Some interesting details from Vilāpa Kusumāñjali

Recently I had this interesting exchange with my friend Kṛṣṇadās:

Dear Kṛṣṇadās,
I have a question about Vilāpa kusumāñjali 36. Can you see from the Sanskrit if the nose or Rādhā is taking the nose-ring from Tulsi's hand? If you don't have the text at hand I will spell it out for you. (For the readers:)

VERSE 36:

KANAKA GUṆITAM UCCAIR MAUKTIKAṀ MAT KARĀT TE

TILA KUSUMA VIJETRĪ NĀSIKĀ SĀ SUVṚTTAM

MADHU-MATHANA MAHĀLI KṢOBHAKAṀ HEMA-GAURI

PRAKAṬATARA MARANDA PRĀYAM ĀDĀSYATE KIM

kanaka - golden; guṇitam - strings; uccaiḥ - great; mauktikaṁ - pearl; mat - my; karāt - from the hand; te - Your; tila-kusuma - sesame flower; vijetrī - defeating; nāsikā - nose; sā - that; suvṛttam - round; madhu-mathana - Kṛṣṇa, the churner of the honey; mahā - great; ali - bumblebee; kṣobhakaṁ - agitating; hemagauri - golden beauty; prakaṭatara - becomes manifest; maranda - honey; prāyam - like; ādāsyate - will take; kim - whether.


O Hema-Gauri (golden girl)! When will Your nose, that defeats the beauty of a sesame flower, take a great, round nosepearl, attached to a golden string, from my hand? The great bee Madhumathana (Kṛṣṇa) will be very agitated by the honey that appears thus!

Dear Adwaita,
In the verse from Vilāpa Kusumāñjali, the nose is the subject: te (=tava) nāsikā mauktikam ādasyate kim. But I probably do not understand your question. Why should the difference between the person and the nose matter?

Dear Kṛṣṇadās,
It makes a big difference in līlā smaraṇa. Plus, Ānanda Gopāl Goswāmī says Rādhā takes the pearl, but from the Sanskrit I surmised it was the nose. It's just a bit weird if the nose took it, but why not? It's all ecstatic poetry after all. So please, can you give your own full translation of the verse?

Dear Advaita,

Although the text says that the nose takes the pearl, on account of ajahal-lakṣaṇa (or ajahatsvartha-lakṣaṇa) it actually means that Rādhā takes the pearl. It is like when you say: kuntāḥ praviśanti ("The lances enter"). The lances themselves cannot enter. They are acetana, insentient. Therefore, we understand that the noun denotes men bearing lances. The secondary meaning includes the primary meaning as well. I hope this will help you understand the seeming contradiction.

Kṛṣṇadās

Plus,

In the ongoing debate on whether meeting or separation is the goal, I was not able until now to ascertain where my parivāra stands on this, but today I found Ānanda Gopāl Goswāmī saying in his purport of Vilāpa-kusumāñjali (60) that milane-ī sādhya, perfection lies in meeting.

Shiva Rātri 2008

With a lot of Rādhākund-water and a tray with flowers, Bel-leaves, kumkum and sandal-fluid I do Shiva Puja to the lingam at the bank of the Kuṇḍa, below the subji bazar. It's too busy upstairs at Kundeśvar Mahādeva. Though I don't know how to do it I feel Bābā is pleased with it.

This year for Shivarātri some anecdotes about Sādhu Bābā, also known as Sachal Shiva, the mobile Shiva -
Kiśorī Dās, a disciple of Śrīla Ānanda Gopāl Gosvāmī, who was very fond of Bābā as the youngest son of his Guru, had gone to Navadvīp’s main market in the morning, where a person who was not dear to Bābā offered him a gift for Bābā. Afraid to offend Bābā, Kiśorī declined. Through his yogic powers, however, Bābā could understand what was happening while staying in his ashram (which is very far away from Navadvīp’s main market). When Kiśorī returned to the Ashram, Bābā asked him: “Why didn’t you accept that gift?” Kiśorī said: “What do you mean, Bābā?” Bābā: “This person wanted to give you a donation, why didn’t you accept it?” Kiśorī: “Bābā, how could you know that?” Bābā roared with laughter: “Hāhāhā – when you rise to this level you can see all kinds of things you cannot see down there!”

I found a verse in the Bhāgavat (10.61.21) that exactly illustrates this pastime -

anāgataṁ atītaṁ ca vartamānam atīndriyam

viprakṛṣṭam vyavahitaṁ samyak pasyanti yoginaḥ

"Yogis can see what has not yet happened, past, present, beyond the senses, remote or blocked by physical obstacles."

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

I found the answer to my own question about what Bābā said to intellectuals, in my memory. Once a PhD visited Bābā and asked him all kinds of intricate scriptural questions. Bābā replied with light jokes, but eventually got serious and kindly told him: "All this intellectual endeavour will not do the job. Only Guru kṛpā will make you see these things."

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

Sādhu Bābā's ashram excels in mauna (silence) and śānti (peace). There are no tapes constantly playing kīrtans or so. Bābā wanted mādhurya (sweetness) to prevail in his abode. And so it still does.

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

Once a young man wanted to join the āshram and openly said it would be a great place for him
to get free meals without having to work. Bābā turned him down.

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

From Mālatī's blog (Febr.28)
"Lord Chaitanya blessed Advaita acharya with a boon that whosoever on earth would be included in the divine family of Advaita through initiation would be given first preference, favour and grace of Mahaprabhu. This shows the earnest gratitude of Lord Chaitanya to Advaita.

It is said that Sādhu Bābā didn’t like putting a donation box in our ashram. It still doesn’t have one.

Being in the āshram was like feeling Sādhu Bābā's spirit. He had said many times that even after his passing he will always be with his disciples. And it was even kept more alive by narrations of my gurubhāis and vons—some of which were extremely above the metaphysical. I especially remember Tapan da’s narration about Śrī Bābā's merciful gesture. When Advaitadās of the Netherlands asked for initiation, Sādhu Bābā asked 8 of his disciples if he should do it. Everyone disagreed. Bābā shot back by saying, if he didn’t then Bhakti devi will be offended. In the same token my being accepted into his family is a special mercy considering the time that separates Bābā and myself. I now have a robust understanding of my Gurudev’s endearing personality, simplicity, and love for everyone. I hope to carry the memories of this trip in my heart forever."

Some readings from Sārārtha Darśinī 10th Canto

SOME READINGS FROM SĀRĀRTHA DARŚINĪ BHĀGAVAT TIKA, 10th canto -

by Viśvanātha Cakravartipāda, translated by Bhānu Swāmī

10.2.8 Here Viśvanātha gives an ādhyātmik, or symbolic, reading: The six sons of Devakī are the six sense-objects, killed as prema appears in the womb of devotion when material desires vanish.
10.8.45 As a lamp sits in one place in a dark room and lights up the whole room, so that statement in śāstra which can reveal or regulate their meaning is called paribhāṣa sūtra. This verse is that for Kṛṣṇa's bālya līlā.
10.9.18 The distance of two fingers was filled by the devotees' effort (bhakta niṣṭhā) and the Lord's mercy (sva-niṣṭhā).
10.14.24 The Guru is compared to the sun (gurvarka) that gives you good eyes (sucakṣusā) to see Kṛṣṇa.
10.14.30-31 Show very clearly (verse and ṭīkā) that Vraja's cows are in vātsalya-rasa, not in śānta rasa. "I am not qualified to pray for their vātsalya rasa", Viśvanātha prays. Also in his ṭīkā of 10.20.26, Viśvanātha says 'prītyā is motherly affection'. In his ṭīkā of 10.21.13 Viśvanātha reiterates the cows (not the calves) are in vātsalya rasa.
10.14.50 "For every created being the dearmost thing is surely his own self. The dearness of children, wealth etc. is only due to the dearness of the self."
10.15.9 Kṛṣṇa, to whom Rādhā (Śrīmat) shows Her love (prītaḥ), came to Mānasa Gaṅgā (manaḥ, adreḥ sarit) and began to enjoy (reme) with the sakhīs (su-anuga).
10.16.27 When Kṛṣṇa saw the gopīs He thought "We will meet together to dance like this some time in the future."
10.19.12 One gopa said: "Kṛṣṇa knows everything about the powers of gems and mantras to remove the effects of poison and fire. But it's not effective in the presence of others. That's why He wants us to close our eyes!"
There's a story that Kṛṣṇa was very thirsty at the time so the forest fire, afraid and unable to against Kṛṣṇa's will, turned into a very cool and tasty drink which He drank as a small drop.
10.20.36 "Sometimes the wise bestow knowledge, sometimes they do not." Viśvanātha: "Prahlād instructed the demons' kids, Nārada the hunter and Jaḍa Bharat Rahūgaṇa, but not others. It's just up to them."
10.21.10 The peacocks offering Kṛṣṇa their tail feathers in this ṭīkā has been quoted by Ānanda Gopāl Goswāmī in his lectures on Vilāpa Kusumāñjali 43.
10.24.35 Kṛṣṇa saying śailo'smi (I am the mountain) means 'I am the presiding master of this region'. Kṛṣṇa appeared like another mountain on top of Girrāj..
10.29.8 Why did the husbands let the gopīs go to Kṛṣṇa? Yogamāyā arranged for doubles for
them, that stayed home.
10.32.18 su-madhyamā means that this middle (madhyama) question of the gopīs is the best (su).
10.32.19 An 'alpa-druha' hates his benefactor for a reason, and a 'guru-druha' has no reason for it.
10.33.3 Viśvanātha tries to solve the aiśvarya of Kṛṣṇa having many forms in the Rāsa-dance by saying that He was actually one but moved quickly between the gopīs, but this too is supernatural and thus aiśvarya..The devatās in this verse were not qualified to see the gopīs - they only saw Kṛṣṇa dancing - but the devīs could see them, as in SB 10.33.18.
10.33.16 Kṛṣṇa counting the rhythm of the dance by tapping on the gopīs' breasts later inspired Śrīla Ānanda Gopāl Goswāmī to speak Vilāpa Kusumāñjali's verse 79's purport.
10.33.25 ava-ruddha-saurata means 'completely absorbed in amorous play'.
10.33.36 One needs to be pure-hearted for the Rāsa līlā to make you a pure devotee.
10.33.37 Even the gopīs' doubles, that stayed with their husbands during the Rāsa, were not enjoyed by them. (U.N.)
10.47.34 Kṛṣṇa tells the gopīs - "an object of attraction is far from the mind when it is close to the eyes and near the mind when it is far from the eyes. Of the two, the mind is more important. So remain close to My mind." It's what Sādhu Bābā also told me, about Vraja-vāsa.... āmāra hṛdoy- man
10.47.40 Gadāgraja is Kṛṣṇa, the elder brother of Gadā, son of Deva-rakṣitā, sister and co-wife of Devakī.
10.47.59 The adultress who leaves her husband for her lover is less sinful than she who carries on with both husband and lover - she has at least loyalty to one man.
10.47.67 Those with sakhya-, vātsalya- or mādhura-prema become indifferent to themselves as repositories of love of Kṛṣṇa, due to extreme hopelessness of separation. In great humility they take the mood of dāsya (Balaram/sakhyā in 10.13.37, mādhurya/Radha in 10.30.40 and vātsalya/Nanda in 10.47.67).
10.61.3 "The wonder why Kṛṣṇa could not be attracted to the Queens' glances, though He is subdued by His devotees' love is because they have two kinds of love for Him -kāma-maya and prema-maya. The former cannot captivate Kṛṣṇa, the latter can.
10.61.4  The Queens acted according to the Kāma Sūtra.
10.61.5  The Queens' prema-maya love did bind Kṛṣṇa in SB 1.11.35, 10.53.2 and 10.70.16.
10.61.35  The mañjarīs who ridiculed Kṛṣṇa as a simple foolish cowherd at the dice-game in Ānanda Gopāl Goswāmī's Vilāpa Kusumāñjali-comments may have learned that from this verse spoken by Rukmi.
10.65.17 Śrīdhar Swāmi says these gopīs were too young during Kṛṣṇa's Rāsa dance, they had
not participated. Jīva Goswāmī says during Holi (Śaṅkhacūḍa killing) Kṛṣṇa and Balarām enjoyed different gopīs.
10.78.36 Bṛhad Āraṇyaka Upaniṣad (6.4.8) confirms the 'so father so son' principle in this verse -aṅgāt aṅgāt sambhavasi hṛdayād abhijāyate ātma vai putra nāmāsi 'Your limbs are born from my limbs, you are born from my heart. You are named my son because you are me."
10.83.43 The 8 principal Queens like Rukmiṇī were fully satisfied in their relationship with Kṛṣṇa. This verse praising the gopīs was spoken by the 16,000 lesser Queens, who were later kidnapped by Arjuna and brought to Gokula, after the Mauṣala-līlā.
10.87.30 The word aparimita proves there is no end to the number of jīvas and thus also not to the material world.
Kṛṣṇa is called sudur-ārādhya in SB 10.88.11 - He is hard to worship and that shows in all the brief friendships I had as a devotee - nobody stays!

There are some serious mistakes made in my edition of the English Sārārtha Darśinī by the way - chapters 72,73.76 and 77 are double and 74 and 75 are missing! I saw other editions are all right, though. I won't review most of the main parts of the tenth canto - Veṇu Gīta, Rāsa-līlā, Yugal Gīta, Bhramar Gīta and Mahiṣī Gīta - here,they are way too elaborate, but it's a monumental work by Viśvanātha, for sure.

Gopāl Tāpanī Upaniṣad - Two editions

Gopāl Tāpanī Upaniṣad - two English renderings.

Mahānidhi Swāmī and Tripurāri Swāmī - both published in 2004

Gopāl Tāpanī Upaniṣad is an important text since it is Śruti-śāstra, which is higher evidence than Smṛti (Purāṇas), and nicely confirms Kṛṣṇa's Vraja-pastimes.

Mahānidhi Swāmī's has some of the worst lay-outing and editing I have ever seen - texts missing italics or bold settings, and many typos. Tripurāri's version has basically his own comment, derived partially from the previous ācāryas, Prabodhānanda, Jīva Goswāmī, Viśvanātha, with Tripurāri Swami's own added comments. Mahānidhi's version has only Viśvanātha's tika. The verse-numberings of both editions is quite different somehow. In his comments Tripurāri occasionally panders to the mundane intellectuals, which disturbs the devotional flow of the book, but it is not per se uninteresting or unacceptable.

Tripurāri's explanation of svārasikī is quite different from what the bābājīs teach - he says mantramayī is f.i. attending ārati, while the bābājīs say it is mantra smaraṇa, while svārasikī is progressively, timely līlā smaraṇam. On page 29 Tripurāri claims that vaidhi bhakti is prompted by the intellect and rāgānugā by emotions, but isn't bhakti of any kind an emotional practise? Jīva and Viśvanātha comment on verse 66/67 that the Śrīvatsa mark is a bunch of hair shaped like the moon, and Prabodhānanda likens it to the collective status of the jīvas, that become differentiated when they emerge from Mahāviṣṇu.

On page 30 Tripurāri claims that, unlike in rāgānugā bhakti, in vaidhi bhakti one aspires for devotional liberation, but there are many verses in the Bhāgavat's vaidhi-cantos that reject liberation too. Verses like gopālo'ham ("I am Gopāl") to be said by the sādhaka, not Gopāla, are typical for largely non-dualistic śāstras like the Upaniṣads, but are not properly translated by Bhūmipati (Mahānidhi's translator). They are by Tripurāri, though. Tripurāri says that the middle of the book (p. 138), where his non-dualist statement is made, cannot be different from the beginning and end (which had dualistic statements), but that need not be - Jīva Goswāmī teaches acintya bhedābheda, inconceivable oneness and distinction, unfavorable as the non-dual may be for bhakti. It is not clear from the English purport if this is Tripurāri's own writing or that of the previous ācāryas.

Of the two editions Tripurāri's is better, both in material quality as well as in spiritual quantity and quality.

Sītānāth's Utsav 2008 - Sādhu Bābā's āshram

Mālatī Di received the loving hospitality of my Didis and Dādās in Sādhu Bābā's āshram - they would not allow her to stay anywhere out of the ashram. She could imbibe the spirit of the āshram, the spirit of Sādhu Bābā. Unfortunately she had no better camera than her cell-phone, the pics are a bit unclear. Top to bottom: Tulsī Di and Nomitā Di, Tapan Dā and Kumkum Dā, villagers taking Madangopāl's prasād and some bhaktas.

The advent of Śrī Advaita Ācārya, 2008

THE ADVENT OF ŚRĪ ADVAITA ĀCĀRYA -

From 'Adwaita Prakāśa'

Once, at the end of the night, Lābhā Ṭhākurāṇī had a wonderful dream in which she saw a form of Harihara (a joint form of Viṣṇu and Śiva) in the lotus flower of her heart. All directions were illuminated by the radiance that emanated from His body. He performed hari saṅkīrtana with a sweet voice — dancing and weeping with raised arms, he was unaware of the external world. He roared out hare kṛṣṇa so loudly that Yamarāja, the son of the sun (who punishes the sinners) came to Him and beheld His sweet form of Hara and Hari combined, which was as attractive as Hara-Gaurī (Śiva-Pārvatī). His captivating bodily luster defeated the splendour of millions of suns— who is able to describe such a form? Goosebumps erupted on His body as He sang the hare kṛṣṇa-names and tears flowed from His eyes like the current of the Gaṅgā. His body swayed of pure loving ecstasy and sometimes He increased the waves of prema by dancing. 

Seeing this amazing form, the son of the sun offered prostrated obeisances and offered many kinds of indescribable praises. Folding his hands he sweetly spoke: "Listen, O Lord, this is the dark age of Kali— it is a matter of amazement that You will descend in this time and age. When they simply see You, the sinners will be saved and I will have no jurisdiction anymore. Therefore, my Lord, please be gone and thus solve the dilemma of this Your servant." 

Hearing this plea, the Lord smiled slightly and told Yama: "O Dharmarāja! Be at ease— you are mistaking. Don't you care about the deep suffering of the sinners? Wise sādhus are suffering when others are suffering. If you say: 'All living entities must suffer the reactions to their activities— who has the power to sever the bondage of karma?', then I'll tell you: Covered by māyā or illusion, they do not know what is for their own welfare— they consider trifle external sensual happiness to be beneficial. A person attached to mundane (family-) life is like a sick man that suffers only more when he takes some bogus medicine. Especially the people of the Kali age are very wayward— they wallow in forest-fires of deep miseries. When My mind sees the intolerable suffering of the conditioned souls I cannot remain calm and I took the following resolve: This mahā mantra destroys all bondage to fruitive activities and generates pure loving devotion to Kṛṣṇa. By teaching the conditioned souls this transcendental harināma I will redeem and empower the sinners. For this reason I will now take birth. The sādhus will instead sing: "Blessed is the age of Kali!" 

And I have another firm resolve: "I will surely cause the Original Personality of Godhead, Mahāprabhu, to descend, along with His eternal associates. This country will be inundated by a tidal wave of pure love of God. However, your jurisdiction will not be lost, for the blasphemers and atheists will not be saved."  Hearing this, Yamarāja went to his own abode. After having this dream, Lābhā woke up and told her husband about her wonderful dream. When Kuvera Paṇḍita heard about the dream he was amazed. 

Disneyland in tapobhūmi

I had some more thoughts on the culture-gap case Lila:

Vaiṣṇava missions in the west (perhaps due to competition) lower the threshold for admission and create a new layer of congregational grass-roots members, much like the caste Goswāmīs do in India. That is okay, but there is a big cultural difference. The new congregational/householder/grassroots devotees should not start selecting tapo-bhūmi (field of penance) Vraja as a holiday-destination for themselves and their rock 'n rolling teens. I saw in Raman Reti ('little Beverly Hills' or 'Disneyland in tapobhūmi') western teens roaring around on motorcycles, with earrings, bluejeans and mp3 players (most likely not playing kīrtan on the headphones), while Śrīman Mahāprabhu said sarva tyaji jīvera kartavya kāhā vāsa? "Where does a person who has given up everything reside?" To which Rāmānanda Rāya replied: vṛndāvana vraja-bhūmi yāhā līlā rāsa "In Vṛndāvana, Vraja-bhūmi, where the Rāsa-līlā took place". The founders of the big preaching missions in the west were themselves very cautious in allowing their disciples to live in Vraja, even in the austere 1970s, when the threshold of admission was much higher, let alone now.

Līlā

I wish to make a brief comment on the recent killing of 17-year old Lila Salter from Australia in Vṛndāvana. I do not know her or her family and this is not a judgement of them. They have my heartfelt condolences and sympathy in this time of grief. Nothing justifies her senseless killing. I want to say in general, though, that western girls and women are often ill-prepared when they come to India as Vaiṣṇava converts. It is said that Lila went around uncovered and approached Indian men directly, trying to promote her Guru's books, as this is being done in the west. Indian morale has it, however, that even public women do not approach unrelated men in a direct manner. Surely her intentions were lofty, but it shows that westerners have a lot to learn about matters like modesty, though they often do have higher spiritual knowledge than many born Hindus or even Vaiṣṇavas. The solution lies in a combination of segregation and education. Western women need to be educated in modesty and Indian men need to be taught that western women's open attitudes doesn't make them prostitutes, though western women should first learn modesty. It's their (the Indian men's) country, after all! Segregation helps avoiding disaster scenarios like this. Sādhu Bābā told me personally that Indians marrying westerners would be a cross-cultural disaster, and it usually is. One doesn't become Indian, let alone brahmin, simply by putting on Indian robes. If westerners who are new to India can learn a lesson from this, Lila's tragic death will not have been in vain.

Thawing more...

3 february 2008
Today's Ekādaśī and to break out of the daily drag I decide not to cook at noon but to go on bike-parikramā of Girrāja instead. Internet connections prove to be better at noon too, I discover on the way. Though its both sunday (a day off in Delhi) and Ekādaśī (a puṇya tithi) it's not too crowded around Girrāja. I haven't been all around the mount for maybe a year, and its sad to see huge bungalow parks have been built at both Anyor (Vasundhara) and Jātipurā. Much of the building is being done by the Tirtha Vikas Trust from Delhi. Their role is somewhat ambiguous - on the one hand they do good work - by supporting Sudevi's goshalla, building a fence around Girrāja to protect it against tresspassers and building sitting places all around the parikramā - but they are also responsible for a lot of the unnecessary building, at the expense of Girrāja's natural beauty. Girrāja remains a magical place, still. Even a bike parikramā with Nike shoes on gives a celestial outcome in the mind.

4 february 2008
Another nice iṣṭagoṣṭhī with Dhanurdhara Swāmi (I spoke with him earlier in Vṛndāvana, last year). He asks me to speak on the kuṇḍa līlā for 5 minutes (it is 11 a.m, when Rādhā Kṛṣṇa meet at the Kund), and it becomes 15 minutes instead. I explain that Puṣpa-cayan līlā takes place at Rādhākund, not at Kusum Sarovara - They already left Kusum Sarovar in chapter 7 of Govinda Līlāmṛta and Puṣpa-cayan līlā is in chapter 9. They wouldn't go back to Kusum Sarovar after already arriving at Rādhākuṇḍa. Swāmijī asks where it is taking place at Rādhākund. I say Kṛṣṇa is not a machine - there are plenty of places for flower-gardens still in between the 8 sakhīs' kuñjas. I remind Swāmijī we sit with our backs to Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa's prasādam-hall at the Padma Mandir.

Swāmijī tells me of the last days of his Godbrother Swarūp Dāmodara Swāmī, who passed away absorbed in the mood of the sakhīs. It is written on his samādhi in Rādhākund's Gopāl Mandir.

In the afternoon I walk to Mukherāi, the village of Śrī Rādhikā's grandmother Mukharā. Unlike Vṛndāvana and Rādhākuṇḍa, this village has barely changed in the 20-odd years I haven't seen it - straw huts, heaps of cow-dung paddies and fields full of mustard flowers. Only the Bājanī Śilā (resounding stone) has moved from an open courtyard into a temple building, called Giridhareśvara.

Picked up from a Bhagavat Saptāha by Vaiṣṇava Pada Dasji -
4th canto - Earth is called Pṛthivī because she is the daughter of Pṛthu Mahārāja.
Kāla-kanyā, the daughter of time, is Jarā, a female word indicating old age.
The black man churned from the thighs of Vena is not an African negro, but a Niṣāda, a tribal Indian.
Arci committed Sati for Pṛthu (as Mādrī did for Paṇḍu)
Canto 6 - antare vairāgya bāhya koro loka vyavahāra is meant for gṛhasthas, not for tyāgīs. For tyāgīs the motto is "dress like a renunciant and act like a renunciant".
A materially qualified non devotee is like a naked man wearing a beautiful turban (vastra-hīna alaṅkāra) - looking ridiculous.

Personal attacks, God-given intelligence, Rādhā-rasa Sudhānidhi, sad dhiya

I still have a number of interesting notes I made on often not-published comments in my notebook.

December 2007 -PERSONAL ATTACKS are useless. They will not change the issues, moral or philosophical, we discuss, at all. Mistakes made by me years ago do not disqualify me from preaching for the rest of my life.

Advaitadas: 'You know, we did not fall from the spiritual world.'
Critic: "But someone told me that he heard from someone that you looked at a girl in 1971".
Advaitadas: "You know, you need not be a pure devotee to do raganuga bhakti".
Critic: "Yes, but someone told me that he heard from someone that you smoked a cigarette in1969."
Advaitadas: I confess, I did both of these things back then. Now -
1. If I sin, I will be responsible.
2. If I tell others not to sin, and they sin, they are responsible.
3. If I encourage sin, and others follow, I am responsible for that.

GOD GIVEN INTELLIGENCE-
(Reply to non-published anon comment on the misogyny issue: 'Advaitadas, apply your God-given intelligence to the acaryas' commentaries' - 22 December 2007)

AD: "Do Rupa and Sanatan not already have God-given intelligence? Rūpa Goswāmī himself declared hṛdi yasya preranayā... vande caitanya-devasya (BRS 1.1.2) "Caitanya deva inspired me within the heart" and Mahāprabhu told Sanātan Goswāmī (CC Madhya 24) yabe likhibā kṛṣṇa sphurabe tomāy - "When you write Kṛṣṇa will reveal it to you." God also gave us intelligence to create atom bombs, heroin and pedophile websites. You erred (bhrama) when you said you took me to task, not the śāstras. śāstras and their comments, however, contain no error (bhrama pramāda vipralipsa karaṇāpaṭava), so how can we trust you know it better than them? Isn't yours laukika śraddhā instead of śāstrīya śraddhā? God gave us intelligence to understand śāstra via the principle of bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakaṁ dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ (B.G. 10.10), "If you perform loving bhajan I give you the divine intelligence", not to squeeze a new, self-serving purport from it, or try to reconcile it with TV-talk show-opinions. Furthermore, Jīva Goswāmī says that of śabda (śāstra), anumāna (mental assumption) and pratyakṣa (sense perception) only śabda is reliable."

THAWING
The worst of the winter in Vraja is over. Give me 1,000 winters in Vraja for 1 summer -in the winter there is at least the shelter of blankets and clothes against the cold, but in summer there is no shelter from the heat whatsoever.

RĀDHĀ RASA SUDHĀNIDHI
Rādhā-rasa Sudhānidhi is a masterpiece, rich with sweet rasa and prema, but I always found it a pity that it nowhere mentions Rādhākuṇḍa, only Vṛndāvan. Actually, however, Bengali devotees, Sādhu Bābā included, habitually call all of Vraja ' Vṛndāvan' - so Rādhākund is included there. Rādhā-rasa Sudhānidhi consists of verses of glorification - it does not provide material for contiguous līlā smaraṇam, but all of the verses are extremely fit for guṇa smaraṇa, nāma-smaraṇa and mañjarī sevā smaraṇa. The fact that Prabodhānanda Saraswatīpāda's mañjarī swarūpa is not known is not a problem, because the mañjarī swarūpa of Raghunāth Dās Goswāmī is also disputed, and the authorship anyway doesn't matter that much. It is for our own mañjarī-inspiration that we read these books. Śrīla Ānanda Gopāl Goswāmī said about this that if a mango is sweet, who cares who planted it and where the orchard is.

SAD DHIYA
Those who think that just living in Vraja will bestow prema, no matter how, on the base of Rupa Goswami's yatra svalpo'pi sambandha sad-dhiyam bhāva janmane (BRS, "Even the slightest relationship with the 5 chief items of bhakti, of which living in Vraja is one, bestows bhāva in the sad-dhiya") should know that Jīva Goswāmī and Viśvanāth Cakravartī comment 'sad-dhiyaṁ niraparādha cittānām' - 'sad dhiya means those who are not offensive."

The Almighty vs. the Inquisition

For making eyes at another man, Reṇukā was killed by her son Paraśurām, to teach complete obedience to the Guru (ājñāṁ gurūnāṁ hyavicāranīya, Raghu-vaṁśa, quoted in CC Madhya 10). Reṇukā was later revived, after the order to kill her was carried out and Paraśurām passed the test of surrender (SB 9.16.2-8).
Rāma abandoned Sītā to teach complete chastity of the wife. To set the standard and to avoid creating a precedent it was done without compromise, as Śrīman Mahāprabhu later did with Chota Haridās, too. Both Sītā and Haridās were innocent in prakat līlā and are the Lord's eternal associates in the nitya līlā. In other words, Sītā-devī is inseparably Rāma's hlādini śakti and Her 'abandonment' was a mere līlā for Them and a lesson for us. One should not have a mundane view of the transcendent Lord - kartum akartum anyathāpi kartum samartha sa eva īśvaraḥ - 'He who can do or not do as He pleases or even do otherwise - that alone is Īśvara'. naitat samacārejjātu manasāpi hyanīśvaraḥ (SB 10.33.30) "Not even within one's mind one should imitate the Īśvara".

Perhaps Rām cut off Śūrpānakhā's nose to show the resolve of the monogamous man (eka-patnī-vrata).

Interestingly, līlā puruṣottama Kṛṣṇa enjoyed pūrva-bhukta ramaṇīs (women previously enjoyed by others) like the gopīs and the 16,000 captives of Bhaumāsura.

Viśvanāth Cakravartīpāda comments, by the way, that only the gopīs who attained spiritual bodies not stained by other men's enjoyment,were able to reach Him in the Rāsa-dance (S.D. 10.29.11) and that the 16,000 queens were expansions of the gopīs (Kārtik Māhātmya, quoted in SD 10.59.43). But maryādā puruṣottama Rāma rejected Sītā after She was kidnapped. (Asked for by Sītā,  Agnideva made a false Sītā who was kidnapped by Rāvana. Sītā entered Agniloka and the māyā-Sītā entered the fire during the fire-proof - Kūrma Purāṇa, CC Madhya 9,210,211)

Speaking of Rāma, in Tulsīdāsa's Rāmāyan it is said that drums and women sound better if regularly beaten, but this is not OUR scripture. Our scripture is the Bhāgavata (śāstraṁ bhāgavataṁ pramāṇam amalam....śrī caitanya mahāprabhor matam idam) and the Bhāgavata says women should not be beaten (praharanti na vai strīṣu).

Having said all this - bhakti means that the Lord tells us what to do, not that we tell Him what He can and cannot do. The Almighty will not subject Himself to today's Inquisitions of Political Correctness.

The Bhāgavata on misogyny

Everything is there in the Bhāgavata, and so the concept of misogyny will be there too (the concept itself is not laukika śraddhā, though some of the conclusions and implementations drawn from it nowadays may be). The line patiṁ tvapatitam bhajet (7.11.28) contains it all - it shows both the woman's and the man's duty. The woman must (bhajet is imperative) serve the husband (pati means 'master'), and the man must not be fallen (tvapatitam), which certainly includes abusing his wife (misogyny). In a single line the Bhāgavata thus rejects both feminism (patiṁ bhajet) and misogyny (tvapatitam). The Bhāgavat further condemns misogyny in verse 4.17.20 - praharanti na vai strīṣu kṛtagaḥsvapi jantavaḥ - "Women are not beaten, even if they committed an offence."

Gītā Bhūṣaṇa (2)

13.22 Baladeva repeatedly says here that the karma and saṁskāras of the jīva are beginningless.
14.27 "I alone am the shelter of the six eternal (śaśvatasya) qualities called ṣaḍ-aiśvarya (dharmasya), I alone am the shelter of My extraordinary (ekantikasya) rasa (sukhasya) arising from variegated pastimes."
16.1-3 Baladeva divides the attributes through varṇāśrama - the sannyāsī is fearless about how he will survive without work. The next two attributes along belong to the sannyāsī. The next three attributes belong to the gṛhastha. svādhyāya, study, is the only attribute of the brahmacārī, and tapas the only attribute of the vanaprastha. Next is the 12 qualities of the brāhmin, who is honest (arjava. The Iskcon-translation of arjava, 'simplicity', is not so clear). apaiśuna means not speaking bad about others in their absence. hrī means feeling ashamed to do illegal activities. acapala means no useless actions. teja to dhṛti are the three qualities of the kṣatriya, śauca (no cheating) and adroha 2 vaiśya-qualities, and nātimānī (not too proud, knowing one's place) the sole quality of the śūdra.
16.4 The asura wants to be known as pious (reputation or dambha), is proud of his lineage or knowledge (darpa), thinks he should be respected), is angry and uses rough language in front of others (pāruśya) - boy, that's me!
17.21 That is what Advaitadas-II rejected when he gave me the medicine. See blog of Dec.10, 2007.
18.14 Last year we had a few blogs about the jīva's doership. Here's a rare clue: "But if the jīva's actions depend on the Lord, his action becomes mere engagement by the Lord, in fullfilment of His goal. The jīva would be simply like a piece of wood, and the rules and prohibitions of śāstra would be useless. It would not be possible to initiate action by one's own intelligence, since it is seen that the jīva is simply made to act by the Lord." "The jiva is the substratum of the body, senses and prāṇa supplied by the Lord, and which operate by the powers bestowed by Him. Being the possessor of these bestowed powers, the jiva rules over his body and senses by his desires alone, for accomplishing his actions. The Lord, situated within the jīvas, giving His permission for their action, sets their actions in motion. The jīva, by his intelligence, can choose to act or not to act, without being forced either way by the Lord."
"But then at least the liberated jīva should not be the agent, because he no longer has a body, senses or prāṇa."
"No, that is not so, because liberated souls have spiritual senses and body, by which they accomplish their spiritual desires."
18.41 svabhāva prabhavaiḥ means, according to Baladeva, impressions from previous lives (svabhāva prāktana saṁskāra). That covers the guṇa-karma vibhāgaśaḥ line in Gītā 4.13.
18.48 By removing the smoke,which is a portion of the fire, the portion containing heat is used to eliminate the cold. Thus, after removing the fault in one's duties by offering the actions to the Lord, one should utilize the remaining portion, which generates jñāna, to realize the ātmā." I'm not sure if I get this one.
18.65 " But my doubt is not destroyed because even when You made a vow to return to Vraja after leaving for Mathurā, you did not keep it." Kṛṣṇa: "Therefore I say this after making an admission: you are dear to Me. If the resident of Mathurā, having an affectionate mind, does not cheat the one he loves, what then to speak of one he loves most?"
This makes no sense, because the resident of Mathurā did cheat the ones he loves (Kṛṣṇa never returned to Vraja).
18.66 Of the 6 types of surrender, anukūlasya sankalpa means 'accepting scriptural rules' and pratikūlya vivarjayet 'giving up unscriptural behaviour'.
18.78 One should not worry that this scripture is favoring war. It is not so. The instructions are manmana bhava mad bhakta (Think of Me and be My devotee") and sarva dharmān parityajya (give up all dharma and surrender to Me.")

Again, I probably missed many interesting things, this was merely a casual study.

Gīta Bhūṣaṇa

Book Review:
Gītā Bhūṣaṇa, Bhagavad Gītā commentary
by Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
Translated by Bhānu Swāmī

This book is philosophical, so it's a bit hard for me to digest. I have concentrated on the key verses and may well have missed a lot of great things in between. Baladeva quotes a lot from the Upaniṣads. The first 6 chapters he classifies as dealing more or less with niṣkāma karma-yoga, dedicated work for higher benefits, not per se bhakti.
2.14 mātra sparsas tu kaunteya (2.14) is explained in the framework of steadfastness in dharma, not as an act of bhakti, and verse 2.47 (karmaṇyevādhikāras te) reminds us that karma, not bhakti is the subject here.
The tika of 3.27 (ahaṅkāra vimūḍhātmā) refers to verses 18.14-16, which describe 5 factors of action, an intricate combination of doership by the jīva and the paramātmā. Overcome with impressions (vāsanās) of enjoying sense objects from beginningless time, the jīva is embraced by prakṛti, who is situated next to him, and who is the cause of his pleasure. Verse 13.21 describes prakṛti as the doer through the body and the senses, but prakṛti only comes into action by contact with the Lord. The Lord's doership can never be rejected.
3.33 Even a person who knows the punishment stated in the scriptures (jñānavān) acts according (sadṛśam) to his evil nature - his sinful impressions have been there since beginningless time. What to speak of those who don't even know the punishment?
3.37 Lust is very powerful, since it forces one to engage even in forbidden acts by making one lose one's sense of discrimination....the victory of lust and anger are one.
3.38 Knowledge covered slightly by lust can grasp something of truth, knowledge covered moderately cannot grasp the truth, and knowledge covered by lust cannot function and cannot even be perceived.
3.42 The sense objects are more powerful than the senses because they can attract them. The mind is superior to the sense objects because it is the root of the actions of the senses in pursuit of sense objects. The discerning and confirming intellect is superior to the mind which has doubt, because there must be verification of existence of enjoyment from sense objects before action takes place. The jīva, the enjoyer, is superior to the intellect, because it is the very means of enjoyment or experience.
4.6 pratyakṣaṁ ca harer janma na vikāra kathañcana - "Hari's birth, though visible, takes place without transformation of His svarūpa." (Smṛti). Thus one should recall His appearance in the delivery room with divine form, decorated with ornaments, etc.
4.40 ajña = ignorant like an animal. aśraddha = he knows śāstra but has no faith because he is quarrelsome. saṁśayātma knows śāstra and has faith but doubts he will make it.
Happiness is generated fom actions prescribed by śāstra.
5.9 Breathing represents the actions of the 5 major prāṇas. Opening and closing the eyes are done by the 5 secondary prāṇas. Sleeping is an action of the internal organ (antaḥ-karaṇa)
5.15
eṣa hyeva sādhu-karma kārayati taṁ yamebhyo lokebhyaḥ unninīṣate. 
esa u evāsādhu karma kārayati taṁ yam adho ninīṣyate
(Kauśitakī Upaniṣad 3.8)

"The Lord engages souls in good work for their elevation and in bad work for their degradation."

ajño jantur aniśo'yam ātmanah sukha duḥkayoḥ
īśvara prerito gacchet svargaṁ narakam eva ca

"The ignorant is totally powerless about his joy or woes - impelled by the Lord he goes to heaven or hell." Isn't that unjust of the Lord? No, because karma is beginningless - na karmāvibhāgād iti cen nānāditvāt.
Bhānu Swāmī comments on 7.8 that the four levels of sound (see blog of febr.28, 2007) have their cakras too - parā = mūlādhāra, paśyanti = maṇipūraka and madhyama = anāhata. For vaikhari no cakra is mentioned.
5.11 Engaging the senses in enlightenment is only possible if they are very pure. Hence Kṛṣṇa uses the adjective 'kevalaiḥ'.
7.15 "Those who know the meaning of śāstra (kṛtinaḥ) but are evil (duṣ) do not surrender unto Me." Baladeva then quotes a great egghead-verse:


avidyāyāṁ antare vartamānaḥ svayaṁ dhīrāḥ paṇḍitaṁ manyamānāḥ 
dandramyamānāḥ pariyanti mūḍhā andhenaiva nīyamāna yathāndhāḥ

(Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.5)

"Though internally they are ignorant they think they are learned. These fools wander about in confusion like blind men leading other blind men."
9.13 mahātmā here means ' broad-minded'
9.22 Another meaning than ' carrying food' is ' I take care My devotees attain Me (yoga)
and prevent their separation from Me (kṣemam)."

Laghu Bhāgavatāmṛta (2)

LB 5.223 glosses the words śaśvatasya dharmasya in Bhagavad Gītā 14.27 as 'bhagavad dharma', hearing and chanting according to Baladeva, and aikantikasya sukhasya as 'of one filled with prema bhakti rasa'. Devaki-devi is described as para prakṛti sūkṣma " subtle spiritual energy".

In 5.235, Rūpa Gosvāmī glosses the word sadhvasam in SB 2.9.9 as 'the residents of Vaikuṇṭha being free from the fear of falling". Another direct hit for the fall-vādīs.

In LB 5.247-283 Rūpa Gosvāmī quotes from the Sixth Canto of the Padma Purāṇa about the yogapīṭha, the mystical seat of Viṣṇu.

In 5.286, tripād vibhūti is shown indeed not to refer to size but to quality. "Vaikuṇṭha is called tripāda vibhūti because it possesses 3 parts of power. All the power of the material realm are called only one portion. It means that the powers of the material realm do not exist in Vaikuṇṭha."

The story of Brahmā seeing countless Brahmās in Kṛṣṇa's audience-room is narrated in LB 5.320-323.

LB 5.344 quotes SB 10.15.8. Kṛṣṇa used Balarāma as a substitute, for it's inappropriate to say that Lakṣmī desired Balarām's chest. Kṛṣṇa would not reveal His intimate affairs to Balarāma, He was speaking in sakhya-rasa. The story of Lakṣmī desiring Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa eventually granting Her a place on His chest as a golden line, is quoted from Padma Purāṇa in LB 5.351.

In LB 5.429-433 Rūpa Gosvāmī quotes various Purāṇas wherein Kṛṣṇa's pastimes are described in the present tense, and establishes the doctrine, later taken over by Jīva Goswāmī in the Sandarbhas, that present tense indicates eternity (vartamānasyanatvenoktis tan naitya vācika, 432)

In LB 5.450 Baladeva writes a long ṭīkā, quoting from various śāstras that Kṛṣṇa is the son of Yaśodā and Devakī. Later, in 455-460, Rūpa Gosvāmī confirms this with Bhāgavata-verses.

In LB 461-2, the famous vṛndāvanam parityajya verses, Baladeva argues that if Kṛṣṇa had really never left Vraja, there would be no separation for the Vrajavāsīs, no need for sending Uddhava to Vraja, or meeting in Kurukṣetra.

In LB 5.463 Rūpa Gosvāmī says that Kṛṣṇa went to Mathurā in a manifest form, hiding the fact He was Nanda's son to delight the people of Mathurā.

In 5.467 Rūpa Gosvāmī says the Vrajavāsīs were separated for three months in prakaṭa līlā. A visphurti (semblance of an appearance) of Kṛṣṇa kept them alive.

In verse 468, Rūpa Gosvāmī mentions two kinds of meeting with Kṛṣṇa: āvirbhāva (sudden appearance through Uddhava's message f.i.) and āgati (actual return). To prove that Kṛṣṇa actually returned to Vraja, Rūpa Gosvāmī quotes the same Bhāgavata-ślokas as Jīva later did in the Sandarbhas. That madhūn in SB 1.11.36 doesn't refer to Vraja, but Mathurā, is explained by Rūpa Gosvāmī (5.480): Vraja is within Mathurā, and Kṛṣṇa had anyway no friends left in Mathurā, having taken them all to Dvārakā (SB 10.50.57).

In 5.482 Rūpa Gosvāmī also quotes the Padma Purāṇa-text, saying that Kṛṣṇa returned to Vraja. This too was later taken over by Jīva Goswāmī in the Sandarbhas.

In 5.491 Rūpa Gosvāmī proves from Skanda Purāṇa that the Lord and the siddhas (nitya- or sādhana) can not only merge into an aṁśī (original form, like Droṇa and Dharā merging into Nanda and Yaśodā), but also re-emerge from them.

Commenting on 5.501, a quotation from Brahma Saṁhitā 5.56, Baladeva says that there is no time in the spiritual sky, meaning 'in other abodes of the Lord the divisions of time are present, but not in Goloka.'

On 5.503-5 he comments that 'vaikuṇṭha' in the famous verse 'vaikuṇṭhācca garīyasi' means ' Gokula'. It is eternal, though situated in the material world.

On 519 Baladeva comments that knowledge of time is covered by the līlā-śakti of the Lord (one imagines time to be passing).

The second part of the book, describing the glories of the devotees, is very brief - just 46 verses - culminating in:

trailokya pṛthivī dhanyā yatra vṛndāvanaṁ purī

tatrāpi gopikāḥ pārtha tatra rādhābhidhā mama

"O Arjuna! In the three worlds, the earth, where Vṛndāvana town is, is most fortunate. There the gopīs live, including My Rādhā."

I bought this book in Bengali in 1991, but its in my house in Holland, so I cannot cross-check the translation, but it seems yet another great presentation of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī's work by Śrīpād Bhānu Swāmī.

Laghu Bhāgavatāmṛta

Book Review:
Laghu Bhāgavatāmṛta by Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī
With commentary by Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
Translated by Bhānu Swāmi

Rūpa Goswāmī wrote this book as a concise version of Sanātan Goswāmī's Bṛhat Bhāgavatāmṛta.

In verse 1.7 he says that we and the Madhvaites (the fact they are separately mentioned proves Gauḍīyas are not Madhvaites) both accept three proofs: pratyaksa, anumāna and śabda (scriptural evidence). These proofs are in relation to profane objects, not spiritual ones, because they are also subject to faults in the observer, such as bhrama. F.i. for śabda, Kapila's words conflict with those of others. After briefly establishing śabda above tarka (logic), Rūpa Goswāmī establishes Kṛṣṇa's original form (svayaṁ rūpa) as independent, quoting SB 10.44.14.

In his ṭīkā of verse 1.13, the famous īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ-verse, Baladeva explains that anādi here doesn't mean 'beginningless' and ādi not 'the head of others', for these meanings are already covered by 'sarva kāraṇa kāraṇam'. Instead, anādi here means 'not under anyone's control'.

In 2.31-32, Rūpa Goswāmī qualifies Sadāśiva as aṅga-bhūta (a Nārāyaṇa-vilāsa-form) of the original lord Kṛṣṇa. In verse 32 he quotes Brahma Saṁhitā 5.8, saying that Sadāśiva is a Viṣṇu-expansion of Kṛṣṇa whose consort is Ramā (Lakṣmī). In his ṭīkā of 2.32, Baladeva explains all the words indicating Shiva in Brahma Samhitā's creation-tale to mean Viṣṇu, thus reconciling the mystery of Shiva creating the world in that Kṛṣṇaite text.

In verse 3.17 Baladeva reveals that there are two Varāha-avatāras, one born from Brahmā's nostrils and one born from the subterranean waters, and Maitreya, in the Third Canto, put different events in one story since Varāha is one avatāra. Kapila also comes in two forms, one jīva and one an aṁśa of Vāsudeva.

In 3.73 Vāmana even appears three times in a day of Brahmā, taking three steps of land from three different persons.

In 3.83, the jīva Vyāsa merged into the Nārāyan form of Vyāsa.

In 4.53-54 Matsya and Kūrma reside on the hellish planets Mahātala and Rasātala and in 4.64 the material Vaikuṇṭha exists in Satyaloka. All avatāras have material and spiritual abodes. Kṛṣṇa is not really Upendra, Indra's younger brother - Indra only calls Him like that out of love. (premnā, Harivaṁśa 5.5). The six qualities of Bhagavān are fully manifest (parāvasthā) in Rāma, Kṛṣṇa and Nṛsiṁha. (Padma Purāṇa 5.16).

In 5.51 Baladeva quotes SB 10.88.25-26 to prove that one does not even fall from Vaikuṇṭha in the material world (Satyaloka), what to speak of the spiritual world? (Encouraging to read in an Iskcon publication).

In 5.73-75 Rūpa Goswāmī gives sweet interpretations of Kṛṣṇa's names - Mādhava - born from the Madhu-dynasty; Adhokṣaja (born from the cart's axle (akṣa) after being presumed killed by Pūtanā). I notice that Bhānu Swāmī does not use caps to indicate Kṛṣṇa. He writes 'he' and 'his' instead of ' He' and 'His'.

In 5.116 Rūpa Goswāmī again (as in siddhāntatas tvabhede'pi) admits that God is one, but with two aspects - the personal and impersonal.

This is about half the book, so to keep it readable I split the review into two parts.

Siddha Praṇālī for sannyāsīs and selfless giving

Rādhākund, December 8, 2007 -
Sakhīcaran, my backdoor neighbor, tells me that in the Nitāi-Gaur Rādhe-Śyām Sampradāya, Ekādaśa Bhāva is only given after bhekh (to sannyāsīs only) - they are strict like the IGM and Haridās Śāstrījī. I tell him that revelation is an alternative (especially since their Guru passed away right after their dīkṣā).

Advaitadas II also comes and gives me expensive medicines, but does not want any money (he's not rich). He says that Rūpa Goswāmī's dadāti pratighṛṇati does not refer to a precisely calculated exchange of gifts, but to spontaneous loving gestures. When I argue that Bhīṣma-deva lay on his bed of arrows until all accounts were settled and everyone was satisfied, he says that those were the general populace, not his near and dear ones. Take Kṛṣṇa Himself - He is really nasty - urinating on mother Yaśodā's floor, stealing butter, seducing other mens wives and then leaving Vraja never to return - still we tend to give everything to Him. Yet, Uddhava says (SB 11.29.6) that Kṛṣṇa cannot be repaid because He comes as the Guru. Speaking of Guru, the Guru and one's mother come on the other side of the scale - however much you may mistreat them, they will always love you. Perhaps this is why in India the word dhanyavāda (thanks) is not really used?

Congratulations

Congratulations to Mālatī Dāsī from Melbourne, Australia, for being the second kṛpā pātra of Śrī-Śrī Sādhu Bābā outside India. Her application for dīkṣā was approved last week by Tapan Dā, Tulsī Di and Namitā Di. dīkṣā may take place on Sītānāth's Utsav in Navadwīp next February. Family expansion at long last....

Natural Bhakti

(Skewed Indian scan)

Natural Bhakti

by Rām Dās

A book review

Yesterday I visited the Munghyr Mandir and had darshan of B.V. Sadhu Maharaja, who knew me though we only met once 22 years ago, and, as I expected, is a friendly, easy-going gentleman. He surprises me by saying that Balaramji is not his brother. I take prasad there on his invitation and meet Ram Das (Ronald Engert), from Germany, who gives me a 68-page booklet he wrote about Natural Bhakti. He is a liberal who objects to forced principles, and it shows in his booklet. He objects against guilt feelings created by breaking enforced rules, but forgets there is a danger that wanton westerners will misunderstand his objections and will think it allright to break the rules. Devotees who break the rules are simply not immune to severe reactions to their failures, that is seen everywhere. He claims that guilt feelings due to breaking the principles can lead to quitting bhakti, but I don't believe that. Bhakti is ahaituki (causeless) and apratihata (uninterruptable). It is more an excess of artificial penance that burns devotees out, or the sādhana and siddhānta is simply too high. Ramdas quotes many good verses from śāstra, proving that bhakti is independent (from rules), which is philosophically correct.

However, there are several warped conceptions in the booklet: he quotes Bhaktivinode's Jaiva Dharma, ch.20, in which he says that a rāgānugī need not follow the Śruti, Smṛti and Purāṇas, which is not correct (see BRS 1.2.296). On page 46 Rāmdas doubts the necessity of discussing the goal as long as we have not reached it, thinking it not humble. I disagree - one needs to know the goal in order to reach it and to be attracted to it. On page 53 Rāmdas claims that rāgānugā bhakti would be dependent on vaidhi bhakti if rules are involved. That is of course a product of all the mis-teachings about rāgānugā being 'without rules' and 'spontaneous'. Following rules is not the intrinsic characteristic of vaidhi bhakti, but aiśvarya bhāva is.

On page 54 Ramdas claims that 'In rāgānugā bhakti there is no need of defence or ideological combat' which is not true (rather, its a hot controversy itself!) and 'everyone can listen to this kathā', which is denied by Jīva Goswāmī in Bhakti Sandarbha and Gopal Campu. Rāmdās is also (still) a fall-vadi: He speaks of the siddha swarūpa as ' we once had' and on p.63 he says: "This is why we fell from Paradise: we ate from the tree of discernment of Good and Evil." This, and his problems with sin vs. guilt, shows he has a Christian background. On p.66 he says: ...they preach like 500 years ago, as if there had never been an age of enlightenment, fascism, a 1968-movement or globalisation." I fail to see how these things have contributed to a pure Vaiṣṇava understanding.

Apart from these points Rāmdās pushes all the right buttons, showing from śāstra that anarthas even exist in bhāva bhakti, one need not be a pure devotee to start rāgānugā, etc.

Rāsa Pūrṇimā at Sandīpani's

The Rāsa-līlās at Sandīpani Muni's Āśram are poorly timed - after all introductory performances the actual Līlā starts at 8.15, while many devotees have to leave in time due to early closing-hours of their guesthouses or āśrams.

I sympathise with conservatives who say that children of flesh and blood cannot really portray Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa's transcendental forms, but on the other hand Mahāprabhu recognised Kṛṣṇa in Pratāparudra's son, who had a Śyāma-complexion and yellow cloth, and He also spent time at Kānāi Nāṭśālā, the Bengali village where the whole community was engaged in such performances. I suppose Rāsa-līlā can do no harm in the neophyte stage. Many Rāsa-līlā critics spent their time making politics instead - better see some cute kids playing Kṛṣṇa, as long as we can't perceive the Real Thing yet.