Purpose of the Gopala-mantra
"Then the goddess of learning Sarasvati, the divine consort of the Supreme Lord,
said thus to Brahma, who saw nothing but gloom in all directions, "O Brahma, this
mantra, viz., klim krsnaya govindaya gopi-jana-vallabhaya svaha, will assuredly fulfill your
heart's desire." (BS v. 24)
The purpose of the Gopala-mantra is to direct one toward Radha and Krishna in
Gokula. It will fulfill the spiritual desire to love Krishna, and draw the devotee
toward the lotus feet of Radha and Krishna.
As the spiritual world is reflected in the material world, so also the Gopala-mantra is
reflected on the sea of material desires.
Kama bija has a two-fold aspect:
(1) one fulfills material desires
(2) the other satisfies spiritual desires
When the chanting of the Gopala-mantra is not pure, it is a reflection and therefore
not transcendental. It is like the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra in the
abhasa state.
Until one attains pure devotion, the vibration of the Gopala-mantra is impure. The
pure mantra is being reflected in the mundane world within the materially
contaminated mind in such a way that it fulfills one's material desires.
The Gopala-mantra is the source of all other divine mantras. Pure-minded devotees
chant this wonderful mantra with unalloyed devotion, free from any material desire.
The demigods also chant this mantra, but their motive is tinged with selfish desires.
In the next verse Lord Brahma shows the example for all sincere devotees:
"Not only I (Brahma), but Lord Siva and King Candradvaja received this wonderful klim
mantra, and by chanting it we became free from ignorance, received a vision of the
Lord, and realized that Shri Krishna is the final goal of life.
Therefore, a dedicated, unalloyed devotee who chants this mantra will surely attain
realization of the Supreme Lord Krishna as the final resort." (GU 1.29-32)
The Gopala-mantra, consisting of Krishna's names (Krishna, Govinda, Gopi jana
vallabha) is non-different from the Supreme Lord.
The process of chanting and attentively meditating upon such a mantra is called
mantra-upasana, or worship through the channel of the mantra.
As one chants the Gopala-mantra, he progressively realizes Krishna's form,
qualities and pastimes.
He also realizes his own spiritual form and becomes established in his eternal
service to Krishna.
Mantra-upasana meditation must be accompanied by service to Krishna.
Under the direction of Sarasvati, Lord Brahma, the head of our sampradaya,
performed mantra-upasana meditation. After thousands of years of meditating
upon Gopijanavallabha, Brahma attained perfection.
As mentioned in Chapter one, each mantra has a particular ista-deva or ruling
Deity. The Deity of the Gopala-mantra is Gopala Krishna. The particular form
of Gopala depends on the individual sentiments of a devotee.
For those in sakhya-bhava, Gopala takes the cows out for grazing.
Gopala sits on Yasoda's lap for those with parental love.
Devotees in madhurya-rasa see Him as Kisora Gopala pleasing the senses of His
beloved Kishori.
The Gopala-mantra is used primarily for arcana and the Kama-gayatri is for
sandhya meditation.
Similarly, the Gaura-mantra is for worship and the Gaura-gayatri is for sandhya
meditation.
It appears that the same results can be had from either the Gopala-mantra or
the Kama-gayatri, but the Brahma-samhita indicates that the Kama-gayatri,
being given later to Lord Brahma, gave more complete realization of Krishna.
"This mystic eighteen-syllable Gopala-mantra conveys the svayam-rupa Shri
Krishna with Shrimati Radhika on an emerald-studded golden throne sitting in
the center of a thousand petaled lotus flower under a wish-fulfilling tree at
the yogapitha in Vrndavana.
They are being attended by thousands of vraja-gopis. The constant
remembrance of this pastime at the stage of sadhana ultimately leads to the
attainment vastu-siddhi, the final goal." (GU)
Meaning of Klim
Klim is the bija-mantra of the Gopala-mantra and Kama-gayatri. Klim is nondifferent
from Omkara.
It is the seed of all desires, or the seed that fulfills all desires.
When added to the Gopala-mantra, klim is the transcendental seed of love of
Godhead. Klim is the bija-mantra for worshiping Krishna (klim krishnaya), and it
also represents Radha and Krishna.
"The word klim represents the seed of desire or aspiration. The Gopala-mantra
has two aspects: It impels the soul toward the supreme enchanter of the heart,
Krishna, the Lord of Gokula and the Lord of the gopis.
When the devotee sadhaka becomes free from selfish desire, he can attain the
perfection of divine love of God, prema. But if the sadhaka still harbors some
personal individual desires, this supreme Gopala-mantra will fulfill those desires
too." (BS v.24 p.)
Chanting the Gopala-mantra impels or makes one think of the form of Krishna
as Madana-mohana, the supreme enchanter of Cupid who captivates the entire
creation.
The Rasollasa Tantra describes that klim is non different from Radha and Krishna. It
says that Krishna is the very kama-bija Himself, and Radha is the very rati-bija Herself.
By performing sankirtana of both these bijas, Radha and Krishna become very pleased.
Kama (desire) is the name of the transcendental Krishna, Cupid, the God of love in
Vrndavana.
Rati (amorous affection) is the name of Cupid's wife, but in this reference Rati means
Shri Radha.
"The kama-bija, klim (the seed of desire), is the very seed which is one's own desire
or aspiration, stimulates one's desire, and is fulfilled by one's desires." (MD)
This word klim can fulfill all desires, either material or spiritual. It will reward the
result of one's prayers. Klim represents divine lust; the gopis' selfless love to satisfy
Krishna's desires. The kama-bija klim contains all the elements of the love between
Radha and Krishna.
The kama bija (klim) is the main mantra for achieving the service of Radha and
Krishna in Vrndavana. The kama bija mantra acts as the transcendental seed of love
of Godhead. The ever-fresh Krishna Cupid is worshiped by uttering the klim mantra.
The word klim, which is the kama-bija or the seed of desire, contains the
syllables ka and la which can be taken to mean Kalavati (Radha) and Kalanidhi
(Krishna).
In verse forty-four of Vilapa-kusumanjali, Shrila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami prays
to the Divine Couple with these two names:
"O Devi, when Krishna, the enemy of Mura, touches Your lowered shoulders in the
rasa dance, He looks like a full moon (Kalanidhi), shining with an abundance of lust.
O Kalavati! (artful girl) When will this maidservant joyfully place a sweet jasmine
garland, surrounded by humming bees, on those shoulders?"
Shrila Ramananda Raya extols the unique position of Shrimati Radharani:
sata-koti-gopite nahe kama-nirvapana
tahatei anumani shri-radhikara guna
"Out of millions of gopis, only Shrimati Radhika (Kalavati) can extinguish the blazing fire
of Krishna's lusty desires. So we can just imagine how transcendentally qualified She
is." (Cc. Madhya 8.116)
The word klim is the seed of desire that grows into the Kama-gayatri of twenty-four
and one-half syllables. Each of these syllables is like a shining full moon of lust
(Kalanidhi) on each limb of Krishna's gorgeous body.
Even though Kalanidhi Krishna's moonlike splendor fills the whole world with desire,
still His desires increase unlimitedly when He sees the splendid moonlike face of
Kalavati Radha.
One should think of the word klim as the seed of desire referring to Kalanidhi Krishna
and Kalavati Radha who alone fulfills all His desires, and whose service the sadhaka
desires to attain.
In Shri Radha-sahasra-nama stotra, Narada Muni says, kama-bija-pradayini:
"Shrimati Radhika gives the seed of desire to attain Shri Krishna."
Meaning of Krishnaya
Krishnaya means Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who delivers us from
sin (papa-karsana), and the Deity who establishes our relationship (sambandha)with
the Lord. He liberates the demons He kills, and attracts the minds and hearts of the
fallen with His blissful transcendental pastimes.
The word Krishnaya is based on two Sanskrit roots: krs which means existence or to
draw near, and na which means ananda, bliss, or to renounce.
Thus Krishnaya indicates Krishna, the ultimate existence of bliss and beauty, who
attracts or draws everyone to His lotus feet with His incomparably sweet form, flute,
love, and play. Such sweet love and enchanting attraction causes one to renounce the
misery of material attachment.
"The very name Krishna means that He attracts even Cupid. He is therefore
attractive to everyone—male and female, moving and inert living entities. Indeed,
Krishna is known as the all-attractive one." (Cc. Madhya 8.139)
Meaning of Govindaya
Govindaya means Govinda who pleases the cows, land, senses, gopas, and gopis. Govinda
is the transcendental Deity form of Krishna who establishes our service (abhidheya)
to the Lord. The name Govinda comes from the words 'go' and 'indate.'
Go means cows, gopas, gopis and the five senses. Indate means 'master or lord.' So
the word govindaya means the lord of the five senses.
Krishna Govinda is all-attractive, and there is no one more attracted to Him than
Shrimati Radhika.
While meditating on the word govindaya, one can remember the following description
of the enchanting nature of Govinda's transcendental senses.
Shrimati Radhika said:
"Hey Visakhe! Govinda's bodily effulgence is more beautiful than a new monsoon
cloud, and His gorgeous garments resemble lightning. Krishna's captivating flute
enhances His elegance, and His face outshines the autumn moon.
A peacock-feathered crown rests upon His head, and the necklaces of pearls and
jewels adorning His broad chest look like a row of stars. O sakhi! The sight of
Krishna's incomparable beauty is saturating My eyes with bliss.
"Krishna's deep voice resounds like a rumbling cloud and His tinkling ornaments
allure the ears. Krishna's joking has seductive hidden meanings, and His
charming flute playing steals the hearts of all chaste women. Oh Visakhe! My
ears are totally captivated by Krishna.
"The fragrance of Govinda's body conquers the aroma of musk to enslave all
women. The eight richly scented lotuses of His body are more fragrant than a
mixture of lotus flowers and camphor.
His body is anointed with the finest quality aguru, camphor, candana and musk.
Needless to say, these wonderful fragrances are continually thrilling My nose.
"Hey sakhi! I am intensely eager to touch Krishna's broad chest, which is as
enticing as a sapphire pillar. His strong arms bolt the door of the gopis' hearts
from the attack of Cupid's arrows. Govinda's body is more soothing than
moonbeams, candana, camphor and a lotus combined.
"The nectar of Krishna's sweet lips removes the desire for any other taste.
However, that nectar is attainable only for one possessing heaps of pious
assets. The remnants of Krishna's pan conquer the sweetness of nectar. Oh
Visakhe! My tongue is becoming mad to relish the sweet taste of
Krishna." (Govinda-lilamrta)
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