[Respected Maharajas, Prabhus and Didis, Dandavata pranama. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga. We generally send recent lectures of Srila Narayana Maharaja, but just recently someone suggested an additional service. Srila Maharaja used to give darsanas in the “early days” of his helping Westerners, when there was only a handful, and some of those beautiful darsanas have been transcribed. We would like to begin sending these darsanas, once a month, along with the recent lectures and the darsana below will be the first.]

Srila Narayana Maharaja: Here in Vrndavana, the pastimes of Krsna as described in Srimad Bhagavatam are always taking place. None care for jnana (knowledge leading to impersonal liberation and even knowledge of the Lord’s divinity) and vairagya (dry renunciation) here, and in fact Srimad-Bhagavatam states that there is no use of jnana and viragya.

Always chant the holy name, listen to hari-katha and read Srimad-Bhagavatam. Always roam in the forests of Vrndavana, like Seva-kunja, Nidhuvana, Rasa-sthali and all other places. Always weeping there, taking the dust of these good places on your eyes, ears and heart, pray that krsna-prema – gopi-prema – will manifest in your heart. These are the main subject matters to remember.

Bhagavat-katha was done in Naimisaranya. It was done in Haridvara, and also in the assembly in which Pariksit Maharaja heard Srimad Bhagavatam at Shutal. But in Vrndavana Krsna-lila always takes place, and in fact the whole Bhagavatam takes place there.

If one goes here and there in Vrndavana, to places like Dan-gali, Mana-gali, Kunja-gali and Seva-gali, he will be doing the whole of Vrndavana parikrama. His sadhana bhajana will be complete and Krsna will think, "I must somehow give this person krsna-prema." He will follow that person, thinking, "How shall I give him that prema? How shall I give it?" and somehow He will give it. As we hanker for krsna-prema, Krsna also hankers to give it. He always seeks an excuse to give it to us.

[Devotee:] We were wondering if you could teach us how to utter the gayatri mantras, or tell us more of its meaning in order to help us chant it from the heart – because when we say it it seems so dry. The mantra simply begins on our tongue and then after a few minutes it’s over, and in that time nothing seems to happen.

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Why are you thinking that you are dry?

[Devotee:] It’s because I don't have any love or any emotion when I chant the maha-mantra or gayatri-mantra.

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] The brahma-gayatri, the first of the gayatri mantras, will dry your heart.

[Devotee:] What do you mean?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Ladies don't utter this first mantra.

[Devotee:] But our Srila Prabhupada gave it to us.

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] He did not wish that you continue it for all time. The acaryas in the Gaudiya-sampradaya, like Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada – acaryas from the time of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu – say that only male persons can receive that mantra. All other gayatri-mantras can be uttered by ladies as well.

[Devotee:] But he gave it to ladies and men.

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] He had a special reason to do this at that time, but he did not want this to continue perpetually. Because you believe he still wants you to chant that first mantra you should do so, but give more emphasis on the other mantras – like guru-gayatri and guru-mantra.

[Devotee:] The brahma-gayatri is just the first mantra, but I don't say the others well either.

[Devotee:] She says that she does not know how to say any of them with the proper consciousness.

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Your spiritual master has given some hints on how to meditate on them, so you will have to improve. He has given you a seed, and if that seed sprouts then some very green leaves will appear, and later on flowers will begin to bloom. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has come here only to give the goal of these mantras:

anarpita-carim cirat karunayavatirnah kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam sva-bhakti-sriyam
harih purata-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandipitah
sada hrdaya-kandare sphuratu vah saci-nandanah

["May the Supreme Lord who is known as the son of Srimati Saci-devi be transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the Age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered before: the most sublime and radiant mellow of devotional service, the mellow of conjugal love". (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 1.4)]

Have you heard this sloka? Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to donate this gift to the world – unnatojjvala rasa. What is the meaning of unnatojjvala rasa? Sriman Mahaprabhu has come to teach us how to love Krsna. He has not come especially to teach how Yasoda loves Krsna. This has been given before. Srila Vallabhacarya and all others have given this. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has not come to give the love of the cowherd boys for Lord Krsna, nor has He come to teach how Rukmini and Satyabhauma love Him. That has been given by Sri Ramacandra and also by Krsna. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came only to distribute unnatojjvala-rasam sva-bhakti sriyam.

Actually, He has come to give sriyam – not ujjvalla-rasa. He has come to taste unnatojjvala-rasa, the bhava of Srimati Radhika. Do you understand? This unnatojjvala-rasa cannot be given because that kind of mahabhava is the topmost point of love – but its sriyam can be given. What is the meaning of sriyam? Sri means beauty. Srimati Radhika is likened to a creeper, and its beauty is its leaves and flowers. When the leaves and flowers of the creeper move gently in the breeze, we can then see how beautiful the creeper is. If there are no flowers or leaves on that creeper, there is no beauty. We don't want to be Srimati Radhika – the creeper. We want to be the leaves and flowers of the creeper. We want to be palya-dasis (unpaid maidservants) of Srimati Radhika and nothing more.

Are you understanding something in this regard? I have given you a hint. You should gradually read about this topic, and that will help you so much. You can study Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura's Madhurya-Kadambini, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Jaiva Dharma, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, and Srimad Bhagavatam. All of these books will give you so much fruit.

[Next visit…]

[Devotee:] How can a person practice raganuga-bhakti* [See endnote] when he is sick?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] When greed for raganuga-bhakti comes to a person, his mind will not be under his own control. It will try to achieve krsna-prema in any way – by hook or by crook. When greed manifests in a person’s heart, he will not see whether it is a sin or piety to love Krsna. He will think, "It may be wrong or right. It may be impious or pious. I have given my whole heart to Krsna, and if anyone tells me otherwise I won't care for his advice." That is called greed for raganuga-bhakti. That person will try to achieve his goal very quickly, and if there is a delay he will feel like a fish out of water who is about to lose its life. Such a devotee does not consider whether loving Sri Krsna as the gopis love Him is wrong or right. He only wants to love Krsna.

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami has written in the second verse of his Mana-siksa.

na dharmam nadharmam sruti gana niruktam kila kuru
vraje radha krsna pracura paricaryam iha tanu
saci sunum nandisvara pati sutatve guru varam
mukunda presthatve smara param ajasram nanu manah

"O my dear mind! Please do not perform either dharma or adharma mentioned in the Srutis or Vedas. Rather, you should render profuse loving serve to Sri Sri Radha-Krsna Yugala here in Vraja, for the Srutis have ascertained Them to be the highest principle of supreme worship and the Supreme Absolute Truth. Always meditate on Sacinandana Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, richly endowed with the complexion and sentiments of Srimati Radhika, as non-different from Sri Nanda-nandana. Always remember your guru as most dear to Sri Mukunda." (Sri Manah-siksa, verse 2)

How will this greed come? It will come by hearing the prayers of Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, and Sri Sanatana Gosvami. Have you heard the prayers of Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati? He was a marvelous poet. He wrote:

yasyah kadapi vasanancala khalanottha
dhanyati dhanya pavanena krtartha mani
yogindra durgama gatir madhusudano api
tasya namo’stu vrsabhanu bhuvo dise api

“Even Madhusudana (Krsna), who is difficult to attain even for the best of yogis, feels Himself greatly blessed when He is touched by even the slightest playful breeze coming from the tip of Sri Radhika’s garment. I offer my obeisances to any direction in which I may find this daughter of Maharaja Vrsabhanhu.” (Sri Sri Radha-rasa-sudhanidhi, verse 2)

Have you heard this verse? Never? None of you have heard it?

Srimati Radhika was once very angry; She was not in a mood to speak with Krsna. Sri Krsna wanted to please Srimati, but She was not in the mood to be pleased. He tried to pacify Her by His many skills. He also bowed down at Her lotus feet and said, "I will never again do that which I have wrongly done. Kindly be pleased with Me." Srimati Radhika told Her maidservants, Rupa Manjari and Rati Manjari, "This Krsna is very clever. He knows so many tricks. His heart – outside and inside – is the same. Black. He is black everywhere; inside and out. Refuse entry to that cheater and tell Him to go away from here. He should never again come here."

The gopis then told Krsna, "O black person. You should go away from here immediately. Our sakhi is extremely angry with You." They threatened Him and He departed, feeling very unhappy. He then went to the east side of Radha-kunda and stood there, and Srimati Radhika was standing on the west side. A cool breeze then began to blow from the area where Srimati Radhika was standing. The breeze was very calm and quiet, and very pleasant and sweet smelling. It was carrying the fragrance of Radha-kunda, and the flowers there, like beli, chameli, jui and kadamba. Taking the fragrance of all of these, the air became heavy, like a man carrying a heavy load, and it was blowing but very gently. It went under the corner of Radhika's veil, and the fragrance of Her body mixed with the air which was already full of the sweet aroma of flowers. It blew across Radha-kunda to the east side where Krsna was standing, and it went straight into His nostrils. Krsna knew this to be the fragrance of Srimati Radhika, as He was very familiar with Her fragrance. At once He thought, "Srimati Radhika has come in the form of Her fragrance" and tears began to flow from His eyes. He shut His eyes and took Srimati Radhika into His heart, and there He embraced Her. He considered, "Now I have fully received the association of Srimati Radhika.

The poet who wrote this verse says that it is very difficult to have the darsana of Lord Krsna's lotus feet. Lord Brahma, Lord Sankara, Bhisma-pitamaha, Sri Narada Rsi, Sri Uddhava and all other such great devotees cannot have the darsana of young Vrajesa-nandana Krsna, Nanda-nandana, Radha-kanta Krsna. He is Radha-kanta at Radha-kunda. He is Gopi-kanta and so many Vrndavana-vilasinis serve Him at that time. It is very hard to have darsana of that Krsna, and that Krsna says that the air which touched the body of Radhika was so fortunate. When that fortunate air came to Him, bringing the fragrance of Srimati Radhika, He closed His eyes and thought, "Now My entire life is successful. I bow down to the dust of the lotus feet of Srimati Radhika. I am not qualified to touch Her lotus foot-dust, so I will bow down to that air which brought Her fragrance to Me." He then bowed down to the side where Radhika was standing, the area from where the breeze had come. He prayed to that side, feeling Himself unqualified to pray to even Her lotus-foot dust. He says, "I will pray only in that direction in which She is standing."

[Devotee:] Should we also pray to the air in Vrndavana?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] You should think about and decide what you should do.

[Devotee:] You said previously that we should pray to the dust particles in Vrndavana, so should we also pray to the air?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Everything is in that verse, but there should be a "good taster," one who knows how to taste and relish the deep meanings therein. That taster is known as a rasika-bhakta. He will drink the juice of all these verses and then give that juice to others, and he will make them also rasika. By hearing verses like these from such a pure rasika devotee your greed will become very thick and you will begin to think, "How can I attain the service of Srimati Radhika? I want to serve Her.” When Krsna knows this about a sadhaka He becomes very merciful to him. This is the way of advancement towards krsna-prema: remembering one verse and meditating on its meaning, and then remembering another and then another. This is raganuga- bhajana.

[Devotee:] Can we think of the verse and its meaning while we are chanting our japa?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] While chanting, a sadhaka bows down, rolling on the earth and weeping.

[Devotee:] Is each dust particle in Vrndavana a separate pure devotee?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] The dust is rasa itself.

[Devotee:] What does that mean?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Do you know the meaning of the word rasa?

[Devotee:] Taste or mellow.

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Rasa is translated as “taste” in the English language, but there is no true English equivalent. In rasa there is some juice, but ordinary juice is not rasa. The dust is rasa. What Krsna gives is called rasa and what Srimati Radhika and the gopis drink is called rasa. Do you understand? Every particle of dust is that rasa. Do you know what kunkuma is?

[Devotee:] The red kunkuma with which the gopis decorate their breasts?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] The gopis took Lord Krsna's lotus feet on their chest, and the kunkuma dust became mixed with the dust of those lotus feet. After that, when Krsna was walking home in the early morning, the combined dust mixed with the "dust" of the earth. So that is what the dust of Vrndavana is. It is kunkuma dust. An ocean of rasa is contained within that dust and if anyone has attained that dust he will be merged in rasa. Do you understand something of what I am saying?

[Devotee:] So the dust particles are not pure devotees? I'm asking because you said, "Pray to the dust."

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] We want to taste rasa. We don't want to be that dust. We want to take that dust on our eyes and bodies. In Srimad-Bhagavatam it has been stated,

purnah pulindya urugaya-padabja-raga
sri-kunkumena dayita-stana-manditena
tad-darsana-smara-rujas trna-rusitena
limpantya anana-kucesu jahus tad-adhim

"The aborigine women of the Vrndavana area become disturbed by lust when they see the grass marked with reddish kunkuma powder. Endowed with the color of Krsna's lotus feet, this powder originally decorated the breasts of His beloveds, and when the aborigine women smear it on their faces and breasts, they feel fully satisfied and give up all their anxiety." (SB 10.21.17)

This is a very good verse from the Srimad Bhagavatam. Also, the gopis sing the glories of that dust in Venu-gita. Have you heard Venu-gita?

barhapidam nata-vara-vapuh karnayoh karnikaram
bibhrad vasah kanaka-kapisam vaijayantim ca malam
randhran venor adhara-sudhayapurayan gopa-vrndair
vrndaranyam sva-pada-ramanam pravisad gita-kirtih

"Wearing a peacock-feather ornament upon His head, blue karnikara flowers on His ears, a yellow garment as brilliant as gold, and the Vaijayanti garland, Lord Krsna exhibited His transcendental form as the greatest of dancers as He entered the forest of Vrndavana, beautyfying it with the marks of His footprints. He filled the holes of His flute with the nectar of His lips, and the cowherd boys sang His glories." (SB 10.21.5)

This is the best verse describing Lord Krsna's form. In the entire Srimad-Bhagavatam, this verse is most beautiful and marvelous.

In this verse from Venu-gita Srimati Radhika says that the pulindi girls are extremely fortunate. She prays there, "I want to be a pulindi girl" "Pulindi girl" means an aboriginal girl, a girl of the hill tribes. Srimati Radhika says, "Those girls are so very fortunate, because they live by the side of Govardhana Hill. In the morning they come to Govardhana to collect sticks and cow dung." Those girls are very beautiful. Their complexion is blackish and they are not as beautiful as the gopis, but still they are so beautiful. They see Krsna's foot dust mixed with kunkuma on the grass. In the morning drops of dew make the grass wet, and this was the time Krsna was returning home from Sanket. Have you heard the name Sanket?

[Devotee:] Where Krsna and the gopis have their pastimes?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Yes. As Sri Krsna returned home from there, the kunkuma from His feet became wet from the dew and mixed with the grass. Do you want to hear more, or shall I stop here?

[Devotee:] We want to hear.

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Birds were coming and going. That pulindi girl at once remembered Krsna and became so full of emotion that she could not control herself. She immediately wanted to embrace Him. Her mind and senses were not under her control. She saw Him everywhere she looked. She became maddened and thought that He was standing right there with her. She took the kunkuma from Sri Krsna's feet, not caring if anyone was seeing or not seeing, and began to smear it all over her body. Her love increased thousands of times. She put that kunkuma on Her heart, at once felt that Krsna had embraced her, and she became calm and quiet.

Srimati Radhika thus prays, "I want to be that girl. She had no connection with Krsna. She only touched the kunkuma on the grass. Krsna was very far away from her, and yet she had so much love for Him. I want to die and take birth in the hill tribes. That pulindi girl had no shyness or anything else to bind her. She was not interested to hear the words of her father, and her father would also never disturb her. I want to be that pulindi girl. My father-in-law, mother-in-law, and all others disturb me, but her father, mother and husband do not disturb her or stop her from having darsana of Krsna and taking the kunkuma of His lotus feet.” From where did Sri Krsna collect that dust?

[Devotee:] From the gopis

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Which gopis?

[Devotee:] Radharani?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] And yet Srimati Radhika Herself is speaking this verse. She does not understand that the kunkuma is from Her own body.

[Devotee:] Is that how She got the name Kunkumangi?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Lord Sri Krsna has Her kunkuma on His lotus feet

[Devotee:] What does "angi" mean?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Angi means body.

[Devotee:] She has kunkuma on Her body, so She is called Kunkumangi?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Yes, because Her body is decorated with kunkuma. Lord Krsna also may be called Kunkumanga, because He takes the kunkuma of Srimati Radhika on His body. Try to think about these topics and pray to Krsna, the dust of Vrndavana, Vrnda devi, and all others like them to give you realization of them. In brief, this is called raganuga-bhajana

[*Endnotes – “Raganuga refers to the point at which, by following the regulative principles, one becomes a little more attached to Krsna and executes devotional service out of natural love.” (Srila Prabhupada in a room conversation on Apr 2, 1972)

“But without viddhi-bhakti, you cannot reach to the platform of raga-bhakti, although that is our aim. Raganuga, raga-bhakti is executed following the footprints of the devotees in Vrndavana. That is called raga-bhakti. Krsna’s personal associates. Not to become directly Krsna’s personal associate, but following the footprints of Krsna’s eternal associates, we can come to the stage of raga-bhakti. That is called para-bhakti. That para-bhakti is required.” (Srila Prabhupada in a lecture in Bombay, January 12, 1975)

“So you have to uncover. You have to discover. That discovering process is devotional service. The more you are engaged in devotional service, the more your senses become pure or uncovered. And when it is completely uncovered, without any designation, you are capable to serve Krsna. This is apprenticeship. Vaidhi-bhakti is apprenticeship. Real bhakti, para-bhakti, is raganuga-bhakti. This raganuga-bhakti, we have to come after surpassing the vaidhi-bhakti. In the material world, if we do not try to make further and further progress in devotional service, if we are simply sticking to the shastric regulation process and do not try to go beyond that... Shastric process, and also regulation, is required. Without shastric process you cannot go to that platform. But if we stick to the shastric process only and do not try to improve ourself... The shastric process is kanistha-adhikara, lowest stage of devotional service.” (Srila Prabhupada, in a lecture of Nov. 12, 1972)

“The original inhabitants of Vrndavana are attached to Krsna spontaneously in devotional service. Nothing can compare to such spontaneous devotional service, which is called ragatmika bhakti. When a devotee follows in the footsteps of the devotees of Vrndavana, his devotional service is called raganuga bhakti.” (Cc. Madhya-lila 22.149)

“When a pure devotee follows the footsteps of a devotee in Vrndavana, he develops raganuga bhakti.” (Srila Prabhupada’s purport to the above verse)

“When one becomes attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his natural inclination to love is fully absorbed in thoughts of the Lord. That is called transcendental attachment, and devotional service according to that attachment is called ragatmika, or spontaneous devotional service.” (Cc Madhya-lila 22.150)

“If one follows in the footsteps of the inhabitants of Vrndavana out of such transcendental covetousness, he does not care for the injunctions or reasonings of sastra. That is the way of spontaneous love.

PURPORT
“Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that a devotee is attracted by the service of the inhabitants of Vrndavana—namely the cowherd men, Maharaja Nanda, mother Yasoda, Radharani, the gopis and the cows and calves. An advanced devotee is attracted by the service rendered by an eternal servitor of the Lord. This attraction is called spontaneous attraction. Technically it is called svarupa-upalabdhi. This stage is not achieved in the beginning. In the beginning one has to render service strictly according to the regulative principles set forth by the revealed scriptures and the spiritual master. By continuously rendering service through the process of vaidhi bhakti, one’s natural inclination is gradually awakened. That is called spontaneous attraction, or raganuga bhakti.

“An advanced devotee situated on the platform of spontaneity is already very expert in sastric instruction, logic and argument. When he comes to the point of eternal love for Krsna, no one can deviate him from that position, neither by argument nor by sastric evidence. An advanced devotee has realized his eternal relationship with the Lord, and consequently he does not accept the logic and arguments of others. Such an advanced devotee has nothing to do with the sahajiyas, who manufacture their own way and commit sins by indulging in illicit sex, intoxication and gambling, if not meat-eating. Sometimes the sahajiyas imitate advanced devotees and live in their own whimsical way, avoiding the principles set down in the revealed scriptures. Unless one follows the six Gosvamis—Sri Rupa, Sanatana, Raghunatha Bhatta, Sri Jiva, Gopala Bhatta and Raghunatha dasa—one cannot be a bona fide spontaneous lover of Krsna. In this connection, Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says, rupa-raghunatha-pade haibe akuti kabe hama bujhaba se yugala piriti. The sahajiyas’ understanding of the love affairs between Radha and Krsna is not bona fide because they do not follow the principles laid down by the six Gosvamis. Their illicit connection and their imitation of the dress of Rupa Gosvami, as well as their avoidance of the prescribed methods of revealed scriptures, will lead them to the lowest regions of hell. These imitative sahajiyas are cheated and unfortunate. They are not equal to advanced devotees (paramahamsas). Debauchees and paramahamsas are not on the same level.” (Cc. Madhya-lila 22.153)

“One has to serve Krsna according to these regulative principles, but if one develops spontaneous love for Krsna as exhibited in the activities of those who live in Vrajabhumi, one attains the platform of raganuga-bhakti. One who has developed this spontaneous love is eligible for elevation to the platform enjoyed by the inhabitants of Vrajabhumi. In Vrajabhumi, there are no regulative principles set forth for Krsna’s service. Rather, everything is carried out in spontaneous, natural love for Krsna. There is no question of following the principles of the Vedic system. Such principles are followed within this material world, and as long as one is on the material platform, he has to execute them. However, spontaneous love of Krsna is transcendental. It may seem that the regulative principles are being violated, but the devotee is on the transcendental platform. Such service is called gunatita, or nirguna, for it is not contaminated by the three modes of material nature.” (Cc. Madhya 8.221)]

Editorial advisors: Pujyapada Madhava Maharaja and Sripad Brajanath dasa
Editor: Syamarani dasi
Transcriber: Sulata dasi
Typist: Vasanti dasi