NBS#218

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Issue no: 218

11th September 2023

The Medicinal Nectar The Gopés’ Songs of Separation

Association Through Feelings of Separation His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Srila Sukadeva Goswami

The Medicinal Nectar

Deep Feelings of Separation

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakura

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Why Are The Gopés Superior?

Srila Sanatana Goswami

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The Gopés’ Songs of Separation Srila Sukadeva Goswami

The gopés said: O beloved, Your birth in the land of Vraja has made it exceedingly glorious, and thus Indira, the goddess of fortune, always resides here. It is only for Your sake that we, Your devoted servants, maintain our lives. We have been searching everywhere for You, so please show Yourself to us. O Lord of love, in beauty Your glance excels the whorl of the finest, most perfectly formed lotus within the autumn pond.

O bestower of benedictions, You are killing the maidservants who have given themselves to You freely, without any price. Isn’t this murder? O greatest of personalities, You have repeatedly saved us from all kinds of danger from poisoned water, from the terrible man-eater Agha, from the great rains, from the wind demon, from the fiery thunderbolt of Indra, from the bull demon and from the son of Maya Danava. You are not actually the son of the gopé Yashoda, O friend, but rather the indwelling witness in the hearts of all embodied souls. Because Lord Brahma prayed for You to come and protect the universe, You have now appeared in the Sätvata dynasty.

O best of the Våñëis, Your lotuslike hand, which holds the hand of the goddess of fortune, grants fearlessness to those who approach Your feet out

nityaà bhägavata-sevayä

of fear of material existence. O lover, please place that wish-fulfilling lotus hand on our heads. O You who destroy the suffering of Vraja’s people, O hero of all women, Your smile shatters the false pride of Your devotees. Please, dear friend, accept us as Your maidservants and show us Your beautiful lotus face. Your lotus feet destroy the past sins of all embodied souls who surrender to them. Those feet follow after the cows in the pastures and are the eternal abode of the goddess of fortune. Since You once put those feet on the hoods of the great serpent Kaliya, please place them upon our breasts and tear away the lust in our hearts. O lotus-eyed one, Your sweet voice and charming words, which attract the minds of the intelligent, are bewildering us more and more.

Our dear hero, please revive Your maidservants with the nectar of Your lips. The nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one’s sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent. Your smiles, Your sweet, loving glances, the intimate pastimes and confidential talks we enjoyed with You all these are auspicious to

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nityaà bhägavata-sevayä meditate upon, and they touch our hearts. But at the same time, O deceiver, they very much agitate our minds.

Dear master, dear lover, when You leave the cowherd village to herd the cows, our minds are disturbed with the thought that Your feet, more beautiful than a lotus, will be pricked by the spiked husks of grain and the rough grass and plants. At the end of the day You repeatedly show us Your lotus face, covered with dark blue locks of hair and thickly powdered with dust. Thus, O hero, You arouse lusty desires in our minds. Your lotus feet, which are worshiped by Lord Brahma, fulfill the desires of all who bow down to them.

They are the ornament of the earth, they give the highest satisfaction, and in times of danger they are the appropriate object of meditation. O lover, O destroyer of anxiety, please put those lotus feet upon our breasts. O hero, kindly distribute to us the nectar of Your lips, which enhances conjugal pleasure and vanquishes grief. That nectar is thoroughly relished by Your vibrating flute and makes people forget any other attachment. When You go off to the forest during the day, a tiny fraction of a second becomes like a millennium for us because we cannot see You. And even when we can eagerly look upon Your beautiful face, so lovely with its adornment of curly locks, our pleasure is hindered by our eyelids, which were fashioned by the foolish creator.

Dear Acyuta, You know very well why we have come here. Who but a cheater like You would abandon young women who come to see Him in the middle of the night, enchanted by the loud song of His flute? Just to see You, we have completely rejected our husbands, children, ancestors, brothers and other relatives. Our minds are repeatedly bewildered as we think of the intimate conversations we had with You in secret, feel the rise of lust in our hearts and remember Your smiling face, Your loving glances and Your broad chest, the resting place of the goddess of fortune.

Thus we experience the most severe hankering for You. O beloved, Your all-auspicious appearance vanquishes the distress of those living in Vraja’s forests. Our minds long for Your association.

Please give to us just a bit of that medicine, which counteracts the disease in Your devotees’ hearts.

O dearly beloved! Your lotus feet are so soft that www.ibmedu.org

Issue no 218, Page—3 we place them gently on our breasts, fearing that Your feet will be hurt. Our life rests only in You. Our minds, therefore, are filled with anxiety that Your tender feet might be wounded by pebbles as You roam about on the forest path.

— Çrémad-Bhägavatam (Bhägavata Puräëa) » Canto 10: The Summum Bonum » Chapter 31 » Verses 1–19 » Translations by Disciples of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

The Medicinal Nectar

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakura

"The gopés say, 'O Krishna, You exactly resemble Dhanvantari, the best of physicians. So, please give us some medicine, for we are suffering from the disease of romantic desire for You. Don't hesitate to give us the medicinal nectar of Your lips freely, without our paying a substantial price. Since You are a great hero in giving charity, You should give it without any payment, even to the most wretched persons. Consider that we are losing our life and that now You can restore us to life by giving us that nectar. After all, You have already given it to Your flute, which is simply a hollow bamboo stick.'

"Krishna says, 'But the diet of people in this world is the bad one of attachment to wealth, followers, family and so forth. The particular medicine you've requested should not be given to those who have such a bad diet.'

"The gopés say, 'But this medicine makes one forget all other attachments. So wonderful is this herbal drug that it counteracts bad dietary habits.

Please give that nectar to us, O hero, since You are most charitable.'"

— Çrémad-Bhägavatam (Bhägavata Puräëa) » Canto 10: The Summum Bonum » Chapter 31 » Verse 15 » Sarartha Darshini by Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura » Translated by Srila Bhanu Swami.

Association Through Feelings of Separation His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

The gopés of Vrindavan were so attached to Krishna that they were not satisfied simply with the räsa dance at night. They wanted to associate with Him and enjoy His company during the daytime Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya

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also. When Krishna went to the forest with His cowherd boyfriends and cows, the gopés did not physically take part, but their hearts went with Him. And because their hearts went, they were able to enjoy His company through strong feelings of separation. To acquire this strong feeling of separation is the teaching of Lord Caitanya and His direct disciples, the Six Gosvämés. When we are not in physical contact with Krishna, we can associate with Him like the gopés, through feelings of separation. Krishna’s transcendental form, qualities, pastimes and entourage are all identical with Him. There are nine different kinds of devotional service. Devotional service to Krishna in feelings of separation elevates the devotee to the highest perfectional level, to the level of the gopés.

It is stated in Srinivasacarya's prayer to the Six Gosvämés that they left the material opulences of government service and the princely status of life and went to Vrindavan, where they lived just like ordinary mendicants, begging from door to door.

But they were so much enriched with the gopés’ feelings of separation that they enjoyed transcendental pleasure at every moment. Similarly, when Lord Caitanya was at Jagannatha Puri, He was in the role of Radharani, feeling separation from Krishna. Those who are in the disciplic succession of the Madhva-Gauòéya-sampradäya should always feel separation from Krishna, worship His transcendental form and discuss His transcendental teachings, His pastimes, His qualities, His entourage and His association. That will enrich the devotees to the highest devotional perfection.

Feeling constant separation while engaged in the service of the Lord is the perfection of Krishna consciousness.

— Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead » Canto 10: The Summum Bonum»Chapter35»ByHisDivineGraceA.C.BhaktivedantaSwamiPrabhupada.

Deep Feelings of Separation Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

yugäyitaà nimeñeëa cakñuñä prävåñäyitam çünyäyitaà jagat sarvaà govinda-viraheëa me

nityaà bhägavata-sevayä The word yugäyitaà is simple and direct. The phrase govinda viraheëa expresses deep feelings of separation. Self-realized rasika devotees have divided vipralambha, or the mood of separation, into purva-raga, mana, pravasa, and so on. Yet the recondite import lodged deep within this çloka composed by Lord Caitanya is that the devotee living in this world need only relish the separation of purva-raga. The scriptures also say that the mood of viraha, or separation, has ten attendant conditions: pondering, sleeplessness, perturbation, emaciation, pallor, incoherent speech, being stricken, madness, delusion, and death (or unconsciousness).

In Caitanya-caritämåta [Antya-lila 20.40-41] Lord Caitanya says, “In My agitation a day never ends, for every moment seems like a millennium. Pouring incessant tears, My eyes are like clouds in the rainy season.

The three worlds have become void because of separation from Govinda. I feel as if I were burning alive in a slow fire.”

“O Govinda, the world is simply an immense void in Your absence. My eyes are raining tears like monsoon-laden clouds, each batting of an eyelid seems to last a millennium.” This is an excellent example of vipralambha-rasa. The çloka intends to point out that for the jata-rati devotee, it is absolutely essential that he seek to experience vipralambha-rasa, and not care for sambhoga, or enjoyment.

In material life, viraha or separation causes only grief, whereas on the transcendental plane it produces exultant ecstasy even though it seems like acute anguish. Vipralambha nourishes sambhoga, or enjoyment. As a matter of fact in prema-vaicitra, or variegatedness of love within the vipralambha-rasa there is sambhoga, but only externally.

Vipralambha is marked by incessant and intense recollections of Krishna and His pastimes, and in fact one never forgets Krishna. This is the super-excellent stage of bhajana.

The over-indulgence in sambhoga exhibited by the pretentious group known as the gaura-nagari, who are not actually sincere followers of Lord Krishna, is due to hypocrisy; it simply causes obstacles on the path to pure devotion. Their sambhoga is nothing more than self-aggrandizement and selfserving pleasure. It is bereft of pure

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nityaà bhägavata-sevayä devotion to Krishna. If one inderstands the meaming of the following çloka, then he will not allow himself to be goaded into enjoying his senses, and hereby as an excuse try to present Lord Caitanya as a pleasure-seekers, or nagari [Caitanya-caritämåta, Adi-lila 4.165]: “The desire to gratify one's own senses is kama (lust), but the desire to please the senses of Lord Krishna is prema (love).”

The esoteric import of Lord Caitanya's pastimes is that although Lord Krishna has accepted the sentiments of an asraya-tattva, or a pure devotee, He is always situated in the mood of vipralambha. Jéva is asraya-tattva; for him to fully relish sambhoga-rasa and give it full expression he must take shelter of vipralambha, or the mood of love in separation. To propagate and exhibit this truth Lord Krishna appeared as Lord Caitanya who is eternally the embodiment and incarnation vipralambha-rasa. Devotees should discard any notions of endeavoring for sambhoga-rasa, since such an attempt will certainly end in failure.

Other scriptural statements supporting this çloka: From Kåñëa Karnämåta [41]: amüny adhanyäni dinäntaräëi hare tvad-älokanam antareëa anätha-bandho karuëaika-sindho hä hanta hä hanta kathaà nayämi "O Supreme Shelter of the destitute, Hari, You are an ocean of mercy. Alas, O alas! Without seeing Your lovely, face, how shall I live through these wretched days and nights?"

Sri Madhavendra Puri's words as recorded in Padyävali [400]: ayi déna-dayärdra nätha he mathurä-nätha kadävalokyase hådayaà tvad-aloka-kätaraà dayita bhrämyati kià karomy aham "O compassionate Lord of the helpless, O Lord of Mathura! When will I be able to see You? Your absence has made my stricken heart extremely anxious. O my beloved! What am I to do now?" www.ibmedu.org

Issue no 218, Page—5 From Ujjva1a-nilamani [64]: cintätra jätarodvegau tänavaà malinäìgatä praläpo vyädhir unmädo mohomåtyurdaçä daça "Srimati Radharani is completely smitten, and She is experiencing a limitless ocean of suffering as the ten conditions of separation wash over Her. She experiences pondering, sleeplessness, perturbations, and grows emaciated and pallid. While speaking incoherently, She is stricken, becomes mad and deluded, and swoons almost to death."

— Çré Sanmodana Bhäñyamon Çré Çikñäñöaka of Srila Bhaktvinoda Thakur » Translated by Sarvabhavana Das.

Why Are The Gopés Superior?

Srila Sanatana Goswami

yä vai çriyärcitam ajädibhir äpta-kämair yogeçvarair api sad-ätmani räsa-goñöhyäm kåñëasya tad bhagavataù prapadäravindaà nyastaà staneñu vijahuù parirabhya täpam Aren’t all devotees of Krishna equally glorious for renouncing their families and whatever else prevents them from approaching Krishna? Yes, but the intimacy of the gopés’ surrender makes them special. Krishna’s lotus feet are worshiped by the goddess of fortune with all the opulence at her command; she serves her Lord’s feet by massaging them, and she attends Him in various other ways.

Brahma, Rudra, Indra, and other demigods also worship Krishna’s feet, and so do the mahat-tattva and the other elements of creation; the demigods and the elements over which the demigods preside worship Krishna’s feet by performing Vedic sacrifices and carrying out His orders. Self-satisfied liberated sages also worship with devotion those same feet, aiming at them as the supreme goal of life. The great masters of bhakti-yoga worship His lotus feet within their purified hearts by hearing and chanting Krishna’s glories with pure love. But the worship performed by all these elevated souls (with the exception of the goddess Laksmi) is for the most part only mental; rarely does Krishna grant His darçana to these demigods, sages, and

Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya

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devotees. The gopés’ worship of Krishna’s lotus feet is much more intimate.

The words kåñëasya tad bhagavataù indicate this intimacy. The pronoun tat ("that") implies that even before the räsa dance the gopés were already intimately familiar with the supreme beauty of Krishna’s feet. And after Krishna left the gopés at the very beginning of the räsa-lélä, they spent some time vividly remembering those very feet in the ecstasy of separation. Though these were the same lotus feet worshiped by Sri, the goddess of fortune, the gopés realized them in a special way, as the feet of the darling young son of Yasoda and Nanda. The lotus feet the gopés repeatedly held to their breasts during the räsa dance were thus the most excellent embodiment of all beauty. By holding Krishna’s feet in this way, the gopés were completely relieved of the pain of separation. Certainly, then, the gopés are the greatest devotees, because they worshiped Krishna’s feet not merely by meditating on them but by holding them physically in their embrace.

nityaà bhägavata-sevayä

Because the feet they worshiped were the feet of the Supreme Lord in the form of Krishna, the gopés are superior to the demigods, headed by Brahmä.

Because the gopés touched those feet directly, the gopés are superior to the self-satisfied sages. Because the gopés held those feet to their breasts, the gopés are superior to the masters of yoga. And because the association of the gopés with Krishna occurred during the räsa-lélä, the gopés are superior even to Maha-laksmi.

As Uddhava describes how the gopés, during the räsa dance, obtained relief from the distress of separation, he harbors the concern that the feelings of separation the gopés suffer now are much more serious. Now that Krishna has left them to go to Mathura, Uddhava doubts whether even a skillfully delivered message from Krishna can do much to console them. Although Uddhava has done his best, the effect will most likely be negligible. But in any case, he himself has been deeply affected by his meeting with the gopés. He has imbibed the spirit

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nityaà bhägavata-sevayä of their special prema, and in that mood he has prayed to take birth in Vraja in any form of life, be it a bush or other plant, that may be touched by the dust of the gopés’ divine feet. Because Uddhava could properly value and learn from the love of the gopés, it was him Krishna chose to carry the message to Vrindavan.

Like Uddhava, Srila Sukadeva Gosvami took to his own heart the gopés’ mood of devotion to Krishna. At the end of the Tenth Canto, Srila Sukadeva expresses this mood when he praises Krishna’s Dvaraka queens: yäù samparyacaran premëä päda-saàvähanädibhiù jagad-guruà bhartå-buddhyä täsäà kim varëyate tapaù "How could one possibly describe the great austerities performed by these women who perfectly served Him, the spiritual master of the universe, in pure ecstatic love? Thinking of Him as their husband, they rendered such intimate services as massaging His feet." [Bhägavatam 10.90.27] Even though Srila Sukadeva, while speaking this verse, uses the term bhartå ("husband") rather than jära ("paramour"), he is actually thinking of the gopés of Vraja and burning in the fire of their ecstasy. But he dares not mention this, out of fear that in ecstasy he would lose his self-control.

Even in modern times, and even among men, there are great devotees who are known to have attained pure love for Krishna in the mood of the gopés. No one should doubt this, thinking that for male devotees the mood of the gopés is incompatible. Anyone well versed in the epics and Puräëas will know the example of the austere sages of the Dandaka forest. When the sages saw the beauty of Sri Raghunatha (Lord Ramacandra), they became attracted in the conjugal mood and wanted to enjoy having Him as their husband. In the Uttara-khaëòa of Çré Padma Puräëa, Lord Shiva, speaking to his wife Parvati, describes that history: dåñövä rämaà harià tatrabhoktum aicchan su-vigraham te sarve strétvam äpannäù www.ibmedu.org

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samudbhütäç ca gokule hariù sampräpya kämena tato muktä bhavärëavät "When they saw Lord Hari in the beautiful form of Ramacandra, they at once wanted to enjoy Him. Thus, they all took birth as women in Gokula and, by their lusty attraction to Lord Hari, obtained Him as their husband. In this way they gained liberation from the ocean of material existence."

The Kürma Mahä-puräëa also states: agni-puträ mahätmänas tapasä strétvam äpire bhartäraà ca jagad-yonià väsudevam ajaà vibhum "By performing austerities, the wise sons of Agni took birth as women and obtained as their husband Lord Vasudeva, the unborn and unlimited source of creation."

— Çré Båhad Bhägavatämåta of Srila Sanatana Gosvami » Volume Three » Chapter 7 » Text 151 » Translated by Gopiparanadhana Das.

!! Sri Sri Nitai Gaurchandra Jayati !!

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