Separation

[kailasa]

From the life of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, an intelligent person engaged in pure devotional service can understand that

 

- He always felt separation from Krsna within Himself.

 

- In that separation He sometimes felt that He had found Krsna and was enjoying the meeting.

 

- The significance of this separation and meeting is very specific. If someone tries to understand the exalted position of Lord Caitanya without knowing this, he is sure to misunderstand it.

 

- One must first become fully self-realized.

 

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Worship in separation is considered by the Gaudiya-Madhva-sampradaya to be the topmost level of devotional service. According to this conception, the devotee thinks of himself as very poor and neglected by the Lord. Thus he addresses the Lord as dina-dayardra natha, as did Madhavendra Puri. Such an ecstatic feeling is the highest form of devotional service.

 

Therefore, Vaisnavas in the Gaudiya-Madhva-sampradaya say that the ecstatic feelings experienced by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu during His appearance came from Sri Madhavendra Puri through Isvara Puri. All the devotees in the line of the Gaudiya-Madhva-sampradaya accept these principles of devotional service.

 

"All glories to Sri Madhavendra Puri, the storehouse of all devotional service unto Krsna! He is a desire tree of devotional service, and it is in him that the seed of devotional service first fructified.

 

PURPORT

 

Sri Madhavendra Puri, also known as Sri Madhava Puri, belonged to the disciplic succession from Madhvacarya and was a greatly celebrated sannyasa. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was the third disciplic descendant from Sri Madhavendra Puri. The process of worship in the disciplic succession of Madhvacarya was full of ritualistic ceremonies, with hardly a sign of love of Godhead; Sri Madhavendra Puri was the first person in that disciplic succession to exhibit the symptoms of love of Godhead and the first to write a poem beginning with the words ayi dina-dayardra natha, "O supremely merciful Personality of Godhead." In that poem is the seed of Caitanya Mahaprabhu's cultivation of love of Godhead.

 

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"Madhavendra Puri was chanting the holy name of Krsna, and sometimes he would cry, "O my Lord, I did not get shelter at Mathura."

 

"His Divine Grace Madhavendra Puri, the spiritual master of the entire world, thus distributed ecstatic love for Krsna. While passing away from the material world, he chanted the following verse.

 

"O my Lord! O most merciful master! O master of Mathura! When shall I see You again? Because of my not seeing You, my agitated heart has become unsteady. O most beloved one, what shall I do now?"

 

"In this verse Madhavendra Puri instructs how to achieve ecstatic love for Krsna. By feeling separation from Krsna, one becomes spiritually situated." Antya 8.35

 

"I have incidentally described the passing away of Madhavendra Puri. Anyone who hears this must be considered very fortunate.

 

"The seed of devotional service next fructified in the form of Isvavara Puri, and then the gardener Himself, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, became the main trunk of the tree of devotional service.

 

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The feeling of separation from the Lord is undoubtedly painful to the devotee, but because it is in connection with the Lord, it has a specific transcendental effect which pacifies the heart. Feelings of separation are also sources of transcendental bliss, and they are never comparable to contaminated material feelings of separation.

 

Unless one is awakened to the stage of Uddhava—everlastingly feeling the separation of the Lord in transcendental love, as exhibited by Lord Caitanya also—one cannot understand the real import of the four essential verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam. One should not indulge in the unauthorized act of twisting the meaning and thereby putting himself on the dangerous path of offense.

 

In the final portion of His pastimes, Lord Caitanya was obsessed with the madness of separation from Lord Krsna. He acted in erroneous ways and talked deliriously.

 

Just as Radhika went mad at the sight of Uddhava, so Lord Caitanya was obsessed day and night with the madness of separation.

 

In Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's final pastimes, both Ramananda Raya and Svarupa Damodara always engaged in reciting suitable verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam to pacify the Lord's ecstatic feelings of separation from Krsna.

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu always felt waves of separation from Krsna, externally and internally. His mind and body were agitated by various spiritual transformations.

 

"O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, I am considering a moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from My eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence." This is the perfectional stage of chanting the Hare Krsna mantra and eating the fruit of love of Godhead, as exhibited by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One should not artificially imitate this stage, but if one is serious and sincerely follows the regulative principles and chants the Hare Krsna mantra, the time will come when these symptoms will appear. Tears will fill his eyes, he will be unable to chant distinctly the maha-mantra, and his heart will throb in ecstasy. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that one should not imitate this, but a devotee should long for the day to come when such symptoms of trance will automatically appear in his body.

 

TRANSLATION

 

For the remaining twelve years He stayed in Jagannatha Puri, He taught everyone how to taste the transcendental mellow ecstasy of love of Krsna by tasting it Himself.

 

PURPORT

A person who is advanced in Krsna consciousness always feels separation from Krsna because such a feeling of separation excels the feeling of meeting Krsna.

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught this cult of devotional service in full detail by practical application in His own life. It is said, therefore, apani acari' bhakti sikhaimu sabare. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna Himself, and in the role of a krsna-bhakta, a devotee of Krsna, He instructed the entire world how one can execute devotional service and thus go back home, back to Godhead, in due course of time.

 

...apani acari' bhakti sikhaimu sabare

 

TRANSLATION

"I shall accept the role of a devotee, and I shall teach devotional service by practicing it Myself."

 

Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvata Thakura comments in this connection that such feelings of separation as Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu enjoyed from the books of Vidyapati, Candidasa and Jayadeva are especially reserved for persons like Sri Ramananda Raya and Svarupa Damodara, who were paramahamsas, men of the topmost perfection, because of their advanced spiritual consciousness.

 

In the attitude of separation, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared mad both day and night.

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught everyone that one should not be overly anxious to see the Lord, but should rather feel separation from Him in ecstasy. It is actually better to feel separation from Him than to desire to see Him face to face.

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu manifested Himself to show that cultivation of love for Krsna in separation is the easiest way of success for all living entities. Despite this fact, there are some theosophists who declare that because Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, such cultivation is easy for Him but difficult for the living entity and that one can therefore approach Krsna in any way he likes. To nullify this idea, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu demonstrated practically how one can achieve love of Krsna by adopting Srimati Radharani's mood in separation from Krsna.

 

When the gopis felt separation from Krsna, they experienced ten kinds of bodily transformations. These same symptoms appeared on the body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

"The ten bodily transformations resulting from separation from Krsna are anxiety, wakefulness, mental agitation, thinness, uncleanliness, talking like a madman, disease, madness, illusion and death."

 

PURPORT

This verse is part of a description of Srimati Radharani's different traits from Ujjvala-nilamani by Srila Rupa Gosvami. In this book, he elaborately explains the ten symptoms as follows.

 

Cinta. As stated in the Hamsaduta:

 

"At the request of Akrura, Krsna and Balarama left the house of Nanda Maharaja for Mathura. At that time, Srimati Radharani's mind was disrupted, and She became almost mad because of extreme separation from Krsna. She experienced great mental pain and agitation, which caused Her to drown in mental speculation in the river of anxiety. She thought, 'Now I am going to die, and when I die, Krsna will surely come back to see Me again. But when He hears of My death from the people of Vrndavana, He will certainly be very unhappy. Therefore I shall not die.' " This is the explanation of the word cinta.

 

Jagara. As stated in the Padyavali:

 

Thinking Herself very unfortunate, Srimati Radharani addressed Her very dear friend Visakha, "My dear friend, if I could see Krsna in My dreams, I would certainly be glorified for My great fortune. But what can I do? Sleep also plays mischievously with Me. Indeed, it has become My enemy. Therefore I have not slept since the departure of Krsna."

 

Udvega. This word is also explained in the Hamsaduta as follows:

 

Srimati Radharani addressed Lalita, "My dear beautiful-faced Lalita, I cannot express how My heart is burning. It is a great, unfathomable ocean of anxiety. Still, I wish to offer My obeisances at your lotus feet. What shall I do? Please consider My condition and advise Me how I can become peaceful. That is My desire."

 

Tanava is described as follows:

 

When Uddhava returned to Mathura after visiting Vrndavana, Lord Krsna inquired from him about Radharani and Visakha. Uddhava replied as follows: "Consider the condition of the gopis! Srimati Radharani especially is in a very painful condition because of separation from You. She has grown skinny, and Her bodily luster is almost gone. Her heart is immersed in pain, and because She has given up eating, Her breast has become black, as if diseased. Because of separation from You, all the gopis, especially Radharani, appear like dried-up water holes under the scorching heat of the sun."

 

Malina-aigata is described as follows:

 

Uddhava said to Krsna, "O most auspicious Krsna, please hear me. The tribulation caused by Your absence has made Visakha languid. Her lips tremble like trees in a strong wind. Her beautiful face is like a lotus flower that has withered under the snow, and Her eyes are like lotus petals scorched by the heat of the autumn sun."

 

Pralapa is explained in Lalita-madhava as follows:

 

This is Srimati Radharani's lamentation for Her beloved Krsna, who was away from home. A woman whose husband has left home and gone to a foreign land is called pronita-bhartaka. Lamenting for Krsna in the same way as such a woman laments for her husband, Srimati Radharani said, "My dear friend, where is the glory of the family of Maharaja Nanda, who wears a half-moon ornament on His head? Where is Krsna, whose hue is like that of the indranila jewel and who plays so nicely on His flute? Where is your friend, the best of all men, so expert in dancing in the circle of the rasa dance? Where is He who is the real medicine to save Me from dying of heart disease? I must condemn Providence, for he has caused Me so many tribulations by separating Me from Krsna."

 

Vyadhi is also described in Lalita-madhava:

 

Being greatly afflicted by the pain of separation from Krsna, Srimati Radharani said, "My dear Lalita, kindly hear Me. I cannot bear suffering the fever of separation from Krsna, nor can I explain it to you. It is something like gold melting in an earthen box. This fever produces more distress than poison, and it is more piercing than a thunderbolt. I suffer exactly like someone almost dead from cholera. To be giving Me so much pain, this fever must be very strong indeed."

 

Unmada is explained as follows:

 

Uddhava said to Krsna, "My dear Krsna, all the gopis are so afflicted by Your absence that they have become almost mad. O Murari, at home Srimati Radharani laughs unnecessarily and, like a madwoman, inquires about You from every entity without distinction, even from the stones. She rolls on the ground, unable to bear the agony of Your absence."

 

Moha is explained as follows:

 

Lalita wrote Krsna the following letter on Srimati Radharani's behalf: "My dear Krsna, separation from You has greatly agitated Srimati Radharani's mind, and She has fallen unconscious on the ground. O enemy of Kamsa, You have now become a first-class politician, and therefore You can supposedly give relief to everyone. Therefore please consider the plight of Srimati Radharani, or very soon You will hear of Her death. Maybe at that time You will lament, although now You are jubilant."

 

Mrtyu is explained in the Hamsaduta:

 

In the following letter, Lalita chastised Krsna for staying in Mathura: "Simply by dancing in the circle of the rasa dance, You attracted Srimati Radharani's love. Why are You now so indifferent to my dear friend Radharani? She is lying nearly unconscious, thinking of Your pastimes. I shall determine whether She is alive by putting a cotton swab under Her nostrils, and if She is still living, I shall chastise Her."

 

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When Lord Caitanya asked Ramananda Raya what is considered to be the most painful existence, Ramananda Raya replied that separation from a pure devotee constitutes the most painful existence. In other words, when there is no devotee of the Lord present, there is great suffering in society, and association with other people becomes painful. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.30.7) it is stated that if one who is bereft of the association of a pure devotee tries to become happy through society, friendship and love devoid of Krsna consciousness, he is to be considered in the most distressed condition. In the Fifth Canto of Bahad-bhagavatamrta (5.44) it is stated that the association of a pure devotee is more desirable than life itself and that in separation from him one cannot even pass a second happily.

 

So when a pure devotee sees living entities suffering within this world, he correctly feels that just as he is suffering because of separation from Krsna, all other living beings are also suffering from separation from Krsna. The difference is that a pure devotee correctly ascertains the cause of his heartbreak whereas the conditioned soul, bewildered by maya, is unable to understand his eternal relationship with Krsna and the unlimited pain arising from neglect of that relationship.

Srila Jiva Gosvami has quoted the following verses, which illustrate the ecstatic feelings of the topmost devotees of the Lord. In the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.35.9) the goddesses of Vraja speak as follows:

 

"The creepers and trees of the forest, their branches weighed down by rich coverings of flowers and fruits, seemed to manifest Lord Visnu within their hearts. Exhibiting eruptions of ecstatic love upon their bodies, they poured down rains of honey."

 

This has also been rejected by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who advocated worship in separation. As stated before, the pure devotee does not even want liberation; he simply asks to remain Krsna's devotee birth after birth. This is Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's prayer, and the words "birth after birth" indicate that there is no liberation. This means that the devotee doesn't care whether he is liberated or not. He simply wants to engage in Krsna consciousness, to serve the Supreme Lord. Always wanting to engage in God's transcendental loving service is the symptom of pure devotion. Of course, wherever a devotee is, he remains in the spiritual kingdom, even though in the material body.

 

A pure devotee of Lord Krsna resides in the district of Mathura or Vrndavana and visits all the places where Krsna's pastimes were performed.... Actually, if someone goes to Vrndavana, he will immediately feel separation from Krsna, who performed such nice activities when He was present there. [The Nectar of Devotion, p. 139]

 

Devotee: Srila Prabhupada, you've mentioned several times in recent lectures that a pure devotee can see Krsna everywhere, that He's never out of your vision, and at the same time in Siksastaka prayers Lord Caitanya explains that "Govinda, I am feeling Your separation to be twelve years or more. I'm feeling the world vacant in His absence." Could you explain this?

 

Prabhupada: Yes. He's playing how you can become mad without seeing Krsna. That is higher stage. It cannot be explained, but when you gradually go higher and higher you'll understand.

 

But so far we see of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His immediate successors, Gosvamis, they are mad after Krsna. They never said that "We have seen Krsna." This is called bhajana by separation, vipralambha-seva.

So if we become mad after Krsna, that is perfection, not that "We have seen Krsna." We may see, but so far the Gosvamis are concerned, they are simply seeking. Ghonantav iti sarvato vraja-pure khedair maha-vihvalau. Vihvalau means mad—"Where is Krsna? Where is Krsna? Where is Krsna? Where is Krsna?" That is self-realization.

 

So far crying for Krishna is concerned, it is very nicely explained by Lord Caitanya. He says that a moment is appearing to me as 12 years, and my eyes are tearing torrents of rain, and I am feeling everything vacant in the absence of Govinda. The thing is that as we go on chanting Hare Krishna, in the pure status, we shall be on the loving platform and at that time, we shall feel the greatest separation from the Lord; but that feeling of separation from the Lord is more relishable than meeting the Lord. These are all transcendental existential understandings and as we grow in Krishna Consciousness, we understand everything, gradually, by the Grace of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, and He reveals Himself to the devotee with the progress of Krishna Consciousness.

 

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"Just like if I am taken as the origin of this Krsna consciousness movement, that means I know everything directly and indirectly of all this movement. If I do not know directly or indirectly everything of this movement, then I cannot be called the founder-acarya. And as soon as the origin becomes a knower, he is life. So therefore dull matter cannot be the knower of everything."