Panduranga - 3

      Radhekrishna! We saw that the king realised the greatness of the Guru. He now approached the Lord and fell at His feet.The king held on to the feet of the deity and cried. He was moved by the Lord's mercy and beauty. He was reluctant to be separated from Him. He pleaded with Panduranga to come with him. Panduranga was moved by his devotion and agreed to go with him to Vidyaranyanagaram. The king took the Lord with him back to his country. 

      Now this was something the people of Pandarpur never expected. They were shocked at the The whole town of Pandarpur cried. We have become orphans now. What mistake have we done to dessert us like this, they cried. Many devotees went to Vidyaranyanagaram trying to bring back Panduranga. But the king firmly held the Lord with his devotion. So they had to settle down there for His sake. At last a great mahan happened to come to Pandarpur. To his surprise there was no presence of the Lord in the temple. He enquired and the people told him everything. Pandarpur with out Panduranga looked deserted and empty. All of them were living with a hope that He will be back here some day. Seeing their plight the mahan started for Vidyaranyanagaram.

         He saw that the King had kept the Lord in his palace itself. He was doing all services to the deity with great love. The mahan understood that it would be very difficult to move Panduranga from this place. He began to chant continuously in his heart. With great fervor he began to chant Panduranga. At night he reached in front of the temple. He found that the doors were kept open. He walked straight inside and stood in front of Panduranga. Panduranga smiled at him as if to say ‘ah have you come at last?’ The mahan burst out to the Lord. ‘You are not fair in asking that question having left your place. What have you done to the poor devotees who were so much attached to you?  Don’t you know they have nobody else but you? How much faith they had in you? Is it fair on your part o have deserted them like this? Even a grass blade there is feeling your absence very much. Now You start immediately to Pandarpur.’ He was firm in his demand.  Panduranga replied that the king’s devotion has tied Him up here. The Brahmin retorted that he knew Bhagavan’s tricks. “You only give devotion, You only make somebody do something and finally You put the blame on poor devotees. Enough of your pranks! Now behave yourselves and come back!’

    The Lord revealed His helplessness. He had promised the king that He would leave the country if the king did any sin. Until then He would remain there only. The king was very careful and never did any mistake at all! The Lord gave the Brahmin a diamond necklace He was wearing and asked him to go back. The mahan started non stop chanting of the nama and went away to a dark corner in the town. Dawn came. The king walked in, removed the nirmalya flowers from the deity. Suddenly he noticed that a diamond necklace was missing from the Lord’s chest. He was very much upset and immediately started enquiry. Someone informed him that a Brahmin had come here very late the previous night. The king immediately ordered for a search around to bring the Brahmin in. The Brahmin was found out and brought before the king. The king saw the Brahmin was wearing the diamond necklace on his chest. Enraged the king immediately ordered him to be killed. There was no enquiry on the matter.

       The culprit would be made to sit on a sharp wooden sword. The weight of the body would pull down the sword inch by inch, until the body is cut into two. The most terrible way to die was sentenced for the Brahmin. The Brahmin was locked up in the jail. Before he was hanged the sentry asked him if he had some last wishes. The Brahmin said he wanted to meet the one who was behind pushing him into the jail. Surprised by his answer the man asked who that person was. The Brahmin replied that it was only Panduranga in the King’s palace who was responsible for pushing him into jail. According to his last wish he was taken into the temple. He stood in front of Panduranga and said “Panduranga! I cant understand this leela of yours. Whatever be it I pray only that Your form should be in my eyes till I close them. I shouldn’t forget this divine form at the time of terrible pain. I don’t feel sorry that I am being punished for wearing Your diamond necklace. I am only happy to be a part of your divine leela”

        So saying he prostrated before the deity.  Pandurangan could feel tears welling up in His eyes. The Brahmin was brought to the gallows and made to sit on the sharp wooden sword. He kept on chanting the nama. To the utter surprise of everybody the wooden sword started growing leaves and branches holding the body of the Brahmin up. Bewildered the guards ran to the king and informed him. He rushed to the spot and released the Brahmin from his ties. He enquired who he was. The Brahmin replied the same Panduranga who had come with him had brought him to this place. He only gifted his necklace to him. Otherwise the Brahmin had no need for a diamond necklace in his life. Seeing the brahmin’s face the king realised he had made some mistake. He took the Brahmin to Panduranga. The Lord smiled at them and told the king that He was now leaving. Bewildered the king asked why He wanted to leave him. The Lord replied that the king had promised to Him that if he made some mistake the Lord can go back. The king understood His trick and pleaded why He enacted the whole drama. The Lord replied that though the King’s devotion tied Him down here, the people of Pandarpur were very much upset over His long absence. Moreover Rukmini devi too was praying repeatedly to come back. Unless the king made some mistake He couldn’t leave this country as promised. So He planned this divine leela. He blessed the king to spend the rest of his life in His divine memories.Radhekrishna! Radhekrishna!

Panduranga - 2

       Radhekrishna! In the last issue we saw that for the sake of his bhaktha, Pundalika, Bhagavan stayed in Pandarpur in all His ‘sowlabhya’ meaning simplicity. Anybody who goes there can go near Him and touch. The place where the Lord asked the gopas to wait is now known as Gopalpuri now.

We can enjoy Panduranga with all our five senses in Pandarpur. We can see Him, we can hear Him everywhere around, we can taste Him in the form of prasadam, we can smell Him in the flowers offered to Him, and we can touch Him with our hands too. The only place where we can enjoy the Lord by touch! His form is very much bewitching for the eyes.

        His lotus feet seem as if pearls and corals are set around the fingers. The ankles are beautiful with the golden anklets. The golden peetambara slightly covers the knee and below. Both His hands are kept on the hip. Some say that His peetambaram has loosened and He is holding it with both His hands! The wide chest is decorated with a variety of gold and diamond chains. Tulasi and other garlands also rest over there in pride. He has a beautiful slender neck. The lips give out a secret smile. The nose is very long. The lotus eyes look half closed, half open. The forehead is adorned with a wide gopi tilak which looks inverted.  The golden crown spreads great luster around. Whoever sets his eye on Him will fall in love at the first sight itself. Such a fascinating deity!

      Once a Brahmin from Paithan was very much devoted to Panduranga. He always kept changing the name of Panduranga. He once wanted to conduct a yaga. The sasthras say that a Brahmin should conduct yagas.  This Brahmin roamed around to collect money for the yaga. He reached Vidyaranyanagaram. He approached the king of the place and asked for help. The king enquired the Brahmin about Pandaripuram. The Brahmin was very happy to talk about his Lord. With closed eyes he told the king that Panduranga is a powerful deity. He has a golden crown with gems studded.  The cow Kamadhenu is giving milk for the Lord. All the thirty three crores devas are doing service (kainkaryam) there. The temple pillars are made of pure gold. The flooring is of coral. The doors are made of prescious pearls etc etc. The houses in the street resemble palaces. It is almost like Vaikunta only. There is no sorrow, hunger or pain.

        The king laughed and said he couldn’t believe a word of what the Brahmin was telling. He said the golden pillars, coral flooring, pearl doors, golden peeta, palace like houses etc etc., were all his imagination only and it can never be true. The Brahmin made a promise that what he said was all true. He was prepared to show the king the truth now itself. So the king and the Brahmin started for Pandarpur immediately. Nearing the town the king teased the Brahmin again telling him if he cannot show the golden temple and palaces he will be beheaded. The Brahmin silently prayed to Lord Panduranga. “Oh Lord you, as antharyami have showed me the golden city of Pandarpur and prompted me to tell about it. Now it is your duty to prove it.”  The king believed that there is no chance of such a place to be present in the earth.

       They neared the Chandrabhaga. The king enquired the Brahmin how far they had to go yet. The Brahmin said that they have neared. The king got down from the chariot and looked forward. He was stunned by what he saw. The city was bright like the sun even from a distance. It was shining with a blinding luster. As he neared he could see the palaces made of gold. He could see the coral streets also. There was no need for sunrise at all. He couldn’t take off his eyes. All around it was full of divinity. The chanting of nama filled the atmosphere. As he neared the temple he could see what the Brahmin told was true. In the golden temple he saw the Lord Vital smiling mischievously at him. The king cried out aloud ‘Vital’! The brahmin’s implicit faith showed the king the true form of the place.

Next moment everything became very normal. It was an ordinary river with villagers bathing their cows in it. The streets were strewn with cowdung and other junks. The king realised that it was the greatness of the Brahmin that gave this great vision. He realised the power of Pandarinath. He fell down on the feet of the Brahmin.Without this guru could he have dreamt of seeing the glorious Pandarpur?!?! Radhekrishna!

Panduranga - 1

Kaduvinai kalayalakum kamanai payantha kalai

Itavagai kontathu enbar ezhil ani ananthapuram

Patam udai aravil palli payindravan padam kana

Natamino namarkal ulleer nam Makarios chonnom.

       Radhekrishna!  Here in Thiruvananthapuram, it is Lord Krishna who is present in a lying posture.  It is our little Krishna but in a big form.  He is holding a lotus flower in His left hand playfully.  Kama was burnt down to ashes by Lord Siva.  Krishna gave him a form and was born as Pradyumna, Krishna’s son.  Nammazhvar says that we can throw away all our sins as trash, if we enter Thiruvananthapuram.  It is a very beautiful place, he says as Bhuvanasundara, is lying here on Adi Sesha. Adi Sesha has raised five of his hoods as an umbrella for Bhagavan – ‘patam udai aravil’. Adi Sesha is enjoying Bhagavan happily.  If we surrender to those lotus feet of Pathmanabha then all our sins would be washed away easily.  Nammazhvar says if we start walking towards Thiruvananthapuram then with each step we take, our sins get burnt down.

        Once Sri Alavanthar visited Thiruvananthapuram. He saw the lotus feet, and thirunabhi through the two doors. He refused to look at the face because he felt he was not qualified for that! Pathmanabha is premaswaroopa. Alavanthar said only gopis had the right to look at His face. This premaswaroopa, standing with both hands on His hips is Panduranga! In Thiruvananthapuram one has to look at the Lord through three doors. The same Krishna, whom you are not able to see properly in Thiruvananthapuram, stands in Pandarpur beckoning us to touch His feet. This is the only place where one can enjoy the Lord by touch. Panduranga is wonderful. He poses as Rajadhiraja spreading a charming smile, welcoming the bhakthas, giving assylum to all who touch the holy feet.

Pundalika sarika bhaktha nahi, Pandari sarika kshethra nahi

Vitoba sarika daiva nahi, Thukkaram sarika sadguru nahi

There is no bhaktha to equal Pundalika for whose sake bhagavan came to this place.  Pandarpur is also a place unequalled since bhagavan Himself came there. Vitoba or Panduranga too is unique, since He is sowlabhya moorthy.  It was Lord Dwarakanatha who came here to see Pundalika. In this temple bhajan goes on and on by devotees. For their sake Krishna has taken his abode here. Here rituals or customs are not given much importance. Only devotion is needed. Anybody can go and touch His lotus feet. Nowhere else is this grace available! And there is no sadguru to equal Thukkaram.

        Bhagavan says “Naa ham vasaami Vaikunte, na yogi hrudaye ravau, mad bhaktha yathra gaayanthi thathra thishtami Narada”  “Hey Narada I am not present in Vaikunta, or in the heart of great Yogis. I am present where my devotees sing about me.” Numerous stories are there about the origin of this Kshethra. One of them goes as follows. Once while in Dwaraka Bhagavan was very much pained in viraham or separation from Radhika Rani. Radhika Rani immediately rushed to His presence. Both of them moved to a secluded place. Rukmini devi happened to see them together accidentally. She became upset by what she saw. She felt sorry that she has not yet attained the divine bhakthi of Radhika Rani. Immediately she left Dwaraka and went away to do penance to attain the state of Radhika Rani.

        Bhagavan, as also others in Dwaraka felt her absence very much. Bhagavan took some yadavas with Him and they all set out in search of her. They roamed around villages, towns, hills everywhere. At last they reached a forest. Suddenly the gopas could feel the mother’s presence there. Krishna asked them to wait there and Himself went deep inside the forest. At last He reached where Rukmini was doing penance. Bhagavan stood in front of her with both His hands on His hip. He teasingly said “hey Rukmini do you think only you can do penance? I can also do penance do you know?” Seeing His posture Rukmini couldn’t control herself and laughed aloud. His form was fascinating for her. Both of them stood there staring at each other for a long time lost in themselves.

        Pundalika was the only son of his parents. He ill treated his parents at their old age. He used to hurt them with harsh words. The blow from tongue is more fatal than the blow from a knife, it is said. Elders should never be hurt by harsh words. It is a great sin. Youngsters should take great care in using proper words. They should never use improper words. Fed up with their son’s behaviour they decided to leave the house and go to Kashi to leave their lives there. Hearing this, the son also wanted to go to Kashi with his wife. Both of them climbed on a horse and followed the old couple. With great difficulty they walked the distance. They would stop their journey in the evening and spend the nights in some villages. Pundalika tortured them by asking them to wash the horse, feed it etc. They bore everything patiently.

        One night they stayed near a Rishi’s ashram. In the late hours of night Pundalika happened to notice some ugly looking women getting into the ashram. Entering the ashram they began to do chores like cleaning the surroundings, drawing water from the well, making rangoli in the front courtyard, cleaning vessels etc. Pundalika saw that as they were doing these chores their looks also kept changing. When they came out of the ashram they had gained wonderful forms and they left. Pundalika couldn’t make out what was happening. He doubted he was dreaming. But he knew that he was awake. His mind kept thinking of the strange phenomenon again and again. He wanted to find out the truth and so stayed there next day also. At night he saw the same women coming as ugly as earlier and leaving in divine forms. He rushed to the women and asked them who they were and why their forms changed like this. They answered him that they were the great rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati.

          Taken aback by this revelation he asked why their form was so ugly when they entered the ashram. They replied that since numerous sinners throw away their sins in the rivers they become very ugly. All the sins of the world make them ugly. To relieve themselves off the sins and to regain their good looks they are daily coming and doing service to Kukkuda Rishi who was in the ashram. Hearing this, a great change came over Pundalika. He knew he too was a sinner and felt ashamed of himself. When the day dawned Pundalika entered Kukkuda Rishi’s ashram. He fell at the Rishi’s feet. The Rishi smiled and enquired why he had come there. Pundalika replied that he happened to see the deities of the three rivers come there and get purified by doing service.

        The Rishi said to him that it was people like him who spoil the rivers by their sins. Pundalika was thoroughly taken aback. He asked the Rishi why he was calling Pundalika a sinner. The Rishi told him that he knew that Pundalika was ill-treating his parents which was a great sin. His mother had carried him in her womb for 9 months. Can he ever repay her love? He also reminded him that old age was imminent for him also. At lease Pundalika’s parents had one son. But he had no issues at all. Who will look after him? Pundalika felt as if a great blow was given to him. He realised the truth and repented very much. He rushed to his parents and fell at their feet. He seeked their apologies. The old couple could not make out what was happening. They felt sorry that their son was crying. They caressed his head and consoled him.

          Pundalika and his wife now changed completely started a new life serving the parents with great care and love. He dropped the idea of visiting Kashi. Instead he found satisfaction in serving his parents. He never thought that he was doing a great service to his parents. That humility made him win in his life. Life was going on like that for them. Bhagavan Krishna who was also in the same area happened to hear about Pundalika’s service to his parents. He wanted to meet Pundalika in person and so one day came to his hut. Pundalika was doing some service to his parents. He saw that somebody has come at his door but since he was busy he asked Him to wait outside. As there was no proper furniture to offer he threw two bricks towards Krishna and asked Him to be seated on that. It is said that Lord Indira due to some curse had come as a brick and so had the fortune of carrying the Lord in his body. Krishna accepted Pundalika’s offer and stood over the bricks with both His hands on His hips.

        After finishing his duties Pundalika along with his family came outside to see who had come. He saw Lord Dwarakadeesa waiting patiently on a brick for him. He shone like a precious stone full of luster. Pundalika shed tears of joy. He prostrated before him. The Lord’s mercy was unbearable for him.

“Prabho! How could you think of me a mean creature who has sinned a lot?” he asked. Bhagavan replied “I am very much pleased by your devoted service to your parents! I wish to give you something. Tell me what would you want from me?”

Pundalika replied “Please stay here forever for the sake of innumerable sinners like me!”

Bhagavan readily agreed and became a deity. Rukmini also joined Him. “Vittu” in Marathi means brick. ‘Ba’ means father. Since He is standing on the Vittu Bhagavan came to be called as ‘Vittoba’.  Vittu also means Vishnu. The Bhima river was flowing in the place. She curved herself like a half moon for the temple to be built. She became famous as Chandrabhaga from then onwards. Lakhs of devotees visit this place throughout the year. On Ekadasi days the crowds surges like high tide. We will see the greatness of Panduranga and Pandarpur in the coming issues. Radhekrishna! Radhekrishna!

Srinathji - 16

Yaani thvath charithamruthani rasanalehyani dhanyathmanam

Ye vaa chaapala shaishava vyathikaraa radhaparadhonmukha:

Yaa vaa bhaavitha venu geetha gathayo leela mukhamboruhe

Dhara vahikaya vahanthu hrudaye thanyeva thanyeva mei.

          Oh Krishna! Only the blessed ones enjoy the divine taste of Your leelas in their tongue. Let there be a spontaneous flow of Your strange leelas with Radha Rani,  waves of sweet music from the flute in Your lotus like face, in my heart. Thus says Sri Leela Sukar in his Krishna Karnamritham. 
      Once there was a great mahathma called Hariraya. He used to sing bhajans in praise of the Lord and many people gathered to hear his bhajans. A princess also used to attend the bhajan sessions. Some how she got attracted to Hariraya's physical appearance. She expressed her desire to him without any hesitation. Hariraya felt sympathy for her.  With prayers to Srinathji he asked her one night to come to his room. On entering the room Hariraya asked her to first prostrate before Srinathji kept on his lap.  When she got up she saw not Hariraya there but Yasoda matha with her son little Krishna on her lap. She was breast feeding her son covered by her saree. The little lotus feet kept peeping out of her saree. Droplets of milk was trickling out through the saree. The princess was stunned by what she saw. In a moment the scene vanished and she saw Hariraya sitting with Srinathji on his lap. She realised the truth and fell down at his feet. He gave her nama upadesa. She chanted the nama and ultimately realised the Lord.
        Srinathji's greatness and grace is endless. Numerous devotees have experienced His grace.  There was a King who became so devoted that he threw away even his kingdom for the sake of Srinathji. He ultimately merged with the Lord. This seven year old boy is a source of attraction for many. There was one Nandadas who used to sing on Lord Srinathji. Once King Akbar happened to hear Tansen sing one his songs. The king was so attracted by the bhava in the song that he wanted to meet the great devotee. But unfortunately before the king could meet him the mahathma left his body. Sri Vittalnath also merged himself in the Govardhana mountain.
        Originally Srinathji was in Brindavan only. It was in 1627 that Srinathji left Brindavan and reached Rajasthan. Tales run around that it was due to Muslim attack etc that the temple was shifted. But the truth is Bhagavan was attracted by Meera matha's pure devotion and so only settled in Rajasthan. Today the place is called Nathdwara. It is near Udaipur. The followers of Pushti marg worship Srinathji only. Holi, Diwali, Janmashtami etc are celebrated in a grand scale here. It is indeed a great blessing to visit Nathdwara and have darsan of Lord Srinathji. With sincere prayers one can attain this fortune. Do pray sincerely and enjoy the Lord. Radhekrishna! Radhekrishna!

Srinathji -15

Mukulaayamaana nayanaambujam vibho

Murali ninada makaranda nirbharam

Mukuraayamaana mrudu ganta mantalam

Mukha pankajam manasi mei vijrumbhathaam.

       Radhekrishna! 'Let the lord's eyes which resemble lotus buds, soft and mirror like cheeks, lotus like face filled with the honey of venu ganam (flute) appear in my mind' prays Leela Sukar in Krishna Karnamritham.

        We saw in the last issue that a  Muslim merchant became devoted to Lord Srinathji simply by hearing His leelas. He reached Brindavan in search of the Lord and was not allowed to go inside the temple to see the Lord. He pleaded with the Govardhana mountain to let him go inside the temple. He kept begging at the people who passed that way to tell Srinathji about himself and seek His permission to let him see the Lord. Raskhan forgot everything, his family, his business and everything. He had only one goal in his life now - to see Srinathji! At a certain stage it was impossible for him to spend even a minute without seeing the Lord. 

      Lord Srinathji decided that Raskhan was now mature enough to receive His blessings. He sent Sri Vittalnath to Raskhan. Seeing Vittalnath coming out Raskhan came rushing towards him and fell down at his feet. He begged the sadguru to show him the Lord. He was sorry that he had not enough devotion. Even then with the sadguru's blessings he can have darsan of the Lord. He begged with Vittalnath with tears in his eyes. Vittalnath was moved by his devotion and took hold of Raskhan's hand. 
'Hey Raskhan! Come with me. I will take you to Lord Srinath.'

Ras: 'Ah. What do you say? Do you say that I can come inside the    
       temple and have Srinathji's darsan?
Vitta: 'Of course! Only you deserve His darsan my boy!'
Hearing this Raskhan was overwhelmed with happiness and jumped up. Full of excitement he began to pull Vittalnath inside. Now it was the turn of other devotees to stare at Raskhan with wonder. Nobody could stop him since he was with Sri Vittalnath. Vittalnath made him stand before the deity and asked him to look at the Lord. Raskhan was wonderstruck. The Lord appeared as much as the 'pouranika' had described. He could see the actual 'neela bala', who was chubby, with curly hair, red lips, lotus like hands feet and eyes, exactly as the 'pouranika' had described. Tears ran down his cheeks. He was excited and cried out 'I have seen the neela bala'. 
    The Lord became happy with Raskhan's devotion. That is what is needed. Nobody else need to acknowledge our devotion but Bhagavan. Our devotion should be such that Bhagavan is pleased with us. What more do we need!  Raskhan settled there in Brindavan itself worshiping the Lord for the rest of his life. No need to say that he finally attained the Lord Himself. The Lord has no discrimination at all. He loves those who love Him. Raskhan loved Srinathji so much that he entirely forgot his family, assets, business etc. Pleased with his love the Lord took him. These great devotees teach us how our devotion should be. They teach us the purpose of our life itself! Radhekrishna! Radhekrishna!

Srinathji - 14

Madhurathara smithamrutha vimugdha mukhamburuham 

Madhasikhi pinchalanchitha manogya kacha prachayam 

Vishaya vishaamisha grasana grudhnushi chethasi mei 

Vipula vilochanam kimapi dhaama chakasthi chiram!

         'The beautiful lotus like face with the nectar of thy sweet smile, pleasing curly hair, wide eyes, the lustrous form which cannot be explained with words, shines in my heart which is ready to swallow the poison of worldly matters' says  Leela Suka in Krishna Karnamritham.
         Radhekrishna! For the sake of His bhakthas Lord Srinathji becomes very simple and approachable!  Another of His divine leelas! Once a gem merchant came to Mathura for selling his precious gems. He was a muslim named Raskhan! He saw a good crowd and thought that he could find a good market there. Some discourse was going on and the crowd had gathered for that only. Since he wanted to meet some prospective customers he sat in a corner and was forced to hear what the 'pauranika' was saying. Fortunately at that time the pauranika was in the midst of describing Lord Krishna! He explained in detail how the Lord took the Govardhana mountain in His hand and saved the people of vraja.
         The pauranika was able to bring a clear picture of the scene. Raskhan was very much fascinated with the 'little cowherd boy with the flute'! He wondered whether there really was a blue hued boy. After the upanyas was over everybody but Raskhan left the place. The pauranika noted him and asked why he was still sitting there. He could make out that the man was a muslim. Raskhan came to him with folded hands and said that his description of the blue boy fascinated him very much. He wanted to know if he can meet the boy in person. The pauranika replied that he can very well meet the boy in Brindavan. "If you cross the Yamuna and go that side you can meet Him" he said. "Where and how will He be?" asked Raskhan. 
 "At times He would be dressed like a cowherd boy with a turban tied over His head. At times He would be playing on the sands of the bank of Yamuna with cowherd boys. Sometimes He would be playing a flute. Sometimes He would be sitting on the branch of a tree carrying with Him the Gopis' dresses" said the pauranika.
'How can I find Him'? asked Raskhan.
' He will be available for only those whom He permits to see.'
Raskhan immediately rushed towards Brindavan. He ran here and there searching for Krishna asking everybody he met on his way. At last he reached near the Govardhana mountain. Somebody informed him that Krishna was standing with the Govardhana mountain on His hand inside the temple.  Excitedly he rushed towards the temple. But he was stopped outside by the security people. They would not allow him inside since he was a muslim. Only Hindus were allowed inside the temple they said. Heart broken he cried and cried. He pleaded with them to let him see the 'blue boy' at least once. But he was denied permission. In terrible agony he kept crying in front of the temple. He forgot his family, his profession, his relatives and everything. His mind was now fully occupied with the blue boy only. He kept crying out 'Neela bala, Neela bala'! Sri Vittalnath was at that time inside the temple watching everything. But he did not interfere or utter a word. He looked at the Govardhana mountain and pleaded 'giri raja giri raja'! Whenever somebody passed that way he would rush to them and request them to tell Srinathji that a good for nothing, mean destitute was waiting outside to have His darsan. 
Will Raskhan's wish be fulfilled? Wait and see in the next issue. Till then do keep chanting the Lord's name ! Radhekrishna! Radhekrishna!

Srinathji - 13

Bhasatham bhava bhayaika bheshajam

Maanase mama muhur muhur muhur

Gopavesha upasedusha svayam

Yaapi kaapi ramaneeyatha vibho!

     'Let the only remedy for the dread of samsara (material world), which is the inexplicable, and wonderful beauty of Sri Krishna, who Himself has taken the role of a cowherd boy, shine forth in my mind again and again and again' prays Leela Suka in his Krishna Karnamritham.

            Radhekrishna! Wonderful are the leelas of Lord Srinathji! Once a servant in the temple of Srinathji happened to go to Kasi kshethra. There was a famous devotee called Paramananda in Kasi who used to conduct bhajan sessions in his place. Big crowds used to gather for his bhajans. The man who worked under Vallabhacharya went there hearing the bhajans. He sat among the devotees and joined in the singing. 

         Suddenly Paramananda got up and kept staring at the servant of Vallabhacharya. The man didn't understand anything. After staring for sometime with folded hands he came towards the man. Seeing that panic seized him. He could not at all understand why Paramananda was coming towards him an ordinary man. Paramananda stood before the man and humbly enquired who he was. The man asked why he was asking that. Paramananda again asked him who he was. He said he was a humble servant of Vallabhacharya. Hearing this Paramananda prostrated before him. The man was shocked and jumped away asking why he was doing like this. 

      Paramananda replied that little Krishna was playing on his lap! Though the man was unaware of it Paramananda could see with his own eyes! Just because the man had some connection with Vallabhacharya, Srinathji was sitting on his lap and eating butter. He was wonderstruck at this leela. Then what would be the greatness of Swami Vallabhacharya, he wondered. He left everything that moment and proceeded to meet Vallabhacharya. He surrendered to Vallabhacharya completely and begged for his grace. In the course of time it is said Vallabhacharya blessed him with Srinathji's darsan. Ultimately he attained moksha!

        In the lineage of Vittalnath came Hariraya another staunch devotee of Srinathji. Like his predecessors he too worshipped the Lord in vathsalya bhava. Daily night Srinathji was led to His sayana griham, which was a little away from the sanctum. They have to pass through an open space to reach there. Daily silk carpets were spread on the path for Srinathji. One day there was heavy rain. Due to the heavy rains carpets were not spread that day to avoid getting spoiled. Lord Srinathji was taken to the sayana griham and left there as usual. Hariraya returned to his place and was lying down thinking of Srinathji. 

       Suddenly he heard somebody knock at his door. Wondering who might be at this hour of night he hurriedly got up and opened the door only to find little Srinath standing there! Surprised he asked the Lord why He had come there. Srinathji didn't answer him but went inside and sat on Hariraya's bed which was an old jute sack. Hariraya was confused so asked Srinathji why He came there. Srinathji :- Come and lie down here amma!

Hariraya obeyed Him. Srinathji lied down hugging him. He put His 
leg on Hariraya trying to sleep!

Hariraya:- Why didn't you go to sayana griham my child? What 

                 happened?  Couldn't you sleep there?

Srinathji:- Oh Amma you know I have to walk through sandy 
                ground to reach there!

Hariraya:- Yes my child! But for that we have arranged for silk  

                carpets to be spread on the ground.

Srinathji:- True! But the pujaris hadn't spread it fearing it might get 

                spoiled. They do not want the botheration of washing it.
                I didn't want to get my feet spoiled by wet mud. So I 
                didn't go.
Hariraya could not help but laugh aloud. Srinathji had come all the way to his home in wet mud only. He took Srinathji on his hip, cleaned the lotus feet with his angavasthram and carried Him towards the temple. He woke up the pujaris, made arrangements for spreading the silk carpets and left Srinathji on His bed. Such is the sowlabhya or simplicity of Lord Srinathji towards His bhakthas! Radhekrishna! Radhekrishna!