Srila Sridhar Maharaj: a worshipper of Nitai.

[Guest guest]

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: a worshipper of Nitai. Dayal Nitai!

 

Some foolish individuals writing on a thread (now closed) on this web site expressed the opinion that when Srila Sridhar Maharaj declared Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami is a saktyavesha-avatara of Nityananda Prabhu that this is an insult. They reason that Srila Sridhar Maharaj was minimising the greatness of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada by suggesting he is on a (supposedly) lower level of devotion (sakhya-rasa) than devotees absorbed in madhurya-lila.

 

The fools don't realize that anyone who comes down from Goloka, Prabhupada Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami for example, are worshippable for all of us. And moreover even the devotees in the manjari class, the students of Sri Rupa Manjari, offer obeisances to the friends (sakhas) of Sri Krishna.

 

One manjari prayed:

sakhyaya te mama namo'stu namo'stu nityam

dasyaya te mama raso'stu raso'stu satyam

 

Ignorant individuals unable to appreciate the greatness of Sri Krishna's friends may sometimes entertain the egotistical idea that "I aspire to be a manjari because the manjaris have the highest status and bliss". But a real devotee will aspire to become a servant of the servant of all the servants of Sri Krishna. To enter the manjari class a devotee must be willing to serve all the "higher class" devotees while at the same time abandoning the desire that "I" will be intimate with Krishna. A real devotee will serve all the friends of Krishna and not feel "I" am great.

 

sakhyaya te mama namo'stu namo'stu nityam

dasyaya te mama raso'stu raso'stu satyam

 

A real devotee can worship Gaur-Nitai with heartfelt praises. Why shouldn't we worship Gaur-Nitai? Are you afraid that if "I" am worshipping Gaur-Nitai "I" will only enter into the "lower" rasa of friendship (sakhya-rasa) and that "I desire" to attain the "higher" level of bliss enjoyed by those great souls who are in madhurya-rasa.

 

Srila Sridhar Maharaj was not insulting Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami when he said he is a saktyavesha-avatara of Nityananda Prabhu.

 

In the last days of his life Srila Sridhar Maharaj himself was absorbed in worship of Nitai.

 

<hr><b>Srila Govinda Maharaja:

 

In the last time of his life Srila Saraswati Thakur shown some practice [asta-kaliya-lila lila smaranam] he can do and he is able to do because he is qualified to do that. He has shown there the target of our life (Radhika Madhavasam). That is also necessary to know because we are all devotees of Krishna. If we are blind, if we remain in the dark about Krishna-lila that also is not healthy, so for us some us some dig-darshan — direction, indication — was shown by Srila Saraswati Thakur's final pastimes.

 

But if we want to tell something about the final days of Srila Guru Maharaja then we shall have to say that in his last time he was incessantly crying out for the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu, "Dayal Nitai, Dayal Nitai, Dayal Nitai!" Nitai koruna habe braje Radha Krishna pabe — ‘If Nityananda Prabhu is merciful then it may be possible [to enter Vrindavan].' So you take shelter to the lotus feet of Nityananda — that is safety for your life. Not to imitate anything. But Nityananda Prabhu is so merciful he will give shelter to you and you will get shelter in Krishna-lila under the guidance of Rupa Goswami, Sanatan Goswami…</b>

<hr>

[Shakti-Fan]

 

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: a worshipper of Nitai. Dayal Nitai!

 

Some foolish individuals writing on a thread (now closed) on this web site expressed the opinion that when Srila Sridhar Maharaj declared Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami is a saktyavesha-avatara of Nityananda Prabhu that this is an insult. They reason that Srila Sridhar Maharaj was minimising the greatness of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada by suggesting he is on a (supposedly) lower level of devotion (sakhya-rasa) than devotees absorbed in madhurya-lila.

 

The fools don't realize that anyone who comes down from Goloka, Prabhupada Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami for example, are worshippable for all of us. And moreover even the devotees in the manjari class, the students of Sri Rupa Manjari, offer obeisances to the friends (sakhas) of Sri Krishna.

 

One manjari prayed:

sakhyaya te mama namo'stu namo'stu nityam

dasyaya te mama raso'stu raso'stu satyam

 

Ignorant individuals unable to appreciate the greatness of Sri Krishna's friends may sometimes entertain the egotistical idea that "I aspire to be a manjari because the manjaris have the highest status and bliss". But a real devotee will aspire to become a servant of the servant of all the servants of Sri Krishna. To enter the manjari class a devotee must be willing to serve all the "higher class" devotees while at the same time abandoning the desire that "I" will be intimate with Krishna. A real devotee will serve all the friends of Krishna and not feel "I" am great.

 

sakhyaya te mama namo'stu namo'stu nityam

dasyaya te mama raso'stu raso'stu satyam

 

A real devotee can worship Gaur-Nitai with heartfelt praises. Why shouldn't we worship Gaur-Nitai? Are you afraid that if "I" am worshipping Gaur-Nitai "I" will only enter into the "lower" rasa of friendship (sakhya-rasa) and that "I desire" to attain the "higher" level of bliss enjoyed by those great souls who are in madhurya-rasa.

 

Srila Sridhar Maharaj was not insulting Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami when he said he is a saktyavesha-avatara of Nityananda Prabhu.

 

In the last days of his life Srila Sridhar Maharaj himself was absorbed in worship of Nitai.

 

 

<HR>Srila Govinda Maharaja:

In the last time of his life Srila Saraswati Thakur shown some practice [asta-kaliya-lila lila smaranam] he can do and he is able to do because he is qualified to do that. He has shown there the target of our life (Radhika Madhavasam). That is also necessary to know because we are all devotees of Krishna. If we are blind, if we remain in the dark about Krishna-lila that also is not healthy, so for us some us some dig-darshan — direction, indication — was shown by Srila Saraswati Thakur's final pastimes.

But if we want to tell something about the final days of Srila Guru Maharaja then we shall have to say that in his last time he was incessantly crying out for the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu, "Dayal Nitai, Dayal Nitai, Dayal Nitai!" Nitai koruna habe braje Radha Krishna pabe — ‘If Nityananda Prabhu is merciful then it may be possible [to enter Vrindavan].' So you take shelter to the lotus feet of Nityananda — that is safety for your life. Not to imitate anything. But Nityananda Prabhu is so merciful he will give shelter to you and you will get shelter in Krishna-lila under the guidance of Rupa Goswami, Sanatan Goswami…

 

<HR>

nitai-pada-kamala, koti-candra-susitala

je chayay jagata juray

heno nitai bine bhai, radha-krsna paite nai

drdha kori' dharo nitair pay

 

 

The lotus feet of Lord Nityananda are a shelter where one will get the soothing moonlight not only of one, but of millions of moons. If the world wants to have real peace, it should take shelter of Lord Nityänanda. Unless one takes shelter under the shade of the lotus feet of Lord Nityänanda, it will be very difficult for him to approach Radha-Krsna. If one actually wants to enter into the dancing party of Radha-Krsna, he must firmly catch hold of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda. (translation by Srila A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)

So, if this is true then Srila Sridhar Maharaja wanted to enter into the dancing party of Radha-Krsna. What kind of devotees enter into this divine dancing party? Could this have been the internal meaning of Srila Sridhar Maharaja's focus on Dayal Nitai in the last days of his prakata lila?

 

sakhyaya te mama namo'stu namo'stu nityam

dasyaya te mama raso'stu raso'stu satyam

But wait a minute; what's the full verse? So here it is:

 

padabjayos tava vina vara-dasyam eva

nanyat kadapi samaye kila devi yace

sakhyaya te mama namo 'stu namo 'stu nityam

dasyaya te mama raso 'stu raso 'stu satyam ["O Goddess! I shall never pray to You for anything else but the excellent service of Your lotus feet. I offer my constant obeisances unto the idea of becoming Your friend, but I truly relish the idea of becoming Your maidservant." (Text 16, Vilap-kusumanjali, translation by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja)

Is Srila Sridhar Maharaja static or dynamic? Again from Srila

Sridhar Maharaja himself, What is found there is a new thing, so approach that world with an open mind; understand that everything is possible with the infinite. All your expectations, your past experience, has no value. Why don't you give up trying to dodge this point?"

[Guest guest]

QUOTE:

I offer my constant obeisances unto the idea of becoming Your friend, but I truly relish the idea of becoming Your maidservant

 

Srila Das Goswami relishes the idea of becoming a servant (dasyaya te mama), and offers obeisances to the "idea" of becoming a friend.

 

Srila Sridhar Maharaj's commentary to this is that Das Goswami was not himself wishing to become a direct friend of Krishna but instead to become das das anudasa (dasya rasa).

[Guest guest]

I wonder what you mean by "dancing party".

 

If you mean to suggest Srila Sridhar Maharaj wanted to enter into the dancing party enjoying as a participant in the rasa-lila dance, I believe that he did not say he was aspiring for that. He said he wanted to be a servant of the servant of the servants of Sri Rupa Manjari.

[BDASA]

I was reading the other thread and wanted to make a comment about this also. However the thread was closed. I tried as a new member to start a new thread with the post I am going to make here but it was removed. It appears I am not yet qualified to start a new thread as I am a new member. I am glad someone opened up a new thread about this topic so I can make my post.

 

Here in the following quote from the purport to CC Antya 1, 24 you will read how Srila Prabhupada describes himself and his eternal rasa to everyone in his books.

 

"Our only desire should be to take birth under the care of a Vaisnava. Fortunately we had the opportunity to be born of a Vaisnava father who took care of us very nicely. He prayed to Srimati Radharani that in the future we would become a servant of the eternal consort of Sri Krsna.

Thus somehow or other we are now engaged in that service."

 

This direct unambigous statement by Srila Prabhupada here cannot be misconstrued to mean anything other than that he is in Madhurya Rasa as a servant of Srimati Radharani.

[Guest guest]

 

"Our only desire should be to take birth under the care of a Vaisnava. Fortunately we had the opportunity to be born of a Vaisnava father who took care of us very nicely. He prayed to Srimati Radharani that in the future we would become a servant of the eternal consort of Sri Krsna.

Thus somehow or other we are now engaged in that service."

 

This direct unambigous statement by Srila Prabhupada here cannot be misconstrued to mean anything other than that he is in Madhurya Rasa as a servant of Srimati Radharani.

Only if you discount the service the priya-narma sakhas render to the the eternal consort of Sri Krsna. Anyone who understands even slightly the mood of all the residents of Vraja, including those from "other parties" such as Chandravali's, knows that everyone is all about serving Sri Radha. You should know that, Bhagavat prabhu. However, you and others from your group seem to insist on pushing your specualtion/realization on others. This is just not something any of us should be discussing in public, as if to show of something we think we know.

 

Bas.

[BDASA]

I was trying to find a quote of Srila Prabhupada that would actually comes as close to what Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja told me in confidence. I leave the rest to your imagination but I learned this nearly 30 years ago from Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja it was only reinforced by my more recent association with Srila Narayana Maharaja. Although I must admit that Srila Narayana Maharaja was the one who told me that Srila Prabhupada's pose in bed, shortly before he left, with his hands in certain mudra positions indicated that he was dancing with Radha and Krsna. A couple of hours later When Srila Prabhupada came out of his internal consciousness he said that he had been with Krsna not necessarily dancing but been with Krsna. So I guess Srila Naryana Maharaja actually indicated it to me first in October 1977 Then Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja in 1978 and then Srila Narayana Maharaja again confirmed Srila Prabhupada's position in Madhurya Rasa when I first started taking siksha from him in January 2003.

[Guest guest]

But, while we all glorify Lord Nityananda, we also have to keep in mind that Mahaprabhu is the YUGA AVATAR who inaugurated the Krishna consciousness movement and the chanting of the HOLY NAME.

 

As such, Srila Prabhupada was nothing less than the emissary of Lord Chaitanya.

That is not a slight or an insult to Lord Nityananda, but a fact that Mahaprabhu is the ULTIMATE leader of the Sankirtan movement.

 

Srila Prabhupada never tried to create a Nityananda cult.

He gave equal importance to Gaura-Nitai.

 

Still, I think the concept of Srila Prabhupada being a sakhya-rasa bhakta is much overblown and cannot be proven substantially.

 

I know for sure that some senior disciples of Sridhar Maharaja said that Sridhar Maharaja withheld final judgement on the rasa of Srila Prabhupada.

 

The attempt to say that Sridhar Maharaja made some final and absolute pronouncement that Srila Prabhupada was in sakhya rasa is just a misconception and untrue.

 

Junior disciples of Sridhar Maharaja should not be on the internet making claims that Sridhar Maharaja proclaimed Srila Prabhupada as a sakhya-rasa bhakti.

 

Sridhar Maharaja discussed the issue on more than one occasion and in some of his discussion about it he certainly withheld his final opinion.

 

There are many ISKCON devotee who take offense with this attempt to label Srila Prabhupada as a sakhya-rasa bhakta.

 

Srila Prabhupada never revealed his svarupa openly to anyone.

 

So, it is best to let is be as Srila Prabhupada wanted it - a mystery.

 

After all, Srila Prabhupada did not follow the siddha-pranali system of revealing his svarupa to his disciples.

 

There seems to be a section of devotees on the internet now that are trying to prove that Srila Prabhupada was in sakhya-rasa.

 

This is wrong and they should stop such activity.