Introduction

Bhakti, Bhagavam and Bhakta

Do Not Belong To This Material World

In His purport Srila Prabhupada has written, “Bhakti, bhagavam and

bhakta do not belong to this material world.” They are not here. They
are in the spiritual world. This one line is very, very important. An
explaination is required.

Very Rare

In Caitanya-caritamrta (madhya 19.147-8) its is stated:

dharmacari-madhye bahuta ‘karma-nistha’

koti-karma-nista-madhye eka jnani srestha

Among the followers of Vedic knowledge, most are following the fruitive
activity and distinguishing between good and bad work. Out of many such
sincere fruitive actors, there may be one who is actually wise.

koti-jnani-madhye haya eka-jana ‘mukta’

koti-mukta-madhye ‘durlabha’ eka krsna-bhakta

Out of many millions of such wise men, one may actually become liberated,
and out of many millions of such liberated persons, a pure devotee of Lord
Krishna is very difficult to find.

Srimad Bhagavatam (6.14.5) states the same thing:

muktanam api siddhanam narayana-parayanah

sudurlabhah prasantatma kotisv api maha-mune

Among many millions who are liberated and perfect in knowledge

ofliberation, one may be a devotee of Lord Narayan or Krishna. Such
devotees who are fully peaceful, are extremely rare.

Kotisu – out of crores of men, one krsna-bhakta is hardly available. The

Bhagavatam says krsna-bhakti is sudurlabhah, very rare.

Not Available Here

Bhakti is not the vrtti, the natural faculty or occupation, of the

tatastha-jiva-sakti, the marginal living entities. Also, it is not the vrtti
of the bahiranga-maya-sakti, the external material energy. Rather,
bhakti is the vrtti of Bhagavan’s material energy, the svarupa-sakti.
Because of this, bhakti, bhagavan and bhakta are not available here in
this material world. Jiva Goswami has said in Bhakti
Sandarbha(anuccheda1.1), paramatma-vaibhava ganane ca tatastha-
sakti-rupanam cid eka rasanam api - “The tatastha-jivas are vaibhava
emanations of paramatma.” Since bhakti is the vrtti of the svarupa-
sakti, it is not available to the tatastha-jivas who are the vaibhava
emanations of paramtama. * For these reasons it is said that bhakti,
bhagavan and bhakta do not belong to the material world.

*Srila Prabhupada has described: The paramatma manifestation is

also a temporary all-pervasive aspect of the Kshirodakasayi Vishnu.
The paramatma manifestation is not eternal in the spiritual world.
Therefore the factual absolute truth is the Supreme Personality of
Godhead Krishna. He is the complete energetic person, and He
possesses different separated and internal energies. – Purport to Bg.
7.4.

The tatastha-jivas are those who abuse their minute independence and
come here to the material world. This material world is a
manifestation of maya-sakti, the illusory energy. Therefore, bhakti has
no place here in the material world. Bhakti is the vrtti of Krishna’s
svarupa-sakti. The parinama transformation or manifestation, of the
tatastha–sakti is the jiva-jagat, the realm of the jivas. The parinama of
the maya-sakti is the jada-jagat, the material world. Similarly the
parinama of the antaranga-sakti is the spiritual world, bhagavad-
dhama. In the spiritual world Bhagavan has unlimited forms, unlimited
lilas, and unlimited associates known as parikaras. So bhakti, being
the vrtti of the antaranga-sakti, the internal energy of the Lord, is only
available in the cit-jagat, the spiritual world.

Bhakti is in the spiritual world, and Krishna as the Supreme Lord is

engaged there in loving dealings. The spiritual world is a place of
variegatedness. The devotees there reciprocate with Krishna there
through dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhurya – servitorship,
friendship, parenthood and conjugal love. Bhagavan and bhakta are
engaged in loving reciprocation. Krishna is the embodiment of all
rasas, mellows – akhila-rasamrta-murti. He is the rasika-sekhara and
the rasamaya, full of rasa. Therefore bhakti is there in the spiritual
world; it is available with the associates of Krishna. This mayika-
brahmanda, illusory world, is not the place of bhakti.

Sadhus Descend

The spiritual energy has different names. It is variously known as

svarupa-sakti, yogamaya-sakti, cit-sakti, para-sakti, and antaranga-
sakti. Without the mercy of svarupa-sakti no one can get bhakti. The
bhakta-gana, bhakta-sadhus, the very dear devotees of Krishna, are
the manifestations of the svarupa-sakti. Such premi-bhaktas, pure
sadhus, do not belong tot his material world, they belong to the
spiritual world and they descend here. Therefore Srila Prabhupada
says, “bhakti, bhagavan and bhakta do not belong to the material
world.” Srila Prabhupada has only given one short line; it needs
explanation. Premi-bhaktas, sadhus, descend from the spiritual world.
Those who are bhagyavan-jiva (brahmanda brahmite kona bhagayavan
jiva), who have ajnata-sukrti, who are fortunate, they get a chance to
meet such sadhus, premi-bhaktas. Then they may develop bhakti.
That is ahaituki-krpa, the causeless mercy of the bhakta sadhu.
Otherwise no one can get bhakti here in this material world. It is not
available here. Therefore Mahaprabhu said (Cc. madhya 20.120):

sadhu-sastra-krpaya yadi krsnonmukha haya

sei jiva nistare, maya tahare chadaya

If the conditioned soul becomes Krishna consciousness by the mercy of

the saintly persons who voluntarily preach scriptural injunctions and
help him to become Krishna conscious, the conditioned soul is
liberated from the clutches of maya, who gives him up.

Similarly Caitanya-caritamrta (madhya 22.51 and madhya 19.151)

state:

mahat-krpa vina kona karme ‘bhakti’ naya

krsna-bhakti dure rahu, samsara nahe ksaya

Unless one is favored by a pure devotee he cannot sustain the platform

of devotional service. To say nothing of krsna-bhakti, one cannot even
be relieved from the bondage of material existence.

brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva

guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija

According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout

the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated tot he upper
planetary systems and some are going down into the lower planetary
systems. Out many of the millions of wandering living entities, one
who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide
spiritual master by the grace of Krishna. By the mercy of both Krishna
and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the
creeper of devotional service.

If some jiva has bhagya, good fortune, then he gets the mercy of
sadhu. Mahat-krpa vina – without the mercy of the mahat, sat-sadhu,
who has descended from the spiritual world – kone karme ‘bhakti’ naya
– no one cane develop bhakti. Krsna-bhakti dure rahu, samsara nahe
ksaya – What to speak of krsna-bhakti, he cannot even be delivered
from the material world.

The Bhagavatam (5.5.6) states:

pritir na yavan mayi vasudeve

na mucyate deha-yogena tavat

As long as you have not developed priti, love to Vasudev, Krishna you
cannot be delivered from material bondage.

Sadhus are Always Available

Although krsna-bhakti is sudurlabha, very rare, still, those who are

bhagyavan-jiva, who have gotten the causeless mercy of sat-
sadhus, premi-bhaktas, they develop bhakti. One should not be
disappointed and think, “Oh, it is not available here.” The jiva has
that yogyata, eligibility. If the tatastha-jiva makes proper use of
his minute independence then he will get the opportunity to
develop bhakti. He will meet a pure sadhu. By the causeless
mercy of that sadhu he will develop bhakti. Brhan Naradiya
Purana (4.33) describes, bhaktis tu bhagavad-bhakta sangena
parijayate, “By the association of a premi-bhakta one develops
bhakti. It is not that such sadhus are not available here. Their
hearts bleed seeing the suffering of the jivas here, so they
descend. There are two types of such sadhus: Those who come
by the direct order of the Lord and those who come voluntarily
seeing the suffering of the jivas. It is said that if there were no
sun and moon how would this material world go on? Similarly, if
there were no sadhus, how would Krishna’s world go on? Sadhus
are always available. One cannot say, “Oh, sadhus are not
available. I cannot see any sadhu.” You have no vision to see a
sadhu! Sadhus are there otherwise how could Krishna’s world go
on? Suddha-bhaktas, pure devotees, are the bhusana, the
ornaments of this world. Bhakti-devi is manifested in the heart of
such suddha-bhaktas, pure devoees.

Prabhupada and all the acaryas have stated that bhakti, bhagavan,
and bhakta do not belong to the material world. So one may raise the
question that if bhakti does not belong to the material world then why
are you coming here and preaching the science of the bhakti? The
tatastha-jiva, the marginal living entity, is paramatma-vaibhava. But
he still has cetanamsah, minute consiousness. Katha Upanisad
(2.2.13) describes:
 nityo nityanam cetanas cetanam
eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman

Krishna is the supreme consciousness and the jiva has minute

consciousness, cetanamsah. When the jiva doesn’t abuse his minute
independence and makes proper use of it then he comes under the
svarupa-sakti. If he abuses his minute independence then he comes
under the maya-sakti. When he is under the svarupa-sakti he gets the
opportunity to develop bhakti. Guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-
bija – By the mercy of Krishan he will meet guru and by the mercy of
guru he will get Krishna. They are interdependent.

Therefore those devotees, the nitya-siddha-bhaktas, descend here and

preach the science of bhakti. One should not be disappointed. He can
get bhakti if he makes proper use of his minute independence.

All Merciful Krishna

Krpa-maya bhagavan, the all-merciful Supreme Lord Krishna, also

descends here and manifests His lilas. Therefore the Bhagavatam
(3.2.12) states:

yan martya-lilaupayikam sva-yoga-

maya-balam darsayata grhtam
vismapanam svasya ca saubhagarddheh
param padam bhusana-bhusanangam

The Lord appeared in the mortal world by His internal potency, yoga-
maya. He came in His eternal form, which is just suitable for His
pastimes. These pastimes were wonderful for everyone, even for
those proud of their own opulence, including the Lord Himself in His
form as the Lord of Vaikuntha. Thus His [Sri Krishna’s] transcendental
body is the ornament of all ornaments.

The Supreme Lord descends to this material world through His

antaranga-sakti, the internal energy, and manifests His svarupa, His
eternal human-like form nara-tanu. He manifests lilas here that are so
wonderful and beautiful that, what to speak of others, Krishna Himself
becomes amazed.

Dear devotees who are very fortunate, bhagyavan-jiva, can directly

see Krishna’s pastimes. Unless the Supreme Lord descends to this
material world and manifests His lilas, the jivas cannot get the
opportunity to develop bhakti. Such jivas would only have remained as
conditioned souls, or might have gotten liberation up to the point of
merging into the brahman or paramatma. No more than that.
On this mukti-sthiti, liberated platform, there is svarupananda.* But
bhakti is the vrtti of the internal energy, the svarupa-sakti. In the
liberated stage there is no svarupa-sakti-ananda, only svarupananda.
Those who enter into brahman or paramatma get svarupananda, but
they cannot get svarupa-sakti-ananda. Therefore the bhakti-pracari,
the preachers of the science of bhakti, are parikaras, manifestations of
the svarupa-sakti of Bhagavan. They are the svarupa-sakti-krpa-siddha,
they have received the mercy of the svarupa-sakti. Only they can
preach the science of bhakti.

*”Svarupa” means “one’s own nature” or “personal”. Thus

“svarupananda” refers to the happiness derived from one’s own
eternal nature, which is experienced in the liberated state, beyond
bodily consciousness, while the term “svarupa-sakti-ananda” refers tot
he happiness derived from contact with the svarupa-sakti, the personal
energy of Krishna.

Suddha-bhakti, pure devotion, is rare. It s not easily available, bu the

jiva can get it. Even the papis – the most sinful persons, the tapis –
those who are afflicted with the three tapas, adhyatmika-, adhidaivika-,
and adhibhautika- tapas, those who are filled with all sorts of anarthas,
the wealthy and the poor, the patita, fallen persons, the candala, the
most degraded dog-eaters, the murkha and the vidvan – the foolish
and the learned – can all get bhakti by the causeless mercy of a pure
devotee. So there is no questionof disappointment.

Radha’s Dear Companion

Guru, sadhu, premi-bhaktas, are all manifestations of the svarupa-

sakti, the internal energy. Every day in mangala-arati we chant the
gurvastakam (text 6):

nikunja-yun rati-keli-siddhyai
ya yalibhir yuktir apeksaniya
tatrati-daksayad ati vallabhasya
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

The spiritual master is very dear, because he is expert in assisting the

gopis, who at different times make different tasteful arrangements for
the perfections of Radha and Krishna’s conjugal loving affairs within
the groves of Vrindavan. I offer my most humble obeisances unto the
lotus feet of such a spiritual master.

Nikunja-yun rati-keli-siddhyai – the guru is radha-priya-sakhi, avery

dear girl companion of Radha. The activity of the sakhis is to unite
Radha and Krishna in the kunja. They are daksa, very expert in that
activity – tatrati-daksayad ati vallabhasya. vande guroh sri-
caranaravindam – I offer prayers tot he guru-pada-padma, who is like
that.

The gurvastakam (text 7) states:

saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrir
uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadhih
kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

This is guru-tattva. He is saksat-hari, as good as hari. There are two

bhagavans – guru is sevaka-bhagavan and Hari, Krishna is sevya-
bhagavan. Sevaka-bhagavan refers to one who renders loving service
in pure vraja-prema. Such a very intimate associate of the Supreme
Lord is guru. He is on the same level as Krishna. By serving guru, by
his mercy one will develop krsna-prema – guru krpaye hi kevalam.

Only Way to Obtain Bhakti

The Supreme Lord is merciful and the jivas are like His children –
mamaiavmso jiva-loke. Krishna says in the Gita (14.4):

sarva-yonisu kaunteya murtaya sambhavanti yah

tasam brahma mahad yonir aham bija-pradah pita

It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti, are made possible by
birt in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.

The Supreme Lord appears and manifests His lilas. Then He winds up
His lial and goes back to His abode. In the aprakata-lila, after He goes
back, what does He do? As the Supreme father, Krishna has love and
affection for the jivas. Therefore when He goes back to His eternal
abode, out of love for the jivas he sends some of His intimate
associates here to preach the science of bhakti. To shower His
causeless mercy on the jivas by distributing this rarely achieved asset,
bhakti-dhana, He sends His dear devotees, His personal associates.
This is the only way that a tatastha-jiva can get bhakti. Sri Caitanya-
caritamrta (22.38) states:

krsna-bhakti-janma-mula haya ‘sadhu-sanga’

krsna-prema janme, tenho punah mukhya anga

The root of devotional service to Lord Krishna is association with advanced devotees.
Eve when one’s dormant love for Krishna awakens, association with devotees is still
most essential.
By association with sadhus – sadhu means premi-bhaktas, suddha-
bhaktas, pure bhaktas – one can develop bhakti. This is how bhakti
develops. The mukhya-anga, the most important thing, is to develop
krsna-prema. Saranagata is required – one should surrender
completely unto the lotus feet of such a sadhu, associate with such a
sadhu, hear krsna-katha and do kirtan such a sadhu, then gradually
anarthas will be destroyed and one will develop nistha, ruci, asakti,
bhava and then prema.

If one is intelligent one should not run after eating meat, sleeping,
defending and ,ating. Rather, one should feel restless how to get
sadhu-sanga. One should develop greed for sadu-sanga. If one gets
such quality of sadhu-sanga then Bhakti-devi will ppear. Bhakti-devi is
n the heart of such a sadhu. But if one is an ignorant fool devoid of
knowledge, instead of seeking sadhu-sanga one will run after eating,
sleeping, defending and mating, material enjoyment. As a result one
will suffer, suffer, suffer. One will be drowned in this dreadful ocean of
material existence.

Causeless Mercy

The desire for material enjoyment is the cause for all sorts of suffering.
If someone is intelligent, wise, instead of developing desires for
material enjoyment one will develop the desire to render loving service
unto the Supreme Lord and His dear devotees. Thereby one will get
the mercy and bhakti will arise. If one is fortunate and gets the
causeless mercy of suddha-bhakta-gana, pure devotees, premi-
bhaktas, who are the manifestations of the svarupa-sakti of the Lord,
then one’s life becomes completely changed. Otherwise it cannot be
changed. One has developed so much attachment to the material
world and to the enhancement of one’s material enjoyment. One must
pray to Krishna, “Please transform that attachment into attachment for
Your lotus feet.” It is a question of transformation. But it can only be
done by the association of pure devotees, premi-bhaktas, by their
causeless mercy.

The material scientists are making so many wonderful inventions and

discoveries. But s there any real good in what they are doing? Any
auspiciousness? Nothing, nothing. This duhkha, suffering, is always
there. The material scientists area all trying to make nice
arrangements for eating, sleeping, defending and mating, but it will not
make people happy. Krishna states in the Gita(5.22):

Ye hi samsparsa-ja bhoga duhkha-yonaya eva te

Ady-antavantah kaunteya na tesu ramate budhah
Krishna says that the material enjoyment available through the senses
is fleeting pleasure only, and its consequence is unlimited misery. The
scientists may be making very wonderful discoveries and inventions,
but still they cannot do away with this suffering. By their
arrangements there is no hope that one can get happiness, bliss and
peace.

This is the only means – one who is intelligent must approach a sadhu
and do sadhu-sanga. He will feel restless, “Oh! Where is sadhu-sanga?
Where is it? How can I get it?” Srila Jagadananda Pandit has written
(Prema-vivarta chapter 6):

sadhu-sange krsna-nama – ei-matra cai

samsara jinite ara kona vastu nai

[Freedom from maya] is attained by association with devotees and chanting the holy
names of Lord Krishna. There is no other way to escape the material world of birth
and death.

There is no other means to conquer maya other than sadhu-sanga.

Hear krsna-katha in the association of sadhu and chant:

hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

No other means is there, no other means. A wise person will develop

greed for sadhu-sanga. He will feel restless, “Where is it available?
Where is it available? Where is it available?”

Therefore, it is said, “bhakti, bhagavan and bhakta do not belong to

this material world.” But one should not feel disappointed. It will be
available.
 Part one
Vrindavam-samboga
Krishna’s nitya-kisora form and his dealings with the residents of
Vrajabhumi are very intimate and loving. You cannot find such
dealings in Mathura or Dwarka. That form is not there and the dealings
are also not there.

Chapter One
Krishna’s Appearance
“O Nanda Maharaja, you have achieved perfection in this birth after a
long time. Many long years have gone past. Come and see the
beautiful lotus-like face of your son.”

In the first three chapters of the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam

there is a description of the appearance of Bhagavan Sri Krishna.
Krishna’s appearance is also described in Hari-vamsa and in Sri Jiva
Goswami’s Gopala-campu.

Hearing the transcendental pastimes of Krishna is all-auspicious. The

Bhagavatam(1.2.17) describes:

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah-punya-sravan-kirtanah

hrdy antah stho hy abhadrani vidhunoti suhrt satam

Sri Krishna is the Personality of Godhead who is the

paramatma[Supersoul] in everyone’s heart and the benefactor f the
truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart
of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages,
which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.

Why Krishna Comes

The Bhagavata says, that hearing the transcendental lila-kahani,

narrations of the pastimes of Bhagavan Krishna, is all-auspicious. If you
hear with full faith and concentrated attention, all of the material
contamination in your heart will be purified. For this reason Bhagavan
Sri Krishna descends here.

Krishna’s eternal abode in the spiritual sky is known as sac-cid-

anandamaya-dhama, a dhama that is sanmaya, cinmaya, and
anandamaya – full of eternity, full of knowledge, and full of bliss. He is
always there engaged, completely absorbed in transcendental lila,
especially rasa-lila. Why should He come to this material world? It is
not His abode. It is the antithesis of His transcendental sac-cid-
anandamaya-dhama. This material world asat-, acit, and nirnanda-
maya – it is temporary and full of ignorance and misery. Why should
Krishna come here? What business does HE have to conduct here?

He comes because He is suhrdam sarvabhutanam – the only well-

wishing friend of all living entities. 1 From time immemorial you have
forgotten Krishna and have been under the clutches of maya, but
Krishna has not forgotten you. He is your well-wishing friend. He
always runs behind you. He never deserts you. He is there in your
heart as paramatma. He also descends in many incarnations to this
material world along with his dhama and His associates and He
manifests transcendental pastimes. Krishna’s pastimes should be
heard, deliberated, and meditated upon. Thereby you will get peace
and bliss. Your heart will be cleansed and then you will be able to
understand your constitutional position. Krishna is your eternal master
and your constitutional position is as His eternal servant. Krishna
therefore descends here out of kridatha, for the purpose of enjoying
playful pastimes with His dear devotees, to relish His rasa-lila, the
mellow of transcendental lila. Simultaneously He also gives you an
opportunity to relish these pastimes. Moreover, He also comes here
for sadhu-samraksana, to protect His dear devotees. These are the
purposes of Krishna’s coming to this material world.

Nanda Maharaja’s Vow

Gopala-camu describes that in the assembly of Nanda Maharaja there

were two poets named Snigdha Kantha and Madhu Kantha who daily
sang songs. One day they started singing the story of how Nandaraj
got a son. With the aim of obtaining a son Nandaraj performed many
sacrifices, but still no son was born. The residents of Vrajabhumi, who
were all his friends, also took up a vow and offered worship so that
Nanda Maharaja could have a son. Still no son was coming. Yasomati,
the wife of Nanda Maharaja, became very distressed. She gave up
eating and was always sitting, hanging her head down and shedding
tears.

Seeing the condition of his wife, Nanda Maharaja became very

distressed and consoled her in various ways, saying, “Whatever is the
will of Providence, that will take place.”

His wife Yasoda-mata said, “My dear husband, I will tell you what I have
thought of in my heart. I have performed many sacrifices and have
taken up many vows. But I have not performed the dvadasi-parama-
vrata.”

Hearing this, Nanda Maharaja became very happy and said, “Yes, very
good. WE have not performed this vrata. So we must do it.”

Nanda Maharaja called his priest. The priest described everything to

him about the procedures, rules and regulations to perform this
dvadasi-vrata.

The Yogini’s Visit

Nanda Maharaja and Yasomati-rani observed the vrata for one year. At
the end of the vrata Nanda Maharaja had a dream. Lord Hari appeared
and, being very pleased with Him, said, “Your desire will soon be
fulfilled. In every kalpa I come as your son, and in this kalpa I will also
come as your son. I will manifest my babyhood lila in your home.
Everyday you will see My pastimes and you will be very happy.”

Then Nanda Maharaja’s sleep broke. It was morning and the birds
were chirping. He decided to take bath in the Yamuna along with his
wife Yasomati, and he took much welath with him to give in charity. All
of the demi-gods, munis and rsis came in the guise of beggars to
receive charity from Nanda maharaja. Nanda Maharaja and Yasomati
completed their bath, and then started giving charity. Everyone
became very please to receive charity from Nanda Maharaja. They all
loudly shouted, “Nanda Maharaja ki jaya” and “Yasomati-rani ki jaya!”
Then Nanda Maharaja returned home and offered worship to Bhagavan
Vishnu. After finishing his daily activities, he came to his assembly,
and offered respect to worshipable personalities such as his gurus and
the brahmanas.

Snigdha Kantha’s narration continued: Just then the gatekeeper came

and informed Nanda Maharaja that a brahmacarini had come. Hearing
this, he stood up and welcomed her, offering her a nice seat. Nanda
Maharaja washed her feet and worshipped her. Yasoda-mata began
crying at the feet of that brahmacarini tapasvi. The ascetic took
Yasoda-mata onto her lap and, putting her hand on Yasoda’s head,
blessed her, saying, “My dear queen, very soon a nice son will come
and take birth.” Hearing this, all of the cowherd men and women said,
“Nandarani ki jaya!”

When Nanda Maharaja’s brother Upananda heard the news he became

very joyful and said, “This Gokul forest will be a great place of
pilgrimage.” Hearing the brahmacarini’s prophecy, all of the
inhabitants of Vrajabhumi became very joyful. They all came and
offered dandavat-pranamas at the feet of that yogini, brahmacarini.
They built a cottage for her and she stayed there.

Yasoda’s Pregnanacy

Snigdha kantha said, “My dear brother Madhu Kantha, now tell how
Krishna came to the womb of yasoda-mata.” Madhu Kantha then
spoke about this confidential truth:

For one year Nanda and wife observed dvadasi-vata. Then on the night
of krsna-pratipat, the first day of the dark fortnight of the month of
Magha, Nanda Maharaja had a dream. He saw a baby child with a blue
complexion moving in the sky, and then he saw a girl with a golden-
hued bodily complexion. The two of them entered into Nanda
Maharaja’s heart. Then they came out of the heart of Nanda Maharaja
and entered into the womb of Yasoda-mata.

In this way, Yasoda-mata became pregnant. Hearing this news all of

the gopas and gopis became very blissful and happy. Every day they
had grand festivals on account of Yasoda’s pregnancy.

Nanda Maharaja gave much charity to the brahmanas and vaisnavas.

Many persons were coming and going to Nanda’s house. Who all of
those persons were, no one could say. Among them some demi-
goddesses were also coming.

After eight months of pregnancy an astrologer to them, “On the eighth

day of the dark fortnight of this month Bhadra the child will take birth n
a most auspicious tithi.” When this bhadra-krsnastami, the eighth day
of the dark fortnight of the month of Bhadra came, the nurse said, “The
child will be born today.” Immediately a maternity home was prepared
and decorated nicely. Flower garlands were hung all over. Gates were
also made out of various flowers. Expert nurses came to take care of
the mother and child. In the heavenly planets all of the demigods
became very joyful. Indradev was showering rain. On that day
everyone was drowning in an ocean of happiness, for the Supreme
Lord was about to take birth.

All the gopis stayed awake that night. But due to the influence of
Krishna’s yoga-maya they all fell asleep. When the child took birth
everyone was sleeping. Even Yasoda-mata was asleep. There was no
plain in the delivery at all. Without any pain, Yasoda-mata gave birth
to Krishna, the Supreme Personality. That child was putra-ratna, a son
like an invaluable gem.
Mathura and Vrindavan

Exactly at the same time when Yasoda-mata gave birth to Krishna in

Vrindavan, in Mathura, in the prison house of Kamsa, Devaki also gave
birth to a child. That is described in the tenth canto of the
Bhagavatam. Lord Hari appeared in Mathura in a four-handed form.
He had a crown on His head and with His four hands He was holding a
sankha, cakra, gada, and padma – a conchshell, disk, club and lotus.
Kanaka-kundala-karna, on His two ears there were golden earrings, and
a bright effulgence was coming out of His body. Although it was a dark
and cloudy night, by the effulgence coming from the body of Lord hari
everything was illuminaed.

Seeing this wonderful child, Devaki paid obeisances with folded hands
and offered prayers. Vasudeb immediately took bath. How could he
take bath in the prison house? He did so by meditation in his mind,
manasa-snana. Also in his m ind he observed a grand festival for the
birthday of Lord Hari and gave away innumerable cows in charity to
the brahmanas and vaisnavas. Like Devaki he also offered prayers to
Lord Narayan. Then Narayan told him, “Immediately take Me to Vraja-
Gokul and put Me on the lap of Yasoda-mata.”

Hearing this Vasudev, was very, very happy. By the wonderful will of
Lord hari, those who were guarding the prison all fell asleep. All of the
strong iron doors and shackles opened and Vasudev was free to leave.
Exactly at the same time when Vasudev was leaving the prison of
Kamsa, Yasoda-mata gave birth to a second child, a daughter.

When Vasudev came to the bank of the Yamuna he saw there was a
great flood. The water was very high and all of the land was
inundated. He thought, “How can I cross?” Just then Vasudev saw
Mahamaya in the form of a she-jackal crossing the Yamuna. So
Vasudev followed her.

Finally he came to the quarters of the Nanda Maharaja. There he put

his son on the lap of Yasoda-mata and took Yasoda’s daughter with
him.

Born in Two Places

Hearing this, Snigdha Kantha said, “What is this? Yasoda-mata gave

birth to one son and one daughter, and Vasudev took the daughter.
What happened to the son?”

Madhu Kantha said, “This is a very confidential matter. Yasoda-mata’s

daughter was saksat-yogamaya. By her potency, Yogamaya kept the
son of Nanda hidden, and Vasudev could not see Him. He only saw the
daughter.”

The son of Nanda and Yasoda is svayam bhagavan, the original

Supreme Personality of Godhead – ete camsa-kalah pumsah krsnas tu
bhagavan svayam. Nanda-nandana krsna, yasoda-nandana krsna is
svayam bhagavan and all other avataras are His pleanary portions –
amsa and kala.

From the womb of Devaki came the four-handed form Vasudev, who is
a prabhava-prakasa of Krishna. Krishna has two types of expansions,
prabhava-prakasa and vaibhava-pakasa. In the temporary category of
prabhava come the incarnations Mohini, Hamsa and Sukla. In the
eternal category comes Dhanvantari, Rishabha, Vyasa, Dattatreya,
Kapila, etc. The vaibhava-prakasa are partially powerful. In this
category comes Kurma, Matsya, Nara Narayan Rishi, Varaha,
Hayagriva, Prishnigarbha, Baladev, Yajna, Vibhu, Satyasena, Hari,
Vaikuntha, Ajita, Vaman, Sarvabhuma, Rishabha, Vishwaksena,
Dharmasetu, Sudama, Yogeswar, Brihadbhanu, etc.

When syavam bhagavan Krishna comes, all of His portions and

portions of portions, amsa and kala, all come within Him. The son of
Vasudev is Vasudev, a four-handed form of the Lord. Vasudev is a
plenary portion of Krishna. So when Vasudev put his son on the lap of
Yasoda, that Vasudev entered into the child Krishna who was already
there. Just as all rivers flow down to enter into the ocean, similarly all
the plenary portions of the Lord all come and enter into the original
Lord. By the activity of yoga-maya, Vasudev could not understand any
of these things.

In the Hari-vamsa (2.4.11) it is described how Lord Hari simultaneously

took birth in two places:

garbha kale tv asampurne astame masi te striyau

devaki ca yasoda ca susubate samam tada

In the eighth month of pregnancy, which is considered asampurna, incomplete,

Yasoda and Devaki both birth at the same time. *

Just after that Yasoda gave birth to daughter, Yogamaya. Mahamaya is

a portion of Yogamaya, and she was thus also there. Vasudev took
away this Mahamaya and handed her over to Kamsa, while Yogamaya
stayed, hidden, in Vrajabhumi. In this way it was declared that the
eighth child was a daughter, not a son. Kamsa was cheated.
* In His purport to Srimad bhagavatam 10.3.47 His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada describes this topic: “Srila
Vishwanath Chakravati Thakur discusses that Krishna appeared
simultaneously as the son of Devaki and as the son of Yasoda, along
with the spiritual energy Yogamaya. As the son of Devaki He first
appeared as Vishnu, and because Vasudev was not in the position of
pure affection for Krishna, Vasudev worshipped his son as Lord Vishnu.
Yasoda, however, pleased her son Krishna without understanding His
Godhead. This is the difference between Krishna as the son of Yasoda
and as the son of Devaki. This is explained by Vishwanath Chakravati
on the authority of Hari-vamsa.”

Yasoda’s Joy

Madhu Kantha then said, “When Yasoda-maya gave birth to Krishna, all
were asleep. Everyone slept through the whole night. Then in morning
Lord Hari started crying, “Kwaaa! Kwaaa! Kwaaa!” Everyone woke
up. Yasomati also woke and saw her nice son.

Seeing her wonderful, very beautiful son, mother Yasoda completely

drowned in the ocean of blissfulness. She couldn’t think what to do.
She was shedding tears of bliss and love. From her breast, milk was
flowing. The new-born child was there in her lap and Yasoda was very
blissfully looking at Him.

Yasoda-mata’s voice was faltering in joy. She couldn’t speak anything

and was simply shedding tears of joy. Up until that day she had only
looked at the son of others. Today she was looking at her own son.
Tears poured from her eyes and milk flowed from her breasts. Her
whole sari became completely soaked. Again and again Yasoda-mata
looked at the beautiful lotus-like, moon-like face of her son. All the
nurses, gopas and gopis awoke, hearing the crying sound of the new-
born child. Everyone came and said, “Oh, it is not a daughter, it is a
son! Yasoda hs given birth to a son!”

Everyone was very happy and blissful. It was as if all of Gokul,

Vrajabhumi, has drowned in an ocean of blissfulness. All the gopas
and gopis came running to see Nanda Maharaja’s quarters to see
Yasoda’s newly born son. The demigods were dancing in the heavenly
planets, beating drums and singing, “hari hari hari-bolo! hari-bolo!
hari-bolo! hari-bolo!” The fourteen planetary systems resounded with
the sound “hari-bolo!” In the heavenly planets the deva-naris, the
wives of the demi-gods were showering flowers. All the gopas and
gopis were dancing blissfully. Embracing one another with love and
affection, they were all drowning in an ocean of happiness.

Immediately Nanda Maharaja took bath according to the Vedic rites.

Then he performed the jata-karma-samskara – purificatory ceremony
for childbirth. Brahmanas came and uttered svast-vacana, prayers for
auspiciousness.

Many musicians came playing varieties of musical instruments. The

sound of drums, kettledrums, and other musical instruments
resounded throughout all of the three planetary systems.
The three planetary systems were completely filled with supreme
happiness, maha-ananda. Prithivi-devi, Mother Earth had been very,
very distressed and over-burdened by the asuras, demons. Now the
demons were to be killed and Prithivi-devi would be relieved of her
heavy burden. All of the sahdus, vaisnavas and dvijas, brahmanas,
were happy.

Dancing in Bliss

When Nanda Maharaja came, all the gopas and gopis said, “Nanda
come, come and see your beautiful son. Taba grhe udaya haiyache
kata sasi – It is as if innumerbale moons have arisen in your house. O
Nanda Maharaja, eteka dibase janma haila saphala, manera anande
dekha badana kamala – you have achieved perfection in this birth after
a long time. Many long years have gone past. Come and see the
beautiful lotus-like face of your son.” The news spread throughout
Gokul, Vrajabhuni. All the cowherd men and cowherd women came
running to Nanda’s quarters – nandera mandire gayala aila dhaiya,
hate badi kandhe bhara – all the cowherd men had sticks in their hands
and on their shoulders they were carrying kandhe bhara, a stick with
bags on both ends. As they were coming they were dancing and
dancing. Everyone was saying: “Oh Nanda such excellent good
fortune you have. Ah! Today there is an ocean of bliss in your house.”

Seeing the beautiful lotus-like face of his son, Nanda Maharaja was
blissfully dancing. In all directions all of the cowherd men and
inhabitants of Gokul were also clapping their hands and blissfully
dancing. In the heavenly planets the demigods were dancing. In the
nether planers, Patala, the snakes were dancing. In the inner quarters,
Yasodarani was dancing. Siva was dancing. Brahma was dancing, and
Indra was dancing. Everyone was dancing and full of bliss.

All of the cowherd men came bringing presentations of yoghurt,

tumeric, and goracana, a kind of auspicious yellow pigment.
Nandarani, the wife Nanda Maharaja, has acquired all good fortune and
auspiciousness, for today she has obtained Nilamani, the blue gem
Krishna, as her child.

sri krsna-janmastami tithi maha-mahotsava ki jaya!

bhadra krsnastami tithi ki jaya!
bhagavan krsna avirbhava tithi ki jaya!
vrajendra-nandana krsna avirbhava tithi ki jaya!
sri nanda-nandana yasoda-nandana krsna ki jaya!
Chapter Two
The Pure Devotion of Vraja

Yasoda-mata never offered prayers like Devaki and Vasudev. Devaki

and Vasudev’s vatsalya is mixed with jnana and aisvarya, whereas
Nanda and Yasoda’s vatsalya is pure, unmixed. That pure love is only
available in Vrajabhumi.

Here Srila Prabhupada has written one line: “Bhakti, bhagavan and
bhakta do not belong to the material world.” This is a very important
line. It needs elaborate explanation. To explain this one line would
take many days.

Passive Love Discarded

Devaki has some fear. She says, “People are not able to believe this
and I shall become and object of ridicule. Not wanting to be ridiculed
for having given birth to Vishnu, Devaki wanted Krishna with two hands
and therefore she requested the Lord to change His form.” That fear is
due to intense love. There is a difference between the vatsalya-rasa,
parental affection of Devaki-Vasudev and the vatsalya-rasa of Nanda-
Yasoda. Prabhupada says here that on the Mathura and Dwarka
platform, love for the Lord is mixed with appreciation of His opulence,
aisvarya-jnana. But in Vrindavan or Vrajabhumi there is only kevala-
bhakti, pure bhakti. There is no mixture of jnana or aisvarya. When
jnana or aisvarya are mixed with priti, with bhakti, it is known as priti-
sithila or priti-sankucita. The love is shrunken.

In Caitanya-caritamrta (madhya 19.183-184) it is mentioned:

bhakta-bhede rati-bhede panca parakara

santa-rati, dasya-rati, sakhya-rati ara

vatsalya-rati, madhura-rati, - ei panca vibheda

rati-bhede krsna-bhakti-rase panca bheda

According to the devotee, attachment falls within the five categories of

santa-rati, dasya-rati, sakhya-rati, vatsalya-rati and madhura-rati.
These five categories arise from the devotees’ different attachments to
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The transcendental mellows
derived from the devotional service are also of five varieties.

Bhakta-bhede, rati-bhede panca parakara – according to the divisions

of rati and bhakta, krsna-bhakti-rase manifests in five varieties – panca
vibheda: of santa-rati, dasya-rati, sakhya-rati, vatsalya-rati and
madhura-rati. Santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhurya are the
five chief mellows, but Mahaprabhu discarded santa, neutrality. He
says cari bhava-bhakti diya nacamu bhuvana – I’ll make the whole
world dance with ecstasy giving the four rasas: dasya, sakhya, vatsalya
and madhurya. There is no santa-rasa with Mahaprabhu.

Why did He discard santa? In Caitanya-caritamrta, kaviraj Goswami

has explained (Cc. Madhya 19.218):

santera svabhava – krsne mamata-gandha-hina

‘parama-brahma’, ‘parama atma’ jnana pravina

It is the nature of santa-rasa that not even the smallest intimacy exists. Rather,
knowledge of impersonal brahman and localized paramatma is prominent.

In santa-rasa there is no mamata, no love. Those who are santa-

bhakatas speak abaout paramatma and parama-brahma. They never
speak about the personal forms of the Lord.

When the question of pure love comes then the personal form of the
Lord comes. When the topic is pure love then all the personal names
and forms of the Lord come such as: Krishna, Govinda, Yasoda-
nandana, Murlidhara, Giridhara-dhari, Gopi-jana-vallabha, Goi-natha,
Gopi-kantha, and Madana-mohan. Santa-rasa is not personal,
therefore Mahaprabhu discarded it. Who are the santa-bhaktas?
Kaviraj Goswami describes (Cc. Madhya 19.189):

santa-bhakta – nava-yogendra, sanakadi ara

dasya-bhava-bhakta – sarvatra sevaka apara

Examples of santa-bhaktas are the nine Yogendras and the four Kumaras. Examples
of devotees in dasya-bhakti are innumerbale, for such devotees exist everywhere.

The four Kumaras are santa-bhaktas. They are jnanis, parama-atma-

jnana-pravina – well-versed and eminent among the devotees in santa-
rasa.

Fraternal Love

Caitanya-caritamrta (madhya 19.190) describes devotees in sakhya-

rasa:

sakhya-bhakta – sridamadi, pure bhimarhuna

In Vrindavan, examples of devotees infraternity are Sridama and Sudama and In

Dwarka the Lord’s friends are Bhima and Arjuna.
There are two types of sakhya – sambhrama-sakhya and visrambha-
sakhya. In Vaikuntha there are only two and a half rasas, santa, dasya
and half of a sakhya. Sakhya mixed with awe and reverence is known
as sambhrama-sakhya. That is available in Vaikuntha abd Ayodhya.
Pure sakhya with no awe and reverence is found in Vrajabhumi. Subal
and Sridama have no awe and reverence. They climb onto the
shoulder of Krishna. They fight with Krishna. They snatch away food
from the mouth of Krishna and Krishna also snatched food away from
the mouths of the cowherd boys. There is no awe and reverence. In
the Bhagavad-gita when Krishna manifested His gigantic fearful
universal form, Arjuna became terrified: bhita-bhitah pranamya – out of
fear he paid obeisances in the front, the back side, left side and right
side. It is said in Caitanya-caritamrta (madhya 19.198):

krsnera visva-rupa dekhi arjunera haila bhaya

sakhya-bhave dharstya ksamapaya kariya vinaya

When Krishna manifested His universal form, Arjuna became reverent and fearful,
and he begged for forgiveness for his past impudence toward Krishna as a friend.

Arjuna prayed to Krishna: he krsna he yadava he sakheti – “I have

addressed You, ‘O Krishna’, ‘O Yadava’, ‘O Sakha’” vihara-sayyasana –
We have slept together and eaten together. Sometimes I cut jokes
with You. You are so great, so fearful! I have committed some offense.
Please excuse me.” He begged excuse. There is fear with awe and
reverence. But in the case of Sudama and Subal there is no awe and
reverence. There relationship with Krishna is visrambha-sakhya. They
say: tumi keno bara? Tumi ami saman – “O Krishna are You greater?
No! You and I are equal. You are not greater!” They fight with Krishna.
They play with Krishna. They climb on Krishna’s shoulders. They
snatch away food from the mouth of Krishna and Krishna snatches
away food from the mouths of the cowherd boys. So where is the awe
and reverence?

Vibhishan and Sugriva are also sakhya-bhaktas, but they are afraid of
Lord Rama. They cannot approach Him. There is awe and reverence.
But Sridama and Subal are Vrajabhumi sakhas. They are not afraid of
Krishna. They are like Krishnas own limb. If your foot touches your
own body you will never feel anything. But if your foot touches
someone else’s body then you feel awe and reverence, “Oh,
dandavats, dandavats. I am an offender.” Similarly Sridama and Subal
are like Krishna’s own limbs. That is visrambha-sakhya, no awe and
reverence. It is pure sakhya.

Parental Love
Vatsalya-bhakta - mata, pita, yata guru-jana – in Vrindavan the
devotees in parental love are mother Yasoda and father Nanda
Maharaja, and in Dwarka the Lord’s parents are Vasudev and Devaki.
There are also other superior persons who are devotees in parental
love.

Vasudev and Devaki are in vatsalya-rasa. Nanda and Yasoda are also in
vatsalya-rasa, but there is a difference. When Krishna appeared in the
prison house of Kamsa He appeared in a four-armed form and Vasudev
and Devaki offered prayers. Caitanya-caritamrta (madhya19.196)
states:

vasudeva-devakira krsna carana vandla

aisvarya-jnane dunhara mane bhaya haila

When Krishna offered prayers at the lotus feet of His mother and father, Vasudev and
Devaki, they both felt awe, reverence and fear due to knowledge of His opulences.

Vasudev and Devaki offered prayers when Krishna appeared in a four-

armed form in the prison house of Kamsa because their vatsalya-rasa
is mixed with jnana and aisvarya. They were afraid, and they offered
prayers. But Nanda and Yasoda never offered prayers. Rather when
Krishna was a two- or three-year-old boy who had just started walking,
Nanda Maharaja would tell Him, “Krishna, bring my wooden sandals.”
Putting them on His head, Krishna would bring them. Nanda and Yasda
never paid beisances to Krishna. They never offered prayers to Him.

Krishna sent Uddhava to Vrajabhumi from Mathura because the

Vrajavasis were feeling acute pangs of separation. Akrura had come
and taken Krishna and Balaram away to Mathura and Krishna couldn’t
come back. All the vrajavasis were feeling acute pangs of separation
from Krishna. And in Mathura Krishna was also thinking of them. This
is pure love. These loving transactions or reciprocations are there.
Day and night, Krishna was always thinking of the intense pure love of
the residents of Vrajabhumi, His father and mother, the cowherd boys
and especially the gopis headed by Radharani. Krishna was always
thinking what to do. Then He sent Uddhava, “Go to Vrajabhuni and
deliver this message of love.”

Opulence Makes Love Shrink

Uddhava was a disciple of Brihaspati. Brihaspati is a jnani. So

Uddhava wasa jnani-bhakta, although he was very dear to krishna.

na tatha me priyatama atma-yonir na sankarah

na ca sankarsano na srir naivatma ca yatha bhavan
In the eleventh canto of Srimad Bhagavatam (14.15) Krishna has told
Uddhava: atma-yonir – “Brahma is not so dear to Me. Sankara, Sivaji,
is not so dear to Me. My brother Sankarshan is not so dear to Me. My
wife Laksmi-devi is not so dear to Me. My atma, My soul, I, Myself, am
not so dear to Me, O Uddhava, as you are dear.”

Still, Uddhava is a jnani-bhakta. There is jnana, no prema. It is mixed

bhakti. When jnana and aisvarya are present then rati-sankucita – love
is shrunken. Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (madhya 19.194) states:

aisvarya-jnanapradhanye sankucita priti

dekhiye na mane aisvarya – kevalara riti

When opulence is prominent, love of Godhead is shrunken. According to kevala

devotion, however, even though the devotee sees the unlimited potency of Krishna,
he considers himself equal with Him.

Aisvarya-jnanapradhanye sankucita priti – when priti, love, is mixed

with jnana and aisvarya, knowledge and opulence, then priti-sankucita,
the love is shrunken. dekhiye na mane aisvarya – kevalara riti – pure
love is unmixed. Prabhupada has said here in the purport, “[There are]
two different kinds [of love]: aisvarya-purna, full of opulence, and
aisvarya-sithila, without opulence. Real love of Godhead begins with
aisvarya-sithila… ” There is no mixture of jnana and aisvarya. That is
vraja-prema, it is available in Vrajabhumi Vrindavan only, no where
else. In Vrindavan the priti is not shrunken. In Vrajabhumi Vrindavan,
the aisvarya is covered up with madhurya, sweetness. But in Mathura
and Dwarka, Madhurya is covered up with aisvarya. In Vrajabhumi if
they see aisvarya they don’t want it. This is the difference between
the vatsalya-rasa of Vasudev and Devaki and the vatsalya-rasa of
Yasoda and Nanda Maharaja. When Uddhava came to Vrajabhumi he
first met Nanda and Yasoda-mata, they were lamenting, feeling pangs
of separation from Krishna. Uddhava had to give them consolation. SO
Uddhava spoke to them about jnana: “Oh Krishna is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. He is all pervading, He is everything. Why are
you lamenting?”

Nanda Maharaja said, “Stop it! Stop it! He is my son! He is my son!”

tomara isvara-krsna hauka mora mati – “If your Krsna is isvara, the
Lord, that is all right. But He is my son.” This is pure vatsalya. They
didn’t accept Uddhava’s words. Yasoda-mata said the same thing,
“Stop! What are you saying Uddhava? Stop this! He is my son who
sucked my breast.” Krishna did not suck the breast of Devaki, He
sucked the breast of Yasoda-mata. He appeared before Devaki in a
four-armed form and she offered prayers, “Pleas don’t show this form.
I will be ridiculed. Show your two-handed form.” Then Krishna became
a baby and ordered, “Take me to Vraja, to Nanda Gokul.” So Vasudev
took Him there. Krishna as the son of Vasudev is Vasudev, possessing
a four-handed form. But the two-handed form of Krishna is Yasoda-
nandana, Nanda-nandana, the son of Nanda and Yasoda.

Krishna’s Appearance

Yasoda-mata had given birth at the same time as Devaki, but Yasoda-
mata fainted when she gave birth to Krishna. She didn’t know if she
had given birth to a son or a daughter. Actually she had given birth to
twins, one son and one daughter, but she didn’t know it. By the
activity of yoga-maya, all of the vrajavasis were sleeping. When
Vausdev brought His son Vasudev to the maternity room of Yasoda, as
a plenary portion of Krishna, Vasudev entered into Krishna. Then
Vasudev took Nanda’s daughter. By the activity of yoga-maya,
Vasudev could only see the daughter. He could not see the son.
Seeing only Yasoda’s daughter, Vasudev took her and Krishna
remained there.

Then baby Krishna started crying, “Kwaa, kwaa, kwaa, kwaa.” Hearing
those cries, all of the women of Vrajabhumi, who were sleeping, got
up. The women went to the sutika-grha – the maternity room in
Nanda’s house. There they saw a very beautiful child, with a nice
scent. There is no language to describe the beauty of that child. It as
if all the beauty avalable in both the material and spiritual worlds was
there in Him. His bodily hue was like ujjvala-nilakantha-mani, a
dazzling blue jewel. It was also like nava-jala-dharah, a newly
appeared cloud, and tamala-taru, the color of a tamal tree. There was
a kasturi-tilaka on His chest and kajjal, black ointment, around His
eyes. All auspicious symptoms were present on His body. He had curly
hair, suvarna-kuntala, and His fingers were very beautiful, like fish. All
cinha, auspicious signs, were present on His hands, but in order to hide
them, Krishna did not open His palms.

Then the women came to that maternity house and there was a
tumultuous hue and cry. So Yasoda-mata woke up. She could see that
she had given birth to a very beautiful son whose body was shining
with an effulgence like a transparent mirror. She saw a reflection of
her own form in the effulgent body of her son, and thought, “Oh, who
is this woman who has come to take away my son. It may be a witch
or something! Yey! You get out from here! Get out from here! Why
have you come to take my son?”

Yasoda-mata never offered prayers like Devaki and Vasudev did. This
is the difference between the vatsalya-rasa of Nanda and Yasoda and
the vatsalya-rasa of Devaki and Vasudev. Devaki and Vasudev’s
vatsalya is mixed with jnana and aisvarya, whereas Nanda and
Yasoda’s vatsalya is pure, unmixed. That pure love is only available in
Vrajabhumi.

Conjugal Mellow

Caitanya-caritamrta (madhya 19.191) describes:

madhura-rase bhakta-mukhya – vraje gopi gana

mahisi-gana, laksmi-gana, asankhya ganana

The chief devotees in conjugal love are the gopis in Vrindavan, the queens of Dwarka
and the goddesses of fortune in Vaikuntha. These devotees are innumerable.

These are the madhura-rasa bhaktas: the gopis in Vrindavan, the

mahisis – the more than 16,000 wives of Krishna in Dwarka, and the
laksmis in Vaikuntha. They are all madhura-rasa bhaktas, but still
there is a distinction between them. Kaviraj Goswami describes in
Caitanya-caritamrta (madhya 19.192-193):

punah krsna-rati haya duita prakara

aisvarya-jnana-misra, kevala-bheda ara

Attachment for Krishna is divided into two categories. One is attachment with awe
and reverence, and the other is pure attachment without reverence.

gokule ‘kevala’ rati – aisvarya-jnana-hina

puri-dvaye, vaikunthadye – aisvarya-pravina

Pure attachment without reverence is found in Golok Vrindavan. Attachment in which

awe and reverence is prominent is found in the two cities Mathura and Dwarka in
Vaikuntha.

Athough the vraja-gopis, the mahisis and the laksmis are all madhura-
rasa bhaktas still thre are two types: those whose attachment is mixed
wth aisvarya-jnana and those whose attachment is not mixed. Srila
Prabhupada has described these two: aisvarya-purna, full of opulence,
and aisvarya-sithila, without opulence. The madhura-rasa in
Vrajabhumi is pure and not mixed with any consideration of opulence.
Therefore Prabhupada says: “Real love of Godhead begins with
aisvarya-sithila” That is vraja-prema, real love.

Unreliable Black Men!

Radharani’s love is known as bamya-bhava, the mood of a left-wing

gopi. The gopi Chandravali is a rightist and Radharani is a leftist. Out
of pure love Radharani sometimes develops sulkiness, abhimana. If
Krishna goes to Chandravali’s kunja then Radharani becomes sulky.
She then says, “Black men are unreliable, unreliable. I won’t see those
black men!” She becomes mad, not eating, not sleeping, giving up
everything and wandering about speaking to stone pillars, creepers,
and trees. Seeing the black sky at night, she roars in anger, “Very
black face! Unreliable!” These are all symptoms of madness,
udghurna-pralapa – mad, delirious speech. This is described in the
forty-seventh chapter of the tenth canto of Bhagavatam. Radharani is
feeling separation and has become mad because Krishna has gone to
Chandravali’s kunja. So when Krishna finally comes, Radharani’s
intimate sakhis Visakha and Lalita tell Him, “Get out from here! Get out
from here! Get out from here! Why have You come? Our prana-priya-
sakhi, our most beloved friend Radharani, won’t look at You! Get out
from here! Go! Go to Chandravali!”

This is sweet lila – madhurya-rasa. You cannot find any such thing in
Mathura or Dwarka. There the rasa is mixed with jnana and aisvarya.
Real love of Godhead begins with aisvarya-sithila, without opulence,
simply on the basis of pure love. Srila Prabhupada has indicated this
with the words:

There are five stages of loving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, santa,
dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhurya. Devaki is on the platform of vatsalya. She
wanted to deal with her eternal son Krishna in that stage of love, and therefore she
wanted the Supreme Personality of Godhead to withdraw His opulent form of Sri
Vishnu. Srila Viswanath Chakravati Thakur illuminates this fact very clearly in his
explanation of this verse, bhakti, bhagavan and bhakta do not belong to the material
world.
Chapter Three
The Form of Krishna

In what form does He appear in Vrajabhumi? Gopa-vesa, venu-kara,

nava-kisaora, nata-vara. That is the beautiful form of kisora-krsna. He
is a youthful cowherd boy, bent in three places, with a flute in His
hand. Nava-kisora means nitya-kisora always ten or twelve years old.
He never grows beyond that. At every moment He appears newer,
newer, and newer – nityam nava-navaya-manam.

Srila Prabhupada has written: “Bhakti, bhagavan and bhakta do no

belong to the material world.” This is confirmed in Bhagavd-gita
(14.26)

mam ca yo ‘vyabhicareba bhakti-yogena sevate

sa gunam samatityaitam brahma-bhuyaya kalpate

One who engages in the spiritual activities on unalloyed devotional service

immediately transcends the modes of material nature and is elevated to the
spiritual platform.

Prabhupada writes:

From the very beginning of ones transactions in bhakti, one is situated

on the transcendental platform. Vasudev and Devaki, therefore, being
situated in a completely pure devotional state, are beyond this
material world and are not subject to material fear. In the
transcendental world, however, because of pure devotion, there is a
similar conception of fear, which is due to intense love.

Activity of Yogamaya

In Vrajabhumi, Krishna displays His very sweet transcendental lilas,

playing as an ordinary human child. Sometimes He eats earth. His
cowherd boy friends used to inform mother Yasoda, “Kanu is eating
earth.” Mother Yasoda, out of pure affection, would ask, “Oh kanu,
have You eaten earth?”
“No, mother! I have not eaten.”
“The other boys are saying.”
“They are telling lies! They are telling lies!”
“Have you not eaten?”
“No!”
“Then open Your mouth!”
“Aaaaaahhh …”
Child Krishna opened His mouth and when Mother Yasoda looked inside
she saw the whole universe! She thought, “Oh, what has happened to
my son? Is He haunted by a witch?”

Yasoda never thinks that Krishna is Bhagavan. Caitanya-caritamrta

(adi 6.55-56) describes:

suddha-vatsalya isvara-jnana nahi tara

tahaki preme karaya dasya-anukara

Ecstatic love makes him [Nanda Maharaja] feel himself to be a servant of

Lord Krishna. So what to speak of others?

This is suddha-vatsalya-priti, pure parental love, and this is yoga-

maya’s activity. By yoga-maya’s influence, Nanda and Yasoda have
forgotten that Krishna is Bhagavan. Were they to think of Krishna as
Bhagavan, there would be no question of suddha-vatsalya. Their love
would be mixed with jnana and aisvarya. They wold have feelings of
awe and reverence. Although Vasudev and Devaki offered prayers,
Yasoda-mata did not. Instead, she was thinking, “What happened to
my son? Is He haunted by some witch?”

Knowledge and Opulence

There is a difference between the vatsalya-rasa of Nanda and Yasoda

and the vatsalya-rasa of Vasudev and Devaki. Vasudev and Devaki’s
vatsalya-rati is mixed with jnana and aisvarya, and therefore they
offered prayers. Nanda-Yasoda did not offer prayers; they are situated
in pure vatsalya-rati.

Devaki’s fear is not material fear. It is due to intense love. Devaki

thought she would be ridiculed for having given birth to Vishnu a four-
handed child! For that reason she wanted Krishna with a two-handed
form. Therefore she requested the Lord to change His form.

This fear is due to intense love. Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport:

As stated in the Bhagavd-gita (bhakta mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi

tattvatah) and as confirmed in Srimad Bhagavatam (bhaktyaham
ekaya grahyah), without bhakti one cannot understand the spiritual
situation of the Lord. Bhakti may be considered in three stages called
guni-bhuta, pradhani-bhuta and kevala, and according to these stages
there are three divisions which are called jnana, jnanamayi, and rati or
prema – that is, simple knowledge, love mixed with knowledge and
pure love. By simple knowledge one can receive transcendental bliss
without variety. This perception is called mana-bhuti. When one
comes to the stage of jnanamayi, one realises the transcendental
opulences of the Personality of Godhead.

Jnanis, those who are brahma-vadis, cannot see any varieties. “This
perception is called mana-bhuti. When one comes to the stage of
jnanamayi one realises the transcendental opulence of the Personality
of Godhead.” This is known as aisvarya-mayi.

In Vaikuntha and in puri-dvaya – the two cities Mathura Puri and

Dwarka Puri – there is opulence. Krishna’s lilas in Mathura Puri and
Dwarka Puri are therefore known as aisvarya-mayi-lila. There,
madhurya, sweetness, is covered up with aisvarya, opulence. But in
vraja-lila there is only madhurya – it is full of sweetness. When one
comes to the stage of jnanamayi one realizes the transcendental
opulence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In that stage love is
mixed with jnana and aisvarya. It is known as priti-sankucita or rati-
sankucita, love that is shrunken. But when one reaches the stage of
real love one realizes the transcendental form of the Lord as Krishna or
Lord Rama, etc. This pure love, prema, is what is wanted. Prema is
known as the fifth purusartha, the fifth goal, pancama-purusartha.

Sri-vigraha-nista-rupadi – when one becomes attached to the form of

the Personality of Godhead then loving transactions between the Lord
and the devotee begin. Especially in madhurya-rasa one becomes
attached to the form of Krishna. It is that particular prema – gopi-
prema, radha-prema, madhurya-rasa – which contains all the ratis –
dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, and madhurya, that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
came to bestow.

Srimad Bhagavatam is the essence of all the Vedas and Vedantas,

sarva-vedanta-sara. All of these topics are discussed in the
Bhagavatam. Rupa Goswami is known as the rasacarya. Jiva Goswami
is known as the tattvacarya. They are acharyas, authorities. In his
Bhaktai-rasamrta-sindhu (1.1.45) Srila Rupa Goswami has said:

svalpapi rucir eva syad bhakti-tattvavabodhika

yuktis tu kevala naiva yad asya apratisthata

Even a little taste for bhakti is a passport to understanding the true nature of
bhakti. Mere argument has no sound foundation and is not conducive to
understanding bhakti.

Brahmanda brahmite kona bhagyavan jiva – a fortunate jiva, one who

has acquired some agnata-sukrti, unknowingly acquired piety, will
come for sadhu-sanga by which he will develop some krsna-katha-ruci,
some taste for the topics of the Lord, bhagavat-katha. Then he can
understand bhagavat-bhakti-tattva. One cannot understand bhakti-
tattva if he adds his own deliberation or material logic and arguments
to it. Answering the question of Dharmaraj, Yudhisthir Maharaja has
said (Mahabharata, Vana-parva 313.117):

tarko ‘pratisthah srutayo vibhinna

nasav rsir yasya matam na bhinnam
dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam
mahajano yena gatah sa panthah

Dry arguments are inconclusive. A great personality whose opinion does not
differ from othher is not considered a great sage. Simply by studying the
Vedas, which are variegated, once cannot come to the right path by which
religious principles are understood. The solid truth of religious principles is
hidden in the heart of an unadulterated, self-realized person. Consequently,
as the sastras confirm, one should accept whatever progressive path the
mahajanas advocate.

You cannot establish Vedic truth if you add material logic or argument.
If you do, then it will become different, different, different – strutayo
vibhinna. Therefore many philosophers and philosophies are there. It
is not a pure philosophy, but rather their own concoted ideas. They are
all based on suska-yukti, the dry philosophy of material logic and
argument. They cannot understand this suddha-bhakti-dharma-tattva.
Rupa Goswami has said that you cannot establish it by dint of your
material logic and argument.

Three Tattvas

In Caitanya-caritamrta (20.143) Mahaprabhu has said:

veda-sastre kahe sambandha, abhideya, prayojana

krsna, krsna-bhakti, prema, - tina maha-dhana

In the Vedic literatures, Krishna is the central point of attraction, and His
service is our activity. To attain the platform of love of Krishna is life’s
ultimate goal. Therefore Krishna, Krishna’s service and love of Krishna are the
three great riches of life.

In the Vedas there are three truths – vede tri-tattva kaya. They are
sambandhana-tattva, abhideya-tattva and prayojana-tattva. The
sambandha is Krishna, the abhidheya is krsna-bhakti, and the
prayojana is prema. Sambandha means relationship. There is only
one relationship, which is the relationship with Krishna. There is no
other realtionship.
Krishna is bent in three places, tri-bhanga-lalita, indicating these three
tattvas: are sambandhana-tattva, abhidheya-tattva and prayojana-
tattva. His first bend, bhanga is at the feet. The second bend is in the
lips (?hips p. 37) – the left-hand side is bent towards Radharani. And
the third bend is in the heart. First are the feet, which represents
sambandha-tattva, relationship. The presiding deity of sambandha-
tattva is Madana-mohan, Radha-Madhana-mohan. The second bend is
in the lips, which is abhidheya-tattva, bhakti. The presiding deity of
abhideheya-tattva is Radha-Govinda. And the third bend is in the
heart, that is prayojana-tattva, prema. The presiding deity of
prayojana-tattva is Radha-Gopinath. The Vedas give these three
invaluable assets tina maha dhana. A fortunate jiva who gets these
invaluable assets becomes rich with krsna-prema and he will be really
happy. Otherwise he cannot get happiness.

Everything you find in this material world is related to Krishna. That is

Krishna sambandha, the eternal sambandha. Bahktivinode Thakur has
said, sei ta’ sambandhe sabe amar – the realtionship we want to
establish is our eternal relationship with Krishna. Here in the material
world relationships are temporary, anitya-sambandha. These anitya-
sambandhas, temporary material relationships, only give us misery,
unhappiness and suffering. But if you establish your perfect, eternal
relationship with Krishna,then you will be happy. There will be no more
misery or unhappiness. This is sambandha-tattva.

The abhidheya described in the Vedas is bhakti. One should achieve

that bhakti. That bhakti is the kartavya, duty, of every jiva because
every jiva has a perfect eternal loving relationship with Krishna. Bhakti
is the svarupa, the eternal nature of the living entities – jivera
‘svarupa’ haya, krsnera nitya-dasa.

These three words bhakta, bhakti and bhagavan are derived from the
verbal root “bhaj”. “Bhaj” means “to serve”. Bhakta means servant,
servant of Krishna. Bhakti means service to Krishna, and bhagavan
means sevya-vastu, He whom is to be served. Therefore, krsna-bhakti
is the duty if a jiva and krsna-prema is the jivas only prayojana,
requirement or goal. Therefore we say, “loving service”. When you
render service to Krishna it should be loving service, not ordinary
service – priti-maya-seva ara prema-mayi-seva. Otherwise Krishna
won’t accept it. You should accept that you are an eternal servant of
Krishna. You duty is to render service unto Krishna, and that service
should be priti-mayi, it should be loving service. Love is required. That
is prayojana-tattva, prema.

Essence of Supreme Godhead

In the Vedas there are three tattvas and three places of Krishna’s
pastimes, Krishna in Dwarka, Krishna in Mathura and Krishna in
Vrajabhumi. Krishna in Dwarka is complete, Krishna in Mathura is more
complete and Krishna in Vrajabhumi is most complete.

Krishna in Vrajabhumi is nanda-nandana-krsna, the son of Nanda

Maharaja, not vasudeva-nandana-krsna, the son of Vasudev. The son
of Vasudev is known as Vasudev. It is yasoda-nandana-krsna and
nanda-nandana-krsna – the son of Yasoda and Nanda Maharaja – who is
eternally kisora. Kisora refers to an eleven or twelve year old.This
Kisora is a cowherd boy, and He is very beautiful. He is svayam-
bhagavan the original Personality of Godhead. Nanda-nandana-krsna,
the son of Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda-mata, is the essence of the
Supreme Godhead, bhagavatta-sara. All other aspects of Godhead are
His portions, His plenary portions, or portions of His portions – amsa or
kala. The lla-, yuga-, purusa and guna avataras are all Krishna’s amsa
and kala, His portions. But ete camsa-kalah pumsa krsnas tu
bhagavan svayam – nanda-nandana-krsna, yasoda-nandana-krsna, is
svayam bhagavan the origin of all avataras.

Reservoir of Sweetness

Nanda-nandana-krsna, yasoda-nandana-krsna, is madhurya-maya,

madhuryaka-nilaya. Madhuryaka-nilaya means the reservoir of all
madhuryas, all types of sweetness. Krishna possesses four types of
madhuryas: rupa-madhurya, the sweetness of His supremely beautiful
form, venu-madhurya, the sweetness of His flute playing; rati-
madhurya, the sweetness of His loving dealings and lila-madhurya, the
sweetness of His wonderful pastimes. These four kinds of madhurya
are only available with kisora-krsna. They are not available in any of
His plenary portions or portions of portions, amsa or kala. Therefore
kisora-krsna is bhagavatta-sara – the quintessence of the Supreme
Godhead. For that reason in the Caitanya-caritamrta Kaviraj Goswami
has said, madhurya bhagavatta-sara – the quintessence of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Do you understand this word
madhurya? In English you say sweetness, but it is not sufficient.
English is a nasty language. Sweetness is not exact – madhurya is the
word. It is so sweet.

What is the rupa, the form of madhurya-rasa? That form is nandan-

nandana-krsna, yasoda-nandana-krsna in Vrajabhumi. He is the
svayam-bhagavan, the Original Personality of Godhead. Who can
understand that madhurya? Only a prema-bhakta, otherwise one
cannot understand Krishna. Krishna’s dealings with the vrajavasis, the
residents of Vrajabhumi, especially the gopis, are very intimate and are
based on pure love. In other svarupas, other forms of the Lord, such
dealings are not there.

The Flute

In what form does He appear in Vrajabhumi? gopa-vesa, venu-kara,

nava-kisora, nata-vara. That is the beautiful form of kisora-krsna. He is
a youthful cowherd boy, bent in three places with a flute in His hand.
Nava-kisora means nitya-kisora, always ten or twelve years old. HE
never grows beyond that. At every moment He appears newer, newer
and newer – nityam-nava-navaya-manam. He is never the same and
He never becomes old. That nava-kisora form is in Vrajabhumi. And
venu-kara, He has a flute in hand. This flute is not in Mathura and not
in Dwarka. It is only in Vrajabhumi. Prabhupada has written in his
purport, “The special significance of Krishna bearing a flute in His
hands in Vrindavan, Vrajabhumi.” Therefore only Krishna in
Vrajabhumi is madhuryaka-nilaya, the reservoir of all madhuryas. You
will never find these madhuryas in any other form of Krishna.

One material example may be given. A man may meet some friends
or acquaintances on the road. He will appear to them in one particular
way. The same man at the office with his co-workers may have another
kind of appearance. And in his home, with his own family, wife and
children, he will again have another kind of appearance. The three are
different. They are not the same. The form in which he appears at
home is svayam-rupa, the complete form. His very intimate dealings
are there in the home. You will not find such dealings on the road or in
the office.

Similarly, Krishna’s nitya-kisora form and His dealings with the

residents of Vrajabhumi are very intimate and loving. You cannot find
such dealings in Mathura and Dwarka. That form is not there and the
dealings are also not there.

Last limit of Prema

Vraja-prema is the last limit of prema, prema-parakastha, and the form

appearing there is purna-rupa, the most complete form. That form is
the svayam-rupa, the original form of Krishna. These loving dealings
between the prema-bhakta and Bhagavan are the mellow of love, rasa.
In brahman you will not find any such mellow of love. In the personal
brahman there is no activity of any sakti, brahma-nihsaktika. So there
cannot be loving dealings with brahman. Brahmavadis, impersonalists,
are dry; they have noloving dealings.
There are three types of manifestations of the Lord – brahman,
paramatma, and Bhagavan – brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti
sabdyate. In paramatma there are only the activities of the maya-sakti
and the jiva-sakti. There is no activity of the svarupa-sakti, the internal
energy. Therefore there are no loving dealings with paramatma.
Loving dealings are the activity of the svarupa-sakti. As the svarupa-
sakti is absent in paramatma, there are no loving dealings with the
paramatma. Paramatma only gives everyone their deserved karma-
phala, the fruits of their activities, in an impartial manner. Paramatma
is there as the witness in the heart. He witnesses your activities and
impartially gives you the result of your karma – karma-phala pradana
karuchi. Therefore brahman and paramatma are not rasa-svarupa,
they have no mellow. In brahman and paramatma, happiness is there,
they are ananda-svarupa, but they are not rasa-svarupa, there is no
happiness due to an active relationship. But in svayam-bhagavan,
vrajendra-nandana-krsna, madhuryaka-nilaya-krsna, who is nitya-
kisora in Vrajabhumi, there is no activity of the svarupa-sakti. The
loving dealings of Krishna with the vrajavasis and the vrajavasi’s loving
dealings with Krishna are the activities of the svarupa-sakti. This vraja-
prema is the last limit of prema.

A simple Child

Therefore Krishna is rasa-svarupa. He is served in Vrajabhumi with five

chief rasas – santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, and madhurya. Yogamaya
arranges all the pastimes there, thereby both lover and beloved relish
rasa. There is reciprocation. It is not one-sided. In order to relish that
rasa, Krishna, the all knowing Supreme Personality of Godhead, by the
influence of Yoga-maya, acts as a simple child. That is yoga-maya’s
activity. Krishna, who is Vishwambhara, the maintainer of the
unlimited universes, wants to be maintained by His father and mother,
Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda-mata. The material brain cannot
understand it, but this is tattva. Therefore, Yasoda-mata and Nanda
Maharaja say, “Oh, He is my son, He’s my son, not Bhagavan – suddha-
vatsalye isvara-jnana nahi tara.” Krishna also accepts and acts in that
way, thinking, “I will be maintained by My father and mother, Nanda
Maharaja and Yasoda-mata.” This is lalya-jnana.
Chapter Four

Bound By Love

Those who are sankhya-yogis engage in analytical discussion on Him.

Those who are devotees offer prayers to the Supreme Lord Krishna.
But mother Yasoda said, “He is my son. He is my son.”

Lord Ramchandra’s reputation fro having killed Ravan with showers of

arrows at the request of the demigods and for having built a bridge overt
he ocean does not constitute the factual glory of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead Lord Ramachandra, whose spiritual body is always engaged in
various pastimes. Lord Ramachandra has no equal or superior, and
therefore he had no need to take help from the monkeys to gain victor over
Ravan.

Purport

As stated in the Vedas (Svetasvatara Upanishad 6.8):

na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate

na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate
parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate
svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca

“The Supreme Lord has nothing to do, and no one is found to be equal to or greater
than Him, for everything is done naturally and systematically by His multifarious
energies.” The Lord has nothing to do (na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate);
whatever He does is His pastime. The Lord has no duty to perform to oblige anyone.
Nonetheless, He appears to act to protect His devotees or kill His enemies. Of-course
no ne can be the Lords enemy, since who could be more powerful then the Lord?
There is actually no question of anyone’s being His enemy, but when the Lord wants
to take pleasure in pastimes, He comes down to this material world and acts like a
human being, thus showing His wonderful glorious activities to please the devotees.
His devotees always wants to see the Lord victorious in varied activities, and
therefore to please Himself and them, the Lord sometimes agrees to act as a human
being and perform wonderful, uncommon pastimes for the satisfaction of the
devotees.
- Srimad Bhagavatam 9.11.20

Help of the Monkeys

Why did Lord Ramachandra take help from the monkeys to gain victory
over Ravan? He had no need. He is supreme – no one is equal to Him.
Then why did He take help from the monkeys? To give pleasure to His
devotees. There is no other reason.

The Supreme Lord does not do anything, but by His mere willing His
multifarious energies act. The Lord has nothing to do, na tasya karyam
karanam ca vidyate. Whatever He does is His pastime. The Lord has
no duty to perform to oblige anyone. Nonetheless, He appears to act
to protect His devotes and kill His enemies. Of-course no one can be
the Lord’s enemy. In the Gita (9.29) Krishna has said:

samo ‘ham sarva-bhutesu na me dvesyo ‘sti na priyah

ye bhajanti tu mam bhaktya mayi tesu capy aham

I am equal to everyone. No one is dear to Me, no one is inimical to Me.

No one can be the Lord’s enemy because no one is equal to Him. Who
could be more powerful than the Lord? There is no question of any one
being His enemy, but when the Lord wants to take pleasure in pastimes
He comes down to this material world and acts like a human being and
thus He shows His wonderful glorious activities fort he pleasure of the
devotees. To relish pastimes, He displays His wonderful will: “I will
fight. I want to enjoy raudra-rasa, the mellow of anger.”

If the opponent is not equally powerful there will be no happiness in

fighting. The Lord wants to relish the raudra–rasa by fighting, so by His
wonderful will His own devotees come down here as raksas, demons,
and act as enemies of the Lord and fight with Him.

The next incarnation of Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakasipu were Ravan

and Kumbhakarna. They were two brothers Jaya and Vijay. They fell
down here and acted as demons for three lives. They fought with the
Lord and thereby the Lord got pleasure, relishing the mellow of raudra-
rasa. Simultaneously the devotees were also pleased – it is reciprocal.
No one is the Lord’s enemy, but when He wants to enjoy pastimes, He
descends to this material world and acts like a human being. In this
way, for the pleasure of His devotees, He displays His nectarean lilas.
His devotees always want to see the Lord victorious, therefore to
please Himself, and them as well, the Lord sometimes agrees to act as
a human being and perform wonderful, uncommon pastimes.
Otherwise He has nothing to do here; there is no need of His coming
down here.

Eternally Free

The Lord is affectionate to His devotees – bhakta-vatsala-bhagavn.

This is most important. Who can make the Lord submit? He is
superior, He is asamordhva-tattva – no one is equal to Him or superior
to Him. How can one make the Lord submit? In Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya
(14.29) He has said:

sada mukto ‘pi baddho ‘smi bhaktena sneha rajjubhih

ajito ‘pi jito ‘ham tair avaso ‘pi vasu krtah
Though I am eternally free and independent, still I become bound up with the rope of
love of My devotees.

He is eternally free, unbound, and independent. Where is the question

of bondage for Him? But, sada mukto ‘pi baddho ‘smi bhaktena sneha
rajjubhih – “I sometimes become bound up with the rope of love of My
devotee.” That is bhakta-vatsalya. ajito ‘pi jito ‘ham tair avaso ‘pi vasu
krtah – He is unconquerable, ajita. No one can conquer Him. But
because He is bhakta-vatsala sometimes His devotees conquers him.
SO CONQUER HIM! This is question of prema-rasa, loving mellow.
Bhagavan Krishna accepted bhakta-bhava, the mood of a devotee. He
came as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and gave love of God. He is the
prema-purusottama. The topmost person who gives Krishna prema. He
gives prema freely and indiscriminately to one and all. With that same
prema He becomes bound up. He gives prema, and with that same
prema the prema-bhakti binds up Lord Hari in his heart. Therefore,
such a prema-bhakta always sees Lord hari, Krishna, in His hear, within
and without. He never even for a moment forgets Krishna and never
for a moment is he out of sight of Krishna.

Krishna says this in Bhagavad-gita (6.30):

yo mam pasyati sarvatra ca mayi pasyati

tasyaham na pranasjami sa ca me na pranasyati

For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost nor is he
ever lost to Me.

This is complete Krishna consciousness. “One who sees Me

everywhere and sees everything in Me is not out of My sight nor am I
out of His sight.” Such a prema-bhakta, who has developed prema,
sees Krishna everywhere. He sees Krishna within, in his heart, and
outside as well. Kaviraj Goswami has written (Cc. Madhya 25.127):

bhakta ama preme bandiyache hrdaya-bhitare

yaha netra pada taha dekhaye amare

A highly elevated devotee can bind Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in his
heart by love. Wherever he looks he sees Me and nothing else.

Although Krishna is supremely independent – He is the supreme svarat

purusa – still he is bound up with the love of the devotee, He is
dependent on His devotee. In the Bhagavatam ninth canto (4.63)
while speaking to Durvasa Muni, He said:

aham bhakta-paradhino hy asvatantra iva dvija

sadhubhir grasta-hrdayo bhaktair bhakta-jana-priyah
I am completely under the control of My devotees. Indeed I am not at
all independent. Because My devotees are completely devoid of
material desires, I sit only within cores of their hearts. What to speak
of My devotees, even those who are devotees of my devotees are very
dear to Me.

Sadhubhir grasta-hrdayo bhaktair – that sadhu-bhakta has occupied My

heart. Krishna is rasika-sekara, the supreme relisher of rasa. To relish
pure pream-rasa, the loving mellow of His prema-bhakta, He becomes
bound up with the rope of love. This is His nature. He is very greedy
to relish that mellow. Because of His bhakta-vatsalya he becomes
simultaneously bound up in the heart of each an every premi-bhakta.
This prema is the activity or play of hladini-sakti, the Lord’s pleasure
potency and thus the Supreme Lord becomes bound up. This is the
dharma, the nature of prema. It is very wonderful and very excellent.

Defeated by Love

Caitanya-caritamrta (antya 18.18) describes:

krsnere nacaya prema, bhaktere nacaya

apane nacaye, - time nace eka-thani

Ecstatic love of Krishna makes Krishna and His devotees dance. It also
dances personally. In this way all three dance together in one place.

Prema itself dances. It makes the devotee dance, and it makes Krishna
dance. All three dance simultaneously. The heart of such a premi-
bhakta is Vrindavan, where Krishna always blissfully remains. He
never leaves. The Lord is always eager to give happiness to His
devotees, His premi-bhaktas. Krishna even takes their remanants. He
snatches away morsels of food from the cowherd boys. Because He is
bhakta-vatsala, He submits Himself to the premi-bhaktas. Both bhakta
and Bhagavan dance together with love and Krishna becomes bound
up with the rope of that love. Though He is all-powerful, almighty, He
cannot break that bondage. He says, na paraye – “I cannot repay the
love of my pure devotees. It is beyond my capacity.” This is bhakta-
vatsalya.

In Caitanaya-bhagavata (madhya 9.212-214) the akincana-bhakta

Kolavecha Sridhar offers prayers:

bhaktiyoge bhsima toma jinila samare

bhaktiyoge yasodaya bandhila tomare

bhaktiyoge tomare becila satyabhama

 bhaktibase tumi kandhe kaile goparama

ananta brahmanda-koti bahe yare mane

se tumi sridama-gopa bahila apane

By the power of devotional service Bhisma defeated You in battle. By

the power of devotional service Yasoda tied You up. By the power of
devotional service Sathyabhama purchased You. Defeated by
devotional service You carried the cowherd boys on Your shoulders.
Limitless millions of universes are manifested from Your thoughts, still
You personally carried the gopa Sridama.

In pure bhakti-yoga, Bhishma conquered Krishna on the battlefield of

Kurukshetra. Although Krishna is unconquerable, still such a premi-
bhakta conquers Him. Krishna accepts defeat. He gets pleasure when
His bhakta defeats Him. bhaktiyoge yasodaya bandhila tomare –
Mother Yasoda bound up Krishna with pure bhakti. Who can bind up
the Supreme Lord Krishna? Nobody can bind Him. But to relish the
loving mellow of Yasoda’s vatsalya-rasa, her parental affection, He
manifests such pastimes whereby He gives pleasure to His devotee
and He Himself gets pleasure out of it.

Supreme Thief

In His childhood pastimes, at the age of two or three, Krishna would go

to the houses of the gopis and steal makhan, butter. He’s the supreme
thief. The gopis were delighted to feed makhan to Gopal, but they
came to Yasoda and made complaints, “Yasoda, your son Gopal is
coming to our house and stealing all our makhan.” Just see how
wonderful this is! They were delighted to feed Gopal makhan, and
then, coming to Yasoda, they lodged complaints against Him.

Yasoda became angry. She said, “” Gopal! Have You been eating
makhan?” In broken language this two year old boy said, o meya, me
nehi makhan khaya – “Mother I have not eaten makhan.” The mother
became angrier, “Yes, makhan is there on Your mouth. Are You telling
lies? Makhan is there, why are You telling lies?” Gopal said, “Mother
they have smeared on My mouth.”

Do you think Gopal told a lie? No, He never lies. He speaks the truth,
but His trick is how He speaks. “o meya mene hi makhan khaya”
means “O mother I have eaten makhan.” He spoke in such a way that
it has two meanings, positive and negative. Gopal is a very, very tricky
fellow. He knows how to speak in such a way. We cannot understand
it, we will commit a mistake. There is no fault with Gopal. He is
Vishwambhara, who maintains the whole universe, who supplies food
to all living entities in the whole universe. He is not attached to
anything. Everything is His property. He is the only proprietor.
Isavasyam idam sarvam – Everything belongs to isa, the Supreme Lord.
Everything is His property. Then why did He go to some other house
and steal? Because it was such a pleasurable lila for His devotees. He
got pleaseure and the devotees got pleasure. It is so wonderful! When
Gopal went to the house of some gopi, liking Gopal very much she fed
Him, “take this makhan.” So it is not amazing that makhan was
smeared over His mouth. Gopal’s black face with white makhan on it
looked so nice. When the gopis saw such wonderful beauty, a black
face with white makhan, they became very much delighted. Whenever
Gopal got the opportunity He would steal. He was a wo or three-year-
old child, so His nature was naturally fickle. He had some wickedness
in Him. When mother rebuked and scolded Gopal, then for some days
He would not go to the houses of the gopis. When Gopal didn’t come,
and the gopis weren’t getting His darsana, they felt very distressed,
“Oh, why is Gopal not coming, why is He not coming?” They went to
the house of Mother Yasoda and inquired, “Why isn’t Gopal coming to
our house? Is He okay? Is He okay?”

Feeding the Monkeys

Mother Yasoda said to Gopal, “Your intelligence, Your play, Your

activities, are like that of monkeys. And You are with so many
monkeys. Gopal, are You not afraid, surrounded by so many
monkeys?” Gopal said, “Mother these monkeys helped Lord Rama.
Rama was going to conquer Lanka and kill Ravan. The monkeys
underwent severe tribulations, suffering, suffering, suffering. Lord
Rama was wondering in the forest. He had no food to give them. He
had nothing. Sometimes they couldn’t get anything at all to eat.
Sometimes they were jumping from one branch to another to get some
fruit, and some days they might not have gotten anything, so they had
to fast. Now see, mother, how they are stretching out their hands,
begging for makhan, ‘Give us, give us, give us makhan’ They are
eating with such delight.” This is such a wonderful sweet lila. The
Supreme Lord makes His devotees drown in the ocean of happiness,
joyfulness and pleasure.

Yasoda-mata, due to her vatsalya-rasa, parental love, forgot that

Krishna is Bhagavan. She was only thinking how to make everything
auspicious for her son, how to make her son happy. By the activity of
yoga-maya, she was only thinking, “My son, my son!” She was only
thinking these kind of thoughts. The Bhagavatam (10.8.45) describes:

trayya copanisadbhis ca sankhya-yogais ca satvataih

upagiyamana mahatmyam harim samanytatmajam
The glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are studied
throughout the three Vedas, the Upanishads, the literature of the
sankhya-yoga, and other vaishnava literature. Yet mother Yasoda
considered that Supreme Person as her ordinary child.

Those who are sankhya-yogis engage in analytical discussion on Him.

Those who are devotees offer prayers to the Supreme Lord Krishna.
But mother Yasoda said, “He is my son, He is my son!” – samanya-
tatmajam. This is pure vatsalya-rasa.

Complaints

As Gopal grew up His wickedness also increased and everyday mother

Yasoda would get complaints, “Your son Gopal steals, steals, steals.”
So mother Yasoda became angry. She thought very deeply, “Why is
my son stealing? We have enough makhan in our house, why is He
stealing from other’s houses? There is no scarcity in our house. We
have plenty.” She thought, “Oh, I have engaged the maid servants to
churn the yoghurt to make makhan. I have not made it with my own
hands. Therefore Gopal doesn’t like it and He goes to other’s houses
and steals. From today I’ll do it with my own hands.” So with her own
hands she milked the best cows available and then churned the
yoghurt and prepared makhan for Gopal. With her mouth she was
singing the glories of Gopal. While her hands were churning yogurt,
the bangles on her wrists were producin a tinkling sound, “runjhun,
runjhun, runjhun, runjhun.” Gopal was sleeping. Waking up and
finding mother not there, He cried, “Ma, ma, ma, ma, ma.”

Yasoda said, “Gopal, I’m here. I’m churning yogurt, preparing makhan
for You. Come here.” Gopal went there and got on the lap of mother
Yasoda and started sucking her breast. At this time, at a distance,
mother had put a big pot of milk on the stove and the milk was boiling.
It began to swell up and pour out onto the ground. Noticing it, mother
Yasoda immediately stood up, put Gopal on the ground, and ran to take
the pot of the stove. Gopal was sucking her breast and not satisfied,
so He took a piece of stone and threw it at the pot of yogurt. The pot
was broken to pieces and all the yogurt poured out onto the ground.
Gopal was angry and crying and crying. He went to another house and
started stealing makhan. Standing up on a grinding mortar, He began
stealing the butter that was hanging there on a swing.

Footprints

With her body, mind and speech, twenty-four hours, day and night,
mother Yasoda was engaged in the loving service of Krishna. No other
thought was there in her. While she was engaged in churning yogurt,
with her mouth she was singing the glories of Krishna and in her mind
she was thinking of Krishna. This is the lastlimit of vatsalya-rasa,
parental love. She is the mother of the whole universe – nikhila-
visvara-mata-svarupa. Mother Yasoda, whose son is Lord Krishna,
possesses such pure vatsalya-rasa, mother’s love. In order to save the
pot of milk from boiling over, she put the child Krishna on the ground.
Was this cruel on her part? No, no. Krishna is sevya. Yasoda is
sevaka. Mother Yasoda is the servant. Krishna is to be served. Bhakta
and Bhagavan. Such premi-bhaktas are twenty-four hours, day and
night, engaged in loving service in varieties of ways. They only want
to serve Krishna and give Him pleasure – krsnarthe akhila-cesta.
Mother Yasoda’s heart was completely filled with putra-sneha – a loving
attitude toward her son. She was always thinking how to obtain all
auspiciousness, pleasure and happiness for Krishna, Gopal. Where is
the cruelty? It is not cruelty. Sometimes such a thing happens, but it
is for the service of Krishna. There was such a loving attitude that
there was no cruelty.

In this pastime there is lilananda, the Lord relishing the mellow of His
sweet lila, and there is also bhaktas experiencing premananda, getting
pleasure from rendering such loving service unto Krishna. Two types of
ananda, the Lord’s lilananda and the bhaktas premananda, combined
together to create apurva paramananda – unprecedented supreme
ananda. The Lord and the devotee, bhagavan and bhakta, both
become merged, drowned, in an ocean of ananda. No one can
describe it with language, for it is indescribable. Raso vai sah – He is
the reservoir of all rasa, mellow. He is rasa Himself. He is rasika, He
relishes. He is the relisher and He is also to be relished, asvadya. He
gives opportunity to His premi-bhaktas to relish such mellow.

Taking the pot of milk of the stove, mother Yasoda returned and saw
the big pot of yogurt completely broken to pieces and all the yogurt
poured out on the ground. Gopal was not there. Gopal had gone out
to another house. On the floor were His footprints. Tracing the
footprints, mother Yasoda saw, “Gopal is now standing on a grinding
mortar and stealing makhan from the swing. In the house many, many
monkeys are there. The house is filled with monkeys and they are all
eating makhan. Gopal is giving makhan to them. The monkeys are
stretching out their hands and eating. So much makhan has fallen
onto the floor that the whole floor is looking white.”

Punishment

Mother Yasoda became very angry. Taking a cane in her hand,

stealthily, stealthily, she came into the room and stood just behind
Gopal. Seeing mother Yasoda with a cane in her hand, the monkeys
immediately jumped down and ran out the door. Gopal looked back,
“Oh, mother is here with a cane in her hand and it looks like she is in a
very grave, angry mood!” The monkeys ran away and left Gopal
standing on the grinding mortar. Jumping down, He tried to get out of
the room, but mother was very angry today. She was not going to
spare Him today.

Mother thought, “I must bind Him. I won’t spare Him today.” Thinking
this she ran after Gopal with a rope to tie Him up. But Gopal
manifested some aisvarya, opulence. He decided, “I will not be caught
by mother. She will run behind Me and I will run, but I will not be
caught.” This is aisvarya. Gopal was running, but not straight. He was
running like a snake, running in a zigzag way. Mother Yasoda is a bit of
a fat lady; she was running behind Gopal, but couldn’t catch Him. She
became tired and was breathing heavily. The flower garland of
karabira(Oleander) flowers in her braid had fallen down on the ground.
Her hair was all scattered and she was very tired.

At last, mother’s eye fell upon the reddish lotus feet of Gopal. Those
reddish lotus feet of the Lord are the subject of meditation of the
devotees. She thought, “Oh, such soft feet. If they are pricked by
some thorn, Gopal will get so much pain.” With this thought she
became morose. When the devotees vision is fixed at the reddish lotus
feet of the Lord, He becomes captured. Gopal thought, “Now, I’ll be
caught. Mother is very tired, so I’ll allow her to catch Me.” In this way,
mother Yasoda caught Him.

She was very angry that day. Gopal had put her into so much anxiety.
“Everyday so many complaints of stealing, and He has broken this big
pot of yogurt, then giving all the makhan to the monkeys, and making
me so tired. This little baby has vexed me in so many ways.” Mother
was very angry. With her right hand she’s holding a cane and with her
left hand she has caught Gopal. Mother then bound Him up to the
wooden grinding mortar.

Mother’s Cane

In his Damodarastaka prayers (verse 1) Satyavrata Muni has written of

this lila and described that form Damodar:

namamisvaram sac-cid-ananda-rupam
lasat-kundalam gokule bhrajamanam
yasoda-bhiyolukhalad dhavamanam
paramrstam atyantato drutya gopya
To the Supreme Lord, whose form is the embodiment of eternal
existence, knowledge, and bliss, whose shark-shaped earrings are
swinging to and fro, who is beautifully shining in the divine realm of
Gokul, who (due to the offense of breaking the pot of yogurt that His
mother was churning into butter and then stealing the butter that was
kept hanging from a swing) is quickly running from the woden grinding
mortar in fear of mother Yasoda, but who has been caught from behind
by her who ran after Him with greater speed – to that Supreme Lord,
Sri Damodar, I offer my humble obeisances.

Such a nice pastime in Gokul! Gopal has stolen makhan. Mother

Yasoda is trying to catch Him. Gopal is running very swiftly in a zigzag
way. Mother Yasoda is running behind Him, drutya gopya, and at last
catches Him. Such a form! Such a picture! A bhakta whose rasa is
vatsalya-rasa may think, “Oh, I want to see this form.” Gopal running
and mother Yasoda running behind Him. At last she catches Him.

Seeing mother in this angry mood, Gopal started crying. His earrings
were shaking because of heavy breathing. His chest was moving up
and down, and with His two palms He was rubbing His eyes. There was
a black ointment that mother had put on His eyes and this ointment
had become smeared over His black face and the red palms of His
hands. Such a wonderful form. Satyavrata Muni jas written
(Damodarataka verse 2):

rudantam muhur netra-yugmam mrjantam

karambhoja-yugmena satanka-netram
muhuh svasa-kampa-trirekhanka-kantha-
sthita-graiva damodaram bhakti-baddham

(Seeing the whipping stick in His mothers hand,) He is crying and

rubbing his eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes
are filled with fear, and the necklace of pearls around His neck, which
is marked with three lines like a conch shell, is shaking because of His
quick breathing due to crying. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodar,
whose belly is bound not with ropes but with His mothers pure love, I
offer my humble obeisances.

Gopal was crying. His two lotus palms were rubbing His eyes.
Satanka-netram – His eyes were fearful. Muhuh svasa-kampa – He was
breathing heavily. Trirekha – three lines on His neck. His chest was
moving up and down. This is His form, a wonderful form!

This is vatsalya-rasa. Standing there with a cane in her hand, mother

Yasoda was angry. Gopal was crying and said, “Mother, why are you
holding that cane? Throw it away.” Mother laughed and said, “Yes,
there is no need of a cane now. I have bound Him up.” So mother
Yasoda threw away the cane. Bhayanam-bhayankara – the Supreme
Lord who is fearful to all demons, was crying out of fear, seeing the
cane in His mother’s hand. When mother Yasoda dropped the cane,
Gopal looked at His friends and laughed. Then mother Yasoda said,
“Oh Gopal, You are very much frightened. You are crying.” Gopal,
looking at His friends, laughed. Then looking at mother Yasoda, He
cried. Gopal suppressed His laughing, because if mother Yasoda saw
His laughing the lila would be spoiled.

While this was taking place, some cowherd men and women and some
cowherd boys came. The young girls seeing the pitiable condition of
mother Yasoda, how she was so fatigued, looked at each other and
smiled. The grown up women said, “O Yasoda, why are you so angry?
Gopal is just a young child. Release Him, release Him. Don’t bind
Him.”

Our Friend!

The friends of Gopal: Sridama, Madhumangal, Subal, and others were

standing at a distance. They could not come near because mother was
very angry. They were getting so much pain their hearts, “Oh, our
friend is in bondage! How can we release Him?” This is sakkhya-rasa.
Their dear friend was in bondage. Mother had bound Him up to the
wooden grinding mortar. They dared not come near because she was
very angry, but they were thinking how to release their friend. Gopal
looked at His friends standing at a distance. They gave a sign, and
whispered, “Kanu, Kanu, crawl down, crawl down, crawl down.” This is
sakhya-rasa. They felt such compassion for their friend. They were
thinking, “How will our friend be released?” Such a wonderful,
wonderful mellow! The Supreme Lord, who cuts the material bondage
of everyone, was in bondage! His friends, feeling pain in their hearts,
were thinking, “How will our Kanu be released? He is our friend,
bandhu-jana.” They were never thinking of Him as Bhagavan. Such a
pure rasa, pure mellow! Looking at His friends Gopal smiled; looking
at mother He cried.

Then Gopal crawled into the courtyard. As He crawled between the

two Arjun trees, the grinding mortar was rolling and it got stuck there
sideways. Then the two Arjun trees were uprooted and they fell with a
great crash. Hearing this, everyone came running. Mother Yasoda,
Nanda Maharaja, may cowherd men and gopis, all came running.
Everyone came, saying, “What happened, what happened?” The
cowherd boys spoke up, “We are eye witnesses. Mother Yasoda bound
Him to a wooden grinding mortar. Kanu crawled down and these two
trees were uprooted.” Nanda Maharaja then released Krishna.
Krishna’s friends became very happy that Krishna was released.

When these two Arjuna trees were uprooted with such a great sound,
everyone came. Mother Yasoda said, “What happened to my Gopal?
What happened?” Now mother Yasoda is crying and crying, “Where is
my Gopal? Where is my Gopal?” Nanda Maharaja cam and released
Gopal from His bondage. Mother Yasoda immediately picked Him up
onto her lap and went inside the room. Then Gopal started sucking the
breast of His mother. This is madhurya-lila, such sweet, beautiful lila,
vatsalya-rasa. Some opulence was there, but it was hidden.

Gopal said, “Mother what happened to you? Why are you crying?
There were tears in the eyes of mother Yasoda – premasru, tears of
love. She was thinking, “Oh why did I bind Gopal? Why did I bind
Gopal?” She was lamenting and shedding tears. Gopal said, “Mother,
what happened to you? Early in the morning you made Me cry. I was
sucking on your breast and you put Me on the ground. Then you went
out and you made me cry. Now I made you cry. You are crying now.”
She was crying and Gopal was laughing. Gopal was on the lap of His
mother, sucking her breast with much satisfaction. Taking His little
hand, He was moving it on the face of Mother Yasoda. There were
tears in the eyes of the mother. As if giving consolation to His mother,
the Lord gave blessings to His devotee. She was thinking, “I am such a
rascal. I bound up my Gopal. Why did I bind up my Gopal?” She was
thinking like this and shedding tears of loce, premasru. Such nice lila,
bhakti-rasa. This is suddha-bhava, pure vatsalya-rasa. Vrajeswari,
mother Yasoda, bound Gopal. Who else can bind Him?

It is natural for children to have this nature of stealing, so in His

childhood days Krishna stole makhan. When He grew up in His
pauganda-lila between six and ten years of age, he stole the garments
of the damsels of Vraja. He is the Supreme thief, caura-graganya. He
may steal you, only you are not worthy of stealing. If you prepare
yourself, if you develop pure prema-bhakti, then Krishna will steal your
heart. So during His childhood days Krishna stole makhan from the
houses of the gopis. In His pauganda age He stole the garments of the
damsels of Vraja. And when He grew up a little bit in kaisora-lila, His
boyhood days from eleven to fifteen, He stole the hearts of the gopis.
As isvara, as the Supreme Lord, He steals the papa-tapa the sin and
afflictions of the bhaktas. He is such a thief – the supreme thief.
Caitanya-caritamrta (antya7.30) describes:

suddha-bhave sakha kare skandhe arohana

suddha-bhave vrajesvari karena bandhana
In pure Krishna consciousness, a friend mounts the shoulder of Krishna
and mother Yasoda binds the Lord.

In pure sakhya-rasa Krishna carries Sridama on His shouldder. They

play, sometimes Krishna is defeated and Sridama wins. Then Krishna
carries Sridama on His shoulders and runs around. Kaviraj Goswami
explains in Caitanya-caritamrta (madhya 9.214):

ananta brahmanda koti bahe jare mane

se tumi sridama – gopa bahila apane

Limitless millions of universes are manifested from Your thoughts. Still,

You personally carry the gopa Sridama.

No need of a bell

Again in Caitanya-caritamrta (madhya 23.461-462) it is said:

je-se-dravya sevakera sarvabhave khaya

naivedhyadi vidhira o apeksa nahi khaya
alpa dravya daseo na dile bale khaya
tara saksi brahmanera khuda dvarakaya

With great love the Lord at once eats whatever His servant offers. He
has no desire to wait until all the rituals of offering are performed. If
the devotee has very little food, and therefore does not offer it, the
Lord eats it by force. Sudhama brahmana’s broken rice in Dwarka
bears witness to this truth.

This is pure love. In order to show affection to His devotees, Krishna

sometimes snatches a morsel of food from the mouth of the devote,
such as in His dealings with His cowherd boy friends. This is done out
of love. When the pure devotee offer something, immediately Krishna
accepts. There is no need of ringing a bell or chanting mantras. Only
pure love is required. All these vidhis, scriptural rules are not needed.
When the devotee makes the offerings to Him with love, then there is
no need of rituals. Krishna snatches away their offerings even if the
devotees are not giving. There is the example of Sudama vipra, the
poor brahmana. He went to Dwarka to see Krishna. He was very poor
and had nothing in his house. He wanted to take something to Krishna,
but he couldn’t find anything to take. Finally from a neighbors house
his wife brought some very old chipped rice with a bad odor coming
out. He bound it in his tattered clothes and took it with him. When he
arrived in Dwarka, where Krishna is king, he found so much opulence
there. Seeing all the opulence, he felt ashamed. He thought, “What
have I brought? My friend Krishna has so much luxury. This chipped
rice is so insignificant, how can I offer it to Him?” So he hid it under his
arm. However, Krishna knows everything. In the tenth canto of
Bhagavatam (81.3) He asked Sudhama:

kim upayanam anitam

brahman me bhavata grhat
anv apy upahrtam bhaktaih
premna bhury eva me bhavet
bhury apy abhatopahrtam
na me tosaya kalpate

Krishna said, “O My friend, O brahmana Sudama, you have brought

something for Me? What have you brought? Why are you not giving it
to Me? If it is very insignificant, still it is very great to Me, because it is
soaked with loving mellow, nothing else. One who is abhakta, not My
devotee, even if he offers me so many things, in a big mountain like a
Himalayan mountain, I will never accept it. I only accept loving
mellow. Even if My devotee offers a very insignificant thing, if it is
offered with love and devotion then it means so much to Me. So what
have you brought for Me? Why are you not giving it?”

Feeling ashamed, Sudama had hidden the rice under his arm.
Perspiration is there. It is very old, spoiled chipped rice, now soaked
with perspiration. If you taste it you would say, “Oh paa, paa! There is
bad odour.” Sudamawas not giving it, so Krishna snatched the rice
from him and took one handful, “Oh very nice, so sweet.” If we would
taste it we would say, “Oh paa, paa! Salty, not good.” But Krishna
said, “Oh so sweet, so nice.” He took one handful, and when He was
about to take another handful, the Bhagavata Maha-purana (10.81.10)
describes that Rukmini-devi, who is Lakshmi, the goddess of Fortune
caught hold of Krishna’s hand, saying, “Enough, enough.”

iti mustim sakrj jadhva dvitiyam jagdhum adade

tavac chrir jagrhe hastam tat-para paramesthinah

After saying this, the Supreme Lord ate a palmful and was about to eat
a secind when the goddess Rukmini took hold of His hand.

When Krishna was about to take a second handful, Rukmini-devi

caught hold of His hand and said, “Enough. Now I have to go and
serve him. Taking this second handful, do You think that You will hand
me over to him? Enough.”
This is pure loving mellow – alpadravya daseo na dile bale khaya.
Sudama felt ashamed thinking, “How can I offer such an insignificant
thing. Krishna has so much opulence.” But Krishna snatched it away
because it was offered out of love.
Pandava’s Remnants

Srila Vrindavan Das Tahkur describes in Caitanya-bhagavata (madhya

23.463):

avasese sevakere kare atmasat

tara saksi vanavase yudhisthira saka

The Lrod also eats the remnant of His servant’s meal. The vegetables
of Yudhisthir when he lived in the forest bear witness to that truth.

Once Yudhisthir Maharaja, his brothers, and his wife Draupadi, were
staying in the forest. Duryodhan sent Durvasa Muni to visit the
Pandavas in the afternoon. “There will be no food there to feed him, so
Durvasa will get angry, curse them, and they’ll burn to ashes.” With
that evil thought, Duryodhan sent him. But krsna raksyati – Krishna
protects His devotees. The Pandavas are very dear devotees of
Krishna. Who can harm them? So Krishna came. There was a problem
for Draupadi. There was no food, so how could she feed the guests?
Durvasa had come with thousands of disciples. “Who can saveme from
this danger?” She thought, only Krishna can. So she called “Krishna!”
and Krishna came running from a distance, “Draupadi, Draupadi,
Draupadi! I am very hungry! I am very hungry! Give Me food!”
Draupadai said, “Please listen.” But Krishna said, “No, first give Me
food, then I’ll listen.” Draupadi replied, That’s my problem, there’s no
food. Krishna said, “No, there must be some food. Check the cooking
pots. There must be something there.”

That day Draupadi had cooked some sak, spinach. One tiny leaf was
stuck to the brim of the pot. At the time of washing it had not come
off. Krishna said, “Oh, yes. There is something here.” He took the one
tiny leaf and ate it with much pleasure. “Oh, you gave Me so much
food! My stomach is heavy now.” This is only love and nothing else.

Premi-bhakta

Such a premi-bhakta, who has bound up Krishna with the rope of love
in his heart, Krishna belongs to him. Only he can give Krishna.
Caitanya-bhagavata (madhya 23.464-465) describes:

sevaka krsnera pita, mata, patni, bhai

‘dasa ‘bai krsnera dvitiya ara nahi
The premi-bhakta is Lord Krishna’s father, mother, wife, and brother.
Lord Krishna does not consider His pure devotee at all different from
His own self.

je rupa cintye dase se-i rupa haya

dase krsne karibare paraye vikraya

Krishna appears in the form that His dear devotees desire to see. He
gives His devotees the power to sell Him to others.
In his Sarangati (Bhajana-lalasa song 7), Thakur Bhaktivinode has
described:

krsna se tomara, krsna dite paro

tomara sakati ache
ami to kangala ‘krsna’ ‘krsna’ boli
dhai tava pache pache

O venerable vaisnava, Krishna is yours. You have the power to give

Him to me. I am simply running behind you shouting, “Krishna!
Krishna!”

Who can give Krishna? Only one who had gotten Krishna. Otherwise,
who can give if he has not gotten? Can he give? No. dase krsne
karibare – only such a premi-bhakta can give Krishna. No one else.
The four Vedas sing that Krishna, the Supreme Lord, is sevaka-vatsala,
very dear to His servants. He is bhakta-vatsala. Krishna manifests
Himself before such premi-bhaktas. He is always with them. Caitanya-
bhagavat (madhya 23.466) says:

sevaka vatsala prabhu’ cari vede gaya

sevakera sthane krsna prakase sadaya

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead loves His servants.” The Vedas

sing thus. Lord Krishna always appears before His devotees.

These are such loving pastimes. They are wonderful, very excellent,
and inconceivable. Both Bhagavan and bhakta get pleasure. Krishna
is priti-visaya, the object of love, whereas the premi-bhakta is priti-
asraya, the abode of love. So Bhagavan, being the object of the
asraya, cannot understand what relishment, what pleasure the bhaktas
gets. The relishment and happiness the bhakta gets is asraya-jatiya, in
the asaraya category. Krishna cannot understand it because it is in the
asraya category, whereas Krishna is of the visaya category. This is the
specific language.
Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami describes in his Caitanya-caritamrta
(antya 18.16-17):

bhakta-premara yata dasa, ey gati prakara

yata duhkha, yata sukha, yateka vikara
krsna taha samyak na pare janite
bhakta-bhava angikare taha asvadite

Krishna Himself cannot understand the conditions, the mode of

progress, the happiness and the unhappiness and the moods of
ecstatic love of His devotees. He therefore accepts the role of a
devotee to taste these emotions fully.

In Caitanya-caritamrta Krishnadas Kaviraj writes inthis way. What is

the condition of a premi-bhakta? What is his happiness? What is his
distress? What is his mood? Krishna cannot understand it. In order to
u nderstand it, Krishna accept the mood of a bhakta and comes here to
relish it. So Krishna, accepting the mood of a bhakta, comes as
Gauranga Mahaprabhu, bhakta-rupa, in order to relish this bhakti-rasa,
asraya-jatiya-rasa – the mellow of the asraya category. This is such a
wonderful lila.!
CHAPTER FIVE
Sweet Vrajabhumi Pastimes

All the lilas of Krishna are based on tattva. If one understands tattva
then one will relish the mellow. Otherwise one cannot relish. The lilas
of Krishna are not fictitious stories, like a story told by one’s
grandmother.

Absorbed in such transcendental love, Lord Sri Krishna enjoys in Vraja

with His devoted servants, friends, parents and conjugal lovers.

PURPORT

The descent of Sri Krishna, the Absolute Personality of Godhead, is

very purposeful. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that one who knows
the truth about Sri Krishna’s descent and His various activities is at
once liberated and does not have to fall again to this existence of birth
and death after he leaves his present material body. In other words,
one who factually understands Krishna makes his life perfect.
Imperfect life is realized inmaterial existence, in five different
relationships with everyone within the material world: neutrality,
servitorship, friendship, filial love, and armorous lvoe between husband
and wife or lover and beloved. These five enjoyable relationships
within the material world are the perverted reflections of relationships
with the Absolute Personality of Godhead in the transcendental nature.
That Absolute Personality, Sri Krishna, descends to revive the five
eternally existing relationships. Thus He manifests His transcendental
pastimes in Vraja so that people may be attracted into that sphere of
activities and leave aside their imitation relationships with the
mundane. Then, after fully exhibiting all such activities, the Lord
disappears.

- Sri Caitanya-caritamrta adi 3.12

One who has come to this bhajana-patha, the path of bhajana, should
always remember three things. The first is tattva, fundamental
principles, the second is tathya, reality, and the third, is lila-tatparya,
the significance of Krishna’s pastimes.

The first is tattva – svarupa-upalabhi – one should understand things in

tattva: The Bhagavad-gita (4.9) describes:

janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvah

tyaktva deham punar naiti mam eti so ‘rjuna
One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and
activities does not,upon leaving the body, take birth again in this
material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.

Krishna has repeatedly stated this in the Bhagavad-gita: na tum mam

abhijananti tattvenatas cyavanti te – Those who do nt recognise
Mytranscendental nature fall down. And: tato mam tattvato jnatva
visate tadanantaram – When by devotion one understands Me, he can
enter into the kingdom of God.

Krishna says, “My birth, My appearance, and My activities are not

material. They are transcendental, spiritual. One who understands in
tattva, in truth, then that will be his lat birth here. After quitting this
body he will definitely come to Me. He will never come back again. No
rebirth, no fall down.” This verse from the fourth chapter of Bhagavad-
gita describes how we should understand Krishna in tattva.

The second thing is tathya. Tathya means, “What is the real fact.” The
third thing is lila-tatparya, what is the purport of a particular lila,
pastime. These three things should be kept in mind.

Grandmother’s Stories

All the lilas of Krishna are based on tattva. If one understands tattva,
then one will relish the mellow. Otherwise one cannot relish. The lilas
of Krishna are not fictitious stories, like a story told by one’s
grandmother – ai-ma-kahani. Grandmothers tell stories to their
grandchildren. There is one such grandmother’s story told in Orissa:

“Oh my grandchildren, in one forest there was an old demoness. Once

upon time the king’s son, a very handsome young prince, went to that
forest. When the old demoness saw him, she thougth, ‘Ah! A very nice
prince! I want to enjoy him.’ Demons know witchcraft, and they can
also change their form. So that demoness, who was very old, haggard
and ugly, made herself appear as a very beautiful young princess. The
young prince became attracted and attached. The demoness thought,
‘Now the prince is in my clutches.’ By her witchcraft she turned the
prince into a black goat and bound him up.”

This is the kind of stories that grandmothers tell to their grandchildren.

Krishna-lila stories are not like that. They are based on tattva; they are
full of nectarean mellow, bhakti-rasa.

We were discussing dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, and madhurya-rasa. Rasa

is to be relished. If one can understand the purport of a pastime, the
one can relish the mellow. One will feel supremely blissful,
paramananda.

Searching for Krishna

Krishna performs many wonderful pastimes in Vrajabhumi. From His

very boyhod Krishna was very funny. The cowherd boys, sakhas,
Krishna’s friends, understand Krishna’s mentality very well. They were
always ready to act so as to help fulfil the desire of Krishna.

One day a cowherd boy came to the house of Nanda Maharaja and
inquired, “Where is Krishna?”

Nanda Maharaja said, “Oh, He may be playing on the bank of the

Yamuna.”

The boy said, “I just came from the bank of the Yamuna, but He wasn’t
there. I didn’t see Him there.”

Then Nanda Maharaja said, “Perhaps He is playing in Vamsivata?”

Suddenly another boy came and said, “I am coming from Vamsivata.

Krishna is not playimg there. No, I didn’t see Him there.”

Then Nanda Maharaja thought, “Oh then perhaps He might have gone
to Vrishabhanu’s house.” Radharani’s father is Vrishabhanu.

Another boy came, “I am coming from Vrishabhanu’s house. No He is

not there. He hasn’t gone there.”

Then Nanda Maharaja ad Yasoda-mata became very anxious. “Where

is He? Where is He? Where is Krishna? Where is Krishna?” They
started searching all over for Him. “Where is He? Where is He? Where
is our beloved son?”

But all this time He was hiding Himself behind a door. He jumped out
and said, “Oh, I am here! I am here!”

Everyone ran there and said, “Finally! You are here! We were
searching for You. ‘Where are You, where are You?’”

Then Krishna laughed and everyone laughed.

In this way Krishna gives pleasure to all His dear devotees. He is so

funny, and Krishna is so blissful. Krishna’s vraja-lila, His pastimes in
Vrajabhumi, are very sweet – madhurya-maya-lila.
Krishna’s Friend Subal

One day Srimati Radharani made a flower garland for Krishna and gave
it to Vrinda-devi, “You take and give this to Krishna.”

Vrinda-devi thought, “Subal-sakha is a priya-narma-sakha, He is very

dear to Krishna. If Subal-sakha takes and gives it to Krishna, then
Krishna will become very pleased.” So Vrinda-devi gave the garland to
Subal-sakha.

Krishna was sitting on the bank of Radha-kunda. It was midday. Subal-

sakha came and gave the garland to Krishna. Then he explained
everything, wh had prepared the garland, how it had come to his hand,
and how he was handing it over.

Then Krishna said, “Oh, I was just sitting here thinking about Radharani
when You brought Me Her garland. My mind is very much agitated.
Bring Radharani here. Please bring Radharani here. I want to meet
with Her.”

Subal-sakha said, “Oh, my friend, this is not a good time. It is

noontime. It is quite impossible to bring Radharani here now. Oh, my
friend, give up this hope. It is quite impossible.”

Krishan said, “But My dear friend, My mind is very restless and

agitated. Unless you bring Radharani for Me then I will drown Myself in
the Yamuna river and finish My life. I cannot survive.”

Subal thought, “Oh? My friend cannot survive? He will drown in the

Yamuna? All right, then. By hook or by crook, somehow I must bring
Radharani and give pleasure to my friend.”

The friend’s mentality is to give pleasure. The sakha’s always

understand Krishna’s mentality. They know what Krishna is thinking
and how they can help Him and give Him pleasure. This is sakhya-rasa
– a madhura-rasa, sweet mellow. Such are the activities of the priya-
narma-sakhas. They are very dear to Krishna.

Suspicious Jatila

Suba-l-sakha is very expert in all these activities. He went to Yavat,

Radharani’s father-in-law’s house. Radharani’s mother-in-law Jatila had
just finished taking her lunch and was sitting at the doorstep facing the
window of Radharani’s room. When she saw Subal, she said, “Hey!
Why have you come here at noontime.” She knows, “Oh, this boy has
come for some purpose. Yes. He’s a naughty boy.”

“Why are you coming here a this time?” Then Subal with much humility
said, “O omther! One of my calves is missing. I have searched al of
the expected places, but I couldn’t find him. At last I have come here.
He moght be here. Mother, will you please go in and see if my calf is
here? I will be freed from anxiety if I know my calf is here or not.”

Jatila became very angry. “I have already taken my lunch. I cannot m

ovemyself. You go inside and see.”

He was expecting her to say that. It was very difficult to go inside

because she was sitting at the doorstep. So he got the opportunity. All
of Krishna’s lilas take place by the wonderful arrangement of
Yogamaya.

Remembering Yogamaya, Subal prayed, and then entered into the

inner apartment where Radhrani was. He told Radha everything.
“Krishna is sitting there on the bank of Radha-kunda intensely thinking
of You. You have to go there, otherwise He will drown Himself in the
Yamuna.”

Radharani said, “How will it be? This is an awkward time and my

mother-in-law is sitting at the doorstep. How can I go? How can I go?”

Bu what is impossible? If you are very anxious to do something, to

give pleasure to Krishna, what is impossible? Krishna can do and undo
things. Nothing is impossible for Krishna. Krishna gives the
intelligence. Pure intelligence comes from Krishna. The Gita (10.10)
describes:

tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam

dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te

To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the
understanding by which they can come to Me.

Krishna says, “One who is satata-yukta, constantly engaged in My

bhajana with priti, with love, I give him pure intelligence.”

Radharani’s Disguise

So the intelligence came what should be done. Subal-sakha has the

same appearance as Radharani. Subal-sakha said, “All right Radharani,
You take my garments.” He gave his dhoti, his kurta, his turban, and
everything to Radharani. “You put all of this on. Now, give me Your
sari. I will put on Your sari and remain here.” They exchanged clothes.

Then how to get out? The keen eyes of Radharani’s mother-in-law

Jatila and Her sister-in-law Kutila are there on Radharani. How to get
out?

Now that Radharani was dressed in his clothes, Subal-sakha told Her,
“Pick up the calf. Hold the calf on Your breast like this, then go out.”
Subal-sakha had come to get his calf.

She did as Subal told her. Dressed in the form of Subal-sakha, She
picked up the calf, pressed it to Her breast and passed through. When
She came to where Jatila was sitting, Radharani as Subal-sakha said,
“Mother, I got My calf”

“Oh, You got Your calf? All right, very good. Now go away! Get out!”

Radharani got out and went to Radha-kunda and met Krishna. Happy
union.

However, Subal-sakha was still inside wearing Radharani’s sari. How

was he going to get out? Another problem!

Generally at noontime the damsels of Vrajabhumi all go to Surya-kunda

to offer puja to Suryadev. Now was that time, so all the damsels of
Vrajabhumi came out from their houses.

Jatila called out, “Oh, daughter-in-law! Daughter-in-law! Aren’t you

goig to go to Surya-kunda to offer puja to Surya-dev?”

Imitating Radha’s voice, Subal-sakha said, “Yes, yes, mother. I am

going. I am going.” In this way Subal-sakha got out of the house and
went to Radha-kunda. Krishna became very happy because Subal-
sakha brought Radharani before Him. Krishna looked at Subal and
both of them were laughing.

This is sakhya-rasa in vraja-lila. The sakha’s, friends of Krishna, always

help Krishna and give Him pleasure according to what He wants. Such
are the lving dealings among friends. This pastime is known as subala-
milana.

Following the Vrajavasis

Krishna thought, “I will advent Myself, accepting the mood of a

devotee, and practise devotion in My own life. As a bhakta I will
practise and teach bhakti. Cari bhava-bhakti diya nacamu bhuvana – I
will give four rasas, dasya-rati, sakhya-rati, vatsalya-rati and
madhurya-rati or kanta-bhava, and make the whole dance through
chanting this holy name:

hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare ”

If your chanting is pure, if it is offenseless, the pure name, then

definitely yu will get krsna-prema, you will get Krishna. Then all of
these priti-tattvas will be revelaed to you. What is your rasa, your
relationship with Krishna, dasya-rati, servitude; sakhya-rati, friendship;
vatsalya-rati, parental love; or madhurya-rati, the conjugal mellow –
that will be revealed when you are on the bhava stage and your
chanting is pure and offenseless. According to the relationship you
have with Krishna you will follow particular bhaktas. If you are a
sakhya-bhakta then you woll follow Sridama and Subal. Following their
footsteps, under their guidance you will be engaged in loving dealings
with Krishna. If your mellow is vatsalya-rasa, parental love, then you
will follow Nanda-Yasoda. If your mellow is dasya-rati then you will
follow Raktak and Patrak. And if your mellow is kanta-bhava, husband
and wife relationship, madhurya-rasa, then you will follow the gopis. In
this way there will be personal, loving dealings with Krishna. This is
raganuga-bhakti.
Chapter Six
When Love Becomes More and More Condensed

Do you think Krishna’s beauty is in Krishna? No, Krishna’s

beauty is in the eyes of the bhaktas who have developed
anuraga. In their eyes His form becomes more and more
beautiful, newer and newer.

There is another point here. Prabhupada has written:

Bhakti may be considered in three stages, called guni-bhuta, pradhani-bhuta

and kevala and according to these stages there are three divisions, which are
called jnana, jnanamayi and rati, or prema – that is, simple knowledge, love
mixed with knowledge, and pure love. By simple knowledge, one can
perceive transcendental bliss without variety. When one comes to the stage
of jnanamayi, one realizes the transcendental opulence of the Personality of
Godhead. But when one reaches pure love, one realises the transcendental
form of the Lord as Lord Krishna or Lord Rama. This is what is wanted.
Especially in the madhurya-rasa, one becomes attached to the Personality of
Godhead (sri-vigraha-nistha-rupadi). Then loving transactions between the
Lord and the devotee begin.

Prema is wanted. It is the fifth goal of life, the parama-purusartha, the

supreme goal. Prabhupada has written this short sentence: “This [rati
or prema] is what is wanted.” The rarely achieved birth is meant for
the achievement of that parama-purusartha.

Mahaprabhu gives prema through chanting:

hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
mukhya-pathe jiva paya krsna-prema-dhana

The chief result of chanting the holy name is that one gets the treasure of
krsna-prema

niraparadhe nama laile paya prema-dhana

If your chanting is offenseless then, you will get krsna-prema

If the chanting of hare krsna is done without offense, then krsna-prema

is the result. That is wanted. Srila Prabhupada has written:

Especially in the madhurya-rasa, one becomes attached to the

Personality of Godhead (sri-vigraha-nistha-rupadi). Then loving
transactions between the Lord and the devotee begin.
Unless this rati is there, prem is there, then no loving transaction is
present.

Radha’s Kirtana

What is rati and what is prema? Krishna is rasa-svarupa, rasa-maya –

He is the form and reservoir of all rasas. Even great saints, sages,
munis, yogis and siddhas, doing sadhana for koti-janma, millions of
lives, cannot get Krishna. Krsna-prema is only available in Golok
Vrindavan. It is cinmaya-vastu, completely transcendental; there is
nothing material about it. It is acintya-tattva, an inconceivable tattva.
The first rise of the prema is known as rati.

In his Prarthana (song 4) Narottam Das Thakur has said:

golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana

rati na janmila kene taya

Hari-nama-sankirtana does not belong to this material world. It is

coming from Golok Vrindavan. The maha-mantra is mentioned in
Radha-tantra. The residents of Vrajabhumi, especially the gopis
headed by Radharani, are chanting

hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

These two brothers Gaura and Nitai have brought this holy name from
Vrajabhumi – nitai nama eneche braja-theke re. Nitai is more merciful
than Gaura. Jivera dasa malina dekhe – Seeing the suffering condition
of the jivas, out of Their causeless mercy They have brought it here to
the material world. The same chanting is going on here as in Golok
Vrindavan.

The associated of Mahaprabhu are all associates of Krishna in

Vrajabhumi. Swarup-Damodar is Lalita-sakhi, Raya Ramananda is
Visakha-saki, Rupa Goswami is Rupa Manjari, Sanatan Goswami is
Labhanga-manjari, and Jiva Goswami us Vilasa-manjari. They are all
Radharani’s sakhis and manjaris in krsna-lila. They are with
Mahaprabhu because Mahaprabhu is in radha-bhava. All of the sakhis
and manjaris, along with Radharani, chant:

hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

Similarly, Mahaprabhu and His asscoiates are also chanting the same
thing. Srila Prabhupada has given one illustration in his Caitanya-
caritamrta. In the upper portion Radharani and Her sakhis are
chanting. In the lower portion Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhua
along with Their associates are chanting with mrdanga and kartalas.
The same chanting is going on. This is golokera-prema-dhana. This is
rati. The first rise of prema is known as rati.

Last Limit of Bliss

Then what is prema? The gaudiya-vaisnava-acaryas have given their

opinion. Kaviraj Goswami has defined prema in Caitanya-caritamrta as
follows: ananda-cinmaya-rasa premera akhyana – Prema is the
transcendtal blissfulness or mellow that emanates from cinmaya-rasa,
the platform of spiritual mellows. How and where does it manifest?
Srila Rupa Goswami in Ujjvala-nilamani gives a definition: yad-bhava-
bandhanam yunoh sa prema parikirtatah – Prema is manifest in the
loving dealings between the lover and the beloved in the form of a
loving tie or bondage. This bhava-bandhana, loving tie, is not
temporary nor is it material. It is eternal and it is based on love.

Glass and Diamond

The loving tie of the material bondage is not eternal. Such bondage is
not prema, but is kama, lust. Prema is not available in the material
world. It is only kama.

Caitanya-caritamrta (adi 4.165) describes:

atmendriya-priti-vancha – tare bali’ ‘kama’

krsnendriya-priti-iccha dhare ‘prema’ nama

The desire to gratify one’s own senses is kama [lust], but the desire to
please the senses of Lord Krishna is prema [love].

Here, everyone desires his or her own sense gratification – nijendriya-

priti-vancha. That is lust, kama. Is there anyone in this material world
who desires to give pleasure to the senses of Krishna? If someone
develops the desire how to give pleasure to the sense of Krishna, then
that is prema. There is a hell and heaven difference between kama
and prema. They look alike in the same way as pieces of glass and
pieces of diamond look like. Nijendriya-priti-vancha – The desire for
giving pleasure to one’s own senses, is lust. Krsnendriya-priti-vancha –
The desire to give pleasure to the senses of Krishna, is prema.

If you are a student of the Sanskrit language you can analyze how the
two words “kama” and “prema” have been derived from their dhatus,
verbal roots. From kam-dhatu the word kama is derived; from pri-
dhatu the word prema is derived. The meaning of these two dhatus,
kam-dhatu and pri-dhatu is the same: priti-vancha, desiring pleasure.
Desiring pleasure for ones own senses is kama, lust, and desiring
pleasure for Krishnas senses is prema. They look alike, like pieces of
glas and pieces of diamond, but there is heaven and hell difference.

The bhava-bandhana, thelovng tie, loving bondage, between lover and

beloved is eternal: ajara amara avinasi – it cannot grow old, it is
deathless, and it cannot be destroyed, and what grows old is kama, not
prema. In his Ujjvala-nilamani (14.63) Rupa Goswami says:

sarvatha dhvamsa-rahitam saty api dhvamsa-karane

yad-bhava-bandhanam yunoh sa prema parikirtitah

When love for the Divine Couple remains always constant and
unbroken, even when there is ample cause to break that loving
erlatinship, such constant love is called prema.

All causes for destruction may be there still it is never destroyed. That
is prema. This takes place between the prema-bhakti and Bhagavan.
It is not available in the material world, because all relationships here
are temporary and subject to destruction. Everything in the material
world is a perverted reflection of the real world. The perverted
reflection of prema is lust. Prema is there. Kama is here. There is no
love here in the material world.

More and More Condensed

Krishna is the object of love, priti-visaya. The bhaktas are the abode of
love, priti-asraya. There is a gradual development of prema. The
example given is of sugarcane juice. If it is condensed it becomes
molasses. If it is condensed more then it becomes sugar. If sugar is
condensed even more then it becomes sugar candy. Then if sugar
candy is even more condensed it is khanda-michari, a big block of
candy. Simliarly, prema becomes condensed, more condensed, more
condensed, and more condensed. There is a gradual development.

In vaisnava-paribhasa, vaisnava language, this progressive

development is described as rati, prema, sneha, mana, pranaya, raga,
anuraga, bhava and mahabhava. Then rudha-mahabhava, adhirudha-
mahabhava, modanakhya-mahabhava and madanakhya-mahabhava.
This is the gradual development of prema. They are all discussed in
Ujjvala-nilamani. Prabhupada has written about rati or prema:

“That is wha is wanted. Especially in the madhurya-rasa, one becomes

attached to the Personality of Godhead, (sri vigraha-nistha-rupadi).
Then loving transaction between the Lord and the devotee begins.
Otherwise it will never begin.”

Lamp of the Heart

When prema becomes condensed it becomes sneha. In Ujjvala-

nilamani (14.79), Rupa Goswami has described that in the stage of
sneha the heart is like a lamp – cid-dipa dipanam. Krishna says in the
Gita (10.10):

tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam

dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te

To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love and

devotion, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.

Satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam – this priti, love, is

described here. Those who are engaged in My bhajana with love, priti-
purvaka bhajana, who are satata-yukta, constantly attached to Me,
then, dadami buddhi-yogam – I give them pure intelligence how they
can come to Me. Then the next verse (10.11) says:

tesam evanukampartham aham ajnana-jam tamah

nasayamy atma-bhava-stho jnana-dipena bhasvata

To show them special mercy, I, dwell in their hearts, destroy with the
shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.

Anukampa – out of causeless mercy I dispel the darkness prevailing in

their heart and enkindle the lamp of knowledge. So it is enkindled in
the heart – cid-dipanam. That means enkindles the lamp there,
dispelling all ignorance, hrdayam-dravayan. The heart becomes soft, it
is not hard as stone. Our stone-like heart is never melting because
there is no mellow there. It is dry, dry, dry. When this sneha comes,
then, hrdayam-dravayan – the heart becomes soft and melts.

Millions of Eyes

What happens when sneha develops? At every moment the premi-

bhakta always wants to see the beautiful form of Shyamasundar. And
the more he sees, the more he develops dissatisfaction. He never feels
satiation. That is mentioned in Caitanya-caritamrta (adi 4.151):

koti netra nahi dila, sabe dila dui

tahate nimesa, krsna ki dekhiba muni
He has not given millions of eyes to see the beauty of Krishna. He has
given only two eyes, and even those eyes blink. How then shall I see
the lovely face of Krishna?

This will come. One will develop such attraction towards the beautiful
form of Krishna that one will constantly want to see that form –
madhurya-ghanila Krishna, kisora-krsna – always, without even blinking
one’s eyes. The gopis condemned Vidhathat, the creator Brahma:
“The reascal Brahma. He doesn’t know how to create nicely. He didn’t
give me crores of eyes. He only gave me two eyes, and there are
eyelids. How can I see the beauty of Krishna? Only two eyes and the
eyelids are blinking. I want to see without blinking!” This will come.
One who develops this is understood to be at the stage of sneha. Such
devotees will always want to hear Krishna-katha through their ears.
The more one hears such sweet transcendental krsna-katha the more
one develops greed to drink that nectarean mellow, amrta, bhagavat-
katamarta. There is no satiation, no satiation, no satiation, such a
devotee will want to hear more and more. Where is the question of
doziing while sitting, then getting up and going out? Not relishing. Not
developing a taste for such nectarean mellow. Such a sweet mellow is
emanating from chanting the names:

hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

Ghee and Honey

This prema-nama-sankirtana is such sweet honey. As Radharani told

one of Her sakhis:

na jani kateka madhu syamaname ache

go badana chadite nahi pare

“O, sakhi, dear companion girl, what sweet honey is there in the name
of Shyama! Oh, My tongue does not want to leave it!”

How is your chanting? “Hare krizzs hare krizzs krizzs krizzs hare krizzs
krzz krzz. Finally, finished! Rakho! Mala ko rakhado – “Put the beads
away!” Does it taste sweet? You are only thinking how to finish. No
taste. No loving mellow. All dry! Dry! Dry! Sleeping, dozing. It is
such loving sweetness, honey. If osmeone can taste it, how can he give
up mala [chanting]? He cannot! Na jani kateka madhu syamaname
ache go badana chadite nahi pare – “Ah! Such sweet, transcendental,
nectarean honey is there in the name of Shyama that tongue doesn’t
want to leave it.” This is the sneha stage.
Sneha is of two types, ghrta-sneha and madhu-sneha – ghee-type and
honey-type. Madhu-sneha is superior to ghrta-sneha. Ghee melts,
whereas madhu, honey, becomes more condensed. Chandravali’s
sneha is ghrta, ghee-type and Radharani’s sneha is madhu, honey-
type. Thus there is a difference between Chandravali and Radharani’s
sneha. Krishna doesn’t get as much pleasure when He unites with
Chandravli. He always remembers Radharani because of Her madhu-
sneha.

Pouting Counter-love

When sneha becomes more condensed it is called mana. One may

translate mana into English as “pouting counter-love due to
confidential familiarities.” That is mana, sulkiness, or abhimana, pride
or haughtiness. When sneha, especially madhu-sneha, becomes more
condensed, then it becomes mana. As that time adbhuta-bhava, a
wonderful mood, comes between the lover and the beloved. It is
known as adaksinya-bhava, leftist mood. In Ujjvala-nilamani, Rupa
Goswami says this adaksinaya-bhava, is whe the premika, the lover or
the heroine, becomes very grave and does not express her internal
feelings. That is mana. In the mana stage Radharani disregards
Krishna and develops sulkiness. She thnks, “I won’t look at the face of
Krsihna! Instead of coming here He went to Chandravali’s kinja.” The
sakhis also say, “Yes! Koro upeksana! Koro upeksana! – Give up, give
up that Krishna! Don’t aspire for Him. He is a debauchee, a most
unreliable person!” Mana is this type of disregard.

Krishna is the object of love. This contrarty mood toward Him is only
external. In Her heart She wants Krishna, but externally She says, “No!
No! No! Get out! Get out! Get out! I don’t want to see Your face! The
door is closed for You. Get out from here!” Lalita and Visakha say,
“Why have You come here Krishna? Get out from here! Go!” But in
their hearts they feel, “No, no. Krishna is very intimate.” This mana,
sulkiness, pouting counter-love due to confidential familiarities, keeps
the feelings hidden. The gopis never express their true feelings and
they become very grave. This is adaksinya-bhava. In this stage of
viraha-dasa, comes tivra, very acute pangs of separation. Then, when
this mana becomes subdued, She repents:

kandiya kahaye punah dhik mora buddhi!

abhimane harailam kanu-guna-nidhi
She cries and condemns Herself saying, “Oh My intelligence is very
bad! I developed such abhimana, contrariness. Due to this sulkiness,
poutng bhava, mana, I lost Kanu, who is the dearest of My heart, the
object of My love.” Then She repents. That is the stage of mana.
Complexion of Love

When mana becomes condensed it is called pranaya. In the pranaya

stage there is abhinna-manana, no thought of difference between the
lover and the beloved. Rupa Goswami has described this as
visrambha-bhava, where there is great intimacy with no sense of awe
or veneration. In the pranaya stage the lover’s body, mind, life and
intelligence become one with the body, mind, life and intelligence of
Krishna. This is abhinna manana, or pranaya.

Therefore there is aikya, a feeling of oneness. Radharani always thinks

of Krishna and Krishna always thinks of Radharani. This very intense
thought in the heart is oneness. And then Their external complexion
comes. You can recognise this from Their garments. Radharani’s
garment is a blue sari, nila-vasana. Krishna’s complexion is nila-mani,
like a blue gem. He is ujjvala-nilamani, with a complexion like a
brilliant blue gem. Because nilamani Krishna is there in Her heart,
therefore Radharani’s sari is blue. Radharani is in the heart of Krishna
– tapta-kancana-gaurangi - Radharani’s bodily hue is the color of
molten gold. Therefore, pita-vasana-dhara – Krishna’s garment is
yellow dhoti. Krishna is pitambara-dhara, pita-vasana-dhara, one who
wears yellow garments. The internal feeling in the heart is expressed
externally in the form of garments. This indicates who is there in the
heart. This is pranaya.

Sweet and Hot

When pranaya becomes more condensed then it becomes raga. At the

raga stage, very intense, severe suffering and unhappiness appears as
happiness. In the raga stage, acute pangs of separation produce acute
heat. This heat is burning, burning, burning – visa-jvala, like the
burning of a very dreadful poison. Caitanya-caritmrta has described,
tapta-iksu-carvana – it is like chewing very hot sugarcane. Sugarcane
is very sweet, but if it very hot then although the lips and mouth will
burn, still one cannot give it up. Similarly, in the stage of raga,
atisaya-duhkha, very severe suffering or misery, appears as sukha,
happiness. Radharani says:

tomara lagiya kalankera hara,

golaya parite sukha

“For You, O Shyama, I accpet all nasty criticisms as a very nice flower
garland which I will put on My neck.” Radharani is criticized in
Vrajabhumi. Ko va na yati yamuna pulina vane radha name
kulatapavada – “Who is not going to the bank of the Yamuna to fetch
water? But if Radha goes then She is called a prostitute.” This
criticism is going on in Vrajabhumi.

Eye of the Beholder

When raga becomes more condensed, then it becomes anuraga. In

the anuraga stage Krishna’s form, beauty becomes newer and newer –
nityam nava-navaya-manam. The appetite for relishing Krishna’s
beauty is also newer, newer, and newer. Although one relishes more
and more, still they never get satisfaction; no satiation is there.
Krishna’s beauty always appears newer and newer and newer, nityam
nava-navaya-manam.

Do you think Krishna’s beauty is in Krishna? No, Krishna’s beauty is in

the eyes of the bhaktas, who have developed anuraga. In their eyes
His form becomes more and more beautiful, newer and newer. The
appreciation of that beauty is in their eyes. It is not with Krishna. As
their anuraga develops, increases, Krishna’s beauty also increases and
appears in newer and newer forms and ways.

In Caitanya-caritamrta (adi 4.143), Kaviraj Goswami has quoted

Krishna’s own words,

amara madhurya nitya nava nava haya

sva-sva-prema-anurupa bhakte asvadaya

“My beauty, every moment becomes newer and newer, and My premi-
bhakta relishes it, according to His bhava, prema.”

It is a question of relishment. A wonderfula ffair takes place in

anuraga-dasa, the stage of anuraga. It is sambhoga and vipralambha –
union and separation. In anuraga-dasa, at the time of sambhoga,
union, one kalpa seems to be a moment. The rasa dance continued for
one brahma-ratri, one night of Brahma. You cannot calculate such a
long time. That is union. The gopis united with Krishna, but how do
they feel? Gata damini, gata damini – “Oh, it is like a flash of
lightening.” Chik! Bah! Finished! It comes immediately and goes. This
is the wonderful quality of union, sambhoga-dasa, in the anuraga
stage.

Then at the time of viraha, separation, what do They feel?

Mahaprabhu describes in Caitanya-caritamrta (adi 20.39):

yugayitam nimesena caksusa pravrsayitam

sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me
O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, I am considering a moment to be
like twleve years or more. Tears are flowing from My eyes like torrents
of rain, and I am feeling all-vacant in the world in Your absence.

In viraha, separation, yugayitam nimesena, one moment seems to be a

yuga, millenium. In union, sambhoga, a great yuga seems to be, “Oh!
Just a twinkling of the eye. Chik! Like a flash of lightening.” This is
the wonderful transaction in anuraga-dasa.

Soft Lotus Feet

Another wonderful event comes; what is very pleasing for their beloved
Krishna, the gopis think, “Oh, this may be very harmful to Krishna, it
may be hurting Krishna.” There is a very nice verse in the tenth canto
of Srimad Bhagavatam (10.31.19), describing what the gopis think.
The gopis sing:

yat te sujata-caranamburuham stanesu

bhitah sanaih priya dadhimahi karkasesu
tenatavim atasi tad vyathate na kim svit
kurpadibhir bhramati dhir bhavad-ayusam nah

Oh, most beloved Krishna, Your lotus feet are so soft, much softer than
the petal of roses. When we put Your soft Lotus feet on our breast, we
are afraid it may hurt Your lotus feet because of our breasts are very
hard. We are apprehensive that it may hurt You.

“You are wandering in the jungle of Vrindavan with these feet. The
jungle of Vrindavan is filled with so many thorns and pointed pebbles.
Are they not hurting Your very soft lotus feet? Your very soft lotus feet
are our very life, but how are You wandering with such soft feet in the
jungle of Vrindavan which is filled with so many thorns and pointed
pebbles? Having come in contact with Your soft lotus feet have these
thorns and pointed pebbles also become soft? Or, coming in contact
with our hard breasts Your soft lotus feet have become hard? We
cannot understand?”

The gopis say, “We are very apprehensive. We are afraid that when we
put Your soft lotus feet on our breasts that our breasts are hard and
may be hurting You. But You are roaming in this jungle of Vrindavan
with those same lotus feet.” Thinking like that, their heads reel. This
is anuraga-dasa.

Ecstatic Symptoms
When anuraga becomes more condensed it becomes bhava. At the
stage of bhava the eight external symptoms manifest – asta-sattvika-
bhava. They are asru, shedding of tears; kampa, shivering of the body;
pulaka, in ecstasy the hairs on th ebody stand erect; sveda,
perspiration; vaivarnya, fading of bodily color, svarabhanga, choking of
the voice and broken words. Mahaprabhu’s voice faltered when He
was dancing before Jagganath’s cart during ratha-yatra in Puri. He
couldn’t utter the name of Jagganath. He could only say, “Jaja gaga
jaja gaga jaja gaga jaja gaga.” This is vandanam gadgada-ruddhaya
gira as described in the Siksastaka (6 quoted in Cc antya 20.36):

nayanam galad-asru-dharaya
vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira
pulakir nicitam vapuh kada
tava nama-rahane bhavisyati

O Lord, when by chanting Your hoy name will these symptoms appear?
Tears will roll down from My eyes like torrential rain. My voice will
falter and become choked up, the whole body will become ecstatic,
and the hairs on the body will become erect.

The other two asta-sattvika-bhavas are stanbha and pralaya or

murcha. Stambha means being stunned. Pralaya or murcha, means
fainting. These are the eight external symptoms of the bhava stage.

I Cannot Repay

When bhava bcomes condensed it becomes mahabhava. There are

also divisions of mahabhava –rudha-mahabhava, adhirudha-
mahabhava, modanakhya-mahabhava and madanakhya-mahabhava.
That is a very big topic. To further understand this you have to go to
that chapter in Ujjvala-nilamani.

It is said that madanakhya-mahabhava is the topmost, and

madanakhya-mahabhava-mayi is Srimati Radharani. She is the
personification of madanakhya-mahabhava. That madanakhya-
mahabhava is her sole property. It is not available with any of the
other gopis or with anyone else.

Krishna became indebted to the gopis. When the gopis herad the
sweet singing of Krishna’s flute they came running to meet Him in the
dead of the noght. He said, na paraye, na paraye, na paraye – “I
cannot pay back, I cannot pay back, I cannot pay back that debt.” The
Bhagavtam (10.32.22) describes Krishna’s words to them:

na paraye ‘ham niravadya-samyujam

 sva-sadhu-krtam vibudhayusapi vah
ta mabhajan durjara-geha-srnkhalah
smvrscya tad vah pratiyatu sadhuna

I am not able to repay My debt for Your spotless service, even within a
lifetime of Brahma. Your connection with Me is beyond reproach. You
have worshipped Me, cutting off all domestic ties, which are difficult to
break. Therefore please let your own glorious deeds be your
compensation.

“O gopis, you love for me is pure love, visuddha-prema-maya. In your

love there is no mixture of jnana or aisvarya. There is a Vedic
restriction that housewives cannot leave the home. They cannot cross
the threshold. But you broke this very strong Vedic etiquette, this
bondage which is very difficult to break – durjara-geha-srnkhakah. You
have broken it for Me.”

The gopis are Krishna’s internal potencies svakiya-sakti. Buti n

Vrajabhumi, they actlike parakiya. In English we may say that svakiya,
means wedded and parakiya, means unwedded. The English language
is a nasty language. The gopis are svarupa-sakti, svakiya, His own
potency, but in Vrajabhumi their lila is parakiya-lila, as if they belong to
others. However, they completely belong to Krishna. They are svakiya
but they act in a parakiya way. This is the simultaneous tattva there.
It is very, very inconceivable. You cannot inderstand how it is.

This is sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. Even

Vedic dharma is completely broken. Such are the ways of pure love.
Krishna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja –
“You should abandon all varieties of dharma, even Vedic dharma.” The
dharma of the housewife is that she cannot cross the threshold, but at
the dead of the night you have come here. Family ties are so strong
that they cannot be broken, but you have broken them, durjara-
gehasrnkhalah. You have developed such pure love for Me that I
cannot repay you. I have become indebted. Vibudhayusaphi vah –
“Even if I could get a lifespan as long as the demigods or even Brahma,
still I could not pay it back. I have become so indebted. Sva-sadhu-
krtyam – Therefore you must kindly be satisfied with youro wn deeds.”

Radharani’s Wealth

How to pay the debt back? Krishna says, “The wealth required to pay
this debt back is not with me! It is not availbale in My treasury. Where
is it available? It is available with Radharani only. That is madanakhya-
mahabhava-dhana, the wealth madanakhya-mahabhava. Its sole
proprietor is Radharani. This welathi s not available anywhere else.
What to do? How can I pay it back? I must beg, borrow or steal. If I
beg, Radharani will never give it to Me. If I borrow, She will never allow.
SO I must steal it.”

Krishna is the supreme stealer, the supreme thief. If you steal, you will
be put into jail as a criminal. When Krishna steals it is so bery nice,
beautiful. Everything is beautiful with Krishna, the supreme thief.
Rupapad has written, kutuki rasa-stomam hrtva Krishna entered into
the storehouse in the core of the heart of Radharani and stole that
madanakhya-mahabhava. “Hrtva” means stole. When Krishna gets
that madanakhya-mahabhava, that radha-bhava, then automatically
His mood changes. His complexion changes to molten gold – tapta-
kancana-gaurangi, tapta-kancana-gauranga. He becomes Gauranga.
Radha-bhava predominates Him and He cries like Radharani, feeling
the pangs of separation. As Radharani is crying, similarly Gauranga is
crying. This prema, rati.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The Supreme Thief

Out of mercy Lord Hari takes away everything. Hari means,

“He who takes away everything.” He steals the mind and the
heart. This is nice stealing, and it is very beautiful. He is
known as ‘cauragraganya’, the best of all thieves, the supreme
thief.

This person falsely appearing as a brahmacari is actually the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, Hari who has come in this form totake away all
your land, wealth, beauty, fame and education. After taking
everything from you, He will deliver it to Indra, your enemy.
[Sukracharya to Bali Maharaja]

PURPORT

Srila Viswanath Chakravati Thakur explains in this regard that the very
word harih means “one who takes away.” If one connects himself with
Hari, the Supreme Perosnality of Godhead, the Lord takes away all his
miseries, and in the beginning the Lord also superficially appears to
take away all his material possessions, reputation, education and
beauty. As stated in Srimad Bhagavatam (10.88.8), yasyaham
anugrhnami harisye tad-dhanam sanaih. The Lrd said to mahraja
Yudhisthir, “The first installment of My mercy is that I take away all
possessions, especially his material opulence, his money.” This is a
special favour of the Lord toward a sincere devotee. If a sincere
devotee wants Krishna above everything but at the same time is
attached to material possessions, which hinder his advancement in
Krishna consciousness, by tactics the Lrod takes away all his
possessions. Here Sukracharya says that this dwarf brahmacari would
take away everything. Thus he indicates that the Lord will take away
all one’s material possessions and also one’s mind. If one delivers his
mind to the lotus feet of Krishna (sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh),
one can naturally sacrifice everything to satisfy Him. Although Bali
Maharaja was a devotee, he was attached to material possessions, and
therefore the Lord being very kind to him, showed him special favor by
appearing as Lord Vamana to take away all his material possessions,
and his mind as well.

- Srimad Bhagavatam 8.19.32

Special Favor

This is the special favor of the Lord to a sincere devotee. Srila

Prabhupda has written:
If a sincere devotee wants Krishna above everything but at the same
time is attached to maerial possessions, which hinder his advancement
in Krishna consciousness …

Material attachment is a great hinderance. However, Lord Hari is so

merciful that He takes away hinderance. He takes away all of His
devotee’s attachments, all of his material possessions, opulence,
education, reputation, friendship, - everything. He steals everything.
He is the supreme thief. That is His special favor. After He has stolen
everything then you will find that no one is there to support you. No
friends, no family, no strength, no opulence, no money, no assets –
nothing. So will take care of you? Who will support you? No one is
there.

Finding no one, a devotee completely takes shelter at the lotus feet of

Lord Hari. Then, virasrayam mam jagadisa raksa – when everything is
taken away a devotee completely takes shelter at the lotus feet of Lord
Hari. That is Lord Hari’s special favor. If he has friends, if he has
money, if he has strength, and he is depending on them, why will he
depend on Krishna, Hari? Some independence will be there.

Best of All Thieves

Out ofmercy Lord Hari takes away everything. Hari means, “He who
takes away,” who steals everything. He even steals the mind and the
heart. This is nice stealing, and it is very beautiful. He is known
‘cauragraganya,’ the best of all thieves, the supreme thief. There are
eight nice verses describing this:

vraje prasiddham navanita-cauram

gopangamama, ca dukula-cauram
aneka-janmarjita-papa-cauram
cauragraganyam purusam namami

I offer my obeisances to that supreme thief, Lord Hari, who is the best
of all thieves. He steals the butter from the houses of the damsels of
Vrajabhumi. He steals all the garments of the damsels of Vrajabhumi.
He is famous for His acts of stealing. He steals all the sinfulreactions of
His devotees. Such a great thief! I offer my obeisances to that
supreme thief.

sri-radhikaya hrdayasya cauram

navambuda-syamala-kanti-cauram
padasritanam ca samasta-cauram
cauragraganyam purusam namami
He steals the heart of Radhrani. He steals the blackish hue of the dark
cloud. He steals everything. For those who take shelter at His lotus
feet, He steals everything they have. He takes all their possessions,
their material assets, omney and men. He even steals their mind. I
offer my obeisances to that great thief, supreme thief.

akincani-krtya padasritam yah

karoti bhiksum pathi geha-hinam
kenapy aho bhisana-caura idrg
drstah ‘sruto va na jagat-traye ‘pi

He takes away everything from those who take shelter at His lotus feet.
He takes away their material wealth, their wife, their children, and their
kith and kin. He takes everything. Then those persons become
paupers, like beggars on the street with no hut, nothing. Such a great
thief, who steals away everything. I have not seen of heard of such a
great thief, in all three worlds. I offer my obeisances to that supreme
thief.

yadiya namapi haraty asesam

giri-prasaran-api papa-rasin
ascarya-rupo nanu caura idrg
drstah sruto va na maya kadapi

Such a great thief! If one only hears His name He takes away all their
sinful reactions. I have never seen or heard of such a wonderful thief! I
pay my obeisances to that supreme thief.

dhanam ca manam ca tathendriyani

pranams ca hrtva mama sarvam eva
pralayse kutra dhrto ‘dya caura
tvam bhakti-damnasi maya niruddhah

O great thief! Stealing all our assets, bank balance, money, land,
property, prestige, fame, senses, mind, heart, and everything, You are
running away! You are such a great thief, but now You are caught! I
will bind You with this rope of love! Where will You go now, great thief,
running away and taking everything? You are bound up with this very
strong ropeof love! You cannot run away now!

chinatsi ghoran yama-pasa-bandham

bhinatsi bhimam bhava-pasa-bandham
chinatsi sarvasya samasta-bandham
naivatmano bhakta-krtam tu bandham
You m ay cut off the rope of Yamaraj; You may cut of th is material
bondage. But You cannot cut this bondage oflove. Now You are in
bondage. I have bound You up!

man-manase tamasa-rasi-ghore
kara-grhe duhkha-maye nibaddhah
labhasva he caura! hare! ciraya
sva-caurya-dosocitam eva dandam

O great thied Lord Hari! I am putting You in the very dark prison house
of my heart! This is the right prison for You! I am putting You here
forever! This is the proper punishment for Your act of stealing! Stay
forever in this prison houseof my heart! I’ll never release You!

kara-grhe vasa sada hrdaye madiye

mad-bhakti-pasa-drdha-bandhana-niscalah san
tvam krsna he! pralaya-koti-satantare ‘pi
sarvasva caura hrdayan-nahi mocayami

Now I have bound You with the rope of love and put You in the prison
house of my heart! Stay there, stay there, stay there! You cannot get
Yourself free from this very tight bondage! O Krishna! You have stolen
everything from me – my material assets, my name, my fame, my
beauty, my reputation, my kith and kin, my family members, my heart,
and my mind! This is the proper punishment for You, to remain in this
prison house of my heart, bound up very tightly with the rope of love,
forever and forever! If crores of pralaya come, still I won’t release You!
This is suitable punishment for such a great thief as You!”

Beggar on the street

Krishna gets pleasure: “Yes, I have gotten a very nice punishment.” He

becomes very pleased and happy. In his purport Srila Prabhupada has
written:

Viswanath Chakravarti Thakur explains in this regard that the very word hari
means, “one who takes away.”

Hare means one who steals, who takes away everything, who takes
away all miseries. If one connects himself with Hari, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, then Lord Hari takes away all his miseries, his
reputation, education, beauty, assets, and everything hehas. This is
Krishna’s special favor, because of this he will completely take shelter
at the lotus feet of Krishna. “No one is with me. No men, no money.
He has taken everythin away so where shall I go? Who will support
me? Only Him. So I will take shelter at Your lotus feet.” This is special
favor. Let there be no more hindrance at all. Krishna will take away all
his material possessions, material wealth, material relations and
everything he has. He makes that person a beggar on the street.
People are afraid, “Hey! Don’t do hari-bhajan! He will take everything
away from you! You will become a beggar on the street!” svajana
duhkha-duhkhitam – Then his friends and relatives desert him. “This
person has become a pauper. He has no money, no welath. IF we
keep friends with him then he will ask us to give him money. Let us
leave him.” This is Krishna’s special facor. Sa vai manah krsna-
padaravindayor – Now his ind is only fixed at the lotus feet of Krishna.
No one is there. No men, no money, no friends, no support from any
side. “Then who will support me? To whom shall I go? Only to Lord
Hari who has taken away everything. All right You have taken
everything away from me, now I will come to You. Now I am
completely at Your lotus feet.” This is special favor.

No Hindrance for Bhajana

Although Bali Maharaja was a devotee, he was attached to material

possessions. Therefore the Lord, being kind to him, showed His special
favor by appearing as the dwarf vaman and taking away all his
material possessions, and his mind as well. With His two tiny feet He
took away everything, all land and porperty, material opulence,
education, power, strength, and everything. He took all of this away
with the first two steps of His feet. Wher could He place His third step?
Bali had no place to offer Him. All right, complete dedication, he took
complete shelter and Bali became mahajana. Don’t think that Bali
sustained any loss. He gained a hundred-fold, thousand-fold. If you
give everything to Lord Hari, there is no loss at all. Lord Hari will pay
you back a thousand-fold, you cannot imagine, you cannot conceive of
it. He will pay back in such a way that there is no loss at all. If you
have complete faith then He’ll take away everything from you. That
means there will be no hindrance for hari bhajana. With body, mind
and speech you will be able to do hari-bhajana, with no material
attachments, because He has taken away everything. If some material
property, money, bank balance, friends are there, then you may be
attached. So He takes everything away, so there is only one
attachement, the lotus feet of Krishna. That is His real favor, special
favor, that Hari takes away everything. That’s very good! He takes
away our hearts. Give yourh eart to Him! Why are you keeping it to
yourself? Let that great thief take away your heart, along with all your
possessions, and everything! Very good! If offer my obeisances to
that cauragraganya, great thief, supreme thief. Haribol!
CHAPTER EIGHT
Expansions of Radha

Just as Krishna expands Himself into His svamsa, personal

expansions, similarly Radharani expands Herself. The laksmis
in Vaikuntha, the mahisis, the sixteen thousand queens of
Krishna in Dwarka, and the gopis in Vrajabhumi are all
expansions of Radharani.

Sri Khandavasi and his son Radhunandan were the thirty-ninth branch
of the tree, Narahari was the fortieth, Chiranjiva the forty-first and
Sulochan the forty-second. They were all big branches of the all-
merciful tree of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. They distributed the fruits and
flowers of love of Godhead anywhere and everywhere.

PURPORT

Sri Mukunda das was the son of Narayan das and eldest brother of
Narahari Sarakara. His second brother’s name was Madhava das, and
his son was named Raghunandan Das. Descendants of Raghunandan
Das still live four miles west of Katwa in the village named Srikhanda,
where Raghunandan Das used to live. Raghunandan Das had one son
named Kanai, who had two sons – Madana Raya, who was disciples of
Narahari Thakur and Vamsivadana. It is estimated that at least four
hundred men descended in this dynasty. All their names are recorded
in the village of Srikhanda. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (175) it is
stated that the gopi whose name was Vrinda-devi became Mukunda
Das lived in Srikhanda village and was very dear to Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. His wonderful devotion and love for Krishna are
described in the Caitanya-caritamrta, madhya-lila, chapter fifteen. It is
stated in the Bhaktiratnakara (Eight wave) that Raghunandan Das used
to serve a Deity of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Narahari Das Sarakara was a very famous devotee. Lochan Das

Thakur, the celebrated author of Sri Caitanya-mangala, was his
disciple. In the Caitanya-mangala it is stated that Sri Gadadhar Das
and Narahari Sarakara were extremely dear to Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu, but there is no specific statement regarding the
inhabitants of the village of Srikhanda

Chiranjiva and Sulocan were both residents of Srikhanda, where their

descendants are still living. Of Chiranjiva’s two sons, the elder
Ramachandra Kaviraj, was a disciple of Srinivas Acharya and an
intimate associate of Narottam Das Thakur. The younger son was
Govinda Das Kaviraja, he famous vaisnava poet. Chiranjiva’s wife was
Sunanda, and his father-in-law was Damodar Sena Kaviraj. Chiranjiva
previously lived on the bank of the Ganges River, in the village of
Kumarangara. The Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (207) states that he was
formetly Chandrika in Vrindavan.

- Caitanya-caritamrta adi 10.78-83

Vrinda-devi

Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika states that in krsna-lila Khandavasi Mukunda

Das was the gopi named Vrinda-devi. His wonderful devotion and love
for Krishna are described in Caitanya-caritamrta, madhya-lila, chapter
fifteen. His son Radghunandan is also a very dear devotee of
Mahaprabhu and a pure krsna-bhakta, a very dear devotee of Krishna.

In texts 113 and 114 of that chapter it is described that in fun

Mahaprabhu once asked Mukunda Das, “You are the father and
Raghunandan is your son, or is Raghunandan you father and you are
his son?” Please tell Me definitely who is father and who is son?
Mukunda das is a very dear devotee of Krishna because he was Vrinda-
devi in krsna-lila. Mukunda Das has such krsna-prema, gopi-prema,
radha-prema. Raghunandan is also a dear devotee of Krishna.
Mukunda Das is amani manada. He never demands respect, rather he
offers respect to one and all.

Mukunda kahe –
raghunandan mora ‘pita’ haya
ami tara ‘putra’ – ei amara niscaya

Mukunda Das said, “Oh Mahaprabhu, I tell You definitely: Raghunandan

is my father and I am his son.”

One should glorify such devotees. Mahaprabhu Himself was

engaged in glorifying such devotees. To glorify the devotees
one should have hundreds of mouths. Why only one mouth?

ama sabara krsna-bhakti raghunandan haite

ataeva pita – raghunandan amara niscite

We have all developed krsna-bhakti because of Raghunandan. He is

such a great, dear devotee of Krishna. Therefore Raghunandan is
definitely my father.
When Mahaprabhu heard this, He was very pleased. He said, “Yes,
yanha haite krsna-bhakti sei guru haya – He who gives us krsna-bhakti
is guru.”

One should glorify such devotees. Mahaprabhu Himself was engaged

in glorifying such devotees. To glorify the devotees one should have
hundreds of mouths. Why only one mouth?

“If You Really Love Me”

Every year during the rainy season the devotees from Gaudadesh used
to go to Jagannath Puri. Then they would return to Gaudadesh, Bengal.
When they were starting back to bid them farewell Mahaprabu would
accompany them for some distance. Vrindavan das Thakur states in
Caitanya-bhagavata (madhya 28.25-29):

apana galaya mala sabakare diya

ajna kare prabhu sabe – krsna gao giya

Giving each devote a flower garland from His own neck, Mahaprabhu
would glorify them. Mahaprabhu then gave them the following
instructions:

bala krsna, bhaja krsna, gaon krsna-nama

krsna binu keha kichu na bhabiha ana

You all go now, utter the name of Krishna, do krsna-bhajana. Don’t

think of anything else but Krishna.

yadi ama’ prati sneha thake sabakara

tabe krsna-vyatirikta na gaibe ara

If you really love Me, then you should love My words. Don’t think of
anything but Krishna. Don’t utter any name other than Krishna.

ki sayane ki bhojane kiba jagarane

aharnisa cinta krsna, balaha badane

Day and night, twenty-four hours, in all conditions, both sleeping and
waking, even while taking food, simply utter the name of Krishna.

ei mata subha-drsti kari sabakare

upadesa kahi sabe bales, - yao ghare
Saying this He cast His merciful glance on one and all, and saw them
on their way. In this way Mahapreabhu glorified and instructed the
devotees.

bhaktera mahima prabhu kahite paya sukha

bhaktera mahima kahite haya panca-mukha

Mahaprabhu got so much pleasure glorifying the devotees. While

speaking their glories, it was as if He had one hundred mouths.

Mukunda’s Ecstasy

Khandavasi Mukunda Das was a physician in the court of badasaha,

Muslim ruler, but that was only external. In his heart he was always
fixed at the lotus feet of Krishna. He was always thinking of Krishna.
He was a dear devotee of Krishna because in krsna-lila he is Vrinda-
devi.

Once Mukunda Das was sitting on a chair before badasaha, Muslim

ruler. Mukunda Das was giving some prescription for medicines. They
were talking about dieases and the medical treatment for them. At
that time a servant of the badasaha came with an umbrella made of
peacock feathers and held it over the head of the Muslim ruler. As
soon as Mukunda saw the peacock feather he became ecstatic,
because the peacock feather reminded him of Krishna. Only Krishna
wears a peacock feather. No one else can put on a peacock feather.
As soon as Mukunda Das saw it he became so ecstatic that he fainted
and fell from the chair onto the ground. The badasaha thought, “What
happened to this vaidya, physician? He might have met his death.”
The Muslim ruler got down from his seat and sprinkled water over
Mukunda’s face. After somet ime Mukunda das regained
consciousness. The badasaha asked him, “What happened to you?
Why did you fall from your seat? You might have been seriously hurt.”

Mukunda said, “No, badasaha, I am not seriously hurt.”

The badasaha asked, “Why did you fall?”

“O my lord, I have a disease, mrgi-vyadhi. Sometimes my head reels

and I fall down. It is nothing more than that.”

But that was not true. When he saw the peacock feather, his krsna-
prema, love of Krishna swelled up. He became s ecstatic he could not
check himself. He forgot hiso wn existence and fell unconscious in
ecstasy.
Keep it Hidden

Mukunda did not openly speak about his ecstatic symptoms before the
badasaha. Rather he attributed his fall to mrgi-vyadhi, epilepsy. This
is proper. It is said: Don’t speak to others about your bhajan-siddhi.
Don’t tell anyone. Keep it hidden within you. It is a very confidential
thing. If you have gotten some perfection in your bhajana, don’t tell it
to others. If you speak about it you will lose potency and develop
pride. People will say, “Oh, he is very great!” Then you will demand
respect. How can you become amani manada. How can you pay
rspect to one and all? Everyone will say, “Oh, he is a great sadhu! He
has achieved such perfection!” Then you will ose potency and you will
be unable to do hari-bhajana. Bhaktivinode Thakur says in Kalyana
Kalpataru (3.2.9):

ami to vaisnava’, e buddhi hoile,

amani na ho bo ami
pratisthasa asi’, hrdoy dusibe,
hoibo niraya-gami

If I think, “I am a vaisnava”, then I shall look forward to receivng

respect from others. And if the desire for fame and reputation pollute
my heart, then certainly I shall descend towards life in hell.

Mahaprabhu is teaching amani manada:

trnad api-su-nicena taror iva sahisnuna

amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih

One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than
a tree, and who does not expect personal honor but is always prepared
to give all respect to others, can very easily always chant the holy
name of the Lord.

If the thought, “I am a great vaisnava!” enters my mind, then I cannot

become amani. I cannot offer respect to one and all. Rather, I will
demand respect. Then I will run after name and fame, prestige, ad
adoration. Then my hert will be contaminated and I will go to hell. A
vaisnava never runs after this. Khandavasi Mukunda is an ideal
vaisnava. He told the Muslim ruler, “No, no. I have some disease,
mrgi-vyadhi. My head reels sometimes and I fall down.” He spoke
some lies. That is proper.

This is the real vaisnava attitude. A vaisnava is uttama, a m ost

elevated person, but he thinks himself lowest of the low. Becoming
much humbler than a blade of grass lying on the street – trnad api
sunicena! Pride is a demoniac nature – garba damba abhimana. Taror
iva sahisnuna Be as tolerant as a tree. Amani manada – Don’t
demand respect. Offer repsect to one and all, because krsna
adhisthani jani – Krishna is in everyone’s heart as paramatma. A real
sadhu-vasinava offers repect to one and all. He is so humble that he
doesn’t disprespect even an ant. But if someone says, “Oh I have
such realization, I have this perfection. On seeing this peacock feather
I immediately became ecstatic. Krsna-pream swelled up in me and I
fainted and fell down.”

“Oh, he is a very graet sadhu, so elevated!” Thereby you will demand

respect. Such a person cannot command repsect, but demands
respect. Thereby you will lose everything. A real vaisnava never does
like this. He thinks, “No, no, no. I am the lowest of the low. I have not
gotten anything. I am such a rascal, stupid, most fallen, most sinful,
degraded person.” Kaviraj Goswami is the crest jewel of
paramahamsas. In Caitanya-caritamrta (adi 5.205) He says:

jagai madhai haite muni se papistha

purisera kita haite muni se laghistha

“I am worse than a worm in stool. I am more sinful than Jagai and

Madhai. Please don’t utter my name as you will lose all your
auspiciousness.” This is the real vaisnava attitude.

In krsna-lila, Khandavasi Mukunda was Vrinda-gopi in Vrindavan. He

was gopi-prema. Radha-prema, gopi-prema, is the highest prema.
Mahaprabhu gives that prema through chanting the holy name.

No attraction for Narayan

Vrajabhumi Krishna, the form of isaora-krsna, eleven year old Krishna

in Vrajabhumi is nitya, eternal, and all-beautiful. Kandarpa-koti-
kamaniya-visesa-sobham – His beauty far excels millions of cupids.
The gopis meditate only on that form. They are not interested inseeing
any other form.

In Caitanya-caritamrta (madhya 9.148-9) Kaviraj Goswami describes

that once, out of fun, Krishna appeared in one of the kunjas, groves, as
four-handed Narayan. Krishna thougth to Himself, “I will see of the
gopis appreciate this or not.” The gopis were searching every kunja for
Krishna, “Where is Krishna, where is Krishna?”

narayanera ka katha, sri-krsna apane

gopikera hasya karaite haya ‘narayane
To say nothing of Lord Narayan personally, Lord Krishna Himself
appeared as Narayan just to play a jokeon the gopis.

catur-bhuja-murti dekhaya gopi-ganera age

sei ‘krsne’ gopikara nahe anurage

Although Krishna assumed the four-armed form of Narayan, he could nt

attract the serious attentionof the gois inecstatic love.

In one of the kunjas the gopis saw the catur-bhuja, the four-handed
Narayan form. They said, “O Narayan! Dandavats! Calo! Where is our
kisora, all-beautiful Krishna?” Rupa Goswami has also described this
pastime in Lailta-madhava (6.54):

gopinam pasupendra-nandan-juso
bhavasya kas tam krti
vijnatum ksamate duruha-padavi
sancarinah prakriyam
aviskurvati vaisnavim api tanum
tasmin bhujair jisnubhir
yasam hanta caturbhir adhbuta-rucim
ragodayah kuncati

Once Lord Krishna playfullymanifested Himself as Narayan, with four

victorious hands and a very beautiful form. When the gopis saw this
exalted form, however, their ecstatic feelings were crippled. Even a
learned scholar, therefore, cannot understand the gopis ecstatic
feelings, wich are firmy fixed upon the original form of Lord Krishna as
the son of Nanda Maharaja. The ownderful feelings of the gopis in
ecstatic parama-rasa with Krishna ocnsitute the greatest mystery in
spiritual life.

Seeing Narayan, the gopis could not develop any lvoe for that form.
Rather, their love became shrunken. Premi-bhaktas, especially
aikantika-krsna-bhaktas, one pointed devtees, develop gopi-bhava, the
mood of the gopis. They only want to see the all-beautiful kisora-krsna
form of eleven-year old Krishna in Vrajabhumi. That is nanda-nandana-
krsna and yasoda-nandana-krsna, the son of Nanda Maharaja and
Yasoda-mata. That is the all-beautiful madhuryaka-nilaya form. Krsna-
bhaktas don’t want to see any other form of Krishna. What to speak of
catur-bhuja narayan, they don’t even want to see mathuresa-krsna or
dvarakesa-krsna, Krishna in Dwarka or Krishna in Mathura. In Mathura
and Dwarka Krishna’s sweetness is covered up with knowledge and
opulence. In Vrajabhumi aisvarya is covered with madhurya. They
want to see that. Therefore the gopis are not attracted to the four-
handed form of Krishna. Seeing Him, their love becomes shrunken,
sankucita.

Expansions of Radha

Just as Krishna expands Himself into His svamsa, personal expansions,

Radharani expands Herself. Vaikunthe laksmi-gana, puri-dvaye
mahisis-gana, vraje gopi-gana – the laksmis in Vaikuntha, the mahsis,
the sixteen thousand queens of Krishna in Dwarka, and the gopis of
Vrajabhumi are all expansios of Radhrani. In that sense they are not
different from Radharani. Still, they are manifestattion of aisvarya.
Radharani is two-handed, but the laksmis are four0handed. So there is
a difference between their form and the form of Radhrani. Radharani
has a two-handed form and the mahisis, the queens in Dwarka, also
have two-handed forms. The mahisis, queens, are radha-prakasa,
manifestations of Radha, and the laksmis are vaibhava-vilasa of
Radharani. The loveof the mahisis, Krishna’s queens in Dwarka, is in
the same category of love as Radharani and the gopis, but their love is
shrunken. It is mixed with jnana and aisvarya, knowledge and
opulence Caitanya-caritamrta (adi 4.79) describes:

akara svabhava-bhede vraja-devi-gana

kaya-vyuh-rupa tanra rasera

The vraja-devis have diverse bodily features. They are Her expansions
and the instruments for expanding rasa.

The vraja-devis, the gopis of Vrajabhumi, are kaya-vyuha – their bodies

are just like the body of Radharani. Kaya means body. Radhrani has
manifested Herself inmany forms as gopis. However, the gopis don’t
allhave the same nature. Kehi dhira, kehi prakhara. Some are sober
and some are not sober. Kei sva-paksya, kei bi-paksya – Some are on
Radharani’s side and some are not. The vraja-gopis mourish the
variegated conjugal loving affairs of Radha and Krishna. Radharani has
expanded Herself in variegated expansions for this purpose. This is
tattva.

Krishna only enjoys loving conjugal affairs with Radharani. One may
object and say, “Krishna dances with so many gopis in the rasa dance.
It is not that He only dances with Radha and no one else.” This is
because the gopis are all expansions of Radharani. They are nothing
else than different bodies of Radharani. That is kaya-vyuha. In the
Yamala Tantra it is stated, gopyaikaya yutas tatra parikridata sarvada –
In Vrindavan Krishna only plays with one gopi. That is tattva.
Therefore the Patala-khanda of Padma Purana says, “Krishna playing in
the rasa dance with the gopis means His rasa dance is only with
Radharani.” This is rasa-tattva.

Assumed Two Bodies

Krishna assumed the mood and complexion of Radharani to

understand what is the rasa, mellow, that is relished by the gopis and
Radharani. Krishna cannot understand how they are relishing. Their
relishing is better than Krishna’s! Krishna is priti-visaya, wheras the
gopis headed by Radharani are priti-asraya. Love is two-sided. There
is no question of one-sided love. A loving affair means two sides –
asraya and visaya, lover and beloved. Krishna is priti-visaya. How can
He understand the taste relished by the asraya? The asraya relishes
more the visaya. Krishna developed greed for this. “How can I
understand?” “How can I have it?” “How can I relish it?” Therefore,
Krishna accepted the mood and complexion of Radharani and came as
Gaura to relish that mellow. Kaviraj Goswami has written in Caitanya-
caritamrta (adi 4.56):

radha-krsna eka atma, dui deha dhari’

anyonye vilase rasa asvadana kari

Radha and Krishna are one and the same, but They have assumed two
bodies. Thus They enjoy each other, tasting the mellows of love.

There is no difference between Radha and Krishna. They are one,

sakti-saktiman-abhinna – there is no difference between the energy
and the energetic source.

From time immemorial Radha and Krishna have assumed two bodies.
You cannot trace out the beginning. Why are there two bodies? In
order to relish lila-rasa, the mellow emanting from these pastimes,
there are two bodies, Radha and Krishna. It is not a fact that there was
onl one body and then it became two bodies. One should no think
that, because this relishing is eternal. You cannot say that there was
only one body that later became two bodies, for there is no questionof
eternality. Since the pastimes are eternal and the tasting of the
pastimes is eternal, how can one say that first there was one body
which later became two bodies? Although there is no difference
between Radha and Krishna, still, difference is there – and that
difference is eternal. These two things, difference and non-difference
are both eternal. Of these two, difference is better thatn non-
difference – if there is no difference then there is no question of tasting
the lila. That is tattca.

Condensed Hladhini-sakti
Another point is here. As previoiusly described, kisora-krsna, eleven-
year-old Krishna in Varajabhumi, is them ost beautiful form of Krishna.
The gopis always want to see that form of Krishna and not any other
for. Kisora-krsna is the most beautiful form of Krishna, and everyone is
attracted to Him in that feature. In His other forms Krishna never
becomes dependant on anyone. But in this form He becomes
dependant on His dear devotees. This is bhakta-vatsalya, the uniques
speciality of His kisora-lila, eleven-year-old Krishna in Vrajabhumi.

The pleasure-giving potency in known as hladini-sakti. The condensed

form of hladini-sakti is prema. When hladini-sakti becomes condensed
and assumes a form, that is prema. The most cndesed form of that
prema is mahabhava. That is Radharani, mahabhava-mayi. Krsna-
premara ghanibhuta avastha – If krsna-prema assumes a most
condensed form, that is Radharani. That hladini-shakti is Radharani,
and it gives pleasure to both Krishna and the devotees. Therefore the
devotees are enagegd inloving service to Krishna. Out of that service
they get pleasure, sevananda. Hladini-sakti gives that pleasure.
Otherwise, if that pleasure were not there no one would have engaged
in loving service to Krishna. Hladini-sakti gives pleasure both to
Krishna and the devotees. Radharani is the embodiment of that
hladini-sakti. Radharani only thinks of the pelasure and happiness of
Krishna. She never thinks of Herself. Radha is govindanandini, She
who gives pleasure to Govinda. Radha vina tinhon karo naya – Krishna
only belongs to Radharani. He doesn’t belong to anyone else. That is
Krishna. Therefore, Krishna manifests Himself in His own complete
svarupa before Radharani.

Krishna’s Fever

Krishna has innumerable wives, kanta, and they are divided into three
groups, laksmi-gana, mahisi-gana and vraja-gana – the laksmis in
Vaikuntha, the queens in Dwarka, and the gopis in Vrajabhumi. The
gopis, vraja-gana, are the topmost of Krishna’s consorts. Although
aisvarya is there in Vrajabhumi, it is covered up with madhurya.
Aisvarya is subordinate to madhurya there. Madhurya is
predominating. In Mathura and Dwarka madhurya is covered up with
jnana and aisvarya. Therefore their love is shrunken, priti-sankucita.
Kaviraj Goswami has mentioned all these things in Caitanya-caritamrta
and Rupa Goswami has also described all them in Ujjvala-nilamani, in
the rati-prakara section. Therefore Caitanya-caritamrta ispost-graduate
study. Only the students of the post-graduate class can understand it,
no one lese.
In Dwarka, Krishna once manifest His jvara-lila. He was shivering with
high fever. Narada Muni came and saw Krishna shivering:

“What happened?”
“High fever.”

Then Narada Muni said, “I will get some medicine for You. Then You
will be cured of the fever.”

Krishna said, “Oh Narada, there is no medicine for mMy body. Only one
medicine is there. If you can get it, then I will be cured. If you go to
some of My devotees and beg some dust from their feet, that is the
medicine for Me. No other medicine will work for this body.”

Narada thought, “Here in Dwarka thre are so many humdreds of

thousands of queens, Rukmini, Satyabhama, Jambavati and others.
Surely they will give some dust.” So he approached them. “Krishna I s
sick. He has a high fever and the medicine is with you. Please give me
some dust of your feet so Krishna will be cured.”

They said, “Oh, what are you saying? Krishna I s our revered husband.
Shall we give dust from our feet and go to hell? Get out! We cannot
give.” They would not give.

Prepared to Go to Hell

What sort of loveis that? How do they love? Love is shrunken in

Dwarka, and therefore they would not give their dust for Krishna. Then
Narada went to Vrajabhumi. Seeing Narada Muni, all of the gopis ran
to him. Narada wanders everywhere, so the gopis thought, “He can
gives us information about Krishna and inform Krishna how we are
always thinking of Him and feeling acute pangs of separation from
Him.”

Narada Muni said, “Yes, I have information. Krishna is very sick now
with high fever. I have come to you for medicine.”

“What medicine is that?”

“If someo f you can give dust from your feet, that is medicine. Krishna
will smear it on His body and He will become cured.”
“Oh, that medicine. All right, take from me.”
At that time there was some competition between them.

“O Narada take from me!”

“No, no, no! Take from me!”
“How many bags will you take?”
They said, “If giving dust from our feet is required for Krishna, and we
have to go to hell and suffer forever, we are prepared for that. Letour
Krishna be cured and happy.”

This is love. This is the difference between their love and the love of
the queens of Dwarka. Where there is jnana and aisvarya then love is
shrunken, priti-sankucita. Gopi-prema, radha-prema, is kevala-bhakti;
only pure love is there. It is not mixed with jnana and aisvarya. They
are preapred to go to hell and suffer there forever, “Let our Krishna be
happy.”

Two Types of Consorts

There is a difference in the loving dealings of the queens in Dwarka

and of the gopis in Vrajabhumi. Caitanya-caritamrt (madhya 19.191)
describes:

madhura-rase bhakta-mukhya – vraje gopi-gana

mahisi-gana, laksmi-gana, asankhya ganana

The chief devotees in conjugal love are the gopis in Vrindavan, the
queens of Dwarka and the goddesses of fortune in Vaikuntha. These
devotees are innumerable.

Gopis-gana, the gopis in Vrajabhumi, the laksmis in Vaikuntha and the

mahisis, the queens of Dwarka, are all kanta. They are in the mood of
conjugal love with Krishna, madhurya-rasa, madhurya-rati. But
Caitanya-caritamrta (madhya 19.192) describes that there is some
difference among them:

punah krsna-rati haya duita prakara

aisvarya-jnana-misra, kevala-bheda ara

Attachment for Krishna is divided into two categories. One is

attachment with awe and reverence, and the other is pure attachment
without reverence.

The conjugal mellow is divided into two parts, aisvarya-jnana-misra

and kevala-bheda – love mixed with jnana and aisvarya, and unmixed,
purelove. Caitanya-caritamrta (madhya 19.193-4) describes:

gokule ‘kevala’ rati – aisvarya-jnana-hina

puri-dvaye, vaikunthadye – aisvarya-pravina
Pure attachment without reverence is found in Gokul Vrindavan.
Attachment in which awe and reverence are prominent is found in the
two cities Mathura and Dwarka and in Vaikuntha.

aisvarya-jnana-pradhanye sankucita priti

dekhiya na mane aisvarya – kevalara riti

When opulence is very prominent, love of Godhead is somewhat

crippled. According to kevala, devotion, however, even though the
devotee sees the unlimited potency of Krishna, he considers himself
equal to him.

In Gokul there is only madhurya. There is no mixture of jnana and

aisvarya. In Mathura, Dwarka, and Vaikuntha there is aisvarya-
pradhana – aisvarya, opulence, is predominating. Where there is a
mixture jnana and aisvarya, then priti-sankucita, the love is shrunken.
The examples is the love of the mahisis, the queens of Krishna in
Dwarka compared to the love of the gopis of Vrajabhumi. For Krishna’s
pleasure, the gopis are prepared to go to hell and suffer. But the
queens in Dwarka would not give their dust. Their love is shrunken.

Joking Words

Once Krishna jokingl said to Rukmini, “O Rukmini, why did you marry
Me? Why did you choose Me? Your father and your elder brother
invited Sishupal to marry you Sishupal was a king. I am a cowherd boy.
I have nothing. I grew tending the cows and calves of Nanda Maharaja.
Why did you choose Me? You committed a mistake Still there is time.
You may go and accept Sishupal.” When Krishna cpoke like that
Rukmini became afraid. She thought, “Why is Krishna speaking like
this? Will He leave me?” Caitanya-caritamrta (madhya 19.201)
describes:

krsna yadi rukminire kaila parihasa

‘ksna chadibena’ – jani rukminara haila trasa

Although Krishna was joking with Queen Rukmini, she was thinking that
He was going to give up her company and she was therefore shocked.

The gopis, have only pure love. There is no mixture of jnana and
aisvarya. They do not want any other form of Krishna. They only want
to see the all-beautiful form of kisora-krsna. Therefore when Krishna
manifested His four-handed Narayan form in the kunja, the gopis just
offered their dandavats. Then calo, they left.

‘kevala’ ra suddha-prema ‘aisvarya’ na jane

 aisvarya dekhileo nija-sambandha se mane

“In the stage of kevala, unalloyed devotion, a devotee does not

consider the unlimited opulence of Krishna, even though he
experiences it. He takes seriously only hisown relationship with
Krishna.”

The Best Devotion

Acaryas like Srila Sanatan Goswami and Srila Rupa Goswami have
described different levels of bhakti. The demigods are also devotees.
Indra has devotion, but Brahma’s devotion is better than Indra’s.
Siva’s devotion is better that Brahma’s. Then comes Prahlad’s
devotion. Hunaman’s devotion is better than Prahlad’s, and the
Pandava’s devotion is better than Hanuman’s. The devotionof the
Yadavas is better than that of the Pandavas. The devotion of the
mathuravasis, the inhabitants of Mathura, is better than that of the
Yadavas in Dwarka. Then comes the vrajavasis, the inhabitants of
Vrajabhumi. Their devotion is better than the devotion of the
mathuravasis, the inhabitants of Mathura. The devotion of the gopis is
better than that of the other inhabitants of Vrajabhumi. Finally comes
Srimati Radharani. Radharani’s devotion is the best. Nothing is
beyond that. In this way Rupa Goswami and Sanatan Goswami, have
described devotion according to one’s reciprocal mellow.

Sriman Mahaprabhu gives the highest type of prema, which is gopi-

prema, radha-prema. Khandavasi Mukunda Das is Vrinda-devi in
krsna-lila. He had developed such prema, ekanta-krsna-premi.
Mukunda Das is so humble, amani manada. He said, “No, no
Raghunandan is my father and I am his son, because we have all
gotten krsna-bhakti from Raghunandan.” Mahaprabhu replied, yanha
haite krsna-bhakti sei guru haya – “That’s correct. He from whom we
get krsna-bhakti is our guru and our father.” When Mukunda Das sw
the peacock feather his loving mood swelled up, he completely forgot
his existence and fainted. That is the best type of love. This is gopi-
bhava. This is the best type.
CHAPTER NINE
The Heart of Radharani

Gauri means Radharani. Externally She is Gauri, golden

colored. But just the opposite is there on the inside. Shyama
is there in Radharani’s heart. He has entered into the heart of
Radharani. Similarly in the heart of Shyama, Gauri, Radharani
is there. Externally They are two, but internally one. How can
one understand it?

When Lord Rama entered the forest and Lakshman was also absent,
the worst of the raksasas, Ravan, kidnapped Sita-devi, the daughter of
the King of Videha, just as a tiger seizes unprotected sheep when the
shepherd is absent. The Lord Ramachandra wandered in the forest
with His brother Lakshman as if very much distressed due to
separation from His wife. Thus He showed by His personal example
the condition of a person attached to women.

PURPORT

In this verse, the words stri-sanginam gatim iti indicate that the Lord
Himself showed the condition of a person attached to women.
According to the moral instructions, grhe narim vivarjayet: when one
goes on a tour, one should not bring his wife. Formerly men used to
travel without conveyances, but still, as far as possible, when one
leaves home one should not take his wife with him, especially if one is
in a condition as Lord Ramachandra when banished by the order of His
father. Whether in the forest or at home, ifone is attched to women
this attachment is always troublesome, as shown by the Supreme
Personality of Godhead by His example.

Of course this is the material side of stri-sangi, but the situation of Lord
Ramachandra is spiritual, for He does not belong to this material world.
Narayanah paro ‘vyaktat – Narayan is beyond the material creation.
Because He is the creator of the material world, He is not subject to
the conditions of the material world. The separation of Lord
Ramachandra from Sita is spiritually understood as vipralambha, which
is an activity of the hladini potency of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead belonging to the srngara-rasa, the mellow of conjugal love in
the spiritual world. In the spiritual world the Supreme Personality of
Godhead as all the dealings of love, displaying the symptoms called
sattvika, sancari, vilapa, murccha and unmada. Thus when Lord
Ramachandra was separated from Sita, all these symptoms were
manifested. The Lord is neither impersonal nor impotent. Rather He is
sac-cid-ananda-vigraha, the eternal form of knowledge and bliss. Thus
He has all the symptoms of spiritual bliss. Feeling separation from
one’s beloved is also an item of spiritual bliss. As explained by Srila
Swarupa Damodar Goswami, radha-krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini-saktih
– the dealings of love between Radha and Krishna are displayed as the
pleasure potency of the Lord. The Lord is the original source of all
pleasure, the reservoir of all pleasure. Lord Ramachandra, therefore,
manifested the truth both spiritually and materially. Materially those
who are attached to women suffer, but spiritually when there are
feelings of separation between the Lord and His pleasure potency the
spiritual bliss of the Lord increases. This is further explained in
Bhagavad-gita (9.11):

avajananti mam mudha manusam tanum asritam

param bhavam ajananto mama bhuta-mahesvaram

One who does not know the spiritual potency of the Supreme Lord
thinks of the Lord as an ordinary humna being. But the Lord’s mind,
intelligence and senses can never be affected by material conditions.
This fact is further explained in the Skanda Purana, as quoted by
Madhvacharya:

nitya-purna-sukha-jnana-svarupo ‘sau yato vibhuh

ato ‘sya rama ity akhya tasya duhkham kuto ‘nv api
tathapi loka-siksartham aduhkho duhkha-vartivat
antarhitam loka drstya sitam asit smarann iva
jnapanartham punar nitya-sambandhah svatmanah sriyah
ayodhyaya vinirgacchan sarva-lokasya cesvarah
pratyaksam tu sruya sardham jagamanadir avyayah
naksatra-masa-ganitam trayodasa-sahasrakam
brahmaloka-samam cakre samastam ksiti-mandalam
ramo ramo rama iti sarvesam abhavat tada
sarvoramamayo loko yada ramas tv apalayat

It was actually impossible for Ravan to take away Sita. The form of Sita
taken by Ravan was an illusory repesentation of mother Sita – maya
Sita. When Sita was tested in the fire, this maya-Sita was burnt, and
the real Sita came out of the fire.

A further understanding to be derived from this example is that a

woman, however powerful she may be in the material world, must be
given protection, for as soon as sheis unprotected she will be exploited
by raksasas like Ravan. Here the words vaideha-rajaa-duhitari indicate
that before Mother Sita was married to Lord Ramachandra She was
protected by Her father, Vaideha-raj. And when She was married She
was protected by Her husband. Therefore the conclusion is that a
woman should always be protected. According to the Vedic rule there
is no scope for a woman being independent (asamaksam), for a woman
cannot protect herself independently.
- Srimad Bhagavatam 9.10.11

Protection Required

Lord Rama is maryada-purusottam, the topmost example of and

enjoyer of Vedic propriety. He never transgresses veda-maryada, Vedic
regulation and etiquette. He is ideal in every spehere. He is the ideal
husband, ideal father, ideal son, ideal brother, ideal friend and ideal
king. Lord Ramachandra taught both materially and spiritually. He
came to establish the ideal and teach the people in general. In this
verse the words, stri-sanginam gatim indicated that the Lord Himself
shows the condition of a person attached to woman. Lord
Ramachandra showed by His own example that a person who is
attached to a woman will suffer. In his purport Srila Prabhupada has
explained both the mateial side and the spiritual side. Regarding the
material side he has written:

According to the moral instructions, grhe narim vivarjayet: when one goes on
a tour, one should not bring his wife. Formerly men used to travel without
conveyances, but still, as far as possible, when one leaves home one should
not take his wife with him, especially if one is in a condition as Lord
Ramachandra when banished by the order of His father.

Attachment to a woman will cause suffering, crying, and hardship. It

will definitely put one into trouble. Lord Ramachandra showed that
material side. If one takes his wife with him when he leaves home he
will suffer. Srila Prabhupada has described that there is no question of
independence of woman:

A further understanding to be derived from this example is that a woman,

however powerful she may be in the material world, must be given
protection, for as soon as sheis unprotected she will be exploited by raksasas
like Ravan. Here the words vaideha-rajaa-duhitari indicate that before Mother
Sita was married to Lord Ramachandra She was protected by Her father,
Vaideha-raj. And when She was married She was protected by Her husband.
Therefore the conclusion is that a woman should always be protected.
According to the Vedic rule there is no scope for a woman being independent
(asamaksam), for a woman cannot protect herself independently.

Crest Jewel of Wives

As the ideal man, Lord Rama acted as an ideal husband. The demon
Maricha came before Sita and Rama in the form of a golden deer. Lord
Rama knew that it was an illusory deer. When Sita asked for that deer,
Rama could have told Her, but He didn’t say anything. Rather, He ran
behind the deer to catch it. Thus He set the exaple of an ideal
husband who fulfills the demands of his wife. When He came back,
Sita had been kidnapped by Ravan and Rama could not find Her. At
that time Rama cried and cried, “O Sita! O Sita!” In this way stri-
sanginam gatim – the situation of a person attached to a woman was
shown by the Lord Himself. If one is attached to a woman, he must
suffer like that. He must cry. When the wofe is kidnapped, one’s duty
is to recue her. A fierce battle was fought between Rama and Ravana,
and then Rama rescued Sita. He is the ideal husband, maryada-
purusottama.

One question arises here: Rama’s father ordered only Lord Rama to go
to the forest. Why did Sita go? As Ramachandra is the ideal husband,
similarly Sita is the ideal wife. She is sati-siromani-pati-vrata – the crest
jewel of all devoted chaste wives. She set the example that a devoted
wife always stays with her husband and serves him. When
Ramachandra received the order from His father to go to the forest,
Sita said, “I will go with You.” Rama said, “Why will you go? You have
not been ordered. You stay herein Ayodhya. You cannot go. In the
forest there are many dangers. The forest paths are not nice roads.
They are filled with thorns and pebbles that will hurt your delicate feet.
You cannot walk barefoot. You cannot live in the forest.” Sita said,
“Yes, You have said that I should stay in Ayodhya, but where is
Ayodhya? Where there is Rama, there is Ayodhya.” Sita was very
intelligent. A chaste and devoted wife has pure intelligence tht comes
from the Lord. “Yes, I will stay in Ayodhya. Where there is Rama, there
is Ayodhya, and without Rama there is no Ayodhya. So I will stay with
You.” So She went to the forest with Rama. And the Lord’s lila took
place there.

Transformation of Love

Generally, those who are attracted to woman suffer, but spiritually,

when there are feelings of separation between the Lord and the
pleasure potency, the spiritual bliss of the Lord increases. This is the
spiritual side of this subject. In his purport Srila Prabhupada has just
hinted, just touched on it. HE has quoted Svarup Damodar Goswami
saying rada-krsna-pranaya-vikrtir lafini-saktih, but he has not explained
it. It is a very deep and confifdential subject. Srila Prabhupada
deliberately did not explain it in depth because common people cannot
understand it. If someone develops greed, he will inquire about it.
Srila Prabhupada is inspiring the reader to develop greed for it. When
one makes further advancement on the path of devotion one will
naturally inquire about it. This is inquisitiveness, jijnasa. Otherwise
why would Srila Prabhupada given such explaination to such neophytes
who could not understand the subject? This topic is explained in
Caitanya-caritamrta (adi 4.95-60, 68-69, 71) :

radhika hayena krsnera pranaya-vikara

svarupa-sakti – hladini nama yanhara

Srimati Radhika is the transformation of Krishna’s love. She is His

internal energy called hladini.

hladini karaya krsne anandasvadana

hlahinira dvara kare bhaktera posana

That hladini sakti gives Krishna pleasure and nourishes His devotees.

hladinara sara ‘prema’, prema-sara ‘bhava’

bhavera parama-kastha, nama – ‘maha-bhava’

The essence of the hladini potency is love of God, the essence of love
of God is emotion [bhava], and the ultimate development of emotion is
mahabhava.

mahabhava-svarupa sri-radha-thakurani
sarva-guna-khani krsna-kanta-siromani

Sri Radha Thakurani is the embodiment of mahabhava. She is the

repository of all good qualities and the crest jewel among all the lovely
consorts of the Lord Krishna.

krsna-prema-bhavita yanra cittendriya-kaya

krsna-nija-sakti radha kridara sahaya

Her mind, senses and body are steeped in love for Krishna. She is
Krishna’s own energy, and She helps Him in His pastimes.
In the above cited verse Kaviraj Goswami says, radhika hayena krsnera
pranaya-vikara - Radharani is the transformation of the love of
Krishna, pranaya-vikara. When we speak about the love of Radha and
Krishna, then the topic of the gradual development of prema, rati,
sneha, mana, and pranaya comes. The first rise of prema is called rati.
When it becomes condensed it is called prema. When it becomes even
more condensed it becomes sneha. When even more condensed it is
called mana. When mana becomes condensed then it becomes
pranaya. Rati, prema, sneha, mana, and pranaya. Pranaya is the fifth
stage of development.

Manuscript in a Locked Box

In this purport Srila Prabhupada quotes Swarup Damodar Goswami,
radha-krsna-pranaya-viktrir hladini-saktih – “The loving affairs of Radha
and Krishna are transcendental manifestations of the Lords internal
pleasure-giving potency.” Pranaya-viktrir means a transformation of
love.

This subject of rati was discussed when Mahaprabhu met Raya

Ramananda. It is known as the ramananda-samvada and appears in
the eight chapter of the madhya-lila of Caitanya-caritamrta.
Mahaprabhu asked many questions and Raya Ramananda was
answering. In a purport to that conversation, Srila Prabhupada wrote:
“Srimati Radhrani is the most important of all the gopis and Her
specific loving service is the highest expression of madhurya-prema.”
And in the ninth canto purport Srila Prabhupada says, “The hladini
potency of the Lord belonging to the srngara-rasa, madhurya-rasa,
mellow of conjugal love in the spiritual world…”

Because this topic has come up I am speaking about it. Srila

Prabhupada has just hinted about the subject and I am just inspiring
you to develop greed for it. Because you are gross materialists you
cannot understand it. You will color it in a material way. That is very
dangerous. When you make spiritual advancement you will be able to
understand, otherwise not. Prabhupada deliberately didn’t discuss the
topic here. But he knows it and it is there in Caitanya-caritamrta. He
wrote all these things, but he kept it hidden. He didn’t bring itout.
Now it is coming out. It is all mentioned here. This topic is like
amnuscript that was kept in a locked box.

There is some danger here that neophytes will give these topics some
material color. Again in his book In Search of the Ultimate Goal of Life
(p.62-63), Srila Prabhupada has written:

Therefore it is better that the neophyte practioners in the devotional field not try to
understand the intimacies of Srimati Radharani’s confidential service. However,
expecting that submissive and bonafide devotees will understand Srimati Radharani’s
service in the future, these confidential discussions are described by Srila Krishnadas
Kaviraj Goswami in Caitanya-caritamrta.

Devotees who have been fortunate enough to rise to the spontaneous service
of Godhead, raganuga-bhakti, and who have developed an attraction for
madhurya-prema, may follow in the footsteps of the confidential associates of
Srimati Radharani and their assistants called the manjaris .
Srila Prabhupada continued:

The ecstasy that was felt by Srimati Radhrani when She met Uddhava in Vraja in Her
mournful mood of separation from Sri Krishna is personified in Lord Caitanya.
Who is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu? Radharani’s mournful mood of
separation from Sri Krishna is personified in Lord Chaitanya. No one
should imitate Lord Chaitanya’s transcendental feelings because it is
impossible for a living being to reach that stage. However, at the
stage of developed consciousness one may follow in His footsteps.
These are the hints given by experiences, self-realized devotees in the
line of Srila Rupa Goswami, who in krsna-lila is Rupa-manjari, a
distinguished cowherd girl.

Fire covered by Smoke

Ramananda Raya explained a sloka from Padma Purana:

yatha radha priya visnos tasyah kundam priyam tatha

sarva-gopisu saivaika visnor atyanta-vallabha

Srimati Radharani is the most beloved cowherd girl of Sri Krishna. Not
only Srimati Radhaani, but also the lake known as Radha-kunda is as
dear to Sri Krishna as Srimati Radharani Herself.

The first rise of prema is called rati. In the rati section of Ujjvala-
nilamani, you will find that rati has three categories. They are
sadharani, samanjasa, and samartha. An example of sadharani-rati is
Kubja. Surpanakha in rama-lila became Kubja in her next birth. Kubja’s
love is of sadharani cateory, and it extends up to the level known as
prema. After rati comes prema, then sneha, then mana, and then
pranaya. After pranaya comes raga, anuraga, bhava, and it goes
higher to mahabhava. Sadharani is a rare achievement, and is
comapred to a jewel. Its condition is like fire covered with smoke.

Superior to sadharani-rati is samanjasa-rati. The example of

samanjasa-rati is the wedded wives of Krishna in Dwarka, headed by
Rukmini. This is svakiya-bhava. Sita comes under the category of
samanjasa-rati. Samanjasa-rati extends up to the level known as
anuraga – rati, prema, sneha, mana, pranaya, raga, anuraga. This love
is like a jewel, not an ordinary mani, gem. It is very rare. Sadharani-
rati is like fire covered with smoke whereas smanajasa-rati is effulgent,
ujjvalita-bhava.

The best and last type of rati is samartha-rati. The example is the
gopis headed by Srimati Radharani. Samrtha-rati is topmost. Its limit
is the last limit, mahabhava. This rati is compared to a kaustubha-
mani. Kubja’s rati, sadharani, is like an ordinary mani, jewel. The
samanjasa-rati of the wedded wives of Krishna headed byRukmini, is
like the candrakanta-mani, but the samrtha-rati of the gopis is like
kaustubha-mani, and it is very, very, very rare. No one can understand
that love by dint of their intelligence, knowledge, merit, scholarship,
nor through logic or argument. There is no tinge of material lust in it.

Only for Krishna

In samartha-rati the lover and the beloved are elevated to such bhava
that there is no difference between them. They feel themselves one.
When this rati develops, the heroine, nayika, completely forget
everything - her shame, prestige, and pateince as well as her dharma
and Vedic social etiquette. She kicks out everything. This kind of love
is very, very confidential and very deep. In this rati there is no
separate existence, of the kanta, heroine. She completely dedicates
herself. She is selfless. The vraja-devis, the damsels of Vrajabhumi
headed by Radha, are the abode of this love. It is all meant for giving
pleasure and happiness to Krishna. Nothing is for their own pleasure.
This is samartha-rati. When samartha-rati rises, no unfavourable
situation can chakes it. When it becomes more and more condensed
then it becomes sneha, mana, pranaya, raga, anuraga, bhava and then
mahabhava.

When samartha-rati is there, whatever type of rati develops on the

heroines side in sneha, mana, pranaya, raga, or anuraga, similarly
develops on the hero’s side. This love is reciprocal. It is not one-sided.
One should keep inmind that the conjugal loving affairs between
Krishna and the gopis headed by Srimati Radharani are not lusty
affairs. There is no tinge of material lust in them. In his Bhakti-
rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.285) Rupa Goswami has described:

premaiva gopa-ramanam kama ity agamat pratham

The pure love of the gopis has become celebrated by the name ‘lust.’

Qualities of Radharani

While discussing the conversation between Mahaprabhu and Raya

Ramananda Srila Prabhupada wrote as follows:

Srimati Radharani always bears in Her heart the entiment of prema-vaicittya,

a feeling of fear of separation even when She is in the company of Her
consort. This is due to Her being very soft-hearted. She is externally a young
girl between sixteen and twenty years of age. This period is called kaisora.
She is always accustomed to moving about while resting Her hands on the
shoulders of Her friends, the cowherd girls. She is always being lovingly
attended by Her female friends and Her mind is always full of transcendental
pastimes with Sri Krishna. her constant cheerfulness is the fragrance of Her
body and She is constantly sitting on the bedstead of her peculiar pride due
to constantly remembering Krishna.

Constant remembrance of the name, fame, and qualities of Sri Krishna are
the earrings decorating Her body. The glories of Krishna’s name, fame,
qualities, are always inundating Her speech. She keeps Sri Krishna enlivened
by the celestial drink of the incessant chanting of Hs qualities. In short, She
is the reservoir of pure love of Krishna and She is full and complete with all
the necessary qualifications in this regard. She is the perfect symbolic
representation of pure love of Godhead. This fact is described in Govinda-
lilamrta (11.122) in the form of questions and answers:

ka krsnasya pranaya-jani-bhuh srimati radhikaika

kasya preyasy anupama-guna radhikaika na canya
jaihmyam kese drsti taralata nisthuratvam kuce ‘sya
vancha-purtyai prabhavati hare radhikaika na canya

Q: Who is the generating source of the love of Sri Krishna?

A: It is Srimati Radhika only.
Q: Who is qualitatively the dearest to Sri Krishna?
A: Again it is Srimati Radharani and nobody else. Srimati Radharani’s hair is
very curly, her eyes are always moving to and fro, her breasts are firm, and
as such it is She alone who can fulfill all the desires of the all-attractive Hari.

Ramananda’s Song

This discussion between Mahaprabhu and Raya Ramananda is on the

topmost loving affairs. Srila Prabhupada has written:

On hearing these words, Lord Caitanya said:

prabhu kahe, - eho haya, age kaha ara

raya kahe, - iha va-i buddhi-gati nahi ara

“Yes, This is all right, but please go still further.” Ramananda replied, “I
think my intelligence is unable to go any further! The stage that is yet
to be described is prema-vilasa-vivarta, the feeling of original
attraction matured by the feeling of separation. I do not know if such a
description will be to Your satisfaction or not.”

Saying this, Ramananda sang his own composition, the purport of

which follows:

pahilehi raga nayana-bhange bhela

anudina badhala, avadhi na gela

na so ramana, na hama ramani

 dunhu-mana manobhava pesala jani

e sakhi, se-saba prema-kahini

kanu-thame kahabi vichurala jani

na khonjalum duti, na khonjalum an

dunhukeri milane madhya ta panca-bana

ab sohi viraga, tunhu bheli duti

su-purukha-premaki aichana riti

“O, when We first met each other, the attraction was awakened by simple
sight, and such attraction knows no bounds in the ocurse of its growth,
because that attraction was due to Our personal inclination. Neither Krishna
nor Myself is the cause of such spontaneous attraction, but it awakened and
pierced Our minds in the form of Cupid. We are now separated from one
another. O My dear friend, if you think that Krishna hs completely forgotten
Me, tell Him that at the first sight we never required any negotiation, neither
did We search for any messages. Cupid himself was the agent for Our
meeting. But alas, at this times, O My friend, you are doing the job of a
messenger when Our attraction is more desirable than before.”

This sort of feeling during separation of the lover and the beloved is called
prema-vilasa-vivarta, which is the topmost sentiment in loving affairs.

The explaination of the sentiment of prema-vilasa-vivarta can only be realized

in a pure stated of consciousness free from all material conceptions. This
transcendental subject matter is not to be realised in a stage of
consciousness that is either grossly or subtly influenced by material body or
mind. External consciousness in relation to material intelligence and mind is
different from the pure soul. The mellowness of this transcendental subject is
relished by the senses engaged in the divine service of the Personality of
Godhead.

These are not lusty affairs. There is no tinge of material lust in them.
It is pure love, premaiva gopa-ramanam kama ity agamat pratham.
Prema is the fifth goal of human life, purusartha. Viraha, separation, is
the highest level of that prema. Viraha keeps prema alive. If there
were no viraha then prema would not exist. If there were to be always
milana, union, then prema would meet an untimely death. Therefore
to keep prema alive, Krishna left Vrindavan and went to Mathura,
putting the vraja-gopis, the damsels of Vrajabhumi headed by
Radharani, in viraha. That is Krishna’s mercy. Otherwise there would
not have been the topmost experience of relishable loving affairs.
Such topmost experience is in viraha.

Why “Pranaya”?

Another point in this verse is the phrase, radha krsna-pranaya-viktrir.

Why does it say “pranaya-vikrtir” and not “prema-vikrtir”? Ther must
be some purpose, some purport. In the chapter on priti in Ujjvala-
nilamani it is described that pranaya isin the fifth place – rati, prema,
sneha, mana, pranaya. More condensed, more condensed, more
condensed … and then in the fifth place is pranaya. In Ujjvala-nilamani
(14.108), rasacarya Rupapad has described what is pranaya:

mano dadhano visrambham pranayah procyate budhaih

Those who know this subject matter say that when mana becomes
condensed and assumes the stage of visrambha, it becomes pranaya.

Then another point comes: What is visrambha? These are all

paribhasa, technical terms. In his Locana-rocani-tika, Jiva Goswami has
explained visrambha:

Visrambham priya-janena saha svasyabheda-mananam

Visrambha means when there is the feeling of non-difference between

hero and heroine, lover and beloved.

In his Ananda-candrika-tika, Vishwanath Chakravarti has said:

sva-prana-mano-buddhi-deha-paricchada-
adibhih kanta-prana-mano-buddhyaderaiky
abhavana-janyam

When the lvers life, mind, intelligence, and garments become one with the
beloved’s life, mind, intelligence, body and garments, that is visrambha

In his book, “In Search of the Ultimate Goal of Life”, Srila Prabhupada
has written:

The natural divine love of the cowherd girls for Sri Krishna is berver to be
considered as or compared as lust. The two, love and lust, are explained in
similar terms because there appears to be a similarity between them.

Srila Prabhupada goes on to quote how the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu

(1.2.285) explains the distinction between the two:

premaivagopa-ramanam kama ity agamat pratham

ity uddhavadayo ‘py etam vanchanti bhagavat-priyah

People customary describe and understand the love of the cowherd girls for
Sri Krishna in the light of mundane lust, but in fact it is different because
even the highest devotees like Uddhava and others desire to possess such a
standard of love for Sri Krishna.
“Mundane lust is meant for one’s personal enjoyment; transcendental
love of godhead ismeant for the happiness of Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Krishna. There is therefore a very wide gulf between the
two.”

Crushed Together

In his book, “In Search of the Ultimate Goal of Life” Prabhupada has
described how Raya Ramananda told many things to Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu concerning the loving affairs of Radha and Krishna.
Mahaprabhu then requested Ramananda Ray to go still deeper into the
topic. Prabhupada wrote:

The stage that is yet to be described is prema-vilasa-vivarta, the

feeling of original attraction matured by the feeling of separation.
Ramananda replied, “I do not know if such description will be to Your
saisfaction or not.” Then Ramananda sang:

pahilehi raga nayana-bhange bhela

anudina badhala, avadhi na gela

na so ramana, na hama ramani

dunhu-mana manobhava pesala jani

“Alas! Before We meet there was an initial attachment between Us brought

by an axchange of glances. In this way, attachment evolved. That
attachment has gradually grown, and there is no limit to it. Now that
attachment has become a natural sequence between Ourselves. It is not that
it is due to Me, for I am the enjoyed. It is not like that. This attachment was
made possible by mutual meeting. This mutual exchange of attraction is
known as manobhava, or Cupid. Krishna’s mind and My mind have merged
together.”

This is prema-vilasa-vivartha. There is no difference between ramana,

the enjoyer, and ramani the enjoyed. Ramana is Krishna. Ramani is
Radha. In prema-vilasa-vivartha there is oneness. Na so ramana, na
hama ramani – “It is not that He is the enjoyer and I am the enjoyed.”
Dunhu-mana manobhava pesala – “His mind and My mind have
became one.” This is the last stageknown as madanakhya-mahabhav.
Madanakhya-mahabhav is Radharani’s attitude. There is no difference
between the lover and the beloved. The minds of these two, Krishna
and Radha, are crushed together. Pesala means crushing. Thenit is
transformed into a form known as pranaya. This is the explaination.
Mano dadhano visrambham pranayah procayate budhaih – That
means, when mana becomes more condensed it becomes pranaya, the
stage of visrambha. Visrambha means a feeling of oneness between
kanta, the lover and the kanta, the beloved. They are crushed
together, “His mind and My mind became one.” – na so ramana, na
hama ramani dunhu-mana manobhava pesala jani. This is the activity of
hladini-sakti. There is a difference between sakti, the energy and
saktiman, the energetic source. But in pranaya-vikrtir there is oneness
between the asvadika, the enjoyer and the asvadita the enjoyed.

Radha and Lord Krishna are one, yet They have taken two forms to
enjoy the, mellows of pastimes.

Difference and Non-difference

There is no difference between Radha and Krishna, sakti-saktiman-

abhinna. There is no difference between sakti, the enrgy, and
saktiman, the enrgetic. Radha-krsna aiche sada eka-i svarupa lila-rasa
asvadite – In order to relish the sweet mellows of these pastimes of
conjugal love there are two forms, two bodies. Ramana means enjoyer
and ramani means enjoed. Krishna is ramana and Radharani is ramani.
Radha and Krishna are two persons with two bodies. This is fact.
There is binnatvam, difference, in the sense of Them being sakti and
saktiman, the enregy and the energetic source, but there also is
abhinnatvam, non-difference, in the sense of Their moods. The
difference is in visaya and asraya. Krishna is visaay-alambana – Radha
is the abode of love, whereas Krishna is the object ofl ove. But
although there is difference, there is also non-difference between
Them. Radha and Krishna in two bodies is acintya bhedabheda tattva,
simultaneous difference and non-difference. Krishna is the srngara-
rasaraja murti – the embodiment of srngara-rasa – and Radharani is the
embodiment of madanakhya-mahabhava. To relish mellow there are
also two types, asraya-alambana and visaya-alambana. Radharani is
the asraya-alambanam the abode of love, whereas Krishna is visaya-
alambana, the object of love.

Srngara-rasaraja-purna-brahma Sri Krishna is visaya. He is purna-

saktiman, the source of all poteneies, and Radharani is purna-sakti, the
complete potency. In tattva there is a difference in the sense of sakti
and saktiman, and simultaneously there is also non-difference in the
sense of mood, bhava. There is difference in the sense of bodies and
in the sense of alambana, but in bhava there is no difference.

So it is not correct to say that there is complete difference nor would it

be correct to say that there is a complete non-difference. There is
simultaneous difference and non-difference, and this acintya. They are
acintya-bhedabheda – simultaneously one and different.

As long as there is a difference of mood then the relishing of mellow

will not be complete. When it comes to the stage of non-difference,
oneness, then the relishing of the mellow is complete – visrambha
mananam. Visrambha means oneness. Therefore this verse says,
“radha krsna pranaya-vikrtir” not “prema vikrtir”.

Color of the Garments

In Jiva Goswami's Gopala-campu (purva 15.2), Madhu Kantha i squoted

as saying:

imau gauri-syamau manasi viparitau bahir api

sphurat tat-tad-vastrav iti budha-janair niscitam idam

Wise persons have determined that though these two are of a black and
golden hue respectively, in Their minds They are of opposite color; so
externally, also, are Their clothes.

Radha and SHyama are sitting on one simhasana. Externally They are
two, but internally one. How is that? manasi vipariatu bahir api, Gauri
means Radhrani. Externally She is Gauri, golden colored. But just the
opposite is there inside. Shyama is there in Radharani's heart. He has
entered into the heart of Radharani. Similarly in the heart of Shyama,
Gauri, Radharani is there. Externally They are two, but internally one.
How can one understand it? Those who are budhas, pandits, say,
sphurat tat-tad-vastrav iti budha-janair niscitam idam - it should be
understood by the garments. Shyamasundar's garment is yellow
colored. This indicates that in the heart of Shyama, tapta-kancana-
gauranagi - Gaurangi, Radha is there. Therefore His garment is yellow.
Anda Radha's garment is a blue sari. This indicates that in the heart of
Radharani ujjvala-nilamani, Krishna is there. Therefore Her sari is blue.

Krsna-mayi krsna yara bhitare bahire - "krsna-mayi" means "one whose

within and without are Lord Krishna." Radharani is krsna-mayi, Krishna
is both outside anad inside. Outside we see Krishna to the left of
Radha. And inside of Her heart Krishna is also there. This is oneness.
The color of unnata-ujjvala srngara-rasa is syama, blue. And the color
of madanakhya-mahabhava is the hue of molten gold, tapta-kancana-
gaurangi. Therefore rasaraj Krishna, the king of mellows, is nava-
ghana-syama, black like the color of a new monsoon cloud. He is
Shyamasundar. And madanakhyha-mahabhava-mayi Radha is tapta-
kancana-gaurangi, whose bodily complexion is the hue of molten gold.

Melting Wax

Rupapad has relished this in Ujjvala-nilamani. Therein he has

described how this bheda, difference, becomes one. In His book, "In
Search of the Ultimate Goal of Life" Srila Prabhupada has quoted
Rupas's description of rasaraja Krishna:

radhaya bhavatas ca citta-jatuni svedair vilapya kramad

yunjann adri-nikunja-pate nirdhuta-bheda-bhraman
citraya svayam anvaranjayad iha brahmanda-harmyodare
bhuyobhir nava-raga-hingula-bharaih srngara-karuh krti

"O my Lord, You live in the forest of Govardhan Hill, and, like the king of
elephants, You are expert in the art of conjugal love. O master of the
universe, Your heart and Srimati Radharani's heart are just like lac and are
now melted in Your spiritual perspiration. Therefore one can no longer
distinguish between You and Srimati Radharani. Now You have mixed Your
newly invoked affection, which is like vermillion, with Your melted hearts, and
for the benefit of the whole world You have painted both Your hearts red
within this great palace of the universe."

The explaination of the sentiment of prema-vilasa-vivarta can only be

relaized in a pure state of consciousness freed from all material
conceptions. This transcendental subject matter is not to be realized
in a state of consiousness that is either grossly or subtly influenced by
material mind and body. External consciousness in relation ot material
intelligence and mind is different from the pure soul. The mellowness
of this transcendetal subject is relished by the senses engaged in the
divine service of the Personality of Godhead.

The pure state of consciousness enjoyed in the transcendental service

of Godhead is only partially manifested in the impersonalists through
their negation of material engagement. The impersonal negagtive
conception is simply an antidote for material misconception. It has no
positive standing. Such a state of consciousness may be somewhat
enlightening, but it cannot reach the positive consciousness of the soul
in its pure state. Love of Godhead is a pure and transcendental
subject. The attraction of matter is transient and inferior, and
therefore it is best described as only passing for love. The apparent
happiness of the material world is really unhappiness. However, the
transcendental happiness experienced in prema-vialsa-vivarta has
nothing to do with unhappiness withe material conception.

In concluding this explaination of prema-vilasa-vivarta, the highest

stage of transcendetal relationships Lord Caitanya said,

prabhu kahe, - 'sadhya-vastura avadhi' ei haya

tomara prasade iha janilun niscaya
'sadhya-vastu' 'sadhana' vinu keha nahi paya
krpa kari' kaha, raya, pabara upaya
"Now I understand the topmost limit of tje unlimited goal of life. This has
been possible by your grace. The goal cannot be reached without the
endeavour of the devotee and the mercy of a pure devotee. Please therefore,
let Me know the means of reaching this topmost goal."

Ripened Mango

How is the duality between Radha and Krishna removed? Krishna is

very expert in doing these things. He entered into the heart of
Radharani, and with the strong heart of separation, that lac melted,
and then that duality was removed. As long as there is duality the
taste relished in the mellow will not be the highest.

Krishna had three types of intense greed. In Vrajabhumi He was not

successful in fulfilling that greed, so He entered into the heart of
Radharani and stole Her mellow, madanakhya-mahabhava. Thereby
He removed the duality and became one with Radha. In gaura-lila-
navadvipa-prakasa, Lord Caitanya mahaprabhu's manifestation in
Nabadwip, Krishna came as Gauranga. Krishna's mood became the
mood of Radharani; madanakhya-mahabhava-mayi. Therefore it was
inevitable, automatic that His complexion would also change. The
complexion of madanakhya-mahabhava-mayi is tapta-kancana-
gauranga. As long as there is duality, the relishing of the mellow will
not be complete. In order to make it complete, Krishna removed the
duality and came as Gauranga, accepting the mood, sentiment, and
complexion of Radharani. This tapta-kancana-gaurangi is tapta-
kancana-gauranga - radha-bhava-dhari, assuming the mood of
Radharani. Thereby the relishing of this mellow is now complete in the
form of Gauranga. In the form of srnagara-rasaraja-syama the
relishing is complete. It is incomplete. The mellow is not ripe. It is like
a green mango. When a mango ripens it becomes yellow. The ripened
mango is Gauranga. Shyamasundar became Gaurasundar to relish
that mellow completely and remove the duality. It is pranaya-vikrtir -
in the transformation of pranaya there is oneness.

I think you cannot understand this subject. As long as there is some

material conception, bodily conception, one cannot understand this
topic. Therefore, deliberately, Srila Prabhupada did not discuss in
much detail, because most people cannot understand. He just touched
on it. Those who are serious to make advancement will be elevated to
the higher stages of the devotional path. Then they will inquire about
this. They will be greedy to understand it. Just to develop our greed,
Srila Prabhupada just touched on this point. He only quoted one lien,
"Swarup Damodar Goswami said, radha krsna pranaya-vikrtir hladini-
saktir asmat." But what is pranaya-vikrtir and how is it developed? It
is a big topic and we have tried to present it according to the
descriptions of the acaryas.
PART TWO
Mathura-viraha

When Akrura took Krishna and Balaram to Mathura, the

vrajavasis, especially the gopis, became very distressed,
feeling intense pangs of separation from Krishna. They said,
“We cannot live! We will die without Krishna!” They lay down
in front of the wheels of Akrura’s chariot: “Let the wheels roll
on our body! Let us die here! Why shall we survive? Krishna is
leaving Vrajabhumi!”

CHAPTER TEN
Distant Mathura

When Krishna left Vrajabhumi and went to Mathura, all of the

inhabitants of Vrajabhumi, especially Radharani, felt acute
pangs of separation known as mathura-viraha. Krishna is their
life. They think, “Our life is getting out! We cannot survive!
We’ll die, we’ll die!” Especially the gopis feelings of
separation are most acute. They all came and lay down in from
of Akrura’s chariot.

Mahaprabhu has taught us how to do bhajana in the mood of

separation. Mahaprabhu’s guru Ishwara Puri, Ishwara Puri’s guru
Madhavendra Puri, and Raghunath Das Goswami are all great
acharyas, mahanta-gurus. They are always engaged in bhajana in the
mood of separation from Krishna because viraha, feelings pangs of
separation, is the topmost platform in prema, loving affairs.

Separation Increases Love

That is the reason Krishna left Vrajabhumi and went to Mathura,

putting the inhabitants of Vrajabhumi, especially the gopis, in the
ocean of separation. Rupa Goswami has described in Bhakti-rasamrta-
sindhu (1.2.285):

premaiva gopa-ramanam kama ity agamat pratham

ity uddhavayo ‘py etam vanchanti bhagavat-priyah

The pure love of the gopis has become celebrated by the name ‘lust’.
The dear devotees of the Lord headed by Sri Uddhava, desire to taste
that love.
The loving dealings of the damsels of Vrajabhumi with the Supreme
Lord are not material lust. It is pure love with no tinge of lust.
Therefore this conjugal mellow is relished millions of times better in
separation. Cira-milana, long-standing union, means the untimely
death of prema. There is a saying in English, “Familiarity breeds
contempt.” To keep the prema always alive and to increase it day by
day, moment by moment, Krishna leaves Vrajabhumi and goes to
Mathura putting the damsels of Vrajabhumi in an ocean of viraha,
separation. In this way they always remain nitya-premanandi, acutely,
exclusively, every moment, thinking of Krishna. They love Krishna, and
due to separation their love for Krishna increases, not decreases.

This viraha or vipralambha means external separation. Krishna is not

present by sight. But internally He is there in the heart. That is viraha.
Viraha means externally away, but internally very close in the heart.
Radha and the gopis, especially Radha, the chief of the gopis, desire to
always keep Krishna in their heart. So how can it be done? Unless
Krishna is away and they feel the acute pangs of separation then they
cannot keep Krishna in their heart. At the time of union separation is
in the heart. And at the time of external separation, union is relished
in the heart. Therefore, they keep their most beloved Krishna in the
core of the heart and relish the conjugal mellow. The happiness and
taste they get from that separation is millions of times greater thatn
that of union. Therefore viraha, separation, is the topmost platform of
conjugal mellow.

Krishna Leaves Vrindavan

When Krishna left Vrajabhumi and went to Mathura, all the inhabitants
of Vrajabhumi, especially Radharani felt acute pangs of separation
known as mathura-viraha. Krishna is their life. They think, “Our life is
getting out! We cannot survive! We’ll die, we’ll die!” Especially the
gopis feelings of separation are most acute. They all came and lay
down in the front of Akrura’s chariot. “Let the wheels of the chariot roll
on our body! Let us leaveour body! Let us die! We cannot survive!
Our life is getting out! Akrura is taking Krishna away!”

At that time Krishna told them, “Somehow I am going. I have some

duty to perform in Mathura. I am going there to finish that duty, and
then I’ll come back. I’ll come back. Very soon I’ll come back.”
Remembering Krishna’s words, the gopis are always expecting that
Krishna will come back. But Krishna has not come. By the thought,
“Krishna has told us tht He will come back,” somehow they are
surviving. Otherwise they are completely dead. The more one feels
acute pangs of spearation in the heart the more one relishes the
conjugal mellow in the heart.
Mahaprabhu is radha-bhava. When Krishna left Vrindavan Radharani
felt acute pangs of separation from Krishna. She was always crying and
shedding tears. She gave up eating and sleeping and became very
skinny, always thinking of Krishna. Radharani was in a dying condition.
It seemed that She would die and leave Her body. These were Her
feelings, and Mahaprabhu is feeling exactly the same way.
Mahaprabhu is always crying for Krishna because radha-bhava is
predominating in Him. In Srila Rupa Goswami’s Lalita-madhava (3.25)
Radharani has said:

kva nanda-kula-candramah kva sikhi-candrakalankrtih

kva mandra-murali-ravah kva nu surendra-nila-dyutih
kva rasa-rasa-tandavi kva sakhi jiva-raksausadhir
ndhir mama suhrt-tamah kva bataa hanta ha dhig vidhim

My dear friend, where is Krishna, who like the moon rising from the
ocean of Maharaja Nanda’s dynasty? Where is Krishna, His head
decorated with a peacock feather? Where is Krishna, whose flute
produces such a deep sound? Oh, where is Krishna, whose bodily luster
is like the luster of a blue indranila jewel? Where is Krishna who is
dancing so expert in rasa dancing? Oh, where is Her, who can save My
life? Kindly tell Me where to find Krishna, the treasur of My life and
best of My friends. Feeling separation from Him, I hereby condemn
providence, the shaper of My destiny.

What Radharani said Mahaprabhu was also saying: “Where is that

Krishna, the moon of Nanda’s dynasty? Where is that Krishna who
plays so sweetly on His flute? Where is that Krishna who dances in the
rasa? Where is that Krishna who is the life of My heart?” You will find
the same kind of cries and utterings in Radharani and Gauranga
Mahaprabhu.

Crying of the Soul

This is Gauranga’s svarup, always crying, crying, crying: ha prana-

prestha-krsna! Ha hari! Ha rama! In that crying mood He was
chanting:

hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

This is the crying of the soul. You have to chant Hare Krishna in this
mood. Mahaprabhu was chanting Hare Krishna in this mood. That is
Mahaprabhu’s teaching. The more you cry for Krishna, the more your
love increrases for Krishna and the more you feel His prescnce in the
core of your heart. That is external separation with union in the heart.
That is virha, vipralambha-bhava. Krishna crying for Krishna is
Gauranga. Krishna crying for Radha is Jagannath. Madhurya-rasa-
ghantiya-murti jagannath – Lord Jagannath, the condensed form of
conjugal mellows.

Krishna went back to Mathura. He is not coming back and the

vrajavasis cannot go there. So what to do? The only alternative is to
send a message of love. Rupa Goswami has written two kavyas, poetic
books, on this subject, Uddhava-sandesa and Hamsaduta. They are
very high books. When you become elevated to the higher platform of
love, prema-bhakti, you may read them. They are so sweet.
Chapter Eleven
Message of Love

Catching hold of his hands, Krishna said, “Uddhava, please go

to the damsels of Vrajabhumi, he gopis. They are getting so
much pain, mad-viyogadhim, feeling the very acute pangs of
separation from Me. Please take this message of love and
deliver it to them. It will give them some solace.”

The great devotee Uddhava soon came back from the abode of the
Lord to the human plane, and, wiping his eyes, he awakened his
reminiscence of the past and spoke to Vidura in a pleasing mood.

PURPORT

When Uddhava was fully absorbed in the transcendental ecstasy of

love of God, he actually forgot all about the external world. The pure
devotee lives constantly in the abode of the Supreme Lord, even in the
present body, which apparently belongs to this world. The pure
devotee is not exactly on the bodily plane, since he is absorbed in the
transcendental thought of the Supreme. When Uddhava wanted to
speak to Vidura, he came down from the abode of the Lord, Dwarka, to
the material plane f the human beings. Even thought a pure devotee
is presentonthis mortal planet, he is here in raeltion to the Lord for
engagement in transcendetal loving service, and not for any material
cause. A living entity can live either on the material plane or in the
transcendental abode of the Lord, in accordance with his existential
condition. The conditional changes of the living entity are explained in
the Caitanya-caritamrta in the instructions given to Rupa Goswami by
Lord Sri Caitanya: “The living enitities all over the universes are
enjoying the effects of the respective fruitive results of their own work,
life after life. Out of all of them, some may be influenced by the
association of pure devotees and thus get the chance to execute
devotional service by attainment of taste. This taste is the seed of
devotional service, and one who is fortunate enough to have received
such a seed is advised to sow it in the core of his heart. As one
cultivates a seed by pouring water to fructify it, the seed of devotional
service sown in the heart of th edevotee may be cultured by pouring
water in the form of hearing and chanting the holy name and pastimes
of the Lord. The creeper of devotional service, so nourished, gradually
grows and the devotee acting as a gardener, goes on pouring the
water of constant hearing and chanting. The creeper of devotinal
service gradually grows so high that it passes through the entire
material universe and enters into the spiritual sky, growing still higher
and higher until it reaches the planet Golok Vrindavan. The devotee-
gardener is in touch with the abode of the Lord even from the materila
plane by dint of performing devotional service to the Lord simply by
hearing and chanting. As a creeper takes shelter of another stronger
tree, similarly the creeper of devotional service, nourished by the
devotee, takes shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord and thus becomes
fixed, then the fruit of the creeper comes into existence, and the
gardener who nourished it is able to enjoy this fruit of love, and his life
becomes successful.” That Uddhava attained this stage is evident
from his dealings. He could simultaneously reach the supreme planet
and still appear in this material world.
- Srimad Bhagavatam 3.2.6
Best Counsellor

Uddhava is a great devotee, a premi-bhakta. He has achieved krsna-

prema, which is known as the parama-purusartha, the fifth and
supreme purusartha. He is a very dear devotee of Krishna.

But who is Uddhava? We hear so much about him. Who is his father?
What else do we know about him? In his Sarartha-darsini tika on
Srimad Bhagavatam (10.46.1) Srila Viswanath Chakarvarti has given a
commentary on Uddhava:

uddhavohayam vasudeva-bhratur-devabhagasya
putrah tad hari-vamse
uddhavo devabhagasya maha-bhagah suto ‘bhavat

Devabhaga is the brother of Vasudev and Uddhava is the son of Devabhaga.

This is confirmed in the Harivamsa which states that Uddhava is the greatly
fortunate son od Devabhaga.

Uddhava is described in the Harivamsa, in the writings of Srila

Viswanath Chakravarti Thakur, and he is also described in the tenth
canto (46.1) of Srimad Bhagavatam:

vrsinam pravaro mantri krsnasya dayitah sakha

sisyo brhaspateh saksad uddhavo buddhi-sattamah

The supremely intelligent Uddhava was the best advisor of the Vrishni
dynasty, a beloved friend of Lord Sri Krishna and a direct disciple of
Brihaspati.

Uddhava was one of the famous persons in the Vrishni dynasty. He

was very intelligent and was disciple of Brihaspati. Mantri krsnasya
dayitah sakha – He was a dear friend to Krishna ans as a minister he
gave good advice to Krishna. In Srimad Bhagavatam (11.14.15)
Krishna Himself has said about Uddhava:

na tatha me priyatama atma-yonir na sankarah

 na ca sankarsano na srir naivatma ca yatha bhavan

My dear Uddhava, neither Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Lord Sankarshan, the
goddess of fortune, nor indeed My own self are as dear to Me as you are.

When Vidura inquired from Uddhava, Uddhava thought of Krishna. As

soon as he thought of Krishna, he became ecstatic and couldn’t say
anything. In his commentary on today’s verse, Prabhuapda Maharaja,
our dear spiritual master, has written:

The pure devotee lives constantly in the abode of the Supreme Lord,
even in the present body, which apparently belongs to this world.

In this vese it is said that Uddhava has premasru, tears of love, and
thus wiped his eyes. He couldn’t say anything. The He came down
from the abode of Krishna, completely absorbed in the thought of
Krishna.

Only Object of Love

Unless you develop lve, how can you become completely absorbed in
thought of Krishna? Krishna says, man-mana bhava – think of Me,
always, constantly. At every moment, day and night, twenty-four
hours, keep Me in your mind. How can it be possible to only have one
thought, the thought of Krishna? Is the stupid mind thinking of
Krishna? Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita (18.65):

man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru

mam evaisyasi satyam te pratijane priyo ‘si me

Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage
unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because
you are My very dear friend.

This is Krishna’s most confidential instruction to Arjuna. “Think of me,

keep me in your mind, constantly, at every moment.” Drive out all
other thoughts. Without love there is no possibility of doing this.
Krishna is the only object of love. You have not developed love. You
have not put Krishna on the platform of love. Rather suta mita ramani
ra cinta – the stupid mind id t hining of your wife, your son, you
daughter, and your kith and kin. This is because you have develop
some affection for them instead of for Krishna. Trying to get some
happiness, you have put your body and bodily relations on the
platformo f love. The consequence is unlimited misery. If you put
Krishna, who is the object of love, on the platform of love, then you will
get an unlimited, eternal perfect loving relationship.
Uddhava has that prema. The fifth canto (5.6) of Bhagavatam says,
pritir na yavan mayi vasudeve na mucyate deha-yogena tavat – as
long as yu have not develop love for Vasudeva, Krishna, you cannot be
delivered from material bondage, bodil bondage. To develop for
Krishna or Hari is the success of human life. If one develops that love
they have achieved the actual purpose of possessing this human body,
intelligence, mind and senses. The tenth canto (87.2) of Bhagavatam
says:

buddhindriya-manah-pranan jananam arsjat prabhuh

matrartham ca bhavartham ca atmane ‘kalpanaya ca

The Supreme Lord manifested the material intelligence, senses, mind and
vital air of the living enitities so that they could indulge their desires for
senses gratification, take repeatd births to engage in fruitive activities,
become elevated in future lives, and ultimately attain liberation.

The perfection of possessing a mind, body, speech, intelligencem and

ten senses is to develop love for Krishna. Otherwise what is the
necessity of possessing them?

“I will Return”

When Akrura took Krishna and Balaram to Mathura, the vrajavasis,

especially the gopis, became very distressed, feeling intense pangs of
separation from Krishna. They said, “We cannot live! WE will die
without Krishna!” They lay down in front of the wheels of Akrura’s
chariot: “Let the wheels roll on our body! Let us die here! Why shall
we survive? Krishna is leaving Vrajabhumi! We cannot survive!” They
has developed so much of love for Krishna. This is man-mana bhava,
day and night, twenty-four hours rthinking of Krishna.

Krishna gave them some words of consolation: “Don’t feel distressed.

I will come back. I have some work there, and after finishing it I will
return.” Many days passed but Krishna wouldn’t come back. Every
moment the vraja-devis, the damsels of Vrajabhumi, were thinking,
“Oh, Krishna has said He would return, but He is not coming back!”
Feeling acute pangs of separation from Krishna, they became
completely mad. Although they remained alive, they felt as if they
were dead.

Krishna’s Pangs of Separation

Do you think that only the gopis felt pangs of separation and Krishna
did not feel anything? Krishna also felt pangs of separation from His
dear devotees, the residents of Vrajabhumi, and especially the gopis.
Krishna felt so much of pain in His heart. As the gopis became mad,
Krishna also became mad. It is reciprocal. This love is not one-sided.
It has two sides, priti-visaya and priti-asraya, the objetc of love and the
abode of love. Krishna is the only object of love, priti-visaya, and His
dear devotees like the gopis headed by Radharani are priti-asrya, the
abode of love. In the circumstances what could be done? Krishna
could not go there and they could not come to Him. The only solution
was to exchange messages. Krishna wanted to send a message of love
to His dear devotees, His father Nanda Maharaja, His mother Yasoda-
mata, and the most beloved gopis headed by Radharani. Krishna
thought, “Who will take this message? Whom shall I send?” He chose
Uddhava. Uddhava is a very dear, intimate devotee. Krishna has
stated in the Bhagavata (11.14.15):

na tatha me priyatama atma-yonir na sankarah

na ca sankarsano na srir naivatma ca yatha bhavan

Uddhava, you are so dear to Me. Even atma-yonir, Brahma is not so

dear to Me. Sankara, Siva is not so dear to Me. Sankarshan is not so
dear to Me. Na srir, Laksmi-devi is not so dear to Me. Naivatma, even I
Myself am not so dear to Me, yatha bhavan as you are dear.

As the residents of Vrajabhumi, especially the gopis, are always

thinking of Krishna, similarly Krishna is always thinking of them.
Vismrti-duhkha – Forgetfulness is misery, remembrance is happiness.
You have forgotten Krishna, therefore you are put into this miserable
existence on the material platform. Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami
describes in Caitanya-caritamrta (madhya 20.117):

krsna bhuli’sei jiva anadi-bahirmukha

ataeva maya tare deya samsara-duhkha

Forgetting Krishna, the living entity has beenattracted by the external feature
from time immemorial. Therefore the illusory energy [maya] gives him all
kinds of misery in his material existence.

Why are you suffering, suffering, suffering in this material existence?

Because you have forgotten Krishna, who is the object of love and with
whom you have a perfect, eternal, loving relationship. Vismrti-duhkha
– Forgetfulness is misery, remembrance is happiness.

“Give Them Solace”

Krishna chose Uddhava because he is such a dear devotee, “Oh My

dear friend Uddhava, please come.” The Bhagavatam (10.46.3)
describes that Krishna called Uddhava and allowed him to sit close to
Him, then catching hold of his right hand with His two hands, He said:
 gacchoddhava vrajam saumya pitror nau pritim avaha
gopinam mad-viyogadhim mat-sandesair vimocaya

“Dear gentle Uddhava, go to Vraja and give plesure to My parents. And also
relieve the gopis, suffering in separation from Me, by giving them My
message.”

This is a matter of love. “O, Uddhava, please go to Vrajabhumi. Pitror

nau, My dear father and mother, Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda mata,
are very much distressed, feeling pangs of separation from Me. Please
give them some pleasure.” Then He spoke about the gopis: gopinam
m ad-viyogadhim mat-sandesair vimocaya – “Please go to the gopis,
the damsels of Vrajabhumi. They are getting so much of pain, mad-
viyogadhim, feeling the very acute pangs of separation from Me.
Please take this message of love and deliver it to them, and give them
some solace. Mat-sandesair, this is My message of love.” In the next
verse (10.64.4) Krishna said to Uddhava:

ta man-maanska mat-prana mad-arthe tyakta-daihika

mam eva dayitam prestham atmanam manasa gatah
ye tyakta-loka-dharmas ca mad-arthe tan bibharmyaham

The minds of these gopis are always absorbed in Me, and their lives
are ever devoted to me. For My sake they have abandoned everyting
related to their bodies, renouncing ordinary happiness in this life as
well as religious duties necessary for such happiness in the next life. I
alone am their dear-most beloved and am indeed their very Self.
Therefore I take it upon Myself to sustain them in all circumstances.

Gopis are the Example

On the battlefiel on Kurukshetra, Krishna gave this most confidential

instruction to Arjuna: man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam
namaskuru – “Keep Me in your mind. Always think of Me.” That is
man-mana. You cannot find such an example in Bhagavad-gita.
Krishna only spoke theoretically there. The example is found in the
tenth canto (ibid):

ta man-manaska mat-prana mad-arthe tyakta-daihikah

mama eva dayitam prestham atmanam manasa-gatah

The gopis are the example. Constantly every moment they are
thinking of Krishna. This is pure love. They are not forgetting Krishna
even for a moment. Su-durlaba bhagavata hi loke – It is very rare to
find such a devotee who has developed such love for Krishna, who
thinks of Krishna every moment.

You should try to understand this point: Without love no one can think
of Krishna. The stupid mind cannot think of Krishna. Krishna is the
only object of love. If you can develop pure love for Krishna, then you
will be able to think of Krishna at every moment. You will not be able
to live without Krishna. That is love. The gopis are the example.
Krishna says, ta man-manaska mat-prana – “The gopis are always
thining of Me. Only I am there in their mind. Mat-prana, I am their
heart, their life and soul. They have given their body, mind, speech,
everything to Me. Tyakta-daihikah, they are even preapred to give up
their bodies for Me. Mam eva dayitam prestham atmanam manasa
gatah – They are very, very dear to Me, mam eva dayitam.” In the
Bhagavatam (9.4.68) Krishna says, “They are My life.”

sadhavo hrdayam mahyam sadhunam hrdayam tv aham

mad-anayt te na jananti naham tebhyo manag api

The pure devotee is always within the core of My heart, and I am always in
the heart of the pure devotee. My devotees do not know anything else but
Me, and I do not kow anything else but them.

Vedic Etiquette Rejected

The Lord told Durvasa Muni, mad-anyat te na jananti naham tebhyo

manag api – “Such a dear devotee, sadhu, who has developed love for
Me, islike My heart and I am the heart of the sadhu. They don’t know
anything but Me and I don’t know anything but them.” This is a lovng
relationship, loving reciprocation, and the gopis are the examples.
Krishna told Uddhava, mam eva dayitam prestham atmanam manasa
gatah – “O Udhava, the gopis, the damsels of Vrajabhumi, are like My
life. You think I am here in Mathura, but really I am there. Externally I
am here in Mathura doing something for duties sake. But really I am
there. My mind is there. My heart is there. My lifeis there in
Vrajabhumi.”

One may ask, “Krishna, how can you have been put in such a
ocndition?” The answer is ye tyakta-loka-dharmas ca mad-arthe tan
bibharmy aham – “For My sake they have renounced the ordinary
happiness in this life, as well as religious duties necessary for such
happiness in the next life. Therefore I really stay in Vrindavan in order
to sustain them in all circumstances. They have developed such
intimate love for Me that they have give up everything. Hey are even
prepared to give up their bodies. They have already kicked awayveda-
maryada-dharma, Vedic religious duties. They don’t know what is good
or bad. They have kicked away that which is very difficult to give up,
veda-dharma, Vedic regulations. They have kicked it away because
they have put Me in their mind and heart.” Krishna says in Bhagavad-
gita, ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham – “As
they surrender unto Me I reward them accordingly.” It is a question of
reciprocation. According to the degree of one’s surrender, there is a
similar reciprocation. But the surrender of the gopis is cent-percent. It
is complete. Without love there is no question of complete surrender.
Sarva dharma parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja – “Give up all
varieites of dharma and just surrender.” This is very significant. Giving
up all varieties of dharma includes veda-dharma, Vedic etiquette, Vedic
regulations, as the gopis have done. Therefore Krishna says “tyakta”,
giving up. Ye tyakta-loka-dharmas ca mad-arthe tan bibharmy aham –
“They have given up loka-dharma, veda-dharma, Vedic Ettiquette,
Vedic regulations for Me. They are condemned in society.”

Radha says, ko va na yati yamuna pulina vane radha name

kulatapavada – “Who is not going to the bank of the Yamuna to fetch
water? But if Radha goes there then She is condemned. Everyone
says, She has become a prostitute, kulata.” However Radha accepts it.
She says, “Yes.” Tomara lagiya kalankera hara golaye padite pari – “O
Krishna, for You this kalanka, blasphemy or character assassination, is
like a very nice garland for Me. Let Me put it around My neck.” This is
love, and Krishna knows it. Krishna says, “Such love they have
developed!” ye tyakta-loka-dharmas ca mad-arthe tan bibharmy aham
– “They have given up everytihng for Me, so how can I forget them.
Externally out of duty I am here in Mathura doing something. But My
heart, My life, everything is there with them. The condition of these
gopis, most of the time they are thinking of Me and fainting. This
murccha, fainting condition, is their life. Otherwise they cannot
survive.”

Summer of Separation

Krishna spoke all of these things to Uddhava, and said, “From this you
can understand them.” Keeping His patience Krishna said something
more, “O Uddhava, during the summer season, under the
scorchingheat of the sun, all the water reservoirs, the ponds, and tanks
dry up. Turtles are there inside the water. When the water dries up,
whatis the condition of the turtles? They will die. If there is no water,
how can they stay there? At that time the turtles burrow themselves in
the mud to keep alive. Similarly when I left Vrajabhumi the gopis felt
the pangs of separation from Me. This condition is like the scorching
heat of the summer season. The heat of separation, viraha-tapa, is
very acute. Their heart is like a pond, sarasi. That water has
completely dried up.” Krishna said, “Their life is like the turtles – prana
kurma. When all the water is dried up the turtles bury themselves in
the mud. Similarly the gopis are only surviving with the consolation I
gave them when I was leaving. I told them, ‘I will come back. Don’t
feel so distressed.’ This consolation is like the mud, and they
areputting themselves into that mud and surviving – yasyam-
asamrdam-anusrtah prana-kurma vasanti. I have no language. I fear
to express their condition, how they feel for Me, how they feel this
acute pang of separation from Me.” Krishna is thinking like that. This
is reciprocation.

He chose Uddhava to carry His message because Uddhava is such a

dear devotee. Who else can carry this message of love and deliver it
to the gopis? Thus Uddhava went to Vrajabhumi. Uddhava is a
devotee, but his devotion is not as pure as the gopis. Uddhava has
mixed devotion, jnana-misra-bhakti, bhakti mixed with knowledge.
Krishna also had another intention in sending Uddhava to Vrajabhumi.
He wanted that Uddhava would come to the platform of pure love.
Krishna knew this would happen when he saw the gopis, especially
Radharani. Then he would understand the love they had developed.
Therefore Krishna sent Uddhava there.

Blade of Grass

When Uddhava saw the gopis headed by Radharani, he thought, “Oh,

what is this? I was thinking that I was a great devotee and very dear to
Krishna. But what love these gopis have developed for Krishna! I have
no such love.” He condemned himself. “Unless I get some dust from
their lotus feet then my life is not successful. What is the value of this
life? If I beg them, ‘Please give me some dust,’ they won’t give it to
me. What shall I do?”

The Bhagavatam (10.47.61) describes, that thinking like this, Uddhava

said:

asam aho carana-renu-jusam aham syam

vrndavane kim api gulma-latausadhinam
ya dustyajam sva-janam arya-patham ca hitva
bhejur mukunda-padavim srutibhir vimrgyam

The gopis of Vrindavan have given up the association of their husbands, sons
and other family members, who are very difficult to give up, and they have
forsaken the path of chastity to take shelter of the llotus feet of Mukunda,
Krishna, which one should search for by Vedic knowledge. Oh let me be
fortunate enough to be one of the bushes, creepers or herbs in Vrindavan,
because the gopis trample on them and bless them with the dust of their
lotus feet.
Uddhava thought, “if I can be fortunate enough to be born here in this
jungle of Vrindavan as an herb or a blade of grass, then I will get a
chance. While the gopis are feeling pangs of separation from Krishna
and are wandering and searching for Krishna everywhere, their feet
may touch me. Then I may get the dust from their lotus feet. What
love they have developed for Krishna. What have they not done? It is
very difficult to give up Vedic etiquette, veda-dharma, arya-patham,
yet they have given it up, they have kicked it away. Such love they
have. Let me be born here as a creeper, as a medicinal herb, or
anything, so I can get the chance to get the dust from their lotus feet.”

When Uddhava saw the love that the gopis had for Krishna he
condemned himself. “I am such a rascal, I have no such love. I was
thinking ‘I know Krishna.’”

“No. I don’t know Krishna. They have developed so much love! What
is the utility of this life unless I develop such love? How can I develop
such love? How can I become fortunate enough to get some dust from
their lotus feet?”

Choked up

This was Uddhava’s experience. Here in this verse, out of excessive

love Uddhava could not speak. If you develop such love then your
voice will become choked up. In Siksastaka (7) Mahaprabhu says:

nayanam galad-asru-dharaya
vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira
pulakair nicitam vapuh kada
tava nama-grahane bhavisyati

O Lord, when will tears roll down from My eyes like torrents of rain when I
chant Your holy name? When by chanting Your name will My voice become
choked up out of ecstasy and I will become unable to utter anything?

When Vidura inquired, Uddhava felt so ecstatic that he completely

forgot himself. He then checked his love – bhava-samvarana – and as
the verse describes he, “… came down to the human plane to speak to
Vidura. Wiping his eyes he spoke. ” This is love.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Uddhave Meets Nanda Maharaja

Uddhava tried to present the sunlight of sastra-jnana before

Nanda Maharaja. He knew very well that with the help of
jnanaloka, the enlightenment of jnana, one can see the real
truth. But there are some things that are only visible in the
darkness.

Thus Jamadagni, being worshiped by Lord Parasuram, was brought

back to life with full remembrance, and he became one of the seven
sages in the group of seven stars.

PURPORT

The seven stars revolving around the polestar at the senith are called
saptarsi-mandala. On these seven stars, which from the topmost part
of our planetary system, reside seven sages: Kasyapa, Atri, Vasista,
Viswamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni and Bharadvaja. These seven stars
are seen every night, and they each make a complete orbit around the
pole-star within twenty-four hours. Along with these seven stars, all
the other stars also orbit from east to west. The upper portion of the
universe is called the north, and the lower porion is called the south.
Even in our ordinary dealings, while studying a map, we regard the
upper portion as north.

Utility of Darkness

The only thing that Srila Prabhupada talks about int his purport is stars.
But still a question arises: Every night the seven stars can be seen.
They all orbit around the polestar, Dhruva. They are not seen in the
daytimne because in the daytime there is sunshine. They are only
seen in the darkness. There is a philosophical point here – some
persons want darkness. For those who only want to see the polestar,
the sunshine craetes a hindrance for them.

What is the message of the Bhagavata? In the Bhagavata you will find
that every jiva is unhappy. He is distressed and wants happiness.
Sometimes he gets some little temporary, fleeting happiness, but he is
not satisfied with it. In his heart he wants constant, unbroken
happiness. That happiness, that ananda, is known as brahmananda.
Knowingly or unknowingly, everyone wants that brahma-vastu, real
spiritual object, parabrahma, the Supreme Lord, Bhagavan. Some are
searching directly and some are searching indirectly. A conditioned jiva
does not know how to search for Him. Therefore allthe Vedic
literatures and Vedic acaryas have shown the path.
The sac-cid-ananda-ghana-vastu, the eternal conscious and blissful
reality, is Bhagavan Krishna. The sastras and acaryas say that if you
engage in His bhajana and you get Him then you will get eternal
happiness, bliss and peace. One who is fortunate can understand this.
If he engages himself constantly in bhagavata-bhajana, following the
instructions of sadhu-sastra-guru, following in the footsteps of the
mahajanas, he will get Krishna and will have constant bliss and peace.
But those who are ill-fated, who don’t know how to do bhajana, they
are all floating and suffering inthis dreadful ocean of materialistic
existence. The material world is full of such persons.

Therefore Srimad Bhagavatam has appeared here upon the advent of

Kali-yuga. The Bhagavata carries a completely new message for the
jivas of Kali-yuga. All of the sastras instruct us to do bhagavata-
bhajana. But the Bhagavatam says something more tha that. The
Bhagavatam says, “Hey jiva! You have no ability to do bhajana. You
have no qualification to call Him.” The Bhagavatam says, “Open your
ear! Listen to Me! How will you call Him? You should listen to how He
is calling you! His heart is splitting for you! You are not crying for him,
He is crying for you! He is calling you!”

The deity of the Bhagavata is muralidhara Krishna. Muralidhara

Krishna is holding His flute and calling you, “Come to Me, Come to Me,
Come to Me!” Are you listening? Have you ears? Sarva-bhuta-
manoharam – Krishna’s flute captivates the mind of all living entities.
You cannot call Him, therefore He is calling you. You cannot go to Him,
therefore He comes to you. He comes down to the material world to
you! Holding a flute, mohana-vamsuriya, He is calling you. This is the
most wonderful message of Srimad Bhagavatam. The Bhagavata says,
“Who am I?” nigama-kalpa-taror-galita phala – “I am the most ripened
sweetest, nectarean juicy fruit of the Vedic tree.” So the Bhagavata
has appeared here and muralidhara Krishna, leaving Golok Vrindavan,
has come here to Gokul of Vrajabhumi, on the bank of the Yamuna,
Kalindi. This message fills all the pages of Srimad Bhagavatam. It is
also here on this page. But you cannot ses it. You only see the seven
stars and the polestar being discussed here, nothing else. Where is
this message here? A blind man cannot see it. This message is
throughout Bhagavata, in every page.

Bhagavan Crying for Bhakta

The demoness Putana came, smearing a draedful poison on her breast

to kill baby Krishna. She had such an ill motive! But Krishna is so
merciful. The Bhagavatam (3.2.23) describes:
 aho baki yam stana-kala-kutam
jighamsayapayayad apy asadhvi
lebhe gatim dhatry-ucitam tato ‘nyam
kam va dayalum saranam vrajema

Alas, how shall I take shelter of one more merciful than He who granted the
position of mother to a she-demon [Putana] although she was unfaithful and
she prepare deadly poison to be sucked from her breast.

Krishna is so merciful that He gave her the position of mother. You will
never find in any country, at any time, in any grantha, any sastra, such
a merciful Lord as Krishna. This is the message of Srimad
Bhagavatam. Man wants Bhagavan, but the message of the
Bhagavata is that Bhagavan wants man. Bhakta is crying for
Bhagavan, but much sweeter and more beautiful than this is –
Bhagavan is crying for bhakta. Baby Krishna is trying to suck the
breast of mother Yasoda. In His boyhood pastimes Krishna is
wandering the jungles of Vrindavan searching for His dear calves.
Holding His mohana-murali, His enchanting flute, he is calling the
damsels of Vrajabhumi, gopi-jana-vallabha. This is the message of
Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavan is crying for bhakta.

To speak this message, Krishna sends Uddhava to Vrajabhumi. This is

Uddhava-sandesa. Uddhava is a very dear devotee of Krishna.

Meeting Nanda Maharaja

Uddhava is a jnani-bhakta, not a premi-bhakta. He is a disciple of

Brihaspati, who is a jnana-guru, a pandit. Uddhava knows sastra. He
is a pandit, a scholar, and at the same time he is a devotee. His has
jnana-misra-bhakti, devotion mixed with jnana. By sending him to
Vrajabhumi, he will develop pure bhakti. When he comes in contact
with Nanda Maharaja, Yasoda, the gopis, especially Radha, then he will
understand. Then he will feel ashamed. His pride as a great pandit
will be crushed. Then he will cry and beg for the dust of the lotus feet
of the vraja-gopis. He will say, “If I can get that dust, then my life will
be successful. Otherwise my life is useless.” This is the benefit he will
get. This is the good done to him.

When Uddhava came to Vrajabhumi he was thinking of Nanda

Maharaja, becaue he had marked that Krishna was often speaking of
His dear father. When Uddhava met Nanda Maharaja, Nanda Maharaja
first inquired about his friend Vasudev and his wife Devaki. He inquired
about them because they are friends. Then he asked about Krishna:

distya kamso hatah papah sanugah svena papmana

sadhunam dharma-silanam yadunam dvesti yah sada
Fortunately, because of his own sins, the sinful Kamsa has been killed, along
with all his brothers. He always hated the saintly and righteous Yadus.

Nanda Maharaja said, “My brother Vasudev and his wife Deavki were
persecuted so much. They were imprisoned. Now that has been killed,
they are released. Those who persecute the sajjanas, the devotees,
will be burnt by the fire of their sinful activity. So the Kamsas, the
demons are burnt. The Yadavas are happy now.” He then asked about
Krishna. “Is Krishna there in Mathura? Why is He not coming? I heard
that my brother sent Krishna and Balaram to guru-grha, to stay in the
house of their guru. Now they are initiated and have received the
sacred thread, yajna-upavita.” Vrajabhumi Krishna has no sacred
thread. Krishna in Mathura has a sacred thread. Some pujaris have put
a sacred thread on Vrajabhumi Krishna, but it is not siddhanta.

Does He remember Us?

Nanda Maharaja said, “I heard that my brother Vasudev sent Krishna

and Balaram to Their guru’s house, Sandipani Muni’s ashram in
Avantinagar. How my heart is splitting, Uddhava. They have bceome
brahmacaris. They have to go oout and beg alms for their guru. They
have to collect samit, wood for yajna. O Uddhava, my son Krishna is a
milk-fed child, who eats ten times in one danda! [twenty-four minutes]
Such a heavy responsibility has been placed on Him. He is going to the
forest to fetch wood, fuel for the guru’s ashrama. This is not befitting
my milk-fed Gopal. Uddhava, my heart is breaking hearing all these
things.”

He asked Uddhava, “Does He still remember us? Is He remembering

His most beloved mother? Does He remember His friends the cowherd
boys? Is He remembering His most beloved cows and calves, which He
was feeding with His own hands? Does he remember how He was
forgetting His food and sleep while playing in this jungle of Vrindavan?
Is He remembering Giriraj Govardhan? His footprints are still there.
Giriraj Govardhan is carrying them. That Giriraj Govardhan is crying for
Him. Is He feeling that crying? Has He such feelings?”

Nanda Maharaja could not speak about himself. He asked about

others. While Nanda Maharaja was speaking, His heart filled with
vatsalya-priti. His voice choked up and he couldn’t speak.

Nanda Maharaja said, “O Uddhava, Krishna is a very simple child. He

was not thinking of anything on any day. Now there is so much anxiety
on Him. Jarsandha attacked Mathura and the Yadavas had to be
protected from that attack. Such a small child, and such a heavy
burden has been placed on Him. When I think of this My heart breaks.”

We Cannot Survive

Uddhava said, “O Nanda Maharaja, Krishna is not an ordinary boy. He

has extraordinary intelligence. He never commits any error or mistake.
He always thinks of Vrajabhumi. O Nanda Maharaja, I have seen it
myself – He thinks of you and tears roll down from His eyes.”

Nanda replied, “Is it true that Krishna thinks of us? If He is thinking of

us, then why is He not coming? Why is He not coming? When Krishna
was leaving Vrajabhumi He said to us, jnatin vo drastum esyamo
vidhaya suhrdam sukham – ‘I have some duty in Mathura towards the
Yadavas. I’ll make some arrangement for their comfort. Then I’ll come
to see you.’ He said this to us, Uddhava, but when will that day come?
When will it come? When will he return to Vrajabhumi to give us
pleasure?”

“Men and women, old men and boys everyone in Vrajabhumi has been
put into a blazing fore of separation from Krishna. They are all burning,
burning. He has saved us from so many dangers. Now we are burning
in the fire of separation. We cannot survive. We will die. It is the
general etiquette that when someone is on their death bed, dying,
even if their realitve is in some far away place, still he will give up
everything and run there, ‘My relative is dying. Let me go and see.’
So why is Krishna not coming? We are dying.”

When Nanda Maharaja said this, he could not speak anymore. Tears
rolled down his cheeks. In his eye of meditation, Nanda Maharaja saw
the beautiful face of Krishna Gopal. He said to Uddhava:
apy ayasyati govindah sva-janan sakrd iksitum
tarhi draksyama tad-vaktram su-nasam su-smiteksanam

Will Govinda return even once to see His family? If He ever does, we may
then glance upon His beautiful face with its beautiful eyes, nose and smile.

“Uddhava, how beautiful is the face of my Gopal. What a beautiful

smile He has. Such a beautiful nose, beautiful cheeks, beautiful eyes,
and such a sweet voice. Will we see His face again? Uddhava what
shall I say? Everyone gets a son, but who has a son endowed with
qualities like Krishna? Krishna has unlimited good qualities. I cannot
describe them completely. Leaving such a treasure, somehow I am still
surviving. This is wonderful. Kevala, everything has gone, only this
emptylife is here. There is only crying. Nothing else. Sarvah nah
sithilah kriyah – All my activities have stopped. Now this house seems
like a prison to me. So you understand Uddhava? I leave the house to
forget Krishna. But how can I forget? Wherever I go, I see, ‘Oh yes,
Krishna has done this thing there.’ Again and again these thoughts
come to my mind. How can I forget? Sometimes I got to the bank of
the Yamuna. Then I remember ‘Oh, He was performing so many water
pastimes here.’ When I go to Govardhan Hill, I remember, ‘He lifted
this hill like a mushroom and continuously carried ito n His left hand for
seven days.’ His footprints are still there. Giriraj is still carrying them.
How can I forget about Krishna?” In this way Nanda Maharaj spoke to
Uddhav.

Consolation

On his way from Mathura, Uddhava was thinking of Nanda Maharaja.

He has marked how many times Krisna was sheeding tears about His
beloved father and mother. Uddhava came to give them consolation.
Uddhava thought, “If someone is crying due o having lost their son in
this material world, what will you say to give them consolation? ‘Don’t
cry. This material son and material realtionship is temporary. Why are
you cryin for temporary relaionships and a temporary material son?
This is not real’ But how can I tell Nanda Maharaja not to cry? He is
crying for Krishna. If someon has to cry and that crying is for Krishna,
how can I say, ‘Don’t cry?’ Then it wll be asastriya contrary to sastra.
All the sastras say, ‘Cry for Krishna.’ I have no words. How can I
console Nanda Maharaja?”

Uddhava is sastra-jna. He knows sastra. He is a bhakta. He is a

pandit and also a bhakta. He knows very well that the supreme
perfection of life is to get Bhagavan Krishna. And how can one get
Krishna unless he cries? He cannot. Those who are crying for Krishna
are rare personalities. They are very fortunate. In the material world
many are crying for material wealth, name, prestige, adoration,
enjoyment, and opulence, Who is crying for Krishna? Is there anyone?
Such a perosn is rare. Crying for Krishna is the supreme perfection of
human birth.

Even if Uddhava does tapasya or sadhana for crores of lives such

crying sill never arise in his heart. Uddhava’s heart is hard and
because of sastra-jnana. Jnana is like the light of the sun. When the
sun is in the sky, the polestar ans the saptarsis are not visible. This
message is ther ein every page of the Bhagavata. Uddhava’s heart is
very hard because of dry sastra-janan. It will never be possiblefor the
heart of Uddhava to cry for Krishna. But Uddhava devekloped the
desire, “How can I get love like Nanda Maharaja has?” His heart is full
of such pure, unmixed love. How can I get it? I will give up everything
and undergo very severe austerities to get it. Such a desire arose in
the heart of Uddhava.

Cry More!

Uddhava was thinking, “The love possessed by Nanda Maharaja cannot

be comapred in unlimited universes. How can I tell Nanda Maharaja,
‘Don’t cry?’ If I say this then all of the sastras will come and shut my
mouth. The sastras say that crying for Krishna is the goal of life.
Uddhava is the embodiment of sastra. How ca I speak contrary to
sastra? Rather I should say to Nanda Maharaja, ‘Cry more, cry more,
cry more! Cry yuga after yuga, millenium after millenium! Go on
crying, go on crying! Shed more and more tears!’ But alas this is not
consolation. If I give some consolationthen it will be contradictory to
sastra. Why have I come here? It is quite impossible for me to give
him consolation. Uddhava understood sastra-jnana. Sastra says,
sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja – Abandon all
varieties of dharma and just surrender unto Krishna. Always think of
Krishna and cry for Krishna. So how can I tell Nanda Maharaja not to
cry for Krishna? That would be a sinful activity on my part. How ca I
commit such a sin? Even after coming to Vrajabhumi, shall I commit
such a sin?” Uddhava understood, “It is quite impossible for me to
console Nanda Maharaja.”

After speaking many things, Nanda Maharaja became humble. He said,

“Uddhava, I have no qualification tp be father of Krishna. Krishna is not
an ordinary boy. When Gargamuni came here for nama-kara-samskara,
the name giving ceremony, he said, ‘You Krishna is like Narayan, the
Supreme Lord. All of the great sages and munis are meditating on
these two boys Krishna and Balaram.’ Sometimes it comes to my mind
and I think, ‘Yes, what Garagamuni said is true.’ O Uddhava, you saw
with your own eyes. Kamsa was such a powerful demon, and his
strength was equal to ten thousand elephants, yer Krishna killed him
very quickly. With just one kick from Krishna he fell down to the ground
and died.”

“Not Your Son”

Conditioned souls must reap their karma-phala, the result of their

karma. Therefore there is birth and death. But Krishna has no karma-
phala, no birth and death. Hearing this one may question, “Then why
did Krishna come here?” kridartham s ‘pi sadhunam paritranaya
kalpate – He came here to play, kridartha, and to deliver the sadhus,
paritranaya sadhunam. Krishna has described this in the Gita, and it’s
also said in the tenth canto of Bhagavata. Bhakta-gana-raksana –
Krishna comes here to protect his dear devotees and to manifest His
pastimes.

The bhakta is sadhu. The bhakta is so dear to Krishna. Krishna’s

dharma is to protect sadhus, sadhu-raksya. If there is any impediment
in His bhakta’s bhajana, then Krishna drives away that impediment and
makes all arrangement for favorable circumstances. If some bhakta
wants to get Bhagavn as his son, as his friend, or as a husband, then
Krishna appears in that form. Actually He is not the son of anyone. In
the mod that one does their bhajana, Krishna appears in that particular
form with them.
Uddhava told Nanda Maharaja:

yuvayaor eva naivayam atmajo bhagavan harih

sarvesam atmajo hy atma pita mata sa isvarah

The Suprem Lord hari is certainly not your son alone. Rather, being the Lord,
He is the son, soul, father and mother of everyone.

“O Nanda Maharaja, it is true from one angle of vision that Krishna is

your son. However, from another angle of vision it is not true.”
Uddhava is a pandit philosopher, speaking philosophy. “Because your
heart is filled with very deep vatsalya-rasa, therefore He is your son.
Ye yatha mam prapdyante, tams tathaiva bhajamy aham – By this logic
He is your son. Krishna has promised, ‘In whatever mood one does My
bhajana I will appear in that form to reciprocate with him.’ Your heart
is filled with very deep vatsalya-rasa, therefore in that vision Krishna is
your son. But if you think of Krishna as other general people think of
their sons and daughters, in a father and son relationship – janya-
janaka-sambandha, that is not true at all. Krishna is the soul of all
souls. He is dear to everyone. He Himself has said, pitaham asya
jagato mata dhata pitamahah – ‘I am the father, mother, and creator of
this jagat, this world. I am the grandfather of everyone.’ This is tattva,
krsna-tattva. According to your vatsalya-rasa, Krishna is your son –
that is abhimana, your conception. However inall the unlimited
universes there is nothing but Krishna. Whatever you hear, whatever
you see, everything in the past, eberything in the present, and
whatever wil be in the future, moving, non-moving, great or minute is
not different from Krishna, because He is paramatma, the Supersoul.
He is param-asraya, the shelter of everything and everyone sarva-
svarupa.”

Uddhava told Nanda:

drstam srutam bhuta-bhavad-bhavisyat

sthasnus carisnur mahad alpakam ca
vinacyutad vastu taram na vacyam
 sa eva sarvam paramatma-bhutah

Nothing can be said to exist independent of Lord Achyuta – nothing can be

heard or seen, nothing in the past, present or future, nothing moving or
unmoving, great or small. He is indeed everything, for He is the Supreme
Soul.

Nanda’s Blindness

By saying all of these things Uddhava painted a nice picture of krsna-

tattva and held it before Nanda Maharaja.

However, Uddhava doesn’t know that Nanda Maharaja is blind. What

sort of blind man is he? krsna-premandha, blind in krsna-prema.
Everyone in this material world is blind for material enjoyment,
bhogandha. But Nanda Maharaja is krsna-premandha. So although
Uddhava painted a nice picture of krsna-tattva and held it before
Nanda Maharaja, because Nanda Maharaja is blind he could not see it.
Here in this world we see all objects by the help of sunshine. We
cannot see in deep darkness. Sastra and jnana are like sunshine. In
that sunshine everything is revealed. At that time bhrama, the
tendency to commit mistakes, and pramada, the tendency to be
illusioned, are dispelled like darkness. Nanda Maharaja is crying for
Krishna. Uddhava knows that one cries due to delusion, moha. “Oh,
my sonhas gone away.” Everyone in this world cries due to delusion.
Delusion comes because of ignorance. If someone gets tattva-jnana
then their delusion is dispelled. When ignorance is dispelled, delusion
is gone, and then you will never cry again. Uddhava tried to present
the sunlight of sastra-jnana before Nanda Maharaj. Uddhava is a
jnana-sadhaka, jnani-bhakta. He is the embodiment of sastra. He knew
very well that with the help of jnanaloka, the enlightenment of jnana,
one can see the real truth. But there are some things that are only
visible in the darkness. Only when the sun sets and darkness comes
are the innumerable stars visible. If someone has made a lifelong vow
to only look at the polestar with unblinking eyes, then the sunshine will
be a great obstruction. It will be detrimental for uphlding his vow. This
is not an easy thing to understand. This message is revealed inevery
page of Srimad Bhagavatam.

“Krishna is my son.” Goparaj, Nanda Maharaja is always looking with

unblinking eyes in the northern direction to the polestar in the form of
krsna-rupi dhruva-naksatra – the polestar in the form of Krishna. So for
him sastra-jnani, the enlightenment of sastra, sastra-surya, the
sunlight of sastra is an obstruction. Uddhava is a sastra-sadhaka, a
strict follower of the rules and regulations of sastra, whatever he says
before Nanda Maharaja about sastra-jnana and krsna-tattva is vert,
very difficult for Nanda Maharaja to undestand. For Nanda Maharaja it
is avantara-katha – irrelevant talk.

Nanda Maharaja’s abhimana is, “I am the fahter of Krishna.” This is

the inner feeling in the heart of Nanda Maharaja. Where is the scope
for any other thougth to enter into the heart of Nanda Maharaja?

“You are a Boy, Uddhava”

Uddhava gave a very long speech on krsna-tattva. Uddhava is the

embodiment of sastra, and that speech was anavadya, faultless, but it
was not understandable for Nanda Maharaja. Hearing all this tattva-
katha, Nanda Maharaja said, “Uddhava, in age youo are a boy. In my
heart I had some faith you were very old in intelligence. But now I see
you are not only a boy in age, but in intelligence you are also a boy.
You spoke so many things, but you don’t know who you ae speaking to.
You told me wife and I that we are very, very bhagyavan, fortunate. If
you have any intelligence how can you utter this with your mouth? We
are the worst unfortuante persons in this world! One who loses his son
is unfortuante. But one who loses a son like Krishna is most
unfortunate! Most unfortunate! Most unfortunate! We are most
unfortunate and you tell us we are very, very fortunate! You have no
intelligence what to speak to whom. Many people get a son, but does
anyone get a son like Krishna? In the past has anyone gotten a son
like Krishna? In the future will anyone get a son like Krishna? Has
anyone gotten a son who is so beautiful, so sweet, with such a smile,
who is so loving, and so fickle? Has anyone got a son who plays such
nice flute and has such loving words? In the whole universe, is there or
will there ever be someone who has lost such an invaluable treasure?
You are telling htose who are crying due to having lost such an
invaluable treasure, “You are very fortunate.” You are ridiculing us
Uddhava. If you had sais that there is no one in the world as
unfortuante as us, then I would have been very pleased and happy
with you. Then my distress due to the fire of separation would have
been extinguished to some extent. But you have nade this fire more
ablaze by telling us we are most fortunate.”

“Krishna is Not God”

“Oh Uddhava, you have discussed bhagavata-tattva before me. I don’t

know sastra, but I have heard from sadhus and I have this faith that
there is one Bhagavan and He is the guru and controller of the
universe. He is the mula-karana, the original cause of purusa and
prakrti, the living entities and material nature. He is anadi,
beginingless. That Bhagavan is sarvesvara, the supreme controller I
know that Bhagavan is Narayan. He is present in our house in the form
of salagram. Uddhava because you are a mere boy you have said that
Narayan is our Gopal Krishna. I excuse you. I have not read sastra,
but I have heard from the mouths of mahatmas that Narayan is God,
the Supreme Lord. I know to some extent what symptoms are there in
Narayan. But those symptoms are not even a single drop with Krishna.
How can you say my Gopal Krishna is Narayan? I excuse you because
you are a boy. You don’t know what you speak. You have said that
Narayan is the cause of all causes, the cause of the whole universe.
But my Krishna is a simple, milk-fed child. Narayan is pure. Narayan s
peaceful, Narayan is apapa-vidha, sinless. But my Krishna is very
fickle, greedy, and angry. Where is the symptom of Narayan in
Krishna? Narayan is pure and free from contamination, suddha-sattva-
guna-maya. My Krishna is a thief and a liar, abhimani. Narayan is the
shelter of the shelter of the whole world, but my Krishna is dependent
on us. Where is the symptom of Narayan in my Krishna? Uddhava
what shall I say? There is no sadrsya, similarity of Narayan to my son
Gopal. Narayan is satya-sankalpa, truthful, but my Krishna is expert in
speaking lies. I haveheard that Narayan is apta-kama, self-satisfied.
He never needs anything. He is beyond hunger and thirst. But I have
seen with my owneyes how my Gopal Krishna cries when He becomes
hungry. He becomes restless whenHe is hungry and thirsty. Uddhava,
Narayan is worshipable by everyone, but I have seen my Gopal
carrying my wooden sandals on His head. Where is the similarity with
Narayan? I may commit a mistake, but Bhagavan never commits a
mistake. If Krishna is Bhagavan, how can He commit a m istake? If
Krishna is Bhagavan, why will He call us baba and ma, father and
mother? You say He has no baba and ma. Krishna is always
dependent on us. He feels completely asahaya, helpless, when He
cannot get our help. Where is the symptom of Narayan in Krisna, in
my Gopal? You are a boy, Uddhava. You are a boy. Therefore I excuse
you. You have no intelligence at all. In your intelligence you are also a
boy. Therefore I excuse you. I have never seen such symptoms in
Krishna. It is a fact that by the unlimited mercy of Narayan we have
gotten a son lke Krishna. I know very well that Krishna is our son. This
is the very, very deep-rooted feeling in my heart, Uddhava. Uddhava,
how can you say it is not true?”

More Ablaze

“You listen, Uddhava. There is another thing. Suppose your words are
true and Krishna is not an ordinary person, that He is Bhagavan. If you
say that Krishna is Bhagavan and that He is not an ordinary person,
how can such words oothe our hearts? By hearing your krsna-tattva
the blazing fire of separation from Krishna that is burning my afflicted
heart has increased thousand and thousand of times. Uddhava, you
cannot extinguish it. Rather you only make it mre ablaze. We only
thought we had lost a son, but then hearing from you that Krishna is
mula-bhagavan, then I understand we have not lost an ordinary son,
we have lost Bhagavan! I thought I had lost a piece f copper. Now
hearing from you I realize I have lost a piece of diamond! Uddhava
byhearing form you, the blazing, acute fire of separation that we have
been burning in has become more and more ablaze. You are a boy,
you are a boy. Therefore you cannot extinguish this fire. Are you
trying to extinguish this fire by pouring ghee into it? Uddhava you are
a boy. Therefore I excuse you.” Saying this Nanda Maharaja’s voice
became choked up and tears rolled down from his eyes like torrential
rain.

Impenetrable Love

When Krishna showed the universal form to Arjuna, arjuna’s sakhya-

rasa became slackened. Therefore Arjuna begged excuse, tat-
ksamasva, “You are so great!” When Devaki and Vasudev saw that the
four-handed form of Vishnu, appearing as their son, had become two-
handed, they offered prayers. Their vatsalya-rasa beame slackened.
After the killing of Kamsa, when Krishna and Balaram went to offer
obeisances to Vasudev and Devaki, they became afraid to accept
obeisances from Krishna. Even after meeting their son after such a
long separation, still they could have such vatsalya-priti. Rather they
were afraid of accpeting obeisances, pranamas, from Krishna.

Uddhava has thought, “If I speak krsna-tattva into the heart of Nanda
Maharaja then he will become weak like Vasudeva nd Devaki.” But
Uddhava saw that he couldn’t get the result he had expected by
speaking sastra-jnana to Nanda Maharaja.

Hearing the Bhagavatta, the glories of Krishna, Nanda Maharaja’s

vatsalya-priti never slackened. Rather his vatsalya-sneha, parental
love, became much, much deeper. Nanda Maharaja’s krsna-vatsalya is
far far beyond the ordinary vatsalya of ordinary persons. So Uddhava’s
tattva-katha could not check it. If anuraga [deep attachment]
becomes melted the you will be able to thrust aisvarya-priti, jnana or
aisvarya into it. But if it becomes much deeper, more and more
condensed, the how can you thrust jnana and aisvarya into it. Water is
liquid, therefore you can thrust you hand into it. But can you thrust
your hand into a log of wood. You cannot because it is not liquid. With
the help of a hammer you can thrust a nail into it. Nanda Maharaja’s
krsna-priti is harder than a log. Even an iron nail cannot enter it.

Have Patience
Jnana and aisvarya simply cause pain in the heart of Nanda Maharaja.
They were completely unsuccessful and unable to penetrate the heart
of Nanda. Jnana and aisvary were able to penetrate in the sakhya-priti
of Arjuna and the vatsalya-priti of Vasudev and Devaki. But it is not
possible in the heart of Nanda Maharaja. Only the thought of Krishna is
there in his heart, nothing else.
Therefore, Uddhava was not able to touch the vatsaly-priti, the
anuraga that Nanda Maharaja had in his heart. Nanda’s realization is
not with Uddhava. How can he understand? Uddhava develops bhakti
towards Krishna by knowing Him to be Bhagavan. This is a general
thing. Of course, it is very good, it is wonderful – knowing Him to be
the Supreme Lord one should develop bhakti for Bhagavan. But the
vatsalya-rati, vatsalya-prema of Nanda Maharaja is very deep. There is
no tinge of jnana or aisvarya there at all. He only knows Krishna as his
son. Now he is hearin from Uddhva that his son is Bhagavan. Hearing
this Nanda Maharaja’s anuraga does not become slackened. Rather, it
becomes much, much harder and more and more condensed. Sastra-
vidhi, scriptural injunction, teaches that one should develop bhakti
towards Bhagavan. Uddhava’s krsna-priti, affection for Krishna, is
according to sastra-vidhi. But Nanda Maharaja’s krsna-priti is far
beyond sastra-vidhi. The hetu, cause, for Uddhava’s krsna-priti, is that
he knows Krishna is Bhagavan. But Nanda Maharaja’s krsna-priti is
ahaituki, causeless, without cause. It is svayam-siddha, perfect in
itself. Can you touch the far distant horizon by stretching out your
hand? Nanda Maharaja’s krsna-anuraga is like that. Uddhav cannot
understand it. Uddhava stretched out his sastra-like hand to touch it,
but failed. He could nototuch it. This is very deep philosophy.

Uddhava said, “O Nanda Maharaja, don’t lament. Your love will drag
Him here. All your desires will be fulfilled.”

agamisyaty adirghena kalena vrajam acyutah

priyam vidhasyate pitror bahagavn satvatam patih

Infallible Krishna, the Lord of the devotees, will soon return to Vaja to satisfy
His parents.

He uttered this verse, saying, “Nanda Maharaja, please don’t be so

dukhare-katara, broken-hearted, because of you deep distress. Have
patience. Consider this from all sides. You are the leader of
Vrajabhumi. If you become so impatient, who will console the others?
This is my request to you. Your Gopal is a milk-fed boy. But He is also
the shelter of all the jivas of the whole universe.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Crushing Uddhava’s Pride

Uddhava had pride that he was a great jnani because he was a

disciple of Brihaspati, a jnani-guru. So Krishna must crush the
pride of Uddhava. That was another purpose of sending
Uddhava to Vrajabhumi. When Uddhava goes to Vrajabhumi
and sees the love of the gopis, then his pride of the gopis will
be crushed.

Krishna is known as the lila-purusottama, the topmost enjoyer of

pastimes, Lord Rama is know as the maryada-purusottama, the
topmost enjoyer of Vedic propriety, and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is
known as prema-purusottama, the topmost enjoyer of prema, who
gives krsna-prema indiscriminately. Caitanya-caritamrta (madhya
19.53) describes:

namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te

krsnaya krsna-caitanya-namne gaura-tvise namah

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna

Chaitanya, who is more magnanimous than any other avatara, even Krishna
Himself, because He is bestowing freely what no one else has ever giver -
pure love of Krishna.

Srila Rupa Goswami offers this pranam-mantra to Sriman Mahaprabhu.

He describes Mahaprabhu as, maha-vadanyaya, the most munificent
incarnation, because krsna-prema-pradaya te - He gives krsna-prema
indiscriminately. The poet Premananda Das sings:

uttama adhama kichu na bachila yaciya dilaka kola

kahe premananda emana gauranga hrdaye dhariya bola

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu never discriminates whether one is most

elevated or most degraded. He offers krsna-prema indiscriminately.
He is patit-pavana, the deliverer of the most fallen, most degraded. He
gives krsna-prema-dhana - The chief result of chanting the holy names,

hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

Is to get Krsna-prema. If your chanting is pure and without offence

then definitely you will get krsna-prema. If your chanting is not
offenseless and pure then even though you may be chanting for
hundreds of thousands of lives you cannot get krsna-prema.

Demoniac Quality

In His Siksastakam (3) Mahaprabhu has taught how one can get krsna-
prema:

tranad api su-nicena taror iva sahisnuna

amanina mana-dena kirtaniya sada harih

One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a
tree, and who does not expect personal honour but is always prepared to give
all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.

This verse in Siksastaka is most important. One should think oneself

much humbler than a blade of grass lying on the street. And taror iva
sahisnuna - Be as tolerant as a tree. Amanina mana-dena - Don't
demand respect for yourself, rather you should pay respect to one and
all. Kaviraj Goswami has written in Caitanya-caritamrta (antya 20.26):

ei-mata hana yei krsna-nama laya

sri-krsna-carane tanra prema upajaya

If one chants the holy name of Lord Krishna in this manner, he will certainly
awaken his dormant love for Krishna's lotus feet.

One who chants,

hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

With this mentality will definitely get krsna-prema. That is

Mahaprabhu's teaching. There should be no pride at all.

dambho darpo'bhimanas ca krodhah parusyam eva ca

ajnanam cabhijatasya partha sampadam asurim

In Srimad Bhagavad-gita, sixteenth chapter, fourth verse, Bhagavan

Krishna has said, "O son of Pritha, pride, arrogance, conceit, anger,
harshness and ignorance are qualities that belong to those of a
demoniac nature." These are demoniac characteristics - asuri
sampada. They are not the characteristics of a devotee of Krishna. A
vaisnava-sadhu has no pride at all. He is much humbler than a blade
of grass. If you develop pride, you cannot make advancement. Your
chanting will never be pure and offenseless. You will definitely commit
offence. Therefore Mahaprabhu has given this teaching in Siksastaka.
The demons are proud and puffed up. Their false ego is very great.
Especially in Kali-yuga, the most degraded and sinful age, pride,
dambha, is the measuring rod. Kali means quarrelling. Two persons
are quarrelling, two groups are quarrelling, two communities are
quarrelling, two villages are quarrelling, two states are quarrelling, and
two countries are quarrelling. Everyone is quarrelling. Why? Because
of damba, pride. Everyone thinks, "I am great." "oh, you are great? I
am greater than that." Then quarrelling starts. This dambha is the
main cause. But when Mahaprabhu came in this Kali-yuga, He said we
should have no pride. Krishna is the object of love. Krsna-prema is the
Pancama-parama-purusartha - the fifth and supreme goal of human
life. This rarely achieved human birth is meant for achieving that
krsna-prema. Srimad Bhagavatam (11.9.29) states:

labdha-sudurlabha idam bahu sambhavante

manusyam arthadam anityam apiha dhirah

After many, many births and deaths one achieves the rare human form
of life, which, although temporary, affords one the opportunity to attain
the highest perfection. Thus a sober human being should quickly
endeavour for the ultimate perfection of life as long as his body, which
is always subject to death, has not fallen down and died. After all,
sense gratification is available even in the most abominable species of
life, whereas Krishna consciousness is possible only for a human being.

After undergoing lakhs and lakhs of species of life, one gets this rarely
achieved human birth. What is the purpose? Arthada, it is meant to
help the embodied soul achieve the highest perfection. This human
life is temporary, and given for only a short time. At any moment
death may come and this body will be finished. But, arthada, in this
rarely achieved human birth you can get Krsna-prema. That is the fifth
purusartha or supreme purusartha, the topmost goal. This human
birth is meant for that. Without krsna-prema no one can approach
Krishna. Krishna becomes bound up with such love. Mahaprabhu gave
that prema and it is the highest attainment in Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga
people cannot do any other sadhana in this degraded, sinful age. In
Kali-yuga, consciousness is very, very degraded. The lifespan is very
short, up to one hundred years. But how many human beings are
living for one hundred years? Because of sinful activities the lifespan is
getting shorter and shorter and shorter. So what can they do?
Mahaprabhu is so merciful. He decided, "Ill give them the highest
thing, krsna-prema." But if you develop pride you cannot get that
prema. Pride should be crushed. Demons develop pride. But a sadhu,
vaisnava, is not at all puffed up.
"I am a great Vaisnava!"

We have come and joined this society of Krishna consciousness,

Mahaprabhu's movement. We have accepted guru and have been
chanting the holy name. We may be reciting Siksastaka daily, but still
we have pride. Pride comes in various forms: "Don't you know who I
am? I am a senior devotee! I have spent so many years in this society.
Don't you know that?" This is sevaka-dambha, pride in one's service
position. Although we recite trnad api sunicena, although we have
heard many times about the danger of pride, all this dambha is coming
to us. Still we cannot give it up: "Don't you know I have done this and
this and this. I have opened so many temples." "I am temple
president." "I am manager and am GBC, great guru, acarya."
Although you will also find some vaisnavas who have given up their
material family and wealth. They have given up everything. But they
have tyaga-dambha, pride in their renunciation: "I am a great tyagi, a
great renunciate. I have given up this thing and this thing. Has
anyone done like that?" They may be wandering in Vrindavan, living by
begging, just collecting madhukare, biksa, and still they have such
pride, dambha. Who is free from pride? Pride comes in various forms
to us. So how can we become humble, trnad api sunicena? How can
our chanting become pure and offenseless? How can we get
Mahaprabhu's mercy? How can we develop krsna-prema?

Krishna's Disappearance from the Rasa-lila

Krishna is so merciful, suhrdam sarva-bhutanam - He is our well-

wishing friend, the friend of all living entities and especially His dear
devotees. Those who have become His devotees are very, very dear
to Him. If His devotee develops some pride, Krishna crushes it. That is
His mercy. In the Srimad Bhagavatam, (10.32.6) you will find that
while the rasa dance, rasa-krida was going on, all of a sudden Krishna
disappeared. The gopis felt so distressed, feeling pangs of separation
from Krishna. "Where is Krishna? Where is Krishna?" They couldn't see
Him. The Bhagavatam (10.31.6) describes that at that time the gopis
cried and uttered this verse:

vraja-jamarti-ham vira yositam

nija-jana-smaya-dhvamsana-smita
bhaja sakhe bhavat-kinkarih sma no
jalaruhananam caru darsaya

O You who destroy the suffering of Vraja's people, O hero of all women, Your
smile shatters the false pride of Your devotees. Please, dear friend, accept us
as Your maidservants and show us Your beautiful lotus face.
The gopis were searching everywhere for Krishna. They went to every
bower, every creeper, and every tree asking, "Have you seen Krishna?
Have you seen Krishna?" Crying out, vraja-janarti-han - "O Krishna,
who is the destroyer of the distress of the residents of vraja!" vira
yositam - "O Krishna, who is the supreme hero of all the damsels of
Vrajabhumi!" Then they say, nija-jana-smaya-dhvamsana-smita. This
phrase is significant: Nija-jana means your own men - "O Krishna, You
crush the pride of those who are very dear to You." The gopis prayed,
"We may have developed some pride, therefore You disappeared and
are crushing our pride. Your disappearance has put us in lamentation
and distress." Then they say, bhaja sakhe bhavat-kinkarih sma no
jalaruhananam caru darsaya - "O Krishna, Your beautiful face is always
smiling. O friend, we are all Your maidservants. Please, please show
Your very beautiful lotus-like face to us." If by chance Krishna's dear
devotees develop some pride, then Krishna crushes it. That is the
meaning of this verse.

Arjuna and the Jackal

We can see this also in the case of Arjuna. Arjuna is a dear devotee of
Krishna. Krishna has said this again and again in Bhagavad-gita:
"bhakto 'si me", "priyo 'si me" "sakha 'si me" - "You are My dear friend,
so I am giving you this most confidential instruction.' On the battlefield
of Kurukshetra, Krishna became Arjuna's charioteer. Then the
Pandavas achieved victory and Krishna made Yudhisthir Maharaja
rajadiraja, the emperor of the whole world. After the Kurukshetra
battle was over the Pandavas were very happy and joyful. Especially
Arjuna was very blissful. Arjuna had heard Bhagavad-gita directly from
the lips of Krishna. Once, Krishna and Arjuna were moving together in
a chariot. Krishna was driving and they were going through some
gardens on the bank of the Uamuna, having some nice talks together.
Arjuna had developed some pride in himself. He was thinking, "I am a
great jnani. Krishna personally imparted this gita-jnana to me. I heard
it directly from Krishna's lips." Krishna knows what you are whispering
in your heart, because He is there in the heart as Supersoul. Krishna
understood, "Arjuna has developed pride. He is thinking himself a
great jnani because he received jnana directly from My lips." So nija-
jana-smaya-dhvamsana-kari - Krishna's nature is, if His own men dear
devotee, develops some pride, He must crush it. That is His mercy.
As they were going along the bank of the Yamuna they saw a jambuka,
a jackal, moving around the dead body of a human being, just smelling
it, but not eating. Seeing this, Arjuna laughed and said, "That jambuka
is bereft of knowledge. He is a murkha, a fool. He is only moving
around that dead body and smelling it, not eating it. If two big dogs
come, he will run away out of fear. He is such a murkha, bereft of
knowledge." Arjuna said this because of pride. He was thinking
himself a jnani, and the jackal a murkha. Krishna then stopped the
chariot and called the jambuka, "Jambuka, please come here." The
jambuka came with folded hands, offered obeisances, and sat down.
Then Krishna asked, "O jambuka, the dead body of this human being is
your food. Why are you only smelling and moving around it and not
eating?" The jambuka replied, "O my Lord, You are all-knowing. What
shall I say? Although this is my food, still I have some discrimination.
Without consideration I won't eat."
Krishna said, "You have some discrimination?"
"Oh Yes!"
"What is your discrimination?"
The jambuka said, "My Lord, if You are asking, I will tell You. By
smelling his legs I can understand if during his lifetime this juman
being ever went to Jagannath Puri Dham, Vrindavan Dham or Mayapur
Nabadwip Dham by walking. By smelling his hands I can understand if
this person has ever offered puja, worship, to Bhagavan or not. By
smelling his eyes, I can understand whether or not this person has ever
seen a sadhu or deity in the temple. By smelling his head I can
understand if this person has ever bowed down to a sadhu-vaisnava or
deity or not. By smelling his ears I can understand whether or not he
has ever heard krsna-katha during his lifetime. By smelling I can
understand all these things. If he has not done any of these things
them I won't eat such impure food. I won't eat." The jambuka said, "If
one or more of his limbs - a hand, a leg, or an ear - has performed
some devotional act, then I will eat only that portion." "O Lord, we are
pasu, beasts, animals. We have no knowledge. We have no right to do
any dharma, subha-karma, or anything. Because we are animals, our
consciousness is very degraded, covered consciousness, shrunken
consciousness. We have no opportunity to perform any dharma. Only
by eating can some piety be there."
Bhagavan Krishna said, "O jambuka, all glories to you. You are My
bhakta."
When he heard the words of the jackal, Arjuna became amazed. "Oh,
this jambuka has such knowledge? I was thinking myself to be a great
jnani and a great bhakta, but this jambuka is greater than I am! Such
jnana, such bhakti he has."
In this way, Krishna crushed the pride of Arjuna because Arjuna is His
dear devotee, nija-jana-smaya-dhvamsana.

Krishna's Madness

Similarly, in the Srimad Bhagavatam you will find that Uddhava is

described as a very dear devotee of Krishna. In Srimad-bhagavatam
(11.14.15) Krishna Himself has said to Uddhava:

na tatha me priyatama atma-yonir na sankarah

 na ca sankarsano na srir naivatma ca yatha bhavan

O Uddhava, atma-yonih, Brahma, is not so dear to Me. Sankarah,

Sivaji, is not so dear to Me. Sankarsanah, My brother Sankarshan, is
not so dear to Me. Srih, My wife Lakshmi-devi, is not so dear to Me.
Naivatma, My soul, My atma, I Myself, am not so dear to Me as you are
dear.

Therefore, Krishna sent Uddhava to carry His message of love to the

residents of Vrajabhumi, to Nanda and Yasoda and the damsels of
Vrajabhumi who were all feeling acute pangs of separation from
Krishna.

The gopis have pure love for Krishna. There is not a tinge of jnana or
aisvarya in it. And as the gopis are constantly asking of Krishna,
similarly, Krishna is also constantly thinking of the gopis. Krishna in
Mathura and the gopis are in Vrajabhumi. Sometimes Krishna is
sleeping, but in that sleeping state, like a delirious madman, He is
uttering, Radhe! Rade! Rade! Gopi! Gopi! Gopi!" It is a question of
love. This is the thought process: If you are very intensely thinking of
someone, the thought process will touch that person. This principle is
also there in the material sphere. A mother has some love and
affection for her son, and similarly the son has some love and affection
for his mother. The mother is always thinking, "Oh, my son is staying
in San Diego and I am here in India, thousands of miles away. What is
he doing now?" While the son is eating some food, sometimes it sticks
to his throat, "Aaaa, Aaaa - What is that? What happened? Oh,
perhaps someone is thinking of me. My mother may be thinking of
me."
So, just as the gopis are always thinking of Krishna, similarly Krishna is
always thinking of the gopis. Krishna cannot go there and the gopis.
Krishna decided to send a message of love. But who can carry such a
message? A very intimate person is needed. So Krishna called
Uddhava. Uddhava is very intimate - na tatha me priyatama atma-
honir na sankarah. Krishna said, "Uddhava, please come." Then
Krishna told him, "O Uddhava, please take this message of love and go
to Vrajabhumi. My father and mother and the gopi damsels of
Vrajabhumi are distressed and feeling very acute pangs of separation
from Me. Please go and deliver this message to them and give them
some consolation." Uddhava is brhaspati-sisya, a disciple of
Brihaspate. Uddhava is also a very dear friend of Krishna's Uddhava
looks exactly like Krishna. The same complexion, the same stature,
the same height, everything looks exactly the same. However,
Uddhava is brhaspati-sisya, brhaspati-jnani - Brihaspati has imparted
jnana to Uddhava, but no prema. So, like Arjuna, Uddhava had pride
that he was a great jnani because he was a disciple of Brihaspati, a
jnani-guru. So Krishna must crush the pride of Uddhava. That was
another purpose of sending Uddhava to Vrajabhumi. When Uddhava
goes to Vrajabhumi and sees the love of the gopis, then his pride will
be crushed. Then he will develop prema. Otherwise if his pride is not
crushed he cannot develop prema. Therefore, out of His mercy,
Krishna sent Uddhava to Vrajabhumi.
From a distance, the gopis saw Uddhava. They thought, "Who is this?
He looks exactly like Krishna." They started talking amongst
themselves, "O sakhis, who is this person coming?" ini ke? Ini ke? -
"Who is he? Who is he? He looks just like Krishna, but he has no flute
in his hand. He has no peacock feather on his head, so he is not
Krishna. But he has the same complexion, the same height, and the
same age as Krishna." Uddhava's chariot went to Nanda Maharaja's
house and stayed there, then all of the gopis went there to get
information about who it was. "Who is he?" "He is a messenger, a
duta, coming from Mathura. Krishna has sent him."
Uddhava met Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda-mata. Uddhava came to
give them consolation. When he saw the depth of Nanda Maharaja's
lamentation in separation and Yasoda-mata's crying, he thought, "What
consolation can I give them?
Uddhava is a jnani-bhakta. He knows jnana. So he said, "What
consolation can I give them?
Uddhava is a jnani-bhakta. He knows jnana. So he said, "Why are you
crying, Nanda Maharaja? Krishna is Bhagavan. He is all pervading. He
is everywhere. Why are you crying?"
Nanda Maharaja said, "Stop! What are you saying? Krishna is my son,
my son, my son! Let your Krishna be isvara, but He is my son. He is
my son."
Mother Yasoda said, "I have prepared this nice makhan-misri, sweet
butter, for Him. I have prepared a nice bed for Him and a nice garland.
It is for our Krishna. If He is not our son then who have we made it
for?" Saying this, Yasoda began crying. Because Uddhava is a jnani-
bhakt, he has pride in him. He could not understand the mood of
Nanda Maharaja and mother Yasoda. Uddhava condemned himself:
"My mission has failed. What consolation can I give them? Such love
they have developed for Krishna. I am bereft of that love. What is my
life? My life is useless, useless."

Motivated and Unmotivated

Uddhava then went to the gopis. The gopis love for Krishna was even
more. Their love is very, very pure love, madhurya-rasa. Day and
night they were lamenting in separation from Krishna. Very often they
would faint and fall down. They were remembering every pastime spot
of Krishna: "Krishna has done this here." They were only speaking
krsna-katha and remembering Krishna, nothing else. They had
become so skinny due to feelings of separation from Krishna that the
rings they were wearing on their small fingers had become bangles on
their arms. They are always thinking of Krishna and speaking about
Krishna, and nothing else. This is love. When they saw Uddhava they
told him, "O Uddhava, priti has two types: haituki-priti and ahaituki-
priti, love with some cause and love without cause."
The gopis then gave some examples: "When the bumblebee comes to
a flower it sings, making a humming sound. In this way it glorifies the
flower and then it kisses the flower - for what purpose? Only to suck
the honey from the flower. Then, when the honey is completely sucked
out the bumblebee leaves the flower. No more love. So, honey is the
cause of this priti, this love. Similarly, there are prostitutes who attract
wealthy young men to get money. They have some priti for that young
man as long as he has money. But when the money is finished their
priti is also finished. Money is the cause for this priti. In this way, the
gopis gave many examples. Then they said, "But Uddhava, the love
we have for Krishna is causeless."

Burning Question

The gopis said, "O Uddhava, if you are a great jnani and if you are a
disciple of Brihaspati then you must have sastric knowledge. If you
have any knowledge of rasa-sastra, then you will be able to answer our
question. If you cannot answer, then we will have to say that you have
no knowledge at all. Our love for Krishna is causeless. There is no
duplicity, no selfish motivation in our love for Krishna. So tell us, why
has this viraha-duhkha, this unhappiness in separation, come to us?
Our love is pure, and we have heard that with pure love there is never
any viraha, separation. We are feeling so much the acute pangs of
separation from our most beloved Krishna, but our priti, our love for
Krishna, has nothing material to it. With anything material there is
some designation, upadhi. But with our love there is nothing material,
there is no designation, it is nirupadhikah-priti - without any
designation. There is nothing artificial in our love for Krishna. It is
quite natural and spontaneous. Why has such distress in separation
come to us? Please answer our question.
"Actually, Uddhava, we are not personally so distressed because of this
separation. We feel distressed because of the general people. There is
no cause and no designation for the pure love we have developed.
There is no fault in our love for Krishna. However, if such distress
comes then the general people will think, 'Oh, we will not develop love
for Krishna because there is so much distress there.' No one will love
our most beloved Krishna, who is the supreme object of love. This
gives us so much pain in our hearts. So tell us Uddhava, why this has
taken place in affairs of nirupadhi-prema? Why?"
No Discrimination

Saying this, they became ecstatic, completely absorbed in the memory

of Krishna and nothing else. At that time they could not consider what
is good, what is bad, what is auspicious, what is inauspicious. They
forgot everything. The Bhagavatam (10.47.9) describes:

iti gopyo hi govinde gata-vak-kaya-manasah

krsna-dute samayate uddhave tyakta-laukikah

The gopis, those words, bodies and minds were fully dedicated to Lord
Govinda, put aside all their regular work now that krishna's messenger,
Sri Uddhava, had arrived among them.

Although Uddhava was a stranger, a newcomer there, the gopis felt no

shame speaking all of these things before him. They were not
discriminating, "Oh, he is a stranger, a new person. What will he think
of us?" They had no such thought. The gopis are always speaking
about Krishna and the love they have developed for Him. They are
continually crying and crying, saying, ha krsna! Ha vrajanatha! Ha
gopi-jana vallabha! Ha arta-nasana! - "O Krishna! O Lord of Vraja! O
dearmost of the gopis! O destroyer of distress!" Crying, crying,
crying, and saying this, they all stood up and looked in the direction of
Mathura. Raising their hands in the air, with painful hearts they said,
"o vraja-prana, - O life of Vraja, please come here just once more and
see the condition of the residents of Vrajabhumi. From our very birth
we have developed love for You. We don't know anyone but You. Now
we are drowning in this ocean of viraha. Please come once more to
Vrajabhumi and give us Your lotus feet that are like a boat for us to
cross over this ocean of viraha." They spoke like this right in front of
Uddhava. They never thought, "Uddhava is a stranger. What will he
think?" They were tyakta-laukikah, they had completely forgotten any
worldly concerns. They had put aside their shame, lajja. They were
always thinking of Krishna's sweet lilas in Vrajabhumi. They had
become mad and were crying. Srimad Bhagavatam (10.47.10) states:

gayantyah priya-karmani rudantya's ca gata-hriyah

tasya samsmrtya samsmrtya yani kaisora-balyayoh

The gopis were all speaking and remembering Krishna's kaisora-

balyayoh, His youthful pastimes, and crying. Uddhava saw this, "what
love they have for Krishna. I have no such love. I am bereft of this
love. I was thinking, 'I am great. I am very dear to Krishna. I am a
great jnani, but what love they have!" At the same time he also said,
"Krishna has sent me here to Vrajabhumi. Why has He shown such
mercy to me? My life is successful now, seeing the gopis here."
Dust of the Gopis

The Bhagavatam (10.47.63) states that at that time in his heart

Uddhava started saying:

vande nanda-vraja-strinam pada-renum abhiksnasah

yasam hari-kathodgitam punati bhuvana-trayam

I repeatedly offer my respects to the dust from the feet of the women
of Nanda Maharaja's cowherd village. When these gopis loudly chant
the glories of Sri Krishna, the vibration purifies the three world.

In his mind Uddhava offered obeisances at the lotus feet of the

damsels of Vrajabhumi, and he sought the dust from their lotus feet.
Yasam hari-kathodgitam punati bhuvana-trayam - "The hari-katha that
is coming out from the lips of the gopis will purify the whole world. I
want to get some dust from their feet and put it as an ornament on my
head. Unless I do so, my life is useless. My life is dry because I only
have dry knowledge with no mellow. If I can get some dust from their
lotus feet, then my life will be successful."

No Language

Then Uddhava met Radharani. Radharani was feeling acute pangs of

separation and had become completely mad. She was in a dying
condition, but death was not coming to Her. Radharani had developed
some anger, some sulkiness. That mood is known as madanakhya-
mahabhava and Radharani is madanakhya-mahabhava-mayi, the
personification of madanakhya-mahabhava. On the pretext of
speaking to a bumblebee, in Her anger Radharani was speaking harsh
words of love to Krishna. That is known as Bhramara-gita, The Song of
the Bumblebee. After some time, Radharani became a bit pacified.
Uddhava was just standing there hearing everything. Seeing that
Radharani's anger and sulkiness was a little bit pacified, Uddhava tried
to come closer to Her. Hearing and seeing the love that Radharani had
for Krishna, Uddhava said, "aho! Aho!" He was amazed. "aho! Aho!
Such love! Such love! She is always crying for Krishna. What is my
duty here? I have come to give consolation to the gopis. But in the
whole world I cannot find the words that will be able to console them.
What consolation can I give them? They have developed such pure
love towards Krishna. Previously I thought that if someone is crying
due to losing some material asset, some wealth or material family
members, generally we may offer consolation by saying, 'This is
material, temporary, and subject to destruction, death. Why are you
crying? Don't cry. Give up crying. Develop your eternal relationship
with the Lord.' With these words we may offer some consolation. But
what can I tell the gopis? In the entire world I cannot find the language
to express consolation to them. They are crying for Krishna. How can I
say, 'Don't cry for Krishna?' How can I say so? If I say, 'Don't cry for
Krishna,' it will be a great offence. It is the supreme purusartha, the
supreme goal in life to develop krsna-prema and to cry for Krishna.
That is needed, and the damsels of Vrajabhumi have got it. I,
Uddhava, have not obtained it. My life is useless!"
Thinking in this way, Uddhava condemned himself. "How can I say,
'Don't cry?' Rather, something in me prompts me to tell them, 'Cry
more, cry more, cry more!" How can I tell them, 'Don't cry?'" Finally,
Uddhava just glorified them: "O gopi damsels of Vrajabhumi, you are
incomparable. You have developed such a loving mood towards
Krishna. There is no comparison with it. Krsna-prema is the supreme
paramartha, the supreme goal. It is pancamapurusartha, the fifth and
topmost purusartha. You have developed it completely. Many yogis,
minis, and sadhakas have practised sadhana for hundreds and
thousands of years - and some for many, many lives - still, they cannot
get this krsna-prema. But you have it. Your whole existence, your
entire bodies are made out of krsna-prema. Therefore, everyone
throughout the three worlds worships you. Everyone worships krsna-
prema. Although practically no one can attain it, you have this prema.
You are completely surrendered - sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam
saranam vraja." The gopis are the example of complete surrender.
They have given up all dharmas, even veda-dharma, Vedic etiquette,
Vedic regulations. Their surrender is based on pure love. Unless you
develop such love, your surrender is not complete and it may be
artificial, partial or conditional. If prema is not there then it is not true
surrender.

Worshiped by the Three Worlds

dana-vrta-homa japa-svadhyaya-samyamaih
sreyobhir vividhais camyaih krsne bhaktir hi sadhyate

Devotional service unto Krishna is attained by charity, strict vows,

austerities and fire sacrifices, by japa, study of Vedic text, observance
of regulative principles and, indeed, by the performance of many other
auspicious practices.

You are doing sadhana, you are sadhakas. What is the goal of you
sadhana? It is krsna-prema. There are many types of sadhana. One
may be a very charitable person, giving dana, charity. Some follow
some vrata, a vow. Some undergo severe tapasya, austerities. Some
study the Vedas, svadhyaya. Others practice controlling or restraining
the senses, samyamaih. Various types of sadhana are there, but the
goal is krsna-prema.
Uddhava told the gopis, "You have already achieved the ultimate goal,
to develop pure love at the lotus feet of Govinda. Therefore all the
residents of the three planetary systems worship you gopis, - tri-
bhuvana-pujitah. You are the embodiment of that prema. Such prema
is anuttama, incomparable, and sad-uttama, the topmost. There is no
limit to it. There is the example of fire. Fire has burning capacity
within it, but that burning capacity is not harmed by fire - ajita vastu
noy. Burning capacity is natural with fire. One cannot separate it from
the fire, as it is one with the fire. Prema-bhakte, or, in vaisnava
language, mahabhava-laksana, is one with you, O gopis. You have not
earned it. It is inseparable from you. Muninam api durlabha - What
great munis and rsis cannot attain even after undergoing severe
austerities and penances for many, many hundreds and thousands of
years, you have attained. "O gopis, by your own activities you are
teaching us how to develop love for Krishna. Vrajabhumi is the most
glorified place in all of the three planetary systems, it is more glorious
because you gopis are here. "Krishna gives the concluding, most
confidential instruction in Gita - sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam
saranam vraja - 'Abandon all varieties of dharma, even vede-dharma,
and surrender unto Me.' You have done this. You are the embodiment
of this mantra, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. In
all of the three worlds I have never found anyone who has given up all
dharma for Krishna. You are the embodiment of this mantra."

distya putran patin dehan sva-janan bhavanani ca

hitvavrnita yuyam yat krsnakhyam purusam param

By your great fortune you have left your sons, husbands, bodily
comforts, relatives and homes in favor of the supreme male, who is
known as Krishna.

"You have given up your sons, your husbands, your fathers-in-law,

mothers-in-law, home, hearth, and everything for parama-purusa,
param-brahma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. Of
course, this is correct. Those who have gotten Krishna in this world
have given up everything. But there is a difference in your
renunciation, O gopis, and the renunciation of others to get Krishna.
Your renunciation is based on pure love. Their renunciation is based on
some vicara, some consideration. What is that consideration? One
must renounce everything, otherwise they cannot get Krishna. It is
based on this consideration. But your renunciation is not based on this
vicara. Your renunciation is quite natural and is based on pure love.
You don't know that you have renounced anything. This is a very deep
thing. Other sadhakas first renounce, then they get Bhagavan. But
what have you done? From the very beginning you have developed
pure love for that purusottama-krsna. Because of that love you
automatically renounced everything. Others' renunciation is sadhana
and sadhya - means and end. They do sadhana, the means, and then
they get the end. But your renunciation is automatic. It is not means
and end.

Uddhava's Answer

"You have such pure, deep love for Krishna. And you are teaching the
whole world that krsna-prema is parama-purusartha, the supreme goal,
sadhy-siromani."

sarvatma-bhavo 'dhikrto bhavatmam adhoksaje

virahena maha-bhaga mahan me 'nugrahah krtah

You have rightfully claimed the privilege of unalloyed love for they
transcendental Lord, O most glorious gopis. Indeed, by exhibiting your
love for Krishna in separation from Him, you have shown me great
mercy."

"When prema becomes more condensed it becomes sneha. When

sneha becomes mere condensed then it becomes mana. When mana
becomes more condensed it becomes pranaya. When pranaya
becomes more condensed then it becomes raga. When raga becomes
more condensed it becomes anuraga. When anuraga becomes more
condensed then it becomes bhava, and when bhava becomes more
condensed then it becomes mahabhava. This mahabhava is the eight
and final place of the development of transcendental love. You gopis
are all Mahabhava-mayi, the embodiment of that mahabhava. Even
Lakshmi-devi cannot have what you have obtained. In my opinion,
there can be no separation in Such mahabhava. How can Krishna be
separated from those who have developed such love, mahabhava?
You are so very, very fortunate. Your separation is only an external
affair - bahiranga-vyapara. Krishna is within you and without, inside
and outside also. I cannot understand, I cannot find any language
what to say. I have thought very deeply, and in my opinion your
viraha, separation, is only an external affair. Only to shower some
mercy on me, Uddhava, who is jivadhama, a most degraded jiva, you
have developed this viraha. There can never be any viraha for you.
How can Krishna be separated from you? Krishna becomes bound up
by love and you have developed such pure love. Virahena maha-
bhaga mahan me 'nugrahah kritah - Only to show some mercy on a
degraded jiva like myself, Uddhava, you have displayed such viraha.
Otherwise there would be no viraha at all."
Uddhava's Transformation

We should understand how Uddhava changed. First he was thinking

himself to be very dear to Krishna and a great jnani, pandit, brhaspati-
sisya, a very knowledgeable disciple of Brihaspati. Now, his pride is
crushed. Now he condemns himself and say, "I, Uddhava, am most
degraded, most fallen, In order to show mercy on me, this viraha is
there; otherwise there would be no viraha. This prema is a very
powerful thing - sakti-sarva-vastu. I had heard of it. I had faith in it.
But I had not actually seen the glory of prema. Now I have gotten a
chance to see with my own eyes what is krsna-prema. If there had not
been such viraha, such separation, then Krishna would not have sent
me here. He sent me here to you and now I am thinking that this is a
great fortune. I am very fortunate coming to Vrajabhumi and seeing
you. You are the embodiment of Krsna-prema, mahabhava-bhakti.
Krishna has showed great mercy on me, allowing me to see you. You
have asked me why there is viraha in nirupadhi-prema. In answer I say
that in order to show some mercy or pity on me, this jivadhama, most
degraded jive, Uddhava, such viraha is there. I don't know what other
answer there is." Uddhava is a very dear devotee, sujana, Krishna's
own man. By sending him to Vrajabhumi, Krishna has crushed his
pride in a very wonderful way.
The following Bhagavatam verse (10.31.6) is very significant in this
regard:

vraja-janarti-han vira yositam

nija-jana-smaya-dhvamsana-smita
bhaja sakhe bhavat-kinkarih sma no
jalaruhananam caru darsaya

O You who destroy the suffering of Vraja's people, O hero of all women,
Your smile shatters the false pride of Your devotees. Please, dear
friend, accept us as Your maidservants and show us Your beautiful lotus
face. This verse says, nija-jana-smaya-dhavamsana - If by chance
pride develops in His own men, then Krishna crushes that pride. He
crushed the pride of Arjuna by showing him the jambuka, and here He
crushed the pride of Uddhava by sending him to Vrajabhumi. Pride is a
great hindrance on the path of bhakti. It is a demoniac quality -
dambho darpo 'bhimanas. Therefore, Mahaprabhu says:

trnad api sunicena taror iva sahisnuna

amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada hari

Give up pride. Think yourself much humbler than a blade of grass

lying on the street. Be as tolerant as a tree. Don't demand respect,
rather offer respect to one and all. With this attitude you chant, hare
krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare, hare rama hare rama rama
rama hare hare. If you do this then definitely you will develop krsna-
prema and your life will be successful.

This is a very deep topic. How many persons have understood it, I
don't know. But if some devotees have understood then I will think I
have achieved some success.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The Faults of Krishna

Then Radharani said, “A person is walking along, carrying a pot

on his head filled with food. A crow comes, takes some food
from the pot and, not being satified, at the same time pecks
with his beak on the head of that person. Your master, Vaman,
did just like that. Bali gave everything to Vaman. He treated
Him nicely, offered respect to Him, and worshiped Him. Then
what did Vaman do? He bound up Bali with the ropes
belonging to Varuna!”

Lord Vamanadev continued: O King of the demons, after Lord Visnu

made this decision, He entered the body of His enemy Hiranyakasipu,
who was running after Him with great force. In a subtle body
inconceivable to Hiranyakasipu, Lord Vishnu, who was in great anxiety,
entered Hiranyakasipu’s nostril along with his breadth.

PURPORT

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is already in the core of

everyone’s heart.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is already in the core of
everyone's heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati (Bg.
18.61). Logically, therefore, it was not at all difficult for Lord Vishnu to
enter Hiranyakasipu's body. The word vivigna-cetah. "very anxious," is
significant. It is not that Lord Visnu was afraid of Hiranyakasipu;
rather, because of compassion, Lord Vishnu was in anxiety about how
to act for his welfare."
- Srimad Bahagavatam 8.19.10

Equal to All

Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita (14.4):

sarva-yonisu kaunteya murtayah sambhavanti yah

tasam brahma mahad yonir aham bija-pradah pita

It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti, are made
possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.

Krishna says, "I am the seed-giving father." He is the supreme father

and everyone in all of the 8,400, 000 species of life are His sons. As
the father has natural love, affection and compassion for his children,
Krishna has love, affection and compassion for His children. So, it is
out of compassion that the Supreme Lord Vishnu was thinking how to
act for Hiranyakasipu's welfare. Therefore this word vivigna-cetah,
very anxious, is used. Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita, samo 'ham
sarva-bhutesu na me dvesyo 'sti na priyah - "I am equal to one and all.
No one is dear to Me. I have no partiality. I am impartial to one and
all." One may then ask how it is that Krishna becomes partial to the
demigods and thinks the demons are the enemy? He takes the side of
the demigods. He never accepts the side of the demons. How is that
impartiality? How can you say that He is equal? He acts as if the
demons are His enemies. "Krishna's statement, samo 'ham
sarvabhutesu na me dvesyo 'sti na priyah, is not true. He is partial to
the demigods and prejudiced against the demons. He treats the
demons as enemies." This is apara-vicara, an apparent consideration.
But in tattva-vicara, the absolute consideration, you will find that
Krishna really is impartial. He really is the well-wisher of the demons.
He does good to one and all. He never does any evil to anyone. By
killing the demons He does good to them. Their demoniac nature, and
their demoniac body are killed. If a demon is killed by the hand of Lord
Hari then he gets mukti, liberation. So how can you say that He does
evil to the demons? Rather, He does them good.

As You Sow

The Brahama-samhita (5.54) describes:

yas tv idragopam athavendram aho sva-karma-

bandhanurupa-phala-bhajanam atanoti
karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam
govindam adi purusam tam aham bhajami

I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, who burns up to their roots all fruitive
activites of those who are imbued with devotion and impartially ordains from
each the due enjoyment of the fruits of one’s activities, of all those who walk
in the path of work, in accordance with the chain of their previously
performed works, no less in the case of the tiny insect that bears the name of
indragopa than in that of Indra, king of devas.

As you sow, so shall you reap. That is Krishna’s law. Whatever karma
you perform, Krishna accordingly offers the result impartially to one
and all. That result is known as karma-phala.

One jiva becomes indragopa, a very tiny red insect generally found in
sandy places during the rainy season. Why has he taken birth in such
a body? Because of his previously earned karma-phala when he was a
human being. Another jiva becomes Indra, the heavenly king. Why is
that? Because of karma-phala, Krishna offers impartially. You have
done such activities, so that is the result for you. Where is the
partiality? Everyone is reaping the consequences of their karma.
Accordingly, one is born as an indragopa or one is born as Indra. One
may take birth as a beast, a dog or a hog, a bird, a tree, a mountain,
an aquatic animal, or one mat get the birth of a brahmana or a
ksatriya. This is karma-phala.

In the Chandra or Soma dynasty there was a great kinf named

Nahusha. Because he had perfomred many pious activities he became
Indra, the heavenly king. He becme very proud thinking, I have
become the king of heaven now. He thus engaged the brahmanas to
carry his palanquin. Once he engaged Agastya Muni to carry his
palanquin, by chance his feet touched the muni. Agastya became very
angry and cursed him: “You become a snake.” Then he took birth as a
snake, the result of his activity. This is karma-phala.

It is also said that when Indra committed aparadha at the lotus feet of
his guru, Brihaspati cursed him and he was born as a hog. Because of
their activities, Narada muni cursed the two sons of Kuvera,
Nalakuvara and Manigriva, to take birthas twin Arjuna trees. Also, King
Bharat got the body a deer.

Ghost Birth

In this regard there is another episode described in the Puranas. There

was one brahmana who was vidagdha-pandita, very proficient in Veda.
He was a very greedy fellow. Once he and all of his brahmana friends
unknowingly ate some foodstuffs which had been offered to the bhutas
and pretas, ghosts. When they died there was judgment in the court of
Yamaraj as to what their next birth would be. Yamaraj, who is also
known as Dharmaraj, said, “They will be born as ghosts.” A ghost has
no gross body, only a subtle body. To remain in a ghost body is very
painful. If someone gets a gross body, he gets some relief. Therefore
ghostst sometimes enter into others’ gross bodies to get some relief.

The pandit brahmana asked, “What is our fault? What wrong did we do
that we will et this birth?”

Yamaraj said, “You have not performed your sva-dharma your duty
properly. You are a brahmana, but you are so greedy that you ate food
offered to ghosts. A brahmana cannot do this. You dharma is Vedic
dharma, but you have violated the principle of dharma.”

The brahmanas became humble, offered their obeisances and asked,

“How can we get released from this ghost birth?”

You will all stay in a desert as ghosts. One day a wandering vasinava-
sadhu will come there. If you render service to him and get his
blessings, then you will be released from this bhuta-yoni, ghost species
of life.

They remained for many, many years in the desert. One day all of a
sudden, a wandering vaisnava appeared there very thirsty and hungry.
The brahmana, who had now a ghost form, immediately understood
and became a tree. A ghost can assume any form , so he became a
tree to give cool shade to the vaisnava-sadhu. The other ghosts
assumed the bodies of human beings. They went to him, offered
obeisances, and asked, “How can we serve you?” The vaisnava said, “I
am very hungry and thirsty. Please give me some food and drink.”
Immediately the leader of the ghost party, that vidagdha-brahmana,
brought some nice cold water and some fruits and roots. A ghost can
also materialize things. If one can utilize them in service, they can do
nice service. Othrewise, they will create all sorts of disturbances. The
vaisnava uttered the name of Vishnu, perfomred kirtana, offered the
fruits and roots to Visnu, and then ate them. He gave his remnants to
the ghosts. The vaisnava was very pleased with their service. Ghosts
can only smell. They cannot eat. As soon as they smelled the
remnants of that vaisnava, they received very nice demi-god bodies.
Then they offered obeisances to that vaisnava. The vaisnava became
amazed, “What is this, he asked?” Then they told him everything.
This is a story to understand how one gets the reactions of his karma.

Karma Destroyed

One’s karma-phala cannot be destroyed. However in Bhagavd-gita

(18.66), Krishna says:

sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja

aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah

Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender to Me. I shall deliver you
from sinful reactions. Do not fear.

Those who are intelligent and bhagyavan, fortunate, and who

understand, “I am krsna-dasa,” they come for the association of
sadhus and take shelter at the lotus feet of Krishna and under the
guidance of a sadhu-guru.. Their karma is then destroyed. Otherwise,
it cannot be destroyed. Even the karma-phala of the mayavadis and
brahmadis is not destoyed because they are not surrendered. One
must surrender unto the lotus feet of Krishna because only Krishna can
destroy one’s karma-phala. No one else can do so. Karmani nirdahati
kintu ca bhakti-bhajam – The Supreme Lord burns up all the
accumulated karma of those engaged in His loving service.
So it is true that Krishna is impartial. One who surrenders completely
unto Him, giving up all varieties of dharma, becomes very dear to
Krishna. Krishna destroys their avidya, ignorance, which is the seed of
karma. That seed will never again fructify. It is not that Krishna is
partial. He is impartial. According to whatever karma you have done,
he offers you the result. This is the impartiality of Krishna. From this
you can understand how Krishna is ver merciful. How He is suhrdam,
the only well-wishing friend of all living entities, and samo ‘ham srva-
bhutesu – how He is equal to one and all. This is a question of tattva-
vicara. By killing the demons He does them good. He kills their
demoniac nature, their demoniac body. Then their next birth will be a
nice birth, they will get mukti.

Inconceivable

It is not any easy affair to understand the activities of Krishna. He is

inconceivable. A baddha-jiva,a conditioned soul, has four defects:
bhrama, the tendency to commit mistakes, pramada, the tendency to
be illusioned, vipralipsa, the tendency to cheat, and karanapatava,
imperfect senses. Karanapatava means the sense are defective. The
mind is the chief of the senses, but it is defective. How can one
conceive of Krishna’s inconceivable pastimes? In Bhagavad-gita (4.9),
Krishna says:

janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah

tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so ‘rjuna

“My birth and activities are not material. They are transcendental. For
one who understand them in tattva, that will be his last birth. After
quitting this body he will come to Me and he will never return here.”
No rebirth. Therefore we should understand in tattva. Not by apara-
vicara, apparent consideration. We sould understand by tattva-vicara,
absolute consideration. The Gita (4.34) states:

tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya

upadeksyanti te jnanah jnaninas tattva-darsinah

Just try to kearn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him
submissivesly and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart
knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.

One who is serious must approach a tattva-darsi guru, one who knows
tattva, who is the seer of the truth and the knower of the truth.
Approach, surrender, erve him, satisfy him , please him, and then
humbly inquire what is tattva. Out of his mercy he will impart tattva-
jnana to you. He will reveal to you the tattvas behind Krishna’s lila and
the acitivities. By his mercy you can have it. There is no other way.
Svetasvatara Upanishad (6.23) states:

yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau

tasyaite kathita hy arthah prakasante mahatmanah

Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the
spiritual master are all imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed.

This tattva is only revealed for one who has implicit faith in bhakti, and
who has equal devotion to guru and Krishna. Otherwise, no one can
understand tattva-vicara. Krsihna is merciful. He is suhrdam, our well
wishng friend. He never does any evil or bad to anyone. But we
baddha-jivas, conditioned souls, cannot understand Krishna’s activities
because we are completely covered over by ignorance. Ignrant fools
find fault in the activities of Krishna.

Krishna’s activities are described in the tenth canto of Srimad

Bhagavatam. They are very difficult to understand. Still, I will tell you,
if you can understand it.

After going to Mathura, Krishna sent His very intimate friend Uddhava
to Vrajabhumi as a messenger, carrying the message of love known as
Uddhava-sandesa. “Uddhava, you go to Vrajabhumi and deliver this
message to them. They are feeling very distressed. They are only
surviving because I told them that I would come back. Otherwise they
would have died. Go!”

Mad Delirium

Day-by-day the gopis were feeling acute pangs of separation from

Krishna. They had given up sleeping, eating, everything. They were
no longer putting on ornaments, or nice saris, nor were they taking
care of their hair, which had become all scattered. They had beceom
very skinny, and were lying in the dust on the ground, feeling intense
pangs of separation. Their hearts were burning, burning, burning in
the heat of viraha, separation. Pagala-unmada, Radharani had become
mad. Nobody could understand what She was saying. This is citra-
jalpa, the delirium of a mad person.

Feeling intense pangs of separation, the gopis were moving here and
there in the forest of Vrindavan like mad women, asking every tree and
creeper, “Have you seen Shyama?” “Have you seen Krishna?” “Is He
coming?” Then they saw someone coming through the jungle path
that looked exactly like Krishna. One gopi said, sakhi, ini ke go? –
“Who is He? He looks like Krishna.” “O dear girl campanion, it lookslke
Krishna but there is no peacock feather and no flute, so he is not
Krishna.” Uddhava looks exactlylike Krishna. He is the same age and
has the same blackish body. Everything is the sam only he has no
flute and no peacock feather.

Seeing Uddhava coming nearer and nearer they could understand,

“Oh, you have come from Mathura-pari, Yadu-pati.” Krishna had
become the leader of the Yadus and of Mathura, therefore the gopis
referred to Krishna by those names. The gopis used those names
because they felt, “Krishna cheated us.”* You have come as a duta, a
messenger from Him? Oh, you black fellows are all unreliable persons.

Then Uddhava went with the gopis to Radharani. Radharani was lying
unconscious. Sometimes she was unconscious and sometimes waking.
She had become mad due to Her acute pangs of separation from
Krishna. When Radharani saw Krishna’s intimate friend Uddhava, great
anger arose in Her heart, and outside She began speaking like a mad
person in delirium. This speech is known as citra-jalppa. Rupa
Goswami has described all of this in Ujjvala-nilamani.

* Here the gopis accuse Krishna of cheatinf them because He had left
Vrindavan and the vrajavasis to go to Mathura to be with the members
of the Yadu dynasty. To emphasize this, they choose to call Him
“Mathura-pati” and “Yadu-pati” – “Lord of Mathura” and “Lord of the
Yadu dynasty.”

Drunken Bumblebee

By some strange coincidence, exactly at that time a black bumblebee

came huming and moving around Radharani’s face, feet and palms,
which are all like lotus flowers.

Radharani said, “Hey black bee! Get out of here! You black people are
unreliable. Why have you come! I understand you have come as a
messenger from your master.” O madhupa, “O black bumblebee! You
are the friend of that Shyama, wo is the kitava, kapata, a great
duplicitous person. Yes, you make a very nice pair, the two of you. You
are madhu-pa, and He is madhu-pati.** He is black and you are also
black. He is duplicitous and you are His duplicitous friend. Great
duplicitousness! He is the crest jeewl of the duplicitous persons and
you are just His messenger friend. Hey! Don’t touch My feet. Get out
from here!”

** Madhu means “honey”, madhu-pa means bumblebee, or one who

sucks honey. Mathura is also known as Madhupuri, as it was formerly
the home of the demon Madhu. So madhu-pati means “Lord of
Mathura”, Krishna.

Uddhava was standing nearby and Radharani was speaking to the

bhramara, the bumblebee, “Get out of here, you rascal black bee! You
are drunk so I will not allow you to touch My feet. If you would have
come here without being drunk then I would have allowed you to
touch. If you say, ‘No, no! I am not drunk! I have not drunk liquor.’
Then I will say, ‘Definitely you are drunk. I will give you proof. You
have come from that Shyamasundar. You are drunk and your head is
reeling. Why has your moustache become yellow? Is it a kunkuma
kiss? Have you put kunkuma powder on your moustache?’”

Uddhava realized, “Oh Radharani is speaking to me, and just indicating

the bumble bee.”

Radhrani said, “Where did you get the kunkuma on your moustache?
Krishna is now enjoying the ladies of Mathura. They put kunkuma
ontheir breasts, and you have gotten it from them. You are His friend
and have come here. Get out form here, Get out from here,
bhramara! Don’t come to Me.”

Killing Vali

Here in Radhrani’s words you will find irsa, enviousness, pride, great
anger, as well as divyonmada, transcendental madness. Radharani
says many things. They are technically known as prajalpa. I am just
pointing out how very difficult it is to understand the activities of
Krishna. No one can understand the apara-vicara, apparent
consideration. It is a question of tattva-vicara, absolute consideration.
Only one who knows tattva can understand.

Radharani said, “Your master or friend is not a good man at all. O

bhramara, bumblebee, don’t talk about friendship with this Shyama.
He is a very unreliable person. He is a duplicitous black person. He is
very drooked and cruel. Hehas no mercy, no softness. Your master,
your friend Shyama, is adharmika, an irreligious person. If you want
proof, I will give you proof.

“In Treta Yuga, your Shyama, who had coome as Lord Rama, son of
Dasarath,was banished to the forest. He killed a monster whose name
was Vali. Rama didn’t come face-to-face with Val. He kept Himself
hidden and killed him. Is that very nice? Very mercilessly He killed
that monkey! Sometimes very lowborn humters kille monkeys.
Genrally, however, no one will kill a monkey because no one will eat
the flesh of a monkey. Why should it be killed? But your friend, your
master, killed Vali mercilessly! Is that very nice? He is a merciless
person!”

Disfiguring Surpanakha

mrgayur kapindram vivyadhe lubha-dharma

striyam akrta virupam stri-jitah kama-yanam
balim api balim attvavestayad dhvanksa-vad yas
tad alam asita-sakhyair dustyajas tat-katharthah

Like a hunter, He cruelly shot the king of the monkeys with arrows. Because
a women conquered Him, He disfigured another woman who came to Him
with lusty desires. And even after consuming the gifts of Bali Maharaja, he
bound him up with ropes as if he were a crow. So let us give up all friendship
with this dark-complexioned boy, even if we can’t give up talking about Him.

Radharani said, “Another instance is there also. When He came as

Rama He cut of the nose and ears of Surpanakha, the sister of Ravan.
When Suparnakha saw the beuatiful form of the Lord, she became
enchanted and ttracted. Being a woman she thought, ‘I will marry
Him.’ That’s a woman’s nature. But what did your master do? He
didn’t marry her. Rather, He cut of her nose and ears. He made her
look so ugly that no one would marry her! Is that very nice? He is
such a merciless person! He may not have maried her, but someone
else might have married her. So why by cut of her nose and ears
thereby making her so ugly so that no one would want to marry her?
What sort of activity is that? All right bumblebee, we can discuss this.
Yes, you say He was a tapasvi brahmacari wamdering in the forest. A
brahmacari cannot marry. His wife Sita was with Him. How is it that
He was so merciless to Surpanakha?”

Behaviour of a Crow

“And your master came as the son of Kasyapa, Vamadev. He was a

nice brahmana brahmacari. What fault was there with Bali Maharaja.
Bali Maharaja offered Him worship. He washed His feet and gave Him
a nice seat. He treated Him so nicely. Vaman had very little feet. He
only begged three pieces of land and Bali Maharaja promised to give it.
But this dwarf Vaman with His tiny little feet was actually a great
juggler! When Bali Mahraja gave one piece of land, His feet became so
inconceivably, unimaginably great with one step His foot covered the
whole surface of the globe. Then with the other foot He covered all
space. He is such a great juggler! Is that possible that something
small can be inside something big. But how is is that such a big,
inconceivable thing is there within a small thing? His feet were so tiny.
How did they become so great? As mere jiva, we cannot conceive it. It
is only jugglery, nothing else. Your master is such a great juggler!”
Then your master sked Bali for space for a third step, trtiyam
upakalpaya – “Where shall I place My third step?” Bali Maharaja
thought, “Where can He put His third step? He covred everything with
two steps.”

Then Radharani said, “A person is walking along, carrying a pot on his

head filled with food. A crow comes, takes some food from the pot,
and not being satisfied, at the same time pecks with his beak on the
head of that person. Your master, Vaman, did just like that. Bali gave
everything to Vaman. He treated Him nicely, offered respect to Him,
and worshiped Him. Then what did Vaman do? Babandha varunaih
pasair – He bound up Bali with the ropes belonging to Varuna! Such a
small dwarf became so great.! Bali is a mahajana, a nice man, a sober
person and a gentleman. Bali said, ‘All right, I have given everything.
But I have not completely dedicated myself.’ Then putting his head
forward, he said, ‘Please put your third fot here on my head.’ He
became completely surrendered. But what did your friend do? He
treated Bali mercilessly! He pushed him down to Patala! What was
Bali’s fault? Why did He treat him so mercilessly?”

Nasty Black Color

Radharani said, “Do you understand wy He is this way, you

bumblebee? It is a question of this syama, black color, nothing else.
All black-colored people do this. Vaman was black-colored, and your
friend is black-colored. That black color is very enchanting. Everyone
is enchanted with it. But such black colored persons do nasty,
merciless, duplicitous, cruel things. This is the fault with that balck
color.”

Then the bhramara was humming, “Why are saying about my friend
my master, that He has so many faults?”
“Why I am finding faults with your master? I will tell you why: A nice
sober person, a gentleman, only speaks good things. He never speaks
good things. So, if you don’t want to hear, then get out of here! Why
are you just hovering here and not going away? All right I will tell you.
Your friend, and master Shyama has already given us up. We had an
intimate friendship with Him, but He has broken that friendship and
gone away. He has not kept His word. He has given up friendship with
us and we have given up friendship with Him. But still we cannot give
up His katha – dustyajas tat-katharthah. He told us, “I will come back.”
Only by remembering this katha we are surviving. His katha is so
enchanting, His katha is so attractive, His katha is so sweet and
nectarean, that we cannot give it up. He is acting in such a way that
we would have died! But we cannot die, because we are remembering
His katha. Such is our condition; we are neither dying nor surviving!
He is such a nirdayah, merciless, cruel person!”

Radharani said, “In Treat-yuga Surpanakha could not marry anyone

because Rama cut off her nose and ears. She became so ugly that no
one would marry her. In Dvapara-yuga she took birth as Kubja, the
humpback woman. Your friend Shyama was so cruel to her. Since she
was not looking beautiful who would marry her? Finally Krishna came
and touched her and then she became beautiful. That means Krishna
wanted to marry her. By these examples, you can understand how
cruel your friend is!”

In Tattva

This is all apara-vicara, apparent consideration. But in tattva-vicara

you will find that atually Krishna is very merciful. Krishna fulfilled the
desire of Surpanakha . Surpanakha wanted to marry Lord Rama, but in
that incarnation He couldn’t do so. Lord Rama is maryada-
purusottama, the topmost personification of Vedic propriety. Eka-patni-
vrata – He had taken a vow to accept only one wife. However, in
Dvapara-yuga, bahu-valabha, Krishna accepted many wives. Krishna
fulfilled the desire of Surpanakha, as Kubja. Krishna came, touched
her, and she became a beautiful lady. Thereby He fulfilled her desire
and became her husband. This is mercifulness. There is no question
of cruelty at all. But apparently it seems to be cruelty. Radharani is
saying this, but it is allegorical. Inside there is much anger, so She is
speaking in this way. But actually She has such intimate, deep love for
Krishna. This kind of talk is kown as citra-jalpa. If you discuss in terms
of apara-vicara there is enormous cruelty in terms of killingg Vali.
When Vali was killed, his Tara came and called Lord Rama bad names.
She asked many questions and Lord Rama gave appropriate answers.
Lord Rama said, “Vali’s younger brother was Sugriva. Vali forcibly kept
Sugriva’s wife, thereby Vali commited a great sin.” Sugriva is Rama’s
friend, so Sugriva’s enemies are Rama’s enemies. Lord Rama said,
“Such a stupid, rascal, sinful immoral person should be killed. That is
good for him, otherwise he may continue such immoral activities.
Better to kill him and stop the nonsense.” Vali had received the boon
that no one could kill him in a face-to-face fight, so Rama kept Himself
hidden behind a tree and killed him. Rama is not merciless. He did
good for Vali, karuna.

Then, regarding Lord Vamandev, when Bali Maharaja completely

dedicated himself at the lotus feet of Vamandev and offered his head
as the place for Vaman to place His third step, he thereby became a
mahajana. He set the example of complete surrender, atma-nivedana.
Although Lord Vaman pushed Bali down to Patala, He gave him all
opulence. Actually He didn’t bind Bali. Rather, by his compete
surrender Bali bound Lord Vamandev with the rope of love. The Lord
became his doorkeeper and stayed there. Vaman became bound up by
the rope of love, so how are these merciless dealings? The Lord is so
merciful! This is tattva-vicara.

There is also another point here: Lord Krishna is the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, but the gopis headed by Radharani don’t
accept Krishna as Bhagavan. Due to the activity of Yogamaya, no one
in Vrajabhumi accepts Krishna as God. Vasudeva and Devaki accept
Krishna as Bhagavan. They bowed down before Him and offered
prayers. But Nanda and Yasoda don’t do that. The cowherd boys climb
onto the shoulders of Krishna and say, tumi amo saman – “You and I
are equal.” Tumi keno bada – “How are You great, Krishna? You are
sama, equal to us.” The gopis also neither know nor treat Krishna llike
Bhagavan. This is because of pure love. So why did Radharani speak
about Krishna’s previous incarnations?

Straw in Boiling Milk

When Radharani said, “In purva-lia, His previous pastimes, your master
or friend was Rama and Vaman.” That means He is the Supreme Lord.
This is contradictory: The gopis know that Krishna is the Supreme Lord,
but then again how is it that they don’t know? They know and they
don’t know. How is this? It is very difficult to understand. It is a very
deep and confidential question. The question should be solved
otherwise it will cause confusion.

The acaryas have answered it. When the gopis and Radharani unite
with Krishna they forget that Krishna is the Supreme Lord. They forget
everything, otherwise such union would not be possible. That is the
activity of Yogamaya. But when they feel acute pangs of separation,
this understanding sometimes comes up. Radharani described Krishna
as being Rama and Vaman while She was feeling acute pangsof
separation. The acaryas have given the following example: If you
place a big pot filled to the brim with milk on the fireplace, it will boil
and overflow. To keep the milk from overflowing, one may place some
tiny pieces of straw or grass in the milk before it boils. The straw goes
under the foam and is not visible. However, when the milk is boiling
the straw goes up and down. Sometimes it then becomes visible.
When the gopis with Radharani feel such acute pangs of separation it
is like heat. Their hearts are boiling, boiling and burning. So
sometimes this understanding comes up and is expressed: “Hey
Bhagavan!” “Hey Rama!” “Your friend was Rama.” “Your friend was
Vaman in another yuga.” That means Lord Vishnu. When the milk is
boiling the straw sometimes comes up and then again goes back down.
If someone thinks, “Let me take the straw out,” he cannot catch it.
Immdeiately it goes back down. Only for one moment is it on top. No
one can catch it. Similarly, the acute pangs of separation are like heat.
The heart is boiling, boiling, burning, so this idea sometimes comes up:
“That Bhagavan!” Otherwise it does not arise. This is what our
acaryas have said. Sometimes the gopis say to Krishna:

na khalu gopika-nandano bhavan

akhila-dehinam antaratma-drk

You are not actually the son of the gopi Yasoda, O friend, but rather the
indwelling witness in the hearts of al embodied souls.

Borrowed

A third point is here also. Sri Radha and the others in Vrajabhumi don’t
accept Krishna as Bhagavan. They don’t believe it, because Krishna is
so dear, so close, and so intimate with them. Due to their pure love
and affection they have forgotten Krishna is Bhagavan. But e suna
katha – they haveheard fromo thers. That means it is not their own
words. It is other’s katha. When Gargamuni was performing the nama-
karana samskara, Krishna’s name giving ceremony, he said that
Krishna was isvara, Bhagavan. Paurnamasi also said that Krishna is not
an ordinary human being, that He is Bhagavan, isvara. And
Nandimukhi also said it. So the gopis, Radharani, and the cowherd
boys have heard this from tohers. It is not their words. Iti s other’s
katha. At times when needed, we utilize other people’s property. For
example, a very poor man and woman has no good clothes, no good
sari, no good dhoti, no ornaments, nothing. On festive occassions
everyone puts on a nice dhoti, sari and ornaments. But that poor man
and woman has nothing. At that time they go to wealthy neighbours to
borrow, “Please we are performing a festival. Please give me a nice
sari or nice cloth or ornament for one day.” In this way they borrow
something.

The gopis and Radharani do this. When they are crying their heart is
burning, feeling the pangs of separation from Krishna, at this time of
need they use it. Then e suna katha – they speak what theyhave heard
from others such as Garagamuni, Nandimukhi or Paurnamasi. It is not
the katha of Radharani or the gopis. Theyhave just borrowed it from
them, and utilize it at that moment, as the poor man or woman
borrows a nice sari, dhoti or ornament on the festival day.

Radharani said, “tad alam asita-sakhyair,” – asita means black or

syama-varna. “Those persons who have this balckish color, they are
kutila nirdaya, duplicitous and merciless.” Radharani gave so many
proofs, “Rama, Vaman and your friend Shyama are all balckish. Rama
is very good. Everything is ideal about Him. He is the ideal friend, ideal
father, ideal son, ideal king and ideal husband. He is very qualified and
has many good qualities. It was because of His complexion was syama
that He acted in such a way. It was because of His blackish complexion
that He cut off the ears and nose of Surpanakha and killed Vali in such
a merciless way, hiding behind a tree. This black complexion is the
defect. This is the wrong, not the person. It was only because of His
balckish color that He acted so mercilessly with Bali. It is not that the
person is wrong. The fault is with this color, syama-varna.”

Thus, Radharani has not said this thinking of Krishna as Bhagavan.

She has only spoken this because of the syama-varna. This is very
deep.

Deep Love

Radharani’s talking like this is citra-jalpa. It is very difficult to

understand the mystery behind Krishna’s pastimes. Those who take
up apara-vicara, the apparent considertaion, will say that Krishna is
merciless. But in tattva-vicara, it is not so. Krishna is not merciless.
Krishna is not duplicitous. Krishna is not cruel. He is very merciful and
sober. He has all good qualities, nothing bad. If you can understand in
tattva then you can really understand. Otherwise, if you take to apara-
vicara, the apparent consideration, then you will find fault with Krishna.
Radharani’s speaking is not apara-vicara. Her speech is a different
thing. She spoke this way because of this mood of citra-jalpa. This is a
question of very deep love and very deep affection. She has
developed sulkiness, anger in Her heart due to very deep lovc.

In this verse, the topic of anxiety, vivigna-cetah, has come up. The
verse describes that “Lord Vishnu out of anxiety entered into the body
of Hiranyakasipu through his nostrils.” This word vivigna-cetah,
“anxiety”, is significant. It is not that the Lord is afraid of
Hiranyakasipu. No. As Srila Prabhupada has described in his purport,
Lord Vishnu has acted out of affection and sympathy, “How can I do
god to him?” It is not easy to understand the activities of the Lord.
Therefore I gave this example. Krishna’s pastimes and especially
Radharani’s citra-jalpa are not easy things to understand. It is very
confidential.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The Sulky Eye of Radharani

These feelings of viraha-duhkha, the acute pangs of

separation, are like an unlimited ocean, and sulkiness is like an
isalnd in that ocean.

As Srimati Radharani talked inconsistently when She met Uddhava, so

also Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu relished, both day and night, such
ecstatic talk in the mood of Srimati Radharani.

PURPORT

In this connection one should refer to Srimati Radharani’s solilquy after

meeting Uddhava in Vrindavan. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu presented
a similar picture of such ecstatic imaginary talking. Full of jealousy and
madness symptomizing neglect by Krishna, Srimati Radharani,
criticizing a bumblebee talked just like a madwoman. Sri Chaitanya
Mahrapbhu, in the last days of His pastimes, exhibited all the
symptoms of such ecstasy. In this connection one should refer to the
fourth chapter of the adi-lila, verses 107 and 108.

TEXT

The Lord used to read the books of Vidyapati, Jayadev and Chandidas,
relishing their songs with Hs confidential associates like Sri Ramananda
Raya and Swarup Damodar Goswami.

PUPORT

Vidyapati was a famous composer of songs about the pastimes of

Radha-Krishna. He was an inhabitant of Mithila, born in a brahmana
family. It is calculated that He composed his songs during the reign of
King Sivasinha and Queen Lachima-devi, in the beginning of the
fourteenth century of the Saka Era, almost hundred years before the
appearance of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The twelfth generation of
Vidyapati’s descendants is still living. Vidyapati’s songs about the
pastimes of Lord Krishna express the intense feelings of separation
from Krishna, and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu relished all those songs
inHis ecstasy of separation from Krishna.

Jayadeva was born during the reign of Maharaja Lakshman Sena of

Bengal, in the eleventh or twelfth century of the Saka Era. His father
was Bhojadev, and hismother was Vama-devi. For m any years he
lived in Nabadwip, the capital of bengal. His birth place was in the
Birbhum district, in the village Kendubilva. In the opinion of some
authorities, however, he was born in Orissa, and stil others says he was
born in southern India. He passed the last days of his life in Jagannath
Puri. One of his famous books is Gita-govinda, which is full of
transcendental mellow feelings of separation from Krishna before the
rasa-dance, as mentioned in the Srimad Bhagavatam, and the Gita-
govinda expresses such feelings. There are many commentaries on
the Gita-govinda bymany vaisnavas.

Chandidas was born in the village of Nannura, which is also in the

Birbhum district of Bengal. He was born of a brahmanafamily, andit is
said that he also took birth in the beginning of the fourteenth century,
Sakabda Era. It has been suggested that Chandidas and Vidyapati
were great friends because the writings of both express the
transcendental feelings of separation profusely. The feelings of ecstasy
described by Chandidas and Vidyapati were actually exhibited by Sri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He relished all those feelings in the role of
Srimati Radharani and His appropriate associates for this purpose were
Sri Ramananda Raya and Sri Swarup Damodar Goswami. These
intimate associates of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu helped the Lord
very much in the pastimes in which He felt like Radharani.

Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur comments in this connection that

such feeliings of separation as Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu enjoyed
from the books of Vidyapati, Chandidas and Jaydev are especially
reserved for persons like Sri Ramananda Raya and Swarup Damodar,
who were paramahamsas, devotees of the topmst pefection, because
of their advanced spiritual consciousness. Such topics are not tobe
discussed by ordinary persons imitating the activities of Lord Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu. For critical stuents of mundance poetry and literary men
without God consciousness who after bodily sense gratification, there
is no need to read such a high standard of transcendental literature.
Persons who are after sense gratification should not try to imitate
raganuga devotional service. The songs of Chandidas, Vidyapati and
Jayadev describe the transcendental activities of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Mundane reviewers of these songs simply
help people in general become debauchees, and this leads only to
social scandals and atheism in the world. One should not
misunderstand the pastimes of Radha and Krishna to be the activiites
of a mundane boy and girl. The mundane sexual activities of young
boys and girls are abominable. Therefore those who are in bodily
consciousness and who desire sense gratification are forbidden to
indulge in discussions of the transcendental pastimes of Sri Radha and
Krishna.

TEXT
In separation from Krishna, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu relished all
these ecstatic activities, and thus He fulfilled His own desires.

PURPORT

In the beginning of the Caitanya-caritamrt it is said that Lord Chaitanya

appeared in order to taste the feelings of Radharani felt upon seeing
Krishna. Krishna Himself could not understand the ecstatic feelings of
Radharani toward Him, and therefore He desired to accept the role of
Radharani and threby taste these feelings. Lord Chaitanya is Krishna
with the feelings of Radharani; in other owrds, He is a combination of
Radha and Krishna. It is therefore said, sri-krsna-caitanya radha-krsna
nahe anya. By worshiping Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu alone, one can
relish the loving affairs of Radha and Krishna together. One should
therefore try to understand Radha-Krishna not directly but through Sri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and through His devotees. Srila Narottama Das
Thakur therefore says, rupa-raghunatha-pade haibe akuti, kabe hama
bujhaba se yugala-piriti: “When shall I develop a mentality of service
toward Sri Rupa Goswami, Sanatha Goswami, Raghunath Das Goswami
and other devotees of Lord Chaitanya and thuse become eligible to
understand the pastimes of Sri Radha and Krishna?”

- Caitanya-caritamrt adi 13.41-43

Transcendental Madness

It is not an easy thing to undestand the pastimes of Radha and

Krishna.

The first of these three verses from Caitanya-caritamrta is referring to

the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, chapters forty-six, and forty-
seven. There it is described that Radharani spoke Her feelings before a
bumblebee. The same feelings developed in Mahaprabhu because
Mahaprabhu is in the role of Radharani. Srila Prabhupada has said that
Radharani was just like a madwoman. This is transcendetal madness,
known as divyonmada. Feeling such acute pangs of separation from
Krishna, Radharani very often fainted. The pangs of separation are like
fire and are very very intolerable. Such development of love is very
wonderful and is known as madanakhya-mahabhava. Nothing is
impossible in that madanakhya-mahabhava. It is like an ocean.

In Her sulky vision Radharani sees Krishna enjoying the company of the
women of Mathura. Then, leaving them, He comes to Vrajabhumi. In
this vision Radharani sees that Krishna has come, and She manifests
Her mana, sulkiness. Krishna tries His best to pacify Radharani, to
break Her sulkiness, but He fails. He goes away and then He sends a
messenger, a black bumblebee, to break Radharani’s mana. The
bumblee comes and moevs around the lotus feet of Radharani while
singing. In Her sulky vision Radharani sees all these things. Radharani
says, ayati ca mama nikatam yati ca nihrutya mathuram nagaram –
“Our most beloved Krishna comes to us unnoticed, an then again goes
back to Mathura.” She said, kascan rama ramayati ramanah sa tatrapi
– “He has many lovers in Mathura-nagara, otherwise why is He coming
here unnoticeably tand then going away?” Radharani has this very
intense thought. She sees in Her sulky eye the damsels of Mathura,
and She also sees Krishna enjoying in their company – dhyayanti
krsna-sangamam. Seeing all of these things, Radhaeani becomes
more and more sulky. This viraha-duhkha, feeling the acute pangs of
separation, is like an unlimited ocean, and sulkiness is like an island on
that ocean.

Radharani sees the balck bumblebee moving around Her lotus feet.
The moustache of that bumblebee has become yellow colored. Seeing
this, Radhrani’s sulkiness becomes more acute. This is sancari-bhava.
In Ujjvala-nilamni and Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, sancar-bhavas are
described as thirty-three transitory assisiting emotions. Radharani
developed the sancari-bhava known as nirveda, indifference,
despondency or disappointment. In that bhava, Radharani sees all the
defects or faults of Krishna. Radharani tells the bumblebee, “Krishna is
a reservoir of so many defects and faults. There is no need of His
association.”

Exactly at that time, Uddhava has come and is standing near

Radharani. Uddhava is hearing everything that Radharani is saying,
but Radharani,throug Her sulky eyes, cannot see Uddhava. She only
sees the black bumblebee.

“Get Out from Here!”

Radharani said:

madhupa kitaba-bandho ma sprsanghrim sapatnyah

kuca-vilulita-mala-kunkuma-smasrubhir nah
vahatu madhu-patis tan-manininam prasadam
yadu=sadasi vidambhya yasya dutas tvam idrk

O honeybee, O friend of a cheater, don’t touch My feet with your

whiskers, which are smeared with kunkuma that rubbed onto Krishna’s
grland when it was crushed by the breasts aof a rival lover! Let
Krishna satisfy the women of Mathura. One who sends a messenger
like you will certainly be ridiculed in the Yadus assembly.
Madhupa kitava-bandho ma sprsanghrim – “O bumblebee, friend of
that crooked person Krishna! Don’t touch Me!” kapatira-bandhu –
“Youo are a friend of that crooked person. Why are you standing
before Me? Gteout from here! You have drunk liquour. You are a great
drunkard! Your master is madhu-pati.* You are His servant and
therefore you have drunk so much. This is very good. The master and
servant are united. You are His servant and messenger.”

 Madhu-pati is a name of Krishna meaning “Lord of Mathura”.But

madhu also means liquor.

The Radharani says to Her girl companions, sakha-gana, “O sakhis,

don’t think this messenger is very simple. He is not as simple as he
appears. He is very drunk. His head reels. He seems to be simple, but
he is not simple at all. He is very crooked.”

Are kaitava-bandhu! – “O friend of the crooked, your master is the

crest-jewel of the crooked persons, kapati-cudamani! And you are a
replica of your master, you are a visama-kapati, an unequalled
cheater! If you were not both the same, then how could you develop
friendship? A crooked person outwardly seems to be very simple. SO
much duplicity is there!”

Hearing everything that Radharani said, Uddhava thought, “I shall go

and offer obeisances at the lotus feet of Radhrani.” Thining this he
took one step forward. Radharani took one step forward. Radhrani
could not see Uddhava. With Her sulky eyes She only saw the
bumblebee. Radharani then said, “O friend of the most crooked
person, don’t touch My feet! If you want to offer obeisances then go to
a distance and offer obeisances there.” Ma sprsanghrim – “Don’t come
near Me! If you, a drunkard, touch My feet, then My feet will be
polluted. Don’t touch Me! Get out of here! Don’t you know the glory
oft hese feet. Many times your impure friend has touched these feet
and become purified. Don’t you know this?”

When Radharani said this, the bumblebee moved some distance away
and started going in another drection. Seeing this Radhrani said, “Oh,
now you are going to touch the feet f My sakhis, girl companios! No!
You have no right to touch their feet either. You friend has done like
that before. Many times when He failed to touch My feet, He would go
to touch the feet of My girl companions. By touching their feet He
became purified. Don’t do it! Get out from here!”

Volcanic Eruption
Uddhava was thinking, “I have come from my master as a messenger.
Have I no right to touch Your feet?” In Her sulky “ears” Radharani
heard as thought the bumblebee had said it.

Radharani said, “If you would nothave come here drunk then you could
have touched My feet. If you say, ‘No, I have not drunk liquor,’ then I
say, ‘No! Definitely you have drunk liquor. I will prove it. Your very
appearance shows it.’ You are a great drunkard. Your head reels.’ If
you say, ‘What is worng with my appearance?’ I will tell you, ‘Why is
your moustache colored? Oh, you have smeared some kunkuma on
your moustache? Where did you get this kunkuma? Your crooked
friend Krishna had a nice flower garland on His chest. You were sitting
on that garland when He embraced the women of Mathura-nagari.
They had put kunkuma on their breasts, and at the time of embracing
Krishna, you got that kunkuma on you and your moustache was
colored – sapatnyah kuca-vilulita-mala-kunkuma-smasrubhir. With this
face you have come here. Get out from here! Don’t touch Me!
Definitely you are drunk!” Radharani’s anger was increasing in Her
heart. “In this condition you have come here to pacify Me, to bresk My
sulkiness. But, O bumblebee, you should understand that you need
not come here. You should go back to Mathura. Many damsels are
there. If you break one lady’s sulkiness then another lady will become
sulky. In this way your whole life will be spent there. So you need not
come here. You have so much work to do there. Why are you coming
here?” She said like that. This kind of loving ecstatic talk is known as
prajalpa. It is described in Ujjvala-nilamani (14.182):

asuyersay-mada-yuja yo ‘vadhirana-mudraya
priyasyakausalodgarah prajalpah sa tu kirtyate

Prajalpa is speech that denogrates the tactlessness of one’s lover with

expressions of disrespect. It is spoken with a mood of envy, jealousness and
pride.

Three things are here, asuya, irsa, and garva. Garva means
pride; irsa means enviousness; and asuya means intolerance.
These are sancari-bhava, transitory assisting emotions.
Radharani said, kitavabandho – “O friend of a crooked
cheater.” Kitava means a crooked, duplicitous person. Asuya
has been expressed with this word. Radharani said sapatni,
meaning co-wives. By this She is implying the damsels of
Mathura have become co-wives. By the words, anghrim ma sprsa -
"Don't touch My feet!" Her pride is expressed. Radharani is indicating
that Krishna knows neither how to break Her sulkiness nor whom to
send to the work. She is finding fault with Krishna. She says that
Krishna is not expert in these activities. Again and again Radharani
says, "Get out from here!" This is transcendental madness. Radharani
has become like a madwoman. One may suppose that Radharani was
saying all these things out of very deep thought. No. It is not that.
Her words are just like a volcanic eruption. They spontaneously come
out due to Her feelings.

Uddhava's Bewilderment

Although Uddhava was hearing eerything, it was difficult to understand

these things. Uddhava was thinking, "Why is She finding so many
faults with my friend Krishna? Krishna is sac-cid-ananda Bhagavan, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is full of eternity, knowledge and
bliss, Are thre so many faults with Him? Is it possible to speak ill of
Him?" Uddhava was thinking like this and Radharni was "hearing"
everything in Her sulky ears.

"Oh, you are questioning, whya am I speaking ill of your friend? are
you saying this thing, O bumblebee? Are you saying that He has no
fault? I am telling you that He has many faults, many very, very
severe and grievous faults. I know, but no one else knnows. Do you
know what He has done? He has spoiled all of our dharma, our karma,
everything. Do you know how? Heh as not used any weapon: sakrd
adhara-sudham svam mohinim payayitva - He has broken it simply by
allowing us to drink the nectarean mellow emanating from His lips.
Such adhara-sudha, nectar from the lips is nowhere to be found. Just
by allowing us to drink it, He has spoiled all our dharma and karma,
and then left us. If you say, "Oh, you damsels of Vrajabhumi, you are
pati-vrata, devoted to your husbands, so why did you drink the
nectarean mellow from His lips?"Are you asking this thing, O
bhramara? All right, I will tell you. The nectarean transcendental
mellow coming from His lips is so enchanting that one cannot but drink
it. Yes, yes! As soon as one sees His reddish lips, a girl becomes so
maddened that she has to do it! One who is not so fortunate, who has
not seen such a lotus-like face with such reddish lips, cannot
understand it. We became mad, and therefore we drank. You cannot
find anywhere in the whole universe such nectarean mellow as is
emanating from these lips. But, then He left us - tatyaje 'sman
bhavadrk!"

He is like you. You are a bumblebee. You go to a flower that has honey
and you drink it. When the honey is finished, then you leave the flower.
You are so cruel, but that is your bumblebee nature. if thre is no honey
in the flower, then you leave. But whta did He do? He made us drink
the sumanasa iva, the nectarean mellow emanating from His lips, and
then He left us. WHy? To put us in this ocean of viraha. Tell Me, is
there any such cruel person possessed of such bad character as Him?
He has some bad intention in Him. What is that? By letting us drink
this necatrean transcendental mellow emanating from His lips He has
put us in these acute pangs of separation. That is an evil intention. He
did it just tomake us suffer. Why? Due to such intolerable severe
suffering and unhappiness coming from these acute pangs of
separation, the vraja-gopis will die! But we are not dying. Death is not
coming to us, because the nectarean mellow emanating from His lips is
such that one who has drunk it won't die. The body won't die. The
body becomes immortal, deathless. Therefore we cannot die, we just
continue to undergo pain, and suffer, and suffer, and suffe, and suffer.
nothing else. Heh as done this.

"Lakshmi Has No Intelligence"

"You are just like HIm! WHat do you do? You becmoe attracted by the
beauty and nice scent coming from the flower. You go there, you sing,
making a humming sound, and then you kiss the flower and drink the
honey. Your person is a crooked person just like this. From a distance
He smells the nice scent form our bodies, then He comes to us, He
sings and glorifies us, He lets us drink that transcendental nectarean
mellow emanating from His lips, and then He leaves us. He is such a
crooked person!"

Then Radha became silent. At that time the bumble bee was
hummingand flying. Through its humming, Radha could "hear" the
bumblebee saying, "On the rasa dance night, You cried and spoke the
verse beginning with jayati te 'dhikam,

jayati te 'dhikam janmana vrajah

sryata indira sasvad atra hi
dayita drsyatam diksu tavakas
tvayi dhrtasavas tvam vicinate

The gois said: "O beloved, Your birth in the land of Vraja has made it
exceedingly glorious, and thus Indira, the goddess of fortune, always
resides here. It is only for Your sake that we, Your devoted servants,
maintain our lives. We have been searching everywhere for You, so
please show Yourself to us." Uddhava thinks, "Radharani is describing
how Laksmi -devi is sering my master. But if He has so many faults,
how can Laksmi-devi erve Him?"

Radharani replied, "O bumblebee, are you trying to say that Laksmi-
devi, the goddess of fortune, is serving the lotus feet of your master,
and that we are only cowherd girls of Vrajabhumi, so why are we
speaking such ill of your friend?
"All right, then I will answer you. Laksmi-devi has no intelligence!
hrts-ceta hy uttamah-sloka-jalipaih - She was enchanted, mesmerized,
by your friends vakcaturi, clever words. You may say, 'No! Laksmi-
devi is not an ordinary woman who can be enchanted.' But I say, 'Do
you think Laksmi is isvari, therefore she is very intelligent, and we are
cowherd women and therfore we have no intelligence? No! That's not
true. We are more intelligent thatn your Laksmi. we know the nature
of your master, Madhupati. Laksmi doesnt know it. We know' I will tell
you something for you good. Don't keep friendship with this kapati,
Krishna. If you do, then you will have to suffer as we are suffering."

sakrd adhara-sudham svam mohinim payayitva

sumanasa iva sadyas tatyaje 'sman bhavadrk
paricarati katham tat-pada-padmam nu padma
hy api hrta-ceta hy uttamah-sloka-jalpaih

After making us drink the emchanting nectar of His lps only once,
Krishna suddenly abandoned us., just as you might quickly abandon
some flowers. How is it, then, that goddess Padma [Laksmi] willingly
serves His lotus feet? Alas! The answer must certainly be that Her
mind has been stolen away by His deceitful words.

Here in this verse of the forty-seventh chapter of the the tenth canto,
the speech know as parijalpa is expressed. In Ujjvala-nilamani
(14.184) Rupapad has defined praijalpa:

prahor nidayata-sathya-capalyady-upapadanat
sva-vicaksanata-vyaktir bhangya syat parijalpitam

Parijalpa is speech that, through various devices, show one's clevernes

by eposing the mercilessness, duplicity, unreliability and so on of one's
Lord.

This verse from the tenth canto expresses nidayata, mercilessness,

sathya, duplicity, and capalya, unreliability. The gopis express
Krishna's cruelty: sadyas tatyaje - "He left us." They describe His
cheating propensity: mohinim payayitva- "By letting us drink the
nectarean mellow emanating from His lips and then leaving us He has
put us forever in the ocean of vrihaha, just to make us suffer." And
they also describe His fickleness: bhavadrk - "You are very fickle,
moving from one flower to another like a bumblebee." padma hy api
bata hrta-ceta - "Laksmi-devi's mind was stolen." This indicates the
simplicity of Laksmi wh became devoid of god intelligence due to
Krishna's sweet words - uttamah-sloka-jalpaih.

Homeless, Wandering in Vrindavan

 kim iha bahu sad-anghre gayasi tvam yadunam
adhipatim agrhanam agrato nah puranam
vijaya-sakha-sakhinam giyatam tat-prasangah
ksapita-kuca-rujas te kalpayanistam istah

O bee, why do you sing here so much about the Lord of the Yadus, in
fron to fus homeless people? These topics are old news to us. Better
you sing about that friend of Aruna in front of His new girlfriends, the
burning desire in whose breasts He has now relieved. Those ladies will
surely give you the charity you are begging.

Radharani is talking to the bumblebe and Uddhava is hearing

everything. That black bumblebee is humming, singing, and Radhrani
is thinking that the bumblebee is singing the glories of his friend
Krishna.

Radharani became more angry, saying, “O bumblebee, why are you

singing the glories of your crooked friend Madhupati – kim iha bahu
sadanghre gayasi tvam yadunam adhipatim – who has become yadu-
pati, the master of the Yadus? If you say that, ‘It is my nature to sing,’
then I say, ‘All right. Very good. You may sing. But is there nothing
else to sing about?’ You are singing about such a cruel dupliciouts
person! Don’t you know any other songs? If you say, ‘He is my
master. I am His servant. Therefore I have to sing and glorify Him.’ All
right, then you should not sing here. Get out from here! Go sing in
another place! IS thre no other place in the whle world that you can
go? Why have you come here to sing before us? Get out from here!
Weh ave left home. We are now wnadering in the forest of Vrindavan,
but your friend has such opulence there in Mathura! He is staying in
such an opulent house, and we are homeless, wandering in the jungleo
f Vrindavan. Why have you come here to sing and glorify your opulent
friend? What is the need of speaking, glorifying and singing about Him
before us? He has made us devoid of our homes, our beauty, and
opulence. We are now devoid of everything. What is the need of
coming and singing His glories here? We have become paupers. You
should understand that we are in this condition only because of your
friend. You friend is now isvara. He is the Lord of the Yadu dynasty,
living in an opulent palace. But we are wandering here in the jungle of
Vrindavan, devoid of our homes. So why are you singing and glorifying
Him here before us? You have no intelligence! You don’t know what to
speak to us? If you cannot find a place to glorify Him then I tel you to
go to Mathura, Madhupuri* Go sing there! Hearing your singing the
Yadavas will be very happy. We cannot get any happiness hearing
this.”
 Mathura is known as Madhuuri, which literally means “city of
honey”, and thus it is place where a bumblebee would be happy.

Then in the fourteenth verse of the forty-seventh chapter of the tenth

canto Radharani says:

vijaya-sakha-sakhinam giyatam tat-prasangah

ksapita-kuca-rujas te kalpayantistam istah

Kuca-ruja – “Now your friend is giving all plesure and enjoyment to the
ladies of Mathura. He is staying their company and enjoying them. So
go and sing there! The ladies of Mathura will be very happy. They will
be drowned in an ocean of happiness. Don’t come here and tell all
these things to us.

“If you say, ‘No, I have to sing here,’ then I say, ‘Sing something else.
Don’t sing about Him. Don’t you kow any other songs? Have you no
experience of any other thing? You should understand that we are
ubrnt in the fire of separation. Our hearts are burning. We are now out
of our homes, we have no place and we have no knowledge. Our
hearts are burning and we are feeling such acute pain. Don’t you know
what is to be sung here? Have you no intelligence? No one likes
someone who speaks or sings something without knowing the mood
and intention of the audience. Rather they drive him out, “Get out
from here! You don’t know what to speak and how to speak!”
Therefore I tell youto get out from here!” This kiind of citra-jalpa is
known as vijalpa.

Expert in Illusory tricks

Hearing all these things that Radharani is saying, Uddhava thinks,

“Why is Radharani speaking like this?”

In Her sulky ear Radharani hears Uddhava and replies:

divi bhuvi ca rasayam kah striyas tad-durapah

kapata-ricra-hasa-bhru-vijrmbhasya yah syuh
carana-raja upaste yasya bhutir vayam ka
api ca krpana-pakse hy uttamah-sloka-sabdah

In heaven, on earth or in the subterranean sphere, what women are

unavailable to Him? He simply arches His eyebrows and smiles with
deceptive charm, and they all become is? The supreme goddess herself
worships the dust of His feet, so what is our position in comparison? But at
least those who are wretched can chant His name, Uttamasloka.
Radharani then tells Her girl companions, “O sakhis, you should hear
this. The bumblebee is saying, ‘You should not speak such harsh
words. The ladies of Mathura are devoted wives, pati-vrata. They
won’t serve the para-purusa Krishna, because He is not their husband.
They won’t give up their pati-vratya, their devotion to their husbands.’”

“All right, I’ll tell you, bhramara. I know that the ladies of Mathura are
pati-vrata. But tell Me, is there any lady in the heavenly planets, on
this Earth planet, or in the lower planets, who is not attracted to your
master Krishna? – divi bhuvi ca rasayam kah striyas tad-durapah? I
don’t say this out of jealosuy or out of enviousness. I am telling you
this for your benefit and for the benefit of everyone. We put cmplete
faith in Him, but what is our condition now? He has drowned us in this
unlimited ocean of viraha. So I tell everyone, ‘Don’t rely on that
cooked person, or you will aslo have to drown in this ocean of viraha.’”

“Krishnas dealings are so nice and sweet. His facial beauty is

enchanting. Hehas such beautiful eyebrows. Everyone is attracted to
Him. But what is theoutcome? You can see that the outcome is what
we are getting now. He is such a great cheater that He will cheat
everyone. He is such a crooked person! His heart is filled with
crookedness. Outwardly His smile and His beautiful lotus-like face are
very attractive, but inwardly this crookeness and cheating prpensity
are there. Those who become attracted to Him will suffer like us.”

Abusive Words

Radharani continued, “are bhramara, O bee, if you say, ‘If Krishna has
so many defects, then why are you attracted to Him? Why have you
put your faith in Him?’ I will tellyou the reason: Laksmi-devi, who is
isvari, is also attracted to Him. She wants the dust from the feet of
your friend Krishna – caran raja upaste. When this is the condition of
Laksmi, then vayam ka – what is our ocondition? We are mere
gopaluni, cowherd women, mere manusi women, so how can we give
uo attachment for Him even when Laksmi is attached to Him? Your
friend is very crooked. Hehas also attracted Laksmi and there is a
reason for it. Laksni-deci is the chief of all the ladies. If someone can
attract Laksmi then he can attract all the ladies of the world.”

“If you say, ‘Why are you so attached to someone who gives so much
pain and suffering to everyone?’ what shall I say to this question? He
is mayavi, expert in illusory tricks. His name is Uttamasloka, meaning
the most faous person, but now we understand that the real reason He
is famous is because He is very expert in stealing away the hearts and
minds of everyone with His illusory tricks. Hearing this name, we
forget everything, thinking that He was called Uttamasloka, that He
has become famous, due to His being an ocean of mercy, karuna-
sindhu. Now we understand that all of His activities, all of His owrds,
and all of His names, are filled with crookedness.”

Radharani said:

divi bhuvi ca rasayam kah striyas tad-durapah

kapata-ricra-hasa-bhru-vijrmbhasya yah syuh
carana-raja upaste yasya bhutir vayam ka
api ca krpana-pakse hy uttamah-sloka-sabdah

In heaven, on earth or in the subterranean sphere, what women are

unavailable to Him? He simply arches His eyebrows and smiles with
deceptive charm, and they all become is? The supreme goddess herself
worships the dust of His feet, so what is our position in comparison? But at
least those who are wretched can chant His name, Uttamasloka.

In this verse ujjalpa is expressed. In his Ujjvala-nilamani (14.188)

Rupa Goswami has defined ujjalpa as follows:

hareh kuhakatakhanam garva-garbhitayersyaya

sauyas ca tad-aksepo dhirair ujjalpa iryate

The declaration of Lord hari’s duplicitous nature in a mood of spite born out of
pride, together with jealously spoken insults directed against Him, has been
termed as ujjalpa by the wise.

In this verse from the tenth canto Radharani expresses irsa, meaning
jealousy and envousness with pride, kuhakata, meaning crafitness,
mesmerism, or jugglery, and asuya, meaning intolerance. In
Radharani’s statement carana-raja upaste yasya bhutir – Laksmi serves
the lotus feet,” there is expression of garva, pride and irsa,
enviousness. Radharani also says krpana-pakse hy uttamah-sloka-sabdah
- Krishna is dina-bandhu, merciful to the dina, the most degraded and
depressed, and is thus addressed as Uttamasloka.” In this statement
thre is asuya, intolerance, aksea, criticism and kuhakata, word jugglery.
Asuya or matsarya means one who cannot tolerate anothers
advancement. These are al aspects of the type of mad speech known
as ujjalpa. Radhrani is finding all faluts with Krishna. Even the bending
of His eyebrows, bhru-vijrmbha, She is considering to be crooked,
cheating. There are ten kinds of citra-jalpa. This is the kind known as
ujjalpa. All of these things are expressed here in Radhrani’s words to
the bumblebee fromthis fifteenth verse of the forty-seventh chaptr of
the tenth canto.

In the Mood of Radha

 sri-radhara pralapa yaiche uddhava-darasane
seimata unmada-pralapa kare ratri-dine

As Srimati Radharni talked inconsistently when She met Uddhava, so also Sri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu relished, both day and night, such ecstatic talk in the
mood of Srimati Radharani.

In his purport Srila Prabhupada has written:

In this connection one should refer to Srimati Radharani’s soliloquy

after meeting Uddhava in Vrindavan. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
presented a simlar picture of such ecstatic imaginary talking. Full of
jealousy and madness symptomizing neglect by Krishna, Srimati
Radharani, criticizing a bumblebee, talked just like a madwoman. Sri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, in the last days of His pastimes, exhibited all
such symptoms of such ecstasy.

The songs of Vidyapati, Jayadev, and Chandidas depict the feelings of

Radharani. Because He was in the ecstatsy of Radhrani, Mahaprabhu
relished their songs. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu relished these songs in
the association of His dear intimate associates Raya Ramananda and
Swarup Damodar Goswami. The helped the Lord in the pastimes in
which He felt like Radharani.

krsnera viyoge yata prema-cestita

asvadiya purna kaila apana vanchita

In separation from Krishna, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu relished all these

ecstatic activities, and thus He fulfilled His own desires.

In Caitanya-caritamrta (adi 1.6) Kaviraj Goswami describes that Krishna

had three desires:

sri-radhayah pranaya-mahima kidrso vanayaiva-

svadyo yenadbhuta-madhurima kidrso va madiyah
saukhyam casya mad-anubhavatah kidrsam veti lobhat
tad-bhavadhyah samajani saci-garbha-sindhau harinduh

Desiring to understand the glory of Radharani’s love, the wonderful qualities

in Him that She alone relishes through Her love, and the happiness She feels
when She reallizes the sweetness of His love, the Supreme Lord Hari, richly
endowed with Her emotions, apeared from the womb of Srimati Saci-devi, as
the moon appeared from the ocean.

These three desires were unfulfilled in vraja-lila, krsna-lila. The first

desire was pranaya-mahima kidrso – “What is the loving propensity or
attitude of Radharani?”Krishna second desire was, asvadyo yenadhuta-
madhurima kidrso – “Radharani relishes My beauty. What is My
beauty? How can I relish My own beauty?” And the third desire was
saukhyam casya mad-anubhavatah kidrsam veti lobhat – What sort of
happiness does Radhrani get by relishing My beauty? How can I have
such a thing? These three desires were unfulfilled in Vraja-lila. To fulfil
these desires, Krishna became Gaura, assuming the mood of Radhrani.
Even Krishna cannot fulfill thse desires. Therefore he assumed the
mood of Radhrani.

Postgraduate Study

You should understand that Gauranga Mahaprabhu is in the mood of

Radhrani. Srila Prabhupada has stated in today’s purports:

“…by worshipping Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu alone, one can relish the loving
affairs of Radha and Krishna together.” However, he has also stated that
“persons who are after sense gratification should not try to imitate raganuga-
bhakti.” And that for “critical students of mundane poetry and literary men
without God consciousness who after bodily sense gratification, there is no
need to read such a high standard off transcendental literature.” They
cannot understand it. Rather, what will happen is that they will
“misunderstand the pastimes of Radha and Krishna to be the activities of a
mundane young boy and girl.”

Prabhupada goes on to say that “mundane reviewers of the songs of

Vidyapati, Jayadev and Chandidas, simply help people in general
become debauchees and this leads only to social scandals and atheism
in the world. They cannot undestand these subjects unless they are on
the level of bhava. One should not misunderstand, for “the mundane
sexual activities of young boys and girls are most abominable.
Therefore, those wo are in bodily consciousness and who desire sense
gratificationa are forbidden to indulge in discussions of the
transcendental pstimes of Sri Radh and Krishna.”

So generally these topics are not discussed. Such topics are only
discussed in the company of those who are in that bhava, that level of
very high consciousness, complete Krishna consciousness, who are
paramahamsas, devotees of the topmost perfection. Caitanya-
charitamrta is a post-graduate study, so it is discussed amongst such
highly advanced devotees. Not with persons who are in the bodily
conception of life. They cannot understand. They will misunderstand
and the outcome will be the reverse. There will be a bad outcome and
the result will lead to debauchery and scandal. Therefore Caitanya-
caritamrta is postgraduate study. We have started this class, so I have
to speak on these things. But I don’t kow how far you can understand
or how far I can express in the English language. That is the defect
with me. Please excuse me.
Another point is here. The vraja-gopis have given up everything for
Krishna’s pleasure, Krishna’s happiness. They have given up all Vedic
regulations, their faimlies, their husbands, fathers-in-law, and mothers-
in-law, only for the pleasure and happiness of Krishna. They have
given up everything, sarva-tyaga.

The Gita says, tyagac chantir anantaram – “One gets peace when he
gives up everything. Have they given up everything for their own
peace? No, they have given yup everything for the pleasure and
happiness of Krishna. They don’t want anything for themselves. Their
renunciation is for Krishna’s pleasure only. Therefore Krishna told
them, “You have given up everything for My pleasure.”

Yet another very confidential deep point is here. When the gopis are
giving up everything, they are completely devoid of all vicara-buddhi,
conscience. They are only thinking, “If we give up everything then
Krishna will be happy.” They are devoid of any other thought. They
have only one aim – how will Krishna be happy. This is the symptom of
samartha-rati. Rupa Goswami writes in Ujjvala-nilamani (14.55):

ityasyam krsna-saukhyartham eva kevalamudyamah

In samartha love, the lover strives only to make Krishna happy.

The root cause of all their activities is Krishna’spleasure, nohing else.

There is no thought of atma-sukha, one’s own pleasure. If they were to
drown in either the ocean of happiness or the ocean of disrtess or both,
only the thought of Krishna’s pleasure would be there:

atma-sukha-duhkhe gopira nahika vicara

krsna-sukha-hetu cesta mano-vyavahara

The gopis do not care for their own pleasures or pains. All their physical and
mental activities are directed toward offering enjoyment to Lord Krishna.

The gopis never consider their own pleasure or happiness. They only
think always of the pleasure and happiness of Krishna. Therefore they
act in that way.

Brooken Promise

The gopis have given up everything while being devoid of even the
thought that Krishna is svayam-bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. They only know that the son of Nanda Maharaja, Kanu of
Vrajabhumi, ujjvala-nilamani syama, is their most beloved, their life,
and their object of love – prema sarvasraya. He is their everything. In
the literature of the world you will never find such tyaga, such
renunciation for Krishna. It is incomparable. By their love Krishna’s
promise was broken. His promise is, ye yatha mam prapadyante tams
tathaiva bhajamy aham – “As someone approaches Me I reciprocate
accordingly.” Krishna never becomes indebted. He always repays His
debts. But this promise was broken by the gopis. Because the gopis
don’t want anything, how will He repay them? If they have some
intention, some desire, then Krishna couldh ave repaid them. But the
gopis don’t want anything. Therefore His promise is broken. The gopis
don’t want svarga-sukha, bhukti-sukha, mukti-sukha, siddhi-sukha, or
seva-sukha – heavenly enjoyment, material enjoyment, the happiness
of liberation, the happiness of mystic perfections or the happiness of
service. They don’t want anything. So what will Krishna give them?
How will He repay them? Because they don’t want anything, Krishna’s
promise - ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham,
had been broken.

There are three reasons why Krishna’s promise was broken. The first
reason was that the gopis don’t want anything for themselves. They
are not interested in atma-sukha, their own happiness and enjyment.
So Krishna has nothing to give them.

The second reason is that they onlyhave one desire, to please and give
happiness to Krishna. They have no other desire. They only have
desire for the pleasure and happiness of Krishna. When one wants to
give all pleasure and happiness to Krishna, what does he or she have
to do? Give up their own happiness? When someone gives everything,
then the one who accpets becomes indebted. Then how will He pay
them back?

The third reason is that the gopis attention is singlepointed, only on

Krishna. On the other had, Krishna’s attentioni is multi-pointed.
Because Krishna is the reservoir of all mellows, He reciprocates
appropriately with all tyoes of bhaktas – santa, dasya, sakhya,
vatsalya, and madhurya – and therefore His attention is multi-pointed.
But the gopis are single-pointed. Therefore Krishna’s promise, ye
yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham is broken when
He sees the love of the gopis. He has said, na paraye ‘ham – “I have
become completely indebted to you. I cannot pay you back, because
you don’t want anything. What shall I do?” To pay back His debt He
became Gaura, assuming the mood of Radhrani. Now He is paying
back that debt by crying, crying, crying for Krishna, as Radharani is
crying and feeling acute pangs of separation from Krishna. This is
Gaura. He is Krishna, but the feeling, the mood, is exactly like that of
Radhrani. As Radharani is crying, crying, crying, and drowning Herself
in this unfathomable ocean of separation, similarly Gaura is burning
Himself with the fire of separation from Krishna. He is always crying
and crying and talking like a madman, just as Radharani was was
crying and talking like a madwoman. The symptoms of madness in
Gaura and Radharani are exactly the same. That is why Mahaprabhu
relished the songs of Vidyapati, Chandidas, and Jayadev in the
association of Raya Ramananda and Swarup Damodar Goswami.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Fire of Separation

Radharani kept silent for one or two moments and then said,
“Oh! Death is not coming to Me! I want to die but death is not
coming. There is a great obstruction to death. What is that
obstruction? It is Krishna’s words. He said, ‘I’ll come back, I’ll
come back, I’ll come back.’”

Srila Prabhupada has written:

The form of the Lord with a flute in His hand is most attractive and the
one who is most sublimely attracted is Srimati Radharani, Radhika.
She enjoys supremely blissful association with Krishna. Sometimes
people cannot understand why Radhika’s name is not mentioned in
Srimad Bhagavatam. Actually, however, Radhika can be understood
from the word aradhana, which indicates that She enjoys the highest
loving affairs with Krishna.

Molten Gold

The forty-seventh chapter of the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam

describes how Krishna sent Uddhava to deliver the message of love to
the gopis. Uddhava came to the gopis and at last to Radharani.
Radharani was lying in Her kunja surrounded by Her eight most
intimate sakhis, feeling acute pangs of separation from Krishna.
Arriving there Uddhava found one maha-devi lying on the ground.

sakhi anke hima vapu rasana abasa

pani-tala dhara-tale sesa-dasa dasa

Her golden body is lying on the lap of her sakhi. Her tongue cannot
speak anything, She is speechless. Her hands are restlessly moving to
and fro. Sometimes She is rolling on the ground. Sesa dasa dasa – the
ten symptoms of a dying person are there. This all mentioned in
Ujjvala-nilamani. I am not going to that end as it will take another day.
There are so many things to say. If I explain this verse it will take one
weeks time. It contains so many things. Of this dasa dasa, ten
conditions, the last conditioni s mrtyu, death.

With a very feeble voice, Radharani is telling Her girl companions,

“Sakhi, what shall I say? This viraha, separation from Gokul-pati, the
Lord of My heart, Krishna is so acute! Vislesa janma jvara – this
separation has caused a high temperature, more than a 110-degree
fever.”
Radharani told Lalita:

uttapi puta-pakato ‘pi garala-gramad api ksobhano

dambholer api duhsahan katur alam hrn-magna-sulyad api
tivrah praudha-visucikani cayato ‘py uccair mamayam bale
marmany adya bhinatti gokula-pater vislesa-janma jvarah

“I cannot bear suffering the fever of separation from Krishna, nor can I
explain it to you. It is something like gold melting in an earthen pot.
This fever produces more distress than poison, it is more piercing than
Indra’s thunderbolt, more sharp than a spear plunged into the heart,
and more horrying than the last stage of cholera.”

A goldsmith puts pieces of gold inside a small earthen pot, places them
in another pot, then blows with a bellows until the heat becomes more
and more intense and finally the gold melt. Similarly Radharani says,
“Such heat I am feeling, uttapi puta-pakato – more and more severe
heat. I am feeling heat that is greater than the heat produced from
very dreadful poison - garala-gramad api ksobhano. It is duhsahah
more intolerable than the striking of a thunderbolt. I cannot tolerate it.
It is breaking My heart at every moment – marmany adya bhinatti, I
cannot tolerate it. There is no need of this body. I don’t see any
purpose of keeping this body. This body is useless. I want to give it up
immediately.”

Unbolt the Door

Radharni kept silent for one or to moments and then said, “Oh! Death
is not coming to Me. I want to die, but death is not coming. There is a
great obstruction to death. What is the obstruction? It is Krishna’s
word. He said, ‘I’ll come back, I’ll come back, I’ll come back.’ When
Akrura took Krishna on his chariot and was leaving Vrajabhumi, we
were rolling on the ground and crying, ‘Let the wheels of the chariot
roll over our bodies! Let us die!’ At that time Krishna said, ‘Hey! Hey!
No, no, no! Don’t do that! I will come back.’ These words He spoke
are a great obstruction. So death is not coming. What shall I do?”

At that time Radharani looked up at the sky and saw a crow flying in
the direction of Mathura. She called out, “Hey crow! Come here, come
here! Listen to Me. Are you going t Mathura? Don’t go in any other
direction, just go straight go to Mathura! Lord Mathura-pati,
Mathuranath is there. Vandana carana, offer obeisances to that Lord of
Mathura and deliver My message to Him. Tell Him that if a house
caught on fire, the first duty of the house master is to let the domestic
animals loose. They should not be burned. Open the door and let
them out first. My body is the house and it is on fire – viraha agni,
separation is the fire. This house is burning, burning, burning. Who
has set this fire? Your Mathuranath has set fire to this house. Now go
and tell Him that My prana, My life, is the animal in the house. The
house is on fire and it cannot get out – dagdhum prana-pasum sikhi
viraha-bhur indhe mad-angalaye. What is the reason it cannot get out?
Because the door is bolted, argala, with a very strong bolt. That strong
bolt is asargala-bandhanam – Krishna’s words, He said, ‘I’ll come back.’

“The door cannot be opened and the house is on fire. Tell Him, He
should come immediately and unbolt it. Then My life, prana pasu will
get out.” This is Radharani’s love. There is no such thing in Rukmini’s
love. Out of fun Krishna cut some jokes and Rukmini became afraid,
“Of, will Heleave me?”

Take Me to the Yamuna

Radharani kept silent for some moments. Then She spoke to Her girl
comapnions:

jamuna tatini kule, keli kadambera mule

more laye calalo tvaraya
antimera bandhu haye, jamuna-murtika laye
sakhi mora lipa sarva-gaye
syama-nama tad-upari, likha saba sahacari
tulasi-manjari diyo taya
amare bestana kari, bala sabe hari hari
jakhana parana bahiraya

Radharani said, “Immediately take Me to the bank of the Yamuna, as

she is very dear to Me. Put Me underneath a keli-kadamba tree there
on the bank. They are My best friends now at the end of My life. Take
some mud from the Yamuna and smear it all over My body and write on
it, “Shyama, Shyama, Shyama, Shyama, Shyama, Shyama.” Take
some tulasi-manjaris and put them on those names. Then all My dear
sakhis should sit around Me and when My life is leaving you should all
chant:

hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare har
haribol! haribol! haribol!

This is Radharani’s love. Uddhava was standing there and seeing

eberything. Uddhava understood, “Who is this? This is definitely
Srimati Radharani. Many times I have heard my friend and master
Krishna in His sleep uttering, ‘Radhe, Radhe, Radhe, Radhe!’ Definitely
this is that Radha.”
Radharani’s Parrot

Prabhupada has written in his purport:

The form of the Lord with a flute in His hands is most attractive, and the one
who is most sublimely attracted is Srimati Radharani, Radhika.

Kaviraj Goswami has written in Caitanya-caritamrta (adi 4.140):

ei prema-dvare nitya radhika ekali

amara madhuryamrta asvade sakali

Only Radhika, by the strength of Her love, tastes all the nectar of My
sweetness.

Ekali radhika asvade sakali – only Radharani is able to relish Krishna’s

sweetness completely. She relishes the most.

Srila Prabupada then goes on to say:

“… the one who is most sublimely attracted is Srmati Radhrani, Radhika.

She enjoys supremely blissful association with Krishna. Sometimes people
cannot undestand why Radhika’s name is not mentioned in Srimad
Bhagavatam.”

Why has Sukadev Goswami not mentioned Radharani’s name? Srila

Prabhupada has described:

“Actually, however, Radhika can be understood from the word ‘aradhna’

which indicates that She enjoys the highest loving affairs with Krishna”

Sukadev Goswami has given Radha’s name in an indirect way,

aniyaradhito. Aradhna means one who offers inconceivable worship.
The worship Radharani offers cannot be compared.

Sukadeva Goswami has also mentioned the word kascit. Krishna took
one gopi, kascit, from the rasasthali and went away. That means He
took awy whom? Radha. Sukadev never mentioned Radha, he only
said kascit. Why has he mentioned ‘kascit’? Because only Radharani
enjoys the highest loving affairs – ekali radhika asvade sakali. One
who completely rleishes unbroken loving mellow is kascit. No one else
can experience such a thing. Only Radharani completely experiences
that loving mellow. Paripurna krsna-prema sukha – The complete
relishing of krsna-pream is only in Radhrani, because she is
madanakhya-mahabhava-mayi – the embodiment of madanakhya-
mahabhava. In an indrect, very nice way, Sukadev Goswami has
uttered this word kascit and never drectly uttered. Radha bujhibe
rasika bhakta, na bujhibe mudha – Only rasika vasinavas can
understand this. Those who are mudhas, fools cannot understadn why
Sukadev Goswami has used the word kascit. Only rasika-janas can
understand it because radha-tattva is a very deep confidential tattva.
Common people cannot understand, so it is not discussed in the
congreagation of common people. That is one reason why Sukadev did
not speak Radha’s name. Another reason is that Sukadev Goswami is
Radharani’s parrot. The name of Radha is so dear to him! If Sukadeva
Goswami were to utter Radharani’s name, then he would become
ecstatic, his voice would become choked up, and he would not be able
to speak the Bhagavata. He had to speak the Bhagavata within seven
days. Parikshit Maharaja was greedily waiting. Sukadev Goswami is
Radharani’s parrot, therefore he did not utter the name of Radha
directly. He only gave it in an indirect way. Srila Prabhupada has
mentioned this here. “… people cannot understand why Radharani’s
name is not mentioned.”

prabhupadji maharaja ki jaya!

samaveta bhakta vrnda ki jaya!
gaura premanande hari haribol
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Krishna Never Leaves Vrindavan

Rupa Goswami wrote the two dramas Lalita-madhava, and

Vidagdha-madhava. When he was writing them, Mahaprabhu
orderd him, “Don’t take Krishna out from Vraja, because He
never leaves Vraja. Padam ekam na gacchati – He never even
takes one step out of Vrajabhumi.” Did Rupa Goswami follow
that order or did he disobey it?

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is Krishna, but His mood is different. He

came as a devotee. Especially, He accepted radha-bhava, the mood of
Radharani – always crying and feeling the acute pangs of separation
from Krishna. Although He is Krishna, He is crying for Krishna, He is
teaching us how we have to cry for Krishna. Unless you cry for Krishna
you cannot get Krishna. Those who have cried for Krishna, they have
gotten Krishna. Dhurva cried, Bilvamangal cried. They have gotten
Krishna. Krishna says:

gayanti mama namani rudanti mama samvado

tesam aham parikrta nanya-krta janardana

Those who sing My names and who cry in front of Me, I am purchased by
them, for Janardhan is not purchased by anything else.

“I am purchased by one who chants My names and cries before Me.”

That is the price you have got to pay to get Krishna. Unless you cry,
how can you get Krishna? As a practical teacher, Mahaprabu is always
crying for Krishna, always feeling acute pangs of separation from
Krishna in radha-bhava.

Separation means Union

Mahaprabhu is the combined form of Radha and Krishna – sri-krsna-

caitanya radhea-krsna nahe anya. In navadvipa-lila there is only one
body, but in vraja-lila there are two bodies, Radha and Krishna. Milana
means sambhoga, union. Vipralambha means separation.
Vipralambha-bhava is predominating in Gaura. Radha-bhava crying for
Krishna, is predominating in Him, not krsna-bhava. In one form, in one
container you will find two opposites, sambhoga and vipralambha,
unionand separation. That is navadvipa-lila. Navadvipa-ksetra is
vipralambha-lila-ksetra. Krsna-lila is compared to the constant flow of
a river. As a river has two embankments, similarly the flow of krsna-lila
has two embankments, sambhoga and vipralambha. One
embankment is union and the other embankment is separation. The
embankment of union is Vrajabhumi. There is no separation there.
But in Navadwip the embankment is separation. Mahaprabhu is always
feeling separation in radha-bhava.

Krishna Left

A question arises in this regard: In vraja-lila is there only union and no

separation? The Goswami’s have expressed, that although in
Vrindavan there is primarily sambhoga-tata, the embankment of union,
still, ksanikaya, for a very short time separation is there. That
separation is known as prema-vaicittya. You may define prema-
vaicittya in English as “separation felt in the prescence of the
beloved.” Although Krishna is present and Radha is present, They still
feel separation. This prema-vaicittya is very wonderful. Rupa
Goswami has described prema-vaicittya in Lalita-madhava and
Vidagdha-madhava. Throughout the drama Lalita-madhava he has
described prema-vaicittya.

Lalita madhava describes, nava-vrndavan sangam milana viraha

ekadika prema-vaicttya where, although in the prescence of one
another, Radha and Krishna are feeling pangs of separation. In Lalita-
madhava drama the title of the seventh act is Nava-vrndavana
Sangama.

When Akrura came and took Rama and Krishna away to Mathura, all
the vrajavasis felt acute pangs of separation. They felt as if their life
would get out, because Krishna is their life. When Krishna went to
Mathura, the separation felt by the vrajvasis – Nanda, Yasoda, the
cowherd boys, and the gopis headed by Radharani – is known as
mathura-viraha. When Akrura was taking Rama and Krishna away in
the chariot, all of the gopis came and lay on the ground in front of it.
“Let the wheels of the chariot roll on us. Let us die.” They felt such
acute pangs of separation! But Krishna gave them some consolation.
“I have some business there. I am going. I will finish it and then I wil
come back.” Receiving that consolation, it is the only hope for which
the gopis are surviving: “Krishna has said He will come back.”

Messages

These thngs are all menioned in forty-sixth and forty-seventh chapters

of the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, especially in the fory-
seventh chapter known as Bhramara-gita, the Song of the Bumblebee.
Krishna sent Uddhava to Vrajabhumi from Mathura. It is not that only
the vrajavasis were feeling pangs of separation from Krishna. Krishna
was also feeling separation from them. Therefore Krishna sent
Uddhava to Mathura with a message of love.
Uddhava went to Vrajabhumi. What he said there is mentioned in the
tenth canto of Bhagavatam. Nanda and Yasoda, the gopis and
Radharani, were all feeling acute pangs of separation. Krishna could
not go to them and they could not go to Him. The only solution was to
send messages. Krishna sent Uddhava as a messenger. That is known
as Uddhava-sandesa. And the gopis sent a messenger to Krishna.
That is known as Hamsaduta. Rupa Goswami has written these two
kavyas, poems, Uddhava–sandesa and Hamsaduta. Krishna sent a
message of love to the gopis and the gopis sent a message of love to
Krishna. These topics are all described therein. Uddhava-sandesa and
Hamsaduta should be read.

Mahaprabu’s Order

Rupa Goswami wrote the two dramas Lalita-madhava, and Vidagdha-

madhava. When he was writin them, Mahaprabhu ordered him:

krsnere bahhira nahi kariha vraja haite

vraja chadi’ krshna kabhu na yana kahante

“Don’t take Krishna out from Vraja, because He never leaves Vraja.
Padam ekam na gacchati – He never even takes one step out of
Vrajabhumi.” Did Rupa Goswami follow thyat order or did he disobey
it? If you read those two dramas it will seem that he has not carried
out that order. It will appear that he has disobeyed it.

We have two types of consideration, apara-vicara, and tattva-vicara,

the apparent consideration and the absolute consideration. Krishna
has described in Bhagavad-gita (4.9):

jamma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah

tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so ‘rjuna

“My appearance and activities are not material. They are

transcendental. Ohne who understands this in tattva then, tyaktva
deham punar janma naiti mam eti so ‘rjuna – after quitting his body he
will come to Me. No more re-birth. We will never come down here
again.” Where is the question of rebirth? Where is the question of
falling? There is not rebirth for one who understands Krishna in tattva.
The goal of our rarely-achieved human birth – durlabham manusam
hanma – is to understand Krishna in tatva. There are two types of
consideration, apara-vicara, and tattva-vicara. If we undertand tattva-
vicara then we will understand that Rupa Goswami has not disobeyed
the order of Mahaprabhu. He has obeyed it. He has not taken Krishna
out of Vrajabhumi. But, if you read Lalita-madhava it describes that
Krishna left Vrindavan. It seems that Rupa Goswami disobeyed
Mahaprabhu’s order, but it is only apparent.

“I am a Madman”

This vere, very deep philosophy is not easily understood. It is

generally only discussed amonst paramahamsas and is not to be
spoken of before neophytes. Paramahamsas can understand I, others
cannot. So, generally it is not discussed. You may then ask the
question, “Why are you speaking all these things when most of the
devotees are neophyte? They cannot understand.” You may say I am
a fool or a madman. I accept that. That is my certificate. I first came
to America in 1986. At that time I had booked a ticket to come here to
New Vrindavan. I had a desire: “I will go to New Vrindavan and speak
on nava-vrndavana-sangama.” I had that desire from 1986. But
Krishna did not want that it should be spoken at that time. When I
went to Gita Nagari fell severly sick. Therefore I could not come here,
a nd I returned to India. So that desire remained unfulfilled. This time
when I came I though, let me speak before Radha-Vrindavan Chandra.
They mey fulfill my desire. Therefore I am speaking for Them. And
those who are very fortunate, buthe mercy of Sri Sri Radha-Vrindavan
Chandra, will be able to understand. I beg at Their lotus feet to shower
Their mercy on you, then you may be ble to understand this topic. We
will speak this for the pleasure of Krishna and for the pleasure of guru
ane Gauranga as a seva. This is my seva, my service. It is not my
mind’s pleasure. It is for the pleasure of guru and Gauranga, for the
pleasure of the Lord. You are hearing, so you are doing seva for guru,
Gauranga, and Krishna. You should not hear for your own pleasure.
No! We should hear for the pleasure of guru and Gauranga. One who
speaiks should speak, aor do kirtana, for the pleasure of guru,
Gauranga and Krishna. For Their pleasure I am doing this. This is the
purpose.

The Earth is Cracking

In his drama Vidagdha-madhava, Tupa Goswami descied vraja-lila
kahani, the pastimes of Vraja. In his Lalita-madhava, up to the
second act, he also described vraja-lila. In the second act there
is the killing of Sankachuda. Then in the third act Akura came
to Vrajabhumi and took Rama and Krishna away to Mathura.
This is Bhavi-viraha, separation felt in anticipation of the
beloved’s departure. The vrajavasis, inhabitants of Vrajabhumi,
felt acute pangs of separation from Krishna. Then when the
wheels of the ratha, the chariot, started rolling, they felt
bhavan-viraha, separation felt at the time of the beloved’s
departure. When Krishna got into the chario and sat down, He
said, etas turnam nayata kiratir arti-misras tamisar – “O My
dear vrajavasis, inhabiants of Vrajabhumi, somehow you pass
these most distressful days, distressful nights. In the future
there will be union. I will come back.” He ganve them that
consolation, “Yes, I’ll come back.” He said, bhavi bhavya puna
api maya mangalah sangamo va – “In the future there will be
union. Somehow you tolerate these distressful days and nights
of separation.”

Paurnamasie-devi is yaga-maya sakti. When Paurnamasie-devi was

looking at the wheels of the ratha, she said:

yena syandana-nemi-nirmita-maha-simanta-dambhad idam

ha sarvam sahayapi nirbharam abhud durad vidirnam bhuva

“Mother Earth tolerates everything, but still she is splitting and

cracking from the wheels of Akura’s chariot. She could not tolerate the
distress and pain of Krishna’s separation.”

Then began the acute pangs of separation of the gopis and

Radharani’s divyonmada, divine madness, udghurna, uncontrollable
giddiness, citra-jalpa, various types of raving speech. The Bhramara-
gita, the Sond of the Bumblebee in the tenth canto of Srimad
Bhagavatam, describes the udghurna and citra-jalpa of Radharani. The
third act of Lalita-madhava is titled Unmatta-radhika. Unmatta means
“mad”. After Krishna left for Mathura, feeling acute pangs of
separation from Kishna, Radharani said:

Kva nanda-kula-candramah kva sikhi-candra-kalankrtih

Kva mandra-murali-ravah kva nu surendra-nila-dyutih
Kva rasa-rasa-tandavi va sakhi jiva-raksausadhir
Nidhir mama sihrttamah kva tava hanta ha dhig vidhih

“Where is nanda-kula-candramah, the moon of the Nanda dynasty?

Where is sikhi-candra-kalankrtih, that Krishna on whose crest is a
peakock feather? Kva mandra-murali-ravah – Where is that Krishna
who plays the flute so sweetly? Kva rasa-rasa-randavi, where is that
Krishna who dances in rasa? Kva sakhi jiva-rasausadhir nidhir mama –
where is that Krishna who is the soothing balm for My afflicted heart?
Ha! Dhik! Alas, alas!”

Radha Drowned

Syama viraha unmadini – Radharani went completely mad, feeling

separation form Shyama. With Her intimate sakhi Visakha, She jumped
into the Kalindi, the Yamuna, and drowned. Nu una hado utthida, na
una hado utthida – “Never to rise again, never to rise again.” There
are ten acts in Lalita-madhava. After Radharani drowns Herself in the
third act, then mathura-dvaraka-lila begins in the fourth act.

Mahaprabhu ordered Rupa Goswami, krsnere bahira nahi kariha vraja

haite – “Don’t take Krishna out of Vrajabhumi.” But what did Rupa
Goswami do? In Lalita-madhava he described how Akrura came and
took Krishan away from Vrajabhumi. Apparently Rupa Goswami has
disobeyed Mahaprabhu. But if you understand according to tattva-
vicara then you wil see that there is no disobedience.

Nava-Vrindavan

If Radha drowned with Her prana-sakhi Visakha in the Kalindi, then how
will there be union with Krishna? This is our problem and question, and
it should be solved. After Rada and Visakha-sakhi drowned in the
Kalindi, Kalindi-devi took Radha and handed Her over to her father,
Suryadev, the sun god. Suryadev’s dear devotee is Satrajit. Satrajit’s
daughter is Satyabhama. Radha entered into Satyebhama in Dwarka.
That is nava-vrndavana-sangma. Nava Vrinda-devi, one of Radha’s
maidservants, was there with Her. Radha was there in Satyabhama,
feeling acute pangs of separation from Krishna. In order to get some
relief from the pangs of separation She ordered Viskwakarma to create
an artificial Vrindvan, Nava-Vrindavan, like this New Vrindavan. She
also ordered Viswakarma to make a deity of Syama. So Viswakarma
did all these things.

When Radha, in Satyabhama, saw that deity of Shyama, She said, so

‘yam jivita-badhur indu-vadane bhuyah samasaditah – “I have again
obtained the most beloved Lord of My heart.” Every days She would
decorate that deity, putting tilaka, sandalwood paste, and garlands on
Him, and wuld offer him puja with incense, padha, and arghya.

Krishna was also in Dwarka feeling pangs of separation from Radha. To

get some relief from these pangs of separation, sometimes Krishna
would come to the Nava-Vrndavan created by Viswakarma. One day
Shymasundar came there with His friend Madhumangal. When He
entered into Nava-Vrindvan He saw this beautiful deity, His own deity.
He became amazed and said, sakhe madhumangala! Katham aranya-
vesa-dharini hariniyam madanga-pratima – “It is a great jungle here.
How has this deity come here? I think it is definitely a creation of
Viskwakarma.” Krishna knows everything. He said, “My friend
Madhumangal, who is it that comes daily and offers worship to this
deity? Who is she? When she comes to worship this deity she is
shedding tear sfrom here eyes while offering Him candana,
sandalwood paste. The tears she sheds from her eyes are clearly
marked there.” Krishna thought, “Today I want to catch her. Who is
she?” Then what did Krishna do? With the help of Madhumangal, he
removed that deity from the kunja and then He Himself stood there like
a deity. Today Krishna will see with his own eyes.

Meeting in Dwarka

Then Satyabhma came there with Her girl companion, sakhi Nava
Vrinda. Seeing Satyabhama, Krishna recognized Radharani and
became completely amazed. Krishna spoke out, hanta hanta katham
saiveyam me prana-valabha radha – “Oh! This is My rana-vallbha
Radha.” Krishna knew that Radha had given up Her body and drowned
Herself in the Kalindi, that She was no more in this world. “But
somehow, this is My parana-vallabha Radha. Viswakarma has created
this Nava-Vrindavan, this artificial Vrindavan, for My happiness.
Otherwise how is Radha here in this Dwarka?”

Radharani, in Satyabhama, used to come every day to offer worship to

the deity. But today, Krishna Himself was standing there. When She
looked at the deity She said, “Aho! This is Krishna! This is not a deity.
Oh, Viswakarma has make such a lifelike deity.” Then she shed tears.
With folded hands, She said, “a-I padibimbe.” Pratibimba means
“reflection” or “deity”. She asked, “Is He all right? Is padma-locana,
lotus-eyed Krishna, all right? Is everything auspicious with him?”
Krishna was standing there. Krishna said, ayi maya-yantra-mayi
radhike – “O illusion of Radha created by magical spells, Krishna is all
right now. All auspiciousness is with Him, because you are like Radha
and You have come here. Radha is no more here, but like Radha,
kusala-prasna, You are asking about the asupiciousness of Krishna."”
Rupa Goswami has written: satyam idanum eva krsnah ksemi. Yad
iyam sarva-mudraya tam lokottaram anukurvati tvam asya ksemam
prcchasi – “Krishna is inded very happy at this moment because Your
features exactly resemble the extraordinary features of Radharani and
You are now asking about His welfare.”
Then satyabhama-rupa-radha, told Her sakhi Nava vinrda, sakhi,
padimavi edam kim pi mahuram vaharedi – “What a wonderful deity
Viswakarma has made. The deity is speaking so sweetly.”

Krishna was thinking in His heart: aho gandharva-puranukarino ‘pi

maya-gandharva-natyasya kapi cia-camatkara-karita – “Ah! This
magical mirage of Radha is very wonderful. Radha is clearly reflected
in this very place. Viswakarma is very expert. He has crated such a
wonderful Nava-Vrindavan here. Although this is an artificial
Vrindavan, still I saw Radha here. It really looks like Radharani.

After that, satyabhama-rupa-radha, crying in a piteous voice said, a-I

krsna-padime – “O deity of Krishna”, ha durbaghini – “I am ill-fated. O
deity, I am begging alms from You. I am most distressed. I am dukhini.
I am feeling acute pangs of separation from Krishna. Please appear
before Me as a living, moving person. Then My eyes will get some
pleasure.”

Krsna-virahi – Krishna was also feeling separation from Radha. At that

time tears rolled down from Krishna’s eyes. Satyabama-Radha
immediately wiped away His tears. Still, Stayabhama-Radha could not
understand that the real Krishna was there. Thinking it was a deity,
and praising the skill of Viswakarma, She said, ”He has made such a
lifelike deity. And the deity is speaking with such a sweet voice.” At
the same time Radha is feeling pangs of separation from Krishna.
Although She was in the presence of Her beloved, still separation was
there. This is known as prema-vaicittya in Vrajabhumi. This is
sambhoga, union. Only for a short time is sucha a thing there. This is
such a wonderful, sweet, nectarean mellow. Rupa Goswami has
mentioned so many things.

Radha’s Prayer

Also, in the tenth act, dasama anka, you will find that Rupa Goswami
again described union. All of the inhabitants of Vrajabhumi were
united in Dwarka. At that time Krishna said to Radha, pranesvari radha
prathayasva. Kim atah paraim priya karavani – “O My dear Radha,
please tell Me what I can do to please You?”

Radha said:

ya te lila-pada-parimalodgari-vanya-parita
dhanya ksaum vilasati vra mathuri madhuribhih
tatrasmabhis catula-pasupi-bhava-mugdhantarabhih
samvitam tvam kalaya vadanollasi-venur viharam
“O Lord who places the glistening flute to His handsome mouth, please
grant this benediction. I the district of Mathura, where the manyu
forests bear the sweet fragrance of places where You enjoy pastimes,
and which is auspicious, splendid, and endowed with all kinds of
sweetness, please always enjoy transcendental pastimes with us gopis,
whose hearts are overcome with love for You.”

Radharani said, “O fickle-natured Krishna, catula-cañcala, this is My

prayer: ‘Please come to Vrahabhumi, please come to Vrajabhumi. That
Vrindavan is still there where You played during Your kaisora-lila. The
jungle is there. The kunjas are there. The peacocksa re there and the
YamunaRiver is there. Gri-govardhan is there. Everything is there.
Everyone has been waiting for You. That Vrindavan is so beautiful!
Vrindavan’s beauty is anupama, it cannot be compared with anything.
Please come there. We are going. Let vraja-lila again be manifested.
Let all of us surround You with Your tribhanga-lalita, three-curved rupa,
as You stand playingYour flute so sweetly.’”

In Caiotanya-caritamrta (madhya 1.82, 1.80) Kaviraj Goswami has

described Radharani’s words:

tomara carana mora vraja-pura-ghare

udaya karaye yadi, tabe vancha pure

O Krishna, if Your lotus feet again come to our home inVrindavan, then
our desires will be fulfilled.

sei bhava, sei krsna, sei vrndavana

yabe pai, tabe haya vanchita purana

Thus meeting with Krishna and thinking of the Vrindavan atmosphere,

Radharani longed for Krishna to take Her to Vrindavan again to fulfill
Her desire in that calm atmosphere.

Radharani told Krishna, “Please come to Vrajapura. Place Your lotus

feet there again. Then My desire will be fulfilled. That Vrindavan is
there. All the residents of Vrindavan are there. You are that Krishna.
We are there. If you go there, then My desire will be fulfilled. This is
My prayer.”

“How is it Possible?”

Krsnah priye tathastu – Krishna said, “Let it be granted.” Then Radha

said, kadham vi-a – “How is it possible? You are here.” Sri krsnah
sthagitam ivapasavyato vilokate – Then Krishna, without saying
anything, looked towards the southern direction as if waiting for
someone. Then, pravisaya gargya sahapati-ksepenaikanamsa – At that
time the daughter of Garga Muni named Gargi along with Ekanamsa
came there. Yasoda gave birth to twins, one son, and one daughter.
The son is Krishna and the daughter is Ekanamsa or Yogamaya.
Yogamaya said:

sakhi radha matra samsayam krthah. yato bhavatyah srimad-gokule

tatraiva vartante. kintu mayaiva kala-ksepartham anyatha
prapancitam. tad etan manasy anubhuyatam. krsno ‘py esa tatra
gata eva pratiyatam.

“My friend Radha, do not doubt. At this moment You are standing in
the beautiful and opulent abode of Gokul Vrindavan, although by the
power of time I have arranged it in a different way. This truth You will
be able to see directly within Your heart. Please understand right now
You are in Vrindavan and Your Krishna is standing by Your side.”

Yogamaya said, “O Radha, don’t be doubtful. You are all in Vrajabhumi.

No one has left, neither Krishna nor You. You are all in Vrajabhumi. I
have done this just to create something wonderful.” Yogamaya is
orchestrating all of Radha and Krishna’s pastimes.

Krishna is there still in Vrajabhumi. He never left. Then, Radha said to

Krishna:

bahiranga-janalaksyataya sri-gokulam api sva-svarupair

alankaravameti

“Unseen by outsiders, let Us both decorate this land of Gokul in Our

original transcendental forms.”

Bahiranga-jana – those persons who are not very internal and who
cannot understand internal things are bahiranga, external. They
cannot understand this. Radharani said, “Only very intimate devotees
can understand such internal things. Since We are in Vrajabhumi, let
Us manifest our lilas here.” Then Krishna said, priye tatasthu – “Let it
be granted! Let Your desire be fulfilled.”

Rupa Never Disobeyed

Therefore, vraja-vilasa, Krishna’s pastimes in Vrindavan are nitya,

eternal. Krishna never leaves Vrindavan. Krishna’s leaving Vrindavan
for Mathura and Dwarka are Yogayama’s wonderful, wonderful act, lila-
prakasa. Yugala-kisora, Radha and Krishna are always in Vrindavan,
vrndavanam parityajya padam ekam na gacchati – They never step
even one foot out of Vrindavan. And Rupapad has obeyed the order of
Mahaprabhu. He has not disobeyed.

Sanatan Goswami has mentioned this in his Brhad-bhagavatamrta.

Krishna said, “ had a long dream that I had gone to Dwarka. I became
king there and married many wives.” Krishna is transcendental and
absolute. His dream is also transcendental and absolute. So Krishna is
always in Vrajabhumi. He never leaves. Vrajabhumi is antara-vasa, an
inner chamber, nitya ujjvala-rasa vihara ksetra – a place where Hi s
effulgent pleasure pastimes are eternally going on. It is described,
ujjvala-rasa, parakiya-bhave jaha vrajete prakasa – Vrindavan is the
place where Krishna’s parakiya is manifest. Dwarka and Mathura are
madhyama-vasa, intermediary chambers. Dwarka and Mathura are
prabhava-vilasa-ksetra, the place of Krishna’s prabhava expansions.
Vaikunthya is trtiya-vas, His third apartment. That is vaibhava-vilasa-
ksetra.

Lila-satyadhari, Yogamaya, manifests wonderful lilas. She is very

expert in making the aghatana, the impossible, sa-ghatana, possible –
aghata-ghatana-patiyasi. Therefore she made such a wonderful thing.
This is a dream.

In tattva, Krishna is always in Vrindavan. Krishna is nitya-kisora,

always a ten- or eleven-year-old boy, tri-bhangima-sikhanda-cuda, in a
three-fold bending form with a peacock feather on His head. Murali-
vadana, nitya-vihara ksetra vrajadhama – Krishna is eternally playing
His flute and enjoying His pleasure pastimes in Vrindavan. He never
leaves. Although Mathura and Dwarka are nitya, eternal dhamas, still
His pastimes there are like a dream.

Navadvipa-lila is vipralambha. Mahaprabhu is crying. Therefore

Mahaprabhu went to Purushottam Kshetra which is vipralambha-
ksetra, the place of crying. There, Krishna in the form of Jagannath is
crying for Radha, and Krishna in the form of Mahaprabhu is crying for
Krishna. Both are crying. It is vipralambha-ksetra. But Vrajabhumi is
sambhoga-ksetra. There is no crying, only union. Rupa Goswami has
written about prema-vaicittya; although union is there, still Radha and
Krishna are feeliong separation, two opposites for a short time. This is
prema-vaicittya.

Thank you very much.

srila-prabhupadaji-maharaja ki jaya!
samaveta-bhakta-vrnda ki jaya!
nava-vrndavana-ksetra ki jaya!
 jaya radha jaya krsna jaya vrndavan!
sri-sri-radha-vrndavana-candra ki jaya!