Why Is Brahma Our Original Guru

[Guest guest]

 

BY SRILA BHAKTIVEDANTA NARAYAN GOSVAMI MAHARAJA

 

Varsana: November 12, 2002

 

[As an invitation to the next Vraja Mandala parikrama in October-November of this year, we present a discourse given in Varsana last year. In this talk, Srila Narayana Maharaja provides additional information as to why Gaudiya Vaisnavas accept Lord Brahma as the original guru in our sampradaya. He also discusses the extraordinary mercy that Krsna bestows upon those devotees who seek the dust from Srimati Radhika's lotus feet, and he also recounts the pleasing verbal sparring between Sri Krsna and Srimati Radharani when He is trying to meet Her at Kosi. -ed.]

 

Why is Brahma our original guru? Sri Krsna Himself, by His own Sarasvati (internal knowledge potency), gave Brahma initiation into the gopal-mantra, and with the sound of His flute, He gave him the kama-gayatri mantra. In this way, Brahma is the root guru in our sampradaya. But this is the secondary cause - not the primary one. The primary cause is that Brahma worshipped Srimati Radhika and Sri Krsna for thousands and thousands of years. Then, when They approached Brahma and told him to ask for a boon, he prayed to Radhika, "I want Your lotus feet always on my head as You engage in Your sweet pastimes." It seems by this that his inclination is towards Srimati Radhika. Lord Siva, on the other hand, performed great tapasya for Krsna, and asked for the boon that all of Krsna's pastimes will be on his head. His inclination is somewhat towards Krsna. He is rasika and He became Gopisvara, yet there we see a somewhat different mood. We therefore accept Brahma as our root guru.

 

There are so many things I wish to say about Srimati Radhika. I think that in a couple of days I will be sufficiently recovered, and when we reach Vrndavana I will explain some of Her glories. I want to tell you one thing now:

 

yo brahma-rudra-suka-narada-bhisma-mukhyair

alaksito na sahasa purusasya tasya

sad-karana-curnam ananta-saktim

tam Radhika-carana-renum anusmarami

 

["I meditate on the dust of Sri Radha's lotus feet; the dust that even Brahma, Siva, Sukadeva, Narada, Bhisma, and a host of great saints cannot see, the dust that has limitless power, the dust that at once transforms the Supreme Personality of Godhead into Sri Radha's submissive servant." (Radha-rasa-sudha-nidhi Text 4, by Sri Prabhodananda Sarasvati)]

 

What is the meaning of this verse? Krsna is the Supreme Lord, the lord of all lords. Brahma, Suka, Narada, Bhisma, and many other great personalities are not able to meditate on the lotus feet of Krsna in their heart; this is very difficult for them. However, if someone takes shelter of Srimati Radhika and prays to Her, then, because he is carrying the lotus feet dust of Radhika on his head, Krsna will know that he wants to be a particle of dust at Her lotus feet. If Sri Radha wants to give shelter to that jiva, Krsna is at once controlled by him. The dust of Srimati Radhika's lotus feet is such an exalted thing that if anyone worships Radhika, this dust can easily give krsna-prema. We should know Her glories.

 

When we perform bhajana to Krsna, we should pray:

 

syamasundara sikhanda-sekhara

smera-hasa murali-manohara

radhika-rasika mam krpa-nidhe

sva-priya-carana-kinkarim kuru

 

["O Syamasundara! O Sikhanda-sekhara (You whose head is adorned with peacock feathers)! Your face is always graced with a playful smile, Your flute-playing is enchanting, and You are so expert in relishing rasa with Srimati Radhika. Because You are an ocean of mercy, I am appealing to You to please make me a kinkari (maidservant) at the feet of Your beloved.]

 

"If you are pleased with me, O Krsna, please make me a dasi of Radhika."

 

Our class is over now. Tomorrow morning we will go for parkirama, so be ready as usual. We will first go to Kokilavan, where Krsna used to attract the gopis by mimicking the cuckoo bird. We will continue on to Javat, where our Svamini Radhika and Her prominent sakhis were married, and where Krsna would come to meet Her in many disguises. Then we will go to Choti, to Bari Baithan; and to Carana Pahari, where the entire mountain melted by hearing the sound of Krsna's sweet vamsi (flute). The footprints of all the cows and cowherd boys are there, as well as the footprints of camels, elephants [see endnote] and deer. The footprints are all pointing in one direction - not leaving Carana Pahari, but only coming towards it. This is because everyone came to hear the sound of Krsna playing on His flute, so their footprints were made in the softened rock. When Krsna stopped playing, the mountain again became solid and the impressions remained there. Do not think this is an imitation; it is real.

 

In some spots, Krsna's footprints appear very long, and some places they appear to be normal size. The longer footprints mark the place His feet were sliding on the melted surface. This event has been described in the Skanda Purana and other Puranas, and our Gosvami's have also written about it. Do not have any doubt about this.

 

In Kosi, Krsna was calling out to Radhika, and Radhika playfully asked Him, "Who are you?" Krsna replied, "I am Krsna." Radhika pretended not to know Him and so scolded Him, "O black serpent, go away from here." Then Krsna said, "No, not Krsna. I am Ganasyama."

 

Srimati Radhika replied, "Oh, Ganasyama, (dark monsoon cloud), we do not need water, so go to the forest and pour Your rain there."

 

Krsna then tried another name and said, "I am Hari." (another meaning is lion).

 

She said "Hari? You are a lion? Why have you come here? Do you want to attack me? Go back to the forest!" In this way, Radhika defeated Krsna in word-play. Srila Rupa Gosvami, proud of his mistress, Srimati Radhika, prays, "O Krsna, You were defeated by Radhika." You should pray to have that kind of mood - the mood of Srila Rupa Gosvami.

 

Don't lose this opportunity to go to these pastime places. If you go there, there is no need to pray to Krsna for anything. The dhama will consider, "He has come to me; she has come to me." The dhama will inspire you with all these pastimes. I request you not to think about staying back and wondering why you should or should not go. Don't think, "I may become tired." You may be tired after so many days here, but there is no harm in that. I have brought you from very far away - simply to hear hari-katha and to touch the dust of all the sweet pastime places. They are very rare. There are many others doing parikrama who are not aware of all these pastimes and the deep meanings behind them, nor do they go to all the places that we do. You are very fortunate to have come under the guidance of pure Vaisnavas and to hear this very sweet and powerful hari-katha. I think that your life will be very successful.

 

Gaura Premanande!

 

[Endnote - these animals are sometimes there in Vraja, but they do not cause any obstruction to Krsna's pastimes.]

 

Editorial Advisors: Pujyapada Madhava Maharaja, and Sripad Brajanatha dasa

Transcriber: Vasanti dasi

Editor: Janardana dasa

Editorial assistant: Syamarani dasi

Typist: Anita dasi

 

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