Entering Naiśa-līlā (the Night Pastimes)

Our supremely worshipful Śrīla Gurudeva entered the eternal pastimes (nitya-līlā) of Śrī Rādhā-Ramaṇa-Bihārījī at three o’clock in the morning. Śrī Govinda-līlāmṛta, by Śrīla Kṛṣṇa dāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, and Śrī Kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāmṛta, by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, describe Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa’s aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā, or pastimes within the eight divisions of the day. The yāma, or part of the day, from 10:48 p.m. to 3:36 a.m., lasting for four hours and forty-eight minutes, is known as naiśa-līlā (night pastimes). Therefore, three o’clock in the morning falls within Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa’s naiśa-līlā. This segment is the longest and most confidential of the intimate nikuñja pastimes. A summary of naiśa-līlā is as follows:

At night, when all of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s family members are resting, He secretly leaves His palace in Śrī Nandagāma and goes to the forest of Vṛndāvana, which at that time is infused by a gentle breeze carrying the sweet fragrance of forest flowers. Humming bees, intoxicated by this aroma, lose their way and fly hither and thither. Swans and herons, pierced by Cupid’s arrows, wander the lakes, and birds fly in all four directions, blissfully chirping, “Jaya jaya!” At this opportune time, Śrī Kīrtidā’s darling daughter, Śrīmatī Rādhājī, also comes secretly from her in-laws’ place in Yāvaṭa to meet Her beloved at Their pre-appointed meeting place.

In Śrī Rādhā and Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s sweet meeting, They perform rāsa-līlāvihāra and other pastimes, such as wandering throughout the forest and beholding the astonishing scenery. They also describe each other’s beauty, qualities and sweetness; decorate each other with forest flowers; dance, sing, and play musical instruments; enjoy water-pastimes; drink intoxicating beverages; and perform many other such līlās.

Upon witnessing these pastimes, which bewilder the entire universe, the wives of the demigods, the heavenly damsels, the wives of the Gandharvas, and others are totally enchanted. They also sing praises of the divine couple, chanting, “Jaya jaya!” as they shower flowers from the sky and play the dundubhi drum and other musical instruments.

Tired from the joyful play of rāsa-līlā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs take rest. The mañjarīs bring varieties of fruits and drinks for them. The sakhīs then perform the līlā of drinking intoxicating beverages and engage in even more confidential pastimes to enhance Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s bliss. After this they assist Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa’s water pastimes in the Yamunā. The mañjarīs bring the Divine Couple to the shore and decorate Them. Then, the Divine Couple rest in a forest grove.

At that time, some very intimate prāṇa-sakhīs take Rādhā’s and Kṛṣṇa’s feet, which are supremely charming and more delicate than fresh lotus petals, in their laps, and massage them in a mood of deep affection, while some other mañjarīs fan Them. Others bring tāmbūla, a folded betel leaf filled with delicious, aromatic ingredients. Relaxed by these services of the maidservants, Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa become free from Their fatigue and sleep peacefully. Not even Śrīmatī Rādhājī’s priya-narma-sakhīs have entrance into these intimate services.

While Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Ramaṇa-Bihārījī rest peacefully, their dear mañjarīs offer Them many items of worship, such as pādya–tears of love bathing Their lotus feet; incense–their fragrant breath; lamps–their effulgent moon-like nails; flowers–their love-laden, intimate glances, full of mamatā (love imbued with the mood that ‘you are mine’); and āratī–their life-airs saturated with intense prema that has reached the stage of mahābhāva; all mixed with the camphor of their smiles.

Summoned by the indication of his guru-rūpa-sakhī (his gurudeva in sakhī form), Śrīla Gurudeva presented himself in the service of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Ramaṇa-Bihārījī at that auspicious moment. Under the guidance of Śrī Vinoda Mañjarī (Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja), Śrī Nayanamaṇi Mañjarī (Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda) and Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Rati Mañjarīs, and in subordination to Śrī Lalitā-devī, our Śrīla Gurudeva, in his eternal mañjarī form as Śrī Ramaṇa Mañjarī, has entered the naiśa-līlā of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Ramaṇa-Bihārījī and is situated there, absorbed in serving Them in deep ecstasy throughout the eight yāmas of the day.

Śrīla Gurudeva joined Śrī Navadvipa dhāma, Śrī Devananda Gaudiya Matha on 26 December 1946. When he landed in the railway station, at that time, the station was completely dark and his mother tongue was Hindi. He doesn't know bengali at all. He never informed Śrīla Parama Gurudeva that this very day he is coming to take his shelter. Gurudeva was thinking, "What to do now? I have never been in Navadvipa dhāma. I don't know their language. To whom will I ask? Maybe I have to spend overnight in this dark railway station. Next morning, I will find my way to go to Śrī Devananda Gaudiya Matha somehow or other to meet my beloved Gurudeva." Śrīla Gurudeva used to communicate with Parama Gurudeva through English language. My Guru Mahārāja, Śrīla Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Mahārāja, (his brahmacārī name at that time was Sajjana-sevaka Brahmacārī) used to take dictation from Parama Gurudeva and used to send letter to Śrīla Gurudeva. Śrīla Gurudeva was thinking, "What shall I do now being in railway station in dark night?" Somebody with a lantern was calling, "O Tivariji, O Tivariji, are you here?" Śrīla Gurudeva's surname was Tivari in his purva-aśrama. Gurudeva thought, "Who is calling my surname?" When the lantern man came close to him, Gurudeva replied, "Yes, I am Tivariji. Who are you? What is your identification? Why are you calling me in dark midnight? How do you know me?" The lantern man (my beloved Guru Mahārāja in brahmacārī form, Sajjana-sevaka Brahmacārī) replied, "My name is Sajjana-sevaka Brahmacārī. I used to communicate with you through letter by the order of my Paramaradhya Gurudeva, Śrīla Bhakti-prajnana Kesava Gosvami Mahārāja. He has sent me here to take you to him in Śrī Devananda Gaudiya Matha." Gurudeva told, "I never wrote him that I am coming this very night. How did he know?" Then my Guru Mahārāja replied, "The bona fide guru is omniscient like Krsna." They embraced each other and came together to Śrī Devananda Gaudiya Matha. When Śrīla Gurudeva departed from this world, that was the appearance day of my Guru Mahārāja, Śrīla Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Mahārāja. The concluded siddhanta is–When Gurudeva joined Matha, my Guru Mahārāja, Śrīla Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Mahārāja brought him to Śrī Devananda Gaudiya Matha, and my same Guru Mahārāja (Rāga Mañjarī) in his day of appearance took Śrīla Gurudeva, "O Ramana Mañjarī, Vinoda Mañjarī (Parama Gurudeva) is calling you for the service of Śrī Śrī Radha Ramana-bihariji.

Śrīla Gurudeva came to this planet on the order of Śrīman Mahāprabhu and Śrīmatī Rādhikā to give us vraja-bhakti as taught by Śrīman Mahāprabhu, and to provide us the qualification necessary to enter these pastimes. He never wanted to give anything less than this. He was really bhuridā, the greatest donor, and mahā-mahā-vadānyāya, greatly magnanimous to the superlative degree. We are therefore boundlessly fortunate to have come to his lotus feet.

According to Vaisnava calendar, name of the months like Kesava, Nārāyaṇa, Mādhava etc are all names of visnu-tattva. Same way, our tilakamantra also is in same sequence like Kesava, Nārāyaṇa, Mādhava etc. When someone joins the mātha as a brahmacārī, he will be identified by his Gurudeva's identification. No identification is allowed for mathavasis by biological birth. Śrīla Gurudeva told this so many times, especially in the occasion of giving serial classes on Ramayana starting from Ramanavami. When Luv-kusa, the sons of Lord Rama, were living in Valmiki asrama, they didn't know the identification of their father or mother. Their mother, Sita-devi, was famous in the Valmiki aśrama as Vana-devi. So, Valmiki rsi sent Luv and kusa to sing Ramayana gāna at the time of Lord Rama's asvamedha yajña. Laksman enquired about their parents by the order of Lord Rama. They replied to Laksmana, "We have only one identification, we are living in asrama of our Gurudeva, Śrī Valmiki rsi. He is our Guru, we are his disciples." Śrīla Gurudeva was born in this world in month of Mādhava according to Vaisnava calendar. His childhood name was Śrīman Nārāyaṇa. When he came to Parama Gurudeva, his name became Śrī Gaura Nārāyaṇa. After renounce order, he became famous by the name Śrī Bhaktivedanta Nārāyaṇa. This 'Nārāyaṇa' name never changed. He became the disciple of Śrīla Bhakti-prajnana Kesava and he was served by Śrīpada Mādhava Mahārāja, and entered in nitya-līlā in month of Nārāyaṇa.