Nectar of Instruction

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Hare Krishna,

 

PAMHO, AGTSP

 

Rupa Goswami in the Text 11 of Nectar of Instruction is glorifying the

significance of Radha Kunda.

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Your servant in mission of Srila Prabhupada

NandaGopal Dasa

 

TEXT ELEVEN

TEXT

kåñëasyoccaiù praëaya-vasatiù preyasébhyo 'pi rädhä

kuëòaà cäsyä munibhir abhitas tädåg eva vyadhäyi

yat preñöhair apy alam asulabhaà kià punar bhakti-bhäjäà

tat premedaà sakåd api saraù snätur äviñkaroti

TRANSLATION

Of the many objects of favored delight and of all the lovable damsels of

Vrajabhümi, Çrématé Rädhäräëé is certainly the most treasured object of Kåñëa's

love. And, in every respect, Her divine kuëòa is described by great sages as

similarly dear to Him. Undoubtedly Rädhä-kuëòa is very rarely attained even by

the great devotees; therefore it is even more difficult for ordinary devotees

to attain. If one simply bathes once within those holy waters, one's pure love

of Kåñëa is fully aroused.

PURPORT

Why is Rädhä-kuëòa so exalted? The lake is so exalted because it belongs to

Çrématé Rädhäräëé, who is the most beloved object of Çré Kåñëa. Among all the

gopés, She is the most beloved. Similarly, Her lake, Çré Rädhä-kuëòa, is also

described by great sages as the lake that is as dear to Kåñëa as Rädhä Herself.

Indeed, Kåñëa's love for Rädhä-kuëòa and Çrématé Rädhäräëé is the same in all

respects. Rädhä-kuëòa is very rarely attained, even by great personalities

fully engaged in devotional service, not to speak of ordinary devotees who are

only engaged in the practice of vaidhé bhakti. It is stated that a devotee will

at once develop pure love of Kåñëa in the wake of the gopés if he once takes a

bath in Rädhä-kuëòa. Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé recommends that even if one cannot live

permanently on the banks of Rädhä-kuëòa, he should at least take a bath in the

lake as many times as possible. This is a most important item in the execution

of devotional service. Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura writes in this connection

that Çré Rädhä-kuëòa is the most select place for those interested in advancing

their devotional service in the wake of the lady friends (sakhés) and

confidential serving maids (maïjarés) of Çrématé Rädhäräëé. Living entities who

are eager to return home to the transcendental kingdom of God, Goloka

Våndävana, by means of attaining their spiritual bodies (siddha-deha) should

live at Rädhä-kuëòa, take shelter of the confidential serving maids of Çré

Rädhä and under their direction engage constantly in Her service. This is the

most exalted method for those engaged in devotional service under the

protection of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. In this connection Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta

Sarasvaté Öhäkura writes that even great sages and great devotees like Närada

and Sanaka do not get an opportunity to come to Rädhä-kuëòa to take their

baths. What, then, to speak of ordinary devotees? If, by great fortune, one

gets an opportunity to come to Rädhä-kuëòa and bathe even once, he can develop

his transcendental love for Kåñëa, exactly as the gopés did. It is also

recommended that one should live on the banks of Rädhä-kuëòa and should be

absorbed in the loving service of the Lord. One should bathe there regularly

and give up all material conceptions, taking shelter of Çré Rädhä and Her

assistant gopés. If one is thus constantly engaged during his lifetime, after

giving up the body he will return back to Godhead to serve Çré Rädhä in the

same way as he contemplated during his life on the banks of Rädhä-kuëòa. The

conclusion is that to live on the banks of the Rädhä-kuëòa and to bathe there

daily constitute the highest perfection of devotional service. It is a

difficult position to attain, even for great sages and devotees like Närada.

Thus there is no limit to the glory of Çré Rädhä-kuëòa. By serving Rädhä-kuëòa,

one can get an opportunity to become an assistant of Çrématé Rädhäräëé under

the eternal guidance of the gopés.