6th issue - Nitya-seva newsletter

March, 2016 - 6th issue

 Spring has sprung in New Vraja-dhama! The trees are blossoming, blooming colorful herbs and tiny flowers colour the green lawn. The first spring flowers appeared in the gardens of Radhe-Syama and the devotees, so the pujaris don't have to offer the flowers from the shop during the aratis, instead they offer small, fragrant bouquets of hyacints, Narcissus and violets picked and bound by the devotees for the pleasure of Radha-Syama.

The improving weather lures people to go on excursions: so more and more visitors come to see the Divine Couple, who like to have guests even to that extent that They renounce Their afternoon rest for a few months during summer-time just to give Their darshan to Their visitors. They receive groups also besides the individual guests, many of whom would like to participate in programs besides the usual tour around the Farm. This year one of the first groups was a student group of nearly 100 students who liked the program so much that after enthusiastically singing with the devotees they learned a few steps of dance and they danced wildly together in the temple-room where Radha-Syama were watching the fun. These kind of happy festivals happen almost every day during the tourism season.

Krishna appears in the material world in the form of Lord Caitanya so that He could taste the happiness coming from spreading the chanting of His own holy names. We celebrated Lord Gauranga's appearance day with a small festival a little while ago. Radha-Syama received new outfits both in the morning and in the evening, and the cooks made different preparations for the pleasure of Their Lordships from sunrise till sunset. And of course the devotees chanted and sang all day. Since what would make Gaura Nataraja more happy on His appearance day than the chanting of the holy names? They started in the temple-room, then Govardhana Lala accompanied their Harinama-party to Somogyvámos village and after returning they continued in the temple again. The program finished with a rousing Gaura-arati kirtana, where all the members of the local and the surrounding devotee-communities danced together in ecstasy.

When devotees express their personal experiences regarding Radha-Syama, one of the main qualities of the Divine Couple they mention which melts the hearts of Their servants is Their unlimited mercy. Srila Niranjana Maharaja recently spent a few days in Krishna Valley and he also spoke about his experiences about Radha-Syama:

"One of my realizations about Sri Sri Radha-Syamasundara is that They are so attractive, so personal, so caring, so loving, so kind and I can see that by the way They can evoke devotion in those who serve Them. This is something very-very wonderful to see. Very attractive... They are able to evoke such a strong desire to please Them in Their devotees... That is Their glory. And that's the glory of Their bhaktas."

And this is not just experienced by the devotees whose spiritual desires They always fulfill, but by those guests too who turn to Them with faith. Many of Their guests have returned to thank Them for fulfilling what they were praying for to Them. They reciprocate with wonders even the smallest steps made towards Them and They bestow unfathomable spiritual gems upon those who serve Them.

Jaya Radhe-Syama!
11th April, 2016.