“’O naughty child, now try going from here, if you can.’ Having spoken thus, she returned to her household duties.” (Vishnu Purana, 5.6.15)

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यदि शक्नोषि गच्छ त्वम् अतिचञ्चलचेष्टित
इत्य् उक्त्वा च निजं कर्म सा चकार कुटुम्बिनी

yadi śaknoṣi gaccha tvam aticañcalaceṣṭita
ity uktvā ca nijaṃ karma sā cakāra kuṭumbinī

You really needed this. It has been a rough few months. The pressures of daily life are too much to take, at times. You have to wake up early in the morning. You have to reach the office to connect into virtual meetings with colleagues scattered across the globe. When you return home, every room is a mess. There is no dinner ready. The spouse is yelling and screaming, with no justifiable cause. You then have to travel somewhere else, taking the young children with you. It is like you do not have a moment to rest.

Finally, it is time for a vacation. You chose a spiritual destination, which happens to have comfortable weather. Back home, it is beginning to get cold, but here in Vrindavana, the sun shines brightly and it is the time of year where the temperatures are moderate and tolerable. You are happy to be here, since you at least strive for what His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada calls “Krishna consciousness.”

Rather than venture out yourself and get lost, you decide to access a tour guide. They will accompany you on the day’s journey. They determine the itinerary. They know just the places to go, to make your trip worth it. These memories will last a lifetime.

1. The cowshed

“You will find many cows in this part of the world. Cows are very dear to Shri Krishna, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is no surprise that when He manifested in this realm some five thousand years ago, He spent significant time with the cows. You might say that was His first job, to tend to the children of the cows. Nanda Maharaja, the father to Krishna and the leader of the community, had no issue distributing this important responsibility to someone so young. In keeping with the tradition, the cows remain here. It is like the people are thankful for what they receive in return for a little protection. The milk, yogurt, butter, and ghee are simple ingredients, but they go a long way in maintaining health, sanity, kindness, compassion, and most importantly, appreciation for Krishna.”

2. The forest

“One of Krishna’s many other names is Kunjavihari. Krishna takes great pleasure in roaming the forests. The trees practically pay obeisance to Him by the positioning of their branches. Without speaking a word, they honor in a way that is equal to a prayer carefully composed and beautifully delivered. It is in these forests that Krishna would play with His young friends. He would also meet with the cowherd girls known as the gopis. As Krishna is the reservoir of pleasure, everyone enjoys His association. It is said that Krishna prefers Vrindavana so much that He never leaves.”

“Krishna saw all the trees, overloaded with fruits and fresh twigs, coming down to touch the ground as if welcoming Him by touching His lotus feet. He was very pleased by the behavior of the trees, fruits and flowers, and He began to smile realizing their desires.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Volume 1, Chapter 15)

3. The tamāla tree

“Here is a sacred tree. Known as the tamāla, the color so resembles the beautiful complexion on Krishna’s transcendental form that Shrimati Radharani sometimes loses herself. She embraces this tree, thinking that Krishna is with her. The people of this place appreciate the tree, in the way that they appreciate the dark raincloud. Another description for Krishna’s complexion is megha-varna. This refers to the cloud about to pour rain.”

त्रिभुवनकमनं तमालवर्णं
रविकरगौरवराम्बरं दधाने
वपुरलककुलावृताननाब्जं
विजयसखे रतिरस्तु मेऽनवद्या

tri-bhuvana-kamanaṁ tamāla-varṇaṁ
ravi-kara-gaura-vara-ambaraṁ dadhāne
vapur alaka-kulāvṛtānanābjaṁ
vijaya-sakhe ratir astu me ’navadyā

“Shri Krishna is the intimate friend of Arjuna. He has appeared on this earth in His transcendental body, which resembles the bluish color of the tamala tree. His body attracts everyone in the three planetary systems [upper, middle and lower]. May His glittering yellow dress and His lotus face, covered with paintings of sandalwood pulp, be the object of my attraction, and may I not desire fruitive results.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.9.33)

4. The grinding mortar

“The people of Vrindavana were simple. It was a village, after all. Though Krishna is the husband of the goddess of fortune, just see the place He chose, for passing the childhood years. The people were not puffed up with false pride. They were not after showing off valuables. They were not interested in stature. Rather, they were perfectly conscious of God. They appreciated everything about their life and also what went into sustaining that life.

“The grinding mortar was an integral aspect. Mother Yashoda one time bound young Krishna to a mortar. This was a mild punishment on the surface, but the real reason was to keep Him in place. Who wouldn’t be a little concerned about losing the most valuable jewel, after they have waited so long to receive it? The people of this area honor this special interaction between mother and child every year during the month of Kartik. That month is sometimes known as Damodara, because of the association with that pastime.”

5. Govardhana Hill

“This hill is so dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Like the greatest iconoclastic rebel, Krishna Himself created a new tradition of worship. He one time saw the people preparing for a yajna in honor of Indra, who is the king of heaven. The people were not misers. They appreciated what the heavens have to offer, in how rain is vital to food production. Krishna managed to convince the people to transition the worship paraphernalia towards Govardhana, instead. Govardhana was dear to the cows, and what harm could result from appreciating someone so dear to the heart of the community?”

In Closing:

Spiritual appreciation tour,
Just what you’ve been yearning for.

Beautiful decorations on head,
With cows safe in the shed.

Tamāla tree in courtyard finding,
Of Krishna’s complexion reminding.

Damodara to that mortar once tied,
Here worship of Govardhana first tried.

Categories: the five

Tags: dailyprompt, poem, poems, poetry, tourism, travel, vrindavana