( The second class in a lecture-course on Prema-samput,
The Treasure Chest of Love)
October 12, 2005: Mathura, India
Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja
[A Note to the Readers
In the conversation between Sri Krsna and Srimati Radhika as discussed
in the following lecture transcription, Radhika is not aware that
She is speaking with Krsna, because He is in disguise.]
We have been speaking about Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakuras
book, Prema-samput, since the day before yesterday. Srimati Radhika
had sent Visakha-devi to get some medicinal oil, so that she Herself
could rub it on the head of Sri Krsna who had disguised Himself as
Syama-sakhi. [*
See part one of this lecture]
Srimati Radhika said, "Alas, this sakhi is quite a cheater. We
are trying our best to find out the cause of her sadness and disease,
but she is not speaking at all." She ordered Her sakhis to take
some warm water to bathe Syama-sakhi and then give her a massage.
In this way her disease would be removed and she would be able to
speak. She would smile and become happy.
Srimati Radhika continued, "If that doesn't work, I have another
medicine. By placing this medicine on her body, all diseases of her
body, mind and senses will disappear and her body will be nourished.
This medicine was given to Me by Dhanvantari.
Actually, I think that if Rasika-sekhara Krsna, the topmost
connoisseur of conjugal love, will come and touch this young girl's
body, she will definitely be okay and her happiness will return. Krsna's
touch is completely indescribable. Asta-sattvika bhavas will appear
on her body without a doubt, and she will smile."
Hearing the words of Srimati Radhika, Sri Krsna began to smile a bit.
To disguise His smile He hung His head, and with His very beautiful,
delicate fingers He brushed away the curls that had fallen on His
forehead. With a very lovely lady-like voice, He then began to speak
with Srimati Radhika and the sakhis. His speech was just like that
of a cakori bird and, hearing His beautiful voice, Radhika and the
sakhis became astonished.
Krsna as the heavenly damsel said, "Oh supremely beautiful Radha,
I am actually from Svarga (the heavenly planets). I came here because
I have a doubt about a certain subject, and apart from You, nobody
in the entire world can completely fulfill My desire to have this
doubt dispelled. That is why I have come down to this Earth planet."
Srimati Radhika replied, "What You have said is completely true.
You must be a goddess from a heavenly planet, and that is why You
are so astonishingly beautiful. You are equal in beauty only to Yourself.
There is no one to compare to You. You are so attractive, like a lotus
from the heavenly planets. Actually O beautiful one, whatever we said
before regarding Your unhappiness, such as your husband leaving you,
you leaving your husband or your husband not giving you so much affection,
was only a joke. Please do not take any offense. Because You are so
dear to us and we have so much affection for you, we feel we have
the right to joke with You."
Sri Krsna replied, "Oh Radha, You are indeed very dear to Me.
You have all good qualities. I am completely indebted to You. You
have so much prema, which is astonishing and unlimited. You also have
unlimited glorious qualities. Just to attain one drop of your prema
I have come here to become your maidservant."
From this point Prema-samput actually begins.
Krsna as the demigoddess continued, "Oh Radha, listen carefully.
I left Svarga to come to this planet. I was very unhappy there because
a doubt had arisen in My heart, and only You can dispel it. Thus far,
although I am hearing Your nectar-like words, My doubt and the unhappiness
in My heart have not been dispelled.
The sound of Krsna's flute reaches even the heavenly planets. Despite
sitting on the laps of their husbands, the ladies of the heavenly
planets become mad upon hearing the sound of His flute and desire
to run to Him. They become mad not only by hearing His flute, but
by experiencing anything related to Him such as His form, His
speech, or His touch (His touching His dear devotees in Vraja). Anything
related to Krsna is so attractive that it easily breaks ones
attachment towards material objects.
One of Srimati Radhikas sakhis said, This is very strange,
because it seems that nectar is actually mixed with a great poison.
There is a poison called halahala, which was produced by the churning
of the Milk Ocean. How can a bitter poison be nectar? Hearing the
sound of Krsna's flute is like nectar, but the suffering we receive
upon not meeting Him is like bitter poison. All the nectar in the
world combined together cannot compare to one drop of the sweetness
of Krsna's flute. And all the poison and suffering in the world combined
together cannot compare to one drop of the suffering we feel in separation
from Him.
Sri Krsna continued, That sound enters the ears like Cupid Himself,
and the ladies in the heavenly planets become unconscious. They feel
a burning sensation in their bodies, and their husbands cannot understand
where this disease has come from. So much burning sensation is in
their wives' bodies, that they keep those ladies separate so they
themselves will not become burned.
"Oh Radha, another name for Svarga or heaven is Tri-dashalaya,
which means there are only three stages of life there: childhood,
adolescence and youth. There is no old age there. By the heavenly
girls' hearing the sound of Krsna's flute, the name Tri-dashaloya
became false, because everyone entered the same situation. There are
not three situations anymore but only one. Everyone enters
the same mood, thinking, 'Let's go to Krsna.' The mood of being chaste
and loyal to one's husband becomes crushed and defeated, and all become
bewildered by the sound of Krsna's flute."
Krsna as the demigoddess continued, "I began to think deeply
about where this flute-sound came from and to whom it belonged. Thinking
in this way I followed the sound from the heavenly planets to this
Earth planet. When I arrived here I stayed for some days at Vamsi-vata,
where Krsna was performing His Rasa-lila. There, from a distance,
I saw you all dancing with Him; and this is how I have come to know
all of you who is Visakha, who is Lalita, who is Campakalata
and so on."
Srimati Radhika laughed and said, "Oh, You are most fortunate,
and therefore You are very dear to us. With the sword of your desire
to meet Sri Krsna, You have separated yourself from all other desires.
You are the most fortunate damsel in the heavenly planets. To attain
Krsna, ardent desire is necessary. Once this desire enters the heart,
one cannot be pacified by anything else. When one feels constant pain
by this desire to meet Krsna, it is called sumana, auspicious mind-set,
but when we fall unconscious that quality of sumana is lost. When
we fall unconscious we cannot go to meet Krsna, but You are the most
fortunate girl because You have crossed all this and have met Him."
Hearing Srimati Radhika's joking words, Krsna began to smile and said,
"Oh Radha, other ladies are not equal to You. I am also not equal
to You, because I am not very attracted to Krsna at all. Besides,
I have seen Him but He has not seen Me; I am only watching from a
distance."
Srimati Radharani said, "Only You saw Krsna, so this is proof
that You are attracted to Him. He is not a paramour lover for You;
rather He is Your own beloved. You have seen Him and realized His
pastimes, and You are therefore most fortunate. For this reason we
cannot be joking with You. I cannot say anything false to You. Laksmi,
who was produced from churning of the Milk Ocean, and Parvati, the
wife of Siva, are not equal to You in any way. Therefore we cannot
lie to You. You are really attracted to Krsna."
Srimati Radhika continued, "Oh Sakhi, You have seen the beauty
of Krsna; so what is the necessity of any husband or any other man
besides Him? Please tell me, what is Your question? For what reason
have You come here? I joked with You for a moment only. Please present
Your doubt to Me. What do You wish to ask?
Krsna replied, "Oh Radha, who can defeat You in joking and who
can stop You from joking?"
When Srimati Radhika defeats Krsna in joking, all the sakhis clap
their hands and chant, "Jaya Sri Radhe."
Krsna continued, "Despite your being human, all the girls in
the heavenly planets bow their heads and offer obeisances to You."
Srimati Radhika is not human. She is Lord Sri Krsna's own hladini-sakti,
who manifests a human-like form in order to serve Krsna's human-like
pastimes.
Sri Krsna continued, "Oh Radha, don't be shy. Even Laksmi, Parvati,
and the crest-jewel of chaste women like Arundhati have been defeated
by Your ocean-like qualities of chastity and playful activities. They
hope to achieve a drop of Your qualities. If it is not even possible
for the girls in the heavenly planets to achieve equality with You,
then what to speak of the girls of this world!"
Editorial Advisors: Sripad Madhava Maharaja and Sripad Brajanath dasa
Translator: Sripad Damodara Maharaja
Editor: Syamarani dasi
Transcriber: Vasanti dasi
Proofreader: Krsna Kamini dasi.