Kartik-2009 in Vrindavan - Day2

Kartik Yatra

Day 1 - Diwali

Day 2 - Goverdhan Puja

Day 3 - Goverdhan Parikrama

18-Oct-2009, Sunday

Woke up for Mangala Arati. Guru Maharaja passed by 5 mins before altar opening from left door to the altar door on the right.Then after morning program, this time when we took Srila Prabhupada for temple circumambulation, there were two new participants as well. Yes! They were Krishna Balarama (Utsava deities) on a palanquin led by Srila Prabhupada and devotees to Goshala to see Their beloved cows. The procession was accompanied with ecstatic Kirtan by HG Janardana Prabhu. All through the way devotees showered flower petals on the two Princes and Their pure devotee Srila Prabhupada.

On reaching the venue, devotees feed the cows with nice big laddoos, made up of jaggery and bran (i guess !!).

Then there was abig pandal setup, where His Holiness Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja performed Go puja. There on His Holiness Bhakti Madhav Vishvambhar Swami Maharaja and His Grace Devamrta Prabhu enlightened the assembled devotees on the significance of cows and their relationship with Krishna. It is mentioned in scriptures that merely by scratching the cow, on its nect, head, back or belly pleases the cow so much that it gives herself away to the person. And when cow is pleased then Krishna is also immensely pleased. So it is not so difficult to get Krishna's mercy after all.

Then Krishna Balarama moved back to temple. Devotees after honoring breakfast Prasadam also returned to temple, where an opulent Annakut was being prepared. Huge hill of rice and halwa decked with burfis, laddoos, gulab jamuns and cookies. Aindra Prabhu was leading Kirtan, while senior devotees and Guru Maharaja did abhisheka of Goverdhan Sila. After the arati, I saw Apurva Gopal Pr was back from Mathura with his parents.

Then we went back to our room to get some rest and came back for Prasadam. Then pretty much spent the evening in Krishna Balaram Mandir only culuminating with deep dana.