The following is a transcription of a discourse delivered by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja in Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa, India, on November 5, 1996

 

We are now in the most sacred place of Śrī Vraja-maṇḍala — Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa. Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Śyāma-kuṇḍa are within the area of Girirāja Govardhana. We are now in Śrī Kuñjabihārī Gauḍīya Maṭha, which was established by nitya-līlā-praviṣṭa oṁ viṣṇupāda Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda. He established temples all over India. Śrīla Prabhupāda came with all his associates to Rādhā-kuṇḍa and did the entire Vraja-maṇḍala parikramā on foot.

He said, “I came to this world to fulfil the innermost heart’s desire of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam
hariḥ puraṭa-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandīpitaḥ
sadā hṛdaya-kandare sphuratu vaḥ śacī-nandanaḥ

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Ādi-līlā 1.4)

[“May the Supreme Lord who is known as the son of Śrīmatī Śacī-devī 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.”]

But I had to cut the jungles of Māyāvāda, sakhībhekī, jāta-gosāñi, and Smārtavāda. As long as Māyāvāda is present in the world, pure bhakti cannot be preached in this world. Māyāvāda is a great obstacle. Sahajiyā-vāda is even more dangerous. It is very hard to plant the seeds of bhakti in such forests. ‘I am Lalitā; I am Viśākhā’ thinking as such is more dangerous than Māyāvāda.”

Such sahajiyā-vāda is especially strong these days. Those who know nothing about pure bhakti or the different anarthas that hamper us from achieving pure bhakti are given ‘gopī-bhāva.’ This is a very dangerous sickness we must save ourselves from. Māyāvāda is rejected outright. But sahajiyā-vāda imitates bhakti practices — therefore, it is easy to be cheated. We will have to gradually ascend to the stages of anartha-nivṛtti, niṣṭhā, ruci, āsakti, and bhāva. Pure bhakti is had by listening to hari-kathā from a bonafide guru. Greed is then had — only such greed may lead us to rāgānugā-bhakti. Such greed is rarely attained. Artificial greed will not do — else, it will lead to sahajiyā-vāda. Sahajiyā-vāda has been warned against in all our books, especially in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam.

We must not think that no one is qualified to imbibe the moods of Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. We can achieve such moods if we are continuously in sādhu-saṅga. How will we advance if anarthas always surround us? Greed can definitely be had by being in the association of Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s associates and by listening to Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta and Śrīmad Bhāgavatam from them. If Mahāprabhu gave prema to birds and animals, why will He not give prema to us? Don’t be hopeless. But we should not think that we have artificially matured. So, we have come to this place of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura. We should pay our respects here, and then we will go to Rādhā-kuṇḍa.

Sahajiyās ask us, “What is your siddha-nāma? What is your siddha-svarūpa? Which family are you from? Your guru-paramparā is not perfect — ours is.”

We are in the family of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; we are in the family of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, Śrīla Narottama Ṭhākura, Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, Śyāmānanda Prabhu, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Prabhu, Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, and Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. The sahajiyās cannot follow Mahāprabhu’s tṛṇād api su-nīcena verse. The siddha-praṇālī is the tṛṇād api su-nīcena verse:

tṛṇād api su-nīcena
taror iva sahiṣṇunā
amāninā māna-dena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Ādi-līlā 17.31)

[“One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honour yet is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.”]

We had challenged the Rādhā-kuṇḍa Bābājīs. They say sannyāsīs cannot do Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s bhajana.

kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene naya
yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei ‘guru’ haya

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya-līlā 8.128)

[“Whether one is a brāhmaṇa, a sannyāsī or a śūdra — regardless of what he is — he can become a spiritual master if he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa.”]

Everyone has the adhikāra to do bhajana. Therefore, we should do bhajana while following the footsteps of Śrīla Prabhupāda and Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. Is there any mention of siddha-praṇālī in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta? Which scripture mentions siddha-praṇālī? Therefore, we shouldn’t follow their words and try to do pure bhajana. We should now do Rādhā-kuṇḍa parikramā.

When Caitanya Mahāprabhu entered aprakaṭa-līlā, Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, Gadadhara Pandita, and the other associates also followed Mahāprabhu. Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī also wanted to follow them because their separation was intolerable for him. He wanted to come to Vṛndāvana, jump into the Yamunā, and give up his life. He also desired to jump from [the top of] Govardhana and give up his life. When he met Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmī in Vṛndāvana, Sanātana Gosvāmī told him, “No one can attain kṛṣṇa-prema by giving up one’s life. Kṛṣṇa-prema or gopī-prema can only be had by sādhana-bhajana. You are our younger brother. We will arrange a place for you on the banks of Rādhā-kuṇḍa to do bhajana.”

How would Śrīla Dāsa Gosvāmī do bhajana?

saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ kālāvasānī-kṛtau
nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau cātyanta-dīnau ca yau
rādhā-kṛṣṇa-guṇa-smṛter madhurimānandena sammohitau
vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau

Śrī Ṣaḍ-gosvāmyaṣṭakam (6)

[“They would pass their time by daily chanting a fixed number of holy names, singing particular songs, and offering regulated obeisances [to saints, deities, and the Lord’s pastime places]. Thus they fully conquered the urges of eating, sleeping, recreation, and so forth. Always considering themselves to be unlimitedly lowly and insignificant, they became enchanted in sweet rapture by remembering Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa’s qualities. I worship Śrī Rūpa, Sanātana, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa, Raghunātha dāsa, Jīva, and Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmīs.”]

He was chanting not less than two lakhas of harināma while offering his obeisances to all the different pastime places of Vraja. Caitanya Mahāprabhu established Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Śyāma-kuṇḍa. Previously, an empty field here had two ponds called Kālī-kheta and Gaurī-kheta (black and golden pond). Once, a landlord had a dream in Badrīnātha where the Lord told him to help Śrīla Dāsa Gosvāmī excavate the two ponds and help build ghāṭas (bathing-places) around the two ponds.

The Lord ordered him, “Go at once to Rādhā-kuṇḍa and use your money to manifest Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Śyāma-kuṇḍa. A niṣkiñcana, akiñcana parama Vaiṣṇava called Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī will manifest the two ponds. Give all your money to him.”

Denying the landlord’s request, Śrīla Dāsa Gosvāmī said, “Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Śyāma-kuṇḍa are transcendental — how can I manifest them? They are sat-cit-ānanda. Rādhā-kuṇḍa is the topmost place in Goloka Vṛndāvana. There is no need to manifest them.”

Badrī-nārāyaṇa Himself spoke to Śrīla Dāsa Gosvāmī in a dream and told him, “You don’t need to manifest Rādhā-kuṇḍa, but it is extremely important to manifest Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Śyāma-kuṇḍa to ordinary people.”

Śrīmatī Rādhikā is very simple; therefore, Her pond was easily made in a rectangular form. But Kṛṣṇa is crooked from top to bottom — His nature will not go away easily. His eyes, mouth, vaṁśī, Vṛndāvana, and everything about Him are crooked. Therefore, His kuṇḍa is also crooked. When the kuṇḍa was being bordered, the five Pāṇḍavas and Draupadī requested Śrīla Dāsa Gosvāmī not to cut the trees as they were the trees. In those forms, they were performing austerities to please Śrīmatī Rādhikā and Kṛṣṇa.

They said, “Our austerities haven’t matured yet. Don’t cut us down. Let Śyāma-kuṇḍa be crooked because Kṛṣṇa is crooked.”

Although Śrīla Dāsa Gosvāmī was residing at Rādhā-kuṇḍa, the five Pāṇḍavas and Draupadī requested him not to cut them down. Although they were residing in Hastināpura, they didn’t have vraja-bhāva. Therefore, they came to this topmost place to please Śrīmatī Rādhikā especially. They desire a particle of Her foot-dust. Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī then told the workers, “Don’t touch any of the trees.” As a result, Śyāma-kuṇḍa became crooked.

Before, when there were trees here, Akbar’s army was proceeding from Delhi to Agra. On the way, his army became very thirsty. The army reached Śrīla Dāsa Gosvāmī’s bhajana-kutira and begged for water. He told them to drink water from Kālī-kheta and Gaurī-kheta. Everyone thought that the water would not be enough. But as the entire army drank water, the level remained the same in both ponds. Akbar then bowed his head to Śrīla Dāsa Gosvāmī. Ordinary people cannot have darśana of the dhāma. They can do so only when māyā’s covering goes away.

Śrīla Dāsa Gosvāmī felt so much separation when Śrīla Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmī entered the unmanifest realm.

śūnyāyate mahā-goṣṭhaṁ
girīndro ’ jagarāyate
vyāghra-tuṇḍāyate kuṇḍaṁ
jīvātu-rahitasya me

Śrī Prārthanāśraya-caturdaśaka (11)

[“Now that I no longer have the sustainer of my life, the land of Vraja has become empty and desolate, Govardhana Hill has become like a great python, and Rādhā-kuṇḍa has become like the gaping mouth of a ferocious tigress.”]

After Mahāprabhu left, Śrīla Dāsa Gosvāmī was pacified by Rūpa Gosvāmī. Now in his absence, Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Girirāja Govardhana look like a tiger and a python, respectively. He would only take butter milk to maintain himself. So many pastimes of Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī took place here. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī and all the other associates of Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to come here. Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī wrote Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta here. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura came to this place and wrote many books here and also in Vṛndāvana. We should deeply meditate on these pastime-places — this is our sādhana-bhajana. We pray at the lotus feet of Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī that his mercy be upon us.

tavaivāsmi tavaivāsmi
na jīvāmi tvayā vinā
iti vijñāya devi tvaṁ
naya māṁ caraṇāntikam

Śrī Vilāpa-kusumāñjali (96)

[He Devī Śrī Rādhike! I am Yours! I am Yours! I cannot live without You. Knowing this, please give me a place at Your lotus feet.]

āśā-bharair amṛta-sindhu-mayaiḥ kathañcit
kālo mayāti-gamitaḥ kila sāmprataṁ hi
tvaṁ cet kṛpāṁ mayi vidhāsyasi naiva kiṁ me
prāṇair vrajena ca varoru bakāriṇāpi

Śrī Vilāpa-kumsumāñjali (102)

[For me, the present moment is somehow flooded by a nectar ocean of many hopes. If You do not give Your mercy, then of what use to me are this life, the land of Vraja, and Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of Baka?]

hā nātha gokula-sudhākara su-prasanna-
vaktrāravinda madhura-smita he kṛpārdra
yatra tvayā viharate praṇayaiḥ priyārāt
tatraiva mām api naya priya-sevanāya

Śrī Vilāpa-kumsumāñjali (100)

[“O Nātha! O nectar moon of Gokula, whose cheerful lotus face smiles so sweetly. O crown jewel of the merciful, if You are pleased with me, give me this benediction: I am about to die because I do not know where my Svāminī is. Please take me with You when You go to meet Her, so that I may engage in service to Her.”]

He has prayed, “O Rādhike! I don’t want Kṛṣṇa or His mercy if You are not merciful unto me. I will give up my life.”

pādābjayos tava vinā vara-dāsyam eva
nānyat kadāpi samaye kila devi yāce
sakhyāya te mama namo ’stu namo ’stu nityaṁ
dāsyāya te mama raso ’stu raso ’stu satyam

Śrī Vilāpa-kumsumāñjali (16)

[O Devī Rādhike, I never beg for anything but that most exalted direct service unto Your lotus feet. Time and again I offer praṇāma from afar to the position as Your sakhī, but I vow that my unwavering devotion should always be only to be Your maidservant.]

Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī has written many books. Manaḥ–śikṣā is the essence of Śrīla Dāsa Gosvāmī’s teachings. He has also written Dāna-keli-cintāmaṇi, Śrī Vilāpa-kumsumāñjali, Śrī Stavāvalī, Śrī Muktā-carita and other books. We will be very fortunate if a sprinkle of the mercy of Śrī Rūpa and Raghunātha falls upon us. Praying to Śrī Rūpa and Raghunātha, we will go to Rādhā-kuṇḍa and take a bath there. We will pray to Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Conjugal there.

Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī kī jaya!

Śrīla Dāsa Gosvāmī’s samādhi kī jaya!

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu kī jaya!

Śrī Gaura-Nityānanda Prabhu kī jaya!

Gaura-premānande!

Source: Purebhakti.com

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Unless indicated differently, all verse translations and quotes are from the books by Śrīla Prabhupāda (Vedabase.com)