Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das
#Manjaris #RaganugaBhakti #Gopis #Radharani
#RadhasSeva #VrajaPrema
This series of posts will present facts (tattva)
regarding the identity, moods (gopi-bhava), intimacy and sevas of Srimati Radharani’s
beautiful and talented hand maidens known as manjaris, kinkaris, or dasis.
Also we will present many astonishing and wonderful
lilas to highlight the manjaris most personal and confidential sevas to Srimati
Radhika and Her dearest Priyatama Shyamasundara.
The information here is based on the commentaries of
Advaitavamsa Acharya 108 Sri Ananda Gopala Goswami and 108 Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji
Maharaja taken from “Vilapa Kusumanjali” and “Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi” translated
by Sri AdvaitaDasji.
Manjari Tattva:Separation in
Vraja Bhajan
When the mind is very
agitated by feelings of separation from Radha and Krishna the loving devotee
may feel helpless or unfortunate, unable to see an end to it.However, when
accomplished devotees experience strong feelings of love-in-separation from
Radharani, they sometimes get a vision, sphurti, of Srimati which helps them
stay alive. Then there's no end to the bliss one feels in being close to the
beloved again!
This constant succession of
meeting and separation from Srimati Radhika puts the devotee in an
indescribable condition. The pain of separation becomes so severe that it wipes
the remembrance of the just-experienced bliss of union out of the mind. In such
a condition only another such vision can keep the devotee alive.This is the specialty
of the love of Vraja and it is the great treasure of the Vraja-rasa-upasaka.
Manjari Tattva: Acquaintance
with Radhika
Can the devotee continue if one
does not even get slightly acquainted with Radharani? How can we advance
towards someone we have never seen, who is beyond our purview?
Such a devotee laments, “I
could not get acquainted with Swamini Radha who is everything to me! I never
even think of the maid service of Sri Radha, to whom my merciful Guru has
introduced me! My bodily consciousness is so strong, everything is averse to the
mood I desire! What a waste of life if I don't even get slightly acquainted
with Radhika who makes even the supreme master of all material and spiritual
worlds faint just by casting a single sidelong glance at Him!
“Yet at the same time I am drawn
towards Radharani’s lotus feet by a strong desire to reach them. O Swamini! If
You just once stay in my thoughts or in my dreams, then I
will be consoled! Please respond, O Swamini! Just tell me once “You are Mine!”
I am sitting here at Radha-kunda just waiting for that and nothing else!"
When the devotee is so
anxiously and exclusively waiting, everything else will become insignificant
and one will slowly be drawn to Radharani’s lotus feet through one’s
experiences. The soothing moonlight that emanates from Sri Radha’s beautiful toenails
will illuminate the heart of any devotee who develops such intense devotion. Not
only that, but Krishna Himself will come running to anyone who meditates on Sri
Radhika’s lotus feet and who hears and chants about Radha. Jai Jai Sri Radhe!
Manjari Lila: Applying
Radha’s Foot lac
Radha-Madhava are enjoying in
a kunja and Tulasi manjari, who is non-different from Swamini in heart and
body, is fanning Them. Nagara Shyam then eagerly sits down at Swamini’s feet to
decorate Her.
Praneshvari orders, “Smear
footlac around My feet!” Shyam starts the job holding Radha’s feet to His
chest, but then Krishna gets lost in their sweetness while looking at them.
Impatiently Swamini says: “What are You doing? Quickly put that lac on! What
will My sakhis say if they see Me like this?”
But Krishna sometimes holds
Radha’s feet to His chest, sometimes kisses them, and sometimes also paints
some lac on them with trembling hands. Noticing Krishna’s inability to get the
job done, Srimati says, “O Sundara! It’s obvious You cannot do it! Tulasi,
come, put on My footlac!”
This makes Shyam think to
Himself: “Alas! How unqualified I am!” Getting Swamini’s order, Tulasi softly
pushes Shyam aside while saying: “Move over!
Through You it will never be done, so I’ll do it!”
Radharani’s manjaris ki jai!
Jai Jai Sri Radhe!
No comments:
Post a Comment