Appreciating Sri Vrndavana Dhama

Vrndavana is such a nice place. Flowers are always blooming, and there are even various kinds of decorated deer. Birds are chirping, peacocks are crowing and dancing, and bees are humming. The cuckoos there sing in five kinds of tunes. The lakes of Vrndavana are surrounded by green grasses and various kinds of lotus flowers bloom there, and the air blowing there carries the aromatic pollen of those lotus flowers. When the particles of water from the waves of the Yamuna, the lakes and the waterfalls touched the bodies of the inhabitants of Vrndavana, they automatically felt a cooling effect. Therefore, they were practically undisturbed by the summer, season. There are many waterfalls, which are always pouring water, and the sound is so sweet that it covers the sound of the crickets. And because the water flows all over, the forest looks very green and beautiful. (KB Chap. 18)

I think the ultimate goal of life is to attain even a small amount of love for the land of Vrndavana, which is opulent with the spiritual pastimes of Sri Sri Radha-Murlimanohara's lotus feet.

"First of all let us offer our respectful obeisances unto our spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. By his grace let us offer our respectful obeisances to the six Gosvamis, and then let us offer our obeisances to Radha and Krsna, the spiritual couple who eternally resides in Vrndavana with Their cowherd boys and the damsels of Vrajabhumi. Let us offer our respectful obeisances to all the devotees and eternal servitors of the Supreme Lord.” (SB. 4.1.1 p.)

To appreciate something means to comprehend and to realize its value, and to show gratitude by congenial behavior. The goal of human life is to awaken and develop our eternal loving relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. The cultivation of appreciation of Sri Krsna's transcendental and beautiful names, forms, qualities, pastimes, associates and abodes will help the devotee attain the final goal of prema-bhakti, pure, unalloyed, ecstatic love for Radha and Krsna.

“The human form of life is meant for understanding this transcendental land of Vrndavana and its inhabitants. An expansion of this Vrndavana, which is the supreme abode of Krsna is also present on earth. No one can appreciate Vrndavana without being highly elevated in spiritual knowledge, Krsna consciousness.” (TLC Ch. 31)

“Vrndavana Dhama is non-different from Krsna because the name, form, fame and place where the Lord manifests are all identical with the Lord as absolute knowledge. Therefore, Sri Vrndavana Dhama is as worshipable as the Lord.” (SB Intro.)

“One should not discriminate between the dhamas (abodes) on earth and those in the spiritual sky, thinking those on earth to be material and the original abodes to be spiritual. Only for us, who cannot experience anything beyond matter in our present contaminated state, do the dhamas and the Lord Himself, in His Deity form, appear before us resembling matter to give us facility to see spirit with material eyes. In the beginning this may be difficult for the neophyte to understand, but in due course, when one is advanced in devotional service, it will be easier, and he will appreciate the Lord's presence in these tangible forms.” (Cc Adi 5.19p.)

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu specifically said that to understand Vrndavana and the pastimes of Vrndavana, one must have sufficient knowledge of the Vedic literature. The materialistic person depends on his eyes to see, and with this imperfect and limited vision he derives a mistaken idea of reality. Without knowledge of microbiology what will the lay person see while peering through a microscope—a squiggle, a red blotch or a wavy line? The ability to perceive material phenomena depends largely upon one's stock of knowledge, not merely upon one's possessing twenty-twenty vision.

To see the completely spiritual Sri Vrndavana Dhama, which is non-different from seeing the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna, one must first learn about Vrndavana from a bona fide spiritual master coming in disciplic succession from Vrndavana-natha, Sri Krsna. Unlike the materialist, the surrendered devotee sees with his ears by hearing from self-realized souls. By receiving their mercy, one's consciousness becomes purified. With pure spiritual consciousness a devotee then sees Sri Vrndavana Dhama within and without through his eyes of devotion.

Appreciating Sri Vrndavana Dhama contains a collection of quotes from authorized transcendental scriptures written by Krsna's pure devotees, and the famous Vedas compiled by the literary incarnation of God, Srila Vyasadeva. One will definitely increase his understanding and perception of Sri Vrndavana Dhama by submissively hearing their statements. Besides one's diksa-guru, a disciple may receive spiritual guidance and shelter from any number of siksa (instructing) gurus, such as Godbrothers, God-uncles, exalted Gaudiya Vaisnavas, the great acaryas of our sampradaya like the six Gosvamis, and the Supersoul within everyone's heart, Sri Krsna. Bestowing blessings, knowledge and directions upon the sincere seeker, they act as friendly guides helping one on his journey back home, back to Godhead.

**Contents and Sample Pages**