All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga

Vrindavan Parikrama

November 2-16, 2005

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Pictures: Kamal Krishna Prabhu, Varsana Devi Dasi
Text compiled by Kamal Krishna Prabhu
Checked by Sripad B.P. Tirtha Maharaj
The Kadamba tree said to be the tree which Lord Krishna jumped off in the Pastime of the Kaliya serpent.
Sripad Giri Maharaj tells the Pastime of Lord Krishna and Kaliya, the hundred headed serpent.
The devotees gather in Dauji Mandir, a temple of Lord Balaram.
Sripad Giri Maharaj, Sripad Aranya Maharaj and Sripad Siddhanti Maharaj continue chanting at a rest-stop along the parikrama path.

The holy Yamuna River, in Vrindavan.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's tour of Vrindavan has been glorified by the great saints of the Rupanuga Sampradaya such as Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami, who has expounded on the Lord's divine pilgrimage in Sri Chaitanya Charitamrta. Additionally, Srila Sridhar Maharaj has composed verses describing the Lord's approaching Vrindavan Dham in his Sri Sri Prema Dhama Deva Stotram (verses 37-39):

ganga yamunadi bindu madhavadi mananam
mathurartta chitta yamunagra bhaga dhavanam
smarita vrajati tivra vipralambha kataram
prema dhama devam eva naumi gaura sundaram

Following the current of the Yamuna, the Lord began to quickly run along her banks in anxious pursuit of a glimpse of the sacred place known as Mathura. As divine thoughts of Vrindavan's Pastimes overwhelmed His memory and caused intolerable feelings of separation, Lord Gaurasundara fell unconscious. I offer my obeisances to that beautiful Golden Lord, Gauranga Sundar, the divine form of Krishna prema.

madhavendra vipralambha mathuresta mananam
prema dhama drstakama purvva kunja kananam
gokuladi gostha gopa gopika priyankaram
prema dhama devam eva naumi gaura sundaram

Lord Chaitanya stated that the mood of deep separation that Madhavendra Puri was able to taste, as depicted in the following beautiful verse first spoken by Srimati Radharani, is the zenith point and desirable object of pure adoration:

ayi dina dayardra natha he
mathura natha kadavalokyase
hrdayam tvad aloka kataram
dayita bhramyati kim karomy aham

"Oh my Lord! O most gracious master! O master of Mathura! When will I see you again? Because of my not seeing You, my agitated heart has become unsteady. O most beloved one, what shall I do now?" After the Lord entered into Vraja, the background stage where Pastimes of pure love are enacted, He became overwhelmed to His heart's full satisfaction. The Lord was charmed to see the beautiful gardens and forest groves that served as His playground for spiritual Pastimes in a previous era. While visiting the twelve forests of Vrindavan, the Lord exhibited various different dealings with the cowherd boys and maidens. I offer my obeisances to that beautiful Golden Lord, Gauranga Sundar, the divine form of Krishna prema.

prema gunjanali punja puspa punja ranjitam
gita nrtya daksa paksi vrksa laksa vanditam
go vrsadi nada dipta purvva moda meduram
prema dhama devam eva naumi gaura sundaram

While strolling through the forest groves of Vrindavan, the Lord was joyfully welcomed by swarms of humming bumblebees busily engaged in discussion about pure love as they hovered over the blooming flowers. Millions of trees lining the forest groves harmoniously offered their respects unto Lord Gaurasundar in unison with a variety of birds that were expertly singing and dancing in sheer delight. The Lord's mind became overflooded by loving feelings due to remembering how the cows, calves, and oxen of the holy abode of Vrindavan would affectionately call for Him in previous Pastimes, thereby elating His emotions in pure love. I offer my obeisances to that beautiful Golden Lord, Gauranga Sundar, the divine form of Krishna prema.

Mathura, Lord Krishna's birthplace.

Chanting through the streets of Mathura.

Banke Bihari Temple.
Sripad Paramahamsa Maharaj tempararily took over a sweet shop one morning and took orders from the devotees.
The devotees honour prasadam in Ramanda Ghat in Gokul, a temple marking the place where baby Krishna ate soil.

Raman Reti, said to be a favourite place for Lord Krishna to play.

Rabhel, the Appearance Place of Srimati Radharani.

Sri Madan Mohan Temple, Vrindavan.

Advaita Bata.
Sri Radha Raman Temple, where Gopal Bhatta Goswami's Deity, Sri Radha Raman, is worshipped.
The samadhi of Srila Sanatan Goswami.
The Radha Gopinath Deities of Madhu Pandit, in Vrindavan.
Crossing the Yamuna.

A beautiful sunset on the last day of parikrama.

Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami closes his description of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's tour of Vrindavan with the following remarks:

yei yei jana prabhura paila darasana
sei preme matta haya, kare krsna-sankirttan

Whoever got to see Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would feel himself overwhelmed with ecstatic love and would begin to chant the Hare Krishna mantra.

tanra sange anyonye, tanra sange ana
ei-mata 'vaisnava' kaila saba desa-grama

Whoever met Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu became a Vaisnava, and whoever met that Vaisnava also became a Vaisnava. In this way, all the towns and villages one after the other became Vaisnava, one after the other.

daksina yaite yaiche sakti prakasila
sei-mata pascima desa, prema bhasaila

Just as the Lord inundated South India on His tour there, He also inundated the western part of the country with love of Godhead.

vrndavan-gamana, prabhu-charitra ananta
'sahasra-vadana' yanra nahi pa'na anta

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's visit to Vrindavan and His activities there are unlimited. Even Lord Sesa, who has thousands of hoods, cannot reach the end of His activities.

taha ke kahita pare ksudra jiva hana
dig-darasana kailun muni sutra kariya

What ordinary living being can describe the Pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu? I have only indicated the general direction in the form of a summary.

alaukika-lila prabhura alaukika-riti
sunileo bhagya-hinera na haya pratiti

The Pastimes and methods of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu are uncommon. Unfortunate is he who cannot believe even after hearing all these things.

adyopanta chaitanya-lila--'alaukika' jana'
sraddha kari' sunya iha, 'satya' kari mana

From beginning to end the Pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu are uncommon. Just hear them with faith and accept them as true and correct.

yei tarka kare ihan, sei--'murkha-raja'
apanara munde se apani pade vaja

Whoever argues about this is a great fool. He intentionally and personally brings a thunderbolt down upon his head.

chaitanya-charitra ei--'amrtera sindhu'
jagat anande bhasaya yara eka bindu

The Pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu are an ocean of nectar. Even a drop of this ocean can inundate the whole world with transcendental bliss.

Sri Chaitanya Charitamrta, Madhya, 18.219-221, 223-228


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