19820825 Darśana: Reading from The Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 30

The following is a class given by HH Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on August 25^th, 1982 in Chicago Illinois. The class begins with ‘The Teaching of Lord Caitanya- Chapter 30’ on the auspicious appearance day of Śrīmati Rādhārāṇī.

 

Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya!
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya!
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya!

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-gurum dīna-tāranam
paramānanda mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya īśvaraṁ

 

In The Teachings of Lord Caitanya, there's chapter 30, ‘The Transcendental Pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa’, which is a description of the conversation between Rāmānanda Rāya and Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So Prabhupāda says on page 311:

“The difference between ordinary religious activities and devotional service is very great. By executing religious rituals one can achieve economic development, sense gratification or liberation (merging into the existence of the Supreme), but the results of transcendental devotional service are completely different from such temporary benefits. Devotional service of the Lord is ever green, and it is increasingly transcendentally pleasing. Thus there is a gulf of difference between the results derived from devotional service and those derived from religious rituals. The great divine energy known as Jaḍādhiṣṭhātrī, or Mahāmāyā, the superintendent of the material world, and the material departmental directors, the demigods, as well as the products of the external energy of the Supreme Lord, are but perverted reflections of the opulence of the Supreme Lord. The demigods are actually order carriers of the Supreme Lord, and they help manage the material creation. In the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.44, 52, 49) it is stated that the workings of the supremely powerful superintendent, Durgā, are but shadows of the workings of the Supreme Lord, that the sun works just like the eye of the Supreme Lord, and that Brahmā works just like a jewel reflecting the light of the Supreme Lord. Thus in the material world all the demigods, as well as the external energy herself, Durgādevī, and all the different departmental directors are but servants of the Supreme Lord.

In the spiritual world there is another energy: the superior, spiritual energy, or internal energy, known as Yogamāyā. She also works under the Lord’s direction, but in the spiritual world. When the living entity puts himself under the direction of Yogamāyā instead of Mahāmāyā, he gradually becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. On the other hand, those who are after material opulence and material happiness place themselves under the care of the material energy, Mahāmāyā, or under the care of material demigods like Lord Śiva. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is found that when the gopīs of Vṛndāvana desired Kṛṣṇa as their husband, they prayed to the spiritual energy, Yogamāyā, for the fulfillment of their desire. In the Sapta-śatī it is found that King Suratha and a merchant named Samādhi, being under the modes of material nature, worshiped Mahāmāyā for material opulence. Thus one should not mistakenly equate Yogamāyā with Mahāmāyā.

Because the Lord is on the absolute platform, there is no difference between the holy name of the Lord and the Supreme Lord Himself. There are many different names for the Supreme Lord, such as Paramātmā (the Supersoul), Brahman (the Supreme Absolute), Sṛṣṭikartā (the creator), Nārāyaṇa (the transcendental Lord), Rukmiṇī-ramaṇa (the husband of Rukmiṇī), Gopīnātha (the enjoyer of the gopīs) and Kṛṣṇa. In this way the Lord has different names, and these names indicate different functions. The aspect of the Supreme Lord as the creator is different from His aspect as Nārāyaṇa. Some of the names of the Lord as the creator are conceived by materialistic men. One cannot fully realize the essence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by understanding His name as the creator because this material creation is a function of the external energy of the Supreme Lord. Thus the conception of God as the creator includes only the external feature. Similarly, when we call the Supreme Lord Brahman, we cannot have any understanding of His six opulences. In Brahman realization, the six opulences are not realized in full, nor is there recognition of eternity, bliss and knowledge. Therefore Brahman realization is also not a complete understanding of the Supreme Lord. Nor is Paramātmā realization, realization of the Supersoul, full realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for the all-pervading nature of the Supreme Lord is but a partial representation of His opulence.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So here Śrīla Prabhupāda, he’s taking us step by step, that first we should know, what is the difference between material energy and the spiritual energy. And between the personified spiritual potency of the Lord and material potency. That this material energy is temporary, the blessings given by material energy are temporary. But, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord has His own Spiritual Energy who gives eternal blessings in the spiritual world and there is a difference between these two. So now here, we are going into the spiritual platform. In the spiritual platform, the Lord has various Names and there is no difference between the Name of the Lord and the Lord Himself. So therefore we chant these Names for purification, this is the process given by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Different people have given different names, like God, Allah… which are signifying God as the creator. God as the creator is only a materialistic aspect. Like this, the conception of God, or the Supreme Being, maybe in different moods. So, depending how we address God, how we address the Supreme Being, He is going to reciprocate. If you address Him as the creator, that is an aspect which is simply a material aspect. He is not only the creator. But the materialistic people they don’t know anything about God, except what they see in this material world. So they think of Him, “Well, He’s the one that created everything.” So now Prabhupāda is systematically showing us, how the concept of creator, the concept of the Supreme Brahman, the impersonal energy, the concept of the Parāmatmā - the localized all pervasive personality is in every atom in our heart accompanying us. All these conceptions are not full. They’re partial, that there’s more than that. So then Prabhupāda is going on explaining about the Lord in Vaikuṇṭha. He is saying:

“Even the transcendental relationship experienced by a devotee of Nārāyaṇa in Vaikuṇṭha is incomplete because devotees in that relationship cannot realize the relationship between Kṛṣṇa and His devotees in Goloka Vṛndāvana. The devotees of Kṛṣṇa do not relish devotional service to Nārāyaṇa because devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is so attractive that Kṛṣṇa’s devotees do not desire to worship any other form. Thus the gopīs of Vṛndāvana do not like to see Kṛṣṇa as Rukmiṇī-ramaṇa, the husband of Rukmiṇī, nor do they address Him by that name. In Vṛndāvana Kṛṣṇa is addressed as Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa – Kṛṣṇa, the property of Rādhārāṇī. Although the names Rukmiṇī-ramaṇa and Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa are on the same level in the ordinary sense, still, in the spiritual world these names indicate different understandings of various aspects of Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental personality. If one equates the names Rādhā-ramaṇa or Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa with Rukmiṇī-ramaṇa, Nārāyaṇa or any other name of the Supreme Lord, he commits the fault of overlapping tastes, which is technically called rasābhāsa. Those who are expert, discriminating devotees do not accept such amalgamations, which are against the conclusions of pure devotional service.” 

Jayapatākā Swami: So, in this way, it is very clear that worshiping Kṛṣṇa in any other form, whether as Rukmiṇī-Kṛṣṇa or as Nārāyaṇa, is not on the same level as worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. In South India, many philosophers feel that Kṛṣṇa is actually an expansion of Nārāyaṇa; this is not at all accepted. Ultimately Kṛṣṇa is the original form of God. God also has unlimited forms. Each of them are full, absolute, transcendental, having unlimited potencies. Yet, that’s in an ordinary sense. In a higher evaluation of Their qualities, then Kṛṣṇa’s qualities are special, and especially because Kṛṣṇa is associated with Śrīmatī Rādhārani.

“Although Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, embodies all superexcellence and beauty, when He is among the damsels of Vraja, where He is known as Gopījana-vallabha, devotees feel that His superexcellence and beauty have reached the highest perfectional stage. The devotees cannot relish the beauty of the Supreme Lord more than this. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.33.6) it is confirmed that although Kṛṣṇa, the son of Devakī, is the last word in superexcellence and beauty, when He is among the gopīs He appears even more beautiful – like a sublime jewel set among divine golden craftsmanship. Although Lord Caitanya accepted this as the highest realization of the Supreme Lord as conjugal lover, He nonetheless requested Rāmānanda Rāya to proceed further.”

Jayapatākā Swami: You’ve certainly heard of the English saying, ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.’ So when we’re discussing the transcendental qualities of the Lord, then, ultimately the beholder becomes very important. That  a particular devotee has a certain limitation, how much he can actually appreciate the beauty of Kṛṣṇa. Just like an ordinary person may not be able to appreciate some works of art as another person, who is very expert in art, can appreciate. So a non-devotee is not able to appreciate the full beauty of Kṛṣṇa. And then within devotees some devotees are able to appreciate Kṛṣṇa's beauty, His qualities, His characteristics to such an extent that actually it draws out more of His transcendental characteristics. So this is the nature of the gopīs, that they are actually able to appreciate Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental qualities more than other devotees. More of the qualities of Kṛṣṇa therefore are manifested in a company with devotees, especially rather the gopīs. And now Lord Caitanya is being asked, asking Rāmānanda Rāya to go on further.

“Upon hearing this request, Rāmānanda Rāya remarked that this was the first time he had been asked to go further than the gopīs’ relationship with Kṛṣṇa in the matter of understanding Kṛṣṇa. Rāmānanda went on to say that although there is certainly transcendental intimacy between the damsels of Vraja and Kṛṣṇa, out of all the relationships, the relationship between Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa in conjugal love is the most perfect. No common man can understand the transcendental flavor of the transcendental love between Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs, what to speak of the ecstasy of transcendental love between Krsna and Rādhārāṇī. But if one tries to follow in the footsteps of the gopīs, he may become situated in the highest stage of transcendental love. Thus one who wants to be elevated to this transcendental stage of perfection should follow in the footsteps of the damsels of Vraja as an assistant maidservant of the gopīs.

Lord Caitanya exhibited the mood of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī when She contacted Kṛṣṇa at Kurukṣetra after He had come from Dvārakā. Such transcendental love is not possible for any common man; therefore one should not imitate this highest perfectional stage exhibited by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. But if one desires to be in that association, he may follow in the footsteps of the gopīs. In the Padma Purāṇa it is stated that just as Rādhārāṇī is dear to Kṛṣṇa, similarly the pond known as Rādhā-kuṇḍa is also very dear to Him, and that Rādhārāṇī is dearer to Kṛṣṇa than all the other gopīs. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.30.28) it is also stated that Rādhārāṇī and the gopīs render the highest perfectional loving service to the Lord and that the Lord is so pleased with them that He does not wish to leave the company of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda would not generally discuss, in public lectures, these details. The details of the pastimes of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa. Because this was the principle of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He would only discuss these matters with his most intimate disciples. As a materialist may misconceive them, and thus commit the error of thinking that Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa is some material activity, and commit some offense and thus fall down from the path of spiritual life. At the same time, especially these things are revealed by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, to attract the minds of the fallen souls in the age of Kali. The people in the age of Kali are very fallen, they have a very hard disease. Therefore they need a very strong medicine. So chanting Harināma, the saṅkīrtana or congregational chanting of the Lord’s names, revealing the Lord’s pastimes and His holy dhāmas, these strong medicines have been revealed to defeat the epidemic of sinful life which is going throughout the civilization in Kali-yuga. So I remember one-time Śrīla Prabhupāda was lecturing that throughout the ages there are many great souls who have given up all material things, seeking spiritual happiness, spiritual bliss. He cited Mahārāja Bharata, who was emperor of the world. It describes in the Bhāgavatam; he gave up his kingdom, his riches, his opulence, his fame. He gave up his family. He gave everything up. Actually it describes just as a man leaves the bathroom, he just left without even looking back all these opulences. Prabhupāda said why? He was after that spiritual bliss. Buddha, Siddha… Siddhārtha was a great prince, he had all the opulence given by his father, the King. Beautiful damsels, money, everything he wanted. But he left it all without a second thought. Why? He was searching after spiritual bliss. Like this, there are so many great souls. They have given up everything going after this spiritual happiness. So Prabhupāda said, “What is that spiritual happiness? That spiritual happiness, is Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.” She is the pleasure potency of the Lord. Everyone is running after Her. She’s not any ordinary person, when She’s able to give Kṛṣṇa happiness. That means all the spiritual happiness is just a partial manifestation of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. So, just as Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is most able to perceive all of the transcendental quailities of Kṛṣṇa, similarly Kṛṣṇa is only able to appreciate the transcendental pleasure of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Therefore, they are completely inseparable.

“When Lord Caitanya heard Rāmānanda Rāya speak of the loving affairs between Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī, He said, “Please go further. Go on and on.” The Lord also said that He was enjoying with great relish the descriptions of the loving affairs between Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs. “It is as if a river of nectar is flowing from your lips,” He said. Rāmānanda Rāya continued by saying that when Kṛṣṇa danced among the gopīs He thought, “I am not giving any special attention to Rādhārāṇī.” Because among the other gopīs Rādhārāṇī was not so much an object of special love, Kṛṣṇa stole Her away from the arena of the rāsa dance and showed Her special favor.

After explaining this to Lord Caitanya, Rāmānanda Rāya said, “Now let us relish the transcendental loving affairs between Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā. These have no comparison in this material world.” ”

Jayapatākā Swami: This is the thing to remember, that Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is special amongst all the devotees. Therefore Kṛṣṇa gave Her special attention. Therefore we worship the Lord, as Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. As the highest understanding of the Absolute Truth, as the highest form because only in the forms of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, are all the qualities of Kṛṣṇa present. Because only Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī can appreciate all of the qualities of Kṛṣṇa. A devotee will appreciate some of the transcendental bliss, some of the transcendental ecstasy, some of the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa. We cannot imitate Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Kṛṣṇa Himself wanted to understand how She was able to appreciate so many things. What was She appreciating? He took the mood of Rādhārāṇī and became Lord Caitanya. Therefore, He took also Her color and became golden color. Kṛṣṇa’s the color of a rain cloud, dark-bluish-black, effulgent. And Rādhārāṇī is golden color. So when Kṛṣṇa came with the mood of Rādhārāṇī, He came in golden color. So Lord Caitanya, He exhibited the same appreciation of Kṛṣṇa, as Rādhārāṇī did. Therefore sometimes, He would become mad in ecstasy, He would jump in the Yamuna River, or rather into the sea, thinking it was the Yamuna River. Sometimes His body would become dislocated. He would stretch out to nine feet in length with simply the bones being held together by the skin. And He’d be crying out the names of Kṛṣṇa and He would be completely… it would be fearful for the devotees. They would chant “Hare Kṛṣṇa”, and again He would come back together when He heard “Hare Kṛṣṇa” and then again, He would start to dance. It was such manifestations that no one could even dream of, what to speak of imitate. We find that the intimate associates of Lord Caitanya, only a few, where the topics of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are intimately discussed. And generally, it wasn’t that all of the devotees were always exhibiting such ecstasies, crying or quivering and all these other ecstasies. Occasionally, it was visible. Generally they would try to suppress it. Only in Caitanya Mahāprabhu did it reach such heights that it was irrepressible or insuppressible. It was therefore known as ‘mahā-bhāva’ or the great ecstasies. In the Kṛṣṇa conscious movement, we don’t show these things. And neither anyone can show to that extent. But rather, one internally appreciates, and sometimes the devotee is feeling different symptoms. These are all just partial manifestations of Rādhārāṇī’s happiness coming down. It was the greatest shock for the gopīs, when Kṛṣṇa left Vṛndāvana and went to Dvarakā and Mathurā. They became practically mad with love for Kṛṣṇa, showing that Kṛṣṇa; either in their presence or in their absence, their ecstatic love was always at the highest level. It wasn’t limited by any material condition.

In material life one cannot experience love to that extent unless the person is there, physically there. Or he’s there through various subtle bhāvas. One can see that the gopīs are completely absorbed. Rādhārāṇī was completely absorbed in the thoughts of Kṛṣṇa and that Kṛṣṇa was present. So Kṛṣṇa, knowing the gopīs were very upset, He sent Uddhava; also to purify Uddhava by getting their association. He sent Uddhava to Vṛndāvana to deliver a message to the gopīs, especially to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.

So in the Kṛṣṇa book, page 64 of the second volume, we could read some parts of this discussion and understand a little more of transcendental pastimes:

“Uddhava understood that the gopīs of Vṛndāvana were all simply absorbed in the thought of Kṛṣṇa and His childhood activities. While talking about Kṛṣṇa with Uddhava, they forgot all about their household business. They even forgot about themselves as their interest in Kṛṣṇa increased more and more.

One of the gopīs, namely Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, was so much absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa by dint of Her personal touch with Him that She actually began to talk with a bumblebee which was flying there and trying to touch Her lotus feet. While the other gopīs were talking with Kṛṣṇa’s messenger Uddhava, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī took that bumblebee to be a messenger from Kṛṣṇa and began to talk with it as follows: “Bumblebee, you are accustomed to drinking honey from flower to flower, and therefore you have preferred to be a messenger of Kṛṣṇa, who is of the same nature as you. I can see on your mustaches the red powder of kuṅkuma which was smeared on the flower garland of Kṛṣṇa.”

It may be that Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī purposely addressed the bumblebee sarcastically in order to indirectly criticize the messenger Uddhava. Like the other gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī saw that Uddhava’s bodily features resembled Kṛṣṇa’s, but She also saw Uddhava as being equal to Kṛṣṇa. Indirectly, therefore, She indicated that Uddhava was as unreliable as Kṛṣṇa Himself. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī wanted to give specific reasons why She was dissatisfied with Kṛṣṇa and His messenger.

According to expert opinion, Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, is a subordinate expansion of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. As Kṛṣṇa has numerous expansions of viṣṇu-mūrtis, so His pleasure potency, Rādhārāṇī, also has innumerable expansions of goddesses of fortune. Therefore the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmījī, is always eager to be elevated to the position of the gopīs.

“Kṛṣṇa advertises Himself as magnanimous, and He is praised by great saints. His qualifications would be perfectly utilized if He would only show us some mercy, for we are so much downtrodden and neglected by Him. You poor messenger, you are only a less intelligent servant. You do not know much about Kṛṣṇa – how ungrateful and hardhearted He has been, not only in this life but in His previous lives also. We have all heard this from our grandmother Paurṇamāsī. She has informed us that Kṛṣṇa was born in a kṣatriya family previous to this birth and was known as Rāmacandra. In that birth, instead of killing Vāli, an enemy of His friend, in the manner of a kṣatriya, He killed him just like a hunter. A hunter takes a secure hiding place and then kills an animal without facing it. So Lord Rāmacandra, as a kṣatriya, should have fought with Vāli face to face, but, instigated by His friend, He killed him from behind a tree. Thus He deviated from the religious principles of a kṣatriya. Also, He was so attracted by the beauty of Sītā that He converted Śūrpaṇakhā, the sister of Rāvaṇa, into an ugly woman by cutting off her nose and ears. Śūrpaṇakhā proposed an intimate relationship with Him, and as a kṣatriya He should have satisfied her. But He was so henpecked that He could not forget Sītādevī and converted Śūrpaṇakhā into an ugly woman. Before that birth as a kṣatriya, He took His birth as a brāhmaṇa boy known as Vāmanadeva and asked charity from Bali Mahārāja. Bali Mahārāja was so magnanimous that he gave Him whatever he had, yet Kṛṣṇa as Vāmanadeva ungratefully arrested him just like a crow and pushed him down to the Pātāla kingdom. We know all about Kṛṣṇa and how ungrateful He is. But here is the difficulty: in spite of His being so cruel and hardhearted, it is very difficult for us to give up talking about Him. And it is not only we who are unable to give up this talk, but great sages and saintly persons also engage in talking about Him. We gopīs of Vṛndāvana do not want to make any more friendships with this blackish boy, but we do not know how we shall be able to give up remembering and talking about His activities.”

Since Kṛṣṇa is absolute, His so-called unkind activities are as relishable as His kind activities. Therefore saintly persons and great devotees like the gopīs cannot give up Kṛṣṇa in any circumstances. Lord Caitanya therefore prayed, “Kṛṣṇa, You are free and independent in all respects. You can either embrace Me or crush Me under Your feet – whatever You like. You may make Me brokenhearted by not letting Me see You throughout My whole life, but You are My only object of love.”

“In My opinion,” Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī continued, “one should not hear about Kṛṣṇa, because as soon as a drop of the nectar of His transcendental activities is poured into the ear, one immediately rises above the duality of attraction and rejection. Being completely freed from the contamination of material attachment, one gives up attachment for this material world, including family, home, wife, children and everything else materially dear to every person. Being deprived of all material acquisitions, one makes his relatives and himself unhappy. Then he wanders in search of Kṛṣṇa, either as a human being or in other species of life, even as a bird, and voluntarily accepts the profession of a mendicant. It is very difficult to actually understand Kṛṣṇa – His name, His qualities, His form, His pastimes, His paraphernalia and His entourage.”

Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī continued to speak to the black messenger of Kṛṣṇa: “Please do not talk anymore about Kṛṣṇa. It is better to talk about something else. We are already doomed, like the black-spotted she-deer in the forest who are enchanted by the sweet musical vibration of the hunter. In the same way, we have been enchanted by the sweet words of Kṛṣṇa, and by thinking of the rays of His toenails again and again, we are becoming more and more lusty for His association. Therefore, I request you not to talk of Kṛṣṇa anymore.”

These talks of Rādhārāṇī with the bumblebee messenger, including Her accusing Kṛṣṇa in so many ways and at the same time expressing Her inability to give up talking about Him, are signs of the topmost transcendental ecstasy, called mahā-bhāva. The ecstatic mahā-bhāva manifestation is possible only in the persons of Rādhārāṇī and Her associates. Great ācāryas like Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura have analyzed these mahā-bhāva speeches of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and described their different varieties, such as udghūrṇā, or bewilderment, and jalpa-pratijalpa, or talking in different ways. These are the signs of ujjvala-rasa, or the brightest jewel of love of God.

While Rādhārāṇī was talking with the bee and the bee was flying hither and thither, it all of a sudden disappeared from Her sight. She was in full mourning due to separation from Kṛṣṇa and felt ecstasy by talking with the bee. But as soon as the bee disappeared, She became almost mad, thinking that the messenger-bee might have returned to Kṛṣṇa to inform Him all about Her talking against Him. “Kṛṣṇa must be very sorry to hear it,” She thought. In this way She was overwhelmed by another type of ecstasy.

In the meantime, the bee, flying hither and thither, appeared before Her again. She thought, “Kṛṣṇa is still kind to Me. In spite of the messenger’s carrying disruptive messages, He is so kind that He has again sent the bee to take Me to Him.” Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī was very careful this time not to say anything against Kṛṣṇa. “My dear friend, I welcome you,” She said. “Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He has again sent you. Kṛṣṇa is so kind and affectionate to Me that He has fortunately sent you back, in spite of your carrying My message against Him. All good fortune to you, My dear friend. Now you may ask from Me whatever you want. I shall give you anything because you are so kind to Me.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So then, Uddhava seeing all these things, he became completely overwhelmed. You see Kṛṣṇa, in the message, had glorified the qualities of the gopīs. But the gopīs were not very interested in hearing. Uddhava realized their transcendental position

“Since the perfection of such austerity was completely manifested in the lives of the gopīs, Uddhava was fully satisfied upon seeing their transcendental position. He continued, “My dear gopīs, the mentality you have developed in relationship with Kṛṣṇa is very, very difficult to attain, even for great sages and saintly persons. You have attained the highest perfectional stage of life. It is a great boon for you that you have fixed your minds upon Kṛṣṇa and have decided to have Kṛṣṇa only, giving up your families, homes, relatives, husbands and children for the sake of the Supreme Personality. Because your minds are now fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Soul, universal love has automatically developed in you. I think myself very fortunate that I have been favored, by your grace, to see you in this situation.”

When Uddhava said that he had a message from Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs were more interested in hearing the message than in hearing about their exalted position. They did not very much like being praised for their high position. They showed their anxiety to hear the message Uddhava had brought from Kṛṣṇa.

The gopīs are in the perfectional stage of meditation. Yogīs are generally more fond of meditating than of executing devotional service to the Lord, but they do not know that the perfection of the yoga system is the attainment of devotion. This constant meditation on Kṛṣṇa by the gopīs is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā to be the topmost yoga. Kṛṣṇa knew very well the psychology of women. When a woman’s beloved is away, she thinks of him more in meditation than when he is present before her. Kṛṣṇa wanted to teach through the behavior of the gopīs that one who is constantly in trance like the gopīs surely attains His lotus feet.

Lord Caitanya taught people in general the method of vipralambha-sevā, which is the method of rendering service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the feeling of separation. The Six Gosvāmīs also taught worship of Kṛṣṇa in the feeling of the gopīs in separation. The prayers composed by Śrīnivāsācārya about the Gosvāmīs explain these matters very clearly. Śrīnivāsācārya said that the Gosvāmīs were always absorbed in the ocean of transcendental feelings in the mood of the gopīs. When they lived in Vṛndāvana they were searching for Kṛṣṇa, crying, “Where are You, Kṛṣṇa? O gopīs, where are you? Where are You, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī?” They never said, “We have now seen Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, and therefore our mission is fulfilled.” Their mission remained always unfulfilled: they never met Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛṣṇa reminded the gopīs that at the time of the rāsa dance those gopīs who could not join Him for the rāsa-līlā gave up their bodies simply by thinking of Him. Absorption in Kṛṣṇa consciousness by feeling separation is thus the quickest method for attainment of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. By the personal statement of Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs were convinced about the strength of feelings of separation. They were actually experiencing the supernatural method of Kṛṣṇa worship and were much relieved by understanding that Kṛṣṇa was not away from them but always with them.

Śrī Uddhava confirmed Lord Kṛṣṇa’s statement in the Bhagavad-gītā that one who takes shelter of Him for the right purpose, be that person a śūdra, a woman or a member of a low-grade family, will attain the highest goal of life. The gopīs have set the standard of devotion for the whole world. One who follows in the footsteps of the gopīs by constantly thinking of Kṛṣṇa can attain the highest perfectional stage of spiritual life. The gopīs were born not of any highly cultured family but of cowherd men, yet they developed the highest love of Kṛṣṇa, who is the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the Supreme Brahman. For self-realization or God realization there is no need to take birth in a high family. The only thing needed is development of ecstatic love of God. For achieving perfection in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, no qualification is required other than to be constantly engaged in the loving service of Kṛṣṇa, the supreme nectar, the reservoir of all pleasure. The effect of taking up Kṛṣṇa consciousness is just like that of drinking nectar: with or without one’s knowledge, it will act. The active principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness will equally manifest itself everywhere; it does not matter how and where one has taken his birth. Kṛṣṇa will bestow His benediction upon anyone who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without any doubt.

Uddhava appreciated the exalted position of the gopīs and wished to fall down and take the dust of their feet on his head. Yet he dared not ask the gopīs to offer the dust from their feet; perhaps they would not be agreeable. Therefore, to have his head smeared with the dust of the gopīs’ feet without their knowledge, he desired to become only an insignificant clump of grass or herbs in the land of Vṛndāvana.

The gopīs were so much attracted to Kṛṣṇa that when they heard the vibration of His flute they instantly left their homes, families, children, honor and feminine bashfulness and ran toward the place where Kṛṣṇa was standing. They did not consider whether they were passing over the road or through the jungles. Imperceptibly, the dust of their feet was bestowed on small grasses and herbs of Vṛndāvana. Not daring to place the dust of the gopīs’ feet on his own head in this life, Uddhava aspired to have a future birth in Vṛndāvana in the position of a clump of grass or herbs. He would then be able to have the dust of the gopīs’ feet.”

Jayapatākā Swami: In this way Śrīmatī Rādhārani expands Herself into many gopīs and into many Lakṣmīs and arranges for the service of Kṛṣṇa. The understanding of Kṛṣṇa is at its perfection when one understands Kṛṣṇa with the gopīs and finally with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. This is further described by Rāmānanda Rāya to Lord Caitanya as follows, in describing the beauty of Kṛṣṇa. In fact, even Kṛṣṇa Himself is attracted by His own beauty, He is so beautiful. Kṛṣṇa is so beautiful, transcendental and attractive that He sometimes attracts even Himself.

(Guru Mahārāja will now continue ‘The Teaching of Lord Caitanya’ – Chapter 31, midway)

“How Kṛṣṇa is attracted by His own beauty is described in the Lalita-mādhava (8.34). Upon seeing His own picture, Kṛṣṇa lamented, “How glorious this picture is! It is attracting Me just as it attracts Rādhārāṇī.”

After giving a summary description of Kṛṣṇa’s beauty, Rāmānanda Rāya began to speak of His spiritual energies, headed by Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Kṛṣṇa has immense energetic expansions, of which three are predominant: the internal energy, the external energy and the marginal energy, comprising the living entities. This threefold division of energies is confirmed in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (6.7.61), where it is said that Viṣṇu has one spiritual energy, which is manifested in three ways. When the spiritual energy is overwhelmed by ignorance, it is called the marginal energy. As far as the spiritual energy itself is concerned, it is exhibited in three forms because Kṛṣṇa is a combination of eternity, bliss and knowledge. As far as His bliss and peacefulness are concerned, His spiritual energy is manifested as the pleasure-giving potency. His eternity is a manifesting energy, and His knowledge is manifested as spiritual perfection. As confirmed in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (1.12.69): “The pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa gives Kṛṣṇa transcendental pleasure and bliss.” Thus when Kṛṣṇa wants to enjoy pleasure, He exhibits His own spiritual potency known as āhlādinī.

In His spiritual form, Kṛṣṇa enjoys His spiritual energy, and that is the sum and substance of the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa pastimes. These pastimes can be understood only by elevated devotees. One should not try to understand the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa potencies and pastimes from the mundane platform. Generally people misunderstand these as being material.

When the pleasure potency is further condensed, it is called mahābhāva. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, the eternal consort of Kṛṣṇa, is the personification of that mahābhāva. Mahābhāva is full of the pleasure potency, and it is an exhibition of the highest love for Kṛṣṇa. Rādhārāṇī is therefore known throughout the world as the most beloved of Kṛṣṇa, and Her name is always associated with Kṛṣṇa as Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.

The Brahma-saṁhitā (5.37) also confirms that Kṛṣṇa expands Himself by His pleasure potency in the spiritual world and that these potencies are all nondifferent from Him, the Absolute Truth. Although Kṛṣṇa is always enjoying the company of His pleasure-potency expansions, He is all-pervading. Therefore Brahmā offers his respectful obeisances to Govinda, the cause of all causes.

As Kṛṣṇa is the highest emblem of spiritual perfection, so Rādhārāṇī is the highest emblem of the spiritual pleasure potency meant for satisfying Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is unlimited, and Rādhārāṇī is also unlimited in Her ability to satisfy Him. Kṛṣṇa is satisfied just by seeing Rādhārāṇī, but Rādhārāṇī expands Herself in such a way that Kṛṣṇa desires to enjoy Her more. Because Kṛṣṇa was unable to estimate the pleasure potency of Rādhārāṇī, He decided to accept the role of Rādhārāṇī, and that combination of Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Rāmānanda Rāya then began to explain how Rādhārāṇī is the supreme emblem of Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure potency. Rādhārāṇī expands Herself in different forms, known as Lalitā, Viśākhā and Her other confidential associates.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Today, in Gītā-Nagari, they are establishing Lalitā and Viśākhā deities for serving their Rādhā-Dāmodara deities. You should be probably interested, all the past devotees of Rādhā-Damodara. Rūpa Gosvāmī explains the characteristics of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. He points out that:

“Her body is an evolution of transcendental pleasure. That body is decorated with flowers and fragrant aromas and is complete with transcendental love for Kṛṣṇa. Indeed, that body is the personification of His pleasure potency. Rādhārāṇī bathes Her transcendental body three times: first in the water of mercy, second in the water of youthful beauty, and third in the water of youthful luster. After She bathes three times in that way, Her body is covered with shining garments and decorated with Her personal beauty, which is compared to cosmetics. Thus Her beauty constitutes the highest artistry. Her body is also decorated with the ornaments of spiritual ecstasy – trembling, shedding of tears, perspiring, choking of the voice, cessation of all bodily functions due to transcendental pleasure, standing up of the bodily hairs, changing of bodily color, and madness.

The decorative transcendental pleasure potency manifests nine symptoms. Five of these are manifested by the expansion of Rādhārāṇī’s personal beauty, which is adorned with garlands of flowers. Her patient calmness is compared to a covering of cloths which have been cleansed by camphor. Her confidential agony for Kṛṣṇa is the knot in Her hair, and the mark of tilaka on Her forehead is Her good fortune. Rādhārāṇī’s sense of hearing is eternally fixed on Kṛṣṇa’s name and fame. Chewing betel nuts makes one’s lips reddish. Similarly, Rādhārāṇī’s complete attachment to Kṛṣṇa has blackened the borders of Her eyes. This darkness might be compared to ointment produced by Rādhā’s joking with Kṛṣṇa. Rādhārāṇī’s smile is just like the taste of camphor. The garland of separation moves on Her body when She lies down on the bed of pride within the room of aroma. Her breasts are covered by the blouse of anger born of Her ecstatic affection for Kṛṣṇa. Her reputation as the best of all Kṛṣṇa’s girlfriends is the stringed instrument She plays. When Kṛṣṇa stands in His youthful posture, She puts Her hand on His shoulder. Although She possesses so many transcendental qualities, She is still always engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa.

The tilaka of good fortune is on the forehead of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, and She also has a locket of prema-vaicittya. Prema-vaicittya is manifest when a lover and beloved meet and fear separation.

Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is fifteen days younger than Kṛṣṇa. She always keeps Her hand on the shoulder of one of Her friends, and She always talks and thinks of pastimes with Kṛṣṇa. She always offers Kṛṣṇa a kind of intoxicant by Her sweet talks, and She is always prepared to fulfill all His desires. In other words, She supplies everything needed to meet all the demands of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and She possesses unique and uncommon qualities for Kṛṣṇa’s satisfaction.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Today we are celebrating Rādhāṣṭamī, fifteen days after Kṛṣṇa’s appearance. We are advised by Śrīla Prabhupāda:

“This exchange of feelings between Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī is very difficult to understand unless one is elevated to the platform of pure goodness. Such transcendental reciprocation is not possible to understand even from the platform of material goodness. One has to transcend even material goodness in order to understand. This is because the exchange of feelings between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa is not a subject matter of this material world. Even the greatest mental speculators cannot understand this, directly or indirectly. Material activities are manifested for either the gross body or the subtle mind, but this exchange of feelings between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa is beyond such manifestations and beyond intellectual mental speculation. It can be understood only with purified senses freed from all the designations of the material world.

Those who have purified senses can understand these transcendental features and exchanges, but those who are impersonalists and who have no knowledge of spiritual senses can only discriminate within the scope of the material senses and thus cannot understand spiritual exchanges or spiritual-sensual activities.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So here we understand how the Mayavādīs, they can never understand Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa pastimes, because they don’t accept spiritual senses. Therefore, whenever they think of sense activities, they’ll only think of material sense activities. Therefore one should very carefully avoid this Māyāvādī philosophy, because it will stop one from relishing actual, real transcendental happiness of the highest order.

“The siddha-deha is the purified soul who is just suitable to serve the Supreme Lord. No one can serve the Supreme Lord as His associate without being situated in his perfectly pure spiritual identity.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So in this way, on the appearance day of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, we pray for the ability to simply to serve the servant of the servant of the servant of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda, and his dedicated devotees, and become free from all type material misconceptions of life. And in the mood of the gopīs, in the mood of separation, serving; always anxious to please the Lord and His devotees, one can very quickly achieve this highest destination. It's not possible by yoga, by jñāna, by mystic practices or by mental speculation or by any type of material endeavor. But it's possible by this process of devotional service. So, we need especially the mercy of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. We pray to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī for blessings that we can serve Kṛṣṇa and spiritual master, because She is very compassionate and soft. Actually, when we serve the deity of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in the temple, that service is supposed to be on the platform of pure loving devotional service. But as we are not able to artificially imitate that standard, that is something which can only happen. Therefore, we worship according to rules and regulations and thus it’s actually worshipping in the mood of Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, with awe and reverence. But that is accepted by Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and in this way we become purified by worshiping Their deities in the temple formally. And ultimately, as one advances, then spontaneous devotion for Their Lordships Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Kiśora-Kiśorī, will develop. That simply is happening by sticking to this process of devotional service, always remaining engaged, never allowing any material diversion to distract it.

Jaya Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī kī…!

Devotees: Jaya!

Śrīla Prabhupāda kī…!

Devotees: Jaya!

Rādhāṣṭamī mahā-mahotsava kī…!

Devotees: Jaya!

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta kī…!

Devotees: Jaya!

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam Mahā Purāṇaṁ kī…!

Devotees: Jaya!

Śrīla Prabhupāda’s ‘Teaching of Lord Caitanya’, ‘Kṛṣṇa’ book kī…!

Devotees: Jaya!

Śrīla Prabhupāda books kī…!

Devotees: Jaya!

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Any questions?

(Question not in recording)
(Assuming from given answer, possibly on Rādhārāṇī’s mention in scriptures.)

She is of course referred to indirectly. It mentions that one devotee especially is able to worship Kṛṣṇa, “ārādhitau.” Able to worship Kṛṣṇa better. And within that word, “ārādha, arādhanā,” Rādhā is there. But that is a little incognito. This is described by the previous ācāryas, that, as Her name was so confidential and esoteric, that Śukadeva Gosvāmī, out of being overwhelmed and some humility, felt bashful to even mention directly Her name, feeling unqualified to do so. Out of humility. But it’s mentioned in the Padma Purāṇa and other Purāṇas, Her name is mentioned. I was suggesting to Śrīla Ācāryadeva that, it would be more... Prabhupāda had said that he wanted to have the Padma Purāṇa also translated, which also glorifies Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī specifically. It would be nice if he did that rather than the Mahābhārata. I don’t know how much he will take my advice, but, I heard he is considering it seriously.

(to a devotee) Kapila? What’s his name?

Devotee: Vyāsadeva.

Jayapatākā Swami: Vyāsadeva or Vāsudeva?

Devotee: Vyāsadeva.

Jayapatākā Swami: Vyāsadeva, do you have any question? How do you feel today on Rādhāstami?

Yes?

Question: (inaudible – assuming from given answer, possibly on the appearance pastime of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī)

Jayapatākā Swami: Well, she’s known as the daughter of Vrṣabhānu. The King Vrṣabhānu. Don’t they say in Vṛndāvana that She was plowed up in the field or something? Or was She actually born? How was it? It’s kind of a mystery how She appeared, but she is known as the daughter of Vrṣabhānu. Exactly, the details, how She appeared is somewhat of a mystery. So Varṣāṇā, where she appeared, the home of Vrṣabhānu.

Transcribed by: JPS Archives Team

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