Krsna Has a Problem

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Krsna Has a Problem

 

Q & A with Swami B. V. Tripurari

 

"The entire advent of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is predicated on the

problem that arose for Sri Krsna during his rasa-lila. At that time he

realized that Radha's love for him enabled her to taste a measure of

love that he himself was not privileged to taste."

 

Q. I read your Sangas and appreciate your arguments based on Thakura

Bhaktivinoda's understanding of relative (artha-prada) and absolute

(paramartha-prada) considerations. Where can I find more information

about these topics?

 

A. You can find more information on this topic in Thakura

Bhaktivinoda's Sri Krsna-samhita. We owe a great debt to Thakura

Bhaktivinoda for his insight into the nature of the Absolute's descent

into the realm of relativity. He charted the course for the future of

Gaudiya Vaisnavism in this and the previous century, while conceiving

of himself as a mere street sweeper for the sankirtana of Sriman

Mahaprabhu. In turn, the great Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura

conceived of himself as but one straw in the broom of Bhaktivinoda.

 

My Gurudeva considered his service an extension of the mission of

Thakura Bhaktivinoda. We are most fortunate to be connected with the

Bhaktivinoda parivara.

 

Q. I am initiating a Bhagavad-gita discussion group in my town and

would like your advice regarding attracting students and teaching the

main points of the Gita.

 

A. I suggest that you try to attract your students to Krsna's charm and

philosophy as presented by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and his followers,

while, in the universal spirit of Thakura Bhaktivinoda, acknowledging

that there are other interpretations of the Gita. Logically and

grammatically speaking there are many convincing ways to explain the

Gita. That being said, the theistic devotional conclusion to the Gita

promoted by Vaisnavism in general is more readily supported by the text

itself and this should be brought out.

 

In his Gita edition, Srila Prabhupada emphasized two main themes, one

being that Advaita Vedanta is a forced interpretation and thus

incorrect and the other that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of

Godhead--krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. The first point is foundational to

a life of bhakti and the second point is foundational to attaining

Krsna prema. One cannot be a suddha bhakta of Bhagavan Sri Krsna and at

the same time accept the false notion of absolute identity between

Brahman and the jiva as presented in the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta.

 

Regarding the second point--krsnas tu bhagavan svayam-- it will be

difficult to attain Vraja bhakti without first understanding that Krsna

is the source of all manifestations of divinity. When one understands

Sri Krsna as the ultimate source--aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam

pravartate--there is scope for entering into the kind of spiritual

practice that begets love of God in intimacy--iti matva bhajante mam

budha bhava samanvitah, raga bhava samanvitah.

 

Try to thoroughly understand these points and discuss them with your

students, not in an authoritarian manner but rather a

nonconfrontational one, energized by the extent to which you have been

charmed by Arjuna's friend Partha-sarathi. Conduct the class for your

own spiritual improvement, and as you are being benefited, so too will

others be. The success of your class will ultimately be judged by your

realization.

 

Q. I read that Lord Caitanya is Krsna, but he is Krsna in the mood of

Radha. What does this mean and how does this understanding affect our

devotional service to him?

 

A. It is important to establish that Sri Caitanya is Krsna and to

broadcast this to the world. Although Krsna has disguised himself as a

devotee of himself in the form of Sri Caitanya, our service is to

reveal this secret to the world. Rendering this service will purify our

hearts and help others as well.

 

When Krsna becomes a devotee of himself as Sri Caitanya, he does so to

taste the ecstasy of his devotees and to teach us about devotion.

Because no one is more devoted to him than Sri Radha, he adopts her

mood. In this way he teaches the highest devotion in the midst of

tasting it. Thus although Sri Caitanya is Krsna and we should teach

others this truth, it is also important for us to understand the mood

of devotion he has adopted and follow his example of devotion. The

selfless love of Sri Radha manifest in Sri Caitanya is thus our guiding

light and from it we learn how to be a devotee.

 

As we become advanced in bhakti, we will internally conceive of

ourselves as servant friends of Sri Caitanya. This is appropriate for

advanced devotees' internal life of nama-bhajana. Such devotees try to

assist Sri Caitanya in his efforts to taste Radha's love. They do so in

deep meditation resulting from absorption in nama-sankirtana.

 

Q. In a lecture, you spoke about Krsna being in love with Radha and

wanting to hear Radha nama. Doesn't the Hare Krsna maha-mantra

represent Radha nama and the relationship between Radha and Krsna?

 

A. Radha nama, the name of Radha, appears covertly in the Hare Krsna

maha-mantra in the name Hare. Hare is the vocative for Hari. However,

it is also the vocative for Hara. It is said, harati krsna-manah

krsnahlada-svarupini ato harety anenaiva sri radha parikirtitah:

"Because she steals Krsna's mind and because she is the incarnation of

Krsna's joy, Sri Radha is also known by the name Hara." With this

understanding of the word Hare, many Gaudiya Vaisnavas chant the Hare

Krsna maha-mantra desiring to unite Radha and Krsna in transcendental

romantic love. This is their ideal, the union of Radha and Krsna.

 

Q. Sometimes when I chant, read about Krsna, or view the Deities in the

temple I have an overwhelming desire to cry. Does this have any

internal spiritual significance or is just some type of material

religious sentiment?

 

A. It is not unusual for religious people to cry when reading scripture

or attending services, but such tears are not necessarily reflections

of genuine spiritual emotion. Indeed, most people who have taken

seriously to Krsna-bhakti will admit to having had a tearful epiphany

at some point during their introduction to its precepts.

 

So even before actually beginning a life of devotion we may cry simply

on hearing the profoundly charming theology and philosophy surrounding

Krsna lila. Such tears propel those who are actually sincere into a

life of divine service. Then, in the beginning of sadhana-bhakti,

another type of tear will appear. Sincere students will cry because

they sense that despite Krsna nama's generosity, they do not have a

sustained attraction to him and are thus easily distracted. In teaching

us this, Sri Caitanya prays, durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah: "I am

so unfortunate that I have no attraction for Krsna nama."

 

Then, if we become steady in devotion and are successful in

sadhana-bhakti by developing a taste and attachment for bhakti and its

object, Sri Krsna, we will experience tears of ecstasy leading to

bhava. Sri Caitanya prays for such ecstatic tears when he says, nayanam

galad asru dharaya: "While chanting your holy name when will my eyes

flood with streams of tears?" Then, when speaking of prema-bhakti, he

declares, yugayitam nimesena caksusa pravrsayitam: "My eyes have become

a monsoon."

 

Thus from beginning to end, bhakti is about crying for Krsna.

 

Q. You said in one of your CD lectures that Krsna has a problem, but I

did not really understand this point. Krsna is the supreme person. How

can he have a problem?

 

A. Yes, Krsna is the supreme person. This is one angle of vision in

consideration of scriptural conclusions--krsnas tu bhagavan svayam.

However, even this central point of siddhanta is true only when we look

at Sri Krsna objectively through the lens of bhava or rasa. Because Sri

Krsna is Rasaraja, therefore he is the supreme person, higher than even

Narayana. Otherwise, Krsna and Narayana are one.

 

However, through the subjective lens of bhava, rasa, or lila, great

devotees also lose sight of the fact that Krsna is the supreme person

and think of him as their friend, son, or lover. Indeed, Krsna's mother

Yasodamayi does not think him to be the supreme person, and neither

does Krsna himself when he is nursing from her breast.

 

Although Krsna is God and in this sense has no problem, in his lila he

has many problems. For example, when Srimati Radharani exhibits mana

(jealous love), which Krsna takes great pleasure in, she will sometimes

forbid him to enter her chambers, and her handmaidens will block the

doorway. At such times Sri Krsna seeks solace from his friends like

Subala, who give him advice on how to solve such problems.

 

Through the pen of Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja, Sri Krsna says:

 

purnananda-maya ami cin-maya purna-tattva radhikara preme ama karaya

unmatta

 

"Although I am the full spiritual truth and am made of complete joy,

Radha's love drives me mad."

 

Is it not a problem if God has gone mad? Indeed, the entire advent of

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is predicated on the problem that arose for Sri

Krsna during his rasa-lila. At that time he realized that Radha's love

for him enabled her to taste a measure of love that he himself was not

privileged to taste. Although he says in the Bhagavad-gita that he will

reciprocate with love in proportion to the love with which he is

approached, he realized during the rasa-lila that Radha's love had

defeated him, and thus he could not reciprocate in kind. Being defeated

by her love, he tried to steal it in a last ditch effort. This got him

into more trouble in his appearance as Sri Caitanya, who spent the

better part of his antya-lila in tears and madness. Only by the mercy

of Radha's intimate associates Lalita and Visakha in the forms of

Svarupa Damodara and Ramananda Raya was he able to resolve the issue,

one that is nonetheless eternal and one that presents a golden

opportunity of service for us.

 

Questions or comments may be submitted at the Q&A Forum

http://www.swami.org/sanga/ or email sangaeditor (AT) swami (DOT) org.

 

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Sunday, April, 30, 2006, Vol. VIII, No. 5

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