Re: Gauranga = Radha-Madanmohan, Radha-Govinda, Radha-Gopinath

Nityananda Gauranga Hare Krishna!

Dear Swamiji, Bhakta Matus, and devotees, please accept my humble obeisances.

What a beautiful question Bhakta Matus! While contemplating on this esoteric mystery I became so exited that I couldn�t sleep for a few nights. Its meaning is beyond description and the following is only an insignificant part of my understanding so far.

First a word about your source: The embankment of separation by HH Shrila Gour Govinda Maharaja is one of those rare jewels sparkling with divine realization. I have read the book many times and every reading triggers a myriad of new realizations.

With the tri-bhanga (three-fold form of the Lord) we normally understand this to be the curves of Sri Krishna�s divine manifested Form. Srila Rupa Gosvami warns us for the lurking danger when we go see Govinda vigraha dhari: �He is not standing straight, but tri-bhanga, with three curves. If this Krishna enters you, He will not come out. If Narayana enters, He may come out. Narayana is straight. But Krishna is curved like a hook and that is dangerous.� The curves of the Lord are compared with different meanings throughout the scriptures like: upper, middle and lower cosmic manifestation - birth, life and death, past - present and future - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - creation, preservation and destruction etc. Srila Gour Govinda mentions the more esoteric understanding of the three curves of the Lord: located in the feet, mouth and heart, corresponding respectively with sambandha-tattva, abhidheya tattva and prayojana-tattva. The meaning of these three tattvas in a nutshell:

Sambandha: the living entity's eternal relationship with Supreme Personality of Godhead
Abhidheya: the living entity's understanding of this relationship and acting accordingly
Prayojana: the ultimate goal of life: to develop love of God and return back to Godhead.

The presiding deities in this context are respectively: Radha-Madana mohana, Radha-Govinda and Radha-Gopinath. In CC Antya 20.141�142 it is said: �The Vrndavana Deities of Madana-mohana with Srimati Radharani, Govinda with Srimati Radharani, and Gopinatha with Srimati Radharani are the life and soul of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas.�

The story of Madana-Mohana Mohini will give us some understanding about the gradation of the devotees of Lord Gauranga. It goes as follows:

�Manmadha (Cupid) having humbled great Gods like Brahmaji, Mahadeva and Maharshi Soubhari intended to convert Krishna into an addict to worldly pleasures so as to conquer the universe. Having this intention in mind Cupid visited Krishna. Krishna amused at the intention said smilingly: �Manmadha I am shortly going to conduct the Maharasa. At that time you will find hundreds of young innocent Gopis dancing in the Maha Rasa dance. If you are able to generate the feeling of desire (kama) in even one single Gopi, I will accept my defeat and surrender to you. "Isn�t this an excellent opportunity for you?�

Manmadha felt very happy and gladly accepted the invitation of Sri Krishna to the Maharasa. He thought �I have defeated renowned Gods like Brahma, Mahadev and many other Rishis with ease and comfort. Can�t I find a single vulnerable Gopi? Certainly, I will defeat Krishna.� Brimming with confidence he left the place of Krishna.

Moments later Krishna dwelled in deep afterthought. �Did I commit a mistake? Among hundreds of Gopis can�t there be one single docile and fallible Gopika? No, it is very uncertain. Manmadha�s power is not an ordinary one. If anything goes wrong I shall have to become a servant to Manmadha. At this moment who else can save my honor except Srimati Radharani?� Contemplating in this way Krishna meditated on Srimati Radharani. Next moment Sri Radhika appeared before Him.

�Oh Radhika, at this moment of disturbance no one except You can protect Me. Your Hladini Shakthi will transform even an addict to earthly pleasures into a pure devotee.�

Srimati Radharani smiled and comforted Sri Krishna by saying: "Why should you at all worry for such a small thing O Govinda, I will protect you from everything untoward.�

To fulfill his vow Manmadha employed all his five flowery arrows during the Maharasa dance. At that very moment Radhika radiated the Hladini Shakthi all around. Manmadha failed to disturb the mind of even a single Gopi. The cows, cowherd boys and girls (Go, Gopa, Gopikas) all experienced a new wave of unprecedented divine ecstasy that day. On the one hand Sri Radha neutralized the earthly or prakriti kama shakthi of Manmadha and raised new currents of divine bliss on the other. At last Manmadha lost his entire kama sakthi and the Lord's transcendental Form attracted him. His body and mind filled with divine bhava and himself became a Gopika and prostrated before the Lord.

This is an amazing lila of Sri Sri Radha Krishna. Since then Krishna is praised by his devotees as Madana Mohana. And Sri Krishna lovingly addresses Sri Radha as Madana Mohana Mohini. Thus the entire universe realized the invincibility of the Hladini Shakthi.

Only Krishna knows the mysterious and extra-ordinary powers of Sri Radha. She leads the ras initiated by Krishna to its consummation by bestowing rasa. While elevating the devotee Lord Sri Krishna at an indefinable blessed moment takes him to Srimati Radhika. With the grace of Sri Radha and Her Sakhi the fortunate devotee attains the rasa bhava or sakhi bhava entering into the eternal play or nitya ras. Sri Radha is the sole conferrer of rasa to the devotee and to the Lord himself. She is Rasapradayini.

Though Lord Krishna Himself is Rasa Swarupa, the Lord is not the Giver or Bestower of rasa. Only Sri Radha Who is the Parama Purusha Bhava, the embodiment of all the Rasas, is the Bestower of rasa.�

As we can see any gradation of spiritual development are attained at the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani. She is the ultimate shelter for the attainment of highest perfection. Lord Krishna can�t give this directly, He needs the help of Srimati Radharani. Realizing His shortcomings to bestow His devotees with the highest Prema He entered the inner chambers of the heart of Srimati Radharani, so full and complete that He even begot Her complexion, in order to bestow this highest Love for Himself to all.

Via the Hladini Shakti of Srimati Radharani the living entity becomes totally captivated with Love for Krishna and the living entity's eternal relationship with Supreme Personality of Godhead is established (sambandha). This leads naturally to Abhidheya in which the living entity realizes his relationship with the Lord as his life and soul. After lifting the Govardhan hill to protect the villagers and cows of Vrindavan, the lord of devas Indra awarded him the title �Govinda�, protector of the cows, the land and the senses. Govinda gives His devotees the transcendental nectar of satisfaction always satiating their desires. Being so closely connected to the Lord leads naturally to the ultimate goal of life, Prayojana the development of Love of God. The pinnacle of that Love is found in the gopis who spontaneously love the Lord with their whole being. Gopinatha is the Lord of the gopis. When stated that Gopinatha means �master of the gopis� Swami Narajana Maharaja corrected this by saying: �No, no; it doesn't mean master. Natha means prana or life. Krsna is the gopis� life. But this is not a name. What is His name? If anyone asks you, �Who are you?� you will generally state a relation between you and someone else. Similarly, there is a relation between Krsna and the gopis, and this relation is very high. Therefore, if you go to Gopinatha, He will give you the benediction that you can serve Him as the gopis serve. You will also be able to serve like them. You will realize that it is Gopinatha who gives this benediction. You cannot realize this at present, but when the time comes, you will realize it.�

HH Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja says: �The purport is that those who are fortunate have received the sweet honey emanating from the lotus feet � sambandha-tattva - of Gaurahari, the combined form of Sri Sri Radha-Madana-mohana. Those who are more fortunate get that sweet honey emanating from the lotus mouth - abhidheya-tattva - of Gaurahari, the combined form of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda. And those who are most fortunate have received that sweet honey emanating from the lotus heart � prayojana-tattva - of Gaurahari, the combined form of Sri Sri Radha-Gopinatha.� What is very interesting is that Srila Gour Govinda is speaking here about three combined forms. Radha is constant in these combined forms. Naturally because Lord Gauranga appears in the mood and complexion of Srimati Radharani and everything He exposes is from Radharani�s point of view.

Coming back to your original questions:

1) What does the gradation of the devotees of Lord Gauranga according to these 3 considerations mean?

It is obvious that there is a gradual development of attachment in Gauranga Lila. We can see that already in our own personal experienced development and in the evolving realizations of the devotees in this forum. 

2.) Does it mean, that analogically to Radha-Krishna-Bhakti, one shall take shelter of and worship Lord Gauranga in these 3 steps: sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana? If yes, what are the exact forms of Lord Gaurahari in these 3 considerations, that one can take shelter and meditate of?

The process of sambandha, abhidheya and prayojana is interwoven with our natural spiritual development and it is woven throughout all the expressions in Krishna lila as well as in Gauranga lila. Of course we are talking about mayor mile stones and many stages are in between. In my personal contemplation the Forms of these stages of Lord Gauranga are the literal Forms of His feet, mouth, and heart. When we get to know Him, sambhandha, we refer to His lotus feet, we are humbly taking shelter of His lotus feet, we focus ourselves on His lotus feet and we ask for the blessings of His lotus feet. The medium is Lord Nityananda Who can lead us to His lotus feet. Then abhidheya comes from His lotus lips, His teachings come from His lotus lips, the all-senses-captivating nectar comes from His lotus lips, Nama Sankirtana comes from His lotus lips. The medium is Lord Nityananda Who can lead us to His lotus lips. Then prayojana comes from His lotus heart, the deepest intimacy comes from His lotus heart, gopi bhava comes from His lotus heart, the unlimited ocean of Love for Krishna comes from His lotus heart. And again the medium is Lord Nityananda Who can lead us to His lotus heart. In all stages: Srimati Radharani accepts all devotees that are brought to Her lotus feet by Lord Nityananda. Nityananda is the key to Radharani Who is predominating within Lord Gauranga. Radha Madana Mohana, Radha Govinda, Radha Gopinatha, in the combined form it is always Radha�s mood and complexion Who is residing predominately. When we fall at the lotus feet of Lord Gauranga we fall at Srimati Radharani�s lotus feet. And again Lord Nityananda is the key. He is our most merciful source to be introduced to Lord Gauranga, to Srimati Radharani�.

Thanks again Bhakta Matus for your wonderful question.

I humbly ask the assembled devotees to please forgive me my mistakes.

Your servant,

Hadai Nityananda dasa

Nityananda Gauranga Hare Krishna!

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In the Name lies the power

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!

In our preaching efforts we try to employ so many different kinds of words, thoughts, techniques.. That's alright, yet they all remain futile as long as the most powerful means, namely the Holy Names of Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna doesn't happen to appear at least once in our words or writings.

"My Guru Maharaja always see if Krishna's name or Lord Chaitanya's name appeared in someone's writing and would appreciate the writing for this alone." (SP Letter to: Dina Dayala, Nellore, 6 January, 1976)

The following story with Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada also illustrates this point: Two articles about bhakti were given to His Divine Grace for consideration. One of them was in favor of bhakti, the other one was opposed to bhakti. Yet, Shrila Saraswati Thakura told that the second one was better. Why? In the first one, although in favor of bhakti, the Holy Name of the Lord didn't appear a single time. On the other hand, the second article, although criticising the path of bhakti, was full of the Holy Names.

Yours humbly,
Matus

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Re: Books for download

Dandavats Maharajs and vaisnavas

Please try the link and tell me what you think

http://krishnascience.com/Vaisnava%20Library/index.html


lowerthanarat

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Nrsimha sing along video

Nityananda Gauranga Hare Krishna

Here is a fun video to sing along with and has the prayers also:



Nityananda Gauranga Hare Krishna
Jagannatha Gauranga dasa

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Varuthini Ekadasi

VarUthinii EkAdasii: as told in the Bhavishya-uttara PurANa

Sri Yudhisthira Maharaj said, �Oh Vasudeva, I offer my most humble obeisances unto You. Please now describe to me the EkAdasii of the dark fortnight (krsna paksha) of the month of VaisAkha (April-May), including its specific merits and influence.�

Lord Sri Krishna replied, �Oh King, in this world and the next, the most auspicious and magnanimous EkAdasii is VarUthinii EkAdasii, which occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of VaisAkha.

Whosoever observes a complete fast on this sacred day has his sins completely removed, obtains continuous happiness, and achieves all good fortune.

Fasting on VarUthinii EkAdasii makes even an unfortunate woman fortunate. Upon anyone who observes it, this EkAdasii bestows material enjoyment in this life and liberation after the death of this present body. It destroys the sins of all and saves people from the miseries of repeated rebirth.

�By observing this EkAdasii properly, King MAndhAtA was liberated. Many other kings also benefited from observing it � kings such as MahArAja DhundhumAra, in the IkshvAku dynasty, who became free from leprosy resulting from the curse that Lord Shiva had imposed upon him as a punishment.

Whatever merit one obtains by performing austerities and penances for ten thousand years is achieved by a person who observes VarUthinii EkAdasii.

The merit one achieves by donating a great amount of gold during a solar eclipse at Kurukshetra is gained by one who observes this one EkAdasii with love and devotion, and certainly attains his goals in this life and the next. In short, this EkAdasii is pure and very enlivening and the destroyer of all sins.

�Better than giving horses in charity is giving elephants, and better than giving elephants is giving land. But better still than giving land is the giving of sesame seeds, and better than that is giving of gold. Still better than giving gold is giving food grains - for all the forefathers, demigods (devas), and human beings become satisfied by eating grains. Thus there is no better gift of charity than this in the past, present or future.� NOTE:

�Yet learned scholars have declared that giving away a young maiden in marriage to a worthy person is equal to giving away food grains in charity. Moreover, Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has said that giving cows in charity is equal to giving food grains. Still better than all these charities is teaching spiritual knowledge to the ignorant. Yet all the merits one can attain by performing all these acts of charity are attained by one who fasts on the VarUthinii EkAdasii.�

�One who lives off the wealth of his daughters suffers a hellish condition until the inundation of the entire universe, Oh BhArata. Therefore one should be especially careful not to use the wealth of his daughter. Oh best of kings, any householder who takes his daughter�s wealth out of greed, who tries to sell his daughter, or who takes money from the man to whom he has given his daughter in marriage � such a householder becomes a lowly cat in his next life. Therefore it is said that whoever, as a sacred act of charity, gives away in marriage a maiden decorated with various ornaments, and who also gives a dowry with her, obtains merit that cannot be described even by Chitragupta, the chief secretary of YamarAja in the heavenly planets. That very same merit, however, can be easily achieved by one who fasts on the VarUthinii EkAdasii.

�The following things should be given up on the Dashami, (the tenth phase of the Moon), the day before the EkAdasii: eating on bell-metal plates, eating any kind of urid-dahl, eating red-lentils, eating chick-peas, eating kondo (a grain that is primarily eaten by poor people and that resembles poppy seeds or agarpanthas seeds), eating spinach, eating honey, eating in another person�s house/home, eating more than once, and participating in sex of any kind.

�On the EkAdasii itself one should give up the following: gambling, sports, sleeping during the daytime, betal nuts and its leaf, brushing one�s teeth, spreading rumours, faultfinding, talking to the spiritually fallen, anger, and lying.

�On the DwAdasii the day after EkAdasii (the twelfth phase of the Moon), one should give up the following: eating on bell-metal plates, eating urid-dahl, red-lentils, or honey, lying, strenuous exercise or labour, eating more than once, any sexual activity, shaving the body, face or head, smearing oils on one�s body, and eating in another�s home.�

Lord Sri Krishna continued, �Whoever observes the VarUthinii EkAdasii in this way becomes free from all sinful reactions and returns to the eternal, spiritual abode. One who worships Lord JanArdana (Krishna) on this EkAdasii by staying awake throughout the entire night, also becomes free from all his previous sins and attains to the spiritual abode. Therefore, Oh king, he who is frightened of his accumulated sins and their attendant reactions, and thus of death itself, must observe VarUthinii EkAdasii by fasting very strictly.

�Finally, Oh noble Yudhisthira, he who hears or reads this glorification of the sacred VarUthinii EkAdasii obtains the merit earned by donating one thousand cows in charity, and at last he returns home, to the Supreme abode of Lord Vishnu in the Vaikunthas.�

Nitai Gaura Hari Bol
Jagannatha Gauranga dasa

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