Lalita Devis' appearance

[Guest guest]

Appearance day of Lalita devi, Moscow, Sept. 1996

By His Divine Grace Srila B.S. Govinda Dev Goswami Maharaj

 

Srila Govinda Maharaj: Today is Lalita-devi's avirbhav day, appearance day, and tomorrow is Radhastami. Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu composed one poem, one prayer for Lalita-devi, Lalita-astakam.

 

radha-mukunda-pada-sambhava-gharmmabindu-

nirmmancanopakarane krta-deha-laksyam

 

This sloka is a very beautiful sloka, it is an expression of her service mood. Lalita-devi has taken the whole service charge of the sakhis and manjaris to the service of Radha Krsna. And Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu in the form of Rupa Manjari is serving Radha - Govinda very exclusively. And the exclusive service to Radha-Govinda is arranged by Lalita-devi for Rupa Goswami/Rupa Manjari. When Radha-Govinda are in their private room there the sakhis don't enter, but if there is any important service necessary, by the order of Lalita devi Sri Rupa Manjari and her associates are attending.

Radharani and Krsna both are respecting Lalita-devi as Their head-servitor. And why she is head? That little explanation is given in the first sloka by Rupa Goswami.

 

radha-mukunda-pada-sambhava-gharmmabindu-

nirmmancanopakarane krta-deha-laksyam

 

'She is always ready to serve with her thousand times of energy through her associates and her own self for the satisfaction of Radha-Govinda. Even when They are playing as couple, paramour couple, if that time one drop of sweat comes in Their lotus-feet Lalita-devi wants to take immediately one lakh of forms only to remove that quickly." Lalita-devi has that type of service eagerness and service capacity. For that she is the general of all the sakhis and manjaris. Lalita-devi is one year older than Radharani.

 

Everyone is respecting her personality. All that group of sakhis and manjaris they are respecting her as their guardian for the service to Radha-Govinda. Even if Krsna Himself doesn't know if He is hungry or not, Lalita-devi knows it. And what kind of pastimes today will be for service to Krsna, what kind of lila , that arrangement also by the order, by the inspiration of Lalita-devi Yogamaya is arranging. Even Radharani and Krsna They are waiting for Lalita-devi, what kind of enjoyment They need. It is very difficult to understand within this mundane environment and for that it is not mentioned in the scriptures so much. But in Srimad Bhagavatam and also Garga-samhita, Hari-vamsa, like that many places the pastimes of Radha-Krsna are explained little bit. And our Guru-varga they indicated for that service-world something, but they did not explain so much.

All the good qualities exist within Lalita-devi and her service. She is arranging smoothly everything in favour of pastimes of Radha-Krsna. For the service sometimes she is showing like guardian of Radharani. And for that Rupa Goswami explained in this sloka, she is sometimes also chastising Radharani, that is her extreme affection for Radharani. And if necessary she is also chastising Krsna. For the pastimes of Radha-Govinda she is sometimes creating varieties of tasteful situation. But her guardianship in the group of the sakhis is unquestionable.

Krsna and Radharani have 8 principle sakhis as Their girl-friends. Lalita is first, then Vishaka second, then Chitra, Champakalatika, Tunga-vidya, Indurekha, Sudevi, and Rangadevika.

When we are chanting the beads, there is one indication separating 8 beads from108, because that 8 are for the rememberance of that principle sakhis.

Lalita-devi's mind is very free for the service to Radha-Giridhari. Radharani has one group for satisfaction of Krsna, but there is an ?anti-group", that is the group of Chandravali. It is the pastimes of Krsna, if there is not any ?anti-part"it will not be so tasteful. For that another group of servants of Krsna are existing, and both parties are playing very intelligently to take Krsna to their kunja. And there Lalita-devi is arranging very cleverly to take Krsna into Radharani's group. It is manifested by Radharani's shakti for the pastimes of Krsna.

 

I told something about the service of Lalita-devi. And because Rupa Goswami Prabhu did not tell so much, it will manifest naturally in the heart when we will be qualified.

 

There are many groups in the name of Lalita-devi's service camp.

Lalita-devi's house is in Uchagram. When I went with Guru Maharaj there it was very peaceful. Only one pujari lived there.

Once I asked Srila Guru Maharaj, 'If we shall make any ashram in Vrndavan where we shall make that? It will be in Radhakunda or in Vrndavan or somewhere? Srila Guru Maharaj said, 'You can make ashram in Goverdhan and by the order of Lalita devi we will go early in the morning and collect the flowers from Kusum-sarovar and collect some milk and go to Radhakunda for the service to Radha-Govinda early in the morning. At Kusum sarovar we will collect the flowers, but we will not stay at the Radhakunda. When Radha-Krsna will sleep we will come back to our ashram in Goverdhan and again early in the morning we will start that seva. There our leader is Srila Rupa Goswami in the form of Rupa Manjari. Her instruction we will follow as appropriate for us."

 

Near to Shyamkunda and Radhakunda we will see there is still the Lalita-kunda. And for her remembrance there is also one small temple. In Vrndavan dham, rasa-sthali, when rasa-lila with the gopis is organized, Lalita-devi gives guidance to all the gopis.

Fortunately we made ashram by the grace of Guru Maharaj in Goverdhan. And we are very fortunate that by the grace of Guru Maharaj and Rupa Goswami we have got one piece of land, adjoining with Rupa Goswami's samadhi. I didn't want to take that land, because most of my friends are Westerners and they do not know how to behave properly there. But surprisingly we have got that land by the grace of Rupa Goswami and Jiva Goswami. There is Krsnadas Kaviraj Goswami Maharaj's samadhi, Jiva Goswami's samadhi, Rupa Goswami's samadhi, Srila Swami Maharaj's first preaching mission started from that place, Radha-Damodar existing there and with many of the deities adjoining land. And many principle Mahapurush Vaishnavas' samadhi existing there. When I have got that land, my heart was crying, ?Why Krsna has given me that." Actually I am very unqualified and very much insignificant jiva-soul, But they are very merciful. And I remembered Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur's pastimes. Srila Saraswati Thakur did his power transmission to Srila Guru Maharaj through the song, 'Sri Rupa Manjari pada'. And when I have got that land I was thinking, 'O it is extremely perfect decision taken by Rupa Goswami and Jiva Goswami. I am unqualified maybe, but my Guru is not unqualified.'

This is our fortune, you all have your share of fortune with us. But be conscious about your fortune. You are all initiated in the line of Rupa Goswami and he is guided by Lalita-devi, and she is also guardian of Radharani. And today is her appearance day.

All the beautiful and special qualities are full within Lalita-devi. And tomorrow also is Radhastami day. All our Maths are observing one-month festival in this time, including Lalita-Devi's appearance, Sita Thakurani's appearance, Radhastami, Janmastami, Jhulan-yatra, Rupa Goswami's tirobhav etc.

Jaya om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj ki jay

Jaya Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu ki jay

Jaya Lalita-devi ki jay

Jaya Prabhupad Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur ki jay

Jaya Prabhupad A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj ki jay

 

[sha]

<big>Happy Celebrations of Lalita Shashti</big>

[muralidhar]

 

<div align="center">

Sri Sri Guru Gauranga

Gandharvva Rasabihari,

at the holy temple of

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math,

Seva Kunj, Vrindavana.

 

</div>

Srila B S Govinda Maharaj:

 

Today is a very auspicious day for us because today is Radhastami day, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Krishna and His Divine Potency, Radharani's appearance in the form for play with the Lord, that day is today.

 

 

We are seeing Krishna was one with His Divine Potency, that was Krishna. Shrila Svarup Damodar Goswami said, "For the divine play of the Sweet Absolute, the Sweet Absolute divides Himself as power and powerful and that is Radha and Krishna." When it was manifested we cannot say because it is eternal and eternity is behind this. In the Chaitanya Charitamrita it is written, "It cannot be counted by our time and space theory."

 

 

The Scripture said it is achintya. Achintya means inconceivable, but the Power and Powerful, They are playing in the Divine Abode. Everything is manifested by the will of Krishna. The chief administrator Sankarshan, by His will everything is happening there, and Yogamaya is arranging everything. This we can understand through the Scriptures. Krishna is the creator of all creations. That creation may be mundane or may be transcendental - everything - but by that divine form as Sankarshan He is doing this; Sankarshan with His power is doing that, this is a fact. Radharani is the Divine Potency of Lord Krishna and mainly She is giving all the happiness, love and all the affection to everyone for the service of Lord Krishna, and She Herself with all the auspicious property is following the divine desire of Krishna without telling anything (asking for anything). She is serving Krishna with all of Her associates.

 

 

The manifestation of Radharani was shown in this way: You know that story in Garga-samhita and other Scriptures it is given, like a little girl She floated on the Yamuna and from there Vrishabhanu Raja took Her Divine Self as his daughter and gave Her to Kirtida Devi his wife. And Kirtida Devi was very astonished and was very happy because she had no child. She called everyone, and everyone came to Vrishabhanu Raja's house. At that time it (their house) was in Ravel and everyone celebrated Radhastami in the midday. We are remembering that, but actually it is the eternal and Divine Pastimes of Radha-Krishna; a different way manifested in front of us; but we are so fortunate that we are related with that divine wave.

 

 

The transcendental world is always playful and so much play. Different types of play are going on there, and not only in one abode, different types of abodes of Krishna has, we know that. Everywhere some inspiration is manifesting today as Radhastami day. And now it is all over the world, the devotees are also celebrating. Before it was limited to Bengal and Uttar Pradesh and some other places in India but now (devotees) all over the world know the Divine Potency Hladini Shakti as Radharani and Her manifestation day. Then everyone is celebrating. This day so many devotees attended here in Shri Vrindavan Dham. I have got this year an opportunity to stay in Vrindavan Dham. This is a very good fortune for me because Vrindavan is the transcendental abode and there Lord Krishna and Radharani are doing Rasa Lila everyday in the night; it is stated so in the Scriptures, and we are remembering that. This Vrindavan place , especially next to Rupa Goswami Prabhu's Samadhi Mandir, next to Jiva Goswami, next to Krishna dasa Kaviraj Goswami, we have got a merciful glance from them and a piece of land (the new temple at Seva Kunj). It is actually two pieces of land, one from Shrila Kaviraj Goswami and the second Shrila Rupa Goswami.

 

 

Anyhow we are very insignificant unqualified souls, we do not know what is what perfectly, but the Scripture has given us some divine knowledge through Guru and Vishnava. We are trying to follow that. Today is a very auspicious day because the whole service world is under control of Shrimati Radharani as well as Hladini. Yesterday was Lalita Devi's appearance day. We celebrated that also here. Celebration means remembrance of Them, Their Divine Play and honor to Them; that type of celebration. We are also here distributing so much Prasadam to the devotees in remembrance of Shrimati Radharani. I am very happy to have connection with Your Grace, and that celebration day all over the world people will enjoy with Maha-Prasadam.

 

 

Jai Om Vishnupad Shrila Bhakti Rakshak Shridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, ki jai. His divine will has given that opportunity to us and we bow down to His Divine Grace.

 

 

 

 

September 18, 1999

 

 

Vrindavan Dham, India

 

 

 

[Gauracandra]

Thank you very much for that. I really enjoyed the reading and accompanying pictures.

[premananda]

Is sahajiyaism sneaking into this forum? I thought all intimate talk about Radha-Krishna lila was prohibited by Srila Sridhar Maharaj. Govinda Maharaj is beginning to sound like Narayan Maharaj now... ;-)

[muralidhar]

Srila Sridhar Maharaj and Srila Govinda Maharaj will often speak about the pastimes of Sri Sri Gandharvika Giridhari...

But they tell us not to try and falsely imagine that we have attained some imaginary position within the transcendental lila of Sri Sri Radha Govinda.

[premananda]

It is a public display of the intimate details of Vraja Lila. That is a sure sign of sahajiyaism according to Sridhar Maharaj, who was against it. For example, SM criticized Devananda Gaudiya Math for celebrating the swing pastimes of Radha-Krishna in the temple.

Speaking about the sakhis and hinting that oneself is a gopi is equally sahajiyaistic.

 

If somebody who chants at least 64 rounds daily without fail, and is not attached to watching TV, drinking tea, etc, would talk about the gopis, then it might have some value. Otherwise not...it is sahajiyaism. /ubbthreads/images/icons/shocked.gif

[muralidhar]

I am not at all intested in fighting with this ghost who wants to make a fight with me

 

Hare Krishna!

 

Srila Sridhar Maharaj did teach us about pure devotion to Sri Sri Radha Govinda, as anyone can see if you read any of his books. In the books you will many instructions and stories about the loving devotion that Sri Radha has for Sri Krishna.

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

This is Radhastami NOT ApaRadhastami criticizing vaisnavas who have given their lives to spread Krsna Consciousness all over the world to thousands of souls is an offence against the Holy Names of Radha and Krsna it's better to find some Holy engagement to engage in on such an auspicious occasion, than chewing the faults in greater personalities than ourselves, please do something nice for Her Divine Grace Srimate Radharani. From what I've noticed of Srila B.S. Govinda Maharaj he is never claiming to be on this platform rather he always advocates and practices humility giving honor to all and being tolerant of the nasty environment as Mahaprabhu has recommended. He by no means seams to take these high pastimes cheap, but on the various occasions of appearance he will show he is not unfamiliar with the extreme good fortune we've been graced with by Their Divine will. These higher pastimes are always to be held on our head and treasured or guarded in our hearts. Not constantantly badgered in the market place like acheap trinket, thereby lessening the real worth, that is sahajiaism!

[Guest guest]

Spot on guest, let's try some appreciation of the vaisnavas giving their lives to spread Krsna Consciouness.

[raga]

Peace now! Celebrate! /ubbthreads/images/icons/cool.gif