Hare Krsna. That Sri Prabhodananda Sarasvati has firmly established Sri Vrindaban Dham as his shelter is evident in his uncompromising words from Sri Vrindavana-Mahimamrta:

“What nonsense! What nonsense! What misfortune! Even though he is a ‘great man’ he still does not like blissful Vrndavana!

“If even the ‘greatest’ person refuses to take shelter of blissful Vrndavana, he should be called the lowest of men.

“I do not love blissfully sweet Vrndavana. What is the good of my knowledge, devotion, or renunciation?

“Pathetic! Pathetic are my scholarship, noble birth, good character, and splendid array of virtues! Because in this life I do not love Vrndavana, I am a living corpse.

“Because I have not renounced everything and taken shelter of Vrndavana I am more pitiful than those pitied by the pitiful and I am more foolish than the greatest fool.

“Lord Caitanya’s feet are far away. Powerful Kali has appeared. How will love for Krsna be attained without love for Vrndavana?”

Below are two statements by great souls on faith.
Prabhupada: I have faith in you. Now, I give sometimes this example. Just like you go to a barbershop, and you put your neck like this, and he is with the razor. So unless you have faith, “No, he is a good man. He will not cut my throat,” how can you do so? So faith is the beginning. If you have no… If you say, “No, I have no faith in you,” then you cannot be cleansed.
Baradraj: That example became very clear when we went to India.

(Prabhupada & devotees laugh) Because the barbers are so, they look like they could cut your throat.
Bahulasva: You have to have a lot of faith.
Prabhupada: He can do that, but you must have faith. Otherwise no shaving. So many… Suppose you are going to some unknown place. Now we are purchasing, paying two thousand dollars, a ticket. But where is the guarantee that you will go there? You are paying first money, but there is no guarantee that you will go there. Then how do you get the ticket? How do you get on the plane unless, without faith? So faith, without faith you cannot move an inch. It must be there. [break] …believe, “No, no, this ticket is issued by the Pan American. They are good company, and so many people are going. So I will go also.” That’s all. So faith. You never went there, neither you know whether it will be possible to go there. But still, you have to do. That is faith. [break]
Baradraj: The airplane may crash.
Prabhupada: Yes, there are so many things. There is no guarantee that you will reach there. But still, you have to purchase a ticket. You have to get on the plane. That is faith.
Sudama: And all the passengers have to have faith in the captain of the plane.
Prabhupada: Whatever it may be, the faith must be there. Without faith, you cannot go.
(From a morning walk with Srila Prabhuapda, July 21,
1975, San Francisco)

A firm faith in the holy name will be awakened in the heart after worshiping the Deity in this way for a long time; then at last they will have determination for Nama-bhajana in the company of devotees. The case is different with those few lucky ones who have exclusively firm faith in Krsna’s holy name; they take, by unbounded grace of Krsna, shelter at the feet of such a spiritual guide who is an ontologist of the holy name, i.e., who has realized and does see the svarupa (form) of the holy name. Concerning the need for such a preceptor, Sri Mahaprabhu says that though formal initiation may not be necessary, still a guide is essential in nama-bhajana. The mere letters of the holy name may be had at any place and from anybody, but the profound and unknown truth that is lurking behind those letters can only be exposed by the grace of a true preceptor who is purely devoted to Krsna. The grace of the spiritual guide alone can pass over from the early twilight from the ten offenses hindering the true service of the holy name. (From Nama-bhajana, by Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura)

Hare Krsna. The land of Vrindaban still remains famous for its cows and calves, for Vraja to this day is agriculturally based. Of course, Braja’s most famous cowherd boy is Krsna, who loved his calves and cows dearly. With His tender lotus fingers, Krsna milked the cows himself, and the cows reciprocated with Krsna’s loving touch by pouring forth unlimited streams of milk. Ananda Vrndavana Campu describes Krsna’s milking His cows as follows:

“The white hue of the pure-minded cows, who were sitting along the side of the road, which looked as white as powdered camphor, easily surpassed the glow of the full moon and it created a satisfying sight for all. The beautiful white bodies of the cows could only be distinguished from the lustrous setting due to their thick horns, for they appeared blacker than a swarm of bumblebees. Sitting there peacefully, the cows felt boundless joy.

“Desiring to milk the cows, the gopas met with Krsna, who tastefully performs all artistic feats and derives pleasure from all that He does. Moving His lotus eyes in all directions, Krsna milked the cows with great fun and affection.

“Krsna’s turban looked very attractive as it tilted slightly from rubbing against the bellies of the cows. Squatting down and holding the golden milk pail between His knees, Krsna looked enchanting in His glimmering yellow dhoti. While milking the cows, Krsna’s back arched beautifully and His elbows jutted out to the sides as He squeezed and released the udders with His bud-like fingers. First Krsna moistened His thumb and forefinger with milk foam, and then He deftly pulled showers of milk from one udder after another. The touch of Krsna’s lotus hand felt dearer to the cows than the touch of their own calves. Out of affection for the Lord, the cows freely poured forth streams of milk. The forceful pouring of milk made a pleasant sound as it filled the deep milking pot as the milk spilled out on the ground before a new pot could be brought to replace it.”

Hare Krsna. Although previously sent, this photo of Nandagram at sunset is a favorite.

Srila Rupa Gosvami in Uddhava Sandesha sweetly describes Nandagram, the boyhood home of Krsna, to Uddhava, His dear friend and the best of the Yadavas:

“O best of advisers, Uddhava! Please go to Nandagram, the capitol of Nanda Maharaja, which is situated on a beautiful hill covered by wonderful creepers and the best of trees and surrounded by a wall made of priceless jewels….With banana trees shaken by agitating winds and full of fragrant Ashoka flowers, that beautiful, wonderful transcendental abode of Nanda Maharaja will bring you unlimited bliss.”

“There, in Nandagram, you will see many calves that look like white crystals as they run around after freeing their tails from the hands of the cowherd boys. You will also see many calves frolicking after having smelled the tips of new grass.”

“Dear friend, in this world there are many holy places, places that are forms of My very self, places I have created to please devotees like yourself. Still, I vow to you again and again, and I do not lie to you, no other holy place pleases Me more than Vraja.”

After describing to Uddhava the pure and full love of the residents of Vrindaban, Srila Rupa Gosvami expresses the desire that caused his writing Uddhava Sandesha at the poem’s end:

“May this book make a great flood of bliss flow in the heart of Sri Krishna Caitanya, whose lotus feet are Sri Rupa Gosvami’s shelter, and who, His heart overcome with bliss by thinking of Lord Krishna’s pastimes in Vraja, with sincere ecstatic love again and again wildly danced in the famous circle of Vraja.”

and he concludes with a benediction:

“May merciful Lord Sri Krishna, who enjoys childhood pastimes with Sridama and other boy friends, who enjoys rasa-dance pastimes with the young gopis, and who contemptuously kills many wicked demons, carry you all to the dry land on the other side of the ocean of repeated birth and death.”

Hare Krsna. What deeds enacted in previous lives cause one to inhabit a butterfly body alighting upon a blossoming mustard plant in Vraja, near Govardhana Hill? Where will this soul go after his butterfly body returns to Vraja’s dust?

I cannot say, but one purport and one lecture of Srila Prabhupada indicates two deep lessons we can learn from a butterfly.

From a purport to the Bhagavad-gita: “One example often given is that of the caterpillar that thinks of becoming a butterfly and so is transformed into a butterfly in the same life. Similarly, if we constantly think of Krsna, it is certain that at the end of our lives we shall have the same bodily constitution as Krsna.” (Purport to Bg 8.8)

You see a butterfly,
how it is nicely painted.
You just see a duplicate
in both the wings.
Just like an artist
paint nicely,
it is painted.
So we think
it is coming
out of nothing.
This is our foolishness.

Here is,
that it is coming
out of the jnana-shakti.
But His jnana
is so wide
that simply
by His desire,
simply by His will,
it can be executed.

These are the things
to be studied.
Because we cannot see
something before our eyes,
that does not mean
there is no existence.

There is existence,
but we do not know
how one is working,
how one is working.

(From a lecture by Srila Prabhupada, New York, December 16, 1966)