Significance of Braj in Pushtimarg

Braj is the land divine, synonymous with all aspects related to the ever playful Pushti Purushottam Prabhu Shri Shrijibava; for it is the blessed bhoomi created by Him for His own enjoyment.

One of the meanings of the word ‘Braj’ is – that which is in motion. Thus the meaning of Braj in a broader sense would be – that which is never inert and which is full of life, energy and activity; qualities that describe the Natkhat Nandanandan Himself.

It must be the reason why Shri Krishna Himself has chosen Braj to be the name by which His raman sthali should be referred to.

Revealing the eternal relation between Braj and Brajesh to His sevak Prabhudas Jalota (20|84 Vaishnavs) Shri Mahaprabhuji explains that Brajbhoomi is utmost divine as Shri Krishna Himself permeates into every single particle of the land.

वृक्षे वृक्षे वेणुधारी, पत्रे पत्रे चतुर्भुज…

The wielder of the flute, the four armed one is present in each and every tree and in each and every leaf of Braj. Thus their swarups are one and inseparable.

Braj is the eternal realm of Shri Shrinathji’s play with the blessed Gopas and Gopis of Gokul and Vrindavan. To the bhakta it is not simply a region on a map or even a historical site like any other. A vaishnav doesn’t refer to a place in Braj as something associated with an event that occurred in the past. For instance, a vaishnav won’t refer to Kamvan as a place where 5000 years ago Shri Krishna used to play hide and seek with the brajvasis. He would say, Kamvan is the place where Shri Krishna plays hide and seek with the brajvasis. For the devotee the leelas are eternal and Braj is the Nitya Leela Sthali – the land which facilitates His leelas; unbound by the present understanding of time and space.

Shri Krishna Himself revealing His own attachment for Braj and its inhabitants while having to reside in Mathura, says to His sakha Uddhav,

ऊधौ, मोहि ब्रज बिसरत नाहीं…बृंदाबन, गोकुल, बन, उपबन…सघन कुंज की छांहीं…

Uddhav, I am unable to forget Braj – Vrindavan, Gokul – the large and small forests – the shade of the dense Kunj (bower)…the joy on the faces of Nandraiji and Yashodaji on seeing me (waking up) in the morning… playing with the gopis and the gvals, the whole day passing in mirth…(Mohi Braj Bisarat Nahi…Kirtan, Surdasji)

Thus, The Purna Purushottam Prabhu, who the Shastras declare to be free from all desire, has Himself chosen to be inseparable from His beloved Braj. The Brajvasis who are the recipients of such love respond with even more passion,

कहां करौं बैकुंठ हि जाई…जहां नहीं बंसीबट, जमुना, गिरि गोवर्धन, नंद की गाई…ब्रज तजि उहां बसै मेरी बलाई

What would I do even if I attained the heavens…where there is no Bansibat, Yamuna, Giri Govardhan or the cows of Nand…leaving Braj, only my misfortune would settle there (in the heavens).

For a vaishnav in Pushtimarg even the nature of moksha, the highest stage, has been explained in relation to Braj by Shri Mahaprabhuji,

अतः सर्वात्मना शश्वद् गोकुलेश्वर-पादयोः स्मरणं भजनं चापि न त्याज्यमिति मे मतिः (चतुःश्लोकि 4)

Hence, with all possible means, the divine feet of the Lord of Gokul should always be remembered and served and never neglected. This is my (Shri Vallabhacharya’s) belief. (Chatushloki | 4)

Braj exists in each of us. It is the primary cause of our natural attraction for the beloved of the gopis. It is this bhav of the brijwasi lying dormant in each of us that awakens when we faithfully follow the principles of Pushtimarg. No man can reveal to you aught but that which already lies half asleep in the dawning of your knowledge says Kahlil Gibran (The Prophet | 18). It is a seed that contains the tree bearing the fruit of realization waiting to burst forth. Our liberation lies in the complete surrender of ourselves at the feet of the beloved of Braj and His beloved land of Braj through seva and satsang as shown by Shri Vallabhacharyaji Shri Mahaprabhuji.

With Jagadguru Shrimad Vallabhacharyaji Shri Mahaprabhuji’s Utsav approaching just next month and then we have been blessed to have the Adhik Purushottam Maas this year, I trust each one of you must be giving a thought on how to celebrate these alaukik days in your own way; to use them as a reason to go deeper and further in Pushtimarg.

After the Adhik maas, I will be proceeding to UK for pravas on the 18th of May for 3 weeks. Dates for Pravachans in the Middle East on my way back, are still to be decided. Vaishnavs interested in knowing more about my program can email me from here.

Some pictures from my recent visit to Braj have been included at the end of the article. I will be uploading the article in an eBook pdf format after a couple of days. I would love to have you post your own experiences, fond remembrances and future desires regarding the divine land.

  Braj Pictures 2010.zip (1.5 MiB, 2,057 hits)

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