Introduction:
This nectar filled guidebook to Radha-kunda gives descriptions of the 47 most important & significant holy places around the fabled “lakes of love.” It describes how to find and experience the many temples, bhajan Kutirs & Vaisnava samadhis situated at Radha Kunda. Full of scriptural quotes, wonderful prayers and pastimes of Radha Govinda, this book truly reveals the sweet glories of Radha Kunda.
Hardcover
Language: English
Language: English
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Sample Chapter:
The Appearance of Rädhä-kuëòa
Rädhä-kuëòa and Çyäma-kuëòa exist eternally and they are completely transcendental. Their manifestation here is just a playful pastime enacted by Rädhä-Kåñëa and the gopés.
“Kåñëa killed the bull demon Ariñöäsura on the Northern side of Mänasi Gaëgä. To atone for the sin of killing a bull Kåñëa struck the ground with His left heel and revealed Çyäma-kuëòa.” (AP)
“Then Kåñëa bathed along with His friends. Afterwards, He entered the cowherd pastures to relax for about an hour. Taking His flute, Kåñëa called the gopés. Then Kåñëa told Rädhä that She must also purify Herself because the whole area, and everyone in it had become polluted by sharing the karma of Kåñëa’s killing the bull. Rädhä then embraced Kåñëa and made a lake which was named after Her.
“On Paurëamäsé’s order Våndädevé planted various trees and vines around the kuëòas. She also built jewelled bathing ghäöas with stairs leading down to the kuëòa, and she built the eight kuïjas of the añöä-sakhés.” (HV)
Çukadeva Gosvämé describes in the Bhägavata that Ariñöäsura was so huge that his tail was touching the clouds. Çré Rüpa Gosvämé paints an even clearer picture of this demon’s incredible size in Haàsadüta: Lalitä Sakhé said to the swan, “On the outskirts of Våndävana, you will see the dried skull of the Ariñöäsura demon, which appears as white as the clouds in autumn. These decaying bones are often mistaken for the mountains of Kailäsa by the servants of Kubera and associates of Lord Çiva, who try to climb to its peaks.”
“Although Rädhä and Kåñëa always want to be together, They are forced to separate from time to time. They must overcome many obstacles to meet. By taking the forms of Rädhä-kuëòa and Çyäma-kuëòa, They fulfil Their intensely eager desires for eternal union by constantly splashing each other with the nectar of Their waves.
“I [Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura] say that upon seeing each other Rädhä and Kåñëa felt so much bliss that They melted in ecstasy and became the transcendental waters of these two kuëòas. For this reason Rädhä-kuëòa and Çyäma-kuëòa have the same names and qualities as the Divine Couple.” (VRC)
58-60
Vraja is an abode filled with a constant festival of sweet spontaneous devotional service.
Brahmä, Çiva and Närada could partially see Kåñëa’s childhood pastimes. However, Çyäma’s romantic pastimes in youth were never seen by them, nor by anyone else who identifies himself with his male body. The Caitanya-caritämåta explains that one who worships Kåñëa in spontaneous love will attain Vraja. However, one who worships Kåñëa according to rules and regulations will become the Lord’s associate in Vaikuëöha. Brahmä, Çiva and Närada are devotees in Vaikuëöha bhäva. As such, they can barely perceive the sweetness of Govinda.
To Bathe or Not to Bathe
This section addresses members of ISKCON who may have some doubts or reservations about bathing in Çré Rädhä-kuëòa. In September 1975, Çréla Prabhupäda published Çré Rüpa Gosvämé’s Upadeçämåta wherein he highly extolled Rädhä-kuëòa. At that time he allowed his disciples to visit and bathe in the sacred waters of Rädhä-kuëòa. It is said, however, that Çréla Prabhupäda changed his mind and forbid his disciples to bathe after he heard that some of them had disrespected Rädhä-kuëòa. They had offended Çrématé Rädhäräëé by kicking Her during their frivolous sporting and swimming about in the sanctified waters of Rädhä-kuëòa.
During a room conversation in Våndävana on the fifth of September 1976 Çréla Prabhupäda appeared to be discussing this point. “There is no difference between Rädhä-kuëòa and Rädhäräëé,” said Çréla Prabhupäda. “So how can you jump over Rädhäräëé? Rädhä-kuëòa and Rädhäräëé are nondifferent. How can you enjoy Rädhä-kuëòa by swimming? You cannot touch with your feet even Rädhä-kuëòa. You can take little water and keep it on the head. That is respectful to Rädhä-kuëòa.”
Çréla Prabhupäda expertly instructed his disciples according to käla, deña, and pätra [time, place and circumstance]. In some instances he even gave completely opposite instructions. For example, once two brahmacäris who had very similar natures and qualities discussed their services with Çréla Prabhupäda. Çréla Prabhupäda told one boy to marry, and the other to remain brahmacäri and take sannyäsa. The godbrothers were surprised when they heard that Prabhupäda had assigned different äçramas to these two seemingly similar brahmacäris.
It appears that Çréla Prabhupäda gave two different categories of instructions: [temporary instructions according to time, place and circumstance], and [eternal orders for all to follow at all times. The instructions that Çréla Prabhupäda gave personally or in a letter to a particular disciple are specific, individual, and in many cases fall in the category oftime and place instructions. The teachings and instructions, however, that Çréla Prabhupäda left in his books are his eternal orders. They should be followed everywhere by all classes of devotees for the next 10,000 years of Lord Gauräëga’s golden age of enlightenment.
Çréla Prabhupäda himself particularly emphasised the importance and topmost position of his books. Archival material such as Çréla Prabhupäda’s letters, lectures and conversations that have recently appeared in book form are of lesser importance. When Çréla Prabhupäda said that everything he wanted to say was in his books, or if you want to know me than read my books, he was referring to his published works such as the Çrémad Bhägavatam, Bhagavad-gétä, Caitanya-caritämåta, Upadeçämåta [Nectar of Instruction], and others.
Besides the previously cited quotation about taking an acamana bath at Rädhä-kuëòa, which Çréla Prabhupäda spoke in a room conversation, Çréla Prabhupäda says repeatedly in his books that devotees should bathe regularly in Rädhä-kuëòa. Çré Rüpa Gosvämé says in verse eleven of Upadeçämåta, tat premedaà sakåd api saraù snätur äviñkaroti : “If one simply bathes once within the holy waters of Rädhä-kuëòa, one’s pure love of Kåñëa is fully aroused.”
Çréla Prabhupäda mentions the word bath seven times in his purport to this verse. Although one rarely gets the opportunity to associate with Rädhä-kuëòa, the äcäryas repeatedly stress the immense spiritual value of serving Rädhä-kuëòa, and respectfully bathing within Her prema-filled, transcendental waters.
“One should bathe there [in Rädhä-kuëòa] regularly...to bathe there constitutes the highest perfection of devotional service...Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé recommends that even if one can’t permanently live on the banks of Rädhä-kuëòa, he should at least take a bath in the lake as many times as possible. This is a most important item in the execution of devotional service.” (NOI # 11 pur.)
Çréla Prabhupäda’s phrase, take a bath in the lake gives clear and specific details about how and where to bathe at Rädhä-kuëòa. Çréla Prabhupäda often criticised the foolish rascals who falsely misinterpret the Bhagavad-gétä. When the meaning of Kåñëa’s Sanskrit words is clear and direct, Prabhupäda said, there’s no need for any interpretation by mundane rascals. When Lord Kåñëa says to offer Him some water, He clearly means pure water; not milk, orange juice or some other liquid. In the same way, the direct meaning of the word bath is to immerse one’s entire body in a tank of water.
Çréla Prabhupäda is not saying here that one should bathe simply by putting a few drops of water on his head. Nor is he saying that one should take a bucket of Rädhä-kuëòa water and bathe privately as some people claim. Prabhupäda’s saying: He should take a bath in the kuëòa means exactly that one should come to Rädhä-kuëòa, and immerse his entire body within the sacred prema-filled waters of Çré Rädhä-kuëòa!
To bathe or not to bathe is not a question for philosophical debate. If Çréla Prabhupäda wanted to instruct the world of devotees not to bathe in Rädhä-kuëòa he could have easily made such a solemn proclamation in one of his books. He didn’t. Nor did Çréla Prabhupäda revise the purports to any of the many editions of his Nectar of Instruction, wherein he repeatedly encourages bathing in Çré Rädhä-kuëòa. Not only did Çréla Prabhupäda want his disciples to bathe in Rädhä-kuëòa, but he wanted everyone to come and get the mercy of Çrématé Rädhäräëé. Once Çréla Prabhupäda printed 100,000 copies of Nectar of Instruction for mass distribution in order to enlighten the general public about the incredible glories of Rädhä-kuëòa.
“By taking bath in Rädhä-kuëòa one becomes very dear to Lord Çré Kåñëa.” (HBV)
“Out of great kindness to the people, so that they could directly taste Their sweetness. Rädhä and Kåñëa have become these two lakes. Shining with happiness, the devotees bathe in these two lakes. I think these two lakes are the Divine Couple’s love. They who are fortunate bathe there. Because bathing there is like bathing in the transcendental love of Çré Rädhä and Çré Çyäma, these two lakes bear the name of the Divine Couple.” (VRC)
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