Drama and rasa are one.
"Some very experienced people seem to still confuse serving the dhama with serving the drama."
Drama and rasa are one.
Love is simple, but it is always dramatic. Mostly because we resist it, but primarily because love must include pain to serve its full purpose. That is the meaning of the Rasa Lila. Serving the Dham is an act of love. Embrace Love.
Drama and rasa are one. This is why the gopis lie down on the path when Krishna leaves for Mathura, wailing and lamenting. What a bunch of drama queens! That IS what the Dham is all about. And that is also why Vrindavan should not be merged with Mathura. Fortunate are those who serve the Dham in the mood of the gopis.
The gopis fell in love. "Falling in love" is something that cannot be legislated or commanded. And the call of the flute is the primary symbol of the force of attraction that breaks down all barriers and creates the flow of love.
Until we realize that it is Krishna, the Navina Madan, who is behind all the Cupids of the world, and that until we find shelter in him we will never realize the ultimate purpose of love, we will be betrayed.
Indeed, to love means to invite betrayal, because loving does not always mean being loved in return. In fact, every failure to achieve the full soul-union that love craves feels like a betrayal, even though it is inevitable that the ego will resist surrender. Even when we love Krishna. And that is indeed very dramatic.
But no one can tell you to love another, not even to love Krishna, in any of his forms. And where there is no love, there is no drama. How can you be hurt if you have not put anything on the line? Or crossed the lines of dharma for its sake?
Therefore when Krishna tells the gopis, "Hey guys, don't be such drama queens! I am everywhere, I am in your hearts, I am always with you," they tell him to cut the crap. "Stop teaching yoga and Mayavada and reciprocate our love honestly," that is all they ask. "Keep your fundamental promise to everyone -- that you will reciprocate with everyone in accordance with their love and commitment."
But Krishna can't help it. He has surrendered to Yogamaya himself, which means he has surrendered control to Love and its anarchy. And so even though he says that he is not reciprocating according to the rules of a merchant (as the ye yathā mām prapadyante verse seems to indicate) but according to the rules set by Love, he is not as cool and calculating as the Bhāgavata would have us believe. He is under the control of Destiny too. That is what nara-līlā means.
That is why he cannot run to Vrindavan, but cries for Radha while nestled in the arms of Rukmini.
Drama. And it seems to have no end. Though some say that there is refuge from the drama in Goloka. But Chaitanya never found that refuge. Maybe when he finally merged into Tota Gopinath, but not before.
Drama and rasa are one.
Love is simple, but it is always dramatic. Mostly because we resist it, but primarily because love must include pain to serve its full purpose. That is the meaning of the Rasa Lila. Serving the Dham is an act of love. Embrace Love.
Drama and rasa are one. This is why the gopis lie down on the path when Krishna leaves for Mathura, wailing and lamenting. What a bunch of drama queens! That IS what the Dham is all about. And that is also why Vrindavan should not be merged with Mathura. Fortunate are those who serve the Dham in the mood of the gopis.
The gopis fell in love. "Falling in love" is something that cannot be legislated or commanded. And the call of the flute is the primary symbol of the force of attraction that breaks down all barriers and creates the flow of love.
Until we realize that it is Krishna, the Navina Madan, who is behind all the Cupids of the world, and that until we find shelter in him we will never realize the ultimate purpose of love, we will be betrayed.
Indeed, to love means to invite betrayal, because loving does not always mean being loved in return. In fact, every failure to achieve the full soul-union that love craves feels like a betrayal, even though it is inevitable that the ego will resist surrender. Even when we love Krishna. And that is indeed very dramatic.
But no one can tell you to love another, not even to love Krishna, in any of his forms. And where there is no love, there is no drama. How can you be hurt if you have not put anything on the line? Or crossed the lines of dharma for its sake?
Therefore when Krishna tells the gopis, "Hey guys, don't be such drama queens! I am everywhere, I am in your hearts, I am always with you," they tell him to cut the crap. "Stop teaching yoga and Mayavada and reciprocate our love honestly," that is all they ask. "Keep your fundamental promise to everyone -- that you will reciprocate with everyone in accordance with their love and commitment."
But Krishna can't help it. He has surrendered to Yogamaya himself, which means he has surrendered control to Love and its anarchy. And so even though he says that he is not reciprocating according to the rules of a merchant (as the ye yathā mām prapadyante verse seems to indicate) but according to the rules set by Love, he is not as cool and calculating as the Bhāgavata would have us believe. He is under the control of Destiny too. That is what nara-līlā means.
That is why he cannot run to Vrindavan, but cries for Radha while nestled in the arms of Rukmini.
Drama. And it seems to have no end. Though some say that there is refuge from the drama in Goloka. But Chaitanya never found that refuge. Maybe when he finally merged into Tota Gopinath, but not before.
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