Pilgrimage to Braj Dham - Vrindavan
Visit to Brij dhām - Reflections from a week long pilgrimage
Sri Krishna is durlabha , not easy to get Him. It is quite popular understanding by examining life stories of countless Bhakti saints that how pursuit of Sri Krishna's feet makes the sincere seeker experience endless life hurdles. hurdles for ordinary life but in reality spring boards for adhyatmik life. But thats one aspect to it , even as a upasana incredible demonstration of commitment is demanded. Upasana methods can vary , vratas , mantra anushatana , nama japa , parikrama etc No matter what form of upasana , a demand of constant surrender is placed on the seeker. Seeker might be novice or an advanced one , irrespective of one's stage of journey, surrender is mandated inevitably, all the time.
For people of Brij , Brijvāsi , he seemed to turn into Sulabha , rather easy to attain. Now who gets to be qualified as Brijvāsi and what is Brij in first place , that is nuanced conversation for some other time. But I am simply talking about physical map of Brij which is of Chaurashi kosh. It is estimated to have over five thousand five hundred temples.
This is a mystical place of such unique nature. In fact one of the rare few places which truly fits the title of ' advitīya' - one without the second. Now Sri Krishna who is durlabha, how come he turns sulabha here ? That is sheer grace of most mysterious of Shaktis i.e ahlādini Shakti , who appeared as Sri Radharani.
Her grandeur is written all over Brij , if only one has right tuning to the sacred kshetra, then one can smell, hear , see and taste Her grace that is all permeating reality in this head quarters of myriad flavours of Bhakti . Stamp of Her shakti is infused in the soil and waves of joy pervade the sky. One just has to be truly blessed to experience this.
Sri Radharani, Empress of Brij has only one poise i.e of constant samadhi like absorption where all layers of consciousness collapse into ultimate reality of Sri Krishna. This is not samadhi of dissolution of Prakriti into immutable Purusha. It is a state where infinite pain ( viraha) weaves into infinite love. it is state of samadhi adorned by Mahaprana shakti. For the seeker of Sri Krishna, it is this Viraha that becomes palpable. Even a simple touch of His presence immediately makes it clear to the seeker that this Anandalīlamaya purusha is all set to break down our defences. Once the defences are obliterated , he instills viraha in our hearts.
For long time on the path of devotion, seeker of Sri Krishna's grace struggles in this twilight zone, where having tasted a drop of nectarine Love , one cannot now let go yearning for it and at the same time one is fighting to avoid inextricable pain associated with the process. This is just baggage of our ordinary life , where our psychological defence to whole life can be thus summed up - attachment to pleasure and reluctance to pain. We are constantly wired to be in this state. While this state has some psychological utility in normal functioning of life , however when one steps on the path of Krishna bhakti , perhaps the first thing he does is to pulverize these defences we have surrounded ourselves with. For their role ends when the spiritual path to Sri Krishna begins.
This is tremendously painful process , for it is a process of true transformation. Without painful giving up of lesser state there is no room for emergence of something far greater. Greater the measure of giving up , greater the metamorphosis. This is the cosmic principle. Sri Krishna doesn't formulate some psychoanalytical process to help the bhakta overcome this painful situation, however He seemed to handover far more simpler and yet profound way to deal with this journey, which is to simply keep meditating on him , his leelas , his tattvas which are countless and would never end. Thus a Bhakta immersed into this unbroken contemplation mysteriously develops detachment with whole process of transformation itself and in an unassuming moment emerges on the horizons of Bhakti - sky, as an effulgent bird liberated from its cherished cage. Who is now soaring in realms where one is in constant rapture of Sri Krishna's love.
It is in Brindavan one realises such a impeccable journey is possible only when one is uplifted by the grace of the ultimate Shakti of Brij i.e Sri Radharāni. She is the most conspicuous yet most mysterious force of Brij. For she is the throb in the heart of all sentient beings with or with out bodies that hover in brindavan to be steeped in love of Sri Krishna
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What an inspired piece of lyrical writing. You certainly have been touched by the precious jewel of grace of the gopis of Vrindavan. Jai Jai Shri Radhe Shyam!