Tag Archive for: narada muni

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Krishna Jayanti—The Most Joyous Occasion

By: Mahanidhi Swami

To increase our observance of Bhagavan Sri Krishna’s Jayanti, appearance day festival, we will cite some valuable points from Srila Sanatana Goswamipada’s 276 verse discussion in Hari-bhakti vilasa 16.

Why should I observe Janmastami?

Bhavishyottara Purana: Achyuta Sri Krishna said to King Yuddhisthira, “Everyone from the age of 8 to 80 must celebrate My appearance day. Observing Janmastami is an eternal function in three ways—It pleases Bhagavan Sri Krishna; It is a scriptural injunction; It is a sin if you don’t observe it. O King, by observing My Jayanti one will get good children, good health, unlimited good fortune and go to Vaikuntha after death.”

Vishnu-rahasya Purana: Lord Brahma said to Narada Muni, “One who eats on Janmastami eats all the sins of the three worlds. Eating on Janmastami is equal to eating the flesh of a donkey or a human being.”

How to observe Janmastami?

There are many detailed pujas and procedures mentioned in Hari-bhakti vilasa. But we will mention a few which are easy to perform.

Morning of Janmastami take a sankalpa (vow), “O Supreme Controller Devakinandana please help me to observe a complete fast today with I will break tomorrow after sunrise.”

Spend the day reading and hearing about Sri Krishna’s childhood pastimes.

Charity given on Janmastami yields 100 times more benefit than any other day.

Offer arati to a picture of Vasudeva and Devaki, glorify them, and pray for their mercy and blessings.

During moonrise offer Candradeva and his wife Rohini devi (the nakshatra Krishnaji appeared in) some water in a conch shell (arghya) while chanting Krishna’s Holy Names like “He Krishna, Govinda, Damodara, Madhava, Hari, Kesava, Madhusudana”!

What are the PUJA DETAILS?

* Bathe Krishna at midnight with bhakti-surcharged pancha amrta (milk, yogurt, ghee, honey, sugar water). Offer a new dress, crown ornaments etc. Offer full arati along with kirtana, and sound lots of conches, bells, drums, voices and peacocks!

*Bhoga—offer varieties of seasonal fruits plus coconut, dates, and many cow ghee cooked preps; all made with the utmost loving care.

* Flowers—offer lots of fragrant garlands and flowers like lotus, mogra (jasmine), champaka, malati and mallika along with many tulasi leaves and manjaris.

* Scents—offer Lord Krishna camphor, musk, aguru, kumkum, and sandalwood paste.

*Conclusion:

To conclude, I pray to Sri Krishna’s Mathura father Vasudeva to bless me with pure consciousness (vasudeva-chit), so that someday Sri Krishna will also appear in my heart, and then initiate a grand festival of pure devotional service which will continue throughout every day of my life.

Sri Krishna Jayanti ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Why Vrajavasis Did Not Go to Mathura?

By Mahanidhi Swami

Devotees often ask, “If the Vrajavasis loved Krishna so much, then why didn’t they go to Mathura to meet their dearest after Akrura whisked Krishna away from their hearts one dismal day in February? After all, Mathura is only eight kilometers from Vrndavana.”

For the following five reasons, the Vrajavasis did not go to Mathura:

1) Sweet Intimate Pastimes:

Mathura and Dvaraka are filled with opulence and grandeur (aishwarya), formality and social etiquette which generate an atmosphere of awe and reverence that creates a bridge between loving hearts. Vaikuntha is God’s office and Vrndavana is God’s playground. Only here in Vrndavana, and nowhere else, can Krishna experience the sweet and natural, free-flowing, uninhibited love of the Vrajavasis. In Vrndavana, Krishna carries Nanda’s slippers on head; Yasoda bathes Krishna in cow urine and dung; Govinda carries the winning gopas upon His shoulders; Madhava massages Radha’s feet and bathes them with His tears to mollify Hermaan; and Krishna sometimes dons a female disguise to meet Radha in Her in-laws home. In nowhere else but VrajaDhamacan such inconceivably close and warm loving exchanges take place. Thus the Vrajavasis could not leaveVrndavana, and visit Krishna in Mathura.

2) Faith in Krishna’s Promise:

Because of their innocence and simple love, the Vrajavasis had full faith in Krishna’s promise that He would returnsoon. Thus they patiently awaited Krishna’s arrival.”

3) Memories

Although the Vrajavasis were all burning in separation from Krishna, they sustained their lives by remembering Krishna’s lilas in the fields, forests and towns of Vraja. Memories connect separated hearts.

4) News Reports

The regular visits of Narada Muni and Uddhavato Vraja, bringing the latest news of Krishna’s activities in Mathura, gave immense pleasure. Thus the Vrajavasis remained in Vrndavana, because for them, Vrndavana was Krishna and Krishna was Vrndavana.

5) Prevent Suffering for Krishna

The Vrajavasis felt so distressed without Krishna that they wanted to give up their bodies. But they didn’t, because they thought it would cause too much pain to Krishna when He finds out. So they dragged on somehow maintaining their lives.

Our goal is Vrndavana and VrajaPrema; to lovingly serve Radha and Krishna like the Vrajavasis do in Vrndavana. I have revealed here just one drop from the unlimited ocean of attachment for Krishna that the Vrajavasis swim in. By hearing this, we can get a little understanding of the degree and depth of their absolutely selfless, totally self-sacrificing pure divine love for Krishna.