Diwali or Deepawali is the festival of lights. This festival is celebrated in the entire world with an extreme splurge. On this day people exchange best wishes and sweets with each other. Deepawali is the association of five festivals. It includes Dhanteras, Narak Chaturdashi, Deepawali, Govardhan and Bhai dooj.

Jollification Of Dhanteras

In our country, this festival is celebrated with extreme joy and happiness. The celebration of Deepawali starts from Dhanteras. And before this festival people do various preparation such as whitewashing their houses, cleaning etc.

On Dhanteras, people purchase multiple items required for Deepawali. On this day, no one lends their things to anyone. On this auspicious day, people buy new utensils, things, deities of Laxmi Ganesha to worship, sweets and gold and silver jewellery. The founder of ayurvedic medicine, Dhanwantari Vaidya, appeared with Amrit Kalash at sea. So Dhanteras is also considered as Dhanwantri Jayanti.

Importance Of Chhoti Deepawali

On the following day of Dhanteras comes Chhoti Diwali or Narak Chaturdashi. On this day, Lord Krishna killed Narakasur. Narakasur was a demon. On this day, Lord Krishna released the world from his terror. To commemorate the victory of good over evil, we celebrate this festival by lighting lamps.

Significance Of Deepawali

On the following day of Chhoti Deepawali, we celebrate Badi Deepawali. On this day, we forget our all grief and celebrate this festival with full enthusiasm. We celebrate this festival by returning Ayodhya of Lord Sri Ram with Sita Devi and brother Laxman after 14 years of exile. In another era, this was also the day when Lord Krishna performed His Damodar Lila of breaking the pots of butter and yoghurt and letting Himself be bound by Mother Yashoda. 

Preparation Of Deepawali

People make beautiful colourful rangolis at the entrance and light lamps at the centre of rangoli. Many people even make feet of Laxmi Devi at the door and decorate their house with a series of lamps. The light of lamps brighten the outside of the house and signifies the enlightenment of the inside. Everyone needs to be knowledgeable and happy. The gold and silver purchased in Deepawali signify prosperity. It is just an external wealth. The original required wealth in life is present inside us.

The True Wealth Of Life

In this material world, people are so obsessed with wealth, gold etc. But they do not understand the original wealth is love, peace, and harmony. There is no other wealth needed in life other than this to lead a happy life. So natural and actual luxury and the best knowledge make you realize what true life is and why it is so? And what should you do in life?

How A Person Can Attain True Happiness

A person’s character, peace and self-confidence is our actual property. When we proceed in life with the blessings of the Supreme Lord being a devotee, there cannot be any other wealth superior to this. You can realise it by serving Supreme Lord with complete love and devotion. One best example to understand the strength of the Supreme Lord is sea waves. When sea waves are attached to the sea, and a part of it also gets supreme power. We get the same strength from Supreme Lord when we stay connected with Him. So this festival of light illuminates our inside and outside both. It makes our life meaningful and shows the path to attain our goals.

With these illuminated lights on the next day of Deepawali comes Govardhan Puja. This festival is the real example of love and devotion towards the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. People know this with the name of Annakut also. On Govardhan pooja Godhan, i.e. people worship cows. In Shastra cow is said to be as sacred as the holy Ganga. The cow is noted as the Swaroop of mother Laxmi. As Laxmi Devi provides happiness and prosperity, a cow gives us milk that enriches our health, true wealth. 

Supreme Lord Sri Krishna performed the Govardhan Leela to establish glory Giriraj Govardhan. A pure devotee of Lord Krishna doesn’t have to perform any of the ceremonial functions enjoined in the Vedas, nor is he required to worship any demigods.

Observance Of Govardhan Puja

On the day of Govardhan Puja, people make Govardhan mountain using cow dung. On this day, people worship and do parikrama and offer various types of delicious bhoga offerings. The bhoga offerings are stacked like a small hill and presented to the Lord. Then it is distributed to everyone as prasadam. Hence, this festival is also called Annakuta Festival. 

Bhai Dooj

 In this series of festivals, the last but the important festival is Bhai dooj or bhaiya dooj. This festival is the symbol of the unbreakable bond of brother and sister. On this day, married women invite their brothers to their home, do tilak and ask their brothers to have a feast. On this auspicious day, brothers and sisters who live in one house have a feast together. If a brother and sister take a bath at Yamuna river and take meals at the bank of the river, then it is considered most auspicious and fortunate. This festival is also known as ‘Yama Dwitiya.

In this way, this series of festivals of lamps is an association of five auspicious festivals. These festivals are related and linked to our lives’ phases and enhance our consciousness and strength. It helps us understand reality, and it shows the way to achieve our goal of life that is transcendental loving devotional service towards the Supreme Lord wholeheartedly. So come, let’s celebrate this festival of light with jubilance and try to lighten our inside that is surrendering soul unto the lotus feet of Supreme Lord Krishna and chant the glories of Sri Krishna by His Holy Names.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Ram Hare Ram

Ram Ram Hare Hare.

I wish you a very Happy Krishna Conscious Deepawali.

Importance of Gopastami – Gopastami is one of the most important and cheerful pastimes among all the pastimes of lord Shri Krishna. The eighth lunar day of Kartik month is known as Gopastami. It is believed that on this auspicious day Nanda Maharaj send his children Krishna and Balrama for the first time to herd the cows. Krishna now stepped into the age of kumara from pauganda. Till the age of pauganda, Krishna was a calf keeper. After stepping into the age of Kaumara, on the auspicious day of Gopastami lord Shri Krishna started to herd the cows. To witness this incident Shri Radharani took the form of his Sakha.

How Gopastami is celebrated

On this auspicious day, people worship cows. They offer fodder to cows. On Kartik month’s Shukla Ashtami tithi early morning people bathe cows, offer them flowers, and scents and decorate them with different clothes.

People feed fodder to cows and do parikrama, and then go after cows for some distance. Then in the evening when cows come back that time is known as godhuli muhurat. At that time also they are greeted and worshipped. After this, they touch their lotus feet and pray for their healthy and prosperous future. The charity is given in gaushala on this day.

In Srimad Bhagawatam, it is stated that lord Shri Krishna used to walk barefooted at the age of six keeping cows ahead. At that time even his footsteps were not properly developed. Krishna gets delighted when the foot dust of cows falls on him.
Krishna used to walk barefooted in dust leaving footprints of his lotus feet everywhere. This is the reason for the dazzling beauty of Vrindavan.

It is said that Nanda maharaja had 9 lakh cows and lord Shri Krishna was aware of their names. All the cows were identified by their names. If any cow gets separated from the group then Krishna calls them back with their names. Due to this affection, Krishna is also known as Gopal or Govind.

Reason for the importance of cows 

Krishna was fond of cows. He used to apply gauraj tilak on his forehead. He showed his affection for gau seva through his words and pastime to people. In this way, Krishna and Balrama are the symbols of cow protection. In Hindu, culture cows are not considered an ordinary animals. Cows are considered mothers. It is said that by drinking cow’s milk our brain works more actively and we can analyse our shastra easily. In shastra, it is said that inside cows 33 thousand gods and goddesses exist. The cow is the symbol of our prosperity.

Objective of Gopastami

The main aim of Gopastami is to protect cows and provide service for their sewa. We should always try to provide a safe, loving and caring environment to cows as they are the favourite Krishna. It is said that in places where cow seva is done Lord Hari uses it to provide infinite grace. We are dependent on cows’ blessings. We should always provide service and take care of cows. Cows expand prosperity and establish spirituality in the surrounding. Whether we live in cities or villages consuming the milk of desi cow and using other dairy products made of it also contributes to the seva of cows. By doing so we are playing an important role in the country’s economy.

So on this auspicious day of Gopastami, let’s provide some service for the protection of cows. We can try to offer them a loving and protective environment. In this way, we can surely impress our Lord Krishna and get the lord’s blessings.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Ram Hare Ram

Ram Ram Hare Hare.

Kartika month’s dark lunar fortnight’s eighth is known by the name BAHULASHTAMI. This day is quite special because this is also celebrated as Radhakund’s appearance day by people who live in Braj.

Srila Rupa Goswami is one of the main out of all the six Gaudiya Vaishnava Goswamis in Vrindavan. He writes about the glory of Radhakund in his famous treatise called Upadesha Mrita.

How and When RadhaKunda Appeared.?

Mathura’s holy land is said to be the best from divine Vaikuntha Dham because at this place supreme Lord was incarnated. The divine forest of Sri Vrindavan is superior to Mathura because lord Krishna composed his Rasalila there. Govardhan Mountain is more superior to Vrindavan because lord Krishna lifted it from his divine hands and this place is one of his various romantic pastimes and amongst all these places the supreme place is Sri Radhakund because it is filled with the nectar of the love of Lord Krishna. Now, who will be that acumen to not be interested in serving this divine RadhaKund situated at the foothills of Govardhan Mountain?

Radhakund appeared at midnight. Almost 5000 years ago from today, Kamsa used to send different demons to Vrindavan land to kill Lord Krishna.

Lord Krishna is a “Gwal Bal”. He is the son of the great king and Yashoda. He is loved by all the people of Braj. He is a supreme god.

THE STORY OF LORD KRISHNA’S BRAVERY

It is said that Lord Krishna before having his breakfast used to kill one demon every day which was sent by Kamsa.

One time Kamsa sent a demon named Arishta to kill Lord Krishna to Braj. Arishta’s demon was in the form of a bull and he was appearing huge and frightening. He started creating a mess just after his arrival and as soon as he saw Lord Krishna, he attacked him. The Supreme Lord Krishna is the king of all the powers. Lord Krishna grabbed him by his horns and slammed him hard. The demon got tired and was dripping from all the sweat but still, he got up with courage and attacked lord Krishna and then again lord Krishna held him by his horns and slammed him hard on the surface and killed the demon this time. After killing the Arishta demon, Lord Krishna went to Govardhan Mountain to meet gopis.

Sri Radha and all the Gopis jokingly said to lord Krishna that they cannot accompany him anymore because he has killed a bull and Bull is a symbol of religion. That is why he has sinned.

And if they will accompany him they will also get infected by that sin. If he wants to cleanse himself from sin then he will have to take bath in the holy rivers of all the pilgrimages of this entire universe. To make his devotees happy. Lord Krishna said that he doesn’t have to go anywhere, and he will call all the pilgrimages here and by the will of Krishna, all the holy rivers appeared before the Lord and were ready to serve him.

Then lord excavated a hole on the land with his heel and all the rivers in their liquid forms like Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Narmada, Kaveri etc entered in that pool.

Then Lord Krishna took a bath in that pool and after taking bath he said to all the Gopis that he is now clean by taking a bath in this pool but, you all took sides of that demon that is why you are all contaminated from the sin. You must take a bath in this pool to get cleaned from the sin. Gopis said that your pool has now been infected by the killing of that bull and that’s why we will not enter your pool but since we all accompanied you that is why we too have become corrupted by the conspiracy of killing the bull. We should also clean ourselves by taking a bath.

-Efforts made by all the Gopis and Radha

Then Princess Radha and all the Gopis saw a big hole made by one huge body part of arishtasur and then they all started digging the hole from their bangles, when it took a shape of a pool then all the Gopis from Mansi Ganga started pouring water from the pitchers into this pool by making a big line. When Krishna saw his other devotee’s gopis performing such a hard task he could not tolerate it. He called all the rivers and asked them to request Radharani, then all the holy rivers prayed personally to Radharani and begged for grace to let them provide help to all of them and let them fill water in the pool. Radharani then accepted the help and then the water from Shyam Kund went to Radha Kund. Thus, Radha Kund appeared.

Srila Prabhupada, Who is the founder Acharya of  ISKCON. He writes in the context of verse no. 10 of updeshamrita that Srimati Radharani is the supreme devotee of Lord Krishna and her kund Sri Radhakund is the holiest place. This is confirmed by an example from the Laghu Bhagavatamrta.

Yatha radha priya visnos
Yasyah kundan priyamantha
Sarva gopian saivaika
Visor atyanta Vallabha

The Never-Ending Love of Lord Krishna and Radha

The way Radharani is loved by Lord Krishna. The place of her bath is also equally (Radhakund) loved by him. Out of all the Gopis, she is the one who is loved by the lord the most.

After sometime when the lord went back to Vrindavan then Radhakund and Shyam Kund according to the wish of the Supreme Lord, became unacquainted.

Discovery of RadhaKunda by Lord Chaitanya

After this, almost 500 years before, Lord Chaitanya appeared as the most merciful incarnation.

Sri Chaitanya is Lord Krishna himself and in the spirit of Radharani.

Lord Chaitanya & Radha-Krishna, are not different. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has appeared to establish Yuga dharma Harinama Sankirtana and to invoke the love of Radharani. When Chaitanya came to travel to Vrindavan then he discovered Radha Kund and Shyam Kund and at that time they were all known as the Gauri river and black river and were unacquainted with regular people. Later Raghunath Das Goswami excavated them and worshipped Radhakund. Goswamis have mentioned Radhakund’s mercy in many of their books.

On the auspicious occasion of BAHULASHTAMI, the Radha Kund which is the liquid form of Radharani and is filled by the love of Lord Krishna, pray that our contaminated heart gets cleaned up, we all achieve the supreme love of Lord Krishna and we all join in divine loving service of Radha-Krishna. 

Sri Radha kunda ki Jai!

Srila Prabhupada ki jai!