Mathura, November 2- Foreign devotees immersed in devotion to Lord Krishna are staying in Mathura, observing Kartik Mas rituals to seek divine blessings.
More than 600 foreigners from across the globe are in Mathura to observe Kartik Mass (eight months according to Hindu calendar) rituals from October 7th to November 5th, this year).
“Bhakti of Radha Krishna and divine peace bring most of them to city,” said Bimal Krishna Das HOD Prabhupad Samadhi Mandir and Museum ISKCON Vrindavan. Most of them are participating in one of the three different Yatras (trip) along with other around 20 thousand people, covering major temples of Brij Bhumi, he added.
Narrating importance of Kartik Mas, Bhagwatacharya and Manas Kinker Anand Upadhyay said Maa Laxmi and Lord Shalegram appeared during this month according to Skandh Puran. “The month is to worship Lord Vishnu,” he said. Mathura is the playground of Lord Krishna therefore staying here during Kartik brings special blessings, he added.
Adding to his narration Balram Goswami Sewayat Radha Damodar temple Vrindavan said the month is also called Damodar mas as Maa (mother) Yashoda tied Lord Krishna from stomach on the day of Diwali. “Damo is rope and Udar is stomach,” hence Lord Krishna gets a new name “Damodar” and the temple also gets its name.
Devotee take pledge to follow one particular activity daily for a month, Balram Goswami said. “Lightening a a Diya (earthen lamp), bathing in Kund or river or thakur ji Darshans are considers most auspicious rituals, he added.
The temple is visited by group of 50 foreign devotees daily during morning darshans. The 542-year-old temple was used by ISKCON founder A C Bhaktivedant Swami for his spiritual learning and meditation from 1959 to 1965 before founding ISKCON.
The temple houses Charan Shila of Girraj Ji believed to be given by Lord Krishna to Sanatan Goswami, he added.
British national Dr Rishi Shaunaka Das, who is staying in Vrindavan from past 3 weeks, told PTI that he feels humbled , peaceful and spiritually recharged after engaged in daily chanting, temple seva and study of sastra. He is coming to Vrindavan since his Childhood.
The Vrindavan Chandrodaya temple is observing special celebrations beginning October 31. The temple and golden cart was decorated with fragrant flowers by devotees for Shobha Yatra, said Abhishek Mishra Media In charge Vrindavan Chandrodaya temple. The entire temple was filled with chanting of Harinam Sankirtan, when devotees started pulling golden cart of deities. The temple will also have Nauka Vihar on subsequent days in River Yamuna and ponds made in temple premises, he added.
Special arrangements were done throughout the month to ensure ease of darshans to devotees. A traffic plan was in place to ensure congestion free movement of vehicles. Police personal and officers were posted outside temples to ensure safety and security of devotees, said District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh.
