Radhastami and the TOVP

The following is an excerpt from the book, The Glories and Pastimes of Srimate Radharani by His Holiness Bhakti Purushottama Swami. It is an amazing recounting of the origin and creation of Sri Mayapur-dhama by Radharani Herself, for the pleasure of Lord Krishna.

This gives us an inkling into the inconceivable purity of Sridham Mayapur where Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared to taste the love Radha has for Sri Krishna. It is the highest of all abodes and holiest of sacred places in both the material and spiritual worlds.

We are most fortunate to be able to even touch or walk upon the holy dust of Sridham Mayapur, and with the rising of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium we are giving that rarest opportunity to countless souls on the Earth. Please use this auspicious day of Radhastami to assist with the completion of the TOVP construction by making a donation, large or small, through the many options available on the TOVP website.

This excerpt appears in our own published pamphlet, Mayapur is My Place of Worship, available to read at the TOVP Flipbook Collection.

The Wonderful Glories of Sridham Mayapur

Sri Mayapur-dhama, however, was Srimati Radharani’s own creation, to lure Krishna away from another lover. In the Ananta-samhita, Siva explains to Parvati why Srimati Radharani created merciful Sri Mayapur-dhama.

Lord Siva told Parvati, “As a bee plays in a lotus, Krishna was enjoying with Viraja in the pleasant forest groves of Vrndavana. Moon-faced, doe-eyed Radhika heard this news from one sakhi and hastily ran to find Krishna. Seeing that Radha was coming, Krishna suddenly disappeared and Viraja became a river. When Srimati Radharani arrived there, She could not find them. Absorbed in thoughts of Krishna, Radha began to think of how to attract Him away from Viraja. She gathered her sakhis together between the Ganga and Yamuna Rivers.

“She created a beautiful place, decorated with creepers and trees and filled with male and female bumblebees. Deer and bucks were happy enjoying as they wandered about, and the whole area was filled with the fragrance of jasmine, mallika, and malati flowers. That transcendental abode was adorned with tulasi forests and decorated with various groves. On Radha’s order, the Ganga and Yamuna, with their pleasant water and banks, acted as a moat to protect the garden. Cupid himself, along with springtime, eternally resides there, and the birds constantly sing the auspicious name of Krishna.

“Radha, dressed in colorful cloth, then began to play a beautiful melody on a flute in order to attract Krishna. Attracted by that melody, Krishna appeared in that enchanting place. Radha, the attractor of Krishna’s mind, seeing that Krishna had come, held His hand and experienced ecstatic delight. Then Krishna, understanding Radha’s mood, spoke in a voice choked with love.

‘O lovely-faced Radha, You are My very life. There is no one more dear to Me than You. Therefore, I will never leave You. Just for Me You have created this wonderful place. Staying with You, I will transform this place, filling it with new sakhis and groves. The devotees will glorify this place as New (nava) Vrndavana. As this place is like an island (dvipa), the wise will call it Navadvipa. By My order, all the holy places will reside here.

‘Because You have created this place for My pleasure, I will live here eternally. Those people who come here and worship us will eternally attain our eternal service in the mood of the sakhis. O dear Radha, like Vrndavana, this place is extremely pure. If anyone comes here just once, he will obtain the results of going to all sacred places. He will quickly attain devotional service, which satisfies us.’

“O Parvati,“ Lord Siva continued, “I have described to you the reason for the appearance of Navadvipa. When heard by mankind, this narration removes all sins and bestows devotional service. Whoever rises early in the morning and with devotion to Gaura recites or hears this story of Navadvipa’s creation will certainly attain Gauranga.”

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