Visit to Ṭer Kadamba

Today we were fortunate enough to visit Ṭer Kadamba with Śrīpāda Araṇya Mahārāja. This is the place of bhajana of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhu where he wrote works such as Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Lalita-Mādhava, Vidagdha Mādhava and Padyāvalī. We were greeted by Śrīpāda Hṛṣikēśa Mahārāja who is the mahant of the temple in the line of Śrīla Bhakti Sāraṅga Gosvāmī Mahāraja, the famous disciple of Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.

There has been a lot of renovation here and a new temple kuṇḍa called ‘Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma Kuṇḍa’ has been made. It is here that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma used to tend the cows and as He stood under a kadamba tree, Kṛṣṇa would call out to them – hence the name ‘Ṭer’ meaning ‘to call’.

This was Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja’s favourite place within Vraja-maṇḍala. In 1987, Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja mentioned this:

“After Vrndavana-parikramā, Prabhupāda asked us who liked which particular place. I told Kadam-khandi (Ṭer Kadamba). Prabhupāda remembered it and after one or two years going there, he told me that this is my place. I was amazed. “Which is my place? He said there is something to be done there, some renovation needs to be done and that the bābājī staying there had come to see him. Saying this, Prabhupāda gave him some assurance and he left. Sakhī Caraṇa Bābu heard this and I also heard it. That bābājī again came and told me to come. I went there and did some repair. Sakhī Bābu gave money from here and there. My place…”

We also had the good fortune of seeing verses composed by Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja commemorating that holy place, which are engraved on marble there:

nandagrāma ta eva yāvaṭa-pathe madhya-sthale sundare
ṭer-ītyarākhya-kadambake-bhajana-pīṭho’taiva rūpa-prabhoḥ
pūrvair atra ca nirminaṁ bahu-kṛtāt kakṣatrayaṁ bhikṣubhir
asmābhir hy adhunaiva marmara-śilā-dayair-bhūṣitaṁ saṁskṛtam

“Between Nandagrāma and Yāvaṭa is a beautiful area where Śrī Rūpa Prabhu’s place of bhajana known as Ṭer is situated beneath a kadamba tree. Previously he wrote many compositions here, and indeed, at this place, we certainly feel the scope of his renunciation and compassion that exquisitely decorated his heart.”

kvāhaṁ manda-matis tv-atīva-patitaḥ kva tvaṁ jagat-pāvanaḥ
bho svāmin kṛpayāparādha-nicayo nunaṁ tvaya kṣamyatām
yāce’ham karuṇā-nidhe! varam-imaṁ pādābja-mūle bhavat
sarvasvāvadhi-rādhikā-dayita-dāsānāṁ gaṇe gaṇyatām

“Where am I, so dull and fallen? Where are you, who delivers the world! O master! You will certainly forgive my countless offences due to your compassion. O ocean of mercy, I pray at your lotus feet for this benediction – to be counted amongst the servant-associates of Dayita Dāsa (Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura) whose everything is Śrī Rādhā.” (Bhaktivinoda Viraha Daśakam 12))

līlā-saṁgopa-kāle nirupadhi-karuṇā-kāriṇā svāmīnāhaṁ
yat pādābje ‘rpito yat pada-bhajanamayaṁ gāyayitvā tu gītam
yogyāyogyatva-bhāvām mama khalu sakalaṁ duṣṭa-buddher agṛhṇan
sa śrī-rūpaḥ kadā māṁ nija-pada-rajasā bhūṣitaṁ samvidhatte

“At the time of withdrawing his līlā, my unconditionally merciful master (Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura) offered me unto the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa by having me sing a song (Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī Pada) concerning exclusive service to his feet. Despite my possessing faulty intelligence, when will that Śrī Rūpa decorate me with the dust of his feet, disregarding all my qualifications and disqualifications?” (Śrīmad Rūpa Pada Rajaḥ Prārthanā Daśakam 10)