Bhaktivinoda , after visiting many tirthas,"Kuruksetra is the real place of bhajana."

[krsna]

In "The Golden Volcano", Srila Sridhar Maharaj said:

 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura once revealed the

importance of Kuruksetra in a unique way. The words of our guru

maharaja were mostly very revolutionary. When I was a beginner with

only two years or so in the Gaudiya Math, I was in charge of the

Kuruksetra temple. Once, I came to the Calcutta headquarters at the

hired house in Ulta Danga for the yearly preaching festival. After the

festival I was to return to Kuruksetra. Srila Prabhupada was thinking

of opening a "Theistic Exhibition" in Kuruksetra, showing with

dioramas how Krishna and His friends came there from Dvaraka, and

the gopis came there from Vrndavana.

It is mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam that during the solar eclipse,

they came to bathe in Brahma-kunda, a sacred lake in Kuruksetra.

Srila Prabhupada wanted to show that pastime with a diorama, and so

the exhibition was arranged. He ordered handbills to be printed, and

twenty thousand circulated in the area, inviting people to come for the

exhibition.

 

Vrndavana-For Shallow Thinkers?

 

In this connection, he told us, "You all know that only the bogus,

hollow people and men of shallow thinking like Vrndavana." I was

very much perplexed to hear this. I had been told that Vrndavana is

the highest place of spiritual perfection. I had heard that one who has

not mastered his senses cannot enter Vrndavana. Only the liberated

souls can enter Vrndavana and have the opportunity of discussing

krsna-lila. Vrndavana is for the liberated souls. Those who are not

liberated from the demands of their senses may live in Navadwipa, but

the liberated souls may live in Vrndavana. Now Prabhupada was

saying tha the shallow thinkers appreciate Vrndavana, but a man of

real bhajana, real divine aspiration, will aspire to live in Kuruksetra.

Hearing this, I felt as if I had fallen from the top of a tree. "What is

this?" I thought. I am a very acute listener, so I was very keen to catch

the meaning of his words. The next thought he gave us was that

Bhaktivinoda Thakura, after visiting many different places of

pilgrimage, remarked, "I would like to spend the last days of my life

in Kuruksetra. I shall construct a cottage near Brahma-kunda and pass

the rest of my life there. Kuruksetra is the real place of bhajana."

 

Shrewd Merchants

 

Why? Service is more valuable according to the intensity of its

necessity. Shrewd merchants seek a market in wartime because in that

dangerous position, money is spent like water, without any care for its

value. They can earn more money if a war comes. In the same way,

when Srimati Radharani's necessity reaches its zenith, service to Her

becomes extremely valuable. According to its necessity, service is

valued. And in Kuruksetra, Srimati Radharani is in the highest

necessity because Krishna is so close, but Their Vrndavana lila is

impossible. in a football game, if the ball is just inches from the goal,

but again comes back, it is considered a great loss. In the same way,

after a long separation, Krishna is there in Kuruksetra, so the

hankering for union felt by His devotees must come to its greatest

point, but because He is in the role of a king, they cannot meet

intimately. The circumstances do not allow the Vrndavana lila to take

place. So at that time, Srimati Radharani needs the highest service

from Her group, the sakhis.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that in that situation, a drop of service will

draw the greatest amount of prema, divine love. In the pastimes of

Radha-Govinda, there are two aspects: sambhoga, divine union, and

vipralambha, divine separation. When Radha and Krishna are very

near to each other, but can't meet intimately, service at that time can

draw the greatest gain for the servitors. Therefore, Srila Bhaktivinoda

Thakura says, "I shall construct a hut on the banks of Brahma-kunda

in Kuruksetra and contemplate rendering service to the Divine Couple.

If I can achieve that standard where the prospect of service is so high,

then there is no possibility of returning to this mundane plane at any

time."

 

[jiva34]

 

In "The Golden Volcano", Srila Sridhar Maharaj said:

 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura once revealed the

importance of Kuruksetra in a unique way. The words of our guru

maharaja were mostly very revolutionary. When I was a beginner with

only two years or so in the Gaudiya Math, I was in charge of the

Kuruksetra temple. Once, I came to the Calcutta headquarters at the

hired house in Ulta Danga for the yearly preaching festival. After the

festival I was to return to Kuruksetra. Srila Prabhupada was thinking

of opening a "Theistic Exhibition" in Kuruksetra, showing with

dioramas how Krishna and His friends came there from Dvaraka, and

the gopis came there from Vrndavana.

It is mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam that during the solar eclipse,

they came to bathe in Brahma-kunda, a sacred lake in Kuruksetra.

Srila Prabhupada wanted to show that pastime with a diorama, and so

the exhibition was arranged. He ordered handbills to be printed, and

twenty thousand circulated in the area, inviting people to come for the

exhibition.

 

Vrndavana-For Shallow Thinkers?

 

In this connection, he told us, "You all know that only the bogus,

hollow people and men of shallow thinking like Vrndavana." I was

very much perplexed to hear this. I had been told that Vrndavana is

the highest place of spiritual perfection. I had heard that one who has

not mastered his senses cannot enter Vrndavana. Only the liberated

souls can enter Vrndavana and have the opportunity of discussing

krsna-lila. Vrndavana is for the liberated souls. Those who are not

liberated from the demands of their senses may live in Navadwipa, but

the liberated souls may live in Vrndavana. Now Prabhupada was

saying tha the shallow thinkers appreciate Vrndavana, but a man of

real bhajana, real divine aspiration, will aspire to live in Kuruksetra.

Hearing this, I felt as if I had fallen from the top of a tree. "What is

this?" I thought. I am a very acute listener, so I was very keen to catch

the meaning of his words. The next thought he gave us was that

Bhaktivinoda Thakura, after visiting many different places of

pilgrimage, remarked, "I would like to spend the last days of my life

in Kuruksetra. I shall construct a cottage near Brahma-kunda and pass

the rest of my life there. Kuruksetra is the real place of bhajana."

 

Shrewd Merchants

 

Why? Service is more valuable according to the intensity of its

necessity. Shrewd merchants seek a market in wartime because in that

dangerous position, money is spent like water, without any care for its

value. They can earn more money if a war comes. In the same way,

when Srimati Radharani's necessity reaches its zenith, service to Her

becomes extremely valuable. According to its necessity, service is

valued. And in Kuruksetra, Srimati Radharani is in the highest

necessity because Krishna is so close, but Their Vrndavana lila is

impossible. in a football game, if the ball is just inches from the goal,

but again comes back, it is considered a great loss. In the same way,

after a long separation, Krishna is there in Kuruksetra, so the

hankering for union felt by His devotees must come to its greatest

point, but because He is in the role of a king, they cannot meet

intimately. The circumstances do not allow the Vrndavana lila to take

place. So at that time, Srimati Radharani needs the highest service

from Her group, the sakhis.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that in that situation, a drop of service will

draw the greatest amount of prema, divine love. In the pastimes of

Radha-Govinda, there are two aspects: sambhoga, divine union, and

vipralambha, divine separation. When Radha and Krishna are very

near to each other, but can't meet intimately, service at that time can

draw the greatest gain for the servitors. Therefore, Srila Bhaktivinoda

Thakura says, "I shall construct a hut on the banks of Brahma-kunda

in Kuruksetra and contemplate rendering service to the Divine Couple.

If I can achieve that standard where the prospect of service is so high,

then there is no possibility of returning to this mundane plane at any

time."

 

I have just registered for this forum after Googling for Kuruksetra and having your post pop up.

I have no idea when you posted this or if you are even still active on the forum. But I would be very interested to hear more from you.

Your post is profound.

Not only from the perspective of one's search for their own internal mood of intensity of love of God, but also in terms of the most intense platform of broadcasting the message of Godhead for the benefit of others.

Thank you.

jiva...