SEEING VRNDAVANA ACTUALLY

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SEEING VRNDAVANA ACTUALLY

 

Adi 8.31 The Author Receives the Orders of Krsna and Guru

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura remarks in this connection that if

one takes shelter of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda, follows Their

instructions to become more tolerant than the tree and humbler than the

grass,and in this way chants the holy name of the Lord, very soon he achieves

the platform of transcendental loving service to the Lord, and tears appear in

his eyes. There are offenses to be considered in chanting the Hare Krsna

maha-mantra, but there are no such considerations in chanting the names of

Gaura-Nityananda. Therefore, if one chants the Hare Krsna maha-mantra but his

life is still full of sinful activities, it will be very difficult for him to

achieve the platform of loving service to the Lord. But if in spite of being an

offender one chants the holy names of Gaura-Nityananda, he is very quickly freed

from the reactions to his offenses. Therefore, one should first approach Lord

Caitanya and Nityananda, or worship Guru-Gauranga, and then come to the stage

of worshiping Radha-Krsna. In our Krsna consciousness movement, our students

are first advised to worship Guru-Gauranga, and then, when they are somewhat

advanced, the Radha-Krsna Deity is installed, and they are engaged in the

worship of the Lord.

One should first take shelter of Gaura-Nityananda in order to reach, ultimately,

Radha-Krsna. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura sings in this connection:

 

gauranga balite habe pulaka sarira

hari hari balite nayane ba'be nira

 

ara kabe nitaicandera karuna ha-ibe

samsara-vasana mora kabe tuccha habe

 

VISAYA CHADIYA KABE SUDDHA HABE MANA

KABE HAMA HERABA SRI-VRNDAVANA

 

In the beginning one should very regularly chant Sri Gaurasundara's holy name

and then chant the holy name of Lord Nityananda. Thus one's heart will be

cleansed of impure desires for material enjoyment. Then one can approach

Vrndavana-dhama to worship Lord Krsna. UNLESS ONE IS FAVORED BY LORD CAITANYA

AND NITYANANDA, THERE IS NO NEED TO GO TO VRNDAVANA, FOR UNLESS ONE'S MIND IS

PURIFIED, HE CANNOT SEE VRNDAVANA, EVEN IF HE GOES THERE. ACTUALLY GOING TO

VRNDAVANA INVOLVES TAKING SHELTER OF THE SIX GOSVAMIS BY READING

BHAKTI-RASAMRTA-SINDHU, VIDAGDHA-MADHAVA, LALITA-MADHAVA AND THE OTHER BOOKS

THAT THEY HAVE GIVEN. In this way one can understand the transcendental loving

affairs between Radha and Krsna. Kabe hama bujhaba se yugala-piriti. The

conjugal love between Radha and Krsna is not an ordinary human affair; it is

fully transcendental. In order to understand Radha and Krsna, worship Them and

engage in Their loving service, one must be guided by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu,

Nityananda Prabhu and the six Gosvamis, Lord Caitanya's direct disciples.

 

Adi 7.17 Lord Caitanya in Five Features

In connection with verses sixteen and seventeen, Sri Bhaktisiddhanta

Sarasvati Thakura explains in his Anubhasya: "There are specific symptoms by

which the internal devotees and the unalloyed or pure devotees are to be known.

All unalloyed devotees are sakti-tattvas, or potencies of the Lord. Some of them

are situated in conjugal love and others in filial affection, fraternity and

servitude. Certainly all of them are devotees, but by making a comparative

study it is found that the devotees or potencies who are engaged in conjugal

love are better situated than the others. Thus devotees who are in a

relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in conjugal love are

considered to be the most confidential devotees of Lord Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu. Those who engage in the service of Lord Nityananda Prabhu and Lord

Advaita Prabhu generally have relationships of parental love, fraternity,

servitude and neutrality. When such devotees develop great attachment for Sri

Caitanya Mahaprabhu, they too become situated within the intimate circle of

devotees in conjugal love." This gradual development of devotional service is

described by Sri Narottama dasa Thakura as follows:

 

gauranga balite habe pulaka sarira

hari hari balite nayane ba'be nira

 

ara kabe nitaicanda karuna karibe

samsara-vasana mora kabe tuccha habe

 

VISAYA CHADIYA KABE SUDDHA HABE MANA

KABE HAMA HERABA SRI-VRNDAVANA

 

rupa-raghunatha-pade ha-ibe akuti

kabe hama bujhaba sri-yugala-piriti

 

"When will there be eruptions on my body as soon as I chant the name of Lord

Caitanya, and when will there be incessant torrents of tears as soon as I chant

the holy names Hare Krsna? When will Lord Nityananda be merciful toward me and

free me from all desires for material enjoyment? WHEN WILL MY MIND BE

COMPLETELY FREED FROM ALL CONTAMINATION OF DESIRES FOR MATERIAL PLEASURE? ONLY

AT THAT TIME WILL IT BE POSSIBLE FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND VRNDAVANA. Only if I

become attached to the instructions given by the six Gosvamis, headed by Rupa

Gosvami and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, will it be possible for me to understand

the conjugal love of Radha and Krsna." By attachment to the devotional service

of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu one immediately comes to the ecstatic position.

When he develops his love for Nityananda Prabhu he is freed from all attachment

to the material world, and at that time he becomes eligible to understand the

Lord's pastimes in Vrndavana. In that condition, when one develops his love for

the six Gosvamis, he can understand the conjugal love between Radha and Krsna.

These are the different stages of a pure devotee's promotion to conjugal love

in the service of Radha and Krsna in an intimate relationship with Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu.

KB 38 Akrura's Arrival in Vrndavana

Narottama dasa Thakura has sung in a celebrated song, VISAYA CHADIYA KABE SUDDHA

HABE MANA: "WHEN MY MIND WILL BE PURIFIED AFTER LEAVING THE CONTAMINATION OF

MATERIAL SENSE ENJOYMENT, I SHALL BE ABLE TO VISIT VRNDAVANA." ACTUALLY, ONE

CANNOT GO TO VRNDAVANA BY PURCHASING A TICKET. THE PROCESS OF GOING TO

VRNDAVANA IS SHOWN BY AKRURA.

 

SPL Makhanlal 70-06-03

Regarding your special worshipment of Lord Nityananda: Srila Narottama Dasa

Thakura has sung, ``Gauranga balite habe . . . etc.'' when that time will come

when torrents of tears shall pour from my eyes simply by uttering the Name of

Gauranga. It is not that one should worship one and neglect the others. So the

symptoms of Lord Nityananda's mercy are exhibited according to the description

of Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura BY THE DETACHMENT FROM MATERIAL SENSE

ENJOYMENT, BECAUSE WITHOUT BEING FREED FROM THE ATTACHMENT FOR MATERIAL SENSE

ENJOYMENT, NOBODY CAN ENTER INTO THE TRANSCENDENTAL PASTIME OF RADHA AND KRSNA.

Radha and Krsna lila or pastime is perfectly understood by following the

instructions of the six Goswamis. So all these favors and mercy of the Acaryas

and Incarnations go together. It is not that if I receive favor of one section

I shall be reluctant to receive favor of other sections. It is very good

symptom to have received Lord Nityananda's favor, but if we are actually

favored by Lord Nityananda our business will be to please Lord Caitanya. And if

Lord Caitanya is pleased, then we easily understand the truth of Radha Krsna

through the mercy of the Goswamis.

So the above verse means that as soon as one will chant the name of Lord

Caitanya he will feel a transcendental ecstasy. All of us should wait for this

stage of life. The transcendental ecstatic symptoms certainly become manifested

in a devotee's body, but they should not be exhibited amongst common men. When

Lord Caitanya met Ramananda Roy, both of them felt this ecstasy by embracing

one another. But as soon as Lord Caitanya saw that Ramananda Roy was in the

company of some outsider brahmanas, He checked Himself. This is already

described in our Teachings of Lord Caitanya.

The transcendental symptoms of ecstasy certainly are auspicious, but they are

not for advertising to others. One should not advertise directly or indirectly

that one is feeling like this. They should be checked. Otherwise one will

gradually become sahajiya or one who takes spiritual advancement as something

materially manifest. Actual spiritual advancement means detachment for

everything material. So our activities are nothing material. Detachment from

material activities, means attachment for spiritual activities, devotional

service. After all, our energy has to be utilized, so when it is materially

detached it means with greater enthusiasm our spiritual activities increase.

So Lord Caitanya is combined form of Radha Krsna. If Caitanya is pleased, Radha

and Krsna automatically become pleased. Now our mission, Krsna consciousness

mission, is to execute the will of Lord Caitanya. In this old age whatever I am

trying to do it is just to give a little service according to my capacity to

Lord Caitanya's mission. I have not come here for some personal credit in this

old age. I have also come here under the order of my Spiritual Master who is

non-different from Lord Nityananda.

You are all helping me in the execution of my mission so please do not try to do

anything beyond the jurisdiction of my instructions. My will I have already

disclosed to you all that each and every one of you should chant the Mahamantra

regularly in sixteen rounds, follow the four regulative principles, chant Hare

Krsna mantra on the streets, try to distribute our books and literature, and

specifically in San Francisco you should observe the annual Ratha Yatra

festival very gorgeously. I can assure you that if you follow my instruction as

above mentioned there is no doubt about it that through me my spiritual Master

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura will be pleased, and through His mercy

Lord Nityananda will be pleased. In this way Lord Caitanya and ultimately Radha

Krsna will be pleased, and thus your life will be successful.

You are all intelligent boys. Please try to understand me and do the needful.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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