Srimad Bhagavatam 11.12.10 | HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj | ISKCON Chennai | 8 June 2021
jaya rādhā-mādhava kuñja-vihārī
gopījana-vallabha giri-vara-dhārī
yaśodā-nandana vraja-jana-rañjana
yamunā-tīra-vana-cārī
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
Jaya Prabhupāda Jaya Prabhupāda
Prabhupāda Jaya Prabhupāda
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
jaya śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
Reading from Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 11 Chapter 12 Verse 10.
ŚB 11.12.10
rāmeṇa sārdhaṁ mathurāṁ praṇīte
śvāphalkinā mayy anurakta-cittāḥ
vigāḍha-bhāvena na me viyoga-
tīvrādhayo ’nyaṁ dadṛśuḥ sukhāya
Synonyms
rāmeṇa — with Balarāma; sārdham — with; mathurām — to the city of Mathurā; praṇīte — when brought; śvāphalkinā — by Akrūra; mayi — Myself; anurakta — constantly attached; cittāḥ — those whose consciousness was; vigāḍha — extremely deep; bhāvena — by love; na — not; me — than Me; viyoga — of separation; tīvra — intense; ādhayaḥ — who were experiencing mental distress, anxiety; anyam — other; dadṛśuḥ — they saw; sukhāya — that could make them happy.
Translation
The residents of Vṛndāvana, headed by the gopīs, were always completely attached to Me with deepest love. Therefore, when My uncle Akrūra brought My brother Balarāma and Me to the city of Mathurā, the residents of Vṛndāvana suffered extreme mental distress because of separation from Me and could not find any other source of happiness.
Purport
This verse especially describes the sentiments of the cowherd girls of Vṛndāvana, the gopīs, and Lord Kṛṣṇa here reveals the incomparable love they felt for Him. As explained in the Tenth Canto, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s uncle Akrūra, sent by Kaṁsa, came to Vṛndāvana and took Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma back to Mathurā for a wrestling event. The gopīs loved Lord Kṛṣṇa so much that in His absence their consciousness was completely absorbed in spiritual love. Thus their Kṛṣṇa consciousness is considered the highest perfectional stage of life. They were always expecting that Lord Kṛṣṇa would finish His business of killing demons and return to them, and therefore their anxiety was an extremely moving, heartrending display of love. Anyone desiring true happiness must take to the devotional service of the Lord in the spirit of the gopīs, giving up everything for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj:
So, there has been discussion of the process of bhakti and how bhakti is more pleasing than other processes. Then we also know within bhakti, we have different rasas and of rasas, madhurya rasa is considered to be the highest. This of course, is the conclusion of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and people in the Gaudiya sampradaya. Other groups, then they don’t consider that madhurya rasa is the highest. And some people cannot appreciate it at all. In the material world, we have material rasa. And this is analyzed by Bharat Muni and other literaries. And in those, among the rasas, they don’t have 12 rasas. I think they have 9 rasas or something.
So, of all the rasas, the greatest one is santa rasa. So, then among spiritualists, we find that many people take to dasya rasa. So, we find in Ramanuja’s and Madhva sampradaya, dasya is more prominent. So, then why do we glorify madhurya rasa? So, the answer is in the Bhagavatam. The Bhagavatam glorifies the Gopis. And here we have an example of the glorification of the Gopis’ love. He’s been talking about bhakti and then suddenly He mentions the Gopis. Why not mention the other people like Nanda and Yasoda and the Cowherd boys? But for Krishna, then His mind was most absorbed in the Gopis. And that was because the Gopis were most absorbed in Him. This indicates the very exalted nature of the love of the Gopis.
So, we see in the Bhagavatam, ultimately the 10th canto becomes the main source of commentaries for our Acharyas. And then in the 10th canto, the chapters on Rasa-lila, they have the most commentary of all. And of course, we also know that over and over, we find reference to the love of the Gopis. And that is an example here. So not only in Bhagavatam. Of course, Bhagavatam we take it as our main text, but in other works also we find this becomes very prominent. So, the whole of the Brhad Bhagavatamrta, a work written by Sanatana Goswami is a glorification of madhurya rasa also. So, the question is asked, who gets the most mercy? So, Narada Muni goes throughout the universe, beyond the universe, and asks this question to various devotees. And then finally he understands that the Gopis are the highest devotees, they get the most mercy. Narada Muni of course, isn’t in madhurya rasa, he’s in dasya rasa.
And then in the second story of Brhad Bhagavatamrta, then we see that Gopa Kumar is striving to meet Krishna. After travelling through material world and the upper world, Swarga loka, Brahma loka, Shiva loka, Vaikuntha etc, finally he comes to Goloka. And there again he understands that the love of the Gopis is the highest. But Gopa kumar himself was only in sakhya rasa, he still glorifies the Gopis. So, the madhurya rasa becomes the subject of Brhad Bhagavatamrta because this is so to speak the essence of the Bhagavatam.
So, of course, in the Bhagavatam we have many other stories and many other rasas. And all of this is presented because not everybody is going to take the madhurya rasa. So, therefore, various alternatives or choices are given to the aspiring devotees. But ultimately, then we find the madhurya rasa is the most glorified. So, what is so wonderful about madhurya rasa? So, in this rasa, the Prema becomes most intense. So, the goal of the devotee is Prema. But within Prema, there are various levels of intensity. So, these are discussed in the works of Rupa Goswami. So, they are briefly discussed in the Nectar of Devotion. So, one goes from Bhava to Prema. And Prema is more intense than Bhava. But higher than Prema is Sneha or affection. And higher than that is Pranaya, which is more familiar affection. And higher than that is Raga. Anuraga. And higher than that is Mahabhava.
So, as we progress through these different stages, the feelings become more and more intense. This means that the attachment to Krishna, the willingness to give everything to Krishna becomes more and more intense. And corresponding to that, Krishna also, His love becomes more and more intense. So, in this way, we have madhurya rasa at the very top of intensity. Is at the very top. Within madhurya rasa itself, there are also various intensities. That is, different Gopis have different intensities of madhurya rasa. And at the very top, we have Radha and her group. They have the most intense madhurya rasa. And then, of course, the leader of the group, Radha has the most intense madhurya rasa.
So, in this way, there are various intensities of devotion or Prema until we get to the highest personality or that is Radha. So, Caitanya Mahaprabhu comes to the world to bestow this type of love to the people of kali yuga. So, this is a little bit impossible to do because the people are the most disqualified. Of course, even if it’s not kali yuga, it is rare that people can experience and appreciate madhurya rasa and Radha’s love. Just as in the material world, the rarest objects are not available for everybody.
A huge diamond of good quality is not available in the normal market. Nobody will even see such a diamond displayed in the market. And of course, even real diamonds of any sort are also there, but not everyone cannot just come and pick them up and look at them and whatever, behind you know, protection [Laughs]. So, most people don’t even settle for real jewels. They have imitation jewels [Laughs]. So, to appreciate and to attain madhurya rasa and understand Radha’s love, that’s very, very rare. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu is eager to give this to the people of kali yuga. So, He does this by distributing the Holy Name.
So, the Holy Name is available to everyone in kali yuga. So, through Harinama, then people can attain the highest goal. Of course, we also have to worship Caitanya Mahaprabhu to do that. And we have to have knowledge. So, therefore, Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommends that we hear Srimad Bhagavatam. So, Caitanya Mahaprabhu gives us a method by which we can attain that very, very rare jewels. And so, the result for us is, we can also attain the most intense Prema.
So, here it also mentions the separation. Which is called viyoga. So, this look appears to be suffering. This is actually part of Prema. People will ask why Krishna goes away and makes the people of Vrindavan and the Gopis suffer. So, actually, He goes away so they can experience Prema. So, within that separation, the Gopis will experience the highest bliss. But from the external point of view, it appears they are suffering.
So, it is said that we cannot understand what is the nature of that bliss in separation. But nevertheless, that separation is also glorified in the Bhagavatam. In separation, the feelings of love become even more intense than in union. So, in that separation, the willingness to give everything to Krishna and the surrender to Krishna becomes very, very prominent. Therefore, we should not criticize Krishna for leaving Vrindavan and making everyone suffer. The suffering is only an appearance. And it creates some variety within their Prema.
Okay. Hare Krishna!
Q & A :
1.) Maharaj, I was just wondering that, when you are talking about, if we worship Mahaprabhu to attain that stage of Prema. While I think the general understanding is that we seek the Krishna Prema, that being the highest goal. However, following Mahaprabhu and worshipping Him, He Himself is seeking Radha Prema. So, in that sense, are we seeking Radha Prema or is it Krishna Prema Maharaj? Or is it both the same thing?
So, when we say Krishna Prema, it can mean Prema for Krishna. So, of course, Radha has Prema for Krishna also. So, we experience something like her Prema for Krishna.
Devotee: What is the last word, Maharaj?
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: We feel something like Radha’s Prema for Krishna. In other words, Radha has Krishna Prema [Laughs]. So that is one way of interpreting that word Krishna Prema. But of course, some devotees are more dedicated to Radha. Of course they give respect and they love both but they give more prominence to Radha. And they cultivate a relationship of service to her. And some devotees are in between. They’re equal [Laughs] equal, equal attraction for Krishna and Radha. But there is never exclusion, only Radha and not Krishna at all. That doesn’t exist. Or only Krishna and not Radha doesn’t exist either.
2.) Hare Krishna Maharaj. Dandavat pranams. When the Gopis never felt Krishna as Bhagawan, they could express their love as in the madhurya rasa. But as a sadhaka, when we see Krishna as a Supreme Personality of Godhead, the question is how to come to that level to see Him not as Supreme Personality of Godhead and attain that madhurya rasa and how to remove this impediment of seeing Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead?
One can experience madhurya rasa even with seeing Him as Supreme Lord, in the case as the queens of Dwaraka. So by worshipping Krishna with an idea of madhurya rasa but with vaidhi bhakti then one can become like the queens of Dwaraka. Or if one is worshipping the Cowherd boy form of Krishna with vaidhi bhakti and madhurya rasa then one can attain Aishwarya Goloka and have madhurya rasa there. So by practicing Raganuga bhakti, then one attains Goloka and there, there is no feeling of Krishna as Supreme Lord and then one can experience madhurya rasa there.
3.) In what mode should we approach worshipping Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the Deity form?
So in our stage we are doing Archana through vaidhi bhakti. And this is predominated by dasya rasa.
4.) This is specifically the question of the rasa between Krishna and the Gopis in Krishna’s Prakat and Aprakat lila. So in the Prakat pastimes Gopis were thinking of Krishna as their lover and in the Aprakat pastimes they attained Him, as in Gopis attained Krishna as eternal consorts, as husband. So in this connection Srila Jiva Goswami in his commentary Laghu Vaishnava Tosani says that the Gopis could not distinguish Prakat and Aprakat pastimes because of the non-difference with the pastimes of the Prakat manifestations. So the question Maharaj is, the Bhava towards Krishna of Gopis, it seems it was different in these. How the Gopis could not find any difference between these Prakat and Aprakat Leelas?
So their identity of Aprakat and Aprakat pastimes is that they were identical. They could see no difference. So just as they are experiencing now, then they would experience Krishna there also. So though sometimes Jiva Goswami argues for the Aprakat pastime being eternal and therefore there is a married form of Krishna and the Gopis, at the same time Vishwanath interprets the whole idea of this Aprakat is that even the Parakiya rasa is also eternal. So in other words, they have two forms [Laughs], they have Svakiya and Parakiya.
5.) If a devotee sincerely chants the Hare Krishna Mahamantra without offenses, simultaneously worshipping Radha Krishna, Caitanya Mahaprabhu and reads Bhagavatam, how many births he will take to go back to Godhead and can he go in one lifetime or does it depend on devotee‘s devotion on a case to case basis?
So we find both examples in the Bhagavatam.
Devotee: Sorry Maharaj, there was an interruption. Sorry Maharaj.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: We find examples of both in the Bhagavatam. Some attain the Lord after giving up this body. An example is Ajamila. Then we have examples of others that attain the Lord after several lifetimes. An example is Bharata Maharaj. So it depends upon the performance of the devotee and the mercy of the Lord.
6.) How much do the associates of Lord Caitanya and Nityananda exhibit different levels of Prema?
So, many of those associates are Nitya Siddhas. And therefore, their Prema will be according to their particular relationship with the Lord. So, Gadadhara Pandit is none other than Radha, so she has Mahabhava [Laughs]. Others were in dasya, others were in sakhya, others were in vatsalya. So therefore they would have various degrees of Sneha, Pranaya, Raga, Anuraga etc.
7.) We see in Vrindavan that the inhabitants of Vrindavan are more attached to Radharani than to anybody else, even Krishna. So can you please kindly elaborate on this?
Well, I explained that, some are more attached to Radha, some are more attached to Krishna, some are attached to both equally.
8.) Hare Krishna Maharaj, one who worships Krishna and one who remembers Krishna at the time of death, are they reaching Godhead? What is their destination? Hare Krishna.
It will depend on how advanced they are. If they are kanishtha bhakta and they remember the Lord, their remembrance is not very intense. If they are in Prema and they remember the Lord, fine, then they go to Krishna. So if they have not attained Prema, they may have to take another birth.
9.) Maharaj, in the context of Vipralambha, gives highest bliss. If a devotee is in separation and as a result is experiencing highest bliss, is it proper to understand that there is another devotee who is actually being with Krishna is experiencing a lesser bliss comparatively?
Well, if we assume that the person who is experiencing Vipralambha is in Prema, then fine, then it is very intense. So, with all the rasas, there may be separation and there is separation. We don’t call Vipralambha, that is considered for madhurya rasa, but in others we call it Viyoga. Yasoda and Nanda experience this separation when Krishna went Mathura. The Cowherd boys also did. And even when Krishna doesn’t go to Vrindavan, there is also separation. When Krishna goes to the fields in the morning, then Nanda and Yasoda are separated from Krishna. So it is in the pastimes, there’s always separation and union in all rasas.
10.) Maharaj, with respect to studying the scriptures, this question from Kalanidhi Prabhu, sometimes time constrains us to choose between an extensive study and other than a study which is more scrutinizing because of time constraints. So if you could kindly guide us Maharaj on this.
It will depend on what is useful for one’s own advancement. And different people have different needs.
11.) Hare Krishna Maharaj, Narada Muni is in dasya bhava, who in turn instructed Vyasadev. So how can Srimad Bhagavatam give madhurya rasa when Guru is in dasya mood?
So though Narada Muni is in dasya rasa, that does not exclude him from inspiring or explaining madhurya rasa. And the same goes for Vyasadev himself. But if we see that, it was Sukadeva who actually relished that madhurya rasa the most. So a person of any rasa can appreciate that madhurya rasa, but then again to relish it, then one has to be of a certain qualification.
12.) Maharaj, after initiation, suppose the disciple fails to follow the regulative principles inspite of trying to correct himself or herself many times, and not able to follow the order of Guru. In that case, can the Guru reject his disciple? That is part A. Part B is, if Guru accepts the karma, does he accept the karma? If he accepts, then if the disciple rejects the Guru, will the karma dissolve and the karma connection broken? Will it be broken and will the disciple has to be born again to deliver? Or is the Guru has to be born again to deliver his disciple in future births?
So the Guru may reject disciple if he finds he is hopeless and if he becomes an aparadhi. Once that connection is broken, then he doesn’t suffer anything. Of course, the process of bhakti will destroy all suffering also.
13.) To attain spirituality and leave our housely relationship, is it acceptable? Do we have any responsibility for our parents or it is okay to walk on the path of God? Aren’t we accountable to pain of our parents? Please guide me, Maharaj.
Within reasonable limits, we have a responsibility to parents and family etc. So, we have to fulfill those responsibilities. We should not use bhakti as an excuse to avoid those responsibilities. At the same time, we have to see what is favourable for our devotional development.
14.) Hare Krishna pranams, dandavat pranams Maharaj. So, if one does not come to Prema bhava he or she cannot go back home, back to Godhead? So, until Prema, he has to take birth again and again?
So, the devotee simply prays that birth after birth, may I serve the Lord somehow or other. And he doesn’t worry about how many births he is taking.
Devotees: Grantharaj Srimad Bhagavatam ki jai!!! HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj ki jai!!! His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada ki jai!!! Nitai Gaura premanande Hari Haribol!!!