Jul 09, 2022 — CANADA (SUN) — A serial presentation of Sri Bhakti Ratnakara by Srila Narahari Cakravarti Thakur.
Chapter Five
Sri Vrndavana (12) (Part Two)
O Srinivasa, everyone worships the feet of Sri Govinda, Gopinatha and Madan Mohan are the source of everything within holy Vrndavana. Madan Gopal has become famous as Madan Mohan in this world. The accurate explanations of these poems are given in Urdhamna tantra.
Sri Padavati asked Mahadev to explain the glory and true identity of Govinda deva. Sri Mahadev said, "Govinda himself is Gopala and he performs revealed (prakat) and unrevealed (aprakat) eternal lilas. He exists eternally in Yogapatha and Vrndavana and is the only Lord of Vrndavana throughout the four Yugas. He is worshipped by Nanda, Gopa and others in Vatasalya Vilasa. Even Krsna himself is attracted by his own sweet sports and praises his form as Govinda. He awarded the Gopis their clothes and fulfilled the gore of their practice of austerity. He is the Supreme being conceived as the source of consciousness who pervades the entire Vraja Mandir. He is the heart and soul of Sri Radhika. His mouth is reddened by betel leaf and he enjoys his developing manhood as he crosses into the adolescent period.
There is a lake called Brahma Kunda which is surrounded by jewels and full of swans and lotuses. On the South there is a jewelled pavilion surrounded by Mandala trees. That Supreme place Yogapatha is situated in the center of that pavilion. In that place Krsna is fully enchanted and adored by the love of Vrndavaneswari and is completely under her control, her face is bright with a broad smile. The embodiment of the beauty of Krsna is the great sakhi who is known as Lilavati Vindadevi who is expert in every way. She remains forever on the East of Yogapatha. On the South stays Krsna keli, Vinodina Shyam and on the West and North Bagini devi and Siddhesi devi remain respectively. Again on the East is Deva Panchanana, on the South Dasarupa Dhari Sankaishana, on the West the four faced Brahma, and on the North the thousand-faced Ananta devi.
Radhika's dear friend Madan Madini, who always carries a golden stick and is the controller of the place takes Krsna, who is overwhelmed in love, to the kopatauru. Within the abode of Sri Yugula which is the pride of Madana the love God, Madan Madini who develops the loving enviroment even for Madana, builds a love temple using the brightness of the black complexion of Nilkantani Hari.
After discussing these intimate realisations Sri Pandita took Srinivasa and Narottama to other holy places leaving Vrajonatla behind. He pointed out the place called Sanorakha where Saubhri Muni performed his tapasya. Coming to Kaliyahrada, Sri Raghava told Srinivasa that Krsna had performed one of his wonderful lilas in that place. Climbing up a kadamba tree he dived into the water of the Kalandi and defeated the serpent kaliya. Everyone enjoyed Krsna's dance on the expanded hoods of Kaliya after which Krsna bestowed his mercy on the serpent and sent him to Ramanak island. Whoever bathes in this lake can be freed from all vices and will attain the abode of Visnuloka if he dies there. That is confirmed in Adi Varaha Purana.
The twelve-lettered prayers of Sri Govinda give the greatest feeling of love. The first two letters are Kanibija and then Sri Krsnanaya. After the Govindaya and the last Savha. Then comes the Yugalatmaka Govinda mantra. First of all Laksmi bech, then Kama bech and then Napada Radha Govinday Vangmana. In the practice of these Yugamantras help one get the favor of both Radha and Krsna. The main powers behind the practice of these two mantras are the saint, Kamadev, the rhythm, virata and the deity Govinda and Radha Govinda. Radha the Lordess of Yogapatha is the principle power with six parts of the body and Kamabech.
The silent meditation of Govinda is as follows:
Glory to Govinda who is as beautiful as a new flower, the performer of immortal lilas who wears a dress of a wrestler. Glory to Govinda who holds the flute in one hand and a jewelled stick in the other, whose beautiful and broad shoulders are covered by a pure bright piece of yellow silk and who has charmed the world. He places his left leg over his right leg while standing in his three fold posture. Having finished this silent meditation one should recite the name of Hari four lakh times. Then one should offer flowers like champakam, asoka, tulsi, kalhara, and padma with til and perform ajyahoma obligations before Sri Govinda dev and Sri Radha. By these practices one will get darshan of Radha Govinda.
Sriman Madan Gopala also exists within Vrndavana. Gopala exists eternally as a boy and Govinda dev exists as a matured youth. In comparison to these two features Gopinath is the most beautiful. Gopal is of a calm but proud disposition; Govinda is of a calm and broad hearted disposition and Gopinath is of a calm and gentle disposition. Gopala is lion necked while Govinda stands in a three fold posture and Gopinath is a flirt with a broad chest. Gopinath, who is just emerging from childhood, resided in a cave at the boarder of Govardhan Hill, decorated with flowers where he sported during the three periods of the evening.
After that Sri Govinda who was matured and had been struck by Madana enjoyed the pleasure of these splendidly decorated Yogapatha. The virtues achieved after many years in different pithas can be attained in Vrndavana in one day. Yogapatha looks like the youthful sun in the morning who is beautiful during the subsequent periods. At noon it is like the bright young sun, in the afternoon like the leaf of a lotus and in the evening like the reddish glow from the heaps of sindhura (red dust). At night Yogapatha looks like the full cool moon and in the deep night it glows bluish like the Indranilamani. In the rainy season it looks like yellow grass glowing like a jewel and in the autumn and winter it resembles the glow of Padma Ranganami and in the winter like the glow of a diamond. In the spring it sparkles like new leaves and in the summer like the flow of nectar.
In all seasons Yogapatha provided enjoyment, surrounded by Asoka and other trees and decorated by various types of jewels, surrounded by Parvati, these are the eight names of the Yogapatha: Candravali, Duradharsa Radha Sauvagya, Mandira, Sri Ratnamandap, Sringar Mandap, Souvagya Mandap, Maha Madhuya Mandap, Samrajya Mandap and Surata mandap. Whoever recites the namastaka of the Yogapatha in the morning will attract Govinda deva and attain the love of Krsna. (Urdhanamya tantra)
"Whoever takes his bath in this lilasthan of mine, does homage to the Lord with water from this place, and worships me by fasting, remaining absorbed in my holy name, becomes free from all vices." (Srimad Bhagavatam)
The beauty of the Kadamba tree from which Krsna dove into the lake is described in the scriptures. "O Vishalakashi, the pundits have visualised many transcendental things in this place. The virtuous scented branches is situated on the East side of the Kaliya lake. In Bishalakshi, this charming and auspicious tree blooms throughout the twelve months of the year and brightens the whole world." (Adi Varaha Purana)
"This sin destroying holy place name Kali Tirtha is where Bhagavan Krsna danced on the head of Kaliya. Whoever worships Vasudeva by taking a bath in this holy place achieves the virtue of Krsna seva which is completely unobtainable by vile persons." (Sauy Purana)
Raghava then pointed out the Dvadashaditidya tirtha which according to the Puranas fulfills the desires of all men. "O Vasundhari, whoever takes a bath in Sarya tirtha gets the darshan of Aditya and goes to the abode of Suryaloka having had all his desires fulfilled. There is no doubt that whoever takes a bath in this holy place on the last day of the month on a Sunday gets the pleasure of having his desires fulfilled." (Adi Varaha Purana)
Pointing out one hill Sri Raghava told Srinivasa that after killing Kaliya in the Kali lake Krsna came to that place and when the Sun God saw Krsna shivering with cold he increased his heat to warm the Lord.
"I continually take shelter of the holy place Dvashashurya where beautiful Murari was stricken with cold and worshipped by twelve sons with great devotional love. Krsna lives gracefully there amidst the crowds of men, women and cows." (Stavavali)
