20260215 Śrī Caitanya-śīksāmṛta 7.7. Conjugal Bhakti-rasa

Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare!

Last night I asked Jaya Rādhā Kṛṣṇa to tell me from all the different Purāṇas and Upaniṣads and other Vedic literatures glorifying the mahā-mantra. So he was reading out to me and he could only read half because it became very late. But there are so many glories of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.

Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare!

One of those glories was, just to give a summary, it destroys all the impediments of Kali-yuga. It takes one to the spiritual world and it is the best way in Kali-yuga and I think in the temple there is a quote that even the Vedas cannot estimate the glories of someone who chants Hare Kṛṣṇa day and night. So like this there are so many glories! I cannot mention all of them. I think I will produce a video. Now one thing came up, one of the śāstras said that if one chants 108 Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantras morning, noon and night, they will go back to Godhead. I thought that is a very thing for the CDM to propagate. Even if people chant three times a day, that is not a difficult time. Of course, we would like everyone to chant minimum 16 rounds, follow the four regulative principles and other things. But as a step in that direction, it is interesting to hear this quote, I have never heard this before. Did you hear that before? (No) So there is some hope! We will hear more tonight.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-gurun dina tāriṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

Seventh Shower — Rasa vicāra (Analysis of the mellows)

Seventh Stream — Conjugal Bhakti-rasa

Note:

tatra śāstra-prasiddhās tu rādhā candrāvalī tathā
viśākhā lalitā śyāmā padmā śaibhyāś ca bhadrikā

tārā vicitrā gopālī dhaniṣṭhā pālikādayaḥ
candrāvaly eva somābhā gāndharvā rādhikaiva sā
anurādhā tulālalitā naitāntenoditā pṛthak

yūthādhipatye paucaṭyaṁ dadhānā lalitādayaḥ
śreṣṭā rādhādi-bhāvasya lobhāt sakhya-ruciṁ dadhuḥ
(Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi, 3.56-57, 61)

tatrāpi sarvathā śreṣṭe rādhā candrāvalīty ubhe
tayor apy ubhayor madhye rādhikā sarvathādhikā

mahābhāva-svarūpeyaṁ guṇair ati-varīyasī
gopālottara-tāpanyā yad gāndharveti viśrutā
rādhety ṛk-pariśiṣṭe ca mādhavena sahoditā

atas tadīya-māhātmyaṁ pādme devarṣiṇoditam
yathā rādhā priyā viṣṇos tasyāḥ krīḍaṁ priyaṁ tathā
sarva-gopīṣu saivaikā viṣṇor atyanta-vallabhā

hlādinī yā mahāśaktiḥ sarva-śakti-varīyasī
tasyāḥ sā bhāva-rūpeyam iti tantre pratiṣṭhitam

suṣṭhu kānta-svarūpeyaṁ sarvadā vāṛṣabhānavī
dhṛta ṣoḍaśaḥ śṛṅgāraṁ dvādaśābharaṇāśritā
(Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi 4.1, 3-7)

In the scriptures, the names of the prominent gopīs are well known: Rādhā, Candrāvalī, Viśākhā, Lalitā, Śyāmā, Padmā, Śaibhyā, Bhadrikā, Tārā, Vicitrā, Gopālī, Dhaniṣṭhā, Pālikā, and others. Candrāvalī is also known as Somābhā, and Gāndharvī refers to none other than Rādhikā herself. Anurādhā and Tulālalitā are not described separately in detail. Although Lalitā and others hold lesser positions of yūtha leadership, they are considered foremost due to their attraction to Rādhā’s mood. Out of longing for Rādhā’s bhāva, they developed a taste for sakhya-rasa. Among all the gopīs, Rādhā and Candrāvalī are considered the most exalted. Yet between the two, Rādhikā is always supreme. She is the embodiment of mahābhāva and excels in all divine qualities. In the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad, she is known as Gāndharvī. In the Ṛk-pariśiṣṭa, she is revealed alongside Mādhava. Therefore, her glories are described by the sages in the Padma Purāṇa: “Rādhā is Viṣṇu’s beloved; His pastimes are most dear to Her. Among all the gopīs, she alone is Viṣṇu’s supremely cherished one.” She is the hlādinī mahā-śakti—the supreme bliss potency—greater than all other energies. She is the embodiment of that bhāva, as established in the tantras. She is perfectly of the form of divine beauty, eternally the daughter of Vṛṣabhānu. She is adorned with sixteen types of ornamentation and wears twelve kinds of divine attire.

Candrāvalī’s alternate name is Somābhā. Rādhikā’s alternate name is Gāndharvā.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we see that the Ahlādinī-śakti, the ananda potency is Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. All the gopīs, all the queens of Dvārakā and all the Lakṣmīs are expansions of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. So Her glories are inconceivable. And we are fortunate that we are in Māyāpur, where She is the person who created Māyāpur Navadvīpa dhāma! Navadvīpa dhāma has nine islands and each island is connected to one aspect of bhakti-yoga. So, there are nine processes of bhakti-yoga and there are nine islands. After the Kīrtana-melā we will go on Navadvīpa parikramā and we visit the nine islands of Navadvīpa. Now, we are hearing a little bit about Śrī Rādhā and the different gopīs. So, we see that Kṛṣṇa is reciprocating with the different levels of devotion of the gopīs, these devotees. So, it is mentioned that Śrī Rādhikā is the Supreme form, She is mahā-śakti. But just as the expansions of Kṛṣṇa is in all your hearts as the Supersoul, He also reciprocates with each devotee and He has personal relationships with all of you! I was thinking how Śrīla Prabhupāda, he wanted so much to establish Lord Caitanya’s saṅkīrtana movement all over the world! And he is grateful to all the devotees who are helping him to do this! In that way, he loves you!! And this is a reflection of the love that Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa have for all of you! Haribol!

Yūtheśvarīs

The gopīs of Vraja such as Khañjanākṣī, Manoramā, Maṅgalā, Bimalā, Līlā, Kṛṣṇā, Śārī, Viśāradā, Tārāvalī, Cakorākṣī, Śaṅkarī, Kumkumā and others are also well known among the people. All these gopīs are yūtheśvarīs—leaders of their respective groups. There are hundreds of such groups (yūthas), and within each group are hundreds of thousands of beautiful gopīs. Among them, Viśākhā, Lalitā, Padmā, and Śaibyā are especially renowned as exalted leaders. Among the yūtheśvarīs, Rādhā and eight gopīs are considered foremost due to their extraordinary fortune. Although Viśākhā, Lalitā, Padmā, and Śaibyā are particularly qualified for group leadership, it is described in the scriptures that Viśākhā and Lalitā, being enchanted by the supremely blissful mood of Śrīmatī Rādhā, became her devoted companions, while Padmā and Śaibhyā remained followers of Candrāvalī. Śrīmatī Rādhikā is the chief among all yūtheśvarīs. Many members of her group are known as Lalitā’s associates, and some are known as Viśākhā’s associates. By great fortune, one attains entrance into Śrīmatī Lalitā’s yūtha.

Jayapatākā Swami: Just to comment on the above paragraph it is very interesting how the gopīs are organized in different yūthas or various groups. And one leader and hundreds of thousands of gopīs may be in that group. It is very interesting. Did you know that before? So, which group would you like to be in?? Of course, we don’t know what is our rasa with Kṛṣṇa – whether we are in sakhya-rasa, vātsalya-rasa or dāsya-rasa. Now we have to serve the Deities of Kṛṣṇa, in dāsya-rasa. But eventually it will be revealed to us, what is our eternal rasa. So we worship the Deities with awe and reverence. Śrīla Prabhupāda said that the worship is like that of Lakṣmī Nārāyaṇa. But eventually we see that this is the way it is organized, for those in the mādhurya-rasa. To get into one of His yūthas is very special! So, with great fortune one attains entrance into Śrīmatī Lalitā’s yūtha. We are struggling in the material world with some material desires. These people, these gopīs and others are not at all material, they are completely absorbed in serving Kṛṣṇa. So like that we do bhakti-yoga, we do the sādhana-bhajana. And our aim is eventually we want to be completely free from material desires and focused on serving Kṛṣṇa. While we are in the gṛhastha-āśrama, we want to do everything to please Kṛṣṇa. If we have children, we want to bring them up to be devotees. So that they don’t take birth again! But eventually we want to achieve this highest goal of being situated in pure bhakti for Lord Kṛṣṇa. This is bhakti-yoga, you are yogīs and yoginīs, take it very seriously. Haribol!

Śrī Rādhā: Supreme in All Qualities

Among Rādhā and Candrāvalī, Śrī Rādhā is the embodiment of mahābhāva. Therefore, she is superior in qualities. The Tāpanī-śruti and Ṛk-pariśiṣṭa describe the brilliance of Rādhā-Mādhava.

Jayapatākā Swami: Here we have Rādhā Mādhava Deities!

Rādhikā is the essence of the hlādinī-śakti. Rādhā is the perfectly beloved form. She shines with sixteen types of ornamentation and is adorned with twelve kinds of embellishments. The splendor of her form is so great that ornamentation and decoration are not required for her. Her hair is gently curled, her lotus-like face is playful, her eyes are long, her chest bears two exquisite breasts, her waist is slender, her shoulders are graceful, and her fingers are adorned with gem-like nails. In all three worlds, there is no festival of beauty like hers—thus she is called “perfectly beloved in form.”

Bathing, the radiance of a gem at the tip of the nose, blue garments, a waistband at the hips, braided hair, earrings, sandalwood paste on the limbs, floral arrangement in the hair, a garland around the neck, a lotus in the hand, betel in the mouth, a musk mark on the chin, eyes adorned with collyrium, painted cheeks, red dye on the feet, and tilaka on the forehead—these sixteen adornments constitute bodily splendor (śṛṅgāra), that is, the beauty of the body. An exquisite gem on the crown, golden earrings, a girdle on the hips, a golden pendant at the neck, a golden pin in the upper ear piercing, bangles on the wrists, a necklace at the throat, rings on the fingers, a stringed necklace around the neck, armlets on the upper arms, jeweled anklets on the feet, and rings on the toes—these twelve ornaments shine upon the limbs of Śrī Rādhā.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, these can be offered to the Rādhā Deity. I don’t know all these things are there, we have to see very clearly. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura is writing a detailed description of the ornaments and beauty of Rādhārāṇī. Are there bangles on the wrist of our Deity of Rādhārāṇī? Jewelled anklets on the feet and rings on the toes. So, like this, first the qualities of Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā are described in great detail. And so we can celebrate these descriptions.

Twenty-Five Principal Qualities

Vṛndāvaneśvarī, like Kṛṣṇa, possesses countless divine qualities. Among them, twenty-five are considered principal:

1)        Madhurā — charmingly beautiful in appearance

2)        Navavayā — of youthful, adolescent age

Jayapatākā Swami: We are all in the material world, we grow old! But Rādhārāṇī stays eternally youthful like Kṛṣṇa. The idea of the Pristine Chapel in Roma where they show God having a long beard and old. I don’t know what they would show Rādhārāṇī as! But They are eternally youthful in transcendental bodies!

3)        Capalāṅgī — with restless sidelong glances

4)        Ujjvalasmitā — radiant with joyful smiles

5)        Cāru-saubhāgya-rekhā-yuktā — marked with auspicious signs of fortune (e.g., moon-like line on the feet)

Jayapatākā Swami: They have given example.

6)        Gandhena Mādhavam unmādayati — fragrance that maddens Mādhava

Jayapatākā Swami: She doesn’t need fragrance, She has natural fragrance that maddens Mādhava, Kṛṣṇa.

7)        Saṅgīta-vistāre abhijñā — expert in the expansion of music

8)        Ramyavāk — delightful in speech

9)        Narma-paṇḍitā — skilled in playful joking

10)      Vinītā — humble

11)      Karuṇā-pūrṇā — full of compassion

12)      Vidagdhā, caturā — wise and clever

Jayapatākā Swami: We see that she is Karuṇā-pūrṇa. So if you want to get the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, you need to get the mercy of Rādhā. And it says to get the mercy of Rādhā, you need to get the mercy of Nitāi!

13)      Pāṭavānvitā, paṭu — elegant and skillful

14)      Lajjāśīlā — modest by nature

15)      Su-maryādā — steadfast in noble conduct

16)      Dhairya-śālinī — patient

17)      Gāmbhīrya-śālinī — grave and composed

18)      Su-vilāsā — exquisitely graceful

19)      Mahābhāva-paramotkarṣa-tarṣiṇī — pinnacle of mahābhāva, thirsting for its highest expression

Jayapatākā Swami: Do you all know what mahābhāva means? It is the highest form of kṛṣṇa-prema. She completely goes mad in ecstasy of mahā-bhāva. That is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam how She talks to the bumble bee. So things like that are very unusual but in Her extreme love, She can do all these things in mahā-bhāva.

20)      Gokula-prema-nivāsinī — the abode of Gokula’s love; by her, the residents of Gokula are inundated with Kṛṣṇa’s prema.

Jayapatākā Swami: Haribol! So when Kṛṣṇa combined with Rādhā and formed Lord Caitanya then Lord Caitanya wanted to inundate the entire world, the entire universe with kṛṣṇa-prema. Who wants kṛṣṇa-prema? Thank you very much!

22)      Jagat-śreṇī-lasad-yaśā, — crest-jewel of the world, whose fame pervades the universe

23)      Guru-pitṛ-guru-snehā —beloved by elders; cherished by teachers and paternal figures through profound affection.

24)      Sakhī-praṇayādhīnā — subordinate to the love of the gopīs; governed by the affectionate bonds of the sakhīs.

25)      Kṛṣṇa-priyāvalī-mukhyā — foremost among Kṛṣṇa’s beloveds

26)      Santata-āśrava-Keśava — Kṛṣṇa is always obedient, constantly listens and follows

Jayapatākā Swami: So, if you want to get Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, the way is to get Rādhārāṇī’s mercy. Śrīla Prabhupāda was mentioning that Rādhārāṇī tells Kṛṣṇa, here is a nice devotee. Then Kṛṣṇa will naturally give His mercy to you! So, that is why in our sampradāya, Rādhārāṇī’s pleasure is the foremost. We want to get Her mercy! How many would like to have the mercy of Rādhārāṇī? Jaya Jaya Jaya!

So, thank you yogīs and yoginīs, Vaiṣṇavas and Vaiṣṇavīs. I offer you all my best wishes and blessings. Kṛṣṇe matir astu!