Here is a letter from Srila Prabhupada shoeing his interest in always preaching co-operatively with his god brothers:

New Vrindaban
23 May, 1969
GAUDIYA MISSION... Ver mais
Att: Secretary
Dear Sir:
Kindly accept my humble obeisances. I beg to enclose herewith a copy of a letter received from my Godbrother, Dr. Syama Sundardas Brahmacari, of your Mission. Taking the concluding portion of his letter inviting me to cooperate with the Gaudiya Mission in the matter of my activities of spreading the objective of Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja, I am prepared to cooperate with the Gaudiya Mission in all respects, but I do not know under what condition you wish to cooperate with me. But I am prepared to accept any condition for getting your cooperation in full. So I shall be glad to know from you under what condition our cooperation is possible. But I am prepared in every respect and I shall await your reply with interest.
So far as my starting a separate organization known as International Society for Krishna Consciousness, it was inevitable because none of our godbrothers are cooperating with one another. Every one of us is conducting his own institution, and there is difference of opinion even between Gaudiya Mission and Gaudiya Math.
So if it is now possible to combine ourselves together, I shall be the first man to welcome this good opportunity. But apart from others, if Gaudiya Mission is prepared to cooperate with me, I am prepared to accept this cooperation in any condition. Please therefore let me know your terms of cooperation, and I shall be very glad to consider it. It has been suggested by Dr. Syama Sundardas Brahmacari that we cooperate at least in London, and I shall be glad to know your terms of cooperation.
Thanking you in anticipation for your early reply.
Sincerely yours,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Srila Prabhupada says he is prepared to accept any condition for getting your co-operation in full. This is the true Spirit of Srila Prabhupada and the same spirit that has been demonstrated by Srila Gurudeva. Therefor it 100% clear that they are in the same line. Srila Prabhupada says if it is possible to combine ourselves together I shall be the first man to welcome this good opportunity. Srila Prabhupada says he will be first not that we should not go but we should run to willingly co-operate and preach together. This is the proper mood.

Four Discussions on Raga-Vartma-Candrika (Part 1)

Discussions on Raga-Vartma-Candrika: How to Enter Raganuga-bhakti

Four Discussions on Raga-Vartma-Candrika (Part 1)
Mathura, India: 1991

Re-posted from www.purebhakti.com

[In the early 1990s, Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja used to give darsanas for several members of the ISKCON GBC. During these few years, they requested him to discuss several Gaudiya Vaisnava literatures, such as Jaiva-dharma, Srimad-Bhagavatam Tenth Canto (Rasa-lila, Venu-gita, Brahmara-gita, and Gopi-gita) Harinama-cintamani, Vilapa-kusumanjali, and Raga-vartma-candrika.

In 1991, he led four discussions on Raga-vartma-candrika. Below is the first in that series, and we hope to send you the rest, one after another. As you may know, Srila Maharaja has requested that all his morning walks and darsanas be published, and he directed that these darsanas for the members of the ISKCON GBC be included:]

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: You said that today you would be speaking on Raga-vartma-candrika. You said you would be giving a synopsis; a summary.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Before beginning Raga-vartma-candrika, we first pray to our Gurudeva, Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, and to Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja, then to Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, and then to the author, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. We earnestly beg that their mercy comes to us, especially the mercy of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura.

In this Raga Vartma Candrika, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura tells us what he has realized about Sri Sri Radha-Krsna’s anuraga by the grace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Rupa Gosvami. Anuraga refers to that stage of prema which comes just before mahabhava. Within prema comes sneha, then mana, pranaya, raga, and then anuraga.*[See Endnote 1]

The author states, “I am writing something for those persons – those very lucky persons – who have greed for this raga*[See Endnote 2] but can find no path to enter for achieving it. This book serves as their guide, like a moonbeam (candrika), to shed light on the path (vartma) leading to the loving devotion of the residents of Goloka Vrndavana (raga). This path is very rare in the world.

During the Amavasya, dark-moon, night there is no moon; it is so very dark. There is a very narrow pathway, but it is not seen. If there would be a moon, that moon would give rays of light so that the path can be seen. This book is the candrika (moonbeam) which casts its light on raga and the path leading to raga. It is therefore called Raga-vartma-candrika.

We should know that this pathway is a very, very narrow one, meant only for a few, rare, highly-qualified persons; it is not for everyone. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura advises that others not read this book.

However, there is no worldly qualification required to enter this path; the only qualification is lobha, or transcendental greed. It is stated in Bhagavad-gita, “Api cet sudaracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak.” A man may be full of anarthas (undesirable habits and thoughts); but if he takes the association of a raganuga-bhakta and under his guidance reads the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, he may become attracted and acquire a very deep greed to have the same transcendental mood as the Vrajavasis. He may be attracted to sakhya-rasa (friendship with Krsna), vatsalya-rasa (parental love for Him), or madhurya-rasa (a relationship with Him as a beloved). Simply by faithfully hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam’s descriptions of the moods of the gopis, or those of Krsna’s father and mother, or those of Krsna’s friends, one may begin to yearn to experience in his heart the same moods as theirs.

It may be noted, however, that Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura is not describing sakhya and vatsalya-bhava in Raga-vartma-candrika; he is presenting only gopi-bhava. In that regard, in order to attain that bhava, one will especially hear from a raganuga-bhakta the portions of the Tenth Canto discussing Krsna’s relationship with the gopis, namely Gopi-gita, Yugala-Gita, Bhramara-Gita, Pranaya-gita, and Venu-gita.

One who has samskaras (impressions in the heart) from having taken proper association in his previous births will be able to cultivate greed and achieve gopi-bhava by reading sastra; he will not have to rely on sastric logic to convince him. For such a person, this treatise will be the candrika for discovering the path of raganuga.

The author first explains that there are two kinds of sraddha (faith) – vaidhi and raganuga – which result in two kinds of bhakti – vaidhi-bhakti and raganuga-bhakti. Both types of sraddha are achieved through the association of qualified Vaisnavas. Where entrance in bhakti is impelled by fear, where it is induced by the injunctions of sastra that instruct everyone to perform bhakti to Krsna, otherwise they will go to hell – this is called vaidhi-bhakti.

In this way one may enter bhakti by fear; or, one may be impelled by the order of sastra which is based on yukti, reasoning. For example, sastra has ordered:

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata yayatma suprasidati

["The highest pursuit for all humanity is suddha-bhakti – bhakti performed in order to please Krsna, the transcendent Lord Adhoksaja, by all one’s efforts of body, mind, and soul. Such uttama-bhakti is continuously performed without any personal desire (anyabhilasita-sunyam) and without any break. In this way one can fully satisfy the self (atma)." (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 1.2.6)]

By hearing such instructions, many people enter bhakti, and such bhakti is called vaidhi-bhakti.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: This is vaidhi-bhakti.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: And, that bhakti which is based only on genuine greed is called raganuga-bhakti. Such greed is generated by hearing the pastimes of Krsna and the gopis described in Srimad-Bhagavatam, by reading the books of the Gosvamis, and especially by being in the association of a raganuga-bhakta. Without the association of such raganuga-bhaktas, the pastimes of Krsna and the gopis will not be properly understood.

What is the nature of genuine greed? How can we know whether or not our greed is genuine?

When a sadhaka hears from raganuga-rasika Vaisnavas about the sweet pastimes of Krsna, especially His pastimes with the gopis, whether this be from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Krsna-Karnamrta, Ujjvala-Nilamani, Radha-Rasa-Sudha-Nidhi, or any other books, his citta-vrtti (heart) becomes very eager to aquire the moods of Krsna’s parikaras (associates). At that time he becomes absorbed in Sri Krsna’s rupa (form), guna (qualities), and lila (pastimes).

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: When the heart is filled with the qualities of Krsna, and the form of Krsna.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Do you know the meaning of citta-vrtti?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Spiritual…inner… What’s the word? Inner…

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: I want that word.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Consciousness? Inner consciousness?

Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Consciousness. In this connection citta-vrtti means ‘mind’ or ‘heart.’ When our citta-vrtti eagerly desires to be like those of Krsna`s eternal associates, in other words to have the moods of those eternal associates, that condition of the heart is its real or natural state, as opposed to the imposed worldly citta-vrtti.

At this time, the devotee is not interested in examining sastric orders. He will only want to achieve that mood which he sees in his asraya-gopi, the gopi for whose mood he has developed greed. This is genuine greed.

Do you understand? Can you say what is meaning of lobha, greed?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: It is when a person hears the descriptions of Srimad-Bhagavatam about Radha and Krsna, and then thinks of the feelings the gopis have for Krsna.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: He wants to have…

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: He wants to have that same feeling that is within them, strongly; that is lobha.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: That is lobha, but you have left out one thing. Those with lobha are not regulated by sastric orders or bindings. Such orders are left untouched.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Rules and regulations are not there.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: The rules and regulations of sastra are not needed at all.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Otherwise it is vaidhi.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: For example, one may see some rasagullas or rabhries (Indian sweets) and, whether or not he has the money to pay for those sweets, he may at once develop greed for them. He will exclaim, “Very tasteful!” Similarly, in whatever stage a person may find himself, if he sincerely contemplates, “Oh! The mood of the gopis is very tasteful and very good. I have greed for that,” such greed has no bindings or consideration of sastric restrictions. If we judge that we are not qualified and we think that what we want is too high for us, this is a sign that we do not possess greed. Do you understand?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Please explain.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: If I desire a rasagulla but I think, “I have no money in my pocket to purchase it, so I cannot have it,” that means I have no real greed for it.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Greed goes beyond that.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Somehow or other, by hook or by crook…

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Beg, borrow, or steal.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: By stealing, or begging, or by any other means. Such a person does not think about his qualification or disqualification. He does not consider whether or not he is able to have this bhakti. He simply thinks, “I must have it!” This is real greed. Do you understand?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Heart’s desire.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: His desire must be overpowered by the form, qualities, and pastimes of Krsna. Then it will be called real greed.

A sadhaka may ponder, “I have heard from the rasika Vaisnavas how Lalita, Visakha, Citra, Rupa Manjari and other associates serve Krsna, and I want to serve like them.” Not judging whether he is qualified to achieve this samajati-bhava (the identical mood for which one aspires), if he does not wait for any logical argument to convince him, that it is called greed.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Argument means ‘reasoning.’

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: It should come without relying on any reasoning. If reasoning is required, it is not greed.

The next consideration is this: When greed comes, how does one achieve his desired result? It comes by the association of raganuga-rasika Vaisnavas. In that association one reads Ujjvala-Nilamani, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, especially Raga-vartma Candrika…

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Vraja-riti Cintamani

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Vraja-riti Cintamani, Krsna-Karnamrta, Radha-Rasa-Sudhanidhi, Srila Jayadeva Gosvami’s Gita-govinda, and the books of Sri Kavi Karnapura and all our Gosvamis.

One will have to read all of these books and resolve: “How can I easily achieve that mood, somehow, by hook or by crook. What is the easiest method to get this?” This should be the question.

All of our acaryas, including Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, have recorded for us, in a practical way, how they themselves achieved it and how the sadhana-siddha-gopis achieved it. Their writings are authentic. One will search out their methods in sastra and follow the methods discussed therein, because without following sastra, without following the guidelines of Srila Rupa Gosvami, one will become sahajiya or atheist.

A person with greed will never judge his qualification; this is the main point. Rather, he will take assistance from these books. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura is not personally present, but he is present through his books.

It is important to understand that this greed will not come by personal effort alone. It comes only by the grace of Krsna Himself and by the grace of a raganuga-bhakta. Without their mercy one cannot have it.

Bhakta-krpa, the mercy of Vaisnavas, is of two kinds: praktana (from previous lives), and adhunika (from this life). Praktana refers to mercy that comes from past births as well as the present birth. If a man has samskaras from his previous birth’s devotional activities and receives the mercy of a Vaisnava in this birth, he will very easily and quickly advance in bhakti. Perhaps he will not even have to again accept diksa, as in the case of some of our Gosvamis. Or, if he takes diksa, he will be seen to advance very rapidly.

Srila Haridasa Thakura, Sri Svarupa Damodara, and Sri Raya Ramananda did not reveal their guru-parampara; yet they received the association of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and achieved their desired goal. This is an example of mercy due to purva-samskara, impressions accrued in previous births. [These transcendental personalities are eternal associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, not conditioned souls, and therefore they do not depend upon past samskaras. Yet, when they appear in this world, they set an example for us by their behavior. -ed] Do you understand? I will question you.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: All right.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Do you know the meaning of samskara?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: One has accrued some pious assets, purifications, and reformatory processes.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: I will be discussing the topic of samskaras, so try to understand the meaning.

If one has no previous births’ samskaras but has somehow obtained greed by the causeless mercy of a qualified guru or Vaisnava, this is called adhunika-krpa (krpa means ‘mercy’). Such a person receives diksa from a raganuga Vaisnava guru. Or, if he has received diksa before developing greed, then he accepts a raganuga Vaisnava as his siksa-guru. He may serve both his siksa- and diksa-gurus with equal devotion. Or, in some cases he may serve the siksa-guru more closely than his anusthana-diksa-guru (the guru who gives the initiation mantras according to pancaratrika-vidhi), as did Sri Syamananda Prabhu, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, and Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami. [Again, these transcendental personalities are not conditioned souls, but they give us many teachings by their own behavior. -ed]

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami’s diksa-guru was Yadunandana Äcarya, and afterwards Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu placed him in the hands of Sri Svarupa Damodara. Later, when Raghunatha dasa went to Vrndavana, he had the association of Srila Sanatana Gosvami and especially Srila Rupa Gosvami. Ultimately, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami prayed to Srila Rupa Gosvami for all the activities of service described in his Vilapa Kusumanjali.

Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami did not disclose the name of his diksa-guru; perhaps because he did not receive his devotional thoughts from him. Rather he acknowledged Rupa and Raghunatha, because he received all his moods from them. At the end of each chapter of his Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, he prayed:

sri-rupa-raghunatha-pade yara asa
caitanya-caritamrta kahe krsnadasa

["Praying at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, always desiring their mercy, I, Krsnadasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, following in their footsteps."]

Why does Raghunatha dasa Gosvami pray to Rupa Gosvami? Svarupa Damodara is Lalita-devi, and is therefore more qualified than Rupa Gosvami, who is Rupa Manjari. Yet, Raghunatha dasa prays only to Rupa Gosvami. Why? It is because he does not want to be a nayika (beloved heroine) of Krsna like Lalita and Visakha.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: He wants to be in manjari-bhava.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Only manjari-bhava.

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: He wants to follow Rupa Manjari, because they are in the same category; the category of manjari.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: What is a manjari? We have heard about kamala-manjaris and mango-manjaris. Any creeper or good flower has manjaris. Although the manjari appears first and then the flower, the manjari is always located above the flower. When a bee comes to sit on the flower and drink its honey, the manjaris tremble, being overjoyed.

Similarly, the Krsna-bee comes to Srimati Radhika, She glances at Him, and They engage in loving pastimes (prema-vilas). Although the ‘bee’ does not sit on the manjari, the manjari trembles, feeling as if the bee is sitting on her. Whatever the ‘flower’ experiences in those pastimes manifests in the manjari, so there is no need for the bee to go to her. She automatically feels everything felt by the flower. If the bee kisses the flower, then, seeing this, the manjari feels that “the bee has kissed me.”

In fact, the manjari tastes something special, which even the flower does not taste, in the sense that the flower does not tremble as the manjari does. Similarly the maidservants of Srimati Radhika experience a pleasure in being Her maidservant, which She Herself dos not experience, and that pleasure is called bhava-ullasa rati.*[See Endnote 3]

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami wanted to be a manjari, not a flower. In other words he did not want sakhi-bhava (the mood of Srimati Radhika’s friends like Lalita and Visakha, who have direct relationships with Sri Krsna). Do you understand? Herein lies the importance of the manjaris. In our sampradaya no one wants to be Sri Radha’s sakhi; they only want to be Her kinkari. Are you totally following my words? Do you know the meaning of the word kinkari?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Servant.

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Maidservant

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: There is no equivalent word in English for kinkari. It is such a beautiful Sanskrit word, which refers to something very soft, very fragrant, and so sweet.

We cannot learn these topics simply by reading books. No book will clarify the truths for you as we are discussing in this conversation. By discussing with me in this way, you can obtain more than what you can obtain by simply reading books.

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: These truths come only through realization.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: I do not say that I have any realization, but I have God’s mercy and Gurudeva’s mercy.

(To be continued…)

[*Endnote 1:
Sneha - tender affection

Maan - that stage of prema in which sneha reaches exultation, thus causing one to experience the sweetness of the beloved in ever new varieties (Ujjvala-nilamani 14.96), and when the nayika assumes an outward demeanor of pique which turns into transcendental anger and indignation arising out of jealous love.

Pranaya - that intensified stage of prema when maan assumes a feature of unrestrained intimacy known as visrambha, or confidence devoid of any restraint or formality. This confidence causes one to consider one's life, mind, intelligence, body, and possessions to be one in all respects with the life, mind, intelligence, and body of the beloved.

Raga - 1) an intensified stage of prema in which an unquenchable loving thirst (prema-mayi trsna) for the object of one's affection (Sri Krsna) gives rise to spontaneous and intense absorption in one's beloved, so much so that in the absence of the opportunity to please the beloved, one is on the verge of giving up his life; 2) when pranaya is experienced in the heart as immense pleasure. If by accepting some misery there is a chance to meet with Krsna, then that misery becomes a source of great happiness. And where happiness affords no opportunity to meet with Krsna, that happiness becomes the source of great distress.

Anuraga - an intensified stage of prema as defined in Ujjvala-nilamani (14.146): "Although one regularly meets with and is well-acquainted with the beloved, the ever-fresh sentiment of intense attachment causes the beloved to be newly experienced at every moment, as if one has never before had any experience of such a person."

Bhava - 1) loving emotions; a particular mood of love in which the devotee serves Krsna. 2) an intensified stage of prema which in Ujjvala-nilamani has been equated with maha-bhava, which occurs when anuraga attains a certain stage of exhilaration and relish. This can be experienced and relished only by anuraga itself and by no other bhava. When anuraga is adorned with the inflamed and exciting sattvika passions like molten gold and reaches its climax in Srimati Radhika, becoming identical with Her very temperament and dispositions, it is called bhava.

Mahabhava - the most mature stage of prema.

Srila Maharaja leading the ISKCON GBC and other devotees in performing Srila Prabhupada's divine samadhi festival after he gave Srila Prabhupada samadhi

*Endnote 2: Here it is necessary to know the meanings of raga, raganuga and ragatmika. Regarding this subject, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that the excessive attachment for many forms of sense enjoyment, which the materialist feels through natural contact with the sense objects, is called raga. Just as the eyes become agitated on seeing something beautiful, in the same way all the senses are always eager to taste pleasure, and thus the heart develops attachment (raga) for the sense objects. When Krsna is the exclusive object of this raga, it is called raga-bhakti. Srila Rupa Gosvami has defined this raga as iste svarasiki raga paramavistata (BRS 1.2.272). “The strong, natural and complete absorption in the cherished object of one’s devotion arising from an unquenchable love filled thirst is called raga.” When one is engrossed in krsna-bhakti at this level, it is called ragatmika-bhakti. This bhakti is especially found in the Vrajavasis, the eternal residents of Vraja. And, that bhakti which follows the moods of the ragatmikas is called raganuga. In other words, when, by the mercy of Sri Krsna and His devotees, one cultivates bhakti impelled by the greed to obtain the same mood as Krsna’s beloved associates, it is called raganuga-bhakti. (Raga-vartma-candrika, verse 2, purport by Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja)

*Endnote 3: bhava-ullasa-rati – Generally, devotees of the same mood and who are enriched with similar desires naturally share suhrd-bhava, intimate friendship, with each other. That is why the love and affection that Lalita and the other sakhis have for Srimati Radhika is called suhrd-rati. When their suhrd-rati is the same as or slightly less than their Krsna-rati (affection towards Sri Krsna), this is called sancari-bhava (a temporary emotion that is compared to the waves that swell and then return to the ocean of their permanent emotion of the mood of Krsna’s beloveds). In other words, this suhrd-rati becomes like the waves in the ocean of their prominent affection for Krsna; it is a sancari-bhava.

In the case of the manjari-sakhis, their suhrd-rati (for Sri Radha and everything connected with Her), which abundantly exceeds their krsna-rati and which constantly increases by the moment due to their full absorption in it, is called bhava-ullasa-rati. This is a special feature of madhura-rasa. Of the five types of sakhis, only the nitya-sakhis and prana-sakhis, who are known as manjaris, have this bhava-ullasa-rati as their permanent emotions (sthayi-rati). It is no longer just a sancari-bhava. These manjaris nurture an abundance of sneha, tender affection, for Radhaji.

It is seen that creepers are always endeavoring to embrace trees, but the leaves, flowers and buds (manjaris) of the creepers do not even slightly try to embrace the trees directly. When a creeper embraces a tree, the joy of those flowers, leaves, and manjaris automatically increases. In Sri Vrndavana Srimati Radhika stands supreme among all gopis. She is famous as the kalpa-lata (the creeper that fulfills every desire) of love for Sri Krsna. Some of Her sakhis have the nature of leaves, some are like flowers, and some like manjaris. That is why they are always eager for Srimati Radhika to meet with Krsna, and are carried away by the bliss of Their union. (Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja’s commentary on Venu-gita, verse 7)]

[For more details about above samadhi ceremony (photo), please see the book:

Gaura-vani-pracarine at

http://gauravani.info/

or buy it at:

www.bhaktistore.com

Illuminating the Path to Ragatmika-bhakti

Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja
Illuminating the Path to Ragatmika-bhakti
Discussions with the GBC on the book, Raga-Vartma-Candrika [Part 3]
Mathura, India: 1991

[Respected Harikatha Readers,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.
For those of you who did not receive Part 1 and 2, you can find them on www.backtobhaki.com and www.purebhakti.com.
In 1991 Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja led several members of the ISKCON GBC discussions on Raga-vartma-candrika, a famous Sanskrit treatise written by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. Below is the Part 3 in that series of discussions, and we hope to send you the rest, one after another.
Your aspiring servants, the Harikatha Team]

Burijana dasa: Dhanurdhara Maharaja and I were not here the last time you spoke, but we listened to the tape.

Sripad Dhanurdhara Maharaja: But we couldn’t understand from the tape what you were doing. We couldn’t understand your hand-motions.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: The manjaris.

Sripad Dhanurdhara Maharaja: It was about the manjaris. You said, “It is like this.”

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Tamal Krsna Maharaja can describe more than I.

Sripad Dhanurdhara Maharaja: He already told us, but we want to hear it from your realizations.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: You told us that what you were saying was not in any book.

Burijana dasa: My understanding from that example was that the heart of Rupa Manjari is so dedicated to Srimati Radharani that she feels everything Srimati Radharani feels. I also understood by your statement at the end that one must be dedicated to his guru in the same way. Without surrender and without giving one’s heart to the guru, it doesn’t work, especially in raganuga.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: This surrender and complete dedication of the heart to guru is called tadatmya (oneness of heart) in Sanskrit. When an iron rod is placed in fire, the qualities of the fire enter the iron. When fire permeates an iron rod it is the fire that burns other objects; it is not that the iron rod burns other objects; The iron rod may ‘consider,’ “I am fire,” in the sense that the qualities of the iron have become one with the qualities of the fire; it now does the work of fire.
Similarly Sri Rupa Manjari and all the other manjaris are tadatmika (one in heart) with Radha, so the action of Radha becomes the action of all the manjaris. In other words, whatever She realizes is also realized by every manjari; nothing is hidden from them. Some things may be hidden from Her sakhis, but not from Her manjaris.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: So, today you will carry on from where you left off?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Do you want to hear the rest?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Oh yes, very much. Just from what you have been speaking, it is already so helpful.

Burijana dasa: I would like to have the references for the first two verses.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: The verses are found in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: I told them three slokas, the first of which is this:

krsnam smaran janam casya prestham nija samihitam
tat tat katha ratas casau kuryad vasam vraje sada

["While remembering Sri Krsna and His beloved associates whom we desire to follow, being fully absorbed in discussions of their pastimes, one should always reside in Vraja. If this is not possible, then one should reside there by mind." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.294)]

Have you heard the explanation of that sloka? It refers to remembering Krsna along with His dearmost associates.

And here is the second sloka:

seva sadhaka rupena siddha rupena catra hi
tad bhava lipsuna karya vraja-lokanusaratah

["On this path of raganuga, being charmed by the intense love of Krsna’s beloved Vrajavasis, the sadhaka lives in Vraja under the guidance of those devotees who have taken shelter of the Vrajavasis (like Sri Rupa, Sanatana and Raghunatha dasa Gosvamis), always eager to serve them in his present physical body. And, in the perfected stage of his siddha-rupa, his internally conceived spiritual body suitable for performing prema-seva, he engages in the cherished service of Sri Krsna according to the mood he desires to obtain. In this regard he follows in the footsteps of the eternal residents of Vraja, such as Sri Radhika, Lalita, Visakha, and Sri Rupa Manjari."]

Seva means ‘service.’ Sadhaka-rupena refers to functioning in this world as a practitioner of raganuga-bhakti, and siddha-rupena refers to serving in one’s perfected spiritual body, which is achieved when intense greed arises. By the grace of guru and Krsna, the devotee’s siddha-sarira (spiritual form) is revealed in his inner heart. In this connection it is written in Caitanya-Caritamrta (Madhya-lila 22.157):

mane nija siddha deha koriya bhavana
ratri dine kore vraje krsnera sevana.

["With one’s siddha-sarira, revealed by the mercy of guru, one serves Sri Radha-Krsna Yugala (the Divine Couple) day and night in Vraja.”]

Each and every jiva has an individual spiritual body (siddha-sarira). We also have our own spiritual body, but it has not yet manifested; now it is in a seed stage. Just as an entire tree is contained within the seed of that tree, our full siddha-sarira with all its characteristics now exists in seed-form. However, because we are now bahirmukha, meaning that we have turned away from Krsna, that siddha-sarira is not seen. When, by the grace of guru and Gauranga our greed sprouts and subsequently fully blossoms, the siksa-guru or diksa-guru may show us our siddha-sarira. First, he will tell us what our constitutional spiritual identity is, as we see in Jaiva Dharma that the guru of Vrajanatha and Vijaya-Kumara told each of them the nature of their individual spiritual forms.
Our siddha-sarira is now in a latent condition. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura tells that in one life it can be revealed, but I see that for us it is many births away. He has simply showed the path.
When Vrajanatha and Vijaya Kumara took diksa, they saw Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu with all His parikaras (associates) standing with Him. At the time of our diksa we were unable to see them, but they are fully visible to a realized soul. This is real diksa.
We have entered in the class of diksa, but our diksa is not complete. We are in class now. May God and guru shower their grace upon us so that we can take full diksa, meaning divya-jnana (receiving actual transcendental knowledge) and divya-darsana (receiving spiritual vision). Divya-jnana implies divya-darsana, as we see with Vijaya Kumara and Vrajanatha. They had darsana of the Lord at the time of their diksa initiation, and they at once fainted.
After that, they took all necessary siksa in Navadvipa from Sri Raghunatha dasa Babaji. Then, and on his order, they went to Puri where they met Vakresvara Pandita’s disciple Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami for further inquiries and siksa.
Gopal-guru Gosvami is a raganuga Vaisnava and is one of the eight principal sakhis. Having realized that Vrajanatha was in sakhya-bhava and that Vijaya Kumara was in gopi- or manjari-bhava, he revealed to them their identities. He was so merciful that he called them one at a time and told them, “You are a cowherd friend of Krsna,” and “You are a maidservant of Srimati Radhika.”
He gave both of them the asta-dasaksara (eighteen syllable) gopala-mantra. Dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, and madhura-bhavas are all found in this mantra; it nourishes and supports every rasa. [Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu received from His Gurudeva the dasaksara-mantra, which is “gopi-janavallabhaya svaha.” When “klim krsnaya govindaya” precedes “gopi-janavallabha svaha,” it becomes asta-dasaksara, an eighteen-syllable mantra. –ed]

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: You said that Gopala-guru Gosvami gave the mantra to both Vrajanatha and Vijaya Kumara, and you said that this one mantra is for all rasas: dasya, sakhya, and madhurya.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Everything is there in the mantra klim krsnaya govindaya gopi-janavallabhaya svaha, meaning that the rasas of all jivas are supported by it.
But there is one thing to consider. Krsna (krsnaya) is the Deity for one in dasya and sakhya-rasa. For that devotee, the name Gopi-janavallabha (gopi-janavallabhhaya) is the adjective describing Krsna’s qualities; i.e., it qualifies the first name.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Krsnaya.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Krsnaya. Who is Krsna? A devotee in dasya-rasa considers, “He is my master and I am His servant.” Such a devotee thinks that Krsna is Gopi-janavallabha in a general way.
Krsna is the prominent name for those in sakhya-rasa as well; such devotees stress on Krsna or Govinda. However, those who have gopi-bhava, or manjari-bhava, focus on Gopi-janavallabha, and the other two words, krsnaya and govindaya, will be adjectives of gopi-janavallabhaya.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: What about those in vatsalya-rasa?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Vatsalya follows the same principle.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: They focus on Krsna?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: They focus on Krsna as the Deity with whom they are related. Everyone with vatsalya-bhava knows in an ordinary way that the gopis love Krsna, but they have no …

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Idea.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: They have an idea of that love, but no experience. Idea and experience are not the same. Devotees with vatsalya-bhava do not know that all the young gopis engage in intimate loving affairs with Krsna, and the sakhas also do not know the nature of those exchanges.
For one with greed like the manjaris or gopis, ‘go’ in this mantra will refer to the gopis. He meditates that “Govinda gives so much ananda (pleasure) to the gopis. Such a devotee will not contemplate other meanings. And he thinks, “By His appearance with five flower arrows (His smiling, His flute-playing, His beautiful cheeks, His eyebrows, and His side-long glances), Krsna is immensely attractive.” In this way, the two other names will support the name Gopi-janavallabha. Thus, the devotee with madhurya-bhava will see the other names as adjectives of that name with whom he is related.
Practically everyone in our sampradaya stresses on Gopi-janavallabha. By the grace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, those who come to this sampradaya are mainly of gopi-bhava. Some may be of other rasas, like Srivasa Thakura, Murari Gupta, Anupama, and others like them.
Thus, Vrajanatha and Vijaya Kumara received the same mantra, although their siddha-dehas (spiritual bodies) were in separate rasas. Vijaya Kumara saw his Gurudeva as a manifestation of Lalita, and Vrajanatha saw him as a manifestation of Baladeva Prabhu or Subala.

It can happen like this. Guru gives training for serving under the guidance of Lalita and Visakha in madhura-rasa. Rupa Manjari, who is Radhika’s prana-sakhi (in the group of Her most intimate maidservants), also gives training in all the services of Radhika’s maidservants. She does so not as a guru, but as a very intimate bosom friend. In madhura-rasa, everyone has to go to Rupa Manjari for training in order to serve as a manjari. We can see our guru as a manifestation of Rupa Manjari, not as Rupa Manjari herself. Our vision of guru should not be mayavada. You understand?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Can you please explain that point?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: We should see our Gurudeva as a manifestation of Rupa Manjari; that is quite proper. This is what is meant by saying that Gopala Guru Gosvami was seen as Lalita and also as Subala. It means that he is their manifestation, just as one can see Narayana, Vamana, and all other incarnations in Krsna. Anyone can see his guru in this way, according to one’s inner bhava, as a manifestation. Otherwise, seeing him directly as Rupa Manjari will be mayavada (impersonalism); it is essential to always keep mayavada very far away.
Here in this verse, seva-sadhaka-rupena means that one externally performs service as Rupa Gosvami did. What did he do?

sankhya-purvaka-nama-gana-natibhih kalavasani-krtau
nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau catyanta-dinau ca yau
radha-krsna-guna-smrter madhurimanandena sammohitau
vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau
(Sad Gosvamyastakam 6)

["I worship the Six Gosvamis, who passed all their time in chanting the holy names, singing songs, and offering dandavat-pranama, thereby humbly fulfilling their vow to complete a fixed number daily. In this way they utilized their valuable lives and conquered over eating, sleeping, and other such pleasures. Always very meek and humble, they became enchanted in divine rapture from remembering Sri Radha-Krsna’s sweet qualities."]

Sometimes he would go to Radha Kunda, sometimes to Govardhana, and sometimes to Nandagram. In Nandagaon he would sometimes go to Ter Kadamba, and sometimes he would spend one day at Uddhava Kyari, Nanda Baithak, Kokilavana, or Javat. He visited all these dearmost places.
He always liked to be in Javat, because Srimati Radhika, Rupa Manjari, and all of Radhika’s friends used to live there. At night they would go from there to meet with Krsna in Sanket, Seva Kunja, and many other places, and at midday they would meet at Radha Kunda. Radha Kunda holds some greater importance than all other places, because the pastimes there take place in the daytime, with only Srimati Radhika’s gana (group).

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Her gana means Her svapaksa-sakhis (the gopis of Her own party)

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Only the svapaksa gopis can come there. The vipaksa gopis (those in the rival party) and tatastha gopis (those in the neutral party and who have some inclination to the rival party) are not allowed, nor can…

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Nanda and Yasoda.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: They never come there.
In this way, sadhaka-rupena refers to following the Six Gosvamis, especially Rupa Gosvami, and siddha-rupena refers to following Rupa Gosvami in his siddha form as Rupa Manjari. As a sadhaka, Rupa Gosvami comes in a male form, as Rupa Gosvami, and in his siddha-svarupa (spiritual form in Goloka Vrndavana) he is Rupa Manjari. What services does Rupa Manjari perform?

tambularpana pada mardana payo danabhisaradhibhir
vrndaranya-mahervarim priyataya yas tosayanti priyah
prana-prestha-sakhi-kulad api kilasaíkocita bhumikah
keli-bhumisu rupa-manjari-mukhas ta dasika samsraye
(Vraja-Vilasa-Stava, verse 38, Raghunatha dasa)

["She brings Radha and Krsna tambula (a betel nut preparation) and water that has been very sweetly flavored with milk and herbs (payo-dana). Tambul arpana: She brings a golden pot when Radhika and Krsna want to spit the betel after chewing it."]

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: A spittoon.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: A golden pot is placed there.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: For Their pana.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Then, abhisara (amorous tryst, or lovers’ rendevous). Do you know the meaning of abhisara? This is when Srimati Radhika meets Krsna in Sanket-sthali (a place of meeting). For example, She goes to meet with Him on Purnima.

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: The full-moon night.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: She dresses in white on the full moon night, and also during Suklapaksa, the fifteen days of the waxing moon. She dresses completely in white when She goes out for Her nocturnal meeting with Krsna on the full-moon night, and on the preceding nights she dresses in white in accordance with the gradual increase of the moon. Even though Her complexion is fair and very golden, at that time She has Her manjaris rub camphor mixed with many other ingredients on Her body.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Why?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: In order to make Her appear white.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Why?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: In that way, if anyone looks in Her direction they would think they are seeing only moon-rays.

Sripad Dhanurdhara Maharaja: It is a disguise.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: This is Her disguise.
And at that time the manjaris bind Her ankle bells so that they will not make any tinkling sound.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: No noise.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: No noise should be heard; and because She must not be seen, Her sari and veil should also be white.
Conversely, on a dark-moon night (amavasya) a sakhi tells Srimati Radhika, “The night is dark, so You must train how to go there.” Srimati Radhika then practices, at midnight. At that time She has Her sakhis take kalasas (pots) full of water and pour them in Her courtyard in order to make it muddy and very slippery.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Practice.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Then they place thorns here and there on that muddy ground. They have created a setting as if Radhika is walking in a forest on a cloudy night, with rain falling very heavily, making the earth extremely slippery, with many serpents and thorns as well.
So in this situation how can She go to Krsna? She practices during the night, by moving very quietly and cautiously. Like this. Do you know the word for this type of walking?

Sripad Dhanurdhara Maharaja: Tip-toe. Very quietly. It’s called tip-toe.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: As Lalita trains Srimati Radhika in this way, Rupa Manjari watches, and our guru in this world, as sakhi-manjari in that world, also watches.
The manjaris know everything – at what time they should go and how they should go – and they very cleverly make all arrangements. This is abhisara.
Krsna is waiting at Sanketa. The night is dark, and it is raining. The manjaris come there first to find Krsna and tell Him that Srimati Radhika will not come that night. Actually, Radhika has already come and is hiding, watching to see Krsna’s reaction. In order to further increase Krsna’s desire for Srimati Radhika, the manjaris lie to Him, saying, “She will not come tonight.” Krsna practically faints at that time, and anxiously suggests a way for Radhika to meet with Him. If the manjaris see that Krsna is sincerely hankering to meet with Radhika, they at once go and tell Her, and She then comes to Him. Otherwise, She will not come.
Sometimes, when it is time for abhisara, it may be that their fathers-in-law or mothers-in-law, or all of their sisters-in-law, are present in their homes. The manjaris must be so clever that they can find a way to cheat their in-laws, telling them lies and cleverly devising a way for Radha and Krsna to meet. This is called abhisara. The manjaris perform all these activities; they know so many clever tricks.

On Raganuga-bhakti

Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja
On Raganuga-bhakti
Discussions with the GBC on the book, Raga-Vartma-Candrika [Part 2]
Mathura, India: 1991

[Respected Harikatha Readers,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.
For those of you who did not receive Part 1, which we sent out a few days ago, you can find it on www.backtobhaki.com and www.purebhakti.com. In the early 1990s, Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja used to give darsanas for several members of the ISKCON GBC disciples of Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada. During these few years, they regularly visited him and requested him to discuss Gaudiya Vaisnava literatures like Jaiva-dharma, Srimad-Bhagavatam Tenth Canto (Rasa-lila, Venu-gita, Brahmara-gita, and Gopi-gita) Harinama-cintamani, Sri Vilapa-kusumanjali, Sri Brahma-samhita, and Raga-vartma-candrika.
In 1991 he led four discussions on Raga-vartma-candrika, a famous Sanskrit treatise written Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. Below is the Part 2 in that series of discussions, and we hope to send you the rest, one after another. As you may know, Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja has requested that all his morning walks and darsanas be published, and he directed that the darsanas for the members of the ISKCON GBC be included.
If anyone has any pictures of Srila Maharaja and the GBC devotees that we can use for the future parts of this series, please email them to Vasanti dasi at: vasantidasi@gmail.com. Thank you.
Your aspiring servants, the Harikatha Team]

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: What is a manjari? We have heard about kamala-manjaris and mango-manjaris. Any creeper or good flower has manjaris. Although the manjari appears first and then the flower, the manjari is always located above the flower. When a bee comes to sit on the flower and drink its honey, the manjaris tremble, being overjoyed.
Similarly, the Krsna-bee comes to Srimati Radhika, She glances at Him, and They engage in loving pastimes (prema-vilas). Although the ‘bee’ does not sit on the manjari, the manjari trembles, feeling as if the bee is sitting on her. Whatever the ‘flower’ experiences in those pastimes manifests in the manjari, so there is no need for the bee to go to her. She automatically feels everything felt by the flower. If the bee kisses the flower, then, seeing this, the manjari feels that “the bee has kissed me.”
In fact, the manjari tastes something special, which even the flower does not taste, in the sense that the flower does not tremble as the manjari does. Similarly the maidservants of Srimati Radhika experience a pleasure in being Her maidservant, which She Herself dos not experience, and that pleasure is called bhava-ullasa rati.
Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami wanted to be a manjari, not a flower. In other words he did not want sakhi-bhava (the mood of Srimati Radhika’s friends like Lalita and Visakha, who have direct relationships with Sri Krsna). Do you understand? Herein lies the importance of the manjaris. In our sampradaya no one wants to be Sri Radha’s sakhi; they only want to be Her kinkari. Are you totally following my words? Do you know the meaning of the word kinkari?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Servant.

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Maidservant

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: There is no equivalent word in English for kinkari. It is such a beautiful Sanskrit word, which refers to something very soft, very fragrant, and so sweet.
We cannot learn these topics simply by reading books. No book will clarify the truths for you as we are discussing in this conversation. By discussing with me in this way, you can obtain more than what you can obtain by simply reading books.

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: These truths come only through realization.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: I do not say that I have any realization, but I have God’s mercy and Gurudeva’s mercy.
In the first sloka of Vilapa-Kusumanjali, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami states that although Rupa Manjari’s husband is absent, he sees a mark on her lips. How has this come about? It is not that Krsna has kissed Rupa Manjari. He has kissed Srimati Radhika and therefore Radhika has that mark on Her lips, but the mark at once manifested on the lips of Rupa Manjari.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: I was asking you about that in Bombay.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: The marks on the face or body of Srimati Radharani do not come to Lalita and Visakha, but they all come to the manjaris. We are followers of Rupa Gosvami, who is Rupa Manjari.
I think that in your entire life you will not forget this teaching.
A person may have taken only anusthaniki (formal) diksa, thinking, “So many others have taken diksa, so I should also take it.” By a fire yajna he has received a sacred thread, kanti-mala (neck beads), and so on, but he has not been given instructions on the internal mood of diksa, which constitutes real diksa.
Diksa comes gradually, not in a moment; the process of receiving diksa takes place over a long period of time. When one has the advantage of past births’ samskaras, one will easily accept diksa and the process will be accomplished quickly, but without previous samskaras the process will be slow.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Unless one gets the association of raganuga Vaisnavas.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: And that disciple must also be qualified. If the disciple does not have sufficient samskaras and does not yet possess any greed, he will not be able to properly receive these truths from his diksa-guru, who may be very qualified but may not have sufficient time to train him on this topic. Later on, when greed is meant to come, that disciple does not change his gurudeva; he need only accept a siksa-guru. Sometimes the disciple will give more preference to his siksa-guru, or equally to both gurus, according to their qualification. He will gradually hear all these topics.
If one’s diksa-guru is present, the disciple will receive all these things from him. Or, his gurudeva will gladly order him to hear from another person, as in the case of Sri Syamananda prabhu, Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, and Sri Srinivasa Acarya. .
As I mentioned earlier, if a person has greed by dint of his previous births’ samskaras or by his present birth’s samskaras, he will begin to search through sastra – by reading and hearing – especially those sastras or commentaries written by Srila Rupa Gosvami and his followers, the rupanuga Vaisnavas.
What is the actual meaning of rupanuga? In his books, Srila Rupa Gosvami has described, in tatastha-bhava, the various rasas. Do you know the meaning of tatastha?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Marginal.

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Neutral.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: He has written from a neutral position about all the rasas – santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, and madhurya. If one has greed for any of these moods, that person will be a raganuga-bhakta but not rupanuga.
What is rupanuga? Even if one follows Ujjvala-Nilamani, he may be raganuga but not rupanuga. One will be rupanuga when one especially follows the way in which Srila Rupa Gosvami (in the form of Sri Rupa Manjari) serves Radha and Krsna, deeply meditating on the qualities and bhava which Rupa Manjari possesses in serving Them.

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: All rupanuga-bhaktas are raganuga, but not all raganugas are rupanugas.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: The sadhaka will have to search through sastra how to receive these moods. He will hear from a rupanuga Vaisnava, who will tell him to read Srimad-Bhagavatam, Ujjvala-Nilamani, Krsna-Karnamrta, Radha-Rasa-Sudha-Nidhi, Jayadeva Gosvami’s Gita-Govinda, and the books of Candidasa, Vidyapati and others.
The rupanuga Vaisnava will also instruct him to search only that bhava for which he has greed. He will know about everything (sakhya, vatsalya, madhurya), but he will have to serve only by one mood, the mood of his sthayi-bhava (permanent constitutional mood). One’s sthayi-bhava will manifest only when prema is reached, but greed for that sthayi-bhava is achieved before that. Genuine greed will not change in this or any future life – this is called gadha-samskara *. If one has real greed, as Srila Rupa Gosvami has, his greed for a particular sthayi-bhava will never change in any birth. It will always remain the same.
Bharata Maharaja achieved the stage of bhava, but it is not known in which rasa.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: In Bhagavatamrtam it is given that his is one of Vaikuntha-bhava.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Only dasya-bhava.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Yes, dasya-bhava.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Sanaka, Sananda, Sanatana, and Sanat Kumara have their sthayi-bhava in santa-rasa. Yet, they can narrate the entire Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: How is that? I remember asking you that question before.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: They can do so from a neutral position. They know all about the various rasas, but they don’t have direct experience of those rasas.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: What about Sukadeva Gosvami?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Srila Sukadeva Gosvami has some direct experience, because he is the suka…

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Parrot…

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: He is the parrot of Srimati Radhika, so he posssess the sthayi-bhava for Vraja.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: This is a very important thing that you said about Sukadeva Gosvami.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: As Srimati Radhika’s parrot, he sits on the branches of tamala or kadamba trees. He watches the confidential pastimes of Radhika and Krsna, and becomes very, very pleased. Yet, he cannot serve like Rupa Manjari.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: So what kind of bhava does he have? He is watching everything.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja: It has been said in sastra that he has santa-bhava.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Because he is neutral.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja: But he is in Vraja, and there is no santa-bhava in Vraja. We will have to judge what rasa he actually possesses. When Srimati Radhika and Sri Krsna are sleeping in the morning, that Suka parrot says so many things to awaken Them.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: That is not santa-bhava…

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes, it is not santa-bhava.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: He must have everything.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: We will have to consider all these truths.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Why is it said that he has santa-bhava?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: For the santa-rasa bhaktas.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Externally it appears like that.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: But…

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: But it is not actually.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: The cows of Vraja have vatsalya-bhava, so surely Suka cannot be of santa-rasa.
To illustrate how to search out the process in order to attain the fruit of one’s genuine greed, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura gives the example of a man who is greedy to drink milk. Seeing some milk he wants to taste it, so he must go through a process to get it. He may ask someone who drinks milk how that person acquired it. After questioning him he will purchase a cow, making sure that the cow has a calf, because unless the cow has a calf it cannot give milk. He will then take the cow and calf to his home, where he will apply water or ghee to the udder of the cow and bring the calf to drink. When the calf has taken milk, the man will wash the udder of the cow, after which he milks her. Next, he puts the milk on the fire to boil. Then, if he wants that boiled milk sweetened, he adds sugar, and for extra flavor he adds rose water, kewra (an extract distilled from the Pandanus flower which is used to flavor drinks and desserts in Indian cuisine), camphor, and so on.
Similarly, although a sadhaka with genuine greed does not require the reasoning of sastra to convince him to do bhakti, he goes through those sastras that will give him entrance into the process in order to achieve his goal.
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura tells us that when a person has actual greed in raganuga-bhakti, he will also follow the procedures of vaidhi-bhakti – although his bhakti will not be vaidhi-bhakti. He will engage in the nine processes of bhakti, namely sravanam, kirtanam, visnu smaranam, pada-sevanam and so on. From the very beginning he will carefully perform guru-caranasraya (taking shelter of the lotus feet of sri guru), and faithfully serve him in visrambha-bhava.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: What is the meaning of visrambha-bhava?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: It implies ‘giving up all fear.’ Fear caused by the sense of awe and reverence is not present. The disciple will serve his guru as a bosom friend. He will not think, “I am very low and he is very high.” Rather, he will determine, “He is mine and I am his.”
The analogy is given of a young son who, seeing his father sitting above him, does not care to sit on the ground. He will at once jump up and sit on his father’s lap. Then he will pat his father’s shoulder, stroke his father’s face, and touch him on his arm or hold his hand, serving him with great love.
Moreover, a person qualified with genuine greed, with even greater love than that young son, will serve his gurudeva from whom he has collected the truths he has grasped and the moods he now possesses. This type of intimate service is essential.
Guru-caranasraya means ‘taking shelter of the self-realized guru.’ This is the first of the sixty-four items of devotional service. Then, following the instruction of the second item, one takes diksa initiation from him. Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu lists these sixty-four practices of devotional service, the first five of which are in relationship to guru.

["On the path of regulative devotional service, one must observe the following items: (1) One must accept a bona fide spiritual master. (2) One must accept initiation from him. (3) One must serve him. (4) One must receive instructions from the spiritual master and make inquiries in order to learn devotional service. (5) One must follow in the footsteps of the previous acaryas and follow the directions given by the spiritual master."]

The raganuga-bhakta follows these same procedures, but his bhava (mood) has changed from that which is found in vaidhi-bhakti. The vaidhi-bhakti disciple will sit lower and pray to his gurudeva with folded palms, “Gurudeva, please give me an order. What service shall I do?” Then, when he receives an order, as a servant, that disciple will perform the service. On the other hand, a ‘greedy person’ will serve in the mood I have previously described; with no fear and no sense of difference. He will see resolve that “I am his…”

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: “And he is mine.”

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: All the limbs of vaidhi-bhakti are followed by the raganuga Vaisnava, but…

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: What is the difference?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: The mood is different.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: A different mood.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: If one rejects the practices of vaidhi, he will not be able to enter raganuga; his greed will be checked. So he must follow.
For a person who has actual greed and wants to follow the process of raganuga-bhakti, Srimad-Bhagavatam says that Bhagavan comes to him in the forms of both caitya-guru and diksa-guru. In this connection we should know that guru is akhanda-tattva (the complete, undivided principle of guru), a manifestation of Nityananda Prabhu, Baladeva Prabhu. Because gurudeva gives everything that Nityananda Prabhu and Baladeva Prabhu have come to give, and because all his instructions are Theirs, he is regarded as Their manifestation.
In Bhagavad-Gita (10.10) it is stated:

tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te

["Upon those who perform bhajana to Me with love, yearning for My eternal association, I give them the intelligence by which they can come to Me."]

If a soul surrenders to Krsna and possesses pure greed, if he has a pure heart and sufficient samskaras, the Lord reveals everything in his heart (dadami buddhi-yogam) as caitya-guru. Krsna states in Bhagavad-gita, “I give him the wisdom to achieve my bhakti.” He does not give this openly; He gives it in the heart. He benedicts His devotee with a sphurti (internal vision), inspiring him from within, and personally manifests in his heart all siddhantas. He also gives instructions externally, in the form of the diksa-guru or siksa-guru.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: You say he dictates within the heart?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes. He dictates in the heart. Certainly.
People may see that this devotee has no guru and wonder, “How does he know these things?” Here is the answer. Krsna dictates everything, He manifests Himself, from within, whether or not anyone else sees.
I have sometimes experienced this myself. I feel something within myself – I have not read, nor have I seen or heard a certain fact; yet, sometimes very beautiful things come in my heart. Perhaps you have also had this experience? Certainly you will have had this experience, because one who serves his gurudeva will surely receive these realizations. Even if gurudeva is not present in our sight, still, he will manifest all these truths.
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura begins by telling us the three key slokas from Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.294-296) by which one can enter the path of raganuga-bhakti. The first is:

krsnam smaran janam casya prestham nija samihitam
tat tat katha ratas casau kuryad vasam vraje sada

["While remembering Sri Krsna and His beloved associates whom we desire to follow, being fully absorbed in discussions of their pastimes, one should always reside in Vraja. If this is not possible, then one should reside there by mind."]

The second is:

seva sadhaka rupena siddha rupena catra hi
tad bhava lipsuna karya vraja-lokanusaratah

["On this path of raganuga, being charmed by the intense love of Krsna’s beloved Vrajavasis, the sadhaka should live in Vraja under the guidance of those devotees who have taken shelter of the Vrajavasis (like Sri Rupa, Sanatana and Raghunatha dasa Gosvamis), always eager to serve them in his present physical body. And, in the perfected stage of his siddha-rupa, the internally conceived spiritual body suitable for performing prema-seva, he should engage in the cherished service of Sri Krsna according to his chosen mood. In this regard he should follow in the footsteps of the eternal residents of Vraja, such as Sri Radhika, Lalita, Visakha, and Sri Rupa Manjari."]

And the third sloka is:

sravanotkirtanadini vaidhi-bhakty uditani tu
yany angani ca tanyatra vijneyani manisibhih

["In vaidhi-bhakti one should practice the limbs of bhakti like sravana, kirtana, and so on according to one’s qualification. Similarly, for raganuga-bhakti also it has been advised by scholars who are well versed in the principles of bhakti to follow these practices."]

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura then comments on each sloka, one by one – this subject is very deep. Let us discuss the first sloka.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Where is this sloka? Which part of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu is it in? Where can I find it?

Sripad Giriraja Svami: I can find it. It is at the end of the Eastern Division.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: You can see it at the end of purva vibhaga (Eastern division). Krsnam smaran means ‘remembering Krsna.’ janam casya prestham nija samihitam refers to additionally remembering His prestha. Do you know what prestha means?

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Dear ones.
These dear associates may be of dasya-rasa, sakhya-rasa, or vatsalya-rasa, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura is especially discussing those in madhurya-rasa.
One who has developed greed to attain the mood of the gopis will remember Krsna when He is in Seva Kunja or Vamsivata. He has a lovely smile on His face, and He has placed a very beautiful vamsi flute on His lips. His restless eyes, like those of a deer, are searching here and there. Seeing the gopis coming, He becomes overjoyed, and at that moment He has no control over His body or mind. He is God Himself, yet He forgets everything at that time. He knows not what He is doing, nor even what He looks like. Standing in His tribhanga-lalita (threefold-bending) pose, He is exquisitely beautiful.
Thousands upon thousands of gopis are present there, but from the corner of His eyes He is searching for one particular gopi – and that gopi is delaying. Then, from far away He sees Her coming. Who is that gopi? Srimati Radhika. The raganuga sadhaka meditates how Krsna appears at that time.
This is smaranam – remembering Krsna with all these details and appreciating His many virtues. In Jaiva Dharma we read about the qualities of Kisora-Krsna, that is, Krsna in His teenage form, in srngara-rasa (madhurya-rasa). The qualities of Krsna in sakhya-rasa are not the same as His qualities when He is with the gopis, and the qualities of Krsna with Nanda and Yasoda are also different. His qualities are different in every rasa.
We should remember Krsna with all the qualities with which He is adorned in madhura-bhava. We should remember Him with the gopis as He tries to cheat them in gambling; and as He cheats them and is cheated by them as they try to steal His flute. Remember Krsna and His priya-jana, His dearmost associates.
What are the ways of the gopis, and especially of Srimati Radharani? What are the activities of that very gopi for whom we have greed to follow? That gopi is not Radhika, Lalita or Visakha; it is Rupa Manjari. We have a very keen interest to see what she is doing. It is her mood that we want to adopt. When Srimati Radhika is pleased, then Rupa Manjari becomes so pleased. Rupa Manjari performs so many services, like bringing water in a golden pot, sometimes very slowly and gently fanning with a camara...

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Massaging?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes, when she sees that Sri Sri Radha and Krsna are very tired, she serves Them accordingly. We will carefully watch that manjari, seeing what she is doing and how she is performing her numerous services.
The way in which one enters these pastimes and services is based on unbroken remembrance. Janam casya – remembering all the gopis, and especially that gopi in whom I am…

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Interested.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Interested.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Meditating upon that.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: This is the method of raganuga-sadhana-bhajana. Tat tat katha ratas casau – This phrase in the same sloka is in relation to the siksa-guru, that premi-guru or raganuga-guru from whom we are hearing. He will discourse with us about the ways in which all the sakhis are serving Krsna, and especially the ways in which Rupa Manjari and our guru in sakhi-vesa (in the form of a sakhi) are serving. One should talk about their pastimes with Krsna, as I sometimes discuss them with you.
Such a devotee always resides in Vrndavana. If he has no chance to be in Vrndavana by body, he surely lives there by mind; for without living in Vrndavana, one cannot attain that kind of love.
These three practices are essential: Krsna smarana, remembering Krsna with His dearmost associates; tat tat katha ratas casau, continuously conversing about their pastimes; and kuryad vasam vraje sada, always residing in Vrndavana (if not by body, then at least by mind), in such pastime places as Seva Kunja, Sanketa, and Javat, and if you have the qualification you may go to Radha Kunda at midday. Spend all day with Radhika and that gopi for whom you have the conviction to follow.
This is all for today. I will, perhaps, be able to complete the next two slokas in the next three days.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: You will speak for three more days?.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: If I continue these explanations for the next few days, you will be able to understand something. If I am in a hurry, the discussion will not be as beneficial for you.

(Question in Bengali)

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Her question is this: If someone wants to live in Vrndavana by mind, then won’t his body also come? The answer is that his body will automatically follow his mind and come to Vrndavana, if that is his sole desire.
Otherwise, if a person is not so qualified, he will engage himself in other duties and think: "This other duty should be done. This work should be done. Moreover, the place in which I live has so many facilities.” So, being far away, this type of a person will think about living in Vrndavana, but he will only achieve a little benefit.
Those who are like Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami will think, “If I am not there at my house, let anyone burn it down. And what will happen to my parents, children, and wife if I go to Vrndavana? I don’t know how they will live their lives – whether they will be having problems and difficulties, or if they will be all right. It is no longer my responsibility.”
On the other hand, a neophyte disciple may say, “Oh, my Gurudeva told me to preach, so I must do this. This is my duty (so no need to meditate on Vrndavana.)” However, when our greed will come in full bloom, we will forget everything else. At that stage no other obligation will come in our way.
Such a pure devotee will be seen by the entire world as guru. For example, even now, we follow Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami as our gurus. And what are we preaching? We are preaching only their words. We are preaching our Gurudeva’s words.
If others will see that Tamal Krsna Maharaja’s words and Giriraja Maharaja’s words are truly the words of Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja – if they will see that your words are correctly in line (in accordance with guru and guru-parampara) – they will be bound to accept all your instructions. At that time there will be no harm in preaching or doing any other seva; that will be real preaching. However, I don’t know how many births it will take for you to come to that stage.
One day you will have to leave your present preaching and become qualified to go to Goloka Vrndavana, where there is no preaching, only service. Then, from there, as Srila Rupa Gosvami came with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, you can also return and preach with your spiritual master.

[To be continued…]

[*Endnote: (from Jaiva-dharma by Srila Bhakivinoda Thakura, Chapter 28, Part 2): Vrajanatha: Gurudeva, which gadha-samskara, profound impression, is relevant to becoming ‘rapt in meditation’?
Gosvami: My son, entangled by material nature, you have been caught in the cycle of repeated births and deaths, working out the accrued reactions of your karma. In this mechanism, two types of samskara – praktana, of past lives, and adhunika, of the present life – have helped to frame your mental constitution, temperament, and contemplations. Originally, your soul possessed a pure consciousness and nature that have become polluted. However, now your previous spiritually pious deeds have led you to seek saintly association and execute devotional service, thus forming a powerful new samskara that will uproot the polluted material samskaras and gradually allow your original pure consciousness to take its rightful place once more. The deeper the gadha-samskara of devotional service sinks in, the stronger the presence of acintya-tattva will be felt in the heart, thus causing you to become ‘rapt in meditation’ in your sthayi-bhava.]

Minha resposta para o artigo do GBC: - A conversa final - Parte 1

Por Srila Bhaktivedanta Bhagavat Maharaja,

Discípulo harinama e diksha de Srila Prabhupada e sannyasi discípulo de Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaj.


Traduzido por Ramananda Das

Quando fui alertado para ver a reportagem que o GBC publicou recentemente sobre a conversa entre Srila Prabhupada e Srila Narayana Maharaja, imediatamente compreendi que eles estavam tentando minimizar a importância de Srila Narayana Maharaja na cerimônia de samadhi e a sua relação com Srila Prabhupada. Então, não fiquei surpreso ao ler o artigo, mas fiquei muito desapontado. Examinando o documento apresentado com um bengali nativo e comparando isto com a fita que eles providenciaram, fiquei chocado ao ver que eles fizeram tantas mudanças, omissões e até mesmo acrescemos á conversa e ainda proveu-nos a fita original agora digitalmente restaurado. Não estou certo o que eles estavam pensando quando estavam fazendo isto, mas é óbvio que eles se sentiram confiantes que podiam escapar com isto.

Nos anos 90, os seguidores de Srila Narayana Maharaja fizeram uma tradução e transcrição desta conversa que foi publicado no livro chamado “Their lasting relationship”. O título do artigo era: “A ordem final de Srila Prabhupada”. Baseado na fita restaurada e digital que escutei com um tradutor bengali, há também muitos erros nesta transcrição. A tradução feita pelos discípulos de Srila Narayana Maharaja foi feita em meados dos anos 90 usando um simples toca fitas e assim eles transcreveram neste livro. Ele explicou que teve que ouvir várias vezes simplesmente para escutar as palavras básicas da conversa e ainda não estava absolutamente certo sobre todas estas coisas, porém fez o melhor que pôde de acordo com as circunstâncias. Então, considerando os obstáculos que teve para tornar isto compreensível, poderia haver erros nesta transcrição.

Não estou certo sobre qual a desculpa usada pela Iskcon neste atual artigo, porém para comentar isto gostaria primeiro de ressaltar a íntima relação entre Srila Prabhupada e Srila Narayana Maharaja de acordo com estas e outras conversas que eu e outros devotos presenciamos. Se você procurar no Veda Base Folio e achar a conversa na qual Tamal Krishna e outros conversam com Srila Narayana Maharaja datada no dia 8 de outubro de 1977, vocês verão que justo após a conversa onde Srila Prabhupada diz: “Narayana Maharaja vem; então está tudo certo.” A seguinte conversa segue após uma pausa.



Prabhupada: Quando você voltou?
Bhagavat: Cheguei justamente agora, meia hora atrás, da América.
Upendra: E ele está realmente magro, Srila Prabhupada, ele está magro.
Prabhupada: Porque?
Bhagavat: Porque estou seguindo chaturmasya. Reduzi para 160 pounds. Antes estava com 260.
Prabhupada: Muito bom.
Bhagavat: Devo cantar agora?
Prabhupada: Sim. (começa o kirtan)



Então, aqui está a evidência que eu estava em Vrindavana nesta hora e comprovei a íntima relação que Srila Narayana Maharaja tinha com Prabhupada. Não só eu estava presente nos muitos encontros entre Srila Narayana Maharaja e Prabhupada, mas outros também estavam lá. Aqui está uma cópia de um artigo postado no facebook por um dos meus irmãos espirituais:

“O GBC diz que a última conversa de NM com Prabhupada foi em 8 de outubro de 1977. Eu estava presente no dia 10 ou 11 de outubro quando Prabhupada encontrou com NM e Swami Bon. Primeiramente, Eu escutei Prabhupada falando em inglês para NM cuidar dos seus discípulos. Depois eles conversaram em bengali e hindi por 20 minutos. Não sei se isso foi gravado. Muitas fitas de 1977 desapareceram. Sankarsan prabhu estava duplicando elas em Houston, nomeando-as por conteúdo e agora ele diz que elas nunca existiram.”

Isto nos leva á outra questão. Onde estão as fitas? No folio (c.d) não há gravações das conversas dos dias 18 de agosto até dia 1 de outubro. Por que? Onde está as conversas? Srila Prabhupada ficou mudo por 6 semanas? Aqui temos a um devoto que estava presente na conversa de apenas 1 á 3 dias antes do desaparecimento de Prabhupada. Este devoto escutou claramente Prabhupada pedindo á Srila Narayana Maharaja para por favor tomar conta dos seus discípulos. Porque o GBC diz que não houve conversas sendo que estivemos lá neste momento? Este mesmo devoto confirmou que Sankarsana Prabhu estava fazendo cópias destas fitas. Agora, Sankarsana Prabhu esconde isto. Porque? As fitas se encontram no arquivo? Vamos ver o que Ekanath Prabhu tem a dizer sobre isto.

Isso nos guia a outra questão. Onde estão as fitas? No folio não conversas gravadas listada de 18 de Agosto a 1 de Outubro. Porque isso? Onde estão as conversas? Srila Prabhupada estava em silencio por 6 semanas? Aqui nós temos um devoto que foi testemunha de uma conversa somente 1 a 3 dias antes de Srila Prabhupada nos deixar, aonde seu devoto ouviu Srila Prabhupada dizer em Inglês para Srila Narayan Maharaja “por favor tome conta dos meus discípulos.” Aonde está essa fita? Por que o GBC da ISKCON está dizendo que não há tal conversa quando nós temos testemunhas que houve? Este mesmo devoto é uma testemunha do fato que Sankarshan Prabhu estava fazendo cópias dessas fitas. Agora Sankarshan Prabhu está negando isso. PORQUE? As fitas estão nos arquivos? Deixe-nos ver o que Ekanath Prabhu tem a dizer sobre isso.

Consegui dados importantes de uma carta postada no Sampradaya Sun datada no dia 5 de fevereiro de 2010, intitulada “Postando todas as gravações de Srila Prabhupada” escrita por Ekanath prabhu o diretor do arquivo da BBT. A seguinte lista escrita por Ekanath Prabhu revela a quantidade de áudio de Srila Prabhupada que não foram publicadas:

PS. Gráfico contínuo de progresso de 05-02-2010:

Áudio pronto para a transcrição - 47
Revisão do bengali em progresso - 4
Transferências cassete digital a serem identificados - 249
Revisão do Inglês completado--Estágio 1 - 110
Revisão do Inglês em progresso-- Estágio 1 - 62
Revisão do Inglês em progresso-- Estágio 2 - 16
Transcrevendo em Inglês em progresso - 66
Transcrevendo em Hindi em progresso - 15
Bengali pronto para transcrever - 15
Pronto para o Folio-- Veda Base ® - 10
Hindi pronto para transcrever - 54
Sânscrito pronto para revisão - 50
Carretéis a serem digitalizados e serem identificados - 161
Revisão do Sânscrito em progresso- 26
Transcrições prontas para revisão do Inglês -- Estágio 1 – 44

Número estimado de áudios que não foram publicados - 500

Estes são os quinhentos áudios não publicados nos arquivos. Há algo que está sendo escondido pelo GBC? Ekanath diz que não, mas temos a certeza das conversas, porém não há fitas, porque? Olhei no folio(cd) para ver se encontrava alguma coisa dos dias 10 e 11 de novembro de 1977 sobre a conversa entre Prabhupada e Narayana Maharaja e Bon Maharaj. No dia 13 de novembro há uma conversa que parece ter sido cortada no meio entre Prabhupada e Bon Maharaj. É esta conversa que o devoto está falando? Se for, este foi um dia antes que Prabhupada deixou o corpo. Eu estava lá no último dia e Prabhupada não comunicou com ninguém exceto com Narayana Maharaja nas últimas 5 horas da sua presença manifesta neste planeta. De qualquer jeito aqui temos a confirmação da conversa parcialmente em inglês entre Prabhupada e Narayana Maharaja onde os devotos escutam Prabhupada dizendo em inglês: “por favor, cuide dos meus discípulos”. E temos também a indicação do Folio que esta conversa aconteceu no dia 13 de novembro como o outro devoto viu que Bon Maharaj estava no quarto e na gravação postada no Folio é dito que Bon Maharaj estava no quarto com Prabhupada no dia 13 de novembro. Então, quando Narayana Maharaja diz “Eu falei com Swamiji no último dia”. Está ele se referindo a esta última conversa do dia 13, um dia antes que Prabhupada deixou este planeta? Se isto é verdade, onde está este áudio? Porque temos o áudio desta conversa entre Prabhupada e Bon Maharaj pela metade? O que está sendo escondido pelo GBC. Onde estão estes áudios?

Lembro quando Narayana Maharaj veio no dia 8 falar com Prabhupada. Muitas vezes depois disso Narayana Maharaj veio ver Prabhupada. Eu estava no quarto em algumas destas ocasiões. A relação entre Prabhupada e Narayana Maharaja, era muito, muito íntima e profunda. Era claro como havia uma relação íntima espiritual entre eles. Senti-me profundamente privilegiado de presenciar as lindas trocas espirituais entre estes dois Maha-Bhagavatas.

Quando vi Narayana Maharaja pela primeira vez andando até o Krishna-Balarama (templo), fiquei muito impressionado com seu comportamento. Seus profundos olhos azuis pareciam claros e radiantes e sua tez brilhava tanto que só podia me lembrar de Srila Prabhupada. Sua graciosa postura quando caminhava parecia como se ele estivesse flutuando. Imediatamente me deu a impressão estar vendo uma personalidade extraordinária. Isto aconteceu um ou dois dias antes dele retornar para encontrar com Prabhupada que acabamos de relatar.

Na primeira vez que fui introduzido formalmente á Narayana Maharaja, ele apreciou que eu estava seguindo os princípios de chaturmasya. Ele então me pegou pelo braço e me levou pra dentro do quarto, do lado da cama onde Prabhupada estava deitado. Ele então me descreveu o significado da posição e postura das mãos, pés etc.. de Prabhupada. No final da descrição ele disse que esta postura era a postura de dança e que ele estava dançando com Radha e Krishna. Prabhupada estava em um transe espiritual tão profundo enquanto dormindo no samadhi que não havia nenhum sinal de interação com o mundo externo. Quando ele retornou deste estado algumas horas depois ele nos disse que havia conversado com Krishna. Ouvindo isto da boca de lótus de Prabhupada e lembrando do que Narayana Maharaja havia me falado pouco antes, fiquei convencido de que Narayana Maharaja era também um devoto puro como Prabhupada e que Narayana Maharaja também podia falar com Radha e Krishna exatamente como Srila Prabhupada.

No último dia quando Prabhupada partiu deste mundo eu vi Srila Narayana Maharaja entrando no quarto. Novamente, Srila Prabhupada não estava comunicando com ninguém, mas nesta hora ele estava em um transe extático e exibindo vários sintomas de êxtase como tremores, contorcendo, gemendo, ficando atônito e chorando profundamente.Ele não estava em sua consciência externa até mesmo com agente o massageando, chorando, cantando etc... Quando Srila Narayana Maharaja entrou no quarto, veio imediatamente até a cabeceira da cama onde eu estava massageando a cabeça de Prabhupada. Narayana Maharaja abaixou-se do lado da cama e botando sua boca perto do ouvido de Prabhupada, cantou um mantra em humor bastante calmo. Nesta hora, Prabhupada voltou do seu transe e ficou imóvel. Ele então, levantou sua mão e apontou seus dedos para Narayana Maharaja em um gesto como se estivesse dando bênçãos. O gesto que eu havia visto antes e com certeza foi direcionado á Narayana Maharaja.

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