Srimati Radharani Wins!
Goswāmī Mahārāj:
mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ
paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande
sri gurum dīna-tārāṇām
śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ
sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ
dadāti sva-padāntikam
vande’haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca
śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam
sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-sahitaṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaṁ
śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha-gaṇa-lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś ca
(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta: Antya 2.1)
ānanda-līlā-maya-vigrahāya
hemābha-divyac-chavi-sundarāya
tasmai mahā-prema-rasa-pradāya
caitanya-candrāya namo namas te
(Śrī Chaitanya-bhāgavat: Madhya-khaṇḍa, 28.200)
Devotee: Daṇḍavats Mahārāj. We have question from Dhanañjaya Prabhu, Russia, and he is asking, “When Mahāprabhu meets Gadādhar Paṇḍit, trough whom, between the two of them, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi manifests more?”
Goswāmī Mahārāj: Hare Kṛṣṇa... [chuckle] How can we possibly answer question like that? But, we can only quote Śrīla Guru Mahārāj, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāj Goswāmī, Rūpa Goswāmī... They've expressed the position of Mahāprabhu and Gadādhar Paṇḍit. Well, we can say... It says,
namo mahā-vadānyāya
kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te
kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya -nāmne
gaura-tviṣe namaḥ
(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta: Madhya, 19.53)
Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa, and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi appears as Gadādhar Paṇḍit.
As indicated, at the time of the sannyāsa of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Keśava Bhāratī said, “Your name must be Kṛṣṇa Caitanya.” He didn't give him a standard sannyāsa name. He said, “You've come to gift Kṛṣṇa Consciousness to the world. And, you're Kṛṣṇa Consciousness personified.” So, Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, kṛṣṇa-cetana—Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. Sometimes Śrīla Guru Mahārāj will describe this gaurā-līlā as the ācārya-līlā of Rādhār and Kṛṣṇa—Mahāprabhu's Kṛṣṇa, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu —Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi as Gadādhar Paṇḍit. In the introductory section of Prapanna-jīvanāmṛtam Śrīla Guru Mahārā says,
guru-rūpa-hariṁ gauraṁ
rādhā-ruci-rucāvṛtam
nityaṁ naumi navadvīpe,
nāma-kīrtana-narttanaiḥ
(Śrī Prapanna-jīvanāmṛtam: 1.3)
Rādhārāṇi's heart and halo transforms Śyāma-sundar into Gaurāṅga-sundar.
Guru-rūpa of hari...guru-rūpa-hariṁ is what? Gaurā, Gaurāṅga. How did Śyāmasundar Kṛṣṇa... He's famous: ghana-śyāma, śyāma-sundar, acintya-guṇa-svarūpa. His divine dark form is acintya color, an inconceivable śyāma. But how this Śyāmasundar become Gaurāṅga Sundar? Rādhā-bhāva-dyuti-suvalitaṁ... (Cc:Ādi, 1.5)—becoming enveloped in the heart of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi and its divine radiance—the halo. Transforming Śyāmasundar Kṛṣṇa into Gaurāṅga Sundar, again—this inconceivably beautiful golden color, svarṇa-koṭi-darpaṇābha-deha-varṇa-gauravaṁ...(Śrī Śrī Prema-dhāma-deva Stotram: 2) Guru Mahārāj says, “Like ten million brilliant, coruscating, shinning mirrors of gold.” So... And guru-rūpa-hariṁ gauraṁ... How did he achieved this position? He wants to distribute Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. He's Kṛṣṇa, He's in the background of everything—but particularly for distributing Kṛṣṇa Consciousness— stealing it from the position of the devotee.
And not only any devotee, but the Supreme Devotee. He says, guru-rūpa-hariṁ gauraṁ rādhā-ruci-rucāvṛtam...(Pj: 1.3). Which is very beautiful poetry. Because ruci can mean taste, can mean beauty, and all these things together. And, Caritāmṛtam again, śrī-rādhāyāḥ praṇaya-mahimā kīdṛśo vānayaivā... (Cc: Ādi, 1.6). The type of love that She alone possesses. That has captured his imagination, you could say. And what is the type of love that She alone possesses? Rūpa Goswāmī in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, he's saying, ādau śraddhā... sādhu-saṅgo... bhajana-kriyā... anartha-nivṛttiḥ... niṣṭhā... rucis tataḥ athāsaktis tato bhāvas tataḥ premābhyudañcati... (Brs: 1.4.15) When is reaching stage of prema then... praṇaya... rāga... anurāga... bhāva... mahā-bhāva. He's giving this stages of kṛṣṇa-prema. As Guru Mahārāj says, “There's gradation everywhere and in everything. Even within Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, and the domains of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.”
There's gradation everywhere and in everything, even in the realm of Goloka.
Saraswatī Ṭhākur quoted... Guru Mahārāj says in Prapanna-jīvanāmṛtam... Saying, vṛndāvana haite śreṣṭha govarddhana-śaila, giridhārī-gāndharvikā yathā krīḍā kaila ...(Pj: 3.22). Superior to Vṛndāvana is Govardhan. Then, going further— Rādhākunḍa. And Saraswatī Ṭhākur distinguishing—rādhākunḍa-taṭa—the banks, and the water. To such souls, all of this distinctions are meaningful. But it shows, there's gradation everywhere and in everything. Even in the upper world in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness—Vaikuṇṭha, the Southern hemisphere of the Spiritual World—then aprākṛta realm of Goloka. And as we mentioned, Vṛndāvana, Govardhan, Rādhākunḍa bank, waters. That's why it's says in the conclusion of the Upadeśāmṛtam, that, to bath in the waters of Rādhākunḍa, to enter these divine waters—which, Guru Mahārāj says—is Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi in a liquid form; it's not ordinary water, whereas we conceive.
Think, preṣṭha... for the parama-preṣṭha-sakhīs, Her most intimate serving group, it is a rare achievement, then what to speak of others. And it's one of the points being made there. So, what is that love She alone possess? Bhāva... After bhāva—like Subalā, the highest rank of cowherd boys—and gopī-bhāva. Interestingly, when Śrīla Guru Mahārāj was at the Inauguration of the ISKCON's Candrodayā Mandir, at Śrīla Prabhupāda's invitation, the talk he gave, to this day I just... It's... I would expect Guru Mahārāj in that context to give a more general talk. And he started to. It's like when Mahāprabhu's... the Sanātan-śikṣā. And, He's giving a particular... going in a particular way in terms of instructions. And then he goes on this divine tangent on the beauty and sweetness of Kṛṣṇa. And it's just divine madness. And then, he's saying, “That's not what I meant to say...” [laughing] “What was I talking about before?” [chuckle]
Narottama, “If you're mad about Gaurāṅga, He's mad about you”
So, it reminds me... So, Guru Mahārāj, he's saying about the different types... Yeah... The Narottama might've been there... He's mentioned different domains, like, “This city is the place for raja-guṇa, and certain parts tama-guṇa. And, the forest was traditionally sātva-guṇa, and that kind of environment is conducive for an āśrama...” He's talking in the now... Because Prabhupāda took these rice fields in Māyāpur, and, you know, turned them to the spiritual city, as envisioned by Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur. So, he's talking about the... the... What different environments are conducive for, in terms of culture. And he means to say, “So, in this place...” And, of course, we just heard Narottama say, gṛhe vā vanete thāke, ‘hā gaurāṅga’ bale ḍāke... (Sāvarana-śrī gaurāṅga-mahimā: 4.3). Narottama doesn't care where you're from, or which āśrama you're in. If you like... you're mad about Gaurāṅga, He's mad about you; that's it, basically. Same thing Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur, gṛhe thāko, vane thāko, sadā 'hari' bole' dāko... (Sri Gitavali: Sri Nama, 2). Same thing...
Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākur, “My campaign is to make a Temple in everyone's heart.”
But still, Guru Mahārāj's using this as a point that he was making. And he always speaks thematically. And that's when he mentioned that Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākur, his idea, his campaign was to establish a Kṛṣṇa Temple in the heart of everyone, of every living being, you can say. But at least, you know... everyone and every... heart of everyone. Because, you could say, “Oh, remember, they're opening a Temple...” Remember, Guru Mahārāj, he's always speaking thematically. He's telling, “What is that environment? It's best for spiritual culture, you pick that place.” He's saying, “But our Guru Mahārāj said, 'Actually, my campaign is to make a Temple in everyone's heart.'” And then he said something... Because Guru Mahārāj is always speaking thematically, but what will come to him is not always known. It is, but new things may come also. I'll never know... well, maybe I'll... some day...[chuckle] Because I didn't get to ask him. But he says...
He starts talking about gopī-bājan, and he's saying... And used the word 'cloister'... Nityānanda, do you know what cloister is?
Goswāmi Mahārāj: Like the hermitage... Like the place where people go for spiritual culture, they lack themselves in the room...
Goswāmi Mahārāj: [laughing] Right... The Russians have... They put the monks in there, and... [laughter] Lord's knows what happen after that... [laughing] But... So, he's talking about cloister. And, he's saying... And this is the beautiful part where he's saying... connecting with the theme... He's saying, “But gopī-bājan is, that the heart should be the cloister.” Not that there's the cloister somewhere, and you go there; you do your spiritual thing, and then you go back to the world, right... He's saying, “In gopī-bājan...” Those are his exact words... He said, “The cloister is the heart.” And Mahārāj's... “Oh...” He said, “Sarasvatī Ṭhākur's program was to make every heart a Temple for Kṛṣṇa.” And, just while we're on this subject, he said something, again. I think, some divine flow came to him, and he said, “If you take the holy name of the Lord... Hare Kṛṣṇa...” He said, “One day, you'll find yourself in His harem... [laughing] And I said, “Guru Mahārāj, you're giving a general talk here...” [laughter] But, that's what he said.
“If you take the name of the Lord, one day you'll find yourself in His harem.“
You have to listen very carefully... That's what he said at that meeting. “If you take the name of the Lord, one day you'll find... (and very excited...) you'll find yourself in His harem.“ [laughter] And I'm like, “Oh My God!” [laughter] So, we don't normally say that... Then everyone believe, saying, “Gopī Mahārāj... awww... Goswāmi .... awww... Gopī Mahārāj... awww...” [laughter] Goswāmi Mahārāj said...” [laughing] That surprised me. But, then... So, he's saying, “This is what he's come to do.” Sarasvatī Ṭhākur, Guru Mahārāj saying these things, using words gopī-bājan. And, what do we hear from Six Goswāmis? You know, gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi-laharī-kallola-magnau muhur... (Śrī Ṣaḍ Goswāmy-aṣṭakam: 4). He says, “They're like drowning in waves of gopī-bhāva. That's why they don't need... They have the minimal amount of necessities for any sustenance. It's not that by denying themselves, they've achieved this.
It's on the account of what their internal nourishment, that they need a minimum from the external plane. But... So, and as Guru Mahārāj said... the other day—the sannayās-mantraṁ—about gopī-bhāva. And when someone asked me in a particular... We would discuss it on a particular occasion, what should be done? And this person said, “Oh, you should... (The person...) they should write the sannayās-mantraṁ, under divine form of Śrī Guru, who was departing from the world.” Something like that. But, that's still... that's general. Who would be the best? Then from our perspective you would have to write Śrī-rūpa-manjari-pada; that's what you would write. But of all... Then the leader of the juniors. But of all the devotees... they all have bhāva. When we go, “Who alone possesses mahā-bhāva.” If we're saying that Kṛṣṇa descended... It's there in the beginning of the Caritāmṛta. And we're told, this is based on the notes of Svarūpa Dāmodar and Raghunāth Dāsa Goswāmī.
Mahā-bhāva—love that only Rādhārāṇi possesses—has captured Kṛṣṇa.
That Kavirāj Goswāmī is the recipient of the full wealth of Svarūpa Dāmodar and Raghunāth Dāsa Goswāmī, via Raghunāth Dāsa Goswāmī, when he became his servitor at Rādhākunḍa. And he's saying, śrī-rādhāyāḥ praṇaya... Her type of love— mahimā, the greatest type of Her love—śrī-rādhāyāḥ praṇaya mahimā kīdṛśo vānayaivā… (Cc: Ādi, 1.6). Means, that She alone possesses. Then, it's another way of saying, mahā-bhāva, mahābhāva-svarūpā śrī-rādhā-ṭhākurāṇī (Cc: Ādi 4.69). That's what has captured Kṛṣṇa. And where is it seen at the zenith point? In separation, bāhye viṣa-jvālā haya, bhitare ānanda-maya, kṛṣṇa-premāra adbhuta carita (Cc:Madhya, 2.50). The wonderful, astonishing quality, characteristic; kṛṣṇa-prema. And particularly, it achieve it's greatest depth in separation. That's where the greatest depth of heart is achieved. And the highest expression of divine love, and its greatest intensity—accompany this aṣṭa-sāttvika-vikāra—these different... eight different types of ecstatic transformation.
Intensity and depth of Rādhārāṇi's love in separation awakens Kṛṣṇa's curiosity.
And Rūpa Goswāmī describes when one or two are there, at the particular stage... Three or four... When all of them are present, it's a stage... But when all of them are present, and they're fully blazing to the extreme. So, quoting Śrīla Rūpa Goswāmī Caitanyāṣṭakam. Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāj Goswāmi, apāraṁ kasyāpi praṇayi-jana-vṛndasya kutukī... (Cc: Ādi,: 4.52); kutukī means curiosity. So, serving all these gopīs. How many are there? We hear... In rāsa-līlā, we hear from different places, there's... Sometime's described, there's a billion or trillion. Just think, they're all unique and uniquely beautiful. We say, “Kṛṣṇa's Supreme Enjoyer.” One Kṛṣṇa—a billion or trillion inconceivably beautiful gopīs's divine forms, svarūpa... muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ, sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ... (SB: 2.10.6). Their svarūpa; cinmaya. If the ground is cinmaya, then what to speak of the divine souls that travers that plane, vaikuṇṭhera pṛthivy-ādi sakala cinmaya... (Cc: Ādi 5.53). And, ...rādhām ādhāya hṛdaye, tatyāja vraja-sundarīḥ (Gg: 3, 1).
Kṛṣṇa plunders the wealth of the heart of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi.
When Rādhārāṇi makes Herself absent, Kṛṣṇa leaves all the... that billion, trillion gopīs, and goes and search for her. It's in the Rāmānanda-samvad, quoting the Gīta-govinda of Jayadev, to succinctly express Her unparalleled spiritual qualifications. All the others are so wonderful, and Kṛṣṇa left all of them to go in search of One. And, what is it say there? Observing her particular type of self-giving, self-sacrifice in the expression of divine love from Her heart... kutukī, it awaken the curiosity in Kṛṣṇa. What is it like to be Her. Particularly, from the hidden position—observing Her expressing virahā-bhāva—separation, apāraṁ kasyāpi praṇayi-jana-vṛndasya kutukī rasa-stomaṁ hṛtvā madhuram upabhoktuṁ kam api yaḥ...(Cc: Ādi,: 4.52). And here, supports Guru Mahārāj language at saying, “He plunders the wealth of Her hearts. Steals.” Because, I've heard Guru Mahārāj saying this, and I accept that. But still, if someone pressed me and I had to give it right, “Oh, here in the Caitanyāṣṭakam of Rūpa Goswāmī, he's also saying—steal, plunder.”
And, for various reason, we may say, “The wealth of Her heart, She just not want to part with easily.” And the ārati song... We hear, singing—when She sees that Kṛṣṇa is now enveloped in Her heart, that, you know ...manda hāsa—She's smiling mildly. So, sometimes Śrīla Guru Mahārāj would say, that... Used words like facsimile, carcass, the remainder—and absent the bhāmā-bhāva of, you know—opposition in divine love, that inspires Kṛṣṇa. So, there's a peculiar statement in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, comparing Gadādhar Paṇḍit to the Dvāraka Queen, Rukmiṇī. And, on the surface, it appears to be a sort of ontological dilemma. Because, we hear, Rādhārāṇi expends out of Vṛndāvan—heart is above intellect—out of Vṛndāvan into Dvāraka, where they're taking reversal, and She's as Satyabhāmā. And Candrāvalī—Her competitor in Vṛndāvan—as Rukmiṇī in Dvāraka, in the superior position. So, why would this comparison be there, to compare Gadādhar Paṇḍit to Rukmiṇī?
Gadādhar Paṇḍit—what's left of Rādhārāṇi after Kṛṣṇa plundered Her heart.
Because, they're in different times. When as Nimāi Paṇḍit... But later as Mahāprabhu is pressing Gadādhar, or teasing Gadādhar—Gadādhar never responds. Even the other devotees are saying, “You should say something!” But Gadādhar's... “No I... Toleration is best for me, and not say anything.” Like the Queen Rukmiṇī, when Kṛṣṇa is testing the love for Rukmiṇī and says... After He kidnaped Her on Her request, and They're living as King and Queen in Dvāraka. He says,”I may not be the most suitable partner for you. There're others who...” And He's... [chuckle] And, we're told, Rukmiṇī, when She hears this, the thought of impending separation from Kṛṣṇa... The description says like, “Like a tree that's thrown down in a hurricane; uprooted and crushed... And crushed in a hurricane.” And, She doesn't say anything. She just can't conceive of that, but She doesn't express any objection. So, but it's not fully described there.
But Śrīla Guru Mahārāj, he says that, “Yes, if Gadādhar Paṇḍit... Nimāi Paṇḍit—later Caitanya Mahāprabhu—has stolen, plundered the wealth of the heart of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi. Including this bhāmā-bhāva, that nature of opposition. Then the remainder, the facsimile, remainder, can be likened to the Queen Rukmiṇī. So, what was the original question?
Devotee: In whom Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi manifests the most? Through Gadādhar Paṇḍit or Mahāprabhu?
Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur's private bājan chamber; worship of Gaurā-Gadādhar.
Goswāmī Mahārāj: Oh, right... So, and we have the worship of Śrīla Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur—what Śrīla Gurudev called this—private bājan chamber; he worship Gaurā-Gadādhar. So, from one point of view we can say that, “Her heart, halo, the bhāmā-bhāva have been plundered by Kṛṣṇa, to appear as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.” That the most intense expression is there. But Gadādhar Paṇḍit is Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi, just keeping certain aspects of Herself in the suppressed position. But He/She knows, everything about what Kṛṣṇa is experiencing as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So, when Śrīla Guru Mahārāj, along the lines of Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur's Śrī Bhagavatarka-marici-mālā. The Bhagavat-sun—eighteen thousand ślokas—like an eighteen thousand rayed-sun,
kṛṣṇe sva-dhāmopagate
dharma-jñānādibhiḥ saha
kalau naṣṭa-dṛśām eṣa
purāṇārko ’dhunoditaḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.3.43)
Bhāgavatam—from the domain of intellectual jugglery, to the domain of rasā.
Taking the thousand rays, thousand ślokas from the Bhāgavatam, and structuring them, presenting them in the particular way. Śrīla Guru Mahārāj said, “The inspiration... And that came from Svarūpa Dāmodar to Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur.” Guru Mahārāj got the inspiration for like two or three hundred. But, he didn't realized that. But he did write some introductory ślokas. One for Veda-vyāsa, as would be appropriate; the one about Rādhārāṇi, yad amiya... and the Bhāgavatam,
yad amiya-mahimā-śrī-bhāgavatyāḥ kathāyāṁ
pratipadam anubhūtaṁ chāpy alabdhābhidheyā
tad akhila-rasa-mūrti-śyāma-līlāvalambaṁ
madhura-rasa-dhi-rādhā-pādapadmaṁ prapadye
(Śrīla BR Śrīdhar Mahārāj)
Prayer to the lotus feet of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi and rādhā-dāsyam, saying, that actually, although Her name is not mentioned there, at every step of the way it's meant to take us in the direction of the service of Her Holy Lotus Feet, śyāma-līlāvalambaṁ... The whole Bhāgavatam, nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalaṁ śuka-mukhād amṛta...(SB:1.1.3)
The veda-kalpataru, the desire three of Veda; its floral essence is Vedānta. And then the fruit, fully ripened, mature fruit of the veda-kalpataru is the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Which is about what? Rasā. Always remember, this book is meant to take us—as Guru Mahārāj said—from the domain of intellectual jugglery, to the domain of rasā. As when I asked about the Kūrma Avatār, pṛṣṭhe bhrāmyad amanda-mandara-giri-grāvāgra-kaṇḍūyanān...(SB 12.13.2), why this has appeared in the last chapter of the Bhāgavatam, In reference of the Kūrma Avatār and churning of the Milk Ocean. Which is wonderful, but I couldn't understand why would be included in the last twenty five/thirty ślokas.
The ultimate nectarine substance is madhura-rāsa, as presented in Bhāgavatam.
What you would expect everything to be drawing toward the particular conclusion. And, of course, it is. Guru Mahārāj explained; he said, “What was the object of their churning?” And, in general people say, “Oh, they want āmṛta, they want the nectar of immortality.” That's just generic, off-the-shelf āmṛta. In the beginning of the Bhāgavatam, it says, muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ, sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ.. (SB: 2.10.6), that after mukti, after liberation, there's svarūp, there's form, there's relationship, there's personality; there's loving exchange, he's saying. So, from, you know—an āsuric, suric tag of war to get this nectarine substance... Guru Mahārāj is saying, really... And remember Lakṣmī-devī comes out, the Candrā-Moon, and, you know, candra-vaṁśa and Śrī, Goddess Śrī. So, he's saying, really what it is, its telling us, “The ultimate nectarine substance is the... is madhura-rāsa, as presented in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam.”
Otherwise, it's just a story. Some pūraṇic legend about the gods and the demons, and they doing this and that. It has to be on theme. What is the theme of the Bhāgavatam? That was in the very beginning, nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalaṁ śuka-mukhād amṛta...(SB:1.1.3); amṛta... Śukadeva Goswāmī is not interested in immortality. It's saying, the ultimate nectarine substance is mādhura-rāsa, ...śyāma-līlāvalambaṁ... And it's all dependent upon Her, ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ...(Bs: 5.37). As Kṛṣṇa has expansion, She has. All the vraja-gopīs, mahiṣī-gaṇas-Queens of Dvāraka, the Lakṣmīs of Vaikuṇṭha, all come from Her. So, that's the message of Bhāgavatam, the book that's all about Kṛṣṇa, it's all about Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. She's Supreme personification of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. When Kṛṣṇa wants to experience Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, He adopts Her position.
Mahāprabhu to Raghunāth, “What I don't know, Svarūpa Dāmodar knows fully.”
And, when Svarūpa Dāmodar... When Raghunāth Dāsa Goswāmī approached Mahāprabhu for some personal instructions—having been told from day one that he will be under the care of Svarūpa Dāmodar—Mahāprabhu gave him some personal instructions. And, He said, “The reason I've put you under the care of Svarūpa Dāmodar is, because what I don't know, he knows fully.” What can that mean; what He doesn't know? Meaning, when Rādhārāṇi is lost in divine madness of separation from Kṛṣṇa, as exhibited in the Bhramara-gītā, which is one of the two separation zenith points, continuously relished by Mahāprabhu. One's ratha-yātrā. We just discussed that last time... After hundred years of separation... It's the separation zenith point. Every year Mahāprabhu and His devotees celebrating this ratha-yātrā. And, all these mystical feelings, songs being expressed from Mahāprabhu; it's the separation zenith point.
The other one—last twelve years lies behind close doors, with Svarūpa Dāmodar and Rāmānanda—Bhramara-gītā, divine madness. Ten different types of prajalpa being expressed by Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi. Which we can't discuss, but one we can reference, because it's beneficial. What is that?
Yad-anucarita-līlā-karṇa-pīyūṣa-vipruṭ-
sakṛd-adana-vidhūta-dvandva-dharmā vinaṣṭāḥ
sapadi gṛha-kuṭumbaṁ dīnam utsṛjya dīnā
bahava iha vihaṅgā bhikṣu-caryāṁ caranti
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.47.18)
Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi, “To hear a drop of nectar about Kṛṣṇa, and your life is ruined.”
She's saying... pīyūṣa means nectar. And he's not saying, “We give you eternal life.” She's saying, “To hear a drop of nectar about Kṛṣṇa, and your life is ruined.” [laughing] She's saying the opposite. Who's gonna sign up for that? Everyone in this room, apparently... [laughter] She's saying, “A drop of hearing about that, then your life is ruined.” When you come in connection with Kṛṣṇa Consciousness you can't take the world seriously, and envision yourself being in it. Doesn't mean that serious things don't happen in the world. But I mean it in another way—as a place of fulfillment—to realize yourself. Śukadeva says it in another way when he starts speaking, “And what's the use of all the experience of this world? Better a moment of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, then all of this.” And same thing Nārada told Vyāsa when he's like, chastising Vyāsa, and he's saying, “Why do I... I gave Mahābhārata... I compiled the Vedas, you know... I just... I'm feeling depressed...”
Hṛt-rogam—heart disease—the lust has a stranglehold on the heart.
He said, “Yes, because you didn't tell people straight about Kṛṣṇa.” And what is he saying there, tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi...(SB: 1.5.17); apak... Like paka means, ripe, mature; apaka means immature... He's saying, “It's better if you even... only involve with Kṛṣṇa Consciousness for short time—take that risk—than 'ions' of anything else.” He's saying, “That's what we do.” That's what Nārada tells Vyāsa, Śukadeva tells the sages there in a Śuka-talā, with Parīkṣit Mahārāj. And Rādhārāṇi's saying same thing in Her very beautiful, divine madness, saying, “A drop of this nectar will ruin you...” [chuckle] And Guru Mahārāj sad, “It's like...” Because elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam, it says, bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ...(SB: 1.2.21). The lust has a stranglehold on the heart. Elsewhere described this, hṛt-rogam, heart disease. But the Bhāgavatam can cut the knots
of that stranglehold.
And Guru Mahārāj said, “It's like, when they have... The safe is locked, and the thieves, they put a drop of some kind of acid, and it makes a hole in it... And then like, the lock... and then you open the door to get a treasure” Same when our hearts are locked, a drop... She's saying, “A drop of this divine substance will burn through that; the doors opens and real wealth is revealed.” It's very beautiful what is described there. And She's saying at the end, “Then... And then with nowhere to live, nowhere to go, they're like birds.” Like the way you see the birds out your window. They lend somewhere, and take a little something, they go somewhere. They're like homeless. But the Ācārya say, “The bird She's talking about is haṁsa, paramahaṁsa.” She's saying, “You'll become paramahaṁsa.” What did Guru Mahārāj's say? “Take the name, Lord's name, and one day you'll find yourself in His harem.” [laughing] So, why Mahāprabhu told that to Raghunāth Dāsa?
Gadādhar Paṇḍit knows best what Mahāprabhu is experiencing.
Because Svarūpa Dāmodar is Lalitā-sakhī. And when Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi is lost in Her divine madness, Lalitā-sakhī maintains her composure and can assist Her, in either assuage the anguish of separation in Her heart, or amplifying and enhancing some particular sentiment, like singing particular song, ślokas, etc. And Rādhārāṇi may not remember everything in the aftermath; or may not choose to say. So, Mahāprabhu is telling Raghunāth Dāsa, “This is the person who will train you better then me. I want you to be able to render that type of service. That's why I'm putting you under his care.” And remember Caritāmṛta comes from Svarūpa Dāmodar and Raghunāth Dāsa Goswāmī. Still, Gadādhar... Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi in gaurā-līlā is Gadādhar, stying in the background, suppressing certain aspects of Herself. But She knows, of course, everything. So, who is the other person? It would be to much to be there all the time. But who is that other person who knows what Mahāprabhu's experiencing—and in this sense, even more so—is Gadādhar Paṇḍit.
Rādhārāṇi wins! If Mahāprabhu is more—that 'more' comes from Her.
No one compares to Gadādhar Paṇḍit. It's another win for Rādhārāṇi, any way you perceive it. If you say, “Mahāprabhu more...” This 'more' He's got, it came from where? [laughing] From Her. But, Gadādhar Paṇḍit, so sympathetic, it's inconceivable. Like we're... There're classes, you know, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class, and there're the great commentators... And not to ever... (anyway...) you know, to take anything away from that. But, can we conceive of like—a Bhāgavatam class, where Rādhārāṇi is explaining the Bhāgavatam? What kind of class would that be? Those are the classes of Gadādhar Paṇḍit, and it says if, “We can't hear it.” Certainly, we're not qualified. But it's not even like, “Keep this unqualified thing, we're not suppose to... on the shelf.” It's not on the shelf... Because, what happens when Śrīnivāsa Ācārya is sent to Gadādhar Paṇḍit, to be thought Bhāgavatam. Gadādhar Paṇḍit opens the Bhāgavatam and he says, “What I want to teach you, my tears have washed those ślokas away.”
The best of the Goswāmīs, Gadādhar Paṇḍit, understands Mahāprabhu's heart.
So, Śrīnivāsa Ācārya goes to Navadwip, and as they... To make another book scribed by hand. May take two, three months, eighteen thousand ślokas. By the time he returns, Gadādhar Paṇḍit have left the world. But, those ślokas that have been washed away by the tears of Gadādhar Paṇḍit were supplied by Gadādhar Paṇḍit to Mahāprabhu. On the banks of, what Guru Mahārāj said, “That broad blue ocean, Nīlācala-Jagannāth Purī.” Perhaps giving a hint at his selection criteria, Śrīla Guru Mahārāj includes in that introduction, the Gadādhar-praṇams,
nīlāmbhodhi-taṭe sadā sva-virahā-kṣepanvitaṁ bāndhavaṁ
śrīmad-bhāgavatī kathā madirayā sañjīvayan bhāti yaḥ
śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ sadā sva-nayanāśru-pāyanaiḥ pūjayan
gosvāmi-pravaro gadādhara-vibhūr-bhūyāt mad-ekā-gatiḥ
(Śrīla BR Śrīdhar Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj: The Golden Volcano of Divine Love)
In this prayer, he's saying, gosvāmi-pravaro gadādhara... vibhūr-bhūyāt mad-ekā-gatiḥ... The best of the Goswāmīs, Gadādhar Paṇḍit... Saying, Mahāprabhu enveloped in the heart and halo of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi, is on the shore of that broad blue ocean, spinning what? Sva-virahā—He observes, as Kṛṣṇa—Rādhārāṇi's feeling separation from Him. Now, He is feeling—enveloped in Her heart and halo—separation from Kṛṣṇa; what that's like? Her separation, what is like? There's nothing, just as a footnote, a sidebar—there's nothing like this in any religion in the world—including in India. There's nothing like this. There's nothing that compares to this. There's nothing as sweet and enchanting as to know, that Kṛṣṇa, He's so moved and captured by Her, that He wants to experience what is like to be Her. And here He is, on the banks of the broad blue ocean in Nīlācala-Jagannāth Purī, He's experiencing kṛṣṇa-virahā. And, it says, ...kṣepanvitaṁ bāndhavaṁ...
Only Gadādhar's singing brings some relief to the heart of Mahāprabhu.
In the company of this dear friend. So, think of that, the two of them; now it's just a two of them. And what they understood from a time before—now here they are—He's fully enveloped in the heart and halo of Rādhārāṇi—with Rādhārāṇi by His side. And this is terra incognito—in so previously unexplored world—Her heart. And the pain, the anguish of separation, and the depth and magnitude of this, is inconceivable. But She knows. And, so, She knows that when this feeling comes—this śloka... So, She's singing that verse. But, while singing... So, and what is Guru Mahārāj said, “When someone is feeling love-sick, and heart-ached, their heart is broken, and they go to their best friend. And the best friend (he said) supplies them some intoxicant, like wine; they're like drowning your troubles. They like, “Here, drink this you'll get some relief.” He's saying, but here, ...śrīmad-bhāgavatī kathā madirayā... The madira—the wine is bhāgavat kathā—that's the wine.
Gadādhar Paṇḍit's tears washing away pages of the Bhāgavatam.
So, Gadādhar Paṇḍit expressing these things. The intoxication of that substance is giving some relief to the heart of Mahāprabhu, who is on the verge... The tenth stage of separation is death, so, He's on the approaching death. Then Gadādhar Paṇḍit comes, supplying, singing these beautiful verses. And it's ...sañjīvayan... means—bring Him back to life—just on the verge of... And now, back to life, ...śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ sadā sva-nayanāśru-pāyanaiḥ pūjayan... And as Gadādhar Paṇḍit is singing, we think, Mahāprabhu's there, crying tears of separation. And Gadādhar Paṇḍit singing the verses... Tears are streaming from the lotus eyes of Gadādhar Paṇḍit, like flower offering unto the pages of the Bhāgavatam, and washing away those verses. So, why do we have to answer this? It's not good. Don't think like that. Just hear what have been expressed and appreciate it. Don't try to put one above the other, or this one's more... That one... Just hear what has been expressed, and appreciate that, if we can.
Guru Mahārāj, “Stalwart followers of Mahāprabhu prefer Navadwip.”
But, I understand. I've asked Guru Mahārāj so many questions... Thinking like, “All these things are taking place in Purī, and there's Navadwip...” Trying to understand wha's higher. But, we have to be very careful about it; we don't want to commit any offense. Just trying to understand some difference between Navadwip and Purī, and the devotees in the different places. And Guru Mahārāj said to me, “Stalwart followers of Mahāprabhu prefer Navadwip...” [laughing] “Because there, everything seems to... These higher things were expressed there, and then...” And he said, “The stalwart followers of Mahāprabhu prefer Navadwip, because that is their happy time.”
It's like Rādhārāṇi and vraja-gopīs. We may, through analyses say this, that, and other things... They want Kṛṣṇa to comeback to Vṛndāvan. Then I thought, “Oh, separation produces a superior substance.” That can be said through analyses. But they want Kṛṣṇa to be with them.
Vraja-gopīs wants Kṛṣṇa to give up His kingly dress, and comeback to them.
So, Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur taking himself as one of the inhabitants of Vidyānagar, where Mahāprabhu is on the top of the house of Vidyā-vācaspati. And all the people come... And there, the crowd walked across the Gaṅgā. They're hanging from tree limbs, and they all wanna glimpse of the Golden Lord, rasoddāmā kāmārbuda-madhura-dhāmojjvala-tanur...(Śrī Stava Mala, 1: Prathama Caitanyastaka.4). So, He comes out... And Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur thinking himself as one of the people... He says, “When my Nimāi Paṇḍit, who's now Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, give up the robes of renunciation and come and join us again in Śrīvāsa-aṅgana.” That's like vraja-gopīs wanting Kṛṣṇa to give up His kingly dress, the Dvāraka King, and comeback to them for the happy times, on the banks of the Yamuna, in Vṛndāvan, ...gopa-veśa, veṇu-kara, nava-kiśora, naṭa-vara, nara-līlāra haya anurūpa (Cc: Madhya, 21.101)—with His gopa-veśa, cowherd dress, the flute in His hands—that's what they like.
Gurudev, Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj, He like many ślokas from Śrī Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta. One, he said a lot... Description of Kṛṣṇa, when He is surrounded by the vraja-gopīs. How beautiful He is. He looks like crown jewel. He's the crown jewel and they're the... whatever the other part is... [chuckle]
kastūrī tilakam lalata phalake vakshasthale kaustubham
nasagre navamauktikam karatale venum kare kankanam
sarvange haricandanam kalayan kantheca muktavali
gopastree pariveshtito vijayate gopala cudaamanih
(Śrīla Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura: Śrī Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta)
Rādhārāṇi—She always wins—She's always in the superior position.
So, this thing, actually, can only be described with a bowed head and folded palms. If we heard something from our guru-varga... That they describe these things in the very delicate way. But the very fact that Kṛṣṇa has descended as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, rādhā-bhāva-dyuti-suvalitaṁ... (Cc: Adī, 1.5.4), means—She wins![laughter] OK... [laughing] She always wins; She's always in the superior position. What a tribute. There's no parallel pastime on Her side. You understand? There's no such thing.
He wants to embrace Her position, She doesn't think like, “Oh, I wonder what would be like to be a Supreme Enjoyer..?” [laughter] That's anti-devotional mentality. And if someone says, “Oh, sometimes in separation the gopīs imitate Kṛṣṇa.” That's true. In their
madness. But they're not trying to usurp His position as a ādi-puruṣa. Just in the madness of their separation, they're, you know... some may say, “I've come to punish Kāliya!” They just lost their gopī-bhāva minds... [laughter] Waiting for Kṛṣṇa to return. So, they're enacting His pastimes as a means of remembering Him; evoking His presence.
Kṛṣṇa being converted into a devotee, is just about the most amazing thing.
And remember, we're told, vṛndāvanaṁ parityajya pādam ekaṁ na gacchati (Cc: Madhya, 13.149, Purport). Although Gurudev likes to say it another way. Kṛṣṇa never leaves them; ever, anyera hṛdaya — mana, mora mana — vṛndāvana (Cc: Madhya, 13.137). When Mahāprabhu is singing, nearing the sentiments of the heart of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi, when He's before Jagannātha at the Ratha-yātrā. He's saying, “For most people their mind and heart are, more less, one...” He's saying, “My mind, my heart and Vṛndāvan are one, rādhā-padmāńkita dhāma, bṛndābana jār nāma... (Gitavali: Śrī Rādhāṣṭaka, 1.3). Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur is saying, “Really, Vṛndāvan is that soil that is embellished with the lotus footprints of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi. So...Viśvanāth Cakravartī speaks of those things in his Sārārtha Darśinī-Tīkā, how really pastimes of union in separation, they're running in parallel. He can explain that and express that.
But, that Kṛṣṇa has been converted into a devotee, is just about the most amazing thing that's ever happened. [laughing] Hare Kṛṣṇa! Jay, Mahāprabhu Gaurāṅga-sundar ...nṛtyan nijair nāmabhiḥ (Ccd: 90.132). Can you sing hari haraye namaḥ..? [kīrtana begins]
hari haraye namaḥ kṛṣṇa jādavāya namaḥ
jādavāya mādhavāya keśavāya namaḥ
gopāla govinda rām śrī madhusūdana
giridhārī gopīnātha madana-mohana
śrī-chaitanya nityānanda śrī advaita-chandra
gadādhara śrīvāsādi gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
jaya rūpa sanātana bhaṭṭa raghunātha
śrī-jīva-gopāla-bhaṭṭa dāsa raghunātha
ei choy gosāir kori charaṇa vandana
jāhā hoite bighna-nāś abhīṣṭa pūraṇa
ei choy gosāir jāra mūi tāra dāsa
tā-sabāra pada-reṇu mora pañcha-grāsa
tādera charaṇa sebi bhakta sane bāsa
janame janame mora ei abhilāṣa
ei choy gosāi jabe braje koilā bāsa
rādhā-kṛṣṇa-nitya-līlā korilā prakāśa
ānande bolo hari bhaja vṛndāvana
śrī-guru-vaiṣṇava-pade majāiyā mana
śrī-guru-vaiṣṇava-pāda-padma kori āśa
(hari) nāma-saṅkīrttana kohe narottama dāsa
[kīrtana continue]
Brs: Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu
Bs: Brahma-saṁhitā
Ccd: Chaitanya-chandrāmṛta
Cc: Caitanya-caritāmṛta
Cb: Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavat
Gg: Gīta-govinda
Pj: Prapanna-jīvanāmṛtam
SB: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam
Up: Upadeśāmṛta
Abbreviations
- SB:
- Śrīmad Bhāgavatam