Sri Krishna’s Four Types of Madhurya

(From Madhurya-Tattva-Vijnana, by Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja)

In Bhakti-Rasamrta-Sindhuh (2.1.17), Srimad Rupa Gosvamipada has written the following:

nAyakAnAM ziro-ratnaM kRSNas tu bhagavAn svayam |
yatra nityatayA sarve virAjante mahAguNAH ||

“All great qualities eternally exist within Svayam Bhagavan Sri Krishna, the crest-jewel of lovers.” After this, Srimad Rupa Gosvamipada begins a description of Sri Krishna’s sixty-four qualities. Although the fifty qualities beginning with suramyanga (beautiful body) and ending with isvara (master) exist to a small degree within some great souls favored by Sri Hari, they exist in their complete form within Sri Krishna, the ocean of qualities. The following five qualities of Sri Krishna exist to some extent in Sadasiva and bhagavad-avatara Brahma: always remains in his natural state; knows everything; is forever young; possesses a body of sac-cid-ananda; is served by all mystic powers. Even though the following five qualities are present in Sri Narayana, the husband of Goddess Laksmi, they exist in Sri Krishna in a very wonderful way: has inconceivably great power; pervades countless universes; is the origin of all incarnations; gives shelter to his conquered enemies; attracts those who rejoice in the self. Next, in B.R.S. 2.1.41-43, Srila Gosvamipada has written this:

sarvAdbhuta-camatkAra-lIlA-kallola-vAridhiH |
atulya-madhura-prema-maNDita-priya-maNDalaH ||
trijagan-mAnasAkarSi-muralI-kala-kUjitaH |
asamAnordhva-rUpa-zrI-vismApita-carAcaraH ||
lIlA premnA priyAdhikyaM mAdhuryaM veNu-rUpayoH |
ity asAdhAraNaM proktaM govindasya catuSTayam ||

“He is a surging ocean of amazing lila-rasa that astonishes everyone. He is surrounded by his dear ones, who are ornamented with incomparable madhura-prema. He attracts the minds of everyone in the three worlds with the soft, sweet sound of his flute, and with his unequalled beauty he arouses wonder within all mobile and immobile creatures of the world. His lila, the presence of his loving companions, the sweetness of his flute and the sweetness of his form---these four are the extraordinary qualities of Vrajendranandana Sri Govinda.” These qualities are not seen in any other form of God, not even in Sri Krishna in his abodes of Mathura and Dvaraka. They are the personal treasure of Sri Vrajendranandana. The followers of Srila Gosvamipada have celebrated these qualities as Sri Krishna’s madhurya. This compounded sweetness is experienced with the support of pure prema, and pure prema is only possible in Vrndavana. The Vrajavasis are the embodiment of pure prema. Therefore, if we desire to experience even a little of Sri Bhagavan’s transcendental sweetness, then we must take shelter at the lotus feet of the Vrajavasis. If they are merciful, then we shall be able to know something of Sri Vrajendranandana’s sweetness. Since Sri Krishna is without limits, his sweetness is also naturally without limits. Still, Srila Gosvamipada has divided Sri Krishna’s madhurya into four parts: lila-madhuri, prema-madhuri, venu-madhuri and rupa-madhuri. We shall now discuss these four types of madhurya individually.

1. Lila-Madhuri
sarvAdbhuta-camatkAra-lIlA-kallola-vAridhiH
(He is a surging ocean of amazing lila-rasa that astonishes everyone.)

The activities of Sri Bhagavan are of two kinds: karma and lila. If some purpose is meant to be achieved, that activity is called karma. For example, Sri Bhagavan has said, paritrANAya sAdhUnAM vinAzAya ca duSkRtAm, dharma-saMsthApanArthAya sambhavAmi yuge yuge. “To protect the virtuous and destroy the wicked, as well as to establish dharma, I descend in age after age.” All such activities of the Lord are known as karma. Activities that are joyful, devoid of any purpose and comprised of pastimes with his companions are known as lila. Sri Nandanandana is the God of lila and his sacred abode of lila is Sri Vrajadhama. In Vrajadhama, while sporting with his companions, he also incidentally killed some demons. Therefore, all his activities in Vraja are considered to be part of pure lila. For this reason, vraja-lila is by nature very delicious and filled with diverse and astonishing flavors. Vraja-lila is unadulterated human lila.

kRSNera yateka khelA, sarvottama nara-lIlA,
nara-vapu tAhAra svarUpa |
gopa-veza veNu-kara, navakizora naTabara,
nara-lIlAra haya anurUpa ||

“Among Krishna’s pastimes, those as a human are best of all. He is of human form and nature, dressed as a cowherd with flute in hand, a handsome youth, the best of dancers, suited in every way for his nara-lila.” (C.C.)

The humanlike lila is the best of all because in those pastimes wherein he appears as God, reverence and hesitation arise. Only in his human lila does this solemnity fade away. Wherever the individual distinctions between the states of divinity and humanity are maintained in support of their contradictory natures, thus generating a variety of rasas, the astonishing aspect of lila is found. All of vraja-lila is like this.