Yashodanandana: questions posed {senior}

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

 

Hare Krishna,

 

Please accept my dandabats.

 

Although prabhuji it is possible to e-mail your good self, it does not seem to work so well maybe because of Transcendental reason, please forgive me for asking here. I also beg to hear answers from Senior devotees only, in this instance. {not being awkward}. These questions will make or break me, so no pressure.

 

~~Praying to Radha or Chaitanya, they are the same but Radha is complete manifestation of mercy, I don't seem to understand now, what I should do about this, its confusing me a lot. I also ask they don't take any offences, what is the secret, maybe I feel more devotion to Sri Radha, I just don't seem to be able to grasp any of this. I cannot even chant properly with all this floating about.

 

-

 

My next question is which seems odd after asking the above {to other people}.

 

~~How should we pray to Chaitanya in what kind of mood. I heard Chaitanya doesn't like us to think He is supreme God. I ask because prayers are offered to Mahaprabhu.

 

 

I don't want to ask anything else right now. I feel tired just asking the above questions, I don't think I have ever been sincere in asking anything until today, just see my sincerity!

 

[Guest guest]

We do not independently worship the devotees, nor Krsna, for that matter. Worship of Krsna is Bhakti yoga, and yoga means relationship between the lover and the beloved.

 

Worship of Srimati Radharani, is what Krsna does, not his devotees. Such a sentiment may be rasabasa, and incompatible mellow, and almost (in fact I am certain) demoniac. This is Ravanasuras problem. He certainly loved Srimati Sitadevi above all others, even though his chaste wife was the greatest and most beautiful woman, the beloved daughter of the demigod maya. He worshipped Sita, he lived for sita, he gave his hard earned kingdom and all his wealth to sita. But he was a demon, becauise he failed to recognize the advanced bhakti yoga between Sita and Ramachandra. Sita without rama is not sita at all, in fact, Srila Prabhupada mentioned (to me once, with others) that sita was never touched by Ravana, that actually an expansion of maha maya took her place.

 

Lord Chaitanya is a combination of Radha and Krsna (Sri Krsna Chaitanya, radha krsna nahe anya), but even He is not worshipped alone. He is worshipped with Nityananda, Panca tattwa, or in his feature as devotee engaged in congregational chanting. Krsna is never alone, he is with arjuna, Yosada, arjuna, Radha, sudama, his flute, surabhi.

 

In fact, the devotee doesnt worship god at all. The vaisnava worships Rasa, the transcendental relationship between the supreme Lord and his confidential associates.

 

This is how I have learned, any points are appreciated in this regard. Hare Krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

[krsna]

THE COMPLEXIONS OF RADHA-KRISHNA

AND CHAITANYA MAHAPRABHU

 

This may not answer your questions directly but it may shed some light on the understanding of Gouranga and Radha-Krsna tattva.

 

Below is an excerpt from the book, "The Embankment of Separation" where Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja briefly explains the reason behind the complexions of Srimati Radharani, Sri Krishna, and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu:

 

--------------------------

 

"Now we should understand what is the color of srngara-rasa, the conjugal mellow. This is a very deep and confidential philosophy. Some may raise the question, "All right, Krishna wants to taste the mellow of Radharani’s love? If He had only accepted the mood of Radharani, His three desires would have been fulfilled. What is the need of accepting the complexion of Radharani?" This is a very important question, but very few understand it. Svarupa Damodara Gosvami has said tad-bhavadhyah. If Krishna had only accepted the mood of Radharani, then He would have fulfilled His three desires. So what is the need of accepting the complexion of Radharani?

 

The answer is that every vastu, or substance, has its natural complexion. That complexion is not different from the svarupa, or nature, of the vastu. For example, whatever mood arises in the heart will externally manifest in the complexion. If you become angry your eyes will turn red. It is automatic. So the complexion is not different from the svarupa. Krishna is srngara-rasaraja, He is the king of the conjugal mellow. The complexion of srngara-rasa is syama, blackish like a fresh rain cloud. Therefore when He is srngara-rasaraja His natural color is syama — Syamasundara. It is natural.

 

"Krishna has developed three desires, and if we examine them we will find that without accepting the mood and complexion of Radharani these three desires cannot be fulfilled. When we speak about prema it has a gradual development. The first rise of prema is called rati. When rati becomes more and more condensed, it develops into sneha, mana, pranaya, raga, anuraga, and bhava. Then comes mahabhava which further develops into rudha-mahabhava, adhirudha-mahabhava, modanakhya-mahabhava, and then madanakhya-mahabhava — the topmost. This is the gradual development of prema. When prema has developed to the stage of anuraga, its complexion is the color of the rising sun, aruna-varna. When anuraga becomes more condensed it becomes bhava and then mahabhava. The color of mahabhava is golden, gaura-varna.

 

So Vrsabhanu-nandini, the daughter of Vrsabhanu-raja, is madanakhya-mahabhava-mayi. The color of that madanakhya-mahabhava is molten gold. Therefore Radharani is tapta-kancana gaurangi, the color of molten gold. Similarly, because Krishna accepted the mood of Radharani, His complexion changed. It is automatic, natural. So tapta-kancana-gaurangi — tapta-kancana-gauranga. Because He had accepted the mood of Radharani, automatically His complexion changed.

 

The acarya’s give the example of a green mango and a ripe mango. When a mango is unripe its color is green. As it ripens the color changes. When it is completely ripened it becomes yellow. So Syamasundara became Gaurasundara. When Krishna is Syamasundara the mellow is unripe, but when the mellow completely ripens, the complexion changes and becomes Gaurasundara. Why did Syamasundara become Gaurasundara? Because in Syamasundara the mellow is unripe. But in Gaurasundara the mellow is completely ripened. This is unnatojjvala srngara-rasa, the most elevated mellow of conjugal love. In the unripe state it is Syama; the ripened state is Gaura.

 

Therefore we say, "Syamasundara may be there, but if there is no Gaurasundara we won’t go there, because the mellow is unripe." In all gaudiya-vaisnava temples Radha-Syamasundara is there, but Gaura must also be there. Otherwise we will not go there, because the mellow is unripe. We want the ripened mellow, which is nectarean sweet; that is Gaura. So in all gaudiya-vaisnava temples with Radha-Syamasundara, Gaura must be there. That is gaudiya-vaisnava siddhanta."

 

--------------------------

 

Excerpted from chapter four, "The Combined Form of Radha and Krishna", pocket edition pages 46-47.

 

[krsna]

Why Krsna Became Gauranga Mahaprabhu

 

by Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja

 

Two Kinds of Maya

 

Two mayas are there. One is Maha-maya, that is to say, the illusionary energy, and the other is Yoga-maya. Yoga means that which gives you an opportunity to go to Krsna. That is Yoga-maya. That which prevents, that is viyoga-maya or Maha-maya. Yoga means union. Viyoga means separation. So there are two mayas.

 

Viyoga-maya or Maha-maya is working in the material world. Her activities are so wonderful. Srila Prabhupada has said: the froggish philosophers, mundane wranglers, what can they understand--what to speak of Yoga-maya, the internal energy of the Lord, her activities are so amazing and wonderful. Even sometimes it becomes very difficult on the part of Krsna to understand them! What to speak of us, even Krsna becomes amazed! So I shall speak that thing.

 

Radharani is hladini sakti. She is Madana-mohana-Mohini, who attracts the senses of Madana-Mohan, Krsna. Krsna always thinks of Radharani. He gets so much pleasure when He unites with Radha, which He cannot get elsewhere. Radharani is leftist, 'vamangi'. Her mood is leftist mood. Candravali is the opposing party, 'daksinangi', rightist. Krsna does not get so much pleasure when He unites with Candravali; at that time He also thinks of Radha. Thus sometimes Krsna goes to Candravali's camp in order to raise the leftist mood of Radharani to the highest point; only for that purpose, nothing else.

 

 

GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT

 

One day Srimate Radharani decorated Her kunja very nicely. Her asta-sakhis, eight intimate sakhis are there. Lalita, Visakha, Tunga-vidya, etc., they decorated Radharani's kunja with varieties of scented flowers, so many decorations. Krsna will come. They are all waiting. Radharani is waiting, waiting eagerly for Krsna to come. Some wind is blowing, some sound is produced. "Oh, Krsna's coming!" So she is in anxiety at every moment. But Krsna has not come.

 

They sent one dyuti, messenger, "You go and see where is this Krsna!" So the dyuti went out and on the way met Saibya, Candravali's companion sakhi. Saibya told her that Krsna is in Candravali's kunja. So that dyuti came back and reported it to Lalita and Visakha. "Krsna is in Candravali's kunja." So Visakha became very angry. Lalita is a bit softer. Visakha is very hard. They reported this to Radharani. Radharani became sulky. Her leftist mood became heightened and reached the topmost point.

 

What does Srimate Radharani say? "Why should Krsna come to Me? I am most ill-fated! So many gopis are there. Candravali and so many others are there." That is leftist mood. So Radharani says, "I don't want Krsna to come. Don't allow Him to come to My kunja. Entrance is forbidden!" Radha said this out of sulkiness.

 

 

HARSH WORDS

 

Meanwhile, Krsna came, but at the gate Visakha and Lalita stopped Him. "Not allowed!Get out from here, unreliable person! Our prana-sakhi, our dearmost sakhi has decorated this kunja so nicely, waiting for You. Where were You?! Why are You coming now? Get out from here!" Visakha was very hard.

Krsna is now in a very humble mood. He said, "I am a great offender. Please allow me to go and beg excuse at the lotus feet of your prana-sakhi.NO! NO! Get out from here! Now allowed. Admission forbidden."

 

Krsna became disappointed. He could not understand what to do. He went to the banks of the Yamuna. He gave up His garments and rolled on the sand, morose, disappointed, crying.

 

 

ONLY ONE HOPE

 

Then Paurnamasi devi, Yoga-maya, came. She knows everything and arranges all the activities there, the lilas there. All the activities of Purnamasi, Yoga-maya, are so wonderful that sometimes even Krsna cannot understand.

So Purnamasi devi said, "Oh my dear boy, why are You in such a condition? I know everything. All right! All right! I have made an arrangement. I have already sent Vrnda-devi to make arrangements for your union with Radharani."

 

Then Vrnda came. Krsna was very morose, crying, sitting there, rolling in the sand of the Yamuna. Vrnda devi thought, "Oh! I am an instrument in the hand of Purnamasi, Yoga-maya. Krsna is lila-maya, what a very wonderful lila He has manifested. So now Krsna is feeling so much acute pangs of separation from Radharani, and Radharani has developed a sulkiness that Krsna doesn't know how to break. So Paurnamasi is using me as instrument. If I can be an instrument in uniting Radha and Krsna, then I think my life will be successful."

 

She thought to herself like that, and then approaching Krsna, she said, "I am Vrnda. I have come here under the direction of Paurnamasi. I understand that there is no means how you will be able to meet Radharani and console Her, to break Her sulkiness. No other means is there, but one thing is there. If you do what I say, then there is hope."

 

Krsna says, "All right. I must do whatever you say. I cannot understand what to do. I am bewildered, I can't think of what to do."

 

Vrnda said, "All right. You should give up this gopa-vesa (dress of a cowherd boy). You have to give up this thing. Such nice curling hair on Your head--but you have to shave your head. Yes. And give up the flute. Give up your peacock feather. And don't be in these three places bent, tri-bhanga. Give up all these things and this blackish body. No! These are all things You have to give up. You have to shave Your head and You have have to become a sannyasi and give up all these things. I will teach You one song. You have to sing that song. And take one khanjani, a musical instrument. You have to play and sing that song in that sannyasi form, then there is hope."

 

When Vrnda said this, immediately that form appeared there. Krsna became that sannyasi form--shaved head, and His complexion is of molten gold. No peacock feather, no flute, no three places curved form. In yogi, sannyasi form He immediately appeared there. Then Vrnda devi sang a song, that is glorification of Radha,

 

 

srimate radhe bada abhimani

bamya bhave siromani-syama sari ange

achadana tava tapta-kancana varana

eto dina chile pagalani raye

kanu preme prana sampi

sarve rupe guneogo gandharvike

kanu mana kari curi aji radha prema

bhika mage kanu phere dware dware hai

 

"Oh Srimate Radharani, You have developed a sulky mood. You are the crest jewel of the leftisty mood. Your whole body is covered with a bluish sari. The complexion of Your body is that of molten gold. Up to now Radharani was mad for Kanu (Krsna) prema. She was stealing the mind of Krsna. O Gandarvike, You were stealing the mind of Kanu, Krsna, enchanting Him with Your beautiful form and qualities. But today Kanu, Krsna, is moving from door to door begging radha-prema, radha-prema, radha-prema"

 

SANNYASI THAKURA

 

So Krsna sang that song. Then He went to Radharani's kunja. At the gate He found Lalita and Visakha. Krsna started singing this nice song glorifying Radharani. Singing, "Kanu is a beggar today, moving door to door begging radha-prema, radha-prema, radha-prema."

Seeing a sannyasi singing this nice song, Lalita and Visakha became very happy.

 

Visakha said, "Sannyasi thakura, this song You are singing is very nice. Who has taught You this song?"

 

Krsna replied, "My Guru is Gandharvika (Radharani)."

 

"Oh, Your Guru is Gandharvika?"

 

"Oh yes, My Guru has taught me this very nice song."

 

"Why have you come here, what do You want?"

 

The sannyasi said, "I have nothing, I am a beggar. I've come here to get radha-prema, radha-prema. I am a prema-bhikhari. I am a beggar of prema."

 

"All right, O sannyasi thakura, my prana-sakhi is very, very distressed. She is always crying, in a dying condition. Her fate is very, very bad, ill-fated. Do You know the calculation of fate, sannyasi? Can You calculate seeing the lines on the hand of my sakhi?"

 

"Oh yes, I know it."

 

"You know? Who has taught You?"

 

"Oh my Guru has taught Me all these things--Gandharvika."

 

"Will You come into the kunja to calculate the fate of our prana-sakhi? She's very much distressed."

 

"Oh yes, I can do."

 

Krsna wants that thing (that meeting), so He said, "Yes, I can come."

 

So in the meantime, Lalita has gone to Radharani and said that a sannyasi thakura has come. "He is singing a very nice song. He knows how to calculate Your fate."

 

Then Visakha takes the sannyasi into the kunja. She requested Krsna, "Will You please again sing that nice song You were singing before?"

 

Then Krsna sang that song in glorification of Radha. "Today Kanu is a bhikari, He is a beggar, moving from door to door begging radha-prema." When Radharani heard that last line, She said,

 

 

aslisya va .-ratam pinastu mam

adarsanan marma-hatam karotu va

yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato

mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah

Radharani said the last verse of Siksastskam. "That debauchee, lampatah, whatever He likes He may do. He may do. He may embrace Me or kick Me, or crush Me with His feet or put Me in this condition of acute pangs of separation. Such painful condition, not giving Me darsana. Whatever He likes He may do, that debauchee. But He is the Lord of My heart, no one else."

Then Lalita said, "Have patience, O sakhi. One sannyasi thakura has come who will calculate Your fortune. Don't be impatient."

 

So Lalita let the sannyasi into the kunja and arranged a seat on the veranda of Radharani's bedroom. Then Lalita brought Radharani onto the veranda. So Radharani came, putting a veil on her head. Why? Because Radharani only sees Krsna. She never sees any other male. Putting on the veil, Radharani came and sat near the sannyasi thakura. Lalita brought Her left hand to the sannyasi thakura.

 

"Please calculate the fortune of our prana-sakhi."

 

Krsna said, "I am a sannyasi, I cannot touch the hand of your sakhi."

 

"How can You calculate then?"

 

"No, I can calculate seeing the lines on Her forehead. I know how to do it."

 

"But my sakhi does not look at any male, only Krsna. No. She's very strict in that matter. She never looks at any male but Krsna."

 

"Are-baba! I am a dandi-sannyasi. There's no harm. I have no desires. I've given up everything. I am a sannyasi. I am only a beggar. Begging love, I am prema-bhikari. I have given up everything. I have no desires. If your sakhi lifts the veil, there is no harm at all. Then I can calculate. I am a sannyasi, I am not an ordinary male."

 

Lalita devi removed the veil. Then immediately Krsna's form came, tri-bhanga-lalita. That sannyasi form disappeared. Now tri-bhanga, three places curved, peacock feather and flute. Then the eyes of Krsna and the eyes of Radha united. Her sulkiness was gone.

 

Then Visakha said, "So amazing, what is this?

 

pahile dekhilun tomara sannyasi-svarrupa ebe

toma dekhi muni syama-gopa-rupa

tomara sammukhe dekhi kancana-pancalika

tanra gaura-kantye tomara sarva anga Dhaka

tahate prakata dekhon sa-vamsi vadana

nana bhave cancala tahe kamala-nayana

"At first I saw You appear like a sannyasi but now I am seeing You as Syamasundara, the cowherd boy. I saw You appearing like a golden doll, and Your entire body appeared covered by golden luster. I now see You holding a flute to Your mouth, and Your lotus eyes are moving very restlessly due to various ecstasies."

(Sri Caitanya.caritamrta, Madhya 8.268-270)

 

KRSNA-LILA, GAURA-LILA

 

That is what Ramananda Raya saw. Ramananda Raya is Visakha sakhi in Mahaprabhu's lila. Mahaprabhu showed that form to Ramananda. So amazing! So this is how Krsna has to cry and has to become a sannyasi begging for radha-prema. Radharani was crying and Visakha stated, "One day You'll have to cry like that!" And so He's crying in the form of Mahaprabhu.

 

sri-radhayah pranaya-mahima kidrso vanayaiva

svadyo yenabhuta-madhurima kidrso va madiyah

saukhyam casya mad-anubhavatah kidrsam veti lobhat

tad-bhavadhyah samajani sai-garbha-sinadau harinduh

(Sri Caitanya caritamrta, Adi 1.6)

What is Radharani's love? Now Krsna is a beggar of that. Radha-prema-bhikari. He came in a sannyasi form, as a beggar, begging radha-prema. In a completely different form--no three places curved, no curling hair--shaved head. Now His yellow garment is saffron colour and He's begging for radha-prema. That is radha-bhava. He came in this sannyasi form, otherwise He cannot pay back the debt. Krsna has become indebted. In this way, Krsna paid back the debt. So Radharani's sulkiness vanished. That is why Krsna became sannyasi, He became Mahaprabhu.

He (Krsna) came to understand these three things: "What is Radharani's love? What is My beauty that Radharani relishes? What happiness and pleasure does Radharani get relishing My beauty, how can I know?" In order to fulfill these three types of greed and desires Krsna appeared as Mahaprabhu, from the womb of Sacimata, sai garbha-sindau harinduh. In order to understand these three things is why He became a sannyasi. This is so wonderful--Krsna became amazed. This is the activity of Yoga-maya, Paurnamasi. Oh, so wonderful that even Krsna cannot understand, then how can others understand?

 

[yasodanandana]

hare krishna..i hope in future that our communication will be better. But in this circumstance this is a benedition because, putting it in public, the real senior devotees, not mine, can listen to your question and answer properly..

 

i am a neophite.. i have a little devotion and, when i pray, i find useless to discriminate between krsna aspects.... i chant my rounds as a not so pleasant duty and i do not feel any happines in chanting them, if not, sometimes, some satisfaction to have fulfilled, even in a very bad way, the promise made to our guru maharaja..

 

if i am in some difficulty i pray... but i pray generically to krsna that i imagine in the famous tribunga pose surrouded by nature, peacocks,cows and so on

 

we are not polytheists... when you pray to a manifestation of krsna you are praying to the same trascendental person, so i do not understand where's the problem in choosing to ask the mercy of sri radhe or sri chaitanya mahaprabhu. My opinion is that if we think that srimati radhika cannot give the mercy of sri chaitanya, or the opposite, we are making an offence. So, if when you pray krsna, you pray him in his manifestation as srimati radharani, i cannot find any fault in it.. krsna is pleased by it, and even sri chaitanya mahaprabhu

 

--

 

for the next question...... chaitanya mahaprabhu, to show the right path, shows the personality of a humble pratictioneer of bhakti yoga.. but we cannot deal with him confidentially thinking he's not god, without making offences

 

gaura arati is a central part of our worship....:

 

" On Lord Caitanya's right side is Lord Nityananda and on His left is Sri Gadadhara. Nearby stands Sri Advaita, and Srivasa Thakura is holding an umbrella over Lord Caitanya's head.

 

(3) Lord Caitanya has sat down on a jeweled throne, and the demigods, headed by Lord Brahms, perform the arati ceremony "

 

"(6) The brilliance of Lord Caitanya's face conquers millions upon millions of moons, and the garland of forest flowers around His neck shines.

 

(7) Lord Siva, Sukadeva Gosvami, and Narada Muni are all there, and their voices are choked with the ecstasy of transcendental love. Thus Thakura Bhaktivinoda envisions the glory of Lord Sri Caitanya. "

 

so if srila takura bhaktivinoda thinks at chaitanya mahaprabhu as the supreme lord, surrounded and worshiped by the devatas in a jeweled asana, i think that we have to do the same.... with the exception of some archana customs that recommend to not put the peacok feather on mahaprabhu's head to not disturb his humble mood

 

harekrishna.... correct me if i am wrong... jaya gurudeva, jaya prabhupada!

 

(be mercyful with my strange english)

 

 

 

[krsna]

The following is from Srila Gour Govinda Swami’s

 

“The Last Limit of Bhakti”:

 

My Guru is Radharani:

 

 

In this line, in our guru-parampara Krsna is at top, but Krsna says,

 

Radhikara prema-guru, ami-sisya nata

Sada ama nana nrtye nacaya udbhata

(Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 4.124)

 

“My guru is Radharani,” Krsna says. “In loving affairs My guru is Radharani, so She always makes Me dance according to Her tune.”

 

So who is at the topmost platform of guru?

That is Radharani. So although in our guru-parampara the topmost position is Krsna, He says,

“Radharani is My guru in loving affairs

and She makes Me dance according to Her tune.

I’ll dance, I’ll dance.

Ami-sisya nata, I am Her disciple and nata, dancer.”

 

 

 

 

 

intimate relationship between function of Nityananda and that of Srimati Radharani

 

 

 

"Lord Nityananda alone possesses the distinctive function of the guru. Nityananda is the servant of God, serving Gaurasundara by the distinctive method of reverential servitude. He is identical with Sri Balarama of Krishna-lila. Sri Balarama is not a chum of Krishna, but His respected elder brother. Individual souls are under the direction of Nityananda. They receive the service of Sri Gaurasundara or Krishna at His hands.

 

Nityananda is the ultimate source of the jiva and the jiva is a potency of Nityananda. Nityananda and His companions form one of the five groups of the associates of Lord Caitanya, whose distinctive function is that of guru. But Nityananda does not directly instruct in the confidential service of Krishna.

 

Srimati Radhika is the guru of the inner circle

of the servants of Krishna. Srimati Radharani

however accepts the offering of service of only

those souls who are especially favored by Nityananda

and are deemed by Him to be fit for Her service. There is therefore a most intimate relationship between the function of Nityananda

and that of Srimati Radharani."

 

( Harmonist, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur)

 

 

In The Glories of Srimati Radharani Srila Prabhupad said: (S.P Los Angeles, June 23, 1970)

 

...Just like Radharani. She thinks always Herself as the lowest of the devotees. She thinks always. She sees always that the gopis, other gopis, they are better qualified to serve Krsna. And She is not qualified, so much qualified. Therefore in Vrndavana, you'll find, the devotees approach Radharani. "Jaya Radhe." Because if Radharani advocates for him to Krana, it is very easily accepted. And Radharani says... If Radharani is pleased, then She represents the devotee's case that "Here is a devotee. He's better than Me. Kindly accept his service, Krsna." So Krsna cannot deny. So maha-bhava. Radharani is maha-bhava.

 

Caitanya Mahaprabhu displayed that maha-bhava. That maha-bhava is not possible for ordinary man. It is especially prerogative of Srimati Radharani and who played the part of Radharani, although He's Krsna, Caitanya Mahaprabhu (S.P Los Angeles, June 23, 1970)

 

From Gitavali

 

Eight Prayers in Glorification of Srimati Radharani

 

By Srila Bhaktivinod Thakura

 

Song 1

 

(1)

 

radhika-carana-padma, sakala sreyera sadma,

jatane je nahi aradhilo

radha-padmankita dhama, brndabana jar nama,

taha je na asroy korilo

 

1) He who has failed to carefully worship the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani, which are the abode of all auspiciousness; he who has not taken shelter in the transcendental abode known as Vrndavana, which is decorated with the beautiful lotus flower named Radha...

 

(2)

 

radhika-bhava-gambhir, citta jeba mahadhir,

gana-sanga na koilo jivane

kemone se syamananda, rasa-sindhu-snanananda,

labhibe bujhoha eka-mane

 

2) ...he who in this life has not associated with the devotees of Radhika, who are very wise and whose devotion for Radha is very deep-how will such a person ever experience the bliss of bathing in the ocean of Lord Syama's sublime mellows? Please understand this most attentively.

 

(3)

 

radhika ujjvala-raser acarya

radha-madhava-suddha-prem vicarya

 

3) Srimati Radhika is the exemplary teacher of the brilliant mellows of conjugal love. This pure love between Radha and Madhava is worthy of discussion and contemplation.

 

(4)

 

je dharilo radha-. parama jatane

se pailo krsna-. amulya-ratane

 

4) He who has grasped hold of the lotus feet of Radha with great care obtains the lotus feet of Krsna, which are like priceless jewels.

 

(5)

 

radha-. vina kabhu krsna nahi mile

radhar dasir krsna sarva-vede bole

 

5) Without taking shelter of the lotus feet of Radha, one can never personally meet Lord Krsna. The Vedic scriptures declare that Krsna is the property of the maidservants of Sri Radha.

 

(6)

 

chorata dhana-jan, kalatra-suta-mita,

choata karama geyan

radha-.-pankaja, madhurata sevan,

bhakativinoda paraman

 

6) Abandoning wealth, followers, wife, sons, and friends, and giving up materialistic activities and intellectual knowledge, being absorbed in the sweetness of service to the lotus feet of rmat Radharai-this is Bhaktivinoda's conviction.

 

Song 8

 

(1)

 

radha-bhajane jadi mati nahi bhela

krsna-bhajana tava akarana gela

 

1) If your desire for the worship of Srimati Radharai does not come about, then your so-called worship of Krsna is completely useless.

 

(2)

 

atapa-rohita suraya nahi jani

radha-virahita madhava nahi mani

 

2) Just as I never know the sun to be without without sunlight, so I do not care to regard Madhava without Radha.

 

(3)

 

kevala madhava pujaye so ajnani

radha anadara koro-i abhimani

3) One who worships Madhava alone is imperfect in his knowledge, and one who disrespects Radha is simply conceited and proud.

 

(4)

 

kabanhi nahi korobi tankor sanga

citte icchasi jadi braja-rasa-ranga

 

4) You should never associate with such a person if you at all desire within your heart to participate in the eternal sportive pastimes of Vraja.

 

(5)

 

radhika-dasi jadi hoy abhiman

sighra-i mila-i taba gokula-kan

 

5) If one considers oneself to be a humble maidservant of Radhika, then such a person very quickly meets the Lord of Gokula.

 

(6)

 

brahma, siva, narada, sruti, narayani

radhika-.-raja pujaye mani'

 

6) Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Narada Muni, the personified Vedas, and Laksmi-devi all honor and worship the dust of Radhika's lotus feet.

 

(7)

 

uma, rama, satya, saci, candra, rukmini

radha-avatara sabe,-amnaya-vani

 

7) The Vedic scriptures declare that the goddesses Uma, Rama, Satya, Saci, Candra, and Rukmini are all personal expansions of Srimati Radharai.

 

(8)

 

heno radha-paricarya jankara dhan

bhakativinoda ta'r magaye cara

 

8) Bhaktivinoda, whose only treasure is the service of such a Radha, humbly begs for Her lotus feet.

 

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

 

I am going to have to digest all this, I feel my mind has gone blank. I can't even think anything.

 

To mahaksadasa, you have done a great job of making me even more confuced. I think even the Gods are smiling. Have to read Krishnaji posts {even them I don't understand}.

 

Sorry for the bother. Yashodanandana prabhuji. You made me think your not a devotee by what you said, please refrain from saying your neophyete. Hare Krishna

[yasodanandana]

"Sorry for the bother"

 

you bother me????.... iNpossible!!

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

 

Chant. For now I can't even think.

[Guest guest]

Sorry, didnt mean to confuse, but try to think of it in terms of what personality is and how it differs from energy.

 

Personality is defined by loving relationships. Mother and child, Husband and wife, friend to friend, servant to noble master. Vaisnavas worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. God may mean the supreme person or supreme energy, both the personal and impersonal feature, but Vaisnavism is transcendental to this by worshipping Krsna, Gopala, Syamasundara.

 

Three Names mentioned here, are ya still with me, are you dhira? Krsna is most attractive, meaning there are others in the picture fully attracted to Him. If Krsna were pictured without associates, then we could say that he is not all attractive, because no one else was in the snapshot.

 

Gopala has no meaning without Mother Surabhi, the gopis and the gopas of Gokuladhama. Syamasundara is never seen without the descendant of the great bamboo forest, His flute.

 

This is what the devotees worship, the transcendental relationship (rasa) between the Supreme Person and his confidential associates.

 

This is my gist, maybe gHari can expand, if he is reading here, or maybe we can start another topic covering these points.

 

Hare Krsna, ys, mahaksadasa