A yatra with Sri Guruiji is a blessing and an experience of a lifetime and that too to Vrindavan is certainly very special. Every kshetra is endowed with divinity, but what makes Ayodhya and Mathura/Vrindavan unique, is they are the avatarasthala of Bhagavan Sri Rama and Sri Krishna. Sri Vrindavan charms Sri Krishna Himself! Srimad Bhagavatam says, when Sri Krishna entered Vrindavan with his brother Balarama, He literally jumped up in joy! Srimad Bhagavatam further says, ‘sarva kAla sukhAvaham’ – a place where all seasons are most enjoyable and delightful!
Sri Guruji during his lectures in Vrindavan mentioned that Sant Meera Bai would say that every home in Vrindavan echoes with the music of Bhagavan Sri Krishna’s flute, and is adorned with Tulasi Devi and the sweet worship of the Divine Couple. As we steered through the narrow lanes of Vrindavan for our temple visits during this yatra, we could see simple but loving worship of the Divine Couple in each home. Be it an attendant in a hotel, a shopkeeper, or a rickshaw wala, the sweet Radha Nama dances in their tongue always!
March 24th 2025
The first day of the yatra started off in Sri Radha Rani’s beautiful land of descent – Barsana. Sri Guruji headed from Premika Vidya Kendra (a temple housing the divine granthas of Sri Sri Krishnapremi Swamigal, fondly referred to as Sri Sri Anna) in Delhi (Gurugram) to Barsana, Sri Radha Devi’s divya dhaam to have the darshan of the ashtasakhis (eight dearest loving devotee friends of Radha Rani). Through the prerana of Sri Guruji, the ashtasakhis were consecrated in Barsana on either side of Radha Rani in the altar earlier in the month of December. The devotees who perform the daily worship at the temple conducted the Shringar darshan and offered 56 different varieties of dishes. Sri Guruji went towards the sanctum sanctorum of Sri Radha Rani and the ashtasakhis. He was honored with prasad and a beautiful yellow shawl. Sri Guruji returned to the main hall and in elation started singing the glory of Premasvarupini, Sri Radha Rani! Devotees gathered around Sri Guruji and enthusiastically sang along. The temple premises reverberated with kirtans of Radha Devi.
Later, to accommodate the crowd that had gathered in the temple Sri Guruji along with his devotees moved behind to the open terrace that lies behind the main sanctum hall. Here, enveloped by devotees Sri Guruji beaming with joy danced to the namavalis (small bhajans) which was absolutely a blissful sight to behold! All devotees present experienced inexplicable joy with hearts filled with gratitude to witness this delight.
Sri Guruji then climbed down the temple and showed us all Sri Sri Anna’s slokas on Sri Radha Devi that are inscribed on the outer wall of the temple alongside a divine mural of Sri Sri Anna. We were told that Sri Guruji took great care and caution so that every letter of these slokas came out correctly and perfectly in the inscription. Sri Guruji also made sure that the marble wall panels over which the slokas were inscribed were also very clear and smooth without even a smallest mark or dirt. Sri Guruji performed pooja to Sri Sri Anna and after this swiftly went down the pathway from the temple chanting Radha Naam along with a few other devotees.
We were asked to assemble at Sri Krishna Sadak Trust in the evening. Sri Guruji started the evening with a lecture emphasising the significance of the prema bhoomi – Sri Vrindavan. He further explained that the Vrindavan we see now with our physical eyes is the “sthoola vrindavan” – the one with buildings, roads and everything materialistic but underneath this lies the ‘divya vrindavan’ which one can perceive and experience only with earnest, supreme devotion which was how each and every Mahatma had witnessed this land.
Sri Guruji reminded all the devotees that each of us should reflect on the fortune we have been bestowed to be in Vrindavan and truly make us recipients of the divinity this land radiates.
After the lecture we were directed to head to Vamshi Vat (banyan tree under which Sri Krishna played the flute), and Sri Guruji specifically chose the Vamshi Vat at Bandeeravan (this was quite farther away from Sri Krishna Sadak Trust, where we were). Bhagavan Sri Krishna picked this tree, against which He rested His back happily to play the flute. It is here that Bhagavan played His flute during the sharad ritu (autumn season). Bandeeravan is significant for several reasons, Sri Guruji mentioned that it is this place where Bhagavan does gochAran (bringing his calves and cows for grazing), the dAvAgni pAnam (drinking of the forest fire) that is described in Srimad Bhagavatam after the Kalinga Nartana episode happened here. Sri Jayadeva, in his Gita Govindam in the 12th song also makes a reference to this particular forest. Sri Sri Anna in his works has also mentioned that all shringara leelas happened here in Bandeeravan. Mahatmas in their deepest state of union with the divine have been able to hear the sweet notes of Bhagavan’s flute from the bark of this tree. As we all came in Sri Guruji was already seated with a few others in a hall here. Together we all recited the Venu Gitam from Srimad Bhagavatam. The rustic ambience with the cows and calves around, the peacocks squawking, and the onset of dusk served as a perfect setting for venu gitam. Sri Guruji beautifully expounded the Venu Gitam in detail starting off by describing the beauty and sublimity of the autumn season. Sri Guruji here mentioned that Sri Shuka has explained the significance and relevance of every season in Srimad Bhagavatam, primarily because ‘prakruti’ or nature is none other than Devi Sri Radhe Herself! Sri Guruji described how all the species in the forest lovingly welcomed Bhagavan and made all preparations for Him to start His mellifluous flute rendition. Through the various kirtans of Sri Sri Anna describing the sweetness of Bhagavan’s flute and His form Sri Guruji exuberantly explained Bhagavan’s beauty and the pure sweet devotion of the Gopis as narrated in the Gitam.
March 25th 2025
The next blessed morning started out at the banks of Sri Yamuna Devi. We were at Keshi Ghat after the holy dip. We were preparing to depart but were pleasantly surprised to see Sri Guruji walking over with a few devotees. He climbed atop a raised area on a pillar in Keshi Ghat, and facing Sri Yamunaji started to recite the works of Sri Sri Anna, Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada and Sri Vallabhacharya glorifying Sri Yamuna Devi. A few more devotees had gathered below by then. After a while, Sri Guruji came down quickly and before one could realize what was happening, he embarked on a boat nearby to the other side of the shore with the male devotees. He very sweetly and kindly gestured to all the women folk to get into another boat and follow along. All of us – young, middle-aged, elderly alike, in excitement and anticipation quickly jumped in. We screamingly rushed the boatman to navigate in the direction of the other boat with Sri Guruji.
Sri Guruji and all the devotees reached the other side of the river. Sri Guruji held hands with a few male devotees and started slowly walking in the soft sands of the river bank. He beautifully painted the scene preceding Gopika Gitam. All the Gopis were lamenting and desperately searching for Bhagavan who had suddenly vanished. After some distance into the forest the moonlight had faded away and they could not proceed any further. Deeply pained by the separation from Bhagavan they returned to the banks of Sri Yamuna Devi. Here they sat together and sang a sweet yet yearning cry. At this juncture Sri Guruji too sat down and started the Gopika Gitam. All of us sat and joined this prayerful recitation. Sri Guru Maharaj then sweetly began to sing ‘tava charaNAmbujam’. He very fondly reminisced his previous Vrindavan trip. Sri Guru Maharaj soon stood up to return and on the way narrated Uddhava Swami’s visit to Vrindavan and Bhramara Gitam from Srimad Bhagavatam. As he explained how Uddhava Swami rolled in the dust of the Gopis feet, Sri Guruji too instantly rolled over in the soil and showered the sacred dust all over himself. All of us returned in our respective boats. Sri Guruji, very child-like, waved at us (women folk) from his boat.
At the banks of Keshi Ghat we had a wonderful bhajan satsang concluding with Mahamantra chanting. 
A vrajavasi woman was amidst us watching and enjoying the bhajan. Just as the Mahamantra Kirtan started, instinctively and joyously she showered the flowers that she had on all of us including Sri Guru Maharaj. In smiles, everyone looked at her pleasantly surprised! Filled with absolute contentment and untold joy all the devotees returned to assemble at Sri Krishna Sadhak Trust after breakfast.
At Sri Krishna Sadhak Trust, Sri Guruji gave a wonderful discourse on the first three Sri Krishna Avataram chapters from Srimad Bhagavatam in detail. This interspersed with slokas from Srimad Bhagavatam along with kirtans of Sri Sri Anna and namavalis enthralled the audience in bliss. Sri Guruji during this lecture also reminded us of the fortune that we have been blessed with – leading a life immersed in satsang, Bhagavan nama, katha shravanam and bhajanam, reiterating that our life is indeed – sarva kAla sukhAvaham. In this context, Sri Guruji rendered Sri Sri Anna’s prayer kirtan “Vandanamastu te Govinda” (from Govinda Shatakam) emphasizing the verse,
santatam tava nAma kIrtanena,
sadhusamAgama sEvanena
satkathAsArashravaNena
sarasam gacchatu jIvanam sukhena
(May Bhagavan Nama always be in my lips,
May I be amidst sadhus serving them
May I always be blessed with katha shravana
May I journey life joyfully in this manner)
And Sri Guru Maharaj concluded by saying, a blessed life like this, only means Bhagavan has been immensely compassionate to us! Katha Shravanam alone can sow the seeds of bhakti in one’s heart, reaffirmed Sri Guruji in this lecture. The morning session ended with this. Evening Sri Guruji asked everyone to visit various temples like Banke Bihari, Radha Vallabh, Radha Ramana, Shaji temple, Meera temple and Seva Kunj with Sri Ramanujamji.
March 26th 2025
This was the final day of the yatra. Sri Guruji was in Sriniketan Namadwaar in the morning and all of us went there. We had darshan of Prema Madhuri sameta Sri Vrindavana Vihari in the satsang hall. Sri Guruji asked each of us to go around and take a look at the place including the rooms that were constructed to accomodate the devotees.
After breakfast we all again assembled at Sri Krishna Sadhak Trust. Sri Guruji very compassionately blessed all the devotees with an extraordinarily nectarine RAsa PanchAdhyAyI lecture from Srimad Bhagavatam. This katha was an experience that all devotees will remember forever!
Sri Guruji showered many rasa-laden explanations for just the first line – “bhagavAnapi tA rAtri”. Sri Guruji expounded every sloka explaining the setting of Nature on this day of Sharada Poornima. Bhagavan’s sweet music from the flute, was the call for the Gopis – who are but the epitome of pure selfless devotion, yearning for Bhagavan and Bhagavan alone! At this juncture Sri Guruji highlighted Sri Oothukadu Venkatakavi’s ‘AlaipAyuthEy’ where he very beautifully elucidated that the song conveys the longing heart of the Gopis and hence is in the raga Kanada – which emotes viraha (longing), but since Bhagavan had to call the Gopis towards Him, his musical notes were in Mohana (one to attract) raga. Sri Guruji also clarified that the call here is not a physical call but the inner call that tugs at the heart of the Gopis bringing each of them to Bhagavan. Sri Guruji lectured in depth explaining the ekanta bhakti of the Gopis, a devotion which is beyond human contemplation. However Sri Guruji asserted that if we could at least believe in this, then we are certainly fortunate and blessed! The lecture was embedded with stories from lives of various Mahatmas and embellished with kirtans of Sri Oothukadu Venkatakavi, Sri Tyagaraja, Sri Sri Anna wonderfully describing various instances of the rasa leela.
Overall, the discourses delivered across the three days were an intimate sharing, a sweet interaction, a firm advice, a pertinent response and a soothing message that made an endearing personal connection for every devotee. With moist eyes and hearts soaring with gratitude, devotees departed for their homes. These three days in Brindavan with Sri Guru Maharaj shall remain a memory etched in every heart forever!
Nithya Rajesh, Pleasanton CA
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