From April 24th to 29th Radha Kalyana Uthsavam was conducted by Sri Hari Anna at Brindavanam. He delivered lectures on Brindavana Mahathmyam. Barathi was celebrated on 28th April, and Radha Kalyanam on 29th. Ashtapadi, Radhika shathakam and Divyanamam were celebrated with great joy.
WRITE UP on 'Vrindavana Mahatmayam' during Radha Kalyana Mahotsavam
Day 1- 25/4/18
Radha Rani's krupa made us accompany Sri Hari Anna embark on a journey of
experiencing the mahimai of Vrindavan
, staying in vrindavan.
Bhakti is
remising the krupai of Krishna at every stage of life and Sharanagathi is total surrender by believing that all events that
stage in life, is Krishna's Leelai.
Hari Anna cited 5 examples for us to
conceive the various aspects of Sharanagathi.
Narasimha priya Prahaladha's charithram was rendered 1st. Prahaladha's Bhakti took the
form of Sarvamayam Hari darshanam or visualizing Lord Vishnu everywhere. His
faith in Hari kept him intact during the torturous situations planned by his
father, for he entrusted himself to Hari and believed that what is Hari's, will
be taken care by Hari himself.
Dhruva charithram followed this. At a very tender age Dhruva was deprived of parental
love and hence he went to seek Hari by performing a vigorous tapasya for 5 months. Finally Hari,
pleaded with Dhruva's resolve, gave him darshan .
Draupadi's faith reached such levels that Krishna's Nama
only saved her dignity even before Krishna himself could. And Ahalya's pavithrata (purity) was upheld by Lord Rama when she had
turned invisible and intently awaited him.
Finally Hari Anna elaborated Gajendra moksham who after being in the clutches of a
crocodile's mouth for 1000 years, realizes his life's driving power. After
attaining nyanam when he wails Aadhimoolame ( the source of
everything), Lord Vishnu descends from heaven on Garuda to save Gajendran.
Alas, all these Mahans showed that
Sharanagathi is the enlightenment that, everything is by Krishna, through
Krishna, and for Krishna .
DAY 2- 26/4/18
The mahimai of Bagavatha's is such that Krishna himself seeks their Charana sparsham. The very Bagavatha's
gunas was listed by Hari Anna . They are Satyam (truthfulness), Kshma (patience),
Brahmacharya (chastity), Ahimsa (non violence), Samatha (equality), Daya
(compassion), Paropkaar (benevolence), Vairaagya (asceticism), gyan (knowledge)
and Saraltha (simplicity).
Hari Anna provided examples of
Mahaans to explain them.
The narration of Sridhara Ayyaval's katha starts with Easwara Darshanam only. After
identifying Lingeswara Gurukal, Ayyaval
behaves lovingly to all, in the apprehension that it must be Lord Shive in
disguise. This very mano bhava made
him give his parents shraddha prasadh to a non Brahmin. The angered villagers
punish him to purify his sins for which, Gangai
herself emerges from his well when he calls her. This convinces us of the Satya vachanam of Bagavathas that is
assured by the Lord himself.
Sant Tukaram's kshama bhaav is primarily highlighted in his katha. To sustain
his Chitta shuddhi , the sant
pardons an unethical man who continuously spits on him as he believed that, the
impurities in his body could be cleansed by water but anger would create filth
in his mind, which no theertha can clean .
Finally Brighu Maharishi's katha was recited, who went to identify the most
shanta devta. Both Brahma and Shiva
lose their temper at some point but, Lord Vishnu remains patient even
when Brighu Maharishi kicks him on his maarbu
(chest). Rather the Lord cares for him by asking him whether his komal charan
were hurt by striking his iron like chest.
Hari Anna in the end, crowned us the
title of Bagavatha utthamam for
listening to katha or for coming from far off places just to listen to Hari's
gunas .
DAY 3- 27/4/18
The smarana of Hari Nama alone can lead us to Paragathi
(salvation). The Nama Mahimai
of Hari was narrated by Hari Anna.
Remembering the Nama of the Lord
before one breathes his last is sufficient to reach Hari, says Hari himself. Ambareesh charithram stands as an
evidence to this.
Initially righteous, Ambareeshan
later turns into an adharmi due to bad company. But the plans of Hari makes him
name his youngest son as Narayana.
Thus, when the bedridden Ambareeshan calls out his son Narayana, the Yama dhootas that had arrived to take him to yamaloka ,
were denied permission by the assistants of Vishnu , as Ambareeshan had chanted
Hari's nama during the last stage of his life.
Narayana himself confirms that,
anyone who reminisces his Nama before dying, in any form (hasya, krodh, etc),
will be given Moksha.
In a nutshell, our only duty is to
chant the nama of Hari because, when you have no one by your side, it is the
Hari's nama that doesn't forgo it's Bhaktas.
DAY 4- 28/4/18
The katha of Meera's Prabhu, Govardhana Giridhari was recited was
Shri Hari Anna's son, Chi. Raja Gopal.
Giridhari is known as Meera's Prabhu because, as Krishna had rescued his close
ones, Meera bai also trusts him and wants him to save her from the worldly
bonds. The faith of the Vrujavasis
on Krishna didn't shrink one bit, nor did a pinch of suspicion climb their
minds when the thunder had risen. Similar should be our viswaasa on Krishna and
his leelais.
Hari Anna had also listed the Gunas
of Krishna that makes him superior to Lord Vishnu himself.
Krishna's Sundartha ( neela megha Shyamala, mor-mukuta dhari, pitambara
vastra, vaijayantigala, tribhangi, komal charan, kamala nayan, natkhat haasya,
madhura murali, etc) is enough to capsule one's eyes and mind in his heart.
His Sulabhta makes it effortless for his Bhaktas to approach him (e.g.
Sudhama).
As a Sukumara sundaran, his
compassion and tenderness gives us all a place in his heart.
There is no gentleman in the universe
who can compete with Krishna when it comes to Susheeltha ( good nature/ gunas).
As a Karuna moorthi, he pardons all the sins of one, just with the chant
of his Nama .
And finally the delight of extracting
Krishna Rasa from his leelais, makes
us relish every moment of our life.
DAY 5- 29/4/18
RadhaKrishna's milan samay had arrived and Radha
Kalyana Mahotsavam was celebrated divinely.
The grandeur of Prema Madhuri Nikunjam is tremendous as the first Radha Kalyanam
was occasioned at this very place.
After Krishna's Raasaleelai with the Gopis and Radha, krishna and Radha entered the
prema nikunjam and took the roopa of a young balak and balika. All the Devtas
appeared at that place to witness the jovial moment .
Though Radha Krishna's Kalyanam isn't
described anywhere clearly, each of them are embedded in each other's Hrudayam and Nama and are complete only with the other.
Hari Anna had beautifully ended that
Radha mean Krishna, in silence (hrudayam) and Krishna means Radha, in silence
(hrudayam).
