Friday, December 19, 2008

Prem Sudha Dhara: Uthmaji

(Page 225)

Shri Radha is Shiromani Amongst the Cowherdesses of Vraja
Shri Hari

Shri Vrindavan Dhaam

31st July 1968

Dear sister Uthma,


With love, Jai Shri Hari.


The book containing the names of Shrii Shri Radha are with Dulari. I can merely recall two names which I am writing about. Shri Radhaji is acclaimed as Shiromani or crown jewel amongst the cowherdesses of Vraja. Dhammil is a bun wherein the hair is coiled or tied up behind. Precisely as a jasmine flower in the midst of blossoms strung together holds pride of place in suffusing its lustre, lovely beauty and fragrance; Shri Radhika the blooming jasmine amongst the wealth of Braj beauties is the crowning glory.


'Shri Krishna Priyavali Mukhya!' Shri Radha, above all the other herdswomen of Vrindavana and above all of the other souls of the world, ultimately emerges as the supreme object of Krishna's passionate love. It is impossible to count the beloveds of Brajendra Sundar, the supreme lover. There are several groups of maidens in Vraja and all are dedicatedly devoted to Lord Krishna. Steeped in his ardent passion, the entire lot are absorbed in his amorous frolics; sacrificing their self-gratification to see him joyous in love. Casting off their work, all their worldly cares and the burdens of convention they move in a delicious anguish to his side.


Gopis Long for Dark-hued Krishna

If the gopis representing souls in search of salvation are hungry for the fulfilment of love, that beautiful dark-skinned cowherd of Vrindavana, Krishna, is hungry too. He is deeply obliged to the gopikas in the last shloka of Shri Raas's fourth chapter," Beauties, even on attaining the life span of deities, I can not pay off your debt. Leaving behind your earthly chores, families and duties in a land of highly restrictive social constraints you have rushed to my side." There is no measuring the dimension of the Brajbalas' love play; absolute and eternal,it is beyond our comprehension.


Even though the gopis celebrate a love of selfless devotion there is no comparison to Shri Radha, the divine exemplar without a second. Shri Radha, the foremost of the gopis, is able to please Krishna with little more than a glance. Her love can expand to greater heights as she fulfils Krishna's desire for a loving relationship in a variety of ways. The terrifying rush of love she receives can be occasionally attained by the gopis though not due to any partiality by Krishna.The epitome of perfect beauty,Shri Radhika is a trove of virtues and Shyamsundar is also incapable of singing her glories. Only the sakhis', if their ardour is sufficient and their understanding complete can identify their passion and the consummation of their love with hers.


Surdas, (name of a 16th-century North Indian devotional poet believed to have been blind) has given an excellently beautiful portrayal of Shri Radha in his padas or verses. The sakhis used to always tease Shri Radha regarding Shyam Sundar. She had not even glimpsed him so why were they pestering her. They insisted on taking her along early next morning to the banks of the Yamuna. The group had just about begun to bathe in the water when they sighted Pran Vallabha, their adorable lover, standing beneath a tree. The herd of sakhis then turned around to look at Shri Radha. She stood stupefied as tears streamed down from her love-lorn eyes.


After some time when Lord Krishna left, the sakhis probed," Now tell us Kishori, how is Hari? " On guard she replied, "I haven't seen him, why don't you describe the dark-hued god?" All of them laughed on this remark and asked," You haven't sighted him yet? Okay, we will detail his appearance, and you add on later." They described his physical form with the minutest detail as Shri Radha shed tears of joy.


Lord Krishna Wearing Golden Kundals

Finally she replied,"Sakhis, you are all blessed to have adulated him with serious intricacy, scrutinizing his fragrant limbs. I could only glimpse his kundals (large ring shaped earrings) swaying to kiss his cheeks. Ah! The golden gleam of the earrings on his ethereal face, the colour of the condensed sky...Not knowing the reason, tears trickled from these crazed eyes and nothing else was visible. Shri Radha turned silent and the sakhis were dumbfounded.


They enthused in unison," Truly, Kishori you are the foremost amongst us, the chudhamani (an ornament worn on top of the head, supreme) in our midst. We can not in any way compete with you. Only you can completely absorb the abundance of Krishna's ineffable beauty and the mazes and mysteries of his love." There are innumerable divine plays where Shri Radha emerges as the supreme object of Krishna's passionate love.


Shri Radha-Krishna are in essence a single entity who manifest as two distinct individuals for the sake of interpersonal romantic exchange. The Godhead in female form, Shri Radha appeared from Krishna's left portion, he created her for the sake of his joy. Nandnandan can not bear the pathos of her separation even for a short while. Lord Krishna is distressed in case she sulks and has a difficult time pleasing her. He tells Radha," There is a difference only in word...we have two bodies but the soul is identical. My name is incomplete without you." Shri Radha invariably emerges as Krishna's most beloved and the herd of sakhis have implicit faith in this ultimate reality.


Gandharvi is probably the seventh name. Conventionally Shri Radha is termed Gandharvi because of her supreme beauty. Gandharvas are considered foremost in beauty and music in the mundane world and in the realm of the gods. All of the beauty and all of the rhapsody of the world co-mingle in Shri Radha's character and form, which leads to her being addressed as Gandharvi.

Okay then, Jai Shri Hari. Ram Ram to everyone.


With love,

Yours Bobo.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Prem Sudha Dhara: Basheshurji

(Page 216)


Shri Jada Bharata Gets Deeply Attached to a Fawn
Shri Hari


Dear Basheshur,


With love, Jai Shri Hari.


Shri Jada Bharata, the royal sage lifted the fawn out of compassion, took it to his ashrama and fed it with tender grass, protecting it from wild beasts. Soon he grew fondly attached and feared harm to his pet. Eventually he died and was born as a deer in his next birth.


A knowledgeable devotee like Shri Jada Bharata also got deluded by worldly attachment. The Vedic Scriptures affirm that a man is born as what he concentrates upon at the time of death, in his next birth. Thus wise men advise us to constantly focus on the Supreme Being so that we attain Vaikuntha after death. Because of his tapas the deer that was Bharata, could remember its past by the Lord's grace. Even on acquiring the body of a deer his knowledge and memory were intact. Later born as a human, he headed speedily towards his goal and obtained union with the divine.


Merciful pity sounds great since it is a great virtue but is forbidden for renunciation; hampering union of the individual soul with the Lord. Mankind whose perennial quest is for a divine and transcendental love should not get engrossed in acts prescribed by religion.Therefore at the end of the 'Bhagwad Gita' Lord Krishna has endorsed the abandoning of religious and social obligations which a devout Hindu is required to fulfil. They are a hindrance to Bhagvat Smarana or a concentrated internal practice of imaginative recollection by living through the countless playful legends of Radha and Krishna.


Once Maharajji related that a disciple having renounced the world lived next to a great saint of Vraja and did bhajan. Observing the plight of thirsty travellers in the searing heat, he kept earthen water pots of cold water for them. Soon enough, hordes of people thronged the place, leaving no time for him to worship and sing the Lord's glories. The saint watched the scenario for some days and eventually admonished the disciple. Had he come for union with the divine or to do meritorious acts? He must go back home if gathering virtues was his objective.


The cry of the enraptured soul for oneness with God is supreme and whosoever is an obstacle on this path should be uprooted. We awaken to a world of enlightenment with the episode of Jada Bharata; even after such aloofness from the mundane it does not take long for affectionate bonding to crop up.


"When will God take us under his shelter?" you ask. Your question is evidence enough that he already has. Only a person whom he blesses, ardently longs for his protection. The Supreme Being is very compassionate and is drawn towards a mortal who otherwise does not have the ability to move towards him. But a longing for union with God is essential and some effort should certainly be made in this direction.


"God is our own!" but we are not convinced of this truth. It is not certain that we can attain him by striving towards him. But a deliberate attempt must be made since it tenderly purifies our thoughts; never arrogant about our enterprise lest it vanishes.Shri Hari manifests in a pious mindset soon enough, precisely as we can see our face clearly in a spotless mirror.


"Beware, don't get involved in worldliness on the plea of serving your mother!" These are memorable lines. Several times we end up erecting a bhavan of worldly joys on the spiritual plane. Terming our actions as attending to the needs of the Lord, we often satiate our earthly desires. At the slightest negligence, the temporal plane takes over.


Listen to a weird incident. " Once a saint had great regard for the Bhagwad Gita. He reared a cat to protect the holy scripture from rats; brought a cow for the cat's milk. One fine day he got married so that his wife could look after the cow. Soon enough he was involved in a domestic household." The episode endorses that on the pretext of doing our duties and taking God's name, we are often ensnared in the web of illusion. Basheshur, never forget to japa the mala (to tell one's beads to perform devotions).


Gopal Krishna

Once darling Gopala (an epithet of Lord Krishna, the protector of cows) woke up at night and insisted' "Mother I will eat dry fruits and right now." Nonplussed, she reasoned,"Lala! From where can I get mewa at midnight, wait till the morning." The Lord persisted," Maiya I have a craving at the moment. If you allow, I can go get it knowing where it is stashed." She very well know his stubborn nature and gave in, asking him to come back soon.


Getting her permission, Gopalji fled and returned shortly with a handful of mewa. On the other hand, Poddarji's wife saw lots of dry fruit strewn on her bed in the morning which Gopalji had purposely scattered having taken out the goodies from her locked cupboard. Seeing the scenarion, Poddarji at once figured out that it was the naughty prank of Gopala, the son of Yashodha; which was later confirmed by the mother.


With love,

Yours Bobo

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Prem Sudha Dhara: Sudeshji

(Page 210)

Ma Yashoda Cuddles Child Krishna

Shri Hari


Shri Vrindavan Dhaam

13th October 1971

Dear Sudesh,


With love, Jai Shri Hari.


Your arrival on the auspicious occasion of Bhagavat Saptah (ceremony of reading through the 'Shrimad Bhagavatam' in seven days) was very pleasing. Such an opportunity arises with great good fortune. If we can spend some moments in the company of saints, closely interact with like-minded devotees, and devoutly worship in the celestial environs of Vrindavana; God is undoubtedly blessing us with these outward expressions of his grace. Thus transforming our arid lives into the perennial quest of mankind for a divine and transcendental love. The more our mind shirks worldly attachments and concentrates on the Lord, the more its distinctly powerful impact is apparent.


The deeper ecstasies of devotion can only be attained if we have the thirst of a chatak (the pied cuckoo or papiha, supposed to live on rain-drops, especially those falling in the autumn asterism svati); a repeated chanting of pee-pee or calling out to Lord Krishna, steeped in his love. Though everything occurs spontaneously on the divine plane but by loving constantly, freely and without purpose we are able to treasure Krishna, the object of longing and of love, completely absorbed in his joy.


Divine compassion and the enraptured cry of the soul for union with God are synonymous with each other. Precisely like when an infant stretches out his tender hands and the mother instinctively picks him up in her lap. She naturally wants to cuddle the child but when he reaches out to her, with adorable longing, she breaks all barriers, casts aside work and lifts him with eager fondness.


Extending the hands is the means of attaining divine love and the mother's warmly hugging the infant is the kripa or grace of maternal love. The word kripa cannot express the Supreme Being's loving tenderness but sums up a mother's affection for her child as a sort of a long held tradition.


Audar Daani, Shiva With Jagjannani, Parvati

Today, all of us went along with revered Shri Bahinji for an outing around five o' clock. She took us to Shri Shri Swami Akhandanandji's 'Nav Vrindavan' Ashram close to the Moti Lake. Though I have visited the place a couple of times earlier but the darshan today was ecstatic. Audar-Daani (giving at one's will: a title of the god Shiva) Lord Shankar ( not as a lingam in which form Shiva is worshipped but in the vigrah or individual form) was resplendent along with Jagjanni Parvati, his beloved, on his left side. Absorbing everyone in her perceptible tenderness, goddess Parvati spread great joy. The winsome smile and delight on Bhole Baba's lovingly complacent face was truly rapturous. Later Bahinji took us to the garden of the same ashram. We saw the bhajansthali of highly revered Shri Kokil Sainji beneath the dense canopy of kadamba trees.


There is such fusion of delight and desire in Vraja's environs; the enchanting elements of nature, celestial shade of the dense foliage, the charming sites of rasiks (persons moved by passionate religious devotion especially for Krishna) that nobody can possibly measure its magnitude.


Okay then, Jai Shri Hari!


With love,

Yours Bobo.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Prem Sudha Dhara: Vimlaji

(Page 201)


Selflessly Serving Lord Krishna 

Shri Hari
Shri Vrindavan Dhaam
17th June 1965
Dear sister Vimla,

With love, Jai Shri Hari.

Inspiration by the innately affectionate Lord Krishna will help me answer your queries.You ask," How an ardent entreaty can draw Krishna, the colour of the condensed sky? " Vimla, when an infant sitting away from his mother repeatedly calls out for her in a heart-moving soulful voice...nobody teaches him to do so.


Bharatji Bowing to His Adorable Lord Rama

Teary-eyed, brother Bharatji headed towards his adorable Lord Rama, to appease aching separation; unconscious of the mundane world. All of a sudden the enraptured call for Ra...m, resonated in the silent forest environs.

"Jabhin Ram kahi lehin usasa, Umgat premsindhu chahun pasa," the words of Goswamiji Maharaj must be chanted early in the morning. 

Bharatji perfectly exemplifies the cry of an impassioned soul for God. Charmed by the pathos of his ardent entreaty and honoured by his humility, Lord Rama was forced to appear before him. The most fortunate Shatrughanji, Nishadraj and others were also completed absorbed in this divine and transcendental love.

No one taught Bharatji and soon his eager desire radically transformed into an invocation. Shunyate jagat sarvam; the entire world was meaningless for him because of the absence of Shri Hari. Instinctively the terrifying rush of love broke the parapets of patience, contentment and satisfaction. Now the point is how can we take on this succour of full devotion?

Often I recall dedicated devotee Rabia's revelation in this context. Somebody once asked her," How many cries can please the Supreme Being.

Rabia took a deep breath and assured him,"Just one!"

The question arose," But mother, since when have you been calling out to the divine?"

Sufi Saint Rabia

Rabia's eyes filled with tears and she answered in a hoarse voice," For seventy years. But son, this time span is a mere rehearsal of the perennial quest of mankind for a divine and transcendental love. When it arises from deep within we find Krishna in the elusive fields and forests and streams which flourish in the human heart." Silent now, Rabia closed her eyes and sat stupefied with her beloved Krishna residing in her eyes.


Supreme Lover Krishna Resides in Our Hearts

Crossing a threshold of awareness that Krishna exists intensely in our hearts when we sing His praise and dwells in our longing for Him; unconditioned by His physical presence we attain parabhakti or perfected devotion. Rabia made this revelation for mortals; she had attained union with the Lord at the tender age of fourteen. As we extensively live out stories from the cosmic world of Krishna in poetry or sing kirtans of a devotional nature, both become practiced religion and the central expressions of devotion or seva Shortage of time hounds us until a sense of belonging makes us move in delicious anguish to God's side.

Precisely the same applies for seva  to the Lord's svarupa which is distinguished from puja or ordinary honorific worship. In seva the devotee attends selflessly, without expectation of reward to the needs of the Lord and develops an all consuming intimacy with Him. 


Shri Lakshman, the Ideal Symbol of Seva

Laxmanji is the ideal symbol of servitude. Serving the divine for passing one's time or as a a dutiful burden or due to fearful apprehension is not correct. The mind should focus on Krishna, the Supreme Lover, over and over again, knowingly and unknowingly. Offering a bhoga of water when one is thirsty is not seva though better than none.

Anxious concern that it is late and Thakurji be given water must be the uppermost bhava. Considering the heat and casting aside all work, home,sakhis, friends; knowing no other duty, no other loyalty, no other action...when our hands instinctively start fanning the Lord...it is seva in the truly genuine sense. I remember an incidence but since the Ramayan Paath is about to begin will write about it later.

Shri Radha Falls Asleep While Fanning Krishna

Listen to the escapade. Once on an sweltering afternoon, Shymasunder with His head snuggled on Shri Radha's lap was relaxing in some nikunja. He fell asleep. Fanning Him, Shr Radha was gazing at the adorable drowsy face. All of a sudden, enchanted by the sleeping bliss of Priya, She was lost in a haze of memories. During the rapturous state of this love trance the fan fell from Her hands. When She woke up from this nostalgic Paradise Shri Radha saw beads of perspiration on Kanhaiya's dark-hued body.

He was sweating profusely. She became restlessly uneasy with two tears trickling down Her cheeks. Precisely at that moment, lovable Krishna opened His eyes and was distraught on seeing Her weep. Getting up instantly, He asked the reason for this outburst. 


Shri Radha in A Love Trance

"Priyatam! I do not want that enraptured love-state which makes me abandon attending on You. You are virtually bathing in perspiration while I delighted in the mazes and mysteries of our love-play. Bequeath to me the boon of selflessly serving You, the primary form and expression of devotion," sobbed Shri Radha.

Nandnandan smiled and pacified Priya in His winsome manner.

Hence the exquisite desire for seva leads us to the deeper ecstasies of devotion as we assume a particular relationship with the Lord by glorifying Him.

Okay then! Jai Shri Hari.

With love,
Yours Bobo.