“the mellow taste of His service”

[Guest guest]

TEXT 33

 

TEXT

 

ore mudha loka, suna caitanya-mangala

caitanya-mahima yate janibe sakala

 

SYNONYMS

 

ore--O all of you; mudha--foolish; loka--people; suna--just hear; caitanya-mangala--the book of this name; caitanya--Lord Caitanya's; mahima--glories; yate--in which; janibe--you will know; sakala--all.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O fools, just read Sri Caitanya-mangala! By reading this book you can understand all the glories of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

PURPORT

 

Sri Vrndavana dasa Thakura's Caitanya-bhagavata was originally entitled Caitanya-mangala, but when Srila Locana dasa Thakura later wrote another book named Caitanya-mangala, Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura changed the name of his own book, which is now therefore known as Caitanya-bhagavata. The life of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is very elaborately described in the Caitanya-bhagavata, and Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami has already informed us that in his Sri Caitanya-caritamrta he has described whatever Vrndavana dasa Thakura has not mentioned. This acceptance of Sri Caitanya-bhagavata by Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami indicates his acceptance of the disciplic succession. A writer of transcendental literature never tries to surpass the previous acaryas.

 

Cc. Adi 8.34

 

TEXT 55

 

TEXT

 

bhagavate krsna-lila varnila vedavyasa

caitanya-lilate vyasa----vrndavana dasa

 

SYNONYMS

 

bhagavate--in Srimad-Bhagavatam; krsna-lila--the pastimes of Lord Krsna; varnila--described; veda-vyasa--Dvaipayana Vyasadeva; caitanya-lilate--in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya; vyasa--Vedavyasa; vrndavana dasa--Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Srila Vyasadeva described the pastimes of Krsna in Srimad-Bhagavatam. The Vyasa of the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was Vrndavana dasa.

 

PURPORT

 

Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura was an incarnation of Vedavyasa and also a friendly cowherd boy named Kusumapida in krsna-lila. In other words, the author of Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura, the son of Srivasa Thakura's niece Narayani, was a combined incarnation of Vedavyasa and the cowherd boy Kusumapida. There is a descriptive statement by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura in his commentary on Sri Caitanya-bhagavata giving the biographical details of the life of Vrndavana dasa Thakura.

Cc. Adi 12.55

 

Srila Prabhupada must have been familiar with SBSST's translation and commentary of CB. No need to minimize the glory of Vrndavana Das Thakura's contribution just because HDG did not translate it and make it "required reading" for his disciples as did SBSST. HDG quotes from it often enough throughout Cc. for us to unerstand it is an authorized source of information re the life of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

[Guest guest]

" Another difficulty in understanding Srimad-Bhagavatam is that the professional reciters have introduced bhagavata-saptaha, or seven-day readings of the Bhagavatam. They want to finish Srimad-Bhagavatam in a week, although it is so sublime that even one verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam, if properly explained, cannot be completed in three months. Under these circumstances, it is a great aid for the common man to read Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura's Caitanya-bhagavata, for thus he can actually understand devotional service, Krsna, Lord Caitanya and Nityananda. . . "

 

from purport to Adi 8.36

 

Seems HDG agreed with SBSST regarding the value of this book.

[Guest guest]

 

 

Srila Prabhupada must have been familiar with SBSST's translation and commentary of CB. No need to minimize the glory of Vrndavana Das Thakura's contribution just because HDG did not translate it and make it "required reading" for his disciples as did SBSST. HDG quotes from it often enough throughout Cc. for us to unerstand it is an authorized source of information re the life of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

Vaishnava literature is not something that one can just go to the bazaar and purchase without discrimination.

The acharya will determine what scriptures his disciples should study and he will approve and authorize certain studies for the disciple.

 

The Vaishnava canon is not something that is just open game for anyone who can procure a copy in the marketplace.

 

The spiritual master will instruct his disciples which books they should read.

They will attain perfection by following his instructions and not by approaching the Gaudiya canon as if it is a free-for-all and anyone can just jump in a read any book they like for their own curiosity.

 

Satisfaction of our curiosity is not service to the spiritual master.

We study the scriptures that he assigns to us according to our adhikar.

 

Jumping over the spiritual master and reading so many books he never sanctioned will not award perfection.

It is only a matter of "curiosity killed the cat".

 

Disciples should read the books that their own spiritual master has given and approved.

Srila Rupa Goswami has instructed against this approach of haphazardly jumping around from book to book and ending up with only a smattering of understanding.

 

Jack of all books and master of NONE?

Better to be MASTER of one book than a casual student of too many books.

[Guest guest]

This point has little or nothing to do with the quote from CB that illustrates the maligned SBVNM remark about SCM's early Nabadwipa lila. CB is an authorized Vaisnava shastra, and Vrndavana Das Thakura is a bona fide source. The information contained within his book is authorized and recognized by iskcon's founder-acarya, whether its members read it or not, or only take note of the quotations from it within HDG's books.

 

Every Gaudiya Vaisnava is not necessarily a member of iskcon who allows the gbc to tell him what to think, read or believe. Check the thread about the origin of the jiva and you will see that there are many thoughtful devotees posting here whose understanding of Gaudiya Siddhanta is not swayed by political propaganda in the guise of "loyalty or obedience" to the instructions of HDG.

 

And no one ever said that because SBSST recommended CB to his disciples that we should now read and re read it. Call the dog bad and then hang him.

The quote from SBSST simply illustrates how valuable he thought CB was.

[Guest guest]

Gaura nagaris argue that as Supreme Lord Sree Krishna Chaitanya is identical with the Youthful Son of Nanda, the Activities of Sree Gaurasundara are also necessarily identical with the Amorous Dalliances of Sree Krishna in Braja.

- Nishikanta Sanyal

[Guest guest]

Some speaks contradicting itself without effort. There there is no logic and sequence. They take any terms and simply twist them. In one book there will be one, and in other book all will be on the contrary.

 

-------------

 

Mood Nilacala it is top all paramour. In it there are no doubts and it is confirmed with all sastra.

 

Some think about Radha - Krisna in terms material boy-girl. ...

[Guest guest]

SB 10.87.38

 

"The illusory material nature attracts the minute living entity to embrace her, and as a result he assumes forms composed of her qualities. Subsequently, he loses all his spiritual qualities and must undergo repeated deaths. You, however, avoid the material energy in the same way that a snake abandons its old skin. Glorious in Your possession of eight mystic perfections, You enjoy unlimited opulences."

 

SB 11.2.37

 

"When the living entity is attracted by the material energy, which is separate from Krsna, he is overpowered by fear. Because he is separated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead by the material energy, his conception of life is reversed. In other words, instead of being the eternal servant of Krsna, he becomes Krsna's competitor. This is called viparyayo ’smatiu. To nullify this mistake, one who is actually learned and advanced worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead as his spiritual master, worshipful Deity and source of life. He thus worships the Lord by the process of unalloyed devotional service."

 

CC Madhya 22.24

 

"The living entity is bound around the neck by the chain of maya because he has forgotten that he is eternally a servant of Krsna."

 

"Forgetting Krsna, the living entity has been attracted by the external feature from time immemorial. Therefore the illusory energy (maya) gives him all kinds of misery in his material existence.” ( Madhya 20.117 )

 

Jaiva dharma -

 

"The eternal nature and duty of the individual soul is service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If he forgets this duty, the individual souls comes under maya’s control. Then the soul stays away from Lord Krsna. That staying away from Lord Krsna means that the soul enters the material world.

 

"The individual soul is spiritual. Nevertheless the spiritual soul may be placed under the control of inanimate matter.

 

"When he forgets the service of Lord Krsna, the soul finds himself situated in the material world of repeated birth and death.

 

---------------------

 

For full perfection needs 3 books - BG, SB and Caitanya Caritamrita. Sometime devotee read another books like Caitanya Bhagavata it is no bad, but 3-4 books - BG, SB and Caitanya Caritamrita, Nectar Devotion has all. Books needs read in parampara, another they do not bring big effects.

[Guest guest]

 

Originally Posted from Srila B.V. Narayana Maharaja:

In Navadvipa, however, there is no opulence. In Navadvipa, Sacinandana played as Krsna played with the girls in Vrndavana. While bathing in the Ganges He would say to the little girls, “Will you marry me? I want to marry you. If you will not marry Me, you will not be happy. Give your offerings of sandesa and bananas to Me." This comes in the category of the asta-kaliya-lila of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and it is therefore far superior to any lila in Jagannatha Puri.

 

[Guest guest]

Sri Gauranga (Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu) is not nagara, the beloved of the gopis. No one can serve Gauranga by thinking himself a gopi and thinking of Gauranga as Krsna. Everyone has to serve Him in dasya-bhava (the mood of a servant). No one should think, "I am Lalita, Visakha, or any other gopi." This is a philosophical misconception called gauranga-nagari-vada. It is possible for Krsna to be the enjoyer of conjugal mellows, but not Mahaprabhu. He is always in the role of a gopi, Srimati Radhika. Anyone can serve Mahaprabhu in dasya-rasa, but not in madhurya-rasa. In this pastime, this would be absurd. Sri Caitanya-caritamrta says that gauranga-nagari-vada is sahajia. Caitanya-bhagavat and our guru-parampara also reject this idea, and Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has defeated their arguments.

 

[From Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: "A similar example is Lord Caitanya. Although He is Krsna Himself, He appeared as a devotee, not as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We should accept the Lord's mood in particular appearances and we should worship Him in that mood. Because Lord Caitanya is Krsna Himself, somebody may worship Him in the same manner as Krsna. But Krsna was in the role of enjoyer, and Lord Caitanya was in the role of being enjoyed. The party known as gauranga-nagari is therefore considered to be deviated from pure devotional service. This is on account of them giving Lord Caitanya the same facility as Krsna, which He did not like. Our service mood should be compatible to the attitude of the Lord. It is not that we should overlap the attitude of Krsna upon Lord Caitanya, or Lord Caitanya upon Krsna, or Krsna upon Ramacandra, or Ramacandra upon Krsna.]

 

Sri Gadadhara Pandita is Srimati Radhika, and he therefore has up to madanakya mahabhava, but he wants to serve Mahaprabhu. He wants to do what Krsna wants, and thus he covers this madhurya-bhava. Sri Gadadhara Pandita knows that Mahaprabhu wants to play the part of Srimati Radhika. Right from the beginning He is in Srimati Radha's mood, and He is chanting "Krsna prana-natha! Oh, my beloved Krsna!" He therefore came here to Tota-Gopinatha to hear Srimad Bhagavatam from Sri Gadadhara Pandita, Srimati Radhika, to learn how to play Her part. In its deepest understanding, Srimad Bhagavatam is really the glories of Srimati Radhika's moods.

 

from:

The Glories of Sri Gadadhara Pandita

by Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

 

More About Sri Gadadhara Pandita Prabhu

Puri: Oct 13, 2001 Darsana (p.m.)

 

[srila Narayana Maharaja:] Gadadhara Pandita is always serving Krsna. In Krsna-lila, whatever Krsna wishes, Srimati Radhika always serves more than Candravali, Lalita, Visakha, and others. Her entire mood is to satisfy Krsna. In Mahaprabhu-lila, because Krsna wants to taste Himself, He will take Radhika's mood, and She responds accordingly: "He wants that, so I should not disturb Him. If I help Him in this, this will be my service." Do you understand?

 

When Mahaprabhu was calling, "Krsna! Krsna! O Prana-natha!" Radhika was there, but as an obedient servant. She was in a daksina (submissive) mood. The relationship of a servant to his master is always in this mood. Sri Gadadhara Pandita was even more submissive than Rukmini. Rukmini sometimes had some maan (transcendental loving anger), but Sri Gadadhara Pandita was not like that. If he had been in a vamya (left-wing or unsubmissive) mood, it would have been unfavorable to the mood of Krsna as Mahaprabhu. Gadadhara Pandita was always thinking, "I am His servant."

 

If he would have said, "My dear Krsna, my dear beloved, Mahaprabhu's mood would have been disturbed.

 

[Tunga-vidya dasi:] That was in Puri. But what was the mood in Navadvipa?

 

[srila Narayana Maharaja:] In Navadvipa also. At that time Gauranga was also calling out, "Krsna, Krsna," not, "Radha, Radha." But at that time He was untrained. He was not yet admitted in the school of Visakha, Sri Ramananda Raya. At that time also, Gadadhara Pandita always served as an obedient servant, covering all his moods as Srimati Radhika.

 

[Aranya Maharaja:] In nitya-Navadvipa Dhama? When Mahaprabhu is lost in His mood in nitya-Navadvipa Dhama, Gadadhara Pandita is also in the same mood?

 

[srila Narayana Maharaja:] Same mood. Gauranga was not nagari. We never accept Him as nagari.

 

Typists: Radhika dasi and Premanidhi dasi

[Guest guest]

". . . stage plays of Krsna's pastimes using a vigraha, or form, of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. . ."

 

"There is a class of devotees called Gauranga-nagari, who stage plays of Krsna's pastimes using a vigraha, or form, of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This is a mistake that is technically called rasabhasa. While Caitanya Mahaprabhu is trying to enjoy as a devotee, one should not disturb Him by addressing Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

 

HSDGACBSP

Adi lila 7.10

[Guest guest]

Some knows only samboga (because it is like material boy-girls). Thne they do not understand Lord Caitanya mood. All contexts in one way - sambnoga krisna lila. Needs listen from pure sourse.

 

TRY UNDERSTAND SUPREME MOOD LORD CAITANYA. Lord Caitanya come not for rasa dance, rasa dance it is krisna lila. Krisna show BEFORE rasa dance Krisna lila

[Guest guest]

The some people recite lectures on all kinds of philosophy))) You can find there on any theme))) philosophy babaji, philosophy ISKCON, philosophy GM.... )))

[Guest guest]

Lord Caitanya's mood and the glory of Nabadwipa is nicely explained by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thaura in a book not translated by HDGACBSP but printed by BBT with his blessing and under his direction:

 

". . . The gist of the whole matter is this--Goloka as Svetadvipa is eternally manifest because the pleasures of enjoyment of the rasa could not be had in its entirety in the pastimes of Krsna in Vraja. He accepts the emotion and effulgence of His predominated moiety. Sri Radhika, and makes an eternal pastime for the enjoyment of krsna-rasa there. . . "

 

 

 

 

"The devotees who are imbued with all-love and who walk in the footsteps of the spiritual maids of Vraja, alone attain to the realm of Goloka. The different locations of the devotees in Goloka according to the respective differences in the nature of their rasa, i.e., mellow quality. are settled by the inconceivable power of Krsna.

 

The pure devotees following the devotees of Vraja and those following the pure devotees of Navadvipa are located in the realm of Krsna and Gaura respectively. The identical devotees of Vraja and Navadvipa simultaneously attain to the pleasures of service in the realm of Krsna and Gaura.

 

Sri Jiva Gosvami writes in his work Gopala-campu that "the supreme transcendental realm is called Goloka being the abode of go, transcendental cows, and gopa, transcendental cowherds. This is the seat of the rasa pastimes of the absolute Sri Krsna. Again the realm is called Svetadvipa owing to the realization of some of the rasas which are the inconceivable manifestation derived from the untouched purity of that supreme realm. The twofold entities of the supreme Goloka and the supreme Svetadvipa are indivisibly the realm of Goloka."

 

The gist of the whole matter is this--Goloka as Svetadvipa is eternally manifest because the pleasures of enjoyment of the rasa could not be had in its entirety in the pastimes of Krsna in Vraja. He accepts the emotion and effulgence of His predominated moiety. Sri Radhika, and makes an eternal pastime for the enjoyment of krsna-rasa there. Sri Krsnacandra coveting to taste the following pleasures, viz., to realize (1) the nature of the greatness of love of Sri Radha; (2) the nature of the wonderful sweetness of His love of which Sri Radhika has got the taste; (3) the nature of the exquisite joy that accrues to Sri Radha by Her realization of the sweetness of His love, took His birth, like the moon, in the ocean of the womb of Sri Saci-devi. The esoteric desire of Sri Jiva Gosvami Prabhu is herein made manifest.

 

In the Veda it is also said, "Let me tell you the mystery. In Navadvipa, the identical realm of Goloka, on the bank of the Ganges, Gauracandra who is Govinda, the entity of pure cognition, who has two hands, who is the soul of all souls, who has the supreme great personality as the great meditative sannyasin and who is beyond the threefold mundane attributes, makes the process of pure unalloyed devotion manifest in this mundane world. He is sole Godhead. He is the source of all forms, the Supreme Soul and is Godhead manifesting Himself in yellow, red, blue and white colors. He is the direct entity of pure cognition full of the spiritual (cit) potency. He is the figure of the devotee. He is the bestower of devotion and cognizable by devotion alone. The selfsame Gauracandra, who is no other than Krsna Himself, in order to taste the rasa of the pastimes of Radha-Krsna in Goloka, is manifest in the eternal realm of Navadvipa identical with Goloka."

 

 

This is also clear from the Vedic declarations, viz., asan varnas trayah, krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam, yatha pasyah pasyati rukma-varnam, mahan prabhur vai and various other statements of the theistic scriptures. Just as Sri Krsna had His birth in the mundane Gokula through the agency of Yogamaya who is the primal energy of the Supreme Lord, so with her help He manifests the lila of His birth in the womb of Saci-devi in Navadvipa on this mundane plane. These are the absolute truths of spiritual science and not the outcome of imaginary speculation under the thraldom of the deluding energy of Godhead."

 

Sri Brahma Samhita

purport Verse 5

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

[Guest guest]

". . . The truth of the simultaneous oneness and difference of Sri Gaura and Sri Krsna is a very confidential secret. . . Babaji: Sri Krsna and Sri Gaura-Kisora are non-different in their tattva (absolute nature). They are both shelters of madhurya-rasa. However, there is a slight difference between Them because madhurya-rasa has two prakosts (chambers). One is the mood of madhurya (sweetness), and the other is the mood of audarya (mag- nanimity). Sri Krsna’s svarupa is manifest where madhurya is prominent, and Sri Gauranga’s form is manifest where audarya is prominent. Similarly, the transcendental Vrndavana also has two prakosts (divisions): Sri Krsna’s abode and Sri Gaura’s abode. . . . "

 

from Cha. 17 of Jaiva Dharma

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

 

 

 

"Vrajanatha: How many different types of jivas are liberated from

 

maya?

 

Babaji: Two kinds of jivas are free from maya’s control: 1) nitya-mukta (the jivas who were never under maya’s control), and 2) baddha-mukta (those who were once under maya’s control, but are now free). The nitya-mukta-jivas are divided again into two categories: 1) aisvaryagata (those who are attracted by Bhagavan’s feature of opulence and majesty), and 2) madhurya-gata (those who are attracted by His feature of sweetness). Those jivas who are attracted by Krsna’s aisvarya are personal associates of Sri Narayana, the Master of Vaikuntha. They are particles of spiritual effulgence emanating from Sri Mula-Sankarsana, who resides in Vaikuntha. Those who are attracted by Bhagavan’s madhurya are personal associates of Sri Krsna, the Master of Goloka Vrndavana. They are particles of spiritual effulgence manifesting from Sri Baladeva, who resides in Goloka Vrndavana. There are three kinds of baddha-mukta-jivas: 1) aisvarya-gata (those who are attracted to Bhagavan’s features of opulence and majesty), 2) madhurya-gata (those who are attracted to Bhagavan’s feature of sweetness) and 3) brahma-jyoti-gata (those who are attracted to Bhagavan’s impersonal effulgence). Those who are attracted to His opulence during their period of regulated service become eternal associates of Sri Narayana, the master of the spiritual sky, and they achieve salokya-mukti (the opulence of residing on His planet). Jivas who are attracted to Sri Krsna’s sweetness during their period of sadhana attain direct service to Him when they are liberated in the eternal abodes of Vrndavana and other similar abodes. Jivas who attempt to merge into the impersonal effulgence during their period of sadhana attain sayujya-mukti when they are liberated. They merge into His effulgence, and are thus completely destroyed in the form of brahma-sayujya.

 

Vrajanatha: What is the ultimate destination of the unalloyed bhaktas of Sri Gaura-Kisora (Caitanya Mahaprabhu)?

 

Babaji: Sri Krsna and Sri Gaura-Kisora are non-different in their tattva (absolute nature). They are both shelters of madhurya-rasa. However, there is a slight difference between Them because madhurya-rasa has two prakosts (chambers). One is the mood of madhurya (sweetness), and the other is the mood of audarya (mag- nanimity). Sri Krsna’s svarupa is manifest where madhurya is prominent, and Sri Gauranga’s form is manifest where audarya is prominent. Similarly, the transcendental Vrndavana also has two prakosts (divisions): Sri Krsna’s abode and Sri Gaura’s abode.

 

The nitya-siddha and nitya-mukta associates who reside in Sri Krsna’s abode are attracted first to madhurya, and then to audarya. The nitya-siddha and nitya-mukta associates who reside in Sri Gaura’s abode are blissfully absorbed in audarya, and then madhurya. Some of them reside in both abodes simultaneously by expansions of the self (svarupa-vyuha), while others reside in one spiritual form in only one abode, and not in the other.

 

Those who only worship Sri Gaura during their period of sadhana, only serve Sri Gaura when they achieve perfection, while those who only serve Sri Krsna during their period of sadhana serve Sri Krsna on achieving perfection. However, those who worship the forms of both Sri Krsna and Sri Gaura during their period of sadhana manifest two forms when they attain perfection and reside in both abodes simultaneously. The truth of the simultaneous oneness and difference of Sri Gaura and Sri Krsna is a very confidential secret.

 

When Vrajanatha had heard all these teachings about the state of the jivas who are liberated from maya, he could no longer keep his composure. Brimming with emotion, he fell down at the elderly Babaji’s lotus feet. Crying profusely, Babaji Mahasaya picked him up and embraced him. It was already quite late in the night. Vrajanatha took leave of Babaji Mahasaya and went home, totally engrossed in meditating on Babaji’s instructions.

 

When Vrajanatha reached home, he took his meal, and while doing so, he warned his grandmother sternly, “Grandmother, if you people want to see me here, stop all this talk about my marriage and do not keep any sort of contact with Veni-madhava. He is my greatest enemy and from tomorrow, I will never speak with him again. You should also neglect him.”

 

Vrajanatha’s grandmother was very intelligent. Understanding Vrajanatha’s mood, she decided to postpone any question of marriage. “From the kind of sentiments that he is displaying,” she thought, “if he is forced too much, he might leave for Vrndavana or Varanasi. Let Bhagavan decide as He will.”

 

 

 

THUS ENDS THE SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER OF JAIVA-DHARMA,

ENTITLED

“PRAMEYA:THE JIVAS FREE FROM MAYA”

[Puru_Das]

 

Lord Caitanya's mood and the glory of Nabadwipa is nicely explained by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thaura in a book not translated by HDGACBSP but printed by BBT with his blessing and under his direction:

 

". . . The gist of the whole matter is this--Goloka as Svetadvipa is eternally manifest because the pleasures of enjoyment of the rasa could not be had in its entirety in the pastimes of Krsna in Vraja. He accepts the emotion and effulgence of His predominated moiety. Sri Radhika, and makes an eternal pastime for the enjoyment of krsna-rasa there. . . "

 

 

 

 

"The devotees who are imbued with all-love and who walk in the footsteps of the spiritual maids of Vraja, alone attain to the realm of Goloka. The different locations of the devotees in Goloka according to the respective differences in the nature of their rasa, i.e., mellow quality. are settled by the inconceivable power of Krsna.

 

The pure devotees following the devotees of Vraja and those following the pure devotees of Navadvipa are located in the realm of Krsna and Gaura respectively. The identical devotees of Vraja and Navadvipa simultaneously attain to the pleasures of service in the realm of Krsna and Gaura.

 

Sri Jiva Gosvami writes in his work Gopala-campu that "the supreme transcendental realm is called Goloka being the abode of go, transcendental cows, and gopa, transcendental cowherds. This is the seat of the rasa pastimes of the absolute Sri Krsna. Again the realm is called Svetadvipa owing to the realization of some of the rasas which are the inconceivable manifestation derived from the untouched purity of that supreme realm. The twofold entities of the supreme Goloka and the supreme Svetadvipa are indivisibly the realm of Goloka."

 

The gist of the whole matter is this--Goloka as Svetadvipa is eternally manifest because the pleasures of enjoyment of the rasa could not be had in its entirety in the pastimes of Krsna in Vraja. He accepts the emotion and effulgence of His predominated moiety. Sri Radhika, and makes an eternal pastime for the enjoyment of krsna-rasa there. Sri Krsnacandra coveting to taste the following pleasures, viz., to realize (1) the nature of the greatness of love of Sri Radha; (2) the nature of the wonderful sweetness of His love of which Sri Radhika has got the taste; (3) the nature of the exquisite joy that accrues to Sri Radha by Her realization of the sweetness of His love, took His birth, like the moon, in the ocean of the womb of Sri Saci-devi. The esoteric desire of Sri Jiva Gosvami Prabhu is herein made manifest.

 

In the Veda it is also said, "Let me tell you the mystery. In Navadvipa, the identical realm of Goloka, on the bank of the Ganges, Gauracandra who is Govinda, the entity of pure cognition, who has two hands, who is the soul of all souls, who has the supreme great personality as the great meditative sannyasin and who is beyond the threefold mundane attributes, makes the process of pure unalloyed devotion manifest in this mundane world. He is sole Godhead. He is the source of all forms, the Supreme Soul and is Godhead manifesting Himself in yellow, red, blue and white colors. He is the direct entity of pure cognition full of the spiritual (cit) potency. He is the figure of the devotee. He is the bestower of devotion and cognizable by devotion alone. The selfsame Gauracandra, who is no other than Krsna Himself, in order to taste the rasa of the pastimes of Radha-Krsna in Goloka, is manifest in the eternal realm of Navadvipa identical with Goloka."

 

 

This is also clear from the Vedic declarations, viz., asan varnas trayah, krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam, yatha pasyah pasyati rukma-varnam, mahan prabhur vai and various other statements of the theistic scriptures. Just as Sri Krsna had His birth in the mundane Gokula through the agency of Yogamaya who is the primal energy of the Supreme Lord, so with her help He manifests the lila of His birth in the womb of Saci-devi in Navadvipa on this mundane plane. These are the absolute truths of spiritual science and not the outcome of imaginary speculation under the thraldom of the deluding energy of Godhead."

 

Sri Brahma Samhita

purport Verse 5

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

 

 

Compare the version above originally printed by SBSST and then re printed by the iskcon BBT to Srila B.V. Narayana Maharaja's translation of SBT's purport to the same verse. They are completely in line with each other.

 

". . . The devotees who exclusively follow the pure and transcendental mood of Vraja make their residence in Krsnaloka, while those who exclusively follow the mood of Nabadvipa make their residences in Gauraloka. The devotees who are equally dedicated to the bhavas of Vraja-dhama and Nabadvipa-dhama take up residence simultaneously in both Krsnaloka and Gauraloka, and attain the happiness of divine loving service in both places at once. There fore Sri Jiva Govami has stated in Sri Gopala campu:

 

yasya khalu lokasya golokas tatha go-gopavasa-rupavasya svetadvi

pataya cananya-sprstah parama-suddhata-samudbhuddha-svarupasya

tadrsa-jnanamaya-kattipaya-matra-prameya-patrataya tat-tat-para-

mata-mana, parama-golokah paramah svetadvipa iti.

 

“That supreme planet is called Goloka because it is the residence of the cows (go) and the cowherds (gopas). This is the prominent location of the rasa-lila, which is Sri Krsna’s very self. That topmost realm is also known as Svetadvipa in the form of the primary place for relishing the rasa of several varieties of spiritual sentiments, which are of exactly the same sort of inconceivable nature. It is an exceptionally pure manifestation, for it is untouched by associates possessed of other types of bhava. Thus, these two svarupas of Parama-Goloka and Parama-Svetadvipa exist in the undivided form of Goloka-dhama.”

The fundamental purport of this statement is that, even after tasting His own pastimes in the form of vraja-lila, Krsna had not attained the happiness derived from relishing rasa completely. Therefore, Vrajendra-nandana, Sri Krsna accepted the internal mood and golden luster of Sri Radhika, who is the supermost abode of krsna-rasa. The compartment (prakostha) of Goloka where He eternally manifests the pastimes of completely tasting rasa to the superlative degree is called Svetadvipa. The special bhava mention here has been described thus:

 

sri-radhayah pranaya-mahima kidrso vanayaiva-

svadyo yenadbhuta-madhurima kidrso va madiyah

saukhyam casya mad-anubhavatah kidrsam veti lobhat

tad-bhavadhyah samajani saci-garbha-sindhau harinduh

SriCaitanya-caritamrta (Adil-lila 1.6)

 

“How great is the deeply intense love (pranaya) of Sri Radha? What is the nature of My astonishing sweetness, which She alone relishes? And what special kind of happiness does She experience on tasting My sweetness?” A greed to takes the three things arose within the heart of Sri Krsna, and to fulfill that intense desire, He took birth from the womb of Sri Sacimata like the moon appearing from the ocean.

Thus the profound intention hidden within the aforementioned Gopala-campu verse of Sri Jiva gosvami has been illuminated in the aboe verse. In the Vedas it has also been stated:

 

“rahasyam te vadisyami – jhanavi-tire navadvipe golokakhye

dhamni govindo dvi-bhujo gaurah sarvatam mahapuruso mahatma

mahayogi trigunatitah sattva-svarupo bhaktim loke kasyatiti. Tad ete

sloka bhavanti – eko devah sarva-rupi mahatma gaura-rakta-sya-

mala-sveta-rupas caitanyatma. Sa vai caitanya-saktir bhaktakaro

bhaktido bhakti-vedyah

 

Listen! I am about to disclose a deep mystery to you. In that Navadvip-dhama, also known as Goloka, on the bank of the Jhanavi River, Gaure Govinda, the two handed embodiment of pure existence, manifests pure bhakti for the sake of delivering the living entities who are ensnared in the chain of repeating birth and death. He is all-pervading and beyond the influence of the three modes of nature. HE is the Supreme Personality, the best yogi and the greatest atma. That one divinity, the embodiment of all divine forms, the Supreme Soul, appears as the golden, red, black, and white yuga-avataras. He is the complete consciousness , and He is endowed with spiritual potency. He appears in the form of a devotee, He bestows bhakti and He is understood only through bhakti.

 

There is much spiritual evidence that establishes the non-difference of Sri Gaurachandra (Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu) and Sri Krsnacandra, e.g. asan varnas trayah, krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam, yada pasyah rukma-varnam and mahan prabhur vai. In His eternal form as Sri Gaurahari in Navadvipa, He is absorbed in tasting the rasa of Radha and Krsna’s Goloka pastimes. This has been certified by the Vedic mantras cited on the previous page. Just as by the influence of Yogamaya, the original form of Sri Krsna takes birth in the early Goloka and performs pastimes of infancy, boyhood and adolescence, so the original form of Sri Gaura is similarly endowed with such pastimes I the earthly Navadvip, beginning with His birth from the womb of Sri Sacimata. This fundamental truth is an axiomatic principle realized by the faculty of pure transcendental cognition. It is not a figment of the imagination, or a contemplation induced by the illusory energy.

[Guest guest]

Beware the arrows of Lord Siva:

 

". . . That low person who differentiates between Vrndavna and Navadvipa or between Rahda-Krsna and Gauranga will be pierced by my arrows and experience pain in the worst hells until the time of the universal devastation.. . . "

 

From the Pramana-khanda

By Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

 

 

Gautama said, “O best of the munis, please be merciful and tell me what Parvati then asked Lord Siva.”

 

Sri Narada said, “After hearing the glories of Navadvipa and wanting to know the cause of its appearance, Parvatidevi inquired from Lord Siva.”

 

Parvati said, “O Lord, please describe exactly how and when Srimati Radhika created Navadvipa.”

 

Lord Siva replied, “O Parvati, please hear the reason for Navadvipa’s appearance, as described in the Ananta-samhita and as I have heard from the mouth of Lord Narayana

 

“As a bee plays in a lotus, Krsna was enjoying with Viraja in the pleasant forest groves of Vrndavana. Moon-faced, doe-eyed Radhika heard this news from one sakhi and hastily ran to find Krsna. Seeing that Radha was coming Krsna suddenly disappeared and Viraja became a river. Rahda again heard that Krsna was enjoying with Viraja, but when She arrived there She could not find them. Absorbed in thoughts of Krsna, Radha began to think.

 

“She gathered Her sakhis together between the Ganges and Yamuna Rivers. She created there a beautiful place, decorated with creepers and trees and filled with male and female bumble bees. Deer and bucks were happily enjoying as they wandered about, and the whole area was filled with the fragrance of jasmine, mallika, and malati flowers. That transcendental abode was adorned with tualsi forests and decorated with various groves. On Radha’s order, the Ganges and Yamuna, with their pleasant water and banks, acted as a moat to protect the garden Cupid himself, along with springtime, eternally reside there, and the birds constantly sing the auspicious name of Krsna.

 

“Radha, dressed in a colorful cloth, then began to play a beautiful melody on a flute in order to attract Krsna. Attracted by that melody, Krsna appeared in that enchanting place. Radha, the attractor of Krnsa’s mind, seeing that Krsna had come,held His hand and experienced ecstatic delight. Then Krsna, understanding Radha’s mood, spoke in a voice choked with love.

 

“Oh lovely faced Radha, You are My very life. There is no one more dear to Me than You. Therefore I will never leave You. Just for Me you have created this wonderful place. Staying with You I will transform this place, filling it with new sakhis and groves. The devotees will glorify this place as New Vrndavana (Nava Vrndavana). By My order, all the holy places will reside here. Because You have created this place for My pleasure, I will live here eternally.

 

“Those people who come here and worship Us will certainly obtain Our eternal service in the mood of the sakhis. O dear Radha, like Vrndavana, this place is extremely pure. If anyone comes here just once, he will obtain the results of going to all sacred places. He will quickly attain devotional service, which satisfies Us.”

 

Lord Siva continued, “O most fortunate Parvati, saying this, Krsna, the Lord of Radha, merged with Radha’s body and began to reside there eternally. Seeing that sat-cit-ananda form-outwardly of a fair complexion but inwardly Krsna Himself—Lalita gave up her beautiful form for the service of Gauranga. She took on a male form to suitably receive the affection of Gauranga. Seeing that Lalita had taken such a form, Visakha and all the other sakhis also suddenly took on male forms.

 

“At that time the tumultuous vibration of ‘Jaya Garauahari!’ filled the four directions. From that time the devotees call this form of Krsna, Gaurahari. As Radha is Gauri (fair) and Krsna is hari, when They combine in one form, They are called Gaurahari. Since then, the lotus-eyed, flute-playing, threefold bending form of Krsna and the lotus-eyed form of Radhikadevi remained there combined in one form.

 

“Oh Parvati, in blissful Vrndavana, Radha stays by the left side of Krsna and always pleases Him. Similarly, in Nabadvipa Krsna takes Radharani in His heart and bestows bliss upon Her. Just as in Vrndavana the sakhis headed by Lalita serve Radha and Krsna in their own forms, in Nabadvipa also the sakhis always joyfully serve Gaurahari as His devotees. Radha andKrsna are Gaura, and Vrndavana is Navadvipa. That low person who differentiates between Vrndavna and Navadvipa or between Rahda-Krsna and Gauranga will be pierced by my arrows and experience pain in the worst hells until the time of the universal devastation.

 

“Oh Parvati, I have described to you the reason for the appearance of Nabadvipa. When heard by mankind, this narration removes all sins and bestows devotional service. Whoever rises early in the morning and with devotion to Gaura recites or hears this story of Navadvipa’s creation will certainly attain Gauranga.

 

“Even now the devotees, but not the faithless, can see the sat-cid-ananda form of Lord Gauranga in Nabadvipa. Previously in the rasa dance at Vrndavana, I saw Krsna, the Lord of the rasa dance and attractor of Cupid, appear as Gauranga. That same Lord, Krsna Caitanya, appears in Navadvipa in every kalpa and gives pure devotional service to the living entities.

 

“O Parvati, these secret topics that I have told you should never be revealed to the foolish nondevotees. Give it to the pure-minded devotees. Please tell me now what else do you wish to hear?

 

Thus ends the Fourth Chapter of the Second part of the Sri Caitanya

Janma-khanda of the Anata Samhita.

 

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

[Guest guest]

"If Ananta with His thousands of mouths is unable to describe the glories of Nabadvipa, how will I be able to do wo with my five mouths? O Parvati, the wise men know that Navadvipa is the only means by which to ascend to Vrndavana.

 

"Ananta went to Navadvipa, performed penances and worshipped Gauranga for ten thousand years. Being please with Ananta, Lord Garanga appeared before Him. On seeint that form, Ananta fell to the ground offering His respects.

 

"Then raising Himself, Ananta folded His hands and began tos ing the lfoties o Gauranga, who appeared with a complexion of molten gold. Gauranga's lotus feet were very beautiful. His toenails glowed like ten million moons, His form flowed likea thousand suns and he was decorated with a forest flower garland and the mark o fSrivatsa on His chest. Wearing a slik cloth, He was as attractive as ten million Cupids. His arms exdtending to His knees and a sacred thread draped across His chest. He was smeared with sandalwood pulp and decorated with arm ands and tulasi beads around his neck. He had graceful eyes and beautiful eyebrows and nose. He was slightly smiling and His ears were decorated with shark earings. He was peaceful, and His feet are eternally worshipped by the devotees. He is the deliverer of the suffering living entities and the cause of the universes. His form is full of eternity, knowledge and bliss. With a choked voice Ananta offered his prayers. . .

 

O merciful Gauranga, I wish to see You once again in the future, in the form which enjoys pastimes in Vrndavana."

 

The Lord said, "O Ananta, I am satisfied with Your service because You are the first amongst the best devotees. For this reason, when I appear in Navadvipa You will appear as My best servant.

 

"O FORTUNATE ONE, NAVADVIPA IS EQUAL TO VRNDAVANA. LONG AGO IT WAS CREATED BY RADHA TO BESTOW MERCY ON THE LIVING ENTITIES. VRNDAVANA AND NAVADVIPA REA AS DEAR TO ME AS RADHA HERSELF. This I testify is the truth. O ANANTA, AS I ALWAYS RESIDE IN VRNDAVANA WITH RATHIKA, SO I ALWAYS RESIDE IN NAVADVIPA COMBINED WITH RADHIKAON ONE FORM GAURANGA. JUST AS I NEVER LEAVE VRDNAVANA, I NEVE RLEAVE NAVADVIPA. I appear in Vrndavana during every kalpa and i perform pastimes for teh pleasure of the devotees adn to purify the world. O Ananta, please describe those same pastimes as they occur in Navadvipa.

 

"O fortunate one, when I appear in person for the benefit of the populace You will also appear. I do not tolerate separation from You even for a moment. Therefore, in another age I take You as my elder brother in Vrndavana.

 

"I will appear in Navadvipa, the great holy place, in the house of a brahmana. Being prayed for by the devas I will kill the fear generated by the advent of Kali-yuga. At that time, appearing as the large-bodied Nityananda, You will be absorbed in kirtana pastimes and tansform the bewildered faithless into my devotees. You will convert the living entities into the best of devotees by gathering the essence of My eternal pastimes and composing an attractive samhita approved by the great devotees."

[Guest guest]

Lord Siva said, “O Parvati, being ordered by the Lord in this way, Ananta offered His obeisances to the Lord and then composed this great samhita which gives prema bhakti. When Ananta offered this samhita at the lotus feet of the Lord, he felt great satisfaction. Since this work was full of he Lord’s infinite (ananta) pastimes, and since it came from the mouth of Ananta, the Lord called this work , Ananta-samhita.

 

“My dear Parvati, one time in Vaikuntha the lord gave this samhita to Brahma for the benefit of all the worlds, and later,in another kalpa, he mercifully gave it to me when I was overcome from drinking poison. As my mouth was burning with the poison, I took this nectarean samhita in my mouth. O Parvati, since that time I have been constantly reciting this samhita alogn with the auspicious mantra of Gauranga’s name. Being purified by this, I am considered the best of devotees. I am now satisfied, having been freed from the sinful reactions due to creating the atheistic Mayavada scriptures which criticize Krsna.

 

“O Parvati, because you are my beloved, in a previous kalpa I gave this samhita to you, but because of your being a women, or because of predominance of speculative knowledge, you could not remember it. Described in this samhita are the attractive pastimes of Krsna and the character of Gauranga which bestows direct meeting of Radha and Krsna.

 

‘O Parvati, by hearing, reading, or teaching this scripture a person can attain direct service to Lord Gauranga, who is merciful to the devotees and whose form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss. Such a person resides in Navadvipa for many kalpas. Then by Gauranga’s mercy, that person becomes a gopi and resides with Radha and Krsna in the groves of Vrndavana as an attendant (sakhi). This is without a doubt the truth

 

“O Sati without service to the lotus feet of Gaurnga, a person cannot obtain Radha and Krsna, even after accumulating lifetimes of pious activities. Therefore Parvati, you should constantly hear about the character of Lord Gauranga