30th July, 2015: Janam Utsav of Bhaktimati Usha Bahenji

 Boboji's Yugal Sarkar

The metaphorical search of the impassioned soul for union with Lord Krishna is centerd within earthly Vrindavana or perhaps that region in the heart wherein god is ultimately found. 

Bhaktimati Usha Bahenji

'In Braj Vaibhav Ki Apoorv Shri Bhaktimati Usha Bahenji,' the pivotal concept of madhurya defines the love of Krishna and an important Vaishnava concept of shringara bhakti evolves. Whether it is in the pleasure of belonging or the pathos of longing, participating in the innocent lilas of Krishna or being charmed by His flute, she in equal measure reflects the madhurya of Krishna.

Pujya Bobo is Passionately Drawn to Vrindavana

She becomes a paradigm of the perennial quest of mankind for a divine and transcendental love. This intense attraction to Vrindavana is apparent in Bobo as she was fondly called. Bhaktimati Usha Bahenji lived in Vrindavana for over half a century, inspiring educated youth to live lives of celibacy and tapa. Shunning self-publicity, she led a life of stern simplicity and attained great heights of spiritual realization.

Ambala  Cantt

Ushaji was born in the city of Ambala on 30th of July, 1925. Her parents Shri Manamohan and Syama brought her up with loving care. Educated in a reputed school, she went on to take up the job of teaching and subsequently became principal of Sanatan Dharm Girls School in the city. But these felicities did not bind her down to Ambala. Right from the start she intensely felt as if she belonged to Vrindavana and by a matter of chance she was born elsewhere.

Kusum Sarovar, Vrindavan

In the course of passionately being drawn to Vrindavan an interesting incident took place on 30th July 1954, on her thirtieth birthday. While she was wondering over the meaning of nila parivestita, a saintly figure dropped in all of a sudden, uttering jaya jaya radhika madhava, creating a peculiar vibration in the room. On being asked the siddha replied mystically that he was Charan Sakha (friend of the feet) and that he lived at Kusuma Sarovara in Vraja where Uddhava also lived. It was by the bidding of Lord Krishna that he had come to Ambala.

Saint Usha Bahenji Leaves for Vrindavana

He narrated various lilas or divine plays of Lord Krishna and kept them spell-bound. He visited Ushaji's house for years and his mystic revelations had a tremendous impact on her. Deciding to leave for Vrindavan her chosen destination permanently on 17th November,1959, Ushaji left behind her parents, friends, students institution and job. She soon became a paradigm of the seeker for ultimate reality.

Shri Radha-Krishna

The English version of 'Braj Vaibhab Ki Apoorv Shri Bhaktimati Usha Bahenji (Poojya Bobo)' is available on this site. Her seva to the Yugal Sarkar or the living presence of Shri Radha-Krishna, makes Boboji attend selflessly without expectation of rewards and she soon enough develops an all-consuming intimacy with them.

Everyone is A Nayika Searching for Krishna

Her devotional practices require the devotee to savour the shringara rasa of Radha by smarana or a concentrated internal practice of imaginative recollection by living through the countless legends of the playful dalliance of Radha and Krishna. For both the bhakta and the rasika, madhurya is the key to understanding and celebrating the love of Radha and Krishna and in so doing get a glimpse of one's transcendent self. As madhurya translates into ananda comes the realization that everyone is ultimately a nayika searching for Krishna and worshippers come to find the god within themselves.