Gokulchandramaji’s Pragatya
One day, a Kshatriya Vaishnavite woman found four swaroops in the waters of the Yamuna. Gokulchandramaji was one of these swaroops. The Kshatriya woman took these swaroops to Mahaprabhuji who was living in Gokul at that time.
A man called Narayandas Brahmachari had come to visit Mahaprabhuji when this happened. He expressed his desire to perform the seva of Gokulchandramaji. When Mahaprabhuji gave him the swaroop of Gokulchandramaji, Narayan Brahmachari offered his seva to the lord with utmost bhakti. People say that even today Gokulchandramaji never adorns himself in wedding finery or jewellery to express his love for his first bhakta Narayan Brahmachari, who was a bachelor.
After Narayan Brahmachari passed away Gusainji and his fifth son Raghunathji performed the seva of Gokulchandramaji. Gokulchandramaji’s swaroop was shifted from Gokul to Adel, Mathura and then to Jaipur. Today the descendants of Raghunathji perform the seva of Gokulchandramaji in a beautiful temple in Kamvan, Uttar Pradesh.
Gokulchandramaji’s leela
Gokulchandramaji depicts the Sanyog Shringar rasa. He displays the tenderness of His love to his bhaktas. And appreciates and accepts the love that His bhaktas shower on Him.
The leela starts with a promise. Krishna promises the gopis that He will play His flute and engage in a divine Maha Raas with them on the night of Sharad Purnima. On Sharad Purnima, Krishna transforms into Gokulchandramaji, reveals His divine swaroop to them and allows them to gaze at the beauty of his physical form to their hearts’ content.
Gokulchandramaji understands that each of His bhaktas is a unique human being- full of frailties and strengths. He knows- very well – that each one of them expresses his love for Him in a different manner. So he willingly engages in the mystic Maha Raas and unites with each one of them.
When Gokulchandramaji holds the Vraj bhaktas in his warm loving embrace, they address him as Madhureshji because feel secure and realize that He is full of tender emotions. Gokulchandramaji sets all their niggling doubts to rest. He is in no hurry. He has the entire night to dispel their fears after all. Gokulchandramaji looks at them serenely and says, “Don’t worry about which guna (Satvik, Rajasic or Tamasic) is dominant within you. The love that I have for you is divine and it encompasses all your flaws.”
So deep is the love that Gokulchandramaji has for His bhaktas that He wants to get through the day and daily chores as soon as possible so that he can engage in the Maha Rasa with all of them. That is why whenever we perform the seva of this swaroop, we draw the curtains and close the darshan before we complete the last round of the arti. We put the lord to sleep as soon as the darshan closes because Gokulchandramaji cannot tolerate even the slightest of delays for the Rasa Leela.
Mahaprabhuji composes the Madhurashtakam
Years later, Gokulchandramaji’s swaroop found its way to Gokul. According to ancient texts, Krishna manifested as Gokulchandramaji before Mahaprabhuji at midnight on Sravana Sukla Ekadashi. When Mahaprabhuji feasted his eyes on Gokulchandramaji, he was so spellbound that he composed and sang the Madhurashtakam in praise of Gokulchandramaji’s wondrous physical form.
It is believed that Gokulchandramaji asked Mahaprabhuji to propagate the concept of Brahmasambandh on this auspicious day. It was after this that Mahaprabhuji created the path of grace called Pushti Marg which lays emphasis on bhakti and seva of our Nidhi Swaroops.
The Madhurashtakam highlights several physical attributes, traits and motifs associated with Gokulchandramaji and helps us connect to Him. The various acts of homage that we practise regularly – like seva, smaran, darshan and keertan enable us to experience His real essence. All these actions fill us with bhakti. And when we look at our swaroops with bhakti filled eyes; all the attributes and leelas of our lord appear as sweet as nectar. Always.
Gokulchandramaji’s Swaroop
The shyam swaroop of Gokulchandramaji is about a foot tall. Gokulchandramaji plays the flute with his two hands. He stands in the Lalit Tribhangi pose i.e his right thigh, knee and ankle are bent. His right leg crosses over and rests lightly behind his left leg which is straight and rests firmly on the earth. The toes of his right foot touch the back of his left foot. His eyes are downcast.
“Lalit” means graceful and elegant. So we fondly address the charming swaroop of Gokulchandramaji as Lalit Tribhangi Lala.
The essence of Gokulchandramaji’s swaroop
Gokulchandramaji says, “Look at my Shyam swaroop. Remember. Always. You are but a nimit, a mere instrument, in my hands and I, Gokulchandramaji will do what I have to and must through you. So absorb all the colours of love in your life with equanimity. Let not good or evil affect you in any way.
You may all well be my bhaktas. I, Gokulchandramaji may understand and appreciate your bhakti too. But remember that you do have to live through your lives in the real world. You cannot opt-out of it even if you want to.
So, O bhaktas, engrave this in your hearts and souls. Even as you live through your materialistic life, consciously strive to fill it with bhakti for me – through your words, gestures and deeds. Never forget, that regardless of which guna dominates in you – and in others too – my love encompasses each one of you.
So go out of the way to look for different aspects of my love in others too. Do this to the best of your ability. As often as you can. Every. Single. Day. That is what Bhakti is all about. It should blind you to the flaws of others and help you focus only on the goodness that lies buried deep within their souls.
Yes. You can surely win over even the toughest of your enemies and surmount all your worldly challenges when they are filled to the brim with the sweetness of love.
Remember – always – that different people express their love differently to different people. And more often than not, most people bury an ocean full of fears, hurt and angst behind their fragile smiling facades. So make it a point to look beyond their facades. For only then will you understand the depth of love that they have buried deep within their souls – for you, me and everyone else out there.
And when you do this regularly, till it becomes a part of your character, your material life will be filled with bliss. You will find that you are able to connect to me more often more personally. Yes, there is no doubt about it. At all. That is the essence of my Lalit Tribhangi pose.
Now, look at how my fingers fly over my flute. Sometimes, you will have to go out of the way and bend over backwards to create your own share of bliss every day. But when you listen to the serene silent music that permeates through your very soul, you will realize that you have taken the right path to understand my essence and connect to me.”
The phrase “Sanyog Shringar Rasa” seems to convey the most subtle message of all. “Sanyog” means union – of minds, hearts and bodies. For any kind of union to happen, the carefully constructed mental, emotional and physical barriers have to be brought down first. Only then the Rasa of love can seamlessly flow into our lives. And that is something precious. And worth celebrating. Yes, the essence of Gokulchandramaji’s swaroop is as beautiful as His swaroop indeed.
Photos given by: Shri. Yogeshji & Smt. Veena.
Click here to read about our other Nidhi Swaroops.
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