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

 arpan.mishra20@gmail.com

National Youth Day

Beware of everything that is untrue. Stick to truth and we shall succeed. Fifty centuries are looking on you; the future of India depends on you. Work on….

-Swami Vivekananda

Swamee jee is a phenomenon which cannot be captured only through words. It demands each one of us to step over the threshold of our capabilities, beliefs and goals and herald the start of an altogether different “US”. An individual who absorbs the Right and sheds the Wrong, who empowers himself/herself to be able to empower others, who dominates none but himself/herself, who hates none but his/her own wrongdoings, who longs only for the betterment and upliftment of his/her society, who doesn’t fear Death and who regards Religion as a means of attaining Nirvana and not the ultimate salvation in itself.

Almost 3 years back, I had the privilege of visiting the Vivekananda Ashram located at Kanyakumari. The place has the aroma and spirit of all preaching by Swamee jee. One cannot roam the premises without being influenced. It wasn’t any different than me. But my devotion and feelings touched a new high when we were shown a video on the life of Swamee jee. How many tears I shed I cannot recollect but their sanctity and purpose is very clear in my mind and soul. I have always desired to leave things behind and become his full-time follower. Yet, today, because of wasting my time for stupid MNCs, I have to take on the mantle in whatever ways possible. I am a much improved Human Being since that experience. And I endeavour to love and help all Living Beings.

The legacy of Swamee jee has been beautifully summarized by Shree Nikhalananda, a renowned disciple.

In the course of a short life of thirty-nine years (1863-1902), of which only ten were devoted to public activities-and those, too, in the midst of acute physical suffering-he left for posterity his four classics: Jnana-Yoga, Bhakti-Yoga, Karma-Yoga, and Raja-Yoga, all of which are outstanding treatises on Hindu philosophy. In addition, he delivered innumerable lectures, wrote inspired letters in his own hand to his many friends and disciples, composed numerous poems, and acted as spiritual guide to the many seekers, who came to him for instruction. He also organized the Ramakrishna Order of monks, which is the most outstanding religious organization of modern India. It is devoted to the propagation of the Hindu spiritual culture not only in the Swami's native land, but also in America and in other parts of the world.

Swami Vivekananda once spoke of himself as a "condensed India." His life and teachings are of inestimable value to the West for an understanding of the mind of Asia. William James, the Harvard philosopher, called the Swami the "paragon of Vedantists." Max Muller and Paul Deussen, the famous Orientalists of the nineteenth century, held him in genuine respect and affection. "His words," writes Romain Rolland, "are great music, phrases in the style of Beethoven, stirring rhythms like the march of Handel choruses. I cannot touch these sayings of his, scattered as they are through the pages of books, at thirty years' distance, without receiving a thrill through my body like an electric shock. And what shocks, what transports, must have been produced when in burning words they issued from the lips of the hero!''

People of India started celebrating 12th January as "National Youth Day" from 1984. On this day in the year of 1863, a one man industry was born. He was known as the great philosopher, an inspiration to the youth, the embodiment of Indian culture and intelligence. He was "Shree Swami Vivekananda, the great spiritual guru” of India. He stands as a role model for generations in various respects. The path laid by saintly philosophers, for leading a truthful and purified life is hardly followed by the materialistic society of today. Swami Vivekananda inspired many young people including great leaders like Netaajee Subash Chandra Bose through his works. His works and knowledge are ideals and inspiration for the youth to achieve greater things in life.

A video dedicated to the National Youth Day can be viewed here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlUbWnfdIgY