Go to the “Vrindavan Page”

HOME Temples (news, etc.) Alachua Baroda Calcutta Denver Detroit Bhaktivedanta Manor Mayapur Mayapur Newsletter New Delhi Seattle Spanish Fork, Utah Vrindavan, India Advertisements BBT Book Distribution Book editing (changes) CHAKRA Charity Child Abuse Page Cows Current Events Earlier Topics Editorials GBC ISKCON Jokes Letters from readers Links to important sites Obituaries Other News Paranormal People Philosophy Poison Issue Prabhupada Recipes Reform Resources Ritvik theory Temples (issues) SP disciple database Traveling Swamis VNN Page Women's Page Youth Page Hare Krishna  Hare Krishna  Krishna Krishna  Hare Hare  Hare Rama  Hare Rama  Rama Rama  Hare Hare

Monday, October 25, 1999

This morning at 6 am, around 250 devotees from India and abroad gathered in the courtyard of the Krishna Balarama Temple in Vrndavana to perform a sankalpa (vow ceremony including the chanting of auspicious vedic mantras by H.G. Vraja Bhakti Vilas prabhu). H.H. Lokanath Maharaja spoke to the devotees to encourage them by explaining that if a vow was taken, Visnu would protect them. Devotees were encouraged to vow to complete the parikrama as well as to perform additional devotional austerities like chanting additional rounds or refraining from prajalpa for one entire month. This will help us in our spiritual life. The sankalpa will begin and end at Visrama Ghat in Mathura on the banks of the Jamuna river. H.H. Kavichandra Maharaja was also there and promised to participate in the entire one month parikrama of Vraja Mandala. H.H. Hanumat Prasak Maharaja was also there.

After the sankalpa, the Parikrama leaders called for the special kirtan team of Bengali Mayapur Devotees. They began to sing and play the instruments and the entire group of devotees circumambulated the temple. Then the party circumambulated Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi. Then they took the road to Mathura, a distance of 16 kilometers. Stops included Dwija Patni, the place where the wives of the Vedic Brahmanas offered food to Krishna and Balarama. Hanumat Prasak Maharaja spoke. He mentioned that Krishna Himself came to all these places, despite the fact that sometimes people think this is all mythology. Kavichandra Maharaja also spoke that we depend on Krishna and beg for his mercy at all times, especially when on sankirtan. Lokanath Maharaja mentioned that our usual ISKCON proverb is “work now and samadhi later”, but this parikrama means, “Samadhi Now!.”

Then the party went to Akrura Ghat where they encountered a great crowd of Indian pilgrims, who were coming by riksaw, tanga (horse drawn carrige). They just took darshan there and proceeded to the prasadam place. Prasadam was taken at 10 am. The next stop was Birla Mandir. The Mayapur team provided nice kirtan and everyone was dancing and chanting to their hearts content. Lokanath Maharaja spoke about the pastimes in Akrura Ghat which included how Akrura saw Krishna with four hands and Balarama as Ananta Sesa. He also explained that in this place, Nanda Maharaja was taken prisoner by Varuna. Krishna came to save him with Balarama to release him. Here there is a hole that the Vrajabasis could see the spiritual world through. Then the party proceed to Mathura. They took prasadam at 3:30. In the evening, they are visiting the birthplace of Lord Krishna. It is said that anyone who visits this place during the month of Kartik will go back to the spiritual world.

Vraja Mandala Parikrama Ki Jaya!

© CHAKRA 4th-Nov-1999

Go to the “Vrindavan Page”

© Copyright November, 2003 by oldchakra.com. All rights reserved.

For information about this website or to report an error, write to webmaster@oldchakra.com