21 Mar 2014

With Swami Vishwananda in Vrindavan, part 4


We started out at 10 for Govardan Hill and first went to the place were Uddava spoke the Bhagavatam. It was a small temple (one of only two to Uddava in India) but was very beautiful. The Ghat there is where will we have the Boat Lila with Swami on the 21st. 


We then went off to Govardan Hill and spent some time there with Swami.


It was a fast paced day with Swami with plans changing as we went along and trying to keep up with everything. The names were a bit hard. After Govardan Hill we made our way to Radha Kund and that was very beautiful. We all stood in the water and paid respects and hopefully we go back there after the boat festival in a smaller group so we can swim. We walked around with one of the priests and He showed us all the Goswami samadhi places and then we went to Shyama Kund for Krishna and did Puja there. This Kund is actually super quiet even though they are right next to each other. Everyone is trying to get the mercy of Radha.



We had a very interesting surprise on the next change of plans and we only realised it once we were there. We ended up at the Vallabaacharya Samadhi place - yes, the head of one of the Vaishnava lineages. It was interesting as it was in the back towns, out in the middle of nowhere. It was run down and Swami even said that it was interesting, as it was like, "this is where the head of one of the Vaishanava Lineages is, and no one realy comes?!" It was still beautiful and Swami managed to get some of the tree that was said to be from His time.





One of the highlights of the day was going out into the rural farm area of Vrindavan where the forest are said to be as they were in Krishna’s time. Swami was in an especially happy mood out there and He said this reminded of what it would have been like. 
It is a really amazing pilgrimage and Swami is really having a beautiful time playing and laughing through the days.