Gopinatha's Story: 2001: Gopinatha's Garden House

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: Surya Kunda

Surya Kunda - This pastime involved Srimati Radharani and her friends in performing puja to Surya deva under the supervision of her mother-in-law Jatila devi. However, unbeknown to Jatila, the young brahmanas who have come to perform the worship are none other than Krishna (disguised) and his friend Madhu Mangala.
	Above - Deity of Surya-Narayana at Surya Kunda

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: Festivals

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: Mobile Diorama Exhibit

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: Mobile Diorama Exhibit p.2

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: Chir Ghat

CHIR GHAT EXHIBIT No 1

On the Banks of the River Yamuna at the place known as Chir Ghat, the Unmarried Gopis of Vrndavana worshiped Goddess Katyayani to get Sri Krishna as their Husband. According to Vedic culture, it is recommended that unmarried girls from 10 to 14 years of age should worship the form of Goddess Durga known as Katyayani in order to get nice husband. In persuance of this cultural recommendation, the unmarried gopis of Vrindavana took a vow to perform daily Katyayani Vrata for one full month during the Hemant season (early winter). Assembling on the banks the River Yamuna in the cool early morning hours, the unmarried gopis first of all moulded the form of Goddess Katyayani in the sand. Then, while offering Her all kinds of presentations, they recited the following prayer, "Oh Goddess, please be kind to us and arrange our marriage with the son of Nanda Maharaja, Sri Krishna." In his Krsna Book commentary, Srila Prabhupada describes the mood of the gopis engaged in this pastime as follows: "Generally, people worship goddess Durga for some material benediction. Here, the gopis prayed to the goddess to become wives of Lord Krishna. The purport is that if Krishna is the center of activity, a devotee can adopt any means to achieve that goal. The gopis could adopt any means to satisfy or serve Krishna. That was the superexcellent characteristic of the gopis. They worshiped goddess Durga completely for one month in order to have Krishna as their husband. Every day they prayed for Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaja to become their husband." Unbeknown to the gopis, their month-long performance of Katyayani Vrata was destined to result in the most extraordinary reciprocation! For on the final day of their vrata, in perfect response to their heart-cherished desire, Sri Krishna personally appeared before these simple young gopis at Chir Ghat and enacted a most astonishing pastime! ...

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: Chir Ghat p.2

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: Javat

Although They are constantly desiring to enjoy each other’s company, it is a characteristic of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna’s pastimes in Vrndavana that many obstacles arise which restrict Their efforts to meet. Such obstacles act as powerful catalysts, greatly intensifying the mood of love in the yogamaya potency of the Supreme Lord. Yogamaya is the energy of the Lord which is active in the divine spiritual realm arranging the many wondrous pastimes taking place there. It is due to the unpredictable influence of this transcendental yogamaya energy that somehow or other Sri Radha is offered in marriage to Abhimanyu, and thus She is placed in the care of Her new husband’s family at Javat.

Even though Sri Radha’s father, Vrishabhanu Maharaja, built a beautiful residence for his daughter at Javat, She always remains absorbed in thoughts of how She can next meet with Sri Krishna. However, She is forced to tolerate the constant nagging attention of Her ever-suspicious mother-in-law, Jatila devi, and Her equally-suspicious sister-in-law, Kotila.

Nevertheless, with the help of Her faithful and confidential maidservant gopis, Srimati Radharani still manages to regularly evade to surveillance of Her superiors and meet with Sri Krishna in the forests of Vrndavana.

After returning in the early morning hours from one such secretive rendezvous, Srimati Radharani rested peacefully in Her beautiful bedroom quarters. Meanwhile, Her intimate maidservants busied themselves with various services in preperation for the new day’s activities.

Mukhara devi is Radharani’s grandmother, and every morning she comes to Javat to visit her darling granddaughter. On this particular morning, as she observed Radharani rising from Her bed, Mukhara noticed that her granddaughter was dressed rather uncharaceristically in an exquisite yellow garment. Because that garment looked remarkably similar to the cloth commonly worn by Sri Krishna, Mukhara became a little suspicious! However, whilst pointing to the nearby window, quick-thinking Visakha proceeded to offer the following explanation, “My dear Grandmother Mukhara! I think that maybe your vision is not so very good! Because of the combination of your bad eyesight, the morning sunlight, and also my friend Radha’s naturally golden complexion, Her blue garment is somehow appearing to you this morning to be yellow!” Elderly Mukhara soon departed, and then the gopi name Madhurika appeared. Madhurika had just returned from performing some duties at the residence of Maharaja Nanda. For the pleasure of her dear friend Radha, She proceeded to enthusiastically describe all of the ecstatic activities of Sri Krishna that she had witnessed that morning in Nanda Bhavan.

Then it was time for Srimati Radharani to bathe, and thus with the assistance of Her intimate gopi maidservant, She put on a delicate white bathing dress and entered the crystal bathing room. Pouring beautifully scented waters all over Her body, the gopis bathed Sri Radha, and then in the dressing room, they artfully decorated Her with the finest clothing, ornaments and jewellery.

Just as the very last ornament was being placed on Sri Radha, the gopi named Kundalata appeared bearing a message from Yasoda devi, the Queen of Vraja. She announced that Radha should come as quickly as possible to Nandagram, in order to cook for the darling son of Nanda and Yasoda! Upon receiving this order, Srimati Rradharani’s heart became over flooded with great ocean waves of spontaneous joy, and thus the morning pastimes in Javat drew to a close as Sri Radha and all Her associates eagerly prepared to depart for Nandagram.

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: Javat p.2

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: Raval

On the Eastern Shores of the River Yamuna at Raval, Srimati
Radharani Appeared As the Beautiful Daughter of
Vrishabhanu Maharaja and Kirtida Sundari

The circumstances surrounding the birth of Srimati Radharani are very mysterious. For quite some time, King Vrishabhanu and Queen Kirtida had been earnestly praying to have a child. With the hope in mind that by being closer to the sacred Yamuna River they might become blessed with the fulfillment of their desire they had moved their kingdom to Raval.

In this auspicious place, just nearby to where Krishna was already performing His own wonderous childhood pastimes at Gokula, a most amazing event took place. One day when King Vrishabhanu went to bathe, in the Yamuna he saw before him a golden flower that shone like one million suns. And lying peacefully asleep in the middle of that astonishingly radiant lotus was beautiful baby Srimati Radharani.

When King Vrishabhanu took the beautiful child home to his palace, the entire kingdom became overwhelmed with great joy. However, their exuberant delight was immediately curtailed when it was determined that the young baby girl was completely blind.

Just about that time, the great sage Narada Muni came to the Vrndavana area. When he found out that the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna had appeared as the son of Nanda Maharaja in Gokula, he realised that Srimati Radharani must have appeared somewhere in Vrndavana. Thus he began searching everywhere for Her. When Narada eventually came to Raval, he immediately recognized the beautiful new daughter of King Vrishabhanu to be Sri Radha. Therefore he instructed the King that although the child was blind, he should go ahead regardless and perform the auspicious birth ceremonies.

Everyone in Vrndavana was invited to attend the joyous occasion. When Nanda Maharaja and Queen Yasoda arrived from Gokula, they brought with them their beautiful baby son Sri Krishna. When Krishna crawled before Srimati Radharani, He inquisitively pulled Himself up at Her bedside to look at her beautiful lotus face. Just at that moment, Her eyes fluttered open, and thus the very first sight Radha saw was the enchanting smiling face of Sri Krishna!

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: Raval p.2

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: Sankari Kor

Sankari Kor Srimati Radharani and Her Friends Capture Krishna at Sankari Kor and Dress Him Up as a Gopi! Srimati Radharani’s family residence is in the town of Varsana upon a hill which has four peaks. Sankari Kor is a narrow, rocky pass running through a ravine between two of these peaks, In the company of her gopi friends, Srimati Radharani enjoyed pastimes throughout Varsana, and here is one story about Sankari Kor that is told by the local people who live there.
The young girls of Varsana were expert at making their way through the rocky Sankari Kor pass without pilling a drop from the pots of milk, curds and yoghurt that they carried on their heads. One day, desiring to have some fun, Krishna climbed up on a high outcrop of rocks above Sankari Kor and waited quietly until a group of gopis were making their way through the narrow pass. then without warning He began throwing stones at the clay pots on their heads!
The treacherous pass offered little shelter from this surprise ambush, and suddenly a loud “crack” reverberated across the ravine as one of the stones hit a pot atop of one poor gopi’s head! Much to the delight and amusement of Krishna, streams of creamy, fresh yoghurt poured down all over that unfortunate gopi as her friends looked on in great horror! The gopis went straight to see Srimati Radharani to inform Her of what had taken place. She immediately devised a clever plan to get even. First Srimati Radharani instructed a small group of Her friends that they should make their way through Sankari Kor with pots on their heads as if nothing had happened. Meanwhile all the rest of the girls hid behind some trees. Sure enough, just as the gopis carrying pots made their way through the rugged ravine, Krishna once again appeared, But as He raised the first stone above His head, all the girls jumped out from behind the trees and captured Him! Then the girls dressed Krishna up as a young gopi-girl, and forced Him to make His way through Sankari Kor balancing a pot of yoghurt on His own head! Meanwhile, the gopis armed themselves with stones at appropriated places along the route. That apprehensive young “girl” had no chance of avoiding “Her” inevitable fate! The pot above His head was smashed by the gopis stones, and thick, fresh yoghurt came streaming down all over Him, The victorious gopis laughed to see their fugitive completely covered from head to foot in yoghurt. In order to acknowledge defeat at the hands of His “captors” Krishna was brought before Srimati Radharani. All He could do was to offer His obeisances and touch Her feet, for yet again He had been humbled by Her extraordinary prowess!

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: Sankari Kor p.2

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: The Peacock Dance

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: The Peacock Dance p.2

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: The Peacock Dance p.3

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: The Peacock Dance p.4

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: The Peacock Dance p.5

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: 100 Cows For Gopinatha

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: Jhulan Yatras

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: Pralambasura Slain

One summer day the brilliantly powerful brothers Krishna and Balarama, surrounded by Their associates, came to Bhadiravana forest to enjoy cowherding pastimes. Nourished by eating the fresh green grass, the cows relaxed peacefully in the dense shade of the banyan trees. Meanwhile Krishna played on His flute and all the boys sang and danced together in great joy.

Suddenly Krishna called out to his friends, “My dear brothers! Now stop your dancing because we are going to play a new game!”.

“What sort of game do You want to play?”, the cowherd boys replied.

Krishna said, “Listen! Let us divide ourselves into two parties. One party will go with the powerful Balarama and the other party will side with Me.” thus Krishna divided His friends into two parties in order to hold a contest of strength. The boys in Balarama’s party followed Him like loyal soldiers and the other boys accompanied Krishna. In this contest, the losing party would have to carry the victors on their backs.

The treacherous demon Pralambasura was lurking nearby, and he devised a plan to disguise himself as a cowherd boy and secretly mix with Krishna’s friends. When Krishna’s party lost the contest, Pralambasura was selected to carry the victorious Balarama. Taking Balarama on his back , the demon took advantage of the opportunity and attempted to carry Him off to the edge of the forest.

At first Balarama was amazed at the extraordinary power of his carrier, but then He instantly understood the situation. Smiling mildly, Balarama called out to His playful younger brother, “Hey Krishna! This demon is trying to kidnap Me! What should I do now?”.

Krishna felt somewhat amused to see and hear all of this. In a thundering voice he assured Balarama, “Give up all Your fears. Just remember Your own divine power and slay the demon!”

Using His unrivalled strength, Balarama smashed the demon’s head with His fist. With tremendous power he drove the demon to the kingdom of death. Before departing, the demon assumed a huge grotesque form. Covered in blood, Pralambasura slowly fell to the ground. Thus the notorious demon named Pralambasura perished under the fierce blows of powerful Balarama. Having been saved from all danger, Krishna and all the cowherd boys were once again able to resume their blissful pastimes in the forest of Vrndavan.

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: Balarama's Appearance Day

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: Govardhana Puja 2001

Gopinatha's Story: 2001: Gopinatha At Govardhana