I Have One Doubt
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Ramananda Raya then petitioned the Lord,
- eka samsaya mora achaye hrdaye
- krpa kari' kaha more tahara niscaye
- pahile dekhilun tomara sannyasi-svarupa
- ebe toma dekhi muni syama-gopa-rupa
- tomara sammukhe dekhi kancana-pancalika
- tanra gaura-kantye tomara sarva anga dhaka
- tahate prakata dekhon sa-vamsi vadana
- nana bhave cancala tahe kamala-nayana
- ei-mata toma dekhi' haya camatkara
- akapate kaha, prabhu, karana ihara
"My Lord, I have but one doubt within my heart, and I hope You will kindly remove it by Your grace. At first I saw You appear like a sannyasi, but now I am seeing You as Syamasundara, the cowherd boy. I now see You appearing like a golden doll, and Your entire body appears covered by a golden luster. I see that You are holding a flute to Your mouth, and Your lotus eyes are moving very restlessly due to various ecstasies. I actually see You in this way, and this is very wonderful. My Lord, please tell me without duplicity what is causing this" (CC Madhya 8.267-271)
The Lord replied that those who are deeply absorbed in a loving relationship with Krsna are all first-class devotees. As a result of their natural love of Godhead, they realize the presence of their worshipful Lord Sri Krsna everywhere, as they look upon all varieties of moving and nonmoving objects. The objects of their observation do not appear before them as they are, but they appear differently in relationship with Sri Krsna. Here are some quotations in this regard from the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
- sarva-bhutesu yah pasyed
- bhagavad-bhavam atmanah
- bhutani bhagavaty atmany
- esa bhagavatottamah
"The first-class devotee perceives everywhere the presence of Sri Krsna, who is the life of all lives, and in Sri Krsna they perceive the presence of all animate and inanimate objects." (Bhag. 11.2.45)
- vana-latas tarava atmani visnum
- vyanjayantya iva puspa-phaladhyah
- pranata-bhara-vitapa madhu-dharah
- prema-hrsta-tanavo vavrsuh sma
"The jungle trees and creepers full with their fruits and flowers bowed before the Lord with feelings that Sri Krsna is their vital life. In a mood of transcendental cheerfulness and ecstatic joy, the trees and creepers poured forth large amounts of honey in His presence. This was possible due to their pure love of Godhead." (Bhag. 10.35.9)
Lord Caitanya continued to speak:
- radha-krsne tomara maha-prema haya
- yahan tahan radha-krsna tomare sphuraya
"You have deep regard for Radha and Krsna, and as such you can perceive Their presence anywhere and everywhere." (CC Madhya 8.277)
Ramananda Raya was not, however, satisfied at heart with this answer given by Lord Caitanya, although the words of the Lord were certainly correct according to sastra. Thus he said,
- raya kahe-prabhu tumi chada bhari-bhuri
- mora age nija-rupa na kariha curi
- radhikara bhava-kanti kari' angikara
- nija-rasa asvadite kariyacha avatara
- nija-gudha-karya tomara-prema asvadana
- anusange prema-maya kaile tribhuvana
- apane aile more karite uddhara
- ebe kapata kara-tomara kona vyavahara
"My Lord, please give up this roundabout way of revealing Your true personality. Kindly do not try to hide Your real identity. I know who You are: You are Sri Krsna Himself covered by the complexion of Srimati Radharani. You have descended to relish the ecstasy of Your transcendental pastimes with Her. The main purpose of Your appearance is to relish the feelings of Your devotees' love for You and simultaneously to distribute that love throughout the three worlds. You have come to me out of Your own accord, so how is it that You want to hide Yourself now?" (CC Madhya 8.278-281)