VMA 1.23 : When will I roam in Vrindavan?



soḍhvā pāda-prahārān api ca śata-śataṁ dhik-kṛtīnāṁ ca koṭīḥ
kṣut-tṛṭ-śītādi-bādhā-śatam api satataṁ dhairyam ālāmbya soḍhvā
muñcan śokāśru-dhārām atikaruṇa-girā rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-nāmāny
udgāyan karhi vṛndāvanam ativikalo’kiñcanaḥ sañcarāmi ||

When will I roam through Vrindavan
bereft of all possessions,
taking shelter of the virtue of patience
bearing hundreds and hundreds of kicks,
millions of reproaches,
and the countless obstacles
that arise from hunger, thirst, heat and cold?

When will I roam through Vrindavan,
releasing torrents of tears of grief,
as I loudly sing the names of Radha and Krishna
in a voice that excites their compassion? (1.23)

Commentary

Perhaps more than any other image coming from those presented by Prabodhananda and his followers is this one, of near madness in absorption in the nitya Vrindavan while living in this world, in the bhauma Vrindavan. This verse illustrates the characteristics of the devotee resident of Vrindavan. There are so many qualities described in this verse, all of which are opposed to the worldly life of competition, accumulation and consumption that are the The words akiñcana, ativikala, atikaruṇa, the complete detachment from all possessions (aparigraha), the sense of futility in all endeavors, and a sense of completed dependence on the grace of the Dham, the Holy Name, and the goddess of this land, Radha. Just as with the Holy Name, the sādhanā of residing in the Holy Dham is based in humility, tolerance, respect and freedom from material ambition.

We see a similar depiction of the six Goswamis in the Shrinivas Acharya’s Saḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭakam.

Here are the last four of those eight verses, which show a little of the image that became prevalent in the disciplic succession of these six great souls whose example and writings dominated the Chaitanya sampradāya after his departure.

kūjat-kokila-haṁsa-sārasa-gaṇākīrṇe mayūrākule
nānā-ratna-nibaddha-mūla-viṭapa-śrī-yukta-vṛndāvane |
rādhākṛṣṇam aharniśaṁ prabhajatau jīvārthadau yau mudā
vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrījīva-gopālakau ||
I bow down to Sri Rupa and Sanatan, the two Raghunaths, Sri Jiva and Gopala Bhatta, revealers of the meaning of the living entity’s life, who joyfully worshipped Radha and Krishna day and night in the land of Vrindavan, where there are beautiful trees full of fruits and flowers which have under their roots all valuable jewels, and where peacocks dance and singing koyils and swans and other water birds swarm. (5)
saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ kālāvasānīkṛtau
nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau cātyanta-dīnau ca yau |
rādhā-kṛṣṇa-guṇa-smṛter madhurimānandena saṁmohitau
vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau| |
I bow down to Sri Rupa and Sanatana Gosvami, the two Raghunaths, Sri Jiva and Gopala Bhatta, who passed their time in chanting the holy names of the Lord and bowing down according to a regular count. They conquered over eating, sleeping and all other daily activities, while remaining extremely meek and humble, enchanted by the ecstasies of the sweetness in remembering the qualities of the Divine Couple. (6)
rādhākuṇḍa-taṭe kalinda-tanayā-tīre ca vaṁśī-vaṭe
premonmāda-vaśād aśeṣa-daśayā grastau pramattau sadā |
gāyantau ca kadā harer guṇa-varaṁ bhāvābhibhūtau mudā
vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrījīva-gopālakau ||7||
I bow down to Sri Rupa and Sanatana, the two Raghunaths, Sri Jiva and Gopala Bhatta, who joyfully would sing the glories of Hari sometimes on the bank of the Radha Kund sometimes on the shores of the Yamuna, and sometimes at Vamsivat, overwhelmed by emotion and swallowed up by unlimited states of loving ecstasy, by which they were intoxicated. (7)
he rādhe vraja-devīke ca lalite he nanda-sūno kutaḥ
śrī-govardhana-kalpa-pādapa-tale kālindī-vane kutaḥ |
ghoṣantāv iti sarvato vraja-pure khedair mahā-vihvalau
vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrījīva-gopālakau ||
I bow down to Sri Rupa and Sanatana, the two Raghunaths, Sri Jiva and Gopala Bhatta, who in pained separation everywhere in Vrindavan, loudly called out, “O Radhe! Goddess of Vrindavan! O Lalita! O son of Nanda Maharaja! Where are you all now? Are you just on the hill of Govardhana, or are you under the trees on the bank of the Yamuna? Where are you?” (8)


Ten Previous posts

VMA 1.22 : The Upanishads do not reveal Vrindavan
VMA 1.21 : Vrindavan enchants everyone
VMA 1.20 : The gold and black jewel light
VMA 1.19 : Who's mind will not be stolen?
VMA 1.18 : How to meditate on Vrindavan
VMA 1.17 : Grant me residence here until the end of life
VMA 1.16 : A prayer for the siddha Vrindavan to manifest
VMA 1.15 : Rolling in the dust of Vrindavan
VMA 1.13 : Offenses to the residents of the Dham break my heart


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