Overview

This article ‘Vikrīḍitaṁ vraja-vadhūbhir’ was originally written by an unknown author under the editorship of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda and first published in the 8th volume of Dainika Nadīyā Prakāśa on 29th October 1933 under the title, ‘Rasa Yātrā.’ The article explains the dangers of hearing higher topics for the conditioned jīvas and how Śukadeva Gosvāmī has himself warned about this.
Today is Rasa Pūrṇimā. Many people have gathered in Navadvīpa, Śāntipura, Vṛndāvana, Purī and other holy places. The purpose of these pilgrims is to take darśana of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa-līlā. It is the opinion of those who are knowledgeable of their spiritual identity that there is no other greater sevā than this, and in this respect there is no doubt that it is everyone’s duty to endeavour to gain qualification for this sevā. Without first climbing the branch of a tree, trying to reach the fruits is a disturbance.

What tattva is Śrī Kṛṣṇa? What is our svarūpa? What is the tattva of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s gopīs? What is our relationship with Them? Without knowing what is actually rāsa-līlā, then in our attempt to attain darśana of that rasa, we shall simply try to pursue our desire to enjoy. We will not pursue the real thing. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is aprākṛta-vastu (fully spiritual). We cannot comprehend Him through material knowledge. Neither the physical senses nor the knowledge acquiring senses are sufficient to attain knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. Those vraja-gopīs with whom Kṛṣṇa performs His rāsa-līlā, are just like Śrī Kṛṣṇa in that they are inaccessible to material intelligence. So long as there remains a fraction of lust in our consciousness, then we have no qualification to take darśana of that rasa. Lust can never find a place in the heart of a devotee of Śrī Kṛṣṇa who has eka-niṣṭhā-bhakti (one-pointed exclusive devotion). If at any time a devotee of Kṛṣṇa happens to think about lusty affairs and starts to look at those, then by his good fortune a desire will arise in him to spit. Therefore one mahājana has sung thus:

yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-pādāravinde
nava-nava-rasa-dhāmany udyataṁ rantum āsīt
tad-avadhi bata nārī-saṅgame smaryamāne
bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ suṣṭhu niṣṭhīvanaṁ ca

“Ever since my mind became immersed in the light of ever-new rasas at Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, whenever I recall my previous association with women, my mouth turns in disgust and I spit at the thought.” (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 2.5.72)

It is especially observed that only the baddha-jīvas are inclined towards following the path of sensual enjoyment. Śrī Śukadeva has told Maharaja Parikṣit:

naitat samācarej jātu manasāpi hy anīśvaraḥ
vinaśyaty ācaran mauḍhyād yathā rudro ’bdhijaṁ viṣam

“One should not engage in these activities if he is not as powerful as the Lord, not even in the mind. If one does so out of foolishness, then he will be destroyed, just as drinking an ocean of poison would destroy someone without Śiva’s powers”. (Bhāg. 10.33.30)

Except for the Lord, these things (the rāsa-līlā etc.) should not be practiced by anyone, even in the mind. Apart from Rudra, anyone else who drinks an ocean of poison will only invite destruction. If by foolishness someone tries to imitate the Lord’s līlā, then he will be destroyed. We can observe in Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pastimes in Nīlācala – He performed nāma-saṅkīrtana only amongst His general associates and with His intimate associates He tasted rasa. The aforementioned divine mellows are complete and flourishing in rāsa-līlā and are meant to be relished internally by confidential liberated devotees. Now, if we conditioned souls, under the laws of material nature, run after the darśana of rāsa-līlā then whatever proper or improper sādhana we perform will be reviewed by the highly advanced and learned devotees.

All the materially conditioned people that run after rāsa-līlā darśana can be divided into two classes – one class is the atheistic moralists, and the other class are the immoral sense enjoyers. In order to show how the aforementioned classes become entangled in difficulties after hearing about the rāsa-līlā, Maharaja Parikṣit, after hearing the rāsa-līlā from the divine mouth of Śrī Śukadeva, masquerading as such a person of that class, asked a question. The inquiry was this:

saṁsthāpanāya dharmasya praśamāyetarasya ca
avatīrṇo hi bhagavān aṁśena jagad-īśvaraḥ
sa kathaṁ dharma-setūnāṁ vaktā kartābhirakṣitā
pratīpam ācarad brahman para-dārābhimarśanam

“O brāhmaṇa, the Lord of the entire universe, has descended to earth in order to destroy adharma and reestablish dharma. Indeed, He is the original creator, follower and guardian of dharma. So how could He have violated them by touching other men’s wives?” (Bhāg.10.33.26-27)

Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the highest enjoyer, and the gopīs, His eternal maidservants, cannot be enjoyed by anyone else but Him. They are only the medium of that rasa, which is created by parakīya-bhāva. As long as a desire to enjoy lusty affairs remains in our heart and as long as we perform activities that are unfavourable for kṛṣṇa–bhajana, then even after having ceased relations with our family or pretending that we have ceased, whatever the case may be – until we understand that kṛṣṇa-bhajana is our only duty in life then we cannot realize such high realities about the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa. Those spiritual teachings that exist in the manifested pastimes of the gopīs cannot even slightly enter the heads of atheistic moralists because in atheistic morality there is nothing that passes beyond the knowledge of mundane chemistry that is based upon the exploitation of material elements.

Maharaja Parikṣit, though he was a bhāgavata, asked the aforementioned question because, due to their offensive tendency, atheistic moralists accuse Śrī Kṛṣṇa of debauchery. The crest jewel of eternally liberated mahā-bhāgavatas, Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī, answered his query. We have already mentioned the answer of Śrī Śukadeva.

Immoral, licentious people go to hear the rāsa-līlā simply to satisfy their personal dispositions. And the disciples of Kali, for a wage of two-paisa, having obtained some material scholarship and a little knowledge of anusvara and visarga, with lustful consciousness, pose as reciters of rāsa-līlā. In a ‘fit of bhāva’ they drench their breasts with a flood of tears. Moreover it has been said, “When the recitation is over and the time comes to accept donations of money, clothes etc, they suddenly regain their consciousness!” All glories to Kali-yuga for such a performance!

During a stay in Nīlācala at Puruṣottama Maṭha, the famous zamindar, the pride of the kāyasthas, Rājaṛṣi Śrīyukta Śaradindu Nārāyaṇa Rāya (MA), Prajṣa-vedānta-bhūṣaṇa Mahāśaya of Dinajpur, once informed me about a recital of the rasa-paṣcādhyāya by a particular famous reciter of the class mentioned above, who had a beautiful voice. Explaining the gist of the śloka, naitat samacarejjatu, I told him that a baddha-jīva such as myself had no qualification to hear and speak about the rāsa-līlā. He informed the main reciter of my words, and the reciter replied by quoting the following śloka in order to establish that he indeed had the adhikāra to speak and that his audience was also qualified to hear him speak about the rāsa-līlā:

vikrīḍitaṁ vraja-vadhūbhir idaṁ ca viṣṇoḥ
śraddhānvito ’nuśṛṇuyād atha varṇayed yaḥ
bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati pratilabhya kāmaṁ
hṛd-rogam āśv apahinoty acireṇa dhīraḥ

“If a self-controlled person listens with faith to the confidential pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa with the damsels of Vraja, from the mouth of Śrī Guru and glorifies it at every second, then he immediately obtains transcendental devotion towards the Supreme Lord and becomes capable of distancing himself from the heart disease of lust without delay.” (Bhāg. 10.33.40)

Without meditating upon the actual meaning of this verse, if we are only eager to hear about the rāsa-līlā for the sake of listening without discretion, and if we attempt to enjoy the rāsa-līlā when we are afflicted by a licentious consciousness, then we will fall into a state of severe illusion.

It was my misfortune to be introduced to this aforementioned reciter. He was in bābājī-veśa. One day I saw him at the Purī station with a nice pair of fashionable shoes adorning his feet. Thereafter, I undertook a special enquiry and discovered that he had two or three mātājīs. Naturally, while visiting a disciple’s house, the mātājīs don’t accompany the bābājī but stay nearby at an akhāḍā. The bābājī is almost elderly. For many years he has been reciting the Bhāgavata – even so, why has the heart disease of lust not subsided? Why has his state gradually come to resemble that of Yayāti?

Reciters should take note of the word ‘dhīra’ in the aforementioned verse. The rāsa-līlā should only be heard and continuously sung by a self-controlled person. It is not a subject matter for discussion by one who is afflicted with lust. Except for the pure Vaiṣṇava, others cannot be considered to be dhīra. Because their minds are running here and there for the sake of worldly sense objects, they are adhīra. Therefore, they have no qualification to hear and preach about the rāsa-līlā.

From whom does a completely self-controlled person hear about the rāsa-līlā? Not from a person afflicted with lust, but from the lotus feet of Śrī Guru who is free from lust. And in front of whom does he perform kīrtana? Not in front of an unqualified person, but confidentially and individually to a qualified person. For what purpose does he continuously glorify the topic of rasa? Not for the sake of earning money, but out of love for Kṛṣṇa. What is the result? As regards the result, the self-controlled never pray for any other result other than the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa – and in his heart, even if somewhere there is a small amount of lust hidden, then by the auspicious desire of Śrī Kṛṣṇa it is removed and that excellent self-controlled devotee stays absorbed in the pleasure of service.

Therefore, to gain qualification to see or hear the rāsa-līlā, one should become dhīra. Being self-controlled one should serve the lotus feet of the sad-guru (bona-fide spiritual master) and should be patient to gain that qualification. Without first climbing the branch of a tree, the fruits can never be reached.

Overview

The following discourse was spoken by Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda in the Sārasvata Nāṭya-mandira, Śrī Gauḍīya Maṭha, at 6:00 pm in the evening of Śrī Rādhāṣṭamī, September 19th, 1931. This was first printed in The Gauḍīya, Vol. 10, No. 11 in October 1931, and reprinted in Śrī Caitanya Sārasvata Maṭha’s periodical, Śrī Gauḍīya Darśana, Vol. 4, October 1958. This article was translated into English by Swami B.V. Giri)
There is one personality whose name is not referred to in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, yet the readers of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam nurture the hope of becoming that person’s devoted servant. May that personality, who is everything to Bhagavān, completely destroy our false-ego and grant us shelter at Her feet.

Today is Her appearance day. Having accrued all varieties of compassion from Bhagavān, she distributes that as gifts to all. May that personification of great mercy manifest within our hearts and make Her appearance there. May Her appearance day be the concern of our adoration.

Generally we hear that the whole world is maintained by Govinda. Many people discuss about Govinda in this way. Yet there is one whom Govinda Himself considers as His sarvasva – His all in all. Without taking shelter of that personality, we will not be able to comprehend what sarvasva actually means. The word sva means ‘one’s own’, and sva also means ‘treasure.’ Sva means Govinda’s own and also one who is Govinda’s treasure. She is the complete wealth of Govinda – the wealth of the wealth of Govinda. She is Govinda’s sarvasva-vastu. When we make Her our worshippable object, then we will understand the actual meaning of worship.

All the śāstras loudly proclaim that those things in relation to Bhagavān are the objects of worship. Apart from Him, no one else can be worthy of the word ārādhya (worship). At present we are bound by ignorance and we have forsaken our search, cheating ourselves out of attaining prema. At the time when anarthas arise, we mistake Him for something else. Our ultimate goal is artha (that which is necessary), the opposite of which is anartha. If we do not serve those innermost necessary ideals, or perfections that are available to us, and if we do not gain instructions on the matter of service, then we will be ruled by our own false-ego, rendering service unto something else other than that which is actually worthy of service.

Only divine love for God is worthy of worship. Understanding this point clearly, we live with the fervent hope that we will eventually be counted amongst Her retinue. Otherwise, it is better for us to die thousands of times.

āśā bharair amṛta-sindhu-mayaiḥ kathaṣcit
kālo mayātigamitaḥ kila sāmprataṁ hi
tvaṁ cet kṛpāṁ mayi vidhāsyasi naiva kiṁ me
prāṇair vrajena ca varoru bakāriṇāpi

“O Varoru, my beautiful, most magnanimous Goddess, my heart is flooded with an ocean of nectarean hopes. I have somehow been passing my time until now eagerly longing for Your grace, which is an ocean of ever cherished nectar. If still you do not bestow Your mercy on me then of what use to me are my life, the land of Vraja or even Śrī Kṛṣṇa who without You, is simply a mighty hero the destroyer of demoniac forces like Baka.” (Vilapa-kusumanjali 102)

ha natha gokula-sudhakara su-prasanna
vaktraravinda madhura-smita he krpardra
yatra tvaya viharate pranayaih priyarat
tatraiva mam api naya priya-sevanaya

“O Lord, O ambrosial moon of Gokula, O Lord whose beautiful face is like a lotus flower, O sweetly smiling one, O You who are soft and compassionate, so I may render service unto You, please take me to where Your beloved sports in loving pastimes with You.” (Vilāpa-kusumāṣjali 100)

This is the devotee’s only desirable hope – when will that ocean of nectarean hope bear fruit? I believe it is imperative that I maintain my life because of that hope. But because our eagerness does not increase, that hope is not completely attained – that hope is not fruitful. If that hope is not fulfilled today, if today Govinda’s sarvasva does not manifest in our hearts, then we have been deceived. You will not be able to find anyone more unfortunate than us in the history of the world. If we are cheated out of serving that personality whose mercy awards us everything we need, including residence in the Lord’s holy dhāma, and all things connected to Him, and if we cannot understand Her identity or discover Her within the 18,000 verses of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, then our study of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam has been pointless.

Being intimately acquainted with Her identity, Śrī Gaurasundara has spoken to us on the topic of unnata-ujjvala-rasa (the highest mellows of conjugal love) , explaining the various ways of serving the Lord and the process of pure service. It is only because He spoke to us about ujjvala-rasa that we may understand the topic, as well as the opposite – the meagre splendour of material rasa.

In order to incite us to render service unto Him, Bhagavān has personally given us knowledge of Himself in so many ways. However it is necessary that we fully understand that personality who has rendered such perfect service to Bhagavān that He has made Her the object of His own service. Those who praise Her can award us the qualification to serve Her and they can manifest anurāga (attachment) for Her lotus feet within our innermost heart. The intelligence and strength to serve Her is attained by accepting the association of Her beloved friends who are under Her shelter – in this way we may realize that service to Her is our highest objective.

When we can understand, through the instructions of the mahājanas, that She is Bhagavān’s sarvasva, we must proceed to serve Her, knowing that the prosperity of worship only exists in Her. From this day forward, Her appearance day, if we engage in Her service then we shall become qualified to reach the pinnacle of the highest type of auspiciousness.

All of us do not pray for that highest auspiciousness. But if by some ajṣāta–sukṛti we obtain the association of one of the associates of Vṛṣabhānu-nandinī, who is the personification and source of supreme auspiciousness, and if we are granted the actual good fortune of hearing genuine discussions about Her, then we can attain the inspiration to journey along the path of highest auspiciousness.

If we deprive ourselves of rendering service to and taking shelter of She who means everything to Nanda-nandana, the emporium of rasa (akhila-rasāmṛta-mūrti) as well as Her associates, then we will never attain the qualification to serve Govinda. Firstly, to understand Her identity, we believe that it is necessary to know Her name. But while studying the Bhāgavata we cannot find any occurrence of Her name, we only find descriptions of Her form, qualities, the distinctive characteristics of Her companions and Her pastimes. In Bhāgavatam, we find everything about Govinda’s all in all, with the exception of Her name. But we discover this in the verses of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam:

jṣānaṁ parama-guhyaṁ me yad vijṣāna-samanvitam
sa-rahasyaṁ tad-aṅgaṁ ca gṛhāṇa gaditaṁ mayā

“To be merciful upon you I will teach you the most esoteric knowledge of Me, including the realisation of My nature and entourage, the inconceivable mystery of loving devotion or prema-bhakti, and its constituent part in the form of devotional practice or sadhana-bhakti. Now hear My message attentively, and accept what I impart to you.” (Bhāg.2.9.30)

kālena naṣṭā pralaye vāṇīyaṁ veda-saṁjṣitā
mayādau brahmaṇe proktā dharmo yasyāṁ mad-ātmakaḥ
tena proktā sva-putrāya manave pūrva-jāya sā
tato bhṛgv-ādayo ’gṛhṇan sapta brahma-maharṣayaḥ

“The message of the Vedas is eternal religion, non-different from Me. When in the course of time those eternal teachings disappeared from view with the universal cataclysm, I imparted them to Lord Brahmā at the dawning of a new creation.” (Bhāg. 11.14.3-4)

The Lord explained all these topics to Brahma, the original person, but after some time the people of this world forgot the Lord’s words because the stream of their thoughts were subjected to the effects of old age and destruction.

jṣānaṁ parama-guhyaṁ me yad vijṣāna-samanvitam
sa-rahasyaṁ tad-aṅgaṁ ca gṛhāṇa gaditaṁ mayā

“As I speak, listen to Me and try to understand. Knowledge about Me is extremely confidential.” That knowledge is endowed with realization, it is knowledge possessed with confidentiality – it is the supreme secret. Rahasya means rahasi sthitaḥ – this means that those secrets cannot be assimilated by any external force, nor can any branch of those secrets be grasped. Due to the currents of thought that exist in the external world, we have forgotten the essential objective of taking shelter at the feet of those who have true knowledge of the ātmā. Bhagavān is ever ready to bestow this knowledge.

Bhagavān told Brahmā: “As I speak, listen to Me and try to understand. Without My mercy no one is eligible to hear or assimilate this message. Only through My mercy can anyone obtain this confidential knowledge. What am I? What is My form? What is My svarūpa? What are My qualities? What are the distinctive characteristics of My confidantes? What is My līlā? My supramundane pastimes that are surcharged with rasa far exceed the path of mundane sentiments. There is no way to attain this without the potency of My mercy. I am the storehouse of all transcendental qualities – I am not speaking about those qualities that are contaminated with the modes of passion and ignorance, but of those that are the foundation for creating, maintaining and destroying the universe. I am distinguished by these attributes and I am the active cause of all effects, thus I am the essential original principle. This can only be realised by attaining My mercy.” In this way the words mad-anugraha (My mercy) have been used. Information concerning Bhagavān’s parts and parcels, information on confidential topics related to Him, information concerning realized knowledge – specifically that which is endowed with spiritual consciousness, and information concerning His opulence – these are all supremely confidential and non-dualistic. It can never be initiated at any period or for any reason without the express mercy of the Lord. This secret knowledge is thoroughly expressed in the beginning of the catuḥ-śloki verses of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. We are most fortunate that Śrī Gaurasundara has revealed this to the world. A secret topic has been mentioned, but the name of that personality about whom this secret is concerned has not been uttered. Because it is a secret, it should not be revealed to those advocating foolish ideologies and thus it has not been openly disclosed. After hearing the pastimes of Nanda-nandana as narrated in the Bhāgavata, such people do not gain strong faith, and rejecting all these topics they simply deliberate upon the impersonal non-dual nature of the Lord, which is favourable to their mundane realisations. Some of them consider it reasonable to merge into that. Without hearing from a proper source, their perceptions will be perverted. Due to their vehement hatred of service to the Lord, such persons can never understand topics concerning the intrinsic nature of bhakti. Due to the trajectory of the sun, the appearance day of the Supreme Goddess who is fully imbued with rasa, has arisen in our own radiantly pure hearts. The roaming sun is revealing that Supreme Goddess. Therefore, today the demigods are also showing us great favour by revealing this secret.

It is our duty to surrender unto one who is acquainted with that secret. A poet by the name of Manohara Dāsa has said:

rādhā-pāda-paṅkaja bhakata ki āśa
dāsa manohara kara ta ’piyāsa

“The hope of the devotees is that they may serve the lotus feet of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. This is also Manohara Dāsa’s desire.”

The exclusive aspiration of the greatest devotees of the Lord is service to the lotus feet of Radha:

śrī-rādhā-pada-dāsyam eva paramābhīṣṭaṃ hṛdā dhārayan
karhi syāṃ tad-anugraheṇa paramābhutānurāgotsavaḥ

“When will I relish that most wonderful festival of attachment to the lotus feet of Śrī Radha by holding that most supreme desire of serving the Divine Couple, within my heart?” (Rādhā-rasa-sudhā-nidhi 259)

In his aṣṭāpadīs, Śrī Jayadeva has said:

kaṁsārir api saṁsāra-vāsanā-baddha-śṛṅkhalām
rādhām ādhāya hṛdaye tatyāja vraja-sundarīḥ

“The enemy of Kaṁsa (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) abandoned the other beautiful damsels of Vraja and took Radha within His heart, for she was like a chain that tied him tightly to his supreme and essential desire to enjoy the rasa dance.” (Gītā Govinda 3.1)

At the rasa-sthālī all the gopīs are present with Gopīnātha, absorbed in playful pastimes of rasa. When Vārṣabhānavī (Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī) arrived at the rasa-sthālī, She saw that unlimited gopīs were dancing in a circle, all of them fully occupied in serving the Lord. Feeling sorrow within Her mind, the daughter of Vṛṣabhānu Mahārāja thought, “Today My Kṛṣṇa is in the hands of others! Today My own associates are busy enjoying pastimes with Him!” Thus, to nurture vipralambha-bhāva – which actually nourishes sambhoga-rasa – rather than taking part, Vārṣabhānavī ran away from the rasa-sthālī. At this point Jayadeva Prabhu has written, “Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of Kaṁsa, suddenly broke away from the rasa-sthālī.” Saṁsāra-vāsanā-baddha-śṛṅkhalām – with thoughts of Rādhā in His heart, Kṛṣṇa abandoned all the other beautiful damsels of Vraja. When someone rejects the shelter of Rādhikā, any expertise they may have in pleasing the senses of Kṛṣṇa can never conform with exclusive heartfelt service to Him. All the gopīs are direct expansions of Rādhikā, and while they remain proudly under the shelter of Kṛṣṇa’s sarvasva, Śrīmatī Rādhikā, they can supply Kṛṣṇa the topmost pleasure:

rīmān rāsa-rasārambhī vaṁśī-vaṭa-taṭa-sthitaḥ
karṣan veṇu-svanair gopīr gopī-nāthaḥ śriye ’stu naḥ
(Cc. Ādi-līlā 1.17)

“Śrīmad Gopīnātha nurtures the mellows that manifests during the rāsa-līlā. Standing at the shore near Vaṁśī-vaṭa, He attracts all the gopīs by the sound of His flute. May He grant us all auspiciousness.”

We will never assent to enjoying Śrī Kṛṣṇa (sambhoga) without taking shelter of She who is His all in all. To shed light on this, the author of the aṣṭāpadī reveals something that supplements the description in the Bhāgavata when he says, tatyaja-vraja-sundarih – as all the gopīs danced in the rāsa-līlā, Kṛṣṇa abandoned them in order to find Śrī Rādhikā who resided in His heart. The fetters of the love of all the other gopīs are powerless, weak and susceptible in comparison to the bonds of Vārṣabhānavī which are extremely strong and powerful. All the gopīs took shelter of Vṛṣabhānu-nandinī’s adhirūḍha-mahābhāva – overwhelmed by mohana, madana and other intense feelings of separation, they went to find Kṛṣṇa. They all understood that without taking shelter at the lotus feet of Vārṣabhānavī, Govinda’s sarvasva, madhura-rasa is never completely nourished. All the loving sentiments with which the various gopīs perform their services, simultaneously exist in Vārṣabhānavī exclusively in their entirety. Deserting all the other gopīs, who were immersed in feelings of proṣita-bharttṛkā etc. Kṛṣṇa was attracted by Vārṣabhānavī’s captivating charms, since She possesses all these loving sentiments in full. Thus He set out to find that personality who even attracts the all-attractive One. The gopīs are expansions of Rādhikā and are eternally a portion of She who is the original source – they could not bind Kṛṣṇa, for He completely belonged to Rādhikā. Thus She enticed Kṛṣṇa, who attracts everyone, from the rasa–sthālī. One can only understand such topics if the functions of the soul have awakened to the taste of madhura-rati (divine love). But those whose hearts contain an intense mood of vātsalya–rasa can also completely appreciate the sweetness and beauty of such pastimes.

All the gopīs came to participate at the rasa-sthālī, attracted by Kṛṣṇa and charmed by the sweet sound of His flute. Again, when Vārṣabhānavī, the complete embodiment of madhura-rati, desired to offer service, then the object of our service Nanda-nandana Gopīnātha Rādhā-ramaṇa discarded the general attraction of all the other gopīs and was captivated by Śrī Vārṣabhānavī’s charm. He who is most attractive became attracted. Therefore, when liberated jīvas attain the eligibility to fathom Rādhikā’s identity, they consider the following:

karmibhyaḥ parito hareḥ priyatayā vyaktiṁ yayur jṣāninas
tebhyo jṣāna-vimukta-bhakti-paramāḥ premaika-niṣṭhās tataḥ
tebhyas tāḥ paśu-pāla-paṅkaja-dṛśas tābhyo ’pi sā rādhikā
preṣṭhā tadvad iyaṁ tadīya-sarasī tāṁ nāśrayet kaḥ kṛtī

“The jṣānīs have attained the distinction of being dearer to Lord Hari than those who follow the path of karma. Even dearer to the Lord are those who have abandoned knowledge, understanding that the path of bhakti is higher. Even more superior are those who have attained love for Kṛṣṇa. The gopīs are most exalted of all, and amongst them Śrī Rādhikā is certainly the dearmost of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. And Rādhā-kuṇḍa is as dear to Kṛṣṇa as She is. Therefore, which fortunate soul will not take shelter of Rādhā-kuṇḍa?” (Śrī Upadeśāmṛta 10)

kṛṣṇasyoccaiḥ praṇaya-vasatiḥ preyasībhyo ’pi rādhā
kuṇḍaṁ cāsyā munibhir abhitas tādṛg eva vyadhāyi
yat preṣṭhair apy alam asulabhaṁ kiṁ punar bhakti-bhājāṁ
tat premedaṁ sakṛd api saraḥ snātur āviṣkaroti

“It has been established by great sages that amongst all the beloved vraja-gopīs, Śrī Radha is Kṛṣṇa’s most treasured object of love. Similarly, Her kuṇḍa is just as dear to Him. One who bathes even once in the waters of Rādhā-kuṇḍa attains love for Kṛṣṇa which is extremely difficult to achieve even for great devotees, what to speak of ordinary devotees.” (Śrī Upadeśāmṛta 11)

Śrī Rādhikā is the abode of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s intense love, and amongst all other dear associates, She is the most illustrious and the most beloved in all respects. Uddhava and other great devotees pray for the dust of the feet of the gopīs, and all the gopīs consider themselves most fortunate if they obtain Her shelter. The topmost devotees, who are drawn towards madhura-rasa and who have reached the topmost levels of devotion to Bhagavān, take refuge in the land of Vārṣabhānavī’s pleasure pastimes and bathe in Her lake, Rādhā-kuṇḍa. With a sentient attitude they constantly bathe and reside there. Those who have loyalty towards Śaibyā and Candrā do not even have the qualification to drink there. To constantly reside on the banks of that lake and to bathe there with a mindful attitude is not achieved by any common, fortunate person. So long as the divinity of Vārṣabhānavī’s youth and nature does not become the subject of our reflection, we will never fully comprehend the glories of achieving Her shelter.

In order to perform bhajana, it is essential for the students of the Bhāgavata to know Her Name. Bhajana begins with nāma. One cannot begin bhajana starting with līlā.

prathamaṁ nāmnaḥ śravaṇam-antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhy-artham apekṣyam. śuddhe cāntaḥ-karaṇe rūpa-śravaṇena tad-udaya-yogyatā bhavati. samyag udite ca rūpe guṇānāṁ sphuraṇaṁ sampadyeta, sampanne ca guṇānāṁ sphuraṇe parikara-vaiśiṣthyena tad-vaiśiṣthyaṁ sampadyate tatas teṣu nāma-rūpa-guṇa-parikareṣu samyak sphuriteṣu līlānāṁ sphuraṇaṁ suṣṭhu bhavatity-abhipretya sādhana-kramo likhitaḥ

“For the purification of the heart it is necessary first of all to listen to the chanting of the Holy Name. After the heart has been purified by listening to the Holy Name the fitness for the manifestation of the holy Form is attained on hearing the recital of scriptural accounts of the divine form. After the full appearance of the divine form, the divine qualities manifest themselves. After the appearance of the divine qualities, due to the characteristic traits of servitors, the knowledge of the distinctive and perfect identification of the devotee arises. Subsequent to this, after the full manifestation of the Name, form, quality and servitor has taken place, the transcendental activity of God manifests itself. For this reason this account of the successive stages of sadhana is written.” (Krama-sandarbha commentary on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.5.18)

Therefore, if our contemplation on rasa is not born from an attraction to the Holy Name, then we are not qualified to study Bhagavān’s form, qualities and pastimes. Some may have attained external, mundane perfection in grammar, however, as long as their conduct conflicts with that of realized souls, the topic of the Lord’s rāsa-līlā will never be grasped by them. For this reason, Śrī Gaurasundara has explained nāma–bhajana. Along with the taraka-brahma-nāma (the Divine Name that grants deliverance) we find the word ‘hare’ and if one does not understand the primary meaning (vidvad-rūḍhi) of this word, there will be difficulty. Even when we consider the word ‘rāma,’ many times we are compelled by historical concerns. Repeatedly, allegorical and metaphysical theories, as well as the fictitious notion of imposing human nature upon the Supreme Lord ruin our pure intelligence. Those who lack rahasya-jṣāna (knowledge of confidential truths) and try to be an intermediary for darṣana of Rādhā-Govinda, will finds that knowledge concealed from them. In the mahā-mantra, the word ‘Harā’ which denotes Vārṣabhānavī, becomes the word ‘Hare’ in sambodhanātmakā-pada (the vocative case). In the mahā-mantra, the word ‘Rāma’ refers to Rādhikā-ramaṇa Rāma in the vocative case. Those who have not achieved the qualification to enter into madhura-rati and have not obtained rahasya-jṣāna consider that ‘Hare’ is simply the vocative form of Hari. Some even say that the word ‘rāma’ means ātma-rāma (one who is self-satisfied) and go no further than that.

To declare that Puruṣottama alone exists is to present only half of His true identity. Those words that do not express the other half only mislead us. When we are cheated of the conception of a Supreme Divine Couple, we will also reject the idea of the non-difference between śaktiman and śakti (the Potent and the Potency) – then, whatever small understanding we may already have of Puruṣottama also degrades, and results in the theory of an impotent God.

The conception of Rādhā-Govinda is the most complete. Discussions on anugatya-dharma towards Puruṣottama who exists alone can only terminate in vātsalya, sakhya and dāsya–rasa – the topic of unnata-ujjvala-rasa is not discussed. Direct words such as Rādhānātha, Rādhā-ramaṇa etc. describe His totality and completeness; words such as Brahman or Paramātmā can never establish this. All those who traverse through the kingdom of sādhana-bhakti, and then the realm of bhāva-bhakti in search of prema-bhakti must realise that the topmost pinnacle of prema-bhakti is only found in the divine love of Vārṣabhānavī and nowhere else. Without Her shelter, the jīva achieves very little eligibility.

When we pass over Devi Dhāma, Virajā, Brahmaloka, and we cross beyond all the conceptions of opulence found in Paravyoma, as well as the informal moods of friendship and parental affection found in Goloka, situated in our eternally perfect spiritual identity and familiar with the topics of Rādhā-ramaṇa, then our qualifications will be so great that we will consider ourselves extremely fortunate and our service shall rise to the zenith of perfection. This cannot simply be called ‘realisation,’ or aparokṣa-anubhūti. It is not the aparokṣa-anubhūti described by the jṣānīs. This thing is an extraordinary affair called mohana and madana. These things are known as udghūrṇā, citra-jalpa and mahā-bhāva. Presently we reside within our gross bodies, which present many obstacles for us – even the sensitivity of our subtle bodies causes us problems. If the pursuit of our soul is without the unhindered and incessant shelter of Vārṣabhānavī, then we will never find it. Thus, taking the dust from the feet of the best of rūpānugas, Śrīla Dāsa Gosvāmī Prabhu, upon our heads, we earnestly pray:

hā devi! kāku-bhara-gadgadayādya vācā
yāce nipatya bhuvi daṇḍavad udbhaṭārtiḥ
asya prasādam abudhasya janasya kṛtvā
gāndharvike! nija-gaṇe gaṇanāṁ vidhehi

“O Goddess Gāndharvikā! Feeling intense distress I fall on the ground like a stick and implore You with many words and in a faltering voice to be merciful to this fool and accept me as one of Your own associates.” (Gāndharvā Samprārthanāṣṭakam 2)

Overview

In this article, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura tells the story of Ekalavya and explains how his so-called guru-bhakti to Droṇācārya was nothing but pride. This article was translated from Upakhyāne Upadeśa, Vol. 2 by Swami B.V. Giri.
Many people consider Ekalavya’s ‘guru-bhakti’ to be ideal, but there is a unique deliberation concerning this topic.

King Hiraṇyadhanu’s son was named Ekalavya. Ekalavya was, by caste, a niṣadha (caṇḍāla). In order to learn astra-vidyā, Prince Ekalavya approached Droṇācārya. Because Ekalavya possessed a low class mentality, the ācārya refused to initiate him in the teachings of the Dhanur-Veda. However, Ekalavya was determined to learn the martial arts from Droṇācārya and went off into the forest. There he constructed an idol of Droṇācārya made of clay and by continuously practicing in front of that artificial guru he became very expert in astra-vidyā.

Arjuna was Droṇācārya’s most beloved disciple. The ācārya had told Arjuna that none of Droṇācārya’s disciples would ever be able to excel Arjuna in skill.

One day Droṇācārya instructed the Kauravas and the Pāṇḍavas to leave the royal capital and go to the forest for hunting. As they made their way through the forest, they saw a dog whose mouth had been blocked with seven arrows. Seeing this, they were most astonished. Whoever had shot these arrows was far more expert than the Pāṇḍavas. Realising this, they went in search of that person. Gradually they understood that it was Ekalavya, the son of Hiraṇyadhanu, who had tested his archery skills on the dog’s mouth.

The Pāṇḍavas returned to the capital and, approaching Droṇācārya, submitted this unusual story to him. With a mood of humility, Arjuna told Droṇācārya that it seemed that he had another disciple who was more expert in archery than Arjuna. Droṇācārya listened to these words and was surprised. He went with Arjuna into the forest and there they saw Ekalavya continuously shooting arrows like rain, fully absorbed in the science of archery.

Taking the opportunity Droṇācārya came forward and approached Ekalavya, and seeing the ācārya, Ekalavya immediately offered his prayers at his feet, and with folded hands he introduced himself as his disciple and remained standing. Droṇācārya told Ekalavya, “You must give guru-dakṣiṇā.”

Ekalavya replied, “Please tell me – whatever it is, I am ready to give it!”

Then Droṇācārya told Ekalavya to cut off his thumb and give him that as his guru-dakṣiṇā. Ekalavya executed the order of his Gurudeva. Ekalavya did not protest in any way and unhesitatingly executed his guru’s instruction.

Initially Ekalavya’s guru rejected him because he considered him to be born of a low caste, yet due to his faith in Droṇācārya, he established a clay deity of him and became invincible – thus his guru-bhakti was established as ideal. On the other hand, Arjuna was envious towards Ekalavya, because by his perseverance, Ekalavya had become expert; therefore Ekalavya was ruined by Droṇācārya – this is the common opinion.

But this is not the opinion of the devotees, nor is it a true conception. Everything about Bhagavān is supremely true, everything about the principles of devotion are supremely true and everything in relation to the devotee is supremely true. These are the three truths – Bhagavān, bhakti and bhakta. Everything a devotee does is good; everything a non-devotee does is not very good. The non-devotee has many bad qualities because he is not engaged in satisfying the senses of Bhagavān. Those that think that mundane laws are greater than Bhagavān cannot accommodate those words regarding the supreme truth. Such persons are nirviśeṣavādīs (impersonalists) which is to say that they cannot accept the non-differentiated specialty of Bhagavān, bhakti and bhakta.

What was Ekalavya’s fault? This analysis is essential. He wore the mask of guru-bhakti, yet he was actually inimical towards his guru. Whether his guru actually considered Ekalavya to be disqualified by his low-birth, or was simply testing him — whatever the reason may be, when his Gurudeva did not wish to teach him the science of warfare, it was Ekalavya’s duty to accept his guru’s instruction upon his head; but Ekalavya did not accept that. He had the aspiration to become great.

Externally, without a guru, his practices would not have been considered lawful, or he would not be in a favourable position to become great without accepting a guru. To this end, Ekalavya concocted a clay form of his ‘guru’. He only did this to attain greatness by learning the Dhanur Veda. In this way, his main intention was to satisfy his own senses. He did not offer himself as a sacrifice to his guru’s desire and his own intentions were not sincere. Some may say that ultimately Ekalavya happily accepted the heartless order of his guru without protest, but if we consider this topic deeply and with keen discernment, we can observe that Ekalavya considered mundane morality to be superior to transcendental devotion. When the guru requests something to be given as dakṣiṇā, then one must offer it to him – it was that sense of morality that inspired him to cut off his thumb. Ekalavya did not offer it with spontaneous devotion. The very nature of bhakti is that it is spontaneous and simple.

If Ekalavya had unmotivated and natural devotion within his heart towards Hari, Guru and Vaiṣṇava, then the guru, Droṇācārya, the best of Vaiṣṇavas, Arjuna, and Bhagavān Sri Kṛṣṇa, would not have been displeased with his behaviour. Ekalavya’s attempt to learn the Dhanur-veda and his hankering to become great were not accepted by his Gurudeva. Deep within Ekalavya’s heart, he desired to try and become greater than Arjuna, the best of Vaiṣṇavas. The aspiration to become greater than the Vaiṣṇavas is not devotion – it is anti-devotional and it is the dharma of the ativāḍīs (1). According to worldly considerations, the desire to become great is regarded as good. But the effort to take a subordinate position behind a Vaiṣṇava and the attempt to take shelter of a Vaiṣṇava – that is bhakti.

Ekalavya wanted his expertise to be greater than that which could be acquired by learning Vedic sciences directly from a mahant-guru – Arjuna notified Droṇācārya of this. If Arjuna had not mercifully pointed this out, then the victory of impersonalism would have been proclaimed extensively. People would not have approached a mahant-guru to accept any type of knowledge; they would have desired to create their own contradictory, concocted, clay, lifeless gurus in order to learn various sciences or devotional teachings. In this way, atheistic theories would have been established. Therefore, Arjuna had no envy towards Ekalavya; it was actually his causeless compassion towards Ekalavya and the world.

If Ekalavya had been an honest devotee of his guru, then Kṛṣṇa would not have killed such a guru-bhakta – He always protects His devotees. But finally Ekalavya was killed by the hand of Kṛṣṇa. This is how Ekalavya finally met his end (2).

Sri Caitanyadeva has said that we cannot judge devotion simply on the basis of external austerities. The asuras perform penances that even the demigods cannot perform (3). Against the wishes of his guru, Ekalavya wanted to become greater than the Vaiṣṇava. Therefore he was killed by Kṛṣṇa and attained impersonal liberation. Asuras are always killed by Kṛṣṇa and the devotees of the Lord are protected by Kṛṣṇa (4). The proof of this is Hiraṇyakaśipu and Prahlāda. Thus we should never attempt to become greater than the Vaiṣṇavas. If we do not wear a mask of guru-bhakti, we will never become impersonalists. This is what the pure devotees have taught in relation to the narrative of Ekalavya. Expertise in performing mundane activities is not guru-bhakti. Taking shelter of the Vaiṣṇavas is actually true devotion.

FOOTNOTES:

(1) The ativāḍīs are an apa-sampradāya that originated in Orissa under one Jagannātha Dāsa during the time of Mahaprabhu. The word ‘ativāḍī‘ means ‘one who thinks he is very intelligent’ (ati – very, vāḍī – intelligent).

(2) Ekalavya’s demise is found in Chapter 48 of the Udyoga-parva of Mahābhārata wherein Kṛṣṇa kills him as He battles with Jarāsandha’s army.

(3) asure o tapa kare, ki haya tāhāra
vine mora śaraṇa laile nāhi pāra (Cb. Madhya 23.46)

(4) Madhvācārya, in his Mahābhārata Tataparya Nirṇaya has commented that Ekalavya was the aṁśa of the demon Maṇimanta.

yuddhvā ciraṁ raṇa mukhe bhagavat sutaḥ asau
cakre nirāyudham amuṁ sthiram ekalavyam
aṁśena yo bhuvam agāt maṇimān iti sma
sa krodha tantraka gaṇeṣu adhipo niṣādaḥ

“Fighting for a long time with Ekalavya, who was steadfast in battlefield, Pradyumna rendered him weaponless. Previously there was a group of demons known as the Krodha-tantra-gaṇas, amongst whom there was a prominent demon named Maṇimanta. Ekalavya is the aṁśa of that Maṇimanta.” (MTN 14.40)

Overview

“Śrī Guru-Tattva and the Secret of Dīkṣā” was first published in the Janmāṣṭamī edition of Dainika Nadīyā Prakāśa in 1934. In this conversation, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura tells of the necessity of receiving initiation from a self-realised sādhu and explains the profound secrets of guru-tattva. This Bengali article was translated into English by Swami B.V. Giri.
(On the morning of Wednesday, August 8th 1934, Śrīyukta Rājendranath Pāl Chaudhuri Mahāśaya, the famous zamindar of Louhajang, came to Śrī Gauḍīya Maṭha accompanied by one of his employees. Offering his humble daṇḍavats at the lotus feet of Śrī Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, he expressed his desire to hear some words on śrī-guru-tattva and the secret of dīkṣā etc. Śrīla Prabhupāda obligingly gave a valuable discourse for two hours. Some brief excerpts from that talk are presented below. It has only been possible for us to publish this priceless gem by the help of Upadeśaka Paṇḍita Śrīpāda Praṇavānanda Pratnavidyālaṅkara Mahodaya. Thus, we convey our sincere gratitude at his feet – Niśikāṇṭa Sanyāl)

Rājen Bābu – Is it necessary for me to take dīkṣā again if I have already taken dīkṣā from a kula-guru (hereditary family guru)? He does not eat fish or meat; he studies the Bhāgavatam, is the son of a Gosvāmī and is a householder.

Prabhupāda –

asat-saṅga-tyāga ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra
strī-saṅgī eka asādhu, kṛṣṇābhakta āra

“To discard the company of those who diminish one’s resolve in kṛṣṇa-bhakti (asat-saṅga) is truly the natural conduct of a Vaiṣṇava. And the most detrimental association of all is those who enjoy the company of women and the non-devotees.” (Cc. Madhya-līlā 22.087)

These two types of non-devotees can never become spiritual masters. They are not devotees of Kṛṣṇa.

kibā viprā kibā nyāsī śūdra kene naya
yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya

“Whether one is a brāhmaṇa, a sannyāsī, a śūdra or whatever, if he is fully conversant with the science of Kṛṣṇa, he is eligible to become a guru.” (Cc. Madhya-līlā 8.128)

From this we understand that Śrī Gurudeva must be a kṛṣṇa-tattva-vetta (one who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa). It is incorrect to assume that only those who are born in a high caste family, who has attained knowledge of the Absolute (brahma-jṣāna), or who are famous are entitled to be guru. Śrī Gurudeva may externally be a brāhmaṇa, a sannyāsī or a gṛhastha – that is irrelevant. If the spiritual master is not a kṛṣṇa-tattva-vetta, he should be abandoned.

Śrī Guru is sadācāri – one who correctly practices devotional principles. The question may be asked, “What is ācāra?” In reply it has been said, asat-saṅga-tyāga ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra. Who is asat? Those who are addicted to illicit connections with women (strī-saṅgī) and those who are averse to Kṛṣṇa (kṛṣṇābhakta) –these are the two types of non-devotees. Their association must be abandoned. The general understanding of the term asat is that which is unreal. Sat is that which is unchangable, which is not transformable, which is not transmutable. The opposite state of sat is asat. There are two terms known a gṛhastha and gṛha-vrata. One who pays less attention to Kṛṣṇa and is more attached to his wife, considering her to be the most cherished thing in his life, is known as yoṣit-saṅgī (one who is addicted to women). Such householders that are attached to matter, which is inferior to Kṛṣṇa, are known as gṛha-vratas. Therefore a gṛha-vrata can never be a guru. Those who perform hari-bhajana – whether they are gṛhasthas or sannyāsīs –should be considered as most excellent. Otherwise even a sannyāsī that does not perform hari-bhajana should be understood to be a non-devotee.

Who is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa?

vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jṣānam advayam
brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate

“The seers that know the Absolute Truth call this non-dual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān.” (Bhāg. 1.2.11)

One who sees Brahman and Paramātmā as separate from Kṛṣṇa, who is the advaya-jṣāna-tattva (the non-dual Absolute), cannot become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa due to their ignorance of vastu-tattva (the science of Absolute Reality). Brahman is that conscience relating to a subject that is known to be devoid of material distinctions. The Vedānta-sūtras’ aphorism athāto brahma jijṣāsa explains about inquiring into Brahman.

When one is deprived of the eternally blissful darśana of saccidānanda Bhagavān, and solely takes shelter of samvit-vṛtti (the cognitive faculty), which although is a substance imbued with the divine līlā of the Supreme, one experiences Brahman.

And when one is deprived of the blissful darśana of saccidānanda Bhagavān, and only pursues sat-cit vṛtti (the faculty of eternity and cognition), which although is a substance imbued with the divine lila of the Supreme, one attains darśana only of Paramātmā.

Therefore, the spiritual effulgence of Bhagavān’s saccidānanda form is the impersonal Brahman that is without cit and vilāsa. And when He is present in the mood of aiśvarya – that is Paramātmā. In his Bhāgavata Sandarbha, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī states as follows:

tatha caivam visistaye prapte purnavirbhavatvenakhanda-tattva-rupo’sau bhagavan/ brahma tu sphutam aprakatita-vaisistya karatvena tasyevasamyag-avirbhava ity agatam

When the Supreme completely reveals Himself He is known as Bhagavān, and in comparison to this the Brahman feature, where the transcendental form of the Lord is not manifested, is only a partial manifestation of the Supreme. (Anuccheda 4.1)

yena hetu-kartrā ātmāṁśa-bhūta-jīva-praveśana-dvārā saṅjīvitāni santi dehādīni tad-upalakṣaṇāni pradhānādi-sarvāṇy eva tattvāni, yenaiva preritatayaiva caranti sva-sva-kārye pravartante, tat paramātma-rūpaṁ viddhi

“He enters the body of the jīvas as the Paramātmā and enlivens the body, senses, life-airs, and mental activities, and thus all the subtle and gross organs of the body begin their functions.” (Anuccheda 4.4)

jīvasyātmatvaṁ tad-apekṣayā tasya paramatvam ity ataḥ paramātma-śabdena tat-sahayogī sa eva vyajyate iti

The Paramātmā feature of the Lord is then the constant companion of the conditioned souls, but He is always their superior, and therefore He is called ‘Paramātmā’, or ‘the Supreme Soul’. (Anuccheda 4.6)

Bhagavān is akhaṇḍa-tattva-rūpa (the form of all tattvas), as He possesses all potencies due to His complete manifestations. Yet Brahman, who does not manifest similar attributes, is but a part of Bhagavān, or an incomplete manifestation.

He is known as Paramātmā because He directs all the activities within the universe and makes the jīvas, who are His parts and parcels, enter into the world and activates them and gives them the propensity to fulfil their minute independent desires. The jīva’s svarūpa is the ātmā; one who by nature is superior to the jīva and the doer is known by the word ‘Paramātmā’ and He is the jīva’s eternal companion.” (Cc. Adi 2.10 Anubhāṣya)

Independence due to maya, or ignorance, results in voluntary subjection to duality. As a result of such secondary interests, a sense of discrimination arises in relation to the non-dual Absolute form of Vrajendra-nandana Kṛṣṇa and His name, form, qualities and pastimes. Because of the fetters of material intelligence in relation to the form of Viṣṇu, and due to a continual lack of understanding of Bhagavān’s advaya-jṣāna, independent ideas such as jnana-yoga etc. are imagined to be different ways to attain Brahman and Paramātmā. The jīva then retires from accepting topics concerning devotion to Bhagavān and having invoked various philosophical ideas, he is shackled to the jungle of this material world.

When one is completely free from the desire for jṣāna, karma etc. and only performs activities that please Kṛṣṇa, that is the sign of uttama-bhakti (pure devotion). Those who wish to differ even a fraction from this point or desire to pollute it with some ‘alloy’ should be included amongst those who are abhaktas (non-devotees). They are unfit to be gurus.

na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ
durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ

“Because of their foolish activities and their belief that external sense objects are of great value, they are unaware that the ultimate goal of human life is to achieve Viṣṇu.” (Bhāg. 7.5.31)

matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā
mitho ’bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām

“The inclination toward Kṛṣṇa in the gṛha-vrata is never aroused, either by the instructions of others, by their own efforts, or by a combination of both.” (Bhāg. 7.5.30)

The difference between a gṛhastha and a gṛha-vrata has been explained in these verses from Bhāgavatam. A gṛha-vrata is one who cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Realisation of Kṛṣṇa cannot be achieved simply through the instructions of others, through one’s own endeavours or by mutual discussions. This is because the activities of the senses never follow the complete, pure and eternally liberated direction of the Absolute. Attempts to follow the non-Absolute are the endeavours of the gṛha-vratī. The gṛha-vratī tries to enter that which is finite with a great deal of trouble. Anything within our sensuous jurisdiction cannot be Bhagavān. The good fortune to attain darśana of Kṛṣṇa only arises when His maya potency is lifted. It is the dharma of the gṛha-vratī to always participate in discussions that neglect Kṛṣṇa. Although externally they may seem the same, the difference between the gṛhastha who is a devotee of Bhagavān and the gṛha-vratī who is averse to Bhagavān is like the difference between heaven and hell. The exterior and interior of a house are not one.

The gṛhastha devote considers every object in his home as objects that are meant for serving Kṛṣṇa and offers them to the transcendental senses of Kṛṣṇa. But the non-devotee gṛha-medhī remains busy serving his own senses and ignores service to Kṛṣṇa.

The baddha-jīva has two tendencies – the āvaraṇa of māyā (which covers the soul’s natural spiritual knowledge) and vikṣepātmikā (that which overwhelms the soul with ideas that have nothing to do with the Absolute Truth). Such foreign things are considered as an impediment and obstruct the jīva’s natural instinct to serve. It bewilders the jīva’s understanding of that which is to be understood and mutilates it.

Two or three years ago we delivered a lecture in Madras. There we spoke on guru-tattva and we explained that, “The guru is not an impediment.” If we pretend to be guru, and somewhere down the line we decide to eat those things that are meant for Śrī Bhagavān’s enjoyment, then we will be completely ruined and our disciples will be totally finished. The sastra says –

yo vyakti nyāya rahitam anyāyena śṛṇoti yaḥ
tāv ubhau narakaṁ ghoraṁ vrajataḥ kālam akṣayam

“The guru who speaks contrary to the conclusions of the revealed scriptures and the disciple who hears such distorted conclusions, will both fall into the darkest regions of hell.” (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 1.101)

The example of opaque glass and transparent glass may be discussed. An object cannot be seen through opaque glass. Some obstacles appear between my eyes and the object that is to be seen. I can see something through a transparent object. Similarly we cannot take darśana of the Absolute Truth (para-tattva) through the medium of an opaque guru, or guru-bruva. Rather than offering everything that is given to him by his disciples to the lotus feet of Bhagavān, the guru-bruva consumes everything himself. Thus, having surrendered to such an opaque guru, the disciple is deprived of attaining real spirituality.

With the exception of a Vaiṣṇava, one who is a non-Vaiṣṇava or an anti-Vaiṣṇava cannot become a guru. The śāstra states –

avaiṣṇavopadiṣṭena mantreṇa nirayaṁ vrajet
punaś ca vidhinā samyag grāhayed vaiṣṇavād guroḥ

“A mantra received from a non-Vaiṣṇava transports one to hell. Thus one should again ask a Vaiṣṇava guru to give the mantra in the proper manner.” (Nārada Paṣcarātra)

Rājen Bābu: Can’t a kaniṣṭha Vaiṣṇava become a guru?

Prabhupāda: Kanistha, madhyama and uttama are the gradations amongst Vaiṣṇavas. In the kaniṣṭha stage of Vaiṣṇavism, only non-Vaiṣṇavism is absent – this I shall explain in detail a little later. How can we deliberate upon adhikāra and define who is a Vaiṣṇava without taking shelter of a sad-guru? Only Gurudeva can explain adhikāra. How can one who has never entered the domain of a devotee, who cannot himself understand anything, explain such things to others? If a non-Vaiṣṇava sits on the seat of the guru, it amounts to sheer contempt of guru-tattva.

guror apy avaliptasya kāryākāryam ajānataḥ
utpatha-pratipannasya parityāgo vidhīyate

“If the guru becomes attached to sense gratification, loses his sense of duty, and follows a degraded path, a path other than devotional service to the Lord, he should be rejected.” (Mahābhārata, Udyoga Parva 179.25)

What is the point of approaching someone who instead of being guru (heavy) is laghu (light)? If you beat empty chaff with all your strength, will you be able to extract any grains? If my guide goes in the wrong direction, then I must retire from the journey. It is only proper to reject the shelter of such a guide. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī Prabhu had said:

vyavahārika-gurv-ādi-tyāgenāpiparamārtha-gurv-āśrayo kartavyaḥ

“A guru based upon mundane conventions should be rejected. One must accept a qualified spiritual master.” (Bhakti-sandharba, Annucheda 210)

Knowledge of a particular subject can only be obtained from one who has experience in that subject. If someone were given the position of a judge, how would he judge if he has not even elementary knowledge of justice? One who has no knowledge of mathematics cannot teach that subject. If one wants to know how to swim, he must go to a swimmer; if one wishes to learn how to be a smithy, one must go to a smith.

There is a shop near a house where things are purchased regularly. However, at present the shop is in a deplorable state and its products have become substandard. Yet the shop next to it sells wholesome fresh goods. Then what will the customer do? Will he continue to purchase inferior goods simply to honour tradition or will he choose the fresh items? If an inexperienced family doctor is incapable of treating a patient properly, is it not proper to consult a more knowledgeable doctor? In such a situation, if a good doctor is found in Switzerland, then he is brought in. Just as when one expects to find wealth from a pauper or wisdom from a fool, similarly there is the rule, andhenaiva nīyamāna yathā’ndha – when a blind man leads another blind man, both will attain a dark destination and nothing more. Therefore one must approach a transparent guru. Such things demand cognitional activities and if an opaque guru comes in-between and creates an obstacle in achieving them, it becomes a matter of great misery. Thus, one must remember the Vaiṣṇava principle of asat-saṅga tyāga.

One will never attain the mercy of Kṛṣṇa if he tries to gratify and serve his wife, friend, servant etc. instead of Kṛṣṇa. Just as we serve our faithful sons in order to receive service from them later, similarly if I serve Kṛṣṇa with the same mentality in the hope of gaining something, then I don’t offer myself as a servitor. Rather, we make that divine object our servant.

A true Vaiṣṇava does not make disciples. Where is the scope for him to lord over the world when he sees everything fully in the spirit of served and server (sevyā-sevakā)? How is it possible for him to accept service offered by someone else? One who does not serve Bhagavān, but accepts another’s service on the pretext of serving others, is an atheist. Gurudeva is the messenger of the Para-tattva and a servant of the Absolute. One who steals the property of the Absolute is laghu (low), not guru (great).

Taking from a disciple is indicative of laghutva. Accepting objects from a disciple is nothing more than accepting his stool and urine. It is the duty of the transparent guru to take all the service offered by the disciple to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.

The opaque guru makes disciples out of his greed for wealth and instead of offering the items dedicated to serve Kṛṣṇa, he enjoys them himself, and thus he continuously deceives the disciple.

A materialistic smārta who is opposed to devotion to Kṛṣṇa should never be considered as a guru. Only one who is most dear to Kṛṣṇa – kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhā (beloved of Kṛṣṇa), can be Gurudeva. Externally it may seem to be the same as being under the influence of a mundane guru (laukika) or hereditary guru (kaulika), but in actuality one is never deceived when he seeks refuge at the lotus feet of the guru who is kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhā.

In the realm of madhura-rati, it is Śrīmatī Varṣabhānavī, Kṛṣṇa’s ānanda-dāyinī-śakti (pleasure-giving potency) who is considered to be the guru-tattva. She has two manifestations – one is Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu and the other is Śrī Gadādhara or Śrī Gaurasundara who has taken the heart and halo of Śrī Rādhā. Those who take refuge under Śrī Baladeva-gopī Anaṅga Maṣjarī accept Śrī Baladeva Nityānanda Prabhu as their guru, and they also accept Śrī Varṣabhānavī Devī as guru. The reason is that except for allegiance to Śrī Varṣabhānavī, Śrī Anaṅga Maṣjarī has no separate fulfilment. Many have performed bhajana under the shelter of Śrī Jāhnavā, the śakti of Śrī Nityānanda.

In rāga-mārga, allegiance to Śrī Gadādhara and the proper understanding of the four types of pure devotional rati found in the associates of Śrī Nityānanda, Śrī Gaurī Dāsa Paṇḍita etc. should be clearly understood. The service rendered by Govinda Dāsa and Kāśīśvara etc. exists in accordance to the difference in the manifestation of pūrṇa-bhāva.

Worshippers in madhura-rasa can be freed from the temporary ego of being a husband in this world by taking shelter of Śrī Varṣabhānavī, considering Kṛṣṇa to be their only consort. Through the process of bhajana, those worshippers in vātsalya-rasa will be relieved from the temporary ego of father-son relationships by taking shelter of Śrī Nanda-Yaśodā and thinking of Kṛṣṇa as their most affectionate son; through bhajana, those who take shelter of Śrīdāmā and Sudāmā and worship in the mood of sakhya-rasa are delivered from the attraction of transient friends by accepting Kṛṣṇa as their one and only dearest friend. Those in dāsya-rasa who take shelter of Raktaka, Patraka, Citraka, Vakula etc. will be saved from temporary master-servant relationships by considering Kṛṣṇa as their only master. Santa-rasa is the mood of neutrality and this includes the cow-herding stick, buffalo horn, flute etc. Compared to śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa etc. has more affection.

With the exception of Śrī Rādhā-Govinda, everything else is asat. One must accept the efficacy of the associates of Gaurāṅga by rejecting asat-sanga. When one adopts an ‘opaque face’ to judge guru-tattva and sees that someone only has one eye, someone has a beautiful form, someone is poorly educated, someone is powerful etc. such considerations solely based upon sense perception give rise to confusion in deliberating guru-tattva. Some accept Blavatsky as their guru; some accept Epicurus, while others accept Hegel, Kant etc. as their guru. “Whoever can satisfy my senses is my guru” – rather than following such a path of self-destruction, one should diligently take shelter of the feet of the associates of Śrī Gaura. The eternal auspiciousness of the jīva is found in those who speak of nothing except for the worship of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. If a guru claims to be Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Nanda-Yaśodā or Śrīdāmā-Sudāmā, he must be considered to as extremely laghu asat-saṅga (the most degraded type of bad association) and should be rejected immediately. Śrīla Dāsa Gosvāmī states in his Manaḥ-śikṣā:

na dharmaṁ nādharmaṁ śruti-gaṇa-niruktaṁ kila kuru
vraje rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pracura-paricaryām iha tanu
śacī-sūnuṁ nandīśvara-pati-sutatve guru-varaṁ
mukuṇḍa-preṣṭhatve smara param ajasraṁ nanu manaḥ

“O Mind, don’t concern yourself with the pious and impious deeds described in the Vedas. Rather, intently serve Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa in Vraja. Always remember that the son of Śacī is the son of Mahārāja Nanda and that my guru is most dear to Lord Mukuṇḍa.” (Manah-śikṣā 2)

There is a belief that one should not perform bhajana of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa while living in this world – give up such a notion and come to Vraja! Vraja means to go; iha asmin jagati tanuṁ vistarāya – the form of that world is forever expanding. Vraja-maṇḍala does not simply consist of soil, water and mud.

The Bodhāyana-bhāṣya was found at a place called Vrijavraron in Kashmir at Śārada-pīṭha. Based upon this, Rāmānuja composed the Śrī-Bhāṣya. Śaṅkara’s commentary attempted to eliminate this scripture from Kashmir. However, whoever is inimical towards the Absolute Reality is incapable of harming Him. May there always be abundant service offered to Śrī Rādhā-Govinda! May there always be the study and teaching of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam!

The works of Caṇḍī Dāsa, the poems of Vidyāpati, Śrī Jagannātha-vallabha Nāṭaka, Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta and Śrī Gīta-govinda – these five books, along with the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, have delineated service to Śrī Rādhā-Govinda. It is mentioned in Jagannatha-vallabha Nāṭaka that Śrīman Mahāprabhu accepted these books with great love. However, only those who have finished the study of the Upaniṣads, Gītā etc. and have achieved the adhikāra to study the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad Bhāgavata, and whose adhikāra arises for līlā-rasa are eligible to even touch this nāṭaka.

Dhīra-samīra is where the gopīs of the general category are attracted by the flute song of Kṛṣṇa and gather for love-sports at night. Yet the rāsa-sthālī on the banks of Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa, where the noon pastimes are enacted, is the topmost. Mathurā, the birthplace of Kṛṣṇa, is higher than Vaikuṇṭha, Vṛndāvana is higher than Mathurā, Govardhana is higher than Vṛndāvana, and at Govardhana, Rādhā-kuṇḍa is the highest. Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas never visit Candrā-sarovara at Sakhī-sthālī which is near to Govinda-kuṇḍa. Amongst the eight yutheśvarīs, Candrā, Śaibyā and others have circulated anti-propaganda about Rādhā-kuṇḍa. The acme of Vṛndāvana is Rādhā-kuṇḍa, below that is Govardhana. Śrīman Mahāprabhu forbade His followers to climb upon Govardhana Hill to take darśana of Gopāla. Candrā, the rival gopī of Śrī Rādhikā, wanted that Kṛṣṇa should be confined in her groves. But Kṛṣṇa played a trick. He said, “I have all attachment for you. I won’t go to Rādhā-kuṇḍa.” Thus by deluding the group of Candrā, He managed to leave Candrā-sarovara. At present, another sampradāya has taken this place and has adopted a position contrary to that of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas. By reading Śrī Govinda-līlāmṛta one can learn about Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s madhyāhnika-vihāra (noon pastimes) at Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa. We find in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam:anayārādhito nūnaṁ bhagavān harir īśvaraḥ
yan no vihāya govindaḥ prīto yām anayad rahaḥ

“Certainly this particular gopī has perfectly worshiped Govinda, the all-powerful Controller, since He was so pleased with Her that He abandoned the rest of us and brought Her to a secluded place.” (Bhāg. 10.30.28)

This verse indicates the superiority of the place of noon pastimes in comparison to the place of nightly pastimes. When the rasa began at the rāsa-sthālī, the general gopīs began dancing; attracted by the sound of Kṛṣṇa’s flute they gathered and met at the rāsa-sthālī. They cannot imagine the service attempts rendered by those gopīs that have taken shelter under Śrī Rādhikā. Without the shelter of Śrī Rādhikā any attempt to independently attain union with Kṛṣṇa (saṁbhoga) goes against the mode of worship (bhajana-praṇālī) followed by the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas.

By understanding that Śrīman Mahāprabhu is the combined form of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, His most surrendered followers acquire the eligibility to realise the esoteric mode of worship (bhajana-rahasya) of Rādhā-Govinda. Any attempt to worship Kṛṣṇa independently, abandoning the shelter of Śrī Gaurasundara, who is absorbed in the bhāva of Śrī Varṣabhānavī, is not approved by Śrī Varṣabhānavī Herself. Therefore, this does not bring any genuine happiness to Kṛṣṇa.

Caṇḍī Dāsa, Vidyāpati (the poet of Mithilā), Jagannātha-vallabha, Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta (which was sung on the banks of the Kṛṣṇa-veṇī River) and Śrī Gīta-govinda – these five works express nothing but Kṛṣṇa.

(At this point in his talk, Śrīla Prabhupāda, in a wonderful state of bhāvāveśa, or divine emotions, referred to various lyrical verses from those books such as Vidyāpati’s tātala saikate, meghair-medur ambaraṁ and lalita lavaṅga latā from Gīta-govinda and diśatu śarma etc. from Jagannātha–vallabha).

tātala saikate, bāri-bindu-sama
suta-mita-ramaṇī-samāje
tohe visari mana, tāhe samarpala
ab majhu habo kon kāje

“Burning on the sands of a hot beach, I have offered my mind unto the association of sons, friends and wife, yet they are simply like a drop of water. Now what can I do to be relieved of this great misery?” (Vidyāpati)

meghair meduram ambaraṁ vana-bhuvaḥ śyāmās tamāla-drumair
naktaṁ bhīrur ayaṁ tvam eva tad imaṁ rādhe gṛhaṁ prāpaya
itthaṁ nanda-nideśataś calitayoḥ praty-adhva-kuṣja-drumaṁ
rādhā-mādhavayor jayanti yamunā-kūle rahaḥ-kelayaḥ

“The heavens are overcast with thick clouds. The forest seems dark with the hue of the Tamala trees. This young boy Kṛṣṇa is afraid of the darkness of night. Thus, O Rādhā, You should take Him home with You!” Thus Their love arose as They passed through the forest. All glories to the pastimes of Rādhā and Mādhava who sport on the banks of the river Yamunā.” (Gīta-govinda 1.1)

lalita lavaṅga latā pariśīlana komala malaya samīre
madhu karanikara karambita kokila kūjita kuṣja kuṭīre
viharati haririha sarasavasante
nṛtyati yuvati janena samaṁ sakhi virahi janasya durante

“The breeze that touches the tender clove creepers gently drifts from the Malaya hills. The arbors resound with the sound of the cuckoo and the humming of honeybees. During this beautiful spring, when love cannot endure separation, Hari is playing and dancing with young damsels. O my friend Rādhikā – go and meet Him.‘”(Gita-Govinda 1.28)

svaraṣcita-vipaṣcikā-muraja-veṇu-saṅgītakaṁ
tri-bhaṅga-tanu-vallarī-valita-valgu-hāsolbanam
vayasya-kara-tālika-raṇita-nūpurair ujjvalaṁ
murāri-naṭanaṁ sadā diśatu śarma loka-traye

“Accompanied by the musical sounds of the vīṇā, drum and flute, and the tinkling of the gopīs‘ karatālas and ankle-bells, which reveals His charming smile and the movements of the vine of His charming three-fold bending transcendental form – May the wonderful dancing of Murāri eternally bring bliss to the three worlds.” (Jagannātha-vallabha Nāṭaka 1.1)

It was the duty of Śrīla Dāmodara Svarūpa to sing all these songs at all times in keeping with the divine bhāva of Śrīman Mahāprabhu.

1) Pūrva-rāga – ālambana and uddīpana.

2) Bhāva-parīkṣā – The type of attachment (anurāga) that shows the deep love that Śrī Kṛṣṇa feels for Śrī Rādhā and the deep love that Śrī Rādhā feels for Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

3) Bhāvāveśa – The attraction that Śrī Kṛṣṇa feels for Śrī Rādhā and the attraction that Śrī Rādhā feels for Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

4) Abhisāra – Union.

5) Saṅgama – Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa is found in the village of Āriṭ; at this place Kṛṣṇa killed the demon Ariṣṭāsura. At that time, an elderly gopī by the name of Madanikā gifted Śrī Rādhā into the hands of Śrī Kṛṣṇa as a reward for killing Ariṣṭa. Then the rasa was performed at this place. A dance filled with divine mellows is known as rasa.

These five sections are there in Jagannātha-vallabha Nāṭaka. These need to be discussed. However, eligibility also needs to be considered. One should take shelter on the banks of this kuṇḍa.

(Mahā-mahopadeśaka Ācāryatrika Prabhu [Śrī Kuṣja-vihārā Vidyābhūṣaṇa] further elaborated upon the statements of Śrīla Prabhupāda and continued to analyse the subject matter for Rājen Bābu’s understanding)

Ācāryatrika Prabhu: While remaining in this world, attached to the material rasa found in relationships with wife and children etc. and being tormented by various types of anarthas, any endeavour to explore transcendental vraja-rasa and any attempt to equate them will simply result in producing vairasya (animosity towards genuine rasa). Thus, it is essential that after surrendering at the lotus of sad-guru, we perform śravaṇa and kīrtana according to our eligibility as instructed by Śrī Guru.

Prabhupāda: Viṣṇu and viṣṇu-māyā – it is essential to deliberate upon these two tattvas. That which gives illusory pleasure and is measurable by the mind is not Absolute – it is non-Absolute. The only function of the unalloyed soul is to serve the Absolute.

Rājen Bābu: Isn’t it possible for a person with meagre knowledge to become a guru?

Prabhupāda: No. There is no place for laghutva within gurutva. One should know that there is not a trace of spirituality when the disciple detects faults such as poverty, meagre knowledge and deviations from the proper code of conduct within the guru, and considers the guru to be a recipient of his mercy, while the guru also considers himself most fortunate on receiving a certificate from the disciple.

The sole aim of both is to serve their own senses. An evaluation of the guru and disciple is not based upon such sense-gratification. Worldly ‘gurus’ who teach us how to play the sitar or teach us how to swim, as well as hereditary family gurus who promote our gross and subtle sense gratification are not in the same category as spiritual gurus. It is not the duty of the mahānta-guru to eagerly involve himself in maintaining a mundane wife and children. Various types of laghutva enter into those who do not cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness (kṛṣṇānusīlana) twenty-four hours a day. Gurudeva does not wait to attain a certificate from his disciple. He has no time to lend his ear to useless talk. He is indifferent to others.

Rājen Bābu: If the guru has borrowed money and is heavily in debt, is it proper to help him become free from debt by giving him money?

Prabhupāda: He should be considered as fallen if he accepts money from his disciple in order to save his material wealth. The only property of a spiritual guru is spirituality; the only duty of a true disciple is spiritual service. In regards to the financial obligations of this world, the guru is never a debtor. Worldly things are absent in him and cannot touch him. One should not compare the attempts of the sad-guru to collect ingredients for serving Kṛṣṇa with the guru-bruva’s greed for accumulating material wealth. One cannot be a guru is he is devoured by the desire for material wealth. Maintaining a mundane mentality and the mentality of being a guru, results in a mentality that leads us to hell.

gurusu nara-matir yasya vā nārakī saḥ

“If one considers the spiritual master as a mundane person, one becomes a resident of hell.” (Padma Purāṇa)

Ācāryatrika Prabhu: A mundane mentality arises when one considers the mahānta-guru as belonging to the brāhmaṇa caste. Śrī Bhagavān tells Uddhava:

ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit
na martya-buddhyāsūyeta sarva-devamayo guruḥ

“Know the ācārya to be My Self. Never envy the ācārya; never blaspheme him or consider him to be an ordinary man. Because the ācārya channels the infinite, He is greater than the sum total of all the finite. Thus, he is more important than all the gods.” (Bhāg.11.17.27)

Prabhupāda: A national guru, a guru of a particular caste, a guru who teaches the sitar – they all treat Kṛṣṇa as an object of their enjoyment. None of them are spiritual gurus.

Ācāryatrika Prabhu: The status of a gosvāmī is simply not restricted to a particular ancestral line. A father performs devout worship – he is said to be a bhakta and he is respected. Yet his son performs no bhajana, so he cannot expect to receive the same respect as his father does. Deliberations on the pure devotional conclusions (śuddha-bhakti-siddhānta) of Mahāprabhu are completely different from the considerations of fallen jivas that are attached to this world.

Rājen Bābu: What is the difference between a gṛhasta and a gṛha-vrata?

Prabhupāda: The difference lies in kṛṣṇa-bhajana. Bhajana should not be taken as a trivial plaything. Illegible writing is writing and proper writing is also writing. Yet one conveys no meaning and the other has significance. The notion of considering both as equal has been prevented by the words of Vyāsa:

arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matir vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhir
viṣṇor vā vaiṣṇavānāṁ kali-mala-mathane pāda-tīrthe ‘mbu-buddhiḥ
śrī-viṣṇor nāmni mantre sakala-kaluṣa-he śabda-sāmānya-buddhir
viṣṇau sarveśvareśe tad-itara-sama-dhīr yasya vā nārakī saḥ

“One who thinks the Deity to be made of wood or stone, who thinks of the spiritual master as an ordinary man, who thinks the Vaiṣṇava to belong to a certain caste or thinks of caraṇāmṛta or Ganges water as ordinary water should be understood to be a resident of hell.” (Padma Purāṇa)

It is the smārtas idea to attach greater value to the apparent side. That is their primary duty. We need not take the road to hell by wasting our time in idle and trifling activities in the name of doing bhajana.

Rājen Bābu: But those who are gṛhasthas also reside with their wife and children.

Prabhupāda: A true gṛhastha remains fixed in thoughts of performing hari-bhajana. The Vaiṣṇava view should not be confused with the non-Vaiṣṇava view. A five-year-old child may vocalise a drama of Shakespeare, but only an adult can truly appreciate it.

Ācāryatrika Prabhu: It is necessary to observe which direction a mundane social guru takes and which direction a spiritual guru takes.

Rājen Bābu: What is the harm if one takes instruction from a spiritual guru and takes mantra from a social guru?

Prabhupāda: If you go in that direction then you cannot advance towards Vraja – you will not progress; you will remain in one place by dropping your anchor and will never be able to lift it. What will be the benefit for you to go somewhere else? You will be quite satisfied with what you already have.

Rājen Bābu: If one does not accept spiritual initiation, is it possible to be aware of any type of spiritual truth (tattva)?

Prabhupāda: There will be no śravaṇa, and the opposite result of such beneficial things will be attained instead. The duty of light is to remove darkness. If one remains in the midst of darkness, how will it be possible to attain light by allowing darkness to prevail?

Ācāryatrika Prabhu: A mundane guru considers the mantra only as śabda (sound) and not as śabdi (He who is known by sound)

Prabhupāda: The mantra is non-different from the śabdi. There is no difference between the aprākṛta-śabda (transcendental sound) and śabdi.

Rājen Bābu: Isn’t the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī qualified to give initiation into the mantra?

Śrīla Sarasvati Prabhupāda: Where is the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī coming from? Who gave him the adhikāra? A kaniṣṭha-adhikārī can never become a guru.

Rājen Bābu: Can a madhyama-adhikārī give dīkṣā?

Prabhupāda: He can only perform the initial duties of dīkṣā. It is the uttama-adhikārī mahā-bhāgavata Vaiṣṇava who is actually the dīkṣā-guru. There are two types of Vaiṣṇavas – the rāgātmikā and the rāgānuga. Those who are from the eternal realm offer service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa directly. These rāgātmikās serve Śrī Varṣabhānavī and Her direct expansions. Those who perform direct service to the rāgātmikās and take shelter in them through the performance of smaraṇa are rāgānugas. These are spiritual gurus.

A social guru does not understand Vaiṣṇava dharma or spirituality. The attainment of selfish interests or the mundane interests of others is anātma-dharma – it is not ātma-dharma or spirituality. Teaching the sitar is not the duty of the Absolute. Selfishness and spirituality are two separate things. The attempt to serve oneself is the antithesis of spirituality. Self interest means discriminating between sin and piety. Mahāprabhu married for the second time, and accepted Śrī Viṣṇupriyā Devī. However, pondering how He would establish spiritual discrimination amongst His own followers, He renounced the world in order to teach the common people through His ideal example. This pastime of His intense search for Kṛṣṇa is the ideal example to be followed by us.

Sākṣāt and smṛti – there is a difference between these two things. In the state of svarūpa-siddhi, remembrance of Kṛṣṇa (smṛti) gives rise to the state of visualisation (sākṣātkāra); the plane of vastu-siddhi gives rise to direct darśana of and service to Kṛṣṇa.

Rājen Bābu: What is the difference between svarūpa-siddhi and vastu-siddhi?

Prabhupāda: We must destroy the mind – it must be eliminated. The mind is the king amongst all the senses. The senses supply the mind with knowledge of the external world. Through such knowledge supplied by the senses, the mind sometimes engages in gross enjoyment and sometime in subtle enjoyment. The human soul has made the mind its agent to deal with the world of enjoyment. When this mind becomes engrossed in its own principles, then various anarthas arise. If one wants to attain real pleasure by removing displeasure, then the mind is to be destroyed. There is danger when the mind acts independently – chastising the mind is the first statement found in all the śāstras. However, there is no way of chastising the mind except by serving the lotus feet of Hṛṣīkeśa.

By following the path of yoga and performing yama etc. an opposite result will ensue. Śrīman Mahāprabhu explains how the mind ascends to the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa –

anyera hṛdaya mana, mora mana vṛndāvana,
mane vane eka kari jāni
tāhāṅ tomāra pada-dvaya, karāha yadi udaya,
tabe tomāra pūrṇa kṛpā māni

“For most people, the mind and heart are one, but because My mind is never separated from Vṛndāvana, I consider My mind and Vṛndāvana to be one. My mind is already Vṛndāvana, and since You like Vṛndāvana, will You please place Your lotus feet there? I would deem that Your full mercy.” (Cc. Madhya-ḷīlā 13.137)

The shelter of Caitanyadeva’s mind is Vṛndāvana, the place of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes; it remains perpetually engaged in the mood of serving Kṛṣṇa in five bhāvas ((1) vibhāva – that which is the cause of tasting rati (2) anubhāva – bodily transformations which illustrate the emotions of the mind (3) sāttvika-bhāva – ecstatic symptoms which arise from śuddha-sattva – or in other words, when the mind is overwhelmed with emotion in relationship to Kṛṣṇa (4) vyabhicārī-bhāva – disturbing emotions originating from and serving to enlarge the sthāyī-bhāva (5) sthāyī-bhāva – that bhava or permanent condition of the heart which dominates the favourable and unfavourable emotions.)

When the mind ceases to serve Kṛṣṇa, it remains settled in the material world on the plane of śānta-dharma etc. The nirupādhika (detached) mind is Vṛndāvana, and the sopādhika (attached) mind is the material world. Mahāprabhu was given the name Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya because He distributes Kṛṣṇa consciousness and makes people aware of Kṛṣṇa. Anyone who has taken full shelter of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya should know that they have no other duty except for constantly cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness and performing smaraṇa of kṛṣṇa-līlā. Of course, this does not refer to artificial līlā-smaraṇa.

Forgetting the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa results in complete inauspiciousness, whereas kṛṣṇa-sevā creates all good fortune and destroys all types of obstacles.

avismṛtiḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ
kṣiṇoty abhadrāṇi ca śaṁ tanoti

“For one who remembers the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, all inauspiciousness soon disappears, and one’s good fortune expands.” (Bhāg. 12:12:55)

When one attains the platform of svarūpa-siddhi and one constantly fixes the mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then when this subtle body (liṅga-deha) is completely destroyed along with gross or subtle impressions of material enjoyment and the gross body also expires, then direct visualisation of one’s desired object is attained.

Rājen Bābu: What is vastu-siddhi?

Prabhupāda: To attain Kṛṣṇa directly. After svarūpa-siddhi is vastu-siddhi. If the mind can be eliminated while one is alive, then at the time of leaving this body, you can attain eternal service in the transcendental Vṛndāvana and will never take birth again. However, by the will of the Lord, divine personalities such as Kāśāra Muni, Bhūta-yogī, Mahad, Bhakti-sāra, Saṭhāri etc. descend from Vaikuṇṭha in order to liberate the jivas.

During Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s earthly pastimes in Vṛndāvana, His eternal associates also descended with Him. That is a different thing. They have no material birth. There are two kinds of associates – the sadhana-siddha and the nitya-siddha. The nitya-siddhas descend by the desire of Kṛṣṇa in order to liberate the world.

Rājen Bābu: Isn’t it possible to take dīkṣā at the lotus feet of a sad-guru and perform śravaṇa and kīrtana while remaining at home?

Prabhupāda:

vastv advitīyaṁ tan-niṣṭhaṁ
kaivalyaika-prayojanam

“The Absolute Truth is the ultimate reality, one without a second. This goal is exclusive devotional service unto that Supreme Truth.” (Bhāg. 12.13.12)

In the non-liberated world, śravaṇa, kīrtana and smaraṇa are hampered – but this is not so in the liberated world. There, after attaining svarūpa-siddhi, śravaṇa etc. goes on without any kind of obstruction.

Therefore, while staying in this world of entanglement, apart from hearing from Śrī Guru – who is a resident of the liberated world – and remaining close to his lotus feet and happily rendering service to him, any other place is infested with materialistic association where one has no hope for nourishment. Who will make us hear? How will we develop the proper qualification for kīrtana? All these things must be taken into consideration.

Rājen Bābu: Can one meditate upon service to Śrī Gurudeva from afar?

Prabhupāda: Meditation is not like that. Meditation etc. is not possible if even for a moment the thought arises to live far away from the lotus feet of our guru. Such a tendency is common nowadays. While following the customs of Vaiṣṇavism such as asat-saṅga-tyāga, there arises a cheating propensity amongst weak-hearted people to superficially perform service to Śrī Guru (which lacks genuine and sincere effort) and to externally seek the association of saintly people. In fact, without the practice of hearing and chanting in association of sādhus, no one can ever advance in bhajana with such a superficial tendency.

ataḥ śrī–kṛṣṇa–nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ
sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ

“The mundane senses cannot conceive of Kṛṣṇa’s holy name, form, qualities and pastimes. When one renders service by using his tongue to chant the Lord’s holy name then the Lord reveals Himself.” (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.234)

These words of Śrī Rūpapāda deserve special consideration.

Rājen Bābu: Can we not listen to another Vaiṣṇava?

Prabhupāda: He should be respected if he is actually a disciple of a real guru. One may listen to those who have heard from a genuine spiritual preceptor. But wherever it is found that there is a conflict in opinion between him and my guru, then to see him as a ‘Vaiṣṇava’ is a sure path leading to hell.

mannāthaḥ śrī jagannāthaḥ mad-guruḥ śrī jagad-guruḥ

“My Lord is Śrī Jagannatha and my guru is the universal teacher.”

It is not proper to associate with a person who has deviated even minutely from the śuddha-bhakti-siddhānta preached by my Guru-Pāda-Padma. The basis of hearing from him is that he himself has heard from Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu.

Rājen Bābu: Is the study of spiritual books or periodicals also considered to be śravaṇa and kīrtana?

Prabhupāda: In attempting to understand a book with my own realisations, I will actually understand something different due to my perception being covered with anarthas. Śrī Damodara Svarūpa has said:

yāha bhāgavata paḍa vaiṣṇavera sthāne
ekānta āśraya kara caitanya-caraṇe
caitanyera bhakta-gaṇera nitya kara saṅga
tabeta jānibā siddhānta-samudra-taraṅga

“Go and study the Bhāgavata from a Vaiṣṇava. Totally surrender at the feet of a Vaiṣṇava. Always associate with the devotees of Śrī Caitanya. Only then will you understand the waves of the ocean of devotional conclusions.” (Cc. Antya-līlā 5.131-132)

Rājen Bābu: And if I study while under the shelter of the lotus feet of a guru?

Prabhupāda: If one cannot hear topics directly at the lotus feet of the guru, then one can study various books etc.

Ācāryatrika Prabhu:

yāṅhāra darśane mukhe āise kṛṣṇa-nāma
tāṅhāre jāniha tumi vaiṣṇava-pradhāna’

“One whose very presence induces others to chant the name of Kṛṣṇa should be understood to be a first-class Vaiṣṇava.” (Cc. Madhya-līlā 16.74)

One must only perform śravaṇa and kīrtana while situated at the lotus feet of that person upon meeting whom, the name of Kṛṣṇa instantly manifests on ones lips; and while one is in the presence of such a person, all other thoughts are removed and bad association can never influence us.

Prabhupāda: Śravaṇa is eternal. śravaṇa continues even after the attaining svarūpa-siddhi. Once, Ṭhākura Hari Dāsa was performing solitary chanting of the holy name of Hari in a hut deep within the jungles of Benapol. At that time, in order to diminish the glories of Hari Dāsa, an immoral woman was sent to that place by the conniving landowner Rāmacandra Khan, and she entered the Ṭhākura’s hut expressing her evil intentions. Then the Ṭhākura told her, “I have taken hari-nāma dīkṣā. I will talk to you after that dīkṣā is over.”

In other words, the actual purpose of Hari Dāsa was that this dīkṣā will never end and I will not listen to what you have to say. On hearing hari-nāma chanted from the holy mouth of the Ṭhākura, the consciousness of that immoral woman changed.

sei vaiṣṇavī haila parama-mahāntī
baḍa baḍa vaiṣṇava tāṅra darśanete yānti

“In this way the prostitute became an advanced devotee. Great Vaiṣṇavas would come for her darśana.” (Cc. Antya-līlā 3.132)

When the Ṭhākura left Benapol and went to Phuliyā, he instructed the prostitute to remain in that hut and to perform hari-bhajana with intense renunciation.

One’s consciousness becomes purified through the process of śravaṇa. Then we become like this:

kebā sunāila śyāma-nāma
kānera bhītāra diyā, marame paśila go,
ākula karila mora prāṇa

“Who forced me to hear the name of Śyāma? It has entered into my ear and touched the very essence of my being, overwhelming my life airs!” (Caṇḍī Dāsa)

Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda has sung:

ye dina gṛhe bhajana dekhi, gṛhete goloka bhaya

“That day that I see the worship of the Lord in my home, the abode of Goloka seems to manifest there.” (Śaraṇāgati 3.6)

Rājen Bābu: Can we fall down even after having taken dīkṣā?

Prabhupāda: Yes, if we become indolent.

Rājen Bābu: After dīkṣā, will I notice that the tendency to enjoy material pleasures has decreased?

Prabhupāda: Of course.

divyaṁ jṣānaṁ yato dadyāt kuryāt pāpasya saṅkṣayam
tasmād dīkṣeti sā proktā deśikais tattva-kovidaiḥ

“Great scholars who are expert in spiritual science call the process by which divine knowledge is given and sins are eliminated as dīkṣā.” (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 2.7)

This dīkṣā never ends. There is also no end to the attacks of bad association. It is not simply a question of receiving the mantra in the ear:

viśrambheṇa guroḥ sevā
sādhu-vartmānuvartanam

“One must serve the spiritual master with intimacy and affection and follow the path of the sadhus.” (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.74)

One must follow the guru by the process of seriously inquiring about the nature of bhajana (bhajana-riti-praśnaḥ), forsaking all types of sense-enjoyment in order to cultivate love for Kṛṣṇa (śrī kṛṣṇa-prītaye bhogādi-tyāgaḥ) etc. If one shows a lack of sincerity in properly understanding this due to the pride of receiving dīkṣā, then what possibility is there of removing anarthas? One must be in touch with the real thing.

dīkṣā-kāle bhakta kare ātma-samarpaṇa
sei-kāle kṛṣṇa tāre kare ātma-sama

“At the time of dīkṣā when a devotee fully surrenders then Kṛṣṇa accepts him as good as Himself.” (Cc. Antya-līlā 4.192)

sei deha kare tāra cid-ānanda-maya
aprākṛta-dehe tāṅra caraṇa bhajaya

“When the devotee’s body is fully transformed into a spiritual substance, then with that spiritual body he worships the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.” (Cc. Antya-līlā 4.193)

After surrendering oneself at the lotus feet of Śrī Guru, through the process of śravaṇa etc, pure devotion arises within one’s pure consciousness. If after accepting this material, one continues to serve the spiritual master, then gradually the thirst for gratifying one’s own senses reduces and the thirst for serving Kṛṣṇa’s senses intensifies.

FOOTNOTES

anātma-dharma – Those activities that are against the nature of the self.

ātma-dharma – Activities that are the nature of the true self.

gṛha-vrata – A materialistic householder.

guru-bruva – A guru in name only.

gurutva – Literally means heavy, or in this case, strong or superior.

laghutva –Literally ‘lightweight’ or in this case, superficial.

mahānta-guru – The topmost spiritual master.

pūrṇa-bhāva – Completely immersed in loving mellows for the Lord.

rāga-mārga – The path of spontaneous devotion.

rāgānuga – Those devotees that take shelter of the path of spontaneous devotion.

rāgātmikā – The eternal residents of Goloka whose devotion is saturated with deep attachment for the Lord.

rati – The stage of transcendental attachment.

sākṣātkāra – Direct experience of the Lord.

śānta–dharma – The path of neutrality.

smṛti – Remembrance of the Lord and His pastimes.

svarūpa-siddhi – The stage when bhāva manifests; one becomes free from the influence of matter and one’s spiritual identity is revealed.

vastu-siddhi – The stage where the devotee actually enters the pastimes of the Lord.

yama – The various observances found in the process of yoga

Overview

In ‘Śrī Sarasvatī Saṅlāpa’ (A Discourse by Śrī Sarasvatī Thākura’) which was originally printed in the monthly Gauḍīya magazine, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura describes real and apparent gaura-bhajana, and states that by performing pseudo gaura-bhajana we actually install Satan rather than Mahāprabhu in our hearts. This article was translated by Swami B.V. Giri
(While Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda was residing in Lucknow at 19, Station Road on 7th November 1929, the retired District Sessions Judge of Una, Rāya Bahadur Basu directly came to meet Śrīla Prabhupāda. Seeing how Śrīla Prabhupāda was exclusively devoted to Śrī Gaurasundara, Rāya Bahadur Mahodaya told that his friend Mr. R. (the superintendent engineer) was a fully dedicated devotee of Mahāprabhu. When Mr. R’s only daughter became extremely ill, R. began to chant incessantly day and night, “Gaura! Gaura!” As his daughter’s condition further deteriorated, his chanting also increased. R. Bābu started to develop more affinity towards making more elaborate offerings and the frequency of his visits to his Gurudeva’s house increased – so much so that everyone was astounded at his amazing guru-bhakti.

Yet, in spite of performing such devotion his only daughter died. On the day that she died, from early in the morning till about nine o’clock at night, his daughter suffered acute breathing problems until she finally gave up her life. Some days later, Raya Bahadur Basu went to meet his friend R. Bābu. Rāya Bahadur Basu Mahāśaya saw that R.’s love and steadfast devotion for Mahāprabhu and his faithful devotion had completely gone. Mr. R. told Raya Bahadur, “There is no ‘Mahāprabhu’! If Bhagavān truly exists, he would never cause His devotee to suffer so much! If He was really antaryāmī and actually resided in the heart of His devotee, then He would surely know of their anguish and He would have saved my daughter! His greatness as Bhagavān would have been preached much more in this world!

The faith and devotion of Bhagavān’s devotees would have soared millions of times! The devotees of Bhagavān would have preached about His glories and brought others to worship Him! Faith and devotion to Mahāprabhu in all members of the family would have increased! And, regaining her life once more, the girl would have more love and attraction towards Bhagavān. Therefore due to their superstitious nature, people believe in the existence of God and recite the Name of Mahāprabhu. Thus it is much more practical and profitable to do any work pertaining to this world than simply chanting, “Gaura, Gaura!”)

In answer to these words, Śrīla Prabhupāda spoke thus –

“That Mahāprabhu that we have taken shelter of is not the Mahāprabhu of R. Bābu, whom he considers to be like his hired gardener. We have taken shelter of the Mahāprabhu of Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita. That Mahāprabhu, who was so impressed with the love of Śrīvāsa, said–

putra-śoka nā jānila ye mohāra preme
hena saba saṅga muṣi chāḍiba kemane

“How could I ever give up the association of one who did not lament for his son due to his love for Me?” (Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa 25.52)

We worship the Mahāprabhu of that Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita who said –

kalarava śuni yadi prabhu bāhya pāya
tabe āji gaṅgā praveśimu sarvathāya

“If the Lord regains his external consciousness by hearing your commotion, I will drown myself in the Gaṅgā.” (Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya-khanda 25.36)

We worship Śrī Rūpa’s Mahāprabhu. It is Śrī Rūpa who says –

viracaya mayi daṇḍaṁ dīna-bandho dayāmī vā
gatir iha na bhavattaḥ kācid anyā mamāsti
nipatatu śata-koṭi-nirbharaṁ vā navāmbhaḥ
tad api kila-payodaḥ stūyate cātakena

“O friend of the poor, do what You like with me, give me either mercy or punishment, but in this world I have none to look to except for You, just as the cātaka bird always prays for the cloud, regardless of whether it brings rains or hurls a thunderbolt.” (Stava-mālā)

We worship that Mahāprabhu who manifested the lila of being the jagad-guru in order to instruct us –

āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām
adarśanān marma-hatāṁ karotu vā
yathā tathā vā vidadhātu lampaṭo
mat-prāṇa-nāthas tu sa eva nāparaḥ

“Kṛṣṇa may embrace me in love or trample me under His feet. He may break my heart by hiding Himself from me. Let that debauchee do whatever He likes, but He will always be the only Lord of my life.” (Śikṣāṣṭakam 8)

nā gaṇi āpana-duḥkha, sabe vāṣchi tāṅra sukha
tāṅra sukha āmāra tātparya more
yadi diyā duḥkha, tāṅra haila mahā-sukha
sei duḥkha — mora sukha-varya

“I do not mind My personal distress. I only wish for the happiness of Kṛṣṇa, for His happiness is the goal of My life. However, if He feels great happiness in giving Me distress, that distress is the best of My happiness.” (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 20.52)

In order to perform bhajana of this Mahāprabhu, if I need to reject the detrimental things of this world millions of times, I am ready to do that wholeheartedly with all my senses, I am prepared for that. Taking shelter of His feet I accept those misfortunes with the understanding that He is protecting me and dragging me towards His feet – He is supremely merciful to expose my duplicity. He is not allowing me to add more fuel to my material senses. He is making me understand this – that there is no eternal object in this world to take shelter of other than His feet. We are bearing the heavy burden of our karmic reactions upon our shoulders due to our own previous activities. If I am able to tolerate these with a little endeavour, taking shelter at the lotus feet of the eternal Lord, then only will I attain some real auspiciousness.

If we belong to the school of material enjoyment, then when some obstacle hinders our enjoyment, we become angry. The school of renunciation says we should give up material enjoyment. Śrī Gaurāṅga’s devotees do not prescribe to any sort of enjoyment, nor do they prescribe to any sort of renunciation. They say, “It should be towards real objects – let the natural propensity of the jīvātmā be focused upon true transcendental knowledge of the non-dual Absolute.” Even if one accepts the three types of sufferings that continuously immerse us, it is of no advantage, and if one desires to artificially renounce, he cannot. Only one who offers his namaskāra to Bhagavān’s feet with his mind, body and words is the rightful heir to liberation. Whatever be the inconveniences one may have to face, he accepts them wholeheartedly as the Bhagavān’s kṛpā-avatāra (the descent of His mercy). It is not possible to estimate all the auspiciousness that Śrī Caitanyadeva has bestowed upon all of us. We are on the path of pleasure (preya), and in order to open our eyes He has meticulously arranged various problems amongst the objects of our material pleasure. He gave us poor health and, step-by-step, He also sent various dangers and gave a specific temporary nature to everything of this world in order that we would eventually tread the path of the highest benefit.

I remember one incident that happened many days before. Mr. Datta, a high court advocate, seeing his son lying on his deathbed, one day told to me, “You are a sadhu. Kindly restore my son’s life!” I told him, “I am not the master of bestowing life. But I can try to change the way that you think.” This person was a staunch follower of Comte. He said, “If your God really exists, then you should make Him cure my son.” I told him frankly, “I will not make a campaign against the desire of Bhagavān. I cannot support the philosophy of the Śaktas. Śrī Gaurasundara is most merciful, and this is shown by His decorating this world with hundred and hundreds of problems – that is His mercy!”

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-dayā karaha vicāra
vicāra karite citte pābe camatkāra

“If you consider the mercy of Śrī Caitanya-candra, by meditating on such deliberations you will find it most amazing.” (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 8.15)

It is not the duty of the jīva to live in this world in forgetfulness of Bhagavān. This place is not our eternal residence. In order to remind us of this, at every moment, He creates problems in our pursuit of material happiness. Śrī Kulaśekhara says –

nāsthā dharme na vasu-nicaye naiva kāmopabhoge
yad bhāvyaṁ tad bhavatu bhagavan pūrva-karmānurūpam
etat prārthyaṁ mama bahu-mataṁ janma-janmāntare ’pi
tvat-pādāmbho-ruha-yuga-gatā niścalā bhaktir astu

“O my Lord! I have no attachment for religiosity, or for accumulating wealth, or for enjoying sense gratification. Let these come as they inevitably must, in accordance with my past deeds. But I do pray for this most cherished boon: birth after birth, let me render unflinching devotional service unto your two lotus feet.” (Mukunda-Mālā Stotram 5)

nāhaṁ vande pada-kamalayor dvandvam advandva-hetoḥ
kumbhī-pākaṁ gurum api hare nārakaṁ nāpanetum
ramyā-rāmā-mṛdu-tanu-latā-nandane nābhirantuṁ
bhāve bhāve hṛdaya-bhavane bhāvayeyaṁ bhavantam

“O Lord Hari, it is not to be saved from the dualities of material existence or the grim tribulations of the Kumbhīpāka hell that I pray to your lotus feet. Nor is my purpose to enjoy the soft-skinned beautiful women who reside in the gardens of heaven. I pray to Your lotus feet only so that I may remember You alone in the core of my heart, birth after birth.” (Mukunda-Mālā Stotram 4)

A similar śloka has been recited by Śrī Gaurasundara –

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye
mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi

“O Lord, I have no desires to accumulate wealth, followers, beautiful women, or salvation. My only prayer is for Your causeless devotional service, birth after birth.” (Śikṣāṣṭakam 4)

I will not fall into deception. Birth after birth I have sank into duplicity, I will not do so again. I will not involve you in the karmic reactions of my previous birth; that is because I have heard the instructions of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata at the lotus feet of Śrī Guru –

dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo ’tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ
vedyaṁ vāstavam atra vastu śivadaṁ tāpa-trayonmūlanam
śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-muni-kṛte kiṁ vā parair īśvaraḥ
sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate ’tra kṛtibhiḥ śuśrūṣubhis tat-kṣaṇāt

“In this Bhāgavata Purana, where fraudulent religiosity and all other mundane goals of humankind have been utterly forsaken, the supreme spiritual duty (parama-dharma) has been expounded. That parama-dharma is pure bhakti-yoga, exemplified by those saints who are absolutely free from envy and full of compassion for all living beings. The Supreme Truth within uproots the three forms of misery and grants the highest form of bliss. When those with ample spiritual merit desire to listen to the message of this beautiful Bhāgavatam, which was authored by Maha-muni Śrī Narayana Himself, then the Supreme Lord Śrī Hari is immediately and permanently captured within their hearts. What is the need of any other message?” (Bhāg. 1.1.2)

My Śrī Gurudeva never accepted service from other people. When someone came to serve him he would curse that fourteen generations of that person’s family would be destroyed. He would tell them, “You want me to become your servant in your next life. You will make me your servant to repay your debt. But I will only become the servant of those who are devotees of Kṛṣṇa and no one else. Birth after birth I do not wish to be the servant of anyone apart from Śrī Rādhā Ṭhākurāṇī, because She does the maximum service to Kṛṣṇa.” He used to tell us, “Aspire only for things that are spiritual. You do not need to do anything else.” He could not write anything and was not a scholar of anusvara or visarga. Tears would pour from both his eyes and he would cry out loudly, ”By taking the Names of Gaura-Nityānanda I pray that we should not bring disgrace to their Names. Let us not desire such useless trash as dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa from Gaura-Nitāi. Many times he would ask us, “Please tell me what is written in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta and Śrīmad Bhāgavata. I do not understand Sanskrit. I do not even know how to write.” We would reply, “What can we say? In your very character we are directly able to see whatever is written in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta and Śrīmad Bhāgavata?”

R. Bābu took ‘shelter’ of Mahāprabhu as if to enrich Mahāprabhu. It is as if Mahāprabhu would be delivered by his mercy. He had complete attachment to matter, but not to Śrī Caitanya. Mahāprabhu revealed his duplicity. He did not examine the matter from the very beginning and could not come to the right conclusion anywhere. Not even for a moment did he deliberate upon the true form of Mahāprabhu. He considered the lotus feet of Śrī Gaurāṅga as nature’s product, or as some type of special medicine. To him, the material object which is medicine that will cure his daughter’s disease, is ‘Mahāprabhu’. The divine lotus feet of Gaura-Nitāi remove all anarthas and award kṛṣṇa-prema. They can give us Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and They are non-different from Their Names. That Gaura-Nitāi are not like some pir-fakir (magicians) or some good luck charm of this world. If he had actually received instructions from the lotus feet of a guru who was a genuine devotee of Gaura, then the Holy Name Himself would have shown mercy to him and his heart would have been elevated.

vaikuṇṭha-nāma-grahaṇam aśeṣāgha-haraṁ viduḥ

“One who chants the Name of the Lord is liberated from unlimited sins.” (Bhāg. 6.2.14)

However, taking the Name with a mood of materialism produces unlimited sins. He was committing nāmaparādha, and due to this he faced misfortune. The result of committing nāmaparādha is attaining dharma, artha and kāma or it may also be adharma, anartha and the non-attainment of kāma. He faced the result of non-attainment of his desire. When he genuinely and sincerely accepts shelter at the lotus feet of Śrī Gaurāṅga, then only will his nāmaparādha be nullified. Then gaura-nāma will melt his heart and tears will pour from his eyes, then he will understand the words of jagad-guru Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda –

pra-śabdena mokṣābhisandhirapi nirantaraḥ

“The word pra refers to the immediate rejection of the desire for liberation.”

Jṣānī means a salvationist, or cinmātravādī, and karmī means elevationist, or jaḍavādī. Both are misguided. The Śrīmad Bhāgavata has uprooted all types of deception. If one takes shelter of that Mahāprabhu, who continuously stated that the Śrīmad Bhāgavata was the crest-jewel of pramāṇas, then no kind of cheating or detrimental desire can remain.

Śreyah (the highest benefit) tastes bitter like harītakī, and preya (temporary pleasure) tastes sweet. If a patient requests the doctor to make arrangements for him to consume lots of jaggery instead of harītakī, then the patient’s taking shelter of the doctor is simply a show. Similarly, it is the road to inauspiciousness if, in the name of taking shelter of Bhagavān, we endeavour to increase our disease by using Bhagavān.

If we remain apathetic to the teachings of Śrī Caitanya, then we will enthrone a Satan as a devotee of Caitanya or even as Caitanya Himself. When we do endeavour for material benefits, then our false gaura-bhajana will also retire! We worship that Mahāprabhu who was propitiated by Śrī Rūpa in the following mood –

namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te
kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

“O most munificent incarnation! You are Kṛṣṇa Himself appearing as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You have assumed the golden colour of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, and You are widely distributing pure love of Kṛṣṇa. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.” (Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 19.53)

We worship that Mahāprabhu who was prayed to by Śrīla Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī –

heloddhūnita-khedayā viśadayā pronmīlad-āmodayā
śāmyac-chāstra-vivādayā rasa-dayā cittārpitonmādayā
śaśvad-bhakti-vinodayā sa-madayā mādhurya-maryādayā
śrī-caitanya dayā-nidhe tava dayā bhūyād amandodayā

“O ocean of mercy, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu! Let there be an awakening of Your auspicious mercy, which easily drives away all kinds of material lamentation. By Your mercy, everything is made pure and blissful. It awakens transcendental bliss and covers all gross material pleasures. By Your auspicious mercy, quarrels and disagreements arising among different scriptures are vanquished. Your auspicious mercy causes the heart to jubilate by pouring forth transcendental mellows. Your mercy always stimulates devotional service, which is full of joy. You are always glorifying the conjugal love of God. May transcendental bliss be awakened within my heart by Your causeless mercy.” (Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka 8.10)

That Mahāprabhu that was prayed to by Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī Prabhu –

kaivalyaṁ narakāyate tridaśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāyate
durdāntendriya-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī protkhāta-daṁṣṭrāyate
viśvaṁ pūrṇa-sukhāyate vidhi-mahendrādiś ca kīṭāyate
yat kāruṇya-kaṭākṣa-vaibhavavatāṁ taṁ gauram eva stumaḥ

“For those who have attained the merciful sidelong glance of Lord Caitanya, impersonal liberation becomes as palatable as going to hell, the heavenly cities of the demigods become as enticing as flowers imagined to be floating in the sky, the poisonous fangs of the untameable black snakes of the senses are broken, the whole world becomes full of joy, and Brahmā, Indra, and all the other great demigods become as insignificant as tiny insects. Let us glorify that golden-complexioned Lord Caitanya.” (Caitanya-candrāmṛta 5)

strī-putrādi-kathāṁ jahur vivaṣayiṇaḥ śāstra-pravādaṁ budhā
yogīndrā vijahur –marun-niyama-ja-kleśaṁ tapas tāpasāḥ
jṣānābhyāsa-vidhiṁ jahuś ca yatayaś caitanya-candre parām
āviṣkurvati bhakti-yoga-padavīṁ naivānya āsīd rasaḥ

“Now that the moon of Śrī Caitanya-candra has revealed the path of pure devotional service, the materialists have given up talking about their wives, children, and material affairs, the scholars have given up debating the scriptures, the yogis have given up the trouble to control the breath, the ascetics have given up their austerity, and the impersonalists have given up impersonalism. Now there is only the sweetness of pure devotional service. Now nothing else is sweet. (Caitanya-candrāmṛta 113)

Even after the teachings of Śrī Caitanya are preached, those that still do not delineate on those teachings are most unfortunate. Śrī Gaurasundara is not the object of our enjoyment. In spite of remaining amongst millions and millions of dangers and disasters, one must hear the words pertaining to Śrī Gaurasundara, perform kīrtana about Him, and preach about Him. All thoughts existing in this world, which existed in the past and will exist in the future, are all blind and bankrupt. We will be able to realise it only when we take shelter of the lotus feet of Śrī Gaurasundara without any deceit.

R. could not understand that Gaurasundara is fundamentally spiritual in nature, and only exhibited false bhakti through lip-service – he took shelter of Satan.

anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam
hariḥ puraṭa-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandīpitaḥ
sadā hṛdaya-kandare sphuratu vaḥ śacī-nandanaḥ

“May that Lord who is known as the son of Śrīmatī Śacī Devī be transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the Age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation ever offered before: the most sublime and radiant spiritual knowledge of the mellow taste of His service.” (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 1.4)

Gaurasundara came to the world to propagate unnata-ujjvala-rasa, the highest thing that has never been given before – and I will pray for stool, urine, bones, flesh, blood and pus! Those that consider Mahāprabhu to be Satan will pray to him for all these things.

rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śaktir asmād
ekātmānāv api bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau
caitanyākhyaṁ prakaṭam adhunā tad-dvayaṁ caikyam āptaṁ
rādhā-bhāva-dyuti-suvalitaṁ naumi kṛṣṇa-svarūpam

“The loving affairs of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are transcendental manifestations of the Lord’s internal pleasure-giving potency. Although Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are one in Their identity, They separated Themselves eternally. Now these two transcendental identities have again united, in the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. I bow down to Him, who has manifested Himself with the sentiment and complexion of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself.”(Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 1.5)

Śrīmatī Vṛṣabhānu-nandinī is Kṛṣṇa’s counter-whole, not His counter-part. Śrīmatī Rādhikā’s external bodily effulgence has completely surrounded the beauty of Śyāma; it has also covered His mind. Such is the intensity of Their embrace. They Both become inseparable. Śrī Gaurasundara is not simply Rādhikā, nor is He simply Kṛṣṇa – He is the intense embrace of Śrī Rādhā and Śrī Kṛṣṇa,

prasārita-mahā-prema-pīyūṣa-rasa-sāgare
caitanya-candre prakaṭe yo dīno dīna eva saḥ

“Now that Śrī Caitanya-candra – the unlimitedly expansive ocean of the joy of divine love supreme – has made His gracious advent, anyone who remains destitute is surely a genuine pauper.” (Caitanya-candrāmṛta 36)

Rāya Bahadur Basu: Please give me one or two practical suggestions. There are many theoretical statements. How can one be protected from nāmaparādha?

Prabhupāda: Kindly study Hari-nāma Cintāmaṇi.

Rāya Bahadur: But Mahāprabhu said that one should give the Holy Name even to a caṇḍāla.

Prabhupāda: Only one who is a nāmācārya can give the Name. Only a person who is free from nāmaparādha and nāmābhāsa, by the mercy of Mahāprabhu, can give the Holy Name to others.

Rāya Bahadur: Then what is the significance of the words, helāya śraddhāya vā (the Holy Name may be chanted with faith or inattention)?

Prabhupāda: It does not say that nāmaparādha should be chanted. Will nāmaparādha bestow auspiciousness on us?

Rāya Bahadur: Mahāprabhu does not say that there is something called ‘nāmaparādha’.

Prabhupāda: You should study the Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta and the Sandarbhas – the topic of nāmaparādha is mentioned throughout. Niraparādhe nāma laile pāya prema-dhana (‘by chanting the Holy Name without any offence, one attains the treasure of prema’). One cannot receive the Holy Name from a pseudo-guru who is a nāmāparādhī. He must accept the shelter of a pure nāmācārya. Such a guru will bestow auspiciousness on the disciple. He will not think that he has achieved success by lording over his disciple. He will not be able to actually chant the Names of Gaura-Nityānanda while simultaneously taking shelter of the path of material sense pleasure. Those sections that are enjoyers of Gaura or inimical towards Gaura, are offenders to the Holy Name, thus we should be cautious in dealing with them.

Rāya Bahadur: If we just follow all these strict rules, will that be enough to properly chant the Holy Name?

Prabhupāda: Imitation chanting will not produce the Holy Name. The true Name will manifest Himself. He Himself will grant His mercy. Those that do not consider such things will commit aparādha. Chanting the Holy Name even once can produce auspiciousness.

Rāya Bahadur: How can I purely chant that Name at least once?

Prabhupāda: Adau guru-pādāśraya (‘first take shelter at the feet of a genuine guru)’.

Rāya Bahadur: The guru in human shape is very much limited. Even if I am able to accept someone as guru, what about those who are residing in Africa, America or from New Zealand or adhivāsīs (aborigines) – how will they be able to get such a nāmācārya?

Prabhupāda: They will also receive a guru according to their adhikāra, just as they received Christ. When their good fortune arises, and they sincerely search for a genuine guru (sad-guru), then after some births they will eventually receive one.

For the time being, stop and lend your submissive and regardful ear. I say to everyone in this world – leaving aside all your talks, kindly listen a little to the words descending from above. I always favour transcendental sound, I am not in favour of aparādha. I am not prepared to commit aparādha, neither am I prepared to make others commit aparādha. If I continue to carry in my head all the rubbish things that I have collected from here, then I cannot progress even an inch on the path towards Vraja. Those who are famous as the ‘giant-intellects ‘of this world should refrain from speaking anything for some time and submit to the aural reception of transcendental sound. Empiricism must never be the medium. Bhakti is not a suggestive thing. It is not guesswork. It is a positive and clear understanding of reality. Bhakti is understood as submission to the Personal Godhead.

avismṛtiḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ
kṣiṇoty abhadrāṇi ca śaṁ tanoti
sattvasya śuddhiṁ paramātma-bhaktiṁ
jṣānaṁ ca vijṣāna-virāga-yuktam

“For one who remembers the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, all inauspiciousness soon disappears, and one’s good fortune expands. In other words, one becomes free from all material contamination, one attains liberation from repeated birth and death, and one’s real spiritual life begins. As one’s heart becomes gradually purified, one’s devotion for the Lord within the heart awakens, and one realises the Paramātmā. Thus one gradually develops knowledge, realisation and renunciation.” (Bhāg. 12.12.55)

Ṭhākura Bilvamaṅgala has said –

bhaktis tvayi sthiratarā bhagavan yadi syād
daivena naḥ phalati divya-kiśora-mūrtiḥ
muktiḥ svayaṁ mukulitāṣjali sevate ’smān
dharmārtha-kāma-gatayaḥ samaya-pratīkṣāḥ

“O my Lord, if one engages in Your pure devotional service with determination, You become visible in Your original transcendental youthful form as the Supreme Lord. As far as liberation is concerned, she stands before the devotee with folded hands waiting to render service. Religion, economic development and sense gratification are all automatically attained without separate endeavour.” (Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta 107)

At the beginning there was no need for us to form our mission. Only because people have gone the wrong way are we using the mission to render service to Bhagavān – to deliver human society from the wrong direction. In this manner even if we attain supremacy over this world crores of times, still we would discard it like stool and urine. May the human race be delivered from their wrong direction and be established at the lotus feet of Gaurasundara, who is the root of all auspiciousness. Our little endeavour is only for this purpose. If anyone deviates even minutely from the teachings of Śrī Caitanya-deva, whether he be Brahmā, Śiva, Vāyu, Varuṇa, a great religious preacher or a religious leader, he will encounter great difficulties.

First there is śraddhā (faith), then rati (attachment) Then after that comes bhakti. When sādhana has not begun, then śraddhā is required. When sādhana ends, then comes the stage of rati. When one is established in sādhya (the goal of one’s practice) then comes bhakti, or prema. Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda has said:

kṛpā kara vaiṣṇava ṭhākura
sambandha jāniyā bhajite bhajite
abhimāna hau dura

“Oh Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura, kindly bestow your mercy. Then only my false ego will be eradicated and I will be able to constantly worship the Lord, being aware of my relationship with Him.” (Kalyāṇa-kalpataru 3.2.1)

There is no way to gain auspiciousness other than serving one who performs real service to Viṣṇu. At this present time, we are engaged in a tie of love between finite things. We feel a necessity for things that actually have no real necessity for us.

yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke
sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ
yat tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij
janeṣv abhijṣeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ

“One who identifies his self as the inert body composed of mucus, bile and air, who assumes his wife and family are permanently his own, who thinks an earthen image or the land of his birth is worshipable, or who sees a place of pilgrimage as merely the water there, but who never identifies himself with, feels kinship with, worships or even visits those who are wise in spiritual truth — such a person is no better than a cow or an ass.” (Bhāg. 10.84.13)

Those that pull on their beads in the same way that one pulls on the reigns of an animal, who make a noise, yet do not see Kṛṣṇa and Gaurasundara directly in every utterance they make, are not fit to be associated by us. The acme of all scholarship is kṛṣṇa-sambandha (establishing a relationship with Śrī Kṛṣṇa).

varaṁ huta-vaha-jvālā-paṣjarāntar-vyavasthitiḥ
na śauri-cintā-vimukha-jana-saṁvāsa-vaiśasam

“It is preferable to live in an iron cage in the midst of a blazing fire, than to associate with those who are averse to meditating upon Śauri (Kṛṣṇa), for such association is a great calamity.” (Kātyāyana-saṁhitā)

If my real intention is to serve Bhagavān, then I will look at the entire world as ingredients for His service. Then a painting by Raphael will not be able to captivate me. I will understand that the songs of Caṇḍī Dāsa and Vidyapāti should not be heard when one still has anarthas. If you go to Navadvīpa, you will see that – just like the tales of the heroes and heroines of Vidyā-sundara (a romantic poet of medieval Bengal), there are those who endeavour to enjoy the songs and poetry of Caṇḍī Dāsa and Vidyāpati. Although Śrīnivāsa Ācārya Prabhu started a musical tradition, it was not meant for nourishing and filling the burning hunger of people’s bellies, nor was it meant for the sense-enjoyment of people inflicted with anarthas. Those who do not understand this are struck down by the arrows of lust, like a deer who becomes charmed by the song of a hunter. As a result of this, such people become degraded to the level of animals and ghouls and sink into hell. They will be residents in the garden of hell – with such intelligence they are madly engrossed in sense-enjoyment and do not listen to sādhus. Śrīnivāsa Ācārya Prabhu and Śrī Vakreśvara Paṇḍita have created this method in order to deceive all those animals in human form.

I cannot understand how learned people have so much belief in such bogus things nowadays. Once, Ram Chandra Datta’s father, Nrsingha Prasad Datta, took Śrīmad Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura to Madhu Ray Lane. Nrsingha Prasada Datta came to Śrīmad Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and said, “Please understand, we only know Mahāprabhu. But my son, Ram Chandra, has changed after associating with a māyāvādī! They are declaring Ramakrishna, an ordinary human being, as a new avatāra, a new Mahāprabhu! Kindly come to my house once and examine my son’s guru? Is he a sādhu or a sham? Whatever you say I will believe.”

Śrī Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was a very intimate friend of Nrsingha Prasad Datta. The day when Ramakrishna was supposed to come to his house, Nrsingha Prasad Datta brought Śrīmad Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura to his house with great care and hospitality. Nrsingha Prasad Datta said to Ramakrishna, “One of my friends, who is a great Vaiṣṇava has come. Mahāprabhu is his very life.” At that time the Viśva-Vaiṣṇava Sabhā had been established. In that assembly, Śrīmad Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura had been very elaborately reading and explaining the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Seeing Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Ramakrishna started singing, Yā’re dekhile nayana jhure, tā’rā du bhāi eseche re (‘The two brothers have come, seeing whom the eyes become fully satisfied’) and fell unconscious. Śrīmad Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was in another room. Ramakrishna was in that condition, lying on the verandah in front of that very room. After a while, some rasagullas were brought in front of Ramakrishna who ate them and other people ate his remnants. No one had the courage to offer any to Śrīmad Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. A little later, some impure foodstuffs were brought. At first Ramakrishna protested, but after a while he accepted it. All these activities were observed by Śrīmad Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. After returning from there, he scrupulously compared all these symptoms with the proper standards authorised in Śrīmad Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Referring to the words of Śrī Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu he pointed out the deception and cheating of the impersonalist section, and the section that advocates non-discrimination and equality between spirit and matter.

The reflection (pratibimba) and the shadow of real rati (chaya-ratyābhāsa) are not the symptoms of prema. For those who have taken impersonalism as their highest ideal, their imitation of devotional practices is a mere deception. Those schools of thought that encourage material desires promote the position of such insignificant men in the minds of the general populace. This is known as ‘apotheosis’ (ascribing divinity to a mortal). The devotees of Gaura are not inclined to apotheosis. They do not worship human beings nor are they Kartābhajās (one of the 13 apa-sampradāyas that worship their guru as Kṛṣṇa). They are the eternal servitors of the viṣaya-vigraha (Kṛṣṇa) who is embraced by the āśraya-vigraha (Rādhārāṇī). This is the specialty of the teachings of gaura-bhajana