Em raganuga-bhakti

Discussões com o GBC sobre o livro, Raga-vartma-Candrika - Em raganuga-bhakti [Parte 2]

Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja

Em raganuga-bhakti

Discussões com o GBC sobre o livro, Raga-vartma-Candrika [Parte 2]

Mathura, Índia: 1991

[Respeitado Leitores Harikatha,

Por favor, aceitem nossas humildes reverências. Todas as glórias a Sri Guru e Gauranga.


Se você gostaria de ler a Parte 1 desta discussão, por favor siga este link Raga-Vartma-Candrika: Como Entrar Raganuga-bhakti.[Parte 1] .

No início de 1990, Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja costumava dar darsanas para vários membros da ISKCON GBC discípulos de Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada. Durante estes poucos anos, eles o visitaram regularmente e pediram a ele para discutir literaturas Gaudiya Vaisnava como Jaiva-dharma, Srimad-Bhagavatam Décimo Canto (Rasa-lila, Venu-gita, Brahmara-gita, e Gopi-gita) Harinama-cintamani, Sri Vilapa-kusumanjali, Sri Brahma-Samhita, e Raga-vartma-Candrika.

Em 1991 ele levou quatro discussões sobre Raga-vartma-Candrika, um famoso tratado Sânscrito escrito de Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. Abaixo está a parte 2 nesta série de discussões, e esperamos enviar-lhes o resto, um após o outro. Como vocês devem saber, Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja pediu que todas as caminhadas matinais e darsanas sejam publicados, e ele determinou que darsanas para os membros do GBC da ISKCON sejam incluídos.

Se alguém tiver alguma foto de Srila Maharaja e os devotos GBC que podemos usar para as partes futuras desta série, por favor, enviá-las para Vasanti dasi em: vasantidasi@gmail.com. Obrigado.

Seus aspirantes a servos, o time Harikatha]

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: O que é uma manjari? Temos ouvido falar sobre kamala-manjaris e manga-manjaris. Qualquer trepadeira ou boa flor tem manjaris. Embora a manjari apareça primeiro e depois a flor, a manjari está sempre localizada acima da flor. Quando uma abelha vem sentar sobre a flor e beber seu mel, as manjaris tremem, sendo cheias de alegria.

Similarmente, a abelha-Krsna vem a Srimati Radhika, Ela lança o olhar para ele, e Eles envolvem-se em passatempos amorosos (prema-vilas). Embora a 'abelha' não sente na manjari, a manjari treme, sentindo como se a abelha está sentada sobre ela. Tudo que a 'flor' experiencie nestes passatempos manifesta-se na manjari, então não há necessidade para a abelha ir com ela. Ela automaticamente sente tudo sentido pela flor. Se a abelha beija a flor, então, vendo isso, a manjari sente que "a abelha me beijou."

De fato, a manjari prova algo especial, que até a flor não prova, no sentido de que a flor não treme como a manjari. Similarmente as servas de Srimati Radhika experienciam um prazer em serem Suas servas, que Ela Mesma não experiencia, e este prazer é chamado bhava-ullasa rati.

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami queria ser uma manjari, e não uma flor. Em outras palavras ele não queria sakhi-bhava (o humor das amigas de Srimati Radhika como Lalita e Visakha, que têm relações diretas com Sri Krsna). Você entende? Nisto reside a importância das manjaris. Em nossa sampradaya ninguém quer ser sakhi de Sri Radha; eles só querem vir a ser Sua kinkari. Você está seguindo totalmente as minhas palavras? Você sabe o significado da palavra kinkari?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Serva.

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Criada

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Não há palavra equivalente em Inglês para kinkari. É como uma bela palavra Sânscrita, que refere-se a algo muito suave, muito perfumado, e tão doce.

Não podemos aprender estes tópicos simplesmente lendo livros. Nenhum livro esclarecerá as verdades para você como nós estamos discutindo nesta conversa. Ao discutir comigo desta maneira, você pode obter mais do que você pode obter simplesmente lendo livros.

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Estas verdades vêm apenas através de realização.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Eu não digo que eu tenho qualquer realização, mas eu tenho misericórdia de Deus e misericórdia de Gurudeva.

No primeiro sloka de Vilapa-Kusumanjali, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami afirma que embora o marido de Rupa Manjari esteja ausente, ele vê uma marca nos lábios dela. Como foi que isso aconteceu? Não é que Krsna beijou Rupa Manjari. Ele beijou Srimati Radhika e portanto Radhika tem essa marca em Seus lábios, mas a marca imediatamente se manifestou nos lábios de Rupa Manjari.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Eu estive perguntando sobre isso em Bombaim.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: As marcas no rosto ou corpo de Srimati Radharani não chegam a Lalita e Visakha, mas todas elas vêm para a manjaris. Somos seguidores de Rupa Gosvami, que é Rupa Manjari.

Acho que em toda sua vida você não vai esquecer este ensinamento.

Uma pessoa pode ter tomado somente anusthaniki (formal) diksa, pensando, "Tantos outros têm tomado diksa, então eu também devo tomá-la." Por um yajna de fogo ele recebeu um cordão sagrado, kanti-mala (colares), e assim por diante, mas a ele não tem sido dado instruções no humor interno de diksa, que constitui diksa real.

Diksa vem gradualmente, e não em um momento; o processo de receber diksa ocorre durante um longo período de tempo. Quando alguém tem a vantagem de samskaras de vidas passadas, se vai fácilmente aceitar diksa e o processo será efetuado com rapidez, mas sem samskaras anteriores o processo será lento.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: A menos que se obtenha a associação de raganuga Vaisnavas.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: E este discípulo também deve ser qualificado. Se o discípulo não tem samskaras suficientes e ainda não possui qualquer avidez, ele não será capaz de receber adequadamente estas verdades de seu diksa-guru, que pode ser muito qualificado mas pode não ter tempo suficiente para treiná-lo neste tópico. Mais tarde, quando a ganância está destinada a vir, este discípulo não muda seu Gurudeva; ele precisa apenas aceitar um siksa-guru. Às vezes o discípulo dará mais preferência ao seu siksa-guru, ou igualmente a ambos os gurus, de acordo com a qualificação deles. Ele gradualmente ouve todos esses tópicos.

Se o diksa-guru está presente, o discípulo vai receber todas estas coisas com ele. Ou, seu gurudeva vai com prazer ordená-lo a ouvir de outra pessoa, como no caso de Sri Syamananda prabhu, Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, e Sri Srinivasa Acarya.

Como eu mencionei anteriormente, se uma pessoa tem ganância por força de seus samskaras de nascimentos anteriores ou por samskaras de seu nascimento presente, ele começará a busca através de sastra - lendo e ouvindo - especialmente aqueles sastras ou comentários escritos por Srila Rupa Gosvami e seus seguidores, os rupanuga Vaisnavas.

Qual é o significado real de rupanuga? Em seus livros, Srila Rupa Gosvami descreveu, em tatastha-bhava, as várias rasas. Você sabe o significado de tatastha?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Marginal.

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Neutro.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Ele tem escrito a partir de uma posição neutra sobre todas as rasas - santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya e madhurya. Se alguém tem ganância por qualquer um destes humores, esta pessoa será um raganuga-bhakta mas não rupanuga.

O que é rupanuga? Mesmo se a pessoa segue Ujjvala-Nilamani, ele pode ser raganuga mas não rupanuga. Um será rupanuga quando especialmente se segue o caminho em que Srila Rupa Gosvami (na forma de Sri Rupa Manjari) serve Radha e Krishna, profundamente meditando nas qualidades e bhava que Rupa Manjari possui em servi-Los.

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Todos os rupanuga-bhaktas são raganuga, mas nem todos raganugas são rupanugas.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: O sadhaka terá que procurar através do sastra como receber estes humores. Ele vai ouvir de um rupanuga Vaisnava, que irá dizer-lhe para ler o Srimad-Bhagavatam, Ujjvala-Nilamani, Krsna-Karnamrta, Radha-Rasa-Sudha-Nidhi, Gita-Govinda de Jayadeva Gosvami, e os livros de Candidasa, Vidyapati e outros.

O rupanuga Vaisnava também vai instruí-lo a pesquisar apenas aquela bhava para qual ele tem avidez. Ele vai conhecer sobre tudo (sakhya, vatsalya, madhurya), mas ele terá de servir apenas por um humor, o humor de sua sthayi-bhava (humor constitucional permanente). A sthayi-bhava de alguém irá se manifestar apenas quando prema é atingida, mas a ganância para esta sthayi-bhava é atingida antes disto. Ganância genuína não vai mudar nesta ou qualquer vida futura - isto é chamado gadha-samskara *. Se alguém tem verdadeira avidez, como Srila Rupa Gosvami tem, sua ganância  por um determinado sthayi-bhava nunca vai mudar em qualquer nascimento. Isto permanecerá sempre o mesmo.

Bharata Maharaja alcançou o estágio de bhava, mas não se sabe em que rasa.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Em Bhagavatamrtam é dado que o seu é um dos Vaikuntha-bhava.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Apenas dasya-bhava.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Sim, dasya-bhava.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Sanaka, Sananda, Sanatana e Sanat Kumara têm suas sthayi-bhava em santa rasa. Contudo, eles podem narrar todo o Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Como é isso? Lembro-me perguntando-lhe essa pergunta antes.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Eles podem fazê-lo a partir de uma posição neutra. Eles sabem tudo sobre as várias rasas, mas eles não têm experiência direta dessas rasas.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: E sobre Sukadeva Gosvami?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Srila Sukadeva Gosvami tem alguma experiência direta, porque ele é o suka...

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Papagaio...

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Ele é o papagaio de Srimati Radhika, então ele possui a sthayi-bhava por Vraja.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Isto é uma coisa muito importante que você disse sobre Sukadeva Gosvami.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Como papagaio de Srimati Radhika, ele senta nos galhos de árvores tamala ou kadamba. Ele assiste os passatempos confidenciais de Radhika e Krsna, e se torna muito, muito contente. No entanto, ele não pode servir como Rupa Manjari.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Então que tipo de bhava ele tem? Ele está assistindo tudo.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja: Foi dito em sastra que ele tem santa-bhava.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Porque ele é neutro.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja: Mas ele está em Vraja, e não há santa-bhava em Vraja. Vamos ter que julgar que rasa ele possui realmente. Quando Srimati Radhika e Sri Krsna estão dormindo de manhã, esee papagaio Suka diz tantas coisas para despertá-Los.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Isso não é santa-bhava...

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Sim, não é santa-bhava.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Ele deve ter tudo.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Nós teremos de considerar todas estas verdades.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Por que se diz que ele tem santa-bhava?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Para os santa-rasa bhaktas.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Externamente parece assim.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Mas...

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Mas não é na realidade.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: As vacas de Vraja têm vatsalya-bhava, então certamente Suka não pode ser de santa-rasa.

Para ilustrar como procurar o processo em ordem de alcançar o fruto da ganância genuína de alguém, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura dá o exemplo de um homem que está ávido a beber leite. Vendo algum leite ele quer prová-lo, então ele deve passar por um processo para obtê-lo. Ele pode perguntar a alguém que bebe leite como aquela pessoa o adquiriu. Depois de interrogá-la ele vai comprar uma vaca, certificando-se que a vaca tem um bezerro, pois a menos que a vaca tenha um bezerro ela não pode dar leite. Ele vai levar então a vaca e bezerro para sua casa, onde ele vai aplicar água ou ghee ao úbere da vaca e trazer o bezerro para beber. Quando o bezerro tomou leite, o homem vai lavar o úbere da vaca, depois que ele tomou leite dela. Em seguida, ele coloca o leite no fogo para ferver. Então, se ele quer o leite fervido adoçado, ele acrescenta açúcar, e para sabor extra ele acrescenta água de rosas, kewra (um extrato destilado da flor Pandanus que é usada para sabor em bebidas e sobremesas na culinária Indiana), cânfora, e assim por diante.

Similarmente, embora um sadhaka com ganância genuína não requeira o raciocíno do sastra para convencê-lo a fazer bhakti, ele passa através daqueles sastras que lhes darão entrada no processo a fim de alcançar sua meta.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura nos diz que quando uma pessoa tem ganância real em raganuga-bhakti, ela vai também seguir os procedimentos de vaidhi-bhakti - embora sua bhakti não será vaidhi-bhakti. Ela vai se envolver nos nove processos de bhakti, nomeados sravanam, kirtanam, visnu smaranam, pada-sevanam e assim por diante. Desde o início ela vai executar cuidadosamente guru-caranasraya (tomando refúgio dos pés de lótus de Sri Guru), e fielmente servir ele em visrambha-bhava.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Qual é o significado de visrambha-bhava?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Ele implica 'desistir de todo o medo.' Medo causado pelo sentimento de temor e reverência não está presente. O discípulo vai servir seu guru como um amigo do peito. Ele não vai pensar: "Eu sou muito baixo e ele é muito alto." Pelo contrário, ele vai determinar, "Ele é meu e eu sou dele."

A analogia é dada de um filho jovem que, vendo seu pai sentado em cima dele, não se importa em sentar no chão. Ele vai de uma vez saltar para cima e sentar no colo de seu pai. Então ele vai dar palmadinhas no ombro do pai, afagar o rosto de seu pai, e tocá-lo em seu braço ou segurar sua mão, servindo ele com grande amor.

Ademais, uma pessoa qualificada com ganância genuína, com ainda maior amor do esse jovem filho, vai servir seu Gurudeva de quem ele coletou as verdades que compreendeu e os humores que ele possui agora. Este tipo de serviço íntimo é essencial.

Guru-caranasraya significa 'tomar abrigo do guru auto-realizado.' Este é o primeiro dos sessenta e quatro itens do serviço devocional. Então, seguindo a instrução do segundo item, se tóma iniciação diksa dele. Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu lista estas sessenta e quatro práticas do serviço devocional, as cinco primeiras das quais são em relação ao guru.

["No caminho do serviço devocional regulador, deve-se observar os seguintes itens: (1) Deve-se aceitar um mestre espiritual fidedigno. (2) Deve-se aceitar a iniciação dele. (3) Deve-se servi-lo. (4) Deve-se receber instruções do mestre espiritual e fazer perguntas a fim de aprender o serviço devocional. (5) Deve-se seguir os passos dos acaryas anteriores e seguir as instruções dadas pelo mestre espiritual."]

O raganuga-bhakta segue estes mesmos procedimentos, mas sua bhava (humor) mudou do que é encontrado em vaidhi-bhakti. O discípulo vaidhi-bhakti vai sentar-se mais baixo e orar ao seu gurudeva com as mãos postas, "Gurudeva, por favor me dê uma ordem. Que serviço devo fazer?" Então, quando ele recebe uma ordem, como um servo, o discípulo irá executar o serviço. Por outro lado, uma 'pessoa gananciosa' servirá no humor que eu descrevi anteriormente; sem medo e sem sentido de diferença. Ele vai resolver ver que "Eu sou seu..."

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: "E ele é meu."

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Todos os membros de vaidhi-bhakti são seguidos pelo raganuga Vaisnava, mas...

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Qual é a diferença?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: O humor é diferente.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Um humor diferente.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Se alguém rejeita as práticas de vaidhi, ele não será capaz de adentrar raganuga; sua ganância será verificada. Assim ele deve seguir.

Para uma pessoa que tem ganância real e quer seguir o processo de raganuga-bhakti, Srimad-Bhagavatam diz que Bhagavan vem a ele em ambas as formas de caitya-guru e diksa-guru. Nesta conexão nós devemos saber que guru é akhanda-tattva (o completo, princípio indiviso de guru), uma manifestação de Nityananda Prabhu, Baladeva Prabhu. Porque gurudeva dá tudo o que Nityananda Prabhu e Baladeva Prabhu têm vindo dar, e porque todas as suas instruções são Deles, ele é considerado como Sua manifestação.

No Bhagavad-Gita (10.10) está escrito:

Tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te

["Sobre aqueles que executam bhajana para Mim com amor, ânsiando por Minha associação eterna, Eu lhes dou a inteligência pela qual eles podem vir a Mim".]

Se uma alma se rende a Krsna e possui ganância pura, se ela tem um coração puro e samskaras suficientes, o Senhor revela tudo em seu coração (dadami buddhi-yogam) como caitya-guru. Krishna afirma no Bhagavad-gita, "Dou-lhe a sabedoria para alcançar Minha bhakti." Ele não dá isto abertamente; Ele dá isto no coração. Ele casa Seu devoto com um sphurti (visão interna), inspirando-o a partir de dentro, e pessoalmente manifesta em seu coração todos os siddhantas. Ele também dá instruções externamente, na forma de diksa-guru ou siksa-guru.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Você diz que Ele dita dentro do coração?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Sim. Ele dita no coração. Certamente.

As pessoas podem ver que este devoto não tem guru e se perguntam: "Como ele sabe destas coisas?" Aqui está a resposta. Krsna dita tudo, Ele Se manifesta, a partir de dentro, se ou não quaisquer outros vêem.

Eu tenho às vezes experimentado isto eu mesmo. Eu sinto algo dentro de mim - eu não li, nem tenho visto ou ouvido um determinado fato; contudo, às vezes coisas muito bonitas vêm em meu coração. Porventura você também teve esta experiência? Certamente você terá esta experiência, porque aquele que serve seu gurudeva irá certamente receber estas realizações. Mesmo se gurudeva não está presente em nossa vista, ainda, ele irá manifestar todas estas verdades.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura começa por dizer-nos os três slokas chave de Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.294-296) pelo qual se pode entrar o caminho de raganuga-bhakti. O primeiro é:

krsnam Smaran janam casya prestham nija samihitam
tat tat katha ratas Casau kuryad vasam vraje sada

["Enquanto lembrar Sri Krsna e Seus amados associados que desejamos seguir, sendo totalmente absorvidos em discussões de seus passatempos, deve-se sempre residir em Vraja. Se isso não é possível, então deve-se residir lá pela mente."]

O segundo é:

seva sadhaka rupena siddha rupena Catra oi
tad bhava lipsuna karya vraja-lokanusaratah

["Neste caminho de raganuga, sendo encantado pelo amor intenso dos amados Vrajavasis de Krsna, o sadhaka deve viver em Vraja sob a orientação daqueles devotos que tomaram abrigo dos Vrajavasis (como Sri Rupa, Sanatana e Raghunatha dasa Gosvamis), sempre ansiosos a servi-los em seu presente corpo físico. E, na fase aperfeiçoada de sua siddha-rupa, o corpo espiritual adequado internamente concebido para a realização de prema-seva, ele deve se engajar no serviço acalentado de Sri Krsna de acordo com seu humor escolhido. Nesta relação ele deve seguir os passos dos eternos moradores de Vraja, tais quais Sri Radhika, Lalita, Visakha, e Sri Rupa Manjari."]

E o terceiro é sloka:

sravanotkirtanadini vaidhi-bhakty uditani tu
yany angani ca tanyatra vijneyani manisibhih

["Em vaidhi-bhakti deve-se praticar os membros de bhakti como sravana, kirtana, e assim por diante de acordo com as suas qualificações. Similarmente, para raganuga-bhakti isto também tem sido informado por estudiosos que são bem versados nos princípios de bhakti para seguir estas práticas."]

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura em seguida comenta em cada sloka, um por um - este assunto é muito profundo. Vamos discutir o primeiro sloka.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Onde está este sloka? Qual parte da Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu isto está? Onde eu posso achar isto?

Sripad Giriraja Svami: Eu posso encontrá-lo. É no final da Divisão Oriental.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Você pode vê-lo no fim do purva vibhaga (divisão oriental). Krsnam Smaran significa "lembrar Krsna.' Janam casya prestham nija samihitam refere-se a adicionalmente lembrar Seu prestha. Você sabe o que significa prestha?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Queridos.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Estes queridos associados podem ser de dasya rasa, sakhya-rasa, ou vatsalya-rasa, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura está especialmente discutindo aqueles em madhurya rasa.

Alguém que tenha desenvolvido avidez para atingir o humor das gopis vai lembrar de Krsna quando Ele está em Seva Kunja ou Vamsivata. Ele tem um amável sorriso no rosto, e Ele colocou uma bela flauta vamsi nos Seus lábios. Seus olhos inquietos, como os de um cervo, estão procurando aqui e ali. Vendo as gopis vindo, Ele torna-Se muitíssimo feliz, e naquele momento Ele não tem controle sobre Seu corpo ou mente. Ele é o Próprio Deus, contudo Ele Se esquece de tudo naquele momento. Ele não sabe o que está fazendo, nem mesmo o que Ele Se parece. De pé em Sua pose tribhanga-lalita (tríplice-flexão), Ele é de uma rara beleza.

Milhares e milhares de gopis estão presentes lá, mas a partir do canto de Seus olhos Ele está à procura de uma gopi particular - e esta gopi está atrasando. Então, de longe Ele vê Ela chegando. Quem é aquela gopi? Srimati Radhika. O sadhaka raganuga medita como Krsna aparece nesse momento.

Isto é smaranam - lembrando Krsna com todos estes detalhes e apreciando Suas muitas virtudes. Em Jaiva Dharma nós lemos sobre as qualidades de Kisora-Krsna, ou seja, Krsna em Sua forma de adolescente, em srngara rasa (madhurya-rasa). As qualidades de Krsna em sakhya rasa não são as mesmas como Suas qualidades quando Ele está com as gopis, e as qualidades de Krsna com Nanda e Yasoda também são diferentes. Suas qualidades são diferentes em cada rasa.

Nós devemos lembrar Krsna com todas as qualidades com as quais Ele é adornado em madhura-bhava. Devemos lembrá-Lo com as gopis enquanto Ele tenta enganá-las no jogo; e como Ele as engana e é enganado por elas enquanto elas tentam roubar Sua flauta. Lembre-se de Krsna e Suas priya-jana, Suas mais queridas associadas.

Quais são as maneiras das gopis, e especialmente de Srimati Radharani? Quais são as atividades daquela gopi por quem nós temos avidez a seguir? Esta gopi não é Radhika, Lalita ou Visakha; é Rupa Manjari. Nós temos um interesse muito afiado para ver o que ela está fazendo. É o humor dela que queremos adotar. Quando Srimati Radhika está satisfeita, então Rupa Manjari torna-se muito satisfeita. Rupa Manjari realiza tantos serviços, como trazer água em uma panela de ouro, algumas vezes muito lenta e gentilmente abanando com uma camara...

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Massageando?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Sim, quando ela vê que Sri Sri Radha e Krsna estão muito cansados, ela Os serve em conformidade. Nós vamos observar cuidadosamente essa manjari, vendo o que ela está fazendo e como ela está realizando seus numerosos serviços.

A maneira pela qual se entra nestes passatempos e serviços baseia-se em lembrança ininterrupta. Janam casya - lembrando todas as gopis, e especialmente aquela gopi em que eu sou...

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Interessado.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Interessado.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Meditando nisso.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Este é o método de raganuga-sadhana-bhajana. Tat tat katha ratas casau - Esta frase no mesmo sloka é em relação ao siksa-guru, aquele premi-guru ou raganuga-guru de quem estamos ouvindo. Ele irá discursar conosco sobre as maneiras pelas quais todas as sakhis estão servindo Krsna, e especialmente as maneiras pelas quais Rupa Manjari e nosso guru em sakhi-vesa (na forma de uma sakhi) estão servindo. Deve-se falar sobre os seus passatempos com Krsna, como eu algumas vezes discuto eles com vocês.

Tal devoto sempre reside em Vrndavana. Se ele não tem chance de estar em Vrndavana pelo corpo, ele certamente vive lá pela mente; pois sem viver em Vrndavana, não se pode atingir esse tipo de amor.

Estas três práticas são essenciais: Krsna smarana, lembrar Krsna com Seus associados mais queridos; tat tat katha ratas casau, continuamente conversar sobre seus passatempos; e kuryad vasam vraje sada, sempre residir em Vrindavana (se não pelo corpo, pelo menos pela mente), em tais lugares de passatempo como Seva Kunja, Sanketa, e Javat, e se você tem a qualificação você pode ir para Radha Kunda ao meio-dia. Passar o dia todo com Radhika e aquela gopi por quem você tem a convicção de seguir.

Isto é tudo por hoje. Eu, talvez, serei capaz de completar os próximos dois slokas nos próximos três dias.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Você vai falar por mais três dias?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Se eu continuar com estas explanações pelos próximos dias, você será capaz de entender alguma coisa. Se eu estou em uma pressa, a discussão não será benéfica para você.

(Pergunta em bengali)

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Sua pergunta é esta: Se alguém quer viver em Vrindavana pela mente, então seu corpo também não vem? A resposta é que seu corpo vai automaticamente seguir sua mente e vir a Vrndavana, se esse é o seu único desejo.

Caso contrário, se uma pessoa não é tão qualificado, ele vai envolver-se em outras tarefas e pensar: "Este outro dever deverá ser feito. Este trabalho deve ser feito. Além disso, o lugar no qual eu vivo tem muitas comodidades." Então, estando longe, este tipo de pessoa vai pensar sobre viver em Vrndavana, mas ele só vai conseguir um pequeno benefício.

Aqueles que são como Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami irão pensar, "Se eu não estou lá na minha casa, deixo qualquer um queimando. E o que vai acontecer com meus pais, crianças e esposa se eu ir para Vrndavana? Eu não sei como eles vão viver suas vidas - se eles vão ter problemas e dificuldades, ou se eles vão ficar todos bem. Isto não é mais a minha responsabilidade."

Por outro lado, um discípulo neófito pode dizer, "Oh, meu Gurudeva me disse para pregar, então eu devo fazer isto. Este é o meu dever (então não há necessidade de meditar em Vrndavana.)" No entanto, quando nossa ganância vier em plena floração, nós vamos esquecer quaisquer outras coisas. Nessa fase nenhuma outra obrigação virá em nosso caminho.

Tal devoto puro será visto pelo mundo inteiro como guru. Por exemplo, mesmo agora, nós seguimos Srila Rupa Gosvami e Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami como nossos gurus. E o que nós estamos pregando? Nós estamos pregando apenas as suas palavras. Nós estamos pregando as palavras de nosso Gurudeva.

Se outros vão ver que as palavras de Tamal Krsna Maharaja e Giriraja Maharaja são verdadeiramente as palavras de Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja - se eles vão ver que suas palavras estão corretamente na linha (de acordo com o guru e o guru-parampara) - eles serão obrigados a aceitar todas as suas instruções. Então não haverá danos na pregação ou fazer qualquer outro seva; isto será pregação real. No entanto, eu não sei quantos nascimentos vai levar para você chegar a esse estágio.

Um dia você vai ter que deixar a sua presente pregação e tornar-se qualificado para ir para Goloka Vrndavana, onde não há pregação, apenas serviço. Então, de lá, como Srila Rupa Gosvami veio com Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, você também pode retornar e pregar com seu mestre espiritual.

[Continua ...]

[* Nota de rodapé: (do Jaiva-dharma de Srila Thakura Bhakivinoda, Capítulo 28, parte 2): Vrajanatha: Gurudeva, qual gadha-samskara, profunda impressão, é relevante para tornar-se 'arrebatado em meditação'?

Gosvami: Meu filho, preso pela natureza material, você tem sido apanhado no ciclo de repetidos nascimentos e mortes, trabalhando as acumuladas reações de seu karma. Neste mecanismo, dois tipos de samskara - praktana, de vidas passadas, e adhunika, da vida presente - têm ajudado a moldar sua constituição mental, temperamento, e contemplações. Originalmente, sua alma possuía uma consciência pura e natureza que tornaram-se poluídas. No entanto, agora o seus atos piedosos passados têm levado você a procurar associação santa e executar serviço devocional, assim formando uma nova poderosa samskara que vai arrancar os samskaras materiais poluídos e permitir gradualmente a sua consciência pura original a tomar seu lugar de direito mais uma vez. Quanto mais profunda a gadha-samskara de serviço devocional afundar adentro, mais forte a presença de acintya-tattva será sentida no coração, assim causando-lhe a tornar-se "arrebatado em meditação" em sua sthayi-bhava.]

fonte in ingles - >  http://raga-vartma-candrika.blogspot.com/2010/06/on-raganuga-bhakti.html

============================================

equipe responsável :

 Candra Kala dd - Divulgação e publicação
 Goura Hari Das - Tradução e Digitação
 Mukundananda Dasa - Revisor

What’s Favorable For Raganuga-bhakti?

Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja Four Discussions with Iskcon GBC Members On Raga-Vartma-Candrika [Part 8] (parts 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, part 8 audio) Mathura, India: 1991 [Respected Harikatha Readers, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga. Part 8 assumes that you have read the first 7 parts. For those of you who have not have done so, or those of you who would like a reminder, we have put in "fill-ins" from the English translation of Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja's Hindi translation of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura's Raga-vartma-candrika book in the indented paragraphs. This will tie together any possible loose ends. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: First I explained abhista-bhava-mayi, which may be in an unripe or ripe stage. In the stage of sadhana it is the absorption that "We are gopis;" and in the siddha stage we will actually become gopis. In both cases, it is abhista-bhava-mayi. Next is bhava-sambandhi upadhana-karana. These are activities we must perform, like hearing and remembering. These practices must not be neglected for any reason. Regarding nimitta-karana practices, if we cannot follow them under certain circumstances, it is not harmful; therefore it is considered secondary. Vamsidasa Babaji Maharaja and Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami were fully absorbed in Krsna-lila for so many days, and Ekadasi came and left during that time of absorption. For them there was no harm. On the other hand, if there are occasions that we do not follow, this is harmful for us. That is why nimitta-karana is called secondary. Which of the sixty-four limbs of bhakti are to be practiced in raganuga-bhakti? How many types of practices are there? What are their characteristics? Which are essential, and which are to be disregarded? To answer these questions, sastra sets down five types of devotional practices: abhista-bhava-mayi – saturated with one's cherished mood abhista-bhava-sambandhi – related to one's cherished mood abhista-bhava-anukula – favorable to one's cherished mood abhista-bhava-aviruddha – neutral to one's cherished mood abhista-bhava -viruddha – detrimental to one's cherished mood. Here, svabhista means the mood that a sadhaka aspires to attain. Some of these five categories are both the sadhana and sadhya. (That is, the nature of the practices never changes; the only difference is that in the stage of sadhana they are in an unripe state, while in the stage of sadhya they are ripe.) To achieve the goal of prema, some are direct, or ingredient, causes (upadana-karana) and others are indirect, or instrumental, causes (nimitta-karana); some are signs of bhajana (such as tilaka, tulasi-mala, dress meant for the different asramas, and so on); some are helpful; some are neutral; and some are harmful. All of these classifications will be explained. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Kartika-vrata may fall in the category of either upadhana-karana or nimitta-karana. When it is followed in accordance with the rules of renunciation, avoiding certain foods and activities, then it is in the category of nimitta-karana. When it is followed in accordance with the principles of hearing and chanting the names and glories of Srimati Radhika and Sri Krsna, then it is in the category of upadana-karana and is bhava-sambandhi. If vairagya is observed during Kartika, that is good, but sravanam-kirtanam during Kartika must not be neglected. Actually, every vrata (vow) is of two kinds: upadhana-karana and nimitta-karana. When it is upadana-karana it cannot be missed; while if under certain circumstances, if we fail to practice this or other limbs of nimitta-karana, there is no harm. For example, I once went to Sri Govindaji Mandira in Jaipur during Kartika month. When the pujaris requested me to take maha-prasadam, I told them, "I am so lucky that you are giving me this maha-prasadam of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda," after which they brought me rice, lauki (bottle-gourd), and eggplant. Devotees are not supposed to take lauki or eggplant during Kartika, but I accepted them as maha-prasada, placing them upon my head with great honor. At that time I was thinking, "Sri Govindaji is the established Deity of Srila Rupa Gosvami. To respect His maha-prasada is upadana-karana," so I respected it. On the other hand, here in our mandira, we tell the devotees not to prepare lauki, eggplant, and all other foodstuffs which are restricted during Kartika. Applying gopi-candana-tilaka and nama-mudra (stamping the names of Krsna on one's body with tilaka), which are nimitta-karana, are in the category of bhava-anukula. Burijana dasa: Anukula? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes, this is the third. First is bhava-mayi, second is bhava-sambandhi, and now, third, is bhava-anukula. Anukula means 'favorable.' Practices in the category of bhava-anukula begin with worship of Tulasi devi by offering her obeisances, watering her, and so on; and parikrama (circumambulation of Tulasi, the Deities, and the holy dhamas). These practices are favorable, and should therefore be performed. Other practices include worship of cows, dhatri (myrobalan) trees, asvattha (pipal, or banyan) trees, and offering respect to brahmanas. *[See endnote 1] Do you understand? These are among sixty-four kinds of bhakti listed in Bhakti-Rasamrta-Sindhu and are somewhat favorable. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Somewhat favorable. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: They are somewhat favorable and beneficial (upakari). We follow the instructions of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami in his Sri Mana-siksa: "Sujane bhusura-gane." Bhusura refers to respecting the brahmanas. At the same time, if a raganuga Vaisnava has no time for these practices, there is no harm, because they are nimitta-karana and beneficial. So these are bhava-anukula; they are favorable. Do you understand? Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Favorable, but not essential. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes, not essential. Accepting tulasi, sandalpaste, perfume, garlands and garments which have been offered to Bhagavan is bhava-sambandhi. Wearing a tulasi-wood mala (neck-beads) and adorning the body with Vaisnava signs such as tilaka, stamps of the holy name and of the Lord's footprints marked in gopi-candana, and so on are bhava-anukula, or favorable to the development of one's desired mood. Serving Tulasi, doing parikrama and offering pranama are also bhava-anukula. Next is bhava-avirudha – not unfavorable, and not favorable. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Which things? Those you have already mentioned? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: I will mention them now. Burijana dasa: Now comes the fourth category. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Avirudha means... Burijana dasa: Unfavorable. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Not unfavorable, yet not necessarily favorable. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura gives an example: Krsna wanted to drink milk from the breast of Yasoda, and at the same time the milk she had kept on the fire was going... Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Overflowing. Sripad Dhanudhara Maharaja: Boiling over. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yasoda forcibly put Krsna down in order to attend the milk. Although Krsna was weeping and very angry, she went to protect the milk on the stove. This indicates that we should protect the things that Krsna likes even more than protecting Krsna Himself. We should favor these things more than Krsna – because they will be used in His service. Now the first chapter (First Illumination) will be completed. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: How many chapters are there? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: There are two chapters. The first was long, and the second can be completed in one day's discussion. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says that for the raganuga-bhakta, although sravanam, kirtanam, and smaranam are superior, the management of kirtana is not less important. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Can you explain that again please? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: For example, I may say to someone, "Oh, come here; play the mrdanga;" And to someone else I may say, "Oh, you should come and do kirtana." One person may be making arrangements and managing in preparation for the kirtana performance, and another may be doing pracara (preaching) in order to enthuse others to attend. This is not less than that. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Not less than...? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Not less than sravanam and kirtanam. Burijana dasa: It supports. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: At first sravanam and kirtanam are superior to managing, but ultimately management will be transferred into sravanam and kirtanam. Burijana dasa: You mentioned preaching. Does that preaching refer to preaching about raganuga-bhakti, or any kind? Does it refer even to vaidhi-bhakti preaching? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: That devotee should have raganuga-bhakti in his heart, but he can do any kind of preaching in support of sankirtana, meaning sravanam, kirtanam, and smaranam. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Does management come in the category of...? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: For example, you are preaching, managing, and holding meetings; you are going here and there in order to promote nama-sankirtana. There is no alternative – you must perform these duties. At the same time, it is essential to internally maintain a certain mood while engaging in these activities. When that mood is present; there is no harm in such activities; they are favorable. The fifth category for the raganuga-sadhakas is bhava-virudha. These are the activities they reject: Ahangrahopasana (considering oneself to be non-different from the object of worship), nyasa mudras (various procedures of intertwining the fingers during worship), Dvaraka and mahisi-dhyana (meditation on Sri Krsna's Dvaraka pastimes and worship of His queens). The previously-mentioned practices, those in the category of bhava-avirudha, may be helpful, but these are directly harmful and should be rejected. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: So you are saying that the arrangement, management, and preaching for the purpose of kirtana are not less important? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: And also the preparing and sewing of Krsna's clothes. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: These are not less than kirtana or smarana? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes. This is because they will be transferred further into that. [This is because their beautiful arrangement will prompt glorification of the Deities. -ed] Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: What does 'transferred further' mean? Sripad Madhava Maharaja: It means 'in the future.' Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: In the future it will turn into kirtana and smarana. One must respect all the limbs of bhakti, beginning with sravanam kirtanam visnu-smaranam; but among all the limbs, smaranam (rememberance, or meditation) of Krsna is superior. It was mentioned earlier that smarana is the primary limb of raganuga-bhakti. But one should understand that smarana is dependent on kirtana. In the present age of Kali, it is the practice of kirtana that grants the eligibility to enter into bhajana, because as all the sastras proclaim, kirtana has monarchy over all the other limbs of bhakti and bestows the highest result. Asakti (attachment) is of two kinds: asakti for the limbs of sadhana (devotional practices leading to the goal) and asakti for Krsna and His associates. Both are good, but later on asakti in sravanam, kirtanam, and all such practices of sadhana-bhakti will transfer into asakti in remembering Krsna and His associates. In this way, asakti begins as bhava-anukula (activities that are favorable for raganuga-bhakti) and later on becomes bhava-mayi (complete absorption in one's cherished goal). Burijana dasa: What is the difference between practices that are neutral (bhava-avirudha, practices that are neither favorable nor unfavorable for raganuga-bhakti) and nimitta (practices that are supportive and beneficial, but not essential)? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: You should read about this, and then we will discuss. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Yes, we need to see this typed out. We need to read it, because if we read it again we will be very clear. We need to see the categories. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has explained what I have just related to you, and when you attain siddha-sarira (your spiritual body) you will realize all these truths. In the preliminary stage you cannot have an exact idea. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti concludes this section by saying, "I am explaining these truths to you, and if you have not understood properly, it is my fault that I could not make you understand. May God and the suddha-bhaktas (pure devotees) forgive me for this." We will complete Raga-vartma-candrika after one more day's discussion. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: I have just one or two practical questions – quick questions. I asked you this once before, but I again want to make sure. This has happened two times in different places, regarding the small vigraha (Deity) in our temple. Normally the small murti (Deity) should be made from asta-dhatu (eight precious metals) or some brass. But the Deity we installed is made of marble. What if one of the Deities breaks? When I asked you this before, you said to replace it; but the other one has not yet broken. So the small marble Krsna murti broke, but the Radharani marble one did not break. So, you said "Okay, you can replace the Krsna murti." Then I said, "What about Radharani?" So you said, "She is not broken." But the problem is that because She is made of marble, we fear that fifty or a hundred years from now it may again happen. So, we are thinking that both should be replaced with brass murtis so that they will always be safe. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: But They have had prana-pratistha (the Vedic installation ceremony). So you should have the Krsna murti replaced with marble stone and again the installation, and then give Them to any disciple or keep Them as a vigraha (Deity in the temple). Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Give which one? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Radha and Krsna who were there originally. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: And give them to someone? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: But it is not so easy to worship Radha and Krsna at home; maybe no one will do that. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: If our father is dead and our mother is alive, should we also leave our mother and tell her, "You should go"? Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: You told me that last time also. You gave the same answer – but I have a question. Because it is in the temple, bhoga is offered five times every day, and so many other things are being offered. So if we give the Deity to someone in their home, must they continue the same worship? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Two times will do, or as the devotee can do. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: So for the temple, both Radha and Krsna can be replaced with brass Deities, and the marble ones can be given to someone who is at home? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes, to a home, or to any existing mandira (temple), or to a new mandira. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Then the same problem may come with breaking; better in the home, I think. I have one other question: On a piece of property that we have in Vrndavana there is an old drumstick tree. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Kadamba? Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: No, a vegetable (sabji) tree. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Sajana? Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Sajana. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: It is only giving a few sabjis, and it is a very old tree. If we want to make any building, it is in the way. But it is in Vrndavana, so can it be cut down or not? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Is it alive? Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: It is alive. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Is it old? If they take it from there and plant it in another place, will it not remain alive? Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: No. It has to be cut down. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: You should act according to your idea. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Oh, I cannot take the responsibility for that decision; therefore I am asking you. This tree is right on the property, and it means the building cannot... and I mean, it is not a Kadamba tree; it is not... People say that the sabji tree is not very useful. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: On the other hand, we see that all things of Vrndavana are cinmaya (transcendental, spiritual). They want to do bhajana, and in fact they are doing bhajana. It may be cut down only for building a temple. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: But if it is for somebody's residence? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: You should, and they should... Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Think about it? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Think about it. Don't ask me. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Actually, this was not my idea. They suggested this to me and I at once thought that we do not have the right to cut down anything growing in Vrndavana. After so many thousands and millions of lives this tree has taken birth here, so we don't have the right. So I wanted to ask you, but they said, "No, this tree is not so useful." I thought, "It is not correct." Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: You should think about it. I will not order that you should cut it or not cut it. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: No, I will not take that responsibility. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes, we should not take the responsibility. Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was in the midst of constructing Krsna-kunda (next to Radha-kunda). He was planning to cut down the trees that were standing on the bank of Syama-kunda as he was constructing its shape, but those trees appeared to him in his dream and told him, "Please don't cut us down. We are doing bhajana here" After receiving that dream, he considered, "Krsna is crooked, He is tri-bhanga (bent in three places); He doesn't want to be straight. Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami had constructed Radha-kunda in a square-shape, but decided to leave Krsna-kunda in a 'crooked' shape by retaining the land around those sacred trees; he did not cut them. Now, however, after five-hundred years, we see that some of them are going away by themselves. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Cutting down? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Not cutting. Burijana dasa: Leaving. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Oh, the trees are leaving. Sripad Dhanurdhara Svami: I have one short question. Do the husbands of the manjaris come from Javat? Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: His question is that Javat is the home of Srimati Radhika's in-laws – Abhimanyu (Radhika's so-called husband), Jatila (Her mother-in-law), etc. When we went there, you told us that the other friends of Radhika reside with Her there. So his question is this: does this mean that their so-called husbands also live in Javat? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: It may be, or may not be. For example Visakha, comes from Kamai, but she has relations in that village. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: In Javat? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: In Javat, and also in the house of... Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Jatila. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Jatila also. Visakha is related to Jatila and Kutila and so many others. Javat is a big village, and therefore so many relations of the gopis live there. By making any excuse, or by cheating, they tell their husbands, "I am going to see my sister," or "I am going to my..." – any relation – or, "I am going to such and such place." By telling such things, they come and serve Srimati Radhika. Somehow or other they serve Srimati Radhika. Sripad Dhanurdhara Svami: Somehow they are there. Sripad Giriraja Svami: You gave the example of the milk. You said that if somebody wants milk, then he will learn that he has to get a cow with a calf and do so many things. But the real purpose is that he wants the milk. In that regard, some years ago I made the resolution that I would do whatever I have to do, whatever is necessary, to get the association of Guru Maharaja (Srila Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja) again. What category does that come in? In other words, for the last so many years we have been doing so many services. But we are not doing those things because of the injunctions of the scriptures which say that if we don't do them we will go to hell or something like that. We were doing those things with the idea that if we follow, we will get the association of Guru Maharaja again. So, is that comparable to greed in raganuga-bhakti? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: It is in the category of vaidhi-bhakti, because he was expressing everything to you according to the orders of sastra (the Vedic scriptures). He was not instructing you in the matter of developing greed, because he didn't want to tell these superlative subjects to ordinary persons. He was preaching to create faith in the principles of vaidhi-bhakti. This is called pracara (preaching and giving instructions according to sastra). Raganuga-bhakti cannot be preached; it is vyakti-gata, meaning... Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Individual. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: His question was a little different. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: "Is to obey and have the association of your Gurudeva raganuga or vaidhi?" Is this your question? Sripad Giriraja Svami: Not exactly. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Then what is it? Sripad Giriraja Svami: If someone follows the injunctions of the sastra, and is convinced on the basis of the sastra, that is vaidhi-bhakti. But if somebody has greed to obtain some object... Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: What object? Sripad Giriraja Svami: Well, that person wants to have love for Krsna in the mood of one of His associates. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: There are only three kinds of moods for which one may have greed in raganuga-bhakti [sakhya-rasa (the mood of Krsna's cowherd friend), vatsalya-rasa (the mood of Krsna's parent), and madhurya-rasa (the mood of Krsna's beloved, more specifically the service of Srimati Radhika)]. Any other greed will not be accepted as raganuga. Sripad Giriraja Svami: I will give another example to explain the question. In the beginning, one has asakti (attachment) for sravanam, kirtanam, and smaranam. Then later, that asakti becomes transferred to Krsna and His eternal associates; but both are asakti. So in the beginning we have the desire to have the association of our Guru Maharaja, but we are thinking of him as we knew him here in this world. Now it seems that the same desire can be transformed when the idea of Guru Maharaja's identity becomes more clear – his eternal identity in Krsna's service. Burijana dasa: He is asking this: if we are thinking of Guru Maharaja as a manjari for instance, and we desire... Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: How will he understand when he is doing nothing and knows nothing about all the facts regarding the performance of raganuga-bhakti. It will not be raganuga. Sripad Dhanurdhara Svami: What if one has greed to have darsana of his guru again? Is that the question? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: If one has truly received diksa, and he has had sufficient connection with his Gurudeva in his past lives and in this life, and he has sufficient samskaras (past impressions on the heart), then it may be said that he has greed. But we must consider whether or not that greed is genuine. If you are serving and hearing from your Gurudeva and doing vaidhi-bhakti, then, after that, by your Gurudeva's or any rasika Vaisnava's association you may gradually come to raganuga-bhakti. However, if we see someone who, without any help, without taking proper diksa, has that greed – like... Burijana dasa: Raya Ramananda. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Well, Raya Ramananda is Visakha devi. Sripad Giriraja Svami: Haridas Thakura. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Srila Haridas Thakura or, more so, Bilvamangala; then we should know it is real greed and that devotee is raganuga. By one's actions and thinking we will know whether or not a person is raganuga. We should know that one's bhakti will be vaidhi at first, and after that, by hearing from Gurudeva or a rasika Vaisnava, greed can come. Sripad Dhanurdhara Svami: But Giriraja Maharaja's greed is not out of fear of the sastras. He has so much love for Prabhupada that he will do anything to get his darsana again. He will manage; he will go to any place in the world; he will do sravanam, kirtanam. He will go to all our programs. So he is asking, "What is that greed?" Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: That sort of greed is in vaidhi-bhakti. And, by guru's mercy, if guru creates that greed, then it will become raganuga. Sripad Dhanurdhara Svami: But that greed is out of love; it is not because "I am fearful because the sastra says," it is out of... Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: If you truly know that your Gurudeva is Vinoda Manjari, or any manjari, and if you have genuine greed to serve him in that form, then it will be raganuga, or, more specifically, rupanuga. On the other hand, if you have greed to serve him with knowledge only of the form you have seen, his form as a sadhaka, it is not raganuga; it is vaidhi-sadhana. Is this clear? Sripad Dhanurdhara Svami: It is very clear. Perfect. Burijana dasa: You did answer it before, though. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: You should know all these truths; but you don't have that book, Raga-vartma-candrika, so I am explaining it to you in brief. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: But your instruction to do japa while meditating on Krsna's pastimes was so effective; it is so much effective. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: You are so lucky that in a short time you know the effect and have realized it. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: It is due to coming in your association. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: So, now we have discussed abhista-bhava-mayi, abhista-bhava-sambandhi, abhista-bhava-anukula, abhista-bhava aviruddha, and abhista-bhava-viruddha. Absorption in dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhurya are called abhista-bhava-mayi (saturated with one's cherished mood). Hearing about, glorifying and performing other limbs of bhajana in these moods nourish the sadhaka's creeper of prema. Thus, these activities are called bhava-mayi-sadhana. Upon the manifestation of prema, such sravana, kirtana, and so on is called bhava-mayi-sadhya. Hence, these practices of bhajana are both the means and the goal. The practices of bhajana, beginning with taking shelter of Sri Guru and including mantra-japa, meditation, and so on, are upadana-karana, the ingredient, or material, cause for attaining the goal of prema, and are called bhava-sambandhi (related to one's desired feeling or mood). Sastra enjoins a perpetual duty in the phrase "Japen nityam ananya-dhih – one must do japa every day with one-pointed attention." Ganoddesa Dipika states that it is one's duty to chant the krsna-nama maha-mantra which is associated with one's desired relationship with Krsna. The japa or kirtana of sri krsna-nama that specifically alludes to those whom one follows in siddha-rupa should be understood to be bhava-sambandhi, because it is upadana-karana, the ingredient cause of bhava....continuous engagement in bhava-sambandhi sadhana is obligatory... Raganuga-sadhakas are advised not to practice ahan-grahopasana (considering oneself as non-different from the object of worship), nyasa (various elaborate practices for chanting mantras and doing arcana), meditation on the moods of Dvaraka, and worship of Rukmini and other queens, even though these are included in the limb of arcana and are mentioned in Tantra sastra. We have discussed all these topics. Do you remember them? Sripad Giriraja Svami: I remember that we discussed them. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Now we are beginning the Second Illumination of Raga-vartma-candrika. Here, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura is expressing a concern: One may think that "Krsna is always engaged in vilasa (amorous pastimes) with the gopis, performing rasa-lila with them and sporting with them. He has forgotten everything else – His house and His duties. He is not aware of whether or not any danger or any enemy is approaching. He knows no fear and has no 'chinta's..." Burijana dasa: No anxiety. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: No thoughts about this? Burijana dasa: No worries. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes. "He has no worries. He doesn't know at that time what is victory or defeat. He is simply engaged in relishing His loving pastimes in the association of the gopis. He is always engaged in trying to please the gopis, and the gopis are always thinking, 'How can we make Krsna happy?'" He remains completely unaware of anything else – any kind of loss, lamentation, household duties, calamity, fear, anxiety, defeat at the hands of His enemies, or anyone else. So one may ask, "When Krsna has forgotten everything, who will hear the prayers of His raganuga-bhaktas? Who will give them consolation and blessings? Who will fulfill their objectives?" Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says that some persons propose that Paramatma, the partial expansion of Krsna (as the Supersoul in the hearts of all living entities), will hear the raganuga-bhakta's prayers, because He comes in the form of witness in the heart of every jiva soul. But Srila Cakravarti Thakura says that no raganuga-bhaktas will be satisfied with Paramatma, because Paramatma is unaware of the raganuga-bhakta's mood. Paramatma is not sufficient for them. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Why is Paramatma not sufficient? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: He is not rasika. He is only the witness of the jiva's activities, and He gives the fruits of the jiva's karma. He is bound in His duty. The raganuga-bhaktas will not be satisfied even by Narayana. They will not be satisfied even by Ramacandra and Dvarakadhisa, what to speak of Their partial expansions? Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says that Sri Krsna – Vrajendra-nandana-Syamasundara, Gopikanta – will hear. But how? He is engaged in the enchantment of the gopis' love and has forgotten everything else, so how will He hear? The answer is that there are two special qualities in Krsna; sarvajnata and mugdhata. Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Charmed. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Mugdhata. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Mugdha means that by the power of Sri Krsna's prema, He is like an innocent and ignorant child. For example when Krsna was in Dvaraka, He called Uddhava and told him that there were two very important works to be done. One would be to kill Jarasandha, and the other would be to accept the Pandavas' invitation to come and join the rajasuya-yajna. Krsna told Uddhava, "Both are equally important. What should I do?" Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says that if Krsna were only sarvajna, omniscient, knowing everything past, future, and present, why did He seek Uddhava's advice? We can say that maybe Krsna was pretending to be ignorant, but from the subject it is seen that He was not pretending. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: It was too grave. The subject was too serious. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Uddhava replied, "You called me over and, just like an ordinary, simple-minded person, You asked me, 'O Uddhava, what is My duty in this situation?' Although You are full of unlimited, eternal knowledge that is undivided and unimpeded by time and space, still You questioned me, just as an innocent person approaches someone wise for advice about some weighty matter. In order to render service, Uddhava continued, "My dear Lord, first of all I think that You should immediately go there to help the King in this great venture. At the same time, it is Your duty to give protection to the surrendered souls. Both purposes can be served if we understand the whole situation. Unless one is victorious over all kings, one cannot perform this Rajasuya sacrifice. In other words, King Yudhisthira cannot perform this great sacrifice without gaining victory over the King Jarasandha. We must first kill Jarasandha, and then all our purposes will automatically be served." Appreciating Uddhava's solution, Krsna replied, "Uddhava, you are certainly very intelligent. I will do as you advise." We see that sarvajnata and mugdhata co-exist in each and every one of Bhagavan's pastimes. Therefore, we must accept this as being accomplished by His inconceivable potency. Another example: Kunti prayed to Krsna, "I remember the pastime when Yasoda was going to bind Your waist. You were crying bitterly, and that crying was not imitation. So I am astonished. Fear personified fears You, yet You were afraid of the stick in the hands of Yasoda." This is called mugdhata, knowing nothing – like a very innocent child knows nothing. This mugdhata occurs by the influence of Yogamaya. If a person is overpowered by the illusory material maya of Krsna, he feels happiness and suffering for many births under that illusory energy. His happiness and sufferings are all the work of maya, meaning 'forgetfulness of Krsna.' Are Krsna's mugdhata and sarva-jnata the fruits of this maya? No. Krsna is not under the influence of Brahma-maya, or even Balarama's maya. Rather, His illusion is the result of His prema, His bhakta-vatsalya (His desire to please His devotees). He loves His devotees so much that in their association He knows nothing; that is, He forgets everything else. Someone may propose: "One should understand that sarvajnata (omniscience) here indicates an abundance of maha-aisvarya (great opulence) devoid of madhurya (sweetness), while madhurya is simply the mugdhata (bewilderment) that results from completely setting aside aisvarya and imitating nara-lila, human-like behavior," but only dull-headed people will speak like this. Therefore, the conclusion regarding madhurya and related topics is that whether maha-aisvarya is exhibited or not, if the mood of human-like pastimes is not transgressed even slightly, then it is called madhurya. For example, when Sri Krsna killed the demoness Putana, He enacted the pastime of sucking her breast, behaving just like an ordinary human child. While breaking the terrifying and hard-hearted cart demon (Sakatasura) with His extremely tender lotus feet, Sri Krsna maintained His human-like behavior as a small baby of only three months, lying flat on His back... Moreover, even though aisvarya is present when Krsna is seen performing the pastimes of stealing milk and yogurt and acting with transcendental amorous affection towards the gopa-ramanis (the enchanting young cowherd maidens), that aisvarya is not apparent. If mugdhata were to be called madhurya simply because without displaying any aisvarya, it corresponds to human activities, then the mugdhata shown by a restless and playful mundane child would also have to be called madhurya. Therefore, it is completely wrong to explain madhurya in this way. Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: It's not by Yogamaya? It's by prema? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes, prema; and that prema is Yogamaya. Yogamaya is nothing other than the personification of Krsna's prema. There are so many functions of prema, such as Yogamaya, atmamaya (internal potency), Srimati Radhika, and hladini-sakti (internal pleasure potency). All these are specific manifestations of prema. Due to prema, Krsna becomes sarvajna and mugdha at the same time. Thus, when He is engaged with the gopis in rasa-lila and other loving pastimes, if any raganuga-bhakta in this world worships Him and the gopis and prays to them, then, even though Krsna is mugdha in rasa-lila, He is sarvajna and will fulfill the desire of that raganuga-bhakta. For him, He hears everything. [To be continued...] [* Endnote 1, from Jaiva-dharma Vijaya: Why do the dhatri, myrobalan tree, and the pipal tree, etc., have a special worshipable status, as stated in the tenth limb of the sixty-four limbs of bhakti? Raghunatha dasa Babaji: "The Skanda Purana states: asvattha-tulasi-dhatri-go-bhumi-sura-vaisnavah pujitah pranata-dhyatah ksapayanti nrnam agham "All of one's sins are absolved, if one worships, offers obeisances to, and meditates upon the sacred pipal, banyan, tulasi, and dhatri trees, and the cow, brahmanas, and Vaisnavas." As a part of maintaining household life within the varnasrama social system, the vaidhi-bhakti devotee must worship, respect, and meditate upon the banyan, pipal and other shade-giving trees; the dhatri (myrobalan) and other fruit-bearing trees; tulasi and other plants inspiring devotion; the cow and other universally beneficial animals; the brahmanas, who teach religion and maintain religious principles; and the Vaisnavas, the devotees of the Lord who purify the whole world.] http://www.purebhakti.com/teachers/bhakti-discourses-mainmenu-61/57-2010/1156-whats-favorable-for-raganuga-bhakti.html ,

The Five Principles of Raganuga-Bhakti

Tuesday, 08 June 2010

Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja

Discussions with the GBC on the book, Raga-Vartma-Candrika [Part 6] (links for Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; Audio link for part 6)
Mathura, India: 1991

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: We have completed the explanations of the first two slokas quoted and discussed by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura in his Raga-vartma-candrika, but in summary.

The first sloka is:

krsnam smaran janam casya prestham nija samihitam
tat tat katha ratas casau kuryad vasam vraje sada

["While remembering Sri Krsna and His beloved associates whom we desire to follow, being fully absorbed in discussions of their pastimes, one should always reside in Vraja. If this is not possible, then one should reside there by mind." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, 1.294)]

We should remember Krsna and those associates for whose service mood we have greed. We should remember them, hearing and repeating their pastimes with Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. And we should live in Vrndavana, if not by body than at least by mind.

The second sloka is:

seva sadhaka rupena siddha rupena catra hi
tad bhava lipsuna karya vraja-lokanusaratah

["On this path of raganuga, being charmed by the intense love of Krsna's beloved Vrajavasis, the sadhaka should live in Vraja under the guidance of those devotees who have taken shelter of the Vrajavasis (like Sri Rupa, Sanatana and Raghunatha dasa Gosvamis), always eager to serve them in his present physical body. And, in the perfected stage of his siddha-rupa, the internally conceived spiritual body suitable for performing prema-seva, he should engage in the cherished service of Sri Krsna according to his chosen mood. In this regard he should follow in the footsteps of the eternal residents of Vraja, such as Sri Radhika, Lalita, Visakha, and Sri Rupa Manjari." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, 1.295)]

Sadhaka-rupena refers to Srila Rupa Gosvami and siddha-rupena refers to Rupa Manjari. Vraja lokanusaratah refers to Sri Krsna's nara-lila (human-like pastimes) with Nanda Baba, Yasoda, and the gopis. They have 'ordinary,' human-like relations with Krsna, but neither they nor Krsna are humans.

And the third sloka is:

sravanotkirtanadini vaidhi-bhakty uditani tu
yany angani ca tanyatra vijneyani manisibhih

["In vaidhi-bhakti one should practice the limbs of bhakti like sravana, kirtana, and so on according to one's qualification. Similarly, for raganuga-bhakti also it has been advised by scholars who are well versed in the principles of bhakti to follow these practices." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, 1.296)]

If a person develops sraddha (faith) by reading or hearing the order of sastra and is consequently inspired to cultivate bhakti, this is called vaidhi-bhakti. On the other hand, if a devotee has genuine greed to attain service like that of the gopis, even though he is performing the limbs of vaidhi-bhakti, he has actually developed madhurya- or raganuga-bhava. The mood of his vaidhi-bhakti performance will change; it will not be the same as the mood of vaidhi-bhakti. A raganuga-bhakta may follow all sixty-four limbs (angas) of bhakti, or nine, or five, or three (sravana, kirtana, and smarana), or only one (harinama-kirtana) – but with the mood of raganuga.

In his explanation of this sloka, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says that a raganuga devotee need not follow each and every one of the sixty-four, or nine, limbs of bhakti. He adopts only those practices which are favorable for his development in raganuga-bhakti. He will not incur any offense if he neglects any one of those limbs for his mula...

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Root

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: His root bhava (constitutional mood). This is also called amsi-bhava. Amsi means...

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Essence.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: What do you mean by 'essence'?

Burijana dasa: Sara [the Hindi word for 'essence']

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Essence means 'the essential thing.'

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: What essential thing?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: The essential thing is to get greed.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: That devotee already has greed.

Burijana dasa: To cultivate or nourish.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: To cultivate or nourish what?

Burijana dasa: His affection, his love

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: What affection?

Burijana dasa: His affection for Krsna in a particular way or mood.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: The root is gopi-bhava, or more specifically manjari-bhava – the mood of personal service to Srimati Radhika like that of the manjaris; this is the essence, the root mood (mula/amsi-bhava). In order to obtain this, the devotee executes those activities which are favorable and avoids those which are unfavorable. For example, he avoids ahangrahopasana,

Do you know the meaning of ahangrahopasana?

Sripad Giriraja Maharaja: To worship oneself as God.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: This is not the meaning here. It means to think that "I am Lalita," "I am Visakha," "I am Citra," or "I am Rupa Manjari." Sahajiya babajis meditate that "I am Lalita sakhi," rather than thinking, "I am Lalita dasi." This ahangrahopasana, considering oneself to be non-different from the object of worship, is very dangerous; be careful to escape from this.

Another unfavorable practice is mudras. Do you know the meaning of mudra?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: All the unimportant things in relation to arcana and puja.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: We do not hold kusa grass in our hand while taking sankalpa (a vow), nor do we adopt nyasa (hand-movements along with the recitation of mantras as one touches the various parts of ones own hand or body, or the various parts of the body of the Deity). We do not do Dvaraka-dhyana (meditation on Dvaraka-lila) or Rukmini and mahisi-puja (worship of the queens of Dvaraka), even though these are included within the sixty-four limbs of bhakti.

Then, regarding the worship of Ramacandra – be careful; this is for others, not for us. Even though Rama is Krsna, we should be very careful in this regard. We can offer obeisances, saying, "O Krsna! You have manifested such a beautiful form as Rama, in which You are performing many wonderful pastimes." [When such a devotee worships Rama on His appearance day, he does so with this mood. -ed] We will not address Him as Rama, but as Krsna, and we will not worship that form of Rama. Worship (puja) of Dvarakadhisa-Krsna is better than worship of Rama, but that has also been warned against.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: What about Nrsimhadeva?

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: We can do pranama to Nrsimhadeva as the protector of bhakti. [Such a devotee worships Him on His appearance day with this mood. -ed]

Sastra presents various rules and regulations, instructing that such worship be performed; but these are for ordinary persons, for the general public, not for those sadhakas who are specifically going to serve Srimati Radhika. Raganuga means 'to serve Radhika, with Krsna,' so we should be aikantiki, single-pointed. Our guru-parampara has established so many Deities for the general public, which are not meant for those engaged in aikantiki-bhakti, one-pointed worship.

Perform your worship very carefully, in such a way that no one will think that you are against Rama or Dvarakadhisa. Others should worship them, and you should execute all your bhakti activities with greed.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: There is that verse in the Bhagavad-gita which states, "Do not disrupt the minds..."

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:

na buddhi-bhedam janayed
ajnanam karma-sanginam
jonayet sarva-karmani
vidvan yuktah samacaran

["So as not to disrupt the minds of ignorant men attached to the fruitive results of prescribed duties, a learned person should not induce them to stop work. Rather, by working in the spirit of devotion, he should engage them in all sorts of activities [for the gradual development of Krsna consciousness." (Bhagavad-gita 3.26)]

So, even though it is written in the bhakti-sastras that one should perform these particular practices, a raganuga devotee will not do so. Sastra says one should not commit any offence by neglecting any of the limbs of bhakti. Sastra says that one should not do avajna...

Sripad Giriraja Maharaja: Disobedience

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: One should not be disobedient to any limb of bhakti, yet, there is something to understand in this connection: Those practices which are not favorable in raganuga are not to be done.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says that there may be a time when a person who is following this principle of raganuga comes to a temple of Satyabhama, Rukmini, Ramacandra, or some other Deity, and by chance he may be obliged to worship them. However, even if he does not do so, he incurs no offense. For a general person it would be an offense to avoid such worship, but in the case of a person with genuine greed, he is not avoiding this worship in a mood that would be considered offensive.

Let us take the example of Hanuman. Garuda told Hanuman, "Your worshipful Deity is calling you. Your worshipful Sri Krsna wants you to come and take His darsana."

Hanuman replied, "My health is so bad. I am sick. I cannot go. I am seriously ill."

Garuda repeated, "Krsna is calling you."

Hanuman replied, "I know, but I am so tired that I cannot do anything."

Garuda tried to take him by force, but Hanuman flicked Garuda with his tail, throwing him with such tremendous force that he at once landed near the palace of Krsna in Dvaraka.

Krsna told Garuda, "Go again, and this time tell him that Rama is calling him."

Garuda returned to Hanuman and told him, "Your worshipful Deity, Rama, is calling you."

Hanuman immediately became very joyful and said, "I will just take my bath, and as soon as I put on tilaka, I am coming. Please go ahead and tell Rama that I am coming right away."

Garuda said, "I will go very quickly, as quickly as the mind. So please come with me and ride on my back."

Hanuman said, "No, there is no need. I am coming just now. You can go ahead."

In the meantime, as Garuda reached half-way to Rama, flying so fast, he saw Hanuman coming back, jumping back, from having just seen Rama. Hanuman had already seen Krsna in the form of Rama. He had already spoken with Him and paid his respects. He was now returning, while Garuda was only half-way there.

Thus, even if we are not following the various limbs of the nine-fold practices of bhakti, namely padasevanam (parikrama of the Lord's pastime places), arcanam (temple worship), vandanam (offering prayers), dasyam (carrying out His order), sakhyam (becoming His friend), and so on, if we have that root bhava, this 'neglect' is not an offense. That root bhava will fill up all the gaps in the form of the missing practices.

sruti smrti puranadi pancaratra vidhim vina
aikantiki harer bhaktir utpatayaiva kalpate

["Devotional service to Bhagavan that ignores the authorized Vedic literatures like the Upanisads, Puranas, Narada-Pancaratra, etc., is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society."]

Do you know this sloka? This is a very important sloka from Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.101). The purport is that if one is engaged in the exclusive worship of Krsna (aikantiki hari-bhakti) but he is not following the instructions of sastras like the Srutis, Smrtis, Pancaratra, and Puranas, there will be some disturbance (utpatha).

For a person with genuine greed to serve Radha and Krsna, for a person truly established in this root bhakti, that alone is sufficient. If that person does not execute whatever limbs of bhakti are unfavorable for advancement in raganuga, even though sastra instructs that all the limbs of bhakti should be observed, there is no chance of committing an offense.

One important thing to note in this connection: It is a fact that those who have actual greed and exclusively follow the principles of raganuga-bhakti will attain the service of Radha and Krsna in gopi-bhava. But Srila Visvanatha Cakravati Thakura tells us: It is sometimes said that if a sadhaka has an ambition, or greed, to serve Sri Sri Radha and Krsna with raga, and he is engaged only in the hearing, chanting, and remembering (sravanam kirtanam visnu smaranam) of vaidhi-bhakti, he will attain Dvaraka-bhava and become a maidservant of Rukmini and Satyabhama.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: If a person has...what?

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: It is a question, a supposition: Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has written, "If someone says..."

He writes that it is also sometimes said that if a sadhaka has greed and performs vaidhi-bhakti plus raganuga-bhakti, he will become a maid-servant of the queens (mahisis) of Mathura.

He says that these conceptions are not correct. Why not correct? The 'queen' of Mathura is Kubja [*See Endnote 1] and the queens of Dvaraka are Rukmini, Satyabhama, and others like them. It is not correct to say that a person performing vaidhi-bhakti receives the service of the queens of Dvaraka, whereas a person with greed who performs both vaidhi-bhakti and raganuga-bhakti will have the maid-service of Kubja.

Kubja's prema is not actually proper, and therefore it is naturally less than that of the queens of Dvaraka. The queens of Dvaraka are so much superior to Kubja.

Vaidhi plus raganuga is superior to vaidhi alone; do you understand? It is against the principles of bhakti that a person performing vaidhi-bhakti plus raganuga-bhakti would receive the inferior service of Kubja, whereas the performance of vaidhi-bhakti would yield more than that.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Maybe Candravali's service?

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: No. It has been written in Gopala Campu that Rukmini's marriage was performed in Mathura, and therefore some persons say that Rukmini must be present there as Krsna's queen. But this is against our Vaisnava principles.

It is against our Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy to say that by following vaidhi-bhakti one will receive the same award as one who is engaged in vaidhi mixed with raganuga. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti states that the idea of Rukmini's marriage in Mathura is against sastra, and has been told only in Gopala Campu. Actually, when Gopal Campu says 'Mathura,' it means 'Dvaraka,'

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Because they (Mathura and Dvaraka) are more or less the same?

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: The same.

From our study of Srimad-Bhagavatam and all other authentic bhakti scriptures, we know that the idea of Rukmini's marriage in Mathura is not authentic. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura will explain this later on, but he is mentioning it now in order to make this point clear.

Which limbs are practiced in raganuga-bhakti? Which are essential and which are disregarded? To answer this, Srila Visvanatha Cakravati Thakura has described five categories of devotional practices for a person with genuine greed:

1. Abhista-bhava-mayi: Absorption in one's siddha-bhava; the mood of a manjari.
2. Abhista-bhava-sambandhi: Those practices related to one's cherished mood. Such practices surely deliver the desired goal.
3. Abhista-bhava-anukula: Those practices which are favorable to one's cherished mood.
4. Abhista-bhava-avirudha: Those practices which are neutral, not unfavorable, not opposed.
5. Abhista-bhava-virudha: Those practices which are detrimental.

The first is abhista-bhava-mayi. Always thinking about one's siddha bhava; the bhava of a manjari. This will never be changed.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: What is the meaning of abhista?

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: The object of desire.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Abhista refers to what we want. Istha means 'what we want,' and abhi means 'surely.' Absorption in this mood will surely give us the attainment of our cherished goal.

Then comes abhista-bhava sambhandi, and after that, abhista-bhava anukula. Do you know the meaning of anukula?

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Favorable.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes. Also, we should adopt whatever practices are not unfavorable (abhista-aviruddha bhava), and those practices that are abhista-bhava viruddha, unfavorable, we should avoid. If a practice is favorable we should accept it, and those practices that are neither favorable nor unfavorable (abhista-aviruddha bhava) can be accepted or rejected according to...

Burijana dasa: Practicality.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: According to the atmosphere.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura will now further explain the five aspects of raganuga-bhakti.

Abhista-bhava-mayi: Whatever practices we execute at the time of our sadhana (the practice executed to attain our goal) will be the same at the time of sadhya (the goal of life, the stage of siddhi, perfection). Sadhakas remember Krsna, Govinda, now, at the time of ,,,, and they will do so in their siddha-sarira (spiritual form as a gopi-manjari) as well. Both remembrances are the same, but one is unripe and the other will be ripe. The subject of the mood will never change, just as kirtana will never be changed, whether in the stage of sadhana or siddha. The sadhakas' absorption in their constitutional mood is called abhista-bhava-mayi.

They think of themselves as kisori-gopis (teenaged gopis) engaged in Radhika's service. In their meditation, they see themselves as cowherd maidens making very beautiful garlands and giving them to Rupa Manjari. In turn, Rupa Manjari gives those garlands to Lalita and Visakha, who place them on the necks of Radha and Krsna. This type of meditation is called asta-kaliya-seva, or asta-yami-seva. [*See Endnote 2]

With such thoughts in mind such sadhakas may utter the prayers of Srila Raghunatha dasa in Vilapa Kusumanjali, and in siddha-seva they will actually engage in such seva. So there is no change. It is only a question of being in the unripe or ripe stage. This is called abhista-bhava-mayi.

[*Endnote 1: Kubja was a prostitute from Mathura. By only one day's association with Sri Krsna, she also became transformed into a devotee.

Kubja was a hunchbacked woman who also wanted Krsna whose desire for Krsna was almost mundane, and so her love cannot be compared to the love of the gopis.

*Endnote 2: Lord Krsna's eternal pastimes (nitya-lila) in Vrndavana are called asta-kaliya-lila. The twenty-four-hour day of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna is divided into eight parts, beginning with nisanta-lila (pre-dawn pastimes), pratah-lila (morning pastimes), purvahna-lila (forenoon pastimes), madhyana-lila (midday pastimes), aparahna-lila (afternoon pastimes), sayama-lila (dusk pastimes), pradosa-lila (evening pastimes) and ratri-lila (nighttime pastimes).]