So coming to Vrindavan!? - Good one to have.. Kind of checklist for you!!!

Posted by dinesh

Sent to you by dinesh via Google Reader:

So coming to Vrindavan!?

via Gouranga-Epistle Of Love by Maral Alimova on 9/30/11

Coming to Vrindavan?!

We have to understand that the Holy Dham is controlled by Vrindavanehsvari. She won't let you to hurt its residents. She won't let you to continue your offenses even in the mind. Because you are very dear to Her. By putting you to difficult situations She will stop you from making offenses. And She wants you to have humble consciousness. She wants you to surrender to the will of Her Beloved Krishna.

We should have the next mood:

"My dear Krishna, I came here, now I and whatever I have belongs to You. If You want to destroy me or if You want to steal everything from me let it be so! I am Yours. I can not protect myself. Thus I'm trying to take full shelter in Your lotus feet. Please, protect me my mind from committing offenses!"

Here are some difficulties that might appear or the things which we have to do, to bring, not to do:

Monkeys

They are always interested with what you carry in the hands. When you buy fruits, look around and hide a fruit pocket.

Do not look to them and agitate them!

Be careful of your photo camera when you take their photo!

Be careful of your eye glasses if you use them! I do not know, but Monkeys adore to play with them.

Take care that your children while eating something won't be attacked by them. They may scratch the skin.

Example:

Once when we were doing parikrama around samadhis of Rupa Goswami at Radha Damodar Temple, suddenly we heard the voice of a lady: "RADHEEEE! RADHEE!"

This voice was full for fear and cry. We ran towards the sound. She was a foreign girl who was attacked by 2-3 monkeys. Then used to ran to her and catch her sari. She was shouting and somehow trying to protect herself. Then immediately some prabhus took stones and with strong voices put fear in the hearts of those monkeys, seeing big stones and hearing men's voice the left her.

Cleanliness

Coconut water – drink directly from the coconut or else better to have your own plastic tube. Some people say that sometimes the sellers reuse the tubes.

Outside food – might be with onion, garlic, or not clean prepared what to say that it is not offered to Krishna.

Dust bins – mostly in India you can not find dust bins in every corner. Because of that sometimes people throw the plastics, wastages just to the street or from the window of a train. And if it is done by the visitor over 10 000 then the Holy Dham will become a dust bin.

Radha Kund – some devotees out of love to Srimati Radharani buy plastic bangles and offer them to Radha Kund. Please do not do that! She is happy to accept them in Her Deity form but not to the Kund.

Lalita Kund – some devotees feed the fishes, tortoises in Lalita Kund with puffed rice, grams. You can do it in the day time when fishes and tortoises are ready to accept your offering. But on the late evenings they go to sleep and won't eat. For whole night rice and gram spoil and whole the Kund will smell bad.

Shoes – to every Temple you have to enter with naked feet. You can not carry your shoes in your bag also. Only way is to leave them outside, as like do everyone. Because of that better come with simple shoes so that with calm mind to leave outside.

Wearing – it is better to wear Vaishnava clothes. With saris to cover belt and head will be seen very beautiful for ladies. It is for your own safety.

Timetable – here you have to be adjustable. At home we used to sleep on time, to wake on time, to chant on time, to eat on time…but in Yatras it may happen that we will go to sleep after 11 PM or eat lunch after 4 PM, or to have breakfast in the bus. Be ready! And accept everything as it is! Keep your mind calm and always try not to depend on external things.

Ear closers – sometimes we will chant on busses or while doing parikrama around Giri Govardhan where will be much sounded. It is better to have ear closers and chant, in order to hear your own japa properly.

Girls and boy – ah these girls and boys! Yes, it might be very good opportunity for upakurvana brahmacharis and brahmacharinis to meet their prince in a white horse or a princess like a barbi…please, beg you! If you use your mind in thoughts of that then do not blame that you did not progressed spiritually in that Yatra, and that you do not have taste for chanting.

Money, passport – usually Devotees carry small bags close to their belt under curtas for useful documents and money and other bigger bag is used for other daily needed things: water, gamchi… also it is not recommended to leave those things in your rooms.

Locks – bring or buy in India itself locks for your room. Extra protection.

Clothes – it is better to bring saris which are easy to wash and dry fast. There might be no enough space for drying in the rooms.

Eating – please, do not be too much attached for eating! The Yatra members will do their best in order the Prasadam will be served on time, but sometimes it might be not so. Surrender to Krishna All Controller and do not become aggressive and angry. If you do so, there is a big chance that you will catch cold, tonsillitis which will spoil your whole Yatra.

Cold – better to have one pair of soaks and one warm chadar. In the mornings It will be very cold to sit or stand on the marble floor.

Death because of hunger – if it is going to be so, I saw how some Indian ladies brought with themselves dry fruits – raisins, an jeer, nuts…in times of real hunger you can have them. Notice: in India those things are costly or rarely found.

Sleepiness – it might happen that we will sleep after late 11 PM and wake up at 3 AM. It is better to wake up early in the morning and attend Mangala Arati, chant with Devotees and take some rest after lunch. At least we come to the Holy Place not to sleep but to use every moment for serving to Devotees and getting spiritual values.

Do not fight – usually Indian people are different. Rickshaw drivers seeing your skin may chart trice price. You also try to reduce the price but not with high voice or equaled eyebrows. Take it easy! If this does not work, go to another Rickshaw.

Rich or poor – even if you are king come with simple cloth, neat but simple. Otherwise you will be followed by numerous followers in the forms of beggars.

Coins – it is better to have Indian paisa in your pocket. When you visit a Temple some paisa is given as a tradition.

Beggars – better to carry some dry Prasadam to give to beggars. If we give money some of them may buy tobacco or something like that and we will be the reason.

Booking rooms – it is highly recommended to book a room before even some months. On festival times they will charge trice price or even there won't be any place to stay in. but even thou you did not book prior, I saw in some houses you can rent a room. You have to walk and ask house owners if they you can rent a room.

Prasadam – if you are registered in a particular Yatra then they will take care of your Prasadam. If no, there are some solutions:

You may have Prasadam at Krishna Balaram Mandir. Breakfast 10:00, lunch nearly at 2-3 PM. If you find it spicy then you can buy 2 kg. gas cylinder for nearly Rs. 1000 and cook yourself.

Sleeping bags – mostly visitors buy it directly in India in main market in New Delhi, but it is time consuming. Better to bring. You can use that in the trains or when you want to stay in cheaper dharmasalas.

To bring or to buy – anti mosquito lotion, light, gamchas, pen & notebook if you want to write, a book for reading…

Ladies – please, be aware that you go out with someone, not alone, especially dark times!

We are coming to the Holy Place:

To serve to Devotees

To listen Bhagavatam

To attend mad Kirtans

To meet great Devotees

To forget everything and just to be emerged in the Holy Names

Not for much sleeping, not for much eating (may be Prasadam is not in rule)

Not for talking gossip

-----------

Dear Devotees, please forgive me if something is written un professionally, but I tired my best.