Sri Jagannath Sravan Utsav 2025 | Bhajana Rahasya – Siksastakam | Day 2 | Jun 8, 2025 |
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj
nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracharine
nirvishesha-shunyavadi-pashchatya-desha-tarine
jaya sri-krishna-chaitanya
prabhu nityananda
sri-adwaita gadadhara
shrivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
So this is one explanation of the mantra, but of course there are many other explanations given by other Acharyas. So there is one book called Maha mantra vyakhya, which is a collection of the different meanings of Hare Krishna by different Acharyas. And it has the explanations of Jiva Goswami, Raghunatha Goswami, Gopal guru Goswami and Bhaktivinoda Thakur.
And I mentioned that it is also related to the 8 parts of the day which is often used in Raganuga bhakti in meditating on the pastimes of Radha and Krishna, so the 8 parts of the day are end of the night, the rest is listed here.
So throughout the day, one can meditate on the pastimes of Radha and Krishna according to the pastimes taking place in different parts of the day. In this work, Bhaktivinoda Thakur just quotes one verse for each shloka of the Siksastaka [Laughs].
However, other works like Govinda Lilamrita, Krishnahnika Kaumudi, Krishna Bhavanamrita by Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakura and kind of a collection of many different sources including the above, Bhavana sara sangraha all explain the details of each of these pastimes of the different parts of the day.
Okay, so we covered the first two verses here. Oh, actually [Laughs] I don’t think I mentioned it. Okay. Yeah, actually along with the first verse which was Shraddha etc. This is also the first pastime which is at the end of night in the pastimes of Radha and Krishna.
So here we have a description at the end of night where Radha and Krishna are in the bower and they are sleeping and they get woken up by the monkeys chattering and the parrots screaming [Laughs]. And then they have to hurry home before Yashoda wakes up [Laughs].
And then the second verse has to do with the morning pastimes. So this, of course Krishna then goes home and wakes up, mother Yashoda wakes him up actually and then she bathes him and dresses him and decorates him etc and then Krishna goes out to milk the cows in the morning and comes back and have breakfast [Laughs].
Verse 3:
Okay, so we go on to the third verse, the very famous verse.
tṛṇād api su-nīcena
taror iva sahiṣṇunā
amāninā māna-dena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
So this is a very famous verse, also a very important verse. And in Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s work, Bhajana rahasya, he’s equating this with Nistha.
And in this verse, the four different qualities of a devotee are mentioned.
- So one is being lower than a blade of grass, which means very humble.
- To be very tolerant like a tree, which illustrates great compassion.
- No desire for personal honor.
- And giving respect to all living entities.
So then the verse says that one can sing the glories of the Lord constantly if one has these qualities.
So if we examine these qualities, we see actually they are inherent in Bhakti. If we have faith in Bhakti and we begin the process, but we don’t have these qualities, it’s very difficult, it’s like a false type of Bhakti. So acceptance of Bhakti means we accept that we are simply a servant of the Supreme Lord. And of course we’re very unqualified as a servant. So there’s a natural sense of humility.
Of course, in Brhad bhagavatamrta, there Sanatana Goswami points out that this humility or what they call Dainya is very remarkable in the advanced devotees. So if we take the most advanced devotee, which is Radha, then she has the most Dainya. So it becomes an essential part of Bhakti itself.
So tolerance, of course, means that one doesn’t complain under any condition. And the reason one does not complain is that one, of course, is not attached to material conditions of the body. And one is respectful to all living entities. So this is also very essential to the process of Bhakti. And of course, humility and indifference to honor go together, because if you are humble [Laughs], you don’t expect to be worshipped.
So there’s a definition of surrender. This is the famous definition, which has six qualities in it. And the last quality is Karpanya, meaning feeling very low. And Jiva Goswami says in Bhakti Sandarbha that this surrender is the first anga of Bhakti. So then again, at the beginning of Bhakti, we do have to have this humility.
So Sahisnuna or tolerance is of two types. So the example is given of the tree. So the tree simply stands there, and you may cut the tree or break off a branch or not give it water or whatever, and the tree does not complain. This, of course, is also a quality of a devotee. And the other quality of tolerance is that it gives to anyone. So if it has fruit, it gives the fruit to anyone. It gives shelter if it’s raining or if there’s too much heat. So in this way, it doesn’t complain again. So a devotee will have these qualities naturally.
The one of having no desire for respect indicates that the devotee has no pride. And he respects all living entities because he knows, like he himself, they’re all ultimately servants of the Lord.
This quality, of course, maybe we will think, oh, this means too much compassion, etc. Looks like humanitarian type of attitude. And Prabhupada often quotes this idea of simply helping people because they’re suffering, and he sometimes criticizes it. But if we look in Bhagavatam, we will see in the teachings of Kapila, he emphasizes often this compassion for other living entities. So this little section ends with another quote from the pastimes of Radha and Krishna.
So this, I would say, morning after getting up, etc. in the morning, then Krishna departs and goes into the forest. There’s many descriptions of how when Krishna departs, then Nanda and Yashoda and all the cowherd people are feeling great pain because they’re separating from Krishna. And they want to follow Krishna. And they can’t stop, but then Krishna finally says, you have to go back. So in the morning, then Krishna has pastimes with the cowherd boys. And meanwhile, the gopis like Radha, they leave the house and they go for worship of the sun god. So that’s the third verse.
Verse 4:
Okay. So here we have this verse ‘na dhanam na janam na sundarim’, in this verse Bhaktivinoda Thakur represents ruci, of course in an opposite way in one sense because it says I don’t have attraction for anything material.
So in the material world, everybody is stuck in the material world, birth after birth, because we have material taste and attachment. So it may be attachment to wealth, to followers, to women, to artistry or poetry or knowledge, etc. So these are not favorable for the development of bhakti.
And in fact, in Bhagavatam it is mentioned, qualification for bhakti is not too much attachment to material enjoyment. So it doesn’t say we have to have no attachment, because that’s rather impossible at the beginning stage of bhakti, but it can’t be too strong. Nevertheless, in the beginning stages of bhakti, we will have many anarthas.
So we discussed that previously, the different anarthas that can arise in the process of bhakti. And that’s because of material attachment. But as we do bhakti, we have anartha nivritti, the anarthas gradually become weaker and weaker. So the process of bhakti itself will gradually weaken these attractions. How does it do that? It does that because the process of bhakti begins to destroy the anarthas. We mentioned that the process of bhakti destroys all suffering, destroys karma, destroys desires, destroys ignorance. So this desire for wealth or followers, etc., is all because of ignorance and desires etc. The process of bhakti will destroy all of that.
But we shouldn’t think that this is the goal of bhakti. Often we say okay bhakti destroys karma and we like to glorify that. So it is true, but that’s not the goal of bhakti. It’s a side effect of bhakti only. So, yes, bhakti, chanting the holy name, destroys karma, but the real effect is we develop attraction for Krishna. The more we develop that attraction to Krishna, the more the anarthas and attraction to material energy are destroyed. So by doing bhakti simultaneously we destroy material attraction and we develop attraction for Krishna. But the attraction to Krishna is the real goal. And the consequent result is we give up our material attraction.
So there are many verses to express that the material attraction is an obstacle to developing taste. So, for instance, Padma Purana says, within the heart of one who is full of anger and pride or lamentation on the state of his wife and sons because he has too much attachments, there’s no possibility of Krishna manifesting [Laughs]. Also, even in the preliminary angas of bhakti, we have this type of attitude emphasized.
So there are 64 angas of bhakti and we have 10, within that 64 we have 10 preliminary angas. So in those preliminary angas we’re advised to not become attracted and be attached to things, at the same time, we don’t unnecessarily reject things. So the person with wisdom concerning material objects accepts as much as is necessary for maintaining his bhakti. By accepting more or less than that, the person will fall, fail to attain the highest goal. So accepting too much, accepting too little are both dangerous [Laughs].
So I mentioned that taste develops as we develop our bhakti. Actually, Bhaktivinoda Thakur also mentions elsewhere that actually taste also is inherent in bhakti. If there’s no taste from the very beginning, we won’t even do it [Laughs]. But that taste gradually develops and develops. So this of course is represented by this verse from Srimad Bhagavatam 11th Canto.
And there are mentions, we have tushtih, pushtih, ksud, apayo, which means satisfaction, nourishment and destruction of hunger [Laughs]. So simultaneously these three things take place and gradually develop as one progresses in bhakti. It says here, anugasam, which means with each bite, you get more satisfaction, more destruction of hunger, more nourishment. So as you do bhakti, your taste increases [Laughs]. So when that taste, of course we have little taste in the beginning and we go through Bhajana kriya, anartha nivrutti, nistha. When the taste becomes more prominent, then we actually call it the stage of ruchi. Of course, we can say that ruchi was always there, but it was very weak and gradually becomes stronger.
So we call it ruchi stage, because then that taste for the activities of bhakti becomes very prominent. I mentioned we also have our material attraction at the stage of ruchi, very small. And as one is in the ruchi stage, one does not feel tired in chanting and hearing, etc.
And that ruchi very quickly produces more and more attachment for bhakti activities.
So at this stage, there are still anarthas, but they don’t really interfere, nor do they cover up the bhakti. So the devotee really has no interest in material activities. A person may give up material activities and go and live in the holy dhama. Ruchi means he is constantly attracted to hearing and chanting.
Okay, so this represents the noon pastimes. So many activities take place at noon. Of course, Krishna eats and whatever and then Krishna goes off and he may have various activities with the gopis, separating himself from the cowherd boys, including the swing festival [Laughs].
Verse 5:
So that last verse, of course, was a prayer to develop that strong taste for chanting, etc. and not having any attraction for material things, this proceeds to even greater attachment. So this verse expresses this positive aspect of always thinking of the Supreme Lord and never forgetting Him [Laughs]. So there is a prayer to always think of oneself as the servant of the Supreme Lord. Of course, we see in this verse, it says, I’ve fallen into the ocean of material suffering and this is actually an expression of the great feeling of humility and lowness of the devotee. So previously, the anarthas gradually decreased and bhakti became more prominent. So that continues and the bhakti, an attraction to Krishna, the taste for Krishna becomes even stronger. And that means that the attraction to maya, anarthas, material enjoyment becomes very weak.
So, we saw in the previous stage of Ruchi, even then, the devotee is so attached to hearing and chanting that he gives up material activities and goes off and lives in the holy dhama. At the stage of Asakti, this intensity becomes even more.
So here is of course a verse from Bhagavatham Canto 10. It is actually from the prayers of Lord Brahma. So this is also very famous verse. “One who earnestly waits for you to bestow your mercy upon him, all the while patiently suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds and passes his life by offering you respectful obeisances with his heart, words and body, is the rightful claimant of you, the shelter of liberation”. SB 10.14.8
So, he is not concerned what happens to his material body. As it is said here, that he, with body, mind and words, he continually serves and offers respect to the Supreme Lord.
And that becomes his very life. And of course, what it says here that he is the claimant of Krishna’s mercy. So, he has reached a very strong attachment to Krishna. And of course, we have many verses in Bhagavatam to show such great attachment, including this prayer by the Gopis. Of course, the Gopis are not even on Asakti stage. They are in Prema [Laughs], but this verse expresses their great attachment to Krishna.
When Krishna played his flute in the autumn night, then the Gopis spontaneously left their husbands and their houses and went to see Krishna. And then Krishna acted very surprised and said, why are you here? Actually, you should not be here. You should go home.
So, the Gopis became very distressed. And then they began to speak to Krishna. So, they said, to approach your lotus feet, we abandon our families and homes, we have no desire other than to serve you. In other words, no desire, no material desire and complete desire to serve the Lord. Our hearts are burning with intense desire generated by your beautiful smiling glances. Oh jewel among men, please make us your maidservants.
Here’s a verse from Stavavali. How is it possible to immerse oneself in the ocean of Shyama Rasa, which means Madhurya rasa? Of course, Shyama can also mean Krishna. But each rasa has a color. And the color of Madhurya rasa is Shyama. So, Shyama Rasa can mean Madhurya rasa. So, how is it possible to immerse oneself in the ocean of Shyama Rasa without worshipping the dust of the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani? Or without taking shelter of Vrindavan, which is decorated with her footprints? Or without serving her devotees, whose grave hearts are always absorbed in love for her?
So, this is of course an expression of not only attraction to Krishna, but attraction to Radha and her Sakhis. So, in Ruchi, of course there is a taste for Krishna, but the taste actually is for the process, that is hearing and chanting. In Asakti, the taste is for Krishna. So, the emphasis changes.
Of course, the name and Krishna are non-different. But in Asakti stage, devotee is getting closer to realizing Krishna in the name. So, in the Ruchi stage, of course, one without fatigue was able to hear and chant. But some effort is required to withdraw the mind from material things. In Asakti stage, there was no effort to withdraw the mind, automatically the mind becomes attracted to Krishna.
Okay so this particular verse Asakti mentions say is equivalent to the afternoon pastimes. So in the afternoon after playing in the fields etc, having pastimes with the gopis, Krishna comes back returns to the cowherd boys and then they all start going back to the village.
And then Krishna takes the bath, puts on clothing, and then he goes and milks the cows with his friends.
Verse 6:
This is expressing the stage of bhava after Asakti. So, this is a verse which is obviously describing ecstatic symptoms. When will my eyes be filled with tears, my throat blocked with a faltering voice, and all the hairs of my body standing erect as I chant your holy name? So these symptoms do not appear in the previous stages, but they begin to appear in bhava. And of course, in prema, they become more intense. So, sometimes people may cry, whatever, before the bhava stage. But actually, these are not considered real sattvika bhavas. Its called bhava-abhasa, or false type of bhava. The reason that these symptoms manifest is because the person sees Krishna. In Asakti stage, the person was getting close because he was attracted to Krishna in the name, etc [Laughs]. And in bhava stage means, he actually realizes Krishna. Of course, bhava actually means sthayi bhava. And sthayi bhava means that one of the elements of rasa. So, rasa has five elements, but one of the main elements is the sthayi bhava, which means you could have dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, madhurya, etc. So, because one realizes Krishna and one has the sthayi bhava, the other elements of rasa begin to manifest. And one develops sattvika bhavas and anubhavas. So, these are described in the Nectar of devotion. Of course, these anubhavas here also are maybe very general. And more related to a person who still got his material body. So, we have tolerance, not wasting time, pridelessness. We saw that tolerance is one of these beginning things [Laughs].
tṛṇād api su-nīcena taror iva sahiṣṇunā – CC Ādi 17.31
And again, lack of pride. So, the person has very great confidence in the Lord’s mercy. And he’s detached from enjoyment. So, of course, even ruchi and asakti was detachment, but now it’s more extreme because Krishna is realized. However, Krishna does not manifest always. We see in the example of Narada Muni, the Lord showed himself and he disappeared. And then, Narada Muni kept asking, where are you? And the Lord said, I’m not going to appear again in this lifetime [Laughs]. So, he only got to see the Lord once in bhava. So, therefore, in bhava stage, there’s a lot of longing for the Lord. But that taste for chanting is constant. And he’s always kirtan, speaking about the Lord. And he’s always living in the dhama of the Lord. So, he’s completely absorbed in the Lord, even though he has a material body.
So, as I said, these sattvika bhavas or involuntary symptoms, they do appear. But it is svalpa-matrah, very few. Later on in prema, it becomes very intense.
So, the famous, eight famous sattvika bhavas are being stunned, trembling, perspiring, standing of hairs on hand, fading of color, weeping, choking and fainting.
So, previously there were some of the general anubhavas mentioned, but there are actually more anubhavas [Laughs]. These are also rather general.
So, dancing, falling on the ground, crying loudly, yawning, deep breathing, etc [Laughs].
So, the person at this stage has a realization of Krishna, though it is not constant. A few sattvika bhavas.. So, rasa has not developed fully. But, it’s the bud of prema, it just leads to prema, eventually. So, in terms of the pastimes, this is represented by twilight or sandhya. So, in the evening time, after going home, then Radha cooks for Krishna and sends the meal to Krishna [Laughs]. And then Krishna, he takes his meal. Krishna takes his bath, puts on clothing, and he goes and milks the cows.
Verse 7:
So, verse 7, this is prema. Prema has two types. Separation and union. Now, if we look in Nectar of Devotion, then for each rasa, we get to the rasa, and then we have separation and union for each rasa. And the sattvika bhavas and anubhavas may be slightly different. So Verse 7, represents prema in separation. I mentioned that bhava was like preliminary, prema is full. And of course, in bhava stage, there may be great separation because the Lord may only appear once or twice in your lifetime. We may expect that in prema, then there is constant meeting the Lord. However, not so [Laughs]. Krishna disappears again [Laughs]. But, again he appears [Laughs]. So, his disappearance is not so prolonged as in bhava stage. In bhava, the Lord may not appear, because you are not so qualified. So, by the disappearance, your longing becomes greater, and your purity becomes more. Of course, Krishna also explained that to the gopis. Krishna disappeared in the rasa lila. Then Krishna appeared. But the gopis were a little bit angry. Why did you disappear [Laughs]? And then Krishna said, I disappeared to make your love stronger. So, separation makes that prema stronger.
So, within prema, we have these two things, separation and union, separation and union taking place. So, verse 7 represents the separation in which separation is such that even a slight separation of blinking the eye and not seeing Krishna becomes like a yuga [Laughs]. This, of course, is a sign of great attachment to the Lord. So, a moment’s separation becomes like millions of years. And in that separation, we have various sattvika bhavas like crying. In separation from Govinda, whole world is sunya, vacant.
So, that separation takes place in all the different rasas, even including Santa rasa. As we progress to the higher rasas – Dasya, Sakhya, Vatsalya and Madhurya, that prema becomes stronger and stronger. And in separation, the feelings become more and more intense. And consequently, the most intense rasa is Madhurya rasa. And the separation is also the most intense. So, this idea of one blink of the eye being like a yuga, this is part, this is an anubhava in rudha-bhava in Madhurya rasa. So, there are, of course, other symptoms as well [Laughs]. Yeah.
So, because rudha-bhava, above we have called adhirudha-bhava. And adhirudha-bhava has two aspects, modana and madana. And in modana, then we get all the sattvika bhavas in the most intense state. So, we get intense crying, intense fainting, intense shivering of the body, intense change of color, everything simultaneous. And then madana is the highest of all. This is only exhibited in Radha constantly.
So, all the bhavas are in their highest state. So, though in one sense, in prema, we have constant association with the Lord, due to pastimes, there is separation. And in the material world, there are more types of separation. So, one is separation because of not even meeting Krishna. So, in Madhurya rasa, this is called purva-raga. So, the gopis, when they are young, they hear about Krishna, they may see him, they never talk to him. But just before Krishna reaches Kaisora period and the gopis reach Kaisora period, they start longing for Krishna, but they don’t speak to him. So, this longing for Krishna before actually meeting him is called purva-raga. We see Rukmini never saw Krishna, but she heard about him, then she developed love for Krishna and started writing her letters to him. This is also purva-raga.
So, then of course, when Krishna is in Kaisora age, the gopis are Kaisora age, they actually meet and they begin to have pastimes. But then, there may be intentional separation, particularly in the part of the gopis. They become angry at Krishna and say, I am not going to see you anymore, and therefore there is separation [Laughs]. So, that of course gives rise to again some sort of lamentation, etc.
There is another type of separation, illusory separation. Krishna is not separated from the gopis or from the queens of Dwaraka, but they think he is not there. So, for instance, in the 10th canto, it is described how the queens of Dwaraka are lamenting, where is Krishna, where is Krishna, and Krishna is right there [Laughs]. So, due to their intense prema, they have this illusion of separation [Laughs].
Then we get pravasa, which means actually Krishna leaves and goes someplace. Of course, Krishna leaves the Rasalila and goes home in the morning, and then he is separated from the gopis, there is that type of separation. But, in the pastimes on earth, then Krishna also leaves Vrindavan completely for many years, that is an extended pravasa. And that gives rise to intense lamentation. And of course, we have many expressions of that.
Okay so, here is Madhavendra Puri’s prayer, “O my lord, O merciful master, O master of Mathura, when shall I see you again? Because by not seeing you, my agitated heart has become unsteady. O most beloved one, what shall I do now?” So, this is expressing this pravasa of separation completely [Laughs].
So, in that separation, we get all sorts of symptoms. Actually, ten different symptoms described [Laughs]. And we find this, actually, in great devotees like Radha. So, we have worry, sleeplessness, agitation, body becomes thin, body becomes all dirty, they don’t take care of their bodies, they just talk without meaning, they become insane, they become sick, they may faint, and they have death-like symptoms. So, these are some of the symptoms that will be displayed in separation. And we see this is most intense in the gopis.
So, this pastime is night. So, of course, Krishna takes his meal in the evening, milks the cows, etc and then the night begins and then Krishna stays up and then with Nanda, whatever, they have some amusements [Laughs], entertainment [Laughs]. There’s actors and musicians and all sorts of people doing things, clowns, etc., doing acts and Krishna is laughing and whatever [Laughs]. And meanwhile, the gopis are preparing themselves to meet Krishna. And then finally, Krishna gets a little sleepy, so mother Yasoda takes Krishna and puts him to bed.
Verse 8:
So, the last verse, this is another part of Prema, that is meeting. So, previous verse said that one moment of separation is like a yuga. So, separation is there, but unlike the material world, the separation is followed by union. There is no eternal separation. So, separation, union, separation, that continues always in the spiritual world. So, the separation will lead to meeting of Krishna and his devotees. But in the meeting, then there’s always the fear, Krishna is going to leave again [Laughs]. So, that’s expressed, he should embrace me or he may make me his own or he may not allow to see me, whatever, he may separate from me. In any case, I will always be beloved of Krishna.
So, actually, the definition of Prema itself, as described in Ujjvala Nilamani, is that there’s the feeling that nothing can obstruct that love. No obstacle is impossible. We can overcome the obstacles. And thus we see the Gopis overcome all obstacles to meet Krishna. Their parents and their husbands cannot prevent them [Laughs]. So, that is Prema. So, even though there is separation, ultimately they couple, meet.
So, there are different types of meeting. So, there’s the first meeting, after Purva-raga, where you’ve never met, then there’s the first meeting. So, for instance, Gopis never actually spoke to Krishna, but then Krishna played his flute, gopis came in the middle of the night, autumn season, in Kaisora age, then finally they meet Krishna and speak to him, and then they have Rasa-lila. So, that’s called Samksipta-sambhoga. Then we have separation due to anger, usually Radha becomes angry at Krishna for seeing Chandravali and says, I’m not going to see you anymore but then finally she relents and they meet [Laughs]. So, that’s another type of meeting, Sambhoga, Sankirna-sambhoga.
So, there is temporary Pravas, where they separate, like in the afternoon they have to separate, then they meet in the late night again. So, when they meet, that’s called Sampanna-sambhoga, meeting after this Pravas. And another type of meeting is that even though they are separated, eternally Krishna appears. Okay, so the final type of Pravas was this long separation when Krishna leaves Vraja and goes to Mathura. But then Krishna comes back. So, that’s called Samrddhimat-sambhoga.
Of course, we don’t find that directly described in Bhagavatam. But our Acharyas point out that it’s hinted at. And then it’s explained in the Padma Purana that Krishna actually did come back. After killing Dantavakra, at the gate of Mathura, then he went to Vrindavan and he met all of the people again and that’s Samrddhimat-sambhoga [Laughs]. So, therefore, ultimately the separation ends with union.
Actually, in the Gopala Campu, then Jiva Goswami expresses this Samrddhimat-sambhoga. So, the whole description how Krishna returns and everybody is very happy. And then, actually, Krishna marries all the Gopis [Laughs]. So, there’s a whole section on that. So, this idea of the meeting of Krishna with the devotees is expressed in many, many verses.
So, this is a very famous verse in which the devotee rejects all his material designations.
“I’m not a Brahmana, not a Kshatriya, not a Vaishya, not a Sudra. I’m not a Brahmachari, not a householder, not a Vanaprastha, not a Sannyasi [Laughs]. So, I don’t belong to any Varna, I don’t belong to any Ashrama. Instead, I make this claim, I’m the servant to the servant to the servant of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna, who is the lover of the Gopis, Overflowing ocean of nectar. The only source of supreme and immortal joy”.
So, in this way, the devotee expresses his complete dedication to Krishna. This verse actually is found in the, I think it is the, whose work is that one? Oh, Gopal Guru’s work, you find this in meditating before you do your puja [Laughs], you meditate like this [Laughs]. In our original Archana-paddati also, we found this. I don’t know if it’s still there. Is it still there? Yeah, so they still have this as one of the preliminary verses to get rid of our material designation. So, the idea in worship, like deity worship, is that you cannot worship Krishna with a material body. But we have a material body [Laughs]. How can it become qualified to touch Krishna [Laughs]? So, therefore, we have to purify the body in many ways. So, of course, in Haribhakti Vilas, it’s a very elaborate way of purifying the body with something called Bhuta Suddhi. And in that meditation, you burn up all the material elements of your body [Laughs]. And then you sprinkle nectar from the moon and you make your whole body into nectar [Laughs]. And then you’re qualified to worship the deity. But that’s a little bit complicated. So, this is like a simpler method of doing that, let’s reject all of our material conceptions about our body and simply become the servant of the servant of the Supreme Lord [Laughs].
So, in this way, we have this other verse here. The essence of all the advice is that one should utilize one’s time, full time, 24 hours a day, in chanting and remembering the Lord’s divine name, transcendental form, qualities, and eternal pastimes, thereby gradually engaging one’s tongue and mind. In this way, one should reside in Vraja and serve Krishna with the guidance of his beloved associates.
So, that last verse of the Siksastaka is expressing this realization of Krishna in Prema. But how do we reach that stage? So, we go through those different stages, represented by the other verses of the Siksastaka, through Shraddha and Bhajana-kriya, etc. And in those different stages, we are always chanting the holy name [Laughs]. So, the more we advance, then the more we chant. So, therefore, it says here, 24 hours engaged in chanting [Laughs] the holy name here [Laughs]. So, this is full engagement in Krishna’s service. So, by more and more engagement in Krishna’s service, then finally we realize Krishna.
So, this final verse, in terms of the pastimes, represents the late night pastimes. So, after Krishna looks at all the dancers and whatever, acting and all that, then Krishna goes to bed. But whenever he went sleeping, Krishna gets up and he goes to the forest and he meets the Gopis. And then, they arrange for Rasa Lila. So, Vrinda Devi and all the Sakhis are there and they enjoy in the middle of the night. And of course, they have many pastimes, like water pastimes, etc. And finally, Radha and Krishna fall asleep in one of the bowers. And then, next morning, they wake up and then they go through the whole pastime again [Laughs]. Okay. Hare Krishna.
Q & A
1.) Hare Krishna, Maharaj. Maharaj, you mentioned about when the detachment happens, the attachment to go and reside in the Dhama is there. And then, in the last slide, you just showed, it talks about 24 hours chanting and hearing. In this way, he resides in Vraja. So, is residing in the Dhama by physically going to a Dhama or is it by the chanting and hearing resides mentally in the Vraja Dhama?
Of course, even in the Angas of Bhakti, we find one of the first angas of Bhakti in the first ten, which are like the preliminaries, is living in a holy place like the holy Dhama or near the Ganga, etc so, that’s there. And then, of course, Dhama seva is one of the 64 Angas also. Then, when it comes to Raganuga sadhana Bhakti, there one of the outstanding features besides constantly hearing and chanting is living in the Dhama [Laughs]. And then, we see in Bhava, one of the Anubhavas is living in the Dhama also. So, as one becomes more and more advanced, then one has this inclination to live in the holy Dhama.
Jiva Goswami, however [Laughs], in his commentary also says that it may not be possible for everybody to live in the Dhama. So, in that case, one can meditate on the Dhama [Laughs]. So, of course, the idea of living in the Dhama is there to emphasize, one, the fact that the Dhama is spiritual and non-different from Krishna [Laughs]. And a spiritual environment is very favorable for our spiritual development. But, then again, if one cannot go to Mathura, Vrindavan, or whatever, then at least we can meditate on the Dhama [Laughs]. And, of course, if we have any temple, it is also the Dhama [Laughs]. We also have many verses glorifying the Dhama written by our Acharyas, so we can recite those verses to help us fix ourselves on the Dhama.
2.) Maharaj, does Vrinda Devi also participates in the Rasa lila ?
So, Vrinda Devi, her usual service is to arrange the pastimes. So, it is always described that she will arrange for the swings, for instance, for the swing festival [Laughs]. Or she will arrange the different bowers for Radha and Krishna and the Sakhis to meet. And she will arrange for aguru and sandalwood pulp and perfumes and flowers and garlands and all these different things for their pastimes. So, usually she is associated with arranging things rather than directly having pastimes with Krishna.
Devotees : Thank you. Hare Krishna.
So we are eternally grateful to His Holiness Bhanu swami Maharaj.