The Power of Impossible
In Vaikuṇṭha, Svarga-loka, or anywhere in this world, if anyone has a little bit of desire for the darśana of Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-darśana-lalasā, and the desire to make a relationship with Him, then Kṛṣṇa, who is very kind, will first send His mantra medicine. Mana trāyate iti mantra. Chanting mantra is the medicine for the disease of material existence. All sins or offenses, born of either prārabdha or aprārabdha, will be destroyed by chanting Kṛṣṇa mantra. Then a desire will come to speak and associate with the devotees of God. At first, one has desires to speak with ordinary people, mostly with one’s choice friends. One feels happiness by their talking and sweet speaking. But after chanting mantra, the taste for that will be lost.
Next, one will get relations with śāstra, Śrī Guru and Vaiṣṇavas. A strong desire to read, discuss and realize śāstra and the message of the Vaiṣṇavas will awaken. Then what? In association with God’s family members, the desire to follow all etiquette will come, followed by the knowledge of all good principles. If someone has pure knowledge, they will never be disturbed, nor will they ever go in the wrong direction.
By continuously chanting nāma and mantra, their mind will become clean and fresh. Energy will come, and then they will hear the message from Kṛṣṇa’s flute. This message comes through the ears and into the heart. Then the heart will be very proud, healthy and joyful. This message gives life to the soul. The soul becomes kiśora, attaining a youthful spiritual body, and will wait for the company of that kiśora Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa’s flute sends this message. The bhaktas speak hari-kathā and do kīrtana. Kṛṣṇa’s name is running everywhere, but anyone who is attached to māyā cannot have any desire for it. They cross past the door, but don’t come inside. They sit with the Vaiṣṇavas, but don’t speak with them. They will go anywhere, but never to Kṛṣṇa’s temple. This nāma and mantra medicine can clean and purify everyone.
tad idam upanataṁ tamāla-nīlaṁ
tarala-vilocana-tārakābhirāmam
mudita-mudita-vaktra-candra-bimbaṁ
mukharita-veṇu-vilāsi jīvitam me
Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta 73
This person approaching me is dark bluish like a tamāla tree. His charming eyes, which resenble stars, move restlessly, the shining orb of His moonlike-face is overflowing with delight, and He sportively begins sounding His flute. He is my very life.
On a dark night, when nothing can be seen, the stars come out and show you their own faces, colors, and light. In this mundane world, everything is dark. But darkness doesn’t cover the stars. Similarly, Śrī Guru and God’s associates will never be disturbed by the darkness of māyā. They are always above her. This is their nature. God is light. Wherever God is, there is light. And wherever His devotees are, His light is there as well. If anyone has a connection with God, they will never be in darkness.
kṛṣṇa – sūrya-sama, māyā haya andhakāra
yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 22.31
Kṛṣṇa is compared to sunshine, and māyā, His deluding potency, is compared to darkness. Wherever there is sunshine, there cannot be darkness. Wherever Kṛṣṇa is present, māyā cannot be present or exert her influence.
Kṛṣṇa is of a tamāla, śyāma, or blackish color. Yet if anyone remembers Kṛṣṇa, they cross the darkness of material existence. They become like stars, able to be seen by others as a guiding light in the dark. Kṛṣṇa is like a transcendental moon, distributing divine nectar to all living entities, and all His associates are as if stars, brightly shining the pathway to Him and their eternal home.
Kṛṣṇa is more powerful than millions of moons. The moon gives life to vegetation with its cooling rays. The moon has no eyes, but Kṛṣṇa has eyes, and from those eyes the rasa of His love always flows out, nourishing His devotees. Kṛṣṇa sees His devotees; by looking at them, His love emanates out and nourishes them with spiritual potency. When moonlight falls on jasmine, they stay white, and when it falls on red flowers, they stay red. The devotees’ hearts reflect Kṛṣṇa’s love and shine with all their individual splendor.
Kṛṣṇa is dark. But inside that darkness, His face shines like the moon. The moon distributes nectar, but doesn’t speak. However, Kṛṣṇacandra gives His darśana and flute song, and speaks sweet words, attracting the hearts of all His devotees. Thus He gives new life, potency and energy to all. Kṛṣṇa speaks, but it is not possible to speak with everyone at once. Therefore, His flute takes His message and at once distributes it all around, so that all can receive Kṛṣṇa’s message.
This is superfine, more subtle than anything in this world. Kṛṣṇa’s love comes with the message of His flute. Whoever hears it begins to run here and there, searching for Kṛṣṇa, with the desire, “How can I serve Him?” They busy themselves to make all arrangements for His pleasure.
Kṛṣṇa has an open heart. He distributes everything. Lord Parabrahma is not restless—He doesn’t play. But Kṛṣṇa is in Vraja-maṇḍala—and is very restless. He plays with all the Vrajavāsīs, and even depends on the help of others. He always wants to play with His friends. He is very clever. But in Vraja-maṇḍala, He is certainly not the cleverest.
He taught everything to Brahmā and the demigods, as the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. In His incarnation as Vyāsadeva, He wrote all śāstra, Veda, Vedānta, Upaniśads. But in Vraja-maṇḍala, Kṛṣṇa doesn’t know anything. He learns everything from others. Kṛṣṇa thinks, “I have no good luck. I am unfortunate.” He prays to the Vrajavāsīs, “Please give me a little love and affection, and take care of me. I am with you.” In the presence of the Vrajavāsīs, Kṛṣṇa is like a baby, not at all the Supreme Lord.
cāpalya-sīma capalānubhavaika-sīma
cāturya-sīma caturānana-śilpa-sīma
saurabhya-sīma sakalādbhuta-keli-sīma
saubhāgya-sīma tad idam vraja-bhāgya-sīma
Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta 74
Here is that Kṛṣṇa, my very life! He is the acme of fickleness, the one ultimate end of the existence of the fickle-minded gopīs, the epitome of cleverness, the extreme perfection of the artistic skill of four-faced Brahmā, the limit of good fragrance, the utmost embodiment of all sorts of astounding pastimes, the culmination of good fortune, and the zenith of auspiciousness for Vraja.
Kṛṣṇa is very restless and naughty. He always tries to disturb everyone. But those people He taunts, tricks, or teases can never forget Him. The memory of a person who is humble and silent will not stay in anyone’s mind long. But a person that disturbs everyone is always remembered.
Kṛṣṇa checks and waits. If no one talks with Him, then He has His vaṁśī, otherwise a stick or a stone that He will throw to break the gopī’s clay pot of milk or yogurt. As they cross the path, Kṛṣṇa says, “Oh, why aren’t you speaking with Me? There are no ṛṣis or śānta-rasa-bhaktas here. Why are you crossing in front without speaking to Me?” Kṛṣṇa will torment them in so many ways, until they get very angry and say something to Him in frustration. Then Kṛṣṇa becomes happy, “Oh, they spoke with Me.” He likes this.
The Vraja-devīs walk in lines, singing songs while they carry water for bathing or any other household purpose. Taking this opportunity, Kṛṣṇa sits on the branch of a tree and takes a water pot from them as they are passing underneath. If still they don’t speak with Him, He steals one of their ropes they use to fetch water, and runs off. Sometimes He takes the pots that they have filled with water, overturns them and runs away.
The Vraja-devīs think, “He is so naughty, and always disturbing us. But if we tell Him off, He will only do more. How can we cross past Him?” Therefore they go different ways every day. Sometimes they cross through Govardhana to the other side. Sometimes they go by Dāna-ghāṭī and sometimes through Mānasi Gaṅgā, to try and avoid Kṛṣṇa’s tricks.
Girirāja Govardhana is seven kilometres high, and there are only a few passes through. Kṛṣṇa likes to stand in one of those narrow paths and block the gopīs as they try to cross.
He says, “I am the tax collector. Give Me tax!”
“What?”
“You have butter. Give Me some.”
“No.”
“Oh, every day you eat so much. That’s why you are so healthy looking. But you can’t share anything? Now come, give Me all your butter. This is good for you. If you don’t, I will take you on top of Govardhana and lock you in a cave.”
Without any cause or reason He fights with them. He says, “Behold the wonders of Govardhana Hill!” He moves a stone aside, revealing a cave, and one by one pushes all the sakhīs inside and then closes the entrance. Then from the other side, He opens a way out. The Vraja-devīs are surprised to see that they are now in Varsānā, and say, “How did we come here? One minute Kṛṣṇa locked us in here, and we were suffering so much. Then, the next minute, we have come out at Varsānā!”
Kṛṣṇa is very tricky. If He closes you in the cave of His heart, from there you can go to Vṛndāvana, Govardhana, Varsānā, Nandagrāma, or anywhere else in Vraja. Kṛṣṇa says, “My heart has Vraja-maṇḍala inside. You can move anywhere in My heart, but I will never give you any chance to leave Vraja-maṇḍala.”
Kṛṣṇa makes art decorations very nicely. The sakhās learn from Him. He goes in the forests and on top of Girirāja Govardhana, where He makes nice decorations. He makes pictures of cows on top of the stones and tells the sakhās, “Make something nice.” The sakhās start sculpting a stone. Kṛṣṇa touches it, and immediately a deity comes out of the stone.
They are surprised, “How is this possible?”
Kṛṣṇa has so much expertise. Once He took a stone and said to His friends, “Look, sakhās. I made a cow!” Then He took some more pieces of stone, and made elephants, horses and other animals. By the touch of Kṛṣṇa the stones came to life and began to move around.
kartum akartum anyathā kartuṁ – saḥ īśvaraḥ
Paramātma-Sandarbha 93
He who has the power to do anything, to undo anything, or to change anything into anything else is called Īśvara, God.
Then all the sakhās laugh. When they return home, they say, “Before, Nanda Bābā had nine lakhs cows. But today at Badrī Nārāyaṇa, Kedārnātha, Kṛṣṇa made many more cows and calves out of stone and brought them back with Him.”
Hearing this news from the sakhās, Nanda Bābā, Yaśodā Mātā, and others go to the cowshed to see if these cows are stone or real. Seeing extra cows in the herd, they were all surprised to find the boys’ words true. “Oh, this must be God’s gift,” Nanda Bābā thought.
The Vrajavāsīs all decided that God must have given a presentation to Kṛṣṇa. They said, “Kanhaiyā likes cows, and worships and serves them so nicely, so the demigods sent these cows that have a nice mood and give sweet milk with a very nice color.”
When Kṛṣṇa walks in the forest and gardens, where there are many kinds of colorful flowers, He touches them and they become more and more fragrant. When Kṛṣṇa goes to any body of water, it becomes more clean—and sweeter than ever.
While the Vraja-devīs cook, they think of Kṛṣṇa, and everything they cook becomes very tasty.
mādhuryeṇa dviguṇa-śiśiraṁ vaktra-candraṁ vahnatī
vaṁśī-vīthī-vigalad-amṛta-srotasā secayantī
mad-vāṇīnāṁ viharaṇa-padaṁ matta-saubhāgya-bhājāṁ
mat-punyānāṁ pariṇatir aho netrayoḥ sannidhatte
Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta 75
Oh! My good deeds have reached their culmination: Kṛṣṇa has appeared before my eyes! The moon of His face is made doubly refreshing by its sweet tenderness, and He sprinkles me with the current of nectar dropping note by note from the holes of His flute. He is the object of my words, which, though mad, are fortunate to be describing Him.
Kṛṣṇa’s mādhurya is ever-increasing. People think, “When will Kṛṣṇa be happy with me and give me His blessings?” Anything the devotees desire, Kṛṣṇa gives not ten times but a thousand times more, along with His nectar. A river comes from the mountains with a strong current and flows through the plains into the ocean. Anyone who is connected with Kṛṣṇa is filled with a limitless amount of nectar. Very fortunate people meet with Kṛṣṇa, receive this nectar from Him, and distribute it then to others.
One day Mother Yaśodā thought, “I will cook secretly for Kṛṣṇa today. I will not let anyone take a share. It will all be for Him.” But that day Kṛṣṇa came to eat with a sakhā, and both of them sat near her. She thought, “I will give Kṛṣṇa a little food, and He will eat.” She started to feed the two boys, but just then many sakhās appeared there. She sat them all down and began distributing prasāda. She had only cooked a little and was worried it would run out, but to her astonishment, even after feeding so many boys, the prasāda was not depleted.
“How is this possible?” she thought. “Oh yes,” she said, “I have a boon from Durvāsā Ṛṣi. That is why I can cook with a small pot, but its contents will be unlimited.” But the truth was that it was by Kṛṣṇa’s desire.
Kṛṣṇa speaks very sweetly, cooling all hearts. The receiver of His speech feels cooled and filled with power. And if that person passes that message on to another, it becomes even more helpful.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura wrote songs about Kṛṣṇa’s līlā, which we now sing. How are the melodies with us today? He sang, and a listener learned and then sang as well. He sang it to another person, and then that person also began to sing. This causes the melody and the sweetness to increase more and more. If anyone hears and learns these songs, where does their tone and melody come from? One sings and another hears, and then learns and sings, and then another sings. And the tone, melody and sweetness just increases more and more.
The ācāryas, like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura or Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, wrote songs filled with the eternal moods and feelings they have for Kṛṣṇa. They sing this as an offering to Kṛṣṇa. Thereafter, devotees hear, sing and distribute them. Then Kṛṣṇa’s glories spread and cool the hearts of millions.
Drinking hari-rasa, one becomes intoxicated and starts giving this rasa to everyone. That person forgets the external world and thinks, “I am so lucky to be able to drink this nectar.” They can never forget or lose the taste of that bliss.
tejase ‘stu namo dhenu-pāline loka-pāline
rādhā-payodharotsaṅga-śāyine śeṣa-śāyine
Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta 76
I bow down to the personified splendor (Kṛṣṇa), who is the protector of the cows, and also all the worlds, and who reclines on the sloping breasts of Rādhā, and also on the coils of Śeśanāga.
Kṛṣṇa is the possessor of all transcendental power. We offer praṇāma to Him. This Supreme Person serves the cows in Vraja-mandala. Gopāla always takes care of the cows. Loka-pāline. In Goloka, He is the protector. Rādhā-payodharotsaṅga-śāyine. Kṛṣṇa always rests in the heart of Śrīmatī Rādhārānī and plays there. The other Vraja-devīs see that Kṛṣṇa has a place in Śrīmatī Rādhārānī’s heart, and they pray to Him to also come in their heart. Then Kṛṣṇa runs and rests in their hearts as well, but without leaving Rādhārānī’s heart.
Everyone offers praṇāma to that Kṛṣṇa. By His own power, Kṛṣṇa takes care of all the cows, and everyone in Goloka and Vraja-maṇḍala. On His four sides, all the demigods are given help, strength, good principles and etiquette, so that they can help the souls in the material world. We offer praṇāma to that Supreme Personality, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura says, “I also offer praṇāma to all the Vraja-devīs, the followers of Śrīmatī Rādhārānī, as their hearts are playing places for Kṛṣṇa.
He takes care of the cows. From morning, to evening, Kṛṣṇa is continuously with the cows. Oh, how lucky are the cows! He serves them, takes care of them, and stays with them. But He does not do this alone. He calls His sakhās and anyone around, saying, “Come with Me to the forests and gardens, and serve the cows.” This is Kṛṣṇa’s desire. If you stay with the cows in Vraja-maṇḍala, then their moods and goodness will come to you.
Śrīla Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura offers this nectar for the happiness of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is very pleased by drinking this nectar and writes it down, keeping it near Him. He drinks and tastes this. Lord Caitanya collected this and gave it to Svarūpa Dāmodara, Rāmānanda Rāya, and His other followers.
How sweet is Gopāla and all the gopas? Gopāla engages everyone in the service of the cows, from Nanda Mahārāja to the other Vrajavāsīs. They all have sweet relations with the cows. They serve the cows, worship them, take care of them, and maintain them in every way.
Kṛṣṇa is God Himself, the Supreme Authority, but He says, “Service to cows is the highest duty.” With all His power He serves the cows. People go and serve God, but God Himself serves the cows. How much qualified must they be then?
Kṛṣṇa promised, “Anyone who thinks of Me and worships Me, I personally maintain them.
ananyāś cintayanto māṁ
ye janāḥ paryupāsate
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ
yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham
Bhagavad-gītā 9.22
The cows took birth in Vraja-maṇḍala and surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa serves these cows with all His power. I offer praṇāma to Śrīmatī Rādhārānī, whose heart is a place for Kṛṣṇa. Śrīmatī Rādhārānī and the Vraja-devīs also continuously serve the beloved cows of Vraja.
dhenu-pāla-dayitā-stana-sthalī-
dhanya-kuṅkuma-sanātha-kāntaye
veṇu-gīta-gati-mūla-vedhase
brahma-rāśi-mahase namo namaḥ
Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta 77
I bow again and again before Him (Kṛṣṇa), whose glowing complexion is embellished with the kuṁkuma powder glorified by its place on the breasts of the cowherd men’s wives, who is the original creator of the flute song, and who possesses the glory of innumerable Brahmās.
Kṛṣṇa’s feet are covered with kuṁkuma from the chests of the Vraja-devīs. He goes here and there, and all Vraja-maṇḍala is colored with this reddish kuṁkuma. All the forest pathways, stones, and everything is touched by it and infused with brahma-śakti. By this all of Vraja Bhūmi is filled with anurāga, and serves Kṛṣṇa and the other Vrajavāsīs with that anurāga for the fulfilment of Kṛṣṇa’s desire. Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura says, “I always offer praṇāma to that Kṛṣṇa.”
Catur-bhuja Nārāyaṇa, or other incarnations and expansions of God, always accept worship. But in Vraja-maṇḍala, Kṛṣṇa Himself serves everyone. Kṛṣṇa teaches how this service is sweet and full of nectar.
Pitāmaha Brahmā created this world, and then he waited. Why? He thought, “When will Lord Kṛṣṇa come enter my creation? If Kṛṣṇa and the Vrajavāsīs don’t come, all my labor and austerity will be useless.” Hearing Brahmā’s prayer, Kṛṣṇa sent the gopīs, gopas, gavi-kula, and Vraja Bhūmi. Then Kṛṣṇa came Himself to give everyone nectarful power.
Kṛṣṇa distributes nectar with His flute. Anyone who drinks that nectar becomes filled with anurāga. That anurāga comes from the cows’ breasts as milk, from the trees as fruits and flowers, from the rivers as sweet water, and from flowers as honey. The Earth Goddess offers many ornaments, dresses, cloth, grains, vegetables, and so many things. This is all from Kṛṣṇa’s nectar. Fire, air, water, earth, and ether—Kṛṣṇa’s flute-call enlivens and nourishes all the elements. Their nature then changes. They have no tama, raja, or sattva qualities—they are all nirguṇa. They attain sneha, māna, praṇaya, rāga, anurāga, bhāva, and so forth. Then by Kṛṣṇa’s desire, they serve the cows, gopīs, gopas, and everyone in Vraja-maṇḍala.
In this ordinary world the fire, air, water, earth, and ether always disturb us. Sometimes it is too hot, and sometimes it is too cold. Sometimes the wind is too strong. Sometimes the earth is very hard, and sometimes the sky becomes polluted. But by the affect of the nectar that comes from Kṛṣṇa’s flute, everything becomes clean and pure.
When Śukadeva Gosvāmī spoke hari-kathā, every hearer’s heart became clean. If Kṛṣṇa gives this pure mood to any of His devotees, then the atmosphere around them will cause others to feel clean and enthusiastic. Power will awaken inside them. The same power runs throughout Vraja-maṇḍala, from top to bottom. There, even the grass has this power.
Therefore Uddhava says:
āsām aho caraṇa-reṇu-juṣām ahaṁ syāṁ
vṛndāvane kim api gulma-latauṣadhīnām
yā dustyajaṁ sva-janam ārya-pathaṁ ca hitvā
bhejur mukunda-padavīṁ śrutibhir vimṛgyām
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.47.61
Aho! The Vraja-devīs have given up everything that is difficult to renounce, such as children, family and the path of chastity, and they have taken shelter of the path of prema-bhakti to Śrī Kṛṣṇa that is eternally searched for by the Śrutis. My prayer is that, in a future birth, I may acquire a form among the bushes, creepers and herbs of Śrī Vṛndāvana that receive the dust of these gopīs’ lotus feet.
In this Vraja-maṇḍala, everything is very easy. The Vraja-devīs drink that nirguṇa nectar and become very powerful. Then svajana, relatives, and ārya-patam, all rules and regulations—they renounce all these things, which are almost impossible to cut and run away from. They leave it all, and go to meet with Kṛṣṇa.
In Vraja-maṇḍala, the creepers and trees have so much power. Even the smallest blade of grass is powerful.Why? Because they always drink this nirguṇa nectar from Kṛṣṇa. The cows’ udders are heavy with milk because of this nectar. If anyone serves and drinks the milk of the Vrajavāsīs’ cows, they will also receive this nectar.
By wearing a flower garland, the mind is cooled and given strength. Similarly, by drinking Vraja-maṇḍala’s honey and eating its fruits, the Vrajavāsīs are filled with nectar.
Brahmā became surprised, “I am Brahmā, the Creator. I did austerity for a long time, but I could not realize anything. A snake came to Vraja-maṇḍala and achieved the foot dust of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa danced on his hoods and left His footprints on his head. Kṛṣṇa said to him, ‘This print will never leave you or your dynasty. Now all your anger fire will leave.’ ”
Another snake came with a massive body and a great fund of false pride. But these things were taken away, and he entered into the nails of Kṛṣṇa. Brahmā wondered, “What is this Vraja-maṇḍala? How is this all possible?”
The Veṇu-gīta has this power. It is the way Kṛṣṇa’s nectar is distributed all over Vraja-maṇḍala. The Guru-varga call us to Vraja to collect this nectar. How will we be greedy for it? If we understand this, then we will be ready to research and find this. Otherwise, if we only eat and sleep like animals, then buffaloes are much better-off than we are.
mṛdu-kvaṇan-nūpura-mantharena
bālena pādāmbuja-pallavena
anusmaran-maṣjula-veṇu-gītam
āyāti me jīvitam āttakeli
Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta 78
Here comes my very life [Kṛṣṇa]! Having assumed a sporting attitude, He slowly approaches on tender lotus feet weighed down by softly tinkling anklets as He recollects various charming flute-songs.
What is the meaning of hari-bhajana? My life is for Kṛṣṇa. And what does Kṛṣṇa give? Anusmaran-maṣjula-veṇu-gītam. He plays on His veṇu and distributes nectar and sweetness. Anusmaran. Continuously remember this Veṇu-gīta. Try and drink just one drop of nectar from Kṛṣṇa’s flute. Do not collect or drink from anywhere else. Criticism is very easy to take into the heart and lock within. It is easy to collect sāttvika, rājasika, or tāmasika things.
In Vraja-maṇḍala how can we meet Kṛṣṇa? What process can be followed? Kṛṣṇa teaches this Himself. Otherwise, the sādhakas have no power. They don’t know the process to collect this. Where does this power come from?
Wearing ankle-bells, the gopīs walk, and they have a stick to churn yogurt. The gopīs walk in Vraja-maṇḍala, and from their feet it is as if butter comes out, meaning, their love comes out as they walk, step by step. Their feet are very soft and sweet, and each step goes like they are dancing. With that dancing, everything in the heart becomes very sweet. This is my life and drink. This gives power for my life. This is soul food; anything else is not helpful. The gopīs wander throughout the gardens, groves, lakes and by waterfalls in the hope that they will see Kṛṣṇa.
so ‘yam vilāsa-muralī-ninadāmṛtena
siṣcann udaṣcitam idaṁ mama karṇa-yugmam
āyāti me nayana-bandhur ananya-bandhor
ānanda-kandalita-keli-katākṣa-lakṣmīḥ
Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta 79
Here comes [my very life, Kṛṣṇa]! The beauty of His playful sidelong glances overflows with bliss, and He sprinkles my two perked-up ears with the nectar of His sportive flute-songs. He is the only friend for my eyes.
Ananya-bandhor. How will I have a close relationship with Kṛṣṇa? How will He be my intimate friend in this life? Everywhere people try to cheat. The demigods are like this, and Māhā Lakṣmi is trickier than them all. She comes to Vraja-maṇḍala to cheat people, saying, “Take a nice house. Take buildings, cloth, diamonds, respect, disciples, followers—I will give these things to you.”
Don’t be cheated by Māhā Lakṣmi. If she cheats you,you will lose everything. If she cheats you, then Vraja-maṇḍala will be lost to you. You will say, “Vraja-maṇḍala is so dusty. It is so dirty, and the people there are cheaters. Nothing is favorable there. It is freezing cold in the winter and too hot in the summer. The water is salty. Vraja-maṇḍala is not a good place. I will go to South India—Vaikuṇṭha-Puram. Everyone is well-behaved there and the climate is so nice.” If we get the mercy of Māhā Lakṣmi, we will run far away from Vraja-maṇḍala and will never be able to return.
Why does Kṛṣṇa not arrange all facility here? If He did, then demons and enjoyers would come and acquire everything. Then there would be no more room. They will come and try to make everyone their slaves. Then our lives would be destroyed.
Kṛṣṇa Himself goes out with the cows barefoot in Vraja-maṇḍala. Any problems like salty water are actually favorable. Otherwise, there would be no room for the cows. Now many mountains are being destroyed to make big buildings. Foolish people are making their buildings on top of Pṛthvī-devī’s chest. What will Kṛṣṇa do about this? With earthquakes He will destroy everything.
How will Kṛṣṇa be my good friend? How can I avoid the mercy of Māhā Lakṣmi? I must not think about her and her ‘mercy’, nor look towards her at all. I must not accept her property. I will like only green grass and the dust of Vraja. This is favorable for me. I will smear this dust of Vraja on my body, and roll about on the earth. I will wish to stay in Vraja-maṇḍala forever. This will be my deep desire and the fulfilment of my life.
I will listen to the song of Kṛṣṇa’s flute, and only drink this nectar. No other music, or sound, dance, or drama will be sweet for me. If anyone once hears Kṛṣṇa’s flute, he will have no taste for anything else. This is a fact. Like a tree, when one tastes the fruit, only then he will understand its taste. Similarly, when someone actually tastes the nectar of Kṛṣṇa’s flute for himself, only then will he understand the sweetness of Kṛṣṇa’s flute.
Kṛṣṇa makes everyone’s heart very soft and sweet. In Vraja-maṇḍala, all the plants, hills, and forests are arranged by Vṛndā-devī, who knows the desire of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa takes care of the cows from morning to evening. The cows live very simply and take only pure things. They are like animals with no brain, but I will help them. Then they will be helpful for all the Vrajavāsīs. They serve the Vrajavāsīs more than mothers. If anyone drinks these cows’ milk, go-rasa, their heart will be very soft. Then they can enter nirguṇa-tattva. They will neglect the mercy of Mahā Lakṣmī, and will not leave Vraja-maṇḍala.
dūrād vilokayati vāraṇa-khela-gāmī
dhārā-katākṣa-bharitena vilokitena
ārād upaiti hṛdayaṅ-gama-veṇu-nāda-
veṇī-mukhena daśanāṁśu-bharena devaḥ
Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta 80
Seeing me from a distance with a flood of sidelong glances, my Lord walks toward me with the sportive grace of an elephant and moves my heart with the current of flute-sound emanating from His mouth, which is filled with brightly glowing teeth.
Elephants have big bodies, large tusks, and small eyes. They walk around and look everywhere. Cows are small, yet extremely helpful. Similarly, we may have big bodies like elephants, or big brains, but in the end, where will we run with these brains? To brahmā-loka?
Yogīs, bhogis, or tapasvīs cannot follow Kṛṣṇa. They can’t come to Vraja-maṇḍala and serve the cows. Where would their good brains come into use there? They drink brahma-rasa or yoga-rasa, but not go-rasa. Because of this, they don’t make relation with Kṛṣṇa. They suffer, performing hard austerity, and doing strong meditation. They sit on top of ice or in the midst of fire.
But in gurukula, guru will give the order, “Go serve the cows, and then your intelligence will become pure and sharp. Then you can understand the Vedas and Upaniṣads.” Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, “If you run for yoga, like the brahmavadis, you will be lost. Nothing will come to you. It may be that you become like elephants, with big tusks and small eyes. Cows give milk, but elephants give nothing. They cannot serve anyone with their enormous bodies.”
Excerpted from the Bhakta Bandhav Publication “Nectar for the All Atractive”
[CC-by-NDNC Bhakta Bandhav]
