Vrindavan Yatra with Radhanath Swami (Six Goswamis of Vrindavan)

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The six Goswamis of Vrindavan represent a class of highly perfected personalities. Who threw away all prospects of the most attractive pleasures like pebbles in the street. By hearing about their lives and teachings, a seeker gets insight into the possibilities awaiting him if he simple continues sincerely on this path. They have painstakingly constructed aesthetically pleasing temples for the pleasure of the Lord and the spiritual upliftment of mankind.

Radhanath Swami was born in Chicago in 1950. In his teens he set out to wander the world on a spiritual quest where he eventually discovered the yoga path of devotion. He presently travels in Asia, Europe, and America teaching devotional wisdom but can often be found with his community in Mumbai.

People who know Radhanath Swami speak of his dedication to bringing others closer to God. Almost in the same breath they speak of his lightness, simplicity, and sense of humor. Visitors and friends are inspired by his unassuming nature and natural unwillingness to take credit for the works he inspires-developing communities, massive food distribution to indigent children, missionary hospitals, eco-friendly farms, schools, ashrams, and emergency relief programs. "He seems to see life as a continuous blessing of God's grace," one admirer said, "and yet he never loses his humanness. His accessibility leaves people feeling that with a little sincere effort, they too will find the path to inner peace and God realization."

The publishers of this book are very happy to launch the first volume in the series of books on the. pastimes, places, and great spiritual masters in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. This book is meant to be an inspiration for all spiritual seekers. The spiritual path to perfection is a long and arduous journey filled with tremendous challenges. Many begin to seek the ultimate, but are waylaid by the allurements of this world. The six Goswamis of Vrindavan represent a class of highly perfected personalities, who threw away all prospects of the most attractive pleasures like pebbles in the street. By hearing about their lives and teachings, a seeker gets insight into the possibilities awaiting him if he simply continues sincerely on this path. Apart from their own personal example, they have also left behind scientific literatures on the subject matter of bhakti. They have also painstakingly constructed aesthetically pleasing temples for the pleasure of the Lord and the spiritual upliftment of mankind.

What follows are accounts of the lives of these great spiritual masters, especially the six Goswamis of Vrindavan, who were all the very embodiments of the life and teachings of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Chaitanya gave four instructions to His principal followers, the six Goswamis: "Search and excavate the holy places of Krishna's beautiful pastimes, and re-establish Vrindavan as a holy place of pilgrimage. Construct temples and conduct beautiful Deity worship. Discover the ancient Deities that are hidden in Vrindavan, install Them in temples, and teach the world the Vrindavan way of worship. Write transcendental literatures that extract the essence of pure, unalloyed devotion from the Vedic scriptures, and thus expand the cult of devotion of Vrindavan to the whole world. And by personal behaviour and through writings, establish the proper Reading this book will take the readers on a journey through the forests of Vraja, where the Goswarnis performed their services to the Lord, who on His part, reciprocated by enacting wonderful pastimes. This journey of remembrance will not only enhance the reader's understanding of the devotional history of the Deities and the devotees associated with the eminent Gaudiya Vaishnava temples of Vrindavan; it will also make an ideal companion both when one is actually in the temple and when physically far away.

This volume is based on the lectures given by H.H. Radhanath Swami Maharaja. This is neither an exact transcription nor an overly corrected version. Rather, it is a simple presentation in which we have tried to preserve the flow of H.H. Radhanath Swami Maharaja and his unique narrative style of Krishna katha.

We hope that the readers will enjoy their spiritual journey through the jewelled path of the spiritual abode of Vrindavan, as seen through the vision of great spiritual masters of the past. If this book can help the readers deepen their appreciation and devotion to our beloved acharyas, the divine abode of Vrindavan, and Sri Sri Radha Shyarnasunder, we will consider our humble effort a great success.