20260214 Śrī Caitanya-śīksāmṛta 7.7. Conjugal Bhakti-rasa

Seventh Shower — Rasa vicāra (Analysis of the mellows)

Seventh Stream — Conjugal Bhakti-rasa

Guru Mahārāja chanted one round of . . .

Jayapatākā Swami: We will chant one round first and you can also chant, if you want. My right hand is partially paralyzed, I am chanting with my left hand using the counter machine.

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

Jayapatākā Swami: Before we read about sānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa, sakhya-rasa and vātsalya-rasa. Now we are reading about mādhurya-rasa.

The gopīs who are beloved of Kṛṣṇa [Kṛṣṇa-vallabhā] are the support [āśraya-rūpa] and the basis [ālambana] of this rasa. They are of two types: those in svakīyā (wedded) and those in parakīyā (unwedded) relationship. In Vraja, the identity of the svakīyā is not evident. In Vraja, the parakīyā Kṛṣṇa-beloveds [Kṛṣṇa-vallabhā-gaṇa] are of specific recognition. The young women of Vraja who reside there with Vrajendra-nandana are mostly parakīya, because without parakīya, the most excellent development of mādhura-rasa does not occur. Due to the connection of relationship connection [sambandha-yoga], the rasa of the city-born women [pura-vaṇitā] becomes restrained. Through pure erotic connection [śuddha-kāma-yoga], the rasa of the Vraja maidens [Vraja-lalanā] is not restrained and gives greater pleasure to Kṛṣṇa. Rudra, the connoisseur of śṛṅgāra-rasa, says that the contrary nature [bāmyatā] and difficulty of attainment [durlabhatva] of women [strī-loka]—which are fixed as restrictive obstacles [nibandhana je nibāraṇādi pratibandhakata]—are themselves the supreme weapons [param āyudha-svarūpa] of Kandarpa (Cupid). Viṣṇugupta has also said the same. When the married women of Vraja [paroḍhā Vraja-vāsinī-gaṇa] desire [lālasā] to enjoy with Kṛṣṇa, then they naturally become adorned with supreme beauty and the opulence of noble qualities, overflowing with the beauty of love. The sweetness of rasa [rasa-mādhurya] of potencies such as Ramā [Ramādi-śakti] does not manifest in such a way. The Vraja-sundarīs are of three types: sādhana-parā, devī, and nitya-priyā. The sādhana-parā are of two kinds: those connected with groups [yauthikī] and those not connected [ayauthikī]. Due to group association [yūtha-saṅyuktā], the sages [muni-gaṇa] and the Upaniṣads [Upaniṣad-gaṇa] became gopīs in Vraja as yauthikī. Those sages who were worshipers of Gopāla but could not attain their desired perfection, and who, upon seeing Rāmacandra’s beauty, strove toward their desired goal—those attained their desired mood and took birth in Vraja as gopīs. The subtle-seeing great Upaniṣads [sūkṣma-darśī mahopaniṣad-gaṇa] became sādhana-parā by taking birth as gopīs. The goddesses [devī-gaṇa] who, by Brahmā’s order, took birth in Vraja for the service of Kṛṣṇa, and those who served Him when He descended in partial form in heaven—these are referred to as devīs in Vraja. They are counted among the prāṇa-sakhīs of Rādhikā.

Jayapatākā Swami: In the parakīya-rasa, the gopīs are giving up all their so called material attachments to express their love and devotion for Lord Kṛṣṇa. So we see in the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, He avoids the mother in law of Rādhārāṇī, Jaṭilā. So she suddenly appeared in the kuñja when He was with Rādhārāṇī, and then He assumed the form of Kālī, and then mother Jaṭilā, whatever her name is, she was very happy because was worshiping Kālī. So all the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa are very unique and they are a little more, shall we say, complicated. So Kṛṣṇa likes that and the svakīya wedded wives of Kṛṣṇa like Rukmiṇī, Satyabhāmā and others there is no intense thing like they experience in Vraja. So, like that some of the rare things are in Vraja and they are not in Dvārakā. Anyway, it is said that among the gopīs in Vṛndāvana, there are three types. I mean, some of the great sages and persons, they saw the beauty of Lord Rāmacandra wanted to marry Him and somehow associate with Him. But He said, that He had eka-patnī-vrata, He only has Sītā devī. So, they were referred to Kṛṣṇa because He does not have that restriction. So they took birth as gopīs on Vraja. Like this there are different examples of people who took birth as gopīs. This is very confidential knowledge. See, the thing is that why this is not discussed so much openly because ordinary people do not understand, they think in terms of material relationships. But there is no connection and these relationships are completely spiritual. Just like Kṛṣṇa is Paramātmā, He is present in everyone’s of hearts, millions, trillions, zillions and we cannot begin to compare ourselves with Kṛṣṇa! He has unlimited potency, unlimited ability. He wants to exchange love. Now, in the material world, love is a very transient thing, it is not love, it is lust. But the gopīs and others they want Kṛṣṇa’s happiness and Rādhārāṇī also said that in Her different prayers that She would do anything to make Kṛṣṇa happy!

Gayatrī

Gayatrī, the mother of the Vedas, taking birth as a gopī and attaining the association of Kṛṣṇa, became Kāma-gāyatrī.

Jayapatākā Swami: Wow! The Kāma-gayatrī is the seventh mantra in the Gāyatrī mantra by Śrīla Prabhupāda. Only 10% of my disciples have taken the Gāyatrī mantra! Since I require that they have to have the Bhakti-śāstrī degree. But this Gāyatrī is so important. It says the Gāyatrī mantra takes you out of the material world and brings you to the spiritual world, and the Kāma-gāyatrī is said to be Kṛṣṇa’s non-different self in mantra form in the mantra form. So we should chant the Gāyatrī with great attention, great attention! Because every word is important. People chant the Gāyatrī, boom, boom, boom, boom, they do not concentrate. But we see, as we read more, the Gāyatrī is so important. Of course we cannot chant the Gāyatrī if we are not chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, you are not following the regulative principles. Therefore, Śrīla Prabhupāda instituted that at least for one year we have to chant and follow the four regulative principles to get the second initiation. To get the first initiation Śrīla Prabhupāda said, I have to read the Bhagavad-gītā ten times, ten times! Then get the second. I was already 13 months and I was thinking oh no! I was so late, one month late! I finally got it! I don’t know how people go on for years and years without taking the Gāyatrī! I think people should take it very seriously and they should try to get the Gāyatrī mantra. What do you think Marīci dāsa?

The Vraja affairs conceived in relation to the eternally perfected beings [nitya-siddha-gaṇa] are faultless, because that māyā is not material māyā [jaḍa-māyā]. Only the spiritual potency (cit-śakti), Yogamāyā, has arranged these Vraja affairs by the will of Kṛṣṇa. By attaining sālokya (proximity) with the eternally perfected ones, those Upaniṣads, Gayatrī, and goddesses [devī-gaṇa] also served Kṛṣṇa in the parakīya mood. Rādhā and Candrāvalī, who are foremost among them, those nitya-priya-sakhīs in Vraja are the shelter of Kṛṣṇa’s beauty, expertise, and other qualities—just like Kṛṣṇa. When the blissful portion [ānanda-aṁśa] of the Supreme Truth, who is of the nature of sat-cit-ānanda, agitates the conscious portion [cit-aṁśa], then, from that, arise the maidens such as Śrī Rādhā, who are distinctly manifested as expressions of the hlādinī potency and are imbued with its mood [pṛthakkṛta hlādinī pratibhā bhāvita]. Along with them, and through His own form—that is, His spiritual form [cit-svarūpa]— the sixty-four arts [catuḥṣaṣṭi-kalā] manifest. With all of these, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is the soul of all beings [akhilātma-bhūta], eternally performs līlā in Goloka-dhāma.

Jayapatākā Swami: So we can understand  that the gopīs were in the mādhurya-rasa with Kṛṣṇa, they could understand more of the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa, through their intimate relationships. Great souls is not an ordinary thing, to be associated with Kṛṣṇa in this mood is very special. To achieve this is a really great achievemen! We cannot think on the sly we break some principle, smoke some cigarette or something, you have to really develop your love and devotion for Lord Kṛṣṇa. You have to be single pointed. You have to have the intense desire, I want to serve Kṛṣṇa! This is the essence of bhakti-yoga. We are always being attacked by māyā, this is Kali-yuga. She is testing us. She is a very great devotee, but her job is unfortunate, she has to test us and we have to pass the test! She may test us by giving us some suffering or she may test us by giving us some allurement, some sense gratification or something, whatever it is, we have to be determined to serve Kṛṣṇa. Among all the devotees the gopīs are completely fixed in this way. In material life even if you call it love, lust, whatever it lasts for only a few minutes. These people in the spiritual world, the gopīs are thinking of Kṛṣṇa 24/7 and it is to such an extent that even the blinking of the eye, they curse Lord Brahmā! Now we blink our eyes so many times, but we do not think it matters much, we do not think about it! How much the gopīs are concentrating on Kṛṣṇa, that even the blinking of the eyes is too much for them!

Note: Brahma-saṁhitā 5.37

ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis
tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ
goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

“I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, residing in His own realm, Goloka, with Rādhā, resembling His own spiritual figure, the embodiment of the ecstatic potency possessed of the sixty-four artistic activities, in the company of Her confidantes [sakhīs], embodiments of the extensions of Her bodily form, permeated and vitalized by His ever-blissful spiritual rasa.”

In the Skanda Purāṇa, Prahlāda-saṁhitā, and other śāstras, names such as Rādhā, Candrāvalī, Viśākhā, Lalitā, Śyāmā, Padmā, Śaibhyā, Bhadrikā, Tārā, Vicitrā, Gopālī, Dhaniṣṭhā, and Pālī are mentioned.

Jayapatākā Swami: This mentions about Goloka. So in the West wing of the TOVP we are on the fourth floor trying to present the spiritual world. Śrīla Prabhupāda said we should present Devī-dhāma, Maheśa-dhāma, Hari-dhāma and Goloka-dhāma. So Hari-dhāma is where Nārāyaṇa and various Viṣṇu avatāras are existing. They are worshiped in awe and reverence and in servitude and very respectful friendship. But in Goloka Vṛndāvana the specialty is that the type of friendship very personal and equal. Vātsalya-rasa is where are Kṛṣṇa’s childhood pastimes are manifested. Even in His older days of course He always remains as a young youth. In the Pristine Chapel in Rome, they show God with a big beard, old man, because He is the oldest. But His body is transcendental, He always stays eternally young. He is not like us. Look at me. Like me I am an old man. I am 76, turning 77 in April. But I don’t know have my beard yet. I don’t have white hair. So, I remember how Śrīla Prabhupāda was introducing himself to his godbrothers, “He said I still have all my teeth.” Apparently when people grow old they lose their teeth. I still have my teeth!

So in the Purāṇas some of the gopīs’ names are mentioned. So the Purāṇas are meant for the ladies, vaiśyas, śūdras, everyone. And therefore these names are mentioned in the Purāṇas, it means that you all can read it. Of course, you are Vaiṣṇavīs and Vaiṣṇavas therefore we are discussing these confidential topics written by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. How did you like the chanting? Because I had to chant in the mike, I was chanting a bit slow. But usually I chant soft, quick.

Please take my blessings. Kṛṣṇe matir astu!