Ecstatic Pilgrimage to Kamyavana

On Saturday 14 2015 a bus load and van load of devotees headed out to Kamyavan, which is on the far side of Vrajadham, 53 kilometers from Vrindavan in the state of Rajasthan. It is here that Krishna had many amazing pastimes. Also at one time the Pandavas resided here. It is through Kamyavan 500 years ago that the deiteis of Vrindavan were transported on their way to Jaipur to be saved from being destroyed by the Muslim tyrant, Aurangzeb. After the Vrindavan deities spent three days here they were then carried on to Amber, the fortress city of Maharaja Jai Singh in Rajasthan. However the deity of Vrindadevi, who is the presiding goddess of Vraja dhama, made herself so heavy that she could not be moved because she did not want to even budge one inch away from the holy Vraja dhama, her eternal home. This deity of Vrindadevi, which was originally installed by Vajranabha 5,000 years ago, is still being worshipped today in Kamyavan in the town of Kaman.

After singing the beautiful Vrindadevi-astakam prayers while seated at the feet of Vrindadevi in her temple, we then went to cave where the demon Vyomasura placed the cowherd boys he had kidnapped. From there were went to the top of the mountain to see Krishna's footprints imbedded the rocks at the spot where he landed on the mountain as well as Balarama's footprints imbedded in the rocks at the foot of the mountain from his pastime of steadying the earthquake. From there we went on to the place on the side of the mountain where Krishna and the cowherd boys used to slide. We each took a turn here sliding down the mountain in great happiness remembering Krishna's pastimes with the cowherd boys. Our final stop was Vimal Kunda, where Krishna gave the 10 million daughters of King Vimal His association, and also where the famous pastime of the Pandavas and Durvasa Muni and his 60,000 disciples took place.

Visiting Kamyavan is most auspicious. According to the Adi Purana, this is the place where the desires of the demigods and the devotees are fulfilled. Therefore I cautioned all the devotees upon their arrival in Kamyavan that especially on this day they should have their hearts full of spiritual desires without even a trace of material desire.

All in all, it was an exciting stimulating day of increasing and deepening our Krishna consciousness.

5,000 Year Old Deity of Vrindadevi in Kamyavana

Devotees Relish Bliss of Lila Smaranam in Vyomasura's Cave

Devotees Climb Mountain to See Krishna's Footprint

Devotees Sliding Down the Cowherd Boy Slide

Beautiful Vimala Kunda

Describing Krishna's Pastimes at Vimala Kunda

Artist's Concept of Our Completed Project in Austin, Texas USA

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Answers by Citing the Vedic Version:

Question: Why Do Pure Devotees Get Sick?

I understand that difficulties arise as a reaction to past karma and that pure devotees do not have past karma and so should not encounter difficulties like health problems. So, I fail to understand why do pure devotees encounter health problems?

In submissive mood,
Bhakta Sunil

Answer: Material Bodies Naturally Get Sick

As we all have material bodies, even the pure devotees, it is unavoidable that sooner or later we will all have health problems. The difference between the neophyte devotee and the pure devotee is that the neophyte is disturbed by such bodily sickness and the pure devotee is completely undisturbed in his mind in spite of having a sickly or diseased body.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari