Glories, glories to Sri Radharani, the beloved of Madhava and most worship-able of the cowherd girls of Gokula Mandala! Decorated by the dress of Lord Damodara’s increasing ecstasy, You are the lady of the house of Lord Hari and the groves of Vrindavan. From the ocean of Vrishabhanu has arisen a new moon which is overwhelming the qualities of Lalita and Vishakha. O Goddess, Your qualities are described by Sanaka and Sanatana Rishis and by Sanatana Goswami. Please bestow Your mercy upon me.
“ädhä kåñëa-praëaya-vikåtir hlädiné çaktir asmäd
ekätmänäv api bhuvi purä deha-bhedaà gatau tau
caitanyäkhyaà prakaöam adhunä tad-dvayaà caikyam äptaà
rädhä-bhäva-dyuti-suvalitaà naumi kåñëa-svarüpam”
(Aaitanya-caritamrita Adi 4.55)
The loving affairs of Çré Rädhä and Kåñëa are transcendental manifestations of the Lord’s internal pleasure-giving potency. Although Rädhä and Kåñëa are one in Their identity, They separated Themselves eternally. Now these two transcendental identities have again united, in the form of Çré Kåñëa Caitanya. I bow down to Him, who has manifested Himself with the sentiment and complexion of Çrématé Rädhäräëé although He is Kåñëa Himself.
“ataeva sei bhäva aìgékära kari’
sädhilena nija väïchä gauräìga-çré-hari”
(Caitanya-caritamrita Adi 4.56)
Therefore Lord Gauranga, who is Çré Hari Himself, accepted the sentiments of Rädhä and thus fulfilled His own desires.
Topmost of all Mellows
Of the four kinds of reciprocation of loving service—däsya, sakhya, vätsalya and mädhurya—mädhurya is considered the fullest. But the conjugal relationship is further divided into two varieties, namely svakéya and parakéya. Svakéya is the relationship with Kåñëa as a formally married husband, and parakéya is the relationship with Kåñëa as a paramour. Expert analysts have decided that the transcendental ecstasy of the parakéya mellow is better because it is more enthusiastic. This phase of conjugal love is found in those who have surrendered to the Lord in intense love, knowing well that such illicit love with a paramour is not morally approved in society. The risks involved in such love of Godhead make this emotion superior to the relationship in which such risk is not involved. The validity of such risk, however, is possible only in the transcendental realm. Svakéya and parakéya conjugal love of Godhead have no existence in the material world, and parakéya is not exhibited anywhere in Vaikuëöha, but only in the portion of Goloka Våndävana known as Vraja.
Some devotees think that Kåñëa is eternally the enjoyer in Goloka Våndävana but only sometimes comes to the platform of Vraja to enjoy parakéya-rasa. The six Gosvämés of Våndävana, however, have explained that Kåñëa’s pastimes in Vraja are eternal, like His other activities in Goloka Våndävana. Vraja is a confidential part of Goloka Våndävana. Kåñëa exhibited His Vraja pastimes on the surface of this world, and similar pastimes are eternally exhibited in Vraja in Goloka Våndävana, where parakéya-rasa is ever existent.
The Parakiya Bhav of Gopis
In the Third Chapter of this epic, Çréla Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé has explicitly accepted the fact that Kåñëa appears in this material world at the end of the Dväpara age of the twenty-eighth catur-yuga of Vaivasvata Manu and brings with Him His Vrajadhäma, which is the eternal abode of His highest pastimes. As the Lord appears by His own internal potency, so He also brings all His paraphernalia by the same internal potency, without extraneous help. It is further stated here in the Caitanya-caritämåta that the parakéya sentiment exists only in that transcendental realm and nowhere else. This highest form of ecstasy can exist only in the most confidential part of the transcendental world, but by the causeless mercy of the Lord we can have a peep into that invisible Vraja.
The transcendental mellow relished by the gopés in Vraja is super excellently featured in Çrématé Rädhäräëé. Mature assimilation of the transcendental humor of conjugal love is represented by Çrématé Rädhäräëé, whose feelings are incomprehensible even to the Lord Himself. The intensity of Her loving service is the highest form of ecstasy. No one can surpass Çrématé Rädhäräëé in relishing the qualities of the Lord through this supreme transcendental mellow. Therefore the Lord Himself agreed to assume the position of Rädhäräëé in the form of Lord Çré Gauräìga. He then relished the highest position of parakéya-rasa, as exhibited in the transcendental abode of Vraja.
“rädhä-kåñëa eka ätmä, dui deha dhari’
anyonye vilase rasa äsvädana kari’”
(Caitanya-caritamrita Adi 4.56)
Rädhä and Kåñëa are one and the same, but They have assumed two bodies. Thus They enjoy each other, tasting the mellows of love.
Mysterical oneness between the Potent and the Potency
The two transcendentalists Rädhä and Kåñëa are a puzzle to materialists. The above description of Rädhä and Kåñëa from the diary of Çréla Svarüpa Dämodara Gosvämé is a condensed explanation, but one needs great spiritual insight to understand the mystery of these two personalities. One is enjoying in two. Çré Kåñëa is the potent factor, and Çrématé Rädhäräëé is the internal potency. According to Vedänta philosophy, there is no difference between the potent and the potency; they are identical. We cannot differentiate between one and the other, any more than we can separate fire from heat.
Everything in Absolute is inconceivable in relative existence. Therefore in relative cognizance it is very difficult to assimilate this truth of the oneness between the potent and the potency. The philosophy of inconceivable oneness and difference propounded by Lord Caitanya is the only source of understanding for such intricacies of transcendence.
In fact, Rädhäräëé is the internal potency of Çré Kåñëa, and She eternally intensifies the pleasure of Çré Kåñëa. Impersonalists cannot understand this without the help of a mahä-bhägavata devotee. The very name “Rädhä” suggests that Çrématé Rädhäräëé is eternally the topmost mistress of the comforts of Çré Kåñëa. As such, She is the medium transmitting the living entities’ service to Çré Kåñëa. Devotees in Våndävana therefore seek the mercy of Çrématé Rädhäräëé in order to be recognized as loving servitors of Çré Kåñëa.
Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu personally approaches the fallen conditioned souls of the iron age to deliver the highest principle of transcendental relationships with the Lord. The activities of Lord Caitanya are primarily in the role of the pleasure-giving portion of His internal potency.
Transcendental Energies of the Lord
The absolute Personality of Godhead, Çré Kåñëa, is the omnipotent form of transcendental existence, knowledge and bliss in full. His internal potency is exhibited first as sat, or existence—or, in other words, as the portion that expands the existence function of the Lord. When the same potency displays full knowledge it is called cit, or samvit, which expands the transcendental forms of the Lord. Finally, when the same potency plays as a pleasure-giving medium it is known as hlädiné, or the transcendental blissful potency. Thus the Lord manifests His internal potency in three transcendental divisions.
“sei dui eka ebe caitanya gosäïi
rasa äsvädite doìhe hailä eka-öhäìi”
(Caitanya-caritamrita 4.57)
Now, to enjoy rasa, They have appeared in one body as Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu.
“ithi lägi’ äge kari tära vivaraëa
yähä haite haya gaurera mahimä-kathana”
(Caitanya-caritamrita 4.58)
Therefore I shall first delineate the position of Rädhä and Kåñëa. From that description the glory of Lord Caitanya will be known.
“rädhikä hayena kåñëera praëaya-vikära
svarüpa-çakti—‘hlädiné’ näma yäìhära”
(Caitanya-caritamrita 4.59)
Çrématé Rädhikä is the transformation of Kåñëa’s love. She is His internal energy called hlädiné.
“hlädiné karäya kåñëe änandäsvädana
hlädinéra dvärä kare bhaktera poñaëa”
(Caitanya-caritamrita 4.60)
That hlädiné energy gives Kåñëa pleasure and nourishes His devotees.
Hlädiné Shakti- Pleasure Potency of the Lord
Çréla Jéva Gosvämé has elaborately discussed the hlädiné potency in his Préti-sandarbha. He says that the Vedas clearly state, “Only devotional service can lead one to the Personality of Godhead. Only devotional service can help a devotee meet the Supreme Lord face to face. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is attracted by devotional service, and as such the ultimate supremacy of Vedic knowledge rests in knowing the science of devotional service.”
What is the particular attraction that makes the Supreme Lord enthusiastic to accept devotional service, and what is the nature of such service? The Vedic scriptures inform us that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, is self-sufficient, and that mäyä, nescience; can never influence Him at all. Therefore the potency that overcomes the Supreme must be purely spiritual. Such potency cannot be anything of the material manifestation. The bliss enjoyed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be of material composition, like the Impersonalists conception of the bliss of Brahman. Devotional service is reciprocation between two, and therefore it cannot be located simply within one’s self. Therefore the bliss of self-realization, Brahmananda, cannot be equated with devotional service.
The Three Principal Internal Potencies
The Supreme Personality of Godhead has three kinds of internal potency, namely the hlädiné-çakti, or pleasure potency, the sandhiné-çakti, or existential potency, and the samvit-çakti, or cognitive potency. In the Viñëu Puräëa (1.12.69) the Lord is addressed as follows: “O Lord, You are the support of everything. The three attributes hlädiné, sandhiné and samvit exist in You as one spiritual energy. But the material modes, which cause happiness, misery and mixtures of the two, do not exist in You, for You have no material qualities.”
Hlädiné is the personal manifestation of the blissfulness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by which He enjoys pleasure. Because the pleasure potency is perpetually present in the Supreme Lord, the theory of the Impersonalists that the Lord appears in the material mode of goodness cannot be accepted. The Impersonalists conclusion is against the Vedic version that the Lord possesses a transcendental pleasure potency. When the pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is exhibited by His grace in the person of a devotee, that manifestation is called love of God. “Love of God” is an epithet for the pleasure potency of the Lord. Therefore devotional service reciprocated between the Lord and His devotee is an exhibition of the transcendental pleasure potency of the Lord.
The potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that always enriches Him with transcendental bliss is not material, but the Çaìkarites have accepted it as such because they are ignorant of the identity of the Supreme Lord and His pleasure potency. Those ignorant persons cannot understand the distinction between impersonal spiritual bliss and the variegatedness of the spiritual pleasure potency. The hlädiné potency gives the Lord all transcendental pleasure, and the Lord bestows such a potency upon His pure devotee.
“sac-cid-änanda, pürëa, kåñëera svarüpa
eka-i cic-chakti täìra dhare tina rüpa”
(Caitanya-caritamrita 4.61)
Lord Kåñëa’s body is eternal [sat], full of knowledge [cit] and full of bliss [änanda]. His one spiritual energy manifests three forms.
“änandäàçe hlädiné, sad-aàçe sandhiné
cid-aàçe samvit—yäre jïäna kari’ mäni”
(Caitanya-caritamrita 4.62)
Hlädiné is His aspect of bliss; sandhiné, of eternal existence; and samvit, of cognizance, which is also accepted as knowledge.
In his thesis Bhagavat-sandarbha (103), Çréla Jéva Gosvämé explains the potencies of the Lord as follows: The transcendental potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by which He maintains His existence is called sandhiné. The transcendental potency by which He knows Himself and causes others to know Him is called samvit. The transcendental potency by which He possesses transcendental bliss and causes His devotees to have bliss is called hlädiné.
Viçuddha-sattva – platform of spiritual variegatedness
The total exhibition of these potencies is called viçuddha-sattva, and this platform of spiritual variegatedness is displayed even in the material world when the Lord appears here. The pastimes and manifestations of the Lord in the material world are therefore not at all material; they belong to the pure transcendental state. The Bhagavad-Gita confirms that anyone who understands the transcendental nature of the Lord’s appearance, activities and disappearance becomes eligible for freedom from material bondage upon quitting the present material tabernacle. He can enter the spiritual kingdom to associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and reciprocate the hlädiné potency in transactions between him and the Lord. In the mundane mode of goodness there are tinges of passion and ignorance. Therefore mundane goodness, being mixed, is called miçra-sattva. But the transcendental variegatedness of viçuddha-sattva is completely free from all mundane qualities. Viçuddha-sattva is therefore the proper atmosphere in which to experience the Personality of Godhead and His transcendental pastimes. Spiritual variegatedness is eternally independent of all material conditions and is non-different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, both being absolute. The Lord and His devotees simultaneously perceive the hlädiné potency directly by the power of the samvit potency.
Supreme Lord – Untouched by Material Energy
The material modes of nature control the conditioned souls, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead is never influenced by these modes, as all Vedic literatures directly and indirectly corroborate. Lord Kåñëa Himself says in the Eleventh Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam (11.25.12), sattvaà rajas tama iti guëä jévasya naiva me: “The material modes of goodness, passion and ignorance are connected with the conditioned souls, but never with Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” The Viñëu Puräëa confirms this as follows:
“sattvädayo na santéçe yatra na präkåtä gunäù
sa çuddhaù sarva-çuddhebhyaù pumän ädyaù prasédatu”
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viñëu, is beyond the three qualities goodness, passion and ignorance. No material qualities exist in Him. May that original person, Narayana, who is situated in a completely transcendental position, be pleased with us.” In the Tenth Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.27.4), Indra praises Kåñëa as follows:
“viçuddha-sattvaà tava dhäma çäntaà
tapo-mayaà dhvasta-rajas-tamaskam
mäyä-mayo ‘yaà guëa-sampraväho
na vidyate te ’grahaëänubandhaù”
“My dear Lord, Your abode is viçuddha-sattva, always undisturbed by the material qualities, and the activities there are in transcendental loving service unto Your feet. The goodness, austerity and penance of the devotees enhance such activities, which are always free from the contamination of passion and ignorance. Material qualities cannot touch You under any circumstances.”
The Three Modes of Material Nature
When not manifested, the modes of material nature are said to be in goodness. When they are externally manifested and active in producing the varieties of material existence, they are said to be in passion. And when there is a lack of activity and variegatedness, they are said to be in ignorance. In other words, the pensive mood is goodness, activity is passion, and inactivity is ignorance. Above all these mundane qualitative manifestations is viçuddha-sattva. When it is predominated by the sandhiné potency, it is perceivable as the existence of all that be. When predominated by the samvit potency, it is perceived as knowledge in transcendence. And when predominated by the hlädiné potency, it is perceived as the most confidential love of Godhead. Viçuddha-sattva, the simultaneous manifestation of these three in one, is the main feature of the kingdom of God.
The Absolute Truth is therefore the substance of reality, eternally manifest in three energies. The manifestation of the internal energy of the Lord is the inconceivably variegated spiritual world, the manifestation of the marginal energy comprises the living entities, and the manifestation of the external energy is the material cosmos. Therefore the Absolute Truth includes these four principles—the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, His internal energy, His marginal energy and His external energy. The form of the Lord and the expansions of His form as svayaà-rüpa and vaibhava-prakäça are directly the enjoyers of the internal energy, which is the eternal exhibitor of the spiritual world, the most confidential of the manifestations of energy. The external manifestation, the material energy, provides the covering bodies of the conditioned living entities, from Brahmä down to the insignificant ant. This covering energy is manifested under the three modes of material nature and appreciated in various ways by living entities in both the higher and lower forms of life.
Each of the three divisions of the internal potency—the sandhiné, samvit and hlädiné energies—influences one of the external potencies by which the conditioned souls are conducted. Such influence manifests the three qualitative modes of material nature, proving definitely that the living entities, the marginal potency, are eternally servitors of the Lord and are therefore controlled by either the internal or the external potency.
Auspicious appearance of Srimati Radharani
We are celebrating the auspicious appearance of Srimati Radharani, Sri Radhasthami. On this day it is important that we understand according to sashtra, exactly who Srimati Radharani actually is. Otherwise we find that most people, they chant Radhey and they have some sentimental conception of Radha and Krishna’s Lila. But they have no grasp of concept of the spiritual nature of the divine lila of Radha and Krishna. This is called sahajia. Sahajia means to cheaply think that you can enter into the divine lila of Radha and Krishna or to just believe it is beautiful stories that we can just sing and dance about all of the time. Of course there is some purification through that process but if we want to actually understand these topmost spiritual subject matters, we cannot approach them with our own sentimental feelings or we must first understand through the scriptures and through the Acharyas of what is this spiritual gravity of the divine lila of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna.
In fact Radha and Krishna are unapproachable by anyone, who has any material attachments within their life. The divine pastimes of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna are the enactments of the pure spiritual bliss of the spiritual world. Therefore we must approach the pastimes of Radha and Krishna, not cheaply but we must approach them through the process of vaiddhi bhakti. Which means through following the strict principles of the Acharyas, by controlling our senses, by engaging in the humble service of the spiritual master and sadhus and by learning from them gradually, what is spiritual life? We must first understand the difference between the body and soul and then we must understand the various features in which Krishna appears in this world. Krishna says, “janma karma ca me divyam evaà yo vetti tattvataù” that we must understand the transcendental nature of Krishna’s appearance and activities in this world. And how do we understand? We must understand the subject. Krishna explains,
The Process of surrender to Spiritual master
“tad viddhi praëipätena
paripraçnena sevayä
upadekñyanti te jïänaà
jïäninas tattva-darçinaù”
Bhagavad-Gita 4.34
If you want to understand the truth, you must approach a guru, you must inquire yourself submissively, and you must render service to spiritual master. In this the spiritual master will reveal knowledge on to you because he has seen the truth.
So when we are discussing the divine Lila of Radha and Krishna, we are discussing the ultimate the Summum Bonum of the absolute truth. We are discussing the highest knowledge, even within the realm of transcendental knowledge. So therefore we must according to how the great acaryas are teaching us and in this way we gain actual realization of the divine mercy of Srimati Radharani and Lord Sri Krishna.
The Divine Realm of Spiritual relationships
Here it is being described that Krishna, is the Param Brahman. Arjuna has said, “paraà brahma paraà dhäma pavitraà paramaà bhavän” “Krishna You are the Supreme Brahman, You are the supreme purifier, you are the abode in which everyone is residing, everything is within You, and You are within everything. Krishna is sarva-käraëa-käraëam. He is the cause of all causes. And it is being described here by Swarup Damodar Goswami, “One supreme absolute truth for the sake of eternally enjoying divine pleasure expanded Himself into two forms Radha and Krishna”. Radharani is considered the hlädiné Shakti. Hlädiné means the pleasure giving potency. This means that there is no difference between Radha and Krishna. Some people think that Radharani is the greatest devotee but that in itself is very inaccurate. Radharani is Krishna. She is the supreme personality of godhead. All the potency and all the glories of Krishna are similarly within the personality of Srimati Radharani. But although they are one, they have separated themselves in to two for the purpose of ecstatic loving reciprocation because in order for there to be pleasure of love there must be a lover and beloved. Therefore Krishna is the supreme enjoyer and Srimati Radharani is the supreme enjoyed. Krishna is the supreme master and Srimati Radharani is the supreme lover of that supreme master.
Therefore Bhakti of devotional service is the divine property of Srimati Radharani alone and it is only through her mercy, through Her grace that anyone can approach Krishna because Krishna says, “bhaktyä tv ananyayä çakya aham evaà-vidho ‘rjuna”. It is only by pure devotion that I can be approached. It is by no other means.
Try to understand that the loving affairs of Radha and Krishna. There is nothing material. How is it possible? After all great brahmacharis and sannyasis throughout history have given up all material pleasures. They have given up their families, have given up their wealth, and have performed severe tapasya simply for glimpse of Brahman or the realization of the spiritual existence of the Lord. We see even great kings like Bharat Maharaja. How they renounced their kingdom and they became very simple living in the forest performing great tapasya simply to try to understand Brahman or the spiritual existence of the Lord. So here we find Krishna who is Param Brahma the supreme Brahman. Do they attract to any material pleasure? This is a very craziest option. Therefore the pleasure of Sri Krishna is an purely spiritual divine platform and therefore we must understand the relationship with Radha and Krishna as the ultimate expression of love of God for Himself and as the aspiring devotees who are trying to gain entrance into the loving service to the Lord. We must approach very carefully and very much according to the authorized instructions of the great acaryas.
Taking Krishna cheaply
This evening we will celebrate Radhasthami. This evening we will have a nice festival. We will describe the nature of the appearance of Radharani and we will also discuss the nature of the land of the Vrindavan. Radharani is the Vrindavaneswari. She is the queen and the controller of Vrindavan. But this morning for just few minutes I believe it is far more important than hearing the pastimes of Radha and Krishna to understand the proper approach to Radha and Krishna. Some people they go to Vrindavan and they just shout Jai Radhe and Jai Krishna. They think, they will reach Krishna in this way. This is not the process. Krishna is not so cheap. We are talking about the highest religion of godhead, millions of times higher than the realizations of the Brahman Jyoti. We must understand that there are various levels of Bhakti. Sadhana Bhakti is divided into two parts. Vaiddhi Bhakti and Raga Bhakti.
The process of Vaiddhi Bhakti
Vaiddhi Bhakti means you do not have love of god and if you think you do, you are completely insane. Love of god means, “You cannot have love of god even a tinge of particle of material attachment in your heart”. Real love of god is only when you become completely purified from the bodily conception of life. So if we are not in that platform we must understand that we are platform of Vaiddhi Bhakti. That means the process of devotional service through regulative principles. That means you must accept a spiritual master and you must be disciplined by him. You must be disciplined by following the regulative principles and performing tapasya under his instructions. Krishna says in Bhagavad-Gita, “räga-dveña-vimuktais tu viñayän indriyaiç caran” that by following the regulative principles of freedom, one can attain the complete mercy of the lord. No after becoming completely purified through the process of Vaiddhi Bhakti one attain the state, which is called Raga Bhakti, which means spontaneous enthusiasm to serve Radha and Krishna, where there is no more any material desires to – our devotion to the lord. This is very elevated stage of consciousness. It is that stage where “paraà dåñövä nivartate” you are simply not attracted to any of the temporary manifestations of the world. You are simply attracted to the service of Radha and Krishna. By practicing devotional service on this platform of Raga bhakti for some time then only you can enter into the realm of prema bhakti or pure love of god.
Humility – The real mood to approach Lord’s Pastimes
So as we emphasize very strongly especially here in India, we cannot take the subject matter cheaply. It is a great science, if we want the real results. Some people we find they dressed themselves as gopis or Srimati Radharani and think “By playing the role of gopis then we will develop the sentiment of the gopis”. But nowhere in the sashtras and nowhere in the teaching of the bona fide acaryas is this ever accepted. In fact the real acaryas reject this conception. We cannot simply pretend to be a gopi. The gopis are the highest position of pure love. How can you pretend to be on that platform? Either you are a gopi or you are not a gopi. Therefore a sane person who is properly following the real system he become the servant of the servant of the servant of the gopis of Vrindavan, which means he learns “How to properly control his senses and engage all of his activities in the mission of his spiritual master”. He takes the humblest position. After all you can only approach god through your humility.
Humility does not mean pretending you are on the ultimate position but to accept the lowest position. Therefore to pretend that we are gopis – is not the process of humility. We are trying to play the role of the ultimate devotees of the lord before we can even control our senses properly. Even those who have attain mukti, who are totally liberated from all material desires; they have no access to the feelings of the gopis. You can attain the feelings of gopis through surrender to the feet of lord then you will achieve the blessings and the mercy of the Lord and to His servants. Then we can enter into the spiritual feelings but not by our own endeavors. So therefore we should know that if we truly and really want to gain the blessings of Srimati Radharani then we must take the most insignificant position of being the menial servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord.
Following the Six Goswamis
In fact the six Goswamis they were the manjaries of Vrindavan, who descended into this world. No where the six Goswamis saying, “Oh, I saw Krishna”. “Oh, I am seeing Krishna”. “Yes Krishna was dancing for me”. “Krishna was playing His flute for me”. The Six Goswamis are always praying with tears in their eyes where is Radha, where is Krishna? Do you think in seeing Radha and Krishna is so cheap? That They just appear to you. The price of seeing Radha and Krishna is that you must be immersed and separation and longing for them to such an extent that separation totally probates your heart and you cannot think of anything else. Therefore those who are actually on the path according to the great Acharyas rather than talking about how I have seen Radha and Krishna, they are trying to cultivate the intense and genuine feelings of separation from Radha and Krishna. It is only then that Radha and Krishna actually reveal Themselves to you.
You see the pastimes of Radha and Krishna are not simply a subject for entertainment. Most people in this land of India, they come to pravachan more to be entertain than they to be purified. Therefore Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Thakur was giving Srimad Bhagvatam class for 30 days in Vrindavan everyone was thinking “He is the highest saint there is. How much nectar we will receive by hearing Krishna and Radharani’s Lila”. He simply spoke for the 30 days on the first verse, explaining the difference between matter and spirit and most of the people went away because they were disappoint that he is not giving us the nectar. Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Thakur, he very purposely did this, that until you senses are purified you cannot taste the nectar. Until your senses are completely purified, Radha- Krishna’s lila is just a story that completely away of your head. It’s like describing Phd Mathematics to gardener. It might sound very nice but you have no conception of what it is. Therefore to hear the divine Lila of Radha and Krishna, certainly purifying but it must be very much in conjunction with the basic principles of Krishna Consciousness. Therefore we find that Srila Prabhupada, he is translating for the world these very high subjects of the verses of Caitanya-Charitamrita but he is also giving elaborate purports, which are describing the exact position and condition of our consciousness and how to elevate it.
Mood of the Great Acharyas
So therefore to actually be the real servant of Srimati Radharani and to really attain Her divine blessings we must become the humble servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord. Of we really and truly want to gain Her divine blessings, we must approach Her through the medium of the recognized saddhus and the spiritual master and gradually step by step by step they teach us how to become free from ahankar false ego. Even the great devotee Narottam das Thakur, he was living in Vrindavan. He was constantly exhibiting the symptoms of the ecstatic love but how did he pray?
“viñaya chäòiyä kabe çuddha ha’be mana
kabe häma heraba çré-våndävana”
These are the greatest acaryas and this is what they pray. They are not saying “I saw Krishna in the last night”. “Krishna dance for me”. The great acharyas they are praying, they are longing and their eyes are filled with tears, their hearts are just like fountains of emotion and what is their prayer. “When I’ll be free from all material desires only then I’ll see Vrindavan, only then can I approach the divine lila of Radha and Krishna”. “he rädhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-süno kutaù” and the six Goswamis they are praying, “Where is Radharani? Where are you Krishna? I would go Govardhan, I would go Bamshi batt. My heart is simply longing in separation for you. So we must cultivate these feelings of separation. We must cultivate the feeling of earning and longing for the divine service for the divine couple of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. These divine feelings of separation they awaken within our heart only by the mercy of Srimati Radharani and that mercy is coming through our representatives.
Prayers to the Divine Mother
Therefore on this holy day of Radhasthami we should be very much sober and at the same time joyful to earn the order of guru assist him in his divine service of giving pleasure to Sri Sri Radha Gopinath. On this day of course we can pray to Srimati Radharani, she is the giver of devotion, she is the giver of love. Our prayer should be that Srimati Radharani, o beloved of Sri Krishna by Your causeless and infinity mercy and by Your kindness, kindly allow me to gradually become purified by engaging as servant of the servant of the servant of the devoted servants. There is no prayer what is pleasing to Srimati Radharani than this and if we offer this prayer with deep and sincere desire to actually live accordingly to this prayer. That is the greatest gift that is the greatest offering we can offer on the auspicious day of Radhasthami. So everyone will come this evening will have a nice celebration. The Bhajans and Kirtans will begin at 4 o’ clock.
