VMA 1.43 :: Those who die in Vrindavan are the greatest Vaishnavas

June 29, 2019

vṛndāvane sthira-carākhila-sattva-vṛndā-

nandāmbudhi-snapana-divya-mahā-prabhāve |

bhāvena kenacid ihāmṛtā ye vasanti

te santi sarva-para-vaiṣṇava-loka-mūrdhni ||

They who dwell up to the moment of death
in this Vrindavan, which has the great divine potency
to bathe all creatures, moving or still,
in an ocean of great joy, whatever their mood,
are the crowns on the head of all
the most elevated worlds of Vishnu.

Commentary

This has to be considered an important verse. Not everyone can come to live in Vrindavan. Most devotees find it impossible to live even in a temple, or to convert their own environment into a temple. Most devotees cannot even find the association of other devotees who have the Vrindavan mood.

The Vrindavan mood is most rare and difficult to attain. But here Prabodhananda talks about dying in Vrindavan. In the past, devotees would come to the holy places, to the shores of the holy rivers, to finish out their lives in preparation for a holy death (ā-mṛtāḥ). Nowhere is this more evident, perhaps, than in the Jain religion, where the idea of prāyopaveśana seems to have had its beginnings. Maharaj Parikshit in the Bhāgavatam also set the example for such a magnificent death by the banks of the Ganges. The king Khatvanga is also given by Shukadeva as an example:

khaṭvāṅgo nāma rājarṣir jñātveyattāmihāyuṣaḥ |

muhūrtāt sarvamutsṛjya gatavān abhayaṁ harim||

"When the kingly sage Khatvanga learned that he had less than an hour to live, he immediately gave up everything and took shelter of the fearless Lord Hari." (2.1.13)

Those who are aware that this life is fleeting and that one should hold onto the true substance that underlies the universal creation come to live out their lives in the Dham, as though they had nothing more to gain from the world. This is not pessimism, but the greatest courage of facing the Truth, taking shelter of the supreme beauty of the Dham and its ruling devatā.

Moreover, it is said that such a person, even if his or her mood is unclear (bhāvena kenacit), is immortal (amṛtāḥ) and is to be considered the most elevated of all in the Vaishnava world (sarva-para-vaiṣṇava-loka-mūrdhni) .

It is not always easy to die in Vrindavan. Even those who have made great sacrifices to come to live there in the holy environment find themselves taken away on some pretext or another, sometimes even at the moment when they were about to die. Some previous offense takes them away. Disciples or relatives in the hope of curing some fatal disease spirit them away to a hospital in Delhi or even further afield where they leave their bodies separated from the Dham.

Nevertheless, for those who come to the Dham to perfect their spiritual lives, they should still seek out such devotional association by which their consciousness will be elevated. For if even the ordinary residents and creatures of Vrindavan are so glorious, then how much more glorious are the devotees who are living there, fully absorbed in hearing and chanting the glories of the Divine Couple. In other words, those who take full advantage of the opportunity presented by living in the Holy Dham.

satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido

bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ|

taj-joṣaṇād āśv apavarga-vartmani

śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati ||

My heroic pastimes are very pleasing to the ear and satisfying to the heart when heard in the association of pure devotees. As a result of joyfully relishing these pastimes in such association, one quickly advances on the path of liberation, passing through the stages of faith (śraddhā), the revelation of one’s divine relationship with Krishna (rati, bhāva), and true love for him (prema-bhakti) (SB 3.25.25) .

So the essence of instruction is to combine Braj Vas with devotional activities in the company of advanced devotees.

anārādhya rādhā-padāmbhoja-reṇum

anāśritya vṛndāṭavīṁ tat-padāṅkām|

asambhāṣya tad-bhāva-gambhīra-cittān

kutaḥ śyāma-sindhau rasyasyāvagāhaḥ ||

Not ever having worshiped once the dust
that sprinkles from Śrīmatī’s lotus feet;
not having taken shelter even once
of Braja Dhām, marked with her dainty tread;
not ever having spoken with the souls
so laden with a weighty love for her,
how foolish those who think that they can plunge
into the secret sea of nectar that is Śyāma!
(Sva-saṁkalpa-prakāśa-stotra, 1)

Many people who read such statements from Prabodhananda do not understand a simple idea: there is a double standard in bhakti. One applies the difficult tests of purity to oneself and automatically thinks the best of others, especially when it comes to matters of faith. Even when acting "realistically" "in the world" the Vaishnava protects his heart by seeing God's will acting through others. Even in Krishna's time, demons were coming into Vrindavan, but Krishna gave Putana mātṛ-gati because she pretended to be a lover of Krishna. This is the way the devotee sees Vrindavan -- even the faker is blessed by Krishna. Despite this, such association is still undesirable, even in the Dham, and should be avoided.