Kaila Devi Mandir of Radhakund

Kaila Devi (Mahalaksmi) at Radhakund

 

Just a couple of hundred meters or so past the Radhakund riksha stand as you are going towards Govardhan one can find the Kaila Devi Mandir. I stopped in there for darshan tonight and took some photos. Kaila Devi is Mahalaksmi. I have a wonderful little book titled, Mother Durga which is written by Mahanambrata Brahmacari. The following text is taken from the second chapter called “Reality: Para Brahman & Para Shakti.”

This creation depends on and moves between dual principles of unity and multiplicity, which is a keynote of rishi culture. Para Brahman stands for unity and the Para Shakti constitutes the principle of multiplicity. Why should Para Brahman who is formless create this world of forms? Because he was compelled by his Para Shakti, who is essentially his potentiality and the ground underlying this expression of cosmic panorama is nothing save self-delight. Parananda–the outcome of profound intimacy and loving communion between Para Brahman and Para Shakti. 

Another significant function of Para Shakti consists in her merciful mediation between creator and created, God and man. Human personality is a wave of the ocean of power of spirit. Shakti is always near to mankind. One can feel the presence of power in oneself. She is the go-between—she takes man up to the divine and brings down His blessings and grace. This aspect of Para Shakti is called Yogamaya or Lila Shakti.

The seers have recognised four great aspects of the Para Shakti — Maheswari, Mahakali, Mahalaksmi, and Mahasaraswati. These powers bring with them wisdom, strength, harmony, and perfection unto us. Maheswari is the embodiment of all wisdom. She opens us to the supramental infinitude and cosmic vastness. Mahakali comprehends all strength. In her there are mighty possesions and force. Her anger is dreadful to the hostile. She is loved and worshipped by the devotees. Mahalaksmi is the fountainhead of all graceful charm and tenderness even as the sun is the source of light. A miraculous stream of entrancing ananda flows from her feet. She is the presiding deity of harmony and beauty. Mahasaraswati is the divine power of perfection. All other powers lean on her for completeness. For the fullness of creation Mahasaraswati is ready to face eternity. Through our unreserved surrender divine grace comes to us pouring. We receive it as luminous blessedness from Mahasaraswati. The gopis of Brindavan worshipped her for having Sri Krishna as their lover.

May She, Mahasaraswati, the deity of perfection, Sri Yogamaya of Brindavan, bring down for the weary world, the supramental region of the Lord of Love, Purusottama. May the great emancipation, Maha Uddharan of Bandhu Hari come down to us through the benignant grace of Para Shakti, Our Mother, Sri Durga.

Bodo Babaji, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, and the farmer’s son

 

The Bodo Babaji

Once during the middle of the month of Vaisakh in 1883 a farmer brought his dead son to Ramakrishna Paramhamsa at Dakshineswar Kali Temple. His son was dead because he was bitten by a king cobra in a nearby jungle. He was praying to Thakur Ramakrishna to help his son. Ramakrishna assured him, “Do not worry, wait a little bit. Someone will arrive soon and he will revive your son.”  Thakur Ramakrishna then ordered the farmer to keep his son’s dead body outside the door of the temple, and to cover it with new cloth and to place a full bowl of milk and a banana next to the body. Within a short while Sri Radharaman Charan Das Dev (Bodo Babaji) came with a large procession of Vaisnavas doing Nam Sankirtan. They were completely absorbed in chanting,

“Nitai Gaura Radhey Shyam 
Hare Krishna Hare Ram“

 

Bodo Babaji was wearing a Punjabi kurta made of fine silk with buttons made of gold, stylish shoes, and had a walking stick in hand. Bodo Babaji had a peculiar appearance but he was completely absorbed in kirtan and was totally unaware of his surroundings. Thakur Ramakrishna jumped up and garlanded him with a flower mala from Ma Kali and gave him a hug. Both went mad and exhibited asta-sattvika-vikara and fell unconscious. After sometime when they regained external consciousness Thakur Ramakrishna told Bodo Babaji Maharaja, “He has kept me here at Dakshineswar, has He kept you at Nadiya?” as if he knew Bodo Babaji for a long time. 

Thakur Ramakrishna told Bodo Babaji Maharaj, “For the reason He has sent you here, please finish that job”. In reply Bodo Babaji Maharaja said, “You can also do that, why you are asking me?” After a little quarrel over this issue ended Bodo Babaji Maharaj started kirtan. Everyone went mad. They started laughing and dancing with divine pleasure. The gold buttons flew off the body of Bodo Babaji along with his silk kurta and dhoti. Only his dor-kaupin remained. 

Suddenly a large king cobra appeared from the jungle and kissed the feet of the dead body of the farmer’s son and drank the milk with the banana. After that the snake made his exit towards the west, back into the jungle. The farmer’s son opened his eyes.  The kirtan went wild in ecstasy. Thakur Ramakrishna started laughing and clapping his hands like a child and shouted “Jai Ma Dayamayi!”

Charit Manjusha – 22

Siva Ratri

Kundesvar Mahadev–Radhakund

Nitai Gaura Radhey Shyam
Gauri Shankar Sita Ram

From Sankalpa Kalpadruma by Visvanath Cakravartipad: 

vRndAvanAvani-pate jaya soma soma-
maule sanandana-sanAtana-nAradeDya |
gopIzvara vraja-vilAsi yugAGghri-padme
prItiM prayaccha nirupAdhi namo namas te ||103||

 O hey husband of Uma, O hey Candrasekhara (one whose head is the residence of the moon)! O hey worshipable by Sananda, Sanatana and Narada Muni, O hey Gopisvara Siva! You are situated within the forest of Vrindavan. I offer my pranam to you. You please award me with causeless unconditional prema for the yugala Vraja-bihari, Sri Sri Radhe Shyam.

From Vraja Vilasa Stava by Raghunath Das Goswami:

mudA gopendrasyAtmaja bhuja pariSraGga nidhaye
sphurad gopIvRndair yam iha bhagavantaM praNayibhiH |
bhajadbhis tair bhaktyA svam abhilaSitaM prAptam
acirAd yamI-tIre gopIzvaram anudinaM taM kila bhaje || 87||

I daily worship Gopisvara Sadasiva, who was devotedly worshipped on the bank of the Yamuna by the loving gopis who desired the jewel-like embrace of the arms of Sri Krishna, the prince of Braja, and who thus swiftly attained their desired object.

And at the very end of the Srimad Bhagavatam this verse is found:

nimna-gAnAM yathA gaGgA
devAnAm acyuto yathA |
vaiSnavAnAM yathA zambhuH
purAnAnAm idam tathA ||12.13.16||

Just as the Ganga is the greatest of all rivers, Acyuta is the supreme among Divinities, and Sambu is the greatest Vaisnava, so is the Bhagavata  the greatest of all Puranas.

Jai Kundesvara Mahadev!

Jai Gopisvara Mahadev!

Tilak Tip

One problem with using Radhakund raj is that unless you have very dark skin it dries to a light gray color which is not very noticeable. I used to mix mine with Shyam Sri which solved the problem to a large extent, but I learned a better method. Binod Bihari Baba told me to mix my Radhakund raj with cini (sugar). Only a small amount is necessary. I joked with him saying, “Baba! Won’t that attract ants and flies?” He laughed and assured me that I would not have any insects on my face. Adding the sugar makes the raj turn black and shiny with a wet look to it.

Disappearance utsav at Prem Sarovar

Today was the disappearance utsav of Prabhupada Sri Sri 108 Tinkudi Goswami. I was invited a few weeks back by Binod Bihari Das Babaji to attend the utsav of his gurudeva which he held at Prem Sarovar. It was a picture perfect day for the festival. Karunakar Baba, Kishori Dasi, Radhika Devi and myself all went. We first stopped at Sriji Mandir. We were blessed with a special darshan. For some reason the deities were moved way forward so you could see Them up close and They were being offered chappan bhog. Aftter darshan we went to Prem Sarovar and were greeted cordially and immediately brought to see Binod Baba who smiled warmly and embraced me. He took me up a small hill and showed me the monument where Tinkudi Baba used to sit for bhajan. Prasad was soon served…a delicious feast of puri, sabzi, dal, kachori, gulabjamun, rasgulla, and the piece de resistance, dahi wada. We shared some nice katha with Binod Baba and he urged us to come see him soon at his ashram.

 

Tinkudi Baba's bhajan sthali

Another view of the bhajan sthali

The view of Prem Sarovar from the bhajan sthali

Binod Baba observing the seating of the sadhus

Binod Bihari Das Babaji outside his bhajan kutir

Binod Baba chatting with Radhika Devi and Sudevi Dasi