The Origin of Ratha-yatra -7

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The Origin

Ratha-yatra

HERÄ-PAÏCAMÉ

aiçvarya-bhäva and mädhurya-bhäva. What will Kåñëa say? Will

He say, “I am the son of Vasudeva and Devaké,” or “I am the son

of Nanda and Yaçodä”? This contradiction of mellows would

create a very difficult situation for Kåñëa. Will He play His flute?

Will He wear His peacock feather there? Will He go cowherding

with His friends in Dvärakä? Can He tell others, “I am the son of

Nanda Bäbä and Yaçodä”?

By the constitutional nature of aiçvarya and mädhurya, they

cannot exist together. If you become an actual madhyamaadhikäré

and hear all these topics in good association, you will

realize something about the meaning of aiçvarya-bhäva, and of

the mädhurya-bhäva in Våndävana. Then you can become onepointed

in your devotion to Vrajendra-nandana. Våndävana

cannot go to Dvärakä, and Dvärakä can never go to Våndävana.

They are opposites, and the attempt to combine them is called

rasa-äbhäsa, contradiction of mellows.

You should know what is aiçvarya and what is the constitutional

nature of mädhurya-rasa. In Dvärakä there is always

opulence, and everyone there knows that Kåñëa is the Supreme

Personality of Godhead. Sometimes He is four-handed and He

can do anything. He can bring a dead person back to life, and He

Himself has no death and no birth.

In Våndävana, on the other hand, there is always mädhuryabhäva.

Kåñëa has taken birth from the womb of Mother Yaçodä,

and He is quite helpless. As a baby, He cannot turn over without

His mother’s help. Sometimes He becomes angry, and He is

always hungry. And when hungry, He steals butter from here and

there.

And Kåñëa may tell lies. He will say, “Mother, when have I

stolen butter? I never steal. You send Me cowherding with My

friends very early in the morning. I run here and there with the

cows all day long, and when I return from cowherding in the

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THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ

evening, being very tired I take My meal and then go to sleep. So

when have I stolen this butter? I have never done it.” Then, when

He begins to weep, Mother Yaçodä says, “Certainly You have

stolen the butter.” Continuing to weep, Kåñëa replies, “Perhaps I

am not your son, and that is why you are accusing Me of stealing

butter. That is why. Maybe I should go away and live somewhere

else.” Yaçodä-maiyä then begins to weep and her heart melts.

She takes Kåñëa in her lap and says, “I know You have never

stolen butter. You have never done so.” Kåñëa then tells her, “I

have done it, Mother. I have done it.” Then both of them weep.

This is the mood of mädhurya. Mother Yaçodä ties Kåñëa to a

mortar. How would she be able to do this if she knew that Kåñëa

is the Supreme Personality of Godhead?

There is one point to note here. In Våndävana, even if there is

a manifestation of opulence, it does not disturb mädhuryabhäva.

There may be opulence, but the pastimes of Kåñëa still

remain nara-vat, like those of a human boy. His pastimes there

do not go beyond the human level. For example, Pütanä came

and lifted Kåñëa in her arms and said, “My dear boy, my dear

boy,” although she wanted to poison Him. He closed His eyes as

if He were afraid of her, and did nothing more than simply suck

the milk from her breast. How could He help it if she died? He

never showed any large or wondrous form. He was like a child,

a boy of only three months – but still she was killed. Although

killing Pütanä was an act of the utmost spiritual opulence, it still

remains a human-like pastime.

Before this pastime took place, Kaàsa was engaged in conquering

the world, and at one point he engaged in a ferocious

battle with Pütanä. Pütanä was just about to defeat him in the

battle, but Kaàsa was an expert politician, so he told her, “Now

I accept you as my sister. You can help me, and I will help you.”

In this way they made an alliance. So Pütanä was very, very

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powerful; it would be extremely difficult to kill a demon like her,

since even Kaàsa could not defeat her. That is why Kåñëa’s

killing her is an example of His opulence.

Also, Kåñëa lifted Govardhana and held him aloft for seven

days on His finger, as an elephant would lift a lotus flower with

its trunk. A man cannot do this, but Kåñëa did it; and He was smiling

and sometimes playing His flute. He was in a dancing mood,

in a threefold-bending position. All the cowherd boys held up

their sticks and touched Govardhana, saying, “Oh, don’t

fall – stay up there!” They were all thinking that they had lifted

Govardhana. At the same time, Nanda Mahäräja, who was a very

exalted devotee of Näräyaëa, prayed, “O Näräyaëa, please do

not allow this mountain to fall down.” And what can be said of

the gopés? They are the very potency of Kåñëa Himself. Rädhikä

looked strongly at Govardhana with a piercing sidelong glance

and told him, “If you drop down, you will be burnt to ashes. You

should remain aloft within My vision.” From everyone’s point of

view, Kåñëa was not doing anything.

In this way, although lifting Govardhana was a very great

opulence, Kåñëa did not assume a large or four-armed form.

Whether there is opulence or no opulence, His pastimes are

called mädhurya if they are human-like. In Våndävana, Kåñëa is

the friend of all the gopas, He is the beloved of all the young

gopés, and He is the son of all the elder gopés.

This atmosphere cannot exist in Dvärakä. There is only opulence

there, and sometimes Kåñëa may assume a four-handed

form or a universal form. He is bound to say, “I am the son of

Vasudeva and Devaké.” He must. He will have to say, “I am a

kñatriya,” whereas in Våndävana He thinks, “I am a gopa.” How

would He be able to reconcile this if all the gopés and gopas were

to come to Dvärakä? The situation would be against the principle

of rasa.

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The Våndävana mood will never come to Dvärakä. In

Våndävana, Kåñëa can carry His flute and wear a peacock feather,

and He can manifest His beautiful threefold-bending form as

manmatha-manmathaù, the enchanter of Cupid. But He cannot

do this in Dvärakä, nor can He perform räsa-lélä there. What

would all His queens think if He were to engage in räsa with

the gopés on the shore of the ocean in Dvärakä? Thus, the gopés

will never go to Dvärakä, and Kåñëa also never goes there in His

original and complete feature. He goes there in another form,

and that form is His manifestation. He will be Väsudeva there,

for Kåñëa Himself cannot give up being Vrajendra-nandana

Çyämasundara. He cannot give up Våndävana, even for a

moment. Våndävanaà parityajya padam ekaà na gacchati:

Kåñëa never goes even a step outside Våndävana.

Çréla Jéva Gosvämé and Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé have quoted the

Puräëas to show that in Kåñëa’s last days, just after He defeated and

killed Dantavakra, He left Dvärakä and went to Gokula, where He

met all the Vrajaväsés. Weeping bitterly, He embraced them all, and

then He began playing with all the gopés and gopas. Then, some

days later, He went to Goloka Våndävana and took with Him His

associates such as Nanda Bäbä, Yaçodä, all the mothers, all the

sakhés, all the sakhäs, and also His Våndävana-bhümi. Vrajendranandana

Çyämasundara thus entered His aprakaöa-lélä (unmanifest

pastimes), while He simultaneously returned to Dvärakä in His

form as Väsudeva-Kåñëa. These are very secret truths.

Similarly, Jagannätha-deva comes to Våndävana once a year.

His queen, Vimalä-devé (i.e. Lakñmé-devé), represents

Satyabhämä, Rukmiëé, and all the other queens in Dvärakä.

Jagannätha lives in Dvärakä for the entire year, but once a year

He wants to go to Våndävana, and He plays a trick in order to go

there.

During the Herä-païcamé Festival, Caitanya Mahäprabhu said:

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våndävana-sama ei upavana-gaëa

tähä dekhibäre utkaëöhita haya mana

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.119)

Pointing out the neighboring gardens, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu

said, “All these gardens exactly resemble Våndävana; therefore

Lord Jagannätha is very eager to see them again.”

bähira ha-ite kare ratha-yäträ-chala

sundaräcale yäya prabhu chäòi’ néläcala

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.120)

Externally, Jagannätha gives the excuse that He wants to participate

in the Ratha-yäträ Festival, but actually He wants to leave

Jagannätha Puré to go to Sundaräcala, the Guëòicä Temple, a

replica of Våndävana.

nänä-puñpodyäne tathä khele rätri-dine

lakñmédevére saìge nähi laya ki käraëe?

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.121)

The Lord enjoys His pastimes day and night in various flower gardens

there. But why does He not take Lakñmé-devé, the goddess of

fortune, with Him?

Caitanya Mahäprabhu asked Svarüpa Dämodara, “If Kåñëa is

going to Sundaräcala to play, why doesn’t He take Lakñmé-devé?

He may take everyone with Him to Våndävana. What’s the harm

in taking Lakñmé-devé?” There is a reason behind Mahäprabhu’s

question: if Kåñëa were to take Lakñmé, it would be against the

principles of rasa.

Try to understand this subject, and then you will at once come

to the stage of madhyama-adhikära. You cannot understand

these topics through deity worship alone, even if you are always

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absorbed in worshiping the deities day and night – to understand

them you must regularly hear high-class hari-kathä. Harinäma

is the superior process, especially in Kali-yuga: harer näma,

harer näma harer näma eva kevalam / kaläu nästy eva nästy

eva nästy eva gatir anyathä. There are always difficulties in deity

worship. You cannot purchase paraphernalia for worship if you

have no money, and if anyone steals your deities there will be a

big problem. On the other hand, chanting harinäma does not

require any paraphernalia. Deity worship is especially essential

for gåhastha-bhaktas, but at the same time, you should not

always remain on the level of kaniñöha-adhikära. Bhakti is like

a current. You should gradually develop your devotion, even if

you are worshiping deities, and then you may come in the

proper line.

Mahäprabhu worshiped Giriräja, who was brought to Him by

a devotee returning from Våndävana. He worshiped both a

guïjä-mälä and a govardhana-çilä, but He was bathing the çilä

with His own tears, keeping Him sometimes on His head or

heart, and sometimes on His eyes. Then, after six years, He gave

them to Çréla Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé and told him to perform

the daily worship by offering only one earthen pot full of water

and eight maïjarés (tulasé buds) with very soft leaves. While Çréla

Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé was worshiping them, he was thinking

that the guïjä-mälä is Rädhikä, and Giriräja is Nandanandana,

Vrajendra-nandana Çyämasundara. He was thinking

that He was serving Them personally.

We should try to come to the level of madhyama-adhikära and

realize all these truths. A kaniñöha-adhikäré will not understand,

so try to enter madhyama-adhikära and keep high-class

association. This is the only process. Reading books will not be

sufficient. They can never help you completely because the lock

and key to understanding them is in the hands of the pure, self1

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realized devotees. The pure devotees can open the lock, and

then you can realize these topics.

yäha bhägavata paòa vaiñëavera sthäne

ekänta äçraya kara caitanya-caraëe

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya-lélä 5.131)

If you want to understand Çrémad-Bhägavatam, You must

approach a self-realized Vaiñëava and hear from him. You can do

this when you have completely taken shelter of the lotus feet of Çré

Caitanya Mahäprabhu.

Mahäprabhu had asked Çré Svarüpa Dämodara why Kåñëa did

not take Lakñmé-devé with Him to Sundaräcala; what harm would

there be in that? Svarüpa Dämodara replied to Mahäprabhu’s

inquiry:

svarüpa kahe – çuna, prabhu, käraëa ihära

våndävana-kréòäte lakñméra nähi adhikära

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.122)

Svarüpa Dämodara replied, “My dear Lord, please hear the reason

for this. Lakñmé-devé, the goddess of fortune, does not have the

proper qualifications to enter the Våndävana pleasure-pastimes.”

Lakñmé-devé is not qualified to enter Våndävana. There are

eight prominent queens in Dvärakä, headed by Satyabhämä and

Rukmiëé, and 16,100 others as well. These eight are special, but

none of them is qualified to go to Våndävana. First they will have

to take birth from the wombs of gopés, marry gopas, and then

cheat their husbands and become Kåñëa’s paramours, as all the

gopés are. They will have to give up their husbands and everything

else. They will be able to serve Kåñëa in Våndävana if they

are under the guidance of the gopés; otherwise such service will

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not be possible. Lakñmé-devé could not enter Våndävana, even

though she performed severe austerities in Baelvana. She wanted

to cross the River Yamunä and see the räsa-lélä, but she could

not.

Yogamäyä is greater than Lakñmé, and she can control everyone.

When she saw Lakñmé’s austerities, she approached her and

said, “You are a chaste lady, a brähmaëé, married to Näräyaëa.

Can you give up your husband and marry somebody else – a

gopa?”

Lakñmé replied, “I cannot do it. How is it possible?”

Yogamäyä said, “Can you make cow dung paddies?”

Lakñmé replied, “Oh, I cannot do that. I don’t know how.”

Yogamäyä asked, “Can you milk cows?”

Lakñmé replied, “I have never done it before.”

Then Yogamäyä told her, “You cannot go to Våndävana,

because you are not qualified. First you would have to take birth

from a gopé’s womb, associate with the gopés, and try to follow

them. You would have to marry a gopa like Durmukha,

Durmada, Abhimanyu, or Govardhana Malla. Then, when you

have given up that husband, you would be able to go to Kåñëa

and make Him your beloved. This is the only process.”

In one kalpa it was Yogamäyä who questioned Lakñmé-devé,

and in another it was Kåñëa Himself, but both of them had to tell

her the same conclusion: she is unfit for this rasa.

Svarüpa Dämodara continued:

våndävana-léläya kåñëera sahäya gopé-gaëa

gopé-gaëa vinä kåñëera harite näre mana

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.123)

In the pastimes of Våndävana, the only assistants are the gopés. But

for the gopés, no one can attract the mind of Kåñëa.

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Was Svarüpa Dämodara telling a lie? The gopas are also there

in Våndävana, but he did not mention them. Rather, he said that

no one but the gopés can control and steal away Kåñëa’s heart,

and Kåñëa Himself has confirmed this by His statement in

Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.32.22):

na päraye ’haà niravadya-saàyujäà

sva-sädhu-kåtyaà vibudhäyuñäpi vaù

yä mäbhajan durjaya-geha-çåìkhaläù

saàvåçcya tad vaù pratiyätu sädhunä

[When the gopés were overwhelmed with dissatisfaction due to

Lord Kåñëa’s absence from the räsa-lélä, Kåñëa returned to them

and told them:] My dear gopés, our meeting is certainly free of all

material contamination. I must admit that in many lives it would

be impossible for Me to repay My debt to you because you have

cut off the bondage of family life just to search for Me.

Consequently I am unable to repay you. Therefore please be

satisfied with your honest activities in this regard.

Kåñëa has said this only to the gopés; He has not said it to

anyone else. It is stated in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.14.32):

aho bhägyam aho bhägyaà

nanda-gopa-vrajaukasäm

yan-mitraà paramänandaà

pürëaà brahma sanätanam

How greatly fortunate are Nanda Mahäräja, the cowherd men, and

all the other inhabitants of Vraja-bhümi! There is no limit to their

good fortune because the Absolute Truth, the source of transcendental

bliss, the eternal Supreme Brahman, has become their

friend.

One can serve Kåñëa in a male form, as a gopa. Nanda Bäbä

can serve Kåñëa as His father, and Gargäcärya, Bhäguri Muni, or

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Çäëòilya Åñi can come to Him as guru and offer Him blessings.

Others, such as Sudämä, Subala, Madhumaìgala, and of course

Baladeva Prabhu, can also serve Kåñëa in a male form. However,

no one in a male form can serve Çrématé Rädhikä. Especially, no

male can go to that place where Kåñëa is engaged in pastimes

with Rädhikä and the gopés. Some friends, such as Subala Sakhä,

Madhumaìgala, Kokila, Bhåìga, and other priya-narma-sakhäs

who have some mood of mahäbhäva, can approach and help

somewhat from a little distance, but they cannot enter the

kuïjas. On the other hand, all the gopés can go there.

It is for this reason that Svarüpa Dämodara especially mentioned

the gopés. He said that no one but the gopés can go there.

Even Mother Yaçodä cannot go there. She has some idea what

Kåñëa is doing there,2 but she cannot go. Mother Rohiëé also

knows somewhat, but she cannot go there either. She will remain

very far away and, like Mother Yaçodä, pretend not to know anything.

Mother Yaçodä does not know that Kåñëa meets with the

gopés and engages in amorous pastimes throughout the night. In

the morning, when she sees Kåñëa with many marks on His

body, she thinks, “Oh, all these naughty boys were playing with

Kåñëa, and they have made scratch marks on Him.”

If you want to serve Kåñëa fully, you must follow the process

given by Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé and Çréla Raghunätha däsa

Gosvämé. You should hear and learn all the topics discussed in

Rüpa-çikñä,3 Sanätana-çikñä,3 especially in Rämänandasaàväda,

and still more than that, here in Ratha-yäträ-prasaìga,

the topics of Ratha-yäträ. Everything is very clear here. The

Actually, both Yaçodä-maiyä and Rohiëé-maiyä know that Kåñëa meets with the

gopés and that they play together like friends. They do not think anything bad

about this because they consider that both Kåñëa and the gopés are very young.

They have been playing together since their early ages and there is no concern

within the minds of Yaçodä and Rohiëé. What they do not know is that Kåñëa

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essence of the teachings that Mahäprabhu gave to Rüpa Gosvämé

in Prayäga, the essence of what Rüpa Gosvämé wrote in Ujjvalanélamaëi

– the essence of everything – is all here.

This subject matter is like very sweet honey in a bottle, but the

cork is very tight. Bees can fly around the bottle, and they can

lick the glass, but they cannot taste the honey. If you follow the

process, the seed of pure bhakti can be placed in your heart

properly, and you will enter the line of Rüpa and Raghunätha

and realize something. This is our objective. Otherwise, if you do

not follow the process, your chanting and remembering and your

performance of the other types of the ninefold bhakti process

will not take you to Våndävana.

If you are serving Jagannätha in the mood of the residents of

Dvärakä, and not following the gopés, do not be disturbed by

what I am saying. First become madhyama-adhikäré, otherwise

you will give up the worship of Jagannätha, Baladeva, Subhadrä,

and Gaura-Nityänanda prematurely. Don’t do anything rashly.

First try to know all these truths, come to the stage of a

madhyama-adhikäré, and then you can be one-pointed in your

devotion to Kåñëa. You cannot be one-pointed at your present

stage. However, if you hear continually in good association, you

will quickly realize what is helpful and what is not. At present

you are not able to discriminate.

We should know what is bhävamayi, bhäva-sambandhé,

bhäva-anuküla, bhäva-aviruddha, and bhäva-pratiküla.4 You

goes out at night and meets with the gopés, but they are aware that Kåñëa and

the gopés meet and play in the daytime. In Vedic culture it is not acceptable that

boys and girls meet in the middle of the night.

This refers to Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s instructions to Rüpa Gosvämé and

Sanätana Gosvämé, which are found in Chapters 19–23 of Madhya-lélä of Çri

Caitanya-caritämåta.

Please refer to the Glossary for explanations of these terms.

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will not be able to understand this in a day, but this is our aim

and objective. If you are in the line of Mahäprabhu, you should

be in the line of Rüpa and Raghunätha. Try to know all these

established truths, and follow in their line. On the other hand, if

you are not of this inclination, you can join the Rämänuja or

Madhväcärya sampradäyas, and chant and perform kértana in

their mood of opulence.

Again, Mahäprabhu is telling Svarüpa Dämodara:

prabhu kahe – yäträ-chale kåñëera gamana

subhadrä ära baladeva, saìge dui jana

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.125)

The Lord said, “Using the Chariot Festival as an excuse, Kåñëa goes

there with Subhadrä and Baladeva.”

Kåñëa lives with His thousands of queens in Dvärakä, but

sometimes His remembrance of Våndävana is so strong that He

cannot control Himself. At that time He tells his queens, represented

by Lakñmé-devé, “Now I am feeling sick. I want to go

somewhere for a change of climate.” Jagannätha is pretending.

He is actually going to Våndävana, but He does not tell His wife,

Lakñmé-devé. Lakñmé replies, “You can go, but return very soon,

and don’t go alone,” and Jagannätha agrees, “I will not go alone.”

Baladeva is Jagannätha’s brother, and Subhadrä has great

affection for the gopés; so He took them with Him in the chariot

and went to the Guëòicä Mandira, which represents Våndävana.

He went to meet the gopas and gopés, Nanda Bäbä, and all His

other associates of Vraja. He first went to Nanda-bhavana, and

after meeting with His parents He left Baladeva and Subhadrä

there in Nandagaon and went alone to Våndävana to play with

the gopés.

Mahäprabhu said:

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gopé-saìge yata lélä haya upavane

nigüòha kåñëera bhäva keha nähi jäne

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.125)

All the pastimes with the gopés that take place in the gardens are

very confidential ecstasies of Lord Kåñëa. No one knows them.

Why does Kåñëa take Baladeva and Subhadrä with Him? There

is a deep meaning behind this. Baladeva and Subhadrä would be

staying with Yaçodä-maiyä. They do not understand Kåñëa’s confidential

pastimes with the gopés, and they do not know where

He goes alone at night. They do not know that He is sometimes

at Vaàçévaöa, sometimes at Sevä-kuïja, and sometimes at Rädhäkuëòa.

Kåñëa also goes to these places in the daytime, and He

meets the gopés there. He is alone with the gopés there, sometimes

playing on swings, and sometimes gambling with them, sometimes

being defeated by them, and sometimes having His flute

forcibly taken by them. And sometimes they play in Rädhäkuëòa

or Çyäma-kuëòa, throwing water on each other.

Even Yaçodä-maiyä does not actually know what goes on in

these confidential pastime-places. Only Yogamäyä Paurëamäsé,

Våndä, Dhaniñöhä, and Kundalätä know. Sometimes Subala and

Madhumaìgala know, but even when they know, they do not go

there. So Subhadrä and Baladeva do not know for what purpose

Kåñëa has gone to Våndävana.

Only Kåñëa knows, and He has brought Baladeva and

Subhadrä only so that Lakñmé-devé will not mistrust Him. She will

not wonder, “Why has He gone away? Has He run away to

Våndävana?” She will believe, “If Baladeva and Subhadrä are

there, they will soon tell Kåñëa, ‘We should now return to

Dvärakä.’”

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ataeva kåñëera präkaöye nähi kichu doña

tabe kene lakñmédevé kare eta roña?

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.126)

[Caitanya Mahäprabhu now asked the question:] Since there is no

fault in Kåñëa’s pastimes, why does the goddess of fortune become

angry with Him?

What is the deep meaning behind this question? Why is

Mahäprabhu asking it? Kåñëa is going with Baladeva and

Subhadrä-devé, but they do not know why He is going, and they

do not know that He will play with the gopés here and there in

the nikuïjas. Since no one knows, who has told Lakñmé that

Kåñëa is going to play with the gopés? No one told her. Also,

Kåñëa’s elder brother, Baladeva, is there with Kåñëa. Kåñëa cannot

do anything wrong in the presence of His elder brother.

Subhadrä, His younger sister, is also there with Him. In their

presence He cannot meet the gopés. Why, then, is Lakñmé so

angry?

Svarüpa Dämodara replied:

svarüpa kahe, – prema-vatéra ei ta’ svabhäva

käntera audäsya-leçe haya krodha-bhäva

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.127)

It is the nature of a girl afflicted by love to become immediately

angry upon finding any neglect on the part of her lover.

Because of Kåñëa’s delay in returning, Lakñmé considers that

He is ignoring her. She thinks, “Oh, He has not returned. He is

neglecting me. He is not actually sick, as He told me; He was pretending.

Now He must be playing with the gopas and gopés there

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HERÄ-PAÏCAMÉ

– and He must be very happy!” This is the reason for her anger.

If a woman loves her husband, and her husband has a new

lover, what will happen? An Indian lady will take a bottle of

kerosene oil or petrol, pour it on her body, and set fire to herself;

and only her ashes will remain. In the West there is no such problem.

If one’s husband keeps three, four, five, or more new lovers,

no harm; the wife will also get new boyfriends. In India, however,

this would create a great problem. The wife will become

very angry, even if she feels a very slight neglect.

In Våndävana there is not only one kind of mäna; there are

thousands. Some are without reason, some with reason, and

there are so many kinds of reasons. Mäna is an advanced stage

of prema, and manifests when there is sthäyibhäva. Upon that

sthäyibhäva, uddépana and älambana manifest, and then all the

sättvika-bhävas and thirty-three kinds of vyabhicäré moods

become manifest. Vibhäva, anubhäva, sättvika, and vyabhicäré 5

all mix together on the platform of sthäyibhäva, of which there

are five kinds, and they never change. Before sthäyibhäva comes

rati, and then, after some time, sthäyibhäva descends from a

rägätmikä-bhakta of Goloka Våndävana, and that sthäyibhäva is

the permanent platform of prema.

What is the nature of prema? Even when there are many strong

and compelling reasons to break one’s love and affection, it will

increase hundreds of thousands of times instead. That is prema.

There is no self-interest there. The gopés only want to please

Kåñëa, and Kåñëa wants to please the gopés. It is not like the socalled

love of this world, which ends in quarrel and divorce.

After prema comes sneha, the stage in which one’s heart will

melt if one sees Kåñëa, and one’s eyes will be always full of tears.

There are two kinds of sneha: ghåta-sneha and madhu-sneha.

Please refer to the Glossary for explanations of these terms.

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THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ

Çrématé Rädhikä has madhu-sneha, and Candrävalé and others

like her have ghåta-sneha. Madhu-sneha occurs when a gopé

thinks, “Kåñëa is mine,” whereas the mood, “I am Kåñëa’s” is the

ghåta-sneha of Candrävalé.

After sneha comes praëaya, which can be understood by the

following example. We can take massage and bathe in front of

our shadows, or in front of a mirror, without feeling any shame.

We can be naked in front of the mirror because only our reflection

is with us, but we will be ashamed if another person is present.

Similarly, praëaya is the stage at which sneha increases to

such an extent that one thinks she and Kåñëa are one soul in two

bodies – like a person and his reflection in a mirror.

After praëaya comes mäna. Sometimes mäna arises before

praëaya, but the general process is that intense praëaya comes

first, and mäna comes after that. Mäna appears when one

thinks, “Kåñëa will surely come and pacify me. He is bound to

come.” If this strong faith is there, that is mäna. There are many

kinds of mäna, as mentioned earlier, some without reason, and

some with reason – and there are many kinds of reasons.

Rädhikä has unlimited moods. The prominent ones number

360, and therefore there are 360 kinds of gopés. All the gopés have

separate individual moods, and all these moods are found in

Çrématé Rädhikä. In other words, all the gopés are manifestations

of Çrématé Rädhikä. All the gopés and their different moods have

manifested by Her desire, and She is a combination of them all.

All moods reside in Rädhikä, and Her various moods are manifest

in different gopés. Lalitä is prakharä (outspoken), some gopés

are dhirä (sober), some adhirä (restless), and so on. Svarüpa

Dämodara was explaining this, and Mahäprabhu replied, “More,

more, more – I want to hear more.”

When those who have the mood “I am Kåñëa’s” are in mäna,

they will weep. They will not protest or call Kåñëa ill names, and

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HERÄ-PAÏCAMÉ

they cannot speak any harsh words to Him; they will only weep.

However, those with the mood that “Kåñëa is mine” become very

angry, and in their anger they will shoot Kåñëa with the arrows of

their harsh words. When Kåñëa comes to those whose mood is in

between the two aforementioned moods, they will not say very

much. They may say, “You can come. Oh, now You are very

tired.” They will give Him a seat, and sometimes they will speak

harsh, taunting words like, “Oh, You look so beautiful. You now

look like Çaìkara Mahädeva – Néla-rohita Rudra.”6

While Caitanya Mahäprabhu was tasting all this kathä, He said,

“I have never heard anything like this before – that Lakñmé has

come with her whole party as a commander-in-chief, as if to

attack.” Lakñmé began to beat Kåñëa’s chariot, and Çréväsa Paëòita

began clapping. He was very happy that the associates of Lakñmé

were chastising the associates of Våndävana, imprisoning them,

“beating” them, taking a fine from them, taking their garlands

and ornaments, and punishing them.

çréväsa häsiyä kahe, – çuna, dämodara

ämära lakñméra dekha sampatti vistara

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.203)

At this time, Çréväsa Öhäkura smiled and told Svarüpa Dämodara,

“My dear sir, please hear! Just see how opulent my goddess of fortune

is!”

våndävanera sampad dekha, – puñpa-kisalaya

giridhätu-çikhipiccha-guïjäphala-maya

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.204)

Çaìkara’s complexion is a mixture of blue, black, and red. This comparison is

made when Kåñëa comes to Rädhikä with blackish and reddish spots on His face

and limbs, and She thinks the spots are a result of His sporting with other gopés.

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THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ

“As far as Våndävana’s opulence is concerned, it consists of a few

flowers and twigs, some minerals from the hills, a few peacock

feathers, and the plant known as guïjä.”

Çréväsa Paëòita smiled and said, “There are no golden crowns

in Våndävana. There are only flutes made of dry bamboo, and

some peacock feathers, and Kåñëa only wears a pétämbara and

flower garlands. There is nothing of any value there.”

eta sampatti chäòi’ kene gelä våndävana

täìre häsya karite lakñmé karilä säjana

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.206)

Lakñmé wondered, “Why did Lord Jagannätha give up so much

opulence and go to Våndävana?” To make Him a laughing-stock,

the goddess of fortune made arrangements for much decoration.

People in the mood of opulence may think like this. They are

all on the side of Lakñmé-devé. Svarüpa Dämodara, however,

being Lalitä in kåñëa-lélä, is of her mood and therefore a pure

Vrajaväsé.

tomära öhäkura, dekha eta sampatti chäòi’

patra-phala-phula-lobhe gelä puñpa-bäòé

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.207)

[Then the maidservants of the goddess of fortune said to the servants

of Lord Jagannätha:] Why did your Lord Jagannätha abandon

the great opulence of the goddess of fortune and, for the sake of

a few leaves, fruits, and flowers, go see the flower garden of

Çrématé Rädhäräëé?

Çréla Bhaktivedänta Swämé Mahäräja wrote these translations; I

am not saying all this. He has translated the verses, and I am only

reading them, so I am not “guilty.” If anyone says, “Näräyaëa

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HERÄ-PAÏCAMÉ

Mahäräja is a sahajiyä and that is why he is saying all these

things,” then my çikñä-guru, Çréla Swämé Mahäräja, must be a

greater sahajiyä than me. He will be the guru of the sahajiyäs,

and Çréla Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé, who has written Çré

Caitanya-caritämåta, will be the mahä-guru of all sahajiyäs. If

that is the case, there is no harm in being “sahajiyä.” If all my

gurus are “sahajiyä,” I will also want to be “sahajiyä.” Actually,

those who criticize may claim to be in the line of Mahäprabhu,

but they are not in the line of our guru-paramparä, of Rüpa-

Raghunätha, or of Svarüpa Dämodara. Others may say whatever

they like, but we will remain very securely in the line of Svarüpa

Dämodara. We follow Çréla Bhaktivedänta Swämé Mahäräja, and

we follow his translations:

“Your master is so expert at everything. Why does He do such

things? Please bring your master before the goddess of fortune.” In

this way, all the maidservants of the goddess of fortune arrested

the servants of Jagannätha, bound them around the waist, and

brought them before the goddess of fortune. When all the maidservants

brought Lord Jagannätha’s servants before the lotus feet

of the goddess of fortune, the Lord’s servants were fined and

forced to submit. All the maidservants began to beat the ratha

with sticks, and they treated the servants of Lord Jagannätha

almost like thieves. (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä

14.208–11))

Here, Jagannätha’s servants were the associates of

Mahäprabhu, and those who were with Lakñmé-devé were also

the servants of Jagannätha.

saba bhåtya-gana kahe – yoòa kari’ häta

‘käli äni diba tomära äge jagannätha’

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.212)

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THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ

Finally all of Lord Jagannätha’s servants submitted to the goddess

of fortune with folded hands, assuring her that they would bring

Lord Jagannätha before her the very next day.

Jagannätha’s servants made this promise, and then Lakñmé

fined and punished them and returned to her abode. Now

Çréväsa Paëòita asked Svarüpa Dämodara the following question:

“Do you know that all the gopas and gopés in Våndävana are very

poor? They have no golden ornaments. They only milk cows and

make butter, ghee, and similar things, and then they use it all

themselves. Våndävana is not like Mathurä and Dvärakä; there

are no palaces there, and the residents have only carts and

kuïjas. All the garlands there are made of flowers, whereas the

garlands in Dvärakä are made of pearls, diamonds, and other

jewels. So why does Kåñëa go to Våndävana?”

Kåñëa goes to Våndävana because the natural love and affection

there is not found in Dvärakä, or anywhere else. In Dvärakä,

love and affection is controlled by rules and regulations, just as

the Vedas control by rules and regulations. In Våndävana there is

no control, for the gopés serve Kåñëa by their parakéya mood.

This is possible only in Våndävana, not in Mathurä and Dvärakä.

svarüpa kahe, – çréväsa, çuna sävadhäne

våndävana-sampad tomära nähi paòe mane?

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.218)

Svarüpa Dämodara then retorted, “My dear Çréväsa, please hear

me with attention. You have forgotten the transcendental opulence

of Våndävana.”

våndävane sähajika ye sampat-sindhu

dvärakä-vaikuëöha-sampat – tära eka bindu

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.219)

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HERÄ-PAÏCAMÉ

“The natural opulence of Våndävana is just like an ocean. The

opulence of Dvärakä and Vaikuntha is not even to be compared to

a drop.”

One flower of Våndävana can give millions of diamonds and

other opulences, though Kåñëa’s associates do not want that.

They only make garlands for decoration, and their ankle bells are

made of desire stones (cintämaëi) although they have no need

of them. They only use them when they are dancing.

Suppose you are very wealthy and have many millions of dollars,

but you are not getting any love and affection; and suppose

that somewhere else there is no wealth, but there is love and

affection. Where would you prefer to be? As long as there is love

and affection, there is no loss in being poor. Similarly, there is no

deficiency in Våndävana because there is only love and affection.

Våndävana is the place of the most elevated love and affection.

Kåñëa is the Supreme Personality, and therefore He wants to

taste supreme love and affection. He is not satisfied with any

second-class love. Svarüpa Dämodara was explaining this, and

Mahäprabhu responded, “More, more! I want to hear more!” The

topics presented at the Herä-païcamé Festival are all very secret

topics from Ujjvala-nélamaëi. Mahäprabhu questioned, and

Svarüpa Dämodara replied with many çlokas regarding all the

moods of madhyä, pragalbhä, dhérä, adhérä, mugdhä,7 and so

on. Try to be at least in madhyama-adhikära, and then try to

understand all these topics. This is the aim and object of everyone

in Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s line.

Please refer to the Glossary for an explanation of these terms.

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THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ

Why Kåñëa did not take Lakñmé

For advanced devotees, who are conversant with the truths

concerning this lélä, the Herä-païcamé Festival is superior even

to that of Jagannätha’s riding to Sundaräcala. Such devotees

know why Caitanya Mahäprabhu descended to this world. If you

are not reading and hearing the Tenth Canto of Çrémad-

Bhägavatam, you can never know why He came, and you will

be cheated. Try to hear Çrémad-Bhägavatam from elevated

Vaiñëavas, and do not listen to those who say, “Oh, we should

not read the Tenth Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam.”

Actually, there are three reasons one may say this. The first is

that one has no knowledge, and the second is that one is following

the order of the good devotees who know everything. These

devotees are actually telling us, “You should begin from the First

Canto, proceed to the Ninth Canto, and then you can finally

come to the Tenth Canto.” The third reason is to create an interest.

For example, one may close his fist and ask, “What is in my

hand? Can you tell what is in my hand?” If someone else hears

this, he may become curious to know. Similarly, if anyone says,

“Don’t read the Tenth Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam,” an aspiring

devotee will automatically become curious and ask, “What is

there? I should know.”

In my village there was a devotee who used to bathe in the

Gaìgä every day. If anyone said to him, “Räma! Räma!” he would

appear very furious and hold his stick up as though he wanted to

beat that person. The boys of all the nearby villages used to come

to him and say, “Räma! Räma!” and he used to run after them.

Why did he do this? It was just to enthuse them to say, “Räma!

Räma!” It was like a game. Similarly, if anyone tells you not to

read Çrémad-Bhägavatam, you should be curious to know,

“What is inside? There must be some jewel there.”

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HERÄ-PAÏCAMÉ

If you do not read and hear the Tenth Canto, you will never be

able to decide the aim and object of your life and devotion. For

example, if you hear about Mother Yaçodä, a greed for motherly

love may arise. You may begin to think about how she loves

Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and how she bound

Him with her love and affection. A greed for friendship may arise

when you hear that the cowherd boys sometimes play with

Kåñëa, and when you hear that Kåñëa is their life and soul, and

that they cannot remain alive unless they are playing with Kåñëa;

they will die. If Kåñëa hides behind a tree for a moment, all the

cowherd boys wonder anxiously, “Where is Kåñëa? Where is

Kåñëa?” And, if you hear the most elevated topic in Çrémad-

Bhägavatam, the service of the gopés to Kåñëa – and especially

what is told in Gopé-géta, Veëu-géta, Bhramara-géta, and other

such chapters – you may develop a greed for this service. This is

the aim and objective of the most exalted and pure devotees, and

it is not possible to develop greed without reading and knowing

Çrémad-Bhägavatam.

The first nine cantos create a platform for the Tenth Canto by

removing all your unwanted desires, offenses, and worldly

requirements and attachments. After that you should read the

Tenth Canto, then you should decide how to attain the goal of

life, and then you should read the Eleventh Canto.

An even easier process is to follow the essence of Çrémad-

Bhägavatam, and that essence is Çré Caitanya-caritämåta. You

will have to read Caitanya-caritämåta and the books of Rüpa

Gosvämé, Sanätana Gosvämé, Jéva Gosvämé, Raghunätha däsa

Gosvämé, Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé, Narottama däsa Öhäkura,

Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura, and Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura.

In particular, Narottama däsa Öhäkura and Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura

have explained the essence of Caitanya-caritämåta in language

that can be understood easily. If you want to be pure and

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THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ

high-class devotees, you must know all the truths presented in

their literature.

Book distribution will not suffice by itself, and neither will

nagara-saìkértana. Why did Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu bring

nagara-saìkértana to this world? You will have to know the real

reason. He did so only to give gopé-prema. And why did our

äcäryas bring the process of book distribution? It is so that you

will discover the nectar in those books. You must first read the

books yourself, have faith and realize something, and then your

life will be successful. Çréla Bhaktivedänta Swämé Mahäräja has

written about all these truths in his books, and he himself has

said that book distribution alone will not do; you will have to go

deep and realize the nectar within. He has produced the Kåñëa

book, which is a summary of the Tenth Canto of Çrémad-

Bhägavatam, and everything is there, completely. There he has

instructed us to learn about the gopés’ pure service to Kåñëa.

You should know all these facts; otherwise you will always be

lusty. You must read the Tenth Canto in order to avoid lust. Çréla

Swämé Mahäräja has vividly clarified this point in his books, and

I have quoted many of his statements in this regard. You should

have strong faith in this. Once he wrote a letter to a disciple who

was very lusty. The disciple had asked, “I am very lusty. What

should I do?” He replied, “You should read the Tenth Canto of

Çrémad-Bhägavatam, especially the chapters describing the

räsa-lélä. Then this lust will go, and real transcendental lust for

Kåñëa will come.” Actually, that transcendental lust is not lust; it

is prema. Unless you read and hear, you cannot realize all these

truths.

Now we are coming again to our subject: Herä-païcamé.

Jagannätha was not alone when He departed on His chariot. He

was with Subhadrä and Baladeva. But why did Lakñmé become

furious? Jagannätha had become indifferent to her and was

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HERÄ-PAÏCAMÉ

meeting with others. She felt neglected and became angry over

this.

You should know the significance of these three places:

Jagannätha Puré, Våndävana, and Kurukñetra. First you should

know the significance of Jagannätha Puré. Kåñëa is the son of

Vasudeva and Devaké there. He never has a flute in His hand, He

does not wear a peacock feather, and He cannot address Nanda

Bäbä as “Father” or Yaçodä-maiyä as “Mother.” He will have to

forget the gopés while He is there. He can think about them in His

heart, but He will not tell any of His queens, like Satyabhämä,

Rukmiëé, and others, “I love the gopés more than you.” He can

never say this.

Jagannätha Puré is Dvärakä. All the Yädavas are there, and

Kåñëa sports with all His queens there. Do you know Vimalä-devé

in the Jagannätha Temple? Rukmiëé is like Vimalä-devé. Lakñmédevé

is also there, and she represents all the queens, especially

Rukmiëé and Satyabhämä. There are no gopés in the Jagannätha

Temple or Jagannätha Puré. They can never be there, and that is

why it is Dvärakä Puré.

What is Kurukñetra? Kåñëa has come from Dvärakä to

Kurukñetra, and therefore it is part of His dvärakä-lélä. There is

a speciality there, though, in that Nanda Bäbä, Yaçodä-maiyä, all

the gopés like Rädhä, Lalitä, Viçäkhä, and most of the other

Vrajaväsés went there to meet with Kåñëa. Still, there is immense

opulence there, whereas in Våndävana the gopés freely play with

Kåñëa.

Lakñmé-devé thinks, “There is so much opulence here. Why

should Dvärakädhéça-Kåñëa go to any impoverished place?”

Kåñëa never told her, “I am going to Våndävana.” He cheated Her

by saying, “I have caught a cold. Now I want to go somewhere

to get some fresh air. I want to go to a forest, to get a breath of

fresh air and feel rejuvenated.” He played a trick so that Lakñmé

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THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ

would not think He was going to run off to Våndävana. To cheat

Her, He took along His brother Baladeva Prabhu and His sister

Subhadrä. He was thinking, “Yaçodä-maiyä knows them, and

Rohiëé also knows them. I will leave them with Yaçodä-maiyä

and then I will stealthily go to Rädhä-kuëòa, Çyäma-kuëòa, and

Giriräja-Govardhana, where all the beautiful kuïjas are situated.

I will play with all the gopés there. Baladeva Prabhu and

Subhadrä will take their meals with Mother Yaçodä and be very

happy there, and I will go and play. No one will know.” He did

not tell anyone where He was going, and He ran at once to

Våndävana – Sundaräcala. Mahäprabhu’s mood has revealed that

the Guëòicä Mandira in Sundaräcala is Våndävana. Before

Mahäprabhu, no one knew all these high truths, but now everyone

can know.

kåñëo ’nyo yadu-sambhüto

yaù pürëaù so ’sty ataù paraù

våndävanaà parityajya

sa kvacin naiva gacchati

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya-lélä 1.67)

The Kåñëa known as Yadu-kumära is Väsudeva-Kåñëa. He is different

from the Kåñëa who is the son of Nanda Mahäräja. Yadukumära

Kåñëa manifests His pastimes in the cities of Mathurä and

Dvärakä, but Kåñëa the son of Nanda Mahäräja never at any time

leaves Våndävana.

våndävanaà parityajya padam ekaà na gacchati

Kåñëa never goes even a step from Våndävana.

It is because of Rädhikä that Kåñëa never leaves Våndävana. He

stays there only for Her, and both of Them do not go anywhere

else. Then who went to Kurukñetra? Rädhikä will never go there.

It was Saàyoginé-Rädhikä, who is Våñabhänu-nandiné Rädhikä’s

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HERÄ-PAÏCAMÉ

manifestation, and not directly Rädhikä Herself, who went to

Kurukñetra. Våñabhänu-nandiné Rädhikä will always remain at

Rädhä-kuëòa and Çyäma-kuëòa in Våndävana. If Rädhä and

Kåñëa are always together in Våndävana, why does Rädhikä feel

so much separation from Kåñëa, and why does She always weep

for Him? Sometimes She becomes so absorbed in love and affection

in separation from Kåñëa that even when She sees a tamäla

tree, She thinks, “O Kåñëa! O Kåñëa! Oh, now You are here.” She

quarrels with “Him,” becomes angry with Him, and sometimes

She embraces that tamäla tree as if it were Him. How can there

be a separation mood there in Våndävana?

There is no actual separation in Våndävana, but there is some

separation mood. In Våndävana there is the räsa-lélä, and Premasarovara

as well, and Rädhä and Kåñëa feel great ecstasy in meeting

there. Who experiences the separation mood in Nandagaon?

Who met with Uddhava? To whom did Uddhava offer his

prayers?

vande nanda-vraja-stréëäà

päda-reëum abhékñëaçaù

yäsäà hari-kathodgétaà

punäti bhuvana-trayam

Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.47.63)

[Uddhava prayed:] I forever pray to the dust of the lotus feet of the

gopés in Nandagaon. The hari-kathä emanating from their lotus

mouths in their separation mood purifies the entire universe.

äsäm aho caraëa-reëu-juñäm ahaà syäà

våndävane kim api gulma-latauñadhénäm

yä dustyajaà sva-janam ärya-pathaà ca hitvä

bhejur mukunda-padavéà çrutibhir vimågyäm

Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.47.61)

2 1 8

THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ

The gopés of Våndävana have given up the association of their husbands,

sons, and other family members, who are very difficult to

give up, and they have forsaken the path of chastity to take shelter

of the lotus feet of Mukunda, Kåñëa, which one should search

for by Vedic knowledge. Oh, let me be fortunate enough to be one

of the bushes, creepers, or herbs in Våndävana, because the gopés

trample them and bless them with the dust of their lotus feet.

In Nandagaon, Rädhikä is Viyoginé-Rädhikä, another manifestation

of Våñabhänu-nandiné Rädhikä. Våñabhänu-nandiné

Rädhikä has practically no separation mood at all, for She and

Kåñëa always meet together and embrace. Her manifestation,

Viyoginé-Rädhikä, is present in Nandagaon, and She appears as

Saàyoginé in Kurukñetra. You cannot deeply understand these

truths without being constantly in the association of pure

Vaiñëavas.

At the Ratha-yäträ Festival, Mahäprabhu experiences the

moods of Saàyoginé-Rädhikä in Kurukñetra, not those of

Våñabhänu-nandiné. Våñabhänu-nandiné Rädhikä will never leave

Våndävana and go to Mathurä or Dvärakä, even if Kåñëa weeps

bitterly for Her there. Viyoginé-Rädhikä will also not give up

Våndävana to go to Kurukñetra; only Saàyoginé-Rädhikä will go

there. So at the Ratha-yäträ Festival, Mahäprabhu is absorbed in

the mood of Saàyoginé-Rädhikä, pulling Kåñëa on the chariot

from the Jagannätha Temple – that is, from Dvärakä Puré – to

Våndävana. What can I say more than this? No one can say anything

more.

Lakñmé came with her associates, riding on a golden palanquin

and profusely decorated with golden ornaments. She arrived at

the Siàha-dvära along with musicians beating drums, and dancing

girls who were Jagannätha’s devä-däsés. Caitanya

Mahäprabhu was sitting very comfortably there, and He listened

to the dialogue that ensued.

2 1 9

HERÄ-PAÏCAMÉ

Why did Kåñëa not take Lakñmé-devé to Våndävana? She could

not go, because she was not qualified. Even Satyabhämä and

Rukmiëé were not qualified to go to Våndävana, and that is why

they never went. One may ask, “What harm would there be if

Rädhikä and all the gopés went to Dvärakä?” There would be so

much harm; they would not be satisfied there. They would see

Rukmiëé, Satyabhämä, and all Kåñëa’s queens with Him, and He

would not be able to leave their company. Sometimes Kåñëa’s

sons would come to sit on His lap, and Çrématé Rädhikä would

not be able to do anything about it. So She will never go

there – never.

If Rädhikä does not go to Dvärakä, how can Lakñmé go to

Våndävana? She cannot go. After she performed austerities in

Baelvana for thousands and thousands of years, Kåñëa came and

asked her, “Why are you doing this?” She replied, “I desire a

benediction from You. I want to join the räsa-lélä.” Kåñëa said,

“That is absurd – you cannot.” “Why not?” she asked. “I’ll tell you

why,” Kåñëa replied. “After this birth, you will have to take birth

in the womb of a gopé in Våndävana, and then you will have to

marry a gopa. After that you will have to associate with nityasiddha-

gopés, and only then you can join the räsa-lélä, when you

are sufficiently purified.” Even a gopé who has come from the

womb of a gopé is unqualified if she has any children by her husband.

None of the gopés in the räsa-lélä have had any children,

and they have nothing to do with their husbands.

Kåñëa continued, “So how can you go? You will have to give

up your brähmaëé body and your chastity to Näräyaëa. You will

have to cheat your gopa husband and absorb yourself in

parakéya-bhäva. Then, in the form of a gopé, you can join the

räsa-lélä.” Lakñmé objected, “How can I give up my husband

Näräyaëa? I cannot give Him up, I cannot give up my chastity,

and I cannot marry a gopa.” Then Kåñëa said, “Then wait, wait.

2 2 0

THE ORIGIN OF RATHA-YÄTRÄ

You will obtain this boon from Me when you are able to do all

these things.” Even now Lakñmé is performing austerities, but she

is still not qualified.

You may want this gopé-prema, but it is so very high. Caitanya

Mahäprabhu was very merciful, and He descended to the material

world to give it. It is very precious – more so than anything.

It is very difficult to attain even for Närada, Lakñmé, Çaìkara, and

all the other great personalities, so what to speak of lesser personalities?

However, if someone has pure greed to serve Rädhä-

Kåñëa Yugala, and to serve in the räsa-lélä, he is very fortunate.

Let us say someone has become greedy for a rasagullä, and

there is no money in his pocket. Then by grabbing it, stealing it,

or by any means he will get it. In the same way, if you have that

kind of high-class greed for gopé-prema, an opportunity will

come to attain it. Where there is a will, there is a way; the way

must come.

Kåñëa Himself gave the way in His form as Caitanya

Mahäprabhu. He also sent His devotees like Svarüpa Dämodara,

Räya Rämänanda, Rüpa Gosvämé, Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé,

Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé, Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura, Çréla

Prabhupäda, our gurudeva, and Çréla Bhaktivedänta Swämé

Mahäräja. I have also come, and I want to give you a little greed

for this gopé-prema, which is the aim and object of our lives. I

have not come to give vaidhé-bhakti, because so many people

coming from India are giving that. They will tell you to serve

Jagannätha, Baladeva, and Subhadrä, and they will tell you not to

read the Tenth Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam. I have not come

for this. I have come in the line of Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé, and in the

line of Çréla Prabhupäda, my gurudeva, and my çikñä-guru, Çréla

Swämé Mahäräja.

A person will not hear if he has no greed for the goal of life.

He is sleeping now, and he will continue to sleep. If he has no

2 2 1

HERÄ-PAÏCAMÉ

greed or interest, he must sleep like the camels, dogs, hogs, pigs,

and especially like the donkeys. I have only come for those who

have some taste and greed for this, and I have come to give this

greed to those who want it, so that they can advance in the line

of Mahäprabhu.

When Çréväsa Paëòita heard these topics from Çré Svarüpa

Dämodara, he began to laugh very loudly, “Hee, hee! Ho, ho!”

Caitanya Mahäprabhu was deeply absorbed in the moods of the

festival, and He watched silently as Çréväsa Paëòita continued to

laugh and tell Svarüpa Dämodara, “You don’t know anything.

Don’t you see the opulence of my ärädhya-devé (worshipable

deity) Lakñmé-devé? She is decorated with golden ornaments, and

she sits on a golden palanquin like a commander-in-chief with all

her associates. But in Våndävana, there is nothing. The gopés

there can make some garlands, but only from flowers; there is no

abundance of diamonds or gold – nothing of the kind. There are

no golden palanquins. There are only bullock-carts made of

wood and bamboo. There is nothing there; only flowers. There

are some cows there, giving milk, and there is forest. Kåñëa can

only graze His cows there. He has no throne to sit on, and He

doesn’t even have shoes or an umbrella. He goes cowherding

barefoot, and if He doesn’t do this, His father may chastise Him.”

Çréväsa Paëòita continued:

våndävana dekhibäre gelä jagannätha

çuni’ lakñmé-devéra mane haila äsoyätha

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 14.205)

When Jagannätha decided to see Våndävana, He went there, and

upon hearing this, the goddess of fortune experienced restlessness

and jealousy.

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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Tuesday, September 11, 2012