Bhakti Wisdom

The best place to practice spiritual life is Vrindavan Dham. All serious devotees desire to live in Vraja and serve in this sacred abode.

Vrindavan is full of temples where Krishna is worshiped very elaborately. There are also small temples where only one or two pujaris are doing puja and looking after the Deities. Often whilst doing the parikrama these are the places that attract me the most because of the simplicity of the devotees and mood of the place where everything is focused only on the Deities and how to serve them nicely.

Pujari will not leave the temple even for a moment,he will make sure when guests come they receive Maha prasadam and he will be the one who will wake up Krishna, cook for Krishna, perform abhisek and arati and put the Lord to rest. These simple sadhus use every single moment to glorify their Isthadeva and sing His glories in kirtan or Krishna katha.

Whilst doing worship at Bhaktivedanta Manor during the lockdown I meditate on this sadhus from Vraja and try to adopt the same mood whilst worshiping Radha Gokulananda .

Since only a few of us are allowed to perform seva we are engaged from morning till evening in many different ways; cooking, dressing, performing aratis, making garlands, ordering bhoga, distributing prasad, cleaning the temple room and altar, performing kirtans for the pleasure of the Deities, organising small festivals…

Whilst meditating on sadhus in Vraja and their genuine devotion to the Lord I prayed that one day I get the opportunity to live in Vraja.

My dream to live in Vraja became reality….

Srila Prabhupad said that whoever lives in the temple where Radha Krishna are worshiped, actually lives in Vraja.

I got the opportunity to serve the Lord In such an intimate way whilst staying in the holy dham. Lord put himself in my hands and gave me the opportunity to experience Vraja whilst serving him in London.

Bhaktivedanta Manor has all the elements of Vraja; Radha Krishna are worshiped ,cows are protected, sadhus are visiting, Krishna katha and Krishna kirtan are going on continuously, Tulasi devi is worshiped in very opulent way , parrots also found their home at Manor and are flying around witnessing the eternal pastimes of Radha Krishna..

Once whilst visiting Vraja I asked one sadhu for blessing so I could enter Vrindavan Dham. His reply was:”Please don’t worry, Srila Prabhupad created a place in Vraja for every single devotee who takes shelter at his lotus feet.”

All of us have the opportunity to live in Vraja simply by taking shelter of one who has access to that eternal abode of Radha and Krishna .

Ananta Gopal Das

19.7.2020

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