"Kansa is Kalanemi,
"Kesin is Haya Griva,
"Arishta is son of Bali, the Elephant is Rishta, son of Diti, Chanura
and Mushtika are the Asuras, Varaha and Kisora."
PADMA PURANA throws the greatest light on the Vrindavana Lila of Sri
Krishna. The chapters refer to the Patala Khanda of that Purana.
Ch. 38. Of innumerable Brahmandas (solar systems), there is one supreme
seat, that of Vishnu. Of this seat, Goloka is the highest aspect, and
Vaikuntha, Siva Loka and others are the lower aspects. Goloka is
represented on the earth by Gokula, and Vaikuntha by Dvaraka. Vrindavana
is within the jurisdiction of Mathura. Mathura has the form of the
thousand-petalled lotus, situated in the head.
Of the forests in Gokula, the twelve chief ones are: -- Bhadra, Sri,
Loha, Bhandira, Mahavana, Tala, Khadir, Bakula, Kumud, Kamya, Madhu and
Vrindavan. There are several sub-forests too, which witnessed some scene
or other of Krishna Lila.
Gokula is the thousand-petalled lotus and its disc is the seat of
Govinda.
The petals are the seats of different performances of Sri Krishna and
are different occult centres.
The southern petal contains a most occult seat, attainable with
difficulty by the greatest of Yogins. The south-eastern petal contains
two secret recesses. The eastern petal has the most purifying
properties. The north-east petal is the seat of fruition. The Gopis
attained Krishna on this petal, by worshipping Katyayani. Their clothes
were also stolen on this petal.
The northern petal is the seat of the twelve Adityas. It is as good as
the disc itself.
The north-west petal is the seat of Kaliya. On the western petal, favor
was shewn to the wives of the Vedic Rishis. Here the Asura Agha was
killed. Here is also the Lake called Brahma. On the south-western petal,
the Asuras Vyoma and Sankha-chuda were killed.
These eight petals are situated in Vrindavana. Outside Vrindavana, there
are sixteen petals. The first petal is the seat of Govardhana. Here
Krishna was installed as Govinda. The first petal contains Madhuvana,
the second Khadira, the fourth Kadamba, the fifth Nandisvara (residence
of Nanda), the sixth Nanda, the seventh Bakula, the eighth Tala (where
the Asura Dhenuka was killed), the ninth Kumuda, the tenth Kamya (where
Brahma knew Krishna as Vishnu), the eleventh many forests, the twelfth
Bhandira, the thirteenth Bhadra, the fourteenth Sri, the fifteenth Loha,
and the sixteenth Mahavana. The deeds of Sri Krishna up to the age of
five were all performed at Mahavana.
Vrindavana is the seed cavity of the thousand-petalled lotus. By all
means place Vrindavana in the heart cavity. Krishna is always a Kisora
(between ten and fifteen) at Vrindavana, (_i.e._ Vrindavana proper, the
particular forest of that name).
At the centre of Vrindavana is the eight-cornered Yoga seat of Sri
Krishna. Over that seat is a throne of jewels. The eight petalled lotus
lies there. The disc of that lotus is the supreme abode of Govinda. He
is the Lord of Vrindavana. Brahma, Vishnu and Siva are all His parts.
His primal Prakriti is Radhika.
*CHAPTER 39.*
Govinda with Radha is seated on the golden throne. Outside the throne,
on the seat of Yoga, remain the chief favorites of Krishna, who are
parts of Radhika.
Lalita stands on the west, Syamala on the north-west, Srimati on the
north, Haripriya on the north-east, Visakha on the east, Saivya on the
south-east, Padma on the south, and Bhadra on the south-west.
Then there is another group of eight, Chandravali, Chitrarekha, Chandra,
Madana Sundari, Sri, Madhumati, Chandra-rekha, and Haripriya.
Of this latter group, Chandravali holds almost equal position with
Radhika.
These are the sixteen principal Prakritis. Then there are thousands of
Gopis all devoted to Krishna.
On the right side of Sri Krishna are thousands of Sruti girls, who chant
His divine mysteries. On the left side are the most beautiful-looking
Deva girls, who turn towards Sri Krishna with the greatest eagerness.
Outside this inner temple are the Gopa boys, who look like Krishna.
Sridaman is on the west, Sudaman on the north, Vasudaman on the east,
and Kinkini on the south.
Outwards still more, inside a golden temple, seated upon a golden seat,
adorned with ornaments of gold, there are thousands of Gopa boys, headed
by Stoka Krishna, Ansu Bhadra and others, all devoutly singing the glory
of Sri Krishna.
The whole of this is surrounded by a shining gold wall.
On the west of that wall, within a temple, situated under a Parijata
tree, is Vasudeva, with his eight wives, Rukmini, Satyabhama, Jambavati,
Nagnajiti, Sulakshana, Mitravinda, Anuvinda and Sunanda.
On the north, under a Harichandana tree, is Sankarshana with Revati. On
the south, under a Santana tree, is Pradyumna with Rati. On the east,
under a Kalpataru, is Aniruddha.
Surrounding all this is a white stone wall, with four gates. White
Vishnu preserves the western gate, Red Vishnu preserves the northern
gate, yellow Vishnu preserves the eastern gate, Black Vishnu preserves
the southern.
CHAP. 41. Rishi Ugra-tapas meditated on Sri Krishna for one hundred
Kalpas. At the end of that period he became a Gopi, named Sunanda.
Rishi Satya-tapas meditated on Krishna for ten Kalpas, and he then
became a Gopi named Bhadra.
Rishi Hari-dhama became a Gopi, named Raktaveni, at the end of three
Kalpas.
Rishi Javali became Chitra-gandha after ten Kalpas.
Suchi-sravas and Suvarna became the daughters of the Gopa Suvira, at the
end of one Kalpa.
Jatila, Janghaputa, Ghritasin, and Karbu became Gopis after three
Kalpas.
Suka, son of Dirgha-tapas, Vyasa of the previous Kalpa, became daughter
of Upananda.
One son of Svetaketu became the daughter of Balavani.
Chitra-dhvaja, son of Rajarshi Chandraprabha, became Chitrakala,
daughter of Gopa Viragupta, at the end of one Kalpa.
Rishi Punya-sravas practised meditation for thirty thousand Kalpas and
he was born as the daughter of Nanda's brother, by name Labanga.
These are some of the favorite Gopis of Krishna.
CHAP. 42. The form of Sri Krishna, as seen at Vrindavana, is constant.
Mathura, Vrindavana, Yamuna, the Gopa girls, the Gopa boys, Sri Krishna
as an Avatara -- are all constant.
The Gopis are the Srutis (forms invoked by Vedic Mantras), Deva girls
and devoted Rishis, desirous of liberation.
The Gopa boys are Munis, full of the bliss of Vaikuntha.
The Kadamba tree is Kalpa Vriksha, (a divine tree that gives all that is
desired).
The Siddhas, Sadhyas and Gandharvas are the Kokilas (cuckoos) of
Vrindavana.
Govardhana is the eternal servant of Hari.
CHAP. 43. Arjuna wanted to know the mysteries of Vrindavana and of the
Gopis.
Krishna said they were unknown to Brahma even. He then advised Arjuna to
worship the goddess Tripura-sundari, as through her favor only he could
know all he asked about. The goddess asked Arjuna to bathe in a tank
called Kulakunda. She then gave directions which were duly performed by
Arjuna. The goddess then took Arjuna to the real, constant Vrindavana,
which is placed over Goloka. With the divine vision, given by the
goddess, Arjuna saw the mysteries of Vrindavana, and became full of
devotional love. He then asked the goddess what to do next. She then
asked him to bathe in another tank, and, when Arjuna did so, he became a
female. A divine voice said, "Go back to the former tank. Touch its
water and you will attain your object. There you will find your
companions."
The Gopis gathered round Arjuna out of curiosity. One of them Priyamuda
asked: -- "Who art thou? How hast thou come here?" Arjuna related his
story.
To satisfy the curiosity of Arjuna, Priyamuda said: -- "We are all the
dear companions of Krishna. Here are the girls of Vraja. Those are
Srutis and these are Munis. We are Gopa girls. Some appeared here from
the body of Krishna. They are constant, keeping constant company with
Krishna and moving all over the universe. Of them, this is Purna-rasa,
this is Rasa Manthara (and so on). Then of the Srutis, this is Udgita,
this is Sugita (and so on). Then of the Munis, this is Ugra-tapas, this
is Priyavrata, this is Suvrata (and so on). Amongst us, the girls of
Gopas, this is Chandravali, this is Chandrika, this is Chandra-rekha
(and so on). You will have all these for your companions. Come bathe on
the east side of the tank. I shall give thee the Mantra of Radhika".
Arjuna worshipped Radhika with that Mantra and she appeared before him.
She then gave him the Mantra of Krishna. With that Mantra, Arjuna
succeeded in getting the favor of Krishna. He called Arjuna, in his
female form, and gave him the privilege of his company. Arjuna was then
made to bathe on the west side of the tank and he then regained his
former form.
THE BRAHMA VAIVARTA PURANA follows the ideal of Padma Purana. This ideal
was further worked out and further revelations were made by Chaitanya,
who is believed to be an Avatara of Krishna Himself. A full discussion
of these revelations will be made when we come to study the teachings of
Chaitanya. No reference is therefore made in this book to the works
which appeared and some of which preceded, but were connected with, the
great movement of Chaitanya.
Such is the study of the Vrindavana Lila as authoritatively given in
standard religious books. It gives us a clue to the mysteries, which
should be worked out by each esoteric student for himself.
The mysteries are partly allegorical and partly historical. We shall
first take the allegorical representation of the Lila, which has
reference to the spiritual development of every individual Bhakta and is
therefore of the most abiding interest to all Bhaktas.
The Puri of Mathura is in every man, the kingdom of his own mind, where
the personal self is to be _put down_. Mathura is from _math_, to put
down. Lavana (Salt), the demon of materialism (for salt is an emblem of
materialism; cf. the salt ocean) had hold of this Puri during the time
of Rama, and Satrughna killed the demon.
But materialism regained its lost ground and the forces of descent
gathered strong round Kansa. Kansa was Kala-nemi, or the mark left by
the wheel of time. Each one of us has inherited through countless ages a
strong element of materiality, which tries to reign over each one of us.
This is the Kansa in each of us. There was also king Kansa of the period
when Krishna appeared. He was brought down from his high platform and
killed by Krishna, and the spiritual evolution of humanity became
assured.
There are eight Prakritic principles in man, corresponding to eight
senses. Earth or smell, water or taste, fire or form, air or touch, and
akasa or sound, these enable Jivas to acquire experiences from the
outside. Ahankara, or the sense of egoism, enables man to assimilate
those experiences to his personal self, and to make a small world of his
own self.
Then there is Mahat and the universal sense corresponding to it. This
sense takes man out of the limits of personality; it raises him to the
level of spiritual life. It develops unselfishness and universal life.
Last of all is the eighth principle, Mula Prakriti. It gives the sense
of perceiving Atma.
Krishna helps the evolution of the Jivas, by developing the outer senses
first and then the inner senses.
When the first six senses are developed, the evolution of personality is
complete. The powers that develop the senses do not come any more into
requisition. Those powers were the first six brothers of Krishna, who
lay slumbering in the ocean, and who were _ardhagarbha_, as Harivansa
says. Their action was confined to the material stage of evolution and
hence they are said to have descended from Hiranyakasipu. Kansa had no
difficulty in slaying these half-dead powers.
The sixth brother was Balarama. He was robed in blue, a highly spiritual
color, the color of Mahat. He roused the spiritual sense of man. Jivas
had wandered away from their spiritual home, where they were all united,
and each had made a separate entity for himself. Balarama tried to draw
them together once more on the plane of Mahat. Hence he was called
Sankarshana, and his instrument was called the plough. He was the first
born, as men cannot come face to face with Ishvara, so long as they are
not raised beyond the limits of personality. Jivas streamed forth from
the plane of Mahat, presided over by Atlanta or Sankarshana, and they
are drawn back to that plane so that they may set out on a higher
spiritual journey.
Then came Sri Krishna and Yogamaya, both together. Sri Krishna was the
highest of the high, beyond the Maya that enshrouded the Brahmanda. How
could he come in contact with the Jivas of Brahmanda? The only plane of
Prakriti with which He could come in direct contact was the plane of
Mula Prakriti. But this plane was not developed in humanity as yet.
Therefore He asked Yoga Maya, the energy of Jivic evolution, who carries
Jiva from the lowest to the highest point, to serve as a medium between
Him and the Jivas. Sri Krishna performed His mission with the help of
Yoga Maya. The Gopis met Sri Krishna because they worshipped Yoga Maya
(Katyayani). Sri Krishna had personal contact with the Gopis at Rasa,
because He invoked Yoga Maya at the time and got her help. Yoga Maya is
the highest sense of which Jiva is capable, and, when Durga appeared in
her third incarnation as Yoga Maya, she was not to undergo further
incarnation in this Kalpa. To the developing sense of Yoga Maya, Siva
gave truth after truth, till the highest truths were revealed to her,
which form the Agamas and Nigamas. The revelations to the developing
sense of humanity are the Tantras.
Sri Krishna was born that men might come up to His ideal. He is the
first Purusha. The limitations or Maya of the solar system do not touch
Him. He is the Lord of many solar systems. Even the materials that form
the solar systems have their manifestation from him. Nothing that we
know of, nothing that we are composed of, nothing that shapes our
experiences, that causes our likes and dislikes, limits Krishna. Even
Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, the triune aspect of the second Purusha, are
limited by the universe they lord over. Siva is also called an aspect of
the first Purusha in Saiva Puranas.
Sri Krishna is Nirguna, for the Gunas we know of do not touch Him. He is
the Absolute, for the relativities we know of, or which we may even
think of, have no place in Him. The other Avataras are said to be
manifestations of the second Purusha. But Krishna is Bhagavan Himself,
_i.e._, the first Purusha (I-3-28).
There are three aspects of the Absolute, the non-transformable, which
uphold creation. It is through these aspects that all beings come into
existence, prosper and dissolve. It is through them that they are
brought nearer and nearer in every Kalpa to Ishvara. In the perfected
being, the aspects of sat (existence), chit (consciousness) and ananda
(bliss) are not restricted by the conditions of the universe in which
those aspects are developed. When beings are perfected in this way, they
reach the plane of Krishna, which is beyond the seven-fold plane of the
Cosmic Egg. The Gopis are such perfected beings.
It will be out of place to enter here into a detailed study of these
aspects. But it will be necessary to make a brief reference to them in
order to understand the aspect of Bliss, as a factor in spiritual
Evolution.
It is the _existence_ aspect of the underlying ray of the Absolute
Brahman, in every individual, that gives a continuity to individual
existence, through thousands of births and experiences, and makes
individual evolution a possibility.
The _consciousness_ aspect of the ray unfolds the blunt inanimate sense
into the most highly developed mind. It gives the wisdom side of man's
evolution, which leads to the path of Jnana.
Then there is the _Bliss_ aspect of the ray, which directly leads to the
union of the human soul with the Over-soul, of Jiva with Ishvara, and it
leads to the path of Bhakti. It is the sensation of pleasure that makes
the lowest organic form, the primordial cell, break through the inertia
of Tamas. The cell moves about, either for cell union or for the
assimilation of food, because these give rise to some sensation, call it
pleasurable, if you like. It is not so easy to form an idea of the
sensation of pleasure in the vegetable kingdom, but the excitement
caused by the union of the sperm cell with the germ cell cannot but
strike any one with the existence of some such feeling, though in a most
rudimentary state.
Animals feel pleasure in the company of their female partners. They also
love their offspring. This gives rise to family connections, to the
formation of society and of social virtues. With the evolution of body
and mind, pleasures become many-sided, and the acquirement of pleasure
becomes in itself the principal factor in the development of man. Man
seeks his pleasure outside himself, and he does so either for himself or
for others. A point is reached when self is lost sight of and self
sacrifice for the good of others becomes a duty of pleasure. Self is
estranged from the narrow groove of personality. It tries to identify
itself with all beings. There is philanthropy, there is universal
kindness. Still the differences cause unrest and disquiet. Self finds no
rest, till it seeks its reality, till it makes a homeward journey, for
even its own personality and the outside world lose all charm for it.
Self finds bliss in self void of personality. This is spiritual bliss
attained by those that are Antarmukh (facing inwards) and not by those
that are Bahir Mukh (facing outwards). Self when seeking self becomes
united to the universal self as its eternal friend and its real aspect.
The universal self in Vrindavana is Sri Krishna. And the bliss of the
Gopis is self-attainment, attachment to self or Atma and not to non-self
or worldly connections.
It is to those and those only that eagerly desire to make this inward
journey that the Vrindavana Lila is addressed.
Nanda is bliss, he is spiritual Bliss the Bliss of an Antar Mukha. It is
spiritual bliss that attracts spirit unto itself. It is the field for
spiritual growth, the nursery ground of enthusiastic devotion and, what
is more, of devotional love. The ideal spiritual bliss is that of
Radhika and of her fellow Gopis. It is the Bliss aspect of Isvara that
in the Jiva causes mutual attractions and makes devotion a law, a
necessity. Reflected in the Universe at large, it is the one bond that
holds together all beings, and becomes a force of attraction on all
planes. Man is guided by bliss in his relations to the Universe. He is
guided by bliss in his relation to himself.
Nanda is located in the brain, in the thousand-petalled Lotus. The
spiritual seat in the head is Gokul, the first abode of Nanda.
Krishna appears in Gokul. The devotee sets out on his devotional
journey.
The first impediment of a devotee is Mala or impurity. In spite of
himself, he cannot get the better of his passions, his personal desires.
They have such a strong and apparent charm, there is such an hereditary
and accumulated attraction toward them, that they easily overcome the
devotional life in its infancy. The fascinating Putana overtook all by
her charms and she found an easy access to Krishna himself. She made an
attempt to nurse Krishna with poisoned milk. She was killed and Mala was
removed (X. 6.)
The next impediment is Vikshepa or distraction. The mind, with its load
of outside experiences always responding to the outside world, is so
much distracted, thinking now of this and now of that, that it has to be
set right before further development is possible. The cart has to be
upturned, with its load of food-articles, the cart of mind with its load
of experiences. That is, the man has to become Antarmukha (X. 7.) When
this is done, the Asura of distraction, Trinavarta or whirlwind, is
easily killed (X. 7.). The Gopis were now void of impurities and void of
distraction; yet more they were being attracted to Krishna. Krishna
favored them by stealing the fruits of their karma or action and
accepting them for himself. Sri Krishna said to Arjuna, "You have a
right to the Karma only and not to the fruits thereof." The senses of
the Gopis used to roam about in the performance of daily duties, and
they brought back perceptions and conceptions for the day which were
worked out by the Gopis as duty required. The perceptions and
conceptions are the milk-products and milk. They were churned into the
karma of the Gopis. The senses are the cows; the outside objects of
perception, their grass. The Brahma Vaivarta Purana says: -- "_Ghrita_
is obtained from milk, _Yajna_ is performed with _Ghrita_, and all
happiness arises out of the performance of Yajna." _Prakriti Khanda_.
The preparation of milk products is the karma or sacrifice of the Gopis.
(X. 8.).
The husk-stand is the discriminating faculty, that which separates the
husk from the grains. When Krishna becomes fastened to the
discriminating faculty (not that any one can fasten him with any effort
of his own), when right and wrong are centered in him, self becomes
abnegated and offered up entirely to Krishna, Egoism and ignorance, the
pair of Arjuna trees disappear, though deeply rooted in man (X. 10).
When fruits are offered to Krishna, there is a rich return (X. 11.).
We have reached here a point in spiritual progress. Personality has been
completely given up. Brain intellect is no longer congenial to spiritual
progress. The head retards the spiritual man and does not carry him
forward.
The elders of Gokula sat in council and they decided to leave Gokula for
Vrindavana.
Vrindavana is the Heart. The eight-petalled lotus in the heart is the
permanent abode of Sri Krishna. The twelve forests are twelve centres 4
x 3, the primary number being 4, the number of the sacred Tetraktys.
Within the heart, the only Purusha is Sri Krishna. AH others have to
make themselves passive to Him. The Gopis, the ideal devotees of the
Purusha in the heart, left the world outside, their husbands and homes,
and placed themselves entirely at the service of the Divine Lord. Let us
approach the sublime truths of the Vrindavana Upasana with the utmost
solemnity possible. Those who cannot bring themselves to an exalted
appreciation of the Vrindavana Lila had better not read the Bhagavata at
all.
The Gopas and Gopis went to Vrindavana. Rama and Krishna headed the Gopa
boys and looked after the calves.
What are the cows and calves? Who are the Gopas, the Gopa boys and the
Gopis?
Once more let us understand the triad -- Adhyatma, Adhibhuta and
Adhidaiva. Take sight.
The sense of sight comes in contact with the outside world and carries
the perception of sight to the possessor of the eye, under the guidance
of a conscious energy. The senses and the mind are Cows or Adhyatma. The
outside world is grass or Adhibhuta. The possessor of the senses and the
mind is the Gopi, the Ego or Jiva. In Vrindavana, the Gopis are the
highest Jivas or Rishis, as explained in the Upanishads. The conscious
energy is the Gopa or Adhideva.
The Adhidevas are the Vedic Devas, as we have already seen.
The Gopas are reincarnations of the Devas, as explained in the
Upanishads.
Ordinarily the Gopas lead the cows or the Adhi-Davas lead the senses,
but in Vrindavana the Devas surrender themselves entirely to Krishna.
The calves or the Vatsas are the modifications of the senses and the
mind -- the Vrittis.
In Vrindavana, Rama and Krishna first tended the calves. The Gopa boys
were the attendants of Rama and Krishna, the parishads or companions who
reached very near the state of divinity, the work-mates of Bhagavan in
the preservation of the universe.
The Lord tended the Vrittis of the mind. Therefore they could not go
astray.
Now let us follow up the working of the divine in the heart of the
individual and the killing of all obstacles.
_Vatsa, Baka, Agha and Brahma_. -- The Vatsa Asura is a Vritti of the
mind. If a non-spiritual Vritti becomes unconsciously mixed up with the
spiritual Vrittis of the mind, it has instantly to be killed.
Baka or the crane, stands for religious hypocrisy. Spiritual life
rejects all hypocrisy, all traces of untruth, in any form.
When these two Asuras are destroyed, a third Asura appears on the scene,
the terrible Agha. Agha is sin, an evil deed. The sins of a man, his
past evil deeds, stand up for a while and swallow up all that is divine
in him. Even Gods can not overcome Agha. Those who know the struggles of
a devotee know very well how hard it is when all that is evil in man the
accumulated tendencies of innumerable births, rise up in rebellion as it
were at a certain stage of his progress. Who else but Sri Krishna can
save a devotee at such a crisis. The flesh itself has to be destroyed
and the whole nature changed. The devotee undergoes a second birth as it
were. His Vrittis are not the Vrittis of yore; even the energies that
guide these vrittis undergo change.
Every Brahmana knows the Mantra that is recited for the suppression of
Agha (Agha-marshana). It goes back to the pre-manifesting period, when
days and nights did not exist.
The serpent Agha swallowed up Krishna and his companions.
Krishna came out victorious and he revivified his companions.
The Vrittis underwent change by this process and also those that guided
them. It was another creation altogether. The forms and varieties of
Brahma's creation had no meaning now in them.
What if the Vrittis were now removed from the Gopis or the Gopa boys
kept out in a body? They all lost their distinctive features; their
differences were gone. All was become divine -- the Vrittis and the Gopa
boys.
So when Brahma concealed the calves and the Gopa boys, he only thought
of his own creation. The Vrittis and the Gopa boys came out in divinity
which was now their only reality. They were all parts of Sri Krishna
himself. They were manifestly sparks or rays of Atma itself. The senses
and the mind were now irresistibly drawn towards their calves. The Gopas
were more than ever attached to their boys. Balarama noticed this and
spoke to Krishna. The query of Raja Parikshit and the reply of Suka
explain the whole position. This brings us to the end of the KUMARA LILA
of Sri Krishna which prepares the way for the union of the human soul
with the over-soul, of Jiva Atma with Parama Atma. We come next to the
POUGANDA LILA when Krishna guided the mind itself and all were attached
to Him.
_Krishna, the tender of the cows._
Rama and Krishna were now in charge of the cows themselves, the senses
and the mind.
_The Kaliya serpent._
Yama is the Death-god. The river Yamuna is his sister. _Kaliya_ is from
kala or time. Kaliya with its one hundred hoods is the lifetime of one
birth, represented by one hundred years. The serpent could not be killed
but only sent away from Vrindavana. The devotees got over the periodic
death-transformation.
_The conflagtation and Pralamba._
As the followers of Krishna were saved from death on the one hand, so
they were saved from conflagration (annihilation of form) and loss of
the Ego (Balarama) on the other hand.
In the kingdom of Divine Bliss, everything now was divine. The purified
mind did not go astray. It remained entirely attached to Sri Krishna.
Personality was now thoroughly conquered. The Jiva had acquired matter
congenial to the plane of the first Purusha, and he no longer ran the
risk of death or annihilation. The Gopis completed their homeward
journey and they knew nothing except their Lord Krishna. They gave up
all for the sake of the Lord. The Lord was all in all to them. They were
bound to Him by the most sacred ties of devotional love. We shall now
see how they became united to the Divine Lord.
_The Gopis and the stealing of their clothes._
The rains followed the summer and there was a flow of spirituality all
around. The autumn followed and it was calm, clear and transparent.
When the water is pure, transparent and calm and the sun is over it can
anything prevent the reflection of the sun's image on its bosom? The
Gopis drew unto themselves the image of Sri Krishna. There was no
muddiness in them as in ordinary mortals; they had not the calls of
other desires.
It is not till the ear ceases to hear the outside world, that it is open
to the music in the heart, the flute of Sri Krishna.
The Rupa of Krishna becomes manifest when all worldly Rupas lose their
charm.
The Gopis even smelt the divine fragrance of Sri Krishna; they felt his
divine touch and they tasted the honey of Sri Krishna's lips.
The charms of the world all dead and gone, there remains only one
attraction, that of Sri Krishna, the only Purusha in Vrindavana.
The Gopis now had a right to approach Sri Krishna as their lover. They
became full of Him (_tanmaya_), and they worshipped Katyayani (Yoga
Maya) to gain their object. (X. 21.)
It was then that Sri Krishna stripped them of their clothes (X. 22.) No
false shame, no false considerations should now deter the Gopis. They
should lay themselves bare before Sri Krishna. No hiding, no half
speaking. "Virtuous girls, I know your resolve. It is to worship me. I
also approve of it and so it must succeed." This was the long and short
of the whole affair. The Gopis saw they were found out. So it was to be
a matter of open love now.
We shall pass over a few digressions before we come back to the Gopis
and the consummation of their love (Rasa Lila).
_Vedic Brahmans and their wives._
Those that were under the influence of Vedic Yajnas could not easily
accept the self-sacrificing path of compassion.
The students of Bhagavat Gita know very well that Sri Krishna raised his
voice against Vedic karma and preached the performance of unselfish
karma in its stead. The Vedic Brahmanas did not follow Him for a time.
But the tide overtook their unselfish wives who were attached to the
path of unselfishness and compassion blended as it was with the path of
devotion to the Lord Sri Krishna. The wives brought their husbands round
and the cause triumphed in all India.
_The raising of Govardhana._
The raising of Govardhana is only a sequel to the suppression of Vedic
Yajnas. Why are the gods, headed by Indra, worshipped? Because the
Indriyas are their channels of communion with men and they can influence
men through those channels. They are therefore called Adhi-Devas. They
are also the hands of providence and through them we get all the things
of the earth. But can they give us anything that is not allotted to us
by our own karma? If a prolonged and unhindered connection with the
manasic world or a prolonged Svarga experience is brought about by the
performance of Vedic Yajnas it is on account of the superior force
exerted over the Devas, acquired by such performances, and is therefore
due to karma. The Devas cannot override karma.
But still men have to depend upon the gods in their everyday lives. They
are the hands of the karmic dispenser. True they deal out things
according to the karma of men. But they give to men the desired objects
of life and in return they expect yajna-offerings to them. This is the
old law of the existence of beings. The universe itself is the outcome
of sacrifice and inter-dependence, the law of giving and taking.
If men broke that law, what wonder that the gods should resent it! But
there was a higher law, governing men and Devas alike, the law of direct
communion with the lord of all, the supreme karmic dispenser, the
Adhi-yajna of Bhagavat Gita. If men placed themselves and their karma
entirely at the service of the Lord, where was room left for the Devas?
Against such men the gods themselves lost all power.
The Hill Govardhana is the accumulated karma of the Gopis, which gives
the pasture ground for their cows. Krishna bears the burden of His
Bhaktas' karma, and He lifted up the karmic hill of his devoted band
with very little effort of his own. And when Sri Krishna bears the karma
of His Bhaktas, the Devas are powerless against them. It is karma that
nourishes the senses and hence the hill is called Govardhana (nourisher
of the cows).
_The Installation._
When the gods were displaced from their position of leadership, whom
were the cows, the senses, to follow? Surabhi, the heavenly mother of
the cows, said: -- "Now that thou hast taken the place of Indra, we
shall call thee our Indra, or GOVINDA." Sridhara says, _go_ means a cow,
as well as Svarga. Govinda is one who acquires supremacy over the cows
or over Svarga. So the word means Indra as well. But the peculiar
significance of the word Govinda has been elaborated in the Brahma
Sanhita and other works.
The plane of the first Purusha, which is the common plane of innumerable
solar systems, with their sevenfold planes, has two broad aspects
Vaikuntha and Goloka. Vaikuntha has reference to the solar systems as a
whole. The energies that guide the Brahmandas proceed from the plane of
Vaikuntha. Both Siva and Vishnu are aspects of the first Purusha, but
not Brahma. Siva Loka or Kailasa is therefore included in Vaikuntha. The
plane of Brahma is Satya Loka or Brahma Loka, the highest plane of the
Brahmanda. The worshippers of Brahma or Hiranya-garbha reach the plane
of Brahma Loka. There they remain till the Brahmanda becomes dissolved
at the end of the life period of Brahman.
Vaikuntha is the plane of Vishnu as the first Purusha. He has four
aspects on that plane -- Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha.
His female aspect is Lakshmi. The worshippers of Vishnu, Preserver of
the Universe, reach this plane.
Goloka is a higher aspect of the plane of the first Purusha. There
Krishna is not the Lord of the Universe. He is the Lord of only His
followers -- those that give up everything for His sake. The highest
spiritual life is on this plane. In Vaikuntha there is the majesty of
power. In Goloka there is the sweetness of love. Love is a surrender
which we all owe to Krishna, who makes the greatest sacrifices for us.
Ishvara gives us existence, consciousness and bliss, so that we may
develop new centres that approach the state of Ishvara, and when we do
that we have no right to keep them to ourselves, but should give them
back to Him from whom we owe them. Nothing can please the Lord so much
as when we pay this willing homage to Him. He has full control over the
senses and experiences of the Gopas and Gopis that dwell in Goloka. He
can turn them to any use He likes. They are His own property, and the
dwellers of Goloka form His own household. He is one with them as they
are with Him. The highest spiritual life is in Goloka. Every kalpa adds
to the number of the devoted band.
Vaikuntha is represented in the Dvaraka Lila. The acts of Sri Krishna
that constitute the Vrindavana Lila are constant (nitya).
They are reproduced in all Kalpas and on all the Dvipas or globes for
the benefit of all Bhaktas. When there is the full manifestation of
Krishna in any Kalpa, the Gopas and Gopis also appear with Him. But His
relations with them are meant to serve as a guide only for the initiated
Bhaktas, and not for the world at large. Sri Krishna as an Avatara is
different from Sri Krishna as the beloved and the lover. As an Avatara,
He forces allegiance, and expects it as of right. As a lover, He seeks
His Bhaktas as they seek Him.
The Lord of Goloka is Govinda. When Sri Krishna was installed as
Govinda, he had a right to the company of the Gopis, and not before. The
Gopis became the property of Govinda, as soon as Krishna asserted
himself as such. The Installation precedes the Rasa Lila. The
significance of this Installation will never be lost sight of by those
who want to make a critical study of the Rasa Lila, or to apply the
ordinary canons of morality to this most sacred, most sublime, and most
soul-enchanting act of Sri Krishna the RASA LILA.