Yes you can bind God by a rope around his belly!

"Namam Isvaram Sac-cid-ananda rupam.. Lasad kundalam gokule braja maanam.."

This song I quote above is part of Damodarashtakam- a poetic compilation of eight verses in glorification of Lord Krishna. This song captures the story of baby Krishna, who is caught stealing butter and feeding them to the monkeys. His mother Yashoda catches him red-handed and chases him around trying to catch him. After repeated attempts she finally manages to catch him and tie him to a wooden mortar with the help of ropes which are used to bind cows, as punishment for all his mischief.

This is my favourite story. I love the fact that how God, whom we generally worship with awe and reverence can be bound by ropes used for cows. Can anything or any force stop God? Yes! But there is only one thing which can stop him, Your love!

This particular story took place during the month of Kartik - a month as per the vedic calendar which also includes the festival of Diwali. This month of Kartik is very auspicious to the vaishnavas, and some of them intensify their daily worship.

In the temples of Vrindavan and ISKCON all over the world, twice a day, we offer lamps to the deities of Lord Krsna. Unlike other aartis though, here the lamps are not offered by the Pujaris/priests. They are offered by one and all. They are small diyas which are lit and given to everyone and you can directly offer it to the deities by waving it in front of them in usual arati style.

Mornings it takes place at 7.30-8 and evenings also around 7.20pm. I always try my best to make it to the evenings sessions. And the Damodarashtakam song is sung by the devotees in the most melodious tunes, most times in Raag Bhairavi, accompanied by instruments, lights dimmed and hundreds of people offering lamps.

In Mayapur, my favourite place as mentioned before, even locals throng the temple and you see the big temple only lit by lamps carried by the thousands.

This festival and story was also very dear to my Dad, and during his final days, I read out the story to him from the Krsna book as he listened through his semi-conscious state.

--------------------Thank You------------------------

The place I even go in my dreams

In the Nadia district of West Bengal, 4 hours of drive from Kolkata, along the banks of the Ganges, is my favorite place on earth.

Its the Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir, also known as Iskcon Mayapur.

The town, was 500 years ago one of the hubs of Sanskrit Education. Scores of scholars would meet at this place to debate in Sanskrit on diverse topics.

This is place is most sacred to the Gaudiya Vaishnavas, a sect of Vaishnavas whose congregation started at this very place and whose legacy continues all over the world, through ISKCON.

Its the birthplace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, an incarnation of Lord Krishna in the form of his devotee.

This temple was built in the 1970's by Srila Prabhupad, the founder of the ISKCON movement, to facilitate the practice of the Vaishnava culture, at one of its many hubs and a principal one at that.

My connection with this place began right at the age of 4. And after that went in 1997, 2000, 2003, 2007 & 2009.

I have played, lived and loved this place over the years. Its a huge farmland, which hosts a temple surrounded by many buildings.

The main temple has the deities of Radha and Madhava- one of the names of Krsna. They are life-size six foot high deities and my favorite of all.

There also deities of Narsimhadeva, the half-man, half-lion incarnation of Lord Vishnu who rescued his devotee Prahlad from being murdered by his own father.

And then are the deities of Panca tattva, they are Chaitanya Mahaprabhu along with his associates who spread the Hare Krishna movement, 500 years back.

Surrounding this temple are numerous buildings, which are residential quarters for the guests who come here. There are facilities for the local community who stay there, an international residential school. Farms, practicing self sustenance. A goshala with a lot of cows! Two huge halls for serving free meals for everyone who come by. And most of all the memorial for Srila Prabhupad, a heavenly sight, a domed structure which is a temple in memory of his life of dedication.

There a few restaurants within the campus.

What I love about the place is the disconnect from urban life, its calmness, the sweet people, I get puchkas-sandesh and authentic italian spaghettis,(which is not masaaledar mind you), made by an italian married to indian lady.

The practice of vedic culture with the modern twangs is what appeals the most, and I find a lot more connect and balance just in the atmosphere of that place.

I even dream at night of being there, quite often.
For more info on this place go to www.mayapur.com

and to view Live Darshan from there - log in to www.mayapur.tv
----Thank you---------