February 14th Sat, 2009 by Goswami Anandbava
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Category: Utsav
Basant Panchami: day of divine love and the significance of the Basant season in Pushtimarg.
Is it just coincidence that the day of divine love in Vraj: Basant Panchami and the day of temporal love in the mortal world: Valentine’s Day fall so near to each other? This year Basant Panchami (Maha Sud 5) was on the 31st of Jan and today, just a fortnight later you have the modern version.
I draw the parallel to put the bhav of the Basant Holi days into a modern perspective. But, that is where the similarity ends.
The channelization of the energy of love, towards Shri Krishna liberates you forever. On the other hand, attaching the same to more worldly objects keeps increasing your days in bondage.
Basant Panchami is the celebration of ‘Divine Desire’ flowing permanently and incessantly towards the Lord of Gokul, Shyam-sundar Shri Krishna.
The day signals the onset of the season of spring. Just as the flowers bloom so does the gopi’s longing for their beloved Madangopal.
As per the kirtans,
श्री पंचमी परम मंगल दिन, मदन महोत्सव आज…and आई ऋतु बसंत कि गोपिन कीयो श्रृंगार…
Basant Panchami is the most auspicious day, for it is the great festival of desire…the season of Basant has arrived and the gopis have dressed in all their finery for the darshan of their beloved.
