Kṛṣṇa Smaraṇa—Remembering Kṛṣṇa (with His Dearmost Associates)

Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Kṛṣṇa dictates everything, He manifests Himself, from within, whether or not anyone else sees.

I have sometimes experienced this myself. I feel something within myself–I have not read, nor have I seen or heard a certain fact; yet, sometimes very beautiful things come in my heart. Perhaps you have also had this experience? Certainly you will have had this experience, because one who serves his gurudeva will surely receive these realizations. Even if guru deva is not present in our sight, still, he will manifest all these truths.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura begins by telling us the three key ślokas from Bhakti-rāsāmṛta-sindhu (1.294-296) by which one can enter the path of rāgānuga-bhakti.

The first is:

कृष्णं स्मरन् जनञ् चास्य प्रेष्ठं निज समीहितम्
तत् तत् कथा-रतश् चासौ कुर्याद् वासं व्रजे सदा

kṛṣṇaṃ smaran janañ cāsya preṣṭhaṃ nija samīhitam
tat tat kathā-rataś cāsau kuryād vāsaṃ vraje sadā

While remembering Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His beloved associates whom we desire to follow, being fully absorbed in discussions of their pastimes, one should always reside in Vraja. If this is not possible, then one should reside there by mind.

The second is:

सेवा साधक-रूपेण सिद्ध-रुपेण चात्र हि
तद् भाव लिप्सुना कार्या व्रज लोकानुसारतह्

sevā sādhaka-rūpeṇa siddha-rupeṇa cātra hi
tad bhāva lipsunā kāryā vraja lokānusāratah

On this path of rāgānuga, being charmed by the intense love of Kṛṣṇa’s beloved Vrajavāsīs, the sādhaka should live in Vraja under the guidance of those devotees who have taken shelter of the Vrajavāsīs (like Śrī Rūpa, Sanātana and Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmīs), always eager to serve them in his present physical body. And, in the perfected stage of his siddha-rūpa, the internally conceived spiritual body suitable for performing prema-sevā, he should engage in the cherished service of Śrī Kṛṣṇa according to his chosen mood. In this regard he should follow in the footsteps of the eternal residents of Vraja, such as Śrī Rādhikā, Lalitā, Viśākhā, and Śrī Rūpa Māñjarī.

And the third sloka is:

श्रवणोत्कीर्तनादीनि वैधी-भक्त्य् उदितानि तु
यान्यङ्गानि च तान्यत्र विज्ञेयानि मनीषिभिह्

śravaṇotkīrtanādīni vaidhī-bhakty uditāni tu
yānyaṅgāni ca tānyatra vijñeyāni manīṣibhih

In vaidhī-bhakti one should practice the limbs of bhakti like śravaṇa, kīrtana, and so on according to one’s qualification. Similarly, for rāgānuga-bhakti also it has been advised by scholars who are well versed in the principles of bhakti to follow these practices.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura then comments on each śloka, one by one–this subject is very deep. Let us discuss the first śloka.

Śrīpāda Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja: Where is this śloka? Which part of Bhakti-rāsāmṛta-sindhu is it in? Where can I find it?

Śrīpāda Girirāja Svāmī: I can find it. It is at the end of the Eastern Division.

Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: You can see it at the end of purva vibhaga (Eastern division). Kṛṣṇam smaraṇa means ‘remembering Kṛṣṇa.’ janam casya prestham nija samihitam refers to additionally remembering His preṣṭha. Do you know what preṣṭha means?

Śrīpāda Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja: Dear ones.

Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: These dear associates may be of dāsya-rasa, sakhya-rasa, or vātsalya-rasa, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura is especially discussing those in mādhurya-rasa.

One who has developed greed to attain the mood of the gopīs will remember Kṛṣṇa when He is in Sevā Kuñja or Vamsivata. He has a lovely smile on His face, and He has placed a very beautiful vamsi flute on His lips. His restless eyes, like those of a deer, are searching here and there. Seeing the gopīs coming, He becomes overjoyed, and at that moment He has no control over His body or mind. He is God Himself, yet He forgets everything at that time. He knows not what He is doing, nor even what He looks like. Standing in His tribhanga-lalitā (threefold-bending) pose, He is exquisitely beautiful.

Thousands upon thousands of gopīs are present there, but from the corner of His eyes He is searching for one particular gopī–and that gopī is delaying. Then, from far away He sees Her coming. Who is that gopī? Śrīmatī Rādhikā. The rāgānuga sādhaka meditates how Kṛṣṇa appears at that time.

This is smaraṇam–remembering Kṛṣṇa with all these details and appreciating His many virtues. In Jaiva Dharma we read about the qualities of Kīśora-Kṛṣṇa, that is, Kṛṣṇa in His teenage form, in śṛṅgāra-rasa (mādhurya-rasa). The qualities of Kṛṣṇa in sakhya-rasa are not the same as His qualities when He is with the gopīs, and the qualities of Kṛṣṇa with Nanda and Yaśodā are also different. His qualities are different in every rasa.

We should remember Kṛṣṇa with all the qualities with which He is adorned in madhura-bhāva. We should remember Him with the gopīs as He tries to cheat them in gambling; and as He cheats them and is cheated by them as they try to steal His flute. Remember Kṛṣṇa and His priyajānā, His dearmost associates.

What are the ways of the gopīs, and especially of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī? What are the activities of that very gopī for whom we have greed to follow? That gopī is not Rādhikā, Lalitā or Viśākhā; it is Rūpa Māñjarī. We have a very keen interest to see what she is doing. It is her mood that we want to adopt. When Śrīmatī Rādhikā is pleased, then Rūpa Māñjarī becomes so pleased. Rūpa Māñjarī performs so many services, like bringing water in a golden pot, sometimes very slowly and gently fanning with a cāmara...

Śrīpāda Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja: Massaging?

Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Yes, when she sees that Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are very tired, she serves Them accordingly.

We will carefully watch that māñjarī, seeing what she is doing and how she is performing her numerous services.

The way in which one enters these pastimes and services is based on unbroken remembrance. Janam casya–remembering all the gopīs, and especially that gopī in whom I am…

Śrīpāda Mādhava Mahārāja: Interested.

Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Interested.

Śrīpāda Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja: Meditating upon that.

Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: This is the method of rāgānuga-sādhana-bhajana. Tat tat kathā ratas casau–This phrase in the same śloka is in relation to the śikṣā guru, that premi guru or rāgānuga guru from whom we are hearing. He will discourse with us about the ways in which all the sakhīs are serving Kṛṣṇa, and especially the ways in which Rūpa Māñjarī and our guru in sakhī-veśa (in the form of a sakhī) are serving. One should talk about their pastimes with Kṛṣṇa, as I sometimes discuss them with you.

Such a devotee always resides in Vṛndāvana. If he has no chance to be in Vṛndāvana by body, he surely lives there by mind; for without living in Vṛndāvana, one cannot attain that kind of love.

These three practices are essential: Kṛṣṇa smaraṇa, remembering Kṛṣṇa with His dearmost associates; tat tat kathā ratas casau, continuously conversing about their pastimes; and kuryad vasam vraje sadā, always residing in Vṛndāvana (if not by body, then at least by mind), in such pastime places as Sevā Kuñja, Saṅketa, and Jāvaṭa, and if you have the qualification you may go to Rādhā Kuṇḍa at midday. Spend all day with Rādhikā and that gopī for whom you have the conviction to follow.

This is all for today. I will, perhaps, be able to complete the next two ślokas in the next three days.