Radha-Govinda reciprocate with me.
Radha-Govinda, a new devotee friend asked
me the meaning of “Viraha Bhavan.”
I told him bhavan is the residence
of devotees where chanting and hearing
of Krishna is at the center. Viraha means
cultivating feelings of separation
from Radha and Krishna.
Rupa Goswami advises in his
_Upadesamrta_ that one should
live in Vrindavana, but if he is
physically unable to live there
he should live in Vrindavana
within his mind. The gopis
are always with Krishna,
but when He leaves them for the day
to herd the cows with His
gopas in the forests of Vrindavana,
they feel intense emotions
of separation until He returns
in the afternoon. (Sometimes
Krishna leaves the cows
in midday to rendezvous
with the gopis for intimate pastimes.)
I feel I can’t travel to
Vrindavana in India, so
I cultivate an atmosphere
of Vrindavana in my
bhajana-kutir in New York.
Radha-Govinda vigraha
reside here, and we worship Them
on Their altar. They are
surrounded with flowers,
plants, and the tulasi tree,
and we gaze upon Them
for long periods of darsana
in the afternoon.
Radha-Govinda in Viraha Bhavan
are like Radha-Krishna in Vraja,
and we come to Them
in separation every day.
I am grateful They reside
with us in Viraha Bhavan.