All glories to Śrī Śrī Guru & Gauranga
(Extract from the Harikatha of Shyam das Babaji Mahāraj)
ananta-koti-Viṣṇu-loka-namra-padmajarcite
himadrija-pulomaja-virincija-vara-prade
apara-siddhi-riddhi-digdha-sat-padanguli-nakhe
kada karishyasiha mam kṛpā-kataksha-bhajanam
(Śrī Śrī Rādhā-kṛpā-kataksha-stava-raja, Text 11)
O Goddess worshiped by Brahma, O Goddess to whom countless millions of Vaiṣṇavas bow down, O Goddess who give blessings to Pārvatī, Śacī, and Sarasvati, O Goddess whose toenails are anointed with limitless opulence’s and mystic perfections, when will You cast Your merciful sidelong glance upon me?
Although Rādhā expresses Herself as different śaktis in Her various līlās, śakti tattva is one single, undivided tattva.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the potent factor, and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the internal potency. According to Vedanta philosophy, “śakti’ śakti matayor abheda.” This means there is no difference between the potent and the potency; they are identical. We cannot differentiate between one and the other, any more than we can separate fire from heat. In fact, Rādhārāṇī is the internal potency of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and She eternally intensifies the pleasure of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
Impersonalists cannot understand this without the help of a mahābhāgavata devotee. The very name “Rādhā” suggests that Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is eternally the topmost mistress of the comforts of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. As such, She is the medium transmitting the living entities’ service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Devotees in Vrindavan therefore seek the mercy of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī in order to be recognized as loving servitors of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
Each time when one Avatar is appearing, then at the same time also his śakti’ is coming. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the source of all countless śaktis which appear differently according to time, place and circumstances.
ānanda-cinmāyā-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis
tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ
goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
(Brahma-saṁhitā text 10)
I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, residing in His own realm, Goloka, with Rādhā, resembling His own spiritual figure, the embodiment of the ecstatic potency possessed of the sixty-four artistic activities, in the company of Her confidantes (śakhis), embodiments of the extensions of Her bodily form, permeated and vitalized by His ever-blissful spiritual rasa.
Any Viṣṇu-tattva which appears is always accompanied by one particular śakti’. We know Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, Lakṣmī-Varāha, Lakṣmī-Narashinga, Sītā-Ram, etc. Each of them is expressing one specific śakti’ which is matching for that kind of līlā. Some so-called devotees like to break the specialty of kṛṣṇa-līlā and gaura-līlā. They are telling that Viṣṇupriyā is Rādhārāṇī and Rādhārāṇī is Viṣṇupriyā. Ok, but not directly, because there cannot be the same unification like in kṛṣṇa-līlā.
Without Śrīla Bhaktivinod Ṭhākura and Śrīla Prabhupāda the whole world is blind
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda says that if something is going to stop the execution of devotional service, it should be understood to be impure. Pure devotees of the Lord do not accept impure principles. Impure devotees accept rasābhāsa, or overlapping, contradictory mellows, and other principles opposed to the bhakti path.
The sahajiyās try to make a big confusion between the specialty of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and the specialty of Viṣṇupriyā devī. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is in Vrindavan sambhoga vigraha, and in the pastimes of Viṣṇupriyā devī we cannot find even one single instance of sambhoga līlā.
Some foolish so-called devotees have the idea that if we worship Gaura-Viṣṇupriyā devī then there is no need of worshiping Śrī Śrī Rādhā Govinda separately. They are even putting Gaura Viṣṇupriyā on the swing at the time of Jhulan-yātrā utsvah, which is totally prohibited. Because they know nothing about rasa-tattva they make such a great mistake. The followers of such impure principles, at that time, never got entry inside the Gambhīra Temple with their philosophical work. This was because the usual system set by Śrīman Mahāprabhu was that Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī would first check anything brought by anybody to show to Mahāprabhu. If it was approved Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, then they could approach Mahāprabhu. Śrīman Mahāprabhu cannot bear any rasābhāsa and siddhanta-virode.
’rasābhāsa’ haya yadi ‘siddhānta-virodha’
sahite nā pāre prabhu, mane haya krodha
(C.c. Antya-Līlā 5/97)
“If there was a hint that transcendental mellows overlapped in a manner contrary to the principles of the bhakti cult, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would not tolerate it and would become very angry.”
Yet one must certainly know that although Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because He accepted the role of a devotee, one should not misunderstand His pastimes and place Him in exactly the same position as Kṛṣṇa. It is for this reason only that when Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu was addressed as Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu that He blocked His ears, not wanting to hear Himself addressed as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
That is why we see in all Gauḍīya temples Rādhā Govinda and Mahāprabhu are on the altar. This means that we are always worshiping Rādhā Govinda but under the guidance of Caitanya Mahāprabhu whom we consider our bhajan śikṣā guru. Śrīla Bhaktivinod Ṭhākura is giving us another hint by telling us that in arcan-mārga we can worship Gaura Viṣṇupriyā, but in bhajana-mārga we worship Gaura Gadadhara. Those who are elevated enough can understand the meaning of what I am saying.
How do we know that today is the Appearance Day of Viṣṇupriyā devī? It was only by the causeless mercy of Sarvabhauma Jaganatha das Babaji Mahāraj who revealed this secret to us.
Later on, Śrīla Prabhupāda put the date of Viṣṇupriyā in the Vaiṣṇava calendar, considering that Appearance and Disappearance Days of Vaiṣṇavas are both equally important. Even simply remembering a Vaiṣṇava’s name constitutes serving him. And this becomes the cause of our auspiciousness. That is why it is an offense not to glorify them on their tithīs. Even if one doesn’t know anything about them, then even by taking their name, all auspiciousness is achieved.
The kṛpā of Viṣṇupriyā devī
In regards to the kṛpā of Viṣṇupriyā devī, Śrīla Prabhupāda is telling, “If one cannot get the full kṛpā of gaura śakti’ (Viṣṇupriyā devī) then it is impossible to cut the material knot in the heart.”
bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś
chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ
kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi
dṛṣṭa evātmanīśvare
(SB 1.2.21)
“Thus, the knot in the heart is pierced, and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of furtive actions is terminated when one sees the self as master.”
No doubt can stand if you are getting the full kṛpā of Śuddha Sarasvati Viṣṇupriyā devī. There are two types of Sarasvatī – Vidyā Sarasvatī and Śuddha Sarasvatī. Vidyā Sarasvatī is worshipped by materialists, upon whom she bestows material education, by which they remain attracted to the material world; Śuddha Sarasvatī takes us (transcendentalists) towards the Lord. How can we understand this?
All the scholars were intimidated when Digvijayī Keśava Kāśmīrī Paṇḍita, the undefeated champion of learning, arrived after triumphing over the entire country. They began to fret, “What can we possibly utter in his staggering presence?” When Digvijayī Paṇḍita approached them in search of a worthy opponent, they all unanimously recommended the name of Nimāi Paṇḍita, the teacher of Sanskrit grammar.
When Digvijayī Paṇḍita approached Nimāi, he said, “I have heard you teach Kalāpa-vyākaraṇa.” Nimāi Paṇḍita humbly responded, “I only act as if I am teaching. Because when the students inquire, I am incapable of clarifying their doubts adequately.” Then Digvijayī Paṇḍita quipped, “So You won’t be able to understand alaṅkāra-śāstra.” Nimāi prompted, “I don’t understand it, but I have heard of it. But I am desirous of hearing from you the glories of Gaṅgā. Kindly oblige.”
Like a cyclone, the Digvijayī Paṇḍita instantly composed many ślokas in glorification of Gaṅgā. When he was done reciting, Nimāi chose a śloka from the middle of his composition and asked him to consider the faults and qualities of that particular śloka. The Digvijayī Paṇḍita affirmed, “There are no faults in my composition, only qualities. You would not understand it anyway.”
Nimāi said, “This is the reason behind my inquiry.” Then He pointed out a fault in his presentation where Digvijayī had composed a term ‘Bhavānī-bhartur.’ Nimāi explained the word ‘Bhavānī’ in itself implies the wife of Śiva, however by adding ‘bhartur,’ it implies another husband of Bhavānī. That is when it dawned upon Digvijayī Paṇḍita that he had met his match. Being unable to counter Nimāi’s critique, he became very anxious. Nimāi encouraged him, “At least mention the qualities of this śloka.” Rendered utterly speechless, Digvijayī Paṇḍita could not do even that. Nimāi then said, “Go today, read the scriptures again and we can discuss tomorrow.”
But Digvijayī Paṇḍita was not able to rest at all that night. In a state of panic, he prayed to Sarasvatī-devī, “I have conquered the whole of India, but I have lost to a mere child today! O Devī, I must have surely committed some offense!” Sarasvatī-devī replied, “It was not an offense. I am Vidyā Sarasvatī, I can defeat the material world, but that Boy is my Husband. In front of Him, I cannot speak. But you are so fortunate. The benefit of education is not in defeating others; rather it is in rendering devotional service unto Kṛṣṇas Lotus Feet. You are fortunate that you received His darśana.”
In the first verse of Śrī Śikṣāṣṭaka, there is a phrase – “vidyā vadhū jīvanam.” In order to make fools like us understand, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, while elaborately explaining the first verse of Śikṣāṣṭaka, delineated ‘vidyā-vadhū–jīvana’ as “viśuddha-vidyā-vadhū-jīvana-rūpa – the life of the bride of transcendental knowledge.”
Notice that he used the prefix ‘viśuddha’ while mentioning vidyā, indicating Śuddha Sarasvatī. So, it is clear that there are two types of Sarasvatī.
By the mercy of Viṣṇupriyā devī we can get entry into the house of Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu
If Viṣṇupriyā mercifully glances upon us, then and only then can we enter into the house of Śrīman Mahāprabhu. And after that we are able to satisfy Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu through saṅkīrtana, because he is saṅkīrtana pitā (the father of saṅkīrtana*) In this Kali-yuga, saṅkīrtana is the only way through which we can satisfy Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Śrīla Prabhupāda is telling that Śrī Advaita is ācārya, Nityānanda Prabhu is ācārya, and Viṣṇupriyā and Janava Devī are also ācāryas. And the specialty of Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu is that he is the ācārya of all ācāryas. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is a practicing ācārya. Each and every action, all that Mahāprabhu is doing, is a kind of lesson for us.
sadopasyah srīman dhrta-manuja-kayaih pranayitam
vahadbhir girbanair girisa-paramesthi-prabhrtibhih
sva-bhaktebhyah suddhasm nija-bhajana-mudram upadisan
sa caitanyah kim me punar api drsor yasyati padam
(Caitanya aṣṭakam by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī)
Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is always the most worshipable deity of the demigods, including Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā, who came in the garb of ordinary men bearing love for Him. He instructs His own pure devotional service to His own devotees. Will He again become visible before the path of my eyes?
Viṣṇupriyā is Gauranāma Ācārya. Everyone knows how Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura took shelter of the Holy Name. He became widely known as Śrīla Nāmacārya Haridāsa Ṭhākura. But Viṣṇupriyā is also an ācārya. She is Gauranāma Ācārya.
Viṣṇupriyā Devī was only 14 years old when the Lord left home and took sannyāsa. After the Lord left, it is said that with the exception of taking bath daily in the Gaṅgā along with Mother Śacī, Viṣṇupriyā always remained within the house. When devotees went there to take prasādaṁ, they would only see Viṣṇupriyā’s feet. Never did they see her face, nor hear her voice. A constant flow of tears continually streamed from her eyes.
She ate only the remnants of food left by Mother Śacī, and constantly chanted the Holy Name. Gradually she became extremely thin, like the moon on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight. While chanting the Holy Name, she collected a few grains of rice, which she cooked and distributed. Only afterwards did she herself eat. No one knew how she maintained her life.
She worshiped a deity of Lord Gaurāṅga, and offered service to Him with great love and devotion. After the departure of Śacī Devī, Vamsivadānanda, whom Viṣṇupriyā saw as her son, and Īśāna Ṭhākura used to take care of her Lotus Feet.
Viṣṇupriyās special seva in Mahāprabhus pastimes
Viṣṇupriyā appeared to support Mahāprabhu’s līlā perfectly. Without her presence, such wonderful loving pastimes would never have taken place.
One specialty which I want to mention is that Viṣṇupriyā was expressing same kind of maan (loving anger) because she could only very rarely get the chance to serve Mahāprabhu. The reason for that was that Mahāprabhu was busy day and night with saṅkīrtana.
We know from the pastimes of Śrī Śrī Rādhā Govinda that many times Rādhārāṇī expressed these kinds of loving expressions. But that is totally different. The sahajiyās want to mix these past times which is completely absurd.
When Mahāprabhu returned from Gaya, He began to display all the symptoms of one who is intoxicated with love of God. Day and night He was absorbed in hari-nāma saṅkīrtana. His mood was very high. He was dancing, crying, trembling and sometimes fainting and falling on the ground in the dust. Śacīmātā and Viṣṇupriyā became terrified, thinking that He had gone mad.
Once, when Śrīvas Paṇḍita came to see Mahāprabhu, He said, “Everyone thinks that I have gone crazy. What do you think has happened to Me?” Śrīvas Paṇḍita laughed and answered, “Your madness is a divine madness. I want the same for myself. I see the signs of ecstatic love for Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Your body. Lord Kṛṣṇa is very merciful to You.” Then Mahāprabhu embraced Śrīvas Paṇḍita and said, “If you, too, had said that I was going mad, I would have drowned Myself in the Ganges.” — (From Caitanya Bhāgavata 2.2.113-7)
Mahāprabhu always had ecstatic feelings. He never gave any opportunity for Viṣṇupriyā or Śacīmātā to do any kind of seva which would make them upset. But Viṣṇupriyā became very angry about that. Śrīla Vishvanath Chakravarti Ṭhākura is telling us that Mahāprabhu was always trying, in a very joking way, to break the maan of Viṣṇupriyā Devī. That is called “maan bhanjan līlā.” But this is totally different from the case of Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī. Mahāprabhu is expressing vipralambha-bhava, which is gradually growing. Not everybody can understand this. Although Śacīmātā and Viṣṇupriyā could realize something about the excellency of such līlā, they still cannot express it for the sake of līlā-vilas.
This is like when mother Yaśodā realized some opulent aspect of her son when Bala Gopal was showing her all of the Universes in His mouth. But shortly after that Mother Yaśodā wondered, “Is my son possessed by a ghost?” That was all done by Yogamāyā.
When Mahāprabhu made the decision to take sannyāsa, He wanted to be one-pointed, just like the gopīs in Vrindavan who left everything for Kṛṣṇa. When the news that Mahāprabhu took sannyāsa came to the residents of Navadvīpa, their hearts became blazing fires and they wept and wailed in grief. The four directions were filled with devotees whose hearts were tormented with sorrow. How could they restrain themselves? They were powerless to do so.
Walking like a graceful wild elephant, Lord Gaura Hari proceeded to Katwa. Rivers of tears of spiritual love flowed from His eyes and the hairs on His golden limbs stood erect. He was totally overcome with thoughts of separation from His beloved Kṛṣṇa.
After He took sannyāsa from Keshava Bharati, he tried to go to Vrindavan. However, Nityānanda Prabhu tricked Him and brought Him back to the house of Advaita Ācārya in Śāntipura. All the devotees came running to meet Him there. Before Śacīmātā went there she gave one commitment to Viṣṇupriyā.
She said, “I will go and catch my son and come in front of you. I promise you. Don’t cry. I will try.” A palanquin was arranged to bring Śacīmātā, the guest of honor and the mother of Nimai Paṇḍita, to Advaita Ācārya’s house in Śāntipura.
When she arrived, she got down from the palanquin. Her Son was no longer Nimai Paṇḍita but Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. He had accepted sannyāsa, the renounced order. His beautiful curling hair was gone, His beautiful garlands and sandalwood paste and bangles and earrings were also gone. His head was shaved. His very beautiful golden body, soft like butter, was now dressed in aruna vastra, a cloth like the colour of the rising sun. He was marked with gopī-candana tilakas in twelve places.
It is written that all kinds of birds and animals were able to meet Mahāprabhu once again. Only Viṣṇupriyā devī could not come. The heart pain of Viṣṇupriyā was such that she was crying day and night. She lamented that all could go to Prabhu, but she could not since He took sannyāsa..
Some sahajiyās have said that Viṣṇupriyā went to Gambhīra Mandir to meet Mahāprabhu, but our Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta became very angry when he heard this.
Many devotees can discuss the pain of Rādhārāṇī, but nobody can understand the mood of Viṣṇupriyā. She has so much pain. Rādhārāṇī can somehow meet Kṛṣṇa. The gopīs and mañjarīs are always there to help. But Viṣṇupriyā has no chance anymore.
When Mahāprabhu wanted to leave Śāntipura for Nīlācala, He first asked Advaita Ācārya for permission, but Advaita Ācārya was also crying. Mahāprabhu told him, “You are ācārya. If you cry like this then how can common people get consolation? Don’t cry. I am always with you.”
What was the condition of Viṣṇupriyā? Two months before, when Mahāprabhu was preparing to leave, Viṣṇupriyā began to get a clue. She heard that Gaurāṅga wanted to take sannyāsa. At that moment Mahāprabhu gave her strong instructions. He said, “Your name is Viṣṇupriyā so you try to control yourself. Think about Kṛṣṇa. Do Kṛṣṇa-nāma. Leave māyā. Your name Viṣṇupriyā should be successful. Think about Kṛṣṇa day and night.” In this way Mahāprabhu tried to arrange for His departure.
The situation after Śacīmātā left cannot be described. It was impossible for Viṣṇupriyā devī to stand anymore, because all whom she loved were gone. Only Īśāna Ṭhākura a and Vamsivadānanda Prabhu remained and they were there supporting her in this painful situation. Īśāna Ṭhākura was like a father maintaining the family and Vamsivadānanda Prabhu was doing his duty as son. That was the pathetic situation in which Viṣṇupriyā devī found herself.
Later, the instruction from Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu to Śrīnivāsa Ācārya was for him to go and meet Viṣṇupriyā. Mahāprabhu told Śrīnivāsa Ācārya that he could get full kṛpā there. When Śrīnivāsa Ācārya arrived in Navadvīpa, he was crying the whole night on the banks of Gaṅgā and wondering how he could take darshan of Viṣṇupriyā. Some devotees come to Īśāna Ṭhākura and Vamsivadānanda and informed them that Śrīnivāsa Ācārya had arrived. They explained that he was not taking any prasādaṁ or drinking anything but was only crying. The devotees asked Īśāna Ṭhākura and Vamsivadānanda to please go and get Śrīnivāsa Ācārya otherwise he would not come.
Vamsivadānanda and Īśāna Ṭhākura went to Śrīnivāsa Ācārya and brought him to their house. Viṣṇupriyā had made a resolution to not give darshan to anyone. She could not break her vow so nobody knew what to do. Then in the nighttime Mahāprabhu appeard to Viṣṇupriyā in a dream, and said, “Oh Viṣṇupriyā, it is my standing instruction, my second body has come, it is your duty to give full kṛpā to him.” Then Śrīnivāsa was allowed to come and also all others could have Viṣṇupriyā’s darshan. She was effulgent like thousands of suns. Then Viṣṇupriyā gave prasādaṁ to Śrīnivāsa Ācārya and touched her left toe to his head.
Later, when Viṣṇupriyā learned that Mahāprabhu had departed from this world, her situation became most serious. No words can describe it. Mahāprabhu then came to both Viṣṇupriyā and Vamsivadānanda and said, “Don’t cry. I am not gone. I am here with you.” Lord Chaitanya Mahābrabhu added, “That Nimba tree under which my mother used to give me breast milk, you can cut this tree and make my vigraha out of it, and try to manifest my seva.” Mahāprabhu had also previously told Śacīmātā:
aro duijanma ei saṅkīrtanarambhe
haiba tomdra putra ami avilambe
(C.C. Madhya 27.47)
“While inaugurating this saṅkīrtana movement, I will soon take two more births as your son.”
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī comments on this verse as follows:
The Deity form of the Lord is made of substances like clay, while the Name of the Lord consists of sound vibration. So, there are two incarnations of Śacīnandan — the Deity incarnation and the Holy Name incarnation.
In Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Adi 17. 22) it is stated:
kali-kāle nāma-rūpe kṛṣṇa-avatāra
“In this Age of Kali, the Holy Name of the Lord, the Hare Krishna Mahā-Mantra, is the incarnation of Lord Krishna.”
This is the statement of Gaurasundar. The deity form of the Lord is non-different from the Lord Himself and the Holy Names.
In Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 17.131) it is stated:
nāma’, ‘vigraha, ‘svarūpa’—tina eka-rūpa tine ‘bheda nahi, —tina ‘cid-ānanda-rūpa
“The Lord’s Holy Name, His form, and His personality are all one and the same. There is no difference between Them. Since all of Them are absolute, They are all transcendental- totally blissful.”
So out of that Nimbi tree they manifested the vigraha which we can now see in Dhamesvara Mandir in Navadvīpa. It is like Mahāprabhu is standing there. There is no difference between the vigraha and Caitanya.
Gaura Premānanda Hari Haribol
Footnotes :
* Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in the world and established the Yuga -dharma of prema saṅkīrtana, that’s why he is also called the father of saṅkīrtana.