(1/2) Sri Vrindavan Dham Parikrama:
At Lalita Devi's Home

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Vrindavan Dham Parikrama, Sri Uchagaon
30 October 2019, translated from Bengali

When our Gurudev (Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj) together with Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj finished Sri Vrindavan Dham parikrama, Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj asked Gurudev, 'You have visited many places in Vrindavan, which place did you like the most? What is your most favourite place here?' Guru Maharaj replied, 'My favourite place is Uchagaon.' Then, Gurudev asked Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, 'And which place did you like the most?' Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj replied, 'I liked Terkadamba (Kadam-khandi) the most.'

We will go to Kadam-khandi today, too; it will be our last place. First, we have come here, to Uchagaon. After that, we will go to Srimati Radharani's house in Varsana. It is one–two kilometres away from here, up the hill. We actually passed it on the way here, but we will go there after Uchagaon. After Varsana, we will go to Nandagram. Situated a little lower, near Nandagram, is Sri Pavan Sarovar, where Srila Sanatan Goswami and Srila Sridhar Maharaj stayed and served the Lord (it is their bhajan-sthali). We will take noon prasadam there. Lastly, in the afternoon, we will go to Terkadamba (Kadam-khandi) and the temple of Aseswar Mahadev.

Srila Rupa Goswamipad composed a very beautiful poem (Sri Lalita Astakam) glorifying Srimati Lalita Devi. I will read it to you. The poem is rather long, we do not have time to explain everything in detail now. I will explain it as far as I can.

radha-mukunda-pada-sambhava-gharma-bindu- nirmanchhanopakarani-krta-deha-laksam uttunga-sauhrda-visesa-vasat pragalbham devim gunaih su-lalitam lalitam namami [1]

'To remove even a drop of sweat that may appear on the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha-Mukunda, she wants to take on thousands of bodies. She loses herself in the ecstasy of a very lofty, loving nature and can sometimes behave haughty. I am offering my obeisance to this Lalita Devi, who is replete with beautiful qualities.'

Who can control Srimati Radharani? Srimati Radharani always prays for the holy lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna, She always hankers, 'How can I please Him? How can I make Him happy? What can I do so that He may look at Me and feel happy? What should I wear to make Him happy?' She always thinks about this. But who dresses Radharani? This is done only by Lalita Devi.

[To a devotee] Hey, why are you talking so much? Why are you only chatting all the time? On the last day I will ask you about what places you have visited and what you have heard during the parikrama. If you cannot give an answer, you will get a stick.

At some times, Srimati Radharani feels so tense that She begins to perspire. She feels anxious, 'How can I come to Krishna?' Seeing drops of sweat on the holy body of Srimati Radhika, Lalita Devi could not tolerate it, so she would quickly wipe it. She could not tolerate even a single bead of sweat on her Mistress's body! This is how Lalita Devi serves Srimati Radharani.

raka-sudha-kirana-mandala-kanti-dandi- vaktra-sriyam chakita-charu-chamuru-netram radha-prasadhana-vidhana-kala-prasiddham devim gunaih su-lalitam lalitam namami [2]

'Her effulgence is like rays of nectar radiating from the halo of a full moon. She is beautifully outspoken, and she has charming, agile doe-like eyes. She is famous for dressing Sri Radha in a very artful way. I am offering my obeisance to this Lalita Devi, who is replete with beautiful qualities.'

Lalita Devi teaches Radharani how She should look at Krishna, how She should throw glances at Him.

lasyollasad-bhujaga-satru-patatra-chitra- pattamsukabharana-kanchulikanchitangim gorochana-ruchi-vigarhana-gaurimanam devim gunaih su-lalitam lalitam namami [3]

'She wears beautiful clothes and ornaments of bright colours resembling jubilantly dancing peacock feathers; and Her golden complexion reproaches the bright yellow lustre of gorochana. I am offering my obeisance to this Lalita Devi, who is replete with beautiful qualities.'

She teaches Radharani how She should wear Her clothes, how She should cover Herself with the end or the border of Her clothes, and so on.

dhurte vrajendra-tanaye tanu susthu vamyam ma daksina bhava kalankini! laghavaya radhe! giram srnu hitam iti siksayantim devim gunaih su-lalitam lalitam namami [4]

‘Show this cunning Prince of Vraja how stubborn You can be! No more submission to Him! People say that You have disgraced Yourself, that You are loose, Radha!’ – she teaches Her thus how best to behave. I am offering my obeisance to this Lalita Devi, who is replete with beautiful qualities.

'If You want to get Krishna, You should not be so submissive. Keep Yourself a little far from Him so that He feels even more drawn to You. Do not come too close to Him, do not get too sentimental in front of Him! Keep a little far and let Him chase You!'

radham abhi vraja-pateh krtam atmajena kutam manag api vilokya vilohitaksim vag-bhangibhis tam achirena vilajjayantim devim gunaih su-lalitam lalitam namami [5]

'Whenever she notices even a slightest hint that the Master of Vraja is trying to trick Radha, her eyes become red and she quickly intercedes and begins to scold Krishna. I am offering my obeisance to this Lalita Devi, who is replete with beautiful qualities.'

'When You speak to Him, be always careful!' She teaches Srimati Radharani how to speak and behave with Krishna.

vatsalya-vrnda-vasatim pasupala-rajnyah sakhyanusiksana-kalasu gurum sakhinam radha-balavaraja-jivita-nirvisesam devim gunaih su-lalitam lalitam namami [6]

'She belongs to the group of devotees with parental love, so she teaches other girlfriends of the Cowherd’s Queen how to better render friendly service to Her. Radha and Balaram’s younger brother (Krishna) are non-different from her very life. I am offering my obeisance to this Lalita Devi, who is replete with beautiful qualities.'

When Krishna goes herding cows and calves and plays His flute, Lalita tells all the gopis, 'Go and pick some flowers, but do not look at Him so much. Make sure He does not notice you looking at Him!'

yam kam api vraja-kule vrsabhanujayah preksya sva-paksa-padavim anuruddhyamanam sadyas tad-ista-ghatanena krtarthayantim devim gunaih su-lalitam lalitam namami [7]

'If she sees that somebody in Vrindavan has the same attitude to King Vrishabhanu’s Daughter as she does, it stuns her and she at once fulfils all their cherished desires. I am offering my obeisance to this Lalita Devi, who is replete with beautiful qualities.'

radha-vrajendra-suta-sangama-rangacharyam varyam vinischitavatim akhilotsavebhyah tam gokula-priya-sakhi-nikuramba-mukhyam devim gunaih su-lalitam lalitam namami [8]

'She orchestrates Radha’s union with the Son of the King of Vraja. She is the best, the most determined and jovial. Among Radha’s many beloved girlfriends in Gokula, she is the main one. I am offering my obeisance to this Lalita Devi, who is replete with beautiful qualities.'

Lalita trains all the gopis, especially all the principal gopis (Visakha, Tungavidya, Sudevi, Indulekha, and others). She is their master, their guru, and she trains everybody.

...You know, one must not speak in front of the Lord, in front of the Deities. One must not speak about anything else but the Lord in front of the Lord. And this is Uchagaon...

There is also one more thing to tell. At the bottom of the hill, there is a pond. It is called Dehi Kunda. Many people call it 'Lalita Kunda', but it is not right. This pond's name is Dehi Kunda.

As you know, Krishna can take many forms. Krishna can become Kali. Krishna can become Narayan, Durga or anybody else. So, one day, changing His appearance and disguising Himself as a beggar, Krishna came to this house. He said, 'Please give Me some alms.' He looked like a beggar, but He is not an ordinary beggar – it was actually Krishna who came, so do you think that He will be satisfied with just one–two rupees? He will not. So, He asked, 'Give me gold that weighs the same as all your daughter's weight.' Lalita Devi's father replied, 'I am a poor brahman, where will I get so much gold?' Krishna said, 'Oh, if you cannot give Me gold, then you must give Me your daughter! I will marry her!' Lalita Devi's father became very upset, 'How can I give my daughter to a beggar?' But Lalita Devi recognised Krishna, 'This is Krishna Himself! He has come in disguise!' Recognising Krishna, she told her father, 'Father, do not worry, I am offering myself to Him myself.' This is how Lalita Devi gave her body (deha) to Krishna as a gift, and that this is how the pond got its name, Dehi Kunda.

[Later, coming to Sri Dehi Kunda, His Divine Grace remarks] You have come to Vrindavan, so be very careful. This place, as well as actually all places in Vrindavan, is all about Krishna's prema (transcendental love), and Krishna's love and affection is niskama-prema (devoid of any lust or material desires). Here, Lalita Devi gave her body to Krishna, and somebody can think that it is the same as when a girl gives her body to her husband, but it is not the same thing at all! Jay Dehi Kunda Ki jay.

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur identified himself as an unqualified maidservant of Lalita Devi. Moreover, it is written in Sri Brahma Vaivarta and other Puranas that the eight principal gopis (the asta-sakhis) appeared from the pores of Srimati Radharani's body. Sri Rupa Manjari is a disciple of Sri Lalita Devi, and she is the chief among all the submissive and chaste devotees. And Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta identified himself as Sri Rupanuga, a chaste, submissive follower of Sri Rupa.

The eight principal sakhis are (1) Lalita Devi, (2) Visakha, (3) Chitra, (4) Indulekha, (5) Champakalata, (6) Ranga Devi, (7) Tungavidya and (8) Sudevi.

Jay Sri Lalita Devi ki jay.

Gurudev said that we shall serve all these things mentally because we have no right to, for example, come to the sakhis to serve them directly. Our service-right is to serve manjaris: Rupa Manjari, Lavanga Manjari and others. Service of sakhis and to sakhis is a very high matter, and we do not even discuss it. What we must remember is that our service lives are always under manjaris. Other missions worship sakhis – they install Deities of the eight sakhis and worship them – but we do not do this. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur said that he himself is a maidservant of Sri Rupa Manjari...

Jay Srila Guru Maharaj ki jay.

Do you understand now what a beautiful place this Uchagaon is? I tried and am still trying to do some service to this place, we shall see what happens...

Jay Sri Uchagaon ki jay.

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