Govardhan Parikrama-July 29, 2008

While I was giving the courses at the summer camps in Europe I was thinking
of my upcoming retreat at Govardhan. Govardhan for me is my real home. I
have never felt like this anywhere else. The most beautiful thing I have
ever seen is Govardhan.

To deal with the separation while I am serving around the world, I take my
Radha Giridhari Govardhan Silas. I remember the pastime of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu giving a Govardhan sila to Raghunatha das Goswami along with
gunja berries (representing Srimati Radharani). This Sila was bathed
regularly by Lord Caitanya’s tears. In fact It was always moist from those
tears.

While chanting the Lord would put the necklace of gunja berries around His
neck. He would put the Sila on the top of His head, and sometimes smell It.

Lord Caitanya told Raghunatha to worship Govardhan in pure goodness with
just a jug of water and a few Tulasi flowers. On each side of the Sila there
should be eight tulasi flowers with two leafs attached.

It is said that when Raghunatha das worshipped the Silas the amount of bliss
that he achieved by this simple process was overwhelming.

Govardhan is directly the body of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna.

When I first got the Silas I thought that I would not have time for worship
as my schedule was very busy. In fact I planned to give them to some worthy
householder. The Silas came by Their own sweet desire.

I was riding on a motor cycle right next to Govardhan and noticed that
something was shinning and calling me to stop. I told the driver to stop and
there was Govardhan and near him was Radharani. I knew They wanted to come,
but I had plans to give Them away.

One may question how I could take Govardhan. One should get the permission
of a resident of Govardhan or leave the weight in gold of the Sila. I
considered myself a resident since I now have a house at Govardhan (by the
mercy of my dear disciples here who actually own the house, but they got it
because of their Bhakti and desire to serve me).

What happened is that I got so attached to Govardhan that I could not give
Them away when the time came. They became my constant companions.

In most places I put Them on the altar of the local temple and have the
local devotees get Their mercy. But at the camps in Serbia and Croatia
Govardhan had another plan to draw out my devotion more.

In Serbia I was staying at the house of some dear disciples some distance
from the camp. So I kept Them at the house and every day I would bring Them
to hear my seminar! They certainly had some good laughs at me. Of course I
also performed the puja for Them where I was staying.

In Croatia I tried to put Them on the altar as I was staying nearby. I
thought one of my disciples could care for Them. They made a trick. Somehow
or other They indicated to me that They would not be safe in the tent that
served as a temple for all the devotees, so there I was with Them in my
little hotel room. They stayed on the table right next to my bed and daily I
served Them with Tulasi leafs and bhoga. This was quite an intimate
experience for me with Them.

After I woke up and showered I would wake Them up before going to the temple
and change Their water. I would come back, bathe Them, paint Them, make
Their offering and take Their remnants. The room was small so it was like
taking prasadam with my true friends in the same room.

My attachment grew to the point that whenever I took a walk to the camp (10
minute walk), I would grab whatever flowers I could find for Them. I was
tempted to enter people’s yards to get flowers but I never did this. So
every morning I was decorating Them opulently with flowers and making a
flower crown for Radharani.

Then at night, I would put Them to bed, say goodnight, and turn off the
light and take rest myself remembering Radha and Krishna were sleeping right
by my head! Wow!

Now I am at Govardhan Hill continuing to worship Them with Govardhan
flowers, fresh Tulasi (which grows all around the house where I am staying),
and fruits (including mangos which are in season right now).

In my next blog I will describe what I am doing during my retreat.

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