Text 9

The superiority of paramour love (parakīya-bhāva ) is described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.29.33):

कुर्वन्ति हि त्वयि रतिं कुशलाः स्व आत्मन् नित्य-प्रिये पति-सुतादिभिर् आर्ति-दैः किम्
तन् नः प्रसीद परमेश्वर मा स्म छिन्द्या आशां धृतां त्वयि चिराद् अरविन्द-नेत्र

kurvanti hi tvayi ratiṃ kuśalāḥ sva ātman nitya-priye pati-sutādibhir ārti-daiḥ kim
tan naḥ prasīda parameśvara mā sma chindyā āśāṃ dhṛtāṃ tvayi cirād aravinda-netra

[The gopīs said:] O Paramātmā, the great personalities, who are the well-wishers of everyone’s soul, direct their love to You because You are the soul of all souls. What is the use of loving or serving husbands, sons and other relations, who are temporary and sources of misery? Be pleased with us and give us Your mercy. O lotus-eyed one, please do not cut the flourishing creeper of our desire to serve You, which we have nourished for such a long time.

तुमि प्रिय आत्मा, नित्य रतिर भाजन
आर्ति-दाता पति-पुत्रे रति अकारण

tumi priya ātmā, nitya ratira bhājana
ārti-dātā pati-putre rati akāraṇa

बड आशा करि’ आइनु तोमार चरणे
कमल-नयन, हेर प्रसन्न-वदने

baḍa āśā kari’ āinu tomāra caraṇe
kamala-nayana, hera prasanna-vadane

Commentary: Bhajana-rahasya-vṛtti:

The living entity’s material relationships, such as those with his wife and children, do not endure after he attains self-realisation. He understands the futility of material existence and naturally becomes immersed in deep attachment to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. At this stage, the jīva is no longer under the jurisdiction of rules and regulations. Engaged in rāgamārga-bhakti, he performs exclusive bhajana of Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.

At this point in the conversation between the vraja-devīs and Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs say to Him, “We have forevermore given up our relationships with husbands and everyone else, and have now come here before You. The love that appeared in our hearts as a sprout has since become a vine of desire that has grown very large. We have been attached to You since childhood and have sincere love and affection for You. Please do not cut down this creeper of affection.”

Or the gopīs say, “Our hearts have become naturally delighted by seeing Your reddish lotus eyes, and we have already become Your unpaid maidservants.”

The vraja-devīs say rebukingly, “O lotus-eyed one, as lotus flowers close at night, Your eyes are also half-closed, and You are therefore deprived of the darśana of our youth and bodily beauty. Your having eyes is thus useless.”

Or they say, “We have understood Your inner heart’s desire. It is right for us to desist from taking part in Your improper activities, so we will not stay here long. Please give up whatever desire is in Your heart.”