Vipralambha-bhava - The feeling of separation from Krishna

Vipralambha-bhāva

“The feeling of separation from Krishna” Śrī Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja

Vipralambha-bhāva

“The feeling of separation from Krishna”

VIPRALAMBHA-BHAVA - THE FEELING OF SEPARATION FROM KRISHNA The information in this booklet is a lecture on Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 13.33-39, delivered by Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja on 16 July 1995, Bhaktivedanta Manor, UK. Quotes from the books of Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda are copyrighted © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

ISBN: 978-0-648-16306-0 © 2018 TATTVA VICARA PUBLICATIONS

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Vipralambha-bhāva

“The feeling of separation from Krishna”

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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Table of Contents Vipralambha-bhäva

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The Feeling of Separation from Krsna This Is an Ocean of Nectar 3 Only the Letters of the Alphabet Are Coming Out 4 Mahäprabhu Gives Prema Through Chanting the Holy Name 5 Vipralambha-Bhäva Is Mahäprabhu’s Teaching 6 Mahäprabhu’s Mood Is the Mood of a devotee of Kåñëa 7 Utter the Name of Gauräìga 7 Sädhana-Bhakti and Prema-Bhakti 8 Always Think of Me 8 Develop Love for Kåñëa 10 Fleeting Pleasures Have a Beginning and End 11 Just Surrender Unto Me 12 The Dharma of the Soul Is to Surrender unto Kåñëa 12 To Fulfill the Demands of the Body — Is the Be-All and End-All of Life 13 I Have Only Spoken Theoretically 14 Prema-Bhakti is Required 15 The Four Mellows of Prema-bhakti 16 Mahä-Vadänyä Avatära — The Most Munificent Incarnation 17 The Only Difference Between Gaura and Kåñëa 18 Näma and Nämé 20 Separation Excels Union 20 Mahäprabhu’s Kértana Is in Vipralambha-bhäva 21

The External Symptoms of Love 21 Without Love of Godhead My Life is Useless 22 Beg for the Association of a Gaura-Bhakta 23 The Internal Symptom of Love 24 We Are the Servants of the Name of Çyämasundara 26 Let Me Have Unalloyed Devotion Only 27 Our Äcäryas Express Vipralambha-bhäva 28 The Gopés Always Think of Me 31 Viraha-agni — The Blazing Fire of Separation 32 All Äcäryas Are Feeling that Acute Pang of Separation 34 Sambhoga and Vipralambha — The Two Embankments to the Flow of Kåñëa’s Lélä 35

Questions & Answers

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Kåñëa Gave Vraja-prema as Gaura Without Prema there Is No True Surrender Only One Who Has Prema Can Give Prema Gaura Is a Kåñëa-bhakta Imbued with Rädhä-bhäva Tightly Grasp the Lotus Feet of Nitäi

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Dedicated to our most beloved spiritual master His Divine Grace Oà Viñëupäda Paramahaàsa Parivräjakäcärya 108

Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja on the auspicious occasion of his

Vyäsa-püjä Mahotsava 10 September 2018

Vipralambha-bhäva “The feeling of separation from Kåñëa”

cabbiça vatsara aiche navadvépa-gräme laoyäilä sarva-loke kåñëa-prema-näme “Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu lived in the Navadvépa area for twenty-four years, and He induced every person to chant the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra and thus merge in love of Kåñëa.” cabbiça vatsara chilä kariyä sannyäsa bhakta-gaëa laïä kailä néläcale väsa “For His remaining twenty-four years, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, after accepting the renounced order of life, stayed at Jagannätha Puré with His devotees.” tära madhye néläcale chaya vatsara nåtya, géta, prema-bhakti-däna nirantara “For six of these twenty-four years in Néläcala [Jagannätha Puré], He distributed love of Godhead by always chanting and dancing.”

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Vipralambha-bhava setubandha, ära gauòa-vyäpi våndävana prema-näma pracäriyä karilä bhramaëa “Beginning from Cape Comorin and extending through Bengal to Våndävana, during these six years He toured all of India, chanting, dancing and distributing love of Kåñëa.” ei ‘madhya-lélä’ näma — lélä-mukhyadhäma çeña añöädaça varña — ‘antya-lélä’ näma “The activities of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu in His travels after He accepted sannyäsa are His principal pastimes. His activities during His remaining eighteen years are called the antya-lélä, or the final portion of His pastimes.” tära madhye chaya vatsara bhaktagaëa-saìge prema-bhakti laoyäila nåtya-géta-raìge “For six of the eighteen years He continuously stayed in Jagannätha Puré, He regularly performed kértana, inducing all the devotees to love Kåñëa simply by chanting and dancing.” dvädaça vatsara çeña rahilä néläcale premävasthä çikhäilä äsvädana-cchale “For the remaining twelve years He stayed in Jagannätha Puré, He taught everyone how to taste the transcendental mellow ecstasy of love of Kåñëa by tasting it Himself.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 13.33-39)

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The feeling of separation from Kåñëa A person who is advanced in Kåñëa consciousness always feels separation from Kåñëa because such a feeling of separation excels the feeling of meeting Kåñëa. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, in His last twelve years of existence within this world at Jagannätha Puré, taught the people of the world how, with a feeling of separation, one can develop His dormant love of Kåñëa. Such feelings of separation or meeting with Kåñëa are different stages of love of Godhead. These feelings develop in time when a person seriously engages in devotional service. The highest stage is called premabhakti, but this stage is attained by executing sädhana-bhakti.

One should not try to elevate himself artificially to the stage of prema-bhakti without seriously following the regulative principles of sädhana-bhakti. Prema-bhakti is the stage of relishing, whereas sädhana-bhakti is the stage of improving in devotional service. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu taught this cult of devotional service in full detail by practical application in His own life. It is said, therefore, äpani äcari’ bhakti çikhäimu sabäre. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu is Kåñëa Himself, and in the role of a kåñëa-bhakta, a devotee of Kåñëa, He instructed the entire world how one can execute devotional service and thus go back home, back to Godhead, in due course of time. (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, ädi-lélä 13.39, purport by Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda)

This Is an Ocean of Nectar caitanya-caritra ei amåtera sindhu karëa-mana tåpta kare yära eka bindu “The life and characteristics of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu are exactly like an ocean of nectar, one drop of which can please the mind and ear.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Antya-lélä 11.106) 3

Vipralambha-bhava Caitanya-caritra ei amåtera sindhu, this is an ocean of nectar.

One single drop from that ocean will inundate the whole world in prema. Caitanya-caritämåta is the post-graduate study. Whatever we read in these verses is very, very deep philosophy. Çréla Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé speaks only about prema-näma-saìkértana. He has stated in the beginning with laoyäilä sarva-loke kåñëa-premanäme.1 He starts with prema-näma. What is prema-näma? And what is only näma? This is first to be understood.

Only the Letters of the Alphabet Are Coming Out asädhu-saìge bhäé, kåñëa-näma nähi haya nämäkñara bahiräya baöe, tabu näma kabhu naya “‘Remember Bhai (my dear brother), kåñëa-näma cannot awaken in the association of non-devotees. Only the syllables of çré näma will come out of the mouth, but näma Himself will remain far away.’ kabhu nämäbhäsa haya, sadä näma-aparädha e saba jänibe bhäé, kåñëa-bhaktir bädha “‘Certainly there is only nämäparädha in their association.

Sometimes, by great fortune, there is nämäbhäsa, but you should know that both nämäbhäsa and nämäparädha are obstacles for kåñëabhakti.’ (Prema-vivarta Chapter 7, Çréla Jagadänanda Paëòita) All are chanting nämäparädha or nämäbhäsa but that is not näma – näma nahi haya. We are chanting hare kåñëa hare kåñëa kåñëa kåñëa hare hare, hare räma hare räma räma räma hare hare 1. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 13.33

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The feeling of separation from Kåñëa [Gurudeva imitates fast and unclear chanting]. What is coming out? Prema-näma? Nämäkñara bahiräya näma nähi haya: only letters are coming: kåñ – ëa, two letters, ha – re, two letters, rä – ma, two letters. Only the letters of the alphabet are coming out but the Name is not coming! What name did Mahäprabhu chant?

He did not only chant näma, or only the alphabet – nämäbhäsa or nämäparädha. No! He chanted prema-näma! Kåñëa is léläpuruñottama, Lord Räma is maryädä-puruñottama and Gauräìga is prema-puruñottama, He who gives kåñëa-prema. All these verses we recite speak about prema-näma. Here it is said: nåtya, géta, premabhakti-däna nirantara: He gives prema-bhakti.

Mahäprabhu Gives Prema Through Chanting the Holy Name setubandha, ära gauòa-vyäpi våndävana prema-näma pracäriyä karilä bhramaëa “Beginning from Cape Comorin and extending through Bengal to Våndävana, during these six years He toured all of India, chanting, dancing and distributing love of Kåñëa.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 13.36) What is prema-näma? The name that gives prema that is the pure name. bahu janma kare yadi çravaëa, kértana tabu ta nä päya kåñëa-pade prema-dhana “If one is infested with the ten offences in the chanting of the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra, despite his endeavour

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Vipralambha-bhava to chant the holy name for many births, he will not get the love of Godhead that is the ultimate goal of this chanting.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 8.16) If one chants, avoiding the ten kinds of offences, one very easily obtains the most valuable love of Godhead – niraparädhe näma laile päya prema-dhana.1 The chief result of chanting hare kåñëa is kåñëa-prema. Mahäprabhu gives prema through chanting the holy name. hare kåñëa hare kåñëa kåñëa kåñëa hare hare hare räma hare räma räma räma hare hare

Vipralambha-Bhäva Is Mahäprabhu’s Teaching He is known as prema-puruñottama, and he preached premanäma: prema-näma pracäriyä karilä bhramaëa2. For six years he toured throughout India, north India, eastern India, southern India and he preached prema-näma and gave prema-bhakti. Premabhakti laoyäila nåtya-géta-raìge3, and premävasthä çikhäilä äsvädanacchale4 – all these verses speak about prema. First prema, then prema-näma, prema-bhakti, premävasthä, and then at last comes, as mentioned in the purport of Çréla Prabhupäda, the feeling of separation. “A person who is advanced in Kåñëa consciousness always feels separation from Kåñëa because such a feeling of separation excels the feeling of meeting Kåñëa.” Meeting Kåñëa and feeling separation from Kåñëa – sambhoga and vipralambha.

These Sanskrit words are difficult words. Sambhoga means union, 1. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Antya-lélä 4.71 2. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 13.36 3. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 13.38 4. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 13.39

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The feeling of separation from Kåñëa meeting Kåñëa, and vipralambha means separation from Kåñëa. This feeling of separation from Kåñëa is the highest. Çréla Prabhupäda has said here, “Such a feeling of separation excels the feeling of meeting Kåñëa. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, in his last twelve years of existence within this world at Jagannätha Puré, taught the people of the world how, with a feeling of separation, one can develop his dormant love of Kåñëa.” That means vipralambhabhäva. That is Mahäprabhu’s teaching. He is always shedding tears in that vipralambha-bhäva, feeling separation from Kåñëa.

Mahäprabhu’s Mood Is the Mood of a devotee of Kåñëa Gauräìga Mahäprabhu is Kåñëa. Is he different from Kåñëa?

No. Prabhupäda has said here, “Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu is Kåñëa Himself and in the role of a kåñëa-bhakta, a devotee of Kåñëa, He instructed the entire world how one can execute devotional service and go back home back to Godhead.” Thus, He is not different from Kåñëa but His mood is different. What is his mood?

His mood is the mood of a devotee of Kåñëa.

Utter the Name of Gauräìga ‘gauräìga’ bolite habe pulaka-çaréra ‘hari hari’ bolite nayane ba’be néra Çréla Narottama däsa Öhäkura sings, “If you utter the name of Gauräìga, your whole body will become ecstatic.” Romaïca, pulaka – the hairs of your body will stand on end. Why? Gauräìga Mahäprabhu is Lord Hari Himself, but ‘hari hari’ bolite nayane ba’be néra, while chanting the name of Hari, He sheds tears.

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Vipralambha-bhava Therefore, if you utter the name of Gauräìga, your whole body will also be ecstatic because He is Himself in bhäva, premävasthä.

Here it is said, premävasthä çikhäilä äsvädana-cchale, He Himself relished the mellow of ecstasy of love of God, and distributed it.

That is His special characteristic. Therefore, chanting the name of Gauräìga, one will feel such ecstasy.

Sädhana-Bhakti and Prema-Bhakti Kåñëa came five thousand years ago. As He is lélä-puruñottama, He manifested varieties of léläs. In His kurukñetra-lélä He gave His message in the form of the Bhagavad-gétä. It is also called Gétopaniñada. The Upaniñads are the topmost portion of the Vedas. The Vedas come from the breathing of the Lord, but the Gétopaniñad came directly from the lips of the Lord. This is the best of the Upaniñads and the essence of them all. In the Gétä He has spoken about räga-märga, or raga-bhakti. Prabhupäda mentions here in his purport, sädhana-bhakti and prema-bhakti, that is the goal of räga-bhakti. “Prema-bhakti is the stage of relishing, whereas sädhana-bhakti is the stage of improving devotional service.” The ultimate is prema-bhakti. First comes sädhana-bhakti then premabhakti. Sädhana-bhakti has two parts, vaidhi and rägänuga. The first part is vaidhi-bhakti, following strictly the rules and regulations.

Then comes the second part, rägänuga-bhakti leading to premabhakti. Kåñëa has spoken in the Bhagavad-gétä about räga-bhakti.

What has He said?

Always Think of Me man-manä bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru

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The feeling of separation from Kåñëa mäm evaiñyasi satyaà te pratijäne priyo ’si me “Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.” sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja ahaà tväà sarva-päpebhyo mokñayiñyämi mä çucaù “Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” (Bhagavad-gétä 18.65-66) This is the most confidential instruction He gave, guhyatamaupadeça. In these verses Kåñëa speaks about räga-bhakti or premabhakti. Then after He wound up His lélä and went back to His eternal abode Goloka Våndävana in the spiritual sky, He was thinking, “I gave those instructions through Arjuna to all mankind. I gave confidential instructions, more confidential instructions, and most confidential instructions.” Because Kåñëa is suhådaà sarva-bhütänäà – the only well-wishing friend of all the jévas – He was thinking about us. You are not thinking of Kåñëa, but He is your friend. He is so intimate that He is thinking of you.

You have forgotten Him but He never forgets you.

Man-manä bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru1 and sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja2 are the most 1. Bhagavad-gétä 18.65 2. Bhagavad-gétä 18.66

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Vipralambha-bhava confidential instructions. “Man-manä bhäva, only think of Me.” Only think of Kåñëa: day and night, twenty-four hours. That is man-manä bhäva. “Keep Me in your mind.” That means keep Kåñëa in your mind.

Develop Love for Kåñëa Is your stupid mind thinking about Kåñëa? No, the stupid mind is not thinking of Kåñëa, who is our most intimate and wellwishing friend. Kåñëa knows what is good for us. Therefore He gave this instruction, man-manä bhäva, “Think of Me. Constantly, day and night, keep Me in your mind.” But our stupid mind is not thinking of Kåñëa. Why? What does it think about? Suta mita ramaëéra cintä, it thinks of wife, son, daughter, and friends. Why is it not thinking about Him? What is the requirement for it? That is the most important point. How can this stupid mind think of Kåñëa? Why does the stupid mind think of suta mita ramaëé, wife, son, daughter and friends instead of thinking of Kåñëa? Why? Because he has not developed love for Kåñëa! So how can it think of Kåñëa? He has developed some love and affection for this body and bodily relations: wife, son, daughter, etc. In other words, you have not placed Kåñëa on the platform of love; instead you have placed your wife, son and daughter on that platform although Kåñëa is the only object of love, no one else is. Have you put Kåñëa on the platform of love? No! Rather we have put this body and our bodily relations on that platform and we try to get some happiness and enjoyment from this. But what do we actually get?

Unlimited, unlimited suffering!

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The feeling of separation from Kåñëa

Fleeting Pleasures Have a Beginning and End ye hi saàsparça-jä bhogä duùkha-yonaya eva te ädy-antavantaù kaunteya na teñu ramate budhaù “An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery, which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kunté, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them.” (Bhagavad-gétä 5.22) Kåñëa has already said this, hasn’t He? Are you reading the Gétä? Yes, but reading like a parrot. This is Kåñëa’s instruction.

This saàsparça-jä bhogä, happiness of enjoyment derived through sense gratification is a fleeting pleasure, ädy-antavantaù, like a flash of lightening, then it is gone and its consequence is unlimited misery, duùkha-yonaya eva te. Really learned paëòitas never run behind it – na teñu ramate budhaù, but a fool does. He cannot give it up! You are such fools, not human beings! Can’t you understand it? The object of love is Kåñëa. Unless you develop love for Kåñëa, and put Him on the platform of love, how can you think of Kåñëa constantly, day and night? The Bhagavad-gétä states it, and the Bhägavata states it too: As long as you have not developed préti, love for Vasudeva Kåñëa, you cannot be released from this bodily bondage, prétir na yävan mayi väsudeve, na mucyate deha-yogena tävat.1 Is it very good to remain in this body? The body is very dear to us. No one wants to give it up: “I will enjoy, enjoy!” The result 1. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.5.6

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Vipralambha-bhava of that so-called enjoyment is unlimited misery. So how can one understand what Kåñëa has said?

Just Surrender Unto Me “Abandoning all varieties of dharma, just surrender unto Me.” This is his most concluding instruction. “How can it be done?

Abandoning all varieties of dharma and just surrendering? What is meant by ‘all varieties of dharma’? Abandoning cheating dharma, that is one part but we also have to analyse what is going on here in the name of dharma: yati-dharma, kula-dharma, veda-dharma and sanätana-dharma. One dharma is prevailing here in the West, deça-dharma. They say, “I am Westerner. I belong to this caste so I have this yati-dharma, the dharma of my caste.” Then Kuladharma, family dharma: I belong to this family and we have this family dharma. This is deha-dharma and there is also mäna-dharma.

The body has its dharma, the mind has its dharma, and the ätmä has its dharma.

The Dharma of the Soul Is to Surrender unto Kåñëa sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja ahaà tväà sarva-päpebhyo mokñayiñyämi mä çucaù (Bhagavad-gétä 18.66) Abandon all varieties of dharma, veda-dharma, yati-dharma, kula-dharma, deha-dharma and mana-dharma, abandon everything and just surrender unto Me. That is the dharma of the soul. You are not this body; you are the soul. So the dharma of the soul,

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The feeling of separation from Kåñëa ätmä-dharma is to surrender unto Kåñëa, to become kåñëa-däsa. But are you adopting ätmä-dharma? You are adopting deha-dharma or mana-dharma, not ätmä-dharma. To become kåñëa-däsa means to adopt ätmä-dharma, the dharma of the soul. How will it be possible unless you are situated on the platform of the soul? You are on the bodily platform, deha-dharma!

Is there anyone here on the platform of the soul? No one! All are in the bodily conception of life. So you are adopting dehadharma and mana-dharma, dharma of the body and mind. What is the dharma of the body? Sense gratification. What is the dharma of the mind? Saìkalpa - vikalpa, accepting and rejecting, speculation.

You are doing this dharma, not ätmä-dharma. You have not become kåñëa-däsa. How can one become kåñëa-däsa?

To Fulfill the Demands of the Body Is the Be-All and End-All of Life Kåñëa was thinking, “I have said everything. I gave the most confidential instructions, but how many are able to understand it? The conditioned souls, mäyä baddha-jévas, are all on the bodily platform, accepting the body as the self and the body as everything. They think, ‘Oh! The body is very dear to me.’ And they have accepted to fulfil the demands of the body, ‘Yes, to fulfil the demands of the body is the be-all and end-all of my life.’ They have all accepted this.”

What are the demands of the body? Eating, sleeping, defending and mating. All have accepted that to fulfil the demands of the body is the be-all and end-all of life. Who understands that, “I am not this body, I am spirit soul?” You understand it theoretically, only by hearing about it, but practically you are not on the platform of the soul. You are on the bodily platform, engaged in eating, sleeping, defending and mating.

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Vipralambha-bhava

I Have Only Spoken Theoretically Kåñëa is all-knowing. He knows all this. He thinks, “The mäyä baddha-jéva is on the bodily platform, completely absorbed in how to have material sense enjoyment. He is always thinking about that, so how can he understand My instructions? Can he? No. He cannot! If some human being is very, very fortunate, intelligent, or prajïa – learned, if he can understand My instructions and if he practices it in his life, then definitely he will come to Me. But how many persons are there like that? On the other hand, one who is completely absorbed in sense gratification, material enjoyment cannot put faith in My words.”

No, you cannot put faith in His words because you have accepted this viñaya-sukha, material happiness as the goal of your life. You cannot give up this misconception. Kåñëa is the all-knowing person. You cannot cheat Him, He knows you very well. Kåñëa thinks, “The conditioned souls cannot follow My instructions.

Moreover, I have only spoken theoretically. I have not set the example. Therefore I have to come down again.” A popular saying is ‘example is better than precept’. “The conditioned souls are on the bodily platform and cannot understand My instructions because I have not set the example. They are drinking the filthy water of sense gratification available in the drain of material existence thinking it is sweet milk. They are all eating mud and getting satisfaction, ‘Aaah, yes!’”

The hog eats stool and gets pleasure, “Aaah, such nice food!”

The hog thinks, “The human beings are so foolish because they do not eat the nice food I am eating. They eat something else.

Such fools!”

Kåñëa thinks all these things. “They are drinking filthy water from the drain. So if I go and just pour some milk into it, when

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The feeling of separation from Kåñëa they taste this, then they will give up drinking filthy water and eating stool.”

Prema-Bhakti is Required Therefore He came as Gauräìga Mahäprabhu. It is stated here: premävasthä çikhäilä äsvädana-cchale1, “For the remaining twelve years He stayed in Jagannätha Puré. He taught everyone to taste the transcendental mellow ecstasy of love of Kåñëa by tasting it Himself.” He came to give that prema, thinking, “If they can taste it, they will give up drinking filthy drain water and mud, then they can follow My instructions. Therefore prema-bhakti is required. If I can give prema-bhakti to the jévas then they will give up viñaya-sukha, material enjoyment. Otherwise they cannot give it up.” He thought, “Many, many yugas of this kalpa have come and gone. In some previous kalpa I have given prema-bhakti but meanwhile, during all these yugas I have not given it. So this time I will go and give this prema-bhakti.” Therefore He came as Caitanya Mahäprabhu. This is mentioned in Caitanya-caritämåta, däsa-sakhä-pitä-mätä-käntä-gaëa laïä vraje kréòä kare kåñëa premäviñöa haïä yatheñöa vihari’ kåñëa kare antardhäna antardhäna kari’ mane kare anumäna cira-käla nähi kari prema-bhakti däna bhakti vinä jagatera nähi avasthäna 1. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 13.39, translation.

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Vipralambha-bhava “Absorbed in such transcendental love, Lord Çré Kåñëa enjoys in Vraja with his devoted servants, friends, parents and conjugal lovers. There in his abode, Goloka nitya Våndävana, He thinks ‘For a long time I have not bestowed prema-bhakti, unalloyed loving service to Me, upon the inhabitants of the world. Without such loving attachment, the existence of the material world is useless.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 3.12-14) yuga-dharma pravartäimu näma-saìkértana cäri bhäva-bhakti diyä näcämu bhuvana äpani karimu bhakta-bhäva aìgékäre äpani äcari’ bhakti çikhäimu sabäre “I shall personally inaugurate the religion of the age, näma-saìkértana, the congregational chanting of the holy name. I shall make the world dance in ecstasy, realising the four mellows of loving devotional service.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 3.19-20)

The Four Mellows of Prema-bhakti What are these four mellows? Däsya, sakhya, vätsalya, and mädhurya. “I will make the whole world dance in ecstasy giving these four types of prema-bhakti. Though there are five chief mellows – çänta, däsya, sakhya, vätsalya, and mädhurya, Mahäprabhu discarded çänta. In Mahäprabhu’s line there is no çänta. Mahäprabhu said cari bhäva bhakti. That means däsya-rati, sakhya-rati, vätsalya-rati, mädhurya-rati. He will give prema-bhakti in these four mellows. That was Kåñëa’s chief thought.

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The feeling of separation from Kåñëa

Mahä-Vadänyä Avatära The Most Munificent Incarnation It was not the only purpose of Him coming as Mahäprabhu to propagate the yuga-dharma. That was not the real purpose. That was gauëa, a secondary reason. The chief purpose was prema-bhaktidhana. Caitanya Mahäprabhu descended here for this purpose. He is therefore known as prema-puruñottama. namo mahä-vadänyäya kåñëa-prema-pradäya te kåñëäya kåñëa-caitanyanämne gaura-tviñe namaù Çréla Rüpa Goswämé has offered this praëäma mantra to Gaura.

So we also offer this praëäma mantra. We pray ‘prema-pradäya’.

He is mahä-vadänyä avatära, the most munificent incarnation, because He gives kåñëa-prema. No one else gives it. Gaura does not come down in all Kali-yugas. He comes in one special Kaliyuga, once in a kalpa. This present Kali-yuga is a very special Kaliyuga because Gaura Himself has come. Who comes in the other Kali-yugas? Aàça comes. That is explained here. yuga-dharma-pravartana haya aàça haite ämä vinä anye näre vraja-prema dite tähäte äpana bhakta-gaëa kari’ saìge påthivéte avatari’ karimu nänä raìge “My plenary portions can establish the principles of religion for each age. No one but Me, however, can bestow

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Vipralambha-bhava the kind of loving service performed by the residents of Vraja. Therefore in the company of My devotees I shall appear on earth and perform various colourful pastimes.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 3.26 & 28) näma vinu kali-käle dharma nähi ära kali-käle kaiche habe kåñëa avatära “In this Age of Kali there is no religion other than the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, but how in this age will the Lord appear as an incarnation?” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 3.100)

The Only Difference Between Gaura and Kåñëa So Gaura is Kåñëa and Kåñëa is Gaura. In tattva They are not different, but there is a difference in Their mood. In vraja-lélä there are two bodies, Rädhä and Kåñëa. However, in navadvépalélä, there is only one body: Gaura. Rädhä-Kåñëa’s combined form is Gaura. There are in vraja-lélä two bodies, and in gaura-lélä only one body. This is the only difference; otherwise there is no difference between Gaura and Kåñëa.

It is not an easy subject matter to understand. In vraja-lélä, there is rasaräja svayaà-rüpa Kåñëa, one body, and madanäkhyamahäbhäva mayé Çrématé Rädhä, another body. Two bodies are there. But in gaura-lélä, rasaräja Kåñëa is combined with mahäbhäva mayé Rädhä in one body. ‘nanda-suta’ bali’ yäìre bhägavate gäi sei kåñëa avatérëa caitanya-gosäïi (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 2.9)

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The feeling of separation from Kåñëa He, who is nanda-suta – the son of Nanda Mahäräja, has appeared as Caitanya Gosäïi. ei gauracandra yabe janmilä gokule çiçu saìge gåhe gåhe kréòä kari’ bule Also in the Çré Caitanya-bhägavata, Ädi-khaëòa 7.47 it is stated that when this Gauracandra appeared in Gokula He was known as Kåñëa. caitanyäkhyaà prakaöam adhunä tad-dvayaà caikyam äptaà rädhä-bhäva-dyuti-suvalitaà naumi kåñëa-svarüpam (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 1.5) Çréla Svarüpa Dämodara Gosvämé has said, “He is kåñëasvarüpa – naumi kåñëa-svarüpam. I pay my obeisances to that Gaura.” Rädhä-bhäva dyuti-suvalitaà, Kåñëa has accepted the sentiment and the complexion of Rädhäräëé and appeared as Gaura. Prakaöam adhunä tad-dvayaà caikyam äptaà; dvaya – two bodies, that means Rädhä and Kåñëa, and aikya – one body, that is Gaura.

In Caitanya-candrämåta Çréla Prabodhänanda Sarasvatépad states, api bhutam madhavasya. Aiky bhuta – Rädhä Mädhava in one body. That is Caitanya. siïcan siïcan nayana-payasä päëòu-gaëòa-sthaläntaà muïcan muïcan pratimuhur aho dérgha-niùçväsa-jätam uccaiù krandan karuëa-karuëo dérgha-hä-heti-nädo gauraù ko’pi vraja-virahiëé-bhäva-magnaç cakästi (Caitanya-candrämåta)

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Vipralambha-bhava Çréla Prabodhänanda Sarasvatépad has said that this is the mood of Gaura, vraja-virahiëé, feeling acute pangs of separation like the damsels of Vrajabhümi, gauraù ko’pi vraja-virahiëé-bhävamagnaç cakästi. The purport is that Kåñëa is Gaura, Gaura is Kåñëa, kåñëa-lélä is gaura-lélä, and gaura-lélä is kåñëa-lélä.

Näma and Nämé There is no difference between näma and nämé, the name of Kåñëa and Kåñëa Himself, abhinnatvän näma-näminoù. However, väcyo väcakam ity udeti bhavato näma svarüpa-dvayaà pürvasmät param eva hanta karuëä taträpi jänémahe (Nämäñöakam, verse 7) It is stated by the Gauòéya Vaiñëava äcärya Çréla Rüpa Goswämé that although there is no difference between nämé and näma, still, the latter is more merciful than the former, pürvasmät param eva hanta karuëä. That means näma, the name of Kåñëa is more merciful than nämé, Kåñëa, though there is no difference between Kåñëa’s name and Kåñëa Himself. Similarly, although there is no difference between gaura-lélä and kåñëa-lélä, gaura-lélä is more merciful, and it is a more relishable lélä than kåñëa-lélä. This is tattva-jïana.

Separation Excels Union Then come the teachings of Mahäprabhu: “For six of the eighteen years he continuously stayed in Jagannätha Puré, he regularly performed kértana, inducing all the devotees to love Kåñëa simply by chanting and dancing.”

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The feeling of separation from Kåñëa In his purport Çréla Prabhupäda states, “A person who is advanced in Kåñëa consciousness always feels separation from Kåñëa because such a feeling of separation excels the feeling of meeting Kåñëa.” That means viraha, separation, or vipralambhabhäva. Viraha or vipralambha-bhäva means the feeling of separation from Kåñëa, and sambhoga means meeting with Kåñëa, union with Kåñëa. Here Prabhupäda says that this feeling of separation from Kåñëa, vipralambha-bhäva, excels sambhoga. And this is the highest stage in love, prema-bhakti.

Mahäprabhu’s Kértana Is in Vipralambha-bhäva In his 12 years of existence within this world at Jagannätha Puré, Caitanya Mahäprabhu taught the people of the world how this feeling of separation can develop one’s dormant love. This is Mahäprabhu’s teaching. Mahäprabhu’s kértana is in vipralambhabhäva. You will find it in Çikñäñöaka, where He speaks about the external and internal symptoms of love.

The External Symptoms of Love What are the external symptoms of love? In one who has developed love, who chants prema-näma, the pure name, the following symptoms will manifest: nayanaà galad-açru-dhärayä vadanaà gadgada-ruddhayä girä pulakair nicitaà vapuù kadä tava näma-grahaëe bhaviñyati “My dear Lord, when will my eyes be beautified by filling with tears that constantly glide down as I chant 21

Vipralambha-bhava Your holy name? When will my voice falter and all the hairs on my body stand on end in transcendental happiness as I chant Your holy name?” (Çikñäñöaka, verse 6) “When, oh when will that day come to me, kabe ha’be se-dina ämär?” Are you crying for it? These are the external symptoms of love and Mahäprabhu exhibited all these symptoms while chanting hare kåñëa.

Without Love of Godhead My Life is Useless “prema-dhana vinä vyartha daridra jévana ‘däsa’ kari’ vetana more deha prema-dhana” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Antya-lélä 20.37) In the purport to Mahäprabhu’s words, Kaviräja Goswami writes, “Without love of Godhead, My life is useless. Therefore I pray that You accept Me as Your servant and give me the salary of ecstatic love of God.” Do you think like that? “No, no, my life is very useful now, I’m enjoying.” You are sleeping on the lap of the ugly witch mäyä, enjoying, thinking, “Oh my life is useful, not useless.”

What did Kaviräja Goswami, say? “Without love of Godhead, my life is useless; kåñëa-prema is an invaluable asset, without that kåñëa-prema-dhana, my life is useless, useless, useless.” This is Mahäprabhu’s teaching. Do you want to become a devotee of Mahäprabhu, a gaura-bhakta in this very life, or in hundreds or thousands of lives? What do you want? To become so in this very life? Do you think it is possible on your part?

Devotee: It is very difficult. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: That means you think it is impossible 22

The feeling of separation from Kåñëa for you. Mahäprabhu is giving mercy but you are not accepting it.

Such a fool, such an ill-fated person! Mahäprabhu is wonderfully merciful, adbhuta karuëa. He is giving mercy to one and all. We are singing uttama adhama kichu nä bächilä ohe premänanda emona gauräìga – Gauräìga never discriminates whether one is uttama or adhama, most elevated or most degraded.

Why do you think it is impossible? Why don’t you cry for the mercy of Gaura? He never discriminates. Whether one is most elevated or most degraded, He offers his embrace: “Come to My fold! Come, come, come!” But you are not coming! How will you get it? He is calling you, “Come to My fold!” stretching out His arms. He is ready to embrace you, but you are not coming. So how can you get Gaura’s mercy if you do not come to his fold?

Uttama adhama kichu nä bächilä. Gaura is so wonderfully merciful!

He is ready to embrace one and all. Gauräìga Mahäprabhu never discriminates.

Beg for the Association of a Gaura-Bhakta Therefore Premänanda däsa Öhäkura, a Vaiñëava poet says, hådaye bolo. Put this Gaura in your heart, çacénandana hådaye nandana, when will Çré Çacénandana Gaurahari, the son of Mother Çacé manifest in my heart? He says, bhaja gauräìga kaha gauräìga laha gauräìga näma (re) ye jana gauräìga bhaje sei haya ämära präëa (re) “Chant the name of Gauräìga, utter the name of Gauräìga, sing the name of Gauräìga! One who does gauräìga-bhajana is my life and soul.”

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Vipralambha-bhava Narottama däsa Öhäkura says something similar, gåhe bä vanete thäke, ‘hä gauräìga’ bo’le òäke, narottama mäge tära saìga “He may be gåha-väsé or vana-väsé, he may be a gåhastha or a vänaprasthé or yati [sannyäsa], whatever he may be if he is always saying, ‘hä gauräìga! hä gauräìga!’ Narottama däsa Öhäkura begs for his association because he is in such an ecstatic mood.”

The verse Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 13.39 states premävasthä çikhäilä äsvädana-cchale, “He taught everyone how to taste the transcendental mellow ecstasy of love of Kåñëa by tasting it Himself.” Therefore Narottama däsa Öhäkura and Premänanda däsa Öhäkura beg for the association of such a gaura-bhakta. This is the external symptom of love. Prema-dhana vinä vyartha, “O my Lord, my life is useless because I am devoid of prema-dhana. I am devoid of that which is the real asset, invaluable wealth, and therefore my life is useless. Please make me Your däsa, ‘däsa’ kari’ vetana more deha prema-dhana, let me be Your däsa. Let me serve You.” The servant serves the master and receives a wage. “But when I will become a servant of Kåñëa, what wages do I want? Premadhana! Please, only give me prema-dhana. I do not want any material wealth, only däsa kari, make me Your servant.”

The Internal Symptom of Love Then in the next verse Gauräìga expresses the internal symptom of love when He says,

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The feeling of separation from Kåñëa yugäyitaà nimeñeëa cakñuñä prävåñäyitam çünyäyitaà jagat sarvaà govinda-viraheëa me “My Lord Govinda, because of separation from You, I consider even a moment a great millennium. Tears flow from My eyes like torrents of rain, and I see the entire world as void.” (Çikñäñöaka, verse 7) The entire world is void without Govinda. The feeling of separation from Govinda is the internal symptom of love. “Feeling acute pangs of separation from Govinda, even one nimiña, one moment seems to Me a great yuga. Tears are falling down from My eyes like torrential rain. I feel as though the whole world is void because I cannot see Govinda.”

In Çréla Kaviräja Gosvämé’s language: udvege divasa nä yäya, ‘kñaëa’ haila ‘yuga’-sama varñära megha-präya açru variñe nayana “In my agitation a day never ends for every moment seems like a millennium. Incessant tears pouring from my eyes are like clouds in the rainy season.” govinda-virahe çünya ha-ila tribhuvana tuñänale poòe,—yena nä yäya jévana “The three worlds have become void because of separation from Govinda. I feel as if I were burning alive in a slow fire.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Antya-lélä 20.40-41)

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Vipralambha-bhava If you put husk in the fire how does it burn? It burns very, very slowly. Similarly, the feeling of separation is like burning slowly; one is burning but one’s life is not leaving one’s body. It is the internal symptom of love. The feeling of all such premibhaktas, paramahaàsa Vaiñëavas is like that. Do you know what the feeling of Mahäprabhu’s guru, Éçvara Puré is?

We Are the Servants of the Name of Çyämasundara yoga-çruty-upapatti-nirjana-vana-dhyänädhva-sambhävitasväräjyaà pratipadya nirbhayam amé muktä bhavantu dvijäù asmäkaà tu kadamba-kuïja-kuhara-pronmélad-indévaraçreëé-çyämala-dhäma-näma juñatäà janmästu lakñävadhi “Let the twice-born enter the fearless kingdom of yoga, Vedic study, and solitary meditation in the forest. Let them become liberated in that way. As for us, we will spend hundreds of thousands of births chanting the holy name of Lord Kåñëa, whose splendid dark complexion and yellow garments are like a host of blue lotus flowers blooming in a grove of yellow-flower-bearing kadamba trees.” (Çré Éçvara Puré) Çréla Rüpa Goswami has written in the Gauòéya Vaiñëava siddhänta, Çré Padyävalé that Çré Éçvara Puré said, “If the twice-born Brahmin yatis want to adopt añöäìga-yoga, let them adopt it. If they want to study the Vedas to acquire Vedic knowledge, let them do it. If they want to stay in a solitary place in the jungle, let them do so. Let them meditate or let them travel throughout the land. Let them visit all the holy places of the world. If they want to adopt all these methods, if they want to realise their self according to their adhikära, and therefore if they want to be liberated, let them 26

The feeling of separation from Kåñëa be liberated. But for us, Vaiñëavas, gaura-bhaktas, devotees of Gauräìga Mahäprabhu, we want only to see the all-beautiful form of Çyämasundara appear in the kadamba kuïja. We are the servants of the holy name only. We do not adopt any other method. We take to the holy name, chanting prema-näma: hare kåñëa hare kåñëa kåñëa kåñëa hare hare hare räma hare räma räma räma hare hare We are the servants of the name of Çyämasundara. Lakhs of our lives may go, we are not disturbed at all, lakñävadhi, there is no harm at all for us.”

Those, who have accepted kåñëa-näma as both sadhya and sädhana – the only goal and means – and who chant the pure name, can only feel these acute pangs of separation in their heart.

The karmés, jïänés, yogés cannot feel this at all. They have no love for Kåñëa. They have desires for dharma, artha, käma and mokña.

Let Me Have Unalloyed Devotion Only Mahäprabhu has taught us: na dhanaà na janaà na sundaréà kavitäà vä jagadéça kämaye mama janmani janmanéçvare bhavatäd bhaktir ahaituké tvayi (Çré Çikñäñöaka, verse 4) Lakhs of lives will go, but there is no harm, because we have only one aspiration: “bhavatäd bhaktir ahaituké tvayi, let me have unalloyed devotion only, nothing else.” Such devotees feel acute pangs of separation in their heart. What sort of life do they lead?

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Vipralambha-bhava tava kathämåtaà tapta-jévanaà kavibhir éòitaà kalmañäpaham (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.31.9) What is their food? Kåñëa-kathä, kåñëa-näma, that is medicine for their life, jévana rakña auñadhi.1 Only such premi-bhaktas feel the acute pangs of separation from Kåñëa, no one else feels them.

How do the people of the whole world in general spend their lives? They are mad after material sense enjoyment. They are engaged day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year only in sense gratification. Every day the sun is taking away their lifespan. They cannot understand it. They cannot perceive that they are, day by day, going nearer and nearer to death. They do not realise this. Still, their desire for material enjoyment is not satisfied. They cannot achieve true knowledge, true enlightenment. They have forgotten Kåñëa completely, are wasting the days of their lives and are going to meet death. On the other hand, the very dear devotees of Gauräìga Mahäprabhu who have developed love for Kåñëa, feel the acute pangs of separation from Him in their heart at every moment.

Our Äcäryas Express Vipralambha-bhäva yugäyitaà nimeñeëa cakñuñä prävåñäyitam çünyäyitaà jagat sarvaà govinda-viraheëa me (Çré Çikñäñöaka, verse 7) They feel as if the whole world is empty in separation from Govinda. He is their life and soul. What do they say? It is a spontaneous outpouring, gato yämo gatau yämau gatä yämä gataà 1. *jévana—life, rakña—protect, auñadhi — herbs [medicine].

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The feeling of separation from Kåñëa dinam2, “Alas! One prahara passed! (One prahara means three hours.) Two praharas passed, three praharas passed, the whole day passed and I still cannot see the beautiful face of Lord Hari. Alas, what shall I do?” This is their language. What are the words of Éçvara Puré’s guru, Mädhavendra Puré? How does he feel the pangs of separation? ayi déna-dayärdra nätha he mathurä-nätha kadävalokyase hådayaà tvad-aloka-kätaraà dayita bhrämyati kià karomy aham “O my Lord! O most merciful master! O master of Mathurä! When shall I see You again? Because of my not seeing You, my agitated heart has become unsteady. O my beloved one, what shall I do now?” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Antya-lélä 8.34) This is the feeling of all paramahaàsas, our äcäryas. How does Ragunätha däsa Goswami feel? What does he say? He is always absorbed in loving ecstasy. Still he is crying, feeling the pangs of separation from Kåñëa, saying, ase mäna rakñämi viddhi kari yat kara kim artham, “I am surviving only because of a very thin layer of hope. If there is any limit to this käla – time, that will be very good, because then there is a ray of hope. I must reach that limit.

But what shall I do if I cannot reach it? I feel such acute pangs of separation that I cannot survive. What shall I do? The vidhätä, the creator has created käla-küöa-viña,3 a very dreadful poison. I will take that dreadful poison and give up my life. Why has he created that käla-küöa-viña? It is for me only. If that limit of time will not come, if it is delayed, what shall I do? I cannot survive. Such acute 2. Çré Çaìkara quoted in Çré Padyävali by Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé.

3. käla—time, küöa—cheating, viña—by administration of poison.

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Vipralambha-bhava pangs are intolerable! I cannot tolerate it! It is intolerable! What shall I do? I want to die but death is not coming. What shall I do?

Such acute pangs of separation are intolerable. So I must take that dreadful poison Brahmä has created and finish my life.”

Narottama däsa Öhäkura has also expressed vipralambha-bhäva, the acute pangs of separation, in one of his songs: kena vä ächaye präëa ki sukha lägiyä narottama däsa kena nä gela mariyä “For what enjoyment is life meant for if I cannot get transcendental happiness, if I cannot relish such mellow?

Mahäprabhu is tasting it and making everyone else taste that transcendental mellow, the ecstasy of love of Kåñëa. Why shall I survive? It is better to die.”

Are you prepared to do that? No one is prepared. This body is very dear. “I have the opportunity to eat stool and enjoy. Yes. How can I give up this life?” And on the other hand Narottama däsa Öhäkura sings, “Why will Narottama däsa Öhäkura survive? For what happiness, what pleasure if he cannot get that transcendental ecstasy of love of Kåñëa? It is better to die, better to die!”

This is the feeling of acute pangs of separation. This is the desire for death. Such premi-bhaktas desire death. What does it mean? Yamaräja comes in the form of death. Will Yamaräja come to them? Yamaräja will never come to them, not even in a dream.

Such premi-bhaktas desire death because this feeling of separation from Kåñëa is so acute, so intolerable; they cannot tolerate it.

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The feeling of separation from Kåñëa

The Gopés Always Think of Me These feelings are similar to Rädhäräëé’s feelings that She expresses. When Kåñëa was about to go to Mathurä, the gopés came and fell down on the ground before the chariot of Akrüra.

“Let the wheels of the chariot roll on our bodies, our bodies will perish.” Then Kåñëa gave them consolation, “O gopés, somehow survive, remain alive. I have some work to do there. I will finish it quickly and come back. I will come back.” But, as Kåñëa was not coming back, the gopés headed by Rädhäräëé were feeling acute pangs of separation because He is their life.

When He was sending Uddhava to Vrajapura, to carry to them His message of love, Kåñëa told him, “Go and deliver this message, Uddhava.” tä man-manaskä mat-präëä mad-arthe tyakta-daihikäù mäm eva dayitaà preñöham ätmänaà manasä gataù ye tyakta-loka-dharmäç ca mad-arthe tän bibharmy aham (Çrémad-Bhägavatam, 10.46.4) Speaking about the gopés, Kåñëa said, “They always think of Me” – tä man-manaskä. This is the example of man-manä bhäva where Kåñëa talks about in Bhagavad-gétä (18.65). The perfect example of that is given in the Bhägavata where the speaker of the Gétä says, “The gopés are tä man-manaskä, Uddhava, always, day and night, twenty four hours they think of Me. I am their life, mat-präëä. They are prepared to give up their life for Me – madarthe tyakta-daihikäù. They are so dear to Me.”

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Vipralambha-bhava

Viraha-agni The Blazing Fire of Separation The tä man-manaskä bhaktas are always thinking about Kåñëa.

Feeling very acute pangs of separation, Rädhäräëé says to her girl companion Lalitä sakhé, “The blazing fire of separation from Kåñëa, the king of Gokula, has broken My heart. That fire is more painful than the powerful drug pita-pata, more distressing than a strong dose of poison, more intolerable than Indra’s thunderbolt, more sharp than a spear plunged into the heart, and more horrifying than the advanced stages of cholera.” (Ujjvala-nélamaëi, Chapter 15, Varieties of conjugal love) “O my sakhé, O my friend, what shall I say? This pang of separation from Gokulapati, Gokulänanda is so acute that I have no language to express it. This is of the domain of jana jara, the highest degree of temperature, 110 degrees or 120 degrees. It is giving Me kibra jada, intolerable pain; it is more painful than the most dreadful poison, käla-küöa-viña. It is worse than being struck by the thunderbolt of Indra. It is giving Me such pain! This viraha-santäpa, this acute pang of separation from Gokulapati is completely devastating My heart! I cannot tolerate it. I cannot see the need of keeping this body. I desire death, tyakta-jévitäù.

Why shall I maintain this useless body?” And then she said, “Oh! I want death, but death is not coming to Me there is a great obstacle to it.” What is that obstacle? Kåñëa said, “I will come back, I will come back!”

All of a sudden, Rädhäräëé saw a crow flying towards Mathurä, and She called her, “Hey väyasa, crow! Come! Come here! Are you going to Mathurä? Listen to Me: Do not go anywhere else. Go

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The feeling of separation from Kåñëa directly to Mathurä and meet the Lord of Mathurä.” Who is the Lord of Mathurä, Mathuränätha? Kåñëa! “Pay Him obeisances – vandana uttaram and sandeça-väda – please deliver this message to Him: “If the house is on fire, what is the first duty of the house master?” Should he first call the fire brigade? It will take time.

Generally domestic animals of the gåhasthas are cows, but in the Western countries they are dogs. “If a domestic animal is there, what is the first duty? To release him! Open the door, untie him, and let him out first.” This is the first duty, and then you may telephone.

“So this body is a house and this house is on fire. That is virahaagni, the fire of separation. Who has set it on fire? Kåñëa. This body is on fire, burning and burning, but the animal inside this body cannot leave. What is this animal? Präëa, präëa paçu, My life is this animal. It is bound up inside this body and cannot leave. What is the impediment? Why can’t it leave? The door is bolted with a very strong bolt. Unless it is unbolted, how can this animal leave? Tell Him! Let Him come and unbolt it! What is that strong bolt? He said, ‘I will come back’. That is the bolt. Let Him come and unbolt it. Let Him withdraw His words whereby He shall unbolt the door and this präëa paçu, the animal of My life may leave, otherwise it cannot leave.”

Rädhäräëé was silent for some time. Then She said to Her girl companions: jamunä taöiné küle, keli kadambera müle more laye calalo tvaräya antimera bandhu haye, jamunä-mürtikä laye, sakhé mora lipa sarva-gäye

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Vipralambha-bhava çyäma-näma tad-upari, likha saba sahacaré tulasé-maïjaré diyo täya ämäre beñöana kari, bala sabe hari hari jakhana paräëa bähiräya “O my sakhés, please take Me immediately to the bank of the Yamunä, where that keli-kadamba tree is. Yamunä is My friend in these last moments. Take some mud from the Yamunä and smear it all over My body and write on it, ‘Çyäma, Çyäma, Çyäma, Çyäma’. Then put some tulasémaïjaré’s on it. All of you sakhés should sit around Me and when My life is leaving Me, you should all chant: ‘Haribol! Haribol! Haribol! Haribol!’”

(Hari-kathä Padävalé, by Govinda däsa Kaviräja)

All Äcäryas Are Feeling that Acute Pang of Separation Rädhäräëé says, “This is intolerable, I cannot tolerate these acute pangs of separation. I want to die.” Such is the feeling of all great paramahaàsas, our äcäryas, Çréla Mädhavendra Puré, Çréla Éçvara Puré, Çréla Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé, Çréla Narottama däsa Öhäkura, Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura, Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Prabhupäda, my revered spiritual master Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda. This is the topmost stage of love. All are feeling that acute pang of separation, viraha. They want to die. But this death is not yama danda – the punishment of Yamaräja, rather it is a great festival in Goloka Våndävana. This is viraha-bhäva. It is a large topic. So much will come up: Bhaktirasämåta-sindhu will come, Ujjvala-nélamaëi, Vidagdha-mädhava, Lalita-mädhava, all these Gosvämé granthas will come up while discussing this topic of sambhoga and vipralambha.

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The feeling of separation from Kåñëa

Sambhoga and Vipralambha The Two Embankments to the Flow of Kåñëa’s Lélä We have two legs, a right leg and a left leg by which we move.

A bird has two wings, the right wing and the left wing and thereby he flies. A day has the morning and the evening and thereby manifests. There is the full moon and the new moon, and thus the month manifests. Similarly, kåñëa-lélä is like the constant flow of a river. The river has two embankments, the right embankment and the left embankment. The two embankments to the flow of Kåñëa’s lélä are sambhoga and vipralambha. Kåñëa’s lélä in Vraja is on the sambhoga embankment, and navadvépa-lélä or gaura-lélä is on the vipralambha embankment. This is just in a nutshell; I am just touching on this topic to give you some idea. Then next comes prema-näma saìkértana.

Questions & Answers Devotee: Caitanya Mahäprabhu was giving love of God during his travels. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, through chanting and dancing.

What is gaura-mukha-udgérëa-näma? It is the name coming out like a volcanic eruption from the mouth of Gaura.

Kåñëa Gave Vraja-prema as Gaura Devotee: Sometimes it is stated that when Caitanya Mahäprabhu left Navadvépa and was performing saìkértana, he was an aàça1 and not svayaà bhagavän2. But in this verse it is said he was giving prema-näma.

1. aàça—plenary portion.

2. svayam-bhagavän—is the original Personality of Godhead.

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Vipralambha-bhava Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: No! Gaura is svayaà bhagavän. In other Kali-yugas an aàça comes, but He cannot give vraja-prema.

Mahäprabhu is svayaà bhagavän, not Kåñëa’s aàça. He says, ämä vinä anye näre vraja-prema dite1, “Besides Me no one can give vraja-prema, only I can give it.” So what Kåñëa gave as Gaura is vraja-prema.

Devotee: So in all those pastimes Gauräìga Mahäprabhu is giving only vraja-prema? Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. That is the chief purpose. The other purposes are gauëa, secondary. There are three purposes; Gaura Himself tasted vraja-prema, and He distributed it and thereby was giving an opportunity to taste it.

Devotee: So when He is performing His secondary lélä still He is giving vraja-prema even without prema-näma-saìkértana? Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: That verse says specifically premanäma-saìkértana, not only näma-saìkértana. Näma-prema-mälä gäìthi’ paräila saàsäre2 – He made a garland of näma and prema and garlanded the whole world.

Without Prema There Is No True Surrender Devotee 2: Without prema one cannot surrender but without surrender we cannot get prema. It’s like a dilemma. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: Without prema you cannot surrender, yes that is a fact.

Devotee: Those who hear but who cannot surrender, they cannot get prema without surrendering? Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: Are you surrendering? Only pretending.

1. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 3.26 2. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 4.40

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The feeling of separation from Kåñëa Devotee: We can only surrender if we have prema. So it looks like a vicious circle. I do not understand. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: Without prema there is no true surrender. It is either artificial, partial or conditional. Your surrender is like that.

Only One Who Has Prema Can Give Prema Devotee: Then how do we get prema? Because we have to surrender to get prema, don’t we? Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: One who has prema, only he can give prema, by his mercy we can have prema. Otherwise how can you get it? So, Mahäprabhu is distributing it through the chanting of the holy name, Mahäprabhu is calling you, “Come to my fold!”

But you are not coming. So? Moreover, Mahäprabhu has taught us how to chant: tåëäd api sunécena taror iva sahiñëunä amäninä mänadena kértanéyaù sadä hariù This is the most important verse in Çikñäñöaka. Think of yourself as being much lower than a blade of grass lying in the street. Be as tolerant as a tree. Do not demand respect, pay respect to one and all. Develop this mentality and chant ‘Hare Kåñëa’. ei-mata haïä yei kåñëa-näma laya çré-kåñëa-caraëe täìra prema upajaya “If one chants the holy name of Lord Kåñëa in this manner, he will certainly awaken his dormant love for Kåñëa’s lotus feet.” ( Caitanya-caritämåta, Antya-lélä 20.26) 37

Vipralambha-bhava

Gaura Is a Kåñëa-bhakta Imbued with Rädhä-bhäva Otherwise how can you get kåñëa-prema? Kåñëa is a theoretical speaker but Mahäprabhu is a practical teacher. He came to set the example. He demonstrated practically what He taught, cultivating in His own life prema-bhakti and distributing it. That is Mahäprabhu. He is doing äcärya-lélä. He is a kåñëa-bhakta. Kåñëa has become His own bhakta, in the form of Mahäprabhu, especially imbued with rädhä-bhäva. This is Gaura. Who can understand gaura-tattva and the teachings of Gaura? If you can understand them very well and cultivate them in your life, then you will get His mercy; you will get prema. Otherwise you cannot understand prema nor get prema. It is not an easy thing, no, no.

Tightly Grasp the Lotus Feet of Nitäi Still, Mahäprabhu is very merciful, but even more merciful is Nitäi. Such sinful persons like Jagäi and Mädhäi received it. If you want gaura-kåpä, tightly grasp the lotus feet of Nitäi, dhara nitäi nitäi-caraëa du’khäni, then you will receive it. Otherwise how can you get gaura-kåpä? Is there such a Prabhu like Nitäi who was beaten by two drunkards, Jagäi and Mädhäi but still gave them prema? Such a merciful person is Nitäi. nitäiyera karuëä habe, vraje rädhä-kåñëa päbe dhara nitäi-caraëa du’khäni (Prärthanä, Song 36, Nityänanda-niñöhä) Narottama däsa Öhäkura has sung, “If I get the mercy of Nitäi then I will be able to enter into Våndävana and see Rädhä-Kåñëa.

Otherwise how can I? Therefore, nitäi-caraëa du’khäni, when will I grasp the two lotus feet of Nitäi?” Otherwise how can you get the mercy of Gaura.

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Vipralambha-bhāva

“The feeling of separation from Krishna”

“W

e have two legs, a right leg and a left leg by which we move. A bird has two wings, the right wing and the left wing and thereby he flies. A day has the morning and the evening and thereby manifests.

There is the full moon and the new moon, and thus the month manifests. Similarly, kṛṣṇa-līlā is like the constant flow of a river. The river has two embankments, the right embankment and the left embankment. The two embankments to the flow of Kṛṣṇa’s līlā are sambhoga [union] and vipralambha [separation]. Kṛṣṇa’s līlā in Vraja is on the sambhoga embankment, and navadvīpa-līlā or gaura-līlā is on the vipralambha embankment. This is just in a nutshell; I am just touching on this topic to give you some idea.”

— Śrī Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swami

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