If you have the fortune to come to Vrindavan, to reside, or to worship in Vrindavan, keep the following points in mind:
Do Not Criticize the Brijwasis
If you come to Vrindavan and feel that someone has overcharged you for temple tours or goods, remember that they daily offer food to numerous saints with great devotion. They welcome saints who you may not be able to reach personally. If someone charged you a hundred or two hundred rupees extra, it is unnecessary to see it as a fault.
When someone wanted to offer something to Pandit Ramakrishna Baba, those around him would say that Baba would not accept directly. Instead, they should give it to the Brijwasis (residents of Braj); he will receive it when he goes begging for food. Instead of focusing on their external actions, look at their inner generosity. They serve many saints, and great souls often dine at their homes.
Their earnings are just enough to support their families and serve the saints. They stand outside temples asking, “Do you want to visit Sevakunja? Will you go to Nidhivan?” Consider this: is it dishonesty if they charge you 100-200 rupees after guiding you through the Lord’s temples? Would you call them dishonest? You have no idea how many saints are sustained by the 200-500 rupees they receive from guiding thousands of people. And if they take 100-200 rupees from you, that money is immediately used for the service of saints.
How to Treat the Brijwasis?
You might find the language of Brijwasis harsh. However, the pleasure that Lord Hari derives from the praises of the Vedas is far less than the joy He finds in the seemingly harsh language of the Braj residents. The people of Braj are the divine companions of the Lord. If they ever insult you, understand it as a blessing; never respond in anger. Your insult is an insult, but a Braj resident’s is not. Hariram Vyas ji has said that the insult from the residents of Braj is more auspicious than praise from outsiders. It will destroy your sins and assist you in attaining God.
If you reside in Vrindavan and a resident causes you pain, do not hold it against them in your mind. Bear that pain, for it will please the beloved lord. Why? Because they are the residents of the beloved lord’s abode. If you bend down to touch a child’s feet, and they place their hand on your head, saying, “Go, Baba, may Shri Radha be pleased with you,” understand that this blessing is greater than that of any Brahma Rishi. Our Shri Radha and Shri Krishna are also surely playing in the same place where five or ten children are playing. Just as a rose blooms among thorns, their blessings may seem a bit bitter in language. They are the greatest of the great saints. The grace of the residents of Braj and their food (Madhukari) is a direct means to attain Shri Krishna.
Follow These Three Guidelines for Good Fortune
Twenty-five years ago, Pujya Shri Chandrashekhar Baba stated three things: First, never criticize the residents of Braj. Be friendly to the extent that your devotion remains intact. If you become too close, the chance of finding fault increases. Don’t get so familiar that you treat them as equals, leading to fault-finding.
Second, hold an unwavering love for the Braj dust. Third, show respect to the trees and creepers here. One who does not honour the residents of Braj, the Braj dust, and its creepers cannot experience good fortune. While devotion can lead to God-realization in the desert, it cannot in Vrindavan if one disrespects the residents, does not consume the Braj soil, or cuts the vines and trees here.
Vrindavan Will Test You
Even the greatest souls have faced hardships here. Once, devotees came to Pandit Ramakrishna Baba during a feast and were served abundantly. In the evening, after drinking bhang, eight or ten Braj residents came and asked for sweet dishes. Baba said it was all finished. They replied, “When it was time to serve, you are saying it was all distributed.” Then they struck Baba with a stick, causing blood to flow from his head. When they went inside Baba’s hut, they saw that there was indeed nothing left. They said, “Oh, Baba, you were telling the truth.” These residents of Braj tore their clothes and bandaged Baba. Baba said nothing.
So, should these residents of Braj feel guilty? They are the companions of Lord Krishna, and they are here to see how steadfast one’s devotion is. Hari Ram Vyas ji wrote that they are the companions of Hari, who test devotees with hardships. If they find your devotion strong, they fill you with the nectar of divine love. If you bear the pain inflicted by the residents of Braj, Nand Nandan (Shri Krishna), and Vrishabhanu Nandini (Shri Radha) will surely bless you.
Do Not Cause Pain to Any Living Being in Vrindavan
In Vrindavan, do not cause pain to any living being—be it a lizard, scorpion, or snake. Here, every creature is a divine being. Even the insects and worms here are souls who have come to perform devotion. Do not harm anyone here. Serve them according to your ability. If you throw a handful of grains, even the pigeons here are saints.
Lord Krishna would take the monkeys with him. He would gesture, and the monkeys would enter the gopis’ homes, taking butter from inside. They are quite clever, being friends of Shri Krishna. They could take off your glasses with a nudge and will not return them unless you give them a fruit drink. Those who come here with pride find their wallets taken by these monkeys, who shred the notes and throw them away as if to say, “This money is worthless.”
The monkeys here are divine beings. Do not consider them unruly—they played with Shri Krishna and are capable. During Lord Ram’s time, they faithfully assisted Shri Ram ji. When it was difficult for anyone to reach in Lanka, they would get there without a ladder. If a demon stood in front, they would push it down and jump on it to defeat it. Their strength surpassed even that of arrows and bows. In return, the lord promised to feed them butter in future in the form of Krishna. All beings—animals and birds—of Vrindavan are, in the truest sense, companions of Shri Krishna. Do not cause them any distress. Prabodhanand Saraswati Ji also says he wants to become a worm in Vrindavan’s drain. The worms here are also great souls, not ordinary at all.
Remain Equanimous in Profit-Loss and Joy-Sorrow
Those who live in Vrindavan or visit should focus their hearts on worshipping there. If you gain something, say ‘Jai Shri Radhe,’ if you incur a loss, also say ‘Jai Shri Radhe.’ Doing so will bring great auspiciousness. As we progress on the path of devotion, our misfortunes diminish. Some temporary misfortunes disappear easily, while more serious karmic reactions may take some effort or suffering. You may have come to Vrindavan with great devotion, and while here, you might suffer an injury to your hands or feet, fall, or face some other loss. This indicates that a significant misfortune is being cleared away. Therefore, whether you gain or lose, always say ‘Jai Shri Radhe.’ One should not think, “I came to the holy place and suffered a loss”—that perspective is wrong. In reality, a great calamity has likely ended through such minor pains.
If you came to Vrindavan with a desire and it is fulfilled, say ‘Jai Shri Radhe’; if it is not fulfilled, believe that God has crafted some greater auspicious plan. Do not criticize. If someone offers you respect, that is good. But if they insult you, bear it. The person who sees honour and dishonour, gain and loss, success and failure as equal while residing in Vrindavan becomes so great that even the demigods bow down to him.
If someone insults us a thousand times, we will not leave Vrindavan and will bear it. You may ask, “Why should we endure such insults?” If we do not endure, we will suffer for thousands of lifetimes. We have accumulated so much bad karma that if someone insults and reduces it, it becomes a blessing. From this positive perspective, we will find much joy. Our thoughts should be positive, not negative. We practice devotion in the Lord’s abode, and if we still face difficulties, it should be understood that our mountain of sins is being eliminated.
Do Not Leave Vrindavan
Even if there are disturbances in living conditions or food, and people cause you various troubles, do not leave Vrindavan, nor should you abandon the path of devotion. The result will undoubtedly be positive. When you walk on the path of devotion, tendencies like lust and anger may intensify as they try to defeat you. During this time, the mind can become distracted, and your strength to endure may seem weak. In such a situation, a person who resides in Vrindavan, enduring all hardships, insults, and disarray, attains the divine abode of the lord.
Do Not Belittle Any Devotee Or Sect
A devotee on the path of devotion should never engage in arguments or disputes. Some worship the form of God, while others worship the formless; some have the attitude of a friend and some of a beloved; some worship with the mood of the Gopis. They all worship the same God with different sentiments.
Devotees on the path of devotion should not argue, fight, or dispute with anyone. There are many paths to reach the lord, and whoever adopts a particular path is guided by God on that very path. If we continue steadfastly on our path, we ultimately reach the same Supreme Being. There is only one Supreme Being; there are thousands of paths. Therefore, one who is a traveller on a certain path should not abandon it, nor should one speak ill of the path of others. The best devotee is the one who nurtures their sentiment through the worship given by their guru and does not slander or insult anyone. Those who argue that God is this way and not that way are blind.
Once, several blind people were standing together. They asked, “What is an elephant like?” One grabbed the elephant’s ear and said, “An elephant is like a fan.” Another grabbed its tail and said, “An elephant is like a rope.” Someone else grabbed its leg and said, “An elephant is like a pillar.” Each was describing it in their way. Just then, a person with sight came along and said, “Do not fight. None of you are wrong. What you describe is a part of the elephant, not the whole elephant. You have only seen one part of the elephant, not the entire being.”
In the same way, some worship the formless, and some worship the form, and they are all truthful from their perspectives. One who sees the lord in totality does not engage in arguments or disputes. They never claim that their worship is greater and yours is lesser. We should think this way: All paths of worship lead to my Lord, but the worship that my guru has given me is the best for me, and I will remain fully dedicated to that.
Guidance By: Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj
