by P. Sharma, I.T. student from New York City, Age 18
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Barsana Dham is a representation of all the holy places of Braj, India. It is an ashram in which seekers of knowledge and God find their answers. Swami Prakashanand Saraswati created Barsana Dham for the spiritual upliftment of the souls in the world. It is a place where one can experience love for God. Barsana Dham has become a home for many devotees. Even though I live far away in New York City it feels like my real home too.
New York City is very diverse. It has many races, languages, and religions. Living here, people have all kinds of different ideas. In my elementary school Hinduism was a new concept. The children had been misinformed about Hinduism and asked all kinds of questions, which at that age I couldn’t answer. Growing up I became curious to learn about my religion. I wanted to know who I was and what being Hindu meant. Barsana Dham opened that door for me. Barsana Dham is a place where you can gain a great deal of knowledge. After meeting one the preachers from the ashram many of my long time questions were answered. Not only were my questions answered but even those of my family and friends. We all learned so much about Hinduism. My family and I wanted to visit such a place where we could gain more spiritually.
Barsana Dham is beautiful, from the beginning to the end. The moment I entered the front gate the whole environment changed. It wasn’t that the air was different or the ground it was a change I felt in my heart. I felt peaceful and relaxed as we entered Barsana Dham. The Radha Rani temple came into view and by just looking at it you could see how much love and dedication went into each and every detail. Inside the prayer hall there are photos of Radha Krishn and Maharaj Ji that are lovely and the verses from different scriptures light up the walls. All of Barsana Dham is lovely and beautiful. Walking around the ashram you feel as if you have visited many different holy places. There are Govardhan, Kalindi, Barsana Hill and many more. Each one is made to represent a holy place from Braj yet it doesn’t feel like a simple representation. Being there I felt Barsana Dham was like India. Swami Prakashanand Saraswati brought all of the qualities of the holy places of India to America for our benefit.
Swami Prakashanand Saraswati, or Swami Ji as devotees say, gave us all so much - more than humanly possible. From the first time I met Swami Ji till today he has always been like a father and a mentor to me. Swami Ji not only helps each and every one of us, he also spends an enormous amount of time building hospitals, schools, and temples in India. He has written many books which explain in great detail about Hinduism and he has given many speeches explaining different scriptures and the path to God. Yet the part which amazes me the most, is how with all those major projects and work he has to do, Swami Ji makes time to sit, talk, and answer our questions. Swami Ji could be giving a speech one minute and the next he will be sitting on a couch asking us if we all had something to eat. Anyone can come and talk to him if they have a question or something they don’t understand, and Swami Ji always does his best to explain it in a way we can understand. For Swami Ji we all are like his children and he just wants to see us become better devotees and people.
Every experience shapes our lives and thoughts. Meeting Swami Prakashanand Saraswati and going to Barsana Dham was an experience that changed me. My faith in God has grown a lot stronger since I learned the correct philosophy of Hinduism. By knowing the philosophy it gives a better understanding of the world and people, which helps in coping with difficult situations and teaches to be more tolerant of others. The way I think and behave has changed because of Swami Ji and it helps me to connect with my parents much better. My whole family and I enjoy taking part in doing various services for Barsana Dham. We all have fun working and learning together. Everything I have taken from this path has brought upon a positive change in my life and I am forever grateful for this experience.
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