vanamali

Of course, Srimati has many close girlfriends who understand, empathize and support Her love for Him. Sadly, we sometimes find ourselves alone and unable to share our innermost selves with anyone. ---- Just as Radharani's confidantes are as close to Her as Her own life, so too are those we are able to confide our deepest emotions; these valuable people are few and far between who will not unthinkingly give their own opinion of your feelings more value than your well-being. These precious people are Krishna, Radha, and guru... by Krishna's grace sometimes we also find perhaps a sister soul we can confide in. This is our only real family.

I don't think there is any sampradaya where Krishna is worshipped without His consort, but not all worship Radha-Krishna rather than Radha and Krishna. Slight but significant difference (especially when the emphasis is usually more on Radha than Krishna). Anyway, even when worshipping Krishna alone in the temple, He still has his Srivatsava mark on His chest, showing that His consort is always in His heart... There are also temples with Rukmini, Satyabhama and Krishna. In Sri Vaishnavism, Sridevi (Lakshmi) is the original guru who will help you reach Narayana/Govinda. She is the all-merciful Mother of us all, and wishes to help Her children attain Him. In Gaudiya Vaishnavism, often people see Krishna in this role, as a means to achieve Radha's service. Does this answer your question?

Beautiful Radha, Swamini of all the Vraja-sundaris!

Don't worry. The feeling doesn't come from our hearts. It comes from Krishna; more specifically from Sri Radha. You should tell Them how distressed you are that you don't have the same feelings you used to; how it pains you that you don't have the ability to taste the same sweetness. Just remember that Sri Krishna is all-merciful and even if you can't feel Him with you, He is still with you; even if you can't taste His sweetness, still He is sweet... He will give you His mercy. He will show you how He loves you. Our relationship with Krishna is beyond that of normal human beings; even if you don't feel the same excitement as before, He knows you love Him; if you ask Him, He will do something so you can remember how He first charmed you, and you will feel the same old spark in your soul. Just give Him time to accomplish this. Even if you turn away from Him, even if your heart cannot yearn for Him, just remember, that if once you come to Him, if once you surrender to His feet, He will *remember* and He will take care of you forever; if you try to leave, He will drag you back by the hair; He will not let you be lost. You are His property. It is not the nature of a proprietor to allow His property to be lost. He will rescue you. He loves you. Don't worry.

Here's one that directly expressed my feelings during a recent crisis... /images/graemlins/wink.gif I Fall to Pieces (Thank you, Patsy Cline!!) I fall to pieces Each time I see you again I fall to pieces How can I be just your friend? You want me to act like we've never kissed You want me to forget Pretend we never met And I've tried and I've tried But I haven't yet You walk by and I fall to pieces I fall to pieces Each time someone speaks your name I fall to pieces Time only adds to the flame You tell me to find someone else to love Someone who'll love me too The way you used to do But each time I go out with someone new You walk by and I fall to pieces You walk by and I fall to pieces

I just remember Hanumanji meeting with Bhima (technically his half-brother) Anyway, even if He saw Rukmini, Krishna and Balarama- they were Janaki, Rama and Lakshmana for him...

>> When Krishna comes to us in our dream state it is very special and does count as a legitimate contact with Him. but that may not apply to all such dreams. --- Krishna will *rarely* come in a dream, at least for me. After going to Tirupati I was feeling a devotional surge of sorts. You know when you see Balaji at Tirupati, you really feel you are seeing the *real* 100% Govinda there (probably because He really IS Govinda, and not just a murthy) Anyway, I got His (Venkateshwara's) darshan in a dream directly on coming back to the US from Tirupati. Then I had a dry spell for several months, and I just kept praying to Govinda to come again in any way possible; in a dream- in any form possible... finally He answered my prayers and lately I have been dreaming of Him very often, and I feel that this is in answer to my prayers... I hope now that I have told you about it, He won't discontinue His visits!... Anyway, these dreams have been very comforting to me, but I was worried that maybe it wasn't really Him I was seeing. Do dreams count as darshan? Then I recently read this passage which I quoted earlier, and it made me feel a lot better. I just wanted to share it with you all. /images/graemlins/smile.gif Yours, Vanamali

Balaji is considered to be an incarnation of Sriman Narayana, but if you look closely, He has only two arms. He has the shankha and cakra sitting on His shoulders... There are lot of different stories about Venkatesha's descent to Venkata, but there is no doubt in my mind who He *really* is... Govindaaaa Goooovinda!!!!

Yes, I agree it's different for different people... Personally I strongly feel that we each have our own eternal relationship with Them that will be revealed to us eventually through our sadhana. Some are devoted to Sriman Narayana, some to Lakshmi; some are devoted to Radha and Krishna equally; still some favor Radha over Krishna, and others are more attracted to Krishna than Radha. It all has to with personal taste. Sympathizing with Radha's sentiment, being a devotee of Radharani as you are; probably that is the most lovely and deeply fulfilling blissful state. Still, others are not blessed with the ability for the same relationship; Yashodamaiyya cannot taste it. Candravali cannot taste it. Hanumanji is a GREAT devotee, but He can never be happy in Vrindavana, because Rama is not there (well, then again Hanumanji has Rama Nama to keep Him company...) Even while Krishna was on the earth, Hanumanji (who is immortal) did not bother to go and visit Him. Why? He was not RAMA! Didn't Hanumanji know that Krishna is purnavataram? Didn't Hanumanji know that Krishna is the full Godhead, the most beautiful, perfect, lovely, attractive Incarnation? Yes, he might have known all these things. But... BUT... Krishna was not RAMA! Just as Hanumanji can love only Ramachandra, some female souls are not able to love in the correct way (i.e. as a manjari of Radharani) expounded by Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Anyway, I am so happy for the Gaudiya Vaishnavas who are so devoted to Srimati Radharani; they will surely get everything their hearts and souls yearn for! Gaudiya Vaishnavism gives you a clear path on how to achieve that goal; the selfsame bhava as Srimati Radharani. >>> When enjoying with Krsna remains the main motivation for associating with Her, the very best of both the Divine Couple is unfortunately lost. --- For those whose motivation is to be near Krishna, and to love Him in the mood of which you speak, there is no established sampradaya who can help them. There is no guru who will help to develop this kind of devotion. >>> what is MOST attractive in Radha-Krsna can be shared only through pure devotion. --- They may never be able to realize the pinnacle of ecstatic bliss that devotees of Radharani will undoubtedly find, but the bliss of these people is found in a different way; not only in enjoying with Krishna, but longing for enjoyment with Krishna, is a kind of bliss in itself... Anyway, I am so happy for those of you whom Radharani has blessed to become the most blissful creatures in the universe! I pray that Radhaji would be merciful towards me as well... Please do not be angry with me for saying all these things, but I feel so compelled... Thank you for bearing with me... ~Vanamali

>>> Let us go to Tirupati." I do not know why I suddenly thought of that. --- Oh! Venkateshwara is always like that! You may plan for months and months, and if He is not ready to see you, you will not go... but one day you suddenly think of going to see the Lord. Really, I truly believe He must have thought of you for a moment and thought, "Oh! I haven't had that sweet devotee's darshan for some time. He should come soon..." As for only getting a few seconds' darshan, that is okay! The urgency of having darshan of Balaji reminds you what a treasure He really is. You don't look away from Him for a second. You don't even want to blink your eyes for fear of losing a second of that precious time with Him. That is how we should always be when having darshan of the Lord, and Venkatapati reminds us of this... But then again, if you want to pay a few rupees, probably one of the crowd control people will let you have a longer darshan, or if you put in an urgent prayer-request to Venkatesha Govinda or Padmaavati, probabably, *maybe* you will get a good, long look at His sweet face next time!!! /images/graemlins/smile.gif Wow! You are so blessed!! I wish I could see Him again!!!

I like it a little hard. Tofu is great, because it takes on the flavor of all the surrounding sauces and spices. I went to a Thai restaurant where they made me fried rice with red chillies, pineapple, cashews and tofu... oh wow! delicious /images/graemlins/smile.gif

I feel like Radha is the producer of devotional sentiment, and She pours Her love down into the hearts of great devotees, who in turn feel love for Krishna, and they in turn give it to us... Does this make sense? I especially feel like sankeerthanas by Annamayya, bhajans by Meerabai, all these things... they are kind of transmitters of that same devotional sentiment... they communicate the heart's palpitations, the soul's longing... and they make you feel it, too. Even if it only lasts for the duration for the song; if only once we can cry a single tear of love for Krishna, then all our spiritual pursuits will be worthwile!

I have some excerpts I have collected... I forgot to write the source, but I think they are some Jiva Goswami's writings... When Krishna is planning to meet the gopis in Kurukshetra, He indicates that He meets secretly with them ... He says; Though I come to meet with you constantly in such a way that you are only aware individually, you believe [my presence] to be hallucination and false; this is true not only for you, but alas for me as well; therefore let us meet, even if only once, at Kurukshetra, on the pretext of spying on our enemies, and may that meeting resuscitate us.(34) --- Then I have recorded a footnote which says... 23. UN 15.210-20. This type of union is not less real in the theological sense where a vision of Krishna, even in dreams, is not different from the real Krishna any more than his name or deity form is ontologically different from him. ---- So I am feeling that this Krishna that keeps visiting me in dreams is, well... not only "not ontologically different from" the real Krishna, but that... well... Krishna may also be dreaming as well?

Thanks for the very very beautiful and huge pictures. ------- I really liked that that picture was so huge, because you can kind of make out the details of His face. Moreover, when I went to Tirupati and had the sixty-second warp-speed darshan of Venkatesha Govinda, all I could think was, "He's huge! His tilakam is so huge!!!" I never realized what a huge presence He would have. It was really overwhelming. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

This is GOD...

If you don't look Indian, you have to sign a paper declaring that you are a devotee of Sri Venkateshwara before you enter... nice! Now it's in writing... He won't let you get away now. Venkateshwara takes promises very seriously. If you promise Him something, He expects full payment... with interest! GOVINDA! GOVINDA!

bhajagovindaM bhajagovindaM govindaM bhajamuuDhamate . ------------------ naliniidalagata jalamatitaralaM tadvajjiivitamatishayachapalam.h . viddhi vyaadhyabhimaanagrastaM lokaM shokahataM cha samastam.h .. (4) The life of a man is as uncertain as rain drops trembling on a lotus leaf. Know that the whole world remains a prey to disease, ego and grief. yaavadvittopaarjana saktaH staavannija parivaaro raktaH . pashchaajjiivati jarjara dehe vaartaaM ko.api na pRichchhati gehe .. (5) So long as a man is fit and able to support his family, see the affection all those around him show. But no one at home cares to even have a word with him when his body totters due to old age. yaavatpavano nivasati dehe taavatpRichchhati kushalaM gehe . gatavati vaayau dehaapaaye bhaaryaa bibhyati tasminkaaye .. (6) When one is alive, his family members enquire kindly about his welfare. But when the soul departs from the body, even his wife runs away in fear of the corpse. ---- aNgaM galitaM palitaM muNDaM dashanavihiinaM jataM tuNDam.h . vRiddho yaati gRihiitvaa daNDaM tadapi na muJNcatyaashaapiNDam.h .. (15) Strength has left the old man's body; his head has become bald, his gums toothless and leaning on crutches. Even then the attachment is strong and he clings firmly to fruitless desires. (Stanza attributed to Hastamalaka). ------ bhagavad.h giitaa kiJNchidadhiitaa gaNgaa jalalava kaNikaapiitaa . sakRidapi yena muraari samarchaa kriyate tasya yamena na charchaa .. (20) Let a man read but a little from Gitaa, drink just a drop of water from the ganges, worship murari (govinda) just once. He then will have no altercation with Yama. (Stanza attributed to dR^iDhabhakta). punarapi jananaM punarapi maraNaM punarapi jananii jaThare shayanam.h . iha saMsaare bahudustaare kRipayaa.apaare paahi muraare .. (21) Born again, death again, birth again to stay in the mother's womb ! It is indeed hard to cross this boundless ocean of samsara. Oh Murari ! Redeem me through Thy mercy. (Stanza attributed to Nityanatha).

<<< .,all this talk of Rama Krsna , They never existed God doesnt exist only the devil exists ,one can see that in everyday life ,people are basically evil and God is just a bloody illusion ,cant people see that???????>>> Okay, Nastika, let me tell you something. Bad things happen. This is not the first time someone has suffered torture in the world. Maybe this is the first time you are seeing it. Okay, the devil exists, there is no god. People are basically evil. Do you feel better? What can make you feel better, my dear? What? What you do want from Him? Why, when you see how terrible the worst part of life is, do you want to renounce the only part that is still beautiful?? Why, when these things make you so sad, and your soft heart is in pain, you want to put yourself in more pain? It's like saying, "OH! My legs got cut off! Let me cut off my arms also, then I will feel better."

I don't remember where this comes from, these are fifty qualities of Sri Krishna... I can think of more qualities than this, though. Let's try to add to the list!!! 1 His body is very beautiful 2 It is marked with all the auspicious signs 3 Attractive 4 Powerful 5 Strong 6 Youthful 7 Knows many amazing languages 8 Truthful speaker 9 Pleasant speaker 10 Eloquent speaker 11 A great scholar 12 Very intelligent 13 Of quick wit in conversation, able to answer any challenge. 14 A skilled artist 15 Able to accomplish many tasks at once 16 Expert 17 A grateful person 18 Always keeps his promise 19 Knows the right time, place and circumstance for everything. 20 Sees through the eyes of scripture 21 Pure 22 Has full control over himself 23 Perseverant 24 Patient 25 Forgiving 26 Deep 27 Content 28 Equipoised 29 Charitable 30 Religious 31 Heroic 32 Compassionate 33 Respectful 34 Refined 35 Humble 36 Bashful, shy 37 He always protects those who have taken refuge in him. 38 He is happy 39 Beneficent to his devotee 40 Controlled by love 41 Brings auspiciousness to everyone. 42 Is terrifying to his enemies 43 Famous 44 Well-loved by the world 45 Inclined towards the saintly 46 Enchanting to all women 47 Worshipped by all 48 Very wealthy 49 Superior to all 50 The master.

Nice joke "So Sri Vishnu said..... let the athiest go to Vishnuloka, and send the Bhakta to Narakaloka {hell}.." Hahaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!! You cannot send a Bhakta to Naraloka... if RAMA RAMA remains on his tongue, it will be Vaikuntha for Him... Just like this dismal world becomes full of Krishna, when He is in your heart.... Govinda! Govinda!!!

The "real" world is sunny *and* dark, negative *and* positive. There is a third choice between these pairs of opposites... You can escape pleasure and pain if you wish....

Could one whose heart is not into the rasa's played in Goloka ever be satisfied there, or would that soul gravitate towards Vaikuntha naturally? ---- If you are a devotee of Maha-Vishnu, then yes, you would gravitate to Sri Vaikuntha surely! In Vaikuntha there are also places where you can spend time with Narasimhaswamy, Varahaswamy, etc. if you are Their devotees.... Krishna is happy to fulfill your heart's desire for Him.

The tribhanga pose is like a hook... this Krishna is very dangerous. He will get inside of you, and you can never get Him out. Even if you want to escape Him, the three-bending form remains lodged in your heart... Even if it brings you poverty, makes you lose your friends and family, even makes society disdain you... still you will follow this Syamasundara to the ends of the earth... You are His puppet, this loving, lovely Shyam....

>>> Th school where 80-odd children were burnt alive was called Saraswati school, right next to Sri Krishna school. Wow, am I the only one to appreciate the f*****g irony of it all? --- Considering that every other business, school, person in India is named after God, then... well, does that mean no one should ever die in India? Anyway, God is with us in life, and in death also. Everybody dies, not just theists. Not just athiests. Not just Hindus, Christians, Muslims... but find a faith that makes living easier, and which makes death easier to approach. If Hinduism is not for you, then choose something else; but for me I am able to look death squarely in the face with Krishna in my heart, so that is why I follow Him.

atra Yatra Raghunatha Kirthanam TatraTatra Krtamastakanjalim, Baspavari Paripurnalocanam, Marutim Namata Raksasantakam Wherever the Name and Glory of Sri Ram is sung – therein will be Hanuman with folded hands, bowed head, and with eyes full of tears of devotion. To him, destroyer of Rakshasas we give our salutations