HH Radhanath Swami on Sri Radha Kunda

[Guest guest]

Here's a little extra nectar from Vrindavan. . . .

 

 

>From Sri Krsna Balaram Mandir

 

 

October 25, 2005

Verse: Srimad Bhagavatam SB 3.1.14

Speaker: HH Radhanath Swami

__

 

 

ity ucivams tatra suyodhanena

pravrddha-kopa-sphuritadharena

asat-krtah sat-sprhaniya-silah

ksatta sakarnanuja-saubalena

 

TRANSLATION

While speaking thus, Vidura, whose personal character was esteemed by

respectable persons, was insulted by Duryodhana, who was swollen with anger

and whose lips were trembling. Duryodhana was in company with Karna, his

younger brothers and his maternal uncle Sakuni.

 

PURPORT

It is said that giving good counsel to a foolish person causes the fool to

become angry, just as feeding milk to a snake only increases its venomous

poison. Saint Vidura was so honorable that his character was looked up to by

all respectable persons. But Duryodhana was so foolish that he dared to

insult Vidura. This was due to his bad association with Sakuni, his maternal

uncle, as well as with his friend Karna, who always encouraged Duryodhana in

his nefarious acts.

 

 

[invocatory prayers]

 

In this chapter we find Saint Vidura taking great risk to act as an

instrument of the Lord's compassion. It is the nature of this world that

even when a person with a clean and good heart tries to do good, such a

person is often misunderstood, persecuted, and his life is at great risk.

Vidura was the true friend of his elder brother Dhrtarastra. Due to evil

association and attachment to his elder son Duryodhana, Dhrtarastra was set

on a path to not only his own destruction but that of his entire family and

dynasty. Vidura spoke the truth, and he spoke it in a spirit of real love

trying to help. The result? Duryodhana outraged, blasphemous, banished him

from his home, from his family and everything.

 

Srila Prabhupada gives us an example of real compassion. It's easy to be

compassionate and kind to others when one gets some personal benefit from

that. But we find in Srila Prabhupada's life how he endured heart attacks,

poverty, leaving Vrindavan for sinful horrible places, and even he was

criticised and blasphemed by even his own spiritual family members back here

in India. To actually be an insturment of the Lord's mercy is a great honour

and there is a high cost to be willing to do so.

 

This is so nicely personified by Vidura. He had only the best intentions for

everyone but he was exiled. Duryodhana told him "Get out of this place and

the only thing I will allow to take with you is your breath. And if you're

not out you will not have even that." And Dhrtarastra whom he was risking

his life for, remained silent. He sided with his envious son. But Vidura,

although being attacked by the arrow-like words of Duryodhana, as a true

devotee accepted it as the mercy of the Lord. He had no vengeance, he had no

negative thoughts towards anynone. He understood this is Krsna's mercy and

he saw it as on oppotunity to be away from all this politics and intrigue of

Hastinapura and go on pilgrimage. He didn't mind that Duryodhana was not

only personally insulting him, but no doubt in his absence Duryodhana was

going to be spreading malicious propaganda and vicious lies about Vidura to

everyone he could connect with. Vidura was completely peaceful because he

knew that in his hear of hearts that Krsna was pleased and that his

motivations were in the service of the Lord and His devotees. So thus in his

liberated condition Vidura went on holy pilgrimage.

 

Today I was asked to speak something on the subject of the appearance of Sri

Radha Kunda, being Bahulastami, this most sacred day is being honoured

today. Vidura went to many places on pilgrimage. Rupa Goswami explains that

Vaikuntha is the spiritual world. Superior to Vaikuntha is Mathura because

Krsna in His original transcendental form appears there. Superior to Mathura

is the forest of Vrindavan for there Krsna performs His rasa lila. Superior

to the forest of Vrindavan-within that forest-is Govardhan Hill, the hill

that Lord Krsna lifted with the little finger of His hand and performs His

most confidential pastimes. And superior to even Govardhan is the supreme

holy place, unparalleled within all of creation, Sri Radha Kunda. For it is

here that Radha and Krsna performed Their most loving pastimes. And one who

even once bathes in the ambrosial nectarean waters of Sri Radha Kunda will

get the love of Krsna like Srimati Radharani.

 

Of those who follow the Vedas most practice karma-kanda, or fruitive

activities. Superior to them are those who practice jnana, the topmost of

whom are those who attain liberation. But the greatest amongst those

liberated souls are those who take to the path of devotional service. And of

those who take to the path of devotional service the goal is love of God.

Amongst those who achieve love of God, the greatest of all devotees are the

gopis of Vrindavan, and amongst the gopis of Vrindavan Srimati Radharani is

supreme because she is most dear to Krsna and similarly Sri Radha Kunda is

equally dear to Krsna.

 

In the Srimad Bhagavatam, Sukadeva Goswami explains a wonderful pastime that

took place at the time of twilight on this day. Kamsa had sent Aristasura.

He appeared in the form of a massive bull. He was terrifying the

countryside. He was gigantic in size; he was running, galloping and his

hooves were tearing up the earth, creating an experience like an earthquake.

The hump on the back was being hovered by clouds because they mistook it to

be a huge moutain. His horns were down, his eyes were fiery bloodshot red,

he was making horrible sounds, roaring, the earth was shaking. People were

so much terrified that the pregnant cows and ladies were having

miscarriages. The cows were screaming, the Vrajavasis, everyone-terrified

they came to Krsna, "Please save us, please save us!"

 

Krsna told them "Do not fear", and He turned to Aristasura. "You fool, dare

you come to Vrindavan to cause all this anxiety to the Brijbasis when I am

here to destroy condenmned demons like you!" Then just to provoke Aristasura

Krsna casually placed His arm on the shoulder of one of the cowherd boys and

waited for him. Being insulted in this way, Aristasura, outraged, put his

horns down pointed at Krsna with his bloodshot red eyes gazing at Him and

rushed at Krsna like a thunderbolt. Krsna, with his hands which are softer

than lotus flowers, grabbed the horns of Aristasura and flipped him over and

threw him 18 feet away.

 

This insult further outraged the demon. He got up and mad, mad with anger,

rushed at Krsna. Krsna calmly waited and He again took hold of Aristasura's

horns and then with His foot kicked Aristasura and knocked him to the

ground. With that lotus foot which is so soft that Yasoda would worry all

day, that Krsna may step on a pebble or a twig with those soft lotus feet,

they were like thunderbolts kicking and kicking Aristasura like a person

wrings out a wet rag. And to add insult to injury as Krsna was kicking him

to death, He yanked out one of his horns and started beating him with his

own horn. Aristasura, his eyes were rolling, he was vomiting blood, passing

urine and stool profusely, kicking his legs violently, he gave up his life.

Sri Krsna Bhagavan ki jai! The demigods celebrated by showering flowers on

Krsna. The gopis were gazing upon Him with great love.

 

Now Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur cites the Puranas to explain specifically

the historical event that took place just after this. On this day at

twilight Krsna was going to meet the gopis of Vrindavan. After Aristasura

was finished He came to meet the gopis of Vraja. They had a very loving

playful exchange of words. Srimati Radharani and gopis said "We will not

allow you to touch us because You are contaminated by killing a bull. Now

You may say that he was a demon, but that's a technicality. The fact is he

was a male cow and You killed him. In order to purify yourself from this

contaminated deed You must take bath in all the holy places in all the three

worlds."

 

Krsna smiled. He said "I do not have to leave Vrindavan to do that. I will

bring all the holy places in the the universe here." Then Krsna very

playfully struck the ground with His heel of His lotus foot and called upon

the holy places. At once all the holy places appeared to fill up the kund

that He had just created with His lotus foot. But the gopis said, "We don't

see them, we don't believe it!"

 

Then each of the holy places in a personified came forward with folded palms

to introduce themselves: "I am Prayaga", "I am Ganga", "I am Pushkar". Krsna

playfully took his bath in Syama Kunda, then he said to gopis that "See what

I have done! I have brought all the holy places to Vrindavan! But what pious

deeds have you done to satisfy Lord Brahma in your life?"

 

Srimati Radharani turned to gopis and said "Today we will make a kund more

beautiful than Krsna's." And they went to the place where there was a slight

indentation due to the hoofprints of Aristasura and with their hands and

with their bangles began to excavate it. Then Srimati Radharani told gopis

that "With a billion pots let us bring water from Manasi Ganga, that

suprememost holy place. As they began this great endeavour, Krsna indicated

that the personified represenatative of all the holy places in creation

appear. He emerged from the waters of Syama Kunda, and with folded palms

came before Vrsabhanu-nandini, Srimati Radharani. After offering repeated

obeisances, he prayed that "You are supremely glorified. Lord Brahma, Lord

Siva, even Laksmi cannot fathom the unlimited glories You possess. Only

Krsna, the suprememost worshipable object of everyone's heart, knows Your

glories. Thus he does not want that You be in any way inconvenienced. He

wants You to have a beautiful kund where You will never have to be disturbed

by even a drop of perspiration. By Krsna's supreme mercy, with the heel of

His foot He has created His kund and called us to fill it, but our lives

will be successful only if You, Srimati Radharani, cast Your glance of mercy

upon us and fulfill our desire."

 

Srimati Radharani said, "Please tell me, what is your desire?"

 

"Our lives will be perfect if You allow us to fill up Your kund with our

waters".

 

Looking at Krsna, Srimati Radharani smiled and said "You may come." And then

all the holy places of the universe broke through the boundaries of Syama

Kunda and filled up Srimati Radharani's lake. When Krsna saw that, He became

so happy and He told Srimati Radharani that "Just as You are most dear to

me, Your lake, Radha Kunda, is most dear to Me.

 

And Srimati Radharani said "And Your lake, Syama Kunda, is most dear to Me,

even if You kill one million Aristasuras! [laughter] It is the most pure

place, and anyone who takes their bath or worships this holy place where You

killed Aristasura will become most dear to Me." And Radha and Krsna then

performed Their beautiful rasa-lila on the banks of Sri Radha Kunda. In fact

every day at around the time of noon, Radha and Krsna and Their most

intimate associates perform most elevated pastimes on the banks of Sri Radha

Kunda, but as the milleniums passed the site of Radha Kunda became lost.

 

On Karttika Purnima, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu arrived in Vrindavan with a

brahmana from Mathura. He travelled to all the twelve forests. During this

period he came to Sri Govardhana. He was looking for the village of

Arita-grama. Arriving, He inquired from the village people, "Where is Radha

Kunda and Syama Kunda?" Because in Padma Purana, Visnu Purana and other

ancient scriptures the supreme glory of Radha Kunda is explained, the

suprememost of holy places.

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was searching, but none of the villagers had any

clue to where it could be. And even the brahmana from Mathura travelling

with Lord Caitanya had no clue. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu sat under a tamal

tree meditating on Radha Kunda and Syama Kunda, and then by His divine

vision He saw it before Him in the form of two puddles in a paddy field.

Lord Caitanya went to those two small little puddles of water in that paddy

field and ecstatically took His bath. After bathing, with folded palms, He

was quotiong prayers from the holy scriptures in glorification of Radha

Kunda. Just as Radharani is the most dear of all devotees of Krsna, Radha

Kunda is similarly dear to Krsna It is the most holy of all places. Just as

Srimati Radharani's glories are unlimited, Radha Kunda's glories are equally

unlimited. And anyone who takes their bath in Sri Radha Kunda even once,

Lord Caitanya said, will be given the same type of love as that of Srimati

Radharani because Radha Kunda is filled with the ambrosial nectar of Her

love.

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then took the mud from Radha Kunda and put tilaka on

the twelve parts of His body, and then along with Balabhadra Bhattacarya, He

collected some mud to keep it with Him and then with ecstasy He danced.

Bhakti-ratnakara describes that when the Vrajavasis saw Lord Caitanya

dancing with ecstasy at Radha Kunda they were struck with wonder: "Who is

this sannyasi? What is His beauty? What is His love?" Another Vrajavasi said

"We have never ever seen anyone like this! And other Vrajavasis were saying

"We understood who this is, Krsna has come again in the form of this

beautiful sannyasi with a golden complexion. Look! All the cuckoos and

parrots are singing so sweetly the glories of this sannyasi, and the

peacocks are dancing in front of Him. And the cows are running with raised

tails from all directions, and the deers are gazing upon Him, coming so

close to Him. And all the creepers are blossoming with flowers even out of

season and showering upon Him. All these different personalities, their eyes

are overflooding with tears of love just like they are seeing that

personality who has stolen their hearts after a long time of separation.

 

In this most historical incident, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu revealed Radha

Kunda and Syama Kunda to the world. That place where Radha and Krsna

performed Their lila. . . Visvanath Chakravarti said Krsna was like a dark

monsoon cloud, Srimati Radharani was like a golden bolt of lightning and the

combination of Their pastimes together in the sky of Radha Kunda created a

torrential rainpour of ecstatic love.

 

Lord Caitanya instructed Rupa and Sanatana Goswami to make their residence

in Vrindavan. He gave them four very special instructions: to extract the

essence of all the revealed scriptures to enunciate the supreme glory of

pure devotional service in the mood of the residents of Vrindavan; to

excavate the holy places of Krsna's pastimes, most of which had been lost to

the vision of the world; to establish temples and the worship of the deity;

and to exemplify by their personal behaviour the perfect example of a

Vaisnava, especially one in the renounced order of life.

 

Raghunatha dasa Goswami, son of Govardhan Mazumdar, left his fabulous wealth

in Krsnapur of Saptagram, to make his residence in Jagannatha Puri. There he

was put under the charge of Svarupa Damodara Goswami by Lord Caitanya

Himself. Srila Raghunatha Das Goswami was the personal servant of the

servant of Sri Caitanya for sixteen years until Caitanya Mahaprabhu closed

His lila in this world. Soon after that, Svarupa Damodara Goswami also

departed. The anguish of Raghunatha Das Goswami in his separation of love

was insurmountable. He came to Vrindavan by foot to meet Rupa and Sanatana

and then to jump from the top of Govardhana Hill to end his life.

 

After having the pleasurable meeting of Srila Rupa and Sanatana Goswami, he

asked for their blessings, but they forbade him to end his life that "You

are the only person amongst us here in Vrindavan who has personally

witnessed the internal and external pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu,

especially in His antya-lila. You must remain with us as our brother and

every day describe Lord Caitanya's glories."

 

Sri Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami gave Raghunatha Das Goswami a place of

residence at those two puddles in the paddy field which was Radha Kunda and

Syama Kunda. He resided there for some time, in fact for the rest of his

life. Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami explains the quality of Raghunatha Das

Goswami's devotional service as he was living on the banks of Sri Radha

Kunda. He would offer obeisances, prostrated dandavat, one thousand times a

day to the Lord. He chanted at least one hundred thousand names of Krsna

every day, and without fail, he offered his prostrated obeisances two

thousand times to the Vaisnavas every day. Although he was most exalted

amongst all devotees, whenever he would meet a devotee, Vaisnava, he would

lovingly from his heart embrace them and offer them all respect.

 

Constantly chanting the Holy Names, meditating on the Lord's lilas,

Raghunatha Das Goswami performed his devotional service twenty two and a

half hours every day. He hardly got ever two hours rest. He just didn't have

time. That was his absorption. His regulative principles were like the lines

in stone. This is the type of person that Raghunatha Das Goswami was, living

on the banks of Sri Radha Kunda.

 

One day he was thinking that "If only we can excavate these kundas nicely so

there could be a lot of water in it for others to take their baths, but in

order to do it, we'll need a lot of money." And just the thought of money

made him quite disgusted, and he condemned himself for thinking like this

and got it out of his mind. In the Bhakti Ratnakara, it is described that

Krsna always fulfills the desires of His pure devotees: there was a very

rich man going to Badrikasrama, and he had a large sum of money and offered

it to Lord Narayana, but that night he had a dream where Badrinatha apeared

to him and said "If you want to please Me you should take all this money and

go to Arita-grama where the greatest of all devotees, Raghunatha Das

Goswami, is residing and give this money to him. And if he refuses to take

it, remind him of the desire in his heart to excavate Radha Kunda and Syama

Kunda."

 

So he came to Raghunatha Das Goswami's place and understanding the will of

Radharani and Syamasundara, Raghunatha Das Goswami instructed him to

excavate Radha Kunda and Syama Kunda. As they were excavating Syama Kunda,

they were about to cut down some trees because they wanted to make it a

square lake of water. But just before that was about to be, Raghunatha Das

Goswami had a dream where Yudhisthira Maharaja appeared to him and said that

"These five threes are myself and my brothers meditating on Krsna's lilas,

do not cut us down." So the next day, Raghunatha Das Goswami explained which

are those trees and thus Syama Kunda has been excavated in an irregular way.

 

Raghunatha Das Goswami's loving devotion at Sri Radha Kunda is one of the

greatest, greatest aspects of our Gaudiya Vaisnava history. So many stories.

He did his bhajan just on the banks of the kunda. One day, Sanatana Goswami

was coming to visit Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami who also had his bhajan kutir

at Radha Kunda. And he saw, just close to Raghunatha Das Goswami, a tiger

was drinking water and Krsna was standing guard to make sure the tiger would

not harm Raghunatha Das Goswami. And another time when Sanatana Goswami came

it was noon in the summer when the sun was blazing. Srimati Radharani was

shading Raghunatha Das Goswami with the shawl that she was wearing while she

was in the sun perspiring. Sanatana Goswami informed Raghunatha Das Goswami

that "Your bhajan is to serve Radha and Krsna, not to inspire Them to come

and serve you." So under this condition he agreed to have a small bhajan

kutir constructed for him.

 

Srila Prabhupada explains that Raghunatha Das Goswami, at a certain point in

his lila, all he was taking for prasad was a few drops of buttermilk every

other day in a little leaf cup. One day, he was meditating on Radha and

Krsna's lila in Vrindavan, and he was given sweet rice, kheer, the

mahaprasad of Radha Syamasundara and he drank it, a lot. And then he got

indigestion. So Vitthalnath, the son of Vallabhacaraya, came with two

doctors to see what was the problem. These doctors took his pulse, did

examination. They said, "As far as we can see, he is suffering indigestion

due to eating large quantity of milk and rice. Vittalnatha and the devotees

said "What are you saying? He never takes milk or rice, he just takes drops

of buttermilk." But Raghunatha Das Goswami explained that in his meditation

he took the maha prasad of the Lord, and they were struck with wonder.

 

He is our prayojana acarya. But if we examine the life of Raghunatha Das

Goswami, Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami, the first principle that they

established in their devotional service was their total humility: all of

them considered to be the most fallen. Raghunatha Das Goswami, when he

approached Nityananda Prabhu, he poured out his heart how he was a

materialistic person addicted to sense gratification, only by the mercy of

Nityananda Prabhu and the Vaisnavas could he achieve shelter of the lotus

feet of Lord Caitanya. Similary, Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis consider

themselves more fallen than Jagai and Madhai, most sinful, most abominable.

Krsnadas Kaviraja Goswami considered himself more sinful than the worm in

stool. Srila Prabhupada explained they were not just saying this, they all

felt it.

 

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, when He was approached in Puri by Raghunatha Das

Goswami, what are the duties of one in the renonunced order of life,

Caitanya Mahaprabhu said:

 

gramya katha na sunibe, gramya varta na kahibe

 

No gossip. Never ever gossip or criticise others or hear such things. Do not

eat luxuriously or dress too nicely. Offer all respects to others, expect

none in return, constantly chant the holy names of Krishna and always

meditate on Sri Sri Radha and Krsna in Vrindavan. And then Lord Caitanya

Mahaprabhu summed it up by speaking a verse, the third verse. . . He only

spoke three verses on the duties of one in the renounced order:

 

trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna

amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih

 

If we do not have this quality, then our trying to understand the higher

lilas of the Lord remians superificial, external. Only a totally humble,

soft heart can penetrate. This is the example of Raghunatha Das Goswami.

Every day on the banks of Sri Radha Kunda, he would recite or narrate the

glories of Lord Caitanya for three hours a day. Let us pray to the core of

our hearts that we can someday join that satsanga on the banks of Sri Radha

Kunda hearing Raghunatha Das Goswami personally speaking what he had seen

with his own eyes and what Svarupa Damodar Goswami had explained to him

three hours every day. Just close to his bhajana kutir was that of Krsnadas

Kaviraja Goswami, who was his student, and by the request of the Vaisnavas,

on the banks of Sri Radha Kunda, he had written Sri Caitanya Caritamrta,

praying at the lotus feet of Rupa and Raghunatha, always taking shelter.

Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur had bhajan kutir there, as did Jiva Goswami,

Sanatana Goswami, Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami. Madhavendra Puri has his

baithak. . . .

 

Srila Prabhupada explains of his Guru Maharaja, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta

Sarasvati Thakur. One year he came to Sri Radha Kunda to give a lecture

series. And because at this time he had started centres all over India with

thousands and thousands of resplendent emowered disciples, the people of

that area were very excited to hear the acarya of the Guru Maharaj is going

to speak nectar. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur spoke unlimited ambrosial

nectar by explaining the philosophy of the Upanisads. Some of the people

were bewildered: "Why is he not speaking Radha Krsna's intimate lila of

Radha Kunda. Why Upanisads?" And when asked, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati

Thakur revealed his mind that "None of these babajis are qualified to hear

the lilas of Radha and Krsna. First they must purify themselves by hearing

the philosophy of Upanisads." He didn't care for popularity-he was concerned

for truth. That was his compassion.

 

On several occasions Srila Prabhupada told the devotees of an incident that

took place in 1935. Srila Prabhupada was then living in Bombay doing some

business. From Bombay he came to Brajabhumi and met his Guru Maharaja on the

banks of Sri Radha Kunda. Srila Prabhupada explains how it was a very

confidential meeting and only a few of the very close disciples of Srila

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur were present. He told Srila Prabhupada many

things on that day. Amongst them he was expressing his anxiety of the

conflict that was taking place amongst his disciples. He said, "When we were

living a very simple life in that simple house on Ultadanga Junction Road,

whether we made two rupees or two hundred rupees we were living very very

simple and everyone was united with the spirit to preach the message of

Mahaprabhu. But now due to a dear disciple and his donation, there's a

beautiful marble temple in the Bagh Bazaar and now my leaders are fighting

amongst each other over prestige issues, who gets better room, who gets

better position, who gets better respectability."

 

He said, "There's fire in the Math."The fire of discord amongst the devotees

over selfish interest. And then Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur,

looking at Srila Prabhupada very lovingly in his eyes, he said "It would be

better if we sell that temple and all its marble to publish and distribute

books. If you ever get money, publish and distribute books."

 

Srila Prabhupada told how he took that message as his life and soul. In 1944

he began singlehandedly Back to Godhead magazine. In 1958 he retired from

his family life and came to Vrindavan and began translating, writing

purports and publishing the First Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. In

Prabhupada's introduction to the 8th Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam he explains

this story and says now it is 1976 and we have completed Krsna, the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, many books, and we have also completed seven cantos

of Srimad Bhagavatam. He says I am not a great scholar or a great devotee, I

am only a servant of my Guru Maharaja, and with the help of my disciples

from America we have fulfilled the mission of my Guru Maharaja by publishing

these books. [Devotee: Srila Prabhupada ki jai!] And he expressed if you

want to please me distribute these books.

 

Yes, Srila Prabhupada, by his words and by his life, was actually actually

following in the footsteps of the Six Goswamis, manifesting their mercy to

the whole world. And Prabhupada told us through these simple narrations that

he has shared, that our worship of Sri Radha Kunda is to be the servant of

the servant of the servant of those eternal residents of Sri Radha Kunda,

Raghunatha Das Goswami, and his loving servant Srila Prabhupada.

 

So on this day, Bahulastami, to meditate upon that mercy that has come down

through disciplic succession which manifested through Srila Prabhupada's

heart and meditate on how we can please him, how we can serve him as the

servant of the servant. Then we will actually have the proper attitude in

which we can genuinely worship Sri Radha Kunda and Sri Syama Kunda. Even one

bath in one's life can award one the love of Srimati Radharani, but Srila

Prabhupada taught we must follow in the footsteps of the great souls as the

servant of the servant of the servant. That is all important.

 

Raghav Pandit, when he took Narottama Das Thakur and Srinivas Acarya on

parikrama of Sri Vrajabhumi, he extolled the glories of Sri Radha Kunda and

he said, "Even sprinkling water, worshipping, or offering a lamp during the

month of Karttika, especially on the day of Bahulastami, is greater that

thousands of asvamedha and gomedha yajnas. Why? Because it gives us access

to the unlimited compassion and mercy of Srimati Radharani coming through

Her devotees.

 

Srila Prabhupada ki jai! Sri Radha Kunda ki jai! Sri Radha Syamasundaradeva

ki jai! Thank you very much. Hare Krishna.

 

[applause]

 

Visuddha Sattva Das: Maharaja, is there time for questions?

 

Maharaja: Only for you.

 

Question: In 1975, when devotees went to Radha Kunda, and they start

swimming in not a proper devotional mood, so from that time Prabhupada say

only put three drops in the head. And also I heard that one day, as today,

on Bahulastami, the appearance of Radha Kunda at midnight, that Srila

Prabhupada said it is not so good for the devotees to go there that day.

That is true?

 

Maharaja: The understanding of many of Prabhupada's disciples who were there

at that time was that it is the holiest of all holy places. And we must

approach with great reverence and ultimate honour and respect. And he was

very angry and disappointed when devotees were whimsically playing and

splashing and diving. So at that time he outlawed anyone from such

whimisical behaviour: "You just bow down and put three drops on your head."

 

So we must approach Radha Kunda and Syama Kunda with proper respect and

veneration. And taking bath in Radha Kunda with the blessings and permission

of the senior Vaisnavas with the proper attitude, that is a very sacred act

of worship according to the holy scriptures.

 

Thank you very much. Hare Krishna.