Relishing Śrī Dāmodarāṣṭakam by Tattva Vicara Publications

Relishing

Śrī Dāmodarāṣṭakam

• Śrī Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja

Relishing

Śrī Dāmodarāṣṭakam

•

RELISHING - ÇRÉ DÄMODARÄÑÖAKAM The information in this booklet is a lecture on Çrémad-Bhägavatam 9.11.20, delivered by Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja on 21 May 1994, Bhubaneswar, India. Quotes from the books of Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda are copyrighted © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. ISBN: 978-0-648-16308-4 © 2019 TATTVA VICÄRA PUBLICATIONS

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To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/ Permissions beyond the scope of this license write to info@tvpbooks.com. Front cover painting © Aïjanä däsa. Used with permission. Painting at page vi © Vrindavan däsa. Used with permission.

Relishing

Śrī Dāmodarāṣṭakam

•

Śrī Śrīmad

Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja

TAT T VA V I C A R A P U B L I C AT I O N S

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www.gourgovindaswami.com

Table of Contents The Glories of Lighting Another’s Lamp During the Month of Kärttika Çré Dämodaräñöakam - Song

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Relishing Çré Dämodaräñöakam 1 Why did Räma Take Help from the Monkeys? 2 I Become Bound Up with the Rope of Love 3 The Natural Dharma of Prema 5 All Three Dance Simultaneously 6 Kolävecä Çrédhara’s Prayers 7 They Smeared Mäkhan on My Mouth! 8 Why Does Gopäl Go and Steal? 9 Feeding the Monkeys 10 The Supreme Thief 11 I Will Make It with My Own Hands 12 The Last Limit of Vätsalya-rasa 13 Apürva Paramänanda — Unprecedented Supreme Bliss 14 Gopäl Is Giving Mäkhan to the Monkeys 15 Mädhurya-maya-lélä — A Sweet Loving Mellow 15 The Reddish Lotus Feet of Gopäl 16 A Wonderful Form Has Appeared 17 The Supreme Lord Is Crying Out of Fear 18

How Will Our Friend Be Released? 19 The Two Arjuna Trees Are Uprooted 20 Mother Yaçodä’s Tears of Love 20 Soaked with Loving Mellow 22 Kåñëa Snatched It Away 23 Kåñëa Accepts the Remnants of His Servants 25 Who Can Give Kåñëa? 26 The Object of Love & The Abode of Love — Préti-viñaya – Préti-äçraya 27 Kåñëa Accepts the Mood of a Bhakta to Relish It 28

The Glories of Lighting Another’s Lamp During the Month of Kärttika From Çré Hari-bhakti-vilasa, Sixteenth Vilasa. By Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé

Text 126 bodhanät para-dépasya vaiñëavänäà ca sevanät kärttike phalam äpnoti räjasüyäçvamedhayoù

“By serving the Vaiñëavas and lighting the lamps they offer during the month of Kärttika one attains the result of performing many räjasüya and açvamedha yajïas.” Text 127 dépamänaà tu ye dépaà bodhayanti harer gåhe pareëa nåpa-çärdüla nistérëä yama-yätanä

“O tiger of kings, a person who in Lord Kåñëa’s temple lights the lamps that others will offer during the month of Kärttika becomes free from the tortures of Yamaräja.” Text 128 na tad bhavati viprendra iñöair api mahä-makhaiù kärttike yat phalaà proktaà para-dépa-prabodhanät

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam

“O king of brähmaëas, by lighting the lamps that others will offer during the month of Kärttika one attains the result of having performed many great yajïas.” Text 129 ekädaçyäà parair dattaà dépaà prajvalya müñikä mänuñyaà durlabhaà präpya paräà gatim aväpa sä

“Somehow or other a mouse once lit a lamp that someone offered on ekädaçé during the month of Kärttika. That mouse attained a rare human birth and then went to the supreme spiritual world.”

Çré Dämodaräñöakam Spoken by Satyavrata Muni in a conversation with Çré Närada Åñi and Çré Çaunaka Åñi in the Padma Puräëa

(1) namäméçvaraà sac-cid-änanda-rüpaà lasat-kuëòalaà gokule bhräjamänam yaçodä-bhiyolükhaläd dhävamänaà parämåñöam atyantato drutya gopyä I worship the Supreme Éçvara, Çré Kåñëa, whose form is sac-cidänanda, whose fish-shaped earrings swing and play upon His cheeks, who is supremely splendrous in the transcendental dhäma of Gokula, who, due to breaking the yoghurt pot, is very fearful of Mother Yaçodä and jumping down from the wooden grinding mortar quickly runs away, and who, chased by Yaçodä, who hastily runs after Him, is ultimately caught from behind.

(2) rudantaà muhur netra-yugmaà måjantaà karämbhoja-yugmena sätaìka-netram muhuù çväsa-kampa-tri-rekhäìka-kaëöhasthita-graiva-dämodaraà bhakti-baddham I worship that Dämodara who, afraid of the stick in His mother’s hand, cries and time and again rubs His eyes with both His lotus hands, whose eyes express extreme fearfulness, whose sobbing makes the jewelled and pearl necklaces upon His neck marked with three lines shake, and whose belly is bound only by His mother’s devotion.

(3) itédåk sva-léläbhir änanda-kuëòe sva-ghoñaà nimajjantam äkhyäpayantam tadéyeçita-jïeñu bhaktair jitatvaà punaù prematas taà çatävåtti vande

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Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam By childhood pastimes such as this, He perpetually immerses the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of pure bliss, and through them informs the devotees desirous of knowing His aspect of supreme opulence and majesty that He is conquered only by those who are free from knowledge of His aiçvarya—with great love I again and again worship that Dämodara Çré Kåñëa.

(4) varaà deva! mokñaà na mokñävadhià vä na cänyaà våëe ’haà vareçäd apéha idaà te vapur nätha! gopäla-bälaà sadä me manasy ävirästäà kim anyaiù He Deva! Although You are capable of granting any boon, I do not pray to You for liberation, eternal life in Vaikuëöha, or for any other benediction [which may be obtained by executing the nine processes of bhakti]. He Nätha! May Your form as a cowherd boy forever remain manifest in my heart—besides this what is the use of any other benediction?

(5) idaà te mukhämbhojam avyakta-nélair våtaà kuntalaiù snigdha-raktaiç ca gopyä muhuç cumbitaà bimba-raktädharaà me manasy ävirästäm alaà lakña-läbhaiù He Deva! May Your lotus-like face which is framed by Your cascading, glossy black curling locks, which is kissed by Mother Yaçodä over and over again, and which is beautified by lips as red as ripe bimba fruits, always remain visible in my heart—millions of other attainments are useless to me.

(6) namo deva! dämodaränanta viñëo! praséda prabho! duùkha-jäläbdhi-magnam kåpä-dåñöi-våñöyäti-dénaà batänu gåhäëeça! mäm ajïam edhy akñi-dåçyaù

Çré Dämodaräñöakam Obeisances to You, O Deva! O Bhakta-Vatsala Dämodara! O Ananta, who are endowed with limitless potency! O all-pervading Viñëu! O my master! O supremely independent Iça! Be pleased with me! I am sinking deeply into an ocean of sorrow—favour me by showering the rain of Your merciful glance upon this surrendered soul who am so pitifully fallen and grant me Your direct darçana.

(7) kuverätmajau baddha-mürtyaiva yadvat tvayä mocitau bhakti-bhäjau kåtau ca tathä prema-bhaktià svakäà me prayaccha na mokñe graho me ’sti dämodareha He Dämodara! Although You were bound to the mortar with ropes tied by Mother Yaçodä, You mercifully liberated the two sons of Kuvera who were cursed by Närada to stand as trees and gifted them with Your own prema-bhakti. In the same way please bestow upon this insignificant soul that same prema-bhakti. This is my sole longing—I have no desire whatsoever for any other type of liberation.

(8) namas te ’stu dämne sphurad dépti-dhämne tvadéyodaräyätha viçvasya dhämne namo rädhikäyai tvadéya priyäyai namo ’nanta-léläya deväya tubhyam O Dämodara! I offer praëäma to the effulgent rope binding Your waist. I also offer praëäma to Your belly which is the source of the Brahman effulgence and the mainstay of the entire universe. Time and again I offer praëäma to Çrématé Rädhikä, Your dearmost beloved, and I also offer my praëämas hundreds of times unto Your wondrous, unlimited pastimes.

Relishing

Dämodaräñöakam

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nedaà yaço raghupateù sura-yäcïayättalélä-tanor adhika-sämya-vimukta-dhämnaù rakño-vadho jaladhi-bandhanam astra-pügaiù kià tasya çatru-hanane kapayaù sahäyäù “Lord Rämacandra’s reputation for having killed Rävaëa with showers of arrows at the request of the demigods and for having built a bridge over the ocean does not constitute the factual glory of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Rämacandra, whose spiritual body is always engaged in various pastimes. Lord Rämacandra has no equal or superior, and therefore He had no need to take help from the monkeys to gain victory over Rävaëa.” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 9.11.20) As stated in the Vedas (Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad 6.8): na tasya käryaà karaëaà ca vidyate na tat-samaç cäbhyadhikaç ca dåçyate paräsya çaktir vividhaiva çrüyate sväbhäviké jïäna-bala-kriyä ca [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport] “The Supreme Lord has nothing to do, and no one is found to be equal to or greater than Him, for everything is done

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam naturally and systematically by His multifarious energies.” The Lord has nothing to do (na tasya käryaà karaëaà ca vidyate); whatever He does is His pastime. The Lord has no duty to perform to oblige anyone. Nonetheless, He appears to act to protect His devotees or kill His enemies. Of course, no one can be the Lord’s enemy, since who could be more powerful than the Lord? There is actually no question of anyone’s being His enemy, but when the Lord wants to take pleasure in pastimes, He comes down to this material world and acts like a human being, thus showing His wonderful, glorious activities to please the devotees. His devotees always want to see the Lord victorious in varied activities, and therefore, to please Himself and them, the Lord sometimes agrees to act as a human being and perform wonderful, uncommon pastimes for the satisfaction of the devotees. (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 9.11.20, purport.)

Why did Räma Take Help from the Monkeys? Why did Lord Rämacandra take help from the monkeys to gain victory over Rävaëa? He had no need because He is supreme – no one is equal to Him and no one is superior to Him. Then why did He take help from the monkeys? He did that to give pleasure to His devotees. There is no other reason. The Supreme Lord does not do anything, but by His mere willing His multifarious energies act. The Lord has nothing to do, na tasya käryaà karaëaà ca vidyate. Whatever He does is His pastime. The Lord has no duty to perform to oblige anyone. Nonetheless, He appears to act to protect His devotees or kill His enemies. Of course, no one can be the Lord’s enemy. In the Bhagavad-gétä (9.29) Kåñëa has said: samo ‘haà sarva-bhüteñu na me dveñyo ‘sti na priyaù, I am equal to everyone. No one is dear to Me, no one is inimical to Me.

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam No one can be the Lord’s enemy because no one is equal to Him. Who could be more powerful than the Lord? There is no question of anyone being His enemy, but when the Lord wants to take pleasure in pastimes He comes down to this material world and acts like a human being, and thus He shows His wonderful glorious activities for the pleasure of the devotees. To relish pastimes, He displays His wonderful will: “I will fight. I want to enjoy raudra-rasa, the mellow of anger.” The Lord wants to enjoy, but who will fight with Him? If the opponent is not equally powerful there will be no happiness in fighting. The Lord wants to relish raudra-rasa by fighting, so by His wonderful will His own devotees come down here as räkñasas, demons, and act as enemies of the Lord and fight with Him. The next incarnation of Hiranyäkña and Hiranyakañipu were Rävaëa and Kumbhakarëa. They were the two brothers Jaya and Vijay. They fell down here and acted as demons for three lives. They fought with the Lord and thereby the Lord got pleasure, relishing the mellow of raudra-rasa. Simultaneously, the devotees were also pleased – it is reciprocal. No one is the Lord’s enemy, but when He wants to enjoy pastimes, He descends to this material world and acts like a human being. In this way, for the pleasure of His devotees, He displays His nectarean léläs. His devotees always want to see the Lord victorious, therefore to please Himself, and them as well, the Lord sometimes agrees to act as a human being and perform wonderful, uncommon pastimes. Otherwise He has nothing to do here; there is no need of His coming down here. This is most important.

I Become Bound Up with the Rope of Love Who can make the Lord submit? He is superior, He is asamordhva-tattva – no one is equal or superior to Him. How can 3

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam one make the Lord submit? In Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya (14.29) He has said: sadä mukto ‘pi baddho ‘smi bhaktena sneha rajjubhiù ajito ‘pi jito ‘haà tair avaço ‘pi vaçé kåtäù “Though I am eternally free and independent, still I become bound up with the rope of love of My devotees.” He is eternally free, unbound, and independent. Where is the question of bondage for Him? But, sadä mukto ‘pi baddho ‘smi bhaktena sneha rajjubhiù – “I sometimes become bound up with the rope of love of My devotee.” That is bhakta-vätsalya. Ajito ‘pi jito ‘yaà tair avaçyo ‘pi vaçé kåtäù – He is unconquerable, ajita. No one can conquer Him. But because of His bhakta-vätsalya sometimes He is conquered by His devotee. So conquer Him! This is a question of prema-rasa, loving mellow. Bhagavän Kåñëa accepted bhakta-bhäva, the mood of a devotee. He came as Caitanya Mahäprabhu and He gave love of God. He is prema-puruñottama, the topmost person who gives kåñëa-prema. He gives prema freely and indiscriminately to one and all. With that same prema He becomes bound up. He gives prema, and with that same prema the premé-bhakta binds up Lord Hari in his heart. Therefore, such a premé-bhakta always sees Lord Hari, Kåñëa, in his heart, within and without. He never even for a moment forgets Kåñëa and never for a moment is he out of sight of Kåñëa. Kåñëa says this in Bhagavadgétä (6.30): yo mäà paçyati sarvatra sarvaà ca mayi paçyati tasyähaà na praëaçyämi sa ca me na praëaçyati

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam “For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost nor is he ever lost to Me.” This is complete Kåñëa consciousness. “One who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me is not out of My sight nor am I out of His sight.” Such a premé-bhakta, who has developed prema, sees Kåñëa everywhere. He sees Kåñëa within, in his heart, and outside as well. Çréla Kaviräja Gosvämé has written: bhakta ämä preme bändiyäche hådaya-bhitare yähä netra paòe tähä dekhaye ämäre “A highly elevated devotee can bind Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in his heart by love. Wherever he looks he sees Me and nothing else.” (Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lila 25.127)

The Natural Dharma of Prema Although Kåñëa is supremely independent – He is the supreme svaräö puruña1 – still He is bound up with the love of the devotee, He is dependent on His devotee. In the Ninth Canto of Bhägavatam while speaking to Durvasa Muni, He said: ahaà bhakta-parädhéno hy asvatantra iva dvija sädhubhir grasta-hådayo bhaktair bhakta-jana-priyaù “I am completely under the control of My devotees. Indeed, I am not at all independent. Because My devotees 1. svaräö—fully independent, puruña—the Personality of Godhead.

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam are completely devoid of material desires, I sit only within the cores of their hearts. What to speak of My devotee, even those who are devotees of My devotees are very dear to Me.” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 9.4.63) Sädhubhir grasta-hådayo bhaktair – that sädhu-bhakta has occupied My heart. Kåñëa is rasika-çekara, the supreme relisher of rasa. To relish pure prema-rasa, the loving mellow of His premébhakta, He becomes bound up with the rope of love. This is His nature. He is very greedy to relish that loving mellow. Because of His bhakta-vätsalya He becomes simultaneously bound up in the heart of each and every premé-bhakta. This prema is the activity or play of hlädiné-çakti, the Lord’s pleasure potency, and thus the Supreme Lord Kåñëa becomes bound up. This is the natural dharma of prema. This dharma of prema is very wonderful and very excellent. It is inconceivable.

All Three Dance Simultaneously kåñëere näcäya premä, bhaktere näcäya äpane näcaye, — tine näce eka-öhäïi “Ecstatic love of Kåñëa makes Kåñëa and His devotees dance, and it also dances personally. In this way, all three dance together in one place.” (Caitanya-caritämåta, Antya-lélä 18.18) That prema itself dances, it makes the devotee dance, and it makes Kåñëa dance. All three dance simultaneously. This is wonderful! The heart of such a premé-bhakta is Våndävana, where Kåñëa always blissfully remains. He never leaves. The Lord is always 6

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam eager to give happiness to His devotees, His premé-bhaktas. Kåñëa even takes their remnants. He snatches away morsels of food from the cowherd boys. Because He is bhakta-vatsala1, He submits Himself to the premé-bhaktas. Both bhakta and Bhagavän dance together with love, and Kåñëa becomes bound up with the rope of that love. Though He is all-powerful, almighty, He cannot break that bondage. He says, na päraye – “I cannot repay the love of My pure devotees. It is beyond My capacity.” This is bhakta-vätsalya.

Kolävecä Çrédhara’s Prayers In Caitanya-bhägavata the akiïcana-bhakta Kolävecä Çrédhara offers prayers: bhakti-yoge bhéñma tomä jinila samare bhakti-yoge yaçodäya bändhila tomäre “It was through devotional service that Bhéñma conquered You on the battlefield, and it was through devotional service that Yaçodä bound You.” bhakti-yoge tomäre vecila satyabhämä bhakti-vaçe tumi kändhe kaile gopa-rämä “It was through devotional service that Satyabhämä sold You. Being controlled by devotional service, You carried a cowherd damsel of Vraja on Your shoulders.” ananta brahmäëòa-koöi vahe yäre mane se tumi çrédäma-gopa vahilä äpane 1. bhakta-vatsala or bhakta-vätsalya: affectionate toward His devotees.

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam “You who are carried in the minds of the inhabitants of innumerable universes personally carried the cowherd boy Çrédäma.” (Caitanya-bhägavata, Madhya-khaëòa 9.212-214) In pure bhakti-yoga, Bhéñma conquered Kåñëa on the battlefield of Kuruksetra. Although Kåñëa is unconquerable, still such a premé-bhakta conquers Him. Kåñëa accepts defeat. He gets pleasure when His bhakta defeats Him. Bhakti-yoge yaçodäya bändhila tomäre – Mother Yaçodä bound up Kåñëa with pure bhakti. Who can bind up the Supreme Lord Kåñëa? No one can bind Him. But to relish the loving mellow of Yaçodä’s vätsalya-rasa, her parental affection, He manifests such pastimes whereby He gives pleasure to His devotee and He Himself also gets pleasure out of it.

They Smeared Mäkhan on My Mouth! In His childhood pastimes, at the age of two or three, Kåñëa would go to the houses of the gopés and steal mäkhan, butter. He is the supreme thief. The gopés were delighted to feed mäkhan to Gopäl, but they came to Yaçodä and made complaints against Gopäl, “Yaçodä, your son Gopäl is coming to our house and stealing all our mäkhan.” Such a wonderful pastime! They were delighted to feed Gopäl mäkhan, and then, coming to Yaçodä, they lodged complaints against Him. Yaçodä became angry. She said, “Gopäl! Have You been eating mäkhan?” In broken language, this two-year-old boy said, o meyä, me nehi mäkhan khäyä – “Mother, I have not eaten mäkhan.” Then mother became angrier, “Yes, mäkhan is there on Your mouth. Are You telling lies? Mäkhan is there, why are you telling lies?” 8

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam Gopäl said, “Mother, they have smeared mäkhan on My mouth!” Do you think Gopäl told a lie? No, He never tells lies. He speaks the truth, but His trick is how He speaks. “o meyä me nehi mäkhan khäyä” means “O mother, I have eaten mäkhan.” He spoke in such a way that it had two meanings, positive and negative. Gopäl is a very, very tricky fellow. He knows how to speak in such a way. We cannot understand it; we will commit a mistake. There is no fault with Gopäl.

Why Does Gopäl Go and Steal? He is Viçvambhara, who maintains the whole universe, who supplies food to all living entities in the whole universe. He is not attached to anything. Everything is His property. He is the only proprietor. Éçäväsyam idaà sarvam – everything belongs to éça, the Supreme Lord. Then why did He go to some other house and steal? He did that because it is such a pleasurable lélä for His dear devotees. He gets pleasure and the devotees get pleasure out of it. It is so wonderful! When Gopäl goes to the house of a gopé, who likes Gopäl very much, she feeds Him, “Take this mäkhan.” So it is not amazing that mäkhan is smeared over His mouth. Gopäl’s black face with white mäkhan on it looks so nice. When the gopés see such wonderful beauty, a black face with white mäkhan, they become very much delighted. Whenever Gopäl gets the opportunity, He steals. He is a two or three-year-old child, so His nature is naturally fickle. He has some wickedness in Him. When mother rebukes and scolds Gopäl, then for some days He does not go to the houses of the gopés. When Gopäl does not come, and the gopés are not getting His darçana, they feel very restless, “Oh, why is Gopäl not coming, why is He not coming?” They go to the 9

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam house of mother Yaçodä and inquire, “Why is Gopäl not coming to our house? Is He alright?”

Feeding the Monkeys Mother Yaçodä said to Gopäl, “Your intelligence, Your play, and Your activities are like that of the monkeys. And You are with so many monkeys. Gopäl, are You not afraid to be surrounded by so many monkeys?“ Gopäl said: “Mother, these monkeys helped Lord Räma. Räma was going to conquer Lanka and kill Rävaëa. At that time these monkeys underwent severe tribulations, suffering, suffering, suffering. Lord Räma was wandering in the forest. He had no good food to give them. He had nothing. Wondering in the forest what food could He give? These monkeys had undergone much suffering at that time. Sometimes they could not get anything at all to eat. Sometimes they were jumping from one branch to another to get some fruit, and some days they did not have anything to eat, so they had to fast. Now see, mother, how they are stretching out their hands, begging for mäkhan, ‘Give us, give us, give us mäkhan.’ They are eating with so much delight. Do you see that mother?” This is such a wonderful sweet lélä. Thereby the Supreme Lord makes His devotees drown in the ocean of pleasure and happiness, delightfulness and joyfulness.

Mother Yaçodä Forgot that Kåñëa Is Bhagavän Yaçodä-mätä, due to her vätsalya-rasa, parental love, forgot that Kåñëa is Bhagavän. She was only thinking how to make everything auspicious for her son, how to make her son happy. Nanda Mahäräja is King. There is no deficiency in his house. Why

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam will his son steal if there is no deficiency? How has He developed this habit of stealing? Yaçodä-mätä, by the activity of yoga-mäyä, has forgotten all these things. She was only thinking, “My son, my son!”

The Supreme Thief The Bhägavatam describes: trayyä copaniñadbhiç ca säìkhya-yogaiç ca sätvataiù upagéyamäna-mähätmyaà harià sämanyatätmajam “The glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are studied through the three Vedas, the Upaniñads, the literature of Säìkhya-yoga, and other Vaiñëava literature, yet Mother Yaçodä considered that Supreme Person her ordinary child.” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.8.45) In the three Vedas whose glories are sung? Who is glorified in all Upaniñads? The säìkhya-yogés engage in analytical discussion on Him, säìkhya discussion. Those who are devotees offer prayers to the Supreme Lord Kåñëa. But mother Yaçodä said, “He is my son, He is my son!”– sämanya-tätmajam.1 This is pure vätsalya-rasa. It is natural for children to have this nature of stealing, so in childhood days Kåñëa steals mäkhan. When He grows up, in His paugaëòa-lélä between six and ten years of age, He steals the garments of the damsels of Vraja. He is the supreme thief, caura1. sä—she; amanyata—considered (ordinary); ätmajam—as her own son.

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam graganya. He may steal you sometime, [addressing a devotee in the audience]. Why would He steal you? He will not steal you, isn’t it? Devotee: I’m not worth stealing. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: You’re not worth stealing, accha? If you develop your prema-bhakti He will steal you. Then you will be worth stealing. Just prepare yourself, develop pure prema-bhakti, and then Kåñëa will steal your heart. So during His childhood days He steals the mäkhan, butter from the houses of the gopés, during His paugaëòa1 age He stole the garments of the damsels of Vraja-bhümi, and when He grows up a little bit in kaiçora-käla, His boyhood days from eleven to fifteen, He steals the hearts of the gopés. As Éçvara, as the Supreme Lord, He also steals the papa-täpa, the sins and afflictions of the bhaktas. He is such a thief – the supreme thief. .

I Will Make It with My Own Hands As Gopäl grows up His wickedness also increases and every day mother Yaçodä is getting complaints, “Your son Gopäl steals! He steals!” So mother Yaçodä became angry. She thought very deeply, “Why is my son stealing? I have enough mäkhan in my house, why is He stealing from other’s houses? There is no scarcity in our house. We have plenty.” She thought, “Oh, I have engaged the maidservants to churn the yogurt to make mäkhan. I have not made it with my own hands. Therefore Gopäl does not like it and He goes to other’s houses and steals. From today I will do it with my own hands.” So with her own hands she milked the best cows available and then churned the yogurt and prepared mäkhan. She woke up very early in the morning and engaged in churning mäkhan for Gopäl. With her mouth she was singing the glories 1. The kaumära stage lasts until the age of five, paugaëòa up to age ten and kaiçora to age fifteen.

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam of Gopäl. While her hands were churning yogurt, the bangles on her wrists were producing a tinkling sound, “ruïjhun, ruïjhun, ruïjhun, ruïjhun.” Gopäl was sleeping. Waking up and finding mother not there, He cried, “Mä, mä, mä, mä, mä.” Yaçodä said, “Gopäl, I’m here. I’m churning yogurt, preparing mäkhan for You. Come here.” Gopäl went there and got up onto the lap of mother Yaçodä and started sucking her breast. At this time, at a distance, mother had put a big pot of milk on the stove and the milk was boiling. It began to swell up and pour out onto the ground. Noticing it, mother Yaçodä immediately stood up, put Gopäl on the ground, and ran to take the pot off the stove. Gopäl was sucking her breast and was not satisfied, so He took a stone and threw it at the pot of yogurt. The pot was broken to pieces and all the yogurt poured out onto the ground. Gopäl was angry, crying and crying. He went to another house and started stealing mäkhan. Standing up on a grinding mortar, He began stealing the butter that was hanging there on a swing.

The Last Limit of Vätsalya-rasa With her body, mind, and speech, twenty-four hours, day and night, mother Yaçodä was engaged in the loving service of Kåñëa. No other thought was there in her. While she was engaged in churning yogurt, with her mouth she was singing the glories of Kåñëa and in her mind she was thinking of Kåñëa. This is the last limit of vätsalya-rasa, parental love. She is the mother of the whole universe – nikhila-viçvara-mäträ-svarüpa. Mother Yaçodä, whose son is Lord Kåñëa, possesses such pure vätsalya-rasa, mother’s love. In order to save the pot of milk from boiling over, she put the child Kåñëa on the ground. Was this cruel on her part? No, it is not cruel. Kåñëa is sevya. Yaçodä is sevaka. Mother Yaçodä is the servant. Kåñëa is to be served. Bhakta and bhagavän. Such premé13

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam bhaktas are twenty-four hours, day and night, engaged in loving service in varieties of ways. They only want to serve Kåñëa and give Him all pleasure – kåñëärthe akhila-ceñöä.1 Mother Yaçodä’s heart was completely filled with putra-sneha – a loving attitude towards her son. She was always thinking how to obtain all auspiciousness, pleasure, and happiness for Kåñëa, Gopäl. Where is the cruelty? It is not cruelty. Sometimes such a thing happens, but it is for the service of Kåñëa. There was such a loving attitude that there was no cruelty.

Apürva Paramänanda Unprecedented Supreme Bliss In this pastime there is lélänanda, the Lord relishing the mellow of His sweet lélä, and there is also the bhaktas experiencing premänanda, getting pleasure from rendering such loving service unto Kåñëa. Two types of änanda: lélänanda and premänanda. The Lord’s lélänanda and the bhakta’s premänanda, combined together to create apürva paramänanda – unprecedented supreme änanda. The Lord and the devotee, bhagavän and bhakta, both become merged, drowned, in an ocean of änanda. No one can describe it with language, for it is indescribable. Raso vai saù – He is the reservoir of all rasa, mellow. He is rasa Himself. He is rasika, He relishes. He is the relisher and He is also to be relished, äsvädya. He gives opportunity to His premé-bhaktas to relish such mellow.

1. Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 22.126

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam

Gopäl Is Giving Mäkhan to the Monkeys After taking the pot of milk off the stove, mother Yaçodä returned and saw the big pot of yogurt completely broken to pieces and all the yogurt poured out on the ground. Gopäl was not there. Gopäl had gone out to another house. On the floor were His footprints. Tracing the footprints, mother Yaçodä saw, “Ah, Gopäl is now standing on a grinding mortar and stealing mäkhan from the swing. The house is filled with monkeys and they are all eating mäkhan. Gopäl is giving mäkhan to them. The monkeys are stretching out their hands and eating. So much mäkhan has fallen onto the floor that the whole floor is looking white.” Mother Yaçodä became very angry. Taking a cane in her hand, stealthily, she went into the room and stood just behind Gopäl. Seeing mother Yaçodä with a cane in her hand, the monkeys immediately jumped down and ran out the door. Gopäl looked back, “Oh, mother is here with a cane in her hand and it looks like she is in a very angry mood!” The monkeys ran away and left Gopäl standing on the grinding mortar. Jumping down, He tried to get out of the room, but mother was very angry. She was not going to spare Him today. Mother thought, “I must bind Him. I will not spare Him today.”

Mädhurya-maya-lélä A Sweet Loving Mellow The Supreme Lord, who is in the heart, äntar-yäni – knows what will happen. He knows mother has decided to bind Him today and not spare Him. This is mädhurya-maya-lélä, such a sweet loving mellow. No aiçvarya, no opulence is here. But sometimes 15

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam in mädhurya-maya-lélä some aiçvarya is also manifested. So in this loving sweet nectarian lélä there is mädhurya-maya, but Gopäl manifested some aiçvarya, opulence. He decided, “I will not be caught by mother. She will run behind Me and I will run, but I will not be caught.” That is aiçvarya. Gopäl is running, but not straight. He is moving like a snake, running in a zigzag way. Mother Yaçodä is a bit of a fat lady; she is running behind Gopäl, but cannot catch Him. She is tired and breathes heavily. The flower garland of karabéra1 flowers in her braid have fallen down on the ground. Her hair is all scattered and she is very tired.

The Reddish Lotus Feet of Gopäl At last, mother’s eyes fall upon the reddish lotus feet of Gopäl. Those reddish lotus feet of the Lord are the object of meditation of the devotees. She thinks, “Oh, such soft feet. If they are pricked by some thorn, Gopäl will get so much pain.” With this thought, she becomes morose. When the devotee’s vision is fixed at the reddish lotus feet of the Lord, He becomes captured. Gopäl thinks, “Now I’ll be caught. Mother is very tired, so I’ll allow her to catch Me.” In this way, mother Yaçodä catches Him. She is very angry that day because Gopäl has put her into so much anxiety, “Every day there are so many complaints of stealing, and He has broken this big pot of yogurt, then giving all the mäkhan to the monkeys, and making me so tired. This little baby has vexed me in so many ways.” With her right hand she is holding a cane, and with her left hand she has caught Gopäl. Mother then binds Him up to the wooden grinding mortar.

1. karabéra — Oleander.

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam

A Wonderful Form Has Appeared In his Dämodaräñöakam prayers (verse 1) Çré Satyavrata Muni has written of this lélä and described that form of Dämodara: namämésvaraà sac-cid-änanda-rüpaà lasat-kuëòalaà gokule bhräjamänam yaçodä-bhiyolükhaläd dhävamänaà parämåñtam atyantato drutya gopyä “I worship the Supreme Éçvara, Çré Kåñëa, whose form is saccid-änanda, whose fish-shaped earrings swing and play upon His cheeks, who is supremely splendorous in the transcendental dhäma of Gokula, who, due to breaking the yoghurt pot, is very fearful of Mother Yaçodä and jumping down from the wooden grinding mortar quickly runs away, and who, chased by Yaçodä, who hastily runs after Him, is ultimately caught from behind.”

Such a nice pastime in Gokul! Gopäl has stolen mäkhan. Mother Yaçodä is trying to catch Him. Gopäl is running very swiftly in a zigzag way. Mother Yaçodä is running behind Him, drutya gopyä, and at last catches Him. Such a form! Such a picture! A bhakta whose rasa is vätsalya-rasa, parental, may think, “Oh, I want to see this form that Gopäl is running and mother Yaçodä runs behind Him. At last she catches Him, and Gopäl is crying.” Seeing mother in this angry mood, Gopäl started crying. His earrings were shaking because of heavy breathing. His chest is moving up and down, and with His two palms He is rubbing His eyes. There is a black ointment that mother had put on His eyes and this ointment had become smeared over His black face and the red palms of His hands. Such a wonderful form has appeared now!

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam

The Supreme Lord Is Crying Out of Fear Çré Satyavrata Muni has further written: rudantaà muhur netra-yugmaà måjantaà karämbhoja-yugmena sätaìka-netram muhuù çväsa-kampa-tri-rekhäìka-kaëöhasthita-graiva dämodaraà bhakti-baddham “I worship that Dämodara who, afraid of the stick in His mother’s hand, cries and time and again rubs His eyes with both His lotus hands, whose eyes express extreme fearfulness, whose sobbing makes the jewelled and pearl necklaces upon His neck marked with three lines shake, and whose belly is bound only by His mother’s devotion.” (Dämodaräñöakam verse 2)

Gopäl is crying and with His two lotus palms He is rubbing His eyes. Sätaìka-netram – His eyes are fearful. Muhuù çväsa-kampa – He is breathing heavily. Tri-rekhä – three lines on His neck. His chest is moving up and down. This is His form, a wonderful form! This is vätsalya-rasa. Standing there with a cane in her hand, mother Yaçodä is angry. Gopäl is crying and said, “Mother, why are you holding that cane? Throw it away.” Mother laughed and said, “Yes, there is no need of a cane now. I have bound Him up.” So mother Yaçodä threw away the cane. Bhäyanaà-bhäyaìkara – the Supreme Lord, who is fearful to all demons, is now crying out of fear, seeing the cane in His mother’s hand. When mother Yaçodä dropped the cane, Gopäl looked at His friends and laughed. Then mother Yaçodä said, “O Gopäl, You are very much frightened. You are

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam crying.” Gopäl, looking at His friends, laughs. Then, looking at mother Yaçodä, He cries. Gopäl suppresses His laughing, because if mother Yaçodä sees His laugh the lélä will be spoiled. While this lélä is taking place, some cowherd men and women, the gopés and some cowherd boys come. The young girls, seeing the pitiable condition of mother Yaçodä, how she is so fatigued, look at each other and smile, but the grown up women say, “O Yaçodä, why are you so angry? Gopäl is just a young child. Release Him, release Him! Don’t bind Him.”

How Will Our Friend Be Released? The friends of Gopäl; Çrédäma, Subal, and others are standing at a distance. They cannot come near because mother is very angry. They are getting so much pain in their hearts, “Oh, our friend is in bondage! How can we release Him?” This is sakhyarasa. Their dear friend is in bondage. Mother has bound Him up to the wooden grinding mortar. They do not dare to come near because she is very angry, but they are thinking how to release their friend. Gopäl looks at His friends standing at a distance. They give a sign, and whisper, “Känu, Känu, crawl down, crawl down, crawl down.” This is sakhya-rasa. They feel such compassion for their friend. They are thinking, “How will our friend be released?” Such a wonderful, wonderful mellow! The Supreme Lord, who cuts the material bondage of everyone, is in bondage! His friends, feeling pain in their hearts, are thinking, “How will our Känu be released? He is our friend, bandhu-jana.” They are never thinking of Him as Bhagavän. Such a pure rasa, pure mellow! Looking at His friends, Gopäl smiles; looking at mother, He cries.

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam

The Two Arjuna Trees Are Uprooted Then Gopäl crawls down into the courtyard. As He crawls between the two Arjuna trees, the grinding mortar rolls and it gets stuck there sideways. Then the two Arjuna trees are uprooted and they fall down with a great crash. Hearing this, everyone comes running. Mother Yaçodä, Nanda Mahäräja, many cowherd men, ladies and gopés, all come running. Everyone comes, saying, “What happened, what happened?” The cowherd boys speak up, “We are eyewitnesses. Mother Yaçodä bound Him to a wooden grinding mortar. Känu crawled down and these two trees were uprooted.” So Mother Yaçodä bound Kåñëa and Nanda Mahäräja, His father, releases Him. Kåñëa’s friends become very happy that Kåñëa is released.

Mother Yaçodä’s Tears of Love When these two Arjuna trees were uprooted with such a great sound, and everyone came mother Yaçodä said, “What happened to my Gopäl? What happened? Two trees have fallen. What happened, what happened?” Now mother Yaçodä is crying and crying, “Where is my Gopäl? Where is my Gopäl?” Nanda Mahäräja came and released Gopäl from His bondage. Mother Yaçodä immediately picked Him up and went inside the room. She put Him onto her lap and Gopäl started sucking the breast of His mother. This is mädhurya-lélä, such sweet, beautiful lélä, vätsalya-rasa. Some opulence is there, but it is hidden. Gopäl is saying, “Mother, what happened to you? Why are you crying?” There are tears in the eyes of mother Yaçodä – premäçru, tears of love. She is thinking, “Oh why did I bind Gopäl? Why did I bind Gopäl?” She was lamenting and shedding tears.

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam Gopäl said, “Mother, what happened to you? Early in the morning you made Me cry. I was sucking your breast and you put Me on the ground. Then you went out and you made Me cry. Now I made you cry. You are crying now.” She is crying and Gopäl is laughing. Gopäl is on the lap of His mother, sucking her breast with much satisfaction and joyfulness. Taking His little hand, He was moving it on the face of mother Yaçodä. There were tears in the eyes of the mother. As if giving consolation to His mother, the Lord gave blessings to His devotee. She was thinking, “I am such a rascal. I bound up my Gopäl. Why did I bind up my Gopäl?” She was thinking like this and shedding tears of love, premäçru. This is such nice lélä, bhaktirasa. This is çuddha-bhäva, pure vätsalya-rasa. Vrajeçvaré, mother Yaçodä, binds Gopäl. Who else can bind Him? çuddha-bhäve sakhä kare skandhe ärohaëa çuddha-bhäve vrajeçvari karena bandhana “In pure Kåñëa consciousness, a friend mounts the shoulder of Kåñëa, and mother Yaçodä binds the Lord.” (Caitanya-caritämåta, Antya-lélä 7.30) ananta brahmäëòa koöi bahe järe mane se tumi çrédäma — gopa bahilä äpane “Limitless millions of universes are manifested from Your thoughts. Still, You personally carry the gopa Çrédäma.” (Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 9.214) In pure sakhya-rasa, Kåñëa carries Çrédäma on His shoulders. They play, sometimes Kåñëa is defeated and Çrédäma wins. Then Kåñëa carries Çrédäma on His shoulders and runs around.

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam

Soaked with Loving Mellow je-se-dravya sevakera sarvabhäve khäya naivedhyädi vidhira o apekñä nähi cäya alpa dravya däseo nä dile bale khäya tära säkñé brähmaëera khuda dvärakäya “With great love the Lord at once eats whatever His servant offers. He has no desire to wait until all the rituals of offering are performed. If the devotee has very little food, and therefore does not offer it, the Lord eats it by force. Sudämä brähmana’s broken rice in Dvärakä bears witness to this truth.” (Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 23.461-462) This is pure love. In order to show affection to His devotees, Kåñëa sometimes snatches a morsel of food from the mouth of the devotee, such as in His dealings with His cowherd boy friends. This is done out of love. When the pure devotee offers something out of love, Kåñëa accepts it immediately. There is no need of ringing a bell or chanting mantras. Only pure love is required. All these vidhis, scriptural rules, are not needed. When the devotees make offerings to Him with love, then there is no need of rituals. Kåñëa snatches away their offerings even if the devotees are not giving it. There is the example of Sudämä Vipra, the poor brähmaëa. He went to Dvärakä to see Kåñëa. He was very poor and had nothing in his house. He wanted to take something to Kåñëa, but he could not find anything to take. Finally, from a neighbour’s house his wife brought some very old chipped rice which had a bad odour. He bound it in his tattered clothes and took it with him. When he arrived in Dvärakä, where Kåñëa is king, he found 22

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam so much opulence there. Seeing all the opulence, he felt ashamed. He thought, “What have I brought? My friend Kåñëa has so much luxury. This chipped rice is so insignificant, how can I offer it to my friend?” So he hid it under his armpit. However, Kåñëa who knows everything asked Sudämä: kim upäyanam änétaà brahman me bhavatä gåhät aëv apy upähåtaà bhaktaiù premëä bhury eva me bhavet bhüry apy abhaktopahåtaà na me toñäya kalpate (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.81.3) Kåñëa said, “O My friend, O brähmaëa Sudämä, you took something for Me when you left home? What have you brought? Why are you not giving it to Me? If it is very insignificant, still it is bhüri – very great to Me, because it is soaked with loving mellow. I only accept such a loving mellow, nothing else. Whereas, one who is abhakta, not My devotee, even if he offers Me so many things, in a big amount like a Himalayan mountain, I will never accept it. I only accept loving mellow. Even if My devotee offers a very insignificant thing, if it is offered with love and devotion then it means so much to Me. So what have you brought for Me? Why are you not giving it?”

Kåñëa Snatched It Away Feeling ashamed, Sudämä had hidden the rice under his arm. Perspiration is there. It is very old, spoiled chipped rice, now soaked with perspiration. If you taste it you would say, “Oh, paa, paa! It has a bad odour.” Sudämä was not giving it, so Kåñëa snatched the 23

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam rice from him and took one handful, “Oh very nice, so sweet.” If you would taste it you would say, “Oh paa, paa! Salty, not good.” But Kåñëa said, “Oh, so sweet, so nice.” He took one handful, and when He was about to take another handful, the Bhägavata Mahäpuräëa (10.81.10) describes that, Rukmiëé-devé, who is Lakñmé, the goddess of fortune, caught hold of Kåñëa’s hand, saying, “This is enough, enough.” iti muñöià sakåj jagdhvä dvitéyäà jagdhum ädade tävac chrér jagåhe hastaà tat-parä parameñöhinaù “After saying this, the Supreme Lord ate a palmful and was about to eat a second when the goddess Rukmiëé took hold of His hand.” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.81.10) When Kåñëa was about to take a second handful, Rukmiëédevé caught hold of His hand and said, “Enough. Now I have to go and serve him. Taking this second handful, do you think that You will hand me over to him? This is enough!” Lakñmé-devé did not allow Him to take a second handful. This is pure loving mellow – alpa dravya däseo nä dile bale khäya.1 Sudämä felt ashamed, thinking, “How can I offer such an insignificant thing. Kåñëa has so much opulence.” But Kåñëa snatched it away because it was offered out of love.

1. Caitanya-bhägavata, Madhya-khaëòa 23.462.

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam

Kåñëa Accepts the Remnants of His Servants Çréla Våndävana Däsa Öhäkura describes in the Caitanyabhägavata: avaçeñe sevakere kare ätmasät tä’ra säkñé vana-väse yudhiñöhira-çäka “The Lord even accepts the remnants of His servants. This was seen during the Päëòavas’ exile to the forest when the Lord ate the remnants of Yudhiñöhira’s leafy vegetables.” (Caitanya-bhägavata, Madhya-khaëòa 23.463) When Yudhiñöhira Mahäräja, his brothers, and his wife Draupadé, were staying in the forest, Duryodhana sent Durvasa Muni to visit the Päëòavas in the afternoon. “There will be no food to feed him, so Durvasa will get angry, curse them, and they will all burn to ashes.” With that evil thought, Duryodhana sent him. But, kåñëa rakñyati – Kåñëa protects His devotees. The Päëòavas are very dear devotees of Kåñëa. Who can harm them? So Kåñëa came being called from a distance when there was a problem for Draupadé. There was no food, so how could she feed the guests? Durvasa had come with thousands of disciples whom had gone to take bath. “Who can save me from this danger?” She thought, “Only Kåñëa can!” So she called, “Kåñëa!” Kåñëa came running from a distance, shouting, “Draupadé, Draupadé, Draupadé! I am very hungry! I am very hungry! Give Me food!” Draupadé said, “Please listen.” Kåñëa said, “No, first give Me food, then I will listen.”

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam Draupadé replied, “That is my problem, there is no food.” Kåñëa said, “No, there must be some food. Check the cooking pots. There must be something there.” That day, Draupadé had cooked some çäk, spinach. One tiny leaf was still there, stuck to the rim of the pot. At the time of washing it had not come off. Kåñëa said, “Oh, yes. There is something here.” He took the one tiny leaf and ate it with much pleasure. “Oh, you gave Me so much food! My stomach is heavy now.” This is only love and nothing else.

Who Can Give Kåñëa? sevaka kåñëera pitä, mätä, patné, bhäi ’däsa’ bai kåñëera dvitéya ära nähi ye-rüpa cintaye däse se-i rüpa haya däse kåñëe karibäre päreye vikraya “Kåñëa’s father, mother, wife, and brother are all His servants. Kåñëa does not recognise anyone other than His servants. The Lord accepts the form that His servant meditates on, and Kåñëa’s servant can even sell Him.” (Caitanya-bhägavata, Madhya-khaëòa 23.464-465) Kåñëa appears in the form that His dear devotee desires to see. He gives His devotees the power to even sell Him to others. In his Çaraëägati, Çréla Öhäkura Bhaktivinoda has described: kåñëa se tomära, kåñëa dite päro tomära çakati äche 26

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam ämi to’ käìgäla ‘kåñëa’ ‘kåñëa’ boli dhäi tava päche päche “O venerable Vaiñëava, Kåñëa is yours. You have the power to give Him to me. I am simply running behind you shouting, “Kåñëa! Kåñëa!” (Çaraëägati, Bhajana-lälasä, song 7) Such a premé-bhakta, who has bound up Kåñëa with the rope of love in his heart, Kåñëa belongs to him. Only he can give Kåñëa. Who can give Kåñëa? Only one who has obtained Kåñëa. Otherwise, who can give if he does not have Him? Can he give? No. Däse kåñëe karibäre – only such a premé-bhakta can give Kåñëa. No one else.

The Object of Love & The Abode of Love Préti-viñaya – Préti-äçraya sevaka vatsala prabhu’ cäri vede gäya sevakera sthäne kåñëa prakäçe sadäya “The Supreme Personality of Godhead loves His servants.” The Vedas sing thus. Lord Kåñëa always appears before His devotees. (Caitanya-bhägavata, Madhya-khaëòa 23.466) The four Vedas sing that Kåñëa, the Supreme Lord, is sevakavatsala, very dear to His servants. He is bhakta-vatsala. Kåñëa manifests Himself before such premé-bhaktas. He is always with them. These are such loving pastimes. They are wonderful, very excellent, and inconceivable. Both Bhagavän and bhakta get

Relishing - Çré Dämodaräñöakam pleasure. Kåñëa is préti-viñaya, the object of love, whereas the premé-bhakta is préti-äçraya, the abode of love. So Bhagavän, being the object of the äçraya, cannot understand what relishment, what pleasure, the bhakta gets. The relishment and happiness the bhakta gets is äçraya-jätéya, in the äçraya category. Kåñëa cannot understand it because it is in the äçraya category, whereas Kåñëa is of the viñaya category. This is the specific language.

Kåñëa Accepts the Mood of a Bhakta to Relish It bhakta-premära yata daçä, ye gati prakära yata duùkha, yata sukha, yateka vikära kåñëa tähä samyak nä päre jänite bhakta-bhäva aìgékare tähä äsvädite “Kåñëa Himself cannot fully understand the conditions, the mode of progress, the happiness and unhappiness, and the moods of ecstatic love of His devotees. He therefore accepts the role of a devotee to taste these emotions fully.” (Caitanya-caritämåta, Antya-lélä 18.16-17) In the Caitanya-caritämåta Çréla Kåñëa däsa Kaviräja Gosvämé writes in this way. What is the condition of a premé-bhakta? What is his happiness? What is his distress? What is his mood? Kåñëa cannot understand it. In order to understand it, Kåñëa accepts the mood of a bhakta and appears here to relish it. So Kåñëa, accepting the mood of a bhakta, comes as Gauräìga Mahäprabhu, bhaktarüpa, in order to relish this bhakti-rasa, äçraya-jätéya-rasa – the mellow of the äçraya category. This is such a wonderful lélä!

Relishing

Śrī Dāmodarāṣṭakam •

n this pastime there is lélänanda, the Lord relishing the mellow of His sweet lélä, and there is also the bhaktas experiencing premänanda, getting pleasure from rendering such loving service unto Kåñëa. Two types of änanda: lélänanda and premänanda. The Lord’s lélänanda and the bhakta’s premänanda, combined together to create apürva paramänanda – unprecedented supreme änanda. The Lord and the devotee, bhagavän and bhakta, both become merged, drowned, in an ocean of änanda. No one can describe it with language, for it is indescribable. Raso vai saù – He is the reservoir of all rasa, mellow. He is rasa Himself. He is rasika, He relishes. He is the relisher and He is also to be relished, äsvädya. He gives opportunity to His premébhaktas to relish such mellow.

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