Radha carana darshan

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Here is a recent letter from Ramabhadra Prabhu (TP, ISKCON Brooklyn, NY and

a long-time pujari) to Mahadyuti Prabhu (TP, ISKCON Soho, London) regarding

showing the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani.

 

 

Dear Mahadyuti Prabhu:

Pamho AgtSP

The traditional standard embraced by some ISKCON temples i.e. Mayapura

Dhama, Vrndavana Dhama, Juhu - Hare Krishna Land Dhama, Gita Nagari Dhama

etc., is the merciful Lotus Feet Darshan of the most merciful beloved

devotee of Sri Govindaji, Srimati Radhika, is reserved for "ONE" special

darshan per year. According to traditional standards that special darshan is

offered on Gopastami, the day Srimati Radharani dresses as a Cowherd Boy

with Dhoti and therefore revealing Her Lotus Feet.

Some temples choose to offer that special Darshan on Radhastami. I have

heard Gita-Nagari offers it on Radhastami. I asked Jananivasa Prabhu and he

told me Gopastami as did Siddhartha Prabhu the former longstanding Radha

Rasabihariji Head pujari. Omkara das told me Gopastami in the early 1980's

when I asked him. Vrndavana ISKCON may also offer the Lotus Feet Darshan on

Radhastami.

A few temples may do it both days and some temples don't do it. I see

nothing wrong with offering such a special Darshan once a year or twice

maximum, although we have never offered that Darshan in New York. By the way

Gopastami is a short time after Govardhana-puja during Kartik. Radhastami or

Gopastami as long as the sincerity, love, and devotion is in abundance what

is the harm?

Regarding the apparent controversy in the letters, the complete letters that

I include below, brings things into perspective. Dhruvananda das was

bothering Srila Prabhupada with some ridiculous questions, trying to get

Prabhupada to give answers justifying his concocting mentality. Srila

Prabhupada could not be fooled and that had an effect on Srila Prabhupada

issuing a stern reply to some of Dhruvananda dasa's inquiries.

Srila Prabhupada's letter answering Parikit dasa's inquiries is in reference

to Krishna-lila Art and not Deity Srngara. Maybe Srimati Radharani as a

Cowherd Boy in a Gopastami-lila painting could be the exception.

Yes it is a fact Srila Prabhupada allowed and even encouraged that Sri Sri

Radha Damodara offer special Sri Radha lotus feet Darshans. That just goes

to prove it is allowed if done with discretion and sincerity. It was a

regular standard when Sri Sri Radha Damodara began to reside at Gita Nagari.

Later at approximately the time Srimati Lalitadevi and Srimati Vishakadevi

were installed H.H. Tamal Krishna Goswami brought about a conservative

change offering the Lotus Feet Darshan as little as one day a year and I

heard they offer that special Darshan on Radhastami.

As your well aware Srila Prabhupada was liberal when he observed sincere,

sober, normal devotional behavior but could be very conservative when he

observed insincerity, insobriety, and abnormal behavior. In other words

"different strokes for different folks" and preaching according to time,

place, and circumstance. You may have been on a walk in Chicago 1975 when

Satsvarupa das Goswami told Prabhupada that some Kirtan leaders were

chanting less of Hare Krishna and more of Radharani's Holy Name etc. Srila

Prabhupada replied first with "there is nothing wrong with chanting

Radharani's name, if it is done sincerely". Then Prabhupada said it was

better the kirtan leaders stick with chanting Hare Krishna.

On Henry St. Srila Prabhupada instructed pujaris when he observed they were

placing Radharani's crown too low on Her forehead thereby covering Her

beautiful hairline. Prabhupada said, 'Radharani has very beautiful hair and

it should be seen'. Omkara dasa who was famous for never showing Radharani's

beautiful hair, he made Her look like a Nun, received a letter of praise

from Srila Prabhupada telling him, 'you make Radharani look the most

Chaste'. Srila Prabhupada would exhibit different moods and he knew the

hearts and advancement of the devotees serving him so to me these apparent

contradictions are not controversial but rather Srila Prabhupada applying

his mercy appropriately.

I recommend if you do allow that special, sweet, merciful, Srimati

Radha-Londonisvara Lotus Feet Darshan it should be made into a very special,

exclusive festival. Maybe a special afternoon dressing would be in order

with personal invitations to VIP members/ Old devotees, appropriate

bhajans/kirtan, reading of Uddhava delivers the Message of Krishna to the

Gopees, an abundance of Red Plum Chutney and wonderful prasadam made for

Radharani. Last year we made 250 preparations for Radha-Govinda on

Radhastami.

Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara being very dear to Srila Prabhupada's heart must

be worshipped in Grandeur and Opulence. You are a fortunate soul carrying

the great responsibility to care for Sri Sri Radha -Londonisvara and the

great London ISKCON Temple, and I hear you are executing that service in a

wonderful and successful way. All glories to Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara!

I hope this meets you in blissful Radha-Krishna consciousness.

Your insignificant servant,

Ramabhadra das

 

My Dear Dhruvananda,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter

dated December 17, 1972, and I have noted the contents with care. You have

asked me several questions about the deity worship in Los Angeles, so I

shall answer them one after another: Your first question, shall Srimati

Radharani's feet be showing, the answer is no, they should never be seen.

Krsna's feet, however, should be showing.

I do not know when I have said to anyone that Krsna should not wear anything

black color, nor I know where I have given any permission to wear black

color, but there is no harm if sometimes Krsna dresses something black.

Sometimes in Vrndavana they dress Him in black.

Yes, the leaves of Srimati Tulasi Devi may be offered to all Visnu-tattva

expansions of Krsna, including Nityananda and Balarama.

You may dress Lord Caitanya in the standard way, main things is do it

nicely, don't make it funny. In your Western countries Lord Caitanya should

be entirely covered, He should not appear bare-chested.

Why you are pouring water over the head of Radha and Krsna deities? Big

deities should not be bathed in this way, using water or other things.

Rather they are bathed daily by mantra, do you not know these things? Under

no circumstances shall we bathe the Jagannatha deities with anything water

or liquid, they should be bathed with mantra also. Now you are asking if

Lord Jagannatha carries flute? why this nonsense question? You are asking me

so many concoctions and manufactured nonsense. Don't bother my head in this

way any more. From now on unless I order you do something change or in

addition, go on with the usual standard way. You manufacture ideas and then

I have to waste my time. I have given you everything already, there is no

need for you to add anything or change anything. Why you are asking these

things? Who has given you such freedom? Pujari should operate entirely under

the supervision of temple president and GBC, not independently. The greatest

danger to our movement will come when we manufacture and create our own

process for worshiping the deities. So don't ask any more new questions,

whatever is going on, follow it just to the exact standard as I have given

you, that's all.>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Dhruvananda -- Bombay 4

January, 1973

 

 

Brooklyn

My Dear Pariksit dasa:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated

September 13, 1974 and have noted the contents. The answers to your

questions are as follows:

1. Regarding Krsna das Kaviraja, there is no such information, but as far as

possible, he was brahmacari.

2. Lord Nityananda and the associates appeared in the room.

3. The stick held by Lord Nityananda is like your sketch.

4. The bodily hues of the devotees of Lord Nityananda, why green? But, it

can be done, there is no harm.

5. You can continue not showing Srimati Radharani's feet.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Pariksit -- Mayapur 9 October, 1974

 

 

"Srila Prabhupada had seen these Deities on a number of occasions. They had

presided, along with His Divine Grace, at the 1972 New Vrindaban Vyasa-puja

celebration. Once Prabhupada had asked why Srmati Radharani's dress was so

long as to make Her Look almost like mother Yashoda with her small boy,

Damodara. Visnujana explained that he had thought Radharani's lotus feet

should be fully covered.

"'You do not like to see Radharani's Lotus feet?' Prabhupada chided. And

from that day onward, especially on festive occasions, Radharani's lotus

feet would be slightly showing."

Servant of the Servant - TKG

(Text PAMHO:7195364) ------