Newsletter November 2022

Hare Krishna dear Friends of Sri-Sri-Radha-Madana-Mohan

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

 

While we are writing this letter, two very sweet festivals, Dipavali and Govardhan-puja, are just about to happen. Dipavali is the festival of Dipas (Ghee-lamps), being lit to give pleasure to Giri-Govardhan on this dark-moon-day (Amavasya). – All around Giriraj are beautiful little lakes (kundas), which, on the day of Dipavali, are being decorated with hundreds and thousands of little ghee-lamps, alongside the stairs (ghats) of the kundas. When night time approaches, the lamps are lit and their flickering lights look like thousands of little sparks, dancing in a circle around the kundas, offering a heart-enchanting atmosphere to Giriraja, who is sitting right in the middle of all of these kundas, enjoying these beautiful, sweet offerings.



On Dipavali, a well-known Damodar-lila also took place, in Gokul, Mahavan. This pastime of the Lord attracts the hearts of all devotees and even gave its name to one whole month. No other pastime is present every year for so long in the minds of the devotees, like this one. Every day for one full month, the devotees sing the Damodarastakam-prayers and offer ghee-lamps to Yasoda-Damodar, in memory of that sweet pastime, praying that their love may become as strong as Mother Yasoda´s love for her son, in order to be able to bind Lord Damodar to their hearts too.

 

It was also on the day of Dipavali, when Lord Ramacandra came home to Ayodhya, together with His brother Laksman and His dear wife Sita Devi, after having been banished to the forest for 14 long years. Since it was pitch dark, due to the dark moon, the inhabitants of Ayodhya lit many, many lamps alongside the path, where Lord Ram would come.

 

After Dipavali-day, Govardhan-puja takes place. That is the day, when all the Vraja-Vasis (inhabitants of Vrindavan) happily prepare huge amounts of food-items to be offered to Giri Govardhan, the mountain who is known as Govardhan and who is none other than Krishna Himself. After having satisfied Giriraja’s immense appetite, all the Vraja-Vasis assemble for the first circumambulation of Govardhan-Hill (Govardhan-parikrama), guided by sweet little Krishna, who is walking in the front, playing on His flute. – Till today the devotees on that day go in big numbers on Govardhan-parikrama, circumambulating Giriraj, an about 23 km long walk along the dusty paths of Vrindavan. As it was then as it is also nowadays, these parikramas are highly joyful occasions. The devotees sing and dance in kirtan, locals sing their sweet songs such as “Radhe-Radhe-Syam-milade!” – “Oh, dear Srimati Radharani, please bring me to your beloved Syam,” or “Choti Choti Gaiya Chotay Chotay Gwaal - Chotoso Mero Madana Gopal…” – “Infront of the small, small cows is a small, small cowherd-boy, his name is Madana Gopal”.

 

If any of you has ever gone on such a Govardhan-parikrama, then go now there in your mind and follow that sweet little cowherd-boy. If you haven’t done a Govardhan-parikrama physically yet, then go on the internet and check the following video. There H.H. Bhakti Caitanya Swami is guiding us around Govardhan in a beautiful 1h24min-video.

 

 

Somehow or other let us fill our minds with the sweet Kartik-pastimes! As it is said in Bhagavad-Gita 10.9:

 

mac-cittā mad-gata-prāṇā - bodhayantaḥ parasparam

kathayantaś ca māṁ nityaṁ. - tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca

 

The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are fully devoted to My service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from always enlightening one another and conversing about Me.

 

Sri Giriraja Maharaja, ki jay!

 

Hare Krishna,

Your servants from Goloka Dhama Temple