Giridhari
The Vrajwasis listen in rapt attention when Krishna says, “Let’s not worship Indra alone from now on. Indra assumes the role of a donor. So, when Indra showers his rain on us, he feels he is doing us a favour because he has the upper hand in this yagna.
But remember, O Vrajwasis, without a recipient, a donor has no value. Why the yagna itself ceases to exist. Yagna is a part of all our lives. I, Krishna may be Poorna Purushotham. But it is Prakriti, my Shakti, who completes me and gives value and meaning to my life.
Yes, we do need Indra’s timely rains. But without Bhudevi who nurtures Prakriti, Indra has no value at all. We need to revere Bhudevi’s fertile soil and the minerals embedded in her bosom. And how would we survive without the Sun’s heat, moon’s coolness, breeze and plants who bless us with seeds with which we grow crops? And let’s not forget our dear cows. We drink their milk and make curd, butter and so many other things from their milk. And our soil becomes fertile only with their dung.
So, let’s worship all the aspects of Prakriti and revere the interconnectedness of Prakriti’s myriad aspects instead of worshipping Indra alone.”
The Vrajwasis have implicit faith in Krishna so they follow Krishna’s advice. But they are unprepared for Indra’s fury. Indra submerges Vrindavan with his incessant rain for 7 days. All the Vrajwasis seek refuge in Krishna and say, “Krishna alone can and will take care of us.”
Krishna never lets down his bhaktas. He manifests as Giridhari and lifts the Goverdhan Parvat on his little finger. And as Giridhari He protects all the living beings of Vrindavan from the rains. For 7 days and nights, the Vrajwasis see Krishna’s love for them. He even plays the flute to dispel the fear from their hearts. Krishna’s serene smile never leaves His face. There is no trace of anger or fatigue on his dark face.
The Vrajwasis are touched by Giridhari’s love for them. They know that Yashoda always created delicious food and snacks for Krishna and served it to him with utmost love, 8 times a day. Their Giridhari had abstained from eating 8 meals for 7 days, 56 (Chappan in Hindi) meals for them. So, they express their gratitude by offering Giridhari 56 dishes (Chappan bhog) when normalcy returns.
Damodara
When Krishna incarnates on Bhuloka, Goloka’s entire Nirguna mandal becomes Saguna and manifests in various forms along with Him. Radha manifests as Krishna’s Ananda Swaroop. Chandravali and the gopis manifest as the Shrutis of the Vedas. The rishis of Dandak Aranya manifest as the Kumarikas. And Yamunaji manifests as Krishna’s Bhakti swaroop.
Rama had promised the maharishis of Dandak Aranya that He would fulfil their desire of merging with Him when He incarnates as Krishna. So, the Kumarikas wake up early in the morning every day, bathe in Yamuna’s waters, fast for one month and worship Katyayani Devi. The Kumarikas are naïve and live in the realm of mortals. Love means physical passion alone to them. And their only desire is that Krishna should become their husband.
They follow all the rituals, the Vratcharya, of Katyayani Devi’s puja perfectly. The Kumarikas had heard Giridhari’s tale from the Vrajwasis often enough. So, at the end of their month-long fast, they too offer a Chappan Bhog to please Krishna and hope that Krishna will marry them all.
Krishna works in His own wondrous ways with the Kumarikas too. But the Kumarikas remain blissfully unaware about it. Krishna slowly transforms their love. Passion no longer overwhelms them. The Kumarikas think of Krishna alone throughout the day while they are fasting. And they start worshipping Katyayani Devi with bhakti. After one month all they yearn for is to touch Krishna’s lotus feet once. Just once.
And Krishna fulfils their desires. In His own way. As usual. He assumes the form of Bhaktavatsala, in which He is kind to His faithful devotees and appears in their dreams. He says, “O gopis, initially you desired me as your husband. But now you have offered your hearts, souls and prana to me. Look how all of you have now evolved spiritually to a higher plane of consciousness with your Vrat.
You have all become oblivious to your hungers and the joys and sorrows of the material world. None of you wants to marry me anymore. For you know I live within your soul and am always with you. And that thought alone fills you with bliss.
And whenever my devotees worship me with such Bhakti, I manifest as Bhaktavatsala and willingly bind myself to them. O Kumarikas, your Vrat will not go in vain. During the month of Sharad, I will engage in a bliss-filled pastime called the Raas Leela with each one of you. And your sadhana will bear fruit during that time.”
The Kumarikas are overwhelmed when they see Krishna and say, “O Krishna, from now on, we will address you as Damodara because we now share a strong bond of Bhakti, the purest form of love, with You.”
Chappan Bhog in Pushti Marg
Vrishabhanu and Keerti, Radha’s parents, once invite Krishna and his entire family to their house for lunch. They welcome Krishna and His family warmly. Yashoda, Nanda and Krishna refresh themselves and accept the Chappan bhog that Radha, Keerti and Vrishabhanu serve them. All the family members and the gopas of Vraj sing keertans in melodious voices to mark this occasion.
Today, we believe that Pushti Margiya Goswamis and Balaks have the essence of Radhaji in them. So, to recreate the bhaav of Radha serving Krishna the Chappan bhog, our Goswamis and Balaks offer the Chappan bhog to Krishna.
Several centuries ago, on the Poornima of the Shukla Paksha of Margashira, Gokulnathji, the fourth son of Gusainji enshrined the swaroop of Baldevji in a small town near Gokul. He followed all the Vedic rituals meticulously, offered a golden mortar, pestle, plough and a big clay pot of bhog to Baldevji.
Gokulnathji’s other family members emulated this practice and offered a Chappan bhog to Shrinathji in Nathdwara. Since that day, we follow the ritual of offering Chappan Bhog on this day to Shrinathji. Sometimes, all or most of the Nidhi Swaroops are brought to Shrinathji and a manorath is hosted to honour them. Today, we offer Chappan Bhog to all forms of Krishna even when we have an occasion in our family.
The essence of Chappan Bhog
The Vrajwasis remained hungry and the Kumarikas fasted for several days. But they brushed aside their hungers and consciously chose to focus on Giridhari’s hunger alone. As Bhaktavatsala, Krishna experiences the pain of his devotees. And as Giridhari, He goes out of the way to help his devotees during a crisis.
That is what Bhakti is all about. It is never about our hungers alone. For our hungers are endless and usually selfish in nature. Like the Vrajwasis and the Kumarikas, if we focus on the hungers of the Krishna that dwells in the souls of the others, we will realize how much Krishna is doing for us through others.
And then Giridhari will surely manifest in our lives too and bail us out of our crises. So, let’s express our gratitude to the Krishna that dwells in others by paying attention to their hungers and recreate the essence of Chappan Bhog in our lives every day.
Click here to read about other rituals for Krishna.