Bhajana Rahasya 7.23: One attains Krishna through love

One attains Krishna through love

Love for Krishna is auspicious for all conditioned souls, for through such love, they will attain Him. Krishna says this to the gopis—

mayi bhaktir hi bhūtānām

amṛtatvāya kalpate

diṣṭyā yad āsīn mat-sneho

bhavatīnāṁ mad-āpanaḥ

Whoever engages in My devotional service attains immortality, i.e., liberation or eternal felicity. You are especially blessed on account of the deep love you have for Me, by which you will surely attain Me. That is most auspicious. This love forcefully attracts Me and makes Me come quickly to your sides. (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.82.44)

Expanded translation: Expecting that the gopis will say, “O eloquent one! You are blaming the Supreme Lord for our separation, but everyone knows that You are none other than the Lord Himself. We also know it,” Krishna answers, “Yes, indeed. It is true. I am none other than the Supreme Lord. Even so, as the Supreme Lord, I am subservient to the affection that you, My devotees, have for Me. Even the slightest amount of devotion for Me results in immortality, or liberation. The affection that you gopis have for Me, however, has been most auspicious, for it has forcibly attracted Me to you. It draws Me to you and very shortly it will make Me stay by your side forevermore.” (Vishwanath)

Bhaktivinode Thakur—

āmāte ye prema-bhakti parama amṛta

tava snehe niravadhi tava dāsye rata

Because you have attained the supreme nectar of immortality, pure ecstatic love for Me, I am affectionately devoted to your service without cessation.

I don’t mind the pain He gives Me. All that concerns Me is His pleasure. My greatest joy is to see Krishna happy. If that happiness comes at the expense of My suffering, it still gives Me joy. That pain is My greatest pleasure.

Oh friends! Hear my words. Whenever I become absorbed in the mood of love, then the One who stole my mind appears before me. But whenever I want to see Him through my own craft, He absents Himself to my eyes.

When I cannot see Him, my life airs cry out and my misery knows no limits. He is the friend of the entire universe, and sometimes He takes me with Him, but however He chooses to treat me, He nevertheless remains the love of my life.

When He gives me the joy of seeing Him and speaks sweet words of love to me, He enlivens my being. Then He disappears again, turning my heart to cinders. He is my very life, and His absence is like death. But whatever gives Him happiness is joy for me. I am indifferent to my own personal happiness or distress.

Bhaktivinode says: “In union or separation, I know Him to be the only Lord of my life. As I am happy in His happiness, my Beloved is never separate from me.”

In the Yoga Pith in the forest of kadamba trees in Vrindavan, surrounded by the eight principal sakhis, sit Radha and Krishna the flute player, stealing the minds of all creatures in the universe. I surrender my life to Their feet.

I serve the Divine Couple according to the orders of the Sakhis. As a kept maidservant (pālya-dāsī) I meditate constantly on Their lotus feet. Sometimes They kindly take my hand and speak sweet words. I serve them betelnut condiments and eagerly place a garland around Their necks.

Then when I don’t see Them, for any reason whatsoever, my heart burns with separation. But whatever my condition, I am always the maidservant of the Divine Couple. In union, there is bliss, in separation torment. But I treat the two states as equal.

Radha and Krishna are my life force, in both life and in death. May They be happy, either by maintaining me or by rejecting me. Bhaktivinode knows nothing else but Them. Falling down at his sakhi guru’s feet, he remains in Radharani’s group, his mind fixed on the Divine Couple’s feet.