Puranic Rules for Prasadam

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#Puranas #KrishnaPrasadam #RulesForEating #Health #HowToTakePrasadam

When describing grhastha life, the Vishnu Mahapuranam (3.11.76-98)mentions a few rules about how to properly take food/Krishna prasadam. Most of these verses are also quoted by Sri Sanatana Goswami in Hari Bhakti Vilasa (# 9).

To begin with, Vishnu Puranasays, “If one follows these rules, one will attain perpetual good health, strength and intelligence.” (v. 76)

ihacarogyavipulam, balabuddhistathanrpa

Then Vishnu Mahapurana continues, “When eating one should wear clean cloth; face east or north; be happy, attentive and have a pleasant face. Don’t eat if in a bad mood. Eat fresh, tasty food and nothing stale.Before eating, chant purifying mantras and prayers, mantra bhimantritam (v. 84)

Eating Sequence:

“Start with sweet tasting liquid items,

ashniyat tan mayo bhutvapurvamtumadhuramrasam. (v. 87)

Middle of meal eat salty and sour items,

madhyekatutiktaadhikamstatah.

End meal/prasadam with bitter and pungent items.

One who starts the meal with fluid items; takes solid foods in the middle and concludes the meal with fluid items—will always be strong and healthy. (v. 88)

“One should eat in silence and only take five handfuls of food to maintain his/her five live airs. (v. 89)

panchagrasammahamaunam

pranaadyapyayanam hi tat

“After eating, one should cleanse the mouth and hands, sit down peacefully, meditate upon Radha and Krishna and pray, ‘May this food/prasadam be fully digested and assimilated and thereby give my body strength and satisfaction.’ [ed. to serve Krishna better!] (v. 90-94)After reciting this prayer, one should rub his/her stomach with one’s hand palm.” (98)

ityuccaryasvahastenaparimrjyatathodaram

Rubbing the belly after eating is a very ancient practice, common in India. As an alternative to the prayer mentioned above, we suggest the following verse from Sri Bhagavad Gita (15.14):

ahamvaishvanarobhutva

praninamdehamashritah

pranapanasamayuktah

pachamyannamchaturvidham

Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “O Arjuna, I am the fire of digestion in all living entities, and I mix with the prana and apana life airs to digest the four kinds of foodstuff.”

We have personally seen that after taking Krishna prasadam, many Vrajavasis, Gaudiya Vaisnavas and Brahmins rub their bellies and chant the Gita verse above. Although prescribed for grhastas, these basic rules of eating will benefit anyone who follows them. And for this, we have offered this post.

Sri Jagannatha maha-prasadam ki jai!  Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe! 

Puppets of Mercy

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das 

#Devotees #Krishna #Action #DevotionalService #Bhakti

Throughout Gita and other sastras, Bhagavan Sri Krishna asserts that, “I am the doer (via gunas & prakrti), I give results, I give knowledge, I give intelligence, I give memory, I give ability, I give strength, and I give Myself to whom I choose!”

Thus the question arises, “Are we chanting Hare Krishna by our own will or power, or is Krishna allowing us to chant, and chanting through us by His will?” Let’s find out the answer…

In the Srimad Bhagavatam, the great chiran jiva and mahajana Markandeya Rishi says that Bhagavan Sri Krishna is the Supreme Person and force behind every movement of every embodied soul from the celestials Brahmaji and Shivaji to the the devotees on earth. It is Sri Krishna alone who makes the vital air, the mind, the senses and the power of speech move and act.

Sri Markandeya Rishi said, “O Almighty Lord Narayana! How can I possibly describe You? For it is You who moves the vital air, which impels the mind, senses and power of speech to act. This is true for all embodied souls including Brahma and Shiva and even me. Still, you become the intimate friend of those who worship you, bhajatam asi bhava bandhu.” (SB 10. 12.8.40)”

In Bhakti-sandarbha (144), Sri Jiva Goswami says, “The significance of Bhagavan Sri Krishna being referred to as bhava-bandhu (verse above) is that even devotees have no independent power to serve Sri Krishna. 

“But since Sri Krishna is the friend of His devotees, Krishna gives them the bhava i.e. bhakti so they can serve Him. Furthermore, the speech and other senses with which the devotees serve Krishna are also impelled by Him. Thus, the devotee is like a wooden puppet moved by the strings of the puppeteer.”

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti tika: “Like a loving friend (bhava-bandhu), You my Lord are controlled by the love of those who worship You. It is You alone who enable Your devotees to worship You by enlivening their minds and senses. 

“Nevertheless,  You feel incapable of repaying the debt of their worship. Thus You become indebted and controlled by their love. That is most astonishing. That is the greatness of Your mercy.“

Conclusion:

Devotees are chanting japa and kirtana because the Holy Name, which is non-different from Sri Krishna, allows them to chant it. Not only does Bhagavan Sri Krishna allow us to and empower us to chant His sweeter than sweet Holy Names, but Sri Krishna even allows animals to chant Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. 

King Bharata as a deer chanted “Hari Narayana” at death by the inconceivable mercy of bhava bandhu Sri Krishna. (SB 5.14.45)  The elephant king Gajendra, formerly King Indradyumna, by the loving mercy of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, chanted mantra japa when leaving his beastly body. (SB 8.3.1.)

So Sri Krishna’s Holy Names are not acutally “chanted by us”. Rather by His independent mercy, Sri Krishna ALLOWS His Holy Names to descend into the mind of the surrendered devotee and manifest in their ears and mouths. 

The sastras and tikas revealed CLEARLY SHOW US that not only our chanting, but also all our sadhana is NOT DONE BY US. Sri Krishna is doing it all! 

The mind remembers Sri Krishna’s form, qualities and pastimes, the senses act in Shyama’s seva, and the mouth chants Hare Krishna in japa and kirtana—ALL BEING MOVED AND ACTIVATED BY SRI KRISHNA HIMSELF! 

In summary, we can now see that all movement on the bhakti-marga, be it progressive, digressive or stalled is fully inspired, controlled and permitted by the will of OUR LOVING FRIEND, dina bandhu Sri Krishna. Always pray for Sri Krishna’s mercy and power, so by His sweet will we can lovingly serve Him, and one day attain perfection in prema dhama Sri Vrindavana. (adapted madangopal.blog) 

No free will ki jai! Sri Krishna’s loving mercy ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe! 

Pray to Enter Lila

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#Radha-KrishnaPastimes #Lila #Vrindavan #KrishnaLila

The following is a wonderfully inspiring prayer written by Gaudiya Vaisnava rasika acharya Sri Prabodhananda Sarasvatipada.

By reading this prayer and absorbing his heart’s moods, the burning candle of desire to hear, and directly serve in Krishna’s Vraja lilas will manifest in your heart.

Sri Krishna is the dashing young son of Yashoda, and the most charming boy in all the universes. Madan Gopalaji is the wealthiest of capitalists, possessing a vast, unlimited treasury of transcendental love.

Nagarendra Shyama is immersed in the sentiments of ever-fresh and amorous love divine. Ananda Bihari always increases the ocean of spiritual joy. Madhava ever delights in the magical mellows of madhura rasa. Pranakantha is the divine necklace  adorning Radhika’s  graceful neck. All glories to Shyamachandra!

Srimati Radharani is the life and soul of Sri Vrindavana-natha. As the transcendental desire-creeper of brilliant divine rapture, Navina-kishori Radha is forever overwhelmed by intense, amorous love for Nandanandana. Sriji is splendid, virtuous, charmingly youthful and very playful. All glories to Radhika!

Flowing through the amorous pastimes of Radha-Madhava is a sweet river of transcendental joking words. Brahmaji, Shivaji, Naradaji and Sukadeva Gosvami all desire to see the astonishing amorous pastimes of Lila Yugala Radha-Krishna.

I pray that my mind may fully submerge in Radha-Krishna’s immaculately pristine pastimes of sweet divine love. The forest of Vrindavana is the natural home of Radha-Gopinatha’s madhurya-lilas. The ever-fresh nectar of Priya-Priyatama’s pastimes is always manifest in the minds and hearts of Their devotees.  

The blissfully fulfilling, divinely sweet lilas Sri Sri Radha-Krishna make impersonal liberation taste completely bitter. Syamaa-Shyama’s  pastimes give everyone the most sumptuous experience of Sri Hari’s sweeter than sweet lotus feet. At every moment, the enchanting pastimes of Rasika Yugala, which resemble a vast transcendental ocean of sweet nectar, display the inconceivable zenith of divine amorous love.

Munivara Sukadevaji proclaims that when one understands Radha-Ghanasyama’s Vraja-lila, then even the most exalted post of Brahmaji seems trivial and unimportant. The captivating, heart-thrilling and mind stealing ecstatic divya lilas of Radha-Shyamasundara are far far beyond the dull and insignificant play of Maya.

Radhika’s priya sakhis and manjaris can always directly see Her playful pastimes with Prananatha. But even the essence of the four Vedas can never perceieve them. The scintillating spiritual love of Radha Rasabihari innocently expresses itself in an unlimited variety of divinely crooked lilas.

I, Prabodhananda Sarasvati, pray that the overheated, mad elephant of my mind may plunge into the cooling sweet river flow of Srimati Radharani’s astounding transcendental pastimes, which can easily extinguish the manifold miseries burning everyone in this world!(Sangita Madhava Cp. 15)

Radha-Krishna nitya vraja lila ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

Sri Rupa & Praying

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#SriRupaGoswami #Prayers #RadhasCompassion #Radharani #RadhaStotrams #Paddhati

The word paddhati means a few verses or even a small book of mantras, prayers, pujas and instructions meant to guide a sadhaka in successful bhajana. Dhyana Chandra Goswami, a grand-disciple of Mahaprabhu parishad, Pandita Sri Vakreshvara Ji, wrote the famous Paddhati Traya to help sadhakas attain the eternal seva of Srimati Radharani in manjari bhava.

Sri Rupa Gosvami’s Stava Mala contains a small paddhati of only seven verses praising Sri Radha. It concludes with very wonderful prayers of humble surrender petitioning Priyaji for Her eternal service.

Reciting, imbibing, feeling and realizing the deeper import of the following prayers from that paddhati will enrich the devotional hearts of all sadhakas.

“[O Sri Radharani!] I am full of offenses, have wicked intelligence and am unqualified in all respects. But still I beg You, Sri Radha:‘You are Karunamayi, so please give me the matchless gift of a little seva at Your lotus feet.’”

krtagaske py ayoge pi, jane smin kumatav api

dasya dana pradanasya, lavam apy upapadaya

“O most merciful Radharani!Your butter-like, tender heart is always melting with the warmth of Your compassion. So please don’t neglect this most pitiable person.”

yuktas tvaya jano naiva, duhkhito yam upekshitum

krpa dyota drava citta, navanitasi yat sada (Sri Prarthana-paddhati 6, 7)

Sri Rupa Gosvamipada ki jai! Begging Radha for krpa ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

Panditji & Swamiji

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#GaudiyaVaisnavas #VaisnavaBiographies #Vrindavana #SrimadBhagavatam

One of the oldest and most famous Gaudiya Vaisnava scholars in Vraja today is 99 year old Pandita Sri Krishna Dasa Babaji Maharaja, Bhakti-tirtha.

Srila Prabhupada and Pandita Sri Krishna Dasji became friends in the 1960’s after meeting in Bon Maharaja’s college in Vrindavana. A few years ago, Pandita Baba recounted his memories of Prabhupada for a book titled, “Our Srila Prabhupada—A Friend to All”.

Here we share those memories, and invite our readers to relish the sweet and sometimes humorous exchanges between the liberated ones. 

Pandit Sri Krishna Dasa Babaji:

“I was a Sanskrit student and scholar in the early 1960’s, and I often visited Bon Maharaja’s Sanskrit college, which was across from where the ISKCON temple is now. At that time, Srila Swami Maharaja also was living in Sri Vrindavana Dhama. He was writing translations and purports to the beginning three volumes of his Srimad Bhagavatam series in the English language.

“At the college, there was an informal gathering of local Gaudiya and Vrajavasi scholars and writers who met regularly every few weeks or each month to share their work and ask for suggestions regarding the Sanskrit or whatever. I attended those writers’ meetings and so did Srila Swami Maharaja. That is how we began our acquaintance and friendship.

“I remember how delightful his countenance was. Swamiji was very charming, and full of realization, humor and affection. He was so kind upon me. I was a much younger man, junior in all ways. Yet Swamiji treated me just like a son or a very little brother.He always encouraged me, asked about my welfare, and shared hari-katha from his writings.

“He was a valuable friend during that time. Although his material circumstances were then so poor, he always seemed to me to be one of the richest devotees in spiritual blessings. He was a very learned and humble Vaisnava. He worked very diligently on his manuscripts, and often spoke about the order from his guru maharaja, His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta SarasvatiThakura Prabhupada.

“I have one special remembrance of something that occurred during our regular meetings at Bon Maharaja’s college. Swamiji had every intention to somehow spread this Krishna knowledge in the West, despite all obstacles.

“He would often speak of this task of service, and was always looking for opportunities to somehow arrange to travel there. Most of us at that time were quite doubtful that he could succeed to go. He was practically penniless then, without sponsors or connections. Many of us were not so favorable for any Indian to go to the mleccha [western] countries, so we did not encourage him. Nevertheless, he was undaunted.

“I recall how Swamiji came one day in great happiness and excitement. I think he had just completed his third volume of the Srimad Bhagavatam and he was carrying all three in his hands. He then explained to our group how he had finally printed the last texts and now the books were ready to go to the West.

“In a very sweet way, he formally asked if we would all please bless his books that they would be able to go across the ocean and be successful in spreading Krishna consciousness in the western countries. Of course, we were willing to do that. So he carefully passed around the stack of three, brick-red,cloth bound books, and asked each of us to touch them and give our blessings, which we did.

“Immediately after this he did something quite remarkable. Swamiji explained with deep seriousness how these Bhagavata books, now blessed, could not go across the ocean by themselves. Someone would have to take them to the west, popularize them, and distribute them properly to the public. So he then humbly requested, with folded palms, that our assembly would also bless him to accompany the books and preach on their behalf. In this way he took us all by surprise.

“We all then felt moved to finally give our full blessings to his mission. I thought at that time how remarkable a Vaisnava he was, to request such blessings and to arrange for receiving them so wonderfully. I remember when I gave my blessings to him, I felt a spiritual surcharge in my heart.

“Many years later, and now still it stands strongly in history how Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja [Srila Prabhupada] was successful in carrying our heritage and philosophy to the whole world. I feel honored to have been some very small part of that glorious success.”

Srila Prabhupada ki jai! Pandit Sri Krishna Dasji Babaji Maharaja ki jai!

Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

Manjari: Sadhana and Perfection

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Arrayanjaris ArrayaganugaBhakti Arrayadharani Arrayadha-Krishna ArrayervingRadha ArraystaKaliyaLila Arrayrema

Sri Vilapa Kusumanjali by Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswamipada is the best bhajana guidebook for raganuga sadhakas pursing manjari bhava. However, this is not really a book.

Rather here in a tangible and approachable form one discovers an ocean of loving outpourings for humble seva from the anguished heart of Srimati Radhika’s manjari maidservant crying in separation:

“Ha Radhe!  Ha Radhe! Where are You now? I beg to see You and serve Your lotus feet in every possible way. Ha Radhe! Where are You?”

Each and every verse of Vilapa Kusumanjali is like a fragrant flower (kusuma) sprinkled with the pollen of lamentation (vilapa), and offered with the hands (anjali) of a heart hankering for Srimati’s eternal service.

Sadhakas aware of their siddha-svarupas or spiritual forms should regularly read these verses while deeply meditating on the pastimes described therein; the services being offered; and the moods and feelings being exchanged between Priya Sundari and Her loving maidservant.

With a purified mind and a sensitive, service-oriented heart, a sadhaka can identify with Sri Dasa Goswami in his manjari form as Tulasi-manjari and the sweet confidential sevas she’s doing for Radharani’s pleasure.

With the mercy of Sri Guru, Sri Harinama, and sweet foot dust of Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswamipada, one will gradually see these seva lilas in the mind, and render the same sevas too in one’s individual siddha-svarupa.

To facilitate the sadhana of manjari bhava upasakas, Sri Vilapa Kusumanjali is herein presented. Manjari bhava upasana ki jai! Guru krpa hi kevalam ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

Sri Vilapa Kusumanjali

Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami

1 My dear friend Rūpa Mañjari! In the town of Vraja, you are well known for your chastity. You don’t even look at the faces of other men! It is surprising therefore that your lips, that are as beautiful as red Bimba-fruits, have been bitten although your husband is not at home. Perhaps this has been done by the best of parrots?

2 O Sthalakamalini (land-lotus)! It is fitting that you are laughing very proudly through your flower bunches, since the black bee Krishna has left all the fragrant flowers in the forest to search only for you!

 O Rati Mañjari! You are the most fortunate cowherd girl in the abode of the king of Vraja! When your mistress Śrī Rādhikā forgets Her beloved sash of bells due to absorption in Her love play, She asks You to fetch it from the cave where She left it!

4 I take shelter of my teacher Yadunandana Ācārya, who is so powerful because he is so dear to Yadunandana Śrī Krishna, and who personally showered me with the nectar of his matchless mercy.

5 I worship Sri Chaitanyachandra, who with the ropes of His mercy suddenly pulled me out of the deep, inescapable, waterless well of household life, which is full of limitless suffering, and gave me shelter at the tips of His feet, that defeat the beauty of lotus flowers, and entrusted me into the care of Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara.

6 I take shelter of my lord Sanātana Gosvāmī, who was an ocean of compassion and who always felt sorry for the suffering of others. Although I was blinded by ignorance and unwilling to, he diligently made me drink the nectar of devotion laced with renunciation.

7 O Svāmini Radhe! The heart of this maidservant constantly burns in a great fire of separation from You. Being thus afflicted and crying with great love, I lament in the following verses!

8 O Devi Radhe! I’m helpless and afflicted in the middle of an ocean of sorrow! Please take me to the wonderful abode of Your lotus feet in the powerful boat of Your mercy!

9 O Devi! This person has died from the bites of the black snake of separation from You. Please revive me with the medicinal lac that anoints Your lotus feet!

10 O Devi, I am a maidservant of Your lotus-like feet, but my vine-like body burn is burning in the forest fire of separation from You. Please revive me at once with Your nectarean glances!

11 O Sumukhi! When will I, even in a dream, be justified in calling my head the highest limb (uttamāṅga) of my body by beautifying it with the glistening fragrant pollen of Your lotus feet?

12 O Kalyāṇi! When will the jingling of Your anklebells, that resembles an ocean of nectarean rasa, cure my deafness?

13 O Devi! When You go out to meet Krishna in the moonlit night Your eyes fearfully move in all directions, like bumblebees turning the whole forest into blue lotus petal-interiors. Is this person not to be seen by these eyes?

14 O Vrindavaneshvari! Ever since some mañjarī named Rūpa filled my eyes with light in Vrajabhūmi, I have strongly desired to see the red lac on Your lotus feet!

15 O blooming lotus-eyed girl (Rādhe)! When my eyes directly saw Your pond, Rādhākuṇḍa, which is filled with sweet water and lotus flowers surrounded by blissfully humming bees, then I really got the desire to taste the nectar of Your service!

16 O Devi! I shall never pray to You for anything else but the excellent service of Your lotus feet! I offer my constant obeisances to the idea of becoming Your friend, but I really relish the idea of becoming Your maidservant!

17 O You whose golden hue possesses the pride of the color of a turmeric-bulb scratched by a fingernail! When will You, having, out of great satisfaction, marked my arms with Your emblems of good fortune that are anointed with Your very lovely footlac, bestow the service of Your lotus feet on me?

18 O Devi! When may I daily make Your latrine, which is very dear to me, fragrant with nice incense after I joyfully rinse Your drain with sweetly scented water and lovingly sweep it with my loosened hair?

19 O Bhāvini Radhe! When can I diligently bring camphorated clay and a jug of scented water into Your room, wash Your lotus like feet in a basin and dry them with my hair?

20 After washing Your lotus feet and brushing Your teeth with a twig, when may this maidservant seat You in the bathroom and massage You after anointing You with very fragrant oils?

21 O You whose lotus like face defeats the beauty of the moon! When may I expertly bathe You with jugs of pure water scented with camphor and flowers, brought in advance by a sakhi who is beautified by her love for You?

22 O Śaśimukhi! After Your bath, may I gently and carefully wipe the water from Your tender limbs with fine towels as the borders of Your fish-like eyes joyfully move in all directions. After covering Your hips with a red silken petticoat, my body will erupt with thrill bumps of joy. Then may I cover Your entire body from Your head down with an incomparably beautiful blue sari?

23 O Radhe, beloved of the Prince of Vraja! When will this person, after washing Your lotus feet, lovingly braid Your hair with the beautiful fine garlands made by the florist girl Narmada?

24 O Devi, may I then joyfully make a full moon-like tilaka on Your forehead, anoint Your body with fine glistening vermilion and make pictures on Your breasts with perfumes?

25 O Devi! When will I beautify Your tresses by making a stripe of sindūra on Your hair part with a jeweled pencil?

26 O Devi! With a steady hand when can I make red fragrant spots all around Your tilaka that is the best enchanting herb for Krishna?

27 O Varoru! Your excellent earrings are like ropes that the flower archer Cupid has placed to bind the elephant king-like heart of the Prince of Vraja! When can I happily hang these ornaments on Your ears?

28 O Sundari! I did not desire that Śyāma would not see Your breasts when I placed this kañculī (bodice) on them. Actually, O Swamini, I wanted Shyama Himself to become Your blouse by suddenly coming and firmly embracing Your jewellike breasts that are more dear than His very life.

29 O Hemagauri! When You tire of lovemaking You lie down on the pillow of Mukunda’s chest, which is as soft as cotton. When can this maidservant decorate Your nice chest with a charming necklace of gems and big pearls?

30 O Indīvarakṣi! Will I ever get the chance to ornament You with blue bangles inset with jewels? When will I adorn Your hands, that are expert in all arts and very dear to Śrī Hari, with beautiful glistening rings?

31 O Sunetre! When will I worship Your lotus feet by carefully putting jeweled ankle bells on them, and worship the petals of those lotuses with Your dearest toe rings? When will I worship Your waist, Krishna’s matchless loveseat, with a golden sash of jingling bells

32 When can I humbly and joyfully decorate Your arms, that are like very lovely lotus stems that expertly destroy the patience in the swan-like intelligence of Murajayi Krishna, with gem studded armlets or render any other service to You?

33 O Subhage! When will that day come when I worship Your neck, which attained all good fortune from the touch of Gokulachandra during the Rasa Utsava, with a Graiveya-ornament?

34 O Sumukhi! After Krishna killed the proud Śaṅkhacūḍa-demon, He gave the Syamantaka jewel removed from that demon to His brother Balarāma (the enemy of Pralambāsura). With a happy heart Balarāma gave it to Madhumaṅgala who in turn gave it to You. When can I hang this Syamantaka jewel, the friend of Krishna’s Kaustubha-gem, in a locket around Your neck?

35 O Kṛśodari! Your waist is so thin that I’m very much afraid it will break when I bind it with a golden string with tassels at both ends!

36 O Hemagauri (golden girl)! When will I fasten a round nose pearl attached to a golden string on Your nose that defeats the beauty of a sesame flower? The great bee Madhumathana Krishna will be very agitated by the honey suddenly appearing there.

37 O Svarṇagauri! When on Your order will I tie the nava-ratna armlet on Your left arm with a string beautified by a silken tassel?

38 O Cañcalākṣi! Although Muraśatru Krishna agitates all the gopīs, I make Krishna spin like a disc with the chakra-shaped hairpins that I place above Your ears!

39 O Mṛga Śāvākṣi! When can I beautify Your chin that is the abode of Mukunda’s bliss with a drop of musk?

40 O Devi! When will I decorate Your teeth with reddish lines, making them look just like pearls with lines of ruby on them?

41 O Gāṅgeya Gātri! When will I color Your excellent Bimba fruit reddish, nectarlike lips with lipstick of catechu mixed with fresh camphor? Will the Krishna parrot suddenly come then and forcibly bite them?

42 With just a blink from the corners of Your eyes You immediately tightly tie down the king of elephants Krishna. When will I worship Your two eyes that defeat the fickleness of the wagtail bird with eyeliner?

43 Just to soothe Your proud love sulk, the Prince of Vraja holds Your feet on His head to enhance its beauty with the mark of Your footlac! When will I make Your feet most splendid with this nectarean footlac?

44 O Devi, when Muradvisha Krishna touches Your lowered shoulders in the Rāsa dance, He looks like a full moon (Kalānidhi) shining with an abundance of lust. O Kalāvati (artistic girl)! When will this maidservant joyfully place a garland of sweet jasmine flowers, surrounded by wandering humming bees, on Your shoulders?

45 O Mugdhāṅgi! O Sumukhi! When will this maidservant sit next to You, who are surrounded by Your sakhis, and lovingly hand You the paraphernalia to offer formal oblations to the Sungod sitting on an altar made of sunstones?

46 O Varoru! After You very carefully cook a variety of sweets for Madhumathana on the order of the Queen Yaśodā, You hand them to Your girlfriends like me [to bring them to Krishna].

47 O Bhavye! Seeing me bringing Your sweets and knowing me to be Yours, when will the Queen of Vraja hold her forehead on my forehead in loving joy as if she is my mother and inquire about Your wellbeing?

48 O Devi! When will I most affectionately bring and present to You the remnants of Krishna’s lotus like mouth given to me by Dhanishtha.

49 O Kuṅkumāṅgi! When will I carefully serve You the many remnants left by Krishna, that are like an elixir of the quintessence of nectar, mixed with other eatables and drinks, as You sit down, surrounded by Lalitā and other girlfriends?

50 O Taralākṣi! When will the time come when I can offer You sweet drinking water scented with fresh roses and camphor for flushing Your mouth, along with a twig for brushing Your teeth?

51 O Devi! While You are eating, when can I lovingly and attentively fan You, light lots of nicely fragrant incense, or serve You in other appropriate ways at that time?

52 O Madhura Gātri! When will my hair stand erect in ecstasy when I place a betel-leaf packed with camphor, catechu, cloves and guvak into Your lotus like mouth?

53 O Devi! While Lalitā joyfully offers arati to You, and the other sakhīs worship You with auspicious songs and fresh flowers, when can this maidservant, to whom You are dearer than billions of lives, worship You with her hair?

54 O Devi! While You are absorbed in an intimate joking discussion with Your girlfriends, headed by Lalitā, I will make a beautiful play bed for You with my own hands. When will You decorate that bed by dreaming on it?

55 O Manojña Hṛdaye! O Sadaye! When will that beautiful, blessed day come when this maidservant of Yours will massage Your feet as Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī takes care of Your hands?

56 O Sumukhi! When will I, like a vine of devotion, on the strength of great arising fortune, obtain the remnants of food that You spat out along with Your gargling water and the water that has washed Your lotus like feet? With love I shall enjoy it in so many ways along with Your other loving friends!

57 O Devi! When will You, while You are eating, affectionately give me, whose heart is dedicated to You, the nectarean remnants from Your lotus like mouth?

58 O Svāmini! Can I ever obtain Your darshana as You walk to Nandishvara to cook for Mādhava Sri Krishna, with Your gait faltering and Your hair standing on end out of joy?

59 Rūpa Mañjarī will lead You on the path, Lalitā and Viśākhā will be at Your sides, Your friends will be all around You, and I will walk behind You holding Your gracefully slender waist.

60 When You arrive in Nandīśvara, the great abode of Vrajaraja Nanda, which is filled with the bellowing of cows, the shouts of the cowherders and the different songs of the artists and panegyrists, and which shines with love, being dearer to Krishna, the Prince of Vraja, than even Govardhana.

61 Surrounded by Your loving friends, You will arrive in Nandishvara. When will I then see Dhanishtha, after seeing You coming from afar, quickly and lovingly bring You inside the palace right in front of me?

62 O Kuśale! You are an expert cook! After I wash Your lotus like feet, You enter into the kitchen and offer obeisances to the queen of Vraja and other superiors. When will You drown me in an ocean of bliss by doing this?

63 O Devi, when can I see Your lowered blushing face affectionately looking at Mādhava while You collect all His food and drinks and place them in Rohiṇī’s hands?

64 O Madhure! When will You gladden me when I see Mādhava glancing at Your joyful and eager lotus face with lowered eyes as He sits in the dining room with His superiors?

65 When will Krishna, the Prince of Vraja, glance at You with His smiling face as He goes out to wander in the forest with the Surabhī cows in whose care He was initiated, being cuddled by His worried mother?

66 O Hrīmati Sumukhi! When will my heart feel great joy when I see the Queen of Vraja, who is more affectionate than billions of mothers, taking eager oaths to make You sit down to eat with Your friends?

67 O Khañjanākṣi! When will I feel a great festival of joy in my heart when I see You being cuddled by the Queen of Vraja, who embraces You, kisses Your head and lovingly stares at You as if You are Her newly married daughter-in-law?

68 O my dear friend Rūpa Mañjari! When can I walk behind you when you lovingly take wide-eyed goddess Rādhikā, who is moved by waves of desire, to the play grove that is decorated by Śrī Hari, as She holds Her vine-like arm with yours?

69 My dear friend Rūpa Mañjari! When will I be able to see you with my mistress decorating Her dearest One with flower-ornaments in the grove-cottage on the bank of Radha-kunda?

70 O Subhage! Can I joyfully decorate You with fine garments, floral earrings, necklaces and so after hearing from the parrot Vicakṣaṇa that the prince of Vraja has gone out for His excellent noontime meeting with You?

71 O Śaśimukhi! O Devi! When will I make a bed of jasmine-flowers for You in the cottage in Madanānandada-kuñja (Visakha’s grove which gives joy to Cupid) which has beautiful gates and erotic vermilion pictures hanging in it, hung with garlands made of various flowers surrounded by humming bees?

72 O Kanaka Gauri (golden girl)! Can I carefully and happily massage Your lotus feet while Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī massages the lotus feet of Krishna, the Prince of Vraja, on whose arm You have placed Your head?

73 Madhusūdana is the crest jewel of clever pranksters! One day He obstructs Your path on the pretext of collecting tax from You as You are walking near Govardhana Hill! Will I then see Your proud eyes crowned with frowned eyebrows?

74 O Madhura-mukhi! When the wind carries Your excellent bodily fragrance to Candrāvalī’s handmade play bed where Mukunda enjoys with her, Krishna finds a clever excuse to meet You on the shore of Radha-kunda, like a bumblebee leaving an inferior flower. When will I proudly witness this?

75 O Śaśimukhi! When will we witness Your ever-fresh water sports with Pranapati Shyama and Your friends all together in Your own sweet lake, which is filled with many lotus flowers and surrounded by singing birds and humming bees?

76 O Varoru! When will the ocean of my bliss expand when I see You being decorated with flowers by joyful Arishtajayi Krishna in a grove with many blooming flowers and bees on the beautiful bank of Your lake?

77 Will the joy of my eyes increase when I see one maiden swiftly and happily bringing various blooming flowers, big guñjā-beads and peacock feathers? While Hari places these things in Svamini’s hair braid, He shivers and Radha’s whole body blooms up with tiny bumps of bliss!

78 O Sumukhi! When will I secretly smile when I see You proudly and excitedly beating Mādhava with Your play lotus during Your love sports?

79 O Subhaga Mukhi! When will You give me great joy by singing sweet love songs with the Prince of Vraja as You embrace Him with Your very graceful arms, and Shyama holds His strong arm on Your low shoulders?

80 O Devi, when You defeat Hari in a dice game You snatch away His flute. When will You throw it to me, so that I can hide it somewhere?

81 O Sumukhi)! When will I have thrill bumps of ecstasy all over my body as I fan You in a temple that gives bliss to Cupid, where You enjoy ever-so-sweet talks with Your lover, Your cheeks blossoming with a smile as You lie on a play bed made of Mālatī flowers?

82 O Rādhe with a face like a fully blooming lotus flower! When You go out to meet Krishna at night Your swiftly moving feet become afflicted with fatigue. O Devi! When will You, although You are shyness personified, call me by name to massage Your lotus feet? Then I know that You have accepted me as Your own!

83 ‘O Rādhe! O Granddaughter! The time has come for Your worship of the sungod! Where are You?’ Will these angry words of Mukharā sound like nectar to me and make me happy?

84 O Devi! Can I serve Your nectarean words with My ears and Your camphor-scented smile with My eyes?

85 O Suvrate! Will you increase my bliss by falsely and angrily quarreling with Your Prananatha, being supported by Your girlfriends, who are expert in helping You in Your loving tricks while You play the flower picking game?

86 O Sadaye! When will this maiden, whom Mādhava knows to be very dear to You and piteously petitioned in so many unbearable ways, anxiously fall at Lalitā’s feet to plead for Him that You give up Your maan?

87 O Dhīre! When will I see Your great ceremonial bathing as You are crowned the queen of Vṛndāvana by Paurṇamāsī’s personal arrangement? While You are being bathed with many jugs of pure fragrant water, there will be a grand festival of love with dancing, singing of auspicious songs and playing of vīṇās and other instruments!

88 O Mañju-vadane! On the full moon day of Śrāvana (August) named Rakṣa Pūrṇimā, Your brother Śrīdāma comes to Yāvata with ten thousand cows to satisfy the greedy Jaṭilā before affectionately taking You along to Varṣānā, where Your parents lovingly cuddle You in front of me as You melt with weeping from happiness and sorrow.

89 O Sadaye! When will You shyly take me far away from Your girlfriends to a cave of Govardhana Hill to teach me beautiful songs in different tunes?

90 O Devi, when will I shyly lower my head in the assembly as You are requested by Lalitā-devī to lovingly read some beautiful romantic poetry to me?

91 O Devi! When will You teach me how to play the Kacchapī vina in a grove that is filled with humming bees, on the shore of Your lake?

92 O Devi! When will You, being shy before Your girlfriends, order me through a hint to restring Your dear necklace which broke during Your pastimes with Krishna?

93 O Devi! When will You affectionately give me the remnants of Your chewed betel from Your mouth into mine, looking all around (to see if anybody’s looking)?

94 O Śaśimukhi! During intense love-pastimes with Your Prananatha You become bewildered and forget Your dear sweet sash of bells in the kunja. When will You give me a wink to go quickly back and fetch it?

95 O Devi! Although You are generally very grave, You once severely rebuked me and sent me away for committing just the tiniest mistake. When will You cast a slight glance on this pitiful person after Lalitā brings her back to You?

96 I am Yours, I am Yours! I cannot live without You! O Devi! Knowing this, please take me to Your lotus feet!

97 O Lolākṣi! Sri Radha-kunda is always the dwelling place of You and Your Beloved. Here only at Radha-kunda I will live and here alone I will stay!

98 O beautiful Radha-kunda! My Ishvari Radha always plays erotic games in you with Her beloved Krishna. If you are dearer to Them than the dearest, then please show me my Ishvari, who is my very life!

99 O fair-faced Viśākhe! My Queen will not leave your company for even a moment! Because You are of the same age as Radha, you are the realm of Her joking pastimes. Please save my life from the affliction of separation and show me my Ishvari!

100 O Natha, O Gokula-sudhakara! O You who are melting with compassion! O You whose lotus like face smiles sweetly and satisfied! Wherever You go to enjoy loving pastimes with Your beloved, please take me there, so that I can affectionately serve You there!

101 O Ishe Radhe! The goddess of fortune cannot attain even a drop of the beauty of the tips of Your lotus like toenails! If You do not bestow the gift of Your darshana, then what is the use of this life that just burns in a forest fire of sorrow?

102 O Varoru! Thus I somehow spent my time at Radha-kunda aspiring after oceans of nectar. But Radha, if You are not merciful to me, then what is the use of my life—my living in Vraja—and even Krishna to me?

103 O Kṛpāmayi Radha! If You are not kind upon this suffering girl then what was the use of all these lamentations and all my service to Your kunda for such a long time?

104 O Praṇaya-śālini Radha! Thus I am loudly crying, desiring to attain Your mature loving service! Holding Your lotus feet to my heart, which is burning out of intense agony, I’m offering these lamentations to them as a bouquet of flowers. May they be the cause of even the slightest satisfaction to You.

(trans. Sri Advaita Dasji)

O, How Glorious are Devotees!

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#Devotees #Vaisnavas #VaisnavaBehavior #FootWater

In the last article, we heard about the glories of brahmanas.

Here Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura reminds us of the power and position of the saintly devotees of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. May we always be blessed with the darshana, sanga and seva of the wish-fulfilling angels of mercy gracing this gloomy world in the form of Krishna bhaktas, the Vaisnavas.

“The lotus feet of the saintly Vaisnavas are the greatest wealth in this world. O my dear brothers! Please listen attentively. One who takes shelter of the Vaisnava and worships Krishna is never forsaken by Krishna. Others die without reason.

“The water that has washed the feet of a Vaisnava gives divine strength to a person engaged in loving devotional service. Nothing else is more powerful than this. The dust of the feet of the Vaisnavas upon my head is the only decoration needed at the time of death.

“The Puranas and bhakti discourses often mention the  purifying power of tirtha jal. However, the water from the feet of a Vaisnavafar surpasses the benedictory power of such sacared water. In fact, all of one’s desires are fulfilled by taking the water from the feet of a Vaisnava.

“One experiences great bliss in associating with Vaisnavas discussing hari-katha. Becoming impatient due to forgetfulness of Krishna, Narottama dasa thus laments. (Prarthana 5.44)

Satam prasangam ki jai! Koti koti bhakta gana ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

O Krishna, Give Me Radha!

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#Manjaris #GopiBhava #RadhaDasyam #SingForRadha #Radha-Krishna

One day in Vraja, while Srimati Radharani was playing with Govinda, She noticed the intense emotions of one new manjari, a nava-kinkari. Radha, who just naturally overflows with love for Her dasis, then held that manjari tightly to Her bosom.

Feeling overwhelmed with joy, that nava-dasi then prayed to Radha’s dearest, “O Madhava, You are the pinnacle of divine bliss. With Your brilliant white teeth, mild smile, and blossoming lotus-like beautiful face You enchant the entire world. Please bathe me in the nectar of service at the lotus feet of Your dearly beloved Radhika.

Continuing, nava-dasi prayed, “All glories to you Shyamasundara! You defeat billions and billions of Cupids with Your slightest sweet, flirtatious gesture. O sweet smiler! You are the embodiment of supreme bliss. Please bless me with service to Your Priyaji.”

Hearing nava-dasi’s heartfelt words, Govinda looked at her with smiling lotus eyes, bathing her in the rainfall of His full affection. After that, by the mercy of Radha Govinda Yugala, nava-dasi started performing all kinds of intimate service. She was so expert in seva, that Radha-Madhava always kept her nearby. Thus nava-dasi was fully sheltered in the seva of Radha-Krishna. (Sangita Madhava, Sri Prabodhananda Sarasvati) Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

Mobile Phones: The 12th Offense!

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#SideEffectsMobilePhones #NamaJapa #Meditation #KrishnaNama #HariNama #NamaAparadha

I hope and pray that none of you, my devoted friends present here, are committing the dreaded 12th offense, which is to leave your mobile phone on in any mode; ring, vibrate, silent or sms while chanting Hare Krishna Namajapa.

Traditionally, all Vaisnavas doing nama-bhajana try to avoid the ten offenses listed in the Padma Purana. In 1900, SrilaBhaktivinodaThakura introduced “inattention” as the 11th offense in chanting. Inattention has three forms: indifference or no attention; laziness, and distraction, which means attraction to other objects i.e. mobile phones.

Although mobile phone distraction can be seen as one form of inattention, I am introducing it as the 12th offense to focus on it and to impress the modern chanters. The book entitled, “NamaAparadha: Ten Obstacles to Attaining God” defines an offense as something which acts against one’s spiritual success by taking the flow of one’s affection away from the Supreme Lord.

We should chant japa with undivided attention (avyagra-dhiyau) and an undivided mind and heart. But if our hearing, feeling or seeing is divided between the mobile and the Holy Name, the mobile will win and we will lose; lose our chance to chant attentively and pleasingly.

Show Krishna you care for Him, and prove to Krishna that you really want to love Him. Fully turn off your mobile, enter the spiritual world of Vraja with Radhe-Syama, and forget the synthetic world of microwaves.

At least for two hours, 1/12th of our day, we should be absolutely fixed and focused on hearing, feeling, seeing and serving Sri Krishna’s sweet Holy Names in japa; simply Krishna, the beads and me. Resist, with your greatest resolve, the gnawing tendency to be attracted to the distraction called mobile.

The word mobile means movable, and that’s exactly what mobile phones do; move your mind and heart away from Krishna. A yogi of devotion, however, calms and centers his mind on Krishna’s Holy Names in japa, like a candle flame burning steadily in a windless place.

From the beginning of humanity, all yogic paths have stressed sense control for success. From now on into the 21st cyber century sense control will mean “cell control”. Perfection in any yoga path will now depend on how much the practitioner can control the use of his mobile phone. Control it or be controlled by it!

Use it sparingly, only when needed and save your time for sadhana. Don’t spoil your life, and cells, by whiling away your ever diminishing,invaluable treasure called time. Our priority should be singing for the Person Syama, not playing with the plastic Samsong. Although mobiles have become a mass mania, devotees should be careful that mobile phones don’t take over and control their lives. The essence is this:  “Mobile On—Nama Off!”

Whenever one has the chance, he should take a mobile phone vacation. Try and see how many hours a day, days during a vacation, or a whole Ekadasiyou can live in Harinama-bhajana WITHOUT YOUR MOBILE PHONE. Some devotees I know keep their cell phones OFF all day until 8 p.m. Then for one hour they handle all their calls and messages. The rest of the day is spent in sadhana-bhakti. Indeed, such persons are very fortunate.

I hope some of you have become inspired by this, and will now fully turn off your mobiles during japa. If you do this, then I guarantee that you will get a wonderfully fulfilling experience in your Hare Krishna nama-japa! Maha-bhaktaHaridasaThakuraki jai! Jaya JayaHaridasaki jai!Attentive NamaJapaki jai! MadhuraNamaki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

Manjari Sadhana Sutras

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#RagaBhakti #ManjariSadhana #GopiBhava #Smarana #Gopis #Radha-Krishna

In Prema Bhakti Candrika, Narottama dasa Thakura describes the five essential practices of manjari-bhava sadhana.

By performing sadhana according these sutras, the raganuga sadhaka will to attain madhurya-prema in the mood of Shyama’s sweethearts, the sakhis.

Thakura Mahashaya’s sutras include four of the nine limbs of bhakti-sadhana:

1) Sravanam; 2) Kirtanam; 3) Smaranam; and 4) Vandanam.

He added a special fifth practice which he calls Darshana.

This concise sadhana package describes five limbs of bhakti covering nine individual daily practices. If one regularly follows this, one will quickly obtain the coveted treasure of Radha-Krishna’s eternal prema seva in his/her manjari svarupa i.e. siddha deha.

The Manjari-bhava Sadhana Sutras

I. HEARING (sravanam)

1. Become emotionally attached to reading and hearing about the amorous affairs of Radha Govinda Yugala: rati prema maya parabandhe. (v. 60)

2. Constantly hear devotees chanting the names and attributes of Radha-Krishna: donhaara nama guna shuni, bhakta mukhe puni puni. ( v. 76)

II. CHANTING (kirtanam)

3. Cultivatethe rasa-filled names of Radha-Krishna:krishna nama radha nama upaya rasa dhaama. ( v. 60)

III. REMEMBERING (smaranam)

4. Seva smaranam—fix your mind only the seva of Radha-Krishna: radha krishna sevana ekaanta koriyaa mana. (v.76)

5. Kirtana smarana—singing Radha-Krishna nama [e.g Hare Krishna Maha-mantra] is the topmost meditation: Radha-Krishna nama gaana parama dhyaana. (v. 73)

6. Lila smarana—remembering the sweet daily vraja-lilas of Radha Govinda Yugala is the practice and the goal—there is nothing more than this:  yugala vilasa smrti sarasadhya sadhana ei, iha boi ara nai. (v. 61)

IV. PRAYERS (vandanam)

7. Pray with a pure, selfless heart that you can always hear [or read] the prema-filled topics of Radha and Krishna: prarthana sada shuddha bhava prema katha. (v. 75)

V. SEEING (darshanam)

8. Rupa-darshana— Always cry while desiring to see with your eyes, the beautiful golden form of Rai (Radharani) hema gauri tanu rai, ankhi darashana chai, rodana koribo abhilasha. (v. 76)

9. Lila-darshana—cultivate surging eagerness to see Radha-Krishna’s rasa dance in Vrndavana: maha lila darshana lobha. ( v. 67)

Manjari bhava sadhana ki jai!   Thakura Mahashaya ki jai!    Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

Birth and Growth of a Manjari

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#ManjariBhava #Vrindavana #GopiBhava #SakhisBirthdays #Varshana

In Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Gita mala song 'Siddhi Lalasa', he seems to present a series of events beginning with a sadhana siddha devotee taking a gopi birth in Varshana during Radha-Krishna’s prakata-lila.

Afterwards, that baby manjari grows up until that lucky day 13 years later, when she meets Radha-Krishna for the first time and begins her eternal seva to Yugala Kishora.

Now we will present the sequence of event described in ‘Siddha Lalasa’ by Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura.

1. Birth in Varshana:

After attaining Radha Govinda madhurya prema the sadhana siddha-devotee will take birth from the womb of a Vraja-gopi in Bhauma Vrindavana during the prakata lila of Radha-Krishna.

2. Growing Up:

From a baby manjari-form in Varshana, you will gradually grow up to your eternal manjari svarupa age 12-13.

3. Engagement:

Once you reach maturity, you will pass your time in separation from Radha-Krishna, singing Yugala bhajanas like a madwoman (palini praya, BVT) and doing small sevas like fetching Yamuna-jala.

4. Meeting Your Guru Sakhi:

One day on the foot path, you will meet your eternal guru sakhi and the chief manjari of your parivara e.g. Rupa, Rati.

5. Introduction to Group Leader:

Then later your guru sakhi and chief manjari will take you to meet your sakhi group leader (Lalita or Visakha).

6. Receiving Seva Kunja:

Your group leader will assign you an individual (or collective) seva kunja for serving the Divine Couple.

7. Radha-Kṛṣṇa Service Training:

Your group leader, chief manjari, and other leading sakhis will personally train you in various sevas (rasa seva shiksha), bhavas and different levels of prema so you can expertly serve Radha  Govinda Yugala.

8. Starting Srimati Seva:

Now after taking birth in Varshana, growing up for 12 years and being trained in seva, you are finally qualified to meet Radha-Krishna for the first time and begin your eternal seva.

Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains that most auspicious and wonderful moment like this: “Thus waiting in my solitary cottage, I will constantly remember Sri Radha’s lotus feet. After sometime, my chief manjari (Sri Rupa/Rati) will come to meet me. At that time, she will say, ‘What are you doing sitting here? Come outside and look— just see Who is coming this way? Radha Govinda Yugala are about to meet together. And today you will get the chance to serve Their lotus feet.’”  (Siddha-lalasa song 6) 

Questions Based On This Outline:

a. If the above statements are correct does that mean that all sadhana siddhas will not directly meet or serve Sri Radha until they grow into their mature manjaris swarupas and become seva-qualified?

b. What about seeing Radha-Krishna; will that also not occur until the manjari reaches her mature age?

c. Will all sadhana siddha manjaris follow these same steps that Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura mentions here leading to the final reward of Radha’s eternal seva?

d. Does any other book describe the progression from Bhauma prakata-lila birth to beginning Bhanu-nandini’s blissful seva?

Answers by Sri Guru:

“First of all, No! It is not that every sadhana siddha in manjari bhava must or will go through these different stages or have these particular experiences. In this bhajana, ‘Siddhi Lalasa’ Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura is describing his own world of service. It is purely subjective. However, I do not see any rasabhasa or viruddha siddhanta in it. But remember, it is not that every perfected sadhaka who enters Krishna’s Bhauma lila will follow or experience this sequence of events.”

“Just as we acknowledge Sri Krishna’s pastimes of birth and growth in the Srimad Bhagavatam, but ultimately focus and concentrate on Krishna’s youthful pastimes with Radharani, nitya-kishora lila. Similarly, although as sadhana siddhas we will take birth and grow up on Bhauma Vrindavana, still we focus on our eternal sevas to Radha Govinda Yugala in their confidential loving pastimes.  And as you know, generally raganuga Gurus will give their shishyas an upasana based on the eternal adya kishori manjari sevas as described in Vilapa-kusumanjali and Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi.

“Regarding spiritual birth, growing up and the time factor in the spiritual sky Sri Jiva Goswami gives some wonderful insight. He says that time does exists in the spiritual sky but it does not lead to decay. “The six transformations of time (birth, sustenance, growth, maturity, decline and death) do not expand their powers (in Vaikuntha) In fact, they are absent there.” (tika SB2.9.10)

“So the spiritual pastimes of birth, growth and meeting are possible in the spiritual world, and each phase can be eternally meditated upon also. A sadhana siddha devotees’ birth in Vraja is nicely described by Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura in Prema-bhakti-chandrika: ‘When will I attain the condition wherein I am born as a daughter in the house of a cowherder in Varshana? And when will I be married in the village of Yavat and live there? When can I serve the lotus-feet of the dearmost maidservant (Rupa-manjari) of the best of sakhis (Lalita)?’

“As far as the new manjari’s introduction to the world of sakhi servants, Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura says, ‘I will shyly stand behind Sri Rupa Manjari as Radha and Krishna look at me again, smile and ask Rupa with kind hearts: "O Rupa! Where did you get this new maidservant?' Hearing Their inquiry, Sri Rupa Manjari  then tells Them: 'Manjulali manjari (gopi name of Sri Lokanatha Goswami& and Guru of NDT) has given me this maidservant to offer to You!'”

Varshana walli Sri Radha ki jai! Manjari bhava ki jai! Sri Radha nitya-seva ki jai!

Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!