Written by Surabhi Kunja devi dasi

The gift of Girirāja

A few months before leaving this world, Kadamba Kānana Swami requested that I create a small photo book of the darśanas of his Girirāja Govinda Deity during the final phase of his life in Vṛndāvana. Over the years, while Kadamba Kānana Swami was travelling the world, many devotees connected with him by serving his Girirāja Deity. In Vṛndāvana, where everything is meant for the abundant worship of Kṛṣṇa, the service to Girirāja reached new heights. The daily collective offerings of garlands, turbans, flower decorations, jewellery, food items, and painted backdrops were amazingly glorious and opulent. Every day was a festival. He remarked, “Now Girirāja has come home.”

These heartfelt offerings by devotees from around the world inspired his meditations during his morning worship, and he would occasionally share something of these meditations on his disciples’ WhatsApp group. Sometimes he would mention these meditations in his lectures, and this would inspire the devotees in their offerings. In this way, the daily pūjā was a deep reciprocation of love between him, the devotees, and Girirāja Govinda. Kadamba Kānana Swami appreciated that it was a team effort. In one lecture (on 24 December 2022), he said:

“We do an elaborate pūjā and I’m sending pictures around, and it’s very much ‘we.’ It’s not me that’s doing this pūjā. Mostly I’m just putting things on the table. Everybody else is doing everything else. There’s an army of men here early in the morning doing a huge cut-up, and there’s an army of ladies dropping things off early in the morning. Throughout the day, different things are delivered, and then in the morning it all comes together. I just place it on the altar, and everyone goes, “Wow! You’re such a good pūjārī! Amazing!” I have not much to do with it actually. I’m just the guy who puts it on the table. So it’s a pūjā performed by many people, and it is very nice that we all work hard to worship Kṛṣṇa, because that transforms the material world into the spiritual world.”

As per his instruction, we have included with the colourful photos some of the meditations he shared during his last months in Vṛndāvana. All the photos were personally captured by Kadamba Kānana Swami on his phone, and there are some never-before-seen darśanas too. We are so grateful to him for his desire to give us this most precious gift of Girirāja, his constant companion and shelter for over a decade, and we pray that this book pleases him, Girirāja Govinda, and all the devotees.

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