Forty Padayatris reached Badrinath on May 29th, 2022. Badrikashram is eternal and pollution free. Earlier days Shri Madhavacharya and Shankaracharya came here walking. In ancient times only Padayatra was possible. Hari Hari! Lots of austerities are involved in Padayatra. This is tapobhumi – Bharat is known as tapobhumi (that is the land of austerity). This is the center of Bharatvarsha. When we mention Bharatvarsha, it is not limited to the land or the map of India. Bharatvarsha is a part of seven Varsha. It is a huge area. Badrikashram is the Center of the Bharatvarsha. Badrinarayan is at the Center of the Badrikashram. Srila Narad Muni is the Acharya of this region and also the Acharya of Bharatvarsha.
Normally people visit Badrinath through airways or cars but our ISKCON Padayatris walked to Badrinath till the top of the Himalayas. They left their ox-cart at Haridwar and from there to Badrikashram they have been preaching in each town and village. They are carrying Sri Sri Nitai Gaursundar on their heads. They are distributing books and prasadam. They have been chanting the holy name of the Lord at every step. They distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books on their way and distribute prasad also. They face many challenges on their way. This is not a comfort zone like sitting in Solapur or Noida. You can also come here if you give away your comfort zone. These Padayatris are out of their comfort zone. This is good. There are no facilities there but it is full of happiness.
Some people are in Maya, “Krishna hai sury, aur Maya hai andhkar; jaha Krishna taha nahi maya r adhikar”. Where there is Krishna, there is no Maya. So, people should do sankirtan within their colonies, or area. Now it’s our turn, do nagar sankirtan, gram sankirtan, Some padayatris go to pandharpur via Aravade, Pune, and Solapur. So, like this you can also do, one day, two days or 3 weeks. You will enjoy it. Char Dham yatra is famous, and it is said that every Hindu wants to do it at least one time. Nanda Baba and Yashoda Maiya also wanted to do the Badrikashram yatra, then Krishna Balaram took them to Badrikashram, but that was Vrindavan Adi Badri. Vrindavan has all dham in it, Kedarnath, Rameshwaram, Dwarka. All dham are in Vrindavan. Do sometime Brajmandal Parikrama, you will complete your char dham Yatra.
Also, there is a place, Vyasa Guffa at Badrikashram, and also a place for Ganesha. Lord Ganesha is the secretary for Vyasdev. Also, there are divine darsanas of Saraswati in the form of Alaknanda and Ganga Maiya.
Just by having these darsans, you will get purified. Even I have visited Badrikashram many times. Even in 1977, I traveled to Badrikashram in the month of November 1977. Our Narada Muni Sankirtan party and even at that time I was remembering Srila Prabhupada. I was thinking it’s only due to Srila Prabhupada’s mercy that we are traveling to Badrikashram.
Badrikashram Dham ki Jai!
Narad muni ki jai!
Srila Vyasdev ki jai!
Srila Uddhav mahashay ki jai!
Ganesh ji ki jai!
Srila Prabhupada ki jai!
Nitai Gaur Sunder ki Jai!
Nitai Gaursunder is now aradhya of this Dham.
Gaur Premanande Hari Hari Bol!
