Raga-Vartma-Candrika em portugues

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

Om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya Caksur-unmilitam yena tasmai sri-guruve namah
nama om visnu-padaya radhikayah priyatmane sri-srimad-bhaktivedanta narayana iti namine

Como Entrar Raganuga-bhakti

Iluminando o Caminho para ragatmika-bhakti

Em raganuga-bhakti

 Ser coberto por Doçura

                                                                     Jay Srila Gurudeva !

Raga-Vartma-Candrika

Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatah

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!


                                       Raga-Vartma-Candrika

How to Enter Raganuga-bhakti

Friday, 14 May 2010

Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja

Four Discussions on Raga-Vartma-Candrika (Part 1)

Mathura, India: 1991

http://www.purebhakti.com/teachers/bhakti-discourses-mainmenu-61/57/1143-how-to-enter-raganuga-bhakti.html


                               Raga-Vartma-Candrika  - (completo todos os artigos) -

http://raga-vartma-candrika.blogspot.com/

 

Radhe !

Raga-Vartma-Candrika SEVA

Raga-Vartma-Candrika

http://raga-vartma-candrika.blogspot.com


Haribol , queridos devotos venho informar que o prabhu ji Ramakanta Dasa da sanga de Fortaleza
esta indo  fazer o seva  de tradução para o portugues de Raga-Vartma-Candrika

este é o blog que o prabhu ji Ramakanta  Dasa assina  para Srila Gurudeva seva no Brasil .
bem vindos ....

Brasil Gaudiya Math
http://brasilgaudiyamath.blogspot.com/

Radhe !!!!

Raga-Vartma-Candrika

Raga-Vartma-Candrika

novo blog :

http://raga-vartma-candrika.blogspot.com/

Om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana
salakaya Caksur-unmilitam yena tasmai sri-guruve namah

nama om visnu-padaya radhikayah
priyatmane sri-srimad-bhaktivedanta narayana iti namine





Hare Krsna Jaya Sri Radhe !!!!



..

To Be Covered By Sweetness

To Be Covered By Sweetness
Discussions with the GBC
On the book, Raga-Vartma-Candrika [Part 4]
Mathura, India: 1991



[Respected Harikatha Readers,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.
For those of you who did not receive Parts 1-3, you can find them on www.backtobhaki.com and www.purebhakti.com.
In 1991, Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja led several members of the ISKCON GBC discussions on Raga-vartma-candrika, a famous Sanskrit treatise written by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. Below is the Part 4 in that series of discussions, and we hope to send you the rest, one after another.
Your aspiring servants, the Harikatha Team]

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: As Lalita trains Srimati Radhika in this way [for Radhika’s nocturnal meeting with Sri Krsna], Rupa Manjari watches, and our guru in this world, as sakhi-manjari in that world, also watches.
The manjaris know everything – at what time they should go and how they should go – and they very cleverly make all arrangements. This is abhisara (the nocturnal meeting).
Krsna is waiting at Sanketa. The night is dark, and it is raining. The manjaris come there first to find Krsna and tell Him that Srimati Radhika will not come that night. Actually, Radhika has already come and is hiding, watching to see Krsna’s reaction. In order to further increase Krsna’s desire for Srimati Radhika, the manjaris lie to Him, saying, “She will not come tonight.” Krsna practically faints at that time, and anxiously suggests a way for Radhika to meet with Him. If the manjaris see that Krsna is sincerely hankering to meet with Radhika, they at once go and tell Her, and She then comes to Him. Otherwise, She will not come.
Sometimes, when it is time for abhisara, it may be that their fathers-in-law or mothers-in-law, or all of their sisters-in-law, are present in their homes. The manjaris must be so clever that they can find a way to cheat their in-laws, telling them lies and cleverly devising a way for Radha and Krsna to meet. This is called abhisara. The manjaris perform all these activities; they know so many clever tricks.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: What is the exact meaning of that word abhisara?

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: You should know the meaning of abhisarika. It is a Sanskrit word referring to the heroine who leaves her home and travels to meet her lover at the assigned rendezvous bower. There are eight kinds of gopis: 1) abhisarika, meaning ‘the gopi who arranges the abhisara (meeting).’
2) Vasaksajja, meaning ‘the beloved gopi who beautifies the bower with various types of decorations in the mood of preparing the bed-chamber for her dearmost lover.’ She is always thinking that “Krsna is coming just now, just now, just now.” As she makes the bed, she is always listening for any noise. If she hears a rustling sound of leaves, she thinks that Krsna is coming.
3) Utkanthita, meaning ‘the gopi who repeatedly glances down the path in great eagerness, anxiously anticipating the arrival of her beloved Sri Krsna.’ She is so eager for Krsna to come, thinking, “Krsna is just coming, just coming, just coming. When will He come? When will He come?” Then, if Krsna does not reach there, she is called khandita.
4) Khandita: When Krsna arrives late and His body bears some signs of having enjoyed with another lover, the heroine becomes extremely jealous, either chastising Him or pouting. On the occasion that the time for meeting Krsna is over and He has not yet come, she wonders why not. “Why has He not come? There must be some reason. Perhaps He has gone to another gopi, or He may have fallen into danger. There are so many demons in Vrndavana. Perhaps He had to…”

Sripad Dhanurdhara Maharaja: Watch out?

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yudha karna.

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Fight.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: “Perhaps He had to fight with some demons, or something else may have happened.”
Krsna finally comes, well after the appointed time, when it is about to be morning. Seeing some signs on Krsna’s body indicating that He has just come from another beloved, the heroine becomes so furious. She then has a lover’s quarrel with Him, and after that does not speak to Him.
5) Kalahantarita: When, due to some quarrel with Krsna the heroine sends Him away, in Her anguish she becomes even more bereaved due to dismissing Him.
On the occasion that Krsna apologizes, falls at the feet of Radhika, and at last convinces Her to give up Her anger, Srimati Radhika commands Him, “Put on My ankle-bells; braid My hair and decorate it.” and Krsna follows Her order. At this time, She is called 6) svadhina-bhartrka. There is no English equivalent for this word, but the meaning is that the lover is…

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Under her control.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: That lady who has gotten her lover under her control.
[The other two kinds of heroine are: 7) Vipralabdha: If the heroine sits waiting in the secluded bower, and her lover does not show up at all, then She feels greatly disappointed; and 8) Prosita-bhartrka, whose lover is far away in a distant place.]
In each situation that manjari has some duty – to rebuke Krsna, to make Him understand, or to give consolation to Radhika. All the qualities required for service at these times reside in the manjaris. They prepare, give sympathy, decorate, and make so many arrangements:

nikunja-yuno rati -keli-siddhyai ya yalibhir yuktir apeksaniya
tatrati-daksyad ati-vallabhasya vande guroh sri caranaravindam

["Sri Gurudeva is always present with the sakhis, planning the arrangements for the perfection of Yugala Kisora’s amorous pastimes (rati-keli) within the kunjas of Vrndavana. Because he is so expert in making these tasteful arrangements for Their pleasure, he is very dear to Sri Radha and Krsna. I offer prayers unto the lotus feet of Sri Gurudeva."]

So many arrangements are required to serve Radha and Krsna when They meet in the kunja and engage in Their pleasurable amorous affairs (vilasa). The sakhis and manjaris must cheat others, meet with Krsna, rebuke Him, and so on. Rupa Manjari is highly experienced – quite fit to do all these services.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Well-trained.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Well-trained. We should always remember what she does in her siddha-sarira (form as a gopi) as Rupa Manjari, and we should adopt her mood. However, until we receive our sthayi-bhava (our constitutional mood in one of the four rasas), which comes from hladini-sakti, we can only pray to have all these things as Raghunatha dasa Gosvami prays in Vilapa Kusumanjali.
We cannot perform these services in our present stage, and the guru warns his neophyte disciples not to try. We can only pray, “When will my good fortune come, so that I will actually be able to render service like Rupa Manjari, Ananga Manjari, and our gurus?”
Tad bhava lipsuna karya [tat means ‘of that,’ bhava means ‘the mood,’ lipsuna means ‘desiring to obtain,’ and karya means ‘to be executed.’] The devotee with genuine greed follows the mood and activities of Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, and our Gurudeva in his sadhaka-rupa (his form as a practitioner of raganuga-bhaki in this world), and in his siddha-rupa (his internally conceived form of a manjari), he follows Rupa Manjari, Rati Manjari, and Labanga Manjari in their service to Radha-Krsna Yugala (the divine couple).
Vraja-lokanusaratah [vraja-loka means ‘of a particular servant of Krsna in Vrndavana, and anusaratah means ‘following in the footsteps]: Those who have genuine greed must do just as the Vrajavasis have done. Here, ‘Vrajavasis’ refers to Rupa Manjari and other manjaris in madhurya-rasa.
Krsna performs two kinds of pastimes, aisvarya-lila and madhurya-lila. What is aisvarya-lila? Krsna is always full of six opulences: jnana, vairagya, sri, and so on (full knowledge, renunciation, beauty, strength, fame, and wealth). He always exhibits these, whether He is in His form as Narayana or whether He is in His original form as Krsna.
We see that Krsna is full of these six virtues even in Vrndavana; He is never without them. When He killed Putana, He was a baby of only a few days. She tried to fly away when He took her breast in His mouth, but Krsna would not let her go: “Oh, I will take your milk, and at the same time your…”

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: “Your life.”

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: “Your life. I will keep you with Me always; I will never leave you.”
Putana had the power of 10,000 elephants, yet she could not break away from Krsna. Baby Krsna was doing nothing, only gripping her breast in His mouth, yet He took her life. This is truly aisvarya-lila,

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Full power.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: But Krsna never changed His form. He remained as a baby and simply kept hold of Putana’s breast.
The residents of Vrndavana (Vraja-loka), are all engaged with Krsna in nara-lila, His sweet human-like pastimes. This pastime of killing Putana is in the category of nara-lila, even though Putana was killed by aisvarya. There is also aisvarya in Vraja, but side by side with madhurya. Moreover, the gopis see only madhurya, not aisvarya. Aisvarya is there, but…

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Covered by madhurya.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: It is covered by madhurya. It is not that in Vrndavana there is no aisvarya-lila. In fact, the aisvarya in Vraja is greater than in that of Dvaraka or even that of Vaikuntha, but it is always covered by madhurya. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has written that if there were only nara-lila and no aisvarya in Krsna, He would be simply an ordinary human child performing human activities. Without the quality of aisvarya, He cannot be God, and He would not be worshipped as the worshipful Deity of the various rasas. Without aisvarya…

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: He is not God.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: He is not God, nor would He be the gopis’ object of worship (upasya).
There is an interesting point to be noted here. We see that Nanda Baba, Yasoda, and all the gopas and gopis accept Krsna as Nanda Baba and Yasoda’s son, or as their friend; and they behave accordingly. When everyone saw seven year-old Krsna lifting Govardhana Hill on His left pinky finger, the elderly gopas told Nanda Baba, “This child is not an ordinary boy. He is just like Narayana, and perhaps He‘s even Narayana Himself.”
Nanda Baba replied, “He may be Narayana ; but He is still my son. At the time of Krsna’s name-giving ceremony, I heard this from…”

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Paurnamasi.

Burijana dasa: Garga Rsi.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes, Garga Rsi. Garga Rsi had told Nanda Baba and the other Vrajavasis at the time of Krsna’s name-giving ceremony that Krsna is not less than Narayana, and that He was previously Vasudeva’s son. This is why all the elder gopas were now saying, “So, don’t treat Him as your son, and don’t rebuke Him or tie Him up. Don’t abuse Him. Don’t call Him “Little thief” or “Cheater, rascal.” *[See endnote 1]
Nanda Baba at once laughed and said, “You are saying that He is God and that He held up Govardhana on His finger. Garga Rsi has also told us this. But I see that you are over sixty. Your mind is not working correctly. Krsna comes and begs from His mother, ‘Give me bread and butter.’ And He always weeps.
If He doesn’t get what He wants when He wants it, He becomes furious with anger; and sometimes He steals. These are not the symptoms of God. So whether or not He held up Govardhana, He is my son.
Nanda Baba concluded, “But in my opinion, He did not do it; it was actually our Deity of Narayana, our grha-devata.

Burijana dasa: The worshipful Deity of our home.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes, the Deity of our home. It was He who lifted Govardhana upon hearing our prayer. We prayed to Narayana, and therefore He answered our prayers. It only appears that Krsna has done this.
He is my son. If for argument’s sake we say that He is God, still He is my son. I will rebuke Him, I will discipline Him, and I will do whatever else is needed to make Him behave properly. I will keep him by my side.”
Here, Nanda Maharaja is actually seeing that all of Krsna’s virtues make Him appear like God, but even though Krsna had performed an act of God, Nanda Baba still cannot give up his belief that Krsna is his son.
Vasudeva and Devaki have a different conception. After killing Kamsa, Krsna and Balarama went to them in prison and untied their hathakari berhi

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami and Sripad Dhanurdhara Maharaja: Shackles.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Shackles and handcuffs. The two boys wanted to offer obeisances to Their mother and father, who were standing with folded palms and praying, “Oh, You are God. We saw You…

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: In the wrestling arena?

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: We saw You when You originally appeared to us in a four-handed form, and now You have also come here before us.”
Krsna thought, “My pastimes will be…”

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Spoiled?

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: “My pastimes will be spoiled by their mood of aisvarya.” He therefore called for Yogamaya to come. Yogamaya came, and at the same time Krsna climbed onto Devaki’s lap and began to weep. Then, by the effect of Yogamaya, Devaki also began to weep; and Baladeva fell at the feet of Vasudeva, who began to weep as well. But Vasudeva and Devaki never saw Krsna as their son; they always considered Him as God.
Here we see the aisvarya mood of Vasudeva and Devaki. It is accompanied with some madhurya, but so little that that madhurya cannot cover the aisvarya. But in Vraja, even if there is an abundance of aisvarya, Yasoda and Nanda do not forget that He is their son; they always remember this. For example, their breasts swell with pride as they observe, “Oh, Krsna has lifted Govardhana Hill. My son has done this? Oh, now all of Vraja can see how strong and powerful is my son.” *[See endnote 2]
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has given these good examples, as he has also given examples for madhura-rasa. Regarding the gopis, he gives the example of the occasion that Uddhava went to Vraja to give them consolation. At that time Uddhava heard Radhika telling the bumblebee, “O bee, go at once! Get out of here. We will have no sandhi with Krsna. What is the meaning of sandhi?

Burijana dasa: Connection, no connection.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: When two parties come to some agreement in court, what is that called?

Sripad Dhanurdhara Maharaja: Settlement.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Mutual settlement.

Sripad Giriraja Maharaja: I looked it up in the Brahmara-gita, and it means ‘reconciliation.’

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes. “We cannot make any reconciliation with Him. We know who He is. We know who this person is, from His many previous births; not just from this birth.”
This is the ‘aisvarya’ mood of Radhika and the gopis. This is how they ‘realize Krsna’s Godhood.’ They say, “Paurnimasi has told us about Krsna, and we have faith in her words. She told us that in His previous birth He was Rama, and He had the same blackish color as Krsna [deep green is also called ‘syama’] He loved Sita so much that He became Her servant; when He went to the forest He even took Her with Him and became her order-supplier. He cannot live alone, just as Krsna cannot live alone. Krsna always has to keep some lady with Him.
“Sita once told Him, ‘Oh, look at that golden deer! Please go and bring it to me, either dead or alive. If it is alive I will take it to Ayodhya when our time of exile is finished, and at that time I will give it to Kaikeyi Ma or Bharata. And, if it is dead, I will make a mrgachalla from it.” Do you know the meaning of mrgachala? It is used as an asana.

Burijana dasa: Deerskin

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: “‘Or, I will make a very soft deerskin asana. In either case, I want it.’
“Laksmana warned Rama, ‘I think this is the maya (illusory creation) of demons. You must not go.’
“But we know that even Lord Brahma cannot change the mind of a lady once she has determined something, and what to speak of Rama, who is a servant of that lady. So Rama went to capture the deer.
“At another time Surpanakha (a man-eating demoness) came disguised to Rama, saying, ‘I am so beautiful, and You are so handsome. I want to marry you. Your wife is not as beautiful as I. I am available for you.’ Rama replied, ‘Better to go to Laksmana. He is unmarried. My wife is here, so I cannot accept you; but He is single, so you can go to Him.’ Surpanakha then went and told this to Laksmana, who asked her, ‘Do you want to be a maidservant or do you want to be the queen?’ She answered, ‘I want to be the queen.’ Laksmana replied, ‘I am the servant of Rama. If you wed Me, you will be a maidservant. Rama can have many marriages and every wife will be a queen. So return to Rama.’ Again Surpanakha went to Ramacandra, who directed her back to Laksmana. Finally she became furious and was ready to eat Sita. At that time Rama told Laksmana, ‘Don’t joke with her. Great harm will come of this.’”
Don’t ever joke with ladies. Don’t laugh with them or make them laugh.
The gopis continued, “Rama was so cruel and lusty. Why did He cut Surpanakha’s nose and ears? He purposely marred her, just to make her ugly so that no one would ever marry her, and even her husband would not keep her. In her next birth Surpanakha came as Kubja, who was again so ugly that no one would marry her. So see what kind of person He is. See how cruel He is.
“Then, in Satya-yuga, Krsna came as Vamana, and for no good reason He cheated Bali Maharaja, telling him, ‘I will take only three steps of land.’ Bali Maharaja agreed, ‘Yes, I will give you this.’ But when Vamana began to take His steps, He became so tall that with two steps He covered all three planetary systems and pierced the covering of the universe with the toes of His left foot. He then needed somewhere to place His foot for His third step, and Bali Maharaja offered himself, but still He was not satisfied. He tied Bali up and threw him down to hell.
“That is what we know about that person, so we will not make any reconciliation with Him. Go away from here at once.”
This is what Srimati Radhika was saying to the bumble-bee.
Here, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti states that the gopis heard from Paurnamasi that Krsna is God, that He came as Rama, Vamana, and all other incarnations, but nonetheless they personally recognized Him only as their lover.
In this way, there is aisvarya in Vraja, but it is always covered with madhurya. Moreover, this aisvarya-bhava in the gopis comes only in viraha-bhava, in their mood of separation, not in meeting. Their aisvarya-bhava is like a piece of grass in three or four manas [1 mana = 40 kilos] of milk as the milk is being boiled over a very big fire. After much time, when that milk becomes very hot and begins to boil, the piece of grass comes up, but at once goes down.
So only in the heat of separation is that ‘grass’ of aisvarya-bhava seen in the gopis. It is not visible all the time. Moreover, even when there is aisvarya, the gopis love Krsna only as their lover. They never think of Him as God.
When aisvarya is anukula…

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Favorable.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: When aisvarya is favorable to nara-lila, in other words, when Krsna continues to act like an ordinary human, then it is madhurya.
Here is an example of the madhurya-bhava that is sometimes in the heart of Devaki and Arjuna. For instance, when Krsna was sitting on the chariot, Arjuna told Him, “O Krsna, take my chariot to the middle of the battlefield.” And Krsna did that. But then, when Arjuna saw the Visvarupa, Krsna’s universal form, he became very nervous and said, “I will not address You as ‘Friend.’ You are God Himself.”
Arjuna became…

Burijana dasa: Aisvarya covered him.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Aisvarya was more powerful. Arjuna was overpowered by aisvarya and forgot that Krsna was his friend. Arjuna’s mood, as well as the mood of all other associates in Dvaraka-lila, is full of aisvarya. Sometimes there is madhurya, but it is always defeated by aisvarya.
In nara-lila the devotee thinks that Krsna is the lover of the gopis, and He is Radha-kanta, the lover of Srimati Radhika. So, just as the gopis in nara-lila serve Radha and Krsna, we should also serve Them, as manjaris. This is the meaning of vraja-lokanusaratah.
Nanda Baba, Yasoda, and the gopis have a relationship with Krsna as human beings even though they are not humans – this is nara-lila.
You can see the meaning in Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu.

Bhurijana dasa: The whole verse: “In this Vraja, one engaged in spiritual practices under subservience to the residents of Vraja, with an eager longing to follow in the mood of their bhavas, (the feelings, and sentiments, of one’s desired dearest one of Sri Krsna) should serve Them both – Sri Krsna and his dearest Sri Radha (or Sri Nanda-Yasoda, as the case may be). This is applicable both in the stage of a sadhaka, the stage of spiritual practices while still in bondage, and also in the stage of siddha, when one has attained the object of such spiritual practices.”

["In the transcendental realm of Vraja one should serve the Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna, with a feeling similar to that of His associates, and one should place himself under the direct guidance of a particular associate of Krsna and should follow in his footsteps. This method is applicable both in the stage of sadhana and in the stage of sadhya , when one is a siddha-purusa, or a spiritually perfect soul." [We have included this translation, as quoted in Srila Prabhupada’s Nectar of Instruction Verse 8, for any readers who may find this translation clearer.]

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja: I have also told this...

Bhurijana dasa: You have explained it very nicely.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: This is the second sloka quoted by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura.

[*Endnote 1 (Jagannatha Puri, Oct. 13, 2001)

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] But it is only in viraha (separation) that the gopis, and all the Vrajavasis, sometimes say, "Oh, He's God, the Supreme Lord." And in what context do they say this? They say, "Paurnamasi has told us this." Or, "Gargacarya has told us." Somehow they have heard this from them, but they themselves have no realization that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

[Prema-prayojana dasa:] Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura is always using the word 'jnana'. "They have the jnana that Krsna is Bhagavan; that He's Paramesvara."

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] They 'knew,' but 'know' in this connection means 'knowing (hearing) from others.' It does not mean, "I know; I have realization." It means they were 'hearing' that Krsna is God.

[*Endnote 2 (Holland, June 28, 2002)
[Syamarani dasi:] In the middle of your class you were explaining that none of the Vrajavasis know, or believe, that Krsna is the Supreme Lord.
[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] Yes.
[Syamarani dasi:] Someone who doubted that principle once asked you, "What about the pastime in which Krsna became Visnu and Radhika became Laksmi?" You replied, "No. There's a deep meaning there…"
[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] This was play.
[Syamarani dasi:] Can you please explain further?
[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] It was only play. No associates – not even the grasses, creepers, parrots and birds, what to speak of any Vrajavasis like Nanda Baba or Yasoda Ma – ever believe that Krsna is the Supreme Lord. Krsna may be the Supreme Lord, the Lord of lords. He may be; but to the Vrajavasis Krsna is a friend, a son, or a beloved; only this.
[Syamarani dasi:] So they were playing a game?
[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] Yes, it was for the recreation and entertainment (mano-ranjana) of Radha and Krsna and the gopis. Actually they do not know. They are all greater than Brahma, Sankara, and even Narada. They can teach bhakti to Narada, but still they don’t know that Krsna is the Supreme Lord. If anyone would tell them that He is God, the Vrajavasis would reply sarcastically, "Oh yes, you are right. Be right. Very good. If He is the Supreme Lord, then I want that everyone will attain bhakti to His lotus feet." Then bas [a Hindi word meaning ‘that’s the end of it’]; nothing is felt regarding Krsna's being God, and nothing is said further.

Illuminating the Path to Ragatmika-bhakti

Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja
Illuminating the Path to Ragatmika-bhakti
Discussions with the GBC on the book, Raga-Vartma-Candrika [Part 3]
Mathura, India: 1991

[Respected Harikatha Readers,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.
For those of you who did not receive Part 1 and 2, you can find them on www.backtobhaki.com and www.purebhakti.com.
In 1991 Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja led several members of the ISKCON GBC discussions on Raga-vartma-candrika, a famous Sanskrit treatise written by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. Below is the Part 3 in that series of discussions, and we hope to send you the rest, one after another.
Your aspiring servants, the Harikatha Team]

Burijana dasa: Dhanurdhara Maharaja and I were not here the last time you spoke, but we listened to the tape.

Sripad Dhanurdhara Maharaja: But we couldn’t understand from the tape what you were doing. We couldn’t understand your hand-motions.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: The manjaris.

Sripad Dhanurdhara Maharaja: It was about the manjaris. You said, “It is like this.”

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Tamal Krsna Maharaja can describe more than I.

Sripad Dhanurdhara Maharaja: He already told us, but we want to hear it from your realizations.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: You told us that what you were saying was not in any book.

Burijana dasa: My understanding from that example was that the heart of Rupa Manjari is so dedicated to Srimati Radharani that she feels everything Srimati Radharani feels. I also understood by your statement at the end that one must be dedicated to his guru in the same way. Without surrender and without giving one’s heart to the guru, it doesn’t work, especially in raganuga.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: This surrender and complete dedication of the heart to guru is called tadatmya (oneness of heart) in Sanskrit. When an iron rod is placed in fire, the qualities of the fire enter the iron. When fire permeates an iron rod it is the fire that burns other objects; it is not that the iron rod burns other objects; The iron rod may ‘consider,’ “I am fire,” in the sense that the qualities of the iron have become one with the qualities of the fire; it now does the work of fire.
Similarly Sri Rupa Manjari and all the other manjaris are tadatmika (one in heart) with Radha, so the action of Radha becomes the action of all the manjaris. In other words, whatever She realizes is also realized by every manjari; nothing is hidden from them. Some things may be hidden from Her sakhis, but not from Her manjaris.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: So, today you will carry on from where you left off?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Do you want to hear the rest?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Oh yes, very much. Just from what you have been speaking, it is already so helpful.

Burijana dasa: I would like to have the references for the first two verses.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: The verses are found in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: I told them three slokas, the first of which is this:

krsnam smaran janam casya prestham nija samihitam
tat tat katha ratas casau kuryad vasam vraje sada

["While remembering Sri Krsna and His beloved associates whom we desire to follow, being fully absorbed in discussions of their pastimes, one should always reside in Vraja. If this is not possible, then one should reside there by mind." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.294)]

Have you heard the explanation of that sloka? It refers to remembering Krsna along with His dearmost associates.

And here is the second sloka:

seva sadhaka rupena siddha rupena catra hi
tad bhava lipsuna karya vraja-lokanusaratah

["On this path of raganuga, being charmed by the intense love of Krsna’s beloved Vrajavasis, the sadhaka lives in Vraja under the guidance of those devotees who have taken shelter of the Vrajavasis (like Sri Rupa, Sanatana and Raghunatha dasa Gosvamis), always eager to serve them in his present physical body. And, in the perfected stage of his siddha-rupa, his internally conceived spiritual body suitable for performing prema-seva, he engages in the cherished service of Sri Krsna according to the mood he desires to obtain. In this regard he follows in the footsteps of the eternal residents of Vraja, such as Sri Radhika, Lalita, Visakha, and Sri Rupa Manjari."]

Seva means ‘service.’ Sadhaka-rupena refers to functioning in this world as a practitioner of raganuga-bhakti, and siddha-rupena refers to serving in one’s perfected spiritual body, which is achieved when intense greed arises. By the grace of guru and Krsna, the devotee’s siddha-sarira (spiritual form) is revealed in his inner heart. In this connection it is written in Caitanya-Caritamrta (Madhya-lila 22.157):

mane nija siddha deha koriya bhavana
ratri dine kore vraje krsnera sevana.

["With one’s siddha-sarira, revealed by the mercy of guru, one serves Sri Radha-Krsna Yugala (the Divine Couple) day and night in Vraja.”]

Each and every jiva has an individual spiritual body (siddha-sarira). We also have our own spiritual body, but it has not yet manifested; now it is in a seed stage. Just as an entire tree is contained within the seed of that tree, our full siddha-sarira with all its characteristics now exists in seed-form. However, because we are now bahirmukha, meaning that we have turned away from Krsna, that siddha-sarira is not seen. When, by the grace of guru and Gauranga our greed sprouts and subsequently fully blossoms, the siksa-guru or diksa-guru may show us our siddha-sarira. First, he will tell us what our constitutional spiritual identity is, as we see in Jaiva Dharma that the guru of Vrajanatha and Vijaya-Kumara told each of them the nature of their individual spiritual forms.
Our siddha-sarira is now in a latent condition. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura tells that in one life it can be revealed, but I see that for us it is many births away. He has simply showed the path.
When Vrajanatha and Vijaya Kumara took diksa, they saw Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu with all His parikaras (associates) standing with Him. At the time of our diksa we were unable to see them, but they are fully visible to a realized soul. This is real diksa.
We have entered in the class of diksa, but our diksa is not complete. We are in class now. May God and guru shower their grace upon us so that we can take full diksa, meaning divya-jnana (receiving actual transcendental knowledge) and divya-darsana (receiving spiritual vision). Divya-jnana implies divya-darsana, as we see with Vijaya Kumara and Vrajanatha. They had darsana of the Lord at the time of their diksa initiation, and they at once fainted.
After that, they took all necessary siksa in Navadvipa from Sri Raghunatha dasa Babaji. Then, and on his order, they went to Puri where they met Vakresvara Pandita’s disciple Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami for further inquiries and siksa.
Gopal-guru Gosvami is a raganuga Vaisnava and is one of the eight principal sakhis. Having realized that Vrajanatha was in sakhya-bhava and that Vijaya Kumara was in gopi- or manjari-bhava, he revealed to them their identities. He was so merciful that he called them one at a time and told them, “You are a cowherd friend of Krsna,” and “You are a maidservant of Srimati Radhika.”
He gave both of them the asta-dasaksara (eighteen syllable) gopala-mantra. Dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, and madhura-bhavas are all found in this mantra; it nourishes and supports every rasa. [Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu received from His Gurudeva the dasaksara-mantra, which is “gopi-janavallabhaya svaha.” When “klim krsnaya govindaya” precedes “gopi-janavallabha svaha,” it becomes asta-dasaksara, an eighteen-syllable mantra. –ed]

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: You said that Gopala-guru Gosvami gave the mantra to both Vrajanatha and Vijaya Kumara, and you said that this one mantra is for all rasas: dasya, sakhya, and madhurya.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Everything is there in the mantra klim krsnaya govindaya gopi-janavallabhaya svaha, meaning that the rasas of all jivas are supported by it.
But there is one thing to consider. Krsna (krsnaya) is the Deity for one in dasya and sakhya-rasa. For that devotee, the name Gopi-janavallabha (gopi-janavallabhhaya) is the adjective describing Krsna’s qualities; i.e., it qualifies the first name.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Krsnaya.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Krsnaya. Who is Krsna? A devotee in dasya-rasa considers, “He is my master and I am His servant.” Such a devotee thinks that Krsna is Gopi-janavallabha in a general way.
Krsna is the prominent name for those in sakhya-rasa as well; such devotees stress on Krsna or Govinda. However, those who have gopi-bhava, or manjari-bhava, focus on Gopi-janavallabha, and the other two words, krsnaya and govindaya, will be adjectives of gopi-janavallabhaya.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: What about those in vatsalya-rasa?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Vatsalya follows the same principle.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: They focus on Krsna?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: They focus on Krsna as the Deity with whom they are related. Everyone with vatsalya-bhava knows in an ordinary way that the gopis love Krsna, but they have no …

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Idea.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: They have an idea of that love, but no experience. Idea and experience are not the same. Devotees with vatsalya-bhava do not know that all the young gopis engage in intimate loving affairs with Krsna, and the sakhas also do not know the nature of those exchanges.
For one with greed like the manjaris or gopis, ‘go’ in this mantra will refer to the gopis. He meditates that “Govinda gives so much ananda (pleasure) to the gopis. Such a devotee will not contemplate other meanings. And he thinks, “By His appearance with five flower arrows (His smiling, His flute-playing, His beautiful cheeks, His eyebrows, and His side-long glances), Krsna is immensely attractive.” In this way, the two other names will support the name Gopi-janavallabha. Thus, the devotee with madhurya-bhava will see the other names as adjectives of that name with whom he is related.
Practically everyone in our sampradaya stresses on Gopi-janavallabha. By the grace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, those who come to this sampradaya are mainly of gopi-bhava. Some may be of other rasas, like Srivasa Thakura, Murari Gupta, Anupama, and others like them.
Thus, Vrajanatha and Vijaya Kumara received the same mantra, although their siddha-dehas (spiritual bodies) were in separate rasas. Vijaya Kumara saw his Gurudeva as a manifestation of Lalita, and Vrajanatha saw him as a manifestation of Baladeva Prabhu or Subala.

It can happen like this. Guru gives training for serving under the guidance of Lalita and Visakha in madhura-rasa. Rupa Manjari, who is Radhika’s prana-sakhi (in the group of Her most intimate maidservants), also gives training in all the services of Radhika’s maidservants. She does so not as a guru, but as a very intimate bosom friend. In madhura-rasa, everyone has to go to Rupa Manjari for training in order to serve as a manjari. We can see our guru as a manifestation of Rupa Manjari, not as Rupa Manjari herself. Our vision of guru should not be mayavada. You understand?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Can you please explain that point?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: We should see our Gurudeva as a manifestation of Rupa Manjari; that is quite proper. This is what is meant by saying that Gopala Guru Gosvami was seen as Lalita and also as Subala. It means that he is their manifestation, just as one can see Narayana, Vamana, and all other incarnations in Krsna. Anyone can see his guru in this way, according to one’s inner bhava, as a manifestation. Otherwise, seeing him directly as Rupa Manjari will be mayavada (impersonalism); it is essential to always keep mayavada very far away.
Here in this verse, seva-sadhaka-rupena means that one externally performs service as Rupa Gosvami did. What did he do?

sankhya-purvaka-nama-gana-natibhih kalavasani-krtau
nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau catyanta-dinau ca yau
radha-krsna-guna-smrter madhurimanandena sammohitau
vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau
(Sad Gosvamyastakam 6)

["I worship the Six Gosvamis, who passed all their time in chanting the holy names, singing songs, and offering dandavat-pranama, thereby humbly fulfilling their vow to complete a fixed number daily. In this way they utilized their valuable lives and conquered over eating, sleeping, and other such pleasures. Always very meek and humble, they became enchanted in divine rapture from remembering Sri Radha-Krsna’s sweet qualities."]

Sometimes he would go to Radha Kunda, sometimes to Govardhana, and sometimes to Nandagram. In Nandagaon he would sometimes go to Ter Kadamba, and sometimes he would spend one day at Uddhava Kyari, Nanda Baithak, Kokilavana, or Javat. He visited all these dearmost places.
He always liked to be in Javat, because Srimati Radhika, Rupa Manjari, and all of Radhika’s friends used to live there. At night they would go from there to meet with Krsna in Sanket, Seva Kunja, and many other places, and at midday they would meet at Radha Kunda. Radha Kunda holds some greater importance than all other places, because the pastimes there take place in the daytime, with only Srimati Radhika’s gana (group).

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Her gana means Her svapaksa-sakhis (the gopis of Her own party)

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Only the svapaksa gopis can come there. The vipaksa gopis (those in the rival party) and tatastha gopis (those in the neutral party and who have some inclination to the rival party) are not allowed, nor can…

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Nanda and Yasoda.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: They never come there.
In this way, sadhaka-rupena refers to following the Six Gosvamis, especially Rupa Gosvami, and siddha-rupena refers to following Rupa Gosvami in his siddha form as Rupa Manjari. As a sadhaka, Rupa Gosvami comes in a male form, as Rupa Gosvami, and in his siddha-svarupa (spiritual form in Goloka Vrndavana) he is Rupa Manjari. What services does Rupa Manjari perform?

tambularpana pada mardana payo danabhisaradhibhir
vrndaranya-mahervarim priyataya yas tosayanti priyah
prana-prestha-sakhi-kulad api kilasaíkocita bhumikah
keli-bhumisu rupa-manjari-mukhas ta dasika samsraye
(Vraja-Vilasa-Stava, verse 38, Raghunatha dasa)

["She brings Radha and Krsna tambula (a betel nut preparation) and water that has been very sweetly flavored with milk and herbs (payo-dana). Tambul arpana: She brings a golden pot when Radhika and Krsna want to spit the betel after chewing it."]

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: A spittoon.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: A golden pot is placed there.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: For Their pana.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Then, abhisara (amorous tryst, or lovers’ rendevous). Do you know the meaning of abhisara? This is when Srimati Radhika meets Krsna in Sanket-sthali (a place of meeting). For example, She goes to meet with Him on Purnima.

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: The full-moon night.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: She dresses in white on the full moon night, and also during Suklapaksa, the fifteen days of the waxing moon. She dresses completely in white when She goes out for Her nocturnal meeting with Krsna on the full-moon night, and on the preceding nights she dresses in white in accordance with the gradual increase of the moon. Even though Her complexion is fair and very golden, at that time She has Her manjaris rub camphor mixed with many other ingredients on Her body.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Why?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: In order to make Her appear white.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Why?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: In that way, if anyone looks in Her direction they would think they are seeing only moon-rays.

Sripad Dhanurdhara Maharaja: It is a disguise.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: This is Her disguise.
And at that time the manjaris bind Her ankle bells so that they will not make any tinkling sound.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: No noise.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: No noise should be heard; and because She must not be seen, Her sari and veil should also be white.
Conversely, on a dark-moon night (amavasya) a sakhi tells Srimati Radhika, “The night is dark, so You must train how to go there.” Srimati Radhika then practices, at midnight. At that time She has Her sakhis take kalasas (pots) full of water and pour them in Her courtyard in order to make it muddy and very slippery.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Practice.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Then they place thorns here and there on that muddy ground. They have created a setting as if Radhika is walking in a forest on a cloudy night, with rain falling very heavily, making the earth extremely slippery, with many serpents and thorns as well.
So in this situation how can She go to Krsna? She practices during the night, by moving very quietly and cautiously. Like this. Do you know the word for this type of walking?

Sripad Dhanurdhara Maharaja: Tip-toe. Very quietly. It’s called tip-toe.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: As Lalita trains Srimati Radhika in this way, Rupa Manjari watches, and our guru in this world, as sakhi-manjari in that world, also watches.
The manjaris know everything – at what time they should go and how they should go – and they very cleverly make all arrangements. This is abhisara.
Krsna is waiting at Sanketa. The night is dark, and it is raining. The manjaris come there first to find Krsna and tell Him that Srimati Radhika will not come that night. Actually, Radhika has already come and is hiding, watching to see Krsna’s reaction. In order to further increase Krsna’s desire for Srimati Radhika, the manjaris lie to Him, saying, “She will not come tonight.” Krsna practically faints at that time, and anxiously suggests a way for Radhika to meet with Him. If the manjaris see that Krsna is sincerely hankering to meet with Radhika, they at once go and tell Her, and She then comes to Him. Otherwise, She will not come.
Sometimes, when it is time for abhisara, it may be that their fathers-in-law or mothers-in-law, or all of their sisters-in-law, are present in their homes. The manjaris must be so clever that they can find a way to cheat their in-laws, telling them lies and cleverly devising a way for Radha and Krsna to meet. This is called abhisara. The manjaris perform all these activities; they know so many clever tricks.

Discussions on Raga-Vartma-Candrika: How to Enter Raganuga-bhakti

Four Discussions on Raga-Vartma-Candrika (Part 1)
Mathura, India: 1991

Re-posted from www.purebhakti.com

[In the early 1990s, Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja used to give darsanas for several members of the ISKCON GBC. During these few years, they requested him to discuss several Gaudiya Vaisnava literatures, such as Jaiva-dharma, Srimad-Bhagavatam Tenth Canto (Rasa-lila, Venu-gita, Brahmara-gita, and Gopi-gita) Harinama-cintamani, Vilapa-kusumanjali, and Raga-vartma-candrika.

In 1991, he led four discussions on Raga-vartma-candrika. Below is the first in that series, and we hope to send you the rest, one after another. As you may know, Srila Maharaja has requested that all his morning walks and darsanas be published, and he directed that these darsanas for the members of the ISKCON GBC be included:]

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: You said that today you would be speaking on Raga-vartma-candrika. You said you would be giving a synopsis; a summary.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Before beginning Raga-vartma-candrika, we first pray to our Gurudeva, Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, and to Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja, then to Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, and then to the author, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. We earnestly beg that their mercy comes to us, especially the mercy of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura.

In this Raga Vartma Candrika, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura tells us what he has realized about Sri Sri Radha-Krsna’s anuraga by the grace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Rupa Gosvami. Anuraga refers to that stage of prema which comes just before mahabhava. Within prema comes sneha, then mana, pranaya, raga, and then anuraga.*[See Endnote 1]

The author states, “I am writing something for those persons – those very lucky persons – who have greed for this raga*[See Endnote 2] but can find no path to enter for achieving it. This book serves as their guide, like a moonbeam (candrika), to shed light on the path (vartma) leading to the loving devotion of the residents of Goloka Vrndavana (raga). This path is very rare in the world.

During the Amavasya, dark-moon, night there is no moon; it is so very dark. There is a very narrow pathway, but it is not seen. If there would be a moon, that moon would give rays of light so that the path can be seen. This book is the candrika (moonbeam) which casts its light on raga and the path leading to raga. It is therefore called Raga-vartma-candrika.

We should know that this pathway is a very, very narrow one, meant only for a few, rare, highly-qualified persons; it is not for everyone. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura advises that others not read this book.

However, there is no worldly qualification required to enter this path; the only qualification is lobha, or transcendental greed. It is stated in Bhagavad-gita, “Api cet sudaracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak.” A man may be full of anarthas (undesirable habits and thoughts); but if he takes the association of a raganuga-bhakta and under his guidance reads the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, he may become attracted and acquire a very deep greed to have the same transcendental mood as the Vrajavasis. He may be attracted to sakhya-rasa (friendship with Krsna), vatsalya-rasa (parental love for Him), or madhurya-rasa (a relationship with Him as a beloved). Simply by faithfully hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam’s descriptions of the moods of the gopis, or those of Krsna’s father and mother, or those of Krsna’s friends, one may begin to yearn to experience in his heart the same moods as theirs.

It may be noted, however, that Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura is not describing sakhya and vatsalya-bhava in Raga-vartma-candrika; he is presenting only gopi-bhava. In that regard, in order to attain that bhava, one will especially hear from a raganuga-bhakta the portions of the Tenth Canto discussing Krsna’s relationship with the gopis, namely Gopi-gita, Yugala-Gita, Bhramara-Gita, Pranaya-gita, and Venu-gita.

One who has samskaras (impressions in the heart) from having taken proper association in his previous births will be able to cultivate greed and achieve gopi-bhava by reading sastra; he will not have to rely on sastric logic to convince him. For such a person, this treatise will be the candrika for discovering the path of raganuga.

The author first explains that there are two kinds of sraddha (faith) – vaidhi and raganuga – which result in two kinds of bhakti – vaidhi-bhakti and raganuga-bhakti. Both types of sraddha are achieved through the association of qualified Vaisnavas. Where entrance in bhakti is impelled by fear, where it is induced by the injunctions of sastra that instruct everyone to perform bhakti to Krsna, otherwise they will go to hell – this is called vaidhi-bhakti.

In this way one may enter bhakti by fear; or, one may be impelled by the order of sastra which is based on yukti, reasoning. For example, sastra has ordered:

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata yayatma suprasidati

["The highest pursuit for all humanity is suddha-bhakti – bhakti performed in order to please Krsna, the transcendent Lord Adhoksaja, by all one’s efforts of body, mind, and soul. Such uttama-bhakti is continuously performed without any personal desire (anyabhilasita-sunyam) and without any break. In this way one can fully satisfy the self (atma)." (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 1.2.6)]

By hearing such instructions, many people enter bhakti, and such bhakti is called vaidhi-bhakti.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: This is vaidhi-bhakti.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: And, that bhakti which is based only on genuine greed is called raganuga-bhakti. Such greed is generated by hearing the pastimes of Krsna and the gopis described in Srimad-Bhagavatam, by reading the books of the Gosvamis, and especially by being in the association of a raganuga-bhakta. Without the association of such raganuga-bhaktas, the pastimes of Krsna and the gopis will not be properly understood.

What is the nature of genuine greed? How can we know whether or not our greed is genuine?

When a sadhaka hears from raganuga-rasika Vaisnavas about the sweet pastimes of Krsna, especially His pastimes with the gopis, whether this be from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Krsna-Karnamrta, Ujjvala-Nilamani, Radha-Rasa-Sudha-Nidhi, or any other books, his citta-vrtti (heart) becomes very eager to aquire the moods of Krsna’s parikaras (associates). At that time he becomes absorbed in Sri Krsna’s rupa (form), guna (qualities), and lila (pastimes).

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: When the heart is filled with the qualities of Krsna, and the form of Krsna.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Do you know the meaning of citta-vrtti?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Spiritual…inner… What’s the word? Inner…

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: I want that word.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Consciousness? Inner consciousness?

Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Consciousness. In this connection citta-vrtti means ‘mind’ or ‘heart.’ When our citta-vrtti eagerly desires to be like those of Krsna`s eternal associates, in other words to have the moods of those eternal associates, that condition of the heart is its real or natural state, as opposed to the imposed worldly citta-vrtti.

At this time, the devotee is not interested in examining sastric orders. He will only want to achieve that mood which he sees in his asraya-gopi, the gopi for whose mood he has developed greed. This is genuine greed.

Do you understand? Can you say what is meaning of lobha, greed?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: It is when a person hears the descriptions of Srimad-Bhagavatam about Radha and Krsna, and then thinks of the feelings the gopis have for Krsna.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: He wants to have…

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: He wants to have that same feeling that is within them, strongly; that is lobha.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: That is lobha, but you have left out one thing. Those with lobha are not regulated by sastric orders or bindings. Such orders are left untouched.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Rules and regulations are not there.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: The rules and regulations of sastra are not needed at all.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Otherwise it is vaidhi.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: For example, one may see some rasagullas or rabhries (Indian sweets) and, whether or not he has the money to pay for those sweets, he may at once develop greed for them. He will exclaim, “Very tasteful!” Similarly, in whatever stage a person may find himself, if he sincerely contemplates, “Oh! The mood of the gopis is very tasteful and very good. I have greed for that,” such greed has no bindings or consideration of sastric restrictions. If we judge that we are not qualified and we think that what we want is too high for us, this is a sign that we do not possess greed. Do you understand?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Please explain.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: If I desire a rasagulla but I think, “I have no money in my pocket to purchase it, so I cannot have it,” that means I have no real greed for it.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Greed goes beyond that.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Somehow or other, by hook or by crook…

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Beg, borrow, or steal.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: By stealing, or begging, or by any other means. Such a person does not think about his qualification or disqualification. He does not consider whether or not he is able to have this bhakti. He simply thinks, “I must have it!” This is real greed. Do you understand?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Heart’s desire.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: His desire must be overpowered by the form, qualities, and pastimes of Krsna. Then it will be called real greed.

A sadhaka may ponder, “I have heard from the rasika Vaisnavas how Lalita, Visakha, Citra, Rupa Manjari and other associates serve Krsna, and I want to serve like them.” Not judging whether he is qualified to achieve this samajati-bhava (the identical mood for which one aspires), if he does not wait for any logical argument to convince him, that it is called greed.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Argument means ‘reasoning.’

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: It should come without relying on any reasoning. If reasoning is required, it is not greed.

The next consideration is this: When greed comes, how does one achieve his desired result? It comes by the association of raganuga-rasika Vaisnavas. In that association one reads Ujjvala-Nilamani, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, especially Raga-vartma Candrika…

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Vraja-riti Cintamani

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Vraja-riti Cintamani, Krsna-Karnamrta, Radha-Rasa-Sudhanidhi, Srila Jayadeva Gosvami’s Gita-govinda, and the books of Sri Kavi Karnapura and all our Gosvamis.

One will have to read all of these books and resolve: “How can I easily achieve that mood, somehow, by hook or by crook. What is the easiest method to get this?” This should be the question.

All of our acaryas, including Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, have recorded for us, in a practical way, how they themselves achieved it and how the sadhana-siddha-gopis achieved it. Their writings are authentic. One will search out their methods in sastra and follow the methods discussed therein, because without following sastra, without following the guidelines of Srila Rupa Gosvami, one will become sahajiya or atheist.

A person with greed will never judge his qualification; this is the main point. Rather, he will take assistance from these books. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura is not personally present, but he is present through his books.

It is important to understand that this greed will not come by personal effort alone. It comes only by the grace of Krsna Himself and by the grace of a raganuga-bhakta. Without their mercy one cannot have it.

Bhakta-krpa, the mercy of Vaisnavas, is of two kinds: praktana (from previous lives), and adhunika (from this life). Praktana refers to mercy that comes from past births as well as the present birth. If a man has samskaras from his previous birth’s devotional activities and receives the mercy of a Vaisnava in this birth, he will very easily and quickly advance in bhakti. Perhaps he will not even have to again accept diksa, as in the case of some of our Gosvamis. Or, if he takes diksa, he will be seen to advance very rapidly.

Srila Haridasa Thakura, Sri Svarupa Damodara, and Sri Raya Ramananda did not reveal their guru-parampara; yet they received the association of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and achieved their desired goal. This is an example of mercy due to purva-samskara, impressions accrued in previous births. [These transcendental personalities are eternal associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, not conditioned souls, and therefore they do not depend upon past samskaras. Yet, when they appear in this world, they set an example for us by their behavior. -ed] Do you understand? I will question you.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: All right.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Do you know the meaning of samskara?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: One has accrued some pious assets, purifications, and reformatory processes.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: I will be discussing the topic of samskaras, so try to understand the meaning.

If one has no previous births’ samskaras but has somehow obtained greed by the causeless mercy of a qualified guru or Vaisnava, this is called adhunika-krpa (krpa means ‘mercy’). Such a person receives diksa from a raganuga Vaisnava guru. Or, if he has received diksa before developing greed, then he accepts a raganuga Vaisnava as his siksa-guru. He may serve both his siksa- and diksa-gurus with equal devotion. Or, in some cases he may serve the siksa-guru more closely than his anusthana-diksa-guru (the guru who gives the initiation mantras according to pancaratrika-vidhi), as did Sri Syamananda Prabhu, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, and Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami. [Again, these transcendental personalities are not conditioned souls, but they give us many teachings by their own behavior. -ed]

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami’s diksa-guru was Yadunandana Äcarya, and afterwards Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu placed him in the hands of Sri Svarupa Damodara. Later, when Raghunatha dasa went to Vrndavana, he had the association of Srila Sanatana Gosvami and especially Srila Rupa Gosvami. Ultimately, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami prayed to Srila Rupa Gosvami for all the activities of service described in his Vilapa Kusumanjali.

Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami did not disclose the name of his diksa-guru; perhaps because he did not receive his devotional thoughts from him. Rather he acknowledged Rupa and Raghunatha, because he received all his moods from them. At the end of each chapter of his Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, he prayed:

sri-rupa-raghunatha-pade yara asa
caitanya-caritamrta kahe krsnadasa

["Praying at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, always desiring their mercy, I, Krsnadasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, following in their footsteps."]

Why does Raghunatha dasa Gosvami pray to Rupa Gosvami? Svarupa Damodara is Lalita-devi, and is therefore more qualified than Rupa Gosvami, who is Rupa Manjari. Yet, Raghunatha dasa prays only to Rupa Gosvami. Why? It is because he does not want to be a nayika (beloved heroine) of Krsna like Lalita and Visakha.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: He wants to be in manjari-bhava.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Only manjari-bhava.

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: He wants to follow Rupa Manjari, because they are in the same category; the category of manjari.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: What is a manjari? We have heard about kamala-manjaris and mango-manjaris. Any creeper or good flower has manjaris. Although the manjari appears first and then the flower, the manjari is always located above the flower. When a bee comes to sit on the flower and drink its honey, the manjaris tremble, being overjoyed.

Similarly, the Krsna-bee comes to Srimati Radhika, She glances at Him, and They engage in loving pastimes (prema-vilas). Although the ‘bee’ does not sit on the manjari, the manjari trembles, feeling as if the bee is sitting on her. Whatever the ‘flower’ experiences in those pastimes manifests in the manjari, so there is no need for the bee to go to her. She automatically feels everything felt by the flower. If the bee kisses the flower, then, seeing this, the manjari feels that “the bee has kissed me.”

In fact, the manjari tastes something special, which even the flower does not taste, in the sense that the flower does not tremble as the manjari does. Similarly the maidservants of Srimati Radhika experience a pleasure in being Her maidservant, which She Herself dos not experience, and that pleasure is called bhava-ullasa rati.*[See Endnote 3]

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami wanted to be a manjari, not a flower. In other words he did not want sakhi-bhava (the mood of Srimati Radhika’s friends like Lalita and Visakha, who have direct relationships with Sri Krsna). Do you understand? Herein lies the importance of the manjaris. In our sampradaya no one wants to be Sri Radha’s sakhi; they only want to be Her kinkari. Are you totally following my words? Do you know the meaning of the word kinkari?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Servant.

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Maidservant

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: There is no equivalent word in English for kinkari. It is such a beautiful Sanskrit word, which refers to something very soft, very fragrant, and so sweet.

We cannot learn these topics simply by reading books. No book will clarify the truths for you as we are discussing in this conversation. By discussing with me in this way, you can obtain more than what you can obtain by simply reading books.

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: These truths come only through realization.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: I do not say that I have any realization, but I have God’s mercy and Gurudeva’s mercy.

(To be continued…)

[*Endnote 1:
Sneha - tender affection

Maan - that stage of prema in which sneha reaches exultation, thus causing one to experience the sweetness of the beloved in ever new varieties (Ujjvala-nilamani 14.96), and when the nayika assumes an outward demeanor of pique which turns into transcendental anger and indignation arising out of jealous love.

Pranaya - that intensified stage of prema when maan assumes a feature of unrestrained intimacy known as visrambha, or confidence devoid of any restraint or formality. This confidence causes one to consider one's life, mind, intelligence, body, and possessions to be one in all respects with the life, mind, intelligence, and body of the beloved.

Raga - 1) an intensified stage of prema in which an unquenchable loving thirst (prema-mayi trsna) for the object of one's affection (Sri Krsna) gives rise to spontaneous and intense absorption in one's beloved, so much so that in the absence of the opportunity to please the beloved, one is on the verge of giving up his life; 2) when pranaya is experienced in the heart as immense pleasure. If by accepting some misery there is a chance to meet with Krsna, then that misery becomes a source of great happiness. And where happiness affords no opportunity to meet with Krsna, that happiness becomes the source of great distress.

Anuraga - an intensified stage of prema as defined in Ujjvala-nilamani (14.146): "Although one regularly meets with and is well-acquainted with the beloved, the ever-fresh sentiment of intense attachment causes the beloved to be newly experienced at every moment, as if one has never before had any experience of such a person."

Bhava - 1) loving emotions; a particular mood of love in which the devotee serves Krsna. 2) an intensified stage of prema which in Ujjvala-nilamani has been equated with maha-bhava, which occurs when anuraga attains a certain stage of exhilaration and relish. This can be experienced and relished only by anuraga itself and by no other bhava. When anuraga is adorned with the inflamed and exciting sattvika passions like molten gold and reaches its climax in Srimati Radhika, becoming identical with Her very temperament and dispositions, it is called bhava.

Mahabhava - the most mature stage of prema.

Srila Maharaja leading the ISKCON GBC and other devotees in performing Srila Prabhupada's divine samadhi festival after he gave Srila Prabhupada samadhi

*Endnote 2: Here it is necessary to know the meanings of raga, raganuga and ragatmika. Regarding this subject, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that the excessive attachment for many forms of sense enjoyment, which the materialist feels through natural contact with the sense objects, is called raga. Just as the eyes become agitated on seeing something beautiful, in the same way all the senses are always eager to taste pleasure, and thus the heart develops attachment (raga) for the sense objects. When Krsna is the exclusive object of this raga, it is called raga-bhakti. Srila Rupa Gosvami has defined this raga as iste svarasiki raga paramavistata (BRS 1.2.272). “The strong, natural and complete absorption in the cherished object of one’s devotion arising from an unquenchable love filled thirst is called raga.” When one is engrossed in krsna-bhakti at this level, it is called ragatmika-bhakti. This bhakti is especially found in the Vrajavasis, the eternal residents of Vraja. And, that bhakti which follows the moods of the ragatmikas is called raganuga. In other words, when, by the mercy of Sri Krsna and His devotees, one cultivates bhakti impelled by the greed to obtain the same mood as Krsna’s beloved associates, it is called raganuga-bhakti. (Raga-vartma-candrika, verse 2, purport by Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja)

*Endnote 3: bhava-ullasa-rati – Generally, devotees of the same mood and who are enriched with similar desires naturally share suhrd-bhava, intimate friendship, with each other. That is why the love and affection that Lalita and the other sakhis have for Srimati Radhika is called suhrd-rati. When their suhrd-rati is the same as or slightly less than their Krsna-rati (affection towards Sri Krsna), this is called sancari-bhava (a temporary emotion that is compared to the waves that swell and then return to the ocean of their permanent emotion of the mood of Krsna’s beloveds). In other words, this suhrd-rati becomes like the waves in the ocean of their prominent affection for Krsna; it is a sancari-bhava.

In the case of the manjari-sakhis, their suhrd-rati (for Sri Radha and everything connected with Her), which abundantly exceeds their krsna-rati and which constantly increases by the moment due to their full absorption in it, is called bhava-ullasa-rati. This is a special feature of madhura-rasa. Of the five types of sakhis, only the nitya-sakhis and prana-sakhis, who are known as manjaris, have this bhava-ullasa-rati as their permanent emotions (sthayi-rati). It is no longer just a sancari-bhava. These manjaris nurture an abundance of sneha, tender affection, for Radhaji.

It is seen that creepers are always endeavoring to embrace trees, but the leaves, flowers and buds (manjaris) of the creepers do not even slightly try to embrace the trees directly. When a creeper embraces a tree, the joy of those flowers, leaves, and manjaris automatically increases. In Sri Vrndavana Srimati Radhika stands supreme among all gopis. She is famous as the kalpa-lata (the creeper that fulfills every desire) of love for Sri Krsna. Some of Her sakhis have the nature of leaves, some are like flowers, and some like manjaris. That is why they are always eager for Srimati Radhika to meet with Krsna, and are carried away by the bliss of Their union. (Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja’s commentary on Venu-gita, verse 7)]

[For more details about above samadhi ceremony (photo), please see the book:

Gaura-vani-pracarine at

http://gauravani.info/

or buy it at:

www.bhaktistore.com