Bhāvanā-Sāra-Saṅgrahaḥ, Prātaḥ 68-70

तामागतामभिप्रेक्ष्य साक्षादिव तपःश्रियम् ।

व्रजराज्ञी पराभिज्ञा स्थितिज्ञाभ्युद्ययौ मुदा ॥ ६८ ॥

tām āgatām abhiprekṣya sākṣād iva tapaḥ-śriyam |

vraja-rājñī parābhijñā sthiti-jñābhyudyayau mudā || 68 ||

     “When Yaśodā Mā, who is very wise and knowledgeable about the traditional customs, saw that Paurṇamāsī, who is like an embodiment of the power of austerity, had arrived, she went joyfully out to meet her.” (Govinda-Līlāmṛtam 2.4)

एहि भो भगवति व्रजवन्द्ये स्वागतासि भवतीं प्रणमामि ।

इत्युदीर्य सविधे प्रणमन्तीं सा मुकुन्द-जननीं परिरेभे ॥ ६९ ॥

ehi bho bhagavati vraja-vandye svāgatāsi bhavatīṁ praṇamāmi |

ity udīrya savidhe praṇamantīṁ sā mukunda-jananīṁ parirebhe || 69 ||

     “‘Hello Bhagavatī! Please enter. Welcome to my home. I offer obeisance unto you, who are highly respected in Vraja.’ Saying this, Yaśodā bowed down and then Paurṇamāsī embraced her.” (Govinda-Līlāmṛtam 2.5)

आशीर्भिरभिनन्द्यामूं गोविन्द-दर्शनोत्सुका ।

पप्रच्छ कुशलं चास्याः सधवात्मज-गोततेः ॥ ७० ॥

āśīrbhir abhinandyāmūṁ govinda-darśanotsukā |

papraccha kuśalaṁ cāsyāḥ sadhavātmaja-go-tateḥ || 70 ||

     “Eager to see Govinda, Paurṇamāsī expressed her happiness by giving blessings, and then asked about the welfare of Yaśodā, her husband, son and cows.” (Govinda-Līlāmṛtam 2.6)

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 33 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

তুমি ত দয়ার সিন্ধু     অধম-জনার বন্ধু

মোরে প্রভো! কর অবধান ।

পড়িনু অসৎ-ভোলে,        কাম-তিমিঙ্গিলে গিলে,

ওহে নাথ! কর পরিত্রাণ ॥ ৩৩ ॥

tumi ta dayāra sindhu,        adhama-janāra bandhu,

more prabho! kara abadhāna |

paḍinu asat-bhole,        kāma-timiṅgile gile,

ohe nātha! kara paritrāṇa || 33 ||

  O Master! You are an ocean of mercy, the friend of the fallen. Please hear me! I have fallen into an impure state and have been swallowed by a timiṅgila* in the form of desire. O Lord! Please deliver me.

Mercy toward the Fallen

  Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: Absorbed in the mood of a sādhaka, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has prayed to Śrī Kṛṣṇa for deliverance from his attachment to worldly sense-enjoyment because the Lord is benevolent and compassionate, or mahāśaya. He has addressed Śrī Kṛṣṇa as mahāśaya, as though he were some magnanimous or generous person of this world, but in this verse he now says, tumi ta dayāra sindhu. “You are an ocean of mercy.” Just as an ocean is vast, boundless and unfathomable, Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s compassion is also boundless and unfathomable. Never mind the insignificant jīva-śakti, even Brahmā, Maheśvara, Anantadeva and others can never reach the limit of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s qualities of compassion and so on. For the jīva, there is no other means of relief than by touching a drop of that boundless ocean of mercy. We shall now mention a little about that ocean of mercy. Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s compassion toward the jīva is described as being of two natures: māyāmayī and svarūpa-śaktimayī. The type of compassion that is manifested through the māyā-śakti is māyāmayī-karuṇā. Even that māyāmayī compassion is not deficient in any respect. Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s taṭasthā-śakti (marginal energy) is comprised of innumerable, spirit-particle jīvas of two types: nitya-mukta and nitya-baddha. Since time immemorial, the aggregate of jīvas has remained divided into these two groups. Those who are nitya-mukta (eternally free) have spent eternity in the overwhelming joy of serving Śrī Kṛṣṇa and shall remain so forever. The nitya-baddha (eternally bound) jīvas have remained indifferent to Śrī Kṛṣṇa since time immemorial. The cause of this indifference is that although the jīvas are the eternal servants of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, they have forgotten his sevā and have desired to enjoy independently. Being merciful, Śrī Bhagavān has created through his māyā-śakti the body, which is the abode of enjoyment, and this universe, the field of enjoyment, for the jīva who desires sensual pleasures and has turned away from Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Although sense-enjoyment itself does not cause the desire for enjoyment to cease, still, because of this pleasure-seeking, one suffers the miseries of hell and so on and thus becomes repentant or disinterested in worldly affairs. Then, by the mercy of Śrī Guru and the sādhus, the jīva becomes eager for Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, and as a result of bhajana, he is forever blessed with prema-sevā. If Śrī Kṛṣṇa, through his māyā-śakti, had not created this material world as a place of sense-enjoyment for them, they would forever remain indifferent to him. Moreover, for sustaining the lives of the jīvas of this vast universe, he has created water, air, the sun and moon, the planets and stars and many other enjoyable things. All this kindness delivered through his māyā-śakti is not insignificant, but still, the jīva is not liberated from his worldly bondage. The jīva, though getting information about his own svarūpa (true nature) as the eternal servant of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, can still not be blessed with the sevā of his eternal master. This is because it is through the hlādinī and samvit faculties of his svarūpa-śakti, along with the merciful help of Śrī Guru and the Vaiṣṇavas, that Śrī Kṛṣṇa gives bhakti to the jīvas. After causing his transcendental līlā to descend into this material world, he blesses the jīvas with prema and direct prema-sevā through the components of bhajana, such as his name, qualities and pastimes. Because his compassion is extremely far-reaching, vast and inexhaustible, the words dayāra sindhu (an ocean of mercy) are only an indication. In fact, in the presence of the magnanimity of his mercy, even millions of oceans are insignificant.

  Even though Śrī Kṛṣṇa is an ocean of endless compassion, his mercy, which is pervaded by his svarūpa-śakti, never allows the pride of wealth, followers or noble birth to get a place in the recipient’s heart and mind. Therefore, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, adhama-janāra bandhu, more prabho! kara abadhāna. “O Master! You are the friend of the fallen, and I am indeed extremely fallen. Therefore, I am a suitable candidate for your mercy. Please hear me just this once!” By this prayer of Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya, the sādhaka is instructed that once situated on the path of bhakti, when one gets the mercy of Śrī Guru, the Vaiṣṇavas and Śrī Bhagavān, he shall abandon all pride in the body and things related to it and feel himself to be adhama. Some of the dictionary meanings of the word adhama are ‘low, poor, inferior, looked down upon, insignificant’ and so on. Though the bhakta is a wellspring of all good qualities, he considers himself to be very poor, lowly and wretched. This state of being a storehouse of all good qualities is a manifestation of bhāgavatī-bhakti. This is because by nature the jīvātmā is not an independent tattva (truth, reality); he is dependent on paramātmā. Moreover, in the illusory world, he is controlled by kāla (time), karma (action), guṇa (qualities) and so on. When, by the mercy of a great soul, the jīva takes shelter of the path of bhakti, he then learns about this mystery through his association with the devotees. By the awakening of this ātma-jñāna, he becomes aware that he is not the performer of action and for this reason considers himself unsuitable for and incapable of engaging in any occupation. Realizing God’s powerful authority in all respects, he completely takes refuge at his lotus feet and immediately thinks of himself as adhama or lowly. This is called dainya (humility) and is the treasure of the bhaktas’ sādhana. This humility very quickly attracts Śrī Bhagavān’s compassion to the sādhaka. Regarding the characteristics of a sādhaka in whom rati (love, attachment) has arisen, it is said in Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, Madhya 23.26 that sarbottama āpanāke ‘hīna’ kari māne: “Although the devotee is the best among men, he regards himself as lowly.”

  Śrī Narottama Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, “O Master! Please, just once consider the words of this fallen, wretched person.” If Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, “What words of yours should I consider?” In reply, he says, paḍinu asat-bhole, kāma-timiṅgile gile, ohe nātha! kara paritrāṇa. “O Lord! I have fallen into a state of illusion and have been swallowed by a great timiṅgila in the form of desire. Please rescue me from his control.” Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya discussed asat-bhola in the previous verse and is once again mentioning it in this one. By seeing the context here, one understands that asat-bhola means falling into illusion by mistaking the asat, meaning the transitory body and all things related to it, to be sat or real. From this type of false notion, people who are deluded regarding their own nature consider the body and things related to be real, and they continue to desire worldly wealth, property and so on. They become absorbed in this delusion to such an extent that though hearing hundreds of good instructions concerning the transient nature of these things and the miseries caused by them, they are still unable to comprehend the truth of the matter by any means and in fact spend their lives in the service of these desires. For example, in the Yogopaniṣad we see a deliberation on the nature of this body, which is the vessel for the enjoyment of one’s desires: 

amedhya-pūrṇe kṛmi-jāla-saṅkule

svabhāva-durgandhi-vininditāntare |

kalevare mūtra-purīṣa-bhāvite

ramanti mūḍhā viramanti paṇḍitāḥ ||

  “The ignorant continue to long for enjoyment in this body, which is full of impurities, infested with worms and by nature filled with foul-smelling urine and stool. The wise give up their attachment to the repugnant body.” Moreover, it has also been described in this way:

vraṇa-mukham iva dehaṁ pūti-carmāvanaddhaṁ

kṛmi-kula-śata-pūrṇaṁ mūtra-viṣṭhānulepam |

vigata-bahula-rūpaṁ sarva-bhogādivāsaṁ

dhruva-maraṇa-nimittaṁ kintu moha-prasaktyā ||

  “This body has acne on its face, is wrapped in foul-smelling skin and filled with hundreds of worms, and is at some ages smeared with urine and stool. The body appears in many different forms, all of which will no doubt be destroyed. In spite of all this, because of its connection with illusion, it has become the origin of the desire for all kinds of enjoyment.” Though hearing and comprehending these very simple, easily understood and correct instructions, ignorant people still consider their bodies to be themselves. This is asat-bhola, or mistaking the unreal to be real, the roots of which are the powerful mental impressions caused by one’s desires. Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says that it is as though these powerful desires have swallowed him like a giant timiṅgila. The timi (whale) is a very large aquatic animal that can be swallowed by an even larger kind of aquatic animal called a timiṅgila. He is saying that he has been swallowed by a timiṅgila in the form of desire. By this, the power or danger of desire has been shown. The poor human does not have the innate strength to rescue himself from the grasp of this desire. Therefore Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya said, ohe nātha! kara paritrāṇa. “O Master, Śrī Kṛṣṇa! Only you can rescue someone from the control of this powerful kāma; therefore, please rescue me.”

* A huge mythological marine animal capable of swallowing a whale

Bhāvanā-Sāra-Saṅgrahaḥ, Prātaḥ 66-67

क्षौमं वासः पृथुकटितटे बिभ्रती सूत्रनद्धं

पुत्रस्नेहस्नुतकुचयुगं जातकम्पं च सुभ्रूः ।

रज्ज्वाकर्ष-श्रमभुजचलत्कङ्कणौ कुण्डले च

स्विन्नं वक्त्रं कवर-विगलन्मालती निर्ममन्थ ॥ ६५ ॥

kṣaumaṁ vāsaḥ pṛthu-kaṭi-taṭe bibhratī sūtra-naddhaṁ

putra-sneha-snuta-kuca-yugaṁ jāta-kampaṁ ca subhrūḥ |

rajjv-ākarṣa-śrama-bhuja-calat-kaṅkaṇau kuṇḍale ca

svinnaṁ vaktraṁ kavara-vigalan-mālatī nirmamantha || 65 ||

     “With a silken dress tied around her broad hips, the lovely Mother Yaśodā churned butter, her face wet with perspiration. Her breasts, moistened with milk from affection for her son, shook slightly as she pulled the churning rope. The bangles on her tired arms jingled, her earrings swung to and fro, and jasmine blossoms fell from her braided hair.” (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 10.9.3)

रजनि-विपरिणामे गर्गरीणां गरीयान् दधिमथन-विनोदादुद्भवन्नेष नादः ।

अमरनगरकक्षाचक्रमाक्रम्य सद्यः स्मरयति सुरवृन्दान्यब्धिमन्थोत्सवस्य ॥ ६६ ॥

rajani-vipariṇāme gargarīṇāṁ garīyān

dadhi-mathana-vinodād udbhavann eṣa nādaḥ |

amara-nagara-kakṣā-cakram ākramya sadyaḥ

smarayati sura-vṛndāny abdhi-manthotsavasya || 66 ||

     “In the morning, the loud sounds of all the churning pots together rose up to the heavenly planets and reminded the gods and goddesses of the great churning of the ocean.” (Lalita-Mādhava-Nāṭakam 2.2)

मन्थानोद्धृत-गव्यबिन्दुनिकरैर्व्याकीर्ण-रम्याङ्गनं

प्रेमस्निग्धजनान्वितं बहुविधै रत्नैर्विचित्रान्तरम् ।

क्षीरोर्म्युच्छलितं मुदा हि विलसच्छय्याप्रसुप्ताच्युतं

श्वेतद्वीपमिवालयं व्रजपतेर्वीक्ष्यास सानन्दिता ॥ ६७ ॥

manthānoddhṛta-gavya-bindu-nikarair vyākīrṇa-ramyāṅganaṁ

prema-snigdha-janānvitaṁ bahu-vidhai ratnair vicitrāntaram |

kṣīrormy-ucchalitaṁ mudā hi vilasac-chayyā-prasuptācyutaṁ

śvetadvīpam ivālayaṁ vraja-pater vīkṣyāsa sānanditā || 67 ||

     “When Paurṇamāsī saw Nanda’s house, in ecstasy she thought it to be Śvetadvīpa. The charming courtyard, decorated with many kinds of jewels, was sprinkled all about with drops of milk risen from the gopīs’ churning. Boiling pots billowed like waves in the ocean of milk, and Acyuta slept upon his lustrous bed, surrounded by his loved ones.” (Govinda-Līlāmṛtam 2.3)

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 32 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

সদা সেবা-অভিলাষ,        মনে করি বিশোয়াস,

সর্বথাই হইয়া নির্ভয় ।

নরোত্তম দাসে বোলে,        পড়িলু অসৎ-ভোলে,

পরিত্রাণ কর মহাশয় ॥ ৩২ ॥

sadā sebā-abhilāṣa,        mane kari biśoyāsa,

sarbathāi haiyā nirbhaya |

narottama dāse bole,        paḍilu asat-bhole,

paritrāṇa kara mahāśaya || 32 ||

     Always maintain a desire for sevā, remain faithful and be fearless in all respects. Narottama Dāsa says, “O Kṛṣṇa! I have fallen into a state of illusion. Please rescue me.”

Desire for Sevā

     Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: After renouncing the misery-filled sense-enjoyment of the material world and settling in Vraja, if one worships Śrī Govinda by always hearing and chanting śrī-kṛṣṇa-kathā and śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāma in the association of the great souls who have taken shelter there, one is blessed with a taste of the sweet rasa of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s name, form, qualities and pastimes. This has been described in the previous verse. In this verse, he is saying that by establishing firm faith in the above-mentioned practices, abandoning any other desires and always nurturing his desire for sevā, a sādhaka who has taken shelter at Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet in Vraja becomes fearless in all respects.

     Such faith makes him eligible for bhakti or bhajana: śraddhāvān jana haya bhakti-adhikārī (CC. Madhya 22.64). Faith comes from faith. śraddhā-śabde–biśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya (CC. Madhya 22.62). “The word śraddhā means firm faith, free from doubt.” Even though the words śraddhā and viśvāsa are synonymous, śraddhā is the initial state of faith and viśvāsa the subsequent state. Therefore, although it has been indicated that faith is the only cause of eligibility for bhagavad-bhajana, faith mixed with realization of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is obtainable by the power of that bhajana, has been kept as an essential ingredient.* Moreover, śaraṇāgati (taking shelter) also appears along with śraddhā or viśvāsa because śraddhā and śaraṇāgati mean the same thing. In his Bhakti-Sandarbha (374 Anuḥ), Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmipāda has written, śraddhā-śaraṇāpattyor aikārthyaṁ labhyate, tac ca yuktam. śraddhā hi śāstrārtha-viśvāsaḥ. śāstraṁ ca tad-aśaraṇasya bhayaṁ tac-charaṇasyābhayaṁ vadati. tato jātāyāḥ śraddhāyās tac-charaṇāpattir eva liṅgam iti. “It is logical to say that śraddhā and śaraṇāgati are one in meaning because according to śāstra the meaning of śraddhā is firm faith. Śāstra has also taught us that those who have not taken shelter of Śrī Bhagavān will be fearful, while those who have taken shelter will feel no fear. Therefore, according to the meaning given in śāstra, śaraṇāgati is a sign of the appearance of firm faith.” Regarding the fearlessness of those who have taken shelter, we see the following in the prayers of Śrī Devakī Devī in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.3.27: 

martyo mṛtyu-vyāla-bhītaḥ palāyan

lokān sarvān nirbhayaṁ nādhyagacchat |

tvat-pādābjaṁ prāpya yadṛcchayādya

svasthaḥ śete mṛtyur asmād apaiti ||

     “O Primeval One, a mortal runs in all directions in fear of the black cobra of death, but nowhere can he be free from fear. From highest to lowest, all are being swallowed by time. If, as the blessed result of associating with some great soul and receiving his mercy, one gets shelter at your lotus feet, that person sleeps peacefully and death runs away forever.” By this it is understood that if a sādhaka takes shelter of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and does bhajana with faith, he will remain fearless in all circumstances. The kṛṣṇa-bhakta, however, does not desire to be fearless; this is only an incidental result of bhajana. The attainment of sevā to one’s beloved is the true intention of bhajana. Therefore, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has said, sadā sebā abhilāṣa. The desire to obtain the direct sevā of his beloved must always remain awake in the sādhaka’s heart. The meaning of bhakti is sevā, or service. bhaj ity eṣa vai dhātuḥ sevāyāṁ parikīrtitaḥ. The verbal root bhaj means ‘to serve,’ and from it the word bhakti is derived. Therefore, service to Śrī Bhagavān is called bhakti. Śrī Bhagavān also desires that the longing for sevā always remains in the bhakta’s heart. It is an act of mercy that Śrī Bhagavān causes the desire for sevā to awaken in the bhakta and then blesses him with that cherished sevā. anukampā ca pūrṇe’pi svasmin nija-sevādy-abhilāṣaṁ sampādya sevakādiṣu sevādi-saubhāgya-sampādikā bhagavataś cittārdratāmayī tad-upakārecchā (Prīti-Sandarbhaḥ 84 Anuḥ). Śrī Bhagavān’s compassion is shown in his softhearted wish to help his servants by awakening their desire to serve him and then blessing them with that sevā, though he is by nature complete and satisfied within himself. Now, it is understood that the actions of Śrī Bhagavān and bhakti are meant to establish in the sādhaka’s heart the desire to serve Śrī Bhagavān. The sādhaka also must keep the desire to serve Śrī Bhagavān awake by always restraining his enjoyment-seeking mind and heart and expelling the desire for anything other than Śrī Kṛṣṇa. When the sādhaka’s bhajana-sādhana matures, this desire for service causes an intense longing to awaken in his heart and blesses him with the gifts of prema and direct sevā. This is the hidden secret of the statement sadā sevābhilāṣa.

     Then Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, narottama dāse bole, paḍilu asat-bhole, paritrāṇa kara mahāśaya. Even though Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya is the direct embodiment of prema, because of his deep humility, he considers himself to be an ordinary sādhaka affected by anarthas. He says he is asat-bhole, meaning that he has fallen under the spell of the asat and is unable to sustain the desire for sevā that had awakened in his heart. Whatever is not sat is asat. That which exists eternally is sat. All that does not exist eternally, meaning the perishable body and things related to it, is asat. Having succumbed to the allurement of this asat, the jīva, though being the eternal servant of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, has forgotten the sat: the immortal, everlasting truth, the embodiment of condensed transcendental joy, Śrī Govindacaraṇa or his sevā. The enticement of the transitory, perishable, worldly objects of this manifest universe is also not insignificant. Even very intelligent, highly qualified and learned people, unable to avoid the influence of this temptation, have been carried by its strong current toward the ocean of misery. It is as though extensive study of śāstra and extensive hearing of good instructions both become useless in the presence of this temptation. Its origin is Śrī Bhagavān’s powerful māyā-śakti, consisting of the three modes of nature. Therefore, the insignificant jīva-śakti is unable to free himself from the grip of this allurement by his own effort. For this reason, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, paritrāṇa kara mahāśaya. In his commentary, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartipāda has translated the word mahāśaya here as ‘O Kṛṣṇa!’ mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (Gītā 7.14). Without Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, no one has the power to avoid the allurement of the sensual enjoyments of this illusory phenomenon. Therefore, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has prayed to Śrī Kṛṣṇa for deliverance from the enticement of the worldly sense objects or asat-bhola.

     By using the word mahāśaya, he suggests that Śrī Kṛṣṇa has a very generous heart. Śrī Kṛṣṇa knows how the insignificant jīva-śakti falls under the delusion of his extremely powerful external māyā, becomes intoxicated by the worldly pleasures and loses his power to practice sādhana-bhajana. If he doesn’t bestow his causeless mercy and rescue the jīva, meaning if he doesn’t give the jīva a little taste of his own bhajana-rasa and deliver him from asat-bhola in the form of absorption in worldly rasa, the jīva has no other means of salvation. Moreover, because of that, the most magnanimous, high-minded Śrī Kṛṣṇa also shows no miserliness in the giving of his mercy: guru-rūpe ghare ghare, dīkṣā deya sabhākāre, baiṣṇaba-rūpete deya śikṣā. śāstra-rūpe kahe jñāna, ātmā-rūpe adhiṣṭhāna, dekha tāṅra kāre bā upekṣā. “In the form of guru, he gives dīkṣā to the devotees in the various lineages. In the form of the Vaiṣṇavas, he gives instructions. In the form of śāstra, he teaches knowledge, and in the form of the Self, he gives guidance. Consider this: does he in any way neglect anyone?” dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te (Gītā 10.10). “I give the understanding by which they can come to me.”

*This seems to mean, in a nutshell, that faith is the only qualification for beginning the process of bhakti and it becomes stronger as we gain realization. It is not that faith is useful only in the beginning and abandoned later on. As we have many times heard, ‘Life comes from life,’ or ‘Bhakti comes from bhakti,’ it appears also that ‘Faith comes from faith.’

Bhāvanā-Sāra-Saṅgrahaḥ, Prātaḥ 62-64

अत्रान्तरे मधुरिका मिलिताथ पृष्टा ताभिर्जगाद मधुरं शृणुतैतदाल्यः ।

कस्यैचिदेव कृतये व्रजराज-वेश्म प्राप्ताद्य कौतुकमहो यदुषस्यपश्यम् ॥ ६२ ॥

atrāntare madhurikā militātha pṛṣṭā

tābhir jagāda madhuraṁ śṛṇutaitad ālyaḥ |

kasyaicid eva kṛtaye vrajarāja-veśma

prāptādya kautukam aho yad uṣasy apaśyam || 62 ||

     Meanwhile, the sakhī named Madhurikā arrived and everyone inquired about any news. She said sweetly, “O Sakhīs! Today, to complete some work, I went to the house of Nanda Mahārāja at daybreak. I saw something very curious there. Listen.” (Kṛṣṇa-Bhāvanāmṛtam 3.32)

पौर्णमासी भगवती सर्वसिद्धि-विधायिनी ।

काषायवसना गौरी काशकेशी दरायता ।

कृष्णं द्रष्टुमनास्तल्पादुदतिष्ठद्द्विजध्वनैः ॥ ६३ ॥

paurṇamāsī bhagavatī sarva-siddhi-vidhāyinī |

kāṣāya-vasanā gaurī kāśa-keśī darāyatā |

kṛṣṇaṁ draṣṭu-manās talpād udatiṣṭhad dvija-dhvanaiḥ || 63 ||

     “Eager to see Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavatī Paurṇamāsī, who can bless one with all success, rose from her bed with the singing of the birds. She wears a reddish garment, has a golden complexion, hair as white as a kāśa flower and a slightly tallish body.” (Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-Gaṇoddeśa-Dīpikā 69) 

अथ प्रभाते कृतनित्यकृत्या प्रीत्याच्युतस्यातिविहस्तचित्ता ।

प्रेमेन्दुपूर्णा किल पौर्णमासी तूर्णं व्रजेन्द्रालयमाससाद ॥ ६४ ॥

atha prabhāte kṛta-nitya-kṛtyā

prītyācyutasyātivihasta-cittā |

premendu-pūrṇā kila paurṇamāsī

tūrṇaṁ vrajendrālayam āsasāda || 64 |

     “Paurṇamāsī, in whose heart prema always shines like the full moon, quickly finished her morning duties and hurried to Nanda Mahārāja’s house, eager to see her beloved Kṛṣṇa.” (Govinda-Līlāmṛtam 2.2)

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 31 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

পৃথক্ আবাস-যোগ,        দুঃখময় বিষয়-ভোগ,

ব্রজবাস গোবিন্দ-সেবন ।

কৃষ্ণকথা কৃষ্ণনাম,        সত্য সত্য রসধাম,

ব্রজজনের সঙ্গ অনুক্ষণ ॥ ৩১ ॥

pṛthak ābāsa-yoga,        duḥkhamaya biṣaya-bhoga,

braja-bāsa gobinda-sebana |

kṛṣṇa-kathā kṛṣṇa-nāma,        satya satya rasa-dhāma,

braja-janera saṅga anukṣaṇa || 31 ||

     Live in Vraja and worship Śrī Govinda. Residing anywhere else will only bring one the miseries of sense-enjoyment. Truly, the abode of rasa is where at all times Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes are discussed and Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s name is chanted in the association of the residents of Vraja.

Living in Vraja and Serving Govinda

     Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: In this verse, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya is describing the glories of living in Vraja and serving Śrī Govinda. pṛthak ābāsa-yoga, duḥkhamaya biṣaya-bhoga, braja-bāsa gobinda-sebana. If a person creates a dwelling place somewhere other than Vraja, meaning in the material world, miserable sense-enjoyment is the best he can get. Other than the transcendental Vrajadhāma, the entire world is an illusory display. Therefore, the sense objects in that place are also formed with illusory ingredients. If one tries to enjoy these sense objects, he continues to suffer the pain of birth, death and the three kinds of misery. He wanders from one kind of womb to another and endures the torment of hell. Therefore, the sādhaka is advised to live continuously in Vraja: kuryād vāsaṁ vraje sadā. Those who are unable to live in Vraja physically may get the same result by constantly living there in their minds, meaning they will be happily engaged in śrī-kṛṣṇa-bhajana. Still, living physically in Vraja is a primary practice for those dedicated sādhakas who desire prema. Building a home in the māyika world has been described as suffering the miseries of sense-enjoyment. Specifically, living in Vraja is one of the most powerful limbs of sādhana for obtaining prema. sādhu-saṅga, nāma-kīrtana, bhāgabata-śrabaṇa; mathurā-bāsa, śrī-mūrtir śraddhāya sebana. sakala sādhana-śreṣṭha ei pañca aṅga; kṛṣṇa-prema janmāya ei pāñcera alpa saṅga (CC. Mad. 22. 128-129). “Associating with sādhus, chanting the Holy Names, hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, living in Mathurā and serving the śrī-mūrti (deity form) with faith: these five limbs are the best of all sādhanas. Even a little contact with these five produces kṛṣṇa-prema.” durūhādbhuta-vīrye’smin śraddhā dūre’stu pañcake, yatra svalpo’pi sambandhaḥ sad-dhiyāṁ bhāva-janmane (BRS. 1.2.238). “These five limbs of bhajana are difficult to comprehend and possess astonishing power. Just a small amount of contact with them causes bhāva to quickly appear in the minds of those who are without offense, even without them having faith.” Showing compassion to the people of the world, the spiritual Vrajadhāma, the place of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s eternal pastimes, has descended into this universe and remains here for all time. It is described in the Skanda-Purāṇa in this way: yā yathā bhuvi vartante puryo bhagavataḥ priyāḥ, tās tathā santi vaikuṇṭhe tat-tal-līlārtham ādṛtāḥ. “On earth, all the various abodes that are dear to Śrī Bhagavān are honored according to the particular moods of the respective līlās enacted there. These abodes are also present in Vaikuṇṭha.” The purport is that within the universe, there are fourteen worlds comprised of seven heavens and seven hells. Beyond that are eight layers of prakṛti, and beyond that is the Causal Ocean or the Virajā River.* Above that is Siddhaloka, the place of sāyujya-mukti, the effulgent, absolute brahma. Above Siddhaloka or muktiloka is Paravyoma, the boundless Vaikuṇṭha, where the respective dhāmas or abodes of the unlimited forms of Śrī Bhagavān exist. When a particular form of Bhagavān desires to manifest himself in the world to display his pastimes, he appears along with his dhāma and his companions. For this reason, the simultaneous existence of the dhāmas in both Vaikuṇṭha and on the earth has been described in the Skanda-Purāṇa. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is svayaṁ bhagavān, the cause of all causes. Similarly, his dhāma is also above all other spiritual abodes. By the influence of his inconceivable power, Śrī Vṛndāvana-dhāma, which exists above all others, is also present on earth. One dhāma exists simultaneously in both places. The following is written in Śrī Caitanya-Caritāmṛta Adi 5.14-21:

prakṛtira pāra–parabyoma-nāme dhāma |

kṛṣṇa-bigraha yaiche–bibhutvādi-guṇabān ||

sarba-ga, ananta, bibhu–baikuṇṭhādi dhāma |

kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-abatārera tāhāñi biśrāma ||

tāhāra upari-bhāge–kṛṣṇaloka-khyāti |

dvārakā-mathurā-gokula–tribidhatve sthiti ||

sarbopari śrī-gokula–brajaloka-dhāma |

śrī-goloka, śvetadvīpa, bṛndābana nāma ||

sarba-ga, ananta, bibhu, kṛṣṇa-tanu-sama |

upary adho byāpiyāche–nāhika niyama ||

brahmāṇḍe prakāśa tāra kṛṣṇera icchāya |

ekai svarūpa tāra nāhi dui kāya ||

cintāmaṇi-bhūmi, kalpa-bṛkṣamaya bana |

carma-cakṣe dekhe tāre prapañcera sama ||

prema-netre dekhe tāra svarūpa-prakāśa |

gopa-gopī-saṅge yāṅhā kṛṣṇera bilāsa ||

     “Beyond the material nature (prakṛti) lies a dhāma called Paravyoma which, like the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, possesses qualities such as omnipotence and so on. The Vaikuṇṭha dhāmas existing in this spiritual sky are omnipresent, eternal and omnipotent, and are the abodes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and his avatāras. In the upper part of this lies the realm known as Kṛṣṇaloka, which is divided into Dvārakā, Mathurā and Gokula. Above all lies Śrī Gokula, also known as Vrajadhāma, Śrī Goloka, Śvetadvīpa and Vṛndāvana. Like Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s body, it is omnipresent, eternal and omnipotent, and it extends above and below without limitation. It is manifested in the material world by Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s desire and is one with the original Gokula; they are not two different bodies. The land is made of cintāmaṇi (desire-yielding gems), the forests are full of kalpa-vṛkṣas (desire-yielding trees). Physical eyes see it as part of the ordinary world. Eyes of love see it as a manifestation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s form engaged in pastimes with the gopas and gopīs.”

     The transcendental Śrī Vrajadhāma has accepted the form of the phenomenal world for the benefit of the worldly people and is declared to be the visible manifestation of the dhāma. If not for this, the illusion-bound person would be unable to visit or reside in the holy dhāma. Having taken up residence in Śrī Vrajadhāma, a place abounding in stimulation for sādhana-bhajana, the sādhakas can soon be blessed with prema. Therefore, the most merciful transcendental Śrīdhāma has accepted the form of the māyika world and thus remains. Does any proficient sādhaka not desire to live in the great meeting place of sādhana and siddhi and be blessed with prema?

     While living in Vraja in the physical body, the sādhaka shall perform govinda-sevana or worship of Śrī Govinda: braja-bāsa gobinda-sebana. Though living in Vraja in bodily form, if one does not get the great fortune of śrī-govinda-bhajana, then one does not become happy. Śrīla Kavirāja Gosvāmipāda has written,

vṛndāvane kim athavā nija-mandire vā

kārāgṛhe kim athavā kanakāsane vā |

aindraṁ bhaje kim athavā narakaṁ bhajāmi

śrī-kṛṣṇa-sevanam ṛte na sukhaṁ kadāpi ||

     “Whether one resides in Śrī Vṛndāvana or in one’s own home, lives in a prison or is seated on a golden throne, attains the position of Indra or goes to hell, other than in śrī-kṛṣṇa-bhajana, there is no happiness anywhere.” Residence in Vraja is meant for leading a virtuous life engaged in śrī-govinda-bhajana. Vraja is the most sacred place for performing sādhana-bhajana or tasting vraja-rasa. Truly pitiable are those who, though residing in Vraja, continue their living their lives devoid of bhajana, like worldly-minded people engrossed in the happiness of eating and sleeping. Perhaps for unfortunate persons like them these great words were one day proclaimed from the bower of Vidyāpati, the poet of Mithilā: sindhu nikaṭe yadi kaṇṭha śukhāyaba, ko dūra karaba piyāsā? “If from an ocean of nectar one cannot allay his thirst, then where in the world can that thirst be quenched?”

     After ascertaining that Vrajadhāma is the ultimate place for tasting bhajana-rasa, he says, kṛṣṇa-kathā kṛṣṇa-nāma, satya satya rasa-dhāma, braja-janera saṅga anukṣaṇa. If one lives in Vṛndāvana, he will always engage in kṛṣṇa-kathā and kṛṣṇa-nāma in the association of the vrajavāsī-bhaktas. Vṛndāvana is the abode of rasa, the sweetest and most enjoyable, the greatest truth of all. If one hears about Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s sweet form, qualities, pastimes and so on, which are an elixer for the heart and ears, he will very quickly develop prema-bhakti or devotion to Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet. In addition, if one hears these things in Vrajadhāma, Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s direct līlā-bhūmi, the place where his pastimes are most highly developed, that rasa-dhāma is realized in the most delicious way. Moreover, after settling in Vrajadhāma, the hearers of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s līlā-kathā as expressed by the great souls consider it to be the ultimate delight. This is not possible anywhere else. Again, as a result of the constant association of the great devotees living in Vraja, the hearts and minds of the people receiving this saṅga are infused with humility, modesty, freedom from pride, virtuous behavior and other qualities, and they very quickly become fit for tasting rasa. 

     Śrī Kṛṣṇa and his name are identical; therefore endless rasa or enjoyment of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the ocean of sweetness, lies hidden in his name. On the other hand, just as on a tongue polluted by bile, the sweetness of sugar-candy is not experienced, in the same way, in the mind polluted by ignorance or on a tongue polluted by aparādha, no enjoyment of śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāma is experienced. When the sādhaka performs śravaṇa, kīrtana and other forms of bhajana in the association of sādhus, śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāma gradually manifests himself in the sādhaka’s heart and mind and reveals his own sweetness according to the degree the sādhaka’s heart and mind have become pure or aparādhas have disappeared. By living in Vraja and associating with the bhaktas there, the sādhaka quickly rids himself of aparādhas and other obstacles and is blessed with a taste of Śrī Nāma’s rasa-mādhurī. In verse eight of his Upadeśāmṛta, Śrīmad Rūpa Gosvāmipāda has therefore explained the essential teachings of all the veda-śāstras and the mahājanas:

tan-nāma-rūpa-caritādi-sukīrtanānu-

smṛtyoḥ krameṇa rasanā-manasī niyojya |

tiṣṭhan vraje tad-anurāgi-janānugāmī

kālaṁ nayed akhilam ity upadeśa-sāram ||

     “Reside in Vraja and spend all your time faithfully following the kṛṣṇa-bhaktas there. Gradually engage your tongue and mind in enthusiastically celebrating and constantly remembering Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s name, form, qualities, pastimes and so on. This is the essence of all advice.”

*According to Vaiṣṇava doctrine, the Virajā is a river that the souls of the dead have to cross in order to reach Vaikuṇṭha, the blissful abode of Viṣṇu. (Samsad)

Bhāvanā-Sāra-Saṅgrahaḥ, Prātaḥ 59-61

विलास-चेष्टा सखि! केशिनाशिनो हलाहलाभा प्रदहन्ति मे मनः ।

कृन्तन्ति मर्माणि गुणा घुणा इव प्रेमा विकारी हृदि हृद्-व्रणो यथा ॥ ५९ ॥

vilāsa-ceṣṭā sakhi! keśi-nāśino halāhalābhā pradahanti me manaḥ |

kṛntanti marmāṇi guṇā ghuṇā iva premā vikārī hṛdi hṛd-vraṇo yathā || 59 ||

     “O sakhī, Keśināsī’s romantic gestures burn my mind like poison. His good qualities cut through my core like a wood mite destroys a tree. His love creates unbearable agitation in my heart, as though it has been somehow wounded.” (Alaṅkāra-Kaustubha 3.56)

नो विद्मः किमु गौरवं गुरुकुले कौलीन्यरक्षाविधौ

न श्रद्धा किमु दुर्जनोक्तिगरलज्वालासु किं नो भयम् ।

उद्वेगादनवस्थितं मम मनः कस्यापि मेघत्विषो

यूनः श्रोत्रगतैर्घुणैरिव गुणैरन्तः कृतं जर्जरम् ॥ ६० ॥

no vidmaḥ kim u gauravaṁ gurukule kaulīnya-rakṣā-vidhau

na śraddhā kim u durjanokti-garala-jvālāsu kiṁ no bhayam |

udvegād anavasthitaṁ mama manaḥ kasyāpi megha-tviṣo

yūnaḥ śrotra-gatair ghuṇair iva guṇair antaḥ kṛtaṁ jarjaram || 60 ||

     “Do you think I don’t know how important family is? Do you think I have no regard for my family’s honor, or I don’t fear the poison-like criticism of slanderous people? But what can I do? My mind is unsettled and full of anxiety, and when I hear of the wonderful qualities of that cloud-colored young man, it is as though an insect has entered my ear and now torments me!” (Alaṅkāra-Kaustubha 5.71)

राधे! यदास्य-सरसीरुह-गन्ध एवम् अन्धीकरोति कुलजा-कुलमालि! दूरात् ।

तन्मध्वतीव सुरसं सरसं पिबन्त्याश्चित्तभ्रमस्तव मदादिति नैव चित्रम् ॥ ६१ ॥

rādhe! yad-āsya-sarasī-ruha-gandha evam

andhīkaroti kulajā-kulam āli! dūrāt |

tan-madhv atīva surasaṁ sarasaṁ pibantyāś

citta-bhramas tava madād iti naiva citram || 61 ||

     After hearing Rādhā’s words, Śyāmalā replied, “My friend Rādhā! You’ve drunk too much of that sweet, juicy nectar from Kṛṣṇa’s lotus mouth, so it’s no wonder you’re bewildered. Even smelling the aroma of that lotus mouth from a distance can cause respectable girls to go blind!” (Kṛṣṇa-Bhāvanāmṛtam 3.31)

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 30 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

দেবলোক পিতৃলোক,        পায় তারা মহাসুখ,

সাধু সাধু বলে অনুক্ষণ ।

যুগল ভজন যারা,        প্রেমানন্দে ভাসে তারা,

তাহার নিছনি ত্রিভুবন ॥ ৩০ ॥

deba-loka pitṛ-loka,        pāya tārā mahāsukha,

sādhu sādhu bale anukṣaṇa |

yugala bhajana yārā,        premānande bhāse tārā,

tāhāra nichani tribhubana || 30 ||

     The gods and forefathers feel great happiness, saying ‘bravo, bravo’ at every moment. Those who perform yugala-bhajana float in the joy of love and are worshiped by the three worlds.

Yugala Bhajanānanda

     Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: A bhakta who is devoted to Śrī Bhagavān and firm in single-minded bhajana is always absorbed in the service of his worshipable Lord; he never worships any other devatā. It has previously been discussed how doing that can cause damage to a devotee’s ananya-bhakti. Now, a question arises. We have heard that we must worship the forefathers and the devas in order to repay our debts to them. How do the bhaktas repay that debt? The forefathers are the cause of our getting this body, and through the gifts of rain and so on, the devas provide for the body's maintenance. For this reason, the procedures for their worship, meaning the offering of balls of rice and so on to the forefathers, and Vedic sacrifices and food to the devas, are seen in the śāstras. How do those who do not worship any other devatā and who have become single-mindedly devoted to Śrī Bhagavān’s sevā repay their debts to the forefathers and devas? In reply to this question he says, deba-loka pitṛ-loka, pāya tārā mahāsukha, sādhu sādhu bale anukṣaṇa. Just as by pouring water on the root of a tree, all the tree’s branches and twigs become completely satisfied or happy, in the same way, by the worship of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose form is the origin of all the devas and forefathers, all the deva-devīs and all the fathers and mothers become supremely happy. Therefore, kāma tyaji’ kṛṣṇa-bhaje śāstra-ājñā māni’, deba-ṛṣi-pitrādikera kabhu nahe ṛṇī (CC. Madhya 22.140). “One who gives up kāma and worships Śrī Kṛṣṇa following the injunctions of śāstra is never a debtor to the devas, ṛṣis, pitṛs and so on.” In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.5.41 Maharṣi Karabhājana said to King Nimi,

devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan |

sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam ||

     “O king! One who gives up all kinds of duties and accepts completely the shelter of Śrī Mukunda, the guardian of those who take refuge in him, is no longer indebted to other devatās, ṛṣis, dependent family members, forefathers and so on. Therefore, he is also not their servant.” In the commentary on this verse, Śrīdhara Svāmī has written, bhaktasya vidhi-niṣedha-nivṛtteḥ kṛta-kṛtyatām āha devarṣīti. āptāḥ poṣyāḥ kuṭumbinaḥ itare devādayaḥ pañca-yajña-devatāḥ eteṣāṁ yathā abhakta ṛṇī ataeva teṣāṁ kiṅkaras tad-arthaṁ nityaṁ pañca-yajñādi-kartā...ayaṁ tu na tathā. ko’sau yaḥ sarva-bhāvena śrī-mukundaṁ śaraṇaṁ gataḥ. kartaṁ kṛtyaṁ parityajya. yad vā kartaṁ bhedaṁ parihṛtya. kṛtī-chedana ity asmāt. vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti buddhyety arthaḥ. “The bhakta’s accomplishment of spontaneously giving up rules and regulations is being described in this verse. The meaning of the word āptāḥ is ‘dependent people or family members.’ Other devas means ‘the five yajña-devatās.’ Ordinary people devoid of viṣṇu-bhakti are indebted to these devas and are therefore also their servants. For this reason, they daily perform the five kinds of yajñas. Those who have taken full shelter of Śrī Mukunda are not like that. How have they taken shelter? They have given up all kinds of auspicious and inauspicious acts or have given up differentiation, meaning they see everything as Śrī Vāsudeva.” Śrī Vāsudeva is the origin of everything. Just as by pouring water on the root of a tree, all branches and twigs are satisfied, if Śrī Vāsudeva is satisfied, all other devatās, forefathers, spirits and so on automatically receive a thousand times more joy than they would through themselves being worshiped. Therefore, if a Vaiṣṇava is born in their family, the forefathers dance in great joy in the abode of the dead. They think, “He shall be the liberator of my family.” nṛtyanti pitaraḥ sarve nṛtyanti ca pitāmahāḥ, mad-vaṁśe vaiṣṇavo jātaḥ sa me trātā bhaviṣyati. Feeling most favorable toward the bhaktas who perform śrī-kṛṣṇa-bhajana, all the devas continuously praise them profusely by saying “bravo, bravo!”

     Then Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya said, yugala bhajana yārā, premānande bhāse tārā, tāhāra nichani tribhubana. “Those who worship Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa float in the ocean of premānanda-rasa and are worshiped with great devotion by the inhabitants of the three worlds.” The statement tāhāra nichani tribhubana can be made clear by the logic of mañcāḥ krośantīti. If someone says that the platforms are making noise, it is understood to be the sounds of the people on the platforms, because platforms cannot create noise. In the same way, because it is impossible for the three worlds to perform worship, it is to be understood that the worship is done by the people of the three worlds (from Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartipāda’s commentary). This worship of the Divine Couple is very mysterious and hidden within the Vedas. In this particular kali-yuga, Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu has bestowed unprecedented mercy, and his ācāryas, who have taken shelter at his lotus feet, have practiced his teachings meticulously and introduced them to the world. The dual form of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava is the utmost limit of para-tattva (spiritual truth) and sambandha-tattva (relational truth). After determining sambandha-tattva in his Tattva, Paramātma, Bhagavat and Śrī-Kṛṣṇa-Sandarbhas, Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmipāda said, tad evaṁ sandarbha-catuṣṭayena sambandho vyākhyātaḥ. tasminn api sambandhe śrī-rādhā-mādhava-rūpeṇaiva prādurbhāvas tasya sambandhinaḥ paramaḥ prakarṣaḥ. tad-uktaṁ śrutyā ‘rādhayā mādhavo deva’ iti. etad artham eva vyatāniṣam imāḥ sarvā api paripāṭir iti pūrṇaḥ sambandhaḥ (Śrī-Kṛṣṇa-Sandarbhaḥ 189 Anuḥ). “In the four essays of the Śrī Bhāgavata-Sandarbha, the sambandha-tattva or upāsya-tattva (the doctrine concerning who is to be served or worshiped) has been explained. Śrī Bhagavān manifests sambandha-tattva in many forms. Among them, the highest perfection is present in the form of Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava. The reason for this is that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is svayaṁ bhagavān, the origin of all the Lord’s forms. Though being the most complete form of divinity in terms of aiśvarya, he is the direct embodiment of mādhurya. No other form of God has such sweet, reddish lips; such a gentle, charming smile; such a dewy, nectarous voice; such a soothing glance or gets such joy from the sound of his flute.* Moreover, in the presence of mādanākhya-mahābhāvavatī Śrī Rādhārāṇī, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the ocean of mādhurya, surges and billows with giant waves! Therefore, śruti says, ‘With Rādhā, Mādhava is radiant.’ All these judgments and procedures have been established to proclaim the supreme excellence and attractiveness of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava. Having ascertained that the combined form of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava sporting in the bowers of Śrī Vṛndāvana is the highest expression of spiritual form and spiritual truth, I now conclude this discussion about sambandha or relationship.”

     Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya next says that those who perform yugala-bhajana float in the joy of love. According to the particular bhagavat-svarūpa assumed by Svayaṁ Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, prema is manifest within the devotees of that form to the extent to which that form is a part (aṁśa) or part of a part (kalā) of the Lord. Because Svayaṁ Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the most complete form of God, prema also reaches its fullest manifestation in the bhaktas who have taken shelter of his lotus feet. Though abundant prema-rasa manifests in the bhaktas who are absorbed in the pure sweetness of Vraja through sakhya and vātsalya-rasas, prema in its most complete form is manifest in the sakhīs and mañjarīs of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava, the highest expression of spiritual truth, the ocean of incomparable beauty and sweetness. The taste of prema-rasa that Śrī Rādhā’s kiṅkarī-mañjarīs get is the highest of all. In the yuga of Śrīman Mahāprabhu, this mañjarī-bhāva-sādhanā is the object to be attained for the Gauḍīya-Vaiṣṇavas who have taken shelter of his lotus feet. Therefore, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says that the sādhakas who perform yugala-bhajana in mañjarī-bhāva continuously float in the river of premānanda-rasa. Having bathed at the meeting place of the ocean of śyāma-rasa and the ocean of rādhā-prema, meaning having gone deep within the bowers of Vraja, they remain the most fortunate. Therefore, the inhabitants of the three worlds who always offer ārātrika to them also consider themselves as fortunate.

*Another translation could be, “or is so famous for the sound of his flute.”

Bhāvanā-Sāra-Saṅgrahaḥ, Prātaḥ 57-58

वेणीं गुम्फति दिव्यपुष्प-निचयैः सीमन्त-सीमन्यहो

सिन्दूरं निदधाति कज्जलमयीं निर्माति रेखां दृशोः ।

दिव्यं वासयते दुकूलमसकृत्ताम्बूलमप्याशये-

दित्थम्भूतरतिः सखा तव न मां तल्पे निधत्तेऽङ्कतः ॥ ५७ ॥

veṇīṁ gumphati divya-puṣpa-nicayaiḥ sīmanta-sīmany aho

sindūraṁ nidadhāti kajjala-mayīṁ nirmāti rekhāṁ dṛśoḥ |

divyaṁ vāsayate dukūlam asakṛt tāmbūlam apy āśayed

itthambhūta-ratiḥ sakhā tava na māṁ talpe nidhatte’ṅkataḥ || 57 ||

     “Aho! Your friend strings fragrant flowers within my braid and places vermilion on the part of my hair. He then paints a thin line of collyrium around my eyes and has me don a beautiful dress. After this he repeatedly gives me tāmbūla to chew. Feeling great affection for me, he holds me on his lap rather than placing me on the bed again.” (Vṛndāvana-Mahimāmṛtam 5.99)

नित्यं मन्मुखसम्मुखं मुखविधुं धत्तेऽनिमिषेक्षणो

नित्यं मन्मुखमेव पश्यति मयैवाजस्रगोष्ठीपरः ।

आधायैव शयीत मां हृदि मयैवावर्तयेत् पार्श्वकं

सख्युस्ते सखि! सर्वनागरमणेः प्रीतिः कथं वर्ण्यताम्? ॥ ५८ ॥

nityaṁ manmukha-sammukhaṁ mukha-vidhuṁ dhatte’nimiṣekṣaṇo

nityaṁ manmukham eva paśyati mayaivājasra-goṣṭhī-paraḥ |

ādhāyaiva śayīta māṁ hṛdi mayaivāvartayet pārśvakaṁ

sakhyus te sakhi! sarva-nāgara-maṇeḥ prītiḥ kathaṁ varṇyatām? || 58 ||

     “Every day he places his moonlike face before mine and gazes at me with unblinking eyes. Every day the two of us spend endless hours engrossed in conversation. He places me in his heart and then lies beside me. O sakhī! How can I describe the love of that friend of yours, the jewel of all paramours?” (Vṛndāvana-Mahimāmṛtam 5.97)

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 29 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

श्रीनाथे जानकीनाथे चाभेदः परमात्मनि ।

तथापि मम सर्वस्वं रामः कमललोचनः ॥ २९ ॥

śrī-nāthe jānakī-nāthe cābhedaḥ paramātmani |

tathāpi mama sarvasvaṁ rāmaḥ kamala-locanaḥ || 29 ||

  Śrī Hanumān says, “Śrī Nārāyaṇa, the husband of Śrī Lakṣmī, and Śrī Rāmacandra, the husband of Śrī Sītā are both the same paramātmā. Therefore, there is no difference between them. Still, the lotus-eyed Śrī Rāmacandra means everything to me.”

Faith in One’s Beloved

  Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: To help us understand the bhakta’s faith in his beloved, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has quoted a statement from the mouth of Śrī Hanumān. A bhakta’s single-minded devotion to his own cherished deity-form among Śrī Bhagavān’s various svarūpas is particularly praiseworthy because in this situation, the profound affection in the bhakta’s heart for that particular form becomes fully developed. It is not that by doing this, Śrī Bhagavān’s various other forms are disrespected or ignored. With the manifestation of a deeply affectionate feeling toward one particular form, all forms are honored because ananta-rūpe eka-rūpa nāhi kona bheda (CC. Ādi 2.100).  Among the unlimited forms of Śrī Bhagavān there is oneness and in the oneness there are unlimited forms. A thread of non-difference or unity has been kept. So when the bhakta has profound loving faith in one form, all of Śrī Bhagavān’s other forms also become completely satisfied. This has been firmly established in the story of Garuḍa and Hanumān from Śrī Bṛhad-Bhāgavatāmṛtam quoted in the commentary of the previous verse.

  Śrī Hanumān has attained single-minded devotion to Śrī Rāghavendra. In this verse he says, “There is no difference between Śrī Nārāyaṇa, the husband of Śrī Lakṣmī, and Śrī Rāghavendra, the husband of Śrī Sītā because both are in reality the same paramātmā (supreme soul). Still, Śrī Rāghavendra is my greatest treasure.” Śrī Rāghavendra has entered his heart and there remains. While lying down, dreaming, meditating, thinking, hearing or chanting, he knows no one but Śrī Rāmacandra. Śrī Hari is especially pleased with him because of this firm devotion. Such niṣṭhā is no doubt the object of high praise. In Nīlācala, Śrīmat Sanātana Gosvāmipāda told Śrīman Mahāprabhu about his younger brother Śrī Anupama’s firm devotion to Śrī Rāmacandra:

“sei anupama bhāi bālaka-kāla haite |

raghunātha-upāsanā kare dṛḍha-citte ||

rātri-dine raghunāthera nāma āra dhyāna |

rāmāyaṇa nirabadhi śune kare gāna ||

āmi āra rūpa tāṅra jyeṣṭha-sahodara |

āmā-doṅhā saṅge sei rahe nirantara ||

āmā-sabhā-saṅge kṛṣṇa-kathā bhāgabata śune |

tāṅhāra parīkṣā kaila āmi-dui-jane ||

śunaha ballabha! kṛṣṇa parama madhura |

saundarya mādhurya prema bilāsa pracura ||

kṛṣṇa-bhajana kara tumi āmā-doṅhāra saṅge |

tina bhāi ekatra rahiba kṛṣṇa-kathā raṅge ||

ei mata bāra bāra kahi dui-jana |

āmā-doṅhāra gaurabe kichu phiri gela mana ||

‘tomā-doṅhāra ājñā āmi kemane laṅghiba |

dīkṣā-mantra deha kṛṣṇa-bhajana kariba ||’

eta kahi rātri-kāle kare bicāraṇa |

kemane chāḍiba raghunāthera caraṇa ||

saba-rātri krandana kari kaila jāgaraṇa |

prātaḥ-kāle āmā-doṅhā kaila nibedana ||

raghunāthera pade muñi beciyāchoṅ māthā |

kāḍite nā pāroṅ māthā pāṅa baḍa byathā ||

kṛpā kari more ājñā deha dui-jana |

janme janme seboṅ raghunāthera caraṇa ||

raghunāthera pāda-padma chāḍana nā yāya |

chāḍibāra mana haile prāṇa phāṭi’ yāya ||

tabe āmi-doṅhe tāre āliṅgana kaila |

‘sādhu dṛḍha-bhakti tomāra’ kahi praśaṁsila ||

--------------------------------------------

gosāñi kahena–ei mata murāri gupte |

pūrbe āmi parīkṣila, tāra ei mate ||

sei bhakta dhanya ye nā chāḍe prabhura caraṇa |

sei prabhu dhanya ye nā chāḍe nija-jana ||”

  “My brother Anupama has since childhood worshiped Śrī Raghunātha (Śrī Rāma) with firm determination. Day and night he chants Raghunātha’s name and meditates upon him. He continuously hears and sings the Rāmāyaṇa. Rūpa and I are his older brothers and he always stays with us. In our company, he hears the Bhāgavatam and other kṛṣṇa-kathā. We tested him, saying, ‘Listen, dear one. Kṛṣṇa is most attractive. He is abundant in beauty, charm, love and pastimes. Perform kṛṣṇa-bhajana along with us; we three brothers shall remain together and enjoy discussing Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes.’ We spoke to him repeatedly in this way and, out of respect for us, his mind began to change somewhat. He said, ‘How shall I disobey your orders? Please give me the dīkṣā-mantras and I shall do kṛṣṇa-bhajana.’ Saying this, that night he deliberated over how he could give up the lotus feet of Śrī Raghunātha. He stayed awake all night crying and in the morning he humbly spoke to us. ‘I have sold my head at Śrī Raghunātha’s lotus feet. I am unable to snatch it away again; it would give me too much pain. You two please be merciful to me and allow me to serve Śrī Raghunātha’s lotus feet in birth after birth. I cannot abandon them; if I even think of it, it breaks my heart.’ Then we both embraced him and praised him, saying, ‘Bravo! Your devotion is firm.’ Mahāprabhu replied, ‘I also previously tested Murāri Gupta like this and his response was similar.’ That bhakta is praiseworthy who doesn’t abandon the feet of his Lord, and that Lord is praiseworthy who doesn’t abandon his own servant.” (CC. Antya 4.30-43, 45-46)
  If such niṣṭhā for a particular form of Śrī Bhagavān is born in a bhakta, a corresponding type of Śrī Bhagavān’s love and compassion gradually manifests toward the faithful bhakta. Incidentally, it should also be known that even though it is exceedingly praiseworthy if a particular kind of faith in a particular form of Śrī Bhagavān manifests in such a faithful bhakta like Śrī Hanumān, still, from the angle of tasting mādhurya, which is the primary aim of bhakti-sādhana, only the worshipers of Svayaṁ Bhagavān Śrī Vrajendranandana, the condensed form of rasa, the embodiment of sweetness, the essence of essences, get to experience mādhurya. This is impossible for the worshipers of other forms of Śrī Bhagavān. Specifically, the kaiśora (adolescent) form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the highest manifestation of mādhurya, and through their incomparable treasure of love in the form of mahābhāva, the girls of Vraja taste the incomparable sweetness of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Rādhārāṇī is preeminent among all the girls of Vraja. Her eyes, ears and other senses are the enjoyers of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s form and so on and the instruments or gateways for tasting prema. Just as Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s mādhurya is uninterrupted and boundless, Śrī Rādhā’s prema is also uninterrupted and boundless. Therefore, Śrī Rādhā alone, through her constant mādanākhya-mahābhāva, is capable of tasting Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s boundless sweetness. 

  Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, ei prema-dvāre nitya rādhikā ekali, āmāra mādhuryāmṛta āsvāde sakali (CC). “Only Śrī Rādhikā, through this gateway of prema, can always taste the nectar of my sweetness in full.” Though it is impossible for the multitude of jīvas to taste what Śrī Rādhā tastes, if some fortunate jīva is eager to serve Śrī Rādhā with devotion, by her mercy, he can also be blessed to attain that taste. At present, in this particular kali-yuga, Śrīman Mahāprabhu and his sheltered ācāryas Śrī Rūpa, Śrī Sanātana and others have introduced the worship of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava in the mood of Śrī Rādhā’s kiṅkarī or mañjarī (maidservant). This type of worship provides the highest taste of Śrī Bhagavān’s mādhurī. This will explained in detail later on in this Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā of Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya. We took the opportunity to mention only a small amount of this subject-matter here.