Should we go to see Rama-lila or Rasa-lila performances?

[Guest guest]

RASA-LILA OR RAMA-LILA PERFORMANCES FORBIDDEN BY PRABHUPADA BECAUSE IN THAT WAY

WE ARE SPOILING OUR LIVES BY INCREASING OUR LUSTY DESIRES:

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lecture 6.1.61, Vrndavana, August 28, 1975

 

Sometimes we go to hear or see rasa-lila. But unless we are advanced in

spiritual consciousness, this hearing of or seeing some rasa-lila, sometimes it

brings us down. If one is actually seeing rasa-lila, the result will be

hrd-roga-kamam apahinoty acirena dhirah. This is the injunction in the Srimad

Bhagavatam. If one has actually heard from a realized person about vikriditam

idam vraja-vadhubhir visnoh, Visnu and vraja-vadhu, the gopis, vikrtam, their

lila, their pastime Sraddhanvita anusrnuyad atha varnayed yah. One who is

actually advanced in spiritual consciousness, sraddhanvita, anusrnuyat, and

hears from the realized person-anu, anu means parampara, not from ordinary

person, professional reciter, but from a realized person-the result will be

hrd-roga-kamam apahinoti. Then the, our natural lusty desires will disappear.

That is the result. But in spite of disappearing our, this lusty desire, if we

increase our lusty desire, that means we are spoiling our life. ***Therefore it

is forbidden that neophyte students, they should not indulge in these affairs

of rasa-lila. You should be very careful.*** People are very much accustomed to

see rasa-lila in Vrndavana. Maybe they are advanced, but the test is whether he

has given up his lusty desire. That is the test. If he has given up, then,

after seeing rasa-lila, he should not have returned to home.

 

PUTREFIED INSTEAD OF PURIFIED:

 

Ramesvara: "If I follow the regulative principles and go on hearing about

rasa-lila, then I'll be purified."

Prabhupada: You say that. In the sastra does not say. Sastra says that after

you have studied all the nine cantos of Bhagavatam, then enter into the tenth.

Sahajiya means they take very easily. "I am.... Everything is all right. Now I

am perfect." That is sahajiya. Krsna says, "To understand Me, it will take

millions of years." And they understand Krsna immediately. That is their....

That is called prakrta-sahajiya.

Ramesvara: Krsna's incarnation is to attract the living entities to Krsna. So

let me read about rasa-lila, because I'm feeling some attraction.

Prabhupada: Then why not Kuruksetra-lila? What...? Kuruksetra-lila... Krsna's

lila is the same, absolute. You are attracted to rasa-lila means you have got

sex desire. That's all.

Ramesvara: I may still have sex desire, but this will purify me.

Prabhupada: No, no, no. This will purify. You are not purified.

Tamala Krsna: Putrefied.

Prabhupada: That is.... The, this rasa-lila is for the person who is completely

purified. What...? When one is impure, he should not think of. That is stated

in the Bhagavatam.

 

DRAMAS SHOULD BE DONE ONLY BY DEVOTEES AND EVEN THAT WITHOUT ANY FEMALES THEN

WHAT TO SPEAK OF THESE KARMI PERFORMANCES WITH FEMALES:

 

And there was no female. Now Sacidevi, Sacidevi, the friend who take the part,

took the part of Sacidevi, his shoulders were so big, (laughing) so just see.

So there was no question of beautiful woman taking part. So still the drama was

very successful. Similarly, when Caitanya Mahaprabhu staged, all the devotees

took part. Srivasa Thakura, Advaita, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda and

Mukunda and other, all devotees... (pause) Yes?

 

LILA PERFORMANCES BANNED BY SRILA BHAKTISIDDHANTA SARASVATI:

 

Paramananda Vidyaratna once called Jotisekhara to see the rasa-lila-yatra

(Footnote: Professional drama performance of rasa-lila. Their "yatra"

performances of stories taken from sastra were, and still are, popular among

the common people in Bengal and Orissa. However, neither are the characters of

the actors anything like that of the great sadhus they portray, nor are their

dramatical performances accurately performed, according to parampara. They are

cheap presentations, meant simply to amuse and entertain. Sarasvati Thakura

used to speak of "yatra-dolera Narada - a "stage Narada" or "farcical Narada"

(C.C. Adi-lila 10.13 purport)) in Cuttack, but Jotisekhara told him, "Guru

maharaja doesn't like this." Paramananda didn't listen to such advice, and

although reluctant, Jotisekhara went anyway, considering the seniority of

Paramananda, who was one of the original three trustees of the Gaudiya Math.

The next morning the whole episode came to the attention of Sarasvati Thakura

who sarcastically remarked: "Paramananda Prabhu has a license to do whatever he

likes." Later on Paramananda became a householder and left the society, being,

it seems, never really serious about spiritual life.

 

Vaisnava dasabhas

Nayana-ranjana das