Parikrama Bulletin 5 - Govardhana part 1

[Guest guest]

---------- Forwarded Message ----------

 

Letter COM:2750105 (95 lines)

Lokanath Swami (SPC Minister)

03-Nov-99 01:15 +0100

Padayatra Worldwide [198]

Cc: BVKS Sanga [415] (sender: Bhakti Vikasa Swami)

Cc: CFF (Croatian Free forum) [1566]

Cc: ICC (Indian Continental Committee) [2408]

Cc: ICI (ISKCON Communications India) [618]

Cc: LOK Disciples [382]

Cc: Travels with Lokanath Swami [238]

Cc: Tridandi Sannyasa [579]

Cc: Chakra <chakra (AT) pronto (DOT) bbt.se> (sent: 03-Nov-99 01:21 +0100)

Cc: (Arcana) Deity Worship <deity.worship (AT) veda (DOT) iskcon.net> (sent:

03-Nov-99 01:21 +0100)

Cc: Dvarakadhisa (das) IDS (PL) [759]

Cc: Free Forum (CIS) <free.forum (AT) veda (DOT) iskcon.net> (sent: 03-Nov-99

01:21 +0100)

Cc: Global Free Forum (CIS/COM) <global.free.forum (AT) veda (DOT) iskcon.net>

(sent: 03-Nov-99 01:21 +0100)

Cc: Premanjana (das) LOK (TP Den Haag - NL) [1360] (received:

03-Nov-99

21:41 +0100)

Cc: USA Free Forum <usa.free.forum (AT) com (DOT) iskcon.glasnet.ru> (sent:

03-Nov-99 01:21 +0100)

Parikrama Bulletin 5 - Govardhana part 1

---------------------------

Camp: Sri Vrndavana Dhama

 

Oct. 29, 1999

 

Govardhana Parikrama

 

We reached Radha Kunda yesterday, and spent the night there. Our residence

is on the parikrama path between Radha Kund village and Kusam Sarova. We

had a quick Mangal Arotik and Tulasi Puja this morning because we wanted to

leave early. When we started, the moon was still shining. It was about

5:30 am. The sun rises around 6:45.

 

When we reached Kusam Sarova, we could see the water, it was silver in

color, because of the reflection of the moon. The palace-like structures in

the back were like silhouettes, we couldn't make out the details but we

could see the shapes of the ancient traditional Vrndavana Mandala

architechture.

 

We walked further along the parikrama path for a kilometer or so. Then

Giriraja (the Govardhana Hill) began to become visible. The excited

devotees rushed forward and offered obeisances. Some managed to touch their

heads to some rocks at the bottom of the hill while they offered obeisances.

We continued back on the parikrama path again. The next halt was Manasi

Ganga. We sprinkled waters the sacred Manasi Ganga on our heads. The Lord

created this Ganga from His mind. This is one of the places where Krishna

has His boating and water sports with the gopis.

 

We had darshan of Harideva. He is one of the original Deities installed by

the great grandson of Krishna, Vrajranabh. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also enjoyed

Darshan of this Deity, 500 years ago, and danced in ecstacy, seeing the

Deity of Harideva.

 

We went back on the path again, and finally we were out of Govardhana Town.

This is where you get a full view of Govardhana. He was very high. To our

left, some of us visited the ISKCON property at Govardhana which is under

renovation. H.G. Kesava Bharati prabhu came out to greet us very nicely.

 

I spent a little time behind there, so I had to run many miles to catch up

with the main party. Then we fed some monkeys who were blocking our path,

so we bought some salted, roasted chick peas and fed them. I was feeding

them from a full bag of chick peas. I took a full handful, and gave the bag

to Kavichandra Maharaja and told him to hold on to it because I knew that if

I held on to it, while feeding them, for sure, the monkeys would steal it.

Many monkeys came forward, I extended my palm full of chick peas. Many were

eating. Kavichandra Maharaja was amused by the scene, so he came and sat

close to me to watch the fun. And then one smart, stout and sturdy monkey

snatched the bag that I had given to Kavichandra Maharaja for safe keeping.

There is no tradition of sharing among monkeys. Ants share. Monkeys don't.

Other monkeys started fighting with the first monkey over the bag of channa

(chick peas).

 

We stopped at Govinda Kund, and spoke of the Lord's pastimes of lifting

Govardhana Hill. We talked of how one village nearby there was called

Anior. Girigovardhana had during His puja, had demanded more and more

offerings. "Bring More! Bring More!" In the local Vrajabasi language,

that is "Anior! Anior!" There is a village nearby by that name. This is

where finally Indra had come.

 

I was mentioning to the devotees that Indra was trying to pacify Krishna for

his offense. He wanted to perform the abisek of Krishna. He didn't go to

Loi Bazar for shopping for ingrediants. He had brought a Surabhi Cow along

with him. The water of the Ganga that flows in the heavenly planets was

carried by Airavata, not on his back, but within his belly. In the

elephants' body, besides the stomach, there is another "tank" where water

could be stored. It was not contaminated. The elephant sucks the water

with his trunk and then he pours it.

 

Finally, we reached the middle of the parikrama, the tail end of Govardhana.

There, we took darshan of Lota Baba, the cow herd boyfriend of Krishna. He

is a well built personality. He was one of the persons who was supporting

Govardhana Hill with his stick, while Krishna was holding it up. Because he

thought he was stronger than Krishna, he thought that he was holding up the

whole weight of Govardhana. Then, Krishna, knowing what his friend was

thinking, He started lowering the hill and the whole weight was falling on

this friends stick and it was too much for all the cow herd boys who were

trying to hold up the hill. Soon, Lota Baba realized that it was not him,

but it was Krishna who was the lifter and the holder of the hill.

 

Then our breakfast had not yet arrived so we decided to talk some more. At

this time, we remembered the pastime of Vyomasura stealing Krishna's cowherd

friends. This happened in Govardhana. Krishna was playing with his

friends. They were pretending that some had become sheep and others were

sheep tenders and others became thieves to try to steal the sheep. One

demon named Vyomasura sneaked in and took a role of a theif. He even

started literally stealing the boys. Soon there was only a small group.

The number of boys had reduced drastically and soon Krishna recognized the

presence of this demon and chased after him. The demon had the ability to

fly in the sky. So, Krishna chased after him in the sky and there was a big

fight. There was a nice Gujarati Kicheri, curry, apple and everyone had

sweets from the ISKCON temple in Govardhana.

 

End of part one.

 

Your servant,

Lokanath Swami

(Text COM:2750105) --------