These padapithas (symbols on the Lords feet) are very merciful to anyone who visits them, if they give some pranam or offer a flower, or even if they visit those places by accident and offer some respect, then so much auspiciousness will come in their lives. After the mountain of sin and pride has been removed by Sri Krsna’s thunderbolt, if we then think of the barleycorn, all wealth will come. Whatever is required to serve the Lord will be supplied to us. People often keep the lotus footprints of the Lord on their chest or head when they chant their mantras, or they will keep an image of Sri Krsna’s footprints in front of them, in this way no nonsense thoughts or image will come to disturb their mind.
Once a doctor we knew, came to the temple Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha in Mathura. He worked at the nearby hospital and regularly read Caitanya Caritamrta. He kept some sadhus wooden shoes, padhukars, thinking they were Mahaprabhu’s shoes to worship. After seeing him give so much respect, and serving the devotees there so nicely, Gurudeva asked him how he had become to be so attached to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu?
The surgeon explained that after reading how Sri Visnupriya, Lord Sri Caitanyas Mahaprabhu’s wife, began worshipping Mahaprabhu’s wooden shoes after He left home and took sannyasis, he decided to also begin this practice. Due to worshiping the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, more and more his meditation on the Lord began to manifest, and all Mahaprabhu’s pastimes began to awaken in his heart, thus taking away all his material desires.
He came to the temple wanting to see Mahaprabhu’s devotees and followers. He desired to serve them and to read all the books on devotional service. Simply by worshipping the lotus padhukars of Sri Mahaprabhu, all these desires for devotional service had awakened in his heart. Gurudeva instructed him to chant harinama and follow Ekadasi.
This doctor was only a middle-aged man in his mid-forties, and a very successful intelligent handsome surgeon. One day he told all his family including the sons and daughters “I am going to Mahaprabhu now directly. If I appear to be leaving my body, don’t touch my body, only call for the devotees at Keshavji Gaudiya Math, and please ask Maharaja, Srila Gurudeva, to come and do kirtan”. Thus keeping the padhukars on his chest and meditating on Mahaprabhu’s lotus feet, he left his body very happily and easily by his own choice. Just like Bhismadeva had chosen to leave his body of his own accord, the doctor entered into Sri Mahaprabhu’s transcendental abode.
Meditating on Sri Krsna lotus footprints, we can easily overcome all material hurdles and easily obtain the Lord’s service. The elephant goad, ankus, will always keep us on the right path, having us go towards Krsna, to the dhama and transcendental service of the Lord. We will not get lost in the jungle of material enjoyment. The ankus (elephant goad) has so much power that anyone who takes shelter of it cannot lose sight of Sri Krsna. All the devotees, the Bhagavat bhaktas, never forget any of the symbols on the Lord’s lotus feet, such as the chakra, lotus, conch, goad, and barleycorn, because they have so many auspicious qualities that give us strength in bhakti. When Sri Krsna lifted up Goverdhana hill, He touched Giriraja with his lotus feet, and Sri Giriraja opened up like an umbrella. Wherever the devotees are if they meditate on Krsna’s lotus feet, they will have complete shelter, because Giriraj Goverdhana will become an umbrella for you, a chatra. Sudarsana Chakra is always over the heads of the devotees protecting them. When Sri Krsna lifted Goverdhana, Sudarsana Chakra was also over the Giriraja and the devotees, protecting them from the attacks of Indra and the storm Devas the Maruts.
POWER OF MEDITATING ON KRSNA’S LOTUS FEET
Krsna’s conch the sankhya gives the devotees all transcendental knowledge. By meditating on the left lotus foot of Sri Krsna, with the symbol of the conch on it, all transcendental knowledge will be obtained. Nobody will be able to fool you, cheat or trick you, all transcendental knowledge will enter your heart. The auspicious sound of Sri Krsna’s conch fills the devotee’s heart with joy, and signals the impending doom of all demons opposed to bhakti, making them flee far away, back into the darkness. The conch heralds the devotee’s auspicious victory over material existence, just as the Lord’s conch the Panchjanya signaled the defeat of the Kurus, headed by Duryodhana, by the Lord’s devotees the Pandavas.
Catch hold of the Lord’s lotus feet and deeply embrace them in your heart, then meditate on the bow, astagon (eight sided star), trikona (equal sided triangle), Kalasha (full water pot), matsya then all Veda, Vedanta, and Upanishads will come and manifest in your heart. In Jaganatha Puri and Bhubaneswara, it is called Sankhaksetra the place of the Lord’s conchshell. It is the land of the Lord’s conch. By the Vaitarani river, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada made a place to worship Lord Caitanya’s lotus feet a padapitha. Wherever the Lord’s lotus footprints are, the devotees have no shortage of anything. In the Jagganatha Puri temple the king also established Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s padapitha, and a murti of Sri Gaurasundara at the southern gate. The king was not happy with only having the Lord’s lotus footprints outside the temple. Later he established Mahaprabhu’s lotus footprints within the temple, then he felt very happy.
All good qualities come to Sri Krsna’s devotees simply by their meditation on his lotus feet. When you go to Giriraja Goverdhana, entering at Dhanghati, there is the sign of Sri Krsna’s lotus feet. Offer pranams at the lotus feet of the Lord there, and then go forward, remembering His feet. Then offer some puspanjali and flowers there as if it was your own heart. Then in your heart all of Krsna’s pastimes will appear.
Otherwise you will be distracted by monkeys, pilgrims, various walas (merchants) and even the Devas will compete for your worship, all trying to distract you. Just as Indra was envious of the worship that the Vrajavasis gave to Giriraja, instead of him. When we come back from circumambulating Sri Giriraja at Shantalaya, the Radha Kunda side, you also see Sri Krsna lotus footprints there also. Gurudeva on Vraja mandala parikrama, at Nandagaon would go to the Choti Caran Pahadi, where the lotus footprints of Sri Krsna are to be found. People would say what is this place? It is just an empty hill, and the people there don’t have any pure knowledge. Gurudeva would go there and give nice harikatha, telling them if just once you meditate on Sri Krsna’s lotus feet, then all obstacles will flee from your heart.
This is such a powerful method for the sadhakas to perform their bhajan and it is the essence of all sastra. When Akrura was going to Vraja and saw the lotus footprints of the Lord, he got down from his chariot and began to roll in the dust, and pray to these footprints. If you take shelter of Sri Krsna’s lotus feet, then naturally you will have Sri Krsna’s shelter. In the beginning of sadhana when someone takes diksha, at that time, you must offer yourself to the lotus feet of Sri Krsna, and meditate on them. Then all good qualities will come within you, and all the processes of service to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga will easily be learned.
Excerpted from the up and coming Bhakta Bandhav publication,”Rasa Pancadhyayi”
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