Vrindavana

From the Memoirs of F.S. Growse – A British Civil Servant in India, 1874

“Of all the sacred places in India, none enjoys a greater popularity than the capital of Braj – the holy city of Mathura. For nine months in the year festival follows festival in rapid succession, and the ghats and temples are daily thronged with new troops of way-worn pilgrims. So great is the sanctity of [...]

Nityananda Nectar

Today, on the celebration of the appearance of Lord Nityananda prabhu, we visited Nityananda Vata – the place that Lord Nityananda stayed for some time when He was visiting Vrindavan, prior to Lord Caitanya’s beginning the samkirtan movement.

Singing the Pastimes

“It was the practice of the inhabitants of Vrajabhumi to compose poetry about the incidents that occurred in the forest when Krsna performed His different activities of killing the asuras. They would compose all the stories in poetry or have this done by professional poets, and then they would sing about these incidents.” [ Srimad-Bhagavatam, [...]

Spring Festival

Vasant panchami is the first day of spring and all of Vrindavan is awash with yellow. The people wear yellow, the deities in the temples are dressed in yellow, yellow banners are flown everywhere … everywhere yellow, yellow, yellow! It’s a festive day with kirtan, parades and special deity darsans all around town. It’s also [...]

Sri Radhe!

Yesterday on parikrama we visited Uccagaon, the sacred village where Lalita sakhi lived as well as Varsana, where Srimati Radharani lived. Both places were teeming with local residents and pilgrims all happily greeting each other by calling out, “Sri Radhe!”

Yesterday’s Visit to Ter Kadamba

When Srila Rupa Gosvami would sit in his bhajan kutir at Ter Kadamba and write about the pangs of separation that Radha and Krsna felt for one another, the leaves of a nearby Kadamba tree would fall off just like tears running down the face of someone in pain.

Sharing My Good Fortune With You

In Upadesamrta, Srila Rupa Goswami recommends that even if one cannot live permanently on the banks of Radha-kunda, he should at least take a bath in the lake as many times as possible.

Vrindavan Meditations – In Memory of Those Fallen on the Field of Battle

“Even if one fully engaged in the devotional service of the Lord is sometimes found engaged in abominable activities, these activities should be considered to be like the spots that resemble the mark of a rabbit on the moon. Such spots do not become an impediment to the diffusion of moonlight. Similarly, the accidental falldown [...]

Vrindavan Meditations – Defining Our Faith

“One who has, through the grace of the guru received the teaching on subservience to God and recognises the faults inherent in all happiness derived from sense-gratification, who has complete devotion to Visnu, being indifferent to other deities, who desires only to obtain Visnu is called a Vaisnava.” [ Prapanna-Parijata 5.1 ]

Vrindavan Meditations: “My Real Desire Is To Become Your Devotee!”

“Krsna will give you the chance,” ‘All right, if you have got still desire for material enjoyment, do it.’ “I want to become a king.” ‘All right, become a king.’ “I want to become a dog.” ‘All right, become a dog.’ He gives you both opportunity. And we are doing that. We’re doing that. We [...]