Thursday, July 21, 2011

Jhulan Utsav: 15th July to 13th August, 2011


Shri Radha Swings while Shri Krishna Plays the Flute

Shri radhe jhulan padhaaro, ghir aaye badaraa...
radhe jhulan padhaaro, ghir aaye badaraa |

"Shri Radha please be seated on the swing, as the clouds have gathered." This is one of the thousands of padas sung in festive use on Jhulan Utsav in the holy town of Vrindavan, expressing the thoughts of the collective Braj bhaktijan, the denizens of Braj.

Shri Radha-Raman ji on a Jhulan in Vrindavan
The deities of Shri Radha-Krishna are gently swayed on a swing in the main temples of Shri Banke Bihari and Shri Radha Raman in Vrindavan with devotees thronging the place from all over the world. During this period in many of the 5000 temples in Vrindavan, the small utsava deities are taken from the altar and placed on  elaborate swings sometimes made of gold or silver and decorated with creepers and jasmine flowers.

The Virat Roop of Lord Krishna
How astonishing is this reality! The same Lord Shri Krishna who assumes a Virat Roop (a title of the Supreme Being as able to assume a universal form in which the entire creation is manifest) and whose form is so imposing that Arjuna is bewildered.The same Lord Krishna who has been destroying (those killed by Krishna are said to attain moksha or salvation) Putana,

Shri Krishna Kills Bakasura, the Stork Demon
Bakasur, Aghasur,

Lord Krishna Destroys Keshi, the Horse Demon
Keshi and other demons, ever since childhood,
Lord Krishna Triumphs Over Kaliya Naag
triumphing over Kaliya Naag, and the one who is mahakaal (a title of Krishna in his character as destroyer) of even kaal (a personification of time), is beyond the bounds of time and gunas (the three constituents of nature, sattva or goodness, rajas or passion and tamas or darkness),is the sole Supreme Being, is endowed with infinite power strength might, valour, energy and brilliance,

Shri Krishna as Jhulan Vihari
becomes so very lovingly tender, sweet and affectionate, the instant He transforms into Jhulan Viharii. Dark-hued Krishna romantically dallies with Kishori ji and the sakhis, thus granting great joy to his bhaktas.

Shri Radha & Krishna on a Swing with the Sakhis Adoring Them
When the swing is put up amidst enchanting creepers, the lovely kunjas and nikunjas (arbours and bowers, particular meeting places of Radha and Krishna in Vrindavan) the great good fortune of nature is revealed instinctively. Jhulan Vihar or enjoying oneself on the swing means paying a tribute to nature,

Shri Radha-Krishna are Drenched in the Rain
the rainy season and the surrounding environs. Though there is a lot of discussion on the green environment and ecology, as of today, but

Shri Krishna & Balram Grazing Cows
the valuable message which Lord Shri Krishna has given us through gau charan (the tending of cattle),

Shri Radha-Krishna Dallying in the Forest
van-vihar (playful frolics in the forest),

Shri Yamuna
Shri Yamuna Keli ( dalliance with Shri Yamuna),

Goverdhan Puja
Goverdhan Puja and through the medium of other lilas, can only be understood by the learned rasikas (people moved by passionate religious devotion esp for Krishna) who are well-versed with His divine play.

The Glorious Lord Krishna Exudes Madhurya or Sweet Love
All of the beauty and all of the virtue of the world co-mingle in Krishna's character and form. He is the sole master of the entire universe. There is none who can be likened to Lord Krishna, the colour of the condensed sky, as far as eternal madhurya or sweet love, power, godliness and His winsome manners are concerned.

The Lotus Feet of Lord Shri Krishna
Let us bow over and over again at the lotus feet of Lord Shri Krishna who is omniscient, omnipresent, and supremely powerful. Come, let us adulate his Jhulan Vihar with the same pure gaze and delight in its unparalleled beauty with joyous abandon.

Shri Shri Radha Kanti ji
24th July, 2011: Be present to receive the direct blessings of Shri Shri Radha-Kanti ji (Jhulan Vihar on Sunday from 6 to 8 pm at Bharti ji and Vikas ji's residence.)

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