Śrī Rādhāṣṭamī Celebration

I arrived in Māyāpur dhāma some days before Rādhāṣṭamī and it was already a festival mood. Pictures of Rādhārāṇī were everywhere! Some were small pictures with quotations glorifying Rādhārāṇī and some gigantic 4-5 meters wide and higher. Mango leaves and flags were strung around the temple room. The mood was focused on Rādhārāṇī!

For three days I lectured on the glories and pastimes of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. On Rādhāṣṭamī festival day there were 4 speakers. Two in English and two in Bengali. The night before Rādhāṣṭamī festival day we observed “Adhivāsa Ceremony” and I had the blessing to offer auspicious articles to Śrī Śrī Rādhā Mādhava. There were about 30 items like Ganges mud, gold, silver, copper, lamp, kuṅkuma, svastika, yoghurt, etc. His Holiness Bhaktisiddhānta Swami also was offering items while His Grace Jananivāsa dāsa Prabhu handed us the items one by one and we gave the items to His Grace Paṅkajānghri dāsa Prabhu. The whole time for each item some brāhmaṇas were chanting appropriate mantras.

Cultural programs were presented in the evenings. Some special classes on Rādhārāṇī were given by His Holiness Bhakti Puruṣottama Swami. The temple room was filled with thousands of devotees. Maṅgala-ārati on Rādhāṣṭamī festival day was so packed one couldn’t move. Everyone was very joyful celebrated the appearance day of Rādhārāṇī! I wanted to do the maṅgala-ārati to Śrī Śrī Rādhā Mādhava Aṣṭa-sakhis, but as I was up late interviewing candidates for initiation I got up slightly late for that, but I had the maṅgala darśana of the Deities. I performed the ārati, pūjā for Śrī Śrī Prahlāda Narasiṁha on that auspicious day.

I chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra japa in the Śrī Śrī Pañca-tattva mandir surrounded by thousands of devotees! Then I gave one Bengali class and one English class on Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.

This time there was a fairly large quantity of candidates for initiation so I was busy selecting names for them. At 11:00am Śrī Śrī Rādhā Mādhava utsava-mūrti’s abhiṣeka began. Śrīdhāma Māyāpur abhiṣekas (bathing ceremonies) are very formal and elaborate. The Deities are received and worshipped with pādyam, argham, ārati, etc. Then the Deities are massaged with sandal oil and after that with sesami seed paste. Then the Deities are bathed with pañca-gavya (five auspicious products of the cow), pañcāmṛta (five auspicious nectars), fruit juices, herbal waters, flower water, jewel water, fruit water, coconut water, then sahasradāra bathing (shower abhiṣeka) and a massage with sandal paste. Finally there was “puṣpābhiṣeka” (flower petal bathing) offered to Śrī Śrī Rādhā Mādhava! It takes about two hours! The temple room was packed to overflowing! Devotees were at the entrances and couldn’t all fit in. Everyone was chanting and clapping.

His Grace Nirguṇa dāsa Prabhu, a disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda who is suffering cancer was brought during the flower abhiṣeka on a stretcher and was in tears of bliss. He also offered flowers to Śrī Śrī Rādhā Mādhava! So many things happened on Rādhāṣṭamī festival that I can’t describe it all! Āratis, bazaar, gifts, dramas, kīrtanas, and many things. I gave initiations in the afternoon and it went into the evening.

Jaya Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī kī jaya!

Your well-wisher always,

Jayapatākā Swami