Chapter 2 – Where are we going and how do we fit in there?
The lila books [8.27.12]
In material existence, we never know what or where our next birth will be, or what
combination of happiness and suffering we can expect. It's next to impossible to predict
because there are a lifetime's worth (and more) of karmic factors in play. Add to that the fact
that most people don't even understand how the laws of karma work, and thus they act in
complete ignorance of laws they are stringently bound by.
In Chapter 1 we read that the primary factors that shape and direct the process of creating
one's next life are one's mind, consciousness and collective desires, and the quantitative
factors are the accumulated karmic results from one's past and current life. Practically
speaking, no one is capable of consciously pre-selecting their next bodily form and gender,
what to speak of family and friends, or range of activities, or location, etc. This has been the
case since time immemorial.
On the other hand, sadhakas engaged in rägänugä-bhakti specifically target a well defined set
of goals as a core part of their practice, so practitioners know exactly where their next birth
will be, what type of body, gender and identity they will have, what they will be doing, and
with whom.
As we will learn in Chapter 5, through their intense spiritual desires, raganuga-sadhakas
conceive of every single aspect of their form and individual personal identity, including the
specific details of the relationship they desire with Krsna, and Radha as well, in the case of
madhurya-rasa. All of these pure spiritual desires will be fulfilled by Krsna out of love and
mercy for His devotee when he reaches bhava. Narottama dasa Thakur writes about this in
Prema-bhakti-candrika:
I will always think of the devotional service of the lotus feet of the Divine Pair, and I will always
remain attached to that. Whatever I think of during my spiritual practice (sadhana) I will attain
in my siddha-deha when I reach perfection. This is the means of raga-bhakti. PBC, 55
The treasure I desire as a practitioner I will get when I attain my spiritual body (siddha-deha); it
is just a question of being ripe or unripe. The ripe stage is the stage of pure devotion (premabhakti),
and the unripe stage is the stage of practice (sadhana-bhakti). That is the essential truth
about devotional principles. PBC, 56
We learn about this confidential and eternal realm of existence, our future home, from Vedic
literatures like Srimad Bhagavatam and other books that contain narrations of Krsna's
pastimes, such as the acaryas' lila books like, Govinda-lilamrta, Krsna-bhavanamrta, Anandavrndavana-
campu, Gopal-campu, Gita-govinda and so on. Without regularly hearing about
Krsna's pastimes, how will one become attracted to be part of them?
37
These books provide direct access into this realm, and according to one's level of realization,
one will be allowed to enter deeper and deeper into the spiritual nature of this reality.
Through these books we are introduced to the primary associates in Krsna's Vraja lila, one of
whom will eventually become our chosen mentor, and whose example we will follow to
perfect our prema-bhakti. This is precisely why Vaisnavas are constantly urged to immerse
themselves in Krsna's pastimes. From Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Jaiva Dharma:
Gosvami: …It is said in Çrémad-Bhägavatam:
Just as anointing the eyes with salve gives them the power to see even subtle objects, similarly,
when the jéva’s heart is cleansed by the çravaëa and kértana of My supremely purifying lélä-kathä,
he gains the ability to realize extremely subtle tattva, namely, the truth about My svarupa and My
léläs. SB, 11.14.26
When the eyes are treated with ointment, they can see much more clearly. In just the same way, a
jéva can realize the apräkåta-svarupa (transcendental nature) of the manifest kåñëa-lélä to the
extent that he is purified by contact with the apräkåta-vastu (transcendental reality) through
çravaëa, kértana and smaraëa of kåñëa lélä-kathä. JD, Chapter 40, Pages 862-863
Rupa Gosvami has thoughtfully provided us with yet another very useful text wherein we can
actually acquaint ourselves with our new family, friends and associates, in anticipation of
going there. Rupa's, Rädhä-Krsna-ganoddesa-dipika, gives a summary description of all the
well known residents of Vraja, representing all four of the main rasas – dasya, sakhya,
vatsalya and madhurya. Everyone's interrelationships with each other are also described. It's a
literal "who's who" of Goloka Vrndavana.
For example, we can read about each of the eight main girlfriends (asta-sakhés) of Rädhä, and
learn who their mother, father, brothers and husbands are. We also get a short description of
their personal characteristics, like their age, bodily complexion, favored attire, special or
primary service in the lélä, and the sakhis in their group (gana). In the case of these main
gopis, we also learn about their primary loving moods and relational attitudes.
Raganuga-bhakti manifests uniquely in each devotee because of individual differences in
tastes and preferences regarding Krsna. Thus, raganuga-sadhakas will tend to focus on
specific lilas that are most attractive to them in terms of their desired relationships and
service. For example, a devotee who has an intense desire to enter madhurya-rasa as a sakhi
of Radha, will not be as attracted to Krsna's Mathura or Dvaraka pastimes as they would be to
the asta-kaliya-lila – Radha and Krsna's pastimes throughout the eight daily periods in Vraja.
Since the goal of raganuga-bhakti is to enter Krsna's pastimes, the more one is immersed in
them with intense desire, the more one makes progress towards that goal. If you want to be
with Krsna in the future, then you have to take the time and be with Krsna now in the
present – literally, in the moment. Because truly, there is no past or future in the eternal
realm, only the eternal, ever fresh present. This is accomplished by steady sadhana, focused
on hearing, chanting or discussing and remembering, which are all both the process and the
goal.
38
In his commentary to Ujjvala-nilamani, 3.27, Visvanatha Cakravarti writes:
The independent activities of the Lord however, are for the benefit of the devotee. To show mercy to
the devotees the Lord performs such pastimes. A person who has taken a human body, on hearing
these pastimes, becomes completely dedicated to the Lord. The pastimes have a power like that of
jewels, mantras or herbs so that they produce complete dedication to the Lord. They do not create
sinful effects.
…Thus, just from hearing constantly and becoming addicted to any topics of Krsna, one attains
perfection, and if one hears topics of the räsa-lélä one attains even higher perfection. One should
always hear and become addicted to the five chapters on räsa-lélä. UN, 3.27 commentary
There are, however, differences in how devotees engage in such hearing, as well as the
attendant results. It's not just a matter of reading the pastimes casually and infrequently, and
simply being familiar with them. These are not just ordinary stories in books. Bhaktivinoda
Thakura explains this in Jaiva Dharma:
Vijaya: What is krama-héna-çravaëa-daçä (irregular hearing)?
Gosvämé: Krama-héna-çravaëa-daçä is hearing about kåñëa-lélä in an irregular and unmethodical
manner. Hearing kåñëa-lélä with irresolute intelligence results in this sort of unmethodical
çravaëa, because such hearing does not enable one to realize the relationship between the various
léläs, and thus rasa does not awaken in his heart.
Vijaya: Please explain about krama-çuddha-çravaëa-daçä (systematic hearing).
Gosvämé: Rasa only awakens in one’s heart when kåñëa-lélä is heard methodically or in a regular
order with resolute intelligence. When one hears the añöa-käléya-nitya-lélä (eternal eightfold daily
pastimes) separately from the naimittika-léläs (occasional léläs such as Kåñëa’s divine birth and so
on), then his çravaëa is krama-çuddha. Only this krama-çuddha çravaëa is desirable on the path
of bhajana.
If one hears kåñëa-lélä in the krama-çuddha manner, the sweetness and charm of the lélä is
gradually conceived, and the inclination to perform rägänugä-bhajana appears in the heart of the
listener. At that time he thinks within himself, “Aho! Subala has such a wonderful sakhya-bhäva
for Kåñëa. I will also render loving sevä to Kåñëa like him in sakhya-rasa.”
This type of strong affinity is called lobha (greed). The performance of kåñëa-bhajana with such
lobha, following the sweet bhävas of the vraja-väsés, is called rägänugä- bhakti. I have given the
example of sakhya-rasa, but this type of rägänugä-bhakti is also performed in all the four rasas,
beginning with däsya. JD, Chapter 40, Pages 854-855
We will discuss the añöa-käléya-lélä in more detail in Chapter 5, since it is a major part of the
manifestation of one's identity that takes place through raganuga-bhajan. For those who
aspire to enter madhurya-rasa, the añöa-käléya-lélä are the particular pastimes of focus.
39
Many of the acaryas' books of prayers and intense longing are expressions of their desires for
specific service throughout the eight periods of the day and the pastimes associated with each
period. This is the esoteric part of the process of raganuga-bhajana revealed in these books,
which we will also examine later.
The more we hear and discuss these pastimes, the more we enter into that reality. Thus, these
lila books are an invaluable and absolute necessity for all serious practitioners. They are the
primary means of accessing the eternal lila, and they directly nourish remembrance
(smaranam) of Krsna. In Prema-bhakti-candrika, Narottama dasa Thakur sums it up
succinctly and emphatically and Visvanatha Cakravarti concurs fully:
Remembrance of the Lord's pastimes is the life and soul of the devotee. Remembering the sweet
loving pastimes of Radha and Krsna is the essence of all the processes. This is the goal of life, as
well as the best means of achieving the goal. PBC, 61
Visvanatha Cakravarti's commentary:
This is the essence of all instructions regarding rules and regulations. The remembrance of the
pastimes of the Lord is the only process for achieving the goal of one's life, relishing the
transcendental [rasas] of the pastimes of Radha and Krsna. There is no higher goal or process
than this. The remembrance of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna's pastimes is the essence of all instructions
given in the scriptures.
Kåñëa in Goloka Vrindavana [9.9.12]
Material existence on this earth is driven in part by the forces of time and karma, specifically,
the interaction of the karma of billions of humans. Everyone is engrossed in trying to fulfill
their endless desires for pleasure, power, love and happiness. It is a maze so vast,
inconceivably complex and interwoven, it can hardly be conceived in the mind. It is beyond
anyone's control, individual or group, no matter the extent of their so-called power.
Although there are unseen material laws in force, regulating and controlling everything, on
the surface it is essentially an insane nightmarish free for all. There is danger at every step,
and even with the help of insights gained from Vedic astrological analysis, no one knows for
sure exactly how their karma will unfold. Now multiply that perspective by unlimited planets
in unlimited universes. All of this is managed effortlessly by Krsna's external energy – mayasakti.
On the other hand, Goloka Vrndavana is managed by one of Krsna's internal energies,
dedicated specifically for that purpose – lélä-sakti – also known as yogamaya (who is
personified as Paurnamasi, an elderly renunciate woman, the mother of Sandipani muni in
Vraja lila). The lélä-sakti responds in real time to Krsna's ever changing desires for pleasure
40
and enjoyment in endless ecstatic moods of love. Yogamaya is responding to the mind and
heart of God as it unfolds in real time – truly the ultimate forefront of the highest reality.
Krsna chooses to do anything He wants according to His mood and yogamaya (Paurnamasi)
makes all of the necessary arrangements. Everything is manifest instantly and perfectly
according to Krsna's spontaneously unfolding desires. Sometimes Krsna and the gopis desire
to enjoy a variety of forests in Vrndavana, each one manifesting a different season – all
simultaneously. Paurnamasi's (yogamaya) potency causes everything to manifest seamlessly
as Krsna and the gopis walk about enjoying.
In the Brhad-bhagavatamrta, we learn that the relationships in Goloka are an astonishing mix
of sweetness, opulence and worldly characteristics.
Although that reciprocal affection seems to follow the ways of the ordinary world, it is beyond the
world. It combines intimate sweetness, amazing opulence, and worldly simplicity. BB, 2.5.84
From Sanatana Gosvami's commentary:
Goloka’s Lord and its residents care for one another as do people of the material world, yet their
prema transcends the limits of mundane love. The loving dealings of Vraja are like nothing ever
seen in this world. … Kåñëa’s friends are constantly desirous of seeing Him, so much so that they
cannot tolerate even the momentary obstruction caused by Kåñëa’s passing behind a tree. And the
blessed cowherd girls have no interest in life other than Him; whether separated from Him, or
going out to meet Him, or enjoying His company, they relish all sorts of extraordinary ecstasy.
In these ways the prema of Vraja is both amazing and sweet, combining within itself the majestic
opulence of the spiritual world and the simple sweetness of the material world. The devotees of
Vraja possess super-worldly opulence, and at the same time they are the most simple people.
By their opulent power they are expertly able to understand and take part in all the various
aspects of the Lord’s countless pastimes. And like ordinary people, the Vraja-väsés, it is well known
from the accounts of their lives, enjoy food and drink, the company of friends and relatives, and so
on.
The other integral component along with Krsna's desires are the collective desires of the
devotees in Vraja. Krsna is simultaneously fulfilling His own personal desires along with
fulfilling the endless desires of His unlimited devotees who are all deeply in love with Him.
This astonishing and inconceivable combination of endlessly circular desires is the causative
force that gives variety to the pastimes. Of course it is understood that these desires are all
saturated with pure love – prema.
Although the asta-kaliya-lélä defines eight periods throughout the day, along with the various
pastimes (lélä) that typically take place within each period, Krsna's pastimes are understood
to be unlimited in scope and variety. We should therefore understand that the lélä texts are
representative examples of Krsna's unlimited lélä. They are an introductory starting point for
entry into to this realm, presented specifically for our benefit.
41
Goloka Vrndavana is a manifestation of Krsna's innermost desires to enjoy and to love in
unlimited relationships, without social formalities, restrictions or inhibitions. He is the
carefree youthful lover (dhira-lalita) in Goloka to the fullest extent. It is His inner sanctum,
His heart, and the most complete manifestation of His deepest loving propensities and most
profound desires for pleasure and enjoyment.
Narada Muni tells this to Gopa-kumara in Brhad-bhagavatamrta, and Sanatana Gosvami
expands:
Indeed that world, I think, displays the complete essence of Lord Hari’s most confidential Godhood.
BB, 2.5.88
Sanatana Gosvami's commentary:
Goloka is even more splendidly opulent than Vaikuëöha. Someone may doubt, then, how Goloka
could appear like an ordinary place of the finite world. Despite this doubt, Çré Goloka is factually
the one spiritual realm where the Supreme Lord shows the essential perfection of His beauty,
personality, and sporting pastimes.
This highest perfection is also the most confidential mystery, which only few fortunate souls are
privileged to understand. Goloka holds the supreme position among all the Lord’s abodes, for there
the Lord constantly displays perfections never seen anywhere else. Goloka is greater than all other
spiritual abodes, and Kåñëa in Goloka is greater than all other forms of Godhead. Kåñëa in Goloka
is especially known as Hari, the Lord who steals the heart of everyone with His beauty,
personality, and pastimes.
It is often said that everyone in Vraja serves Krsna. The idea of "service" is a broad concept
that does not always imply service as in the context of a servant in a household doing menial
tasks in a mood of servitude. When the gopis "serve" Krsna it doesn't mean that they are all
being menial servants. Their unique loving moods and personalities make an interactive
contribution to the lélä, which is "serving" the greater purpose of the lélä – endless varieties of
loving exchanges on every possible level – prema-bhakti-rasa.
Some gopis "serve" Krsna by arguing with Him, insulting and rebuking Him. Rädhä often
exhibits jealous anger (mana). All of that enhances rasa, which Krsna enjoys immensely.
Krsna is absorbed in directly loving the gopis reciprocally, not just enjoying them. He is
compelled by their love (prema), not by their particular service. Krsna loves being treated as
an equal.
Each individual associate there has a unique relationship and loving mood with Krsna which
brings Him immeasurable pleasure. He perfectly reciprocates with each devotee according to
their specific loving mood, and He fulfills all of their desires beyond their wildest dreams. He
has room for unlimited participants in this eternal lélä. He is truly the reservoir of all love
(prema). Who in their right mind would not want to find out how to become qualified to
enter into this arrangement for eternity?
42
Sri Krsna has taken a solemn oath that for all eternity He will reciprocate accordingly with the
manner in which one serves Him. CC, ML, 8.90
According to the amount of prema and its transformations that the woman shows, as uttama,
madhyama or kaniñöhä, Krsna responds with similar love. UN, 5.97
From Visvanatha Cakravarti's commentary:
According to the amount of bhava of a particular woman, Krsna responds with the same amount of
bhava. The word “amount” includes the different varieties of love since the Lord has said, ye yatha
mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham: according to the way in which a person
surrenders, I respond. BG, 4.11
Krsna manifests a type of love for a particular woman similar to the love manifested by that
woman for Him. UN, 14.62
From Visvanatha Cakravarti's commentary:
“Do the women possessing samartha-rati for Krsna have the same type of prema and higher levels
of love or do they have different varieties? And does Krsna have the same type of love for all of
them, or different types?” This verse answers.
Narada explains this to Gopa-kumar in Brhad-bhagavatamrta:
According to the way one worships, the Lord awards different results. One who thus reaches the
goal he has pursued never feels discontent. BB, 2.4.189
Sanatana Gosvami's commentary:
The Personality of Godhead knows everything there is to know. He is also the most merciful giver
of charity. Why then doesn’t He give the same supreme happiness to all His devotees? It is because
what He gives them depends on their expressed desires.
Then aren’t the devotees dissatisfied who receive happiness that is relatively less? No. When the
Supreme Lord reciprocates the love of any of His pure devotees, the devotee is never left feeling
incomplete, because everything the devotee wanted the Lord provides.
And again from Brhad-bhagavatamrta:
The Lord expands abundant variety to enrich His devotees forever with enjoyment in these
exuberant waves of sweet ecstasy. And just as, even though He is devoid of every kind of material
quality, there is firm and constant variety in Him, so in His devotees there is a strong and varied
and wonderful experience in all the functions of the senses. BB, 2.2.220
From Sanatana Gosvami's commentary:
Why does the Supreme Lord expand the diverseness of His personality? He does so for the pleasure
of His devotees. The Lord’s attractive qualities expand infinitely, giving the devotees, who are
43
equally spiritual beings, many different kinds of opportunities to serve Him by activities like
hearing and chanting.
This spiritual variety in devotional service expands perpetually, with no beginning or end. It
manifests itself in the Lord and also in His devotees, enhancing their beauty, effulgence, and
enjoyment and enlivening and empowering their senses.
In madhurya-rasa the most intense manifestations of prema are infused with overwhelming
feelings of attachment and possessiveness towards Krsna – "Krsna is all mine and I am His
completely." When the devotee's love becomes that deep and powerful, it totally overwhelms
Krsna, who irresistibly reciprocates exactly as that devotee desires, and even more. Krsna is
the perfect lover and friend of everyone, and He alone can maintain such intimate and
personally attentive relationships with unlimited devotees.
It is said that the gopis manifest the highest levels of prema among all of the Vraja associates.
They only desire to give pleasure to Krsna and they are not motivated by desires for their own
personal enjoyment. Of course, this doesn't mean that they don't enjoy pleasure, as we saw in
the statement above from Brhad-bhagavatamrta.
They are experiencing an unlimited variety of the most intense blissful ecstasies of love
(prema) for Krsna at every moment, being inundated by the variegated waves of that prema,
while living in the most incredibly opulent realm in existence. They are not lacking any
pleasure at all. Quite the contrary. Even the intense pain of separation brings them pleasure
because of the depth of love that manifests therein.
And because Krsna perfectly reciprocates their love in every way, He experiences heights of
love unavailable from any other relationships in Vraja. Only the gopis love can bring out this
kind of love in Krsna and that is one of the reasons He is so irresistibly and continuously
attracted to them. Without the gopis, Krsna would not be able to experience this kind of love.
And Radha's love is the most astonishing and most intense, beyond all the other gopis.
From Ujjvala-nilamani:
That rati (bhava), attaining a special nature, in which the desire for enjoyment becomes one with
it, is called samartha-rati. UN, 14.52
Jiva's commentary:
That rati in which enjoyment reaches oneness with it is called samartha-rati. It reaches a special
position. The meaning is this. There are two types of enjoyment: attaining happiness of the senses
through the beloved, and giving happiness to the senses of the beloved by oneself. The first type is
kama, with a desire for one’s own enjoyment.
The second type is called rati, with a desire to benefit the beloved. In the second type of enjoyment,
there is happiness by the touch of the beloved. Though that desire is difficult to suppress because of
its strength, by mixing it with rati, which has attained a special status, it becomes one with it. That
rati is called samartha-rati, since it is capable of overcoming all else.
44
Visvanatha's commentary:
That by which the desire for enjoyment attains oneness with rati is called samartha-rati. That rati
attains a special status, inconceivably superior to sadharani-rati (the queens of Dvaraka) and
samanjasa-rati (Kubja, etc), because by its very nature it controls Krsna completely.
Because Krsna returns the gopis' love exactly as they love Him, He therefore only acts for their
pleasure in perfect reciprocation with their mood as stated above. Thus it is said that Krsna
fulfills all their desires. The more they love Krsna selflessly and completely, the more He
loves them in the same exact way. This is one of the many astonishing features of God's
loving propensity. Everyone there wants to serve and love Him and He serves and loves each
individual exactly as they desire to be loved by Him.
Who can imagine the full potential of God's loving emotions and ecstasies? It is absolutely
inconceivable. Only the gopis are capable of bringing out the most extraordinary loving
emotions that exist within Krsna. That is part of the supreme nature of the gopis' prema. No
one else's love affects Him in that way. It is understood by all Gaudiya Vaisnavas that Rädhä's
love for Krsna is supreme and incomparable, far beyond all the other gopis, so the effects of
Her love are paramount in every way.
Visvanatha Cakravarti states in a commentary in Ujjvala-nilamani:
The samartha-rati of the women of Gokula is very strong. Sadharani-rati and samanjasa-rati are
not so strong. This should be understood from the power to control Krsna seen in samartha-rati.
Samartha means, “fit for" (competent). Since the object has not been explicitly stated, it should be
supplied. This is described as follows.
This rati is fit for controlling Krsna, their lover, completely. It bewilders Him with the taste of
sweetness of their forms and qualities though He can experience His own sweetness. It completely
astonishes Him and makes Him forget His own great powers. It produces an ever fresh excellence
in tasting ordinary sweetness in form, qualities and talents. UN, 14.44
In Goloka Vrndavana, Krsna is at His most vulnerable. He is not controlling everything there
as God. No such thought ever enters His mind there. He is in full dhira-lalita nayaka mode –
the carefree, blissful lover – just being the extraordinary individual person that He is, and
following His own spontaneous desires to enjoy with His associates there, especially and
primarily with Rädhä, along with Her sakhés and the other gopis. Yogamaya (Purnamasi)
personally arranges all of the details of the pastimes, while Krsna is simply in full
experiencing mode, not controlling anything. This is what God does when He's not being
God.
In that innermost realm, He is under the complete control and influence of the love of His
devotees, and eternally bound by that love to reciprocate with them accordingly. Because all
of the inhabitants of Vraja possess the most intense pure love for Krsna, which is constantly
flowing and ever expanding, it is beyond any other realm in existence. The intensity of the
love that continuously pervades that realm is beyond anyone's comprehension. It even
bewilders Krsna.
45
Sometimes Krsna's friends see him lying on the ground trembling and convulsing from
ecstatic loving emotions for Rädhä. Can you imagine that sight? There before you on the
ground lies God, unconscious and shaking uncontrollably. Of course, you wouldn't be
thinking He is God, but you get the point. Only the Vraja-vasis see Him in these vulnerable
circumstances. Vraja is the only realm where God is comfortable exhibiting these kinds of
astonishing intimate ecstatic symptoms without inhibition or restriction.
Far from being "in control" in Vraja, Krsna is actually the one who is being controlled – by
the prema of His devotees. That Krsna is controlled by prema is further elaborated in
Visvanatha Cakravarti's commentary from Srimad Bhagavatam when Brahma stole the cows
and cowherd boys:
It may be objected that Krsna in the form of the cowherd boys should have had the same affection
for their mothers as the actual boys, since the verse says the Krsna took up exactly the character,
dress, form and age as each cowherd boy. But though Krsna is supreme, and everyone from
Brahma to even His personal expansions are dependent on Him, He is dependent on prema. Prema
is not dependent on Him. He cannot control or restrict prema.
Sridhara Swami says, “This irregularity is difficult to prevent in Krsna.” Such uncontrollable
prema was in the hearts of the mothers towards Krsna in the form of their sons. Thus Krsna in the
form of their sons forgot His powers as God, as He took up the role of their sons, and remained
dependent on them, like a commander next to the king. One should not say that such dependence is
a fault – rather it is Krsna’s ornament. As dependence of the jiva on maya is the cause of his
sorrow, so Krsna’s dependence on prema is the cause of ever-increasing bliss. This is the
realization of the great devotees. SB, 10.13.25
In the realm of Goloka Vrndavana, Krsna is at the very center of this vortex of intense love,
being the object of every single one of the unlimited devotees' desires and loving emotions –
simultaneously and eternally. And He perfectly and continuously reciprocates each devotee's
desired loving sentiments. It is indeed the supreme and ultimate manifestation of the
universal concept that, "God is love". Unfortunately, very few people ever actually
understand the full implications of that well worn phrase. [I think I said this again later -
check for redundancy vs emphasis]
There are variegated layers within each of the four main rasas – servants, friends, elders,
lovers – and varying degrees of intensity and flavors of prema-rasa within all those. All adding
to the limitless variety that Krsna desires to continuously enjoy with His eternal associates.
Amazingly, even though there are countless other devotees in a relationship with Krsna, you
always have the experience that it's an intimate group of friends and not a constant vast ocean
of people milling about trying to get close to Krsna. This is due to the potencies of yogamaya,
who orchestrates that transcendental illusion. Of course, when the räsa dance takes place
there is a vast assembly of countless groups of gopis, but that's a special event, and even still,
the gopis are not aware of how many participants are actually there. We'll explore this in
more detailing the last section of this chapter.
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Rädhä and Krsna's love affair [8.27.12]
Radha and Krsna's eternal love affair is universally famous and the subject of many books.
For the purposes of this book, our discussion will focus on certain aspects of this supreme
relationship as it relates to raganuga-bhakti in the context of our specific study.
Krsna is the supreme absolute truth, one without a second, and the cause of all causes. He is
literally everything. There is nothing in existence that doesn't emanate from Him originally.
We have heard from Caitanya-caritamrita that Radha is the personification of Krsna's hladinisakti
– His internal pleasure potency. On the one hand, She is non-different from Krsna, and
on the other hand, She is eternally separate from Him as His primary consort.
It is said by almost all spiritually minded people that God is love. Most people don't
understand the full import of that statement, but Gaudiya Vaisnavas have access to the most
confidential knowledge that allows for a deeper understanding of this universal and axiomatic
truth.
As we read in the previous section, in Goloka Vrndavana, Vraja, Krsna exhibits the full extent
of His loving propensities in His dealings with the Vraja associates. Of all the Vraja residents,
the gopis manifest the highest level of love (prema) towards Krsna, and among all the gopis,
Radha is the most dear to Krsna and Her love is the beyond all others by a vast margin. Given
our esoteric understanding of Her supreme and unique position, it is not surprising that this
is the case.
In truth, Krsna's love for Radha, and Her love for Krsna, are the focal point, not only of Vraja,
but of all existence. Everything revolves around Their love affair and its associated pastimes.
When Krsna is associating with the cowherd boys (gopas), herding the cows and playing
together, although He is very attentive in His interactions with them, He is always
simultaneously thinking of the gopis and specifically, Radha. When Krsna is with His parents
and other elders of Vraja, the same thing is true - Krsna is always thinking of Radha and the
other gopis.
There are even rival groups of gopis in Vraja, but we learn from Ujjvala-nilamani that these
unexpected and unique conditions exist only to enhance the rasa of madhurya lila. It never
creates unfavorable moods or circumstances. On the contrary, it increases everyones' love and
attachment for Krsna and vice versa.
Because of Radha's unique position as the personification of hladini-sakti, and the fact that all
of Her nitya-siddha sakhis are Her personal bodily expansions (kaya-vyuha) [sp], Her
relationship with Krsna is primary and predominant, but still completely integrated within
the context of Krsna's relationships with all of the other Vraja associates, as we read in the
section above, Krsna in Goloka Vrndavana.
Only Radha's sakhis are fully aware of the special connection between Radha and Krsna, and
they are all integral parts of making that relationship as wonderful as it is. In fact, without
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them, that relationship wouldn't expand properly. Ramananda Raya explained this to Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu:
The pastimes of Radha and Krsna are very confidential. They cannot be understood through the
[rasas] of servitude, fraternity or paternal affection. Actually, only the gopis have the right to
appreciate these transcendental pastimes, and only from them can these pastimes be expanded.
Without the gopis, these pastimes between Radha and Krsna cannot be nourished. Only by their
cooperation are such pastimes broadcast. It is their business to taste the [rasas]. CC, 2.8.201-203
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared a short 500 years ago specifically to reveal the
confidential ocean of madhurya-rasa, something no other avatara ever did. In fact, as all
Gaudiya Vaisnavas know, Lord Caitanya is Krsna Himself, experiencing the prema of Radha.
This is an unprecedented set of circumstances, which results in an unprecedented
opportunity for those whose natural inclinations are to participate in Krsna's eternal
madhurya-lila.
This confidential knowledge related to realizing and manifesting one's eternal identity and
entering Krsna's eternal lila had never been presented in such detail before Lord Caitanya's
appearance. Although the path of raganuga-bhakti is followed by anyone desiring to have one
of the four principle rasas with Krsna, our book focuses primarily on entering madhurya-rasa.
Entering madhurya-rasa really means to become one of the associates in Radha's group of
gopis. In other words, to become one of Radha's personal girlfriends, one of Her intimate
sakhis. That means you will then be an intimate part of the central focal point in Vraja –
Radha and Krsna's love affair. This is the highest, most confidential realm of all. Regarding
Radha, in Gaura Govindarcana-smarana-paddhati, Dhyanacandra writes:
In the Bhavisyottara-purana, Sri Krsna says, “O Narada, if you have strong faith in prema-bhakti
and you truly want to satisfy Me and obtain My mercy, then you please become a loving devotee of
Sri Rädhä.” GGSP, 189
Similarly, in the Naradiya-purana, Sri Krsna says, “O Narada, I solemnly declare to you again
and again and again that without the mercy of Sri Rädhä, My mercy does not arise.” GGSP, 190
By the mercy of Sri Rädhikä, the sadhaka gets the association of Rädhikä’s sakhé-gana. By the
mercy of that sakhé-gana, one obtains birth as a young girl in Vraja. GGSP, 191
For those rare and fortunate souls who enter madhurya-lila, they will not only attain the goal
of prema for Krsna, but also the same deep love for Radha, as well as the particular asta-sakhi
they have chosen to follow as their guide. That means three primary relationships of the most
profound nature. Many loving relationships with the other sakhis then expand from these
three primary relationships.
Visvanatha Cakravarti explains this in his commentary of Ujjvala-nilamani, 8.137:
It has previously been explained in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu that attaining the position of a gopi
cannot take place without rägänugä-bhakti. And without following after the nitya-siddha-gopis,
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rägänugä cannot be perfected. rägänugä means to follow after those gopis who have räga. Those
three types who follow the nitya-siddhas attain perfection like the nitya-siddha gopis but they exist
eternally in a slightly lesser position than the nitya-siddha gopis that they follow.
…According to the principles of rägänugä-bhakti a person should follow a desired gopi while
having affection for her not less than one’s affection for Krsna. If one follows a gopi while having
less affection for her than for Krsna, it would not be much different from vaidhi-bhakti. Even
vaidhi-bhakti cannot be perfected without following devotees. Therefore in rägänugä-bhakti,
persons who desire to follow a sakhé with more affection for Krsna must not have less affection for
that sakhé than for Krsna. UN, 8.137 commentary
This knowledge provides us with invaluable insight and understanding in our journey's
quest. All of this information will be expanded in great detail in later chapters.
How does Kåñëa personally reciprocate with countless individuals? [8.5.12]
It's natural to wonder how it is that Krsna can reciprocate with so many millions and trillions
of associates without losing the intimate nature of the Vrindavana setting.
He does so by expanding Himself into unlimited identical forms to simultaneously interact
with each individual according to their desired mood and relationship. Sometimes this is
directly apparent as in the rasa-lila dance, even though each gopi thinks that Krsna is only
interacting with her, and sometimes this is not obvious as when Krsna is meeting different
gopis in the various kunjas throughout the day and night.
Krsna is truly the supreme enjoyer and the prime object of everyone's love and attention, all
of whom are simply trying to give Him pleasure in an endless variety of ways. But since Krsna
is actually controlled by the love of his devotees, He cannot resist the force and magnetic pull
of each devotee's love, and so He is compelled to respond and reciprocate with that love,
according to each individual's desired mood and intensity of love. He is truly the perfect
lover.
By the inconceivable potency of yogamaya, the inhabitants of Goloka Vrindavana don't
directly perceive or experience that there are countless numbers of associates. And when we
read about Krsna with the gopis, in many lilas it appears that there is just a moderate sized
group of gopis with Radha as opposed to the countless gopis during rasa-lila. The desire laden
prayers of Rupa, Raghunatha, Narottama, Visvanatha, Bhaktivinoda, etc, gives us a clear
indication that direct intimate participation in the lilas is possible, through the power of
intense desire (laulyam) and the depth of one's love (prema).
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In the Krsna Sandarbha, Jiva Gosvami explains this astonishing feature of Krsna's swarupsakti:
When Krsna manifests His forms in many different places simultaneously, He does not have to
separately create many new forms, but He simply manifests His own original form in many places
at once, as He wishes, by the agency of His inconceivable potencies.
He manifests His own form in many places just as single form may be reflected in many places by
the use of mirrors. A person who causes his form to be reflected in many mirrors cannot perform
the functions of His senses through the reflected forms: for example he cannot see, hear, touch, etc,
through his reflected forms. This may be true for an ordinary person, but for Lord Krsna He can
see, hear, touch, and perform all sensory activities through these "reflected" forms. This is the
specific potency of Lord Krsna's expanded or "reflected" forms.
Sri Krsna is thus perfect and complete, and innumerable perfect and complete visnu-tattva forms
may emanate from Him, but He remains undiminished in all respects. By His inconceivable
potency He may expand in many different forms simultaneously, and each of these forms may
perform many different activities. These forms may perform different activities simultaneously.
This is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Vedic literatures and the great learned devotees
also describe it and delight in learning about its evidence to prove this remarkable feature of the
Lord.
Lord Krsna's ability to be manifested in many places simultaneously and perform many different
activities at the same time by His mystic potency is not shared by any one else. No yogi or sage can
perform such wonderful activities, and therefore Narada Muni spoke the following verse after
seeing the many expansions of the Lord at Dvaraka (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.69.2):
"It is astounding that Lord Krsna, who is one without a second, expanded Himself in sixteen
thousand similar forms to marry sixteen thousand queens in their respective homes.”
By His own wish, Lord Krsna may expand into many different forms and perform many different
activities simultaneously, although the Lord’s associates in those pastimes generally do not give
any thought to all these wonders. An example of this is the occasion of Lord Krsna's marriage to
16,000 queens simultaneously in the presence of Devaki-devi and His other relatives.
An astonishing feature of this pastime is described by Srila Sridhara Svami in His commentary on
Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.69.2. Sridhara Svami says: "When Lord Krsna married 16,000 queens in
16,000 palaces all at the same moment, Devaki-devi and the Lord's other intimate relatives also
became expanded and witnessed all the Lord's simultaneous marriages."
That the intimate associates of Lord Krsna may also appear in different forms simultaneously, just
as the Lord can, is described in the following verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam (1O.69.2O, 27), where
Narada's visit to Krsna's palaces in Dvaraka reveals the simultaneous expansion of Uddhava, the
intimate associate of the Lord:
"In one palace Narada saw Lord Krsna engaged in playing chess along with His dear wife and
Uddhava The Lord immediately got up from His seat and invited Narada to sit on His personal
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seat. The Lord again worshiped Him with as much paraphernalia for reception as He had in the
palace of Rukmini. Narada then left that palace and visited other palaces where he again saw Lord
Krsna engaged in different activities. In another palace Narada saw Lord Krsna consulting with
ministers like Uddhava and others on important matters of business."
Sri Krsna appears in various forms according to the nature of His devotee's love for Him. If the
devotee aspires to see the Lord in a certain way, the Lord appears in that aspect, and says to the
devotee: "Here I am, just as you have desired Me."
The Lord may sometimes appear before the devotee, and sometimes also may be far away from the
devotee. For example, when Lord Krsna played the part of the ideal husband of 16,000 wives in
Dvaraka, sometimes Devaki-devi would perform her household duties in the association of her
great son, and she would feel transcendental bliss.
Then again, sometimes she would not have His association, and she would long to see Him. In the
same way Uddhava and the other devotees would sometimes have Lord Krsna's association, and
sometimes they would be separated from Him. This meeting and separation of the Lord and His
devotees is a very wonderful activity effected by the Lord's yogamaya potency. KS, Anuccheda 156
From Visvanatha Cakravarti's commentary in Ujjvala-nilamani:
“If Krsna performs pastimes with his associates eternally in different manifestations in Vrndavana,
Mathura and Dvaraka in one body simultaneously as illustrated in the verse, citram bataid ekena
vapuna (SB 10.69.1), in both prakata and aprakata pastimes, then how can there be separation
from Krsna with udghurna and citrajalpa at all?”
In order to accomplish various pastimes and in order to accomplish the various bhavas of the
sadhaka and siddha devotees, by the power of the Lord’s lila-sakti, separate identities of the Lord
and his associates in each manifestation of pastimes and in each form, and different activities
following from those identities, are established.
An example of different forms is Rama meeting with Parasurama after breaking the bow. An
example of different manifestation of pastimes is what Narada saw in Dvaraka, by the power of
yogamaya. UN, 15.187
In Brhad-bhagavatamrta, Narada muni explains to Gopa-kumara:
When the one Personality of Godhead simultaneously eats the items brought to Him by thousands
of wives, each wife sees that she has fed Him first and that the only offering He is eating is hers.
BB, 2.4.166
Sanatana Gosvami's commentary:
This is a good example of the mysterious nature of the Supreme Lord’s pastimes, an example taken
from His loving dealings with His beloved consorts. The phenomenon described in this verse occurs
both in Våndävana with the gopés headed by Çré Rädhä and in Dvärakä with the queens headed by
Çré Rukmiëé.
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In both abodes, Kåñëa is sometimes fed at the same time by thousands of beloveds, each of whom
sees Him accept only her offering. All of them are absolutely devoted to Him, and so He does not
want to disappoint any of them. By being especially attentive to each one individually, He expertly
increases the stimulus for their love.
He does this factually, not by some illusory trick. The best examples of the wonderful ways the
Lord receives service from His potencies are found in the pastimes of Çré Kåñëa, in which both His
opulence and His sweetness are fully displayed.
In Brhad-bhagavatamrta, Sarupa (Gopa-kumara) describes an example of this feature of Krsna
as it is displayed in Vraja:
Kåñëa, served by all those gopés, their hearts melting in great affection for Him, responded by
giving to each one, unseen by the others, the prized remnants of His chewed pän. BB, 2.6.143
Sanatana Gosvami's commentary:
Kåñëa is more eager to fulfill the desires of His devotees than to receive their service. On this
occasion He gave the prasäda of His pän to all the gopés. This does not mean, however, that Kåñëa
treated all the gopés exactly the same way; He reciprocated with each of them individually, unseen
by the others.
Every one of the millions and millions of cowherds – the children, young people, and elders –
thinks, “I alone am most dear to Kåñëa.” BB, 2.6.211
Just as the pure way they behave toward Kåñëa always confirms this ecstatic mentality, so does the
way He behaves toward every one of them. BB, 2.6.212
Sanatana Gosvami's commentary:
This Goloka ecstasy is not just an idle meditation. It manifests itself actively in the way the
devotees deal with Kåñëa. The cowherds express their intimate love for Him in everything they do,
including their eating and ordinary household chores. And Kåñëa also shows by His behavior that
He considers Himself their property.
There is never even a trace of duplicity in the loving exchanges between Kåñëa and His devotees in
Goloka; their dealings are viçuddha, absolutely pure. It is not that Kåñëa truly loves only one of
His devotees and with everyone else only pretends.
This amazing feature of Krsna is inconceivable for humans to comprehend, but it is one of
many confidential truths about God's amazing potencies and personal loving affairs. Knowing
that such intimate association is accessible to anyone, based completely on their sincere and
genuine love, who would not be attracted to take part in these pastimes? And understanding
the full import of this truth, who would not make this their primary goal in life, to the
subordination of everything else?
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