On devotional dress and On doing Govardhana parikrama

[Paramananda das]

On devotional dress

yesterday i saw one person trying to be the master of the holy name, his mentality disgusted me ,he is an initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada and did not even put devotional dress on ,then he sings the Mahamantra in a complicated tune ,that no one can follow thinking his is better than everyone.The Temple administration should demand any kirtana leaders wear at least devotional dress.I once told Ramahadra when I served in ISKCON NY, that was is this kind of hippy mentality that you can not even put devotional dress when leading sunday kirtana , he agreed and told the kirtan leader to wear devotional dress. One sannyasi has travelled around in Europe recently also with no devotional dress.I saw a quote where Srila Prabhupada chastised a sannyasi for wearing non devotional dress .For sannyasis especiallly the devotional dress is a must.When you travel and preach or do bookdistribution devotional dress is sometimes not favorable so Srila Prabhupada allowed it in that setting. But in a temple on Govardhana puja, how immature

 

On  doing Govardhana parikrama 

 

In the Varaha Purana Lord Varaha has stated that by doing Govardhana Parikrama one attains the Supreme abode ,   .Occasional  worship of Sri Giriraja may take you to Vaikuntha but regular worship will take you to Goloka Vrindavana.

 

 

Most of the time we start our Govardhana Parikrama at Radha Kunda Shyama kunda ,and end at Shyma Kunda- Radha kunda .By the mercy of ones Gurudeva one should learn all these places , I have done Parikramas many times ,sometimes alone ,and sometimes with my family , sometimes with hundreds of ISKCON devotees or with Gaudiya math devotees .One thing about doing it alone is there is no distraction for you meditation ,on the various holy places around Govardhana , but what is more sweet than when you have someone with you , that you can describe the glories too. But it is always good to go with older devotees , you might learn many new things, I used to do Parikrama also with Deenabandhu and Padmalocana Prabhus, I wanted to take Aindra Prabhu on Govardhana Parikrama , he was not much into the long walk ,but prefered to worship Giriraja in his room, we did go once on a taxi parikrama .Means you take a taxi and stop and see some places and then you go to the next place.I have done Govardhana Parikrama also with Giriraja Swami and Tamal Krsna Maharaja and Lokantha Swami .I have done with my Gurudeva when he was in older age along with many devotees .The places of Govardhana one should learn about and visit.What is the use of having recieved a human form of life and have never done Govardhana Parikrama?

 

One can worship Sri  Giriraja Sila when one becomes qualified and daily do Parikrama  in ones home one should walk around Sri Giriraja and Tulsidevi and chant either japa or have Kirtana , Lord Caitanya gave Srila Raghunath das Goswami a  Govardhana sila and at the same time He had   him chant the Mahmantra minimum 64 rounds daily of course Srila Raghunath das Goswami chanted constantly and also worshipped that Govardhana sila that Lord Caitanya personally worshipped and bated with His tears .Lord Nityananda Prabhu had a great devotee at Govardhana hill that always worshipped Giriraja and chanted the holy names of Lord Balarama , when Lord Nityananda Prabhu came to Govardhana ,he gave Lord Nityananda Prabhu a Govardhana sila that was in gold setting for the Lord  to wear around His neck.But no one can make jewelry like that ,that is an offence .

 

on should think my life is not complete untill I have done Govardhana Parikrama in the association of advanced devotees, one can never become free from Ahankara false ego without worship of Sri Girirajado you know what Srila Prabhupadas last spiritual desire was? To do Parikrama of Sri Giriraja then why should not everyone do it often as often as is possible in life? What kind of insane person avoid Sri Giriraja?

 

here is something about Kusuma Sarovara: 

 

Kusuma-sarovara is on the right of the parikrama path, about one-and-a-half miles south-west of Radha-Kunda. A forest of flowers (kusuma) was here full of varieties of trees, creepers and flowers like bell, cameli, juhi, yuthi, mallika and campaka. Radhika used to come here on the pretext of picking flowers with her sakhis, but Her real intent was to meet rasika Shri Krishna, with whom She would have love-quarrels and sarcastic exchanges full of rasa.
Krishna-bhavanamrta describes how one day Radhika was picking flowers here with her sakhis when Krishna arrived, and the following exchange took place:
Krishna: Who is there?
Radha: Nobody.
Krishna: Tell Me honestly, who are You?
Radha: Nobody.
Krishna: You are speaking in a very crooked way.
Radha: And You speak in a very straight way, don't You? Krishna: I am asking You who You are.
Radha: Don't You know?
Krishna: What are You doing?
Radha: Picking flowers to worship the Sungod.
Krishna: Have You received permission from anyone to do so? Radha: There is no need of anyone's permission.
Krishna: Aha, I have caught a thief today. I wondered who was stealing flowers every day and ruining this garden. Now I have caught You, and will punish You straight away.
Radha: Since when have You become the master of this flower garden? Have You ever planted a single flower here Have You ever even watered one? On the contrary, You ruin this flower garden with Your hundreds and thousands of cows and Your boisterous, brazen friends. Indeed, since when have You become the protector of this garden?
Krishna: Do not defame a pious, righteous person like Me. Now I shall teach You a good lesson.
Radha (smiling): Aha-ha, You are a highly pious and righteous person, are You? You killed a woman right after Your birth; You lied to Your mother even in childhood; You stole butter from the houses of the neighboring gopis; and when You became a little older, You stole the clothes of the young gopis. Only a few days ago You killed a calf. This is the extent of Your pious, saintly conduct.
Hearing the retort, Krishna scratched His head and looked towards clever Madhumarigala, who advised Him, "One's well being lies in remaining quiet." At this point, all the sakhis surrounded Shyamasundara and began to clap