Rath Yatra and Sharat Poornima Celebrations

Saturday, October 11, 2008
10:00 am - 3:30 pm
View the 2007 flier here.

Sharat Poornima (शरत्‌ पूर्णिमा) is that Divine night when Radha Krishn revealed the supreme Bliss of maharas to uncountable Gopis in Vrindaban about 5,000 years ago. It is the full moon night which falls in October. This day is very precious in our lives for an additional reason as well: our beloved Shree Maharajji appeared on that night in 1922 in Mangarh, India. Whereas the devotees in Mangarh participate in a procession (yatra) with Shree Maharajji seated on an elegantly decorated chariot (rath), here at Barsana Dham we have a procession with Shree Radha Rani seated on a flower adorned chariot.

So on this most auspicious and important day, we begin the celebration at 10:00 am with bhajans on the Temple steps as we wait with great anticipation to welcome Shree Radha Rani magnificently enthroned on Her beautifully garlanded chariot for the Rath Yatra (रथ यात्रा). Thousands of flowers and petals shower down as Shree Swamiji does the first arti to Shree Radha Rani. With the blowing conches, singing and dancing, the procession begins on a lovely path through Barsana Dham accompanied by continuous nam sankirtan. After a break at Shyam Kuti, we continue back to the Temple for arti, a discourse and more devotional bhajans as well as a special darshan of the Deities in the shrine. After lunch prasad, we meet again in the Temple at 2:00 pm for a magnificent cultural program of dancing and Radha Krishn leelas.

Shree Swamiji's Rath Yatra/Sharat Poornima Message

The blessed souls. Today we are celebrating Sharat Poornima and on this celebration day we have the Radha Rani Rath Yatra in the morning. This is Barsana Dham. Radha Rani appeared 5,000 years ago in India, in Braj, and stayed in Barsana for all the time She was on the earth planet. She Graced all the devotees of the world.

When I went to Braj in 1955, I stayed in Barsana. At that time I studied all the scriptures, Vaishnav scriptures especially, and the life history of Chaitanya Mahaprabhuji. Also, I enjoyed reading the songs written by rasik Saints–songs of Krishn leelas and Radha leelas.

At that time, internally, Shree Maharajji called me. And so it happened that I met him in Allahabad. When I met him, I saw what I had read about in “Chaitanya Charitamrit.” I felt he truly was the personified descension of the Bliss of maharas which Radha and Krishn gave during Their maharas leela. I stayed with him. And with his Grace this Barsana Dham has come into being. Barsana is the eternal abode of Radha Rani. Wherever She appears on the earth planet, Barsana is there. Barsana is where She lives. No other place, just Barsana. So it’s Her eternal abode. With the Grace of Shree Maharajji I thought of developing something for Western people who cannot go to India quite so often. Something the same as in India. With his Grace, this Barsana Dham was established. And we are introducing his teachings and his message through our organization.

Today is very auspicious, very important! It is such an important day, you cannot imagine. Suppose there is a beggar. He is begging for his whole life, hoping for pennies or dollars, half-starving his whole life. Suddenly, suppose he receives a lottery of twenty, thirty million dollars. Oh! he faints in that joy. That is nothing as compared with the Divine Bliss which Radha Rani gives to the souls of this world.

We know what we are. We are attached in the world. In our worldly attachments we live. Family attachment, job attachment, house attachment, attachment to things. We devote some time, just some time for God. In that ‘some time’ we have lots of demands from God. How many of us love God selflessly? There are some who do... But then again how long do they do devotion selflessly? These are all the limitations.

So, for such souls, if Radha Rani gives Her own kingdom, Her own Self, Her own abode, Barsana and Divine Vrindaban...there are no words to explain the greatness of Her love and kindness! But we can experience that, definitely, in this lifetime, if you are determined. That’s it. No other requirement. How fallen a soul is makes no difference. It makes no difference. Every soul is fallen. That’s why he’s in the world.

Suppose somebody says that he has not done any big crime in this lifetime. In past lifetimes, he would have done so. His remote past, he would have done so. And we have all the karmas of all the past accumulated lifetimes with us all the time in the mind. We have uncountable good and bad deeds contained in our sanskars. Some people are doing very good, some less good, some are doing devotions, some are great devotees. Those who are great devotees if they look to their past, were they the same in childhood? No, they developed.

What I mean to say is that a soul may change anytime. It is a matter of understanding. When you understand, “Oh, Radha and Krishn are my supreme Divine Beloved.” One sentence. They are your supreme Divine Beloved. Beloved of your heart, mind, soul, body, everything. Only supreme Divine Beloved, only Beloved. That’s all you have to understand. That’s it, and you are on the path to God realization.

This may take time. It’s up to you to determine. Whenever you decide, you are on the path. Then, what you were in the past, Radha Rani never cares to know...just forget it. Past is past. Present, presently what you are, that's what counts.

So, any soul, of any class and kind and profession, of any age, from a child to grown-up or old, it makes no difference, if you decide, then, instantly you receive the Grace of Radha Rani. The decision is yours. And Gracing is on Her part. She is always open and ready to Grace any soul. Only you have to look to Her, “O Radhey! I am Yours. You are only mine. You only were mine, I realize now. Please help me, Grace me.” This feeling should come from the bottom of your heart. That’s all you have to do. All the rest, Radha Rani will do. Krishn will do. It’s in Their hands.

So that’s the message we give every year. Every day when we do chanting, and have satsang, and have darshan, we give the same message to all the souls all the time, but this particular occasion reminds us that on this particular night, Sharat Poornima night, Radha and Krishn gave maharas ras to uncountable Gopis—not millions or billions or trillions, but uncountable Gopis. In Vrindaban. In India. So one might think that Vrindaban is a limited place, and how could uncountable Gopis have come? Yes, it was made Divine at that time. The location was Vrindaban, but the space was made Divine. Divine has no limitation. So uncountable Gopis joined, did maharas with Radha and Krishn and enjoyed the Bliss. The same can be given to you. You can receive that, if you decide. This is the message which we give every year to all the souls who come. And my Grace and my blessings are on all the souls. We wish every soul to realize the importance of God realization and come to this path.

Bolo Shree Raseshwari Radha Rani ki, jai!
Barsana Dham ki, jai!
Shree Kripaluji Maharaj ki, jai!
Jai Shree Radhey!