SP: How to approach Vrndavana

[Guest guest]

SP Lecture — Vrndavana, March 14, 1974

 

"...So we should not try to understand Krsna's love with the gopis all of a

sudden. It is very confidential. It is meant for the paramahamsas to

understand. Let us understand Krsna first of all. Of course, that is the

aim, the higher understanding of Krsna.

 

Gopi-bhava-rasamrtabdhi-lahari-kallola-magnau. But not all of a sudden. Try

to understand Krsna first. Therefore Vyasadeva has compiled

Srimad-Bhagavatam, nine cantos to understand Krsna, beginning from the First

Canto, First Chapter, janmady asya yatah [sB 1.1.1], Vedanta philosophy.

Then he begins to write about Krsna and Krsna's activities on the Tenth

Canto. One has to understand Krsna by studying nine cantos. Then if he tries

to understand Krsna from the Tenth Canto... Otherwise the mudha manusim

tanum asritam, avajananti mam mudha [bg. 9.11]. "Krsna is like us, a young

boy, and He's after so many young girls. So let us imitate." No. That is not

understanding of Krsna. Krsna must be understood:

 

isvarah paramah krsnah

sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah

anadir adir govindah

sarva-karana-karanam

[bs. 5.1]

 

When you understand Krsna in that way, then, if you follow the footsteps of

the acaryas, sri-rupa-raghunatha-pade haibe akuti, then you'll be able to

understand what is the loving affairs between Krsna and Radharani. Don't try

to understand all of a sudden like ordinary boy and girl making their loving

affairs. Then you'll fall down.

 

So this is my request, that you have come to Vrndavana; try to understand

what is Vrndavana-dhama, what is Radha-Krsna, but very cautiously, very, I

mean to say, carefully. Then Krsna will be pleased. And Krsna Himself, as

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krsna Caitanya, He is present here. Go through

sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi

gaura..., so in this way, gradually, you'll be able to understand. But that

is the highest perfection. Some way or other, if you can understand Krsna

and His Vrndavana... Aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas tad-dhama vrndavanam.

If you... Krsna and Vrndavana is nondifferent. Krsna and Krsna's place,

Krsna's name, Krsna's pastimes, Krsna's everything, they are not different.

They are one. So this is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy, that

aradhya-vastu, the worshipable Lord, is Krsna. And as He is worshipable, His

dhama is also worshipable. We should not commit any offense in the dhama,

and follow the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Then we'll be favored

by the grace of Krsna to understand Him and His pastimes with Radharani."