The Origin of Ratha-yatra -6

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The Origin
of
Ratha-yatra

THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ
corners of Her eyes. When She leaned on Him in this way, He
used to think, “Today, due to this pose of Rädhikä, My life is successful!”
“Do You remember this?” the gopés continue. “Do You remember
that we defeated You in dice games? And Rädhikä used to
defeat You in debate. Do You remember that we used to meet
with You in each and every grove of Giriräja-Govardhana? Do
you remember that we served You in so many ways at Rädhäkuëòa
and Yamunä-pulina (the bank of the Yamunä)?”
Do you know the meaning of Yamunä-pulina? In his song
Yaçomaté-nandana, Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura has written
yamunä-taöa-cara gopé-vasana-hara, rasa-rasika-kåpamaya.
Kåñëa would always come to the bank of the Yamunä, because
He was very eager to meet the gopés, and He would think, “If I go
there, surely the gopés will come to take water from the Yamunä
with their very big pots. Why will they come? Because they have
promised, and I have also promised.” That place on the bank of
the Yamunä is called panaghaöa, the place where Kåñëa could
easily meet with the gopés.3 Because all the gopés came there,
Kåñëa also came. Everyone else thought that the gopés were going
to fetch water, but when they dipped their pots into the Yamunä,
they never noticed whether the pots were filled with water or
not. They only knew that their pots were filled with love and
affection for Kåñëa. They used to tell Him, “We cannot put these
pots on our heads. Can You help us?” It was only for that kind of
exchange that Kåñëa would go there. He would lift their pots and
proudly think, “I am helping them.”
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KÅÑËA MEETS THE GOPÉS AT KURUKÑETRA
Çrématé Rädhikä now asks Kåñëa, “Do You remember all these
pastimes on the banks of the Yamunä? Do You remember what
kind of pastimes we used to perform at Mänasi-gaìgä? We always
remember this! Do You remember Saìketa-kuïja?” Saìketa is
halfway between Varñäëä and Nandagaon. “Do You remember
Saìketa? When I was on the swing with You, You pushed the
swing so high that our garments flew here and there. I was afraid,
and I embraced You and called out, ‘Save me! Save me!’ And You
were easily satisfied by that. Do you remember?” As Kåñëa heard
all this, He was ashamed and held His head down.
By mood, the gopés tell Kåñëa, “It is very tragic. How could You
have forgotten all Your sakhäs like Dämä, Çrédämä, Subala,
Madhumaìgala, Kokila, Kiìkiëi, Vasanta, and all others? How
could You forget Your father and mother and all Your friends? It
is quite astonishing that You could forget them all. You are very
ungrateful, and Your heart is harder than a thunderbolt!”
While Çrématé Rädhikä and the gopés were thinking this, they
were in a particular type of very angry mood, but now their
mood suddenly changes. Their various moods are called bhävaudaya,
bhäva-sandhi, bhäva-çäbalya, and bhäva-çänti.4
Anyone who has not studied Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu, and what
to speak of Ujjvala-nélamaëi, will not be able to taste these
moods in thousands of lifetimes. One cannot know all these
truths if he has not taken the saìga of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s
associates. He is bound to remain in the chain of birth and death,
sorrow and suffering. I have come to give this message of
Caitanya Mahäprabhu, Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé, and our entire guruparamparä.
The gopés continue to accuse Kåñëa in various angry and
mixed moods. Suppose there is an ugly person who is very black
4
Please refer to the Glossary for explanations of these terms.
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THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ
and unqualified, and his teeth stick out of his mouth. Someone
may say to him, “How handsome you are! Your teeth are more
beautiful than if they were made of gold, and the whole world is
charmed by your smile! You are so qualified!” What is this? It is
sarcasm or parihäsa, a joke. Similarly, the gopés’ words appear to
mean, “You are very rasika – very, very rasika! You are also very
sweet, and not at all cruel. You have all good qualities. Your
tongue never speaks any lies; it can never do so. And Your hands
are always controlled; they cannot do anything wrong.” But what
do the gopés really mean? They are actually taunting Kåñëa, and
telling Him, “Your tongue is always controlled. How is it controlled?
It has kissed millions of gopés, and now perhaps it is satisfied.
Your hands and feet are always going towards the gopés,
searching for them. You have touched the gopés, and that is why
Your tongue has become pure, You Yourself have become pure,
and everything about You has become pure.”
The gopés continue with words that cover their actual mood,
and they tell Kåñëa, “You are very sweet and You have such a
good character! You are very soft and mild, and You are also very
merciful. All of these qualities are in You. But we are very unfortunate.
Even though You are so qualified, sweet, soft, and merciful,
You have left us, and this is our misfortune. We must have
done something wrong, either in our past lives or in this life, and
that is why You have left us.”
Nanda Bäbä has also spoken in this way. When he returned
home after leaving Kåñëa and Balaräma in Mathurä, he was
weeping bitterly. “There was only one true father,” he said, “and
that was Daçaratha Mahäräja. He could not survive in separation
from Räma. He called out, ‘Hä Räma! Hä Rä...!’ and left his body.
I cannot do this! My heart is very cruel, and it is harder than a
thunderbolt. Why could I not die? I wanted to die, but I could
not. Kåñëa is very qualified in every way. He is sweet and mild,
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KÅÑËA MEETS THE GOPÉS AT KURUKÑETRA
and He has all good qualities. He must have decided, ‘My mother
and father, Yaçodä and Nanda Bäbä, are not qualified, and neither
are all the other Vrajaväsés. They cannot give Me the love and
affection I want,’ and that is why He left us and went where He
would receive more love and affection.” Speaking thus, Nanda
Bäbä fainted.
In the same way, the gopés are telling Kåñëa, “We are most
unfortunate because You don’t remember any of us. We know
that we have no familial relationship with You, because we are
not married to You. That is why a man can give up a lady, even
if there is some love between them. On the other hand, if they
are married, he will give his whole mood of love to her. We were
not married, and that is why You could give us up so easily.
“But how could You give up Your mother and father, and
especially Your mother? Your body is made of Your mother, so
how could You forget her? Even if You can give her up, Your
body will always tell You, ‘I am the son of Mother Yaçodä’
because You are made from her blood and everything else. It is
very strange that You have left everyone.
“Do You know that because of You the birds are no longer
singing? The cuckoo birds have stopped singing and now they
only weep. The peacocks do not dance now; they are very sad.
The calves do not drink their mothers’ milk, and the cows are
about to die. They no longer eat grass or anything else, and
Mother Yaçodä never cooks.”
Hearing this, Kåñëa began to weep very loudly, and He was
about to fall unconscious. There is a poem describing this, and it
is very heart-rending.
tuhuì se rahila madhupura
vrajakula äkula, duküla kalarava,
känu känu kari jhura (1)
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THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ
yaçomati-nanda, andha sama baiöhaé,
sähase uöhai nä pära
sakhä-gaëa dhenu, veëu-rava nä çuniye,
vichurala nagara bäjära (2)
kusuma tyajiyä ali, kñiti-tale luöata,
taru-gaëa malina samäna
mayuré nä näcata, kapoté nä bolata,
kokilä nä karatahi gäna (3)
virahiëé räé, viraha-jvare jare jare,
caudike viraha hutäça
sahaje yamunä jala, ägi samäna bhela,
kahatahi govinda däsa (4)
In this kértana, the Vaiñëava poet Govinda däsa is singing in
Rädhäräëé’s mood, “O Kåñëacandra, now You live very far away
in Madhupuré – in Mathurä. But what is the condition of
Våndävana? All the Vrajaväsés are feeling extreme pain and distress
in separation from You. They call out, ‘Känu, Känu!’ But
there is no answer, and only an echo is heard.” Känu is a nickname
of Kåñëa. “Känu, Känu! O Känu, where are You? Even the
birds are calling, ‘Where are You? O Känu, where are You?’
Everyone is weeping. O Yaçomaté-nandana, Yaçodä-maiyä and
Nanda Bäbä are crying bitterly. It is as if they have become blind;
they cannot see anymore, and they only sit and cry. They have
no strength, and they are hardly more than skeletons. They are
about to die because they no longer cook anything. For whom
will they cook? They do not even have enough strength in their
bodies to stand up.
“And what is the condition of all Your cows and friends? They
cannot hear You calling them with Your flute, so the marketplaces
and the roads are all deserted. No one is there; no one at
all. Not only that; previously, the bumblebees were very busy
collecting honey, but now they are so upset that they have left
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KÅÑËA MEETS THE GOPÉS AT KURUKÑETRA
the flowers, and even they are crying and rolling on the ground
in the pain of separation.
“All the trees look drab and distressed. The peacocks no
longer dance, and the pigeons no longer sing. The cuckoos are
silent; they no longer call, ‘Kuhu, kuhu.’ All are feeling great pain
in separation from You.
“Virahiëé räé, viraha-jvare jare jare. Çrématé Rädhäräëé is burning
and burning in the fever of separation. Everywhere, in all
directions, everyone is sinking in the ocean of separation from
You. Even the Yamunä does not flow anymore. This is the condition
of Våndävana! The water that is seen in the Yamunä is actually
the tears that have fallen from the eyes of all the gopés. Tuhuì
se rahila madhupura. Why are you staying so far away in
Mathurä, when everyone in Våndävana is on the verge of death?”
There is another song by Caëòédäsa, also written in the mood
of Çrématé Rädhikä. The words of this song are heart-breaking,
and it is unparalleled in any language of the world. You cannot
hear these topics anywhere else:
sukhera lägiyä, ei ghara bäìdhinu, ägune puòiyä gela
amiyä sägare, sinäna karite, sakali garala bhela (1)
sakhi! ki mora kapäle lekhi
çétala baliyä, cäìda sevinu, bhänura kiraëa dekhi (2)
ucala baliyä, acale caòinu, paòinu agädha-jale
lachamé cähite, däridrya beòhala, mäëika häränu hele (3)
nagara basäläma, sägara bäìdhiläma, mäëika päbära äçe
sägara çukäla, mäëika lukäla, abhägé-karama-doñe (4)
piyäsa lägiyä, jalada sevinu, bajara paòiyä gela
kahe caëòidäsa, çyämera piréti, marame rahala çela (5)
“I built a house in order to be very happy there, but that house
was suddenly burned in a fire. I wanted to take bath in the ocean
of nectar in order to make My heart very cool, but instead it was
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THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ
crushed and burned. I wanted to go to the ocean to bathe and to
make My heart soft, but I saw that all the water was gone. There
was no water left at all. Then I looked toward the moon so that
some of its cooling rays would come upon Me, but it turned out
that those were not the cool rays of the moon; instead, the blazing
hot rays of the sun came and scorched Me.
“I thought I was in a very high place where there was no water,
but instead I see that I’ve fallen into an endless ocean of water. I
wanted wealth, but I became penniless. A very valuable jewel
came into My hand, and then suddenly it was gone.
“I built a city near the ocean, so that I could get a valuable
jewel from that ocean. Then I made a dam, and I moved the
ocean from one side of the dam to the other. However, when the
ocean was finally drained, the jewel was nowhere to be seen. It
was hidden somewhere, due to My misfortune. I looked towards
the clouds to quench My thirst, but instead of rain, a thunderbolt
came on My head.
“I loved Kåñëa in order to be happy, and I gave Him My body,
mind, heart, soul, and everything, but He left Me. The fire of
separation enveloped Me and I was burned. Kåñëa’s love is endless
like the ocean, and I wanted to take bath in that ocean; but
what happened? The water dried up and in its place was a great
conflagration. Everything burned in separation. What should I
do?” Kåñëa would not be able to survive if He were to hear all
these heart-breaking words.
These feelings of Çrématé Rädhikä are the mood at Ratha-yäträ,
and this is Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s mood at that time. He experiences
all the sentiments of Rädhikä, and no one can explain Her
moods without the help of His bhävas. His moods have been
passed on through Çré Svarüpa Dämodara to Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé
and Çréla Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé, who have expressed them
in their own writings. Try to realize all these truths.
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KÅÑËA MEETS THE GOPÉS AT KURUKÑETRA
Who went to Kurukñetra?
This subject matter is very extraordinary. It is not less in depth
and significance than Rämänanda-saàväda (Mahäprabhu’s
conversation with Räya Rämänanda as found in Çré Caitanyacaritämåta);
in fact, it is even deeper. Kåñëa has promised, “I
will never, never give up Våndävana; I will always be there.”
Rädhikä has also promised, “Kåñëa may go, but I cannot
leave Våndävana.” Then who went to Kurukñetra? There are
innumerable manifestations of Kåñëa, and so many of Rädhikä as
well, and this is very wondrous. Kåñëa can be thousands and
thousands of Kåñëas at the same time. Yet, there can be millions
more manifestations of Rädhikä than there are of Kåñëa (as She
displayed during räsa-lélä). She is very expert.
Rädhikä and Kåñëa eternally play with Their gopé associates in
Våndävana, where Rädhikä is called Våñabhänu-nandiné Rädhikä.
She never leaves Våndävana, and She hardly ever laments. So
who was lamenting in Nandagaon when Uddhava went there?
Rädhikä is always with Kåñëa, so how did this separation come
about?
Who went to Mathurä and Dvärakä? Kåñëa’s manifestations
went. Similarly, who was weeping bitterly with all Her sakhés in
Nandagaon? It was Viyoginé-Rädhä. She was the one whom
Uddhava met, who was feeling intense separation, and who
recited Bhramara-géta, which is one of the jewels of Çrémad-
Bhägavatam.
Who went to Kurukñetra? It was Våñabhänu-nandiné Rädhikä,
but in Her manifestation as Saàyoginé-Rädhikä. She is the same
Rädhä, but as a manifestation. She went to Kurukñetra, and there
She attracted Kåñëa to return to Våndävana.
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THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ
Even Kåñëa cannot know
Tad viddhi praëipätena paripraçnena sevayä (Bhagavad-gétä
(4.34)). Everything is reconciled when you approach a realized
spiritual master, inquire from him submissively, and serve him.
This process will enable you to realize everything automatically.
Your mental speculation alone will not suffice. You may be a
learned person, but your learning will not help you; instead, it
will betray you.
I have been explaining the moods of the gopés at Kurukñetra,
and Kåñëa’s statements to them. You can also study this subject
matter yourselves, but only a rare person can go into it very
deeply. It is stated in Rädhä-rasa-sudhä-nidhi (4):
yo brahma-rudra-çuka-närada-bhéñma-mukhyair
älakñito na sahasä puruñasya tasya
sadyo vaçé-karaëa-cürëam ananta-çaktià
taà rädhikä-caraëa-renum anusmarämi
Brahmä, Rudra (Çaìkara), Bhéñma, Närada, and others like
them are very advanced jïäné-bhaktas. They are all ätmäräma
and äptakäma (fully satisfied internally and externally, respectively),
yet even they can only rarely have darçana of Kåñëa, and
what to speak of having darçana of Rädhikä. The demigods
came during Kåñëa’s räsa-lélä, but they only saw Kåñëa dancing
and singing; they did not see the gopés. On the other hand, their
wives saw Kåñëa with the gopés and fainted. The author of this
prayer, Çré Prabodhänanda Sarasvaté, says that if Kåñëa knows
that someone has on his head a minute dust-particle from Çrématé
Rädhikä’s lotus feet, He will wholly and solely give Himself to
that devotee.
Devotees like Brahmä, Rudra, Çuka, Närada, Bhéñma, and the
four Kumäras – Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanätana, and Sanat1
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KÅÑËA MEETS THE GOPÉS AT KURUKÑETRA
kumära – are all very elevated, and they are prominent among
the twelve mahäjanas. Yet they cannot control Kåñëa. On the
other hand, cürëam ananta-çaktim: the dust of Rädhikä’s lotus
feet is so powerful that it can control Kåñëa very easily. Kåñëa
may be happy and satisfied with the love and affection He
receives from these other devotees, but in comparison to the
gopés, they cannot control Him in the slightest degree.
If one wants to control Kåñëa, he must search for Çrématé
Rädhikä’s foot-dust – even a single particle of that foot-dust – and
try to collect it. In other words, he must accept the guidance of
Çré Rüpa Gosvämé, Çré Sanätana Gosvämé, and Çré Raghunätha
däsa Gosvämé, who are Rüpa Maïjaré, Lavaìga Maïjaré, and Rati
Maïjaré in Rädhä and Kåñëa’s pastimes. Kåñëa will be controlled
at once if He knows, “These are the maidservants of Rädhikä,”
but no one can control Him otherwise. Try to become a particle
of dust of Rädhikä’s lotus feet.
When Brahmä went to Våndävana and saw Kåñëa’s pastimes,
he personally prayed:
nauméòya te ’bhra-vapuñe taòid-ambaräya
guïjävataàsa-paripiccha-lasan-mukhäya
vanya-sraje kavala-vetra-viñäëa-veëulakñma-
çriye mådu-pade paçupäìgajäya
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.14.1)
My dear Lord, You are the only worshipable Lord, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, and therefore I offer my humble obeisances
and prayers just to please You. O son of the King of the
cowherds, Your transcendental body is dark blue like a fresh
cloud, Your garment is brilliant like lightning, and the beauty of
Your face is enhanced by Your guïjä earrings and the peacock
feather on Your head. Wearing garlands of various forest flowers
and leaves, and equipped with a herding stick, a buffalo horn, and
a flute, You stand beautifully with a morsel of food in Your hand.
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THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ
Çré Çukadeva Gosvämé is also an extremely elevated devotee,
and in Rädhä-Kåñëa’s pastimes he is a special parrot belonging to
Çrématé Rädhikä. He always sits on Her hand, and She caresses
him, feeds him pomegranate seeds, and teaches him to chant,
“Kåñëa, Kåñëa,” “Govinda,” “Vrajanätha,” and “Präëanätha.” Çuka
always remains in the association of Rädhä and Kåñëa, and he
may even be there to awaken Them during Their pre-dawn
pastimes of niçänta-lélä. That Çuka became Çukadeva Gosvämé,
and yet Çré Prabodhänanda Sarasvaté says that even Çukadeva
Gosvämé cannot control Kåñëa. He can serve Kåñëa, but only the
members of Çrématé Rädhikä’s party can fully control Him.
Çré Närada Åñi went to Gokula in Våndävana and thought,
“Kåñëa has just descended to this world, so Rädhikä must also be
present somewhere.” He went to Räval and discovered Her
there. After that, he performed severe austerities at Näradakuëòa
and became Näradé-gopé, but even Näradé-gopé cannot
control Kåñëa.
Kåñëa Himself became a bumblebee and went to Nandagaon.
There He took darçana of Rädhikä when She was in mahäbhävadivyonmäda,
but He was still unable to understand the depth of
Her mood. Three desires then manifested in His heart. He
became intensely eager to relish the exalted state of Her praëaya
(loving mood), Her appreciation of His sweetness, and the rapture
in Her heart at that time. Kåñëa could never go deep enough
to fully understand Rädhikä’s moods of mädana- and modanamahäbhäva.
Her highest mood of love, sva-saàvedya-daçä,5
never comes in Him, for He is the viñaya, the object of love. It
only comes in the äçraya, the reservoir of love. That is why Kåñëa
– in the form of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu – went to the bank of
5
This refers to the most elevated state of kåñëa-prema, which is experienced
only by Çrématé Rädhikä and which is comprehensible only to that person who
directly experiences it.
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KÅÑËA MEETS THE GOPÉS AT KURUKÑETRA
Godävaré and was admitted into the school of Rädhikä’s personal
secretary, Viçäkhä, who was there in the form of Rämänanda
Räya. Mahäprabhu heard many instructions there. He learned
about Rädhä’s moods, and then He went to Puré and realized
those moods and relished them.
Çrématé Rädhikä’s sakhés, who are Her party members, can
understand and realize Her moods to some extent – more so than
Kåñëa. Kåñëa is akhila-rasämåta-sindhu, the object of love, but
He is not the container of love. The container or reservoir is the
äçraya-bhakta.
It has been explained in the above verse from Rädhä-rasasudhä-
nidhi (yo brahma-rudra-çuka-närada) that neither the
four Kumäras, nor Närada as a gopé, nor even Çukadeva Gosvämé
as Rädhikä’s parrot can fully control Kåñëa. Even Uddhava could
not realize the moods of the gopés, although he went to
Våndävana and had their association there. That is why he
prayed:
vande nanda-vraja-stréëäà
päda-reëum abhékñëaçaù
yäsäà hari-kathodgétaà
punäti bhuvana-trayam
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.47.63)
I repeatedly offer my respects to the dust from the feet of the
women of Nanda Mahäräja’s cowherd village. When these gopés
loudly chant the glories of Çré Kåñëa, the vibration purifies the
three worlds.
Be very humble, and hollow like a flute, and then go to
Çrémad-Bhägavatam and Çré Caitanya-caritämåta and pray.
Then you will very easily realize something. You will realize that
the gopés’ moods are the most elevated.
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THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ
caitanya-gosäïira lélä – ananta, apära
‘sahasra-vadana’ yära nähi päya pära
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.256)
The pastimes of Caitanya Mahäprabhu are unlimited and endless.
Even Sahasra-vadana, Lord Çeña, cannot reach the limits of His
pastimes.
Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé has explained here that Caitanya
Mahäprabhu’s pastimes are unlimited, endless, and unfathomable,
and even Ananta-çeña Baladeva Prabhu cannot explain
them all with His unlimited mouths, even in unlimited time. How
deep these pastimes are! Even Kåñëa cannot know their depth,
although He is an ocean of rasa. Yet, one can easily know something
of their depth by taking shelter at the feet of Çréla Rüpa
Gosvämé and Çréla Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé.
çré-rüpa-raghunätha-pade yära äça
caitanya-caritämåta kahe kåñëadäsa
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.257)
Praying at the lotus feet of Çré Rüpa and Çré Raghunätha, always
desiring their mercy, I, Kåñëadäsa, narrate Çré Caitanyacaritämåta,
following in their footsteps.
Kåñëa’s reply
You will be successful in your spiritual life if you develop positive
understanding and moods. It will not be enough just to
think, “Not this, not this, not this.” Absorption in the positive
must be accompanied by negation of the negative; otherwise you
cannot advance. This is true; but still, absorption in negation will
not help you very much. If one wants to advance in bhakti, he
should try to understand these topics.
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KÅÑËA MEETS THE GOPÉS AT KURUKÑETRA
The gopés tell Kåñëa, “We cannot live without You. We cannot
maintain our lives without You. It will be better if You come to
Våndävana, and that Våndävana is non-different from our hearts.
If You don’t come, You will see Våndävana become completely
lifeless. Everyone and everything there will die.”
çuniyä rädhikä-väëé, vraja-prema mane äni,
bhäve vyakulita deha-mana
vraja-lokera prema çuni’, äpanäke ‘åëé’ mäni’,
kare kåñëa täìre äçväsana
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 13.148)
After Lord Kåñëa heard Çrématé Rädhäräëé’s statements, His love for
the inhabitants of Våndävana increased, and His body and mind
became very perturbed. After hearing of the Vrajaväsés’ love for
Him, He immediately considered Himself to be always indebted to
them. He began to pacify Çrématé Rädhäräëé as follows:
präëa-priye, çuna, mora e-satya-vacana
tomä-sabära smaraëe, jhuroì muïi rätri-dine,
mora duùkha nä jäne kona jana
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 13.149)
My dearest Çrématé Rädhäräëé, please hear Me. I am speaking the
truth. I cry day and night simply upon remembering all you inhabitants
of Våndävana. No one knows how unhappy this makes Me.
When Kåñëa heard the gopés’ desperate words, and especially
when He heard from Rädhikä, He became restless and could not
control Himself. He thought, “I cannot repay the Vrajaväsés,” and
He began to pacify all the gopés, especially Rädhikä. He began to
weep as He replied: “Präëa-priye, çuna, mora e-satyavacana
– My most beloved, I am telling you the truth with My
pure heart. Tomä-sabära smaraëe, jhuroì muïi rätri-dine,
1 7 4
THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ
mora duùkha nä jäne kona jana – My body is there in Dvärakä,
but My heart is with You in Våndävana. I am always restless, day
and night, and I feel unbearable separation. There is no one in
Mathurä to whom I can reveal My heart. I sent Uddhava to Vraja
to be admitted into the school of gopés so that he could learn
something about the meaning of prema. I thought that if he were
to become expert, then when he would return I could describe
to him the extent of My separation and he would realize My
heart. But I see that I cannot share My heart even with Uddhava,
nor with Rukmiëé or Satyabhämä. I thus lament continually.”
vraja-väsé yata jana, mätä, pitä, sakhä-gaëa,
sabe haya mora präëa-sama
täìra madhye gopé-gaëa, säkñät mora jévana,
tumi mora jévanera jévana
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 13.150)
[Çré Kåñëa continued:] All the inhabitants of Våndävana-dhäma –
My mother, father, cowherd boyfriends, and everyone else – are
the same as My life. Amongst all the inhabitants of Våndävana, the
gopés are directly My life and soul. And You, Çrématé Rädhäräëé, are
the chief among the gopés; so You are the very life of My life.
tomä-sabära prema-rase, ämäke karila vaçe,
ämi tomära adhéna kevala
tomä-sabä chäòäïä, ämä düra-deçe laïä,
räkhiyäche durdaiva prabala
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 13.151)
My dear Çrématé Rädhäräëé, I am always subservient to the love
and affection that you all have for Me. I am under your control
only. The creator is very cruel, for he has separated Me from You
and made Me reside in distant places.
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KÅÑËA MEETS THE GOPÉS AT KURUKÑETRA
We are all helpless when it comes to stopping death. Actually,
we are helpless in every way. Similarly, Kåñëa is saying, “Now I
am helpless, and You are also helpless. The creator has forcibly
taken Me very far away from You and from My birthplace in
Gokula. This is My misfortune.”
priyä priya-saìga-hénä, priya priyä-saìga vinä,
nähi jéye, e satya pramäëa
mora daçä çone yabe, täìra ei daçä habe,
ei bhaye duìhe räkhe präëa
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 13.152)
When a woman is separated from her lover, or a man from his
beloved, neither of them can live. It is a fact that they only live for
each other, for if one dies and the other hears of it, he or she will
die also.
Kåñëa continues, “It is true that a woman cannot maintain her
life without her beloved. And that beloved can also not maintain
his life without his dear one. Mora daçä çone yabe, täìra ei daçä
habe, ei bhaye duìhe räkhe präëa. Why does a woman not die
when she is separated from her lover? She remains alive only by
thinking, ‘If I die, my beloved will weep bitterly, and he may also
die. So I should not die. I don’t want to give him any suffering.’
Her lover also thinks, ‘If I die, she will suffer grievously, and then
she may die of separation.’ For this reason, neither want to die.”
sei saté premavaté, premavän sei pati,
viyoge ye väïche priya-hite
nä gaëe äpana-duùkha, väïche priyajana-sukha,
sei dui mile aciräte
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 13.153)
1 7 6
THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ
Such a loving chaste wife and loving husband desire all welfare for
each other in separation and do not care for personal happiness.
Such a loving couple only desire each other’s well-being, and they
certainly meet again without delay.
This is an important point. The only chaste lady is one who has
such overwhelming love and affection for her beloved that she
always thinks of his welfare, even in separation. Räma told Sétä,
“I must abandon you for the rest of my life.” He sent her to the
forest, and she wept bitterly in deep separation. She might have
died in separation, but she was pregnant at that time, and her two
sons Lava and Kuça took birth soon afterwards. Although she suffered
on account of her husband, she would say, “I don’t consider
whether he has done right or wrong. I only want him to be
happy, wherever he is.”
At that time, Räma was in his grand royal palace, but he gave
up his pillows, his bed, and every other convenience. He became
austere and renounced there, and he slept on a mat on the
ground, just as Sétä-devé did. Instead of eating delicious food, he
only took some fruits to maintain his life. He always felt the
piercing pain of her separation, and it was because he could not
survive without her that he performed fire sacrifices and made
statues of her.
The chaste lady who has love and affection for her beloved
husband always thinks of his welfare, and even if he does something
wrong, she doesn’t mind. And the man also thinks in the
same way about his wife or his beloved. Nä gaëe äpanaduùkha,
väïche priyajana-sukha, sei dui mile aciräte. Neither
of them cares for their own happiness or suffering. They always
think of the happiness and suffering of their loved one.
You should try to understand the instruction given here, and
follow it. If you want to enter that transcendental realm, then you
should begin these dealings with your gurudeva. If gurudeva is
1 7 7
KÅÑËA MEETS THE GOPÉS AT KURUKÑETRA
a very high-class devotee, if he has love and affection for you,
and if he is taking you more and more toward Kåñëa consciousness,
then place your whole concentration on him. Don’t think
about your own suffering and happiness. Rather you should
think, “How can I please my gurudeva?” If this mood is not present
in a disciple, he is bound to give up the line of devotion. It is
stated in Çrémad-Bhägavatam:
çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù
smaraëaà päda-sevanam
arcanaà vandanaà däsyaà
sakhyam ätma-nivedanam
iti puàsärpitä viñëau
bhaktiç cen nava-lakñaëä
kriyeta bhagavaty addhä
tan manye ’dhétam uttamam
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (7.5.23–4)
[Prahläda Mahäräja said:] The following nine processes are
accepted as pure devotional service: hearing and chanting about
the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia, and
pastimes of Lord Viñëu; remembering them; serving the lotus feet
of the Lord; offering Him respectful worship with sixteen types of
paraphernalia; offering Him prayers; becoming His servant; considering
Him one’s best friend; and surrendering everything unto
Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind, and
words.) One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kåñëa
through these nine methods should be understood to be the most
learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.
In this verse, Çré Prahläda Mahäräja uses the word puàsärpitä
to advise us that one must first offer himself unto the lotus feet of
Kåñëa. To understand this instruction, we must know that there
are two Kåñëas. The first is guru-bhagavän, and the second is
1 7 8
THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ
kåñëa-bhagavän. The first is äçraya (the abode of service), and
the second is viñaya (the object of service). The qualifications of
a mahä-bhägavata guru are explained in Çrémad-Bhägavatam
and the Upaniñads. You should have strong faith in such a guru
and try to please him. He is very powerful, and by his own power
he will transfer your sentiments to Rädhä-Kåñëa and
Mahäprabhu.
Prahläda Mahäräja is instructing us that one should not only
surrender, he should always engage his heart, mind, and all his
senses to please that sad-guru. The disciple can please him if he
is always chanting and remembering, glorifying bhakti, Kåñëa,
and Mahäprabhu, and preaching and practicing bhakti-yoga.
Then he will be happy.
Çréla Narottama däsa Öhäkura has explained how Rüpa
Gosvämé pleased his guru:
çré-caitanya-mano-’bhéñöaà
sthäpitaà yena bhü-tale
svayaà rüpaù kadä mahyaà
dadäti sva-padäntikam
Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé Prabhupäda has established within the material
world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya. When
will he give me shelter at his lotus feet?
There are so many devotees who have pleased their gurus, but
the author of this çloka has given the example of Rüpa Gosvämé.
Rüpa Gosvämé knew what Caitanya Mahäprabhu wanted, and
why He descended to this world. This is why he wrote books
such as Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu and Ujjvala-nélamaëi. He
established the message of Caitanya Mahäprabhu and the
method to please Him.
Kåñëa continues: “Nä gaëe äpana-duùkha, väïche priyajanasukha,
sei dui mile aciräte – if the lover and beloved engage in
1 7 9
KÅÑËA MEETS THE GOPÉS AT KURUKÑETRA
this way, they will be able to meet again.” Here, Kåñëa is consoling
the gopés, assuring them that they will certainly meet again.
räkhite tomära jévana, sevi ämi näräyaëa,
täìra çaktye äsi niti-niti
tomä-sane kréòä kari’, niti yäi yadu-puré,
tähä tumi mänaha mora sphürti
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 13.154)
[Kåñëa said to Çrématé Rädhikä:] You are My most dearly beloved,
and I know that You cannot live for a moment in My absence. I
worship Lord Näräyaëa just to keep You alive. By his merciful
potency, I come to Våndävana every day to enjoy pastimes with
You, and then I return to Dvärakä-dhäma. That is why You can
always feel My presence in Våndävana.
We should try to realize Kåñëa’s statements. Do you have
madéya-bhäva, this sense of possessiveness, toward gurudeva
and the pure devotees? If not, then all your endeavors in spiritual
life are zero, and you will not be able to accomplish anything.
You should think, “Gurudeva is mine. I have left my father,
mother, sister, and family for Kåñëa, and my gurudeva can give
me Kåñëa. Now he is my everything.” Such attachment for
gurudeva will come by cultivation. If we are not attached to
gurudeva and very much attached to everyone else, there is
something wrong. There are two conceptions in relation to service
to gurudeva. The first conception is, “I will serve all the devotees
to please my gurudeva.” The other conception is, “I will
please all the devotees to serve my gurudeva.” Our motive
should be, “I want to please my gurudeva,” not to please everybody
else. Whatever we do should be to please gurudeva, not to
please everybody else. You can never please everyone.
1 8 0
THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ
yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädo
yasyäprasädän na gatiù kuto ’pi
dhyäyan stuvaàs tasya yaças tri-sandhyaà
vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam
Çré Gurväñöakam (8)
One receives Kåñëa’s benedictions by the mercy of the spiritual
master, and one cannot make any advancement without his grace.
Therefore, I should always remember and praise him. At the three
junctions of the day – morning, noon, and evening – I should offer
my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master.
Everyone will be pleased if gurudeva is pleased, and even if
others are not pleased there is no harm, as long as he is pleased.
If Kåñëa is somewhat angry with me, no harm; gurudeva will
save me. But if gurudeva is unhappy, even Kåñëa cannot save
me. He will say, “You should go to your gurudeva.” We should
know this fact. When Durväsä Åñi tried to kill Ambaréña Mahäräja,
Kåñëa saved Ambaréña Mahäräja and began to chase Durväsä Åñi
with His Sudarçana cakra. Durväsä ran throughout the universe,
and finally reached the Vaikuëöha planet within this universe,
where he begged Bhagavän to protect him. However, Bhagavän
told him, “I cannot do anything to save you. You should go to
Ambaréña Mahäräja.”
Kåñëa continues, “I worship Näräyaëa to please You, so that
You will not die of separation from Me. By His merciful potency
I go to Vraja to meet You. I wipe the tears from Your face with My
pétämbara, and I embrace You; and You think, ‘Kåñëa is in
Dvärakä, so how can He come here? Prehaps I was dreaming, or
perhaps I saw a sphürti (momentary vision).’ On the other hand,
as soon as You see a tamäla tree, You think, ‘Kåñëa has come.’
When I really come to You, You think, ‘Kåñëa has not come. It
was just a sphürti,’ but this is not true. I always come to You, and
1 8 1
KÅÑËA MEETS THE GOPÉS AT KURUKÑETRA
I meet and embrace You. I sport with You, and then I return to
Dvärakä. Then, when Your condition is one of extreme separation
again, I come to You again. I always do this.”
mora bhägya mo-viñaye, tomära ye prema haye,
sei prema parama prabala
lukäïä ämä äne, saìga karäya tomä-sane,
prakaöeha änibe satvara
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 13.155)
Our love affair is more powerful because of My good fortune in
receiving Näräyaëa’s grace. This allows Me to come there unseen
by others. I hope that very soon I will be visible to everyone.
“I think that Your unprecedented love and affection will very
soon make Me come in such a way that everyone will see Me. I
have killed so many kings and powerful demons who were fighting
for Kaàsa, but there are still some left.”
yädavera vipakña, yata duñöa kaàsa-pakña,
tähä ämi kailuì saba kñaya
äche dui-cäri jana, tähä märi’ våndävana,
äiläma ämi, jäniha niçcaya
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 13.156)
I have already killed all the mischievous demons who are enemies
of the Yadu dynasty, and I have also killed Kaàsa and his allies,
but there are two or four demons still alive. I want to kill them, and
when I have done so, I shall return to Våndävana very soon. Please
know this for certain.
“You may say, ‘Come immediately,’” Kåñëa tells Rädhikä and
the gopés, “but if I am in Vraja, the demons will decide, ‘Kåñëa is
there in Våndävana with His father and mother, Nanda and
Yaçodä, and all His friends. We should try to kill them all. He has
1 8 2
THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ
no fort, no army, and nothing with which to fight.’ That is why I
purposely remain here in the fort of Dvärakä, surrounded by
water on every side, and protected by many armies. If I were in
Våndävana and the opposition party came to know of it, I would
not be able to save You. That is why I do not come right away. I
must first kill the remaining demons.”
sei çatru-gaëa haite, vraja-jana räkhite,
rahi räjye udäséna haïä
yebä stré-putra-dhane, kari räjya ävaraëe,
yadu-gaëera santoña lägiyä
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 13.157)
I remain in My kingdom because I wish to protect the inhabitants
of Våndävana from the attacks of My enemies; otherwise I am
indifferent to My royal position. Whatever wives, sons, and wealth
I maintain in the kingdom are only for the satisfaction of the
Yadus.
Kåñëa continues, “My only consideration is that the Vrajaväsés
should not suffer or be disturbed. I live in Dvärakä, but I am
indifferent to My kingdom and associates there, to My many
queens, and to My numerous sons and daughters. I have no
attachment for them. Rather, I am suffering due to deep separation
from the Vrajaväsés. Yebä stré-putra-dhane, kari räjya
ävaraëe. It is only to satisfy the Yadus that I have married so
many princesses and live like a king in Dvärakä. They are my
father’s friends. My father is Nanda Bäbä, and everyone in the
Yadu dynasty, such as Vasudeva and the others, are friends of
Nanda Bäbä. That is why I remain in Dvärakä; otherwise I would
have already gone to Våndävana.”
1 8 3
KÅÑËA MEETS THE GOPÉS AT KURUKÑETRA
tomära ye prema-guëa, kare ämä äkarñaëa,
änibe ämä dina daça biçe
punaù äsi’ våndävane, vraja-vadhü tomä-sane,
vilasiba rajané-divase
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 13.158)
Your loving qualities always attract Me to Våndävana. Indeed, they
will bring Me back within ten or twenty days, and when I return I
shall enjoy both day and night with You and all the damsels of
Vraja-bhümi.
“I will kill the rest of the demons very quickly, within ten days.
Then I will come back very soon. In fact, You can consider that I
have already come.”
eta täìre kahi kåñëa, vraje yäite satåñëa,
eka çloka paòi’ çunäila
sei çloka çuni’ rädhä, khäëòila sakala bädhä,
kåñëa-präptye pratéti ha-ila
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 13.159)
While Kåñëa was speaking to Çrématé Rädhäräëé, He became very
anxious to return to Våndävana. He made Her listen to a verse that
banished all Her difficulties, and which assured Her that She
would attain Kåñëa again.
mayi bhaktir hi bhütänäm
amåtatväya kalpate
diñöyä yad äsén mat-sneho
bhavaténäà mad-äpanaù
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.82.44)
Any living being becomes qualified for eternal life by rendering
devotional service to Me. But by Your good fortune, You have
1 8 4
THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ
developed a special loving attitude toward Me, by which You have
obtained Me.
“Mayi bhaktir hi bhütänäm amåtatväya kalpate. Sädhanabhakti,
devotional activities performed to attain Me, is like nectar,
but Your bhakti is far superior to sädhana-bhakti. You have no
anarthas, and You already have more than niñöhä, ruci, äsakti,
bhäva, prema, and sneha.” There are two kinds of sneha: ghåtasneha
and madhu-sneha. Mäna follows sneha, and there are two
kinds of mäna. There are also two kinds of praëaya, and after
praëaya comes räga, anuräga, bhäva, and finally mahäbhäva.
Kåñëa tells the gopés, “You have everything. Sädhana-bhakti is
very rare in this world, but what you have is not in this world.
Your sneha, mäna, praëaya, räga, and anuräga are only found
in Goloka Våndävana. This is the reason that I cannot control
Myself, and I am always bound to follow you; there will be no
delay in My coming to you.”
That love and how to attain it
When Çrématé Rädhikä was in Kadamba-kyäré, She remembered
Kåñëa deeply, with great love and affection. Weeping, She
asked a bumblebee, “Kåñëa is coming? When is He coming? Is He
on the way here? Can you tell Me? How is He? Does He remember
His friends in Vraja-bhümi? Does He remember His father and
mother? Does He remember us? Does He remember Me? Does He
at least say to any of His queens, ‘Rädhä is not as intelligent as
you.’ Or, does He perhaps tell one of them, ‘That garland is not
as good as the one that the gopés used to make’?” While Rädhikä
was speaking like this, She became unconscious.
This is the gopés’ love and affection for Kåñëa, and to attain it
we should try to take up bhakti from the beginning stages – starting
from initial faith, associating with pure devotees, accepting
1 8 5
KÅÑËA MEETS THE GOPÉS AT KURUKÑETRA
initiation from a bona fide guru, and engaging in services under
his direction.
Don’t look here and there, otherwise mäyä will attract you. We
should try to be like Kåñëa’s flute; there is nothing inside it. We
should try to accept the “air vibration” that gurudeva breathes
into “that flute,” because he has taken the moods of pure bhakti
from his guru-paramparä, from Çré Rädhä-Kåñëa, and from
Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Your speculation will not do. You may be
a learned person in the material sense, but that will not help you
in spiritual life. Your intelligence will betray you. You should
know this truth, and then you will realize everything. Everything
will come automatically.

1 8 7
The difference between Våndävana and Dvärakä
The meaning of Herä-païcamé is as follows. On the fifth day of
the Chariot Festival, Lakñmé-devé becomes very worried and
thinks, “Where has my husband gone? He told me, ‘I am going for
a change of environment for some days, and I will return very
soon.’ It has been five days now, and still He has not come back.”
Unable to tolerate this, she becomes very angry and gives orders
to all her associates as though they had to fight with the enemy:
“Take up your weapons!” Then she becomes the commander-inchief
of her “army,” and goes to “attack” her husband.
During the Ratha-yäträ Festival, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu
wanted to taste the mellows of Herä-païcamé. In early morning
He went to Sundaräcala along with His associates and took
darçana of Jagannätha, Baladeva, and Subhadrä in the Guëòicä
Mandira. Whenever He went to Jagannätha’s temple, He used to
see Jagannätha as Kåñëa, Vrajendra-nandana Çyämasundara, with
a peacock feather in His crown, a flute in His hands, with very
beautiful lotus eyes, and with all the other attributes of Kåñëa
when He is with the gopés in Våndävana. Mahäprabhu never saw
HERÄ-PAÏCAMÉ
CHAPTER SEVEN
1 8 8
THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ
Baladeva, Subhadrä, or Sudarçana cakra, because Kåñëa never
carries Sudarçana in Våndävana. Mahäprabhu never prayed to
Baladeva or to Subhadrä in the temple. He saw them both during
the Chariot Festival, but otherwise He saw only Jagannätha. This
was all very wonderful.
Jagannätha had gone to Sundaräcala (which represents
Våndävana) from His temple in Néläcala (which represents
Dvärakä) and, on the evening of the fifth day, Lakñmé arrived at
Sundaräcala with all her associates.1 She was decorated with
many precious ornaments made of gold and jewels, and she
wore very beautiful and opulent garments. The previous day,
Käçé Miçra, who was the guru of King Pratäparudra, had advised
the King, “Bring Lakñmé-devé very valuable gold and jeweled
ornaments, and decorate her with them. Make such a beautiful
festival for her that everyone will be struck with wonder. They
should think they have never seen anything like this before.
Caitanya Mahäprabhu wants to taste all the mellows of this festival.”
Accordingly, Lakñmé was decorated with gold and jeweled
ornaments, opulent garments, and other paraphernalia.
At the Siàha-dvära (lion gate) in front of the Jagannätha
Temple, Käçé Miçra gave very beautiful seats to Mahäprabhu and
His associates such as Çréväsa Paëòita, Çré Svarüpa Dämodara,
and Çré Räya Rämänanda. Soon after they were seated, Lakñmé
arrived with all her associates and opulence, as if she was coming
to attack Jagannätha. First she “attacked” Jagannätha’s associates,
who were actually Mahäprabhu’s associates, like Çikhi Mähiti,
Vakreçvara Paëòita, and so on, and then she tied them up and
bound them like prisoners. Her associates then punished them
all by striking them with “whips” made of soft cloth, and she
1
In this Herä-païcamé festival, a drama was enacted for the pleasure of Çré
Caitanya Mahäprabhu and His associates. In that drama, male devotees dressed
themselves in sarés and ornaments and portrayed Lakñmé and her attendants.
1 8 9
HERÄ-PAÏCAMÉ
accused them, “Oh, you should admit your guilt and pay something.
You have taken my husband. Where are you keeping Him?
Bring Him here right now.”
Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu was extremely happy to see this pastime
and, tasting its mellows, He said, “I have heard that when
Satyabhämä used to exhibit mäna, She would remove all Her
golden ornaments. Then she would enter a dark, private room,
put on dirty garments, scratch the ground with her nails, and
weep continually. But here I see another kind of mäna in
Lakñmé. She is like a commander-in-chief going to attack with
many soldiers. I have never seen anything like this, nor have I
ever even heard of such a thing.”
Svarüpa Dämodara then explained that there are many kinds
of mäna, and that this mäna of Dvärakä is very different from
that of the gopés in Våndävana.
Mahäprabhu told Svarüpa Dämodara:
yadyapi jagannätha karena dvärakäya vihära
sahaja prakaöa kare parama udära
tathäpi vatsara-madhye haya eka-bära
våndävana dekhite täìra utkaëöhä apära
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.117–18)
Although Lord Jagannätha enjoys His pastimes in Dvärakä-dhäma
and naturally manifests sublime liberality there, still, once a year
He becomes unlimitedly eager to see Våndävana.
Why did Kåñëa leave Våndävana? Ultimately He did so to
please and pacify the gopés. It is said that He leaves Våndävana
and comes to Mathurä and Dvärakä because He cannot forget the
devotees there – or anywhere else. He must support and nourish
them. The next question would then be: after leaving why did He
not return, at least for a visit. One answer is that there is no fort
in Våndävana. If Kåñëa had returned to Våndävana, and
THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ
Jaräsandha had come to know that He was really the son of
Nanda and Yaçodä rather than that of Vasudeva and Devaké,
Jaräsandha would have attacked Våndävana and it would have
been ruined. Nanda Bäbä was a cowherd, a gopa, not a warrior,
and there were no soldiers in Våndävana. Jaräsandha would
therefore have destroyed all of Våndävana and then imprisoned
Yaçodä and Nanda Bäbä, as Kaàsa had imprisoned Vasudeva
and Devaké.
This is a reason, but it is external. Someone may say, “At least
Kåñëa should go to Våndävana from time to time, and then He
should return quickly.” But Kåñëa has so many enemies, and all
of them would come to know that He has many friends in
Våndävana. They would think, “They should be attacked, and
they should be finished.” This is another reason He did not return
there, but it is also external.
Someone may say, “Kåñëa was able to take all His associates of
Mathuräpuré to Dvärakä in one night, in just a minute. He had
abundant grand palaces built there, not only for each of His
queens, but also for all His associates such as Akrüra and
Uddhava, as well as for Vasudeva and Devaké. There were so
many thousands and millions of Mathuräväsés. They went to
sleep in Mathurä, and in the morning they saw that they were in
Dvärakä. This was very wonderful, and it shows that Kåñëa can
do anything He likes. Similarly, in one night He can take to
Dvärakä all His associates from Våndävana, such as Rädhikä,
Lalitä, Viçäkhä, and all the other sakhés, as well as all cowherd
boys like Çrédämä, Stoka-kåñëa, Lavaìga, and Arjuna. He can take
His mother and father, Yaçodä-maiyä and Nanda Bäbä, and all
the other Vrajaväsés as well. Is there any harm in that? If all the
Mathuräväsés can be there, the Vrajaväsés can be there as well.”
But how will Våndä-devé go there? Will Govardhana go there?
This is a very confidential topic. There will be a conflict between





Om Tat Sat

(Continued...)

(My humble salutations to  the lotus feet of  Swami jis great Devotees , Philosophic Scholars, Purebhakti dot com       for the collection)

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