About Vrindavan

Geography:

The holy land of Vrindavan is situated 12 km north west of Mathura. Its geographical location on the globe is 27.33 N and 77.41 E, lies in the heart of the Braj Mandala.

It is here that the supreme Lord appeared 5000 years ago and revealed his most divine esoteric pastimes and drowned the residents of the land in the flood waves of pure love for Him.

What exactly is Vrindavana? Radhanath Swami explains :

This question was addressed by Radhanath Swami in his inaugural lecture to congregation of devotees assembled at the Kaliya Ghat, for the annual vrindavan yatra:

“In the Bhagavad-Gita Lord Sri Krishna has spoken

Paritranaya sadhunam…………….(B.G. – 4.8)

“To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.”

Janma karmacha me divyam………….(B.G.- 4.9)

“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.”

Srila Prabhupada revealed to us that killing the demons or reestablishing the principle of religion, the Lord can do either through his material energies or through his personal representatives. However when the Lord descends in this world, it is especially to perform such all attractive activities to give pleasure to and attract the hearts of all living beings. Srimad Bhagavatam explains that just as there are innumerable waves in the ocean there are innumerable incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that appear in this world. However, Ete chamsa kala pumsah krishñas tu bhagavän svayam .(S.B. 1.3.28), of all such planery expansions and incarnations, Krishna is the ultimate source. He is the whole complete Supreme Personality of Godhead. Beyond this earth planet are the upper planetary systems : Bhuloka, Bhuvarloka, Swargaloka, Janaloka, Tapaloka, Brahmaloka. Beyond the Brahmaloka is the Viraja, the dividing river between the material and spiritual existence. When one crosses Viraja one enters into the Brahmajyoti the unlimited all pervading spiritual sky which is the bodily rays from the beautiful form of Lord Sri Krishna. Within the Brahmajyoti or Parabrahma Paravyoma are innumerable Vaikuntha planets where the supreme Lord lives in his eternal forms just according to his devotee’s natural inclination to worship Him. In all Vaikuntha planets, Lord Narayana is existing reciprocating pure love of his devotees.

The top most of all planets of Vaikuntha is Krishnaloka that is the place where Rasraj Sri Krishna resides reciprocating loving exchanges that are not found anywhere else, in all material or spiritual existence. It is Madhurya Dham where the sweetness of Krishna’s beauty, where the charm of his intimate dealings with his devotees completely overcomes the recognition of the Lord’s supreme majestic opulence. It is this Sri Vrindavan Dham, that is the ultimate destination to be attained by all souls. Once in a day of Brahma the Supreme Personality of Godhead descends in his original form in this world. That means approximately once every four billion 300 million years.(Shri Vrindavan Dham ki Jay!)

When the lord appears in this world, along with he brings his intimate eternal associates and his eternal abode. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur explained that the Vrindavan of this world is called ‘Gokula’. The Vrindavan of spiritual world is ‘Goloka’ there is absolutely no difference between the two.  Krishna has manifested the spiritual world on this Earth: ’a place of birth and death’, out of his infinite causeless mercy.  Vrindavan is called ‘Chintamani-dham’. It is the place where all one’s spiritual desires can be completely fulfilled, to those who are sincere in their prayers, in the devotional service and their chanting of the holy names.

Krishna performed his lila in Vrindavan for approximately eleven years nine months before going to Mathura and then Dwarka…” [Vrindavan Yatra 1998]