God Who Wants to Be Himself

Devotee: Mahārāj, two questions from Mathurananda Prabhu from Italy. Villa Govinda. So, I will ask the first question there...

Goswāmī Mahārāj: In Italian?..

Devotee: No, not in Italian, unfortunately, or maybe fortunately. So, the question is... the second one, if you have time. I heard that Srīlā Swami Prabhupad was in the Gopa and Balarām mood, but he was in the Rūpa Sampradāya and Mādhurya line also. How can I harmonize this?

Goswāmī Mahāraj: That's question number one?

Devotee: Yes.

Goswāmī Mahārāj: What's question number two?

Devotee: Question number two is Guru's... Guru aparādhas can destroy the faith, but the absence of faith can be Guru aparādha?
[tapping]

Goswāmī Mahārāj: With regard to the second question, Śrīlā Guru Mahārāj did mention once, he said this, like, “guru-tyāgī... guru-bhogi, guru-tyāgī, guru-sevi.” So, guru-bhogi, one who's enjoying the paraphernalia of guru. Guru-tyāgī, has connection with the substance of guru, and is rejecting them. But, may also... they may also, maybe an insubstantial guru. But... so guru-tyāgī more then meet the eye. But, guru-sevi is the desired, who's serving Śrī Guru. But, interestingly, Śrīlā Guru Mahārāj said, “But, there's another category that's the worst.”

And, we thought, “Well, what could that be?” He said, “No need for guru.” He said, “Even the guru-tyagi has some guru relationship.” And, maybe in the course of time their position will be corrected for fresh connection, any different things can be considered. Guru-bogi can be corrected. He said, “But, the worst...” He said, “No necessity for guru, therefore, self-condemned.” But, guror avajñā, at the time of hari-nām, the ten offenses are mentioned. Guru, is number three or in the third position, guror avajñā.

To disobey Śrī Guru, to ignore Śrī Guru, to marginalize Śrī Guru, still Guru Mahārāj would say, “That position can be corrected.” They can be again, brought into the grace of Śrī Guru. But, we are Guru-centric to the extreme. So, Śrīla Guru Mahārāj gave the example, when I asked him he couldn't recall exactly where it was from, but, he said, “We've been told in the scriptures, that the guru is like the water and the śiṣya is like the lotus, and Kṛṣṇa is like the sun.”

And we know, from observation, when the lotus, situated in the water safely, the hot sun, it thrives. Even though the lotus is so delicate, in the hot sun, it thrives. But, then, He said, “But, remove the water from the lotus, and that very sun burns the lotus.” So, in this example, and Gurudev gave a visual representation of that, in the Maṭh logo, the guru is like the water. That means āśraya-vigraha, when the lotus is safely situated in the water, then it thrives.

Remove the water, and in this case, the sun represents Kṛṣṇa, he said, “Then, the Kṛṣṇa-sun burns the śiṣya-lotus, cannot tolerate, withstand direct association without being sheltered by āśraya-vigraha. Just like I remember in school, they were... I don't remember which subject it was, but, they were talking about how you melt iron ore and make steel. And, then they would show these; the blast furnace, and these like, cauldrons or I don't know how to describe them... but these pots, these huge pots.

And, they would show they're melting... the iron ore is in there. And, then of course, the natural question... and that's going to produce the steel, which we would generally think of as such a formidable substance. But, then the question would come, why doesn't the pot melt? And, we would be told, “It's make of harder stuff.” So the cit-śakti is the harder stuff that can withstand the intensity of Kṛṣṇa. How?.. We meet people in this world, and in the aftermath of the meeting, someone will say, “Oy, he's really intense.” [laughing] It's intense to be around them.

But, how intense is the direct association of Kṛṣṇa? And, not in a negative sense, but just as, in this world we're enamored by beauty. Beauty can make, turn us into fools. One of the classic stereotypes in romantic literature is the man who's so enamored by the beauty of the girl, he's forgetting ordinary things, he forgets his name. He's incapacitated on account of being in the relative proximity of intense beauty. That's a romantic stereotype. And, we're told, kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ (Bs: 5.30.3). So, we're saying, we see one... a person is under the influence of cupid, they're besides themselves. Guru Mahārāj liked that expression.

Then, what to speak of kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ (Bs: 5.30.3). Someone is... the mathematical equivalent of ten million cupid, like if that was a dial. Ten million cupids, that sort of beauty, seductive charm, sweetness, intensity. How would we respond? So, when we say the cit-śakti is made of harder stuff, we're talking about consciousness, the consciousness of devotion or dedication. Cinmaya, consciousness enriched with devotion to the greatest magnitude.

So, when Das Goswāmī says, sakhyāya te mama namo ’stu namo ’stu nityaṁ, dāsyāya te mama raso ’stu raso ’stu satyam (Vk: 16.3-40), he's the prayojana-tattva-ācārya of the line. That means, he's saying, “Ultimately, this is what Kṛṣṇa Consciousness is all about.” If you had to say it in other words. He's saying, “Here's the goal, here's the target, this is what you could hope to gain from Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.” In a phrase, what, rādhā-dāsyam. So, “I thought it was all about Kṛṣṇa?” Yes, then pay attention. To get the maximum Kṛṣṇa, you get the maximum Kṛṣṇa from Rādhārāṇī. You don't get more Kṛṣṇa by going to Kṛṣṇa directly. That would seem to contradict rationale. But, even again, in this world we see someone, a very high person in terms of state... the Bhagavān like qualities.

aiśvaryasya samagrasya: vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva: ṣaṇṇāṁ bhagam itīṅganā
(Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)

All those things, but, we will just take fame, wealth, etc... That there, an often heard complaint is they'll say, “And I can't find anyone around whom I can just be myself.” [laughing] They have to be something for someone. In this case, you have to be God for somebody, they need that. [laughing]

Like, they need someone to be the king or the queen... So, they need God. Someone to be God. And of course, I mean, hopefully, God. Accept no substitute. I like that expression, “The only God is God.” [laughing] That's a good one. [laughing] But, what is the nature of that God? What if He decides to expand Himself. Are there any limitations on what He can or cannot do?

advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam
ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca
vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
(Brahma-saṁhitā: 5.33)

Contradicts the stereotype. Oldest of all, ādyaṁ, the original, oldest, ādyaṁ purāṇam, person... and looks like what?.. nava-yauvanaṁ, eternally youthful. So, that person, around whom can they just be themselves in their full sweetness. It would be in a situation where they don't have to be God, per se, as a matter of speech. And, here we're equated that with aiśvarya-jñān, where they could just be themselves. We're told the jñāna-śūnyā bhaktas, knowledge free devotion, it's devotion that's not contaminated by 'knowing.'

Aiśvarya-jñān, knowledge, awareness of opulences, is the majestic aspect of Divinity. They just... they... the gopīs... they love Kṛṣṇa as a boy they fell in love with. He's just irresistible, and beautiful, and charming, and sweet, and they're in love with Him. He happens to be the supreme reality. [laughing] But, that's not how they factored in their love and affection. In fact, adhokṣaja, implied... the big... rule of thumb or 'du'i ungalee,' we say... the rule... the two finger rule of the adhokṣaja realm is that, no... all calculation of the finite will fall short of capturing the Infinite.

But, if the Infinite wants to make Himself known, that's His prerogative, to reveal Himself. And that means adha-okṣaja, the rational, objective experience, that is all suppressed in the presence of Divine revelation. But, whom, in the presence of whom can He just fully be Himself? Just be cent percent, a hundred percent Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa to the nth degree. That we're told, svayaṁ bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa is at the right hand of Rādhārāṇī. Only with her, is Kṛṣṇa fully Himself.

So, at the sight of another gopī, we're told other things. Śyām-prakāṣ, different things. So, it's actually can be rationally explained, in that... in this context. That She... rasa-rāj-mahābhāv... He's ecstasy personified, She can extract mahābhāv... She can extract the maximum, the highest quality and the highest quantity of sweetness from Kṛṣṇa. And, if we consider a jīva soul, what is their capacity to interact. His... Prabhupād saying, 'the reservoir of pleasure,' there's rāsa-rāj kṛṣṇa, and then, here's this tiny finite jīva soul... and won't exchange.

Whatever comes from His side is Infinite. A drop of Infinite is Infinite. But, what is the capacity of a jīva soul to engage in some sort of loving exchange? Limited. And on that... in that regard, Guru Mahārāj says that, “Jīvas, taṭasthā-śakti, they're an impoverished śakti.” [laughing] In that sense, no wealth of their own. But, it's this innate wealth is awakened and expressed under the guidance, shelter and service of the āśraya-vigraha.

So... why did I say that?.. because

Devotee: Capacity of jīva soul to interact.

Goswāmī Mahārāj: But, before.

Devotee: Rāsa-rāj-mahābhāv...

Goswāmī Mahārāj: It will be way before.

Devotee: Kṛṣṇa to the nth degree, the rational objective...

Goswāmī Mahārāj: Before that.

Devotee: The oldest original...

Goswāmī Mahārāj: … before that.

Devotee: Bhagavān like qualities to be someone for someone...

Goswāmī Mahārāj: Before that.

Devotee: Ok, prayojana-tattva-ācārya...

Goswāmī Mahārāj: Oh, right. But, it's actually before... it's about being sheltered safely in the 'water of Śrī Guru'... well, we can't withstand the intensity of Kṛṣṇa. So... but, what is His intensity. We will say, like, “Beautiful.” What if someone was so beautiful you couldn't stand it? [laughing] Like, sometimes someone is seen and they'll go... they say, “Oh, she's painfully beautiful.” They mean, like... your looking... like... it's a mixture of appreciation and pain, simultaneously. Like, that someone could be that beautiful... again, that's here. Amplify that, multiply that ten million times, and that's just because our brains don't compute beyond ten million. So, ten... ten millions on the low end, we could say. [laughing]

But, it's pointing us in a direction. So, if someone is that beautiful or that seductive, that sweet, that charming, it has to be under the shelter of those superior devotees who... that's why Das Goswāmī says, “My focus is on dāsya, dāsyam, service and sakhya.” In this sense... and this will go towards the first question, can mean friendship, but, it can also mean, we can say, intimacy. He's saying, “That without any superior servitor there, what would be my interest.”

So, we have no real insight into the internal identity of the guru-varga, other then what they reveal. Just as in the case of, Śrīlā Saraswatī Ṭhākur, he revealed internal identity: Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur, Gaura Kiśor Dās Bābājī Mahārāj, and in a particular context, his own. And, Śrīlā Guru Mahārāj included that within his poetry. Śrīlā Prabupād, besides his divine pastimes, how he appeared in this world, in which line and all that, he also composed some poetry which may have given some indications about his position.

But, as we see, as I've mentioned at different times, that one of the famous verse from the Mahābhārata, which is referenced to give evidence of the Divinity of Mahāprabhu.

suvarṇa-varṇo hemāṅgo
varāṅgaś candanāṅgadī
sannyāsa-kṛc chamaḥ śānto
niṣṭhā-śānti-parāyaṇaḥ
(Mahābhārata: Viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma-stotra)

That interestingly, this can also apply to Śrīlā Prabhupād. Because he appeared... the line he appeared in is the suvarna-varna. All these words they have double meaning or infinite meaning. Who were the gold merchants, a family of... like a caste of gold merchants. And interestingly, we're told that they were favorite to Nityānanda Prabhu. They got the... Nityānanda Prabhu was very favorably disposed towards them, very merciful towards this family. They have some close history.

And, I remember, once with another devotee and I, we were searching for some particular artwork and it brought us in connection with the Nityānanda-vaṁśa line. In particularly, those people who were like the Kula-Guru, family guru of Prabupād when he was younger. So, they gave him some initiation when he was a child. But, when we were talking to them, they were attributing his world wide success, in spreading the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement, to their connection with them. And, we're just sharing with them happily everything and not wanting to present any opposing ideas and just, like, allow that.

But, maybe 30, 40 years later, I felt like, in an ironic way, there's some truth, if we take, it that it's the Nityānanda line. Although, we're very careful about that what is known as jāta-gosāi, and those who have some hereditary position. But still, not to be disrespected. But anyway, he did appear in that family line, and, they're recipients of the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu. So... and, he, varāṅgaś candanāṅgadī (Mb: Viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma-stotra.2), he's always covered in sandalwood... because you can understand... talk about intensity. Śrīlā Prabhupād, as like, a conduit, is a śaktyāveś-avatār of Nityānanda Prabhu, according to Guru Mahārāj.

This sort of power passing through him into this plane, would cause his head to heat up, from time to time. [laughing] So, he's always, like, you see so many pictures of Śrīlā Prabhupād with his head... forehead, and even other parts, just covered in candan, to like, cool the brain down. Sannyāsa-kṛc, and he... we know his pastime of taking sannyās. Coming out of household life taking sannyās, becoming a vānaprastha in Vṛndāvan, beginning his Bhāgavat translation, taking sannyās, printing the books, and crossing the ocean, sannyāsa-kṛc chamaḥ śānto, niṣṭhā-śānti-parāyaṇaḥ (Mb: Viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma-stotra.3-4).

On the... what is the name of the boat carrying him? The Jaladuta, like haṁsadūta means swan messenger, jaladuta, jal-duta means the water messenger. So, the very boat that's carrying him, to America, and he's keeping a diary on that boat. And the motto, as fate would have it, perhaps the goddess Saraswati inspiring them. The mot... these are a little book you can keep you diary of your journey, and Prabhupād is. He's writing things like, “Today the ship is plying smoothly.” “I depend exclusively on my worshipable Lords: Rādhā-Dāmodar, Rādhā-Govinda, Rādhā-Gopīnāth, the Deities of Vṛndāvan. I depend solely on their mercy, so far away from Vṛndāvan.”

He's in the middle of the ocean. He's saying, “Daily I'm relishing the nectarean of Śrī Chaitanya līlā, the source of my all vitality.” By reading Charitāmṛtam, he's saying, that's where his vitality is coming from; from the Chaitanya līlā, Mahāprabhu, who's also, sannyāsa-kṛc chamaḥ śānto (Mb: Viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma-stotra.3). On that diary, the running head says, “We carry India's message of peace and goodwill.” That was the motto of the company. “We carry India's message of peace and goodwill.” And, on the Jaladuta, they carry his Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupād to America.

And, we know that he... he has at least one heart attack, if not two, in the middle of the ocean. So, he's... he's offering himself wholly on the altar of self sacrifice. As Guru Mahārāj said, “He's wholly emptied himself of any other desire, then desire... the order of Śrī Guru: Śrīlā Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur, Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur, back to Mahāprabhu himself.” So empty, like I've mentioned the super conductors of negativity, that when the ceramic approaches absolute zero, it has zero resistance to current. So, it achieves super conductivity.

So, Prabhupād... that means humility in Guru Mahārāj's analysis. Negativity is equated with humility. So, when it reaches it's extreme, that means, there is... there's no self assertion. Rather, self oblivion, not self annihilation, or self extinction, self oblivion, wholly given over to the other. So much so, there's zero resistance to current it achieves super conductivity. So, Guru Mahārāj said, “Having wholly emptied himself, Divine power came down to work on his behalf.” So, once I mentioned this, in a Vyās-pūjā offering to Śrīlā Prabhupād, and, you know, it's read by different before it's published.

And, there was... someone complained, and said... − [sound in background] Hare Kṛṣṇa. [laughing] [sound in background] Hey! Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa... − so, − [sound in background] Hare Kṛṣṇa. Someone said, like, very upset, “Kṛṣṇa doesn't have to do anything.” Guru Mahārāj said, “Divine power had to come down and work of his behalf.” They said, “Kṛṣṇa doesn't have to anything.” Normally. [laughing] Yeah, He's īśvara parama kṛṣṇa, we've read the book. But, what is the hallmark of devotion? Is where the Infinite comes under the control of the finite. That is devotion. Yes, who's totally independent, read the book, the Bhāgavatam, The Kṛṣṇa Book; The Book of Kṛṣṇa,

ahaṁ bhakta-parādhīno
hy asvatantra iva dvija
sādhubhir grasta-hṛdayo
bhaktair bhakta-jana-priyaḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 9.4.63)

So, ahaṁ bhakta-parādhīno, hy asvatantra iva dvija (SB: 9.4.63.1-2), that means... − [Hare Kṛṣṇa, Ratnakar, jewell like devotee] − Kṛṣṇa says, “Yes, I'm independent.” It's mentioned in the beginning of the Bhāgavatam, that's how this works. Reality is for itself and by itself. He's saying, “But, in the presence of devotion, it's as if I lose my independence.” So, Rūpa Goswāmī's saying, “What is real devotion? śrī-kṛṣṇākarṣiṇī ca sā (Brs: 1.1.17.2), as everyone is irresistibly drawn in attraction to Kṛṣṇa, Krṣnā is irresistibly drawn in attraction to devotion. Even a drop of devotion in the heart of a tiny finite soul.

It's such an exalted substance that it's capable of capturing Kṛṣṇa. So, Guru Mahārāj said, “Divine power had to come down and work on his behalf.” And, to further underscore this point, is that, when Śrīlā Prabhupād... the boat... when it first arrives in America, it arrives actually in Boston. But, you don't get off the boat there. You have to... like it's there docked, I guess, for a day or two and then it land... it's not that far. And, then it went down to New York, and, I think they... what is it?.. disembark. Anyway, but, in Boston he wrote some poetry, two poems. One, Markine Bhagavata-Dharma, preaching bhāgavata-dharma in America, and, it has some of his favorite verses are there.

tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ
kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye
ceta etair anāviddhaṁ
sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.2.19)

evaṁ prasanna-manaso, bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ (SB: 1.2.20.1-2), etc... These verses, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ, puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB: 1.2.17.1-2), there's a series of verses, they're very favorite to Prabhupād. But he's saying, “And the... the populace here is overwhelmed by the modes of passion and ignorance.” He's bringing the message of bhāgavata-dharma. In 1976 he was at the Washington temple, where Brishakapi Prabhu was the president... Sureshvari dd... this was their temple when Prabhupād was there. And we're reading this to him. It was the anniversary of his coming to America. And, he said, when this line came about describing what the populace is like, overwhelmed by the modes of passion and ignorance, and this Divine message can, you know, save them, and revive the suffering humanity.

Prabhupād smiled and he looked at me and said, “How could I know, I hadn't got off the boat.” [laughing] And it was called sarva-jña, a Divine way of knowing, śāstra-cakṣu, through the eyes of scripture. So, anyway, he wrote that, and this was anticipation of beginning of his preaching in America. And he signed it, at the end, your 'insignificant beggar,' Bhaktive... A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. He said, “But, if... my Lord, I think you've brought me here for a reason. So, if you want me to dance, make me dance, make me dance, O Lord, make me dance.” He's offering himself, wholly, just like a puppet.

You make me... you must have brought me here for a reason, then make me dance according to Your will. vilasatu hrdi nityam bhakti-siddhanta-vani, Guru Mahārāj says last line. The bhakti-siddhanta-vani, the word, the order of Saraswatī Ṭhākur, vilasatu hrdi nityam, eternally playing in the heart, compelling him, even at such an advanced age, such great (in)convenience, and life threatening circumstances to offer himself fully in service to his Divine master. Which Prabhupād said, “He...” In reading Viśvanāth Cakravartī Ṭhākur's parsing of vyavasāyātmikā buddhir, ekeha kuru-nandana (Bg: 2.41.1-2), the second chapter of Bhagavad-gītā... maybe.

Prabhupād said he had an epiphany, where he realized, it's Viśvanāth saying... Prabhupād renders it as, “Resolute determination.” But he said, yeah, and in other places, he said he had an epiphany, I'm paraphrasing, saying that he realized, what Cakravartī Ṭhākur is saying, “The reason for living, for a true disciple, − his raison d'être − that his reason for being, his reason for being alive and living, is to fulfill the order of the spiritual master.” His existence is synonymous with that. In the end, it says... thematically consistent with what is expressed by Das Goswāmī, Vilāpa Kusumāñjali.

āśābharair amṛta-sindhumayaiḥ kathañcit
kālo mayātigamitaḥ kila sāṁprataṁ hi
tvaṁ cet kṛpāṁ mayi vidhāsyasi naiva kiṁ me
prāṇair vrayena ca varoru bakāriṇāpi
(Śrī Vilāpa Kusumāñjali: 101)

āśābharair amṛta-sindhu, he's saying... my.... “The purpose of my life, what keeps me breathing and aspire... inspired, aspired is anticipation or hope for service of Your holy lotus feet.” It's a direct prayer to Rādhārāṇī, according to Guru Mahārāj. And we think, “I thought you should pray to Guru?” Or someone might say Kṛṣṇa, or someone else might say, “No, you should pray to the Guru.” Rādhārāṇī is the ultimate Guru. So, his prayer, direct prayer, is to Rādhārāṇī. He's saying, “My... what gives my life meaning is an aspiration to serve your holy lotus feet, without which, what is the purpose of my life?” Śrilā Prabhupād demonstrated this, he personified this. And, so, he's there... so he wrote two poems. The second poem, called Prayer to the Lotus Feet of Kṛṣṇa. I can't remember the lines right now.

kṛṣṇa taba puṇya habe bhāi
e-puṇya koribe jabe rādhārāṇī khusī habe
dhruva ati boli tomā tāi
(Prayer to the Lotus Feet of Kṛṣṇa: 1)

I can't remember. But, what he's saying here, and then Guru Mahārāj is interpreting this, he knows Bengali. It's a Bengali poem. So, he's giving what the poem says to him. And, we will think, “Is he qualified to do that?” I would think so. He's certified by Śrīlā Saraswatī Ṭhākur as equal in representation to him. And, acknowledge by Śrīlā Prabhupād as the same. So, we were reading it to him, he's telling this what it means. And, he said, “Here in this poem...” He's saying, “He's very sweetly saying I... He was overwhelmed feeling separation from Kṛṣṇa, this particular day.”

Remember, on the way over, Prabhupād was saying... he's saying “I'm so far from Vṛndāvan.” And, it's pulling on him, he feeling very deep separation. Now he's arrived in America, we can say on one sense, the separation has reached it's zenith point of intensity. His heart is expressing something. And, he's saying, “My dear brother, I cried out to you today, I was feeling too much separation. I became overwhelmed, and I cried out to you, my dear brother.” And, he's saying, “And, I'm longing for that day when we will again frolic in the forrest of Vṛndāvan, and we'll be playing, and we'll also be eating lunch together on the banks of the Yamunā, that's what my heart is hankering for.”

So, then Guru Mahārāj said... then he's saying, “But, my Guru, Rādhārāṇī, she's giving me some service to do.” So, we say, the guru is seen as Rādhārāṇī's delegation. So, taking Śrīlā Saraswatī Ṭhākur as Rādhārāṇī's delegation, what he's saying, “My Guru is Rādhārāṇī's delegation, is another way of saying, Rādhārāṇī has given this service that needs to be done.” So, we're told, from an ontological point of view, and rasa-tattva, and such things, that, the highest rung of cowherd boys, of Subal... as once...they're... how do you say it?.. they're message carriers between Kṛṣṇa and the vraja-gopīs.

Subal looks like Rādhārāṇi. Sometimes they've exchanged clothes... he... so she can visit Kṛṣṇa, at non-scheduled times. [laughing] But... they're, so, they know... they are aware of the inner desires of Kṛṣṇa. Once, some devotees, they wanted to make Deities of, like, Kṛṣṇa and Balarām, but add Subal and Śrīdhām. And, they're asking Guru Mahārāj. “How should Subal be shown?” And he said, “Ready to fulfill the inner desire of Kṛṣṇa.” And, they said, “Yeah, but how will he be shown?” And Guru Mahārāj said, “Ready to fulfill the inner desire of Kṛṣṇa.” And, they were a little perplexed, they said, 'But, what would be his gesture, his posture?” Guru Mahārāj said, “That... murtī love will decide.” [laughing]

But, when they said, “How should he be shown?” “Ready to fulfill the inner desire of Kṛṣṇa.” Suffice to say, the inner desire of Kṛṣṇa is to be with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. So, we can't say much about this, we can't say anything about it. But, what we can surmise, is that, this particular group of cowherd boys, are intimately related to mādhura-rasa, so everything's fine. So, but here, this is the... sweet part, Guru Mahārāj said... So, Prabhupād saying to Kṛṣṇa that... remember he has this service that he's been given by Rādhārāṇī, her delegation. So, he's saying... and he feels himself unfit to do that.

So, he's saying, “But, you my dear brother if you will help me do this service, for Rādhārāṇi, then she will be pleased with you and you'll get her association.” So, he made Kṛṣṇa an offer he couldn't refuse. Then Kṛṣṇa's thinking, “Of course, I want the association of Rādhāṛāṇi.” Then, the Divine empowerment comes. So, as I said, We... how can we even say anything about this, other then we... by the grace of Śrīlā Guru Mahārāj, we heard these things. They came from him. And, therefore, we accept them. So, he's saying clearly, some sakhya-rasa sentiments were expressed, but I just told how that can be harmonized in connection with the Rūpa, line of Śrī Rūpa.

But, if someone's so... oh, they... this is too difficult for them to digest. Then Gurudev said... because Guru Mahārāj indicating the Divine empowerment of Prabhupād from Nityānanda Prabhu. Remember, Guru Mahārāj identified him as a śaktyāveś-avatār. Again, these are not things we decide, Guru Mahārāj said that. Then it became commonly accepted. But, before Guru Mahārāj no one said that, no one had the audacity to say that, or the authority to say that. He said that, then it became accepted. Then many said it, or reiterated it, or repeated. But, still if someone created some dis-ease in their heart, then Gurudev said, he told us “In the presence of the elder brother, the wife draws the veil.”

You understand, Nityānanda is the older brother. Saying 'draws the veil' may vailed these other sentiments. It can be interpreted and adjusted, in a way, but, it was all... what I mean to say, in a very sweet and natural way, not calculated, not... I had some things that I'd collected in time and I was presenting them to Guru Mahārāj for verification. And to my surprise, he verified with additional. But it was in a... how would you say?.. I think... with pure hearts. I wouldn't say those words lightly, but with pure hearts and earnestness we approached him... and I said... and I had mentioned these different things. And then he said, “Yes, and...” Then he interpreted this poem and everyone was thrilled and happy to hear these things.

With Guru Mahārāj's emphasis upon mādhura-rasa, some devotees, somewhere, were demeaning what is not mādhura-rasa. And, when the word came back to Guru Mahārāj, he said, “My heart is mortified to hear these things.” He said, “What is their conception?” And then he said, he said, “Rādhārāni's first duty every morning, when she wakes up, is to go to the house of Nandabhāvan and, on the doorstep of Yaśodā, to bow down and give her dandavats.” And thank Yaśodā, without whom there is no Kṛṣṇa. … it just betrays... a poor notion of all these Divine things, and therefore, we're told not to meddle there. We will commit offense.

… Towards those from whom we're seeking grace, we will offend them and then we'll be the cause of our own, burning the lotus of our own... you know... the lotus of our good fortune turning into misfortune. So, not casually, or otherwise to consider these things, it's not something we're to dwell on extensively. Came up in a particular context, that's all. Yes, did I answer both the questions? OK.

Devotee: I think fully. Some dandavats before I jump to another, probably short question. Dandavats from Sucitra, sorry. Dandavat from Rupa Vilas dasa, Philippines. Dandavats from Jordan Carter, Salem, USA, Rasesvari dd. Dandavat pranams from devotees in Brazil, and dandavats from
Teresa Loret de Mola. And dandavat from Anukula Chandra and I. I means Jahnavi Devi Dasi.

Goswāmī Mahārāj: Ah-ha, yes. [laughing] Hare Kṛṣṇa. Very good. Any other question?

Devotee: Um...

Goswāmī Mahārāj: Oh, and I was going to say this. That, Śrīlā Prabhubād left Vṛndāvan in pursuance of the order of Śrīlā Saraswatī Ṭhākur. And, so his idea is always and only to glorify Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. And, we know he entered there, arrived with the equivalent, ten, twenty dollars in his pocket. And the Bhāgavatams, trunks of Bhāgavatams, mṛdaṅgas, kartals, that was his ammunition. And, Guru Mahārāj did once say, that like, when you decide to pursue Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, he said, “Don't expect those near and dear to you in the world, to hold a parade, celebrating this choice you've made.” [laughing]

In fact, we can expect them to turn against us. Our family members, our friends... that we can expect. He's saying, don't expect... they're going to you like... “Oh, this is wonderful. You've decided to give up the world and everything in it. We're going to have a feast and a little parade downtown.” [laughing] In Asia, they celebrate, though, that's why they re... Why do they revere monks? It's in underlying that, is that people know you should give up... it's about giving up the world. And they respect that and admire that. It's a tacit, indirect way of acknowledging, you know, you're doing what should be done, the higher thing. We're... remain attached, so, what we revere, what you've done and we'll favor you when ever possible. That's the Asian side.

But, so, Guru Mahārāj said that. You know, what did we learn from the life of, teaching of Prahlāda Mahārāj. He's saying one thing in a little humorously, he's saying, “Prepare yourself for a life of trouble.” [laughing] But, we see Prahlād, in flying colors, smaraṇ, always remembering the lotus feet of the Lord and His devotees. But, in the case of Śrīlā Prabhupād, − we saw in the last year, a little bit before...76... he left in 77 − he wanted to have this Ratha-yātrā in New York City, on a grand scale. And, as I've mentioned, that the reporters came and Prabhupād knew how to... how do you say?.. give a lead to the journalist, give talking points to the press.

And, at the time... and appeal to their national sentiments and local sentiments, when he said, “America is the most important country in the world. New York is the most important city in America.” And they're all, “Yeah, yeah, we're all New Yorkers.” And he said, “And, in New York the most important street is 5th Avenue.” And he said, “On that street we're having our Jagannāth Ratha-yātra.” So, they all write it down, 'America, New York, 5th Avenue.' [laughing] But, and it's true, so, it was astonishing to see these three giant Ratha-yātra carts. The New York City police along, no traffic on the most prestigious street, ostensively in the world, and only the Jagannāths, Balabhadra, Subhadrā going. And, Prabhupād always rode on Subhadrā's chariot.

But, what became apparent, in time, was that Kṛṣṇa wanted to glorify Śrīlā Prabhupād. As much as Prabhupād wanted to glorify... you know... he'd spread Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, glorified Jagannāth, Kṛṣṇa, etc... We could see in this instance, this is right before he leaves the world, this is Kṛṣṇa's gift to him, who came as the beggar, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. With the trunk of Bhagāvatams, the mṛdaṅgas, kartals, and pocket full of change. How does he leave New York? Riding on a chariot, with Jagannāth, Subhadrā, and Balabhadra down 5th avenue. With huge kīrtan party, prasādam distribution, like, it was Kṛṣṇa's gift to Prabhupād, to glorify him.

For all of his extraordinary, unparalleled sevā and spreading the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement all over the world. So, it's a beautiful gesture on the part of Kṛṣṇa. And, Prabhupād's allowing this because it's for Jagannāth. How the Lord and His devotee, their loving exchange takes place and the loving interaction. Yes.

Devotee: Prama... one of our viewers, there was a short question. What is the living energy of Kṛṣṇa?

Goswāmī Mahārāj: The living energy of Kṛṣṇa? [laughing] What is not, [laughing] would be easier. Or should be the question, what is not. Kṛṣṇa is primarily enjoyer, engaged in pastimes of enjoyment. All of this other stuff, creation, and how it all works, that's secondary. From Kṛṣṇa, Balarām, to the catur-vyūha, Vāsudev, Saṅkarṣaṇ, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, second quadruple.

The puruṣa-avatāras, Mahā-viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu: guṇa-avatārs, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva: śaktyāveś-avatārs, manvantars. So, this is not Kṛṣṇa's direct concern. It's the word 'living' that makes it sound awkward. We like kṛṣṇa-śakti, kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe tāra pravartana (Cc: 7.11.2), coming from Vallabha Bhaṭṭa with Mahāprabhu. Unless one is empowered by Kṛṣṇa, it's not possible to spread Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, that keeps it on theme.

But, Kṛṣṇa's internal energy, called hlādinī-śakti, and that is a wonderful thing. If Kṛṣṇa's ecstasy personified, how... so... He's ānanda-mayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12), full of ānanda by nature. How do you make Him happy? When His baseline, He already starts off unlimitedly happy. [laughing] Based on an advertising campaign: What do you give the man who has everything? And they had a version for the woman too, but they would say, “What do you give the man who has everything?”

So, Kṛṣṇa, He has everything... He owns... bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ, sarva-loka-maheśvaram (Bg: 5.29.1-2), īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Cc: Ādi-līlā, 2.107.1), etc... janmādy asya yato... (Cc: Madhya-līlā, 8.266.1), ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo (Bg: 10.8.1), again, again, and again.,, But, we're told… śrī kṛṣṇākarṣiṇī ca sā (Brs: 1.1.17.2). Remember, we say bhakti; devotion, but, we shouldn't think that love is some... like, another thing. So, there's a particular type of bhakti called prema-bhakti. Like, we sing in the song, prema-bhakti jāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa jāte (Śrī Guru-vaiṣṇava Māhātmya-gīti: 3.3), prema-bhakti. Prem, love is so great, such as in kṛṣṇa-prem. There's not like 'love' and then kṛṣṇa-prem, no, it's... it's only that. You don't hear the expression viṣṇu-prem, you hear viṣṇu-bhakti, but, not viṣṇu... kṛṣṇa-prem. Prem is for Kṛṣṇa.

premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti
yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
(Brahma-saṁhitā: 5.38)

That's why the vraja-gopīs are not interested in Nārāyaṇ, with all due respect. But, Lakṣmī Devī wants to... she's interested in Kṛṣṇa, yad-vāñchayā śrīr lalanācarat tapo, vihāya kāmān su-ciraṁ dhṛta-vratā (Cc: Madhya-līlā, 9.114.3-4), she wanted to engage in rāsa, with Kṛṣṇa. So, Mahāprabhu said to Śrī Vaiṣṇava Veṅkaṭa, “Why does your Lakṣmī want to have brass with my Kṛṣṇa?” And he's saying, “Well, nothing wrong there.” What is it?.. siddhāntatas tv abhede 'pi, śrīśa-kṛṣṇa-svarūpayoḥ (Cc: Madhya-līlā, 9.117.1-2). You see... Nārāyan and Kṛṣṇa, siddhāntically speaking, same-same, but, different. And, Mahāprabhu saying, “Oh, OK, that's alright.” But, why couldn't she?

You say, “Kṛṣṇa's specialty is rāsa, and Viṣṇu's not showing those type of pastimes, so Lak... then she will go to... that's OK. But, why not?” She's not given admission into those pastimes, did austerities in the Tapovan, for lifetimes. And wasn't given... and what do we hear, those wives, kasyānubhāvo ’sya na deva vidmahe, tavāṅghri-reṇu-sparaśādhikāraḥ (SB: 10.16.36.1-2). Our husband, Kāliya, he can't get the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa off of his head. They're like, [swooshing noise] pounding his head, all that pāda-raja. And she's trying to get in that zone, and he can't get out. Veda-stuti, Yagya Sītās, Daṇḍa karānya ṛṣis, they're all entering into the rāsa-līlā pastimes, but Lakṣmī Devī not.

With all her wealth, the goddess of fortune cannot buy a ticket to enter the rāsa-līlā. Why? Veṅkaṭa, “Hmm...” And, we see the gopīs they're not interested in pastimes with Nārāyan. When Kṛṣṇa played that joke, trick on them, pushed out two more arms to become four-armed Nārāyan, the gopīs, who were hoping so much, that it was Kṛṣṇa. Then, when they see it's Nārāyan, rāgodayaḥ kuñcati, the rāg in the heart was crushed. Crushed! What sort of sentiments does He have, that they're crushed upon seeing Viṣṇu... Nārāyan. Otherwise know as, God. [laughing] They're disappointed to God.

What is in their hearts that makes them like that? Kṛṣṇa-prem, premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena, santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs: 5.38.1-2). They're not seeing the Paramātmā in their hearts. They're the vraja-gopīs. Paramātmā is for jīvas wandering around, to keep track of everybody. [laughing] Who do they see, Śyām, young Śyāmasundaram. And, what does he look like, acintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ, inconceivable form, qualities, pastimes. Why did I say this? What was the question again?

Devotee: Living energy.

Goswāmī Mahārāj: Oh, living energy. [laughing] Hlādinī-śakti extracts from Kṛṣṇa and nourishes the devotees. And, I like the statement of Saraswatī Ṭhākur, “Prāṇ āche yār, se hetu pracār.” Pṛaṇ, those who have pṛaṇ āche... what's the cause of that? Preaching. And, you can read it in the inverse. Preach and you'll get life. Those who've got life they preach. Those who preach, they've got life. Goes in both directions. kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe tāra pravartana (Cc: Antya-līlā, 7.11.2). Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Bg: Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā
Brs: Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu
Bs: Brahma-saṁhitā
Cc: Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta
Mb: Mahābhārata
SB: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam
Vk: Vilāpa-kusumañjali