Delivery of the Message of Krsna to the Gopis
When
the gopis saw Uddhava, they observed that his features almost exactly
resembled those of Krsna, and they could understand that he was a great
devotee of Krsna's. His arms were very long and his eyes were just like
the petals of the lotus flower. He was dressed in yellow garments and
wore a garland of lotus flowers. His face was very beautiful. Having
achieved the liberation of sarupya and thus having the same bodily
features as the Lord, Uddhava looked almost like Krsna. In Krsna's
absence, the gopis had been coming dutifully to visit mother Yasoda's
house early in the morning. They knew that Nanda Maharaja and mother
Yasoda were always grief-stricken, and they had made it their first duty
to come and pay their respects to the most exalted elder personalities
of Vrndavana. Seeing the friends of Krsna, Nanda and Yasoda would
remember Krsna Himself and be satisfied, and the gopis also would be
pleased
by seeing Nanda and Yasoda.
When
the gopis saw that Uddhava was representing Krsna even in his bodily
features, they thought he must be a soul completely surrendered unto the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. They began to contemplate, "Who is this
boy who looks just like Krsna? He has the same eyes like lotus petals,
the same raised nose and beautiful face, and he is smiling in the same
way. In all respects he resembles Krsna, Syamasundara, the beautiful
blackish boy. He is even dressed exactly like Krsna. Where has this boy
come from? Who is the fortunate girl who has him for her husband?" Thus
they talked among themselves. They were very anxious to know about him,
and because they were simple, unsophisticated village girls, they
surrounded Uddhava.
When
the gopis understood that Uddhava had a message from Krsna, they became
very happy and called him to a secluded place and offered him a nice
sitting place. They wanted to talk with him very freely and did not want
to be embarrassed before unknown persons. They welcomed him with polite
words, in great submissiveness: "We know that you are a most
confidential associate of Krsna and that He has therefore sent you to
Vrndavana to give solace to His father and mother. We can understand
that family affection is very strong. Even great sages who have taken to
the renounced order of life cannot give up family affection cent
percent. Sometimes they think of their family members. Krsna has
therefore sent you to His father and mother; otherwise He has no further
business in Vrndavana. He is now in town. What does He have to know
about Vrndavana village or the cows' pasturing grounds? These are not at
all useful for Krsna because He is now a man of the city.
"Surely
He has nothing to do with persons who do not happen to be His family
members. Friendships with those outside the family continue as long as
there is some selfish interest in them; otherwise, why should one bother
about those outside the family? Specifically, a person attached to the
wives of others is interested in them as long as there is a need of
sense gratification, just as bumblebees have interest in flowers as long
as they want to take the honey out of them. It is psychologically very
natural that a prostitute does not care for her paramour as soon as he
loses his money. Similarly, when the citizens find that a government is
incapable of giving them full protection, they leave the country. A
student, after finishing his education, gives up his relationship with
the teacher and the school. A priest, after taking his reward from the
worshiper, gives him up. When the fruit season is over, birds are no
longer interested in the tree. Just after eating in the house of a host,
the guest gives up his relationship with him. After a forest fire, when
there is a scarcity of green grass, deer and other animals give up the
forest. And so a man, after enjoying his girlfriend, gives up his
connection with her." In this way, all the gopis indirectly accused
Krsna by citing many examples.
Uddhava
understood that the gopis of Vrndavana were all simply absorbed in the
thought of Krsna and His childhood activities. While talking about Krsna
with Uddhava, they forgot all about their household business. They even
forgot about themselves as their interest in Krsna increased more and
more.
One
of the gopis, namely Srimati Radharani, was so much absorbed in
thoughts of Krsna by dint of Her personal touch with Him that She
actually began to talk with a bumblebee which was flyin
there and trying to touch Her lotus feet. While the other gopis were
talking with Krsna's messenger Uddhava, Srimati Radharani took that
bumblebee to be a messenger from Krsna and began to talk with it as
follows: "Bumblebee, you are accustomed to drinking honey from flower to
flower, and therefore you have preferred to be a messenger of Krsna,
who is of the same nature as you. I can see on your mustaches the red
powder of kunkuma which was smeared on the flower garland of Krsna while
it was pressed against the breasts of some other girl who is My
competitor. You feel very proud because of having touched that garland,
and your mustaches have become reddish. You have come here carrying a
message for Me, anxious to touch My feet. But My dear bumblebee, let Me
warn you -- don't touch Me! I don't want any messages from your
unreliable master. You are the unreliable servant of an unreliable
master." It may be that Srimati Radharani purposely addressed the
bumblebee sarcastically in order to indirectly criticize the messenger
Uddhava. Like the other gopis, Srimati Radharani saw that Uddhava's
bodily features resembled Krsna's, but She also saw Uddhava as being
equal to Krsna. Indirectly, therefore, She indicated that Uddhava was as
unreliable as Krsna Himself. Srimati Radharani wanted to give specific
reasons why She was dissatisfied with Krsna and His messenger.
She
addressed the bumblebee, "Your master Krsna is exactly of your quality.
You sit down on a flower, and after tasting a little honey you
immediately fly away and sit on another flower and taste. Similarly,
only once did your master Krsna give Me the chance to taste the touch of
His lips, and then He left Me altogether. I know also that the goddess
of fortune, Laksmi, who is always in the midst of the lotus flower, is
constantly engaged in Krsna's service. But I do not know how she has
become so captivated by Krsna and why she is so much attached to Krsna,
although she knows His actual character. Maybe she is so much captivated
by Krsna's sweet words that she cannot understand His real character.
As far as We are concerned, We are more intelligent than the goddess of
fortune. We are not going to be cheated anymore by Krsna or His
messengers."
According
to expert opinion, Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, is a subordinate
expansion of Srimati Radharani. As Krsna has numerous expansions of
visnu-murtis, so His pleasure potency, Radharani, also has innumerable
expansions of goddesses of fortune. Therefore the goddess of fortune,
Laksmiji, is always eager to be elevated to the position of the gopis.
Srimati
Radharani continued: "You foolish bumblebee, you are trying to satisfy
Me and get a reward by singing the glories of Krsna, but it is a useless
attempt. We gopis are bereft of all our possessions. We are away from
our homes and families. We know very well about Krsna. We know even more
than you. So whatever you make up about Him will be old stories to us.
Krsna is now in the city and is better known as the friend of Arjuna. He
now has many new girlfriends, who are no doubt very happy in His
association. Because the lusty, burning sensation of their breasts has
been satisfied by Krsna, they are now happy. If you go there and glorify
Krsna, they may be pleased to reward you. You are just trying to pacify
Me by your behavior as a flatterer, and therefore you have put your
head under My feet. But I know the trick you are trying to play. I know
that you are a messenger coming from an even greater trickster, Krsna.
Therefore, please leave Me.
"I
can understand that you are expert in reuniting two opposing parties,
but at the same time you must know that I cannot place My reliance upon
you, nor upon your master, Krsna. We left our husbands, children and
relatives only for Krsna, yet He did not feel any obligation in
exchange. At last He left us forlorn. Do you think we can place our
faith in Him again? We know that Krsna cannot live for a moment without
the association of young women. That is His nature. He is finding
difficulty in Mathura because He is no longer in the village among
innocent cowherd girls. He is in aristocratic society and must be
feeling difficulty in making friendships with other young girls. Perhaps
you have come here to canvass again or to take us there. But why should
Krsna expect us to go there? He is greatly qualified to entice all
other girls, not only in Vrndavana or Mathura but all over the universe.
His wonderfully enchanting smile is so attractive and the movements of
His eyebrows are so beautiful that He can call for any woman from the
heavenly, middle or plutonic planets. Even Maha-Laksmi, the greatest of
all goddesses of fortune, hankers to render Him some service. In
comparison to all these women of the universe, what are we? We are very
insignificant.
"Krsna
advertises Himself as magnanimous, and He is praised by great saints.
His qualifications would be perfectly utilized if He would only show us
some mercy, for we are so much downtrodden and neglected by Him. You
poor messenger, you are only a less intelligent servant. You do not know
much about Krsna, how ungrateful and hardhearted He has been, not only
in this life but in His previous lives also. We have all heard this from
our grandmother Paurnamasi. She has informed us that Krsna was born in a
ksatriya family previous to this birth and was known as Ramacandra. In
that birth, instead of killing Vali, an enemy of His friend, in the
manner of a ksatriya, He killed him just like a hunter. A hunter takes a
secure hiding place and then kills an animal without facing it. So Lord
Ramacandra, as a ksatriya, should have fought with Vali face to face,
but, instigated by His friend, He killed him from behind a tree. Thus He
deviated from the religious principles of a ksatriya. Also, He was so
attracted by the beauty of Sita that He converted Surpanakha, the sister
of Ravana, into an ugly woman by cutting off her nose and ears.
Surpanakha proposed an intimate relationship with Him, and as a ksatriya
He should have satisfied her. But He was so henpecked that He could not
forget Sita-devi and converted Surpanakha into an ugly woman. Before
that birth as a ksatriya, He took His birth as a brahmana boy known as
Vamanadeva and asked charity from Bali Maharaja. Bali Maharaja was so
magnanimous that he gave Him whatever he had, yet Krsna as Vamanadeva
ungratefully arrested him just like a crow and pushed him down to the
Patala kingdom. We know all about Krsna and how ungrateful He is. But
here is the difficulty: in spite of His being so cruel and hardhearted,
it is very difficult for us to give up talking about Him. And it is not
only we who are unable to give up this talk, but great sages and saintly
persons also engage in talking about Him. We gopis of Vrndavana do not
want to make any more friendships with this blackish boy, but we do not
know how we shall be able to give up remembering
and talking about His activities."
Since
Krsna is absolute, His so-called unkind activities are as relishable as
His kind activities. Therefore saintly persons and great devotees like
the gopis cannot give up Krsna in any circumstances. Lord Caitanya
therefore prayed, "Krsna, You are free and independent in all respects.
You can either embrace Me or crush Me under Your feet -- whatever You
like. You may make Me brokenhearted by not letting Me see You throughout
My whole life, but You are My only object of love."
"In
My opinion," Srimati Radharani continued, "no one should hear about
Krsna, because as soon as a drop of the nectar of His transcendental
activities is poured into the ear, one immediately rises above the
duality of attraction and rejection. Being completely freed from the
contamination of material attachment, one gives up attachment for this
material world, including family, home, wife, children and everything
else materially dear to every person. Being deprived of all material
acquisitions, one makes his relatives and himself unhappy. Then he
wanders in search of Krsna, either as a human being or in other species
of life, even as a bird, and voluntarily accepts the profession of a
mendicant. It is very difficult to actually understand Krsna -- His
name, His qualities, His form, His pastimes, His paraphernalia and His
entourage."
Srimati
Radharani continued to speak to the black messenger of Krsna: "Please
do not talk anymore about Krsna. It is better to talk about something
else. We are already doomed, like the black-spotted she-deer in the
forest who are enchanted by the sweet musical vibration of the hunter.
In the same way, we have been enchanted by the sweet words of Krsna, and
by thinking of the rays of His toenails again and again, we are
becoming more and more lusty for His association. Therefore, I request
you not to talk of Krsna anymore."
These
talks of Radharani with the bumblebee messenger, including Her accusing
Krsna in so many ways and at the same time expressing Her inability to
give up talking about Him, are signs of the topmost transcendental
ecstasy, called maha-bhava. The ecstatic maha-bhava manifestation is
possible only in the persons of Radharani and Her associates. Great
acaryas like Srila Rupa Gosvami and Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura have
analyzed these maha-bhava speeches of Srimati Radharani and described
their different varieties, such as udghurna, or bewilderment, and
jalpa-pratijalpa, or talking in different ways. These are the signs of
ujjvala-rasa, or the brightest
jewel of love of God.
While
Radharani was talking with the bee and the bee was flying hither and
thither, it all of a sudden disappeared from Her sight. She was in full
mourning due to separation from Krsna and felt ecstasy by talking with
the bee. But as soon as the bee disappeared, She became almost mad,
thinking that the messenger-bee might have returned to Krsna to inform
Him all about Her talking against Him. "Krsna must be very sorry to hear
it," She thought. In this way She was overwhelmed
by another type of ecstasy.
In
the meantime, the bee, flying hither and thither, appeared before Her
again. She thought, "Krsna is still kind to Me. In spite of the
messenger's carrying disruptive messages, He is so kind that He has
again sent the bee to take Me to Him." Srimati Radharani was very
careful this time not to say anything against Krsna. "My dear friend, I
welcome you," She said. "Krsna is so kind that He has again sent you.
Krsna is so kind and affectionate to Me that He has fortunately sent you
back, in spite of your carrying My message against Him. All good
fortune to you, My dear friend. Now you may ask from Me whatever you
want. I shall give you anything because you are so kind to Me. You have
come to take Me to Krsna because He is not able to come here, being
surrounded by new girlfriends in Mathura. But you are a tiny creature.
How can you take Me there? How will you be able to help Me meet Krsna
while He is taking rest there with the goddess of fortune and embracing
her to His chest? Never mind. Let us forget all these things about My
going there or sending you. Please let Me know how Krsna is faring in
Mathura. Tell Me if He still remembers His foster father, Nanda
Maharaja, His affectionate mother, Yasoda, His cowherd friends and His
poor friends like us, the gopis. I am sure He must sometimes sing about
us, who served Him just like maidservants, without any payment. Is there
any possibility that Krsna will come back and place His aguru-scented
hand on our heads? Please put all these inquiries to Krsna."
Uddhava
was standing near, and he heard Radharani talking in this way, as if
She had become almost mad for Krsna. He was exceedingly surprised at how
the gopis were accustomed to thinking of Krsna constantly in that
topmost ecstasy of maha-bhava love. He had brought a message in writing
from Krsna, and now he wanted to present it before the gopis, just to
pacify them. He said, "My dear gopis, your mission of human life is now
successful. You are all wonderful devotees of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead; therefore you are eligible to be worshiped by all kinds of
people. You are worshipable throughout the three worlds because your
minds are wonderfully absorbed in the thought of Vasudeva, Krsna. He is
the goal of all pious activities and ritualistic performances, such as
giving charity, rigidly following the austerity of vows, undergoing
severe penances and igniting the fire of sacrifice. He is the purpose
behind chanting different mantras, reading the Vedas, controlling the
senses and concentrating the mind in meditation. These are some of the
many different processes for self-realization and attainment of
perfection of life. But actually they are meant only for realizing Krsna
and dovetailing oneself in the transcendental loving service of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead." This is the last instruction of the
Bhagavad-gita also; although there are descriptions of different
processes of self-realization, at the end Krsna recommends that one give
up everything and simply surrender unto Him. All other processes are
meant for teaching one how to surrender ultimately unto the lotus feet
of Krsna. The Bhagavad-gita also says that this surrendering process is
completed by a sincere person after executing the processes of
self-realization in wisdom and austerity for many births.
Since
the perfection of such austerity was completely manifested in the lives
of the gopis, Uddhava was fully satisfied upon seeing their
transcendental position. He continued: "My dear gopis, the mentality you
have developed in relationship with Krsna is very, very difficult to
attain, even for great sages and saintly persons. You have attained the
highest perfectional stage of life. It is a great boon for you that you
have fixed your minds upon Krsna and have decided to have Krsna only,
giving up your families, homes, relatives, husbands and children for the
sake of the Supreme Personality. Because your minds are now fully
absorbed in Krsna, the Supreme Soul, universal love has automatically
developed in you. I think myself very fortunate that I have been
favored, by your grace,
to see you in this situation."
When
Uddhava said that he had a message from Krsna, the gopis were more
interested in hearing the message than in hearing about their exalted
position. They did not very much like being praised for their high
position. They showed their anxiety to hear the message Uddhava had
brought from Krsna. Uddhava said, "My dear gopis, I am especially
deputed to carry this message to you, who are such great and gentle
devotees. Krsna has specifically sent me to you because I am
His most confidential servitor."
Uddhava
did not deliver to the gopis the written message brought from Krsna,
but he personally read it to them. The message was very gravely written,
so that not only the gopis but all empiric philosophers might
understand how pure love of God is intrinsically integrated with all the
different energies of the Supreme Lord. From Vedic information it is
understood that the Supreme Lord has multi-energies: parasya saktir
vividhaiva sruyate [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. Also, the gopis were
such intimate personal friends of Krsna that while He was writing the
message for them He was so moved that He could not write distinctly.
Uddhava, as a student of Brhaspati, had very sharp intelligence, so
instead of handing over the written message, he thought it wise to read
it personally and explain it to them.
Uddhava
continued: "These are the words of the Personality of Godhead: ‘My dear
gopis, My dear friends, please know that separation between ourselves
is impossible at any time, at any place or under any circumstances,
because I am all-pervading.' "
This
all-pervasiveness of Krsna is explained in the Bhagavad-gita, in both
the Ninth and Seventh chapters. In the Ninth Chapter Krsna is described
as all-pervasive in His impersonal feature; everything rests in Him, but
He is not personally present everywhere. And in the Seventh Chapter it
is stated that the five gross elements (earth, water, fire, air and sky)
and the three subtle elements (mind, intelligence and ego) are all His
inferior energies. But there is another, superior energy, which is
called the living entity. The living entities are also directly part and
parcel of Krsna. Therefore Krsna is both the material and the efficient
cause of everything. He is always intermingled with everything as cause
and effect. Not only the gopis but all living entities are always
inseparably connected with Krsna in all circumstances. The gopis,
however, are perfectly and thoroughly in cognition of this relationship
with Krsna, whereas the living entities under the spell of maya, the
illusory energy, are forgetful of Krsna and think themselves separate
identities having no connection with Him.
Love
of Krsna, or Krsna consciousness, is therefore the perfection of real
knowledge in understanding things as they are. Our minds can never be
vacant. The mind is constantly occupied with some kind of thought, and
the subject matter of such thought cannot be outside the eight elements
of Krsna's energy. One who knows this philosophical aspect of all
thoughts is actually a wise man, and he surrenders unto Krsna. The gopis
are the epitome of this perfectional stage of knowledge. They are not
simple mental speculators. Their minds are always in Krsna. The mind is
nothing but the energy of Krsna. Actually, any person who can think,
feel and will cannot be separated from Krsna. But the stage in which he
can understand his eternal relationship with Krsna is called Krsna
consciousness. The diseased condition in which he cannot understand his
eternal relationship with Krsna is the contaminated stage, or maya.
Since the gopis are on the platform of pure transcendental knowledge,
their minds are always filled with Krsna consciousness. For example, as
there is no separation between fire and air, there is no separation
between Krsna and the living entities. When the living entities forget
Krsna, they are not in their normal condition. As for the gopis, because
they are always thinking of Krsna, they are on the absolute stage of
perfection in knowledge. The so-called empiric philosophers sometimes
think that the path of bhakti is meant for the less intelligent, but
unless the so-called man of knowledge comes to the platform of bhakti,
his knowledge is certainly impure and imperfect. Actually, the stage of
forgetfulness of our eternal relationship with Krsna is separation. But
that is also illusory because there is no such separation. The gopis
were not situated in that illusory condition of life, so even from the
philosophical point of view, for them there was no separation.
Uddhava
continued reading Krsna's message: " ‘Nothing is separate from Me; the
whole cosmic manifestation is resting on Me and is not separate from Me.
Before the creation, I was existing.' " This is confirmed in the Vedic
literature: eko narayana asin na brahma na isanah. "Before creation,
there was only Narayana. There was no Brahma and no Siva." The whole
cosmic manifestation is manipulated by the three modes of material
nature. It is said that Brahma, the incarnation of the quality of
passion, created this universe. But Brahma is the secondary creator: the
original creator is Narayana. This is confirmed by Sankaracarya:
narayanah paro 'vyaktat. "Narayana is transcendental, beyond this cosmic
creation." In this way, nothing within this cosmic manifestation is
separate from Krsna, although Krsna's original form is not visible in
everything.
Krsna
creates, maintains and annihilates the whole cosmic manifestation by
expanding Himself in different incarnations. Everything is Krsna, and
everything depends on Krsna, but He is not perceived in the material
energy, and therefore it is called maya, or illusion. In the spiritual
energy, however, Krsna is perceived at every step, in all circumstances.
This perfectional stage of understanding is represented by the gopis.
As Krsna is always aloof from the cosmic manifestation although it is
completely dependent on Him, so a living entity is also completely aloof
from his material, conditioned life although the material body has
developed on the basis of spiritual existence. In the Bhagavad-gita the
whole cosmic manifestation is accepted as the mother of the living
entities, and Krsna is the father. As the father impregnates the mother
by injecting the living entity within the womb, Krsna injects all the
living entities into the womb of the material nature. They come out in
different bodies according to their different fruitive activities. But
in all circumstances, the living entity is aloof from this material,
conditioned life.
If
we simply study our own bodies, we can understand how a living entity
is always aloof from this bodily encagement. Every action of the body
takes place by the interactions of the three modes of material nature.
We can see at every moment many changes taking place in our bodies, but
the spirit soul is aloof from all changes. One can neither create nor
annihilate nor interfere with the actions of material nature. The living
entity is therefore entrapped by the material body and conditioned in
three stages, namely while awake, asleep and unconscious. The mind acts
throughout all three conditions of life; the living entity in his
sleeping or dreaming condition sees something as real, and when awake he
sees the same thing as unreal. It is concluded, therefore, that under
certain circumstances he accepts something as real, and under other
circumstances he accepts the very same thing as unreal. These matters
are the subject of study for the empiric philosopher or the
sankhya-yogi. To come to the right conclusion, sankhya-yogis undergo
severe austerities and penances, practicing control of the senses and
renunciation.
All
these different ways of determining the ultimate goal of life are
compared to rivers, and Krsna is compared to the ocean. As the rivers
flow down toward the ocean, all attempts for knowledge flow toward
Krsna. After many, many births of endeavor, when one actually comes to
Krsna, he attains the perfectional stage. Krsna says in the
Bhagavad-gita, kleso 'dhikataras tesam avyaktasakta-cetasam: [Bg. 12.5]
"All are pursuing the path of realizing Me, but those who have adopted
courses without any bhakti find their endeavor very troublesome." Krsna
cannot be understood unless one comes
to the point of bhakti.
Three
paths are enunciated in the Bhagavad-gita: karma-yoga, jnana-yoga and
bhakti-yoga. Those who are too much addicted to fruitive activities are
advised to perform actions which will bring them to bhakti. Those who
are addicted to the pursuit of empiric philosophy are also advised to
act in such a way that they will realize bhakti. Karma-yoga is therefore
different from ordinary karma, and jnana-yoga is different from
ordinary jnana. Ultimately, as stated by the Lord in the Bhagavad-gita,
bhaktya mam abhijanati: [Bg. 18.55] only through execution of devotional
service can one understand Krsna. The perfectional stage of devotional
service was achieved by the gopis because they did not care to know
anything but Krsna. It is confirmed in the Vedas, kasmin bhagavo vijnate
sarvam idam vijnatam bhavati. This means that simply by knowing Krsna
one automatically acquires all other knowledge.
Uddhava
continued reading Krsna's message: " ‘Transcendental knowledge of the
Absolute is no longer necessary for you. You were accustomed to loving
Me from the very beginning of your lives.' " Knowledge of the Absolute
Truth is specifically required for persons who want liberation from
material existence. But one who has attained love for Krsna is already
on the platform of liberation. As stated in the Bhagavad-gita, anyone
engaged in unalloyed devotional service is to be considered situated on
the transcendental platform of liberation. The gopis did not actually
feel any pangs of material existence, but they felt the separation of
Krsna. Krsna therefore said, "My dear gopis, to increase your
superexcellent love for Me, I have purposely separated Myself from you
so that you may be in
constant meditation on Me."
The
gopis are in the perfectional stage of meditation. Yogis are generally
more fond of meditating than of executing devotional service to the
Lord, but they do not know that the perfection of the yoga system is the
attainment of devotion. This constant meditation on Krsna by the gopis
is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita to be the topmost yoga. Krsna knew
very well the psychology of women. When a woman's beloved is away, she
thinks of him more in meditation than when he is present before her.
Krsna wanted to teach through the behavior of the gopis that one who is
constantly in trance like the gopis surely
attains His lotus feet.
Lord
Caitanya taught people in general the method of vipralambha-seva, which
is the method of rendering service unto the Supreme Personality of
Godhead in the feeling of separation. The six Gosvamis also taught
worship of Krsna in the feeling of the gopis in separation. The prayers
composed by Srinivasacarya about the Gosvamis explain these matters very
clearly. Srinivasacarya said that the Gosvamis were always absorbed in
the ocean of transcendental feelings in the mood of the gopis. When they
lived in Vrndavana they were searching for Krsna, crying, "Where are
You, Krsna? O gopis, where are You? Where are You, Srimati Radharani?"
They never said, "We have now seen Radha and Krsna, and therefore our
mission is fulfilled." Their mission remained always unfulfilled; they
never
met Radha and Krsna.
Krsna
reminded the gopis that at the time of the rasa dance those gopis who
could not join Him for the rasa-lila gave up their bodies simply by
thinking of Him. Absorption in Krsna consciousness by feeling separation
is thus the quickest method for attainment of the lotus feet of Krsna.
By the personal statement of Krsna, the gopis were convinced about the
strength of feelings of separation. They were actually experiencing the
supernatural method of Krsna worship and were much relieved by
understanding that Krsna was not away from them
but always with them.
The
gopis therefore received Uddhava very happily and began to speak as
follows: "We have heard that King Kamsa, who was always a source of
trouble for the Yadu dynasty, has now been killed. This is good news for
us. We hope, therefore, that the members of the Yadu dynasty are very
happy in the association of Krsna, who can fulfill all the desires of
His devotees. My dear Uddhava, kindly let us know whether Krsna
sometimes thinks of us while in the midst of the highly enlightened
society girls in Mathura. We know that the women and girls in Mathura
are not village women. They are enlightened and beautiful. Their bashful
smiling glances and other feminine features must be very pleasing to
Krsna. We know very well that Krsna is always fond of the behavior of
beautiful women. It seems, therefore, that He has been entrapped by the
women of Mathura. My dear Uddhava, will you kindly let us know if Krsna
sometimes remembers us while in the midst of other women?"
Another
gopi inquired, "Does He remember that night in the midst of kumuda
flowers and moonlight, when Vrndavana became exceedingly beautiful?
Krsna was dancing with us, and the atmosphere was surcharged with the
sound of foot bells. We exchanged pleasing conversation then. Does He
remember that particular night? We remember that night, and we feel
separation. Separation from Krsna makes us agitated, as if there were
fire in our bodies. Does He propose to come back to Vrndavana to
extinguish that fire, just as a cloud appears in the sky to extinguish a
forest fire by its downpour?"
Another
gopi said, "Krsna has killed His enemy, and He has victoriously
achieved the kingdom of Kamsa. Maybe He is married with a king's
daughter by this time and living happily among His kinsmen and friends.
Therefore, why should He come
to this village of Vrndavana?"
Another
gopi said, "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the husband of
the goddess of fortune, and He is self-sufficient. He has no business
either with us, the girls in the Vrndavana forest, or with the city
girls in Mathura. He is the great Supersoul; He has nothing to do with
any of us,
either here or there."
Another
gopi said, "It is an unreasonable hope for us to expect Krsna to come
back to Vrndavana. We should try instead to be happy in disappointment.
Even Pingala, the great prostitute, said that disappointment is the
greatest pleasure. We all know these things, but it is very difficult
for us to give up the expectation of Krsna's coming back. Who can forget
a solitary conversation with Krsna, on whose chest the goddess of
fortune always remains, in spite of Krsna's not desiring her? My dear
Uddhava, Vrndavana is the land of rivers, forests and cows. Here the
vibration of the flute was heard, and Krsna, along with His elder
brother, Sri Balarama, enjoyed the atmosphere in our company. Thus the
environment of Vrndavana constantly reminds us of Krsna and Balarama. On
the land of Vrndavana are the impressions of His footprints, the
residence of the goddess of fortune, and because of such signs we cannot
forget Krsna."
The
gopis further expressed that Vrndavana was still full of all opulence
and good fortune; there was no scarcity or want in Vrndavana as far as
material necessities were concerned. But in spite of such opulence they
could not forget Krsna and Balarama.
"We
constantly remember various attractive features of beautiful Krsna --
His walking, His smiling, His joking words. We have all become lost by
the dealings of Krsna, and it is impossible for us to forget Him. We
always pray to Him, exclaiming, ‘Dear Lord, dear husband of the goddess
of fortune, dear Lord of Vrndavana and deliverer of the distressed
devotees! We are now fallen and merged in an ocean of distress. Please,
therefore, come back to Vrndavana and deliver us
from this pitiable condition.' "
Uddhava
minutely studied the transcendental abnormal condition of the gopis in
their separation from Krsna, and he thought it wise to repeat again and
again all the pastimes the gopis had enjoyed with Him. Materialistic
persons are always burning in a blazing fire of material miseries. The
gopis were burning in a transcendental blazing fire due to separation
from Krsna. The blazing fire exasperating the gopis, however, is
different from the fire of the material world. The gopis constantly
wanted the association of Krsna, whereas materialistic persons
constantly want the advantage of material comforts.
It
is stated by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura that Krsna saved the cowherd
boys from the blazing forest fire within a second, while their eyes
were closed. Similarly, Uddhava advised the gopis that they could be
saved from the fire of separation by closing their eyes and meditating
on the activities of Krsna from the very beginning of their association
with Him. From the outside, the gopis could visualize all the pastimes
of Krsna by hearing the descriptions of Uddhava, and from within they
could remember those pastimes. From the instructions of Uddhava, the
gopis could understand that Krsna was not separate from them. As they
were constantly thinking of Krsna, Krsna was also thinking of them
constantly at Mathura.
Uddhava's
messages and instructions saved the gopis from immediate death, and the
gopis acknowledged the benediction from Uddhava. Uddhava practically
acted as the preceptor spiritual master of the gopis, and in return they
worshiped him as they would worship Krsna. It is recommended in
authoritative scriptures that the spiritual master be worshiped on the
level of the Supreme Personality of Godhead because of being His very
confidential servitor, and it is accepted by great authorities that the
spiritual master is the external manifestation of Krsna. The gopis were
relieved from their transcendental burning condition by realizing that
Krsna was with them. Internally, they remembered His association within
their hearts, and externally Uddhava helped them associate with Krsna
by his conclusive instructions.
The
Supreme Personality of Godhead is described in the scriptures as
adhoksaja, which indicates that He is beyond the perception of all
material senses. Although beyond the material senses, He is present in
everyone's heart. At the same time, He is present everywhere by His
all-pervasive feature of Brahman. One can realize all three
transcendental features of the Absolute Truth (Bhagavan, the Personality
of Godhead; Paramatma, the localized Supersoul; and the all-pervasive
Brahman) simply by studying the condition of the gopis in their meeting
with Uddhava, as described in Srimad-Bhagavatam.
It
is said by Srinivasacarya that the six Gosvamis were always merged in
thoughts of the activities of the gopis. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has also
recommended the gopis' method of worshiping the Supreme Personality of
Godhead as superexcellent. Srila Sukadeva Gosvami has also recommended
that anyone who hears from the right source about the dealings of the
gopis with Krsna and who follows the instructions laid down by the
previous acaryas will be elevated to the topmost position of devotional
service and be able to give up
the lust of material enjoyment.
All
the gopis were solaced by the instructions of Uddhava, and they
requested him to stay in Vrndavana for a few days more. Uddhava agreed
to their proposal and stayed with them not only for a few days but for a
few months. He always kept them engaged in thinking of the
transcendental message of Krsna and His pastimes, and the gopis felt as
if they were experiencing direct association with Krsna. While Uddhava
remained in Vrndavana, the inhabitants enjoyed his association. As they
discussed the activities of Krsna, the days passed just like moments.
Vrndavana's natural atmosphere, with the presence of the river Yamuna,
its nice orchards of trees decorated with various fruits, Govardhana
Hill, caves, blooming flowers -- all combined to inspire Uddhava to
narrate Krsna's pastimes. The inhabitants enjoyed Uddhava's association
in the same way that they enjoyed the association of Krsna.
Uddhava
was attracted by the attitude of the gopis because they were completely
attached to Krsna, and he was inspired by the gopis' anxiety for Krsna.
He offered them his respectful obeisances and composed songs in praise
of their transcendental qualities as follows: "Among all the living
entities who have accepted the human form of life, the gopis are
superexcellently successful in their mission. Their thought is eternally
absorbed in the lotus feet of Krsna. Great sages and we ourselves also
try to be absorbed in meditation on the lotus feet of Krsna, but the
gopis, having lovingly accepted the Lord, are automatically accustomed
to this and do not depend on any yogic practice. The conclusion is that
one who has attained the gopis' condition of life does not have to take
birth as Lord Brahma or be born in a brahmana family or be initiated as a
brahmana."
Sri
Uddhava confirmed Lord Krsna's statement in the Bhagavad-gita that one
who takes shelter of Him for the right purpose, be that person a sudra, a
woman or a member of a low-grade family, will attain the highest goal
of life. The gopis have set the standard of devotion for the whole
world. One who follows in the footsteps of the gopis by constantly
thinking of Krsna can attain the highest perfectional stage of spiritual
life. The gopis were born not of any highly cultured family but of
cowherd men, yet they developed the highest love of Krsna, who is the
Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the Supreme Brahman.
For self-realization or God realization there is no need to take birth
in a high family. The only thing needed is development of ecstatic love
of God. For achieving perfection in Krsna consciousness, no
qualification is required other than to be constantly engaged in the
loving service of Krsna, the supreme nectar, the reservoir of all
pleasure. The effect of taking up Krsna consciousness is just like that
of drinking nectar: with or without one's knowledge, it will act. The
active principle of Krsna consciousness will equally manifest itself
everywhere; it does not matter how and where one has taken his birth.
Krsna will bestow His benediction upon anyone who takes to Krsna
consciousness, without any doubt.
Uddhava
continued: "The supreme benediction attained by the gopis in spite of
their being born in the families of cowherd men was never attained even
by the goddess of fortune herself, and certainly not by the denizens of
heaven, though the bodily scent of the women there is exactly like the
scent of the lotus. The gopis are so fortunate that during the rasa-lila
Krsna personally embraced them with His arms and kissed them face to
face. Certainly it is not possible for any women in the three worlds to
achieve this except the gopis.
"Therefore
I wish to take birth as one of the plants or creepers in Vrndavana, who
are so fortunate that the gopis trample them. The gopis have so
lovingly served Krsna, Mukunda Himself, the giver of liberation, who is
searched after by great sages and saintly persons. For His sake they
left everything -- their families, their children, their friends, their
homes
and all worldly connections."
Uddhava
appreciated the exalted position of the gopis and wished to fall down
and take the dust of their feet on his head. Yet he dared not ask the
gopis to offer the dust from their feet; perhaps they would not be
agreeable. Therefore, to have his head smeared with the dust of the
gopis' feet without their knowledge, he desired to become only an
insignificant clump of grass or herbs in the land of Vrndavana.
The
gopis were so much attracted to Krsna that when they heard the
vibration of His flute they instantly left their homes, families,
children, honor and feminine bashfulness and ran toward the place where
Krsna was standing. They did not consider whether they were passing over
the road or through the jungles. Imperceptibly, the dust of their feet
was bestowed on small grasses and herbs of Vrndavana. Not daring to
place the dust of the gopis' feet on his own head in this life, Uddhava
aspired to have a future birth in Vrndavana in the position of a clump
of grass or herbs. He would then be able to have
the dust of the gopis' feet.
Uddhava
appreciated the extraordinary fortune of the gopis, who were relieved
of all material pangs and anxieties by placing on their beautiful high
breasts the lotus feet of Krsna, which are worshiped not only by the
goddess of fortune but by such exalted demigods as Brahma and Lord Siva,
and which great yogis meditate upon within their hearts. Thus Uddhava
prayed to be constantly honored by the dust from the lotus feet of the
gopis, whose chanting of Lord Krsna's transcendental pastimes has become
celebrated all over the three worlds.
After
living in Vrndavana for some time, Uddhava desired to go back to Krsna,
and he begged permission to leave from Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda. He
had a farewell meeting with the gopis, and, taking permission from them
also, he mounted his chariot
to start for Mathura.
When
Uddhava was about to leave, all the inhabitants of Vrndavana, headed by
Maharaja Nanda and Yasoda, came to bid him good-bye and presented him
with various kinds of valuable goods secured in Vrndavana. They
expressed their feelings with tears in their eyes due to intense
attachment for Krsna. All of them desired a benediction from Uddhava.
They desired to always remember the glorious activities of Krsna and
wanted their minds to be always fixed upon His lotus feet, their words
to be always engaged in glorifying Him, and their bodies to be always
engaged in bowing down as they constantly remembered Him. This prayer of
the inhabitants of Vrndavana is the superexcellent type of
self-realization. The method is very simple: to fix the mind always on
the lotus feet of Krsna, to talk always of Krsna without passing on to
any other subject matter, and to engage the body in Krsna's service
constantly. Especially in this human form of life, one should engage his
life, resources, words and intelligence for the service of the Lord.
Only such activities can elevate a human being to the highest level of
perfection. This is the verdict of all authorities.
The
inhabitants of Vrndavana said, "By the will of the supreme authority
and according to the results of our own work, we may take our birth
anywhere. It doesn't matter where we are born, but our only prayer is
that we may simply be engaged in Krsna consciousness." A pure devotee of
Lord Krsna never desires to be promoted to the heavenly planets, or
even to Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrndavana, because he has no desire for his
own personal satisfaction. A pure devotee regards heaven and hell to be
on an equal level. Without Krsna, heaven is hell; and with Krsna,
hell is heaven.
When
Uddhava had been sufficiently honored and worshiped by the pure
devotees of Vrndavana, he returned to Mathura and to his master, Krsna.
After offering respects by bowing down before Lord Krsna and Balarama,
he described the wonderful devotional life of the inhabitants of
Vrndavana. Then he presented to Vasudeva, Krsna's father, and Ugrasena,
Krsna's grandfather, all the gifts given by the inhabitants of
Vrndavana.
Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Forty-seventh Chapter of Krsna, "Delivery of the Message of Krsna
to the Gopis."
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