Murder in Vrindavan

[Guest guest]

 

 

http://buddhiyoga.org/

 

Murder in Vrndavan

 

By Deena Bandhu Das

Posted April 23, 2005

 

All the devotees in Vrindavan are furious. One of their oldest and dearest friends in Vrindavan a gigantic ancient neem tree standing next to Sadhana Kunj has been mercilessly buthchered by Dr. Samik Rishi Prabhu. Everyone is coming telling me how he outright lied to them in February and said he would never cut down this tree, maybe cut few branches in the way of making a guesthouse. I also had advised him not to cut this tree, but build around it and let it shade the courtyard.

 

One devotee counted 350 rings on one of the main branches. Another visiting Godbrother who knows trees said that if that many are on the branches, then the tree could be 500 years old! It may have been here when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu visited Vrindavan.

 

 

 

This tree has been my friend for the last 21 years. I used to gaze on this magnificent tree from the roof of the Gurukula while chanting my rounds in the morning. Later before the MVT Guesthouse went up, I would have his darshan doing rounds around the MVT pathways. All the devotees say the same thing that this tree is their old friend. Nobody can believe what just happened. Everyone tells me it is like their hearts have been ripped out from their breasts. This was such an enourmous noble magnificent neem tree.

 

Not that the devotees didn't put up fight. They went to the Forest Dept. and got it stopped as it is totally illegal to cut down trees in Vrindavan. That slowed things down for a month. But later one of the merchants of Loi Bazaar told the devotees, that his lawyer met Samik Rishi's lawyer in the court and showed him the order of the court allowing them to murder this old resident of Braja. They asked well can't we appeal, and he replied that obviously he paid some money. Then you can pay some money. He will pay some money. Where will it end.

 

If I hadn't have been in Mayapur and on Safari, I would have done something about this senseless slaughter. I have very good contacts in the Forest Dept., but I only found out about it during the wonderful 30th anniversary festival we just had in Vrindavan. By the time I got there to see my friend, it was too late....

 

You can even see in the pictures, how all the symbols of Vishnu are on this tree. Near the base you can clearly see the Gada, then above and to the left is the Shanka, about midway is a small chakra, and near the left top a beautiful lotus.

 

All the devotees are so angry, they told me they have cursed that he will never be able to stay in Braj. They have cursed that he will never be happy. They have cursed that this project fail. They have vowed to boycott any opening ceremony should anything be built there. They have cursed that nobody will feel happy to stay there. And everyone told me they will encourage all devotees to boycott staying in this guesthouse. Without the mercy of the Vaisnavas, then what is the use?

 

And we had just heard from Kishori how she complained to Srila Prabhupada that they were going to cut down the tamal tree in the courtyard of Krishna Balaram Mandir and he was furious.

 

They cut down an old tree in the Dallas Gurukula since it was leaning on the roof and they thought it posed a danger to the students. The next time Prabhupada came, he immediately missed his old friend and asked what happenned to the tree. When they informed him, he said just see, this tree has stood here for a hundred years and in a few minutes you have finished him. He was so furious, that no one could enter his room the rest of the day. And this tree in Braja was 500 years old!

 

And finally a quote from Gaura Kishore Das Babaji Maharaja about a so-called sadhu who cut a tree down in Navadvipa:

 

Babaji Maharaja told those nearby, "This atheistic person has informed me that he has cut the wish-fulfilling trees and creepers of Navadvépa. Alas! Alas! Just see! Just see! It grieves us to cut even a solitary dry tree of Navadvépa. These trees and plants are our eternal friends. They assist Lord Gaura in His eternal pastimes. These cruel persons never achieve the qualification to perform devotional service to Lord Hari. By making an outward show of being a Vaisnava, they bring misfortune to themselves and to others as well."

 

In service of Sri Sri Krishna Balaram,

Deena Bandhu dasa

 

 

[Guest guest]

Once, when Srila Prabhupada came to Juhu after being away for some time, he noticed that one or two of the trees had been cut, and he was very concerned -- I would say upset -- and he asked, "Why did you cut down the trees?"

 

We thought we had the perfect answer: We had to build the temple, and to get the permission for the temple, we had to cut the trees in the way of the road. Srila Prabhupada said, "No, you go to the Municipality and tell them it's against our religion to cut down trees." So we had no choice, and we did it. And of course the Municipal officers argued.

 

http://www.prabhupadaconnect.com/Remembering36.html

[Kulapavana]

...senslessly ended. that tree was there during Lord Chaitanya's visit to Vrindavan... /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[Guest guest]

The moral of this story is, "Don't ever offend the friends of Vrndavan Dham"

When it comes to building, trees are a delicate issue these days.

I think the important issue with Vrndavan, which is being addressed, is replenishing the vanas to their original glory if that is possible.

Many devotees desire to stay there in the form of trees and creepers,to serve the other rasas, and we must respect their contribution in couching the pastimes of other devotees service to Their Lordships.

 

I often meditate on the Denukasura pastime due to my gardening, landscaping propensity I have to remove some trees and pests for others benefit, but I can only imagine such a dilemna they face in the holy dhams.

When i first went to Sri Caitanya Saraswat Math, Guru Maharaj engaged a few of us in clearing the overgrowth to make flower gardens etc. and we imbibed the wrath of some of the residents as we were blindly taking out wild medicinal plants and other favourites, but in this instance Guru Maharaj came to our rescue and gave us sanction to do so for the service of the devotees and Gauranga. Nowadays Tulasidevi is worshipped there and some beautiful rose gardens are growing.

When Srila Sridhara Maharaj first went there it was complete jungle and he planted many different trees, two mangos in particular were there with him all of his life. Then almost to the day of his departure from this world one huge mango tree also left its body, and made way for the building that was to become His Samadhi mandir the temple of union in separation.

[krsna]

What Prabhupada said about cutting tree

by Narasimha

 

Posted June 22, 2005

 

 

kecit khanitrair bibhiduh setu-prakara-gopuran

ajivyams cicchidur vrksan

kecit parasu-panayah

pradahan saranany eke

prajanam jvalitolmukaih

 

SYNONYMS

kecit--some of the demons; khanitraih--with digging instruments; bibhiduh--broke to pieces; setu--bridges; prakara--protective walls; gopuran--city gates; ajivyan--the source of livelihood; cicchiduh--cut down; vrksan--trees; kecit--some; parasu-panayah--taking axes in hand; pradahan--burned down; saranani--the dwellings; eke--other demons; prajanam--of the citizens; jvalita--blazing; ulmukaih--with firebrands.

 

TRANSLATION

Some of the demons took digging instruments and broke down the bridges, the protective walls and the gates [gopuras] of the cities. Some took axes and began cutting the important trees that produced mango, jackfruit and other sources of food. Some of the demons took firebrands and set fire to the residential quarters of the citizens.

 

PURPORT

The cutting of trees is generally prohibited. In particular, trees that produce nice fruit for the maintenance of human society should not be cut. In different countries there are different types of fruit trees. In India the mango and jackfruit trees are prominent, and in other places there are mango trees, jackfruit trees, coconut trees and berry trees. Any tree that produces nice fruit for the maintenance of the people should not be cut at all. This is a sastric injunction.

(SB. 7.2.15)

 

[Guest guest]

There are many more references to the killing of trees, you may research on Prabhupada folio file, type inquiry --trees or tree only ---

 

Srila Prabhupada explains the trees are a society or community they are sentient living entities ---they see as well hear ---also they can be liberated by hearing the holy names of the Lord ---

[Guest guest]

Thank you Dina Bundhu Prabhu for telling it "as it is " yes the killing of trees is murder, Our Srila Prabhupada was very clear in the exhaustive translations of Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-Gita and Caitanya Caritamrta regarding the treatment of trees and the resultant karmic reactions to killing of trees. Let there ever be a voice in the wilderness singing the glories of the Lord Sri Sri Caitanya Nityanada, for the benifit of the residents living there in...Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare...Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare ....Jai Rhadhe Syama

 

[Guest guest]

you go gopijana prabhu this is you isn;t it ?sounds like you and your issues

[Guest guest]

Hamsa-guhya prayers

tokanam pitaru bandhu

in purport "trees are subjects they should be protected "

 

antar dehesu bhutanam

in purport "you should not angrily kill these living entities in the form of trees" sb.6.4.13.

[Guest guest]

please please dont kill the trees

Himsanta prya lubdhah sarva karmopajivinah

when bramanas commit violence, speak lies,become greedy, earn their livlihood by any and all activities, lose their purity by sinful activities, they then become degraded into sudras. whats next Hare krsna logging for chips and toilet paper etc. what did they do with the wish fulfilling tree they cut down in Vrndavana ?