Divine love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the supreme wealth and goal of our lives (prema pumartho mahan). Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu preached this conception all over India, and now it has spread all over the world. Through that divine love everyone will get entrance into the Lord’s divine abode, Svetadwip, which has two divisions: the madhurya-lila of the Divine Couple Radha-Krishna in Vrndavan and the audarya-lila of Gauranga Mahaprabhu in Nabadwip. Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanya Radha-Krsna nahe anya: Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is nondifferent from Radha-Krishna. He also has His own divine realm in the transcendental world, where He lives eternally with His associates and engages in inconceivable Pastimes of divine love.
Srimad Bhagavatam, Sri Brahma-samhita, and other scriptures have described for everyone in this world Krishna’s divine appearance and madhurya-lila in Vrndavan.
astavimsa chatur-yuge dvaparera sese
vrajera sahite haya krsnera prakase
«At the end of the Dvapar-yuga in the twenty-eighth millennium of Vaivasvata Manu, Svayam Bhagavan Sri Krishna appears in this world with His eternal abode, Vrndavan.»
isvarah paramah krsnah sach-chid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah sarva-karana-karanam
Svayam Bhagavan Krishna means ‘He who is the origin of everything transcendental and mundane’, ‘the cause of all causes’, the ‘Supreme Personality of Godhead’. This Svayam Bhagavan Krishna appeared five thousand years ago and showed His madhurya-lila to the world. Then He withdrew with His associates, abode, paraphernalia, and so on.
When Krishna appeared in this world, two forms actually appeared within Him.
krsno ’nyo yadu-sambhuto yah purnah so ’sty atah parah
vrndavanam parityajya sa kvachin naiva gachchhati86
Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu explained that one form was the Yuga-avatar (the Avatar for the age), who came to demolish the demoniac activity going on and harmonise everything on the earth. The other form was Svayam Bhagavan Sri Krishna Himself, who lives eternally in Vrndavan Dham as the ever-playful Reality the Beautiful. That Svayam Bhagavan Krishna is actually Avatari Krishna, the original Krishna, who is the source of all Avatars (sarva-karana-karanam). During His Pastimes on earth, the Yuga-avatar form of Krishna came out of Vrndavan to fulfil His mission on the planet, but the original Krishna, Svayam Bhagavan Krishna — Isvarah Paramah Krsnah — never took one step out of Vrndavan. He stayed in Vrndavan through His Pastimes of union in separation with His devotees in Vraja Dham. Then, when His Pastimes with the residents of Vrndavan and the Pastimes of the Dvapar-yuga Avatar were completed, that original Krishna, with His Yuga-avatar form, withdrew from the universe.
After the appearance of Krishna the time came on the earth for the Kali-yuga-avatar, the Avatar who distributes the dharma of the Age of Kali: Hari-nam-sankirtan. At that time the Lord appeared as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Sri-krsna-chaitanya prabhu jive daya kari’
sva-parsada sviya dhama saha avatari’
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu descended from the transcendental world with His associates and divine abode. He revealed His audarya-lila and bestowed His mercy upon all the fortunate souls of this world. But like Krishna, inside Mahaprabhu there are two forms: one is the Yuga-avatar, who came to distribute Hari-nam-sankirtan, and the other is Radha-Krishna-milita-tanu: Radha-Krishna combined — Avatari Krishna manifest with the heart and halo of His eternal consort, Radharani.
The Lord’s audarya-lila (Pastimes of magnanimity), give the jiva-souls entrance into His madhurya-lila (Pastimes of sweetness). As Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord could show His Radha-Krishna-lila like a jewel; He could reveal all of its facets and glory. During His appearance as Krishna, the Lord enjoyed His madhurya-lila personally; He did not distribute entrance into His madhurya-lila to the jiva-souls. But in His audarya-lila as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord actively distributes His madhurya-lila everywhere. Because of this Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s audarya-lila is honoured by the devotees as more than Krishna’s lila.
Srimad Bhagavatam describes how Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu distributes Himself and His gift of Krishna-prema, as well as how He gives the souls entrance into His madhurya-lila.
krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam sangopangastra-parsadam
yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah
«Krishna will take form as Lord Gauranga to distribute divine love and His divine form through His Divine Name. He will distribute everything through the sankirtan mahayajna, the great sacrifice of chanting the Lord’s Holy Names in congregation. He will be Krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam: He will always chant the Holy Name ‘Krishna’, and His form will have a golden effulgence. Sangopangastra parsadam yajnaih sankirtana: with His associates — Nityananda Prabhu, Advaita Acharya, Gadadhar Pandit, Srivas Thakur, and so on — He will chant, dance, and engage everyone in the sacrifice of Hari-nam-sankirtan. Yajanti hi sumedhasah: all the fortunate souls will practise the procedure He distributes and feel Krishna-prema in their hearts.»
During His Pastimes, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu first revealed His true identity as Radha-Krishna combined to His dear devotee Ramananda Ray on the bank of the Godavari River. Mahaprabhu chose to bestow His divine mercy upon all conditioned souls through Ramananda Ray. Within their conversation, which you can find in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta, Madhya-lila, Chapter 8, the full conception and gift that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to give to the world is presented. Everything is explained there. If you read it, then you will understand how people will enter Krishna consciousness, how they will proceed in their practising life, how they will offer themselves to Krishna, amd how Krishna will accept their service — you will understand everything.
In the final portion of their meeting, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu revealed His internal identity and hidden Pastimes to Ramananda Ray. Mahaprabhu began their conversation by asking Ramananda, «Pada sloka sadhyera nirnaya (Cc: Madhya, 8.57): please recite a verse that reveals the ultimate goal of our lives.»
Ramananda replied with a verse, but Mahaprabhu said, «Eho bahya, age kaha ara: this is external. Go deeper.»
Ramananda recited another verse, but Mahaprabhu rejected it: «Oh! You are cheating Me! Eho bahya, age kaha ara: this is not the answer. Tell Me more.»
Mahaprabhu rejected one, two, three, four answers of Ramananda in this way: «Eho bahya, age kaha ara: this is not appropriate. You know more, so tell Me more.»
By rejecting his verses Mahaprabhu was teaching Ramananda, but Ramananda was also testing Mahaprabhu. Ramananda was suspicious about whether a sannyasi would accept Radha-Krishna-lila as supreme, and did not want to mention it right away. He first glorified varnasram-dharma, and other elementary stages.
In this way Mahaprabhu examined Ramananda, and Ramananda examined Mahaprabhu. Finally, when they found very good relations between each other, they discussed the very essence of Krishna consciousness. Ramananda described and supported raga-marg-seva to Radha-Krishna as supreme and Mahaprabhu was very, very happy. Ramananda said, «Ihara madhye Radhara prema — ‘sadhya-siromani’: real service to Krishna is given by Radharani, and Radharani’s prema, which is the greatest amongst all the gopis, is the topmost perfection.»
Mahaprabhu was so satisfied to hear this, and after Ramananda described many things about Radha-Krishna’s madhura-rasa-lila, He said, «Yes. What you are describing is supreme, but is there anything more?»
Ramananda replied, «I cannot conceive that anyone could ask about anything more than this. I cannot find any verses from the scriptures that go beyond this, but if You like, You can hear something from me that may be satisfying to You.» Then Ramananda began to recite one of his own compositions:
pahilehi raga nayana-bhange bhela
anudina badhala, avadhi na gela
na so ramana, na hama ramani
duhu-mana manobhava pesala jani’87
This is the most extreme expression of madhura-rasa, and Mahaprabhu finally covered Ramananda’s mouth with His own hand when He heard this expression. In this way, lastly, Ramananda surrendered to Mahaprabhu, and Mahaprabhu surrendered to Ramananda.
Student: Can you explain a little bit about Ramananda Ray’s poem? Is it impossible for us to understand?
Srila Govinda Maharaj: It is not for public discussion actually. That poem is Ramananda Ray’s highest answer to Mahaprabhu’s question about the goal of life. Chandi Das also gave us one of Radharani’s songs:
keba sunaila syama-nama
kanera bhitara diya marame pasila go
akula karila mama prana
na jani kateka madhu syama-name achhe go
parana chhadite nahi pare
japite, japite nama avasa karila go,
kemane paiba sai, tare
nama-paratape yara aichhana karila go
angera parase kiba haya
yekhane vasati tara nayane heriya go
yuvati dharama kaichhe raya
pasarite kari mane pasara na yaya go
ki karibe ki habe upaya
kahe dvija chandi-dase kulavati kula-nase
apanara yauvana yachaya88
After hearing Krishna’s Name Radharani is moved. Inspiration to dedicate oneself comes through Krishna’s Name. That is the meaning of this song.
In Ramananda Ray’s song Radharani says, «When Krishna and I first saw each other, We became attracted to each other.» Krishna is naturally attracted to Radharani, and Radharani is naturally attracted to Krishna. The Power and Powerful cannot be differentiated, yet Krishna is the Powerful, and Radharani is the Power. They exist eternally in two forms, but They can become so attracted to one another that They cannot differentiate Themselves from one another. This song explains that this situation comes to Them. Radharani wonders, «How is it that Krishna is in Mathura and I am here?» She tells a friend, «Today this situation has come: I cannot differentiate Myself from Krishna. So, I am sending you as an ambassador to Krishna to ask Him, ‘What is this? Is this real love? Real attachment?’»
Many things are inside this song of Ramananda Ray. Radharani wonders, «I do not know if I am woman and Krishna is man, or I am man and Krishna is woman. What is the truth? I have forgotten everything because such strong love, beauty, and charm have taken possession of Me.»
Student: Are you saying the conclusion is that Radha and Krishna’s identities merge?
Srila Govinda Maharaj: So many things are inside this song, but they are not for public discussion. Here mayavadis take the opportunity to say, «That is our situation», but it is not. Simply we can say that strong love and affection can make a person blind and unable to see anything except some positive light, just as very bright light blinds the eye.
After hearing from Ramananda Ray, Mahaprabhu was so happy that He could not hide His internal form from Ramananda. When their discourses were almost finished, Ramananda became very surprised by how Mahaprabhu’s divine form appeared to him. He knew what he was seeing, but he could not believe it. He asked Mahaprabhu:
pahile dekhilu tomara sannyasi-svarupa
ebe toma dekhi muni syama-gopa-rupa
tomara sammukhe dekhi kanchana-panchalika
tara gaura-kantye tomara sarva anga dhaka
«Prabhu, what is this? What am I seeing? It is Your form, but I cannot believe it. At first I saw You as a sannyasi, a glorious sannyasi no doubt. But now I am not seeing You as only a sannyasi: inside You I am seeing Krishna Himself, and He appears to have the heart of Radharani and to be covered by Her halo. What is this?»
Mahaprabhu first tried to hide Himself from Ramananda. Mahaprabhu said, «Oh! You are a great Krishna-bhakta! You have so much love for Krishna that you see Krishna’s presence everywhere. Now you are looking at Me, and because you see Krishna everywhere, you are seeing Me as Krishna. Why would you not see Krishna within Me?»
Ramananda Ray replied very strongly:
raya kahe, «prabhu tumi chhada bhari-bhuri
mora age nija-rupa na kariha churi
«Prabhu, why are You trying to cheat me? I understand who You are; You cannot hide Your identity from Me. I can see that You are the divine form of Radha-Krishna combined, and it is not an illusion. Please do not cheat me. Tell me the truth. You have come here to see me and show me Your divine form. Why are You now hiding Yourself?»
Mahaprabhu said, «Bhakti-bale para tumi brahmanda sodhite: you know everything; what can I say? The power of your devotion can purify the whole universe. You are My very exclusive devotee, and I cannot hide Myself in front of you. Really, I am what you are seeing.»
tabe hasi’ tare prabhu dekhaila svarupa
‘rasa-raja’, ‘mahabhava’ — dui eka rupa
Mahaprabhu smiled and showed Ramananda His full divine form as Rasaraj-Mahabhava — Radha-Krishna — combined: as the emporium of all rasa combined with the reservoir of all divine ecstasy.
Dekhi’ ramananda haila anande murchchhite
dharite na pare deha, padila bhumite
When Ramananda saw Mahaprabhu’s form as Krishna fully manifested with Radharani’s heart and halo, he could not stand; he fainted to the ground unconscious. Mahaprabhu touched Ramananda’s body, and Ramananda returned to his normal consciousness. Ramananda then saw Mahaprabhu as a sannyasi again and became puzzled. Mahaprabhu said,
ami — eka batula, tumi — dvitiya batula
ataeva tomaya amaya ha-i sama-tula
«I am crazy, and you are also crazy. No one else has seen this divine form of Mine as Radha-Krishna combined, but it is My own true form. Do not tell others that you have seen this form. Keep what you have seen hidden in your heart.»
The hidden treasure of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s divine identity first came out in this way through the heart of Ramananda Ray. Later Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu fully spread this consciousness to Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wanted the flow of His mercy to continue in this world after His presence here, so when Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu met Srila Rupa Goswami in Prayag, He personally taught Srila Rupa Goswami everything He had revealed to Ramananda Ray. Later, Mahaprabhu told all His devotees, «I have given everything to Rupa Goswami.» In this way He identified Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu as His successor. So there is no question whether there is a continuation of the flow of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy.
Later, by Mahaprabhu’s mercy, Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu composed some verses which gloriously and perfectly explain Mahaprabhu’s appearance and gift to the world:
namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te
krsnaya krsna-chaitanya-namne gaura-tvise namah
Maha is used as a superlative in this verse: «No one is more merciful, or has ever given more, than Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who appeared to distribute Krishna-prema to everyone.»
Only Mahaprabhu can be known as the mahavadanya Avatar because only He has fully distributed Krishna-prema to the world. So many forms of the Lord have appeared in the world to bless the jiva-souls. Among them Krishna and His Vrndavan-lila are supreme, but Gauranga Mahaprabhu is more merciful than Krishna. Mahaprabhu is Krishna Himself appearing in the form of His devotee. A devotee’s nature is to distribute Krishna, and when Krishna Himself is a devotee, then He distributes mercy to the conditioned souls in the most merciful mood. And there is no question whether He can bestow His own mercy!
Sometimes we see that when the government of a country changes or some very respectable persons come to a country, prisoners are released. Sometimes thousands of prisoners are released. Similarly, when Krishna appears as a devotee, everything changes, and He freely gives the souls His full mercy. He can give Himself, and there can be no opposition to that by any law. So Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanyadev is the supreme giver of His own self, and by His merciful appearance all souls can receive the supreme spiritual fortune: Krishna-prema.
The souls of this Kali-yuga are so fortunate because they are receiving the most special form of mercy in a very wide way. Without Mahaprabhu it is very rare to get a connection with Krishna and His lila in Vrndavan, where He plays with the gopis. Krishna has so many Avatars: Yuga-avatars, Lila-avatars, Manvantar-avatars, Saktyaves-avatars, and so on. To get a connection with Krishna in His original form, the ever-playful Sweet Absolute, who He is enjoying with the gopis in madhurya-lila, is very rare. Only when Krishna Himself wants to distribute that is it possible to enter there; only through Sriman Mahaprabhu’s audarya-lila can we enter Krishna’s madhurya-lila.
In a more exclusive way we can say that Krishna does not have full right to distribute Himself or entrance into His Pastimes. Only Krishna’s chief potency, Srimati Radharani, who has ‘all rights reserved’ over Krishna, can fully distribute Krishna and Krishna-prema. When Krishna appears as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, with the heart and halo of His supreme devotee, Radharani, He has the opportunity to distribute Himself, that is, Radharani distributes Her own divine mood of ecstatic love for Krishna.
The mood of a devotee is to always distribute, and Radharani is always merciful. She does not want to taste the sweetness of Krishna’s Pastimes alone. Anusange prema-maya kaile tribhuvana (Cc: Madhya, 8.280): Mahaprabhu, as Radha-Krishna combined, could not hide His mood; He distributed Krishna-prema to everyone, and for that He is truly the supremely merciful form of the Lord (the mahavadanya Avatar). The Lord proved that He is infinitely merciful and that He attracts all souls and fills their hearts with ecstasy (Krishna-prema) by appearing as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Mahaprabhu appeared as the Yuga-avatar to rescue the conditioned souls through Hari-nam-sankirtan. This is the external cause of His appearance, but there is also some speciality within that. Mahaprabhu is the combined form of Radharani and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. When He comes in that way, the power of His gift in sankirtan is much more than that of a general Yuga-avatar, who comes in other Kali-yugas to spread the yuga-dharma. If normally someone would feel 10 per cent of the power of sankirtan, then they will feel 50 per cent or 100 per cent of Hari-nam-sankirtan’s power when it is distributed by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu described the gift which Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu distributed with His supreme power:
anarpita-charim chirat karunayavatirnah kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam sva-bhakti-sriyam
harih purata-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandipitah
sada hrdaya-kandare sphuratu vah sachi-nandanah
Anarpita-charim chirat karunayavatirnah kalau: so many forms of the Lord have appeared in this world — Matsya, Kurma, Vaman, Balaram, Krishna, and so on — and so many previous Yuga-avatars have appeared to fulfil Their purposes. But in this Kali-yuga, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has given the world the most hidden treasure that has never been given before by anyone at any time anywhere.
Samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam sva-bhakti-sriyam: Mahaprabhu not only gave the greatest mercy to the souls, with the greatest power through sankirtan, He also gave them the highest possible attainment: the supreme process of serving the Lord. Unnatojjvala-rasam means the most elevated rasa: madhura-rasa. Mahaprabhu gave souls entrance into that most elevated type of love, attachment, and service. The five rasas — santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, and madhura — are compared to types of metals: copper, silver, gold, and so on. Gold holds the highest rank, and Mahaprabhu Sri Gaurangadev, the golden Avatar, who appeared in Radharani’s golden colour, gave the highest, golden rasa of madhura-rasa.
Harih purata-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandipitah: throughout His Pastimes the condensed brightness of Mahaprabhu’s beautiful golden form appeared more exalted than freshly cut, glimmering gold.
Sada hrdaya-kandare sphuratu vah Sachi-nandanah: we pray that the golden Lord Sri Gaurangadev may reveal His full golden form and golden gift in our hearts.
It was only possible for the Lord to show the exclusive and supreme position of extreme paramour love in madhura-rasa, in His Pastimes as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Only when the Lord appeared with Radharani’s heart and halo, with Her ati-gudha mahabhava (most confidential ecstatic love) could the glory of madhura-rasa be fully revealed. The other Kali-yuga-avatars do not appear with Radharani’s heart and halo; the other Kali-yuga-avatars distribute Hari-nam-sankirtan, but they do not taste Radharani’s love for Krishna internally. Only in Svayam Bhagavan Krishna’s special appearance as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu does the Lord engage in those Pastimes. He does that for Himself, for His own interest, but at the same time the souls in this Kali-yuga become most fortunate.
We can truly understand the identity of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is ever-playful in Vrndavan with His flute and the gopas and gopis, through the appearance of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Sarvadbhuta-chamatkara-lila-kallola-varidhih
atulya-madhura-prema-mandita-priya-mandalah
tri-jagan-manasakarsi-murali-kala-kujitah
asamanordhva-rupa-sri-vismapita-characharah
«Krishna’s divine Pastimes astonish everyone, His madhurya-lila is supreme, His flute melts everyone’s heart, and His divine form’s beauty is incomparable.»
These are the most exalted glories of Krishna’s Vrndavan-lila. Everyone is astonished by Krishna: Narayan, Baladev, and even Krishna Himself. That is why Krishna-lila is supreme. Krishna Himself is enchanted by His own Pastimes, and He proved this by appearing as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance also shows Radharani’s supreme position. When Krishna wanted to appear to taste Himself fully, He did so by taking Radharani’s heart. We can understand through Krishna’s choice that Radharani must have the topmost devotion for Krishna. Beyond this we can also understand that Her devotion makes Her position even higher than Krishna’s because He desired to taste Her mood.
Srila Svarup Damodar has described these confidential aspects of Mahaprabhu’s appearance:
Sri-radhayah pranaya-mahima kidrso vanayaiva-
svadyo yenadbhuta-madhurima kidrso va madiyah
saukhyam chasya mad-anubhavatah kidrsam veti lobhat
tad-bhavadhyah samajani sachi-garbha-sindhau harinduh
«When Krishna wanted to know how deeply Krishna-prema is present within Radharani’s heart, how much She tastes Him, how She serves Him, how She feels separation from Him — when Krishna wanted to know everything in this way — He appeared from the ocean of Mother Sachi Devi’s womb as Harindu: the golden moon Sri Gauranga. With the stolen heart and halo of Radharani Krishna engaged in tasting Radharani’s ecstasy (mahabhava).»
When the Sweet Absolute wanted to taste His own super-sweetness, His own loving mood, and the supreme love expanded from Goloka Vrndavan, He manifested in the form of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This is the only way Krishna could taste Himself fully. Radharani has the highest mood of devotion, and without Her mood He could not taste Himself fully.
If we want to try to understand the supreme position of Radharani’s devotional mood, which Mahaprabhu appeared to taste, then we must understand something about the loving affairs of Radharani and Krishna. Radharani and Krishna lived together in Their youth in Vrndavan, enjoying the play of Their intimate love. Eventually Krishna, externally, left to protect Vrndavan and fulfil His mission as the Yuga-avatar. For Radharani, both Krishna’s Vrndavan-lila and His Mathura-lila — His lila outside of Vrndavan — are filled with mahabhava, supreme ecstasy.
After Krishna left Vrndavan, Radharani felt unlimited separation from Him. During Her separation from Krishna the depths of Her ecstatic love were revealed. And Krishna, wanting to know the depth of the love for Him which She felt in separation, appeared as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Radharani felt many different types of separation from Krishna, and those moods have been expressed by different Vaisnava poets. Srila Bilvamangal Thakur wrote,
tvach-chhaisavam tri-bhuvanadbhutam ity avehi
mach-chapalam cha tava va mama vadhigamyam
tat kim karomi viralam murali-vilasi
mugdham mukhambujam udiksitum iksanabhyam89
Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami translated into Bengali this verse from Krsna-karnamrta which expresses Radharani’s feelings of separation from Krishna:
tomara madhuri-bala tate mora chapala
ei dui, tumi ami jani
kaha karo kaha yan kaha gele toma pan
taha more kaha ta’ apani
«The attractive power of Your sweetness, the wonder of Your Pastimes, and Your flute-playing in Your youth are impossible to imagine. How much My activity mixed with Your activity in Our youth is known only to You and somewhat to Me. Only You and I know how We played together during Our youth. No one else can understand this. What right or wrong We have done, what good or bad We have done in Our youth, that even We cannot understand. But it has happened. We did not know then how I became attracted to You and how You became attracted to Me. Now those days have passed, and with the property of Our relationship in My heart, I am feeling separation from You which is too painful for Me. What shall I do now?»
Radharani’s deepest mood of separation from Krishna is called vipralambha: union in separation. We cannot express this type of separation. We do not know how to express this type of separation, and our language will never be sufficient to express it. But we can express something that we have heard from Srila Guru Maharaj.
Within the deepest friendship, the deepest relationship in madhura-rasa with Krishna, Radharani felt separation from Krishna to be like a fire-bed. Vipralambha means the most extreme mood of separation. After Krishna left Vrndavan Dham, Radharani tasted that most extreme sentiment: union in separation.
Sthavara-jangama dekhe, na dekhe tara murti
sarvatra haya tara ista-deva-sphurti
In the mood of vipralambha, when Radharani was separate from Krishna, She would see Krishna in front of Her, all around Her — everywhere — and try to embrace Him.
krsna-mayi — krsna yara bhitare bahire
yaha yaha netra pade taha krsna sphure
Everywhere Radharani would see Krishna with Her. When She would go for a walk She would see Krishna all around Her, and everywhere She would try to embrace Him. She would be separate from Krishna but feel filled with Krishna’s presence. From moment to moment She would feel Krishna’s presence and then feel separate from Him. Every day, all the time, union with Krishna would come to Her and then leave Her. Lastly, She would think Krishna was only a dream, feel hopeless, and show Herself in the most helpless way. Radharani’s love for Krishna is most rare and exists only in Goloka Vrndavan. Her prema is known as ati-gudha mahabhava, the most confidential form of ecstatic love.
Srimati Radharani’s most extreme mood of vipralambha is expressed in this verse,
ayi dina-dayardra-natha he
mathura-natha kadavalokyase
hrdayam tvad-aloka-kataram
dayita bhramyati kim karomy aham90
Her mood here is like someone who was extremely wealthy but has lost all of Her wealth and now has no property at all. Ayi Dina-dayardra-natha he: She cannot feel Her own property and calls out to Krishna as though She is very, very poor.
Devi krsna-mayi prokta radhika para-devata
sarva-laksmi-mayi sarva-kantih sammohini para
Radharani is the supreme proprietor of everything — love, beauty, charm, attachment, wealth, and so on — but in separation from Krishna She feels She has nothing. She cannot feel Her own wealth because of the intensity of Her feelings of separation from Krishna. She gives up everything and expresses Her feelings to Krishna: «You are My dearmost, and I cannot tolerate Your separation. But I cannot say that fully because I am not getting any hope from You. My dear friend, You have not given Me the wealth of any hope. Ayi Dina-dayardra-natha: You are merciful to those who are very poor. Can’t You see Me in front of You? I am very, very poor!
«O Mathuranath, before You were Vrndavanesvar [the Lord of Vrndavan]. You were Rasesvar [the enjoyer of the Rasa dance]. You were Radha Raman [He who pleases Radha]. You filled My heart with joy in Our intimate relationship. You were fully present in Your Vrndavan-lila with Myself and all the Vraja-gopis. But now You have left and become the king of Mathura Mandal. Now You are Mathuranath, the Lord of Mathura. You are no longer Vrndavannath, the Lord of Vrndavan. What can I say? Kadavalokyase: I want to see You. At least I want to see You. Hrdayam Tvad-aloka-kataram: not seeing You has given so much pain to Me, to My heart. Dayita bhramyati kim karomy Aham: what shall I do now? I do not know. I feel there is nothing I can do, but I also cannot tolerate Your separation. Feeling such extreme separation from You, I cannot leave My body, but I also cannot stay within My body.» This verse is the heart-expression of Radharani.
mahabhava-svarupa sri-radha-thakurani
sarva-guna-khani krsna-kanta-siromani
«Radharani is Mahabhava Herself, the supreme servitor of Krishna.»
Who can express what is in Her heart? Who can feel and express Radharani’s deepest, hopeless mood of separation?
ei sloka kahiyachhena radha-thakurani
tara krpaya sphuriyachhe madhavendra-vani
Only She Herself could reveal the full depth of Her separation from Krishna. By Her grace only, Her feelings manifested in this world through the heart of Madhavendra Puri. Madhavendra Puri tasted Radharani’s ecstatic mood of separation through this verse, ayi Dina-dayardra-natha he, as he departed from this world.
Sesa-kale ei sloka pathite pathite
siddhi-prapti haila purira slokera sahite
When Madhavendra Puri was leaving his body he constantly recited this verse and expressed its meaning. Later, Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanyadev tasted Radharani’s mood of devotion through this verse of Madhavendra Puri. In Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta it is described that when Mahaprabhu visited the Temple of Gopinath in Remuna He was overcome with the mood of vipralambha expressed in this verse. He recited this verse only once or twice and then was unable to speak any further.
‘ayi dina, ayi dina’ bale bara-bara
kanthe na nihsare vani, netre asru-dhara
He could only say, «Ayi dina! Ayi dina! I am so poor! I have nothing!» Over and over again this was all He could say. Crying in this mood of vipralambha, He fainted and fell to the floor of Gopinath’s Temple.
kiba gaurachandra iha kare asvadana
iha asvadite ara nahi chautha-jana
«Mahaprabhu tasted the meaning of this verse and in that way opened the door of Krishna-prema. No fourth man in this mundane world has tasted this verse like that. Only Radharani, Madhavendra Puri, and Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanyadev have tasted the meaning.»
This verse and the description of its manifestation in this world is explained by Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami in his Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta, so we can also say that Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami has given us this verse. He tells us that no one else can understand this verse’s meaning. He means that the deepest meanings of this verse cannot be opened by anyone. But Kaviraj Goswami himself opened a door to this verse for us through his Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta. He did not open every door; He opened one door. Through that he gave some nourishment to others. There are many other doors to this verse, and he said, «Now I will not say anything more. What will be will be.» So we can say that he knows the meaning of the verse perfectly and that he is the fourth man who can taste it because he knows and is telling us that no one else can taste its meaning.
We will also say though that by the grace of Radharani, Madhavendra Puri, Kaviraj Goswami, and our Guru Maharaj, we can feel something of this verse’s meaning. Srila Guru Maharaj was very much intoxicated with this verse and many times we heard from him his heart’s expression of this verse. By the grace of Srila Guru Maharaj we know something of what is inside this verse. But what I have explained here about this verse is, no doubt, external. It only follows the language of the verse and is an explanation of this verse’s external meaning.
We can understand that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Pastimes come as the next edition of Radha-Krishna’s eternal Pastimes.91 Krishna wanted to taste the depth of Radharani’s love and feelings of separation from Him; He wanted to taste His own beauty and love through Radharani’s supreme devotional mood. He Himself took Radharani’s heart and halo to appear in the form of Mahaprabhu, merged into His Kali-yuga-avatar form, and descended to the material world with His associates, abode, and so on. Srila Svarup Damodar has explained this clearly for us:
radha krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini saktir asmad
ekatmanav api bhuvi pura deha-bhedam gatau tau
chaitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna tad-dvayam chaikyam aptam
radha-bhava-dyuti-suvalitam naumi krsna-svarupam
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is Krishna Himself, but He has now become the divine form of Radha and Krishna combined to taste Radharani’s Krishna-prema. Radharani and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu are actually nondifferent. Mahaprabhu appeared to taste the divine ecstasy of Krishna-prema in the way that Radharani tastes it and to see the way She gives Krishna super joy and ecstasy through Her love, affection, charm, beauty, and so on. That is the hidden purpose of Krishna’s appearance as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
86 «Svayam Bhagavan Krishna is different from the Krishna who appeared in the Yadu dynasty. He never leaves Vrndavan.»
87 [Radharani sings:] «Our attachment first arose through eye contact. It has increased daily and reached no limit. He is not man, and I am not woman. Understanding this, Cupid pressed our hearts together.»
88 «Who caused Me to hear Syam’s Name? Entering through My ears into the core of My being, Syam’s Name overwhelmed My heart. I do not know how much nectar is present within Syam’s Name. My heart is unable to leave Him. As I chant His Name, I am overcome. O friend! How shall I meet Him? The power of His Name affects Me so. What will the touch of His body do? If I see where He lives, how shall I maintain my vow of chastity? I decided to forget Him, but it was impossible. What shall I do? What is the solution? Dvija Chandi Das says, ‘A chaste girl thus dishonours Her family and offers Her youth.’»
89 «O Flute Player, You know that Your youth astonishes the three worlds, and both You and I know of My anxiousness (because of it). What can I do, O Flute Player, to fully behold Your beautiful lotus face again in solitude?»
90 «O Lord whose heart is melted with mercy for the poor! O Lord of Mathura! When shall I see You again? In separation from You, My broken heart trembles. O Beloved! What shall I do now?»
krsna-lila amrta-sara, tara sata sata dhara
dasa-dike vahe yaha haite
se chaitanya-lila haya, sarovara aksaya
mano-hamsa charaha tahate
«May the swan of your heart play in the inexhaustible reservoir of Sri Chaitanya’s Pastimes, from which hundreds of streams of the ultimate nectar of Krishna’s Pastimes flow in all directions.»