Ālī! Mohe Lāge Vṛndāvana Nīko

ālī! mohe lāge vṛndāvana nīko,
lāge vṛndāvana nīko, sakhīrī mohe lāge vṛndāvana nīko (1)

O Friend! I like Vṛndāvana, I like Vṛndāvana so much. My dear sakhī, I like Vṛndāvana so much.

ghara ghara tulasī, ṭhākura pūjā, 
daraśana govindajī ko (2)

There, tulasī and Ṭhākurajī are worshipped in every home, and one can obtain darśana of Govindajī.

nirmala nīra vahata yamunā ko,
bhojana dūdha dahī ko (3)

The pure waters of the Yamunā flow there, and the meals consist of milk and yoghurt.

ratna siṁhāsana āpa virāje,
mukuṭa dharyo tulāsi ko (4)

On a jewelled throne, You [the deity] sit, with tulāsi for a crown.

kuñjana kuñjana phirata rādhikā,
śabda sunata muralī ko (5)

Rādhikā roams from grove to grove, hearing the sound of the flute.

mīrā ke prabhu giridhara-nāgara,
bhajana binā nara phīko (6)

Mīrā’s master is the heroic Giridhārī. Without doing bhajana, a person is dull.

The following is an excerpt from Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Mahārāja’s letter to Śrīmatī Umā dīdī, November 11, 1970 (A True Servant, A True Master, Letter 5)

If, with strong conviction and one-pointed focus, you dedicate yourself to performing sādhana-bhajana, Śrī Bhagavān will surely have mercy on you. Why would you be a wretched, helpless, fallen, unworthy daughter? By Śrī Gaurasundara’s blessing, Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita’s housemaid went from being called Duḥkhī (sad) to Sukhī (happy). The royal princess Mīrābāi worshipped Giridhara-Gopāla and became renowned throughout the world as a most dignified woman and saint. If you study Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, you will behold the example of the divine lives of Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī, Mālinīdevī, Vasudhā and Jāhnavā Mātā, Lakṣmī-priyā, Viṣṇu-priyā and other personal potencies of Viṣṇu, as well as Gaṅgāmātā Gosvāminī, Hemalatā Ṭhākurāṇī and other glorious and learned Vaiṣṇava ladies. If you study all that in Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava literature, you will be able to properly grasp the contribution that the lives of these devotee women made.

The following is an excerpt from a discourse delivered by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja in Russia on August 4, 2000 (The Process of Dīkṣā, Bhakta Bandhav Anthology Volume 60)

Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja: I saw someone who was singing on a vīṇā. Where is she? Who is she?

Devotee: Mīrābāi.

Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja: What is she doing?

Devotee: She is chanting.

Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja: What became of Mīrābāi? She left her kingdom; she left the king (her husband). He selected one lady and promised, “I will only be with her, not with anyone else. I will support her, and she will serve me with all her senses.” This is called marriage. When you accept a lady as your wife, no one else can approach her because she is your wife. A relationship has developed between you and her. If you are with her and you see other women, she may divorce you [for being unfaithful]. You’re not suitable to be her husband. You are so lusty. Your wife will not trust you. So you should be one-pointed towards her. Understand? Similarly, when Gurudeva gives dīkṣā to a disciple, he performs the disciple’s marriage with Kṛṣṇa. He accepts that “Kṛṣṇa is my beloved, gopī-jana-vallabha.” He declares, “Kṛṣṇa is mine, and I am His.” If you have a relationship with a lady, then if she is sick, you will spend a lot of money on her. You may sell your property for her treatment. But if there is no relationship, then you will pay nothing. So, if you have a relationship with Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa’s mercy will come. Otherwise, it will never come.

The following is an excerpt from a discourse delivered by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja in Lambasa, Fiji, on January 17, 1999

 

Mīrābāi sang, “Mere to giridhara gopāla dūsaro na koī… Mere to giridhara gopāla dūsaro na koī…” She left all shyness and consideration of the society’s criticism, and sang, “Giridhārī Gopāla is mine; no one else is mine.” Baso mere nayanana mẽ nandalāl. “May Kṛṣṇa always reside in my eyes.” This one-pointed mood should be there.

The following is an excerpt from a lecture delivered by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja in Houston, Texas, on June 17, 1996

 

There was a very black, powerful scorpion that had so much poison. Two sādhu friends were coming to bathe in a river that had flooded its banks. One sādhu saw a scorpion in the river and tried to save it immediately. He took that scorpion in his hands. But, due to its nature, it stung the sādhu and jumped into the river. The sādhu again rescued the scorpion, and the scorpion stung him again. This happened a few times. He tried saving the scorpion four or five times.

The friend of the sādhu asked him, “Why are you doing so? You are repeatedly stung by the scorpion and still trying to save it.”

Then the sādhu began to smile. He told his friend, “If the scorpion is not leaving its nature, then why should I leave my nature?”

A Vaiṣṇava will never fear. Like Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Mīrābāi, and others.

The following is an excerpt from a discourse delivered by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja in Vancouver, Canada, on April 20, 2001

 

Vedic culture says you should honour your mother and father. Honour the guru. This is our duty. Speak the truth. Be nonviolent. These are ordinary matters. However, if your mother and father go against God, you should leave them. Bharata’s mother was Kaikeyī. When Rāmacandra was ordered to go into the forest for fourteen years by the influence of Kaikeyī, Bharata told her, “Our relationship is severed. Now you should not call me son, and I will not call you mother.” Bharata was a very high-class devotee, and he left his mother. Mīrābāi’s husband and family were opposed to her bhakti. She wrote to Tulasīdāsa for advice, and he wrote back to leave them immediately. Even Bali Mahārāja rejected his guru (Sukrācārya), because he was opposed to giving anything to Vāmanadeva. We see that all the gopīs left their husbands. Why? This is our dharma. This is Vedic Culture.

The following is an excerpt from a discourse delivered by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja in Mathurā, India, on April 12, 2000

 

jāke priya na rāma-baidehī
tajiye tāhi koṭi bairī sama,
jadyapi parama sanehī

so chāṁṛiye
tajyo pitā prahalāda, bibhīṣana bandhu,
bharata mahatārī
bali guru tajyo kanta braja-banitanhi,
bhaye muda-maṅgalakārī

Rāma-carita-mānasa

[If someone does not consider Śrī Sītā and Śrī Rāma to be dear to him, then he should be given up as if he were ten million enemies, even if he is most dear to you. Thus, Prahlāda Mahārāja rejected his father, Vibhīṣaṇa his relatives, Bharata his mother, Bali Mahārāja his guru, and the gopīs their husbands, and they thus attained joy and auspiciousness.]

This verse from Rāma-carita-mānasa is a translation from a verse in the Bhāgavatam, which means that one should abandon that wife who is not favourable to bhakti, one should abandon that husband who is acting as an obstruction on the path of devotion, one should abandon that father, that son, that brother and so on. Any relationship that obstructs bhakti should be given up. Vibhīṣaṇa gave up his brother Rāvaṇa because he had no love for Rāma. Prahlāda gave up his father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, and Bali Mahārāja gave up his guru. [* See endnote]

Mīrābāi wrote a letter to Tulasī dāsa about her circumstances regarding her performance of devotional activities for Kṛṣṇa. Her family, especially her husband, the Rāṇā of Mewar, were unfavourable. He would always suspect that she had some illicit connection with a man, but she was absorbed in the love of Giridhārī. She wrote, “I cannot tolerate it any more. They are torturing me. They have given me poison, they have tried to have me bitten by a snake, and they insult me. Please guide me.” Tulasī dāsa wrote this verse to her, and though he did not instruct her specifically, she understood his message.

One day, she was deeply absorbed, dancing and singing in kīrtana behind closed doors with Giridhārī. The King heard her singing in great jubilation and heard someone playing a flute. With great anger, his sword in his hand, he tried to enter the room, but she did not hear him. Kṛṣṇa was playing the flute, so how was it possible for her to have any external consciousness? When the king entered, he saw no one else was there with her, and Mīrābāi fainted. He looked everywhere for the man who was playing the flute. Somehow or other, he revived Mīrābāi and asked her harshly, “Where is that man you have hidden here?” Mīrābāi said, “You cannot see Him? He is standing right there.” “I cannot see him,” he said. Then Mīrābāi mercifully placed her hand on his eyes and, by the touch of her fingers, the Rāṇā was able to see the three-fold bending form of Kṛṣṇa playing the flute. Now taking darśana, he was humbled and also fainted. In the meantime, Kṛṣṇa disappeared. When the Rāṇā came back to consciousness, he so much repented. Lamenting, he fell at the feet of Mīrābāi and again and again begged for forgiveness. He said, “I was so offensive and foolish”.

Because she had suffered so much, she did not react to his words. She had made up her mind that she must go to Vṛndāvana. She explained that what had happened had happened, and nothing could stop her now. Chanting “Giridhārī Gopāla”, she left for Vṛndāvana. There she met Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, and she took the gopāla-mantra from him. Was she a real disciple of Jīva Gosvāmī? No, she was a half-disciple, because she ended up in Dvārakā. She said, “I only see Kṛṣṇa. I don’t see anyone else.” Her vision was not so broad that she could see the gopīs. She failed to accept the guidance of the gopīs, so she could not get any position in Vraja. She went to Dvārakā, and there she entered into the Deity of Dvārakādhīśa and never came out.

This is a very important point for those who want the service of the Divine Couple in Vraja but think they can achieve it by following all the principles of vaidhī-bhakti. They are meditating on dvārakā-līlā, yet they want the service of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa in Vraja. Because they have such meditation, they will not get a position in Vraja.

If a husband somewhat follows bhakti, he will be very happy if someone else’s wife takes to spiritual life and, becoming completely surrendered, gives up her home. However, if it comes to his wife, he cannot tolerate it. And it is the same with a wife. If someone else’s husband becomes so absorbed that he gives up family life, she says, “Oh, this is good. You are so fortunate. You have become a pure devotee, and your whole family will be delivered.” But when it comes to her husband, it cannot be tolerated. And it is the same with a son and a father. This consideration is very bad and should not be done. No one is going to stay here in this body. We should try to use our power of discrimination to understand the purpose of life.

 

The following is an excerpt from a discourse delivered by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja in Singapore on February 16, 2001 (Bhakta Bandhav Anthology Volume 67)

 

So, don’t doubt the glories of the holy name. What your service cannot do, this name can do very easily. You know Mīrābāi was the queen of a very high-class king in Rajasthan. She was a queen. But she was not happy. But she began to chant, “Hare Kṛṣṇa.” Mīrābāi sang, “Mere to giridhara gopāla dūsaro na koī — My Lord is Giridhārī Gopāla and none else.” What happened? The king became upset. Being a queen, she associated with penniless sādhus who were always chanting “Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa.” He told her, “I will kill you if you are with these sādhus.” He strictly prohibited her from associating with them. Then she left home. Then the king followed her, but she told him, “I will not return. I will play with Kṛṣṇa. As I play the vīṇā and sing (kīrtana), Kṛṣṇa will play his flute.” And really, it happened like so.

She came to Vṛndāvana, and from Vṛndāvana, she went to Dvārakā. Then she went into the temple and mixed with the deity of Dvārakādhīśa. She did not mix with it, but what happened? Kṛṣṇa accepted her like a queen and made her a queen in Dvārakā. So, the holy name is very powerful. Don’t doubt the glories of the holy name. Kṛṣṇa has given all His things in His name.

The following is an excerpt from Śrī Hari-kathāmṛta Volume One, Chapter Three, by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja

 

Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī says that someone who worships Govinda without Rādhikā is a hypocrite and very proud. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura writes:

(Rādhā-bhajane Ĵadi)

rādhā-bhajane ĵadi mati nāhi bhelā
kṛṣṇa-bhajana tava akāraṇa gelā (1)

[If the desire to worship Śrī Rādhā does not arise, then your worship of Kṛṣṇa goes in vain.]

ātapa-rôhita sūraĵa nāhi jāni
rādhā-virahita mādhava nāhi māni (2)

[We cannot conceive of the sun devoid of sunlight. Similarly, we cannot accept Mādhava separate from Rādhā.]

kevala mādhava pūjaye, so ajñānī
rādhā-anādara karôi abhimānī (3)

[One who worships only Mādhava is ignorant, and one who disrespects Śrī Rādhā is simply conceited.]

kabahĩ nāhi karôbi tā̃kara saṅga
citte icchasi ĵadi vraja-rasa-raṅga (4)

[Do not ever associate with such persons if your heart longs for the loving playfulness of vraja-rasa.]

rādhikā dāsī ĵadi haya abhimāna
śīghrai milai tava gokula-kāna (5)

[If you consider yourself to be the maidservant of Śrīmatī Rādhikā, then very quickly you will attain Kāna of Gokula.]

brahmā, śiva, nārada, śruti, nārāyaṇī
rādhikā-pada-raja pūjaye māni (6)

[We know that Brahmā, Śiva, Nārada, the personified Vedas, and Nārāyāṇī (Lakṣmi-devī) all worship the dust of Śrīmatī Rādhikā’s lotus feet.]

umā, ramā, satyā, śacī, candrā, rukmiṇī
rādhā-avatāra sabe—āmnāya-vāṇī (7)

[The revealed scriptures declare that Umā, Ramā, Satyā, Śacī, Candrāvalī, and Rukmiṇī are all Rādhā’s expansions.]

henô rādhā-paricaryā ĵā̃kara dhana
bhakativinoda tā̃’ra māgaye caraṇa (8)

[Bhaktivinoda begs at the feet of those whose wealth is the service of Śrī Rādhā.]

Just as the sun is not recognised without its rays and its heat, similarly Kṛṣṇa is not acknowledged without His śakti (Śrīmatī Rādhikā). Those who worship Him without Rādhikā are proud hypocrites. The famous poet Mīrābāi didn’t worship the gopīs, but because she somewhat took shelter of Satyabhāmā and Rukmiṇī, her final destination was Dvārakā. If she had merely worshipped Kṛṣṇa alone, she would have never gone to Him, and her worship of Him would have been like that of those who worship Kṛṣṇa as being formless and without qualities.

The following is an excerpt from a discourse delivered by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja in Washington, DC, USA, on June 13, 1999 (Bhakta Bandhav Anthology Volume 46)

 

Devotee: But the guru also has some unusual disappearance līlā. Is that similar to this?

Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja: Yes. It’s similar, but not like that. Not all gurus, never. For example, in South India, one devotee merged into the deity of Raṅgadeva. Also, you can see that Mīrābāi of Rajasthan went to Dvārakā and merged into the deity and never returned. For example, Caitanya Mahāprabhu entered the Gopīnātha temple and never returned. Caitanya Mahāprabhu played the role of a guru,

na dharmaṁ nādharmaṁ śruti-gaṇa-niruktaṁ kila kuru
vraje rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pracura-paricaryām iha tanu
śacī-sūnuṁ nandīśvara-pati-sutatve guru-varaṁ
mukunda-preṣṭhatve smara param ajasraṁ nanu manaḥ

Manaḥ-śikṣā (2)

[O my dear mind, please do not perform either the routine religious activities resulting in piety (dharma) or the irreligious activities resulting in sin (adharma) as mentioned in the Śrutis or Vedas. Rather, you should render profuse loving service to Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Yugala here in Vraja, for the Śrutis have ascertained Them to be the highest principle of supreme worship and the Supreme Absolute Truth. Always meditate on Śacīnandana Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is richly endowed with the complexion and sentiments of Śrīmatī Rādhikā, as non-different from Śrī Nanda-nandana. And always remember the spiritual master as most dear to Śrī Mukunda.]

[* Endnote:

gurur na sa syāt sva-jano na sa syāt
pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt
daivaṁ na tat syān na patiś ca sa syān
na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.5.18

One who cannot deliver his dependents from the path of repeated birth and death should never become a spiritual master, a father, a husband, a mother or a worshipable demigod.]

Source(s): Purebhakti.com, Serve Love – Bhakta Bandhav (Bhakta Bandhav Anthology transcribed and edited by the Bhakta Bandhav Team)

Image(s) made possible by Pixabay.com, Krishnapath.org.in and/or Bhaktiart.net
Unless indicated differently, all verse translations and quotes are from the books by Śrīla Prabhupāda (Vedabase.com)