Contents:
- Sri Radha Krishna - The One, The Supreme
- Gaining Entrance Through Devotion
- Acumen of Attachment to Radha
- Following Srila Prabhupada with Faith
Sri Radha and Krishna -"The One, The Supreme"
"Yatha yatha gaura padaravindevindeta,
bhaktim krta punya rasih,
tatha tathot sarpati hrdya kasmad
radha padambhoja sudhambu rasih“
[Sri Caintaya Candramrita, text 88, Srila Prabhodananda Saraswati ]
As we develop our attachment to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s lotus feet, all of a sudden we find in our heart that the mercy or the nectar of Krishna consciousness is inundating our heart, springing from the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani. - H.H Bhakti Charu Swami
Srila Prabhupada on Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day
So Radha, so Radha and Krsna. Krsna is the enjoyer and He wants to enjoy. So He’s the Supreme Brahman. He cannot enjoy anything, atmarama, He can enjoy it in Himself. Therefore Radharani is the expansion of His pleasure potency. Krsna hasn’t got to seek external things for His pleasure. No. He is in Himself full, atmarama. So Radharani is expansion of Krsna. Krsna is the energetic, and Radharani is the energy. Just like energy and energetic, you cannot separate. Fire and the heat you cannot separate. Wherever there is fire there is heat, and wherever there is heat there is fire. Similarly, wherever there is Krsna there is Radha. And wherever there is Radha there is Krsna. They are inseparable. But He is enjoying. So Svarupa Damodara Gosvami has described this intricate philosophy of Radha and Krsna in one verse, very nice verse: radha-krsnapranaya-vikrtir hladini-saktir asmad ekatmanav api bhuvi pura deha-bhedam gatau tau. So Radha and Krsna is the one Supreme, but in order to enjoy, They have divided into two. Again Lord Caitanya joined the two into one. Caitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna. That one means Krsna in the ecstasy of Radha. Sometimes Krsna is in ecstasy of Radha. Sometimes Radha is in ecstasy of Krsna. This is going on. But the whole thing is Radha and Krsna means the one, the Supreme.
(August 30, 1968, Montreal, Canada)
H.H BCS: One cannot speak enough about Radharani. Radharani is actually the ultimate in charge of all living beings and she feels very bad for the living entities, those who go away from Krishna consciousness. Originally, all living entities are meant for Krishna’s pleasure. All the living entities are supposed to give pleasure to Krishna and Radharani is the in charge of this pleasure to Krishna. Living entities are actually serving Krishna in the care of Radharani, so when the living entities go away from Krishna consciousness, when the living entities leave the spiritual sky, Radharani feels especially bad for them and that’s why Caitanya Mahaprabhu when He came in the mood of Radharani He was so magnanimous. Krishna Himself is not so merciful although Krishna is the most merciful being, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, but Radharani is even more merciful than Krishna. And that is why when Krishna comes in the mood of Radharani, He is most magnanimous. So when we try to render service to Krishna, Radharani becomes very pleased. She helps the living entities and she is actually the supreme reservoir of devotional service.
So today is Radharani’s appearance day and we must understand that she came to this earth planet on this auspicious day and by appearing here she blessed this earth planet. This was described in Chaitanya Charitamrita that why this earth planet is so fortunate? Of all the three planetary systems, upper, middle and lower planetary systems, earth planet is most specially blessed because Radha Krishna appeared here. When Radharani appeared on this earth planet, this earth planet became specially blessed and the living entities, those who accept that benediction of Radharani’s appearance on this planet they are also very very fortunate. So on this auspicious day when She appeared we must make it a point to dedicate ourselves in serving Srimati Radharani. The desire of devotees is just to become a servant of Radharani. Bhaktivinod Thakur is saying - "dhamer swarupa, sphuribe nayane, hoibo radhar dasi" [Saranagati, by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, Siddhi-Lälasä, Hankering for Spiritual Perfection] “When I will be able to perceive the real form of the dham, the abode of Krishna and when shall I become a maidservant of Radharani?” Hoibo radhar dasi - actually, it is a very profound subject to talk about. Radharani is very profound. We actually have to be very careful also that we do not misunderstand by any chance the position of Radharani.
We should never in our remotest dream consider Radharani to be an ordinary person nor an ordinary female and Krishna an ordinary male. We have to understand that Krishna is The Supreme Personality of Godhead and Radharani is Krishna’s eternal consort. If we analyze the position of Radharani then we can look at it this way - that Radharani first expands as Satyabhama and Chandravali is Rukmini, the queen of Krishna in Dwarka. Krishna expands Himself first as Balarama and then from Balarama there is Chaturvyuha - Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. Vāsudeva is Krishna in Dwarka. Krishna in Dwarka is Vāsudeva and Sankarshan, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. This is called Chaturvyuha. And there, Krishna is married to His eternal consorts.
In Vrindavan there are sixteen thousand Gopis and in Dwarka they have become sixteen thousand queens. So they expanded. As Krishna expands, Krishna’s potency Radharani also expands.
Then Krishna expands as Narayana, then from this Satybhama, then the expansion of the Lakshmis, Mahalakshmi and then there are different Vishnu incarnations and they expand further with Lakshmis. Mahavishnu, Garbhodakshayi Vishnu, Kshirodakshayi Vishnu and then this Vishnu glances at Maya and by His glance this material nature is created, just Vishnu glances at Maya and the material universe or material nature is created. So we can see how inconceivable is the position of Srimati Radharani and how inconceivable are the dealings between Radha and Krishna. If by Mahavishnu’s glancing at Maya the whole creation become manifest then can we possibly understand what it means when Krishna glances at Radharani? It is impossible for us.
Mahavishnu is an expansion of the expansion of the expansion of Krishna and that Mahavishnu’s glance towards Maya is the cause of the creation of this material nature. So we have to understand how inconceivable it is to understand the dealings between Krishna and Srimati Radharani. We do not know what it means when Krishna glances at Radharani. What to talk about Their dancing, Their other exchanges, Their talking, Their singing together?
Gaining Entrance Through Devotion
Sometimes Radharani steals Krishna’s flute, sometimes Radharani gets angry with Krishna. It is actually impossible for us to understand! That is why Prabhupada actually did not speak much about Radha Krishna because Prabhupada knew that we are not qualified to understand. It is a matter of understanding Her position and praying for Her mercy and also we must understand this topic that cannot be conceived by our material intelligence and also cannot be properly expressed in mundane words. Only with our devotion we can possibly understand Her position, understand Her so I would request everyone not to take Her position lightly. It is not just some stories that pleases our intellect or mind. It is not just some stories or just some happenings. These happenings are undoubtedly true, they are the Absolute Truth and they have a very profound purport. A profound underlying meaning that cannot be conceived or understood by material intelligence. It has to be understood by spiritual intelligence or devotional service. Someday maybe there will be a revelation of this facts in our hearts when our hearts become totally purified, until then let’s keep on endeavoring, keep on trying to become Her servant. Keep on trying somehow to render some service under Srila Prabhupada’s guidance in this Society for Krishna Consciousness. That is what actually counts. Our attachment to ISKCON, our attachment to Srila Prabhupada, our attachment to Srila Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that is what counts and then this other elevated spiritual realizations will automatically dawn in our hearts. Regarding that, there is a very nice sloka by Prabhodanand Sarasvati: "Yatha yatha gaura padaravinde vindeta, bhaktim krta punya rasih. As we develop our attachment to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s lotus feet, all of a sudden we find in our heart that the mercy or the nectar of Krishna consciousness is inundating our heart, springing from the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani. A flood or flow of the nectar of Krishna consciousness is emanating from Radharani’s lotus feet and inundating our hearts. So, we can see that we cannot directly approach Radha Krishna but as we approach Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu that approach is ultimately transformed to devotional service or Radha Krishna by the special mercy of Srimati Radharani.
For us we cannot even approach Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Prabhodananda Sarasvati was an associate of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu so he could develop direct attachment to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. But we are so far removed from Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, in our case Srila Prabhupada’s lotus feet is there and the manifestation of Srila Prabhupada lotus feet is this International Society for Krishna.
The Acumen of Attachment to Sri Radha
As we develop our attachment to this International Society for Krishna consciousness, to Srila Prabhupada lotus feet, to that extent we will develop our love for Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and to that degree all of a sudden we will see that Radharani’s mercy is inundating our hearts.
Krishna Consciousness is a science. It is not sentiment, nor is it blind faith. It is a science. As we follow the course, as we practice it properly then it bears appropriate results. As we practice Krishna consciousness under proper guidance, according to proper instructions then according to that degree we develop our attachment to Mahaprabhu and Radha Krishna. We must be very very thankful to Krishna, to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, to Radharani, to Srila Prabhupada, to all the devotees that we are in ISKCON today.I emphasize this point very much because with the passing of days I am realizing the importance of this society, The International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Actually it is the ONLY hope for this world and if we effectively render service through this society accordingly we will make our advancement in spiritual life. It is never going to go in vain.
Anybody who is In ISKCON, rendering service through ISKCON, to Krishna through ISKCON, he is never going to be a loser. WE LOSE ONLY WHEN WE LEAVE and we must also be very careful that Maya is very vigilant. Maya is very vigilant, Maya is watching us all the time and Maya knows our weaknesses and Maya’s business is to take us away from Krishna Consciousness. Not exactly to take us away from Krishna consciousness, Maya’s business is to see how sincerely we are trying to become connected to Krishna consciousness. And, from time to time Maya will test us. And if we are not sincere then we will fail and then we will fall. So we should be very careful not to deviate from Krishna consciousness, not to harbor any other desire besides serving Prabhupada and ISKCON. One big Maya is also to think that we can serve Krishna without Prabhupada and without ISKCON but that is a very big Maya. NOBODY CAN SERVE KRISHNA WITHOUT PRABHUPADA’S MERCY!
Actually recently I had a very interesting discussion. Some people were asking me that Prabhupada’s god brothers they are also devotees so if some devotees go and join them, then they are also rendering service to Krishna. By Krishna’s mercy the answer came right on the tip of my tongue and the answer was that Mahaprabhu’s mercy is flowing through The International Society for Krishna consciousness. Mahaprabhu predicted that the Holy Name will spread in every town and village all over the world and this is a thing that Mahaprabhu Himself did not do. He kept it to be fulfilled by somebody. And then although apparently it was impossible, even the followers of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used to think that it was a poetic exaggeration. How can Krishna Consciousness spread in every town and village all over the world? But it happened and we have to understand that it did not happen by chance. Mahaprabhu predicted and when it happened we have to understand that it happened by Mahaprabhu’s arrangements and Mahaprabhu sent His most dear associate to accomplish that mission. So Mahaprabhu’s mercy is actually flowing through this International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Now anybody who wants to be connected to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu should have joined ISKCON. If they were sincere about serving the sankirtan movement, they should have joined ISKCON.
But those who did not, are not actually sincere about their spiritual life. They are not sincerely trying to serve Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Why? Because of their false ego. They cannot join because of their pride so at least according to my understanding, they are “asad”. They are not effective. Their devotional service is dry. Don’t you often say that, at least I do - if Jesus Christ was here today he would have joined ISKCON? Why do you say that? Because we know that Jesus was sincere about spreading love of God and ISKCON is a society that is actually a wonderful platform to spread love of God all over the world. So knowing very well that Jesus is sincere about that that is why he would have joined ISKCON. So why not the Gaudiya Vaishnavas? Why not Prabhupada’s god brothers? Why not other followers of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu? So this analysis came very clearly to my mind and I very strongly believe that it is true.
Follow Srila Prabhupada with Faith
If somebody joins up some other group, some other temple outside of ISKCON that is alright but for ISKCON devotees to leave ISKCON and join somebody else it is very very unfortunate, it is Maya. It is very important to understand how fortunate we are just by being a part of this ISKCON movement. I also very strongly believe that if we can spend this life in ISKCON as a part of ISKCON somehow or other if we like it or don’t like it if we somehow or other, if we stick to ISKCON then at the end of this life we will go back to Godhead.
Prabhupada said that, if you remain in ISKCON, following the four regulative principles and chanting sixteen rounds a day, I guarantee they will go back to Godhead. It is such an easy thing just to remain in ISKCON and if we remain in ISKCON then it becomes so easy to follow the regulative principles, just the association of devotees protects us from falling down. Maya is of course is very strong but the association of devotees is stronger. If we remain in the association of devotees, do not commit offences to the devotees, remain favorably disposed to other devotees around us, then Maya will not be able to touch us and chanting sixteen rounds of course is a must. we should never disregard that instruction of prabhupada. Then just one lifetime is so short a time span twenty thirty forty fifty years they will just fly and fifty sixty years will just fly in no time. Then just because of that we remained sincerely in ISKCON, served the mission, following the instruction of Srila Prabhupada, following the regulative principles and chanting the sixteen rounds at least then at the end of this life we will be promoted to Vrindavan or Navadwip. So why not offer, just offer this life to ISKCON? That is what Prabhupada told me also.
In one of the first meetings I had with Prabhupada. Prabhupada said - Many lifetimes you have tried to enjoy but this life you just offer to Krishna. Prabhupada said - just offer it to Krishna and go back to Godhead. It is so easy, by Prabhupada’s mercy it has become so easy. We can enjoy our life when we are alive in this life by being a part of ISKCON and at the end of this life we will go back to Godhead and enjoy there. So it is a wonderful condition, we enjoy when we are here and then at the end of this life we enjoy there.
A little bit of austerities are there but actually they are not austerities. Actually, following the four regulative principles is not an austerity and any intelligent man will admit that it is actually blissful to follow the four regulative principles. It is very blissful. So it is not an austerity, actually there is no austerity in Krishna consciousness. Yesterday Jai Gopal prabhu was saying that observing Ekadasi, fasting the whole day, and staying up the whole night and the next morning you feel as if you can fly.
It is so nice to even fast, it is so nice to even stay up the whole night. Apparently karmis or outsiders will think - oh it is so austere but actually it is bliss. Karmis think to sleep on the floor is so austere but I feel that to sleep in a soft bed is austere because I cannot sleep. Sometimes when we are invited to stay in some life member’s house or some friend’s house then I make it a point, I pull out the bed, make it on the floor and just sleep and they cannot understand why I do that and I tell them that I cannot sleep on a soft bed. Actually a hard bed is good for our back and for our body and our sleep. Getting up in the morning taking a bath, people think it is so austere but we know it is blissful.
So whatever we do in Krishna consciousness is extremely joyful. In the early days when Prabhupada just started the center in 26 Second Avenue, once Prabhupada asked Kirtanananda Maharaja to give a lecture on Sunday feast and Kirtanananda Maharaja mentioned in the lecture that Krishna Consciousness is so wonderful, you enjoy Krishna Prasad, you chant, you sing, you enjoy and dance in ecstasy and you render a little service and do a little work.
Prabhupada stopped him and said - No, in Krishna Consciousness there is no work, and then Prabhupada explained the difference between work and service. When you do something with love it is service, an expression of our love but work is forced upon somebody, that you do not want to do but have to do it because we are forced. The people outside, they work, not for the love of their boss but they work because at the end of the week they receive money. If somebody says - well I cannot pay you anymore, then they say - well okay, goodbye, I am not coming back from tomorrow.
People there, they do not know what spontaneous service is, so they are working like an ass but we do not work, we enjoy, whatever we do is joyful. We go out distributing books - it is joyful, we go out in Harinaam - it is joyful, we cook in the kitchen - it is joyful, we wash the pots for Krishna – it is joyful, everything is joyful and our life in Krishna consciousness is an eternal holiday. We are in a never ending vacation and that is why we do not need any holidays. Actually we do not have any holidays. Everything is service. Our holiday I think is going to India for Mayapur festival. Actually, ours arereal “holy” days because everything about Krishna consciousness is holy. So thank you all very much. So nice to be with you all and actually when I was away I was thinking when I was going to come back. Anyway, so I am sure we will be together in our separation in our service to Krishna and to ISKCON. ALL GLORIES TO SRILA PRABHUPADA! ALL GLORIES TO RADHA GOPINATH!