Shrinathji
About Shrinathji
0The Lord is an important swarup in Pushti Marg, representing Krishna at the age of seven. He with his left arm holds Mount Goverdhan while his right hand rests on the his waist. There is a parrot on the top centre. Two sages are meditating near Shrinathji’s left hand and below them is a snake while another below it is a tiger. Beneath the tiger there are two peacocks. On the other side is one sage beneath him is the snake and two cows. They are evidently inhabitants of Mount Goverdhan watching Shrinathji reverently.
Shrinathji’s left hand was first seen in 1410 on the summit of Mount Goverdhan. It was offered milk because the inhabitants worshipped as a single deity. The face (Mukharvind) of the Lord emerged in 1479 when Vallabhacharya was born. Hence the birth of the Mukharvind(Lotus like face) of Shrinathji.
In 1493 Vallabhacharya found Lord Shrinathji at midnight in Gokul. He was overcome with emotion and garlanded Lord Shrinathji with pavitra and offered misri.
Anyor is the village below the hill at Mount Goverdhan. A Brahmin known as Sadhu Pande was staying. He had a cow of Nandvash (Gumer) who was grazing on the hill with other cows. One fine morning Gumer poured milk and offered to Lord Shrinathji while he was feeling hungry. Gumer gave less milk and hence he doubted on Gumer that people were pilfering milk. Next day Pandeji secretly followed Gumer offering milk to Lord Shrinathji. He was surprised to see this incident and was glad to have his Darshan.
The next morning everybody climbed the hill and saw that the divine child running forward and embracing Vallabhacharya, lord then asked him to place him in a shrine so that regular seva could be performed, and said that divine grace would descend on those who worshipped him further adding “That is why I have revealed myself here.” Shrinathji during summer sleeps late at night and so rises late in the morning similary in winter Shrinathji retires early at night and so awakens early in the morning. In winter a Saghdi with Coal is lit and placed near him in order to produce heat for the divine child.
Early in the morning the VINA is played to awaken Shrinathji and classical songs and music is sung during other Jhankis. Shrinathji is royally dressed and fed the purest and richest of foods. Even the water he drinks comes from the sacred river Yamuna. Shrinathji wears the best of the Dresses/Jewellery which is very rarely repeated. Normally there are eight Jhanki’s are eight Jhanki’s every day. These eight Jhanki’s are for a short while because shrinathji being a young child can be a Victim of evil eye (Nazar) and moreover each Jhanki has a particular meaning and purpose.
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Image by Aakash Souvik Haldar
Brahma Sambandh
3Brahma sambandh an historical event.
The means to attain God are many. Some are difficult some are easy. All are fairly long journeys.
Bhagwan Shree Krishana states in the Gita that
“A minuscule part of Me is present in all living things” 
Jiva has Bhagwad ansha; a minuscule part of God. This truth is difficult to comprehend because we do not realise the closeness we have with Thakurji. We have become engrossed in the material world. Our lives are full of activity hence we rarely ask deep rooted questions about who we are, where we are going.
On Sharawan Ekadasi Mahaprabhuji along with Damodardas Harsaniji were at Gokul on the banks of Shree Yamunaji. At Govind Ghat (ghat is a area which allows safe access to the river that flows).
Shree Mahaprabhuji was perplexed by a thought. How do the divine beings get seva or an opportunity to serve Thakurji in this Kali Yug? More specifically the Vedas do not have a means of liberating Women and Sudhras. Therefore what was to happen of Women, Sudras and non Hindus. This was the question that Shree Mahaprabhuji was worried about.
Then at about midnight Shree Nathji appeared (in Lalit trabhangi mudra) and ordained Mahaprabhuji.
The divine souls should take Braham Sambhand. In order to be fit to receive communion with Thakurji their “doshs”will be absolved.
Once this is done I (Thakurji) am ready to accept the soul. After Braham Sambhand they should offer everything they partake to me first. Then to take themselves.
Therefore everything we take must be offered to Thakurji as already mentioned.
This is the the jewel in the Crown and is a very important initiation that many people seldom obtain it!
This ceremony makes you realise that relationship that exists between you and Thakurji. When you take this initiation you have to be fairly certain as to what you are doing. As always you have to find a Goswami Balak who will initiate you.
The importance of Bhrama Sambandh lies in the fact that in the ceremony you offer all that belongs to you to the feet of Thakurji. You offer your body, your soul, your wealth, your husband/wife, your children and everything else that belongs to you which would cause you to be attached to objects. All these are offered to Thakurji and you accept His refuge and become a ‘das’. A humble servant of Thakurji. You then humbly bow to Thakurji and offer a token of your gratitude.
Later on you Guru will instruct you as to the seva you should perform and jap you should perform. In return you offer your Guru a token of your gratitude for showing you indebtedness and in directing you to the true path to God realisation and opening the door to Thakurji Gaulok..
These days people often forget the importance of Bhrama Sambandh and how precious it really is. People assume it to be a minor thing but in fact it should be more valued than the Koohinoor diamond.
To assess the value of a diamond you have to take it to a jeweller. Similarly Bhrama Sambandh is like a diamond and only some people can appreciate its importance and its value. The Bhrama Sambandh or ‘diksha’ is only to be give to some ‘special jivas’ and is not meant to be for all.
By taking Bhrama Sambandh you have turned a new leaf, it’s a new beginning your sins have been absolved by Mahaprabhuji and you make a fresh start on the path towards Thakurji. Mahaprabhuji also gives you a guarantee that your soul will not have a ‘laukik gati’.
