Sunday, April 10, 2011

Hare Raama Hare Krishna


Cultivating Krishna consciousness in Vrindavan is the best means of being liberated from material bondage, for in Vrindavan, one can automatically meditate upon Krishna. This is the significance of Vrindavan. Mere thought of the city reminds us of lord Krishna, the almighty, the natkhat Krishna. It’s really amazing that an entire city is based upon the name of lord and his activities are still evident. It’s full of his imprints. Every nook and corner symbolizes the presence of Krishna. He may not be visible to our bodily eyes yet he exists. He’s omnipresent.

In Vrindavan, temples are the symbol of ancient and glorious past. The list below names a few.

“Krishna Balram temple”
“Bankey Bihari temple”
“Vraj Darshan”
“Radha Kund – Krishna kund”
“Isckon temple”

Every temple has a story of its own which is a profuse depiction of the power of GOD and the Bhaktee of devotees. Krishna-Balram temple built magnanimously with tombs, pillars, very well carved statues, depicts the love and affection of the 2 brothers. Bankey-Bihari temple is considered the oldest temple of Vrindavan where lord Krishna idol stands 20 feet tall. Viewing him from far is a pleasure to eyes, mind, body and soul. The place is very pious.

Once Krishna along with his friends went to play, in between Krishna felt thirsty, so he called the very sacred rivers viz. GANGA, JAMUNA, KRISHNA, SARASWATI AND GODAVARI to fill the pond they had dug with their pure water so that they quench their thirst. This kund was named as Krishna Kund very dearly. He asked Radha and her friends to fetch water from there, but envious of that they determined to make their own pond, but after many unsuccessful attempts she failed and asked Krishna to fill the pond for them. This reservoir was called Radha kund. There and then Krishna said that that from today onwards he will always take bath from Radha kund as it’s very dear to him and vice versa…….this beautiful story indicates as to why those 2 ponds are named so!.

It becomes indispensable to talk about Isckon temple. To bear in mind Isckon temple is one such felicitating experience that is indelible and cynosure of all eyes that fall on it. The transcendental vibrations established by the chanting of Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram, Hare Ram, Ram, Ram Hare Hare is the sublime method of reviving the transcendental consciousness by the devotees over there. For them Krishna means “The all attractive person.” Ram means “The highest pleasure”. Hare refers to Krishna’s internal potency known as Radha Rani

“As living spiritual souls we are originally Krishna conscious entities, but due to our association with time immemorial, our inner soul is now polluted with material atmosphere”. They say. The material environment in which we are living is called “MAYA” or “ILLUSION”. Maya means “That which is not”. And what is this illusion? The illusion is that we are all trying to be the lords of material nature, while actually we are under the grip of stringent laws. In this polluted concept of life, we are all trying to exploit the resources of material nature actually we are becoming more and more entangled in her complexities…

The VEDAS proclaim “SARVE SUKHINO BAHVANTU”. Let everyone be happy. Well this is the basic motto followed in the temple and preached to the people. They perform the traditional method of congregational chanting called “KIRTANA” This group singing Hare Krishna Hare Ram is accompanied by percussion instruments such as Gongs, Drums and Symbols. During Kirtana devotees usually dance, one person leads the singing and the rest follow. Through this way they try to please the God. This method of praising GOD is very unique and serene. The entire gamut turns into heaven with loud chanting and dancing of the people. This experience sends a person in Trans. Such prayers make possible a communion of the spirit and GOD coming together, you transcend your body and become a part of the cosmos, which knows no division of wealth, age, caste, or creed. The experience is completely disparate and people transcend the worldly worries and attain deliverance which surpasses all lower strata of consciousness namely - sensual, mental and intellectual.

-    Shree Arpan Dev Mishra
           Project Planner, Honeywell India Private Limited

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