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ISKCON’s 15th Annual Vraja Mandala Parikrama,
Part 10
by Ekanath dasa

Dear Maharajas and Prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Day 20. Kokilavan to Shesashayi. Charan Pahari. There are footprints of Krsna and His animals in the rocks here. Once when Krsna and the cowherd boys climbed the hill to see the cows grazing, Krsna stood under a tree in His threefold bending form playing a flute. When people heard the sound of His flute they gathered on top of this hill to listen. The mountain melted at the sound of His flute and the footprints of Sri Krsna and those around Him are imprinted on the rocks here.

Sheshashayi Mandir. Here is a 5,000 year old Deity of Garbhodaksayi Visnu and Laxmi Devi. It is here that the gopis witnessed the pastime of Krsna’s transforming into Ananta Sesa.

Parikrama realizations: "In the beginning you feel like a tourist. After a while, however, you start to feel a part of the Dhama. The whole mood of Vraja starts to permeate." (Bhakta Joe, South Africa).

Day 21. Shesashayi to Shergarh.

HH Lokanath Swami: "We cannot forcibly enter Vraja. We need the proper consciousness, proper bhava. We don’t want to remain foreigners forever, just visitors. Krsna is our Father and this is His land. So we must understand that this is our real home. By visiting these places, we are making it known to Sri Sri Radha and Krsna that we would like to return to our real home."

Your servant,
Ekanath dasa

© CHAKRA 22 November 2001