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The wonderful story of the Lordship of Varsana
-From the chat de 16th of November 2003

By Srila B.A. Paramadvaiti Swami
Translation: Manahsiksa Devi Dasi
manahsiksa@vrinda.info

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I will tell yo the story about how we got our Lordship of Varsana, Gauranga Radha Vrajesvara.

Once I went to Navadwip to search for my Lordship. I thought: Since this is the land of the Supreme magnanimity, we should bring our Deities from here. Besides this, it is well known for its good bronze workers, because this is the land from where all the kartals come. So there I went to a bronze shop and talked with the owner about my plans of adoring Radha and Krishna.

In Colombia already Goura Nitay were installed, and once I had seen some favourite deities of Srila Prabhupada, big deities in bronze - the deities of Sri Sri Radha Damodara. I travelled with Them for a short time in a bus in United States. Later they were brought to a farm called Gita Nagari, where I also visited Them. I had the beauty of these Deities in my mind, but the ones I ordered were even bigger. Since it was a grand work, it took them one year to deliver Radha and Krishna in Navadwip. The Deities were very very heavy, and I didn't have the slightest idea how to take them on a plane.

After talking with some friends in Panama, who have negotiations with India, I managed to get the support from Mr Rachor, so that they permitted me to send the Deities in a container that was going to Panama in his company. So I packed my Lord in some adequate boxes to protect it, and the transcendental journey started. At this time we made a collection among the devotees in Colombia to pay for the Deities. By the way, more offers of donations are still received for Their temple.

Well... Their Lordship arrived to Panama, and there They were delivered to me. To take Them to Colombia was more complicated, since importations to Colombia were a complete complication. At this time, my friends, Baskara and Hari Hara, had made arts for the Hindu temples in Panama, and they gave me some moulds for Varsana. One of the moulds was a giant elephant.

I decided to take the Deities with me as luggage. When we came to the airport with an elephant and two boxes, so heavy that it was difficult to lift them up, you can imagine the faces of the ladies, who were there to check them. I do not remember very well, but in the end there were just smiles and no charges for the weight. Devotional service of the airline...

At arriving to the airport of Bogotá, we first had a maha kirtan, receiving our Lordship. The customs were so occupied with the mould elephant that actually was an air elephant, because the mould was empty, that they almost forgot the other boxes with the deities. But finally someone made me to open them, and the saw the beautiful faces of Radha and Vrajesvara; Lord Caitanya came later, sent by Srila B.R. Sridhar Maharaja. I told the quite amazed customers, that these were the figures of God that we adore in our temple, and that therefore they should not charge anything, and that it would be a blessing for Colombia that they came. The customers agreed with my conclusion.

So with pure smiles from all the world, Their Lordship got out from the airport, received with a tumultuous kirtan, and my heart felt that at least I had accomplished some little by bringing the Deities of Radha and Krishna to the devotees of Colombia. Scarcely I could imagine that They would become the Istadev of my spiritual family and be adored in all our temples in form of Their photo.

I took the Deities to my office on the 3rd Avenue, and I took mother Madan Mohan Mohini, who was living in our temple; descending from Costa Rica and an excellent seamstress. This day we put the crowns and the necklaces on the Deities. There was still no temple for Them, but the joy was immense. I had also brought a lot of Indian silk, and the mother started at once to make clothes. There started the great marathon to get prepared for the installation of Their Lordship.

We felt the hand of Krishna in everything. And believe me, it was not easy at that moment, but that is another story, and quite a long one. I couldn't yet imagine really, how Their Lordship could chose to stay with us as Their servant and besides that, in a new mission.

The installation of the Deities was an international event; B Abhay Narayan Maharaja, Devamrita Swami and Pancha Dravida Swami also came there. Of course, there was Dinabandhu, and the most important of all was Srila Bhakti Bhimala Harijan Maharaja. We made 4 fires and an inauguration of a temple as Gourkesava Prabhu, Srila Prabhupada's expert of sacrifices, had explained to me. It was the first time in my life that I did something of a dimension like this. Each time I took Darshan of my Lordship, I begged Them for the mercy to have Darshan again.

Talking with Sripad Hrisikes Maharaja, we were thinking scarcely properly, to exhibit opulence of a grand temple that would be prominent. We were afraid that the people of the country would become crazier. But seeing the characteristics of the Yoga Planetarium of Peru, the educative potential and the impact that can be created in the universities, I consider that there is no danger. Because being so extraordinary and full of practical teachings, it will rather create a superior respect for the devotees by people. So we decided to go on with this wonderful plan.

Everything is in the hands of my Lordship. If They permit, I can serve Them like that. And therefore I sent my dear Dvarkanath there (to Varsna, Colombia), because he did a great part of the construction of the Trulys in Peru. In the same way I also sent mother Gangamata and we are going to occupy many other artists.

I also ask the devotees who are experts, to develop a campaign of publicity so people get encouraged to make the travel to the farms, like the booklet about the trulys and the yoga planetarium. We need a similar booklet for New Vrindavan, Ekachakra, Goura Mandal, Vrindavan Jardin Ecologico, Raval, Varsana, Vrindavanita and Gambhira. Mother Maharani also took care of organizing the spiritual retreats on an enterprise level, so that people feel inclined to go to the farms. With other words, we are working on all fronts, Radha Caran, Nitai Gauranga, Bhagavata; a marathon. Like everything should be in spiritual life: MARATHON.


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