Vraja Mandal Parikrama Part 2

[Guest guest]

Dear Maharaja's and Prabhus

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

On day 3 of the Vraja Dhama Parikrama we circumnavigated the town of

Mathura, beginning with a bath at Vishram Ghat. This was the place that

Lord Caitanya first visited when He came to Vraja Mandal. He took bath and

then went to the birth place of Lord Krsna and took darshan of the deity

there, Sri Keshavji. His chanting and dancing attracted all the residents

of Mathura.

 

Our plan today was to follow in the footsteps of Krsna and Balarama as they

entered the town of Vrndavan with the intention of killing the demon Kamsa.

It was here at Vishram Ghat that Lord Krsna took rest after killing Kamsa.

Also, Lord Varaha after lifting and rescuing the Earth planet, stopped here

to rest.

 

We visited the house of Kubja, the hunch backed devotee who offered the Lord

sandalwood paste. The Lord felt indebted to her for this simple offering

and immediately He was thinking, "What can I do for her?". As we know, with

little effort, He completely straightened her back. In the same way, in

doing this parikrama, we are praying we will somehow attract the attention

of the Lord and gain His favor: to be blessed with more and more attraction

for Him.

 

Amongst the other holy site we visited were the wrestling arena and Dhruva

Ghat, the place where Dhruva maharaja met Narada Muni. Initially, when

Narada met Dhruva, he advised the small boy to leave the forest and return

to the palace of his father. He was testing him. Dhruva maharaja would not

return. Our parikramis also are choosing to stay here on Parikrama and

endure the difficulties, rather than return to the comforts of their asramas

in Vrndavan town.

 

On day 4 we left Mathura and headed for another of the 12 forests of Vraja,

Madhuvan. In the Treta yuga, the Brahmans of the Madhuvan forest were being

disturbed by the demon, Lavan, the son of Madhuasura. The Brahmans prayed

to Lord Rama for help and the Lord sent His brother Satrughna, who killed

Lavanasura and established His capital in Madhuvan and ruled over the area.

 

On the way to Madhuvan we visited a temple where there is a deity of Lord

Balarama which is pitch black in color. The deity is this color because He

became so absorbed in the chanting of Krsna's name that He Himself turned

black. Also, we went to Dhruva Tila, the place where Dhruva Maharaja

performed his austerities and attained darshan of Lord Vishnu. Here, we had

our Srimad Bhagavatam class and spent a while chanting "OM Namo Bhagavate

Vasudevaya", the mantra given by Narada Muni to the young Dhruva.

 

At night, we stayed on the banks of Krsna Kund. This kund (bathing place)

was manifested by Krsna striking His flute on the ground. Krsna would bring

His cows here to give them water.

 

Our goal is to constantly remember the form, pastimes, qualities and names

of Lord Krsna. By visiting these holy places on Parikrama we get to

understand the context of the pastimes. We can see more clearly the

sequence of events, and in this way, remembrance becomes easier, or rather,

it becomes difficult to forget.

 

Your Servant

Lokanath Swami