Prem Sudha Dhara: Pratibhaji

(Page 233)

Shri Radha-Krishna on Banks of the Yamuna

Shri Hari

Shri Vrindavan Dham

3rd October 1974

Dear Pratibha,

Lots of love.

I received your postcard. While corresponding with Uthma, some lines were for you, which you must have read!

Not having time earlier, I plan to pen some divine play of the Yugal Sarkar(Shri Radha-Krishna.) It is virtually impossible to savour their cosmic world by living out stories woven around them until the loving couple so wants. In case we are eagerly desirous, they inspire us through the countless legends of the playful dalliance of Radha and Krishna.

Since you remember the Raas Lila, let us talk about Diwali today, which is just round the corner. Merely ten days are left.

Kishori Shri Radhika arrived at the banks of Shri Yamuna along with her sakhis; in the dark-hued evening of a pleasantly cold season. The day sets early therefore lighting a lamp in her bhavan, she had come to worship Shri Yamuna; certain of a tryst with Lord Krishna. Now the entire gang of sakhis jingling along (with tinkling anklets and bells), singing the glories of Shri Yamuna reached the site and the handsome young god Krishna playing the melodious flute...adding the breath of love to their notes arrived right then.The sakhis and Shri Radhika Rani were irresistibly attracted by his compelling beauty and he too was delighted on spotting them.

Centering Shri Radha-Krishna in their midst; half of the sakhis gathered in one direction and the other half in the opposite. Donas or leaf baskets loaded with deepaks (lamps), flowers and rice were set down on the holy river by the group's lotus hands. Soon after the sakhis did Shri Yamuna's stuti or sang her glories with Shri Shyam and Shri Radhika adding on with flute play and clapping hands. Passionately beauteous forms now dallied on the banks of the Yamuna amongst the fusions of music and merriment.

Encapsulating the swamini bhava, Shri Yamunaji is the devotional ideal. Unlike everyone else. she has regular, exclusive company of the Lord. It is no wonder that pushti margis place great emphasis on memorizing the forty-one padas of Shri Yamunaji early on in life.

Yamunaji comes to Krishna on every 12th waning and waxing of the moon and on that day he wears a sahara, a headdress signifying union. A row of countless deepaks, the floating lamps perched on gentle waves looked ethereal.

Jamuna jal badhi deep chavi bhari.

Pratibimbit pratibimb lahar prati tanh rajat piya pyari.'

Shri Yamuna seemed to perform arti (of Shri Radha-Krishna). The pitch dark night of amavasya (the last day of the dark fortnight of a lunar month) had an unprecedented radiance; the moon was not perceptible and the twinkling flickering stars in the pristine blue sky above had their reflection mirrored in the Yamuna waters below.

We awaken to the blackness of a pitch dark night transforming into a flashy glitter; with lamps dazzling the entire ambience! The resplendent Yugal constantly look at the deepaks...with joyous abandon, and the sakhis' peals of laughter resonate in the banks and the verdant kunjas-nikunjas closeby

God knows, how long the entire lot bestowed and absorbed the ecstatic bliss! Soon after they proceeded to their respective bhavans. The sakhis or cowherdesses and their Shyam Sundar or supreme lover also ventured to Shri Radha's bhavan and began playing chaupad (a game like causar, played with dice on a cloth or board of cross-shaped layout) More about this game play later.

With love and blessings from Bauji. Jai Ramji to all the rest.

With love

Yours Bobo.

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.

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