Q & A: The Bloody Stone Turned To Vigrahas

Question:
In Sri Nityananda Prabhu’s pastimes once He visited Mathura. He entered King Kamsa’s palace and also the prison where Lord Krishna appeared to mother Devaki. Seeing the big rock where Kamsa used to hit the babies of mother Devaki He became very furious. Later on, He had thrown that rock into River Yamuna and it got broken into pieces. Who were the Deities carved from those pieces and where are They.

Answer:
Three Deities manifested from the stone that was cast down by Nityananda Prabhu: Radha-Madhava, Radha-Syamasundara, and Radha-Nanda Dulala. They are in three places. Radha-Madhava are in Srirampur, in the place of Mahesa Pandit, next to the Jagannatha-mandira, of Kamalakara Pippalai. Radha-Syamasundara are in Khar-daha, where Nityananda Prabhu’s palace is, which He manifested when He came there, after marrying Jahnava-devi and Vasudha-devi. Radha-Nanda-Dulala are between Khar-daha and Srirampura, in a temple there. There was one more piece of the stone, that kept growing, and is in the Khar-daha University.

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  • WHAT HAPPENED WHEN KRSNA WENT TO CANDRAVALI'S KUNJA?

    Kṛṣṇa plays His flute everywhere around Girirāja Govardhana, and He meets with the Vraja-devīs in Govardhana’s kuñjas. Sometimes He goes to Candra-sarovara, to the kuñja of Candrāvalī. There she offers Him a garland of mallikā flowers.Later, Kṛṣṇa comes to Rādhā-kuṇḍa, still wearing that garland. But He sees that no one talks with Him, meets with Him, or even looks at Him. He then feels dry and despondent.“Oh, this garland is very wicked,” He says in disgust and casts aside the gift from Candrāvalī. He then bathes in Śyāma-kuṇḍa and Rādhā-kuṇḍa, and feels a little better. He then comes before the gopīs and prays at their feet for mercy and for Rādhārānī’s darśana. Feeling a breeze that has touched Rādhārānī and come to Him, He experiences great bliss and His heart is cooled.In his Rādhā-rasa-sudhā-nidhi, Śrīla Prabhodānanda Sarasvatī glorifies Śrīmatī Rādhārānī as follows:yasyāḥ kadāpī vasanāṣcala-khelanottha-      dhanyāti-dhanya-pavanena kṛtārtha-mānīyogīndra-durgama-gatir madhusūdano ‘pi      tasyā namo ‘stu vṛṣabhānu-bhuvo diśe ‘pi Rādhā-rasa-sudhā-nidhi 2Obeisances to the direction that faces Śrī Vṛṣabhānu’s daughter. When the breeze, coming from that direction, playfully moves the edge of Her garment, Madhusūdana, who cannot be attained by even the greatest yogīs, thinks that His life has become a great success.By some sly process, Candrāvalī’s followers brought Kṛṣṇa to their kuñja. There they offered Kṛṣṇa a nice outfit and decorated Him. He thought, “If I go like this to Rādhā-kuṇḍa everyone will be pleased with Me.” But when He reached Rādhā-kuṇḍa He found that no one was pleased at all. It seemed that even Girirāja Govardhana neglected Him. Why? Girirāja is Śrīmatī Rādhārānī’s follower. Therefore he also ignored Kṛṣṇa. Every kuṇḍa and kuñja-kuṭīra at Govardhana is cold to Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa cannot find anyone there, not even any animals.He looked around and thought, “I must have done something quite wrong.”He looked down at His outfit and became saddened. “Because of these garments Rādhārānī’s gopīs have become angry and have hidden from Me? Where have they gone?” Then He prays deeply.Suddenly, from the north side of Rādhā-kuṇḍa, where Śrīmatī Rādhārānī is sitting with the sakhīs, a breeze touches Śrīmatī Rādhārānī’s lotus feet and takes their fragrant message to the south side of Rādhā-kuṇḍa, where Kṛṣṇa is present. When Kṛṣṇa smells this, He comes to His senses.“This attire is not good for Me,” He thinks, and He takes off His outfit and ornaments. He purifies Himself by bathing in Śyāma-kuṇḍa and Rādhā-kuṇḍa. “Yes,” He says, “now I’m feeling better.”Then He sees some mañjarīs have approached. “Your body has a horrible smell,” they say, “clearly You have gone to the abode of many buffaloes. Perhaps You didn’t herd cows today and played with buffaloes instead. Has Brahmā come and stolen Your cows again? Has Viśvāmṛta given You buffaloes to herd in their place? Buffaloes are very dirty; they like to sleep in drains and bathe in foul water. But cows are always neat and clean. You have definitely been with buffaloes, for Your body has such a foul scent.”The mañjarīs bring candana, sugandhi, arbaṭa, and other fragrant substances and ask Kṛṣṇa, “Shall we clean You?”“This will not do,” Kṛṣṇa says, “only the dust of Vraja will suffice.”“Yes, Rādhārānī’s footdust will purify You,” the manjarīs respond. “You should beware of the other side. Your desire and nature will change if You go to the other side. If You interact with Candrāvalī’s party then Rādhika’s group will shun You.”“I was not happy with Candrāvalī,” Kṛṣṇa said, “so I came to drink the sweet honey of Rādhārānī’s affection. I left Candrāvalī and came to Rādhā-kuṇḍa and cleansed Myself in the pure nectar of the water that bathed Śrīmatījī. Now will She accept me?”samastād unmatta-bhramara-kula-jhaṅkāra-nikarair      lasat-padma-stomair api vihaga-rāvair api paramsakhī-vṛndaiḥ svīyaiḥ sarasi madhure prāṇa-patinā      kadā drakṣyāmas te śaśi-mukhi navaṁ keli-nivahamVilāpa-kusumāñjali 75O sweet, moon-faced one, when will I witness Your ever-fresh water-sports with the Lord of Your heart and Your friends in Your sweet lake, which is filled with a host of splendid lotuses and is surrounded by chirping birds and humming bees?Śrīmatī Rādhārānī is present at Rādhā-kuṇḍa, where atop splendid lotuses, there are many honeybees that hum sweetly and feast on nectar.There are also many birds in all directions that sing happily. Why are they so happy? Receiving Your darśana, the hearts of the sakhīs, mañjarīs, birds, and animals are filled with happiness.”Kṛṣṇa has left Candrāvalī’s kuñja and Śrīmatī Rādhārānī’s victory is celebrated in bliss. The sakhīs sing, dance, and joke with Kṛṣṇa. Everyone waits for that darśana. How is that rasa? It is like when the full moon rises and everyone becomes naturally joyful. Kṛṣṇa, the lord of the Vraja-devīs’ hearts, has come and now the gopīs celebrate. There is a great assembly of birds singing. Bees are drinking nectar amidst the swirls of fragrant lotuses and their buzzing adds to the birds’ musical performance.Dāsa Gosvāmī prays to be present during that occasion, waiting to see what happens next. He is ready, “What orders will come to me? I will arrange everything needed. When inspiration comes, I will quickly perform my service for Rādhārānī.”This wonderful program on the bank of Rādhā-kuṇḍa starts in the morning. There are many types of flowers in the kuñja-kuṭīras surrounding Rādhā-kuṇḍa, and an ocean of bliss pervades the whole atmosphere. The sakhīs and mañjarīs are very busy there, decorating the kuñjas.When will that Rādhā-kuṇḍa give us Rādhikā’s darśana and admission into eternal service? Dāsa Gosvāmī says, “Without the mercy of Rādhā-kuṇḍa one will not be able to enter the camp of Rādhārānī and follow Her footsteps, nor will one understand the secrets of Kṛṣṇa’s service.”Rādhā-kuṇḍa is the place in Vraja-maṇḍala where all favorable things are present for Śrīmatī Rādhārānī’s service.sarovara-lasat-taṭe madhupa-guñji-kuñjāntare      sphuṭat-kusuma-saṅkule vividha-puṣpa-saṅghair mudā ariṣṭa-jayinā kadā tava varoru bhūṣā-vidhīr      vidhāsyata iha priyaṁ mama sukhābdhim ātanvatāVilāpa-kusumāñjali 76O beautiful-thighed one, when will the ocean of my bliss expand to see Kṛṣṇa, the victor over Ariṣṭāsura, happily decorate You with many kinds of flowers in a kuñja, filled with blossoming flowers and humming bees, on the splendid bank of Your lake?In Rādhā-kuṇḍa, if anything contrary enters, Kṛṣṇa destroys it. Like when Ariṣṭāsura came to Vraja, Kṛṣṇa destroyed him. What does this mean? If a person comes to Rādhā-kuṇḍa and sits on Her bank, at the lotus feet of Rādhārānī, then any ariṣṭa, demonic mundane desire, will not be able to come and cheat that sādhaka, pulling him away from service to Śrīmatījī. Kṛṣṇa is present there with a strong mood, ready to destroy any opposition. Any anarthas or unwanted desires will be unable to disturb one. The sādhaka will have no further troubles. Kṛṣṇa will give him a sweet nature and good desires.At Rādhā-kuṇḍa, the sakhīs are busy serving Rādhārānī. Some are painting designs on Her hands and feet, and some are combing Her hair, which they decorate with small flowers.The mañjarīs say, “Collect peacock feathers here. Kṛṣṇa likes them so much.” Then they collect peacock feathers and make crowns with them and give these to the sakhīs. Then they make dresses. After Kṛṣṇa bathes, they will decorate a
    nd dress Him. The sakhīs and mañjarīs are ready to perform this service.On the other side, the sādhakas see that the gopīs are busily engaged in serving Śrīmatī Rādhārānī. Kṛṣṇa has come Himself and is waiting for a chance to serve Rādhārānī. He prays to the sakhīs and mañjarīs, “When will you give Me chance to comb Rādhārānī’s hair? I will separate Her hairs and will gently braid them. How will I make a sweet relation with Her hair? I will massage oil into Her hair, made fragrant with kastūrī, and then I will place flowers and pollen in Her charming locks.”Kṛṣṇa prays to the gopīs and waits with trembling hands. He cannot control Himself. It is as if all His strength has left and He is filled with fear, feeling within, “What will happen if I do something wrong?”Kṛṣṇa sees Śrīmatī Rādhārānī’s form in the water of Rādhā-kuṇḍa. He sits on the bank of Rādhā-kuṇḍa and watches Her pastimes and interaction with the sakhīs and mañjarīs in the reflection of the water.“How can I serve Her? How can I get permission?” Kṛṣṇa prays to the sakhīs and mañjarīs in a choked voice, with hairs standing on end and tears gently falling from His cheeks. The sakhīs come from another side and offer Kṛṣṇa peacock feathers and guñjā-mālā. Kṛṣṇa had fallen into an internal state of meditation. At the sound of the gopīs’ words, His external sense returns and He feels, “I am very lucky today. Certainly they will give Me permission to serve and they will teach Me the proper process.”At this Radha-kunda, all special training, power, and taste is given to serve Rādhārānī. (click on the Title to see more)

  • IS RADHA DASYAM ACHIEVABLE?

    In Vṛndāvana, rasa is present everywhere. It is in all the kuñjas and groves. Kṛṣṇa-līlā is full of rasa. The bumblebees, birds, and butterflies all taste this rasa. In the same way, all the bhaktas who come to Vṛndāvana can taste rasa according to their adhikāra.
    In Vraja, Vṛndā-devī arranges for everyone to receive rasa according to their qualification. In that transcendental world, the residents do not compete with one-another. They live together harmoniously and they help whoever comes, thinking, “How can we help this person progress?”

  • ANYTHING DONE WITH LOVE IS SWEET

    When will I see You gazing upon the prince of Vraja, His cheeks sweetened with a smile, as His mother anxiously strokes Him while He departs for the forest, fulfilling His vow to protect the surabhi cows? (Vilāpa-kusumāñjali)Dasa Gosvāmī now prays to be near Rādhārānī as She watches Kṛṣṇa passing by on His way to go grazing the cows, when mother Yaśodā embraces him. For the service and protection of the noble members of the surabhi dynasty of cows, Kṛṣṇa daily enters the forests of Vraja. Kṛṣṇa took a vow to always serve the cows. He does not go to the same place every day, in consideration of the area, not wanting to overburden it with all the cows.Mother Yaśodā worries about Kṛṣṇa, thinking, “Gopāla is only a small boy, but He daily goes out in the summer heat or winter chill, despite rain or any other harsh weather; He never takes rest. The sun is strong and burns Him. How can I protect Him?” She has affectionate concern for Kṛṣṇa’s welfare.Kṛṣṇa’s earrings kiss His cheeks. He smiles and looks side to side. Yaśodā Mātā watches His every movement. She thinks, “What is helpful for Kṛṣṇa?” and she is ready to arrange anything at once. Kṛṣṇa has relation and love for anyone who resides in Gokula and promises to protect and serve all those who come and stay in Vraja. This relation is not any ordinary or temporary thing. Kṛṣṇa does not make friendship with anyone for a day; His love is eternal.Kṛṣṇa is the prince of Vraja, but He doesn’t consider Himself royalty too superior to serve. He does not feel that He is a highly respectable authority. This is not His nature.Vṛndāvana has many forests. When Kṛṣṇa takes the cows out to graze, He is not only taking care of the cows, but He takes care of the forests and gardens as well. The creepers, plants, and trees will become dry if they are not taken care of. The cows trim the grass and keep it clean and healthy.Farmers clean and till their fields to keep them fertile and healthy. The cows are like the gardeners of Vraja, keeping everything fresh and pure by fertilizing the forests and aerating the land. The cow dung and urine make those areas healthy and vibrant. This is food for the plants and trees. If the cows did not graze in the forests, then the greenery would not get this extra nourishment. In the forest, there are many varieties of plants and medicinal herbs. By eating these plants and herbs, the cows’ udders become filled with wholesome milk. In this way, everyone benefits by Kṛṣṇa taking the cows out to graze. Therefore Kṛṣṇa vows to always care for the cows, Vrajavāsīs, and forests of Vraja.As Kṛṣṇa goes through the forests, He accepts the trees and plants’ heartfelt gifts of fruits and flowers and distributes them to the sakhās.Yaśodā Mātā is always concerned for Kṛṣṇa’s welfare when He is in the forests of Vraja. To pacify her, Rati Mañjarī says, “O Nandarānī, don’t worry. I will go to the forest and look after Kṛṣṇa. I will change my appearance and will help arrange for Kṛṣṇa’s service while He is grazing the cows. Rādhikā will also cook some refreshments for Kṛṣṇa. I will help arrange all this. The mañjarīs and I are ready to see that Kṛṣṇa is cared for while He is outside Nanda-bhavana.”Yaśodā Mātā is pleased to hear this and says, “Oh! You will take care of my Kanhaiyā? He cares for everyone, but I always worry about who will take care of Him.” Yaśodā Mātā is very happy to hear that the sakhīs and mañjarīs are there to help Kṛṣṇa in the forest and she gives her blessings to Rati Mañjarī.goṣṭheśayātha kutukāc chapathādi-pūrvaṁ    su-snigdhayā sumukhi mātṛ-parārdhato ‘pihā hrī-mati priya-gaṇaiḥ saha bhojyamānāṁ    kiṁ tvāṁ nirīkṣya hṛdaye mudam adya lāpsye Vilāpa-kusumāñjali 66O bashful fair-faced one! When will my heart feel great joy to see the queen of Vraja, who is more affectionate than countless mothers, taking an oath to make You sit down to eat with Your friends?Dāsa Gosvāmī in his internal form as Rati Mañjarī prays to Rādhārānī, “O Śrīmatī, You are supremely beautiful. Seeing You, people become filled with joy, and in the absence of Your darśana everyone becomes distressed. In Nanda-bhavana, while eating, without Your darśana the food has no taste for Kṛṣṇa.”After Kṛṣṇa finishes His meal, Yaśoda Mātā affectionately requests Śrīmatī to take prasāda. Rādhārānī becomes shy. She sits down with Lalitā, Viśākhā, and the other sakhīs and takes something. Rati Mañjarī feels great bliss observing Śrīmatījī as She tastes Her cooking. As Kṛṣṇa ate, Śrīmatī watched from a hidden place, and Kṛṣṇa would casually look up now and again and They exchanged sidelong glances. Now, when Rādhārānī sits to eat on the request of Yaśodā Mātā, Kṛṣṇa comes and peeks through the window to watch His beloved. Receiving darśana of Śrīmatī is Kṛṣṇa’s favorite nourishment.While Kṛṣṇa eats, Śrīmatī watches from a hidden place and waits for Him to finish. When Kṛṣṇa gets up and leaves, as the elders and other guests in Nanda-bhavana are otherwise preoccupied, He and Śrīmatī look for a chance to momentarily meet. Śrīmatī wants to meet with Kṛṣṇa and begins walking away from the kitchen, but then Yaśodā Mātā calls out to Her, “O Lālī, come eat something.”Rādhārānī returns unwillingly and sits down to eat. In the meantime, Kṛṣṇa waits at the secret meeting place for Śrīmatī. When She doesn’t arrive, Kṛṣṇa comes to where She is eating with Yaśodā and Her sakhīs. On the pretense of asking Yaśodā something, He glances lovingly at Śrīmatī from the corner of His eyes. Rādhārānī blushes and covers Her face with a cloth while She takes prasāda with the sakhīs and Yaśodā. Seeing this in his meditation, Dāsa Gosvāmī becomes overjoyed.āliṅganena śirasaḥparicumbanena     snehāvalokana-bhareṇa ca khañjanākṣigoṣṭheśayā nava-vadhūm iva lālyamānāṁ    tvāṁ prekṣya kiṁ hṛdi mahotsavam ātaniṣye Vilāpa-kusumāñjali 67O Rādhe, eyes restless as khañjana birds! When will I experience a festival of joy seeing You being fondled by the queen of Vraja, who embraces You, kisses Your head, and gazes upon You lovingly as if You were Her newly married daughter-in-law?Like a newly married girl who comes to serve at the house of her husband after marriage, Śrīmatī Rādhārānī comes in the early morning to Nandagrāma with Her sakhīs and mañjarīs to cook for Kṛṣṇa.While Rādhārānī is still on the pathway to Nandagrāma, Yaśodā Mātā comes down to meet Her. She runs and embraces Śrīmatī Rādhārānī. She smells Her head, kisses Her, lifts Her into her arms, and carries Her up the hill to her own room. There she gives Śrīmatī Rādhārānī new earrings, necklaces, saris, and many other gifts. She gives Her so many new things every day. She embraces and kisses each of the young girls and gives them many gifts.Why does Yaśodā Mātā have this heartfelt love for them all? If anyone desires to serve Kṛṣṇa, then Yaśodā is very pleased and has so much love for that person. She serves and thinks of everyone’s welfare.Dāsa Gosvāmī prays, “When will I be present in Nanda-bhavana, and under guidance of Yaśodā Mātā, I will assist Śrīmatī Rādhārānī in the kitchen. Love and affection will flow from Yaśodā Mātā’s heart to all the sakhīs and mañjarīs.”     Anything done with love is very sweet. Kṛṣṇa longs for that love. Śrīmatī Rādhārānī’s hlādinī-śakti spreads out to the hearts of all the Vrajavāsīs, like a transcendental sun of love, and shines in the hearts of those in the moods of dāsya-rasa, sakhya-rasa, vātsalya-rasa, and mādhurya-rasa.hā rūpa-mañjari sakhi praṇayena deviṁ     tvad-bāhu-datta-bhuja-vallarim āyatākṣīmpaścād ahaṁ kalita-kāma-taraṅg
    a-raṅgāṁ     neṣyāmi kiṁ hari-vibhūṣita-keli-kuñjamVilāpa-kusumāñjali 68O dear friend Rūpa Mañjarī, when will I, from behind, lead our Devī, who has become a dancing arena for waves of amorous passion, Her large eyes wide-open, and Your arm affectionately placed about the vine of Her waist, to the keli-kuñja forest grove, decorated by the presence of Śrī Hari?Dāsa Gosvāmī prays to accompany Śrīmatī as She goes to the keli-kuñja. In his internal form as Rati Mañjarī, Dāsa Gosvāmī is there, watching Kṛṣṇa’s playful pastimes. Rati Mañjarī is present behind Rūpa Mañjarī and they walk with Śrīmatī to the keli-kuñja. Rūpa Mañjarī has decorated the kuñja, making a brilliant throne of flowers. Śrīmatī Rādhārānī sits on the flower throne in the kuñja and eagerly awaits Kṛṣṇa’s arrival.If there is no sweet relation, then no one will want to follow behind another. Ordinarily, people follow others for their own selfishness, but this temporary relationship is contemptible, whereas the sweet relation between the Vrajavāsīs is most glorious.Rati Mañjarī thinks, “When will I carry Kṛṣṇa’s loving presentations and give them to Rūpa Mañjarī?”Rūpa Mañjarī will not accept anything independently. She offers anything that comes to her to Śrīmatī Rādhārānī. Kṛṣṇa sends a necklace or a beautiful garland to Rūpa Mañjarī through the hand of Rati Mañjarī. Rati Mañjarī shows this gift to Śrīmatī Rādhārānī, then Rādhārānī gives it to Rūpa Mañjarī, and says, “No, no. This is good for you, you should accept it.”This garland isn’t only made of flowers. Kṛṣṇa’s heartfelt love is contained within. After much opposition, Rūpa Mañjarī wears this mālā by Rādhārānī’s insistance; she becomes very shy and looks down, experiencing Kṛṣṇa’s love present in this gift.sākaṁ tvayā sakhi nikuñja-gṛhe sarasyāḥ      svasyās taṭe kusuma-bhāvita-bhuṣaṇenaśṛṅgāritaṁ vidadhatī priyam īśvarī sā      hā hā bhaviṣyati mad-īkṣaṇa-gocaraḥ kim Vilāpa-kusumāñjali 69My dear friend Rūpa Mañjarī, when will I be able to see you with my mistress decorating Her beloved with flower ornaments in a kuñja-kuṭīra by the bank of Her lake?Śrimati Radika is in an isolated grove on the bank of Radha-kuṇḍa. Rūpa is nearby, feeling that although the kuñja-kuṭīra is decorated with beautiful flowers, it is lacking perfect beauty because Kṛṣṇa is not there. Rūpa Mañjarī finds some means to invite Kṛṣṇa, who comes and sits on a seat of flowers. The sakhīs begin to fan Him. The flowers are fragrant, but Kṛṣṇa is restless. The flowers and fans do not cool Him. He is unsatisfied. Why?Kṛṣṇa says, “O Rūpa Mañjari when will your adhīśvari Śrīmatī Rādhārānī give Me darśana? I came here only for Her darśana.”Rūpa Mañjarī replies, “My Svāminī is resting inside a kuñja nearby.” “I came only for Her darśana,” Kṛṣṇa repeats.Rūpa Mañjarī gives an indication to Rati Mañjarī, who goes and tells Rādhārānī. Hearing Kṛṣṇa’s message, Śrīmatī Rādhārānī hides deeper in the kuñja-kuṭīra, not wanting to give Him darśana so easily. When Rati returns, Kṛṣṇa begins to search for Rādhikā.śrutvā vicakṣaṇa-mukhād vraja-rāja-sūnoḥ      śastābhisāra-samayaṁ subhage ‘tra hṛṣṭāsūkṣmāmbaraiḥ kusuma-saṁskṛta-karṇa-pūra-      hārādibhiś ca bhavatīṁ kim alaṅkariṣyeVilāpa-kusumāñjali 70O beautiful one, hearing from the parrot Vicakṣaṇa that the prince of Vraja has already left for His rendezvous with You, can I joyfully decorate You with fine garments, flower earrings, and necklaces?In Vraja, there is a clever parrot named Vicakṣaṇa, who witnesses Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa’s sweet loving pastimes and repeats them to the gopīs. Sometimes this parrot brings messages back and forth between Rādhārānī’s camp and Kṛṣṇa’s camp.Once, Kṛṣṇa sent Vicakṣaṇa on an errand, saying, “Go and search out where there are nice flowers. Collect them and give them to Me. I will make flower earrings and will decorate a dress and make many flower ornaments for Rādhārānī. Then I will take these and present them to Her.” This parrot returns sometime later and says to Nanda-nandana, “I went to search for flowers and found the Vraja-devīs making a dress for You embroidered with flowers. They want to give You flower earrings, ornaments, and flowers.”Kṛṣṇa replies, “I will decorate and serve them.”“If You first accept their loving presentations,” Vicakṣaṇa replies, “then You will realize how they will be pleased and will be able to serve them in return.”Kṛṣṇa’s desires reflect in Rādhārānī’s heart and She instructs Her mañjarīs how to fulfill those desires. They then make new outfits with silk, pearls, flowers, and jewels. When Kṛṣṇa wears these clothes, He feels that Śrīmatī Rādhārānī is directly present with Him. Śrīmatī Rādhārānī’s love and the love of the sakhīs and mañjarīs is present in whatever they touch.nānā-puṣpaiḥ kvanita-madhupair devi sambhāvitābhir        mālābhis tad-ghusṛṇa-vilasat-kāma-citrālibhiścarājad-dvāre sapadi madanānandadābhikhya-gehe     malli-jālaiḥ śaśi-mukhi kadā talpam ākalpayāmiVilāpa-kusumāñjali 71O moon-faced one, when will I arrange a bed of jasmine flowers for You in Madanānandada-kuñja, which has a beautiful gate and is decorated with wonderful pictures of Cupid, drawn in kuṁkum, and garlands of many flowers, surrounded by buzzing bees.The glories of this Madanānanda-kuñja are explained herein. It is located near Pāvana-sarovara, not far from Nanda-bhavana. Kṛṣṇa goes alone to that kuñja after waking in the morning, and rests for awhile in the arms of Śrīmatī and the Vraja-devīs.Dāsa Gosvāmī prays, “O Devī, sweetly singing bumblebees move flower to flower, collecting honey. Hearing their singing, You open the door of the kuñja and look out expectantly, hoping for Kṛṣṇa to appear at any moment. I will decorate the doorway of that kuñja with draping strands of flowers and will arrange a bed in that forest grove for Your pleasure.”In the morning, the sakhīs and mañjarīs come with honey, drinks, flowers, and many offerings to cook with Rādhārānī at Nanda-bhavana. From a distance, Citrā-devī, who is most expert at making paintings, shows Śrīmatī Rādhārānī with her enchanting art where Kṛṣṇa is and what He is doing. Then Śrīmatī Rādhārānī arranges for His service.Kṛṣṇa gets up in the morning, having stayed awake the whole night and therefore needing more rest. There is a special kuñja-kuṭīra arranged for Him to hide in and continue resting after He formally wakes in Nanda-bhavana.He comes there by a hidden path. He disappears from the cowshed where He was milking the cows and enters this kuñja. Rādhārānī and the Vraja-devīs take Him in their arms. They massage Him and fan Him, and He interacts with each of them personally, resting His head on the knee of one, holding hands with another, and placing His arm around the shoulders of another. The hearts and bodies of the Vraja-devīs are more soft, delicate, beautiful and lovely than any flower. Each gopī makes her lap like a bed for Kṛṣṇa to rest on. Kṛṣṇa rests in Madanānandada-kuñja in the morning.śrī-rūpa-mañjari-karārcita-pāda-padma-     goṣṭhendra-nandana-bhujārpita-mastakāyāḥhā modataḥ kanaka-gauri padāravinda-     samvāhanāni śanakais tava kiṁ kariṣye Vilāpa-kusumāñjali 72O golden one, when will I happily and gently massage Your lotus feet, along with Rūpa Mañjarī, as You rest Your head in the lap of the prince of Vraja, and He massages Your head?Śrīmatī Rādhārānī comes from Varsānā and rests with Kṛṣṇa in Madanānanda-kuñja. She lies down, and Rūpa Mañjarī massages Her feet and soothes them with cool kuñk
    uma and mehindi. As Rūpa Mañjarī serves the feet of Śrīmatī Rādhārānī, she signals to Rati Mañjarī to come forward and massage as well.Sometimes, if He has permission, Kṛṣṇa sits with Śrīmatī Rādhārānī in His lap and as She rests on His knee, He strokes Her head. Rūpa Mañjarī massages the feet of the Divine Couple with her soft pleasing hands and calls Rati Mañjarī forward to assist her.Dāsa Gosvāmī prays, “When will Rūpa Mañjarī call me forward for the service of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa?”The name ‘Rūpa Mañjarī’ means that with her beauty, she conquers and controls the hearts of all. There is no darkness in her heart. She is always bright, light, and golden.Dāsa Gosvāmī prays, “When will that day come when, after serving Śrīmatī Rādhārānī and Śrī Kṛṣṇa, I will be able to serve Rūpa Mañjarī herself? When will she give me permission for this? How else will I receive proper training?”govardhanādri-nikaṭe mukuṭena narma-     līlā-vidagdha-śirasāṁ madhusūdanenadāna-cchalena bhavatīm avarudhyamānāṁ     drakṣyāmi kiṁ bhru-kuṭi-darpita-netra-yugmāmVilāpa-kusumāñjali 73When will I see You, Your eyebrows knitted and Your eyes burning with pride, as Madhusūdana, the crown on the heads of expert jesters, stops You near Govardhana Hill on the pretext of collecting a toll?Kṛṣṇa comes with His sakhās to the foot of Govardhana and takes tax from the Vraja-devīs. He demands, “Give Me tax!Then He says, “Actually, I am not a tax collector. I don’t take anything by force. That is not right. It is not sweet for Me. Please give Me some charity.”Then a bit later He says, “No, no, charity is also not good. I am not a poor person or a beggar. Please give Me dāna, donation. By giving dāna, you yourselves will be benefited and become happy. If you give anything happily, the benefit will multiply ten times. Therefore, give Me dāna. If you don’t give Me dāna, you will become a poor, dirty, narrow-minded beggar. I am great. Everyone knows this. Therefore if you give Me a donation, then My own greatness will come to you, and your hearts will be clean. You will become fair, fresh, and full of goodness. I am a qualified person. If you give dāna to bad people, they will make you dirty and contaminated. You will suffer life after life. But by giving a donation to those who are qualified, it is very good for you. The best thing to offer is yourself, so if you offer yourself as a donation to a person with all good qualities, it is best.”With these words, Kṛṣṇa tries to capture Śrīmatī Rādhārānī. He says, “Give everything to Me. Then I will accept and help you. If you don’t give yourselves to Me, then you will be forced to give yourselves to cheaters. They don’t have any strength to help you. Anything you have should be given to Me. I am a qualified and very powerful person.”With such clever words, Kṛṣṇa attempts to take everything the gopīs possess as dāna. He is not interested in anything small. With His crooked eyes, He scans for any particle of love, and is not happy until He receives every last drop.Dāsa Gosvāmī prays, “I long to watch Kṛṣṇa’s sweet playful pastimes with the Vraja-devīs.” (Click on the Title to see more)

  • We Can’t See Him

    God has form but we can’t see Him. There is ghee in milk, but it is not seen externally. Only by churning and boiling will the ghee come out. Similarly, we cannot see God in this world with our material senses because He is sat-cit-ānanda-vigraha: His form is transcendental. It is not possible to see Him with our material senses, but we can see Him by worshipping Him. If you are not qualified to see Him, how can you see Him?..