Can you tell from your realization that Kṛṣṇa’s name and Kṛṣṇa are the same thing? By chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, we will be happy in this life and in future lives. Have you practiced and realized this? Yet we want to write books, so many volumes—volumes and volumes.
For example, take the five Pāṇḍavas and the hundred sons of Dhṛtaraṣṭra—Duryodhana and all. Altogether Droṇācārya had one hundred and five students. Droṇācārya was highly qualified in archery and also in all the Vedas and Upaniṣads. He knew all the śāstras and he used to teach them to his students. One day he gave them an assignment to practice speaking the truth. They were to meditate on this and then come back the next day. Duryodhana told him, “Oh, I have already learned this. this is not such a difficult or complicated philosophy. I already practice this.”
“No. You should go and deeply think about this and come back tomorrow.” The next day they all assembled. Droṇācārya asked Duryodhana, “Do you remember what I asked?”
“Yes, yes, so well. You told us to speak the truth.”
“No. You have not remembered.” Droṇācārya asked the others, “In this class, is there anyone else who has not understood or remembered this instruction?” Only one hand came up. Whose hand was that? Yudhiṣṭhira’s. “I have not realized it practically in my life, so it is not possible for me to speak the truth.”
“Oh, then you alone will be able to realize it, but for the others it will be very hard.” The specialty of Rūpa Gosvāmī is that no word and letter he has written can be changed. No one can ever change it. Once Sanātana Gosvāmī was reading one of Rūpa’s poems, and he found what he thought was a mistake. He ordered Rūpa, “You should correct this.” what was that? Veṇī vyālāṇganā phaṇām. Rūpa Gosvāmī had described Śrīmatī Rādhikā’s venī, braid, as a very poisonous, black snake—a female snake, because the female becomes furious very quickly and is easily moved to attack. Male snakes do not become furious so easily. So he was describing that her braid was waving in the air, veṇī vyālāṇganā phaṇām.
Sanātana Gosvāmī asked, “Why did you use this word? Vyālā means serpent, black snake. why did you use this word?” Being the elder brother and guru, Sanātana Gosvāmī advised, “You should correct it.” Then very humbly Rūpa Gosvāmī replied, “Brother, I think that it would be better if you correct it. I will rely on you to do it.”
Sanātana Gosvāmī was intensely searching here and there for an alternative word that would be very smooth and sweet. He was giving his mind and heart to this matter but he could not think of anything, so he decided, “Acchā, I will do it tomorrow.” They were staying at Rādhā-kuṇḍa at that time in separate cottages. As he was returning to his own cottage, he was attracted by the sight of a very beautiful kadamba tree. Hanging from the branches of this tree were four ropes holding a magnificent swing. On the swing was sitting a very beautiful village girl, but like a normal Indian girl, she was not so extraordinary. And some other girls were there singing a sweet song and pushing the swing.
From far away Sanātana Gosvāmī saw that some very poisonous she-snakes were waving here and there in the air behind the head of that beautiful girl. The bottom of her braid was also moving back and forth. he at once ran towards her calling, “O lālī, O lālī, O lālī.” Lālī means darling girl. “O lālī, serpents are there in your hair. Be careful.” and he took his stick to remove those snakes. But when he came nearer, the girl smiled and at once vanished with all her sakhīs and everything. Only the tree was there, no swing, nothing else. Then he realized that Rūpa Gosvāmī, having had the same vision, had written the full truth. There was not any word or even a letter to be corrected. His work is “as it is,” just like Gīta As It Is. He had practiced and realized what he had written.
―Śrīla Bhaktivedanta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja
