By Visvadhika dasi
Obeisances to all the residents of Mayapur Dham. Obeisances to all devotees of the Lord. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
On the very auspicious 8th day of the bright fortnight of Kartika, Mayapur Goshala celebrated Gopashtami. It was a jubilant day celebrated by residents of Mayapur, devotees and guests from many different regions of India and from all over the world. To celebrate the day that Krsna and Balarama reached their Pauganda age and became Gopalas, Goshala staff, with assistance, cleaned and festooned the area with colorful cloths and an abundance of flower garlands for several days before the occasion.
Krsna Caitanya and his group of Gurukula students inaugurated the day with a fire yajna. A Vaishnava celebration would have been incomplete without one. Several of the bulls in the neighboring pen keenly observed the fire leaping into the air…while keeping a close eye on the bananas. There need not have been any concern, on their part, about obtaining these delectable treats because hundreds of guests distributed bananas, cabbage leaves and grain balls to the cows/bulls of the Goshala throughout the day. To add to the festive atmosphere many young girls and children dressed as Gopalas for the day.
Shortly after the fire yajna, HG Pankajangari Prabhu and HG Jananivasa Prabhu recounted the sweet pastimes of Krsna in loving relationships with the cows, Gopis and Gopalas of Vrndavana. HG Chandramauli Swami shared his memories, when he was still a new devotee in New Vrndavana, of the cow herding activities of the Dhama and his service of churning butter by hand with a stick. Dr. Visvadhika dasi spoke about cow protection: its integral role in Srila Prabhupada’s preaching mission and the necessity of Mayapur devotees becoming actively involved in their Community Goshala. HG Sauri Prabhu shared a very moving story of his role in reuniting a lost calf with her mother while engaged in his first service in Krsna Consciousness. HG Ajamila Prabhu recounted some pastimes of Mayapur Goshala in its very early days. HG Pancaratna Prabhu reminded everyone of the importance of supporting Mayapur Goshala with donations because it is the duty of people who purchase milk and milk products to do so.
Following these addresses honored guests were invited to offer puja to the cows and circumambulate them just as the residents of Vraja would have with Krsna and Balarama. A delectable feast, which included subjis, savory rice, puris, halavah, sweet rice etc., followed.
We are certainly grateful to Dayal Mukunda Prabhu for making all these wonderful arrangements for the celebration of Gopashtami. We are even more grateful for all the arrangements he makes daily for the health, comfort and safety of all the cows and bulls of Mayapur Goshala, our Community Goshala.
As an added note please see the attached link to read a story, published in the Times of India, about our Nov 8th 2016 Gopashtami celebrations
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