The programme was held under the auspices of our most merciful guardian, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj. In the nat mandir kirttan and Krishna-katha, led by Sripad B.P. Tirtha Maharaj, began early in the morning and continued until mid-afternoon.

Earlier in the morning Sripad B.S. Goswami Maharaj gave a class for the Western devotees pertinent to this holy day. The following is an excerpt transcript of His Holiness's illuminating talk:

It is indicated that hearing of the Pastimes of Krishna with the Vraja-gopis will cure the heart of its disease, hrd-rogam. But until mundane attraction is broken, hearing such Pastimes could be injurious because of the tendency to project mundane experience on the Absolute Truth....

We hear, 'Madan-mohan'. Just as everyone in this world is bewildered by madan [cupid], madan is bewildered by the beauty, form and Pastimes of Krishna. That tells us that the form and Pastimes of Krishna must not be within the jurisdiction of madan.

We are told it is aprakrta — like the mundane, but not — and therefore difficult to properly conceive. If they were more different from the mundane, as with other manifestations of divinity, it would be easier to distinguish. It is very obvious when there's an overwhelming display of divinity — the Virat-rupa, Vishnu of Vaikuntha or other incarnations of Krishna, but when it comes to Krishna-lila, it is so similar to the mundane that it is most likely to be interpreted as mundane. So the greatest caution is given in the approach.

And that Krishna, who is Madan-mohan, is described in the Brahma-samhita:

   kandarpa koti kamaniya visesa sobham

The point is underscored to the extreme, how, in comparison, we have some experience of being under the influence of madan, (referred to here as 'kandarpa') — so it is similar in some degree, but multiplied millions of times. If you take the effect of being under the influence of cupid and multiply that ten million times, then you could have a hint, or glimpse, of the attractive pull of the beauty, charm and sweetness of Krishna. Ten million times greater.

There are people who lament. When they are under that influence they feel hopeless and helpless. By inversion we can understand, those devotees who have some substantial appreciation for Krishna, how deep their addiction is. Kandarpa koti kamaniya *visesa* sobham. This is the beauty of Krishna.

Yam Syamasundaram achintya guna svarupam. What you can conceive, multiply that by millions of times and that will give you a glimpse, but still it's inconceivable. This points you in the direction.

Srila Rupa Goswami says, Krishna who is known as Madan-mohan, and Radharani Madan-mohan Mohini; everyone in the world is under the influence of, and bewildered by, madan; Krishna can bewilder that madan, and Radharani can capture Krishna. And we can say that affection for Krishna is an extension of Her heart — if anyone can posses that in varying degrees, it has to find the source of its expression in the original. So, although Her Name is not clearly indicated when we say Guru Gauranga Radha Madan-mohan, if Madan-mohan is by Her side, then we can assume She is Madan-mohan Mohini. She has that capacity, exhibited in the extremes of self-giving, self-sacrifice. Aradhita: the one whose method of worship is by giving Her self.

The nat mandir is colourfully festooned from top to bottom.

Sripad B.N. Mangal Maharaj and the expert Kamalesh Prabhu head the cooking team.

Preparing for arati....

Devotees and guests, happy to honour Sri Sri Radha Madan-mohan's Prasad, peaceably spill out into every inch of space within the Temple grounds.