Man often tries during his lifetime to attain the blessings of Supreme lord but do you know anyone who has received the blessings of Supreme lord even before birth? No,we are not talking about Parikshit Maharaj, he had received the blessings of supreme lord in his mother’s womb. We are talking about such an Acharya who was blessed with the grace of Supreme Lord even before coming into the mother’s womb. We will tell you about such a great Vaishnavacharya who, with the flood of his love for Krishna, organized such a river in which even today if a person drowns, he swims across this worldly ocean.

But who is this great teacher? And which stream did he create? To know this you will have to stay with us in this blog till the end. This is the story of the time when Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was manifesting His divine pastimes in Srivas aangan and at that time a supernatural incident happened as you all know that the most munificient incarnation of Lord Sri Krishna i.e. Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who was about 500 years ago Krishna had appeared on this earth to provide love to the conditioned souls.

So one day Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu suddenly came to Srivasangan and it was me! They started chanting ‘I am the one’. He called out all the people present in Srivasa’s house to bestow His special blessings and started manifesting Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. At that time there was also a small four year old girl there, her name was Narayani. She was the daughter of Shrivas Thakur’s brother. Seeing Narayani, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu called her Narayani! Take the name of Krishna and cry in divine joy.

As soon as he heard the words of the Lord, Narayani started losing consciousness and said, O Krishna! Hey Krishna! Saying this, tears started flowing from her eyes and she fell on the ground showing all the signs of pure love and thus Narayani received the special mercy of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu at the age of only four years. Gaur Hari Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu whenever Narayani,

He was seen showing special affection towards her and giving him his Mahaprasad. After some time, Mahaprabhu took Sannyasa and left Navadweep. Here Narayani was also growing up and got married and moved to another village. But the river of love for Krishna given by Mahaprabhu always kept flowing in his heart and in the womb of this Narayani, a divine child and a great Acharya was born who had received the special mercy of Lord Shri Krishna even before the time of his pregnancy.

It was around 1507, This great Vaishnav Acharya was born in Mamgachhi village situated in Navdvip on the Krishna Dwadashi day of Vaishakh month. Whom the world knows today as Srila Vrindavandas Thakur.

Srila Vrindavandas Thakur had devotion to Supreme lord Krishna since childhood. His father died when he was in the womb. He lived in Mamgachhi village till the age of ten. There he was brought up with great care in the house of Shrivas Thakur’s wife Malini Devi. He also completed his practice there. At the age of 16, he took initiation from Shri Nityananda Prabhu, the incarnation of Balram Ji.

Sri Nityananda Prabhu wanted Srila Vrindavandas Thakur to help him in the propagation of Krishna Bhakti. Thus, it was the special grace of Nityananda Prabhu and by his grace, Sri Vrindavan Thakur, while staying in Denur, composed Chaitanya Mangal which was later known as Sri Chaitanya Bhagvat. Chaitanya Bhagavat describing the pastimes of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the stream in which a person who once drowns swims to this ocean of existence. Sri Krishnadas Kaviraj ji, who composed the great book Sri Chaitanya-Charitamrit, says that by listening to Chaitanya Bhagvat Katha, all the inauspicious things are destroyed and its reading.

By doing this the person will be able to understand the divine pastimes of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu and ultimately he will attain pure love of Krishna. When Srila Vrindavan das Thakur reached his youth, there was a desolation in the Gaudiya Vaishnava sect because Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his associates had left this earth and at that time the empire of Smartha Brahmins was spread.

Smart Brahmins are those who are only interested in material benefits through rituals, for them the path of devotional service has no importance. Such Brahmins had spread very bad rumors all around at that time about Vaishnav sect and Sri Nityananda Prabhu. And at many places, they kept the idol of Maa Kali along with Lord and worshiped her. But even at such a time, due to the blessings of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Srila Vrindavandas Thakur continued to preach pure devotion with the same enthusiasm and he offered the summary of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings and devotion to the world in the form of Chaitanya Bhagvat Granth.

The thing to think about is whether an ordinary human being can have this much capability. No! Only those who do the preaching work of lord and receive His special blessings can be His councilors and that is why in the eighth Chaitanya-Charitamrit 1.8.34, Krishnadas Kaviraj says Krishna Leela Bhagwat Kahe Vedavyas Chaitanya Leelar Vyas Vrindavandas That is, just as Vyasdev has described the divine pastimes of Lord Shri Krishna in Srimad Bhagvat, in the same way Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur has described the pastimes of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in this book.

Further in the chapter, in the 82nd Pyaar of the twentieth chapter of Antya Leela, it is again said that Vrindavan Das Thakur is a dear devotee of Lord Nityananda and hence he is basically Vyasadeva who described the divine pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Not only this, poet Karnapur also tells in the 109th verse of his Gauranganodesh Deepika that Srila Vedvyas is now Vrindavandas Thakur and is the son of Vraja, Kusuma Peer Sakha also entered them for some reason.

Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura has also praised Srila Vrindavandasa Thakura highly in the purport of Chaitanya Bhagavata. He said that Srila Vrindavandas Thakur’s devotion towards his Guru Sri Nityananda Prabhu was incomparable and he followed the principles of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

ISKCON’s founder Acharya Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada also glorified Srila Vrindavandas Thakur at many places in his books. So today, on the day of disappearance of Srila Vrindavandas Thakura, let us pray to him to lead us towards the pure devotion of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the only shelter of pure Krishna love.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Lord Balaram’s Raas Yatra is described in Shrimad Bhagvatam and is also described in Garga Samhita.

Duryodhan is hearing the glory of Balram ji from his guru. Duryodhana asked his guru, O most intelligent Lord Balram, when he had wandered on the banks of Yamuna with the Nagakanya Gopis.

It is very important to clarify here that Balram ji’s gopis are different, and he is Nagkanya gopis, and Lord Shri Krishna’s gopis are different.

Then, in answer to Duryodhana’s question, the sage said that once in the heart of Balram ji, there was a strong desire to see his brothers and relatives of Braj. He left Dwarka riding on his Taladhwaja chariot and reached Vrindavan, full of cows and cowherds.

Nand Baba and Yashoda Maiya were also eager to see him. And as soon as she saw Balram Ji, she hugged him. Balram Ji met everyone and stayed there for the entire 2 months of spring. These are the two months of Chaitra and Vaishakh, and Chaitra Purnima is exactly in the middle of spring.

Earlier, the Nagkanya girls, who were mentioned to be Gopis, obtained Balram’s almanack from Gargacharya ji and proved it to get him as their husband, and due to its influence, Balram ji became happy and settled in Raas Mandal on the banks of the river Kalindi.

Balaram Ji played Raas with those Gopis. That day was the full moon of Chaitra. That day, the full moon of Arun colour was rising and colouring the entire forest with its colourful rays. The cool wind was blowing slowly everywhere, carrying the nectar and pollen of the lotus.

The blissful Yamuna was enveloping the clean shore with its playful waves. The courtyard land of Kunjo was adorned with various Nikunjos and was moistened with the pollen of shining, beautiful leaves and flowers.

Peacocks and cuckoos were cooing melodiously and this land adorned with the sweet sound of honeybees was looking very beautiful. The sweet sound of the anklets was being heard at the feet of Balram ji. They were adorned with bracelets, girdles, hands, crowns, and earrings made of shining gems. His face was covered with lotus flowers, he was wearing Nilambar, i.e., blue clothes, and his eyes were like lotus flowers.

In this way, Balram ji was seated in the Rasamandal, surrounded by Gopis, and the entire forest was becoming fragrant with the fragrant Varuni sent by Varun.

Madhukar started humming beautifully among the people of Madhu, and then Balramji, who had a gait like Airavat and arms as huge as the trunk of an elephant, started playing with the Gopis. He had a plough on his lion-like shoulders and a pestle in his hands. Then, while playing sports on the banks of Yamuna Ji, particles of sweat started shining on his head, so he called Yamuna ji from a distance to take bath and do water sports. But she did not come. Then Balram ji got angry and pulled Yamuna ji with the tip of the plough and said that today I called you, but you did not come by insulting me, you are going to behave arbitrarily. Right now, I will break you into a hundred pieces with this pestle.

Then, on being scolded by Balram ji in this way, Yamuna ji got extremely scared and fell at the feet of Balram ji and said, O Lokabhiram Balram, O Sankarshana, O Balbhadra, O great-armed one, I did not know of your immense strength and bravery, the entire earth is on your head. Mustard stuff is lying around. I am unaware of your ultimate influence. I have come to you for refuge. Leave me alone.

On praying like this, Balram ji left Yamuna ji and then started playing in the Yamuna water with the Gopis. After playing in the water, when he came out of Yamuna ji, Yamuna ji gave him many blue clothes and jewellery made of gold gems.

O Duryodhana, Balram ji distributed all those ornaments among different Gopis, and wearing a necklace made of blue sapphire and new gold gems, he sat like Airavata.

This is how Balram, the best of the Yadavas, spent the spring nights. Even today, Yamuna ji flows through a crooked path and indicates her power. That place is Ramghat, from where the path of Yamuna ji becomes crooked, and the person who listens to or narrates this incident of Lord Balram ji’s Raslila is free from all sins. After this, he attains a state of supreme bliss.

According to Vedic tithi, Srila Prabhupada landed in America after a 37 days long, tiring journey. He went there by a cargo ship named “Jaladuta”. According to the English calendar, 17th September 1965 is an unforgettable historic day, when Krishna bhakti or Krishna consciousness revolution (Hare Krishna Movement) erupted in the entire world. On this day, Srila Prabhupada resolute the devotional service of Krishna in the heart of American People on his spiritual master’s order.

Srila Prabhupada’s Journey To America

Srila Prabhupada vocalized that everyone wishes to go to London in general, but I planned to go to America instead. I used to think about how to go to New York. I always make new strategies thinking about how can I reach there and what should I do about it. So many questions arise in my mind, such as is going through the Tokyo route fine? Going through which way will cost less? I always used to think about all this. I always had an aim to go to New York.

How He Planned His Journey

Nearly at the age of 70s, a septuagenarian started printing books, prepared passports and kept many other documents ready, which are compulsory for the set foot in America. For doing all this, he struggled a lot but never stopped preferment of Krishna Bhakti. Even because of his increasing age, he faced many health issues, but these hurdles could not distract him from his aim.

How Sumati Morarjee Agreed:

The mistress of Scindia shipping company Sumati Morarji has not accepted Srila Prabhupada’s obsecration. She even tried to dishearten him for going to America. But Srila Prabhupada was highly undeterred. So, in the end, Sumati Morarji was constrained to send Srila Prabhupada to one of her cargo ships.

Hurdles Faced In Ship

In that unprecedented journey, envoy Srila Prabhupada in a ship named Jaladuta was travelling to promote Krishna bhakti among the people of America. Despite having suffered two heart attacks during his journey of panic and dizziness, Srila Prabhupada still depended on Lord Krishna to follow the Guru’s instructions. After 15 days of an agonizing journey, the seafarers were startled to see the Atlantic ocean that much calm.

Seafarers Statement About Miracle

They said that they were feeling as the rein of the ship was in Lord Krishna’s hand. In a conversation, Srila Prabhupada said that he was all alone. No one in my family was with me. But I felt that Lord Krishna was with me. On the day he stepped into the land of America, he wrote about Markine Bhagavata Dharma, a poem on the preaching of Bhagavad Dharma. In this poem, he wrote about the conversation to Lord Krishna about everything in the heart of Srila Prabhupada and pleaded for his blessings.

Summary Of The Poem 

He wrote: Hey Lord,

You are so kind to this tiny person. I don’t know why you brought me to this materialistic world. So you can do whatever you wish with me. Here most of the people are indulged in rajasik and tamsik work. But I know you are a great magician or if you want you can do anything.

Srila Prabhupada’s Entreaty

Hey Lord!  

I can just repeat your words, and if you want, you can manipulate my words and make them understanding. With your grace, my words will get sacred and will be perforating. I am just a puppet of your hand. However, you want me to dance, just make me dance too. I don’t have little Bhakti and Gyan. But I will entirely rely on your holy names. I got the title of Bhaktivedanta, and if you want, you can make this name accurate.

Srila Prabhupada Ji’s Appearance

As a miserable beggar as a native of Vrindavan covering by gone shawl in body, wearing ordinary sleepers, tilak at the forehead, kanthi mala in the neck and taking Japa mala in hand. Vaishnava Sanyasi came to New York for the first time.

Reaction of People

People of New York unnoticed this ordinary-looking sanyasi. They were unaware that this person came to relieve them from an essential part of our life: the life and death cycle. He has the priceless treasure of Krishna Bhakti which is the ultimate treasure of life.

How Srila Prabhupada Cope in America

Srila Prabhupada said that when he reached America, he had 4 Dollars only. When he insisted captain of the ship Shriman Pandya to purchase one set of Srimad Bhagavatam, he asked how much it cost, Srila Prabhupada answered 16 dollars. Sriman Pandya gave him 20 dollars instead of 16, which is the only thing other than books he was having along with him.

Result of Prabhupada’s Journey

Srila Prabhupada’s journey to America is exhilarating. After reaching there, the intensity of the publicity of Krishna Bhakti increased.

What Should We Comprehend

Each moment of the founder of the ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada’s life is dedicated to his spiritual master and Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. And this is the ultimate reason that he was successful in bringing the revolution of bhakti. So we all should admire him and learn the lesson of extreme dedication, devotion and sacrifice.