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Brihad-Bhagavatamrita, Intro & TOC

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Jan 15, 1998, 3:00:00 AM1/15/98

SrI Guru-GaurAngau JayataH

SrI BRhad-bhAgavatAmRta SrI BRhad-bhAgavatAmRta
by
SrIla SanAtana GosvAmI

CONTENTS

Part One: The Search for the Essence of BhagavAn's mercy

Chapter One-The Earth
Chapter Two-The Higher Material Planets
Chapter Three-Beyond The Material World
Chapter Four-The Devotees
Chapter Five-The Dear Devotees
Chapter Six-The Most Dear Devotees
Chapter Seven-The Ultimate Devotees

Part Two: The Glory of SrI Goloka-dhAma

Chapter One-Renunciation
Chapter Two-Knowledge
Chapter Three-Worship
Chapter Four-VaikuNTha
Chapter Five-Divine Love
Chapter Six-Fulfilment of Long-cherished Desires
Chapter Seven-Bliss of the Highest Realm

INTRODUCTION

SrIla SanAtana GosvAmI's SrI BRhad-bhAgavatAmRta occupies a
special place in the realm of VaiSNava literature. It is
unparalleled in its delineation of siddhAnta, rasa, bhAva,
and lIlA. Its glories are limitless, and it is without question
one of the most beneficial books for the progressive sAdhaka.
It is divided into two parts, and both parts tell the story
of a parivrAjaka; that is, one who refuses the comforts of a
permanent residence and constantly wanders in search of the
essence of life.

In the first part, the parivrAjaka is NArada RSi. As he searches
for the foremost recipient of SrI KRSNa's mercy, he approaches
various exalted devotees and shows the gradation in their bhakti.
In the second part, the parivrAjaka is Gopa-kumAra. His spiritual
search is described from the beginning stages of bhajana all the
way up to his attainment of perfection. Especially noteworthy for
sAdhakas is how Gopa-kumAra remains without any type of material
desire throughout his entire journey. In the course of visiting
numerous holy places, he is made a king and offered heavenly
opulences and even liberation. But his determination to attain the
eternal company of SrI KRSNa in Vraja inspires him to continue
chanting his gopAla-mantra until he is fully successful. His
longing is exemplary, and as a lighthouse guides ships at sea, the
life of Gopa-kumAra will guide the sincere sAdhaka.

I have translated this edition of SrI BRhad-bhAgavatAmRta from SrI
SyAmalAla HakIma's Hindi edition which was published by the SrI
HarinAma SankIrtana MaNDala in VRndAvana. In one sense no edition
of BRhad-bhAgavatAmRta can be considered to be complete without the
inclusion of SanAtana GosvAmI's own commentary, but to my knowledge
there is no authoritative Hindi translation of SanAtana GosvAmI's
commentary, and as a result it has not been included here. Still, I
am confident that this edition is a vast improvement on the two
previously available English editions of BRhad-bhAgavatAmRta and I
pray that it will meet with approval from the VaiSNava community.
Jaya Jaya SrI RAdhe!

VaiSNava dAsAnudAsa,
Prema-vilAsa dAsa
London, England

Completed on January 24, 1995, the anniversary of the disappearance
day of SrIla Locana dAsa ThAkura.

This and other transcendental literature can be downloaded in PDF
format
from http://web.ukonline.co.uk/paul.mcfarland/
You can use the free Adobe Acrobat viewer 3.01 to view and print
diacritics and Devanagari.

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Jan 15, 1998, 3:00:00 AM1/15/98

Part One
The Search for the Essence of BhagavAn's Mercy

Chapter One-The Earth
1. Glory to the eternally youthful Vrajendra-nandana SrI KRSNa
who is a great ocean of various sweetnesses, who descends to this
world to bestow bhakti for His own lotus feet, and who assumed the
form of SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu especially to bestow direct
experience
of the ultimate mode of prema, gopI-bhAva.
2. Glory to the vraja-gopIs headed by SrImatI RAdhikA who are famous
as BhagavAn SrI KRSNa's dearmost beloveds. No one (even BhagavAn
Himself) will ever be capable of describing even a fraction of the
sweetnesses of their intimate prema for Him.
3. Glory to SrI Hari who, intensely hankering to relish the
exceedingly sweet ecstatic love which His devotees bear for Him,
descended in the form of a devotee, who is now splendid as gold,
who is dressed as a sannyAsI, who is the son of SrImatI SacIdevI
and who bears the name SrI KRSNa Caitanya.
4. Glory to MathurA-devI, who is the best and most enchanting of
holy places and who is supremely dear to SrI KRSNa. Splendorous
due to His having taken birth there, she removes the sins of everyone
and is worshipped for the benedictions of mukti and bhakti. What to
speak then, of the potency of the narrations of the transcendental
pastimes which KRSNa performed there?
5. Glory, glory to MurAri's supremely beloved SrI VRndAvana! Residing
there is more dear to Him than residing either within His devotees'
hearts or in VaikuNTha. There He eternally enjoys by protecting the
cows and, by playing sweet melodies on His flute, forever increasing
the gopIs' amorous prema for Him.
6. Glory to the YamunA, who is the daughter of SUrya, the sister of
YamarAja, the friend of MathurA, even more glorious than the GangA,
very dear to the killer of the Mura demon, and who flows with what
seems to be water but is actually the nectar of the lotus flower of
SrI KRSNa's feet.
7. Glory to Govardhana Hill, who is the king of mountains, who was
proclaimed by the gopIs to be the best of those who are hari-dAsa,
who
SrI KRSNa worshipped after ceasing the sacrifice to Indra, and who
attained the immense good fortune of resting continuously in KRSNa's
lotus hand for seven days and nights.
8. Being rejected by VaiSNavas, knowing the confidential tattva of
all
the Vedas, and abandoning its faith in the chanting of mantras,
performance of sacrifices, severe austerities, and the acceptance of
sannyAsa, mukti itself desires to attain the shelter of BhagavAn by
worshipping the lotus feet of prema-bhakti. Glory, glory to
prema-bhakti!
9. Glory, glory to zrI-kRSNa-nAma, the embodiment of divine bliss,
which rids one of the painful endeavours required in performing the
rituals of varNAzrama-dharma, meditation, and pUjA, which awards
liberation to a living entity who somehow or other utters it even
once, which is the supreme nectar, and which is my sole treasure and
indeed, my very life.
10. I offer praNAmato SrI KRSNacandra who, being boundlessly
merciful,
appeared in the form of SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu to bestow
prema-rasain
this age of Kali.
11. This SrI BRhad-bhAgavatAmRta, which was revealed to me upon
receiving the merciful darzanaof my dearmost SrI Caitanyadeva,
represents a collection of the essence of all devotional scriptures.
12. Hey VaiSNavas! Please hear this confidential scripture entitled
SrI BRhad-bhAgavatAmRta which Jaimini RSi lovingly recited to
Janamejaya.
13. After hearing a wonderful, historical narration of the kings of
ancient India from Jaimini, the king of sages, the son of ParIkSit
MahArAja, Janamejaya, became very eager to hear the remainder and
said:
14. Hey brAhmaNa! That rasawhich I did not attain upon hearing the
MahAbhAratadirectly from the mouth of VaizampAyana (VyAsa), I have
achieved from you. Now please sweetly complete that story.
15. SrI Jaimini said: Hey NRpottama (best of kings)! Upon hearing the
entire SrImad-BhAgavatam spoken by Sukadeva GosvAmI, ParIkSit
MahArAja
became free from all fear, attained the full fruits of dharma, artha,
kAma,and mokSa, and became immersed in the rasa of kRSNa-prema.
16-17. Seeing that the time for him to ascend to his desired
destination (Goloka-dhAma) had come, his mother UttarA became very
distressed out of maternal affection for him. After being reassured
and made cheerful by her son, out of great eagerness to hear about
SrI
KRSNa she asked:
18. My dear son! As nectar was extracted from the ocean of milk,
reveal to me the essence of the instructions which you heard from the
lotus mouth of Sukadeva GosvAmI.
19. SrI Jaimini said: MahArAja ParIkSit, who was very affectionate to
his mother and who, due to being immersed in prema-rasa, was very
eager to repeat the remarkably wonderful narrations describing SrI
Govinda which he had heard, respectfully said:
20. Hey Mother! Although in these final moments I desired to observe
a
vow of silence, I am impelled to speak by the sweetness of your
question.
21-23. I offer praNAma to Acyuta BhagavAn, who saved both of our
lives, because by the power of His mercy as well as the mercy of my
guru, Sukadeva GosvAmI, I will now narrate the SrI BhAgavatAmRta,
which was extracted by the topmost devotees such as Sukadeva and
NArada, which represents the conclusions of sages such as the four
KumAras, which is approved by great souls such as ParAzara, and which
is extremely confidential-please listen carefully.
24-25. Once, during the month of MAgha at the crown-jewel of holy
places, PrayAga, some exalted munis completed their morning bath and
sat down near the Deity of SrI MAdhava. Blissfully considering
themselves fully gratified, they began praising one another by
saying,
"You are dear to SrI KRSNa."
26-27. Hey Mother! At that time an exalted brAhmaNa, who was the king
of that land and a follower of the path of bhagavad-bhakti, came
there
to DazAzvamedha GhATa accompanied by his entourage. Attended by
immense opulence, out of great respect for the brAhmaNas he began to
prepare arrangements to feed them.
28-29. After completing his morning duties, he set aside a large
area,
quickly arranged an altar, and prepared all the beautiful
paraphernalia for worship. After anointing the ground with his own
hand, he erected a pavilion.
30-31. In the middle of that altar he placed SrI KRSNa in His form as
zAlagrAma-zilA on a beautiful golden siMhAsana. After making an
offering of clothes, ornaments, fragrant substances, flowers, and
foodstuffs with great devotion, he celebrated a tremendous festival
of
singing and instrumental music where he himself danced before the
Deity.
32. Then he offered praNAma to the brAhmaNas who were scholars of the
Vedas and PurANas, as well as to the sannyAsIs, gRhastas,and
brahmacArIs.
33. With sweet words he pleased the VaiSNavas who were always
immersed
in the bliss of kRSNa-kIrtana.
34. He honoured them by placing the water which had washed their feet
upon his head and distributing to them the foodstuffs and valuables
which had been offered to BhagavAn.
35. Then he respectfully fed the non-devotees and outcasts, and he
satisfied even the dogs, jackals, birds, and insects.
36. After satisfying everyone in this way and receiving the order of
the sAdhus, he and his associates ate the prasAda remnants which were
just like nectar.
37. Next he went before SrI SAlagrAma KRSNa and with folded hands
offered the fruits of all his actions to Him.
38-40. After blissfully putting SrI BhagavAn to sleep, the brAhmaNa
was thinking to proceed home when SrI NArada, who had been observing
his activities from a distance, stood up in the assembly of sages and
said repeatedly, "This brAhmaNa is very dear to BhagavAn MahA-ViSNu!"
Then SrI NArada, who is most expert in relishing the mellows of
bhagavad-bhakti, in order to proclaim to the world the glories of the
greatest recipient of SrI KRSNa's mercy (SrImatI RAdhikA), approached
the exalted brAhmaNa and said:
41-42. "Hey king of brAhmaNas! You are the object of SrI KRSNa's
great
mercy! You have respectfully engaged all your wealth and opulences in
His service. Hey great soul! I have personally seen all this with my
own eyes here in this best of holy places."
43. Hearing this, the scholarly brAhmaNa replied, "Hey best of the
sages! It is not so. Hey SvAmI! What symptoms of SrI KRSNa's mercy
have you detected in me?"
44. "I am not even equal to a lowly insect! What opulence do I
possess? What can I give and what bhagavad-bhajanacan I do?"
45. "In the south there is a great king who is the real recipient of
SrI KRSNa's mercy. In his land there are numerous mandiras."
46. "Because he sustains all the sAdhusand pilgrims who tour the holy
places with the foodstuffs which have been offered to SrI KRSNa, they
always blissfully wander here and there within his kingdom."
47. "Near the royal palace is a large mandira where saccidAnanda SrI
BhagavAn Himself has mercifully assumed a stationary form as the
Deity."
48. "Newer and newer festivals are always being celebrated there, and
at every moment newer and newer valuable presentations are being
offered to Him."
49. "The king respectfully feeds all the residents of the kingdom, as
well as pilgrims who have come from distant lands, with SrI ViSNu's
prasAda."
50-51. "Because they are very eager to see the lotus-eyed God,
because
they are filled with happiness upon receiving mahA-prasAda, and
because in that place they meet many sAdhus, many saints and
VaiSNavas
from foreign lands come and permanently reside there."
52. "Because the king has donated his entire kingdom to the brAhmaNas
and SrI ViSNu, there is never any calamity, suffering, or fear
there."
53. "In his country the land produces crops even without being
ploughed and just enough rain falls to facilitate the citizens'
happiness. The fruits and flowers there are very beautiful, and
clothing and other necessities are easily acquired."
54. "Because the citizens there are always engaged in their
respective
occupational duties and are devoted to SrI KRSNa, they are always
very
happy. They follow the decrees of the king as if they were his own
sons."
55. "Devoid of pride, that great devotee-king performs even the most
menial of services for BhagavAn SrI Acyuta and pleases everyone."
56-57. "He perpetually pleases SrI BhagavAn by celebrating festivals
consisting of nAma-sankIrtana, the singing of various beautiful
songs,
and the playing of various instruments, and by personally dancing
before Him accompanied by his brothers, wives, children,
grandchildren, servants, ministers, priests, and other associates."
58. "Hey NArada! How far can I describe the unlimited qualities of
the
king's devotion to SrI KRSNa? How many of them can I even
comprehend?"
59. SrI ParIkSit said: Hearing this, NArada immediately went to that
country to receive the king's darzana. Arriving there he saw how all
the citizens were intently engaged in bhagavat-sevA.
60. Happily playing his vINA, NArada entered the royal palace and,
impelled by the brAhmaNa's description, he approached the king and
said:
61. "Hey king! You are certainly the recipient of SrI KRSNa's mercy.
You are adorned by your royal power, saintly subjects, virtues,
dharma, wealth, knowledge, and bhakti."
62. SrI ParIkSit said: In this way SrI NArada, the best of VaiSNavas,
embraced the king again and again and glorified his good qualities
while playing his vINA.
63. Hearing the praise from the best of sages, the king became very
embarrassed. Bowing his head, he worshipped SrI NArada and with
folded
hands said:
64. "Hey DevarSi NArada! Why are you glorifying my so much? I am
merely an ordinary human with a short life-span. I do not possess
enough wealth to even make proper offerings of charity. I am not
independent, I am plagued by the three-fold miseries, and I am always
fearful."
65. "Why, without considering all of these points, do you consider
me,
who am so unqualified, to be the object of SrI KRSNa's mercy?"
66. "The demigods, who are worshipped by human beings and who possess
effulgent bodies, are the real recipients of SrI ViSNu BhagavAn's
mercy."
67. "They are sinless and are situated in the mode of goodness. They
never suffer and are always joyful. They are completely independent
and always fulfil the innermost desires of their devotees."
68. "By always drinking celestial nectar, they have conquered
disease,
old age, and death. There is never any obstacle to them fulfilling
their hunger and thirst, and by accepting the remnants of sacrifices
according to their desire, they are always satisfied."
69. "Hey BhagavAn NArada! By the power of their immense good fortune
they reside in Svarga which is attained by the residents of this
BhAratavarSa only upon performing abundant pious activities."
70. "O sage, the foremost of those demigods is Indra, who has the
capacity to reward or punish and who, by bestowing rain, is the giver
of life to all living entities."
71. "For seventy-one yugas he presides over the three planetary
systems, a post which an ordinary human as myself could not attain
even by performing one-hundred horse-sacrifices."
72. "He possesses the horse UccazravA, the elephant Airavata, the cow
KAmadhuka, and the Nandana garden."
73. "That Nandana garden is splendorous with the pArijAta flower and
wish-fulfilling trees and creepers."
74. "From a single flower of that garden, according to one's desires
varieties of songs, musical instruments, the dancing of the ApsarAs,
as well as varieties of garments, ornaments, and foodstuffs, can be
easily attained."
75. "Aho! Who can describe the good fortune of SrI Indra? SrI ViSNu
BhagavAn Himself became his younger brother as VAmanadeva."
76. "He protects Indra from all calamities, brings him great
happiness, and personally accepts his worship. Hey DevarSi! You know
all of this well."
----
End Chapter 1

This and other transcendental literature can be downloaded in PDF
format from http://web.ukonline.co.uk/paul.mcfarland

You can use the free Adobe Acrobat viewer 3.01 to view and print

diacritics and Devanagari; available at http://www.adobe.com

For information on the Harvard-Kyoto diacritical system, see
http://hgsoft.com/~agrahya/harvard-kyoto.html

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Chapter Two-The Higher Material Planets

1. SrI ParIkSit said: After glorifying the king, NArada Muni went to
Svarga where he received darzana of SrI ViSNu BhagavAn (VAmanadeva)
who was brilliantly manifest in the middle of a great assembly of
demigods.
2. He was adorned with garlands composed of beautiful and fragrant
flowers from kalpa-vRkSa trees, anointed with fragrant candana,
attired in exquisite garments and ornaments, being offered celestial
nectar and other wonderful substances, and blissfully sitting on the
back of GaruDa.
3. SrI BRhaspati and other great sages were glorifying Him with
prayers and His mother Aditi was nurturing Him while pleasing Him with
sweet words.
4. The Siddhas, VidyAdharas, Gandharvas, and ApsarAs were pleasing Him
with prayers, exclamations of ' jaya', instrumental music, singing,
and dancing.
5. He was assuring Indra in emphatic words that he need not fear the
demons and was gracefully accepting and chewing the betel-nuts offered
by SrI KIrti (LakSmIdevI).
6-7. Near Him SrI Indra, accompanied by all his potencies, was
splendidly seated on his own throne. As he time and again described in
a choked voice SrI BhagavAn's fame and the beneficial activities which
He had performed for the demigods, tears of joy were flowing from his
thousands of eyes.
8. When SrI BhagavAn Upendra departed for His own abode of VaikuNTha,
Indra followed behind Him. When Indra returned and re-entered his
assembly, SrI NArada praised him by saying:
9. "You are the recipient of SrI BhagavAn's mercy, because even SUrya,
Candra, and other rulers of planets obey your orders, what to speak of
others?"
10. "Sages like myself are always under your dominion, the Vedas
praise you as the master of the universe, and you are the bestower of
the results of pious and impious deeds."
11. "Aho! SrIman NArAyaNa has become your younger brother, having
taken birth from the same womb as you did. In accordance with
religious principles, He always shows you great respect."
12. SrI ParIkSit said: Repeatedly glorifying the good fortune and
opulence of Indra while playing on his vINA, DevarSi NArada began
blissfully dancing.
13. Then Indra offered praNAma to NArada and being embarrassed, slowly
said, "Hey learned musician (who are expert in false glorification)!
Why do you mock me?"
14. "Do you not know the situation here in Svarga? Have we not
abandoned this place on numerous occasions out of fear of the
demons?"
15. "One incident you didn't mention is when Bali MahArAja usurped my
post, appointed his demon associates to the posts of SUrya and Candra,
and nearly starved me to death by enjoying my portions of the
sacrifices!"
16. "Then, being pleased by my parents' severe austerities, BhagavAn
assumed an incarnation as my younger brother."
17. "Still, He did not kill my enemies. By snatching the kingdom back
from Bali MahArAja in a deceptive manner and returning it to me, He
merely embarrassed we demigods."
18. "What happiness is there for we residents of Svarga? Because we
are perpetually embroiled in rivalry due to excessive envy and pride,
and because we sometimes murder brAhmaNas and commit other crimes, we
are always fearful of falling down from our positions."
19. "And furthermore, see how SrI Upendra BhagavAn always treats me
with special disdain! He took both the SudharmA assembly house and the
pArijAta tree from here in Svarga and established them on the earth
planet."
20. "He ceased the cowherd men's traditional worship of me and burned
to the ground the KhANDava forest which was so dear to me."
21. "When I petitioned Him to kill VRtrAsura, who was terrifying the
three worlds, He became indifferent and instead allotted that task to
me."
22. "Treating me with contempt, He left my city of AmarAvatI and made
a new home for Himself above all the worlds."
23. "He only comes here and accepts my pUjAbecause my parents also
worship Him and due to the insistence of BRhaspati, and then He
immediately returns to His own residence."
24-26. "One such time when He came here in great haste and accepted my
offering of arghya, I said to Him, 'Hey Prabhu! It would be Your
immense mercy upon us if You would reside here permanently' but He
merely cheated me by speaking this instruction: 'When I am not here
you may worship SrI BrahmA or SrI Siva because they are both
nondifferent from Me. Have you forgotten this statement from the
scriptures: 'The one Supreme Lord has expanded into the three forms of
ViSNu, Rudra, and BrahmA'?'"
27. "His place of residence is also not fixed, and therefore what to
speak of me, even the munis cannot find Him. Sometimes he resides in
VaikuNTha, sometimes in Dhruvaloka, and sometimes in the ocean of
milk."
28-29. "At present He is in DvArakA, but it is not certain that He is
always there either. Sometimes He is in the PANDavas' palace,
sometimes in the city of MathurA, and sometimes going from forest to
forest in Gokula. Therefore, I cannot even receive His darzana, what
to speak of His mercy."
30. "Hey NArada, best of BrahmA's sons! Your father BrahmAjI is the
real object of BhagavAn's mercy, being the direct son of LakSmI-kAnta
NArAyaNa Himself."
31. "Within his day, which lasts for one-thousand catura-yugas, live
fourteen Manus and Indras like myself."
32. "His night is of the same duration. Three-hundred and sixty such
days and nights comprise his one year, and one-hundred such years
comprise his life-span."
33. "SrI BrahmA creates the fourteen worlds along with their
respective rulers whom he places in command. He protects them, bestows
the results of their actions, and upon the arrival of his night,
destroys them all."
34. "The thousand-headed MahA-puruSa (GarbhodazAyI ViSNu) perpetually
resides on BrahmA's planet, eating a great multitude of sacrificial
offerings and bestowing transcendental bliss upon everyone."
35. "In this way I have given thousands of reasons why BrahmAjI is the
real object of SrI KRSNa's mercy. What to speak of merely being His
object of mercy, he is really SrI KRSNa Himself!"
36. "Hey Prabhu! This fact is celebrated in the words of the zrutis
and smRtis, and besides, you know his glories and the glories of his
planet better than I."
37. SrI ParIkSit said: Hearing Indra's words, BhagavAn NArada said, "
SAdhu! SAdhu!" (meaning "Well done! Well done!") and quickly travelled
to Brahmaloka.
38. From a distance NArada heard the sounds of many exalted sages
continually performing sacrifices with great devotion.
39. Going nearer, he saw the blissful Supreme Personality in His
mahA-puruSa form with His hair splendidly matted.
40. Accompanied by LakSmIdevI, the thousand-headed Lord of sacrifices
was bestowing divine bliss upon the sages by happily accepting their
sacrificial offerings.
41. To please SrI BrahmA, He was accepting BrahmA's offerings in His
thousands of hands and was eating them with His thousands of mouths.
42. After giving the performers of sacrifice their cherished
benedictions, YajJapuruSa BhagavAn retired to His bedroom and, as SrI
LakSmI massaged His feet, He performed the pastime of falling asleep.
43. Then SrI BrahmA, knowing the order of BhagavAn, engaged the sages
who were really his own sons in the sacrifices, and to perform tasks
related to creation, went to his own domicile.
44. There he comfortably sat on his throne and with a choked voice
recited the glories of His worshipable Lord, and as he heard others
also glorify Him, tears flowed from his eight eyes.
45. Then SrI NArada approached his father, who was served by supremely
wonderful opulences, offered his daNDavat-praNAma and said:
46. "You are certainly the object of BhagavAn's mercy. You are the
master of all the PrajApatis and the grandfather of all living
entities."
47. "You alone create, maintain, and destroy the fourteen worlds. You
alone are the eternal master of the universe, and because you were
self-manifest, you are called 'SvayambhU'."
48. "From your four lotus mouths the Vedas, PurANas, and other
scriptures, which reveal the goal of life, have manifest, and assuming
personified forms, reside in your assembly-house."
49. "Residing on your planet are the saints who, being devoid of false
pride and all other faults, have for one-hundred births flawlessly
executed their sva-dharma."
50. "In this entire brahmANDa there is no planet superior to yours;
even the VaikuNTha of SrIman NArAyaNa is situated within it."
51. "Here PadmanAbha BhagavAn resides in His mahA-puruSa form, eating
the sacrificial offerings and bestowing the fruits of their sacrifices
upon His worshippers."
52. "At the time of your appearance you searched for Him for a very
long time but did not receive His darzana. Then, by the strength of
your austerities, He appeared for a moment within your heart."
53. "Therefore, you are truthfully very dear to SrI KRSNa. Aho!
Indeed, not only are you very dear to Him, but you are actually SrI
KRSNa Himself, who assumes various forms as His pastime."
54. SrI ParIkSit said: In this way SrI NArada, seeing with his own
eyes BrahmAjI's glories which he had heard described by Indra, time
and again sang of those glories while offering praNAmas.
55. When SrI BrahmA heard his own glories being delineated, he became
very agitated and covering his eight ears, repeatedly said with his
four mouths, "I am only His servant."
56. Upon hearing himself being praised, which he did not desire to
hear, BrahmAjI became furious, but after restraining his anger with
great endeavour, he admonished his son NArada and said:
57. "Have I not from your early childhood repeatedly taught you with
numerous evidences and logic that I am not SrI KRSNa?"
58. "In the form of a maidservant, His potency named MahAmAyA stands
before Him awaiting His order. It is this potency who, through her
three modes, creates, maintains, and destroys the universe."
59. "All of us are bewildered by her and are firmly under her control.
Therefore, you should know that I have not obtained even a particle of
SrI KRSNa's mercy."
60-61. "Being bewildered by this mAyA I am always thinking, 'I am the
master of the entire universe, the grandfather of all living entities,
I was personally born from the lotus flower emanating from SrI KRSNa's
navel, and I satisfied Him through my performance of austerities.' In
this way I am overcome with false pride, and due to my endless
responsibilities in maintaining this universe, I am always
perturbed."
62. "I am always anxious that the time for my planet to be destroyed
is nearing, and being afraid of all-devouring time, I always pray for
liberation."
63. "Only for this purpose do I worship SrI BhagavAn and cause others
to worship Him. You said that He personally resides on my planet, but
where does He not reside?"
64. "He only accepts the sacrificial offerings here to firmly
establish the Vedic revelation and to make the sacrifice successful,
not to bestow mercy upon me."
65. "Hey NArada! You should know that only bhakti pleases BhagavAn and
that He only bestows His mercy upon devotees, not non-devotees."
66. "Having bhakti for Him is very far away from me; if I somehow
avoid offending Him I think that I am doing very well indeed. He does
not forgive my offences as He does those of Siva."
67. "Obtaining a boon from me, the wicked HiraNyakazipu became an
enemy of the VaiSNavas and tormented the entire world."
68-70. "When after BhagavAn assumed the form of NRsiMha and killed
him, due to fear myself and the demigods stood at a distance offering
various eloquent prayers, but He refused to recognise us with even a
momentary side-long glance. Instead He was only pleased with the
prayers of PrahlAda, and later, when PrahlAda was performing the
coronation ceremony, with great fear I slowly approached NRsiMhadeva
and He angrily said to me, 'O BrahmA! Don't give any boons like this
to the demons ever again!'"
71. "Nevertheless I have since given many boons to demons such as
RAvaNa, and whose tongue has the power to describe the bedlam he
created?"
72. "You may also remember how I gave administrative posts to Indra
and others whose good sense became completely destroyed by their
inflated pride."
73. "Indra offended SrI KRSNa by showering incessant rains on the
Govardhana sacrifice and by fighting with Him when He stole the
pArijAta tree. VaruNadeva committed aparAdha by kidnapping Nanda
MahArAja and by stealing the cows from the forest."
74. "YamarAja had the son of SAndIpani Muni killed, and Kuvera is
responsible for his follower SankhacUDa's kidnapping of the gopIs."
75. "Also, in the lower planets the demons and the angry serpents who
are relatives of KAliya-nAga have become enemies of the VaiSNavas."
76. "And just recently, I myself went to VRndAvana, and while SrI
KRSNa was taking lunch in the forest, I used my illusory potency to
kidnap the calves and boys He was personally protecting."
77. "Then I saw something so astonishing that I became frightened, and
although I offered Him prayers and praNAmas, due to my impudence He
cheated me by ignoring me and simply resuming His pastimes as a
cowherd boy."
78. "Still I considered myself to be fully gratified because I had the
immense good fortune to enter Vraja and receive darzana of His smiling
face."
79. "Fearing that if I stayed there for any length of time I would
commit more offences, I returned here. What benefit would there be in
continuing to describe my immense misfortune?"
80. "I do not see anyone in this entire brahmANDawho is such an object
of SrI ViSNu BhagavAn's mercy as MahAdeva Siva, who is famous as His
friend."
81. "Always intoxicated by the rasaof SrI KRSNa's lotus feet, Siva has
rejected the four objects of human pursuit as well as the enjoyments
which accompany the opulence of being supremely powerful."
82. "Eating the poisonous seeds of the thorn-apple and intoxicating
Aka leaves, decorated with a garland of skulls, and his naked body
smeared with ashes, it is as if he is mocking materialists like myself
who are addicted to sensual pleasures."
83. "With dishevelled locks of matted hair, he wanders about like a
madman. Keeping himself carefully concealed, he carries on his head
the GangA, which washed the lotus feet of SrI KRSNa, and when he
joyfully dances, it seems that the entire universe quakes."
84. "By SrI KRSNa's mercy not only is he capable of bestowing the most
cherished liberation even to demigods like myself, but his wife
PArvatI also has that power."
85. "Aho! All the residents of Sivaloka are liberated. By SrI Siva's
mercy even ordinary jIvas have obtained liberation and
kRSNa-bhakti."
86. "My opinion is that seeing Siva to be different from SrI KRSNa is
a great offence. BhagavAn forgives offences committed to Him, but He
never forgives offences committed against Siva."
87. "When Siva was placed in great danger by Tripurezvara, VRkAsura,
and other demons who were maddened by boons which Siva himself had
given them, SrI KRSNa protected him and overjoyed him with words which
were as sweet as nectar."
88. "SrI KRSNa is so conquered by Siva's intimate devotion that He
assumes forms such as ParazurAma just to worship him."
89-90. "By personally arranging for Siva to drink the gruesome poison
which was produced from the churning of the nectar ocean and having
the PrajApatis worship him, it was as if SrI KRSNa showered him in
immense glory by adorning him for all time with the name 'NIlakaNTha'."
91. "The PurANas sing of SrI KRSNa's mercy to Siva. O sage, you know
all of this better than I, but I have spoken only to remind you."
92. SrI ParIkSit said: Hey mother! Offering praNAma to his guru SrI
BrahmA, NArada decided to go to KailAza Mountain, and seeing this,
BrahmA said:
93. "Once, Kuvera worshipped Rudra so well that he became obliged to
reside within this universe at Kuvera's abode on Mount KailAza."
94. "Assuming the role of the protector of all the directions, UmApati
Siva resides there with his associates and a minimal amount of his
real opulences."
95. "In the same way, BhagavAn SrI KRSNa Himself, being overpowered by
His devotees' bhakti, becomes obliged to reside on my planet, on
Svargaloka, and on many other planets, and enjoys suitable pastimes in
these places."
96. "Regarding Siva's own immensely opulent abode, I quote the VAyu
PurANa: 'Sivaloka is situated beyond the seven-fold coverings of the
material universe. It is eternal, blissful, and factual, and only the
topmost servants of Siva can enter it.'"
97. "There Siva is surrounded by associates who are as glorious and
splendid as he is, who possess great powers and opulences, and who are
adorned with exquisite garments and ornaments."
98. "There Siva worships SrI SankarSaNa BhagavAn, who is actually
nondifferent from him, as his chosen Deity-is that not wonderfully
astonishing?"
99. "Hey NArada! Because you are a pure devotee of SrI Siva, you have
the power to go there. Go, take shelter of Siva, and see for yourself
how he is the real object of SrI KRSNa's mercy."
100. SrI ParIkSit said: Hey mother! Receiving this instruction, and
chanting the names of Siva and KRSNa, NArada eagerly proceeded to
Sivaloka.
----
End Chapter 2

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Chapter Five-The Dear Devotees

1. SrI ParIkSit said: Dancing, and overcome with joy, NArada flew to
Kurudeza and quickly entered the capital.
2. At that time DharmarAja YudhiSThira was advising his brothers that
on the pretext of either a sacrifice or a calamity taking place, they
should call SrI KRSNa there so they could receive His darzana.
3-4. When he heard NArada arrive at the door, he immediately stood up
and along with his mother, brothers, and wife, quickly went over and
offered praNAma to him. Taking NArada inside the palace, he carefully
seated him on a beautiful siMhAsana.
5. Hey mother! SrI YudhiSThira collected together many articles to
perform pUjA of SrI NArada, but instead NArada took those articles and
worshipped your fathers-in-law and their servants with them.
6. While playing his vINA, NArada time and again sang in a sweet
melody HanumAn's description of the great mercy which the PaNDavas
had received from SrI KRSNa.
7. SrI NArada said: "In this world you are all extremely fortunate,
because the Supreme Controller of all controllers, SrI KRSNa, is your
dear worshipable Deity, guru, cousin, brother, messenger, friend,
charioteer, and servant."
8. "Even SrI BrahmA, SrI Siva and the other great demigods see Him in
their meditation only with immense difficulty. He is the sole
objective of the special purport of the words of the Vedas, and SrI
NRsiMha, SrI VAmana, and SrI RAmacandra are His plenary portions."
9. "All the other incarnations are portions of His plenary portions
while BrahmA and the other demigods are His shadow-extensions.
Illusory mAyA, which creates, maintains, and destroys the material
universes, stands before Him as a maidservant."
10. "When, inspired by the lament of Mother Earth, BrahmA and the
demigods went to the shore of the ocean of milk, with great
determination they offered pUjA and prayers to Him but still did not
receive any of His mercy."
11. "Then, when in meditation BrahmA received His order from within
the heart, all the demigods became joyful."
12. "In a secluded place, GargAcArya and other scholars secretly
revealed that only SrI NArAyaNa BhagavAn and no one else can even
partially compare to Him."
13. "Therefore, in MathurApurI He is also known by the names DIrgha-
ViSNu, MahA-Hari, MahA-ViSNu, and MahA-NArAyaNa."
14. "We sages perpetually pray for His mercy through performing
spiritual activities such as observing vows of silence, being
peaceful, and practicing bhakti, but you have not merely pleased
Svayam BhagavAn SrI KRSNa, you have even brought Him under your
control."
15. "Aho! Listen! Since previous ages it has been His long-standing
principle to give liberation only to those who are specially
qualified for it."
16-17. "Therefore, KAlanemi, HiraNyAkSa, HiraNyakazipu, RAvaNa,
KumbhakarNa, and others who were personally killed by Him were not
given liberation, nor were any of them given uttama-bhakti. Only to
the demon PrahlAda in SrI KRSNa's incarnation as NRsiMha did He give
bhakti, and even then it was jJAna-mizra-bhakti."
18-19. "Although HanumAn, JAmbavAna, SugrIva, VibhISana, KevaTa,
Dazaratha, and others attained pure bhakti during the advent of SrI
RaghunAtha, at that time there was not even the briefest mention of
the topmost pure bhakti."
20. "Now your maternal cousin KRSNa has bestowed mukti, bhakti, and
the topmost pure bhakti to many."
21. "Those demons which KRSNa personally killed or had killed by
Arjuna or others, although they deserved to descend into hell, became
liberated by His glorious mercy."
22-23. "When VizvAmitra, Gautama, VaziSTha, and other sages who were
engaged in performing austerities, chanting mantras, and the
cultivation of knowledge in a quest for the four objects of human
pursuit went to KurukSetra and prayed to SrI KRSNa for bhakti, by His
mercy they all became steadfast in devotion."
24. "Even immobile living entities like trees and vines who are in the
mode of ignorance by birth exhibited symptoms of ecstatic love for SrI
KRSNa and began showering liquified premarasa."
25. "O cousins of SrI KRSNa! How can I possibly describe the
unprecedented, extraordinary appearance of the beauty, loveliness, and
sweetness of SrI KRSNa's form?"
26. "Because it is unprecedented, upon seeing it even He Himself
becomes wonderstruck. His pastimes, qualities, prema, glories, and
lIlA-sthalIsare also extraordinary."
27. "I think that if SrI KRSNa had not descended to this world, then
the highest aspect of His bhagavattA(nature as the Supreme
Personality) would never have been revealed."
28. "Because the aggregate of His special glories and various
wonderful sweetnesses have now reached their pinnacle, His bhagavattA
is being fully displayed."
29. "For now forget descriptions of His mercy; even His allotment of
punishment is praiseworthy! In this present advent, KaMsa, KAliya,
and PUtanA bear witness to this, and in His previous incarnations,
Bali and others bear witness to this fact."
30. SrI ParIkSit said: Singing in this way, NArada grasped his tongue,
which was greedy to sing SrI KRSNa's glories, between his teeth and
instructed it, "Aho! You are describing His glories (although you are
unqualified to do so)?"
31. "Hey tongue! If you will instead describe the glories of His dear
devotees as far as you are capable, it will be my immense good
fortune."
32. "And O exalted PaNDavas! Who could have the audacity to think that
their tongue could possibly describe the special love and mercy SrI
KRSNa has shown each of you?"
33. "When mother KuntI heard just a single sentence of SrI KRSNa's
affectionate consolation from the mouth of AkrUra, she became immersed
in a current of prema."
34. "Hearing her lamentations pierces the chests of even the stoutest
men. She loved you all so much because you are very dear to SrI
KRSNa."
35. "After having resided in HastinApura for a very long time, the
very life of the Yadus, SrI KRSNa, was thinking to go to DvArakA. At
that time, KuntIdevI humbly spoke many prayers and convinced Him to
remain there in her home."
36. "SrI KRSNa bestowed upon YudhiSThira the ultimate fame of both the
earth planet as well as heaven, and although KRSNa was Himself the
cause of JarAsandha's death, He gave all the credit to BhImasena."
37. "Arjuna became renowned for his friendship with BhagavAn SrI
KRSNa. Aho! Even hundreds of PurANas could not describe his glories."
38. "Everyone knows that Nakula and Sahadeva love SrI KRSNa so much
that they recommended that He be worshipped first at the RAjasUya-
yajJa."
39. "At the RAjasUya-yajJa SrI KRSNa Himself sprinkled water on
DraupadI's hair and addressed her as 'Priya-sakhI'. By protecting her
from the dangers presented by Atri-putra DurvAsA, DuHzAsana, and
others, He eradicated all her grief."
40. "He accepted His meal in the home of Vidura, He performed BhISma's
funeral festival, and please consider how many times He took your side
in disputes."
41. "Aho! It is greatly astonishing that the prayers saturated with
both jJAna and bhakti which were offered by the ladies of your palace
are now sung by the greatest poets (such as VyAsa)!"
42. "Although BhagavAn really bestowed mercy only upon PrahlAda and
his grandson Bali, and as RAmacandra upon HanumAn alone, He has
bestowed His loving mercy upon you as well as upon all of your friends
and family members."
43. "In the assembly of the Kauravas, SrI KRSNa said before me and
others, 'A friend of the PaNDavas is a friend of mine, but an enemy of
theirs is also My enemy because the PaNDavas are My very life.'"
44. "Aho! It is only due to my insolence that I try to describe your
virtues, because only SrI KRSNa Himself is capable of knowing and
describing them. I think that He has descended to this world solely
for your sake."
45. SrI ParIkSit said: After a moment's embarrassed silence, SrI
DharmarAja YudhiSThira sighed, and surrounded by his mother, brothers,
and wives, said:
46. "Hey NArada, crest-jewel of eloquent orators! After deliberating
on this for a very long time, we have concluded that SrI KRSNa has not
been fully merciful to us."
47. "Seeing the calamities which have befallen us, materialistic men
will lose their proclivity towards and faith in kRSNa-bhakti."
48. "This thought causes us great distress, because KRSNa is our life
and soul; without Him we are like men without food or fish without
water."
49. "For this reason I prayed to SrI KRSNa, 'Hey Prabhu! Please use
this RAjasUya-yajJa to show both the devotees and non-devotees the
value of bhakti.'"
50-51. "'Seeing the wonderful, pure, and extraordinary material and
spiritual opulences of Your devotees, the people of this world will
develop faith in bhakti and perform bhajana of Your lotus feet. Then
all of their misery and fear will be eradicated and they will attain
eternal happiness.'"
52-53. "Now that He has killed our non-devotee enemies and given us
the kingdom, our grief is greater than before because for the sake of
this kingdom, our worshipable guruslike BhISma and DroNAcArya, our
sons headed by Abhimanyu, and numerous other saintly persons have died."
54. "I wish for the company of devotees of ViSNu more than I wish to
remain alive. Separated from them I cannot for a moment find even a
particle of happiness."
55. "Now we only enjoy the happiness of seeing SrI KRSNa's lotus face
after long intervals when He has some specific business with us."
56. "Now He resides in DvArakA, always giving pleasure to His dear
relatives, the fortunate YAdavas."
57. "Although you personally saw how He became our charioteer,
messenger, and servant, He did not do these things for our sake. It
was only to remove the earth's burden, destroy sins and protect
religious principles."
58-59. SrI ParIkSit said: Then SrI KRSNa's dear friend BhIma laughed
aloud and said, "Hey NArada, disciple of SrI KRSNa! No one can
understand the vast ocean of KRSNa's pastimes. He is the cause of
illusory mAyAand the guruof all skilful cheaters. When has He not been
clever in His words and deeds? We know all of this well, and therefore
do not trust Him."
60. SrI ParIkSit said: Hey mother! Then my grandfather SrImAn Arjuna,
who is the dear friend of SrI KRSNa, repeatedly sighed and spoke these
grief-stricken words:
61. "Hey NArada! The mercy which your beloved SrI KRSNa bestowed upon
us has merely become the cause of our suffering."
62-63. "When on the battlefield BhISma and other dry jJAnIswho were
intent on discharging their religious duties as kSatriyas hurled many
powerful weapons meant to pierce both my armour and my heart, SrI
KRSNa, who carries the SudarSana cakra in His hand, saved me by interce
pting them and allowing them to instead fall on His own transcendental
body."
64. "Even now when I think of this, I cannot extract the arrow of
grief from my heart. Therefore, O brAhmaNa, how can I possibly be
happy?"
65. "That action which brings pain to a dear one is not symptomatic of
either love or kindness."
66. "When I backed away from fighting BhISma, DroNa, and others, SrI
KRSNa, the greatest philosopher, taught me something which convinced
me to fight."
67. "Because those instructions are appropriate for them, hearing them
gives pleasure to the dry jJAnIs, but for those like me for whom the
glories of bhakti are our very lives, those instructions are painful."
68. "When I reflect on the meaning of those instructions, I do not
become happy; they were only a trick to cheat me."
69-70. "My firm faith is always directly in MahAprabhu SrI KRSNa who
is boundlessly merciful, always true to His word, and the best of
friends (and not in following varNAzramaand other similar instructions
found in the Bhagavad-gItA). No one but that Parabrahma, whose human fo
rm is immensely enchanting, is dear to me."
71-72. SrI Nakula and Sahadeva said: "Although SrI KRSNa gave us the
strength to remain calm amidst numerous calamities, vanquished our
enemies, enabled us to perform the azvamedha-yajJa, and increased our
fame, kingdom, and piety, which are all unattainable by others, we do
not consider that He was merciful to us."
73. "However, He delighted us by accepting the offering of first
worship at the numerous RAjasUya-yajJas, and we consider that to have
been His mercy upon us."
74. "Hey brAhmaNaNArada! Now that He has abandoned us, how can we
sustain our lives? It has become exceedingly difficult for us to even
receive His darzana!"
75. SrI ParIkSit said: Hearing all of this, DraupadI became
overwhelmed in grief. Struggling to compose herself, she still
continued to cry as she spoke these words in a voice choked with
emotion:
76-79. "I hope that as my dear friend SrI KRSNa many times previously
saved me from being shamed, vanquished my enemies, and was merciful to
me, He will continue doing for all time. Now that my father Drupada,
brothers headed by DhRSTadhyumna, and sons have fallen on the
battlefield, knowing it all to be the desire of SrI KRSNa, I do not
lament. My hope is that to console me over the deaths of my relatives,
He will again sit by my side and help me regain my composure by
speaking many eloquent words. On this pretext I will attain my innermos
t cherished fruit."
80. "I pray that He will come to console me with sweet, charming
nectarean words while gently smiling."
81. "But this hope seems very remote indeed; it is my great misfortune
that He doesn't come here as He used to. O sage, where is His mercy
upon me?"
82. SrI ParIkSit said: Then grieving KuntI, for whom SrI KRSNa's
darzana is her very life, began shedding tears as she remembered His
mercy and mercilessness, and said:
83-85. "Although I am a widow with sons, SrI KRSNa time and again
quickly rescued me from numerous calamities. Therefore, I considered
that He was more merciful to me than He was to His own mother. But
now, in both my own home and in the homes of others, when I hear the
wailing of the women whose relatives have been killed, in my heart I
feel that in reality He has given us very little mercy."
86. "I shall abandon the prosperity of this kingdom which denies me of
His darzana and pray for those calamities which bestow sight of Him to
come again."
87. "Thinking, 'Because I have given the PaNDavas a secure kingdom,
they are now happy' He has abandoned us and now resides permanently in
DvArakA."
88. "Now I have lost hope that He will ever return here, and if I were
to quickly perish, I would consider it His great mercy."
89. "The rope of hope, that above all KRSNa consider us His dear
friends, has been severed by the friction of His intimate relationships
with the YAdavas."
90. "Therefore, go to DvArakA and take darzana of the YAdavas, who are
the foremost devotees and who are always immersed in an ocean of
inconceivable divine bliss. Hey BhagavAn NArada! You know their
incomparable glories well, so what use is there in me describing them?"

91. SrI ParIkSit said: Hey mother, wife of the son (Abhimanyu) of SrI
KRSNa's sister (SubhadrA)! Then DevarSi NArada quickly went to
DvArakA, and after offering daNDavatpraNAma, he entered the palace
where from a distance he saw the exalted and highly fortunate
YAdavas.
92. Adorned with their own bodily beauty and wearing garlands of
pArijAta flowers, they were comfortably seated on their appropriate
seats in the SudharmA assembly house.
93. As a festival of splendid, celestial singing and dancing was
taking place there, poets were offering them wonderful prayers.
94. Joking amongst themselves, they were blissfully celebrating. The
charming effulgence of their forms eclipsed the sun.
95. Wonderfully decorated with varieties of exquisite ornaments, even
those who were older appeared youthful.
96. Their desire to drink the nectar of SrI KRSNa's lotus face never
being satiated, they were surrounding Ugrasena MahArAja and
respectfully awaiting the auspicious arrival of SrI KRSNadeva.
97. Countless millions of them were rapt in hearing and speaking about
SrI KRSNa with their greedy hearts and eyes fixed on the pathway
leading from His residential quarters.
98. Becoming aware of NArada's presence, the YAdavas hastily ran to
him and lifting him up, led him by the hand into the assembly hall.
99. Although they offered NArada a splendid siMhAsana to sit on, he
preferred to sit on the floor, and seeing this, all the YAdavas also
sat surrounding him on the floor.
100. When the YAdavas brought paraphernalia to offer pUjA to DevarSi
NArada, he offered praNAma to that paraphernalia, stood up, and with
folded hands humbly said:
101. "Hey YAdavas! Being the recipients of SrI KRSNa's great mercy,
you are supernaturally extraordinary! Please bless me so that I will
be able to always wander throughout the universe singing your
glories."
102. "Aho! The Yadu dynasty is the most glorious! The YAdavas are more
glorious than the residents of VaikuNTha, and by their mercy this
earth planet is now even more radiant than VaikuNTha."
103. "O earth, now all your labour has borne fruit due to the Yadu
dynasty taking birth, residing, and enjoying pastimes on your
surface, and because Svayam BhagavAn SrI KRSNa also resides in their
homes, enjoying pastimes which He has never performed before."
104-105. "Hey YAdavas! Through receiving His darzana, conversing with
Him, touching Him, following behind Him, sitting with Him, eating with
Him, sleeping with Him, arranging for Him to marry your own
daughters, and sharing many other intimate instances with Him, you
have bound SrI KRSNa, who is more dear to you than your own souls,
with unbreakable bonds of prema. In this way SrI KRSNa has eradicated
your desires for residence in the heavenly planets and liberation
while increasing your bhakti."
106. "By enjoying pastimes with you, He has even forgotten residing in
VaikuNThaloka, and He has bestowed upon you an immense, indescribable
happiness which is newer and newer at every moment."
107. "Even while sleeping, sitting, walking, conversing, bathing,
eating and performing other activities, you are so engrossed in kRSNa-
prema that you cannot even remember your family members."
108. "Hey MahArAja Ugrasena! You are the king of kings-who can
possibly describe the glories of your wonderful good fortune?"
109. "Aho! It is very astonishing to see how Svayam BhagavAn Himself
becomes subjugated by the wondrous prema of His devotees!"
110. "Hey YadurAja! When you are seated on your siMhAsana, SrI KRSNa
stands before you like a servant and respectfully says:
111. "'Hey Deva! Your servant is present before you; please order Me'.
For this reason I time and again offer praNAma to you and to anyone
who is related to you in any way."
112. SrI ParIkSit said: Then the YAdavas, who are all followers of SrI
KRSNa, the worshipable Deity of the brAhmaNas, bowed down before the
great sage NArada, touched his feet, and said:
113. "Hey NArada! You are worshipable to even our supremely
worshipable SrI KRSNa. Therefore, why do you bow down like a lowly
person before us, who ourselves are so lowly?"
114. "O you who are even more expert than BRhaspati in speaking
eloquently, it is only by the power of SrI KRSNa that what you have
just said about us is not untrue."
115. "By having even the slightest scent of a relationship with Him,
what perfection could a person not attain? He is an ocean of mercy and
the best friend of all."
116. "Mere remembrance of SrI KRSNa, who is an ocean of transcendental
glories, fulfils all ambitions. He is the solitary destination for the
fallen, bestowing upon them a fruit superior to the four objects of
human pursuit."
117. "However, amongst us the real object of SrI KRSNa's mercy is
Uddhava, who is His minister, disciple, servant, and dear friend."
118-119. "SrI KRSNa sometimes leaves us and goes somewhere, and even
upon His return we continue to suffer because we never know when or
where He will go next. But Uddhava always remains with Him and serves
Him."
120. "Sometimes BhagavAn even sends Uddhava in His place, such as when
He sent him to free SAmba from the Kauravas."
121. "Daily Uddhava receives opportunities to eat, play, and sport
with SrI KRSNa, and he alone regularly obtains KRSNa's mahA-
prasAda remnants."
122. "Sometimes while Uddhava is joyfully massaging His lotus feet, he
happily enters into sleep with the Lord's feet in his lap."
123. "Sometimes Uddhava accompanies BhagavAn in His confidential
pastimes, and in this assembly he is the best minister. By giving
superb advice and brilliantly speaking comical words, he gives
pleasure to us all. SrI KRSNa Himself praises him and he fulfils all
our desires."
124. "Who can describe his immense good fortune? Since childhood he
has been immersed in the rasa of service to SrI KRSNa's lotus feet,
and for this reason many ignorant people have proclaimed him a
madman."
125. "Aho! By perpetually serving SrI KRSNa's lotus feet he has become
so wonderfully rasika and eminent that even in his present body he has
abandoned his golden complexion and adopted a dark complexion similar
to that of SrI KRSNa Himself."
126. "He is more handsome and also more dear to KRSNa than Pradyumna
is. Wearing yellow silk garments, earrings, garlands of forest
flowers, and necklaces which have all at one time been worn by SrI
KRSNa, he delights us by bewildering us into mistaking him for SrI
DevakInandana Himself, the sight of whom attracts the hearts of His
dear devotees."
127-128. SrI ParIkSit said: Hey mother! Hearing this description of
SrI Uddhava's immense good fortune, NArada Muni was delighted and he
exhibited various symptoms of ecstatic love. As he rose and began to
walk in the direction of Uddhava's home, MahArAja Ugrasena said:
129. "Hey BhagavAn NArada! We have already told you that SrI Uddhava,
without a specific order from SrI KRSNa, does not leave His company
for even one moment."
130. "Even though I have prayed for it, I cannot always remain in His
company; responsibility for this temporary kingdom robs me of that
great attainment."
131. "Although I am following His order to manage this kingdom and am
experiencing some meagre happiness from doing so, the false prestige
which comes with this position cheats me."
132. "Uddhava, however, is very happy. Because he possesses the good
fortune to always serve at the Lord's side, he is never cheated by SrI
KRSNa."
133. "Now please go there and make this request to him on my behalf:
'Today the time for arrival in the assembly hall has long passed; by
bringing your master SrI KRSNa here, please give the royal assembly
its Lord.'"

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Chapter Six-The Most Dear Devotees

1. SrI ParIkSit said: O mother! Upon hearing the glories of SrI
Uddhava, NArada became immersed in the rasa of mahA-prema and forgot
everything, even playing the vINAwhich he held in his hand.
2-3. Appearing like a man possessed by ghosts, he walked along the
magnificent path to SrI KRSNa's inner residence which, having been to
DvArakA many times previously, he was familiar with.
4. Sometimes he stumbled, sometimes he fell to the ground, sometimes
he stood motionlessly, sometimes he trembled, sometimes he staggered,
sometimes he cried out in a distressed voice, sometimes he danced, and
sometimes he exhibited all the symptoms of ecstatic love simultaneously.
5. Hey mother! Now please carefully help me to keep my own composure,
enabling you to hear further.
6. On that day, SrI KRSNa was despondent for some reason and was
therefore still sleeping in His bedroom.
7-8. At a little distance SrI Uddhava was seated near the doorway, and
SrI Baladeva, SrI DevakI, SrI RohiNI, SrI RukmiNI, SrI SatyabhAmA and
all the queens, KaMsa's inimical mother PadmavatI, and all the
maidservants were also there.
9. As they were sitting there quietly, they became struck with wonder
upon seeing NArada's unprecedented, uncommon behaviour.
10. After rising and with great difficulty making NArada regain his
composure, they washed his face, which was drenched with tears of
love, and softly and slowly said to him:
11. "Hey brAhmaNa! We have never seen you like this before-what is the
cause of this condition of yours? Please sit quietly for a moment."
12. SrI ParIkSit said: Then NArada, who was trembling and whose bodily
hairs were standing erect, with great difficulty opened his crying
eyes, offered praNAma and said with a faltering voice:
13. "Please lead me to that captivating receptacle of the supreme good
fortune, SrI Uddhava. And if you cannot, then simply bring me a
particle of his foot-dust which will make my heart peaceful."
14. "No devotee of either ancient times or modern times has attained
the mercy of BhagavAn which he has. Therefore, BhagavAn Himself has
said, 'Uddhava is the best of devotees and an extension of My very
self.'"
15. "Aho! Neither His ancient sons such as BrahmAjI, His modern sons
such as Pradyumna, His brothers headed by Baladeva, His intimate
friends headed by Siva, His wives headed by LakSmIdevI, or even His
own transcendental form are as dear to Him as Uddhava is."
16. "BhagavAn's own descriptions of the glories of Uddhava's immense
good fortune are found throughout the PurANas."
17. "And just today the YAdavas sang of the extraordinarily wonderful
mercy which SrI KRSNa has shown Uddhava."
18. "Passing through the gateway of my ears and entering the mandira
of my heart, those words have plundered the wealth of my peaceful
composure."
19. SrI ParIkSit said: Knowing the intention of NArada's heart, in a
perplexed state SrI Uddhava at once rose and taking NArada's feet to
his chest, began embracing them.
20-21. At that time remembrance of those devotees who had received the
entirety of SrI KRSNa's mercy arose in his heart, and thinking of
their great treasure of kRSNa-prema, he became helpless and began
weeping. After regaining his composure with great difficulty and being
joyful with transcendental envy, he said to NArada Muni:
22. "Hey all-knowing one! O best of the truthful! O best of the great
munis! Because you are the original AcAryaof the path of bhagavad-
bhakti, whatever you speak is certainly true."
23. "All that you have said and more is true of me; I know this and
others also know."
24. "But when I recently went to Vraja I experienced something which
pulverised my pride in my own good fortune."
25. "From this experience I came to understand the wonderful
sweetnesses of SrI KRSNa, His mercy, His prema, and His beloved
devotees."
26. "Upon receiving the darzana of the Vraja-vAsIsI considered myself
fortunate and considering that I had then become the object of His
great mercy, I became immersed in the ocean of divine bliss."
27. "What I repeatedly sang after going to Vraja, expressing my desire
to take birth as a blade of grass there, is well-known to everyone. O
best of sages, humbly bowing down before you time and again, I implore
you to not desire to hear this narration which is saturated with rasa (first
because RukmiNI, SatyabhAmA, and others are nearby, and secondly
because if SrI SyAmasundara Himself hears it, He will become
overwhelmed in vraja-bhAva)."
28. SrI ParIkSit said: Understanding the meaning of Uddhava's words,
SrI RohiNI, who stayed in Gokula for a long time and was dearly loved
by the people there, tearfully said:
29-30. "Hey Uddhava, best of those who are known as hari-dAsa, there
is no need to say more. Please don't revive the memory of the vraja-
vAsIs. By forgetting this memory, I have finally experienced some
momentary happiness. Being immensely unfortunate, the vrajavAsIs
don't possess even a scent of good fortune, and submerged in an ocean
of anguish, they are being burnt by the gruesome sorrow-flames of a
submarine-volcano."
31-32. "When SrI Vasudeva brought me here from Vraja, SrI YazodA cried
so bitterly that it melted stone and shattered thunderbolts. And who
can possibly describe the condition of the other women there, who were
like the living dead?"
33. "When your master SrI KRSNa returned from the Azramaof His guru,
being a fool I briefly and sadly narrated the plight of the vraja-
vAsIs to Him."
34. "But His heart was not melted even a little (so He did not go
there), and knowing you to be expert in delivering clever messages, He
sent you there instead."
35. "Why then do you say that the vraja-vAsIs are the greatest objects
of your master's mercy?"
36-38. "Please listen to what I saw with my own eyes: Since KRSNa
arrived in Vraja, from the repeated attacks of demons beginning with
PUtanA and ending with KezI, from Indra, VaruNa, and other demigods,
from serpents and other fearsome creatures, and from the breaking of th
e old cart and the arjuna trees, what calamity meant to destroy Vraja
did not occur? Still the vraja-vAsIsnever minded."
39. "Being enchanted by SrI KRSNa's sweetnesses, they always wished
solely for His welfare without a thought for their own."
40. "Due to their natural love, everything they did was exclusively
for the pleasure of SrI Nanda-nandana."
41. "Even at that time your master did not do anything for them, so
what can I say about what He does now that all His objectives have
been accomplished?"
42. SrI ParIkSit said: Hearing this, the insolent and senile mother of
wicked KaMsa, PadmavatI, shaking her head, said:
43. "Alas! From childhood KRSNa was made to take the cows of those
merciless cowherd men out to graze in a forest of brambles."
44. "They didn't even give Him shoes to wear! And when tortured by
hunger He ate a little butter, the cowherd women tied Him up!"
45. "And those cowherd women used to constantly shout accusations at
Him, yet knowing it to be His unhappy fate, He simply tolerated it. So
tell me-what more can He possibly do for them?"
46. SrI ParIkSit said: But the highly intelligent RohiNI, who is very
grave and very dear to everyone in Vraja, disregarded her words and
continued:
47. "After killing all of the YAdavas' enemies, SrI KRSNa ruled over
their capital MathurA, and now He happily resides in DvArakA as the
king of kings."
48. "Because He conquered all the demigods, He has become worshipable
to even them, but it is very regrettable that your master does not
even remember the vraja-vAsIs."
49. SrI ParIkSit said: Unable to tolerate these words, SrI KRSNa's
beloved queen RukmiNI, who always resides at His chest in the form of
a golden line and who is the dear daughter of King BhISmaka, said:
50. "Hey Mother RohiNI! You don't understand that His heart is softer
than butter. Otherwise, how could you speak in this way?"
51-52. "Sometimes while He sleeps at night He lovingly calls out in a
sweet voice the names of many cows, sometimes He calls His cowherd
friends, and sometimes He pretends to hold the flute to His mouth as
He assumes His enchanting three-fold bending posture. Sometimes He
calls out, 'Mother, give Me some butter!' and sometimes He calls out
to me, 'Hey RAdhe! Hey LalitA!' Sometimes He tugs at my garment and
says, 'Hey CandrAvalI! Why are you doing this?' Sometimes He sheds so
many tears of love that it drenches His pillow."
53. "Sometimes while dreaming He suddenly rises and weeps in anguish.
Seeing His distress, we become plunged into an ocean of immense
sorrow."
54. "Last night He saw something in a dream which has made Him
depressed and He merely cries in anguish. Covering His lotus face with
a cloth, He lies motionless as if sleeping and has not performed any
of His daily duties."
55. SrI ParIkSit said: Then SrI SatyabhAmA, surrounded by many other
queens, jealously said, "Hey RukmiNI! Why do you utter such nonsense,
saying that He only becomes like this at night?"
56. "Even when awake He is dazed and behaves just as He does when
sleeping. We are His wives in name only; in reality even the dAsIsof
the vraja-gopIsare more dear to Him than we are."
57. SrI ParIkSit said: Unable to tolerate these words, RohiNI-nandana
SrI BalarAma, who is the friend and very life of the residents of
Gokula, angrily said:
58. "Girls! Because we are all engaged in conversing about the plight
of the vraja-vAsIs, My brother KRSNa is simply exhibiting His
expertise in cheating by pretending to be afflicted."
59. "In an effort to console them, I went to Vraja and stayed for two
months, but by neither words or actions was I able to pacify them."
60. "Seeing that they would not be pacified without KRSNa Himself
coming, I made them various promises. That appeased them somewhat,
and on the pretext of quickly returning with KRSNa, with great
difficulty I returned here."
61. "Arriving here I fretfully said to KRSNa, 'On any pretext go to
Vraja just once and save the lives of the residents there.'"
62. "His mouth replied, 'I am going just now' but the thought of it
never reached His heart because you can understand a person's heart by
their actions."
63. SrI ParIkSit said: Hearing this, BhagavAn SrI KRSNa suddenly rose
from His bed and being subjugated by the prema of His dear devotees,
cried loudly as He went outside.
64. Appearing to be distressed solely for the purpose of showing mercy
to others, with tears streaming from His blossoming lotus eyes He said
in a choked voice:
65. "What you have said is true; though struck by a great thunderbolt,
My heart of stone does not shatter."
66. "I have forgotten their extraordinary love for Me and how they
nurtured Me for so long in my childhood."
67. "What to speak of being even a little benevolent towards them,
being cruel I have brought immense suffering to their soft hearts."
68. "Hey brother Uddhava! You know everything and are the most dear to
Me. Tell Me at once-what should I do? Quickly deliver Me from this
ocean of anguish."
69. SrI ParIkSit said: Then DevakI, who loved her son and was YazodA's
dear friend, said, "KRSNa! You should give your dear friends in Vraja
whatever they desire."
70-72. PadmavatI, who is SrI KRSNa's elderly maternal grandmother and
Ugrasena's senile queen, feared that the kingdom may be given to the
vraja-vAsIsand felt insulted because SrI RohiNI did not listen to her.
Therefore, to protect her husband's kingdom and thinking to change the
mind of KRSNa, the sole shelter of the Yadu dynasty, and help Him to
regain His composure, she skilfully spoke these joking words:
73-75. "Hey KRSNa! Why are You feeling such remorse? Please listen to
my advice: SrI GargAcArya will calculate every morsel of food You two
brothers ate while residing in Nanda's house for those eleven years,
and then my husband will send twice that amount to Nanda-I swear it.
And according to his discretion, Nanda will decide if he wants to re-
imburse You for looking after his cows during that time."
76. SrI ParIkSit said: Simultaneously hearing and not hearing these
words and appearing as if He didn't understand at all, BhagavAn SrI
KRSNa sorrowfully said to Uddhava:
77. "O best of scholars, you know all the aspirations of the vraja-
vAsIs. Tell Me at once what they wish of Me."
78. SrI ParIkSit said: Hearing SrI BhagavAn's words, Uddhava became
very sad at heart and after a moment's silence, sighed and sorrowfully
said:
79. "The vraja-vAsIs do not desire the opulence of the king of kings,
nor do they desire the celestial possessions of the residents of
Svarga or anything of this world. They only want You."
80. "Please be merciful and listen carefully to what I am saying, and
then You may decide Yourself what should be done."
81. "Previously when the vraja-vAsIs saw the clothing and ornaments
which You sent back there with SrI NandarAya, they were plunged into
an ocean of grief and said to one another:
82. "'Aho! It is calamitous that SrI KRSNa thinks we desire these
things and that giving them to us is His mercy!'"
83. "'Horrible, horrible are our life-airs which have not yet
evacuated our throats! And what more is there? Horrible also is SrI
NandarAya, who has left SrI KRSNa there and brought back these useless
articles!'"
84. "Then Your mother SrI YazodA and all the vraja-vAsIs, thinking
that You were not ever returning, became like living corpses and began
fasting until death."
85-86. "And SrI NandarAya, considering that he had committed a great
offence, became anguished and could not speak for three days. Then he
concluded that the vraja-vAsIs were certainly going to perish, so
hundreds of times he repeated your promise that You would be returning
very soon, and utilising all his skill in persuasion, he swayed them
by saying:
87. "'My son KRSNa has sent these articles as indications of His love
for you. He is true to His word; He will return immediately after
completing His duties there.'"
88. "Hearing these words from SrI NandarAya, all the simple-hearted
vraja-vAsIs became faithful, and after re-appraising Your love, placed
all those clothes and ornaments on their bodies."
89. "They believed that when You returned there and saw them wearing
those clothes and ornaments, You would realise them to be obedient to
You and therefore be even more merciful to them."
90. "But when You didn't go there and instead sent me with a message,
all the vraja-vAsIs became as if dead."
91. "Seeing their condition, I promised them that You would certainly
return, and with great difficulty it was as if I brought them back to
life."
92. "To attain You they have abandoned all sensual pleasures, and to
know what their condition is like right now, ask Your elder brother."
93-94. SrI ParIkSit said: Fearing separation from SrI KRSNa, the faces
of DevakI, RukmiNI, and the other queens withered in sorrow, and
lowering their heads they began shedding streams of tears. Seeing
their condition, soft-hearted SrI KRSNa became overcome with affection
for them and indicated for a leaf to write on, a pen, and a pot of
ink.
95-96. "My dearest ones, after completing My remaining duties and
comforting My friends here, I will quickly return." To strengthen the
faith of the vraja-vAsIs, He wrote this comforting letter of love
with His own lotus hand.
97. Understanding the intentions in SrI KRSNa's action, SrI Uddhava,
who knows the hearts of the vraja-vAsIs, became grief-stricken and
proclaimed:
98. "Hey Prabhu! Understand this to be certain-without the auspicious
return of Your lotus feet, the vraja-vAsIs will perish. They do not
desire anything but this."
99. SrI ParIkSit said: Then, shaking her head and laughing, the senile
mother of KaMsa said, "O foolish DevakI, now, yes now, I have
understood!"
100-101. "Those cunning cowherd men bewitched Uddhava by incessantly
feeding him milk, and now with his help they want to bring your son
back to that dangerous, inaccessible forest of brambles, which is
inhabited by wild animals, just to protect their domestic animals!"
102. SrI ParIkSit said: Unable to tolerate these heinous words, SrI
RohiNI, the mother of BalarAma and the dear friend of YazodA, became
furious and said:
103. "Hey mother of KaMsa! What is this about KRSNa being exploitedto
protect cows? If the vraja-vAsIsdo not see Him for even one second,
they cannot sustain their lives."
104. "When sometimes KRSNa would take shelter behind a tree where the
sakhAs could not see Him, they would weep and loudly cry out, 'Hey SrI
KRSNa! Hey SrI KRSNa! Return here quickly!'"
105. "When SrI KRSNa would take the cows to graze in the forest, in
separation from Him the vraja-vAsIs would consider the day to be as
long as BrahmA's night and every moment to be like a yuga. Time and
again they looked at the path by which He would be returning, at the sun
for indications that it was beginning to set, and for signs of dust
being raised by the calves' hooves. And when the vibration of His
flute became audible, they entered a state of maddened prema."
106. "In reality, on the pretext of taking the cows out to graze, SrI
KRSNa regularly went to those charming forests with His elder brother
and the cowherd boys solely for the purpose of enjoying many
pastimes."
107. "Even now the numerous ponds there which are fragrant with the
scent of blue lotuses and adorned with the humming of intoxicated
bumblebees ripple from the stirring of the aquatic birds."
108. "From being in contact with Vraja-bhUmi the YamunA is wonderfully
radiant, and not only her, but the many other rivers flowing there
which have descended from VindhyAcala and other mountains are also
magnificently splendid."
109. "Being enveloped in bAluka flowers and soft, fresh grass, both
banks of all those rivers are immensely splendorous. Having abandoned
their natural enmity, the birds who reside there sport blissfully and
intimately."
110. "The shrubs, trees, and vines there, bent over with the weight of
exquisite fruits, flowers, and newly blossomed shoots, are
splendorous, and the flocks of peacocks and cuckoos produce a sweet
melody. Even BrahmAjI eulogises this Vraja."
111. "Because in Vraja or at Govardhana there is no danger of the cows
being killed or stolen, there is no need for someone to protect them.
In the morning the cows, buffaloes, and other animals go voluntarily
to the forest where they eat grass and drink water to their hearts' content,
and then automatically return to their homes in the evening."
112. The old hag PadmavatI said: "O garrulous child, if that is so,
then why have we heard that now, for want of protection, all the cows
are very nearly dead?"
113-114. SrI ParIkSit said: Hearing this SrI GopAladeva became
distraught, and the affliction in His heart caused His lotus face to
wither. Anguished in concern for the cows, He looked towards the face
of Baladeva, from whose eyes tears were flowing and who knew both the
past and present news of Vraja.
115. Understanding His brother's bhAva and remembering Vraja, RohiNI-
nandana Baladeva could not maintain His composure, and weeping,
clearly said:
116-117. "Hey KRSNa! What to speak of just the cows? Your beloved
deer, birds, the bhANDIra, kadamba, and other trees, vines, kuJjas,
and grass have also given up their lives for Your sake. Even
Govardhana Hill has shrunk and the rivers headed by the YamunA have
gone dry."
118. "Hey brother! Sustained by Your promise and hopeful of someday
receiving Your darzana again, only a few humans remain alive there.
You don't want to hear any more."
119. "If You are not kind to them now, then YamarAja will certainly
devour them all."
120. "It is a matter of great sorrow to them that You removed the
poison from KAliya-hrad (because otherwise they would be able to give
up their lives by drinking it). Now please hear another cause of their
grief."
121. "The YamunA has very little water remaining and is almost
completely dry (so they are unable to drown themselves in it).
Govardhana Hill, which You held with Your lotus hand, has shrunk
(otherwise they would give up their lives by jumping from the top of
it)."
122. "The vraja-vAsIs have given up eating and drinking altogether,
but because they still drink the nectar of Your name, their lives do
not leave them. Now their only destination is to be consumed by fire
in the great dry forest."
123. SrI ParIkSit said: Hearing this, SrI KRSNa, who due to having a
soft, compassionate nature cannot tolerate the suffering of others,
wrapped His arms around SrI BalarAma's neck and bitterly wept as if
He were the most miserable person, His tears washing away the
candanaand other ointments decorating His body.
124. Hey mother! Then at that moment both SrI KRSNa and SrI BalarAma
fainted and fell to the ground. Seeing this unprecedented spectacle of
anguished crying, RohiNI, Uddhava, DevakI, RukmiNI, SatyabhAmA and all
the other residents of the palace's inner chambers became grief-
stricken and cried out again and again.
125. Hearing this unprecedented sound of anguished crying emanating
from the inner chambers, SrI Vasudeva, SrI Ugrasena, and all the
YAdavas quickly ran there crying out in distress. Seeing the condition
of SrI KRSNa and SrI BalarAma, they became devastated and cried very
loudly, and when SrI GargAcArya, the brAhmaNas, and all the residents of
the city came, they also cried in the same way.

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Feb 1, 1998, 3:00:00 AM2/1/98

As postings from Brihad-Bhagavatamrita continue, I wanted to point
out the link to the previous month's postings in the archive:

http://hgsoft.com/srv/arc/srv9801/msg00122.htm

Also, the archive format is now slightly different. There may be some rough
spots to iron out but hopefully it will be taken as an improvement.

Vaishnava dasanudas,
Agrahya das
http://hgsoft.com/~agrahya/

Agrahya das

unread,

Feb 10, 1998, 3:00:00 AM2/10/98

Chapter Seven-The Ultimate Devotees

1. SrI ParIkSit said: Hey mother! At once the vibration of the
distraught weeping of SrI KRSNa and His associates pervaded the entire
universe, giving birth to numerous dreadful calamities.
2. Knowing that no one besides SrI KRSNa could restore peace to the
universe, four-headed BrahmA came there accompanied by his associates,
all the demigods, and the personified Vedas and PurANas.
3-4. BrahmA saw that his father and guru, MahA-NArAyaNa SrI KRSNa,
tormented by love for His dearest devotees, had fallen into an
unprecedented condition. He could understand that the Lord was now
anxious to manifest the hidden glories of the sweetness of His
devotees' prema for Him. Astonished, BrahmA could not keep his
composure and momentarily cried out.
5. After carefully composing himself, he began thinking of a way to
bring his master back to a peaceful condition. After some time a plan
arose within his heart.
6. Then, after loudly calling GaruDa, who was standing near SrI
BhagavAn weeping, to come to him, BrahmA carefully said to him:
7-8. "Nearby, situated between Mount Raivata and the ocean, VizvakarmA
constructed a SrI VRndAvana which is adorned with mUrtis of SrI
NandarAya, SrI YazodA, other cowherd people, and many cows. It is so
splendorous it seems that it is directly the SrI VRndAvana which is
situated within MathurA-maNDala."
9. "While SrI KRSNa and His elder brother are in this condition, very
carefully and slowly take Them there. Please take RohiNI there also,
but no one else."
10. SrI ParIkSit said: After BrahmA had helped him to regain his
composure with great difficulty, SrI GaruDa very gently and skilfully
placed Them both on his back.
11. BrahmAjI helped the YAdavas and all the other residents of DvArakA
to regain their composure and sent them back to their own places. As
GaruDa was carrying KRSNa and BalarAma along, BalarAma regained
consciousness somewhat.
12. Arriving there, where it seemed that the gopas and gopIs were
directly present, GaruDa gently placed SrI KRSNa on a bed.
13-14. Unable to leave KRSNa while He was in that unconscious state,
Uddhava, PadmavatI, DevakI, who loved her son dearly, and queens
headed by RukmiNI and SatyabhAmA also went there, but at the request
of BrahmA they stood at a distance and watched from a hidden position.

15. Considering himself an offender (due to having caused SrI KRSNa to
faint), SrI NArada, along with the YAdavas and the demigods, did not
go there.
16. Instead, attired like a yogI, NArada remained hidden in the sky
from where he could witness the sweetness of BhagavAn's lIlA.
17. SrI GaruDa also remained hidden in the sky, providing shade for
his master with his wings.
18. Then SrI Baladeva, the crest-jewel of the clever, fully regained
consciousness and within a moment understood BrahmAjI's intention.
19-20. He quickly wiped SrI KRSNa's, as well as His own, lotus face,
gently placed a flute in His brother's belt, a horn-bugle and a stick
in His lotus hands, a garland composed of kadamba flowers around His
neck, a crown adorned with a peacock feather on His head, and earrings
composed of fresh guJjA flowers in His ears.
21. Having attired SrI KRSNa in His forest dress with these objects
fashioned by VizvakarmA, BalarAma forcibly lifted SrI KRSNa up from
bed and loudly said:
22. "Hey KRSNa! Hey Brother! Get up, get up! Wake up and see! It is
late! The cows are already entering the forest!"
23. "Your friends headed by SrIdAmA are waiting for You, and overcome
with affection for You, Your parents cannot even speak (to awaken
You)!"
24. "And seeing Your lotus face, the gopIs are whispering in each
others' ears (about how You are not awakening due to having spent the
entire night with them) and are definitely cracking jokes at Your
expense."
25. SrI ParIkSit said: Lovingly calling SrI KRSNa in this way,
BalarAma forcibly lifted Him up and shook Him.
26. Upon Baladeva's immense effort to awaken Him, after some time SrI
KRSNa finally regained consciousness. Struck with wonder and saying
"Excellent! Excellent!" He quickly stood up.
27. Fully opening His lotus eyes, He smiled as He repeatedly gazed in
all directions, and seeing the mUrtiof Nanda before Him, He became
shy and offered praNAma.
28. Seeing to one side the mUrtiof SrI YazodA, who out of affection
was gazing intently at His lotus face, SrI KRSNa laughed and gleefully
said:
29. "Hey Mother! This morning I have seen many peculiar dreams which
all seemed so real!"
30. "I went to MathurA and killed KaMsa, and by conquering JarAsandha
and other kings I gave happiness to the demigods."
31. "I had a great city named DvArakA constructed on the shore of the
ocean, and I cannot quickly describe to you all the rest."
32. "Due to the obstacle of these long, enchanting dreams which seemed
like ages, I was not able to rise at the customary time."
33. "Hey Brother! If You will not consider it to be a lie, when We go
to the forest I will tell You in detail about these highly astonishing
dreams which I have seen."
34. SrI ParIkSit said: After speaking thus, SrI KRSNa respectfully
offered praNAma to His mother. Then the intelligent RohiNI, knowing
His desire to take a lunch to the forest, said:
35. "O child, because You are her only son, today Your mother is
worried because You slept for so long. What is the need of speaking
any more to her?"
36. "The cows and Your sakhAs have already gone far ahead and You
should quickly follow them. I will prepare Your lunch and have it sent
to the forest."
37-38. SrI ParIkSit said: Hearing these words from the affectionate
RohiNI, SrI KRSNa offered praNAma to her and laughing, like a thief
carefully snatched the fresh butter which was placed in His mother's
hand. Then He called SrI BalarAma, and because His brother had already
gone ahead with the cows, out of love for Him SrI KRSNa did not eat
the butter at that time.
39. Then with polite words He requested both His mothers to arrange
for His midday meal. After going further ahead, He spoke some joking
words to the gopIs.
40. After stopping the cows with a vibration from His flute, He smiled
as He came to SrImatI RAdhikA, who was standing with Her friends, and
spoke these joking words:
41. "O queen of My life, having now met Your exclusive devotee in this
secluded place, why do You not speak? Are You feeling jealous today?"
42. "Yes, now I understand. Knowing everything, You have ascertained
what I saw in my dream this morning."
43. "You must know how I left You, went to another place, and married
many princesses, but please listen to the reason for it: they were
extremely anxious to be married, and if I had not fulfilled their
desires, they would all have certainly perished. I also begot many
children and grand-children."
44. "What has happened, happened; now I must quickly proceed to the
forest. O giver of satisfaction, tonight I will make You blissful."
45. SrI ParIkSit said: Saying this SrI KRSNa threw flowers on that
mUrti of SrImatI RAdhikA and, after looking in all directions, kissed
and embraced Her. Then He proceeded until He joined the cows and
gopas.
46. When SrI DevakI saw SrI KRSNa going along playing the flute and
dressed in His wonderful, remarkably enchanting forest attire, none
of which she had ever seen before, although she was elderly, out of
love milk began to flow from her breasts.
47. And seeing Him like this for the first time, the queens headed by
RukmiNI and JAmbavatI became bewildered by mahA-prema, fainted, and
fell to the ground.
48-49. Overcome with amorous desire, with open arms old PadmavatI and
SatyabhAmA tried repeatedly to run to KRSNa to kiss and embrace Him,
but the highly intelligent SrI KAlindI, who had seen KRSNa attired
like this before, kept her composure with great difficulty and, along
with SrI Uddhava, forcibly pulled them both back.
50. As He continued along herding the cows, SrI KRSNa saw the ocean,
and mistaking it for the YamunA, He began calling His friends to come
and enjoy blissful sports in the water.
51. "O sakhAs! Where have you all gone? Hey SrIdAmA! Hey Subala! Hey
Arjuna! Quickly and gleefully run here!"
52. "After making the cows drink the sweet, pure, and cool water of
the YamunA, we will enjoy water-sports!"
53. Saying this, SrI KRSNa herded the cows along until they reached
the shore of the ocean, which was resounding with crashing waves.
54. Glancing in all directions, He saw His own great city of DvArakA
situated on the shore of the ocean, and struck with wonder said, "What
is this? Where am I? Who am I?"
55. In great astonishment He prattled and gazed at the ocean and the
city again and again. Then SrI Baladeva said to Him:
56. "Hey VaikuNThezvara! My Lord! Please understand who You are-
beseeched by the demigods You have descended to remove the earth's
burden."
57. "Therefore, please annihilate the demons, protect the saintly
persons, and perform the sacrifice of Your cousin, DharmarAja
YudhiSThira."
58. "You made YudhiSThira the emperor and by Your great prowess You
frighten the demons headed by AnuzAlva."
59. "Now please take the YAdavas there and kill they who solely out of
enmity for You torment Your dear devotees headed by YudhiSThira."
60. SrI ParIkSit said: Hearing these words of SrI Baladeva which were
meant to help Him regain His composure and bring Him to a different
rasa(that of heroicism), SrI KRSNa's mood changed.
61. Becoming angry, He said, "Hey Brother! Who is this sordid younger
brother of SAlva? Alone I will go there now and kill Him!"
62. "I swear to You that what I have said will come to pass." Due to
having become aware of this topic, He abandoned His previous state of
being spellbound in separation and regained His composure.
63. Again He looked around in all directions, and then realised that
He was the master of DvArakA and the king of the YAdavas.
64. The thought "Was I not sleeping in the palace?" came to His
memory, and then He saw the flute in His hand and also His brother's
forest attire.
65. Next, remembering how He left the palace and how He was taking
cows out to graze, He became simultaneously wonderstruck and doubtful,
and began laughing.
66. Then SrI BalarAma, knowing SrI KRSNa's heart, smiled and told Him
how and why BrahmAjI had arranged everything.
67. Looking at His brother's face, SrI KRSNa became embarrassed and
smiled. Then SrI BalarAma cleansed the dust from KRSNa's limbs and had
Him bathe in the ocean.
68. Then the knower of SrI BhagavAn's bhAva, SrI GaruDa, came there.
SrI KRSNa climbed upon him and, unseen by anyone, returned to His own
palace.
69. Afterwards the all-knowing SrI Uddhava brought SrI DevakI,
RukmiNI, and the other queens back to consciousness and led them to
SrI BhagavAn in the inner chamber of the palace.
70. DevakI greeted her son with words of blessing and then, aware of
the time, quickly went to prepare His meal.
71. SrI RukmiNI and the other queens were all present there hiding
behind pillars, but SatyabhAmA was not there and noticing this, SrI
KRSNa asked Uddhava about her.
72-73. SrI Hari-dAsa (Uddhava) said: "Hey Prabhu! When You were
present at the SrI VRndAvana which was constructed near Mount Raivata,
Your bhAva was such that the ignorant could not understand it. As she
stood with Your queens and witnessed this bhAvafrom a distance, the
senile and wicked PadmavatI said:
74-75. "'O impious DevakI! O unfortunate RukmiNI! O lowly SatyabhAmA!
O worthless queens headed by JAmbavatI! Seeing this you must surely
now renounce your pride and perform severe austerities to become
maidservants of the cowherd girls!'"
76. "Hearing these vile words, the intelligent DevakI, who carried in
her womb You who are the foundation of all the worlds, said:
77-78. "'O half-witted PadmavatI, what is so astonishing about this?
In our previous lives Vasudeva and myself performed austerities to
attain SrI BhagavAn as our son, and as a result He who is the master
of those who bestow benedictions has now become our son. But SrI Nandar
Aya and YazodA prayed to BrahmA for kRSNa-bhakti.'"
79. "'By the power of the boon which they received from BrahmA, who is
the best of devotees, they and their associates attained a glory even
greater than ours.'"
80. "'They both lovingly nurtured SrI KRSNa in various ways.
Therefore, it is perfectly proper that SrI KRSNa has this type of
bhAvatowards them, and that bhAvais also dear to me.'"
81. "Then SrI RukmiNI joyfully spoke, and upon hearing her words, the
prema of all the devotees increased."
82. "'The gopIs, who abandoned their husbands and children and who are
indifferent to the pleasures of this world or the next, being
afflicted with prema, served SrI KRSNa in the rAsalIlA in an
indescribable, confidential way.'"
83. "'By their immense prema, the gopIs have attained SrI KRSNa in a
bhAva which is not attainable by us even if we executed the topmost
sAdhanas.'"
84. "'The gopIs' prema for SrI KRSNa is superior to ours, because
although we are fortunate enough to have become His wives, while
engaged in performing activities related to our dharma, karma,
children, grandchildren, and homes, we serve Him with awareness of His
majesty, whereas the gopIs serve Him solely with pure bhAva.
Therefore, we should not be envious of them; on the contrary we should
praise that bhAva which brings Him under the control of His dear
devotees and thereby further magnifies His great glories.'"
85. "All the other queens approved of these words, but the daughter of
SatrAjita, SrI SatyabhAmA, could not tolerate them and fled to the
chamber of jealous love."
86. SrI ParIkSit said: Then SrI KRSNa, the Lord of the gopIs' lives,
became angry and ordered, "Bring that foolish princess here at once!"
87. Through her jealous devotional service, SatyabhAmA, the best of
intelligent girls, was solely trying to please her master SrI KRSNa,
but because He is exclusively rasika for the prema of the gopIs, He was
not at all pleased.
88. When SatyabhAmA heard His order from the maidservants, she got up,
cleansed her body, and quickly went there.
89. Embarrassed and frightened, she hid behind a pillar, and when SrI
KRSNa saw her, He angrily and loudly said:
90-91. "O narrow-minded daughter of SatrAjita! Just as you became
jealous many times before, such as when RukmiNI received a pArijAta
flower, you are now jealous upon seeing the pinnacle of prema which
the vraja-vAsIspossess for Me. O insignificant girl, do you not know th
at whatever I do is in accordance with the wishes of the vraja-vAsIs?"
92. "I swear that if the vraja-vAsIs thought it good for Me to leave
all of you and go there, I would do it at this very moment."
93. "What BrahmA said as he offered prayers is not false; I am
incapable of repaying My debt to them, and am therefore a great
debtor."
94. "If out of love for them I were to go and reside there, I do not
see that it would be for their welfare."
95. "Upon seeing Me their intense love for Me would overflow and in
great distress they would become spellbound. What to speak of
forgetting their bodies and bodily relations, they would even forget
their very selves!"
96. "Their suffering would not be mitigated. Upon seeing Me, even
whatever activities I could perform for their happiness would merely
double their agony because they would then be anguished in fear of
being separated from Me again."
97. "Not seeing Me now, sometimes, being afflicted by a blazing fire
of separation, they become like corpses and sometimes, becoming
maddened, they experience various sweet bhAvas."
98. "Sometimes, upon seeing the dense darkness, which is the same
colour as Me, they mistake it for Me and begin kissing and embracing
it. To whom can I describe all of this (because you are not even
qualified to hear it!)?"
99. "Understanding that My being there and not being there are the
same, I do not go there. Now listen to the reason why I married you
and the other princesses."
100. "O proud and jealous girl, when separated from the vraja-gopIs I
began residing in MathurA, I had no desire whatsoever to marry."
101-102. "But when from the hand of a brAhmaNaI received a pathetic
letter from RukmiNI saying that if I did not accept her she would give
up her life, I pulverised the pride of those wicked kings by snatching
her as they looked on and then accepted her hand in marriage."
103. "When, from seeing her, intense remembrance of the vraja-
gopIscomes to Me, I become anguished."
104-105. "Hey SatyabhAmA! I thought that by marrying all of you, who
are similar in number and qualities to the sixteen-thousand one-
hundred gopIs who worshipped the goddess KAtyAyanI to attain Me, My
heart would be somewhat pacified."
106. "But know for certain that My great happiness and My glory have
not accompanied Me here. Abandoning Me, they both have remained in
Vraja which factually is the only qualified place for them."
107. "In Vraja, I was so immersed in an ocean of bliss by enjoying
supremely wonderful pastimes with the charming people there that I
had no awareness of when it was night and when the day was dawning."
108. "While happily playing in My childhood I killed many demons,
subdued the KAliya serpent and banished him from Vraja, and held
Govardhana Hill in My left hand."
109. "There I was so immersed in that ocean of bliss that I considered
speaking with or even looking at BrahmA and the demigods who were
offering me prayers and obeisances to be painful. What more can I say,
while there I even forgot My mission on behalf of the demigods."
110. "What to speak of only the vraja-vAsIs, at that time with My
handsome form, attire, unprecedented nectarean flute-melodies, and the
sweetness of My prema, I enchanted the entire universe."
111-112. "The result was that BrahmA, MahAdeva, Indra, the Siddhas,
Candra and all the demigods who travel in airplanes, the cows, bulls,
calves, deer, trees, birds, vines, grass, rivers, clouds, all moving
and stationary living entities, and the conscious and unconscious
became immersed in flowing streams of prema and exhibited symptoms of
ecstacy, abandoning their own natures and adopting just the opposite
natures."
113. "To ascertain if what I am saying is true or untrue, ask KAlindI
because she personally witnessed the blissful pastimes I enjoyed with
the vraja-vAsIs."
114. "Here, even with playful, joking pastimes I cannot inspire that
bhAva within My relatives the YAdavas."
115. "Because here it is very difficult to break the pride of jealous
girls like you, out of shame I have put aside My dear flute."
116. " HAya! It is very regrettable that not only are the blissful
pastimes which I enjoyed there not possible here, I also cannot even
describe them here!"
117. "There is one SrI Sukadeva who is as dear to Me as the vraja-
vAsIs are. His heart fully saturated with mahA-prema, he will narrate
those pastimes which I performed in Vraja to his equally qualified
disciple SrI ParIkSit, whom I protected in the womb."
118. SrI ParIkSit said: Fearing that by continuing to glorify the
immense good fortune of Vraja in this way, SrI KRSNa would again
become overwhelmed in bhAva as before, the best of ministers, SrI
Uddhava, inspired the queens to come closer by giving a hand signal.
119. Then SrI RukmiNI and the other queens as well as SatyabhAmA
quickly went to Him, grasped His lotus feet, and by offering Him
sincere prayers while shedding tears, they gradually pacified their
husband.
120-121. Next SrI Uddhava brought in DevakI and RohiNI with SrI
KRSNa's meal, and after also bringing in SrI BalarAma, who was freshly
bathed, he informed SrI KRSNa that NArada was standing at the door.
122. SrI Nanda-nandana, being the antaryAmI within everyone's heart,
smiled and said, "Why has he stopped there today? Why doesn't he come
near as before?"
123. SrI Uddhava smiled and replied, "Hey Prabhu! Due to fear and
shame he does not come." Then SrI KRSNa, the worshipable Deity of the
brAhmaNas, personally led NArada inside and said to him:
124. "My dear friend NArada, topmost of rasika devotees! O you who are
forever engaged in inspiring love for Me within others, you have done
Me a great favour."
125-126. "Although before I was anguished because My heart was burning
in the blazing forest fire of separation from My most beloved
devotees, that pain of separation is even more glorious than the
happiness of meeting with them. Because it immerses one in an
indescribable and enchanting ocean of prema, only the rasikadevotees
can understand it."
127. "When the anguish of separation ends, one feels an immense
happiness similar to that when they are directly meeting their
beloved. Perpetually realising their desired object within the heart,
they experience complete satisfaction."
128. "Therefore, one will actually desire this bhAva, and if somehow
this bhAva is lost, one will become deeply upset. Because separation
brings deep remembrance of one's beloved, it is considered to be
auspicious."
129. "Remembrance of the beloved of one's life is like the bestowal of
life itself, and forgetting them is worse than death."
130. "Although one can never forget the beloved of his life, still
special remembrance of his beloved brings a joy equal to that of the
bestowal of life itself."
131. "Today you have done Me a great favour. I am very pleased with
you, so please choose your most cherished benediction from Me."
132. SrI ParIkSit said: Calling out " Jaya! Jaya!" NArada Muni began
performing kIrtana on his vINAof the names related to the Vraja
pastimes of SrI KRSNa, the giver of boons.
133-134. Hey mother! Having wandered all the way from DazAzvamedha
GhATa in PrayAga to SrI DvArakApurI, and having spoken to numerous
devotees from the first brAhmaNaup to the residents of DvArakA, SrI
NArada, knowing them all to be the recipients of SrI KRSNa's complete
mercy but desiring to hear it directly from His lotus mouth,
blissfully requested from the supremely munificent Lord this
enchanting benediction:
135. "Hey SrI KRSNacandra! May I never become satiated with your
mercy, bhakti, prema, and the bliss of performing Your bhajana."
136. SrI BhagavAn said: "Hey NArada, crown-jewel of the skilful! What
kind of benediction is that? My mercy, bhakti, and prema are already
like that by nature."
137-138. "O sage, having wandered from PrayAga-tIrtha to here, you
have seen and heard from many of My devotees, all of whom are
liberated and the objects of My mercy to varying degrees."
139. "Still none of them are ever satiated, so therefore take another
cherished benediction from Me."
140. SrI ParIkSit said: Then SrI NArada began blissfully dancing and,
as if begging alms, requested two exalted benedictions from He who is
the crown-jewel of the munificent.
141. "O You who after giving Himself away in charity still thinks that
He has not given enough! Now all my endeavours have become successful
because I have come to know who is the best object of Your mercy."
142. "Hey king of the munificent! There is something which I have
desired for so long, and I will consider attaining it Your ultimate
mercy."
143. "O swan who resides on the lake of the vraja-vAsIs' prema! First
I request that, being intoxicated by drinking the sweeter than sweet
nectar of the names related to Your beauty and pastimes which have
arisen from the ocean of Gokula, I may perpetually wander throughout
the universe delighting everyone. "
144. "(My second request is that) May those who even once faithfully
narrate or hear Your vraja-lIlA or touch the places where You have
performed those pastimes attain prema-bhakti for Your lotus feet,
which are tinted with the kunkuma from the gopIs' breasts."
145. SrI ParIkSit said: Then SrI GopInAtha very respectfully raised
His lotus hand and blissfully said, "So be it."
146. Hearing this, NArada Muni became immersed in a great ocean of
supreme bliss, and by singing and dancing in various ways, delighted
SrI KRSNa.
147. Then, as DevakI and RohiNI looked on, NArada accompanied SrI
KRSNa and BalarAma in enjoying delicious foodstuffs and drinks which
were served by RukmiNI.
148. SrI Uddhava was reminding the Lord of something, SatyabhAmA was
fanning Him, and the other queens pleased Him with services which were
appropriate for that specific time.
149. After they rinsed their mouths, SrI KRSNa worshipped NArada Muni
by anointing him with candanaand decorating him with a fragrant
garland and numerous ornaments.
150. Saying, "I should proceed to PrayAga to gratify the sages there
who are eagerly awaiting me" SrI NArada took KRSNa's permission to go.
151. Then bhakti-rasika NArada, who in his travels personally
experienced the glories of bhakti, blissfully playing his vINAand
singing, went to PrayAga.
152. Hearing about the glories of bhakti from NArada's mouth, the
munis there, who were expert in extracting the essence, completely
renounced their own non-devotional sAdhanas.
153. In accordance with NArada's instructions, with supreme humility
they began worshipping the lotus feet of SrI MadanagopAla.
154-155. Hey Mother! With prema-bhakti, singing of nAma-sankIrtana,
and desiring the dAsya-bhAva of the gopIs, like him you also please
worship that gopa-kizora SrI KRSNa, who in the nectar-ocean of the rAsa-
lIlA is surrounded by gopIswho are fully enchanted in prema for Him.
156. As a fly is incapable of holding Mount Sumeru in its mouth,
similarly I am incapable of describing even one of the gopIs' glories.
157. Aho! Eternally immersed in rasa, my guru(Sukadeva GosvAmI) always
sings the names of SrI KRSNa and His beloved queens headed by RukmiNI.
158. But fearful of being scorched by the intense heat of the blazing
fire of their paramount prema, he is unable to utter the names of the
vraja-gopIs headed by SrImatI RAdhikA. If he were to touch even a
spark of that fire by uttering their names, special remembrance of
them would arise within him and he would immediately become distraught
and unsteady.
159. Hey mother! By lovingly taking shelter of SrI GopInAtha and the
gopIs in accordance with what I have spoken here, by their mercy you
also will be able to know something of their glories.
160. Whoever faithfully relates or hears this great narrative, wherein
the objects of SrI KRSNa's mercy have been assessed, will soon attain
kRSNa-prema.

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Agrahya das

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Mar 2, 1998, 3:00:00 AM3/2/98

Hare Krishna.

You can view Part 1 of this devotional classic by Srila Sanatana Goswami
in the SRV archives at these URLs:

Intro & table of contents
http://hgsoft.com/srv/arc/srv9801/msg00122.htm

Part 1 chapter 1
http://hgsoft.com/srv/arc/srv9801/msg00123.htm

Part 1 chapter 2
http://hgsoft.com/srv/arc/srv9801/msg00138.htm

Part 1 chapter 3
http://hgsoft.com/srv/arc/srv9801/msg00149.htm

Part 1 chapter 4
http://hgsoft.com/srv/arc/srv9801/msg00183.htm

Part 1 chapter 5
http://hgsoft.com/srv/arc/srv9801/msg00196.htm

Part 1 chapter 6
http://hgsoft.com/srv/arc/srv9801/msg00200.htm

Part 1 chapter 7
http://hgsoft.com/srv/arc/srv9802/msg00022.html

Now we begin Part 2. Most of the chapters in Part 2 are substantially
longer than in Part 1. I will be breaking them up so none of the
articles are excesssively long.

Part 1 was Narada's search for the greatest recipient of Krishna's
mercy. Part 2 represents the journey of Gopa Kumara. Srila Prabhupada
comments in one purport in Cc. that anyone who wants to understand
Krishna's relationships with His devotees should read Brihad-Bhagavatamrita.

Vaishnava dasanudas,
Agrahya das

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Agrahya das

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Mar 2, 1998, 3:00:00 AM3/2/98

Part Two: The Glory of SrI Goloka-dhAma

Chapter One-Renunciation

namaH zrI kRSNAya bhagavate vAsudevAya

1. SrI Janamejaya said: Yes, overcome with kRSNa-prema, my father
collected the deep and rare essence of all the scriptures and taught
it to his mother, SrI UttarA.
2. But hey best of the munis! Having drunk that nectar which is like
the essence of the BhAgavatamocean and which is scented with the
fragrance of the lotus flower of your mouth, I am still not satisfied.
3. O wise one! Please be merciful and relate more of the nectarean
conversation between mother and son, who both relished the nectar of
SrI KRSNa's lotus feet, or any other essential conversation which is
saturated with rasa.
4. SrI Jaimini said: Hey RAjan! By their own power no one can know
this subject matter nor can anyone describe it, and even those who
have personal experience of brahmaand who are all-knowing cannot know
it.
5. By the mercy of that ocean of zrI-kRSNa-bhakti-rasa, Sukadeva
GosvAmI, I sat near SrI ParIkSit and UttarA and directly heard their
conversation.
6. O greatly fortunate Janamejaya! The Vedas order that a guru should
reveal deep subject matters to a qualified disciple. Therefore, I will
speak the glories of SrI Goloka-dhAma, so please listen carefully.
7. When your grandmother SrI UttarA heard that narration which is
verified as the best by those who are the full recipients of SrI
KRSNa's mercy, she became exceedingly blissful.
8-9. Then she began to think that there must be a place superior to
even VaikuNTha, where the gopIsenjoy the supreme fruit of their bhakti
to the lotus feet of SrI GopInAtha. But by her own intelligence she
was unable to come to a conclusion, so she asked SrI ParIkSit:
10. SrI UttarA said: GRhastaswho practice pious activities desiring to
enjoy the fruits of their work attain the three worlds of BhUH,
BhuvaH, and SvaH, and brahmacArIs, vAnaprasthas, and sannyAsIsattain
the four higher worlds of MahaH, JanaH, TapaH, and Satya.
11. According to the fruit of their respective dharma, after enjoying
there for some time they again return to take birth on this earth
planet. Some of those who have attained Maharloka and other higher
planets become liberated with SrI BrahmA.
12. Some yogIs enjoy on Arcira and other planets and gradually become
liberated, whereas the ascetics who possess transcendental knowledge
attain liberation at once.
13. After enjoying according to their wishes, BhagavAn's devotees who
desire to enjoy the fruits of their labour eventually become purified
and attain eternal residence in His dhAma.
14. But BhagavAn's devotees who are devoid of material desires at once
attain VaikuNTha, which is saccidAnanda and very rarely attained by
even the liberated souls.
15. There they experience in many ways the happiness of directly
serving the lotus feet of SrI KRSNa and, cursing impersonal
liberation, they frolic with Him.
16. Some of them are jJAna-mizra devotees, others are zuddha-bhaktas,
others are premabhaktas, others are supreme prema-bhaktas, and others
are premAtura-bhaktaswho are completely lost in loving devotion.
17. Due to this gradation of loving sentiments, the fruit they receive
is not the same, but still, in VaikuNTha no kind of gradation is
visible.
18. Even sArUpya-mukti, sAmIpya-mukti, and the other mukti sappear to
be equal. Therefore, we have never heard of a higher and more
desirable place than VaikuNTha.
19-20. In different sections of VaikuNTha, according to their
respective sentiments, the devotees worship their favourite Lord and
experience the zenith of the happiness of their particular rasa. But
my question is which world do the devotees of RAsa-bihArI SrI KRSNa
attain eternal residence in and what is their condition there?
21-22. My heart cannot be satisfied if those devotees who, being
indifferent to any other sAdhana and sAdhya, desire only RAdhA-dAsya,
and who perpetually sing Her nAma-sankIrtana and who are immersed in
prema for Her, attain merely the same VaikuNTha as so many other devote
es do. This is a matter of great sorrow! And I cannot tolerate that
this is the final destination for exalted devotees like SrI NandarAya
and SrI YazodA.
23. Millions of varieties of the most sublime glories consummate in
them, in the same way as rivers ultimately reach the ocean.
24. There must certainly be a suitable place for them which is
superior to VaikuNTha. If there is such a place, then please describe
it and deliver me from this doubt.
25. SrI Jaimini said: Being delighted with this beautiful question
from his mother, SrI ParIkSit offered praNAma to her, and shedding
tears and with the hairs of his body standing erect in ecstasy, began
to reply.
26. SrI ParIkSit said: Hey mother! SrI KRSNa rescued you from death,
and you cannot tolerate separation from Him. Only you are capable of
asking such a question which has never been asked by anyone before.
27. SrI KRSNa gave me an exalted birth in your womb as the grandson of
Arjuna, who was the husband of SubhadrA and your dear friend.
28. Holding the club and cakra in His lotus hands, SrI KRSNa protected
us both from the brahmAstra while I was in your womb. By appearing
before me in that human-like form, which is visible only to the
topmost devotees, He inspired me to continue searching for Him through
the course of my life.
29. He bestowed upon me the best of virtues, and He made me the
successor to great souls like IkSvAku. By making me punish Kali, He
spread my fame through the entire world. After giving me the great
wealth of a king, on the pretext of a brAhmaNa' s curse He made me reno
unce that wealth.
30. It was SrI KRSNa who in the form of a disciple of that SamIka
brAhmaNa told me of that dear curse by which I was saved from the dark
well of household life and given the intelligence to sit at the banks
of the GangA for such an extended period of time.
31. At that assembly of exalted sages, in the form of Sukadeva GosvAmI
He instructed me on the real tattva by which my fear was eradicated
and I was overjoyed. Now that same SrI KRSNa gives me the company of
His dear devotees and makes me drink the nectar of their narrations.
32. Having received His causeless mercy, I offer praNAma to SrI KRSNa,
and in accordance with the curse of that brAhmaNa, which I have fully
accepted, my final day has now come. Respecting his words, with a
steady mind I will give the answer to your question, an answer which
is the essence of all the VaiSNava scriptures.
33-34. Although I could satisfy you by answering your question with
the words of the zruti, smRti, and scriptures, instead, by the mercy
of my guru, SrI Sukadeva, I will first relate a historical narration
which will destroy all of your doubts. Then afterwards I will speak
those essential verses of the scriptures.
35-38. In ancient times there was a poor brAhmaNawho resided at
PrAgjyotiSapura in AssAm. He had no knowledge of the meaning of the
scriptures, but merely desiring material wealth, he would faithfully
offer pUjAto KAmAkhya-devI every day. Being pleased with his pUjA, in
a dream the goddess bestowed upon him the ten-syllable GopAla-mantra,
along with instructions on its use in meditation. She also told him
that by the influence of that mantra, one could attain the service of
the lotus feet of the mantra's Deity, SrI MadanagopAla. Receiving that
mantraas if it was a great treasure, on the goddess's order the
brAhmaNaalways chanted it in a solitary place. By its influence his
material desires faded and he felt great joy in his heart.
39. Even though that brAhmaNa did not know the real meaning of the
mantra, still he thought that besides that mantrathere was no other
spiritual sAdhanaor sAdhya.
40. Renouncing his home and begging just enough to maintain his bodily
existence, he began wandering to holy places until he arrived at
GangAsAgara.
41. There at the banks of the GangA he saw many brAhmaNaswho were
mostly householders, who were expert in all branches of knowledge, and
who were engaged in their respective religious duties.
42. From those brAhmaNas he heard about the regular and casual
religious duties by which one attains Svarga.
43. Seeing the brAhmaNas'firm faith in their many rituals, faith in
those rituals also arose in him. He accepted instructions from those
brAhmaNas and began performing those rituals himself.
44. To honour the goddess's order, he would still daily retire to a
solitary place and chant his GopAla-mantra. By the influence of the
mantra, in his heart he soon felt dissatisfaction with those rituals.
45. Feeling indifferent towards those ritualistic activities, the
brAhmaNa travelled to KAzI where he saw mostly sannyAsIs who had come
from many different lands and who were expert in debating the monistic
theory of AdvaitavAda.
46. First of all he offered praNAma to the Deity of SrI VizvanAtha
MahAdeva. Then he went to each and every one of those sannyAsIs'
monasteries where he offered praNAma to them, spoke with them, and
lived with them for some time.
47. Those sannyAsIs'intelligence was very pure and they spoke of
liberation as if it was in the palms of their hands. Hearing this, the
brAhmaNa considered their philosophy to be the topmost.
48-49. By continuing to hear the words of those sannyAsIs, wherein the
acceptance of sannyAsa and the attainment of liberation were extolled,
and by bathing at MaNikarNikA GhATa, receiving darzana of SrI
VizvanAtha, and eating with those sannyAsIs many delectable foodstuffs
which were acquired without any difficulty, the brAhmaNaalso desired
to take sannyAsa.
50. But out of veneration for the goddess and because he was feeling
some exultation from it, he did not desist from chanting his GopAla-
mantra. Then one night in a dream he saw the Deity of his mantra, SrI
MadanagopAla.
51. Being attracted by His enchanting form, he felt the supreme
blissfulness, and from that day on, he performed no other religious
activity besides the chanting of his mantra-japa.
52. Now he was bewildered concerning what to and what not to do. Then
that very night VizvanAtha and KAmAkhya-devI appeared to him in a
dream and gave him these instructions:
53. "Hey fool! Don't take sannyAsa! Go at once to SrI MathurApurI! And
from there proceed to VRndAvana where you will become completely
gratified."
54. Hearing this he became very anxious to go to MathurApurI.
Repeatedly chanting "O MathurA! O MathurA!" he travelled in the
direction of MathurA until he arrived at PrayAga.
55. There at PrayAga, the king of all holy places which is adorned
with the lotus feet of SrI MAdhava BhagavAn and beautified by the
presence of both the GangA and the YamunA, he saw thousands of sAdhus
and mahAtmAs who had come to bathe at sunrise in the month of MAgha.
56. That brAhmaNa saw how PrayAga was beautified by sAdhus who in all
directions were perpetually singing nAma-sankIrtana, playing musical
instruments, offering prayers and praNAmas, and crying and dancing
with great love as they offered pUjAto SrI BhagavAn ViSNu.
57-58. Because of not knowing anything about sAdhana-bhakti, upon
beholding all of this the ignorant brAhmaNa was astonished and called
out to those VaiSNavas, "Hey singers! Hey reciters of prayers! Hey you
who fall on the ground like sticks! Hey musicians! Hey you who call
out RAma and KRSNa! Hey you who are crying! Hey you who wear beautiful
tilaka on your foreheads! And you who wear beautiful garlands!"
59. "Steady yourselves and be quiet for a moment! What are you doing
and who are you worshipping with such reverence? Tell me."
60. Hearing this, some of the newer VaiSNavas laughed at him, others
said, "Hey fool! Be quiet!" and others who were kind to the fallen
said:
61. "O son of a brAhmaNa! You don't know anything, you are a fool-they
are all devotees of SrI ViSNu BhagavAn. Don't call out to them in that
manner again!"
62. "Having accepted initiation from a guru, in accordance with the
regulations of our respective mantras we perpetually worship SrI ViSNu
BhagavAn."
63. "Hey brAhmaNa! Some of us worship SrI NRsiMha, some worship SrI
RAmacandra, and some of us worship the many forms of SrI GopAla."
64. SrI ParIkSit said: Hearing this the brAhmaNa was embarrassed, and
then he humbly and cheerfully asked, "Where does your Izvara reside?
What is His form? And what benediction can He give?"
65. The VaiSNavas said: "That Izvara resides everywhere-inside,
outside, in all places. There is no one equal to Him."
66. "He is the Izvara of the Izvaras of all the worlds, and He resides
in the heart of all living entities. He enchants the mind and His form
is saccidAnanda. In His original form He eternally resides in
VaikuNTha-loka, and He even gives His very self to His devotees."
67. "The zrutis and smRtis sing of His glories. Who can describe Him?
Just stay here and continually hear the readings of the PurANas."
68. "Take darzana of the Deity form of SrI JagadIzvara, SrI MAdhava
BhagavAn, and offer praNAma to Him. By these activities you will
quickly come to know everything."
69. SrI ParIkSit said: After this the brAhmaNa took darzana of SrI
MAdhava BhagavAn and offered praNAma to Him. He saw that He was
similar in appearance to the worshipable Deity of his mantra-japa, SrI
MadanagopAla.
70. There he began hearing readings from the PurANas with those
VaiSNavas, and he also took darzana of the many Deities of ViSNu whom
those VaiSNavas worshipped.
71. Still the ignorant brAhmaNa could not understand that his
worshipable Lord, SrI MadanagopAla, and those VaiSNavas' worshipable
Deity, SrI MAdhava BhagavAn, were the same Lord of all the universes.
72. Instead, in his mind he began to think, "This SrI MAdhava BhagavAn
worshipped by these VaiSNavas is actually JagadIzvara, and my
worshipable Deity is someone else."
73. "This MAdhava BhagavAn has four arms which hold the conch, cakra,
club, and lotus, but my worshipable Lord is not like this. Therefore,
how can I accept that They are the same person?"
74. "My Lord does not have the form of half-man and half-lion, nor
does He possess a form like those of VAmana, MIna, KUrma, or VarAha."
75. "And He is also not SrI RAmacandra, who is a king and carries a
bow in His hand. But the GopAla Deity that some of the VaiSNavas here
are worshipping bears some resemblance to my Lord."
76. "Still, I don't consider that my Lord is JagadIzvara, because He
does not possess the symptoms which I have heard described in the
MAgha-mAhAtmya."
77. "Decorated with forest flowers, my worshipable Lord holds a flute
to His mouth and along with His cowherd boy friends, takes the cows
out to graze. Because of being a great debauchee, He always enjoys
pastimes with the gopIswhich violate the religious principles of the
pious."
78. "Still, by the influence of the goddess I have attained divine
bliss from worshipping Him. Therefore, I will never leave my
worshipable Lord or the chanting of His mantra."
79. Thinking in this way, the brAhmaNa retired to a solitary place and
began chanting his mantra-japa. Then, by the influence of the
association of those VaiSNavas, he received direct darzana of his
worshipable Lord.
80. He fainted in ecstasy, and after some time when he regained
consciousness and saw that the time for chanting his japahad passed,
he became sombre.
81. He thought, "How did this calamity come about? This is a great
hindrance! The night is finished but I have not completed my mantra-
japa! "
82. "Did I fall asleep? Or was I possessed by a ghost? Aho! Just see
how wretched my nature is, that even upon the occurrence of this
sorrowful event, in my heart I am somehow feeling great elation!"
83. One day, while lamenting in this way, he went without eating and
eventually fell asleep. Then SrI MAdhava BhagavAn consoled him by
appearing to him in a dream and giving him this instruction:
84. "Hey brAhmaNa! Remember the words of SrI UmApati VizvanAtha!
Following along the banks of the YamunA, proceed to SrI VRndAvana."
85. "Going there you will find unparalleled ecstasy, and don't stop
anywhere along the way!"
86. The next morning the brAhmaNagleefully began his journey, and
eventually he reached MathurApurI where he bathed in the YamunA at
VizrAnta GhATa.
87. After proceeding to SrI VRndAvana, he saw that the residents there
were cows and cowherd men just as he had pictured them in his
meditation. Then he became completely overjoyed.
88. As he wandered about that land which is decorated with cows, he
didn't see many people. Then, from the eastern direction of KezI
GhATa, the sound of someone crying became audible.
89. He moved in the direction of that sound, and as he got closer he
could understand that it was someone lovingly chanting nAma-
sankIrtana. But still not seeing anyone, he began searching for that
person.
90. Because of the dense darkness of the forest he could not see
anyone, but he concluded that the sound must be coming from the banks
of the YamunA, so he immediately went there.
91. There, inside a kuJja of kadamba trees, he saw a handsome youth
with delicate limbs dressed as a cowherd boy.
92. In the bewilderment of mistaking him for his worshipable Lord, in
great jubilation the brAhmaNa cried out "GopAla! GopAla! "and offering
praNAma, fell on the ground like a stick.
93. Then that youth, who was the crown-jewel of the all-knowing, came
to his external senses. He could understand that this brAhmaNa was
born in MathurA, resides in KAmAkhyAdeza, and is a worshipper of SrI
MadanagopAla.
94. Then the youth emerged from the kuJja, lifted up the brAhmaNa,
offered praNAma to him, embraced him, and sat him by his side.
95. After that the youth, named Gopa-kumAra, satisfied his guest with
suitable hospitality. Then, to make faith arise in the brAhmaNa, he
related some of the experiences which the brAhmaNa had experienced in
his journey.
96. Then realising that this Gopa-kumAra was his most intimate friend,
the brAhmaNa was euphoric and faithfully related his entire life's
story.
97. Knowing Gopa-kumAra to be the most exalted personality and the
knower of all, the brAhmaNa humbly said:
98. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! At GangAsAgara, KAzI, and other places I have
heard about many sAdhanas and sAdhyas, but until now I have never been
able to conclude which ones are appropriate for me."
99. "Even though on the order of the goddess I have been daily
chanting my mantra-japa, I don't even understand it or what the nature
of its fruit will be."
100. "Therefore, considering my life useless, I desire to die, but
only by the mercy of SrI VizvanAtha and SrI MAdhava BhagavAn am I
still living."
101. "By Their mercy I have come here today and joyfully met you, who
like my worshipable Deity are all-knowing and very kind. I am very
fallen, so please be merciful and deliver me."
102. SrI ParIkSit said: SrI Gopa-kumAra respectfully heard these words
from the brAhmaNa, and silently began to think, "This brAhmaNa has
already become gratified and all of his desires have been fulfilled."
103. "The only thing that remains for him is to have direct darzana of
the lotus feet of SrI KRSNa. Therefore, now there is no special
necessity of him continuing to chant his mantrajapa; instead he
should just chant nAma-sankIrtana."
104. "There is no greater sAdhana than this for worshipping the lotus
feet of SrI MadanagopAla. Of all modes of worship, nAma-sankIrtana is
the foremost, and it bestows a fruit beyond what one could even
desire."
105-106. "Performed while faithfully taking darzana of SrI
MadanagopAla's lIlA-sthalIs, it gives rise to a type of prema which
render dharma, artha, kAma, and mokSa trivial and which even overpowers
SrI MadanagopAla Himself. There is no other sAdhana greater than this
mode of worship."
107. "Therefore, to enlighten this brAhmaNa I will first tell him my
own life story, by which all of his doubts will be eradicated."
108. "Although it is the opinion of exalted souls that one should not
describe his own glories, still I will speak of my own experiences
because there is no other story which will be as beneficial for this
brAhmaNa."
109. Coming to this conclusion, the highly experienced Gopa-kumAra
began to tell his own wonderful life story to the brAhmaNa with great
care, like a great sage speaking the PurANas to an assembly of other
sages.
(continued)

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Mar 3, 1998, 3:00:00 AM3/3/98

Chapter One-Renunciation (continued)

110. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: On this topic there are many historical
narrations, but instead I will describe what I can remember of my own
experiences while absorbed in an ecstatic trance.
111-112. Hey best of the brAhmaNas! Previously I was the son of a
Govardhana milkman. At that time I appeared just as I do now, as a
young cowherd boy, and accompanied by other gopas I would take the
cows out to graze all around MathurA-maNDala-at Govardhana, on the
banks of the YamunA, and here in SrI VRndAvana.
113-114. In this forest we used to see an exalted brAhmaNa who was
very effulgent and very renounced. He would wander here and there
repeatedly chanting SrI KRSNa nAma-kIrtana. Sometimes he would sit in
meditation on japa, sometimes he would dance, sometimes he would
laugh, and sometimes he would cry out.
115. Sometimes he would collapse and becoming maddened, would roll on
the ground, and sometimes he would cry very loudly.
116. Sometimes he would faint, sometimes the streams of tears from his
eyes and the saliva from his mouth would turn the dusty cowpath to
mud, and sometimes he would lie unconscious as if dead.
117-118. All of us curious cowherd boys would always go to see him.
Knowing us to be gopas, he would offer praNAma to us with great
devotion, heartily embrace us and begin kissing us. Considering us his
dear friends, he could not easily leave us.
119. I would serve him by bringing him milk and other things. One day,
finding me alone on the banks of the YamunA, he mercifully embraced me
and said:
120. "O child! If you desire the perfection which is desired by all,
then after bathing in this KezI GhATa accept from me the prasAda of
SrI JagadIza."
121. Because that brAhmaNa was self-satisfied, indifferent to all
material objects, and the crown-jewel of the kind-hearted, after I had
bathed he taught me the same (ten-syllable GopAla) mantra which you
chant.
122. As he began to teach me the rules and regulations for chanting
this mantra and how to meditate on it, overcome with prema he cried
like a woman afflicted with intense separation from her lover and
fainted.
123. When he regained consciousness, out of fear that he may faint
again, I did not dare ask him anything. Then he stood up, and with a
heavy heart, left there.
124. I did not know what the nature of my mantra was, what fruit it
could bestow, or how it should be chanted.
125. Out of reverence for the words of that brAhmaNa, I would go to a
solitary place where only the mantra would always come from my mouth.
126. Chanting the mantra in this way by the influence of that great
personality, my heart gradually became purified. I became free from
lust, anger, and malice, and I developed faith in the mantra.
127. Remembering his words I concluded that this mantra would lead me
to SrI JagadIzvara. Therefore, I was very pleased and chanted it
constantly.
128. My only desire being to know what SrI JagadIza was like and when
I would receive His darzana, one day I renounced my home and family
and went to the bank of the GangA.
129-130. There, from a distance I heard a conchshell, and I pursued
that sound until I saw a brAhmaNa who was offering pUjA to a zAlagrAma-
zilA. I offered praNAma to him and asked, "Hey SvAmI! Who are you
worshipping?" Then he laughed and said, "Don't you know, boy? This is
JagadIzvara."
131. Hearing this I became as joyful as a poor man who finds a
treasure or as someone who is reunited with a deceased friend.
132. I repeatedly gazed at that SrI JagadIzvara and faithfully offered
daNDavat-praNAma to Him. Being merciful, the brAhmaNa gave me the
zilA's tulasI garland as prasAda and His caraNAmRta to drink.
133. After this, when the brAhmaNa was preparing to return home, He
placed SrI SAlagrAma BhagavAn in a box to rest. Seeing my SrI JagadIza
in this condition, I became upset and shedding tears, lamented:
134. " HAya! HAya! This is an outrage! You have bound Paramezvara in a
box! He has not eaten, so how will He sleep?"
135. Hey exalted MathurA brAhmaNa! I really did not know that
somewhere there may be another form of JagadIzvara besides that SrI
SAlagrAma.
136. Knowing that my distress and grief were not feigned, that
brAhmaNa became embarrassed and consoling me, humbly said:
137. "Hey new devotee! I am poor, what can I do? I can only offer
whatever I myself have to eat to JagadIzvara."
138-139. "If you desire to see great festivals of His pUjA performed
with pomp, then go to the nearby city of the king of this land, who
adores the worship of SrI ViSNu and who is very saintly. There you
will receive the darzana of that JagadIzvara which is so rarely
attained."
140. "There you will be satisfied and experience the supreme
blissfulness in all respects. But for now come to my home and accept
the prasAda of SrI ViSNu."
141. Hearing these words from the brAhmaNa I became overjoyed and even
though I was hungry, I didn't go to his home. I offered praNAma to him
and following the path which he had showed me, proceeded to that city.
142. In that city was a massive mandira which was exuding unprecedented,
tumultuous sounds from the pUjA of SrI JagadIza. Hearing those
sounds from a distance, I inquired from the people there and came to
know that it was the mandira of SrI JagadIzvara BhagavAn.
143. Then I became extremely eager to have His darzana, and without
being restrained by anyone I ran straight inside. There I received the
darzana of that four-armed BhagavAn, who held the conchshell, cakra,
lotus, and club in His lotus hands.
144. His form was immensely beautiful, His complexion was like that of
a fresh raincloud, and He was attired in yellow silken garments. His
spectacular youthful form was adorned with a garland of forest flowers
and golden ornaments, His lotus face was like a full moon, His gentle
smile was like nectar, and His eyes were like lotuses.
145. As He majestically sat on an elevated and beautiful siMhAsana,
His loving servants were worshipping Him with varieties of rare and
excellent paraphernalia and singing and dancing before Him.
146. Receiving His darzana, I felt supremely blissful and repeatedly
offered daNDavat praNAmas to Him. Silently I thought that I had
finally fulfilled my long-cherished desire.
147. I considered that my birth had become successful and that I would
never leave there. Then by the mercy of the VaiSNavas I happily began
residing there.
148. There I saw great festivals of SrI ViSNu's pUjA, took His
prasAda, heard the glories of His pUjA, and continued to carefully
chant my mantra-japa while sitting in a secluded place.
149. But hey brAhmaNa! Remembrance of the splendour of Vraja-bhUmi and
the bliss of playing with other cowherd boys never receded from my
heart.
150. Passing many days there in great happiness, I developed a great
yearning to worship SrI BhagavAn in that way.
151. The king there was sonless, and even though I was a foreigner,
seeing my good character he considered me to be his adopted son. After
some time, he passed away.
152. Inheriting his kingdom, I joyfully began performing the pUjA of
SrI ViSNu BhagavAn. I increased the offerings of food, and many more
sAdhus and mahAtmAs began taking prasAda there daily.
153. Although engaged in this way, I remained detached and renounced
as before. I continued chanting my mantra-japa and took only enough
prasAda to sustain my bodily existence.
154. Although I divided the kingdom amongst the friends and relatives
of the king, everything in relation to managing a kingdom began to
cause me great unhappiness.
155. Sometimes I was fearful of other kingdoms, and sometimes being
obliged to follow the orders of the emperor, my independence was
curtailed, and that also brought me great unhappiness.
156. And sometimes when, seeing that the prasAda of SrI JagadIzvara
BhagavAn had been touched by a non- brAhmaNa or had been taken outside
the mandira, an exalted soul would become doubtful and refuse to
accept it, this also brought me great sorrow.
157. At that time I was so unhappy it was as if my heart had been
wounded by an arrow. Even though for all these reasons I was feeling
extremely detached from the kingdom, I could not leave the Lord whom I
had been desiring to see for such a long time.
158. At that time some exalted sAdhus who were touring holy places came
from the southern provinces, and they said to me:
159. "At PuruSottama-kSetra, on the shore of the ocean at NIlAcala
Hill, SrI BhagavAn JagannAtha is directly manifest in a wooden form."
160. "He possesses great opulences, He is very affectionate to His
servants, He personally protects the kingdom of Orissa, and His
glories are self-evident."
161. "There SrI LakSmI herself cooks for Him, and after Himself
eating, merciful SrI JagannAtha gives His remnants, which are
difficult for even the demigods to obtain, to His devotees."
162. "Those remnants are known as mahA-prasAda, and everyone there
accepts them without consideration of whether they have been touched
by anyone of a low-caste or if they have been taken somewhere."
163. "Aho! How can we describe the glories of that dhAma? Anyone who
merely goes there never takes birth again, and even a donkey who
enters it becomes a four-armed resident of VaikuNTha."
164. "Merely by receiving darzana of the lotus-eyed BhagavAn, one's
life becomes successful." SrI Gopa-kumAra said: In this way I heard
from those sAdhus about the wonderful glories of that place which I
had never heard of before.
165. Then I became exceedingly eager to obtain His darzana. At that
very moment I renounced the kingdom and everything and, singing
kIrtana of SrI JagannAtha BhagavAn, set out for the province of
Orissa.
166. Quickly arriving at that holy place, I offered daNDavat-praNAma
to the residents there, and by their mercy I entered the mandira.
167. Then from a distance I saw the moon of SrI PuruSottama BhagavAn's
face, which was beautified by large lotus eyes, on whose forehead the
jewelled tilaka was glistening, whose lustre was like that of an
enchanting cloud, whose red lips were resplendent, and whose gentle
smile was like moonlight bestowing His limitless mercy upon everyone.
168. Impulsively I desired to go before Him, but the impact of prema
stopped me. The hairs of my body stood erect and I began trembling. I
was shedding tears in such a way that I could hardly see anything, and
with great difficulty I finally reached the GaruDa-stambha.
169. SrI BhagavAn was attired in splendid garments, ornaments, and
garlands, and His darzana expands the divine bliss of the eyes and
heart. Sitting gracefully on a beautiful siMhAsana, He was enjoying
many kinds of wonderful foodstuffs.
170. He was glancing at the devotees who were singing, playing
instruments, dancing, offering prayers, and offering praNAma before
Him. Receiving darzana of that SrI JagannAtha, who is the refuge of
great glories, I fainted and fell to the ground.
171. After some time, when I regained consciousness, I opened my eyes
and again received His darzana. Then like a madman I raced forward to
embrace Him, calling out:
172. "Today I have attained the darzana of He who I have been desiring
to see for such a long time! Aho! Receiving darzana of this JagadIza,
today my life has become successful! This is my very Lord!"
173. As I was going forward to embrace Him, the guards struck me with
sticks and prevented me from going any closer. Becoming thoughtful, I
felt ashamed, but still I considered even having been beaten to be
Prabhu's mercy. Then I went outside and received mahA-prasAda.
174-175. Hey brAhmaNa! After taking prasAda I immediately re-entered
the mandira. What I saw there brought me so much joy and astonishment
that my heart could not fully assimilate it, so how could my mouth
possibly describe it? In this way I joyfully spent the entire day
there.
176. In the evening, after great festivals of decorations and
offerings of puSpAJjali, I left the mandira.
177. Enjoying ever-new festivals there with the sAdhus and mahAtmAs in
this way, I was not aware of how the time was passing, and I even
forgot the pain of separation from VrajabhUmi.
178. SrI JagannAthajI is supremely merciful to His servants. He gives
them various orders, and I heard about this from others and also
directly experienced it myself.
179. Then I found nothing other than receiving His darzana to be
pleasurable, and I even lost the desire to hear those readings from
the PurANas which describe SrI JagannAtha's glories.
180. Whenever I would feel any bodily or mental pain, taking darzana
of the lotus-eyed SrI JagannAtha BhagavAn would at once eradicate it.
181. Considering that I had received the ultimate fruit of my mantra-
japa, I became a little indifferent towards chanting it. In this way I
blissfully resided in that kSetra for a long time.
182. After some time I began to yearn to perform some confidential
service to the Lord, and when I could not attain such service, I was
very unhappy.
183-184. The king of that land was the primary servant of SrI
JagannAtha. Whenever there was a festival, he would eagerly come to
see the glorious face of SrI JagannAtha and his entourage, which
included horses and elephants, would fill the gardens. Therefore,
indigent people like myself could not receive darzana of the Lord.
185-186. As I was feeling sadness in my heart due to this, one day I
saw my guru, who had given me the mantra in VRndAvana, standing before
SrI JagannAthadeva. He was overwhelmed in prema and therefore I was
unable to speak with him, and because my heart was absorbed in taking
darzana of the Lord, I did not see when he disappeared.
187. I searched for him everywhere until one day I found him alone on
the shore of the ocean, singing nAma-sankIrtana and dancing in
ecstasy.
188. I offered daNDavat-praNAma to him, and looking towards me, he
blessed me. Then he embraced me, and knowing what was in my heart,
mercifully said to me:
189. "Hey child! No matter what you desire, just continue chanting
your mantra-by its influence you will receive a fruit beyond what you
could even desire."
190. "Understand that chanting this mantra is service to SrI
JagannAtha. Have faith in my words and never abandon your mantra-
japa."
191. "By the influence of this mantra you will attain eternal life in
this very same form as a cowherd boy and your heart will become
qualified to experience the ultimate attainment."
192. "You will see me sometimes here and sometimes in SrI VRndAvana."
After giving me these instructions, he suddenly left.
193. Feeling separation from SrI Gurudeva, I became very distraught.
But when I went to take darzana of SrI JagannAtha, I again became
peaceful, and from that moment I began rigorously chanting my mantra-
japa.
194-195. Whenever I craved to see Vraja-bhUmi, by the glories of SrI
JagannAtha the gardens of that holy place appeared like those of
VRndAvana, the ocean appeared like the YamunA, and NIlAcala Hill
appeared like SrI Govardhana.
196. In this way I happily resided there. Every day, after receiving
SrI JagannAtha's darzana, in accordance with SrI Gurudeva's order I
would chant my mantra-japa to attain my desired perfection.
197. Soon afterwards the king passed away, and due to being very
renounced, his elder son did not accept the kingdom.
198. Then the ministers prayed to SrI JagannAtha to indicate who
should sit on the throne, and He gave the order that whoever had the
signs of a king on his hands and feet should be made the king. Seeing
that I possessed these signs, they made me the king.
199. I expanded the various festivals of pUjA for SrI JagannAtha, and
of the twelve great festivals observed in the twelve months, I
especially expanded the Ratha-yatra festival.
200. On the occasion of that festival, all the saints and mahAtmAs from
the world over gather together there and becoming maddened, sing,
dance, and play musical instruments while receiving darzana of SrI
BhagavAn.
201. Offering all royal opulences and the kingdom itself to the lotus
feet of SrI JagannAtha, I remained indigent and served Him as I
pleased.
202. Sometimes SrI JagannAtha jokes with His beloved eternal servants
and sometimes He enjoys loving pastimes with them.
203. And when the frolicsome SrI BhagavAn performs the pastime of
becoming motionless, His servants become wonderstruck and blissful.
204. Sometimes I desired that I would also experience that
blissfulness, but I was a newcomer and I was not exclusively attached
to SrI JagannAtha alone. So how could I become a recipient of that
mercy?
205. Whenever I thought of the immense good fortune of the Orissan
devotees, the desire to attain the same special mercy which they
possessed arose in my heart.
206. Sometimes, upon hearing the nAma-sankIrtana, stotras, and songs
being sung before SrI JagannAtha, remembrance of Vraja would come to
me and I would become anxious to go there.
207. But by the influence of the company of the sAdhus and taking
darzana of the lotus-eyed SrI JagannAtha, all of my sadness was
eradicated and my desire to go to any other place abated.
208. But since I had become the king, in my heart I did not feel the
same divine jubilation from receiving darzana of SrI BhagavAn as I had
before.
209. Even though I executed the great festivals and performed many
kinds of bhajana, I did not feel the same unrestrained happiness
because I was always surrounded by a royal entourage.
210. Placing the burden of the kingdom on the king's sons, relatives,
and ministers, I became aloof as before.
211. Chanting my mantra-japa in a secluded place and serving the lotus
feet of SrI JagannAtha according to my desire, I happily resided
there.
212. But because the citizens continued to show me great respect, I
did not find living there agreeable and decided to leave.
213. One morning I went before Prabhu to seek permission to go to SrI
VRndAvana, but upon receiving darzana of His lotus face I forgot
everything.
214. In this way one year passed. Then one day I heard the glories of
MathurA superbly described by some people who had just come from
there.
215. I was anguished, and when I went to sleep that night, SrI
JagannAtha, who cannot tolerate the sufferings of His devotees,
appeared to me in a dream and bestowed these instructions upon me:
216. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! Just as this PuruSottama-kSetra is dear to Me,
so is SrI MathurA, but since it is My birthplace, it is even more dear
to Me."
217. "That MathurA-maNDala is adorned with the places of My childhood
pastimes. Just as I reside here, I also reside there, wandering here
and there enjoying pastimes."
218. "Why are you anguished with a wavering heart? Go there, and after
some time you will surely receive darzana of My form as a gopa."
219. The next morning some of SrI JagannAtha's pujArIs came to my home
and gave me the Lord's order in the form of a garland. Placing the
garland around my neck, I took one last look at the SrI NIlAcakra and
after offering praNAma to it, proceeded to the province of MathurA.

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Mar 5, 1998, 3:00:00 AM3/5/98

Chapter Two-Knowledge

1. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: O exalted MathurA brAhmaNa! Arriving in
MathurA, I bathed at VizrAnta GhATa and then proceeded to this SrI
VRndAvana where I freely wandered around Govardhana and on the banks
of the YamunA.
2. Sustaining my life by drinking milk, being unnoticed by my previous
friends and relatives, and chanting my mantra-japa, I happily passed
some days there.
3. Then intense desire for the darzana of my beloved SrI JagadIza
arose inside me, and not seeing Him in SrI VRndAvana, I began to
remember PuruSottama-kSetra.
4-5. Aggrieved, I set out for Orissa to attain the darzana of SrI
JagannAtha. But on the way, on the banks of the GangA, I met some
brAhmaNas who were devoted to religious duties and knowledgeable in
many kinds of scriptures. They told me, "Above this world is the
residence of the demigods which is called 'Svarga'."
6. "It is beautified by the presence of countless airplanes, and is
devoid of faults such as fear, sorrow, old-age, disease, and death."
7. "Those who perform great pious deeds in this world attain that
destination. The king there is Indra, who is the elder brother of SrI
JagadIza (SrI VAmana BhagavAn)."
8-9. "Although the lower planets such as PAtAla are glorious with the
presence of different incarnations of SrI ViSNu BhagavAn including
SeSa, and in Bhauma-svarga (the Earth planet) with its many continents
there are always varieties of great festivals for the pUjA of SrI
KRSNa, this Svarga is superior to both of them because of being
situated above them."
10. "There SrI ViSNu BhagavAn is directly manifest in the form of
Aditi-nandana. His name is Upendra and hear from us of His wonderful
glories."
11. "There, SrI Upendra BhagavAn climbs upon SrI GaruDa and travels
here and there enjoying pastimes such as killing troublesome demons.
With His enchanting pastimes and His sweet words, He perpetually
delights the demigods, who worship Him understanding Him to be their
own brother."
12. Hearing this from those karma-kANDi brAhmaNas, my heart became
very anxious to achieve the darzana of SrI Upendra BhagavAn. Aspiring
to attain entrance into that realm, I chanted my mantra-japa. Shortly
thereafter an airplane came, and boarding it with great jubilation, I
was taken to Svarga.
13. There I saw the same SrI ViSNu BhagavAn whose mUrti I had seen
previously in the mandiraof the king on the bank of the GangA. His
form was saccidAnanda, He was surrounded by the demigods, and He was
sitting on the splendid siMhAsana of GaruDa's shoulders. While sweetly
playing the vINA, SrI NArada was eloquently offering Him prayers.
14. Feeling that I had finally received darzana of the Lord who I had
been yearning to see for so long, I was fully gratified. From a
distance I offered praNAma to Him, and then with kind, affectionate
words, He called me, saying:
15. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! You have come to this Svarga, it is very
auspicious! Abandon this offering of praNAmas and without fear come to
Me."
16. On the Lord's order, SrI Indra sent some demigods who respectfully
lead me there and carefully sat me down.
17. As I resided in the gardens named Nandana, they gave me celestial
refreshments like heavenly nectar by which I was elated. There I did
not see any type of fear, sorrow, disease, death, withering, or old-
age.
18. There were some defects there, but enjoying the darzana of SrI
JagadIza, I did not consider them.
19. With all the opulences of Svarga, SrI Indra daily worshipped SrI
Upendra as his brother, master, and protector.
20-21. Silently I considered Indra to be greatly fortunate because SrI
BhagavAn had removed all disturbances and bestowed upon him mastery
over the three worlds. With great pleasure he was worshipping SrI
Upendra BhagavAn with celestial gifts, and Prabhu was personally accept
ing them.
22. Beholding the immense good fortune of Indra, in my heart I began
to think, "When will SrI BhagavAn also be merciful to me in this way?"
With this aspiration I chanted my mantrajapa and began residing
there.
23. After that, because of having seduced the wife of a muni(Gautama),
out of shame and fear of being cursed, Indra went somewhere and hid
(in the stem of a lotus).
24. The demigods searched for him in many ways, but could not find
him. In the absence of Indra, the three worlds were overrun with
disturbances.
25. On the order of SrI ViSNu BhagavAn, SrI BRhaspati told the
demigods to install me in the post of Indra. Next, with Mother Aditi's
approval, I was enthroned.
26. Then, showing respect to Mother Aditi, SacI, SrI Guru BRhaspati,
and the brAhmaNas, I always expanded bhakti to SrI ViSNu BhagavAn
throughout the three worlds.
27. Just as when before I had been made king but by the influence of
bhakti I still remained indigent, in the same way I resided in that
Nandana garden with great simplicity.
28. But I did not abandon the chanting of my mantra-japa, because to
have done so after all it had brought me would have been ungrateful.
So even there I did not forget Vraja-bhUmi.
29. Due to being distraught with sorrow out of separation from Vraja-
bhUmi, my face withered. When SrI Upendra BhagavAn saw this, He time
and again stroked me with His lotus hand and pleased me with the sweet
nectar of His words.
30. Considering me to be His elder brother, to please me SrI BhagavAn
ate the foodstuffs which I offered to Him.
31. By this I forgot the unhappiness of separation from Vraja. I
satisfied Him with offerings of ever-new varieties of foodstuffs and
by loving Him as one would a younger brother.
32. Seeing that I had again become robust in spirit, He left there for
another place. I did not know where that SrI Upendra BhagavAn
permanently resided, so in Svarga I could not always see Him.
33. Due to this I was overcome with grief. I desired to go to NIlAcala
and see SrI JagannAtha, who always resides there in a motionless form
and who is very affectionate to those who take shelter of Him.
34. Knowing my condition, SrI ViSNu BhagavAn returned and was merciful
to me as before, thereby mitigating my suffering. After that I no
longer burned in anticipation of imminent separation from Him and was
always hopeful of again receiving His darzana.
35. Hey brAhmaNa! In this way I happily passed one year of the
demigods in the post of Indra.
36. Then one day BhRgu and other great RSis, who were mercifully on
their way to purify the holy places of the Earth with the touch of
their lotus feet, unexpectedly arrived there.
37. Seeing them, all of the demigods, sages, SrI BRhaspati, and even
SrI ViSNu BhagavAn Himself offered pUjA to them. Witnessing this, I
was struck with wonder.
38. Because I was a newcomer and because my heart was absorbed in the
blissfulness of serving SrI ViSNu BhagavAn, at first I did not
understand who they were, but after being enlightened by my own
subordinate demigods, I also worshipped them.
39. After giving me their blessings and praising me, SrI BhRgu and the
other sages happily left there. Then when SrI Upendra BhagavAn also
left there, I asked the demigods:
40. "Demigods are worshipped by human beings, so who were they who
even you were worshipping? What are their glories? And where do those
great renunciates reside?"
41. Because of being very proud, out of envy and shame those demigods
did not reply, but Guru SrI BRhaspati said:
42. "Above this Svarga is Maharloka, which is attained by those who
perform great pious deeds. Even when the three worlds are annihilated
in the final dissolution, it is not destroyed."
43. "Just as the happiness of being Indra is millions of times greater
than the happiness of being an earthly king, in the same way the
happiness of being a prajApatiis millions of times greater than the
happiness of being Indra. SrI BhRgu is the original prajApati."
44. "Experiencing immense pleasure, they reside in that Maharloka.
With great fire sacrifices they always directly worship SrI YajJezvara
BhagavAn at every step."
45. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Hey brAhmaNa! At the very moment of hearing
this I became disinterested in retaining the post of Indra. I desired
to attain the darzana of SrI YajJezvara BhagavAn, who is worshipable
to even the worshipable demigods and who is served by SrI BhRgu and
the other prajApatis.
46. Aspiring to see Him, I chanted my mantra-japa and very soon I was
taken upwards by a celestial airplane until I had arrived at that
world.
47. There I experienced faultless and indescribable opulences,
happiness, and bhagavad-bhajana which I had not experienced anywhere
in the three worlds.
48. There great sages conduct thousands of fire sacrifices with great
devotion, and SrI YajJezvara BhagavAn appears in the sacrificial
arenas and enjoys the pastime of accepting the offerings.
49. The effulgence of that personification of yajJas is like that of
millions of suns, and His beauty enchants the minds and hearts of the
entire world. Extending His hands and accepting the offerings, He
fulfils the internal desires of the worshippers by offering them
benedictions.
50. Upon receiving His darzana, at first I forgot my duty to show Him
reverence, but then I blissfully offered Him daNDavat-praNAma. Then,
with soft words of kindness, He called me to come near Him and with
His own hand He gave some of His mahA-prasAda.
51. Receiving it, I attained unprecedented bliss, and by His abundant
mercy my desire to attain darzana of SrI JagadIza was completely
fulfilled.
52. Wandering here and there with those kind-hearted sages, I saw in
each and every household that same personification of sacrifice, SrI
JagadIzvara (personally appearing in the fire sacrifices being
performed there).
53. Therefore, I considered that I had become completely gratified and
with great delight I began residing there. Then those great sages said
to me:
54. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! You are the son of a vaizya (only brAhmaNas
reside in this world). Therefore, we will bestow upon you the status
of a brAhmaNa-quickly accept it."
55. "Become a great sage and like us worship with fire sacrifices SrI
YajJezvara, whom you have been desiring to see for such a long time."
56. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Hey brAhmaNa! Hearing this, I silently
thought, "There is great happiness in being a vaizyabecause then I can
serve both my Lord and His brAhmaNadevotees."
57. "These sages are devoted exclusively to fire sacrifices. If I
become a sage like them, then my faith in my mantra-japa, which was
given to me by my gurudevaand which is the direct bestower of
spiritual results, will become diminished."
58. Therefore, I humbly showed respect to them but did not accept the
status of a brAhmaNa. I continued to live there enjoying the great
happiness of the prajApatis.
59. In that world there are no faults such as sorrow or fear, nor is
there any material enjoyment. There are only festivals of fire
sacrifices always being performed out of love for SrI YajJezvara
BhagavAn.
60. However, when the sacrifices were completed and BhagavAn would
disappear, I would become very dismal. And when He would again appear
in the sacrificial arena, I would become happy.
61. At the end of one thousand catura-yugasor at the end of one day of
BrahmAjI, there is a cosmic dissolution and the three worlds burn. At
that time the heat makes it impossible to reside in that Maharloka, so
the sages took me with them to Janaloka.
62. Because of being night at that time in Janaloka, there were no
fire sacrifices and SrI YajJezvara BhagavAn could not be seen. For me
the burning heat of not seeing Him was greater than the heat of the
dissolution!
63. Then in my heart I desired to go see SrI JagannAtha at PuruSottama-
kSetra, which is eternally shaded by a banyanatree and is not
destroyed at the time of the cosmic dissolution.
64. But instead I returned from Janaloka to Maharloka, where I
continued to chant my mantra-japa in solitude. By its influence I was
anguished with the desire to see Vraja-bhUmi.
65-66. But when SrI YajJezvara BhagavAn again appeared in the
sacrificial arena, with great love He called me to come near Him. Then
He accepted my offering by which all of my anguish was mitigated in
the same way as the rising sun dissipates the darkness. Then, although
I could not see Him at night, being pleased in the hope of again
seeing Him I did not desire to go to any other place.
67. Once, an immensely effulgent, naked boy who appeared to be only
about five years old, came there from the higher planets.
68. Seeing him, all of those sages headed by SrI BhRgu abandoned their
sacrifices, stood up, offered praNAma to him with great devotion, and
worshipped that great personality who was fixed in meditation in the
same way as they worshipped SrI YajJezvara BhagavAn.
69. After that naked boy had left, I asked those mahARSis, "Who is he?
Where does he live? And why did you worship him?"
70. They replied, "His name is Sanata-kumAra. In qualities he is our
elder brother and is more exalted than us. He maintains the great vow
(of celibacy) and he is the original guruof those who are AtmArAmaand
AptakAma (who have no unfulfilled desire)."
71. "He resides in a planet above this Maharloka called Tapaloka with
his three brothers and Kavi, Hari, AntarikSa, Prabuddha, PippalAyana,
and the other YogIndras."
72. "Only naiSTika-brahmacArIs reside in that Tapaloka. Auspiciousness
is always present there, and the happiness experienced by those
naiSTika-brahmacArIs is millions of times greater than the happiness
of we prajApatis."
73. "He is worshipable in the same way as SrI YajJezvara BhagavAn is,
and especially householders like us should abandon our rituals to
worship him."
74. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Hey brAhmaNa! Hearing this I thought, "What
kind of happiness is there in that world? How many of these yogIs are
there? And how do they worship BhagavAn?"
75. Desiring to see them, with a steady mind I began chanting my
mantra-japa, and then I became supremely radiant and quickly went to
that Tapaloka.
76. There I saw SrI Sanaka, SrI Sanandana, SrI SanAtana, as well as
the fourth, the very same SrI Sanata.
77. In that world there were many yogIs like themselves who were
showing them respect. They were blissfully conversing on spiritual
topics which were difficult for people like myself to understand.
78. Although the four KumAras did not appear like SrI BhagavAn, still,
upon receiving their darzana, I was naturally euphoric.
79. When those yogIs who were always fixed in meditation went to their
respective domiciles, I understood that here also, just as in
Svargaloka, SrI JagadIzvara must be present somewhere in a manifest
form, so I began wandering here and there searching for Him.
80. But I could not see Him anywhere. Then I asked those great
munisabout this, but even upon my repeatedly offering them praNAmas
and prayers, they did not even look at me.
81. Because they were all naiSTika-brahmacArIs, they normally remained
absorbed in samAdhi. They were AtmArAma, all of their desires were
fulfilled, and they were served by numerous types of mystic
perfections.
82-83. Even though my great desire to see SrI BhagavAn was not
fulfilled, by the influence of the association of those yogIsI could
not desire to go to another place. But out of reverence for the order
of my guru and because having seen how it directly bestows spiritual
results, I did not abandon my mantra-japa.
84. Because that place was naturally pleasing to the heart, the
chanting of my mantra-japa was even more blissful and my desire to see
BhagavAn increased even more.
85. Knowing that I desired to go to NIlAcala to see the eternally
manifest SrI JagannAtha, SrI PippalAyana said to me:
86. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! Why do you desire to leave this great place and
go to another? Why do you wander here and there to see Paramezvara
with your eyes?"
87. "Please make your mind steady in samAdhi, and then you will
automatically receive darzana of that Paramezvara, who is always
directly situated within and without."
88. "The form of that ParamAtmA SrI VAsudeva BhagavAn is saccidAnanda.
When your heart has become completely purified, He will appear there-
there is no other way to see Him."
89. "When SrI BhagavAn is seen by the eyes, He is actually being
perceived by the purified consciousness, because He only appears in
that condition when a devotee's senses are inactive."
90. "The actions of the nose, ears, eyes, and other senses are
dependent on the actions of the mind, and therefore, when happiness is
transmitted into the mind, all the senses automatically become
pleased."
91. "Without the action of the mind, all the actions of the senses are
fruitless, because the actions of the senses can only be experienced
through the mind."
92. "When sometimes BhagavAn is overpowered by special affection for
His devotees and appears to the eyesight of a devotee (as He did to
Dhruva and PrahlAda), even then He is really made visible by the
devotee's transcendental knowledge."
93. "And although by His karuNA-zakti SrI BhagavAn appears to a
devotee's external vision, the blissfulness of that darzana can only
be felt by the devotee's mind, because the mind alone is the place
where blissfulness is experienced."
94. "Even when SrI BhagavAn disappears the blissfulness of His darzana
remains in one's mind. Therefore, the mind is the best receptacle for
experiencing that bliss."
95. "The blissfulness experienced in one's mind increases in
accordance with how much of SrI BhagavAn's mercy one has received, but
the happiness felt by any of the external senses cannot similarly
expand."
96. "Seeing SrI BhagavAn in meditation is equal to seeing Him
directly. When seen in meditation, He can bestow the same special
mercy which He does when seen directly. SrI BrahmA is evidence of
this."
97. "Direct darzana of SrI BhagavAn is the giver of pleasure only to
the devotees; His darzana inspires only fear and other faults in
KaMsa, Duryodhana, and those like them."
98-99. "The supremely blissful form of SrImAn NArAyaNa delights all of
the senses, but when Madhu, KaiTabha, and other wicked demons saw Him,
they did not abandon their heinous natures which were giving pain to
everyone."
100. "Even though He is the very form of divine bliss, to show the
glories of bhakti and to delight His devotees, SrI BhagavAn can make
the impossible (hiding the bliss of seeing Him from demons) possible
because He is the sarva-zaktimAnIzvara."
101. "Of the nine processes of bhakti, smaraNa-bhakti (remembrance) is
the foremost because within it the actions of the best of the senses,
the mind, are offered to the Lord."
102-103. "The concentrated mind is able to give, according to the
devotee's specific taste, the most confidential prema-bhakti, which is
superior to the four objects of human pursuit and which is
unquestionably the best method for overpowering SrI BhagavAn."
104-105. "That prema is attained only by the mercy of BhagavAn. It is
the greatest treasure of the devotees, it is saturated with varieties
of blissful sweetnesses, and its glories are indescribable. That
wonderful entity called prema arises when special transformations take
place in one's consciousness."
106-107. "If you consider concentrating the mind to be too arduous, or
if you desire to make your eyes successful by receiving His direct
darzana, then please go to BhAratavarSa where the Izvara of this world
is manifest as SrI Nara-NArAyaNa at Gandhamadana Mountain (SrI BadrikAz
rama)."
108. "Being fixed in samAdhi, we always see Him within and without,
and therefore we never feel pangs of separation from Him. Knowing
this, Prabhu has now gone to SrI BadrikAzrama."
109. "To benefit the people of the world with His instructions, He is
performing severe austerities there in the form of an archery-teacher
brahmacArIwith matted locks of hair."
110. Seeing that I desired to go there, the four KumAras said to me,
"Please go!" Then they showed me numerous forms of SrI BhagavAn.
111. The first assumed the form of SrImAn NArAyaNa, the second assumed
the form of SrI ViSNu, the third assumed the form of SrI YajJezvara,
and the fourth assumed various forms of SrI BhagavAn.
112. Seeing them I began trembling in fear, and offering praNAma with
folded hands said, "Hey BhagavAn, who is kind to the poor! I have
committed a great offence, please forgive me!"
113. Then the four KumAras touched my head, by which I also was cast
into samAdhi. There too I saw those same forms of BhagavAn which they
had showed me, and even after my samAdhihad broken, by the influence
of meditation I continued to see those forms with my external vision
as if they were present before me.
114-115. By continuing to chant my mantra-japa, my natural conviction
was strengthened and that brought me great happiness. But remembrance
of the sweetness of Vraja-bhUmi made my heart anxious and sometimes I
entered a state similar to deep sleep, which was an obstacle to my
japa and to receiving darzana of SrI BhagavAn.
116. When I lamented and wished to go to NIlAcala, the great sages who
reside in that place consoled me and asked about the cause of my
discontent.
117. When I woefully described my feelings to them, they praised me,
but I could not understand why and considered that I was very
unfortunate.
118. Then, by the power of the practice of meditation, I began to
directly see within and without and everywhere the form of SrI
JagadIzvara BhagavAn.
119. Sometimes I saw the four KumAras assume forms of BhagavAn in
their meditation. Witnessing their absorption in meditation, I was
supremely elated.
120. And when I did not see them exhibiting those forms of BhagavAn, I
did not become unhappy in the hope of seeing them again. In this way I
happily remained there for some time.
----------------------- continued --------------------

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Chapter Two-Knowledge (continued)

121-122. Once, the elderly grandfather of all and the supremely
opulent SrI BrahmA, sitting upon his swan while mercifully going to
see some of his devotees at SrI PuSkaradvIpa, came there. Seeing him,
the four KumAras humbly offered him praNAma and worshipped him with
great devotion.
123. SrI BrahmA blessed them and affectionately smelled their heads.
After giving them some instructions (on the secrets of bhakti), he
quickly left for PuSkaradvIpa.
124. When I asked the four KumAras about him they laughed and said,
"Hey cowherd boy! Even upon coming to this Tapaloka you don't know who
he is?"
125. "He is the father of even the prajApatis, SrI BrahmA. He is the
creator of the universe and our father. He was self-born and
gloriously holds the most exalted position. He protects and guides the
entire universe."
126. "He resides in Satyaloka which is situated above all other worlds
and which is attained by those who faultlessly follow their dharmafor
one-hundred births."
127. "SrI VaikuNThaloka is also there, where SrI JagadIzvara BhagavAn
is eternally present as the Supreme Personality in a thousand-headed
form."
128. "We have heard that BrahmAjI is that Supreme Personality's son
because he appeared from His navel-lotus. It is our opinion that there
is no difference between them; it is just that BrahmAjI performs the
pastime of also assuming the form of the Supreme Personality."
129. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: When I heard all of this, I desired to go
to Satyaloka to attain darzana of the Supreme Personality. Therefore,
I fixed myself in samAdhi in that Tapaloka and began chanting my
mantra-japa.
130. At the very moment I opened my eyes I saw that I had automatically
arrived in Brahmaloka, and saw before me SrI JagadIzvara BhagavAn.
131. His divine, auspicious form was enormous, and He possessed
thousands of heads, arms, and legs. His complexion was like that of a
blue cloud, He was decorated with varieties of ornaments, His glory
was like a great treasure, and a lotus flower was emanating from His
navel. He was reclining on SeSanAga and was delighting the eyes and
hearts of all.
132. SrI LakSmI was massaging His feet, and He was lovingly glancing
at SrI GaruDa who was standing before Him with folded hands. SrI
BrahmA was worshipping Him with all of his opulences, and He was
showing affection to BrahmAjI in different ways. SrI NArada was
dancing and singing with prema-bhakti and He was attentively
listening.
133. SrI BhagavAn was gradually and thoroughly teaching SrI BrahmA the
very essence of the confidential path of bhakti. In this way He was
splendidly manifest in His own abode.
134. Hearing those instructions, SrI BrahmA was overwhelmed with
jubilation, and in a soft voice he eulogised those instructions as he
offered praNAma again and again.
135. Beholding all of this, I fainted in ecstasy. Then SrI LakSmI
approached me and caressing me in many ways, brought me back to
consciousness. Showing me affection as if I were her own son, she led
me to her husband.
136. Gazing at SrI BhagavAn and repeatedly offering praNAma, I said to
my mind, "Hey mind! Today your desires have been completely fulfilled!
Stay here and enjoy with great pleasure!"
137. "This world is devoid of all kinds of lamentation, sorrow, and
fear. It is the greatest treasure, saturated with divine bliss and is
worshipped by all other worlds."
138. "Hey brother! As JagadIzvara should be, He is directly present
here in that form which is the pinnacle of glory."
139. "Experience the affection of SrI LakSmI and with your eyes gaze
upon Prabhu. Abandon your sorrow of separation from MathurA and Vraja-
bhUmi and your desire to go there and just reside here."
140. "If you desire that SrI JagadIzvara BhagavAn will love you as He
does BrahmAjI, then chant the mantra given to you by SrI Gurudeva and
this desire will also be fulfilled."
141. Then SrI BhagavAn performed the pastime of taking rest. After
that, SrI BrahmA reemerged from the Lord's abode and took
responsibility for creation of the fourteen worlds, which rest on the
Lord's navel-lotus.
142. Seeing both the wonderful form of SrI BhagavAn and all the
universes situated on His navel-lotus, and how BrahmAjI was
overwhelmed with prema upon hearing confidential instructions from
Prabhu, I began happily residing there.
143. When the night of BrahmAjI came and the dissolution of the three
worlds was to take place, SrI BhagavAn would take BrahmAjI and happily
recline on SeSanAga.
144. By the power of Brahmaloka I saw with great astonishment how at
that time the residents of Janaloka and other planets offered many
extraordinary prayers to SrI BhagavAn.
145. When sometimes SrI BhagavAn would go somewhere, I would grieve,
but when He would return, my grief would be destroyed at the root.
146. After some time, one day SrI BrahmA touched some foam (which was
on the ocean of cosmic devastation) out of curiosity, and then a
massive demon emerged from it.
147. Out of fear of that demon, BrahmAjI went and hid somewhere. Later
SrI BhagavAn killed that demon, but overcome with fear, BrahmAjI would
not return to his abode. Then SrI BhagavAn appointed me to the post of
BrahmA.
148. Then I created VaiSNavas for the propagation of bhagavad-bhakti
and appointed them to all the important administrative posts such as
PrajApati and Indra.
149. In place after place I arranged for azvamedha-yajJas for the
worship of SrI BhagavAn to be performed, by which all the universes
were immersed in divine bliss.
150-151. Due to occupying the elevated post of BrahmA, all of the
personified Vedas, PurANas, histories, yajJas, tantras, and holy
places were present and ready to serve me. Important mahARSis were
offering me varieties of prayers. Although I was surrounded by all of
these alluring opulences, I did not abandon my indigence.
152. But caught up in the waves of the ocean of the responsibilities
of being BrahmA, I did not feel the happiness of bhagavad-bhakti in
the way that I had before and I became very worried.
153. And when I heard that my life span was only of two parArdhas (many
millions of years), I became fearful of the influence of time. When I
chanted my mantra-japa to eradicate that fear, remembrance of Vraja-
bhUmi gave me great pain.
154. But when SrI JagadIzvara BhagavAn would show me parental
affection, I was elated and my distress was mitigated.
155. Due to serving Him as a son serves a father in such close
proximity, I sometimes offended Him, but He always forgave me.
156. Knowing that I was still anxious at heart, SrI LakSmI delighted
me by consoling me with motherly affection. In this way I resided
there for a very long time.
157. Once, I heard some residents of Satyaloka greatly praising a
jIva who had attained mukti while residing in BhAratavarSa (present-day
India). I asked them about this wonderful occurrence.
158. After hearing from those all-knowing sages about the exalted
nature and rarity of mukti, I inquired from them about the method for
attaining it.
159. The numerous UpaniSads, who were present there in the form of
goddesses, along with the Vedas and smRtis said, "Liberation is
attained by knowledge alone-there is no other way."
160. Then some PurANas and tantras gravely said, "Even that knowledge,
which is so difficult to acquire, is easily attained through bhagavad-
bhakti."
161. "Only by the cultivation of bhakti is liberation easily
attained." Then, to confirm this, some zrutis and smRtis also
expressed their opinions.
162. Having not heard a satisfactorily clear explanation from those
zrutis and smRtis, some important UpaniSads became angry and clearly
established this point by saying, "By bhakti liberation can certainly
be attained!"
163. Hearing this, some confidential UpaniSads, tantras and great
PurANas smiled and remained silent.
164-165. On the topic of whether liberation is easily attained only by
chanting mantra-japa of SrI BhagavAn's names, some Vedas, PurANas, and
tantras engaged in a furious debate. Unable to tolerate this, the
great PurANas and the tantric UpaniSads covered their ears and left
the assembly.
166. Next the important PurANas and UpaniSads were accepted as
mediators, and they gave their verdict that the tantric-zAstras were
victorious (in their notion that liberation can be easily attained by
chanting bhagavat-mantra-japa). This assessment was also very near and
dear to me.
167. Now understanding their intention, I humbly praised the SrImad-
BhAgavatam and the other great PurANas who had earlier become
displeased and left, and brought them back to the assembly.
168. When I very respectfully inquired from them concerning the tattva
of liberation, the SrImad-BhAgavatam along with the most exalted
zrutis and tantras which proclaim VaiSNava siddhAnta said:
169. "Hey Gopa-kumAra, who have attained the post of BrahmA! Even
though this topic which you have inquired about is more confidential
than the greatest treasure, impelled by your virtues we will explain
it."
170. "We are solely committed to bhagavad-bhakti. In some places we
have also described liberation and the methods for attaining it, but
that was merely to expose their faults and to advise that they should
be rejected."
171. "In the course of describing the glories of bhakti, in some
places we have also sometimes praised mukti, but not as the ultimate
attainment because there is not even a scent of real happiness in
liberation."
172. "Just as one considers himself to be happy upon being freed from
a disease or when sleeping soundly, in the same way liberation is
imagined to be real happiness. Only the ignorant who don't know
tattva aspire for liberation."
173. "If by any means one merely chants or hears even the dim
reflection (AbhAsa) of the name of SrI BhagavAn, he attains
liberation, so how can the glories of the pure name of BhagavAn be
estimated?"
174. "Factually, only those who are devoid of good sense find
liberation attractive. Please listen carefully as we explain to you
the opinion of the Vedas and PurANas."
175-176. "Some hold the opinion that vanquishing all types of
suffering is liberation. Some hold that eliminating actions committed
out of ignorance is liberation, and others consider that overcoming
illusory mAyA and receiving direct perception of the soul is
liberation. But there is no real happiness in any of these. The
happiness experienced upon realising the soul to be a particle of
saccidAnanda is in reality very meagre."
177. "Those who consider realising the soul to be liberation say that
the pure soul is brahma, which is without qualities, solitary,
formless, and inactive."
178. "BhagavAn is Parabrahma, ParamAtmA, and Paramezvara. He is the
embodiment of saccidAnanda and an ocean of glories."
179. "The simultaneous presence and absence of qualities, as well as a
host of other contradictions, are harmonised in Him. Brahman is
famous as the bodily effulgence of SrI BhagavAn; that is the
difference between them."
180. "SrI BhagavAn is the embodiment of complete happiness, and
through engaging in bhakti to His lotus feet, the jIva can certainly
experience that complete happiness."
181. "BhagavAn SrI KRSNa's lotus feet are not only the very embodiment
of happiness, but as sugar is full of sweetness as well as being the
origin of sweetness, they are also the original foundation of
happiness, whereas Brahman can also be said to be the embodiment of
happiness, but not its original foundation."
182. "The form of the jIva is parabrahma, and SrI BhagavAn is also
saccidAnanda parabrahma."
183. "But those who know the truth say that the jIvas are parts of SrI
BhagavAn, just as sunrays are parts of the glaring mass of the sun."
184. "Even upon attaining perfection the jIvas remain eternally
different from Him, just as sunrays are different from the sun, sparks
are different from the fire, and waves are different from the ocean."
185. "By the zakti named MahA-YogamAyA, which is beginningless and
arranges SrI BhagavAn's pastimes, the difference between the jIvas and
Parabrahma SrI BhagavAn has been established eternally."
186. "It is the opinion of great personalities that due to being
saccidAnanda, the jIvas are non-different from Parabrahma Himself, but
due to being His parts, they are also different from Him. Therefore,
even upon attaining liberation, they remain different from Him."
187. "The jIvas are also forms of saccidAnanda, but due to the
influence of SrI KRSNa's mAyA, which is beginningless and the very
embodiment of ignorance, they forget their own intrinsic forms and
wander in the realm of birth and death."
188. "When the jIva realises his real form, his bewilderment is
eliminated and he becomes liberated. Then he factually experiences
that he is a spiritually blissful particle of SrI BhagavAn."
189. "It is well-known everywhere that according to the specific
sAdhana one performs, the corresponding fruit will be attained. The
happiness of liberation achieved by realising one is a spiritual
particle is only partial happiness."
190. "Those who, due to being tormented by material bondage and being
unable to taste rasa, desire impersonal liberation, greatly praise
that mukti, just as those who desire residence in Svarga greatly
praise Svarga even though it is temporary."
191. "But in reality the ultimate happiness is automatically attained
by those devotees who are engaged in serving the lotus feet of SrI
BhagavAn."
192. "In an effort to depict the supreme glory of the happiness
arising from that service, we have employed the word 'ultimate',
meaning that it is simply unlimited."
193. "Even though it is unlimited and supremely glorious, the
happiness of bhakti is perpetually increasing, but the happiness of
impersonal liberation does not increase; it is enclosed within certain
limits."
194-195. "Due to being of a different class, all jIvas are different
from Parabrahma, but in truth, due to being His parts they are also
non-different from Him."
196. "Therefore, this siddhAnta of simultaneous difference and non-
difference, which is perfectly logical, is our unanimous opinion."
197. "Many ancient histories also support this view, therefore one
should not imagine these evidences to be exaggerations."
198-199. "Those who consider them to be exaggerations or myths reveal
their atheism and are cast into an insurmountable hell."
200. "Aho! How can impersonal liberation be praiseworthy, when it is
condemned by the scriptures and attained by demons who murder
brAhmaNas and cows?"
201. "Devotees and demons are opposite to one another in all respects,
so their final destinations (sAdhya) and methods for attaining those
destinations (sAdhana) must certainly also be opposite."
202. "By practicing the supreme sAdhana of zrI-kRSNa-bhakti one
becomes saintly, and this sAdhana bestows the supreme result, His two
lotus feet."
203. "Those exalted souls who are acquainted with the truth and who
relish the mellows of bhakti say that the nectar of SrI KRSNa's lotus
feet is the utmost sAdhya."
204. "It cannot be attained through karma, jJAna, or vairAgya, but
only through the mercy of SrI KRSNa."
205. " Karma obstructs bhakti, vairAgya dries it up, and jJAna destroys
it, but when they are purified and employed in the service of bhakti,
they can be beneficial in certain circumstances."
206. "By receiving the mercy of SrI BhagavAn and associating with
devotees, even AtmArAma munisabandon their attachment to Brahman and
enter the path of bhakti."
207. "By the potency of SrI Hari even liberated souls attain
transcendental bodies of saccidAnandaby which they worship Him with
spiritual senses."
208. "The state of being self-satisfied (AtmArAma)is attained only by
renunciation of the false ego, and those who are acquainted with the
truth say that this is actually very simple."
209. "Although liberation and the state of being AtmArAma are
secondary fruits of bhakti, devotees never accept them because they
are opposed to devotion."
210. "The supreme fruit of bhakti is prema, and the nature of prema is
that it is never satisfied. Therefore, those who are rasika hold the
opinion that secondary fruits such as liberation are deplorable."
211. "The fact that the state of being AtmArAma can even be attained
without bhakti is not unsettling in any way (because this type of self-
satisfaction is so trivial anyway); rather rasika devotees are of the
opinion that it simply acts to magnify the glory of bhakti."
212. "By performing the external devotion related to one's own
specific dharma, one's consciousness is purified and the state of
being AtmArAmais attained, so the fruit of this external devotion is
trivial. But by practicing internal devotion, such as hearing and
chanting, the supreme fruit of prema is attained."
213. "When those who have become AtmArAma worship the lotus feet of SrI
BhagavAn, without obstruction they quickly become fixed in bhakti and
experience the supreme happiness."
214. "In bhakti, the devotee who experiences its pleasure (in various
serving mellows), what he is experiencing (SrI BhagavAn with His
variegated forms and pastimes), and the activities of the senses by
which he experiences it (such as hearing and chanting) are all always
manifesting in various ways."
215. "In their samAdhi those who are AtmArAma experience only the
uniform happiness of the void. Because the mind remains inactive in
that state, their happiness cannot expand. However, because devotees'
senses, minds, and intelligence all remain active, in their purified
hearts a vastly superior happiness shines, just as the sun reflects
more brilliantly on a crystal mountain."
216. "Therefore, the happiness of bhakti, which is attained by the
sweetness of the mercy of bhakta-vatsala SrI BhagavAn, is superior to
the happiness derived from the samAdhi of impersonal liberation."
217. "The happiness of impersonal liberation is completely opposed to
the happiness of bhakti. The happiness of mukti is perpetually
uniform whereas the happiness of bhakti is variegated, remarkable,
saturated with the glorious playful sweetnesses of SrI KRSNa, and
beyond the inference of those who don't know bhakti-tattva."
218. "Even though He is one, by His own potency SrI BhagavAn exhibits
at every moment hundreds of new and fresh variegated sweetnesses of
both Himself and His bhakti which are beyond the comprehension of non-
devotees."
219. "This sweeter than sweet variegatedness is what establishes Him
as Parabrahma and Paramezvara. It is also the pinnacle of His mercy
towards His devotees by which He immerses them in the natural ecstacy
of experiencing His sweetness, an ecstacy which mocks the happiness
of Brahman realisation."
220. "To infinitely enthrall His devotees with the experience of His
various ecstatic sweetnesses, SrI BhagavAn bestows upon them
spiritual senses, just as He Himself is transcendental yet accepts
senses."
221. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! May that SrI KRSNa, whose various opulences,
pastimes and qualities are all eternal and relished by His eternal
servants, who is worshipped eternally, whose abode is eternal, and
whose non-dual Brahman is eternal, protect you."
222. "Although the ignorant should not try to penetrate the exalted
rasa of the soft lotus of bhakti with the hard thorns of logic, to
delight those new sAdhakas who are still attached to the conception of
impersonal liberation by convincing them to enter the path of bhakti,
we have put forth these arguments."
223-224. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! If you consider impersonal liberation to be
trivial and desire to attain the treasure of firm attachment for pure
bhagavad-bhakti, then please chant your glorious mantra and now hear a
very confidential secret which will delight your heart."
225. "Outside this brahmANDa, which is four billion miles in diameter,
are eight coverings, each ten times greater than the preceding one."
226. "Crossing those eight coverings, one attains eternal liberation,
and due to the absence of material cause and effect, this area is also
called MahAkAlapura."
227. "Scholars attempt to describe this indescribable area as either
possessing form or being formless according to their own opinions."
228. "By their own volition SrI BhagavAn's devotees also go there and
receive darzana of the enchanting spiritual form of Parabrahma."
229. "By the power of your glorious mantra, your long-cherished desire
to go there will soon be directly fulfilled."
230. "If you don't want to wait for a very long time, then go at once
to MathurA-maNDala's Vraja-bhUmi and chant your mantra."
231-232. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Hey MathurA brAhmaNa! Hearing the words
of those bhaktizAstras, my devotion for SrI BhagavAn increased. But
in my heart, I began to think, "This is a matter of great unhappiness-
the glorious SrI BhagavAn whom I should serve is here in the form of
my father, so why should I leave Him and go to another place?"
233. Seeing my despondency, the merciful and all-knowing BhagavAn
personally gave me these instructions:
234. "Go to MathurA-maNDala's Vraja-bhUmi, which is very dear to Me
and is decorated with the various places of My pastimes."
235. "SrI BrahmA himself prayed to take birth as a blade of grass
there, and even after all of this time, it is as splendid as ever."
236. "There you will again meet your gurudeva, who is most dear to Me,
and by his mercy you will come to know everything."
237. "You will soon see Me again in MahAkAlapura and you will be
enchanted with divine bliss."
238. "By the influence of My mercy you will freely wander here and
there and experience hundreds of glorious wonders."
239. "O my son, Gopa-kumAra! After some time all the desires of your
heart will be fulfilled, and you will enjoy pastimes with Me in
VRndAvana according to your own free will."
240. Being filled with both joy and sorrow, by His order and
travelling at the speed of mind, I came at once to this enchanting
VRndAvana.

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Chapter Three-Worship

1. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Coming from Brahmaloka to this earth, I saw
that not even a trace of the way it had been before was visible.
2. But SrI MathurA-maNDala, VRndAvana, Govardhana, the YamunA and all
the stationary living entities there were manifest in exactly the same
way as before.
3. Remembering BhagavAn's order, I began wandering around this
VRndAvana searching for my gurudeva. Then I saw him in a kuJja, and
having become overwhelmed in prema, he had fainted.
4. Reviving him after many efforts, I offered praNAma at his feet.
Seeing this, he embraced me, and due to being all-knowing, he
understood the desire of my heart (to attain liberation).
5. After bathing, he taught me the regulations for meditation on the
mantra which he had previously given me. Some instructions he spoke
with his lotus mouth, and others he conferred through indication.
6. Then he said, "You are very dear to me, therefore I am giving you
whatever wealth I have in my possession. By the power of these even
more confidential instructions, you will be able to know and do
everything."
7. Being overjoyed, I fell at his feet, and in the meantime he
vanished somewhere.
8. I was severely aggrieved in separation from him, but after
steadying myself with great exertion, I began respectfully chanting
my mantra-japa in just the way which he had taught me.
9. Then I saw that my body was no longer composed of five material
elements, and piercing through the circle of the sun, I began seeing
the numerous planets.
10. I saw that they were contaminated with many defects, decorated
with only shadows of real happiness, and illusory, like what is seen
in a dream.
11. Travelling at the speed of mind, I passed all of the planets,
which had previously taken me ages to attain in sequence, in a single
moment.
12. Then I arrived at the coverings of the universe, where the
happiness and opulence are millions of times greater than those of
Brahmaloka.
13. Those yogIs who attain mukti in successive stages go there to
enjoy the next stratum of subtle material enjoyment.
14. In sequence they go to each material covering where they enjoy the
immense pleasures available there according to their wishes before
proceeding onwards to the next covering.
15-16. First I arrived at the covering of the Earth, where I saw SrI
PRthivI-devI, the goddess who possesses the opulences of that
covering, worshipping SrI VarAha BhagavAn, from whose pores the
brahmANDas emanate, with divine paraphernalia which are not available
in this material world.
17. I saw how the entire material universe was present there in its
unmanifest, subtle form.
18. After completing her worship of SrI BhagavAn, PRthivI-devI
welcomed me as a guest and requested me, "Please stay here for some
time and enjoy the pleasures available here."
19. But at that time I felt as if something was pulling me upwards, so
taking PRthivI-devI's permission I passed through that covering and
the next six coverings as well.
20-21. In their respective coverings I saw the massive personifications
of water, fire, air, ether, false ego, and the mahat-tattva
worshipping their respective Lords who are Matsya, SUrya, Pradyumna,
Aniruddha, SankarSaNa, and VAsudeva BhagavAn.
22. As each successive covering is manifest from the next most subtle
element, each successive covering possesses a superior object of
worship, superior paraphernalia for worship, and superior glories.
23. I passed through each covering in the same way as I had the Earth
covering until I reached the covering of material nature, which
possesses a darkish hue which enchants the eyes and heart.
24. Seeing that this hue was similar to that of my worshipable Lord, I
was overjoyed and did not wish to go any further.
25. Then, upon completing the worship of her Lord, SrI MohinI, the
immensely beautiful SrI PrakRti-devI approached me.
26. As gifts she placed before me aNimAand the other mystic
perfections and just as PRthivIdevI and the Deities of the other
coverings had, implored me to stay there for some time and enjoy the
pleasures available there.
27. Then she affectionately said, "If you desire mukti, then you must
appease me because I guard the door to it."
28. "And if you desire bhakti to SrI ViSNu BhagavAn, then you please
accept me because I am His maidservant, sister, potency, and the giver
of bhakti."
29. I did not accept the gifts which SrI PrakRti-devI offered me, but
understanding her to be the potency of SrI ViSNu, I offered praNAma to
her and began wandering around to see that beautifully-coloured
covering.
30. I saw jIvas who possessed only subtle bodies enjoying immensely
beautiful material pleasures, which were superior in all ways to
those available in all other worlds and which were self-manifesting.
31. Those subtle pleasures are beyond the reach of the mind and words,
their opulences charm the heart, and they are the very origin and
cause of gross material pleasures.
32. After that, by the desire of BhagavAn, I crossed over that
dreadful, extensive darkness and then I saw an extremely bright mass
of light which made me partially close my eyes.
33. When I carefully and arduously fully extended my vision and looked
further ahead, I saw Paramezvara, whose effulgence was like that of
millions of suns.
34. He increases the divine bliss of the eyes and heart, He is all-
pervading, He is decorated with varieties of sweetnesses which
included all the symptoms of the Supreme Personality, and He is
manifest in the immensely wonderful form of parabrahma.
35. Even though being eternally situated above the modes of nature,
that infallible SrI BhagavAn possesses all virtues, and even though
formless, He still possesses a form which delights the hearts of all,
and although He enjoys as the presiding Deity of nature, He is none-
the-less separate from nature.
36. Being overwhelmed at that time by awe, fear, and ecstacy, I could
not discern what I was to do.
37. Although He is manifest only by His own wish, and He is beyond the
perception of the material senses, still, by the power of His mercy, I
was receiving His direct darzana.
38. I could not discern if I was seeing Him with my eyes, with my
mind, or surpassing the functions of both of them, with my very soul.
39. When one moment I saw Him as being formless, I remembered the
mercy of SrI JagannAtha, but when the next moment I again saw that
great effulgent form, I was overjoyed.
40. When sometimes I would begin to merge into that effulgence, by the
merciful touch of the brilliant nails of His lotus feet I would be
saved.
41. When sometimes I saw Him surrounded by perfected souls in subtle
bodies who were simultaneously different and non-different from Him,
just as the sun is surrounded on all sides by its own rays, I was
delighted.
42. In this way I became immersed in divine bliss and became like
those who are AtmArAma or AptakAma(who have no unfulfilled desire).
43. Considering with various types of logic, I concluded that this
place was the supreme destination and the pinnacle of all spiritual
fruits.
44. I was overwhelmed by the waves of the natural ecstasy of this
realm, and the idea that there was any place superior to it
disappeared from my mind.
45. But by the influence of the instructions of my mahA-bhAgavataSrI
Gurudeva and by the power of chanting my exalted mantra, my exclusive
craving of "When will I receive the darzana of my worshipable Lord?"
was never lost.
46. And by seeing that effulgent Supreme Personality for a long time,
the craving for the darzana of my own worshipable Lord increased even
more and special remembrance of Him arose inside me.
47. Then I was not as satisfied as before from receiving the direct
darzana of that presiding Deity of the realm of liberation, and the
inherent nature of that place made me fearful that I might sometime
merge into Him.
48. One day I was thinking, "Now I will go to Vraja-bhUmi and engage
in the sAdhana by which my desired fruit can be attained" and then
suddenly the sounds of wonderful music and singing became audible.
49. Hearing it, I became pleased and began looking in all directions.
Then I saw descending from an upper world an extraordinary personality
riding on a bull.
50. The beautiful complexion of his celestial, auspicious form was
like camphor and he had three eyes. He was naked, and his forehead was
adorned with a half-moon. He was holding a trident, his matted locks
were holding the water of the GangA, his limbs were covered in ash, and
he was wearing a beautiful garland of bones.
51. Wearing exquisite ornaments and garments, the goddess GaurI was
sitting in his lap and he was being served with splendid paraphernalia
by attendants who were similar to himself and whose forms and actions
were immensely enchanting.
52. Seeing this, I was elated and struck with wonder and I thought,
"Who is this, surrounded by his associates and splendidly situated
above mukti? "
53. "His opulences surpass those of this realm of liberation, and
though he is certainly a virtuous personality, he appears like a
great hedonist."
54. Overjoyed upon receiving his darzana, I offered praNAma to him and
his associates and then he mercifully glanced at me.
55. Next I joyfully approached the leader of his associates who was
named SrI NandIzvara, and inquired from him about this great
personality.
56. He laughed and said, "O cowherd boy who only worships SrI GopAla,
you don't know that this is JagadIzvara SrI Siva MahArAja?"
57. "He is the giver of both material pleasure and liberation, and he
increases bhagavadbhakti. He is worshipable to even the liberated
souls and he is dear to the VaiSNavas."
58-59. "Being overpowered by the bhakti of his friend Kuvera, he has
come from his own abode of Sivaloka, which is perfectly suitable for
him and which is attained by those who perform bhakti knowing there to
be no difference between SrI Siva and SrI KRSNa, and accompanied by
his beloved SrI PArvatI and his other principal associates, he is now
going to adorn KailAza Mountain with his presence."
60. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Hearing this, I was overjoyed and I desired
to attain some special mercy from the very heart of that Mahezvara.
61-62. Knowing this, SrI Siva gave an indication with his eyes to the
exalted NandIzvara who then gave me pure instructions by which I
easily understood that SrI Siva is non-different from and increases
one's prema for my own worshipable Deity, SrI MadanagopAla.
63. Then I cheerfully joined his associates, who all delighted me.
Then SrI NandIzvara began describing SrI Siva's extraordinary virtues,
saying:
64. "In his one manifest form SrI Siva always resides in his own abode
above this Muktiloka where his exclusive, beloved devotees always
receive his darzana."
65. "SrI Siva always delights his devotees by exhibitions of dancing
and singing in his devotion for SrI BhagavAn, from whom he is non-
different."
66. "Although he is JagadIzvara himself, as if he were a servant he
lovingly worships the thousand-hooded SrI SeSa."
67. Hey brAhmaNa! Although I was pleased to hear that Sivaloka was
superior to all other worlds, still I felt some dissatisfaction in my
heart.
68-69. Previously I could not discern the cause of my own despondency,
but then, by the mercy of my gurudevaand the power of chanting my
mantra, I quickly understood that I was suffering because I was not
directly experiencing the glories and pastimes of the lotus feet of SrI
MadanagopAla.
70. Then I told my mind that it is this same SrI Siva who assumes the
special form of SrI KRSNa and performs such wonderful, variegated
pastimes.
71-72. Seeing that my mind was not satisfied with this, I said, "Hey
mind! Although with SrI Siva you cannot experience that kind of
pastime sweetnesses, still, by his mercy, all of your long-cherished
desires will soon be completely fulfilled."
73. In this way I satisfied my own mind. For some reason SrI Siva
stopped there, and therefore I was able to happily remain with him
for some time.
74. Then, from a distance, the extremely sweet sound of some mahAtmAs
singing and playing music became audible.
75. Hearing this, SrI Siva was plunged into an ocean of bliss, and
with symptoms of ecstatic love appearing on his body, he began to
dance.
76. Then SrI PArvatI, who is the topmost of chaste women, along with
SrI NandIzvara and others encouraged their master by singing and
playing music.
77. Then I saw those mahAtmAs who had come. They had four-armed forms,
and their youthfulness was adorned by their beauty and sweetness.
78. The brilliance of their limbs, which were adorned with exquisite
garments and ornaments, obscured the bodily lustre of SrI Siva's
associates. Singing the great fame of their Lord, SrI BhagavAn, they
were immersed in blissful rasa.
79. Their forms cannot be described in words, their garments and
ornaments enchant the mind, and they were accompanied by the four
KumAras, who I had seen previously in Tapaloka.
80. By the natural influence of their darzana, my mind was attracted
and delighted. At that time I did not consider anything within or
without dear to me besides the sight of them.
81. When after some time I regained my composure, being fearful and
bashful I began to think, "I am not qualified to even desire within my
heart to serve them, because their service would be very difficult for
me to attain."
82. Then this craving began tormenting wretched me: "By the mercy of
SrI Siva, will they speak to me even once?"
83. "From where have they come? Who are they? Will they gratify me
with a merciful glance?" What wonder is it that I was thinking like
this? Even SrI Siva, upon embracing them, fainted in prema.
84. After this SrI PArvatI, who is the faithful follower of SrI Siva's
very heart, understood my mind and told SrI GaNeza to speak to me
softly (so the other associates of Siva could not hear).
85. SrI GaNeza said: "They are eternal associates of BhagavAn SrI
KRSNa, the master of VaikuNTha. They have attained sArUpya-mukti
(possessing the same form as the Lord), and they have come from
VaikuNTha."
86-87. "Look! Some of them are going to the tiny universe of four-
headed BrahmA, others are quickly going to the universe of eight-
headed BrahmA, which is twice its size, and others are going to the
universe of sixteen-headed BrahmA, which is twice as big again."
88-89. "In this way there are BrahmAs who possess millions of heads
and suitably large universes, and being adorned with the appropriate
garments, ornaments, and opulences, these eternal associates of the
Lord are proceeding towards those universes by their own volition." In
this way SrI GaNeza showed me numerous eternal associates, who
enchanted my eyes and heart.
90-91. Then SrI GaNeza continued: "To protect from fear those who, at
the time of dying, even once have the dim reflection of SrI BhagavAn's
name upon either their tongue or entering their ears and to bestow
refulgent bhakti upon them, these eternal associates wander everywhere
by their own volition because bhakti is their singular dearmost
object."
92. "These four naiSTika-brahmacArIs(the KumAras) are BhagavAn's
incarnations as devotees. For the welfare of all the worlds, like
those eternal associates they too always wander about."
93. "Because the Master of Tapaloka, SrImAn NArAyaNa, doesn't always
reside there, the residents there become like orphans. So these four
brothers reside in Tapaloka to bring them happiness."
94. "They have just returned from VaikuNTha where they received
darzana of that BhagavAn, who attracts everyone towards Himself by the
power of His personal qualities. By His audience they have become
completely blissful and now consider even the happiness of impersonal
liberation to be a mockery."
95. "Having drunk the great rasa of bhakti to SrI BhagavAn in the
company of the devotees there, they have now come here."
96. "How can I eulogise that VaikuNTha-loka, which possesses the
eternal, limitless supreme happiness and the appropriate pinnacle of
opulence, which is decorated with the various lIlAsthalIsof the lotus
feet of SrI LakSmInAtha?"
97. "The exalted devotees easily attain that VaikuNTha by virtue of
their prema, but for those who desire liberation, due to their very
souls being contaminated with the deplorable desire to merge with the
Lord, it is very difficult to attain."
98. "When my father is thoroughly merciful to you, you will hear the
glories of VaikuNTha and also be able to go there and directly
experience them."

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Chapter Three-Worship

(continued)

99. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Hey brAhmaNa! Then an intense desire to go
to VaikuNTha-dhAma arose inside me, and I began dancing on the waves
of a shoreless ocean of anxiety.
100. Even after considerable deliberation, I concluded that I was not
qualified to go there. Anguished, I began crying and then fainted.
101. Then SrI Siva MahArAja, who is very merciful, who cannot tolerate
the sufferings of others, and who is universally dear to all
VaiSNavas, quickly lifted me up and comforted me, saying:
102. "Hey SrI VaiSNava! Just as you desire to reside in that VaikuNTha-
loka, in the same way PArvatI and myself also desire to always reside
there."
103. "That realm is very difficult to attain; even the liberated souls
pray for it. BrahmAjI, his sons headed by BhRgu, and even myself
aspire for admission there."
104. "Those who have firm faith in the selfless and pure performance
of their specific varNAzrama-dharma responsibilities attain the mercy
of SrI Hari."
105. "When one attains mercy which is one-hundred times superior to
that mercy, he attains the post of BrahmA, and when one attains mercy
which is one-hundred times superior to that, he attains my post."
106. "And only when SrI BhagavAn bestows mercy which is one-hundred
times greater than that upon someone do they attain VaikuNTha."
107. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! Certainly you are qualified to go to VaikuNTha,
because you are the son of a Govardhana gopa, a devotee of SrI KRSNa,
a disciple of a brAhmaNa who is a beloved devotee of SrI KRSNa, and
you are devoted to your GopAla-mantra."
108-109. "Of the four types of mukti, this is the place of sAyujya-
mukti, impersonal liberation. This place is attained by those
sannyAsIs who are absorbed in monism, whose hearts have become
withered by the flames of the fire of the great misery of the material
world, and who, not competent to discern what is valuable and what is
worthless, only accept what is worthless."
110. "For them, SrI KRSNa ordered me to conceal the path of prema-
bhakti to His lotus feet and thereby cast them into the ocean of
delusion."
111. "Those who are rasika, who are expert in relishing the divine
bliss of bhagavad-bhajana, reject this impersonal liberation.
Understanding it to be an impediment to your real welfare, you should
also reject it."
112. "You know that a brAhmaNa resident of DvArakA, who desired only
the rasa of kRSNa bhakti, with special cleverness retrieved his sons
from this world."
113. "Even here you received darzana of SrI BhagavAn, and that is the
fruit of your exalted guru's mercy upon you and your own fervent
desire to receive His darzana."
114. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Obtaining the mercy of SrI Siva MahArAja, I
was overjoyed. Hey brAhmaNa! I wanted to inquire from him further, but
due to bashfulness I could not.
115. Hearing the words of SrI MahAdeva, those eternal associates of
SrI BhagavAn respectfully offered praNAma to him and with great
humility said:
116. "Hey BhagavAn MahAdeva! You are non-different from SrI
VaikuNThanAtha and SrI PArvatI is non-different from SrI LakSmI."
117. "You and your goddess SrI PArvatI are qualified to reside there,
because you are renowned as the most intimate friend of SrI
VaikuNThanAtha and are His most exalted incarnation."
118. "Describing yourself as a fallen soul as you just did is natural
for such an immensely beloved devotee of SrI BhagavAn."
119. "Because you taste bhakti-rasa, your glories are superior to
those of all other incarnations and the VaiSNavas eulogise you."
120. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Ashamed to hear himself praised, SrI Siva
MahArAja became silent. Then those exalted, amicable eternal
associates of SrI BhagavAn embraced me and said:
121. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! You worship the exalted mantra of our Master
and you are very dear to SrI Siva, therefore we count you among the
devotees."
122. "Having taken birth in Bengal on the banks of the GangA and being
a resident of SrI MathurA, the incarnation of SrI KRSNa named Jayanta
has become your exalted guru."
123. "Understand one thing-you are the cause of us coming here. Now
please hear what you should do for your own welfare: if you desire
entrance into VaikuNTha, then renounce everything and perform nine-
fold bhakti."
124. "To know this nine-fold bhakti, always hear the descriptions of
SrI BhagavAn's pastimes which are narrated in the SrImad-BhAgavatam
and other scriptures. When you lovingly hear these descriptions, they
will quickly propel you to His realm."
125. "Performance of any one of the limbs of this nine-fold bhakti
will bestow the supreme result, entrance into SrI VaikuNTha."
126. "You may have heard the greatness of the other human pursuits,
but upon deliberation of their results, they become insignificant and
are disregarded by great souls."
127. "Although the performance of even one limb of nine-fold bhakti
bestows entrance into VaikuNTha, still rasika devotees, to taste the
wonderful varieties of sweetnesses of bhakti-rasa, perform all nine."
128. "By the faithful execution of devotional practices, prema for the
lotus feet of SrI KRSNa automatically manifests."
129. "That prema cures the disease of the heart, which is the various
material desires which prevent one's entrance into VaikuNTha."
130. "Wherever this kind of bhakti is performed becomes VaikuNTha
because there SrI BhagavAn is present."
131. "But still, in these places where bhakti is performed, one cannot
always obtain the direct darzana of BhagavAn. Therefore, the devotees
always crave entrance into VaikuNTha."
132. "Besides VaikuNTha there is no other place where all varieties of
bhakti are resolutely performed without impediments (presented by
material time or other material limitations) by countless devotees
(all possessing forms of saccidAnanda)."
133. "Do not think that bhakti is an activity of the material senses
or mind; it is beyond the modes of material nature and spiritually,
eternally blissful."
134. "By the mercy of SrI KRSNa, that bhakti is illuminated within
pure souls who are transcendental to the modes of nature and who are
saccidAnanda."
135. "By accurate discrimination, a jIva becomes pure and is
transferred to SrI Hari's abode of VaikuNTha, where he is delighted by
the various ecstasies of the various devotional activities such as
zravaNaand kIrtana."
136. "The activities of bhakti are not merely actions of the material
senses; bhakti is fully transcendental and grants one entrance into
VaikuNTha."
137. "Even if someone who is indifferent to bhagavad-bhakti becomes
purified by some other means, how can he possibly enter VaikuNTha? He
may attain impersonal liberation, but not residence in VaikuNTha."
138. "Only those who are limited to external vision consider the
activities of bhagavad-bhaktito be the same as karma. In some places
bhakti has been referred to as karma, but bhakti is transcendental and
karmais material."
139. "Perfected devotees who reside in VaikuNTha or any other place
possess bodies, minds, and senses which are saccidAnanda and perfectly
suitable for relishing bhakti."
140. "We eternal residents of VaikuNTha, who are untouched by the
material energy and who perpetually taste the varieties of bhakti, are
evidence of this."
141. "Although bhakti is not a manifestation of the activities of the
material senses, to increase the new devotees' inclination towards
devotion, it appears as if it is."
142. "The mahAtmAs who are fixed in devotion do not consider bhakti to
be subservient to them; rather, they understand it to be the very
embodiment of BhagavAn's mercy."
143. "If you desire to quickly receive darzana of SrI VaikuNTha, then
immediately proceed to the exalted Vraja-bhUmi because it is the
fulfiller of all types of desires."
144. "To attain the lotus feet of SrI BhagavAn, exclusively perform
pure bhakti, which consists mainly of nAma-sankIrtana."
145. "Then you will quickly attain that kind of prema-bhakti by which
you will be able to enter VaikuNTha and happily receive darzana of SrI
KRSNa."
146. "Some consider the most confidential, topmost method for
attaining prema not to be kIrtana, but rather smaraNa. Their argument
is that because kIrtana is performed only with the material tongue and
with very little effort bestows spiritual happiness, how could it be th
e best?"
147. "They contend that smaraNa-bhakti is the best because only after
extensive efforts does the mind, which is the strongest, most
restless, and the king of all the senses, become subjugated and
purified."
148. "But because it engages the voice, ears, and mind, and because it
attracts others as it does oneself, we consider that kIrtana is better
than trying to remember the Lord with the fickle mind."
149. "It is the opinion of those who are attached to meditation that
the voice is the conductor of all the external and internal senses,
so if it becomes controlled, one becomes steadfast and can
proficiently remember the lotus feet of SrI BhagavAn; therefore the
fruit of kIrtana is smaraNa. They say that the special internal
realisation of BhagavAn is called dhyAna(meditation), and to have
actually established one's relationship with Him within the mind is
called smaraNa."
151. "If by the power of his meditation one can experience all the
devotional activities such as kIrtana, zravaNa, and taking darzana of
the Lord within the mind, then that is superior to performing these
activities with the outer senses."
152. "For a rasika devotee, the particular sAdhana which he thoroughly
adores and from which he achieves complete happiness is the best for
him, and that is what he should follow. It is the opinion of the
exalted mahAtmAs that for him that is also the ultimate goal ( sAdhya)
"
153. "From kIrtana the happiness of dhyAnaincreases, and from
dhyAnathe happiness of the sweetnesses of kIrtana increases. They
increase one another, therefore we see that they are one and the
same."
154. " DhyAnabestows happiness upon one in the same way as kIrtana
does, because for those who are extremely attached to a particular
object, when they experience that thing or anything related to it in
their meditation, they become peaceful."
155. "It is like when a man suffering from fever satisfies his intense
thirst and becomes happy by merely mentally drinking cool, nectarean
water."
156. "They say that although by performing kIrtana of one's beloved
object one can also attain happiness in the same way as he can from
meditation on it, the great souls sometimes feel shy to perform
kIrtana of or to glorify their beloved object even in a solitary
place."
157. "But dhyAnacan only be accomplished when alone in a solitary
place, whereas sankIrtana can be accomplished when in the company of
many others as well as when alone in a solitary place."
158. "And of the many types of SrI KRSNa kIrtana, the kIrtana of His
name is primary. Because it is capable of bestowing the great wealth
of pure love for Him very quickly, it is considered the best."
159. "The happiness that the tongue tastes while one chants SrI
KRSNa's nectarean name with heartfelt love is incomparable-who can
describe its glories?"
160. "Although all of BhagavAn's names are equally glorious, by the
nAma-sankIrtana of one's favourite Deity all cherished desires are
quickly fulfilled and one becomes joyful."
161. "Due to the existence of various tastes, there are those who have
loving attachment for only one name of BhagavAn, but they also
gradually find all of His names tasteful."
162. "Manifesting in the sense of speech, the nectar of His names
inundates all the other senses with their sweetness."
163. "His names appear primarily on the tongue, and they delight both
the chanter and anyone who hears them. Therefore, nAma-sankIrtana is
superior to dhyAna."
164. "It is said that nAma-sankIrtana is the best and most powerful
method for attaining the treasure of kRSNa-prema, because like the
most supremely magnetic mantra it pulls SrI KRSNa towards a sAdhaka."
165. "Therefore, those who are rasika consider that sankIrtana is the
fruit of bhakti. It is always effectual in bestowing the treasure of
bhagavat-prema."
166. "Some rasika devotees say that zrI-nAma-sankIrtana is the very
embodiment of kRSNaprema because when one lovingly sings the name of
His favourite Deity, prema automatically arises."
167. "Just as the cAtakabird laments upon not seeing a raincloud or as
cakavIbirds lament at night when separated from their husbands,
devotees perpetually sing nAma-sankIrtana."
168. "BhagavAn is an ocean of variegated lIla-rasa, and only by His
variegated mercy are the varieties of sankIrtana sweetnesses procured;
they cannot be achieved merely by one's own effort."
169. "According to their own desire, the previous sins of staunch
devotees are destroyed, but those who don't worship BhagavAn must
suffer the consequences of their actions."
170. "But to conceal the great treasure of bhakti, the mahAtmAs who
devoutly perform nAmasankIrtana sometimes exhibit faults or that they
are suffering in some way."
171. "Although merely by performance of nAma-sankIrtana all of a
devotee's suffering and faults are destroyed, still some mahAtmAs, who
are merciful just as SrI BhagavAn Himself is, accept suffering or
exhibit flaws just to instruct ordinary people about proper conduct."
172. "For example, Bharata MahArAja, even though he possessed a
thoroughly pure heart, showed the fault of detrimental association,
YudhiSThira MahArAja, being the embodiment of dharma, showed the fault
of gambling, and the sinless NRga MahArAja showed the fault of stealing
from a brAhmaNa, all just to give instruction to ordinary people."
173. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! By the power of this conception, your bhakti
will surmount the greatest of obstacles. We will also help you in all
circumstances."
174. "SrI KRSNa must be very merciful to you, because even upon
hearing the words of SrI PippalAyana and the other YogIndras who
reside in Tapaloka, your desire to receive the direct darzana of SrI
KRSNa was not stifled."
175. "Although it is true what PippalAyana and the others told you,
that because BhagavAn's form is saccidAnanda, senses that are also
saccidAnanda are required to perceive it, by the potency of His mercy
His form can also be seen by material senses."
176. "Although some hold the opinion that BhagavAn is seen by the eyes
of transcendental knowledge, when we see Him with these very eyes we
feel great happiness and consider it our glory that by the power of
His mercy we see that transcendental Lord with our eyes."
177. "SrI BhagavAn can be seen by the power of His mercy or by the
power of bhakti. Therefore, even with the limited material eyes He can
always be seen, just as He is in the mind by those proficient in
meditation."
178. "If SrI BhagavAn's mercy is not present, then even with the mind
He cannot be seen in any way because He manifests of His own volition
and is the controller of all. He is the embodiment of spiritual
pleasure, so whichever method you worship Him in will bestow complete
happiness."
179. "Even after directly seeing SrI BhagavAn with the eyes, varieties
of His mercy are experienced. Receiving His darzana is the ultimate
fruit of zravaNa and all other devotional practices, and the bliss it
bestows is superior to that experienced even in samAdhi."
180. "The ultimate fruit of all sAdhanasis the direct darzana of
BhagavAn, and by the power of that darzana, mAyAis destroyed at the
root and prema increases."
181. "Although PrahlAda and others perpetually see Him within their
hearts, still they always desire to see Him with their eyes. The proof
of this is that after seeing SrI BhagavAn on the shore of the ocean,
PrahlAda's prema increased." (This instance is described in the Haribh
akti-sudhodAya).
182. "Some devotees close their eyes upon receiving the direct darzana
of SrI KRSNa, but this is not meditation-they close their eyes simply
because they are immersed in divine bliss. It is actually a symptom of
ecstatic love like trembling."
183. " DhyAnais only possible when SrI BhagavAn is not present before
one; it is not possible in His personal presence. But sankIrtana can
be performed in His absence as well as in His personal presence."
184. "SrI BhagavAn's name is even more dear than His divinely
auspicious form, because through it all the world is benefited. It can
be easily worshipped and there is no other object as equally saturated
with rasa as it is."
185. "Therefore, obeying the order of SrI Siva MahArAja, quickly go to
SrI MathurApurI, which is very dear to SrI KRSNa and to which even we
offer praNAma."
186. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Hearing these nectarean instructions-which
delight the ears and heart-from those eternal residents of VaikuNTha,
I was overjoyed. I offered praNAma to them as well as to SrI Siva
accompanied by SrI PArvatI, and at once I arrived here in this Vraja-
bhUmi. How I came here is a mystery to me.

Agrahya das

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Mar 10, 1998, 3:00:00 AM3/10/98

Chapter Four-VaikuNTha

1. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Hey brAhmaNa! When I came to this VRndAvana
and began wandering here and there alone, I saw that the splendour of
this land was beyond anything that I had ever seen within the entire
brahmANDa. Then I began residing in this forest, and this land
enchanted me so much that I forgot going to VaikuNTha and other worlds
as well as everything which I had experienced there.
2. Playfully wandering in this way, I arrived in MathurApurI, where I
heard the SrImadBhAgavatam and other scriptures from the brAhmaNasther
e.
3. After they taught me well the methods of nine-fold bhakti, I came
to this very forest where I suddenly saw my exalted guru.
4. His appearance was splendid as before, and I offered praNAma to he
who knows everything. Then he joyfully embraced me, blessed me, and
was very merciful to me.
5. By the influence of that mercy I realised deeper than deep truths
of bhakti, and following his directions I began practicing the limbs
of bhakti-yoga.
6. Soon I became overcome with prema and completely helpless. At that
time I could do nothing besides sing zrI-kRSNa-kIrtana.
7. I could only repeat His names in this way: "SrI KRSNa! GopAla!
Hare! Mukunda! Hey Govinda! Hey Nandakizora! Hey KRSNa! Hey SrI YazodA-
tanaya! Hey SrI BallavI-jIva na! Hey RAdhikeza! Be merciful to me!"
8. Calling out these names time and again, sometimes I danced,
sometimes I cried, and sometimes I wandered like a madman, completely
forgetting my bodily existence.
9. Then one day I received direct darzana of the Lord of my life, SrI
KRSNa. I ran to grasp Him, but overcome with prema I fainted and fell
to the ground.
10. At that time some eternal residents of VaikuNTha appeared there,
and to take me to VaikuNTha, had me board their airplane. When I fully
regained consciousness, I began looking here and there and was
completely astonished.
11. Everything appeared different to me, but when after some time I
had regained my composure, I saw before me the same benevolent
eternal residents of VaikuNTha which I had seen previously in
Muktiloka.
12. The splendour and complexion of their bodies put to shame the
radiance of SrI SUrya, and they were aboard a fitting, beautiful
airplane.
13. As I reverentially offered praNAma to them, they embraced me and
comforted me in many ways. They gave me hundreds of reasons why I
should desire to accept a four-armed form like theirs.
14. I did not accept such a form, but by their influence, spiritual
qualities similar to theirs manifested in my own form as a resident of
Govardhana.
15. Then I saw that we were travelling upon a supremely blissful,
extraordinary, and inconceivable path to VaikuNTha.
16. As we crossed the fourteen planetary systems such as Svarga and
the eight material coverings, casting my vision towards them I felt
ashamed (because of knowing that they were all temporary and full of
misery).
17. As we passed by, the kings of each and every planet lifted up
their heads and offered pUjA to me by holding handfuls of flowers and
rice to their foreheads and then showering them upon me.
18. They offered praNAma to me and praised me by chanting "Jaya! Jaya!
" time and again. Passing all the worlds as we travelled along that
path, I also saw with disdain insignificant mukti, and going above it
I arrived at SrI Sivaloka.
19. With great jubilation I offered praNAma to SrI Siva, who was
accompanied by SrI PArvatI, and he delighted me with words of respect
and love. After that I went to VaikuNTha, which possesses varieties of
glories which are beyond the reach of the mind and words.
20. Then those eternal residents of VaikuNTha said to me, "You please
wait here at the entrance for a moment while we procure from your
master the permission for you to enter."
21. "Remain here, and with the eyes invigorated by the brilliance of
bhagavad-bhakti, please behold the marvellous glories of VaikuNTha and
witness the waves of the ocean of astonishing wonders never seen or
heard of before."
22. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: After they entered and I was remaining
outside the gate, I saw someone come from another place and enter the
city.
23. He was seated upon a magnificent airplane, his opulences were
superior to those of hundreds of brahmANDas, he was joyfully singing
and his complexion and age were similar to those of the Lord.
24. Mistaking him for SrI BhagavAn, I offered praNAma to him while
saying time and again, "Hey NAtha! Please protect me!" He covered his
ears and indicated that I should stop speaking in that way.
25. Then he said, "I am not even His servant, but merely the servant
of His servants," and went inside. After that another person, who was
even more glorious and splendorous than him, came there.
26. Seeing him, I thought that he was certainly JagadIzvara Himself,
who according to His desire must have gone to another place and was
now returning to His own city.
27. When I reverentially praised him while offering praNAma as I had
before, he affectionately spoke to me in the same way as the previous
person had and also entered the city.
28. In the same way I received darzana of many people as they entered
the city, some alone, some in couples, some in large groups, and their
opulences and splendour were always more than the ones who had
preceded them.
29. Upon seeing them, as before I was plunged into the ocean of
reverence and began offering them praNAma and praising them, but with
the nectar of affectionate words they stopped me from speaking in that
way.
30. Some were carrying articles for the Lord's service, such as
parasols and cAmaras, and others, being maddened by the nectar of
bhakti, were quickly proceeding in.
31. As their hearts and senses were intent on their specific services,
they revelled in the variegated blissfulness of service.
32. Their limbs decorated the very ornaments which they were wearing,
and they were all perfectly qualified to serve their master. Engaged
in the Lord's service, they were offering Him praNAma and singing
varieties of songs.
33. Their majestic demeanours were amplifying their various opulences,
and they were exceedingly eager to have darzana of the lotus feet of
SrI LakSmInAtha BhagavAn.
34. Some were accompanied by their family members, and others were
carrying parasols and cAmaras and other paraphernalia. Others left
both their family members and paraphernalia outside and proceeded in.
35. Some merged their family members and paraphernalia into themselves
and becoming absorbed in meditation like solitary, destitute sages,
they entered.
36. Others time and again assumed various attractive forms which were
adorned with various ornaments and very enchanting.
37. Some assumed the forms of humans, and others assumed the forms of
monkeys, demigods, demons, and sages. Others bore the tilakamarkings
of one initiated into varNAzrama.
38. Some were like Indra, Candra, and other demigods. Some had three
eyes, some four heads, some four arms, some eight arms, and some had
thousands of faces.
39. In due course I will tell you the cause of their variegated
natures and appearances. All those who are tasting the rasa of kRSNa-
bhakti possess all beauty.
40-41. Because all of the residents of VaikuNTha are beyond this
material world composed of five elements, their infinite glories as
well as those of SrI VaikuNThanAtha and VaikuNTha itself cannot be
described with examples drawn from this world.
42-43. Hey brAhmaNa! But because you are residing within this material
world and because you can only perceive and envisage material
ingredients, I have utilised examples from this world to make you
understand. If I have committed any offence in doing so, I pray that
SrI Hari will forgive me.
44. Although there appears to be gradation amongst the residents
there, the glories of all of them are equal, and none of them are
discordant.
45. There is no envy or other faults to be found in any of them;
instead they possess thousands of genuine, natural and eternal
virtues.
46. Although by external vision the residents of VaikuNTha may appear
to be similar to materialists eager for mundane pleasure, their lotus
feet are worshipped by liberated souls.
47. Although they have transcended material forms, still, by their own
desire, they assume various forms suitable for their master's
pastimes.
48. And although in tattva they are all one, they appear in different
forms. And in the same way, that very place and all of its airplanes
and other paraphernalia are variegated.
49. Sometimes everything there seems to be made of gold and jewels,
and sometimes everything seems to be composed of solidified
moonlight.
50. The tattva there can be comprehended only by the mercy of SrI
VaikuNThanAtha. There is no other method, because the material mind
does not possess the capacity to grasp it.
51-52. Without personal experience of it, no one can understand it.
Only this much can be said, that immediately upon receiving darzana of
VaikuNTha or anything related to VaikuNTha, the happiness of
impersonal liberation is rendered insignificant, as if by its own volit
ion it vanishes out of shame.
53-54. When by the association of VaiSNavas they come to know what is
really valuable and what is worthless, even those who are AtmArAma,
who are devoid of all desires and who have personally experienced the
happiness of impersonal liberation, renounce the happiness of the Brahm
an and enter the path of bhakti. Having gone to VaikuNTha myself, I
have seen the reason for this very clearly.
55. As I was having darzana of the residents of VaikuNTha as they were
coming and going, I thought to myself, "If these servants are so
splendid, then what kind of opulence must their master possess?"
56. I was so elated that I would sometimes sit and sometimes stand up
again. Then those devotees who had left me at the entrance returned
and led me inside the city.
57. There I saw more wonderful than wonderful splendour which, what to
speak of me, even if SrI SeSa with His thousands of mouths described
for the entire length BrahmA's lifetime, could not reach its end.
58. Each gate of that VaikuNTha was supervised by a gatekeeper similar
in appearance to those residents who were leading me inside. Each one
would lead me to the next gate, where after securing permission from
his master, the next gatekeeper would allow me to enter.
59-60. As I passed through one gate and arrived at the next, I offered
praNAma to the supervisor of the gatekeepers, thinking, "This must
certainly be JagadIzvara!" As before, with great reverence I time and
again offered praNAma and praised him.
61. Then those kind-hearted devotees who were leading me inside
described to me the Lord's uncommon symptoms (such as the mark of
SrIvatsa) and taught me how to glorify Him.
62. Passing through various wonderful gates in this way, we soon
arrived in the inner chambers where there was one special palace
surrounded by several other palaces.
63. No one can describe the many glories of that central palace. Its
radiance was like that of millions of suns and moons, and its beauty

enchants the eyes and heart.

64. In the centre of that palace was a beautiful golden siMhAsana
which was studded with varieties of the best jewels. Spread over that
siMhAsanawas a beautiful swan cushion with a soft, white pillow on it
which put to shame the brilliance of the full moon.
65. There I saw the eternally youthful SrI VaikuNThanAtha BhagavAn,
joyfully reclining with His left elbow resting upon the pillow.
66. The beauty and sweetness of His limbs eclipsed the lustre of fresh
clouds. He was wearing varieties of golden ornaments which were
studded with jewels and which enhanced His exquisite garments,
garlands, and candana.
67. His strong and broad four arms were adorned with bracelets and
amulets, He was attired in two yellow silk garments, and He was
wearing beautiful earrings, the shadows of which dangled upon His
cheeks.
68. His broad chest was radiant with the kaustubha gem, and around His
conchshell-like neck was a necklace of pearls. His gentle smile made
it seem as if nectar was oozing from the moon of His face, and His
eyes were like blossoming lotuses.
69. It was as if His eyebrows, for the purpose of bestowing mercy upon
His devotees, were dancing. To His left side was the becoming SrI
LakSmI, who in a marvellous fashion was giving Him betel nuts which
He was joyfully accepting.
70. His chewing of betel was enhancing the natural lustre of His lips,
and when that lustre combined with the radiance of His jasmine-bud-
like rows of teeth, it increased the splendour of His smile. His
joking words were enchanting His devotees' hearts and minds.
71. SrI BhUdevI, holding a cuspidor in her lotus hand, repeatedly
worshipped Him with her loving side-long glances. The personifications
of the sudarzana-cakraand other weapons, all carrying their own
particular insignia on their foreheads, were serving Him.
72. His servants' forms were similar to His own, and holding cAmaras,
fans, slippers, and other suitable paraphernalia, they were
ceremoniously surrounding Him and serving Him with great respect.
73. With humble devotion, SeSa, GaruDa, SrI VizvakSena and other
principal servants were holding their folded palms to their heads and
offering Him various types of prayers.
74. Before Him SrI NAradajI was wonderfully dancing, singing, and
playing his vINA, and seeing this, the Lord's two beloved queens, SrI
LakSmI and SrI BhUdevI, sometimes laughed very loudly.
75. Sometimes that SrI VaikuNThanAtha, to bestow special blissfulness
upon His devotees whose hearts were enraptured in Him only, extended
His lotus feet for them to serve, thereby amplifying the happiness and
splendour of the entire scene.
76. Receiving darzana of SrI BhagavAn in this way, I was so elated
that I completely forgot all of the instructions which my companions
had given me. Overcome with prema, I called out, "Hey GopAla! O my
very life!" and ran towards Him to embrace Him.
77. Then my companions withheld me from behind. In great helplessness
I began piteously lamenting, and being completely overwhelmed in
prema, I fainted before Him.
78. Then my companions forcibly lifted me up and after some time,
brought me back to consciousness. I wiped away my tears, the very
embodiment of an obstacle to receiving the Lord's darzana, and
tentatively opened my eyes.
79. Then the crown-jewel of the kind-hearted, SrI BhagavAn, in His
deep, soft voice affectionately said, "My child! Compose yourself,
and quickly come to Me."
80. When I heard my master speak in this way, I attained the zenith of
divine bliss and time and again danced like a madman. Then with great
effort my companions made me calm down.
81. SrI BhagavAn said: "My child! Welcome! Welcome! All auspiciousness
to you! For a very long time I have been anxious to see you, and
fortunately today we are finally meeting."
82. "Hey Sakhe (dear friend)! You have passed through many lives, but
never in any birth did you come to Me."
83. "In each of your successive births I kept hoping that you would
finally come to Me, and this hope even made Me dance like a fool."
84. "O friend, I could not find any pretext whatsoever by which I
could bring You to Me and still honour the standards of religion."
85-86. "When I realised that you may never come to Me, being eager to
bestow mercy upon you, I transgressed the perennial ethics of karma and
arranged for you to take birth in this life at Govardhana, which is
very dear to Me. Then for you only I descended in the form of your guru
named Jayanta."
87. "Today you have fulfilled my long-cherished desire. Therefore, you
will permanently reside here, experiencing happiness yourself and also
giving Me happiness."
88. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Drinking the sweet nectar of these words of
SrI BhagavAn, I became maddened and was unable to offer any prayers or
to know what my immediate duty was.
89. Then I saw some cowherd boys who were decorated in the same forest
dress as I was come before BhagavAn playing their flutes. They
lovingly took me into their party and comforting and encouraging me in
different ways, had me also begin playing my flute.
90. Hey brAhmaNa! When I played my flute, which was born at Govardhana
and is very dear to me, the ocean of mercy and crown-jewel of skilful
artists, SrI MAdhava, and His associates headed by SrI LakSmi, were
all very pleased.
91. Knowing it to be time for SrI BhagavAn to take His meal, all of
His associates left. I had no desire to leave, but still, on the order
of LakSmI, they persuaded me and led me out.

(continued)

Agrahya das

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Mar 10, 1998, 3:00:00 AM3/10/98

Chapter Four-VaikuNTha

(continued)

92. Whenever the immense opulences of VaikuNTha were offered to me, I
shunned them. Keeping my own opulences (which had been automatically
attained upon entering VaikuNTha) hidden, I retained my nature as a
common cowherd boy and began living there.
93. All of the opulences there are saccidAnanda and possess their own
free volition, and therefore they would manifest according to their
will.
94. Therefore, even when opulence is unmanifest there it is none-the-
less automatically manifested, and when opulence is manifested there,
indigence can also be simultaneously present-this is the extraordinary
nature of VaikuNTha.
95. So therefore, by dint of my previous practice, I humbly remained
there, considering myself happy in worshipping SrI BhagavAn.
96. At that time, in my heart I concluded that by the Lord's mercy I
had received the ultimate result of all of my births' actions.
97. Aho! How wonderful! Such a rare kind of happiness, such a
remarkable place, such a splendid master, and such astounding mercy!
98. Then, by His mercy I attained the service of fanning Him with a
cAmara. Playing my flute, I felt great pleasure from receiving His
darzana.
99. According to my previous tendencies, I time and again very loudly
called out "Hey KRSNa! Hey GopAla! "
100. Before Him I sang many exquisite compositions describing His
glorious pastimes in Gokula.
101. Then some residents of that place took me outside. Laughing, and
with their hearts melted in affection, they began instructing me.
102. The residents of VaikuNTha said: "Our master is the Izvara of
Izvaras. Don't call out to Him in this way and don't sing in this way.
Sing elegant compositions describing His real, limitless glories."
103. "Only to destroy the demons, protect the sAdhus, and kill KaMsa
did He assume the form of a cowherd boy through the medium of His
internal potency."
104. "Devotees do not consider the pastimes which He performed in the
material world to be the best. Glorifying these pastimes may be
beneficial when one first takes up the path of bhakti, but after
coming here to VaikuNTha, it is not correct. Therefore, you should not
sing His names which are related to those pastimes."
105. Then some other residents of VaikuNTha said, "No one can
comprehend BhagavAn's mysterious pastimes. Accepting the dress of a
cowherd boy is just one variety of His pastimes, and therefore, in our
opinion, there is no fault in this type of kIrtana."
106-107. Then some of the senior residents there became angry, and
rebuking them all, said, "Hey! Why are you all speaking like fools?
Being overpowered by His special affection for His devotees, SrI KRSNa
performed so many pastimes. Singing sankIrtana of them is highly virtu
ous and pleasing to SrI BhagavAn."
108. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: At first I was ashamed, but upon hearing
these words I felt some satisfaction. Still, my heart was not
completely peaceful.
109. Because I could not receive darzana of the form and pastimes of
my worshipable Deity, SrI MadanagopAla, I became dispirited.
110. Then at that very moment I saw the crown-jewel of the all-
knowing, SrI VaikuNThanAtha BhagavAn, in the form of SrI Nanda-
nandana, SrI LakSmI in the form of SrImatI RAdhikA, SrI BhUdevI in the
form of CandrAvalI, and all the eternal associates there as cowherd
boys.
111. But when I could not see SrI MadanagopAla enjoying pastimes with
His eternal associates of Vraja, I felt depressed.
112. Sometimes I would see SrI VaikuNThanAtha enjoying pastimes with
cows in the gardens of VaikuNTha, and sometimes I would see Him as I
did before, as SrI KRSNa sitting majestically on His siMhAsana.
113. Still I was always aware of His opulences, and I also remembered
that I had come to VaikuNTha. Therefore, due to the presence of awe
and reverence, my prema was restricted and I did not feel satisfied at
heart.
114. In my meditation, I would embrace and kiss SrI GopAladeva and
receive His special mercy, but there my desire to attain such direct
mercy could not be fulfilled.
115. Sometimes SrI BhagavAn would take some of His intimate associates
and disappear somewhere, and then not seeing Him, all the residents
there would grieve.
116. I asked the residents about this secret, but they did not explain
it to me clearly and kept it concealed.
117. The next moment SrI BhagavAn reappeared there, and upon receiving
His darzana, everyone's grief was mitigated. As before everyone was
plunged into an ocean of divine jubilation.
118. The influence of that world eradicated the unhappiness brought
about by my inherent nature just as the rising sun destroys the
darkness.
119. Whenever my heart would feel unhappiness as before when I could
not attain a desired object, I realised the cause of that unhappiness
and the excellence of VaikuNTha would eradicate it.
120. I persuaded my mind in this way: "O mind! There is no benediction
greater than residence in VaikuNTha, and there is no greater place.
It is not proper for you to doubt thiswhat more could you possibly
desire?"
121. "Hey restless mind! Be reasonable and abandon this nature of
yours. Deliberate on the hundreds of reasons why and conclude that
there is no greater peacefulness than that which is found in this
VaikuNTha, and there is no greater place or any greater fruit to be
attained."
122. In this way I tried very hard to convince my mind. Then at that
very moment I saw how my own body was saccidAnanda, and I experienced
how serving SrI VaikuNThanAtha there in VaikuNTha is the most
wonderful, supreme happiness.
123. In this way, while residing in VaikuNTha, sometimes my heart was
troubled and sometimes it was pleased. Then one day I met SrI NArada
in a solitary place.
124. He is very dear to the crown-jewel of the kind-hearted, SrI
BhagavAn, and is always immersed in the ocean of bhakti-rasa. I was
elated upon receiving his blessing, and then he placed his lotus hand,
which holds the vINA, on my head and said:
125. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! SrI VaikuNThanAtha BhagavAn has been very
merciful to you, but still I see that your face is withered in sadness
and you seem to be worried about something. How can anyone be unhappy
here?"
126. "I have never seen this kind of sadness in anyone here; therefore
I am very astonished! Please tell me, what is the cause of your
unhappiness?"
127. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Hey brAhmaNa! Then to SrI NArada, who is my
supremely intimate friend and like my own guru, I revealed my heart.
128. Hearing it, he took a long breath. Then he looked around in all
directions, pulled me close to him, and said affectionately in a soft
voice:
129. "By your own reasoning you have concluded that there is no
greater place than VaikuNTha-this is undoubtedly correct."
130. "But just as you experience the variegated pastimes of your
worshipable Deity in your meditation, you also desire to directly
experience them here in VaikuNTha."
131. "Those pastimes of SrI BhagavAn bestow great happiness and
enchant the heart, but they can only be realised by special prema.
They are very confidential, and they are even very rare for we RSis.
Entrance into those pastimes can only be achieved by powerful prema lik
e that of the people of Vraja."
132. "Those pastimes only take place in one indescribable realm, which
is situated above all other worlds, and which always attracts the
minds of its devotees. By devotion to JagadIza in the mood of opulence
you have come here to VaikuNTha, therefore how can you see these pastim
es here?"
133. "Enacted here are SrI BhagavAn's pastimes in the highest limit of
opulence. How can those supremely confidential pastimes be manifest
here?"
134. "Therefore, abandon all types of your unhappiness and please see
SrI VaikuNThanAtha as non-different from your worshipable Deity; don't
think of them as two different personalities."
135. "Then even here you will be able to experience that great, ever
increasing blissfulness by which the innermost desires of your heart
will be fulfilled."
136. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: After this, my ears craved to hear more
siddhAnta from SrI NArada's mouth.
137. But due to pride and bashfulness, I was unable to ask him. Still,
SrI NArada, the topmost of all devotees and the knower of all,
understood my mind.
138. Then, to please and gratify both my ears and his own tongue, he
began briefly describing the sentiments which were hidden inside my
own heart.
139. SrI NArada said: "Hey Gopa-kumAra! Please don't consider the
animals, birds, shrubs, grass, and whatever you see here to be species
in the mode of ignorance."
140. "They are all eternal associates of SrI BhagavAn and their forms
are saccidAnanda. To taste the ecstasy of different varieties of
service, they have assumed these various forms."
141-144. "According to the specific form and nature of SrI
VaikuNThanAtha which they worship, devotees attain a form suitable
for His worship. Some possess human forms, others forms of munis,
others forms of demigods, and others possess forms similar to those of
Matsya, KUrma, VarAha, NRsiMha, VAmana, Trilocana, BrahmA, Indra,
SeSa, Caturbhuja, SUrya, Candra, VAyu, Agni, and others. In accordance
with whichever form of BhagavAn they worship with bhagavat-buddhi,
they receive a body suitable for the worship of that particular
Deity."
145. "Devotees enter VaikuNTha in the same final bodies, with their
specific forms and sentiments, with which they worshipped the lotus
feet of SrI BhagavAn in the material realm."
146. "Because those forms and sentiments are very dear to BhagavAn, it
is logical that the devotees would desire to accept them. "
147. "In VaikuNTha all those devotees eternally receive darzana of the
specific form SrI VaikuNThanAtha which is suitable for their sentiment
of worship."
148. "In exactly the same way as before, those devotees attain
eternally new and fresh divine blissfulness from their worship of SrI
BhagavAn, and especially here in VaikuNTha they always directly
experience that bhajanAnanda."
149-151. "Those devotees who receive darzana of and serve their
favourite Lord, who is always accompanied by His eternal associates,
with their own special sentiments and unique characteristics, even
upon coming to this VaikuNTha they still desire to receive His darzana
and serve Him in precisely the same way as before. Therefore,
possessing such exclusive attachment and suitable sentiment for one
particular Deity, they enter the appropriate part of VaikuNTha and
joyfully serve Him there just as they had before."
152. "And upon entering VaikuNTha, those devotees who have no
exclusive love or attachment for any one specific form of SrI
BhagavAn may worship whichever form they desire."
153. "When those who worship SrI LakSmIpati BhagavAn through the eight-
syllable mantra give up their present material bodies, they enter this
VaikuNTha."
154. "Coming here, with free volition they experience a happiness
superior to what they had known before. Although there is gradation
concerning their particular rasas, they all experience the ultimate
happiness."
155. "SrI BhagavAn appears as SrI NArAyaNa, SrI DattAtreya, SrI
ParazurAma, SrI Kapiladeva, and as Deities such as SrI JagannAtha, who
are all like jewels which decorate the earth."
156-157. "In Svarga and the other higher planets He appears as SrI
ViSNu BhagavAn, YajJezvara, and other incarnations which you have
personally seen. He also appears as Matsya, KUrma, VarAha, NRsiMha,
VAmana, and others, and although there are differences in Their names,
forms, and pastimes, in tattva They are one and They are all
saccidAnanda."
158. "Don't understand His having different forms and names to be
similar to the jIvas under the influence of mAyAhaving different names
and forms. The varieties of BhagavAn's incarnations appear by His
saccidAnanda-zaktito accommodate the variegated serving sentiments of H
is devotees."
159. "The differences in His forms is not like the difference between
reflections and the source of those reflections; in other words, you
shouldn't understand it to be like the sun's reflections on bodies of
water. Instead, as the one sun is simultaneously seen differently by th
e residents of different lands, the one SrI BhagavAn appears in
separate forms which are suitable for His devotees' various serving
sentiments."
160. "Although knowledge and divine bliss are two separate things,
they merge and become one in brahma. In the same way, all of
BhagavAn's many forms are one in tattva."
161. "Although devotees may see many separate forms of SrI BhagavAn,
His eternal associates, and His dhAma in different lands or even in
dreams, their variegatedness and oneness are both real. When any one
form of BhagavAn is pleased, then all of His forms are pleased."
163. "Solely to give happiness to His many devotees is SrI KRSNa
BhagavAn present in separate forms in many different places."
164. "SrI BrahmA experienced this very thing-how SrI KRSNa, the killer
of the Agha demon, is one but becomes many, and becoming many is still
one-when he stole the cowherd boys and calves, and I also experienced
it when I wandered through the palaces in DvArakA."
165. "Although the zaktiof SrI BhagavAn, who is simultaneously
different and non-different, is inconceivable, still it can be known
by His exclusive devotees."
166. "When thousands of SrI BhagavAn's queens simultaneously offered
Him varieties of preparations, the one SrI BhagavAn simultaneously ate
them all in such a way that each queen thought, 'He has accepted His
meal from me first.'"
167. "When sometimes SrI BhagavAn's special zakti enters a qualified
jIva, he is known as a zaktyAveza-avatAra, and is considered by the
wise to be similar to SrI BhagavAn Himself."
168. "As BhagavAn SrI KRSNa assumes different forms, so does His
eternal beloved SrI MahALakSmI, who is also saccidAnanda."
169. "SrI LakSmI is always present at His chest rendering service to
Him, and just as all incarnations emanate from SrI KRSNa, all the
LakSmI-incarnations emanate from that SrI MahALakSmI."
170. "Amongst them, that LakSmI who is the giver of aNimAand the other
mystic perfections is shunned by those who desire liberation, those
who are already liberated, and devotees."
171. "And concerning that LakSmI whose name is famous everywhere, even
SrI BhagavAn's new devotees are more dear to Him than she is."
172. "Understand SrI BhUdevI and other dear ones like YogamAyA to also
be the zakti of SrI BhagavAn."
173. "Sometimes she is known as MahA-vibhUti, sometimes as Yoga, and
sometimes as YogamAyA."
174. "This zakti nurtures His pastimes and is saccidAnanda. She has no
beginning and no end, and she is eternal, real, and indescribable."
175. "This zakti is the mother of variegated bhajanAnanda, the divine
bliss of serving SrI KRSNa. She arranges the forms, appearances,
ornaments, and pastimes of His incarnations, stimulating ever-fresh
and new bhajanAnanda."
176. "This YogamAyA manifests the wonderful variety of devotees such
as SeSa and GaruDa, their various devotional activities such as
hearing and chanting, and the variegated pastimes which take place in
SrI VaikuNTha and other dhAmas."
177. "Only SrI BhagavAn's pure devotees are capable of knowing this
zaktiand her activities. She is beyond the reach of dry speculators
and the ignorant."
178. "SrI BhagavAn's two zaktisare known as paraand apara, and this
YogamAyA is His parazakti. Because she is His natural potency, in
some places she is also known by the name PrakRti."
179. "Because she performs many different activities, the expansions
of this para-zakti appear in various forms. Illusory mAyA, which
consists of the three modes of nature, is her shadow."
180. "This mAyA is the mother of the illusory world, and she is
deluding and full of darkness. She has been creating the world of the
jIvas'bondage since time immemorial, but knowledge of one's real
internal form defeats her. Therefore, she is known to be temporary,
and is beyond description."
181. "She is personified as a goddess residing within the eighth
material covering. But because she does not change her form to carry
out her duties, she is also known as PrakRti."
182. "By transcending this apara-zakti, one attains mukti and bhakti.
This mAyA has created the material world to be like a phantasm."
183. "But all the activities of SrI KRSNa's para-zakti are real and
permanent, like Kardama Muni creating an aerial mansion with his
mystic power."
184. "Whatever is done by SrI KRSNa's YogamAyA, who is the bestower of
the results of all karmaand whose lotus feet are worshipped by the
masters of yoga, is real and eternal."
185. "This conclusion confirms that SrI KRSNa is the source of all
incarnations, the avatArI. He expands into many incarnations, and none
of Them are separate from Him; like Him They are all real and
eternal."
186. "SrI KRSNa's original form contains all incarnations and is
adorned with unlimited varieties of glories, which are indicated by
the word 'bhaga'."
187. "Performing varieties of sweet and enchanting pastimes, SrI KRSNa
exhibits His own special glories, which are superior to those of even
VaikuNThanAtha SrI NArAyaNa and which can be experienced only when
one's heart is melted with prema-bhakti."
188. "By serving their favourite Lord in their specific rasa, the
devotees of each and every incarnation attain the supreme happiness."
189. "SrI BhagavAn bestows the appropriate fruit upon His devotees
according to their particular mode of worship, and attaining that
fruit, they are always satisfied."
190. "SrI KRSNa's pastimes are characterised by the opulence of
variegatedness, and His devotees relish the rasa of that variegatednes
s according to their particular taste. Varieties of opulences are
exhibited in those pastimes, the intentions of which are deeper than
millions of oceans. Therefore, who could possibly comprehend those
pastimes through logic?"
191. "This bestowal of fruits according to His devotees' particular
tastes confirms the immense glories of SrI KRSNa's mercy. And even
though they receive their results in this gradation, His devotees,
engaged in their own modes of devotion and free from rivalry and other
faults, attain the utmost happiness of service."
192. "Because they are saccidAnanda and not infected by any form of
ignorance, His eternal associates don't consider any lesser happiness
to be great happiness, as worldly people consider material happiness
to be great happiness, or as jJAnIsconsider the inferior happiness of
liberation to be the ultimate happiness."
193. "It is only imagination to think that devotees feel varying
levels of happiness in their particular rasas-all of them consider
that the happiness of their particular service is the utmost."
194. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! Some of those residents of VaikuNTha have been
SrI BhagavAn's associates eternally, and some have come here by
attaining His mercy through the practice of sAdhana."
195. "Although the bhajanAnanda is the same for both of them, some
imagine there to be a difference between confidential or open service,
or to be serving near to SrI BhagavAn or at a distance from Him."
196. "Although there is equality between SrI BhagavAn and His eternal
associates due to their eternal natures, none-the-less their feeling
that He is the master and they are the servants is both real and
eternal."
197-198. "Although SrI BhagavAn and His eternal associates are both
saccidAnanda, the awareness of the indescribable sweetness of serving
Him eternally attracts them to His lotus feet, which themselves are an
ocean of various sweetnesses."
199. "Even if all the other saccidAnanda incarnations were to be
equated with the source of all incarnations, SrI KRSNa, still He would
be distinguished because of His indescribable, renowned glories. In
the same way, even though SrI NArAyaNa and His eternal associates are n
on-different, because of His sweet pastimes and grandeur, His
superiority is automatically distinguished."
200. "Some hold the opinion that BhagavAn SrI KRSNa is Parabrahma,
whose supremely auspicious form is saccidAnanda, and His eternal
associates are liberated particles of brahma."
201. "But to experience the divine bliss of bhakti, by SrI BhagavAn's
cit-vilAsa zakti (transcendental pastime potency) they assume forms
according to their particular serving temperament."

Agrahya das

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Mar 10, 1998, 3:00:00 AM3/10/98

Chapter Four-VaikuNTha

(continued)

202. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: O brAhmaNa! Then I asked SrI NArada, "Hey
BhagavAn! On the earth there are so many Deities of BhagavAn. In your
opinion, are they all solidified forms of saccidAnanda as SrI
JagannAtha is?"
203. Previously SrI NArada had said that even though all incarnations
are saccidAnanda and non-different, being merciful They are present in
different places in different forms according to Their own desires.
204. Therefore, if someone abandons all forms of sAdhanaand somehow
begins offering pUjA to one of these Deities, not only is there no
fault in it, but there will be a great gain.
205. Next I asked him, "Why then in the PurANas do we find so many
statements which contradict this? Because these statements have
emanated from the lotus mouths of great personalities, certainly they
cannot be said to be unauthoritative."
206. Hearing this, SrI NArada, the original guru of the path of pUjA to
SrI BhagavAn, got up, and joyfully embracing me, began to reply.
207-208. SrI NArada said: "Those Deities which I described before are
all directly BhagavAn, and the glories of offering pUjA to Them are
such that, whether the Deity has self-manifested or been installed by
a devotee, if a devotee abandons his varNAzrama responsibilities to eng
age exclusively in pUjA, he is not at fault."
209. "Instead their pUjA is very virtuous. This Deity worship is
called uttama-bhakti and bestows a great result."
210. "What to speak of the glories of offering pUjA to the Deity of
BhagavAn, if one offers respect to even a piece of straw with bhagavat-
buddhi (awareness of BhagavAn's presence in everything), or once hears
or chants even the semblence of bhagavat-nAma, their innermost desires
will be fulfilled and perfection will be attained."
211. "Still there has been said to be faults in offering pUjA to the
Deity, who has been installed by Vedic mantras, who is the object of
all devotional activities, and who inspires direct remembrance of
BhagavAn."
212. "It is impossible for those devotees who are engaged in offering
pUjA to the Deity of BhagavAn to ever disrespect any VaiSNava. Even if
an offence is committed to a sAdhu due to absorption in pUjA, the
sAdhu will never take offence, but rather will praise that devotee's ac
tions greatly."
213-215. "There are those who worship the Deity considering that He is
composed of material elements and therefore different from BhagavAn
Himself. They not only disrespect devotees, but they disrespect all
jIvas in general. Proud of their worship, they don't recognise the auth
ority of the Vedic injunctions. Such devotees are less intelligent
kaniSTha-adhikArIs, and they do not attain the real fruit of pUjA."
216-218. "Although the fruit attained through this type of pUjA is
superior to the fruit of ordinary pious activities, it is not
suitable for bhagavad-bhakti. Therefore, exclusive devotees have
criticised this type of pUjA in the PurANas and other places, but it
does not mean that all pUjA is deprecated."
219. "If this kind of kaniSTha VaiSNava continues to perform his pUjA,
then by the influence of that pUjA his heart will gradually become
purified."
220. "By the mercy of SrI BhagavAn's devotees, who always accept only
the virtues of others, after some time all of such a kaniSTha devotee's
faults will be eradicated and he will become an uttama devotee."
221. "In the beginning materialistic devotees who offer pUjA attain
their desired fruit, but by the influence of bhakti they eventually
attain the real fruit of devotion from their pUjA."
222. "Because when in the stage of having material desires devotees
don't receive the real fruit of bhakti from their pUjA, the pure
devotees have criticised their pUjA, and for the same reason, the pUjA
of such kaniSThadevotees has also been deprecated in the PurANas."
223. " Uttama devotees consider the ultimate fruit of bhakti to be
receiving darzana of SrI BhagavAn's lotus feet and the divine bliss of
enjoying pastimes with Him."
224. "Those devotees cannot tolerate a moment's delay in receiving His
darzana, and SrI BhagavAn is also unable to leave them for even one
second."
225. "Therefore, the many material fruits and even liberation are
easily attained, but bhakti is not so easily attained."
226. "By the mercy of bhakti even SrI BhagavAn Himself is brought
under the devotees' control. He is Mahezvara, the supreme controller,
yet being controlled by His devotees, His independence is restricted.
Therefore, He does not easily give that bhakti."
227. "But my opinion is that when SrI BhagavAn comes under the control
of His devotees, there is no fault in it, nor does it cause Him any
unhappiness. He is bhakta-vatsala, especially affectionate to His
devotees, so therefore He receives great pleasure from it and it
actually expands His great fame."
228. "And especially, sometimes the crown-jewel of heroes, SrI KRSNa,
abandons His nature as being the topmost of those who are self-
satisfied and as being the greatest mystic, but He never abandons His
quality of coming under the control of His devotees. Therefore, this
one quality is the pinnacle of His bhagavattA, His nature of being the
Supreme Personality."
229. "When prema-bhakti reaches its mature state, an indescribable,
immense wealth of mahAbhAva arises, which if analysed with the vision
of tattva, is seen to dance ecstatically on the very head of the
kingdom of all happinesses."
230. "The external symptoms of this mahAbhAva are great unhappiness
and sorrow, and even though internally they are feeling an
indescribable ecstasy, SrI KRSNa cannot tolerate seeing these external
symptoms in His dear devotees. Therefore, He does not easily bestow
this prema-bhakti."
231. "Another reason is that upon seeing premI devotees' symptoms of
sorrow and pain with their external vision, worldly people become
confused and do not desire to engage in bhakti. They even laugh at
such devotees, and therefore SrI BhagavAn doesn't easily bestow such
prema-bhakti."
232. "Just as glass and gold are easily obtained but attaining
cintAmaNi is extremely rare, in the same way the pleasures of Svarga
and mukti are easily attainable but this prema-bhakti is very rare."
233. "Sometimes SrI BhagavAn bestows this prema-bhakti upon those
intelligent persons who exclusively desire it and who are free from
material desires."
234. "I am not able to describe the real nature of that prema-bhakti.
Even if I were to describe some of its more moderate symptoms, it
could easily be misconstrued. Therefore, the devotees who composed the
scriptures did not describe it, because it would appear repugnant to
foolish people who have no knowledge of tattva."
235. "Only those who taste rasa can know the sweetness and exaltation
of that prema-bhakti. Hey Gopa-kumAra! You are an eternal resident of
that place (Goloka), therefore by SrI KRSNa's mercy you also will soon
understand this confidential matter."
236. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Hey brAhmaNa! These words of SrI NArada
increased my yearning for the darzana of the lotus feet of my
worshipable Lord, SrI GopAla, and for the special sentiments of that
type of prema-bhakti.
237. But at that very moment, thinking that both of these hopes were
very difficult to attain, I was plunged into an ocean of sorrow. Then
SrI NArada consoled me by saying:
238. "Although this is a very deep secret and it should not be
revealed here in VaikuNTha, compelled by your impatience I will
speak."
239. "A short distance from here is AyodhyApurI where SrI RaghunAtha
resides. Some distance from there is SrI DvArakApurI, which like
MathurA is supremely beautiful and very dear to Yadupati SrI KRSNa. Go
there and receive darzana of your worshipable Lord."
240. "But before going to AyodhyA, listen carefully to an excellent
procedure approved by the rasika mahAtmAs who serve the lotus feet of
SrI RaghunAtha."
241-242. "Although by worshipping the source of all incarnations, SrI
KRSNa, everything can be attained, still I will tell you how to
achieve the special rasa of the lotus feet of SrI RaghunAtha."
243. "'Hey SItApati! Hey LakSmaNa-jyeSTa-bhrataH (elder brother of
LakSmaNa)! Hey Prabhu! Hey SrI HanumAn Priyezvara!'-meditate on the
renowned form, qualities, and opulences of SrI RaghunAtha which are
described in the Vedas by performing kIrtana in this way.
244. "(If you contend that 'I am an exclusive devotee of SrI GopAla,
so how can I have loving devotion for SrI RaghunAtha?' then listen-)
One should perform the appropriate rituals to attain his own
worshipable Lord. Wherever one detects even a scent of his worshipable
Lord, even a supremely exclusive devotee whole-heartedly loves that
place."
245. "If upon receiving darzana of the lotus feet of SrI RaghunAtha
your eagerness to receive darzana of your own worshipable Lord is not
eclipsed, then SrI RaghunAtha Himself, whose heart is always melted
with compassion, will happily send you to DvArakApurI."
246. "Going there while singing the nAma-sankIrtana of your Lord, you
will receive darzana of that charming Lord of your life, SrI KRSNa,
who you have been longing to see for such a long time, as He is
surrounded by the members of the Yadu dynasty."
247. "SrI AyodhyA and SrI DvArakA are special provinces of VaikuNTha;
therefore, there is no necessity of taking SrI VaikuNThanAtha's
permission to go there."
248. "On the order of that SrI VaikuNThanAtha, who is the knower of
all, I have come here. You should know that everything I am speaking
is nothing but His direct order."
249. "To bestow mercy on a great devotee, BhagavAn SrI VaikuNThanAtha
has gone somewhere at this time. Because you will not be able to
tolerate the delay until His return, it is proper for you to promptly
proceed from here."
250. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Hey brAhmaNa! Hearing these words from SrI
NArada, I became very pleased. Offering praNAma to him time and again
and accepting his auspicious blessings, in accordance with his
instructions I left there.
251. Then from a distance I saw many restless monkeys jumping about
and chanting "RAma! RAma! "
252. Those monkeys snatched the flute from my hand. As I went along
with them, I saw humans who were even more beautiful than the
residents of VaikuNTha.
253. The conduct of those human beings was first-class. When I went to
offer praNAma to them, they became very embarrassed and prevented me.
Then I accompanied them from outside into the first chamber of the
palace.
254. Then I saw SrI SugrIva, Angada, JAmbavAna, and some more very
beautiful human beings surrounding SrI Bharata, who was happily
sitting with SrI Satrughna. Seeing Bharata, I mistook him to be SrI
RaghunAtha Himself, and when I began offering him prayers, he covered
his ears. Saying that they were all only SrI RAmacandra's servants, he
stopped me praising him.
255. As I was standing before Bharata with folded hands, fearful that
I had committed an offence, SrI HanumAn came running there and
forcibly took me to an inner chamber. Then I saw the humanlike SrI
RAmacandra, whose splendour was supremely wonderful.
256. He was joyfully sitting like a royal emperor on a raised,
enchanting siMhAsana in the middle of a remarkably beautiful palace.
He was adorned with all the symptoms of a great personality, and the
sweetness of His qualities was even more exalted than that of SrI
NArAyaNa.
257. That special sweetness captivates the heart and mind. He was
holding a bow in His lotus hand, and the shy glances from His lotus
eyes were enchanting. His pastimes are those of the king of kings, and
He was articulating the principles of religion.
258. Overcome with the bliss of seeing Him, I fainted and fell before
Him as if I was offering a daNDavat-praNAma. Then it seemed as if His
mercy lifted me up, and I began meticulously gazing at Him.
259. Leaving me there, to perform his service SrI HanumAn jumped over
to SrI RAma. Present at His left side was His beloved and perfectly
becoming SrI SItA, and to His right was His younger brother SrI
LakSmaNa and other associates.
260. Sometimes SrI HanumAn fanned SrI RAma with a beautiful white
cAmara while singing of His virtues, and sometimes with folded hands he
kneeled before Him offering prayers of various wonderful verses which
he had composed himself.
261. One moment he held a white parasol, another moment he would
massage the Lord's feet, and at another time he would simultaneously
perform two or three services.
262. Blissfully chanting "Jaya! Jaya! " I offered praNAma to SrI RAma
time and again. Then, with His heart melting, He satisfied me with His
soft, supremely wonderful nectarean words.
263. SrI BhagavAn said: "O dear friend Gopa-kumAra! Out of love for Me
you have come here, it is very auspicious! Now you take rest, and do
not make Me unhappy by time and again offering praNAma-I am your old
friend!"
264. "Rise! Rise! Abandon this awe and reverence-all auspiciousness to
you! I am eternally conquered by your prema."
265. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Then, on the Lord's order, SrI HanumAn
quickly approached me, lifted me up, and placed me near the Lord's
footstool.
266. Then in my heart I felt that not only had I finally received that
fruit which I had been craving for so long, but that I had received
something beyond what I could even desire and which I had not found
anywhere up until that day.
267. In the same cowherd boy dress as before, for some time I joyfully
resided there.
268. There I witnessed SrI RaghunAtha's regal pastimes and His fitting
religious conduct.
269. But I did not see varieties of sweet pastimes like those of my
worshipable Lord, nor did I experience mercy like His.
270. Seeing that I was sad there, SrI HanumAn narrated to me the
glories of SrI RAmacandra's lotus feet.
271. Directly experiencing those glories, the unhappiness of my heart
was mitigated and I began to see in SrI RaghunAtha the attributes of
my worshipable Lord, SrI KRSNa.
272. But when by the influence of my previous practice I remembered
Vraja-bhUmi, my heart became anxious with the hope of experiencing the
pastimes of SrI KRSNa.
273. Seeing my unhappiness, the best of SrI RaghunAtha's counsellors,
SrI HanumAn, comforted me with his wonderfully skilful logic.
274. But when my separation brought on some special sorrow, SrI
RaghunAtha Himself, who knows the minds and hearts of all living
entities and whose own heart is always soft with kindness, consoled me
with His sweet, loving words. Saying "Hey Gopa-kumAra! Joyfully proceed
to DvArakApurI!" He immediately sent me there with the king of the
BallUkas, SrI JAmbavAna.

Agrahya das

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Mar 19, 1998, 3:00:00 AM3/19/98

Chapter Five-Divine Love

1. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Hey brAhmaNa! When I arrived at DvArakApurI,
I saw the sons of several MathurA brAhmaNasdivided into groups with
the sons of the YAdavas and playing.
2. In those YAdavas I saw an abundance of sweetness which I had never
seen anywhere in all of my travels to other worlds.
3. In the divine bliss of receiving their darzana, I forgot to offer
them praNAma, but still those all-knowing, youthful YAdavas heartily
embraced me.
4. Knowing me to be the son of a Govardhana gopa, their hearts melted
in affection and grasping my hand, they led me inside the palace.
5. From a distance I saw SrI BhagavAn majestically sitting on a
beautiful cushion placed on a magnificent, golden siMhAsanawhich was
studded with jewels.
6-7. He was even more well-adorned with varieties of splendorous
sweetnesses than the Lord of VaikuNTha. As if a servant devoutly
serving Him, splendid adolescent youthfulness had accepted shelter of
His entire attractive, two-armed form. With the sweetness of that
form, He who is an ocean of wonderful pastimes was stealing away the

hearts of His dear devotees.

8. Above Him was a great white parasol, at His sides beautiful cAmaras
were being waved, and in front of Him, on a golden footstool, were His
beautiful sandals.
9. All directions were adorned with the many kinds of weapons and
paraphernalia suitable for He who is the king of kings. His servants
and His opulences, such as His chariot, horses, treasures, and
pArijAta tree, were also all present there and ready to serve Him.
10-11. To SrI KRSNa's right was SrI Vasudeva, SrI BalarAma, AkrUra and
others, and to His left were Gada, SAtyaki, the minister Vikadru,
KRtavarma, and the other YAdavas joyfully sitting on their respective
thrones. In front of Him was King Ugrasena. Playing on his vINA and sin
ging comical songs, SrI NArada was making SrI KRSNa and His devotees
laugh.
12. SrI GaruDa was standing before Him offering prayers, and while
massaging His feet, SrI Uddhava pleased SrI KRSNa by telling Him
loving secrets about Vraja.
13. Having darzana from a distance of He whom I had been desiring to
see for such a long time, I became overwhelmed in prema and fainted.
Then, His heart flooded with the nectar of affection, SrI KRSNa
ordered SrI Uddhava to bring me to Him.
14. Seeing that I was a gopa, SrI Uddhava was very pleased. He quickly
ran over to me, and after carefully lifting me up and bringing me back
to consciousness, he took me by the hands and led me to SrI BhagavAn.
15. As SrI KRSNa rose and stepped towards me, with his own hand SrI
Uddhava placed my head at KRSNa's lotus feet.
16. Then the Lord of my life, SrI KRSNa, stroked my body with His
lotus hand as if He was cleansing me. Then He took the flute from my
hand and began looking at it. As if terribly aggrieved, tears of love
began flowing from His eyes, and then for some time He remained silent.

17. After asking after my welfare, He said, "No type of inauspiciousnes
s is ever possible there (in Gokula)." Saying this He went into an
extraordinary state until SrI Uddhava came and began trying to help
Him regain His composure.
18. SrI Uddhava indicated to Him that all of the YAdavas such as SrI
Vasudeva and so many kings, demigods, and RSiswere all sitting in the
assembly.
19. Then, somehow He opened His lotus eyes and seeing all of those
people seated before Him, He composed Himself and prepared to enter
the inner chambers of the palace.
20. Having attained the darzana of the Lord of my life, SrI KRSNa, who
I had been craving to see for so long, I was plunged into an ocean of
divine elation. At that time I could not know what my duty was or what
I was to say.
21. Then, as He came out of the assembly, SrI KRSNa showed respect to
the best of the YAdavas by giving them betelnuts, candana, and other
gifts. Grasping my folded hands in His right hand, and accompanied by
SrI BalarAma and SrI Uddhava, He led me into the inner chambers.
22. Then His 16,108 queens, accompanied by their maidservants and with
their mother-inlaw SrI DevakI and SrI RohiNI in front, with great
happiness arrived there.
23-25. His principal queens such as SrI RukmiNI, SatyabhAmA,
JAmbavatI, KAlindI, MitravindA, Satya, BhadrA, and LakSmaNA were all
there. Other dear queens, who were headed by a younger RohiNI and who
had all been freed from the prison of NarakAsura, who possessed
suitable appearances and qualities, who were also accompanied by their
maidservants, and who were remaining reserved due to their shyness,
were surrounding SrI KRSNa in all directions. Also present there were
His sons headed by Pradyumna and SAmba. Taking them all, He entered
His chamber, where, concealing His inner sentiments, He happily sat on
a beautiful siMhAsana.
26. At that time I saw SrI KRSNa, who was still holding the flute He
had taken from me, and His family members in such a way that SrI
DevakI was SrI YazodA (SrI RohiNI remained as she was), the queens
headed by SrI RukmiNI were the damsels of Vraja, and His sons were all
gopas. Seeing the object of my meditation in this way, I fainted in
ecstasy.
27. Then that SrI KRSNa (who was in the bhAva of Nanda-nandana), His
heart overcome with compassion, quickly lifted me up and by time and
again stroking my body with His lotus hands, brought me back to my
senses.
28. Because SrI KRSNa was remembering Vraja, even though it was time
for lunch, He was not hungry. Then, at the insistence of His mothers,
He performed His midday duties.
29. Then SrI DevakI-nandana fed me with His own hands, and after that,
to satisfy me, He Himself also ate.
30. After having all of the boys sit in a circle and sitting SrI
BalarAma in the middle, He fed them with His own hands as He had
previously in His childhood pastimes in Vraja.
31. Then SrI Uddhava ate Prabhu's mahA-prasAda remnants, and knowing
SrI KRSNa's desire, forcibly took me to his home.
32. There my senses fully returned to me, and pondering what I had
experienced in the palace, in great ecstasy I time and again danced. I
was thinking:
33. "Aho! It is so wonderful! Today all the desires of my heart have
been fulfilled! I have received darzana of the hero of Vraja, the
object of my meditation who possesses all sweetnesses!"
34. Whenever I would accompany SrI Uddhava to have darzana of Prabhu,
I would become so overwhelmed in divine elation that I could do
nothing besides gaze at Him.
35. Experiencing the varieties of SrI KRSNa's constant mercy, I lived
there in great jubilation.
36. If with her words and mind the goddess of speech herself cannot
describe the euphoria I was feeling at that time, then how can others?
Even if a devotee of BhagavAn with a life span as long as that of
BrahmA were to describe it, he could never reach its limit.
37. The happiness of liberation is said to be very great, but millions
of times greater than that is the happiness available in VaikuNTha,
and even greater than that is the happiness in AyodhyA. But the
happiness of DvArakA cannot be described in any way.
38. By the power of either their words or their mind, who could
possibly describe the divine bliss experienced by an exclusive devotee
who after searching for so long has finally obtained his innermost
cherished Lord in that SrI DvArakA? Only those who have experienced it
themselves can possibly know it.
39. While I was residing there in this way, one day the YAdavas, whose
hearts are always melted with the desire to see the residents of the
universe happy within and without, said:
40. "Hey Sakhe! The opulence of this DvArakApurI is superior to that
of even VaikuNTha, and since you have come here and will be staying
with us, we do not think it is correct for you to remain in such
simple attire."
41. "This is causing us great unhappiness; therefore please dress and
decorate yourself as we do."
42. Hey brAhmaNa! But even though they insisted, in my heart I did not
desire to dress like them and besides, I had not heard SrI BhagavAn
express such a desire. Therefore, I remained there wearing modest
dress, as if destitute.
43. When I saw SrI KRSNa present in the assembly hall surrounded by
all of His opulences, I was ashamed and afraid to approach Him.
44. Sometimes I even saw Him display His four-armed form, and I never
at any time saw Him display any pastimes related to Vraja.
45. Sometimes SrI KRSNa would go alone to see His nearby relatives,
the PANDavas.
46. Because my long-cherished desire was not completely fulfilled, I
felt sad at heart. But when I would again see His beautiful form,
qualities, and sweetnesses, I would become pacified.
47. My tongue cannot possibly describe the jubilation I felt from
hearing His nectarean, merciful words.
48. In this way I spent some time residing in the home of SrI Uddhava.
Whenever I felt unhappy, I carefully concealed it.
49. Once SrI NArada came there. Upon seeing him I offered praNAma, and
with great glee and wonder, I said to him:
50. "Hey NAradajI! Of all devotees, you are the topmost! I have seen
you in this same form, dressed as a sage and playing the vINA, in
Svarga, VaikuNTha, and all other worlds, and now here-what is the
reason for this? I am very astonished!"
51. SrI NArada said: "Hey Gopa-kumAra! Coming here you are astonished?
You are really a cowherd boy-have I not already revealed this secret
to you?"
52. "Just as the one BhagavAn SrI KRSNa is present in different places
in different forms, in the same way we servants of His also remain in
separate forms."
53. "In the same way SrI GaruDa simultaneously resides in Svarga and
VaikuNTha, SrI HanumAn is simultaneously present in KimpuruSavarSa and
AyodhyA, and UddhavajI, myself, and the YAdavas live in many worlds."
54. "All of BhagavAn's associates are eternal, and we serve Him by
assuming forms suitable for His pastimes. Even though we all have one
form, in the same way as SrI BhagavAn does, we assume different
forms."
55. "In the same way, BhagavAn's appearance, name, pastimes, and abode
are one yet they expand into many, and they are all real and eternal."
56. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! I am astonished that although your form is also
saccidAnanda, due to your playfulness you have not abandoned your
previous nature. And even more astonishing is that even upon coming
here, you are still not satisfied! Now also you appear very
aggrieved."
57. Then, grasping SrI NArada's feet, I offered namaskAraand humbly
said, "Hey BhagavAn! You know full well the feelings of my heart!"
Then, smiling, SrI NArada looked at Uddhava and said:
58. "Hey Uddhava! This is the son of a Govardhana gopa. He is
searching for something which cannot be attained by myself or even
you."
59. "With great eagerness he has been wandering here and there in his
search. His failure to attain it has brought him great grief, and in
every world he has gone to, even here, he has not felt satisfied."
60-61. "Therefore, hey UddhavajI! This is a matter of great sorrow!
You are always a wellwisher of the residents of Vraja and he is
residing with you, but still you have never made him understand that
the happiness he is aspiring for and the sAdhanafor attaining it are
both very rare! We are also always praying for it, but even for us it

is very difficult to attain."

62. SrI Uddhava said: "This Gopa-kumAra took birth in Vraja-bhUmi in
the home of a gopa. Because his demeanour is like that of a gopaand he
has exclusive attachment for the worship of SrI GopAla, he is
therefore superior to us."
63. Hearing this NAradajI was very pleased. He gleefully embraced SrI
Uddhava and said, "Hey Uddhava! Quickly instruct him on how he can
attain his worshipable Deity!"
64. SrI Uddhava replied, "Hey mahAmuni! I am a kSatriya by caste, and
therefore I am not qualified to give instruction in your presence."
65. Then SrI NArada laughed very loudly and said, "Hey Uddhava! Even
after coming here to VaikuNTha you have not abandoned your identity as
a kSatriya? "
66. Then, smiling, Uddhava said, "What to speak of myself, even Prabhu
SrI KRSNa has not abandoned His caste-identity here."
67. "Just as He observed the principles of eternal religion and
household life, conquered enemies, and showed respect to His elders
and the brAhmaNas in His manifest pastimes in the material world, He
does here also."
68. Hearing this SrI NArada was overjoyed and began laughing. In great
wonder he jumped about and said in a loud voice:
69. "Aho! Just as the glories of the sweetness of SrI BhagavAn's
pastimes are wonderful, in the same way the gravity of His devotees'
exclusive attachment for Him is also wonderful."
70. "How astonishing it is that just as He observed the principles of
eternal religion and household life, conquered enemies, and showed
respect to His elders and the brAhmaNas in His manifest pastimes in
the material world, He also does here in DvArakA, which is situated abo
ve even VaikuNTha."
71. "Being bewildered in experiencing these pastimes I cannot discern
if we are now in the DvArakA situated in the spiritual realm, or the
DvArakA situated in the material world."
72. "Hey UddhavajI! You exclusively desire prema-bhakti for the lotus
feet of SrI KRSNa; He is very dear to His devotees and His singular
innermost desire is to fulfil the desires of His devotees. Therefore,
both of you are acting appropriately."
73. "Your conduct is dissimilar to that of the residents of VaikuNTha,
nor is it like that of the residents of the material world. In the
same way, SrI BhagavAn also doesn't expect from you conduct suitable
for the mood of opulence, or worldly conduct either."
74. "It is only an expression of your humility when you say, 'I am a
kSatriya, I am not qualified to give instruction in your presence.'
This understanding is favourable for bhakti and always increases it.
In the same way, SrI KRSNa's apparent worldly conduct is the increaser
of His devotees' prema."
75. "Who can describe the glories of the intense eagerness for prema
in its fully mature state, which makes He who is directly Paramezvara
Himself behave as your common friend?"
76. "Aho! I eulogise that bhAva which makes Him behave as your common
friend in which His awareness of His own opulences is forgotten and
which gives birth to the ultimate prema."

(continued)

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Agrahya das

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Mar 19, 1998, 3:00:00 AM3/19/98

Chapter Five-Divine Love
(continued)

77. Hey brAhmaNa! Speaking in this way, SrI NArada became overcome
with prema and various ecstatic symptoms became visible on his body.
For a moment he became silent, and then, seeing my grief and my desire
to be instructed, he said:
78. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! You are the dearest beloved of GopAladeva SrI
KRSNa. That Goloka, which is the crown-jewel of spiritual realms, is
very far away from here and is situated above all other worlds."
79. "That Goloka is composed of Vraja-bhUmi and the district of
MathurA. The goddess of Goloka resides in that MathurApurI, but
without its very heart, which is Vraja-bhUmi beginning with the
VRndAvana forest, she simply cannot exist."
80. "That MathurA is primarily a land of cows, and therefore it is
called 'Goloka'. Although it is very obscure due to the presence of
the places where SrI KRSNa performed confidential pastimes, still, it
is famous everywhere as 'Goloka'."
81. "That Goloka is attained only by those devotees who follow the
vraja-vAsIs' thoroughly selfless prema for SrI KRSNa in the mellows of
dAsya, sakhya, vAtsalya, or mAdhurya."
82. "Those devotees who see SrI BhagavAn as the paramezvara cannot
attain that prema, because fear and reverence are always present in
such aizvarya-bhAva."
83. " Premais only perfected when a devotee sees SrI BhagavAn as his
best friend in life. Even though that prema resembles worldly love, it
does not exist in the material world, within the eight material
coverings, or even in VaikuNTha."
84. "The prema which is reciprocated between SrI KRSNa and the vraja-
vAsIs appears to be worldly and even sometimes transgresses the
regulations governing worldly relationships. Still, that wonderful,
transcendental prema which is full of sweetness is not adulterated
with even a tinge of worldly love."
85. "Therefore, SrI KRSNa's and His devotees' activities increase
their mutual prema. But VaikuNTha is a place of opulence, so that
intimate prema is not possible there."
86. "In the same way, SrI AyodhyA is also a place of opulence, and
even more opulent still is SrI DvArakA, so therefore SrI KRSNa has
placed them separate from and very far away from that Goloka-dhAma."
87. "There SrI KRSNa and His eternal associates fully manifest happy
pastimes and the very zenith of sweetness."
88. "I must believe that only in Goloka does SrI BhagavAn manifest the
very essence of all of the hidden varieties of His bhagavattA, His
status as the Supreme Personality."
89. "That Goloka is situated above VaikuNTha, therefore it is the
crown-jewel of all worlds and its glories are the greatest of all."
90. "Even the glories of the MathurA and Gokula situated in the
material world are superior to those of VaikuNTha and all other
worlds. Therefore, who can describe those magnificent glories?"
91. "Hey Sakhe Gopa-kumAra! At this time my restless tongue is itching
to speak! Today I am revealing the jewel which I have long kept in the
box of my heart."
92. "When that GolokanAtha BhagavAn SrI KRSNa desires to enjoy
varieties of loving pastimes, at the end of DvArapa-yuga in the
twenty-eighth cycle of yugas, all of His incarnations enter into Him
as He descends at Gokula in His original form."
93-94. "At the time of His descent all of His numerous forms which are
present in VaikuNTha and other worlds merge into His original form.
Abandoning SrI VaikuNTha and all other worlds and all of His
paraphernalia and supreme opulences there, and even disregarding the et
ernally devoted SrI LakSmI and exclusive devotees like myself, He goes
there."
95. "This is because that happiness which He does not attain through
enjoying pastimes with numerous other devotees in numerous other
worlds, He attains there in an independent and free manner by enjoying
with the vraja-vAsIs, whose natures are so suitable for playful pastim
es."
96. "Receiving His direct darzana at that time, those greatly
fortunate devotees are the recipients of His complete mercy, the
ultimate prema-bhakti, which has never been bestowed upon any others
at any other time."
97. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! When BhagavAn descends into the material world,
then sometimes the darzana of SrI VaikuNThanAtha will not be available
in VaikuNTha. You have previously experienced this yourself."
98-100. "When SrI KRSNa descends, then all of His incarnations merge
into Him. Therefore, when He appears in the MathurA of the material
world, detecting in Him numerous varieties of glorious opulences and
sweetnesses, the RSis describe Him according to their own sentiments
and conceptions. Some say that He is VaikuNThanAtha, some say that He
is thousandheaded SeSa, some say that He is NArAyaNa, some say that
He is KSirodazAyI ViSNu, and some say that He is SrI Kezava BhagavAn.
Those that live on planets from where their particular worshipable
Deity has descended take His name and say that He has then descended
to MathurA."
101. "But I believe that the Lord of Goloka Himself, SrI KRSNa,
eternally adorns the earth with His own dhAma, SrI VRndAvana, and His
unlimited varieties of pastimes."
102. "There is no one here (in Uddhava's home) who is opposed to the
bhAva of Vraja; SrI Uddhava is very dear to the people of Vraja, and
you are also a resident of that land. Therefore, I will now tell you
some of the hidden glories of SrI Goloka."
103. "In that Vraja-bhUmi, SrI KRSNa exhibits the zenith of His
opulence, kindness, beauty, special affection for His devotees, and
sweet pastimes."
104. "By its own qualities, that Vraja of SrI NandarAya has become the
place of pastimes for the consort of SrI VaikuNThanAtha, SrI MahA-
LakSmI, from whose side-long glances all of the material world's
opulences have arisen."
105. "Although each and every tree of Vraja-bhUmi, with their fruits,
flowers, and leaves, is capable of fulfilling all of one's desires,
still, they do not always exhibit their opulences, knowing that it
would obstruct Prabhu's carefree pastimes."
106. "In Vraja, SrI Nanda-nandana exhibits such mercy that to the
rAkSasI PUtanA who approached Him in the guise of a mother, He gave a
motherly position in His eternal pastimes. And to her relatives like
AghAsura who were always malicious towards sAdhus, in the course of
His playing He gave liberation."
107. "He allowed Mother YazodA to bind Him by the waist to a grinding
mortar with a cowrope. When the vraja-gopIs, enticing Him with their
milk and yoghurt, asked Him to dance, He did so according to their
directions."
108. "Although no one can describe the pure glories of the sweetness
of His beauty, which astounds even Himself, according to my capacity I
am speaking. When the cows, birds, trees, and creepers receive darzana
of that beauty, they exhibit ecstatic symptoms such as crying and
shivering."
109. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! SrI KRSNa's beauty steals away the composure of
the girls of Vraja, whose lotus feet are worshipped by the best of
exalted ladies, and whose beauty, natural dispositions, qualities,
and activities are superior to those of MahA-LakSmI."
110. "When those vraja-gopIs receive darzana of SrI KRSNa, they curse
the maker of eyelids, BrahmAjI, they praise thousand-eyed Indra, and
they desire that all of their senses could become eyes."
111. "How can I describe the various states which the people of Vraja
attained when they received His darzana? How can I describe the
glories of Vraja-bhUmi, where SrI KRSNa revealed such a beautiful
form? The residents of DvArakA and other dhAmasare not capable of
accepting the bhAva of the vraja-vAsIs."
112. "SrI KRSNa's adolescent pastimes are symptomised by the
brilliance of His youth and His varieties of skilfulness and other
qualities. Resting on His enchanting adolescence, the splendour of
His advancing age appears new and fresh at every moment."
113. "In Vraja, SrI KRSNa performed beautiful boyhood pastimes which
no other incarnation had ever done before. Indeed, it was not even
possible for other incarnations to perform those pastimes."
114. "My tongue desires to perpetually drink the nectar of zrI-kRSNa-
lIlA. But I am also afraid to try and cross that nectarean ocean of
His pastimes, because an unqualified person should not undertake any
task which is too difficult."
115. "Who is that person whose heart would not be stolen away from
even once drinking the nectar of His pastimes through their ears?
Therefore, my greedy tongue is renouncing its bashfulness and
endeavouring to describe those pastimes."
116. "When BhagavAn SrI KRSNa was only three months old, while
sleeping He broke an oxen-cart with His soft feet. While crying and
crying for breast-milk, twice He showed SrI YazodA the entire universe
within His mouth."
117. "His killing of TRnAvarta, His crawling on the ground, His
stealing of butter to delight the gopIs-hey Gopa-kumAra! May these
pastimes always protect you!"
118. "While standing before SrI YazodA, His skilfully glancing here
and there out of fear of the vraja-gopIs'angry complaints, His eating
clay out of curiosity, His playing with His mother as she churned
yoghurt-may all these pastimes protect me."
119. "SrI KRSNa's crying and crying and then breaking pots of yoghurt,
His stealing butter from containers hanging on ropes, and then being
distraught with fear, fleeing with His restless eyes looking here and
there, are all very wonderful pastimes."
120. "SrI YazodA's catching Him and binding Him to a grinding mortar,
His breaking the YamalArjuna trees by dragging that mortar, and in
that bound condition, His giving boons to NalakUvara and MaNigrIva-all
these pastimes steal away my heart."
121. "May that SrI KRSNa who killed VatsAsura and BakAsura while
playing and herding the calves in SrI VRndAvana, who is the original
guruof flute players, and who, while being decorated with guJjA and
other forest flowers, imitates the sounds of SrI VRndAvana's animals
and birds, protect me."
122. "In the morning He took the cowherd boys and the calves to the
forest of VRndAvana and enjoyed in various ways, and after some
deliberation He entered the mouth of AghAsura-I worship such sweet
pastimes."
123. "When He was enjoying lunch with the cowherd boys on the bank of
the YamunA, BrahmAjI stole the calves. Then, with a mouthful of
yoghurt and rice in His hand, He wandered here and there searching
for them-this pastime attracts my heart."
124. "When even BrahmA became bewildered upon seeing the sweetness of
His pastimes, who can possibly describe them? How is it that even
though He would later assume the forms of the calves and cowherd boys,
yet He still searched for them as if perplexed?"
125. "Because BrahmAjI comprehended the glory of Gokula where so many
varieties of pastimes were performed, he respectfully offered prayers
to that Vraja and to the embodiment of the rasa of vraja-prema, SrI
KRSNa."
126. "How, in His pastime of taking the cows out to graze, SrI KRSNa
showed respect to SrI BalarAma, how He extolled the splendour of SrI
VRndAvana, and how He imitated the singing of the bees-please remember
these kinds of beautiful pastimes."
127. "In TAlavana He crushed DhenukAsura and his friends and
relatives, and then that evening when He returned to Vraja, He met
with the gopIs-I am incapable of properly eulogising such pastimes,
therefore I merely offer praNAma to them."
128. "Because the pastimes which SrI YazodA-nandana performed in
KAliya-hrad are mixed with elation and sorrow, I am incapable of even
remembering them, so tell me, how will I possibly describe them?"
129. "How did SrI KRSNa angrily punish that wicked KAliya-nAga, and
how did He dance with great pleasure on KAliya's raised hoods?"
130. "The glories of how He defeated KAliya and how He showed him
mercy cannot be described by even SrI SeSa. I offer praNAma to that
serpent's wives, who worshipped and offered prayers to SrI KRSNa to
secure KAliya's release."
131. "He consumed a forest fire on the bank of KAliya-hrad and an even
greater one at MunjATavI, and to increase the fame of SrI BalarAma, at
BhANDIravana He played with the cowherd boys-may all these pastimes
bestow auspiciousness upon everyone."
132. "How in the monsoon season He performed pastimes while standing
under a tree, and in the autumn season, seeing the lovely splendour of
SrI VRndAvana, how He made the young gopIs'hearts burn with amorous
passion-glory to all these pastimes."
133. "SrI Nanda-nandana's beautiful forest attire and the sweet
vibration of His flute stole away the hearts and minds of the entire
world and captivated the damsels of Vraja-when will I receive direct
darzana of these pastimes?"
134. "He stole the gopIs' clothes and quickly climbed a kadambatree.
Then, to make them offer prayers with folded hands, He joked with
them, and removing their clothes from His shoulder, returned them-when
will I witness such pastimes?"
135. "I extol His pastime of delivering the wives of the brAhmaNaswho
were performing sacrifices, where He begged from those brAhmaNas and
stole away the hearts of their wives, where He welcomed them with
skilful words and then, along with the cowherd boys, ate the preparatio
ns which they had brought."
136. "He worshipped Govardhana Hill, and by lifting it with His left
hand, satisfied all of the vraja-gopasand pulverised the pride of
Indra. After that, He consoled Indra and was coronated as 'Govinda'
by all of the demigods."
137. "Giving the residents of Vraja darzana of VaikuNTha, bringing SrI
NandarAya back from the abode of VaruNa-I am incapable of describing
such unlimited pastimes. How can His divine sweetness be described?"
138. "Who can describe the pastimes SrI KRSNa performed in Vraja?
Deliberating upon those pastimes confirms that they are superior to
the pastimes of any other incarnation, and when narrations of those
pastimes enter the ear, prema spontaneously appears."
139. "The pastimes of SrI KRSNa are superior to the pastimes of all
other incarnations, and he who logically establishes this conclusion
is fortunate indeed. I offer praNAma to those in whose hearts
undivided prema has appeared merely by hearing narrations of a
fraction of those pastimes."
140. "Aho! Just as SrI KRSNa is the most extraordinary of all
incarnations, in the same way His flute, which like the most supremely
beloved object always rests in His lotus hand, is extraordinary. My
tongue is incapable of even touching its glories."
141. "Still, by His mercy and according to my capacity, I will
describe the glories of the flute, so listen carefully."
142. "Because that enchanting bamboo flute has touched SrI KRSNa's
bimba-fruit lips, its vibration can accomplish things which He could
not with His own lotus mouth or through the words of the UpaniSads,
Vedas, PurANas, and other scriptures."
143. "Upon hearing that vibration, the demigods and perfected souls
who were travelling in their airplanes with their wives all fainted in
ecstatic love, and Indra, SrI Siva, and SrI BrahmA became mystified
and forgot their knowledge of brahma (transcendental substance)-in
other words, this doubt arose in them: 'Is that which we meditate on
brahma, or is this flute melody brahma? '"
144. "Upon hearing that vibration, the great sages' samAdhi was broken
and symptoms of ecstatic love manifested on their bodies. That flute
melody even interrupted the orbit of the moon and other planets which
are eternally travelling on the wheel of time."
145. "How can I describe the good fortune of the cowherd men? In their
thoughts and behaviour they were always indifferent to their bodies
and everything related to their bodies, they had offered their very
souls to the lotus feet of SrI KRSNa, they were devoid of any worldly
or other-worldly desires, and solely because their wives were very
dear to KRSNa, they even offered praNAma to their wives."
146. "The sons of those gopasalways accompanied SrI KRSNa like His
shadow. When, desiring to see the splendour of the forest, SrI KRSNa
would go away from them for even one minute, then not seeing Him they
would become extremely distraught. And quickly running to Him, they
would receive great satisfaction from touching Him."
147. "Hearing the vibration of the flute, the supremely exalted SrI
RAdhA and vraja-gopIs, who to meet with SrI KRSNa had abandoned their
husbands, sons, religious principles, and shyness, attained mahAbhAva
in such a way that becoming spellbound in the simultaneously sweet and
poisonous thoughts of Him, they completely forgot their own selves and
became motionless like pillars."
148. "Please hear more of the astonishing wonders of that flute
melody. When the cows, calves, bulls, deer, the birds who reside in
trees, the birds and other living entities who reside in the water,
the trees, rivers, clouds, and other entities who are devoid of
intelligence heard the vibration of the flute, they all abandoned
their respective natures."
149. "Upon hearing the melody of the flute, moving living entities
became motionless and motionless entities like stone melted and began
to move. In other words, the conscious became as if matter, and matter
became as if conscious. Plunged into a great ocean of premarasa, they
all exhibited symptoms of ecstatic love."
150. "The pre-eminent stage of development of the secret essence of
SrI BhagavAn's divine opulences is called the rAsa-lIlA, where SrI
BhagavAn exhibited the zenith of His sweetness. Even with hundreds of
hopes, SrI LakSmI could not enter into that rAsa-lIlA."
151. "Aho! Whose heart would not be attracted by SrI KRSNa's sweeter
than sweet skilful cleverness? With that shrewd cleverness He at first
attracted those chaste ladies to Him by calling them with the
vibration of His flute, and then with cunning words He made them cry in
sorrow."
152. "I praise the way in which SrI KRSNa at first concealed His
feelings for them, but then, upon hearing their piteous words, within
an instant revealed the sentiments of His heart and enchanted those
beautiful girls of Vraja by enjoying various kinds of artful pastimes
with them."
153. "Who would not praise the disappearing pastime of SrI KRSNa, who
is expert at enjoying pastimes? By doing this He made even the
supremely staid and sober girls of Vraja become so mad that they began
conversing with trees."
154. "HAya! It is a matter of great sorrow-I fear that SrI KRSNa,
whose pastimes are difficult to comprehend, because how did He bestow
the highest good fortune on His supremely beloved SrImatI RAdhikA, and
how did He the next moment torment Her by disappearing, leaving Her
alone and shelterless in an ocean of weeping?"
155. "When those gopIs were aggrieved and singing songs of sorrow, He
appeared before them and bestowed divine bliss upon them all. After
that He answered their questions and affirmed that He was indebted to
them-may that SrI BhagavAn protect you."
156. "Next He performed the rAsa-lIlA, wherein He skilfully displayed
a succession of varieties of dancing and singing in a circular
formation which were ingenious, full of unprecedented beauty,
enchanting to the entire universe, and which are stealing my heart and
mind away."
157. "Only those who yearn to drink the nectar of SrI KRSNa's lotus
feet can know the glories of the tasters of the rasa of His service,
the beautiful girls of Vraja. BrahmA knows well the glories of those
who have taken birth in Vraja, and Uddhava knows well the glories of
the vraja-gopIs. Therefore, BrahmAjI prayed to take birth there, and
UddhavajI prayed to attain the dust of the feet of the beautiful girls
of Vraja."
158. "Only those who crave a particular thing can know the glories of
those who have attained it. Therefore, craving to drink the nectar of
Mukunda's lips, the vraja-gopIs extol the abundant good fortune of the
flute."
159. "SrI KRSNa is always so immersed in the prema of the vraja-vAsIs
that even though SrI BrahmA time and again offers Him prayers and
obeisances, He has no desire to even glance in his direction."
160. "And that hero of Vraja, SrI KRSNa, has no desire to speak for
even a moment with devotees like myself, even though we have no other
ambition besides His lotus feet. Therefore, I think that those vraja-
vAsIs must know some peculiar mantras and magical forest herbs by which
they have subjugated SrI KRSNa."
161. "Who can describe the vraja-vAsIs' attachment for Him? They know
Him merely as the son of NandarAya, and even though they serve Him in
various loving ways, they pass all of their time immensely distraught
with dissatisfaction."
162. "Those vraja-vAsIs are beyond the influence of time, and they are
worshipable even to those of us who are spiritually enlightened, to
those who are always enjoying the topmost bliss in VaikuNTha, and to
the YAdavas who reside in DvArakA."
163. "SrI KRSNa actually did not enchant the vraja-vAsIs; it was them
who enchanted Him-it is true! Going to Vraja, on the pretext of
offering prayers I had to remind him of His mission as BhagavAn (to
kill KaMsa, etc.), which He had completely forgotten!"

Agrahya das

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Mar 19, 1998, 3:00:00 AM3/19/98

Chapter Five-Divine Love
(continued)

164. "Next SrI AkrUra, the intelligent well-wisher of the YAdavas,
went to Vraja and with great difficulty took SrI KRSNa to MathurA."
165. "Still, KRSNa is never able to abandon those vraja-vAsIs. Even
though time and again He goes from Vraja to MathurA, He permanently
resides in Vraja and eternally enjoys pastimes there with the vraja-
vAsIs."
166. "Because SrI KRSNa is very playful, for the purpose of seeing
what mysteriously attractive activities the vraja-vAsIs perform while
they are being tossed about on the waves of the bhAva of separation
from Him, He disappears, as when He sneaks out of one kuJja and hides
in another, or when He leaves there on the pretext of being a resident
of a foreign land."
167. "My opinion is that SrI KRSNa is the best of charitable persons,
the crown-jewel of those who are generous. Therefore, to bestow upon
His supremely beloved vraja-vAsIs an indescribable, extremely rare
gift, He continually performs this pastime of disappearing."
168. "Just as SrI KRSNa performs pastimes in Vraja-bhUmi, He does also
in Goloka. Therefore, there is no difference between these pastimes,
only that some are performed in the material world, and others are
performed in the spiritual world."
169. "Although SrI KRSNa eternally enjoys pastimes with SrI NandarAya
and the other devotees in Goloka, those pastimes are not visible to
everyone."
170. "Just as BhagavAn has eternal associates like SrI GaruDa in
VaikuNTha, in the same way His eternal associates like SrI NandarAya
are always present in Goloka."
171. "In Goloka, all these devotees eternally enjoy according to their
desires with the Lord of their lives, SrI KRSNa."
172. "By practicing the sAdhana for going to Goloka, even while
residing in the material world sAdhakas can receive the blissful
darzana of SrI BhagavAn and His pastimes."
173. "Dear child, how is it that you are so anxious to have darzana of
the lotus feet of SrI GopAladeva and His sweet pastimes?"
174. "My friend, know for certain that attaining this is very rare and
the sAdhanafor attaining this is very difficult-this is my firm
conclusion."
175. "Ordinary species don't know what is beneficial to them and what
isn't, but human beings are capable of deliberating on this."
176. "Of them, so many are greedy for wealth and controlled by lust.
Some may be following a religious method, but the ambition of most of
them is merely promotion to the heavenly planets."
177. "Of the religious people, there are some who perform selfless
works, and some are even ascetics who aspire for liberation."
178. "Of those who desire liberation, some are liberated paramahaMsas,
and of them, some are great personalities who are engaged in bhagavad-
bhakti."
179. "Of the devotees of BhagavAn, those fortunate souls who have
prema exclusively for the lotus feet of SrImAn MadanagopAla are very
rare indeed."
180. "In this way the gradation in sAdhakas and their respective
sAdhanas, as well as the words of the scriptures which present these
various sAdhanas, should be understood."
181. "Of those who are premI-bhaktas of the lotus feet of SrI GopAla,
those who possess some special bhAva-meaning gopI-bhAva-are extremely
rare. I am not qualified to describe them."
182. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Hey brAhmaNa! Having spoken in this way,
SrI NArada embraced SrI Uddhava, and in a humble tone asked him, "You
please say something."
183. Then, SrI Uddhava, overcome with prema and time and again bowing
his head, said, "I repeatedly offer praNAma to the particles of dust
of the lotus feet of the girls of SrI NandarAya's Vraja."
184. That instant SrI Uddhava, who is also known as HaridAsa, became
very emotional and holding a piece of straw between his teeth, touched
SrI NArada's feet and said:
185. "I pray to take birth as one of the bushes, creepers, or herbs of
VRndAvana on which the dust of the gopIs' feet falls. The gopIs have
performed the difficult task of abandoning their friends and family
members, as well as the Vedic path, to exclusively worship the lotus
feet of SrI KRSNa, which are sought after by the zrutis and even the
Vedas themselves." ( SrImadBhAg. 10.47.61)
186. After that, various symptoms of ecstatic love became visible in
SrI Uddhava, and being wonderstruck and jumping about, he said:
187. "The vraja-gopIs received such mercy from SrI KRSNa that in the
rAsa-lIlA they were enthralled upon receiving His embrace. Such mercy
has never been experienced by LakSmIdevI herself, who is always
residing at the chest of SrI NArAyaNa, or by the women of the heavenly
planets whose lustre and fragrance resembles that of the lotus flower,
what to speak of ordinary women." ( SrImad-BhAg. 10.47.60)
188. Hearing this, SrI NArada was struck with wonder, and seeing that
I was distraught, said:
189. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! SrI Uddhava is the best of devotees. Time and
again praising the dust of the gopIs'feet, he prays, 'When will I
attain the good fortune of procuring the dust of the gopIs'feet by
taking birth as a blade of grass there?'"
190. "Even SrI RukmiNI, who is famous as HaripriyA, who abandoned the
religious principles of elite girls to attain SrI KRSNa, and whose
prema is so intense that upon hearing just one joke from SrI KRSNa she
almost died, could not attain even the scent of the vraja-gopIs'good fo
rtune."
191. "When even such an exalted queen as SrI RukmiNI could not attain
the good fortune of the damsels of Vraja, then how could the best of
the other queens like KAlindI and SatyabhAmA, who are like heavenly
goddesses, and the other queens headed by RohiNI, possibly attain it?"
192. "I am very insignificant, so how will I describe the glories of
those vraja-gopIs? Still, because my restless tongue is destroying my
composure, I am speaking."
193. "Hey Gopa-kumAra, friend of VrajanAtha! SrI Uddhava is the best
of all premIdevotees. Procuring the special good fortune of the
essence of SrI KRSNa's kindness, he went to Vraja and received direct
darzana of the entirety of the gopIs' prema."
194. "Receiving the special mercy of the gopIs' association, he even
temporarily forgot the happiness of SrI KRSNa's association.
Therefore, he knows full well the subject matter of the vraja-gopIs
and all that he has said about them is true, because for one who has
personally experienced it, no type of doubt can remain."
195-196. "The elderly son of Svaphalka, AkrUra, is SrI KRSNa's uncle,
but his heart is dry with knowledge and devoid of kindness. But when
he was made a messenger by KaMsa and was on his way to Vraja, he began
to meditate on the lotus feet of SrI KRSNa. Describing the glories of t
hose feet, he abandoned his insolence and glorified the damsels of
Vraja, and by doing so, even his heart became compassionate."
197-198. "SrI AkrUra said, 'I will offer a daNDavat-praNAma to SrI
KRSNa's lotus feet, which are worshipped by SrI BrahmA, SrI Siva,
other important demigods, SrI LakSmI, munis and devotees, with which,
accompanied by the cowherd boys, He takes the cows out to graze in VRnd
Avana, and which are tinged with the kunkuma from the gopIs' breasts.
Then certainly He will place on my head His lotus hand, with which He
bestows fearlessness upon those who, being distressed out of fear of
the snake of time, take shelter of Him.'"
199. "'In that lotus hand Indra placed the fruits of his one-hundred
horse sacrifices and Bali MahArAja placed the dominion of his entire
kingdom, and during the rAsa-lIlA, with that fragrant lotus hand He
eradicated the gopIs'fatigue.'" ( SrImad-BhAg. 10.38.17)
200. "Extolling the glories of the vraja-gopIs in his final moments,
the righteous naiSTikabrahmacArIgrandfather of the Kauravas and
PANDavas, SrI BhISma, prayed:
201. "'In the rAsa-lIlA, SrI KRSNa enthralled the vraja-gopIs with His
beautiful songs, fascinating movements, captivating humour, and
loving glances. And when He disappeared, they became maddened and
began imitating His pastimes.'" ( SrImad-BhAg. 1.9.40)
202. "Receiving darzana of SrI KRSNa as He was departing HastinApura
for SrI DvArakApurI, the ladies of HastinApura said amongst
themselves:
203. "'Hey SakhI! The principal queens such as RukmiNI whose hands SrI
KRSNa has accepted must certainly have worshipped SrI BhagavAn by
observing vows, bathing in sacred rivers, and performing fire
sacrifices to be time and again relishing the nectar of His lips. What
can be said then about the damsels of Vraja, who faint merely upon
remembering the nectar of those lips?'"
204. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Hey brAhmaNa! After speaking in this way,
SrI NArada embraced me, and symptoms of ecstatic love such as
trembling, hairs standing on end, and profuse shedding of tears became
visible in him. Then, between his teeth he clasped his tongue, which
was restless to describe the glories of the gopIs, and dancing in
various ways, he entered an extraordinary state.
205. After some time he regained his composure, and seeing poor me, he
consoled me with sweet words and said:
206. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! Everything which I have told you up to now is
to always be kept secret, and especially in places where opulence is
abundantly manifest it should be kept concealed."
207. "That is why I did not reveal this subject matter to you in
VaikuNTha, but being enlivened by the sweetness of your bhAva, I have
described something of it here."
208. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! Before myself, SrI Uddhava and you, I swear
that while residing here in this DvArakApurI, achieving Goloka is very
rare and practicing the sAdhana for it is virtually impossible."
209. "Regarding this, I will give you a very beneficial instruction,
please listen: not far from this DvArakApurI is SrI PuruSottama-
kSetra, which you previously received darzana of in the material
world."
210. "There SrI JagannAtha presides, accompanied by SrI BalarAma and
SubhadrAjI. There He also performs those pastimes which He did
previously at Govardhana, SrI VRndAvana, and the banks of the YamunA."
211. "There SrI KRSNa, who is the source of all incarnations, performs
the pastimes of all incarnations. In whatever form a devotee desires
to see Him, He grants him darzana in that very form."
212. "That PuruSottama-kSetra is equally as dear to SrI KRSNa as
MathurA is. Although the supreme opulence is manifest there, as in
MathurA the conduct of the residents there is very simple and
charming."
213. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! Go there, and if after having received His
darzana your desires are still not satisfied, then remain there and
practice the appropriate sAdhanafor attaining your worshipable Deity."
214. "That sAdhanais following the prema which the vraja-vAsIs possess
for the lotus feet of SrI GopInAtha-besides this there is no other
sAdhana."
215. "The sole cause of that prema is the mercy of SrI KRSNa, which is
bestowed upon some all at once, and which others attain gradually
through the execution of sAdhana."
216. "It is like a generous donor who gives cooked food to some and
merely the ingredients to others. In this way the scriptures delineate
the path of sAdhana."
217. "By desiring to follow the gopasor gopIs of Vraja, considering
SrI KRSNa to be a common friend, son, or husband, dismissing any sense
of reverence towards Him and taking shelter of His lotus feet, that
prema can be attained."
218. "That devotion in which meditating on or singing about the
pastimes of Vraja is primary, and which is ornamented with the
sankIrtana of your favourite name of BhagavAn, is the sAdhanawhich
makes vraja-prema arise."
219. "Although by the association of devotees who are favourable to
your particular rasa that prema automatically arises, still, you
should carefully conceal it."
220. "Therefore, remaining in a solitary place in SrI KRSNa's
favourite sporting-ground of Vraja, you should always execute that
prema-sAdhana. By doing this you will certainly attain that prema very
quickly."
221. "That prema is far removed from the sAdhanas of karma, jJAna, and
yoga, because no other sAdhanacan produce it. That prema is the very
basis of humility."
222. "Scholars define humility as when a person, even though
possessing all good qualities, considers himself to be completely
unqualified, worthless, and unintelligent."
223. "Therefore, by his words, activities, and intelligence, it is the
duty of a sAdhaka to conduct himself in such a way that he will
become fixed in humility. An intelligent man should not do anything
which is opposed to humility."
224. "Factual humility is the mature state of prema, and this state
was exhibited by the vrajagopIs when they were separated from SrI
KRSNa."
225. "And fully mature humility always increases one's prema-
therefore, humility and prema are each other's cause and effect."
226. "Hey friend! The real nature of prema is only known by
premIdevotees. Only when the heart is melted and when shivering and
other symptoms of ecstatic love are manifest is there prema."
227. "In this prema, the cool water of the YamunA is like the flames
of a forest fire, and flames appear to be like cooling YamunA water.
Poison is like nectar and nectar becomes like poison, and death seems
pleasurable whereas maintaining one's life seems harrowing."
228. "In this condition a premIdevotee cannot even clearly discern if
they are in SrI KRSNa's company or are separated from Him, or if that
prema is full of divine bliss or great sorrow."
229. "When the treasure of that prema arises, all the activities of
the devotee become like those of a madman. Without this type of prema,
the nine methods of bhagavad-bhakti cannot bestow happiness."
230. "It is just as vegetables without salt, opulent preparations
without hunger, scriptural readings without knowledge of the meaning,
and orchards without fruit cannot be pleasing."
231. "In an ordinary way I have given some of the symptoms of the
prema of devotees, because I am not able to give an elaborate
explanation. How can I possibly describe the prema which the maidens
of Vraja possess for SrI KRSNa?"
232. "When SrI KRSNa went to MathurA, the vraja-gopIs experienced
something more painful than the fire of the cosmic devastation. The
sole cause of that suffering was prema and thisis the very tattva of
prema-don't desire to know anything more than this."
233. "If you attain the good fortune of receiving darzana of SrI
KRSNa's beloved SrImatI RAdhikA, then you will achieve direct
experience of the very embodiment of prema. Because SrImatI RAdhikA is
directly the mUrtiof prema, only She can describe it. Even if by their
own strength someone desires to hear about this prema which is
saturated with both the supreme blissfulness and the supreme anguish,
he will not be able to do so, because both the speaker and the
listener will become spellbound."
234. "Or if an incarnation of SrI KRSNacandra and SrImatI RAdhikA
combined who can propagate this kind of prema manifests, then, by
receiving His darzana, you can also directly experience it. (Here SrI
NArada indicates the incarnation of SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu, who assume
d the complexion and bhAva of SrImatI RAdhikA and who bestowed vraja-
prema upon the souls of this world.)
235. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! For the perfection of your activities you
should quickly proceed to PuruSottama-kSetra. You are the recipient of
SrI KRSNa's mercy in a way which we are not, because you took birth in
that Vraja-bhUmi."
236. (Not able to tolerate SrI NArada's assertion that PuruSottama-
kSetra may be superior to DvArakA) SrI Uddhava said: "Hey NAradajI!
That PuruSottama-kSetra is dear to SrI KRSNa in the same way as this
DvArakApurI is, and as He exhibits His supreme opulence and performs pa
stimes in human form there, He does here also."
237. "There our Master, SrI DevakI-nandana, has assumed the motionless
form of SrI JagannAtha. He delights the residents of that place by
eternally enjoying pastimes there."
238. "Whatever perfection can be attained there, can also be attained
here; therefore there is no difference between these two worlds.
However, going there and seeing and hearing about vraja-lIlA, this
Gopa-kumAra will become extremely unhappy."
239. "By receiving darzana of the lotus face of SrI JagannAtha, by
receiving His matchless mahA-prasAda, and by observing the beautiful
festivals there, his heart will indeed become very joyful, but he will
not attain the ultimate humility."
240. "Without such humility, that prema by which one attains Goloka
will not manifest, and until he attains Goloka, he will not be
peaceful."
241. "Hey NAradajI! You cannot tolerate the unhappiness of others, but
still you are sending him to PuruSottama-kSetra? Why are you not
sending him to the very ornament of MathurAmaNDala, SrI Gokula?"
242. "Seeing SrI VRndAvana, SrI YamunA, SrI Govardhana and other
mountains there, automatically the ultimate humility and prema arise
in the hearts of great souls."
243. "There, by crying out " HA KRSNa, HA KRSNa", the great torment of
their hearts is eradicated as they eternally search for their beloved
SrI DevakI-nandana."
244. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Hey brAhmaNa! Hearing these logical words
from the best of ministers SrI Uddhava, BhagavAn NArada became elated
and said:
245. "Hey UddhavajI! You certainly love the vraja-vAsIs, because you
have given this GopakumAra advice by which his innermost cherished
desires will quickly be fulfilled."
246. "You know full well the glories of that Vraja-bhUmi! Tolerating
the pangs of separation from your worshipable SrI KRSNa, you resided

there for a very long time."

247. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Looking in all directions and seeing that
all indications were auspicious, SrI NArada, who is all-knowing and
dear to the VaiSNavas, said to me:
248. "Hey SrImAn Gopa-kumAra, dear one of the hero of Vraja! Your
innermost desires will soon be fulfilled! O greatly fortunate one! I
realised this right from the beginning!"
249. "SrI VaikuNTha is a place of happiness, SrI AyodhyA is even more
full of happiness, and this DvArakApurI is even more joyful, yet even
upon coming here the unhappiness of your heart has not been mitigated.
Even by receiving darzana of SrI BhagavAn's lotus feet in Svarga and
other planets all of one's unhappiness is eradicated, but even here
you are unhappy."
250. "I can see that the unhappiness you have felt in all of these
places has acted only to increase your prema for the lotus feet of
your Master, SrI GopAla. There is no other possible explanation for
the cause of your unhappiness."
251. "But you could not understand this. In all of those worlds which
you visited, due to the absence of any agitation in your heart, with
special bhAva you enjoyed taking darzana of whichever form of BhagavAn
was present there."
252. "Therefore, for fulfilling your long-cherished desire,
immediately proceed to VrajabhUmi, which is included within MathurA-
maNDala and which expands the glory of the earth planet."
253. "There your unimpeded sAdhanawill bear fruit, transferring you to
Goloka which is situated above VaikuNTha."
254. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Hey brAhmaNa! Hearing those nectarean words
from SrI NArada, I was elated and became very eager to go there. Then
mahAtmA Uddhava, discerning my internal desire to first take SrI
BhagavAn's permission, said:
255. "Hey Gopa-kumAra! When desiring to go to another dhAma, it is
necessary to receive SrI BhagavAn's permission. Vraja-bhUmi is very,
very dear to Him."
256. "That prema which cannot be attained even by direct service to
SrI KRSNa in DvArakA can be attained in Vraja-maNDala merely by
residing there."
257. "That is why, on the pretext of consoling SrI KRSNa's dearest
devotees, I resided in that Vraja-bhUmi for such a long time."
258. "I think that upon seeing your great eagerness my master will
personally lead you to Vraja-bhUmi, because you are also very, very
dear to Him."
259. SrI Gopa-kumAra said: Drinking the nectar of his words, I became
overcome with the supreme blissfulness. Then, for a moment I felt
faint and closed my eyes.
260. At that time it was apparent that someone was taking me
somewhere, and when I opened my eyes, I found myself in this very
kuJja.

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