KRISHNA DAS BABAJI MADRASI LE

Définitivement la connection internet ne vient pas et se déplacer au village voisin est une entreprise, que seuls ceux qui connaissent l?Inde ou l?Afrique comprendront.

Donc pour avoir le blog alimenté régulièrement il faudra attendre encore 2 petites journées.

EN ATTENDANT JE VOUS COPIE UN TEXTE EN ANGLAIS SUR KRISHNA DAS BABAJI MADRASI LE GURU DISPARU  DE MON AMI KARUNAMAYI DAS, QUI VIT AU RADHAKUND EN CE MOMENT. NOUS SOMMES VOISINS ET NE MANQUONS PAS DE NOUS VOIR CHAQUE JOUR.

Baba's speciality was his strikingly beautiful fixation on Shrimati Radharani in shuddha madhurya manjari bhava. His favorite book was Shrila Raghunatha Das Gosvami's 'Shri Vilapa Kusumanjali', which he completely memorised and daily recited loudly during his early morning prayers, together with Shri Ashtottara-shata nama stotram (A praise of Sri Radha with 108 of Her holy names) of the same author, the 50 first verses of Shrila Prabodhananda Sarasvati's Shri Radha Rasa Shudhanidhi and many other verses from other books which he had also memorised. He started in this way: "Jay Gurudev Shri Gurudev! Jay Gurudev Shri Gurudev! Jay Gurudev Shri Gurudev! Jay Gurudev Shri Gurudev!.....Nitai Gaura Sitanath Nitai Gaura Sitanath! Nitai Gaura Sitanath Nitai Gaura Sitanath! Nitai Gaura Sitanath Nitai Gaura Sitanath! Nitai Gaura Sitanath Nitai Gaura Sitanath!.....Gaura Gaura Gaura Gaura Gaura Gaura Gaura Gaura He! Gaura Gaura Gaura Gaura Gaura Gaura Gaura Gaura Raksa Mam! Gaura Gaura Gaura Gaura Gaura Gaura Gaura Gaura Pahi Mam!...... Radha Krishna Radha Krishna! Radha Krishna Radha Krishna! Radha Krishna Radha Krishna! Radha Krishna Radha!.., as well as two verses from Shripad Raghunatha das Gosvami's 'Stavavali", which he recited many times each:

radheti nama nava sundara sidhu mugdham

krishNeti nama madhuradbhuta gadha dugdham

sarva kshaNam surabhi raga himena ramyam

kritva tad eva piba me rasane kshudharte

"O my tongue suffering from thirst! Please mix the delicious fresh enchanting nectar of the name Radha with the wonderfully sweet condensed milk of the name Krishna, add the fragrant delightful ice of pure passionate love and drink this charming beverage at every moment!"

bhajami radham aravinda netram smarami radham madhura smitasyam

vadami radham karunabharardram tato mamanyasti gatir na kapi

"I worship lotus-eyed Radha, I remember Radha with Her sweet smile on Her countenance, I speak of Radha, who melts of compassion. Thus I have no other shelter."

Then he continued with the remaining of the above mentioned texts. He used to say that even if we don't understand the meaning of these verses we should go on reciting them with love, humility and faith, and they will reveal themselves to us in such a beautiful way that we will be struck with wonder. The reason for that is that those verses have been written by 'nitya siddhas' (eternally perfect associates of the Lord) and are thus endowed with an astonishing power. In this regard he mentioned the story of a South Indian Vaishnava Brahmin who, following his Gurudeva's order, daily recited the 18 chapters of Srimad Bhagavad Gita at the Ranga Kshetra temple, although his pronunciation was imperfect and he did not even understand the meaning of the verses (see Chaitanya Charitamrita Madhya lila, chapter 9, verses 93 to 107). Once Baba told me that although such a practise unfailingly yields the surprising result of Shri-Shri Radha-Krishna's sphurtis (transcendental visions) and ultimately of Their sakshad darshana (Personal audience), no one preaches this in a straightforward way, despite the fact that Shrila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami obviously, and cleverly did so in the above account in his Shri Caitanya Charitamrita.

He added that in order to get such a result, the mercy of a mahatma guru was an absolute necessity. In this regard he narrated the story of the Vaishnava saint Shri Shishira Kumara Ghosha, who at the request of his brother began to read 'Shri Prema Bhakti Chandrika and Prarthana' of Narottama Das Thakur and lamented because he had no signs of Prema-bhakti (Divine Love for God) as promised in the book. After following his brother's advice to find a bona fide mahatma as his Guru he eagerly looked everywhere and finally found one in Hugli from the Narottama Parivara who blessed him in such a way with diksha that he became not only successful in reading Shri Prema Bhakti Chandrika and Prarthana and other shastras, but also out of divine ecstasy, in writing wonderful books explaining them. Specially in his last years Baba was stressing the importance of Shri Prema Bhakti Candrika and Prarthana, saying that it was the wonderful synthesis of all the books of the Six Goswamis of Vrindavana and that he wanted to hold this book on his chest when he would pass away. In 1984 he had himself translated it in English and later, on his request Advaita Das translated it along with Pandit Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja's commentaries. Baba found it so important that he sent his personal copy of the book to Advaita das, in order to urge him to translate it, although devotees told him that he already had a copy of the book.

During one of his readings of Shri Prema Bhakti Candrika Baba once said: "By reading Shri Prema Bhakti Candrika you are sure to get prema-bhakti (Divine Love for Shri-Shri Radha and KrishNa), but you must read with eagerness (for it)!"

Baba was always concerned with love for the spiritual wellbeing of his close ones who were assisting him in his invalid condition. He knew very well that without doing Bhajan, even while residing in Vraja Mandala, couldn't satisfy anyone. Once when he saw them absorbed in merry making he exclaimed sorrowfully : If they don't want to do Bhajan then let them not do Bhajan, but they will not be happy and just suffer.

Vrindavane kim athavanija mandire va;

Karagrihe kim athava kanakasane va

Aindram bhaje kim athava narakam bhajami;

Shri Krishna sevanam rite na sukham kadapi.

(Chaitanya Charitamrita)

"Whether in Vrindavana, in one's home, in prison, on a golden throne, in heaven or in hell, there can be no happiness without serving Shri Krishna."

Once Baba sent us at Gian-Gudri in Vrindavana to his friend Vinai Babu to get from him the new panjika (almanac), and told us also to bring him from this place a small bag of Vraja-raja (dust). He remarked that it was here that Uddhava Mahashaya's pride of Aishvarya-giana (transcendental knowledge of Shri Krishna's divinity) was crushed into powder by Shrimati Radharani's mercy, disolving in Her foot-dust. Baba's intention was to pass away lying merely spread out on the ground with this collected dust sprinkled on it. Often Baba was exalting Shrimati Radharani's footdust ecstatically reciting the following verse of Shrila Prabhodananda Sarasvati.

Yo brahma rudra shuka narada bhishma mukhyair

Alakshito na sahasa purushasya tasya

Sadyo vashikarana churnam annata shaktim

Tam radhika charana renum anusmarami.

(Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi 4)

"I constantly remember Shrimati Radharani's foot dust which is a fragrant transcendental powder possessed of unlimited potency, able to immediately subdue the Supreme being, Shri Krishna Who is not so easily seen even by great devotee-leaders like Brahma, Shiva, Shukadeva, Narada and Bhishma."

Baba was the proprietor of the incomparibly valuable treasure of the elaborate notes which had been taken by the shrutidhara (person who can remember and recite a text after a single hearing) Shri Nivarana Babu from the famous lectures on Shrila Raghunatha das Gosvami's 'Shri Vilapa Kusumanjali' that were given by the advanced bhajananandi saint Shrila Ananda Gopal Gosvami (1897-1961). Shri Nivarana Babu, who was himself a disciple of Shri Ananda Gopal Prabhu, spoke this sacred text to a Bengali Gosvami, who wrote it down in Bengali script (Note 1). Around the early 1970's Shri Ananta das Panditji had begun to give patha (devotional lectures) in Radhakunda's Govindaji Mandir, and the Vaishnavas wanted to hear Shri Vilapa Kusumanjali from him. Baba told Panditji that a Gosvami in Vrindavana had the notes of Ananda Gopal Gosvami's lectures on Shri Vilapa Kusumanjali. A shrutidhara (Nivaran Babu) had noted it down, but he passed away and now it was in the hands of the Gosvami. Panditji went to Vrindavana and told the Gosvami that he was serving the Vaishnavas at Radhakund (with patha) and hence he wanted to have the notes. Gosvamiji declined, afraid it would be broadcast, but since he came from Radhakunda and was a Vaishnava he could look at it and read it. Panditji said: "I dont have the memory of the rishi yuga (previous age when all could be learned from a single hearing or reading)", so he read it but could not remember all of it. When he returned to Radhakunda Baba asked him what happened and Panditji said: "He will not give it." Baba laughed and said: "You see, it is with me, if you like I can read it to you, but it is written in Malayalam script."

Now one day the Gosvami in Vrindavana had left the notebook outside, and by chance a monkey took it along and droppped it at the place where Krishna das Baba's brother Haridas resided. Haridas could read Bengali. Gosvamiji searched everywhere and finally heard that the monkey had dropped it at Haridas' place, so he came to Haridasji and said: "Look, return the notebook to me. It is very dear to me, I don't give it to anyone." Haridasji replied: "Look, if you consider it properly this notebook is now mine. I did not steal it. Why after all did the monkey bring the notebook to me? Consider it duly, the notebook is now mine." There was nothing Gosaiji could do. But Haridasji agreed to return the notebook to him after copying it. Gosaiji objected: "Why should you copy it? It will be broadcast all over the place." Haridas replied: "No problem. I will copy it in Malayalam (that Bengali Vaishnavas cannot read)." Gosaiji said: "That is good. If you copy it in Malayalam I will let you copy it, not if you copy it in Bengali." So he let Krishna das and Haridas copy it out in Malayalam script. The script is Malayalam, but the language is Bengali, so there was no problem for Panditji to understand it when Krishna das Baba read it to him. Panditji used to give patha at that time in Govindaji Mandira from 2.30 to 3.30 p.m. Then he would take a little rest and at 4 he would come to Krishna das Baba and write down what he dictated. The final page was torn out by the monkey and was somehow rewritten. Baba himself said of it: "Our Mahant (Ananta das Babaji) Maharaj heard these notes at Shri Vrindavan, but could not get them, so with a broken heart he returned here (to Shri Radhakunda), where this humble self informed him that the same notes are here. When they were given to him there was a complete change in his hari katha. Then he wrote commentaries first on Shri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi and then on Shri Vilapa Kusumanjali, Shri Stavavali and Shri Stavamala." Baba later also divulged the original notes on tape to Advaita das to help him with his English translation of the same.

Baba was often exalting Shrila Ananda Gopala Gosvami, reminding us of his particular divine speciality to elevate, during his lectures on Shri Vilapa Kusumanjali, his audience to the level of manjari-bhava-raganuga-bhakti-sadhana. Because of his special divine power even the disciples of the illustrious Shrila Prana Gopala Gosvami used to come to hear his lectures. Once during a tape recording of Baba reading the notes from Shrila Ananda Gopala Gosvami's lectures on Shri Vilapa Kusumanjali, he exclaimed with ecstatic transcendental eagerness and humility: "Mahaprabhu is so kind! So kind! Because He gave me the chance to stay at His place (Gaura Mandala bhumi) and after having darshana (sight) of many of its spots He sent me here to Shri Radhakunda! Therefore all of you please bless me so that I may always read these Shri Vilapa Kusumanjali's notes, always think of them during the remainder of my life and leave my body in such a way of consciousness!" It was not uncommon that during his readings Baba ecstatically burst into tears, asking similar blessings from the members of his audience.

On another occasion when he was reading Shri Vilapa Kusumanjali, Baba remarked how even in sadhaka avesha, in Shriman Mahaprabhu's lila, the conceptual devotional feeling of one's transcendental manjari svarupa is the most important thing and is always present with more or less intensity (during complete absorption in it one loses the mental perception of one's siddha sadhaka svarupa in the world of Navadvipa and is only absorbed in one's mentally conceived siddha manjari svarupa in the world of Vraja).

Baba loved to read the bhakti shastras (revealed scriptures about devotions to the Lord) with commentaries on them translated or written in English. He said that it was very significant for him, because his first (spiritually ecstatic) acquaintance with His worshipable Lord Shriman Mahaprabhu occurred while reading Shri Sishir Kumar Ghosha's English book 'Lord Gauranga' (see hagiography part).

Baba had his small living cell carpetted with framed paintings and pictures, works of different artists, namely: oil paintings of a shaved Shriman Mahaprabhu with bowl (big size), Shrila Sakhicarana das Babaji Maharaja (big size) and Padma Ma (medium size) by Govindachandra das, oil paintings of Radha-Krishna (big size) and Makhan Chora Krishna Gopal (big size) by Asima das, oil painting of Shri Krishna mounting an elephant's figure composed acrobatically by Shrimati Radharani (Who plays the part of the trunk) and Her eight principal sakhis (big size) by Radhika dasi, and an oil painting of Shrila Sakhicarana das Babaji Maharaja (medium size) by Nicolas. There was an oil painting of Shrimati Radharani protecting Shrila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami from the scorching heat of the sun with Her own veil, sketched by Govindachandra das and painted by Bhaktisiddhanta das and two framed vermillion typographies on white cloth by Charles, viz.: a huge one of Shriman Mahaprabhu's bodily prints produced on a stone slab of the Alalanatha temple (in Orissa) on which He spread out in full length, causing it to melt, and a small one of the footprints of Shrimati Radharani's deity at Barsana's Larli Lal temple, produced also on a melting rock. Besides all these pictures he also had framed pictures of Shri Lokanatha Gosvami's Shri Radha-Vinoda, Shri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami's Shri Radha Ramana and a few framed pictures of Sital's paintings. He was also keeping Charles' personally hand-carved wooden deities of Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra on a wooden altar. Baba was fond of all those representations.

Baba was often teaching to hope against hope (including death) for the attainment of siddhi (the perfection of prema-bhakti or love divine) in bhajana (devotions) by saying: "If not in this life, it will be in a next one."

Baba's style of bhajana was in fidelity to the Gaur-Govinda lila-smarana Gutika of Siddha Krishna dasa Baba of Govardhana. He said that to nourish this type of bhajan 3 books were essential for us, namely Shri Govinda Lilamrita, Shri Vilapa Kusumanjali and Shri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi.

Baba had a completely transcendental conception of the Vraja-gopis. One morning we were sitting, waiting for our turn in the Syndicate Bank of Radhakunda as I saw a magazine lying on the table, with on its cover a photo of Indian ladies dressed in beautiful saris and fully decorated with make up and jewelled ornaments. I pointed it out to Baba, trying to sublimate this mundane picture into a transcendental one of the Vraja-gopis, but Baba stopped me at once, rebuking me severely with ecstatic loving anger and gravity, saying that the ladies of this material world were absolutely no paragon of the Vraja-gopis.

Baba often remarked that feelings of separation from Shri-Shri Radha-Krishna were more important for us than feelings of union with Them, and that Shriman Mahaprabhu and His associates gave the perfect exemples of such a devotional practise (viraha bhakti sadhana) and preached it as well. For instance, in Caitanya Caritamrita (Antya-lila Ch. 8, verses 34 and 35) it is said:

ayi dina dayardra natha he! mathuranatha! kadapyavalokyase

hridayam tvad aloka kataram dayita bhramyati kim karomyaham

(Shripada Madhavendra Puri exclaimed with his last breath:) "Oh You (Krishna) who are melting with compassion for the wretched! O Lord of Mathura! When will I ever see You? My heart is aching for want of seeing You! O beloved! What shall I do?"

ei to shloke krishna prema koilo upadesha; krishnera virahe bhaktera bhava vishesha

"By citing this verse, Shrila Madhavendra Puripada tought mankind the nature of love of Krishna and the particular feelings the devotee cherishes when he feels separation from Krishna."

His humility and tolerance were so perfect that he always considered himself fallen and even accepted mistreatments, slander, insults and disservices without protesting . Baba preached humility by telling the following true story: "Once there was a guru who was approached for initiation by two boys. One boy was of a low caste and the guru said: "Never forget where you came from!" The other boy was a brahmana and the guru said: "Now you completely forget where you came from!"

Once when I informed Baba about the misdeeds of one devotee who had previously acted as a Guru, Baba gratefully replied that this devotee was his acarya guru because he taught him by his own example the things that should not be done.

Regarding Vaishnava aparadha (offense to a devotee of Vishnu) and its serious negative consequences, Baba was often reminding us of the famous example of Durvasa Muni who offended Maharaja Ambarisha (Bhagavata PuraNa, Canto 9, Chapters IV and V) and could only get relief from the disastrous effect by begging pardon to Maharaja Ambarisha who forgave him. Also concerning this subject the following words of Sati-devi (Shiva's consort) should be seriously considered: (Srimad Baghavata 4.413)

Nashcharyam etad yad asatsu sarvada

Mahad-vininda kunapatma-vadishu

Sersyam mahapurusha-pada-pamshubhir

Nirasta-tejahshu tad eva shobhanam

"It is not at all strange that evil persons constantly thinking the body to be the self always blasphemes the "mahats" (saintly devotees). Though the "mahats" can tolerate their blasphemy the dust of their feet does'nt. The power of these persons is vanquished by the feet's dust of these "mahats. It is thus proper that such evil persons immediately get the effects of their blasphemy." The Chaitanya-Bhagavata gives the following warning:

shulapani sama yadi bhakta-ninda kare;

Bhagavat-pramane tathapi shighra mare.

Sarva maha prayashcitta ye krishnera nama;

vaishnavaparadhe sei name laya prana:

"One may be as powerfull as Shiva who holds a trident but if he blasphemes a vaishnava the Shrimad Baghavatam gives evidence that he is quickly destroyed. Although chanting Krishna's name is the greatest of all atonements that same name destroys the life of someone who blasphemes a vaishnava.", and in Shri Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu (1.3.54) we even find that:

bhavo 'py abhavam ayati krishna presthaparadhatah

abhasatam ca shanakair nyuna-jatiyatam api

"If a devotee who has been blessed by rati (budding stage of prema) commits an offense to the dearest associates of Krishna then that rati vanishes if the offense is serious. When the offense is medium then that rati (bhava) turns into a glimpse of Bhava. When the offence is slight then it gradually turns into a rati of inferior type like for example sakhya rati or vatsalya rati can turn into dasya rati." Also to make it clear that any type of vaishnava should'nt be blasphemed Shrila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Pada has written in his Madhurya Kadambini:

na ca kripalur akrita drohas titikshu sarva dehinam ityadi sampurna dharmaka eva santas tesham eva ninda aparadha ity vacyam. Sarvacara vivarjitah shatha dhiyo vratya jagad vanchakah iti tat prakarana vartina vacanena tadrisha dushcharitam api bhagavantam bhajatam kaimuttika nyayena sacchabda vachyatvena suchitatvat.:

"The revealed scriptures say, "Persons having qualities such as compassion, non-envy, and universal tolerance are described as sadhus (saints) since they strictly follow the vaishnava religion. From this statement one should not think that only blaspheming such sadhus is an offence because in the Padma Purana it is mentioned, "Even a person with all bad qualities, who lacks of proper behaviour, who is wicked, fallen and deceitful is liberated if he takes shelter of the lotus feet of Govinda. It goes without saying that in this verse, according to the kaimuttika-nyaya, such a ill-behaved person who is devoted to the Lord, is also recognised as a sadhu.

Worried that I may view the vrajavasis as ordinary persons and this terrestrial Vraja as part of the material creation, Baba was constantly keeping a sense of guardianship towards me and was always greatly concerned when I associated with them too closely. In this regard Shripada Prabhodananda Sarasvati has given the following instructive recommendations :

Svananda sac cid ghana rupata matir

yavan na vrindavana vasi jantusu tavat pravisto pi na tatra vindate

tato paradhat padavim parat param

(Shri Vrindavana Mahimamrita, 17.83

You may enter Vrindavana dhama but as long as you don't always consider all the creatures who live there as having eternal transcendental forms of concentrated bliss and transcendental knowledge, you will never attain the ultimate goal of life, viz. Prema-bhakti."

Yadaiva sac cid rasa rupa buddhir Vrindavanashtha sthira jangamesu

Syan nirvyalikam purusas tadaiva Chakasti radha priya sevirupah

(Shri Vrindavana Mahimamrita, 17.84)

The soul of an offenseless human being who constantly considers all the moving and non-moving creatures of Vrindavana (Vraja-bhumi) as endowed with eternal transcendental forms full of delight, will reach its eternal perfect form (siddha-deha) of a beloved maidservant (gopi-manjari) of Shrimati Radharani.

Parasva steyaika vyasanam api nityam paravadhu

Prasaktam visvesam ahaha bahudha himsakam api

Duracharam lobhady upahatam api bhratar arunam

Divandhas tam vrindavana gata janam navaganayeh

(Shri Vrindavana Mahimamrita, 17.47)

O brother (mind of mine)! The residents of Vrindavana may be excessively attached to an other man's young wife or to someone else's property, they may commit violence to the entire world in so many different ways and they may have become insane out of greed, but still you shouldn't in any way disrecpect them, considering them ordinary sinners. If you do so, then know it for sure that you are like a blinded owl that cannot appreciate the rays of the rising sun.

Sad yogindra sudrisya sandra rasadanandaika san murtayah

Sarve py adbhuta sanmahimni madhure vrindavane sangatah

Ye krura api papino na ca satam sambhasya drisyas ca ye

Sarvan vastutaya nirikshya parama svaradhya buddhir mama

(Shri Radha Rasa Shudhananidhi, 265)

Although cruel and sinful persons are not fit to be seen or touched by Saints, still, when I look at such persons gathering in the astonishing, gloriously sweet eternal Vrindavana I consider them all to be the true kings of most worshipable mystics, handsome and having eternal transcendental forms of intense bliss and delight.

One time Baba was moved to tears while recalling how his brother Shri Hari Pada Dasa Babaji went into raptures over some Vrajavasi votaries of Shri Rama Whom they venerated as Narayana (God). Their home's usage was to offer worship first to Shri Shri Sita-Rama and then show the prashadi items with spontaneous affection to their Giriraja Shila (Stones of Govardhana) which were placed on the Tulasi manca in their courtyard. Having noticed their way of doing, Shri Haripada Dasa Babaji started to wonder why, being vrajavasi', they were not offering puja (formal worship) to Shri Shri Radha-Krishna, who are the primary male and female Personalities of Godhead, but were only giving Them the prasadi items of Shri Shri Sita-Rama? It didn't take a long time for Him to understand that these Vrajavasi, although showing an inherent loving attachment to Shri Shri Radha-Krishna and Their pastimes, didn't consider Them as God. For them God was Shri Rama, and Krishna was just their local heroic celebrity whom they loved with all their heart. Although he went on quoting to them evidences from Shrimad Bhagavata demonstrating that Krishna was God, they replied to him that this book mentioned very clearly that the Vrajavasi worshipped Him as their dear master, friend, son and lover but never as God, and so they too, as heirs of their tradition, were following in their footsteps, doing the same thing. The confrontation with these local Vrajavasi 's deeply rooted natural inclination in loving Shri Shri Radha-Krishna in the wake of the Vrajavasi of Prakata-lila (Krishna's transcendental pastimes manifested 5000 years ago) thrilled Shri Hari Pada Dasa Babaji with ecstasy, and, as he realized their elevated status in bhakti (devotion to God), he began to weep uncontrollably.

Vraja lokera bhavepai tanhara charana;

tare ishvara kori nahi jane vraja jana.

Keho tare putra jnane udukhale bandhe;

keho tare sakha jnane jini chore kandhe.

Vrajendranandana tare jane vrajajana;

aishvarya jnana nahi nija sambandha

manana vraja lokera bhave yei koroye bhajana;

sei jana pai vraje vrajendranandana.

(Chaitanya-Charitamritam)

The Vrajavasi who attain Shri Krishna's lotus feet do not know that he is God. Considering Him to be their son some bind Him to a grinding mortar while others mount His shoulders, taking Him to be their friend. The Vrajavasi consider Him to be the son of the king of Vraja. They see Him as a resident of Vraja and never relate with Him as the Supreme Godhead. Anyone who worships Krishna following any of these perfectly exemplary moods of the Vrajavasi will attain Krishna as the son of the King of Vraja. Aishvarya jane nahi pay vraje vrajendra nandana.

Raga bhaktye vraje svayam bhagavan pay;

Vaidhi bhaktye parshada dehe vaikunthe yay

(Chaitanya-Charitamritam)

One who, like the Vrajavasi, does not consider Krishna to be the primary personality of Godhead and worships Him in the moods perfectly exemplified by them, will attain Him in Vraja as the son of its King. However, one who considers Him to be the primary personality of Godhead and worships Him only through the path of Vaidhi-Bhakti will become His associate in Vaikuntha (Aishvarya Goloka).

...atra vaidhi-margena radha-krishnayor bhajane maha vaikunthastha goloke khalvavivikta svakiya parakiya-bhavam aishvarya-jnanam prapnoti. Madhura bhava lobhitve sati vaidhi-margena bhajane dvarakayam shri radha satyabhamayor aikyat satyabhama parikaratvena svakiya bhavam aishvarya jnana mishra madhurya-jnanam prapnoti. Raga-margena bhajane vrajabhumau shri radha parikaratvena parakiya-bhavam shuddha madhurya -jnanam prapnoti...

(RagaVartma Chandrika, wave 2, text 6)

...if one worships Shri Shri Radha-Krishna merely through the path of vaidhi-bhakti without making any discrimination between Their two types of pastimes viz. extramarital and marital, then one will attain Them in the great majestic Goloka region of Vaikuntha. If one longs for an amorous relationship with Krishna but follows only the path of vaidhi-bhakti, one will take Radha to be Satyabhama and attain the position of an associate of Satyabhama in Svakiya rasa in Dvaraka where there is a blend of divine majesty and sweetness. If one solely worships on the path of (kamarupa) raganuga-bhakti then one will become an associate of Shri Radha in Vrajabhumi where there is eternal divine parakiya-bhava and immaculate sweetness...

Regarding the gopi manjari's sthayi bhava (eternal constant devotional mood with consequent behaviour) aimed at and to be followed in manjari bhava raganuga bhakti sadhana, Baba was very clear in teaching us that in no case a gopi-manjari has rati-vilasa with Krishna as it is this unique trait which distinguishes them from the other sakhi. Such staunch loyalty to Shrimati Radharani, devoid of rivalry, enables them to render the most confidential services to Shri Shri Radha-Krishna, get unique favours from their mistress Shrimati Radharani and taste the highest transcendental bliss, things that are inaccessible to any other sakhi.

siddhasya lakshanam yat syat sadhanam sadhakasya tat:

The characteristics of a siddha (accomplished devotee) is the practise of a sadhaka (practising devotee).

Sanchari syat samona va krishna-ratyah suhrid ratih Adhika pushyamana ced bhavollasa itiryate

(Bhakti rasamrita sindhu, 2.5.18)

When the sakhi love Radha as much as or less than Krishna then this is counted as a sanchari bhava (concomitant loving emotion) of their sthayi bhava (main loving emotion) that is called Krishna rati (love for Krishna). But if they always love Radhika more than they love Krishna then it is called bhavollasa rati.

tambularpana pada-mardana payo danabhisaradibhir

vrindaranya maheshvarim priyataya yas toshayanti priyah

prana preshtha sakhi kulad api kilasankocita bhumikah

keli bhumishu rupa manjari mukhas ta dasikah samshraye.

(Vraja Vilasa Stava, 38)

I take shelter of Shri Radhika's maidservants leaded by Rupa Manjari. They constantly serve the Divine Couple by offering Them betelleaves, massaging Their feet, serving Them water and making possible Their secret rendezvous. Because these maidservants are even more dear to Vrindavana's great queen, Shrimati Radharani, than the prana preshtha sakhis (Girlfriends that are dearer to Her than life, like for example Lalita and Vishakha), She is not at all shy or feeling embarrassed before them.

Sva mukhan man mukhe devi Kada tambula charvitam

Snehat sarva disho vikshya Samaye tvam pradasyasi.

(Vilapa Kusumanjali, 93)

O splendid girl! When will you affectionately give me, mouth-to-mouth, your chewed pan (digestive of betel), looking apprehensively in all directions (to be sure that no one notices it)?

Ananya shri radha padakamala dasyaika rasadhir

Hareh sange rangam svapana samaye na pi dadhati

Balat krishna kurpasakabhidi kim apy acharati kapy

Udashrur meveti pralapati mamatma cha hasati.

(Vrindavana Mahimamrita, 16.94)

The maidservants (Gopi Manjari), that are exclusively devoted to Radha's lotus feet service, are filled with an ocean of ambrosial pleasure and do not even dream of having rati vilasa with Hari (what to speak of actually doing this with Him). When Krishna pulls (jokingly) at their bodices they cry out: No, No!, while Shrimati Radharani watches the fun andlaughs.

Tvaya yad upabhujyate murajid anga sange sukham

Tad eva bahu janati svayam avaptitah shuddha-dhih

Maya krita vilobhanapy adhika chaturi charyaya

Kadapi mani manjari na kurute bhisara spriham.

One of Shrimati Radharani's sakhi told Her: O Radhe! Mani Manjari finds more happiness in Your meeting with Krishna than in her own! Just see how pure her consciousness is! Although I expertly tried to tempt her in so many ways to go out to meet Krishna (for rati vilasa) she didn't do it as she can never desire such a thing.

Bakaripu parirambhasvada vancha viraktim

Vratam iva sakhi karti svali saukhyaika trishna

Phalam alabhata kasturyadir alih sakhinam

Harivana vararajye sinchate tam yad adya.

(Jiva Goswami's Madhava Mahotsava, 7.131)

The sakhi like Kasturi Manjari, who have vowed to renounce the desire to relish Krishna's embrace, who only want to see Radha happy in meeting with Krishna and arrange for it, have such a vow granted in this great forest kingdom of Hari (Vrindavana)!

Yadyapi sakhyo hi sva sva yutheshvarinam shri radhadinam eva shri krishnanga sanga-sukhena sukhinyah na tu svasam, tad api tah samanyato dvidha bhavati prema saundarya vaidagdhyadinam adhikyena shri krishnasyati lobhaniya gatryas tesham nyunatvena tasyanati lobhaniya gatryash ca. tata eva sva yutheshvarinam apyagrahadhikyac ca kadacit shri krishnanga sanga sprihavatyo pi bhavanti, tash ca lalitadyah parama preshtha sakhyadayah. Uttaram tu tad dvayabhavat kadapi krishnanga sanga sprihavatyo na bhavanti, tash ca kasturyadayo nitya sakhyah.

(Shrila Vishvanatha Chakravartipada's Ananda Chandrika Tika on Ujjvala Nilamani, Nayaka Sahaya Bheda Prakarana, verse 15)

Although the sakhi are happy when they can arrange for the meetings of their Yutheshvari Shri Radha with Shri Krishna and do not desire the bliss of intimate bodily union with Him, still we can generally distinguish two kinds of them. Belonging to the first kind are those whose bodies attract Shri Krishna to have rati vilasa with them due to them having more love for Him, enhanced beauty, etc. The most important of them are Lalita and the other parama preshtha sakhi, who agree to have intimate bodily union with Shri Krishna due to the great eagerness of their Yutheshvari. Belonging to the second kind are the nitya sakhi or manjari like Kasturi, who never agree to meet with Shri Krishna for intimate bodily union, even if they are requested (jokingly) by Him or eagerly by their Yutheshvari (jokingly).

Ye yatha mam prapadyante Tams tathaiva bhajamy aham

Mama vartmanuvartante Manushyah partha sarvashah.

(Bhagavad Gita, 4.11)

O Pa