Day 8, Just Can't Get No Bhava

February 18th – Vrindavan Day 1, Dabara, Sri Tungavidya Sakhi


The only duty of the pilgrim is to please the Supreme Lord Hari. There is no need to worry about pleasing society, depend on social formality, or occupation or dress. Whatever encumbers you in this world, the gunas or your 52 cousins, just surrender to Krishna.

Lord Hari is especially pleased when we develop faith in Him. Faith is trust by experience, and experience requires time.

With these lessons from the morning class fresh in our minds, a hundred and fifty plus devotees boarded 3 buses in the crowded streets of Vrindavan. Over an hour of unpaved roads, gorgeous rice fields, and beautiful ancestral villages brought us to Barsana, the transcendental hometown of Krsna's internal potency, Srimati Radharani. In Dabhala, the village of Sri Tungavidya Sakhi, we sat on the second floor of the town’s largest structure, the local temple and home to the dollhouse the Gopis eternally play in. With the backdrop of a stunning mural depicting Krishna and His beloved Gopis, His Grace Vaisesika Prabhu introduced His Grace Madhava Damodara Prabhu, historian of the Saktis and Their Earthly pastimes.

The dollhouse, built by the father of Sri Tungavidya Sakhi, would see visitors like Srimati Radharani Herself. As the pastimes are eternal, those with sharp spiritual sense can still perceive the young Gopis playing together in that very room.

His Grace Madhava Damodara Prabhu gave us a window into the life and character of Sri Tungavidya Sakhi, one of the closest friends of Srimati Radharani who often facilitated Her meetings with Krishna, even when Krishna would come disguised as Yogini. Damodara Prabhu shared special insight on the attitudes of the Gopis, enlightening us to Their shared hot-tempered attitude, especially in handling Krishna’s playful mischievousness.

Following these enlivening pastimes, His Grace Vaisesika Prabhu set the mood for the week. We are in the eternal-present of Krishna lila while we are here in Vrindavan. All energies – be they spiritual, marginal, or illusory – are meant for the pleasure of the Lord, and it is our purpose as living entities to use everything in service of Krishna. Bhaktivinode Thakur said, “The spiritual realm of Sri Vrindavan Dhama brilliant and pure has been manifested by the Sundini Shakti as the arena for the eternal loving pastimes of Krishna.” This is our arena for the next week, here we will turn to face Krishna with one pointed attention and deepen our individual-reciprocal relationship with Him – whatever that may be. Lord Caitanya came here, in Kali-yuga, to teach us unceremonious, spontaneous love in the mood of the residents of Vraja. Jiva Goswami in his Bhakti-sandarbha tells us we can get there simply by holding special regard for the associates of Lord Krishna.

But if you still can’t develop a taste? That’s alright. Sometimes we just can’t get no bhava.

Taking a final darshan after prasadam, we said our goodbyes to the locals. Many a young boy had found his way to the roof of the temple to observe the devotees taking in the mustard plants and roaming cows that could be seen for miles from this central structure. Back in the buses, we could see the castle of Srimati Radharani on the crest of the hills, watching over our departure.