Sri Radha-kunda’s Appearance—Continued

Giriraj Swami: So, yesterday was Sri Radha-kunda’s Appearance Day, according to the Vaishnava calendar, in Dallas. And according to the Vaishnava calendar, today is Sri Radha-kunda’s Appearance Day in Vrindavan. And as we discussed yesterday various topics, we actually did not have time to read about the actual appearance of Sri Radha-kunda, and so, we will do that today. And I will also read from Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava by His Holiness Bhakti Vikasa Swami about Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and Sri Radha-kunda.

So, in the Vedic edition of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the purport after the killing of the demon Aristasura, the purport quotes very long commentary by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, in which he quotes various verses that describe the pastime of the appearance of Sri Radha-kunda. And as we mentioned yesterday, Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda are eternal, just as Krishna is eternal, His abode is eternal. Just as Krishna has His appearance pastime in the material world, so does Sri Radha-kunda. But rather than read from that verse and purport in the Tenth Canto, I thought to read from a recent publication by His Holiness Sivarama Swami, called Nava-vraja-mahima. And his discussion of the appearance of Radha-kunda is based upon not only Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s commentary but other sources, and integrates them into one narration, which is very authentic and relishable. In his notes he mentions the sources.

READING from Nava-vraja-mahima

The killing of Aristasura and the appearance of Syama-kunda and Radha-kunda are adaptation of excerpts taken from Sri-Lalita-Madhava, Ujjvala-Nīlamaṇi, Sri Vraja-Vilasa-rasa, Sri Brihad-Bhagavatamrita, Gopala-bhu-Vrindavani, Sri Garga-Samihta, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

COMMENT

So, we will begin from after Aristasura was killed.

READING continued

Because Brajvasis were intent on celebrating Krishna’s most recent victory until late into the night he was unable to rejoin the gopīs for their scheduled nocturnal Rasa Dance Festival.

COMMENT

In other words, he had met with the gopīs at Radha-kunda and then Aristasura came and disturbed the whole Vraja in a terrible way and so, Krishna met the demon and fought with him and killed him, and then the whole of Vraja was in the mood to celebrate Krishna’s victory and that is how Krishna was able to meet the gopīs again on that night. So, this pastime of the appearance of Radha-kunda took place on the following night when they met again.

READING continued

Although the gopīs greeted their beloved with showers of flowers and jubilant tears, at Krishna’s request that they resume their activities of previous evening, Radha acted coy, declaring emphatically, “No!” Krishna thought Radha was just being coy as She is prone to be but when he reached out to touch Her Ahe responded not playfully but with belligerence, “O, sinful bull killer! Do not touch me.” “Foolish woman!” Krishna exclaimed, “I did not kill a bull, but a terrible demon in the guise of a bull.” “How can you equate the heroic act of vanquishing the demon with the sinful deed of killing the bull?” Thinking how to refute Radha’s argument, Krishna again reached for Her arm but She slapped His hand away and pierced Him with a glance that made it clear that He would not win so easily this time. “What you say may be true," She countered, “But even though Arista was a demon, he was in the body of a bull, so You will have to atone for Your sins just like Indra did after killing the brāhmaṇa Vṛtrāsura.”

COMMENT

Now, history of Vṛtrāsura, is told in the Sixth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He was actually a great devotee, Citraketu, but he was cursed for his apparent offense against Lord Shiva. King Citraketu was flying in a celestial airplane and he came to the place where Lord Shiva was sitting with his consort Parvati on his lap or touching and his arm around her. And when King Citraketu saw this, he was struck with wonder that Lord Shiva is the master of all mystic yogis and he was addressing self-realized souls—the sages and then he was acting in such a way in front of them. So, he just had that thought that came out of his mouth, and Parvati took offense and cursed him to take birth as a demon. But because he was actually an exalted devotee, he accepted the curse. He said, “Parvati, you are my mother, and whatever you ordained for me, I accept it on my head as your order for my benefit”

Then Lord Shiva glorified King Citraketu that, “Just see how wonderful are the qualities of the devotee.”

nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati

svargāpavarga-narakeṣv api tulyārtha-darśinaḥ

“Those who have taken complete shelter of Lord Narayana are completely equipoised and for them heaven or hell or liberation are the same because they do not live in heaven or hell or brahman, but they live in Krishna consciousness.”

So, in accordance with the curse of Parvati, King Citraketu took birth as a demon, Vṛtrāsura. There is a long history of how it happened that he took that particular birth as a demon, but he took birth as the son of a brahman. So, the gopīs were saying that even though he was a demon, he took birth as a brahman, he had a body of a brahman. And so, ultimately, he fought with Indra and was killed by Indra. Afterwards, Indra had to atone for killing a brahman even though he was a demon. So, the gopīs are saying that even though Aristasura was a demon, he still was in the body of a bull. And just as Indra atoned for the killing of a demon, in the body of a brahman, He had to atone for the killing a demon in the body of a bull.

READING continued

Krishna restlessly tapped the ground with His right foot, He didn’t expect this sort of gratitude for saving the gopīs, but He knew better than to press His luck when Radha was like this. So, He asked, “O, Radha, please tell Me, what should I do to atone for this act?” Radha really pleased with His new attitude, She said, “In order to purify Yourself, You must bathe in every last holy place in those three worlds.” That is outrageous, thought Krishna, but with a smile He replied, “Why should I spend my time wandering the universe while I can call all the holy places and take My bath in them here?” At this, Radha glanced at Her friends with amusement. They were all staring skeptically at Krishna as He raised His right fourth finger like a wizard about to counter an object from the air, “Just watch!” He said. Krishna struck His heel into the ground to make a knee deep impression and ordered, “Come here.” One by one streams of water bubbled out of the ground filling up the hole and forming a pond. These streams were the holy waters of the universe, including even the abode of Bhakti river from the lower Patala regions. Krishna, looking pleased with Himself, said, “Friends, behold the holy waters.” But as far as the gopīs could tell, they saw only ordinary trickles so they laughed with distain, “Tell Me,” Radhika challenged, “If these waters are so holy, then where are their presiding deities?”

COMMENT

So, this is all that, as we discussed in detail yesterday, these are all very exalted pastimes. Krishna in Vrindavan, it is very difficult for ordinary people and even ordinary devotees to understand because His pastimes are human-like, nara-līlā. And for the sake of His enjoyment, He forgets that He is God and His devotees also forget that He is God. And that allows them to exchange loving reciprocation without the awe and reverence that is predominant in Vaikuntha. And that is also one of the themes of the month of Damodara that we sing in the Dāmodarāṣṭakam that in dāmodara-līlā, Krishna showed that He is conquered only by pure love without a sense of awe and reverence. So, this was very high region and therefore, our acharyas have advised us that one should not immediately come to Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but one should begin with Bhagavad-gītā then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, beginning with the First Canto and gradually proceeding up to the Tenth Canto to get a proper understanding of Krishna and be more purified in heart, so that one can appreciate the pastimes as they are, which is imbued with pure love.

And as Krishna Kaviraja [Unintelligible 00:18:58] Gosvami explains, that desire for one’s own sense gratification, that is lust, kāma. And desire for Krishna’s happiness is love, prema. So, all of these pastimes are enacted on the highest level of pure love. The gopīs have not had the slightest selfish desire, they desire only Krishna’s pleasure. So, these joking exchanges are meant only to give Krishna pleasure. And Krishna says He enjoys the chastisement of the gopīs more than He does the recitation of Vedic hymns. That is because these pastimes so much resemble ordinary interactions between boys and girls, there is a danger that our minds may go in that direction and therefore, in general, we don’t discuss these topics of [Unintelligible 00:19:15] Vraj-gopis. But because it is a special occasion, we are doing so. [Unintelligible 00:19:25].

READING continued

So Radhika challenged that these waters are so holy, then where are the presiding deities? Krishna shook His head imperiously as if to say, “Now I will show You” then clapped His hands and commanded, “Appear.” Suddenly, the area was crowded with divine beings, palm folding reverentially. These beings with golden crowns and divine ornaments introduced themselves one by one, bowing low before Radha. One said, “I am the salt ocean.” Another said, “I am the ocean of milk.” All the sacred waters were there, including the rivers Sona, Sindhu, Tāmraparnī, Sarasvatī, Godāvarī, Yamunā and Revā, the confluence of rivers at Prayāga and the holy lake of Puṣkara. The gopīs were amazed to see the deities of all these holy places they have only heard about, and others completely unknown to them introduced themselves and say, “Here are my waters.”

After shattering the doubts of Radha and Her friends, Krishna observed the proper rituals and bathed in His lake, and the deities of the holy places stood by, chanting sacred hymns, such as the Puruṣa-sūkta. Purified by the sacred bath, Krishna came out of the water and dressed Himself in fresh clothes, donning a garland of lotuses. He came before the gopīs in a painfully arrogant mood and said, “I have created a sacred lake containing all the holy waters. I have bathed here and I have become free from any kind of sin. Have any of you perform such a pious deed of taking such a holy dip?” Such provocation could not go unanswered. Radha addressed Her friends through voice laced with sarcasm, carefully pronouncing each syllable so that Hari could hear every word clearly. “Friends, I must have an even more beautiful lake than His. Please arrange to construct it at once.” Pointing to where Arista’s hooves had left a hole in the ground she said, “Over there.”

The gopīs at once began digging the soft earth with their hands, and when that took too slow, they used their ankles as well. Within an hour they had excavated a sizable and extremely attractive kuṇḍa. Astonished by the charm of the lake the gopīs had created, Krishna thought to tease His beloved and so He suggested, “O lotus-eyed girl, You may, if You like, fill Your kuṇḍa with water from My lake.” But Radha would have none of that, and so She protested. Holding up both hands in disdain, She said, “Impossible. By bathing in that lake You have polluted its water with the dreadful sin of killing a bull. Instead, My friends and I will fill My lake with water from Mānasa-gaṅgā. Thus, for having constructed such a sacred place of pilgrimage, My fame will surely spread throughout the universe.”

COMMENT

Which is true.

READING continued

The gopī leaders, such as Lalita, quickly mobilized the young ladies. Within a short time, using milk pots to carry water from Mānasa-gaṅgā, they filled the pool and proudly called it Radha-kunda. Suddenly, Krishna made a mysterious gesture. A divine personality rose from Syama’s lake, startling the gopīs. This divine being, an envoy of all the sanctified places, approached Radha with tears in his eyes. Palms joined [Unintelligible 00:25:45] the deity bowed before Vrishabhanu Nandini in praise, “O, goddess, neither Brahma, the knower of all scriptures, nor Shiva, nor Lakshmi can fully conceive of Your glories. Only the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna, the best of all men [Unintelligible 00:26:06], can understand them. He therefore rendered some menial service by wiping drops of perspiration from Your hands when You suffer fatigue. Lord Krishna paints Your feet with lacquer [Unintelligible 00:26:33] and then adorns them with anklets, rejoicing in the supreme good fortune of being the servant of Your delicate lotus feet. The Supreme Lord has ordered us, the holy places, to enter into this beautiful lake He created with one kick of His heel, but we have a desire that only a merciful glance can fulfill.

Pleased by these humble words, Radha smiled slightly and looked for cues, first from Krishna, and then from Her friends. Seeing them favorably inclined, She asked, “Tell Me then, what is your desire?” With further emotion, the heavenly being said, “We request that You kindly make our lives successful by granting us permission to enter and reside in Your beautiful lake. That is our desire.” Sri Radha glanced at Her beloved from the corners of Her eyes and replied with a smile, “Yes, please come.” These words immersed Her friends and indeed all creatures in an ocean of happiness. Blessed by Sri Radha, the holy waters forcibly broke through the western bend of Krishna’s lake with a crash, creating a canal through which the waters of Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda meet. The two lakes were as splendid as the eyes of a peacock, and the divine couple looked on, lotuses of all colors appeared on the surface of their kundas, and rose of every description sprang up on their banks. Krishna turned to Radha and declared, “Most beloved, because Your kunda is as dear to Me as You are, I will bathe in it, daily. May Radha-kunda garner more fame in this world than My own Syama-kunda.” [Unintelligible 00:29:20]. She completely abandoned Her contrary mood and openly revealed Her true feelings, “O, Syama, You may kill a hundred bull demons, but every day I will bathe in Your kuṇḍa. From now on, any person who has enhanced devotion for Your lake, Syama-kunda, or who bathes there or lives on its banks, will certainly become very dear to Me and thus come to Me.”

After Radha and Krishna had pronounced Their vows and given Their blessings, the entire area surrounding the two lakes echoed with the voices of cheering gopīs and the sounds of rejoicing forest animals. Giriraj Govardhana had also been watching these events from a hiding place in (Unintelligible 00:30:30), and he tightly embraced the two sacred lakes, thrilled that he would be witness to the daily pastimes of the divine couple. By the time the excavation and filling of Radha-kunda was complete and the obstacles to Krishna’s long-awaited plan to rasa dance removed the hour of midnight had arrived, but it was well worth the wait. Aristasura’s arrival in Vraja and Krishna’s fierce battle with bull demon turn out to be a mere prelude to the appearance of the universe’s most talented place. In this unfortunate age of quarrel and hypocrisy they are condemned to lives of misery and strife but these two holy lakes are places of divine opportunity that promised gifts no sane woman or man would deny. Persons who devotedly serve Syama-kunda, which is millions of times greater than the Ganges, and which was born from the touch of Krishna’s lotus feet, becomes dear to Syama, even than Lord Shiva.

COMMENT

There is a note, which I will read. This and following stanzas are adapted form Sri Govardhana Vasa Prarthana dasakam [Unintelligible 00:32:34], by Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami.

READING continued

In the same way, persons who worship the cintāmaṇi jewel known as Radha-kunda, attain the full mercy of Lord Krishna and become the most feared and glorious of Syama’s devotees. As Krishna foretold, Radha-kunda became more famous than His own Syama-kunda. The whole area is known by the names connected with Radha, such names as Radha-kunda, Sri-kunda and Siva-kunda. In fact, Radha’s lake has become so well known that pilgrims who plan to visit and bathe in both lakes, hardly mention the name of Syama-kunda, they simply say, “We are going to Radha-kunda.” In the month of Kartik, after midnight on the eighth day of the dark moon, Krishna-ashtami, also known as Bahula-ashtami, Krishna enjoyed the splendid rasa dance on the banks of these two lakes. And this night was special because the normal features of the rasa dance, successive dancing, strolling and bathing, also unveiled the transcendental features of Radha-kunda and the area surrounding it. In other words, from that night onwards, until Krishna left to Dvaraka, the Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda of the spiritual world became visible in the full opulence and sweetness on earth. After Krishna left Vraja, the lakes [Unintelligible 00:35:03] assumed their original appearance as two simple ponds until Vraja restored some of their glory. The lakes then became known as Kanchan-kunda and Vraja-kunda respectively. Vajra named the village in the area Aritagram.

COMMENT

Vajra was the great-grandson of Lord Krishna and he came to Vraja to reestablish the holy places from when Krishna was there. Sort of like what The Six Gosvamis did later when again, places and pastimes became lost. When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ordered them to excavate the lost places. So Vajra, who was Krishna’s great-grandson in time when he came to Mathura, went to Vrindavan [Unintelligible 00:36:21]. Many of the deities that are in Vrindavan are the most sacred deities [Unintelligible 00:36:27]. So, Vajra named the village and the area Aritagram. Some authority say that Vajra-kunda was named after Vajra, however, it got its name after the thunderbolt—Vajra, Indra threw it to help excavate the lake.

READING continued

Like other sacred places in Vajra, the death of Parīkṣit Maharaja brought gradual decline to this area. The lakes became covered by natural overgrowth and lost to the vision of all but self-realized souls. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself rediscovered Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda, which by that time it had deteriorated into two unrecognizable puddles in a common held cultural field. And finally, by Lord Chaitanya’s order, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami again excavated and then further expanded Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda into the forms they are today, in sacred Vrindavan. Scriptures say that faithful, single-minded devotees who bathe in Radha-kunda on Bahula-ashtami are blessed with prema-bhakti like that of the friends or maidservants of Srimati Radharani. In addition to the perception, exclusive to great transcendentalists, they will also be granted a vision not only of the entirety of Vraja Mahima, but of the whole cosmic creation as well. Generally, pilgrims are forbidden to bathe at holy places but Radha-kunda is the only place on earth at which people are blessed to take the midnight sacred bath called ardha-ratri-snana. Before bathing in Radha-kunda, whether it be day or night, devotees first offer prayers such as this one from Varaha-purana. [Unintelligible 00:39:20]

“Oh, Sri Radha-kunda, Oh, Sri Krishna-kunda, you destroy all sins within the heart and then fill it with love. From the very core of my being, I offer my humble obeisances to you, again and again.”

COMMENT

Then in his notes Srila Sivarama Swami quotes in its entirety Sri Radha-kundastakam by Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and Sri Krishna-kundastakam by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, as prayers that devotees can recite. And they visit Sri Radha-kunda and Sri Syama-kunda or in any way think of the two divine kuṇḍa and pray for their mercy.

Sri Radha-kunda ki jaya. Sri Syama-kunda ki jaya.

So, yesterday some devotees brought up the question of bathing in Radha-kunda and I discussed some of the statements and personal practices of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and our own Srila Prabhupada. And although I brought the books with me, we didn’t really have time to read from it yesterday. So, today I will take the opportunity to read a little about Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and Sri Radha-kunda.

This is a very brief description, this is in the chapter in Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava about Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s parikramās and regulative observances. And within that chapter, at the very end is the section called “Cātur-māsya and Other Observances". And reading this, I was struck by how similar Srila Prabhupada’s instructions to his disciples were to the instructions of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura to his disciples over many years earlier although from different backgrounds.

READING from Cātur-māsya and Other Observances

Although for many years Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura had assiduously accepted many austerities during Cātur-māsya, after founding Śrī Caitanya Maṭha and focusing on preaching he ceased to do so. He then followed only basic rules of Cātur-māsya: refraining from food forbidden for that period, eating only once a day, and shaving only on Viśvarūpa Mahotsava, which falls exactly in the middle of the four-month observance. He continued to execute Ūrja-vrata each year, residing in one place during Kārtika and practicing the directions given in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa. Yet some of his disciples, mostly maṭha-vāsīs less active in outside preaching, continued to perform Cātur-māsya in all details.

In 1935 Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī observed Kārtika-vrata at Radha-kunda. During brāhma-muhūrta his accompanying disciples would approach him to offer daṇḍavat and receive blessings. Then, headed by the sannyasis, they would circumambulate Śrī Radha-kunda three times while performing kīrtana. Returning to the lotus feet of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī at Vraja Svānanda-sukhada-kuñja.

COMMENT

Which we discussed yesterday.

READING continued

For his transcendental pleasure they would sing yama-kīrtana and other songs according to his indication.

COMMENT

Yama-kīrtana are songs recited according to the time of day, concurring with the pastimes performed by Krishna during those periods. We didn’t discuss this yesterday although it would have been relevant, that Krishna’s daily pastimes are divided into eight periods, and advanced devotees meditate on those pastimes at that actual time of day during which the pastimes took place. And this practice is called aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā smaran; aṣṭa menas eight, kālīya means time, līlā means pastimes, smaran means recollection. And in Srila Prabhupada’s discussion of the Upadeśāmṛta he mentions aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā smaran. So, there are songs written about Krishna’s pastimes in each of these periods of the day. And so, after Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s disciples would circumambulate Radha-kunda three times to perform hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana [Unintelligible 00:47:25].

READING continued

On the first day, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī spoke on the glories of Śrī Radha-kunda, and from the second day he lectured three times daily: in the morning on the Upaniṣads, during early afternoon from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, Chapter Nineteen (“Rūpa-śikṣā,” Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s instructions to Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī), and in the evening on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way each day was spent intensively hearing and chanting about Kṛṣṇa. Yet as ever, his bhajana was permeated with concern for rectifying the world situation by broadcasting Kṛṣṇa-bhakti. During one Hari-kathā he declared that the foremost duty of persons desirous of being identified as Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, or at least claiming to have faith in Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava dharma, was to rescue that dharma from the hands of unscrupulous misinterpreters, and that the Gauḍīya Maṭha’s preaching would destroy non-Gauḍīyas in the same manner that Agha, Baka, and Pūtanā had been vanquished.

Once during Cātur-māsya, some produce from the garden at Śrī Caitanya Maṭha, including vegetables proscribed during that period, was sent to Śrī Puruṣottama Maṭha in Purī. Yet Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura ordered that the proscribed items be cooked, offered, and honored, explaining that their originating from the holy dhāma of Māyāpur overrode Cātur-māsya restrictions.

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī’s lifelong practice, imbibed in childhood from Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, was to adhere to the prescription of Hari-bhakti-vilāsa to fast on important festival days such as Janmāṣṭamī and Rādhāṣṭamī. And although he never stipulated that his disciples do so, as per his example and the injunctions of śāstra these praxes were adopted within the Gauḍīya Maṭha canon.

COMMENT

Now, just a note. Srila Bhakti Vikasa Swami used some terms that are not so familiar with most people and in some cases with reading this portion I have replaced a term that you might not recognize with a term that you would understand because I would want you to understand what I was reading and they didn’t want to interrupt [Unintelligible 00:52:02] I just want you to understand what I am saying. Hare Krishna.

So, now there is a long section and I don’t want to prolong [Unintelligible 00:52:33] but we will. Now, this isn’t a chapter [Unintelligible 00:52:43]. This section is called Topics of Radha-kunda.

READING from Topics of Radha-kunda

In his Śrī Upadeśāmṛta Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī had ascertained that within the hallowed Vraja-maṇḍala, most sacred were Govardhana and especially Radha-kunda. Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura regarded these as his supreme objects of worship and often expressed profound veneration for them. He revealed Radha-kunda at Caitanya Maṭha and considered a particular pond in Ālālanātha nondifferent from Radha-kunda.

COMMENT

So, in this book, Srila Bhakti Vikasa Swami uses the word ‘reveal’ in a particular way as it was currently used at the time of Srila Sarasvati Thakura. And one way he uses it is to say he took the worship, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta installed some deities and say the worship of Radha-kunda was revealed. And the other way of using the word ‘reveal’ is that the service is eternal so it is not that he is establishing the worship but he was revealing the eternal worship. So, in the same way, Srila Bhakti Vikasa Swami is using the term ‘reveal’ Syama-kunda to Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Mayapur [Unintelligible 00:55:13].

READING continued

He once expressed a desire to reside eternally in Govardhana: “I am not fit to live at Radha-kunda. I shall stay in a less exalted position. My gurus Śrīla Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, and others eternally serve at Radha-kunda. I shall go there to serve them, then return to my position in Govardhana.” Similarly, he declared that the upper floor for the domicile of his gurus should be added to the single story building at Vraja Svānanda-sukhada-kuñja and that he would stay below, only for the purpose of attending them.

COMMENT

In other words, he presented himself as the servant of the servant of the servant of Krishna. He said that he is not fit to live at Radha-kunda, he will live at Govardhana and he will come to Radha-kunda only for the purpose of serving his gurus. [Unintelligible 00:58:29]. So, he said that he wanted to build an additional floor on top of that and that his gurus should stay there and then he can live there to serve them. So, he had always be in that position that we all must maintain being the servant of the servant of the servant of gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ.

READING continued

Although Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī sometimes stayed at Radha-kunda, he rarely physically bathed there, but generally would offer daṇḍavat to, circumambulate, and sprinkle upon his head a little water of this incomparably sacred pond.

COMMENT

And there is a note. “Sarasvatī-jayaśrī records that in 1922 Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati fully bathed in Radha-kunda. Yet several of his disciples have stated that in later years he did not do so. Thus his doing so in 1935 was clearly an exception.” So, now I will read about that.

READING continued

And he wanted his disciples to follow that example. Ordering them never to place their feet in Radha-kunda, he recommended to instead become sarvātma-snapanam (fully immersed) in the Radha-kunda of bhakti- rasāmṛta-sindhu.

COMMENT

Of course, sarvātma-snapanam is the first verse of Śikṣāṣṭakam and Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu refers not only to book by Srila Rupa Gosvami but it also means ‘the ocean of the nectar of devotional mellows.’

READING continued

Yet in 1935 on Bahulāṣṭamī (the anniversary of the appearance of Radha-kunda), after performing saṅkīrtana and parikramā of Radha-kunda with his accompanying disciples, he bathed in Radha-kunda.

When asked if the Radha-kunda referred to in Śrī Upadeśāmṛta was geographical or mental, he replied that neither understanding was correct, for Radha-kunda is a fully conscious reality, and that although according to the prākṛta-sahajiyās one cannot actually be accepted as a Gaudiya Vaishnava without bathing in Radha-kunda, their ostensible dip in Radha-kunda was merely imitative.

COMMENT

And there is a quotation.

READING continued

“Although there are some good people in Vraja-maṇḍala, most who pride themselves on being Vraja-vāsīs and regard themselves as great devotees are preoccupied with engaging others to feed them fancy foods and worship their feet. Anyone who can feed them and please them with monetary gifts is acknowledged as a Vaiṣṇava.”

COMMENT

Do you understand what he is saying?

READING continued

“Seeing that we do not souse in Radha-kunda, which hamstrings their collecting of religious fees, these putative Vraja-vāsīs broadcast, “These people don’t bathe in Radha-kunda or respect the venerable devotees. What kind of Vaiṣṇavas are they?” Some say that we are Ārya Samājīs, others that we are Brahmos, Christians, or whatever. But it never enters the thick skulls of these so-called Vraja-vāsī Vaiṣṇavas that bathing in divine Radha-kunda is not possible with mundane contaminated senses and thus not achieved by dunking a bag of bones and flesh. If they bathe in Radha-kunda without accepting the purport of ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ, they will be deprived of Kṛṣṇa’s mercy.”

COMMENT

And this verse that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura quoted and Srila Prabhupada also quoted frequently, is very essential. And Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura quoted it in relation to practically every practice including the chanting of the holy name. And idea is, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. That because Krishna’s holy name and forms and qualities and pastimes are all transcendental, they cannot be approached with mundane senses. But one who engages in service to Krishna beginning with the tongue by chanting the holy name and accepting the Krishna prasāda, those transcendental features are revealed. So, he is saying that without the service attitude, they can never really enter the Radha-kunda, they can’t enter the Radha-kunda by dumping a bag of flesh and bones in the water, only after doing the service.

READING continued

Commenting on Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s recommendation in Śrī Upadeśāmṛta to reside at and bathe in Radha-kunda, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura stated: “Aprākṛta-vāsa (transcendental residence) on the banks of prema-filled Radha-kunda and aprākṛta-snāna (transcendental bath) in her waters, saturated in the nectar of prema, means to become wholly aloof from all desires for material sense enjoyment and, up to the end of life, to constantly perform mānasa-bhajana (deep meditational worship) with one-pointed submission to Śrīmatī Rādhikā, and after shedding the mortal body, to attain one’s eternal spiritual form and intently perform direct eternal service to Śrīmatī Rādhikā. One who actually [in this manner] bathes in Radha-kunda attains this topmost desirable boon.”

COMMENT

And yesterday we merely discussed how Srila Rupa Gosvami says that just by taking bath once in Radha-kunda, one achieves love of Krishna like Srimati Radharani. So, some devotees asked, “Well, does this apply to everyone? If so, how long does it take? How does it happen?” So, here Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura is informing us what consciousness one has to have so when he is taking bath in Radha-kunda he will have that result.

READING continued

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī referred to Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī as the sole custodian of Radha-kunda. Regarding the spurious bābājīs apparently living there, he commented: “Radha-kunda is protected like a fort by the associates of Śrī Rādhikā, who prohibit persons of contrary consciousness to enter therein. Unfortunately the luckless prākṛta-sahajiyās think themselves qualified to reside there, and attempt to pollute the entirely transcendental Radha-kunda with their materialistic ideas. But Radha-kunda is far beyond anything of this mundane world and even more exalted than Govardhana. Hence the ill-fated prākṛta-sahajiyās cannot actually live at Radha-kunda, nor touch even a drop of Her sacred water.”

COMMENT

Let us read one more. Well, let us see. Cause there is one in every section.

READING continued

In a lecture at Radha-kunda during Vraja-maṇḍala Parikramā in 1932, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura stated: “All these days we have not spoken to everyone about līlā. The reason is that this is our greatly confidential asset, our only objective. You should not mistakenly consider anartha-nivṛtti as prayojana.”

COMMENT

Prayojana means the goal.

READING continued

“For one thus surmising can never enter into artha-pravṛtti.”

COMMENT

So, anartha-nivṛtti means eradication of unwanted things and artha-pravṛtti means attaining of desirable things. So, he is saying we shouldn’t consider the goal to be anartha-nivṛtti, but we should achieve artha-pravṛtti.

READING continued

Therefore I will begin speaking about aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā. I know that even now you are not ready to hear it, yet we should know that such a transcendental ideal exists within the realm of bhajana. This is why anartha-nivṛtti is essential. After that comes artha-pravṛtti, namely, that in the supramundane realm there is service to the divine pastime-couple—without knowing this, all our efforts may end in voidism.

Let those who have chanted harināma for fifteen or twenty years hear such matters. Beginners need not hear these topics, for they would misunderstand. These subjects are for sevonmukha listeners, not for all.

COMMENT

We will dive into that verse, sevonmukha. Those who have the service attitude. [Unintelligible 01:14:20]

READING continued

Āpana bhajana-kathā na kahiba yathā tathā: “I will not speak here and there, to anyone and everyone, about my bhajana.”

COMMENT

That is a line from Prema-bhakti-candrikā by Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, which Srila Sarasvati Thakura quoted.

READING continued

Disregard of this instruction of our previous ācāryas will cause a permanent fall from realm of bhajana.

Do not think that aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā smaraṇa is the property of prākṛta-sahajiyās; it is actually our affair. It has to be retrieved from the hands of those cheaters. Our guru-mahārāja heard these things from Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and in turn revealed to us various esoteric matters. We have heard the last instructions from our śrī-gurudeva: “Living in Radha-kunda would be pleasant if you could deliver it from the hands of eleven ungodly men.” Perhaps by now eleven has increased to one hundred and eight.

COMMENT

In other words, aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā smarana is actually the property of the pure devotees followed Chaitanya Mahaprabhu but because they don’t speak of it openly and appropriately, and because they don’t recognize the people are not worthy for it, the prakrita-sahajiyas, that they take it very cheaply. They are better known for developing aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā smarana, they advertise it very easily. So, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura is saying that actually, [Unintelligible 01:17:04] and we should be cleaned from them, and that Radha-kunda would actually be a very pleasant place for [Unintelligible 01:17:15].

READING continued

In reply to a person contemplating performing nirjana-bhajana on the banks of Radha-kunda, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī wrote:

“Persons envious of the Lord suppose that Radha-kunda and other such places are for those like themselves. So we wish them well and conscientiously continue with our duties in service to the Lord. Residence at Radha-kunda is obtained by exceedingly good fortune. It is not a suitable place for materialists like myself, who thus being unable to directly reside there, may do so only mentally.”

COMMENT

This reminds me of a time when. . . You understand what he is saying? That “People envious of the Lord suppose that Radha-kunda and other such places are for people like themselves,” which is not how it is. He says, “We wish them well but as far as we are concerned, we are unqualified to live there and we may do so only in our minds.” That is what he is saying here.

So, we were in Madras and [Unintelligible 01:19:32] called Srila Prabhupada and he came and [Unintelligible 01:19:39], who was very orthodox Hindu, but [Unintelligible 01:19:51]. He was very cultured and [Unintelligible 01:19:56] hospitality. When we first arrived, he showed us his little deity room, but the deity was dressed in black. So we asked, “Why is the deity dressed in black?” He said, “Because effulgence may blind me. And also, he didn’t bow down so we asked him, “Why didn’t you bow down?” and he said, “Because he sees Krishna as his son. Father don’t bow down to son.

So, eventually, he with his wife came to Srila Prabhupada room, the room that they had given him in their home and he said, “Swamiji, please recite rāsa-līlā.” Prabhupada replied, “Actually, rāsa-līlā is meant for people who are completely free from material attachments, not for everyone.” But he persisted, “Swamiji, please, recite rāsa-līlā.” Then he said, “As long as one is attached to his wife and children [Unintelligible 01:21:45], one is not fit to hear rāsa-līlā.” But he still persisted, he said, “Swamiji, I am begging you humbly. My wife and I request you, please recite rāsa-līlā.” And Prabhupada told him again, “You may be qualified to hear rāsa-līlā but I am not qualified to speak it. Please excuse me.” So, in that same way, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura is saying, the person may be qualified to live at Radha-kunda but I am not. I can only live there in my mind [Unintelligible 01:22:45].

Then, the next section is called Explaining the Upanishads.

READING from Explaining the Upaniṣads

While observing Kārtika-vrata at Radha-kunda in 1935, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura lectured daily on the Upaniṣads. Out of curiosity and considering his reputation as a great scholar and founder of the Gauḍīya Maṭha, at first some bābājīs attended, yet upon discovering that he was discussing the Upaniṣads they stopped coming. The bābājīs were accustomed to esoteric discourses on the intimate pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, and some had no interest whatsoever in philosophical topics, rejecting them as inferior. When he heard that they deemed him a jñānī, not a rasika-bhakta, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura commented that they were living not at Radha-kunda, but naraka-kuṇḍa.

COMMENT

Can anyone say what naraka is?

Devotee: Hell.

Giriraj Swami: Hell, yes. They are not residents of Radha-kunda, they are residents of naraka-kuṇḍa, pit of hell. Sri Bhakti Vikasa Swami comments in a note, “This also hints of a pun, as naraka-kuṇḍa sounds like nā Radha-kunda, “not Radha-kunda.”

READING continued

Speaking on the Upaniṣads at Radha-kunda was undoubtedly a departure from tradition. By so doing Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura indicated that in Hari-bhajana first śruti (basic Vedic knowledge) must be considered; otherwise, attempting to prematurely understand Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-līlā is simply a disturbance to the divine couple. He did not want to indulge persons bereft of a genuine service attitude, who would hear Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-līlā as a kind of semi-religious entertainment, and would compare his rendition to those of other speakers whom they regarded more accomplished due to such showmen’s artificial exhibition of spiritual sentiments.

COMMENT

In other words, they considered him to be a jñānī and not rasika-bhakta [Unintelligible 01:26:24] he is not with those who speak about very transcendental topics.

READING continued

That Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī disserted on the Upaniṣads at Radha-kunda certainly shocked the putative bābājīs residing there, who perceived him as determined to do everything opposite to them. His elucidating the Upaniṣads at Radha-kunda may seem incongruous with both the spontaneous devotional mood for which one resorts to Radha-kunda and the sweet nectar of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-līlā one expects to hear there, yet to dispel misconceptions about adhikāra for approaching Radha-kunda, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī expatiated the Upaniṣads there. He remained undisturbed and unapologetic if anyone criticized or left, preferring to be freed from the association of such pseudo-devotees. Even earlier, in 1922, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī had had Śrīmad Bhāratī Mahārāja recite a similarly foundational topic at Radha-kunda, the section of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam describing Prahlāda Mahārāja.

COMMENT

So, there were those at Sri Radha-kunda would expect to hear some līlā-kathā about Radha and Krishna, but Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati established a point that Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-līlā is not for anyone and he spoke on the Upanishads when he was in 1935. Earlier, in 1922, he instructed one of his disciples to speak on the Seventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about Prahlada Maharaja to establish the same point.

So, this is a very elevated topic of Sri Radha-kunda, of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and Srila Prabhupada and others who have made it accessible to us, in a way that it is appropriate for us. And yes, we should be happy about that and grateful for it. Srila Prabhupada coined a phrase “Work now, samadhi later” to emphasize that mood of spirit, sevana-mukha. I was a very new devotee in Juhu and somehow, I had some attraction for Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and some sort of [Unintelligible 01:30:30], as Raghunatha dasa Gosvami wandered around Vrindavan. I didn’t say anything to Srila Prabhupada but somehow, that was in my mind in some form or another and one day, when I came to Srila Prabhupada’s room at Juhu, it was very early in the history of the Juhu project, Srila Prabhupada said to me, “First you take care of your father’s estate," he is referring to the Juhu project, “First you take care of your father’s estate like an expert manager, like Raghunatha took care of his father uncle’s affairs, and then you go to Vrindavan and become a Gosvami.” So first sevana-mukha. Hare Krishna.

So, are there any questions or comments? Yes, Sridhra [Unintelligible 01:31:50]? Well, does that microphone work?

Devotee: Hare Krishna, Maharaja, thank you. [Unintelligible 01:32:07]?

Giriraj Swami: Well, I was here for boat Festival some time ago and, they do that in ISKCON Vrindavan and in Juhu also, they fill the courtyard with water and it is a sort of a pleasing sort of festival at taking deities on boat and around the kuṇḍa, which is really the courtyard of the temple filled with water. And of course, it is done in a very respectful and restrained mood, it is very respectful and restrained, and no frolicking or sporting. As far as the recent event, I heard things about it, some concerns about inappropriate behavior. I had actually got into it. [Unintelligible 01:34:22]. Were you there?

Devotee: [Unintelligible 01:34:40]

Giriraj Swami: [Unintelligible 01:34:56]

Devotee: What I have seen is that [Unintelligible 01:35:04]. That is what I have seen.

Giriraj Swami: Splash in the water from what?

Devotee: The pool, [Unintelligible 01:35:30].

Giriraj Swami: Yes, [Unintelligible 01:35:35]. We are discussing the etiquette in relation to Sri Radha-kunda and how respectful it has to be and so, Sridhra Syama Prabhu has asked a question whether, that type of etiquette [Unintelligible 01:36:12] boat festival, and I spoke about how boat festivals are meant to be in Juhu, filling up the courtyard of the temple of water, and they have proven to be in a very respectful and restrained manner, and I asked if he had been present for the boat festival and he said he had, so then Nila Madhava Mataji [Unintelligible 01:36:51] splashing water on each other and then you came in, very respectfully or mercifully. So, were you present?

Devotee: [Unintelligible 01:37:20] and so, basically, we treat that pool like that until the time comes that we know that we will be bringing the pool down [Unintelligible 01:38:06] will be demolished at some point. So, what happens is that the president then get in the pool after the program is over and then he [Unintelligible 01:38:22]. So basically, that is what happens. Actually, after the festival is over, it is like the community’s time once in a year, that is where it becomes after the program is over because they are going to take [Unintelligible 01:39:37]. So, it is like being treated both ways, one is [Unintelligible 01:39:52].

Giriraj Swami: So, is this all open to a discussion.

Devotee: Open discussion, Maharaja, exactly.

Giriraj Swami: I mean, I can see why some people would be concerned about it. It is sort of like one minute it is Radha-kunda and then the next minute it is a swimming pool, and the mood is just different, very different. In Chowpatty they have the pushpa-abhishek [Unintelligible 01:40:53], and one year, the devotees, it was in the first year, and in one year, the devotees, [Unintelligible 01:41:16], and just keep this, sort of very respectful. And all that spiritual atmosphere created by [Unintelligible 01:42:10].

Devotee: [Unintelligible 01:43:00].

Giriraj Swami: Oh, so, this is [Unintelligible 01:43:06] Prabhu, he has been a very vital member of [Unintelligible 01:43:13] community here, and now he is taking the next step of moving to Mayapur, and as he told me yesterday, he is not attached to living in one place or the other, he just wants to make the best use of his time and [Unintelligible 01:43:33] make a contribution there and he says he will not forget us and he will continue to come back and visit us. Is that correct? So, yes, we wish you all the best.

Devotee: Thank you, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna. Nityananda Prabhu, do you want to say anything?

Devotee: No. [Unintelligible 01:44:05]

Giriraj Swami: Okay, thank you, thank you, come back soon, or I will meet you there. Hare Krishna. Alright.

Devotee: Maharaja, I was thinking that we will obviously re-look at this program in the light of your comments and, adjust it so that the mood is there. This is the fourth year we did that and so, [Unintelligible 01:45:20]. The part that I was a little concerned about is here [Unintelligible 01:45:33] and, it is difficult to say to people that we are going to change the program and they have actually participated in themselves in that program, but I can see the concern that some people have that the more sometimes delivered and others may not be looked at [Unintelligible 01:46:06].

Giriraj Swami: Yes, I mean, other than that one maybe from year one, I didn’t notice anything. But then again, [Unintelligible 01:46:22].

Devotee: [Unintelligible 01:46:32].

Giriraj Swami: Well, I would say again, the crucial point is the movement. In other words, after the ārati we take around the water that is left after the ārati. So, you can replace, sort of, gently and respectfully other than, throw in someone’s face.

Devotee: Right.

Giriraj Swami: So, yes, [Unintelligible 01:47:27] mahā-prasāda, so in this sort of respectful mood [Unintelligible 01:47:36].