Tag Archive for: VrajaLila

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Vraja, Wonderland of Play part four

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

VARSANA AREA LILA VILLAGES

My wisdom teacher once said, “Prema is everywhere available in Vraja Mandala, but especially in Varsana!”

I replied, “Really, but what about Radha Kunda?”

Teacher: “Yes, of course there, BUT in Varsana—PREMA IS RAINING FROM THE SKY (prema-varsha)!!!”

Come! Let’s go to Varsana, and get drenched and completely soaked in Radha’s rain shower of mercy, compassion and love. O, What an amazing sacred place? Ahh, My Vraja Dhama!

Please, O Radhika! I beg you with tears in my eyes, “May I live here eternally in the cooling shade seva of Your sweeter than sweet lotus feet.”

In every square mile of Vraja Mandala, one can see, feel and touch two transcendental villages named after a divine lila that Sri Krishna enacted there 5,000 years ago! Here in Vraja, every step is a celebration of love leading us from village to village, lila to lila, and on into Krishna’s heart. Vraja Bhumi ki jai!

Ajhai
After Krishna bewildered Brahmaji (brahma-vimohana lila), the cowherd boys came here and exclaimed, “Today (aja) Nandulala killed the monster snake Agha!”

Jainta
In this village, Krishna is remembered for killing Aghasura. At that time, the devatas cheered happily, “All victory to Bhagavan Sri Krishna, all victory to Him!” The gopas also chimed in to saturate the sky with a tumultuous sound of “All victory (jaya:jainta), all victory!”

Sihona (now Seyano)
Upon hearing of Agha’s demise, the elderly Vrajavasis repeatedly glorified Yashodanandana saying, “Krishna is so clever, very very clever (seyano) and strong!” (Krishna seyano hoya gayo hai).

Deravali Grama
When coming from Gokula and Chattikara in route to his ancestral home in Nandagrama, Sri Nanda Baba and his clan camped (dera dala) here overnight.

Ranavadi
This amazing lila village is significant for two pastimes, and the phenomenal disappearance of Siddha Krishna Dasa Babaji around 1865 a.d.

Within the sacred transcendental kunjas of this place, Sakshat manmatha-manmatha Bhagavan Sri Krishna and Mahabhavati Srimati Radharani often enjoyed playful games and love battles (rana).

Also at this lila sthali, Krishna and His comrades once met Kishori and Her band of heavily armed sakhis. They all fought a terrible yet hilarious battle of colors; each gleefully drenching and powdering the other in a barrage of rainbow colors. “Ho Ho Holi hai!!!” Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Vraja, Wonderland of Play part three

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

BAELVANA & BHANDIRAVANA LILA VILLAGES

Jai Ho! Vraja Dhama ki jai! Radharani Sarkar ki jai. In parts one and two, we wandered together through the lila villages of the Kamyavan area. Now we will visit the eastern side of Yamunaji, and hear of little lila villages near the famous lila-sthalis of Bhandiravan and Baelvan.

Vraja Dhama! O, What an amazing sacred place? In every square mile of Vraja Mandala, one can visit two villages named after a divine lila that Sri Krishna enacted there 5,000 years ago! Here in Vraja, every step is a celebration of love leading us from village to village, lila to lila, and on into Krishna’s heart.

Venuya
A sweet little lila village on the bank of Yamunaji named after Shyama’s enchanting venu flute, which Manohara played one day to steal the hearts of His darlings.

Sarakoriya
One day, Gopalaji was playing here with His gopas. Some of Krishna’s pals said, “O Gopala! We are very hungry! Could You somehow arrange to feed us some milk?” As soon as they said this, pots of fresh milk suddenly appeared all around them. The boys laughed and drank to their hearts content. In jest they started churning the milk into cream and then relished it in great bliss. In honor of this divya-lila, the village has been known for 5,000 years as Sarakoriya (saram, cream; koriya, to make).

Chaheri (today: Vijauli)
After boisterous wrestling in Bhadravana, Krishna, Balarama and the cowherd boys came here to relax in the luxurious shade and honor prasadam. Chaheri comes from chaya meaning shade.

Kinarai
One day the sakhas came here enjoyed vigorous frolicking on the banks of the Yamuna. Kinara means riverbank.

Jayapura
One day the sakhas trounced Govinda here in play. They cheered loudly in unison, “Hai! Hai! Jai! Jai! O Krishnaji! Every day You win, but today we soundly defeated You. Ha! Ha! So You must treat us with fresh cream and yogurt from Nandalaya!”

Our next magical, wonderland tour of mystical Vraja will take us to the Varshana area.

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Vraja, Wonderland of Play part two

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Come, let us wander through the far western corner of Vraja Mandala to uncover more hidden lila sthalis. Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

MORE KAMAVANA AREA LILA VILLAGES:

Pashopa (cow hoofs)
In this village, Krishna and Balarama and lots of cows once slipped away from the cowherd boys and wandered from forest to forest. After sometime, the gopas realized that Krishna and Balarama had gone away somewhere. However, the clever boys followed the hoofprints (pa) of the cows (pashu) and soon found the playboy brothers, Kanai Balai.

Virara
One time Rasabihari performed the Rasa dance here with the gopis. Afterwards, the sakhis made a luxuriant soft bed of fragrant flowers for Shyama to rest upon (virara from vishrama).

Badali
Once on a sizzling hot summer day Sri Krishna sat here with all the Vrajavasis. Everyone prayed to Krishna to please do something to relieve them. Soon a cool wind appeared there and refreshing rain (badala) poured down to everyone’s delight. Ghanasyama Radhe Radhe!!

Nagala Hara Narayana
Once Sri Krishna displayed His 4 armed Vishnu form here to please Radha (Hara).

Nagala Harasukha
Once Sri Krishna satisfied (sukha) Radha (Hara) and gopis here in all respects, each according to her own desires.

Kanabada
Here the gopis once dressed Srimati Radharani as a Queen. One gopi played as Radha’s gatekeeper; another one acted as Kishori’s footservant. After sometime, Krishna, Subala, Sridama and other boys, disguised as Vraja damsels, arrived and asked the gatekeeper to allow them to meet the Queen.

The gatekeeper informed Radha of Her “guests”, and Radhajeu asked, ‘Who are they?’ (ku uhara). Hearing Kishori’s inquiry, Krishna and His pals, fearing they may get caught, slowly slipped away into the deep forest. Because Sri Krishna fled after Radhika’s inquiry, this place has been called Kanabada.

Dana
One day the sakhas saw a torn and crumpled peacock feather (dana) here. Taking that proof, they concluded that Krishna had surely danced there among some joyful peacocks.

Nagala Sita Rama
Here in order to enjoy Rama-lila, the sakhis once dressed up Sri Krishna and Radharani as Sita-Rama.

Kanabadi
One day Nandanandana came here in a maddened state, shouting, “Whose (kona) home (badi) is the home of My dear sakha?”

Papadi
In this quaint village, the sakhis once decorated the Playful Pair Radha-Madhava with a throne, crowns and garlands all handmade from flower petals (papadi).

Vanacariya
Once some sakhas sat here glorifying their bosom friend Shyama: “It appears that our Govinda always moves in the forest (vanacari) either with His cows in the day or His gopis in the night.”

Parehi
Once the sakhis prepared a beautiful kunja and then invited Krishna to come. When Krishna arrived some sakhis began laughing at Him for some reason or other. Seeing this, Krishna said, “Listen, you all bring Me to this secluded forest bower, and then start laughing at Me. If you do that again, then I will never come anymore afterwards (parehi).”

Niganya
Here the sakhis told Gokulendu, “Was that You who distracted us while we were fetching water by playing on Your captivating flute? Krishna replied, “I did not play the flute (ham nahi gaya)! Perhaps it was somebody else.”

Pai Grama
One day Radha and Krishna all the sakhis played hide-an-seek here. Krishna hid in the deep dark forest. After a long search, Priyaji and Her sakhis finally got (pai) there Priyatama here.

Tiloyara
At this place, Radha-Madhava intimately enjoyed complete bliss without a moment’s (tila; literally a sesame seed) interruption.

Vichora
Once Shyama enjoyed love sports here with His dearest sakhi Chandramukhi Radha. When departing for Their respective homes, Radha-Govinda both felt unhappy because of separation (viccheda).

Bhulavana
This is not a lila village but an unforgettable forest.

One day Krishna and the cowherd boys came here, and everyone except Krishna dove into an ocean of playing. In a forlorn mood, Krishna sat under a kadamba tree lost in thoughts of Kishori.

Subala came and said, “O sakha! What’s happening with You? Who are You contemplating? Why don’t You speak, get up and take part in the games?”

“O Subala” replied Krishna, “As soon as I think of Radha I forget (bhulano) everything else!”

Khambi
Douji often played in this village. Once to indicate that this place is on the northern frontier of Vraja, Balarama lifted a huge stone pillar (khamba) and stuck it in the ground. It is still visible today!

Hasanapura
Here the playful cowherd boys once asked Govinda, “O sakha! How did You as a tiny toddler kill that fiendish witch Putana? Laughing (hasya) heartily at their question, Krishna replied, “This was just an ordinary pastime of Mine. Who can understand the extent of My potencies? I can do anything at any time!”

Thus ends the Kamavana Area Pastimes. Next article we will discover more astonishing places and pastimes.

Sri Dhama Vrndavana ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Vraja, Wonder Land of Play part one

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Welcome all lovers of Vrindavana! This is part one of our continuing series of articles glorifying Sridhama Vrindavana.

Vraja [aka Vrindavana] is the divine realm wherein Sri Krishna loves, plays and sports with all and everyone. If you simply visit Vraja or live in Vraja, Gopala will enchant your heart by His sweet love, beauty, charm and naughty playfulness.

Filled with thousands of temples, Vrindavana is known as a “temple town”. In fact, the entire 168 sq. mile area of Vraja Mandala is adorned with thousands of temples, sacred places, mountains, rivers, lakes and bathing tanks.

Bhakti-ratnakara, a 500 year old holy book penned by Gaudiya Acarya Sri Narahari Chakravarti, describes over 300 different inhabited villages still existing today in Vraja Mandala. Each village is named after and commemorated to a particular amazing pastime of Sri Krishna which occurred there.

Vraja Dhama ki jai ho! This is such a unique and captivating sacred place. In every square mile of Vraja Mandala, one can visit two villages named after a divine lila that Sri Krishna enacted there 5,000 years ago! Here in Vraja, every step is a celebration of love leading us from village to village, lila-to-lila, and on into Krishna’s heart.

These articles are meant to increase attract everyone more and more and more to this most astonishing, wonderland of pure love and never ending play. Sri Krishna’s pastime villages will be grouped by area like Kamavana, Varsana, etc. The villages will be listed by their modern names. The origin of that name will appear in brackets after its English translation. Sri Vraja Dhama ki jai!

KAMAVANA AREA LILA VILLAGES:

Dhuleda Gaon (gaon means village)
This village is so named, because here the whole sky filled with dust (dhuli) from the hooves of cows as Govinda drove them home.

Udha
Named after Uddhava (udha), who rested here while en route to Nandagrama to deliver Krishna’s message to the gopis.

Atora
Here Krishna, Subala, Sridama, Bhrnga and the gopas would frolic here for eight (atora) hours a day.

Bajhera
This is the appearance place of two of Radhika’s asta-sakhis, the twin sisters Rangadevi and Sudevi.

Sunahara-gaon
Sona or suna means gold and hara means Lord Shiva or take away. Here Srimati Radharani removed Her golden necklace, and offered it in worship to Mahadeva Lord Shiva.

Nagala Moti (nagala means town or village) Here Sri Krishna hung a string of pearls (moti) on the beautiful smooth neck of Kishori.

Nagala Khapana
Madhava then suddenly ran away after offering Srimati the pearl necklace. Swamini Radha asked a sakhi, “Where has Krishna suddenly gone after getting some type of message (khapara)?”

Malapura
One day while cavorting in the forest, Gopala Shyama boasted to His playmates, “I can do anything at any time!” Challenging Nandulala, the gopas said, “Ok, Gopala! Then bring us lots sweets (maala) like rabri, laddus, and kheera. And if the plate remains full even after we stuff ourselves, then we will believe you can do anything!” It came to pass and so the village is named. Even today everyone here remembers and talks about that lila of 50 centuries ago! Vrindavana Dhama ki JAI HO!

Didavali
Yashoda’s mom lived here, and thus it is famous as the village of Krishna’s grandmother (didi ma).

Ghata
Once while cow herding here, Shyama remembered the vastness (ghata) of Priyaji’s love and called out, “O Subala! Quickly bring My Praneshvari here!”

Paramadara
Once the sakhis came to this lonely village searching for Shyama. In the pangs of separation, Ishvari Radha tightly embraced a glossy black tamala tree. Then upon seeing a nearby lake, shimmering with a dark blue hue, all the sakhis fainted. Suddenly Shyama arrived and fully (parama) worshiped (adaraniya) each gopi by satisfying her every wish and whim.

Nagala Maharani
Here the sakhis sat Srimati on a throne to honor Her as the greatest Queen (maharani). They adorned Radharani with lots of flowers; played instruments; sang and danced all around chanting……. Maharani ki Jai! Radharani ki jai! Bolo Varsane walli ki jai, jai, jai!!!!

Pahalabada
Here the gopas challenged Krishna, “If alone You can defeat all of us together in a wrestling match, then we will say You are strong and powerful.” Feeling a little afraid and doubtful about their collective strength, all the sakhas started goading each other, “O bhaiya! You attack (pahela) Krishna first.” And guess what? Sri Krishna defeated everyone and became Ajita Sri Krishna ki jai!

Kalyanapura
Here all the cowherd boys once playfully offered dandavats to the Divine Duo while roaring, “Krishna Kanhaiya, Douji ka Bhaiya ki jai!!!!!!” Responding, Krishna Balarama blessed them all, saying, “May all be auspicious (kalyana) for you!”

Khona
One day to make Radhaji happy, the sakhis started laughing and jumping here in a game called “Kho” (a girl’s play). Hence the name Khonha.

Kayarika Nagala
Once while Sriji and the sakhis were playing the game of Kho here, evening arrived suddenly and covered all directions in dense darkness. While walking home to Varsana the sakhis became scared. So they called out, “O Krishna! O Prananatha! We are afraid of this darkness (kari), so quickly come save us!”

Sri Krishna then fully illuminated the road all the way to Varsana with the effulgent rays of His beautiful smile. By the mercy of Priya-Priyatama, watch here for more nectar from the Wonderful Land of Play.
Sri Dhama Vrndavana ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Giriraja and Radha’s Lotus Feet

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Why do raganuga bhaktas especially worship Govardhana shilas?

Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja answers in Caitanya-caritamrita (3.6.294-307):

“One day during His gambhira-lila in Jagannatha Puri, Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu lovingly gave Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami the Govardhana Shila that He had been personally worshiping for three years. At that most auspicious time, Mahaprabhu said,

prabhu kahe ei shila, Krishnera vigraha
inhara seva kara tumi, kariya agraha

‘This Govardhana Shila is directly the transcendental form of Sri Krishna. You should attentively worship Sri Girirajaji with great eagerness.’”

Mahaprabhu continued,

ei shilara kara tumi, sattvika pujana
acirat pabe tumi, Krishna prema dhana

“Worship Sri Girirajaji with purity, then you will quickly attain the wealth of Krishna prema”.

‘To worship Sri Girirajaji, you need a jug of water and tulasi manjaris. You should serve Sri Girirajaji with all purity and gopi bhava, sattvika seva ei shuddha bhava kari [gopi-bhava is the purest bhava, shuddha bhava].”

dui dike dui patra, madhye komala manjari
ei mata ashta manjari, dibe shraddha kari

“With faith you should offer eight soft tulasi manjaris [four to each lotus foot].”

“After receiving the Govardhana Shila, Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami served Sri Girirajaji with great bliss, anande raghunatha seva karite lagila. Svarupa Damodara gave Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami two cloths, a wooden platform and a water jug for Sri Girirajaji puja”.

“When Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami worshiped Sri Girirajaji, he saw the shila as directly Vrajendranandana”, puja kale dekhe shila vrajendranandana.” [The carefree, funny, witty lover of the cowherd girls].

In other words, Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami worshiped Sri Girirajaji in the raganuga mood of worship.

Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja continues,

prabhura sva hasta data, Govardhana Shila
ei chinti raghunatha, prema bhashi gela

“Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami submerged in Krishna prema whenever he remembered how Mahaprabhu had given him the Govardhana Shila with His own hand.”

jala tulasira sevaya, tanra yata sukhodaya
shodash upacara ujaya, tata sukha naya

“Great happiness would arise in his heart when Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami simply offered water and tulasi to Sri Girirajaji [in the simple Vraja mood of gopi-bhava in raga marga.]

Such joy does not arise even if one worships with all the 16 different articles of Thakuraji puja”. [as done in vaidhi-marga]

“One day Svarupa Damodara said,

ashta khaja sandesha, kara samarpana,
shraddha kari dile, sei amritera sama

‘O Dasa Goswamiji! Now start offering Sri Girirajaji a small amount of khaja [a rich and sweet, crunchy grain sweet] and sandesh [a mild milk sweet]. If you offer these with faith, they will taste just like nectar.’”

shila diya gosani, samarpila govardhane
gunja mala diya dila, radhika charane

“Upon receiving the Govardhana Shila and the garland [mala] of small, shiny red and black dried seeds of the gunja shrub from Mahaprabhu, Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami thought, ‘By giving me this Govardhana Shila, Mahaprabhu has awarded me a place near Govardhana Hill. And by giving me this gunja mala, Mahaprabhu has offered me the beautiful, sweet lotus feet of Srimati Radhika.’” [Bengali trans. Sri Advaita dasji]

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Beginnings of Love

Mahanidhi Swami

 

Radha and Krishna are eternally connected in a loving bond of sweet intimacy. Yet to relish the rich flavor arising from the curious and tender moments of first falling in love, the Divine Couple appear to fall in love one day.

 

Our acharyas describe the beginning stage of love before meeting closely as purva-raga, which means prior attachment or budding love. In these initial days of Radha-Madhava’s relationship, mutual attraction, infatuation, desire and captivation flood Their minds and hearts.

 

Many exalted devotees have portrayed this stage of love in their writings. Because this stage of Radha Govinda Yugala’s immaculate love affair is so wonderfully attractive, sweet and endearing, we are including translations of some rasika purva-raga bhajans for the purifying pleasure of one and all. By hearing and meditating upon them, we are sure that your hearts will melt into rivers of attraction rushing to the lotus feet of Radha Govinda Yugala to engage in their eternal prema seva!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

 

Shyama Falls in Love with Radha

 

  1. Meeting

Once upon a time, Shyama met a sakhi and opened His restless heart to her.

Shyama said, “O sakhi! I just met a most extraordinary girl whose face resembles a mixture of Madana (Cupid) and the moon. And surrounding that face is a mass of rain clouds! That Sundari cast Her furtive eyes at Me, smirked and turned away. Since that moment, My heart started burning in the fire of desire. My mind has become most agitated and unsteady due to constantly meditating on Her while awake and while dreaming. You are a clever girl and a good person, so please help Me and show Me this sweet form once again.” (Padakarta Radha Vallabha)

 

  1. Meeting

One day Shyama described His amazing first meeting with Kishori.

Shyama said, “O, I have seen a wonderful golden girl who just pierced My heart. Lotus flowers blossom wherever She glances, and nectar flows whenever She smiles. And Her crooked glances release thousands of Cupid’s arrows! (Sri Vidyapati Thakura).

 

III. Meeting

One day a sakhi messenger told Radhika how much Krishna is in love with Her.

Sakhi: “O Radhe! When Subala gives Govinda a garland of golden Champaka flowers, His mind wavers and tears of passionate love flow from Shyama’s eyes. O beautiful girl! Your form forever awakens intense love in Shyama’s heart.

 

“Vrishabhanunandini! Vrishabhanunandini! Vrishabhanunandini!” is the only word that Shyama says throughout the day and night! Although lacs of girls speak sweet words to Shyama, He does not hear them even in His dreams! In His ecstasy, Shyama can only pronounce RAA! Then tears stream from Shyama’s eyes and He rolls on the ground! O Radha, how can I describe Kanu’s distress? In His miserable state only Your mercy can destroy Shyama’s suffering! (Govinda Dasa)

 

  1. Meeting

By chance, Krishna once heard someone chant the most astonishing name of RADHA. A few moments later, Priyatama met a sakhi and disclosed His mind.

Murari said, “O priya-sakhi! Who just chanted Radha’s name? Upon hearing Radha’s name My heart moved in many ways. Gokula is filled with so many names, but none of them can agitate My heart like the name of Radha!

 

“There is so much sweetness in this name RADHA that it automatically fills My heart with nectar, and brings the beautiful form of Vrishabhanunandini into My mind! I feel I am swimming in an ocean of nectar! (Yadunandana)

 

Radhika Falls in Love

 

  1. Meeting

Ramani Radha is similarly stunned with ecstatic symptoms whenever She hears the name KRISHNA. One day in the stage of purva-raga, Radha became agitated and overwhelmed upon hearing Krishna’s name.

 

Revealing Her heart to a confidante, Radha said, “O sakhi! Who just sang the name Krishna, which has pierced My heart and disturbed My mind? There is so much honey in Krishna nama that My mouth cannot stop drinking it. Repeating the name “Krishna! Krishna! Krishna!” I become astounded so how can I ever forget it?

 

“Hey sakhi! If Krishna’s name has such power, then what will happen when I touch Krishna’s body? Wherever I am, My eyes see Shyama. In this condition, how can I possibly uphold the principles of dharma? Although I do try to cast Krishna out of My mind, it is to no avail! O sakhi, what shall I do now?” (Dvija Chandi das)

 

  1. Meeting

Once upon a time, Priyaji revealed Her heart to Paurnamasi, the elderly yogini who always helps Radha and Krishna meet.

Radha said, “Who is this playing His flute along the Yamuna’s bank? And who is that filling the meadows of Gokula with the melodies of His flute? My body and mind have gone mad in agitation by hearing this flute song! O Paurnamasi, I simply cannot stop the flow of tears from My eyes. And My mind is so overwhelmed that it has gone blank upon hearing that sweet flute of Nandanandana!”

May we eternally serve the Yugala Vilasa of Priya-Priyatama in Vraja ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

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Sri Krishna’s Intimate Affairs

Mahanidhi Swami

Often we receive questions about Bhagavan Sri Krishna’s intimate conjugal affairs with the Vraja-gopis. The Srimad Bhagavatam rasa-panchadhyaya (10.29-33) clearly says that Sri Krishna pinches, kisses, fondles and embraces His beloved gopis.

But does Krishna enjoy amorous enjoyment like mundane men and women? The basic question is this: does Krishna have conjugal union with His beloved Vraja-gopis and Dvaraka queens?

Before directly answering this question, we should consider the spiritual truths, bhagavata-tattva, concerning the completely transcendental and immaculate loving relationship between Bhagavan Sri Krishna and His divine lovers, the Vraja-gopis and Queens of Dvaraka, who are none other than the personal expansions of Sri Krishna’s own intrinsic pleasure potency, hladini-shakti.

Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja explains the true identity and supremely unique position of Sri Krishna’s beloved village darlings, the gopis of Vraja:

“The pure immaculate love of the Vraja-gopis (vishuddha nirmala prema) is never at any time called lust. Because of its absolute purity, the dearest devotees of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, bhagavata-priya, like Uddhava Mahashaya desire to experience the gopis’ prema.

“Gopi prema is gold and lust is loha, iron—totally different in nature. The gopis’ prema glows like the radiant pure rays of the sun, nirmala bhaskara, and lust resembles blind darkness, andha tamah.

“Lust is nothing but selfish-pleasure (nija-sambhoga kevala), and “I love to please my senses!” (atma indriya priti). Whereas, the gopis’ love is selfless seva for Shyama’s satisfaction (krishna indriya priti).

“The gopis’ intense loving attachment is for Krishna alone (krishna drdha anuraga). Nothing in this world can compare with the purity of their prema that is like super white cloth without a spot. In the gopis’ pure loving relationship with Sri Krishna, there is not even a scent of lust, krishna se sambandha, nahi kama gandha.

“Never caring for their personal happiness or distress, atma sukha duhka na vicara, the damsels of Vraja think and act only for the happiness of Krishna, krishna sukha hetu ceshta manah. And for Krishna’s sake, the sakhis have renounced everything else in the world, krishna lagi saba parityaga. (Cc. 1.4.162-176)

The answer to the questions is “Yes, Bhagavan Sri Krishna does enjoy divine union with His personal hladini-shaktis, pleasure potencies, manifesting as the transcendental forms of the Vraja-gopis and Dvaraka mahishis. Externally, Krishna’s union with the gopis appears like ours, or rather ours is like His.

What is the sastric proof? There are many ancient authorized works i.e. Gita Govinda by Sri Jayadeva Goswami that describe the intimacies of Krishna’s encounters with the Vraja-gopis. The best proof, however, is found in the amala purana paramahamsa samhitam Srimad Bhagavatam (10.55.1): “Pradyumna took birth from the womb of Rukmini from the semen of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, jato vaidarbhyam krishna virya samudbhavah pradyumna.” Admittedly, all of this is most amazing and inconceivable.

In summary, the Srimad Bhagavatam tenth canto describes the nara-lila, human like pastimes of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. And because they so much resemble human exploits, there seem to be so many similarities between Sri Krishna’s divinely orchestrated, transcendental activities and our karmic dancing to the tunes of maya. In Gita (9.11), Bhagavan Sri Krishna warns one and all not to be foolish and ass-like by trying to weigh, compare or measure His completely transcendental divine pastimes. Sri Krishna said, “Because I appeared as a human being, fools and asses consider Me to be an ordinary human like them, avajananti mam mudha manushim tanum ashritam.”

No one in the universe except Bhagavan Sri Krishna is completely and utterly desireless and endlessly sweetly blissful within Himself. Thus Krishna alone is glorified as atma-kama and atma-rama, svatantra, sarva-jna bhagavan and the sarva-avatari. Although He was a mere child during His Vraja nara-lila, Sri Krishna humbled into submission the greatest devatas of the universe including Siva, Brahma, Indra and Varuna. Thus upon once gaining a glimpse of Sri Krishna’s indomitable omnipotence and omnipresence, pitamaha Sri Brahmaji prayed, “O Krishna, my greatest possible good fortune would be to take any birth whatever in this forest of Gokula, and have my head bathed by the dust falling from the lotus feet of any of the Vrajavasi residents.” (SB 10.14.34)

Only by the grace of bhakti-devi, great saints, and the direct mercy of Sri Krishna Himself can conditioned souls like you and me understand a drop of the unlimited ocean of Sri Krishna’s alaukika, divya, and acintya sports and play that He performs simply to please His beloved bhaktas.

May the soothing pure light of divine wisdom shine on all to remove the shadows of doubt concerning this most sublime subject.

The glorious love of gopis ki jai! Ananda Khanda Bhagavan Sri Krishna ki jai!

Shree Vraja lila ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!