Every Soul has a Particular Rasa

Śrīla Gurudeva has explained so many times that different devotees have different characteristics, desires or tendencies and will choose to follow a particular Vrajavāsī in order to attain the goal of service in their particular rāsaa. In Vraja there are many rasas or relationships such as sakhya (friendship), vātsalya (parental) and mādhurya (conjugal).

The sādhaka may meditate on Kṛṣṇa with His cowherd friends in sakhya rasa and consider their Guru to be a sakhā; in the same way, by meditation upon parental love between Śrī Kṛṣṇa with His parents, Nanda Bābā and Mother Yaśodā, the sādhaka follows the mood of vātsalya-rasa.

The Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas however, who are in our Guru Paramparā, the disciplic line of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, follow Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī who in Vraja-līlā, is Śrī Rūpa Māñjarī, an eternal maidservant, confidentially assisting Śrīmatī Rādhikā in Her conjugal pastimes with Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

By hearing such conjugal pastimes, someone may think, “If I were under the guidance of Rūpa Māñjarī, then I could serve Rādhikā and the Divine Couple in this way.” A desire may arise in the sādhaka to serve Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in mādhurya.

This is called lobha or spiritual greed to attain spontaneous devotion.

ताम्बूलार्पण-पाद-मर्दन-पयोदानाभिसारादिभिर्
वृन्दारण्य-महेश्वरीं प्रियतया यास् तोषयन्ति प्रियाह्
प्राण-प्रेष्ठ-सखी-कुलाद् आपि किलासङ्कोचिता भूमिकाह्
केली-भूमिषु रूप-मञ्जरी-मुखास् ता दासिकाह् संश्रये

tāmbūlārpaṇa-pāda-mardana-payodānābhisārādibhir
vṛndāraṇya-maheśvarīṃ priyatayā yās toṣayanti priyāh
prāṇa-preṣṭha-sakhī-kulād āpi kilāsaṅkocitā bhūmikāh
kelī-bhūmiṣu rūpa-mañjarī-mukhās tā dāsikāh saṃśraye

Stavāvalī, Vraja-vilāsa-stava 38

I take shelter of the maidservants of Śrīmatī Rādhikā of whom Rūpa Māñjarī is prominent. Unlike the prāṇa-preṣṭha-sakhīs, they can perform any service without hesitation. They perpetually and affectionately satisfy Śrīmatī Rādhikā by their various services, such as offering tāmbūla, massaging Her lotus feet, bringing Her water and arranging for Her trysts with Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Remembering in rāgānuga bhakti happens after hearing the attractive pastimes of the Lord from a pure devotee. It is mentioned in Śrīmadbhāgavatam that the prominence of smaraṇa, remembrance, is primary in the practice of rāga-mārga sādhana, nevertheless, this smaraṇa or remembrance is dependent on the performance of kīrtana or chanting of the holy names. Especially in Kālī-yuga, all the limbs of bhakti are dependent on kīrtana.

Now let us look at some astonishing transcendental pastimes that we have heard from Śrīla Gurudeva.

Śrīmatī Rādhikā being very pleased with Śrī Rūpa Māṅjarī’s service said to her,

“Oh Rūpa Māñjarī, I am so happy with you. I want to reward you for your nice service. Please take one of my sārīs.”

Śrīla Rūpa Māṅjarī however said no and wouldn’t take the remnant sari of Śrī Rādhikā.

Śrīmatī Rādhikā was surprised, “All the sakhīs are hankering for my remnant cloth. Why won’t you accept it? Please, take it.”

But Śrīla Rūpa Māñjarī still refused. Śrīmatī Rādhikā then said, “Oh Rūpa Māṅjarī, why have you become so proud?”

“No,” Śrīla Rūpa Māñjarī replied gently, “I haven’t become proud. If you want to reward me, then please give me one benediction. Please give me this benediction that when Kṛṣṇa comes to meet with you in the forest grove, I would be the gatekeeper of that grove (kuñja). Kṛṣṇa will have to take permission from me, in order to enter the kuñja. If I allow, then

Kṛṣṇa can enter to come and see you. Otherwise, He cannot enter.” Śrīmatī Rādhikā’s lotus face broke into a sweet smile and said “So be it.”

yat-kiṅkarīṣu bahuśah khalu kāku-vāṇī,
nityaṃ parasya puruṣasya śikhaṇḍa-mauleh
tasyāh kadā rasa-nidheh vṛṣabhānu-jāyās
tat-keli-kuñja-bhavanāṅgana-mārjanī syām

Śrī Rādhā-rasa-sudhā-nidhi 8

O daughter of Vṛṣabhānu Mahārāja, O ocean of rasa! The supreme enjoyer, the source of all avatārās who wears a peacock feather in His hair, falls at the feet of Your maidservants and begs them with many humble and grief-stricken words, so as to be able to enter into Your kuñja. If only I could become one stick in the broom used by Your sakhīs to clean Your delightful kuñja, I would consider my life a success.

In this way, the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas fervently aspire to be the followers of this Rūpa Māñjarī.