Begin from the Root

om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah

"O Gurudeva, you are so merciful. I offer my humble pranama unto you and am praying from the core of my heart that, with the torchlight of divine knowledge, you open my eyes which have been blinded by the darkness of ignorance."

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Gosvami Maharaja:

Begin from the root of the tree and climb up from there.

Srila Vallabhacarya's bhajana, Sri Madhurastakam, tells us that everything is sweet (madhura) about Krsna, the original lord of sweetness. His Yamuna is madhura, His nikunjas (groves wherein Radha and Krsna perform their confidential amorous pastimes) are madhura, and His flute playing and sidelong glances are also very sweet.

Who is actually speaking about the sweetness of Krsna here? Is it Kamsa Maharaja, Aghasura, Bakasura, or Putana? Radhika herself is telling this; She alone is qualified to speak in this way. The history behind Her words is that a sakhi once told Her, "Krsna has left Vrndavana. He now has 16,108 queens, and millions of others also want to marry Him. Why do you have so much love and affection for that crooked Krsna? He has no love for you and no love for Vrndavana. Give Him up and try to forget Him forever." Srimati Radhika replied, "O sakhi, what you are saying is true, but I cannot forget Him. Everything about Him is so sweet"

Demons like Kamsa, Jarasandha, Duryodhana, Putana, Bakasura, Aghasura, Kesi, Canura, and Mustika were seeing that very same Krsna, but they thought of Him as a very cruel, powerful, and dangerous enemy. They did not see or experience His sweetness.

Do you know why I am speaking in this way? These demons are against Krsna. Therefore instead of experiencing His sweetness, they simply experience their own enmity. Similarly, if we imagine that we are meditating on Krsna's asta-kaliya-lila and we have not reached the stage of rati, we will also not experience His sweetness. Rather, we will experience our own lusty and other material desires. In this connection, Kamsa and other demons represent our material desires. Krsna, and the realization of the sweetness of Krsna, is our goal, but do not try to "jump up to the top of the tree." Begin from the root of the tree and climb up from there; then you can realize your goal.

aspiring to serve,
Rain-drop

The Ultimate Conclusion

om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah
"O Gurudeva, you are so merciful. I offer my humble pranama unto you and am praying from the core of my heart that, with the torchlight of divine knowledge, you open my eyes which have been blinded by the darkness of ignorance."


After months of being away, I am so happy to be able to share what I am reading and what is inspiring me once again with you.

Recently we celebrated the holy month of Kartik, the month which Srimati Radhika especially prevails over. Sripad Premananda Prabhu at Radhe Kunj temple in Sri Vrindavana Dham has been giving some very nice classes on the Damodarastakam song.

From the Bhaktabadhava website,here is some commentary on Verse 8 of Damodarastakam:

Sripada Premananda Prabhu: We are going in circles in the cycle of birth and death. We do not know the way to escape. There is only one door to escape this material existence. This door brings us to the lotus-feet of God. We have come here, but we are blind, without faith. The wall is there and the door will come, and we will achieve everything, but we have no faith. Then, we go around and around hopelessly.
We can follow all vratas, but if we have no faith, if we do not take shelter, and if we do not understand anything, then everything is useless. The result will be zero. We may bind ourselves so tightly in rules and regulations, but when we open the knot, we will find nothing.

“Namo radhikayai tvadiya-priyayai—I offer pranama to Srimati Radharani, and to Krsna who is Her beloved. I do not offer pranama to any other.” Damodara’s servants and devotees in other rasas are not as close to Krsna’s heart as those in srngara-rasa. Their hearts are shared with others. But, in srngara-rasa, the gopis hearts are only one-pointedly devoted to Krsna. Srimati Radharani is the crest-jewel of all the gopis.
Namo ’nanta-lilaya devaya tubhyam. We pray to Damodara, “You have so many incarnations. I offer them all pranamas. But, I don’t need their blessings. I am only waiting for the mercy of Your beloveds. Namo radhikayai tvadiya priyayai. If Her mercy comes to me, that is enough. You have given me a chance to really follow Your footsteps, O Damodara. My ultimate welfare lies in giving pleasure to Your beloved gopis. Please help me. In sastras, many different incarnations are described. There are the manvantara-avataras, yuga-vataras, avesa-avataras, and saktyavesa-avataras. They are all glorified extensively by scholars of many different ideas.”

tarko ‘pratishthah srutayo vibhinna
nasav rishir yasya matam na bhinnam
dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam
mahajano yena gatah sa panthah
—Mahabharata, Vana-parva 313.117

All the different sages establish their different points of view, and cut their opponents’ points of view, telling different philosophies. Gautama, Yajnavalka, Javali, Patanjali, Kapila all give different philosophies. One says, “This is the truth,” and then another says, “No, that is wrong. This is the truth.” Which one is really right? Who can tell us this? Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah—follow the footsteps of the mahajanas.

Who are the mahajanas?

svayambhur naradah sambhuh
kumarah kapilo manuh
prahlado janako bhishmo
balir vaiyasakir vayam
—Srimad Bhagavatam 6.3.20

These are the twelve mahajanas. At the end, Vaiyasaki is mentioned. Vaiyasaki is Sukadeva Gosvami.

Sukadeva Gosvami did not openly describe the glories of Radharani in the Bhagavatam. He did not say to follow Narayana. He said to follow Krsna. Prahlada Maharaja and the other mahajanas glorified Krsna Himself. But, how can we please Krsna, conquer His heart, and do everything for Him? This is hidden. You must completely take shelter of Sukadeva Gosvami. In the Bhagavatam, Sukadeva Gosvami does not mention Radharani’s name directly. Her name is not written. Her name is hidden because She is very secret and hidden. That Sukadeva Gosvami indicates that we should go to Vraja-mandala, to the Vrajavasis. Then, we can cross santa, dasya, sakhya, and vatsalya. We can see that Krsna is pleased by their service, but not completely. He is pleased with the sakhas, but only half pleased. He is with them from the morning to the afternoon. With his mother He is even more pleased, but still not completely. Only when He is with Srimati Radharani is He fully pleased.

Now, at the end, Satyavrata Muni finally comes to the ultimate conclusion—the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani. He prostrates at the lotus-feet of Srimati Radharani and begins a vrata. Which vrata? This is called Katyayani-vrata and it is to please Srimati Radharani.
Now he is one-pointed, and he follows Srimati Radharani’s vrata.

katyayani maha-maye
maha-yoginy adhisvari
nanda-gopa-sutam devi
patim me kuru te namah

Nanda-gopa-sutam devi—this is direct. This is the vrata we must follow. The son of Nanda Gopa Himself worships Devi. Which devi? Srimati Radharani. Who is the priya, or beloved, of Krsna? That is only Srimati Radharani.

We must take a certificate from this school. We have passed this school, and now we will go to college and university. Which university will we go to? There is only one university—the service center, the Seva-kunja of Srimati Radharani. How can we attain Her service? How can we please Krsna?

Satyavrata Muni says, “O Radharani, I give up all my pride.” Namo means, “Giving up my pride, I offer my obeisance and I surrender unto You.”
“O Srimati, I do not know You,” the sage says. “When the sakhis and manjaris accept me and make me qualified for Your service, then I can serve You.” Therefore, namo radhikayai. This means that Radharani has many groups, or yuthas. There are 108 prominent sakhis and each have eight prominent manjaris, and all together there are millions and millions of gopis. Where should we go? Where is our service-post? Who will teach us and give us shelter?

People chant ‘aham brahmasmi’. They want to become Brahma. They strive for sahujya-mukti. On the other side, in this line even, some people chant ‘aham manjari, aham gopi’. They should more accurately say, “Aham bhogi.”

This behavior will not work. It is not helpful. It is a bogus idea. We must surrender. Namo radhikayai. “Giving up all pride, I have offered myself to You, O Radhe, please, whatever service You see beneficial for me, whether You want me to be a monkey, a cuckoo, a peacock, a deer, or anything—my own choice is useless. I do not know who I am. I don’t know where You will send me or into which species. I don’t know where I will serve. I am completely saranagata to You. If You like, send me to the sakhas, the servants, those in vatsalya-rasa, or those in madhura-rasa. I don’t know who will be my guru and guardian. I have no idea of this. I offer myself. Please, accept me.”

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aspiring for the service of Sri Hari, Guru and Vaisnavas,
Rain-drop

Srimati Radharani

om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah
"O Gurudeva, you are so merciful. I offer my humble pranama unto you and am praying from the core of my heart that, with the torchlight of divine knowledge, you open my eyes which have been blinded by the darkness of ignorance."

A friend mailed me this beautiful excerpt from a book by Srila BR Sridhara Maharaja; here he is speaking on the brahma gayatri mantra, which women do not have (it makes women hard-hearted, but softens mens' hearts, I've read), still it is very beautiful and applicable to any meditation one is doing on Srimati Radharani:

"Radha-dasyam, the service of Srimati Radharani,
is the ultimate meaning to be extracted from the
gayatri mantra. That is the supreme end of our
life. It cannot but be so. Srimad-Bhagavatam is
the ultimate or full-fledged theism to be
extracted from the Vedas, Upanisads, and so
many scriptures. All the revealed truth rises to
its acme, to its highest position, in the
conception given by Srimad-Bhagavatam. And
Srimad-Bhagavatam teaches us that the highest
realization, self-determination, is the service of
Srimati Radharani - that under her guidance we
may serve Sri Krsna. We aspire for a direct
connection with her service.

"...The very gist of svarupa-sakti is
Srimati Radharani, and the whole svarupa-sakti
is her extended self. The town of her beautiful
service is the whole svarupa-sakti.
Just as rays of light extend from the sun, the
whole internal potency is an extension of
Mahabhava, Sri Radhika. She has developed
herself into such a beautiful area of brilliance, of
internal energy, and thereby she serves her Lord.
All these necessary things have sprung from her.

"To help her in serving her Lord, they all come out.
When the entire internal energy is condensed in a
concise form, it is Mahabhava, Radharani. And
when Radharani wants to serve, she extends
herself in limitless different ways. And with
some contribution from Baladeva and Yogamaya,
the whole spiritual world, including Vrndavana,
Mathura, and Vaikuntha, evolves to assist Srimati
Radharani in the service of Sri Krsna."

Dear Srimati Radhika...

Here is another devotional poem by me:

Dear Srimati Radhika, whose eyes are blue
Whom do you search for, after morning dew?

Is it the thief who has stolen Your heart?
Carrying it with Him from morning till dark

Perhaps He holds it in His yellow cloth
Attracting You to Him, as flame with a moth

His five arrows are always slaying You,
His cheek, eyes, smile, form, and moving 'brows, too

But without a heart, how can You be slain?
Instead You defeat Him in Your love games

Your cunning words strike Him down like a lance
You teach Him the art of a sidelong glance

By it, He is felled like a forest tree
You celebrate, with friends, Your victory

He has stolen Your heart, You steal His flute.
He falls at Your feet, knowing You as root

Of His every happiness, day by day
With the noose of Your love, You make Him stay

Trapped by Your expert hunting, like a deer.
Losing Your favor is His only fear.

Sri Radhe, allow me to serve You, please
So that I may witness Your victories.

I want to serve You as a manjari
When oh when will You give this boon to me?

May this poem help me to melt Your soft heart
So in Your pastimes I may soon take part.

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!!Would anyone like to share or write a devotional poem of their own?

Sri Gadadhara Pandita is Srimati Radhika

om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah

O Gurudeva, you are so merciful. I offer my humble pranama unto you and am praying from the core of my heart that, with the torchlight of divine knowledge, you open my eyes which have been blinded by the darkness of ignorance.


Today is the appearance day of Sri Gadadhara Pandita. Jai!!



Just yesterday I was reading the last chapter of Srila Gurudeva's Sri Prabandhavali, wherein he speaks of the glories of Srimati Radhika and radha-kunda. Then, today is the appearance day of Gadadhara Pandita! So I am going to share a little on who Gadadhara Pandita is, and of Srimati Radhika's beautiful kund.

On Sri Gadadhara, Caitanya Caritamrta says:

"“Gadadhara Pandita is celebrated all over the world for his gentle behavior, his brahminical attributes, and his steady love for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.”

"“No one can describe the characteristics and ecstatic love of Gadadhara Pandita. Therefore another name for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Gadadhara-prananatha, ‘the life and soul of Gadadhara Pandita.’"

“No one can say how merciful the Lord is to Gadadhara Pandita, but people know the Lord as Gadaira Gauranga, ‘the Lord Gauranga of Gadadhara Pandita.’”

Caitanya Caritamrta Antya Lila 7.166, 163-164

Sri Sri Gaura Gadadhara in Campahati

In the book Gaudiya Vaishnava Samadhis, Mahanidhi Swami writes:

"Sri Gaurahari had so much affection for Sri Gadadhara Pandit that He couldn't be without him for a moment. Sri Gadadhara Pandit appeared the year after Lord Caitanya. Gadai and Nimai were inseparable as childhood playmates....Nimai Pandit regularly teased Gadadhara by challenging him with illogical questions.

...Sri Kavi Karnapura states that in Vraja-Lila Gadadhara Pandit is the daughter of King Vrshabhanu, Srimati Radharani. Gadadhara Pandit served as Lord Gaura's chief assistant during His Navadwipa-lila.

...Gadadhara Pandit also took the renounced order of life and went to Jagannath Puri to be with Lord Caitanya. Accepting kestra sannyasa (renunciation without leaving the dhama), he served the deity of Tota Gopinath with full love and devotion. Regularly, Sri Caitanya came to relish Sri Gadadhara Pandit's rasika reading of Srimad Bhagavatam. Lord Caitanya concluded His manifest pastimes by entering the deity of Tota-Gopinatha.

Although Gadadhara Pandit was barely forty-eight when the Lord departed, he quickly became old because of the intense anguish he felt in separation from his beloved Lord Gaurasundara. He couldn't stretch his arms to offer a garland to his deity. Understanding His servant's difficulties, Sri Tota-Gopinatha sat down to facilitate Gadadhara's loving service. To this day, Sri Tota-Gopinatha is the only sitting deity of Krishna.

...Sri Gadadhara Pandit's danta (tooth) samadhi stands near the Vamsi Gopala temple in Vrndavana."

Sri Gadadhara at ISKCON Mayapura

In his Sri Prabandhavali, in the final chapter, Srila Gurudeva glorifies Radha-kund, Raghunatha dasa Goswami, and Srimati Radhika Herself:

yatha radha priya visnos
tasyah kundam priyam tatha
sarva-gopisu saivaika
visnor atyanta vallabha

Padma Purana

'Amongst all the gopis, Radhika is the best and most beloved of Krsna. Therefore for someone to attain Her mercy is very rare; even for great souls such as Narada it is rare. But if someone really desires that prema, that Radha-dasya, which even Narada is praying for while performing austerities at Narada-kunda, then if they bathe just once with great devotion in Radha-kunda, the kunda will bestow everything upon them.'

"Is it not more difficult than that? After all, anyone can go there and bathe, but it must be ascertained whether or not we are really bathing with feelings of bhakti. If we bathe with great humility and faith, then those whose hearts are impure will become a little pure, those whose hearts are already a little pure will become a little more pure, and those whose hearts are completely pure will attain the direct service of Sri Radha and Krsna.

"The highest ideal is shown by Raghunatha das Goswami - how he left everything, took exclusive shelter of Radha-kunda, and said, 'We desire nothing besides the mercy of Radhika':

tavaivasmi tavaivasmi
na jivami tvaya vina
iti vijnaya devi tvam
naya mam caranantikam

Sri Vilapa-kusumanjali #96

'O Srimati, I am Yours only, Yours only' - he wanted Radhika to hear him say this twice. 'I cannot live without You, so please bring me to the shelter of Your feet and appoint me to Your service.'

If we bathe at Radha-kunda, our hearts will become purified, an attraction for Radha-dasya will arise within us, and if we have similar feelings of pleading as Rupa and Raghunatha das Goswamis had, then we will certainly attain Radhika's direct mercy.

radhika ujjvala-rasera acarya
radha-madhava suddha prema vicarya

ye dharila radha pda parama yatane
se paila krsna pada amulya ratane

radha-pada bindu kabhu krsna nahi mile
radhara dasira krsna, sarva vede bale

[Gitavali 3, 4, 5 by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura]

"Those who very carefully worship Radhika's feet will meet Krsna in the snap of a finger, but what does it mean to meet Krsna? Where is Krsna complete? Without Radhika is He complete? Therefore only where there is the youthful couple is Krsna complete. Only by the mercy of Radhika will one be able to have Their darsana and attain the qualification to serve Them.

"...what do the Vedic scriptures declare? What to speak of just Radhika, Her dasis are also very instrumental in helping one to meet Krsna. They will say, 'Come, you can meet Him here.'...Sometimes Krsna says to these dasis, 'I belong solely to you. As you say, I will do.' So what to speak of Krsna's feelings towards Radhika Herself, who is the acarya of ujjvala-rasa.



"Sometimes when They play games like chess and tic-tac-toe together, Radhika says, 'You don't know how to play, therefore I will not play anymore!' Sometimes Krsna applies Her tilaka, and She says, "You haven't applied it correctly. It should be like this.' In this way She instructs Him, and is therefore the acarya of ujjvala-rasa."

Last but not least, Gurudeva explains the constitutional position of Gadadhara Pandit in this transcribed darsana from May 2000:
click here

Jai Radhe! Jai Sri Gadadhara Pandit!