Vrindavan Yatra—Vrindavan Parikrama Start

Bhakti Bhringa Govinda Swami: So, we will go for Vrindavan parikramā, and it will basically be just walking in Vrindavan. We will indicate different places when we pass, yes, but we would like for everyone to make an experiment while going on parikramā. Our experiment. . . Okay, everybody, try to think like this for a moment. Everybody think that your heart is a temple. And we know that in every temple, there is a throne. Like in our Krishna-Balarama temple, on the thrones, there are the deities. So, I would like for you all to think now of some spiritual hope, or aspiration, that you would really like to be fulfilled by your parikramā and the holy [Unintelligible 00:01:35] Sri Vrindavan dhāma. And then, you should take that hope, and you should install that hope on the throne within the temple of your heart. And then, by your walking in Vrindavan and seeing the holy spots in Vrindavan and maintaining proper consciousness while in Vrindavan, then you can worship, very nicely, that aspiration, which has been installed within your heart. The proper mood of worship will be humility.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has stated in one of his bhajana, that if the devotee will always cultivate the mood of dhyana, or Vaishnava humility, then the son of Maharaja Nanda will always fulfill his spiritual hopes and give him shelter. And when we were on our daṇḍavat parikramā, Srila Sacinandana Swami said something very beautiful one day as we were laying in the dust. He smiled, and he said, “If we always will live the lives of surrendered, humble devotees in the house of dainya, then the Lord will reveal to us a wonderful room of prema-bhakti, in which we can live.” So, we would like to request His Holiness Giriraj Maharaja to give us some instruction, and then we will think really, really deep on what is our big aspiration we wish to be fulfilled, place that on the front of our heart so we [Unintelligible 00:04:13].

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Devotees: Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: So, it is a great fortune just that we have come to the human form of life, and in the human form of life, that we have come into the association of devotees and engaged in the process of devotional service, and it is a great fortune that we have come to Vrindavan in the holy month of Kartik, and that we will be doing Vrindavan parikramā. So, we should try to take full advantage of every moment we have here, and especially every moment on the parikramā. That means that we should engage our whole being - our body, our senses, our minds, our souls - in Krishna consciousness, mainly by chanting the holy names, offering obeisances and prayers, hearing the holy name and any descriptions of Krishna in Vrindavan, and appreciating the opportunity we have.

We recently read a verse in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about offering prayers, in particular, and rendering service in general, that they should be done with humility, respect, and attention. So, this is an opportunity to put those instructions into practice and get tremendous results. It is said that any service one renders in Vrindavan is multiplied by a thousand times. And it is also said that whatever service we render during the month of Kartik is multiplied by many times. So, just imagine the value of your devotional efforts in Vrindavan during the month of Kartik. And the converse is also true, that what a great loss even one moment wasted is. But I am sure that the devotional flow of the assembled devotees will carry us in Krishna consciousness. And if we surrender to that flow, even if we have a tendency to falter, that flow will carry us forward, and thus, we will proceed together very happily. So, I wish you all the best. Hare Krishna.

Bhakti Bhringa Govinda Swami: So now, before we go, everybody, take some time to think of what spiritual hope, what spiritual aspiration that you would really, really wish be fulfilled by your visit to Vrindavan. Then, place that spiritual hope soundly on the throne in your heart, and we will offer our obeisances, beginning here, and then we will continue.