Japa & Ego

 
While discussing japa, Sri Sanatana Goswami does not distinguish between harinama japa and diksha mantra japa. For both he gives the following important rules which all devotees should follow.  

First of all, he defines japa as silent murmuring of the mantra, upamshu, and then lays down the rules for it. This is the way Srila Prabhupada chanted his daily nama and mantra japa. Sri Rupa Goswami says, “Very soft repetition of the mantra is called japa.” (Brs.1.2.149)

Sri Sanatana Goswami says, “If one speaks during japa, one’s japa will be fruitless. One will not attain perfection in his mantra chanting if he chants japa while speaking, walking, lying down on bed, thinking of something else, sneezing, hiccupping or yawning.” (HBV 17.132-3) 

He furthers explains the dangers of public chanting saying, “Ghosts, Rakshasas, Vetalas and other subtle beings steal the benefits of japa done in public. Hence the wise must do japa in secret, bhuta, rakshasas, vetalas haranti prakatam tasmat guptam japet sudhih.” (HBV 17.131)

“After completing one’s daily japa sankhya, the japa mala should be worshiped and kept in a secret place [one’s temple room or home], japanya-kale malam tu pujayitva sugopayet.” (HBV 17.130) 

Proper japa means solitary concentration on the mantra while sitting in a sanctified place with one’s mind and heart focused only on the mantra—its meaning and form. The Srimad Bhagavat Mahatmya (5.73) says, “Japa is lost through a restless mind.” 

The key to success in bhakti is having the right attitude and feeling of devotion, sincere humility and hankering for mercy expressed through all of one’s sadhana practices. In bhakti, it is quality and not quantity that brings perfection and success in sadhana. 

In this regard, Sri Vallabhacharya teaches, “Lots of sadhana does not please Sri Hari, na hi sadhana sampattya na hari toshanam. It is only the devotees’ humility that can satisfy Hari, bhaktanam dainyam evaikam hariḥ tuṣyati.” Humility means submitting to and following the authority and orders of Sri Guru and Shastra. 

Sri Rupa Goswami says that the holy name only manifests within someone who has a humble service attitude, sevonmukhe he jihvadau svayam eva sphurat yada. (Brs. 1.2.234)  

Often it is seen that pride and ego manifest in one who chants a high number of japa without the right devotional attitude. In his tika on nama-aparadha # 10, Sri Sanatana Goswami explains how false pride—EGO manifests in different devotees. “To think ‘I’ and ‘mine’ to be the greatest in connection with the holy name is the 10th offence to the holy name. ‘I am chanting more than you’, aham bahutara-nama-kirtaka. My tongue is the greatest chanter of the holy name. Thus chanting is under the control of my tongue. I am chanting the holy name myself.” (HBV 11.524)

This kind of feeling and attitude—EGO—which often arises, is far far away from Mahaprabhu’s order to chant with the utmost humility. 

Commenting on His own trnad api sunichena verse (Cc. 3.20.21) Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, ““These are the symptoms of one who [correctly] chants the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Although he is very exalted, he thinks himself lower than the grass on the ground, and like a tree, he tolerates everything in two ways. When a tree is cut down, it does not protest, and even when drying up, it does not ask anyone for water. The tree delivers its fruits, flowers and whatever else it possesses to anyone and everyone. It tolerates scorching heat and torrents of rain, yet it still gives shelter to others. 

“Although a Vaiñëava is the most exalted person, he is prideless and shows respect to ALL LIVING ENTITIES knowing that Krishna is within them (jive sammana dibe jani krishna adhisthana). If one chants the holy name of Krishna in this way, pure love for Sri Krishna’s lotus feet will appear.” (Cc.  3.20.21-26).

In simple words, humility leads to prema, and pride leads to failure. Chant Sri Krishna’s holy names with humility, full heart and attention, and soon the fruit of Krishna prema will be attained. 
Sri Harinama Sankirtana ki jai! 
Jai Jai Sri Radhe! 

A Causeless Creation

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Why are we here? Where did it all begin? Why do we suffer? Why was I created and when? Was I created at some point in time? Or have I always existed for all time?

Such questions often arise in a curious intellect. There are as many answers to these questions as there are people to ask the questions…uncountable! Recently, we discovered some good answers to these perplexing questions which we will now share with you.

I. There is no such thing as IN THE BEGINNING or “When Krishna desires.”

In the introduction to Caitanya-caritamta, Srila Prabhupada said “Although we speak of 'when' Krishna desires, just when Krishna did desire we cannot say.  We only speak in this way because in conditional life we take it that everything has a beginning. However, in that absolute or spiritual life there is neither beginning nor end."

Sri Jiva Gosvami commenting on Srimad Bhagavatam 10.87.31 writes: “When Sridhara Swami says that the birth of the jiva (living entity) simply means the birth of the upadhi, it is to be understood that this birth of the upadhi (designation) is like a flow which has no beginning.” 

The meaning is that the jiva (living entity) is experiencing a cycle of birth and death which has no beginning.  Because it has no beginning, it is futile to ask, “Who did it?” or “When did it happen?"  Such questions imply a lack of understanding of the meaning and implication of words like beginningless and causeless.

II.  ETERNAL IGNORANCE
This is the nature of all jivas stuck in the material world.

In his commentary (SB 3.7.10), Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti says, “Avidya (ignorance) which is anadi (without any beginning), is situated on the backside of Sri Krishna and has the nature of ignorance.  Avidya covers the knowledge of the jiva (living entities) who are situated on the backside of the Lord and are non-devotees.  Their non-devotion is anadi.  There is no real reason or purpose for their knowledge being covered.”

Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti states here that Krishna does not put the jiva (living entity) in ignorance for any specific gain or purpose.  Krishna is atmarama and everything happens out of His nature.  The fact that the jivas, living entities, (you and me) are in ignorance is without any beginning and without any cause. 

Admittedly, this is difficult to digest, and even more impossible to understand. That’s just the way it is, so why fight over how it happened or never happened or has been happening ad infinitum.

If fortune has “somehow or other” descended upon us, we may know something about Krishna and desire to serve and love Him. Then just do that and you will go to Krishna in the spiritual realm of Goloka Vrindavana. And from there, you will never ever return to this inexplicable domain called maya-jagat, the material world of birth, death, old age and disease.

Just as Krishna has no cause (anadi adi govinda), similarly there is no cause for the bondage of the jiva (living entity).  Therefore, Krishna cannot be blamed for that which He is not the cause.

Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti often speaks about the beginningless bondage of the jiva (living entity) in his commentaries on Srimad Bhagavatam (see 3.7.9, 3.7.10 and 11.11.4).

Here is his wonderful commentary on Bhagavad Gita 13.20:
prakrtim purusham caiva, viddhy ANADI ubhav api
vikaramsh ca gunamsh caiva,  viddhi prakrti-sambhavan

Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti said, “The essence of Sri Krishna’s words in this verse are the following. Sri Krishna is saying that because both maya and the jiva (living entity) are My potencies, they are both beginningless, and thus their union is also beginningless.

“In this verse (Bg. 13.20) Sri Krishna answers two questions: Why and when did the union of the jiva and maya occur? In other words, when did the jiva become covered by maya or illusion? The word anadi (Bg. 13.20) answers both these questions. The answer given by Sri Krishna is that the union of maya and the jiva (living entity) has no cause and no beginning.

Thus, Sri Krishna cannot be blamed for some jivas (like all of us) being in material conditioning.  Krishna did not initiate this; it was not created in some point in time. It is also important to note that in his word/word meanings, Srila Prabhupada has translated the word anadi as “without beginning” (Bg. 13.20). And in his translation of the verse, Srila Prabhupada says anadi means beginningless. 

Srila Prabhupada’s translation to (Bg. 13.20): “Material nature [maya] and the living entities [jivas] should be understood to be beginningless.  Their transformations and the modes of matter are products of material nature [maya, tri-gunas].”

Srila Prabhupada’s clear and exact translation leaves absolutely no room for misinterpretation of the word anadi that Krishna speaks in this verse. Thus all the acharyas such as Srila Prabhupada, Baladeva Vidyabhusana, Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti and Sri Jiva Gosvami agree that the jivas (all of us) are without beginning. We have always been here, right where we are. 

Now let’s examine Srila Prabhupada purport to (Bg. 13.20):
“Both material nature and the living entity are eternal.  That is to say that they existed before the creation.  The material manifestation is from the energy of the Supreme Lord, and so also are the living entities, but the living entities are of the superior energy.  Both the living entities and material nature existed before this cosmos was manifested.  Material nature was absorbed in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Mahä-Viñëu, and when it was required, it was manifested by the agency of mahat-tattva. 

“Similarly, the living entities are also in Him, and because they are conditioned, they are averse to serving the Supreme Lord.  Thus they are not allowed to enter into the spiritual sky.  But with the coming forth of material nature these living entities are again given a chance to act in the material world and prepare themselves to enter into the spiritual world. THAT IS THE MYSTERY OF THIS MATERIAL CREATION.” 

Comment:  Srila Prabhupada ki jai! The above Gita verse and Srila Prabhupada’s purport CLEARLY EXPLAIN that the living entities as well as material nature remain absorbed in Maha-Vishnu during the period of dissolution.  At the time of creation Lord Maha-Vishnu injects them into material nature.  This cycle repeats itself again and again eternally, without beginning and without end, except for those individual jivas who somehow or other receive the causeless mercy of Sri Krishna or His devotees and take up the practice of Krishna bhakti-yoga.

III. Here Misery & Hatred—There Only Bliss & Love
The spiritual realms of Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan are completely composed of pure loving consciousness ever expressing itself in selfless activities of serving and pleasing one another in an infinite variety of tasty wonderful ways. There is absolutely no envy, hatred or malice whatsoever in the spiritual sky.

Now let’s look at the “desire/envy verse” from Bhagavad Gita 7.27:
iccha dvesha samutthena, dvandva-mohena bharata
sarva-bhutani sammoham, sarge yanti parantapa
Sri Krishna said, “The living entities are born into material nature, overcome by desire and hate (iccha, dvesh).”

Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti tika: “If someone asks, ‘O Krishna, since when are the jivas bewildered by Your maya?’ Sri Krishna speaks the current verse.  At the beginning of the creation all jivas become bewildered.  By what?  By the desire and hatred which springs from the karma performed in the past [their previous material birth]. The past here means the previous cycle of creation [in the endless cycle of creation and dissolution from Maha-Vishnu].”

In his tika on this verse, Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana also states that one is influenced by the impression of desire and hatred from the previous birth [in the material world].  Thus, both commentators agree that the jiva (living entity) is suffering in a beginningless cycle of birth and death. 

Why is it like this, how is it like this? The only answer is that it is the arrangement of God, God’s will only. It is His very nature since He, God, Bhagavan Sri Krishna is completely independent and omnipotent.

Whenever he described inconceivable subjects, acintya-tattva, like this in his books Srila Prabhupada used the phrase “SOMEHOW OR OTHER”. In fact, this phrase, which basically means that there is no reason, no cause and no explanation appears 2, 986 times on the BBT folio search engine!!!

IV. Creation Has No Cause
The Mandukya Ups. (1.9) explains the cause of creation thus: “Some say that Krishna creates the material world for His enjoyment, and some say Krishna creates for His play.  Indeed, it is Krishna’s very nature.  After all, Krishna is fully satisfied (apta-kama), so what desires does He have to fulfill, bhogartham srshtir ityanye, kridarthamiti capare, devasyaisha svabhavo’yam, aptakamasya ka sprha.”

The idea is that just as Krishna is causeless so are His activities such as the creation.  It is not possible to attribute any ultimate cause for them except that it is Krishna’s very nature. Anyone who has energy will act.  Everywhere we see that people act to attain something. But Bhagavan Sri Krishna is different.

Krishna and only Krishna is aptakama, one whose desires are fully satisfied.  Therefore, Krishna, unlike us, does not “have to do something or need to do anything”. Sri Krishna’s activities are just part of His nature.

Conclusion: The subjects of creation, suffering, eternity, timelessness, cause and beginning are practically impossible to comprehend with our limited, linear thinking, logic/reasoning conditioned minds. In this regard, mahajana Bhishmadeva says, “Inconceivable objects are beyond logic and arguments, acintya khalu ye bhava na tans tarkena yojayet.” (Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva, 5.12)

So how can one know the unknowable? It is only by faith and bhakti that one can fathom that which is inconceivable. Sri Krishna says (Bg. 18.55): “By bhakti one can know Me in truth and come to Me eternally, bhaktyya mam abhijanati, yavan yas casmi tattvatah, tato mam tattvato jnatva vishate tad-anantaram.”

The plain fact is that for whatever reason/no reason, cause/no cause, we are all stuck here eternally and suffering!!!

Unless… the mercy, Sri Krishna’s causeless loving grace, somehow falls our way. Then a jiva may get the seed of bhakti, the way of pure love—and receive his ticket to eternity.

Perfecting a life of bhakti bhajan brings the jiva to an inconceivable realm of bliss eternal, where all are serving and sporting in the endless waves of Krishna’s infinite love, krishna prema ananta taranga.
(adapted, “Vaikuntha, Even Leaves Don’t Fall”, Dr. Satyanarayan Dasji Maharaja)
Ending beginningless ignorance ki jai!  Bhagavan Sri Krishna ki jai!
Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

Simple & Clear BHISMA PANCHAKA 2016 November 10 to 14

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Upon hearing about Bhisma-panchaka, non-devotees respond by saying, “O what a terrible vrata!”(word bhisma means terrible)

I. INTRODUCTION
Bhisma Panchaka is a special 5-day vrata starting on Utthana Ekadasi tithi (which usually means dashami when the ekadasi tithi starts) and ending on Karttika Purnima. Pure Krishna bhakti is easily obtained by following Bhisma Pancaka Vrata. By following Bhisma Pancaka in Vrindavana one can fulfill all his desires and easily attain pure devotional service to Sri Krishna.

II. STARTING BATH:
Begin with sunrise bath in holy place or at home on Dashami. Then starting the vrata, worship Bhismadeva with a bhoga offering, water and afterwards aratik. (use a painting of Bhismadeva for puja). Everyday bathe in silence at sunrise. Then offer obeisances and water to Bhisma along with this prayer: “I offer this water to Bhisma, who has Vaiyaghra pada gotra and Sanskrit pravara. I offer respectful obeisances to Bhisma, the incarnation of Vasu, who is the son of Santanu and a lifelong celibate.” Worship Bhisma and pray for his mercy to complete the vow.

III. PUJA:
1. Daily bathe Deities with panchamrta.
2. Offer new clothes to the Deities.
3. Offer excellent food and cloves to the Deities.
4. Offer aratika with incense, ghee lamp, water in a conchshell, napkin, flowers and camara. *also offer camphor lamp mixed with aguru oil.
5. Maintain an akhanda dipa near the Deities or Tulasi for the entire five days.
6. Offer ghee lamp in morning and evening to the Deities.
7. Daily offer ghee lamp to Tulasi devi.
On Utthana Ekadasi, offer lotus flowers to Krishna’s feet; on Dvadasi, offer bilva leaves to Krishna’s knees; on Trayodasi, offer jasmine flowers to Krishna’s head.

IV. ACTION:
1. Observe celibacy and sleep on the floor.
2. After Deity puja, chant 108 times the mantra, “Om namo vasudevaya”.

V. EATING: NO GRAINS OR BEANS & EAT AFTER SUNSET!!!
Begin Dashami (Thursday Nov. 10)  fasting til sunset; Then eat phalahara, no grains. Every day eat once only after sunset. Eat fruits fresh and dried, nuts, boiled roots like potato and sweet potato. Ok to eat ghee, ekadasi salt, black pepper and ginger. No other spices can be taken. Continue this diet every day until Purnima.
A. DASAMI (Nov. 10) (DURING THE EKADASI TITHI): Eat ½ tsp of cow dung; then eat only once after sunset.
B. EKADASI FASTING VRATA: (Nov. 11 Friday) Nirajala vrata; if you can’t do this, then eat muni-phala (apple, papaya, banana, mousambi) only once after sunset.
C. DVADASI: (Nov. 11 Fri. ** special two tithis one day) Break fast with Maha Tulasi leaf and water; then drink lemon water with misri if you did Nirjala vrata; if you ate muniphala on ekadasi, then break fast with charnamrta or a few cashews, almonds or raisins; then drink 50 ml of cow urine; eat the recommended foods once a day after sunset.
D. TRAYODASI: (Nov. 12 Sat.) Eat ghee once after sunrise. After sunset, eat recommended foods.
E. CATURDASI: (Nov. 13 Sun.) Eat yoghurt once after sunrise. After sunset, eat recommended foods.
F. PURNIMA: (Nov. 14 Mon.)Drink milk once after sunrise; and follow the rules below for fast breaking. Your Bhisma Pancaka Vrata ends today!!

VI. BREAKING THE FAST:
1. Before you break your fast, you must first feed brahmanas sweet rice made from cow’s milk and  serve them all the foods you fasted from during your vratas of Bhisma, Kartik and Chaturmasya.
3. Give money, gifts, sesame seeds and pots of water to the brahmanas.
4. Now break your fast during Purnima Abhijit Muhurta (11:45 am to 12:30 pm appx.), or later if necessary, but before sunset of Purnima day.First eat panchagavya (cow dung, cow urine, cow milk, cow yoghurt and cow ghee)
5. Then eat sweet rice.
6. NOW eat all foods fasted from for Chaturmasya, Karttika Vrata and Bhisma Pancaka (eg. spinach, yoghurt, urad dal, milk, sweets, honey etc.)
7. Shave your head.
8. All the above actions should be completed before sunset or before the end of Purnima tithi.

****SIMPLE SUMMARY BHISMA VRATA****
1. November 10-13 Fast til sunset; Eat only fruits, nuts NO GRAINS BEANS DALS ETC.
2. Daily in morning offer water and prayer to Bhisma Pitamaha (picture) the great Vaisnava mahajana (SB 6.3.20-21, Mahabharata);  beg his blessings for success in vrata
3. Increase japa; sastra reading; prayers; giving charity; Thakuraji puja & ghee lamps.
4. Read Bhisma Glories SB 1.9 “Bhismadeva Tirobhava”.
5. Break fast on Purnima Nov. 14 (see VI. Above)
SRI BHISMA PANCAKA VRATA KI JAI!!Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

Radha Defines LOVE

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

The transcendental amorous affairs of Radha Govinda Yugala are the epitome of divine love, bliss and sweetness. We all know of love. And we have all heard, read, thought and experienced so much about this feeling called LOVE.But who really knows what love is? One can easily see by comparison that the one and only pair of pure, unmotivated selfless lovers in this world are the transcendental Divine Couple known as Sri Sri Radha-Krishna—the playful teenage lovers of Vraja, sweetly addressed as “Priya-Priyatama”.  Now let’s hear what Srimati Radharani Herself says about the definition, nature and experience of true love.One sweet day in Vrindavana, a beautiful heavenly damsel suddenly showed up in the courtyard of Radha’s palace in Yavata-grama. It was Krishna disguised as a lady. Sitting down, she shyly covered her head with her crimson veil.Noticing her, Lalita inquired, “O Tanvi, who are you?” Where have you come from and what do you want?” But that lady (Krishna) gave no reply Radha asked, “Your luster enchants My mind. You are so beautiful, are you a celestial being?” Krishna kept quiet.Radha continued, “O Bhavini! Please introduce yourself. Why should you be shy or afraid here with us?” Krishna just sighed deeply while partly uncovering his face.

Radha: “O Sundari! You must be heart broken and that’s why you’re so quiet and disturbed. If you reveal your mind, I’ll try to remove your distress. Are you sad due to separation from your lover? Have you offended him in some way, or is some antagonist gossiping about you to your lover? Or perhaps you are disgusted with him and attracted to another man.

Why are you so sad?“O Vidhumukhi! You are so beautiful, even more enchanting than the Mohini avatara. If Sri Hari should cast His glance at you, He would become immediately captivated.”Meanwhile, Krishna (as lady) was becoming so ecstatic from drinking Radha’s wonderful kathamrta that thrill bumps of joy arose on His body.

 Noticing this Radhika said, “Are you suffering from some pain in your body?”Turning to Visakha, Radha said, “O sakhi! Give me that healing oil, and I will massage this girl with My own hand to remove all the pain in her body and then bathe make her feel happy. Then she will surely start speaking with us.”At this point, Krishna, perfectly imitating the voice of a woman, said, “I’m a heavenly damsel and I have come here thinking that only you can help me.” Radha: “I can clearly see that you are not an ordinary mortal since you have an incomparable radiance and beautiful face like an autumn lotus. But why are you so sad and forlorn?

Just consider me to be yours and reveal your mind.”Krishna (disguised as lady): “Although I’m a celestial, I simply desire to be your maidservant after observing your amazingly wonderful form, qualities and affection. It’s very difficult to remove, but You must remove my heartache.“Let me confide in you Radha.

Do You know that Krishna’s flute song is so powerful that it even resounds in heaven, and destroys the chastity of all the damsels there. Intensely desiring to know the origin of this bewitching sound, I descended to earth and have been staying at Vamshivata. And often I have observed your incomparible pastimes there with Sri Hari. “Thus I have concluded that even Lakshmi and Parvati are nothing in comparison with You. There is definitely no lady in creation with as much love as You. As to the cause of my heartache, it is Krishna whom I have fallen deeply in love with.”

Then Krishna (as lady) fell silent.Radha: “Why do you create so much misery for yourself by falling in love with Krishna? Indeed, Krishna is certainly a most handsome, talented, heroic and famous person, but He has one fault. He is very lusty and does not respect another’s love. He will lavish you with love, and then just leave you in kunja to lament and piteously cry in his separation as He runs off with some other girl.”Krishna (as lady) “Indeed sakhi, I have verily witnessed your agony and distress while I was staying at Vamsivata. Being a celestial, I have personally never experienced any heartaches. But now, after observing Your piteous wailing and lamentations in separation from Krishna, I too have become very pained in heart.”Radha: “O my beautiful girlfriend! I like you very much, and want you to always stay here with me in Vraja and not return to heaven. Then I will open the jewel box of my love and show you all my gems!”Krishna: “Yes, just order me. I only want to please you; for you are my only shelter!”Satisfied, Radha began to describe and define the nature of genuine “TRUE LOVE” i.e. Her own pristine prema for her Priyatama Shyama.Radha: “The absolute purity of one’s love is shown by one’s actions, which are all dedicated only to the happiness of the beloved.

But other than in Krishna, in all the three worlds where can such prema be found? It is the prema of the Vraja gopis only that gives Krishna unlimited bliss. Sometimes the gopis’ love may even appear like lust, but you should not think that it is lust. Because the Vraja-gopis are only interested in Krishna’s happiness and never their own.“Our Sri Krishna is an ocean of sweet love, full of all jewel-like transcendental qualities, and most attractive to all women. Yet even lacs and lacs of pretty girls cannot satisfy Krishna’s desires. It is the Vraja-gopis alone, with their pure selfless love, who have conquered Krishna’s heart.

 Radha continued, “Let me explain. Sometimes Krishna does not show up in the trysting place where I am waiting. Even though his mind is completely fixed on me, he may feel obliged sometimes to enjoy another gopi after being accosted by her on his way to me. Krishna, however, will not feel satisfied with her, because he will be thinking about how sad I must be feeling in his absence. 
“And that makes me doubly sad along with the fact that my beautiful dress, ornaments and loving expertise are all for naught because they could not be enjoyed by Krishna. Then when Krishna humbly comes to me at daybreak, I angrily tell him, ‘Go back and enjoy with that other girl!’ But this is also said all for Krishna’s pleasure. Such is the way of love in Vraja!”After hearing Radha’s ambrosial talk on the subject of prema, Krishna (as lady) summarized it saying, “O Priyasakhi! In essence, true love is such that it turns the lover’s faults into virtues, and the misery he gives into nectar bliss. A true beloved  cannot tolerate even the slightest misery to the lover. Prema makes the lover appear to be grand and glorious, even though he may not be glorious at all! It very clear to me now that you, Radha, are the only shelter of that prema.”Radhika then replied, “Listen sakhi, I immediately know exactly what is on My lover’s mind.”Krishna: (as lady) said, “Hey Gandharvike! I don’t doubt that you know Krishna’s mind, but the question is does Krishna know Your mind?”Radha: “Sakhi, people think that Krishna and I know each other’s minds, and that We eternally dwell within each other.

This is not quite correct, because in reality Krishna and I are one soul in two bodies. And We forever destroy the darkness of each other’s separation and delight Our sakhis.”Krishna: “How can I believe that You and Krishna are one soul without testing You? I will fully believe You if You can show Me that You are both thinking of the same thing at the same time. If You close Your eyes and just think, ‘Krishna should come here right now’ and He does, then I will believe that You and Krishna are one soul. And this will make Me very happy.”Vrshabhanunandini Radha then closed Her beautiful eyes and deeply meditated upon Her beloved Shyamasundara, thinking, “O Suryadeva (Radha’s ishtadeva)! O fulfiller of all My desires! O merciful one! If Gandharvika and Giridhari are indeed one soul, then bring Giridhari before Me right now to please My friends!”While Radharani was rapt in meditation, Hari abandoned His female disguise. Winking at the sakhis nearby, Shyama (now in His dashing handsome form) began to kiss and embrace Sri Radhika again and again. As Radhika was seeing Shyama within Her meditation and experiencing Him outside as well, She became immersed in ecstasy. After sometime, Radhika came to external consciousness. Seeing Shyama before Her, Lajjeshvari Radha shyly covered Her face with Her veil. Observing this amazing turn of events, Lalita said, “O gallant hero! It is most most amazing that You came here into the private inner chambers of Radha’s home without being seen by any of Radha’s superiors.”Krishna: “Actually Lalita, I am very surprised Myself how it happened. I was playing near the goshalla when suddenly I remembered Radhika and then this celestial damsel brought Me here.”Radha: “Hey Lalite! What happened to that celestial damsel anyway, and where is she now? By seeing that Shyama has come here just by My calling Him in meditation, she should now believe that Krishna and I are one soul.”Krishna: “Radha, was that damsel some kind of siddha yogini who gave You a mantra to fully control Me?

I also want that mantra, so then I can fulfill all My desires!” Lalita: “I am sorry Shyama for it seems that that yogini has suddenly disappeared. I will go outside and try to find her.”Turning to Radha, Lalita-sakhi said, “O sakhi, I think You can make Your beloved happy by giving Him this mantra Yourself!” Then Lalita and all the sakhis scurried out of the bedroom, leaving Radha-Madhava all alone to adorn each other with the many play jewels from the jewel box of Their mutual love.

(Prema Samputa, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti, adapted)

Radharani’s shuddha nirmala madhurya prema ki jai!

Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe! 

Purusottama month vrata (adhika mas)

MAHANIDHI SWAMI

introduction to purusottama month:

Purusottama month or adhika masa (extra month) is also called mala masa, which means the dirty or useless month. In India, the sadhus, sadhakas and pious people of all sampradayas undertake serious penances (vratas) during Purusottama Month. Now let us examine the name, history, benefits and method of practice of this age old “King of All Vratas” or month long penances.

WHY IS IT CALLED MALA MASA? (dirty or useless month) This is because all forms of karmic activities i.e. karma-kanda (reward seeking) pujas and yajnas will not produce any results this month. Therefore it is a useless month. Gaudiya Vaisnavas say the dirt or filth indicated by the word mala refers to the fact that devotional activities performed in this month quickly and easily destroy the mental dirt, filth and contamination caused by sins, ignorance and aparadhas. Thus for Krishna bhaktas this is the most purifying and beneficial month.

WHY IS IT CALLED ADHIKA MAS? (extra month)

It is called adhika (extra) masa because Sri Krishna has placed not only extra but ALL HIS potencies, mercy and blessings in this month, which supercharges this month beyond all others. Thus a sadhaka will receive extra or more results from any religious actions performed.

WHAT MAKES THIS MONTH SO GREAT?

The Puranas say that Purusottama Month is the favorite month of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. Sri Krishna personally created this month and named it after Himself. Purusottama Month, which only comes once every 36 months, is the most powerful spiritual reward giving month among all the months. It is far superior to the pious months of Magha, Vaisakha and Karttika. On the earth planet and all over the universe the Purusottama Month is honored and worshiped by devotees, sages, gods and Laksmi Devi Herself.

BENEFITS OF PURUSOTTAMA MONTH VRATA

Different months of the year have different ista-devatas, worshipable Personalities. But for Adhika Month, Radha-Krishna Yugala are the ista-devatas. If one sincerely worships Radha and Krishna in Purusottama month, he will attain whatever he wants. Observing the Purusottama vrata burns up the reactions of all one’s bad karma and gives the direct service of Radha and Krishna. Purusottama month is the best month to make spiritual advancement because Krishna overlooks all aparadhas. Residence in the holy dhama in this month yields 1000 times the benefit of living elsewhere!!! We invite all the fortunate to quickly book a room in Radha Kunda or Vrindavana to worship Radha-Krishna Yugala in the prema giving holy abode of Sri Vrindavana Dhama. Come and join the thousands of pilgrims doing dandavat parikrama of Giri-Govardhana this month!!! Giriraj Dharan ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

The glories of pursottama MONTH

All quotes come from the Padma and Skanda Purana.

1. Lord Sri Krishna: “Purusottama Month has all the power I have to bless its observer. One who follows Purusottama vrata will destroy all his past sinful reactions. Without performing Purusottama vrata, one cannot perform pure devotional service. The value of Purusottama month is far more valuable than all other types of austerities and religious activities mentioned in the Vedas. Anyone who observes Purusottama vrata will return to My abode, Goloka, at the end of his life.&

2. Durvasa Muni: “One becomes sinless just by bathing in a holy river during Purusottama Month. The glory of all other months is not equal to one-sixteenth of the glory of the Purusottama Month. Bathing in a holy place, giving charity and chanting the Holy Names of Krishna during Purusottama Month destroys all miseries, awards all kinds of perfection and fulfills all desires.&

3. Valmiki Muni: Observing Purusottama vrata brings more benefit than performing one hundred horse sacrifices. All holy places live within the body of an observer of the Purusottama Month vrata. Anyone who faithfully performs Purusottama vrata will go to Goloka Vrndavana&.

4. Narada Muni: &Purusottama Month is the best of all months, vratas and austerities. Just by faithfully hearing the glories of Purusottama Month, one attains Krishna-bhakti and immediately nullifies his sinful reactions. One who performs Purusottama vrata properly will attain unlimited piety and spiritual merit (sukrti) and go to the spiritual world.”

5. Naimisaranya Sages: &Merciful Purusottama Month acts like a desire tree to fulfill a devotee's desire.”

HOW TO OBSERVE THE PURUSOTTAMA MONTH VRATA

General points: Observe celibacy and bathe daily before sunrise; chant extra rounds and read Srimad Bhagavatam daily; give charity.

1. Rise at brahma-muhurta (1½ hours before sunrise), and jump out of bed chanting “Jaya Radhe!”

2. Chant Hare Krishna Mahamantra and meditate on Radha-Krishna's beautiful divine forms, qualities, and ecstatically purifying and heart stirring transcendental pastimes in Sridhama Vrndavana. Daily chant fixed number extra rounds for entire month: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 32, 64, 108, 192 (always multiples of four rounds).

3. Observe the Vrata in Vrndavana, Navadvipa or any holy dhama to experience the maximum benefits and bliss.

4. Daily offer full puja or at least a ghee lamp to Radha-Krishna Deities or picture. Offer a row of 33 individual clay ghee lamps daily, or at least for one auspicious day this month e.g. (ekadasi, sankranti, purnima etc).  

5. Daily Tulasi Devi aratika and parikrama.

6. Daily Thakuraji Mandira parikrama (4 times).

7. Daily offer roses, lotus, and tulasi manjaris and 100,000 Tulasi leaves (or as many as you can) to Radha-Krishna Deities or photos and paintings.

8. Daily read Srimad Bhagavatam.

9. Hear Radha-Krishna Katha from advanced Gaudiya Vaisnavas.

10. Daily chant Sri Jagannathastakam (because this vrata is named after and often performed in Purusottma Ksetra Jagannatha Puri Dhama. Also chant astakams, prayers and bhajans glorfying Radha-Krishna Yugala.

11. Take a vow to remain peaceful and 100% truthful throughout the month.

12. Be careful not to blaspheme any devotees, brahmanas, saints, cows, sastras or especially anyone observing the Purusottama Month Vrata.

13. Don’t ask anyone for anything; be satisfied with whatever you have, and don’t endeavor to acquire any material thing during this month.

14. Try your best to please Radha and Krishna by performing devotional austerities according to your abilities. Don’t break your vow in the middle of the month. Be determined, pray intently for mercy and tolerate your crazy monkey mind. Take a vow, at least for this month, to remain deaf to your mind.

15. Eat on leaf plates sitting on the floor (optional).

16. No cutting of hair or nails (optional).

17. No cooking in oil or rubbing oil on your body.

18. Don’t eat mustard oil nor rub on the body.

Diets: Be your own guide and choose an eating program that is realistic within your means. The main vrata and austerity is to everyday Krishna consciously associate with serious devotees in Vrndavana who are glorifying Radha-Krishna

************If you can, it is best to EAT ONCE A DAY after sunset or at noon the following diets:

i) only milk; ii) only fruits (no milk, no veg.); iii) no grains (selected veg., fruits, nuts, milk); iv) selected foods (all categories as per caturmasya standards).

A NICE HUMILITY VRATA: Daily offer 33 dandavats to Bhagavan Sri Krishna or the Vaisnavas.

SRILA BHAKTIVINODA THAKURA’S Purusottama Month VRATA:

Observe 30 days of concentrated, one–pointed worship and service to Radha-Govinda Yugala by hearing, chanting, remembering Their divine names, forms, qualities, pastimes, and honor Sri Krishna’s Mahaprasada.

BEST DAYS TO GIVE CHARITY TO DEVOTEE BRAHMANAS:

Ekadasi, Dvadasi, Purnima, Amavasya, Sravana Naksatra Day; DO offer money, gold, cloth, shoes, fruits, etc. Also offer 33 plantains or mangos plus dana and daksina to Brahmanas and Vaisnavas.

Very Important Point: When you give dana (i.e. diff. items like cloth, land, gold, cows, books, sweets, flowers, clothing, shoes, umbrellas) to a brahmana, one must simultaneously donate daksina (i.e. money equal to the monetary value of the dana). For example, if give a 300 rupees pair of new shoes, then must give 300 rupees in laksmi or money to that same person.

BREAKING THE PURUSOTTAMA VRATA

1. Day and Time: consult local calendar.

2. Bathe in brahma-muhurta time

3. Perform Deity Worship: Radha-Syamasundara Deities, personal Deities or Picture.

4. Chant this mantra: &O Supreme Lord, O Sanatana, O Purusottama, O Lord Hari! I offer my obeisances unto you. May you and your beloved Radhika, please accept my offerings. I offer my repeated obeisances unto Syamasundara, who wears effulgent yellow garments on His beautiful body.

5. Offer pushpanjali (handfuls of fresh fragrant flowers or petals) and then dandavats to your personal Deities or Deity Picture.

6. Feed and give charity to 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 brahmanas/ Vaisnavas to the best of your ability (e.g., new clothes, two pairs of shoes, umbrella, ghee, yogurt, gumsas, sweets, lotas, plates. Also donate money equal to cost of given item (ie If give Rp. 300 box of sweets, then also give Rp. 300.

********According  to Puranas, the best charity is to give a Srimad Bhagavatam to a qualified grhastha vaisnava brahmana. This act will deliver all your ancestors to the spiritual world and award them the association of Lord Purusottama!************

SPECIFIC VRATA BREAKING ACTIONS

If you ate fruits, ghee, rice, wheat etc, donate the same to brahmanas.

If you slept on the floor, give a bed and pillows to a brahmana.

If you ate on a leaf plate, feed brahmanas with ghee and sugar.

If you didn’t cut nails or hair, donate a mirror to a brahmana.

If you offered ghee lamps, give new lamps and pots to a brahmana

********If you broke any rules or regulations during Purusottama vrata, feed different sweet juices to brahmanas.

******Mahadeva Lord Siva says that the best charity is to: &Fill a bell metal pot with thirty malpuas (a pancake like sweet), bind the pot with seven new threads and give to a worthy brahmana.&

[[[[[[[[[Comment: many humble niskincana Vaisnavas have no money or sufficient wealth to donate substantially to brahmanas. But according to your means, donate some laksmi or a new object to a qualified person, begging for his mercy and blessings. And in your mind, (manasi-seva), you can sincerely donate generously to many good devotees. Remember that sastras say, bhava grahi janardana, Bhagavan Sri Krishna is pleased with the purity and sincerity of one’s attitude, mood of love and purity of purpose. Try your best to break your vow by donating something within your means.

May Giridhari Syama bless you all with full success in your Purusottama Month Vrata, being performed solely for the divine pleasure of Sri Guru, Gauranga and Sri Sri Radha and Krishna.

Purusottama month vrata ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

What is Bhuta Shuddhi?

Mahanidhi swami 

In an earlier article, we mentioned the practice of “identity purification”. This practice helps one transcend his material false ego and false self-identification by understanding and realizing his eternal spiritual identity as Bhagavan Sri Krishna’s eternal servant. Gurus and sastras prescribe various systems and prayers for bhuta-shuddhi, which literally means purifying the elements of our physical and mental body. 

Srimad Bhagavatam (11.3.49) outlines many of the points we have discussed so far, and also hints at bhuta-shuddhi:

“First become clean, then purify the body (pindam vishodhya) by pranayama and other means (i.e. bhuta shuddhi), sit on an asana facing Thakurji, enter a mood of detachment, invoke Sri Krishna’s protection, and then begin your worship of Hari,” shucih sammukham asinah, prana samyamanadibhih, pindam vishodhya sannyasa, krta raksho arcayed dharim.

Chanting prayers for identity purification, bhuta shuddhi, was mentioned in part two of “How to Chant Mantras”. Below are samples of bhuta-shuddhi prayers along with a discussion of the principle: 

1) naham vipro na ca nara patir napi vaisyo na sudro, 

naham varni na ca grha patir no vanastho yatir va,

kintu prodyan nikhila-param ananda purnamrtabdher

gopi bhartuh pada kamalayor dasa dasa anu dasa

&I am not a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra. I am not a brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha or sannyasi. What am I? I am the eternal servant of the servant of the servant of Sri Krishna, the master of the gopis.& (Padyavail 63)

2) &By nature I am Krishna's eternal servant. But by misfortune I have been inimical toward Krishna from time immemorial. Thus identifying with my temporary material body, I have been continuously rotating in the cycle of samsara, suffering the three¬fold miseries of material existence. 

“Now by the causeless mercy of my beloved spiritual master I fully realize that I am Krishna's eternal servant. I am an individual spiritual being, completely separate from my gross and subtle body. 

“By the mercy of my Spiritual master, I have obtained the good fortune of serving him, and assisting him in his eternal service to the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Gandharvika-Giridhari in the blissful, spiritual realm of Goloka Vrndavana.& (M Madan Gopal das)

For more advanced sadhakas, Sri Jiva Goswamipada advises this bhuta shuddhi: “Those dedicated to serving Bhagavan Sri Krishna can perform bhuta shuddhi by meditating on possessing a body of an associate of the Lord suitable for service to one’s cherished form of the Lord (for instance a Vraja gopi) since it is favorable for one’s devotional development. (Bhakti Sandarbha 286)

In summary, we remind you that while chanting do not engage in other activities, such as talking, looking here and there, shaking the head, pacing back and forth, yawning, dozing, scratching, or touching the nose. Distraction means inattention; inattention means offense, and offenses block the path to prema.

The most important factor in successful chanting is the type of conception and sentiment behind the chanting of the mantras. To help one chant the mantra perfectly various rituals have been introduced to purify the mind and increase concentration. These rituals include acamana, pranayama, sankalpa, dhyana, arghya, and so on. 

Although Hari-bhakti-vilasa explains the importance of performing various rituals, Srila Sanatana Goswamipada also states that if one can chant the mantra without offense, then he can discard many of the rituals. The most important point is to chant the mantra with rapt attention, fully concentrating on the meaning of each word and the meaning of the complete mantra.

We conclude this article with a beautiful teaching for all of us contained in Manah Siksa (v.1), wherein Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami implores us to cultivate love for our Gurudeva and the sublime diksa mantras he has bestowed upon us. Dasa Gosvami prays to his mind, &O my dear brother, my foolish mind! I humbly pray to you with sweet words. Please give up all pride and quickly develop sublime and incessant rati for your diksa-mantras.& 

(Excerpt from Gayatri Mahima Madhuri by Mahanidhi Swami) 

Sri Guru & Diksa Mantras prema ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe! 

Giriraja Dandavats & Purusottama Month

Mahanidhi swami

Every time that Purusottma Month occurs, hundreds of thousands of children, adults and aged bhaktas from all over India perform dandavat parikrama of Sri Giriraja Govardhana. Indeed, it is most amazing and wonderful darsana to see so many sincere devotees in one place offering their bodies, hearts and words to Giriraja Dharana ki jai!

Offering dandavats, lying full body on the ground, is an ancient devotional practice called Visnu pada-sevanam, which is the fourth anga of bhakti-sadhana described by Srila Rupa Goswamipada in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu.

Most of the traditional spiritual practices done in India have their origin in sacred scriptures. The humbling, purifying, enlivening and ego-dissolving practice of offering dandavats to Thakuraji Deities, Saints, Gurus, Vaisnavas, sacred places, lila-sthalis, and dandavata parikrama of favorite temples, Vrndavana, Govardhana Hill and Radha-kunda is mentioned in many Puranas and writings by acharyas.

We could not find a reference on this point. But it will be most welcome here if someone could provide shastra references about the importance or special benefit of doing dandavat parikrama of Govardhana Hill specifically during Purusottama month.

Although not mentioning Giriraja dandavats, the following entry shows a clear connection between Giriraja Govardhana and the Purusottama Month. In verse 83 of his bhakti-sutras, Narada Muni glorifies the ancient sage Kaundilya Muni, saying that he was a great “bhakti-acarya”.

In a previous age during Purosottama Month, Kaundilya Muni repeatedly chanted the following mantra every day throughout the sacred Adhika Month:

govardhana-dharam vande gopalam

gopa-rupinam gokulotsavam

isanam govindam gopika-priyam

“I worship Gopala, the lifter of Govardhana Hill, who is a beautiful cowherd boy of Vraja. Gopala’s presence fills Gokula with festive bliss. And Gopala is the beloved of all the Vraja gopikas, especially Priyaji Radha.”

In the phala-shruti, Kaundilya Muni gives a blessing saying, “By chanting this mantra with devotion during Sri Purusottama month, one will attain Vraja Lila-Purusottama Sri Krishna along with Srimati Radharani, and attain fulfillment of all their desires.”

We encourage everyone to come to Govardhana Hill and Radha Kunda to perform dandavat parikrama. If dandavats is not feasible then wherever you are you can chant the prayer above, do mental parikrama every day, and worship Radha-Krishna Yugala in all the many ways described in our article on Observing Purusottama Month.

Purusottama Vrata ki jai!  Giriraja Radha-kunda Dandavat Parikrama ki jai!

Giriraja Dharan ki jai!   Jai Jai Sri Radhe!  

Surya Upasaka Radha

For the Vrajavasis of 5,000 years ago and today, Radha and Krishna are their most adorable and worshipable personalities, ista-devatas. Yet we see that both Krishna’s associates, who were visible here 50 centuries ago, and the contemporary Vrajavasis also honor and worship a host of other gods like Shiva, Surya, Shani and Durga.

Sastras tell that Krishna’s father Nanda Baba’s family deity (kula devata) was Laksmi-Narayana and Nrsimha; Radha’s kula devata was Suryadeva; and Chandravalli’s kula devata was Gauri Durga. One name of Radha is Bhanunandini, which means daughter of the sun, denoting Her father King Vrishabhanu Maharaja. 

In order for Sri Radha, Yasoda Ma, Subala, Raktak and all the other eternal associates in Vrindavana to relish the very personal, sweet intimacy of their eternal relationships with Sri Krishna, they never think for a moment that Krishna is Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 

Their prema is unique and special. For the Vrajavasis always think that Krishna is just a cowherd like us—our son, our best friend, or loving master.

Radha and the damsels of Vraja see Krishna simply as their most dashing, daring and handsome darling. Shyama is their swain, the sweet Prince of Vraja, whom they love millions of more times than themselves. 

So if Krishna is Radha’s everything, then why does Radharani devotedly worship Suryadeva, the sun god, every day? This is simply another manifestation of Kishori’s unlimited love for Shyama. Swamini worships Surya just to pray for Krishna’s health and welfare. 

Besides that, on the pretext of surya-puja, Radhika can leave her mother-in-law behind at home, and go to Radha Kunda to enjoy six hours of blissful pastimes with Krishna every day! Occasionally, Jatila, Radha’s mother-in-law, hurries to Surya-kunda to see if Radha is cavorting with Krishna. 

But all she finds in the Surya temple is a cute, &syama-complexioned Brahmin boy& from Mathura conducting the puja for Radharani. 

In this way, Sriji’s surya-puja enhances Krishna's pleasure, which is the one and only goal of every Vrajavasis’ thoughts, words and deeds. 

Surya Upasaka Radha ki jai!
Bhanunandini Radha ki jai!
Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

Radha’s Dearest Girlfriend

Because she has the same mood, name, qualities and birth date as Radhika, Vishakha-devi is Radhika’s nearest and dearest girlfriend among the eight confidential sakhis (asta-sakhis). Radha is the name of a star, nakshatra, and Vishakha is another name of that star.

Vishakha has a deep loving friendship with Kishori and she is the abode of Radha’s confidence. Vishakha,who conquers the eloquence of goddess Sarasvati, greatly pleases Sriji whenever she defeats Shyama with her expertise in speaking intimate joking words. 

Vishakha always represents the interests of Isvari Radha. For example, during the Holi color squirting wars, Radha sends Vishakha to the opposing party led by Krishna so that Vishakha can monitor Krishna’s movements. At other times, Vishakha acts to incite Krishna’s attraction for Swamini Radha. In his Ujjvala-nilamanitika (Dutibheda 87), Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada tells a beautiful lila to illustrate this wonderful seva of Vishakha-sakhi. 

One day, Radha called Vishakha to Her side and whispered in her ear, “O sakhi Vishakhe! You know everything about Me, and you are a most expert speaker. Take some sakhis with you, and on the pretext of picking flowers go just near where Krishna is playing. 

“Pretending not to see Shyama, you should speak casually with your girlfriends about the supremacy of My form, qualities and love just loud enough so Krishna hears.
“Krishna will then ask you, ‘Hey sakhi, whose wonderful sweetness are you glorifying?’ You should reply nonchalantly, ‘O, no one’s’ and remain silent. Krishna will then say, ‘Sakhi, why are you afraid to tell Me? That’s okay, I already understand who you are talking about, and I have a very confidential relationship with that girl.’

Radha continues, “Then Vishakha you should say, ‘I don’t believe You because You two are so different from each other. How can You be related to Radha?’
When Krishna replies saying, ‘What difference?’ you should explain. Tell Shyama, ‘You are a debauchee and Radha is chaste and devoted to her husband. You are whimsical and Radhika is steady and even-minded. You are impious and Priyaji is religious and devoted to the demigods. You are dirty full of Vraja-raja and go-dhuli, but Radha bathes thrice daily and dresses in new clothes.’

“Krishna will then say, ‘Please take Me to Radha so I can see Her.’ Vishakha, you should reply, ‘Radha will never look at You!’ In response, Krishna will say ‘That’s okay. I will feel blessed if I can look at Radha even from afar!’

“Vishakha, you should say, ‘So Shyama just how will You do that?’ Krishna will answer, ‘Today I will personally install a deity of the Sun god in a cave of Govardhana Hill. You bring Radha to see that Deity, and hiding nearby I will be satisfied just by seeing Radha from the back. Vishakha, if you are really kind upon Me then just arrange for Me to touch Radha’s feet.’

Then you should say, ‘For that seva what reward will you give me?’ Krishna will reply, ‘Sakhi, I will sell My very self to you!’Vishakha, you should then say, ‘Okay Madhava, just wait and I will fulfill all your desires!’
Vishakha, then quickly come back and take Me to My beloved sweetheart Shyama.”
Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

A Daytime Tryst

 

One day in Varsana, Rasavati Rai heard the beckoning of Shyama’s sweet flute song. Enchanted with a desire to touch Damodara, Devi immediately gave up all other considerations. Vrishabhanunandini broke the bonds of Her superiors suspicious glances, forgot about Her husband’s home and quickly ran out to meet Her sweetheart.

Spreading over Radha’s head like a canopy of fire, thescorching summer sun shined directly on Swamini’s head and burned the sand below Her dainty feet. Though Sukumari’s body is as soft as butter and Her feet more tender than lotus petals, Radha, careless in love’s embrace, simply cried, “Hari! Hari!” and continued Her race. 

Who can stop the course of love? As the celestial Ganga, Suratarangini, floods its banks with its powerful waves, the Suratarangini Sri, with its high waves of exquisite sweetness, powerfully rushes into the dark ocean—Shyama!

“Slow down Swamini! The path is full of pebbles and thorns,” warns Her confidante Sri Rupa. “Don’t go so fast! Walk a little slower, or You will hurt Your tender lotus feet.”

Suddenly Srimati catches the intoxicating aroma of Shyama’s body, and soars after it like a honeybee seeking a nectar lotus. 

Meanwhile, Madhava anxiously waits, sitting on a jeweled platform within a solitary nikunja. Illuminating the kunja entrance with the golden splendor of Her divine form, Gaurangi arrives. Hearing Haripriya’s tinkling anklebells and seeing Her enter the kunja, Pyare-mohana drowns in a nectar ocean of eagerness.

Thrilled with Their mutual darshana, Yugala glance at each other with unsteady eyes welling with tears of love. Although Vamya Vallabhi is naturally unwilling, today Radha wraps Kanu in a tight hug of generosity. Locked in love’s embrace Vinoda and Vinodini resemble a lightning streak merged in a raincloud, or a black bee enjoying the honey of a golden lotus. 

O, when will the fish of my eyes, astonished with such a sweet vision, swim in the nectar ocean of Sriji meeting Shyama?

Four Ways Out

Mahanidhi swami  june 30, 2014

We are all trapped in Maya, mad after sense gratification, and endlessly moving on the wheel of repeated birth and death (samsara chakra). If Krishna does not save us, we are lost forever. In four wonderful ways, our loving Lord Sri Krishna extends His causeless mercy to free us. 1) In the form of Guru, Krishna goes house to house to initiate everyone; 2) In the form of Vaisnavas, Krishna instructs everyone; 3) In the form of scriptures, Krishna speaks transcendental knowledge; 4) In the form of Supersoul, Krishna internally guides, reveals and advises (Bg. 10.10)

ParamaKrpalu Sri Krishna ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

OM MY GOD! Part two

Mahanidhi swami 

The divine syllable OM has nothing to do with an impersonal conception. The following verses from Gopala-tapani Upanisad clearly establish that OM means the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna. &The sound vibration OM denotes the catur-vyuha-tattva of Sankarsana (Sri Balarama), Pradyumna, Aniruddha, and Vasudeva (Sri Krishna). As OM transcends the three qualities of material nature, one should also know oneself to be beyond the identity of the material body: T am the eternal servitor of Krishna.' This consciousness must be maintained at all times.

&The letter A' denotes Balarama, the son of Rohini, who is the substratum of the entire universe; 'U' denotes Pradyumna, who is the Supersoul of the universe; 'M' denotes Aniruddha, who is the Supersoul of each individual being in the universe. The dot above the M denotes Sri Krishna, the fountainhead of all Visnu incarnations.& (GU)

Besides supporting Sri Jiva Gosvami's explanation that OM represents Radha and Krishna, the Gopala-tapani Upanisad further states that the seed of Krishna's eternal pastimes is inherent in the seed mantra OM. &The enlightened sages declare that the svarupa-sakti of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, Sri Radha, being the prime mula-prakrti, is nondifferent from OM. Gopala Krishna, who is the creator, sustainer, and destroyer of the universe, is also nondifferent from OM.& (GU v. 58)

Acaryas also explain that in the seed word OM which is a combination of three syllables, A-U-M. A—expresses the form of Lord Visnu; U—expresses the form of His consort Sri, the mother and support of the entire world; M—expresses the individual soul, who is the dependent servant of Visnu and Sri and no one else. The sound vibration omkara is the root of Vedic knowledge, and it is known as maha-vakya, or the supreme sound.

In the next article, we will learn about the relation between OM and the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

(Excerpt from Gayatri Mahima Madhuri by Mahanidhi Swami)

Om Tat Sat!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe! 

OM MY GOD! Part one

Mahanidhi swami 

The chanting of the spiritual mantra OM, the primordial vibration of transcendence, Divinity in sound, is probably one of most popular chanting mantras in the world. Before coming to Krishna consciousness many devotees dabbled in the continual chanting of: OM…OM…OM…OM…OM…OM…OM... 

Bhagavata-gita (10.8) tells us that everything, and that means EVERY  THING, begins with Sri Krishna, that beautiful flute player, the darling sweetheart of the cowherd damsels of Vraja; (aham sarvasya prabhavo, mattah sarvam pravartate). And yes, from Muralidhara’s flute comes OM to ignite this world with transcendence. Let’s learn more about this most famous and intriguing spiritual mantra.

Regarding the origin of OM, Srila Prabhupada said, “When Krishna began to play on His flute, that sweet sound vibration entered into the ear of Brahma as the Vedic mantra OM is composed of three letters—A, U, and M, OM describes our relationship with the Supreme Lord (sambandha), the activities by which we can achieve the highest perfection of love (abhidheya), and the actual position of love on the spiritual platform (prayojana). “When the sound vibration of Krishna's flute was expressed through the mouth of Brahma, it became Gayatri. Thus being influenced by the sound vibration of Krishna's flute, Brahma, the first living entity of this material world, was initiated as a brahmana.

&Srila Jiva Gosvami confirms that Brahma was initiated as a brahmana by the flute of Krishna. When Brahma was enlightened by the Gayatri mantra through Krishna's flute, he attained all Vedic knowledge. Acknowledging the benediction offered to him by Krishna, he became the original spiritual master of all living entities.& (TLC ch. 31)

Meaning of OM

The first mantra is pranava OM. The Vedas glorify OM as the origin of the Vedas and as the source of the whole creation. For this reason, OM precedes every Vedic mantra. OM expands into the vyahrtis (bhuh, bhuvah, svah) which indicate the whole expanse of the creation: the earth and lower planetary systems, the region of the sky, and the upper planetary systems. The vyahrtis then expand into the Brahma-gayatri mantra. The Gayatri then expands into all the Vedas.

The pranava OM, the vyahrtis, and the Brahma-gayatri combined together are the essence of the Vedas, and the most powerful of mantras. Chanting these mantras has remained the cornerstone of spiritual progress in Vedic culture since time immemorial. OM, the sacred syllable of assent, is a seed mantra mentioned throughout the Vedic literatures and chanted by all varieties of transcendentalists. 

It has also worked its way into many languages to indicate God. In English, all-important descriptions of God have &OM& as its root. OM enters the English language as the prefix omni. Therefore words like omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient are valid descriptions of God and, all begin with the root OM. Christians end prayers with Amen meaning OM, and Muslims say Amin, denoting God.

One net entry described OM like this: &In every breath man utters and repeats it unintentionally and inevitably. Every vibration in the body and in the universe emerges from OM. A child cries &OM! OM!& The ocean roars &OM! OM!& The bees buzz &OM! OM!& The musician hums &OM! OM!& OM is the expression of the seer of the Truth. OM is Veda, the wisdom of God. OM is the sound of God. OM is eternal, the indestructible word.& 

Despite the apparent universality of the word OM, only Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the Gaudiya Vaisnavas have revealed the full spiritual significance of OM. In the Bhagavad-gita, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna says, pranavah sarva vedesu: &I am the syllable OM mentioned in all the Vedas& Besides indicating the Supreme Personality of Godhead, OM is nondifferent from the sound of Krishna's flute. Unfortunately, most people today have an impersonal conception of the sacred syllable OM.

Srila Prabhupada said that OM means Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. &The sound of OM in the beginning of every Vedic hymn addresses the Supreme Lord. Because the impersonalists are very much afraid of addressing the Supreme Lord Krishna by His innumerable names, they prefer to vibrate the transcendental sound omkara. But they do not realize that omkara is the sound representation of Krishna. The jurisdiction of Krishna consciousness extends everywhere, and one who is in Krishna consciousness is blessed.& (BG 7.8 p.) 

&OM is the alphabetical representation of Krishna. This representation of Krishna, however, is impersonal. It is like Krishna's bodily luster or His brahman effulgence. Impersonalists like to chant OM, but we wish to chant Krishna's feature of pastimes because His personal feature is the ultimate understanding. OM is the symbol of eternity (sat), but there is no bliss (ananda) and knowledge (cit). OM tat sat: tat means the Absolute Truth, and sat means eternity. So OM tat sat means, 'Oh, the Absolute Truth is eternal.'& (SPL 17/3/68)

The Upanisads and realized Gaudiya Vaisnava acaryas like Sri Jiva Gosvami reveal that OM, besides indicating the Supreme Lord Krishna, also includes His personal energies or saktis in the form of His divine pleasure potency, Srimati Radhika, and His eternal servants, the jiva-sakti or individual souls. &OM is a combination of the letters, A, U, M. The letter 'A refers to Krishna; 'U' refers to Radha; 'M' refers to the jiva soul.& (GVV)

&The Gosvamis declare that (pranava) omkara is the complete representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They have analyzed omkara in terms of its alphabetical constituents as follows: omkara is a combination of the letters A, U, and M. The letter A refers to Krishna, the master of all living entities and planets both material and spiritual. The letter U indicates Srimati Radharani, the pleasure potency of Krishna, and M denotes the living entities (jivas). Thus OM is the complete combination of Krishna, His potency and His eternal servitors.

&In other words, omkara represents Krishna, His name, fame, pastimes, entourage, expansions, devotees, potencies and everything else pertaining to Him. As Caitanya Mahaprabhu states in the present verse of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, sarva-visva-dhama: omkara is the resting place of everything, just as Krishna is the resting place of everything (brahmano hi pratisthahamy &(Cc. Adi 7.128 p.)

(Excerpt from Gayatri Mahima Madhuri by Mahanidhi Swami) 

Om Tat Sat!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe! 

Mantra, Nama and Need for Diksha part one

Mahanidhi swami 

The sastras repeatedly stress the incredible power of chanting Krishna's holy names. Harinama, even without diksa, or any preliminary rites of purification immediately produces results as soon as it contacts the tongue, &The Hare Krishna maha-mantra is so amazingly powerful that it gives fruit as soon as it touches the tongue. This mantra removes great sins that cannot be destroyed byyajna, tapa, dana, or other means. It is freely available and can be chanted by anyone, anywhere, at any time. Unlike other mantras, the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra does not depend upon diksa, proper behavior, or rituals of purification.& (Padyavali 29)

Despite the astonishing potency of harinama, according to Sri Jiva Gosvami, one must still follow mahajanas like Narada Muni who first took diksa and then worshiped their beloved Deities. Without accepting mantra diksa from a spiritual master one cannot awaken his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a servant, friend and so on. Only Sri Guru can establish one's eternal relationship with Krishna. 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, His followers, and all of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas down to the present day have honored this tradition. Besides chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityananda and Sri Advaita Acarya all took mantra diksa from a bona fide spiritual master. To remain on the path of vaidhi-sadhana one needs only the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. 

In order to progress on the platform of raga-marga and eventually serve Krishna's eternal vraja-lilas one must receive diksa mantras such as the Kama-bija, Gopala-mantra and Kama-gayatri. The Hari-bhakti-vilasa explains that these mantras are absolutely necessary for internal worship through meditation and for external worship of the arca-vigraha of Radha-Krishna.

The Hare Krishna maha-mantra is the nama atmika, the very life of  Gopala-mantra and Kama-gayatri. The holy name of Krishna is the original mantra vibrating in the spiritual world of Goloka Vrndavana. These mantras (Gopala-mantra, Kama-gayatri) and other Vedic mantras have life because different names of Krishna are within them. Sripada Madhvacarya explained that the Vedic mantras used in demigod worship have potency because they contain secondary names of Krishna (gauna-nama).

In reality, mantras like om namo sivaya and others which are used to petition various demigods are indirectly glorifying Krishna. The word sivaya for example means &all-auspicious.& Indeed, everything about the Supreme Lord Krishna is completely auspicious. Besides that, it is Sri Krishna alone who invests the demigods with their marvelous powers. 

Of all mantras, Krishna's holy name is the most important. Sri Jiva Gosvami says Gayatri-mantra i.e. Kama Gayatri has value because it contains Krishna's names within it. Being full and complete (nitya mukto, purna suddho), the holy name can give everything required. The Gayatri mantra, however, is accepted to improve one's worship of the holy name. 

The material world is a perverted reflection of the pure spiritual realm. In the spiritual world the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is at the top, but it becomes reflected in the material world as the mantra Om. The mantra Om is seen throughout the Vedas, and the other Gayatri mantras are found in the Smrtis. Then later in subsequent Vedic literatures the Hare Krishna maha-mantra becomes manifest. Because of the maha-mantra's seeming obscurity, the smarta brahmanas do not consider chanting Hare Krishna as important as chanting the Vedas and the Gayatri mantras. In reality, however, chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is the very essence of all the Vedas.

(Excerpt from Gayatri Mahima Madhuri by Mahanidhi Swami) 

Jai Gopala! Jai Sri Krishna!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe! 

Beautiful Boons of Bhagavatam

Mahanidhi swami 

Just by casually hearing/reading about Sri Krishna’s wonderful, sweet pastimes depicted in the Srimad Bhagavatam, you will attain four amazing blessings, even without desiring such priceless gifts.

Moreover, the inner peace and heart’s satisfaction you’ll feel by hearing the Srimad Bhagavatam will soon make you “fall in love with Bhagavata”, as you hanker to hear/read it every day, nityam bhagavata sevaya (SB 1.2.15).

But how does it all happen? As you hear/read the Srimad Bhagavatam, you will automatically acquire higher knowledge which will subdue your lower material nature and remove your miseries. You won’t even realize how this is happening—a magical transformation of YOU.

An extraordinary inner joy and satisfaction will arise in your heart like a rich sweet aroma coming from a field of blossoming roses. This new found joy will make you detached from material sense objects, and non-devotional people and places, even without trying for it.

You, the former materialist, have now become a spiritualist—a seeker of life’s essence, God’s love. And with your Bhagavata treasures of a peaceful mind and a happy heart, you will move quickly along the path of Krishna prema bhakti. 

As Bhagavan Sri Krishna says in Gita (18.54): “A spiritualist—free from grief and hankering—sees all equally and soon attains My pure love!”  

 

To summarize, let’s see the four great treasures of hearing/reading the Srimad Bhagavatam:

1) You acquire divine knowledge and peace to subdue your lower nature.

2) Delight fills your mind to dispel your gloom and despair.

3) Your joy brings easy detachment from material sense objects/people.

4) You attain a state of liberation leading you to life’s goal of Sri Krishna prema bhakti.

So my dear friends of loving faces!

May you all dive deeply into the fathomless, beautiful, exciting, fulfilling, romantic, wisdom-filled, purifying and blissful ocean of immortal nectar ambrosia named &The Srimad Bhagavatam!”

Grantha Raja, Amala Purana, Srimad Bhagavatam ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe! 

Diksha is Personal

Mahanidhi swami 

The most significant, auspicious, beneficial and beautiful event in person’s entire material existence occurs when he/she receives diksha from Sri Guru. It is a momentous moment of transformation, elevation and elation that permanently establishes one on the path of liberation to the kingdom of God, Vraja prema or Vaikuntha moksha.

The candidate for diksha sits in the sacred space created just beside Sri Guru and Thakuraji Sri Krishna. It is confidential time; private, personal and intimate; hearts exchanging surrender and mercy, shishya sharanagati and Guru krpa. 

Although based on thousands of years of tradition, and solid, scientific scriptural evidence, the whole transcendental function is very sweet, loving and above all completely personal. You alone sitting beside God incarnate Sri Guru. 

As you read on, you will discover how personal and divinely endearing the timeless tradition of diksha is. According to shastra, all Vaisnavas receive diksa by accepting five sacraments of purification known as the pancha samskaras. Upon adopting these panca-samskaras, a faithful person begins to worship Bhagavan, and eventually attains Krishna prema or eternal, blissful pure love of God. The panca-samskaras (pundra, nama, mantra and yaga) establish the disciple in a life of bhakti-bhajana, and are the basis of intense devotion to Sri Hari.

Samskaras, which are purifying processes and rites used to sanctify the human body, are practiced in every religion in every country. For the last five hundred years of Gaudiya Vaisnavism, the pancha samskara process has been used by gurus to give diksha to worthy candidates. Acharyas Madhva and Ramanuja established it in their sampradayas. The Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya and practically all Vaisnava sects give diksha using the pancha samskara process. 

This article will cite shastric evidence for the practice; describe the pancha samskara process and its application in the Gaudiya diksha tradition; and quote Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura to highlight the absolute necessity of undergoing the pancha samskara process. 

The pancha samskara process is mentioned in the Padma Purana and cited by our Gaudiya Vaisnava tattva acharyas Sri Jiva Goswamipada and Sri Baladeva Vidya Bhusana in Bhakti-sandarbha (anu. 200) and, Prameya Ratnvalli (8.5). Pancha samskaras are also mentioned in Sat-kriya-dipika attributed to Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami. In recent times, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura described them in great detail in several articles and books. Iskcon’s Deity Worship Manual (Pancha Pradipa vol. 1) says, “The Guru gives the disciple Vaisnava diksha which is also known as pancha samskara.”

Sri Jiva Goswamipada cites the Padma Purana (Uttara-khanda) in Bhakti Sandarbha anu. 200:

tapam pundram tatha nama, nama mantro yagash ca, 

panchama, ami panchaiva samskarah paraikanti hetavah

“The five samskaras (tapa, pundram, nama, mantra and yaga make one supremely one-pointed.” Or according to Bhanu Swami: “These five samskaras are the cause of intense devotion to Lord Hari.”

For Gaudiya Vaisnavas, the pancha samskara process entails receiving directly from the Guru the five marks of Vaisnava diksha: (1) Tapa (with tilaka use your fingers or a sandalwood stamp to write the Holy Name of Krishna on your body; (2) Pundram (tilaka) [Pundram also includes japa and  neck beads]; (3) Nama (accepting a new name i.e. Krishna dasa or Radhika dasi [also includes receiving from Sri Guru the Hare Krishna mantra in the right ear]; 4) Mantra (means receiving the diksha mantras from Sri Guru in the right ear) [for Gaudiya Vaisnavas this means Gopala mantra and Kama Gayatri); 5) Yaga means yajna (homa, fire sacrifice) for some, but for most others it means Sri Murti puja and the nama-yajna of japa and sankirtana of the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. 

What are the benefits of receiving pancha samskara diksha? Sri Baladeva Vidya Bhusana answers, “A person who receives pancha samskara gains two things: 1) Chance to directly serve Lord Hari and; 2) Attain spiritual joy eternal in Vaikuntha, avapta pancha samskaro labdha dvi vidha bhaktikah, sakshat krtya harim tasya dhamni nityam pramodate.” (Prameya Ratnävali 8.5)

 Most all Gaudiya Vaisnava lineages give diksha using the pancha samskara process. Sri Guru and the disciple will sit physically together in the presence of Thakuraji i.e. the murti of Bhagavan Sri Krishna in one of His many beautiful forms. Then Sri Guru will personally administer the five marks of a Vaisnava (pancha samskaras) to his disciple. In addition to the pancha samskaras, a few other procedures are followed to complete the Gaudiya Vaisnava diksha function.  

I. Anga suddhi: To receive the diksha mantras, the disciple’s body must first be purified and consecrated. To do this, Sri Guru will chant different purifying vedic mantras while sprinkling sanctified water on the disciple’s head and other limbs. He will also direct the disciple in taking achamana, performing nyasa and chanting mantras to further purify and qualify the disciple to receive the immaculate and divine diksha mantras.

II. Observe the Pancha Samskaras 

1. Sri Guru will personally write or stamp the Holy Name of Krishna or Radha on your forehead (tapa). 

2. Sri Guru will personally apply tilaka to your forehead and other limbs; tie the tulasi kanti on your neck; and offer the japa mala into your hands (pundram). 

3. Sri Guru will utter the pure transcendental sound vibration (shuddha nama) of the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra into the ear, and then give you a spiritual name (nama). 

4. Then while holding his right hand on your head, Sri Guru will whisper the diksa mantras into right ear (mantra). 

5. Lastly, Sri Guru will engage you in making some offering to Thakuraji and Sri Guru (yaga).

III. Atma Samarpanam: This last rite is a most essential part of diksha which is observed in most all Gaudiya Vaisnava lineages. Atma samarpanam was personally introduced by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. It is also mentioned by our tattva-siddhanta acharyas Sri Jiva Goswamipada and Srila Sanatana Goswamipada. 

The rite of atma samarpanam is executed by the disciple falling at the feet of his Guru to convey his atma samarpana, which means the surrender of his entire being to the seva of Sri Guru and Sri Krishna. 

Mahaprabhu said to Srila Sanatana Goswamipada (Cc. 3.4.192): diksha kale bhakta kare atma samarpana, sei kale Krishna tare atma sama, “At the time of diksha, the devotee completely surrenders to Sri Guru. Then Krishna gives the disciple a transcendental spiritual form like His own (in quality i.e. cid ananda maya (Cc. 3.4.191). Then in that transcendental spiritual form (aprakrta deha) the disciple can engage in worshiping Krishna’s lotus feet: sei deha kare tara cid ananda maya, aprakrta dehe tanra carana bhajaya (Cc. 3.4.193).”

 Thus, based on Lord Gauranga’s statement above, one can understand that actual diksa means the disciple must offer dandavats at the feet of the physical Guru sitting before him. This point is confirmed by Srila Sanatana Goswamipada, and by Sri Jiva Goswamipada while describing Gaudiya Vaisnava diksa in Bhakti Sandarbha anu. 283. “One should offer pranams to the Guru [at the time of diksha] and offer everything to him”, ato gurum pranamyaivam sarvasvam vinivedya (v. 869). The same verse also appears in Hari-bhakti vilasa (2.9-10). 

This is the process of Gaudiya Vaisnava diksha. From the above description, one can see that diksha is a very personal and intimate spiritual ceremony involving the merciful Sri Guru and his surrendered disciple. When one follows this process, he genuinely feels transformed, purified and elevated. Indeed, he becomes a spiritual being qualified to serve the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna right here right now. And soon not too far in the future that fortunate soul will attain Krishna prema, and go to Sridhama Goloka Vrindavana in the spiritual sky. 

  

We will end our article with excerpts from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s wonderful and powerful explanation of Gaudiya Vaisnava diksha and pancha samskara process. 

 

Thakura Bhaktivinoda said, “Everyone should seek shelter at the feet of a Guru and receive pancha samskara diksha, which is the source of bhajana. Without pancha samskara, bhajana is performed with difficulty. Some people think that prema can be obtained without pancha samskara process but this is wrong. Without samskaras human life is impure.”

He closes his essay saying, “I have concluded after deep study of the shastra that without accepting the pancha samskara process, the conditioned soul will not develop intense love of Bhagavan Sri Hari. Therefore the pancha samskara process is absolutely necessary.” (“Pancha Samskara, the Process of Diksa” in Sajjana Toshani vol. 2.1 1885 & vol. 4.1 1892)

Gaudiya Vaisnava diksha ki jai!

Sri Krishna’s krpa-shakti murti Sri Guru ki jai!

Diksha mantras ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe! 

Gopi Lila

Mahanidhi swami 

Srila Rupa Goswamipada states (Brs. (1.2.291) that the practice of raganuga-bhakti sadhana can begin when one has eager craving or strong desire (divine greed) to attain a bhaava or feeling similar to some particular residents of Vrindavana (vraja-vasi jana bhaava lubdho), such as Sri Radha and the gopis in madhura-rati, and to serve Sri Krishna in a similar way that they do. 

In Nectar of Devotion (pg. 125) Srila Prabhupada says, “There is a gradual development to become like a particular devotee.” Srila Rupa Goswamipada says (Brs.1.2.292) this development and divine greed occur by hearing [or reading] the scriptures. Sri Jiva Goswamipada says one should especially hear the Bhagavatam’s descriptions [six gitas of the Tenth Canto] of the sweet love and activities of the Vrajavasis to develop one’s interest to practice raganuga-bhakti sadhana. 

In (Brs.1.2.294) Srila Rupa Goswamipada says practicing raganuga-bhakti means to live in Vraja Mandala and be absorbed in hearing topics specifically related to the Vrajavasis whom you want to follow, such as Radhika and the Vraja-gopis. 

For devotees pursuing Vraja bhakti in the mood of the gopis conjugal love, the Srimad Bhagavatam contains six priceless jewels known as the six gitas or songs of the Vraja-gopis. As the Srimad Bhagavatam is the cream of the Vedas, these six gopi-gitas are the concentrated sweet burfy of the Bhagavata. Why is that you may ask? In these deeply emotional, love surcharged verses arising from their immaculately pure hearts, the Vraja-gopis reveal the topmost ecstatic loving sentiments of mahabhava or pure divine love for their dearly beloved Priyatama Shyama Bhagavan Sri Krishna! 

These songs are especially meant for sadhakas desiring to or following the path of raganuga-bhakti in pursuance of the madhura-rati of the Vraja-gopis as taught by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Devotees will quickly develop the moods and feeling of the damsels of Vraja by regularly hearing [or reading] these six songs of love divine. And moreover, since the Vraja-gopis are the topmost devotees of Bhagavan Sri Krishna in all of creation, any devotee who daily hears [or reads] these songs will surely increase his attraction, love and attachment for our Sweet Lord Sri Krishna. 

While commenting on the divine pastimes contained within these gitas, Srila Sukadeva Goswami (SB 10.33.36), “People must hear about these pastimes. By doing so they will become exclusively devoted to Lord Sri Krishna.” 

Here is a brief outline of the six songs:
1. Venu-gita: In these verses (10.21.7-19), the gopis describe Sri Krishna’s purvahna-lila (8:24-10:48 a.m.) after Govinda leaves in the morning to tend His cows in the forest with His cowherd friends. When the gopis back in the village hear Krishna sweet flute song echoing and resounding in the distant pastures, their hearts thrill with ecstatic hankering. In response, the lovely damsels of Vraja sing about their beloved Shyama, His amazing flute and Shyama’s enchanting pastimes in the land of Vrindavana. 

2. Pranaya-gita: This gita appears in the Tenth Canto at the end of the first chapter describing the rasa-lila, namely chapter 29 verses 31-41. After the gopis heard Sri Krishna’s flute invitation for conjugal love, they dropped everything, and ran through the dark frightening forest to stand right before their beloved Shyama. Yet Shyama appeared to reject them, so the damsels of Vraja forcefully expressed their loving sentiments and pure intentions. In these outpourings of deepest pure love, the Vraja-gopis reveal a type of sweetness in prema called pranaya. To better understand the gopis’ feelings at this time, please attentively read and reflect upon the following passage:

Pranaya-prema is the mentality of equality and oneness of heart between the lover and beloved. It includes boldness, firm faith and trust, and it is completely free from the slightest scent of reverence. Ujjvala-nilamani states that pranaya is the fifth stage (rati, prema, sneha, mana, pranaya) of ever-thickening sweetness in divine love. In pranaya prema the lover completely identifies with the beloved, but not like the oneness of the jiva identifying with Brahman in sayujya-mukti. 

At this level the lover feels that his life, mind, intelligence, body, and garments (prana, mana, buddhi, deha, vesh) are identical with the counterparts in his beloved. The lovers think, “You are my very prana and I am your very prana (life force).” Thus, in their loving exchanges there is no hesitation, fear or distance created by respect. For example, Sri Krishna can place His feet on Radharani’s breasts or pass His chewed pan into Radha’s mouth without any fear or hesitation. 

3. Gopi-gita: This gita appears in the Tenth Canto at the beginning of the third chapter describing the rasa-lila, namely chapter 31 verses 1-19. On the camphor white, soft sands of the Yamuna’s bank, the beautiful cowherd damsels of Vraja sang the Pranaya-gita in chapter 29 and this song late in the night (nisha-lila 10:48 p.m.-3:36 a.m.) during the course of the rasa dance pastimes after Sri Krishna suddenly disappeared from the scene. 

The gopis, overwhelmed by feelings of separation from Krishna, sat down on the bank of the Yamuna after continuously searching for Krishna for a long time. Each gopi began addressing Sri Krishna, the personal manifestation of all enjoyable tastes, according to her individual mode of ecstasy, and praying for Shyama’s merciful darsana. As the pastimes of Krishna spontaneously arose in the minds of the gopis, whose consciousness was fully imbued with Shyama’s presence, they sang their song (Gopi-gita), which relieves the agony of those suffering from the burning pain of separation from Krishna and which bestows supreme auspiciousness. 

4. Yugala-gita: This gita appears in the Tenth Canto in chapter 35 verses 2-25. Every day when Sri Krishna went to the forest, the minds of the gopis would run after their beloved Syama. While staying back in the village tending to their chores, the youthful damsels sadly passed the time singing of Krishna’s pastimes while eagerly awaiting Shyama’s return. 

Standing in small groups here and there in Vraja, the gopis recited pairs (yugala) of verses describing Sri Krishna’s late afternoon pastimes (aparahna-lila 3.36 p.m- 6 p.m) of returning from the pasturing grounds (uttara-gostha lila) with the cows and cowherd boys. 

5. Viraha-gita: This gita appears in the Tenth Canto in chapter 39 verses 19-31. This chapter describes how on a dismal day in February, Akrura came to Vraja to take the tender boys Krishna and Balarama out of Vraja and on to Mathura City for a wrestling match with the fierce and hefty henchmen of the notorious demon King Kamsa. Priyaji Radha and the other gopis were frightened at the prospect of even the briefest separation from their Priyatama Shyama, who is their very life and soul. So when they heard the news, they became extremely upset and distressed.

Their faces turned pale from their heavy breathing, and their dresses, bracelets and braids began to slip off. When Radhika heard about this She remembered some of Her sweet intimate moments with Shyama and fainted. 
Tossed by the high waves of prema, the Vraja-gopis spent the night in the grips of various emotions like madness and fainting. Losing all external awareness, the gopikas began to remember Krishna’s pastimes. They lamented and condemned the creator for separating them from Shyama. The gopis said that Akrura did not deserve his name, which literally means not (a) cruel (krura), since he was actually very cruel to be taking away their dearest Shyama.

Due to the intense anxiety of thinking that they may never see Krishna again, the gopis regained external consciousness. Thus at dawn, the lovely damsels of Vraja thought let us forget our shyness and try to stop our Priyatama from leaving Vrindavana. Then they eagerly gathered in great longing before Nanda’s door to express their deep feelings of love of separation in what is called the “Viraha Gita”. 

In Sri Krishna’s divine love affairs with Srimati Radhika and the newly married brides of Vraja there are four types of meeting or sambhoga and four types of separation, which is called viraha or vipralambha. When lovers are separated by a great distance for a long time it is a type of separation or viraha called sudura-pravaasa. 

In Nectar of Devotion (ch 44), Srila Prabhupada cites Srila Rupa Goswamipada’s Padyavalli to describe this: “Since the inauspicious day when Krishna left Vrindavana to go to Mathura, Srimati Radharani has been pressing Her head on one of Her hands and constantly shedding tears. Radha’s face is always wet now, and therefore there is no chance of Radha’s sleeping even for a moment. Radharani was always weeping for Krishna because of His separation and She could not sleep for a moment.” 

And how did Krishna feel in separation from His dearly beloved sweetheart Radhika? In the Prahlada-samhita Uddhava says, “Lord Govinda, panic-stricken due to being pierced by the arrows of Cupid, is always thinking of Radharani, and He is not even accepting His regular meals. Nor is Govinda able to sleep at night.” 

6. Bhramara-gita: This gita appears in the Tenth Canto in chapter 47 verses 12-20. After Sri Krishna left the gopis and went to Mathura, He sent Uddhava back to Vrindavana with a message to pacify the gopis who were completely distraught in Krishna’s separation.

When the young maidens of Vraja saw lotus-eyed Uddhava, who wore a yellow garment and attractive earrings, they were astonished at how much he resembled Krishna. The gopis brought Uddhava to a secluded place where he could speak to them confidentially.

Remembering their pleasurable pastimes with Krishna, the gopis abandoned all propriety and shyness and loudly cried. At that time, Sri Radha saw a bumblebee and mistook it to be a messenger of Uddhava or someone very dear to him and Krishna. Completely bewildered by intense pangs of love in separation from Shyama (divyonmada mahabhava), Radha spoke to that bee like a madwoman.

Although Uddhava tried his best to console the deeply anguished Radharani and the damsels of Vraja, who were so anxious to see their dearly beloved Shyama once again, he failed. Rather than helping or pacifying the Vraja-gopis, Uddhava himself became completely baffled and amazed by the depth and extent of Srimati Radhika’s intensely mad love in separation from Shyama. 

In response, Uddhava spontaneously praised the gopis with prayers of gratitude, glorification, appreciation and aspiration. Uddhava, the direct disciple of the great Brhaspati; the confidential friend of Lord Krishna, and the wise counselor to the Yadavas was begging the simple cowherd damsels of Vraja to bless him with the dust of their feet in some future lowly birth of his as a creeper on the ground of Vrindavana. It seems this pastime occurred during the morning (purvahana-lila 8:36-10:48 a.m.)
We hope this short article will inspire devotees to cultivate their individual budding attraction to follow the Vraja-gopis by regularly hearing and reading these gitas of the Tenth Canto. 

To facilitate the daily hearing of the gopis’ six gitas we are offering a free download audio CD titled “Gopi Lila’ on our website mnsaudio.com. It contains these six gopi gitas—the songs the Vraja-gopis sang, either in times of union or separation, while relishing the ecstasy of their srngara-prema prema or pure ecstatic conjugal love for Shyamasundara, the beautiful dashing sweet Lord of Love, The CD contains another track titled “Kuruksetra Vrajavasi Milana”, which is the Tenth Canto chapter 82, “Krishna and Balarama Meet the Inhabitants of Vrindavana”. This reveals the most amazing meeting of Sri Krishna and the Vraja-gopis in Kuruksetra [before the battle] after more than fifty tortuous years of separation.
Jai Jai Sri Radhe!