Sharing His Darśan of Śrī Vraja-dhām

It was my greatest fortune that Most Revered Gurudev gave me the golden opportunity of allowing me to associate with him during Kārtik from the year 1983 onwards. In 2002 Vraja-mandala parikramā,  I noted down a few pastimes which I will remember as follows:

His Divine Grace Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Gosvāmī Mahārāj reached Vṛndāvana on 14 October 2002 for the month-long Vraja-mandala parikramā.

Speaking on the subject "Who will show us Vraja-dhāma," Śrīla Guru Mahārāji said, "Only a tāttvika-vāsi like Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda can give us the knowledge of Vraja-dhāma." Quoting from Śrīla Prabhupād's discourses of the 1932 parikramā of Vraja-mandala,  Śrīla Guru Mahārāj explained the significance of doing circumambulation (parikramā) of Vraja-dhāma:

"This world is a perverted reflection of the spiritual world. All act as puruṣa and want to enjoy it and lord over others. If we want Śrī Kṛṣṇa to appear in our hearts, we will have to make our mind Vṛndāvana. Unless we do this, Śrī Kṛṣṇa will not appear. In Vṛndāvana, Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the only enjoyer and master. He is Puruṣottama, the highest person, all else are His prakṛti."

Śrīla Guru Mahārāj went on to describe how all the holy scriptures of India describe the glories of Vraja-mandala, the land where Śrī Kṛṣṇa appeared about five thousand years ago. Also known as Vraja-bhūmi,  the abode of Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the most sacred place of pilgrimage. Vraja, Mathura, and Vṛndāvana-dhāma not only refer to the place located in the cultural and linguistic region of Vraja situated on the banks of the Yamunā river in the present-day Uttar Pradesh (U.P, India) but, in the spiritual sense, this is the celestial transcendental abode (Goloka-dhāma) of the Supreme Personality of the Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

In the minds of devotees, there is no doubt that the spiritual abode of Kṛṣṇa, descended as earthly Vraja-mandala or Vraja-dhāma. This terrestrial dhāma is as much transcendental as the celestial abode.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said that just as Śrī Kṛṣṇa is worshipable, His abode, Vraja-mandala, is also worshipable. Even the trees, creepers, rivers, ponds, streets, etc. of Vraja-mandala are as worshipable as the Lord. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it has been stated, "Vṛndāvana-dhāma is non-different from Śrī Kṛṣṇa because the Name, Form, attributes, and the place where the Lord appears are all identical with the Lord."

In the words of the great Gauḍīya poet-sage, Śrī Kṛṣṇadas Kavirāja Gosvāmī, "Vraja-mandala manifests its true form only to those who look upon it with the eyes of love." We have to follow a pure devotee of Śrī Kṛṣṇa to get those eyes of love. Hearing from a bonafide sādhu is the best way of getting true knowledge of the abode of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Kārtik-vrata is an expression of spiritual Love; love that transcends mundane existence and transmits one to a higher level. This love can only manifest in the association of those who are pre-possessed with this divine love. There is no other way to get this transcendental divine love of the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa except the grace of a pure devotee.

Śrīmati Rādhārāṇī is also known as Ūrjeśvarī, is the presiding deity of the Kārtik, or Adhiṣṭhātṛ Devī of the Kārtik-Mas, according to Śrī Rupa Gosvāmī: nikhila-samaya-bhartuḥ kārtikasyādhidevīm ("Śrī Rādhikā-aṣṭakam.")

Śrī Dāmodar is the adhidevatā of the Kārtik-mas, also known as Dāmodar-mas. He accepts prayers only if Śrīmati Rādhā is also worshiped along with Him. Śrī Rādhā-Dāmodar, the are the presiding deities of the Kārtik.

Most Revered Guru Mahārāj, Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Gosvāmī Mahārāj revealed most confidential spiritual thoughts during Kārtik. Here are some quotes that were recorded:

“Vraja-mandala parikramā is to be performed with caution. We should pray for the grace of vraja-vāsi, we should be careful in our behavior with them."

"Remember that we are moving on the transcendental body of the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa (Vraja-dhāma).”

"In Vraja-mandala parikramā, everything depends upon the guidance of a pure devotee, the real inhabitant of the Vraja-dhām. A vraja-vāsi, in essence a tāttvika vraja-vāsi."

"A yātrī or a pilgrim can have the real darśan or revelation of the Vraja-dhām only through the process of following the foot-steps of a pure devotee – following means hearing about the glories of Vraja-dhām from him.

"Kaan dai sunte habe, dekhate have." Guru Mahārāj always quoted the example of the quality of inquisitiveness of Parīkṣit Mahārāj, who incessantly listened to Bhāgavatam from Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī, with full attention and concentration.

Gurudev took a lot of pain in showing us the holy places and temples, explaining their spiritual significance and historical significance.

While speaking, Gurudev would take care of everyone in the audience, speaking in different languages. Gurudev would speak in English for the lone devotee, looking at Vṛndāvana das, he said, “One Russian devotee is also performing Vraja-mandala parikramā. It is difficult for him to understand Bengali or Hindi.” When other devotees heard Gurudev speaking in English, they looked at Vṛndāvana das.

While moving from one temple to the next, Gurudev always asked for the well-being of the last person in the entourage. Then only after getting the reply in the affirmative, he would proceed further.

Almost every component of the Vraja-mandala parikramā's administration was looked after by Gurudev. This continued throughout the whole of Kārtik. Performing all these duties, Gurudev drenched us in the ambrosia of kṛṣṇa-prem, manifested in His sankīrtan while leading the group in the paths of Vraja-dhām. Gurudev raised both hands and jumped in ecstasy while dancing in the nagar-kīrtan.

It was a big challenge for me to keep on holding the microphone for him. I'd hastily chase him while his nṛtya-sankīrtan was on! Gurudev never used to give any attention to the microphone, as if there was no microphone. It brought me physically in His close proximity and I felt surcharged, sometimes electrified, and even got shocked! I have no words to describe what really I felt, but I felt a kind of bliss.  Gurudev was taking care that I do not get exhausted. He would ask me if I had taken prasād, water, etc. In between the strenuous yatra routine, Gurudev’s signature humor imparted a freshness on our sweating faces. Whatever was going on was not of this world.

–Rasavihari Das, Jammu