Barsana Dham is a Divine Gift from Swami Prakashanand Saraswati

On the opposite side of the globe from Austin, Texas, is the ancient town of Mathura, India. This holy place is famous as the appearance place of Bhagwan Shree Krishn. Situated in the same district lies Barsana, a peaceful village where 5,000 years ago the Supreme Goddess Radha Rani appeared in Her Divine form. The Shreeji Temple dedicated to Radha Rani is the focal point of the village.

Nestled in the beautiful Texas hill country, fifteen miles from downtown Austin, is another Barsana - Barsana Dham. Encompassing over 200 acres of wooded, fertile land this traditional ashram provides the rare opportunity to experience the true devotional environment that prevailed in the ashrams of the historic Saints of Barsana and Vrindaban, India.

Without a doubt, the crown jewel of Barsana Dham is the magnificent Shree Raseshwari Radha Rani Temple, the largest Hindu temple complex in the United States. Thousands of visitors are attracted to Barsana Dham each year. Drawn by the opportunity to gain true knowledge of the Hindu scriptures through daily satsangs, weekend intensives, and family camps that are frequently organized there.

At the recent annual meeting of The Council of Hindu Temples of America His Divinity Swami Prakashanand Saraswati (Shree Swamiji), the founder of Barsana Dham said, "Temples represent the Divinity and their role is to give enlightenment about God realization to those who come to the temple. They are not just social or cultural organizations, and they are not commercial institutions. They are the place of God, and should give proper teachings and guidelines of how to find God."

H.D. Swami Prakashanand Saraswati, a respected and renowned Spiritual Master from Vrindaban, India, has trained several teachers to bring this important message to the public. After extensive study of Sanskrit scriptures, devotional music and the philosophy of Divine love, they give programs in the US and abroad inspiring others with the pure and original teachings of raganuga bhakti, which is the heart of Hindu religion. These dedicated sanyasis teach that the universal path of love and dedication can be adopted by any sincere person.

(©2009 JKP Barsana Dham. This article was originally published by JKP Barsana Dham under the title "Raganuga Bhakti - The heart of Hinduism".)