Srimad Bhagavatam 11.12.11 | HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj | ISKCON Chennai | 10 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 11.
ŚB 11.12.11
tās tāḥ kṣapāḥ preṣṭhatamena nītā
mayaiva vṛndāvana-gocareṇa
kṣaṇārdha-vat tāḥ punar aṅga tāsāṁ
hīnā mayā kalpa-samā babhūvuḥ
Synonyms
tāḥ tāḥ — all those; kṣapāḥ — nights; preṣṭha-tamena — with the most dearly beloved; nītāḥ — spent; mayā — with Me; eva — indeed; vṛndāvana — in Vṛndāvana; go-careṇa — who can be known; kṣaṇa — a moment; ardha-vat — like half; tāḥ — those very nights; punaḥ — again; aṅga — dear Uddhava; tāsām — for the gopīs; hīnāḥ — bereft; mayā — of Me; kalpa — a day of Brahmā (4,320,000,000 years); samāḥ — equal to; babhūvuḥ — became.
Translation
Dear Uddhava, all of those nights that the gopīs spent with Me, their most dearly beloved, in the land of Vṛndāvana seemed to them to pass in less than a moment. Bereft of My association, however, the gopīs felt that those same nights dragged on forever, as if each night were equal to a day of Brahmā.
Purport
Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī comments as follows. “The gopīs suffered extreme anxiety in the absence of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and though outwardly appearing bewildered, they actually achieved the highest perfectional stage of samādhi. Their consciousness was intensely and intimately attached to Lord Kṛṣṇa, and by such Kṛṣṇa consciousness their own bodies seemed very far away from them, even though people normally consider their body to be their closest possession. In fact, the gopīs did not think about their own existence. Although a young woman normally considers her husband and children to be her dearmost possessions, the gopīs did not even consider the existence of their so-called families. Nor could they think of this world or life after death. Indeed, they were not at all aware of these things. Just like great sages who become detached from the names and forms of the material world, the gopīs could not think of anything, because they were rapt in loving remembrance of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Just as rivers enter the ocean, similarly, the gopīs completely merged into consciousness of Lord Kṛṣṇa through intense love.”
Thus a day of Brahmā seemed like a single moment for the gopīs when Lord Kṛṣṇa was present with them, and a single moment seemed like a day of Brahmā when Lord Kṛṣṇa was absent. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness of the gopīs is the perfection of spiritual life, and the symptoms of such perfection are described here.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj:
So not only is Krishna describing the Gopis Bhava and whatever, He is also describing the topmost devotees of all. So Krishna has explained all about how exalted devotional service is. Now He is going to the topmost level and He is describing the Gopis. So, this is of course, not improper because Uddhava was a very close associate of the Lord. He was so close that Krishna sent Uddhava to give a message to the Gopis. Of course, Uddhava was a counsellor, an advisor for Krishna. He also got the teachings from Brihaspati. So therefore he had a lot of knowledge. More than that, he could appreciate the sentiments of the people of Vrindavan. Therefore, he was suitable to deliver a message to the Gopis and to Nanda and Yasoda also. And when he saw the people of Vrindavan and he saw the Gopis, then he understood why Krishna was always thinking of them. They were the highest devotees. And therefore, when he talks here to Uddhava, Uddhava can also understand the nature of the Gopis’ love.
So all devotees are attached to the Lord. And those in Prema are very attached. So the definition of Prema is that, the person will overcome all obstacles in order to meet the Lord. However, if we go to higher and higher levels of Prema, then we get more and more qualities attached to that Prema. So each stage manifests a particular extra quality. So the quality that manifests in Mahabhava, these are very special qualities that don’t appear in the other stages. So here we see some of those qualities. So one of these qualities is that if one is with Krishna, then a long time seems to be like a moment. And in separation from Krishna, a moment seems like a yuga. So this is a perception of time due to the experience of love. A long time in happiness passes like a moment. And a short time in distress seems like a long, long time. So of course, we have the same experience in the material world. But these relationships of the devotees, in particular the Gopis are not material at all. And of course, there is no time. But nevertheless, we do have a sense of time for carrying out pastimes.
So in one sense, time and space are adjustable according to the pastimes. And therefore, short periods of time can suddenly be very, very long. And long periods of time can become very short. So, Krishna enjoyed with the Gopis in the Rasa-lila. And it said, because of the enjoyment, he spread out that night to be like a night of Brahma. And we see the opposite, when a moment of separation, like the blinking of the eyelids, so you cannot see Krishna, is like a yuga. So this indicates the intensity of the love. And because of that intensity, then time changes it’s dimensions.
Of course, we can say the same thing happens to space. Vrindavan has got a limit that is so many kilometers wide. But since it’s also the spiritual world, Goloka actually is unlimited. And therefore, everything in the spiritual world can fit within Vrindavan. So millions and millions of Gopis can fit within the Rasa-lila in Vrindavan inspite of the fact that Vrindavan actually is not very big at all. So, therefore, we should understand that we cannot compare material world with the spiritual world. The reality in the spiritual world is based upon Prema, not upon limited dimensions. So time and space are adjusted simply because of Prema.
So the symptoms of love, as I said, get more and more intense as the devotees develop more and more Prema. So the symptoms of, in madhurya rasa are more intense than the other rasas. And in the madhurya rasa, the madhurya rasa of the Gopis is more intense than the rasa of the queens of Dwaraka. And in Vrindavan itself, among the Gopis, then we have various intensities of madhurya rasa. And then the most intense is the Prema of Mahabhava of the Gopis and Radha, her immediate Gopis.
Okay. So, as described the unique qualities of Radha’s Prema or Mahabhava are described, they’re mentioned in the Caitanya Caritamrta and in the Ujjwala Nilamani. So those characteristics are unique to Radha. No one else has those qualities. So in this way by the symptoms we can see the intensity of the [Not audible]. And ultimately the more intense that Prema, then the more intense is the bliss. So, Krishna experiences the most intense bliss with Radha. And Radha experiences the most intense bliss with Krishna. So that relationship is the highest of all. And therefore, it’s the most worshippable. And that’s why we worship Radha and Krishna. So this is also the highest. And because it’s the highest, it’s also rarest to appreciate. So difficult that, even Lakshmi cannot get the same love that the Gopis have. What to speak of Brahma and Shiva and others. So because it is so difficult to get and difficult to understand, it is considered to be very very rare. Yet the Srimad Bhagavatam reveals this to the people of kali yuga. Of course, not all people are qualified for the Bhagavatam in kali yuga.
So at the beginning of the Bhagavatam there it says, this is, this Bhagavatam is for people who have no envy. Yet Sukadeva spoke this Bhagavatam and there were all sorts of sages gathered there, many of whom are not qualified for this highest truth. So he wanted to tell Parikshit Maharaj the highest, highest, highest thing at the same time, how does he present this to all the other people who are not qualified? And for that reason sometimes statements are covered or hidden.
So it takes some intelligence to understand the real meaning. And for that reason when Sukadeva Goswami describes the Rasa-lila, he doesn’t mention any names of Gopis at all. And for that reason when Sukadeva Goswami describes the Rasalila, he doesn’t mention any names of Gopis at all. But then by looking at the symptoms of different Gopis, we can begin to identify them. And he doesn’t even mention Radha’s name directly. Yet through the descriptions we can understand that Krishna left the Rasa-lila with one particular Gopi. So, without telling the name, we can understand that is Radha. So in this way, Sukadeva Goswami explains or describes the highest truth but it is hidden to some extent. So it requires some good intelligence to understand the real meaning.
In this way we have to approach scripture little carefully also. We cannot expect the highest truth to be revealed directly. They are available to those who are qualified. If unqualified people study and hear these scriptures, they will get a different meaning. And in this way we can say they poison the milk. So therefore, we have statements like this which obviously indicate the elevated nature of the Gopis but here we see Radha is not really mentioned directly at all. But that should not make us conclude that Radha is not there. Because as I said, Sukadeva doesn’t reveal everything directly.
So here we have an indication of Krishna’s attraction to the Gopis because he directly mentions at least all the Gopis. Rather than mention all the other people he is mentioning the Gopis. So because the Gopis are so absorbed in Krishna, Krishna is also absorbed in them. This does not mean therefore Krishna forgets other devotees. He never forgets any of the people in Vrindavan. He never forgets any of the people in Dwaraka. And even as Vishnu in Vaikuntha, he never forgets any of the devotees there.
Nevertheless according to the devotee, Krishna remembers them in a different way. Those remembrances of the Gopis is the most intense remembrance of Krishna. That is in response to the Gopis’ intense remembrance of Krishna. In Bhagavad Gita, Krishna also mentions this. So there he says, accordingly you surrendered to Me, I will respond to you. So there is never any fault in the way in which Krishna responds to any of the devotee. But with, the higher the devotee is, the more intensely He remembers.
So, in this way we do not attribute any fault to Krishna. So this is often described by our Acharyas, you should not find fault in Krishna. He deals with each devotee so that, that devotee is fully satisfied. And thus we don’t criticize the Lord at all. But if we looked objectively, then we would say, oh Krishna is paying more attention to the Gopis, not paying so much attention to Nanda and Yasoda and the Cowherd boys. That is not true. Krishna responds to them and they are fully satisfied in His response.
Hare Krishna!
Q & A :
1.) Maharaj, with respect to this madhurya Prema, you have explained about various divisions within madhurya Prema. Up to what level a jiva can attain within these divisions? Because there is up to Mahabhava as you mentioned which is possessed by Srimati Radharani. So upto what level a jiva can attain?
So, in some places it says that the queens of Dwaraka do not get to the Mahabhava stage. They get upto Anuraga. But then in other places it also says that this Mahabhava is reserved for Radha and her group of Gopis. And there are certain aspects of Mahabhava which only Radha experiences. So, if a jiva aspires into sadhana and attains a position of madhurya rasa in the spiritual world, it is possible to experience something of this, but not as complete as those Nitya Siddha devotees.
2.) Maharaj, this is about Srila Rupa Goswami, Srila Jayadeva Goswami, all these great devotees compiling about the Supreme Lord’s lilas. So, the question is, are these pastimes eternally going on in the spiritual world and Rupa Goswami, Jayadeva Goswami were able to see them in their spiritual vision and they were able to write it or how it actually happened?
So all pastimes are eternal. If one attains Prema, then realizes many of these pastimes. And then with their skill, they can convey that realization through their literary works.
3.) Maharaj, can we say all the devotees of Vrindavan in various Bhavas are higher than those in Dwaraka and Mathura?
Well, that is the conclusion of Uddhava, also the conclusion of Lord Brahma.
4.) What are the exact symptoms of a person in Bhava?
Well, externally we can say he is completely attached to hearing about Krishna and chanting Krishna’s name and completely detached from anything in the material world. And he is completely, we can say absorbed in Krishna at all times. Sometimes that person will exhibit ecstatic symptoms like crying or shivering or fainting. But it is not complete as a person in Prema. So a person in Prema has an intense experience of Krishna and therefore these symptoms such as crying and fainting and shivering etc. are more continuous.
5.) We often read that even matha Lakshmi Devi was not able to attain the madhurya Prema of Vrajavasis particularly the Gopis and Srimati Radharani. Meanwhile, we also read that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared to give this prema freely to everyone. So while in one side, great devotee like consort is not able to attain that and how about the fallen people of kali yuga. So how to understand this? Can you please tell me?
So, of course, Lakshmi is in a special position and she cannot change her position [Laughs]. She is the consort of Vishnu. Therefore, in that relationship, her sentiments and emotions are limited. Those who get the mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, then they can develop the same mood as the people in Vrindavan and then they can enter into those pastimes. But the devotees who do attain this would never consider, oh, I’m superior to Lakshmi. Lakshmi is actually an eternal expansion of Radha and with Hladini shakti. But nevertheless, the devotee who gets the mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu during sadhana, then he can experience the madhuriya Prema of Vrindavan, which Lakshmi cannot.
6.) Maharaj, the next question is also about attaining rasa. Sadhana Siddhas never attain the same rasa as experienced by Nitya Siddhas in Goloka. So can you please explain this to us?
Those who are doing sadhana, they follow after some Nitya Siddha. So then they develop a similar type of rasa. So nothing can ever be exact because every jiva is individual. Once one attains the spiritual world, there is no real distinction between Nitya Siddhas and Sadhana Siddhas. And they are all eternal.
7.) We see that Sukadeva Goswami is described to be in santa rasa. But he explains about madhuriya rasa. So rasa of devotee can’t be changed?
Sukadeva Goswami, when he was in the womb, he was not even in rasa, he was in Brahman. But by mercy of Krishna and his father, then he went beyond Brahman and he developed rasa. Those who have santa rasa do not appreciate madhurya rasa very much. They want a peaceful relationship. They want a peaceful relationship. Therefore it is called santa. Of all the other rasas, madhurya rasa is not peaceful, it’s the most disturbed. There are intense feelings. The one in santa rasa does not appreciate that. So to mix the two rasas is considered rasa abhas.
8.) Maharaj, is sakhya rasa greater than the madhurya of Dwaraka queens?
Well, in one sense greater because it’s more intimate. However, because it is madhurya rasa, those queens in Dwaraka, at least they didn’t experience Mahabhava, but they experienced Anuraga. Whereas sakhya rasa usually goes up to the stage of Pranaya. However, we also have descriptions that some of the Gopas, some of the Cowherd boys, they act and go out and experience Mahabhava [Laughs].
9.) This is about judging Vaishnava’s surrender. Whether is it okay to judge about the surrender of Vaishnavas?
So, the madhyama adhikari makes distinctions. He makes distinctions between the demons and the less advanced devotees or kanishthas, equal devotees and superior devotees. And based on those distinctions, then he treats them differently.
10.) How much it is important for the devotees to observe the rules of solar and lunar eclipses?
Well, Srila Prabhupada didn’t pay too much attention to it. But just to observe local custom, we can observe it.
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!!!