Jaya Shiva Shankara Bam Bam Hara Hara!
Om Namah Shivaya! Shivaya Namah Om!๑۩۞۩๑இڿڰۣ-ڰۣღ๑۩۞۩๑இڿڰۣ-ڰۣღ
Sri Yugal Kishore ~*~
"Two Bodies One Pran"
Friday, February 17, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Sri Radha Kripa Kataksha Stavraj
1.
munindra vrnda vandite tri loka shoka harini
prasanna vaktra pankaje nikunja bhu vilasini
vrajendra bhanu nandini vrajendra sunu sangate
kada karishyasiha mam krpa kataksha bhajanam
Adored by the host of sages,
she drives away the grief
of the three spheres!
Her face blooms like a lotus with joy
delighting in love's games
in secret groves.
She is the daughter of King vrishbhanu
and lives in the heart
of the son of the King of Vraj!
Oh! When will She shower upon me
Her sidelong glance
of over-flowing Grace!
2.
ashoka vrksa vallari vitana mandapa sthite
pravala jvala pallava prabharunanghri komale
varabhaya sphurat kare prabhuta sampadalaye
kada karishyasiha mam krpa kataksha bhajanam
She rests upon a flower throne
beneath a canopy of creepers
and boughs of Ashok trees.
The soles of Her lotus-soft feet
are lustrous-red as coral,
fire, and new sprouted leaves;
From Her springs forth
the favour of fearlessness
and all celestial treasure!
Oh! When will She shower upon me
Her sidelong glance
of overflowing Grace!
3.
ananga ranga mangala prasanga bhangura bhruvam
su vibhramam sa sambhrama drg anta bana patanaih
nirantaram vashikrta pratita nanda nandane
kada karishyasiha mam krpa kataksha bhajanam
Charming movements Her arched eyebrows
are the colorful stage
of the play of love.
Her sudden glance, just as
a shower of arrows,
produces astonishment!
And thus perpetually holds captive
the everlasting allegiance
of Sri Nandanandan!
Oh! When will She shower upon me
Her sidelong glance
of overflowing Grace!
4.
tadit suvarna champaka pradipta gaura vigrahe
mukha prabha parasta koti sharadendu mandale
vichitra chitra sancharac chakora shava lochane
kada karishyasiha mam krpa kataksha bhajanam
As lightning's radiant illumination, or gold,
or the blossoms of the Champa,
is the fairness of Her limbs.
The shining brilliance of Her face
defeats the glory
of a million full moons of Sharad!
And eyes are restless like young Chakors,
bewildered by strange and dazzling scenes
at each new moment!
Oh! When will She shower upon me
Her sidelong glance
of overflowing Grace!
5.
madonmadati yauvane pramoda mana mandite
priyanuraga ranjite kala vilasa pandite
ananya dhanya kunja raj kama keli kovide
kada karishyasiha mam krpa kataksha bhajanam
In exceedingly intoxicating youth,
Her delightful sulking mood
is Her bejeweled adornment;
Dyed in Her Darling's dedication,
She is fully skilled and expert
in all arts of love making;
In sanctified groves incomparable,
She is learned in the study
of all love's novelties.
Oh! When will She shower upon me
Her sidelong glance
of overflowing Grace!
6.
ashesha hava bhava dhira hira hara bhushite
prabhuta shatakumbha kumbha kumbhi kumbha sustani
prashasta manda hasya churna purna saukhya sagare
kada karishyasiha mam krpa kataksha bhajanam
The infinite and calm ocean of the sentiment
of loving gestures is the diamond ornament
She wears upon Her neck;
Her lovely breasts are golden spheres,
as the cranial globes of an elephant,
as well-formed as twin water urns;
Her slow enchanting smile
glows with a silent bliss
as an ocean full of mirth!
Oh! When will She shower upon me
Her sidelong glance
of overflowing Grace!
7.
mrinala bala vallari taranga ranga dorlate
latagra lasya lola neela lochanavalokane
lalal lulan milan manojna mugdha mohanashraye
kada karishyasiha mam krpa kataksha bhajanam
Whose delicate arms, creeper-slim,
rhythmically wave and flow
like lotus stems;
Just as a dancing vine
at its height, Her bluish eyes
flash an enthralling glance;
Her alluring movements entice love meetings,
and fascinate Mohan Himself
to take refuge in Her charm!
Oh! When will She shower upon me
Her sidelong glance
of overflowing Grace!
8.
suvarna malikanchite tri rekha kambu kanthage
tri sutra mangali guna tri ratna deepti didhiti
sa lola neela kuntale prasuna guccha gumphite
kada karishyasiha mam krpa kataksha bhajanam
On Her neck, shaped lovely as a conch,
its beauty enhanced by three lines,
she wears a golden necklace.
Three lustrous diamonds sparkle and swing
from three chords tied round Her neck
as all fortune and auspiciousness.
Her luxuriant black tresses are artfully woven
with clusters of flowers
flowing towards Her heels!
Oh! When will She shower upon me
Her sidelong glance
of overflowing Grace!
9.
nitamba bimba lambamana pushpa mekhala guna
prashasta ratna kinkini kalapa madhya manjule
karindra shunda dandika varoha sobhagoruke
kada karishyasiha mam krpa kataksha bhajanam
The fullness of Her swaying hips
is circled with a wreath
of flowers of great excellence.
Her splendid diamond girdle bright
sings out sweet applause
in Her fair delight!
Whose graceful soft smooth thighs
taper as the sloping trunk
of the king of elephants!
Oh! When will She shower upon me
Her sidelong glance
of overflowing Grace!
10.
aneka mantra nada manju nupuraravas khalat
samaja raja hamsa vamsa nikvanati gaurave
vilola hema vallari vidambi charu chankrame
kada karishyasiha mam krpa kataksha bhajanam
Her golden anklets sweetly resound
as the divine and timeless chanting
of countless Mantras!
And in their melody is heard
all the enchantment of a flock
of noble swans!
The elegant movement of Her limbs
is like the bewitching dance
of golden creepers!
Oh! When will She shower upon me
Her sidelong glance
of overflowing Grace!
11.
ananta koti vishnu loka namra padma jarchite
himadri ja puloma ja virinchi ja vara prade
apara siddhi vrddhi digdha sat padanguli nakhe
kada karishyasiha mam krpa kataksha bhajanam
At whose lotus feet the goddesses
of endless millions of heavens of Vishnu,
stoop to bow in all humility!
For the daughters of Himanchal, Puloma,
and Brahma, who worship Her,
She is the bestower of boons!
All riches, supernatural powers,
perfection and liberation are attained
within the light of Her baby toenail!
Oh! When will She shower upon me
Her sidelong glance
of overflowing Grace!
12.
makheshvari kriyeshvari svadheshvari sureshvari
tri veda bharatishvari pramana shasaneshvari
rameshvari ksameshvari pramoda kananeshvari
vrajeshvari vrajadhipe shri radhike namo stute
Oh! Goddess Supreme!
of all sacrifice and action,
and of the host of gods and sages!
Oh! Goddess Supreme!
of the speech of the three Vedas,
and of all law and logic!
Oh! Goddess Supreme!
of love, forgiveness and delight,
of Rama, Kshma, and Sri Sita!
Oh! Goddess Supreme of Vraj,
and of the King of Vraj!
Sri Radhika, I prostrate to Thee!
(¯`••´¯)
*•.¸.•*★•.¸¸.•*`*• ☆
This wonderful and extremely cherished Stavraj in prayerful praise
to Beloved Sri Radha we translated into English with Sushri Radha Dasi
and two young Goswamis of Sri Radha Raman Lalji Mandir at Vrindavan
in the mid 1970's, by the wish of Baba Sripadji and which was printed
in a local magazine then and there.
All is the Grace of Shrijee and Shri Hari, for their perfect joy,
and therefore also is the joy of the bhaktas !!
(¯`••´¯)
*•.¸.•*★•.¸¸.•*`*• ☆
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Time with Baba Sripadji discribed by George Harrison
From his book entitled ' Me Mine ':
"India and in particular my experiences in Brindaban (Vrindavan) inspired me to write 'It Is He'.We went to Brindaban where Krishna lived 4,000 years ago. It is one of the holiest cities in India - the whole town is Krishna conscious - everyone, everywhere was chanting 'Hare Krishna' and various permutations on that.It was my most fantastic experience; going to that place was great; Ravi Shankar had arranged somehow that we were to meet Sripad (His Holiness) Maharaj, an ascetic, who spoke some English and who was going to show us around.We arrived there as it was becoming dusk and somebody ran off to try and find him. It's all so ancient, all these little streets and old temples. A girl came back and said 'come with us' and we went down to where the river Jamuna used to flow, but now it's changed its course so it's a dry bed. It was an old Goswami (a spiritual master; one who is in full control of his mind ands senses - Swami means 'teacher' and Go means 'the mind and the senses')'s house we went to. We sat there and had tea and then left after dark.We went off with this man and I didn't know who he was, and we were walking and the more we walked, the more I thought 'God this guy is incredible', everybody was coming up to him, all the time, and touching his feet. He looked like an old beggar; real matted long hair and he wore an old sack robe and had bare feet and all these Swamis with shaved heads and saffron robes were coming and bowing to him and touching his feet.He took us round to every temple in Brindaban and he was known in all of them. I was a stiff Westerner when we started off, but there was a moment when the atmosphere of the place got to me, melting all the bullshit away. I thought about this man a great deal as it became a fantastic, blissful experience for me.Later, they gave us some rooms and we slept for just a few hours until he came and got us at 4 am to go for the morning Puja (literally means an offering. It can also mean a temple service as it does here) in the temple. We'd probably only slept for 3 hours but it was the deepest sleep I ever had in my life and all through the sleep I could hear choirs singing. I still don't know to this day - I don't think it was temples I could hear - I think it was something else - all through the sleep I was hearing huge heavenly choirs - it was a fantastic experience.The next day we went to the garden called Sevakunj famous for Krishna's 'Lila'. Lila is a pastime, a transcendental activity. (maybe you've seen the pictures of all the Gopis (cowherd girl), the girls, and there's a big ring of them and they've all got a Krishna each and are dancing in a circle) Krishna always played there; this was the place where he would hang out and dance.They close this park at sunset until sunrise and nobody's allowed in there at night. The only people who have been in during that time, it has been said, have gone mad or have been found dead. All the birds and animals leave as soon as it's sunset.Inside there is a temple with a big brass bed on the altar, and as each of the different temples depicts a different aspect of Krishna, at this one (because he's been up all night dancing with the Gopis and doesn't get up early), they don't open till about 10am for morning Puja. All the trees, which are so ancient, bow down and the branches touch the ground. Just to walk in that place is incredible.That morning when we came back from the temple at about 5am, it was still dark, and we sat in a room. Sripad started singing a Bhajan ( a devotional song) to which we all sang the answering part, repeating it over and over. I got blissed out with my eyes shut, and didn't want it to stop, even when I felt I was going to stop, we would keep it going on. In the end when it eventually stopped, the sun was so high; it must have been 9 or 10 in the morning - the time had flown by - fantastic.And so he said to me 'why don't you make that into a song? 'So what I did was take that old chant 'Jai Krishna, Jai Krishna, Krishna, Jai Krishna, Jai Sri Krishna, Jai Radhe, Jai Radhe, Radhe, Jai Radhe, Jai Sri Radhe... and then wrote the English words in between the verses.
'It Is He' was for Sripad Maharaj, a wonderful, humble, Holy man."
Sri Radha ~ Kishangarh School
Sri Hari with Sri Radha & the Gopis. Kishangarh school ~ exquisite !!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
On the Borders of a Dreaming Wilderness
I have obeyed my heart, I have carried out thy will
On the borders of a dreaming wilderness."
'Savitri' Sri Aurobindo
In Shimla at Erwin Lodge, Santjeo daily read out loud with me
the book Savitri by Sri Aurobindo. It was actually the only book
in English we ever read together. Magnificent! It is one of the few
great works ever written in English by a fully realised soul.
It's depth is truly astonishing particularly when read by a saint
of Santji's caliber! There were suspended moments when we
became transfixed in another consciousness so completely
as to simply forget to breathe, in a space less timelessness bliss.
It is still a masterpiece I highly recommend, that has immense,
depth and spiritual power to inspire divine Love and Light.
"Armored with love and faith and sacred joy,
A traveler to the Eternal's house
Once let unwounded pass a mortal life."
Awe! How splendidly He moves the spirit
and sends it soaring into a tranquil star filled infinity!
So I continued in lost delight...
¸. *ღ☆¸.•°*♥
Saturday, December 03, 2011
Pujya Sri Jagjivan Bapuji's One Hundreth Birthday
Bapuji's Legacy of Songs, Cures, Blessings and amazing Presence
was celebrated by devotees, sadhus, and his village of Simmer in
Saurashtra on his one hundreth birthday, November 30, 2011,
I was told by Swami Jnananandaji of this joyful event.
Beloved Bapuji, You are a Treasure to the soul!
To have had your company, and witnessed your ways,
delightful upliftment moment to moment,
and to have the blessing of this name Radheshwari,
from your deep and peerless inspiration,
I am forever indebted beyond words. .¸¸.•*`*•.✽
Monday, November 28, 2011
RADHA BHAV IN VRINDAVAN
When the manifestation of the sacred land of Vraj is established
in one's physical being, Vrindavan centralizes itself in the body
as a lotus having innumerable petals, each representing a different
mood of the Lila of the Supreme Lord and his Beloved. This
Vrindavan exists in the heart. However, this heart is distinct from
the physical heart, being the universal heart of the microcosm
of this world and within it, and of the macrocosm and outside it.
This is the heart which contains all Grace, all Glory, and all Joy.
And from this heart everything has its existence in the phenomenal,
mundane world. Every joy one may see, or feel, perceive, or realize
is the very semblance and glance from within the heart. It is there,
where the spell of Reality wherein the Love and Ecstasy of God
is established, that the Transcendental Sport of Sri Vrindavan ever
continues.
When one is treading the path towards the existence of Vrindavan,
as the consciousness of love, suddenly one realizes the presence
of Sri Yamuna flowing nearby. Yamuna signifies the existing manifestation
of Radha and Krishna's splendour as the liquid flow which washes
all deeds, all sins, and even all merits, clean as the very purity of the
Beloved's heart. For this reason, Srimad Bhagvat relates how the
Gopies made the vow of bathing daily in the Yamuna in the cold
Winter month of Kartika. Becoming purified by the efforts of their
penance, their clothes were stolen bu their Beloved Lord. This action
is metaphorically the stealing of their body-consciousness by which
they became eligible to participate in his Maharas, the Divine Dance,
in which each Gopi found her partner in Lord Krishna.
CONCLUSION
At the foundation of Sri Vrindavan exists Radha Bhav
within whose silent mutation all hearts, all beings, and all
the universe discover the Divine Realization of the Love
Supreme of Sri Krishna and the Grace Supreme of Sri Radha.
It is within the consciousness of Radha Bhav that the cycle
of thought and deed through its creation, preservation, and
destruction culminates in the innocent, inactive, yet ever
creative Love of Radha-Krishna. This is the Glory
consummated in the majestic manifestation of Barsana,
to be discovered in the heart as the Love-enlightened
Grace of Sri Radha.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
RADHA BHAV IN VRAJ
The area of eighty-four 'kos' (168 miles) of Vraj, which has been
discovered by realized saints in their visions, contains the holy forest
in which the lakes and trees and all of the vegetable kingdom, and the
cows and the birds and all of the animal kingdom, are manifestations
of the enchanting sport of the Lord. Here Krishna, as a cowherd,
grazed his cattle to the sweet accompaniment of his flute while wandering
through the luxurious landscapes of Vraj. In this area which signifies
the blissful sports of Radha-Krishna, he himself plays with his glorious
realization to fulfill his divine ecstasy. And thus, the area of Vraj is
surcharged with his divinity. To those saints who in their time realized
this divine glory, all which was previously hidden was revealed.
The physical realm of Vraj has its supernatural counterpart which
is established in the heart and body, and in one's entire being, when
one realizes all the sweet moods of the lovely pass times which are
played, even now, by the Supreme Krishna and the Supreme Radha.
.¸¸.•*`*•.✽
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
RADHA BHAV IN BARSANA
In this blessed abode of Radha, the nature created here by Brahma
is unlike the nature of his other gross creations for, in Barsana, the creation
exists by Radha's sweet desire, by her realization. According to scriptures,
Sri Radhaby her grace, to fulfill the joy of the Supreme, manifested herself as
Vrishabhanu Nandani in the village of Barsana, thereby blessing the family
of her father Vrisha bhanu and her mother Kirti.
The glory of Radha which exists in the symbolic significance
of this village and in her remembrance by its residents is a very rare
phenomenon. Each person of the village of Barsana has some special
feeling towards Radha which is so inborn, so strong and so spontaneous
in its understanding of hidden spiritual mysteries, that those who are not
spiritually aware are unable to grasp the nature of this special insight.
While small children may realize themselves as her sister, and young
boys may realize themselves as her brother, older women realize
themselves as her mother, while men realize themselves as her father.
These sentiments have no relation with their physical families, but exists
and depend entirely on Radha's Grace which has so drenched her
village of Barsana.
.๑۩۩๑
Baba Sripadji
.๑۩۩๑
Thursday, November 17, 2011
MAHA BHAV AS RADHA BHAV
When love is completely directed towards the Supreme Being
as Krishna, that love conceals itself in the heart of the Gopi. Thus,
the mystery of the Unknown is hidden in the hearts of the Gopies
and is enlightened in the maturity of realization of the illumination
of love, when each movement of thought and breath has become
Krishna. In this way, the Gopies have realized Krishna, thereby
dispelling the mystery of the Unknown.
Beyond the love of the Gopies and Krishna exists the manifestation
of Sri Radha. This love is the immovable existence wherein occurs
the silent mutation of love between the lover and the beloved. It may
be likened to the river that flows between two banks; the banks can
never meet because they exist within the limitations of their nature,
but the river is in continual contact with both, right from its source to
its culmination. Existing within their respective dimensions of time
and space are the Atma and the Paramatma, the Supreme Spirit;
the two banks of the river of devotion. The flow of Grace of this river
of devotion unites, through its touch, the dormant state of the individual
existence with the enlightened state of the Supreme. Between every
thought and breath of each being, and between the immovable
consciousness of the earth and the consciousness of the entire creation,
and between the microcosm and the macrocosm, Grace flows.
Within this concept, the Gopi signifies the incessant and creative
urge of 'sadhna' towards the supreme, while Krishna signifies the
treasury of all blissful propensities. In their relation to each other,
each is essential to the existence of the other. As the Gopi exists
in the thought of Krishna, so Krishna exists in the thought of the Gopi.
Therefore, when the longing in one's heart for realizing the Supreme
is established, that Supreme also realizes the longing of his burning
awareness in the heart. In the silent mutation of Radha Bhav,
the individual spirit exists in relation to the Supreme, from the very
commencement of 'sadhna' for the realization of each other to its
fulfillment. When the individual spirit realizes its union with the
Supreme where the Supreme is Krishna, this realization is Radha Bhav.
Radha is the personification of love towards Krishna in the mood
of the Gopi and, as the joy-potency of the Supreme, she is the adored
deity of those who crave only for the love of the beloved Radha-krishna.
It is only by the ambrosial sweetness and beauty of the love of Radha
that Krishna is forever attained. In Her Graceful Existence, She embodies
Maha Bhav.
« ҉ » श्री « ҉ »
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Swamiji called!
Swamiji called yesterday, I was sitting mid-day in the park!
There couldn't be a greater joy! He is blissfully well, as usual, and in
high spirits, as usual !! Presently he asked if I was going to America
soon, I said I was going in Dec. for a month. That they called and
asked again, even arranged the ticket!! He laughed and asked , 'Why
doesn't America come to you?' I said,' They did come in Febuary,
and we all went to Banaras together. There I climbed the steps up
to the 'Yogiraj Tailang Swami Math'.
Then Swamiji told me that Tailang Swami had said, "He who is a
real 'Yogi' is always aware of his 'breath', and the 'breath' of others!"
That includes everyone, no matter how far away they may be, even
if they are animals, trees, plants or stones! The Yogi is able to cure
all ailments. He can know all thoughts. Connected, he becomes
Limitless and Full!
Swamiji said, "Awareness of the breath, constant awareness, is
very difficult. No, actually, it is very easy. But nobody wants to do it!
All are deluded by what they see and feel about this world, but, He is
free who can see through it, to its Source, the Way of Divine Light."
*ღ☆¸.•°* Hari AUM! *ღ☆¸.•°*
Thursday, November 10, 2011
PREM-AHLADINI SRI RADHA Personification of Mahabhav
INTRODUCTION
The ancient knowledge of the Vedas is distilled in the wisdom of the
Upanishads. In these philosophical treaties, the nature of the universe,
the human soul, and the relation to each other has been probed. In the
search for answers to questions about the nature of the universe they
developed the idea of Brahman, whose existence was realized through
enquiry, austerity, and samadhi.
Brahman, the universal spirit, cannot be precisely defined, and neither
can Atman, the individual spirit. The Upanishads describe the spirit only
in general terms as the Divine Essence "hidden in all beings, all-pervading,
eternal..." It exist, but it cannot be captured ; life proceeds from it, yet it
has no tangible reality. These themes conceived by sages in the Upanshads
were, however, in time expanded. The essential principals laid in these
were, however, in time expanded. The essential principals laid in these
works were developed by seers of extraordinary insight into six schools
of philosophy: Sankhya, Vaisheshik, Nyay, Yog, Poorva-Meemansa, and
Uttar-Meemansa. Religious thought became a multifarous and elusive
complex.
From this vast tradition, it took one of no lesser stature then Maharishi
Veda Vyas, who had masterly comprehended the Vedas, the six systems of
philosophy, the Smriti, and all the other existing philosophical scriptures
known to the memory of mankind, to make his knowledge comprehensible
to all. And since nothing then ever needed to be written down, all teachings
were taught by the graceful speech of the Rishis alone. Vyas conceived the
Mahabharat as a vehicle for expounding such lofty themes as Sri Krishna,
an Avatar of Vishnu; dharma; varnashram; valour; love and grief. Despite
its majestic conception, Veda Vyas remained unsatisfied with his efforts,
and only at the intervention of Devrishi Narad was the cause of his
unfulfilment disclosed that the Supreme Lord was not yet satisfied that his
glory had been sufficiently revealed. By Sri Narad's inspiration, Vyas then
turned his efforts from feeding crows the carrion of learning, to extracting
nectar, in the form of stories relating to the Divine Pastimes of Sri Krishna,
for the swans of the Mansarovar Lake to sip.
Taking Sri Ganapati, the remover of obstacles, as his scribe,Veda Vyas
unfolded the mystery of the manifestation of Brahman through the
incarnations of Vishnu. In Srimad Bhagavat is found the description of
these incarnations of the Lord : Sanatkumar, Sanandan, Sanatan and
Sanak ; Varah, the Divine Boar ; Devrishi Narad ; Nara-Narayan ; Swami
Kapil ; Dattatrey ; Yagya ; Rsabhdev ; King Prithu ; Matsya, the Divine
Fish ; Kachhap, the Divine Tortoise ; Dhanvantri, the Celestial Physician ;
Mohini, the Enchantress of the demons ; Narsinha, the Man-Lion ; Vamana,
the Divine Dwarf ; Parashurama ; Rama, Bharata, Lakshman, and
Shatrughna ; Vyas ; Krishna and Balaram ; Buddha ; and Kalki, whom is
yet to come.
While each Avatar was worshiped as the Lord, still, in his fullness, he
was yet in process, finally reaching the descent of Bhagwan Rama, whom is
the Supreme Person in complete form. His descent was to establish
righteousness, (dharma) and to dispel unrighteousness (adharma) ; to
protect the good (sat) and to destroy the evil (asat). Rama is known as
Maryada-Purushottam, whom has lived according to all correct rules and
decorum. But even this incarnation, where the prevailing spirit behind the
universe has embodied Himself to assist man in his course through life,
cannot fulfill declaration of the Upanishads that the Absolute Brahman is
'Raso Vai Sah'. God, remaining one with creation is not impassive ; he
is a personal God who loves man and desires love in return. To demonstrate
this aspect of the nature of the Supreme Being, Sri Krishna manifested
himself, and as Lila-Purushottam performs his pastimes before the eyes of
the world. It is this subject which has been so gracefully expounded by Vyas
in the tenth Skandh of the Srimad Bhagavat, which forms the heart of the
work.
However, philosophic speculation cannot end here, for the question
arises about the nature of the spiritual bliss the realized soul experiences in
merging the trinity in the monad Brahman, whom is said to contain Truth,
Consciousness and Bliss (Sat-Chit-Ananda). Brahman has become
personified as Krishna who is defined thus in the Bhagvat : 'Krishnastu
Bhagvan Swayam', (the Absolute of the Absolute), and the static 'anand'
enfolded in the nature of Brahman has become personified as Krishna's
Ahladini Shakti, his blissful potency, who is the source of all joy to the
Supreme Lord. Who can dare to define that delightful beauty who charms
Shyam Sundar and brings him to his knees begging even a glance from her
fascinating eyes? She is the Divine Aspect of his divinity, the Beloved of his
Love, the possessor of that joy which fulfills his desire for joy - Sri Radha.
SIGNIFICANCE OF RADHA BHAV
The most secret, the most auspicious, and the most divine spiritual
awareness of Radha is projected in the physical manifestation of her village
of Barsana. Here, upon the majestic hill in which Brahma has embodied
himself, stands the abode of Sri Radha, who is the ecstasy and inner
blessedness of the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna.
Contained in this mystical image lies the revelation of Radha Bhav.
Within the all-pervading, all-powerful source of Brahma arises the three-
sided manifestation of the cosmos, with Brahma personifying its creative
principal; Vishnu, its maintaining principal; and Shiva, its distructive
principal. By the movement of the creative principal in thought and its
culmination in action, the universal cycle of creation, preservation, and
destruction veils the Supreme from man and holds him within the bondage
of this movement of the world. When he comes to the discovery of that
which has to be dispelled in thought or in action, man lays the foundation
of 'sadhana' which terminates the thought-creation underlying action
carried over from previous actions of the life into the present. Thus, at
last, the full cycle of cause and effect is destroyed and he crosses the
threshold of the effortless 'sadhana' of love (prem). In order to attain this
state based on the establishment of grace, he has to disconnect himself
from the creation of Brahma, diverting all efforts with whatever means
are available and with fervent love to the path of 'sadhana'. Those who
have already traveled this path of the Divine, enlighten the way; until all
the accumulation of past thoughts and actions are effaced, the heart
becomes like a transparent , heavenly-clear crystal, unimaginable in its
purity. From this point, the 'sadhana' of complete unconditional surrender
to the feet of the Lord Supreme begins. Thus, the hill of Barsana contains
the significance of the illumination of Love to the Love-personification
of Sri Radha, the Joy- potency of the Supreme, and the creation of love
leading to the destruction of all desires.
When this love is created in the heart, or in the thoughts, the source
of all inspiration, which was hidden through countless lives in the journey
towards the wondrous Supreme, is disclosed to the person who is
completely dedicated by heart, thought and action, who has given himself
up to the feet of the Supreme from within and without. The most sublime
sentiments of 'bhakti' spontaneously arise in him who walks on this path,
manifesting in him the highest aspects of devotion. The holy scriptures
have described these sentiments which climax the potency of mood and
are the very source of inspiration when they occur by their own Grace.
These sentiments, Bhav, may appear in such ways: by chanting the
sweet names of the Lord in 'sankirtan' the presence of the Divine Glory
is experienced in such a way that the flow of love, which springs from
the heart, comes as an out pour of tears; the devotee cannot speak a
word about worldly relations and the throat is choked; the whole body
is thrilled in ecstatic joy; the body-consciousness may vanish completely;
the enchanting glory of the Lila of Radha-Krishna is fully revealed in the
heart; all the Divinity of their transcendental sport is revealed as ever-new;
every moment is completely recognised in Their Grace; and finally the
epitome of all these various sentiments is when the knowledge of what
They wish to play in Lila sport is spontaneously realized in the heart.
« ҉ » श्री « ҉ »
Baba Sripadji
From this vast tradition, it took one of no lesser stature then Maharishi
Veda Vyas, who had masterly comprehended the Vedas, the six systems of
philosophy, the Smriti, and all the other existing philosophical scriptures
known to the memory of mankind, to make his knowledge comprehensible
to all. And since nothing then ever needed to be written down, all teachings
were taught by the graceful speech of the Rishis alone. Vyas conceived the
Mahabharat as a vehicle for expounding such lofty themes as Sri Krishna,
an Avatar of Vishnu; dharma; varnashram; valour; love and grief. Despite
its majestic conception, Veda Vyas remained unsatisfied with his efforts,
and only at the intervention of Devrishi Narad was the cause of his
unfulfilment disclosed that the Supreme Lord was not yet satisfied that his
glory had been sufficiently revealed. By Sri Narad's inspiration, Vyas then
turned his efforts from feeding crows the carrion of learning, to extracting
nectar, in the form of stories relating to the Divine Pastimes of Sri Krishna,
for the swans of the Mansarovar Lake to sip.
Taking Sri Ganapati, the remover of obstacles, as his scribe,Veda Vyas
unfolded the mystery of the manifestation of Brahman through the
incarnations of Vishnu. In Srimad Bhagavat is found the description of
these incarnations of the Lord : Sanatkumar, Sanandan, Sanatan and
Sanak ; Varah, the Divine Boar ; Devrishi Narad ; Nara-Narayan ; Swami
Kapil ; Dattatrey ; Yagya ; Rsabhdev ; King Prithu ; Matsya, the Divine
Fish ; Kachhap, the Divine Tortoise ; Dhanvantri, the Celestial Physician ;
Mohini, the Enchantress of the demons ; Narsinha, the Man-Lion ; Vamana,
the Divine Dwarf ; Parashurama ; Rama, Bharata, Lakshman, and
Shatrughna ; Vyas ; Krishna and Balaram ; Buddha ; and Kalki, whom is
yet to come.
While each Avatar was worshiped as the Lord, still, in his fullness, he
was yet in process, finally reaching the descent of Bhagwan Rama, whom is
the Supreme Person in complete form. His descent was to establish
righteousness, (dharma) and to dispel unrighteousness (adharma) ; to
protect the good (sat) and to destroy the evil (asat). Rama is known as
Maryada-Purushottam, whom has lived according to all correct rules and
decorum. But even this incarnation, where the prevailing spirit behind the
universe has embodied Himself to assist man in his course through life,
cannot fulfill declaration of the Upanishads that the Absolute Brahman is
'Raso Vai Sah'. God, remaining one with creation is not impassive ; he
is a personal God who loves man and desires love in return. To demonstrate
this aspect of the nature of the Supreme Being, Sri Krishna manifested
himself, and as Lila-Purushottam performs his pastimes before the eyes of
the world. It is this subject which has been so gracefully expounded by Vyas
in the tenth Skandh of the Srimad Bhagavat, which forms the heart of the
work.
However, philosophic speculation cannot end here, for the question
arises about the nature of the spiritual bliss the realized soul experiences in
merging the trinity in the monad Brahman, whom is said to contain Truth,
Consciousness and Bliss (Sat-Chit-Ananda). Brahman has become
personified as Krishna who is defined thus in the Bhagvat : 'Krishnastu
Bhagvan Swayam', (the Absolute of the Absolute), and the static 'anand'
enfolded in the nature of Brahman has become personified as Krishna's
Ahladini Shakti, his blissful potency, who is the source of all joy to the
Supreme Lord. Who can dare to define that delightful beauty who charms
Shyam Sundar and brings him to his knees begging even a glance from her
fascinating eyes? She is the Divine Aspect of his divinity, the Beloved of his
Love, the possessor of that joy which fulfills his desire for joy - Sri Radha.
SIGNIFICANCE OF RADHA BHAV
The most secret, the most auspicious, and the most divine spiritual
awareness of Radha is projected in the physical manifestation of her village
of Barsana. Here, upon the majestic hill in which Brahma has embodied
himself, stands the abode of Sri Radha, who is the ecstasy and inner
blessedness of the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna.
Contained in this mystical image lies the revelation of Radha Bhav.
Within the all-pervading, all-powerful source of Brahma arises the three-
sided manifestation of the cosmos, with Brahma personifying its creative
principal; Vishnu, its maintaining principal; and Shiva, its distructive
principal. By the movement of the creative principal in thought and its
culmination in action, the universal cycle of creation, preservation, and
destruction veils the Supreme from man and holds him within the bondage
of this movement of the world. When he comes to the discovery of that
which has to be dispelled in thought or in action, man lays the foundation
of 'sadhana' which terminates the thought-creation underlying action
carried over from previous actions of the life into the present. Thus, at
last, the full cycle of cause and effect is destroyed and he crosses the
threshold of the effortless 'sadhana' of love (prem). In order to attain this
state based on the establishment of grace, he has to disconnect himself
from the creation of Brahma, diverting all efforts with whatever means
are available and with fervent love to the path of 'sadhana'. Those who
have already traveled this path of the Divine, enlighten the way; until all
the accumulation of past thoughts and actions are effaced, the heart
becomes like a transparent , heavenly-clear crystal, unimaginable in its
purity. From this point, the 'sadhana' of complete unconditional surrender
to the feet of the Lord Supreme begins. Thus, the hill of Barsana contains
the significance of the illumination of Love to the Love-personification
of Sri Radha, the Joy- potency of the Supreme, and the creation of love
leading to the destruction of all desires.
When this love is created in the heart, or in the thoughts, the source
of all inspiration, which was hidden through countless lives in the journey
towards the wondrous Supreme, is disclosed to the person who is
completely dedicated by heart, thought and action, who has given himself
up to the feet of the Supreme from within and without. The most sublime
sentiments of 'bhakti' spontaneously arise in him who walks on this path,
manifesting in him the highest aspects of devotion. The holy scriptures
have described these sentiments which climax the potency of mood and
are the very source of inspiration when they occur by their own Grace.
These sentiments, Bhav, may appear in such ways: by chanting the
sweet names of the Lord in 'sankirtan' the presence of the Divine Glory
is experienced in such a way that the flow of love, which springs from
the heart, comes as an out pour of tears; the devotee cannot speak a
word about worldly relations and the throat is choked; the whole body
is thrilled in ecstatic joy; the body-consciousness may vanish completely;
the enchanting glory of the Lila of Radha-Krishna is fully revealed in the
heart; all the Divinity of their transcendental sport is revealed as ever-new;
every moment is completely recognised in Their Grace; and finally the
epitome of all these various sentiments is when the knowledge of what
They wish to play in Lila sport is spontaneously realized in the heart.
« ҉ » श्री « ҉ »
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