What does the Shikshashtakam verse “shreyah kairava chandrika vitaranam” mean?

Transcript

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वित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित् वित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित्युवित् unless the form is very fierce like in the case of Narasimhadeva or the Virata Rupa. Chandrali Krishna’s face is Mukha Chandra Nindita Koti Vidhum. In the Vrajaraja Sutashtakam it is described that Krishna’s face is like Koti Vidhum Mukha Chandra, like as soothing and as beautiful as crores of moons.
So Krishna is like the moon and Krishna’s presence becomes manifested to us, becomes perceived by us through the holy name. In the Srimad Bhagavatam our relationship with Krishna is compared to a lotus flower. Pravishtha Karana Randhrena Svanambhava Saroruham Dhanoti Shamalam Krishna Salilasya Thansharam Describe that when the sound of the holy name and the sound of Krishna Katha, Pravishtha Karana Randhrena, through the holes of the heart it enters, Svanambhava Saroruham.
So Saroruham, Svanam, so basically when that sound of the holy name enters into the heart where there is the lotus of our relationship with Krishna, Dhanoti Shamalam Krishna, then we become completely purified and that lotus blossoms. So there is the beautiful description given by Racharya about the blossoming of consciousness. So just as a flower is initially very small, but it gradually blossoms, similarly consciousness is constricted initially.
When we are conditioned materially, we are conscious of very tiny things. I have got a lecture on the site on the blossoming of consciousness. So I will not go into the details of that blossoming, but initially when a flower is constricted, it is in a bud stage, Mukulit, and gradually that is Sankuchit.
It is less than a bud also, not even budding stage, pre-budding stage you can say. Then there is Mukulit, the bud has just appeared and it is going to grow. Then there is Vikasith and there is Purna Vikasith, like that the many stages, and in Purna Vikasith, the flower is fully blossomed and gives out its fragrance and beauty for everyone to relish.
So like that our relationship with Krishna right now is constricted. We have no awareness of Krishna. We may not even have faith that he exists.
But when we chant the holy names, then just as a lotus which is in a budding or a pre-budding stage, when it is exposed to the moonlight, it starts blossoming because of the presence of the moonlight. Similarly, when our heart gets exposed to the moonlight of Krishna through the chanting of the holy names, then our relationship with Krishna blossoms. We start remembering Krishna.
We start relishing the remembrance of Krishna. We become infused with the desire to serve Krishna and gradually our relationship with Krishna expands. And the more our relationship with Krishna expands, the more we attain Shreya.
We attain long-term auspiciousness. Why? Because all other relationships, they can only give us temporary happiness. But when we develop a relationship with Krishna, that gives us eternal happiness.
Because Krishna is eternal, we are eternal. When we develop our love for him, we go back to the eternal spiritual world. That is the life’s ultimate scale.
That is Shreya. So in this way, the chanting of the holy name brings the soothing moonlight from Krishna to our heart. And metaphorically, our relationship with Krishna is compared to a lotus.
And that lotus blossoms because of the awareness of Krishna that is infused through the holy name. And then when it fully blossoms, then we attain life’s ultimate success, eternal love and eternal happiness. Thank you.