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Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared on this earth in order to shower great benevolence and mercy on all Jivatmas. “Anarpita charim chirat karunavatirna kalau” - He mercifully appeared on earth to give the esoteric Mādhurya Prema Niryāsa (the apex of Mādhurya Prema, Manjari Bhāva) to the Jivas of Kaliyuga. Mādhurya Rasa is divided into four categories: Dāsya, Sakhya, Vātsalya and Madhura (Sringāra) Rasas. Madhura Rasa is further divided into three categories: Sādhārani Rati, Sāmanjasyā Rati and Samarthā Rati.
Sādhārani Rati (general love) exists in Mathura. It is Sambhoga Icchamayi (they desire a love union with Krishna) and Svasukha Vāsanāmayi (their love is aimed at fulfilling their own desire to receive eternal love). Kubjā is an example of Sādhāran Rati, who repeatedly requested Krishna to go home with her. Krishna told her that He would visit her after killing the tyrant king Kamsa. But she refused to listen to Him and requested Him to go home with her at that very moment. This kind of love (although it is a kind of Shuddha Bhakti) is not appreciated by devotees of Mādhurya Rasa Upāsanā path. Although it is a kind of Krishna Prema with the core desire to achieve the pleasurable association of Krishna and it is Chinmaya, divine, beyond the three modes of nature and Ānandamaya, it is not appreciated.
Then, there is Sāmanjasyā Rati (concordant love). It exists in Dvaraka Puri. The queens of Krishna - Rukmini, Satyabhāmā, Jāmbavati, Kālindi, Mitravindā, Nāgnajiti, Bhadrā, Lakshmanā, etc (the sixteen thousand one hundred and eight queens of Krishna) - have the mood of Krishna Sukha-ika-tātparyamayi Sewa, meaning, they only desire to serve Krishna through a love union. But still, there is some desire to receive pleasure too. The word Sāmanjasyā means compromised. They desire to please Krishna as well as want Krishna to please them. They don’t want only their own pleasure like Kubjā. They want to serve Krishna and their only aim is to please Him physically, mentally and verbally, but they also hope for Krishna to please them. This kind of mood (generally, the mood of a husband and wife) is called Sāmanjasyā Rati. This is also not much appreciated by Acharyas of Rasopāsana because there is some Svasukha Vāsanā here too.
Finally, there is Samarthā Rati (capable love). This exists only in Vrindavan. Why is it called Samarthā (capable)? This is because it is completely bereft of Svasukha Vāsanā and the aim of such devotees is Krishna Sukha-ika-tātparyamayi Sewa. ‘I only want to please You. My own pleasure doesn’t matter at all! I never say that You must please me because I get pleasure when I see that I could please You in some way. I am pleased to see Your pleasure,’ - this is the mood of the Gopis of Vraja. The Rati (divine love) that is capable of controlling Krishna in every way is called Samarthā Rati.
All activities and all the love of Gopis are dedicated to Krishna's pleasure. They don’t do anything for their own pleasure. The Gopis decorate themselves only to please Krishna. When Krishna would see them, He would be happy. This is the sole aim of their decorating themselves with jewellery and make-up. They do not think of their own pleasure.
When Krishna went to Mathura with Akrura Ji, He didn’t return after killing Kamsa and stayed there. Gopis never went to Mathura to meet Krishna (although Mathura is not far from Vraja). The person, who was dearer than one’s own Ātma, went to Mathura where they could go in the morning and return by evening on foot. Why is it that they never did so? Does it mean that there were some shortcomings in their love?
No, love is not a matter of persuasion (one cannot persuade the other person to love him/her). Love should happen naturally; it should originate from both lovers’ hearts. The Gopis think that if they go to Mathura and find Krishna busy in some other activities or if Krishna is not able to meet with them for some reason, the suffering caused by such a situation would be intolerable for them. If Krishna wanted them to meet Him in Mathura or if He would have been pleased to meet them in Mathura, He would have sent a messenger to them, inviting them to Mathura. There should be some reason why He didn’t do so. He might have some obligations or constraints that inhibit Him from doing so. ‘Let Him be pleased. We mustn’t burden Him. Whenever He gets time, He will surely come!’ thought Gopis. They never thought, ‘Krishna must have forgotten us, so let us forget Him too.’ No. They tolerated the tremendous and overwhelming amount of pain of separation which is intolerable for other people. Why?
Krishna sent Uddhav Ji to bring news of His parents, Sakhas and beloved Gopis. He also wanted Uddhav Ji to deliver His message to Gopis and give them solace. Uddhav Ji had some ego in his heart. He thought that Gyāna Mishra Bhakti was superior to that of pure Mādhuryamaya Bhakti. God is omnipresent, uncontrollable and superior to all beings; He is beyond the material senses and the modes of nature; He is present in the hearts of all beings (then, how can there be pain of separation from God). His heart was untouched by Vraja Prema. To mercifully let him experience and understand Vraja Prema, Krishna had sent Uddhav Ji to Vraja Gopis. When Uddhav Ji went to the house of Nanda Baba and Mother Yashoda, he saw that their house was full of cobwebs and it looked like their house was not cleaned for many days. Nanda Baba and Mother Yashoda were only passing their days somehow, immersed in the pain of separation from Krishna. Their hearts were immersed in Krishna Chintan. Their days were passed in difficulty. Uddhav Ji tried to give solace to them and said, “Why are you so pained in your hearts like this? Krishna is omnipresent and He exists in the hearts of all beings. He is inside you as well as outside you. If you look into your hearts, you will find Him seated there. The one whom you think of as your son, He is actually your Ātma and seated in your hearts. Everything inside and outside you is Him. Then, why do you think you are separated from Him and feel pained by it? He is Purna Brahma Sanātan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is present everywhere. He is also present here with you. Why are you feeling separated from Him for no reason? Why do you think your son has gone far away? He is always near you. These are all His pastimes. Don’t be sad.”
On hearing these words, Nanda Baba and Mother Yashoda started crying profusely. They were now crying even more than before! “Ha Krishna! Ha Krishna! O my Lala! Where are you, Krishna, where are you?” they were calling amidst their tears. Uddhav Ji wondered, ‘Why did the words that I spoke to give solace to Nanda Baba and Mother Yashoda result in a hundred times more pain of separation in their hearts instead?’ He was ashamed to cause them pain by his words and humbly said, “Chacha Ji (younger brother of one’s father), did I speak inappropriately? I expressed my own experience to you. Your son is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Purna Brahma Sanātan.
Īśvarah paramah Krishnah sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahah,
Anādir ādir govindah sarva-kārana-kāranam.
(Brahma Samhita 5.1)
Meaning: Krishna is the supreme controller. He has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin, for He, Govinda, is the prime cause of all causes.
This is the truth! But if these words have caused you pain, I ask for forgiveness, Chacha Ji. Please don’t be sad. I am your child. If I have committed a mistake, please forgive me.”
Nanda Baba said, “No, no, Uddhav Ji, you have not committed any mistake.” “If I have not committed a mistake, then why are you crying like this?” asked Uddhav Ji. Nanda Baba said, “I am crying because earlier I thought I had lost my son; my son had gone far away from me, but now I see that I have not only lost my son but the Supreme Lord too! I have not only lost the association of my son but God too! What can be more painful than this?” Such an extraordinary mood of love and intimacy with God! An extraordinary mood of endearment and immersion in love for Krishna! Except for the people of Vraja, such divine and intimate love for Krishna (where the endearment and love for Krishna cannot decrease even in front of Aishwaryamaya Prakash of Krishna) cannot be seen anywhere else.
Nanda Baba further said, “Uddhav Ji, in truth, I have not been able to love my son Krishna at all! The epitome of fatherly love for Krishna (or Rāma) was exhibited by Maharaj Dasarath. He loved his son so dearly that as soon as Sri Rāmachandra left Ayodhya for His exile, he left his body immediately! He could not retain his life in separation from Sri Rāma! And I am so shameless, Uddhav Ji, I am still clinging on to this body. Is there any fatherly love in my heart? It was Dasarath Baba who had real fatherly love for his son. If I had any sliver of fatherly love for Krishna, I should have ceased my life when Krishna went to Mathura! But I have so much attachment to this body that I am shamelessly alive. I am still surviving.”
Is it true? Does Nanda Baba really not have real fatherly love for Krishna? Is the fatherly love of Dasarath Baba superior to that of Nanda Baba? No, it is easier to leave the body than retain it and tolerate the pain of separation. Why did Nanda Baba retain his life? Krishna had said, “Baba, I will come back in a few days.” So, Nanda Baba and Mother Yashoda thought, ‘If we leave our bodies and then Krishna comes back, He would be very sad to see that His parents have left their bodies. The pain caused to Krishna’s heart in our absence would be intolerable for our Ātma, no matter where it exists at that time! That is why, we must retain our lives. Since Krishna had said so, He might come tomorrow or the day after. If He returned and could not see us, He would ask the people around, “Where is my Mother Yashoda? Where is my Nanda Baba?” Then, if He comes to know that we have left our bodies, how devastated would He be?’ That is why, whenever they reach such a point where it becomes difficult to retain their lives, they try to engage in some work to distract their mind. ‘No, no, I must not leave my body. What if He came back tomorrow or the day after tomorrow? If my dear Kanhaiya, my dear Lala, saw that we have left our bodies, how sad would he be? No, no, I must cling on to this body. Krishna will surely come! My Lala would surely come! He would embrace me, saying, “Baba! Baba!” How happy would he be?! Aha, if I am not here when He comes, the pain caused to His heart would be intolerable for me, no matter which abode my Ātma resides in at that time!’ - this is the mood of Nanda Baba and Mother Yashoda. Tolerating such extreme pain of separation, which was more painful than death, they retained their lives for the happiness of Krishna. Although the fatherly love of Maharaj Dasarath is also divine and very respectable, the fatherly love of Nanda Baba is superior to that of Dasarath Baba. To retain one’s life and tolerate the pain of separation is extremely more difficult than relinquishing one’s life.
This is Vraja Bhava Upasana. Krishna Sukhaika Tātparyamayi Sewa. Each and every action of the devotees of Vraja is dedicated to Krishna’s pleasure. There is no desire to receive pleasure. Gopis never want any pleasure from Krishna even in their dreams. ‘May You be pleased. In any way possible, You should be happy. When You are happy, we are also happy,’ think Gopis. This is Vraja Prema. Among all the moods of love in Vraja, the Sringāra Rasa Prema, or Gopi Prema, is the highest of all. They are capable of pleasing Krishna in every way. Krishna becomes controlled by their love! That is why, it is called Samarthā Rati. This exists only in Vrindavan.
Sringāra Rasa of Vraja includes the mood of service of Dāsya Rasa, the unhesitant and intimacy of Sakhya Rasa and the punishing and reprimanding of Vātsalya Rasa. Along with that, Gopis please Krishna with all their senses and all their actions. This is the Madhura Rasa Upāsanā. The epitome of Madhura Rasa Prema is Srimati Radharani. Sneha, Māna, Pranaya, Rāga, Anurāga, Bhāva and Mahābhāva are the stages of Prema (after attaining Shuddha Bhakti). Radharani is the personification of Mahābhāva. No one else can reach the stage of Mahābhāva except Radharani. This is the speciality of Radharani.
Then, there are the Sakhis of Radharani and Krishna (it will be elaborated in the next article).
(Chaitanya Charitamrita Madhya 8.209)
Meaning: By nature, Śrīmatī Rādhārānī is just like a creeper of love of Godhead, and the Sakhis are the twigs, flowers and leaves of that creeper.
Together with Her twigs, flowers and leaves, Srimati Radharani manifests Prema Lilā Vaichitri and gives the highest amount of pleasure to Krishna. She is the most capable personality to control Krishna through Her (Mahābhāvamayi) Prema. She is the quintessence of Vraja Mādhurya Prema Upāsana and Rasopāsanā.
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