A Positive Alternative (Part II) :: Gadadhar Pran Das

Gadadhar Pran Prabhu's new painting of Gauranga with Vishnupriya and Laxmipriya available for purchase.
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The complete book “Another Side of Thakur Bhaktivinode” is now available worldwide on Amazon in three formats for the very first time. I have been working on this book for a long time and it has now been launched both as an e-book and in two print editions - color and black &white. We are giving it online at a very low promotional price. 

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Your fallen sadhak, Gadadhar Pran Das

Introduction

 

As we started to introduce Thakura Bhaktivinoda's original guru parampara in Part One, we talked about its first invaluable asset: the siddha manjari parivara it has which descends from Ananga Manjari. For those desiring to take up rananuga sadhana in manjari bhava, just as our Vraja Goswamis present it, this manjari family will provide an ideal shelter and the proper guidance.

 

But in Part Two we shall discover another great treasure belonging to this parampara: this is the rasaraja kanta bhava upasana that Gauranga personally taught to Vamsivadan just before he left Navadvipa to take sannyasa.

 

Now even though Krishna's kanta bhava worship is hardly being practiced anywhere today, Rupa Goswami and many of Caitanya Mahaprabhu's other close associates highly eulogize it. Because, frankly speaking, during Mahaprabhu's time kanta bhava was the main internal mood of worship which was taking place in his madhura Navadvipa lila.

 

So what happened which caused it to be lost? How can we take it up? And how can it be practiced along with our manjari bhava sadhana? These are some of the important questions that we shall try to answer in Part Two. But first it will be helpful to see how Sukadeva Goswami, Rupa Goswami and Krishnadasa Kaviraja present Krishna's kanta bhava worship.

 

Sri Sukadeva Goswami's Version

 

In the most ancient and revered sastra of the Gauidya Vaisnavas, Srimad Bhagavatam, Sukadeva Goswami exclusively narrates Krishna and the gopis' kanta bhava worship (without mentioning manjari bhava). Hence, Srila Kavikarnapura's guru, Srinath Cakravarti-pada begins his Bhagavata commentary with these essential teachings:

 

aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa tanayas tad dhama vrndavanam

ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhu-vargena ya kalpita

srimad bhagavatam pramanam amalam preman pumartha mahan

sri caitanya mahaprabhor matam idam tatradaro nah parah

 

"We honor Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's opinion that 1) Sri Krishna in his madhura Vraja dham is our worshipable Bhagavan, 2) his Vraja gopi consorts adopt the best means to attain him, 3) the pure sastra Srimad Bhagavatam provides this evidence, and therefore 4) Vraja kanta prema is our supreme goal. After accepting these four truths we shall not be swayed by other opinions."

 

Rasa Analysis

 

Although we find translations of this verse which read, "the Vraja gopis' method to attain Krishna is the best," (which can include kanta bhava and manjari bhava), here Krishna's vraja-vadhu-vargena (divine gopi consorts) are specifically mentioned. For in Chapter 29, verse 15, Sukadeva Goswami emphasizes kanta bhava upasana when he says: "By fixing oneself in deep absorption on Krishna one can attain him by kāma, hatred, fear, affection, the desire to be one with him, and friendship, etc. But when Krishna's gopi kantas direct their kāma to him this is by far the best method as it brings them the closest to him. So to reciprocate their deep love Krishna performs his greatest lila, the rāsa."

 

Sri Rupa Goswami's Version

 

In Bhakti rasamrita Sindhu, where Rupa's dissertation on madhura rasa begins, he explains it mostly in context with kanta bhava, as this mood contains madhura rasa's complete definition. Caitanya caritamrita affirms: kantabhave nija anga diya koren sevan. "In kanta bhava one offers one's own body to Krishna in seva."

-- C.c. Madhya 19, 231

 

Then in Ujjvala nilamani, where Rupa more thoroughly examines the topic of madhura rasa, the major portion of his study covers topics dealing with kanta bhava, whereas in the remaining portion he discusses topics related to manjari bhava.

 

Therefore it should not be surprising that in Bhakti rasamrita Sindhu Rupa offers madhura rasa bhaktas the sambhogeccamayi kanta bhava first, and the tadbhaveccatmika manjari bhava second. Although he leaves the choice of which path to choose up to us.

 

Sri Krishnadasa Kaviraja's Version

 

In Caitanya caritamrita's discussions about Vraja's madhura rasa bhajan, we can find Krishnadasa explaining it in both kanta bhava and manjarai bhava, although the examples which point to kanta bhava are greater. Here are a few of them:

 

sei gopi bhavamrita jara lobha hoy

veda dharma loka tyaji se krsnake bhajay

raganuga marge tare bhaje jei jana

sei jana paya vrajendra nandan

 

 

Rasa Analysis

 

Let me admit my own shortcomings. When I first translated this passage back in 1989 in our book Why Did Caitanya Mahaprabhu Come? I was a manjari bhava sadhaka then, and gave this translation:

 

"For those having lobha (greed) to follow after the gopis' nectar-like bhavas they will give up the rules of Vedic dharma and the opinions of disinterested people. Then after taking to the raga marga they will attain Krishna in Vraja." (2.8.219-20)

 

Although this translation is alright in itself, I overlooked one very important matter: the context in which Srila Kaviraja Goswami wrote it. Because when he says sei gopi bhavamrita, "that nectar-like gopi bhava," he is referring to his previous four lines which read:

 

nijendriya sukhahetu kāmer tatparjya

krsnasukha tatparjya gopibhava barjya

nijendriya sukha vanca nahi gopikara

krsne sukha dite kore sangam vihara

 

"Kāma's definition centers around our own endeavors for pleasure, but the gopis transcend material kāma by desiring only Krishna's pleasure. Thus they engage in sangam vihara (conjugal loving pastimes) with him for his pleasure alone." (2.8.216-17)

 

Thus we learn that the Kaviraja wrote the passage I translated in context with kanta bhava, and his next caritamrita lines and the Bhagavatam's sloka he quotes offer more proof:

 

tahate drstanta upanisada srutigan

ragamarge bhaji pailo vrajendra nandan

 

"The Srutis of the Upanishadas are the ideal example, for they worshiped on the raga marga and attained Krishna in Vraja." (2.8.222)

 

striya uragenra bhogabhujadanda visakta dhiyo

kayamapi te samah samadrsho agrisaroja suddhah

 

The Srutis confess: "The subjugating beauty of Krishna's serpentine-like arms act like a strong poison which make the pretty women of Vraja go mad for attaining the nectar of his pleasureful anga sanga*. Thus by following in their footsteps we have also attained the nectar of his pleasureful bodily touch." (S.B. 10.89.23 and C.c. 2.8.223)

 

Here is another example of the Srutis mood of worship that we found in the Vamana Purana, along with Krishna's answer:

 

kandarpa koti labanye tvayi drste manamsi nah

kamini bhava ma sadya smorakhub dhanya mamsayah

jatha talloka vasinyah kamatvena gopikah

bhajanti ramananam matva cikiryani nastatha

 

"Hey Shyam sundar! In seeing your glamorous lovely form that defeats the splendor of millions of Cupids, our hearts have become pierced by Kamadeva's arrows. So just as the gopis worship you in kanta bhava, our desires have strongly awoken to worship you in the same way."

 

Krishna replies:

 

durlabho durghatascaiva yusmakam sumanorathah

mayananumoditah samyak sateya bhavitur mahati

 

"Hey Srutis! Although my devotees very seldom covet such a boon, and although I very rarely answer such prayers, I shall bless you wholeheartedly that your ambition be fulfilled.

 

[Now what is the point that we wish to convey? Although kanta bhava worship was the main focus in Gauranga Mahaprabhu's madhura Navadvipa lila, and although our greatest Vaisnava Acaryas encouragingly offer it to us in their foremost teachings, today we cannot find a trace of its practice going on anywhere in our Vaisnava world.

 

The Glories of Sri Vamsivadan-ananda Thakura

 

In Thakura Bhaktivinoda's guru parampara, Vamsivadan is the second Acarya (he comes first after Vishnupriya and before Jahnava Thakurani). Yet there is no other bhakta like him – for Gauranga is his siksa guru, and Vishnupriya is his diksa guru.

 

In Murali vilasa's opening verse (mangalacarana), Ramai Thakura's disciple, Rajaballabha Goswami, tells about Vamsivadan's previous role in Krishna's pastimes:

 

jagat-akarsini sakti nitya-prema-svarupini

tvam vamsivadan-ananda vande tvaham jagat guro

sri caitanya priya tamas tadiya prema vigraham

vande tac-caranam bhoja makaranda pipasya

 

"My pranama goes to Krishna's Vamsi (the flute) for she is  Krishna's jagat-akarsini sakti and his nitya prema svarupini. Thus her divine sakti produces a melodious vibration that forcefully attracts the entire universe by overwhelming everyone in Krishna prema! This flute now appears in Gaura lila as Vamsivadan-ananda Thakura who is the Jagat guru, and Gauranga's dearest companion. Thus my heart ever-yearns to relish the ambrosial nectar found in serving his lotus feet."

 

Rasa Analysis

 

As the Vamsi's akarsini sakti is all alluring she devastates the gopis with her sweet vibration, makes them go mad in Krishna-prema, and then acts like their prema-guru to bring and surrender them at Krishna's lotus feet. Thus by awarding Krishna the gopis' amritamaya sanga, from whom he relishes his greatest pleasure, the Vamsi is truly Krishna's dearest companion.

 

Yet Vamsivadan plays a similar role in Gauranga's pastimes, as Murali vilasa testifies: Once when Gauranga was dancing in sankirtan with bhuvan-mohan-Vamsivadan, he embraced Vamsi and looked over to Gadadhar. But then a wonder took place: by Vamsivadana's akarsini sakti Prabhu's purva raga (first feelings of romantic sentiment) suddenly awakened from Gadadhar! (Let us remember that Gadadhar was previously Krishnakanta siromani Radha in Vraja lila.)

 

Indeed, it can be said that wherever the Vamsi or Vamsivadan go, Cupid's romantic sentiments start to awaken between the Lord and his bhaktas. Hence it is not surprising that Gaurasundar chose Vamsivadan to be his rasaraja upasana acarya, and thus his being addressed as Jagat guru is truly befitting.

 

Vamsi Siksa's Opening Verses

 

abhinna rasarajaya sri saci nandanaya ca

gurave bhakta rupaya caitanya namo namah

srngara rasa sanmagnam srngara rupakam param

sukhadam subhadam devan rasarajam namamyaham

 

I offer my pranam to the Son of Saci who is non-different from Rasaraja Krishna, and who takes the form of a bhakta-guru to teach his rasaraja worship.

 

Rasaraja Krishna is deeply fascinated by srngara (conjugal love) because he is the Supreme devata of srngara rasa. Thus as he bestows the bliss and auspiciousness of srngara rasa to all, I offer my pranama to him

 

Vamsisiksa's author, Premadasa Mishra, says that Sacinandan teaches in two ways: "to the masses he externally preaches his sankirtana movement and the Hare Krishna maha mantra. But to the rasika bhaktas he internally gives them the rasaraja upasana."

 

Here we can say that just as Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teachings to Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami and Ramananda Raya in Caitanya caritamrita are very important, Gauranga's teachings to Vamsivadan are equally important. In fact, these teachings came first, when Gauranga was still in Navadvipa. Hence within these teachings we can discover Gauranga's internal Navadvipa mood of worship as well.

 

 

The Siksa Begins

 

Gauranga tells Vamsi: "Now please listen, as Krishna is Ananda cinmaya rasa personified, he especially loves to perform srngara rasamaya pastimes with his greatest prakrti, the gopis. Although Krishna is Atmarama, he enjoys rati keli with all of them. As Srimati Radharani is the all-peasure-giving hladini sakti, the gopis expand from her. They discard all other dharma to perform Rasaraja Krishna's most enjoyable worship."

 

Gauranga goes on: "Let us offer limitless pranamas to the paramsundar rasaraja nagara Sri Krishna. For he excites the gopis' minds and awakens their loving desires for him. This adi-rasa (original, most ancient and divine mellow) is called srngara. It has 64 aspects which are experienced between the nayaka and the nayika – the rasa's visaya and ashraya.

 

As Krishna is the gopis pranaballabha and Vraja mohan, he is the rasa's visaya. The panditas declare him to be the Srngara rasaraja, who can easily defeat Cupid's charm. As a dhira lalita nayaka his sole activity is to relish romantic adventure with his beloved gopis, who are the rasa's ashraya.

 

"O Vamsi!" Prabhu next says, "To worship Rasaraja Krishna we will need a special kind of prema which is called piriti, romantic love. Your father has written about this:

 

yadrsi kaminam natha kaminyam ana payini

prasideti mamapyastam pritira etadrsi tvayi

 

"Just as a man overwhelmed by kāma always thinks about his dearly beloved kāmini – O Prananatha! I pray that my mind always dwell in your piriti."

 

[Chakori Catta, Madhava dasa (Vamsivadana's father) wrote this verse to demonstrate how we can dovetail our kāma to Rasaraja Krishna and transform it into divine piriti as the gopis do. Because for the gopis kāma is actually the highest form of prema.]

 

 

Krishna's Rasaraja Worship is Kanta bhava Upasana

 

Gauranga next tells Vamsivadan: "Although the sastras describe many kinds of prema, kanta piriti is the essence. Listen carefully:

 

sei sambandha catur vidha hoy, prabhu sakha putra kanta mahajane koy

Krishna proti ei cari sambandha uttama, vicarakorile kintu ache taratama

sambandha uttama kanta sambandha bakhani, jara antarbhuta trisambandha jani

ei lagi bhagyavan jiva samudaya, rasaraja krsne kantabhave bhajaya

 

"The Mahajanas say that there are four ways to worship Krishna in Vraja: as our Prabhu, as our friend, as our son, and as our kanta (beloved). Although each of these methods is great, we can find kanta bhava to be the best (as the three other moods are contained within it). Therefore those worshiping rasaraja Krishna in kanta bhava are the most fortunate."

 

 

Rasa Analysis

 

Here we find Gauranga endorsing kanta bhava bhajan above all other forms of worship with his sincere best wishes. It is unfortunate, however, that so few bhaktas get the chance to hear about these teachings. Because after hearing them wouldn’t you say that they would get a clearer understanding about where Gauranga's heart truly lies? And this would have a great positive effect on their spiritual progress.

 

Gauranga next tells Vamsi:

 

ei sab nigura katha bola nahi jaya, sadguru ashraya kori jiva samudaya

sambandhadi tattva sada koribe sikhan, tahar praman kahi koraha sravan

rasiker katha eve koru avadhan, jahar ashraya jiva hoy premavan

cinmaya Ananda atma srinanda nandan, sringaradi svarupa veder likhan

taharjanaye jei sei se rasika, tomara nikate ei kainu priyadhika

sei rasa na Janiya arasika gan, nindaniya khudra rasa kore asvadan

 

This topic shouldn't be discussed with the people in general. Rather, we need to hear (privately) Krishna's piriti tattva from a rasika bhakta guru. Now listen to what is meant by a rasika bhakta, Vamsi, because by taking their shelter one can become a premika bhakta oneself. As the sastras declare Krishna to be a cinmaya ananda atma, and srngara rasa personified, he can only be known by the rasika bhaktas. I am telling you this because you are very dear to me. Yet on the other hand, the arasika bhaktas (those who are not rasika) cannot understand Krishna's srngara rasamaya affairs and will even blaspheme them, as they settle for tasting other forms of rasa which are far inferior."

 

 

Rasa Analysis

 

Gauranga's desire to promote Rasaraja Krishna's kanta bhava bhajan through Vamsivadan is a magnanimous contribution to the Vaisnavas. But because the true rasika bhaktas are very scarce, this wonderful form of worship has almost become lost today.

 

Now when Mahaprabhu mentions that the bhaktas who are not rasika often blaspheme Krishna's intimate kanta bhava bhajan, who is he referring to?

 

In Bhakti rasamrita Sindhu, Rupa Goswami says nivrttanupayogitvad, "that those in the renounced order often remain opposed to hearing about Krishna's srngara rasamaya affairs." Then Jiva Goswami next explains: "They remain aloof because such affairs can remind them of the laukik (material) love affairs of our world," nivrttam laukikad ujjvalakhya rasat samyam

 

This is indeed a great misfortune that they consider such bhajan dangerous for their spiritual life. And as they remain afraid, they will make others afraid by saying: "It will lead to falldown." Thus they become blocked from entering into the Bhagavatam's pure presentation of madhura rasa.

 

But such devotees are not just uninterested, they remain actively against hearing these topics. And their numbers have grown immensely so that they now "rule the roost" of the Vaisnava world. Hence, Mahaprabhu's rasaraja upasana doctrine that he mercifully imparted to Vamsivadan has not gotten a chance to spread.

 

In connection with this, there is another matter that needs to be addressed: We find that some Vaisnava leaders even profess that the thought of our having a conjugal loving relationship with Krishna would be nothing more than a perverted and misplaced sexual desire.

 

Personally speaking, we often wonder how such a gross thought could ever plague a devotee's mind. But instead of our trying to refute such an outlandish mentality, let us now take shelter of our Gaudiya Sampradaya's foremost tattva-siddhanta acarya, Sri Jiva Goswami-pada, to see what he has to say about this. The following passages appear in Bhakti sandarbha, beginning from 320.2:

  

Projecting Lustful Feelings Upon Sri Bhagavan is Not a Transgression

 

atha kamuka tvadyaropanady-adhara panadi rupas tatra vyavaharopi

nati karma hetu yato loka vat tu lila kaivalyam iti nyayena

lila tatra svabhavavata eva siddha

 

"We will now consider that even such behavior as maintaining lustful feelings for Sri Bhagavan and desiring to kiss him, etc., is not a fault in our conduct, because Sri Bhagavan's pastimes exactly resemble those of human beings. By this principle it is understood that Sri Bhagavan's pastimes are naturally carried out in this manner."

 

tatha tat preyasi jananam api tat svarupa sakti vigrahatvena parama

suddha rupatvat tato nyunatabhavac ca tad adhara panadikam api

nana rupam, puvba yukta tad abhirucitam evaca naca prakrta

vama janena drsah prasanjani gah tad yogam tadrsam bhavam

svarupa sakti vigrahatvam ca prapyaiva tad icchayaiva tat prapteh

 

"In addition, Sri Bhagavan's beloved consorts, being embodiments of his internal pleasure potency are supremely pure, and not less than him. Thus it is not at all inappropriate for them to engage in amorous prema keli with Sri Bhagavan, such as kissing him. In fact, by the logic already given, it is fully according to his liking.

 

Neither should we find fault with the women of this world who develop such feelings of conjugal attraction for Sri Bhagavan, because it is only by his will that they attain him and thus be able to engage in conjugal loving pastimes with him, after first developing the appropriate temperament of amorous love and acquiring a form constituted of his internal pleasure potency."

 

atah puruseva api stri-bhavenodbhavad bhagavad visayatva na

prakrta kama devod bhavitah prakrtah kamo'sau, kintu saksan

manmatha manmatah

 

"Therefore, because this amorous passion of a woman for her paramour appears even in men and because it is directed towards the Supreme Lord it is not material passion incited by the material Cupid. Rather, it is completely spriritual because it is aroused only by Bhagavan, who is worshiped in the sastras as being the transcendental Cupid, Madan mohan."

 

 

Amorous Desire for Sri Bhagavan is Not Sinful

 

atha papa sravanena ca na papavaho'sau kamah tal asravanad

eva atah parampati bhavayukta ca tara sutaram na dosah

pratyuta stutih sruyate

 

"Now let us consider that amorous desire for Sri Bhagavan is sinful because scripture declares it as such. This is not the case, however, because there is no such mention in scripture. So because there is no inherent defect with amorous desire for Sri Bhagavan, there is certainly no fault when such desire is combined with the feeling of being Sri Bhagavan's consort. Rather, Sukadeva Goswami highly praises this feeling."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mahaprabhu Continues:

 

"O Vamsi! Rasika bhaktas are very rare and hard to find. Your father tells about this:

 

vidagdham bharato bhaktam jnatum saknomyaham jatha

svarna vanig iva svarnam kuru prasadam ity api

 

"just as an experienced jeweler can detect real gold, we can recognize Krshna's rasika bhakta by Rasaraja Krishna's mercy alone."

 

The poet Candidasa adds to this by saying:

 

rasika rasika, sabai kahaye, keho sei rasika noy

bhaviya ganiya, bujhiya dekhile, kotite gotika hoy

 

"O Rasika! Rasika! Don't we all say? As everyone thinks that "they" are a rasika. But if we stop to carefully consider the matter – we will discover that amongst a million devotees – we can hardly find one!"

 

Rasa Analysis

 

Just as Thakura Bhaktivinoda's original guru parampara is ati sudulabha, known to very few, Krishna's rasaraja upasana is also very rare. But rarer still is to have the fortune of becoming initiated by a rasika bhakta guru. For only such a person will be able to teach this rasa tattva. Here Vamsivadan's father, Cakori Chattopadaya Madhava dasa gives assurance, however, that everything will be possible by Rasaraja Krishna's krpa alone. So let us wholeheartedly pray for this.

 

Manjari Bhava and Kanta Bhava

 

In Part One, the first major contribution found in Thakura Bhaktivinoda's guru parampara was presented: its manjari parivara that descends in an unbroken disciplic succession from Ananga Manjari. Then in Part Two, we have been discussing about its kanta bhava upasana that Mahaprabhu taught to Vamsivadan. Although these two different processes are both a matchless gift for the bhaktas, we find that those practicing manjari bhava sadhana often develop a negative attitude towards kanta bhava worship. And here is the consideration they express:

 

"Look, as we yearn to be Radha's dasi to engage in Radha Krishna's yugal seva, never will be desire to unite with Krishna ourselves. So the thought to enjoy conjugal union with him in kanta bhava is certainly out of the question for us."

 

Rasa Analysis

 

When I was taking siksa at Radhakund back in the 80's, this was the unanimous mood of the devotees whom I encountered there, including my siksa guru. For this vairagi samaja does maintain very strictly the stand that those taking up manjari bhava sadhana should never think about mixing with Krishna – as this would be a sin. And similarly, they remain opposed towards kanta bhava worship.

 

Yet what strikes me as being unnatural here is that although our Six Goswamis present kanta bhava and manjari bhava upasana with equal emphasis and allow their followers to choose either path according to their personal ruci, today manjari bhava is being promoted exclusively. So the question arises: Could the bhaktas be choosing manjari bhava instead of kanta bhava for the subtle, psychological reason that they still consider a conjugal loving relationship with Krishna to be impure, unwholesome or improper for us?

 

To answer frankly, it certainly appears that a ku-samskara has crept in to deprive us from something very wonderful; because if we stop to consider what a spectacular and rewarding experience it would be to share a conjugal loving relationship with Bhagavan and be his eternal consort, it is astonishing that practically no one ever thinks about this!

 

A ku-samskara means a bad impression that we pick up over a period of time, and ku-samskaras  are very hard to get rid of because what we experience around us and the things we hear people say often make them even stronger.

 

Now what are we getting at? In our world religion and conjugal love are generally taken to be existing in two opposite directions. So when thinking about religion we equate this with purity, self control, selfless seva and renunciation. But when we think about conjugal love don't we usually equate it with the opposite: impurity, sense gratification, self indulgence and material attachment?

 

So what often happens to those taking to Vaisnava dharma? Don't we hold on to this negative material conception about conjugal love and wish to drop it altogether when we meditate on Krishna lila? Thus it is important to mention that in Gauranga and Krishna's highest abodes of Goloka Navadvipa and Goloka Vrindaban every jiva is eligible to perform both kanta bhava and manjari bhava worship, for it is completely natural that we have an eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord in both of these moods.

 

From Caitanya caritamrita we can learn about the topmost standard of purity and renunciation that Krishna's gopi consorts possess:

 

loka dharma, veda dharma, deha dharma, karma

lajja, dhairya, deha sukha, atma sukha marma

dustyaja arya path, nija parijana

sva-jane karaye tarana bhartsana

sarva tyaga kori kore krsnera bhajan

krsna sukha hetu kore prema sevan

ihake kahiye drdha anuraga

svaccha dhauta vaster yaiche nahi kono daga

 

Throwing their social reputation to the wind and side-stepping the Vedic injunctions, Krishna's gopi consorts don't care about their bodily comforts, household duties, shyness, patience or mental satisfaction. They have discarded the righteous path of virtuous women, which is very hard to abandon, and they even forsake their own family members to tolerate punishment and rebuke! Thus accepting Krishna's bhajan as their only aim, they secretly go to offer their bodies to him in prema seva for his pleasure alone. This is called drdha anuraga, the gopis' overpowering attraction for Krishna that makes their love pure, like a spotlessly clean white sheet. (C.c. 1.4.167-171)

 

Now this present trend in our Vaisnava world of a distaste for kanta bhava worship, and the exclusive acceptance of manjari bhava alone, doesn't exist in Thakura Bhaktivinoda's amnai siddha guru parampara, because it was Mahaprabhu himself who chose to introduce kanta bhava worship within this manjari parivara. And hence, since Vamsivadan is our leading rasaraja kanta bhava upasana Acarya, we can certainly imbibe these teachings from him, as he is the topmost rasika bhakta.

 

But there are a few things that we need to know first that we can learn from Jiva Goswami's teachings.

 

Sri Bhagavan's Lila bheda and Prakasa bheda Rahasya

 

(The Mystery about how the Bhaktas can Appear in Different Lilas, and in Different Forms, which each have a Separate Mentality – All at the Same Time.)

 

In his Krishna sandarbha, Sri Jiva Goswami presents the siddhanta which forms the basis of this discussion:

 

tatra nanakridadhyadhisthanatadeva lila rasa posaya

tesu prakaseva bhimana bhedam porosporananusandan anca

prayah svecchayori korotityapi gamyate evam

tacchaktimayat tat parikaresvapi jneyam

 

"In order to relish a variety of lilas (and different kinds of rasa) Krishna displays different prakasa forms, each having a separate mentality of their own. In addition, each prakasa form, in these different lila prakasa, doesn't know about what all of his other prakasa forms are doing.

 

Yet similarly, as Krishna's nitya parshadas have sat-cid-ananda forms as he has, they can also manifest a variety of prakasa forms which each have a separate mentality of their own. So, as a bhakta serves the Lord in his various prakasa forms, in diferent lila prakasa, none of his various prakasa forms know about what all of the other prakasa forms are doing either."  

                                                                                    – Krishnalila rahasya anuccheda 156

 

This is not so difficult to understand as it may appear at first – for these passages simply explain how Krishna's lilas are multi-dimensional.

 

Using the example of a television which has many channels we can get a basic idea about how Yogamaya's incredible networking potency works in Goloka Navadvipa and Goloka Vrindaban. For there are many lila prakasa, like different channels on a television, which are all going on at the same time. So just as those persons taking part on a particular television channel are unseen to the persons appearing on other channels, this lila bheda and prakasa bheda mystery works in a similar way. In other words, this will allow each bhakta the chance to relish different varieties of transcendental rasa, in a variety of different forms, that all appear simultaneously in different lila realms. Yet each one of these different forms that a bhakta has will have a separate mentality of its own.

 

Now what is the purpose of all of this? To explain, we can give the example of how a bhakta who may wish to simultaneously serve in manjari bhava and in kanta bhava may successfully do so.

 

Though ordinarily speaking, in our world, if we try to practice both moods at the same time this will cause an unpleasant overlapping of the mellows which is called rasa abhasa. And it is for this reason that those practicing manjari bhava often develop a distaste for kanta bhava – as they feel that their dasibhava for Radha will be greatly hampered if they try to think of offering conjugal prema seva to Krishna at the same time.

 

But in Krishna's madhura lila where everything runs perfectly smoothly by Yogamaya's grace, the inconvenience of rasa abhasa doesn't exit – and the lila bheda, prakasa bheda siddhanta of Jiva Goswami explains why.

 

So, in this way, a devotee may take up manjari bhava in a particular lila realm or prakasa in a particular svarupa that is ideally suited for such seva, and then in another lila realm, she may take up kanta bhava seva in a separate form that has a separate mentality there. As Krishna is Rasika sekhar, the topmost enjoyer of various lila rasa, this is how he relishes numerous flavors of transcendental mellows. Yet similarly, this is how the bhaktas can do so, too.

 

* We are now becoming impatient to write Part Three, as it will be an exciting adventure. For there we shall follow Vamsivadan as he leads us into Sri Vishnupriya devi's secret gupta Vrindaban abode in Goloka Navadvipa – a realm where even Mahaprachu's closest male associates have no chance to enter. But we must remind our readers: to enter this secret realm, we must assume a divine and beautiful female form – for this is the only way that we can enter Rasaraja Gauranga's exceptionally fascinating sringar rasamaya pastimes with Vishnupriya and her limitless sakhi followers. Yet because Sri Vishnupriya devi is the Sampradaya Acarya of Thakura Bhaktivinoda's guru parampara, her parivara members will all receive the chance to serve her in a very close and intimate way.

 

Gadadhar pran Das

( gadadhar_das000@yahoo.co.in)

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* The words agrisaroja suddha which means the nectar of Krishna's lotus feet, is later translated by the Kaviraja to mean "his pleasure-giving bodily sanga," where he says agripadma suddhaya kahe krsnasangananda.