Enlightened Posted April 6, 2003 Report Share Posted April 6, 2003 If we are not our bodies but souls presiding in our bodies then plz tell me how we get the difference between a gopa and a gopi? I mean, doesn't what "sex" you are pertain to the body? So, how is some one a gopa and not a gopi? and how is some one a gopi and not a gopa? What is the difference... Answer my question plzzzzzzzz. thank you in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theist Posted April 6, 2003 Report Share Posted April 6, 2003 Neither does gopi or gopa refer to the material body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narayanidd Posted April 6, 2003 Report Share Posted April 6, 2003 My dear vaisnava, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. In response to your post. Yes, what "sex" one is does pretain to the bodily platform however, the gopas and gopis are not on that platform. The difference arises from each souls eternal relation with the Lord. The soul who's desire is to serve the Lord through congugal relations is a gopi and the soul that wishes to serve the Lord as a friend is a gopa. Both are pure devotees of the Lord the only difference is how they choose to worship Him. hope this helps. Your servant, Narayani d.d. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enlightened Posted April 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2003 thanks i get it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 7, 2003 Report Share Posted April 7, 2003 Can a girl worship god as her friend... i am just curious. Now if she does is she a gopa or a gopi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingentity Posted April 7, 2003 Report Share Posted April 7, 2003 Narayani devi dasi's post above. Can a girl worship god as her friend... i am just curious. Now if she does is she a gopa or a gopi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narayanidd Posted April 7, 2003 Report Share Posted April 7, 2003 My dear vaisnavas, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. That is a very good question that I will research. As far as I have read the gopis did not ever see Krsna as a friend but only as a beloved. I don't remember reading in any scripture of Lord Krsna having a "female" friend. Women either wanted to be His mother, His consort, or His humble servant. If anyone knows of an example please post I would love to know more. thanks. Your servant, Narayani d.d. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingentity Posted April 7, 2003 Report Share Posted April 7, 2003 Question from guest... Can a girl worship god as her friend... i am just curious. Now if she does is she a gopa or a gopi? This answers.... what "sex" one is does pretain to the bodily platform however, the gopas and gopis are not on that platform. The difference arises from each souls eternal relation with the Lord. The soul who's desire is to serve the Lord through congugal relations is a gopi and the soul that wishes to serve the Lord as a friend is a gopa. Both are pure devotees of the Lord the only difference is how they choose to worship Him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enlightened Posted April 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2003 So guest, it is basically an irrellevant question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 8, 2003 Report Share Posted April 8, 2003 these things are revealed to the qualified soul, many people try and enter into these realities prematurely in the desire for the exploitation of bhakti to get position or fame. Knowing this the process is set up in such a way as to regulate the activities of those who have such a desire to enter prematurely into rasa with Radha Krishna for the purpose of gaining position or fame , for them the process of nama sankirtan and sadhu sanga is not enough and they will seek out the rasa shastra in order to force themselves into rasa lila as gopis, so the process of raganuga bhakti is created for them, they will follow that process and become purified of the desire for fame and position. the rest will be satisfied in having the opportunity to serve the guru engaged in nama sankirtan, elevating the conditioned souls to love of god, they will find their destiny in the loving association of the other like minded souls engaged in that sankirtan lila, which is actually non different from Krishna lila and at the same time the entrance into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enlightened Posted April 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2003 excuse my ignorance, but why would some one try to love krishna for a position? I mean, isn't serving krishna as a gopi or a gopa a thing that takes away ego?. If this takes away ego and makes you realize who you really are, then where is the notion of position coming from? Anyway, i also have another question for you: well if we are all souls where did we have the "qualification" coming from? I mean, krishna himself says 'i am in every one', so if he is in every one then every one is qualified... right? You are probably going to reveal my own ignorance to me... well plz do so by answering these questions. /images/graemlins/smile.gif sudszy /images/graemlins/grin.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 9, 2003 Report Share Posted April 9, 2003 people all the time are engaged in activities even spiritual acitvities for a variety of reasons, some follow the yoga process in order to gain mystical powers enabling them to gain power over the material world, the yoga process promises the yogi that if he follows a particluar path of austerities he will gain mystical power, of course it is a ruse, the process itself purifies the participant of that desire and brings him to a higher realization, that better then attempting to control material nature which is impossible and the cause of suffering, elevating your consciousness to the highest plane will gain you admittance to the realm of the highest ecstacy, and only when the person gives up trying to lord it over nature is that available. so even in Bhakti yoga there are various types of people drawn to devotional service for various reasons, the process itself purifies the desire for exploitation and transforms the desire for profit or position into prema or love of god, which in it's pure form, suddha-bhakti ,is free from the desire to enrich oneself by the performance of bhakti and is the natural eternal consciousness of the jiva , giving love for the sake of love, not for the sake of gain. as for your second question, everyone in their pure uncontaminated state of consciousness is qualified for the highest realm of association, that is our birthrite, but due to the exploitative desire to be the lord and master of all we survey our qualification has become covered over. the pure consciousness is described as a bright gem, that gem has become covered by layers of dirt and is not able to reflect light in a brilliant pure way , the yoga process cleanses away the dirt and uncovers the natural ability of the soul,qualifying him to associate with god on god's level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 9, 2003 Report Share Posted April 9, 2003 I get it now, =) thanks - enlightened Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 20, 2003 Report Share Posted April 20, 2003 There is one pasttime with Krsna. He was sick and said that He would be cured only by the dust from the feet of His pure devotees. No one dare to put the dust of their feet on the Lord's head. Of course everyone present was a pure devotee but by Krsna will to perform this pastime they were bewidered. Finally Krsna says "Go to Vrindavan and tell the Gopi's to come, they will surely help Me for they are My best firends." So we see that the Gopis are Krsna's friends. Everyone in the spiritual world is. No we are not this MATERIAL body but soul. But this spirit soul has a form... a role in which it plays in the Spirritual Kingdom. Who knows we may be a rock in the Spiritual Sky. : ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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