Braja Vallabhi Dasi

Vrindavan, 2017.11.12 (VT): Yesterday an Australian devotee named Braja Vallabhi dasi, aka. Shruti Sheth, left her body in a tragic traffic accident. She was only 23 years old.

The incident occurred between Chhatikara to Radhakund. The auto-rickshaw Braja Vallabhi was riding in was hit by a car going the wrong way down the road. The car was trying to overtake a bus at the time.

Braja Vallabhi was visiting Braj on pilgrimage, and was on the way to Govardhan to attend a spiritual seminar at the time of the accident. Her Guru Indradyumna Swami wrote, “She was a wonderfully talented devotee with an effervescent smile, who most recently helped tremendously in organizing our month long Karitka parikrama. We will miss her dearly. Please everyone say a prayer for her, as well as for her parents, Sakhi Rai das, Vraja Laksmi dasi and her sister Kaishori Sindhu dasi who must now all bear her separation.”

Quoting Skand Purana, Hari Parsada Das prayed that the words of the scriptures may become true for her:

सर्पदष्टाः पशुहताः पावकांबुविनाशिताः।।
लब्धाऽपमृत्यवो ये च माथुरे मम लोकगाः

sarpa-daṣṭāḥ paśu-hatāḥ
pāvakāmbu-vināśitāḥ
labdhāpamṛtyavo ye ca
māthure mama loka-gāḥ

“Anyone in Braj who is bitten by a snake, or otherwise killed by animals, fire, water or any other unnatural cause, becomes a resident of my eternal Abode.” (Skanda-purāṇam, Mārgaśīrṣa-māhātmya, Chapter 17, Verse 50)

Lately the local news has been filled with traffic accidents, affecting both residents and pilgrims. The burning of rice stalks after harvest has created a large amount of smoke, but this is only partially to blame.

Vasonti resident Omvati says, “This road is becoming more dangerous every day. It’s not just the smoke. Accidents happen all the time because people drive like mad. Many drink alcohol and drive. There are plenty of police cars along the road now, but nothing has changed.”

Harekrishna Das of Radhakund says, “The police here are totally corrupt. If any crime happens to you, they ignore you unless you sue them in court. They take bribes and let drunk drivers go free.”

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Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s sitting place at Imli Tala

Vrindavan, 2017.11.13 (VT): Today devotees perform parikrama by walking along the Yamuna’s old riverbed. But in the old days when the Yamuna still flowed at the edge of Vrindavan town, the parikrama path was smaller. Parikrama was not just a circular walk, but involved visiting the ancient temples along the way. Come, let us begin our Vrindavan Parikrama and explore the old city of Vrindavan.

At the base of an old tamarind tree on the bank of the Yamuna, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu once sat to meditate on Shri Krishna. The name of this place is known as Imli Tala – “the foot of the tamarind tree”.

Vestige of the old tree

The old tree is said to be from Shri Krishna’s time, almost 5,000 years ago. Once Shri Radha was going to meet Krishna when she passed beneath this tree. She stepped on one of the ripe tamarind pods, which ruined her mahavar, the red designs that decorate her feet. Saddened that her seva for Shri Krishna was ruined by the tree, Radha pronounced a curse that tamarind fruits would never properly ripen in Braj.

According to another legend, once when Krishna was searching for Radha, he stopped to take rest here at Imli Tala. Weeping in separation, he became so absorbed in thoughts of her that he temporarily took on her golden color. This story is taken as a foreshadowing of Shri Chaitanya’s avatar.

The tree bleeds

Many years ago, someone tried to cut a branch of the old tree, which had overgrown the neighboring property. But as soon as the axe hit the branch, blood began to fall from the tree, spilling all over the ground at Imli Tala. The Brajwasis were shocked and from that day forward, no one was allowed to harm the tree in any way.

Today the old tree is no more; its vestiges are painted over and covered by a structure to keep it from disintegrating. But a new tree has been planted nearby. Under the tree is a small monument in honor of Shri Chaitanya’s coming, with a murti of him in a sitting position. Within the temple beautiful deities of Radha-Gopinath and Nitai-Gaur reside. The deities of Nitai-Gaur at Imli Tala are said to have been worshipped by Sri Sanatan Goswami himself.

In the present day, the temple is under the care of the Gaudiya Math, under the leadership of Shri Tamal Krishna Dasji. The temple walls are filled with colourful bas-relief depictions of Chaitanya Lila. (V)

Shri Sanatan Goswami’s Nitai-Gaur

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Vrindavan is abound with tales of Lord Krishna descending into physical form to give darshan to his most beloved devotees. One such incident is as follows:

Before this incident happened, the tradition was to offer 6 meals per day to Shri Banke Bihariji Maharaj. Everyone thought this would be enough. No one ever asked, what would happen if Bihariji got hungry in the night?

Bihariji’s bhog offerings include:

-Drinks, fruits and snacks at the time of awakening

-At the end of morning rituals, and just before the opening of darshan, a sumptuous meal called balbhog is offered, consisting of makhan-mishri, a variety of sweets and namkeens.

-Rajbhog: Roti, a variety of dals and vegetables, curd, raita, karhi, and three types of rice: plain, sweet and namkeen. Also, kheer, doodhbhat, adhota milk, papad, chutney, pickles, sweets, etc.

-After rajbhog aarti, before putting Him to rest for the afternoon, some snacks are offered.

-Similarly, in the evening, snacks, fruits and seasonal drinks are offered at the time of awakening and balbhog is offered before opening for darshan.

-The menu of the main evening meal, shayanbhog, consists of puris, stuffed puris, kachoris, seasonal vegetables, curd, raita, assorted sweets and namkeens, doodhbhat, papad, chutney, etc.

-After the shayan aarti, and before retiring for the day, warm milk is also offered.

This was considered to be enough and nobody had even imagined that something may be required during the long night also, that a child may feel hungry over an interval of 9-10 hours. After all, incidents of infants and children getting up during dead of night and asking for food are not uncommon.

Now listen to the miraculous incident that happened on the night when Bihariji felt hungry. We are presenting the first person account of the incident from the shopkeeper from whom Bihariji requested sweets.

The Incident:

I own a sweet shop in the street leading to the famous Shri Banke Bihari Mandir in Vrindavan. I am talking of a time when the city was not so well developed and crowded [1920’s]. There were no concrete structures. There were a few two storied houses, but most of the houses were single storied. Most places in the market were lit up using kerosene lamps, few had electricity.

There were not so many tirth yatris (religious tourists), and those who came generally stayed in Vrindavan for 4 to 5 days, unlike today’s touch-and-go tourists. The markets of Vrindavan were timed with the darshan timings of Bihariji, i.e. markets opened in the morning at the time of the opening of darshan and closed in the late evening, at the time of shayan aarti.

Within a few minutes of shayan aarti, all the shops would be closed and the only living beings seen on the streets were stray dogs and the night watchman. Locals preferred to go to bed early and would not come out of their houses unless it was very urgent. People, locals as well as tourists would get up early in the morning, go for snan in Yamuna and go for Vrindavan Parikrama (circumnambulation) or simply go around the temples that open early in the morning for mangla arti. Bihariji has always been a late riser, as Mangla Arti is not performed here, so the shopkeepers had enough time to complete their morning rounds and open up their shops on time.

One afternoon, I received a tall order to prepare 40 Kgs of laddoos to be supplied the next morning. The order was urgent as the laddoos were meant to be prasad in a ceremony to be performed the next morning. I accepted the order and immediately put my boys on the job. By evening we were still only half way done. The work could not be completed even by the end of shayan arti, but it seemed to be under control. Considering the fact that boys lived far away, while my house was nearby, I let them go and sat down to finish the remaining work.

I was working in the shop with my back to the front. My hands were rolling out laddoos like a machine. My mind was completely immersed in the job. I had only one goal – to finish the job as quickly as possible so that I could go home quickly. At last I was able to complete the work and was about to get up when……
suddenly I heard a sweet voice calling, “Kaka”.

I turned around and was surprised to see a beautiful, young boy, around 9-10 years of age, standing in front of my shop. The boy was not local. His face was quite charming. Seeing a young boy, and that too an outsider, in the almost deserted street at that late hour was something unexpected. I was lost in the confusion of wondering who he was and forgot to ask him what he wanted.

With a sweet smile the boy said,” Kaka, I am hungry. Can you give me something to eat?” The hypnotic voice was as if coming from a far off place and so convincing and assuring that there was no question of saying no. As if in a trance, I got up, put four Laddoos in a dona (leaf bowl) and handed it to him. The child took a bangle off and stretched out his hand to me saying,”Please take this bangle as the payment for the laddoos.”

I was looking at the face of the child and wanted to say, “You please take the sweets, I do not want any payment from you.” But, it was as if I was paralyzed, I could not speak. I do not know when I stretched my hand to the boy and accepted the bangle. The boy smiled at me, took the sweets, turned back and moved away into the dark street. I kept watching until he disappeared.

As soon as I could no longer see Him, I came back to my senses, as if awakening from a dream. I looked at my hand – yes the gold bangle was there! So it was not a dream. Now I really started to worry – Who was that child? Where did he get the gold bangle? If it is his own, when his parents notice that it is missing, they will scold him badly. I may also be implicated in a police case for cheating a child. I was repenting that I had the bangle and wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible, but I did not have even slightest clue where to search for him at that hour.

Under great tension and worry, I finally decided to keep the bangle in the cash box for the night. I decided that I would look for the rightful owner of it in the morning and hand it over with my apologies. With these thoughts, I closed the shop and went home. I did not talk about the incident to anybody in the house. I was afraid they call me uncaring because I left the boy uncared for at that late hour.Or worse, they might think I was crazy to have taken such an expensive bangle for the price of four laddoos, or for thinking about return the bangle. So I just kept quiet about the incident.

The next morning, I got up a little earlier than usual. After completing the morning routine, I headed for the shop to deliver the laddoos, as per the order. On my way to the shop, I went to Bihariji Mandir to pay my pranam, as was my daily routine. When I arrived, it seemed that some confusion was prevailing in the temple. The priests, manager and some other officials on duty were talking in a confused and helpless manner. On inquiring about the matter, I learnt that a bangle was missing from the jewellery box, though it was agreed that the bangle was in the box at the time of the shayan arti the night before. The lock and latch of the room were untouched and a piece of jewellery was lost. Nobody knew what to do. I also had no clue so I moved away, chanting quietly.

Whosoever heard about the incident could only say, “It is all His leela.” As I moved a few steps away, I suddenly remembered, “What about the bangle that the unknown boy gave me last night?” I returned back to the group of priests and asked them to come to my shop. They wanted to know what the matter was, I said, “I do not know, but I have a bangle that I want to show you.” Perplexed, as everybody was, they had no choice but to come with me to see and inspect the bangle. Within a few minutes, we reached the shop. I opened the cash box, took out the bangle…. and, everybody was astonished………it was Bihariji’s missing bangle.

A New Tradition

The Goswamis of the temple realized the need to have an offering before the Lord during the resting hours. It was decided that a box containing four laddoos along with water and beeris (betel leaves) should be kept on a side table during the night as well as in afternoon when the temple is closed.

Source: https://www.bihariji.org/divineglimpses3.php Edited by Vrindavan Today

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A woman almost lost her baby forever after leaving her for a few minutes to go to the bathroom. In the few minutes that she left the newborn, a thief snatched her baby and walked out of the hospital.

At 12pm, Mamta gave birth to a baby girl at Mathura Women’s Hospital. At 3.30 pm, Mamta’s mother-in-law, Bunno Devi, helped her to walk to the bathroom. As they were returning, they saw that the bed was empty. Bunno Devi ran to the gate and saw a woman rushing towards the main gate with what looked like a baby under her sari.

After a struggle, Bunno Devi managed to retrieve the infant. A crowd gathered and this stopped the thief from escaping. When the police arrived, the accused gave her name as Manju, resident of Buteshwar. Manju said that she was at the hospital to visit her brother’s wife, Usha, however, hospital staff, said that there was no one admitted under the name of Usha.

P.C. Jagran

When asked what she was doing with the newborn, Manju said that she was taking the baby to feed her. Police took her to the station for further questioning.

The incident has raised questions about hospital security, as there was no guard at the main gate at the time of the incident. Hospital staff said that they had been requesting that a guard be posted at the gate, but none had been provided as the contract for the security company had not been renewed. Even after this incident, authorities did not move quickly to put guards at the gate – the day after the incident, Jagran journalists revisited the hospital and reported that there was still no guard at the gate.

Unfortunately this is not an isolated incident. In February last year, a baby was recovered at Mathura Naya Bus Stand.

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Protests against romantic twist in historical drama. Yesterday, members of the Braj section of the All India Ksatriya Rajput Mahasabha gathered at Krishna Nagar to protest against the film Padmawati.

P.C. Patrika

A person dressed as film director Sanjay Leela Bansali, rode around on a donkey and dozens of protesters blocked roads with their motorbikes. Hindu activists, especially those of the Ksatriya community, are furious at the portrayal of Queen Padmawati as being flirtatious and involved with Muslim men.

Ever since the previews of the film were released, protesters started harassing the director.  Letters have been written to PM Modi, however, the PM stated that he is not in favour of heavy censorship of art.  Read more (Hindi)

P.C. Jagran

Anna Hazare gives his Children’s Day speech by phone.   Anna Hazare promised to make an appearance at a program for orphans, however,  Hazare was unable to attend the event, which was a great disappointment to the children. The event was organized by The Smile Revolution to  celebrate Children’s Day.

Hazare gave a speech by phone in which he told the children that all of them have a Bhagat Singh inside them – they must fight injustice and see God not only in the temple but in every person who cries out for help. The children launched their own protest by attempting to walk out when they heard that Hazare would be making his speech by phone, not in person.

Anna Hazare has been named Mumbai’s most influential person. One of the leading members of the anti corruption campaign, he has received several awards for helping to unite and inspire people, especially rural youth. His hunger strikes in the name of justice have inspired people to call him today’s Mahatma Gandhiji. Read more (Hindi)

P.C. Amar Ujala

60kg of waste and plastic removed from cow’s stomach. On Tuesday, the doctors at Goseva Dham hospital, Koshikalan, removed 60 of waste from a cow’s stomach. Palwal resident, Gagendra, brought his cow to the hospital after she stopped eating. The doctors X-rayed her stomach and, saw that it was clogged with polythene and other waste material. Doctors told Gagendra that his cow will not survive, unless she undergoes immediate surgery. The operation was successful and Gagendra’s cow has regained full health.

Incidents like this are a common occurrence at the Goseva Dham hospital, which rescues cows from untimely deaths caused by the polythene menace every day. Despite awareness campaigns, cows continue to eat plastic bags because, even if rubbish is collected in one area, cows move to the dumping area wanting to eat the food remains that are inevitably mixed with the plastic. Read more (Hindi)

Government schools will fire 54 teachers holding fake degrees.  During the 2014-15 session, corrupt officials at Agra University issued over 4000 fake B’ed degree certificates. Teachers who used these degrees to gain government employment are now being hunted down. To date, 54 teachers have been given notice to immediately quit their positions. Read more (Hindi)

P.C. Mygola

Passengers complain about monkeys, politicians plan to install TV’s. In the midst of local politicians talking about beautifying Mathura train station, passengers are complaining about monkeys stealing food and terrorizing passengers by biting and showing teeth. Passengers are also unhappy about trains being late, and the situation is set to get worse as the winter smog-fog slows down the trains even further. The latest beautification plan for the station is to install TVs, so that people can watch Krishna Lila and take virtual temple tours while waiting at the station. Read more (Hindi)

Sports adventure camp at Heritage School. On Saturday, Heritage Public school held an adventure training activities day and awards festival. Activities included a tent maze, rope walk and tunnel crawl. The activities were hosted by Guragaon organization, Rock Sport. The school’s principal, Mr Atal Diwedi said that the aim of the adventure sports and awards ceremony was to inspire children to work hard and to give them the confidence to try different activities.

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Vrindavan, 2017.11.16 (VT): Spiritual leader and founder of The Art of Living Sri Sri Ravi Shankar visited Vrindavan earlier this week. He was on the way to visit Ayodhya via Lucknow.

During his visit, the Art of Living founder attended a private ceremony at Lata Ashram on Parikrama Marg. There he announced his plans to meet with Yogi Adityanath about the Ayodhya Dispute.

Speaking to the media about his efforts to mediate in the long-standing conflict, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said that his efforts are just beginning. However, there are already some signs of hope. There are 13 appeals pending against the high court’s verdict in the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid case, and the supreme court will hear opening statements early next month.

Sri Sri Ravishankar also spoke about the environmental situation in Braj. He said that through his disciples, he has made some efforts on Vrindavan’s environmental front over the past two years.

Sri Sri Ravishankar is an Indian spiritual leader who founded an international organization called The Art of Living in 1983. He has also received a number of awards for his social work from various countries around the world, including India’s second-highest civil award, the Padma Vibhushan. (V)

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In the words of Neem Karoli Baba, “To see God, you must have special eyes. Otherwise you cannot bear the shock.” Brajwasis have special eyes, and so do some monkeys. As Hanuman Chalisa tells us, Hanumanji, Shri Ram’s highest servant in a monkey form, is “ati chatur” (of the highest intelligence). This is not good news for people who would like to think of themselves as more intelligent than others. But, for those who enjoy becoming more and more humble every day, becoming a servant of Hanuman gives the satisfaction of knowing oneself to be the servant of God, whilst also avoiding the danger of becoming arrogant or prideful.

It is perhaps no accident that one of the most popular bhajans heard in programs around Vrindavan, and across India, is Hanuman Chalisa. It is said that Tulsidasji penned the bhajan while in ‘samadhi’ (a trance-like state). Written in the Awadhi language, Hanuman Chalisa has an amazing simplicity and directness, which allows even children to easily grasp its meaning.

Neem Karoli Baba P.C. Trevor Hall

Neem Karoli Baba made a name for himself in the West when he took an intoxicating substance (acid) and said he was not affected by it. While some may refuse to believe that this is possible, those who understand the complete absorption of the mind when deeply involved in singing kirtan can understand how circumstances in the material world can suddenly lose their ability to disturb the mind.

John Baldwin, who came to Vrindavan to visit Neem Karoli Baba’s ashram, said, “we dont know much about philosophy. Our connection to the Supreme is through kirtan.” John’s wife, Jessica, said, “Once I counted and there are over 30 Hanuman deities visible from the Parikrama Marg. When we do Parikrama, Hanuman is always with us.”

While Tulsidas was writing Ramcharitmanas, Hanumanji appeared to him on a daily basis. Hanumanji was Tulsidas’ marg darshak guru. Hanumanji told Tulsdasji how to get darshan of Sri Ram; we can only pray that he will tell us too.

Jai Jai Jai Hanuman Gosaai
Kripa karahu Gurudev ki naai
Victory, victory, victory to you, oh Lord Hanuman,
Please show me your mercy, just like a teacher (guru) does.

Jo sat bar path kar koi
Chutahi bandhi maha sukh hoi
Whosoever recites this prayer a hundred times,
Is freed of all shackles and is blessed with great happiness.

-Hanuman Chalisa

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Vrindavan, 2017.11.16 (VT): A police case has been filed against a Mathura videographer who posted wedding footage, which he was supposed to edit and provide to the family only. After seeing people’s insulting comments on YouTube, the bride was so ashamed that she tried to commit suicide by jumping off the roof.

The footage was posted in June and hundreds of people had watched it before a relative informed the couple that their wedding video had been illegally posted on You Tube.

Speaking to an Amar Ujala correspondent on the condition of anonymity, a relative said that the wedding footage was taken over a year ago and that the comments on YouTube, and by neighbors, had thrown the woman into depression, causing her to attempt suicide. The relative said that she has been taken to hospital and is now in a stable condition.

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Vrindavan, 2017.11.16 (VT): The internationally-acclaimed religious speaker Shri Morari Bapu is currently in Braj giving katha. Devotees from faraway places, particularly Gujarat, have made the journey to Vrindavan just to hear him speak. A number of people are even camping out in the open for the chance to attend his discources.

Shri Morari Bapu is most famous for his nine-day lecture series on the life of Lord Ram, and has delievered over 800 of such kathas in countries the world over. He also speaks on the Gopi Geet from time to time.

While speaking on the Ramayan in Braj this week, Morari Bapu also took the opportunity to praise Shri Krishna’s beloved Gopis. The Gopis, he says, are the original kathakars or sacred storytellers, because they revealed the true nature of Sri Krishna to Uddhav.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi offering respects during Morari Bapu’s katha (Gandhinagar, 2011)

Devotees the world over are inspired by Morari Bapu’s kathas, making his visit to Vrindavan a major event on the spiritual scene. Sunil Patel, a software engineer from Atlanta, says, “When I lived in London from 1994 to 1995, my commute to work each way took two and half hours. My mum suggested that I listen to Morari Bapu katha, which till today I am so thankful for.

“The narration of katha by Morari Bapu was extremely powerful. To explain the meaning of the slokas, Bapu set the stage with the scenes so vivid, decorated with words, that I felt as if I were part of the Ramayana. The multitude of examples and jokes, mixed with emotions to drive the point, were powerful enough to be ingrained in my heart. My commute felt like five minutes.”

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Vrindavan, 2017.11.16 (VT): Voters from Vrindavan may opt for NOTA in the coming election for the civic body due on 26th November. Activists are urging voters not to vote for any candidates, but to press the NOTA button on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).

NOTA stands for “None of the Above.” It an option available on the ballot in some jurisdictions in India, which allows a voter to show his or her disapproval of all the candidates. It is a powerful symbolic instrument that allows voters to express resentment against candidates contesting in elections, or against government policies.

A strong sense of resentment lingers amongst voters of all political parties in Vrindavan, after the state government merged the municipalities of Vrindavan and Mathura to form a new Municipal Corporation. They feel that the unique identity of Vrindavan has been compromised by the state government.

Some of Vrindavan’s youth have  taken up a campaign to sensitize voters about the harmful effects of merging the two cities.  They argue that none of the representatives of the state government consulted citizens before taking such a grave decision.

The campaign commenced in social media shortly after the election commission notification. Particularly, youths from the ruling party are showing resentment against the merger of Mathura and Vrindavan. They say that they worked hard to help the party’s candidates win the legislative election as well as parliamentary election, but their hopes were later crushed by the leadership.

Many are unhappy with the distribution of tickets by political parties, and they oppose the reservation of the mayor’s seat. Local activists are raising public awareness through public address and social media about the importance of exercising their right to vote.

“We advise voters to exercise caution against the arbitrary actions of the government. The voters should not boycott the poll on any account. Using the ‘None of the above’ (NOTA) option, you can register your rejection of the contesting candidates,” advised a senior trader using his Facebook account. (JP)

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Anandamurti Ma’s four day lecture series began yesterday with a rathayatra from Prem Mandir to Fogla Ashram. Thousands of devotees, from around India are attending the Vrindavan program, which provides the perfect excuse for many to make a trip to the Holy Dham. Anandamurti Ma’s lectures focus on methods of purifying the heart. Her ashrams around the world incorporate yoga, pranayam and sadhana bhakti.

Anandamurti Ma’s home ashram is in Sonepat, Haryana, but she also travels the world giving lectures in both Hindi and English. Speaking in English during a lecture in the US, Anandamurti Ma said that “the aim of life is not to believe in God, but to realize God”. God is not a theoretical concept that we can believe in; God is within us, always guiding and teaching, waiting for us to listen.

Anandamurti Ma’s potential as a mystic and preacher was recognized from a young age by both her family and school when she stood up during a lecture by a Christian preacher to ask him whether he was talking about his personal experience of God or what he had read in scriptures.

Well versed in Hindu scriptures, Anandamurti Ma  intersperses discussion of every day experiences with Bhagavatam slokas creating a harmonious balance between timeless wisdom and personal experience.

Anandamurti Ma’s current lecture series is being held at Fogla Ashram, Bhaktivedanta Marg, Vrindavan, from 10-12am from 16^th  to 19^th November.

About Anandamurti Guruma: Anandamurti Guruma was born on April 8, 1966, in Amritsar. She is the second of four siblings (one son and three daughters) of an affluent family which migrated from Gujranwala on Partition and set up a lucrative transport business. Her original name was Gurpreet Kaur Grover. She went to a convent school and then to Government College for Women, from where she took a degree in arts. From the age of 9, she was more interested in religion than in other subjects. She attended discourses given by different religious teachers till she met Sant Delawar Singh, who gave her diksha and her new name, Anandmurti Guruma.

Listen to Anandamurti’s Bhajan: Vrindavan manji muraliya bajava murari.

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Vrindavan, 2017.11.17 (VT): Today is the disappearance day of Shri Ramdas Babaji.

Shri Ramdas Babaji Maharaj was born on April 4, 1877AD in Kumarpur, in what is now Bangladesh. His parents named him Radhika Ranjan (a name of Shri Krishna), but everyone called him “Radhika.”

“Radhika” loved music and had a photographic memory. Growing up, he could remember everything he ever read, and sing every song he had ever heard. Studies therefore came easy for him, and he was always the first in his class. His voice was extremely beautiful and everyone loved to hear him sing.

“Radhika’s” shiksha Guru, Shri Jagadbandhu Maharaj

“Radhika” was a very compassionate child. While playing in the neighborhood, he used to let parrots out of their cages. He could not stand to see anyone in pain. As a young man, he took it upon himself to nurse a local sweeper who had smallpox. His family were Shaktas who offered animal sacrifices to the Mother Goddess. But Radhika’s tears brought an end to that family tradition.

When Radhika was about eight years old, he met the famous saint Jagadbandhu, who was then only 13. The two became inseparable. Although they were close friends, Radhika considered Jagadbandhu his shiksha guru. The two of them performed kirtan together day and night. “Radhika” learned the path to Eternal Vrindavan from his “Bandhu”.

Jagadbandhu would faint in bliss whenever someone said the name “Radhika”. So he called him “Sarika” (mynah bird) instead. And sometimes he called him “Ram”.

In 1892 a British Magistrate wanted to force a group of tribal people to convert to Christianity. Jagadbandhu and “Radhika” gathered the tribes, “untouchables” and other marginalized groups for a kirtan procession, which grew to 1.5 miles in length. The loving association of Jagadbandhu and “Radhika” made these marginalized groups feel accepted and they took full shelter of Vaishnavism.

“Radhika” goes to Vrindavan

Shri Ramdas Babaji at a young age

Under Jagadbandhu’s guidance, “Radhika” visited Nabadwip where he stayed at the famous Harisabha. There he met many of the great saints of his time. He then proceeded to Vrindavan.

In Vrindavan, “Radhika” performed intense spiritual practice and at the age of 17, he had darshan of Shri Radha and Krishna at Radhakund’s sangam ghat.

When “Radhika” returned to Bengal in May of 1885AD, Jagadbandhu told his companions:

“I am bringing a young tree of Harinaam to Calcutta. It was nourished by the sweet air and water of Vrindavan. Now it has become strong, and can persevere through the harshest storms.”

“Radhika” received Harinaam from Shri Bhairav Chandra Goswami of the Nityananda Vamsha, and diksha and Babaji vesh from Shri Radharaman Charan Das Babaji Maharaj (Boro Baba). It was around this time he became known as Ramdas Babaji.

Around this time, Jagadbandhu’s preaching took a different path than the one Ramdas was to follow. Although they no longer were together physically, internally their special connection remained.

Jagadbandhu had revealed Braj ras to Ramdas, but now Shri Radharaman Charan Das Babaji revealed the ras of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s lila to him. Under the shelter of Shri Radharaman Charan Das Babaji, Ramdas became like an endless raincloud of Sankirtan, flooding the world in the downpour of Harinaam.

Ramdas Babaji’s wondrous kirtan

Ramdas Babaji traveled with his Guru, performing kirtan in all the places where Mahaprabhu had lived. On the day when Mahaprabhu did any particular lila, Ramdas and his Guru would go to that place and sing about that same lila. The people who heard him sing felt transported back in time. It was as if, through his voice, Ramdas Babaji painted a living picture of Shri Chaitanya’s Lila on the canvas of their hearts. His kirtans were not pre-planned, even though they lasted for many hours. The words sprang from within him as if from a divine Source.

Ramdas Babaji was the image of ecstasy when he sang: his body would shake and tears flowed down his cheeks like rivers, soaking his clothes and muddying the ground where he sat. He sang with his eyes closed and was completely lost in the lila. Thousands of devotees came like hungry bees to drink the nectar of Ramdas Babaji’s sankirtan and many took initiation from him.

Do not build new temples; renovate old ones

Sri Radharaman Charan Das Babaji Maharaj

Ramdas Babaji’s Guru instructed him not to build any new temples. His philosophy was – when so many old and historic temples are crumbling, new ones should not be built. Instead, Ramdas used his influence to preserve dozens of ancient temples, including Shri Pathbari Ashram in Calcutta – where Chaitanya Mahaprabhu danced for nine hours to the recitation of Gopi Geet by Srila Raghunath Bhagwatacharya. He also saved Shri Haridas Thakur Math, which contains Haridas Thakur’s tomb (samadhi), which was about to be auctioned off to the Christians to be made into a church.

Other places renovated by Ramdas Babaji include: Madhaitala (sadhan sthali of Jagai and Madhai); Atisar Gram (Sripat of Anant Acharya); Shri Radhakanta Math aka Jhanjapita Matha (Puri); Shri Radharaman Bagh aka Samajbari (Nabadwip); Nitai-Gauranga Matha (Cuttack); Shri Krishna Chaitanya Sanatan Shiksha Sangha (Varanasi); Jatan Bar (Varanasi); Govinda Kund Ashram (Vrindavan); Aitota Math (Puri); Old Jagannath Math (Chandannagore); Akaihat Mandir and Nupur Kund; Vishramtali Math and Rajutali Math (Birbhum); Shripat of Chandidas at Kirnahar; Nityananda Ashram (Bankura); Nitai-Gaur Ashram (Chandrakona, Midnapur) and Nrsingha Mandir (Nabadwip).

The heart-rending disappearance of Ramdas Babaji

In 1946, Ramdas Babaji’s elder godsister Shrimati Lalita Sakhi Dasi left this world. She was a great saint in her own right. She was also very close to his Guru and was like a shiksha guru and elder sister to him. Her loss was difficult for him to bear. After her departure he sang the following lines during her suchak kirtan.

“Since you held my hand in the form of Sri Guru, I have nothing more to wish for.

Tie me up in your bonds of love. I have come to be tied by you.

There is no difference between the Name, the Named (God) and the Giver of the Name (Guru)”

In 1953 on the anniversary of Shrimati Lalita Sakhi Dasi’s disappearance, Ramdas Babaji ended the day like every day, and went to take rest. At about 2:30 A.M. he woke up and sat on his bed and called his personal attendant.

Shrimati Lalita Sakhi Dasi

He said, “The time has run out. Didi dakche (Big sister is calling me). I have to go. Call everyone here and bring my Thakurji.”

Babaji Maharaj then took a bath and performed his morning rituals. Sitting on his chair, he said, “It is over now. All of you chant the Holy Name.” As Kirtan began, he called out “Jagadbandhu! Radharaman!”

Then he sat on the floor and began to sing the holy name. Tears were flowing endlessly from his eyes. All the residents of the ashram sang with him. His beloved pictures of Nitai-Gaur and Gurudev, which were worshipped on the temple altar, were brought and placed before him.

Babaji Maharaj gazed tenderly at the Darlings of his heart. He was chanting, but slowly his eyes began to close and he became motionless, and entered into the eternal Abode.

From that moment on, the kirtan has continued day and night at Babaji Maharaj’s samadhi at Shri Pathbari Ashram. (V)

Shri Ramdas Babaji Maharaj

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Vrindavan, 2017.11.17 (VT): The Mathura-Vrindavan Nagar Nigam has announced plans to collect garbage from door to door, starting this week. Reports say that three autos or small trucks will go out at 7:30 am and spend two hours daily collecting trash directly from home owners.

Initially, the service will be tested on a limited area of town. Gopinath Bazar, Gopinath Bag, Gopinath Nagla, Gyangudri, Gopeshwar, Rangji Nagla, Dusayat, Madanmohan ghera, Kalidah, Athkhambha, Gautam Para, Vyas Ghera, Govind Bagh, Bhakti Nagar, Adarsh Nagar, Gaushala Nagar, Tarash Mandir, Gurukul Road, Atalla Chungi and Davanal Kund are included in the first phase of the new program.

The collected garbage will be disposed of near Pagal Baba ashram.

According to the Nagar Nigam act of 1959, dumping garbage in the street or the drains of a municipal corporation is a punishable offense. This move by the government to begin door-to-door trash pickup is in response to an order by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

Local residents say that door-to-door trash pickup could be the perfect solution to the garbage problem in Vrindavan. As of now, there is no good place for neighborhoods to place their garbage. Even when bins are available, the monkeys come and spread the garbage all over the street. Furthermore, the city rarely empties the bins on time, leading most people to burn their trash – a major cause of air pollution in the holy city.

“The government makes many promises, which are later broken,” said local resident Krishna Das. “I really want to be happy about the new program, but I will reserve my praise for the government until I see the results.” (V)

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Vrindavan, 2017.11.17 (VT): This morning, residents of Chaitanya Vihar phase 2 were shocked to see two neelgai being chased by local dogs. Seeing the neelgai running for their lives, residents were shocked and were hoping that these gentle creatures would make it back to the small patch of jungle that separates the colony from Dorera village.

The neelgai were seen in the early morning. No doubt they had wandered into the colony in search of grass as the colony is not yet fully developed so there are still vacant plots in which villagers graze cows buffalo, sheep and goats.

Like in most colonies in Vrindavan, there are packs of stray dogs, which feed on scraps and are also fed by people who believe that dogs are the gatekeepers of heaven. Environmental activist Shravan Mukherjee said, “There needs to be a dialogue between the scientific and religious views of Vrindavan’s ecology. Feeding dogs may be good from a religious point of view, but packs of dogs are damaging to the natural ecology. Stray dogs prey on wildlife and spread diseases like intestinal worms.”

Neelgai are not yet considered an endangered species, however, they have become extinct in Bangladesh due to rampant hunting, deforestation and habitat degradation. Their scientific name Boselaphus comes from the combination of the Latin bos (“cow” or “ox”) and the Greek elaphos (“deer”). These beautiful and gentle creatures can often be seen on the outskirts of the villages of Braj. They are considered a nuisance by farmers as, if given a chance, they will eat most crops; but pilgrims who see them are often left with the feeling that they have been blessed with the darshan of one of Krishna’s more mysterious creatures.

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Vrindavan, 2017.11.17 (Campakalata Fiorentino): Owner and manager of Radha Surabhi Goshala, German national Friederike Irina Bruning, known locally as Sudevi, is being granted a one-year extension for her visa after it was initially denied. Her service to the cows and the protests of those who value her service touched the hearts of the powers that be, who were able to somehow override the law that denied her visa.

And yet, she will face the same challenge again in just a year’s time. She hopes to get an X Visa which can be extended indefinitely, but in order to get this visa she is being told that she needs to be a home owner.

Daily, eight to ten cows are delivered to her goshala north of Radha Kund. During our one-hour visit, three arrived, two on one truck and one in another. All were injured, the third having sustained a ghastly laceration to her rear leg revealing some eight inches of bone. The filthy wound was filled with maggots. In our presence, Sudevi and her crew promptly attended to the suffering cow, giving her an injection of fever reducer, pain reliever and antibiotics, while simultaneously keeping her calm and tending to her wound.

The affection the cows have for her was visible during our brief visit. One calf would not leave her side, preferring to nuzzle close to her rather than eat with the other cows.

We are very grateful for all of you who supported her quest for a visa extension. We are praying that within the next year, more help with come to her in the form of a more stable and permanent visa so that she doesn’t have to face this same uncertainty each year.

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CM Adityanath Yogi plans to arrive at 1.20pm at Mathura Helipad tomorrow. The CM will give a speech at a public rally at Jubilee Park. CM Yogi’s visit is timed to coincide with local elections, which will be held in 3 phases across UP from 22nd and will be held in the Braj area on 26^th of this month.

CM Yogi is a frequent visitor of pilgrimage places and has promised development in Braj across many fronts, including a helicopter service connecting the major pilgrimage places in North India. There was talk that the helicopter service might start from September, so it is already behind schedule, but, no doubt, the BJP is hoping that it will be vote winner.

On CM Yogi’s last visit, he was delayed by an hour by protesters who blocked the road to protest against house demolitions on the Yamuna floodplain. Many of Braj’s residents have high expectations from the Yogi government. CM Yogi has said that he wants to work like PM Modi,but some residents of Braj are becoming displeased with PM Modi’s failure to honor every promise. At a recent rally in Vrindavan, Yamuna Muktikaran Abhiyan  members said that they will launch a new phase of protests on 18^th March, which marks three years after PM Modi’s promise to clean the Yamuna.

CM Yogi pleased most residents of Braj when he closed down 16 meat shops in Mathura during his first week in office. Since the signing of the ‘24 hour power for all 2019’ pact earlier this year, residents of Mathura-Vrindavan have also noticed a drastic improvement in the electricity supply.

Recently, CM Yogi promised to spend 100 crore on beautification of the area around Bihariji and restoring Braj’s kunds, however, the development of the area around Bihariji temple may not be a vote winner as the widening of roads means that many home and business owners will have to sacrifice part of their properties.

Since coming to power, the BJP has focused on development. In this round of elections, beautification and cleanliness of public places are top on the agenda.

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The Government’s Anganwadi childcare scheme has hit a hurdle as workers have launched a protest to demand conditions comparable with other government employees. On Friday, Anganwadi workers in the Farah district of Mathura burnt packets of nutritional supplements and blocked roads. There was no action taken against the officials for damaging Government property, however, their protest has not yet produced any results.

Anganwadi workers burning nutritional supplements

Jagran reports that there are more than 3400 Anganwadi workers and assistants in the area and they have been refusing to work for almost a month. Workers are becoming increasingly angry that, despite their protests, no government official has come to negotiate conditions. The workers are refusing to provide services until their pay is increased. They do not get even basic benefits like a retirement fund and are among the lowest paid of Government employees.

The Anganwadi scheme began in 1975 under the Integrated Child Development Services program. The centres provide supplementary nutrition, non-formal pre-school education, nutrition, health education, immunization, health check-ups and referral services.

The scheme was developed as a low cost solution to provide early child health care and education in rural areas. Anganwadi means “courtyard shelter”, so workers can set up centres in their own homes or in community centres, where available. This strategy has been challenged by the recent protests, as some protesters are saying that, in addition to low salary, they have to pay rent for the Anganwadi premises out of their own pocket.

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Bihariji’s Appearance day coming up on 23^rd November. One of the most packed days of the year of one of the most packed temples in the world is approaching. Thousands of pilgrims will flock to Vrindavan, hoping to get the special mercy of Bihariji on this special day. Bihariji management and local officials have considered many options improve crowd control, such as extending darshan timings and widening the roads leading to the temple, however, no simple solution has been found. Those who are determined to have Bihariji’s darshan, tolerate the delays as one of the austerities demanded of devotees in their quest for unity with the Supreme. Patience is necessary for those participating in this festival, as is prayer and caution. Every year, hundreds of thousands of devotees take the risk of being crushed to death in the crowds because they only care about seeing their beloved Bihariji. Read more (Hindi)

Hundreds of Sadhus and elderly get free cataract operations. 283 patients are currently admitted in Vatsalyagram’s hospital for cataract surgery. Yesterday, officials reported that 200 cataract operations had successfully been completed, and the remaining 80 operations would be conducted on Sunday. A team of 12 medical staff from Mumbai are residing in Vrindavan to conduct the procedures.

Vatsalyagram holds eye camps several times per year, depending on the availability of sponsors. A team of cooks is also employed to provide meals to the patients and their families. 80 year old Sushila Singh said that she had noticed for many years that her eyesight had been weakening, but she didn’t know what to do about it until someone recommended that she get a check up in the Vatsalyagram Hospital. After an eye examination, doctors confirmed that she had advanced stage cataracts and said that in a few months, there would be an eye camp where she could get them removed. After a few days of wearing dark glasses to protect their eyes from dust and sunlight, patients undergoing cataract surgery usually notice an immediate improvement in eyesight.

Patent application on Braj’s famous Kheer Mohan. Akhil Bharatiya Sarvasamaj Sangharsh Samiti has stated in a memorandum handed over to the District Magistrate Mathura, that  Bengal and Orissa have filed a claim on our Kheer Mohan which is false and baseless. In reality, Kheer Mohan (Chana Rasgulla) is part of the heritage of Braj. The organization’s patent application is based on the claim that Mother Yashoda prepared the first Kheer Mohan for her Lala. The committee says those who have faith in the words of Bhagvadgita must concede that Brajbhoomi has the right to claim Kheer Mohan as part of its heritage. Read more (Hindi)

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Shri K.B. Pathak

Vrindavan, 2017.11. 20 (VT): Friends of Vrindavan (FOV) has been doing great work for the environment in Vrindavan for the last two decades. Their latest effort is a tree planting project which aims to create a “green patch” in old Vrindavan where the Brajwasis can reconnect with nature. The trees are getting planted by the ‘brajwasi’ residents of Vrindavan, and the programme has been named as ‘Mera Vriksh’.

Ekta Sharma ji from NEC technologies

NEC Technologies, a Japanese company in Delhi, has supported FoV to develop a green patch in old part of the city by sponsoring the first 100 trees for the project. While the tree plantation was sponsored by the NEC technologies, the trees were planted in the name of the individuals who planted the trees. The  initiative gives a sense of responsibility to the people who planted the trees.

Shri Raghav Bharadwaj, who planted the first tree said, “FoV gardeners water the trees regularly and helping them to grow, but since we have planted the trees with our own hands and our name is written on tree cages gives a sense of responsibility for the tree.” “Every day on the way to the darshan of Katyayani Devi, I pay a visit to the tree planted by me. If I find that the tree needs more attention, I telephone the FoV office to alter them about it,” said Bharadwaj.

Trees are being watered by the team FoV

Over the next three years, more than 500 trees will be planted by the NGO on public land in the area around Katyayani Mandir, Gyan Gudri, Rangji Mandir, Tatiya Sthan, and in the vicinity of the Municipal office .

Jagannath Poddar, speaking on behalf of FOV, said, “It is not just a matter of planting the saplings. Planting trees is not as easy as it sounds. The young trees are susceptible to being eaten or crushed by animals. They need metal cages to protect them from harm. They also need to be watered and looked after.

“We have to make sure they are healthy, that the cages are not tampered with, and so forth. In that way, planting a tree is a lifetime commitment.”

“Once there were many gardens in Vrindavan,” says Poddar, “like Tatiya sthan and Rangji ka bade bagicha. These have all been transformed into concrete. We want to help the Brajwasis, especially the younger generation, to reconnect to Vrindavan’s original swaroop as a forest paradise.”

FoV is seeking support from the environment lovers and philanthropic personalities to sponsor a tree. A plaque with the sponsor’s name is affixed to each tree’s protective grille.

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Shri Krishna decorates Shri Radha

Vrindavan, 2017.11.20 (VT): We continue our Vrindavan Parikrama by taking darshan of the beautiful Shringar Vat.

When the Raas Lila began, Shri Krishna played his flute and all the gopis came running. He danced with every gopi, giving equal attention to each one. But the glory of the Raas Lila could not reach its supreme state unless Shri Krishna enjoyed fully with Shri Radha. So Radha left the Raas, and Krishna followed her.

Now alone, Shri Radha and Krishna played with each other freely. Shri Radha’s clothes and jewellery were disturbed during their play. Shringar Vat is the place where Shri Krishna arranged his Beloved’s clothes, tenderly placing her jewellery back in the right places, gently combing her curly locks and decorating her with flowers.

Shringar Vat is the place where Nityananda Prabhu chose to sit and meditate when he came to Vrindavan. There once was a large banyan tree to mark the place. Now only a stump remains, and a new younger tree offers its shade to the holy spot.

In the 18th Century, a descendent of Nityananda Prabhu, Shri Nandakishor Goswami, came to live at Shringar Vat. He established the deities of Nitai-Gaur there.

The boy who herded cows with Shri Krishna

Shringar Sthali, where Shri Krishna decorated his Beloved.

A young Brajwasi boy used to take care of Nandakishor Goswami’s cows. People called him “Bhondu” (simple-minded) because he was very naive, but also very pure at heart. Born and raised in Vrindavan, the boy had a natural love for Shri Krishna and longed to meet him. Bhondu knew that Shri Krishna herded cows in Vrindavan’s pastures like he himself did. He was ecstatic that one day, he would probably meet him.

And so it happened that one day, Bhondu met Shri Krishna in the pasture. The two became close friends. Shri Krishna and his friends used to share their lunches, which were packed by their mothers and brought from home. But Bhondu didn’t have a packed lunch to share. So he started bringing food from the temple kitchen when he went out for cowherding.

Nandkishor Goswami noticed the missing food and started keeping a closer eye on the kitchen. One morning, Goswami Ji noticed Bhondu on his way to the pasture with the cows, carrying a huge bundle of groceries on his head.

Nandakishor Goswami said, “Child, where are you going with all that food?”

Bhondu smiled and said, “We are going to makde dal-bati-churma today.”

“Who is ‘we’?” asked Nandakishor Goswami.

“Me, Krishna, Balaram, Subal, Shridama…” Bhondu rattled off the names of Krishna’s cowherd boy friends from the nitya lila.

“Krishna and Balaram…?”

“Yeah! You know Krishna! That boy who wears a peacock feather and yellow clothes. He’s really nice. We’re friends now.”

Remnant of the banyan tree where Nityananda Prabhu meditated on the Lila

Goswami Ji didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t wrap his mind around what he was hearing. But Bhondu was not a liar either.

“Why don’t you invite your buddy Krishna and his friends here for lunch instead? Tomorrow is Gopashtami, so it’s the perfect day to invite them.”

“Oh yes! That’s a wonderful idea! I will! Thank you Goswami Ji!”

Bhondu bowed to Goswami Ji and headed out for the pasture.

That day, Bhondu invited Shri Krishna to Shringar Vat for Gopashtami lunch, but Shri Krishna said, “No, I won’t go.”

“But I promised Goswami Ji you would come!” said Bhondu.

“What do I care what you said to Goswami Ji?” said Krishna.

Bhondu felt insulted and started to walk away. “Goswami Ji is like my Guru. If you are going to insult my Guru then I’m not going to play with you any more!” Bhondu separated his cows from Shri Krishna’s cows and started off in a huff.

Shri Krishna was shocked and started to cry. He blocked Bhondu’s way and said, “Wait! Don’t go! Listen to me!” Bhondu didn’t want to listen, but he stopped for moment and looked at Krishna.

The Ghat at Shringar Vat – Yamuna once flowed nearby

“Listen, I couldn’t say this in front of Balaram and the other cowherd boys. Shringar Vat is a place where I go to meet Radharani. It’s our secret place. I can’t take the boys there. Please understand, brother!”

Bhondu smiled, “Oh, is that it! Well, if Goswami Ji comes here and cooks for you, will you eat?”

“Sure I will!” Said Krishna. “But tell him not to bring anyone else with him!”

Bhondu told Goswami Ji what had happened. He could hardly believe what was happeneing, yet somehow, his hope was greater than his hesitation. The next morning he excitedly got all the provisions ready to make dal-bati-churma for Shri Krishna. Smiling like a child, Goswami Ji brought all the cooking implements from the kitchen across the Yamuna and out into the fields at Bhandirvan.

Nandakishor Goswami’s Nitai-Gaur

He was blissful beyond words when he saw that Shri Krishna was actually there waiting for him surrounded by all his cowherd friends. Goswami Ji cooked for them and fed them to his heart’s content. But as soon as the feast was over, they all disappeared. Goswami Ji fainted out of shock and separation.

In a half-conscious state, Goswami Ji heard Krishna saying, “Don’t worry. I am always with you. Go home and write about my lila.” According to Shri Krishna’s instructions, Nandakishor Goswami wrote two books called Shri Shri Rasakalika and Shri Vrindavan Lilamrit.

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