Krishna Seva

[Pushtidas]

Jai Shree Krishna

Badhai to all vaishnavs on this lovely pinnacles of Faagun Utsava, the Dolostav. Here is my humble explanation of this Utsav. You are well come to add or correct to this knowledge, I will be grateful. Hope you enjoy this post.

We all know that Dolostav is the high light of Vasant and Holi Khel. This Utsav marks the unsurpassed quintessence of the Holi khel Utsav. Thakorji played Holi whole night with Swaminiji and in the early part of the morning He went back to Nandalaya. Krishna hardly had nine winks when Yasodaji came to wake Him up. As soon as He woke up, he asked Yasodaji, ‘Maiya, is it Holi today?’

Yasodaji looked at Bal Krishna, she saw that little boy excitement in those beautiful eyes and she fell for the innocent look. She smiled and said, ‘Oh mere Lal, you want to play Holi, well it is over but I will arrange a little Holi for you in a special Doli.’

She summoned some sakhis for help and together they created a lovely Doli. Sometimes this little Doli is known as Dol. The Doli is a small swing, In Nandalaya this Dol was enclave by wooden rails to protect Krishna falling off the swing. The strings were made from greeneries and tree barks. As it was in Nandalaya, the Dol was made for comfort and cotton pillows and cushions were set inside it. Then Bal-Krishna was settled inside the Dol and everybody played mini Holi with Him. This is how the Dolostav was established. The Dolostav in Nandalaya is created because of motherly love depicted by Shree Yasodaji. In Gujarat motherly love is known as matru-vatsalia, hence the Dolostav in Nandalaya is called Dol-vatsalia Maha Utsav.

All the sakhis loved the ideas of this Dolostav and decided that they all had lovely manorath during Vasant khel and wanted to end this manorath with a pinnacle of Utsav and thus these sakhis started the Dolostav in different places with a difference. The Maha-Mahotsav of Dolostav became important Utsav to end Vasant and Holi Utsav, and all four Swaminijis sometimes known as Yuthadhipati (the leaders of four groups (groups=youtha)) take part as the fore-runner in the Utsav.

The Yuthadhipati Swaminijis nominated Chandravaliji as their leader for this manorath and that is one of the reason why in Pushtimarg, the vaishnavs enjoy the Utsav as Chandravaliji’s Bhava Utsav. This Utsav is also known as Chandravaliji’s Pradhan Utsav, Pradhan means the leader. We all are very familiar with Chandravaliji and her love for Thakorji, this can be seen by the way she carries on with the Bhava, this Utsav took that mode of Love and permutations. Dolostav hence, became a very secret and divine sport for all the sakhis. These manorath were apex of love and the anurag, so special places were sought for this Utsav. Shree Girirajji, Shree Yamunaji’s Pullin and Mahavan were the ideal places for the Utsav.

As these places were in the open air, the Dol was made of large swing from greeneries and creepers were used as swinging rope. Flowers and leaves were used to decorate this Dol. Soft grass was used to cushion the sitting area of this Dol. Shree Thakorji and Svaminiji were in the Dol, swinging and all the Sakhis (Gopis) used water jet and sprinklers to sprinkle colours and coloured powder (Abir, Gulal etc) on the couple and also amongst themselves.

Krishna played colourful games in Kunj (the beautiful garden of Vrandavan) and as it entailed all the permutation of love, this khel (games) is known as Madhuriya Ras. (Please look into Shringar-ras pustak (book) where Madhuriya ras between Yugal Swaroop and also Thakorji with His Vraj Bhakta is described. Shringar – ras pustak was written by Shree Vithalnathji (Shree Gusainji)).

It is said the mood of lust and anurag is set by Shree Goverdhan Nathji. He uses Shree Girirajji to execute this mood by setting Trividha Pavan. (Pavan means breeze). Shree Giriraj Taleti (Base of the mountain) then executed three mode of breeze. These Pavan are of three modes, they are:

(1) Manda (gentle and soft)
(2) Sugandhit (this breeze carried the scent of love and the flowers)
(3) Shital (cool breeze that carries warmth of love in the air)

The Dolostav is set to depict the above moods of breeze and the games are played accordingly. Thakorji accepts presents in Dolostav from Bhakta and enjoys the games with them. He plays Holi and all the manorath with Bhaktas and then finally swings in their hearts. First softly, then with scented Bhakti Bhava of that Bhakta and in the end Krishna gives them that cool warmth of love, which attains all their manoraths.

This way Shree Krishna not only fulfilled the Manorath of his sevak, but also all the greeneries, trees and flowers, including creepers and all the birds. These Greeneries were from the summit and the base of Girirajji. Girirajji is known as Harivariya Swaroop and he had done a lot of seva therefore Thakorji wanted to reward him for this seva so this way all his greeneries, stones, flowers, trees, creepers etc. are taken into Dolostav manorath.
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Dasa nu das
Pushtidas

[unnati]

Jai jai shri gokulesh

Pustidasji, thanx for a beatiful explanation of Dol Utsav....
Badhai to all for Dol Utsav...
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Shri Vallabha Charan Vina Sharan Koni Jaou.....Shri Vitthala Nam Vina Mantra Kya Thi Paou......Shri Vallabha Charan Vina Sharan Koni Jaou.....
Unnati M. Kadakia

[gopal]

Jai Jai ShriGokulesh

Badhaai to All KrishnaSevaks a Very Happy and a Colourful Holi
And Enjoy the dolotsav............
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Jai Jai ShriGokulesh Parivaar,
Baroda

[Sital]

Jai Shree Krishna,

Badhai to all vallah vaishnavs on this wonderful day

Lovely Article

JSK
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Madhurkomalkant padavali namami
Sital

[jagdish]

Jai Shri Krishna

Hardik Badhais to one and all
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Best Wishes
Jagdish

[Trusha]

Jai Shree Krishna

Badhai to all vaishnavs on this auspicious day.
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Jai Shree Krishna
Vraj Bihari ki banu me vrajnaar
Trusha

[Nirupa]

Jai Shree Krishna

Koti Koti Badhai for Holi and Dolostav.

Enjoyed reading the explanation of Dolostav.
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Jai Shree Krishna
Darshan Abhilasi
Nirupa

[Vasant Punjabi]

Jai Shri Krishna,

Thank you Pushtidasji for the history on Dol utsav it was wonderful.

Badhai to all vallabhi valla vasihnavs on this festive of colorful holi and Dol utsav.

Let me add some kirtans

Raag Dev Gandhar

Julat Dol Nand Kumar, chan-hu-aur jhulavat vraj sundhari gavat saras dhamar----(1)

Vaam bhag Vushbhan Nandni saje sakal singhar

Aaskaran Prabhu Mohan Jhulat vraj ke pran Aadhar---------(2)

Raag Dev Gandhar

Man Mohan Aadbhut dol bani

Tum jhu-lo hu harakh jhulau Vrindavan chand dhani-----(1)

Param vichitra rachiyo vishva karma Heralal Mani

Chatur Bhuj Prabhu Giridharan Lal chabi kape jaat gani.------(2).
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Vasant Punjabi.

"Shri Vallabh Shri Vithal Sukh-kari naa-me nishpap thai nur-nari,
------Nitya Lila nitya nautam shruti na pame par."----

[jagdish]

Jai Shri Krishna

Hardik Badhais for Holi-Dol utsavs
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Best Wishes
Jagdish

[jagdish]

Jai Shri Krishna/Jai Jai Shri Gokulesh,

Khoob Hardik Badhais for Shri Vasant Panchami and upcoming Holi-Dol-Utsavs.
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Best Wishes
Jagdish