Kṛṣṇa Bhāvanāmṛta chapters 8 and 9

Chapter Eight

Unless one is a knower of the text it is highly recommended to keep my English translation of Kṛṣṇa Bhāvanāmṛta at hand, in order to follow these additional notes:

8.6 Madhusūdana Vācaspati elaborates on the mūla śloka: mūrccha (swoon), who is hard to remove, is broken, yet also not. At every moment Rādhā's heart is broken at the thought of Kṛṣṇa going to the forest - She faints again and again."
8.17 Madhusūdana Vācaspati elaborates on the mūla śloka: "How amazing! Though you are absorbed in the bliss of smelling Kṛṣṇa's bodily fragrance you doubt its existence!"
8.22 Instead of 'blowing life airs' I should have written 'throbbing' (original word is spandana). Madhusūdana Vācaspati elaborates on the mūla śloka: "Where's the limit to Her tenderness? She cannot even feel the presence of Her life-airs!"
8.23 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma comments: antar udghūrṇataḥ āturaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ śokena ruddha-vāk san vāṣpa-pūrṇa nayane madhumaṅgalasya mukhe akṣipat - "Kṛṣṇa was unable to speak out of sorrow and affliction."
8.24 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma quotes Madhumaṅgala as saying: śleṣeṇa vanaṁ padminīṁ ānaya padminẏāḥ duḥke bhavatīnāmavadhānam eva kāraṇam - "Why are you causing this golden lotus to suffer by keeping ḥer out of the forest (water)? You are the cause of Her distress! A Rādhā-lotus is sure to suffer outside of Śyāma-water!"
8.27 Madhusūdana Vācaspati elaborates on the mūla śloka: "Wherever there's a true hearts' meeting, the two hearts are tied into one. As soon as one heart is hit, the other one will reverberate. Thus Rādhā experiences Kṛṣṇa's pain of separation at every stage and experiences even His slightest heartache. Therefore the joy She felt from the scent of His forest garland at once vanished."
8.28 Madhusūdana Vācaspati elaborates on the mūla śloka: "Rādhā's strong eagerness gradually crossed the borders of Her gravity and became like a powerful river that filled up the lake of Her heart." Ref. Rāy Śekhar's padāvalī, song nr. 50
8.30 Ref. Rāy Śekhar song nr.53
8.31 I forgot to include here bhallabhāṇi priyāṇi, 'The sweets are very dear to the gopīs too.'
8.33 Ref. Rāy Śekhar song nr.57
8.34 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma ṭīkā - kanaka srak yathā jaḍatayā paravaśā tathā iyam apīti bhāvaḥ - "Just as the golden garland is dependent and subservient, due to being material, so is this (Priyatamā)."
8.36 In the footnote is a sweet song by Prasād ḍās, but unfortunately I am unable to fully figure it out. It is about Kṛṣṇa's feelings of separation, His swoon, His fluteplaying and His meeting with Rādhikā.
8.40 Madhusūdana comments it is an autumn moonlight.
8.44 I forgot to translate here 'āpa āpurapi nimnagāśritā yajjaḍatva mihakā vicitratā' (The translation of this line was clearly mentioned in Rādhikānāth Gosvāmī's Bengali translation, shame on me!)" The current of the powerful Yamunā has also become stunned? Isn't that amazing?" Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma adds:"If Sarasvatī ends up in such a condition in misunderstanding the meaning of the word 'go', then is it very amazing that downward-flowing rivers become stunned?"
8.46 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma, Rādhikānātha Gosvāmī and Madhusūdana Vācaspati have all given elaborate translations to this verse, which I originally translated with just one sentence. This is what they write (translated from the Bengali translation of Madhusūdana): "Sakhi! Is this the glory of Muralīdhara (Kṛṣṇa) or the astonishing power of the flute itself? This is not to Muralīdhārī's credit, because the flute-song "Hey cows,come!" is not a throat-sound - it doesn't wait for the wish of its employer Muralīdhara - just see how powerfully it creates awe (sambhrama) in everyone, by explaining the meaning of the word 'go' as meaning 'the earth', etc., with its inebriating power, totally independently! Or this word 'go' can be taken as a mere throat sound without any second meaning and is simply giving its own meaning beyond the control of its employer - 'Kṛṣṇa is calling me', causing complete (samyak) illusion (bhrama, together forming the word sambhrama mentioned in the śloka). The Alaṅkārikas call the ability of one word to have different meanings 'śakti', but the alternate meaning of a word is only understood through vyañjanā (suggestion). This is not to the credit of Vaṁśīdhārī but of the amazing power (or multi-interpretations) of the word (go)!"
8.47 "And look! The cows understood the purport of the speaker through abhidhā (the mukhya artha or main, obvious meaning of a word). Thinking: 'He is calling us!', they blissfully prick up their ears towards Him and reply to Him with their bellowing!" The pun of this verse wasn't understood by me either at the time. The verses deal with the various layers of understanding of a word explain in the Kavya scriptures.
A song from Pada Kalpataru is added as a footnote to verses 48-49 by an unknown author:

muralīra ālāpane, pavana bohiyā śune, yamunā bohoi ujāna.
nā cole rabira ratha, bājī nā dekhaye path, darabaya dāruṇapāṣāṇa -

'As soon as the wind carried Kṛṣṇa's flute song the Yamunā began to flow upstream and the sun's chariot stopped, since its horses had lost the way. The hardest stones melted."

śuniyā muralīdhvani, dhyāna chāḍe joto muni, japa tapa kichu nāhi bhāy.
tṛṇa-mukhe dhenu joto, ūrdhva mukhe herato, bāchure dugdha nāhi khāy"

Hearing the flute-sound the Munis gave up their meditations and lost interest in their japa and tapa. The cows left their grass unchewed within their mouths, their heads raised, and their calves stopped drinking the milk from their udders."

8.49 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: "When She heard the Muralī resound, many sweet waves of bliss and passion billowed in Śrī Rādhā's heart. Wherever She cast Her glance She perceived the vast impact of this sound, and moment by moment She experienced delusion, paralysis and astonishment. With a voice filled with astonishment She said: (Follows regular verse translation)
8.52 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma ṭīkā: āsāṁ tu muralī iti asmākaṁ tāsāñca phalataḥ sāmyam iti dhvaniḥ "We gopīs are stopped by our husbands but these does by the flute. As a result we end up in an equal situation."
8.53 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: "The sakhīs that accompanied Śrī Rādhikā also became astonished beholding the amazing strenght of the flute-sound. Their hearts became covered with joy and astonishment. Lalitā then said with trembling voice: (Follows regular translation)
8.55 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma ṭīkā: tathā cācintya yogamāyayā kṛtāt sthāna-saṅkocād eva tatra jagmur ityarthaḥ "Through her inconceivable power Yogamāyā contracted the place (shrank Vraja bhūmi) for the gopīs so that they could reach the kuñja in time, despite their paralysis."
8.56 Ref. Rāy Śekhara song nr.56
8.60 Madhusūḍana Vācaspati adds: "When the sun rises Madhusūdana (a bumblebee, or Kṛṣṇa) thinks his beloved lotus-flower will surely be in the water of a nearby pond (Rādhākuṇḍa), surrounded by alis (bees or sakhīs), (Follows regular translation).
8.62 A better translation would have been: "Just as the devatās can read the minds of the humans, similarly Kṛṣṇa's dear pal Madhumaṅgala could read Kṛṣṇa's mind" (follows regular translation):
8.70 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: "A garland of clouds in the form of Śyāma's body is accomplishing the beauty of the forest grounds and it showers the Rādhā-lake with the nectar shower of its luster, so that it becomes filled with sweet water and attains ghūrṇā (dizziness or whirlpools). As the forest is thus beautified and the lakes filled with water and whirlpools, the thirst for this nectar is only increased by it, rather than quenched. This is exactly how Rādhā experiences the sweetness of Śyāmasundara's cloud-like luster.
8.71 Ref. Rāy Śekhara song nr.60

As in Govinda Līlāmṛta, in Kṛṣṇa Bhāvanāmṛta also the pūrva-rāga, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa's ever increasing eagerness before the midday-midday, is described in chapter 8. Govinda Līlāmṛta's chapter 8 is so fascinating it can simply not be superseded and Viśvanātha indeed did not manage that, though he did try very hard.

Chapter Nine

9.1 Kṛṣṇadeva ṣārvabhauma adds: pakṣe kusumeṣu kandarpas tatra 'Not only your desire for picking flowers (kusumeṣu) will be fulfilled but also Your amorous (kusumeṣu= Cupid, the flower-archer) desires.' Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds that this verse is spoken not by any sakhī but by Viśākhā.
9.2 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma adds: atra ānandājjātaṁ jāḍyādikaṁ bhaya-janyatvena khyāpayati balad iti "You don't shiver of fear but of ecstasy (because Kṛṣṇa is approaching)." Madhusūdana adds to Rādhā's reply: "Just as Your doe-like eyes are restless, so you are too - I can see it!"
9.4 Should have been in plural case: kintu prācīnāparādha-vaśāt asmāsu saruṣā iva vidhātrā ayaṁ lampaṭaḥ sādhvī vratarūpāndhakārasya dhvaṁsana etc."But due to offences committed in the past Fate has become as if angry with us, so this debauch is now ravishing our vows of chastity...."
My original translation wasn't so good altogether. This is how Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma explains it: yaḥ sūrya-rūpaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sarvāḥ padminīḥ pakṣe vrajasundarīḥmukha mudraṇād virahitāḥ arthāt praphullāḥ kṛtvā tāḥ padminīḥ svasmin āsaktā iti pravāda mātraṁ loke nayan nandati sukhaṁ prāpnoti. tena padminīnāṁ yathādūra sthitenaiva sūryeṇa pravāda mātraṁ na tu saṅga iti dṛṣṭānta sūcitenānurāgeṇa sthāyinā tṛṣṇātireko dhvanitaḥ "That sun-like Kṛṣṇa causes all the lotus-like gopīs to blossom (mukha mudraṇāḍ virahitāḥ is just the opposite of what ī translated originally, it means opening, not closing). This is however just popular hearsay (loke pravāda) that serves to delight common people. In fact the sun is very far away from the lotus flowers, they cannot really unite with him. Can I ever in this life unite with my beloved?" This utterance shows Rādhā's sthāyibhāva of anurāga."
9.6 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: "The waves of ecstasy caused by their seeing Kṛṣṇa were so powerful that they swiftly eroded the sand-dyke of false anger."
9.7 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma explains: rasena jalena pakṣe śṛṅgāra-rasenāplutāntaratayā – “They were thus inundated by a flood of śṛṅgāra (amorous) rasa.”
9.8 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: "Their patience was flushed away like blades of grass on a current of nectar."
9.9 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma explains: ānanda-jāḍyena tāsāṁ prati-vācam aprāpya - "He did not get a reply from the gopīs because they were stunned of ecstasy."
9.14 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma: "puṣpeṣu means 'We are eager to pick flowers' or: 'We are eager to engage in the sports of the flower-archer Cupid."
9.15 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma: vāmya ityanena krīḍā-samaye vāmyaṁ na kartavyam atrāpi śapathaṁ kuruteti bhāvaḥ. Kṛṣṇa means to say here: "You must take an oath that during the time of love-making you will not resist!"
9.18 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: "I will test your fidelity to your husbands in this kunja!"
9.20 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: "Kṛṣṇa was not at all taken aback by this show of force by Lalitā. He did not budge an inch, rather He began to proudly taunt her: (follows regular translation) vigata śaṅka means 'You lost all fear'
9.21 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: 'Lalitā was angry like a trampled snake. She said: 'You are always frightening innocent women, but that won't work with me - I am not like them, look - I am Lalitā!"
9.23 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: 'Each word of the crown-jewel of rasikas Śrī Kṛṣṇa caused a fountain of delight within Rādhā's heart, but externally She pretended to be angry, so She said: "(follows regular translation). Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma comments: tasyā me mama śreṣṭha dharma vartmani ratāḥ sadā nikaṭe sthirā imāḥ sakhyaḥ. pakṣe atanoḥ kandarpasya dharma vartmani ratāḥ "atanu dharma means the path of the greatest virtue or the path of erotic practises."
9.27 All directions were inundated by the sweet waves of Śrī Rādhā's moon-like, uncovered face.
9.28 Was completely misunderstood by me back in '88, though I must say in my defence that it was a sweltering hot Vṛndāvana-summer and the translation of Rādhikānātha Gosvāmī leaves room for misunderstanding. Madhusūdana's translation is clearer: "At that time Rādhikā's wild unkempt hairlocks above Her moon-like face enchanted Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who thought to Himself (Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma starts his ṭīkā with 'snāna samaye śrīkṛṣṇasya vitarkam āha' Śrī Kṛṣṇa wonders during (His or Her) bath.' This makes little sense at this point of the aṣṭakāla līlā, where there is no question of bathing.) "Oh how sweet! This mass of darkness is not destroyed by the spotless full moon shining under it! It should be destroyed by that pure moonlight. Then what, has the darkness defeated the moonlight in combat and is now ruling over him? No, no - that is also not possible, for though the moonlight is situated under the darkness it shines with full force. Can a loser ever shine with such amazing beauty? Or perhaps they have made friends? No, if that were so there wouldn't be one above the other. That'd be totally improper - they should then stay on equal levels. Then did the dvija-rāja (best of brahmins or the moon) accept the service of tama (darkness)? That would be very embarrassing. Brahmins are in the mode of goodness, it would be embarrassing for them to accept servitude to tama."
9.29 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: "Again, when Kṛṣṇa beheld the sweetness of Rādhā's eyes, that were half closed due to bashfulness, He thought to Himself:" (Follows regular translation)
9.30 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma adds: atra ekasya pāna kartṛtvaṁ anyasya mattatā aparasya vivaśatā anyasya sukhitāityetair asaṅgatyalaṅkāraḥ sūcitaḥ "One sakhī drank honey-wine (of this vision), another was already inebriated, another was overwhelmed and another was in bliss. This indicates the asaṅgata alaṅkāra."
9.33 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: "Śrī Rādhā cast sidelong reddened with external (feigned) anger at Kṛṣṇa and asked with an examining voice: (Follows regular translation)
9.34 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: (Kṛṣṇa said:) "Afterwards You can examine My expertise in this fruitive sacrifice of Cupid!"
9.35 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: 'Hearing these funny and rasika words of her cousin-in-law, Kundalatā beams a spotless smile around her cherry-like lips." (Follows regular translation)
9.36 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: "Hearing these very intimate jokes of Kundalatā Śrī Rādhā bloomed of love and said:" (Follows regular translation)
9.37 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: "Waves of ecstatic love played in the hearts of the sakhīs and with an excited voice Viśākhā said: "Priyasakhi Rādhe! Let's first test the expertise in Cupid's sacrifice of this crown-jewel of crooks through Kundalatā!"
9.39 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma adds: svena kartavyasya karmaṇaḥ parīkṣārthaṁ svasakhīḥ prārthayati ataḥ sva mukhenaivasambhoga prārthanā kṛteti tāsāṁ hāsye kāraṇam "She is asking Her own girlfriend to get tested, which is a roundabout way of asking for Her own enjoyment. That is the cause of the sakhīs smiling."

9.40 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: Viśākhā's lips bloom with a smile as she says: "Rādhe! If you go to test that mantra then who will protect You? Until now only indifference has been Your protectress...."(continues regular translation) "...I see You feel heartache now that indifference can not protect You anymore...." Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma adds: kintu sāhāyyaṁ karotīti vyutpattyā siddhaḥ agre eṣa sahakāraḥ āmravṛkṣas tava avitā rakṣitā bhavitā ata ekānte sahakāra kuñjaṁśaraṇaṁ vraja "The word sahakāra (mango) is derived from sahāyya (assistant or protector). Thus this mango grove in front of You will surely protect You. Or: If You desire Your own welfare, or: if you want to be immersed in the nectar-ocean of bliss of intercourse, then enter that grove without delay!"
9.45 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: "When ṣhe heard Nāndīmukhī's words, Śrī Rādhā was tossed about on the waves of doubt and was scorched by flames of suffering. At each moment Her full-moon face was covered by foul clouds of lamentation. With anxious eyes She looked eagerly towards Lalitā for consolation. Out of pride Her lips pouted and trembled but She was unable to produce a sound. (Follows regular translation) Last sentence should have been: "Would any wise person leave an ocean of nectar (sudhāmbu) to go anywhere else?"
9.49 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma says: āli-śreṇīr api mohayan san "Not only should you delude Rādhā but also Her girlfriends!"
9.51 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma says: anyā capalā cañcalā iva ghanarucer nibiḍa spṛhasya te aṅkaṁ rādhikā kiṁ samārokṣyati. pakṣe ghana rucer megha sadṛśasyacapalā vidyud iveti bhaṅgyā āśvāsa eva kṛtaḥ 'Should Rādhikā just sit on the lap of a cloud (ghana-ruci means cloud or intense desire)?' Pun: Paurṇamāsī consoles Kṛṣṇa: "The pastimes of a lightning strike are observed near a cloud, so the Rādhā-lightning will surely shine beautifully near You cloud-like one!"
9.52 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: "Hearing this, Kṛṣṇa was tossed between hope and despair, and between joy and sorrow. Then He went home. Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma adds: patrīsthāṁ vārtāṁ na jānāmītyarthaḥ (Nāndīmukhī said:) "I don't know what is written in the letter."
9.53 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: "Hearing this, Śrī Rādhā told Her girlfriends in astonishment and agitation: (Follows regular translation). I made a mistake here. tatraiva sūryārcitam means 'We will do sūrya pūjā at home today" instead of 'and then do our sūrya pūjā'.
9.55 Madhusūdana Vācaspati adds: "Nāndī's bold words left Śrī Rādhā a bit embarrassed. Nevertheless She replied with a sarcastic voice: (Follows regular translation)
9.56 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma interprets vana to be ocean, because the moon actually rises from the ocean "The moon suddenly rose from the horizon of the blue ocean" Madhusūdana translates. Kṛṣṇadeva adds further: jyeṣṭha māsīya sūryajāpi suṣamā sambhrānteti citram. mantrabala-bhāk ataevātiśaya śobhā-pūrṇaḥ sa -"On the strenght of this mantra japa Kṛṣṇa has attained a beauty like the powerful sun in June (scorching sun in Indian summer)."
9.59 yāntīṁ means Rādhā was going to the kuñja.
9.62 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma adds in the ṭīkā: gavāṁ nārāyaṇasya śapathaḥ - 'Rādhikā took oaths on the cows and Lord Nārāyaṇa again and again."
9.63 Madhusūdana Vācaspati and Kṛṣṇādeva Sārvabhauma say that Rādhā initially would not 'let Cupid show his skill in dancing" (resisted), but Madhusūdana forgets to translate that Kṛṣṇa bit Her cherry like lips while abducting Her.
9.65 According to Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma the word nabhinna (I translated it as "undifferentiated") means that the pastimes of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa are totally different from mundane lusty affairs and non-different from transcendental love. Sārvabhauma quotes the verse 'premaiva gopa-rāmāṇāṁ kāma ityagamat prathām'.

Kṛṣṇa Bhāvanāmṛta chapter 4-7

Chapter Four:
4.19 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma comments: meghaiḥ sahasā dṛśyantaram āha - "Just as clouds are always different, Rādhā's bodily luster always looks different to the sakhīs."
4.36 aguruṁ guru rahitaṁ yad dhūmakulaṁ malinaṁ kulaṁ guru-svarūpaṁ keśaṁ īśvaraṁ bhajat. Instead of saying, like Rādhikānāth Gosvāmī, that a jīva can ascend to Vaikuṇṭha without a Guru, Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma says that low class people without a Guru can reach Vaikuṇṭha by worshipping the ḷord (directly). Even this is controversial though.
4.56 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma comments: nanu bho lalite! aṅgānāṁ madhye śreṣṭhābhyāmāvābhyāṁ kathaṁ ratnādikaṁ vihāyaañjanaṁ dattaṁ tatrāha vāṁ yuvayoḥ kṛṣṇaruci drave tṛṣṇāyuktāvagamāt kṛṣṇarucidravo mayā arpitaḥ. (ṭhe kajjal said:) "Bho Lalite! We are the best of Rādhikā's limbs, so why instead of ornamenting us with jewels and so, are you smearing this ink on us?" (Lalitā replied:) "Both of you increase Kṛṣṇa ruci (Kṛṣṇa's taste for Rādhikā), so I offered this Kṛṣṇa-ruci (black substance) to you." This obviously inspired Rādhikānāth Gosvāmī to write his own comment about the ink and the jewels.
4.75 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma comments: koṇa-yugaṁ yasyāḥ tena droṇī catuṣkoṇaiva bhavati iyaṁ dvikoṇeti viśeṣaḥ "Normally a basket is square, with four corners, but this one has just two corners."
4.89 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma comments: yathā yathā hārāḥ kramaśo lambamānā nānā varṇamayaśca tathā tathā kucayoḥ śobheti jñeyaṁ "On whatever part of the breasts the jewel necklace hangs, it shows beauty of various colours."
4.99 Madhusūdan Vācaspati adds (in connection with the priya sakhīs' rasa kathā): "Those who are agitated by thirst wont find relief by hearing the words 'water water', rather their thirst will double."
4.103 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma and Madhusūdana Vācaspati both comment that the ornaments lick Rādhā's bodily luster.

Chapter Five:
5.14 Rādhikānāth Gosvāmī's pun about alam-paṭi (Rādhā's cloth becoming useless) is not found in any of the earlier commentaries. This also goes for his pun at 5.32 about Giridhārī holding Rādhā's breasts.
5.37 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma comments: akhilā āśā diśo yasya saḥ gaura-nīla dyutītyanena prayāgaḥ sūcyate. Madhusūdana translates this as follows: "The golden glow of Kṛṣṇa's cloth and the blue glow of ḥis body resemble the meeting of Yamunā and Gaṅgā at Prayāga."
5.41 Seeing Rādhā's upset face, clever Lalitā could easily understand Her heart's deep feelings, but still she laughed and spoke these words of consolation: "Dear friend! Out of fear of having to pass by that Casanova Your vine-like body trembles and is studded with goosebumps. ṭear-drops well from ẏour lotus-like eyes."
5.42 Madhusūdana Vācaspati elaborates on the mūla śloka: "After this, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa cross the path of Each others eyes - perceiving the treasure of Each other's meditation. How beautiful is the symptom of Their love - dearer than life! Kṛṣṇa beholds the life-delighting sweet form of Rādhā to ḥis heart's content. The more He looks the more He rejoices. Bewildered by astonishment He thinks:"Oh how wonderful! What a peerlessly sweet beauty!" Rādhā also stares without blinking at the world-enchanting sweetness of Her heart's lover, who destroys the pride of Cupid, and becomes absorbed (in it)."
5.44 Madhusūdana Vācaspati elaborates on the mūla śloka: "The closer Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa got to Each other the more shy and scared ṭhey got. ḷove of Kṛṣṇa is naturally crooked - inside there is a wave of joy, while outside there is bashfulness and resistance."
5.45 Madhusūdana Vācaspati elaborates on the mūla śloka: "With bewildered eyes Kṛṣṇa beheld Rādhā's sweetness,extracted from millions of moons. Suddenly the object of His meditation peeked at Him from the corners of Her love-crooked eyes, telling Him so many pitiful stories of passion from Her inner heart. Understanding this, Kṛṣṇa became stunned of loving absorption. When He returned to His senses somewhat, ḥe saw -
5.51 Madhusūdana Vācaspati elaborates on the mūla śloka: "Nanda Mahārāja made inner quarters in case Kṛṣṇa Balarāma would marry. In the south eastern-corner is the bedroom of Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa and in the north-western corner the inner chamber of Nanda Mahārāja."
5.66 Madhusūdana Vācaspati elaborates on the mūla śloka: "Kṛṣṇa served His voice, which defies the sound of (His) flute in the cup of Rādhā's ears. The Vīṇā of Rādhā's heart at once resounded when She heard the beautiful sound of Her hearts lover's voice."

Chapter Six:
6.12 The two lakes are Rādhākuṇḍa and Śyāmakuṇḍa, the mount is Girirāja Govardhana.
6.13 Kṛṣṇadeva Sarvabhauma comments: ujjvalaḥ śṛṅgāraḥ - Ujjvala means the amorous rasa.
6.53 The unknown commentator in the footnotes quotes ślokas from the Sāhitya Darpaṇa and Alaṅkāra Kaustubha to explain vyañjana vṛtti: "If the meaning of a word cannot be clearly revealed through abhidhā (the primary meaning of a word) and lakṣaṇā śakti, another śakti is needed to understand it, and that is vyañjana." (lakṣaṇā in Monier Williams: "aiming at, aim, object, view ḥariv. indication, elliptical expression, use of a word for another word with a cognate meaning (as of "head"' for "intellect"'), indirect or figurative sense of a word (one of its three Arthas, the other two being abhidhā‚ or proper sense, and vyañjanā‚ or suggestive sense with sāropā, the placing of a word in its figurative sense in apposition to another in its proper sense).
6.72 Madhusūdana Vācaspati elaborates on the mūla śloka: (Śrīdāma tells Madhumangala:) "This enjoyment is only for vaiśyas and kṣatriyas - not for tapasvī brāhmaṇas (like you)!"
6.82 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma comments: vastutastu vā vikalpe naratvam iti vyutpattyā vānarasyāpi naratvaṁ vartate. Madhusūdana translates: "Just as Baṭu (the brahmin Madhumangala) has in fact a human side (naratva), similarly alternatively (vikalpe) one can add (vyutpatti) the prefix 'vā' to that, in which way even a monkey can become (appear) like a human being."
6.116 Madhusūdana Vācaspati elaborates on the mūla śloka in the end of his translation: "Aha! Then wave after wave of the nectar-juice of uninterrupted sambhogānanda sprang from the scorching desert of separation!"

Chapter Seven:
7.25 A footnote gives the Sāhitya Darpaṇa's definition of vyaṅgya - vācyo haryo'bhidhayā bodhyo lakṣyolakṣẏaṇayā mataḥ vyaṅyo vañjanayā tāḥ syus trisraḥ śabdasya śaktayaḥ. "The meaning understood from abhidhā is vācya, from lakṣaṇā is lakṣya and from vyañjanā is vyaṅgya."
7.33 It is unlikely that a gopī would speak like that to her mother-in-law.

Kṛṣṇa Bhāvanāmṛta ch.1-3

Book review - Śrī Kṛṣṇa Bhāvanāmṛta by Viśvanātha Cakravartipāda.
Published by Bhṛgunāth Mishra, Vrindavan, 2007

To my knowledge, this is the first Bengali edition of Kṛṣṇa Bhāvanamṛta since the one of Rādhikānāth Gosvami from 1903 (not counting its partial inclusion in the Bhāvanā Sāra Saṅgraha from Haribol Kutir in the 1970s), though some years ago I saw pamphlets on the walls of Rādhākund advertising a new Bengali edition available from Gopīnāth Gherā in Vrindāvan. However, I never got my hands on that one. This most excellent edition is packed with extras - a Sanskrit ṭīkā by Viśvanātha's disciple Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma and many elaborate footnotes with padānuvādas from all the famous padakartās like Govinda Dās, Uddhava Dās and Rāy Śekhar, definitions from the rasa śāstras and elaborate descriptions of all the sakhīs, sakhās, pitās and mātās of Vraja. The Bengali verse prose translation dates from 1919 and is done by Madhusūdan Vācaspati, aka Madhusūdan Dās Adhikārī, who also wrote commentaries on Rādhārasa Sudhānidhi, partly translated by yours truly. Many comments in the footnotes are from an unknown source but it is presumed that they are also from Madhusūdan Vācaspati. For properly understanding the following notes it is highly recommended to have a copy of my English translation of Kṛṣṇa Bhavanamrita at hand.

I personally think that Viśvanātha's puns linking madhura līlā with jñāna and yoga in chapter two are not so attractive and inciting.

Kṛṣṇadeva Sarvabhauma comments on 3.4: rādhāyāḥ svatantra vāsa-sthānaṁ - "Vṛṣabhānu Mahārāja made a mansion for Rādhā's independent residence (on the yard of Abhimanyu)."

3.8 sarvādau peṭikodghaṭanañca vastrālaṅkārādi darśanārtham. tāsāṁ svabhāva eva - "It is the nature of the kinkaris to first open the trunk to check the garments and ornaments."

3.10 remains troublesome to me - vyatividhāna mitho'vadhāyi - "The brahmins and the cows compete in outsounding each other - in the end no one can hear each other anymore." Seems distressful and reminds me of modern India.

3.13 Carries a footnote about Mukharā - 'She is a friend of Pātlā, Yaśodā's mother, and used to affectionately breastfeed Yaśodā. (That is from Rādhā-kṛṣṇa gaṇoddeśa dīpikā 1.43)

Due to this parental affection Mukharā daily comes to see Kṛṣṇa at Nandālaya. Mukharā's husband is called Bindugopa." (This may be from Kṛṣṇadās Bābājī of Kusum-sarovara)

3.14 pītavasanaṁ vīkṣyāpi rādhā lajjitā bhaviṣyatīti śaṅkayā - "Though she does see the yellow cloth Mukharā does not say anything about the yellow cloth so as not to embarrass Rādhā."

3.15 Footnote (source unknown): "In most other writings Paurṇamāsī wakes up Rādhā, but that is because the līlā differs per day."

3.18 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma comments that, although Śyāmalā is an independent yūtheśvarī, still the wheat of her joy can only flourish through her meeting with Rādhā. The anonymous commentator classifies her as a suhṛt pakṣa sakhī, though she is a friend of Candrāvalī's. In his tīkā on the first verse of Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī writes there are three kinds of Vrajagopīs - avara-mukhyā, madhyama mukhyā and parama mukhyā. Śyāmalā belongs to the middle class, Rādhā to the top class. atha madhyama mukhyābhyām āha kalite ātmasātkṛte śyāmā śyāmalā lalitā ca.

Rādhākṛṣṇa Gaṇoddeśa Dīpikā says: suhṛt pakṣatayā khyātā śyāmalā mangalādayaḥ "Śyāmalā and Maṅgalā belong to the friendly party."

3.19 Madhusūdana Dāsa Adhikārī comments that due to the joy of meeting Śyāmalā, Rādhā completely forgets Her nocturnal pastimes with Kṛṣṇa, but I doubt this.

3.23 Here is an elaborate footnote on sthāyībhāva and anurāga. Quoting from Alaṅkāra Kaustubha and Ujjvala Nīlamaṇi.3.25 Madhusūdana Dāsa Adhikārī writes: "Hearing priya-sakhī Śyāmalā's words, Rādhā shyly stares at ḥer own chest and sees that actually the karāgra-kalā (moonbeams or nailmarks) of the full kalā-kauśala (moon or artful Kṛṣṇa) are there, illuminated by Her vilāsa, beautifying Her breasts. Taking this as evidence confirming Śyāmalā's words, She laughs and speaks (then follows the regular translation of verse 25):

3.26 Rādhikānātha Gosvāmī's addition that a sadācārī doesn't do anything before his morning bath is confirmed by Kṛṣṇadeva Sarvabhauma's ṭīkā.

3.29 A sūtradhāra is someone who, after the recitation of the maṅgalācaraṇa or Nāndī-verse, circumambulates the stage and recites a brief synopsis of the drama.

3.32 Mādhurikā: ṣhe belongs to Raṅgadevī's yūtha, and is thus one of the 64 priya sakhīs (8 sakhīs of the aṣṭasakhīs, 8x8=64, ed.)

3.35 The mantra : 'avyād ajo'ṅghri maṇimān' originates from S.B 10.6.19.

3.37 According to the Harivamsa Rohiṇī was Kaśyapa's wife Surabhī in the last life - devakī rohiṇī ceme vasudevasyadhīmataḥ rohiṇī surabhīr devī aditir devakī hyabhūt. (Unknown commentator:) "To accomplish Kṛṣṇa's nikuñja vilāsa and Rāsa līlā in Vṛndāvana there is Vṛndā, but for the full accomplishments of goṣṭha- and vana-līlās there is Paurṇamāsī."

3.38 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma comments: rāmasya baladevasya gūḍhārtaśca ca rāmāyā ambareṇa - "Paurṇamāsī means the cloth of Rāmā (Rādhā), but Yaśodā thinks she means the cloth of Rāma (Balarāma).

3.41 Madhusūdana Vācaspati says that Madhumangala has a red glow, but Rūpa Gosvāmī says he is śyāma.

3.56 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma comments: uṣṇīṣe śekharīkṛtaḥ kānaka sūtrajālaḥ torarā iti khyātaḥ suvarṇa nirmita sūtra samūhaḥ - ṭhe golden string-net on Kṛṣṇa's turban is called torarā.

3.60 Kṛṣṇadeva Sārvabhauma comments: cāru sundaraṁ tavaiva mukhaṁ yena tad guṇān kathayasi. ramaṇya iti tā eva ramante vayaṁ tu sadaiva duḥkiṇya - 'ṣince you speak of Kṛṣṇa's beautiful attributes you are called cārumukhī. ḹe are, however, always unhappy."

Four levels of speech in Bhāgavat confirmed

In a letter today, my friend Kṛṣṇadās provided authoritative comments on the Bhāgavata that prove the four levels of speech (discussed in my blog of February 28) are actually meant in the Bhāgavata verses quoted to me earlier by Satya-nārāyan Prabhu, though they are not literally mentioned there:

SB 11.12.17: sa eva jīvo vivara-prasutiḥ prāṇena ghoṣena guhaṁ praviṣṭaḥ manomayaṁ sūkṣmam upetya rūpaṁ mātra svaro varṇa iti - "According to the ṭīkā of Śrīdhara Swāmī, ghoṣena refers to parākhya vāk, manomayam to paśyanti, sūkṣma to madhyama and words mātra, svara and varṇa to vaikhari."

Śrīdhara Swāmī comments to SB 11.21.36: prathamam prāṇa-mayaṁ parākhyaṁ tato manomayam paśyantyākhyam, tata indriyamayaṁ madhyamākhyam – “Prāṇa refers to the supreme sound of parā, then comes the mental level of paśyantī and then the sensual madhyama.”

The texts, along with the Haribhakti Vilāsa verses on pramāda japa mentioned earlier on my blog (January 31), are added to my essay 'The art of japa' on www.madangopal.com (linktab 'Articles')

Gaura vs Rāhu

Gaurapurnima 2007 coincides with an eclipse, so from 6 p.m deity service and prasāda is to be stopped. So, since breaking fast is exactly at 6 p.m., one either has to fast until the next morning or have the prasāda 'contaminated' by Rāhu. As a compromise I decide to break fast at 5.30 p.m., still a bit around dusk, and just before the onset of the eclipse. I cook a 'feast' for Rādhācaran and Kṛṣṇamayī and do abhiṣeka with them as well. Then, fearing contamination by Rāhu, I was supposed to do a vigil from 6 p.m to 3 a.m. as well. Well, you know there are limits for a 51-year old 29-year sādhaka. Just look at it: 1-2 February - vigil (plane flight), 2-5 February jetlag, 14 February Ekādaśī, 16 February Śiva Rātri (24 hour vigil and fast. Scrapped the former deliberately, the latter accidentally). 27 February Ekādaśī, 3/4 March Gaura Pūrṇimā + eclipse - Full fast till dusk (observed, without eating 1 kg of potatoes at noon, like most of my fellow rāgānugaites), eclipse vigil (scrapped deliberately, slept from 6.30 p.m to 3.30 a.m. instead). Coming up: 5/6 March vigil in airport and plane, 6-11 March jetlag, 14 March Ekadashi, etc..

I did stay indoors during the eclipse, though. What about the story of Sārvabhauma eating prasāda brought by Mahāprabhu before mangal ārati and His morning bath? What about the Puranik verse that says that considering prasādā to be contaminated brings one to eternal hell? What about the fact that we Vaiṣṇavas are surrendered to Lokanāth (Viṣṇu), the Lord of all planets, including Rāhu? Nirañjan Bābu told me that during the eclipse we just 'chant and afterwards take a bath'.

(For the record, I do support and follow all Vaiṣṇava vratas)

Four levels of speech, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa prema

Back in Vrindavan I visit the Jiva Institute, where I find my friend Krishnadas leaving to Delhi and then Slowakia. We speak briefly on the four levels of speech, since I have the impression that Sanskrit nouns are non-different from the objects they describe; but I get the full scope inside from Satya-nārāyan Prabhu. As usual it is all in the Bhāgavata, no need to browse through any Sāhitya-śāstra. The Bhāgavat 11.12.17, 11.21.36 and 12.6.37-40 explain that there are four levels of speech - vaikhārika (vocal, the most gross vibration), madhyama, paśyantī (words perceived on mental stages) and parā, which is only perceived by Ṛṣis and yogīs. This is connected with Haribhakti Vilāsa's teaching of the vācik, upāṁśu and mānasik japa, the vācik being equal to the vaikhārik speech. Above the vaikhārika level the words are non-different from the objects they describe.

Satya-nārāyan Prabhu says about nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa prema sādhya kabhu noy  that this verse speaks about nitya siddhas only, not about sādhakas like us. Otherwise there would be no sense in the verse guru kṛṣṇa prasāde pāy bhakti latā bīja. 'He gets the seed of devotion by the grace of Guru and Kṛṣṇa'. He confirms that hlādinī is the missing ānanda in the svarūpa of the jīva and that it is an external gift. He quotes the verse nitya siddhasya bhāvasya from the Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu (1.2.2) - this is the goal, the nitya siddha bhāva, it is not to be achieved artificially. Bhakti is guru kṛṣṇa prasāda. Then he quotes sevonmukhe hi jihvādau from Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu, too (the last 2 sentences are to be found in Mukunda Goswāmī's ṭīkā of BRS 1.2.2) and gives the examples of Gajendra and Bharata as a deer - they had animal tongues, but since they had a desire to chant the name of Kṛṣṇa, svayam eva sphuratyadaḥ - all this became spontaneously manifest. So the addition of hlādinī, or ānanda, completes the sac-cid-ānanda of the jīva. Otherwise, there are so many mundane meanings of the word ānanda as well. That is not what is meant here. ānanda is hlādinī.

Bhṛgunāth Miśra, who published the new Bengali Kṛṣṇa Bhāvanāmṛta, is not a Bengali himself; he does not know the svarūpas of Vṛndā, Mādhurikā, Paurṇamāsī, etc., mentioned in the footnotes to the book. He says they are 85 years old, from the time of Madhusūdan Dās Adhikārī, but is not sure whether it is he who added the footnotes at the time.

Iṣṭagoṣṭhī with Mahānidhi Swāmī (2)

To show appreciation for his generous dakṣiṇā I visit Mahānidhi Swāmī to present him with 2 copies of my Pañcakam book. He asks me about the dormant state of siddha svarūpa, mentioning the 10th paragraph of the Prīti Sandarbha (vasanti yatra puruṣāḥ sarve vaikuṇṭha mūrtaya). I explain that the word vasanti (they reside) is in present tense, which is proof of eternity for Jīva Goswāmī. Anyway, the siddha-svarūpa must be constitutionally eternal, and yet at the same time our conditioning is also beginningless (sei jīva anādi bahirmukha). We originate from Maha-viṣṇu only in the sense that we are stored in His giant form during the time of pralaya, not that we 'originate' as/in a beginning-point from Him or anyone for that matter.

I point out that the stage of bhāva is described in the famous Bhāgavat verse 1.2.21

bhidyate hṛdaya granthis chidyante sarva saṁśayaḥ

kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi dṛṣṭa evātmanīśvare

'The knot in the heart is severed, all doubts are destroyed, all karmika reactions are gone, and one sees the Lord in one's self.' This is svarūpa-realization.

He asks me if I take disciples, so tell him of Bābā's final edict on this and that the new followers will all be Bābā's śiṣyas only, to which I will provide the śikṣā and Tapan Dā the dīkṣā. I tell him though that its unlikely many people will join, because we are so..... He fills me in 'occidental'. Yes, occidental. (Meaning we are too occidental, my lineage too oriental)

Iṣṭagoṣṭhī with Mahānidhi Swāmī

Saturday afternoon I visit Mahānidhi Swāmi in his small but costly estate at the edge of Rādhākund.

When I enter the room he's reading to some śiṣyas from a new book by Śivaram Swāmi about Kṛṣṇa's meeting with the gopīs at Kurukṣetra.

I tell him I don't believe that the soul is sac-cid-ānanda, but only sat and cit. He quotes Navadwīp Dās in his intro to Bhakti Sandarbha, that the jīva is taṭastha śakti and bhakti is swarup-śakti; thus bhakti is infused, not intrinsic. I confirm it by quoting CC -

brahmāṇḍa bhramite kon bhāgyavān jīva

 guru-kṛṣṇa prasāde pāy bhaktilatā bīja. 

Every word is significant here - kon means some, not all. pāy means 'he gets', not that it's intrinsic, its coming from outside. prasād means that it is not deserved, but is causeless grace. One cannot work in advance to attain it. Only in this way the verse nitya siddha kṛṣṇa prem sādhya kabhu noy can be understood. I tell him how great Bhānu Swāmi's Bhakti-rasāmṛta Sindhu is, despite others' opinion he heard to the contrary.

About the origin of the jīva (kṛṣṇa bhūli sei jīva anādi bahirmukha) I tell him that forgetting (Kṛṣṇa) in the Vedic context isnt always like in the western context - it is beginningless, just as smaranam doesn't always mean remembering someone you have known in the past; like when you do līlā smaranam - you have never seen Kṛṣṇa, yet you 'remember'.

He asks me if everyone has adhikāra for manjari bhāva, but I quote Śrīmad Bhāgavata 6.14.5 to prove the contrary -

muktānām api siddhānām nārāyaṇa parāyana 

sudurlabhaḥ praśāntātma koṭiṣvapi mahāmune 

'Among millions of liberated souls a devotee of Nārāyan is very rare.' And that is only Nārāyan! For beginners we should keep upbeat mottos like 'Chant hare kṛṣṇa and be happy' and 'Back to Godhead in this lifetime'. Reality is different, though.

He accepts that Bhaktivinode, Bhaktisiddhānta and Bhaktivedānta appeal to the scientific, meritocratic western mind due to their English education, and that this is why their missions are so successful in the west. Traditional Indian Gurus would be more difficult to accept for westerners. Mahānidhi Swāmījī agrees that western devotees often need decades to transcend their rational, causal thinking to come to the point of simple Indian śāstrīya śraddhā.

Wholly contrary to maryādā, Swāmījī (who is senior to me in age, devotee-years and ashram) bows down to me, and offers me 1,000 Rs daksina - I'll remember this place if I ever get in dire straits! (I'll come and lecture there again!)

Krishna Das Madrasi Baba hagiography

Review. The life and teachings of Krishna Das Baba of Radhakund.

Recently Karuṇāmayī Dās gave me a copy of his book 'The life and teachings of Krishna Das Baba of Radhakund', published by Nitāi Dās. On pages xxvi and xxvii of the introduction Nitāi speaks in a way about the author of his own publication of which I wonder if it is Vaiṣṇava etiquette, as I've never read such comments before in any other introduction to a Vaiṣṇava publication. Nitāi speaks of Karuṇāmayī's 'bombastic style of writing', 'plethora of 'shri-s' and 'lotus-feet', 'filled with emotional effusiveness, enthusiastic declamations and hyperbolic exclamations'. I disagree with Nitāi and his fellow devotee/academics that such use of language is 'Indic' (culturally relative) and should be edited out - rather it is devotional language and devotion knows no culture or language - and if this is not 'western style' writing we'll simply MAKE it western style. It's better than so many other cross-cultural 'innovations' introduced in our sampradāya I'd say. On page xxxiii-xxiv he gives a nice example though, that literacy (let alone scholarship) or chanting millions of rounds like a machine is the (only) way to siddhi by quoting the example of Kṛṣṇa Prasād Dās Bābā, who attained siddhi by serving a householder Vaiṣṇava without being able to do any chanting or studying.

Having said all this, I admit that Nitāi's editing is done well and leaves the text devotional. He also did an excellent job on the glossary, the explanation of one word even spreading over 2 pages. 26 words are glossed over 14 pages! Along with his introduction these are great bonuses. Since I last read the Madrasi Baba hagiography (originally edited by yours truly), Karuṇāmayī Dās has edited many nice new things, too.

On page 97 it is said that the devotee in Vraja's dāsya rasa fears that Kṛṣṇa may not talk to him if he commits an offence. This is new to me and I wonder if there is any evidence for this.

Nitāi's invention of the word 'grace-food' for prasāda (p. 122-3) is interesting, though I think that most readers will know and prefer the word 'prasāda'.

On page 131 Nitāi Dās (this book is really half his) explains that the four yugas are named after the four throws at Indian dice - Kṛta (four dots), Tretā (triads, three dots), Dwāpara (deuce, two dots) and Kali (lose, one dot).

All in all this book is a sweet reminder of the Vaiṣṇava that I spent 5 years (1984-1989) with on the bank of Śrī Rādhākuṇḍa and who was appointed as my 'foster-Guru' by Śrī Sādhu Bābā for that time.

Śivarātri forgotten

Rādhākuṇḍa Harekṛṣṇa dhāma -
I completely forgot that it is Śivarātri today - I only find it out in the afternoon in the pāṭh. I took a normal meal of roti and kichuri - no fast, no pūjā. At least I hear Śiva Līlā from the Bhāgavat in the Gopīnāth Mandir. From Tulasīdās' Rāmcarita Mānas comes the continuation of the 4th canto story - after combusting herself Sati takes birth as Umā from Himālaya and Menakā. Nārada came there. Śiva had turned to Hari-bhajan. Umā did 10.000 years tapasya to get Śiva as her husband. The devatās tried to disturb Śiva's samādhi to get a son from him that would defeat the Rākṣasa Tārakāsura. Kāmadeva used his five arrows, Malayan breezes, pretty girls and Śiva burned him to a crisp. Rati complained that now she has no more husband so the devatās blessed her that he would be pervading everyone as anaṅga, the disembodied god of temptation and that later they would be reunited in Dwārkā, where Kāmadeva would become Pradyumna, the son of Kṛṣṇa.

Gaura in Haribhakti Vilāsa

In the "Journal for Vaiṣṇava Studies", fall 2003, page 151, Mans Broo writes that Haribhakti Vilāsa is written for all Sampradāyas, hence there is no worship of Gaura mentioned. He claims that non-Gauḍīyas would object or feel no need for it. This is not true. There ARE prayers to Gaura in the opening of each chapter, so it IS sectarean, and if worship of Gaura was to be done (in the elaborate separate way of the last few centuries), why isnt that mentioned in any of the other Gosvāmīs' books either, like Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu, Ujjvala Nīlamaṇi, Laghu Bhāgavatāmṛta, Bṛhad Bhāgavatamṛta, the Six Sandarbhas etc. etc.?

Pāṭha of February 7

Vṛndāvana, 7 february 2007 -
In today's Bhāgavata-pāṭh Satya-nārāyan Prabhu said that even tamoguna and rajoguna are useful - tamoguṇa brings sleep and sleep refreshes us and gives us a good start of the day with sādhana. rajoguṇa brings revenue and thus maintenance of our sādhana. Even universally, tamo-guṇa destroys the world and gives it a fresh start.

He compares Kṛṣṇa's killing of the demons with 'killing a mosquito with a nuclear bomb' - it is obviously not the main reason for Kṛṣṇa's descent - anybody else can do this too. He comes actually for pleasing His devotees.

About the online debate I have about talking and walking during japa, he agrees with me that it is obviously wrong (the basis of yukti or common sense), even if some apparent counter-evidence is quoted. That evidence has to be seen in context.

He says that śāstra may seemingly contradict itself but one has to see not just the context of the conflicting statements but also for which devotee, of which level of adhikāra it is spoken.

Interestingly he shows me from Bhāgavata 12th canto, chapter 11 (it is adhyātmika), that Kṛṣṇa is non-different from His apparel (when we speak about last year's outrage about Banki Bihari with the cellphone, see madangopal.blogspot in September 2006).

Understanding the śāstra

Vṛndāvana, 5 february 2007 -
I had an interesting meeting with my friend Kṛṣṇadas from Slowakia, who just arrived. He is very tall and looks really tired, yet he spent hours with me, sharing his vast knowledge. He tells me the stern warnings against Rāsa-līlā may have been introduced just for westerners (I got them from 4 different mahatmas), because they don't have the natural acquaintance with Kṛṣṇa as Bhagavān and need more convincing than born devotees like the Hindus. Also, the morale of Indians is much more strict, so they're more likely to see it as divya līlā.

Interestingly, he proves that even Viśvanātha Cakravartī, the firebrand anti-māyāvāda preacher, gives ādhyātmik interpretations of the Bhāgavat - In the early 10th canto in 10.2.8, 10.9.18.

About Ganges-worship he says she can be seen on 3 levels - ādhibhautik (the gross river), ādhyātmik (spiritual liquid, impersonal jala-brahma) and ādhidaivik (the Goddess, in white colour). The three colours of Yamunā (indigo), Saraswatī (red) and Gaṅgā (white) are in one of the last 2 categories too. The three may be interchangeable too.

Of the three exchanges of the Bhāgavata, the one of Saunaka and Sūta is the lowest (during a yajña, as a chat), Nārada-Vyāsa is the middle (because Nārada told Vyāsa something was missing in his work) and the highest one was Śuka-Parīkṣit, because Parīkṣit gave up everything.

He says that Jīva Goswāmī doesn't agree that the ten items (sarga, visarga, nirodha) of the Bhāgavata belong each to one canto, they are also interchangeable, though each canto does have its special characteristics.

Devatās are ethereal beings that are in charge of their own element; they can only be perceived by Ṛṣis and highly gifted persons.

Mahābhārata has at least 3 layers of meaning - the surface historical meaning, the ādhyātmika meaning (very deep!!) and the moral one.

It is said in Rādhā-kṛṣṇa Gosvāmī's Paddhatī that Jīva Gosvāmī wrote his svakīya-vāda (in Gopāl Campūḥ, Saṅkalpa Kalpadruma and his Bhāgavat ṭīkā) just to please one person named Gopāl (hence perhaps Gopāl Campūḥ?)

Sanātan Gosvāmī on pramāda japa

I just found some interesting verses in Haribhakti Vilāsa (17.132-3) that confirm the points I made about absent-minded japa in my blogs of May 14 and June 22, 2006:

pralapan vā japed yāvat tāvan niṣphalam ucyate

vadan na gacchan na svapan nānyaṁ kim api saṁsmaran

na kṣuj jṛmbhana hikkādi vikalīkṛta mānasaḥ

mantra-siddhim avāpnoti tasmād yatnapuro bhavet

"As long as one speaks, one's japa will be fruitless. While speaking, walking, lying down on bed, or having one's mind agitated by thinking of something else, sneezing, hickuping or yawning, one cannot attain perfection in one's mantra practise."

Extinction

Recently I started getting worried about my line’s possible extinction (since I myself don’t qualify to be the next link in representing my parivāra, at least not yet). I discussed this with a devotee today and the following interesting exchange ensued –

Bhakta: “Somehow, the disciple will find his Guru, nothing can prevent this. By providence, the disciple and his Guru are brought together. No power in the universe has the strength to destroy this spiritual relationship... "

Advaitadas: “Yes you are right and I have already experienced this often myself. I wasn't worrying about myself but about possible extinction of my lineage, that is, after me. The thread is getting terribly thin over in India as well.....

Bhakta: “Also don't worry about that. Guru is travelling all over the universe, and wherever he sees, that there is a disciple of him, he will make arrangements, that they will get in connection. If the lineage stops now, that means, he collected all his disciples who were here on this planet.”

If nothing else, then perhaps that explains the complete lack of response to my preaching, despite my high personal popularity…..

edited 27.1.07 and 22.12.12

Advent day of Advaita ācāryadeva

How Advaita Prabhu granted the śrāddha plate to Haridās Ṭhākur:

From a lecture by Sītānath Kula-kaustubha Śrī-Śrīla Nikuñja Gopāla Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, held on Advaita Prabhu's advent day, Navadvīp, February 1983:

Advaita Prabhu said: "Haridāsa, it is My order that you accept the prasāda of Śrī-Śrī Rādhā-Madana Gopāla." Haridāsa humbly folded his hands and said: “Śrīpāda! I am just a Yavan! Where is my adhikāra to accept the mahā prasāda of Śrī-Śrī Rādhā Madana Gopāla? Only if I can sit at the gate of the Mandira of Rādhā and Madana Gopāla as a dog to eat the remnants of the brāhmaṇas I will follow Your order!"

So in due course of time Haridās was served prasāda. All the powerful Vaiṣṇavas and brāhmanas were present when Prabhu Sītānātha personally served the śrāddha pātra, that was destined for the brāhmanas, to Haridās. "What is Gurudeva doing?" Haridāsa wondered. Prabhu Sītānātha said: "I am Veda Pañcānana, no one can overrule my order. Feeding you is equal to feeding a hundred brāhmaṇas, no, the result of feeding a hundred brāhmaṇas will be even exceeded by feeding you! Therefore it is my order that you accept this." What could Haridāsa do but bow down his head?

The brāhmaṇas of Navadvīpa were mostly tantriks accepting Satī-mantra. Navadvīpa was the greatest tantra tīrtha of Bengal at that time, and our Prabhu Sītānātha is Sadāśiva (the husband of Satī). The brāhmaṇas that were seated to take prasāda got up and washed their hands, saying: "Advaita, we will not come to Your house anymore. You are acting against the rules!" Sītānātha said: "What have I done that is against the rules?" Brahmins: "You should have given us the pātra. We are brahmaṇas, don't you know?" Sītānātha said: "What was done has been done — what to do now, please accept my rule." The brahmaṇas replied: "From now on we are finished with you. We will give up all connection with you and oust you from the samāja (society)!" Prabhu Sītānātha said: "tathāstu — let it be."

The brahmaṇas went home and that evening when they wanted to take evening prasāda with their sons, grandsons and other relatives their wives were not able to ignite their stoves for cooking, so they could not eat. The housewives went from (brahmaṇa-) home to home to borrow fire, but fire was not appearing in any brahmaṇa-home of Navadvīpa.

The next morning the same thing happened and one of the brahmaṇas thought: "What is going on? There is no fire only in the houses of those brahmaṇas who went to the invitation of Advaita Prabhu." One of the most learned tantrik brahmaṇas then went into his temple and sat down in meditation at the feet of his iṣṭa devatā (Durgā), thinking: "What offense have we committed?" Then, on the strength of his tantrik powers his iṣṭa devatā (Durgā) told him with a divine voice from within his heart: "You have committed an offense to my husband (Śiva = Advaita Prabhu). If you want something to eat tonight, then go to my husband and beg His forgiveness! If He forgives you, your whole life will be blessed and if not, then your whole life will be ruined!" Thus brāhmaṇas came from all over Navadvīpa to Prabhu Sītānātha and prayed to him: "Ohe Prabhu Sītānātha! Ohe Advaita Acarya! Ohe Sadāśiva! Please forgive us our offenses!" (Durgā said:) "What higher rule is there than the one enunciated by my Lord (husband)? What higher is there than bhakti?" Haridās is whole-heartedly surrendered to his Gurudeva's lotusfeet - if Gurudeva understands that he is a vessel of pure devotion, then who has the power to go against that? ādau ante ca madhye ca hari sarvatra gīyate ("In the beginning, middle and end, Hari is sung of everywhere")—the Veda Pancānana could see Hari everywhere. In the same way, devotion to the lotus-feet of Hari is primary. If a person upholds the etiquette by considering a person who is a bhakta as primary, then who is able to infringe that? Our Advaita Prabhu caused a revolution against the harsh influence of the Kali-age by preaching pure bhakti and showing how much power the pure devotion has to purify even the yavanas."

This transcript is added to the link-tab renamed 'Transcripts of some audio material" under 'Sādhu Bābā audio mp3' on http://www.madangopal.com/

Vasanta Pañcamī

Today is Vasanta Pañcamī. Today the deities in India are dressed in yellow, the colour of spring (in some temples the deities are in yellow throughout spring), and goddess Sarasvatī is worshipped (sarasvatī pūjā) - this festival is particularly big in Bengal. In Vraja Sarasvatī Pūjā goes largely unnoticed. In temples where the evening-ārati song is Jayadeva's Śrita-kamalā, the song is changed into Lalita Labaṅga Latā, also from Jayadeva's Gīta Govinda. In temples where other songs or just the mahā-mantra is sung, devotees commence singing a special vasanta tune for them and a vernal appendix song is added (haribolo haribolo haribolo bhāi). In Sādhu Bābā's āśram this continues until Advaita Prabhu's Dola Saptamī, which is one week after Gaur Pūrṇimā, a total of 47 days. Spring celebrations culminate into the colorful Holi festival, which takes place around Gaura Pūrṇimā. In Bengal Holi is celebrated only on the full moon (Gaura Pūrṇimā) day but in Vraja it continues for weeks, both before and after Pūrṇimā.

In my archives I found this charming translation of Gīta Govinda’s spring description by an unknown person:

“Canto I of the Gīta Govinda opens with a delightful description of spring. Rādhā was in search of Kṛṣṇa. Her thoughts were confounded by the fever of desire; she roved in the vernal morning among the twining Vasantis covered with soft blossoms, when a damsel thus addressed her:

Rāga Vasanta, Yatitala

lalita lavaṅga latā pariśīlana komala malaya samīre
madhukara nikara karambita kokila kūjita kuñja kuṭīre
viharati haririha sarasa vasante
nṛtyati yuvati janena samaṁ sakhi virahī janasya durante

"The breeze that has wantoned round the delicate clove plants, breathes from the southern Malaya hills. The arbours resound with the notes of the Koel and the buzzing of bees. In this lovely spring, when love cannot endure separation, Hari is enjoying himself and is dancing with young damsels. Friend Rādhā, go and seek Him."

III
Beautiful Rādhā, jasmine-bosomed Rādhā
All in the Spring-time waited by the wood
For Kṛṣṇa fair, Kṛṣṇa the all-forgetful,
Kṛṣṇa with earthly love's false fire consuming.

Another delightful illustration of the joy of spring from Canto I, it shows Rādhā seated on the bank of the Yamunā, listening to the speech of her female companion. The ground is carpeted with flowers, and the shrubs and trees are laden with blossoms. Every branch upon the Bakula tree droops downwards with a hundred blooms, and in every bloom is a bee. The Tamāla, with leaves dark and odorous, claims a tribute from the musk, which it vanquishes. The full-blown blossoms of Kesara gleam like the sceptre of the world's monarch, Love.

The orange tree, shivering with joy in its full white blossom, seems to laugh at the pain of those who are still pining in love! The pointed leaves of the keora resemble the darts of Kāma, piercing the hearts of lovers. The bunches of pink Patali flowers are filled with bees, like the quiver of Smara full of shafts. The tender blossoms of the Garuna smile to see the whole world laying shame aside, and from white blush modest red. The far-scented Mādhavi beautifies the mango trees round which it twines and pours incense through the grove. And the fresh silken-soft Mallika seduces with rich perfume even the hearts of the hermits. The painting illustrates the following verse:

unmīlan madhu gandha lubdha madhupa vyadhuta chutankura
krīḍat kokila kākalī kala ravair udgīrṇa karṇa jvaraḥ
nīyante pathikaiḥ kathaṁ katham api dhyāna vadha nakṣana
prāpta prāṇa sama samāgama rasollāsair amī vāsaraḥ

The sakhī diverts Rādhā's attention to the mango trees in heavy bloom:

"These spring time days are hard to get through. The ears are in a feverish state, for they are continuously and cruelly struck by the joyful melodies that the Koel trills forth from the blossoming branches of the mango, which are shaken by the bees attracted by their honey and fragrance. Now the hearts of lonely travelers, who are away from their mates, are pierced with anguish, and derive satisfaction from a dreamy vision of embrace with their sweethearts."

Is Bhāva Bhakti Uttama Bhakti?

Recently I had the following exchange with a devotee:

Bhakta: Dear Advaita-ji, Rādhe Rādhe!
When I first studied Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu as part of the bhakti-śāstrī program in ISKCON, I was taught that one could practice pure devotional service, despite being on the initial rungs of sādhana bhakti. As long as the devotional activities of a practitioner followed the paribhāṣa-sūtra of Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu (service performed to please Kṛṣṇa according to His desire, without alterior motives and free from coverings of karma, jñāna, etc.), the devotee could conceivable practice and experience pure bhakti (though, in all likelihood, not consistently) even though he or she may not be particularly advanced. However, I am beginning to question my understanding as I read Jīva's and Viśvanātha's commentaries on Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu.
What sparked my questioning was a comment made by Jīva Gosvāmīpāda in his ṭīkā on Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu 1.1.37 (pages 67-68) in regards to bhakti's characteristic of sudurlabha. According to him, "Even though one executes sadhana-bhakti with attachment (asanga), until the time that one produces intense āsakti in that bhakti, the Lord does not give bhāva-bhakti." Gosvāmīpāda continues, "This is characterized by the phrase anyābhilāṣita śūnyam: that bhakti should be completely devoid of other desires."
It appears as though Jīva Gosvāmī is saying that the performance of uttama bhakti (as defined by Rūpa Gosvāmī) isn't possible until the attainment of bhāva, condsidering that Gosvāmīpāda further defines his first statement (bhāva-bhakti is not awarded until āsakti is present within that bhakti) by stating that it is qualified by the absence of other desires (anyābhilāṣita śūnyam). So, it is as though he is saying that the lakṣaṇam of anyābhilāṣita śūnyam isn't fully present until the attainment of bhāva; ergo, uttama bhakti isn't possible until that stage. After all, this statement is made in the context of the topic of sudurlabha, which is a characteristic of bhāva-bhakti according to Rūpa Gosvāmī. Do you follow my line of reasoning?”

I replied:

"I checked the Sanskrit ṭīkā of Jīva, but I could not find the words bhāva bhakti in there. The rest of the ṭīkā is pretty well translated by Bhānu Swāmi. Also in the preceding ṭīkā (36) I could not find the word bhāva bhakti, though Bhānu used that word in his translation there as well. Strange.....Anyway yes, your doubt is justified. Everyone is eligible to perform sādhana bhakti but that is not uttama bhakti. Perhaps they just meant that the basic idea is there in a new sādhaka that one should not mix up with karma and jnana..."

Bhakta: “So, according to your understanding, does one need to be sufficiently advanced (on the platform of bhāva-bhakti perhaps) in order to perform uttama bhakti? Is there any scriptural reference to your knowledge that a correlation exists between the performance of uttama-bhakti and the stages of sādhana, bhāva and prema bhakti? I can make assumptions (for example, the devotion of a sādhaka not at the level of bhāva would most likely not fit the definition of uttama-bhakti) but I would like to have a solid scripturally-based conception. Again, as you recall, I was taught that anyone, regardless of their respective stage of attainment in bhakti (sādhana, bhāva or prema) could perform uttama-bhakti. Thanks.

Bhakta: “Could it be that bhāva is mentioned because the characteristic of sudurlabha "unfurls" (as it is likened to leaves on the bhakti creeper) at the stage of bhāva-bhakti? As you recall, the first two characteristics (kleśagni and śubhadā) unfurl at the stage of sādhana, the second two (mokṣa-laghutakṛt, sudurlabha) during bhāva-bhakti, and the final pair (sāndrānanda-viśeṣātma and kṛṣṇākarṣiṇī) at prema. Therefore, Bhānu Swāmī mentions bhāva because the discussion is in the context of sudurlabha. Just a suspicion.

Advaitadas: Yes that is well possible but then he should have explained that link in a footnote or between brackets instead of leaving us guessing.

Bhakta: Another good argument to learn the languages in which these texts were originally written. For the time being, I suppose I will just have to bother folks like you. ;)

Advaitadas: “I know that was the central point of your question…. It seems obvious because bhāva is the stage in which one sees Kṛṣṇa face to face, and it takes full purity for that. Just common sense. Though Viśvanātha says that even at the stage of prema there are anarthas, that doesn't matter, it does not contradict the bhāva question.”

Bhakta: “Jīva begins his ṭīkā on 1.2.1 describing how uttama bhakti (again, according to Bhānu Svami's translation) has two subdivisions: sādhana and sādhya. Is it of any consequence that Jīva uses the term "uttama-bhakti" (as opposed to simply "bhakti") to discuss that devotion can be seen in relation to its practice and its perfection? Also, where Viśvanātha refers to bhāva-bhakti as supreme in his commentary to 1.2.2, uttama-bhakti is apparently equated with bhāva-bhakti. The impression that I am getting is that although uttama-bhakti can be seen in light of one attempting to achieve it (sādhana) and from the perspective of one who is already accomplished in its performance (sādhya), uttama-bhakti in its truest sense (according to Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda's definition) is correlated with the attainment of bhāva. Therefore, only one on the platform of bhāva-bhakti or prema can perform uttama-bhakti to the fullest extent.
The other point that leads me to think that this might be the case, is that previously anuśilanam has been defined as "constant service." Isn't the bhāva-bhakta described as always thinking of (and consequently serving) Kṛṣṇa? (Though, at the moment, I cannot find the verse that corroborates this.) The question still remains for me, can one in sādhana-bhakti experience a glimpse of uttama-bhakti if his or her devotional activity fulfills its definition? Or, is this categorically impossible?”

I wonder if any learned readers of this blog are willing and/or able to shed some light on this, preferably with quotations from the Gosvāmīs books?

The four atiśayoktis

A devotee asked me to elaborate on the issue of literalism so I looked up the word 'atiśayokti' (hyperbole) in the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Abhidhāna. Haridās Dāsjī there quotes Śrīla Kavi Karṇapura's 'Alaṅkāra Kaustubha' (8.23) which I then faithfully quoted to that devotee. To cross-check my findings I asked my friend Kṛṣṇadas to give me a translation directly from the Alaṅkāra Kaustubha. This is what he wrote:

Dear Advaita,
Kavikarnapura recognizes four types of atiśayokti or hyperbole. He defines them as follows:

nigīrṇasyopamānenopameyasya nirūpaṇam. yat syāt atiśayoktiḥ sā ...

"A description of the subject of comparison by the object to which it is compared and that is swallowed up is the first type of hyberbole."

He illustrates this type of atiśayokti by the following example:

kṣitau śoṇe'mbhoje tad upari navau hema-kadalī
tarū nīcīnāgrāv iha kanaka-siṁhāsanam idam
tataḥ śūnyaṁ tasyopari sumilitaṁ koka-mithunaṁ
tataś candras tasmāt tama iti vidheḥ kā nu ghaṭanā

"On the ground there two red lotuses, above them two young banana-trees hanging down, above them a golden throne (siṁhāsan), then there is a vacuum, above which there are two cuckoos in sexual union, and then a moon and above the moon darkness. What a [indescribable] creation of the Creator is this?"

The word "swallowed" used in the definition means not expressed but recognized as it were within that with which it is identified. This kind of atiśayokti means that the poet does not use the subject of comparison, but he mentions just the thing the subject of comparison resembles, i.e. he does not use the word feet, but only speaks of red lotuses, he does not mention face, but only the moon etc. In Kavikarṇapura's example, in which Kṛṣṇa describes Rādhā's beauty, the relation between the subject of comparison (upameya) and the object to which it is compared (upamāna) are as follows:

feet = red lotuses (śoṇe'mbhoje)
thighs = young banana trees hanging down (navau hema-kadalī-tarū nīcīnāgrau)
hips = golden seat (kanaka-siṁhāsana)
navel = vaccum (śūnya)
breasts = cuckoos in sexual union (sumilitam koka-mithunam)
face = moon (candra)
hair = darkness (tamas)

... tad evānyatayā yadi. nirūpyate sā dvitīyā ...

"If it [i.e. the subject of comparison] is described by stating that it is different, it is the second type of hyberbole."

Kavikarnapura gives these two verses as examples:

anye śrutī te rasanā cā sānyā
cetaḥ satāṁ tat punar anyad eva
śrī kṛṣṇa-śīta-dyuti-nāma-līlā
rūpāmṛtaṁ yāni sadā dhayanti

"Different are the ears, different is the tongue, different are the minds of good men that always drink the nectar of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's cooling luster, name, pastimes, and form."

anyaiveyaṁ kanaka-latikā candramāś cāyam anyas
tasminn etan mada madirayor yugmakaṁ cānyad eva
anyaiveyaṁ tad upari mano janmanaś cāpavallī
rādhā-nāma sphurati manasaḥ keyam unmāthavīthī

"Different is this golden string of pearls, different is this moon, different is this pair of intoxicants in it, different is this bow of the god of love above it. What is this snare of mind that is manifested by Rādhā's name?"

... yady arthena tu kalpanā. yady asambhāvino'rthasya sā tṛtīyā

"The third type of hyperbole occurs when there is an imagination of an unreal object/meaning."

pūrṇo yadi syād aniśaṁ sudhāṁśu
sa cet kalaṅkena bhaved vihīnaḥ
cakora-peyo'pi na ced ayaṁ syāt
tvad āsya dāsyāya tadaiva rādhe

"If the moon is incessantly full and without spots, and although no Cakora-birds drink it, O Rādhe, it is fit to be a servant of your face."

... viparyaye . kārya-kāraṇayor anyā ...

"The fourth type of hyperbole occurs if the relation between the cause and the effect is inverted."

Kavi-Karṇapura's example:

aviddha eva praveśa yat kṛtā
saroruhākṣyā hṛdi kṛṣṇa vedanā
paras tato'nyena vilocanāñcalī
śareṇa viddhaṁ hṛdayaṁ tvayā'syāḥ

"The entrance made by the pain in the heart of the lotus-eyed lady is not pierced, O Kṛṣṇa. By a blade of the arrow of your glance Her heart is pierced."

Here, before the occurence of the cause in the form of wound generated by the arrow of a sidelong glance, the effect in the form of pain generated by such a wound is described. The relation between the cause and the effect is evidently disturbed.

However, it should be noted in this respect that there is also a little bit different classification and definition of atiśayokti but I won't go into their detailed comparison. Viśvanātha Kavirāja, the author of Sāhitya Darpaṇa, whom Jīva Goswāmī follows in Rasāmṛta Śeṣa, defines the hyperbole and its five types in this way:

siddhatve'dhyavasāyasyātiśayoktir nigadyate. bhede’py abhedaḥ sambandhe’sambandhas tad-viparyayau. paurvāparyātmakaṁ kārya-hetvoḥ sā pañcadhā mataḥ

"When the intro-susception is complete, it is called hyperbole. This is five-fold: as there is a denial of distinction where there is a distinction in reality, a negation of connection where there is a connection, and vice versa, and as the sequence in a causation is inverted."

ys.
Krishnadas

Later, after I asked him whether the above applies to the Bhāgavata too, Krishnadasji wrote me:

“………Bhāgavata Purāṇa is a master piece of world literature, one can find in it all kinds of alaṅkāras. However, ācāryas do not mention them, they do only if they need to point out something special. Sāhitya śāstra is the key to see how literary works are composed. Literary works use language in a special way. The language of other Purāṇas is mostly quite simple. But the Bhāgavata is something different. It is very difficult to read in the original, as you may know. It is actually the obscure use of language that makes it so special and interesting from the literary point of view (apart from the rasa of course that goes somehow hand in hand with the obscurity of the language). Intro-susception means something like assimilation or according to a dictionary "the act or process of receiving within.”

Compassion - astonishing bliss

I recently found another very noteworthy commentary on Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu, that I forgot to include in the blog reviewing its section. Verse 2.5.105 describes the incomparible bliss the devotee feels when he perceives the happiness of others. Viśvanātha Cakravartī comments: sva-para bhedenānirṇaye'pi sati yadā parakīya duhkādayaḥ svīyatiyā sphuranto'pi te prauḍhānanda camatkāra carvanām eva tanvate prakāśayanti : "Two verses (105-6) describe another facet of rati's incomprehensibility. When the suffering of other persons become the devotee's own suffering by not distinguishing himself from the character in the drama or poetic work, that suffering also produces a taste of astonishing bliss."

Then he quotes SB 2.2.27: "In that planet Satyaloka, there is neither bereavement, nor old age nor death. There is no pain of any kind, and therefore there are no anxieties, save that sometimes, due to consciousness, there is a feeling of compassion for those unaware of the process of devotional service, and who are subjected to unsurpassable miseries in the material world."

Visvanātha: "There is no fear or suffering except for suffering from the heart, because there is a feeling of compassion for the endless suffering of saṁsāra of those who do not know about bhakti. But that display of suffering, which arises in the hearts of the śānta bhaktas in Lord Brahmā's assembly in Satyaloka, for those caught in samsāra, also reveals deep bliss."

Then he quotes Prahlāda (SB 7.9.44): "O Lord! Generally the sages, desiring their own liberation, practise silence and live alone, not interested in others'welfare. Rejecting such miserly sages, I do not desire liberation alone. I do not see any shelter than you for those wandering blindly in this world."

Later, Viśvanātha continues: "As well in the Ninth Canto, Rantideva is famous for his desire to deliver others from suffering. Therefore the appearance of unhappiness in the hearts of these devotees is actually a form of the highest bliss, not a direct experience of suffering, because it is an established fact that the cause of material suffering is previous and present commission of sin. Where is the question of sin for these devotees, by remembrance of whom others become free from sin?" To illustrate, he quotes SB 1.19.33 "Simply by remembering you, our houses become instantly sanctified......"

Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu, the northern section.

In the fourth and final quarter of Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda discusses the 7 secondary rasas, like pity, anger, disgust and so. There are very few purports, Viśvanātha Cakravartī's ones have already ceased for some time by now. His last ṭīkā was at 3.3.128.

In the fifth wave of the northern sector the sub-rasa of anger, raudra-rasa, is discussed. Some interesting verses here: 4.5.7: "Except for the strong Govardhana Malla (husband of Candravalī) all the inhabitants of Vraja possess the highest stage of rati for Govinda." Jīva Gosvāmī comments: "Govardhana was only the apparent husband of Candrāvalī. He was somewhat notorious as a cowherd of Kamsa, who came to live in Vraja as a stranger. Therefore, he is excluded from being a devotee in this verse....." As far as I remember this is also the only verse which was excluded in the Nectar of Devotion.

Another odd one comes just two verses later: "Those who are responsible for protecting Kṛṣṇa but, because of being absorbed in some service, become careless in their duties are called anavahita (inattentive)." Jīva Gosvāmī comments: "In protecting Kṛṣṇa,  sometimes a devotee becomes inattentive by mental confusion, caused by his absorption in a bhāva relating to Kṛṣṇa.  The devotee cannot put aside that state even though it is extremely detrimental for himself and Kṛṣṇa. This person is called inattentive."

Chapter 8 of the northern section distinguishes friendly from inimical rasas.

Verse 4.8.48 says: "However, the primary rasa for a particular devotee, which manifests in the heart of a devotee by the power of beginningless previous experiences, does not disappear, as the vyabhicārī bhāvas or secondary rasas do." In his ṭīkā, Jīva Gosvāmī writes: anādīty upalakṣaṇaṁ pūrva-siddhatve tātparyam. sañcāri gauṇavad iti vyatireke dṛṣṭāntaḥ yathā sañcāri-gauṇo līno bhavati tathā na mukhyo līno bhavatītyarthaḥ sañcārīvad gauṇavacca netyarthaḥ

Bhānu Swāmī translates: "The word anādi (without beginning) is indicatory only (the Monier Williams dictionary says for the word upalakṣaṇa: "The act of implying something that has not been expressed, implying any analogous object where only one is specified; using a term metaphorically or elliptically or in a generic sense. Jīva often uses the word upalakṣaṇa to indicate the presence of non-literalism, Advaitadas).

Bhānu Swāmī adds, between brackets, "It represents the condition of the eternal associates, but the principle should also apply to those who have achieved a primary rasa by sādhana as well." Bhānu Swāmī then continues the official ṭīkā-translation:"Thus anādi indicates only that the primary rasa has been previously firmly established. It is not like the vyābhicārī bhāvas or secondary rasas. This comparison is used to indicate the difference of the main rasa in the devotee from the others. Though the vyābhicārī bhāvas and secondary rasas disappear, the main primary rasa does not."

The last chapter, 9, deals with rasābhāsa, a semblance of rasa, or just plain 'bad taste'.

In his commentary to verse 18 Jīva Gosvāmī shows that a pratiloma love (high-class girl with low-class boy) is considered bad taste even in the transcendental kingdom of rasa. It is for this reason that the wives of the sacrificing brahmins ultimately failed to get intimate with Kṛṣṇa. vaidagdhyādivirahaityupalakṣaṇaṁ gurutvādīnām, yathā yajñapatnyādiṣu vairūpyam matam.

Concluding: Bhānu Swāmī's translation of Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu is the first and only comprehensive English translation because, apart from all the exact verse-translations it also contains all the commentaries and is very accurately and sincerely done. It is also a very honest translation and will make clear, more than any of its English predecessors, perhaps along with Bon Mahārāja's edition, what Rūpa Gosvāmī's purpose was for writing the book.

Thus ends the review of the northern section and thereby of the entire Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu. Edited December 21, 2006 22.10 CET.

Primary Bhakti Rasas

Turning to the second volume of Bhānu Swāmī's Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu translation we come to the western section, that describes the 5 main sthāyi bhāvas, starting with śānta rati.

In the śānta rati chapter is an interesting ṭīkā of Jīva Gosvāmī's to verse 3.1.44, where he mentions mauṇḍya (shaving the head) as a rejectable item of advaita-vādī-practise. Funny that now nearly all Vaiṣṇava ascetics and even gṛhasthas have adopted this shaven head practise...

Chapter 2: Prīti bhakti rasa (dāsya rasa)

Analysing the word 'dāsa' in his ṭīkā to verse 3.2.16, Jīva Gosvāmī reminds us that there is a verb called dās (also mentioned in Vilāpa Kusumānjali) which means 'to give'. The dāsas are those to whom desired results are given by the mercy of the Lord....

Verse 3.2.62 is the famous verse that describes how Dāruka condemned the bliss he felt when he fanned Kṛṣṇa. Jīva Gosvāmī comments "He did not welcome the increase of paralysis in his limbs due to prema." Prema has two qualities: stambha and other symptoms, and the desire to please the Lord. The servants cherish the desire to please the Lord, because this fulfills their goal of serving the Lord. They are not attached to the symptoms of paralysis because this can become an obstacle to service. Thus Dāruka did not welcome prema in its portion which causes paralysis, but he did welcome that part of prema which causes pleasure to the Lord.....

In BRS 3.2.160-161 Jīva Gosvāmī says about the servants: "It is not absolutely forbidden that they do not hear Kṛṣṇa's private talks, but they are checked from understanding the sentiments present in those conversations."

Chapter 3, Preyo bhakti rasa (sakhya rasa):

Both Jīva and Viśvanātha have written long ṭīkās to verse 3.3.128, which deals with prakaṭa and aprakaṭa līlā. Jīva Gosvāmī writes: "In the earthly pastimes however occasionally the Lord leaves Vraja and goes to other places. Thus the various bhāvas of the Lord along with His associates exhibited during His earthly pastimes, associated with the particular earthly pastimes, will also be occasional (and different from those in the eternal pastimes). Because of the differences in manifestation of these earthly pastimes from the eternal pastimes, Kṛṣṇa and His devotees during the earthly pastimes will take up identities different from their identities in the eternal pastimes, by the arrangement of the līlā-śakti. It is similar to Kṛṣṇa manifesting different identities for each Queen when He married sixteen thousand maidens."

In the important verse 3.5.2 -
nivṛttānupayogitvād durūhatvād ayaṁ rasaḥ
rahasyatvāc ca saṅkṣipya vitatāṅgo vilikhyate 

Jiva Gosvami comments nivṛtteṣu prākṛta śṛṅgāra rasa sāmya dṛṣṭvyā bhāgavatād apy asmād rasād virakteṣv anupayogitvad ayogyatvāt - "nivṛttas (those who are unattached to mādhurya rasa) are unqualified because they cannot understand that the Lord has such amorous feelings as well. They see it as being the same." The three other, Bengali, translations, from Caitanya Maṭh and Kuñja-bihāri dās Bābājī, say that 'non-devotee ascetics cannot appreciate mādhurya rasa, thinking it is mundane' . Frankly speaking, the word ' ascetics' is not mentioned in either Jīva's or Viśvanātha's ṭīkā, and Bhānu Swāmī may well be correct in his translation of just 'unattached'. If anyone knows where the other three translators got the 'ascetics' -idea from, please react.

Here ends the review of the western section.

sāttvika, vyābhicārī and sthāyi bhāvas

Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu: sāttvika, vyābhicārī and sthāyi bhāvas

In this final installment of the review of Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu's first volume (the 2nd, southern sector), the last 3 chapters, dealing with sāttvika, vyābhicārī and sthāyi bhāvas.

At this stage Bhānu Swāmi starts skipping ṭīkās but I am fairly confident that he has incorporated them into the flowing verse translation. I have not checked it, frankly. The ṭīkās he skips are very short. Jīva's  ṭīkā  to the verse on stambha (2.3.21) is interesting. Stambha, or ecstatic paralysis means: "There is inactivity of the action senses and there is also inaction of the functioning of knowledge-gathering senses as well. There is, however, operation of the mind. This state differs from pralaya or fainting, in which there is no operation even of the mind because of disappearance of all functions."

In his ṭīkā to verse 2.3.30, Jīva Goswāmī says of the gopīs' husbands (quoting SB 10.33.37 nāsūyan khalu kṛṣṇāya): māyā-nirmita-tat-pratikṛter eva patir  'According to this hint, it should be accepted that Abhimanyu was a creation of the Lord's māyā, in the likeness of a husband."

I always felt it a bit awkward to read descriptions of Abhimanyu actually playing any role at all in the direct līlā though such a description is there too in Rūpa Gosvāmī's Vidagdha Mādhava. A bit mysterious.

Verse 54 is also quoted in Caitanya Caritāmṛta, and describes Rukmiṇī condemning the bliss that caused her eyes to fill with tears so that she could not see Kṛṣṇa. Jīva Goswāmī comments: "Here, ānanda is criticised because of the flow of her tears arising from bliss. However, it should be understood that ānanda itself is not actually criticised."

Verse 89 is sometimes quoted to describe sahajiyās (cheap sentimentalists). I am used to the word picchila in the verse being translated as 'slippery', as in sentimental, and that is also how Monier-Williams and Capeller translate it, but Bhānu Swāmī translates it as 'hard'. Habermann calls it 'insensitive' and Jīva calls it upari ślatham antaḥ kaṭhinam picchilam.... 'picchila means externally soft or slimy but internally hard."A similar glossary-confusion exists over the word sañcārī, the subject of the following, fourth, chapter: Bhānu Swāmī says:"Since they set in motion (sañcārayanti) the course of the sthāyi bhāva, they are called sañcārī bhāva." Habermann says:"they cause Foundational Emotions to vary". Viśvanātha Cakravartī should, among them, get the final word. He writes in his ṭīkā:"...vi stands for viśeṣa (special), abhi for abhimukhya and cāra for caranti. Thus it means those bhāvas which move (caranti) against the sthāyi bhāva while nourishing it in a special way (viśeṣena abhimukhyena) and are known by words, bodily movements and qualities of the mind (sattva). These bhāvas are also called sañcārī bhāvas....."

About moha, defined by Rūpa Gosvāmī in verse 2.4.98, Jīva comments: "When the devotees of the Lord develop moha they are still conscious of Kṛṣṇa, because without Him as their shelter, their various emotional states cannot exist." He then quotes SB 10.12.44: tat smāritānanta hṛtākhilendriyaḥ 'Śukadeva, immediately remembering subject matters about Kṛṣṇa within the core of his heart, externally lost contact with the actions of his senses." Jīva continues: "When the lack of external awareness becomes most prominent the state is called pralaya (sāttvika bhāva). When the lack of internal functions becomes prominent it is called moha. Thus in the definition of moha it was said hṛn-mūḍhatā, lack of awareness internally. mūḍha means a swoon or lack of consciousness. hṛt means internal. The meaning of this state of moha can be derived from the meaning of the roots."

A similar fascinating swap of consciousness is explained further on, in verse 2.4.176: "The state just previous to extinguishing of consciousness, in which there is the appearance of Kṛṣṇa without particular pastimes, is called nidrā for the devotees." Jīva Gosvāmī comments: "nidrā has been described as absence of external consciousness. This is normally the state of consciousness under the influence of the mode of ignorance, which is not possible for the highest devotees, since their consciousness is beyond the modes of nature. Why then do they have this state of nidrā? This verse answers. This state of nidrā is a state of concentration on the Lord found in the highest devotees of Kṛṣṇa (it reminds me of the phrase 'svapne rādhā-kṛṣṇa dekhe', in a Bengali song, "the Gosvāmīs saw Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa even in dreams.") It is not a material state of sleep. This is a state beyond the modes. The Garuda Purāna says:

jāgrat svapna suṣupteṣu yogasthasya ca yoginaḥ

yā kācin manaso vṛttiḥ sā bhaved acyutāśrayā 

"All the states of mind - waking, sleeping and dreaming - of the practising yogī take shelter of Acyuta."

Thus the state previous to extinguishing external consciousness in which there is a vision of Kṛṣṇa is called nidrā, not simply extinguishing consciousness....."

In the end of the chapter on vyābhicārī bhāvas (2.4), Rūpa Gosvāmī discusses receptiveness of the individual, saying: "Softness is of three degrees: like bee's wax, butter and nectar. In relation to these, bhāva is like the heat of the sun."The last paragraph of Jīva Gosvāmī's lengthy comment is fascinating: "Thunderbolt, gold and lac are used to explain the phenomenon of becoming liquid (receptive) to various degrees. The person hard like a thunderbolt is completely hostile to Kṛṣṇa. The person who is hard like gold has equal amounts of hostility and affection for the Lord. The person who is hard like lac is affectionate with a slight tinge of hostility. On the other hand, bee's wax, butter and nectar indicate three degrees of softness in affectionate devotees, who are respectively immature, moderate or advanced in their devotion....."

The fifth and last chapter of the first volume, and of the southern section, deals with sthāyi bhāva. In his commentary to verse 97, Jīva asks: "So, is there then no necessity of relishing poetic works for realising these bhāvas?" This verse answers. The taste will develop simply by a little hearing. Joy and sorrow arise invariably in people who are capable of experiencing joy and sorrow. Poetry and drama are easily appreciated by all. Spiritual taste with deep realisation can thus arise through poetry and drama. There are famous examples, such as Hanumān constantly hearing Rāmāyāna, Parīkṣit's testimony etc. Parīkṣit said: "Because of my vow on the verge of death, I have given up even drinking water, yet because I am drinking the nectar of topics about Kṛṣṇa, which is flowing from the lotus-mouth of your Lordship, my hunger and thirst, which are extremely difficult to bear, cannot hinder me." (SB 10.1.13) He also quotes the famous tava kathāmṛtam verse spoken by the gopīs in the Gopī Gīta (S.B. 10.31.9). One may rhetorically ask: "Then, without hearing poetic works, one cannot develop realization of the elements of rasa?" The answer is given. Among the causes, the strength of rati previously described is the real cause of attaining realization of vibhāva and other elements."

Further on in the chapter we find the fascinating description of sādhāranīkaraṇa, identification of the audience with the players of a drama. Verse 2.5.101 says: "Since the activities of rasa are by nature non-material, they are difficult to understand. The various ratis and other elements create a complete identity between the emotions of the contemporary devotee with previous devotees depicted in scripture." Śrī Jīva quotes Sāhitya darpan-verses in his comment to illustrate this point: "The actions of the elements such as vibhāva create total identity of the present devotee with the ancient devotee. By that identification the devotee plunges into the ocean experienced by previous devotees and there is an awakening of utsāha and other bhāvas with an experience identical to that of the ancient devotees. No man at all is condemned for entering that ocean. rati and other elements appear identical to those of the previous devotees. In tasting rati there is no distinction of vibhāva and the other elements of the previous persons and persons of the present time." The example of plunging in the ocean is given to show, from the normal perspective, that there should be no fear or shame at accruing for oneself rati and the other elements, and there should be no joy in identifiying with others' material emotions."

Viśvanātha Cakravartī's comment to this verse is famous: "Hearing during a recitation of Rāmāyana how Hanumān jumped over the ocean, sometimes a sympathetic devotee, absorbed in that mood, giving up all shyness, jumps up amidst the hearers in order to cross the ocean. Or in a drama, sometimes an actor taking the role of Daśaratha, on hearing that Rāma went to the forest, absorbed in the mood of Daśaratha, also gave up his life."

Verse 2.5.107: "However, it is correct when the literary experts say that rati depicted in characters through literary works will not in itself produce rasa, since mundane aspects are involved." Jīva Gosvāmī writes a long tīkā to this, saying that rasa is caused by the audience. the end of the tīkā is interesting: kintu lokātītānanta gunāḥ śrī rāma-sītādayo'pi yan nijānukāryādiṣu praveśyante tattva-yuktam eveti bhāvaḥ. tayoḥ kartṛ vaktrer yadi savāsanatvam syāt tadā teṣāṁ vā kathaṁ na syād... "This does not apply however to depicting characters such as Rāma and Sītā, who are full of unlimited qualities and who enter into the depicted characters. If the actors or reciters also have full sympathy with the portrayed character, they can also cause rasa."

This does hint that a good Rāsa-līlā performance, like the ones they perform in Vṛndāvan in Phālgun and Śrāvaṇa, should create rasa.

Sanātan Gosvāmī's point of separation being a higher bliss than union is also found in BRS 2.5.109 - "In separation, this rati develops its full form of rasa in astonishing bliss, and since it does not give up this form at all, any sufferings is an appearance only."

Jīva Gosvāmī comments: But how will these devotees experience rasa in the pain of separation, since rasa should be most blissful? This verse answers. It is a transformation of astonishing bliss because it is the essence of the highest bliss, and because it has its cause in Bhagavān who is the source of all bliss. It is called only an appearance of the greatest suffering because there is a superimposition of suffering on rati, caused by awareness of separation from the Lord. This suffering acts as a cause for further rati. As well, it disappears with the hope of attaining Kṛṣṇa permanently. vivarta (transformation) here means that the rasa develops its full form.The cause of rati not giving up its nature is mentioned: it is ūrjitā (strong). Because the rati (attraction for the Lord) is strong, it does not give up hope of attaining Kṛṣṇa. It is not possible for it to do so." Jīva then quotes SB 11.8.44 and 10.47.47 to illustrate his point.

Verse 2.5.118 gives a fascinating list of colours that match with the twelve rasas, especially Bhānu Swāmī's translations of the colours: śyāma colour he translates as 'indigo'. That I could never think of that in all the books I have translated!! Indigo by the way is almost the same word as Indīvara, a lotus flower with the same śyāma-colour as Kṛṣṇa. Coincidence? śyāma is the colour of madhura rasa. aruṇa is translated as 'orange', which also sounds similar to aruṇa. Problem is that no dictionary gives such a translation of aruṇa. It is mostly translated as tawny, red or brown. Jīva Gosvāmī comments: "In this verse the colours are assigned according to poetic conventions such as assigning the colour white to fame."

The following verse then ascribes different avatāras to the 12 rasas, of which surprisingly Narasiṁha is not the deity of bhayānaka (fear) but of vātsalya (parental love).

Then finally there is the famous verse about bhāvollāsa rati, 2.5.128, on which Jīva Gosvāmī comments that, despite it all, rati directed towards Rādhā is still a sañcārī bhāva. To my knowledge Kunjabihāri dās Bābājī came to the conclusion in his 'Manjari svarūpa nirupana' that mañjarī bhāva is actually a sthāyi bhāva.... Jīva in Bhanu's words: "This statement has been written here at the end of the topic of sañcārī bhāvas or vyabhicārī bhāvas, since it belongs to the same topic." ....tatrāpi puṣyamānā santatābhiniveśena saṁvarddhamānā syāt tadā sañcāritve'pivaiśiṣṭyāpekṣayā bhāvollāsākhyo bhāva īrṣyata iti; tad idam tvatrānusmṛtya likhitam api sañcārinām ante yojanīyaṁ tatraiva sajātīyatvāt

Thus ends the review of chapters 3, 4 and 5 of the southern sector of Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu, dealing with sāttvika, vyābhicārī and sthāyi bhāvas.