Srila Prabhupada’s Affectionate Nature

Giriraj Swami: Who is with us. Tejas Prabhu was one of the first devotees to join Srila Prabhupada in the United States, in Buffalo. He had served in the Peace Corps in India, 1966–1968, where he worked to develop self-sufficient agricultural communities. And as far as my recollection goes, somewhere around 1971, or at least 1972, Tejas Prabhu was the temple president in Delhi where he served for many years. And later, he went on to become one of the three directors of the Hyderabad farm, under Srila Prabhupada’s direct instruction.

He also worked in Orissa, and published the first Bhagavad-gītā As It Is in Aryan language. And based on his instructions from Srila Prabhupada and on his realizations of Srila Prabhupada’s instructions, he’s touring various centers in the world, meeting various leaders, and speaking to them about the importance of self-sufficient farm communities for the future of the mission. So, I thought since his visit here is so rare, we would first ask him to speak to us on whatever subject or subjects he pleases.

Tejas Prabhu: I’ll read from Kṛṣṇa  book, that might be nice.

Giriraj Swami: Read from Kṛṣṇa book first?

Tejas Prabhu: Yeah.

Giriraj Swami: Okay. We also have with us. . . Actually, why don’t you come and sit here? There’s room for three. Another disciple of Srila Prabhupada, Jananivas Prabhu, who now lives in Tulare, near Visalia, and who served in the pioneering years in. . . I have the Krishna book here. Served in the pioneering years, but he went overland. He even served in jail in Turkey. But otherwise, he served in East Africa, Mombasa, and Nairobi, and had many adventurous pastimes there, and spent some time in India as well. So, he’s also with us today and tonight. Thank you, Jananivas Prabhu.

So, in 1994 in Vrindavan, Arca Vigraha devi dasi, whose picture is in the center there, was approaching her last days, and different senior devotees would come and read to her and spend time with her. And I remember vividly, on the day of Balarama rāsa-yatra, I read to her from the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the pastimes of Balarama’s return to Vrindavan, and then from the Krishna Book. And although both covered basically the same events, it was actually quite nice to read both, and it was a memorable experience for me. So, since then, I’ve always read at least, sometimes from both, but at least from the Kṛṣṇa book on this occasion and remembered the experiences we had with her and other exalted devotees in Vrindavan.

Chapter Sixty-Five: “Lord Balarāma Visits Vṛndāvana.”

CHAPTER 65

Lord Balarāma became very anxious to see His father and mother in Vṛndāvana. Therefore, with great enthusiasm He started on a chariot for Vṛndāvana. The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana had been anxious to see Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma for a very long time. When Lord Balarāma returned to Vṛndāvana, all the cowherd boys and the gopīs had grown up; but still, on His arrival, they all embraced Him, and Balarāma embraced them in reciprocation. After this He came before Mahārāja Nanda and Yaśodā and offered His respectful obeisances. In response, Mother Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja offered their blessings unto Him. They addressed Him as Jagadīśvara, or the Lord of the universe who maintains everyone. The reason for this was that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma maintain all living entities. And yet Nanda and Yaśodā were put into such difficulties on account of Their absence. Feeling like this, they embraced Balarāma and, seating Him on their laps, began their perpetual crying, wetting Balarāma with their tears. Lord Balarāma then offered His respectful obeisances to the elderly cowherd men and accepted the obeisances of the younger cowherd men. Thus, according to their different ages and relationships, Lord Balarāma exchanged feelings of friendship with them. He shook hands with those who were His equals in age and friendship and with loud laughing embraced each one of them.

COMMENT

So, you can see the beauty of the Vedic culture and etiquette, how different people reciprocate with each other, according to their positions. But all of the exchanges are filled with love, and affection, and respect, and care.

CHAPTER 65 (continued)

After being received by the cowherd men and boys, the gopīs, and King Nanda and Yaśodā, Lord Balarāma sat down, feeling satisfied, and they all surrounded Him. First Lord Balarāma inquired from them about their welfare, and then, since they had not seen Him for such a long time, they began to ask Him different questions. The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana had sacrificed everything for Kṛṣṇa, simply being captivated by the lotus eyes of the Lord. Because of their great desire to love Kṛṣṇa, they never desired anything like elevation to the heavenly planets or merging into the Brahman effulgence. They were not even interested in enjoying a life of opulence, but were satisfied in living a simple life in the village as cowherds.

COMMENT

In fact, Srila Prabhupada would often comment that Krishna and Balarama Themselves set the example of how to live in harmony with nature, depending simply on the land and the cows.

CHAPTER 65 (continued)

They were always absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa and did not desire any personal benefits, and they were all so much in love with Krishna that in His absence their voices faltered when they began to inquire from Balarāmajī.

First Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodāmāyī inquired, “My dear Balarāma, are our friends like Vasudeva and others in the family doing well? Now You and Kṛṣṇa are grown-up married men with children. In the happiness of family life, do You sometimes remember Your poor father and mother, Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodā-devī? It is very good news that the most sinful King Kaṁsa has been killed by You and that our friends like Vasudeva and the others who had been harassed have now been relieved. It is also very good news that You and Kṛṣṇa defeated Jarāsandha and Kālayavana, who is now dead, and that You are now living in a fortified residence in Dvārakā.”

COMMENT

Many devotees have questioned why Krishna never returned to Vrindavan, especially because Krishna promised the residents of Vrindavan when He left, that He would return. But one of the answers they give is that after Krishna killed Kamsa, Jarasandha, who was Kamsa’s brother in law, his sister was married to Kamsa, was so angry, and his sister wanted revenge, I mean, she definitely wanted revenge. So, If Krishna had returned to Vrindavan, then Jarasandha, with all of his mighty forces, would have attacked Vrindavan and put the residents of Vrindavan into great difficulty. And therefore, for the sake of the residents of Vrindavan and with love for the residents of Vrindavan, Lord Krishna decided to deal with Jarasandha and other demons, who would have harassed the residents of Vrindavan, while outside of Vrindavan. And according to the commentaries of acharyas like Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, Lord Krishna did later return to Vrindavan, after He killed the demons, as He had promised.

CHAPTER 65 (continued)

When the gopīs arrived, Lord Balarāma glanced over them with loving eyes. Being overjoyed, the gopīs, who had so long been mortified on account of Kṛṣṇa’s and Balarāma’s absence, began to ask about the welfare of the two brothers. They specifically asked Balarāma whether Kṛṣṇa was enjoying His life surrounded by the enlightened women of Dvārakā Purī. “Does He sometimes remember His father Nanda and His mother Yaśodā and the other friends with whom He so intimately behaved while in Vṛndāvana? Does Kṛṣṇa have any plans to come here to see His mother, Yaśodā, and does He remember us gopīs, who are now pitiably bereft of His company? Kṛṣṇa may have forgotten us in the midst of the cultured women of Dvārakā, but as far as we are concerned, we still remember Him by collecting flowers and sewing them into garlands. When He does not come, however, we simply pass our time by crying. If only He would come here and accept these garlands. Dear Lord Balarāma, descendant of Dāśārha, You know that we would give up everything for Kṛṣṇa’s friendship. Even in great distress one cannot give up the connection of family members, but although it might be impossible for others, we gave up our fathers, mothers, sisters and relatives. But then Kṛṣṇa, without caring a pinch for our renunciation, all of a sudden renounced us and went away. He broke off our intimate relationship without serious consideration and left for a foreign country. But He was so clever and cunning that He manufactured very nice words. He said, ‘My dear gopīs, please do not worry. The service you have rendered Me is impossible for Me to repay.’ After all, we are women, so how could we disbelieve Him? Now we can understand that His sweet words were simply for cheating us.”

Protesting Kṛṣṇa’s absence from Vṛndāvana, another gopī said, “My dear Balarāmajī, we of course are village girls, so Kṛṣṇa could cheat us easily, but what about the women in Dvārakā? Don’t think they are as foolish as we are! We village girls might be misled by Kṛṣṇa, but the women in Dvārakā are very clever and intelligent. Therefore I would be surprised if such city women could be misled by Kṛṣṇa and could believe His words.”

Then another gopī began to speak. “My dear friend,” she said, “Kṛṣṇa is very clever with words. No one can compete with Him in that art. He can manufacture such colorful words and talk so sweetly that the heart of any woman would be misled. Besides that, He has perfected the art of smiling very attractively, and by seeing His smile women become mad after Him and give themselves to Him without hesitation.”

Another gopī, after hearing this, said, “My dear friends, what is the use of talking about Kṛṣṇa? If you are at all interested in passing time by talking, let us talk about some other subject. If cruel Kṛṣṇa can pass His time without us, why can’t we pass our time without Kṛṣṇa? Of course, Kṛṣṇa is passing His days without us very happily, but we cannot pass our days happily without Him.”

When the gopīs were talking in this way, their feelings for Kṛṣṇa became more and more intense, and they were experiencing Kṛṣṇa’s smiling, Kṛṣṇa’s words of love, Kṛṣṇa’s attractive features, Kṛṣṇa’s characteristics and Kṛṣṇa’s embraces. By the force of their ecstatic feelings, it appeared to them that Kṛṣṇa was personally present and dancing before them. Because of their sweet remembrance of Kṛṣṇa, they could not check their tears, and they began to cry without consideration.

COMMENT

So, the other explanation for Krishna’s absence from Vrindavan is that Krishna knew that the gopīs were always afflicted by separation from Him, even when He was in Vrindavan. When He would go to the pasturing grounds during the day, the gopīs, at home, would be overwhelmed with separation from Him. And their eagerness to see Him was so great, that they considered even the time that it took for their eyes to blink, which is calculated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to be something like a thousandth of a second, or something. They considered it to be like a yuga, or twelve years. And even when He was physically in the presence of the gopīs, still, they feared separation from Him.

There is one holy place in Vraja called Prema Sarovar. At Prema Sarovar, Radha and Krishna were sitting beside each other and embracing, but a bumblebee came and frightened Srimati Radharani. So, Krishna, always wanting that Radharani should be free from discomfort and displeasure, indicated to Madhumangal to get rid of the bumblebee. So, Madhumangal sort of shooed the bumblebee away and came back and announced that the bee has gone, and he used the word ‘Madhu.’ He said, “The Madhu is gone.” But ‘Madhu’ is also taken as a name for Krishna. And when Srimati Radharani heard that “Madhu is gone,” thinking “Krishna is gone,” She felt such a separation from Krishna. Even though They were right next to each other and embracing, She melted, Her tears formed a pool. And when Krishna saw Srimati Radharani crying, then He also began to cry, and His tears combined with Her tears had formed the pond called Prema Sarovar.

So, Lord Krishna thought, Even in My physical presence, even in My embrace, the gopīs, just thinking about My separation, can faint. They can become so overwhelmed with separation, they don’t even realize that I’m there with them. And sometimes He would actually be separated. Because Krishna had so many relationships with His devotees. He had His relationships with Nanda Maharaja and Mother Yasoda. So, sometimes He was with them in the house. And He had His relationship with His cowherd boys and cows and calves, and sometimes He was with them in the pasturing grounds. So, He was always being separated from His devotees. But Krishna knew that if He was physically gone, if their feelings of separation from Him become intense enough, they would actually experience His presence without any obstacle, without being absorbed in thought, “Oh, Krishna might leave,” or, “When will Krishna come back?” But they would just abandon themselves in their mood of separation, and thus feel His presence. So, that was the secret reason that Krishna did not return. And here, we read the same fact, that the gopīs, in their mood of separation, actually felt the presence of Krishna, that they experienced Him fully in every respect, and they felt that He was dancing with them right there.

CHAPTER 65 (continued)

Lord Balarāma, of course, could understand the ecstatic feelings of the gopīs, and therefore He wanted to pacify them. He was expert in presenting an appeal, and thus, treating the gopīs very respectfully, He began to narrate the stories of Kṛṣṇa so tactfully that the gopīs became satisfied. To keep the gopīs in Vṛndāvana satisfied, Lord Balarāma stayed there continuously for two months, namely the months of Caitra (March–April) and Vaiśākha (April–May). For those two months He kept Himself among the gopīs, and He passed every night with them in the forest of Vṛndāvana to satisfy their desire for conjugal love. Thus Balarāma also enjoyed the rāsa dance with the gopīs during those two months.

COMMENT

Now, in the Tenth Canto, we find Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s explanation that there were actually two sets of gopīs. Some enjoyed conjugal rāsa with Krishna, and some enjoyed conjugal rāsa with Balarama. So, when we read that Balarama enjoyed rāsa-līlā with the gopīs, He enjoyed directly with His gopīs. Although Krishna’s gopīs were also nearby and they appreciated the pastimes of Balarama and the other gopīs, but Balarama did not dance directly with the gopīs that were specifically attached to Krishna.

CHAPTER 65 (continued)

Since the season was springtime, the breeze on the bank of the Yamunā was blowing very mildly, carrying the aroma of different flowers, especially the flower known as kaumudī. Moonlight filled the sky and spread everywhere, and thus the banks of the Yamunā appeared very bright and pleasing, and Lord Balarāma enjoyed the company of the gopīs there.

The demigod known as Varuṇa sent his daughter Vāruṇī in the form of liquid honey oozing from the hollows of the trees. Because of this honey the whole forest became aromatic, and the sweet aroma of the liquid honey, vāruṇī, captivated Balarāmajī. Balarāmajī and all the gopīs became very much attracted by the taste of the vāruṇī, and all of them drank it together. While drinking this natural beverage, all the gopīs chanted the glories of Lord Balarāma, and Lord Balarāma felt very happy, as if He had become intoxicated by drinking that vāruṇī beverage. His eyes rolled in a pleasing attitude. He was decorated with long garlands of forest flowers, and the whole situation appeared to be a great function of happiness because of this transcendental bliss. Lord Balarāma smiled beautifully, and the drops of perspiration decorating His face appeared like soothing morning dew.

While Balarāma was in that happy mood, He desired to enjoy the company of the gopīs in the water of the Yamunā. Therefore He called the Yamunā to come nearby. But the Yamunā neglected the order of Balarāmajī, considering Him intoxicated. Lord Balarāma became very much displeased at the Yamunā’s neglecting His order. He immediately wanted to scratch the land near the river with His plow. Lord Balarāma has two weapons.

COMMENT

What are the two weapons?

Devotees: A plow and a club.

Giriraj Swami:

CHAPTER 65 (continued)

A plow and a club, from which He takes service when required. This time He wanted to bring the Yamunā by force, and He took the help of His plow. He wanted to punish the Yamunā because she did not come in obedience to His order. He addressed the Yamunā, “You wretched river! You did not care for My order. Now I shall teach you a lesson! You did not come to Me voluntarily. Now with the help of My plow I shall force you to come. I shall divide you into hundreds of scattered streams!”

When the Yamunā was threatened like this, she became greatly afraid of the power of Balarāma and immediately came in person, falling at His lotus feet and praying thus: “My dear Balarāma, You are the most powerful personality, and You are pleasing to everyone. Unfortunately, I forgot Your glorious, exalted position, but now I have come to my senses, and I remember that You hold all the planetary systems on Your head merely by Your partial expansion as Śeṣa. You are the sustainer of the whole universe. My dear Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are full with six opulences. Because I forgot Your omnipotence, I have mistakenly disobeyed Your order, and thus I have become a great offender. But, my dear Lord, please know that I am a soul surrendered unto You, who are very affectionate to Your devotees. Therefore please excuse my impudence and mistakes, and, by Your causeless mercy, may You now release me.”

Upon displaying this submissive attitude, the Yamunā was forgiven, and when she came nearby, Lord Balarāma enjoyed the pleasure of swimming in her waters along with the gopīs in the same way that an elephant enjoys himself along with his many she-elephants. After a long time, when Lord Balarāma had enjoyed to His full satisfaction, He came out of the water, and immediately a goddess of fortune offered Him a nice blue garment and a valuable necklace made of gold. After bathing in the Yamunā, Lord Balarāma, dressed in blue garments and decorated with golden ornaments, looked very attractive to everyone. Lord Balarāma’s complexion is white, and when He was properly dressed He looked exactly like the white elephant of King Indra in the heavenly planets. The river Yamunā still has many small branches due to being scratched by the plow of Lord Balarāma. And all these branches of the river Yamunā still glorify the omnipotence of Lord Balarāma.

Lord Balarāma and the gopīs enjoyed transcendental pastimes together every night for two months, and time passed so quickly that all those nights appeared to be only one night. In the presence of Lord Balarāma, all the gopīs and other inhabitants of Vṛndāvana became as cheerful as they had been in the presence of both brothers, Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma.

Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the sixty-fifth chapter of Kṛṣṇa, “Lord Balarāma Visits Vṛndāvana.”

COMMENT

Sri Sri Krishna-Balarama ki jaya! Sri Vrindavan-dhama ki jaya! Nitai-Gaura premānande Hari Haribol!