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Whatever he may be, whatever position he may have, if a person is fully conversant with the science of Krishna, Krishna Consciousness, he can become a bona fide Spiritual Master, initiator, or teacher of the science. In other words, the capability of becoming a bona fide Spiritual Master depends on his sufficient knowledge of the science of Krishna, Krishna Consciousness; it does not depend on a particular position in society or of birth. This conclusion of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is not against the Vedic injunction. On the strength of this conclusion, Lord Chaitanya, previously known as Viswambhar, accepted a Spiritual Master, Iswara Puri, who was a sannyasi. Similarly, Lord Nityananda Prabhu also accepted as his Spiritual Master Madavendra Puri, another sannyasi. This Madhavendra Puri is also known as Laksmipati Tirtha. Sri Adwaita Acharya also accepted this Madhavendra Puri as his Spiritual Master. Similarly, another great Acharya, Sri Rasikananda, accepted as his Spiritual Master Sri Shymananda, who was not born of a Brahmin family. So also Ganganarayana chakravarty accepted as his Spiritual Master Das Gadadhar. In ancient days there was a hunter whose name was Dharma. He also became the Spiritual Master of many persons. There are plain instructions in Mahabharata and Srimad Bhagwatam (Seventh Canto, 11th Chapter) in which it is stated that a person should be accepted—either a Brahmin or a Kshatriya or a Vaishya or a Sudra—by his personal qualification, and not by birth.
#$p#And, if such personal qualifications become applicable to a person who is born in a family outside the ordinary field of his actual qualification, he should be accepted by his personal qualification alone. For example, if a man is born of a Brahmin family but his personal qualification is that of a Sudra, then he should be accepted as a Sudra. Similarly, if a person is born of a Sudra family but his personal characteristics are those of a Brahmin, he should be accepted as a Brahmin. All Shastric injunctions, and the version of great sages and authorities—and their practical behavior as well—establish that a bona fide Spiritual Master is not necessarily of the caste Brahmin class. The only qualification is that he must be conversant in the science of Krishna, Krishna Consciousness. That will make him perfectly eligible to become a Spiritual Master. That is the conclusion of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in His discussions with Ramananda Roy.
#$p#In the Hari Bhakti Vilasa there is the statement that, if there is a bona fide Spriritual Master born of a Brahmin family, and another who is qualified but born of a Sudra family, one should accept the Spiritual Master who is born of the Brahmin family, and not of the Sudra family. This statement is somewhat of a compromise to social understanding; but is not meant for spiritual understanding. For persons who prefer to count social status as more important than spiritual status, this injunction of the Hari Bhakti Vilasa is applicable. But not for the persons who are spiritually serious. For a person spiritually serious, the instruction of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is that anyone—never mind what he is—if he is conversant with Krishna science must be accepted as the Spiritual Master.
#$p#There are many injunctions in the Padma Purana which state as follows: a highly elevated, spiritually advanced devotee of the Lord is always a first class devotee, and therefore he is a Spiritual Master. But a highly elevated person born in a Brahmin family, who is not a devotee of the Lord, cannot be a Spiritual Master. A person born in a Brahmin family may be conversant with all the rituals of the Vedic Scripture, but if he is not a pure devotee of the Lord, he cannot be a Spiritual Master. In all the Shastras, the chief qualification of a bona fide Spiritual Master is that he must be a qualified person conversant in the science of Krishna.
#$p#Lord Chaitanya therefore requested Ramananda Roy to go on teaching Him, and not to hesitate about speaking on the science of Krishna because Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was a sannyasi in the renounced order of life. He requested him to go on speaking on the Pastimes of Radha and Krishna.
#$p#Ramananda Roy then humbly submitted: "Because You are asking me to speak on the Pastimes of Radha and Krishna, of course I must obey Your order, and whatever You would like me to say, I will speak in that way." Ramananda Roy humbly submitted himself as a puppet, and Lord Chaitanya was the puppeteer. So, he wanted to dance according to the will of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He expressed that his tongue was just like a string instrument, and "You are the player of the string instrument." So, as Lord Chaitanya would play, Ramananda Roy would vibrate the sound.
#$p#He said that Lord Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Source of all incarnations, and the Cause of all causes. There are innumerable Vaikuntha planets, and there are innumerable incarnations and expansions of the Supreme Lord, and there are innumerable universes also. Of all these existences the Supreme Lord Krishna is the only Source. His transcendental Body is composed of eternity and blissfulness and knowledge, and He is known as the Son of Maharaj Nanda, or as the Inhabitant of Goloka Vrindaban; He is full with six opulences—namely, all wealth, all strength, all fame, all beauty, all knowledge, and all renunciation.
#$p#In the Brahma Samhita, Fifth Chapter, 1st verse, it is confirmed that Krishna is the Supreme Lord, He is the Lord of all lords, and His transcendental Body is Sat-chit-ananda. And no one is the Source of Krishna, but Krishna is the Source of everyone. He is the Supreme Cause of all causes. He is Resident of Vrindaban, and very attractive, just like Cupid. One can worship Him by Kam Gayatri Mantra.
#$p#The description of Vrindaban is stated in the Brahma Samhita as follows: the transcendental land of Vrindaban is always spiritual. That spiritual land is full of Goddesses of Fortune, who are known as Gopis; and they are all beloved of Krishna, and Krishna is the only Lover of all those Gopis. The trees of that land are all desire trees: you can have anything you want from any tree. The land is made of touchstone, and the water is nectar, and all speech is song, and all walking is dancing, and the constant companion is the flute. Everything is self-illuminated, just as we experience the sun and the moon in this material world.
#$p#The human form of life is meant for understanding this transcendental land of Vrindaban, and one who is fortunate should cultivate knowledge of Vrindaban and the residents of Vrindaban.
#$p#In that Supreme Abode, there are the Surabhi cows, who are overflooding the land with milk. In that land, the Supreme Abode of Krishna, even a moment is not misused. Therefore, there is no past, present or future. An expansion of that Vrindaban, the Supreme Abode of Krishna, is here also on this Earth. Superior devotees worship this earthly Vrindaban as being as good as the Supreme Abode Vrindaban. Nobody can appreciate Vrindaban without being highly elevated in spiritual knowledge, Krishna Consciousness. Vrindaban in ordinary experience appears to be just like ordinary land; but in the eyes of a highly elevated devotee, it is as good as the original Vrindaban. A great saintly person, an Acharya, has expressed this in his song: "When will my mind be cleared of all dirty things, and when shall I be able to see Vrindaban as It is? And when shall I be able to understand the literature left by the Goswamins—so that I will be able to understand the transcendental Pastimes of Radha and Krishna?"
#$p#The loving affairs in Vrindaban between Krishna and the Gopis are also transcendental. They appear to be like the ordinary lust of this material world, but there is a gulf of difference between the moods of Vrindaban and this material world. In the material world there may be the temporary awakening of lust, but it disappears after so-called satisfaction. But in the Spiritual World the love between the Gopis and Krishna is constantly going on, and it is increasing at every moment. That is the difference between the love of the transcendental world, and the lust of the material world. The lust of so-called love arising out of this body, is as temporary as the body itself But the love in the Spiritual World is on the spiritual platform, and the spirit soul is eternal. And so that love is also eternal. Therefore, Krishna is addressed as the evergreen Cupid.
#$p#Lord Krishna is worshipped by the Gayatri Mantra, and the specific Mantra is called Kamagayatri. The explanation of the Kamagayatri Mantra is stated in the Vedic literature: that sound vibration which can elevate one from mental concoction is called Gayatri. The Kamagayatri Mantra is composed of 24½ syllables, and is stated as follows:
#$p#Klim kamadevaya vidmahe puspavanaya dheemahi tanna' nanga prachodayat. This Kamagayatri is received from the Spiritual Master when a disciple is far advanced by chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. In other words, this Kamagayatri Mantra and Sanksar, or reformation of a perfect Brahmin, are offered by the Spiritual Master to a student when he sees that the disciple is advanced in spiritual knowledge. Even such Kamagayatri is not uttered under certain circumstances. Still, the chanting of Hare Krishna is sufficient to elevate one to the highest spiritual platform.
#$p#In the Brahma Samhita there is a nice description of the flute of Krishna. The purport of the description is thus: "When Krishna began to play on His flute, the sound vibration entered into the ear of Brahma as the Vedic Mantra, OM. This OM is composed of three letters: A, U, and M, or a description of our relationship with the Supreme Lord. It describes our activities to achieve the highest perfection of love, and the actual position of the loving condition in the spiritual platform. When the sound vibration of Krishna's flute became expressed through the mouth of Brahma, it became Gayatri. Therefore, being influenced by the sound vibration of the flute of Krishna, Brahma, the supreme creature and first living entity of this material world, was initiated as Brahmin.
#$p#This remark on Brahma's becoming a Brahmin, initiated by the flute of Krishna, is confirmed by Srila Jiva Goswami. When Brahma was enlightened by the Gayatri Mantra through the flute of Krishna, he became possessed of all Vedic knowledge. He acknowledged the benediction offered to him by Krishna, and thus he became the original Spiritual Master of all living entities.
#$p#The word Klim added to the Gayatri Mantra is explained in Brahma Samhita as the transcendental seed of love of Godhead, or the seed of the Kamagayatri. The object is Krishna, Who is the evergreen Cupid. And, by utterance of Klim Mantra, Krishna is worshipped. In the Gopal Tapini Upanishad, it is further stated that when we speak of Krishna as Cupid we should not misunderstand that He is the Cupid of this material world. As we have explained, Vrindaban is the Spiritual Abode of Krishna, and so this word Cupid is also spiritual and transcendental. One should not misunderstand the material Cupid and Krishna as being on the same level. Material Cupid is the attraction of this external flesh and body, but the spiritual Cupid is the attraction of the Supersoul upon the individual soul.
#$p#Actually, lust and the sex urge are there in spiritual life, but because the spirit soul is now embodied in material elements, that spiritual urge is expressed through this material body; and therefore it is pervertedly reflected. When one becomes actually conversant in the science of Krishna Consciousness, he can understand that his material affection of sex life is abominable, whereas spiritual sex life is desirable.
#$p#Spiritual sex life is of two kinds: one completely in the constitutional position of the self, and the other according to the object. When one has understood the truth about this life but is not completely out of the material contamination, then, although there is an understanding of spiritual life, he is not factually situated in the transcendental Abode, Vrindaban. When, however, one becomes free from all bodily sex urges, he is actually situated in the Supreme Abode of Vrindaban. When one is situated in that stage of life, the Kamagayatri and Kamavija Mantra can be uttered by the student.
#$p#Ramananda Roy then explained that Krishna is Attractive both for men and women, for the movable and the immovable—for all living entities. Therefore, He is called the transcendental Cupid. And He quoted a verse from Srimad Bhagwatam, Tenth Canto, 32nd Chapter, where the Lord appeared before the damsels of Vraja just like Cupid, while smiling and playing His flute.
#$p#There are different kinds of devotees of the Lord, and they have different aptitudes and relationships with the Supreme Lord. Any kind of relationship with the Supreme Lord is as good as any other, because the central point is Krishna. In the Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu there is a nice verse in this connection, which states as follows: "Krishna is the Reservoir of all pleasure, and by the spiritual luster of His Body, He is always attracting the Gopis, especially Taraka, Pali, Shyama, and Lalita. Krishna is very dear to Radharani, the foremost Gopi." Like Krishna, the Gopis were glorified by His Pastime activities. In other words, there are different kinds of specific relationships with Krishna, and anyone who is attracted to Krishna by a particular flavor is glorified.
#$p#Krishna is so beautiful and transcendental, and so attractive, that sometimes He becomes attractive to Himself. There is a very nice verse in Gita Govinda: "My dear friend, do you see how Krishna is enjoying His transcendental Pastimes in the springtime, by expanding the beauty of His Personal Body? And, just like the most beautiful moon, His soft legs and hands are being used on the bodies of the Gopis, and He is embracing them by different parts of the body, and thus He is so beautiful! Krishna is so beautiful that He is attractive even to Narayan, and not only to Narayan—He is also attracting the Goddesses of Fortune who associate with Narayan."
#$p#In Srimad Bhagwatam there is a nice verse in this connection. The Bhuma Purusa said to Krishna, "My dear Krishna and Arjuna, just to see You I have brought the Brahmins before You." This is in connection with Arjuna's attempt to save some youths, who he heard had died untimely at Dwarka. And when he failed to save them, Krishna took him to the Bhuma Purusa, and when the Bhuma Purusa brought forth those dead bodies as living entities he expressed his feelings in the following words: "Both of You appeared for the preservation of religious principles in this world, and to annihilate the demoniac persons." In other words, the Bhuma Purusa was also attracted by the beauty of Krishna, and under some pretext He wanted to see Krishna and this Pastime was invented
by him. There is another nice verse in the Srimad Bhagwatam, Tenth Canto, 16th Chapter, in which it is stated, "My dear Lord, we cannot estimate how this fallen snake got the opportunity of being kicked by Your Lotus Feet, for which even the Goddess of Fortune underwent austerities for several years—just to see You." This was spoken by the wife of Kaliya, in connection with Kaliya's punishment by Krishna.
#$p#How Krishna is attracted by His own beauty is also stated in the Laleeta Madhav, Eighth Chapter, 20th verse. Krishna, by seeing His own picture, is lamenting, "How nice this picture is, how glorious this picture is. I am also becoming attracted just like Radhika is attracted by this picture." Krishna was attracted as much as Radhika, or Radharani, was when She saw the picture.
#$p#Thus, Ramananda Roy explained about the beauty of Krishna in summary.
#$p#He again began to speak about the spiritual energy of Krishna, headed by Srimati Radharani. It is said that Krishna has immense expansions of energy, out of which three energies are predominant: one is called internal energy, the second is called external energy, and the third is called marginal energy, or the living entity. This is confirmed in the Vishnu Purana, 6th Chapter: Vishnu has one energy, which is called spiritual energy, and it is manifested in three ways. When spiritual energy is overwhelmed by ignorance, that is called marginal energy. So far as spiritual energy is concerned—because Krishna is a combination of eternity, bliss, and knowledge, the spiritual energy is also exhibited in three forms. So far as Krishna's bliss and peacefulness are concerned, His spiritual energy is manifested as pleasure-giving potency, His eternity is manifestive energy, and His knowledge is manifested as spiritual perfection. It is confirmed in the Vishnu Purana, First Canto, 12th Chapter: "The pleasure potency of Krishna can give Krishna transcendental pleasure and bliss." Therefore, when Krishna wants to enjoy pleasure, He exhibits His own spiritual potency, known as Alhadini.
#$p#Krishna in His Spiritual From enjoys the spiritual energy, and that is the sum and substance of the Radha Krishna Pastime. These Radha Krishna Pastimes can be understood by elevated devotees only. From the ordinary platform one should not try to understand this Radha Krishna Potency, and their Pastimes. People only misunderstand it as being material.
#$p#When the pleasure potency is further condensed, it is called Mahabhava. Srimati Radharani, the eternal Consort of Krishna is a personification of that Mahabhava. This Mahabhava representation is explained by Rupa Goswami in his book Ujjal Nilmoni in the Second Canto, 2nd Sloka. It is stated there, that although there were two competitors in love of Krishna, Radharani and Chandravali; still, by comparison, it appears that Radharani is the best, and She is possessed of the Mahabhava Svarupa. Therefore, this Mahabhava Svarupa, or personification, is applicable to Radharani only, and no one else.
#$p#Mahabhava is full of the pleasure potency, and is an exhibition of the highest attitude of love towards Krishna. She is therefore known throughout the world as the Most Beloved of Krishna. And Her name is always associated with Krishna, as Radha Krishna.
#$p#Brahma Samhita also confirms this: Krishna expands Himself by His pleasure potency in the Spiritual World, and the potencies are all non-different from Krishna in the Absolute. Krishna, although He is always enjoying the company of His expansions of the pleasure potency, is All-pervading. Therefore, Brahma offers his respectful obeisances to Govinda, the Cause of all causes.
#$p#As Krishna is the highest emblem of spiritual perfection, so Radharani is the highest emblem of the spiritual pleasure potency meant for satisfying Krishna. Krishna is unlimited, and so Radharani is also unlimited, for His satisfaction. Krishna is satisfied by seeing Radharani, but Radharani also expands Herself in such a way that Krishna still wants to enjoy more. And, because Krishna was unable to estimate the pleasure potency of Radharani, He wanted to accept the role of Radharani. That combination is called Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
#$p#Ramananda Roy then began to explain that Radharani is therefore the supreme emblem of the pleasure potency of Krishna. And Radharani expands Herself into different forms, known as Lalita Visakha and Her confidential associates. The Characteristics of Srimati Radharani are explained by Rupa Goswami in his book Uljal Nilmoni, and they can be understood as follows: The body of Radharani is an evolution of transcendental pleasure. That body is decorated with flowers and fragrant aromas, complete with transcendental love for Krishna. That is the personification. That transcendental body takes birth three times: first in the water of mercy, second in the water of useful beauty, and third in the water of youthful luster. After taking birth three times in that way, covered with shining garments and decorated with His Personal beauty, which is compared with cosmetics (Her beauty being the highest artistry) Her body is decorated with ornaments of the ecstasies of spiritual emotion—trembling, tears, checking of the body in transcendental pleasure, stopping of all functions of the body, perspiration, choking of the voice, blood pressure, madness, and stumbling.
#$p#There are nine symptoms of decorative transcendental pleasure potency. Five are by Her expansion of personal beauty, decorated with garlands of flowers; and Her patient calmness is compared with a covering of cloths, cleansed by camphor. Her confidential agony for Krishna is the knot of Her hair, and the mark of telok on Her forehead is Her fortune. The hearing of Radharani is fixed on Krishna's Name and Fame, eternally. By chewing betal nuts the lips become reddish. Similarly, the complete attachment of Radharani to Krishna has blackened the border of Her eyes. It can be compared to ointment, due to Nature joking with Radha and Krishna. Her smiling is just like the taste of camphor. The garland of separation moves on Her body when She lies down on the bed of pride, within the room of aroma. Her breast is covered by the blouse of anger, out of ecstatic affection for Krishna; and a stringed instrument is Hers for Her reputation of being the best amongst all the girlfriends of Krishna. She puts Her hand on the shoulder of His youthful posture. Although She possesses so many transcendental qualities, still She is always engaged in the service of Krishna.
#$p#Srimati Radharani is decorated with Suddipta Sattvik emotions, which include sometimes tribulation, sometimes pacification. All these transcendental ecstasies are symptoms of the body of Srimati Radharani. Suddipta Sattvik emotion is when a lover is overwhelmed with certain kinds of feelings which he or she cannot check. Radharani has another emotion which is called Kilakinchita. This Kilakinchita emotion has twenty different manifestations. Such manifestations are partly due to the body, due to the mind, and due to habit. So far as the bodily emotions are concerned, they are called posture and movement. So far as the emotions of the mind are concerned, they are the exposition of beauty, luster, complexion, mellows, talking, magnanimity and patience. As far as habitual emotions are concerned, they are pastimes, enjoyment, preparation, forgetfulness.
#$p#There is the fortune telok on the forehead of Srimati Radharani, and She has a locket of Premvaichittya. Premvaichittya is the symptom of a lover that occurs when the lover and the beloved meet together, and still have a fear of separation.
#$p#Srimati Radharani is fifteen days younger than Krishna. She always keeps Her hand on the shoulder of Her friends; and She is always talking and thinking of Pastimes with Krishna. She always offers Krishna, by Her sweet talks, a kind of intoxication. She is always prepared to fulfill all the desires of Sri Krishna. In other words, She is the supply source for all the demands of Sri Krishna, and She is qualified with unnatural or uncommon qualities for the satisfaction of Krishna.
#$p#There is a nice verse in the Govinda Lilamrita in which is stated as follows: "Who is the breeding ground of Krishna's affection? The answer is, it is only Srimati Radhika. Who is the most dear lovable object of Krishna? The answer is, it is only Srimati Radhika, and nobody else." Sheen in the hair and a moistness in the eyes, and firmness in the breast—all these qualities are there in Srimati Radhika. Therefore only Srimati Radhika is able to fulfill all the desires of Krishna, and nobody else can.
#$p#Sottabhama is another competitor of Srimati Radharani, but she always desires to come to the standard of Srimati Radharani. Srimati Radharani is so expert in every affair that all the damsels of Vraja come and learn all those arts from Her. She is so extraordinarily beautiful that even the Goddess of Fortune and Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva, also desire to be elevated to the standard of Srimati Radharani's beauty. Arundhuthi, who is known as the most chaste lady in the universe, desires to learn the standard of chastity from Srimati Radharani. Even Lord Krishna cannot estimate the highly transcendental qualities of Srimati Radharani; and therefore it is not possible for any ordinary man to estimate those qualities.
#$p#Lord Chaitanya, after hearing from Sri Ramananda Roy about the qualities of Srimati Radharani and Krishna, desired to hear from him about the reciprocal exchange of love between Radharani and Krishna. Krishna is described by Ramananda Roy as Dhirlalita, and He is always engaged in love affairs with Radharani. Dhirlalita describes a person who is very cunning and youthful, and always expert in joking, without any anxiety, and always subservient to his girlfriend. This Krishna is always engaged in the bushes of Vrindaban to enjoy lusty activities with Radharani, and thus He successfully carried out the instincts of lust.
#$p#In the Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu there is a very nice verse in connection with the dealings of Radha and Krishna, and it is said there: "This Krishna, by His impudent and daring talks about sex indulgence, obliged Srimati Radhika to close her eyes and taking the opportunity of the closed eyes of Srimati Radharani, Krishna painted many pictures on the breasts of Radharani, which was the subject matter for joking for the friends of Radharani. Krishna was always engaged in such lustful activities, and thus He made successful His primary youthful life."
#$p#On hearing of these transcendental activities between Radha and Krishna, Lord Chaitanya said, "My dear Ramananda, what you have explained about the transcendental Pastimes of Sri Radha and Krishna is perfectly right, but still there must be something more I should like to hear from you."
#$p#On hearing this, Ramananda Roy said, "It is very difficult for me to express anything beyond this. But I can only say that there is an emotional activity which is called Prembilasa Bivarta. I may try to explain the Prembilasa. I do not know whether You will be happy to hear it, but I must explain it to You." In the Prembilasa emotion there are two kinds of emotional activities, which are called separation and meeting. That transcendental separation is so acute that it becomes more ecstatic than meeting. Ramananda Roy was expert in understanding such highly elevated dealings between Radha and Krishna, and he composed a very nice song which he narrated to the Lord. The purport of that song is as follows: the lover and the beloved, before their meeting, by the exchange of their transcendental activities, generate a kind of emotion. That emotion is called Raga, or attraction. Srimati Radharani expressed Her willingness, that "This attraction and affection between Ourselves has risen to the highest extent"—but the cause of such attraction is Radharani Herself. "Whatever the cause may be, that affection between Yourself and Myself," said Radharani, "has mixed Us in oneness. Now it is the time of separation, so I cannot see the history of the evolution of this love between You and Me. There was no other cause or mediator in Our love, the only cause was Our meeting and visionary exchange of feelings."
#$p#This exchange of feelings between Krishna and Radharani is very difficult to understand, unless one is elevated onto the pure platform of goodness. Such transcendental reciprocation between Radha and Krishna is not possible to understand even on the platform of material goodness. One has to transcend even material goodness in order to understand. Such an exchange of feelings between Radha and Krishna is not any subject matter of the material world. Even the highest mental speculators cannot understand this, directly or indirectly. Material activities are manifested either for the gross body or the subtle mind, but this exchange of feeling between Radha and Krishna is beyond such intellectual mental speculation. This transcendental subject matter can be understood by purified senses, freed from all the designations of the material world.
#$p#Purified senses can understand these transcendental features, but those who are impersonalists, who have no knowledge of spiritual senses, can simply discriminate within the scope of the material senses, and cannot understand the spiritual exchange or spiritual-sensual activities. Persons who are elevated in experimental knowledge can simply satisfy their blunt material senses, either by gross bodily activities or by mental speculation. Everything generated from the body or the mind is always imperfect and perishable, but transcendental spiritual activity is always bright and wonderful. Pure love on the transcendental platform is the symbol of purity—this means without any material affection, or completely spiritual. Affection for matter is perishable, therefore the inebriety of sex is there in the material world, but there is no such inebriety in the Spiritual World. Hindrances in the performance of sense satisfaction are the cause of material distress, and that is not exactly comparable with spiritual separation. In spiritual separation there is no inebriety or ineffectiveness as with matter.
#$p#Lord Chaitanya admitted that this is the highest position of transcendental loving reciprocation, and He said to Ramananda Roy, "By your grace only I have been able to understand such a high transcendental position. This transcendental position cannot be achieved without the performance of transcendental activities; so would you kindly explain to Me how I can raise Myself to this platform?"
#$p#Ramananda replied, "It is similarly difficult for me to make You understand, but so far as I am concerned, I can speak what You would like me to say before You. For no one can escape Your Supreme Will. There is nobody in the world who can surpass Your Supreme Will, and although I appear to be speaking, I am not actually the speaker—You are speaking. Therefore, You are both the speaker and the audience. Let me speak as You will me to speak, about the performance required to achieve this highest transcendental position." Ramananda Roy then began:
#$p#The transcendental activities of Radha and Krishna are very confidential. They are not to be understood in the emotional relationship of master and servant, friend and friend, or parent and son to the Supreme Lord. This confidential subject matter can be understood in the association of the damsels of Vraja, because such confidential activities have arisen from the feelings and emotions of those damsels. Without the association of Vraja, no one can nourish or cherish such transcendental understanding. In other words, these confidential Pastimes of Radha and Krishna have expanded through the mercy of the damsels—and without their mercy we cannot understand. One has to adopt this life, to follow in the footsteps of the damsels of Vraja, and then one can understand.
#$p#When one is actually situated in that understanding, he is eligible to enter into the confidential Pastimes of Radha and Krishna. There is no other alternative way to understand this confidential part of the Pastimes of Radha and Krishna. This is confirmed in the Govinda Lilamrita, in a verse which reads as follows: "The emotional exchanges of Radha and Krishna, although manifest and very happy and expanded and unlimited, are limited for understanding to the damsels of Vraja only, or to their followers." As no one can understand the expansion of spiritual energy of the Supreme Lord without the causeless mercy of the Supreme Lord, similarly, no one can understand the transcendental sex life between Radha and Krishna without following in the footsteps of the damsels of Vraja. There are different names for the associates of Radharani: they are called Shaktis, or personal associates, and also the Manjarys, the near assistants.
#$p#It is very difficult to express their dealings with Krishna, as they have no desire to mix with or to enjoy Krishna Personally. But they are always ready to help Radharani be with Krishna. Their affection for Krishna and Radharani is so pure that they are simply satisfied when Radha and Krishna are together, and they simply enjoy the transcendental pleasure of seeing Radha and Krishna combined, united. The actual form of Radharani is just like a creeper embracing the tree of Krishna. The damsels of Vraja, the associates of Radharani, are just like the leaves and flowers of the creeper. And when the creeper embraces the tree, automatically the leaves and flowers also take the opportunity to embrace the tree, along with the creeper.
#$p#This is confirmed in the Govinda Lilamrita as follows: Radharani is expressed as the expansion of the pleasure potency of Krishna. As She is compared with the creeper, Her associates, the damsels of Vraja, are just like the flowers and and leaves of that creeper. When Radharani and Krishna enjoy Themselves, the damsels of Vraja enjoy the pleasure more than Radharani Herself Although the associates of Radharani do not expect any personal attention from Krishna, still Radharani is so pleased with Her associates that She arranges a meeting of Krishna and the damsels of Vraja, individually. By many transcendental maneuvers, Radharani tries to combine or unite the associates with Krishna. Radharani takes more pleasure in these meetings than in Her own affairs. And, when Krishna sees that both Radharani and Her associates are pleased by His association, He becomes more satisfied. Such association and reciprocation of love has nothing to do with material lust, but because it resembles such unification between man and woman, or the similarity to the combination of man and woman is there, therefore sometimes it is called, in transcendental language, transcendental lust.
#$p#In Goutamiyatantra this combination of Radharani and Her relationships with Krishna is explained as follows: "Lust means that one is attached to one's personal sense gratification. But, so far as the associates of Radharani and Radharani Herself are concerned, They had no desire for Their personal sense gratification. They want only to satisfy Krishna." In the Srimad Bhagwatam this is further confirmed in the Tenth Canto, 31st Chapter, when the Gopis or damsels of Vraja were talking among themselves, as follows: "My dear Friend, Krishna, You are now roaming in the forest with Your bare feet, which You may sometimes keep on our breasts, and although we keep Your Foot on our breasts, still we think that our breasts are so hard, and Your sole is so soft. Now You are wandering in the forest, traversing over the particles of stones; and we do not know how You are feeling, because You are our life and soul. And so Your displeasure in travelling over the rough stone is giving us much distress." Such feelings of the damsels of Vraja, are the highest emotions of Krishna Consciousness, and anyone who becomes captivated by Krishna Consciousness approaches this highest level of the Gopis.
#$p#There are sixty-four kinds of devotional service, and by performing these regulative principles one can rise up to the stage of this unconditional devotion of the Gopis. Affection for Krishna exactly on the level of the Gopis is called Raganuga, spontaneous love. In that spontaneous loving affair with Krishna, there is no necessity of following the Vedic rules and regulations.
#$p#There are different kinds of personal devotees of Lord Krishna in the transcendental Abode. For example, the servants of Krishna known as Raktak and Bhadrak are friends of Krishna, just like Sridham and Subhad; and there are parents of Krishna, just like Nanda and Yasoda, who are also engaged in the service of Krishna in their different transcendental emotions. One who desires to enter into the Supreme Abode of Krishna may take shelter of one of the above transcendental servitors, and then execute loving service in such a way as to achieve the highest result of transcendental affection with Krishna at the end. In other words, the devotee in this material world who executes loving service in pursuance of the activities of those eternal associates of Krishna also achieves the same post when he is perfect.
#$p#The sages who are known in the Upanishads and in Sruti also desire the post of the Gopis, and they also follow in the footsteps of the Gopis in order to achieve that highest goal of life. This is confirmed in the Srimad Bhagwatam, Tenth Canto, 86th Chapter, as follows: The sages practice Pranayam, a trance, by controlling the breathing process and the mind and the senses, by the mystic Yoga practice. And thus try to enter into the Supreme Brahman, or be merged into the Supreme. The same thing is also obtained by persons who, atheist by Nature, fight the principle of the existence of God; if they are killed by an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they also achieve the same result, or merging into the Brahman existence of the Supreme Lord. But the damsels of Vrindaban worship Sri Krishna, being bitten by Him as a person is bitten by a snake, because Krishna's body is compared with the body of a snake. The snake's body never goes straight but it always curling, and as Krishna stands always in three-curved postures, He is compared to the snake. This snake, Krishna, had bitten the Gopis with transcendental love, and they were in a better position than all the mystic Yogis or the persons who desired to merge into the Supreme Brahman. Therefore, the sages of Dundakarannya also follow in the footsteps of the damsels of Vraja, in order to achieve a similar position. By a simple execution of the regular principles one cannot achieve that position; not unless and until one is seriously following the principles of the Gopis. This is confirmed in the Srimad Bhagwatam, Tenth Canto, 9th Chapter, by a verse in which it is stated that Lord Sri Krishna, the Son of Srimati Yasoda, is not so easily available to persons following the principles of mental speculation. But He is very easily available for all kinds of living beings who follow the path of devotional service.
#$p#There are many pseudo devotional parties claiming to belong to Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's sect. Such pseudo devotional parties in the sect of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, dress themselves up artificially as the damsels of Vraja. This sort of dressing is not approved by advanced spiritualists or advanced students of devotional service. Such dressing of the outward material body is another foolishness of the concept of the body being the soul. They are mistaken in considering that the spiritual body of Krishna and Radharani and their associates, the damsels of Vraja, are of material Nature. One should know perfectly that all such manifestations are expansions of eternal bliss and knowledge in the transcendental world. They have nothing to do with this material body. Therefore, the body, the dress, the decoration, and the activities of the damsels of Vrindaban do not belong to this material cosmic manifestation. Such damsels of Vrindaban are not subject matter for the attraction of persons who are in the material world. They are the transcendental attraction for the All-Attractive. Krishna is All-Attractive—therefore His name is "Krishna." But the damsels of Vrajabhumi, Vrindaban, are attractive even to Krishna. Therefore, they are not anything of this material world.
#$p#If somebody wrongly thinks that this material body is as perfect as the spiritual body, and thus begins to worship by imitating the damsels ofVrindaban, he becomes part and parcel of the Mayavadi or impersonal philosophy. The impersonalists also recommend a process of Aham Grahapasana. This process recommends that one should worship his own body as the Supreme. By this material way of thinking, the pseudo transcendentalists dress themselves as the damsels of Vraja; but they are to be taken as the Aham Grahapasana, and are not acceptable in devotional service.
#$p#Srila Jiva Goswami, the most authentic Acharya of the Gaudiya Sampradaya, has condemned this attempt by imitators. The process of transcendental realization is to follow in the footsteps of the associates of the Supreme Lord, Krishna. And so, to think of oneself as one of the direct associates of the Supreme Lord is also condemned. The process, according to authorized Vaishnava principles, is that one should follow a particular devotee and not think of himself an associate.
#$p#Sri Ramananda Roy explained, therefore, that one should accept the mood of the damsels of Vraja. In Chaitanya Charitamrita it is clearly said that one should accept the emotional activities, and not imitate the dress, of the associates of Krishna, the damsels of Vraja. One should always think within himself about the dealings of Radha and Krishna in the transcendental world. He should think of Radha and Krishna all twenty-four hours, and be engaged in Their service within himself; not externally change his dress only. This is called the mood of the associates of friends of Radharani; and, by following the associates of Radharani, one can ultimately achieve the perfectional stage of being transferred to Goloka Vrindaban, the transcendental Abode of Krishna.
#$p#This mood of emotional pursuit of the Gopis is called Siddhadeha. Siddhadeha means the pure spiritual body which is beyond the senses, mind, and intelligence. Siddhadeha is the purified soul; and is just suitable for serving the Supreme Lord. No one can serve the Supreme Lord as His associate without being situated in that perfectly pure spiritual identity. That identity is completely free from all material contamination. It is stated in the Bhagavad Gita that a person materially contaminated transmigrates to another material body by material consciousness. At the time of death he thinks in that way, and therefore is transferred to another material body. Similarly, when one is situated in his pure spiritual identity, and thinks of spiritual loving service rendered to the Supreme Lord, he is transferred into the Spiritual Kingdom, to enter into the association of Krishna. In other words, to think of Krishna and His associates in the spiritual identity is the qualification for transference to the Spriritual Kingdom.
#$p#No one can contemplate or think of the activities of the Spiritual Kingdom without being situated in pure spiritual identity. That pure spiritual identity is called Siddhadeha. Ramananda Roy therefore expressed himself to the effect that, without attending to that Siddhadeha, no one can become an associate of the damsels, or render service directly to the Personality of Godhead, Krishna, and His eternal consort, Radharani. He quoted, in this connection, a nice verse from the Srimad Bhagwatam, Tenth Canto, 47th Chapter, in which is stated the following: "Neither the Goddess of Fortune, Lakshmi, nor even the damsels of the Heavenly Kingdom could attain the facilities of the damsels of Vrajabhumi—and what to speak of others?"
#$p#Lord Chaitanya was very satisfied upon hearing this statement from Ramananda Roy, and He embraced him. Both of them began to cry in ecstasy in that transcendental realization. Both the Lord and Ramananda Roy discussed throughout the whole night the transcendental Pastimes of Radharani and Krishna, and in the morning They separated. Ramananda left to go to his place, and the Lord went to take His bath.
#$p#At the time of separation, Ramananda Roy fell down at the feet of Lord Chaitanya and prayed as follows: "My dear Lord, You have come just to deliver me from this mire of nescience. Therefore I request that You may remain here at least for ten days, and You can purify my mind of this material contamination. There is nobody else who can deliver such transcendental love of God."
#$p#The Lord replied, "I have come to you to purify Myself by hearing from you of the transcendental Pastimes of Krishna and Radha; and I am so fortunate, for you are the only teacher of such transcendental Pastimes. I do not find anyone else in this world who can realize this transcendental loving reciprocation between Radha and Krishna. You are requesting Me to stay here for ten days, but I feel that I wish to remain with you for the rest of My life. Please come to Jagannath Puri, My headquarters, and We may remain together for the rest of My life, and I can pass My remaining days in understanding Krishna and Radha by your association."
#$p#Sriman Ramananda Roy came to see the Lord the next day in the evening, and there were discourses on this transcendental subject matter. And the Lord again began to inquire from Ramananda Roy, as follows: "What is the highest standard of education?" Ramananda Roy immediately replied that the highest standard of education is to know the science of Krishna. The standard of material education is sense gratification, but the standard of spiritual education, especially the highest standard, is to know the science of Krishna. In the Srimad Bhagwatam, Fourth Canto, 29th Chapter, 47th verse, it is stated that work which pleases the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the highest standard of work, and the science or knowledge which places one in full Krishna Consciousness is the highest standard of knowledge. Similarly, Prahlad Maharaj, while instructing his childhood friends at school, also stated that hearing or chanting of the Lord, remembering, worshipping, praying, serving, making friendship with Krishna and offering everything to Him, is to be understood as the highest standard of spiritual knowledge. Then Lord Chaitanya asked Ramananda
Roy, "What is the highest standard of reputation?" Ramananda Roy immediately replied that if a person is famous by a reputation of Krishna Consciousness, he is to be called the most famous man in the world. In other words, if a man is known as Krishna conscious, he is the greatest, most famous of men.
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Whatever position one may have, if he is fully conversant with the science of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can become a bona fide spiritual master—an initiator or a teacher of the science. In other words, one can become a bona fide spiritual master if he has sufficient knowledge of the science of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Becoming such a spiritual master does not depend on a particular position in society or on birth. This is the conclusion of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and it is in accordance with the Vedic injunctions. On the strength of this conclusion, Lord Caitanya, previously known as Viśvambhara, accepted a spiritual master, Īśvara Purī, who was a #i#sannyāsī#/i#. Similarly, Lord Nityānanda Prabhu and Śrī Advaita Ācārya also accepted a #i#sannyāsī#/i# as their spiritual master, namely Mādhavendra Purī, who was a disciple of Lakṣmīpati Tīrtha. Similarly, another great #i#ācārya#/i#, Śrī Rasikānanda, accepted Śrī Śyāmānanda as his spiritual master, although Śyāmānanda was not born in a #i#brāhmaṇa#/i# family. So also did Gaṅgānārāyaṇa Cakravartī accept Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura as his spiritual master. In ancient days there was even a hunter named Dharma who became a spiritual master for many people. There are clear instructions in the #i#Mahābhārata#/i# and #i#Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam#/i# (7.11.32) stating that a person should be accepted as a #i#brāhmaṇa#/i#, #i#kṣatriya#/i#, #i#vaiśya#/i# or #i#śūdra#/i# according to his personal qualifications and not his birth. For example, if a man is born in a #i#brāhmaṇa#/i# family but his personal qualifications are those of a #i#śūdra#/i#, he should be accepted as a #i#śūdra#/i#. Similarly, if a person is born in a #i#śūdra#/i# family but has the qualifications of a #i#brāhmaṇa#/i#, he should be accepted as a #i#brāhmaṇa#/i#. All śāstric injunctions, as well as the versions of great sages and authorities, establish that a bona fide spiritual master is not necessarily a #i#brāhmaṇa#/i# by caste. The only qualification is that he be conversant with the science of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That alone makes one perfectly eligible to become a spiritual master. This is the conclusion of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His discussions with Rāmānanda Rāya.
#$p#In the #i#Hari-bhakti-vilāsa#/i# it is stated that if one bona fide spiritual master is born in a #i#brāhmaṇa#/i# family and another qualified spiritual master is born in a #i#śūdra#/i# family, one should accept the one who is born in a #i#brāhmaṇa#/i# family. This statement serves as a social compromise, but it has nothing to do with spiritual understanding. This injunction is applicable only for those who consider social status more important than spiritual status. It is not for people who are spiritually serious. A serious person would accept Caitanya Mahāprabhu 's instruction that anyone conversant with the science of Kṛṣṇa must be accepted as the spiritual master, regardless of his social position. There is an injunction in the #i#Padma Purāṇa#/i# which states that though a highly elevated, spiritually advanced devotee of the Lord may have been born in a family of dog-eaters, he can be a spiritual master, but that a highly elevated person born in a #i#brāhmaṇa#/i# family cannot be a spiritual master unless he is a devotee of the Lord. A person born in a #i#brāhmaṇa#/i# family may be conversant with all of the rituals of the Vedic scriptures, but if he is not a pure devotee he cannot be a spiritual master. In all #i#śāstras#/i# the chief qualification of a bona fide spiritual master is that he be conversant in the science of Kṛṣṇa.
#$p#Lord Caitanya therefore requested Rāmānanda Rāya to go on teaching Him without hesitation, not considering Lord Caitanya 's position as a #i#sannyāsī#/i#. Thus Lord Caitanya urged him to continue speaking on the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.
#$p#"Because You are asking me to speak of the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa," Rāmānanda Rāya humbly submitted, "I will obey Your order. I will speak in whatever way You like." Thus Rāmānanda Rāya humbly submitted himself as a puppet before Lord Caitanya, the puppet master. He only wanted to dance according to the will of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He compared his tongue to a stringed instrument, saying, "You are the player of that instrument." Thus as Lord Caitanya would play, Rāmānanda Rāya would vibrate the sound.
#$p#Rāmānanda Rāya said that Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead—the source of all incarnations and the cause of all causes. There are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets, innumerable incarnations and expansions of the Supreme Lord, and innumerable universes also, and of all these existences the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa is the only source. His transcendental body is composed of eternity, bliss and knowledge, and He is known as the son of Mahārāja Nanda and the inhabitant of Goloka Vṛndāvana. He is full with six opulences—all wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation. In the #i#Brahma-saṁhitā#/i# (5.1) it is confirmed that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, the Lord of all lords, and that His transcendental body is #i#sac-cid-ānanda#/i#. No one is the source of Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa is the source of everyone. He is the supreme cause of all causes and a resident of Vṛndāvana. He is also very attractive, just like Cupid. One can worship Him by the #i#Kāma-gāyatrī mantra#/i#.
#$p#In the #i#Brahma-saṁhitā#/i# the transcendental land of Vṛndāvana is described as being always spiritual. That spiritual land is populated by goddesses of fortune, who are known as #i#gopīs#/i#. These are all beloved of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is the only lover of all those #i#gopīs#/i#. The trees of that land are all desire trees: you can have anything you want from any tree. The land is made of touchstone and the water is nectar. In that land all speech is song, all walking is dancing, and the constant companion is the flute. Everything is self-illuminated, just like the sun and moon in this material world. The human form of life is meant for understanding this transcendental land of Vṛndāvana, and one who is fortunate should cultivate knowledge of Vṛndāvana and its residents. In that supreme abode of Kṛṣṇa are #i#surabhi#/i# cows who overflood the land with milk. Since not even a moment there is misused, there is no past, present or future. An expansion of that Vṛndāvana is present on this earth, and superior devotees worship the earthly Vṛndāvana as nondifferent from the supreme abode. No one can appreciate Vṛndāvana without being highly elevated in spiritual knowledge, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. According to ordinary experience, Vṛndāvana appears to be just like an ordinary tract of land, but in the eyes of a highly elevated devotee, it is as good as the original Vṛndāvana. A great saintly #i#ācārya#/i# has sung: "When will my mind be cleared of all dirty things so I will be able to see Vṛndāvana as it is? And when will I be able to understand the literature left by the Six Gosvāmīs so that I will be able to understand the transcendental pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa?"
#$p#The loving affairs between Kṛṣṇa and the #i#gopīs#/i# in Vṛndāvana are also transcendental. Such affairs appear like the ordinary lusty affairs of this material world, but there is a gulf of difference between the moods of Vṛndāvana and those of this material world. In the material world there may be the temporary awakening of lust, but it disappears after so-called satisfaction. In the spiritual world the love between the #i#gopīs#/i# and Kṛṣṇa is constantly increasing. That is the difference between the love in the transcendental world and the lust in the material world. The lust, or so-called love, arising out of this body is as temporary as the body itself, but the love arising from the eternal soul in the spiritual world is on the spiritual platform, and since the spirit soul is eternal, that love is also eternal. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is addressed as the ever green Cupid.
#$p#Lord Kṛṣṇa is worshiped by the #i#Gāyatrī mantra#/i#, and the specific #i#mantra#/i# by which He is worshiped is called #i#Kāma-gāyatrī#/i#. The Vedic literature explains that that sound vibration which can elevate one from mental concoction is called #i#Gāyatrī#/i#. The #i#Kāma-gāyatrī mantra#/i# is composed of 24 1/2 syllables thus: #i#klīṁ kāma-devāya vidmahe puṣpa-bāṇāya dhīmahi tan no 'naṅgaḥ pracodayāt#/i#. This #i#Kāma-gāyatrī#/i# is received from the spiritual master when the disciple is advanced in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. In other words, this #i#Kāma-gāyatrī mantra#/i# and #i#saṁskāra#/i#, or reformation of a perfect #i#brāhmaṇa#/i#, are offered by the spiritual master when he sees that his disciple is advanced in spiritual knowledge. Even then, the #i#Kāma-gāyatrī#/i# is not uttered under certain circumstances. In any case, the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa is sufficient to elevate one to the highest spiritual platform.
#$p#In the #i#Brahma-saṁhitā#/i# a nice description of the sound of Kṛṣṇa 's flute is given: "When Kṛṣṇa began to play on His flute, the sound vibration entered into the ear of Brahmā as the Vedic #i#mantra#/i# #i#oṁ#/i#." This #i#oṁ#/i# is composed of three letters—A, U, and M—and it describes our relationship with the Supreme Lord, our activities by which we can achieve the highest perfection of love and the actual position of love on the spiritual platform. When the sound vibration of Kṛṣṇa 's flute is expressed through the mouth of Brahmā, it becomes #i#Gāyatrī#/i#. Thus by being influenced by the sound vibration of Kṛṣṇa 's flute, Brahmā, the supreme creature and first living entity of this material world, was initiated as a #i#brāhmaṇa#/i#. That Brahmā was initiated as a #i#brāhmaṇa#/i# by the flute of Kṛṣṇa is confirmed by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī. When Brahmā was enlightened by the #i#Gāyatrī mantra#/i# through Kṛṣṇa 's flute, he attained all Vedic knowledge. Acknowledging the benediction offered to him by Kṛṣṇa, he became the original spiritual master of all living entities.
#$p#The word #i#klīm#/i# added to the #i#Gāyatrī mantra#/i# is explained in the #i#Brahma-saṁhitā#/i# as the transcendental seed of love of Godhead, or the seed of the #i#Kāma-gāyatrī#/i#. The object is Kṛṣṇa, who is the ever green Cupid, and by utterance of #i#klīm#/i# Kṛṣṇa is worshiped. It is also stated in the #i#Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad#/i# that when Kṛṣṇa is spoken of as Cupid one should not think of Him as the Cupid of this material world. As already explained, Vṛndāvana is the spiritual abode of Kṛṣṇa, and thus the word Cupid is also spiritual and transcendental when applied to Kṛṣṇa. One should not take the material Cupid and Kṛṣṇa to be on the same level. The material Cupid increases the attraction of the external flesh and body, but the spiritual Cupid increases the attraction the Supersoul exerts upon the individual soul. Actually, lust and the sex urge are there in spiritual life, but when the spirit soul is embodied in material elements, that spiritual urge is expressed through the material body and is therefore pervertedly reflected. One who actually becomes conversant with the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness can understand that his material desire for sex is abominable whereas spiritual sex is desirable.
#$p#Spiritual sex is of two kinds: one in accordance with the constitutional position of the self, and the other in accordance with the object. When one understands the truth about this life but is not completely cleansed of material contamination, he is not factually situated in the transcendental abode, Vṛndāvana, although he may understand spiritual life. In this stage he can utter the #i#Kāma-gāyatrī#/i# with the #i#kāma-bīja#/i#. When, however, he becomes free from all bodily sex urges, he can actually attain the supreme abode of Vṛndāvana.
#$p#Rāmānanda Rāya then explained that Kṛṣṇa is attractive for both men and women, for the movable and the immovable—indeed, for all living entities. For this reason He is called the transcendental Cupid. Rāmānanda Rāya then quoted a verse from #i#Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam#/i# (10.32.2) stating that when the Lord appeared before the damsels of Vraja smiling and playing on His flute, He appeared just like Cupid.
#$p#The different kinds of devotees of the Supreme Lord have different aptitudes and relationships with Him. Any relationship with the Lord is as good as any other because the central point is Kṛṣṇa. In this connection there is a nice verse in the #i#Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu#/i# that states: "Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of all pleasures, and He is always attracting the #i#gopīs#/i# by the spiritual luster of His body. He especially attracts Tārakā, Pāli, Śyāmā and Lalitā. Kṛṣṇa is very dear to Rādhārāṇī, the foremost #i#gopī#/i#." Like Kṛṣṇa, the #i#gopīs#/i# are glorified by Kṛṣṇa 's pastimes. There are different kinds of relationships with Kṛṣṇa, and anyone who is attracted to Kṛṣṇa in a particular mellow is glorified.
#$p#Kṛṣṇa is so beautiful, transcendental and attractive that He sometimes attracts even Himself. The following verse appears in the #i#Gīta-govinda#/i# (1.11):
#dl##dd##i#viśveṣām anurañjanena janayann ānandam indīvara-#/i##/dd#
#dd##i#śreṇī-śyāmala-komalair upanayann aṅgair anaṅgotsavam#/i##/dd#
#dd##i#svacchandaṁ vraja-sundarībhir abhitaḥ praty-aṅgam āliṅgitaḥ#/i##/dd#
#dd##i#śṛṅgāraḥ sakhi mūrtimān iva madhau mugdho hariḥ krīḍati#/i##/dd##/dl#
"My dear friend, just see how Kṛṣṇa is enjoying His transcendental pastimes in the spring by expanding the beauty of His personal body. His soft legs and hands, just like the most beautiful moon, are used on the bodies of the #i#gopīs#/i#. When He embraces different parts of their bodies, He is so beautiful! Kṛṣṇa is so beautiful that He attracts even Nārāyaṇa, as well as the goddess of fortune who associates with Nārāyaṇa."
#$p#In #i#Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam#/i# (10.89.58) the Bhūmā-puruṣa (Mahā-Viṣṇu) told Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, "My dear Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, I have taken the #i#brāhmaṇa 's#/i# sons just to see you." Arjuna had attempted to save some youths who had died untimely at Dvārakā, and when he failed to save them, Kṛṣṇa took him to the Bhūmā-puruṣa. When the Bhūmā-puruṣa brought forth those dead youths as living entities, He said, "Both of you appeared in order to preserve religious principles in the world and to annihilate the demons." In other words, the Bhūmā-puruṣa, being also attracted by the beauty of Kṛṣṇa, concocted this pastime just as a pretext to see Him. It is recorded in #i#Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam#/i# (10.16.36) that after the serpent Kāliya was punished by Kṛṣṇa, one of Kāliya 's wives told Kṛṣṇa, "Dear Lord, we cannot understand how this fallen serpent got the opportunity of being kicked by Your lotus feet when even the goddess of fortune underwent austerities for many years just to see You."
#$p#How Kṛṣṇa is attracted by His own beauty is described in the #i#Lalita-mādhava#/i# (8.34). Upon seeing His own picture, Kṛṣṇa lamented, "How glorious this picture is! It is attracting Me just as it attracts Rādhārāṇī."
#$p#After giving a summary description of Kṛṣṇa 's beauty, Rāmānanda Rāya began to speak of His spiritual energies, headed by Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Kṛṣṇa has immense energetic expansions, of which three are predominant: the internal energy, the external energy and the marginal energy, comprising the living entities. This threefold division of energies is confirmed in the #i#Viṣṇu Purāṇa#/i# (6.7.61), where it is said that Viṣṇu has one spiritual energy, which is manifested in three ways. When the spiritual energy is overwhelmed by ignorance, it is called the marginal energy. As far as the spiritual energy itself is concerned, it is exhibited in three forms because Kṛṣṇa is a combination of eternity, bliss and knowledge. As far as His bliss and peacefulness are concerned, His spiritual energy is manifested as the pleasure-giving potency. His eternity is a manifesting energy, and His knowledge is manifested as spiritual perfection. As confirmed in the #i#Viṣṇu Purāṇa#/i# (1.12.69): "The pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa gives Kṛṣṇa transcendental pleasure and bliss." Thus when Kṛṣṇa wants to enjoy pleasure, He exhibits His own spiritual potency known as #i#āhlādinī#/i#.
#$p#In His spiritual form, Kṛṣṇa enjoys His spiritual energy, and that is the sum and substance of the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa pastimes. These pastimes can be understood only by elevated devotees. One should not try to understand the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa potencies and pastimes from the mundane platform. Generally people misunderstand these as being material.
#$p#When the pleasure potency is further condensed, it is called #i#mahābhāva#/i#. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, the eternal consort of Kṛṣṇa, is the personification of that #i#mahābhāva#/i#. In this regard, in the #i#Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi#/i# (4.3) Rūpa Gosvāmī states that there are two competitors in loving Kṛṣṇa—Rādhārāṇī and Candrāvalī. When they are compared, it appears that Rādhārāṇī is superior, for She is #i#mahābhāva-svarūpa#/i#. The term #i#mahābhāva-svarūpa#/i#, "the personification of #i#mahābhāva#/i#," is applicable to Rādhārāṇī only, and no one else. #i#Mahābhāva#/i# is full of the pleasure potency, and it is an exhibition of the highest love for Kṛṣṇa. Rādhārāṇī is therefore known throughout the world as the most beloved of Kṛṣṇa, and Her name is always associated with Kṛṣṇa as Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.
#$p#The #i#Brahma-saṁhitā#/i# (5.37) also confirms that Kṛṣṇa expands Himself by His pleasure potency in the spiritual world and that these potencies are all nondifferent from Him, the Absolute Truth. Although Kṛṣṇa is always enjoying the company of His pleasure-potency expansions, He is all-pervading. Therefore Brahmā offers his respectful obeisances to Govinda, the cause of all causes.
#$p#As Kṛṣṇa is the highest emblem of spiritual perfection, so Rādhārāṇī is the highest emblem of the spiritual pleasure potency meant for satisfying Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is unlimited, and Rādhārāṇī is also unlimited in Her ability to satisfy Him. Kṛṣṇa is satisfied just by seeing Rādhārāṇī, but Rādhārāṇī expands Herself in such a way that Kṛṣṇa desires to enjoy Her more. Because Kṛṣṇa was unable to estimate the pleasure potency of Rādhārāṇī, He decided to accept the role of Rādhārāṇī, and that combination of Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
#$p#Rāmānanda Rāya then began to explain how Rādhārāṇī is the supreme emblem of Kṛṣṇa 's pleasure potency. Rādhārāṇī expands Herself in different forms, known as Lalitā, Viśākhā and Her other confidential associates. In his #i#Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi#/i#, Rūpa Gosvāmī explains that one of the characteristics of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is that Her body is an evolution of transcendental pleasure. That body is decorated with flowers and fragrant aromas and is complete with transcendental love for Kṛṣṇa. Indeed, that body is the personification of His pleasure potency. Rādhārāṇī bathes Her transcendental body three times: first in the water of mercy, second in the water of youthful beauty, and third in the water of youthful luster. After She bathes three times in that way, Her body is covered with shining garments and decorated with Her personal beauty, which is compared to cosmetics. Thus Her beauty constitutes the highest artistry. Her body is also decorated with the ornaments of spiritual ecstasy—trembling, shedding of tears, perspiring, choking of the voice, cessation of all bodily functions due to transcendental pleasure, standing up of the bodily hairs, changing of bodily color, and madness.
#$p#The decorative transcendental pleasure potency manifests nine symptoms. Five of these are manifested by the expansion of Rādhārāṇī 's personal beauty, which is adorned with garlands of flowers. Her patient calmness is compared to a covering of cloths which have been cleansed by camphor. Her confidential agony for Kṛṣṇa is the knot in Her hair, and the mark of #i#tilaka#/i# on Her forehead is Her good fortune. Rādhārāṇī 's sense of hearing is eternally fixed on Kṛṣṇa 's name and fame. Chewing betel nuts makes one 's lips reddish. Similarly, Rādhārāṇī 's complete attachment to Kṛṣṇa has blackened the borders of Her eyes. This darkness might be compared to ointment produced by Rādhā 's joking with Kṛṣṇa. Rādhārāṇī 's smile is just like the taste of camphor. The garland of separation moves on Her body when She lies down on the bed of pride within the room of aroma. Her breasts are covered by the blouse of anger born of Her ecstatic affection for Kṛṣṇa. Her reputation as the best of all Kṛṣṇa 's girlfriends is the stringed instrument She plays. When Kṛṣṇa stands in His youthful posture, She puts Her hand on His shoulder. Although She possesses so many transcendental qualities, She is still always engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa.
#$p#Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is decorated with #i#sūddīpta-sāttvika#/i# emotions, which sometimes include jubilation and sometimes pacification. All the transcendental ecstasies are manifested in the body of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. #i#Sūddīpta-sāttvika#/i# emotions are manifest when a lover is overwhelmed with certain feelings which he or she cannot check. Rādhārāṇī has another emotion called #i#kila-kiñcita#/i#, which is manifest in twenty different ways. These emotions are manifested partly due to one 's body, partly due to one 's mind, and partly due to habit. As far as the bodily emotions are concerned, they are manifested in posture and movement. As far as the emotions of the mind are concerned, they are manifested as beauty, luster, complexion, sweetness, talking, magnanimity and patience. As far as habitual emotions are concerned, they are manifested as pastimes, enjoyment, preparing for separation, and forgetfulness.
#$p#The #i#tilaka#/i# of good fortune is on the forehead of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, and She also has a locket of #i#prema-vaicittya#/i#. #i#Prema-vaicittya#/i# is manifest when a lover and beloved meet and fear separation.
#$p#Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is fifteen days younger than Kṛṣṇa. She always keeps Her hand on the shoulder of one of Her friends, and She always talks and thinks of pastimes with Kṛṣṇa. She always offers Kṛṣṇa a kind of intoxicant by Her sweet talks, and She is always prepared to fulfill all His desires. In other words, She supplies everything needed to meet all the demands of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and She possesses unique and uncommon qualities for Kṛṣṇa 's satisfaction.
#$p#In the #i#Govinda-līlāmṛta#/i# a nice verse states: "Who is the breeding ground of affection for Kṛṣṇa? The answer is that it is only Śrīmatī Rādhikā. Who is Kṛṣṇa 's dearmost lovable object? The answer is that it is only Śrīmatī Rādhikā and no one else. Sheen in the hair, moisture in the eyes, firmness in the breasts—all these qualities are present in Śrīmatī Rādhikā. Therefore only Śrīmatī Rādhikā is able to fulfill all the desires of Kṛṣṇa. No one else can do so."
#$p#Satyabhāmā is a competitor of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī 's, but she always desires to come to the standard of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Rādhārāṇī is so expert in all affairs that all the damsels of Vraja come to learn arts from Her. She is so extraordinarily beautiful that even the goddess of fortune and Pārvatī, the wife of Lord Śiva, desire elevation to Her standard of beauty. Arundhatī, who is known as the most chaste lady in the universe, desires to learn the standard of chastity from Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Since even Lord Kṛṣṇa cannot estimate Rādhārāṇī 's highly transcendental qualities, it is not possible for an ordinary man to estimate them.
#$p#After hearing Rāmānanda Rāya speak of the qualities of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya desired to hear from him about the reciprocal exchange of love between Them. Rāmānanda Rāya described Kṛṣṇa as #i#dhīra-lalita#/i#, a word indicating a person who is very cunning and youthful, who is always expert in joking, who is without anxiety, and who is always subservient to his girlfriend. Kṛṣṇa is always engaged in loving affairs with Rādhārāṇī, and He takes to the bushes of Vṛndāvana to enjoy His lusty activities with Her. Thus He successfully carries out His lusty instincts. In the #i#Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu#/i# it is stated: "By His impudent and daring talks about sex indulgence, Kṛṣṇa obliged Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī to close Her eyes, and taking advantage of this, Kṛṣṇa painted many pictures on Her breasts. These pictures served as subject matter for Rādhārāṇī 's friends to joke about. Kṛṣṇa was always engaged in such lusty activities, and thus He made His youthful life successful."
#$p#Upon hearing of these transcendental activities, Lord Caitanya said, "My dear Rāmānanda, what you have explained regarding the transcendental pastimes of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa is perfectly correct, yet there is something more I would like to hear from you."
#$p#"It is very difficult for me to express anything beyond this," Rāmānanda Rāya replied. "I can only say that there is an emotional activity called #i#prema-vilāsa-vivarta#/i#, which I may try to explain. But I do not know whether You will be happy to hear of it." In #i#prema-vilāsa#/i# there are two kinds of emotional activities—meeting and separation. This transcendental separation is so acute that it is actually more ecstatic than meeting. Rāmānanda Rāya was expert in understanding these highly elevated dealings between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, and in this regard he had composed a nice song, which he narrated to the Lord. The purport of the song is that the lover and the beloved, before meeting, generate a kind of emotion by the exchange of their transcendental activities. That emotion is called #i#rāga#/i#, or attraction. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇīnoted that "this attraction and affection between Us has risen to the highest extent," but the cause of this attraction is Rādhārāṇī Herself. "Whatever the cause may be," Rādhārāṇī said, "that affection between You and Me has mixed Us in oneness. Now that it is the time of separation, I cannot see the history of the evolution of this love. There was no cause or mediator in Our love save Our meeting itself and the exchange of feelings through Our glances."
#$p#This exchange of feelings between Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī is very difficult to understand unless one is elevated to the platform of pure goodness. Such transcendental reciprocation is not possible to understand even from the platform of material goodness. One has to transcend even material goodness in order to understand. This is because the exchange of feelings between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa is not a subject matter of this material world. Even the greatest mental speculators cannot understand this, directly or indirectly. Material activities are manifested for either the gross body or the subtle mind, but this exchange of feelings between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa is beyond such manifestations and beyond intellectual mental speculation. It can be understood only with purified senses freed from all the designations of the material world.
#$p#Those who have purified senses can understand these transcendental features and exchanges, but those who are impersonalists and who have no knowledge of spiritual senses can only discriminate within the scope of the material senses and thus cannot understand spiritual exchanges or spiritual-sensual activities. Those who are elevated by virtue of experimental knowledge can only satisfy their blunt material senses, either by gross bodily activities or by mental speculation. Everything generated from the body or the mind is always imperfect and perishable, but transcendental spiritual activities are always bright and wonderful. Pure love on the transcendental platform is the paragon of purity because it is devoid of material affection and is completely spiritual. Affection for matter is perishable, as indicated by the inebriety of sex in the material world. But there is no such inebriety in the spiritual world. Hindrances on the path of sense satisfaction cause material distress, but one cannot compare that with the spiritual distress of separation from Kṛṣṇa. In such spiritual separation there is neither inebriety nor ineffectiveness, as one finds with material separation.
#$p#Lord Caitanya said that this is the highest position of transcendental loving reciprocation, and He told Rāmānanda Rāya, "By your grace only have I been able to understand such a high transcendental position. Such a position cannot be attained without the performance of transcendental activities. So will you kindly explain to Me how I can raise Myself to this platform?"
#$p#"It is similarly difficult for me to make You understand," Rāmānanda replied. "As far as I am concerned, I can only speak what You wish me to, for no one can escape Your supreme will. Indeed, there is no one in the world who can surpass Your supreme will, and although I appear to be speaking, I am actually not the speaker. You are. Therefore You are both the speaker and the audience. Thus let me speak only as You will me to speak about the activities required to attain this highest transcendental position."
#$p#Rāmānanda Rāya then began his explanation, saying that the transcendental activities of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are very confidential. These activities cannot be understood by one who has an emotional relationship with the Supreme Lord as servant to master, friend to friend, or parent to son. This confidential subject matter can be understood only in the association of the damsels of Vraja, for these confidential activities have arisen from the feelings and emotions of those damsels. Without the association of the damsels of Vraja, one cannot nourish or cherish such a transcendental understanding. In other words, because these confidential pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa have expanded through the mercy of the damsels of Vraja, without their mercy one cannot understand them. One has to follow in the footsteps of the damsels of Vraja in order to understand.
#$p#When one is actually situated in that understanding, he becomes eligible to enter into the confidential pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. For one who wants to understand these confidential pastimes, there is no alternative to following in the footsteps of the damsels of Vraja. This is confirmed in the #i#Govinda-līlāmṛta#/i# (10.17): "Although manifest, happy, expanded and unlimited, the emotional exchanges between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa can be understood only by the damsels of Vraja or their followers. Just as no one can understand the expansion of the spiritual energy of the Supreme Lord without His causeless mercy, no one can understand the transcendental sex life between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa without following in the footsteps of the damsels of Vraja."
#$p#The associates of Rādhārāṇī include Her personal associates, called #i#sakhīs#/i#, and Her near assistants, called #i#mañjarīs#/i#. It is very difficult to express the dealings of Rādhārāṇī 's associates with Kṛṣṇa because they have no desire to mix with Him or enjoy with Him personally. Rather, they are always ready to help Rādhārāṇī associate with Kṛṣṇa. Their affection for Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī is so pure that they are simply satisfied when Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are together. Indeed, their transcendental pleasure is in seeing Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa united. The actual form of Rādhārāṇī is just like a creeper embracing the tree of Kṛṣṇa, and the damsels of Vraja, the associates of Rādhārāṇī, are just like the leaves and flowers of that creeper. When a creeper embraces a tree, the leaves and flowers of the creeper automatically embrace it. The #i#Govinda-līlāmṛta#/i# (10.16) describes the pleasure of Rādhārāṇī 's associates as follows: "Rādhārāṇī, the expansion of the pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa, is compared to a creeper, and Her associates, the damsels of Vraja, are compared to the flowers and leaves of that creeper. When Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa enjoy Themselves, the damsels of Vraja relish the pleasure more than Rādhārāṇī Herself."
#$p#Although the associates of Rādhārāṇī do not expect any personal attention from Kṛṣṇa, Rādhārāṇī is so pleased with them that She arranges individual meetings between Kṛṣṇa and the damsels of Vraja. Indeed, Rādhārāṇī tries to unite Her associates with Kṛṣṇa by many transcendental maneuvers, and She takes more pleasure in these meetings than in Her own meetings with Him. When Kṛṣṇa sees that both Rādhārāṇī and Her associates are pleased by His association, He becomes more satisfied. Such loving reciprocation has nothing to do with material lust, although it resembles the material union between man and woman. Because of that similarity, such reciprocation is sometimes called, in transcendental language, transcendental lust, as confirmed in the #i#Gautamīya-tantra#/i#. Lust means attachment to one 's personal sense gratification. But as far as Rādhārāṇī and Her associates are concerned, they have no desire for personal sense gratification. They only want to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. This is confirmed in #i#Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam#/i# (10.31.19), in a verse spoken by the #i#gopīs#/i# among themselves:
#dl##dd##i#yat te sujāta-caraṇāmburuhaṁ staneṣu#/i##/dd#
#dd##i#bhītāḥśanaiḥ priya dadhīmahi karkaśeṣu#/i##/dd#
#dd##i#tenāṭavīm aṭasi tad vyathate na kiṁ svit#/i##/dd#
#dd##i#kūrpādibhir bhramati dhīr bhavad-āyuṣāṁ naḥ#/i##/dd##/dl#
"My dear friend Kṛṣṇa, You are now roaming in the forest with Your bare feet, which You sometimes keep on our breasts. When Your feet are on our breasts, we think that our breasts are too hard for Your soft feet. Now You are wandering in the forest and walking over rough stones, and we do not know how You are feeling. Since You are our life and soul, the displeasure You are undergoing in traveling over the rough stones is giving us great distress."
#$p#Such feelings expressed by the damsels of Vraja constitute the highest Kṛṣṇa conscious emotions. Anyone who actually becomes captivated by Kṛṣṇa consciousness approaches this level of the #i#gopīs#/i#. There are sixty-four categories of regulated devotional service, the performance of which helps one rise to the #i#gopīs' #/i# stage of unconditional devotion. Affection for Kṛṣṇa on the level of the #i#gopīs#/i# is called #i#rāgātmikā#/i#, spontaneous love. When one enters into a spontaneous loving affair with Kṛṣṇa, there is no need to follow the Vedic rules and regulations.
#$p#There are various kinds of personal devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa in the transcendental abode. For example, there are servants of Kṛṣṇa, like Raktaka and Patraka, and friends of Kṛṣṇa, like Śrīdāmā and Subala. There are also Kṛṣṇa 's parents, Nanda and Yaśodā, who are also engaged in His service according to their respective transcendental emotions. One who desires to enter into the supreme abode of Kṛṣṇa can take shelter of one of such transcendental servitors. Then, through the execution of loving service one can ultimately attain transcendental affection for Kṛṣṇa, the highest goal. In other words, the devotee in this material world who executes loving service in pursuance of the activities of the eternal associates with Kṛṣṇa attains the same post when he is perfected.
#$p#The sages known as the #i#śrutis#/i#, the personified #i#Upaniṣads#/i#, also desired the post of the #i#gopīs#/i#, and they also followed in the footsteps of the #i#gopīs#/i# in order to attain that highest goal of life. This is confirmed in #i#Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam#/i# (10.87.23), where it is said that in general sages control their mind and senses by practicing #i#prāṇāyāma#/i# (control of the breathing process) and mystic #i#yoga#/i#. Thus they try to merge into the Supreme Brahman. But this same goal is attained by atheists, who deny the existence of God, if they are killed by an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They also merge into the Brahman existence of the Supreme Lord. But the damsels of Vṛndāvana worship Śrī Kṛṣṇa, having been bitten by Him just as a person is bitten by a snake, for Kṛṣṇa 's body is compared with the body of a snake. A snake 's body is never straight; it is always curved. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa often stands in a three-curved posture, and He has bitten the #i#gopīs#/i# with transcendental love. The #i#gopīs#/i# are certainly better situated than all mystic #i#yogīs#/i# and others who desire to merge into the Supreme Brahman. Therefore the sages known as the #i#śrutis#/i# followed in the footsteps of the damsels of Vraja in order to attain a similar position. One cannot attain that position simply by following the regulative principles. Rather, one must seriously follow the principles of the #i#gopīs#/i#. This is confirmed in #i#Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam#/i# (10.9.21), wherein it is stated that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the son of Śrīmatī Yaśodā, is not easily available to those following the principles of mental speculation but is very easily available to all kinds of living beings who follow the path of spontaneous devotional service.
#$p#There are many pseudo-devotees, claiming to belong to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabh 's sect, who artificially dress themselves as the damsels of Vraja. This is not approved by advanced spiritualists, or advanced students of devotional service. Such people dress the outward material body because they foolishly confuse the body with the soul. They are mistaken when they think that the spiritual bodies of Kṛṣṇa, Rādhārāṇī and Their associates, the damsels of Vraja, are composed of material nature. One should know perfectly well that all such manifestations are expansions of the eternal bliss and knowledge in the transcendental world. They have nothing to do with these material bodies; thus the bodies, dresses, decorations and activities of the damsels of Vṛndāvana do not belong to this material cosmic manifestation. The damsels of Vṛndāvana are not a subject for the attraction of those in the material world; they are the transcendental attractions for the all-attractive Kṛṣṇa. Because the Lord is all-attractive, He is called Kṛṣṇa, but the damsels of Vṛndāvana are attractive even to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are not of this material world.
#$p#If one wrongly thinks that the material body is as perfect as the spiritual body and thus begins to worship Kṛṣṇa by imitating the damsels of Vṛndāvana, he becomes infested with Māyāvāda (impersonal) philosophy. The impersonalists recommend a process of #i#ahaṅgrahopāsanā#/i#, by which one worships his own body as the Supreme. Thinking in this way, such pseudo-transcendentalists dress themselves as the damsels of Vraja. Such activities are not acceptable in devotional service. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, the most authoritative #i#ācārya#/i# in the Gauḍīya-#i#sampradāya#/i#, has condemned these imitators. The process of transcendental realization is to follow in the footsteps of the associates of the Supreme Lord; therefore to think oneself a direct associate of the Supreme Lord is condemned. According to authorized Vaiṣṇava principles, one should follow a particular devotee and not think of himself as Kṛṣṇa 's associate.
#$p#In this way Rāmānanda Rāya explained that one should accept the mood of the damsels of Vraja. In the #i#Caitanya-caritāmṛta#/i# it is clearly said that one should accept the emotional activities of the associates of Kṛṣṇa, not imitate their dress. One should also always meditate upon the dealings between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in the transcendental world. One should think of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours a day and engage in Their service within one 's mind, not externally change one 's dress. By adopting the mood of the associates and friends of Rādhārāṇī and following in their footsteps, one can ultimately achieve the perfectional stage of being transferred to Goloka Vṛndāvana, the transcendental abode of Kṛṣṇa.
#$p#By adopting this emotional mood of following in the footsteps of the #i#gopīs#/i#, one attains his #i#siddha-deha#/i#. This word indicates the pure spiritual body, which is beyond the senses, mind and intelligence. The #i#siddha-deha#/i# is the purified soul who is just suitable to serve the Supreme Lord. No one can serve the Supreme Lord as His associate without being situated in his perfectly pure spiritual identity. That identity is completely free from all material contamination. As stated in the #i#Bhagavad-gītā#/i#, a materially contaminated person transmigrates to another material body by material consciousness. At the time of death he thinks materially and is therefore transferred to another material body. Similarly, one who at the time of death is situated in his pure spiritual identity thinks of the spiritual loving service rendered to the Supreme Lord and is transferred to the spiritual kingdom, to enter into the association of Kṛṣṇa. In other words, the qualification for being transferred to the spiritual kingdom at the time of death is to think, in one 's spiritual identity, of Kṛṣṇa and His associates. No one can contemplate the activities of the spiritual kingdom without being situated in his pure, spiritual identity (#i#siddha-deha#/i#). Thus Rāmānanda Rāya said that without attaining one 's #i#siddha-deha#/i# one can neither become an associate of the damsels of Vraja nor render service directly to the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, and His eternal consort, Rādhārāṇī. In this regard, Rāmānanda quoted a nice verse from #i#Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam#/i# (10.47.60):
#dl##dd##i#nāyaṁśriyo 'ṅga u nitāntarateḥ prasādaḥ#/i##/dd#
#dd##i#svar-yoṣitāṁ nalina-gandha-rucāṁ kuto 'nyāḥ#/i##/dd#
#dd##i#rāsotsave 'sya bhuja-daṇḍa-gṛhīta-kaṇṭha-#/i##/dd#
#dd##i#labdhāśiṣāṁ ya udagād vraja-vallabhīnām#/i##/dd##/dl#
"Neither the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, nor the damsels of the heavenly kingdom can attain the facilities of the damsels of Vrajabhūmi—and what to speak of others?"
#$p#Lord Caitanya was very satisfied to hear these statements from Rāmānanda Rāya, and He embraced him. Then both of them began to cry in the ecstasy of transcendental realization. Thus the Lord and Rāmānanda Rāya discussed the transcendental pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa throughout the night, and in the morning they separated. Rāmānanda left to go to his place, and the Lord went to take His bath.
#$p#At the time of separation, Rāmānanda fell at the feet of Lord Caitanya and prayed, "My dear Lord, You have come just to deliver me from this mire of nescience. Therefore I request that You remain here for at least ten days to purify my mind of material contamination. There is no one else who can deliver such transcendental love of God."
#$p#The Lord replied, "I have come to you to purify Myself by hearing from you the transcendental pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. I am so fortunate, for you are the only teacher of such transcendental pastimes. I can find no one else in the world who has realized the transcendental loving reciprocation between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. You are asking Me to stay here for ten days, but I wish to remain with you for the rest of My life. Please come to Jagannātha Purī, My headquarters, and we will remain together for the rest of our lives. Thus I can pass My remaining days in understanding Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā by your association."
#/div# |
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