Tag Archive for: Radharani

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Radharani’s Manjaris: Tattva & Lilas 003

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

This series of posts will present facts (tattva) regarding the identity, moods (gopi-bhava), intimacy and sevas of Srimati Radharani’s beautiful and talented handmaidens known as manjaris, kinkaris, or dasis.

Also we will present many astonishing and wonderful lilas to highlight the manjaris most personal and confidential sevas to Srimati Radhika and Her dearest Priyatama Shyamasundara.

The information here is based on the commentaries of Advaitavamsa Acharya 108 Sri Ananda Gopala Goswami and 108 Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja taken from “Vilapa Kusumanjali” and “Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi” translated by Sri Advaita Dasji.

Manjari Tattva: 16 Sevas of Manjaris

In Ujjvala-nilamani (8.98-99), Sri Rupa Goswamipada describes sixteen wonderful sevas that sakhis and manjaris offer to Sri Sri Radha Govinda Yugala:

1. advising; (shiksha)

2. attachment- create attachment between Radha and Krishna; (asakti-karita)

3. cheating husbands and others; (pati-adi-parivancana)

4. consoling; (ashvasana)

5. dressing Radha-Madhava; (nepathyam)

6. feelings- revealing the heart of one lover to the other; (hrday-udghata-patavam)

7. faults- hiding faults of Radha; (chidram=samvrtir)

8. glorifying the love and qualities of Krishna to Radha and Radha to Krishna; (mitha-prema-guna-kirti)

9. joking; (narma)

10. meetings- arranging meetings of Lila Yugala; (abhisara dvayor)

11. messages- delivering between Radha-Krishna; (sandesh-presanam)

12. offering Radha to Krishna; (sakhi-Krishna-samarpanam)

13. protecting Radha; (nayika-prana-samraksha)

14. scolding Radha and Krishna; (upalambha)

15. serving Radha Govinda Yugala by fanning etc.; (seva-vyajana-adi)

16. uniting Radha and Krishna at the right time (kale-sangamanam)

Manjari Tattva: Don’t Want Krishna Alone

The kinkaris don’t want Krishna alone. Their love for Srimati is so pure that even in their dreams they don’t desire Krishna’s intimate company. When Krishna pulls at Sri Rupa Manjari’s bodice, she hisses like a trampled-down snake, saying: “Shame on You! Don’t You know who I am? I can give my life to You, but not my body! This body I have offered to Sri Radha!” Then Lalaji Shyam will beg forgiveness with folded hands.

No one but the kinkaris can be so loyal to Sri Radha! Sri Radha is the only life-support of Her maidservants, and this increases their pride. The maidservants have such a deep love for Sri Radha; they do not even have that for Krishna! No one but the kinkaris are so worthy of being Radhika’s priya-patras. Where is the bliss of worshipping only Krishna? The real ecstasy lies in Yugala bhajan.

Manjari Tattva: Disconnecting from Maya

Those who have surrendered to Sri Radhika’s lotus feet cannot find consolation in anything of this world anymore. Their minds and their lives are floating like wooden instruments on the stream of Sri Radha’s sweetness. It is the nature of bodily consciousness that the mind and the intelligence remain attached to dull, perishable matter.

But one who is absorbed in meditating on one’s siddha deha and the blissful service if Kishori Ju will no longer have any connection or relation with anything of this material world. Why would such a person like anything in the material world?

The manjari bhava upasaka must certainly experience that, “O Sri Radha! I don’t have anyone else but You in this world!” Unless one thinks like that one cannot proceed towards the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani.

Manjari Tattva: Eagerness for Vraja Bhajan

Out of eagerness for Radhika the practicing devotee cannot sit quietly.

One will eagerly come to Vrndavana, hoping to catch a glimpse Radha-Shyamsundara.

Siddha Krishna Das of Govardhana prays, “O Praneshvari Radha! My heart is constantly burning in the fire of separation from You! Please save me from this ocean of sorrow by keeping me at Your lotus feet and making me Your maidservant!”

“O Radha! When will I hear the delectable words from Your beautiful mouth and the jingling of Your ankle bells? O Priyaji! When in the topmost ecstasy will I drink the nectar of Your indescribable beauty through the cups of my eyes? And when will I smell Your bodily fragrance, making all the hairs of my body stand on end? “Please bless this new maidservant by giving her the nectarean food remnants that emanate from Your lotus mouth! O Radha, You are my japa! You are my penance and You are my meditation. Wherever You sport with Your lover and Your girlfriends, please take me there also as Your maidservant.”

Manjari Tattva: Living on Hope in Vraja

“Ha Radhe! When can I live in Vrndavana in great astonishment, remembering the wave of Your nectarean pastimes? When will I look all around for You, thinking: “Now Radha is here just behind this tamal tree!”

The anguished sadhaka prays, “Although I am living in Vrndavana I don’t experience anything. I have so many things to say about it, but actually my heart is empty. I want to get some result from my life of devotional practice. Even if I can just spend my time with the hope that, ‘Radharani, You are my Ishvari, then I will attain You!’” 

Then it is as if Swamini Radha asks the sadhaka: “O, isn’t your heart eager for Me? Then how can you attain Me?” Radha is the limitless ocean of compassion and She knows very well how to take Her maidservants to Her lotus feet by making them eager for Her! How much Srimati relishes the eager lamentations of Her loving devotees! The maidservant is very eager, and Swamini takes Shyam along to listen to her manjari’s lamentations.

Radharani’s Manjaris ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Radharani’s Manjaris: Tattva & Lilas 002

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

This series of posts will present facts (tattva) regarding the identity, moods (gopi-bhava), intimacy and sevas of Srimati Radharani’s beautiful and talented handmaidens known as manjaris, kinkaris, or dasis.

Also we will present many astonishing and wonderful lilas to highlight the manjaris most personal and confidential sevas to Srimati Radhika and Her dearest Priyatama Shyamasundara.

The information here is based on the commentaries of Advaitavamsa Acharya 108 Sri Ananda Gopala Goswami and 108 Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja taken from “Vilapa Kusumanjali” and “Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi” translated by Sri Advaita Dasji.

Manjari Tattva: Separation in Vraja Bhajan

When the mind is very agitated by feelings of separation from Radha and Krishna the loving devotee may feel helpless or unfortunate, unable to see an end to it. However, when accomplished devotees experience strong feelings of love-in-separation from Radharani, they sometimes get a vision, sphurti, of Srimati which helps them stay alive. Then there’s no end to the bliss one feels in being close to the beloved again!

This constant succession of meeting and separation from Srimati Radhika puts the devotee in an indescribable condition. The pain of separation becomes so severe that it wipes the remembrance of the just-experienced bliss of union out of the mind. In such a condition only another such vision can keep the devotee alive. This is the specialty of the love of Vraja and it is the great treasure of the Vraja-rasa-upasaka.

Manjari Tattva: Acquaintance with Radhika

Can the devotee continue if one does not even get slightly acquainted with Radharani? How can we advance towards someone we have never seen, who is beyond our purview?

Such a devotee laments, “I could not get acquainted with Swamini Radha who is everything to me! I never even think of the maidservice of Sri Radha, to whom my merciful Guru has introduced me! My bodily consciousness is so strong, everything is averse to the mood I desire! What a waste of life if I don’t even get slightly acquainted with Radhika who makes even the supreme master of all material and spiritual worlds faint just by casting a single sidelong glance at Him!

“Yet at the same time I am drawn towards Radharani’s lotus feet by a strong desire to reach them. O Swamini! If You just once stay in my thoughts or in my dreams, then I will be consoled! Please respond, O Swamini! Just tell me once “You are Mine!” I am sitting here at Radha-kunda just waiting for that and nothing else!”

When the devotee is so anxiously and exclusively waiting, everything else will become insignificant and one will slowly be drawn to Radharani’s lotus feet through one’s experiences. The soothing moonlight that emanates from Sri Radha’s beautiful toenails will illuminate the heart of any devotee who develops such intense devotion. Not only that, but Krishna Himself will come running to anyone who meditates on Sri Radhika’s lotus feet and who hears and chants about Radha. Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

Manjari Lila: Applying Radha’s Footlac

Radha-Madhava are enjoying in a kunja and Tulasi manjari, who is non-different from Swamini in heart and body, is fanning Them. Nagara Shyam then eagerly sits down at Swamini’s feet to decorate Her.

Praneshvari orders, “Smear footlac around My feet!” Shyam starts the job holding Radha’s feet to His chest, but then Krishna gets lost in their sweetness while looking at them. Impatiently Swamini says: “What are You doing? Quickly put that lac on! What will My sakhis say if they see Me like this?”

But Krishna sometimes holds Radha’s feet to His chest, sometimes kisses them, and sometimes also paints some lac on them with trembling hands. Noticing Krishna’s inability to get the job done, Srimati says, “O Sundara! It’s obvious You cannot do it! Tulasi, come, put on My footlac!”

This makes Shyam think to Himself: “Alas! How unqualified I am!” Getting Swamini’s order, Tulasi softly pushes Shyam aside while saying: “Move over!  Through You it will never be done, so I’ll do it!”

Radharani’s manjaris ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe! 

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Radharani’s Manjaris: Tattva & Lilas 001

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

This series of posts will present facts (tattva) regarding the identity, moods (gopi-bhava), intimacy and sevas of Srimati Radharani’s beautiful and talented handmaidens known as manjaris, kinkaris, or dasis.

Also we will present many astonishing and wonderful lilas to highlight the manjaris most personal and confidential sevas to Srimati Radhika and Her dearest Priyatama Shyamasundara.

The information here is based on the commentaries of Advaitavamsa Acharya 108 Sri Ananda Gopala Goswami and 108 Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja taken from “Vilapa Kusumanjali” and “Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi” translated by Sri Advaita Dasji.

Manjari Tattva: Forms of Seva

Just as Radhika is the personification of the topmost maha bhava, Radha’s maidservants are the personifications of seva rasa (the divine mellow of service). Their very forms are made of seva rasa. No one understands Radha-Krishna’s desires as well as Radha’s manjaris. The maidservants are like the Cintamani-stones that fulfil the desires of both Radha and Krishna.

Sometimes Krishna pitifully prays to the manjaris for Radharani’s mercy. In the same way, when Radhika desires to meet Krishna, She also takes shelter of the kinkaris, who are one with Radha’s heart. Within Their minds Radha Shyamsundara praise the wonderful seva expertise the manjaris.

All the activities of Radhika’s maidservants are meant for the pleasure of Radha-Madhava. Indeed, they lose themselves in the ecstasy of serving Yugala Kishora and are thus blessed with the sweet savour of Their love. The experience of the sweetness and beauty of serving Shyama Ju as Her kinkari is incomparable.

The manjaris can understand what Swamini needs during Her pastimes with Krishna and they know what pastimes will be played. So they go ahead of Lila Yugala and decorate the kunja accordingly before Radha and Krishna get there.

They make a bed with one pillow for only one person to lie on. They know by experience what pastime will be performed! Kishori Rai’s sakhis know that the kinkaris have entrance into the intimate pastimes, so they engage them accordingly.

Manjari Lila: Kick Krishna Out of the Kunja

One day Swamini is angry with Shyam, so Krishna comes to Her kunja dressed as a girl trying to please Her. But Swamini gives a hint to Tulasi manjari to kick Krishna out of the kunja, saying, “I will not look at this cheater anymore! I will keep the wealth of My honour! Subala’s friend has entered My kunja disguised as a girl! Stop Him!”

Tulasi then tells Krishna: “O rogue! There are no demons here that You can delude in Your enchanting dress like Mohini! We are Radha’s kinkaris, we understand all Your tricks! Realize Your own deceitfulness and get out of this kunja!”

Manjari Tattva: Eagerness for Swamini’s Seva

When one becomes absorbed in one’s spiritual identification (siddha deha) one can give up the false identification with the material body. When the devotee experiences the taste, smell, form, sound and touch of sweet Radha, one starts yearning greatly to attain the Radharani and always prays: “Your surrendered devotees experience the pinnacle of bliss. But I am so unfortunate that I don’t feel anything!

“O Vrndavana! Where is that Divine Couple, tell me! In which kunja must I search? I’m calling, but They don’t respond! How can I be satisfied?”

In this way, the practicing devotee will slowly attain the stage of divine madness. If Swamini appears sometimes like a lightning flash, only then there will be consolation!

Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami was always very eager to attain Radha and Krishna, and always lamenting without a moments peace. The service of Sri Radha is only understood with the proper feelings, which one will attain by the mercy of the great devotees like Sri Rupa Goswamipada and Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami.

Dasa Goswamis prays: ‘Ha Swamini! You are playing in the forest around Radha-kunda, which is Your favorite place in Vraja! There’s no more beautiful place for You and Your Priyatama to play than this one! But I’m so unfortunate that I cannot see You, although I’m living in this forest around Your kunda!’

Radharani’s Manjaris ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Seeing Radha Through Krishna’s Eyes

Mahanidhi Madangopal Das

One day in Goloka Vrindavana, Shyama sat alone under the shade of a beautiful flowering kadamba tree that was filling the entire forest with a sweet fragrance reminiscent of Radharani. Becoming absorbed in vivid memories of His sweet beloved, Krishna spontaneously began glorifying Radha with the choicest words full of love.

Brilliant green parrots gathered in the branches, curious innocent deer collected nearby, and swans floated in the peaceful waters of the Yamuna. All were stunned in bliss and spellbound in amazement to hear what Shyam was saying.

Contemplating within Himself, –vichar –antare (238), Krishna said:

cin-maya –purna -tattva, radhika –prem –unmatta
“I am full of spiritual truth, but Radhika’s love makes me mad. (122)

na –jani –radha –prema –bal, kare -sarvada -vihval
What is that power of Radha’s love by which Radha always overwhelms Me? (123)

Everywhere, everyone says I am the adi-guru, jagat-guru, spiritual master of the universe. But now I know the real truth is this:
radhika –prem –guru, ami –shishya –nat
ama –nana –nrtye, nachaya -udbhat
 “Radhika’s prem is the Guru. I am Her dancing disciple. Radha’s sweet love always makes Me dance in wonderful ways. (124)

radha –prem –vibhu,
kshane –kshane –baday –sadai
“Although Radha’s love is all-pervading, it increases at every second.” (128)

While Shyam was praising His beloved Priya, He suddenly remembered Her divine form and how Radhika’s rupa, gandha, shabdha, rasa, sparsha and vritti completely attract and captivate all His senses of seeing, smelling, hearing, tasting, touching and thinking.

Krishna continues speaking: “Ten million Cupids are conquered by My matchless, unsurpassed sweet beauty. But My eyes find the greatest happiness in seeing Radha. (242-3)

vamshi –gitakarshay –tri -bhuvan
radha –vacane –hare -shravan
My flute song attracts the three worlds. But Radha’s voice fully enchants My ears. (244)

amara –gandha –jagat –sugandha
chitta –prana –hara, radha –anga –gandha
The fragrance of My body fills the universe with sweet aromas. But the naturally sweet scent of Sriji’s limbs fully enthralls My mind and heart. (245)

amara –rasa -jagat -sarasa
radhara –adhara –ras –kar –vasha
Although My rasas fill the world with sweetness, I am totally controlled and subjugated by the sweet taste of Radha’s lips. (246)

amara –sparsha –kotindu -shital
radhika –sparsha –amasushital
Although My touch is cooler than ten million moons, I am completely refreshed by the cooling caress of Kishori. (247)

jagat -sukha –hetu, radha – rupa -jivatu
Although I am the cause of happiness in the world, Radhika’s sweet beauty is My life and soul. (248)

anya –sanga –yata –sukha –pai, radha -sukha –shata -adhikai
I get a hundred times more happiness from meeting Radha than from anyone else.” (258)

Somehow by divine arrangement, that very Queen of Shyam’s heart suddenly appeared at that lonely spot beside the Yamuna. Seizing the opportunity to flatter the cherished treasure of His heart, Gopinatha said:

“O Devi! Your divinely attractive body is the source of all beauty.
O Sulochana, Your radiant cherry-red lips are softer than the sense of immortal sweetness.
O Pranapriya! The effulgent orb of Your perfectly shaped face bears the aroma of a lotus.
O Radha! Your heart-touching, honey sweet words silence the soothing warbling of the cuckoo.
O Sriji! Your shapely golden limbs are cooler than sandalwood.

“Actually, O Shyamaa! Each and every one of My senses floods with bliss whenever I am with You, who are the abode of the most attractive and sensational qualities.”

Jai Jai Sri Radheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

P.S. Verses numbered above are from “Sri CaitanyaCaritamrta” adi-lila, chapter four.

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Appeal to One Moving to Vrndavana

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

1977, we left our Delhi train in Mathura, and bounced along the dusty road in a clickety-click, clickety-click horse cart ride to Vrndavana. “Welcome to Vrndavana, the Land of Krishna” said the sign as we approached its precincts.

“Ahh, we made it, we’re here; this is the spiritual world!”

Then Sri Vrndavtavi Mata blessed us with our first darshana of Vrndavana, and completely excited our heart with a special kind of attraction. We felt a unique sense of imperceptible peace, and some inexplicable feeling of continually resonating joy in the core of our heart.

As we wandered about the villages of Vrndavana, Varshana, Nandagrama, Govardhana and Radha-kunda all of our senses, especially our eyes, ears and nose, were captivated and transported to a subtle and mysterious realm far beyond whatever lies outside this “play land of God”, lilabhumi Vrndavana.

Now we will share some of our memories from forty-two years ago.

Legions of robust, brilliant green happy parrots chattered everywhere in the neem trees lining the Chattikara road like rows of sentinels guarding the path from the Delhi Road to the Banke Bihari Mandir. The road was so narrow that if two cars were passing, the car giving way would get scratched by the scrawny, thorny babul trees (acacia arabica) flanking the road.

The twisty, narrow roads of bricks were polished smooth from millions of loving shuffles scurrying to tiny temples or regal palaces housing the sweet Kings of their hearts. In the small “family temples” and grand mandirs, the Thakurajis were all being cooled with large cloth fans pulled by the eager hands of grateful bhaktas.

Before our Vrndavana yatra we had darshan of many Krishna murtis in mandirs in America, Canada and UK. But here in Vrndavana, we experienced the Thakurajis to be very different, extra special, close and friendly, touchable and human like. If you reach out, Thakuraji will hold your hand, whisper something in your ear and move into your heart. Here the Thakurajis are not aloof and distant. They are loving, and like gaumata they want attention and care.

Thakuraji wants to be close and near His devotees. He misses them and hankers to see them in every arati. When you take darshan of Damodar jiu, Govindadeva, Gopinatha, Radha Raman, Radha Vallabh and Shyamsundar you feel that They really like you, and appreciate your standing before them admiring Their sweet and perfectly beautiful divine forms with every drop of devotion you possess.

“O such a land! Such a wondrous experience! And such a love found in nowhere but Vrndavana!”

The Yamuna River, glistening with an undeniably rich dark blue color, immediately reminded us of our beloved Shyamsundar. Yamunaji meandered in a zig-zag way through the magical landscape, not purposely toward a goal, but lazily like a person relishing one’s self in the inner world of contentment. Like the path of Krishna bhakti, Yamunaji moved slowly, carrying the hidden treasure of her personal joy while steadily move toward her goal, the ocean.

One night at 1.30 a.m. while sleeping in our small Raman Reti guesthouse, we were suddenly awakened by some unearthly sound. It was the deep thunderous crying of what seemed to be thousands of domestic cats meowing in unison. What was that curious mystical cry? The sound abated after some time, but then again roared back into prominence at about 4 a.m.

The next morning, our Vrajavasi friend said, “O that is the peacocks in the forests singing for Radha-Krishna’s nightly rasa lila. And at 4, they are calling all the bhaktas to come for Krishna’s darshan in mangal arati!”

In 1992, by Krishna’s power alone, we did dandavat parikrama of Vrndavana. It was all just sandy plains from Keshi Ghat to the big white Jagannatha Mandir. Then believe it or not, the entire length of the parikrama marga was ONLY soothing cool and purifying white Yamuna sand. Parrot and peacock filled big tall neem, palasha, kadamba and arjuna trees interspersed with fruit orchards of ber, guava and jamun trees lined both sides of the marga. Crossing the Vrndavana-Mathura road, the parikrama marga was bordered by big trees and garden filled spacious ashrams of various saints all the way to Raman Reti.

Often we would take visiting devotees to the then tallest building in Vrndavana, the seven storied “Pagal Baba Mandir”. From its roof we would point out the Goswami Saptalaya Mandir domes, and the royal Madan Mohan temple gloriously reigning atop Dvadashaditya Tila.

This is the Vrndavana of forty-two years ago that completely captured the dry and broken heart of one 24-year-old American. Like many, we were searching for a nature loving, personal and playful God. We found Him here; Krishna and Radha in their paradise of pure devotion, Vrndavana! It was an incredible overtaking of our being. Impossible but it’s happening. We can see, smell, hear, taste, touch and feel Krishna right here, NOW in Vrndavana.

Ten years later, in 1987, by Srimati Radharani’s mercy, we happily moved permanently to Vrndavana. Then a tragedy appeared. Unfortunately, for the next 20 years (1987-2007), we painfully and helplessly watched the divine paradise that once enchanted our hearts disappear right before our tear-filled eyes.

Sadly, our hearts broken, it’s now ALL GONE! No more trees, no more parrots, peacocks or mynas, those talented maestros, and NO MORE YAMUNA! Small “family temples” vanished under the rubble of stores and apartments. Other friendly, sweet and vibrant small temples turned into sprawling complexes of marble, gold, tinsel and trim all neatly packaged in steel “monkey cages”. Thakuraji’s “devotee fans” moved by loving hands and hearts were replaced by ceiling fans and AC’s.

During the destruction of Vrndavana, we often thought and prayed, “O Radharani! You are the Queen of the trees, birds and forests of Vrndavana. And You are the one and only supreme Empress of absolutely, pure and immaculate selfless love for Sri Krishna, mahabhava. We promise You that if we ever get some money, we will buy a little land and offer You some beautiful trees as a small token of our love and gratitude for all and everything that you have and still are giving to us.”

After many years, by Srimati Radharani’s sweet will, She gave some land in Her heart’s domain, Sri Radha-kunda Dhama. By Sri Krishna’s grace there are now over thirty-five trees here for Lila Yugal’s enjoyment, including neem, campak, asoka, amla, moulshri and Their favorites, our precious Tamal and Kadamba yugal vrksh.

With great disappointment, however, we have seen that most of the devotees buying land here will mindlessly decimate all the trees, and then cover every inch of their plots with cement, buildings driveways and towering walls, leaving zero vraj raja, save and except a ceremonial “tulsi stambha”. What about serving Vrndavana, and pleasing the Queen who so kindly gave you the land, Vrndavaneshvari Sri Radha?

We met one South Indian sadhu just after he purchased a plot in Vrndavana. “Maharaja, what is your plan for your land? Are you going to cover every inch with cement like everyone else does?”

Swamiji replied, “O, No, no, this is Vraja. I promise you I will build a small ashram along the back wall and leave the remaining area for a garden with trees and flowers for our Thakuraji.”

“Yes, this is good. Actually, it’s a privilege and a special favor from Srimati Radharani to be granted some land in Her Queendom. “Your property” and all the land in Vrndavana actually belongs to Sri Radha alone. We are merely guardians meant to protect and beautify it with flowers and trees as a place for the happiness and sweet pastimes of Sri Sri Radha Govinda Yugal.”

Conversation over, construction starts and guess what happened? A big ashram manifested eating all the land, and the “promised garden” is nonexistent! Such is the age of Kali!

To all those blessed devotees moving to Vrndavana and building a home on a private plot, we humbly make the following appeal. No matter how big or small your plot is, please only build on one-third or one-half of “your land”, and leave the rest for a “Radharani Bagicha”, a beautiful garden full of fragrant flowers and happy trees! The is real residence in Vrndavana, Vrajavasa, and this is Krishna bhakti.

In closing, we pray: “O Vraja! O Vrndatavi Mata! How very much we miss you that while writing this our tears are falling on the paper. Will we ever see you again? Will we ever be embraced by you again, and fill with that special feeling of love, security, hope and happiness than only a bhakta can perceive? O Srimati Radharani! If Vraja does not return, then please I beg You to take me to Your lotus feet in Goloka Vrndavana Dhama.

Jai Jai Sri Radhe! Sridham Vrndavana ki jai!

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Gurudeva Reveals Radha Kunda Appearance Day

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

There is an amazing story behind the revival of the original and actual appearance day of Sri Radha Kunda. It was 2017, just a day before Caitra Purnima 2017, when my divine master, Radha-Krishna nitya Vrndavana lila pravista, 108 Pandit Sri Krishna Dasa Babaji Maharaja revealed the amazing hidden truth.

Gurudeva: “Do you know that Karttika Bahulastami is not the appearance day of Radha Kunda?”

M.Madan Gopal Das: “O, Gurudeva, really? For thirty-five years we’ve been midnight bathing in Radha-kunda on that day thinking it was the appearance day.”

Gurudeva: “There is no sastra proof for that. In Mathura Mahatmyam, Sri Rupa Gosvamipada says that devotees should bathe in Radha-kunda on Karttika Bahulastami to Bhagavan Sri Hari. It says nothing about appearance day or a midnight snana.

“However, Sri Jiva Goswami says (SB 10.45.3 tika) that Radha-kunda appeared at midnight on Caitra Purnima. Thus according to our mahajanas, all Gaudiya Vaisnavas should bathe at midnight on this day to honor and respect the ACTUAL AND REAL APPEARANCE DAY OF RADHA KUNDA, Radha-Krishna’s most merciful lila of manifesting these magnificent kundas!”

So, listen, I want you to spread this truth far and wide, and by doing that you will make Srimati Radharani very happy. Just go rent an auto rikshaw, fix an amplifier and a big, big silver speaker on it, and ride all around Vraja Mandala telling everyone in Hindi this truth.”

M.Madan Gopal Das: “Gurudeva, are you serious, you really want us to do that? We don’t know Hindi so well, but we will try in our own way through I-Net and E mails to inform all devotees about this.”

Since Gurudeva was 99 years old at that time, I never expected him to say yes, but nevertheless, I curiously then asked him: “Gurudeva, would you like to come take Radha-kunda midnight snana tonight to inaugurate the revival of the original appearance day of Sri Radha-kunda?”

Gurudeva: Much to my surprise, Pandit Baba innocently looked at me like a child and said enthusiastically, “YES, I WILL TAKE MIDNIGHT SNANA TOO!”

Jai Gurudeva!

That first Caitra Purnima Radha-kunda appearance day was honored by a party of five—Sri Pandit Baba, Sri Haricarana dasji, Ananta dasji, ourselves and two Russian devotees. And thus it began in 2017, “The First Annual Original Caitra Purnima Midnight Appearance Day Festival of Sri Radha-kunda.”

On behalf of Sri Sri Radha-Syama, Sri Advaita Prabhu, Sri Jiva Goswami and our beloved eternal master, we invite all the devotees to come next year and every year for a midnight bliss bath in Sri Radha-kunda on Caitra Purnima.

Sri Radha-kunda Dhama ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Sri Rupa & Praying

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

The word paddhati means a few verses or even a small book of mantras, prayers, pujas and instructions meant to guide a sadhaka in successful bhajana. Dhyana Chandra Goswami, a grand-disciple of Mahaprabhu parishad, Pandita Sri Vakreshvara Ji, wrote the famous Paddhati Traya to help sadhakas attain the eternal seva of Srimati Radharani in manjari bhava.

Sri Rupa Gosvami’s Stava Mala contains a small paddhati of only seven verses praising Sri Radha. It concludes with very wonderful prayers of humble surrender petitioning Priyaji for Her eternal service.

Reciting, imbibing, feeling and realizing the deeper import of the following prayers from that paddhati will enrich the devotional hearts of all sadhakas.

“[O Sri Radharani!] I am full of offenses, have wicked intelligence and I am unqualified in all respects. But still I beg You, Sri Radha: ‘You are Karunamayi, so please give me the matchless gift of a little seva at Your lotus feet.’”

krtagaske py ayoge pi, jane smin kumatav api
dasya dana pradanasya, lavam apy upapadaya

“O most merciful Radharani! Your butter-like, tender heart is always melting with the warmth of Your compassion. So please don’t neglect this most pitiable person.”

yuktas tvaya jano naiva, duhkhito yam upekshitum
krpa dyota drava citta, navanitasi yat sada
(Sri Prarthana-paddhati 6, 7)

Sri Rupa Gosvamipada ki jai! Begging Radha for krpa ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

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Manjari: Sadhana and Perfection

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Sri Vilapa Kusumanjali by Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswamipada is the best bhajana guidebook for raganuga sadhakas pursing manjari bhava. However, this is not really a book.

Rather here in a tangible and approachable form one discovers an ocean of loving outpourings for humble seva from the anguished heart of Srimati Radhika’s manjari maidservant crying in separation:

“Ha Radhe! Ha Radhe! Where are You now? I beg to see You and serve Your lotus feet in every possible way. Ha Radhe! Where are You?”

Each and every verse of Vilapa Kusumanjali is like a fragrant flower (kusuma) sprinkled with the pollen of lamentation (vilapa), and offered with the hands (anjali) of a heart hankering for Srimati’s eternal service.

Sadhakas aware of their siddha-svarupas or spiritual forms should regularly read these verses while deeply meditating on the pastimes described therein; the services being offered; and the moods and feelings being exchanged between Priya Sundari and Her loving maidservant.

With a purified mind and a sensitive, service-oriented heart, a sadhaka can identify with Sri Dasa Goswami in his manjari form as Tulasi-manjari and the sweet confidential sevas she’s doing for Radharani’s pleasure.

With the mercy of Sri Guru, Sri Harinama, and sweet foot dust of Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswamipada, one will gradually see these seva lilas in the mind, and render the same sevas too in one’s individual siddha-svarupa.

To facilitate the sadhana of manjari bhava upasakas, Sri Vilapa Kusumanjali is herein presented. Manjari bhava upasana ki jai! Guru krpa hi kevalam ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

Sri Vilapa Kusumanjali

Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami

1 My dear friend Rūpa Mañjari! In the town of Vraja, you are well known for your chastity. You don’t even look at the faces of other men! It is surprising therefore that your lips, that are as beautiful as red Bimba-fruits, have been bitten although your husband is not at home. Perhaps this has been done by the best of parrots?

2 O Sthalakamalini (land-lotus)! It is fitting that you are laughing very proudly through your flower bunches, since the black bee Krishna has left all the fragrant flowers in the forest to search only for you!

O Rati Mañjari! You are the most fortunate cowherd girl in the abode of the king of Vraja! When your mistress Śrī Rādhikā forgets Her beloved sash of bells due to absorption in Her love play, She asks You to fetch it from the cave where She left it!

4 I take shelter of my teacher Yadunandana Ācārya, who is so powerful because he is so dear to Yadunandana Śrī Krishna, and who personally showered me with the nectar of his matchless mercy.

5 I worship Sri Chaitanyachandra, who with the ropes of His mercy suddenly pulled me out of the deep, inescapable, waterless well of household life, which is full of limitless suffering, and gave me shelter at the tips of His feet, that defeat the beauty of lotus flowers, and entrusted me into the care of Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara.

6 I take shelter of my lord Sanātana Gosvāmī, who was an ocean of compassion and who always felt sorry for the suffering of others. Although I was blinded by ignorance and unwilling to, he diligently made me drink the nectar of devotion laced with renunciation.

7 O Svāmini Radhe! The heart of this maidservant constantly burns in a great fire of separation from You. Being thus afflicted and crying with great love, I lament in the following verses!

8 O Devi Radhe! I’m helpless and afflicted in the middle of an ocean of sorrow! Please take me to the wonderful abode of Your lotus feet in the powerful boat of Your mercy!

9 O Devi! This person has died from the bites of the black snake of separation from You. Please revive me with the medicinal lac that anoints Your lotus feet!

10 O Devi, I am a maidservant of Your lotus-like feet, but my vine-like body burn is burning in the forest fire of separation from You. Please revive me at once with Your nectarean glances!

11 O Sumukhi! When will I, even in a dream, be justified in calling my head the highest limb (uttamāṅga) of my body by beautifying it with the glistening fragrant pollen of Your lotus feet?

12 O Kalyāṇi! When will the jingling of Your anklebells, that resembles an ocean of nectarean rasa, cure my deafness?

13 O Devi! When You go out to meet Krishna in the moonlit night Your eyes fearfully move in all directions, like bumblebees turning the whole forest into blue lotus petal-interiors. Is this person not to be seen by these eyes?

14 O Vrindavaneshvari! Ever since some mañjarī named Rūpa filled my eyes with light in Vrajabhūmi, I have strongly desired to see the red lac on Your lotus feet!

15 O blooming lotus-eyed girl (Rādhe)! When my eyes directly saw Your pond, Rādhākuṇḍa, which is filled with sweet water and lotus flowers surrounded by blissfully humming bees, then I really got the desire to taste the nectar of Your service!

16 O Devi! I shall never pray to You for anything else but the excellent service of Your lotus feet! I offer my constant obeisances to the idea of becoming Your friend, but I really relish the idea of becoming Your maidservant!

17 O You whose golden hue possesses the pride of the color of a turmeric-bulb scratched by a fingernail! When will You, having, out of great satisfaction, marked my arms with Your emblems of good fortune that are anointed with Your very lovely footlac, bestow the service of Your lotus feet on me?

18 O Devi! When may I daily make Your latrine, which is very dear to me, fragrant with nice incense after I joyfully rinse Your drain with sweetly scented water and lovingly sweep it with my loosened hair?

19 O Bhāvini Radhe! When can I diligently bring camphorated clay and a jug of scented water into Your room, wash Your lotus like feet in a basin and dry them with my hair?

20 After washing Your lotus feet and brushing Your teeth with a twig, when may this maidservant seat You in the bathroom and massage You after anointing You with very fragrant oils?

21 O You whose lotus like face defeats the beauty of the moon! When may I expertly bathe You with jugs of pure water scented with camphor and flowers, brought in advance by a sakhi who is beautified by her love for You?

22 O Śaśimukhi! After Your bath, may I gently and carefully wipe the water from Your tender limbs with fine towels as the borders of Your fish-like eyes joyfully move in all directions. After covering Your hips with a red silken petticoat, my body will erupt with thrill bumps of joy. Then may I cover Your entire body from Your head down with an incomparably beautiful blue sari?

23 O Radhe, beloved of the Prince of Vraja! When will this person, after washing Your lotus feet, lovingly braid Your hair with the beautiful fine garlands made by the florist girl Narmada?

24 O Devi, may I then joyfully make a full moon-like tilaka on Your forehead, anoint Your body with fine glistening vermilion and make pictures on Your breasts with perfumes?

25 O Devi! When will I beautify Your tresses by making a stripe of sindūra on Your hair part with a jeweled pencil?

26 O Devi! With a steady hand when can I make red fragrant spots all around Your tilaka that is the best enchanting herb for Krishna?

27 O Varoru! Your excellent earrings are like ropes that the flower archer Cupid has placed to bind the elephant king-like heart of the Prince of Vraja! When can I happily hang these ornaments on Your ears?

28 O Sundari! I did not desire that Śyāma would not see Your breasts when I placed this kañculī (bodice) on them. Actually, O Swamini, I wanted Shyama Himself to become Your blouse by suddenly coming and firmly embracing Your jewellike breasts that are more dear than His very life.

29 O Hemagauri! When You tire of lovemaking You lie down on the pillow of Mukunda’s chest, which is as soft as cotton. When can this maidservant decorate Your nice chest with a charming necklace of gems and big pearls?

30 O Indīvarakṣi! Will I ever get the chance to ornament You with blue bangles inset with jewels? When will I adorn Your hands, that are expert in all arts and very dear to Śrī Hari, with beautiful glistening rings?

31 O Sunetre! When will I worship Your lotus feet by carefully putting jeweled ankle bells on them, and worship the petals of those lotuses with Your dearest toe rings? When will I worship Your waist, Krishna’s matchless loveseat, with a golden sash of jingling bells

32 When can I humbly and joyfully decorate Your arms, that are like very lovely lotus stems that expertly destroy the patience in the swan-like intelligence of Murajayi Krishna, with gem studded armlets or render any other service to You?

33 O Subhage! When will that day come when I worship Your neck, which attained all good fortune from the touch of Gokulachandra during the Rasa Utsava, with a Graiveya-ornament?

34 O Sumukhi! After Krishna killed the proud Śaṅkhacūḍa-demon, He gave the Syamantaka jewel removed from that demon to His brother Balarāma (the enemy of Pralambāsura). With a happy heart Balarāma gave it to Madhumaṅgala who in turn gave it to You. When can I hang this Syamantaka jewel, the friend of Krishna’s Kaustubha-gem, in a locket around Your neck?

35 O Kṛśodari! Your waist is so thin that I’m very much afraid it will break when I bind it with a golden string with tassels at both ends!

36 O Hemagauri (golden girl)! When will I fasten a round nose pearl attached to a golden string on Your nose that defeats the beauty of a sesame flower? The great bee Madhumathana Krishna will be very agitated by the honey suddenly appearing there.

37 O Svarṇagauri! When on Your order will I tie the nava-ratna armlet on Your left arm with a string beautified by a silken tassel?

38 O Cañcalākṣi! Although Muraśatru Krishna agitates all the gopīs, I make Krishna spin like a disc with the chakra-shaped hairpins that I place above Your ears!

39 O Mṛga Śāvākṣi! When can I beautify Your chin that is the abode of Mukunda’s bliss with a drop of musk?

40 O Devi! When will I decorate Your teeth with reddish lines, making them look just like pearls with lines of ruby on them?

41 O Gāṅgeya Gātri! When will I color Your excellent Bimba fruit reddish, nectarlike lips with lipstick of catechu mixed with fresh camphor? Will the Krishna parrot suddenly come then and forcibly bite them?

42 With just a blink from the corners of Your eyes You immediately tightly tie down the king of elephants Krishna. When will I worship Your two eyes that defeat the fickleness of the wagtail bird with eyeliner?

43 Just to soothe Your proud love sulk, the Prince of Vraja holds Your feet on His head to enhance its beauty with the mark of Your footlac! When will I make Your feet most splendid with this nectarean footlac?

44 O Devi, when Muradvisha Krishna touches Your lowered shoulders in the Rāsa dance, He looks like a full moon (Kalānidhi) shining with an abundance of lust. O Kalāvati (artistic girl)! When will this maidservant joyfully place a garland of sweet jasmine flowers, surrounded by wandering humming bees, on Your shoulders?

45 O Mugdhāṅgi! O Sumukhi! When will this maidservant sit next to You, who are surrounded by Your sakhis, and lovingly hand You the paraphernalia to offer formal oblations to the Sungod sitting on an altar made of sunstones?

46 O Varoru! After You very carefully cook a variety of sweets for Madhumathana on the order of the Queen Yaśodā, You hand them to Your girlfriends like me [to bring them to Krishna].

47 O Bhavye! Seeing me bringing Your sweets and knowing me to be Yours, when will the Queen of Vraja hold her forehead on my forehead in loving joy as if she is my mother and inquire about Your wellbeing?

48 O Devi! When will I most affectionately bring and present to You the remnants of Krishna’s lotus like mouth given to me by Dhanishtha.

49 O Kuṅkumāṅgi! When will I carefully serve You the many remnants left by Krishna, that are like an elixir of the quintessence of nectar, mixed with other eatables and drinks, as You sit down, surrounded by Lalitā and other girlfriends?

50 O Taralākṣi! When will the time come when I can offer You sweet drinking water scented with fresh roses and camphor for flushing Your mouth, along with a twig for brushing Your teeth?

51 O Devi! While You are eating, when can I lovingly and attentively fan You, light lots of nicely fragrant incense, or serve You in other appropriate ways at that time?

52 O Madhura Gātri! When will my hair stand erect in ecstasy when I place a betel-leaf packed with camphor, catechu, cloves and guvak into Your lotus like mouth?

53 O Devi! While Lalitā joyfully offers arati to You, and the other sakhīs worship You with auspicious songs and fresh flowers, when can this maidservant, to whom You are dearer than billions of lives, worship You with her hair?

54 O Devi! While You are absorbed in an intimate joking discussion with Your girlfriends, headed by Lalitā, I will make a beautiful play bed for You with my own hands. When will You decorate that bed by dreaming on it?

55 O Manojña Hṛdaye! O Sadaye! When will that beautiful, blessed day come when this maidservant of Yours will massage Your feet as Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī takes care of Your hands?

56 O Sumukhi! When will I, like a vine of devotion, on the strength of great arising fortune, obtain the remnants of food that You spat out along with Your gargling water and the water that has washed Your lotus like feet? With love I shall enjoy it in so many ways along with Your other loving friends!

57 O Devi! When will You, while You are eating, affectionately give me, whose heart is dedicated to You, the nectarean remnants from Your lotus like mouth?

58 O Svāmini! Can I ever obtain Your darshana as You walk to Nandishvara to cook for Mādhava Sri Krishna, with Your gait faltering and Your hair standing on end out of joy?

59 Rūpa Mañjarī will lead You on the path, Lalitā and Viśākhā will be at Your sides, Your friends will be all around You, and I will walk behind You holding Your gracefully slender waist.

60 When You arrive in Nandīśvara, the great abode of Vrajaraja Nanda, which is filled with the bellowing of cows, the shouts of the cowherders and the different songs of the artists and panegyrists, and which shines with love, being dearer to Krishna, the Prince of Vraja, than even Govardhana.

61 Surrounded by Your loving friends, You will arrive in Nandishvara. When will I then see Dhanishtha, after seeing You coming from afar, quickly and lovingly bring You inside the palace right in front of me?

62 O Kuśale! You are an expert cook! After I wash Your lotus like feet, You enter into the kitchen and offer obeisances to the queen of Vraja and other superiors. When will You drown me in an ocean of bliss by doing this?

63 O Devi, when can I see Your lowered blushing face affectionately looking at Mādhava while You collect all His food and drinks and place them in Rohiṇī’s hands?

64 O Madhure! When will You gladden me when I see Mādhava glancing at Your joyful and eager lotus face with lowered eyes as He sits in the dining room with His superiors?

65 When will Krishna, the Prince of Vraja, glance at You with His smiling face as He goes out to wander in the forest with the Surabhī cows in whose care He was initiated, being cuddled by His worried mother?

66 O Hrīmati Sumukhi! When will my heart feel great joy when I see the Queen of Vraja, who is more affectionate than billions of mothers, taking eager oaths to make You sit down to eat with Your friends?

67 O Khañjanākṣi! When will I feel a great festival of joy in my heart when I see You being cuddled by the Queen of Vraja, who embraces You, kisses Your head and lovingly stares at You as if You are Her newly married daughter-in-law?

68 O my dear friend Rūpa Mañjari! When can I walk behind you when you lovingly take wide-eyed goddess Rādhikā, who is moved by waves of desire, to the play grove that is decorated by Śrī Hari, as She holds Her vine-like arm with yours?

69 My dear friend Rūpa Mañjari! When will I be able to see you with my mistress decorating Her dearest One with flower-ornaments in the grove-cottage on the bank of Radha-kunda?

70 O Subhage! Can I joyfully decorate You with fine garments, floral earrings, necklaces and so after hearing from the parrot Vicakṣaṇa that the prince of Vraja has gone out for His excellent noontime meeting with You?

71 O Śaśimukhi! O Devi! When will I make a bed of jasmine-flowers for You in the cottage in Madanānandada-kuñja (Visakha’s grove which gives joy to Cupid) which has beautiful gates and erotic vermilion pictures hanging in it, hung with garlands made of various flowers surrounded by humming bees?

72 O Kanaka Gauri (golden girl)! Can I carefully and happily massage Your lotus feet while Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī massages the lotus feet of Krishna, the Prince of Vraja, on whose arm You have placed Your head?

73 Madhusūdana is the crest jewel of clever pranksters! One day He obstructs Your path on the pretext of collecting tax from You as You are walking near Govardhana Hill! Will I then see Your proud eyes crowned with frowned eyebrows?

74 O Madhura-mukhi! When the wind carries Your excellent bodily fragrance to Candrāvalī’s handmade play bed where Mukunda enjoys with her, Krishna finds a clever excuse to meet You on the shore of Radha-kunda, like a bumblebee leaving an inferior flower. When will I proudly witness this?

75 O Śaśimukhi! When will we witness Your ever-fresh water sports with Pranapati Shyama and Your friends all together in Your own sweet lake, which is filled with many lotus flowers and surrounded by singing birds and humming bees?

76 O Varoru! When will the ocean of my bliss expand when I see You being decorated with flowers by joyful Arishtajayi Krishna in a grove with many blooming flowers and bees on the beautiful bank of Your lake?

77 Will the joy of my eyes increase when I see one maiden swiftly and happily bringing various blooming flowers, big guñjā-beads and peacock feathers? While Hari places these things in Svamini’s hair braid, He shivers and Radha’s whole body blooms up with tiny bumps of bliss!

78 O Sumukhi! When will I secretly smile when I see You proudly and excitedly beating Mādhava with Your play lotus during Your love sports?

79 O Subhaga Mukhi! When will You give me great joy by singing sweet love songs with the Prince of Vraja as You embrace Him with Your very graceful arms, and Shyama holds His strong arm on Your low shoulders?

80 O Devi, when You defeat Hari in a dice game You snatch away His flute. When will You throw it to me, so that I can hide it somewhere?

81 O Sumukhi)! When will I have thrill bumps of ecstasy all over my body as I fan You in a temple that gives bliss to Cupid, where You enjoy ever-so-sweet talks with Your lover, Your cheeks blossoming with a smile as You lie on a play bed made of Mālatī flowers?

82 O Rādhe with a face like a fully blooming lotus flower! When You go out to meet Krishna at night Your swiftly moving feet become afflicted with fatigue. O Devi! When will You, although You are shyness personified, call me by name to massage Your lotus feet? Then I know that You have accepted me as Your own!

83 ‘O Rādhe! O Granddaughter! The time has come for Your worship of the sungod! Where are You?’ Will these angry words of Mukharā sound like nectar to me and make me happy?

84 O Devi! Can I serve Your nectarean words with My ears and Your camphor-scented smile with My eyes?

85 O Suvrate! Will you increase my bliss by falsely and angrily quarreling with Your Prananatha, being supported by Your girlfriends, who are expert in helping You in Your loving tricks while You play the flower picking game?

86 O Sadaye! When will this maiden, whom Mādhava knows to be very dear to You and piteously petitioned in so many unbearable ways, anxiously fall at Lalitā’s feet to plead for Him that You give up Your maan?

87 O Dhīre! When will I see Your great ceremonial bathing as You are crowned the queen of Vṛndāvana by Paurṇamāsī’s personal arrangement? While You are being bathed with many jugs of pure fragrant water, there will be a grand festival of love with dancing, singing of auspicious songs and playing of vīṇās and other instruments!

88 O Mañju-vadane! On the full moon day of Śrāvana (August) named Rakṣa Pūrṇimā, Your brother Śrīdāma comes to Yāvata with ten thousand cows to satisfy the greedy Jaṭilā before affectionately taking You along to Varṣānā, where Your parents lovingly cuddle You in front of me as You melt with weeping from happiness and sorrow.

89 O Sadaye! When will You shyly take me far away from Your girlfriends to a cave of Govardhana Hill to teach me beautiful songs in different tunes?

90 O Devi, when will I shyly lower my head in the assembly as You are requested by Lalitā-devī to lovingly read some beautiful romantic poetry to me?

91 O Devi! When will You teach me how to play the Kacchapī vina in a grove that is filled with humming bees, on the shore of Your lake?

92 O Devi! When will You, being shy before Your girlfriends, order me through a hint to restring Your dear necklace which broke during Your pastimes with Krishna?

93 O Devi! When will You affectionately give me the remnants of Your chewed betel from Your mouth into mine, looking all around (to see if anybody’s looking)?

94 O Śaśimukhi! During intense love-pastimes with Your Prananatha You become bewildered and forget Your dear sweet sash of bells in the kunja. When will You give me a wink to go quickly back and fetch it?

95 O Devi! Although You are generally very grave, You once severely rebuked me and sent me away for committing just the tiniest mistake. When will You cast a slight glance on this pitiful person after Lalitā brings her back to You?

96 I am Yours, I am Yours! I cannot live without You! O Devi! Knowing this, please take me to Your lotus feet!

97 O Lolākṣi! Sri Radha-kunda is always the dwelling place of You and Your Beloved. Here only at Radha-kunda I will live and here alone I will stay!

98 O beautiful Radha-kunda! My Ishvari Radha always plays erotic games in you with Her beloved Krishna. If you are dearer to Them than the dearest, then please show me my Ishvari, who is my very life!

99 O fair-faced Viśākhe! My Queen will not leave your company for even a moment! Because You are of the same age as Radha, you are the realm of Her joking pastimes. Please save my life from the affliction of separation and show me my Ishvari!

100 O Natha, O Gokula-sudhakara! O You who are melting with compassion! O You whose lotus like face smiles sweetly and satisfied! Wherever You go to enjoy loving pastimes with Your beloved, please take me there, so that I can affectionately serve You there!

101 O Ishe Radhe! The goddess of fortune cannot attain even a drop of the beauty of the tips of Your lotus like toenails! If You do not bestow the gift of Your darshana, then what is the use of this life that just burns in a forest fire of sorrow?

102 O Varoru! Thus I somehow spent my time at Radha-kunda aspiring after oceans of nectar. But Radha, if You are not merciful to me, then what is the use of my life—my living in Vraja—and even Krishna to me?

103 O Kṛpāmayi Radha! If You are not kind upon this suffering girl then what was the use of all these lamentations and all my service to Your kunda for such a long time?

104 O Praṇaya-śālini Radha! Thus I am loudly crying, desiring to attain Your mature loving service! Holding Your lotus feet to my heart, which is burning out of intense agony, I’m offering these lamentations to them as a bouquet of flowers. May they be the cause of even the slightest satisfaction to You.

(adapted from translation of Sri Advaita Dasji)

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Identity of a Radha Dasi

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Abhimana means the mentality, attitude, thought, self-conception, inner feeling, or the innate sense of knowing who or what I am and what I want. Abhimana can be either material or spiritual.

Possessing the right attitude (abhimana), mentality and heart is the foundation of success in bhakti sadhana. It’s not about numbers, fasts, vratas and big quantities, it’s about QUALITY. Bhakti means being pure-minded, tender-hearted, and doing everything to please Radha and Krishna. Having the right abhimana (mentality, self-esteem) is so important and powerful that just by this one attains spiritual perfection!

Sri Jiva Goswami confirms: “Even without any spiritual practice, by this attitude (abhimana) alone [that I am Krishna’s eternal servant] one attains spiritual perfection, astu tavad bhajana prayasah kevala tadrshatv abhimanenapi siddhir bhavati. (Bhakti S. 304.2) The Upanisads say, “The soul is neither male, female, nor neuter. It attains a body according to its absorption in a particular thought, naiva stri na puman esa, na caivayam napumsakah, yad yac chariram adatte, tena tena sah rakshyate.” (Svetasvatara Upanisad 5.9.10)

A basic spiritual abhimana is having the self-conceit and feeling that I am Krishna’s eternal servant. A more developed sense of abhimana will give one the idea that I am an eternal maidservant of Srimati Radharani.

For example, a genuine devotee with shishya-abhimana, the attitude of a disciple, will think, “In this world, Gurudeva is my only true friend, wisdom guide, companion and ever-well wisher. And for time eternal I will lovingly serve my Gurudeva. Gurudeva is very dear to Sri Sri Radha Govinda and Their sakhis and manjaris. I pray to be eternally engaged in the seva of my Guru’s lotus feet.”

For a raganuga bhakta the best example of spiritual abhimana is Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami who was fully immersed in the abhimana or self-conceit of identifying as Radhika’s manjari.

Wetting the vraja-dhuli with his tears of separation, Dasa Goswami continually lamented in separation from his Swamini while praying, “O Radhika, I have nothing and no one but You. You are my everything and I am Your dasi. Although I am totally insignificant, please know it clearly that I am Yours, I am Yours!”

Here’s a wonderful example of transcendental abhimana in the kingdom of Vrindavana. One day after Krishna left Vraja, a clever sakhi, noticing the blossoming beauty of her younger sister, spoke to her in a private place just to test her: “O sakhi, our Krishna has now left Vrindavana. I see that your youthful beauty and other qualities are now developing. And Vraja is full of handsome dashing young lads. So if you want to marry one, just whisper your preference and I’ll make all arrangements.”

“What are you saying?” said the youthful kishori. “Surely there are millions of talented and qualified young men in this world. But I don’t care! If a young man does not have a mor mukuta, a murali, and mineral powders adorning his form then he is as insignificant as a piece of straw, and I could care less.” This is the abhimana of a kishori gopi.

The bhava and thoughts we cultivate and the sevas we meditate upon during sadhana will be attained at the stage of perfection. A raganuga bhakta should continually meditate on being Radha’s kinkari, loyal loving servant.

The following prayer of Sri Prabodhananda Sarasvati shows the intimacy and sweetness of having sakhi abhimana and being close to Priyaji: “When will I eternally live with Kishori jeu and serve Her in various clever ways while wearing Radha’s cloth and bodice that She lovingly gave me with Her own hands, prasadam svaminyah svakara-tala-dattam pranayatah?” (Radha Rasa Sudha Nidhi 53)

In this regard, Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura gives very clear advice on how to cultivate spiritual abhimana in raganuga bhakti.

One aspiring for manjari bhava on the path of raga should think, feel and hanker like this: “I will follow the manjaris of Radhika, and by their mercy I will blissfully serve Radha-Krishna in the kunjas of Vrindavana. Just by seeing the gestures of my guru sakhi or Tulasi-manjari, I will understand what seva is required for the pleasure of Lila Yugala.

“I will immerse my mind and heart in the beauty, charm and sweetness of Radha Govinda Yugala. I will live amongst Their intimate sakhis and serve Radha and Krishna with all my heart throughout the day and night. No matter what happens to me, I will always meditate upon and serve Radha-Krishna.

“By Their mercy, I will eventually realize and see the siddha deha upon which I was meditating on during my sadhana. It is only a matter of time. For what is now unripe during my sadhana will fully ripen when I attain the stage of prema. This is the way of bhajana for those treading the path of raga. (Prema-bhakti-candrika 53-58)

By the grace of Sri Guru a mature sadhaka will be introduced to his/her eternal identity (nitya-abhimana). Then that fortunate sadhaka will start identifying with that siddha svarupa, one’s eternal, seva-saturated spiritual form.

By regularly contemplating that siddha deha and mentally serving Radha and Krishna in that form, the sadhaka will one day have the crystal clear realization that, “I am nothing but a servant of the servants of the servants of Srimati Radharani, radha dasi dasi anudasi!

What could be more fascinating and wonderful than thinking that someday I will become a most trusted, confidential serving girl of Srimati Radharani? May everyone someday receive this great treasure of possessing the pure abhimana of a being Radha’s eternal servant.

Gopi abhimana ki jai! Sri Radha’s eternal seva ki jai!

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Rasika Tilaka Meanings

Mahanidhi Swami

Puranas and Goswami granthas say that the Bhagavan nama chanted while marking each part of the body with gopi-chanda are different forms of Sri Vishnu. With their rasika vision, however, Gaudiya Vaisnava’s see Vrindavana Sri Krishna and Srimati Radharani in each of the 13 tilaka names chanted while applying tilaka. Here we present the rasika tilaka meanings to help everyone remember Radha-Krishna Yugala in Vraja Dhama whenever they apply tilaka.

Rasika Meaning of Tilak Names

Narayana=== Krishna rests on water in Vraja when shows gopis Sheshashayi lila.

Madhavaya===Krishna, who runs (dhava) after Srimati Radhika (ma=Sri Lakshmi Devi).

Govindaya=== Krishna pervades n fully delights (vindate) the senses (go) of the gopis.

Viṣṇave namaḥ=== Krishna is all-pervading within the gopis’ hearts, minds and bodies.

Vamanaya===Krishna is a naughty but simple cowherd boy.

Damodaraya===Nivi Damodara, Krishna, bound by Radha’s underwear string (nivi) for  showing up late.

Padmanabhaya===Krishna’s navel looks like a blossoming lotus.

Sridharaya===Krishna tightly holds (dhara) Sri Radha in His loving embrace.

Hrshikeshaya===Krishna tastes bliss in controlling the gopis’ senses.

Madhusundanaya=== Shyama always drinks the sweet nectar of Radharani’s lips.

Trivikramāya namaḥ===Krishna has many features and dances in rasa with three (tri) special (vi) dance steps, krama.

Keshavaya===Krishna expertly combs and brushes Kishori’s long black silky tresses.

(source: Gurudeva, Advaita dasji n md)