tvam rupa-manjari sakhi prathita pure'smin
pumsah parasya vadanam na hi pasyasiti
bimbadhare ksatam anagata-bhartrkaya
yat te vayadhayi kim u tac chuka-pungavena
tvam – you; rupa-manjari – Rupa Manjari; sakhi – my dear girlfriend; prathita – well known; pure – in the town; asmin – in; pumsah – man; parasya – of another; vadanam – the face; na – not; hi – surely; pasyasi – you look; iti – thus; bimba-adhare – on your lips, that look like red bimba fruits; ksatam – bites; anagata – not come; bhartrkaya – your husband; yat – which; te – you; vyadhayi – caused; kim – what? u – indeed; tac – that; chuka – parrot; pungavena – by the best of.
Translation
My dear friend Rupa-manjari! You are well known in Vraja for your chastity; you don't even look at the faces of other men. It is therefore surprising that although your husband is not at home, your lips, which are as beautiful as red bimba fruits, have been bitten. Has this perhaps been done by the best of parrots?
Commentary
Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami is first praying to his Gurudeva – not to Srila Yadunandana Acarya, nor to Srila Sanatana Gosvami or Srila Svarupa Damodara Gosvami. They are all gurus, and Svarupa Damodara is one of the best gurus. Still, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami first offers his prayers to Srila Rupa Gosvami, to whom he has dedicated his life and from whom he has received so much confidential guidance.
Before writing Sri Vilapa-kusumanjali, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was thinking, "I should write a mangalacaranam, an auspicious invocation." As soon as he picked up his pen, he at once entered ardha-bahya-dasa (half internal, half external consciousness), and then antara-dasa (internal consciousness). In that inner state, in his form as Sri Rati-manjari, he saw the smiling face of Sri Rupa-manjari and noticed some unnatural marks – bite marks – on her lips. Rati-manjari also began to smile.
Rati-manjari considers herself to be a new sakhi and Rupa-manjari to be her siksa-guru. Actually, there is no word 'siksa-guru' in that realm, but there is a transcendental conception of siksa-guru there. It can also be said that Sri Lalita-devi and Sri Visakha-devi are the siksa-gurus of all the sakhis. Because I am speaking in this mundane world, I am using the words of this world. I cannot explain these topics in transcendental language, so my words may sound mundane.
Intending to pray to Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami entered deep into antara-dasa, internal trance, where he saw Rupa-manjari with some cuts on her lips. In a joking manner he said as Rati-manjari, "You are famous in Vraja as a chaste lady. However, although your husband has been gone four or five days and has not yet returned, I see that you have fresh cuts on your lips from a few hours ago, or maybe from last night. I think that perhaps a small parrot has come and mistaken them for a bimba fruit." Rupa-manjari then glanced towards Rati-manjari and, being very pleased with her, smiled still further.
Therefore, in the third verse it will be stated, "Tvam eva rati-manjari pracura punya-punjodaya – O Rati-manjari, you are the most fortunate gopi in Vraja." In that third verse, Sri Rupa-manjari has given a blessing. Although the third verse is in Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami's Vilapa-kusumanjali, these are not the words of Rati-manjari or Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, but rather the blessings of Rupa-manjari. Rupa-manjari has blessed Raghunatha dasa Gosvami: "You can write, and whatever you write will be the best composition."
In this world we have a guru and we are his disciples, but in raganuga-bhakti (internally) the guru is like a friend. Visrambhena gurau seva. In the spiritual realm, there is no formal relation of guru and disciple as there is in this world. Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami used to address Srila Rupa Gosvami as guru, and he respected him as such. Inwardly, however, he saw him as a sakhi, as Rupa-manjari, as he will further reveal in the third verse.
Throughout Vilapa-kusumanjali, he prays to Srimati Radhika, "All my prayers for service are like flowers. I am creating a garland of these flowers and, making them fragrant with the tears of my eyes, I am offering them to you."
He is telling this to Srimati Radhika, not to Krsna. All the verses of Vilapa-kusumanjali are in connection with both Radha and Krsna, yet he especially directs his heart to Radha. Rupa-manjari is very near and dear to Srimati Radhika, and therefore, to achieve Her mercy, he is praying herein to Rupa-manjari.
Note that it is not 'he' who is saying this, but 'she.' Rati-manjari is telling Rupa-manjari: "O Rupa-manjari sakhi, I have heard that you are famous in Vraja for your chastity to your husband. No one is equal to you. At the same time, I see something that I cannot understand, and I have a doubt. Your husband has gone to buy cows, and more than four or five days have passed. Because he is searching for a very special kind of cow, he has not yet returned.
"Still, I see a mark on your lips, which are as red as a very soft bimba fruit. That blackish parrot, who is always flitting and flying here and there, may have taken your lips to be a delicious bimba fruit. I think He wanted to taste that bimba fruit, and that must be why your lip is cut."
Before Raghunatha dasa Gosvami wrote this first verse, when he had been in antara-dasa in the mood of Rati-manjari, Rati-manjari had gone to see Rupa-manjari, who at that time was full of joy. Perhaps they had met shortly after rasa-lila.
The inner meaning of Rati-manjari's statement is: "I see today that Krsna has met with you, and therefore your lips are cut. Can you describe what happened?" At once, Rupa-manjari took Rati-manjari in her arms and began to weep. She was not able to answer directly, but with her eyes and mood she said, "Yes, Krsna has done this."
It may be said that Rati-manjari is offering pranama, obeisances, by this utterance, but the word 'pranama' is not in the verse. Her mood and prayer is so much greater than a pranama; and, hearing her poetic words, Rupa-manjari at once became so glad.
In the next verse Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami prays:
sthala-kamalini yuktam garvita kanane'smin
pranayasi vara-hasyam puspa-guccha-cchalena
api nikhila-latas tah saurabhaktah sa muncan
mrgayati tava margam krsna-bhrngo yad adya
"O Sthala-kamalini!" Kamalini means 'lotus,' and sthala-kamalini means 'land-lotus.' The kamala blooms in sunlight, and the kamalini blooms at night, by candra-prakasa (the light of the moon). The word candra in this connection refers to Krsnacandra.
"You are laughing. Why are you laughing? Is there anything behind this? I think that in this moonlit Vrndavana forest You have fully blossomed; softness, fragrance, and honey are all abounding in you. You laugh because You are quite proud. Ladies are greatly proud when their husbands are obedient to them and try to please them at any cost. You are proud because you understand that all other gopis are nothing in comparison to you. You laugh as if You are puspa-guccha-cchalena, several lotuses in one cluster." Here the word guccha, cluster of flowers, implies that Srimati Radhika is resplendent with laughter, glances, and so on. And, because Rupa-manjari vicariously experiences what Radhika experiences, she also manifests these symptoms.
Rati-manjari continues, "The bee loves flowers. In this Vrndavana there are so many flowers, each more beautiful than the other. You are the most fragrant, however. Therefore, not flying here and there, that bee, that black Krsna-bee, has left all other lotus flower-like gopis and came only to you. You have bound Him by Your fragrance, Your beauty, Your sweetness, and all Your other qualities. Will You have mercy upon me so that I can realize and taste all that You taste? Please give me a little of Your mercy."
Question: You once said that when Krsna approaches Rupa-manjari she says, "Radhe! Radhe!" and runs away. You have said that she has no desire to meet personally with Krsna. Her only interest is to be with and serve Srimati Radhika.
Srila Gurudeva: This is implied in the verse. Sri Rupa-manjari is a sevika, a maidservant, of Srimati Radhika. When Srimati Radhika sends a sakhi like her to Sri Krsna as a messenger, Krsna may propose to her in all kinds of ways – but she always refuses His advances. Srimati Radhika has full faith in these sakhis, because they act in such a way that She has no chance to doubt them.
This type of kamatmika-prema, or kamarupa ragatmika-prema, is not sambhoga-icchamayi (entailing direct enjoyment with Krsna); it is tat-tad-bhava-icchamayi (enjoying via the enjoyment of Srimati Radhika), and it has a speciality. If the manjaris do not have kama, they cannot be kamanuga. They have kama, but it is in the anugatya (under the guidance) of Radhika. It is not independent of Her. By Radhika's wish Krsna sometimes approaches the manjaris, for without this they cannot be considered in the category of kamanuga, but they reject His advances.
The manjaris are like the small flowers of a creeper. If one pours water on the root of a creeper, all the flowers and all the leaves will be nourished. Similarly, when Radha and Krsna meet, whatever Radha is experiencing – by Her mouth, face, and body – is experienced by them. Whatever She experiences by tasting Krsna, they also experience.
Have you heard this verse?
sri-rupa-manjari-kararcita-pada-padma-
gosthendra-nandana-bhujarpita-mastakayah
ha modatah kanaka-gauri padaravinda-
samvahanani sanakais tava kim karisye
(Sri Vilapa-kusumanjali, text 72)
O golden-complexioned girl, when You are laying with Your head in Krsna's lap and Your feet are in the lap of Rupa-manjari, and she is massaging Your feet, will Rupa-manjari, with the corners of her eyes, offer me her mahaprasadam seva of gently massaging Your feet while she fans You?
Not only this verse, but all the verses of Sri Vilapa-kusumanjali confirm the idea that the only desire of the manjaris is to serve Srimati Radhika in Her service to Sri Krsna. All rupanuga Gauòiya Vaisnavas remember these verses and utter them daily.
This service is our final goal. If you somehow have greed for this service after hundreds of thousands of births, you will be so fortunate. The qualification for this will come by the grace of a gopi who is manifest in this world as a raganuga Vaisnava, and when you achieve his grace it will be very easy to remember all these prayers and pastimes. In your present stage it is not easy to remember, but at that time remembrance will come easily and automatically, without any endeavor.
Question: You have said previously that by Srimati Radhika's arrangement or indication Lord Krsna meets with some other gopis or manjaris. At the time of rasa-lila Krsna dances with all of the gopis. Is that also Radhika's desire or arrangement?
Srila Gurudeva: This is an example of nara-lila. Her desire was there, but it was not shown outwardly. Inwardly She wanted it, but if She had revealed Her inner desire She would not have left the rasa arena, the other gopis would not have come to understand Her superiority, and there would not have been rasa.
There are many types of rasa-lilas. Vasanta-rasa was seen in trance by Srila Jayadeva Gosvami, and he has written about this in his Sri Gita-govinda: Once, rasa was going on at Candra Sarovara, near Govardhana, for the period of Brahma-ratri, Lord Brahma's night. During that time Candra (the Moon) stayed fixed in one place, watching everything, and that place is therefore called Candra Sarovara. During that rasa-lila Srimati Radhika thought, "Krsna is sporting with all the gopis as well as with Me. He is neglecting Me." Seeing Him with all the other gopis, She disappeared from the arena of the rasa and entered a kunja.
The author of Gita-govinda has written, "Smarati mano me krta parihasam." When Srimati Radhika was greatly suffering in deep viraha-rasa (separation), continually weeping for Krsna, a sakhi – either Lalita, Visakha, or Rupa-manjari – approached Her. Radhika was weeping so bitterly that She was barely able to maintain Her external consciousness. When the sakhi asked, "Why are You weeping?" Srimati Radhika replied, "Smarati mano me krta parihasam – My heart remembers only the joking pastimes that Sri Krsna enjoyed with Me."
How does Krsna joke? He thinks, "Srimati Radhika should become angry with Me. Then, when Her anger is gone and She is pleased, I will have a greater chance to serve Her."
Srimati Radhika told Her sakhi that once, when Sri Krsna was once sitting with Her after rasa, He said to Her, "O Priye (darling beloved), O Candra, I am so pleased with You." He had said 'Candra,' indicating Candravali, knowing She was Radhika, just to make Her angry. He continued, "O Priye, I am Yours. I do not belong to anyone else, O Priye Candra." Hearing this, Srimati Radhika became furious and said, "Never speak to Me again. I will have no connection with You. Go to Candra at once, and remain with her. Don't come to Me at any time." Krsna then prayed to Her, "Please excuse My offence. I have committed a great mistake. I promise that I will never do this again." He had done that only in jest, but still He 'admitted' His fault and prayed, "Please forgive Me." His hands were cupped like those of a beggar, and His pitambara (yellow cloth) was hanging from His neck.
After sharing this with Her sakhi, Radhika was restless and could no longer speak; She could only think of Krsna.
Another time, Krsna sent a gopi to Radhika, telling her, "Go and tell Radhika that I am praying to Her. Tell Her that I will never commit an offence again in My entire life, and that She must forgive Me." However, hearing Krsna's message and simply weeping, Srimati Radhika told the messenger, "I will not do so." When that gopi returned to Krsna and repeated Radhika's words, Krsna exclaimed that again a duti (messenger) should go to appease Radhika, and this time He Himself became the messenger in the dress of a very beautiful gopi. He was decorated with sixteen kinds of abharana (decoration) and thirty-two kinds of bhavas (ecstatic ornamentations), and His many bhavas made Him look exquisite. Decorated with various colored unguents, He approached Radhika and bowed down before Her.
At first Radhika could not recognize Him. She simply saw a very beautiful gopi, and asked 'Her,' "Who are You?"
Sri Krsna replied, "Krsna has sent Me to You. I am a dasi of Krsna, and He has sent Me to beg You to forgive Him. He has made a mistake; He admits that. So, please do not be angry with Him. He is certainly faultless, and He is unable to commit any offence. He is very rasika, and He loves You more than any other gopi. Now He weeps continually, and upon hearing and seeing His weeping all the creepers, trees, and other beings are also weeping. You alone are not affected."
Hearing this, Radhika's heart melted and She said, "Sakhi, what shall I give You? I wanted Him to admit His fault and come to Me, so I'm very much pleased with You." She took that sakhi in Her arms, and when She did so She at once understood, "Oh, this is Syamasundara!"
Srila Jayadeva Gosvami explains in Sri Gita-govinda that when Srimati Radhika left the rasa-lila and entered the kunja, Krsna came and placed His head at Her lotus feet. He prayed to Her, "Smara-garala-khandanam mama sirasi mandanam, dehi pada-palavam udharam – Your lotus feet are like a vast reservoir of water that can extinguish a great fire. I am burning in the fire of separation from You." Garala means poison, and smara means kama, or love. "I am burning in separation with a desire to meet with You. Now I have caught hold of Your lotus feet; only these feet can relieve Me of that fire. Dehi pada-palavam udharam. Now I offer My head at Your lotus feet. Please decorate My head with those feet."
Srimati Radhika became happy and said, "Yes, I am ready to go to the rasa-sthali (the arena of rasa-lila); but please do one thing: My hair and braid have become disarrayed, so please fix them." Sri Krsna then very happily began to comb Her hair. Srimati Radhika held up a mirror in front of Her to see Sri Krsna's face – how joyfully He was serving Her. Then She said, "Now, please place ornaments on My body and ankle-bells on My feet," and Krsna did that.
This is called svadhina-bhartrka, wherein Sri Krsna is fully under the control of His beloved. Convinced now that He wants Her more than any other gopi, Srimati Radhika accompanied Him to the rasa-sthali.
This pastime took place during Vasanta-rasa, and it shows that Srimati Radhika inwardly likes to arrange for Krsna to meet with other gopis, but outwardly, for rasa, Her mood manifests differently.
Sri Krsna also acts in this way. Once, Radha and Krsna and all the gopis were meeting together in Vrndavana, and at that time Srimati Radhika became angry. Sri Krsna wanted to talk to Her, but She was not in a mood to talk. Krsna then became very unhappy and said, "If You refuse speak to Me, I'm going." He then entered a nearby kunja and pretended to be asleep.
A sakhi or manjari who was watching from a distance saw Him enter there, and, returning to Lalita and Visakha, she told them, "Let us go and see what He is doing there." Lalita, Visakha, and Srimati Radhika went to that place and saw Him 'sleeping,' whereas He was thinking, "Let them think I am in a good, sound sleep."
Lalita told the others, "This is the best time to steal His flute. When we take it, He will become Srimati Radhika's most obedient servant. Though we need to capture it, we must also be aware that Krsna's arms are like very cruel serpents. If He catches us, how will we accomplish our theft?" They proposed that this difficult task could only be performed by Srimati Radhika – not by anyone else. She would go and somehow steal that flute.
Silently and stealthily approaching like a cat, and with a slight smile, Srimati Radhika glanced towards Krsna to make sure He was unaware of Her presence. In the meantime, Krsna had been hearing the gopis' conversation. Inwardly desiring that they steal His flute, He was thinking, "Srimati Radhika has not been talking to Me. If She steals My flute, I will have an opportunity to meet Her and speak about so many things in so many ways. I will do something by force. I will demand, 'Where have You kept My flute?' I will catch hold of Her, and one, two, three, or four others, and this will create a very good rasa." Outwardly, however, He remained silent.
Srimati Radhika watched to see whether He was actually sleeping or only pretending to sleep. At first He held His flute tightly, but because He knew that Radhika was coming He loosened His grip. Radhika very cleverly and silently took the flute and returned to Her friends. She then gave the flute to a sakhi, who gave it another, who in turn gave it to another; and finally She hid it in Her long braid.
After some time the gopis heard the leaves rustling, and then they saw Krsna come out of the kunja. He asked them, "Oh, you are here? Where is My flute? You have taken My flute!" As He walked up to Srimati Radhika, with Her eyes She told Him that Lalita had taken it. When He went to Lalita and demanded, "Where is My flute? You have taken it!" She told Him that it had been taken by Visakha. He then went to Visakha.
In this way Sri Krsna continued searching, and He continued to ask the gopis, "Where have you put My flute?" The gopis ran hither and thither, laughing and clapping "O, Your only wife is Your flute," they said. "Now she has gone, but don't worry. We will go and cut a piece of bamboo. There are so many bamboos here. Why are You crying for that one?" In this way they teased Krsna, and He replied, "Oh, you don't know that this flute is My very life."
At last, Kundalata-devi arrived on the scene. She is the wife of Subhadra, Upananda's youngest son. Upananda is the brother of Nanda Baba, and is thus Krsna's uncle. In India, the son of one's uncle is considered like a brother, and he is also called 'cousin-brother.' Subhadra, Krsna's cousin, is older than Him, and Kundalata is therefore Krsna's elder sister-in law.
Kundalata asked Krsna, "Why are You so distressed?" Krsna replied, "My flute has been stolen by these gopis, and they will not return it. They simply tell Me, 'Go and take shelter of the feet of Lalita, or Visakha.'" Kundalata then told the gopis, "Don't behave like this. Give Him back His flute. If you do, He will fulfill all your desires."
There are so many pastimes like this. Krsna sometimes pretends to sleep, but He knows everything; for lila He does so. And, as far as Srimati Radhika is concerned, She is para-sakti (Krsna's complete, spiritual potency), or svarupa-sakti (Krsna's intrinsic potency); She also knows everything. Whatever She does is only to please Krsna, and Krsna does everything only to please Radhika and all the gopis. This is also true in rasa-lila. Krsna wanted to please Her, and She wanted to please Him.
Do not have any worldly conception about this. Always be cautious to avoid even a trace of material conception. Pray to Yogamaya, Sri Krsna, Srimati Radhika, and all the sakhis that no worldly idea will come in your heart by hearing and reading these lilas.
vikriditam vraja-vadhubhir idam ca visnoh
sraddhanvito 'nusrnuyad atha varnayed yah
bhaktim param bhagavati pratilabhya kamam
hrd-rogam asv apahinoty acirena dhirah
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.33.39)
"If anyone deeply hears, tells, reads, or remembers the pastimes of rasa with great faith, all worldly lust will disappear from his heart at once."
Sri Pradyumna Misra once told Sriman Mahaprabhu, "I want to hear some hari-katha."
Mahaprabhu replied, "I don't know any hari-katha, but I have heard hari-katha from Sri Ramananda Raya."
Pradyumna Misra then went to Ramananda Raya's home. Seeing that he was not in the outer courtyard, he asked the servant, "Where is he?"
The servant replied, "He is in the inner quarters, in his room."
Pradyumna Misra asked, "What is he doing? Will he come out now?"
The servant replied, "No, he will not come out. If you like you can come at any other time."
Pradyumna Misra then asked, "What is he doing?"
The servant replied, "He is with young teenage girls, they are deva-dasis, or maidservants of Lord Jagannatha. He is washing, dressing, and decorating these maidservants, and teaching them how to dance and sing for the pleasure of Lord Jagannatha."
Pradyumna Misra thought, "He is dressing teenage girls? I am a brahmacari. There is no need of hearing hari-katha from that person. I want to hear from someone like Srila Sukadeva Gosvami."
Pradyumna Misra returned to Mahaprabhu with some disdain. Mahaprabhu asked him, "Have you heard anything from Ramananda Raya?"
"No."
"Why not?"
Pradyumna Misra was silent. Mahaprabhu knew that he had a sense of disrespect towards Sri Raya Ramananda, and therefore told him, "While seeing these girls, Ramananda Raya is like a tree; like dry wood. No transformation of lust takes place in his body. What to say of these girls, even if a demigoddess would come to him, there would be no reaction at all in his body or mind. He is always remembering rasa-lila, and it is he who told Me rasa-lila katha. First he explained varnasrama-dharma, and I told him, 'This is external. Please explain further.' At last he told Me that kanta-prema, madhurya-prema, is the greatest perfection of life. He told Me it is also greater than sakhya-rasa and vatsalya-rasa, and he explained two verses in this regard.
"One verse describes how Sri Krsna appeared before the gopis as saksan manmatha-manmathah, the enchanter of Cupid:
tasam avirabhuc chaurih
smayamana-mukhambujah
pitambara-dharah sragvi
saksan manmatha-manmathah
Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.32.2)
Then Sri Krsna, a smile on His lotus face, appeared before the gopis. Wearing a garland and a yellow garment, He directly appeared as one who can bewilder the mind of Cupid, who himself bewilders the minds of ordinary people.
"After singing Gopi-gita, the gopis were reunited with Sri Krsna, who had been observing them bitterly crying in separation as they sang. Sri Sukadeva Gosvami explains that Krsna appeared before the gopis when they were senseless and just about to die. In what manner did He come? Smayamana-mukhambujah. Smaya means prema, or love. He came with so much love. Mukhambujah – mukha means 'face,' and ambuja means 'lotus.' His beautiful face resembles a lotus flower. He was smiling, but He also looked somewhat ashamed. Why? He was thinking, 'I have given the gopis so much suffering.' Pitambara-dharah. He placed His pitambara, or yellow cloth, around His neck, and His palms were folded in supplication in a mood of prayer, yet He was also smiling. Manmatha-manmathah. Manmatha means 'one who can enchant others' minds and hearts by the sweetness of His form and qualities.'
"Bhagavan Sri Krsna is so beautiful, and He enchants even Madana, Kamadeva (Cupid), who Sankara once burnt to ashes for trying to make Sankara lusty. Kamadeva was reborn as Pradyumna, the son of Sri Krsna, who is manmatha-manmathah, the origin and enchanter of Kamadeva.
"Now, in the presence of the gopis, Krsna became extremely beautiful, with a smiling face and with some shame, as if He committed an offence. He was now bowing down to them.
"These gopis placed their silken veils on the earth to seat Him, and sitting on that seat Lord Krsna appeared lovely. At that time He told them:
na paraye 'ham niravadya-samyujam
sva-sadhu-krtyam vibudhayusapi vah
ya mabhajan durjara-geha-srnkhalah
samvrscya tad vah pratiyatu sadhuna
Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.32.22)
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 worshiped Me, cutting off all domestic ties which are difficult to break. Therefore please let your own glorious deeds be your compensation.
"'I have disappeared from your sight only to hear your words of loving anger and to see your faces in anger. I did this to increase your love for Me, and to show the whole world Srimati Radhika's unparalleled condition in separation from Me; so that the world would realize Her glory. I did not go anywhere. I was here, but I was hidden.
"'If I take birth as Lord Brahma, who has the longest life-span in this entire universe, or even if I have the combined duration of the lives of billions of Lord Brahmas, I will never be freed from My debt to you.'
"The gopis asked, 'Why is that?'
"Krsna replied, 'Because you have left your husbands and everything else to come to Me. I am indebted to you. And if I tell you to ask from Me anything you like, you will say, "Give us the opportunity to serve You."
Thus, I will become still more indebted. If again I tell you to take any blessing from Me, again you will say, "Allow us to serve You." In this way I will never be free from My debt to you.'"
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, "Srila Ramananda Raya knows all these truths, and he has induced Me hear them. So go again. Be assured that he is like a piece of dry wood in relation to this world. He has no material identification. He is like Srimati Radhika and the gopis, who have no desire in their heart to please themselves:
atmendriya-priti-vancha – tare bali 'kama'
krsnendriya-priti-iccha dhare 'prema' nama
(Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 4.165)
Kama is the desire to please one's senses, and priti, love, is the desire to please Krsna."
Sri Pradyumna Misra went again, and this time Raya Ramananda was in his courtyard.
Raya Ramananda asked, "Why have you come here?"
Pradyumna Misra replied, "I requested Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to tell me some hari-katha, and He replied, 'I don't know anything. Sri Ramananda Raya knows everything.'"
Ramananda Raya asked, "What kind of hari-katha do you want to hear?"
Pradyumna Misra replied, "I want to hear what you told Caitanya Mahaprabhu – all those topics."
Srila Ramananda Raya narrated that hari-katha, and Pradyumna Misra became deeply satisfied. He returned to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and told Him, "I feel fulfilled, by Your grace."
The gopis can give what Krsna cannot give. Similarly, Srila Ramananda Raya and Srila Rupa Gosvami can give the love of the gopis, and Lalita and Visakha can give it, but Krsna cannot.
Clearly pleased, Mahaprabhu told Pradyumna Misra, "It is said that I am rasika, the knower and taster of all rasas. But how has this become so?" He gave the credit to Srila Ramananda Raya, who is likened to a rain-cloud which takes water from the ocean. When, during the svati-naksatra constellation rains pour down upon the ocean, the oysters within it produce pearls. That very water from the ocean becomes clouds by evaporation, and during the svati-naksatra the water returns to that ocean. But at that time the ocean becomes filled with jewels.
Similarly Sri Krsna, or Sri Krsna as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is rasika, but He is not rasika independently. Just as Mahaprabhu hears about or remembers Srimati Radhika and the gopis with the help of Srila Ramananda Raya, similarly, when Sri Krsna sports with Srimati Radhika and the gopis and they converse with Him, then He is rasika. Otherwise He is nirvisesa-tattva (the featureless, impersonal aspect of the Absolute).
sancarya ramabhidha-bhakta-meghe
sva bhakti-siddhanta-cayamrtani
gaurabdhir etair amuna vitirnais
taj-jnatva-ratnalayatam prayati
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 8.1)
Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu is a boundless, nectarean ocean of the established conclusions of devotion (bhakti-siddhanta), and His devotee Sri Ramananda Raya is the cloud whom He filled with these conclusions about devotion to Him. When Mahaprabhu experienced the rain of bhakti-tattvas that the Ramananda-cloud showered upon Him, He was transformed into an ocean of jewels.
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Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga. December 6th, 2011 is Gita Jayanti, the advent of the Bhagavad-gita. Below is the first chapter of Srila Gurudeva's book, Nectar of Govinda-lila, where he speaks about the most important verse in the Gita, 18.65.
Your aspiring servants,
The Hari-katha team]
Recently, by the desire of Bhagavan, we had to leave Vrndavana for some time, but wherever we go, we always remember Vrndavana. The scriptures describe many spiritual places, but in the entire brahmanòa there is no place like Vrndavana. He who knows the glories of Vrndavana will understand this, and especially one who has received the mercy of Vrndavana will understand this. In his Sri Vrndavana-mahimamrta, Srila Prabhodananda Sarasvati has written that Vrndavana is our everything, and not just the village of Vrndavana, but the entire Vraja-manòala. Especially Nanda-grama, Varsana, Radha-kunòa, Syama-kunòa, Giriraja Govardhana: they are all included within Vrndavana. Sri Krsna and His eternal associates have performed pastimes there which are thoroughly unique.
For understanding these things, the instructions of the Bhagavad-gita serve as a foundation. Constructed upon this foundation is the palace of the Srimad-Bhagavatam with its twelve floors. There are nine storeys or cantos lower, two storeys or cantos above, and in the middle is the tenth storey, or the Tenth Canto. Inside this there are ninety different kunjas, which are the chapters of the Tenth Canto. And in the centre of this are five special chambers, which are the five chapters describing rasa, where Sri Radha and Krsna are enjoying amorous pastimes. It appears that Radhika is serving Krsna, but really Krsna is serving Her. As long as the foundation of the instructions of the Bhagavad-gita is not there, we will take a mundane understanding of these topics and everything will be ruined.
In the Gita (18.65) we find this verse:
man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaisyasi satyam te
pratijane priyo si me
"Absorb your mind and heart in Me, become My devotee, worship Me, offer your pranama to Me, and then certainly you will come to Me. I make this promise to you because you are very dear to Me."
This is the best of all verses in the Bhagavad-gita. We shouldn’t consider the following verse (18.66) to be the best:
sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah
"Give up all forms of religiosity, unworldly or other-worldly, bodily or mental, varnasrama-dharma, the worship of demigods and goddesses, and even the worship of Narayana and Dvarakadhisa and come exclusively to My shelter."
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"Give up all forms of religiosity, unworldly or other-worldly, bodily or mental, varnasrama-dharma, the worship of demigods and goddesses, and even the worship of Narayana and Dvarakadhisa and come exclusively to My shelter."
Although this is the final verse, and Krsna is telling us to abandon our dharma, we may think that some sinful reaction may come to us. But Krsna says, "I am responsible for that. I will excuse you from all sins." Making our parents cry, making our brothers and relatives cry, a wife making her husband cry, a husband making his wife cry, not doing our duty to society, and not following varnasrama-dharma is all adharma or non-religious, and sinful reaction will come to anyone who does these things. But Krsna says, "I promise that I will at once free you from any sinful reaction."
The verse that we will describe here, man-mana bhava, is even better than this verse. The verse sarva-dharman parityajya gives instruction for saranagati, devotional surrender, but this verse gives the fruit of that surrender, and is therefore even more exalted.
When we read the Gita thoroughly, and especially when we look through the commentaries of our acaryas, we see that there are five levels of instructions in the Bhagavad-gita. First, there are general instructions for everyone. After this is guhya or secret, then guhyatar or more secret, then guhyatam or most secret, and finally sarva-guhyatam or the most secret of all secrets. These instructions are not given in an expanded form, but in the form of sutras or condensed verses.
sarvopanisado gavo
dogdha gopala nandanah
partho vatsah sudhir-bhokta
dugdham gitamrtam mahat
Bhag.-gita-mahatmyam 5
All the scriptures – the Vedas, Puranas, Upanisads – are like a cow, and Arjuna is the calf. First the cow feeds a little milk to her calf, and she becomes pacified by that. Then the milkman Sri Krsna can milk the cow, and keep the remainder of the milk aside. Who is the remainder for? Those that are sudhi, whose intelligence is pure. Whose intelligence is pure? The big scientists and big scholars of this world? The Bhagavatam doesn’t say this. It gives the word ‘sumedhah’ , and who is sumedhah? A person who performs bhagavad-bhajana, who is rasika or expert in relishing rasa. One who has decided that engaging in bhagavad-bhajana is the essence of life is purely intelligent, and the rest are fools.
How are they fools? ‘Go-kharah’ – amongst the animals, the fool is the donkey. When we were coming from Delhi recently, we saw a dog seated on top of a donkey, just looking around. The donkey was just going on its way in a relaxed fashion. Therefore the donkey is a big fool. People load all of their rubbish and heavy things on the donkey, and it carries them. It doesn’ t do any work with its front feet, but does everything with its hind legs, such as when it wants to kick some-one. If you tell it to go forward it goes backward, and if you tell it to go backward it goes forward. Such a fool it is, and similarly, those that don t perform bhajana of Bhagavan are also fools. And who is intelligent? Only those who engage in bhagavad-bhajana.
After the cow has first fed her calf a little milk, Krsna keeps the remainder in a pot for those that are sudhi, of pure intelligence, who are dear to Him. Up to here the milk is the instructions of the Gita, but there is something more: on top of the milk will be the essence, the cream. Churn that, and very soft and beautiful butter will also be produced. Along with the butter also come some things to be discarded. Put the butter on the fire, and in the end, what will we save? Ghee. From ghee we cannot make another thing; it i
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From ghee we cannot make another thing; it is the essence.
Vyasa gave Sukadeva the cream and told him, “My son, churn it.” Sukadeva took a churning stick and slowly churned until butter was produced. He distributed this butter in the form of the first nine cantos of the Bhagavatam, but some people said, “We will not take butter; we will accept only the essence of butter.”
So to them he gave the remainder of the Bhagavatam, and therefore the remainder of the Bhagavatam is so much greater. What he gave in the Bhagavatam is apparently nowhere in the Vedas and Upanisads, but actually it is there. In what form is it there? Just as there is ghee spread throughout milk, this essence is in the Gita, Upanisads, Vedas, Puranas, and Ramayana. But taking this milk and then making butter and ultimately ghee is not an ordinary task. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the five chapters describing the rasa-lila, the Gopi-gita, the Bhramara-gita (where Radha is speaking to a bumblebee in the madness of separation from Krsna), and the Uddhava-sandesa (where Krsna sends Uddhava to Vrndavana with a message for the gopis) are the beautiful ghee which he made. And to whom in this world did he give it? He didn’t give it to unqualified people, but exclusively to those who were qualified.
For ordinary people, Bhagavan Sri Krsna has said:
yuktahara-viharasya
yukta-cestasya karmasu
yukta-svapnavabodhasya
yogo bhavati duhkha-ha
Bhag.-gita 6.17
"Don’t eat or sleep too much, and be regulated in working and recreation, otherwise you will not be able to attain that rare yoga wherein a soul meets his Creator. In this general knowledge, He has given the knowledge that we are not these bodies. Be detached from the desires of the body and don’t act for them."
jatasya hi dhruvo mrtyur dhruvam janma mrtasya ca
Bhag.-gita 2.27
One who has taken birth will certainly die, and afterward he will certainly take birth again. Arjuna was crying for everyone?for his son, wife, relatives, friends, and we are also crying for this.
asocyan anvasocas tvam
prajna-vadams ca
bhasase gatasun agatasums ca
nanusocanti panditah
Bhag.-gita 2.11
"Those who are wise despair neither for the living or the dead. Everyone will die, and those that don t go today will go tomorrow or the next day. Don t cry or worry for them, because inside the body is the soul."
nainam chindanti sastrani
nainam dahati pavakah
na cainam kledayanty
apo na sosayati marutah
Bhag.-gita 2.23
"The soul cannot be harmed by any weapon, burnt by fire, moistened by water, or withered by the wind. The soul is eternal, but the body is subject to death, so don't be overly concerned about the body."
Yes, a man can worry for it like this: after becoming enlightened, and realising that Bhagavan has given this body in the form of a mandira and for the purpose of performing bhajana, it should be cared for. We should keep it clean and repair it, because otherwise we won’t be able to do bhajana. Up to here, caring for the body is alright, but it should be done with a spirit of detachment. In the end Bhagavan will ask for it back, and it must be returned. He will ask, “I have given you such a rare and valuable human form, and what have you done with it?”
Therefore He has spoken verses like this:
Yes, a man can worry for it like this: after becoming enlightened, and realising that Bhagavan has given this body in the form of a mandira and for the purpose of performing bhajana, it should be cared for. We should keep it clean and repair it, because otherwise we won’t be able to do bhajana. Up to here, caring for the body is alright, but it should be done with a spirit of detachment. In the end Bhagavan will ask for it back, and it must be returned. He will ask, “I have given you such a rare and valuable human form, and what have you done with it?”
Therefore He has spoken verses like this:
ya nisa sarva-bhutanam
tasyam jagarti samyami
yasyam jagrati bhutani
sa nisa pasyato muneh
Bhag.-gita 2.69
"While ordinary people sleep, the sage is awake in self-realisation, and while the sage sleeps, ordinary people are awake in sense gratification. Therefore you should simply engage in bhagavad-bhajana and considering happiness and distress to be the same, go on doing your duty. Up to here it is general instruction."
After this comes guhya, secret instruction, which is brahma-jnana. The atma is brahma, spiritual substance.
sthita-prajnasya ka
bhasa samadhi-sthasya
kesava sthita-dhih kim
prabhaseta kim asita vrajeta kim
Bhag.-gita 2.54
Arjuna asks, “What are the symptoms of a person whose consciousness is absorbed in brahma? How does he speak, how does he sit, and how does he walk?” In the eighteenth chapter the conclusion is given:
brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param
Bhag.-gita 18.54
"One who is situated in brahma sees brahma everywhere, and he thinks, “I am also brahma.” Thinking such he will meditate on brahma, and will not experience happiness or distress. He remains steady through whatever comes to him, and merges his consciousness in brahma."
karmany evadhikaras te ma phalesu kadacana
Bhag.-gita 2.47
"Go on doing your duty and don't desire the fruits of your labour. In an ordinary way, this is brahma-jnana."
After this comes guhyatar, more secret, which is paramatma-jnana. There are two classes of beings, ksarah or fallible and aksarah or infallible, and then there is Purusottama. Bhagavan is Purusottama, who resides in the hearts of all living entities in the size of a thumb. Meditate on Him, and if you don t reach Him, try again. Again not reaching Him, try again.
kleso dhikataras tesam avyaktasakta-cetasam
Bhag.-gita 12.5
That formless brahma that I mentioned to you before – don t go there! Beware! There will be more difficulty in trying to attach your consciousness to something formless. Instead, meditate on the Paramatma within the heart, and one who connects with Him is a real sannyasi and a real yogi.
sa sannyasi ca yogi ca na niragnir na cakriyah
Bhag.-gita 6.1
Just by performing fire sacrifices, or by muttering, “aham brahmasmi,” one does not become a real sannyasi. This is all guhyatar, more secret.
And guhyatam, most secret, is given in the ninth chapter. Pure bhakti is given there, but it is devoid of rasa. Although it is pure bhakti, it is not full of rasa.
At the end of the eighteenth chapter sarva-guhyatam, the most secret of all secrets, is given. It is full of rasa, and is the highest limit of bhakti:
sarva-guhyatamam bhuyah
srnu me paramam vacah
isto si me drdham iti
tato vaksyami te hitam
man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaisyasi satyam te
pratijane priyo si me
Bhag.-gita 18.64-65
“Because you are very dear to Me, I am telling you this most hidden of all instructions.”
What is that instruction? Before this, Sri Krsna had explained up to the worship of Narayana, which is worship of Bhagavan but with awareness of His opulences. However in this verse, four extraordinary activities are described. The first is man-mana bhava: always think of Me, the second is mad-bhakto: become My devotee, the third is mad-yaji: worship Me, and the fourth is mam namaskuru: offer pranama to Me. If you cannot do the first, then do the second. If you can’t do that, then do the third. If you can’t do that, then just offer pranama, and everything will come from that.
FOUR
Now we will speak on the first part of this verse, “man-mana bhava: absorb your mind and heart in Me.” This is not a simple thing. For a man to absorb his mind in any one activity, then his eyes, ears, nose, and all his senses must be completely centred on that. If the mind cannot concentrate on something, it is more or less uncontrolled. Sometimes our mind is pondering sense enjoyment, and sometimes we think about Krsna. This is the conditioned state. But if someone s mind is fully absorbed in the lotus feet of Bhagavan, then that is the highest form of worship. When will this be possible? In the beginning stage of sraddha or faith it is not possible. Then the stage of ruci or taste will come, and still it won’t be possible. After this we can really begin to give our heart. In the stage of asakti or spiritual attachment we can give perhaps one-half of our heart to Him. In the stage of bhava or devotional ecstasy maybe we can give three-quarters of our heart to Him, but only in the stage of prema or divine love can we fully give our hearts to Krsna.
Therefore, when Krsna was sending Uddhava to the gopis in Vrndavana, in a clever way, not straight but crookedly, He told Uddhava, “Uddhava, My mother and My father are very upset for Me. You go and give them My message and console them a little.”
Uddhava waited there for a moment and then said, “Is there anything more?”
Krsna thought, “What will I tell him and not tell him?» He became a little worried. After deliberating, He concluded, “If I don’t tell him now, when will I tell him?”
He said, “Yes, there is one thing. There in Vrndavana are the gopis, who are the most dear to Me. They have given Me their entire hearts, and besides Me they know nothing. For Me they have forgotten all of their bodily needs and bodily functions. What is the condition of someone who has forgotten all bodily needs? They have forgotten eating and drinking, bathing and decorating themselves with ornaments and clothing, and fixing their hair. Their bodies will certainly have become thin and weak, and just see how for Me they have forgotten all of their bodily relations: husbands, sons, friends, brothers, wealth and property. They have no love for anyone but Me, and day and night they are deeply remembering Me. Uddhava, in this world you have not seen such an example of how one person can give their heart to another. Somehow or other they are holding onto their lives. Their life-airs have risen up to their necks, and how much longer can they live like this? I don t know if they can be saved or not. Therefore go quickly, and save their lives. Go and give them My message, that I am definitely coming tomorrow or the next day. For this they are holding onto their lives. They will think, “Krsna has said that He is coming, and He is not able to tell a lie. Clutching onto this hope, it is as if their lives are hanging on a limb. If the limb breaks, they will fall down, meaning they will give up their lives. So go quickly.”
Therefore the gopis are the perfect example of man-mana bhava. Now listen to an example of how Krsna takes someone s heart. We understand that giving our heart to someone is very difficult, but if instead someone takes our heart, then it becomes very easy. Otherwise we are simply unable to give our hearts. In the Katha Upanisad (1.2.23) it says:
nayam atma pravacanena labhyo
na medhaya na bahuna srutena
yam evaisa vrnute tena labhyas
tasyaisa atma vivrnute tanum svam
Sri Krsna will select a heart which is dear to Him and then say, “You come! I will take your heart.” Even if we really desire to give Him our heart, it is v
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nayam atma pravacanena labhyo
na medhaya na bahuna srutena
yam evaisa vrnute tena labhyas
tasyaisa atma vivrnute tanum svam
Sri Krsna will select a heart which is dear to Him and then say, “You come! I will take your heart.” Even if we really desire to give Him our heart, it is very difficult, but if He desires to take our heart, then it is possible. But we must make our heart to be such that when Krsna sees us it will inspire greed within Him. The heart must be pure in all ways; if there is any impurity remaining there, He will not take it. But mere purity is also not sufficient; the hearts of so many jnanis are also pure. We must add some special fragrance which, reaching Krsna s nose, will attract Him. Bhakti-rasa should be flowing in the heart. How does Krsna take a heart? This story will show how:
Krsna was taking the cows out to graze for the day in Vrndavana. His bodily complexion was the colour of a dark raincloud, His curly black hair was dangling on His face, and He appeared very, very beautiful and charming. His friends were spread out in the four directions chanting, “Sadhu! Sadhu!” (meaning “Excellent! Excellent!”) and praising Krsna, and singing and playing their flutes and horns. As they were going along like this, even the blind people of Vraja would come out to try and see. One would say, “Where are you going?”
Someone would reply, “I am going to have darsana of Sri Krsna. Take my hand, let’s go!” and with great eagerness they would go.
All the people of Vraja surrounded the road to see Krsna taking the cows out to graze. Mother Yasoda and Nanda Baba were following behind Krsna, saying, “My son, come back soon, don t go too far away!” Time and again Krsna told them to return, and finally when He promised that He would certainly return later in the day, they slowly went back to their home.
There were so many newly-married girls there who had just arrived in Vraja to live in the homes of their new husbands. They all went to the doors of their homes to catch a glimpse of Krsna. Some were even peering through vents, some climbed up on their roofs, and others climbed to the tops of trees in the kusjas.
Krsna was also searching: He always wants to see new girls. In one house, there was a new girl who had just been married two or three days before. She had heard a long time before how marvellously beautiful Krsna appears when He is taking the cows out to graze. When she heard Krsna coming with the cows, in her heart she became very restless and eager to have His darsana. But her new mother-in-law and sister-in-law were sitting outside the door, and her new sister-in-law was especially nasty towards her. They were both telling her, “You are not going! We are going, but you cannot. There is a black snake out there, and if it bites you, you will never be able to remove its poison. Therefore stay in the house! We will be back soon.”
The girl said, “Where are you going? And I will just sit here in the house? I will also go!"”
“No! It’s dangerous! Don t go! Your heart is very immature, and you will never remove the snake’ s poison. You just sit there.”
“Still I will go with you!”
“No! It’s dangerous! You won’t go!”
“Then I will go alone! All the wives, elderly people, boys, girls, birds, beasts, and insects of Vraja are going for darsana of Krsna, and in Vrndavana I alone will not receive His darsana? Certainly I will go!”
“No! You won’t go!”
“I am certainly going! E
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“I am certainly going! Even if you throw me out of this household I will go!”
Then, seeing that Krsna was coming near, the mother-in-law and sister-in-law quickly ran to see. When they left, the girl stepped forward and began peering out through the crack in the door. Her position was that she could see out, but no one could see her. Krsna was holding the flute to His lips and playing so sweetly that it seemed the nectar of His heart was emanating through the holes of the flute and inundating the entire area of Vrndavana. Those eyes which have not seen this should be set on fire. Only the eyes which have seen this beautiful scene are successful. The gopis were offering arati to Krsna not with lamps, but with their eyes. How? Their eyes were like lamps, and the prema in their hearts was like the oil. Their eyes were burning as they circled Krsna’s form with loving sidelong glances, and they performed arcana of Krsna with these glances. With great happiness, Krsna became shy and accepted all of them.
But He was looking in the direction of that one door. Krsna may or may not want to see someone, but if someone really wants to see Him, He will certainly see that person. That day He wanted to see that new girl first of all. He wanted to leave everyone else behind and go there immediately, so just then He played a trick with a calf. Grabbing the tail of the calf, He gave it a twist, and the calf ran directly to that door, as if it had been trained for that very purpose. At once Krsna and the calf arrived at that door. Standing in His threefold-bending posture, with the flute to His lips, and smiling, He gave His darsana to that girl. Finished! Her very heart came out from her and He took it and went on His way. She could only stand motionlessly. This is taking a heart: man-mana bhava.
If someone attains the mercy of Krsna, then certainly He will take their heart. If we are especially eager, wondering in our minds, “When will I be able to see the beautiful form of Sri Krsna?”, then Krsna will be so pleased and come and take our hearts. That girl had performed austerities for millions of years for this opportunity, and that day she became completely successful.
She was left standing motionlessly, and fifteen or twenty minutes passed. Krsna had left and entered the forest, and the dust raised by the cows and boys had long settled. She was still standing motionlessly because without her heart or mind, she was helpless. Then the cruel sister-in-law said to her, “The black snake Syamasundara has bitten you, and now you will never remove the poison!”
Shaking the girl, somehow she managed to bring her inside the house. “Here! Take this churning stick and churn some yoghurt. By doing some hard work your mind will return to you.” But the girl took the wrong pot, and instead began churning mustard seeds, and it made a terrible noise. Sometimes she would churn, and sometimes she would stop. Where was her mind and heart? Krsna had taken them: man-mana bhava.
Again the sister-in-law came, and she said, “Hey! What are you doing? I will go and complain to my mother about you!” At once the mother-in-law came and said, “Lift up this pot. Go and bring water.” They placed a large pot on her head, and on top of that a smaller pot. They also gave her a small child and said, «Look after this child and see that he doesn’t cry!” They put a long rope in her hand to lower the pots down into the well, and sent her off.
Like this she went. Arriving at the well, she made a noose for lowering the pot down into the well. But instead of wrapping the noose around the pot, she put it around the child as if she was going to lower him into the well!
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Like this she went. Arriving at the well, she made a noose for lowering the pot down into the well. But instead of wrapping the noose around the pot, she put it around the child as if she was going to lower him into the well! Everyone nearby shouted, “Hey! What are you doing?” They came running over, and taking the rope from her hands, saved the child. One gopi said, “It appears that a ghost has possessed her!”
Another gopi, who knew everything, said, “It wasn t just an ordinary ghost, it was the ghost of Nanda!”
Vrndavana is the place for those who are unable to give their hearts to their children and family. They leave everyone crying for them and like refugees come to Vrndavana and cry exclusively for Krsna. Even very fine sons and daughters of kings come to Vrndavana, give their hearts to Krsna, and engage in bhajana.
Krsna told Arjuna, “This is man-mana bhava. Absorb your mind in Me as the gopis did.”
Arjuna replied, “Prabhu, this is a battlefield! How is it possible for me to give my heart
here? You have told me to fight against Grandfather Bhisma, Dronacarya, and Karna. Therefore I am unable to do it.”
PS If you do not like NM, then don't read this article, and no comments are desired, as this site is NOT all about arguing and debating. We are not followers of NM, but neither are we going to reject his writings, as he is not usurping and he is not pretending to be as good as Srila Prabhupada. So why should we have a problem with him or his followers, many of whom are our Godbrothers? There have been many critics, and I have seen that they twist and lie to find fault with him. He abuses the ritviks, that is a problem, but he is much better than the GBCs, as he has stolen nothing from Srila Prabhupada. We read articles from here and there, some from this devotee that devotee. So why should we not have a look at some of NM's writings, even if we disagree with his program. He has a seperate structure, his own society, he has not stolen from us or from Srila Prabhupada like the GBCs.