The ancient Vedic scriptures inform us that the beautiful land of Vrndavana is non-different from the spititual world. Elsewhere in the Vedas Lord Sri Krishna has also declared that He never leaves Vrndavana and is eternally present there in His transcendental spiritual form. Therefore to reside in Vrndavana is exactly the same as residing within the spiritual world, and thereby directly associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Sri Krishna.

It was certainly my great fortune that when I first came to India from London in January 1975, my first destination was the holy city of Vrndavana, about which I had heard so much since joining the Hare Krishna movement in 1972. Little did I realize at that time, that I would be spending the next twenty five years of my life travelling and teaching Krishna consciousness throughout the Indian sub-continent.

It is only by the divine grace of our beloved spiritual master Srila Prabhupada, that it has been possible to appreciate the transcendental beauty of Vrndavana. I have also found that by his mercy, this appreciation simply goes on increasing day by day, year after year.

It had been my desire for some time to write a comprehensive guide to Vrndavana for the benefit of the thousands of pilgrims, especially from the west, who now flock in large numbers to this most sacred of holy places. While I was rendering service at Srila Prabhupada's rooms at Vrndavana's historic Radha Damodar a temple, many visitors who came there asked directions to various holy shrines around Vr ndavana. It was then that I decided to prepare this guide book along with an accurate map, to enable them to easily locate the most important places of Vrndavana.

Even though I have done extensive research for this edition, new shrines of importance continue to be discovered along with their relevant histories. It is my intention to continue researching Vrndavana's holy places for the benefit of all the devotees of Lord Sri Krishna who relish visiting Vrndavana dhama, and going on pilgrimage to all the sacred places connected to the transcendental pastimes of the Lord.