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700222 - Ten Offenses Lecture - Los Angeles

2025-09-17T15:13:25Z

Kritika:

[[Category:1970 - Lectures]]
[[Category:1970 - Lectures and Conversations]]
[[Category:1970 - Lectures, Conversations and Letters]]
[[Category:1970-02 - Lectures, Conversations and Letters]]
[[Category:Lectures - USA]]
[[Category:Lectures - USA, Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Lectures, Conversations and Letters - USA]]
[[Category:Lectures, Conversations and Letters - USA, Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Lectures - General]]
[[Category:Audio Files 20.01 to 30.00 Minutes]]
[[Category:1970 - New Audio - Released in January 2017]]
<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=Category:Lectures - by Date]]'''[[:Category:Lectures - by Date|Lectures by Date]], [[:Category:1970 - Lectures|1970]]'''</div>
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<div class="center">[[Vanipedia:700222 Lecture - Srila Prabhupada Speaks a Nectar Drop in Los Angeles|''' <span style="display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center"><b class="fa fa-solid fa-volume-up" style="font-size: 330%"> </b><big>Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this lecture'''</big></span>]]</div>


<div class="code">700222IN-LOS ANGELES - February 22, 1970 - 28:29 Minutes</div>

<mp3player>https://s3.amazonaws.com/vanipedia/full/1970/700222IN-LOS_ANGELES.mp3</mp3player>

'''Prabhupāda:''' (japa)

So all of you begin chanting from this big bead. Don’t touch this finger, like this:

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa<br>
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare<br>
Hare Rama, Hare Rama<br>
Rama Rama, Hare Hare<br>

Then you touch the next bead.

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa<br>
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare<br>
Hare Rama, Hare Rama<br>
Rama Rama, Hare Hare<br>

In this way come to this end. Don’t cross the summit. Again begin from here . . . here:

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa<br>
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare<br>
Hare Rama, Hare Rama<br>
Rama Rama, Hare Hare<br>

So again from this, this side, again from this way 16 rounds, it requires practice otherwise 16 rounds means it takes only one hour two minutes. Eh . . . 20 minutes. But in the beginning you cannot, so instead of five minutes for each round if you take 10 minutes, then 160 minutes. So a little more than two hours. You should develop, you’re going to relieved from this material contamination so you can . . . your life should be dedicated 24 hours, for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Those who are engaged in this temple activities, there may be some concession because their life is Kṛṣṇa conscious. But those who are outside, they must regularly chant 16 rounds. Without fail. Those who are outside. So, and follow the restricted rules, and the 10 kinds of offences. Give me that paper.

The first offense is blaspheming the Lord's devotee. Anyone . . . it does not matter that your spiritual master is devotee and nobody is devotee. No. The devotee . . . the life of devotee is already explained, that he is fixed up in God. He has no other business than to think of God, talk of God, preaching of God, he's a devotee.

It does not matter whether he is born this country or that country or that province or this province or this planet or that planet. Anyone whose life is simply absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and thoughts of God, he's a devotee. So we should not blaspheme that, "Our process is better. Your process is . . . " That is due to ignorance. So this is offense: blaspheme the devotee.

And then considering the Lord and the demigods on the same level. Or assuming that there are many Gods. God is one. It is nonsense to think that there are many Gods. If there are many Gods, then there is no meaning of "God." Ekam eva advitīyam. The Vedas say God is one, without any second, without any competitor. If God has competitor, then He's not God. The definition of God is that supreme.

So if there are many, then how God can be Supreme? God is great. "God is great" means nobody is greater than Him, nobody is equal to Him. Everybody is under Him. You may have very high qualifications, but you cannot be equal to God. God is one. Therefore the Māyāvādīs' philosophy that, "You can accept, by imagination, any form of God and that is all right," no. You should have the actually the form of God.

Just like Kṛṣṇa says, mam ekam. Ekam means only one, "Unto Me." Of course, there are many other forms of God, but in order to concentrate your mind perfectly, you should only think of Kṛṣṇa. Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So we do not accept this nonsense philosophy that any name we chant, it becomes God. No. God's name. Of course, a God's name may be sounding . . . just like you say "water", I say jala.

But it means . . . that object is the same. Similarly, if you have got actually any name for God, that's all right—otherwise take to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means "all-attractive," and God's name cannot be otherwise. If God is not all-attractive, then He's not God. If God is attractive for a certain type of man or certain class of men and not attractive for others, then He's not God.

So you see Kṛṣṇa's activities, Kṛṣṇa's bodily feature, Kṛṣṇa's instruction, it is one, sublime. Sublime. Therefore He's God. And it is not our sentiment, but it is confirmed by the Vedic literature. Bhagavata says, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28): "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Brahma-saṁhitā says, īśvara parama-kṛṣṇa (Bs. 5.1). There are many gods, demigods, but God is one. Arjuna says, paraḥ brahma, every living entity is Brahman, but He's paraḥ brahma, the Supreme Brahman.

And Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nasti kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7): "There is nothing more superior than Me." So these . . . are we have to take evidences from the śāstra, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavan svayam. So nobody should think that, "If I chant the name of this demigod or that demigod, this is equal to chant the name of Hari or Kṛṣṇa." No, that is an offense. This is third offense.

Then neglecting the orders of the spiritual master. The beginning of initiation is to voluntarily accept the spiritual master, to abide by his order. So, if you disobey his order, then it is offense. This is fourth offense.

Fifth offense: interpreting the holy name of God. Interpreting. Because we have got very fertile brains, we can interpret in so many ways. Māyā gives us such knowledge, this way and that way, that way. No. Don’t try to interpret. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. No interpretation. Kṛṣṇa says that, mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa says: "Just surrender unto Me," and we are teaching, "Just surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Is there any difference? No difference. Therefore in speaking we are actually the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says: "Surrender unto Me." And we, in the disciplic succession of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are also speaking, "Just surrender to Kṛṣṇa."

We do not imitate, do not interpret that, "This 'Me' means me." The Māyāvādī philosopher, they say, everyone can say: "Me" means "I", "unto me." But is that grammatically correct? Eh? If I say that, "Please give me a glass of water," now if everyone of you say that, "This 'me' means me," so you take every one of us wants a glass of water, this is nonsense interpreting. But the Māyāvādī philosophers, because they are atheists, because they do not accept the existence of God, they interpret the śāstras in different way so that . . . but that cannot stand. That may be very nice to some foolish men, but actually, if some . . . they meet some intelligent man, then they are dividend . . . so this sort of interpretation is useless.

Committing sin on the strength of chanting. Now this is your beginning of life. This chanting means whatever you have done in your past life, sinful, that is now squared up. But you should not anymore commit sin. The four pillars of sinful life is this, or this. What is that? That Illicit sex, that intoxication, meat-eating, and . . . what is that? Gambling. These are the four pillars, just like your table stands on the four legs, or this house stands on four legs, four wheels, this car stands, similarly this sinful life personified stands on these four pillars. If you break these four pillars, then it has no standing.

Now, whatever has been done is done. That is not a disqualification. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement does not say that first of all you . . . just like other śāstras say atonement, or you pay some fine for your sinful life or . . . no. Every conditioned soul is apt to commit some . . . so many sins, knowingly or unknowingly, so whatever is done is done. Now from this day, no more sinful life. Don’t think, "Oh, I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, so this is a counteracting method, so let me commit this sinful act, and it will become counteracted because I am chanting." Don’t do that. We don't believe in that way. Not that is . . .

Just like somebody says that you commit sin, but you confess, and you're . . . that's all right. By confessing, your sinful reaction is eradicated. But if you commit again, oh, that is foolishness. So this example I have given you several times: just like if you have committed something wrong, you go to the court, criminal, and if you say: "My Lord, I did not know this, I mean to say, unlawful. So next time I shall be careful—I shall not do it," then it is excused. But if next time you go to the court and you'll say: "Please excuse," oh, that is . . . there is no excuse. So this confession, once is right, twice is right, thrice is right—fourth time, oh, you are severely punished. That is common sense. So you do not commit sin, because by mistake you might commit some sin, that maybe excused but if you take it a business that, "Because I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, therefore I can commit this sin, there is no reaction," no. That is offense. It is great offense.

Then, seventh offense: instructing the glories of the Lord's name to the unfaithful. This chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra we offer when one has become faithful. So many students come to us, but we see first of all that, "He is now faithful. He's faithfully discharging." So generally, we allow six months' time to see how he's faithfully executing; then we offer these beads. Otherwise, if he's faithless, then after some time it will . . . he'll give it up. So for the spiritual master it is also offense. If one is faithless, this chanting on beads should not be given to him. This is offense.

And then comparing the holy name with material pious. Just like this function we are holding today, it is not to be considered as some pious activity; it is transcendental. Pious activity can give you some reward in this material world, but this activity is beyond this material—it will give you place back to home, back to Godhead. So don’t compare with ordinary pious activity—just like somebody gives in charity, somebody makes something, religious activities. It is beyond religion. Beyond religion. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is beyond all religion. It is the postgraduate study of all religion. So don’t compare with any pious activity.

Then, inattention while chanting the holy name. You should chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa, and you should hear also. If your mind is acting, the mind is somewhere else, and you are chanting, oh, that is an offense. You should hear. This is called samādhi. If you chant and hear, then your mind is interlocked by hearing and chanting. This is samādhi. Samādhi means trance. Trance means completely absorbed in. So by hearing and chanting, acting both ways, you’ll be in trance, and that trance will keep you in the transcendental stage. That is called samādhi. So if we become inattentive, that is offense.

And attachment to material things while engaged in the practice of chanting. We should always remember that we are trying to be elevated to the spiritual platform, so spiritual platform means no more anxiety for sense gratification. That is spiritual platform. Material platform means everyone is hankering after sense gratification. All the people, they’re working day . . . hard, day and night very hard, the aim is sex at night. That's all. Sense gratification. Karmīs, they cannot work if they have no facility for sex. So . . . but these devotees of Kṛṣṇa, their aim is how to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference. This is the difference between spiritual life and material life. Material life means everyone is trying to . . . how to satisfy his sex. And spiritual life means he is also trying the same way, but his aim is how to satisfy Kṛṣṇa.

So, my occupation to satisfy something, that will continue—you cannot stop it. But spiritual life means to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, and material life means satisfying my senses. That is the difference. So in every action if you put this test, whether you are satisfying your senses or you're satisfying your Kṛṣṇa—you can test it—and as soon as you see that you are satisfying my whims and senses, then it is not Kṛṣṇa. So in this way, put . . . make progress, and if you fail sometimes, Kṛṣṇa will excuse you. But you must be very much strict, guarding against this fall down. Then your elevation will be very quick, and it will be very sound. So, follow these principles of offenses . . .and there are 26 kinds of good qualification qualification of the devotee how you are becoming a devotee you shall put yourself into these test are -

They are kind to everyone, a devotee is kind to everyone, a devotee is not kind to his family or to his community or to the humanity we are kind with material sense, first of all to myself then to my .... brothers and sisters or friends then my family then my community then my country or then my nation or ultimately the international the whole humanity so much but all these are imperfect unless you come to the point of Krishna. You increase your love to self oneself to society society to community community to nation and then to humanity but these are all imperfect, unless you come to the point to love Krishna then everything is perfect. Therefore, Kind to all, kind means Krishna is all god is all so if you love Krishna or God then you love all.

Just like you pour water on to the root of the tree then you pour water to the whole tree and if you try to pour water in each and every Leafe and branches it is spoil your time. The example is always given just like if you give food stuff to your stomach then energy is immediately distributed to all parts of the body, but if you take individually this finger that finger, this eyes that eyes these are useless, waste of time this is not the process if you want to love all then love Krishna then it will be distributed this is the Kind, this is the qualification of the devotee, by loving Krishna you are loving your country man, in spite of so many hindrances. Police opposition, public opposition you are going daily why? to give them some transcendental message this is loving all.

I have come to your country why? for loving Krishna therefore, I am loving you and you are loving me Krishna in the center then love will be distributed otherwise its useless, waste of time. So each and everything takes time so note this if you should see that it will take time so note this if you see that actually your qualities are developing these qualities are there already there but it is now covered by material covering as soon as the proportionality your material coverings are opened... you get your original one that is Krishna consciousness. there are so many 26 qualities, kindly to all, does not quarrel to anyone, fixed in the absolute truth, equal to everyone, faultless, charitable, mild, clean, simple, benevolent, peaceful, completely attached to Krishna, no material hankering, neat, steady, self-control, does not eat more than required this is very nice don't eat more don't eat less just to keep your body and soul together that's all, Sane then respectful, humble, grave, compassionate, friendly and poetic. This is also another qualification a devotee must be poetic by describing the qualities of Krishna. Poetic and expert, expert a devotee is very expert that you have shown already in this constructing or renovation this temple we did not ask for any outside worker, but all our devotees work so nicely that is the qualification of the devotee that any work you offer to a devotee... in Bengali it is said (Bengali) beginning from the sewing of the shoes up to the temple worship every in every respect he should be expert you cannot say I cannot do this no, he do everything yes, he will never thing oooo this is not suitable for me so we can cook, we can sweep, we can I mean work as carpenter or anything what is required off Couse, we don't require any other technological knowledge. But for our own business all the devotees are expert they can do anything expert and silent they do not talk much, except Krishna they will not talk much they will not waste their energy. This is our....

In this way develop these 26 qualities, avoid these 10 kinds of offenses and be happy and make Progress.

'''Devotees:''' (Indistinct)

'''Srila Prabhupada:''' Now preform Yagya, your name is Rishabha, Rishabha deva was sometimes emperor of the world, and he supposed not supposed he is incarnation of God his son was eldest son was Bharat Maharaj and by following his name Bharat this planet is called Bharat Varsha, this whole planet is called Bharat Varsha, so your name is Rishabhdeva Das that means Krishna Das ya...

'''Srila Prabhupada:''' "Where is John" Your name is Janakraj, Janakraj, Janakraj was also a very big king and he was the father of Sita wife of lord Ramchandra, so you are Janakraj Das.

'''Srila Prabhupada:''' and (Indistinct) your name is very nice Narada Muni

'''Devotees:''' Applause...

'''Srila Prabhupada:''' Yes So Narada Muni travels all the place, so you have to do that.

'''Devotees:''' Laughing

'''Srila Prabhupada:''' By chanting (Indistinct) you will be able, yes so, your name is very nice Narada Muni. Then you are Richard yes, your name is Bhaskar, Bhaskar means who illuminates that means this Sun, so you illuminate this whole world by Krishna Consciousness knowledge yes. and your name is Amogh, Amogh means without any sin so you must be very careful about these four things Alright then.

'''Devotees:'''...........

TLC Prologue

2022-01-03T10:51:46Z

Kritika:

[[Category:Teachings of Lord Caitanya (2011)|1]]
<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=Teachings of Lord Caitanya (2011)]] '''[[Teachings of Lord Caitanya (2011)]]'''</div>
<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=TLC Preface|Preface]] '''[[TLC Preface|Preface]] - [[TLC Lord Caitanya's Mission|Lord Caitanya's Mission]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=TLC Lord Caitanya's Mission|Lord Caitanya's Mission]]</div>
{{CompareVersionsForOverviews|TLC|Prologue|Prologue|TLC 1975|TLC 2011}}
{{CompareVersionsForOverviews|TLC|Prologue|Prologue|TLC 1968|TLC 2011|Followup}}

<div class="center">
'''by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura'''
</div>

(''This account originally appeared in a short work by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura entitled “Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu: His Life and Precepts.” (August 20, 1896)'')

Caitanya Mahāprabhu was born in Māyāpur, in the town of Nadia, just after sunset on the evening of the 23rd Phālguna, 1407 Śakābda, answering to the 18th of February, 1486, of the Christian Era. The moon was eclipsed at the time of His birth, and the people of Nadia were then engaged, as was usual on such occasions, in bathing in the Bhāgīrathī with loud cheers of “Haribol!” His father, Jagannātha Miśra, a poor ''brāhmaṇa'' of the Vedic order, and His mother, Śacī-devī, a model good woman, both descended from ''brāhmaṇa'' stock originally residing in Sylhet. Mahāprabhu was a beautiful child, and the ladies of the town came to see Him with presents. His mother’s father, Paṇḍita Nīlāmbara Cakravartī, a renowned astrologer, foretold that the child would be a great personage in time; and he therefore gave Him the name Viśvambhara. The ladies of the neighborhood styled Him Gaurahari on account of His golden complexion, and His mother called Him Nimāi on account of the ''nima'' tree near which He was born. Beautiful as the lad was, everyone heartily loved to see Him every day. As He grew up He became a whimsical and frolicsome lad. After His fifth year, He was admitted into a ''pāṭhaśālā'' [school], where He picked up Bengali in a very short time.

Most of His contemporary biographers have mentioned certain anecdotes regarding Caitanya, which are simple records of His early miracles. It is said that when He was an infant in His mother’s arms He wept continually and when the neighboring ladies cried “Haribol!” He used to stop. Thus there was continuation of the utterance of “Haribol!” in the house, foreshowing the future mission of the hero. It has also been stated that when His mother once gave Him sweetmeats to eat He ate clay instead of the food. His mother asking for the reason, He stated that as every sweetmeat was nothing but clay transformed He could eat clay as well. His mother, who was the consort of a ''paṇḍita'', explained that every article in a special state was adapted to a special use. Earth while in the state of a jug could be used as a waterpot, but in the state of a brick such a use was not possible. Clay, therefore, in the form of sweetmeats was usable as food, but not clay in its other states. The lad was convinced and admitted His stupidity in eating clay and agreed to avoid the mistake in the future.

Another miraculous act has been related. It is said that a ''brāhmaṇa'' on pilgrimage became a guest in His house, cooked his food and read his grace with meditation on Kṛṣṇa. In the meantime the lad came and ate up the cooked rice. The ''brāhmaṇa'', astonished at the lad’s act, cooked again at the request of Jagannātha Miśra. The lad again ate up the cooked rice while the ''brāhmaṇa'' was offering the rice to Kṛṣṇa with meditation. The ''brāhmaṇa'' was persuaded to cook for the third time. This time all the inmates of the house had fallen asleep, and the lad showed himself as Kṛṣṇa to the traveler and blessed Him. The ''brāhmaṇa'' was then lost in ecstasy at the appearance of the object of his worship.

It has also been stated that two thieves stole away the lad from His father’s door with a view to purloin His jewels and gave Him sweetmeats on the way. The lad exercised His illusory energy and deceived the thieves back toward His own house. The thieves, for fear of detection, left the boy there and fled.

Another miraculous act has been described of the lad's demanding and getting from Hiraṇya and Jagadīśa all the offerings they had collected for worshiping Kṛṣṇa on the day of Ekādaśī. When only four years of age, He sat on rejected cooking pots, which were considered unholy by His mother. He explained to His mother that there was no question of holiness and unholiness as regards earthen pots thrown away after the cooking was over. These anecdotes relate to His tender age up to the fifth year.

In His eighth year, He was admitted into the ''tola'' [school] of Gaṅgādāsa Paṇḍita, in Gaṅgānagara, close by the village of Māyāpur. In two years He became well read in Sanskrit grammar and rhetoric. His readings after that were of the nature of self-study in His own house, where He had found all important books belonging to His father, who was a ''paṇḍita'' himself. It appears that He read the ''smṛti'' in His own study, and the ''nyāya'' also, in competition with His friends, who were then studying under the celebrated Paṇḍita Raghunātha Śiromaṇi.

Now, after His tenth year, Caitanya became a passable scholar in grammar, rhetoric, the ''smṛti'' and ''nyāya.'' It was after this that His elder brother Viśvarūpa left His house and accepted the ''āśrama'' (status) of a ''sannyāsī'' (ascetic). Caitanya, though a very young boy, consoled His parents, saying that He would serve them with a view to please God. Just after that, His father left this world. His mother was exceedingly sorry, and Mahāprabhu, with His usual contented appearance, consoled His widowed mother.

It was at the age of fourteen or fifteen that Mahāprabhu was married to Lakṣmīdevī, the daughter of Vallabhācārya, also of Nadia. He was at this age considered one of the best scholars of Nadia, the renowned seat of nyāya philosophy and Sanskrit learning. Not to speak of the ''smārta paṇḍitas'', the ''naiyāyikas'' were all afraid of confronting Him in literary discussions. Being a married man, He went to eastern Bengal on the banks of the Padma for acquirement of wealth. There He displayed His learning and obtained a good sum of money.

It was at this time that He preached Vaiṣṇavism at intervals. After teaching him the principles of Vaiṣṇavism, He ordered Tapana Miśra to go to and live in Benares. During His residence in eastern Bengal, His wife Lakṣmīdevī left this world from the effects of snakebite. On returning home, He found His mother in a mourning state. He consoled her with a lecture on the uncertainty of human affairs. It was at His mother's request that He married Viṣṇupriyā, the daughter of Rāja Paṇḍita Sanātana Miśra. His comrades joined Him on His return from ''pravāsa,'' or sojourn.

He was now so renowned that He was considered to be the best ''paṇḍita'' in Nadia. Keśava Miśra of Kashmir, who had called himself the Great Digvijayī [world conqueror], came to Nadia with a view to debate the ''paṇḍitas'' of that place. Afraid of the so-called conquering ''paṇḍita'', the ''tola'' professors of Nadia left their town on the pretense of invitation. Keśava met Mahāprabhu at the Barokona-ghāṭā in Māyāpur, and after a very short discussion with Him he got defeated by the boy, and mortification obliged him to decamp. Nimāi Paṇḍita was now the most important ''paṇḍita'' of the times.

It was at the age of sixteen or seventeen that He traveled to Gayā with a host of His students and there took His spiritual initiation from Īśvara Purī, a Vaiṣṇava ''sannyāsī'' and a disciple of the renowned Mādhavendra Purī. Upon His return to Nadia, Nimāi Paṇḍita turned religious preacher, and His religious nature became so strongly represented that Advaita Prabhu, Śrīvāsa and others who had before the birth of Caitanya already accepted the Vaiṣṇava faith were astonished at the change in the young man. He was then no more a contending ''naiyāyika'', a wrangling ''smārta'' and a criticizing rhetorician. He swooned at the name of Kṛṣṇa and behaved as an inspired man under the influence of His religious sentiment. It has been described by Murāri Gupta, an eyewitness, that He showed His heavenly powers in the house of Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita in the presence of hundreds of His followers, who were mostly well-read scholars.

It was at this time that He opened a nocturnal school of ''kīrtana'' in the compound of Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita with His sincere followers. There He preached, there He sang, there He danced, and there He expressed all sorts of religious feelings. Nityānanda Prabhu, who was then a preacher of Vaiṣṇavism and who had completed His travels all over India, joined Him at that time. In fact, a host of ''paṇḍita'' preachers of Vaiṣṇavism, all sincere at heart, came and joined Him from different parts of Bengal. Nadia now became the regular seat of a host of Vaiṣṇava ''ācāryas'' whose mission it was to spiritualize mankind with the highest influence of the Vaiṣṇava creed.

The first mandate that He issued to Prabhu Nityānanda and Haridāsa was this: "Go, friends, go through the streets of the town, meet every man at his door and ask him to sing the name of Hari with a holy life, and then come and report to Me every evening the result of your preaching." Thus ordered, the two preachers went out and met Jagāi and Mādhāi, the two most abominable characters in Nadia. These two insulted the preachers on hearing Mahāprabhu's mandate, but were soon converted by the influence of ''bhakti'' inculcated by their Lord.

The people of Nadia were now surprised. They said, "Nimāi Paṇḍita is not only a gigantic genius but is certainly a missionary from God Almighty." From this time to His twenty-third year, Mahāprabhu preached His principles not only in Nadia but in all the important towns and villages around His city. In the houses of His followers He showed miracles, taught the esoteric principles of ''bhakti'' and sang His ''saṅkīrtana'' with other ''bhaktas''. His followers in the town of Nadia commenced to sing the holy name of Hari in the streets and bazaars. This created a sensation and roused different feelings in different quarters. The ''bhaktas'' were highly pleased. The ''smārta brāhmaṇas'' became jealous of Nimāi Paṇḍita's success and complained to Chand Kazi against the character of Caitanya, claiming it was un-Hindu. The Kazi came to Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita's house and broke a ''mṛdaṅga'' (''khola drum'') there and declared that unless Nimāi Paṇḍita ceased to make noise about His queer religion he would be obliged to enforce Mohammedanism on Him and His followers.

This was brought to Mahāprabhu's notice. He ordered the townspeople to appear in the evening, each with a torch in his hand. This they did, and Nimāi marched out with His ''saṅkīrtana'' divided into fourteen groups. On His arrival in the Kazi's house, He held a long conversation with the Kazi and in the end communicated into his heart His Vaiṣṇava influence by touching his body. The Kazi then wept and admitted that he had felt a keen spiritual influence which had cleared up his doubts and produced in him a religious sentiment which gave him the highest ecstasy. The Kazi then joined the ''saṅkīrtana'' party. The world was astonished at the spiritual power of the Great Lord, and hundreds and hundreds of heretics converted and joined the banner of Viśvambhara after this affair.

It was after this that some of the jealous and low-minded ''brāhmaṇas'' of Kulia picked a quarrel with Mahāprabhu and collected a party to oppose Him. Nimāi Paṇḍita was naturally a soft-hearted person, though strong in His principles. He declared that party feelings and sectarianism were the two great enemies of progress, and He saw that as long as He should continue to be an inhabitant of Nadia belonging to a certain family, His mission would not meet with complete success. He then resolved to be a citizen of the world by cutting off His connection with His particular family, caste and creed, and with this resolution He embraced the position of a ''sannyāsī'' at Katwa, under the guidance of Keśava Bhāratī of that town, in the twenty-fourth year of His life. His mother and wife wept bitterly for His separation, but our hero, though soft in heart, was a strong person in His principles. He left His little world in His house for the unlimited spiritual world of Kṛṣṇa with man in general.

After His ''sannyāsa'', He was induced to visit the house of Advaita Prabhu in Śāntipura. Advaita managed to invite all His Mahāprabhu's friends and admirers from Nadia and brought Śacī Devī to see her son. Both pleasure and pain invaded her heart when she saw her son in the attire of a ''sannyāsī''. As a ''sannyāsī'', Kṛṣṇa Caitanya put on nothing but a ''kaupīna'' and a ''bahirvāsa'' (outer covering). His head was without hair, and His hands bore a ''daṇḍa'' (stick) and a ''kamaṇḍalu'' (hermit's waterpot).

The holy son fell at the feet of His beloved mother and said, "Mother! This body is yours, and I must obey your orders. Permit Me to go to Vṛndāvana for My spiritual attainments." The mother, in consultation with Advaita and others, asked her son to reside in Purī (the town of Jagannātha) so that she might obtain news of Him now and then. Mahāprabhu agreed to that proposition and in a few days left Śāntipura for Orissa.

His biographers have described the journey of Kṛṣṇa Caitanya (that was the name He got after His ''sannyāsa'') from Śāntipura to Purī in great detail. He traveled along the side of the Bhāgīrathī as far as Chatrabhoga, situated now in Thānā Mathurāpura, Diamond Harbor, Twenty-four Parganas. There He took a boat and went as far as Prayāga-ghāṭa, in the Midnapura District. Thence He walked through Balasore and Cuttack to Purī, seeing the temple of Bhūvaneśvara on His way. Upon His arrival at Purī He saw Jagannātha in the temple and resided with Sārvabhauma at the request of the latter.

Sārvabhauma was a gigantic ''paṇḍita'' of the day. His readings knew no bounds. He was the best ''naiyāyika'' of the times and was known as the most erudite scholar in the Vedānta philosophy of the school of Śaṅkarācārya. He was born in Nadia (Vidyānagara) and taught innumerable pupils in the ''nyāya'' philosophy in his ''tola'' there. He had left for Purī some time before the birth of Nimāi Paṇḍita. His brother-in-law Gopīnātha Miśra introduced our new ''sannyāsī'' to Sārvabhauma, who was astonished at His personal beauty and feared that it would be difficult for the young man to maintain ''sannyāsa-dharma'' during the long run of His life. Gopīnātha, who had known Mahāprabhu from Nadia, had a great reverence for Him and declared that the ''sannyāsī'' was not a common human being. On this point Gopīnātha and Sārvabhauma had a hot discussion. Sārvabhauma then requested Mahāprabhu to hear his recitation of the ''Vedānta-sūtras,'' to which the latter tacitly submitted.

Caitanya heard with silence what the great Sārvabhauma uttered with gravity for seven days, at the end of which the latter said, "Kṛṣṇa Caitanya! I think You do not understand the ''Vedānta,'' as You do not say anything after hearing my recitation and explanations."

The reply of Caitanya was that He understood the ''sūtras'' very well but could not make out what Śaṅkarācārya meant by his commentaries.

Astonished at this, Sārvabhauma said, "How is it that You understand the meanings of the ''sūtras'' but do not understand the commentaries which explain the ''sūtras''? All well! If You understand the ''sūtras'', please let me have Your interpretations."

Mahāprabhu thereupon explained all the ''sūtras'' in His own way, without touching the pantheistic commentary of Śaṅkara. The keen understanding of Sārvabhauma saw the truth, beauty and harmony of the arguments in the explanations given by Caitanya and obliged him to utter that it was the first time he had found one who could explain the ''Brahma-sūtras'' in such a simple manner. He also admitted that the commentaries of Śaṅkara never gave such natural explanations of the ''Vedānta-sūtras'' as those he had obtained from Mahāprabhu. Sārvabhauma then submitted himself as an advocate and follower. In a few days he turned out to be one of the best Vaiṣṇavas of the time. When reports of this came out, the whole of Orissa sang the praise of Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, and hundreds and hundreds came to Him and became His followers. In the meantime Mahāprabhu thought of visiting southern India, and He started with one Kṛṣṇadāsa Brāhmaṇa for the journey.

His biographers have given us details of the journey. He first went to Kūrmakṣetra, where He did a miracle by curing a leper named Vāsudeva. He met Rāmānanda Rāya, the governor of Vidyānagara, on the banks of the Godāvarī and had a philosophical conversation with him on the subject of ''prema-bhakti''. He worked another miracle by touching (making them immediately disappear) the seven ''tāla'' trees from behind which Rāmacandra, the son of Daśaratha, had shot His arrow and killed the great Vāli Rāja. Mahāprabhu preached Vaiṣṇavism and ''nāma-saṅkīrtana'' throughout His journey. At Raṅgakṣetra He stayed for four months in the house of one Veṅkata Bhaṭṭa in order to spend the rainy season. There He converted the whole family of Veṅkata from Rāmānuja Vaiṣṇavism to ''kṛṣṇa-bhakti'', including the son of Veṅkata, a boy of ten years named Gopāla, who afterwards came to Vṛndāvana and became one of the Six Gosvāmīs, prophets serving under their leader Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. Trained up in Sanskrit by his uncle Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī, Gopāla wrote several books on Vaiṣṇavism.

Caitanya visited numerous places in southern India as far as Cape Comorin and returned to Purī in two years by Pāṇḍarapura on the Bhīmā. In this latter place He spiritualized one Tukārāma, who became from that time a religious preacher himself. This fact has been admitted in his ''ābhāṅgas'', which have been collected in a volume by Mr. Satyendranath Tagore of the Bombay Civil Service. During His journey He had discussions with the Buddhists, the Jains and the Māyāvādīs in several places and converted His opponents to Vaiṣṇavism.

Upon His return to Purī, Rāja Pratāparudra-deva and several ''paṇḍita brāhmaṇas'' joined the banner of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was now twenty-seven years of age. In His twenty-eighth year He went to Bengal as far as Gauḍa in Malda. There He picked up two great personages named Rūpa and Sanātana. Though descended from the lines of the Karṇātic ''brāhmaṇas'', these two brothers had turned demi-Mohammedans by their continual contact with Hussain Shah, the then Emperor of Gauḍa. Their names had been changed by the Emperor into Dabira Khāsa and Sākara Mallika, and their master loved them heartily as they were both learned in Persian, Arabic and Sanskrit and were loyal servants of the state. The two gentlemen had found no way to come back as regular Hindus and had written to Mahāprabhu while He was at Purī, for spiritual help. Mahāprabhu had written in reply that He would come to them and extricate them out of their spiritual difficulties. Now that He had come to Gauḍa, both the brothers appeared before Him with their long-standing prayer. Mahāprabhu ordered them to go to Vṛndāvana and meet Him there.

Caitanya returned to Purī through Śāntipura, where He again met His dear mother. After a short stay at Purī He left for Vṛndāvana. This time He was accompanied by one Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya. He visited Vṛndāvana and came down to Prayāga (Allahabad), converting a large number of Mohammedans to Vaiṣṇavism by argument from the Koran. The descendants of those converts are still known as Pāṭhāna Vaiṣṇavas. Rūpa Gosvāmī met Him at Allahabad. Caitanya trained him up in spirituality in ten days and directed him to go to Vṛndāvana on two missions. His first mission was to write theological works scientifically explaining pure ''bhakti'' and ''prema.'' The second mission was to revive the places where Kṛṣṇacandra had at the end of Dvāpara-yuga exhibited His spiritual ''līlā'' for the benefit of the religious world. Rūpa Gosvāmī left Allahabad for Vṛndāvana, and Mahāprabhu came down to Benares. There He resided in the house of Candraśekhara and accepted His daily ''bhikṣā'' (meal) in the house of Tapana Miśra. Here it was that Sanātana Gosvāmī joined Him and took instruction for two months in spiritual matters. The biographers, especially Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja, have given us details of Caitanya's teachings to Rūpa and Sanātana. Kṛṣṇadāsa was not a contemporary writer, but he gathered his information from the Six Gosvāmīs themselves, the direct disciples of Mahāprabhu. Jīva Gosvāmī, who was a nephew of Sanātana and Rūpa and who has left us his invaluable work the ''Ṣaṭ-sandarbhas'', has philosophized on the precepts of his great leader. We have gathered and summarized the precepts of Caitanya from the books of those great writers.

While at Benares, Caitanya had an interview with the learned ''sannyāsīs'' of that town in the house of a Maratha ''brāhmaṇa'' who had invited all the ''sannyāsīs'' for an entertainment. At this interview, Caitanya showed a miracle which attracted all the ''sannyāsīs'' to Him. Then ensued reciprocal conversations. The ''sannyāsīs'' were headed by their most learned leader, Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī. After a short controversy they submitted to Mahāprabhu and admitted that they had been misled by the commentaries of Śaṅkarācārya. It was impossible even for learned scholars to oppose Caitanya for a long time, as there was some spell in Him which touched their hearts and made them weep for their spiritual improvement. The ''sannyāsīs'' of Benares soon fell at the feet of Caitanya and asked for His grace (''kṛpā)''. Caitanya then preached pure ''bhakti'' and instilled into their hearts a spiritual love for Kṛṣṇa, which obliged them to give up sectarian feelings. The whole population of Benares, on this wonderful conversion of the ''sannyāsīs,'' turned Vaiṣṇava, and they made a massive ''saṅkīrtana'' with their new Lord.

After sending Sanātana to Vṛndāvana, Mahāprabhu went to Purī again through the jungles with His comrade Balabhadra. Balabhadra reported that Mahāprabhu showed a good many miracles on His way to Purī, such as making tigers and elephants dance on hearing the name of Kṛṣṇa.

From this time, that is, from His thirty-first year, Mahāprabhu continually lived in Purī, in the house of Kāśī Miśra, until His disappearance in His forty-eighth year at the time of ''saṅkīrtana'' in the temple of Ṭoṭā-gopīnātha. During these eighteen years, His life was one of settled love and piety. He was surrounded by numerous followers, all of whom were of the highest order of the Vaiṣṇavas and who were distinguished from the common people by their purest character and learning, firm religious principles and spiritual love of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.

Svarūpa Dāmodara, who had been known by the name of Puruṣottamācārya while Mahāprabhu was in Nadia, joined Him from Benares and accepted service as His secretary. No production of any poet or philosopher could be laid before Mahāprabhu unless Svarūpa had passed it as pure and useful. Rāya Rāmānanda was His second mate. Both he and Svarūpa would sing while Mahāprabhu expressed His sentiment on a certain point of worship. Paramānanda Purī was His minister in matters of religion. There are hundreds of anecdotes described by His biographers which we do not think it meet here to reproduce. Mahāprabhu slept short. His sentiments carried Him far and wide in the firmament of spirituality every day and night, and all His admirers and followers watched Him throughout. He worshiped, communicated with His missionaries in Vṛndāvana, and conversed with those religious men who newly came to visit Him. He sang and danced, took no care of Himself and ofttimes lost Himself in religious beatitude. All who came to Him believed in Him as the all-beautiful God appearing in the nether world for the benefit of mankind. He loved His mother all along and sent her ''mahā-prasāda'' now and then with those who went to Nadia. He was most amiable in nature. Humility was personified in Him. His sweet appearance gave cheer to all who came in contact with Him. He appointed Prabhu Nityānanda as the missionary in charge of Bengal. He dispatched six disciples (Gosvāmīs) to Vṛndāvana to preach love in the upcountry. He punished all of His disciples who deviated from a holy life. This He markedly did in the case of Junior Haridāsa. He never lacked in giving proper instructions in life to those who solicited them. This was seen in His teachings to Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī. His treatment of Haridāsa (senior) showed how He loved spiritual men and how He defied caste distinction in the cause of spiritual brotherhood.

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TLC Preface

2022-01-02T17:21:26Z

Kritika:

[[Category:Teachings of Lord Caitanya (2011)|1]]
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There is no difference between the teachings of Lord Caitanya presented here and the teachings of Lord Kṛṣṇa in the ''Bhagavad-gītā''. The teachings of Lord Caitanya are practical demonstrations of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s teachings. Lord Kṛṣṇa’s ultimate instruction in the ''Bhagavad-gītā'' is that everyone should surrender unto Him, Lord Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa promises to take immediate charge of such a surrendered soul. The Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is already in charge of the maintenance of this creation by virtue of His plenary expansion, Kṣīrodaka-śāyī Viṣṇu, but this maintenance is not direct. However, when the Lord says that He takes charge of His pure devotee, He actually takes direct charge. A pure devotee is a soul who is forever surrendered to the Lord, just as a child is surrendered to his parents or an animal to its master. In the surrendering process, one should (1) accept things favorable for discharging devotional service, (2) reject things unfavorable, (3) firmly believe that the Lord will always protect His devotee, (4) feel exclusively dependent on the mercy of the Lord, (5) have no interest separate from the interest of the Lord, and (6) always feel meek and humble.

The Lord demands that one surrender unto Him by following these six guidelines, but the unintelligent so-called scholars of the world misunderstand these demands and urge the general mass of people to reject them. At the conclusion of the Ninth Chapter of the ''Bhagavad-gītā'', Lord Kṛṣṇa directly orders, “Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me alone, and offer obeisances unto Me alone.” By so doing, the Lord says, one is sure to go to Him in His transcendental abode. But the scholarly demons misguide the masses of people by directing them to surrender not to the Personality of Godhead but rather to the impersonal, unmanifested, eternal, unborn truth. The impersonalist Māyāvādī philosophers do not accept that the ultimate aspect of the Absolute Truth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one desires to understand the sun as it is, one must first face the sunshine and then the sun globe, and then, if one is able to enter into that globe, one may come face to face with the predominating deity of the sun. Due to a poor fund of knowledge, the Māyāvādī philosophers cannot go beyond the Brahman effulgence, which may be compared to the sunshine. The ''Upaniṣads'' confirm that one has to penetrate the dazzling effulgence of Brahman before one can see the real face of the Personality of Godhead.

Lord Caitanya therefore taught direct worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who appeared as the foster child of the King of Vraja. Lord Caitanya also taught that the place known as Vṛndāvana is as good as Lord Kṛṣṇa because, Lord Kṛṣṇa being the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, there is no difference between Him and His name, qualities, form, pastimes, entourage and paraphernalia. Lord Caitanya also taught that the mode of worshipping the Lord in the highest perfectional stage is the method practiced by the damsels of Vraja. These damsels (''gopīs'', or cowherd girls) simply loved Kṛṣṇa without any motive for material or spiritual gain. Lord Caitanya also taught that ''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'' is the spotless narration of transcendental knowledge and that the highest goal in human life is to develop unalloyed love for Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lord Caitanya’s teachings are identical to those given by Lord Kapila, the original propounder of ''sāṅkhya-yoga'', the ''sāṅkhya'' system of philosophy. This authorized system of yoga teaches meditation on the transcendental form of the Lord. There is no question of meditating on something void or impersonal. When one can meditate on the transcendental form of Lord Viṣṇu even without practicing involved sitting postures in a secluded place, such meditation is called perfect ''samādhi''. That this kind of meditation is perfect ''samādhi'' is confirmed at the end of the Sixth Chapter of the ''Bhagavad-gītā'', where Lord Kṛṣṇa says that of all ''yogīs'', the greatest is the one who constantly thinks of the Lord within the core of his heart with love and devotion.

On the basis of the ''sāṅkhya'' philosophy of ''acintya-bhedābheda-tattva'', which maintains that the Supreme Lord is simultaneously one with and different from His creation, Lord Caitanya taught that the most practical way for the mass of people to practice ''sāṅkhya-yoga'' meditation is simply to chant the holy name of the Lord. He taught that the holy name of the Lord is the sound incarnation of the Lord and that since the Lord is the absolute whole, there is no difference between His holy name and His transcendental form. Thus by chanting the holy name of the Lord one can directly associate with the Supreme Lord by sound vibration. As one practices chanting this sound vibration, one passes through three stages of development: the offensive stage, the clearing stage and the transcendental stage. In the offensive stage of chanting one may desire all kinds of material happiness, but in the second stage one becomes clear of all material contamination. When one is situated on the transcendental stage, one attains the most coveted position—the stage of loving God. Lord Caitanya taught that this is the highest stage of perfection for human beings.

Yoga practice is essentially meant for controlling the senses. The central controlling factor of all the senses is the mind; therefore one first has to practice controlling the mind by engaging it in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The gross activities of the mind are expressed through the external senses, either for the acquisition of knowledge or for the functioning of the senses in accordance with the will. The subtle activities of the mind are thinking, feeling and willing, which are carried out according to one’s consciousness, either polluted or clear. If one’s mind is fixed on Kṛṣṇa (His name, qualities, form, pastimes, entourage and paraphernalia), all one’s activities—both subtle and gross—become favorable. The ''Bhagavad-gītās'' process of purifying consciousness is the process of fixing one’s mind on Kṛṣṇa by talking of His transcendental activities, cleansing His temple, going to His temple, seeing the beautiful transcendental form of the Lord nicely decorated, hearing His transcendental glories, tasting food offered to Him, associating with His devotees, smelling the flowers and ''tulasī'' leaves offered to Him, engaging in activities for the Lord’s interest, becoming angry at those who are malicious toward devotees, etc. No one can bring the activities of the mind and senses to a stop, but one can purify these activities through a change in consciousness. This change is indicated in the ''Bhagavad-gītā'' (2.39), where Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna of the knowledge of ''yoga'' whereby one can work without fruitive results: “O son of Pṛthā, when you act in such knowledge you can free yourself from the bondage of works.” A human being is sometimes restricted in sense gratification due to certain circumstances, such as disease, but such proscriptions are for the less intelligent. Without knowing the actual process by which the mind and senses can be controlled, less intelligent men may try to stop the mind and senses by force, but ultimately they give in to them and are carried away by the waves of sense gratification.

The eight principles of ''sāṅkhya-yoga''—observing the regulative principles, following the rules, practicing the various sitting postures, performing the breathing exercises, withdrawing one’s senses from the sense objects, etc.—are meant for those who are too much engrossed in the bodily conception of life. The intelligent man situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not try to forcibly stop his senses from acting. Rather, he engages his senses in the service of Kṛṣṇa. No one can stop a child from playing by leaving him inactive; rather, one can stop the child from engaging in nonsense by engagimg him in superior activities. Similarly, the forceful restraint of sense activities by the eight principles of yoga is recommended for inferior men; superior men, being engaged in the superior activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, naturally retire from the inferior activities of material existence.

In this way Lord Caitanya teaches the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That science is absolute. Dry mental speculators try to restrain themselves from material attachment, but it is generally found that the mind is too strong to be controlled and that it drags them down to sensual activities. A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not run this risk. One therefore has to engage one’s mind and senses in Kṛṣṇa conscious activities, and Lord Caitanya teaches one how to do this in practice.

Before accepting ''sannyāsa'' (the renounced order), Lord Caitanya was known as Viśvambhara. The word ''viśvambhara'' refers to one who maintains the entire universe and who leads all living entities. This very same maintainer and leader appeared as Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya to give humanity these sublime teachings. Lord Caitanya is the ideal teacher of life’s prime necessities. He is the most munificent bestower of love of Kṛṣṇa. He is the complete reservoir of all mercies and good fortune. As confirmed in ''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'', the ''Bhagavad-gītā'', the ''Mahābhārata'' and the ''Upaniṣads'', He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa Himself, and He is worshipable by everyone in this age of disagreement. Everyone can join in His ''saṅkīrtana'' movement. No previous qualification is necessary. Just by following His teachings, anyone can become a perfect human being. Anyone who is fortunate enough to be attracted by Lord Caitanya is sure to be successful in his life’s mission. In other words, those who are interested in attaining spiritual existence can easily be released from the clutches of ''Māyā'' by Lord Caitanya’s grace, now presented in book form as Teachings of Lord Caitanya, which is nondifferent from the Lord.

The conditioned soul, engrossed in the material body, increases the pages of history by all kinds of material activities. Teachings of Lord Caitanya can help the members of human society stop such unnecessary and temporary activities and be elevated to the topmost platform of spiritual activities, which begin after liberation from material bondage. Such liberated activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness constitute the goal of human perfection. The false prestige one acquires by attempting to dominate material nature is illusory. Illuminating knowledge can be acquired from Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and by such knowledge one can advance in spiritual existence.

Everyone has to suffer or enjoy the fruits of his activity; no one can check the laws of material nature that govern such things. As long as one is engaged in fruitive activity, one is sure to be baffled in the attempt to attain the ultimate goal of life. I sincerely hope that by understanding Teachings of Lord Caitanya, human society will experience a new light of spiritual life, which will open the field of activity for the pure soul.

:oṁ tat sat

:A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

:14 March 1968

:(Birthday of Lord Caitanya)

:Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Temple

:New York, N.Y.

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TLC (1975) Preface

2021-12-24T10:03:08Z

Kritika:

TLC (1975) Prologue

2021-12-24T09:32:38Z

Kritika:

TLC (1975) Introduction

2021-12-21T17:34:38Z

Kritika:

[[Category:Teachings of Lord Caitanya (1975)|1]]
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''(Originally delivered as five morning lectures on Caitanya-caritāmṛta—the authoritative biography of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī—before the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, New York City, April 10-14, 1967.)''

The word ''caitanya'' means living force. As living entities, we can move, but a table cannot because it does not possess living force. Movement and activity may be considered to be signs or symptoms of the living force. Indeed, it may be said that there can be no activity without the living force. Although the living force is present in the material condition, it is not ''amṛta'', immortal. The words ''caitanya-caritāmṛta'', then, may be translated as "the character of the living force in immortality."

But how is this living force displayed immortally? It is not displayed by man or any other creature in this material universe, for none of us are immortal in these bodies. We possess the living force, we perform activities, and we are immortal by our nature and constitution, but the material condition into which we have been put does not allow our immortality to be displayed. It is stated in the ''Kaṭha Upaniṣad'' that eternality and the living force belong both to ourselves and God. Although this is true in that both God and ourselves are immortal, there is a difference. As living entities, we perform many activities, but we have a tendency to fall down into material nature. God has no such tendency. Being all-powerful, He never comes under the control of material nature. Indeed, material nature is but one display of His inconceivable energies.

On the ground we may see only clouds in the sky, but if we fly above the clouds we can see the sun shining. From the sky, skyscrapers and cities seem very tiny; similarly, from God's position this entire material creation is insignificant. The tendency of the conditioned living entity is to come down from the heights where everything can be seen in perspective. God, however, does not have this tendency. The Supreme Lord is not subject to fall down into illusion (''māyā'') any more than the sun is subject to fall beneath the clouds. Because the Supreme Lord is not subject to illusion, He is unconditioned; because we, as finite living entities, are prone to fall into illusion, we are called conditioned. Impersonalist philosophers (Māyāvādīs) maintain that both the living entity and God Himself are under the control of ''māyā'' when they come into this material world. This may be true of the living entity, but it is not true of God, for in all instances the material energy is working under His direction. Those who consider the Supreme Lord to be subject to material conditioning are called fools by Kṛṣṇa Himself in ''Bhagavad-gītā:''

:avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā
:mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam
:paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto
:mama bhūta-maheśvaram

"Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be." ([[BG 9.11 (1972)|BG 9.11]])

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu should not be considered to be one of us. He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, the supreme living entity, and as such He never comes under the cloud of ''māyā''. Kṛṣṇa, His expansions, and even His higher devotees never fall into the clutches of illusion. Lord Caitanya came to earth simply to preach ''Kṛṣṇa-bhakti'', love of Kṛṣṇa. In other words, He is Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself teaching the living entities the proper way to approach Kṛṣṇa. He is like a teacher who, seeing a student doing poorly, takes up a pencil and writes, saying, "Do it like this: A, B, C." By this, one must not foolishly think that the teacher is learning his ABC's. Although He appears in the guise of a devotee, we should always remember that Lord Caitanya is Kṛṣṇa (God) Himself teaching us how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, and we must study Him in that light.

In Bhagavad-gītā Lord Kṛṣṇa sets forth the highest religious principle in this way:

:sarva-dharmān parityajya
:mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
:ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
:mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear." ([[BG 18.66 (1972)|BG 18.66]])

This may seem to be a simple instruction to follow, but invariably our reaction is, "Oh, surrender? Give up? But I have so many responsibilities." And ''māyā'', illusion, says to us, "Don't do it, or you'll be out of my clutches. Just stay in my clutches, and I'll kick you." It is a fact that we are constantly being kicked by ''māyā'', just as the male ass is kicked in the face by the she-ass when he comes for sex. Similarly, cats and dogs are always fighting and whining when they have sex. These are the tricks of nature. Even an elephant in the jungle is caught by the use of a trained she-elephant who leads him into a pit. ''Māyā'' has many activities, and in the material world her strongest shackle is the female. Of course in actuality we are neither male nor female—for these designations refer only to the outer dress, the body. We are all actually Kṛṣṇa's servants. In conditioned life, however, we are shackled by the iron chains which take the form of beautiful women. Thus every male is bound by sex life, and therefore when one attempts to gain liberation from the material clutches, he must first learn to control the sex urge. Unrestricted sex puts one fully in the clutches of illusion. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu officially renounced this illusion at the age of twenty-four, although His wife was sixteen and His mother seventy, and He was the only male member of the family. Although He was a ''brāhmaṇa'' and was not rich, He took ''sannyāsa'', the renounced order of life, and thus extricated Himself from family entanglement.

If we wish to become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, we have to give up the shackles of ''māyā'', or, if we remain with ''māyā,'' we should live in such a way that we will not be subject to illusion. It is not necessary for one to abandon his family, for there were many householders amongst Lord Caitanya's closest devotees. What must be renounced is the propensity for material enjoyment. Although Lord Caitanya approved of a householder having regulated sex in marriage, He was very strict with those in the renounced order, and He even banished junior Haridāsa for glancing lustfully at a young woman. The point is that one must take up a particular path and stick to it, obeying all the rules and regulations necessary for success in spiritual life. It was Lord Caitanya's mission that He teach the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness to all men and thereby enable them to partake of the immortality of spiritual life.

From ''Caitanya-caritāmṛta'' we learn how Caitanya taught people to become immortal, and thus the title may be properly translated as "the immortal character of the living force." The supreme living force is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is also the supreme entity. There are innumerable living entities, and all of them are individual. This is very easy to understand: We are all individual in thought and desires, and the Supreme Lord is also an individual person. He is different, though, in that He is the leader, the one whom no one can excel. Amongst the created living entities, one being can excel another in one capacity or another. The Lord is an individual, just as the living entities are individual, but He is different in that He is the supreme individual. God is also infallible, and in ''Bhagavad-gītā'' He is addressed as Acyuta, which means, "He who never falls down." This is indicated because in ''Bhagavad-gītā'' Arjuna had fallen into delusion but Kṛṣṇa had not. We often hear it said that God is infallible, and in ''Bhagavad-gītā'' Kṛṣṇa states:

:nānyaṁ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṁ
:yadā draṣṭānupaśyati
:guṇebhyaś ca paraṁ vetti
:mad-bhāvaṁ so 'dhigacchati

"When you see that there is nothing beyond these modes of nature in all activities and that the Supreme Lord is transcendental to all these modes, then you can know My spiritual nature." ([[BG 14.19 (1972)|BG 14.19]])

Thus we should not think that Kṛṣṇa is overpowered by the material potency when He is in the material world. Kṛṣṇa and His incarnations are not under the control of material nature. They are totally free. Indeed, in ''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'' one who has a godly nature is actually defined as one who is not affected by the modes of material nature, although in material nature. If even a devotee can attain this freedom, then what to speak of the Supreme?

The real question is how can we remain unpolluted by material contamination while in the material world. It was Rūpa Gosvāmī who explained that we can remain uncontaminated while in the world if we simply make it our ambition to serve Kṛṣṇa. One may then justifiably ask, "How can I serve?" Obviously this is not simply a matter of meditation, which is just an activity of the mind, but of practical work. Love of Kṛṣṇa's service can only be attained by working for Kṛṣṇa. In such work, we should leave no resource unused. Whatever is there, whatever we have, should be used for Kṛṣṇa. We can use everything: typewriters, automobiles, airplanes, missiles—anything. If we simply speak to people about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we are also rendering service. If our minds, senses, speech, money and energies are thus engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa, we cannot be considered to be existing in material nature. By virtue of spiritual consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we transcend the platform of material nature. It is a fact that Kṛṣṇa, His expansions and His devotees—that is, those who work for Him—are not in material nature, although people with a poor fund of knowledge think that they are.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta teaches that the spirit soul is immortal and that our activities in the spiritual world are also immortal. The Māyāvādīs, who hold to the view that the Absolute is impersonal and formless, contend that a realized soul has no need to talk. However, the Vaiṣṇavas, who are devotees of Kṛṣṇa, contend that when one reaches the stage of realization, he really begins to talk. "Previously we only talked of nonsense," the Vaiṣṇava says. "Now let us begin our real talks, talks of Kṛṣṇa." The Māyāvādīs are also fond of using the example of the water pot, maintaining that when a pot is not filled with water it makes a sound, but that when it is filled it makes no sound. But are we waterpots? How can we be compared to them? A good analogy utilizes as many similarities between two objects as possible. A water pot is not an active living force, but we are. Ever silent meditation may be adequate for a waterpot, but not for us. Indeed, when one has has realized he has so much to say about Kṛṣṇa, twenty-four hours in a day is not sufficient. It is the fool who is celebrated as long as he does not speak, for when he breaks his silence his lack of knowledge is exposed. Caitanya-caritāmṛta shows that there are many wonderful things to discover by glorifying the Supreme.

In the beginning of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī writes: "I offer my respects to my spiritual masters." He uses the plural here to indicate the disciplic succession. It is not that he offers obeisances to his spiritual master alone but to the whole paramparā, the chain of disciplic succession beginning with Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. Thus the guru is addressed in the plural to show the author's highest respect for all the Vaiṣṇavas. After offering obeisances to the disciplic succession, the author pays obeisances to all the other devotees, God-brothers, the expansions of Godhead and the first manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's energy. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu (sometimes called Kṛṣṇa Caitanya) is the embodiment of all of these; He is God, guru, devotee and the expansion of God. As His associate, Nityānanda, He is the first manifestation of energy; as Advaita, He is an incarnation; as Gadādhara, He is the internal potency; and as Śrīvāsa, He is the marginal living entity. Thus Krsna should not be thought of as being alone but shouḷd be considered as eternally existing with all His manifestations, as described by Rāmānujācārya. In viśiṣṭādvaita philosophy, God's energies, expansions and incarnations are considered to be oneness in diversity. In other words, God is not separate from all these; everything together is God.

Actually Caitanya-caritāmṛta is not intended for the novice, for it is the post-graduate study of spiritual knowledge. Ideally, one begins with and advances through Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Although all these great scriptures are on the absolute level, for the sake of comparitive study Caitanya-caritāmṛta is considered to be on the highest platform. Every verse in it is perfectly composed. Indeed, Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda are compared to the sun and moon in that They dissipate the darkness of the material world. In this instance both the sun and moon have risen together, and it is proper to offer obeisances directly to Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda.

In the Western world where the glories of Lord Caitanya are relatively unknown, one may inquire, "Who is Kṛṣṇa Caitanya?" The scriptural conclusion in answer to that question is that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Generally in the ''Upaniṣads'' the Supreme Absolute Truth is described in an impersonal way, but the personal aspect of the Absolute Truth is mentioned in the ''Īśopaniṣad,'' where, after a description of the all-pervading, we find the following verse:

:hiraṇmayena pātreṇa
:satyasyāpihitaṁ mukham
:tat tvaṁ pūṣann apāvṛṇu
:satya-dharmāya dṛṣṭaye

"O my Lord, sustainer of all that lives, Your real face is covered by Your dazzling effulgence. Kindly remove that covering and exhibit Yourself to Your pure devotee." ([[ISO 15|Śrī Īśopaniṣad, Mantra 15]])

The impersonalists do not have the power to go beyond the effulgence of God and arrive at the personality from whom this effulgence is emanating. At the end of ''Īśopaniṣad'', however, there is a hymn to the Personality of Godhead. It is not that the impersonal Brahman is denied; it is also described, but that Brahman is considered to be the glaring effulgence of the body of Caitanya. In other words, Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is the basis of the impersonal Brahman. It is also stated by Kṛṣṇa in ''Bhagavad-gītā'' that the impersonal Brahman rests on Him (''brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham'', ([[BG 14.27 (1972)|BG 14.27]]). The Paramātmā, or Supersoul, which is present within the heart of every living entity and within every atom of the universe, is but the partial representation of Caitanya. Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is therefore the basis of Brahman and the Supreme Personality of Godhead as well. As the Supreme, He is full in six opulences: wealth, fame, strength, beauty, knowledge and renunciation. In short, we should know that He is Kṛṣṇa, God, and nothing is equal to or greater than Him. There is no superior to be conceived. He is the Supreme Person.

It was Rūpa Gosvāmī, a confidential devotee taught for more than ten days continuously by Lord Caitanya, who wrote:

:namo mahā-vadānyāya
:kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te
:kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-
:nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ
:([[CC Madhya 19.53]])

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, who is more magnanimous than any other ''avatāra,'' even Kṛṣṇa Himself, because He is bestowing freely what no one else has ever given—pure love of Kṛṣṇa."

It is not that Caitanya teaches a long and elaborate path to God realization. He is completely spiritual, and He begins from the point of surrender to Kṛṣṇa. He does not pursue the paths of ''karma-yoga'' or ''jñāna-yoga'' or ''haṭha-yoga'' but begins at the end of material existence, at the point where one gives up all material attachment. In ''Bhagavad-gītā'' Kṛṣṇa began His teachings by distinguishing the soul from matter and in the Eighteenth Chapter concluded at the point where the soul surrenders to Him in devotion. The Māyāvādīs would have all talk cease there, but at that point the real discussion only begins. It is the ''Vedānta-sūtra'' which begins: ''athāto brahma jijñāsā:'' "Now let us begin to inquire about the Supreme Absolute Truth." Rūpa Gosvāmī thus praises Caitanya as the most munificent incarnation of all, for He gives the greatest gift by indicating the highest form of devotional service. In other words, He answers the most important inquiries that anyone can make.

There are different stages of devotional service and God realization. Strictly speaking, anyone who accepts the existence of God is situated in devotional service. To acknowledge that God is great is something, but not much. Caitanya, preaching as an ''ācārya'', a great teacher, taught that we can enter into a relationship with God and actually become God's friend. In ''Bhagavad-gītā'' Kṛṣṇa showed Arjuna His universal form because Arjuna was His "very dear friend." Upon seeing Kṛṣṇa as the Lord of the universes, however, Arjuna actually asked Kṛṣṇa to forgive the familiarity of his friendship. Caitanya goes beyond this point. Through Lord Caitanya we can become friends with Kṛṣṇa, and there is no limit to this friendship. We can become friends of Kṛṣṇa not in awe or adoration but in complete freedom. We can even relate to God as His father. This is not only the philosophy of ''Caitanya-caritāmṛta'' but of ''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'' as well. There are no other literatures in the world in which God is treated as the son of a devotee. Usually God is seen as the almighty Father who supplies the demands of His sons. The great devotees, however, sometimes treat God as a son in their execution of devotional service. The son demands, and the father supplies, and in supplying Kṛṣṇa the devotee becomes like a father. Instead of taking from God, we give to God. It was in this relationship that Kṛṣṇa's mother, Yaśodā, told the Lord, "Here, eat this or You'll die. Eat nicely." In this way Kṛṣṇa, although the proprietor of everything, depends on the mercy of His devotee. This is a uniquely high level of friendship in which the devotee actually believes himself to be the father of Kṛṣṇa.

However, Lord Caitanya's greatest gift was His teaching that Kṛṣṇa can be actually treated as one's lover. In this relationship the Lord is so much attached that He expresses His inability to reciprocate. Kṛṣṇa was so obliged to the ''gopīs,'' the cowherd girls of Vṛndāvana, that He felt unable to return their love. "I cannot repay your love," He told them. "I have no more assets to return." Thus devotional service is performed on this excellent platform, and knowledge of the devotee's relationship to Kṛṣṇa as lover and beloved was given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. It was never given by any previous incarnation or ''ācārya''. Thus Rūpa Gosvāmī wrote of Caitanya: "Devotional service itself is the highest platform, the glorious platform which You have contributed. You are Kṛṣṇa in a yellow complexion, and You are Śacīnandana, the son of mother Śacī. Those who hear ''Caitanya-caritāmṛta'' will keep You in their hearts. It will be easy to understand Kṛṣṇa through You." Thus Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to deliver Kṛṣṇa. His method of deliverance was not meditation, fruitive activities or scriptural study, but love.

We have often heard the phrase "love of Godhead." How far this love of Godhead can actually be developed can be learned from the Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Theoretical knowledge of love of God can be found in many places and in many scriptures, but what that love of Godhead actually is and how it is developed can be found in Vaiṣṇava literatures. It is the unique and highest development of love of God that is given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Even in this material world we can have a little sense of love. How is this possible? It is due to the love which is found in the Godhead. Whatever we find within our experience within this conditional life is situated in the Supreme Lord, who is the ultimate source of everything. In our original relationship with the Supreme Lord there is real love, and that love is reflected pervertedly through material conditions. Our real love is continuous and unending, but because that love is reflected pervertedly in this material world, it lacks continuity and is inebriating. If we want real transcendental love, we have to transfer our love to the supreme lovable object—the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the basic principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

In material consciousness we are trying to love that which is not at all lovable. We give our love to dogs and cats, running the risk that at the time of death we may think of them and consequently take birth in a family of cats or dogs. Thus love that does not have Kṛṣṇa as its object leads downward. It is not that Kṛṣṇa or God is something obscure or something that only a few chosen people can attain. Caitanya Mahāprabhu informs us that in every country and in every scripture there is some hint of love of Godhead. Unfortunately no one knows what love of Godhead actually is. The Vedic scriptures, however, are different in that they can direct the individual in the proper way to love God. Other scriptures do not give information on how one can love God, nor do they actually define or describe ''what or who'' the Godhead actually is. Although they officially promote love of Godhead, they have no idea how to execute it. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives a practical demonstration of how to love God in a conjugal relationship. Taking the part of Rādhārāṇī, Caitanya tries to love Kṛṣṇa as Rādhārāṇī loved Him. Kṛṣṇa was always amazed by Rādhārāṇī's love. "How does Rādhārāṇī give Me such pleasure?" He would ask. In order to study Rādhārāṇī, Kṛṣṇa lived in Her role and tried to understand Himself. This is the secret of Lord Caitanya's incarnation. Caitanya is Kṛṣṇa, but He has taken the mode or role of Rādhārāṇī to show us how to love Kṛṣṇa. Thus He is addressed: "I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Lord who is absorbed in Rādhārāṇī's thoughts."

This brings up the question of who Rādhārāṇī is and what Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa is. Actually Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa is the exchange of love. This is not ordinary love; Kṛṣṇa has immense potencies, of which three are principal: internal, external and marginal. In the internal potency there are three divisions: ''saṁvit, hlādinī'' and ''sandhinī.'' The ''hlādinī'' potency is the pleasure potency. All living entities have this pleasure-seeking potency, for all beings are trying to have pleasure. This is the very nature of the living entity. At present we are trying to enjoy our pleasure potency by means of the body in this material condition. By bodily contact we are attempting to derive pleasure from material sense objects. We should not think, however, that Kṛṣṇa, who is always spiritual, tries to seek pleasure on this material plane like us. Kṛṣṇa describes the material universe as a nonpermanent place full of miseries. Why, then, would He seek pleasure in the material form? He is the Supersoul, the supreme spirit, and His pleasure is beyond the material conception.

In order to learn how Kṛṣṇa's pleasure can be obtained, we must read the Tenth Canto of ''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'' in which Kṛṣṇa's pleasure potency is displayed in His pastimes with Rādhārāṇī and the damsels of Vraja. Unfortunately, unintelligent people turn at once to the sports of Kṛṣṇa in the ''Daśama-skandha'', the Tenth Canto. Kṛṣṇa's embracing Rādhārāṇī or His dancing with the cowherd girls in the ''rāsa'' dance are generally not understood by ordinary men because they consider these pastimes in the light of mundane lust. They incorrectly think that Kṛṣṇa is like themselves and that He embraces the ''gopīs'' just as an ordinary man embraces a young girl. Some people thus become interested in Kṛṣṇa because they think that His religion allows indulgence in sex. This is not ''Kṛṣṇa-bhakti'', love of Kṛṣṇa, but ''prākṛta-sahajiyā''—materialistic lust.

In order to avoid such errors, we should understand what Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa actually is. Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa display their pastimes through Kṛṣṇa's internal energy. The pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa's internal energy is a most difficult subject matter, and unless one understands what Kṛṣṇa is, he cannot understand it. Kṛṣṇa does not take any pleasure in this material world, but He has a pleasure potency. Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, the pleasure potency is within us also, but we are trying to exhibit that pleasure potency in matter. Kṛṣṇa, however, does not make such a vain attempt. The object of Kṛṣṇa's pleasure potency is Rādhārāṇī, and He exhibits His potency or His energy as Rādhārāṇī and then engages in loving affairs with Her. In other words, Kṛṣṇa does not take pleasure in this external energy but exhibits His internal energy, His pleasure potency, as Rādhārāṇī. Thus Kṛṣṇa manifests Himself as Rādhārāṇī in order to exhibit His internal pleasure potency. Of the many extensions, expansions and incarnations of the Lord, this pleasure potency is the foremost and chief.

It is not that Rādhārāṇī is separate from Kṛṣṇa. Rādhārāṇī is also Kṛṣṇa, for there is no difference between the energy and the energetic. Without energy, there is no meaning to the energetic, and without the energetic, there is no energy. Similarly, without Rādhā there is no meaning to Kṛṣṇa, and without Kṛṣṇa, there is no meaning to Rādhā. Because of this, the Vaiṣṇava philosophy first of all pays obeisances to and worships the internal pleasure potency of the Supreme Lord. Thus the Lord and His potency are always referred to as Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, those who worship the name of Nārāyaṇa first of all utter the name of Lakṣmī, as Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. Similarly, those who worship Lord Rāma first of all utter the name of Sītā. In any case—Sītā-Rāma, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa—the potency always comes first.

Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are one, and when Kṛṣṇa desires to enjoy pleasure, He manifests Himself as Rādhārāṇī. The spiritual exchange of love between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa is the actual display of the internal pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa. Although we speak of "when" Kṛṣṇa desires, just when He did desire we cannot say. We only speak in this way because in conditional life we take it that everything has a beginning; however, in the absolute or spiritual life there is neither beginning nor end. Yet in order to understand that Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are one and that They also become divided, the question "When?" automatically comes to mind. When Kṛṣṇa desired to enjoy His pleasure potency, He manifested Himself in the separate form of Rādhārāṇī, and when He wanted to understand Himself through the agency of Rādhā, He united with Rādhārāṇī, and that unification is called Lord Caitanya.

Why did Kṛṣṇa assume the form of Caitanya Mahāprabhu? It is explained that Kṛṣṇa desired to know the glory of Rādhā's love. "Why is She so much in love with Me?" Kṛṣṇa asked. "What is My special qualification that attracts Her so? And what is the actual way in which She loves Me?" It seems strange that Kṛṣṇa, as the Supreme, should be attracted by anyone's love. We search after the love of a woman or a man because we are imperfect and lack something. The love of a woman, that potency and pleasure, is absent in man, and therefore a man wants a woman, but this is not the case with Kṛṣṇa, who is full in Himself. Thus Kṛṣṇa expressed surprise: "Why am I attracted by Rādhārāṇī? And when Rādhārāṇī feels My love, what is She actually feeling?" In order to taste the essence of that loving affair, Kṛṣṇa appeared just as the moon appears on the horizon of the sea. Just as the moon was produced by the churning of the sea, by the churning of spiritual love affairs the moon of Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared. Indeed, Caitanya's complexion was golden, just like the moon. Although this is figurative language, it conveys the meaning behind the appearance of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The full significance of His appearance will be explained in later chapters.

The manifestations of the Supreme are also explained in ''Caitanya-caritāmṛta''. After offering respects to Lord Caitanya, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja next offers them to Nityānanda. He explains that Nityānanda is a manifestation of Saṅkarṣaṇa, who is the origin of the Mahā-Viṣṇu. Kṛṣṇa's first manifestation is as Balarāma and then Saṅkarṣaṇa, and after Saṅkarṣaṇa He is manifest as Pradyumna. In this way so many expansions take place. Although there are many expansions, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the origin, as confirmed in ''Brahma-saṁhitā''. He is like the original candle from which many thousands and millions of candles are lit. Although any number of candles can be lighted, the original candle still retains its identity as the origin. In this way Kṛṣṇa expands Himself into so many lights, and all these expansions are called ''Viṣṇu-tattva''. Viṣṇu is a large light, and we are small lights, but all are expansions of Kṛṣṇa.

When it is necessary to create the material universe, Viṣṇu expands Himself as the Mahā-Viṣṇu. This Mahā-Viṣṇu lies down on the Causal Ocean and breathes all the universes from His nostrils. Thus from the Mahā-Viṣṇu and the Causal Ocean all the universes spring, and all these universes float in the Causal Ocean. In this regard there is the story of Vāmana, who, when He took three steps, stuck His foot through the covering of the universe. Water from the Causal Ocean flowed through the hole which His foot made, and it is said that that flow of water became the River Ganges. Therefore the Ganges is accepted as the most sacred water of Viṣṇu and is worshiped by all Hindus from the Himalayas down to the Bay of Bengal.

That Mahā-Viṣṇu who lies on the Causal Ocean is actually an expansion of Balarāma, who is Kṛṣṇa's first expansion, and, in the Vṛndāvana pastimes, is the brother of Kṛṣṇa. In the ''mahā-mantra'' Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, the word Rāma refers to Balarāma. Since Nityānanda is an expansion of Balarāma, Rāma also refers to Lord Nityānanda. Thus Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Rāma addresses not only Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma but Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda as well.

The subject matter of ''Caitanya-caritāmṛta'' primarily deals with what is beyond this material creation. The cosmic material expansion is called ''māyā'' because it has no eternal existence. Because it is sometimes manifested and sometimes not manifested, it is regarded as illusory. But beyond this temporary manifestation there is a higher nature, as indicated in ''Bhagavad-gītā:''

:paras tasmāt tu bhavo 'nyo
:'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ
:yaḥ sa sarveṣu bhūteṣu
:naśyatsu na vinaśyati

"Yet there is another nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as it is." ([[BG 8.20 (1972)|BG 8.20]])

That supreme nature is beyond the manifested (''vyaktaḥ'') and unmanifested (''avyaktaḥ''). This superior nature which is beyond both creation and annihilation is the living force which is manifest in the bodies of all living entities. The body itself is composed of inferior nature, matter, but it is the superior nature that is moving the body. The symptom of that superior nature is consciousness. Thus in the spiritual world, where everything is composed of the superior nature, everything is conscious. In the material world inanimate objects are not conscious, but in the spiritual world this is not so. There a table is conscious, the land is conscious, the trees are conscious—everything is conscious.

It is not possible to imagine how far this material manifestation extends. In the material world everything is calculated by imagination or by some imperfect method, but Vedic literatures give information of what lies beyond the material universe. Those who believe in experimental knowledge may doubt the Vedic conclusions, for they cannot even calculate how far this universe is extended, nor can they reach far into the universe itself. It is not possible to obtain information of anything beyond this material nature by experimental means. That which is beyond our power of conception is called ''acintya,'' inconceivable. It is useless to argue or speculate about what is inconceivable. If it is truly inconceivable, it is not subject to speculation or experimentation. Our energy is limited, and our sense perception is limited; therefore we must rely on the Vedic conclusions regarding that subject matter which is inconceivable. Knowledge of the superior nature must simply be accepted without argument. How is it possible to argue about something to which we have no access? The method for understanding transcendental subject matter is given by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself in ''Bhagavad-gītā,'' where Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna at the beginning of the Fourth Chapter:

:imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ
:proktavān aham avyayam
:vivasvān manave prāha
:manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt

"I instructed this imperishable science of ''yoga'' to the sun-god, Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikṣvāku." ([[BG 4.1 (1972)|BG 4.1]])

This is the method of ''paramparā,'' or disciplic succession. Similarly, in ''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'' Kṛṣṇa imparted knowledge into the heart of Brahmā, the first created creature within the universe. Brahmā imparted those lessons to his disciple, Nārada, and Nārada imparted that knowledge to his disciple, Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva imparted it to Madhvācārya, and from Madhvācārya the knowledge comes down to Mādhavendra Purī, to Īśvara Purī and from him to Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

One may ask that if Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself, then why did He need a spiritual master? Of course He did not need a spiritual master, but because He was playing the role of ''ācārya'' (one who teaches by example), He accepted a spiritual master. Even Kṛṣṇa Himself accepted a spiritual master, for that is the system. In this way the Lord sets the example for men. We should not think, however, that the Lord takes a spiritual master because He is in want of knowledge. He is simply stressing the importance of accepting the disciplic succession. The knowledge of that disciplic succession actually comes from the Lord Himself, and if the knowledge descends unbroken, it is perfect. Although we may not be in touch with the original personality who first imparted the knowledge, we may receive the same knowledge through this process of transmission. In ''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'', it is stated that Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, transmitted transcendental knowledge into the heart of Brahmā. This then is one way knowledge is received—through the heart. Thus there are two processes by which one may receive knowledge: One depends upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is situated as the Supersoul within the heart of all living entities, and the other depends upon the ''guru'' or spiritual master, who is an expansion of Kṛṣṇa. Thus Kṛṣṇa transmits information both from within and from without. We simply have to receive it. If knowledge is received in this way, it doesn't matter whether it is inconceivable or not.

In ''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'' there is a great deal of information given about the Vaikuṇṭha planetary systems which are beyond the material universe. Similarly, a great deal of inconceivable information is given in ''Caitanya-caritāmṛta.'' Any attempt to arrive at this information through experimental knowledge is not possible. The knowledge simply has to be accepted. According to the Vedic method, ''śabda'', or transcendental sound, is regarded as evidence. Sound is very important in Vedic understanding, for, if it is pure, it is accepted as authoritative. Even in the material world we accept a great deal of information which is sent thousands of miles by telephone or radio. In this way we also accept sound as evidence in our daily lives. Although we cannot see the informant, we accept his information as valid on the basis of sound. Sound vibration then is very important in the transmission of Vedic knowledge.

The Vedas inform us that beyond this cosmic manifestation there are extensive planets and the spiritual sky. This material manifestation is regarded as only a small portion of the total creation. The material manifestation includes not only this universe but innumerable others as well, but all the material universes combined comprise only one fraction of the total creation. The majority of the creation is situated in the spiritual sky. In that sky innumerable planets float, and these are called Vaikuṇṭhalokas. In every Vaikuṇṭhaloka Nārāyaṇa presides in the form of His four-armed expansions: Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Vāsudeva.

As stated before, the material universes are manifested by the Lord in the form of Mahā-Viṣṇu. Just as a husband and wife combine to beget offspring, the Mahā-Viṣṇu combines with His wife Māyā, or material nature. This is also confirmed in the ''Bhagavad-gītā'' where Kṛṣṇa states:

:sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya
:mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ
:tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir
:ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

"It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father." ([[BG 14.4 (1972)|BG 14.4]])

Viṣṇu impregnated Māyā or material nature simply by glancing at her. This is the spiritual method. Materially we are limited to impregnate by only one particular part of our body, but the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa or Mahā-Viṣṇu, can impregnate any part by any part. Simply by glancing the Lord can conceive countless living entities in the womb of material nature. The ''Brahma-saṁhitā'' also confirms that the spiritual body of the Supreme Lord is so powerful that any part of that body can perform the functions of any other part. We can only touch with our hands or skin, but Kṛṣṇa can touch just by glancing. We can only see with our eyes, we cannot touch or smell with them. Kṛṣṇa, however, can smell and also eat with His eyes. When foodstuffs are offered to Kṛṣṇa we don't see Him eating, but He eats simply by glancing at the food. We cannot imagine how things work in the spiritual world where ''everything'' is spiritual. It is not that Kṛṣṇa does not eat or that we imagine that He eats; He actually eats, but His eating is different from ours. Our eating process will be similar to His when we are completely on the spiritual platform. On that platform every part of the body can act on behalf of any other part.

Viṣṇu does not require anything in order to create. He does not require the goddess Lakṣmī in order to give birth to Brahmā, for Brahmā is born from a lotus flower which grows from the navel of Viṣṇu. The goddess Lakṣmī sits at the feet of Viṣṇu and serves Him. In this material world sex is required to produce children, but in the spiritual world one can produce as many children as he likes without having to take help from his wife. Because we have no experience with spiritual energy, we think that Brahmā's birth from the navel of Viṣṇu is simply a fictional story. We are not aware that spiritual energy is so powerful that it can do anything and everything. Material energy is dependent on certain laws, but spiritual energy is fully independent.

Brahmā is born from the navel of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, who is but a partial manifestation of the Mahā-Viṣṇu. Countless universes reside like seeds within the skin pores of the Mahā-Viṣṇu, and when He exhales, they all are manifest. In the material world we have no experience of such a thing, but we do experience a perverted reflection in the phenomenon of perspiration. We cannot imagine, however, the duration of one breath of the Mahā-Viṣṇu, for within one breath all of the universes are created and annihilated. Lord Brahmā only lives for the duration of one breath, and according to our time scale 4,320,000,000 years constitute only twelve hours of Brahmā, and Brahmā lives one hundred of his years. Yet the whole life of Brahmā is contained within one breath of the Mahā-Viṣṇu. Thus it is not possible for us to imagine the breathing power of the Supreme Lord. That Mahā-Viṣṇu is but a partial manifestation of Kṛṣṇa.

Thus Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī discusses Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Lord Nityānanda as Balarāma, the first expansion of Kṛṣṇa. Advaitācārya, another principal disciple of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's, is accepted as an expansion of the Mahā-Viṣṇu. Thus Advaitācārya is also the Lord, or, more precisely, an expansion of the Lord. The word ''advaita'' means nondual, and his name is such because he is nondifferent from the Supreme Lord. He is also called ''ācārya'', teacher, because he disseminated Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In this way he is just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Although Caitanya is Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself, He appears as a devotee to teach people in general how to love Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, Advaitācārya appeared just to distribute the knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thus he is also the Lord incarnated as a devotee. Kṛṣṇa is manifested in five different expansions, and He and all of His associates appear as devotees of the Supreme Lord in the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Nityānanda, Advaitācārya, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa and others. In all cases, Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the source of energy for all His devotees. Since this is the case, if we take shelter of Caitanya Mahāprabhu for the successful execution of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we are sure to make progress. One devotional song by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura states: "My dear Lord Caitanya, please have mercy upon me. There is no one who is as merciful as You. My plea is most urgent because Your mission is to deliver fallen souls, and no one is more fallen than I. I beg priority."

The author of ''Caitanya-caritāmṛta,'' Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, was an inhabitant of Vṛndāvana and a great devotee. He had been living with his family in Katwa, a small town in the district of Burdwan in Bengal. His family also worshiped Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, and once when there was some misunderstanding amongst his family about devotional service, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja was advised by Nityānanda Prabhu in a dream to leave home and go to Vṛndāvana. Although he was very old, he started out that very night and went to live in Vṛndāvana. While he was there, he met some of the Gosvāmīs, principal disciples of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was requested to write ''Caitanya-caritāmṛta'' by the devotees of Vṛndāvana. Although he began this work at a very old age, by the grace of Lord Caitanya he finished it. Today it remains the most authoritative book on Caitanya's philosophy and life.

When Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī was living in Vṛndāvana, there were not very many temples. At that time Madana-mohana, Govindajī and Gopīnātha were the three principal temples. As a resident of Vṛndāvana, he offered his respects to the Deities in these temples and requested God's favor: "My progress in spiritual life is very slow, so l'm asking Your help." In ''Caitanya-caritāmṛta,'' Kṛṣṇadāsa first offers his obeisances to Madana-mohana ''vigraha'', the Deity who can help us progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In the execution of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, our first business is to know Kṛṣṇa and our relationship with Him. To know Kṛṣṇa is to know one's self, and to know one's self is to know one's relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Since this relationship can be learned by worshiping Madana-mohana ''vigraha'', Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī first establishes his relationship with Him.

When this is established, Kṛṣṇadāsa begins to worship the functional Deity, Govinda. Govinda resides eternally in Vṛndāvana. In the spiritual world of Vṛndāvana the buildings are made of touchstone, the cows are known as ''surabhi'' cows, givers of abundant milk, and the trees are known as wish-fulfilling trees, for they yield whatever one desires. In Vṛndāvana Kṛṣṇa herds the ''surabhi'' cows, and He is worshiped by hundreds and thousands of ''gopīs'', cowherd girls, who are all goddesses of fortune. When Kṛṣṇa descends to the material world, this same Vṛndāvana descends just as an entourage accompanies an important personage. Because when Kṛṣṇa comes, His land also comes, Vṛndāvana is not considered to exist in the material world. Therefore devotees take shelter of the Vṛndāvana in India, for it is considered to be a replica of the original Vṛndāvana. Although one may complain that no ''kalpa-vṛkṣa'', wish-fulfilling trees, exist there, when the Gosvāmīs were there, the ''kalpa-vṛkṣa'' were present. It is not that one can simply go to such a tree and make demands; one must first become a devotee. The Gosvāmīs would live under a tree for one night only, and the trees would satisfy all their desires. For the common man this may all seem very wonderful, but as one makes progress in devotional service, all this can be realized.

Vṛndāvana is actually experienced as it is by persons who have stopped trying to derive pleasure from material enjoyment. "When will my mind become cleansed of all hankering for material enjoyment so I will be able to see Vṛndāvana?" one great devotee asks. The more Kṛṣṇa conscious we become and the more we advance, the more everything is revealed as spiritual. Thus Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī considered Vṛndāvana in India to be as good as the Vṛndāvana in the spiritual sky, and in ''Caitanya-caritāmṛta'' he describes Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa as seated beneath a wish-fulfilling tree in Vṛndāvana on a throne decorated with valuable jewels. There Kṛṣṇa's dear friends, the cowherd boys and the ''gopīs'', serve Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa by singing, dancing, offering betel nuts and refreshments and decorating Their Lordships with flowers. Even today in India people decorate thrones and recreate this scene during the month of July. Generally at that time people go to Vṛndāvana to offer their respects to the Deities there.

Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī maintains that the Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa Deities show us how to serve Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. The Madana-mohana Deities simply establish that "I am Your eternal servant." With Govinda, however, there is actual acceptance of service, and therefore He is called the functional Deity. The Gopīnātha Deity is Kṛṣṇa as master and proprietor of the gopīs. He attracted all the ''gopīs,'' or cowherd girls, by the sound of His flute, and when they came, He danced with them. These activities are all described in the Tenth Canto of ''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam''. These ''gopīs'' were childhood friends of Kṛṣṇa, and they were all married, for in India the girls are married by the age of twelve. The boys, however, are not married before eighteen so Kṛṣṇa, who was fifteen or sixteen at the time, was not married. Nonetheless He called these girls from their homes and invited them to dance with Him. That dance is called the ''rāsa-līlā'' dance, and it is the most elevated of all the Vṛndāvana pastimes. Kṛṣṇa is therefore called Gopīnātha because He is the beloved master of the ''gopīs.''

Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī petitions the blessings of Lord Gopīnātha. "May that Gopīnātha, the master of the ''gopīs,'' Kṛṣṇa, bless you. May you become blessed by Gopīnātha." Just as Kṛṣṇa attracted the ''gopīs'' by the sweet sound of His flute, the author of ''Caitanya-caritāmṛta'' prays that He will also attract the reader's mind by His transcendental vibration. It is the purpose of this book, ''Teachings of Lord Caitanya,'' to transmit the essence of that vibration in an easily readable summary study.

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For the impersonalist and voidist philosophers, the next world is a world of senseless eternity and bliss. The voidist philosophers want to establish that ultimately everything is senseless, and the impersonalists want to establish that in the next world there is simply knowledge devoid of activity. Thus less intelligent salvationists try to carry imperfect knowledge into the sphere of perfect spiritual activity. Because the impersonalist experiences material activity as miserable, he wants to establish spiritual life without activity. He has no understanding of the activities of devotional service. Indeed, spiritual activity in devotional service is unintelligible to the voidist philosophers and impersonalists. The Vaiṣṇava philosophers know perfectly well that the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, can never be impersonal or void because He possesses innumerable potencies. Through His innumerable energies, He can present Himself in multiple forms and still remain the Absolute Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus despite expanding Himself in multiple forms and diffusing His innumerable energies, He can maintain His transcendental position.

Thus Lord Caitanya exposed many defects in the Māyāvādī philosophy, and although Bhaṭṭācārya tried to establish himself by logic and word jugglery, Lord Caitanya was able to maintain Himself from his attacks. The Lord established that Vedic literature is meant for three things: understanding our relationship with the Absolute Supreme Personality of Godhead, acting according to that understanding, and achieving the highest perfection of life, love of Godhead. Anyone who tries to prove that the Vedic literatures aim at anything else is of necessity a victim of his own imagination.

The Lord then quoted some verses from the ''Purāṇas'' by which He established that Śaṅkarācārya was deputed to teach by the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He quoted a verse from the ''Padma Purāṇa'' (62.31) in which it is stated that the Lord ordered Mahādeva, Lord Śiva, to present some imaginary interpretations of Vedic literatures in order to divert people from the actual purpose of the ''Vedas''. "By doing so you will attempt to make them atheists," the Lord said. "After that, they can produce more population." It is also stated in ''Padma Purāṇa'' (25.9) that Lord Śiva explained to his wife, Pārvatī, that in the age of Kali he would come in the form of a ''brāhmaṇa'' to preach an imperfect interpretation of the ''Vedas'', known as ''Māyāvādism'', which in actuality is but a second edition of atheistic Buddhist philosophy.

Bhaṭṭācārya was overwhelmed by these explanations of Lord Caitanya. After hearing Māyāvāda philosophy explained by Lord Caitanya, he could not speak. After he remained silent for some time, Lord Caitanya asked him, "My dear Bhaṭṭācārya, don't be confused by this explanation. Please take it from Me that the devotional service of the Supreme Lord is the highest perfectional stage of human understanding. Indeed, it is so attractive that even those who are already liberated become devotees by the inconceivable potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." There are many such conversions in Vedic literature. For instance, in ''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'' ([[SB 1.7.10]]) the famous ''Ātmārāma'' verse is especially meant for those who are attracted to self-realization and liberated from all material attachments. Such liberated impersonalists become attracted to devotional service by the various activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Such are the transcendental qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Actually, in pure consciousness the living entity understands himself as the eternal servant of the Supreme Lord. Under the spell of illusion, a person accepts the gross and subtle bodies as his self; such a conception is the basis of the doctrine of transference. Actually the part and parcel of the Supreme is not eternally subjected to gross and subtle bodily life. The gross and subtle coverings do not comprise the living entity's eternal form; they can be changed. In other words, the living entity, who is originally pure spirit, can be conditioned by the gross and subtle bodies and, by freeing himself from these gross and subtle conditionings, again attain his situation as pure spirit. Māyāvādī philosophers take advantage of this doctrine of transference by saying that the living entity is under the wrong impression when he thinks himself to be part and parcel of the Supreme. They maintain that the living entity is the Supreme Himself. This doctrine cannot be tenable.

Bhaṭṭācārya then asked Lord Caitanya to explain the famous ''Ātmārāma'' verse, for he desired to hear it from the Lord Himself. Lord Caitanya replied that first of all Bhaṭṭācārya should explain the verse according to his own understanding, and then Lord Caitanya would explain it. Bhaṭṭācārya then began to explain the ''Ātmārāma śloka'', using his methods of logic and grammar. Thus he explained the ''Ātmārāma śloka'' in nine different ways. The Lord appreciated his erudite scholarship in explaining the verse and said: "My dear Bhaṭṭācārya, I know that you are a representative of the learned scholar Bṛhaspati and can explain any portion of the ''śāstras'' nicely. Yet your explanation is more or less based on academic education only. Aside from this academic scholarly approach, there is another explanation."

Then, at the request of Bhaṭṭācārya, Lord Caitanya explained the ''Ātmārāma śloka''. The words of the verse were analyzed thus: (1) ''ātmārāmāḥ'', (2) ''ca'', (3) ''munayaḥ'', (4) ''nirgranthāḥ'', (5) ''api'', (6) ''urukrame'', (7) ''kurvanti,'' (8) ''ahaitukīm'', (9) ''bhaktim'', (10) ''itthambhūta-guṇaḥ'', (11) ''hariḥ''. This verse has already been explained in the Lord's teachings to Sanātana Gosvāmī. Lord Caitanya did not mention the nine different explanations of Bhaṭṭācārya, but He did explain the verse by analyzing these eleven words. In this way, He expounded sixty-one different explanations of the verse. In summary He said that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is full of innumerable potencies; no one can estimate how many transcendental qualities He possesses. His qualities are always inconceivable, and all processes of self-realization inquire into the potencies, energies and qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, the devotees of the Lord immediately accept the inconceivable position of the Lord. Lord Caitanya explained that even great liberated souls like the Kumāras and Śukadeva Gosvāmī were also attracted to the transcendental qualities of the Supreme Lord. Bhaṭṭācārya appreciated Lord Caitanya's explanation, and he concluded that Lord Caitanya was none other than Kṛṣṇa Himself. Bhaṭṭācārya then began to deprecate his own position, relating that he had at first considered Lord Caitanya to be an ordinary human being and therefore committed an offense. He then fell down at the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya, deprecating himself, and requested the Lord to show His causeless mercy upon him. Lord Caitanya appreciated the humility of this great scholar and therefore exhibited His own form, first with four hands, and then with six hands (''ṣaḍbhuja''). Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya then repeatedly fell down at the Lord's lotus feet and composed various prayers to Him. He was undoubtedly a great scholar, and after receiving the causeless mercy of the Lord, he was empowered to explain the Lord's activities in different ways. Indeed, he was able to express the method of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

It is said that Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya composed a hundred verses in appreciation of the Lord's activities, and that those verses were so great that they could not even be surpassed by Bṛhaspati, the greatest learned scholar in the heavenly planets. The Lord was very pleased to hear these hundred verses, and He embraced Bhaṭṭācārya. Bhaṭṭācārya became overwhelmed with ecstasy by the Lord's touch, and he practically fell unconscious. He cried, trembled, shivered and perspired, and sometimes he danced and sang and fell at the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya. Bhaṭṭācārya's brother-in-law, Gopīnātha Ācārya, and the devotees of the Lord were surprised to see the Bhaṭṭācārya transformed into a great devotee.

Gopīnātha Ācārya then began to thank the Lord: "It is by Your grace only that Bhaṭṭācārya has been transformed from his stonelike position into such a devotee." Lord Caitanya then replied to Gopīnātha Ācārya that it was due to a devotee's favor that a stonelike man could be transformed into a mild, flowerlike devotee. Actually Gopīnātha Ācārya had sincerely wished that his brother-in-law, Bhaṭṭācārya, would become a devotee of the Lord. He had sincerely desired that the Lord favor Bhaṭṭācārya, and he was glad to see that his desire was fulfilled by Lord Caitanya. In other words, a devotee of the Lord is more merciful than the Lord Himself. When a devotee desires to show his mercy to a person, the Lord acts, and by His grace one becomes a devotee.

Lord Caitanya pacified Bhaṭṭācārya and asked him to go home. Bhaṭṭācārya again began to praise the Lord and said, "You have descended Yourself to deliver all the fallen souls of this material world. Such an undertaking is not very difficult for You, but You have turned a stonehearted man like me into a devotee, and that is very wonderful indeed. Although I was very expert at logical arguments and grammatical explanations of the ''Vedas,'' I was as hard as a lump of iron. But Your influence and temperature were so great that You could melt away a piece of iron like me."

Lord Caitanya then returned to His place, and Bhaṭṭācārya sent Gopīnātha Ācārya to Him with various kinds of ''prasāda'' from Jagannātha temple. The next day the Lord went to the temple of Jagannātha early in the morning to attend ''maṅgala ārati''. The priests in the temple brought Him a garland from the Deity and also offered Him various kinds of ''prasāda''. The Lord was very much pleased to receive them, and He at once went to the house of Bhaṭṭācārya, taking the ''prasāda'' and the flowers to present to him. Although it was early in the morning, Bhaṭṭācārya understood that the Lord had come and was knocking on his door. He at once rose from his bed and began to say, "Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa!" This was heard by Lord Caitanya. When Bhaṭṭācārya opened the door, he saw the Lord standing there, and he was so pleased to see Him early in the morning that he tried to receive Him with all care. He offered Him a nice seat, and both of them sat there. Lord Caitanya then offered him the ''prasāda'' which He had received in the temple of Jagannātha, and Bhaṭṭācārya was very glad to receive this ''prasāda'' from the hands of Lord Caitanya Himself. Indeed, without taking his bath and without performing his daily duties or even washing his teeth, he began immediately to eat the ''prasāda''. In this way, he was freed from all material contamination and attachment, and as he began to eat the ''prasāda'', he cited a verse from Padma Purāṇa. In Padma Purāṇa it is stated that when ''prasāda'' is brought or received, it must be eaten immediately, even if it has become very dry or old, or even if it is brought from a distant place, or even if one has not completed executing his daily duties. Since it is enjoined in the ''śāstras'' that ''prasāda'' should immediately be taken, there is no restriction of time and space; the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead must be followed. There are restrictions one must follow before accepting food from various people, but there are no restrictions on accepting ''prasāda'' from all kinds of people. ''prasāda'' is always transcendental and can be taken under any condition. Lord Caitanya was very pleased to see that Bhaṭṭācārya, who had always obeyed the rules and regulations strictly, accepted prasāda without following any rules and regulations. Being so pleased, Lord Caitanya embraced Bhaṭṭācārya, and they both began to dance in transcendental ecstasy. In that ecstasy, Lord Caitanya exclaimed: "My mission in Jagannātha Purī is now fulfilled! I have converted a person like Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. I shall now be able to attain Vaikuṇṭha without fail."
The missionary goal of a devotee is to convert simply one person into a pure devotee. In this way his admission to the spiritual kingdom is guaranteed. The Lord was so pleased with Bhaṭṭācārya that He began to bless him repeatedly: "Dear Bhaṭṭācārya, now you are a completely pure devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is now very much pleased with you. From today you are freed from the contamination of this material body and the entanglement of material energy. You are now fit to go back to Godhead, back home." The Lord then cited a verse from ''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'' ([[SB 2.7.42]])

:yeṣāṁ sa eva bhagavān dayayed anantaḥ
:sarvātmanāśrita-pado yadi nirvyalīkam
:te dustarām atitaranti ca deva-māyāṁ
:naiṣāṁ mamāham-iti dhīḥ śva-śṛgāla-bhakṣye

"Whoever takes complete shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord is favored by the Supreme Lord, who is known to be unlimited. Such a person also receives permission to cross the ocean of nescience. However, one who thinks this material body to be himself cannot receive the causeless mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

After this incident, Lord Caitanya returned to His place, and Bhaṭṭācārya became a pure and faultless devotee. Since he was formerly a great academic scholar, Bhaṭṭācārya could only have been converted by the causeless mercy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. From that day forward Bhaṭṭācārya never explained any Vedic literature without explaining devotional service. Gopīnātha Ācārya, his brother-in-law, was so pleased to see Bhaṭṭācārya's condition that he began to dance in ecstasy and vibrate the transcendental sound Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

The next day, after visiting Jagannātha temple early in the morning, Bhaṭṭācārya went to visit Lord Caitanya, and he offered his respects by falling down before the Lord. He then began to explain his past undesirable behavior. When he asked the Lord to speak something of devotional service, the Lord began to explicitly explain the verses of ''Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa'', in which it is stated: ''harer nāma harer nāma'' ([[CC Adi 17.21|CC Ādi 17.21]]). Upon hearing this explanation, Bhaṭṭācārya became more and more ecstatic. Seeing the condition of his brother-in-law, Gopīnātha Ācārya said, "My dear Bhaṭṭācārya, previously I had said that when one is favored by the Supreme Lord, he will understand the techniques of devotional service. Today I am seeing this fulfilled."

Bhaṭṭācārya offered him his due respect and replied, "My dear Gopīnātha Ācārya, it is through your mercy that I have received the mercy of the Supreme Lord." The mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be obtained by the mercy of a pure devotee. Lord Caitanya's mercy was bestowed upon Bhaṭṭācārya because of Gopīnātha Ācārya's endeavor. "You are a great devotee of the Lord," Bhaṭṭācārya continued, "and I was simply blinded by my academic education. Yes, I have obtained the mercy of the Lord through your agency only." Lord Caitanya Himself was greatly pleased to hear Bhaṭṭācārya say that a man can obtain the mercy of the Lord through the agency of a devotee. He appreciated his words and embraced Bhaṭṭācārya, confirming his statement.

The Lord then requested Bhaṭṭācārya to go to Jagannātha temple again, and Bhaṭṭācārya started out for the temple accompanied by Jagadānanda and Dāmodara, two principal associates of Lord Caitanya. After seeing Jagannātha temple, Bhaṭṭācārya returned home and brought with him much ''prasāda'' purchased from the temple. He sent all this ''prasāda'' to Lord Caitanya through his ''brāhmaṇa'' servant.

He also dispatched two verses written on palm tree leaves and requested Jagadānanda to render him a favor by delivering them. Thus Lord Caitanya was offered the ''prasāda'' and the verses on the palm leaves. However, before reaching the Lord, Mukunda Datta, who had also undertaken the delivery of the verses, had copied the verses in his book. When Lord Caitanya read the verses on the palm leaf, he tore them to pieces, for He never liked to be praised by anyone. The verses only survive because they had been copied by Mukunda Datta. These verses praised the Lord, the Supreme Original Personality of Godhead who had descended as Lord Caitanya to preach detachment, transcendental knowledge and devotional service to the people in general. Lord Caitanya was praised as the original Personality of Godhead and was compared with an ocean of mercy. "Let me surrender unto that Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu," the verses stated. "The Lord, seeing that devotional service was absent, descended Himself in the form of Caitanya Mahāprabhu to preach devotional service. Let us all surrender unto His lotus feet and learn from Him what devotional service actually is." These verses are considered to be most important jewels by the devotees of the Lord in disciplic succession, and by virtue of these famous verses Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya has become known as the highest of devotees.

Thus Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was converted into one of the most important devotees of the Lord, and he had no other interest than to serve the Lord. He thought of Lord Caitanya constantly, and meditation and chanting became the main purpose of his life.

One day Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya came before the Lord, offered his respects and began to read a verse from ''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'' ([[SB 10.14.8]]). This verse dealt with Lord Brahmā's prayer to the Lord. The verse read:

:tat te 'nukampāṁ susamīkṣamāṇo
:bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam
:hṛd-vāg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
:jīveta yo mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk

"A person who devotes his mind, body and speech to the service of the Lord, even though in the midst of a miserable life fraught with past misdeeds, is assured of liberation." Bhaṭṭācārya changed the word ''mukti'' (liberation) to ''bhakti'' (devotional service).

"Why have you changed the original verse?" the Lord asked Bhaṭṭācārya. "The word is ''mukti'', and you have changed it to ''bhakti''." Bhaṭṭācārya then replied that ''mukti'' is not as valuable as ''bhakti'' and that ''mukti'' is actually a sort of punishment for the pure devotee. For this reason he changed the word ''mukti'' to ''bhakti''. Bhaṭṭācārya then began to explain his realization of ''bhakti''. "Anyone who does not accept the transcendental Personality of Godhead and His transcendental form cannot know the Absolute Truth," he said.

One who does not understand the transcendental nature of the body of Kṛṣṇa becomes Kṛṣṇa's enemy and defies or fights with Him. The enemies eventually merge into the Lord's Brahman effulgence. Such ''mukti'' or liberation into the Brahman effulgence is never desired by the Lord's devotees. There are five kinds of liberation: (1) attaining the planet where the Lord resides, (2) associating with the Lord, (3) attaining a transcendental body like the Lord's, (4) attaining opulence like the Lord, and (5) merging into the existence of the Lord. A devotee has no particular interest in any of these types of liberation. He is satisfied simply by being engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. A devotee is especially adverse to merging into the existence of the Lord and losing his individual identity. Indeed, a devotee considers oneness with the Lord to be hellish. He will, however, accept one of the four other kinds of liberation in consideration for being engaged in the service of the Lord. Out of the two possibilities of merging in transcendence—namely becoming one with the impersonal Brahman effulgence and becoming one with the Personality of Godhead—the latter is more abominable to the devotee. The devotee has no aspiration other than engaging in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.

On hearing this, Lord Caitanya informed Bhaṭṭācārya that there is another purport to the word ''mukti''. The word ''mukti-pade'' directly indicates the Personality of Godhead. The Personality of Godhead has innumerable liberated souls engaged in His transcendental loving service, and He is the ultimate resort of liberation. In any case, Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate shelter.

"Despite this reading," Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya replied, "I prefer ''bhakti'' to ''mukti''. Although according to You there are two meanings to the word ''mukti'', still, because this word is equivocal, I prefer ''bhakti'' to ''mukti'' because when one hears the word ''mukti'', he immediately thinks of becoming one with the Supreme. I therefore even hate to utter the word ''mukti''. However, I am very enthusiastic to speak of ''bhakti''."

Lord Caitanya laughed very loudly at this and embraced Bhaṭṭācārya with great love.

Thus Bhaṭṭācārya, who had taken pleasure in explaining Māyāvādī philosophy, became such a staunch devotee that he even hated to utter the word ''mukti''. This is only possible by the causeless mercy of the Lord Śrī Caitanya. The Lord is like a touchstone, for by His grace He can turn iron into gold. After his conversion, everyone marked a great change in Bhaṭṭācārya, and they concluded that this change was made possible only by the inconceivable power of Lord Caitanya. Thus they took it for granted that Lord Caitanya was none other than Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself.

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TLC 25 (1975)

2021-12-16T11:34:57Z

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TLC 24 (1975)

2021-12-16T11:12:18Z

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NOD 27 (1970)

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[[Category:Nectar of Devotion (1970)|N27]]
<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=Nectar of Devotion (1970)]] '''[[Nectar of Devotion (1970)]], Symptoms of Ecstatic Love'''</div>
<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=NOD 26 (1970)]] '''[[NOD 26 (1970)]] - [[NOD 28 (1970)]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=NOD 28 (1970)]]</div>
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The bodily symptoms which are manifested by a devotee in expressing ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa are called ''anubhāva''. Practical examples of ''anubhāva'' are as follows: dancing, rolling on the ground, singing very loudly, stretching the body, crying loudly, yawning, breathing very heavily, neglecting the presence of others, drooling, laughing like a madman, wheeling the head and belching. When there is an extraordinary excess of ecstatic love, with all of these bodily symptoms manifested, one feels relieved transcendentally.

These symptoms are divided into two parts: one is called ''śīta'', and the other is called ''kṣepaṇa''. When there is yawning, it is called śīta, and when there is dancing it is called ''kṣepaṇa''.

Dancing

While watching the ''rāsa'' dance performed by Lord Kṛṣṇa and the ''gopīs'', Lord Śiva beheld the beautiful face of Kṛṣṇa and immediately began to dance and beat upon his small ''ḍiṇḍima'' drum. While Lord Śiva was dancing in ecstasy, his eldest son, Ganeśa, joined him.

Rolling on the Ground

In the [[SB 3.1.32|Third Canto, 1st Chapter, 31st verse]], of [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']], Vidura inquires from Uddhava, "My dear friend, is Akrūra in an auspicious condition? He is not only a learned scholar and sinless, but he is also a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. He has such ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa that I have seen him rolling upon Kṛṣṇa's footprints in the dust as if bereft of all senses." Similarly, one ''gopī'' gave a message to Kṛṣṇa that Rādhārāṇī, because of Her separation from Him and because of Her enchantment with the flavor of His flower garlands, was rolling on the ground, thereby bruising Her soft body.

Singing Loudly

One ''gopī'' informed Kṛṣṇa that when Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī was singing about His glories, She enchanted all of Her friends in such a way that they became stonelike and dull. At the same time, the nearby stones began to melt away in ecstatic love.

Stretching the Body

When there was stretching of the body of Nārada Muni from chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mantra,'' he chanted so loudly that it was apprehended that Lord Nṛsiṁha had appeared. Thus all the demons began to flee in different directions. It is also said that sometimes when Nārada, the carrier of the ''vīṇā'', remembers his Lord Kṛṣṇa in great ecstasy, he begins to stretch his body so vigorously that his sacred thread gives way.

Crying Loudly

A ''gopī'' once said to Kṛṣṇa: "My dear son of Nanda Mahārāj, by the sound of Your flute Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī has become full of lamentation and fear, and thus, with faltering voice, She is crying like a ''kurobi'' bird.

It is described that by hearing the vibration of Kṛṣṇa's flute Lord Śiva becomes very puzzled and begins to cry so loudly into space that the demons become vanquished and the devotees become overwhelmed with joy.

Yawning

It is said that when the full moon rises, the lotus petals become expanded. Similarly, when Kṛṣṇa used to appear before Rādhārāṇī, Her face, which is compared with the lotus flower, would expand by Her yawning.

Breathing Heavily

As far as breathing heavily is concerned, it is stated: "Lalitā (one of the ''gopīs'') is just like a ''cātakī'' bird, which only takes water falling directly from the rain cloud and not from any other source." In this statement Kṛṣṇa is compared to the dark cloud, and Lalitā is compared to the ''cātakī'' bird seeking only Kṛṣṇa's company. The metaphor continues to say, "As a heavy wind sometimes disperses a mighty cloud, so the heavy breath from Lalitā's nostrils caused her to miss Kṛṣṇa, who had disappeared by the time she recovered herself."

Neglecting the Presence of Others

As far as neglecting the presence of others is concerned, the wives of the ''brāhmaṇas'' who were performing sacrifices at Vṛndāvana left home as soon as they heard that Kṛṣṇa was nearby. They left their homes without caring for their learned husbands. The husbands began to discuss this amongst themselves: "How wonderful is the attraction for Kṛṣṇa, that it has made these women leave us without any care!" This is the influence of Kṛṣṇa. Anyone who becomes attracted to Kṛṣṇa can be relieved from the bondage of birth and death, which can be compared to the locked-up homes that were neglected by the wives of the ''brāhmaṇas''.

In the ''Padyāvalī'' there is a statement by some devotees: "We shall not care for any outsiders. If they should deride us, we shall still not care for them. We shall simply enjoy the transcendental mellow of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and thus we shall roll on the ground and dance ecstatically. In this way we shall eternally enjoy transcendental bliss."

Drooling

As an example of the running down of saliva from the mouth, it is stated that sometimes when Nārada Muni was chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mantra'', he remained stunned for a while, and saliva oozed from his mouth.

Laughing like a Madman

When a devotee laughs very loudly like a madman, it is done out of an extraordinary agitation of ecstatic love within the heart. Such mad laughing is an expression of the condition of the heart, which is technically called ''aṭṭa-hāsa''. When a devotee becomes affected with this mental condition, his love is expressed through the lips. The laughing sounds, coming one after another, are compared to flowers falling from the creeper of devotion which grows within the heart of the devotee. In the [[Sri Caitanya-caritamrta|''Caitanya-caritāmṛta'']] devotional service to the Lord is also compared to a creeper which rises up to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa in Goloka Vṛndāvana.

Wheeling of the Head

One ''gopī'' told her friend: "It appears that Lord Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of the demon Agha, has released from His mouth a whirlwind which is acting on your head and is gradually proceeding to do the same to the other lotus-eyed ''gopīs''."

Belching

Sometimes belching also becomes a symptom of ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. There is evidence of this in Paurṇamāsī's address to one crying associate of Rādhārāṇī: "My dear daughter, don't be worried because Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is belching. I am about to offer a remedial measure for this symptom. Do not cry so loudly. This belching is not due to indigestion; it is a sign of ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. I shall arrange to cure this belching symptom immediately. Don't be worried." This statement of Paurṇamāsī is evidence that ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa is sometimes manifested through belching.

Sometimes trembling of the whole body and hemorrhaging from some part of the body are also manifested in response to ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa, but such symptoms are very rare, and therefore Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī does not discuss any further on this point.
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NOD 26 (1970)

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[[Category:Nectar of Devotion (1970)|N26]]
<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=Nectar of Devotion (1970)]] '''[[Nectar of Devotion (1970)]], Stimulation for Ecstatic Love'''</div>
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Some things which give stimulation to ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa are His transcendental qualities, His uncommon activities, His smiling features, His apparel, His garlands, His flute, His buffalo horn, His leg bells, His conchshell, His footprints, His place of pastimes (such as Vṛndāvana), His favorite plant ''(tulasī)'', His devotee and the periodical occasions for remembering Him. One such occasion for remembrance is Ekādaśī, which comes twice a month on the eleventh day of the moon, both waning and waxing. On that day all the devotees remain fasting throughout the night and continually chant the glories of the Lord.

Kṛṣṇa's Transcendental Qualities, His Uncommon Activities and His Smile

As far as Kṛṣṇa's transcendental qualities are concerned, they can be divided into three groups: qualities pertaining to His transcendental body, qualities pertaining to His transcendental speech, and qualities pertaining to His transcendental mind.

Kṛṣṇa's age, His transcendental bodily features, His beauty, and His mildness are qualities pertaining to His body. There is no difference between Kṛṣṇa and His body, and therefore the transcendental features pertaining to His body are the same as Kṛṣṇa Himself. But because these qualities stimulate the devotee's ecstatic love, they have been analyzed as separate causes of that love. To be attracted by the qualities of Kṛṣṇa means to be attracted by Kṛṣṇa Himself, because there is no real distinction between Kṛṣṇa and His qualities. Kṛṣṇa's name is also Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa's fame is also Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa's entourage is also Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa and everything related with Kṛṣṇa which gives stimulation to love of Kṛṣṇa are all Kṛṣṇa, but for our understanding these items can be considered separately.

Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of all transcendental pleasure. Therefore, the impetuses to love of Kṛṣṇa, although seemingly different, are not actually distinct from Kṛṣṇa Himself. In the technical Sanskrit terms, such qualities as Kṛṣṇa's name, fame, etc., are accepted both as reservoirs of and stimulation for love of Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛṣṇa's age is considered in three periods: from His appearance day to the end of His sixth year is called ''kaumāra''; from the beginning of the sixth year up to the tenth year is called ''paugaṇḍa''; and from the tenth to the sixteenth year is called ''kaiśora''; after the beginning of the sixteenth year, Kṛṣṇa is called a ''yauvana'' or a youth, and this continues with no change.

As far as Kṛṣṇa's transcendental pastimes are concerned, they are mostly executed during the ''kaumāra, paugaṇḍa'' and ''kaiśora'' periods. His affectionate pastimes with His parents are executed during His ''kaumāra'' age. His friendship with the cowherd boys is exhibited during the ''paugaṇḍa'' period. And His friendship with the gopīs is exhibited during the age of ''kaiśora''. Kṛṣṇa's pastimes at Vṛndāvana are finished by the end of His fifteenth year, and then He is transferred to Mathurā and Dvārakā, where all other pastimes are performed.

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī gives us a vivid description of Kṛṣṇa as the reservoir of all pleasures in his ''Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu''. Here are some parts of that description.

Kṛṣṇa's ''kaiśora'' age can be divided into three parts. In the beginning of His ''kaiśora'' age—that is, at the beginning of His eleventh year, the luster of His body becomes so bright that it becomes an impetus for ecstatic love. Similarly, there are reddish borders around His eyes, and a growth of soft hairs on His body. In describing this early stage of His ''kaiśora'' age, Kundalatā, one of the residents of Vṛndāvana, said to her friend, "My dear friend, I have just seen an extraordinary beauty appearing in the person of Kṛṣṇa. His blackish bodily hue appears just like the ''indranīla'' jewel. There are reddish signs on His eyes, and small soft hairs are coming out on His body. The appearance of these symptoms has made Him extraordinarily beautiful."

In this connection, in the [[SB 10.21.5|Tenth Canto, 21st Chapter, 5th verse]], of [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']], Śukadeva Gosvāmī tells King Parīkṣit: "My dear King, I shall try to describe how the minds of the ''gopīs'' became absorbed in the thought of Kṛṣṇa. The ''gopīs'' would meditate on Kṛṣṇa's dressing Himself just like a dancing actor and entering the forest of Vṛndāvana, marking the ground with His footprints. They meditated on Kṛṣṇa's having a helmet with a peacock feather and wearing earrings on His ears and yellow-gold colored garments covered with jewels and pearls. They also meditated on Kṛṣṇa's blowing His flute and on all the cowherd boys' singing of the glories of the Lord." That is the description of the meditation which the ''gopīs'' used to perform.

Sometimes the ''gopīs'' would think about His soft nails, moving eyebrows and His teeth, which were catechu colored from chewing pan. One description was given by a ''gopī'' to her friend: "My dear friend, just see how the enemy of Agha has assumed such wonderful features! His brows are just like the brows of Cupid, and they are moving just as though they were dancing. The tips of His nails are so soft—it is as if they were dried bamboo leaves. His teeth are reddish, and so it appears that He has assumed a feature of anger. Under the circumstances, where is the chance for a young girl not to be attracted by such beautiful features and not to be afraid of becoming a victim to such beauty?"

Kṛṣṇa's attractive features are also described by Vṛndā, the ''gopī'' after whom Vṛndāvana was named. She told Kṛṣṇa: "My dear Mādhava, Your newly-invented smile has so captivated the hearts of the ''gopīs'' that they are simply unable to express themselves! As such, they have become bewildered and will not talk with others. All of these ''gopīs'' have become so affected that it is as if they had offered three sprinkles of water upon their lives. In other words, they have given up all hope for their living condition." According to the Indian system, when a person is dead there is a sprinkling of water on the body. Thus, the statement of Vṛndā shows that the ''gopīs'' were so enchanted by the beauty of Kṛṣṇa that because they could not express their minds, they decided to commit suicide.

When Kṛṣṇa arrived at the age of thirteen to fourteen years, His two arms and chest assumed an unspeakable beauty, and His whole form became simply enchanting. When Kṛṣṇa attained thirteen years of age, His two arms were challenging the trunks of elephants, His rising chest was trying to come to peace talks with doors of jewels, and His two arms were minimizing the value of the bolts found on doors. Who can describe the wonderful beauty of these features of Kṛṣṇa? The special beauty of Kṛṣṇa's body was His mild smiling, His restless eyes and His world-enchanting songs. These are the special features of this age.

There is a statement in this connection that Kṛṣṇa, on arriving at this age, manifested such beautiful bodily features that His restless eyes became the playthings of Cupid, and His mild smile resembled the newly-grown lotus flower. The enchanting vibration of His songs became a great impediment to the young girls, who were supposed to remain chaste and faithful to their husbands.

At this age Kṛṣṇa enjoyed the ''rāsa-līlā,'' exhibiting His power of joking with the cowherd girls and enjoying their company in the bushes of the gardens by the bank of the Yamunā.

In this connection there is the following statement: "Throughout the whole tract of land known as Vṛndāvana there were the footprints of Kṛṣṇa and the ''gopīs'', and in some places peacock feathers were strewn about. In some places there were nice beddings in the bushes of the Vṛndāvana gardens, and in some places there were piles of dust due to the group-dancing of Govinda and the ''gopīs.''" These are some of the features which are due to the different pastimes invented by Śrī Kṛṣṇa in the place known as Vṛndāvana.

There is the following statement by one ''gopī'', describing Kṛṣṇa's attractive feature during this age: "My dear friend, just see how all of a sudden in the sky of Kṛṣṇa there is a powerful rising sun and how this rising sun is minimizing the rays of our chastity moon. Our attraction for Kṛṣṇa is so intense that it is drying up the lotus flower of our discrimination, and we are losing our senses in deciding whether we shall continue as chaste women or be victimized by the beauty of Kṛṣṇa. My dear friend, I think that we have lost all hope of life!"

In the ''kaiśora'' age, beginning from the eleventh year and continuing up to the end of the fifteenth year, Kṛṣṇa's arms, legs and thighs became marked with three divisional lines. At that time Kṛṣṇa's chest challenged the hill of the ''marakata'' jewel. His arms challenged the pillars of the ''indranīla'' jewel, the three lines of His waist challenged the waves of the River Yamunā, and His thighs challenged beautiful bananas. One ''gopī'' said, "With all these exquisite features of His body, Kṛṣṇa is too extraordinarily beautiful, and therefore I am always thinking of Him to protect me because He is the killer of all demons."

The idea expressed in this statement is that the ''gopīs'' were comparing their attraction for Kṛṣṇa to an attack by demons; and to counteract their attraction for the beauty of Kṛṣṇa, they were also turning to Kṛṣṇa hopefully, because He is the killer of all kinds of demons. In other words they were perplexed because on one hand they were attracted by the beauty of Kṛṣṇa, and on the other they needed Kṛṣṇa to drive away the demon of such attraction.

This ''kaiśora'' age can be translated as adolescence. At the end of this period all the ''gopīs'' said, "Kṛṣṇa is the killer of the attraction of Cupid, and as such He disturbs the patience of all newly-married girls. Kṛṣṇa's bodily features have become so exquisite—it is as if they are all manifesting an artistic sense of the highest sort. His dancing eyes have dimmed the brilliance of the most expert dancer, and so there is no longer any comparison to the beauty of Kṛṣṇa." Learned scholars therefore describe the features of His body at this time as ''nava-yauvana'', newly-invented youthfulness. At this stage of Kṛṣṇa's bodily features, the conjugal love affairs with the ''gopīs'' and similar pastimes become very prominent.

There are six features of conjugal love affairs, called peacemaking, picking a quarrel, going to meet one's lover, sitting together, separation and support. Lord Kṛṣṇa expanded an empire of these six features, of which He was the ruling prince. Somewhere He was picking quarrels with the young girls, somewhere He was scratching them with the nails of parrots, somewhere He was busy going to visit the ''gopīs'', and somewhere He was negotiating through cowherd friends to take shelter of the ''gopīs''.

Some of the ''gopīs'' addressed Him thus: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, because of Your adolescent age, You have just become the spiritual master of these young girls, and You are teaching them to whisper among themselves. You are teaching them to offer solemn prayers, as well as training them to cheat their husbands and to join You in the gardens at night, without caring for the instructions of their superiors. You are enthusing them by the vibration of Your enchanting flute; and, as their teacher, You are teaching them all the intricacies of loving affairs."

It is said that even when Kṛṣṇa was a boy of five He manifested such youthful energies, but learned scholars do not explain them because of the absence of suitable age. Kṛṣṇa was beautiful because every part of His body was perfectly arranged without any defect. Such perfect bodily features of Kṛṣṇa are described as follows: "My dear enemy of Kaṁsa, Your broad eyes, Your rising chest, Your two pillar-like arms and the thin middle portion of Your body are always enchanting to every lotus-eyed beautiful girl." The ornaments on the body of Kṛṣṇa were not actually enhancing His beauty, but just the reverse—the ornaments were beautified by Kṛṣṇa.

A person is called mild when he cannot even bear the touch of the most soft thing. It is described that every part of Kṛṣṇa's body was so soft that even at the touch of newly-grown leaves, the color of the touched part of His skin would change. At this ''kaiśora'' age, Kṛṣṇa's endeavors were always bent toward arranging the rāsa dance, as well as toward killing the demons in the forest of Vṛndāvana. While Kṛṣṇa was engaged in enjoyment with the boys and girls within the forest of Vṛndāvana, Kaṁsa used to send his associates to kill Him, and Kṛṣṇa would show His prowess by killing them.

Kṛṣṇa's Apparel and Garlands

Generally, there are four kinds of garments on the body of Kṛṣṇa: His shirt, turban, belt and wearing garments. In Vṛndāvana, He used to put on reddish garments, with a golden shirt on His body and an orange colored turban on His head. The different kinds of belts, combined with His enchanting smile, used to always increase the transcendental bliss of His associates. This dress of Kṛṣṇa is described as gorgeous. As a baby elephant is sometimes dressed in colorful clothing, so Kṛṣṇa's gorgeousness was manifested by decoration with such colorful clothing on the different parts of His body.

''Ākalpa'' refers to the texture of Kṛṣṇa's hair, His nicely dressed body annointed with sandalwood pulp and decorated with flower garlands, His ''tilaka'', and His chewing pan. Kṛṣṇa was decorated constantly in this ''ākalpa'' process. Kṛṣṇa's hair was sometimes decorated with flowers placed on the middle of His head, or else reaching down to His back. In this way Kṛṣṇa dressed His hair differently at different times. As for the ointment on His body, the pulp of sandalwood generally appeared to be white, and when it was mixed with saffron dye it appeared to be yellow.

Kṛṣṇa used to put a ''vaijayantī'' garland around His neck. This vaijayantī garland is made of at least five differently colored flowers. The length of such a garland was always touching Kṛṣṇa's knees or feet. Besides this garland of flowers, there were other kinds of flower garlands too—sometimes decorating His head, sometimes hanging around His neck and chest. Artistic painting with sandalwood pulp and colored sandalwood were also to be found on the body of Kṛṣṇa.

One ''gopī'' addressed her friend and began to praise the bodily features of Kṛṣṇa. She praised His blackish complexion, the reddish color of chewing pan enhancing His beauty hundreds of times, the curling hair on His head, the ''kuṅkum''* red spots on His body and the ''tilaka'' on His forehead.

<nowiki>*</nowiki> kuṅkum is a sweetly-flavored reddish powder which is thrown on the bodies of worshipable persons

His helmet, His earrings, His necklace, His four garments, the bangles on His head, the rings on His fingers, His ankle bells and His flute—these are the different features of Kṛṣṇa's ornaments. Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of Agha, always looked beautiful with His incomparable helmet, His earrings made of diamonds, His necklace of pearls, His bangles, embroidered garments and the beautiful rings on His fingers.

Kṛṣṇa is sometimes called ''vanamālī''. ''Vana'' means forest and ''mālī'' means gardener, so ''vanamālī'' refers to one who extensively uses flowers and garlands on different parts of His body. Kṛṣṇa was dressed like this not only in Vṛndāvana but also on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Seeing such colorful dress and the garlands of different flowers, some great sages prayed, "Lord Kṛṣṇa was going to the battlefield of Kurukṣetra not to fight, but to grace all of the devotees with His presence."

Kṛṣṇa's Flute

As far as His flute is concerned, it is said that the vibration of this wonderful instrument was able to break the meditation of the greatest sages, and Kṛṣṇa was thus challenging Cupid by advertising His transcendental glories all over the world.

There are three kinds of flutes used by Kṛṣṇa. One is called ''veṇu'', one is called ''muralī'', and the third is called ''vaṁśī''. ''Veṇu'' is very small, not more than six inches long, with six holes for whistling. ''Muralī'' is about eighteen inches long with a hole at the end and four holes on the body of the flute. This kind of flute produces a very enchanting sound. The ''vaṁśī'' flute is about fifteen inches long, with nine holes on its body. Kṛṣṇa used to play on these three flutes occasionally when they were needed. Kṛṣṇa has a longer vaṁśī, which is called ''mahānanda'', or ''sanmohinī''. When it is still longer it is called ''ākarṣiṇī''. When it is even longer it is called ''ānandinī''. The ''ānandinī'' flute is very pleasing to the cowherd boys and is technically named ''vaṁsulī''. These flutes were sometimes bedecked with jewels. Sometimes they were made of marble and sometimes of hollow bamboo. When the flute is made of jewels it is called ''sanmohinī.'' When made of gold, it is called ''ākarṣiṇī.''

Kṛṣṇa's Buffalo Horn

Kṛṣṇa used a buffalo horn as a bugling instrument. This instrument was always highly polished and circled with gold bands, and on the middle there was a hole. Regarding these instruments, there is a metaphorical statement about a ''gopī'' named Tārāvalī. It is said that Tārāvalī became bitten by the most venomous snake of Kṛṣṇa's flute. Then, in order to neutralize the poisonous effect, she drank the milk produced by the buffalo horn in the hand of Kṛṣṇa. But instead of decreasing the poisonous effect, it increased it a thousand times. The ''gopī'' was thus put into the most miserable poisoned condition.

The Attraction of Kṛṣṇa's Leg Bells

A certain ''gopī'' once stated to her friend, "My dear friend, when I heard the sound of the leg bell of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, I immediately started to go out of the house to see Him. But most regrettably, my superiors were present just before me at that time, and I could not go out."

Kṛṣṇa's Conchshell

Kṛṣṇa's conchshell is known as Pāñcajanya. This Pāñcajanya conch is also mentioned in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] . Kṛṣṇa sounded it before the Battle of Kurukṣetra. It is said that when Lord Kṛṣṇa blows on His transcendental conchshell, the wives of the demons become subject to abortions, and the wives of the demigods become blest with all auspiciousness. In this way, the sound of Kṛṣṇa's conchshell used to vibrate and circulate all over the world.

Kṛṣṇa's Footprints

It is stated in the [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] that when Akrūra, who drove Kṛṣṇa from Vṛndāvana to Mathurā, saw the footprints of Kṛṣṇa on the land of Vṛndāvana, his ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa increased so much that the hairs on his body stood up. His eyes became overflooded with tears, and in such ecstasy he jumped out of the chariot and fell down on the ground and began to chant, "How wonderful this is! How wonderful this is!"

Similar feelings were expressed by the ''gopīs'' when they were going to the bank of the Yamunā and saw Kṛṣṇa's footprints in the dust. When Kṛṣṇa walked on the ground of Vṛndāvana, the marks of His sole (flag, thunderbolt, fish, a rod for controlling elephants and lotus flower) would be imprinted upon the dust of the land. The ''gopīs'' became overwhelmed simply at seeing those marks on the ground.

Kṛṣṇa's Places of Pastimes

One devotee has exclaimed, "Oh, I have not as yet visited the wonderful places where the pastimes of the Lord were performed. But simply by hearing the name of Mathurā I have become overwhelmed with joy!"

Kṛṣṇa's Favorite Plant: Tulasī

Lord Kṛṣṇa is very fond of ''tulasī'' leaves and buds. Because ''tulasī'' buds are usually offered up to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, a devotee once prayed to the ''tulasī'' buds to give him some information about the lotus feet of the Lord. The devotee expected that the ''tulasī'' buds would know something about the glories of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet.

Kṛṣṇa's Devotees

One may sometimes become overwhelmed with joy by seeing a devotee of the Lord. When Dhruva Mahārāj saw two associates of Nārāyaṇa approaching him, he immediately stood up out of sincere respect and devotion and remained before them with folded hands; but because of his ecstatic love he could hardly offer them a proper reception.

There is a statement by a ''gopī'' who addressed Subala, a friend of Kṛṣṇa: "My dear Subala, I know that Kṛṣṇa is your friend and you always enjoy smiling and joking with Him. The other day I saw you both standing together, and you were keeping your hand upon Kṛṣṇa's shoulder, and both of you were joyfully smiling. When I saw the two of you standing like that in the distance, my eyes at once became overflooded with tears."

Special Days for Remembering Kṛṣṇa

There are many statements about the festive days in connection with Kṛṣṇa's different activities. One of these festive days is Janmāṣṭamī, the day of Kṛṣṇa's birth. This Janmāṣṭamī Day is the most opulent festival day for the devotees, and it is still observed with great pomp in every Hindu house in India. Sometimes even the devotees of other religious groups take advantage of this auspicious day and enjoy the performance of the ceremony of Janmāṣṭamī. Ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa is also aroused on the days of Ekādaśī, which are other festive days in connection with Kṛṣṇa.
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NOD (1970) Concluding Words

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Kritika:

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Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī concludes by saying that ''Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu'' is very difficult for ordinary men to understand, yet he hopes that Lord Kṛṣṇa, the eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead, will be pleased with his presentation of this book.

By rough calculation it is estimated that Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī finished ''Śrī Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu'' in Gokula Vṛndāvana in the year 1552. While physically present, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī was living in different parts of Vṛndāvana, and his headquarters were in the temple of Rādhā-Dāmodara in the present city of Vṛndāvana. The place of Rūpa Gosvāmī's ''bhajana'', execution of devotional service, is commemorated still. There are two different tomb-like structures in the Rādhā-Dāmodara temple; one structure is called his place of ''bhajana'', and in the other his body is entombed. Behind this very tomb I have my place of ''bhajana,'' but since 1965 I have been away. The place, however, is being taken care of by my disciples. By Kṛṣṇa's will, I am now residing at the Los Angeles Temple of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. This purport is finished today, the 30th of June, 1969.
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NOD (1970) Introduction

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Kritika:

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Invoking auspiciousness: Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, the reservoir of all ''rasas'', or relationships, which are called neutrality (passive adoration), servitorship, friendship, parenthood, conjugal love, comedy, compassion, fear, chivalry, ghastliness, wonder and devastation. He is the supreme attractive form, and by His universal and transcendental attractive features He has captivated all the ''gopīs,'' headed by Tārakā, Pālikā, Śyāmā, Lalitā, and ultimately, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Let His Lordship's grace be on us so that there may not be any hindrance in the execution of this duty of writing ''The Nectar of Devotion'', impelled by His Divine Grace Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda.

Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda and of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, by whose inspiration I have been engaged in the matter of compiling this summary study of ''Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu''. This is the sublime science of devotional service as propounded by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who appeared 500 years ago in West Bengal, India, to propagate the movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī begins his great book by offering his respectful obeisances unto Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, who is his elder brother and spiritual master, and he prays that ''Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu'' may be very pleasing to him. He further prays that by residing in that ocean of nectar he may always feel transcendental pleasure in the service of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.

Let us offer our respectful obeisances to all the great devotees and ''ācāryas'' (holy teachers), who are compared with sharks in the great ocean of nectar and who do not care for the various rivers of liberation. Impersonalists are very fond of merging into the supreme, like rivers that come down and merge into the ocean. The ocean can be compared with liberation and the rivers with all the different paths of liberation. The impersonalists are dwelling in the river water, which eventually comes to mix with the ocean. They have no information, however, that within the ocean, as within the river, there are innumerable aquatic living entities. The sharks who dwell in the ocean do not care for the rivers which are gliding down into it. The devotees eternally live in the ocean of devotional service, and they do not care for the rivers. In other words, those who are pure devotees always remain in the ocean of transcendental loving service to the Lord and have no business with the other processes, which are compared to the rivers that only gradually come to the ocean.

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī prays to his spiritual master, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, for the protection of ''Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu''—the Ocean of the Pure Nectar of Devotional Service—from the argumentative logicians who unnecessarily meddle in the science of service to the Lord. He compares their arguments and logic to volcanic eruptions in the midst of the ocean. In the midst of the ocean such volcanic eruptions can do very little harm, and similarly, those who are against devotional service to the Lord and who put forward many philosophical theses about the ultimate transcendental realization cannot disturb this great ocean of devotional service.

The author of ''Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu'', Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, very humbly submits that he is just trying to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, although he humbly thinks himself unfit for this work. That should be the attitude of all preachers of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, following in the footsteps of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. We should never think of ourselves as great preachers, but should always consider that we are simply instrumental to the previous ''ācāryas,'' and simply by following in their footsteps we may be able to do something for the benefit of suffering humanity.

''Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu'' is divided into four parts, just as the ocean is sometimes divided into four parts, and there are different sections within each of these four divisions. Originally in ''Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu,'' the ocean is divided like the watery ocean into east, west, north and south, while the sub-sections within these different divisions are called waves. As in the ocean there are always different waves, either on the eastern side, the western side, the northern side or the southern side, so similarly ''Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu'' has different waves. In the first part there are four waves, the first being a general description of devotional service. The second concerns the regulative principles for executing devotional service, and the third wave devotional service in ecstasy. In the fourth is the ultimate goal, love of God. These will be explicitly described along with their different symptoms.

The authorized description of ''bhakti'', or devotional service, following in the footsteps of previous ''ācāryas'', can be summarized in the following statement by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī: "First-class devotional service is known by one's tendency to be fully engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, serving the Lord favorably." The purport is that one may also be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness unfavorably, but that cannot be counted as pure devotional service. Pure devotional service should be free from the desire for any material benefit or for sense gratification, as these desires are cultivated through fruitive activities and philosophical speculation. Generally, people are engaged in different activities to get some material profit, while most philosophers are engaged in proposing transcendental realization through volumes of word jugglery and speculation. Pure devotional service must always be free from such fruitive activities and philosophical speculations. One has to learn Kṛṣṇa consciousness or pure devotional service from the authorities by spontaneous loving service.

This devotional service is a sort of cultivation. It is not simply inaction for people who like to be inactive or devote their time to silent meditation. There are many different methods for people who want this, but cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is different. The particular word used by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in this connection is ''anuśīlana'', or cultivation by following the predecessor teachers (''ācāryas''). As soon as we say "cultivation," we must refer to activity. Without activity, consciousness alone cannot help us. All activities may be divided into two classes: one class may be for achieving a certain goal, and the other may be for avoiding some unfavorable circumstance. In Sanskrit, these activities are called ''pravṛtti'' and ''nivṛtti''—positive and negative action. There are many examples of negative action. For instance, a diseased person has to be cautious and take medicine in order to avoid some unfavorable illness.

Those who are cultivating spiritual life and executing devotional service are always engaged in activity. Such activity can be performed with the body or with the mind. Thinking, feeling and willing are all activities of the mind, and when we will to do something, the activity comes to be manifest by the gross bodily senses. Thus, in our mental activities we should always try to think of Kṛṣṇa and try to plan how to please Him, following in the footsteps of the great ''ācāryas'' and the personal spiritual master. There are activities of the body, activities of the different senses and activities of speech. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person engages his words in preaching the glories of the Lord. This is called ''kīrtana.'' And by his mind a Kṛṣṇa conscious person always thinks of the activities of the Lord—as He is speaking on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra or engaging in His various pastimes at Vṛndāvana with His devotees. In this way one can always think of the activities and pastimes of the Lord. This is the mental culture of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Similarly, we can offer many services with our bodily activities. But all such activities must be in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. This relationship is established by connecting oneself with the bona fide spiritual master who is the direct representative of Kṛṣṇa in disciplic succession. Therefore, the execution of Kṛṣṇa conscious activities with the body should be directed by the spiritual master and then performed with faith. The connection with the spiritual master is called initiation. From the date of initiation by the spiritual master, the connection between Kṛṣṇa and a person cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness is established. Without initiation by a bona fide spiritual master, the actual connection with Kṛṣṇa consciousness is never performed.

This cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not material. The Lord has generally three energies—namely, the external energy, the internal energy, and the marginal energy. The living entities are called marginal energy, and the material cosmic manifestation is the action of the external or material energy. Then there is the spiritual world, which is a manifestation of the internal energy. The living entities, who are called marginal energy, perform material activities when acting under the inferior external energy. And when they engage in activities under the internal spiritual energy, their activities are called Kṛṣṇa conscious. This means that those who are great souls or great devotees do not act under the spell of material energy, but act instead under the protection of the spiritual energy. Any activities done in devotional service or in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are directly under the control of spiritual energy. In other words, energy is a sort of strength, and this strength can be spiritualized by the mercy of both the bona fide spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa.

In the ''Caitanya-caritāmṛta'' by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, Lord Caitanya states that it is a fortunate person who comes in contact with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. One who is serious about spiritual life is given by Kṛṣṇa the intelligence to come in contact with a bona fide spiritual master, and then by the grace of the spiritual master one becomes advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In this way the whole jurisdiction of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is directly under the spiritual energy—Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master. This has nothing to do with the material world. When we speak of Kṛṣṇa we refer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, along with His many expansions. He is expanded by His plenary parts and parcels, His differentiated parts and parcels and His different energies. Kṛṣṇa, in other words, means everything and includes everything. Generally, however, we should understand Kṛṣṇa to mean Kṛṣṇa and His personal expansions. Kṛṣṇa expands Himself as Baladeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Vāsudeva, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Rāma, Nṛsiṁha and Varāha, as well as many other incarnations and innumerable Viṣṇu expansions. These are described in the [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] to be as numerous as the uncountable waves. So Kṛṣṇa includes all such expansions, as well as His pure devotees. In the ''Brahma-saṁhitā'' it is stated that Kṛṣṇa's expansions are all complete in eternity, blissfulness and cognizance.

Devotional service means to prosecute Kṛṣṇa conscious activities which are favorable to the transcendental pleasure of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, and any activities which are not favorable to the transcendental favor of the Lord cannot be accepted as devotional service. For example, great demons like Rāvaṇa, Kaṁsa and Hiraṇyakaśipu were always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, but they were thinking of Him as their enemy. This sort of thinking cannot be accepted as ''bhakti'' or Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

The impersonalists sometimes misunderstand devotional service in such a way that they divide Kṛṣṇa from His paraphernalia and pastimes. For example, the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] is spoken on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, and the impersonalists say that although Kṛṣṇa is of interest, the battlefield of Kurukṣetra isn't. The devotees, however, also know that the battlefield of Kurukṣetra by itself has nothing to do with their business, but in addition they know that "Kṛṣṇa" does not mean just Kṛṣṇa alone. He is always with His associates and paraphernalia. For instance, if someone says, "Give something to eat to the man with the weapons," the eating process is done by the man and not by the weapons. Similarly, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, a devotee may be interested in the paraphernalia and locations—such as the battlefield of Kurukṣetra—which are associated with Kṛṣṇa, but he is not concerned with simply any battlefield. He is concerned with Kṛṣṇa—His speech, His instructions, etc. It is because Kṛṣṇa is there that the battlefield is so important.

This is the summary understanding of what Kṛṣṇa consciousness is. Without this understanding one is sure to misunderstand why the devotees are interested in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra. One who is interested in Kṛṣṇa becomes interested in His different pastimes and activities.

The definition of a pure devotee, as given by Rūpa Gosvāmī in ''Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu'', can be summarized thus: his service is favorable and is always in relation to Kṛṣṇa. In order to keep the purity of such Kṛṣṇa conscious activities, one must be freed from all material desires and philosophical speculation. Any desire except for the service of the Lord is called material desire. And philosophical speculation refers to the sort of speculation which ultimately arrives at a conclusion of voidism or impersonalism. This conclusion is useless for a Kṛṣṇa conscious person. Only rarely by philosophical speculation can one reach the conclusion of worshiping Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. This is confirmed in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] itself. The ultimate end of philosophical speculation, then, must be Kṛṣṇa, with the understanding that Kṛṣṇa is everything, the cause of all causes, and that one should therefore surrender unto Him. If this ultimate goal is reached, then philosophical advancement is favorable, but if the conclusion of philosophical speculation is voidism or impersonalism, that is not ''bhakti''.

Karma or fruitive activities are sometimes understood to be ritualistic activities. There are many persons who are very much attracted by the ritualistic activities described in the ''Vedas''. But if one becomes attracted simply to ritualistic activities without understanding Kṛṣṇa, his activities are unfavorable to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Actually, Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be based simply on hearing, chanting, remembering, etc. Described in the [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] are nine different processes, besides which everything done is unfavorable to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thus, one should always be guarding against falldowns.

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has also mentioned in this definition of ''bhakti'' the word ''jñāna-karmādi''. This ''karmādi'' (fruitive work) consists of activities which are unable to help one attain to pure devotional service. Many forms of so-called renunciation are also not favorable to Kṛṣṇa conscious devotional service.

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has also quoted a definition from the ''Nārada-pañcarātra'', as follows: "One should be free from all material designations and must be cleansed of all material contamination by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He should be restored to his pure identity, where he engages his senses in the service of the proprietor of the senses." So when our senses are engaged for the actual proprietor of the senses, that is called devotional service. In our conditional state, our senses are engaged in serving these bodily demands. When the same senses are engaged in executing the order of Kṛṣṇa, it is called ''bhakti''.

As long as one identifies himself as belonging to a certain family, a certain society or a certain person, he is said to be covered with designations. When one is fully aware that he does not belong to any family, society or country, but is eternally related to Kṛṣṇa, he then realizes that his energy should be employed not in the interests of so-called family, society or country, but in the interests of Kṛṣṇa. This is purity of purpose and the platform of pure devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
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NOD (1970) Preface

2021-12-06T10:33:25Z

Kritika:

[[Category:Nectar of Devotion (1970)|A2]]
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''The Nectar of Devotion'' is a summary study of ''Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu'', which was written in Sanskrit by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda. He was the chief of the six Gosvāmīs, who were the direct disciples of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When he first met Lord Caitanya, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda was engaged as a minister in the Muhammadan government of Bengal. He and his brother Sanātana were then named Dabira Khāsa and Sākara Mallika respectively, and they held responsible posts as ministers of Nawab Hussain Shah. At that time, five hundred years ago, the Hindu society was very rigid, and if a member of the ''brāhmaṇa'' caste accepted the service of a Muhammadan ruler he was at once rejected from ''brāhmaṇa'' society. That was the position of the two brothers, Dabira Khāsa and Sākara Mallika. They belonged to the highly situated sārasvata-brāhmaṇa community, but they were ostracized due to their acceptance of ministerial posts in the government of Hussain Shah. It is the grace of Lord Caitanya that He accepted these two exalted personalities as His disciples and raised them to the position of ''gosvāmīs,'' the highest position of brahminical culture. Similarly, Lord Caitanya accepted Haridāsa Ṭhākura as His disciple, although Haridāsa happened to be born of a Muhammadan family, and Lord Caitanya later on made him the ''ācārya'' of the chanting of the holy name of the Lord: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Lord Caitanya's principle is universal. Anyone who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa and is engaged in the service of the Lord is accepted as being in a higher position than a person born in the family of a ''brāhmaṇa''. That is the original principle accepted by all Vedic literatures, especially by [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] and [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']]. The principle of Lord Caitanya's movement in educating and elevating everyone to the exalted post of a ''gosvāmī'' is taught in ''The Nectar of Devotion.''

Lord Caitanya met the two brothers Dabira Khāsa and Sākara Mallika in a village known as Rāmakeli in the district of Maldah, and after that meeting the brothers decided to retire from government service and join Lord Caitanya. Dabira Khāsa, who was later to become Rūpa Gosvāmī, retired from his post and collected all the money he had accumulated during his service. It is described in the [[Sri Caitanya-caritamrta|''Caitanya-caritāmṛta'']] that his accumulated savings in gold coins equaled millions of dollars and filled a large boat. He divided the money in a very exemplary manner, which should be followed by devotees in particular and by humanity in general. Fifty percent of his accumulated wealth was distributed to the Kṛṣṇa conscious persons, namely the ''brāhmaṇas'' and the Vaiṣṇavas; twenty-five percent was distributed to relatives; and twenty-five percent was kept against emergency expenditures and personal difficulties. Later on, when Sākara Mallika also proposed to retire, the Nawab was very much agitated and put him into jail. But Sākara Mallika, who was later to become Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, took advantage of his brother's personal money, which had been deposited with a village banker, and escaped from the prison of Hussain Shah. In this way both brothers joined Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Rūpa Gosvāmī first met Lord Caitanya at Prayāga (Allahabad, India), and on the Daśāśvamedha bathing ''ghāṭa'' of that holy city the Lord instructed him continually for ten days. The Lord particularly instructed Rūpa Gosvāmī on the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. These teachings of Lord Caitanya to Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda are narrated in our book ''Teachings of Lord Caitanya.''

Later, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda elaborated the teachings of the Lord with profound knowledge of revealed scriptures and authoritative references from various Vedic literatures. Śrīla Śrīnivāsa Ācārya describes in his prayers to the six Gosvāmīs that they were all highly learned scholars, not only in Sanskrit but also in foreign languages such as Persian and Arabic. They very scrutinizingly studied all the Vedic scriptures in order to establish the cult of Caitanya Mahāprabhu on the authorized principles of Vedic knowledge. The present Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is also based on the authority of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda. We are therefore generally known as ''rūpānugas'', or followers in the footsteps of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda. It is only for our guidance that Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī prepared his book ''Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu'', which is now presented in the form of ''The Nectar of Devotion.'' Persons engaged in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement may take advantage of this great literature and be very solidly situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

''Bhakti'' means "devotional service." Every service has some attractive feature which drives the servitor progressively on and on. Every one of us within this world is perpetually engaged in some sort of service, and the impetus for such service is the pleasure we derive from it. Driven by affection for his wife and children, a family man works day and night. A philanthropist works in the same way for love of the greater family, and a nationalist for the cause of his country and countrymen. That force which drives the philanthropist, the householder and the nationalist is called ''rasa'', or a kind of mellow (relationship) whose taste is very sweet. ''Bhakti-rasa'' is a mellow different from the ordinary ''rasa'' enjoyed by mundane workers. Mundane workers labor very hard day and night in order to relish a certain kind of ''rasa'' which is understood as sense gratification. The relish or taste of the mundane ''rasa'' does not long endure, and therefore mundane workers are always apt to change their position of enjoyment. A businessman is not satisfied by working the whole week; therefore, wanting a change for the weekend, he goes to a place where he tries to forget his business activities. Then, after the weekend is spent in forgetfulness, he again changes his position and resumes his actual business activities. Material engagement means accepting a particular status for some time and then changing it. This position of changing back and forth is technically known as ''bhoga-tyāga'', which means a position of alternating sense enjoyment and renunciation. A living entity cannot steadily remain either in sense enjoyment or in renunciation. Change is going on perpetually, and we cannot be happy in either state, because of our eternal constitutional position. Sense gratification does not endure for long, and it is therefore called ''capala-sukha'', or flickering happiness. For example, an ordinary family man who works very hard day and night and is successful in giving comforts to the members of his family thereby relishes a kind of mellow, but his whole advancement of material happiness immediately terminates along with his body as soon as his life is over. Death is therefore taken as the representative of God for the atheistic class of men. The devotee realizes the presence of God by devotional service, whereas the atheist realizes the presence of God in the shape of death. At death everything is finished, and one has to begin a new chapter of life in a new situation, perhaps higher or lower than the last one. In any field of activity—political, social, national or international—the result of our actions will be finished with the end of life. That is sure.

''Bhakti-rasa'', however, the mellow relished in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, does not finish with the end of life. It continues perpetually and is therefore called ''amṛta'', that which does not die but exists eternally. This is confirmed in all Vedic literatures. [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] says that a little advancement in ''bhakti-rasa'' can save the devotee from the greatest danger—that of missing the opportunity for human life. The ''rasas'' derived from our feelings in social life, in family life or in the greater family life of altruism, philanthropy, nationalism, socialism, communism, etc., do not guarantee that one's next life will be as a human being. We prepare our next life by our actual activities in the present life. A living entity is offered a particular type of body as a result of his action in the present body. These activities are taken into account by a superior authority known as ''daiva'', or the authority of God. This ''daiva'' is explained in [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] as the prime cause of everything, and in [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] it is stated that a man takes his next body by ''daiva-netreṇa'', which means by the supervision of the authority of the Supreme. In an ordinary sense, ''daiva'' is explained as destiny. ''Daiva'' supervision gives us a body selected from 8,400,000 forms; the choice does not depend on our selection, but is awarded to us according to our destiny. If our body at present is engaged in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it is guaranteed that we will have at least a human body in our next life. A human being engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even if unable to complete the course of ''bhakti-yoga'', takes birth in the higher divisions of human society so that he can automatically further his advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore, all bona fide activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are ''amṛta'', or permanent. This is the subject matter of ''The Nectar of Devotion''.

This eternal engagement in ''bhakti-rasa'' can be understood by a serious student upon studying ''The Nectar of Devotion.'' Adoption of ''bhakti-rasa'', or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, will immediately bring one to an auspicious life free from anxieties and will bless one with transcendental existence, thus minimizing the value of liberation. ''Bhakti-rasa'' itself is sufficient to produce a feeling of liberation, because it attracts the attention of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. Generally, neophyte devotees are anxious to see Kṛṣṇa, or God, but God cannot be seen or known by our present materially blunt senses. The process of devotional service as it is recommended in ''The Nectar of Devotion'' will gradually elevate one from the material condition of life to the spiritual status, wherein the devotee becomes purified of all designations. The senses can then become uncontaminated, being constantly in touch with ''bhakti-rasa''. When the purified senses are employed in the service of the Lord, one becomes situated in ''bhakti-rasa'' life, and any action performed for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa in this transcendental ''bhakti-rasa'' stage of life can be relished perpetually. When one is thus engaged in devotional service, all varieties of ''rasas'', or mellows, turn into eternity. In the beginning one is trained according to the principles of regulation under the guidance of the ''ācārya'', or spiritual master, and gradually, when one is elevated, devotional service becomes automatic and spontaneous eagerness to serve Kṛṣṇa. There are twelve kinds of ''rasas'', as will be explained in this book, and by renovating our relationship with Kṛṣṇa in five primary rasas we can live eternally in full knowledge and bliss.

The basic principle of the living condition is that we have a general propensity to love someone. No one can live without loving someone else. This propensity is present in every living being. Even an animal like a tiger has this loving propensity at least in a dormant stage, and it is certainly present in the human beings. The missing point, however, is where to repose our love so that everyone can become happy. At the present moment the human society teaches one to love his country or family or his personal self, but there is no information where to repose the loving propensity so that everyone can become happy. That missing point is Kṛṣṇa, and ''The Nectar of Devotion'' teaches us how to stimulate our original love for Kṛṣṇa and how to be situated in that position where we can enjoy our blissful life.

In the primary stage a child loves his parents, then his brothers and sisters, and as he daily grows up he begins to love his family, society, community, country, nation, or even the whole human society. But the loving propensity is not satisfied even by loving all human society; that loving propensity remains imperfectly fulfilled until we know who is the supreme beloved. Our love can be fully satisfied only when it is reposed in Kṛṣṇa. This theme is the sum and substance of ''The Nectar of Devotion'', which teaches us how to love Kṛṣṇa in five different transcendental mellows.

Our loving propensity expands just as a vibration of light or air expands, but we do not know where it ends. ''The Nectar of Devotion'' teaches us the science of loving every one of the living entities perfectly by the easy method of loving Kṛṣṇa. We have failed to create peace and harmony in human society, even by such great attempts as the United Nations, because we do not know the right method. The method is very simple, but one has to understand it with a cool head. ''The Nectar of Devotion'' teaches all men how to perform the simple and natural method of loving Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If we learn how to love Kṛṣṇa, then it is very easy to immediately and simultaneously love every living being. It is like pouring water on the root of a tree or supplying food to one's stomach. The method of pouring water on the root of a tree or supplying foodstuffs to the stomach is universally scientific and practical, as every one of us has experienced. Everyone knows well that when we eat something, or in other words, when we put foodstuffs in the stomach, the energy created by such action is immediately distributed throughout the whole body. Similarly, when we pour water on the root, the energy thus created is immediately distributed throughout the entirety of even the largest tree. It is not possible to water the tree part by part, nor is it possible to feed the different parts of the body separately. ''The Nectar of Devotion'' will teach us how to turn the one switch that will immediately brighten everything, everywhere. One who does not know this method is missing the point of life.

As far as material necessities are concerned, the human civilization at the present moment is very much advanced in living comfortably, but still we are not happy, because we are missing the point. The material comforts of life alone are not sufficient to make us happy. The vivid example is America: the richest nation of the world, having all facilities for material comfort, is producing a class of men completely confused and frustrated in life. I am appealing herewith to such confused men to learn the art of devotional service as directed in ''The Nectar of Devotion'', and I am sure that the fire of material existence burning within their hearts will be immediately extinguished. The root cause of our dissatisfaction is that our dormant loving propensity has not been fulfilled despite our great advancement in the materialistic way of life. ''The Nectar of Devotion'' will give us practical hints how we can live in this material world perfectly engaged in devotional service and thus fulfill all our desires in this life and the next. ''The Nectar of Devotion'' is not presented to condemn any way of materialistic life, but the attempt is to give information to religionists, philosophers and people in general how to love Kṛṣṇa. One may live without material discomfiture, but at the same time he should learn the art of loving Kṛṣṇa. At the present moment we are inventing so many ways to utilize our propensity to love, but factually we are missing the real point: Kṛṣṇa. We are watering all parts of the tree, but missing the tree's root. We are trying to keep our body fit by all means, but we are neglecting to supply foodstuffs to the stomach. Missing Kṛṣṇa means missing one's self also. Real self-realization and realization of Kṛṣṇa go together simultaneously. For example, seeing oneself in the morning means seeing the sunrise also; without seeing the sunshine no one can see himself. Similarly, unless one has realized Kṛṣṇa there is no question of self-realization.

''The Nectar of Devotion'' is specifically presented for persons who are now engaged in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. I beg to offer my sincere thanks to all my friends and disciples who are helping me to push forward the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in the Western countries, and I beg to acknowledge, with thanks, the contribution made by my beloved disciple Śrīman Jayānanda brahmacārī. My thanks are due as well to the directors of ISKCON Press, who have taken so much care in publishing this great literature. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

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[[File:Sig.jpg|408px|link=|alt=A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami]]<br />
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
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:April 13, 1970
:ISKCON Headquarters
:3764 Watseka Ave.
:Los Angeles, California
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NOD (1970) Dedication

2021-12-06T09:57:30Z

Kritika:

[[Category:Nectar of Devotion (1970)|A1]]
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<div style="float:right">'''[[NOD (1970) Preface|Preface]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=NOD (1970) Preface|Preface]]</div>
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[[File:The Nectar of Devotion-6 Gosvamis.jpg|400px|left|link=|alt=The 6 Gosvamis]]

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:nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau
:lokānāṁ hitakāriṇau tribhuvane mānyau śaraṇyākarau
:rādhā-kṛṣṇa-padāravinda bhajanānandena mattālikau
:vande rūpa-sanātanau raghuyugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau.

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvāmīs, namely Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī and Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, who are very expert in scrutinizingly studying all the revealed scriptures with the aim of establishing eternal religious principles for the benefit of all human beings. Thus they are honored all over the three worlds, and they are worth taking shelter of because they are absorbed in the mood of the ''gopīs'' and are engaged in the transcendental loving service of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa."
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NOD 49 (1970)

2021-12-06T09:49:23Z

Kritika:

[[Category:Nectar of Devotion (1970)|N49]]
<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=Nectar of Devotion (1970)]] '''[[Nectar of Devotion (1970)]], Mixing of Rasas'''</div>
<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=NOD 48 (1970)]] '''[[NOD 48 (1970)]] - [[NOD 50 (1970)]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=NOD 50 (1970)]]</div>
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As already described, there are twelve different kinds of ''rasas'', or ecstatic relationships which are shared with Kṛṣṇa. Five of these ''rasas'' are direct, and they are listed as neutrality, servitude, fraternal love, parental love, and conjugal love. Seven of the ''rasas'' are indirect, and they are listed as humor, astonishment, chivalry, compassion, anger, dread and ghastliness. The five direct ''rasas'' are eternally manifested in the Vaikuṇṭha world, the spiritual kingdom, whereas the seven indirect ''rasas'' are eternally manifesting and unmanifesting in Gokula Vṛndāvana, where Kṛṣṇa displays His transcendental pastimes in the material world.

Very often, in addition to one's regular ''rasa'', there is found the presence of some other ''rasa'', and the mixture of these loving humors is sometimes compatible, or palatable, and sometimes incompatible, or unpalatable. The following is a scientific analysis of the compatibility and incompatibility of the mixtures of these various ''rasas'', or loving moods.

When in the ''rasa'' of neutral love (''śānta-rasa'') there are found traces of dread or astonishment, the result is compatible. When with this neutral love there are manifestations of conjugal love, chivalry, anger or dread, the result is incompatible.

When in the ecstasy of a serving humor, there are manifestations of dread, neutral love, or chivalry (such as ''dharma-vīra'' and ''dāna-vīra'') the result is compatible. The ecstasy of devotional service in chivalry (''yuddha-vīra'') and anger are directly produced by Kṛṣṇa Himself.

With the ecstasy of fraternal love, a mixture of conjugal love, laughter or chivalry is highly compatible. With the same fraternal love, a mixture of dread or parental love is most incompatible.

Although there are gulfs of differences between them, with the ecstasy of parental affection, a mixture of laughter, compassion or dread is compatible.

With the ecstasy of parental love, a mixture of conjugal love, chivalry or anger is incompatible.

With the ecstasy of devotion in conjugal love, a mixture of laughter or fraternity is compatible.

According to certain expert opinions, in the ecstasy of conjugal love, the feelings of chivalry which are known as ''yuddha-vīra'' and ''dharma-vīra'' are the only compatible additions. According to this view, except for these two humors, all other manifestations are taken as incompatible with conjugal love.

With the ecstasy of devotional laughter, a mixture of dread, conjugal love or parental love is compatible, whereas a mixture of compassion or ghastliness is incompatible.

With the ecstasy of devotion in astonishment, a mixture of chivalry or neutral love is compatible; whereas a mixture of anger or dread is always incompatible.

With the ecstasy of devotional chivalry, a mixture of astonishment, laughter or servitude is compatible, while a mixture of dread or conjugal love is incompatible. According to some expert opinions, the ecstasy of neutral love is always compatible with devotional service in chivalry.

With the ecstasy of compassion in devotional service, a mixture of anger or parental love is compatible; while a mixture of laughter, conjugal love or astonishment is always incompatible.

With the ecstasy of anger in devotional service, a mixture of compassion or chivalry is compatible; while a mixture of laughter, conjugal union or dread is completely incompatible.

With the ecstasy of dread in devotional service, a mixture of ghastliness or compassion is compatible.

With the ecstasy of chivalry in devotional service, a mixture of conjugal union, laughter or anger is always incompatible.

In the ecstasy of ghastliness in devotional service, feelings of neutral love, laughter or servitude are compatible; whereas feelings of conjugal union and fraternity are incompatible.

The above analysis is a sample of the study of ''rasābhāsa'' or incompatible mixing of ''rasas''. This transcendental science of ''rasābhāsa'' can thoroughly explain the humors in ecstatic love which are compatible and incompatible with one another. When Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was residing in Jagannātha Purī, many poets and devotees used to come to Him and offer their different kinds of poetry, but the regulation was that Lord Caitanya's secretary, Svarūpa Dāmodara, first examined all of these writings scrutinizingly, and then if he would find that there were no incompatibilities in the ''rasas'', or transcendental mellows, he would then allow the poet to approach Lord Caitanya and recite his poetry.

The topic of incompatibility is a very important one, and those who are pure devotees always expect to find perfect compatibility in descriptions of the different relationships with the Personality of Godhead. The study of compatibility and incompatibility sometimes becomes very involved, and a hint of why this is so is given as follows: When a friend meets another friend, the mellow produced out of that meeting is generally taken as very palatable. But actually with such meetings between two friends, there are so many feelings involved that it is difficult to ascertain when these feelings are actually becoming compatible and when they are becoming incompatible.

Expert literary scholars have analyzed the ''rasas'' which are compatible with one another by contrasting the various ''rasas'' in a particular mixture under the names "whole" and "part." According to this method, the prominent feeling is called the "whole," and the subordinate feeling is called the "part."

The following statement elucidates the subject of part and whole: "All living entities are just like sparks from the supreme fire, and as such, I do not know if I, a tiny spark, shall be able to engage myself in the transcendental loving service of this supreme fire, Lord Kṛṣṇa." In this statement, the feelings of neutral love are taken as the whole, whereas the desire to serve the Lord is taken as the part. Actually, in the Brahman effulgence there is no chance for reciprocation of loving ecstasy between the Lord and the devotee.

There is another quotation by a devotee who laments as follows: "Alas, I am still trying to relish different pleasurable states from this body, which is simply some skin covering mucus, semina and blood. In this state of consciousness I am so condemned that I cannot relish the transcendental ecstasy of remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead." In this statement there are two ecstatic loving humors, namely neutrality and ghastliness. Neutrality is taken here as the whole, whereas the ecstasy of ghastliness is the part.

There is a similar statement by a devotee as follows: "I shall now begin my service of fanning the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is seated on a golden throne. He is the supreme Param-brahma in His eternal transcendental form of a cloudy blackish complexion. Now I shall give up my affection for my material body, which is nothing but a bunch of flesh and blood." Herein also there is a combination of servitude and ghastliness, where the ecstasy of servitude is taken as the whole, and the ecstasy of ghastliness is taken as the part.

There is another statement as follows: "When shall I be freed from the mode of ignorance? And being thus purified, when shall I attain the stage of serving Kṛṣṇa eternally? Only then shall I be able to worship Him, always observing His lotus eyes and beautiful face." In this statement the whole is the ecstasy of neutrality, and the part is servitorship.

There is another statement as follows: "Please look at this devotee of the Lord who is dancing just from remembering the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Simply by observing his dance you will lose all interest in even the most beautiful women!" In this statement the whole is in neutrality, and the part is in ghastliness.

One devotee boldly said, "My dear Lord, now I am turning my face from any thought of association with young girls. As far as Brahman realization is concerned, I have lost all interest because I am completely absorbed in thinking about You. And being absorbed so blissfully, I have lost all other desires, even the desire for mystic powers. Now my mind is only attracted to worshiping Your lotus feet." In this statement, the whole is the ecstasy of neutrality, and the part is chivalry.

In another statement, Subala is addressed thus: "My dear Subala, the damsels of Vṛndāvana who had the opportunity of enjoying Kṛṣṇa's kissing must be the foremost of all the fortunate women in the world." In this example, the ecstasy of fraternal devotional service is the whole, and the ecstasy of conjugal love is the part.

The following statement was made by Kṛṣṇa to the ''gopīs'': "My dear enchanted, don't gaze at Me with longing eyes like this. Be satisfied and return to your homes in Vṛndāvana. There is no necessity of your presence here." While Kṛṣṇa was joking in this way with the damsels of Braja, who with great hope had come to enjoy the ''rāsa'' dance with Him, Subala was also on the scene, and he began to look at Kṛṣṇa with wide and laughing eyes. Subala's feeling contained a mixture of fraternity and laughter in devotional service. Fraternity is considered here as the whole, and the laughter is considered as the part.

The following example contains a mixture of ecstatic fraternity and laughter, taken respectively as the whole and part. When Kṛṣṇa saw that Subala, in the dress of Rādhārāṇī, was silently hiding under the shade of a beautiful ''aśoka'' tree on the bank of the Yamunā, He immediately arose from His seat in surprise. Upon seeing Kṛṣṇa, Subala tried to hide his laughter by covering his cheeks.

There is also an example of a mixture of parental love and compassion in devotional service. When Mother Yaśodā was thinking that her son was walking in the forest without any umbrella or shoes, she became greatly perturbed to think of how much difficulty Kṛṣṇa must have been feeling. In this example the whole is the paternal love, and the part is compassion.

There is the following example of a mixture of parental love and laughter. A friend of Mother Yaśodā told her, "My dear Yaśodā, your son has very cunningly stolen a lump of butter from my home. And to make me blame my own son for His mischief, He has smeared some of the butter on my son's face while he was sleeping!" Upon hearing this, Mother Yaśodā shook her curved eyebrows. She could only look at her friend with a smiling face. May Mother Yaśodā bless everyone with this smiling attitude. In this example the whole is the parental love, and the part is the laughter.

There is an example of a mixture of several humors with devotional service as follows. When Kṛṣṇa was holding up Govardhan Hill with His left hand, His hairs became scattered all over His shoulders, and He appeared to be perspiring. When Mother Yaśodā saw this scene, she began to tremble. Then, as she stared at the scene with broadened eyes, she saw Kṛṣṇa begin to exhibit varieties of facial caricatures. Mother Yaśodā then became very happy and began to smile. Then again, when she thought that Kṛṣṇa was holding up the hill for such an extremely long time, her clothes became soaked with perspiration. May Mother Yaśodā Brajeśvarī protect the whole universe by her infinite mercy! In this example, the whole is parental love, and the part is dread, wonder, laughter, compassion, etc.

There is an example of a mixture of conjugal love and fraternal affection when Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī said, "My dear friends, just see how Kṛṣṇa is resting His hand on the shoulder of Subala, who is dressed up just like a young girl! I think He must be sending some message to Me through Subala. The purport is that the superiors of Rādhārāṇī do not like Kṛṣṇa or His cowherd friends to associate with Her; therefore these friends sometimes clothe themselves in female dress so they can give Rādhārāṇī a message from Kṛṣṇa. In this example the whole is conjugal love and the part is fraternity.

The following is an example of a mixture of conjugal love and laughter in devotional service: Kṛṣṇa, in the dress of a young girl, told Rādhārāṇī, "Oh, You hard-hearted girl! Don't You know that I am Your sister? Why are You unable to recognize Me? Be merciful upon Me and please capture My shoulders and embrace Me with love!" While Kṛṣṇa was dressed up exactly like Rādhārāṇī, He was speaking these nice words, and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī could understand His purpose. But because She was in front of many of Her superiors, She simply smiled and did not say anything. In this instance, the ecstasy of conjugal love is taken as the whole, and the ecstasy of laughter is taken as the part.

The following illustrates a mixture of several feelings. When one of the consort friends of Candrāvalī saw that Kṛṣṇa was preparing to fight with the Vṛṣāsura demon, she began to think: "How wonderful Kṛṣṇa is! His mind is captivated by the eyebrows of Candrāvalī in a smiling spirit, His snake-like arms are on the shoulder of His friend, and at the same time He is roaring like a lion to encourage Vṛṣāsura to fight with Him!" This is an example of conjugal love, fraternity, and chivalry. The conjugal love is taken here as the whole, and the fraternity and chivalry are taken as the parts.

When Kubjā caught hold of Kṛṣṇa's yellow garment because she was feeling almost lusty with sex urge, Kṛṣṇa simply bowed down His head with His cheeks glowing in front of the many people who were standing there and laughing. This is an example of a mixture of ecstatic conjugal love and laughter. The laughter is taken as the whole, and the conjugal love is taken as the part.

Viśāla, a cowherd boy who was attempting to fight with Bhadrasena, was addressed by another cowherd boy as follows: "Why are you attempting to show your chivalrous spirit before me? Before this, you even attempted to fight with Śrīdāmā, but you must know that Śrīdāmā does not even care to fight with hundreds of Balarāmas. So why are you acting so enthusiastically when you actually have no importance at all?" This is an example of a mixture of devotional fraternity and chivalry. The chivalry is taken as the whole, and the fraternity is taken as the part.

Śiśupāla was habituated to calling Kṛṣṇa ill names, and by his insults he irritated the sons of Pāṇḍu more than he irritated Kṛṣṇa. The Pāṇḍavas therefore equipped themselves with all kinds of weapons to kill Śiśupāla. Their feelings were a mixture of ecstatic anger and fraternity, the anger being taken as the whole, and fraternity as the part.

Once Kṛṣṇa was watching Śrīdāmā very expertly using his stick to fight with Balarāma, who was an expert club-fighter and who had even killed the Pralambāsura demon with His club. When Kṛṣṇa saw Balarāma finally defeated by Śrīdāmā, who was using only a small stick, Kṛṣṇa became filled with pleasure and began to look upon Śrīdāmā with great wonder. In this instance there is a mixture of astonishment, fraternity and chivalry in devotional service. The fraternity and chivalry are considered as the parts, and the astonishment is considered as the whole.

Expert analyzers of these various kinds of mellows instruct us that when different mellows overlap one another, the mellow which is the whole, or the prominent humor, is called the permanent ecstasy. It is confirmed in the ''Viṣṇu-dharmottara'' that when there are many mellows of devotional ecstasy mixed together, the prominent one, or the whole, is called the steady ecstasy of devotional service. Although the subordinate mellow may be manifested for a certain time, at length it will become merged into the prominent whole. Thus it is called an unconstitutional ecstasy of devotional service.

There is a good analogy in this connection, showing the relationship between the part and the whole. Lord Vāmanadeva is actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but He appeared to have been "born" as one of the brothers of Indra. Although Vāmanadeva is sometimes taken as a less-important demigod, He is actually the maintainer of Indra, the King of the demigods. Thus, although sometimes Vāmanadeva is considered to be a subordinate demigod, His actual position is that of the supreme whole, the source of the entire demigod system. In the same way, a rasa which is actually prominent may sometimes appear to be manifested in a subordinate way, although its actual position is as the main or prominent loving feeling of a devotee.

When an unconstitutional ecstasy of devotional service is manifested prominently at a certain time, it is still accepted as the part. If it is not very prominently manifested, it appears only slightly and quickly merges back into the whole. At such times of slight appearance, no consideration is given to it; as when one is eating some palatable dishes, if one also eats a small blade of grass, he will not taste it, nor will he care to distinguish what its taste is like.
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NOD 48 (1970)

2021-12-06T09:16:55Z

Kritika:

[[Category:Nectar of Devotion (1970)|N48]]
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<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=NOD 47 (1970)]] '''[[NOD 47 (1970)]] - [[NOD 49 (1970)]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=NOD 49 (1970)]]</div>
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Dread

In ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa in dread, there are two causes of fear: either Kṛṣṇa Himself or some dreadful situation for Kṛṣṇa. When a devotee feels himself to be an offender at Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, at that time Kṛṣṇa Himself becomes the objective of dreadful ecstatic love. And when out of ecstatic love friends and well-wishers of Kṛṣṇa apprehend some danger for Him, that situation becomes the object of their dread.

When Ṛkṣarāj was in front of Kṛṣṇa fighting and suddenly realized that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa addressed him thus: "My dear Ṛkṣarāj, why is your face so dry? Please do not feel threatened by Me. There is no need for your heart to tremble like this. Please calm yourself down. I have no anger toward you. You can, however, become as angry as you like with Me—to expand your service in fighting with Me and to increase My sporting attitude." In this dreadful situation in ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Himself is the object of dread.

There is another instance of a dreadful situation with Kṛṣṇa as the object as follows: After being sufficiently chastised by child Kṛṣṇa in the Yamunā River, the Kāliya snake began to address the Lord, "O killer of the Mura demon, I have acquired many mystic powers by my austerity and penances, but before You I am nothing, I am most insignificant. Therefore, please be kind upon a poor soul like me, and don't be angry with me. I did not know Your actual position, and out of ignorance I have committed such horrible offenses. Please save me. I am a most unfortunate, foolish creature. Please be merciful to me." This is another instance of the ecstasy of dread in devotional service.

When the Keśī demon was causing disturbance in Vṛndāvana by assuming a large horse's body that was so big that he could jump over the trees, Mother Yaśodā told her husband, Nanda Mahārāj, "Our child is very restless, so we had better keep Him locked up within the house. I have been very worried about the recent disturbances of the Keśī demon, who has been assuming the form of a giant horse." When it was learned that the demon was entering Gokula in an angry mood, Mother Yaśodā became so anxious to protect her child that her face dried up and there were tears in her eyes. These are some of the signs of the ecstasy of dread in devotional service, caused by seeing and hearing something that is dangerous to Kṛṣṇa.

After the Pūtanā witch had been killed, some friends of Mother Yaśodā inquired from her about the incident. Mother Yaśodā at once requested her friends, "Please stop! Please stop! Don't bring up the incident of Pūtanā. I become distressed just by remembering this incident. The Pūtanā witch came to devour my son, and she deceived me into letting her take the child on her lap. After that, she died and made a tumultuous sound with her gigantic body."

In the ecstasy of devotional service in dread, the unconstitutional symptoms are drying up of the mouth, exuberance, glancing towards the back side, concealing oneself, bewilderment, searching after the endangered lovable object and crying very loudly. Some other unconstitutional symptoms are illusion, forgetfulness, and expectation of danger. In all such circumstances the ecstatic dread is the steady or constant factor. Such dreadfulness is caused either by offenses committed or by dreadful circumstances. Offenses can be committed in varieties of ways, and the dread is felt by the person who has committed the offense. When dread is caused by a fearful object, this fearful object is generally a person who is fearsome in his features, nature and influence. An example of an object which caused ecstatic dread is the Pūtanā witch. Dread can be caused by mischievous demonic characters, such as King Kaṁsa, and it can be caused by great powerful demigods, such as Indra or Śaṅkara.

Demons like Kaṁsa feared Kṛṣṇa, but their feelings cannot be described as ecstatic dread in devotional service.

Ghastliness

It is understood from authoritative sources that an attachment for Kṛṣṇa because of feelings of disgust sometimes presents a ghastly ecstasy in devotional service. The person experiencing such ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa is almost always in the neutral stage of devotional service, or ''śānta-rasa''. A description of ecstatic love caused by ghastliness is found in the following statement: "This person was formerly interested solely in the matter of lust and sense gratification, and he had perfected the greatest skill in exploiting women to fulfill his lusty desires. But now how wonderful it is that this same man is chanting the names of Kṛṣṇa with tears in his eyes, and as soon as he sees the face of a woman, he immediately becomes disgusted. From the indication of his face, I would think that now he hates sex life."

In this mellow of devotional service in ghastliness, the sub-ecstatic symptoms are spitting upon the consideration of one's past life, contorting the face, covering the nose and washing the hands. There is also trembling of the body, forcible twisting of the body and perspiration. Other symptoms which may be present are shame, exhaustion, madness, illusion, frustration, humility, self-pity, restlessness, eagerness and stunning of the body.

When a devotee, lamenting for his past abominable activities, shows special symptoms on his body, his feeling is called ecstasy in devotional service in ghastliness. This is caused by the awakening of his Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

In this connection there is the following statement: "How can a person take pleasure in the enjoyment of sex life in this body, which is a bag of skin and bones, filled with blood, covered by skin and flesh and which produces mucus and evil smells?" This perception is possible only for one who is awakened to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and who has become fully cognizant of the abominable nature of this material body.

A fortunate child in the womb of his mother prayed to Kṛṣṇa as follows: "O enemy of Kaṁsa, I am suffering so much because of this material body. Now I am trapped within a mess of blood, urine and liquid stool, within the womb of my mother. Because I am living in such a condition, I am suffering great pangs. Therefore, O divine ocean of mercy, please be kind to me. I have no capacity to be engaged in Your loving devotional service, but please save me!" There is a similar statement by a person fallen in the hellish condition of life. He addressed the Supreme Lord thus: "My dear Lord, Yamarāja has placed me in a situation which is full of filthy and obnoxious smells. There are so many insects and worms, surrounded by the stools left by different kinds of diseased persons. And after visualizing this horrible scene, my eyes have become sore, and I am becoming nearly blind. I therefore pray, O my Lord, O deliverer from the hellish conditions of life. I have fallen into this hell, but I shall try to remember Your holy name always, and in this way I shall try to keep my body and soul together." This is another instance of ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa in an abominable situation.

It is to be understood that any person who is constantly engaged in chanting the holy names of the Lord, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, has attained a transcendental affection for Kṛṣṇa, and as such, in any condition of life, he remains satisfied simply by remembering the Lord's name in full affection and ecstatic love.

In conclusion, it may be stated that the ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa in ghastliness appears during the development of dormant neutrality into developed affection.
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NOD 47 (1970)

2021-12-06T09:02:28Z

Kritika:

[[Category:Nectar of Devotion (1970)|N47]]
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Compassion

When the ecstasy of devotional service produces some kind of lamentation in connection with Kṛṣṇa, it is called devotional service in compassion. The impetus of this devotional service is Kṛṣṇa's transcendental quality, form and activities. In this ecstasy of devotional service there are sometimes symptoms like regret, heavy breathing, crying, falling on the ground and beating upon one's chest. Sometimes symptoms like laziness, frustration, defamation, humility, anxiety, moroseness, eagerness, restlessness, madness, death, forgetfulness, disease and illusion are also visible. When in the heart of a devotee there is expectation of some mishap to Kṛṣṇa it is called devotional service in bereavement. Such bereavement is another symptom of this devotional service in compassion.

In the [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']], [[SB 10.16.10|Tenth Canto, 16th Chapter, 13th verse]], there is the following description. When Kṛṣṇa was chastising the Kāliyanāga in the Yamunā, the big snake wrapped his coils all over Kṛṣṇa's body, and upon seeing Kṛṣṇa in this situation, all His dear cowherd friends became greatly disturbed. Out of bereavement, distress and fearfulness, they became bewildered and began to fall on the ground. Because the cowherd boys were under the illusion that Kṛṣṇa could be in some mishap, their symptoms are not at all astonishing; they had dedicated their friendship, their possessions, their desires and their very selves to Kṛṣṇa.

When Kṛṣṇa entered the Yamunā River, which had become very poisonous from the presence of Kāliya, Mother Yaśodā feared all kinds of mishaps, and she was breathing hotly. Tears from her eyes were soaking her clothes, and she was almost collapsing.

Similarly, when the Śaṅkhāsura demon was attacking Kṛṣṇa's queens one after another, Lord Baladeva became more and more bluish.

In the ''Haṁsadūta'', the following incident is described: The ''gopīs'' requested Haṁsadūta to search after the marks of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet and to accept them as Lord Brahmā had accepted them on his helmet after he had stolen all Kṛṣṇa's cowherd boys. Regretting his challenge to Kṛṣṇa, Lord Brahmā had bowed down before the Lord, and his helmet became marked with the footprints of Kṛṣṇa. The ''gopīs'' reminded Haṁsadūta that sometimes even the great sage Nārada becomes very ecstatic by seeing these footprints, and sometimes great liberated sages also aspire to see them. "You should therefore seek very enthusiastically to find the footprints of Kṛṣṇa," they urged. This is another instance of devotional service in compassion.

There is another instance when Sahadeva, the younger brother of Nakula, became greatly gladdened at seeing the effulgent glowing of Kṛṣṇa's footprints. He began to cry and call out, "Mother Mādrī! Where are you now? Father Pāṇḍu! Where are you now? I am very sorry that you are not here to see these footprints of Kṛṣṇa!" This is another instance of devotional service in compassion.

In such devotional service in compassion there are sometimes smiling symptoms, but never is there any stress or lamentation. The basic principle is always ecstatic love. The apprehension of some mishap to Kṛṣṇa or to His beloved queens, as exhibited by Baladeva and Yudhiṣṭhira, has been explained above. This apprehension is not exactly due to their ignorance of the inconceivable potencies of Kṛṣṇa but to their intense love for Him. This kind of apprehension of some mishap to Kṛṣṇa first of all becomes manifested as an object of lamentation, but gradually it develops into such compassionate loving ecstasy that it turns to another channel and gives transcendental pleasure.

Anger

In ecstatic loving service to Kṛṣṇa in anger, Kṛṣṇa is always the object. In ''Vidagdha-mādhava'', Second Canto, 53rd verse, Lalitāgopī expressed her anger, which was caused by Kṛṣṇa, when she addressed Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī thus: "My dear friend, my inner desires have been polluted. Therefore I shall go to the place of Yamarāja. But I am sorry to see that Kṛṣṇa has still not given up His smiling over cheating You. I do not know how You could repose all Your loving propensities upon this lusty young boy from the neighborhood of the cowherds."

After seeing Kṛṣṇa, Jaratī sometimes said, "O You thief of young girls' properties! I can distinctly see the covering garment of my daughter-in-law on Your person." Then she cried very loudly, addressing all the residents of Vṛndāvana to inform them that this son of King Nanda was setting fire to the household life of her daughter-in-law.

Similar ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa in anger was expressed by Rohiṇī-devī when she heard the roaring sound of the two falling ''arjuna'' trees to which Kṛṣṇa had been tied. The whole neighborhood proceeded immediately towards the place where the accident took place, and Rohiṇīdevī took the opportunity to rebuke Mother Yaśodā as follows: "You may be very expert in giving lessons to your son by binding Him with rope, but don't you look to see if your son is in a dangerous spot? The trees are falling on the ground, and He is simply loitering there!" This expression of Rohiṇīdevī's anger toward Yaśodā is an example of ecstatic love in anger caused by Kṛṣṇa.

Once, while Kṛṣṇa was in the pasturing ground with His cowherd boys, His friends requested Him to go to the Tālavana Forest, where Gardabhāsura, a disturbing demon in the shape of an ass, resided. The friends of Kṛṣṇa wanted to eat the fruit from the forest trees, but they could not go because of fear of the demon. Thus they requested Kṛṣṇa to go there and kill Gardabhāsura. After Kṛṣṇa did this, they all returned home, and their report of the day's activity perturbed Mother Yaśodā because Kṛṣṇa had been sent alone into such danger in the Tālavana Forest. Thus she looked upon the boys with anger.

There is another instance of anger on the part of a friend of Rādhārāṇī's. When Rādhārāṇī was dissatisfied with the behavior of Kṛṣṇa and had stopped talking with Him, Kṛṣṇa was very sorry for Rādhārāṇī's great dissatisfaction, and in order to beg forgiveness, He fell down at Her lotus feet. But even after this, Rādhārāṇī was not satisfied, and She did not talk with Kṛṣṇa. At that time, one of Her friends chastised Her in the following words: "My dear friend, You are allowing Yourself to be churned by the rod of dissatisfaction, so what can I say unto You? The only advice I can give You is that You had better leave this scene immediately, because Your misbehavior is giving me too much pain. I cannot bear to see Your behavior, because even though Kṛṣṇa's peacock feather has touched Your feet, You still appear to be red-faced."

The above attitudes of dissatisfaction and anger in devotional service are called ''īrṣyu''.

When Uddhava was leaving Vṛndāvana, some of the elderly ''gopīs'' rebuked him as follows: "O son of Gāndinī, your cruelty is defaming the dynasty of King Yadu. You are taking Kṛṣṇa away, keeping us in such pitiable condition without Him. Now, even before you have left, the life air of all the ''gopīs'' has practically disappeared."

When Kṛṣṇa was insulted by Śiśupāla in the assembly of rāja-sūya ''yajña'' convened by Mahārāj Yudhiṣṭhira, there was a great turmoil amongst the Pāṇḍavas and Kurus, involving grandfather Bhīṣma. At that time Nakula said with great anger, "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the nails of His toes are beautified by the light emanating from the jeweled helmets of the authorities of the ''Vedas''. If He is derided by anyone, I declare herewith as a Pāṇḍava that I will kick his helmet with my left foot, and I will strike him with my arrows, which are as good as ''Yamadaṇḍa'', the sceptor of Yamarāja!" This is an instance of ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa in anger.

In such a transcendental angry mood sometimes sarcastic remarks, unfavorable glances and insulting words are exhibited. Sometimes there are other symptoms, like rubbing the two hands, clacking the teeth, clamping the lips, moving the eyebrows, scratching the arms, lowering the head, breathing rapidly, uttering strong words, nodding the head, exhibiting yellowishness at the corner of the eyes, and exhibiting trembling lips. Sometimes the eyes turn red, and sometimes they fade. And there is sometimes chastisement and silence. All these symptoms of anger can be divided into two parts: constitutional and unconstitutional, or permanent and temporary symptoms. Sometimes great emotion, bewilderment, pride, frustration, illusion, impotence, jealousy, dexterity, negligence and signs of hard labor are also manifest as unconstitutional symptoms.

In all these humors of ecstatic love, the feeling of anger is accepted as the steady factor.

When Jarāsandha angrily attacked the city of Mathurā, he looked at Kṛṣṇa with sarcastic glances. At that time Baladeva took up His plow weapon and gazed upon Jarāsandha with colored eyes.

There is a statement in the ''Vidagdha-mādhava'' wherein Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, in an angry mood, addressed Her mother, Paurṇamāsī, after she had accused Rādhārāṇī of going to Kṛṣṇa. "My dear mother," Rādhā declared, "what can I say to you? Kṛṣṇa is so cruel that He often attacks Me on the street, and if I want to cry out very loudly, this boy with a peacock feather on His head immediately covers My face so that I cannot cry. And if I want to go away from the scene because I am afraid of Him, He will immediately spread His arms to block My path. If I piteously fall down at His feet, then this enemy of the Madhu demon, in an angry mood, bites My face! Mother, just try to understand My situation, and don't be unnecessarily angry with Me. Instead, please tell Me how I can save Myself from these terrible attacks of Kṛṣṇa!"

Sometimes amongst contemporary personalities there are signs of ecstasy in anger because of love for Kṛṣṇa. An example of such anger was exhibited in the quarrel between Jaṭilā and Mukharā. Jaṭilā was the mother-in-law of Rādhārāṇī, and Mukharā was Her great grand-mother. Both of them were talking about Kṛṣṇa's unnecessary harrassment of Rādhārāṇī when She was walking on the street. Jaṭilā said, "You cruel-faced Mukharā! By hearing your words my heart feels like it is burning in a fire!" And Mukharā replied, "You sinful Jaṭilā, by hearing your words, there is aching in my head! You cannot give any evidence that Kṛṣṇa has attacked Rādhārāṇī, the daughter of my granddaughter Kīrtidā."

Once, when Rādhārāṇī was taking off the necklace given to Her by Kṛṣṇa, Jaṭilā, her mother-in-law, told a friend: "My dear friend, just see the beautiful necklace that Kṛṣṇa has presented to Rādhārāṇī. She is now holding it, but still she wants to tell us that She has no connection with Kṛṣṇa. This girl's activities have disgraced our whole family!"

Natural jealousy of Kṛṣṇa by persons like Śiśupāla cannot be accepted as ecstatic love in anger with Kṛṣṇa.
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NOD 46 (1970)

2021-12-05T18:11:46Z

Kritika:

[[Category:Nectar of Devotion (1970)|N46]]
<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=Nectar of Devotion (1970)]] '''[[Nectar of Devotion (1970)]], Astonishment and Chivalry'''</div>
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Astonishment

The ecstasy of astonishment in devotional service is perceived in two ways: directly, by the experience of one's own eyes, and indirectly, by hearing from others.

When Nārada came to see the activities of the Lord at Dvārakā, and he saw that Kṛṣṇa was present within every palace in the same body and was engaged in different activities, he was struck with wonder. This is one of the examples of astonishment in devotional service by direct perception. One of the friends of Mother Yaśodā says, "Yaśodā, just see the fun! On the one hand, there is your child who is always captivated by sucking the milk from your breast, and on the other hand there is the great Govardhan Hill which can obstruct the passing of the clouds. But still, just see how wonderful it is that this great Govardhan Hill is resting on the finger of your child's left hand, just as though it were a toy. Is this not very mysterious?" This statement is another example of astonishment in devotional service by direct perception.

An instance of astonishment in devotional service by indirect perception occurred when Mahārāj Parīkṣit heard from Śukadeva Gosvāmī about Kṛṣṇa's killing Narakāsura, who had been fighting Kṛṣṇa with eleven divisions of ''akṣauhiṇī'' soldiers. Each division of ''akṣauhiṇī'' soldiers contained several thousand elephants, several thousand horses and chariots, and several hundreds of thousands of infantry soldiers. Narakāsura possessed eleven such divisions, and all of them were throwing arrows toward Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa killed them all, simply by throwing three arrows from His side. When Mahārāj Parīkṣit heard of this wonderful victory, he immediately rubbed the tears from his eyes and became overwhelmed with joy. This instance is an example of astonishment in devotional service by indirect perception through aural reception.

There is another example of indirect astonishment. Trying to test Kṛṣṇa to see if He were truly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Brahmā stole all the cowherd boys and cows from Him. But after a few seconds, he saw that Kṛṣṇa was still present with all the cows, calves and cowherd boys, exactly in the same way as before. When Lord Brahmā described this incident to his associates on the Satya-loka planet, they all became astonished. Brahmā told them that after taking away all the boys, he saw Kṛṣṇa again playing with the same boys in the same fashion. Their bodily complexion was blackish, almost like Kṛṣṇa's, and they all had four arms. The same calves and cows were still present there, in the same original fashion. Even while describing this incident, Brahmā became almost overwhelmed. "And the most astonishing thing," he added, "was that many other Brahmās from many different universes had also come there to worship Kṛṣṇa and His associates."

Similarly, when there was a forest fire in the Bhāṇḍīravana, Kṛṣṇa instructed His friends to close their eyes tightly, and they all did this. Then when Kṛṣṇa had extinguished the fire, the cowherd boys opened their eyes and saw that they had been relieved from the danger and that their cows and calves were all safe. They began to perceive the wonder of the situation simply by guessing how Kṛṣṇa had saved them. This is another instance of indirect perception causing astonishment in devotional service.

The activities of a person, even if they are not very extraordinary, create an impression of wonder in the heart and mind of the person's friends. But even very wonderful activities performed by a person who is not one's friend will not create any impression. It is because of love that one's wonderful activities create an impression in the mind.

Chivalry

When on account of love and devotional service for the Lord there is special valorous enthusiasm, the resultant activities are called chivalrous. These chivalrous activities can be manifested in the acts of mock-fighting, giving in charity, showing mercy and executing religious principles. By performing chivalrous activities in fighting, one is called ''yuddha-vīra''. By charitable activities one is called ''dāna-vīra.'' By showing extraordinary mercy one is called ''dayā-vīra''. And when one is munificent in executing religious rites, he is called ''dharma-vīra.'' In all such different chivalrous activities, Kṛṣṇa is the object.

When a friend wants to satisfy Kṛṣṇa by performing some chivalrous activities, the friend becomes the challenger, and Kṛṣṇa Himself becomes the opponent; or else Kṛṣṇa may give audience to the fighting, and by His desire another friend becomes the opponent. A friend once challenged Kṛṣṇa thus: "My dear Mādhava, You are very restless because You think that no one can defeat You. But if You do not flee from here, then I shall show You how I can defeat You. And my friends will be very satisfied to see this!"

Kṛṣṇa and Śrīdāmā were very intimate friends, yet Śrīdāmā, out of anger with Kṛṣṇa, challenged Him. When both of them began to fight, all the friends on the bank of the Yamunā enjoyed the wonderful fighting of the two friends. They prepared some arrows for mock-fighting, and Kṛṣṇa began to throw his arrows at Śrīdāmā. Śrīdāmā began to block these arrows by whirling his pole, and by Śrīdāmā's chivalrous activities, Kṛṣṇa became very satisfied. Such mock-fighting generally takes place amongst chivalrous persons and creates wonderful excitement for all viewers.

There is a statement in the ''Hari-vaṁśa'' that sometimes Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa fought in the presence of Kuntī, and Arjuna would be defeated by Kṛṣṇa.

In such chivalrous fighting between friends, there is sometimes bragging, self-complacence, pride, power, taking to weapons, challenging and standing as opponent. All of these symptoms become impetuses to chivalrous devotional service.

One friend challenged Kṛṣṇa thus: "My dear friend Dāmodara, You are an expert only in eating. You have defeated Subala only because he is weak and You adopted cheating means. Don't advertise Yourself to be a great fighter by such action. You have advertised Yourself as a serpent, and I am the peacock who will now defeat You." The peacock is the ablest enemy of the serpent.

In such fighting between friends, when the self-advertisement becomes personal, learned scholars say it is sub-ecstasy. When there is a roaring challenge, certain kinds of movement for fighting, enthusiasm, no weapons and assurance given to frightened witnesses—all these chivalrous activities are called sub-ecstasy.

One friend addressed Kṛṣṇa in this manner: "My dear Madhusūdana, You know my strength, yet You are encouraging Bhadrasena, and not me, to challenge mighty Baladeva. By this action You are simply insulting me because my arms are as strong as the bolts of the gate!"

A devotee once said, "My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, may Your challenger, Śrīdāmā, become glorious for his chivalrous activities, such as vibrating like a thunder cloud and roaring like a lion. May all glories go to Śrīdāmā's chivalrous activities!" Chivalrous activities in the matter of fighting, charity, mercy and execution of religious rituals are called constitutional; whereas the expression of pride, emotions, endurance, kindness, determination, jubilation, enthusiasm, jealousy and remembrance are called unconstitutional. When Stokakṛṣṇa, one of the many friends of Kṛṣṇa, was fighting with Him, his father chastised him for fighting with Kṛṣṇa, who was the life and soul of all residents of Vṛndāvana. Upon hearing these chastisements, Stokakṛṣṇa stopped his fighting. But Kṛṣṇa continued to challenge him, and thus, in order to meet the challenge, Stokakṛṣṇa took his pole and began to display his dexterity by whirling it.

Once Śrīdāmā challenged Bhadrasena and said to him, "My dear friend, you needn't be afraid of me yet. I shall first of all defeat our brother Balarāma, then I shall beat Kṛṣṇa, and then I shall come to you." Bhadrasena therefore left the party of Balarāma and joined Kṛṣṇa, and he agitated his friends as much as the Mandara Hill had agitated the whole ocean. By his roaring sounds he deafened all his friends, and he enthused Kṛṣṇa with his chivalrous activities.

Once Kṛṣṇa challenged all His friends and said, "My dear friends, just see—I am jumping with great chivalrous prowess. Please do not flee away." Upon hearing these challenging words, another friend named Varūthapa counter-challenged the Lord and struggled against Him.

One of the friends once remarked, "Sudāmā is trying his best to see Dāmodara defeated, and I think that if our powerful Subala joins him, they will be a very beautiful combination, like a valuable jewel bedecked with gold."

In these chivalrous activities, only Kṛṣṇa's friends can be the opponents. Kṛṣṇa's enemies can never actually be His opponents. Therefore, this challenging by Kṛṣṇa's friends is called devotional service in chivalrous activities.

''Dāna-vīra'', or chivalry in the giving in charity, can be divided into two parts: munificence and renunciation. A person who can sacrifice everything for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa is called munificent. When a person desires to make a sacrifice because of his seeing Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is called the impetus of the munificent activity. When Kṛṣṇa appeared as the son of Nanda Mahārāj, in clear consciousness Nanda Mahārāj desired all auspiciousness for his son and thus began to give in charity valuable cows to all the ''brāhmaṇas''. The ''brāhmaṇas'' were so satisfied by this charitable action that they were obliged to say that the charity of Nanda Mahārāj had excelled the charity of such past kings as Mahārāj Pṛthu and Nṛga.

When a person knows the glories of the Lord completely and is prepared to sacrifice everything for the Lord, he is called ''sampradānaka'', or one who gives everything in charity for the sake of Kṛṣṇa.

When Mahārāj Yudhiṣṭhira went with Kṛṣṇa in the arena of the rāja-sūya sacrifice, in his imagination he began to anoint the body of Kṛṣṇa with pulp of sandalwood, he decorated Him with a garland hanging down to His knees, he began to give Him garments all embroidered with gold, he gave Him ornaments all bedecked with valuable jewels, and he gave Him many fully decorated elephants, chariots and horses. He further wished to give Kṛṣṇa in charity his kingdom, his family and his personal self also. After so desiring, when there was nothing to actually give in charity, Mahārāj Yudhiṣṭhira became very perturbed and anxious.

Similarly, Mahārāj Bali once told his priest, Śukrācārya: "My dear sage, you are fully expert in knowledge of the ''Vedas'', and as such you worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, by Vedic rituals. As far as this ''brāhmaṇa'' dwarf (the incarnation Vāmanadeva) is concerned, if He is Lord Viṣṇu, a simple ''brāhmaṇa'', or even my enemy, I have decided to give to Him in charity all the land He has asked for." Mahārāj Bali was so fortunate that the Lord extended before Him His hand, which was reddish from touching the breast of the goddess of fortune, who is always smeared with red ''kuṅkum'' powder. In other words, although the Personality of Godhead is so great that the goddess of fortune is always under His command for enjoyment, He still extended His hands to take charity from Mahārāj Bali.

A person who wants to give everything in charity to Kṛṣṇa but does not want anything in return is considered the real renouncer. Thus, a devotee will refuse to accept any kind of liberation, even if it is offered by the Lord. Real love of Kṛṣṇa becomes manifested when Kṛṣṇa becomes the recipient of charity and the devotee becomes the giver.

In the ''Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya'' there is another example, forwarded by Mahārāj Dhruva. He says there, "My dear Lord, I have practiced austerities and penances because I was desiring to receive something from You, but in exchange You have allowed me to see You, who are never visible even to the great sages and saintly persons. I had been searching out some pieces of broken glass, but instead I have found the most valuable jewel. I am therefore fully satisfied, my Lord. I do not wish to ask anything more from Your Lordship."

A similar statement is to be found in the Third Canto of [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']], [[SB 3.15.48|15th Chapter, 48th verse]]. The four sages headed by Sanaka Muni addressed the Lord as follows: "My dear Supreme Personality of Godhead, Your reputation is very attractive and free from all material contamination. Therefore You are worthy of being glorified and are actually the reservoir of all pilgrimages. Auspicious persons, who are fortunate enough to be engaged in glorifying Your attributes and who actually know what Your transcendental position is, do not even care to accept liberation offered by You. Because they are so transcendentally enriched, they do not care to accept even the post of Indra, the heavenly King. They know that the post of the King of heaven is also fearful, whereas for those who are engaged in glorifying Your transcendental qualities there is only joyfulness and freedom from all danger. As such, why should persons with this knowledge be attracted by a post in the heavenly kingdom?"

One devotee has described his feelings about the charity exhibited by King Mayūradhvaja: "I am faltering even to speak about the activities of Mahārāj Mayūradhvaja, to whom I offer my respectful obeisances." Mayūradhvaja was very intelligent, and he could understand why Kṛṣṇa came to him once, in the garb of a ''brāhmaṇa''. Kṛṣṇa demanded from him half of his body, to be sawed off by his wife and son, and King Mayūradhvaja agreed to this proposal. On account of his intense feeling of devotional service, King Mayūradhvaja was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, and when he understood that Kṛṣṇa had come in the garb of a ''brāhmaṇa'', he did not hesitate to part with half of his body. This sacrifice of Mahārāj Mayūradhvaja for Kṛṣṇa's sake is unique in the world, and we should offer our all-respectful obeisances to him. He had full knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the garb of a ''brāhmaṇa'', and he is known as the perfect ''dāna-vīra'', or renouncer.

Any person who is always ready to satisfy Kṛṣṇa and who is always dexterous in executing devotional service is called ''dharma-vīra'', or chivalrous in executing religious rituals. Only advanced devotees performing religious ritualistic performances can come to this stage of ''dharma-vīra''. ''Dharma-vīras'' are produced after going through the authoritative scriptures, following moral principles, being faithful and tolerant and controlling the senses. Persons who execute religious rituals for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa are steady in devotional service, whereas persons who execute religious rituals without intending to please Kṛṣṇa are only called pious.

The best example of a ''dharma-vīra'' is Mahārāj Yudhiṣṭhira. A devotee once told Kṛṣṇa: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, O killer of all demons, Mahārāj Yudhiṣṭhira, the eldest son of Mahārāj Pāṇḍu, has performed all kinds of sacrifices just to please You. He has always invited the heavenly King, Indra, to take part in the ''yajñas'' (sacrifices). Because King Indra was thus absent so often from Śacīdevī, she had to pass much of her time pining over Indra's absence, with her cheeks upon her hands."

The performance of different ''yajñas'' for the demigods is considered to be worship of the limbs of the Supreme Lord. The demigods are considered to be different parts of the universal body of the Lord, and therefore the ultimate purpose in worshiping them is to please the Lord by partially worshiping His different limbs. Mahārāj Yudhiṣṭhira had no such material desire; he executed all sacrifices under the direction of Kṛṣṇa, and not to take any personal advantage from them. He only desired to please Kṛṣṇa and was therefore called the best of the devotees. He was always merged in the ocean of loving service.
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KB 31 (1996+)

2021-10-24T16:23:59Z

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KB 33 (1996+)

2021-10-24T16:21:59Z

Kritika:

[[Category:Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead (1996+)]]
<div style="float:left">'''[[Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead (1996+)|Kṛṣṇa Book (1996+)]] - Chapter 33: Description of the Rāsa Dance'''</div>
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Thus hearing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, speaking to pacify them, the ''gopīs'' became very much pleased. They became completely relieved of the great suffering of separation, not only by hearing the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead but also by touching His hands and legs. After this, the Supreme Personality of Godhead began His ''rāsa'' dance. A dance in the midst of many girls is called a ''rāsa'' dance. So Kṛṣṇa began to dance among the most beautiful and fortunate girls within the three worlds. The ''gopīs'' of Vṛndāvana, who were so attracted to Him, danced with Kṛṣṇa, hand in hand.

Kṛṣṇa’s ''rāsa'' dance should never be compared to any kind of material dance, such as a ball dance or a society dance. The ''rāsa'' dance is a completely spiritual performance. In order to establish this fact, Kṛṣṇa, the supreme mystic, expanded Himself into many forms and stood beside each ''gopī.'' Placing His hands on the shoulders of the ''gopīs'' on both sides of Him, He began to dance in their midst. The mystic expansions of Kṛṣṇa were not perceived by the ''gopīs'' because Kṛṣṇa appeared alone to each of them. Each ''gopī'' thought that Kṛṣṇa was dancing with her alone. Above that wonderful dance flew many airplanes carrying the denizens of the heavenly planets, who were very eager to see the wonderful dance of Kṛṣṇa with the ''gopīs''. The Gandharvas and Kinnaras began to sing, and, accompanied by their respective wives, all the Gandharvas began to shower flowers on the dancers.

As the ''gopīs'' and Kṛṣṇa danced together, a very blissful musical sound was produced from the tinkling of their bells, ornaments and bangles. It appeared that Kṛṣṇa was a greenish sapphire locket in the midst of a golden necklace decorated with valuable stones. While Kṛṣṇa and the ''gopīs'' danced, they displayed extraordinary bodily features. The movements of their legs, their placing their hands on one another, the movements of their eyebrows, their smiling, the movements of the breasts of the ''gopīs'' and their clothes, their earrings, their cheeks, their hair with flowers—as they sang and danced these combined to appear like clouds, thunder, snow and lightning. Kṛṣṇa’s bodily features appeared just like a group of clouds, the ''gopīs’'' songs were like thunder, their beauty appeared to be just like lightning in the sky, and the drops of perspiration visible on their faces appeared like falling snow. In this way, the ''gopīs'' and Kṛṣṇa fully engaged in dancing.

The necks of the ''gopīs'' became tinted with red due to their desire to enjoy Kṛṣṇa more and more. To satisfy them, Kṛṣṇa began to clap His hands in time with their singing. Actually the whole world is full of Kṛṣṇa’s singing, but it is appreciated in different ways by different kinds of living entities. This is confirmed in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] : ''ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham'' ([[BG 4.11]]). Kṛṣṇa is dancing, and every living entity is also dancing, but there is a difference between the dancing in the spiritual world and that in the material world. This is expressed by the author of the [[Sri Caitanya-caritamrta|''Caitanya-caritāmṛta'']], who says that the master dancer is Kṛṣṇa and everyone else is His servant. Everyone is trying to imitate Kṛṣṇa’s dancing. Those who are actually in Kṛṣṇa consciousness respond rightly to the dancing of Kṛṣṇa: they do not try to dance independently. But those in the material world try to imitate Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The living entities are dancing under the direction of Kṛṣṇa’s ''māyā'' and are thinking that they are equal to Kṛṣṇa. But this is not a fact. In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this misconception is absent, for a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness knows that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme master and everyone else is His servant. One has to dance to please Kṛṣṇa, not to imitate or attempt to become equal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The ''gopīs'' wanted to please Kṛṣṇa, and therefore as Kṛṣṇa sang, they responded and encouraged Him by saying "Well done! Well done!" Sometimes they presented beautiful music for His pleasure, and He responded by praising their singing.

When some of the ''gopīs'' became very tired from dancing and moving their bodies, they placed their hands on the shoulders of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Then their hair loosened and flowers fell to the ground. When they placed their hands on Kṛṣṇa’s shoulder they became overwhelmed by the fragrance of His body, which emanated from the lotus, other aromatic flowers and the pulp of sandalwood. They became filled with attraction for Him, and they began to kiss Him. Some ''gopīs'' touched Kṛṣṇa cheek to cheek, and Kṛṣṇa began to offer them chewed betel nuts from His mouth, which they accepted with great pleasure by kissing. And by accepting those betel nuts, the ''gopīs'' spiritually advanced.

The ''gopīs'' became tired after long singing and dancing. Kṛṣṇa was dancing beside them, and to alleviate their fatigue they took Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s hand and placed it on their raised breasts. Kṛṣṇa’s hand, as well as the breasts of the ''gopīs'', are eternally auspicious; therefore when they combined, both of them became spiritually enhanced. The ''gopīs'' so enjoyed the company of Kṛṣṇa, the husband of the goddess of fortune, that they forgot that they had any other husbands in the world, and upon being embraced by the arms of Kṛṣṇa and dancing and singing with Him, they forgot everything. [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] thus describes the beauty of the ''gopīs'' while they were rāsa dancing with Kṛṣṇa. There were lotus flowers over both their ears, and their faces were decorated with sandalwood pulp. They wore ''tilaka'', and there were drops of perspiration on their smiling mouths. From their feet came the tinkling sound of ankle bells and bangles. The flowers within their hair were falling to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and He was very satisfied.

As stated in the ''Brahma-saṁhitā'', all these ''gopīs'' are expansions of Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure potency. Touching their bodies with His hands and looking at their pleasing eyes, Kṛṣṇa enjoyed the ''gopīs'' exactly as a child enjoys playing with the reflection of his body in a mirror. When Kṛṣṇa touched the different parts of their bodies, the ''gopīs'' felt surcharged with spiritual energy. They could not adjust their loosened clothes, although they tried to keep them adjusted properly. Their hair and garments became scattered, and their ornaments loosened as they forgot themselves in the company of Kṛṣṇa.

While Kṛṣṇa was enjoying the company of the ''gopīs'' in the ''rāsa'' dance, the astonished demigods and their wives gathered in the sky. The moon, being afflicted with a sort of lust, began to watch the dance and became stunned with wonder. The gopīs had prayed to the goddess Kātyāyanī to have Kṛṣṇa as their husband. Now Kṛṣṇa was fulfilling their desire by expanding Himself in as many forms as there were ''gopīs'' and enjoying them exactly like a husband.

Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī has remarked that Kṛṣṇa is self-sufficient—He is ''ātmārāma''. He doesn’t need anyone else for His satisfaction. Because the ''gopīs'' wanted Kṛṣṇa as their husband, He fulfilled their desire. When Kṛṣṇa saw that the ''gopīs'' were tired from dancing with Him, He immediately began to wipe His hands over their faces so that their fatigue would be relieved. In order to reciprocate the kind hospitality of Kṛṣṇa, the ''gopīs'' began to look at Him lovingly. They were overjoyed by the auspicious touch of the hand of Kṛṣṇa. Their smiling cheeks shone with beauty, and they began to sing the glories of Kṛṣṇa with transcendental pleasure. As pure devotees, the more the ''gopīs'' enjoyed Kṛṣṇa’s company, the more they became enlightened with His glories, and thus they reciprocated with Him. They wanted to satisfy Kṛṣṇa by glorifying His transcendental pastimes. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all masters, and the ''gopīs'' wanted to worship Him for His unusual exhibition of mercy upon them.

The ''gopīs'' and Kṛṣṇa entered the water of the Yamunā just to relieve their fatigue from the ''rāsa'' dance. The lily-flower garlands around the necks of the ''gopīs'' were strewn to pieces due to the ''gopīs''’ embracing the body of Kṛṣṇa, and the flowers were reddish from being smeared with the ''kuṅkuma'' on their breasts. The bumblebees were humming about in order to get honey from the flowers. Kṛṣṇa and the ''gopīs'' entered the water of the Yamunā just as an elephant enters a water tank with his many female companions. Both the ''gopīs'' and Kṛṣṇa forgot their real identities, playing in the water, enjoying each other’s company and relieving the fatigue of ''rāsa'' dancing. The ''gopīs'' began to splash water on the body of Kṛṣṇa, all the while smiling, and Kṛṣṇa enjoyed this. As Kṛṣṇa was taking pleasure in the joking words and splashing water, the demigods in the heavenly planets showered flowers. The demigods thus praised the superexcellent ''rāsa'' dance of Kṛṣṇa, the supreme enjoyer, and His pastimes with the ''gopīs'' in the water of the Yamunā.

After this, Lord Kṛṣṇa and the ''gopīs'' came out of the water and began to stroll along the bank of the Yamunā, where a nice breeze was blowing, carrying the aroma of different kinds of flowers over the water and land. While strolling on the bank of the Yamunā, Kṛṣṇa recited various kinds of poetry. He thus enjoyed the company of the ''gopīs'' in the soothing moonlight of autumn.

Sex desire is especially excited in the autumn season, but the wonderful thing about Kṛṣṇa’s association with the ''gopīs'' is that there was no question of sex desire. It was, as clearly stated in the ''Bhāgavata'' description by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, ''avaruddha-saurata—''the sex impulse was completely controlled. There is a distinction between Lord Kṛṣṇa’s dancing with the ''gopīs'' and the ordinary dancing of living entities within the material world. In order to clear up further misconceptions about the ''rāsa'' dance and the affairs of Kṛṣṇa and the ''gopīs'', Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the hearer of [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']], told Śukadeva Gosvāmī, “Kṛṣṇa appeared on the earth to establish the regulative principles of religion and to curb the predominance of irreligion. But the behavior of Kṛṣṇa and the ''gopīs'' might encourage irreligious principles in the material world. I am simply surprised that He would act in such a way, enjoying the company of others’ wives in the dead of night.” This statement of Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s was very much appreciated by Śukadeva Gosvāmī. The answer anticipates the abominable acts of the Māyāvādī impersonalists who place themselves in the position of Kṛṣṇa and enjoy the company of young girls and women.

The basic Vedic injunctions never allow a person to enjoy sex with any woman except his own wife. Kṛṣṇa’s appreciation of the ''gopīs'' appeared to be distinctly in violation of these rules. Mahārāja Parīkṣit understood the total situation from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, yet to further clarify the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa and the ''gopīs'' in the ''rāsa'' dance, he expressed his surprise. This is very important in order to check the unrestricted association with women by the ''prākṛta-sahajiyās''.

In his statement, Mahārāja Parīkṣit has used several important words which require clarification. The first word, ''jugupsitam,'' means “abominable.” The first doubt of Mahārāja Parīkṣit was as follows: Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who had advented Himself to establish religious principles. Why then did He mix with others’ wives in the dead of night and enjoy dancing, embracing and kissing? According to the Vedic injunctions, this is not allowed. Also, when the ''gopīs'' first came to Him, He gave instructions to them to return to their homes. To call the wives of other persons or young girls and enjoy dancing with them is certainly abominable according to the ''Vedas''. Why should Kṛṣṇa have done this?

Another word used here is ''āpta-kāma''. Some may take it for granted that Kṛṣṇa was very lusty among young girls, but Parīkṣit Mahārāja said that this was not possible. He could not be lusty. First of all, from the material calculation He was only eight years old. At that age a boy cannot be lusty. ''Āpta-kāma'' means that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is self-satisfied. Even if He were lusty, He doesn’t need to take help from others to satisfy His lusty desires. The next point is that, although not lusty Himself, He might have been seduced by the lusty desires of the ''gopīs.'' But Mahārāja Parīkṣit then used another word, ''yadu-pati'', which indicates that Kṛṣṇa is the most exalted personality in the dynasty of the Yadus. The kings in the dynasty of Yadu were considered to be the most pious, and their descendants were also like that. Having taken birth in that family, how could Kṛṣṇa have been seduced, even by the ''gopīs''? It is concluded, therefore, that it was not possible for Kṛṣṇa to do anything abominable. But Mahārāja Parīkṣit was in doubt as to why Kṛṣṇa acted in that way. What was the real purpose?

Another word Mahārāja Parīkṣit used when he addressed Śukadeva Gosvāmī is ''suvrata'', which means to take a vow to enact pious activities. Śukadeva Gosvāmī was an educated ''brahmacārī'', and under the circumstances it was not possible for him to indulge in sex. This is strictly prohibited for ''brahmacārīs'', and what to speak of a ''brahmacārī'' like Śukadeva Gosvāmī. But because the circumstances of the ''rāsa'' dance were very suspect, Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired for clarification from Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Śukadeva Gosvāmī immediately replied that transgressions of religious principles by the supreme controller testify to His great power. For example, fire can consume any abominable thing; that is the manifestation of the supremacy of fire. Similarly, the sun can absorb water from a urinal or from stool, and the sun is not polluted; rather, due to the influence of the sunshine, the polluted, contaminated place becomes disinfected and sterilized.

One may also argue that since Kṛṣṇa is the supreme authority, His activities should be followed. In answer to this argument, Śukadeva Gosvāmī has very clearly said that the ''īśvara'', or supreme controller, may sometimes violate His own instructions, but this is possible only for the controller Himself, not for the followers. Unusual and uncommon activities by the controller can never be imitated. Śukadeva Gosvāmī warned that the conditioned followers, who are not actually in control, should never even imagine imitating the uncommon activities of the controller. A Māyāvādī philosopher may falsely claim to be God or Kṛṣṇa, but he cannot actually act like Kṛṣṇa. He can persuade his followers to falsely imitate the ''rāsa'' dance, but he is unable to lift Govardhana Hill. We have many experiences in the past of Māyāvādī rascals who delude their followers by posing themselves as Kṛṣṇa in order to enjoy ''rāsa-līlā''. In many instances they were checked by the government, arrested and punished. In Orissa, Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda punished a so-called incarnation of Viṣṇu who was imitating the ''rāsa-līlā'' with young girls. There were many complaints against the so-called incarnation. At that time Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was a magistrate, and the government deputed him to deal with that rascal, and he punished him very severely. The ''rāsa-līlā'' dance cannot be imitated by anyone. Śukadeva Gosvāmī warns that one should not even think of imitating it. He specifically mentions that if, out of foolishness, one tries to imitate Kṛṣṇa’s ''rāsa'' dance, he will be killed, just like a person who wants to imitate Lord Śiva’s drinking of an ocean of poison. Lord Śiva drank an ocean of poison and kept it within his throat. The poison made his throat turn blue, and therefore Lord Śiva is called Nīlakaṇṭha. But if any ordinary person tries to imitate Lord Śiva by drinking poison or smoking ''gañjā'', he is sure to be vanquished and will die within a very short time. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s dealings with the ''gopīs'' occurred under special circumstances.

Most of the ''gopīs'' in their previous lives were great sages, expert in the study of the ''Vedas'', and when Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared as Lord Rāmacandra they wanted to enjoy with Him. Lord Rāmacandra gave them the benediction that their desires would be fulfilled when He would appear as Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the desire of the ''gopīs'' to enjoy the appearance of Lord Kṛṣṇa was long cherished. So they approached goddess Kātyāyanī to have Kṛṣṇa as their husband. There are many other circumstances which also testify to the supreme authority of Kṛṣṇa and show that He is not bound by the rules and regulations of the material world. In special cases, He acts as He likes to favor His devotees. This is possible only for Him, because He is the supreme controller. People in general should follow the instructions of Lord Kṛṣṇa as given in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] and should not even imagine imitating Lord Kṛṣṇa in the ''rāsa'' dance.

Kṛṣṇa’s lifting of Govardhana Hill and His killing of great demons like Pūtanā are all obviously extraordinary activities. Similarly, the ''rāsa'' dance is also an uncommon activity and cannot be imitated by any ordinary man. An ordinary person engaged in his occupational duty, like Arjuna, should execute his duty for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa; that is within his power. Arjuna was a fighter, and Kṛṣṇa wanted him to fight for His satisfaction. Arjuna agreed, although at first he was not willing to fight. Duties are required for ordinary persons. They should not jump up and try to imitate Kṛṣṇa and indulge in ''rāsa-līlā'' and thus bring about their ruin. One should know with certainty that Kṛṣṇa had no personal interest in whatever He did for the benediction of the ''gopīs''. As stated in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], ''na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti:'' ([[BG 4.14]]) Kṛṣṇa never enjoys or suffers the results of His activities. Therefore it is not possible for Him to act irreligiously. He is transcendental to all religious duties and principles. He is untouched by the modes of material nature. He is the supreme controller of all living entities, whether in human society, in demigod society in the heavenly planets, or in lower forms of life, and He is also the supreme controller of material nature; therefore, He has nothing to do with religious or irreligious principles.

Śukadeva Gosvāmī further concludes that the great sages and devotees, who are washed clean of all conditioned life, can move freely even within the contamination of material nature by keeping Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, within their hearts. In this way they also do not become subject to the laws of pleasure and pain in the modes of material nature. How, then, is it possible for Kṛṣṇa, who appears by His own internal potency, to be subjected to the laws of ''karma''?

In the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] the Lord clearly says that whenever He appears He does so by His internal potency; He is not forced to accept a body by the laws of ''karma'', like an ordinary living entity. Every other living entity is forced to accept a certain type of body by his previous actions. But when Kṛṣṇa appears, He always appears in a body that is not forced upon Him by the action of His past deeds. His body is a vehicle for His transcendental pleasure pastimes, which are enacted by His internal potency. He has no obligation to the laws of ''karma''. The Māyāvādī monist must accept a certain type of body, being forced by the laws of nature; therefore, his claim to being one with Kṛṣṇa, or God, is only theoretical. Such persons who claim to be equal with Kṛṣṇa and indulge in ''rāsa-līlā'' create a dangerous situation for the people in general. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was already present as the Supersoul within the bodies of the ''gopīs'' and their husbands. He is the guide of all living entities, as is confirmed in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad: ''nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām''. The Supersoul directs the individual soul to act, and the Supersoul is the actor and witness of all action.

It is confirmed in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] that Kṛṣṇa is present in everyone’s heart and that from Him come all knowledge, remembrance and forgetfulness. He is the original person to be known by Vedic knowledge. He is the author of the Vedānta philosophy, and He knows the Vedānta philosophy perfectly well. The so-called Vedāntists and Māyāvādīs cannot understand Kṛṣṇa as He is; they simply mislead their followers by imitating the actions of Kṛṣṇa in an unauthorized way. Kṛṣṇa, the Supersoul of everyone, is already within the body of everyone; therefore if He sees someone or embraces someone there is no question of impropriety.

Some ask that if Kṛṣṇa is self-sufficient, why did He at all manifest the pastimes with the ''gopīs'', which are disturbing to the so-called moralists of the world? The answer is that such activities show special mercy to the fallen, conditioned souls. The ''gopīs'' are expansions of His internal energy, but because Kṛṣṇa wanted to exhibit the ''rāsa-līlā'', they appeared as ordinary human beings. In the material world, pleasure is ultimately manifested in the sex attraction between man and woman. The man lives simply to be attracted by women, and the woman lives simply to be attracted by men. That is the basic principle of material life. As soon as these attractions are combined, people become more and more implicated in material existence. In order to show them special favor, Kṛṣṇa exhibited this ''rāsa-līlā'' dance. It is just to captivate the conditioned soul. Since they are very much attracted by sex, they can enjoy the same life with Kṛṣṇa and thus become liberated from the material condition. In the Second Canto of [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']], Mahārāja Parīkṣit also explains that the pastimes and activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa are medicine for the conditioned souls. If they simply hear about Kṛṣṇa, they become relieved of the material disease. They are addicted to material enjoyment and are accustomed to reading sex literature, but by hearing these transcendental pastimes of Kṛṣṇa with the ''gopīs,'' they will be relieved of material contamination.

How they should hear and from whom is also explained by Śukadeva Gosvāmī. The difficulty is that the whole world is full of Māyāvādīs, and when they become professional reciters of [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']], and when people, without knowing the effect of the Māyāvāda philosophy, hear from such persons, they become confused. Discussion of the ''rāsa-līlā'' among people in general is discouraged because they are affected by the Māyāvāda philosophy, but if one who is advanced explains and people hear from him, certainly the hearers will be gradually elevated to the position of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and liberated from materially contaminated life.

Another important point is that none of the ''gopīs'' who danced with Kṛṣṇa were in their material bodies. They danced with Kṛṣṇa in their spiritual bodies. All their husbands thought that their wives were sleeping by their sides. The so-called husbands of the ''gopīs'' were already enamored with the influence of the external energy of Kṛṣṇa; so by dint of this very energy they could not understand that their wives had gone to dance with Kṛṣṇa. What then is the basis of accusing Kṛṣṇa of dancing with others’ wives? The bodies of the ''gopīs'', which were their husbands’, were lying in bed, but the spiritual parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa were dancing with Him. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme person, the whole spirit, and He danced with the spiritual bodies of the ''gopīs''. There is therefore no reason to accuse Kṛṣṇa in any way.

After the ''rāsa'' dance was over, the night (the night of Brahmā, a very, very long period, as mentioned in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']]) turned into the ''brāhma-muhūrta''. The ''brāhma-muhūrta'' takes place about one and a half hours before sunrise. It is recommended that one should rise from bed at that time and, after finishing daily ablutions, take to spiritual activities by performing ''maṅgala-ārati'' and chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mantra.'' This period is very convenient for the execution of spiritual activities. When that auspicious moment arrived, Kṛṣṇa asked the ''gopīs'' to leave. Although His beloveds were not willing to quit His company, they were very obedient to Him. As soon as Kṛṣṇa asked them to go home, they immediately left and returned home. Śukadeva Gosvāmī concludes this episode of the ''rāsa-līlā'' by pointing out that if a person hears from the right source about the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, who is Viṣṇu Himself, and the ''gopīs'', who are expansions of His energy, then he will be relieved of the most dangerous type of disease, namely lust. In other words, one who actually hears the ''rāsa-līlā'' will become completely freed from the lusty desire of sex life and elevated to the highest level of spiritual understanding. Generally, because they hear the ''rāsa-līlā'' from Māyāvādīs and they themselves are Māyāvādīs, people become more and more implicated in sex life. The conditioned soul should hear the ''rāsa-līlā'' dance from an authorized spiritual master and be trained by him so that he can understand the whole situation; thus one can be elevated to the highest standard of spiritual life; otherwise one will be implicated. Material lust is a kind of heart disease, and to cure the material heart disease of the conditioned soul, it is recommended that one should hear, but not from the impersonalist rascals. If one hears from the right sources with right understanding, then his situation will be different.

Śukadeva Gosvāmī has used the word ''śraddhānvita'' for one who is trained in spiritual life. ''Śraddhā'', or faith, is the beginning. One who has developed his faith in Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Spirit Soul, can both describe and hear the ''rāsa-līlā''. Śukadeva also uses the word ''anuśṛṇuyāt''. One must hear from the disciplic succession. ''Anu'' means “following,” and ''anu'' also means “always.” So one must always follow the disciplic succession and not hear from any stray professional reciter, whether a Māyāvādī or an ordinary man. ''Anuśṛṇuyāt'' means that one must hear from an authorized person who is in the disciplic succession and is always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When a person hears the ''rāsa-līlā'' in this way, the effect will be sure: he will be elevated to the highest position of spiritual life.

Śukadeva Gosvāmī uses two specific words, ''bhaktim'' and ''parām''. ''Bhaktiṁ parām'' means execution of devotional service above the neophyte stage. Those who are simply attracted to temple worship but do not know the philosophy of ''bhakti'' are in the neophyte stage. That sort of ''bhakti'' is not the perfectional stage. The perfectional stage of ''bhakti'', or devotional service, is completely free from material contamination. The most dangerous aspect of contamination is lust, or sex life. ''Bhaktiṁ parām'' devotional service is so potent that the more one advances in this line, the more he loses his attraction for material life. One who is actually deriving benefit from hearing the ''rāsa-līlā'' dance surely achieves the transcendental position. He surely loses all traces of lust in his heart.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura points out that according to the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] , Brahmā’s day and Brahmā’s night are periods of solar years expanding to 4,300,000 multiplied by 1,000. According to Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, the ''rāsa'' dance was performed during the long period of Brahmā’s night, but the ''gopīs'' could not understand that. In order to fulfill their desire, Kṛṣṇa extended the night to cover such a great period of time. One may ask how this was possible, and Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura reminds us that Kṛṣṇa, although bound by a small rope, could show His mother the whole universe within His mouth. How was this possible? The answer is that He can do anything for the pleasure of His devotees. Similarly, because the ''gopīs'' wanted to enjoy Kṛṣṇa, they were given the opportunity to associate with Him for a long period. This was done according to His promise. When Kṛṣṇa stole the garments of the ''gopīs'' while they were taking a bath at Cīraghāṭa on the Yamunā, He promised to fulfill their desire in some future night. In one night, therefore, they enjoyed the company of Kṛṣṇa as their beloved husband, but that night was not an ordinary night. It was a night of Brahmā, and lasted millions and millions of years. Everything is possible for Kṛṣṇa, for He is the supreme controller.

''Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Thirty-third Chapter of Kṛṣṇa, "Description of the Rāsa Dance."''
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<div style="float:left">'''[[Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead (1996+)|Kṛṣṇa Book (1996+)]] - Chapter 29: The Rāsa Dance: Introduction'''</div>
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In [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] it is stated that the ''rāsa'' dance took place on the full-moon night of the ''śarat'' season. From the statements of previous chapters, it appears that the festival of Govardhana-pūjā was performed just after the dark-moon night of the month of Kārttika, and thereafter the ceremony of Bhrātṛ-dvitīyā was performed; then the wrath of Indra was exhibited in the shape of torrents of rain and hailstones, and Lord Kṛṣṇa held up Govardhana Hill for seven days, until the ninth day of the moon. Thereafter, on the tenth day, the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana were talking amongst themselves about the wonderful activities of Kṛṣṇa, and the next day, Ekādaśī, was observed by Nanda Mahārāja. On the next day, Dvādaśī, Nanda Mahārāja went to take a bath in the Ganges and was arrested by one of the men of Varuṇa; then he was released by Lord Kṛṣṇa. Then Nanda Mahārāja, along with the cowherd men, was shown the spiritual sky.

In this way, the full-moon night of the ''śarat'' season came to an end. The full-moon night of Āśvina is called ''śarat-pūrṇimā''. It appears from the statements of [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] that Kṛṣṇa had to wait another year for such a moon before enjoying the ''rāsa'' dance with the ''gopīs''. At the age of seven years He lifted Govardhana Hill. Therefore the ''rāsa'' dance took place during His eighth year.

From the Vedic literature it appears that when a theatrical actor dances among many dancing girls, the group dance is called a ''rāsa'' dance. When Kṛṣṇa saw the full-moon night of the ''śarat'' season, decorated with various seasonal flowers—especially the ''mallikā'' flowers, which are very fragrant—He remembered the ''gopīs''’ prayers to goddess Kātyāyanī, wherein they prayed for Kṛṣṇa to be their husband. He thought that the full-moon night of the ''śarat'' season was just suitable for a nice dance. So their desire to have Kṛṣṇa as their husband would then be fulfilled.

The words used in this connection in [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] are ''bhagavān api''. This means that although Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus has no desire that needs to be fulfilled (because He is always full with six opulences), He still wanted to enjoy the company of the ''gopīs'' in the ''rāsa'' dance. ''Bhagavān api'' signifies that this dance is not like the ordinary dancing of young boys and young girls. The specific words used in [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] are ''yogamāyām upāśritaḥ,'' which mean that this dancing with the ''gopīs'' is on the platform of ''yogamāyā'', not ''mahāmāyā''. The dancing of young boys and girls within the material world is in the kingdom of ''mahāmāyā,'' or the external energy. The ''rāsa'' dance of Kṛṣṇa with the ''gopīs'' is on the platform of ''yogamāyā''. The difference between the platforms of ''yogamāyā'' and ''mahāmāyā'' is compared in the [[Sri Caitanya-caritamrta|''Caitanya-caritāmṛta'']] to the difference between gold and iron. From the viewpoint of metallurgy, gold and iron are both metals, but the quality is completely different. Similarly, although the ''rāsa'' dance and Lord Kṛṣṇa’s association with the ''gopīs'' appear like the ordinary mixing of young boys and girls, the quality is completely different. The difference is appreciated by great Vaiṣṇavas because they can understand the difference between love of Kṛṣṇa and lust.

On the ''mahāmāyā'' platform, dances take place on the basis of sense gratification. But when Kṛṣṇa called the ''gopīs'' by sounding His flute, they very hurriedly rushed toward the spot of the ''rāsa'' dance with the transcendental desire to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. The author of [[Sri Caitanya-caritamrta|''Caitanya-caritāmṛta'']], Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, has explained that lust means sense gratification, and love also means sense gratification—but for Kṛṣṇa. In other words, when activities are enacted on the platform of personal sense gratification, they are called material activities, but when they are enacted for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, they are spiritual activities. On any platform of activities, the principle of sense gratification is there. But on the spiritual platform, sense gratification is for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, whereas on the material platform it is for the performer. For example, on the material platform, when a servant serves a master, he is trying to satisfy not the senses of his master but rather his own senses. The servant would not serve the master if the payment stopped. That means that the servant engages himself in the service of the master just to satisfy his own senses. On the spiritual platform, however, the servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead serves Kṛṣṇa without payment, and he continues his service in all conditions. That is the difference between Kṛṣṇa consciousness and material consciousness.

As mentined above, it appears that Kṛṣṇa enjoyed the ''rāsa'' dance with the ''gopīs'' when He was eight years old. At that time, many of the ''gopīs'' were married, because in India, especially in those days, girls were married at a very early age. There are even many instances of a girl’s giving birth to a child at the age of twelve. Under the circumstances, all the ''gopīs'' who wanted to have Kṛṣṇa as their husband were already married. At the same time, they continued to hope that Kṛṣṇa would be their husband. Their attitude toward Kṛṣṇa was that of paramour love. Therefore, the loving affairs of Kṛṣṇa with the ''gopīs'' are called ''parakīya-rasa''. The attitude of a married man who desires another wife or a wife who desires another husband is called ''parakīya-rasa''.

Actually, Kṛṣṇa is the husband of everyone because He is the supreme enjoyer. The ''gopīs'' wanted Kṛṣṇa to be their husband, but factually there was no possibility of His marrying all the ''gopīs''. But because they had that natural tendency to accept Kṛṣṇa as their supreme husband, the relationship between the ''gopīs'' and Kṛṣṇa is called ''parakīya-rasa.'' This ''parakīya-rasa'' is ever-existent in Goloka Vṛndāvana, in the spiritual sky, where there is no possibility of the inebriety which characterizes ''parakīya-rasa'' in the material world. In the material world, ''parakīya-rasa'' is abominable, whereas in the spiritual world it is present in the superexcellent relationship of Kṛṣṇa and the ''gopīs''. There are many relationships with Kṛṣṇa—master and servant, friend and friend, parent and son, and lover and beloved. Out of all these ''rasas'', the ''parakīya-rasa'' is considered to be the topmost.

This material world is the perverted reflection of the spiritual world; it is just like the reflection of a tree on the bank of a reservoir of water: the topmost part of the tree is seen as the lowest part. Similarly, ''parakīya-rasa'', when pervertedly reflected in this material world, is most abominable. Therefore when people imitate the ''rāsa'' dance of Kṛṣṇa with the ''gopīs'', they simply enjoy the perverted, abominable reflection of the transcendental ''parakīya-rasa''. There is no possibility of enjoying this transcendental ''parakīya-rasa'' within the material world. It is stated in [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] that one should not imitate this ''parakīya-rasa'' even in dream or imagination. Those who do so drink the most deadly poison.

When Kṛṣṇa, the supreme enjoyer, desired to enjoy the company of the ''gopīs'' on that full-moon night of the ''śarat'' season, exactly at that very moment the moon, the lord of the stars, appeared in the sky, displaying its most beautiful features. The full-moon night of the ''śarat'' season is the most beautiful night in the year. In the Indian city of Agra, in Uttar Pradesh Province, there is a great monument called the Taj Mahal, which is a tomb made of first-class marble stone. During the night of the full moon of the ''śarat'' season, many foreigners go to see the beautiful reflections of the moon on the tomb. Thus this full-moon night is celebrated even today for its beauty.

When the full moon rose in the east, it tinged everything with a reddish color. With the rising of the moon, the whole sky appeared smeared by red ''kuṅkuma''. When a husband long separated from his wife returns home, he decorates the face of his wife with red ''kuṅkuma''. This long-expected moonrise of the ''śarat'' season was thus smearing the eastern sky.

The appearance of the moon increased Kṛṣṇa’s desire to dance with the ''gopīs''. The forests were filled with fragrant flowers. The atmosphere was cooling and festive. When Lord Kṛṣṇa began to blow His flute, the ''gopīs'' all over Vṛndāvana became enchanted. Their attraction to the vibration of the flute increased a thousand times due to the rising full moon, the red horizon, the calm and cool atmosphere and the blossoming flowers. All the ''gopīs'' were by nature very much attracted to Kṛṣṇa’s beauty, and when they heard the vibration of His flute, they became apparently lustful to satisfy the senses of Kṛṣṇa.

Immediately upon hearing the vibration of the flute, they all left their respective engagements and proceeded to the spot where Kṛṣṇa was standing. While they ran very swiftly, their earrings swung back and forth. They all rushed toward the place known as Vaṁśīvaṭa. Some of them were engaged in milking cows, but they left their milking business half finished and immediately went to Kṛṣṇa. One of them had just collected milk and put it in a milk pan on the stove to boil, but she did not care whether the milk overboiled and spilled—she immediately left to go see Kṛṣṇa. Some of them were breast-feeding their small babies, and some were engaged in distributing food to the members of their families, but they left all such engagements and immediately rushed toward the spot where Kṛṣṇa was playing His flute. Some were engaged in serving their husbands, and some were themselves engaged in eating, but caring neither to serve their husbands nor eat, they immediately left. Some of them wanted to decorate their faces with cosmetic ointments and to dress themselves very nicely before going to Kṛṣṇa, but unfortunately they could not finish their cosmetic decorations or put on their clothes in the right way because of their anxiety to meet Kṛṣṇa immediately. Their faces were decorated hurriedly and were haphazardly finished; some even put the lower part of their clothes on the upper part of their bodies and the upper part on the lower part.

While all the ''gopīs'' were hurriedly leaving their respective places, their husbands, brothers and fathers were all struck with wonder to know where they were going. Being young girls, they were protected either by husbands, elder brothers or fathers. All their guardians forbade them to go to Kṛṣṇa, but they disregarded them. When a person becomes attracted by Kṛṣṇa and is in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he does not care for any worldly duties, even though very urgent. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so powerful that it gives everyone relief from all material activities. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has written a very nice verse wherein one ''gopī'' advises another, "My dear friend, if you desire to enjoy the company of material society, friendship and love, then please do not go to see this smiling boy Govinda, who is standing on the bank of the Yamunā and playing His flute, His lips brightened by the beams of the full moonlight." Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī indirectly instructs that one who has been captivated by the beautiful smiling face of Kṛṣṇa has lost all attraction for material enjoyments. This is the test of advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness: a person advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness must lose interest in material activities and personal sense gratification.

Some of the ''gopīs'' were factually detained from going to Kṛṣṇa by their husbands and were locked up by force within their rooms. Being unable to go to Kṛṣṇa, they began to meditate upon His transcendental form by closing their eyes. They already had the form of Kṛṣṇa within their minds. They proved to be the greatest ''yogīs''; as is stated in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], a person who is constantly thinking of Kṛṣṇa within his heart with faith and love is considered to be the topmost of all ''yogīs.'' Actually, a ''yogī'' concentrates his mind on the form of Lord Viṣṇu. That is real ''yoga''. Kṛṣṇa is the original form of all ''viṣṇu-tattvas''. The ''gopīs'' could not go to Kṛṣṇa personally, so they began to meditate on Him as perfect ''yogīs''.

In the conditioned stage of the living entities, there are two kinds of results of fruitive activities: the conditioned living entity who is constantly engaged in sinful activities has suffering as his result, and he who is engaged in pious activities has material enjoyment as a result. In either case—material suffering or material enjoyment—the sufferer or enjoyer is conditioned by material nature.

The ''gopī'' associates of Kṛṣṇa who assembled in the place where Kṛṣṇa was appearing were from different groups. Most of the ''gopīs'' were eternal companions of Kṛṣṇa. As stated in the ''Brahma-saṁhitā, ānanda-cin-maya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ:'' in the spiritual world the associates of Kṛṣṇa, especially the ''gopīs'', are manifestations of the pleasure potency of Lord Kṛṣṇa. They are expansions of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. But when Kṛṣṇa exhibits His transcendental pastimes within the material world in some of the universes, not only the eternal associates of Kṛṣṇa come but also those who are being promoted to that status from this material world. So some of the ''gopīs'' who joined Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes within this material world were coming from the status of ordinary human beings. If they had been bound by fruitive action, they were fully freed from the reaction of ''karma'' by constant meditation on Kṛṣṇa. Their severely painful yearnings caused by their not being able to see Kṛṣṇa freed them from all sinful reactions, and their ecstasy of transcendental love for Kṛṣṇa in His absence ended all their reactions to material pious activities. The conditioned soul is subjected to birth and death, either by pious or sinful activities, but the ''gopīs'' who began to meditate on Kṛṣṇa transcended both positions and became purified and thus elevated to the status of the ''gopīs'' already expanded by His pleasure potency. All the ''gopīs'' who concentrated their minds on Kṛṣṇa in the spirit of paramour love became fully purified of all the fruitive reactions of material nature, and some of them immediately gave up their material bodies developed under the three modes of material nature.

Mahārāja Parīkṣit heard Śukadeva Gosvāmī explain the situation of the ''gopīs'' who assembled with Kṛṣṇa in the ''rāsa'' dance. When he heard that some of the ''gopīs'', simply by concentrating on Kṛṣṇa as their paramour, became freed from all contamination of material birth and death, he said, "The ''gopīs'' did not know that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They accepted Him as a beautiful boy and considered Him to be their paramour. So how was it possible for them to get freed from the material condition just by thinking of a paramour?” One should consider here that Kṛṣṇa and ordinary living beings are qualitatively one. The ordinary living beings, being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, are also Brahman, but Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme—Parabrahman. The question is, If it is possible for a devotee to get free from the material, contaminated stage simply by thinking of Kṛṣṇa, then why should this not be possible for others who are also thinking of someone? If one is thinking of a husband or son, or if anyone at all is thinking of another living entity, then, since all living entities are also Brahman, why are all those who thus think of others not freed from the contaminated stage of material nature? This is a very intelligent question, because there are always atheists imitating Kṛṣṇa. In these days of Kali-yuga, there are many rascals who think themselves to be as good as Kṛṣṇa and who cheat people into believing that thinking of them is as good as thinking of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Parīkṣit Mahārāja, apprehending the future dangerous condition of blind followers of demoniac imitators, therefore asked this question, and fortunately it is recorded in [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] to warn innocent people that thinking of an ordinary man and thinking of Kṛṣṇa are not the same.

Actually, even thinking of the demigods cannot compare with thinking of Kṛṣṇa. It is warned in the ''vaiṣṇava-tantra'' that one who puts Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa or Kṛṣṇa on the same level as the demigods is called a ''pāṣaṇḍī'', or rascal. On hearing this question from Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Śukadeva Gosvāmī replied, "My dear King, your question is already answered, even before this incident." Because Parīkṣit Mahārāja wanted to clear up the situation, his spiritual master answered him very intelligently, "Why are you again asking about the same subject matter which has already been explained to you? Why are you so forgetful?" A spiritual master is always in the superior position, so he has the right to chastise his disciple in this way. Śukadeva Gosvāmī knew that Mahārāja Parīkṣit asked the question not for his own understanding but as a warning to the future innocent people who might think others to be equal to Kṛṣṇa.

Śukadeva Gosvāmī then reminded Parīkṣit Mahārāja about the salvation of Śiśupāla. Śiśupāla was always envious of Kṛṣṇa, and because of his envy Kṛṣṇa killed him. But since Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śiśupāla gained salvation simply by seeing Him. If an envious person can get salvation simply by concentrating his mind on Kṛṣṇa, then what to speak of the ''gopīs'', who are so dear to Kṛṣṇa and always think of Him in love? There must be some difference between the enemies and the friends. If Kṛṣṇa’s enemies could get freed from material contamination and become one with the Supreme, then certainly His dear friends like the ''gopīs'' can achieve such freedom and much more.

Besides that, in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] Kṛṣṇa is called Hṛṣīkeśa. Śukadeva Gosvāmī also said that Kṛṣṇa is Hṛṣīkeśa, the Supersoul. Whereas an ordinary man is a conditioned soul covered by the material body, Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s body are the same because He is Hṛṣīkeśa. Any person making a distinction between Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s body is fool number one. Kṛṣṇa is Hṛṣīkeśa and Adhokṣaja. These two particular words have been used by Śukadeva Gosvāmī in this instance. Hṛṣīkeśa is the Supersoul, and Adhokṣaja is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, transcendental to the material nature. Just to show favor to the ordinary living entities, out of His causeless mercy He appears as He is. Unfortunately, foolish persons mistake Him to be an ordinary person, and so they become eligible to go to hell.

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued to inform Mahārāja Parīkṣit that Kṛṣṇa is not an ordinary person but rather the Supreme Personality of Godhead—imperishable, immeasurable and without any material qualities but full of all spiritual qualities. He appears in this material world out of His causeless mercy, and whenever He appears, He appears as He is, without change. This is confirmed in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], where the Lord says that He appears by His spiritual potency. He does not appear under the control of the material potency. The material potency is under His control. In the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] it is stated that the material potency is working under His superintendence. It is also confirmed in the ''Brahma-saṁhitā'' that the material potency, known as Durgā, is acting just as a shadow which moves with the movement of the substance. The conclusion is that if one somehow or other becomes attached to Kṛṣṇa or attracted to Him, either because of His qualities of beauty, opulence, fame, strength, renunciation or knowledge, through affection or friendship, or even through lust, anger or fear, then one’s salvation and freedom from material contamination are assured.

In the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], Eighteenth Chapter, the Lord states that one who is engaged in preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very dear to Him. A preacher has to face many difficulties in his struggle to preach pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sometimes he has to suffer bodily injuries, and sometimes he has to meet death also. All this is taken as a great austerity on behalf of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa therefore has said that such a preacher is very, very dear to Him. If Kṛṣṇa’s enemies can expect salvation simply by concentrating their minds on Him, then what to speak of persons who are so dear to Kṛṣṇa? The conclusion should be that the salvation of those who are engaged in preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the world is guaranteed in all circumstances. But such preachers never care for salvation, because factually one who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, devotional service, has already achieved salvation. Śukadeva Gosvāmī therefore assured King Parīkṣit that he should always rest assured that one who is attracted by Kṛṣṇa attains liberation from material bondage because Kṛṣṇa is the transcendental master of all mystic power.

When all the ''gopīs'' assembled, as described, before Kṛṣṇa, He began to speak to them, welcoming them as well as discouraging them by word jugglery. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme speaker; He is the speaker of the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']]. He can speak on the highest elevated subjects of philosophy, politics, economics—everything. And He also spoke before the ''gopīs'', who were so dear to Him. He wanted to enchant them by word jugglery, and thus He began to speak as follows.

"O ladies of Vṛndāvana," Kṛṣṇa said, “you are very fortunate, and you are very dear to Me. I am very much pleased that you have come here, and I hope everything is well in Vṛndāvana. Now please order Me. What can I do for you? What is the purpose of your coming here in the dead of night? Kindly take your seats and let Me know what I can do for you.”

The ''gopīs'' had come to Kṛṣṇa to enjoy His company, to dance with Him, embrace Him and kiss Him, and when Kṛṣṇa began to receive them very officially, showing all kinds of etiquette, they were surprised. He was treating them like ordinary society women. Therefore they began to smile among themselves, and though they very eagerly listened to Kṛṣṇa talk in that way, they were surprised. Then Kṛṣṇa began to instruct them: "My dear friends, you must know that it is now the dead of night and the forest is very dangerous. At this time all the ferocious jungle animals—the tigers, bears, jackals and wolves—are prowling in the forest. Therefore it is very dangerous for you. You cannot select a secure place now. Everywhere you go you will find that all these animals are loitering to find their prey. I think, therefore, that you are taking a great risk in coming here in the dead of night. Please turn back immediately, without delay."

When He saw that they continued to smile, He said, "I very much appreciate your bodily features. All of you have nice, very thin waists." All of the ''gopīs'' there were exquisitely beautiful. They are described by the word ''sumadhyamā''; the standard of beauty of a woman is said to be ''sumadhyamā'', when the middle portion of the body is slender.

Kṛṣṇa wanted to impress on them that they were not old enough to take care of themselves. Actually, they required protection. It was not very wise for them to come in the dead of night to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa also indicated that He was young and that they were young girls. " It does not look very well for young girls and boys to remain together in the dead of night." After hearing this advice, the ''gopīs'' did not seem very happy; therefore Kṛṣṇa began to stress the point in a different way.

"My dear friends, I can understand that you have left your homes without the permission of your guardians; therefore I think your mothers, your fathers, your elder brothers and even your sons, and what to speak of your husbands, must be very anxious to find you. As long as you are here, they must be searching in different places, and their minds must be very agitated. So don’t tarry. Please go back and make them peaceful."

When the ''gopīs'' appeared to be a little bit disturbed and angry from hearing the free advice of Kṛṣṇa, they diverted their attention to looking at the beauty of the forest. At that time the whole forest was illuminated by the bright shining of the moon, and the air was blowing very silently over the blooming flowers, and the green leaves of the trees were moving in the breeze. Kṛṣṇa took the opportunity of their looking at the forest to advise them. "I think you have come out to see the beautiful Vṛndāvana forest on this night," He said, "but you must now be satisfied. So return to your homes without delay. I understand that you are all very chaste women, so now that you have seen the beautiful atmosphere of the Vṛndāvana forest, please return home and engage in the faithful service of your respective husbands. Some of you must have babies by this time, although you are very young. You must have left your small babies at home, and they must be crying. Please immediately go back home and just feed them with your breast milk. I can also understand that you have very great affection for Me, and out of that transcendental affection you have come here, hearing My playing on the flute. Your feelings of love and affection for Me are very appropriate because I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All living creatures are My parts and parcels, and naturally they are affectionate to Me. So this affection for Me is very welcome, and I congratulate you for this. Now you can go back to your homes. Another thing I must explain to you is that for a chaste woman, service to the husband without duplicity is the best religious principle. Not only should a woman be faithful and chaste to her husband, but she should also be affectionate to the friends of her husband, obedient to the father and mother of her husband, and affectionate to the younger brothers of her husband. And most importantly, a woman must take care of her children."

In this way, Kṛṣṇa explained the duty of a woman. He also stressed the point of serving the husband: "Even if he is not of very good character, or even if he is not very rich or fortunate, or even if he is old or invalid on account of continued diseases, whatever her husband’s condition, a woman should not divorce her husband if she actually desires to be elevated to the higher planetary systems after leaving this body. Besides that, it is considered abominable in society if a woman is unfaithful and goes searching for another man. Such habits will deter a woman from being elevated to the heavenly planets, and the results of such habits are very degrading. A married woman should not search for a paramour, for this is not sanctioned by the Vedic principles of life. If you think that you are very much attached to Me and you want My association, I advise you not to personally try to enjoy Me. It is better for you to go home, simply talk about Me and think of Me, and by this process of constantly remembering Me and chanting My names you will surely be elevated to the spiritual platform. There is no need to stand near Me. Please go back home."

The instruction given herein by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to the ''gopīs'' was not at all sarcastic. Such instructions should be taken very seriously by all honest women. The chastity of women is specifically stressed herein by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore this principle should be followed by any serious woman who wants to be elevated to a higher status of life. Kṛṣṇa is the center of all affection for all living creatures. When this affection is developed for Kṛṣṇa, one surpasses and transcends all Vedic injunctions. This was possible for the ''gopīs'' because they saw Kṛṣṇa face to face. This is not possible for any women in the conditioned state. Unfortunately, sometimes a rascal, following the philosophy of monism, or oneness, very irresponsibly takes advantage of this ''rāsa-līlā'' to imitate the behavior of Kṛṣṇa with the ''gopīs'', entice many innocent women and mislead them in the name of spiritual realization. As a warning, Lord Kṛṣṇa has herein hinted that what was possible for the ''gopīs'' is not possible for ordinary women. Although a woman can actually be elevated by advanced Kṛṣṇa consciousness, she should not be enticed by an imposter who says that he is Kṛṣṇa. She should concentrate her devotional activities in chanting and meditating upon Kṛṣṇa, as is advised herein. One should not follow the men called ''sahajiyās'', the so-called devotees who take everything very lightly.

When Kṛṣṇa spoke in such a discouraging way to the ''gopīs'', they became very sad, for they thought that their desire to enjoy the ''rāsa'' dance with Kṛṣṇa would be frustrated. Thus they became full of anxiety. Out of great sadness, the ''gopīs'' began to breathe very heavily. Instead of looking at Kṛṣṇa face to face, they bowed their heads and looked at the ground, and they began to draw various types of curved lines on the ground with their toes. They were shedding heavy tears, and their cosmetic decorations were being washed from their faces. The water from their eyes mixed with the ''kuṅkuma'' on their breasts and fell to the ground. They could not say anything to Kṛṣṇa but simply stood there silently. By their silence they expressed that their hearts were grievously wounded.

The ''gopīs'' were not ordinary women. In essence they were on an equal level with Kṛṣṇa. They are His eternal associates. As it is confirmed in the ''Brahma-saṁhitā'', they are expansions of the pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa, and as His potency they are nondifferent from Him. Although they were depressed by the words of Kṛṣṇa, they did not like to use harsh words against Him. Yet they wanted to rebuke Kṛṣṇa for His unkind words, and therefore they began to speak in faltering voices. They did not like to use harsh words against Kṛṣṇa because He was their dearmost, their heart and soul. The ''gopīs'' had only Kṛṣṇa within their hearts. They were completely surrendered and dedicated souls. Naturally, when they heard such unkind words, they tried to reply, but in the attempt torrents of tears fell from their eyes. Finally they managed to speak.

"Kṛṣṇa," they said, "You are very cruel! You should not talk like that. We are full-fledged surrendered souls. Please accept us, and don’t talk in that cruel way. Of course, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead and can do whatever You like, but it is not worthy of Your position to treat us in such a cruel way. We have come to You, leaving everything behind, just to take shelter of Your lotus feet. We know that You are completely independent and can do whatever You like, but we request You, don’t reject us. We are Your devotees. You should accept us as Lord Nārāyaṇa accepts His devotees. There are many devotees of Lord Nārāyaṇa who worship Him for salvation, and He awards them salvation. Similarly, how can You reject us when we have no shelter other than Your lotus feet?

"O dear Kṛṣṇa," they continued, "You are the supreme instructor. There is no doubt about it. Your instructions to women to be faithful to their husbands and merciful to their children, to take care of household affairs and to be obedient to the elder members of the family, are surely just according to the tenets of the ''śāstras''. But we know that one may perfectly observe all these instructions of the ''śāstras'' by keeping oneself under the protection of Your lotus feet. Our husbands, friends, family members and children are all dear and pleasing to us only because of Your presence, for You are the Supersoul of all living creatures. Without Your presence, one is worthless. When You leave the body, the body immediately dies, and according to the injunction of the ''śāstras'', a dead body must immediately be thrown into a river or burned. Therefore, ultimately You are the dearmost personality in this world. By placing our faith and love in Your personality, we are assured of never being bereft of husband, friends, sons or daughters. If a woman accepts You as the supreme husband, then she will never be bereft of her husband, as in the bodily concept of life. If we accept You as our ultimate husband, then there is no question of being separated, divorced or widowed. You are the eternal husband, eternal son, eternal friend and eternal master, and one who enters into a relationship with You is eternally happy. Since You are the teacher of all religious principles, Your lotus feet have to be worshiped first. Accordingly, the ''śāstras'' state, ''ācārya-upāsanā'': the worship of Your lotus feet is the first principle. Besides that, as stated in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], You are the only enjoyer, You are the only proprietor, and You are the only friend. As such, we have come to You, leaving aside all so-called friends, society and love, and now You have become our enjoyer. Let us be everlastingly enjoyed by You. Be our proprietor, for that is Your natural claim, and be our supreme friend, for You are naturally so. Let us thus embrace You as the supreme beloved."

Then the ''gopīs'' told lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa, "Please do not discourage our long-cherished desires to have You as our husband. Any intelligent man who cares for his own self-interest reposes all his loving spirit in You. Persons who are simply misled by the external energy, who want to be satisfied by false concepts, try to enjoy themselves apart from You. The so-called husband, friend, son, daughter, father and mother are all simply sources of material misery. No one is made happy in this material world by having a so-called father, mother, husband, son, daughter and friend. Although the father and mother are expected to protect the children, there are many children who are suffering for want of food and shelter. There are many good physicians, but when a patient dies, no physician can revive him. There are many means of protection, but when one is doomed, none of the protective measures can help, and without Your protection the so-called sources of protection simply become sources of continued distress. We therefore appeal to You, dear Lord of all lords: please do not kill our long-cherished desires to have You as our supreme husband.

"Dear Kṛṣṇa, as women, we are certainly satisfied when our hearts are engaged in the activities of family affairs, but our hearts have already been stolen by You. We can no longer engage them in family affairs. Besides that, although You have repeatedly asked us to return home, and that is a very appropriate instruction, unfortunately we have been stunned here. Our legs have no power to move a step from Your lotus feet. Therefore, if even at Your request we return home, what shall we do there? We have lost all our ability to act without You. Instead of engaging our hearts in family affairs as women, we have now developed a different type of lust which is continually blazing in our hearts. Now we request You, dear Kṛṣṇa, to extinguish that fire with Your beautiful smile and the transcendental vibration emanating from Your lips. If You do not agree to do us this favor, we shall certainly be burned in the fire of separation. In that condition, we shall simply think of You and Your beautiful features and give up our bodies immediately. In that way we think it will be possible for us to reside at Your lotus feet in the next life. Dear Kṛṣṇa, if You say that if we go home our respective husbands will satisfy the lusty flame of our desire, we can only say that that is no longer possible. You have given us a chance to be enjoyed by You in the forest and have touched our breasts once in the past, which we accepted as a blessing, as do the goddesses of fortune, who are enjoyed in the Vaikuṇṭhalokas by You. Since we have tasted this transcendental enjoyment, we are no longer interested in going to anyone but You for the satisfaction of our lust. Dear Kṛṣṇa, the lotus feet of the goddess of fortune are always worshiped by the demigods. Although she is always resting on Your chest in the Vaikuṇṭha planets, she underwent great austerity and penance to have some shelter at Your lotus feet, which are always covered by ''tulasī'' leaves. Your lotus feet are the proper shelter of Your servitors, and the goddess of fortune, instead of abiding on Your chest, comes down and worships Your lotus feet. We have now placed ourselves under the dust of Your feet. Please do not reject us, for we are fully surrendered souls.

"Dear Kṛṣṇa, You are known as Hari. You destroy all the miseries of all living entities, specifically of those who have left their homes and family attachment and have completely taken to You. We have left our homes with the hope that we shall completely devote and dedicate our lives to Your service. We are simply begging to be engaged as Your servants. We do not wish to ask You to accept us as Your wives. Simply accept us as Your maidservants. Since You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead and like to enjoy the ''parakīya-rasa'' and are famous as a transcendental woman hunter, we have come to satisfy Your transcendental desires. We are also after our own satisfaction, for simply by looking at Your smiling face we have become very lusty. We have come before You decorated with all ornaments and dress, but until You embrace us, all our garments and beautiful features remain incomplete. You are the Supreme Person, and if You complete our dressing attempt as the ''puruṣa-bhūṣaṇa'', or the male ornament, then all our desires and bodily decorations are complete.

“Dear Kṛṣṇa, we have simply been captivated by seeing You with ''tilaka'' and with earrings and by seeing Your beautiful face covered with scattered hair and bearing Your extraordinary smile. Not only that, but we are also attracted by Your arms, which always give assurance to the surrendered souls. And although we are also attracted by Your chest, which is always embraced by the goddess of fortune, we do not wish to take her position. We shall simply be satisfied by being Your maidservants. If You accuse us, however, of encouraging prostitution, then we can only ask, Where is that woman within these three worlds who is not captivated by Your beauty and the rhythmic songs vibrated by Your transcendental flute? Within these three worlds there is no distinction between men and women in relation to You because both men and women belong to the marginal potency, or ''prakṛti.'' No one is actually the enjoyer, or the male; everyone is meant to be enjoyed by You. There is no woman within these three worlds who cannot but deviate from her path of chastity once she is attracted to You, because Your beauty is so sublime that not only men and women but also cows, birds, beasts and even trees, fruits and flowers—everyone and everything—become enchanted, and what to speak of ourselves? It is, however, definitely decided that as Lord Viṣṇu is always protecting the demigods from the onslaught of demons, so You have also advented in Vṛndāvana just to give the residents protection from all kinds of distress. O dear friend of the distressed, kindly place Your hand on our burning breasts as well as on our heads, because we have surrendered unto You as Your eternal maidservants. If You think, however, that Your lotuslike palms might be burned to ashes if placed on our burning breasts, let us assure You that Your palms will feel pleasure instead of pain, as the lotus flower, although very delicate and soft, enjoys the scorching heat of the sun."

Upon hearing the anxious plea of the ''gopīs'', the Supreme Personality of Godhead smiled, and being very kind to the ''gopīs'', the Lord, although self-sufficient, began to embrace them and kiss them as they desired. When Kṛṣṇa, smiling, looked at the faces of the gopīs, the beauty of their faces became a hundred times enhanced. When He was enjoying them in their midst, He appeared just like the full moon surrounded by millions of shining stars. Thus the Supreme Personality of Godhead, surrounded by hundreds of ''gopīs'' and decorated with a flower garland of many colors, began to wander within the Vṛndāvana forest, sometimes singing to Himself and sometimes singing with the ''gopīs''. In this way the Lord and the ''gopīs'' reached the cool, sandy bank of the Yamunā, where there were lilies and lotus flowers. In such a transcendental atmosphere, the ''gopīs'' and Kṛṣṇa began to enjoy one another. While they were walking on the bank of the Yamunā, Kṛṣṇa would sometimes put His arms around a ''gopī’s'' head, breast or waist. Pinching one another and joking and looking at one another, they enjoyed. When Kṛṣṇa touched the bodies of the ''gopīs'', their lust to embrace Him increased. They all enjoyed these pastimes. Thus the ''gopīs'' were blessed with all mercy by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for they enjoyed His company without a tinge of mundane sex life.

The ''gopīs'', however, soon began to feel very proud, thinking themselves to be the most fortunate women in the universe due to being favored by the company of Kṛṣṇa. Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is known as Keśava, could immediately understand their pride caused by their great fortune of enjoying Him personally, and in order to show them His causeless mercy and to curb their false pride, He immediately disappeared from the scene, exhibiting His opulence of renunciation. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is always full with six kinds of opulences, and this is an instance of the opulence of renunciation. This renunciation confirms Kṛṣṇa’s total nonattachment. He is always self-sufficient and is not dependent on anything. This is the platform on which His transcendental pastimes are enacted.

''Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Twenty-ninth Chapter of Kṛṣṇa, "The Rāsa Dance: Introduction."''
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<div style="float:left">'''[[Sri Caitanya-caritamrta|Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta]] - [[CC Madhya|Madhya-līlā]] - [[CC Madhya 15|Chapter 15: The Lord Accepts Prasādam at the House of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya]]'''</div>
<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.301|Madhya-līlā 15.301]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.301|Madhya-līlā 15.301]] - [[CC Madhya 16 Summary| Chapter 16 Summary]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 16 Summary|Chapter 16 Summary]]</div>
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==== TEXT 302 ====

<div class="verse">
:śrī-rūpa-raghunātha-pade yāra āśa
:caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇadāsa
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==== SYNONYMS ====

<div class="synonyms">
''śrī-rūpa''—Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī; ''raghunātha''—Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī; ''pade''—at the lotus feet; ''yāra''—whose; ''āśa''—expectation; ''Caitanya-caritāmṛta''—the book named ''Caitanya-caritāmṛta''; ''kahe''—describes; ''kṛṣṇadāsa—''Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī.
</div>

==== TRANSLATION ====

<div class="translation">
Praying at the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunātha, always desiring their mercy, I, Kṛṣṇadāsa, narrate Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, following in their footsteps.
</div>

''Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, Fifteenth Chapter, describing the Lord’s eating at the house of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya.''

<div style="float:right; clear:both;">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.301|Madhya-līlā 15.301]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.301|Madhya-līlā 15.301]] - [[CC Madhya 16 Summary| Chapter 16 Summary]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 16 Summary|Chapter 16 Summary]]</div>
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[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - Madhya-lila Chapter 15|C301]]
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==== TEXT 301 ====

<div class="verse">
:śraddhā kari’ ei līlā śune yei jana
:acirāt pāya sei caitanya-caraṇa
</div>

==== SYNONYMS ====

<div class="synonyms">
''śraddhā kari''’—with faith and love; ''ei līlā—''this pastime; ''śune''—hears; ''yei jana''—whoever; ''acirāt''—very soon; ''pāya''—attains; ''sei—''he; ''caitanya-caraṇa''—the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya.
</div>

==== TRANSLATION ====

<div class="translation">
Whoever hears these pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with faith and love will attain the shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet very soon.
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==== TEXT 300 ====

<div class="verse">
:ṣāṭhīra mātāra prema, āra prabhura prasāda
:bhakta-sambandhe yāhā kṣamila aparādha
</div>

==== SYNONYMS ====

<div class="synonyms">
''ṣāṭhīra mātāra prema''—the love of the mother of Ṣāṭhī; ''āra''—and; ''prabhura prasāda''—the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; ''bhakta-sambandhe''—because of a relationship with a devotee; ''yāhā''—where; ''kṣamila aparādha''—Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu excused the offense.
</div>

==== TRANSLATION ====

<div class="translation">
Thus I have related the ecstatic love of Sārvabhauma’s wife, who is known as the mother of Ṣāṭhī. I have also related Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s great mercy, which He manifested by excusing Amogha’s offense. He did so due to Amogha’s relationship with a devotee.
</div>

==== PURPORT ====

<div class="purport">
Amogha was an offender because he blasphemed the Lord. As a result, he was about to die of cholera. Amogha did not receive an opportunity to be freed from all offenses after being attacked by the disease, but Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya and his wife were very dear to the Lord. Because of their relationship, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu excused Amogha. Instead of being punished by the Lord, he was saved by the Lord’s mercy. All this was due to the unflinching love of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Externally, Amogha was Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya’s son-in-law, and he was being maintained by Sārvabhauma. Consequently if Amogha were not excused, his punishment would have directly affected Sārvabhauma. Amogha’s death would have indirectly brought about the death of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya.
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==== TEXT 299 ====

<div class="verse">
:sārvabhauma-ghare ei bhojana-carita
:sārvabhauma-prema yāṅhā ha-ilā vidita
</div>

==== SYNONYMS ====

<div class="synonyms">
''sārvabhauma-ghare''—in the house of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya; ''ei''—these; ''bhojana-carita''—eating affairs; ''sārvabhauma-prema—''love of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya; ''yāṅhā''—where; ''ha-ilā—''became; ''vidita—''well known.
</div>

==== TRANSLATION ====

<div class="translation">
These are the peculiar characteristics of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pastimes. Thus the Lord ate in Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya’s house, and in this way Sārvabhauma’s love for the Lord has become very well known.
</div>

==== PURPORT ====

<div class="purport">
As stated in the ''Śākhā-nirṇayāmṛta'':

:amogha-paṇḍitaṁ vande śrī-gaureṇātma-sātkṛtam
:prema-gadgada-sāndrāṅgaṁ pulakākula-vigraham

“I offer my obeisances unto Amogha Paṇḍita, who was accepted by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. As a result of this acceptance, he was always merged in ecstatic love, and he manifested ecstatic symptoms such as choking of the voice and standing of the hairs on his body.”
</div>

<div style="float:right; clear:both;">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.298|Madhya-līlā 15.298]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.298|Madhya-līlā 15.298]] - [[CC Madhya 15.300|Madhya-līlā 15.300]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 15.300|Madhya-līlā 15.300]]</div>
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CC Madhya 15.298

2021-10-08T09:56:59Z

Kritika:

[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - Madhya-lila Chapter 15|C298]]
<div style="float:left">'''[[Sri Caitanya-caritamrta|Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta]] - [[CC Madhya|Madhya-līlā]] - [[CC Madhya 15|Chapter 15: The Lord Accepts Prasādam at the House of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya]]'''</div>
<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.297|Madhya-līlā 15.297]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.297|Madhya-līlā 15.297]] - [[CC Madhya 15.299|Madhya-līlā 15.299]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 15.299|Madhya-līlā 15.299]]</div>
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==== TEXT 298 ====

<div class="verse">
:aiche bhaṭṭa-gṛhe kare bhojana-vilāsa
:tāra madhye nānā citra-caritra-prakāśa
</div>

==== SYNONYMS ====

<div class="synonyms">
''aiche''—in this way; ''bhaṭṭa-gṛhe''—in the house of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya; ''kare''—performs; ''bhojana-vilāsa''—pastime of eating; ''tāra madhye''—within that pastime; ''nānā—''various; ''citra-caritra''—of varieties of activities; ''prakāśa''—manifestation.
</div>

==== TRANSLATION ====

<div class="translation">
Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu enjoyed eating in Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya’s house. Within that one pastime, many wonderful pastimes were manifested.
</div>

<div style="float:right; clear:both;">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.297|Madhya-līlā 15.297]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.297|Madhya-līlā 15.297]] - [[CC Madhya 15.299|Madhya-līlā 15.299]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 15.299|Madhya-līlā 15.299]]</div>
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CC Madhya 15.297

2021-10-08T09:55:00Z

Kritika:

[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - Madhya-lila Chapter 15|C297]]
<div style="float:left">'''[[Sri Caitanya-caritamrta|Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta]] - [[CC Madhya|Madhya-līlā]] - [[CC Madhya 15|Chapter 15: The Lord Accepts Prasādam at the House of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya]]'''</div>
<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.296|Madhya-līlā 15.296]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.296|Madhya-līlā 15.296]] - [[CC Madhya 15.298|Madhya-līlā 15.298]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 15.298|Madhya-līlā 15.298]]</div>
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==== TEXT 297 ====

<div class="verse">
:aiche citra-līlā kare śacīra nandana
:yei dekhe, śune, tāṅra vismaya haya mana
</div>

==== SYNONYMS ====

<div class="synonyms">
''aiche''—in this way; ''citra-līlā''—varieties of pastimes; ''kare''—performs; ''śacīra'' ''nandana''—the son of mother Śacī; ''yei dekhe''—anyone who sees; ''śune—''hears; ''tāṅra—''his; ''vismaya''—astonished; ''haya''—becomes; ''mana''—mind.
</div>

==== TRANSLATION ====

<div class="translation">
In this way, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu performed His various pastimes. Whoever sees them or hears them recounted becomes truly astonished.
</div>

<div style="float:right; clear:both;">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.296|Madhya-līlā 15.296]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.296|Madhya-līlā 15.296]] - [[CC Madhya 15.298|Madhya-līlā 15.298]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 15.298|Madhya-līlā 15.298]]</div>
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CC Madhya 15.296

2021-10-08T09:53:02Z

Kritika:

[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - Madhya-lila Chapter 15|C296]]
<div style="float:left">'''[[Sri Caitanya-caritamrta|Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta]] - [[CC Madhya|Madhya-līlā]] - [[CC Madhya 15|Chapter 15: The Lord Accepts Prasādam at the House of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya]]'''</div>
<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.295|Madhya-līlā 15.295]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.295|Madhya-līlā 15.295]] - [[CC Madhya 15.297|Madhya-līlā 15.297]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 15.297|Madhya-līlā 15.297]]</div>
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==== TEXT 296 ====

<div class="verse">
:sei amogha haila prabhura bhakta ‘ekānta’
:preme nāce, kṛṣṇa-nāma laya mahā-śānta
</div>

==== SYNONYMS ====

<div class="synonyms">
''sei amogha''—that same Amogha; ''haila''—became; ''prabhura''—of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; ''bhakta''—devotee; ''ekānta''—unflinching; ''preme nāce''—dances in ecstasy; ''kṛṣṇa-nāma laya''—chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mahā-mantra''; ''mahā-śānta''—very peaceful.
</div>

==== TRANSLATION ====

<div class="translation">
Thereafter, Amogha became an unalloyed devotee of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He danced in ecstasy and peacefully chanted the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
</div>

<div style="float:right; clear:both;">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.295|Madhya-līlā 15.295]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.295|Madhya-līlā 15.295]] - [[CC Madhya 15.297|Madhya-līlā 15.297]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 15.297|Madhya-līlā 15.297]]</div>
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CC Madhya 15.295

2021-10-08T09:50:26Z

Kritika:

[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - Madhya-lila Chapter 15|C295]]
<div style="float:left">'''[[Sri Caitanya-caritamrta|Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta]] - [[CC Madhya|Madhya-līlā]] - [[CC Madhya 15|Chapter 15: The Lord Accepts Prasādam at the House of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya]]'''</div>
<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.294|Madhya-līlā 15.294]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.294|Madhya-līlā 15.294]] - [[CC Madhya 15.296|Madhya-līlā 15.296]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 15.296|Madhya-līlā 15.296]]</div>
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==== TEXT 295 ====

<div class="verse">
:eta bali’ prabhu gelā īśvara-daraśane
:bhaṭṭa snāna darśana kari’ karilā bhojane
</div>

==== SYNONYMS ====

<div class="synonyms">
''eta bali’''—saying this; ''prabhu—''Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; ''gelā''—went; ''īśvara-daraśane''—to see Lord Jagannātha; ''bhaṭṭa''—Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya; ''snāna darśana kari''’—finishing his bathing and seeing of Lord Jagannātha; ''karilā bhojane''—accepted food.
</div>

==== TRANSLATION ====

<div class="translation">
After saying this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to see Lord Jagannātha. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya completed his bath, went to see Lord Jagannātha and then returned to his house to accept food.
</div>

<div style="float:right; clear:both;">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.294|Madhya-līlā 15.294]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.294|Madhya-līlā 15.294]] - [[CC Madhya 15.296|Madhya-līlā 15.296]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 15.296|Madhya-līlā 15.296]]</div>
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CC Madhya 15.294

2021-10-08T09:45:36Z

Kritika:

[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - Madhya-lila Chapter 15|C294]]
<div style="float:left">'''[[Sri Caitanya-caritamrta|Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta]] - [[CC Madhya|Madhya-līlā]] - [[CC Madhya 15|Chapter 15: The Lord Accepts Prasādam at the House of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya]]'''</div>
<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.293|Madhya-līlā 15.293]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.293|Madhya-līlā 15.293]] - [[CC Madhya 15.295|Madhya-līlā 15.295]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 15.295|Madhya-līlā 15.295]]</div>
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==== TEXT 294 ====

<div class="verse">
:prabhu kahe,—gopīnātha, ihāñi rahibā
:iṅho prasāda pāile, vārtā āmāke kahibā
</div>

==== SYNONYMS ====

<div class="synonyms">
''prabhu kahe''—Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said; ''gopīnātha''—Gopīnātha; ''ihāñi rahibā''—please stay here; ''iṅho—''Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya; ''prasāda pāile''—when he takes his lunch; ''vārtā—''the news; ''āmāke kahibā''—inform Me.
</div>

==== TRANSLATION ====

<div class="translation">
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then told Gopīnātha, “Stay here and inform Me when Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya has taken his prasādam.”
</div>

<div style="float:right; clear:both;">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.293|Madhya-līlā 15.293]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.293|Madhya-līlā 15.293]] - [[CC Madhya 15.295|Madhya-līlā 15.295]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 15.295|Madhya-līlā 15.295]]</div>
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CC Madhya 15.293

2021-10-08T09:42:35Z

Kritika:

[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - Madhya-lila Chapter 15|C293]]
<div style="float:left">'''[[Sri Caitanya-caritamrta|Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta]] - [[CC Madhya|Madhya-līlā]] - [[CC Madhya 15|Chapter 15: The Lord Accepts Prasādam at the House of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya]]'''</div>
<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.292|Madhya-līlā 15.292]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.292|Madhya-līlā 15.292]] - [[CC Madhya 15.294|Madhya-līlā 15.294]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 15.294|Madhya-līlā 15.294]]</div>
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==== TEXT 293 ====

<div class="verse">
:bhaṭṭa kahe,—cala, prabhu, īśvara-daraśane
:snāna kari’ tāṅhā muñi āsichoṅ ekhane
</div>

==== SYNONYMS ====

<div class="synonyms">
''bhaṭṭa kahe—''the Bhaṭṭācārya said; ''cala''—go; ''prabhu''—my Lord; ''īśvara-daraśane''—to see Lord Jagannātha, the Personality of Godhead; ''snāna kari’''—taking my bath; ''tāṅhā''—there; ''muñi''—I; ''āsichoṅ—''shall come back; ''ekhane''—here.
</div>

==== TRANSLATION ====

<div class="translation">
Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya said, “Please go, my Lord, to see Lord Jagannātha. After taking my bath, I shall go there and then return.”
</div>

<div style="float:right; clear:both;">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.292|Madhya-līlā 15.292]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.292|Madhya-līlā 15.292]] - [[CC Madhya 15.294|Madhya-līlā 15.294]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 15.294|Madhya-līlā 15.294]]</div>
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CC Madhya 15.292

2021-10-08T09:39:43Z

Kritika:

[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - Madhya-lila Chapter 15|C292]]
<div style="float:left">'''[[Sri Caitanya-caritamrta|Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta]] - [[CC Madhya|Madhya-līlā]] - [[CC Madhya 15|Chapter 15: The Lord Accepts Prasādam at the House of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya]]'''</div>
<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.291|Madhya-līlā 15.291]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.291|Madhya-līlā 15.291]] - [[CC Madhya 15.293|Madhya-līlā 15.293]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 15.293|Madhya-līlā 15.293]]</div>
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==== TEXT 292 ====

<div class="verse">
:ebe ‘vaiṣṇava’ haila, tāra gela ‘aparādha’
:tāhāra upare ebe karaha prasāda
</div>

==== SYNONYMS ====

<div class="synonyms">
''ebe—''now; ''vaiṣṇava haila''—has become a Vaiṣṇava; ''tāra''—his; ''gela''—went away; ''aparādha—''offenses; ''tāhāra upare''—upon him; ''ebe''—now; ''karaha prasāda''—show mercy.
</div>

==== TRANSLATION ====

<div class="translation">
“Now that he has become a Vaiṣṇava, he is offenseless. You can bestow your mercy upon him without hesitation.”
</div>

<div style="float:right; clear:both;">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.291|Madhya-līlā 15.291]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.291|Madhya-līlā 15.291]] - [[CC Madhya 15.293|Madhya-līlā 15.293]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 15.293|Madhya-līlā 15.293]]</div>
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CC Madhya 15.291

2021-10-08T09:37:55Z

Kritika:

[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - Madhya-lila Chapter 15|C291]]
<div style="float:left">'''[[Sri Caitanya-caritamrta|Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta]] - [[CC Madhya|Madhya-līlā]] - [[CC Madhya 15|Chapter 15: The Lord Accepts Prasādam at the House of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya]]'''</div>
<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.290|Madhya-līlā 15.290]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.290|Madhya-līlā 15.290]] - [[CC Madhya 15.292|Madhya-līlā 15.292]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 15.292|Madhya-līlā 15.292]]</div>
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==== TEXT 291 ====

<div class="verse">
:prabhu kahe,—amogha śiśu, tomāra bālaka
:bālaka-doṣa nā laya pitā, tāhāte pālaka
</div>

==== SYNONYMS ====

<div class="synonyms">
''prabhu kahe''—Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said; ''amogha śiśu''—Amogha is a child; ''tomāra'' ''bālaka''—your son; ''bālaka-doṣa''—the offense of a child; ''nā laya''—does not accept; ''pitā''—the father; ''tāhāte''—unto him; ''pālaka''—the maintainer.
</div>

==== TRANSLATION ====

<div class="translation">
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Amogha is a child and your son. The father does not take the faults of his son seriously, especially when he is maintaining him.
</div>

<div style="float:right; clear:both;">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.290|Madhya-līlā 15.290]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.290|Madhya-līlā 15.290]] - [[CC Madhya 15.292|Madhya-līlā 15.292]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 15.292|Madhya-līlā 15.292]]</div>
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CC Madhya 15.290

2021-10-08T09:36:10Z

Kritika:

[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - Madhya-lila Chapter 15|C290]]
<div style="float:left">'''[[Sri Caitanya-caritamrta|Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta]] - [[CC Madhya|Madhya-līlā]] - [[CC Madhya 15|Chapter 15: The Lord Accepts Prasādam at the House of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya]]'''</div>
<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.289|Madhya-līlā 15.289]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.289|Madhya-līlā 15.289]] - [[CC Madhya 15.291|Madhya-līlā 15.291]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 15.291|Madhya-līlā 15.291]]</div>
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==== TEXT 290 ====

<div class="verse">
:prabhu-pada dhari’ bhaṭṭa kahite lāgilā
:marita’ amogha, tāre kene jīyāilā
</div>

==== SYNONYMS ====

<div class="synonyms">
''prabhu-pada''—Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s lotus feet; ''dhari''’—catching hold of; ''bhaṭṭa''—Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya; ''kahite lāgilā''—began to speak; ''marita’ amogha''—Amogha would have died; ''tāre—''him; ''kene''—why; ''jīyāilā''—have You brought to life.
</div>

==== TRANSLATION ====

<div class="translation">
Catching hold of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s lotus feet, the Bhaṭṭācārya said, “Why did You bring Amogha back to life? It would have been better had he died.”
</div>

<div style="float:right; clear:both;">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=CC Madhya 15.289|Madhya-līlā 15.289]] '''[[CC Madhya 15.289|Madhya-līlā 15.289]] - [[CC Madhya 15.291|Madhya-līlā 15.291]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=CC Madhya 15.291|Madhya-līlā 15.291]]</div>
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