Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Sri Jaiva-dharma
Volume Six
Table of Contents
Chapter Thirty-three - Madhura-rasa-vicara
Madhura-rasa
Chapter Thirty-four - Madhura-rasa-vicara
Madhura-rasa
Chapter Thirty-five - Madhura-rasa-vicara
Madhura-rasa
Chapter Thirty-six - Madhura-rasa-vicara
Madhura-rasa
Chapter Thirty-seven - Srngara-rasa-vicara
Srngara-rasa
Chapter Thirty-eight - Srngara-rasa-vicara
Srngara-rasa
Chapter Thirty-nine - Lila-pravesa-vicara
Entering the Lord’s Pastimes
Chapter Forty - Sampatti-vicara
The Greatest Good Fortune
Chapter Thirty-three
Madhura-rasa-vicara
Madhura-rasa
Today Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha bathed in
Indrayumna-sarovara, honored prasadam, and returned home.
After eating, Vrajanatha went to see the samadhi of
Haridasa Thakura. Vijaya-kumara went to the temple of Sri
Radha-kanta and offered obeisances to his spiritual master.
At an appropriate time Vijaya-kumara asked about Sri
Radhika. Vijaya-kumara said, “O master, Sri Radha is the
be-all-and-end--all of my life. How can I describe it?
When I hear the name ‘Radhika’, my heart melts. Even
though Sri Krsna is the only goal of my life, still I like
to taste only the descriptions of His pastimes with Sri
Radha. I do not like to hear descriptions of Sri Krsna if
Sri Radha is not included ion them. O master, I would like
to say that I no longer wish to call myself Vijaya-kumara
Bhattacarya. I wish to be known as a maidservant protected
by Sri Radha. I do not wish to speak to speak the
wonderful descriptions of Vraja to materialists. When
persons unqualified to understand the transcendental rasas
(arasika) discuss the glories of Sri Radha, I yearn to flee
from that place.
Gosvami: You are fortunate. As long as you did not
have full faith in the gopis you were not qualified to
understand the pastimes of Radha and Krsna. Descriptions
of those pastimes are far beyond what ordinary human beings
can understand. Even the demigoddesses in Devaloka are not
qualified to understand them. O Vijaya-kumara, I have
already described the gopis who are dear to Lord Krsna.
Among them Radha and Candravali are the most important.
Each of them presides over millions and millions of groups
of beautiful gopis. At the time of the great rasa-dance,
the rasa-dance circle is beautiful with many hundreds of
millions of beautiful gopis.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, Candravali may preside over
millions and millions of groups of gopis. Still, I wish
that the glories of Sri Radha will be the only sweet nectar
to flood and purify my contaminated ears. I am your
surrendered disciple.
Gosvami: Between the two of them - Radha and
Candravali - it is Radha who is the personification of the
highest ecstatic love (maha-bhava-svarupa). It is She who
has the greatest qualities. She is superior to Candravali
in every way. Look. The Gopala-tapani Upanisad calls Her
by the name Gandharva and glorifies Her. In the Rk-
parisista it is said that Lord Madhava is glorious because
Radha stands by His side. In the Padma Purana, Narada
declares, “As Radha is dear to Krsna, so Her pond, Radha-
kunda is also dear to Him. Of all the gopis, Radha is the
most dear to Lord Krsna.” And why not? What is Radha’s
nature? She is the great hladini-sakti, the best of Lord
Krsna’s potencies. Radha is the essence of the hladini-
sakti (hladini-sara-bhava).
Vijaya-kumara: These descriptions are very wonderful!
What is Sri Radha’s nature?
Gosvami: My Radhika is the most beautiful (susthu-
kanta-svarupa). She is the daughter of King Vrsabhanu.
She is glorious with the sixteen ornaments. She is also
decorated with twelve other kinds of ornaments.
Vijaya-kumara: What do you mean by the word “susthu-
kanta-svarupa”?
Gosvami: It means that Her form is so beautiful that
even the most exquisite garments and ornaments are
insignificant in comparison to Her and therefore powerless
to make Her any more beautiful. Her hair is gracefully
curly, Her face is a blossoming lotus flower, Her large
eyes are beautiful and Her large breasts are wonderfully
beautiful. Her waist is slender, Her shoulders are
graceful and Her fingernails shine like a row of jewels.
In the three worlds there is no festival of beauty that
compares with Her.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the “sixteen ornaments”?
Gosvami: The sixteen ornaments are: 1. Her pleasant
bath, 2. The glistening jewel decorating the tip of Her
nose, 3. Her blue garments, 4. Her belt, 5. Her braids, 6.
Her earrings, 7. The sandal paste anointing Her limbs, 8.
The flowers placed in Her hair, 9. Her necklace, 10. The
lotus flower in Her hand, 11. The betelnuts in Her mouth,
12. the musk dot on Her chin, 13. The mascara around Her
eyes, 14. the colourful designs and pictures drawn on Her
cheeks, 15. The red lac on Her feet, and 16. The tilaka
markings on Her forehead.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the “twelve ornaments”.
Gosvami: 1. The wonderful jewel that crowns Her head,
2. Her golden earrings, 3. The belt around Her hips, 4. The
golden locket around Her neck, 5. Her golden salaka
earrings, 6. The bracelets on Her wrists, 7. The ornament
on Her neck, 8. The rings on Her fingers, Her pearl
necklace, 10. Her armlets, 11. Her ankle bells, and 12.
The rings on Her toes are the twelve ornaments decorating
Sri Radha’s limbs.
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe the most prominent
transcendental qualities of Sri Radha?
Gosvami: Like the qualities of Sri Krsna, the
qualities of Vrndavana’s queen Radha are limitless and
cannot truly be counted or listed in full. Among them
these twenty five may be considered prominent.
1. She is very sweet.
2. She is always freshly youthful.
3. Her eyes are restless.
4. She smiles brightly.
5. She has beautiful, auspicious lines.
6. She makes Krsna happy with Her bodily aroma.
7. She is very expert in singing.
8. He speech is charming.
9. She is very expert in joking and speaking
pleasantly.
10. She is very humble and meek.
11. She is always full of mercy.
12. She is cunning.
13. She is expert in executing Her duties.
14. She is shy.
15. She is always respectful.
16. She is always calm.
17. She is always grave.
18. She is expert in enjoying life.
19. She is situated at the topmost level of ecstatic
love.
20. She is the reservoir of loving affairs in Gokula.
21. She is the most famous of submissive devotees.
22. She is very affectionate to elderly people.
23. She is very submissive to the love of Her
friends.
24. She is the chief gopi.
25. She always keeps Krsna under Her control.
Vijaya-kumara: I would like to hear an explanation of
“5. She has beautiful and auspicious lines.”
Gosvami: The Varaha Purana, Jyotih-sastra, Kasi-
khanda, Matsya Purana, and Garuda Purana describe the
auspicious lines. These lines are: I. On the left foot:
1. A barleycorn mark at the root of Her left tope.
2. below that toe a cakra.
3. below the middle toe a lotus flower
4. below the lotus flower a banner.
5. below the banner a flag.
6. a urdhva-rekha line extending from the middle-toe
to the middle of the sole.
7. below the small toe an elephant goad.
II. On the right foot:
1. at the root of the right big toe a conchshell.
2. on the heel a fish.
3. below the small toe an altar.
4. above the fish a chariot.
5. a mountain.
6. an earring
7. a club
8. the mark of a sakti weapon.
III. On the left hand:
1. a long life-line beginning at the meeting of the
forefinger and middle finger, and extending to below the
little finger.
2. below that another line going from below the
lifeline to the middle of the space between the forefinger
and thumb.
3. from below the thumb a curving line rises from
the wrist and goes to the space between the thumb and
forefinger.
4-8. on the tips of each of the five fingers is a
cakra.
9. below the ring finger is an elephant.
10. below the life-line is a horse.
11. below the middle line is a bull.
12. below the small finger is an elephant goad.
13 a fan.
14. a Sri tree.
15. A yupa.
16. An arrow.
17 a tomara weapon.
18 a flower garland.
IV. On the right hand:
1-8 In the right hand, like the left, there are three
prominent lines including the lifeline, and on the tips of
each finger a cakra.
9. below the forefinger a camara
10. below the small finger an elephant goad.
11. a palace.
12. a dundubhi drum.
13. a lightning bolt.
14. two carts.
15. an archer’s bow.
16. a sword.
17. a waterpot.
Thus on the left foot are 7 signs, on the right foot 8
signs, on the left hand 18 signs and on the right hand 17
signs. Altogether there are 50 auspicious lines.
Vijaya-kumara: An individual soul may have a drop of
some of these qualities, but Sri Radha has them all in
perfect fullness.
The demigoddesses may have them slightly more than
others. Still, Sri Radha, has them all, and in Her they
are all perfectly spiritual, untouched by matter. Any why
not? In the material world these qualities are never
manifested in purity, perfection, and completeness. Gauri
and other demigoddesses may have these qualities, but in
these demigoddesses the qualities are not pure, perfect, or
complete.
Vijaya-kumara: Ah! Srimati Radhika’s beauty and
qualities are inconceivable. Only by Her mercy can one see
or understand them.
Gosvami: Gazing at Sri Radha’s beauty and qualities,
even Lord Krsna Himself is bewildered and enchanted. How
can I properly describe them with my words?
Vijaya-kumara: O master, please be merciful and
describe Sri Radha’s friends (sakhis).
Gosvami: Sri Radha’s group is the best of all. The
girls in Her group are all decorated with all
transcendental qualities. Their charming playfulness
always attracts Lord Krsna.
Vijaya-kumara: How many different kinds of friends
(sakhis) does Sri Radha have?
Gosvami: They are of five kinds: 1. sakhi (friends),
2. nitya-sakhi (eternal friends), 3. prana-sakhi (life
friends), 4. priya-sakhi (dear friends) and 5. parama-
prestha-sakhi (most dear friends).
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the sakhis?
Gosvami: The sakhis include Kusumika, Vrnda and
Dhanistha. These gopis are famous among the sakhis.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the nitya-sakhis?
Gosvami: The nitya-sakhis include Kasturi, Mani-
manjari and many others.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the prana-sakhis?
Gosvami: The prana-sakhis include Sasimukhi, Vasanti,
Lasika, and many others. In many ways they are like the
queen of Vrndavana Herself.
\Vijaya-kumara: Who are the priya-sakhis?
Gosvami: The priya-sakhis include Kurangaksi,
Sumadhya, Madanalasa, Kamala, Madhuri, Manjukesi, Kandarpa-
sundari, Madhavi, Malati, Kamalata, Sasikala, and many
others.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the parama-prestha-sakhis?
Gosvami: The parama-prestha-sakhis include Lalita,
Visakha, Citra, Campakalata, Tungavidya, Indulekha,
Rangadevi, and Sudevi. These eight are the most important
of all the gopis. Therefore they are called parama-prestha-
sakhis. They are situated in the topmost love for Sri Sri
Radha and Krsna. Sometimes they show more love to Sri
Krsna and other times they show more love for Sri Radha.
Vijaya-kumara: I understand what the word ‘yutha’
(group) means. What does the word ‘gana’ (sub group( mean?
Gosvami: Every yutha is divided into sub-groups, which
are called ganas. For example, Lalita is a member of Sri
Radha’s group. However, Lalita herself has followers, and
they are called the members of Lalita’s gana (sub-group).
Vijaya-kumara: That the gopis are married to gopas
other than Krsna is one of the most important
characteristics. Still, it does not look good.
Gosvami: In this material world ‘woman’ and ‘man’ are
only external designations. Because of past material
activities one soul becomes a ‘woman’ and another soul
becomes a ‘man’. In the material world of Maya, many
people are filled with petty or sinful desires. For this
reason the great sages have forbidden, except within the
institution of marriage, contact with women. Writing about
the rasas, poets have generally avoided describing the love
of a woman for a paramour. However, in the Lord’s
spiritual pastimes this kind of love is one of the rasas.
The sexual affairs of men and women in the material world
is a perverted reflection of that original rasas in the
spiritual world. Therefore material sexual activities are
very dull, pathetic, and a breeding ground for a host of
anxieties (kuntha). Also, the rules of religion place many
restrictions on these activities. For these reasons men in
the material world are enjoined to avoid approaching the
wives of others. However, if Lord Krsna, whose form is
eternal and full of knowledge and bliss, is the only male
and the only hero, and he accepts this activity to increase
the sweetness of His spiritual rasas, He is never
contaminated and He is not to be criticised. He is
independent of the material institution of marriage. When
Sri Krsna, who enjoys pastimes in Goloka, came to the
material world from Goloka, He took the transcendental
parakiya-rasa with Him. Therefore no one should criticise
Him for enjoying the parakiya rasa with the gopis who have
come from Goloka.
Vijaya-kumara: What exalted symptoms of love did the
gopis from Goloka display?
Gosvami: Before the gopis Lord Krsna appears only in
His form as the son of Nanda. The non devotee philosophers
are far from understanding the gopis’ exalted love for
Krsna. Even the devotees find it difficult to understand
that love. When Krsna manifests His form as Nandanandana,
His opulence never eclipses His sweetness. One time, as a
joke, Krsna manifested His four-armed form before the
gopis, who were not at all impressed. However, when Sri
Radha approached, the four-armed form at once disappeared.
Because of the greatness of Radha’s confidential parakiya
love, Krsna again became two-handed.
Vijaya-kumara: Now my desires are all fulfilled. O
master, please describe the different kinds of heroines
(nayikas).
Gosvami: There are three kinds of heroines (nayikas):
1. svakiya, 2. parakiya, 3. samanya. I have already
described the spiritual svakiya and parakiya heroines. Now
I will describe the samanya heroines. Students of material
rhetoric (alankara) explain that the samanya heroines are
prostitutes, interested only in money. If their lover has
no good qualities, then they hate him, and if he is
virtuous, still they do not really love him. Therefore
their so-called love is only a perverted reflection of
love. It is not true love. Sometimes it is said that
Kubja in Mathura was such a samanya heroine who does not
really love her hero. I do not agree. I place her among
the parakiya heroines.
Vijaya-kumara: How did she become qualified to become
a parakiya-heroine?
Gosvami: When Kubja was an ugly, disfigured woman, she
never loved any man. However, when she saw Krsna and
desired to place sandal paste on His limbs, then she
thought of Him as her beloved. For this reason I say her
love is in the parakiya-rasa. However, the desire to
please only Krsna, a desire possessed even by the queens at
Dvaraka, was absent in Kubja. Therefore her love was
inferior to the love of the queens. When she tugged at
Krsna’s upper garment and begged that He enjoy amorous
pastimes with her, her love for Him was mixed with her own
selfish desires. There her love is considered sadharani
(ordinary).
Vijaya-kumara: Because Kubja is considered in the
parakiya rasa, I can see that the svakiya and parakiya
heroines are both divided into two sub-groups. How many
different sub-groups are there? Please describe them.
Gosvami: In the spiritual rasas the svakiya and
parakiya heroines are of three kinds: 1. mugdha, 2. madhya,
and 3. pragalbha.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, when by your mercy I think of
the spiritual rasas, I naturally think of myself as a gopi
in Vraja. At that time I do not think of myself as a male
in the material world. When I hear of the different kinds
of heroines, my heart become agitated. And why not? I do
not know what I should do so that some day I may love the
Lord as the gopis do. So that some day I may attain this
kind of service to Lord Krsna, I now place this question
before your holy feet: What is the nature of the mugdha
heroines? Please describe them.
Gosvami: These are the qualities of the mugdha
heroine: She is in the bloom of youth (nava-yauvana),
amorous (kamini), contrary in love (rati-dane vama), and
submissive to her girl friends (sakhi-vasi-bhuta).
Although externally she is shy to enjoy amorous pastimes,.
within her heart she secretly and diligently labours to
make various arrangements to enjoy with her lover. When
her lover offends her, tears flow from her eyes. At that
time she neither speaks sweetly, speaks harshly nor becomes
angry.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the qualities of the madhya
heroine?
Gosvami: These are the qualities of the madhya
heroine: She is equally amorous and shy, she is in the full
bloom of youth, and all her words are touched with a small
amount of arrogance. She enjoys amorous pastimes until she
faints unconscious. Sometimes her heart is gentle.
Sometimes it is hard. Sometimes she is jealous, sometimes
peaceful, and sometimes agitated. Sometimes she is both
peaceful and agitated (dhiradhira). A heroine who, when
her lover offends her, mocks him with crooked words, is
called ‘dhira madhya’. A heroine who in that situation
attacks her lover with merciless angry words is called an
‘adhira madhya’ heroine. A heroine who in that situation
sheds tears, speaks sweetly, and then also speaks crooked
words to mock her lover is called a ‘dhiradhira madhya’
gopi. In a madhya heroine the natures of the mugdha and
pragalbha heroines are mixed together. The madhya heroine
is the best of the three kinds of heroines.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the qualities of the pragalbha
heroine?
Gosvami: These are the qualities of the pragalbha
heroine: She is in the full bloom of youth, blinded with
pride, and very eager to enjoy amorous pastimes. She is
very passionate. Pushed by the rasas, she attacks her
lover. Her words and deeds are very passionate. When her
jealousy is aroused, she becomes very harsh. The pragalbha
heroines are of three kinds: 1. dhira, adhira, and
dhiradhira. The dhira pragalbha heroine pretends to be
disinterested in enjoying with her lover. Externally she
is polite and respectful. She carefully conceals the
passion in her heart. The adhira pragalbha heroine beats
her lover with cruel words. The dhiradhira pragalbha
heroine is like the dhiradhira madhya heroine. The madhya
and pragalbha heroines are also divided into jyestha
(older) and kanistha (younger). In this way there are
jyestha-madhya and kanistha-madhya heroines and also
jyestha-pragalbha and kanistha pragalbha heroines. The
difference of jyestha kanistha are considered according to
the nature of the heroine’s love for the hero.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, how many kinds of heroines
are there all together?
Gosvami: There are fifteen kinds of heroines. Very
young heroines are always mugdha. The three basic kinds of
heroines are mugdha, madhya and pragalbha. The madhya and
pragalbha heroines are further divided into dhira, adhira,
dhiradhira. Thus there are seven kinds of svakiya
heroines, seven kinds of parakiya heroines, and fifteen
kinds of heroines in all.
Vijaya-kumara: What different conditions of life do
the heroines experience?
Gosvami: The eight different conditions of life are:
1. abhisarika (going to meet her lover), 2. vasaka-sajja
(dressed and decorated to meet her lover), 3. utkanthita
(yearning to meet her lover), 4. khandita (whose meeting
with her lover is broken), 5. vipralabdha (separated from
her lover), 6. kalahantarita (quarreling with her lover),
7. prosita-bhartrika (her lover has gone far away), and 8.
svadhina-bhartrika (she dominates her lover). The
previously described fifteen kinds of heroines all
experience these eight conditions of life.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the abhisarika
heroine?
Gosvami: A heroine who arranges that her lover meet
her, or who goes to meet her lover is called ‘abhisarika’.
If, going to meet her lover, she wears white clothing when
the moon is bright, she is called ‘jynotsnabhisarika’. If,
going to meet her lover, she wears dark clothing when the
moon is dark, she is called ‘tamo-bhisarika’. She is so
shy she seems to hide behind her own body. Silent, nicely
decorated, and her head carefully covered, she goes,
accompanied by a dear friend, to meet her lover.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the vasaka-sajja
heroine?
Gosvami: A heroine who, anxious to meet her lover,
carefully decorates both her body and the meeting place is
called ‘vasaka-sajja’. She yearns to enjoy amorous
pastimes, keeps her eyes fixed on the path her lover will
walk, discusses with her friends the pastimes of love, and
again and again waits for her messenger’s return. These
are her activities.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the utkanthita
heroine?
Gosvami: A heroine who is filled with longing and
anxiety when her lover is, though no fault of his own, late
in coming to the rendezvous, is called ‘utkanthita’ by
persons learned in the different bhavas. Her heart is
feverish, she trembles, she speculates about why her lover
has not yet come, she becomes irritated, and she sheds
tears. These are her activities. She is not like the
vasaka-sajja heroine. She worries that her lover, now
under the control of some other girl, will not come to meet
her.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the khandita
heroine?
Gosvami: When, the time of rendezvous long passed and
the night almost over, the lover finally comes, his body
bearing the clear marks of his having enjoyed pastimes with
some other girl, the heroine is called ‘khandita’. This
heroine’s activities are anger, long sighs, and silence.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the vipralabdha
heroine?
Gosvami: A heroine who becomes anxious when, somehow
or other, her lover does not come to their rendezvous, is
called ‘vipralabdha’. Unhappy at heart, she laments,
weeps, faints, sighs, and performs other like activities.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the kalahantarita
heroine?
Gosvami: A heroine who will not forgive her lover,
even when, surrounded by all her friends, he humbly falls
before her feet, and who manifests lamentation, grief,
withering, and sighing, is called ‘kalahantarita’.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the prosita-
bhartrka heroine?
Gosvami: A heroine whose lover has gone to a faraway
place is called ‘prosita-bhartrka”. She praises the
virtues of her lover, is humbler, becomes thin and
emaciated, suffers insomnia, and becomes melancholy,
restless, stunned and anxious. Her activities are like
that.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the svadhina-
bhartrika heroine?
Gosvami: A heroine whose lover always stays with her
and is submissive to her is called ‘svadhina-bhartrika’.
Her activities are to enjoy pastimes with him in the
forest, in the water, while picking flowers, and in other
like situations.
Vijaya-kumara: The svadhina-bhartrika heroine must be
very happy.
Gosvami: If her lover is completely controlled by his
love for her and if he cannot leave her even for a moment,
the svadhina-bhartrika heroine is called ‘madhavi’. Among
the eight kinds of heroines, three kinds - svadhina-
bhartrika, vasaka-sajja, and abhisarika - are happy at
heart. They are nicely decorated with garments and
ornaments. However, the other five kinds of heroines -
khandita, vipralabdha, utkanthita, prosita-bhartrka, and
kalahantarita - do not wear ornaments. A hand resting on
their left cheek, the lament.
Vijaya-kumara: Their love for Krsna brings them
unhappiness! What does that mean?>
Gosvami: Love for Krsna is spiritual and always
blissful. These seeming sufferings are actually included
among the wonderful variety of blissful spiritual emotions.
In the material world these emotions are suffering, but in
the spiritual world they are different kinds of bliss. A
person who has the power to taste spiritual bliss can
understand. Other cannot.
Vijaya-kumara: Among the different kinds of heroines,
what are the different degrees of love?
Gosvami: According to the intensity of their love for
Krsna, the heroines are of three kinds: 1. uttama (high),
2. madhyama (intermediate) and 3. kanistha (low). As the
heroines love Him, so Krsna loves them in the same degree.
This is well known.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the uttama
heroine?
Gosvami: The uttama heroine is willing to renounce any
activity in order to please her lover, even for only a
moment. Even if he makes her unhappy, she is never
displeased with him. If someone lies that her lover is
unhappy, her heart becomes ripped to shreds.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of a madhyama
heroine?
Gosvami: When she hears that her lover is unhappy, she
becomes sad at heart.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of a kanistha
heroine?
Gosvami: The kanistha heroine is anxious that
obstacles will prevent her from meeting her lover.
Vijaya-kumara: How many kinds of heroines are there?
Gosvami: There are 360 kinds of heroines. The first
mentioned fifteen kinds of heroines are each divided
according to the next mentioned eight kinds of heroines.
In this way (15 x 8) there are 120 heroines. These 120
kinds of heroines are each divided according to the last
mentioned three kinds of heroines. In this way there are
360 kinds of heroines.
Vijaya-kumara: Now I have heard about the heroines.
Now I wish to hear about the different kinds of yuthesvaris
(group leaders).
Gosvami: According to friends and enemies, the
yuthesvaris are of three kinds: 1. svapaksa (allies), 2.
vipaksa (enemies), and 3. tatastha (neutrals). According
to their good fortune they are of these kinds: 1. adhika
(great), 2. sama (moderate, and 3. laghvi (light). They
are also of these three kinds: 1. prakhara (harsh), 2.
madhya (moderate) and 3. mrdvi (sweet). Here ‘prakhara’ is
a synonym for ‘pragalbha’. When the quality of harshness
is manifested only very slightly, the yuthesvari is
considered mrdvi. When sweetness and harshness are equally
present, she is considered madhya. The yuthesvaris are
also divided into 1. atyantiki (great), and 2. apeksiki
(less). When a yuthesvari has no equal in any sphere, she
is considered atyantikadhika (the best of atyantikis).
This refers to Sri Radha alone. She is a madhya and in
Vraja She has no equal.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the apeksikadhikas (the second
level of the great)?
Gosvami: A yuthesvari who accepts another yuthesvari
as her superior is called “apeksikadhika’.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the atyantika laghu (or
atyantiki apeksiki)?
Gosvami: A yuthesvari who is not inferior to the
other heroines is called ‘atyantika laghu’. In relation to
the atyantika adhika yuthesvari (the greatest yuthesvari,
Sri Radha), all the heroines are laghu (inferior). Aside
from the atyantiki laghus, all the yuthesvaris are adhikas.
Still, the atyantiki adhika yuthesvari (the greatest
yuthesvari, Sri Radha) should never be considered their
equal or inferior. Also, the atyantiki laghu yuthesvaris
should not be considered equal to the adhika yuthesvaris.
There is but one kind of sama laghu yuthesvari. Divided
according to the qualities of madhya, adhika, prakhara, and
the like, there are twelve kinds of yuthesvaris. They are:
1. atyantika adhika, 2. sama-laghu, 3. adhika-madhya, 4.
sama-madhya, 5. laghu-madhya, 6. adhika-prakhara, 7. sama-
prakhara, 8. laghu prakhara, 9. adhika-mrdvi, 10. sama-
mrdvi, 11. laghu-mrdvi, and 12. atyantika-laghu.
Vijaya-kumara: I wish to hear about the different
kinds of duties (messengers)?
Gosvami: The heroines thirsting for association with
Krsna need the help of the dutis. The duties are of two
kinds: 1. svayam-duti (messengers who act on their own
initiative), and 2. apta-duti (messengers given a specific
order).
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the apta-duti
messengers?
Gosvami: When great enthusiasm breaks apart any
shyness she may have possessed. and, bewildered with love,
she openly declares her love for the hero, that is a svayam-
duti messenger. These messengers are three kinds: 1.
kayika (bodily gestures), 2. vacika (words), and 3. caksusa
(glances).
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the vacika
(words) messenger?
Gosvami: Hints (vyanga) expressed in words are of two
kinds: 1. sabda-vyanga (the hint is present in the sound of
the words), and 2. artha-vyanga (the hint is present in the
meaning of the words). Sometimes the hints are directly
related to Krsna and other times the hints pretend to be
about some other topic.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the hints directly related to
Krsna?
Gosvami: They are of two kinds: 1. hints to Krsna
Himself and 2. hints spoken on some pretext.
Vijaya-kumara: What are hints to Krsna Himself?
Gosvami: Speaking proudly, lamenting, and begging are
some of the many ways hints may be expressed before Krsna
Himself.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the hint in the form of a
lament?
Gosvami: A lament expressed by the sound of the words
(sabda-vyanga) is one kind of lament hint, and a lament
expressed by the meaning of the words (artha-vyanga) is
another kind of lament hint. You studied rhetoric
(alankara). I need not give many examples.
Vijaya-kumara: Yes. That is good. What is the nature
of a hint in the form of begging.
Gosvami: Begging is of two kinds: 1. begging for
oneself, and 2. begging on behalf of another person. Then
begging may again be divided into these two kinds: Begging
expressed by the sound of the words (sabda-vyanga), and 2.
begging expressed by the meaning of the words (artha-
vyanga). The begging described here is all hints. When
the begging is for oneself, the heroine tells her own
story. When the begging is on behalf of another person,
the speaker tells another’s story.
Vijaya-kumara: I understand these direct hints. In
them the heroine may directly accuse Krsna of something.
These hints are also sabda-vyanga (according to the sound)
and artha-vyanga (according to the meaning). Many poets
have expertly placed such clever hints in the mouths of
actors and actresses. Now please explain vyapadesa (a
pretext).
Gosvami: In the alankara-sastra it is said the apadesa
and vyapadesa are synonyms. Apadesa means to indicate one
thing while speaking of another. In this way one speaks
words that clearly m mean one thing while hinting a request
to serve Krsna in a certain way. This is called
‘vyapadesa’. ‘Vyapadesa’ should be spoken by a messenger
(duti).
Vijaya-kumara: Vyapadesa is then a kind of trick where
a request has a hidden meaning. Now please describe
purastha-visaya-gata-vyanga (the hint of talking about
something before one’s eyes).
Gosvami: When one thinks, “Krsna has heard, but He did
not hear”, and when Krsna changes the subject, talking
instead about some nearby animal of something else, that is
the hint called ‘purastha-visaya-gata-vyanga’. This hint
is of two kinds: 1. Sabda (sounds) and 2. Artha (meaning).
Vijaya-kumara: By your mercy, I understand everything.
Now please describe the hints given by bodily gestures.
Gosvami: Gesturing with the fingers, moving quickly on
some pretext, covering the body out of fear and shyness,
scratching the ground with one’s foot, scratching the ear,
making a gesture of applying tilaka, dressing in a certain
way, moving the eyebrows, embracing a gopi friend, hitting
a gopi friend, biting one’s lips, playing with one’s
necklace, making one’s ornaments tinkle, moving one’s
shoulders, writing the name ‘Krsna’, and twining a vine
around a tree are all included among the hints given by
bodily gestures.
Vijaya-kumara: Now please describe the hints given by
the eyes.
Gosvami: Laughing and smiling with the eyes, half-
closing the eyes, moving the eyes, looking in the distance,
crooked glances, glancing with the left eye, and sidelong
glances are some of the hints given by the eyes.
Vijaya-kumara: Now I understand the svayam-dutis.
You have only given some hints. But that is good enough..
There are limitless kinds of such messengers. Now please
describe the apta-dutis.
Gosvami: The messenger who is a beautiful Vraja-gopi,
who is affectionate and eloquent, and whom one can trust to
faithfully keep a secret, even to end of life, is this kind
of messenger (apta-duti).
Vijaya-kumara: How many kinds of apta-dutis are there?
Gosvami: The apta-dutis are of three kinds: 1.
Amitartha, 2. Nisrstartha and 3. Patra-hari. A messenger,
understanding the meaning of various hints and signs,
brings the lovers together, is called an ‘amitarth duti’.
A messenger who uses the persuasive power of her eloquent
words to bring to the lovers together is called a
‘nisrstartha duti’. A messenger who carries letters is
called a ‘patra-hari’.
Vijaya-kumara: Are there any other apta-dutis?
Gosvami: The silpa-karini (artists), daivajna
(astrologers), lingini (brahmana girls), paricarika
(maidservants), dhatreyi (nursemaids), vanadevi (goddesses
of the forest), sakhis (gopi friends), and many others are
also counted among the apta-dutis. The silpa-karinis
included girls who use their skill at drawing pictures to
arrange for the meeting of the lovers. The daivajnas use
their knowledge of astrology to arrange the lovers’
meeting. The linginis dress in the garments of brahmana
ascetics, like Paurnamasi. There are many paricarika
messengers, such as Lavanga-manjari and Bhaumati. The
dhatreyis are the women who had been nursemaids to Radha
and the other gopis. The vanadevi is the goddesses of
Vrndavana (forest). The sakhis have already been
described. They also become messengers. These girls carry
messages, either direct and clear messages, or messages
filled with hints and suggestions, hints that may be either
sabda-vyanga or artha-vyanga, both of which I have already
described. In this situation there may be vyapadesa
(statements with a hidden meaning), arthta-mula, prasamsa
(words of praise), aksepa (words of lamentation), and many
other kinds of words also.
After hearing all these explanations, Vijaya-kumara
offered respectful obeisances to his spiritual master’s
feet and then took his leave. Thinking and thinking of all
these descriptions, he walked home.
Chapter Thirty-four
Madhura-rasa-vicara
Madhura-rasa
Quickly honouring prasadam, and then walking by
seacoast, Vijaya-kumara went to Kasi-misra’s home. As he
looked at the waves in the ocean, he thought of the ocean
of rasas entered his heart. He thought, “Ah! This ocean
reminds me of ecstatic love (bhava) for Lord Krsna. Even a
material thing can remind one of spiritual love. This
ocean is like the ocean of rasas my spiritual master
described. Some day I will throw this gross and subtle,
material body far away, I will attain the form of a
manjari, I will go the shore of the ocean of rasas, and I
will taste the sweetness of the rasas. Lord Krsna, who is
dark like a monsoon cloud, is the only master of my life.
Sri Vrsabhanunandini (Sri Radha), who stays by His side, is
the queen of my life. This ocean is like the ecstatic love
Sri Radha and Krsna feel for each other. Their rasas and
bhavas are an ocean garlanded with waves. When bhava
arises, then there are wonderful waves in this ocean. Then
I am a sakhi (gopi) standing on the shore. Then I float in
the ocean of prema-rasa (the rasas of spiritual love).
Lord Krsna is the ocean of rasas. Krsna is dark like the
ocean. Sri Radha is the waves of love (prema) in that
ocean of Krsna. She is beautiful with a fair complexion.
The many great waves in that ocean are Her friends
(sakhis). The smaller waves are Her maidservants
(paricarikas). I am very far from them all. I am a
maidservant of Radha’s maidservant’s.” Thinking and
thinking in this way, Vijaya-kumara fell unconscious. Soon
he regained consciousness. Slowly he approached his
spiritual master and offered dandavat obeisances to his
feet. Humbly he sat down. Gopala-guru Gosvami embraced
him and said, “O Vijaya-kumara, is everything well with
you?” Vijaya-kumara replied, “O master, your mercy is the
root of all auspiciousness. I am a follower of the sakhis
(gopi friends of Sri Radha). Therefore I want to clearly
understand about the different kinds of sakhis.
Gosvami: O Vijaya-kumara, to properly glorify the
sakhis is beyond the power of the individual souls. You
are a follower of Srila Rupa Gosvami, so you can understand
all this. The beautiful girls of Vraja who are sakhis are
expert in manifesting many (vistarini) pastimes of love
(prema-lila). They are great reservoirs filled with faith
in Vraja’s divine youthful couple. A person who wishes to
clearly understand them is certainly very fortunate. When
describing the different groups of gopis, I have already
described the different kinds of sakhis, namely the sakhis
who are adhika, sama, and laghvi, and the sakhis who are
prakhara, madhya, mrdvi. I explained all these divisions
yesterday. Here is the evidence for them, from Srila Rupa
Gosvami (Ujjvala-nilamani, Sakhi-prakarana, 3-5):
“In the matters of spiritual love, good fortune and
spiritual virtues, and in other matters also, the sakhis
are divided into three groups: 1. Adhika, 2. Sama, and 3.
Laghu.
“A prakhara sakhi speaks heavy words that are
difficult to counter. A mrdvi sakhi does not speak harshly
at all. A sama sakhi stands midway between the prakhara
and mrdvi sakhi.
“The sakhis may be divided into different types,
beginning with the atyantadhika. In each group of sakhis
the leader is atyantadhika.
“Some of the atyantadhika sakhis are prakhara, some
are madhya, and some are mrdvi.”
Vijaya-kumara: The yuthesvari is the leader of a
particular group. You have already described how the
yuthesvaris are atyantika and how they are divided into
three kinds: prakhara, madhya, and mrdvi. In this way they
are either atyantadhika prakhara, atyantadhika madhya, or
atyantadhika mrdvi. This you have already explained. Now
please describe the different kinds of sakhis.
Gosvami: In each group the yuthesvari is the only
atyantadhika sakhi. The other sakhis are all
apeksikadhika, apeksika sama, or apeksika laghvi. Then
again, these are also divided into prakhara, madhya, and
mrdvi. In this way the three groups are multiplied by
three to bring nine groups altogether. They are:
1. Apeksikadhika prakhara, 2. Apeksikadhika madhya, 3.
Apeksikadhika mrdvi, 4. Apeksika-sama prakhara, 5. Apeksika-
sama madhya, 6. Apeksika-sama mrdvi and 9. Apeksika-lagvi
mrdvi.
The antyantika laghvi is of two kinds: 1. Atyantika
laghvi, and 2. Sama-lagvi. This two is added to the
preceding nine, and to them added the yuthesvari. In this
way there are twelve types of heroines in each group.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, which famous gopis are
examples of each of these different kinds of sakhis?
Gosvami: Lalita and many other sakhis in Sri Radha’s
group are apeksikadhika prakhara sakhis. Visakha and many
other sakhis in the same group are apeksikadhika madhya
sakhis. Citra, Madhurika and many other sakhis in that
group are apeksikadhika mrdvi sakhis. However, Lalita and
the other asta-sakhis (eight closest friends of Sri Radha)
are all apeksika laghvi when compared to Sri Radha Herself.
Vijaya-kumara: Are the apeksika-laghvi prakhara sakhis
and the other groups of sakhis like them further divided
into other kinds of sakhis?
Gosvami: The Laghvi prakhara sakhis are of two kinds:
1. Vama (left wing), and 2. Daksina (right wing).
Vijaya-kumara: What are the qualities of vama sakhis?
Gosvami: They are always very proud. If there is some
slackening in the respect shown to them, they become angry.
They are not submissive to their lover. Such a sakhi is
called ‘vama’. In Radha’s group, Lalita and many others
are considered vama prakhara sakhis.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the qualities of the daksina
sakhis?
Gosvami: These heroines cannot tolerate pride. These
heroines speak sweetly to their lover and they are
conquered by His sweet words to them. Such a sakhi is
called ‘daksina’. In Sri Radha’s group. Tungavidya and
many others are daksina prakhara sakhis.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the atyantika sakhis?
Gosvami: These sakhis are always sweet. They are less
important than the other sakhis. Kusumika and many others
are said to be atyantika laghvi sakhis.
Vijaya-kumara: How do the sakhis carry messages?
Gosvami: The sakhis bring the hero, who has come a
great distance, to meet the heroine. That is the message
they carry.
Vijaya-kumara: Are the sakhis ever heroines?
Gosvami: The yuthesvaris are heroines eternally. The
apeksikadhika prakharas, apeksikadhika madhyas, and
apeksikadhika mrdvis may be either heroines or sakhis.
They have both natures. When gopis of an inferior status
are present, they may assume the role of heroine. When a
gopi of superior status is present, they assume the role of
sakhi. The gopis of inferior status consider them
heroines, and the gopis of superior status consider them
sakhis. Therefore they are called ‘nayika-praya’ (almost
heroines). The apeksika prakhara, apeksika madhya, and
apeksika mrdvis also play double roles. They become sakhis
when superior gopis are present and heroines when inferior
gopis are present. The apeksika prakhara, apeksika madhya,
and apeksika mrdvis are most often sakhis. Because the
yuthesvari and the previous described three classes of
gopis are superior to them, the atyantika laghvi gopis are
considered here as a fifth category. They are always
sakhis. In the presence of the yuthesvari, the apeksika
gopis are all sakhis and dutis (messengers). Then they are
not heroines. The atyantika laghvi gopis are always
sakhis. They are never heroines, and they are never dutis.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the sakhis that act as dutis?
Gosvami: The yuthesvari are always heroines. Everyone
always honours them. They do not carry messages. However,
the yuthesvari entrusts to her favourite sakhi the task of
carrying messages. However, when one of her sakhis becomes
the objects of the hero’s love, the yuthesvari will become
a gauna (secondary) kind of messenger on her behalf. Here
‘gauna’ means that the yuthesvari does not come and go for
long distances carrying. This kind of carrying messages is
of two kinds: 1. When Krsna is present, and 2. When Krsna
is not present.
Vijaya-kumara: In what different ways are messages
carried when Krsna is present?
Gosvami: These messages are of two kinds: 1. Hints,
and 2. Direct statements.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the hints?
Gosvami: When, by a sidelong glance, an eyebrow
movement, a movement of the forefinger or another part of
the body, or another kind of hint, a sakhi sends Krsna to
the heroine, that is called the message in the form of a
hint.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the direct statements?
Gosvami: When, either directly to Lord Krsna or
secretly behind his back, the messenger speaks appropriate
words, that is called a message in the form of a direct
statement.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the messages when Krsna is
absent?
Gosvami: Here one sakhi brings another sakhi to Krsna.
There are man ways a message can be carried in this way.
These are all considered carrying a message when Krsna is
not present.
Vijaya-kumara: What are messages carried for the
nayika-praya (almost heroine)?
Gosvami: When an apeksikadhika prakhara, apeksikadhika
madhya or apeksikadhika mrdvi carry a message for a gopi of
inferior status, this is called ‘carrying a message for a
nayika-praya’. The sama sakhis and madhya sakhis are
naturally friends. Their friendship is mostly sweet and
for the most part they have no difference between them.
Panditas learned in the science of spiritual love (prema)
can understand all this.
Vijaya-kumara: What is ‘a message carried by a sakhi-
praya’ (one who is almost a sakhi)?
Gosvami: These are messages carried by a laghu-
prakara, laghu-madhya, or laghu-mrdvi gopi. When they are
engaged in carrying messages they are called ‘sakhi-praya’
(almost sakhi)>
Vijaya-kumara: What is a nitya-sakhi (always a sakhi)?
Gosvami: Gopis who only wish to be a sakhi and never
desire to become a heroine are called ‘nitya-sakhi’. The
nitya-sakhis are of two kinds: 1. Atyantika laghvi and 2.
Apeksika laghvi.
Vijaya-kumara: Do the sakhis eternally possess certain
specific qualities, like the quality of being prakhara
(harsh), qualities that they always manifest and never
abandon?
Gosvami: Although certain qualities are part of the
eternal nature of each gopi, sometimes, according to time,
place and circumstances, the gopis manifest other
qualities, even qualities that are the opposite of their
ordinary nature. An example of this is Lalita’s attempt to
calm Radha’s jealous anger.
Vijaya-kumara: It seems to me that Radha takes great
care to arrange the meeting of Lord Krsna with her friends.
Gosvami: O Vijaya-kumara, I can say something about
that. When a sakhi sent with a message meets Krsna in a
secluded place, and He requests that she enjoy with Him,
she will not agree. She will not break the trust of the
gopi friend who sent her with the message.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the sakhis’ activities?
Gosvami: The sakhis have sixteen kinds of activities:
1. To praise the virtues of the hero before the heroine and
to praise the virtues of the heroine before the hero. 2.
To make the hero and heroine attached to each other. 3. To
arrange for the rendezvous of the hero and heroine. 4. To
give the heroine to Krsna. 5. To speak eloquent jokes. 6.
To give consolation. 7. To decorate the heroine in her
room. 8. To reveal to the hero the love in the heroine’s
heart and to reveal to the heroine the love in the hero’s
heart. 9. To hide faults. 10. To teach the heroine how to
deceive her husband and other superiors. 11. To bring the
hero and heroine together at the appropriate time. 12. To
fan with a camara and perform other like services. 13. To
approach the hero or heroine when it is appropriate. 14.
To carry a message. 15. To save the heroine’s life, and
16. To be careful and diligent in everything. Many
examples could be given to illustrate each of these. What
more shall I say:
Vijaya-kumara: O master, I understand these brief
explanations. Later I will see the examples given in the
book Ujjvala-nilamani. Now I have learned a great deal. O
master, now I would like to learn about the sakhis’s
affection for each other and love for Lord Krsna.
Gosvami: The sakhis are of two kinds: 1. The sakhis
whose love for Krsna and their own yuthesvari is not equal,
and 2. The sakhis who love Krsna and their own yuthesvari
equally.
Vijaya-kumara: What sakhis have love for Krsna and
their own yuthesvari that is not equal.
Gosvami: These gopis, who are called ‘asama-sneha
sakhis’ are of two kinds. Some love their yuthesvari more
than they love Krsna. Others think, “I am a maidservant of
Krsna.” These gopis will not leave their group to join
another. Still, they love Krsna more than they love their
yuthesvari. A gopi who is proud to serve her yuthesvari,
and who loves her yuthesvari more than Krsna, is called
‘sakhi-snehadhika’.
Vijaya-kumara: Why are they?
Gosvami: Among the five kinds of sakhis I have already
described, those who are simply called sakhis love Krsna
more (krsna-snehadhika). The previously described nitya-
sakhis and prana sakhis love their yuthesvari more (sakhi-
snehadhika).
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the gopis that love Krsna and
their yuthesvari equally?
Gosvami: The gopis that love Krsna and their
yuthesvari equally are called ‘sama-sneha’.
Vijaya-kumara: Of these sakhis who are the best?
Gosvami: The sakhis who love Radha and Krsna equally,
and who think, ‘I am a follower of Radha’ are the best of
all. They are called ‘priya-sakhis’ and ‘parama-prestha-
sakhis’.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, please describe the rivalries
of the different groups of sakhis.
Gosvami: All the groups of Vraja-gopis are divided in
four ways: 1, sva-paksa (one’s own group), 2, suhrt-paksa
(friends), 3, tatastha-paksa (neutral parties), and 4,
paritpaksa (enemies). The gopi groups associate with the
suhrt-paksas and tatastha-paksas, and they avoid the
pratipaksas. In this way there is exchange of rasas.
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe the sva-paksa,
pratipaksa and the others.
Gosvami: The sva-paksa I have already explained. Now
I will explain how the suhrt-paksas and the other groups
differ. The suhrt-paksas are of two kinds: 1, ista-
sadhaka (friends pushed together to do something
favourable) and anista-sadhaka (friends pushed together to
do something unfavourable). The tatastha-paksa is friendly
to both the sva-paksa and the pratipaksa.
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe the pratipaksas.
Gosvami: The vipaksas are enemies. They destroy what
is good and bring what is evil. The vipaksas manifest
trickery, malice, restlessness, envy, spite, mercilessness,
pride and a host of other like qualities.
Vijaya-kumara: How is pride manifested?
Gosvami: False-ego, self-importance, arrogance,
mocking, conceit, and haughtiness, are the six
manifestations of pride.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of false-ego?
Gosvami: When one praises the sva-paksa and reviles
the pratipaksa, that is false ego.
Vijaya-kumara: What is self-importance?
Gosvami: When one explains how one’s own group has the
most exalted spiritual love, that is self importance.
Vijaya-kumara: What is arrogance?
Gosvami: When one is convinced that one’s own group
enjoys the most exalted spiritual pastimes, that is
arrogance.
Vijaya-kumara: What is mocking?
Gosvami: When one laughs at the other group, that is
mocking.
Vijaya-kumara: What is conceit?
Gosvami: When pride improves one’s devotional service,
that is conceit in this context.
Vijaya-kumara: What is haughtiness?
Gosvami: To openly declare one’s own superiority is
called haughtiness. To criticise other sakhis and speak
sarcastically about them is also haughtiness.
Vijaya-kumara: Do the yuthesvaris show malice
directly?
Gosvami: No. The yuthesvaris always keep their
gravity and decorum. They do not openly express malice.
Even if a prakhara sakhi speaks maliciously in her
presence, the yuthesvari continues to speak pleasantly.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, the yuthesvaris in the Lord’s
Vraja pastimes are all eternally perfect. They are one of
the Lord’s potencies. What does it mean that malice and
other inauspicious qualities are present among them?
Seeing these qualities, non devotee philosophers will
criticise the Lord’s Vraja pastimes. They will say, “If
malice and other inauspicious qualities are present in the
spiritual world, then why do the devotees criticise or
renounce the material world?”
O master I am a resident of holy Navadvipa, where, by
the will of Lord Krsna Caitanya, many materialists may be
seen. Some are followers of karma-kanda. Some are barren
logicians. Some are impersonalists. In this way there are
many offenders. They condemn the Lord’s pastimes. They
claim that the Lord’s pastimes are material and are filled
with imperfections.
Gosvami: Persons (arasika) who cannot understand the
Lord’s spiritual rasas claim that it is not right for the
Lord’s personal associates manifest malice or other
seemingly inauspicious qualities. When one is at last able
to understand the spiritual truth, then one can see Vraja’s
madhura-rasa, which is the dear friend of Lord Krsna, the
Lord who destroys all sins and whose transcendental form
enchants a multitude of Kamadevas. Malice and other
seemingly inauspicious emotions felt by Lord Krsna’s
personal associates are meant to enhance Lord Krsna’s
transcendental pleasure when the associates are in His
company. Apart from these pastimes with Krsna, these
seemingly inauspicious qualities are not manifested. At
that time there is only love.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, I am a tiny creature. These
confidential truths do not easily enter my heart. Please
be merciful and explain it very simply and clearly. That
will be auspicious for me.
Gosvami: The rasas of spiritual love (prema-rasa) are
like a great ocean of milk. However, material logic is
bitter like cow’s urine. One who can understand the
spiritual rasas obtains an auspicious life. And why not?
It is after a person performs many pious deeds that Bhakti-
devi (the goddess of devotional service) places the fruit
of the hladini-sakti in his heart. Thus a person who shuns
the study of material logic obtains the final truth. On
the other hand, persons who use material logic to
understand the truth cannot understand the spiritual truth,
which is inconceivable, beyond the understanding of the
material mind. The so-called truth they accept is filled
with misconceptions. However, you are a fortunate soul.
Therefore by the grace of Bhakti-devi you understand
everything. However, to make the truth very clear, I must
answer your question. You are not a material logician, nor
a follower of karma-kanda, nor a follower of jnana-kanda,
nor a doubter. You are a sincere devotee engaged in vaidhi-
bhakti devotional service. I will explain the truth to
you. I have no objection. You asked two kinds of
questions. One kind of question takes shelter of dry
material logic. The other kind of question may be
satisfied by faith in logic. The other kind of question
may be satisfied by faith in devotional service. You
should not answer the question posed by the impersonalist.
Why not? Because they have no faith in the actual truth
and thus they will not believe what is the true answer.
Without taking shelter of the Lord’s cit-sakti (spiritual
potency) a soul imprisoned by Maya cannot understand the
inconceivable spiritual truth merely by using the
instrument of material logic in a great series of debates.
That is the fate of persons who have no faith in the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Many different kinds of
persons engage in devotional service. Persons who are
qualified to understand the madhura rasa can understand all
these truths from their spiritual master. O Vijaya-kumara,
the Lord’s pastimes and rasas in Vrndavana are very
wonderful. The Lord’s madhura-rasa is very different from
the amorous pastimes of the material world. By studying
Srimad-Bhagavatam’s five chapter description of the Lord’s
rasa dance, a devotee will uproot the desire that grows in
his heart. What disease grows in the heart of the souls
imprisoned by Maya? The disease is material lust. A soul
who has taken shelter of the subtle material body
consisting of mind, intelligence and false ego, who is
filled with material desires, who identifies with the gross
material body made of seven elements beginning with flesh,
and who thinks it is a man or a woman, does not have the
power to throw material lust far away very easily. Only by
hearing about the Lord’s Vraja pastimes will that soul be
able to throw material lust far away. In the end, such a
person is able to see the great wonder that is the Lord’s
madhura-rasa pastimes in Vrndavana. When He throws the
impersonalists philosophy far away, then the spiritual
madhura-rasa is eternally manifest before him. When he
understands the lesser importance of the Lord’s majestic
feature in Vaikuntha, the soul can understand the supreme
glory of the Lord’s eternal and splendid rasas. Then the
soul is filled with intense transcendental bliss. Then the
dry happiness of impersonalism and the dull pleasures of
the material world become very unimportant for him. Then
he is filled with a bliss that is perfect and complete.
This perfect and complete bliss is manifest in many places
and in many ways. In some bhavas it is manifested as
affection and other like emotions, and in other places it
is manifested as malice and other so-called inauspicious
emotions. Material malice and material inauspicious
emotions are all abominable. These spiritual emotions are
not like them. They are all various transformations of
spiritual bliss. They are like waves in the great ocean of
the spiritual rasas. They make that ocean glorious. The
conclusion of Srila Rupa Gosvami is that these different
rasas show the wonderful variety of ecstatic love (bhava).
In the sva-paksa, these bhavas are all the same. In the
suhrt-paksa the bhavas are slightly different. In the
tatastha-paksa, the bhavas are slightly similar. In the
vipaksa, the bhavas are completely different. Look. When
the bhavas are not compatible the situation is not
pleasant. In that situation the supremely blissful rasas
produce malice and other seemingly inauspicious emotions.
Vijaya-kumara: Why do sva-paksas and vipaksas exist?
Gosvami: When two heroines have the same nature, sva-
paksa and vipaksa are manifested. In this way friends and
enemies are manifested from the spiritual rasas. The
purpose of these emotions is to increase the sweetness of
the Lord’s spiritual madhura-rasa.
Vijaya-kumara: Are Radha and Candravali equally
powerful?
Gosvami: No. No. Sri Radha is full of the highest
ecstatic love. She is the essence of the hladini-sakti.
Candravali is manifested from a tiny particle of Sri
Radha’s transcendental form. Still, in order to increase
the prema-rasa (loving pastimes) of Sri Radha, Candravali
is manifested as if she were Radha’s equal and rival
(vipaksa). Look, it is not possible for these two
yuthesvaris to be completely alike. If these two seem
sometimes to be equals, it is only an accident, like the
path of a bookworm accidentally forming the shape of a
certain letter of the alphabet. In truth, the sva-paksas
and vipaksas are needed to make the rasas glorious.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, no I have no doubts. The
nectar of your words flows into my ears and enters my
heart, where it destroys all the bitterness that was there.
In my heart I can now understand the transformations of
madhura-rasa. Lord Krsna is eternal and full of knowledge
and bliss. He is the only hero (nayaka). I meditate on
His form, qualities, and activities. He is dhirodhatta,
dhira-lalita, dhira-prasanta, and dhirodhatta. His
qualities are anukula, daksina, satha, and dhrstha. He is
always served by His are ceta, vita, vidusaka, pitha-
mardaka, and priya-narma-sakha companions. He likes to
play the flute. Lord Krsna, who enjoys the madhura-rasa,
is manifest in my heart. I have also understood the
descriptions of the beautiful girls of Vraja who have taken
shelter of the madhura-rasa. They are heroines (nayika).
The heroines are of two kinds: 1. Svakiya, and 2. Parakiya.
The best rasa is that of the parakiya heroines in Vraja.
These heroines are of three kinds: 1, sadhana-para, 2,
devi, and 3, nitya-priya. Divided into many, many
different groups, the girls of Vraja serve Lord Krsna.
There are many millions and millions of such girls of
Vraja, each of them subordinate to one of the many, many
yuthesvaris. Radha and Candravali are the most important
of the yuthesvaris. There are five kinds of sakhis: 1
sakhi, 2 nitya-sakhi, 3 prana-sakhi, 4 priya-sakhi, and 5
parama-prestha-sakhi. In Radha’s group the eight sakhis
headed by Lalita are para-prestha-sakhis. These eight
sakhis headed by Lalita are qualified to become yuthesvaris
themselves, but they do not form separate groups, for they
prefer to remain followers of Sri Radha. Still, many other
girls of Vraja consider themselves followers of these eight
sakhis. The heroines are divided in different ways: as
mugdha, madhya, and pragalbha, as dhira, adhira, and
dhiradhira, and as kanya, svakiya and parakiya. In this
way there are fifteen different kinds of heroines. The
heroines have eight different conditions of life, which
begin with abhisarika. The heroines are also divided into
uttama, madhyama and kanistha. In this way there are 360
(15 x 8 x 3) different kinds of heroines. Knowledge of the
friendship and other emotions felt by the yuthesvaris is
now also present in my heart. Knowledge of the messengers
and sakhis is now also manifested in my heart. Now I am
able to understand the shelter in whom the rasas rest. Now
I understand the visaya and asraya, and, included within
them, the vibhava and alambana. Tomorrow I will take
shelter of your feet and learn from you about the
uddipanas. Lord Krsna has been very kind to me, to give me
such a kind spiritual master. Tomorrow I will be very well
nourished by drinking the nectar words that flow from your
mouth.
Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami embraced Vijaya-kumara and
said, Baba. I am very fortunate to have you as a disciple.
You like to ask many questions, and Lord Caitanya Himself
has placed all the answers in my mouth. The two of them
wept tears of love. After that they were both stunned and
motionless.
Seeing how fortunate Vijaya-kumara had