Authentic Guru Pranali (disciples’ succession) is a must for entering Manjari Swarup sadhana. Without taking initiation from someone who belongs to the hierarchy of Manjaris, one cannot go into the service of Radharani in the Nikunja. There are innumerable paths to God such as Gyan yoga, Karma yoga, Tantra yoga, etc; there are also innumerable bodes of Narayan like Vaikuntha, Saket, Shiva Loka, Ganesh Loka (Sri Ganesh in Ganesh Loka is a manifestation of Krishna which is eternal and is different from the demigod Ganesh), but the Manjari mood of devotion is an exclusive path to the service of Radha Krishna which is only worshiped in the eternal Goloka Dham (Vrindavan).
"Ishwarer tatva joto, taha ba kahibo koto,
Ananto apar keba jane.
Ek braja pur prem nitya, ei se param tatva,
Bhajo sada anurag mone." (Prembhakti Chandrika)
There are innumerable forms of God. Who can describe all of them properly? But the loving devotion to Radha Krishna is the supreme path for knowing the Supreme Godhead. It is the quintessence of all kinds of sadhanas and tattvas.
Yogis, rishis and munis are doing penances (tapasya) Yuga after Yuga, birth after birth in order to have some mercy or mere glimpse of Lord Sri Krishna, and the same Krishna folds his hands in prayer in front of a Manjari and prays, "O Manjari, please take me to Srimati Radharani and allow me to meet her". To please a Manjari, Krishna sometimes offers his pearl necklace, pitambar (yellow drape worn by Krishna) or sometimes hugs them. The Lord of Vaikuntha and infinite universes, the Supreme Lord who is the only truth, eternal and ever blissful, tries to please the Manjari in any way possible.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is so merciful that he gave the path of sadhana for this exclusive mood of devotion. 'Lalasa' (earnest desire) is the only price required to enter into this mood of devotion. Most people don't have the desire to serve Radha Krishna. They want spiritual excellence (of any kind) or freedom from the cycle of birth and death, but the Lalasa for Manjari Swarup emerges very rarely in the heart of a blessed soul. The one who develops taste for this mood of devotion must take initiation (diksha) for entering Manjari Swarup sadhana, from an authentic lineage of Gurus who have already perfected their Manjari bhava (mood).
For increasing Rasa (taste) of lila, Radharani Herself manifests as Sakhis and performs various roles of the lila. The Sakhis are classified into five categories: - Sadharan Sakhi, Priya Sakhi, Priya Narma Sakhi, Pran Sakhi and Nitya Sakhi.
1.1 Sadharan Sakhi is Krishna Snehadhika, meaning they are friends of Radharani but they side with Krishna during love squabbles.1.2 Priya Sakhis love Krishna and Radharani equally, so they don't take part in love squabbles. They would either remain silent or leave the place saying, " Sakhi, let's go! These two (Radha Krishna) keep quarrelling like this with each other. We have nothing to do here."1.3 Priya Narma Sakhis also love Radha Krishna equally but side with Radharani in love squabbles. The eight main Sakhis - Lalita, Vishakha, Chitra, Indulekha, Champaklata, Ranga Devi, Tungavidya and Sudevi - are Priya Narma Sakhis.1.4 Pran Sakhis are the eight main Manjaris - Rupa Manjari, Rati Manjari, Vilas Manjari, Kasturi Manjari, Manjulali Manjari, Rasa Manjari, Guna Manjari and Lavanga Manjari. They serve Radha Krishna eternally in Goloka Dham. Radharani is everything to them and they desire to serve Radharani with all their senses, heart and soul.1.5 Nitya Sakhis are the Manjaris who have performed bhajan as a jivatma and received the Manjari Swarup by Radharani's mercy. These Nitya Sakhis or Manjaris are also friends of Radharani (there is no special status of a maid-servant of Radharani), but they naturally have the mood of service to Radharani. They cannot think of themselves as equals of Radharani (unlike Sakhis), but rather call themselves Her maid-servants. They have devoted their senses, minds and speech (Kaya mano vakya) to the service of Radharani. They don't have any desire for self-fulfilment at all; their only desire is to please Radharani in every possible way.
There are three types of Kunja (the place for Radha Krishna's pastimes): - Kunja, Nikunja and Nivrita Nikunja. In order to have better understanding of respective kunja, baba gives an example by correlating it with Priya Kunj Ashram. Let’s first we understand the structure of ashram so that we can easily relate it with the example.
If anyone who wishes to meet baba in the ashram, usually they have to wait in the verandah of the building. Nobody is allowed to enter inside the building without taking permission and baba can come out to meet people when he finds it suitable for him.
Further, those who are already known to Baba or his disciples can enter inside the building and can wait in the hall whenever they are invited inside. Such people can be understood as closer to baba as they have an informal relationship with Him.
Furthermore, after the hall, there is the room of baba in which he does his bhajan (Bhajan Kutir) and only those who are specially invited could enter into the kutir.
The three types of Kunja are discussed below respectively and could be understood well by connecting it with the premises of ashram:
2.1 Kunja is the area where Sakha’s and Sakhi’s, all can come for certain pastimes like the Holi lila. (It could be understood by relating it with the veranda of ashram)2.2 Nikunja is the place where special pastimes of Radha and Krishna happen along with the Sakhis. They play Chauras (a Ludo like game), joke, sing and dance. Some Priya Narma Sakhas like Madhumangal, Sri Dama and Subal can enter the Nikunja. (It could be understood by relating it with the hall of the building of ashram). Those who are 'close' in terms of relishing Madhur lila are allowed to enter into the Nikunja and not everyone can enter here just like hall of the ashram.2.3 Nivrita Nikunja is the place for intimate pastimes of Radha Krishna in solitude. Only the Nitya Sakhi (Manjari) can enter there for sewa, but other Sakhis cannot. (It could be understood by relating it with the bhajan Kutir of baba ji). Similarly, only Manjaris, who are very intimate maids of Radharani can enter the Nivrita Nikunja.
The Manjaris always stay near Radharani. The Sakhis have their own Kunja - Lalitanandadaa Kunj belongs to Lalita Sakhi, Vishakhanandadaa Kunja belongs to Vishakha Sakhi, and so on. The Sakhis take Radha Krishna to their respective Kunja and prepare pleasantries for them. Different Kunjas have different features and specialities. There are Kunjas of golden colour, silver colour, red, blue, green, etc. (The ground and trees in those Kunjas are of the respective colour. For example, in Hemavarna Kunja, the ground and trees are of golden colour. Like this, there are infinite Kunjas with infinite colours, designs and features.) Each of these Kunjas is a personal Kunja of a Sakhi.
However, Manjaris don't have any Kunja of their own. They stay by Radharani's side at all times and serve Her. At the break of the dawn, when Radharani goes home from Nikunja, Manjari accompanies Her. And when Radharani sleeps, Manjari also sleeps near Her lotus feet.
In the Nivrita Nikunja, during the intimate pastimes of Radha Krishna, Manjari serves them without any hesitation or bashfulness. Sometimes, the earrings of Radha and Krishna get entangled with each other. Immediately, Manjari comes forward and disentangles Their earrings, slowly and delicately. They don't sleep all night. When Radha Krishna get tired and drops of perspiration appear on Their bodies, Manjari fans Them slowly and silently. This sleep is nothing but another part of divine lila. God doesn't need sleep like mortal beings. But when Prema reaches such a state during a lila that the mind is unable to function anymore, Radha Krishna fall asleep.
At the break of dawn, Radharani leaves the Nivrita Nikunja to go back to home and Manjari also goes with Her. Since most of the night passes without sleep, Radharani rests at home. 'Gavaksha' is a small window through which Radharani leaves for night-time pastimes along with Manjari and comes back through the same. Nobody, other than Krishna, Sakhis and Manjaris, comes to know about these secret pastimes.
" Naham prakashah sarvasya yogamaya samavritah,
Mudho-yam nabhijanati loko mam ajam avyayam" (Bhagvat Gita 7.25)
Sri Krishna has given hints of this lila in Bhagvat Gita. These are very secretive pastimes of the divine couple and hence, are hidden by Yogamaya. These lila’s are described in Srimad Bhagvatam and even more extensively in the scriptures of the six Goswamis.
Manjari massages the lotus feet of Radharani to dispel all tiredness caused by the pastimes of the night. Now, she (Manjari) feels tired and sleepy herself (this is also lila). She starts yawning and slightly dozing off again and again while massaging Radharani's lotus feet. She sits up to focus on her service but dozes off again. Radharani notices this and calls her softly, "O Manjari, come and sleep beside me." Radharani holds Manjari's hand and pulls her beside Herself. Radharani is Krishnaprem-mayi, Her every cell in the body is full of Krishna Prema.
"Devi Krishna mayi prokta Radhika paradevata,
Sarva Lakshmi-mayi sarva kantih sammohini para" (Brihad Gautamiya Tantra)
Srimati Radhika is the ultimate God (indifferent from Krishna) and She is full of Krishna Prema. She is the embodiment of all Lakshmis, the goddesses of fortune. She possesses all the attraction to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead.
Later on, Radharani unhesitatingly puts her lotus feet on Manjari's feet, arm on Manjari's arm and falls asleep. Gradually during the sleep, She mistakes Manjari for Krishna. She starts caressing and embracing Manjari exactly as She does with Krishna, mercifully letting Manjari relish the Yugal Vilas (the intimate pastimes of the divine couple).
"Joto sukh paye Vrishabhanur nandini,
Tar shoto gun sukh paye tahar sangini"
Manjari relishes the bliss of Radha Krishna's pastimes a hundred times more than what Radharani experiences.
"Kono chhale ek sange sakhire milaye,
Se ananda dekhi suni koti sukh paye"
The one and only desire of Manjari is to please Radharani and they do everything possible to enable Her to meet Krishna. They get infinite bliss by observing the ecstasy of Radharani on meeting Krishna.
When Radharani becomes Manini (angry and pridefully avoiding Her lover), Manjaris becomes mad with anger and search every Kunja, every forest for Krishna. When they find Him, they get hold of His hand and drag Him to the Kunja where Radharani is sitting in anger, while scolding and humiliating Him all the way. They call Him words like shameless, heartless and deceitful. Krishna gets afraid of what Manjari might tell Radharani and folds his hands in front of Manjari, praying, "Please forgive me, Manjari. Please don't tell Radharani anything. I beg you." Angrily, Manjari retorts, "Come with me to Radharani. I will tell you there itself what I plan to tell her." Krishna, perplexed and anxious, hugs Manjari to please her, but Manjari pushes Him off herself, shouting, "Get off me! Do you think I am Radharani?! How dare you hold me like this?"
Manjari is devoid of the desire for self-fulfilment to such an extent that even if Rasaraj Shiromani (the king of conjugal love) and Prema Purushottam (the supreme personality who is the embodiment of divine love) Sri Krishna hugs them, they don't like it. Their face becomes red with anger and humiliation. "Look here, Krishna, I am telling you - don't touch me like this. Don't try to hug me. I don't like this. Go to Radharani." she says angrily to Krishna. This is Manjari mood of devotion. This mood can be perfected only by the mercy of Sri Gurudeva who has perfected the Manjari bhava himself.
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