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Darshan

Festivities

One week ago the devotees here in Mayapur, glorified mother cow with utmost respect, and devotion. There was a procession of cows, yajna, feeding the cows, and much more. “The eighth lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kārttika is known by authorities as Gopāṣṭamī. From that day, Lord Vāsudeva served as a cowherd, whereas previously He had tended the calves.”

The morning started with an amazing darshan of SS Radha-Madhava and the ashta-sakhi’s all giving us a view of their lotus feet. The sub-altar was also beautifully decorated with many cows and gopas, waterfalls, and bright green foliage.

Many of our goshala’s cows were then led in a procession around the campus invoking an auspicious mood. Once they returned to the goshala many senior devotees began glorifying mother cow. While some devotees sat for the lecture, others were busy feeding, petting, and bathing the cows.

The goshala was offering plates of prasadam for offering to the cows.  Each plate had many items such as chapatti, sprouts, gur, and a special cake. Then came the time for all of the participants to honor prasadam. The mood was very loving as everybody’s hearts were being touch through their service to mother cow.

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When Lord Rāma and Lord Kṛṣṇa attained the age of paugaṇḍa (six to ten) while living in Vṛndāvana, the cowherd men allowed Them to take up the task of tending the cows. Engaging thus in the company of Their friends, the two boys rendered the land of Vṛndāvana most auspicious by imprinting upon it the marks of Their lotus feet.

Lord Kṛṣṇa wanted to encourage His cowherd boyfriends, who had been swallowed by Aghāsura and then stolen by Lord Brahmā. Therefore the Lord decided to bring them into the palm-tree forest called Tālavana, where there were many delicious ripe fruits. Since Lord Kṛṣṇa’s spiritual body had apparently grown slightly in age and strength, the senior men of Vṛndāvana, headed by Nanda Mahārāja, decided to promote Kṛṣṇa from the task of herding calves to the status of a regular cowherd boy. He would now take care of the full-grown cows, bulls and oxen. Out of great affection, Nanda Mahārāja had previously considered Kṛṣṇa too small and immature to take care of full-grown cows and bulls