Gopi Gita Part 3 SB 10.31.9-19 “Your remembrances doesn’t decrease but increases our agony – Please appear.” (Janmashtami class)

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
Welcome back to our discussion in the Gopikita, this is the third part now, so here the last part is the Gopis are saying that your remembrance doesn’t decrease but increases our misery please return so now in the eighth verse the Gopis are saying please revive us with your words so now actually Krishna has still not come what can we do? we can say actually just as Krishna’s words can revive us words about Krishna can also revive us and that’s the context of the next verse they say that your Katha, you talk about the glory of your words Kathamritam Tatt Jeevanam Kavithiriditam Karmashapaham Shravan Mangalam Shreemadatatam Vigranthike Bhuridha Janam so we often quote this verse in the context of glorifying the pure devotees who are Bhuridha Janam who are the greatest well-wisher of all living beings who are very great Bhuridha Janam because they share the nectar of Krishna’s Lordiness so that is a valid context valid explanation of this verse, important explanation and actually this is also an explanation that is used by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu when Ramananda Rai comes to him and in the Jagannath Vellore Gardens when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is resting, after having danced throughout the day in front of Jagannath’s Rathgarh, at that time Ramananda Rai comes in the dress of a simple citizen starts massaging the lotus feet of the Lord relieving his legs of the exhaustion and while doing that menial service, he also wants to relax the mind and the heart of the Lord, so he starts singing Gopi Gita and as he starts singing the Gopi Gita and he comes to this verse then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gets up and embraces him and says, you are Bhuridha Janam you have helped me to remember Krishna, you have helped me to believe there has been no separation from Krishna you are the greatest Bhuridha, you are a very good doer, Guru is good, auspicious benevolent, you are the beneficiary, you are the benefactor, my great benefactor yes you are so it is by singing these prayers that Ramananda Rai beats the heart of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu so now in that same prayer you can very validly use to talk about the glories of the pure devotees the Gopis are talking about the glories of Krishna Katha primarily and they are saying now that you are not appearing what should we do? we will try to do, we will remember your Katha that is the way we will revive us please come personally and revive us with your words with your words but now that is not happening so tell me your Katha is there your Katha is Amritam and then Tapta Chiranjana our life is Tapta we are burning burning from separation from Kaviriritam Kalmashapaham the great souls Kaviriritam they transmit this and what happens? Kalmashapaham whatever Kalmashas are there in the heart they get destroyed and Shravanamangalam Shreemadatatam Shravanamangalam they are hearing what this pastor means brings auspiciousness Mangalam and they are filled with Shreemadat and they are filled with auspicious form and indeed they are told you speak this pastor and they travel around the world with this they are great so the Gopis they are constantly discussing Krishna’s pastime and in fact just before they started reciting this Gopi Geet they were in a state of frenzied divine madness what is referred to in Chaitanya Chittam as Divyon Madhya or Premon Madhya the divine madness or the madness of love and at that time they were speaking as well as acting Krishna’s pastimes one Gopi became Putana another Gopi became Krishna one Gopi became Kaliya another Gopi became Krishna dancing on Kaliya as they were enacting this pastime by frantically searching for Krishna by enacting those pastimes they were trying to allay the agony of forgetfulness of Krishna so the Gopis are trying all possible means to allay pacify their agony struck heart agonised heart and they say yes, if you do not come we will discuss your Katha and Katha is one of the most precious but as they start contemplating Krishna’s pastimes they find that actually that Katha doesn’t decrease their misery it increases their misery because as they remember Krishna their hankering for Vasudeva Krishna increases and the remaining verses are all talking about the sweet pastimes of Krishna but when you see all these verses they talk about the sweet pastimes but they all it’s a statement of how the Gopis are in misery how that particular recollection of that particular pastime is causing misery and through that they are conveying to Krishna please come back please come back and relieve us of this affliction so now they remember Krishna’s pastimes with them what he has performed many times just a few short while ago on that very night when we came and started talking and dancing and singing so Prahasitam Priya Premavikshanam Nithyanam Chate Dhyanamangalam Prahasitam Nidhau Narvis Trishadam Kuhakno Manah Shobhayanti Hrim so they are saying Prahasitam Priya Asitam is smile, Priya your affectionate smile and Premavikshanam your loving glances Nithyanam Chate and the way we went around Nithyanam playing intimate pastimes so we went around in intimate pastimes very affectionate meanings of love so we are remembering how Krishna has danced with us how Krishna smiled at us how he embraced us how he performed intimate pastimes and Dhyanamangalam this is auspicious we are feeling relief, we are feeling joy so what was said in the previous verse Shramanamangalam so that we are finding yes it is Mangalam but then as we remember this we remember your words also Prahasitam so in confidence you spoke words of affection you told us that you love us that just as much as we love you, you love us you care for us the sweet words that you spoke in confidence to us Narasimha, Nidho you are with me, Krishna they touch our heart they conquer our heart so but then as we think about it you spoke words of endearment to us and it is because of you that we are now in bereavement how is that Kuhukono manaha Kuhaka, Kuhaka means cheater oh cheater you spoke those words where they are untrue you said that you loved us and then you have deserted us how is it going Kuhukono manaha and when we think of this Shobhayanti hi Shobhayanti means agitation our minds have become agitated so you are saying that Krishna when we remember you we want pacification of our agony but instead we are getting agitation, we are not getting pacification our anxiety our fear, our agony is getting aggravated so actually hmm Sanatana Goswami in his Vigdarshani Gita commentary on Tamodra Ashtakam he says that recollection of Krishna Krishna in the heart is wonderful but still that does not equal Darshan of Krishna directly, Saksha and he says that’s why he analyses the flow of the prayer that also he says Satyarthi means that Edhyakshay means allow me to sit with you I have seen you in my heart and I have seen you in the heart and not want anything else millions of other benedictions are of no use and yet after that he said Lakshala millions of other benedictions are of no use but then he says I want to sit with you this is the benediction that I want so Darshan of Krishna in the heart is wonderful but higher than that is Saksha Darshan of Krishna Krishna when we think about you it’s auspicious but that thinking about you and meditating on and visualising your pastime that you performed with us in our heart visualising in our heart inflames our desire for you and therefore we become more and more agitated we are so agitated please come back Krishna now they start remembering other pastimes so not just the pastime of their confidential conversation these are rare for the Gopis there is a time when the Gopis can be alone with Krishna and talk with them they are rare their normal interactions are they see Krishna from a distance when he goes out to graze the cows when he comes back after grazing the cows so they are reconnecting those times now chalaseeya raja kadina tammana kantha gachhati so they are praying chalaseeya raja So when you start going there when you go out of Vrindavan for what purpose? charayan pashur for grazing the animals the cows you saw the cow that was mentioned in Thirumichara and come towards the road.
So chaara yam pa shri, then your lotus feet, naaka te pa dam shri, you are our master. And your lotus feet, many missin dharam, many miss lotus. They are more more beautifully a lotus flower.
Here sundara is not just in terms of beauty, here they are also thinking of sundara in terms of softness, as is evident from the next line. shila trana ampurae, sthita teetina, shila is the stones, the sharp edged, sorry, shila is the sharp edged grains. And trana is the grass, ampurae is the sprouting plants.
So there are various prickly sharp objects in the forest. The different object is sthita teetina. So your feet, you don’t wear footwear, therefore your feet are being pierced.
And when your feet are being pierced, our hearts are being pierced. kalinatam manaham kalitam, while agitation. So when you go into the forest, our minds go into the forest fire of anxiety, apprehension, agony.
What is that? Your feet are being pierced, your feet are so tender, you should not wear footwear. So Vaishalamai wanted Krishna to wear footwear when he went out. But Krishna said, I am a servant of the cows.
So if you want me to wear footwear, then I should wear footwear for the cows. Vaishalamai said, you have actually lakhs of cows. I don’t have so many cows.
Krishna said, I do not have so many cows. The cows heard this, they were so touched by Krishna’s love for them, concern for them, that they decided they will do everything that they can to ensure that Krishna’s feet never get hurt. So they went out into the forest at night.
By Yogmaya’s arrangement, the ropes that were tying them got loose and they went out in the forest. And in the forest, they went all over the land forest with their hard hooves. Wherever they saw anything hard, they just batted with their hard hooves and crushed it into powder.
And they made all of the land dust into soft, tender powder. Just so that Krishna’s feet would be protected. That is the love of the cows.
Which is the sweet loving reciprocation between Krishna and the cows. So the Gopis, however, are still thinking from their perspective that, oh, Krishna went in the forest with so many sharp objects. And they’re thinking, our heart would come too.
So now, they’re also thinking that this is not just a pastime that happens every day when Krishna is in the forest. Actually, at least in the daytime, he will be able to see that there are thorns. And he will put his feet aside.
But now it’s night. Now, Krishna became displeased by our pride. And so he has left us.
But when he has left us, he will be going here and there. And his feet will become pierced. And we don’t want his feet to be pierced.
So the Gopis are in this thinking, Krishna, now we are your feet becoming pierced. Our heart are being pierced with anxiety. At the thought of what pain you might be experiencing.
So please come back. Now, we experience that anxiety all day. But now, at night, when we think, oh, we are getting pierced, our anxiety is going out.
So please, Krishna, such is the fervent prayer for you. Krishna, please return. So verse 12.
Now, the Gopis are saying that how many other times do we get to behold you? And when you are going in the morning, at that time you get to see me. And then when you come back in the evening, at that time you get to see me. So at the end of the day, what happens? That time you get your darshan.
Neela Kuntazai. So Neela Kuntazai. Neela is blue, dark and bluish.
Kuntazai, flocks of air. So Vannaruha Niyam. The lotus-like face, Vannaruha is that which grows in the forest.
So earlier the lotus has been referred to as Jalaruha, that which grows in the water. So there are different kinds of lotuses. Some grow in ponds and some grow in the wilderness of the forest also.
So both are used to convey Krishna’s extraordinary beauty. Vibhradhavritam. So your face is covered by the locks of blue hair and then it is also covered with one more thing.
Rajasvalam. Rajasvalam, thick, smeared with dust. It is Rajam.
Rajam is dust. Smeared with dust. Sometimes people use cosmetic powders to try to beautify their face.
Now the dust of Vrindavan is more beautiful than any cosmetic powder. And the Gopis are saying that your face is powdered with the dust of Vrindavan. And at that time they are able to see your face.
So actually when Krishna returns from Vrindavan, all the bhajavasis come out. Returns to Vrindavan from the forest. All the bhajavasis come out waiting to see Krishna.
And actually when Krishna returns first, they see the dust cloud. The cows are coming first. Cows, cows are coming first and as they come they cause a dust cloud.
And first when they see the dust cloud and all, then they understand Krishna is coming and the thrill starts shooting up and they start becoming more and more excited. And then they start, amidst the dust cloud, they start perceiving the forms. And in front they see the cow and behind them they see all the Gopis.
And then they see Krishna in Vrindavan. And they are delighted. So moved.
So what happens is amidst all this, the dust cloud is there and all the other Gopis are there. The cows are there. Sometimes Krishna’s vision is seen, sometimes Krishna’s vision is not seen.
So again and again they see him briefly. And now with the younger Gopis, they cannot go out directly to see Krishna. So they go on top of their houses.
And from there they try to see Krishna. That is the Vedic etiquette we see in the Mahabharata also. When Krishna is departing, and it’s in the first canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam also, the ladies go on top of the houses and from there they behold the Lord arriving and they shower flowers on him.
So the Gopis from the top, they are trying to see. So then what Krishna does is, Krishna lets all the cows go ahead and then Krishna and Balram are together. But Krishna wants to see the Gopis and he wants to let them have his darshan also.
But when Balramji is present, Balramji is the older brother. So he starts acting very tired. He starts walking very slowly, lethargically.
And Balramji says, come on Krishna, we have to go home. We will take a bath and then Maheshwara will have nice food for us. We will wear new dresses and we will have a feast.
Krishna says, I am very tired. I will come slowly. Balramji says, you go ahead.
And then Balramji rushes ahead. And then Krishna feels liberated. And Krishna feels no longer my older brother’s eye watching on me.
And then he offers the love of his heart to all the Gopis by beholding and looking at them. And then he lets all of them also offer the love of their heart to him through their eyes and through their glances. So the Gopis are saying, so like that, we see you every day at the end of the day.
And what happens? So in our mind, Smaram, now the word Smaram can have two meanings. Smaram can mean memory and Smaram can also mean desire. Oh hero, when we remember you, what happens? Desire awakens.
When that memory comes, when we are thinking about that memory, it becomes clearer and clearer. And when there is emotional involvement, when the memories are high resolution, when there is no emotional involvement, then we can’t remember things very clearly. Gopis, there is complete emotional involvement.
It’s like their memory is involving a high resolution camera recorder. So they record everything. And as they remember it, they say a desire is tormenting us.
So Krishna, please come. It says we behold you at that time, we want to behold you now also. Please come.
Please come, the Gopis are praying. Please come, O Krishna. And in this way, they are begging Krishna to come.
Then they remember, as they think of Krishna coming. Now when Krishna was going away, they thought of Krishna lotus feet. And now when Krishna comes back, they again think of his lotus feet.
And they pray. pranatkamadam padmajarchitam dhanmandanam dheyamapade So the Gopis are again glorifying the lotus feet. And they are saying, please, those lotus feet bless so many other people.
Please let them bless us also. So pranatkamadam, those who bow down to the lotus feet, they fulfil the desires of those people. Earlier that was pranatam dehinam padma karshayam.
So the word pranatam was the same. But they are saying if the sinful people bow down, then their sins get removed. Here they are saying, if they come with any desire, even if they come with material desires, akamah sarvakamah vah mokshikamah dharadhi tevere nivakti yoge nitya turushyam param.
Even if they come with material desires, still you fulfil even their material desires. So this pranatkamadam, those who bow down and worship you, you fulfil their desires. And these lotus feet are worshipped even by Brahmaji.
So they are saying the entire gamut of existence from those who have kama to those who are very exalted like Brahmaji. Now Brahmaji also meditated on the Lord. He took shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet.
And that’s how he got the power to create Padmaja, Archeetam. Padmaja is one who is born from the lotus, that is Brahmaji. Archeetam, he also worships them.
And even the earth treasures those lotus feet. Dharil mandanam. Mandanam is like a monument, a treasure.
So sometimes there are heritage places or monuments from the past which the government will say, as in India there is the Archaeological Survey of India and other countries, different other societies will say that these have been preserved, nobody can destroy them. So like that for the Brajwasis, the footprints of Krishna on the earth of Vrindavan are monuments. So the earth considers them as a treasure.
Brajwasis also consider it a treasure. They both ensure that these never get erased or damaged. Now how can footprints be erased or damaged? If somebody else walks on them, if some wind, rain, other things come, they may get erased.
But Krishna and lotus feet are so attractive. And in the footprint that are also so distinct and attractive. The Brajwasis want to preserve them.
So whenever Krishna, Gopas or Gopis go out, if they are following Krishna, they don’t step on Krishna’s lotus feet. What to speak of the Gopas and Gopis, even the cows don’t step. What to speak of the cows, even the wild animals don’t.
Whatever animals are there in the jungle, they also don’t step on the footprints of Krishna. So they are all preserved as the monuments. And the Gopis are saying that even the earth is fortunate enough that she gets the touch of your lotus feet.
Why can’t we get the touch? And actually, especially people who are in apati, who are in affliction, in distress, these are very appropriate objects for meditation. They are the objects of meditation for those who are distressed. When we remember Krishna lotus feet, we get Krishna Sharira and therein we get relief from the miseries.
They are saying they are the objects of meditation and we are in great distress right now. We are in distress, we are afflicted by the fire of separation from you. So please bless us with the lotus feet.
And then they are saying on one side that the lotus feet remove misery, but along with that they also give great joy. It’s a very great satisfaction. So those lotus feet, they remove misery and they give satisfaction.
So they are saying Krishna, you are our lover. So those lotus feet on our chest, the distress that you are experiencing, please remove that distress by offering us your lotus feet. Please offer us your lotus feet.
That is again and again their affliction. Arpaya means to please, please or arpit karma means offer. So arpaya, please please.
Adhi means distress, especially mental distress. Adhi means to destroy. So please destroy our mental distress by offering your lotus feet on our hearts.
So the gopis are now begging Krishna, you are our feet, you have blessed us so many, so many other people, please bless us also with those lotus feet. Now earlier they were talking about the lotus feet in terms of please bless us, but now there is a second prayer related to the lotus feet, but this prayer is more within the context of the past time. That yes, your lotus feet, you go out on those lotus feet, at that time we are afflicted, when we come back we are afflicted, we are still afflicted because we want darshan.
Even if we can’t get your darshan, at least let us get your lotus feet, because that will at least remove some of our affliction. And then they say, okay, not only Krishna lotus feet, we want Krishna’s lotus lips also. So, Adhara Amritam, Adhara is your lips, Amrita is nectar, the nectar of your lips.
Bitterevereness, please distribute that nectar. So, that is a very polite way of saying, please kiss us. Bitterevereness.
So, what are they now describing to Lord Krishna? So, Suratanathate, the gopis had called Krishna as the god of love, in the second verse. Now they are saying, yes, especially the love means, it is conjugal love. So, they are saying that Vardhanam, that your lips increase the joy of conjugal love.
And whatever misery is there because of separation from you, Shoka Nashidan, that shoka is destroyed completely. And again, this nectar of the lips is relished even by the flute. So, that flute gets the fortune of touching your lips constantly.
And we don’t get the fortune even occasionally. We get it so very infrequently. But whenever we have got that taste, what happens? Ithararag.
All other tastes, Bismaram. We have completely forgotten all other tastes. It makes one forget all other tastes.
So, they are saying, Krishna, you have given us glimpses of your supreme taste and that is not useful for all other tastes. I will certainly be craving for it. So, please come again.
Please come back. Bitterevereness. Please offer us the nectar of those adharas, of those lips.
Now, after describing, after calling to Krishna to please bestow the nectar of his lips, now they say that actually, if we cannot get the nectar of the lips, at least we want the nectar of seeing you. But even that seeing you, we get to do it so infrequently. So, now all these gopis are remembering their past interaction with Krishna and they are saying, actually, because of external and internal obstacles, we don’t even get the opportunity to see you.
We get to see you so infrequently. So, please come back and allow us to see you. So, here they are praying.
So, now they are referring to Krishna quite respectfully. You, Bhavan. So, Tvam is you in a sense of Tu.
Bhavan is in a more respectful sense, Aap. So, there is no distinction like this in English, in Sanskrit and other languages related to Sanskrit, which are derived from Sanskrit. That difference is there.
A normal second person reference and a reverential second person reference. So, they are using the reverential second person reference. So, this is also an example of the Aishwarya and Madhurya, the awareness of Krishna’s greatness and Krishna’s sweetness, both being combined.
So, Vishwachitra Thakur in this section, analyses in Sadhavatar Srinidhika. Whatever I have spoken in this Gopi Gita, I have tried to be more devotional and technical. That’s why I have not quoted the various sources.
But what I have spoken is primarily from three sources. Vishwanatha Thakur’s Sadhavatar Srinidhika commentary. Then there is a Bhavata Bodhini commentary written by Sridhar Swami.
And then there is the Santarbha, Satsantarbha, especially Priyasanthi Santarbha, Moshipiti Santarbha, some other Krama Santarbha also by Jeev Goswami. Santarbha by Jeev Goswami. So, here Sadhavatar Srinidhika raises the issue that when greatness and sweetness is combined, does that lead to Asavahas? So, Krishnachitra analyses various places where both are brought together.
He says, no. Actually, the greatness only increases the sweetness. The Aishwarya is used to deepen and intensify the Madhuriya.
So, the Gopi’s Aishwarya Gyan is that Krishna is so great. But that great lord is our lover and we want him. So, the awareness of Krishna’s greatness does not decrease their longing for him, but increases their longing and they stay in the Madhuri house longing for him more and more, in that mode.
So, in that sense, there is no Asavahas. So, when Atatiyat, Bhavan, Atati means when you travel away, in the day time, ahani kanana, ahani is day time, ahani means ahani means ahani, in the Srimaharaj’s famous verse, many days, every day passes and people die. So, ahani means day and kanana means forest, say Kadamba Kanana, forest of Kadambas.
So, you go to the forest and then when you go to the forest, they are waiting for you and when they are waiting for you, what happens? Even one moment of separation from you, not even, here they are using the word Truti. Truti is a very tiny fragment of time. It is almost, we describe that Truti can be just small fragment that it is, according to Vedic measurements of time, it is one, it is a 1700th part of a second, extremely tiny and that appears like a Yuga.
It appears interminably long, interminably, intolerably long for us. When we are unable to see you, that is intolerable for us and even when finally we are able to see you, kuthila kundalam, kuthila kundalam, kuthila is curling, kundalam is hair, you are curling hair which is, which surrounds your beautiful face, Shri Mukhamchate and they say at that time we are beholding your beautiful face but what happens? Jada udikshatam, the foolish creator, they are referring to Brahmaji, the foolish creator and they are saying pakshma kridrisham, pakshma is that jada is foolish, udikshatam, ikshatam means you want to see but then pakshma is there are lids which cover our vision, kridrisham, so the creator of the eyes is so foolish that he made the eyes with eyelids, eyelids that close and blink and involuntarily and they prevent us from seeing. Now normally although our eyelids blink so many times we don’t even notice it, almost, we almost never notice it but the gopis are so eager to see that they notice the eyelids, normally they notice it, nana andavancham pukal karanapura says that actually we feel that the blinking of the eyelids and the deprivation of the sight of your beautiful form that happens because of the blinking is like the end of the universe for us, it is so devastating for us, that deprivation even for a fraction of a moment is unendurable and for us and because of that normally civilised people will not call anybody else foolish, they will try to even if that person has done something wrong they will forgive or even if they have to correct they will correct politely but to call somebody foolish that means one is very displeased by that person’s actions, and to cause a very respectable person foolish that really requires a person should be so upset that person is just not aware of etiquette at all, completely forgets the etiquette.
So the gopis can just say Brahmaji is such a respectable person and they have also talked about Brahmaji earlier in their prayers when they said he cut his heart, they know that none of the devatas can pray to Vishnu, it is Brahmaji who is the greatest of all devatas who prays to Vishnu and by his prayers Vishnu descends, so Brahmaji is a great person, they have also talked about Pabhupajya worshipping, that means worshipped by, he worships the lotus feet of the lord, so they are saying this but still again they are saying after that actually he is foolish, so even after knowing the greatness of Brahmaji when they say he is foolish that indicates to us how afflicted they are, so how much of a great deprivation is he feeling when they are able to see Krishna, because of which they are even ready to speak, address as foolish person as Brahmaji, so this is the hankering for Krishna that is present in the exalted devotees, at our level we may not have that kind of hankering for darshan of Krishna, but Prabhupada writes that a devotee cannot in the sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita in this commentary to 16th and 17th verses, he says that actually a devotee cannot be able to spend even a one moment without serving Krishna and he says that in the context that is why the special sense of ego, that they got some egoistic satisfaction, I sleep to less, that’s how sometimes we want to sleep less and that’s what I want to, oh I sleep only so many hours, four hours, five hours, but actually they were so eager to serve Krishna and they thought how can we live without serving Krishna, that’s why they would sleep less, so we can try to think we may not be able to serve either for darshan of Krishna but we can try to have a service for Krishna and in a similar way. Now the book is free after this that for so many days, so many weeks, so many months, so many years we had so little darshan of you and now when we came to behold you at night we were hoping that we will have continuous darshan of you and you will be able to behold your beautiful form and in that hope we left everyone and what have you done? You haven’t left us anymore and you don’t just left it in the safety of our home, you have left us helpless women in the dark dangerous forest all alone, how can you do that? You oh hero, they have referred to Krishna as a hero repeatedly and they are appealing to Ishwara, appealing to Ishwara you know we left everything for you and you’re leaving us and leaving her in a dark dangerous forest all alone and helpless, please come back, come back, come back Ungeeta Mohitha So we left all our family members, pati, our husbands, shitanvaya, sutra, sutra refers to children, anvaya refers to elders, brahtru, brothers, andhavan, other relatives and now the acharyas did a lot of analysis about this point of the pati so where the gopis actually unchaste when they left their husband for other men so the bhagavatam itself in the third chapter, last chapter of this Gopi Ungeeta explains that actually the gopis were not unchaste because they were dancing with Krishna in their spiritual bodies and the shadow forms were there with their husbands and that’s why the husbands did not feel in use of Krishna, so at a spiritual level, at a physical level we may have a good relationship but at a spiritual level our relationship is with Krishna eternally and Jiva Goswami takes this point of there being forms, shadow forms of them which stayed with their husbands and he expands this point in Gopalachanthu and he explains how actually the forms who married, those who married other men calling Krishna, they were actually shadow forms just like there was a mayasita who was abducted by Ravana, similarly there were illusory forms identical to the gopis but different from the actual gopis who lived with their husbands and the real gopis, they were untouched by anyone, they did not even live with anyone else and then eventually when Krishna returns back to Vrindavan, they get married to Krishna and their expansion and there’s a shadow form that are there, maya gopis, they stay with their husbands, so in that sense there is no immorality but still when the gopis are there, the gopis are frantically coming towards Krishna, they are not thinking oh they did not know that there was some other form which Krishna’s yoga maya would manifest and that’s how Rudrila would stay protected, they did not do anything like that, they just left everything when Krishna’s flute came, at that time Sarvadharma and Parashuriji, Mahamandra and Kamsaharanandaji, they gave up everything for a woman’s chastity, their harious dharma and the gopis gave that up also for Krishna’s sake, so actually this is the eyes of the world, they never became unchaste but in the eyes of the world, they opened themselves to the criticism of being unchaste and that is their sacrifice and at that time when they did that, they were losing everything but they were ready to do that for Krishna’s sake, so all these obstacles, all these relatives were stopping us but somehow or the other we overcame, we neglected them, we overcame their obstacles and into your presence we came, you know why we came, having come of our moments, you understand, you know our purpose in coming, we came with the loud sound of your flute and actually Krishna’s sound of flute is very melodious, generally something is very loud, melodious but Krishna’s sound of flute is so sweet, so extraordinary that it remains very melodious and at the same time Krishna will be deep in the forest but that sound comes right into Vrindavan and when it penetrates through the ears into the hearts of the gopis, it is louder than thunder for them, it is simply irresistible and they just have to go at that time, they say like this, how you cheated, second time they are using the word to Krishna’s cheater, they use first and now there is a kitab, how can you, the woman who gave up everything for you, how can you give up those women, Krishna please come, please come, please come, this is the desperate prayer that comes again and again, now they say that yes, you were there with us a short while ago and we are remembering those past times, when they remember those past times, what are their feelings, they describe, Rahasya Samvidam Vriksha Yodayam, Rahasya Samvidam Vriksha Yodayam, Prahasithaanam Prema Vikshaayam, Vriddho Rashiyo Viksha Dhamate, Viddhi Rathisruha Mouniyathe Manaham, We are praying Rahasya Samvidam, we had confidential talks, Vriksha Yodayam, what does that do, awaken the fire of desire in our hearts And as we remember your smiling face, your loving glances, we remember your broad chest, your broad chest when you embraced us, we rested our head and our body on your chest. So we saw how there was Srivatsa on your chest and that Srivatsa indicates how even Lakshmi Devi has taken the shelter of your chest.
So we remember all these beautiful attributes of you. And remembering these, again and again we are moved. Ati is extreme intolerable anger that comes up in us.
And what does it mean? Moodiness, anger, and happiness. So in this way, by describing Krishna’s beauty, they are desperately calling for Srivatsa. They are saying, this Krishna is so, so favourable and we love him.
Why don’t you love us? Do you know what love is, Krishna? How can we not love you? Our hearts can freely desire you. Please come back. Now, Krishna Achyutapu in Sara Darshan also analyses again that there is so much emotionality that the gopis are exhibiting over here.
So is this emotionality actually devotional or is it self-centred? They are saying that all these emotions please Krishna. You know, the gopis, when they dress themselves in beautiful attire, that is what Krishna is here for. So even their emotions which they experience, those emotions also please Krishna.
And so their emotionality is also in service to Krishna. In that sense, it is also close to each other. It is also spiritual.
Now we go to the 18th verse. Here the gopis are now praying, Krishna you bring auspiciousness to all Vrajabasis. So why are you not bringing auspiciousness to us by giving us your darshan? Please give us your darshan.
So, Your appearance, oh dear one, your appearance, what happens? It removes the distress. It removes their distress. And bring auspiciousness for the whole universe.
So you have, in your appearance, In your appearance, the whole universe is benefited because, as we discussed, wish for gopis that way. In the fourth verse, the gopis acknowledge that Krishna has appeared at the request of Raghuvanshi and for the protection of the whole world. So you are doing benediction to all the Jvasis and to all the universe Vasis.
All the residents of the universe. But why alone are you not doing the benediction for us? So, we are saying, our minds long for your association. So, Hankering for me is very great.
So, the hankering is so great, it gives a little fulfilment for that hankering. So we are your swajim, we are your own people, we are your devotees, we are your Jvasis. And then we say that the medicine, rudrajan is the disease, the heart disease that is affecting your own people, your own Jvasis.
So, even if you cannot give a lot of medicine, at least give a little medicine which will resolve the misery. Otherwise, what is the hope for us? So, please give us a little, at least a little bit of your association. So, just like a nurse, when you are desperate for something, give me a little bit of that thing.
So, the Gopis are like that. Mayi Krishna, please give me a little bit of your association. Please, if you have no need, no need.
If you have no doubt at all. So, a little bit. And that, this little bit, you know, that mana changes.
So, it means release a little mana or quantity. Release a little bit of that quantity. This way also they are conveying their despair.
They are begging Krishna, please release. And in this way, the Gopis are praying. Now, when they finish the prayer, they come to the last prayer.
Now, among all the prayers that the Gopis have offered, actually, all the prayers are very intense. But among all the prayers, they are all in a particular metre. So, normally there are various ways in which the prayers are chanted.
So, there is Anushthu, there is Trishthu. The most common metre is the Anushthu metre in the Vedic literature. So, for example, even the Bhagavad Gita says Anushthu.
That is standard Puranic metre. But here, for the 18 verses, they are using the Trishthu metre. And then the last verse, it uses the Shakavari metre.
So, and within the Trishthu also the Rajahamsi form is used. The Rajahamsi form is especially used to convey the intensity of the emotion. And there is also a special poetic effect that is there.
So, you see that in all these verses, the significant feature, which I did not mention as it was so obvious that it should be known to you. But if you look at any prayer, the first syllable, the first starting of a line and the middle of that line is having the same sound. Chalasiyat, for example, 11th verse.
Chalasiyat Rajacharayan Pashvi. So, Cha-Cha is there in both. Then Nalina Sundaram Natha Teypadam.
Nana is seen. Shila Trinam Kurai Sindhati Tinam. So, Sa-Sa is there.
Kalila Thambra Naha Kanta Gacchati. Kako is there. So, like that we see Tava Katham Ritam Tatt Jeevanam Tata is there.
So, like that it is there, the same sound. And it is actually exquisite poetry. So, Rajahamsi and Srishtu is used.
But now Shatvari is used for the last verse. This is the concluding verse and it is an appropriate way to end with a fervent call for prayer. Call of prayer.
A call for appearance through prayer. So, the conclusion is most touching. Our life is for you.
It is not just our life is for you actually. It is you are our life. You are our life.
How can we live without our life? So, please come back and let us live. Blessing Yatte Sujath. Sujath is very fine, tender.
Charan Amburuham. Charan lotus feet Amburuham. That which grows in water.
In lotus. Amburuham is lotus. Charan is feet.
So, we feel that lotus feet are so tender that even in the softest parts of our body, on our breasts, we feel afraid of keeping lotus feet. Because we feel that they will be hurt if we keep them over there also. But now we are thinking that those lotus feet are around, going here and there in the forest, of the now, in the dark.
And they must be contacting some sharp objects and they will get hurt. And that thought is driving us insane with anxiety. Karakasheshu is, it is too rough.
We think about the same lotus feet. Now they are placed on Atavim. Atavim is the forest.
You roam in this forest, Atasi. Yatte, we are in death. We are the teeth.
We are very distressed by this. Naki Miswet. We wonder.
Kurpa. Kurpa means falls from another world. So, Brahmati, our heart flutters.
Dhiv, dhiv, the mind, the heart. Intelligence. So, it flutters through the machine.
So, you are our life. And this is when the life gets injured. When our body gets injured, we feel pain.
My body gets injured, I feel pain. But, you are our life. In some kind of road, in some sort of comic stories, you may say that some particular wizard has his life in a particular parrot.
And when that parrot is pricked, it starts screaming. So, the gopis are saying, now that is because of some mystical power. But here the gopis are saying it is because of love.
They are saying that, actually, because we love you so much, that is why our life is in you. And so, when you are even slightly hurt, we feel intolerable pain. And because we feel this intolerable pain, we simply would somehow rather that you be relieved from the pain.
So, please come back. So, in this way, the gopis beg to Krishna to come back. And the result of this prayer is that Krishna will largely come back.
So, and then he satisfies them. First with sweet words, explaining that he had never rejected their love. He had never rejected them.
He actually wanted to intensify their love. Then Krishna, first by seeing their surrender and coming to him, and then by their sincere, fervent, desperate devotion, as expressed in these prayers, Krishna, his heart is so, not just touched, but conquered, that Krishna says, actually, I cannot retain. The service that you have done is so extraordinary, so, it has taken such a length that I can’t even think of repaying this.
You have to be satisfied simply with your external service. So, this is, nowhere else in the scripture has the Lord said like this, that I am so indebted to you that I will never be able to repay you. And this is how Krishna expresses his gratitude for those devotees who sacrifice for his sake.
And then Krishna celebrates in the supreme festival of love, the rasa dance. And that rasa dance expands the Krishna mystic potency, yogmaya potency, for one whole night of pranams. Millions and millions of years the potency, Krishna performs at pastimes.
And, it is to this world of pure, pristine, perfect, perennial love, that Krishna invites us and he demonstrates his very intimate pastimes. And now Krishna, by demonstrating his pastimes of rasa love, suddenly people misunderstand this pastime and they criticise Krishna also. But Krishna, he wants to reveal the highest understanding.
For those who are ready to enquire seriously, they will understand how lofty this is. And their hearts will get captivated. And the more we get captivated to the substance, to the reality, the less we will be captivated by the shadow, the illusion, the reflection.
So, by, we cannot prematurely rush into these pastimes. If we read the confidential pastimes of the rasa linga without understanding properly the position of Krishna, without being adequately purified, then we may, instead of becoming purified of lust, we may increase our lust. That’s why we have to be very careful.
So, unless we are, what happens is, we think the reflection is the reality. Actually, the bhagavatam reveals the reality so that we become attracted away from the reflection towards the reality. But if we are not really convinced that the reflection is the reflection, we think the reflection is the reality, then when we contemplate on the reality, when we contemplate on Krishna’s pastime, the gopis, we become attracted to the reflection.
We become attracted to the male-female meanings in this world. And we start indulging in them. And that will be very unfortunate.
Therefore, if we find out by contemplating these pastimes our lust getting aroused, then we should not contemplate those pastimes. We should know that we have to become more purified. Then I will contemplate.
But still, some of these prayers are especially sweet. All of them are sweet, but some of them also are not having any esoteric references, like the bhagavatam, ritam, and all of them are so melodious and so sweet and filled with such potent emotion that we can recite these prayers and by reciting these prayers we find our mind calming down and we get happily purified. Prabhupada translates this in the Gopi Gita, this Gopi Gita section in his Krishna book and typically of his style of giving of everything according to our level, which is a sign of his great compassion for us.
He concludes by saying the Gopis chanted in this way the Gopis chanted Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram, Hare Ram, Ram Ram Hare Hare. Now a sceptic may wonder that where is it that the Gopis chanted the Hare Krishna mantra? So, the point is that the Gopis may or may not have chanted the Hare Krishna mantra, but Prabhupada is giving us the essential meaning and the practical method by which we can gain the same result that the Gopis gained. The Gopis expressed their heart’s longing, Krishna we want to serve you, so please appear before us.
And Krishna appeared before them and then they rendered service in their own Madhurya Bhava, Madhurya Das Bhava to them. So similarly, we can call out to Krishna and Krishna will appear to us when we pray to him according to our level and our level right now is chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. We can of course meditate on the Gopi Gita, but Prabhupada also is giving us according to our level that we meditate on the Hare Krishna Mahamantra and seek Krishna’s mercy.
Like him to appear in our heart and drive the anarchas out of our heart. So in this way, this Gopi Gita is so exalted, so sweet and it shows us how the exalted devotees care for the Lord. Not even a small break on the feet of the Lord, the Gopis can talk to it.
We cannot at their level directly care for the Lord’s physical form, not physical, but Lord’s form. But we can care for the Lord’s mission. Whatever service we are doing, we can become conscientious about that service and try to do the service according to the best of our capacity.
Ensuring that there is no loss in our material existence. Thank you very much.