An Authentic Life 1.1 for pdf - Universalist Radha-Krishnaism

For a devotee like me, Vrindaban represented the
stage upon which tradition said Radha-Krishna
played in their earthly lives. Being there represented
an opportunity to live the myth more deeply and seek
out other avenues of spiritual advancement.
Chaitanya’s followers wrote much of the tradition’s
literature in Vrindaban. Here was my chance to
live and practice where they and many great devotees
lived and practiced. I wanted to immerse myself in
this spiritual place of pilgrimage. Of course, it’s still
an earthly place and not all spiritual.
We went to Keshi Ghat, a bathing place on the
Yamuna River. I said, "You expect me to go in there?"
as I stood looking at the huge tortoises lurking in the
water looking up at me.
"Yes, don't worry about them. They only
pinch."
I got up my courage and went in. I thought,
“What can go wrong bathing and standing in a sacred
river murmuring prayers?” Yes, I only got pinched
while saying my mantras in the sacred waters.
Sharma’s relatives were priests at the Radha
Raman temple. He arranged for me to stay at the
house of one who was out of town. It was across the
street from Seva Kunja, a walled garden where, as the
story goes, Radha-Krishna went to relax with their
girlfriends after dancing in the forest. It’s said that no
one can spend the night there without going crazy or
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