விருந்தாவன்.. மதுரா (5)

ஜனவரி 22ம் தேதி …

ஆறு மணிக்கு திருப்பள்ளியெழுச்சி .. ரூம்லியே மில்க், ஸுகர்,

இன்ஸ்டன்ட் காபி பௌச், ஹாட் வாட்டர் ஜக் இருக்கு .. ஸோ

ஸெல்ப் காபி .. எட்டு மணிக்கு குளிச்சுட்டு complimentary 

buffet breakfast .. இட்லி, வடை, மினி ஊத்தப்பம், தயிர் .. 

9 மணிக்கு இரிக்ஷா பிடுச்செண்டு சுத்திப்பாக்க கிளம்பியாச்சு 

இன்றைய விஜயம் (22-1-2023) … 

ஸ்வாமி ஹாரிதாஸுக்கு கிருஷ்ணர் பங்கே பிஹாரியாக தர்ஸனம்

அளித்த இடம்;  

கோபிகா ஸ்த்ரிகளுடன் கிருஷ்ணன் ராஸலீலை நடத்திய நிதிவனம்

பலராமரும் கிருஷ்ணரும் வாழ்ந்த இடம்;  

காளிங்க நர்த்தனம் நடந்த காஷிகாட்;  

கிருஷ்ண ஜென்ம பூமி (மதுரா, பரமாத்மா அவதரித்த இடம், ஜெயில)

கோகுல், யசோதா அன்னையுடன் குழந்தை பருவத்தில் வசித்த இடம்

பூர்வ ஜென்ம புண்ணியம், 

இப்பிறவியில் கிருஷ்ண பரமாத்மா கால்பட்டபூமியின் தரிசனம்.

ஸர்வம் கிருஷ்ணார்ப்பணம்  … सर्वं कृष्णार्पणम्॥

பக்தி பூத்துக் குலுங்கும் விருந்தாவன் பூமி புண்ணியமானது என்று

ஸ்ரீமத் பகவத் மஹாபுராணம் கூறுகிறது.

பாங்கே பிஹாரி மந்திர் .. Banke Bihari Temple

Swami Haridas (the guru of Tansen) established this Temple. While Swami Haridas was singing a verse in Nidhivan in Vrindavan for his disciples, LordKrishna along with Radha appeared in front of him.

The image of Bihariji installed in the Shri Banke Bihari Mandir is the one granted to Swami Haridas by the celestial couple Shyama-Shyam Themselves.

Submitting to the desire of devotees The Lord appeared in person with His Divine Consort and both combined into one single form called Banke Bihari to stay with Haridas.  Later They left a black charming image before disappearing.  

The image of Lord Krishna stands in the Tribhanga posture. Haridas Swami originally worshipped this devotional image under the name of Kunj-Bihari ("Enjoyer of Lakes").

Swami Haridas said because Krishna was the Supreme Enjoyer, who knew how to find rasa in every aspect of life, HE got the name Banke Bihari.  Banke meaning bent in three places (as the curved statue of Krishna normally is – hands folded to hold a flute; waist folded; and leg folded in a standing pose) and Bihari meaning Supreme.

It is believed that the brilliant eyes of the idol will make you unconscious if seen for too long a stretch, so the curtains are closed frequently. There are no bells for Aarti, as it might disturb the child.  It is the only temple where loud temple bells are not used to wake Krishna in the morning. It is believed improper to wake a child with a start. He is woken gently. There are thus no bells even for Aarti, as it might disturb Him.

The idol of Banke Bihari was not made, but it was revealed at the request of Swami Haridas so that other people can also see it and see God and take their blessings. It is said that this idol is not of any metal but of wood. Lord Krishna and Mata Radha are under the love of whoever loves them or eyes them in the eyes of this idol and beholds them with love, God cannot stop himself from being kind to that devotee.

The sewa of the Bihariji is unique in its own way.  It is performed in three stages every day i.e. Shringar, Rajbhog and Shayan. While shringar (which includes bath, dressing and adornment with jewellery like crown and necklaces) and Rajbhog(feast) are offered in the forenoon, Shayan Sewa (Shayan means sleep) is offered in the evening. The temple doesn't have a tradition of Mangala (early morning) sewa. Swami Haridas did not favour Mangla Sewa as he wanted his childlike Lord to take complete rest and did not want to disturb HIM out of deep slumber so early in the morning. 

நிதிவனம் ..  Nidhivan 

Nidhivan means "Forest of Tulsi”.   It’s a sacred forest site in Vrindavan dedicated to Radha & Krishna and Their Gopis.

It is still widely believed that Nidhivan witnesses the Rasalila (the dance of Radha Krishna) during night time even today and thus, nobody is allowed to stay inside the premises of Nidhivan at night.

Nidhivan is considered as a mysterious place.  It is a dense forest with the lush green trees. The interesting thing is that the barks of the trees are hollow and the land is absolutely dry, but the tree remains loaded with green leaves throughout the year. All the trees are in bending position towards the ground. The common belief is that these trees of Tulsi turn into Gopis in the night for performing Rasalila.  Every Tulsi plant in the premises are found in pairs signifying the pair of Gopi and Krishna.

Besides Tulsi plants, the premises houses a place called "Rang Mahal" where it is believed that Radha & Krishna spend Their nights after raslila, a temple called "Bansichor Radha" where Radha has stolen the flute of Krishna, Raas Leela Sthali where Raslila is performed and Lalita Kund which was believed to be made by Krishna Himself when Gopis asked for water amidst of Raslila.

Highly blessed to touch the sand of Nidhivan where Krishna Pramathma did His Rasalila with Radha and Gopis.   Might have done some good deeds in the previous births.

( தொடரும் … )