.238), Srila Rupa Goswamipada glorifies the BIG FIVE most amazingly powerful forms of Krishna bhakti, namely Vraja vasa, sadhu sanga, Thakuraji seva, hearing Srimad Bhagavatam and chanting Sri Krishna’s Holy Names. He says, “If one only slightly practices these items of panch anga bhakti, or even does them without faith, they will immediately create ecstatic love for Krishna, panchake svalpo bhava janmane.

Throughout the ages, both ordinary devotees and siddha saints have had phenomenal transcendental experiences just by LIVING IN SRIDHAMA VRINDAVANA! Vraja is packed with divine power. Why is that? It is because Radha and Krishna, the gopis and gopas and all Their companions live here in Vrindavana eternally enjoying sweet pastimes of love.

The Puranas use present tense verbs when describing Sri Krishna’s Vraja lilas to convey the truth that Sri Krishna eternally delights here. Padma Purana emphatically states that Nandanandana Sri Krishna never takes even one step out of this holiest of Holy Lands, vrindavanam parityajya padam ekam na gacchati.

By Their permanent presence here, Priya-Priyatama, and all their blissful loving friends are forever blessing and saturating Vraja Dhama with Their prema, purity, mercy, auspiciousness and fulfillment. Vraja vasa sadhakas of the present and past have directly experienced the wonderful mercy and power of living in Vrindavana. Wisdom teachers of devotion have recorded their divine visions and written about them in their books.  

Vrindavana is so kind and compassionate that She overlooks one’s shortcomings, and just keeps nourishing and encouraging even the most wretched and fallen. Prabodhananda Sarasvatipada addresses Vrindavana as Vrindatavi mata because he sees Her like compassionate mother who always helps and supports her children no matter what happens to them.

To encourage our friends to live in Sridhama Vrindavana, here are some quotes from our Gaudiya Vaisnava acharyas.

1. “O Radha-Govinda! I don’t have a drop of the prema that one needs to attain Your eternal loving service. Yet living in Vraja fills me with hope that someday I will.”

2. “O Krishna! Although my background is very low, somehow You mercifully gave me the fortune of living in Vraja!” (UtkalikaVallari 65-6, Sri Rupa Goswami)

3. O Sri Govardhana! By staying near You, all these creepers of desires for Radha’s eternal service have sprung up from my stone-like heart. O Radha Kunda! By living on Your banks and drinking Your water all these desires for Radha-Govinda’s prema seva have appeared. (Sankalpa Kalpa Druma, Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada)

Jaya Radhe! Jaya Krishna! Jaya Vrindavana!

Sri Govinda, Gopinatha, Madana Mohana!   Jai Jai Sri Radhe!