Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta, Canto 1 chapter 1

Book review

This is both a review of Gopī-prāṇadhana Dāsa's rendering of Sanātana Goswāmī's Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta and of the text itself. Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta is a very important book about the progressive stages of rasa and sambandha (relationships with God) by Śrī Sanātana Goswāmī,  appearing in 14 chapters subdivided in 2 khaṇḍas or cantos. The commentary (ṭīkā) on it was written by the selfsame Sanātana Goswāmī.  It is full of important statements that establish Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava siddhānta. Overall, Gopī-prāṇadhana is a much better translator than Kuśakrath. Unfortunately, whenever he adds his own commentaries to Sanātana Goswāmī's original one, apasiddhāntas tend to creep in.

1.1.5 In the ṭīkā Sanātana Goswāmī quotes SB 10.44.13 :

puṇyā bata vraja-bhuvo yad ayaḿ nṛ-lińga

gūḍhaḥ purāṇa-puruṣo vana-citra-mālyaḥ

gāḥ pālayan saha-balaḥ kvaṇayaḿś ca veṇuḿ

vikrīdayāncati giritra-ramārcitāńghriḥ

'Blessed is this Vraja-bhumi, where the hidden Ancient Man (the original Lord) lives in a human form, moving about, adorned with a garland of sylvan flowers, herding His cows along with Bala(-rāma) and playing His flute, His feet adorned by Shiva and Lakṣmī-devī." The ladies of Mathurā (mathurā nāgarīs) see Kṛṣṇa on the streets of Mathurā and at the same time in the goṣṭha because the verse is in the present case.

1.1.11 Although Sanātana Goswāmī is Rupa Goswami's elder brother he does acknowledge Rūpa's superiority over him here, by saying priya-rūpataḥ  'I realized this through Caitanya-dev's dear Rūpa'.

1.1.12 and 53 have two self-written Christian commentaries by Gopī-prāṇadhana.  In verse 12, Gopī-prāṇadhana writes: "In general we may accept any initiated worshiper of Viṣṇu as a Vaiṣṇava, or even more liberally any monotheist....." This is not spoken by Sanātana Goswāmī, nor is it siddhānta.

In verse 1.1.53 Gopī-prāṇadhana quotes Genesis from the Bible. A Vaiṣṇava, however, is not a Christian, nor vice versa - Haribhakti Vilāsa (1.55) says:

gṛhīta-viṣṇu-dīkṣāko viṣṇu-pūjā-paro naraḥ

vaiṣṇavo’bhihito’bhijñair itaro’smad avaiṣṇavaḥ

'The learned call those human beings who took initiation into Viṣṇu-mantra and are dedicated to Viṣṇu-pūjā 'Vaiṣṇavas', while all others are Avaiṣṇavas."

A cow is an animal but not every animal is a cow. When a bird comes flying by we don't say, 'Hey, a cow comes walking by'. Similarly it is not that every concept of God is Viṣṇu - there are specifics about Viṣṇu. Nowhere in the Quran, Bible or Torah it is described that God is named Hari, Mādhava, etc, has a cloud-complexion, yellow silken cloth, Kaustubha-gem, etc. To call Jesus a Vaiṣṇava is just attachment to one's pre-devotee past. See my blog of May 29, 2009.

The entire purport of verse 53, including the non-Christian second part, is not by Sanātana Goswāmī and no philosophical claims can be made on its basis.

1.1.14, purport: "If we have confidence in this, we shall discover in Śrī Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta more than the subtle sense gratification sometimes called 'nectar' by immature devotees....."
This is Gopī-prāṇadhana's purport only and is an extreme apasiddhānta - can he quote us any ācārya and śāstra to prove this? The Bhāgavata (1.1.3) says at its very opening:

nigama kalpataror galitaṁ phalaṁ

śuka mukhād amṛta dravya samyutam

pibata bhāgavataṁ rasam ālayam

muhur aho rasikāḥ bhuvi bhāvukāḥ

'Oh rasiks and bhāvuks of the earth! Drink the nectar of the Bhāgavat, again and again, until you reach laya (a swoon of ecstasy)! This is the ripened fruit of desire-tree of the Vedic scriptures, becoming nectar due to being touched by the beak of a parrot (the mouth of Śukadeva Muni)!"

This verse will be later quoted and explained by Sanātana Goswāmī in his commentary on Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta 1.1.21-23 below. Sanātana Goswāmī further writes in his ṭīkā of BB 2.2.98-99: śrīmat aśeṣa śobhātiśaya yuktam ataeva sarvāṇīndriyāṇi sva guṇair lābaṇya mādhuryādibhiḥ anakti sukhayatīti tathā tat. yad vā sarvān indriyāṇāṁ guṇān viṣayān añjayati tat tad viṣaya bhoga sukhaṁ saṁyojayatīti -  'He is full of ānanda and beauty. With its luster and sweetness that form and attributes immerse one's senses in an ocean of bliss, or engages all one's senses in the bliss of (transcendental) sense pleasure in all respects."

Gopī-prāṇadhana's [own] commentary continues:
"Śrīla Sanātana is a transcendental genius, an eternal resident of Goloka Vṛndāvana, and an intimate companion of the Personality of Godhead's internal pleasure potency. He can easily perceive anything he wants to, in the past, present, or future, including lost scriptures from previous ages."

This is a sweet glorification of Sanātana Goswāmī,  but there are differing opinions on how the Goswāmīs got all the śāstrik quotations in their books. Some current Vaiṣṇava Gurus claim the Goswāmīs had their own libraries instead.

1.1.21-23 Gopī-prāṇadhana mentions the Garga Saṁhitā in his purport but this is not mentioned in Sanātana Goswāmī's ṭīkā. The Garga Saṁhitā's authority is not firmly established because the Goswāmīs never quoted it. The rest of the commentary, which nicely establishes the Rāsa līlā as the essence of the Bhāgavata, is by Sanātana Goswāmī until:

"The self-realized Vaiṣṇavas must be allowed their preferences, but neophyte devotees should not cheaply imitate them. Devotees not free from faults should strictly follow the complete course of the instructions of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, from the first chapter of Canto One through the last chapter of Canto Twelve. By repeated systematic study of the entire Bhāgavatam and its authorized explanations, devotees can aspire to gradually become fit to taste the immortal nectar hidden within it."

This prudent commentary is justified to some extent, but it would leave out rāgānugā sādhakas that may have anarthas and yet have a desire to attain the feelings of the Vrajabāsīs by studying and relishing the rasa-lila. Hence, despite its good intentions and because these are not Sanātana Goswāmī's words, it cannot be accepted as siddhānta.

1.1.22, Gopī-prāṇadhana's translation: "His compassionate grace inspired the best of His pure devotees in the great effort to extract the nectar of Srimad-Bhagavatam."

Śukadeva did not need great effort as he is siddha, but the word prayatnena in this verse can also mean 'with great expertise or care'.

1.1.39-40 Verse 40 speaks of Rādhikā in relation to Kṛṣṇa, not to Mahāviṣṇu,.

Verse 40 says "Nārada, who is a relisher of the taste of devotion to the Lord, spoke the following words to reveal the dearmost devotee of the Lord." Who that dearmost devotee is, is only revealed in the ṭīkā by Sanātana Goswāmī.

1.1.44 Gopī-prāṇadhana writes in the comment: "The devotee is sorry for having foolishly rebelled against his creator." This piece of fall-vāda is nowhere in Sanātan Goswāmī's original commentary, though.

1.1.73 The word 'flowers' is not mentioned in the śloka - the trees themselves fulfill the desires.

God's paribhāṣā, rāgānuga sādhakas' supposed obligations and nāmābhāsa?

Bhakta: "Which Bhagavat-verse is the most fit to prove the existence of God?"

Advaitadas: 'If there is no willingness to accept the existence of God and the authority of śāstra, then no śloka or argument will work, but if there is a favorable attitude I think the opening verse, 1.1.1, will be the best. It is like a paribhāṣā (general definition) of God."

janmādy asya yato’nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ
tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ |
tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ yathā vinimayo yatra tri-sargo’mṛṣā
dhāmnā svena sadā nirasta-kuhakaṁ satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi 

In short: 'I meditate on the Supreme Truth, from whom everything emanates and into whom everything returns, who is forever free from illusion, who is always situated in His abode, or true form, through whom this three-fold creation, though unreal, appears as real, who is fully cognizant and fully independent."

Bhakta: "rāgānugā bhakti is sometimes discouraged because instead of being attracted to the feelings of the Vrajabāsīs one may be attracted to the feelings of one's own relatives and so on."

Advaitadas: "rāgānugā bhakti does not mean one is immediately in a blazing fire of greed that makes one forget and transcend everything mundane. See my blog of November 28, 2006, on Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhuḥ:

"On to the famous definition of greed as cause of rāgānugā bhakti (1.2.292), ever-fascinating: Jīva Gosvāmī comments: 'When a person realises to some degree the sweetness of the love and activities of the inhabitants of Vraja...." note the words 'to some degree', which indicate that greed or lobha is not immediately an all-consuming fire in which the devotee is completely pure to qualify for rāgānuga sādhana. Bhānu Swāmī's translation is however, a bit played down, since yat kiñcit means 'slightly' more than 'to some degree' and he also fails to translate Jīva's important final words in the comment: tad eva lobhotpatter lakṣaṇam iti - 'This alone is the symptom of lobha or greed.'

When I told Sādhu Bābā about how gopī-bhāva is ridiculed in some circles, he simply quoted 'ataeva gopībhāva koro aṅgikāra' to me, spoken by Śrīman Mahāprabhu Himself (CC Madhya 8, 228). aṅgīkāra means 'accepting the feelings of a gopī'. 'Accepting' does not mean immediate full time absorption. To expect full absorption to take place from the very first day of rāgānugā sādhana is frankly, well, insane. 'Accepting' means at first just within the heart - it's like having a certain creed or political conviction - you go to Church on Sundays, and vote once a year on your party, but you keep them in the heart the rest of the time also, even without 24/7 mental absorption. Only in later stages, like niṣṭhā, ruci and bhāva, rāga bhakti will become full absorption. The problem in dealing with people who think one needs to be a pure devotee to do rāgānugā bhajan is that when you are known as a rāgānugā bhakta and you show some weakness you get ridiculed, based on their own misconceptions and prejudices, whereas it is clearly understood from our ācāryas that rāgānugā is a sādhana, during which lapses can be naturally expected."

Bhakta: "Some modern Vaiṣṇava teachers say that nāmābhāsa is a type of practise, be it an immature practise, a 'clearing stage'. It seems to be mixed up or joined with nāmāparādha."

Advaitadas: "Yes, that debate is going on. I have not seen nāmābhāsa mentioned as a type of sadhana in the Goswamis' books, though. The favorite example of nāmābhāsa is Ajāmila, who really chanted accidentally and not as part of a sādhana. 
nāmābhāsa comes in four kinds (SB 6.2.14) -

1. saṅketa - indicating something else,
2. parihāsa - as a joke, like one song I knew as a teenager, "Hari Hari Supermarket! Hari Hari London Bus!".
Both Śrī Jīva and Śrī Viśvanātha say it must be prīti upahāsa, loving joking, though, not nindā-garbha upahāsa, sarcastic joking.
3. stobha - all ācāryas gloss this as gītālāpa-pūraṇārthaṁ kṛtam, "added to complete a song or discussion", again like in "Hari Hari Supermarket"
4. helā, which means indifferently (sāvajña generally means 'with contempt' but avajña also means indifferent, nonchalantly, and that seems more apt here - 'kiṁ viṣṇunā!', in modern language 'Jeeeez!') or neglectful chanting (Jīva Goswāmī says yatna rahita, without care or effort). I can only imagine that this last one, inattentive chanting, could be part of a regular, intentional sādhanā. 

Three questions on Vilāpa Kusumāñjali

Three questions on Śrīla Raghunāth Dās Goswāmī's Vilāpa Kusumāñjali:

Bhakta: "It is said (in Vilāpa Kusumāñjali verse 60) that Nandīśvara (Nandagrām) is dearer to Kṛṣṇa than even Govardhana, but in Śrī Rūpa Goswāmī's Upadeśāmṛta it is said that Govardhana is higher than Vṛndāvana, and Rādhākuṇḍa is even higher than Govardhana, without mentioning Nandagrām. How does it work?"

Advaitadas: "No explanation has been given by any ācārya, but I can think of two answers -

1. Rūpa Goswāmī may have just given a summary list in the Upadeśāmṛta, with the main aim of praising Rādhākuṇḍa. In this way one can read between the lines that Nandagrām is rated between Rādhākuṇḍa and Govardhana.
2. In Vilāpa Kusumāñjali's context of mañjarī bhāva we can say - mañjarīs don't have business in Govardhana but Nandīśvara is very important to them - they accompany Śrī Swāminījiu to Nandagrām in the morning when She goes there to cook for Kṛṣṇa,  and accomplish Her meeting with Him there too (as described in Vraja Vilāsa Stava, verse 33). In the evening they go there again to bring Kṛṣṇa His evening-meal and to exchange messages with Him. In aṣṭakālīya līlā Rādhikā generally does not enjoy with Kṛṣṇa at Govardhan, though some exceptional pastimes are mentioned here and there. Overall Nandīśvara is more central to mañjarīs than Govardhan, which is mainly a place where Kṛṣṇa tends His cows and plays with His boyfriends. In fact the mañjarīs do not even pass through Govardhan. They escort Śrī Rādhikā directly from Yāvat to Rādhākuṇḍa and back at midday."

Bhakta: "In Vilāpa Kusumāñjali (54) it is said that Rādhikā decorates Her bed by dreaming on it. How is that possible?"

Advaitadas: "Śrīla Ānanda Gopāl Goswāmī explains that in his famous Vilāpa Kusumāñjali ommentaries - Her body is the ornament of the bed. In fact, in the Bhāgavat it is said that Kṛṣṇa's body beautifies His ornaments instead of vice versa. Similarly Rādhikā decorates the bed with Her body, as She sleeps and the sleep itself makes Her body even a more beautiful ornament of the bed because of the lovely body language caused by Her dreams - She smiles, rolls on the bed, moves Her legs, toes, fingers and arms in certain ways. The mind dictates the active senses, so actually its not Her body but Her mind which decorates the bed."

Bhakta: "Next in Vilāpa Kusumāñjali (53) it is mentioned that Lalitā offers ārati to Rādhā. Isn't that aiśvarya, since Arati is only offered to Gods?"

Advaitadas: "Mādhurya does not mean there is no service - how can a bhakta live without worshipping His iṣṭa? Kṛṣṇa is also offered Arati in Nandagrām, even by His own mother Yaśodā. We must serve, anyhow, in mādhurya or aiśvarya. mañjarīs call themselves dāsī or maidservant, not for nothing. In Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Ādi līlā chapter 6, it is explained how all Kṛṣṇa's associates in Vraja, however intimate they may be with Him, consider themselves (maid-) servants of Him as well, with evidence from the 10th Canto to prove it." Jīva Goswāmī says - bhaj ityeṣa vai sevāyāṁ parikīrtita - Bhajan means service. Besides all of this, even in the village setting of Barsānā / Yāvat, Śrī Rādhikā is also the daughter of the local chieftain/village elder, so She is a superior person there too."

Haridas, Shiva and Govinda Candra

Bhakta: Shiva is said to be so renounced as he withstood the temptation of Devī in Kumāra Sambhava, but he fell down and lost his vital fluid when he saw Mohinī."

Advaitadas; 'One needs to deal with this cautiously. Citraketu ridiculed Shiva for having Pārvatī on his lap in an assembly of sages and he was cursed to become a demon as a result (see Canto Six Bhāgavat). Secondly, Shiva's seed created fields of gold and silver - hardly something that arises from an ordinary 'falldown', huh? We must thus conclude that this is a highly esoteric story with perhaps a sectarian edge, glorifying Viṣṇu at the expense of Shiva."

Bhakta: "In some books it is said that Haridās Thākur took birth as a Muslim as punishment or as atonement for his aparādha of stealing Kṛṣṇa's calves and boys, and yet it is also said 'gaurāṅgera saṅgī-gaṇe nitya siddha kori māne' - Gaurāṅga's associates are eternally liberated perfect souls."

Advaitadas: "I cannot find an answer to that in śāstra, but look at the example of Droṇa and Dharā, demigods who did tapasya to get Kṛṣṇa as their son - they eventually merged with the eternally perfect mother Yaśodā and Father Nanda, so this is most likely the case with Brahmā vis a vis Haridās Thākur too. Since not every universe's Brahmā is a pure devotee, it seems to me that the nitya siddha Haridās Thākur is superior to the Brahmā that may have merged with him as a partial expansion."

Bhakta: "And if Gaura-līlā travels around the universes, does that mean that Haridās is always born a Muslim and that there is Islam in all the other universes too?"

Advaitadas: "Hard to say. One of the chief services of Haridās Thākur is to show the examples of forbearance and humility. Perhaps he is oppressed by others in other universes. One nitya siddha can perform different activities even in one universe, in one avatāra, let alone in other universes and avatāras."

Bhakta: "In Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta it is described that Shiva wears a garland of bones of departed Vaiṣṇavas. If He lives in Vaikuṇṭha how can there be dead Vaiṣṇavas there, since there is no death in the spiritual world?"

Advaitadas: "They never died. The body and apparel of Shiva are eternal and beginningless. It is as inconceivable as the fact that our conditioned existence is beginningless."

****

My friend Karunamayi recently reported on Facebook that Govinda Candra Dās (Gilles Dubois) has passed away at the age of 55, due to heart failure. Govinda Candra was a French disciple of Madrasi Krishnadas Baba and was the painter of the famous painting of Kunjera, the elephant made entirely up of gopīs, for Kṛṣṇa to ride on (see picture on this blog). He also made a large painting of Śrīman Mahāprabhu for his Guru. I met him once at Rādhākund, around 1985, he had a devotee sister too, whom I also met at Rādhākund around the same time, she was very pure. Once, in 1997, he offered me to make illustrations for my books but unfortunately we lost contact after that. I offer my condolences to his friends and family.

Prema's growth from childhood to adolescence

Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda's commentary on Śrīmad Bhāgavat 1.6.23 (22 in BBT edition):


sakṛd yad darśitaṁ rūpam etat kāmāya te’nagha |
mat-kāmaḥ śanakaiḥ sādhu sarvān muncati hṛc-chayān ||

tarhi hā hā punar apy eka-vāraṁ darśanaṁ dehi ity ata āha—sakṛd iti | etad eka-vāra-darśanaṁ te kāmāya tan manorathaṁ sādhayituṁ yogyam ity arthaḥ | na tu muhur darśanam | autkaṇṭhasyānativṛddhyā premṇo’py anatijāta-premṇe bhaktāya sādhaka-dehe eka-vāram eva darśanaṁ dadāmīti mama niyamaḥ | yathā sādhaka-dehe bāla-bhūtaḥ premā viyogautkaṇṭhyena labdhātivṛddhiḥ siddha-dehe taruṇaḥ san svādhāraṁ bhaktaṁ muhur api māṁ darśayati sākṣāt sevayati ceti sva-bhakta-manoratha-pūrti-prakāram aham eva jānāmi na tu me svabhakta iti bhāvaḥ | mat-kāmaḥ—yo hi māṁ kāmayate, mātraṁ mad-darśanlālābhe’pīty arthaḥ | hṛcchayān viṣaya-vāsanāḥ atrāpi sarvān mokṣyasi hṛcchayān ity ukter nāradaṁ prati nedaṁ vākyaṁ kintu svabhakteḥ svabhāvaṁ tvaṁ jnāpayāmāsety evātra tattvaṁ sarvam idaṁ dainya-vardhanārtham ity eke ||23||


Verse translation:
(Lord Viṣṇu showed himself once to Nārada Muni and then told him:)
"O sinless Nārada! I showed myself once to produce a desire in you to see Me. The devotee so desiring Me gradually becomes freed of all material desires."

Commentary:
(Nārada said:) "But just show yourself once more to me ! "
(Lord Viṣṇu replied:) "Seeing Me only once, not many times, is enough to produce desire for Me. By only slight increase in longing, prema will not develop to the state of youthfulness in a person having somewhat weak prema. My rule is that I show myself one time only to a person practicing in his present body (in his sādhaka-deha) who has developed prema. The infant state of prema in the sādhaka's body matures to a youthful state in the siddha-deha by an increase of prema arising from longing in separation. (There seems to be growth still in the siddha deha too, unlike with the impersonalists, whose perfection is static). That youthful prema allows the devotee to see Me constantly and serve Me directly. I alone, and not My devotee, know the process of fulfilling the desires of My devotee. You, who simply desire Me, even without having seen Me, will become free from all desires for material enjoyment (hṛcchayan)."

This statement does not actually apply to Nārada since he did not have any material desires, being at the level of prema already. But saying this, the Lord shows the nature of devotion. Additionally by saying this, the Lord increases the humility of Nārada."

(Verse and commentary translated by Bhānu Swāmi)

janme janme prabhu se

Last year I compiled the scriptural anthology ‘The glories of the (one) Guru’ (posted on madangopal.com) mainly to show that the Guru is a distinct person, not some universal tattva that can be supplemented by so many self-chosen śikṣā-gurus and that appears as another person in each lifetime. Narottam Dās Thākur clearly says 'janme janme prabhu se' ('He is my master, birth after birth'). Today I found these texts in Sanātan Goswāmī’s Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta (2.4.3-4)-

bhaktiṁ nava-vidhaṁ samyag jñatvedaṁ vanam āgataḥ
apaśyaṁ sahasaivātra śrīmad-guru-varaṁ nijam
pūrvavad rājamano'sau dṛṣṭvā māṁ praṇataṁ mudā
sāsīrvādaṁ samāliṅgya sarvajño’kṛpayat-taram

Gopakumāra said: “Having learned the nine types of devotion I came to this forest Vṛndāvana where I suddenly saw my own Śrī Guru. He shone just like before. Seeing me offering my obeisances to him he was very glad, blessed me and embraced me. Then that omniscient one was most kind (to instruct me in the secrets of bhakti).”

Note: The word ‘nijam’, ‘my own’, shows that Śrī Guru did not appear in the form of some other person replacing him/her – it was the very same person.

Sanātana Gosvāmī comments on verse 4: asau guru-varaḥ pūrvavad rājamana iti nirvikāritvādi bhagavad avatāra-lakṣaṇaṁ mathurā vrajabhumī rasikatvaṁ ca darśitam-

"Though Gopakumāra had been to the heavens and a long time had passed (meaning thousands of years), Śrī Guru was unchanged, which shows that he/she is an avatāra of the Lord and a rasika of Mathurā and Vrajabhūmi as well."

This confirms the eternality of the Guru as a distinct individual (not just a tattva) as glorified in Narottama's song: 'janme janme prabhu se' ('He is my master, birth after birth').

The rest of Sanātana Gosvāmī’s commentary is interesting and important, too, so I’d like to add this too –

akṛpayattaram atyantam kṛpāṁ kṛtavān akhilaṁ parama rahasyaṁ bhakti-tattvam anubhava paryantam upadiśad ityarthaḥ yataḥ sarvajñaḥ

“He was very compassionate, so he instructed me in all the greatest secrets of bhakti, including the realizations about it. (This was possible because) it came from the omniscient.”

This text has also been added to ‘ The glories of the (one) Guru’, p. 9, on madangopal.com, linktab 'Articles'.

Sādhu Bābā’s promise

Kṛṣṇā Didi told me once in Sādhu Bābā’s ashram:

“Bābā said that all knowledge and perfection lies in the mantra that he gives you.”

Sādhu Bābā’s promise confirmed

By Sanātan Goswāmī in Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta (2.3.5-6)

snātvā sva-datta-mantrasya dhyānādi-vidhim uddiśan |
kiñcin mukhena kiñcic ca saṅketenābhyavedayat ||5||
jagāda ca nijaṁ sarvam idaṁ preṣṭhāya te’dadām |
sarvam etat-prabhāvena svayaṁ jñāsyasi lapsyase ||6||

“Having bathed, Śrī Guru instructed me in the rules of how to practise my mantra and how to meditate on it. Some instructions he gave me verbally and some through gestures. He said: ‘I have given you, my dear one, everything. Whatever other secrets there are you will learn it spontaneously, by the power of this mantra. «

Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī’s commentary of verse 6:

nanu saṅketopadeśena tatra ca kṣaṇikena kathaṁ tat tad aśesa-vidhi-jñānam sidhyet. satyaṁ tasyaivānugrahād ityāha - jagādeti. sarvam uddiṣṭam anuddiṣṭam api sādhanaṁ sādhyaṁ ca. etasya mad dattasya saṅga mantrasya prabhāvena svayam eva jñāsyasi prāpsyapi ca ātmasāt kariṣyasi.

"If you say, ‘how can the Guru, with just some gestures and instructions, within a moment, accomplish (the śiṣya's) endless knowledge of divine truths? (Then to that the response is:) Truly, it all happens by his grace alone - (attainment and realization of) all the sādhana and sādhya (means and goals) that are described and not described. (The Guru says :) "By the power of the mantra I gave and its ritual applications (saṅga) you will know everything spontaneously, and after you received it you will make it your own (realize it) too."

The texts are added to Sādhu Bābā’s biography (page 20, footnote) and my essay ‘The glories of the (one) Guru’ (page 8, linktab 'Articles') on madangopal.com

Bahuśira's fallvada and Questions on the womb-tattva.

In Sampradaya Sun, October 5, Bahuśira Das defends fall-vada with the following arguments -

(From Prema Vivarta:)
kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hoiyā bhoga vāñcha kare.

This verse, nor the entire book for that matter, is nowhere quoted in the Goswāmīs’ books. In any case the verse says just ‘being turned away from Kṛṣṇa, he desires enjoyment’. hoiyā ("being") is in the indefinite case - being turned away from Kṛṣṇa, the conditioned soul desires personal enjoyment. This says nothing about falling from Goloka or being envious of Kṛṣṇa.

Then he quotes Śrīmad Bhāgavat 2.5.19:

kārya-kāraṇa-kartrtve dravya-jñāna-kriyāśrayaḥ
badhnanti nityada muktaṁ māyinaṁ puruṣaṁ guṇaḥ

"These three modes of material nature, being further manifested as matter, knowledge, and activities, put the eternally transcendental living entity under conditions of cause and effect and make him responsible for such activities."

This verse, also, says nothing about fall at all. Jiva Gosvami writes in his Krama Sandarbha tika of SB 2.5.19 -
  kīdṛśam api badhnanti. tatrāha nityadā muktam api. nanv idaṁ viruddham. tatrāha—māyinam iti. māyā’tra māyā-kṛto moha ucyate. sa cānādir iti eveśa-vimukhasya tasya māyā-pāravaśyād eva. tena ca guṇāveśa eva bandha iti. 

“It is said that the living being is eternally liberated, so how can he be bound? How to solve this contradiction? To this is it said māyinam - the delusion is caused by māyā. He is averse to the Lord from beginningless time and subject to māyā, who keeps him bound in the modes.”

Viśvanātha Cakravartī's ṭīkā of SB 2.5.19 -
pūrvokta-yuktyā bhagavataṁ pṛṣṭha-deśa-sthānāṁ jīvānāṁ pṛṣṭha-deśa-sthayā māyayā svata eva saṅga-sambhavād iti bhāvaḥ. nitya-muktam iti jīvasya yathā anādy-ajñānaṁ tathā anādi-jñānam apy astīti saptamānte vyaktībhaviṣyati

 “According to previously proposed logic, the conditioned souls are situated at the back of the Lord, where māyā is situated, and that association (with māyā) is by itself or naturally (svata eva) so. Their ignorance and knowledge are both beginningless, as will be revealed at the end of the seventh canto.” (Viśvanāth himself has repeated this explanation in his comment on SB 3.7.10)

Bahuśira continues:
Here is a verse that says one can fall from Goloka where Rādhā is speaking to Mother Yaśodā:

śrī kṛṣṇasya varenāpi na sādho nirbhayo bhava
goloke cāpipatanam sambhavecca ku-yoginaḥ

"Oh good lady, do not become fearless by the boon of Śrī Kṛṣṇa - an imperfect yogī can also fall from Goloka"  (Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa, Kṛṣṇa Janma Khaṇḍa, ch.111, verse 5).

Fall from an absolutely perfect place is impossible. How can there be ku-yogis (bad yogis) in an absolutely perfect place? Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, a Purāṇa in the mode of passion, is greatly interpolated. Mahāprabhu said, instead, that the Bhāgavata is the spotless authority – śāstraṁ bhāgavataṁ pramāṇam amalam. Not Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa  This verse is never quoted by the ācāryas and starkly contradicts the other śāstras and the verdict of all the ācāryas about jiva tattva. The imperative case in this verse ( 'he must fall down') indicates it could apply to falling from the heavens after good karma is depleted, as in kṣīṇe puṇye martya lokam viśanti (B.Gītā 9.21), so this verse either applies to some material heaven, called Goloka (like the one mentioned in S.B. 10.27.4) or is an interpolated apasiddhānta.

Bahuśira-

"In the Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya Līlā 10.64, there is a narration of the servant of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, called Kāla Kṛṣṇa Dāsa, who was in the direct association with the Personification of Goloka Vrndavana, Gaura Naṭarāja, Caitanya Himself. Caitanya had to rescue him personally from the allurements of the Bhaṭṭaharis. Caitanya says directly "he left My company." Kāla Kṛṣṇa Dāsa fell down and the Lord had to rescue him. So even in direct association with the Lord one can fall down. Caitanya could have prevented it but he didn't. He let Kāla Kṛṣṇa Dāsa use his free will."

This is a līlā to teach something, just like the punishment of Chota Haridās - it does not prove fall from Goloka at all. Śrī Narottam Dās Thākur sings: gaurāṅgera saṅgī gaṇe nitya siddha kori māne – ‘All the associates of Gaurāṅga are nitya siddha [eternally perfect].’ Would nitya siddhas fall down?

Womb-tattva:

Bhakta: "The Bhāgavat (3.31.1-16) says that the phoetus in the womb is hungry, bitten by worms and it is dirty inside, with stool and urine (whereas the bowels are a separate chamber from the womb), but modern medical science denies this. Did the ācāryas err when they preached this?"

Advaitadas: "It impossible to say. In their commentaries all the ācāryas do follow the text of the Bhagavat here, literally. Whether they knew the medical truth or not, the purpose of the ācāryas and such verses is to scare a certain class of people into submission to God - 'If you don't surrender you will suffer very much by having to take birth again etc etc.'. This is just the third canto - vaidhi bhakti means serving out of fear. rāgānugā bhakti means serving out of love."

Bhakta: 'Then it is described how the baby sees its last 100 births and prays to the Lord in the womb."

Advaitadas: 'That is something that medical science can neither confirm or deny, as it is on the metaphysical platform."

Bhakta: "Then what about the first verse of that chapter, which says that the soul enters the seed of the man even before conception? Pro-abortionists may then also play that down as a non-medical truth."

Advaitadas: 'It is just common sense that a living body cannot grow without having a soul in it. The phoetus grows in the womb from the very moment it is placed there by the father."

The syntax of the tārak brahma nāma

Bhaktas in action in Sādhu Bābā's āśram

I recently received a copy of this discussion in Iskcon circles about whether the tārak brahma nāma (hare kṛṣṇa mantra) originally started with hare rāma or with hare kṛṣṇa. There is a hearsay that Mahāprabhu changed it because of objections by smārtas, that hare kṛṣṇa-first is only for Brahmins, but this seems to be untrue.

“The question is:

Originally the mahā-mantra was recited as follows:

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

Thereafter it was changed to start as follows:

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

So when, why and who made this change?

Answer: What Makes You Think It Was Changed?

The person who has asked this question has been misinformed and has thus come to the misunderstanding that the mahā-mantra originally began with Hare Rāma and that someone has changed it to begin with Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is not a fact. He must have heard from those persons who are propagating this false idea that the mahā-mantra was originally in the following sequence:

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare
hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

Those in this school of thought sometimes refer to the edition of the Kali-Santarana Upaniṣad published by Venkatesh Press, Mumbai, which states that this mahā-mantra begins with the words:

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare
followed by
hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare.

But earlier publications of the Kali-Santaraṇa Upaniṣad clearly state that the mahā-mantra begins with hare kṛṣṇa, and not with hare rāma. These earlier publications are still preserved in libraries in Calcutta and Jaipura. There are also many other authoritative Vedic texts which present the mahā-mantra beginning with hare kṛṣṇa. For the sake of brevity we will mention only a few of them here:

Ananta Saṁhitā:

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare
hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare
ṣoḍāṣaitāni nāmāni dvātriṁśad varna kāni hi
kalau yuge mahāmantrah sammato jīva tārane

“hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare - This hari-nāma mahāmantra consists of sixteen names and thirty-two syllables. In Kali-yuga this mantra can deliver all jīvas.”

In the Brahma Yāmala, Lord Shiva states:

harim binā nāsti kincat pāpani-stārakam kalau
tasmāl-lokod-dhārāna-ārtham hari-nāma prakāsayet
sarvatra mucyate loko mahāpāpāt kalau yuge
hare-krsna pada dvandvam krsneti ca pada-dvayam
tathā hare-pada-dvandvam hare-rāma iti dvayam
tad-ante ca mahādevi- rāma rāma dvayam vadet
hare hare tato bru-yād harināma samud dharet
mahāmantram ca krsnasya sarva pāpa pranāsakam

“He Mahādevi! Look! In Kali-yuga there is no easier way to eradicate sins than by hari-nāma. It is therefore essential to propagate hari-nāma among the general populace. The people in Kali-yuga can be easily liberated from the greatest hell by performing sankīrtana of this mahā-mantra. To chant the mahā-mantra, first chant Hare Kṛṣṇa twice, then chant Kṛṣṇa twice, then Hare twice. After that, chant Hare Rāma twice, then Rāma twice and again Hare twice. One should chant, articulate and perform saṅkīrtana etc., of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s mahā-mantra, which destroys all sins.”

In the Rādhāhṛdya Khaṇḍa of the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, Romaharṣana Suta prays to Śrī Vedavyāsa as follows:

yat tvayā kirtitam nātha hari-nāmeti sanjitam
mantram brahmāpadam siddhi karam

“He Vibho! He Prabhu! Please instruct me in the brahma svarūpa nāma mantra of Śrī Hari which is the bestower of all perfections.”

In reply, Śrī Vedavyāsa gives the following instruction:

grhanād yasya mantrasya dehi brahmāmayo bhavet
sadhyah pūtah surāpo ‘pi sarvāsiddhi-yuto bhavet
tad-aham te bhidhāsyāmi mahābhāgavato hamsi

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

iti ṣoḍasakam nāmnām tri-kāla kalmaṣāpaham
nātah parataropāyah sarva vedeṣu vidhyate

“O my son, I will certainly instruct you in that mahā-mantra, the acceptance of which a person in the bodily conception of life can be liberated and even a drunkard can quickly become purified and attain all perfection. I will instruct you because you are a mahā-bhāgavata and a suitable candidate. Just see! The sixteen word mahā-mantra, hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare, can destroy the sins of the three worlds. The four Vedas do not mention a method for achieving liberation from material bondage superior to the chanting of this mahā-mantra.”

Ananta Samhitā also states:

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare
hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare


soḍasautāni nāmāni dvātrimṣad varnākāni hi
kalāu yuge mahāmantrah sammato jivā tārane
utsrājyaitan-mahāmantram ye tvanyat kalpitam padam
mahā-nāmeti gāyanti te ṣāstra-guru-lani-ghanah

“All śāstras agree that the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, which is composed of sixteen names and thirty-two syllables, is the illustrious mantra to deliver the jīvas in Kali-yuga. Those who neglect this mahā-mantra and accept any other process, due to their own imagination or the imagination of others, are actually disobeying Guru and śāstra. If someone asks, ‘Why is this sixteen word Hare Kṛṣṇa-mantra the mahā-mantra' then the following answer is given.

‘Among all of Kṛṣṇa’s names’ no name other than Hari can easily take away sins, great misfortune and ignorance. No name other than Kṛṣṇa can deliver prema. And no name other than Rāma can bestow liberation.’ This is why the mahā-mantra is composed of these three primary names. Secondly, these sixteen names are an invocation. OṀ, svāhā, etc., are not required to make the mantra more potent. For this reason it is called the mahā-mantra.”

Sadhu Baba's blessed tirobhava utsava

Sadhu Baba is often called a Rishi. Here is a nice definition given of Rishi by Devala Rishi in Brihad Bhagavatamrita (2.1.109 tika ) -

ūrdhva-retās tapasy ugro
niyatāśī ca saṁyamī
śāpānugrahayoḥ śaktaḥ
satya-sandho bhaved ṛṣiḥ

“A ṛṣi is one whose semen flows upward, who is fierce in observing austere vows, who eats moderately, controls his senses, is able to curse and bless, and adheres firmly to the truth.”

From 5th till 7th October 2009 the 23rd anniversary of the sacred departure from this world of Sitanath Kula-Kaustubha Om Viṣṇupad Sri Sri Nikunja Gopal Goswami (Sadhu Baba) is commemmorated at Sadhu Baba's Ashram with Kirtan and Mahotsav.

Sadhu Baba's Ashram is located next to the Bhajan Ashram at Prachin Mayapura, Navadwip Dhama.

We will feel very blessed with the presence and attendance of the holy Vaiṣṇavas.

Here is a copy of the schedule of this year's festival -

Handsigns, Gurvaparādha, Tulsī and śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu

Tulsī Mahārāṇī in Sādhu Bābā's āshram

Bhakta: “Aren't the signs of cakras and conchshells on Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa’s hands and feet signs of aiśvarya?”

Advaitadas: “Actually the hand- and footsigns themselves are already aiśvarya, as ordinary human beings don’t bear those marks.”

Bhakta: “Then why do They bear these marks in a mādhurya-abode like Vraja?”

Advaitadas: “God is God, even in His most human appearance. Mahāprabhu also has such marks on His hands and feet, and He is the most human appearance of God. Kṛṣṇa also has the Kaustubha in Vraja, though that is a clear sign of Nārāyan. Ultimately the juxtaposition of aiśvarya next to mādhurya enhances the mādhurya, just as a candle in sunlight gives less light than a candle in the dark. Also Jīva Goswāmī says that the aiśvarya in Vraja reminds us that we are not dealing with ordinary human beings, so we will not take it cheaply or identify ourselves with Them like the sahajīyas.”

Bhakta: “One should take bath after seeing the one who is envious of one’s Guru? So it won't be Vaiṣṇava aparādha for the disciple who is taking bath after seeing another Vaiṣṇava who is envious of the disciple's Guru?”

Advaitadas: “I do not think it is practical to take a bath when meeting someone who envies your Guru. It is better just to avoid such a person - yathā hoy guru nindā tathā nā jāibe // guru nindukera mukha kobhu nā heribe (padakartā Sanātan Dās) - 'Don't go there where the Guru is criticized // never look at the face of a critic of the Guru'. This is more practical.”

Bhakta: Does Śrī Jīvapāda say that one should not respect a Vaiṣṇava offender? What if the Vaiṣṇava offender is also a Vaiṣṇava (taken Kṛṣṇa mantra in dīkṣā)?

Advaitadas: “The above rule counts also for Vaiṣṇava. Having dīkṣā does not free one from the tendency to offend.”

Bhakta: “If there is a sādhaka who is aparādh free, he chants Nāma, one Nāma clears all sins and another Nāma gets prem, so how without Guru he has got his Siddha Swarūp and attain prem siddhi?”

Advaitadas: “Not taking a Guru is itself a nāmāparādha called guror avajña - therefore it is impossible for a person without Guru to chant without aparādha, and thus to attain svarūpa siddhi and prema siddhi.”

Bhakta: “Have you had any supernatural experience with Giridhārī? For instance with a message through a dream, something happened when you offered food, something like that...”

Advaitadas: No, but occasionally His prasāda is very powerful/blissful. “

Bhakta: “One friend of mine felt inebriated after prasādam and said it was because of Tulasī - he thought she acted like stimulating. Does Tulasī have that property?”

Advaitadas: Look at the last line of the morning Tulasī-song: śrī rādhā govinda preme sadā jeno bhāsi – ‘May I always float in the ocean of Rādhā Govinda prema (by Tulsī’s mercy)’.

Bhakta: “Is worship of Tulasī rāga bhakti or vaidhi bhakti?”

Advaitadas: “It is either or both. There is a morning and evening Ārati-song for Tulasī. The morning song shows her mādhurya (tulasī kṛṣṇa preyasī) and the evening song her aiśvarya (tulasī mahārāṇi vṛnde ji mahārāṇi namo nārāyaṇi etc.). “

Bhakta: “Why did Mahāprabhu make the animals in Jhārikhaṇḍa forest sing and dance in ecstasy and not the animals of Navadvīpa for instance?”

Advaitadas: “That is just mercy. No need for the adjective ‘causeless’, because mercy is by definition causeless. Look at the hunter Mṛgāri – he didn’t just kill the animals he hunted, he just pierced them so he could watch them squirm and suffer – yet he got the mercy of Nārada – he had absolutely no sukṛti. That is just at random.”

Bhakta: “Is it bona fide to offer articles on the fly by saying śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu?”

Advaitadas: “I have never seen anyone in India doing that in all the years I lived there. When I went for a journey from Sādhu Bābā’s āshram I asked Bābā if I should touch food-articles I wanted to eat to my neck-beads for sanctification. He said that that was all right, or alternatively I could travel with [dried] Tulasī leaves and place a leaf on the article before eating it.”

(This anecdote is added to Sādhu Bābā’s biography, p.46, on madangopal.com. Also pictures of Deva Prayāg, Rudra Prayāg and Kedārnāth have been added to the bio, in the section on Bābā's Himālaya Yātrā, pages 10 and 12)

Repeat-sin and material Vaikuṇṭha

I consulted Dr Satya Nārāyan Dās on two Bhāgavat-verses

Advaitadas:
"Prabhuji, I have been arguing with myself about the meaning of the following verse, particularly whether or not repetition of sin does or does not create more karma. Could you please have a brief look and comment on this?

samāna-karmācaraṇaṁ patitānāṁ na pātakam
autpattiko guṇaḥ saṅgo na śayānaḥ pataty adhaḥ

Śrīmad Bhāgavat (11.21.17)

I find the BBT translation here clearer than the one of the Gita Press:

"The same activities that would degrade an elevated person do not cause falldown for those who are already fallen. Indeed, one who is lying on the ground cannot possibly fall further. The material association that is dictated by one's own nature is considered a good quality."

The concept of na śayānaḥ patatyadhaḥ, if you lie on the floor you cannot fall any deeper, fascinated me from first reading. This verse confirms once more my opinion that ignorance is an excuse and sin and virtue are relative (autpattiko guṇaḥ saṅgo), though, as the BBT commentary prudently warns us, this verse and its principle does not provide a license to sin to initiated Vaiṣṇavas. As for the statement na śayānaḥ pataty adhaḥ ('One who lies down cannot fall any deeper"), repeating a sin does create more karma - in the orient women often turn to prostitution if they untimely lose their honour, thinking it is all lost anyway. However, one should not think that, because of a perceived loss of virtue, a repetition of the same sin will not cause accumulation of more bad karma. Śrīdhara Swāmī comments on this verse:

doṣasya kvacid doṣatvābhāve guṇatve codāharanaṁ darśayati. samānasya tasyaiva karmanaḥ sura-pānāder ācaraṇam apatitānāṁ patana-hetur api jātya karmana vā patitānāṁ punaḥ pātakam adhikāra-bhraṁśakaṁ na bhavati, pūrvam eva patitatvāt. ato’tra doṣasyāpi doṣata nastīty arthaḥ

'One man's fault is another man's virtue or at least lack of fault. It is the same act (samāna karma), but if an apatita (brahmin or Vaiṣṇava) drinks alcohol, it is the cause of his/her falldown, but for those anyway fallen (śūdras or non-devotees) this does not cause further degradation because it is their normal way to be. Thus, though it is a flaw (for some) there is no flaw."

It seems the phrase autpattiko guṇaḥ saṅga can be interpreted in 2 ways - 'material association that is dictated by one's own nature', and 'sex for procreation' (autpattika saṅga), because Śrīdhar Swāmi continues: tatha saṅgo’pi yo yāter doṣaḥ, sa gṛhasthasyautpattikaḥ pūrva-svīkṛto na doṣaḥ, api tu guṇaḥ. ṛtau bhāryām upeyāt ity-ādi-vidhānāt. "Saṅga (sex) is a fault for a sannyāsī, but not for the gṛhastha if he/she indulges in it for procreation - then it is a virtue instead. The Śrutis say 'ṛtau bhāryām upeyāt' - the wife must be approached in the season."

Dr. Satya-nārāyana Dās replied:
Advaitaji,
“The above verse is not a blanket allowance for the ignorant to sin. The verse is spoken for spiritualists and not for ignorant people. After this the Lord also speaks of the whole process of degradation, akin to the one described in the Gītā’s verse saṅgāt sañjayate kāmaḥ -verse (2.62-63). Although one sleeping on the ground will not fall because there is nowhere to fall, if he keeps on sleeping he will be so much caught in tamas that he will have a tough time getting up. Similarly if an ignorant person continues doing an activity which is forbidden for a spiritualist he may not incur sin (meaning going to hell, he is already in hell) he will make his saṁskāras stronger which will condition him.
Yes sin and piety are relative."

***

The second verse I inquired about is Śrīmad Bhāgavat 3.29.13:

sālokya-sārṣṭi-sāmīpya-sārūpyaikatvam apy uta
dīyamānaḿ na gṛhṇanti vinā mat-sevanaḿ janāḥ

“Pure devotees do not accept residence in My world, wealth equal to Mine, proximity to Me, a form equal to Mine or oneness with Me if it does not go with devotional service to Me.”

Dear Prabhuji,
Rādhe Rādhe
“Regarding SB 3.29.13 sālokya-sārṣṭi-sāmīpya - the verse ends with vinā mat-sevanaḿ janāḥ  Does that mean that there is a possibility of getting the five types of mukti also without sevā? If so, what is one doing the whole day in Vaikuṇṭha, without sevā? I thought sevā was anyway the only way to attain Vaikuṇṭha......”

Dr. Satyanarayana Das replied:
“The meaning is that a pure devotee does not want to have mukti but only sevā. But for sevā one or more of the four types of muktis may be necessary and so a pure devotee accepts it. But there may be other type of devotees who want, say sālokya mukti and do bhakti for that purpose. The Sri sampradaya is one example of this. Their goal is mukti through bhakti. Lord Chaitanya said bhakti is above mukti. Before him most bhaktas had mukti as the aim. What do they do in Vaikuntha? Of course bhakti. They are not averse to bhakti, they practiced bhakti to achieve mukti. But their predominant desire was to have salokya etc.”

Advaitadas:
“Secondly, in śāstra often a temporary trip to Vaikuṇṭha is promised as a reward for fruitive pious activities to fruitive workers, along with their families. Can we take such statements seriously or perhaps this applies to the Vaikuṇṭha in the material world's milk ocean [kṣīra sāgara]?”

Dr. Satyanarayana Das:
“Yes the temporary trip to Vaikuṇṭha is not a false statement. This is possible as a reward for pious action desired by the executors. It is granted in the Vaikuṇṭha manifest in the material world.”

Prabhus and dreadlocks

Recently there was a ‘prabhu’-debate going on on the internet. Here's my two cents -

The title Prabhu is highly watered down and devalued - in śāstra it has been used only for the likes of Vyāsadeva and Sanātan Goswāmī, but I have heard devotees addressing dopy bhaktas, sly Vrindavan-shopkeepers and meat-eating lifemembers as Prabhu and I really dont think the honorific is meant for them. Nārada calling his own disciple Vyāsa 'Prabhu' (in Śrīmad Bhāgavat 1.5.5) is a special case, as what would you do if God Himself (or His literary incarnation) becomes your disciple? This does not set a standard for calling every Tom Dick and Harry ‘Prabhu’. Prabhu is really just for those – Vyāsadeva, Sanātan Goswāmī (called ‘Prabhu’ in Vilāpa Kusumāñjali, verse 6) and the other great ācāryas.


Returning to the topic of why Vaiṣṇavas have shaved heads - (though it is not prescribed in śāstra) - it has been the custom of the bābājīs for a few centuries, and the Gauḍīya Maṭh, founded in 1918, also introduced it for its brahmacārīs and sannyāsīs. For Iskcon, however, there have been more than just such customary reasons. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami wrote to Brahmananda on October 11, 1967:

"Regarding change of dress, I beg to inform you that every Krishna conscious person must be clean shaved, must have Tilaka on the forehead and other eleven places and must have the Sikha on the top of the head besides beads on the neck as usual. Rarely one can continue to keep beard but it is better not to keep it to distinguish oneself from the hippies. We must let the public know that we are not hippies''.

And to Kirtanananda October 16, 1967:

"They must continue to have robes and tilak and flags and they must distinguish themselves from the hippies."

Another letter:

"Up to date gentlemen are all clean shaved so if we do not keep long hair and dress ourselves nicely with tilaka, flag and beads on the neck, apart from our devotional service, then certainly we shall be distinct from the hippies."

Of course, Sādhu Bābā was a different type of sādhu and he wore long matted locks (jaṭās), which is a respectable appearance in India, but is a hippy appearance in the west. Unfortunately this has led to a misunderstanding in the western public that comes in contact with Sādhu Bābā - they tend to believe that, because of his appearance and some of his activities, he is the 'hip Guru' who will allow his disciples everything (unintentionally, Sādhu Bābā does have Osho’s looks). As a consequence I am repeatedly approached for dīkṣā by people who think Sādhu Bābā is some type of clean-out-drain, that will accept those whom no one else will accept. This is not the case. Long hair in the Indian context does not mean being dirty, unchaste, disrespectful, lazy and addicted to intoxicants. In January, 1982 I was in Nepal, witnessing the Shiva Rātri festivities there - sādhus wearing matted locks [jaṭās] slept naked in the snow – hardly comparible with the comfy lives of dread-locked hippies in the west, lying on their warm waterbeds with their illicit girlfriends. We are not responsible for westerners’ cultural conditioning of linking dreadlocks with hippyism. The four Kumāras had jaṭās millions of years ago. The Bhāgavata (3.8.5) states that they had matted locks, too – svardhunyudād ardraiḥ sva jaṭā-kalāpair - and they are the school-example of celibacy. Those who want to take shelter of Sadhu Baba must follow all the rules like in any other Vaiṣṇava school.

Sādhu Bābā's arcanā

Tarjjanī

I just discovered, 27 years after receiving dīkṣā, that our tilak is applied with the tarjjanī, index finger, not with the madhyam, middle finger. Sādhu Bābā said in his Sanksipta Nitya Karma Paddhati: tarjjanī anguli dvārā dvādaśānge tilaka racanā koriben ẏeno nakha sparśa nā hoy – The tilak must be placed on twelve parts of the body with the index finger in such a way that the nails do not touch [the body].”

This exchange followed on Facebook-

Bhakta-
"What is tarjjanī? Could you explain, please?"

Advaitadas-
"The five fingers on the hand are 1. anguṣṭha (thumb) 2, tarjjanī [index finger] 3. madhyam [middle] 4. anāmikā [ring finger] and 5. kaniṣṭha [little finger or pinky]. I have been using the madhyam but I belatedly learned that in my Guru's family it turns out to be tarjanī. It is written in my Guru's paddhatī, which I even typed out by hand, but I failed to catch the point till one bhakta made me attentive to it today."

Bhakta: "Anyway, Advaita, was is the internal meaning /significance of applying tilaka with one's index finger? I'm really curious by now!"

Advaitadas- "tilaka racanāṅguli niyam [rules for fingers making tilak] is described in Haribhakti Vilāsa [4.221]:

anāmikā kāmadoktā madhyamāyuskarī bhavet 
anguṣṭhaḥ puṣṭidaḥ proktas tarjanī mokṣa-dāyinī

"The anāmikā fulfills material desires, the middle finger gives longevity, the thumb gives nourishment (food) and the index finger gives liberation."

Now that I have a cheap phone connection to India, it was no trouble consulting my senior Guru-brother Tapan Kumār Adhikārī:

Advaitadas: "We put on tilak with the index finger, but in the beadbag there's a hole for the index finger because it is said to be contaminated and therefore should not touch the japa-mālā."

Tapan Kumar Adhikary: "Yes but that is different. Tilak has different rules from (touching) the japa mālā - tilak is an exception."

************

No Rādhā with Madangopāl?

(Another) Bhakta: "I see there is no Rādhārāṇī-deity next to your Madangopāl-deity (in Sādhu Bābā’s āśram). How then do you worship Her?"

Advaitadās: “When I first came to Sādhu Bābā’s āshram I asked this to swayam Bābā, who told me that Rādhā’s name is carved on Gopāl’s chest – in this form we worship Smt. Rādhārāṇī.”

On the phone I asked Tapan Dā more about Sādhu Bābā’s Madangopāl. He confirms that Rādhā’s name is indeed carved on His chest and also that Bābā saw Him as Kiśora (adolescent lover) and not as a child (Bābā’s Gopāl manifests as Laḍḍu Gopāl, normally a child form of Kṛṣṇa). Bābā experienced Kṛṣṇa's childhood as adolescence as depicted in the third verse of Kṛṣṇa Karṇāmṛta:

cāturyaika-nidāna-sīma-capalāpānga-cchaṭā-mantharaṁ 
lāvaṇyāmṛta-vīci-lolita-dṛśaṁ lakṣmī-kaṭākṣādṛtam 
kālindī-pulināngana-praṇayinaṁ kāmāvatārānkuraṁ 
bālaṁ nīlam amī vayaṁ madhurima-svārājyam ārādhnumaḥ

"We worship that dark bluish young boy, who is the one limitless resting-place of cleverness, who causes the gopīs to slow down their gait with the rays of His restless glances, glances made restless by waves of ambrosial shimmer that are worshipped by Śrī Rādhā, the Supreme Goddess of fortune, who is very fond of the gardens on the bank of the Yamunā, who is the root cause of all Cupids and who is the independent kingdom of divine sweetness.”

Bābā stressed the word bāla, or child, was there and so He reconciled the child-form of Kṛṣṇa in His temple with the divya kiśora mūrti we actually worship. Furthermore, Tapan Dā said, Bābā stressed mental worship (mānasī sevā) over external worship in the temple, so even though Smt. Rādhārāṇī is not abundantly visible in the temple, She is overwhelmingly predominant in our meditations.

The gist of this discussion is added to page 43-44 of Sādhu Bābā's hagiography on my website, along with this teaching of Sādhu Bābā, which sprung to my memory, prompted by a discussion I read on a forum recently:

*****

siddha deha

On another occasion I asked Bābā how to understand these mysterious verses of Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta (Antya 4, 192-193):

dīkṣā-kāle bhakta kare ātma-samarpaṇa;
sei-kāle kṛṣṇa tāre kare ātma-sama
sei deha kare tāra cid-ānanda-maya;
aprākṛta-dehe tāńra caraṇa bhajaya

“At the time of initiation the devotee surrenders his very self – at that time Kṛṣṇa makes him equal to Himself and makes His body transcendental. In such a spiritual body he can serve Kṛṣṇa’s lotus-feet”

Bābā explains that this does not mean that our material bodies suddenly become spiritual – the last line of the verses clearly shows that this deals with the devotee’s spiritual body, whose seed is planted by Śrī Guru at the time of initiation."

Jīva Goswāmī at Nandaghāt

Śyāmakund in the 1970s

After debating this story at my Janmāṣṭamī-blog, I felt inspired to translate the entire story of Jīva Goswāmī being ejected by Rūpa Goswāmī (again, as I had originally translated most of Bhakti Ratnākara in the 1980s) –

ŚRĪ JĪVA GOSVĀMĪ AT NANDAGHĀT

[Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī rebukes Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī for breaking etiquette] - 5:1626-1670

śrīnivās kohe – ei nirjana ethāte; śrī jīva chilen ati ajñāta rūpete [1626]

kohi se prasaṅga – eka dina vṛndāvane; śrī rūpa likhen grantha bosiyā nirjane [1627]

grīṣma samayete sveda vyāpaye aṅgete; śrī jīva bātās kore rohi’ eka bhīte [1628]

yaiche rūpa gosvāmīra saundaryātiśay; taiche śrī jīvera śobhā yauvan samay [1629]

Śrīnivāsācārya said: “In this solitary place Śri Jīva Goswāmī lived incognito. I will tell you the context – one day in Vṛndāvana Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī was writing a book in solitude. Due to the summer-heat his body was studded by sweatdrops, so Śrī Jīva was by his side fanning him. Just as Rūpa Goswāmi was very beautiful, Śrī Jīva was also very beautiful in his youth.”

kebā nā koroye sādha śrī rūpe dekhite; śrī vallabha bhaṭṭa āsi’ mililā nibhṛte [1630]

bhakti rasāmṛta grantha maṅgalācaraṇa; dekhi’ bhaṭṭa kohe – ihā koribo śodhana [1631]

“Who was not fulfilled by seeing Śrī Rūpa Goswāmī? Once Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭa came to meet Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī in his solitary place. When he saw the introduction to the Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu, he told Rūpa Gosvāmī – I will edit it.”

eto kohi gelā snāne yamunāra kule; śrī jīva colilā jala ānibāra chale [1632]

śrī vallabha bhaṭṭa saha nāhi paricoy; ‘maṅgalācaraṇe ki sandeho – jijñāsoy [1633]

“After saying this, he went to bathe in the Yamuna and Śrī Jīva followed him, on the pretext of fetching water. Though he was not acquainted with Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭa, he asked him: ‘What is your doubt about the introduction of the book?”

śuni śrī vallabha-bhaṭṭa ye kichu kohilo; śrī jīva se sob śighro khaṇḍana korilo [1634]

prasaṅge hoilo nānā śāstera vicāra; śrī jīvera vākya bhaṭṭa nāre khaṇḍibāre [1635]

kotokṣaṇa kori’ carcā, carcā samādhiyā; śrī rūpera prati bhaṭṭa kohe punaḥ giyā [1636]

alapa boyos ye chilen toma-pāśe; tār paricoy hetu āinu ullāse [1637]

“Hearing this, Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭa gave his explanation which Śrī Jīva then swiftly refuted, point for point. During the discussion Śrī Jīva Goswāmī quoted various scriptures, which Vallabha Bhaṭṭa was unable to refute. They debated for a while and after it was all done Vallabha Bhaṭṭa returned to Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī and told him: ‘I have come here in glee to inquire from you who this young man is that is staying with you.”

śrī rūpa kohen – kibā dibo paricoy; jīva nāma śiṣya mora, bhrātāra tonoy [1638]

ei katho din hoilo āilā deśa hoite; śuni’ bhaṭṭa praśaṁsā korilo sarva mate [1639]

Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī said: “What can I say about him? He is named Jīva and is my student and nephew. He has been staying with me for a while, having come from Bengal.” Hearing this, Bhaṭṭa praised him in all respects.”

rūpa samādare bhaṭṭa korilā gamana; śrī jīva yamunā hoite āilā sei-kṣaṇa [1640]

śrī rūpa kohen śrī jīvere mṛdu bhāṣe; more kṛpā kori bhaṭṭa āilā mora paśe [1641]

mora hita lāgi’ grantha śudhibo kohilā; e ati alapa vākya sahite nārilā [1642]

tāhe pūrba deśa śīghro koroho gaman; mana sthira hoile āsibā vṛndāvana [1643]

‘After offering his respect to Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Bhaṭṭa left. Just then Śrī Jīva returned from the Yamunā. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī told him softly: “Out of the kindness of his heart Bhaṭṭajī came to me and offered to help me by editing my book, but you could not tolerate even this little from him. Return to your home land and when your mind has become stable you may return to Vṛndāvana.”

gosvāmīra ājñāya colilā pūrba-pāne; katho dūre mana sthira koilā sābdhāne [1644]

gosvāmīra ājñā nāi nikaṭe āsite; ehetu āilā ethā nirjana banete [1645]

rahi’ patra kuṭire khedita atiśaya; kabu kichu bhuñje, kabhu upavāsa hoy [1646]

deha hoite prāṇa bhinna koriyā tvarite; prabhu-pādapadma pābo – ei cintā cite [1647]

“Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī thus left, on Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī’s order. After travelling for a while his mind calmed down. Thinking ‘Rūpa Gosvāmī ordered me not to come near him’ he came to this solitary forest where he stayed in a hut, feeling very distressed. Sometimes he ate a little, sometimes he fasted. He was rapidly proceeding to leave his body as he was absorbed in thoughts of how to attain Rūpa Prabhu’s lotus-feet.”

akasmāt sanātana gosvāmī āilā; grāmi-loka āgusari grāme loiyā gelā [1648]

parama ullāse bosāiyā gosvāmīre; jijñāsi’ kuśala punaḥ kohe dhīre dhīre [1649]

alapa boyos eka tapasvī sundara; katho dina hoilo rohe e bana bhitor [1650]

bhuñjāite yatna kori anek prakāra; kabhu phala-mūla bhuñje, kabhu nirāhāra [1651]

bahu yatne kiñcit godhuma cūrṇa loiyā; koroye bhakṣaṇa tāhā jale miśāiyā [1652]

aiche śuni’ jānilo – āchaye jīva ethā; bātsalye hoiyā ārdra colilen tathā [1653]

“Suddenly Sanātana Goswāmī appeared there. The villagers came out to greet him and take him into the village. In great bliss they seated Goswāmīpāda and when he inquired about their welfare they calmly replied: “Since a few days a young ascetic is staying in the nearby woods. We tried to feed him in so many ways, but he sometimes fasts and sometimes just eats fruits and roots. With great effort we convinced him to accept some wheat and he is now eating that, raw, mixing it with some water.” Hearing this, Sanātana Goswāmī understood that it was Jīva Goswāmī, so, melting with parental affection, he went there.”

śrī jīva chilen patra-kuṭire bosiyā; gosvāmīra darśane dharite nāre hiyā [1654]

loṭāiyā poṛe gosvāmīra padatale; śrī jīvera ceṣṭā dekhi’ vismita sakale [1655]

snehāveśe sanātana jijñāsilo yāhā; śrī jīva saṅkṣepe krame nivedilo tāhā [1656]

“Śrī Jīva was sitting in a leaf-hut; when he saw Sanātana Goswāmī coming, his heart ran after him and he fell and rolled at his feet. Seeing Śrī Jīva’s activities, everyone was astonished. Overwhelmed with affection, Sanātana Goswāmī asked him what had happened and Śrī Jīva briefly told him everything in good order.”

śuni śrī gosvāmī jībe rākhi seikhāne; grāmi-loke prabodhi’ gelen vṛndāvane [1657]

gosvāmīra gamana śuniyā sei-kṣaṇe; śrī rūpa gelen gosvāmīra daraśane [1658]

gosvāmī śrī rūpe jijñāsen samācāra; ‘bhakti rasāmṛta sindhu’ apekṣā ki āra [1659]

śrī rūpa kohen – ‘prāya hoilo likhan; jīva rahile-i śīghro hoto śodhan [1660]

gosvāmī kohen – jīva jīyā mātra āche; dekhinu – tāhāra deha bātāse hāliche [1661]

‘Hearing this, Śrī Sanātana Goswāmī kept Jīva Goswāmī there and went to Vṛndāvana after addressing the villagers. When, in Vṛndāvana, Śrī Rūpa Goswāmī heard that Sanātana Goswāmī had arrived, he at once came to see him. Sanātana Goswāmī asked him: ‘How much longer until Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu is ready?” Śrī Rūpa replied: ‘I almost finished writing it, but it would be quickly edited had Jīva been here.” Sanātana Goswāmī said: “Jīva is only still barely alive – he is so emaciated that the slightest breeze could blow him away.”

aiche kohi’ jīvera vṛttānta jānāilo; śrī rūpa jīve sei-kṣaṇe ānāilo [1662]

śrī jīvera daśā dekhi’ śrī rūpa gosāi; korilen śuśrūṣā – kṛpāra sīmā nāi [1663]

śrī jīvera ārogye sabāra hoy mana; dilena sakala bhāra rūpa-sanātana [1664]

“Saying this, he elaborated on Jīva Goswāmī’s condition. Hearing this, Śrī Rūpa had Jīva brought at once. When Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī saw Śrī Jīva’s condition he personally nursed him out of his limitless mercy. Everyone was concerned about Śrī Jīva’s recovery and Rūpa and Sanātana Goswāmī personally took all responsibility over it.”

śrī rūpa-sanātana anugraha hoite; śrī jīvera vidyā-bol vyāpilo jagate [1665]

vṛndāvane āilā digvijayī eka jan; bahu-loka saṅge sarva śāstre vicakṣaṇa [1666]

teho kohe – yadi carcā nā pāro korite; tabe mora jayapatrī pāṭhāho tvarite [1667]

śuniyā śrī jīva śīghro patrī pāṭhāilo; patrī pāṭhe digvijayī parābhava hoilo [1668]

aiche darpa kori’ joto digvijayī āise; parābhava hoiyā polāya nija deśe [1669]

śrī jīvera prabhāva kohite nāhi pāro; ahe śrīnivāsa – ei kuṭīra tāhāra [1670]

“By the mercy of Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana the power of Śrī Jīva’s learning spread over the world. Once a dig-vijayi (‘conquerer of the directions’, a travelling scholar that challenges other scholars wherever he goes) came to Vṛndāvana. He was expert in all the scriptures and was accompanied by many followers. Challenging the resident scholars, he said: ‘If you cannot debate with me then quickly send me your acknowledgement of defeat.’ Hearing this, Śrī Jīva quickly sent him a letter of defeat (here it means a letter to defeat the scholar instead), reading which the Dig-vijayī was himself conquered. In this way any such arrogant Digvijayi who came there was defeated and fled back to his own region. I cannot describe the prowess of Śrī Jīva Goswāmī. O Śrīnivāsa, this here is his hut.”

The last paragraph shows that Jīva was not rejected for arguing opponents because he clearly did that still after the incident with Śrī Rūpa – he was rejected due to not showing proper respect to a senior Vaiṣṇava. This translation is also added to the file containing my other translations of Bhakti Ratnākara, on madangopal.com, linktab Literature.

Śrī Rādhāṣṭamī 2009

As on Janmāṣṭami, on this Rādhāṣṭamī I would like to post some of the many rather complicated Janma-līlās of Śrī Rādhikā.

First of all there is the popular story that Śrī Rādhikā was found on a lotus flower by Vṛṣabhānu Mahārāja and that she was blind until Kṛṣṇa gave Her His darśan. Eager as always to check everything in śāstra I discovered that the lotus-story is going around among the Brajabāsīs only and appears to have no scriptural source, but the blindness-story seems to exist in the Padma Purāṇa, at least Iskcon's Dānavir Goswāmī quotes some texts to that extent in his Garga Saṁhitā-rendering. The Garga Saṁhitā, whose authority is somewhat in doubt because it was never quoted in the Goswāmīs' books, carries one chapter on Rādhā's Janma Rahasya too. In it, Dānavir Goswāmī  quotes a book named Govinda Vṛndāvanam in regards to Śrī Rādhikā's 'creation' -

(Kṛṣṇa says:) "0 Balarāma, please listen and I will tell You something. One day, taking My flute, My heart full of bliss and My form bending in three places, I went under a Kadamba tree and, seeing My own form reflected in a splendid golden platform studded with jewels, I became enchanted. At that moment, My heart became filled with the sweet happiness known as conjugal love, which charms the entire world. My heart now desires to become a woman. I yearn to enjoy Myself as a woman. As the Lord thought in this way, His heart approached itself. From the sweetness of His heart came bliss and from the bliss came Himself, manifested in a second form, a female form of transcendental bliss that could experience the direct perception of Himself. At that time a goddess, whose form was nectar, whose fair complexion was like a host of lightning flashes, and who was decorated with glittering ornaments, appeared from the Lord's left side. She is known as Rādhā, who is half of Kṛṣṇa's body, and who is the mistress of all potencies."

One must presume this is either not śāstra, it is a metaphor or a poetic and devotional glorification. After all, how was the eternal and beginningless Kṛṣṇa enjoying Himself before this then? Is there a beginning to an eternal goddess?

Garga Saṁhitā (8.7) speaks thus of Śrī Rādhikā's time of birth -

ghanāvrte vyomni dinasya madhye
bhādre site nāga-tithau ca some
avākiran deva-ganāh sphuradbhis
tan-mandire nandanajaih prasūnaih

'On Monday, at midday, when the sky was covered with clouds, in the bright fortnight of Bhādra-month, devatās showered flowers from the celestial Nandana Garden."

A pada by Ghanaśyām Dās I posted on Rādhāṣṭamī 2007 says it was a sunny day, but this may not necessarily be a contradiction - Bhādra is in the middle of the rainy season and a delivery takes time. During the delivery it may have been occasionally sunny and occasionally cloudy.

Śrīla Rūpa Goswāmīpāda's Lalit Mādhava-drama starts right away with the Rādhā Janma Rahasya -

In it, Paurṇamāsī explains to Gārgī that Brahmā blessed Mount Vindhyā with two daughters that would bring him a son-in-law who would defeat Shiva, the son-in-law of Vindhyā's rival Himālaya (the father of Pārvatī). Gārgī asked Paurṇamāsī: "How did Rādhā come from Vindhyā to Gokula?" 

Paurṇamāsī: 'She was brought there by Pūtanā, the Rākṣasī." 

Gārgī fearfully replied: "Normally Rākṣasīs eat the babies they kidnap. This girl was then very lucky to escape!" 

Paurṇamāsī: "Pūtanā was engaged by Kaṁsa in destroying all extraordinary boys and abducting the maidens. Devakī's daughter Devī (the 8-armed Yogamāyā) warned Kaṁsa that Devakī's son would kill him - 'One of these days eight very sweet śaktis will take birth here. After defeating Shiva (in Bāṇāsur's battle) He will eventually marry two sisters among these eight śaktis, that are temples of great qualities." 

Gārgī: "What happened to the second sister?" 

Paurṇamāsī: "When Vindhyā's main priest pronounced witch-killing mantras Pūtanā panicked and ran away, dropping the baby in a river in Vidarbha." 

Gārgī: "My father is omniscient. Why then does he claim that the maiden Rādhā was born from Mahārāja Vṛṣabhānu, by the blessing of Durvāsā Muni?" 

Paurṇamāsī: "Petitioned by Brahmā, Hari-māyā (Yogamāyā) withdrew these two maidens from the wombs of Candrabhānu and Vṛṣabhānu's wives and placed them in the womb of Vindhyā's wife." 

Gārgī: "Did you only save Śrī Rādhikā from the lap of that witch?" 

Paurṇamāsī: "No there were moon-faced Lalitā, Candrāvalī's beautiful sakhī Padmā, gentle Bhadrā, auspicious Śaibyā and cheerful Śyāmā too." 

Gārgī: "Who gave these girls to the gopī-mothers?" 

Paurṇamāsī: "I myself quickly and discretely distributed these baby girls to different gopī mothers. Finally I approached Mukharā and told her: "This Śrī Rādhikā is the most qualified of all these girls - she will be the daughter of your son-in-law Vṛṣabhānu."

There seems to be a similarity between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa's birth-pastimes in the sense that They were both born inside and outside of Vraja and both of Them have original forms that never enter or leave Vraja at the same time.

Śrī Jīva Goswāmī's Gopāl-campū describes Śrī Rādhikā's birth as follows-

satyaṁ bahu suta ratnākaratāṁ sa prāpa gopa dugdhābdhiḥ
kintvamṛta-dyuti rādhā lakṣmī-jana nādagāt pūrtim
sa khalu śrī kṛṣṇa janma- varṣānantara varṣe(ka) sarva-sukha-satre
rādhā nāmni nakṣatre jāteti rādhābhidhīyate

"This Vṛṣabhānu is truly a Milkocean in the form of a cowherd. Certainly he was a vessel filled with many jewel-like sons already, but that had all become fulfilled by this goddess of fortune filled with the prowess of nectar named Rādhā. This baby girl had certainly taken birth in the year following Śrī Kṛṣṇa's birth-festival, during the all-delightful constellation named Anurādhā. Hence everyone called Her Rādhikā."

Here it is confirmed that Śrī Rādhikā is one year and 15 days younger than Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Actually Vṛṣabhānu Mahārāja has only one son, Śrīdāma, so this bahu suta, many sons, is a glorification of Rādhikā as the goddess of fortune - one goddess of fortune is better than so many sons, after all....