RELIGION OF THE HEART

By Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj

© 2006 Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math
All rights reserved by the Successor President-Acharya

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Nabadwip, West Bengal, India

This book was prepared and first published in 2006 by Sripad Bhakti Premik Siddhanti Maharaj and was received with great joy by His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj with the following words: ‘We do not know how good we are, but I see that what comes from our kitchen is very tasteful for the jiva souls. I could not conceive that this book would be like this, and it is coming from Sripad Siddhanti Maharaj, then neither I nor you know what will be inside, but when I have seen it, then I can say this book has come out perfectly. Why perfectly? Because everyone is very affectionate with Siddhanti Maharaj and they helped him with whatever was necessary.’

This electronic version is prepared in 2025 as part of service to His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj.

Web address: www.scsmathinternational.com

Email: info@scsmathinternational.com

CONTENTS

Introduction

Your Fearless Lotus Feet

PART ONE: “The Glories of Devotional Service”

Chapter 1. The Service of Vrindavan

Chapter 2. The Lord is not Impersonal

Chapter 3. Evidence of the Conception of a Personal God in the Scriptures of India

Chapter 4. Preparing to Understand Krishna’s Transcendental Pastimes

PART TWO: “Krishna’s Four Super-Excellent Qualities

Chapter 1. Krishna’s Sweet Pastimes

Chapter 2. Krishna’s Wonderful Associates

Chapter 3. Krishna’s Transcendental Flute

Chapter 4. Krishna’s Unparalleled Beauty and Opulence

The Logo of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math’s Mission

Headquarters of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Books and Publications of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Introduction

I would like to begin by first offering my respectful obeisances to my diksa Guru, His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupada and my sannyasa Guru, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj, the author of this book. These two great Maha-Bhagavatas as well as His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj have given me shelter and a chance to practice Krishna consciousness. Although I am very fallen and helpless and full of faults, they have been kind and given their valuable energy to me as well as to so many others. I can only pray that one day I may at least come close to trying to do some service for them.

This book is an inadequate attempt to show a small part of the vast treasure of transcendental knowledge His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj has been imparting to the world for the past eighteen years. Most know that Srila Govinda Maharaj was personally given charge of Srila Sridhar Maharaj’s Mission before his departure from this world. Srila Sridhar Maharaj said publicly in 1985 that Srila Govinda Maharaj has tirelessly and wholeheartedly assisted in the duties of organizing and developing his Math, and also in the duties of establishing and developing other Maths, as well as arranging many donors for these Maths. He said he has provided much encouragement to even himself in managing and maintaining his Math and is naturally disposed to serving the Math and its residents, and that he is always endeavoring for the progressive development of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. Above all Srila Sridhar Maharaj said Srila Govinda Maharaj is well-known and unanimously acclaimed as being firmly established in the philosophy of the perfect axiomatic truth of bhakti as propounded by both himself as well as his Divine Master, Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada.

Srila Govinda Maharaj has shown this to be the truth as he has spread this perfect transcendental knowledge of bhakti as he learned from his Guru Maharaj.

Srila Govinda Maharaj has been on twenty-four world tours (as of this writing) where he has met with sincere seekers and distinguished persons from all walks of life, and he preached Krishna consciousness vigorously everywhere he went. He has appeared on weekly internet radio broadcasts as well as regular radio and TV shows for the past ten years and under his direction and inspiration over seventy centers of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math have been established in over forty countries. 350 books and related articles in over twenty languages have been published under his direction establishing the perfect conception of Krishna consciousness that he has carried from his Guru Maharaj. By his influence so many sincere souls suffering under the horrible influence of Kali-yuga now have a chance to take shelter under the cooling rays of the Supreme Lord’s lotus feet.

In 1941 Srila Sridhar Maharaj wrote a sloka and hoisted a large flag atop a tall bamboo pole in his Math, which was just a small thatched hut at that time. That sloka forecast the future glories of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math and said one day they would be sung all over the world:

srimach-chaitanya-sarasvata-mathavara-udgita-kirtir jaya-srim

bibhrat sambhati ganga-tata-nikata-navadvipa-koladri-raje

yatra sri-gaura-sarasvata-mata-nirata-gaura-gatha grnanti

nityam-rupanuga-sri-krtamati-guru-gauranga-radha-jitasa

At that time some of Srila Guru Maharaj’s Godbrothers chided him by saying he had only a small Math with a few buildings and a few devotees, so how, they said, would the glories of his Math be heard all over the world?

Now due to Srila Govinda Maharaj’s unflinching spirit of self-sacrifice and complete dedication to his Guru Maharaj he has successfully established the supreme conception of his Guru Maharaj in all parts of the world so those with a clean heart and desirous of real spiritual life can practice Krishna consciousness under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master. Due to his grace the sun never sets on Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, and the flag that Srila Guru Maharaj hoisted in 1941 waves in the favorable breezes on every continent.

Srila Govinda Maharaj is the real Hidden Treasure of Srila Guru Maharaj and our entire sampradaya. By his causeless mercy he is attracting the entire world and inspiring everyone from all walks of life and countries to chant the Holy Names of the Lord. From the North Pole to the South Pole and on every continent the sun is never setting on his divine conception. It is said that Srila Prabhupada built a house in which the whole world could live. Srila Govinda Maharaj has built a temple for Sri Radha and Sri Krishna and Sriman Mahaprabhu in which the whole world can worship and thus get free from the hard knot of material life that is so strongly trapping the jiva-souls in this age. He has strung a garland of the Holy Name of Krishna around the world and made the world more beautiful by it.

When we hear Srila Govinda Maharaj speak about the Lord’s pastimes, or for that matter about any subject, we are reminded of the third sloka of Srimad Bhagavatam which says:

nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam

suka-mukhad amrta-drava-samyutam

pibata bhagavatam rasam alayam

muhur aho rasika bhuvi bhavukah

“The subject matter of Srimad Bhagavatam is very sweet because it deals with Krishna’s pastimes but those pastimes have been made even sweeter because they were spoken by Srila Sukadev Goswami.”

I hope we can see in this book that the sweet nature of Krishna’s pastimes are made even sweeter because they come through the lotus lips of Srila Govinda Maharaj. Srila Guru Maharaj said Srila Govinda Maharaj is a natural paramahamsa. He is taking the sweet fruits of Krishna’s pastimes and making them even sweeter and more relishable by adding his own sweet nature to them.

In 1955, when Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupada received the first copy of the Sri Gaudiya Darsan magazine published by Srila Govinda Maharaj, he commented that Govinda Maharaj was a “transcendental humorist,” and “people would like to read articles written by him with great relish because they are not only instructive but also amusing.” I hope the reader will find this book both instructive and amusing.

The preface is a Bengali poem “Your Fearless Lotus Feet,” written by Srila Govinda Maharaj in 1957 for the glorification of Srila Guru Maharaj on the occasion of his Sri Vyasa-puja. In this poem we are shown the perfect spirit of dedication and devotion an expert disciple has for his Guru as well as the perfect example of humility a disciple should have for his spiritual master. The poem also shows the deep insight into the higher siddhanta that Srila Guru Maharaj said Srila Govinda Maharaj was so expert in, and that comes so naturally to him. Guru Maharaj said he was a natural paramahamsa and this is evident in this poem.

In Part One he explains the gist of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s supreme conception of Krishna consciousness based on the sloka: Aradhyo Bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas tad-dhama Vrindavanam, composed by Srila Visvanath Chakravarti Thakur. Srila Govinda Maharaj takes this sloka and adds new life and a beautiful meaning to it just as he does with so many slokas. He explains and shows by logical reasoning how the Absolute Truth is a person, not an impersonal void or an abstract entity, and that person is Sri Krishna whose land is Vrindavan Dham, the highest plane in the spiritual world. In Vrindavan Dham all the residents worship Krishna with great devotion but in different moods such as santa-rasa—passive, dasya-rasa—servitorship, sakhya-rasa—friendship, vatsalya-rasa—parental relation, and madhura-rasa—conjugal love, which is divided in two parts: wedded and paramour. The highest worship is shown by the Vraja-gopis, and this is thoroughly explained in Srimad Bhagavatam which is the supreme scripture recommended by Sriman Mahaprabhu. Srila Govinda Maharaj gives us this conception in a very beautiful, simple and straightforward manner and adds new life by drawing on many beautiful slokas from different scriptures to paint a picture of Krishna consciousness as only a true transcendental poet can do.

In Part Two he takes us deeper into the subject matter of Krishna consciousness and shows us beyond a doubt that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the emporium of all rasa, Akhila-rasamrta-murtih, by presenting a fascinating description of His sweet pastimes, His wonderful associates, His transcendental flute and His exquisite beauty, based on slokas from Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita (Madhya 23.82-83):

sarvadbhuta-chamatkara-lila-kallola-varidhih

atulya-madhura-prema-mandita-priya-mandalah

trijagan-manasakarsi-murali-kala-kujitah

asamanordhva-rupa-sri-vismapita-characharah

But before he does this he cautions us in Chapter Four to first hear about Krishna consciousness in a step-by-step process from a bona fide spiritual master. He says a bona fide spiritual master will not instruct his disciple in the higher pastimes of the Lord in the beginning. When a spiritual master sees a disciple is ready to hear about those higher pastimes, then he will instruct him, not before. If we don’t follow this caution we will get only “imitation pastimes” or an “imitation diamond” as he says. We won’t get the real thing.

Throughout the book Srila Govinda Maharaj stresses the importance of worshiping Krishna and shows us that the real way to worship Him is through Radha-dasyam, service to Srimati Radharani. And the way to worship Her is through Sri Gurudev who is the embodiment of Radharani in the highest aspect, and of Nityananda Prabhu in a little lower form. We get this knowledge of Krishna consciousness through the descending process beginning with Krishna Himself who spoke it to Lord Brahma. This was passed on to Narada and Vyasadev and ultimately to our Gurudev His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj. The knowledge of Krishna consciousness is always descending through the hearts of the pure souls and we can understand where a pure soul is by seeing “the shining light-bulb of transcendental knowledge that is burning in his pure heart.” This is the knowledge given by Vedavyasa, Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur, Srila Guru Maharaj, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj and now Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj.

The theme of the book is vidvadbhih sevitah sadbhir, nityam advesa-ragibhih hrdayenabhyanujnato, yo dharmas tam nibhodata, that real religion extends from the Infinite Quarter, and when it comes to the finite, it will always come through those who are proficient in the scriptures, advanced in their realizations, and deeply dedicated in their service. It cannot be man-made. It is coming from the highest quarter and those who carry it are also from that plane.

We are very fortunate Srila Govinda Maharaj is presenting the proper conception of Sriman Mahaprabhu as he heard it from his Guru Maharaj, adding his own deep realizations and sweet nature to this, and we are even more fortunate that he can present it in a clear and straightforward manner, as only a great teacher and devotee can do. And we are even more fortunate he is going all over the world, even in his ill health, trying heart and soul to give this great wealth to everyone who wants it.

In trying to make this book as an offering to His Divine Grace Srila Govinda Maharaj I am sure I have committed errors, for which I am asking everyone’s forgiveness.

I am from a very low born, sinful and offensive family where I was taught it is alright to engage in sinful and offensive activities, therefore I am a very fallen person and not qualified to do any service to Srila Govinda Maharaj.

Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami said he was lower than the worms in stool (Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi-lila 5.205):

jagai madhai haite muni se papistha

purisera kita haite muni se laghistha

I feel lower than them because at least they have a position in this world. However, due to my offenses to my Gurudev and the Vaishnavs, I cannot be counted amongst the living or the dead.

Myself being in such a position, how is it possible this book has been so well received by His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj? I can only consider that any success has come from this endeavor due to his own causeless mercy and the grace of the devotees who have helped such as Sripad Sagar Maharaj, Sripad Goswami Maharaj, Sripad Tridandi Maharaj, Bhuvana Mohan Prabhu, Mahananda Prabhu, Jagadananda Prabhu, Visakha Devi Dasi and others too numerous to mention.

Knowing this book to have appeared by the grace of the Vaishnavs, I offer with my whole heart this second edition to the lotus hands of His Divine Grace Srila Govinda Maharaj.

Om Tat Sat

Swami B.P. Siddhanti

Finished on Sri Guru Purnima—

Srila Vyasadev’s appearance day: July 11, 2006

Second edition finished Sri Govardhan Puja, 2009

Nabadwip Dham

• • •

Your Fearless Lotus Feet

Vyasa-puja offering for His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj written by His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj in 1957.

1) They come from such faraway lands

Bearing gifts of worship in their outstretched hands,

Fervently they hasten—your kinsmen in bands

To greet you on this, your Holy Birthday.

2) At your Fearless Lotus Feet they happily rejoice

With streaming eyes and stuttering voice,

Horripilating body and a love that’s choice—

Considering themselves most fortunate.

3) O most Magnanimous Master, gracefully forgiving,

On this Holy Day to offer I have practically nothing,

What little I have is sullied and trifling,

Not worthy of offering to thee.

4) Burning in repentance for my one time thoughtlessness,

Your feet’s shelter I beg in all repentance

May I not ever lose you from inadvertence,

Please grant only fearlessness to me.

5) Having lost myself in Maya’s delusion

I’ve found only flickering pleasure and convulsion

On the giant wheel of virtue and indiscretion—

And a garland of cradles and sepulchers.

6) Absorbed in a great purposeless search

Away I have pushed the true wealth of this birth,

And tossed between heaven and earth,

I’ve gotten only a burning fever.

7) An abysmal hellfire ignites all around

Projecting its snout while flames leap and bound,

Expanding a huge cavernous mouth—

Intending only to devour me.

8) World-engulfing and world-scorching flames

Cause me to run hither and thither in torment

And wearied I drop into a slumbering suspense

In Mahamaya’s dense trickery.

9) This great sinner, this fallen outcaste

Infatuated by the six enemies is aghast

As lust and greed propel him fast—

To the shore of the ocean of death.

10) My uncontrolled mind—a will o’ the wisp

Takes no good counsel, though I give it the whip

Carrying its burden in a subconscious grip—

Hastens me to doom’s doorstep.

11) Please save me Lord! Out of your own kind goodness

Your glance alone defeats Maya’s madness

O shelter of all the poor and helpless

May the world behold your grace.

12) Maya’s bonds I cannot break

Your Lotus Foot Dust for to take

Do sever these bonds and forever make Your

Holy Lotus Feet my serving place.

13) Many a helpless wretch has found

Shade and shelter ‘neath your ground

But this fallen soul by Maya bound—

Can only heave long sighs.

14) The Nectar Ganges Name you brought

Saved many helpless souls distraught

And yet this worthless slave is caught—

Deceived by day and night.

15) My self-surrender is just a farce

To call my own, my wealth is sparse

O Redeemer Lord! Do make me yours

And call me your very own.

16) Your Lotus Feet I humbly entreat

May Forever be my Object Sweet Lord,

Bind and nourish me with daily service

And the rope of your kind compassion.

• • •

PART ONE:
“The Glories of Devotional Service”

Chapter 1.
The Service of Vrindavan

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is non-different from Sri Sri Radha-Govinda. He appeared in this world to relish the sweetness of the transcendental mellows which Srimati Radharani tasted in love of Krishna. Krishna did not have that opportunity; therefore He appeared as Sri Gaurangadev. We can understand this by this sloka of Srila Svarup Damodar Goswami:

radha krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini saktir asmad

ekatmanav api bhuvi pura deha-bhedam gatau tau

chaitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna tad-dvayam chaikyam aptam

radha-bhava-dyuti-suvalitam naumi krsna-svarupam

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi-lila, 1.5)

Srila Rupa Goswami has also written:

sri-radhayah pranaya-mahima kidrso vanayaiva-

svadyo yenadbhuta-madhurima kidrso va madiyah

saukhyam chasya mad-anubhavatah kidrsam veti lobhat

tad-bhavadhyah samajani sachi-garbha-sindhau harinduh

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi-lila, 1.6)

The supreme devotee of the Lord

Once our Guru Maharaj, Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, was preaching in South India and he was invited to speak at an assembly of pandits. When Srila Guru Maharaj was seated the pandits asked him some questions. They were all expert in Sanskrit and vastly learned in all respects. They asked him who, in his opinion, was the supreme devotee of the Lord. They said they considered the chatuhsan—the four Kumar sages, Sanak, Sanatan, Sanandan, and Sanat Kumars—to be the supreme devotees of the Lord.

At first Srila Guru Maharaj did not say anything, so the head pandit directly asked him, “Can you tell us, Sir, who you think the best devotee of the Lord is?”

Srila Guru Maharaj said, “I can tell you but can you accept what I say?”

The head pandit replied, “Yes, if it is reasonable we can accept it.”

Then Guru Maharaj said, “In our conception the chatuhsan are primary grade devotees.”

The pandits were shocked to hear this. They asked Guru Maharaj who, in his opinion, was a higher-class devotee.

Guru Maharaj answered, “There is a sloka in the Srimad Bhagavatam that differs from your claim and since you have all read Srimad Bhagavatam why do you say the four Kumaras are the supreme devotees?”

Then Guru Maharaj quoted that sloka:

na tatha me priyatama, atma-yonir na sankarah

na cha sankarsano na srir, na eva atma cha yatha bhavan

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.14.15)

Here Lord Krishna says to Uddhava, “The chatuhsan’s father, Lord Brahma, is their Guru; but he is not as dear to Me as you are. Even Sankar, Lord Siva, who is the greatest Vaishnav and who is always chanting My Holy Name, is not as dear to Me as you. Laksmidevi, the Goddess of Fortune who resides on My chest, is also not as dear to Me as you. Even My own Self, naivatma, is not as dear as you are. You are My most dear devotee.”

Krishna told Uddhava he is His most dear devotee and when Srila Guru Maharaj gave this answer the pandits were stunned.

But after Uddhava went to Vrindavan and saw the Vraja-gopis and the Vraja-basis’ mood of devotion, dedication and whole-hearted service, he said:

asam aho charana-renu-jusam aham syam

vrndavane kim api gulma-latausadhinam

ya dustyajam sva-janam arya-patham cha hitva

bhejur mukunda-padavim srutibhir vimrgyam

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.47.61)

“If I can take my birth as a piece of grass on the footpaths of Vrindavan where the Vraja-gopis walk so the dust of their feet will bless me, I will feel my life is successful.”

There is no doubt Krishna is more satisfied by the devotion of the gopis than He is satisfied with His dearest disciple Brahma, or with His dear brother Sankarsan, or with Sri Laksmidevi, who always resides on His chest, or even with His dearmost devotee, Lord Siva.

The Vraja-basis, especially the Vraja-gopis, have this type of dedication, devotion and whole-hearted service attitude; and Uddhava, the dearest devotee and disciple of Lord Krishna, declares this. This is real Krishna consciousness, and real Krishna consciousness is proceeding in this line.

Krishna, Arjuna’s charioteer

Many people have many different ideas and conceptions about Krishna consciousness but they all accept Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In some of them, Krishna’s position is like that of a master. In Bhagavad-gita Krishna teaches Arjuna like a spiritual master. He gives spiritual knowledge to him, so the followers of this line generally worship the “Gita-Krishna,” or the Krishna who presented Bhagavad-gita to this world.

An example of this is when Krishna and Arjuna were on the battlefield of Kuruksetra and they saw millions of soldiers ready to fight.

Previously Duryodhana and Arjuna both wanted to ask Krishna for His help in the battle, so when Krishna was sleeping, they both went to see Him. When Krishna awoke He saw Arjuna first. Duryodhana was a great personality and like an elder brother to Arjuna but when Krishna saw Arjuna first, He asked him why he had come.

Arjuna said, “King Yudhisthir has sent me to ask for Your help in the battle of Kuruksetra.”

Krishna said, “I thought that was the reason you came and I think Duryodhana has also come for the same reason, but I am not going to fight in this battle. I shall not use any weapons. If I can give any other help I will do that. I have millions of soldiers and they can fight. I am giving you first choice, Arjuna, please choose.”

Arjuna said, “I need You!”

Krishna said, “Alright, alright!”

Then Krishna looked to Duryodhana and said, “Is that alright with you? Are you happy?”

Duryodhana said, “Yes, that is very good, especially if You will not fight. Is that Your promise?”

Krishna replied, “Yes! Yes, I shall not fight.”

Then Duryodhana said, “If You will not fight, then what Arjuna said is alright with me. Shall I get all Your soldiers?”

Krishna agreed and said, “Yes!”

Both left very happily. Duryodhana was thinking he had all Krishna’s soldiers, and Arjuna was happy because Krishna had accepted his proposal.

After Duryodhana left, Arjuna stayed and Krishna said, “Arjuna, you are very foolish! Why did you take Me when you heard I would not fight? You could have had all of My soldiers.”

Arjuna said, “I am not afraid to fight with that group. It is not difficult to fight with them. I can fight with everybody but I need Your help in this battle. I have one request from You.”

Krishna said, “What is your request?”

Arjuna asked, “Will You be my chariot driver while I am fighting?”

Krishna was very happy to hear this. He said, “To be a chariot driver is not such a respectable position but to be your driver is very respectable. I accept your proposal. I will be very happy to stay with you.”

When both sides were ready to fight, Arjuna said, Senayor ubhayor madhye, ratham sthapaya me ‘chyuta (Bhagavad-gita, 1.21), “O Krishna! Please, place my chariot between the two armies. I want to see who has come to fight.” This is very nice and expresses one form of Krishna. He is carrying out the order of Arjuna and then He instructs Arjuna as a spiritual master.

Subjective perceptions of the Lord

When Krishna was fighting with Kamsa in Mathura He was young and apparently unqualified. When He came to kill Kamsa, He wasn’t carrying much with Him. He had only a flute and a stick for herding the cows. His dhoti was rolled up like short pants. Kamsa had invited Krishna in order to kill Him. Externally Kamsa announced there would be a wrestling match so there could be some sport between Krishna and Balaram and his wrestlers but secretly Kamsa wanted to kill Krishna.

One sloka in Srimad Bhagavatam explains how different types of persons saw Krishna when He entered the arena:

mallanam asanir nrnam nara-varah strinam smaro murtiman

gopanam sva-jano ‘satam ksiti-bhujam sasta sva-pitroh sisuh

mrtyur bhoja-pater virad avidusam tattvam param yoginam

vrsninam para-devateti vidito rangam gatah sagrajah

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.43.17)

All the wrestlers saw Krishna as death personified, mallanam asanir. They were very much afraid to see this fourteen-year-old boy who looked like He was twenty-one. He was tall and wore His dhoti very short, like short pants. When He entered the arena, all the fighters were thinking death personified had come to kill them.

Nrnam nara-varah, all the kings and their sons, the princes, saw Krishna as the King of kings. He was actually a cowherd boy but He appeared as the greatest of all kings.

Strinam smaro murtiman, the women were also invited to see the fighting and when they saw Krishna they saw Him as the embodiment of Cupid. When they saw Krishna’s beauty and effulgence, they fainted.

The cowherd men were also invited, gopanam sva-jano ‘satam. Everyone was invited. The cowherd men were thinking, “Our friend is coming! Now a member of our society is coming, our boy is coming!”

The evil kings who were always harassing their people were thinking, “Our ruler is coming to punish us,” ksiti-bhujam sasta.

Nanda Maharaj and his fatherly group of friends were thinking, “Our own boy has come,” sva-pitroh sisuh. Kamsa was thinking his death had come in the form of Balaram and Krishna, mrtyur bhoja-pater.

All the religious experts were thinking, “Paramatma has come in the form of Balaram and Krishna,” virad avidusam tattvam. The yogis were thinking, “The Supreme Personality of Godhead has come,” Tattvam Param yoginam. And, vrsninam para-devateti, the members of the Yadu dynasty were thinking, “Our worshippable relative has come”—vidito rangam gatah sagrajah.

The perfect conception of Krishna Consciousness

But a very few exceptional devotees and those who have the finest conception of Krishna consciousness and who come in the line of Sriman Mahaprabhu think the perfect conception of Krishna consciousness is fully manifest in Vraja Dham where there are five kinds of divine ecstatic relationships playing freely and happily with the Lord.

A small hint of Krishna’s transcendental abode is given in Brahma-samhita. When Mahaprabhu was in South India He discovered Brahma-samhita. He had previously heard of it, but when He saw it, He was surprised and said, “Sei punthi nila lekhaiya, give Me the fifth chapter. The whole book of one hundred chapters isn’t necessary. I want only the fifth chapter for My devotees.” He brought Sri Brahma-samhita as well as Sri Krishna-karnamrita back from South India to Jagannath Puri.

Vrindavan Dham is expressed in Sri Brahma-samhita

During Lord Brahma’s meditation on the Gayatri Mantra, Lord Brahma heard the transcendental sound vibration of Krishna’s flute and the whole realm of Vrindavan Dham revealed itself in his heart. He saw everything: the transcendental abode of Krishna, the Vraja-gopis playing, the cowherd boys, the trees, the plants, an infinite variety of beautiful flowers, lush ripe fruits and crystal clear water. He saw the complete environment of Vrindavan in his meditation and he expressed this in Sri Brahma-samhita (5.56):

sriyah kantah kantah parama-purusah kalpa-taravo

druma bhumis chintamani-gana-mayi toyam amrtam

katha ganam natyam gamanam api vamsi priya-sakhi

chid-anandam jyotih param api tad asvadyam api cha

sa yatra ksirabdhih sravati surabhibhyas cha su-mahan

nimesardhakhyo va vrajati na hi yatrapi samayah

bhaje svetadvipam tam aham iha golokam iti yam

vidantas te santah ksiti-virala-charah katipaye

Sriyah kantah kantah parama-purusah, all the women in Krishna’s abode are very beautiful. They are like beautiful goddesses and all wealth is with them. They are always trying to satisfy Krishna and they always worship Him. In Vrindavan, Krishna is the only enjoyer, and everyone supplies enjoyment to Him; therefore they get double enjoyment. When someone supplies food to another person, who gets the most enjoyment? The person who supplies the food gets the most enjoyment. Krishna is the only enjoyer but those who supply enjoyment to Him get even more enjoyment than Him.

There is no sadness in Krishna’s abode. There everything exists in a very happy and ecstatic mood. When you eat an apple the apple is happy to be eaten by you and you are happy when you are eating the apple. Both are happy. When someone is eating a banana the banana is happy and laughing. When a person is eating he is very happy. Everyone is always very happy in Krishna’s abode.

In Krishna’s abode all the trees are wish-fulfilling trees, kalpataru. If you want a mango from a banana tree, you can get a mango. If you want an apple from a jackfruit tree, you can get an apple. And the earth—bhumis chintamani—can give you anything you want. If you want milk, wheat or anything, you can get it from the earth.

The residents of Vrindavan don’t wear any golden rings, pearls or any jewelry. It is not because there is no jewelry in Vrindavan, it is because they like the flowers of Vrindavan. They wear flower jewelry. Every flower is very beautiful and glorious. There is one special flower in heaven called the parijata flower. Indra, the God of Heaven, is very proud because he has the parijata flower. There are millions of different flowers like the parijata flower in Vrindavan. Everywhere you will see beautiful flowers.

We have had a little experience of this. When we went to Badarikasram on parikrama there were flowers growing everywhere. It is a natural flower garden. No one gives them any nourishment; they are growing naturally. If you could see this you would understand there are examples of Vrindavan on Earth. Of course one example is not fully sufficient by itself but it can give us an idea of the reality of that divine land.

Toyam amrtam, all the water in that divine land is like nectar and the talking is like the sweet singing of birds, katha ganam. From outside you can’t distinguish whether they are talking or singing. You will think they are all singing but actually they are talking. Natyam gamanam api, all the walking in Vrindavan is like dancing. You can’t tell the difference between walking and dancing. They are always dancing.

Api vamsi priya-sakhi, the sound of Krishna’s flute is always flowing over Vrindavan. Only one song comes from Krishna’s flute and that is the sound of the Gayatri Mantra, Om. It can deliver the entire world. Only one sound is necessary to rescue the whole world and that is the song of Krishna’s flute.

Complete fulfillment

We can’t imagine how much happiness exists in Vrindavan. Everything is gracious, glorious, and extremely beautiful there. Paramour love (parakiya bhava) is extremely beautiful there.

Sometimes Mother Yasoda is frying food and when Krishna smells it He says, “Give it to Me now, I can’t wait!” Mother Yasoda says, “Wait, wait, I’ll give it to You on a plate!” And Krishna says again, “I can’t wait! I don’t want to wait! I must have it now!”

This is characteristic of the mood of parakiya bhava which is more worshippable than other rasas and finds its highest expression in paramour love.

In Vrindavan, Krishna is always playing with His friends. Sometimes when He plays His flute He says He would like to play in such and such kunja (forest grove) with certain friends. Sometimes He puts His hand on His hair and all the girls think it is a signal He will play with them in Kesi Kunja (kesi means hair), so the girls think of arranging things there for playing.

Lord Brahma described the abode of Sri Krishna in the prayers of Brahma-samhita and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has given the gist of that conception in a sloka composed by Srila Visvanath Chakravarti Thakur:

aradhyo bhagavan brajesa tanayas tad dhama vrndavanam

ramya kachid upasana braja-vadhu-vargena ya kalpita

srimad-bhagavatam pramanam-amalam prema pumartho mahan

sri chaitanya mahaprabhur-matam-idam tatradaro nah parah

The essence of this sloka is: “If you want to worship anything, for your complete fulfillment you must worship Krishna.”

The supreme conception

What are the qualities and qualifications of Krishna? What do you need? You need love, beauty, charm, ecstasy, affection and harmony. All these qualities are present in Krishna.

If your Master is rich with all the wealth of love, beauty, charm and ecstasy you won’t experience any deficiency—you will get everything through His mercy. Krishna has many expansions and they also possess these qualities of wealth, beauty, love and charm. This is the Vedic conception, the conception of Vedavyasa and the supreme conception of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

• • •

Chapter 2.
The Lord is not Impersonal

The Lord has form and His form is very beautiful

Everywhere in the scriptures it says the Lord has form. He is neither nirakara nor nirvisesa, without form or qualities. He has form and qualities, savisesa, whether we can see it or not. If He didn’t have form, the creation of this material world wouldn’t be possible.

This is easy to understand. As a human being I have a brain and thus I have the ability to think, feel and will; so it is not possible that the Lord, my creator, does not have these qualities. The whole universe was created by a conscious power, and that power is a guardian power. It is a fully conscious power whether we can see it or not.

The Upanisads say:

apani-pado javano grahita

pasyaty achaksuh sa srnoty akarnah

(Svetasvatara Upanisad, 3.19)

The Lord is present everywhere. He is in the smallest atom—anor aniyan—and He is in the biggest universe—mahato mahiyan. He can see and hear everything perfectly.

The Lord has an identity and an external form and that form is like the glow of a fire or the sunshine which emanates from the sun.

Sri Brahma-samhita (verse 40) also says:

yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti-

kotisvasesa-vasudhadi-vibhuti-bhinnam

tad brahma niskalam anantam asesa-bhutam

govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

The external form of the original person, Govinda, is called brahma, or the brahmajyoti, and brahma is like the glow of a fire or the sunshine which emanates from the sun. Brahma is not the Lord’s complete form. When you see the light of brahma, or glow, from a distance it appears to be His complete form but if you enter into that glow, what will you see? You will see jyotir abhyantare rupam, atulam Syamasundaram—you will see the eternal form of the Lord, Shyamasundar, who is very beautiful and who has a blackish complexion just like a rain cloud.

The nyaya (logic) scriptures give an example of this. When we see a forest from a distance we may see a bird enter it. From a distance it appears that the bird disappears or merges into the forest. We cannot see anything inside the forest; but if we can enter the forest we will see the bird has a nest, a husband and babies and she is playing with her babies. From inside the forest we see many things but from a distance we only see the outline of the forest.

The effulgence of the abode of Krishnaloka is similar. It is called paravyoma. From a distance paravyoma appears as brahma, but as it is said in the above sloka, tad brahma niskalam anantam asesa-bhutam—inside that glow Govinda is living and playing with His family and associates just like an ordinary human being.

Natural tendency—real religion

Once a devotee of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, named Sanatan Goswami, asked Him, “Who am I and why do we go to different species of life after we leave this body, and why do we suffer so much in this material world?

‘ke ami’, ‘kene amaya jare tapa-traya’

iha nahi jani—‘kemane hita haya’

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 20.102)

Mahaprabhu replied that all the scriptures say the jiva-souls have an eternal spiritual body. Through their own activities (karma) they are getting the results of those activities, and those results take them to different bodies such as a human body, an animal body or a plant body. We are now aware of this because science has proved that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. So the question is, how can we get relief and liberation from the illusory environment and how can we find our own joyful happy life where there is no sorrow or unhappiness?

Mahaprabhu said real religion (dharma) means everyone and everything has some natural tendency and it is necessary to discover what that natural tendency is. For example, water is liquid. Wherever it is, it will flow downwards. That is its natural tendency. Fire is hot and it will burn. If it gets cool or goes out, that is not its natural position. The sky also has its natural tendency or religion. It tries to observe everything in the universe. The planets have their own religion. They are always moving in a natural synchronized way.

Mahaprabhu said the natural tendency of everyone and everything is their real religion. All jiva-souls have their own religion (jaiva dharma), and the one thing everyone has in common is they are all able to think, feel and will; plus they all have their own spiritual bodies. And, since the jiva-souls are small, they will naturally be attracted by a greater power.

Magnetic attraction

In the Rig Veda, which contains seventy-five percent of the wealth of the Vedas, there is this famous mantra (1.22.20):

om tad visnoh paramam padam sada

pasyanti surayah diviva chaksur-atatam

tad vipraso vipanyavo jagrvamsah

samindhate visnor yat paramam padam

The primary meaning is that in our search for spiritual life and God, it is not necessary to immediately mention the Name of Krishna. In this world and in the spiritual world there is a powerful glow which is like the glow of the Sun which is called the brahmajyoti. We, the jiva-souls, are like tiny rays of that glow and we exist in that glow. That glow has a powerful magnetic effect, and everything that exists in this mundane world exists in that glow, and the qualities that exist in the spiritual world are much greater than the qualities found here.

Since that glow has a strong magnetic power, everything is attracted by it. How are they attracted? By its beauty, its charm, its love, its affection and its harmonious dealings. Whatever we want exists in that large glow and is attracting us.

We have all come from that glow and we are small particles of that glow. We are like sun rays in the sunshine, or waves in the ocean. We are all very small, like atoms. All our power—our thinking, feeling and willing—comes from that powerful glow, and that powerful glow is attracting the smaller particles of power, the jiva-souls, like a magnet attracts iron particles. Unfortunately, the iron has become rusty, and the jiva-souls are not attracted; that magnetic power cannot attract them, so they are going to the mundane environment.

Clean your mirror

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said it is natural that the jiva-souls want to go to their own abode, because that abode is transcendental and the jiva-souls are also transcendental.

When a particular sadhu came from India to the West some years ago, he was honored as a representative of Indian religion, although he wasn’t actually a representative of the religion of the Vedas. When he gave a lecture at the University of Chicago, all religious leaders of the world were present. He began his lecture with these words, “My brothers and sisters in America!” Everyone was charmed when they heard this. Everyone was thinking, “We are brothers and sisters of this Indian sadhu.” By his humble and inviting mood he showed the real mood of the Vedic religion. We are all brothers and sisters because we have all come from that same big glow and we all have the same qualities in our heart.

Naturally all the jiva-souls want to go to their own abode but because they are covered by the illusory environment they cannot see that glow, and because of their small ability to be attracted, that glow cannot attract them.

Mahaprabhu gave the example of a mirror. He said cheto-darpana-marjjanam. When a mirror is covered by dust we cannot see ourselves. If we clean the dust, we can see ourselves. He said it is necessary to clean the dust from the jiva-souls’ own form, then all the jiva-souls will get their own natural religion back. They will be attracted, naturally, by their own abode.

I am describing this glow, this effulgence of the Lord’s abode as a transcendental glow, but actually it has an infinite form.

The Taittiriya Upanisad (3.1) says:

yato va imani bhutani jayante yena

jatani jivanti yat prayanty abhisam-visanti

tad brahma tad vijijnasasva

“All the jiva-souls and all the universes have come from that abode. That glow is maintaining all the jiva-souls as well as all of the universes and it is the place where they will go at the end of creation. It exists as part of the complete spiritual body of the Lord.”

It is said in our scriptures, the Vedas: srnvantu visve amrtasya putrah, “O sons of nectar, sons of the nectarean ocean-sea, you are born of nectar, and you are born to taste nectar. Why are you suffering from birth and death and many other unwanted things? You have your own abode. Please come back to that abode.”

asato ma sad gamah, tamasa ma jyotir gamah,

mrtor ma amrta gamah

(Brihadaranyaka Upanisad)

“From the mortal, go to the eternal. From ignorance, from darkness, go to knowledge, go to light. From unhappiness, go to happiness.” All scriptures give us this advice: “Don’t go to the illusory environment. Go to reality.”

Soul’s choice

Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami said:

krsnera yateka khela, sarvottama nara-lila,

nara-vapu tahara svarupa,

gopa-vesa, venu-kara, nava-kisora, nata-vara,

nara-lilara haya anurupa

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 21.101)

Sometimes we see ourselves in a very fallen position, something like that of a beast, which is to say our feelings may come in that way if we can understand how great the difference between our material and spiritual form is. In the spiritual world there is form and in the material world there is form but the difference between the two is very great.

Krishna has given everyone freedom. He says in Srimad Bhagavad-gita (9.25):

yanti deva-vrata devan, pitrn yanti pitr-vratah

bhutani yanti bhutejya, yanti mad-yajino ‘pi mam

“If you want to go to heaven, you can worship the deva-vrata, the demigods. If you want to go to where your forefathers are, you can worship the planet where they have gone, pitr-loka.” But finally Krishna gives His advice: “Those who worship Me will come to My abode.”

When I first joined Srila Guru Maharaj’s Mission I would sometimes stay with Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in Calcutta as the Calcutta branch of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math was in his house. Every day I went for collection and preaching and many people would ask me why they should worship Krishna instead of Mother Kali. I didn’t know what to tell them so I asked Prabhupada and he said, jokingly, to tell them, “What will you get by worshiping Mother Kali? What will be your food and who will be your associates?”

Then he would say to tell them, “Mother Kali lives in the cremation fields where there are many ghosts and other undesirable things. Her food is the blood of her sons, the asuras, after she kills them, and her garland is made of their skulls. This is Mother Kali’s style. If you want to be her associate we don’t object, but our Krishna lives in Vrindavan Dham where He has many girlfriends, lots of cheese, milk, sandesh, butter, fruits, sweets and many other wonderful things. There we shall eat and play with the cows and cowherd boys in the fresh waters of the Yamuna. We shall play in the nice gardens and beautiful forests nestled around Govardhan Hill. There are many wonderful things described in Vrindavan and we will become associates of Krishna there. We want that life! So, you can do what you like.” Srila Prabhupada always gave me good advice and nourishment like this.

Sometimes Prabhupada would take me to preaching programs. He was firmly situated in the Bengali chemical industry and had a lot of higher class friends. They would invite us to their homes for preaching programs and since I was wearing saffron, Srila Prabhupada would have me sit on the vyasasan. In India saffron is given more respect than white cloth. Also I was a good singer and could play the mrdanga and I could read Sanskrit; so, after the kirtans, Srila Prabhupada, who was sitting a little lower, would have me read Sanskrit slokas, and then he would explain everything. He was very enthusiastic to preach and we went to many programs at the houses of important and prominent gentlemen in Calcutta. Sometimes when he had a very big program he would take Guru Maharaj and the three of us would go. This was our preaching style. Srila Prabhupada was always giving me encouragement and nourishment in the preaching field.

The Lord’s promise

The Lord promises in Bhagavad-gita, “Whoever worships Me will come to My abode and will not come back to this world.”

What is the abode of Lord Krishna?

na tad bhasayate suryo, na sasanko na pavakah

yad gatva na nivartante, tad dhama paramam mama

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 15.6)

“The sun and the moon cannot give light in My abode; it has its own light. Everything is new there.” If you go to Krishna’s abode, complete transcendental feelings and realization will appear in your heart and you will never come back to this mortal world.

Indra’s awakening

There is nothing undesirable or unwholesome in the transcendental world. The saints and the scriptures are showing us the way to the spiritual world but unfortunately we are not always so receptive to that.

One time, Indra, the King of Heaven, was cursed by a rishi to become a pig. When the curse was finished Brahma, the creator, came to take Indra from his pig’s body.

Brahma said to Indra, “The time of your curse is finished. Come and take charge of the heavens. If you jump in the lake, you will change your body from a pig’s body to your heavenly body.”

Indra was identifying himself with a pig’s body. He was thinking his wife and children belonged to him. When he saw Brahma he thought, “Who are you? You have four heads and a long beard. Why should I listen to you?”

Brahma could understand that Indra was very involved with his family life, especially his children, so he took all of Indra’s children and threw them in the lake. Indra became very upset. When all his children were dead he tried to catch Brahma and kill him. He thought, “This four-headed man with a long beard has killed my children and now he is trying to kill my wife!”

Indra couldn’t catch Brahma, so Brahma suddenly grabbed Indra’s wife and threw her in the lake.

Indra was lamenting because his whole family was dead. Again Brahma said to him, “Please, jump in the lake and you will get a beautiful heavenly body. Your wife and children have already got their heavenly bodies back although you can’t see them. If you jump in the lake you will get yours.”

Finally Indra was thinking, “What value does this hog’s body have? I am alone. I have nothing.” He jumped in the lake, left his body, and got back his beautiful form as the King of Heaven.

Then Brahma stood and said, “Do you want to go back to that hog’s body? If you do, I can arrange it. You were fighting with me. Now do you understand what your form is?”

Indra shyly said, “I do not want to see that body again.”

This is also our position. We are thinking if we leave our body and family it will be bad for us but our spiritual, conscious body—svarup-siddhi—is very beautiful, and the abode of the Lord is also very beautiful. We have a relationship with the Lord, His abode and His paraphernalia and that relationship is always attracting us.

Five kinds of relationships

In Krishna’s abode all residents have one of five types of relationships with Him: santa-, dasya-, sakhya-, vatsalya- and madhura-rasa. Santa-rasa means peacefulness. It is the primary relationship and its main characteristic is firmness or steadiness in the service of Krishna.

Dasya-rasa means we will develop a loving serving mood towards Krishna and His devotees. We will begin to hanker for service to Krishna.

As we advance further we will develop a friendship with Krishna, sakhya, and when we advance even further, more intimacy develops, and that relationship becomes parenthood or vatsalya-rasa.

Paramour: love’s highest spiritual manifestation

Consorthood with Krishna is called madhura-rasa, or a conjugal relationship. It is the highest. It has two parts: one pertains to marriage and the other to paramour love. In Vrindavan paramour love is the highest; it is the mother of all rasas.

In the mundane world we consider paramour love to be very bad. But if we understand for whom paramour love is really meant, all such bad feelings will go. “Who is my master? Who is the heart of my heart? Who is the wealth of my life and soul, my all in all?” If we really know this, all bad feelings will vanish.

In this material world we have seen how paramour love is manifested, but we must also see how that love shows itself through many different transcendental manifestations. There are many varieties of tastes within paramour love and each one displays progressively more and more ecstatic manifestations.

During Mahaprabhu’s first meeting with Srila Rupa and Srila Sanatan Goswamis in Ramkeli on His way to Vrindavan, He advised them on how to harmonize their external positions as important government officials with their internal desire to render exclusive service the Lord.

He advised them:

para-vyasanini nari vyagrapi grha-karmasu

tad evasvadayaty antar nava-sanga-rasayanam

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 1.211)

“Continue your external life but keep your paramour relationship with Krishna inside your hearts. It is not important whether others see it or not. Keep it in your hearts in a hidden way. Just as a married girl always thinks of her paramour lover when she is busily engaged in her household affairs, you also think of Krishna while you do your external work.”

We have made many rules and regulations to live in this mundane world. We have divided one part of the land for ourselves and another part for others. We have said, “This food is for the cows and this is for me.” We have made many adjustments in this material world so bad reactions will not come to society. Whoever ignores these rules will be punished.

But when the mood of paramour love is firmly followed in the spiritual world there is nothing bad. There is nothing bad in the spiritual world. Everything is good there. That is why it is said in the scriptures, “Here is water and there is nectar,” or, “That abode has its own light and is always effulgent. It never burns and is always pleasant.”

This is Mahaprabhu’s supreme conception and this is our goal of life.

aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa tanayas tad dhama vrndavanam

ramya kachid upasana vraja-vadhu-vargena ya kalpita

srimad-bhagavatam pramanam-amalam prema pumartho mahan

sri chaitanya mahaprabhor-matam-idam tatradarah na parah

“Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We have five special types of relationships with Him. The highest is that of the Vraja-gopis, composed of conjugal relationship, which in its highest manifestation is paramour love.”

• • •

Chapter 3.
Evidence of the Conception of a Personal God in the Scriptures of India

Where is the evidence of a personal conception of God in the scriptures of India?

Mahaprabhu said: Srimad Bhagavatam pramanam-amalam. Srimad Bhagavatam is the proof and evidence of this conception. Srimad Bhagavatam contains the gist of all the Vedas, and its 18,000 slokas are spotlessly pure and unalloyed, therefore it is given more honor than any other scripture.

The third sloka of Srimad Bhagavatam says, nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam. Srimad Bhagavatam is the mature fruit of the tree of Vedic literature and Vedic knowledge. If we try to realize the meaning of this verse, we will realize nigama means the Vedas. Kalpa-taror means a wish-fulfilling tree, and galitam phalam means a delicious and fully ripe fruit, which is without the skin or seed and is extremely palatable and enjoyable like condensed ecstasy.

And the knowledge given in Srimad Bhagavatam is made even sweeter because it comes through the mouth of Sukadev Goswami, the son of Vedavyasa. Vedavyasa was searching for a disciple who could express transcendental knowledge, so he chose Sukadev Goswami because Sukadev Goswami was qualified to receive transcendental knowledge; that is, he is always situated in the plane of such knowledge:

parinisthito ‘pi nairgunya, uttama-sloka-lilaya

grhita-cheta rajarse, akhyanam yad adhitavan

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 2.1.9)

Krishna: the Supreme Controller and Original Source

The Lord has many forms. He has manifested Himself as Dvarakes, Mathures and Gopesvar. He has many different manifestations and forms. From His first expansion, which is Baladev, comes Vasudev, Sankarsan, Aniruddha and Pradyumna and a little lower, Narayan. From Narayan, there are various manifestations: guna-avataras, lila-avataras, aaktyavesa avataras, etc. Many avataras come from Narayan and They are all manifestations of Lord Krishna.

But it is stated in Brahma-samhita: isvarah paramah Krsnah sach-chid-ananda vigraha. The different manifestations are isvarah but the param-isvarah is Krishna. He is anadir adir Govindah, sarva-karana-karanam—the original One, the Cause of all causes.

No cheating religion

Mahaprabhu said Srimad Bhagavatam contains the gist of the Vedic knowledge. Srimad Bhagavatam is pramanam-amalam, which means its evidence, its proof and its statements are all pure and unalloyed. There are no alloys mixed with the statements of Srimad Bhagavatam. Amalam means unalloyed. Srimad Bhagavatam (1.1.2) itself states:

dharmah projjhita-kaitavo ‘tra paramo nirmatsaranam satam

vedyam vastavam atra vastu sivadam tapa-trayonmulanam

srimad-bhagavate maha-muni-krte kim va parair isvarah

sadyo hrdy avarudhyate ‘tra krtibhih susrusubhis tat-ksanat

Kaitavo means “cheating.” There is no cheating in the religion given in Srimad Bhagavatam.

Once Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj told me I was “cheating my stomach.” When I was staying with him in Calcutta I used to study Srimad Bhagavad-gita from him in the morning. Sometimes he would ask me if I had taken breakfast, and whenever I answered, “Yes,” he would say, “What did you have?” If I answered “muri” (puffed rice), he would say, “Oh, you are simply cheating your stomach!”

Religion can also cheat us. My “stomach” may be “full” of some religious conception, but it is being cheated! It is possible that religion can fully exist in our body but in a cheating way. It may be possible we are being cheated of the real substance.

One must be a sadhu

Sadhus have a variety of different qualities, but extremely good sadhus are paramo nirmatsaranam. They are not envious or jealous of anyone. Matsaranam means enviousness. It is a very bad quality. Many sadhus have matsaranam. Bhagavatam says, “There is no possibility of matsaranam in the knowledge I am giving. This is a unique type of knowledge; it is free from matsaranam.”

How will one get the knowledge of Srimad Bhagavatam? Sadyo hrdy avarudhyate ‘tra krtibhih susrusubhis tat-ksanat. If one is fully surrendered and has a good service mood, he will immediately get this knowledge. If one is fully surrendered and does not mix with any bad qualities, he will get transcendental knowledge. But the first condition is one must be a sadhu.

A sadhu means one who is honest and saintly. A sadhu is not one who just wears a saffron cloth. The saffron cloth is a symbol of Vedic identification. A deer hunter may be a sadhu if he is not envious and is surrendered to Krishna. Another good quality of a sadhu is that his heart is always hankering for the service of Krishna.

If one has these qualities he will get the transcendental knowledge given in Srimad Bhagavatam. Mahaprabhu said, Srimad Bhagavatam pramanam-amalam, “The knowledge which is revealed in Srimad Bhagavatam is spotlessly pure, it is the ripened fruit of all the Vedas, and that fruit is love for Krishna, or Krishna-prema.”

Real Krishna-prema: stronger than a cobra’s poison

The English word “love” cannot fully express the real meaning of prema as given in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita but it is the only equivalent word we have heard in the English language. As conditioned souls we do not know what prema is and we do not know how to properly express it.

Srila Rupa Goswami, the highest cultural representative of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, has written many beautiful expressions about prema, but the word “love” is not sufficient to express the ideas he has written about. For example, he says:

pidabhir nava-kala-kuta-katuta-garvasya nirvasano

nisyandena mudam sudha-madhurima-ahankara-sankochanah

prema sundari nanda-nandana-paro jagarti yasyantare

jnayante sphutam asya vakra-madhuras tenaiva vikrantayah

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 2.52)

“Once you get love for Krishna you cannot live without it for a moment or you would die. The ecstatic feelings you experience in union with Krishna are inconceivable. Krishna-prema transcends all other types of ecstatic beauty and tastes. Nothing can surpass it. Whoever has a touch of Krishna-prema cannot live without it. If he was to leave it, he could not conceive of the pain of separation. It is stronger than a cobra’s poison. The burning sensation that comes from a cobra’s poison is nothing compared to the feelings of separation from Krishna.”

Expressions of Divine Love

Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami has given many beautiful expressions regarding the sweet sound of Krishna’s flute, His beautiful, charming and all-attractive personality, as well as the sweet association of chanting and dancing with Him.

vamsi-ganamrta-dhama, lavanyamrta-janma-sthana,

ye na dekhe se chanda vadana

se nayane kiba kaja, paduka tara munde vaja,

se nayana rahe ki karana

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 2.29)

“Of what use are eyes if one does not see the face of Krishna, which resembles the moon and is the birthplace of all beauty and the reservoir of the nectarean songs of His flute?”

krsnera madhura vani, amrtera tarangini,

tara pravesa nahi ye sravane

kanakadi-chidra sama, janiha se sravana,

tara janma haila akarane

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 2.31)

“Topics about Krishna are like waves of nectar. If such nectar does not enter one’s ear, the ear is no better than the hole of a damaged conchshell.”

mrga-mada nilotpala, milane ye parimala,

yei hare tara garva-mana

hena krsna-anga-gandha, yara nahi se sambandha,

sei nasa bhastrara samana

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 2.33)

“One’s nostrils are no better than the bellows of a blacksmith if one has not smelled the fragrance of Krishna’s body which is like the aroma of musk combined with that of the bluish lotus flower. Indeed, such combinations are actually defeated by the aroma of Krishna’s body.”

Mahaprabhu showed these ecstatic symptoms of love of God when He was mad with Krishna-prema. He could not live one second without Krishna. He was always fainting. When He regained consciousness He would again madly search for Krishna.

Revelation by hearing

All these things have been expressed in Bengali or Sanskrit in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita but the language in which they appear is not the vital factor. Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami declares that you do not need to know Bengali, Sanskrit or any language in order to understand the expressions of Chaitanya-charitamrita. You only need to hear them. Their meanings will reveal themselves in your heart simply by hearing.

Vedanta is a good example of this. Who knows the meaning of Vedanta? No one. When we initiate students we give them various mantras like the Guru Mantra, the Gayatri Mantra, the Krishna Mantra, etc. The students do not know the meaning of these mantras, and it is not necessary to know the meaning. If one meditates on these mantras, their meaning will reveal itself in one’s heart.

One day Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami was a little disturbed by others who were criticizing him for using so many Sanskrit verses, so he said:

yeba nahi bujhe keha, sunite sunite seha,

ki adbhuta chaitanya-charita

krsne upajibe priti, janibe rasera riti,

sunilei bada haya hita

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 2.87)

How will those who do not know Bengali or Sanskrit understand the meanings of the verses of Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita? He advised, “Just try and hear the transcendental sound of the verses. Take them into your heart. They will reveal themselves automatically and you will see everything. They are not dead matter but a living substance. The transcendental sound vibration is also a living entity. You can feel it and you can see it.” Yeba nahi bujhe keha, sunite sunite seha, “Even if one does not know the language, he will understand the subject matter simply by hearing the verses of Chaitanya-charitamrita attentively.”

When Radharani heard the Name of Krishna, She said:

sai keva sunaila syama nama

kanera bhitara diya marame pasila go akula karila mora prana

na jani kateka madhu syamaname ache go vadana charite nahi pare

japite japite nama avasa karila go kemane paiba sa-i tare

nama paratape yara aichana karala go angera parase kiva haya

yekhane vasati tara nayane dekhiya go yuvati dharama kaiche raya

“I don’t know who said these two syllables, ‘Krish-na,’ but when they entered My heart, My whole body became intoxicated with that Name. I do not know whose Name it is and I do not know how sweet it is but I need that association.” Radharani became mad with the Name of Krishna, and Chandidas has expressed this in his poetry.

Transcendental transmission

Transcendental knowledge exists everywhere. It is like ether. Ether exists everywhere but we cannot see it. Transcendental knowledge, or Krishna consciousness, exists in everyone’s heart—Krishna is in everyone’s heart. A maha-bhagavata devotee can see Krishna’s full manifestation everywhere: yaha yaha netra pare taha Krsna sphure—a maha-bhagavata will see Krishna wherever he looks. Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur and Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj were like this.

The transmission of transcendental knowledge from one’s heart to another’s is possible. We can understand this if we take the example of a radio or television set. What is inside these machines? Electronic components: transistors, tubes, and other material elements. Electricity is a material element and it is also present.

When everything is properly adjusted and the electrical current is made to flow, the television set will work. It will give sound, picture and everything. If such transmission is possible in this mundane world through electricity then wherever there is transcendental knowledge, that transcendental knowledge can also certainly appear. It is only necessary to make our hearts like a radio or a television receiver.

Living substance

Srila Guru Maharaj said, “Everything exists in consciousness.” We have a transcendental body and a transcendental form. So, if we have such a body, why can’t transcendental knowledge reveal itself in our hearts? It can and we can feel it. We can see transcendental knowledge. It is a living entity, a living substance. It is only necessary to adjust ourselves like a receiver, or a television set, and then transcendental knowledge will reveal itself in our hearts.

Once Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur was asked if he had seen Krishna. His reply was, “What benefit will you get by knowing whether I have seen Krishna or not? How will that benefit you? I can show you Krishna but you must make your heart like a receiver by doing what I tell you. It is not important to know whether I have seen Krishna or not. If you want to know Krishna and if you come through the proper channel, you will see Him.” This was the answer given by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur. Mahaprabhu said that this is real Krishna consciousness, or the full-fledged theism of the jiva-soul. We must try and get it.

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur has given a very nice expression:

taniya anite vrksa e karkasa mana

nasila ihara sobha suna sadhu-jana

tomara sakale hao e vrksera mali

sraddha-bari diya punah kara rupasali

(Kalyana Kalpataru)

“I brought a wish-fulfilling tree, the kalyana kalpataru, down to this world from the spiritual sky. As I was bringing it down it lost some of its beauty; but if you water it, take care of it and give it good nourishment it will reveal itself in your heart.” This is the benedictine tree of divine aspiration.

Sacrifice, service, dedication

Mahaprabhu delivered transcendental knowledge to the conditioned souls in order to rescue them from the illusory environment and to give them their real service life, which is a life full of service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He said real liberation is muktir hitvanyatha-rupam svarupena vyavasthitih—it is more than simply liberation from the material world. Real mukti is when we get a life of complete and full service in the service world.

There are three planes of existence: the plane of exploitation, the plane of renunciation and the plane of dedication. We need to go to the plane of dedication and leave the plane of exploitation. The plane of renunciation is also not a suitable place to exist. There is nothing there except equilibrium and non-differentiation (abscissa). The plane of dedication is necessary and it is the most important plane for us. We need to go there; we need to sacrifice ourselves there.

All the Vedic mantras say we must sacrifice ourselves in the plane of dedication. In the Vedic mantra, “svaha” means, “First dedicate yourself. See to your own self first.” Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita (6.5): atmaiva hy atmano bandhur, atmaiva ripur atmanah, “The mind is the conditioned soul’s best friend or his worst enemy.” We must see to our own selves first—charity begins at home.

Since we live in this illusory environment we cannot see Krishna, His devotees, His glories, His dham, His pastimes or His Name and fame. We cannot see anything of Krishna in this environment because our eyes are covered by illusion. First it is necessary to clean our mirror and then we can see our figure in the mirror.

Mahaprabhu said: cheto darpana-marjjanam. What should you do first? When you return home after a long trip there must be dust in your room, so first clean your room. When you first get Krishna consciousness, try and clean the mirror of your mind—cheto darpana-marjjanam bhava-mahadavagni nirvapanam—then you will see your position. You will see what is happening in your mental and physical position. Clean up everything and then you will see Mahaprabhu’s conception, which is expressed in this sloka by Srila Visvanath Chakravarti Thakur:

aradhyo bhagavan brajesa tanayas tad dhama vrndavanam

ramya kachid upasana braja-vadhu-vargena ya kalpita

srimad-bhagavatam pramanam-amalam prema pumartho mahan

sri chaitanya mahaprabhur-matam-idam tatradaro nah parah

• • •

Chapter 4.
Preparing to Understand Krishna’s Transcendental Pastimes

tava vikriditam krsna, nrnam parama-mangalam

karna-piyusam asadya, tyajanty anya-sprham janah

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.6.44)

Krishna’s pastimes are unlimited and unfathomable. They are completely beyond our material and limited conception. Although we can’t understand anything of Krishna’s pastimes from here, they are nevertheless supremely auspicious for everyone and are our goal of life.

Devotee: Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupada published the Tenth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam in a summary form as the Krishna books. There he described the pastimes of Krishna with the gopis. He says if someone reads these pastimes, or hears about them from a bona fide authority in Krishna consciousness, all that is lusty in his heart will disappear. Could you please explain how this is possible?

Srila Govinda Maharaj: Yes. The sloka you are referring to is this:

vikriditam vraja-vadhubhir idam cha visnoh

sraddhanvito ‘nusrnuyad atha varnayed yah

bhaktim param bhagavati pratilabhya kamam

hrd-rogam asv apahinoty achirena dhirah

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.33.39)

“Anyone who with faith hears or describes the Lord’s playful affairs with the young gopis of Vrindavan will attain the Lord’s pure devotional service. Thus he will quickly become sober and conquer lust, the disease of the heart.”

But there is a serious condition given in this sloka and Srila Prabhupada has explained what that condition is: that it is necessary to hear about Krishna consciousness from a bona fide authority in Krishna consciousness. And when one hears from a bona fide authority, that authority will not at first explain Krishna-lila but will start by trying to turn you into a good “receiver” of those pastimes. He will prepare you so you can properly receive and understand those pastimes. When you become a good receiver, or when you are qualified to hear those pastimes, that authority will explain the pastimes of Krishna with the gopis. Otherwise you will not be able to understand that supramental theory. It will not come to you in a proper way.

Faith: the basis of all religions

When one receives transcendental knowledge from his Guru and is firm in his faith to his Guru, that person will begin to practice Krishna consciousness. Without solid faith we cannot do anything. Faith is the basis of all religions, not only Vaishnavism. In Christianity, Islam and Buddhism, faith is the basis. It is necessary to have firm faith in great personalities like Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur as well as our entire Guru-parampara. It is necessary to have faith in the words of Lord Krishna as expressed in Srimad Bhagavad-gita. Lord Krishna Himself said to Uddhava in Srimad Bhagavatam (11.12.14-15):

tasmat tvam uddhavotsrjya, chodanam pratichodanam

pravrttim cha nivrttim cha, srotavyam srutam eva cha

mam ekam eva saranam, atmanam sarva-dehinam

yahi sarvatma-bhavena, maya sya hy akuto-bhayah

“Take shelter of Me and you will get the love, beauty, charm and ecstasy which you are searching for. But you must keep faith in My words, otherwise you will not get what you want.”

Another important verse is:

tasmad gurum prapadyeta, jijnasuh sreya uttamam

sabde pare cha nisnatam, brahmany upasamasrayam

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.3.21)

“The Guru must be qualified and the disciple must have faith. Then Gurudev will come forward and one can approach him with humility, honor and faith.”

Faith is necessary, otherwise it is not possible. After one’s faith develops, the seed of the bhakti-lata can be planted by a sadhu in the fertile ground of a faithful heart, and with good nourishment it will grow.

No imitation

When one begins to practice Krishna consciousness all his anarthas, or impurities, will leave him. Then he will be able to understand the pastimes of Lord Krishna. But first his Guru must consider him a qualified candidate, then that spiritual authority will describe the pastimes of Radha and Krishna—not before. If we hear those pastimes without being qualified they will destroy our spiritual bhakti-lata-bija, the seed of the creeper of devotion. They will kill us—that is they will destroy our spiritual life of devotion and we will fall into the hellish garbage of sahajiyaism, or imitationism.

There is another sloka in Srimad Bhagavatam (10.33.30) that describes how Lord Siva can digest an ocean of poison:

naitat samacharej jatu, manasapi hy anisvarah

vinasyaty acharan maudhyad, yatharudro ‘bdhi-jam visam

If one does not hold such a powerful position as Lord Siva and drinks an ocean of poison, he will be destroyed. The play of the Sweet Absolute is like that; it is beyond the lustful plane of this world. Since we live in the lustful plane, it is necessary to cross that plane by our practices. Then we will be able to understand the pastimes of Radha and Krishna, and transcendental consciousness will appear in us.

Since these are higher level topics, before we can approach them, it is necessary to change our consciousness from material to spiritual consciousness. It is necessary to pass through all the stages and varieties of material consciousness and come to the brahma-bhutah stage and we can do that by devotion. Then we will become qualified to hear the pastimes of Radha and Krishna and transcendental consciousness will appear within us.

If anything wrong remains within us in that plane, it is known as a shadow of lust. This will be quickly demolished and very soon we will get clean Krishna-prema, or love, affection and service to Krishna. When our enjoying mood and spirit disappears we will become qualified for the service of the Vraja-gopis. Srimad Bhagavatam has given us this caution but one phrase is very important in the above sloka and that is “the qualified spiritual master.”

Devotee: How can one get a qualified spiritual master?

Srila Govinda Maharaj: It depends on the jiva-soul’s own fortune, or his sukrti. Not everyone is able to get a qualified spiritual master, but in the Age of Kali there is special help for the conditioned souls, like the many instructions Lord Krishna gives in Bhagavad-gita. There are also many incarnations and associates of the Lord who have appeared in this world. If we are able to get at least some light from them, we may search for a great personality from whom we can get the property of Krishna consciousness. And this searching spirit will come by reading the literature of the divine devotees of the Lord.

Devotee: During the battle of Kuruksetra not only perfected souls saw Krishna but everyone saw Him. Duryodhana and others also saw Krishna. I am an ordinary person then why am I not able to see Krishna?

Srila Govinda Maharaj: We can see Krishna but what kind of Krishna do you want to see? You see Krishna. It may be in a photo or may be in the form of a deity.

Devotee: In the human form just like everybody. How can I recognize the ‘human’ form of Krishna?

Srila Govinda Maharaj: Yes, we can see that if we get that vision. Arjuna wanted to see the Vishvarup, the Universal Form of Krishna, but before showing that to Arjuna, Krishna said, “You cannot see Me with these eyes, so I am giving you divine eyes. Now you can see Me.”

na tu mam sakyase drastum, anenaiva sva-chaksusa

divyam dadami te chaksuh, pasya me yogam aisvaram

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 11.8)

In this sloka Krishna said to Arjuna, “I am giving you transcendental vision, now you can see Me.” If I get transcendental vision by the grace of Krishna, then I can see Krishna. If we wait a few years maybe through science we will be able to see many things. Through scientific research we can see many things and that is not transcendental, no doubt, but it is one kind of vision, which is recognized as ‘transcendental’ by mundane people.

Proper source

It is necessary to discover where our deficiency or disease is. After we hear about Krishna consciousness, more and more hankering for Krishna consciousness should develop within us. This hankering is a good sign but to get such hankering it is necessary to go to the proper source or the proper “university.” All universities are not the same. If you want to study physics, mathematics or chemistry you must go to a teacher who can teach you those subject matters. You must train under his guidance. If we want everything in a cheap way, you won’t get anything; you will only get imitation knowledge. You will get an imitation stone, not a real diamond.

If I feel it is necessary to elevate myself from my present position in this mundane environment to a higher stage, I must go to that type of qualified source who can take me from this world. I must practice under his guidance. When the time for higher study comes, we must go to the proper type of expert who can give us higher knowledge.

Devotee: My experience is that the lust within me is not disappearing. At times it is suppressed but again it comes back. I think it hasn’t actually disappeared. Is this correct?

Srila Govinda Maharaj: Yes. It will completely disappear if we can keep ourselves in the plane of service; and the stage by stage process for doing that is given in Sri Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu (1.4.15-16):

adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango ‘tha bhajana-kriya

tato ‘nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha ruchis tatah

Lust will remain with us up to the plane of ruchi. Ruchi means “taste.” Lust will disappear from our hearts when we become firmly situated in the plane of ruchi. When a special kind of attraction or taste for service to the Lord appears, I will be promoted to that plane of service. Then lust will leave and ruchi will develop. Lust will exist below the standard of ruchi. Sometimes it will come and sometimes it will go, and sometimes it will be suppressed.

Conditions for growth

Lust has a very sweet name. It is called mano-bhava. Mano-bhava means it takes birth in the mind; it appears in the mind. If the mind is clear, lust will automatically go to Krishna. Lust will not come to your mind. We can understand that lust grows in the mind because if the mind is absent, or if your mind is disturbed, lust will not come to you. This is the proof lust grows in the mind. When the mind is absent, lust is not present. It will grow in your mind when a particular situation arises.

Once the demigods and asuras were churning the ocean. After they finished, Lord Krishna appeared in the form of Mohini Murti to distract the asuras. When Lord Siva saw her, he chased after Her. Normally Lord Siva isn’t like that, but a particular situation developed and he ran after Mohini Murti.

This proves that lust grows in the mind. Everyone can understand this if they try. In the primary stage it is necessary to control lust; and in the final stage it will not appear because Krishna is Reality the Beautiful. All attachment, attraction and service will automatically go to Krishna. Love, affection, everything will go to Krishna and lust will disappear. It will not come again. Before that it will come and go. But don’t be fearful—it will be removed; it will be removed by dharma-buddhi. Lust can be removed by dharma-buddhi, and dharma-buddhi means religious intelligence.

Once Krishna asked Maharaj Yudhisthir about this subject. Krishna is very naughty, and He asked Maharaj Yudhisthir this question because Maharaj Yudhisthir never told a lie. His question was very dangerous.

Krishna said, “Your mother looks like an eighteen or twenty-year-old girl. She is very beautiful. Have you ever been polluted in your mind by seeing her?”

Yudhisthir said, “Yes. Sometimes I am shocked to see her, but I control everything with my religious intelligence.” This answer is found in the Mahabharata.

Hare Krishna: all in all

Devotee: Could you please speak about the gayatri-diksa, or second initiation?

Srila Govinda Maharaj: Diksa means initiation. Harinam diksa is the main initiation in our Vaishnav religion. In the Age of Kali-yuga, if you do not take second initiation—called the gayatri-diksa in our society—that will not be harmful if you took the Harinam maha-mantra from a bona fide Guru.

Generally people take initiation from a bona fide Guru in order to save themselves from the material environment. The gayatri-diksa mantra is for the second initiation, but the Lord Himself has given a special prescription for the Age of Kali: the Lord has manifested Himself through the Guru-parampara in the form of the Harinam maha-mantra. There are no rules and regulations for chanting the Harinam maha-mantra. This is stated in the scriptures, but if I say this, I will be an offender to Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, but the sloka is this (Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 15.110):

akrstih krta-chetasam sumanasam uchchatanam chamhasam

achandalam amuka-loka-sulabho vasyas cha mukti-sriyah

no diksam na cha sat-kriyam na cha purascharyam manag iksate

mantro ‘yam rasana-sprg eva phalati sri-krsna-namatmakah

The gist is, “You chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and be happy.” This sloka is very strong. Srila Prabhupada gave four directives; but what will happen if someone cannot follow these four directives?

Medicine and diet

Prabhupada’s instructions were, “If you want the proper results of chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, you must follow the four directives.” If you want good results in curing a disease, you must take medicine—but you must also follow a proper diet. Then the disease will go away very easily. This is the harmony between this sloka and Srila Prabhupada’s instructions.

Prabhupada said if you engage in nonsense activities and take the Harinam maha-mantra it will take time before the results of chanting come to you. Prabhupada considered everyone a sick man. A sick man must have a good diet. On some days I am taking only milk and sago (tapioca), because my health isn’t always good. If I take too many fried foods my sugar will increase. So the diet must be appropriate.

Prabhupada knew the Western society has no rules and regulations of life. They hold a big license for enjoyment, and the name of that license is “teenager.” Society has given young people a big license for sense enjoyment and that is, “Oh, he is a teenager.” That means a teenager can do anything. The parents and the society are all giving enthusiasm for this.

But Prabhupada wanted to control this. At least he thought it was necessary to give them the knowledge that they should not kill others. If a father has a lot of money and takes his teenager gambling and loses everything, that is not good. Prabhupada said: “Do not kill others, do not gamble, and do not take drugs.” He also told not to take other intoxication or have illicit sex.

The life of this world is a sexual life. Through that, birth and death and happiness and sadness come to us. But you can use this process in your practicing life. Sexual life can also give you the supreme benefit. You only have to be a devotee and serve Krishna with your wife and children. That is legal and in this way you can proceed in your practicing life and difficulties will not come to you.

It is necessary to know the meaning of everything and for that a Guru is necessary. A Guru will say what is good and what is bad. Prabhupada also said this. He had some experience of the Western world, but not full experience.

In the beginning Prabhupada wanted to make a “Guardian-ruled family” in which everyone in the family would happily worship Lord Krishna. He wanted to make a Vaishnav village in Mayapur, but I have seen this was not possible.

Everything is within us

Many different kinds of activities are going on in the Western world and this influence is entering the Indian culture and destroying it. It is destroying the Vedic culture but what can be done? Kali is the master of this age. He is the guardian now. To avoid Kali’s influence is difficult but those who are Krishna conscious must try to proceed under the shelter of Krishna consciousness, then other influences will not come.

An example is everyone takes food, but one who is Krishna conscious does not take food. What do you think? Is he fasting? No. He takes maha-prasadam. First he offers food to Lord Krishna and then he takes the remnants of that prasadam. Then reactions won’t come to him. Krishna says in Srimad Bhagavad-gita:

yajna-sistasinah santo, muchyante sarva-kilbisaih

bhunjate te tv agham papa, ye pachanty atma-karanat

“Whoever cooks for himself eats sin but when one prepares food for the Lord and offers it to Him, those preparations become transcendental because the Lord Himself is transcendental.”

The remnants of prasadam give us spiritual strength and life. This is the Krishna conscious person’s life. Everything is within you but you must be Krishna conscious.

Valuable property

When we have a physical body, there will be physical problems. But everything is valuable if I can use it properly. Narottam Das Thakur said, karmarpane krodha bhakta-dvesi jane, lobha sadhu-sange Hari-katha (Sri Prema-bhakti-chandrika).

We can use everything for Krishna consciousness; we must use what is within us wisely. This is the meaning of the four directives given by Srila Prabhupada. But that sloka—akrstih krta-chetasam sumanasam uchchatanam chamhasam—should not give us enthusiasm to break the rules or to do anything and everything as we may like.

We are getting Krishna consciousness in the cheapest way. Because of this we cannot understand what we are getting and what we are losing. If you pay a thousand dollars in one day, you will think it is very valuable; but if you get it very cheaply, how will you understand its value? You offer one flower at the lotus feet of Krishna or Gurudev and afterwards you throw it away. It may not be in an inauspicious place, but you throw it away.

Everything can produce spiritual property—sabda, sparsa, rupa, rasa, gandha: experience by sound, touch, sight, taste and smell—all can give us good results if we adjust them in the proper way for our spiritual benefit.

PART TWO:
“Krishna’s Four Super-Excellent Qualities

sarvadbhuta-chamatkara-lila-kallola-varidhih

atulya-madhura-prema-mandita-priya-mandalah

tri-jagan-manasakarsi-murali-kala-kujitah

asamanordhva-rupa-sri-vismapita-characharah

lila premna priyadhikyam, madhuryam venu-rupayoh

ity asadharanam proktam, govindasya chatustayam

evam gunas chatur-bhedas, chatuh-sastir udahrtah

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 23.82–85)

Apart from His sixty transcendental qualities, Krishna has additionally four transcendental qualities which are not manifest even in the personality of Narayan.

These are the four super-excellent qualities that belong exclusively to Krishna and not to any other form of the Lord. Narayan has sixty qualities and Baladev sixty-two. Krishna has sixty-four:

(1) Krishna is like an ocean filled with waves of pastimes that evoke wonder within everyone.

(2) In His activities of conjugal love, He is always surrounded by His dear devotees who possess unequaled love for Him.

(3) He attracts the minds of all the three worlds by the melodious vibration of His flute.

(4) His personal beauty and opulence are beyond compare. No one is equal to Him, and no one is greater than Him. He is so beautiful that He is called Krishna.

Lord Krishna is more exalted than ordinary living beings and demigods like Lord Siva. He is even more exalted than His personal expansion Narayan. In all, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has sixty-four transcendental qualities in full.

Chapter 1. Krishna’s Sweet Pastimes

sarvadbhuta-chamatkara-lila-kallola-varidhih

“Krishna is like an ocean filled with waves of pastimes that evoke wonder within everyone in the three worlds.”

Question: Srila Rupa Goswami says Krishna has four super-excellent qualities that no other form of the Lord or incarnation has. Could you please explain what these are.

Srila Govinda Maharaj: Yes. The first quality, sarvadbhuta-chamatkara-lila-kallola-varidhih, is that Krishna’s pastimes are extremely sweet and relishable all the time. They are far superior to the pastimes of any other form of the Lord, including Narayan. No other form of the Lord has such wonderful pastimes as Krishna.

Krishna’s pastimes take place in Vrindavan Dham with the Vraja-gopis, the Vraja-balakas and all the Vraja-basis. They take place in effulgent, ecstatic and the sweetest of sweet ways. Narayan doesn’t have these qualities in His pastimes. These qualities don’t exist in the pastimes of Narayan, Narayan-lila.

Krishna’s pastimes begin from His birth. Narayan doesn’t have a birth. He is called the unborn. Whoever doesn’t have a birth will not have pastimes associated with birth. He won’t have a father or mother, or any relatives, so he won’t have the pastimes associated with birth and childhood, etc.

Krishna has a father, a mother, a brother and a sister and He also has many friends, lovers and paramours. He is always playing with the cows and calves and enjoying with the opulent fruits and sweet smelling trees in the forests of Vrindavan. He gives pleasure to the Yamuna by bathing in her with the Vraja-gopis and He has many pastimes in the different kunjas (forest groves) of Vrindavan. His life is a life full of sweet and wonderful pastimes. Narayan, the supreme creator Vishnu, doesn’t have such extraordinary pastimes.

When Krishna was present on Earth all other forms of the Lord as well as the demigods and all the great sages were astonished to hear about His wonderful pastimes. In fact all the transcendental and material worlds were astonished to see the pastimes of Krishna who appeared as the son of Nanda Maharaj.

Nanda Maharaj, the foster father of Krishna, was the king of a society of cowherd men but he didn’t own a castle; he didn’t have an opulent house or even any fixed residence. He moved from pasturing ground to pasturing ground making a thatched house or living in whatever place was available, but in his courtyard the Supreme Personality of Godhead played.

Brahma’s illusion

Once, Lord Brahma came to join that play. When he came to join that play he became confused. He couldn’t understand who Krishna was. He thought, “Who is this boy playing here? I didn’t create Him! What is going on here?”

Brahma meditated and through meditation understood Krishna was the Supreme Personality of Godhead—but he couldn’t believe it. He thought, “How could the Supreme Personality of Godhead be playing in the courtyard of Nanda Maharaj just like an ordinary child? This is impossible!”

To see if Krishna really was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Brahma stole all cows, calves and cowherd boys, put them in a cave and left.

The next day he returned and saw to his amazement everything was the same. Krishna was outside playing with everyone! Brahma became puzzled and thought, “I put everyone in a cave yesterday and left, and now they are here exactly like they were yesterday. Maybe there was a hole in the cave and they have escaped?”

Brahma went to the cave and saw Krishna playing inside with everyone. He left the cave and again saw Krishna playing outside and enjoying with all of His paraphernalia!

Then Brahma understood. With folded hands he approached Krishna and said, “O my Lord, I have done wrong. You are always giving consciousness and remembrance to me, but I am always forgetting You. I have forgotten You, and again You have checked me. Please forgive me for my offenses. I confess that anyone who says they know You, Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or Your unlimited pastimes, can say so but I say I cannot understand anything about You with my mind, words or deeds.”

jananta eva janantu, kim bahuktya na me prabho

manaso vapuso vacho, vaibhavam tava go-charah

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.14.38)

“I can’t say anything more. I can only say whoever says they know You or understand Your pastimes can say so but I say I cannot understand even a small amount of Your unlimited pastimes.”

This is one example of the first quality Srila Rupa Goswami mentions as belonging to Krishna and not to any other incarnation or avatara: Krishna’s super-excellent pastimes in Vrindavan Dham.

Brahma at the gate

Another incident which shows the superiority of Krishna’s pastimes was when Brahma went to Dvaraka to visit Krishna. When he arrived he saw many gatekeepers. Brahma has a lot of power but he saw his power was useless there, otherwise he could have suddenly appeared before Krishna.

Brahma waited at the gate and asked the gatekeeper to inform Krishna that he had come. When the gatekeeper informed Krishna, Krishna replied, “Which Brahma?”

Brahma heard this through his mystic power and thought, “What sort of nonsense question is that? I am Brahma! Krishna knows I am Brahma.”

Then Brahma—who is a gentleman—asked the gatekeeper to inform Krishna that he was the chatur-mukha Brahma, the Brahma with four heads. When the gatekeeper informed Krishna of this, Krishna said, “Oh, that Brahma! Bring him, bring him in.”

After Brahma entered, Krishna showed him a lot of respect. He said, “You have been waiting at the gate a long time. Please don’t mind it. Come and take your seat. Why have you come?”

Brahma said, “I will answer that question later but first tell me why did You ask, ‘Which Brahma?’? Is there another Brahma besides me?”

Krishna gave a little smile and remembered all the Brahmas. There are many Brahmas. Each universe has its own Brahma and there are many, many universes. One by one all the Brahmas came. One with four heads, one with eight heads, one with ten heads, one with a hundred heads and one with a thousand heads—many thousands of Brahmas came to see Krishna, and one by one they all bowed to Krishna’s lotus feet. Miraculously, accommodation for all of them took place and the four-headed Brahma appeared like an insect in front of them. Then suddenly they all stood and asked, “Why are we so fortunate, O Lord, that You have remembered us? What is Your wish?”

Krishna said, “It isn’t anything important. I just wanted to see you. I haven’t seen you in a long time. Now you can all go back to your own abodes.”

After all the Brahmas left, the four-headed Lord Brahma said, “I have my question answered. I am very fortunate Your pastimes are going on in my brahmanda (universe). I feel very fortunate indeed.” Brahma offered many prayers to Krishna, and Krishna gave him His mercy. Then, Brahma returned happily to his abode.

These are the types of pastimes that take place in Krishna-lila. Especially in Vrindavan Dham they are all full of ecstasy and miraculous for everyone—sarvadbhuta-chamatkara-lila-kallola-varidhih. In Narayan-lila there aren’t such pastimes—with the cows, the Vraja-balakas, the Vraja-gopis and all the Vraja-basis—which take place in Vrindavan Dham twenty-four hours a day and which are so wonderful for everyone.

Inconceivable Pastimes

Mahaprabhu said that all of Krishna’s pastimes are inconceivable—achintya-bhedabheda-tattva. It is not possible to understand them from here. We live within the materially conscious world so it is not possible to understand transcendental consciousness and Krishna’s pastimes from here.

Every evening in Puri, Mahaprabhu would talk with Svarup Damodar and Ramananda Ray in the Gambhira. One evening they were discussing the poetry of Chandidas. Chandidas said in one poem, “Whoever can conceive that a garland can be made from the peaks of mountains with a tiny thread, or an elephant can be bound with a spider’s web, can understand Krishna’s pastimes.” You must believe that you can bind an elephant with a spider’s web before you can understand Krishna’s pastimes.

When I first joined Srila Guru Maharaj’s Mission he asked me if I could do two things. He said, “Can you not follow your mind, and can you follow my instructions?” I said, “Yes,” and Guru Maharaj was happy. Then he said, “Can you forget the songs you know?” I was born in a Vaishnav family and my father was a famous professional singer. Because of that I had some singing capacity and had memorized all of the Vaishnav songs. Srila Guru Maharaj tested me as to my singing style, meter, etc. by having me sing in front of Krishna Das Babaji Maharaj. I sang in front of Babaji Maharaj and he told Guru Maharaj that I knew many songs and was a good singer.

A few days later Guru Maharaj told me to forget those songs. He said they were sahajiya songs and that condition would increase if I sang them. I said I would not sing those songs. He gave me a book called Saranagati and marked thirty-two songs. He asked me to memorize them within a week and said the songs of madhura-rasa would come later. He said, “They will reveal themselves in your heart after ruchi. When you get the position of ruchi, or taste, you can learn them.”

Rupa Goswami showed this in a step-by-step sequence:

adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango ‘tha bhajana-kriya

tato ‘nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha ruchis tatah

(Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, 1.4.15)

When it is necessary for the devotee to know what Vrindavan is, what Govardhan is, what the Yamuna is and what the forests of Vrindavan are and what the pastimes of Krishna-lila are, everything will reveal itself in the heart of a surrendered soul. This is the meaning of Srila Guru Maharaj’s book, Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamritam, the “Life Nectar of the Surrendered Souls.”

Srimati Radharani’s solace

When Krishna met Radharani and the Vraja-gopis at Kuruksetra, He said:

mayi bhaktir hi bhutanam, amrtatvaya kalpate

distya yad asin mat-sneho, bhavatinam mad-apanah

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.82.44)

“Devotional service unto Me is the only way to attain Me, My dear gopis. The only reason for My returning to you is the love and affection you have attained for Me by good fortune.”

In India it is customary to go to Kuruksetra during a solar eclipse and bathe in a lake there. People from all over India do this. Krishna went to Kuruksetra from Dvaraka with His queens, and Radharani and the gopis went from Vrindavan to meet Him.

When the gopis met Krishna’s queens, the queens said to them, “We have not actually had Krishna’s presence. We think He is absent-minded because we can’t tell what He is thinking. When He is asleep and dreaming sometimes He calls, ‘O Lalita, O Visakha, O Yasoda, O Mother Rohini!’ He says many things when He is dreaming. We have heard all the Vraja-gopis’ and Vraja-balakas’ names many times, and now you are here. Whether Krishna lives in Mathura or Dvaraka, He always remembers you.” Krishna’s queens glorified the Vraja-gopis in this way.

When Krishna first met the Vraja-gopis in Kuruksetra, they asked Him, “How long will we wait for You?”

He said, “In a short time, in a few years, I shall go back to Vrindavan. Don’t think I won’t go. I am bound to go. Don’t think that I live here. Actually I live with all of you in Vrindavan. Every day you are getting My association in Vrindavan. What you are doing with Me is positive. You think it is negative, but it is positive. What I am doing here is negative. Every day in Vrindavan My pastimes are going on and every day you are getting My association. You are giving Me nourishment every day and that is positive. Whatever you are doing there is positive.”

When Krishna said this to the gopis, Mayi bhaktir hi bhutanam [implying, “I shall come back to Vrindavan to see you”], they believed it. That is why Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami gave this sloka before the above one in the Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita:

eta tanre kahi krsna, vraje yaite satrsna,

eka sloka padi’ sunaila

sei sloka suni’ radha, khandila sakala badha,

krsna-praptye pratiti haila

“While speaking to Srimati Radharani, Krishna became very anxious to return to Vrindavan. He made Her listen to a verse which banished all Her difficulties and which assured Her that She would again attain Him.”

If you say something to someone in an exclusive way they will understand it. If you say to someone, “Yesterday we were taking prasadam together and you were giving me fried subji and we were talking and laughing”, if you say that in an exclusive way that person must believe it. He will think, “Yes, yes, that happened.”

So, after hearing the following sloka Radharani got good nourishment:

mayi bhaktir hi bhutanam, amrtatvaya kalpate

distya yad asin mat-sneho, bhavatinam mad-apanah

(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.82.44)

“If You, Radharani, hear what I am saying You will see this is the truth. Every day I am living with You. Every day there are My pastimes in Vrindavan and every day You are getting My association. Every day You are giving Me nourishment, and that is positive.”

Mother Sachi’s joy

Mahaprabhu sent Damodar to Nabadwip and instructed him to tell Mother Sachi, “Every day I come to take the prasadam you prepare for Me.” Mahaprabhu said, “Mother Sachi thinks she is dreaming. It is not a dream. I eat from her hand every day. Tell her that and remind her that yesterday I came and took prasadam from her. She cooks many nice preparations for the Deities such as sak, etc. and afterwards she gives them to Me and when I eat them she becomes very happy. But she thinks she is dreaming. When she sees the plate has nothing on it, she thinks she forgot to put food from the pots on the plate. She goes to the kitchen and sees there is no food in the pots and she thinks she is dreaming. The positive truth is that I ate everything. Remind My mother of that and she will believe it.” This is an example of telling someone something in an exclusive way.

Krishna always lives in Vrindavan

When Krishna said to Radharani and the gopis that He goes to Vrindavan every day and plays with them, they believed it.

Actually Krishna never leaves Vrindavan. He always lives in Vrindavan.

krsno ‘nyo yadu-sambhuto, yah purnah so ‘sty atah parah

vrndavanam parityajya, sa kvachin naiva gachchhati

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Antya 1.67)

Vrndavanam parityajya, sa kvachin naiva gachchhati. Srila Rupa Goswami said Krishna does not leave Vrindavan, not even for one moment. He lives there with the Vraja-balakas, the sakhis and the gopis, etc. Krishna’s pastimes are always going on in Vrindavan.

Ecstatic revelation

Every night with His two confidential associates, Svarup Damodar and Ramananda Ray, Mahaprabhu heard and tasted the ecstasy of Jayadev’s Gita-Govinda, Jagannatha-vallabha-nataka, Sri Krishna-karnamrita and the songs of Chandidas and Vidyapati:

chandidasa, vidyapati, rayera nataka-giti,

karnamrta, sri-gita-govinda

svarupa-ramananda-sane, mahaprabhu ratri-dine,

gaya, sune—parama ananda

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 2.77)

They were able to get and to take the real and direct association of Sri Krishna. After Jayadev, Vidyapati and Chandidas, only Rupa Goswami could sing those types of songs.

Once you start expressing Krishna-lila you cannot stop. There is so much ecstasy you cannot stop.

madhuram madhuram vapur asya vibhor

madhuram madhuram vadanam madhuram

madhu-gandhi mrdu-smitam etad aho

madhuram madhuram madhuram madhuram

(Krishna-karnamrita, by Sri Bilvamangala Thakur)

When Srila Guru Maharaj would express Krishna-lila he would forget who was in front of him. As he was speaking he would forget who was there, who was hearing.

Guru Maharaj gives the meaning of the Gayatri Mantram

One day I said to Guru Maharaj, “You are giving the meaning of the Gayatri mantram, the Rig Veda mantra, etc., and the Vedas say one isn’t supposed to give their meaning. It is a private matter, so why are you giving it?”

Srila Guru Maharaj said, “O Govinda Maharaj, what are you thinking? What expressions and ideas come from the Gayatri mantram? We are giving the Gayatri mantram to others and they will meditate on it and feel it after reaching perfection. No one is giving anything before perfection. If I don’t give it, I think no one will give it in the future. No one has given it before so I feel I should give it. It is necessary for the conditioned souls. Many devotees want to know the meaning, so I am giving it.”

The meaning was published from the San Jose Math in the Guardian of Devotion. Everyone in our sampradaya was amazed to see it. What Srila Guru Maharaj gave is extremely worshippable: the inner meaning of the Gayatri mantram, etc. He knew everything, and he was the only one who knew everything.

Once he said he went to feed the cows in the field and when he sat underneath a tree and was meditating on the Gayatri mantram he suddenly saw the whole Vishvarup form of the Lord. The whole effulgence of the Gayatri mantram became manifest before him. That was his first experience with the Gayatri mantram.

After that, Guru Maharaj had many experiences but if he had told them, it would have been difficult for others to understand. That is, if you don’t have a good instrument for receiving, how will you receive it? The wall cannot receive radio waves. Our insides are not adjusted to receive transcendental knowledge. It may exist within us but we are not adjusted to receive it. If we can fine-tune or adjust ourselves, everything will be revealed in our heart.

hrdaya haite bale, jihvara agrete chale,

sabda-rupe nache anuksana

kanthe more bhange svara, anga kanpe thara thara,

sthira haite na pare charana

(Saranagati, by Sri Bhaktivinod Thakur)

When we are internally adjusted to receive transcendental knowledge the mantra will forcefully come and dance on our tongues. This is the real dance of Mahaprabhu or the real dance of the Holy Name.

tunde tandavini ratim vitanute tundavali-labdhaye

karna-kroda-kadambini ghatayate karnarbudebhyah sprham

chetah-prangana-sangini vijayate sarvendriyanam krtim

no jane janita kiyadbhir amrtaih krsneti varna-dvayi

(Vidagdha-madhava, 1.15)

When Srila Rupa Goswami expressed these glories of the Holy Name, Srila Haridas Thakur said, “I have never heard this type of sloka describing the Holy Name before. I have heard many glories of the Holy Name, but I never heard this type of sloka.” Haridas Thakur said this, and he was a siddha mahatma (perfected soul).

“When we are chanting, the mantra is revealing itself on our tongues. At that time an eagerness for millions of tongues will come to us. If we get them, we will be satisfied. We are hankering for millions of ears when we hear of the real form of Krishna. Chetah-prangana-sangini vijayate sarvendriyanam krtim. When the maha-mantra dances in our minds, our minds are dancing.”

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur said that when the Holy Name is revealing on the mental plane, devastation comes to the mind through the presence of Krishna-Nama. That is real Krishna-Nama.

• • •

Chapter 2. Krishna’s Wonderful Associates

atulya-madhura-prema-mandita-priya-mandalah

“In His activities of conjugal love He is always surrounded by His dear devotees who possess unequaled love for Him.”

The next quality Srila Rupa Goswami explains that belongs exclusively to Krishna and not to any other form of the Lord is that Krishna has wonderful associates who are always serving Him with love and affection: atulya-madhura-prema-mandita-priya-mandalah. All the Vraja-basis and associates of Krishna in Sri Vrindavan Dham give pleasure to Krishna’s heart twenty-four hours a day with their miraculous service, miraculous faith and miraculous love. Narayan and other incarnations of the Lord do not have this quality. They do not have such an all-attractive character that attracts such spontaneous loving devotional affection from Their servitors.

Five types of relationships

In Vrindavan Dham, Krishna is always served by His devotees with five types of divine relationships: santa-rasa, dasya-rasa, sakhya-rasa, vatsalya-rasa and madhura-rasa.

In sakhya-rasa, Krishna’s friends always try to give pleasure to His heart as if they are in an equal position with Him. When they eat something and feel it is very good, even if it is half-eaten, they give it to Krishna saying, “O Krishna, this apple is very good, taste it. This mango is wonderful, take it!” Or, “This type of play is very nice. Let’s play.” They play with Krishna and feel Krishna and themselves are equal—only that Krishna is a little more special.

In Govardhan-dharan-lila Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill and held it for seven days. All the cowherd boys, cowherd men and even the cowherd girls took sticks to help Him. They thought, “Krishna has taken the whole of Govardhan Hill in His hand. He has some special power, no doubt, but still we must help Him.”

Parental service: vatsalya-rasa

Everyone has heard how much Krishna’s father and mother—Nanda Maharaj and Yasodamayi—and Rohini serve Him. An example of this intense servitorship is shown in the slokas of Sri Damodarastakam:

rudantam muhur netra-yugmam mrjantam

karambhoja-yugmena satanka-netram

muhuh svasa-kampa-trirekhanka-kantha-

sthita-graiva-damodaram bhakti-baddham

The expression in this sloka is very nice. Mother Yasoda is angry. She is chasing Krishna and wants to capture Him and beat Him for being naughty. Krishna is running and looking over His shoulder and then can’t see anymore because His eyes are full of tears. He is so afraid, rudantam muhur netra-yugmam mrjantam. He is out of breath and so tired. He is suffering so much, muhuh svasa-kampa-trirekhanka-kantha.

You won’t see these qualities in the pastimes of Narayan-lila. Krishna is sach-chid-ananda-vigraha, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and this is vividly expressed in other slokas of Sri Damodarastakam. The last verse is especially nice:

namas te ‘stu damne sphurad-dipti-dhamne

tvadiyodarayatha visvasya dhamne

namo radhikayai tvadiya-priyayai

namo ‘nanta-lilaya devaya tubhyam

Mother Yasoda wants to bind Krishna with a rope. An effulgence has come from that rope and the author says, “I bow down to that rope,” namas te ‘stu damne sphurad-dipti-dhamne. Who has Mother Yasoda bound? She has bound the Creator of the Whole Creation with a rope. Mother Yasoda has bound Krishna’s belly with a rope! These are the pastimes of vatsalya-rasa which take place in Vrindavan Dham between Krishna and His devotees.

Madhura-rasa, the pastimes of Srimati Radharani

In the last sloka of Damodarastakam the author mentions madhura-rasa, the conjugal pastimes of Krishna. He says, Namo Radhikayai tvadiya-priyayai, namo ‘nanta-lilaya devaya tubhyam—“I do not want to say anything more; I can only say I bow to Radhika and the Supreme Lord. I can’t say anything about Your transcendental pastimes which are manifest in this material world with Your divine associates. Your pastimes are infinite. There is no end and no beginning to them.”

Here the author also indicates the glories of Srimati Radharani: “I can’t say anything more about Radharani’s pastimes. They are beginningless and continue twenty-four hours a day with Her Lord, Krishna, Her prana-vallabha, Her heart and soul. She is the dearest of the dearest and nearest of the nearest.”

More examples of madhura-rasa

Radharani’s service is briefly expressed in the above sloka. Srila Baladev Vidyabhusan has given another very nice sloka:

govindabhidha mandirasrita

padam hastastha ratnadivat

tattvam tattva vidhuttama

ksititale yo darsayan chakratuh

He says, “If one holds a jewel high in his hand, he can show the beauty of that jewel by slowly turning its various facets. Rupa and Sanatan Goswamis have each held the beautiful jewel who is known by the Name of Govinda, and who is always served by the Supreme Goddess of Fortune, high in their hands and shown His beautiful form to the world.”

Only Radharani can do this type of service. Rupa and Sanatan Goswamis can also do it; but without Radharani’s mercy no one can do it. No one can give a second example of this type of exclusive service. She is Her own example.

A sparkling light of the jeweled pastimes of Radha and Krishna has come to this world through Jayadev Goswami, Chandidas, Rupa Goswami, Ramananda Raya and from various Goswamis. A small amount of sparkling light comes to this world and through that we understand a very little.

We can’t conceive of Krishna’s pastimes and of Krishna’s relations with His devotees that take place in madhura-rasa in Vrindavan Dham. There are three groups of Vraja-gopis. One is the adolescent group, another is mature and married, and the third is the paramour group. We cannot conceive of these pastimes from our present position. Jayadev Goswami has written many slokas about Radharani’s pastimes and they are of the first group, the adolescent group, and it is best not to try and explain them.

Loving affection: the law of Vrindavan

Another example of madhura-rasa with the Vraja-gopis is shown in a verse composed by Prabodhananda Saraswati. In this verse Krishna says, “When Radharani walks in front of Me and I feel a little breeze from Her cloth I think, ‘Oh, I am so fortunate.’”

yasyah kadapi vasananchala-khelanottha-

dhanyatidhanya-pavanena krtarthamani

yogindra-durgama-gatir madhusudano ‘pi

tasyah namo ‘stu vrsabhanubhuvodise ‘pi

Prabodhananda Saraswati composed this miraculous sloka. The meaning is, “I bow to the direction where Radharani lives—whether it is in the east or the west—I bow to that direction. I do not bow to Her lotus feet or Her house but only to the direction where Her father’s house is.” When Krishna feels a little breeze from Radharani’s cloth He feels this way.

Every day in Vrindavan, Radharani would distribute food to the Vraja-balakas by the order of Mother Yasoda. Radharani cooked one item for Krishna because Durvasa Muni had very mercifully given Her a boon that whoever She cooked for would get a long life:

durvasara thani tenho panachena vara

amrta ha-ite paka tanra adhika madhura

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Antya 6.116)

Mother Yasoda knew this, so every day she requested Jatila and Kutila to send their sister-in-law to make a subji for Krishna. When Radharani would distribute that, a breeze from Her cloth would come to Krishna, and He would feel, “Oh, I am so fortunate. I am so happy.” Krishna feels His life is blessed and fulfilled by feeling only a little breeze from Radharani’s cloth. He thinks this breeze inspires Him so much that He wants to feel it again and again. He is fully satisfied by feeling the breeze from Radharani’s cloth. Krishna gets these feelings from only the breeze of Radharani’s cloth so you can imagine how much Krishna must be satisfied by getting Her intimate association. This is madhura-rasa.

These are the types of pastimes that take place between Krishna and Radharani and Her associates in Vrindavan Dham. They take place in madhura-rasa twenty-four hours a day in Govardhan, Radha Kunda, Shyama Kunda, the Manasa Ganga, the Yamuna and in Her house. They take place everywhere in Vrindavan Dham.

Narayan can’t taste these pastimes. They won’t come to His taste. If they did, He would feel they are bitter. Narayan lives by rules and regulations. He is a law-abiding personality. In Vrindavan Dham the only law is love and affection, or Krishna-prema.

• • •

Chapter 3.
Krishna’s Transcendental Flute

trijagan-manasakarsi-murali-kala-kujitah

“He attracts the minds of all three worlds by the melodious vibration of His flute.”

The third quality mentioned by Srila Rupa Goswami as belonging exclusively to Krishna and not to any other form of the Lord is that Krishna is the player of the transcendental flute: trijagan-manasakarsi-murali-kala-kujitah.

The transcendental sound that comes from Krishna’s flute is so sweet that it attracts all the universes; and there are millions and millions of universes in the sky. Everyone becomes half-mad and crazy when they hear the sweet sound of Krishna’s flute. The courtyard looks like the ocean, and the ocean like the courtyard. No one can conceive where this very sweet sound vibration is coming from. Brahma and others, who are all expert about sabda, sound, are stunned to hear the miraculous sound of Krishna’s flute.

Service attraction

The transcendental sound of Krishna’s flute attracts His dear servitors’ hearts according to their own service mood. From only one sound His various servitors get a variety of inspirations. Mother Yasoda hears, “O Mother, I am hungry. Give Me some milk and butter, etc.” Yasoda sunye nani dei ma bale, haila gosthera bela sunaye rakhale. The cowherd boys hear, “Krishna wants to play with us. He wants our association.” Radharani hears something else and others hear something different. Everyone hears the same sound of Krishna’s flute according to their own service mood and everyone is simply astonished and amazed to hear its miraculous sound.

The original song is the sound of Krishna’s flute

Once a lady from Russia asked me if it was alright to play music for Krishna. She was very creative but she said she never used the Name of Krishna in her music. She wanted to know if it is possible to make advancement in Krishna consciousness by playing music for Krishna even though she never mentioned Krishna’s Name.

I told her in order to get the highest benefit of life it is necessary to make contact with the original sound vibration and that sound is the sound of Krishna’s flute. I quoted the following sloka of Dhruva Maharaj:

sthanabhilasi tapasi sthito ‘ham

tvam praptavan deva-munindra-guhyam

kacham vichinvann api divya-ratnam

svamin krtartho ‘smi varam na yache

(Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya, 7.28, quoted in Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 22.42)

When Vishnu asked Dhruva Maharaj to accept a boon from Him, Dhruva Maharaj said, “Why should I accept a boon from You? You are like a jewel standing before me and I have come searching for a broken piece of glass. When I see You standing before me, You appear like a jewel. Why should I accept a broken piece of glass?”

This is the real song and this is the sound of Krishna’s flute. All vibrations in this material world come from Krishna’s flute and that vibration travels everywhere. It is not only in this world, but it is in the transcendental world as well. All songs in this world are illuminated and activated by the sweet sound of Krishna’s flute.

Illumination and activation

Through the effulgence of light we can see everything but we can’t see the effulgence’s source, the original light. When we are connected with the original light we automatically see the effulgence. It is not necessary to try and see only the effulgence separately from the original light. This idea is stated in another way in Srimad Bhagavatam (10.20.19):

na rarajodupas channah, sva-jyotsna-rajitair ghanaih

aham-matya bhasitaya, sva-bhasa puruso yatha

“When a cloud covers the moon, we cannot see the moon, but we see the cloud because of the effulgence of the moon.”

The original sound is the sound of Krishna’s flute in the transcendental world and because of this all songs in this world are illuminated and activated. Everything in this world is activated by the sound of Krishna’s flute.

When we get a connection with the original sound, the sound of Krishna’s flute, everything in this world becomes sach-chid-ananda-maya, perfect. Sometimes we try to get pleasure here through songs, and we may get ecstatic feelings, but they are nothing compared to the feelings that come from the transcendental song of Krishna’s flute. Once we get that connection, any song we sing must be for the glorification of Krishna, because the original song of everything comes from Krishna’s flute.

Tansen’s Guru

Once there was a famous singer in India named Tansen. When he sang, a cloud would form in the sky, fire would manifest and rain would fall. He was the king’s musician and a great singer. His Guru was Haridas. King Akbar asked Tansen where he had learned to sing so nicely.

Tansen said he had not really learned anything but had only learned a small percentage from his Guru, Haridas. He said, “If you hear my Guru sing, you will never forget it.”

Akbar asked Tansen if he could bring his Guru to him but Tansen said his Guru would never come to a king’s assembly because he did not live within the jurisdiction of a king. He lived within the Lord’s jurisdiction.

Akbar was very intelligent and said, “I want to see your Guru at least one time. Can you take me to him?”

Tansen said, “You can see my Guru but you can’t hear his song. His song is a transcendental song and you are not qualified to hear it. His mercy has given me some power and through that everything is revealed to me.”

Still, Akbar wanted to hear Haridas sing.

Haridas sang early in the morning. He glorified Krishna and lived in a thatched hut, so Akbar dressed in ordinary clothes and went to hear him sing. When Akbar heard Haridas sing he was stunned. He fell at Haridas’s feet.

Later Haridas’s Guru, Sivji, gave his entire kingdom to Haridas. Haridas said he had taken his kingdom because he was Sivji’s disciple and Sivji wanted him to take it. Haridas asked Akbar to try and protect everything nicely.

This is a long story but the meaning is that the light of the transcendental sound vibration actives everything in this world. All songs in this world are activated by the sound of Krishna’s flute. All sounds are transmitted through ether, and ether is mundane. If we can connect our songs with the transcendental song, which means the transcendental sound vibration of Krishna’s flute, our songs will become transcendental.

Sound: shadow and reality

It is said in the Vedic scriptures that sound is sabda-brahma—it is a spiritual vibration. It exists on the borderline of Goloka. When sound in this world gets a connection with the spiritual world, it must go to Krishna. Here all sounds come through the flute of Krishna but they are shadow sounds. When the shadow takes form, it becomes reality. It has pure form. Since a mere shadow can give us so much pleasure, how much pleasure can the real song give us? Because of this we need to search for that reality.

It is also said in the Vedas that sound is the origin of the Vedas and that the Vedas are a transcendental sound vibration, not a mundane vibration. They are called sat-guna or veda-guna. Everything in this world comes through transcendental vibrations and everything here is activated by those vibrations which come from Krishna’s flute.

Krishna’s flute is the original song and the life of the whole creation. Song is good no doubt and if it is good here it must be even better there. We can say Krishna’s flute song is the super-most excellent song.

Stunned by sound

Srila Rupa Goswami has composed many slokas glorifying the sound of Krishna’s flute.

rundhann ambu-bhrtas chamatkrti-param kurvan muhus tumburum

dhyanad antarayan sanandana-mukhan vismapayan vedhasam

autsukyavalibhir balim chatulayan bhogindram aghurnayan

bhindann anda-kataha-bhittim abhito babhrama vamsi-dhvanih

(Vidagdha-madhava 1.27)

“The sound of Krishna’s flute travels throughout the entire transcendental and material worlds. It encompasses everything with joy, ecstasy, beauty and charm. Everything takes form from that wonderful sound. When Lord Brahma hears the sound of Krishna’s flute, he wonders where it comes from. Everyone is astonished to hear the sound of Krishna’s flute. Anantadev, who holds the Earth on his head, turns his head after hearing the sound of Krishna’s flute.”

Gayatri, the flute-song

When Lord Brahma took birth from the lotus flower born from the navel of Lord Vishnu he saw everything was dark. He tried to remember who he was and where he had come from but he couldn’t understand anything. Then he heard one sound and that was “tapa.” He was awakened by that sound and began to search where it had come from and which sound he should meditate on. Then he heard the sound of Krishna’s flute and that was the sound of the Gayatri mantram.

Guru Maharaj said, Gayatri muralista-kirtana-dhanam Radha-padam dhimahi. The Gayatri mantram is the original song of Krishna’s flute. We should try to connect with that song. Songs are good here but if we are addicted to mundane songs we will be cheated. When we know that songs are very beautiful, tasteful and charming here we should try to connect with the original song.

The flute sings the glories of Sri Radha

The extreme explanation of Krishna’s flute is given by Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. He said, “Everything comes from the flute of Krishna. All mantras including the whole Gayatri mantram come from Krishna’s flute. Gayatri muralista-kirtana-dhanam Radha-padam dhimahi. What is the heart of the sound of Krishna’s flute? The heart of that sound is Radharani because without Radharani Krishna cannot think of anything.

raya kahe—krsna haya ‘dhira-lalita’

nirantara kama-krida—yanhara charita

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 8.187)

Krishna always plays with Radharani, so He cannot think of anything without Her. Therefore Srila Guru Maharaj said, “If you want to meditate on the Gayatri mantra, take shelter of the lotus feet of Radharani. You need to meditate on the Gayatri mantra to fulfill your spiritual desires. You will be supremely benefited if you try to understand the meaning of the Gayatri mantra.”

Gayatri muralista-kirtana-dhanam. Murali means “flute,” and ista means “what one wants to express,” and that is the glories of Radharani, the beauty of Radharani and everything concerning Radharani. Everything about Radharani has come from the flute-song of Krishna. The Gayatri mantra has simultaneously come from the sound of Krishna’s flute. The whole Gayatri mantra has given us this inspiration.

Prachodayat means what you meditate on must go to the lotus feet of Radharani. Go there. Go where you will get gold and diamonds. Go to the gold mine for gold. Go to the diamond mine for diamonds. Don’t go to the coal mine to search for gold. If you want gold, go to the gold mine. You won’t get it in the market. It is in a special and protected area guarded by Srila Jiva Goswami and others.

Srila Guru Maharaj said:

sri-gauranumatam svarupa-viditam rupagrajenadrtam

rupadyaih parivesitam raghu-ganair asvaditam sevitam

jivadyair abhiraksitam suka-siva-brahmadi-sammanitam

sri-radha-pada-sevanamrtam aho tad datum iso bhavan

(Srimad Bhaktivinod-viraha Dasakam—Prayers in Separation of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

If you want the property of service to Lord Krishna, service to your lover Krishna, then surrender to Radharani and go there.

How to approach Srimati Radharani

When Krishna would enter the forest of Vrindavan playing His flute, He would beautify it with the marks of His footprints. He had a peacock feather ornament on His head, blue karnikara flowers on His ears, a yellow garment as brilliant as gold and a garland made of Vrindavan wild flowers.

As He would play His flute birds would rise to the top of the trees, stop their singing and simply listen to Him playing His flute.

prayo batamba vihaga munayo vane ‘smin

krsneksitam tad-uditam kala-venu-gitam

aruhya ye druma-bhujan ruchira-pravalan

srnvanti milita-drso vigatanya-vachah

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.21.14)

When I first came to the Math I would sometimes do exercise as I had a lot of energy. Guru Maharaj told me it wasn’t necessary to do exercise. He said if I took a shovel and worked in the garden I would get plenty of exercise.

I planted many fruit trees—mango, guava, papaya, jackfruit, fig, chico (sapodilla/manilkara) and many banana trees. Then so many birds came, and they are still there. There are so many different varieties and they are always singing beautiful songs. I can see them all day long from my veranda. They play happily all day and live in the peaceful environment of the Math. They never quarrel and even sometimes they are completely silent. I think this is all the mercy of Guru Maharaj.

As Krishna would wander, the gopis would lament that the bamboo flute was enjoying the nectar of Krishna’s lips, which was meant for them, gopyah kim acharad ayam kusalam sma venur, Damodaradhara-sudham api gopikanam (Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.21.9) and the peacocks would dance madly when they heard the sound of Krishna’s flute.

vrndavanam sakhi bhuvo vitanoti kirtim

yad devaki-suta-padambuja-labdha-laksmi

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.21.10)

The deer would come and worship Krishna when they heard the sweet sound of His flute.

dhanyah sma mudha-gatayo ‘pi harinya eta

ya nanda-nandanam upatta-vichitra-vesam

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.21.11)

And the cows and calves would drink the nectar flowing out of Krishna’s flute.

gavas cha krsna-mukha-nirgata-venu-gita,

piyusam uttabhita-karna-putaih pibantyah

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.21.13)

nadyas tada tad upadharya mukunda-gitam

avarta-laksita-manobhava-bhagna-vegah

alingana-sthagitam urmi-bhujair murarer

grhnanti pada-yugalam kamalopaharah

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.21.15)

When the rivers of Vrindavan heard Krishna’s flute, their minds would become agitated and the flow of their currents would break. Their water would rush in whirlpools, and with outstretched arms they would try to embrace Krishna’s lotus feet with offerings of lotus flowers.

Gayatri mantram, the original song of Krishna’s flute

This morning when I went down to attend arati I saw our Math’s logo written on the temple. I noticed how nicely it was decorating the temple. In the center is a lotus flower (the disciple) which is sheltered in the water of Sri Gurudev from the shining sun of Om, or Krishna. Below is the flute of Krishna with its divine sound, the song of liberation, descending into this world. Around the outside there is one line from Srila Guru Maharaj’s explanation of the Gayatri mantra: Gayatri muralista kirtana-dhanam Radha-padam dhimahi.

Singing, dancing, liberation

Gayatri means ganat trayate iti gayatri, which means a type of song that can give you liberation if you sing it. This is such a nice process. Simply by singing and dancing you will get liberation! This is the Gayatri mantra and this is the original sound, the sound of Krishna’s flute: ganat trayate.

Nowhere else in the material world has anyone ever given such a nice explanation of the transcendental sound vibration coming from Krishna’s flute. No religion can make this statement: simply chant and dance and you will get liberation!

Gayatri: Radha-dasyam

What is the form of the Gayatri mantra? Guru Maharaj said, muralista kirtana-dhanam. Murali means the flute of Krishna. Krishna’s flute is for singing. It is not for blasting or for making violence. It is for making the heart peaceful—and a very sweet sound has come from Krishna’s flute.

What does Krishna’s flute sing? If you sing you must have a purpose, a target, a meter or a regulated flow, and that target is the Name of Radharani. No other sound comes from Krishna’s flute, only “Radhe, Radhe, Radhe, Radhe, Radhe”; and that sound comes in a variety of different ways.

We can conceive something about the character of Krishna’s flute from Raghunath Das Goswami’s character. Every day in Vrindavan he sang:

radhe vrndavana-vilasini radhe radhe

radhe kanu-mano mohini radhe radhe

radhe asta-sakhira siromani radhe radhe

Vrindavana-vilasini Radhe Radhe, Radhe kanu-mano mohini, Radhe Radhe. The last words are Radhe, Radhe. Every day in the Radha-Damodar temple in Vrindavan they sing this song. Every day while walking on the road or sitting at his bhajan place Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj would sing this song. This sound is the only sound that comes from Krishna’s flute and it has manifested itself and spread itself all over the transcendental and material worlds. We get this information from the rasa-lila of Srimad Bhagavatam.

The original call of Krishna’s flute is a call for everyone

When Krishna wants to begin the rasa dance He first calls the gopis by playing His flute. Only one call comes from Krishna’s flute and that is a clarion call.

Once a Vaishnav used the term “Clarion Call.” What does this term mean?

Devotee: It was a term used in the Middle Ages to wake the troops up for battle. It isn’t used much anymore. It also means a loud and clear call. Any call that is loud and clear is a clarion call.

Srila Govinda Maharaj: Very good! What is its origin?

Devotee: It comes from the Christian tradition.

Srila Govinda Maharaj: That is very nice but it is not their father’s property. It is not the property of Hindus or Christians, or anyone. It is the property of all the jiva-souls. The original clarion call of Krishna’s flute is a call for everyone.

How can we understand this? We understand this through Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur. Bhaktivinod Thakur wrote in one song, jiva jago, jiva jago, Gaurachanda bale. Is this a clarion call or not? Kota nidra jao maya-pisachira kole. We are asleep and the clarion call comes and says, “Wake up, wake up you sleeping soul! You are sleeping in the lap of illusion.”

The Upanisads also say, uttisthata jagrata prapya varan nibodhata, “Wake up, arise and search for Sri Krishna, Reality the Beautiful, where you will get love for Krishna!”

The Upanisads, Bhaktivinod Thakur and Krishna’s flute, all—the gist of that sound is muralista kirtana-dhanam. Krishna is attracted only by His Divine Potency. She is Radharani. She serves Krishna wholeheartedly and very extensively with Her associates, therefore Krishna is always thinking of Her.

But the sound of Krishna’s flute is not only meant for madhura-rasa, where the chief is Radharani, but for all the other rasas as well. All other rasas are maintained by madhura-rasa, and maintaining means preserving, so the sound of Krishna’s flute is preserving and maintaining all the other rasas.

Kirtana-dhanam—the real wealth of our life

Generally we refer to the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, or any devotional song, as either kirtan or sankirtan. We use these terms interchangeably but there is a little difference between them.

Kirtan means when one person is glorifying the Lord, and sankirtan means, bahubhir militva yat kirtanam, tad eva sankirtanam. Tad eva sankirtanam means when a group of devotees gather together for kirtan, what comes from their melted hearts, that is sankirtan. Sankirtan is congregational chanting with the mood of tolerance, humility and giving honor to others.

But here our Srila Guru Maharaj has specifically mentioned kirtana-dhanam. It is a very particular word. Kirtan is not only meant for everyone, but kirtana-dhanam means it is the “wealth of our life.” Through kirtan we will get everything. Through kirtan we will get full and complete entrance into the rasa-lila where Krishna is playing and chanting and dancing with the Vraja-gopis. This is the real wealth of our life and this is the wealth for all the liberated jiva-souls as well. This is why Srila Guru Maharaj said not only kirtan but “kirtana-dhanam” when he gave his explanation of the Gayatri mantra. Kirtan is the wealth of our life.

Krishna’s flute has its own freedom

Then Guru Maharaj said, Gayatri murali. Krishna’s flute is not only a bamboo stick, it is not just made of metal but it has its own life. It is chetan—it has a conscious form. It is a conscious living being.

Krishna’s flute has its own desire and its own freedom for the service to Him. Everyone has freedom. Krishna has given freedom to everyone, so Krishna’s murali has ista kirtana-dhanam. Ista kirtan means a desirable kirtan. His flute has freedom to perform its own kirtan and this is how Krishna’s flute will be happy.

sakhi murali visala-chchhidra-jalena purna

laghur atikathina tvam granthila nirasasi

tad api bhajasi sasvach chumbanananda-sandram

hari-kara-parirambham kena punyodayena

(Vidagdha-madhava, 4.7)

This sloka of Srila Rupa Goswami praises Krishna’s murali because Krishna’s murali has its own life. It is performing its own ista kirtan. Ista kirtan means a desirable and palatable song, and I can see this everywhere, in everyone’s eyes.

Sri Garga-samhita fully describes the glories of Radharani. Whenever I open Garga-samhita I immediately see this, and I am sure this must be the mercy of Srila Guru Maharaj. When I stand at the arati ceremony and see Gayatri muralista kirtana dhanam written in our Math logo, my brain is working.

The word dhimahi in Gayatri is very famous in the Sanskrit literature. Two words are present most in Gayatri mantrams: dhimahi and prachodayat. The last word of the meditation is prachodayat. It’s not that we will only meditate, but the mantram will pressure us to serve Srimati Radharani.

We need to know the spiritual regulations and injunctions, chodanam—pratichodanam. That scriptural advice is found in the Vedas, Upanisads, Bhagavad-gita, Mahabharata, etc.

Sruti and smrti: Bhagavad-gita is smrti, and sruti is Vedanta, Upanisads, etc. But here chodanam means prerana, inspiration. What kind of inspiration? Forceful inspiration—inspiring forcefully. The mantram’s nature is like that: to capture the jiva-soul’s mind through inspiration and forcefully engage in the service of Radharani. This is the extraordinary meaning Srila Guru Maharaj has given of the Gayatri mantra: Gayatri muralista-kirtana dhanam Radha-padam dhimahi.

Srimati Radharani’s hidden glories

The glories of Radharani are fully expressed and exposed in Garga-samhita. I have seen this in Sri Garga-samhita at least a thousand times.

Sri Garga-samhita was written by the great sage Garga Rishi who is the Guru of the Yadu-kula (Yadu dynasty, Krishna’s dynasty), and a friend of Parasurama as well as of many other big exponents of Vedic mantras such as Atri, Chyavana, Saradvan, Aristanemi, Bhrigu, Vasistha, Parasara, Visvamitra, Angira, Dvaipayan Vyasa and Bhagavan Narada. All these old rishis were present when Srimad Bhagavatam was spoken to Pariksit Maharaj. Vedavyasa himself said this.

atrir vasisthas chyavanah saradvan

aristanemir bhrgur angiras cha

parasaro gadhi-suto ‘tha rama

utathya indrapramadedhmavahau

medhatithir devala arstiseno

bharadvajo gautamah pippaladah

maitreya aurvah kavasah kumbhayonir

dvaipayano bhagavan naradas cha

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 1.19.9-10)

Even though all these senior rishis were present at the meeting of Maharaj Pariksit when Srimad Bhagavatam was spoken, Sukadev Goswami did not fully expose Goloka Vrindavan and the glories of Radharani. They were all friends of Garga Rishi but Vedavyas didn’t expose very much of Radharani’s glories. He only exposed a small amount of Her glories. He didn’t give Her glories the way Mahaprabhu did.

Sri Garga-samhita

I was very surprised when I opened Garga-samhita and found the word “Radhapati.” I have never seen this word anywhere except in Garga-samhita. We have heard many stories of Krishna-lila from our childhood and now I see they have all originated from Garga-samhita. Some other Puranas have presented some stories but most of the stories of Krishna-lila originated from Garga-samhita.

Actually I was inspired to publish Garga-samhita by Sripad Madhusudan Maharaj, a Godbrother and sannyas disciple of Srila Guru Maharaj. He had been searching for a Bengali edition of this book throughout India but failed to find one. He was very excited when he noticed there was one available in my cupboard. I was taken by surprise that he knew it was in my cupboard as I myself had not noticed it. It was then that I first read a little bit of the contents and found Garga Rishi had fully mentioned everything that would be impossible for us to relate.

When we try to conceive what Vyasadev looks like, we picture him as someone with at least a four- or five-foot-long beard, but when I opened Garga-samhita I was surprised to see Garga Rishi’s expression of Vedavyasa’s pranam mantra as “vadara-vana-biharah satyavatyah kumarah.” This expression satyavatyah kumarah or vadara-vana-biharah will not come to our mind, but his pranam mantra came as a realization to me that I only recognize Vedavyasa’s form in his old age and forget his childhood as Satyavatya-kumar, the son of Satyavati.

Rupa Goswami Prabhu followed this process very nicely. In every pranam mantra of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu he refers to Him as Sachinandan, the son of Sachidevi. Sachinandan. In the pastimes of Mahaprabhu, Sachidevi is always mentioned first within the pranam mantra and we are habituated with this, but we have not considered the same process with Vedavyasa as Satyavatya-kumar or vadara-vana-biharah. When I read this I was very impressed. I read a few pages and thought if Madhusudan Maharaj could not print it I should try to print it with the help of our devotees. Finally I feel Garga Rishi chose me to publish Garga-samhita, as I asked Sripad Sagar Maharaj to do it and he was able to do it.

The full-fledged theism that was given to us by our Guru Maharaj is fully mentioned in Garga-samhita. Vrindavan lila’s virtual place and position has originated from Garga-samhita. Vedavyasa has mentioned everything in Srimad Bhagavatam, but very cautiously.

Sukadev Goswami was just a sixteen-year-old boy so how much could he express in front of the older rishis? Even though they were all highly qualified in madhura-rasa they could not taste what Sukadev Goswami had given. Vedavyasa himself commented about Sukadev Goswami that after hearing the pastimes of Krishna-lila he became mad with ecstasy and then went back to his father to hear the rest of Krishna-lila he had not presented in full.

What is given in Srimad Bhagavatam is the gist of Krishna-lila and it is sufficient. No other scripture can cross over the prestige of Srimad Bhagavatam. Vedavyasa himself as well as other rishis have mentioned in other Puranas that it is a full manifestation of Sri Krishna. We can see the glorification of Srimad Bhagavatam in this way, so we cannot deny the highest prestige of Srimad Bhagavatam. Sukadev Goswami has given the gist of what he hesitated to reveal in full in that assembly and in that way has fulfilled the desire of Lord Krishna and Radharani.

Mahaprabhu came to give the glories of Radharani

Mahaprabhu came to give the glories of Radharani. He came to give honor to what was not given in this material world before.

anarpita-charim chirat karunayavatirnah kalau

samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam sva-bhakti-sriyam

harih purata-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandipitah

sada hrdaya-kandare sphuratu vah sachi-nandanah

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi 1.4)

And not only did Mahaprabhu give what had not been given before, He gave what had not been given in any material universe as well, and there are millions of material universes in the sky. Nowhere had the glories of Radharani been given before Mahaprabhu came, and this is mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam.

But Visvanath Chakravarti Thakur said clearly: if you search for evidential records of this, you will be considered foolish because Srimad Bhagavatam is the junior-most scripture but with the senior-most thought.

Srimad Bhagavatam—highest reality

After all the scriptures were written Vyasadev was not happy. His Guru, Narada Muni, came to see him and gave him instructions. He gave him a mantra and instructed Vedavyasa to meditate on that mantra, and after meditating he saw the complete spiritual and material worlds. Then he composed Srimad Bhagavatam. Therefore it is the junior-most scripture. Yet, no other scripture had given such complete knowledge of the spiritual and material worlds before.

In his mature meditation Vedavyasa saw all the senior-most beautiful theories of the highest reality and presented them in a well-organized way and gave them to the jiva-chaitanya. This is Guru Maharaj’s expression, jiva-chaitanya. The conscious jiva-souls may be in the material atmosphere, but still this world is a conscious world because everything exists in consciousness.

Secret of Bhagavatam

Sometimes a little suspicion may come to the mind of a pure devotee as to why Radharani’s Name is not mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam. Srila Guru Maharaj has given us this theory in one of his original slokas:

yadamiya-mahima-sri bhagavatyam kathayam

pratipadam anubhutam apyalabdhabhidheya

tadakhila-rasa-murteh syama-lila valamvam

madhura-rasadhi-radha-padapadmam prapadye

In every letter and every sloka of Srimad Bhagavatam the Name of Radharani is glorified, but we cannot see Her particular form there. The play of the Sweet Absolute takes place in Srimad Bhagavatam so it is not possible that Radharani’s Name is not mentioned there. Everywhere in Srimad Bhagavatam Radharani is glorified, but we can’t see Her full form there because Sukadev Goswami is hiding Her a little bit.

It is like the marriage system in India. When an Indian girl is married she always covers her head with a cloth. When a senior honorable person comes, she pulls the cloth over her head a little more. This is also the style of Srimad Bhagavatam: to conceal Radharani yet reveal Her. This idea is included in that sloka of Srila Guru Maharaj.

Without Radharani’s association Krishna is nothing! The Sweet Absolute’s play in Goloka Vrindavan depends on Radharani. Only She can fully exchange rasa with Krishna.

Krishna is the emporium of all rasas, akhila-rasamrta murti. But where is that nectar stored? It is stored in the pot of Radharani. So Krishna keeps all His wealth in the pot of Radharani and He tastes Her mood of devotion. Otherwise everything will be spoiled.

Srila Guru Maharaj has given this extraordinary explanation of the Gayatri mantra, which is the sound of Krishna’s flute. No one in this material conscious world has ever given an explanation like this before. In the last part of Srila Guru Maharaj’s life, Guru Maharaj was always discovering many things. Actually everything was within him but he had not found the proper person to explain everything to.

Srila Guru Maharaj’s original Gayatri mantram explanation

Srila Guru Maharaj’s original Gayatri mantra explanation is written in eleven lines published in our Sri Gaudiya Gitanjali, the Bengali song-book.

bhvades tat savitur varenya vihitam ksetra-jna-sevyarthakam

bhargo vai vrsabhanujatma-vibhavaikaradhana-sri-puram

(bhargo jyotir achintya-lilana-sudhaikaradhana-sri-puram)

(bhargo dhama-taranga-khelana-sudhaikaradhana-sri-puram)

(bhargo dhama sada nirasta-kuhakam prajnana-lila-puram)

(devasyamrta-rupa-lila-rasadheraradha-dhih prerinah)

(devasyamrta-rupa-lila-purusasyaradha-dhih presinah)

devasya dyuti-sundaraika-purusasyaradha-dhih presinah

gayatri muralista kirtana-dhanam radha-padam dhimahi

(gayatri-gaditam mahaprabhu-matam radha-padam dhimahi)

(dhir aradhanam eva nanyad iti tad radha-padam dhimahi)

I took four lines from this explanation (the ones not in brackets) to make the Gayatri mantra sloka and I put it on Srila Guru Maharaj’s samadhi-mandir. I asked Srila Guru Maharaj permission to take these four lines and he gave his permission.

But it was especially my desire that I shall take this one line: Dhir aradhanam eva nanyad iti tad Radha-padam dhimahi. Dhi comes from the root word buddhi, which means intelligence. Where should buddhi go? Our intelligence should go for the service of the Lord. Without that, no other conception can exist. This is Guru Maharaj’s explanation.

There are two kinds of intelligence. One is para and another is apara. The para intelligence always serves the Lord. Then, dhir aradhanam eva nanyad iti, without one’s intelligence going to serve the Lord, no other conception can exist. This is Srila Guru Maharaj’s explanation.

But sometimes for my explanation I have taken the next to the last line, Gayatri-gaditam Mahaprabhu-matam, because this line is hiding Radharani, Radha-padam dhimahi, a little bit.

The Rig Veda mantra

Srila Guru Maharaj also gave an explanation of the Rig Veda mantra. The original Rig Veda mantra is:

om tad visnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti surayah

diviva chaksur atatam visnor yat paramam padam

But Srila Guru Maharaj expanded the Rig mantra:

om tat visnoh paramam padam srutimatam muhyanti yat surayah

drasta chaksur iva prasarita-maha-suryeva divya tatam

dhamna svena sada nirasta-kuhakam satyam param sabditam

jyotih priti-tanum hiranya-purusam pasyanti tam surayah

The last line is especially significant: jyotih priti-tanum hiranya-purusam. Jyotih means effulgence and love and this has taken its form as the heart and halo of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Here is Guru Maharaj’s miracle. So many pandits can understand the Sanskrit language but they cannot understand the gist of the ecstasy inside the Sanskrit language. This is a fact.

The Upanisads very clearly say, nayam atma bala-hinena labhyo, nayam atma pravachanena labhyo na medhaya na bahuna srutena. “You may know so many things, and you may have much intelligence, medhaya, but without the grace of Nityananda Prabhu and Baladev, you cannot understand anything.”

But, yam evaisa vrnute tena labhyas, “When Krishna in the form of Sri Gurudev gives you the Gayatri mantram and you meditate on it with your full existence, you will understand it.” Here there is no question. Everywhere there are many questions and everywhere there are many difficulties, but this fact is very clear, tasyaisa atma vivrnute tanum svam.

If you do not have the ability to see—like owls do not like to see the sun—how will you see? How will a man with no eyes see? Andhi bhuta chaksu yara visaya dhulite kemane se para-tattva paibe dekhite. How will one whose eyes are blinded by the dust of material conceptions see?

We need the eyes to see

In Srila Guru Maharaj’s explanation of the Rig Veda mantra he used the word surayah. Guru Maharaj used it only to give honor to the Vedas, especially the Upanisads. Surayah means the demigods but Guru Maharaj did not explain the meaning that way. He gave this meaning: “The demigods can see but they can never see the hiranya-purusam (the Golden Lord, Mahaprabhu) without the mercy of jyotih priti-tanum. The demigods (surayah) cannot see without the mercy of Mahaprabhu and without the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu.”

This is a fact and Lord Brahma himself said it:

jananta eva janantu kim bahuktya na me prabho

manaso vapuso vacho vaibhavam tava gocharah

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.14.38)

“Whoever says they know Krishna’s pastimes can say that. But I say I cannot understand even a small amount of Your unlimited glories. My whole existence is blind without Your mercy. Therefore I am misguided. I don’t want to say too much. The only thing I can say is that I do not want to say too much because I cannot understand mentally, verbally or bodily Your unlimited pastimes.”

Kim bahuktya na me means, “It is not necessary to say many things, only that I cannot understand Your unlimited pastimes.”

• • •

Chapter 4.
Krishna’s Unparalleled Beauty and Opulence

asamanordhva-rupa-sri-vismapita-characharah

“Krishna’s personal beauty and opulence are beyond compare.”

The fourth quality Srila Rupa Goswami presents as the unique possession of Krishna, which no other form or incarnation of the Lord has, is Krishna’s incredible beauty: asamanordhva-rupa-sri-vismapita-characharah.

Mad by beauty

How much beauty does Krishna have? Krishna’s beauty is beyond compare. Krishna becomes mad when He sees His own beauty. In Krishna’s house there are so many mirrors that sometimes He is afraid to go inside because when He sees His own beauty He forgets Himself. Srila Guru Maharaj said Krishna has so much beauty because He is Reality, and Reality’s nature is the Supreme Personality of Godhead—Reality the Beautiful.

syamam hiranya-paridhim vanamalya-barha-

dhatu-pravala-nata-vesam anavratamse

vinyasta-hastam itarena dhunanam abjam

karnotpalalaka-kapola-mukhabja-hasam

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.23.22)

This verse describes the beauty of Krishna. “Krishna always wears a crown with peacock feathers and flowers in it. His clothes are golden and He is always bedecked with flower garlands made from fresh wild flowers. He always dances and plays His flute.” There are no weapons in Vrindavan. When Krishna killed the various demons—Putana, Vatsasura, Kesi, etc.—He did it all by hand. Sometimes He uses His arm or leg or another part of His body, but never any weapon.

Also we see in Srimad Bhagavatam (9.24.65):

yasyananam makara-kundala-charu-karna-

bhrajat-kapola-subhagam savilasa-hasam

nityotsavam na tatrpur drsibhih pibantyo

naryo naras cha muditah kupita nimes cha

“Krishna’s face is so beautiful. It is decorated with ornaments such as earrings resembling sharks. His ears are beautiful, His cheeks are brilliant, and His smile is attractive to everyone. Whoever sees Krishna sees a festival. Simply by seeing Krishna one sees a festival taking place.

“When demigods are flying in their airplanes with their wives and they see Krishna walking through the forest of Vrindavan herding His cows and playing His flute, they have a festival in their airplanes. Krishna’s beauty is so overwhelming for everyone that the gopis get angry at the creator, Lord Brahma, for making eyes that blink because in that split second they can’t see Krishna.”

When the gopis see Krishna and Balaram roaming in the Vrindavan forest, they say:

malanuprkta-paridhana-vichitra-vesau

madhye virejatur alam pasu-pala-gosthyam

range yatha nata-varau kvacha gayamanau

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.21.8)

“Dressed in a charming variety of garments, decorated with garlands, peacock feathers, lotuses, lilies, newly grown mango sprouts and clusters of flower buds, Krishna and Balaram shine forth magnificently among the assembly of cowherd boys. They look just like the best of dancers appearing on a dramatic stage, and sometimes They even sing.”

Unique loveliness

In Sri Brahma-samhita there are many slokas describing Krishna’s beauty.

alola-chandraka-lasad-vanamalya-vamsi-

ratnangadam pranaya-keli-kala-vilasam

syamam tri-bhanga-lalitam niyata-prakasam

govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

(Sri Brahma-samhita, 5.31)

Alola-chandraka-lasad-vanamalya-vamsi: Krishna’s dearest lover has made a vanamalya (forest garland) with peacock feathers and forest flowers and given it to Him. There is nothing else on that garland except forest flowers and peacock feathers gathered from the forest. There are no jewels, diamonds or anything else, only forest flowers and peacock feathers. Ratnangadam pranaya-keli-kala-vilasam. Since Krishna is playing with gopis, it is necessary for Him to dress like them. Mother Yasoda has given Krishna some nice dress, golden ornaments, bracelets, ankle bracelets, etc. and He wears them and plays with gopis.

Syamam tri-bhanga-lalitam niyata-prakasam: Krishna’s color is so beautiful that it gives peace to the eyes. It isn’t effulgent like Narayan’s. It is soothing the eyes and attracting them like a magnet.

venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam-

barhavatamsam asitambuda-sundarangam

kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham

govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

(Sri Brahma-samhita, 5.30)

Krishna’s eyes are like blooming lotus petals and He always has a peacock feather in His hair. His beauty is like the form and color of a blue rain cloud and He charms millions and millions of cupids. Koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham: when millions of cupids see Krishna they faint. His divine form is that beautiful. This is Lord Brahma’s description so we must believe it.

Alive with the mood of love

In Srila Guru Maharaj’s composition, Sri Sri Prema-dhama-deva-stotram, he wrote rupa-rasa-rangaram (verse 2), Krishna’s limbs are “alive with the mood of love that emerges and continually flows from His beautiful form.” His beauty is inconceivable, rupa-rasa-lila.

Every part of Krishna’s body wants to show itself to other parts. A hand wants to show itself to the other hand. A leg wants to show itself to the mouth and the mouth wants to show itself to other parts. Every part wants to show its beauty to others. All parts of His body want to show their beauty to the other parts.

angani yasya sakalendriya-vrtti-manti

pasyanti panti kalayanti chiram jaganti

ananda-chinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya

govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

(Sri Brahma-samhita, 5.32)

“With each part of His transcendental body He can do the function of any other part. With any part He maintains and manifests all the universes, both spiritual and material. All the parts of His body are interchangeable, each being as beautiful as any other. His form has that type of truth, beauty and the most dazzling splendor.”

When Krishna was present the whole creation was stunned to see His divine form. There were sixteen thousand girls waiting to marry Him. They were arrested by King Jarasandha, but when they were released, they became mad when they saw Krishna. Everyone ran towards Him and gave Him a garland.

We need to search for Sri Krishna, Reality the Beautiful

Krishna is the Cause of all causes. This is essentially explained in the first sloka of Sri Brahma-samhita:

isvarah paramah krsnah, sach-chid-ananda-vigrahah

anadir adir govindah, sarva-karana-karanam

Lord Narayan or other forms of the Lord do not have such beauty. These are the four qualities Krishna has that Narayan or other forms or incarnations of the Lord do not have.

Good question, good answer—conclusion

The question about Krishna’s unique qualities was a good one and I think the answer was also good because through these topics many things have entered your heart and also through this answer another desire was fulfilled. We are searchers of the spiritual world, of spiritual life and of God, and through these topics we have got a chance to explain something about the glories of Krishna. We have received a clue as to whose lotus feet we should worship and who we should take shelter of. There are many demigods and many forms of the Lord—Keshava, Govinda, Damodar and many others as well. Mahaprabhu expressed His mind in this way:

kahan mora prana-natha murali-vadana

kahan karon kahan pan vrajendra-nandana

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 2.15)

“Where is the Lord of My life who is playing His flute? What shall I do now? Where should I go to find the son of Maharaj Nanda?”

There is also a sloka in Srimad Bhagavatam (10.8.46):

nandah kim akarod brahman, sreya evam mahodayam

yasoda cha maha-bhaga, papau yasyah stanam harih

“O brahman, what pious activities did Nanda Maharaj perform to receive the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna as his son? And what pious activities did mother Yasoda perform that made the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna call her ‘Mother’ and suck her breasts?”

The supreme benefit of our life

At the opening of the Chandrodaya Mandir in Mayapur in 1973, I spoke the following sloka:

kam prati kathayitum ise, samprati ko va pratitim ayatu

go-pati-tanaya-kunje, gopa-vadhuti-vitam brahma

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 19.98)

The meaning is, “Whom shall I tell, and who will believe me, when I say that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is playing in the courtyard of Nanda Maharaj? He is playing with gopis and gopa-balakas on the banks of the Yamuna. He is playing in Shyama Kunda, Radha Kunda and in the caves of Giriraj Govardhan. He is fighting in the arena with Kamsa. His pastimes are going on everywhere in madhurya Vrindavan. If one leaves this area, there is no other place one can go to find such pastimes.”

Whoever hears Krishna-lila will be attracted by Krishna and never go to any other place. The Name of Krishna attracts everyone and gives joy to our hearts. This is the meaning of the word “Krishna.”

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, Bhaja Krsna kaha Krsna laha Krsna Nama. This is the way to surrender to Krishna: take the Name of Krishna, surrender to Krishna and give everything to Krishna. You will be supremely benefited in your spiritual life. All the scriptures say this. Never abuse any god or demigod or any incarnation of the Lord, but supremely glorify Lord Krishna.

ete chamsa-kalah pumsah, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam

indrari-vyakulam lokam, mrdayanti yuge yuge

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 1.3.28)

Krishna is the Creator of the whole creation. This is stated in Srimad Bhagavatam and in Sri Brahma-samhita. We must remember this. Chant Hare Krishna, give attention to Krishna and be happy.

• • •

The Logo of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

By His Divine Grace
Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj￼

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, where sankirtan is always going on, is inside Krishna’s flute, and the sound om, which is the very gist meaning of gayatri, comes from Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, radiating merciful rays. Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj explains that everything is found within om—coming from Krishna’s flute, its meaning is “Gayatri muralista-kirtana-dhanam Radha-padam dhimahi. Krishna’s flute does not make any other sound except for the glorification of Srimati Radharani.” That is the real meaning and gist of the gayatri mantram.

The position of the guru is like water; the servitors of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math are like lotuses; and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, worshipped in His divine form of Radha-Krishna (om), is the sun. The sun’s merciful rays nourish the lotus, but if there is no water—if one cannot take shelter of Sri Guru and His grace—then the lotus becomes burnt by the rays of the sun.

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math’s Mission

srimach-chaitanya-sarasvata-mathavara-udgita-kirtir jaya-srim

bibhrat sambhati ganga-tata-nikata-nabadwipa-koladri-raje

yatra sri-gaura-sarasvata-mata-nirata-gaura-gatha grnanti

nityam rupanuga sri-krtamati-guru-gauranga-radha-jitasa

‘At this supremely enchanting divine ashram, destitute and spiritually loving devotees of Sri Gaura-Saraswati, who are expert at favourable practices of Krishna consciousness, constantly chant within their hopeful hearts the glories of Lord Sri Sri Gaurasundar, the greatly magnanimous source of all incarnations of the Lord, following in strict adherence the line of Sri Sri Rupa-Raghunath, the inexhaustible storehouse of the wealth of divine ecstatic consorthood love, and being eternally eager to engage in the loving service of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharva Govindasundar and Their associates. This effulgent and supremely worshippable King among all temples, Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, is situated within Koladwip, which is non-different from Sri Govardhan, the King of Mountains, on the enchanting bank of the revered Bhagirathi River, who rescues all fallen souls, in Sri Nabadwip Dham, a holy abode of touchstones, non-different from Sri Vrindavan. Capturing Jayasri (the Goddess of Victory – Srimati Radharani), it exists eternally, leaving the entire creation of moving and non-moving entities astonished in the extremely cooling and loving shade of the soaring victory flag of its ever-increasing celebrated renown.’

(The translation of the verse is rendered from the original Bengali translation written by Srila B.S. Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj.)

Headquarters
of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Road,

Kolerganj, W.Bengal, 741302

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Bhanjipur, Tarakeshwar,

Hooghly, West Bengal, 712410

Phone: +91 96093 02310

Please see scsmathinternational.com for other addresses in India and worldwide.

Books and Publications of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

(English language)

(Available at scsmathinternational.com)

By Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj:

Search for Sri Krishna Reality the Beautiful

Sri Guru and His Grace

The Golden Volcano of Divine Love

Subjective Evolution of Consciousness

Loving Search for the Lost Servant

Centenary Anthology

Divine Aspiration

Exclusive Guardianship

Golden Staircase

Heart and Halo

Holy Engagement

Home Comfort

Inner Fulfillment

Ocean of Nectar

Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamaritam

Sri Sri Prema-dhama-devam Stotram

Sermons of the Guardian of Devotion – Volumes I, II, III, IV

By Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj:

Divine Servitor

Dignity of the Divine Servitor

Divine Guidance

Golden Reflections

The Benedictine Tree of Divine Aspiration

Affectionate Guidance

Life’s Destination

In Search of the Original Source

Nectarean Glories of Sri Nityananda Prabhu

Religion of the Heart

Revealed Truth

By Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj:

Guidance – Volumes I, II, III, IV

Guidance (Issues 1–30): collections of lectures (electronic)

Sri Nabadwip Dham Mahatmya-mukta-mala

By Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur:

Saranagati

Sri Nabadwip Dham Mahatmya

Dasa-mula Tattva

The Bhagavata

Other scriptures:

Sri Gaudiya Gitanjali (Kirtan Guide)

Holy Name and Offences to Be Avoided

Service Life

Srimad Bhagavad-gita

Sri Sri Prema-vivarta

Sri Brahma-samhita

(Many more publications in various languages are available at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math in India and abroad. Please contact any of the Mission’s temples for further information.)