Chapter 11: The Guardian-ruled Family

«The Vaiṣṇava is all in all, and I am nothing.» Such a feeling grows infinitely in the Vaiṣṇava. «I am nothing, but he is everything — he is a Vaiṣṇava; Guru and Vaiṣṇava really hold Kṛṣṇa-bhakti. They are the stockists. But I am empty-handed; I have nothing.» This is the nature of the association of the finite with the infinite. As much as we shall have a real approach towards the infinite, we cannot but consider ourselves to be the meanest of the mean. The standard of Vaiṣṇava qualification (vaiṣṇavatā) is measured in this way. And this is not lip-deep, but the sincere dealing of the innermost heart. When Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Goswāmī says, purīṣera kīṭa haite muñi sei laghiṣṭha — «I am lower than the worm in stool» — this is not mere imitation, but his heartfelt truth. Achārya-abhimāna, the assertion of the Guru over his disciple, is a different posture. That is assertion, but only for the service of the Vaiṣṇava; the sincerity is maintained therein. The Guru’s assertion is not selfish assertion. His assertion is only for the sake of saving the public and upholding the prestige of the Vaiṣṇava. So that is proper adjustment with reality, in twofold senses: to establish the real position of a Vaiṣṇava, and at the same time to save the ordinary persons from the danger and the reaction of false attempt or false thought. So that kind of assertion is not egoistic. Rather, we should know that as sacrifice in the dynamic sense.

In Viśva-vaiṣṇava-rāja-sabhā, our Guru Mahārāja tactfully managed in this way: he asked one of his disciples to speak something in praise and appreciation of another disciple. And he especially asked this of disciples who were a little antagonistic to one another. He asked them, «Speak something in praise of your ‘friend.’» Why? To try to mark the bright side, the svarūpa, and to try to ignore the apparent side. He instructed, «You try to speak something in praise of your friend, your apparent opponent.» The Guru’s order was given, and so the disciple had to speak something in praise. Necessity is the mother of invention; he had to dive deep into the bright side of the other person and try to bring that side out. Thereby, the Vaiṣṇava atmosphere of giving and taking was aroused and the apparent, māyika side was gradually ignored, disregarded and dissipated. Something similar happens in kīrttana as well. Why is kīrttana so powerful? Because when we are requested to speak something, we cannot but utilise our best attention to speak. We have to assert our best ability in the attempt to gather the proper information to speak something about the Supreme Lord. So, also, in the case of the Vaiṣṇava, as in the case of the Lord, we must approach the svarūpa, the inner side, the inner aspect, the bright side — and ignore the apparent side; and thereby we will thrive. There, the real mutual relationship will be aroused. Once a year in the Holy Dhāma of Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu, it was the practice of our Guru Mahārāja to preside in a meeting under the banner of Viśva-vaiṣṇava-rāja-sabhā (Universal Assembly of the Topmost Pure Devotees), and there his method was such: «Try to praise the Vaiṣṇava.»

So, to appreciate the nobility of a Vaiṣṇava may be difficult, but if we can do so, we may have a chance to reach a standard of real devotion to a certain extent. It is said by the Lord in the Ādi Purāṇa, «One who ‘loves Me’ does not really love Me; but one who loves My senators — his love for Me is more real; it is true and of absolute character.» We must try to appreciate the character and conduct of the Vaiṣṇava, and thereby we can raise the standard of our own life of dedication.

The infinitesimal and the infinite are very closely connected. The consciousness of the infinitesimal is in this line:

ye yata patita haya, tava dayā tata tāya,
tāte āmi supātra dayāra

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, «Your grace is given in accordance with the necessity of those who really deserve it. In that consideration, I have some claim. I am fallen of the fallen, the most fallen, so I have some claim to Your grace.» That should be the attitude of the servitors. Increase the negative side. «I am the most deserving because I am meanest of the mean, poorest of the poor.» We have to increase and develop our knowledge towards that side: «I am so low, so needy, so mean, in all respects.»

That consciousness will draw Him towards you; the mass energy collected (karma) or the attempt to know Him (jñāna) cannot do so (jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛttam). To think, «I can know You, I can measure You» — that is impossible, wild goose-chasing, and this has been declared by Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. You can never know Him. The closer you come to the boundary of your knowledge, the more you will find Him transcending it. None can bind Him. That was shown in the attempt of Mother Yaśodā. When she went to bind Dāmodara, Kṛṣṇa, around the waist, the rope was always two fingers short.

yad āsīt tad api nyunaṁ, tenānyad api sandadhe
tad api dvy-aṅgulaṁ nyunaṁ, yad yad ādatta bandhanam

«(After joining the original rope with another) that rope was also short by the measure of two fingers. Then she tied more rope; that also was short by the same measure. In this way, no matter how much rope she added, it was always short by two fingers.»

It is a mathematically impossible margin, but it is such. Similarly, we must know that the Absolute is subjective, not objective. Examples like this show us the failure of the objective calculation. Don’t go to calculate the transcendental truth by the objective process. The factor of His will can never be eliminated, and that is the real factor. If you approach to calculate about Him, the most realistic thought you must keep in your mind is that it depends on His Supreme Will. He is abhijña, omniscient, and svarāṭ, fully independent. Only He knows what is what and what should be what. It is His monopoly, within His fist. You may conjecture so many alternatives, but to no avail. He knows what He will do; and at the same time, He is not under any obligation to anyone. He cannot be compelled to give any explanation for His deeds. Only He knows what is what, and He is the Absolute Autocrat (artheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāt, Bhā: 1.1.1). He does not care for the consideration of others. If we approach Him with this kind of understanding and impression, we must advance towards the divine realm.

I have no possibility of pressing any demand on Him. There is no possibility of placing any application,

«Please consider this or that.» But at the same time, we must not forget that He listens only to the words of the devotee who is actually of such a temperament (ahaṁ bhakta-parādhīnaḥ, Bhā: 9.4.63). This, also, cannot be eliminated. But who is such a bhakta? One who knows the Lord’s nature in this way — he’s a devotee. So, to become submissive to him is in other words to keep one’s own independence! To be submissive to the surrendered soul amounts to no submission, because it is to submit to a person who is fully His. When He says, «I am subservient — I work under the direction of My devotee,» then who are the devotees? They are those who have surrendered cent-per-cent to His sweet will. Then, in other words, they are as independent as He is. They do not have their independent wishes, but nonetheless, for the sake of the Lord’s pastimes, līlā, such things are designed-by Yogamāyā.

In different rasas we may see that the devotee and the Lord sometimes take opposite sides. Just as Kṛṣṇa wants to steal, and Yaśodā won’t allow Him to steal, and she is punishing Him. Apparently they seem to be opposing forces, but Yogamāyā, the internal potency of the Lord, is acting. Somehow it is Kṛṣṇa’s will to play like that. A director of a drama may order his actors, «You must say like this; and I shall oppose.» Līlā also is a movement to one point, harmoniously without any disturbance. This is līlā. Līlā has no rhyme and reason. It is dynamic existence. It is just the opposite of the fossil. And līlā is of the nature of rasa or ānanda, beauty and charm. Beauty and charm are the very nature of the Lord.

To become disconnected from that original flow is the trouble caused by māyā. The conditioned souls are under the potency of māyā, as though suffering the disease of insanity. They have lost their own property and wealth. This is māyā.

Mā means ‘what is not,’ and yā means ‘that.’ The word māyā is also derived, mīyate anayā iti māyā: māyā is ‘that by which measurement is made.’ The spiritual experts inform us that separate interest has been the root cause of all disturbance (dvitīyābkiniveśataḥ syāt). Really everything is alright, but the spirit of separatism is responsible for the whole anomaly.

bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād
īśād apetasya viparyayo ‘smṛtiḥ
tan-māyayāto budha ābhajet taṁ
bhaktyaikayeśaṁ gurudevatātmā

«A person who turns away from the Lord forgets his own innate identity by dint of the māyā potency of the Lord, and his perception becomes tupsy-turvy whereby he thinks, ‘I am the body.’ From this, he becomes absorbed in separate interest, identifying himself with the body, senses, etc. This is the cause of all apprehension. Therefore, a judicious person should worship that Supreme Lord with exclusive devotion, casting aside all spurious desires, and with the knowledge that Gurudeva is one’s worshipful lord and dearmost friend.»

To think «I can thrive individually,» is to ignore the collective line and try for one’s separate interest. This fine point is said to be responsible for all the disturbance: «I wanted to seek my own pleasure, separating myself from the consideration of collectiveness.»

The next stage is iśād apetasya viparyayo ’smṛtiḥ: deviation from consideration of my master. The first stage is self-interest, and then next is deviation from guardian-consciousness, or to lose the consciousness that «I have my master, my guardian.» Separate interest means, «I am my own guardian.» Then, tan-māyayāto: why is it so? Because I am taṭastha, marginal.

On the other side is māyā, and somehow that influence has captured my weak decisive faculty. I am an infinitesimal particle of consciousness with minute independence. But without my cooperation, the māyika or mundane transaction is impossible. So my consent was necessary. With the consent of a minor child, the guardian can do anything and everything. The minority or infininitesimal character is inherent in me, and that makes room for this error. Tan-māyayāto budha ābhajet tam: but because māyā is not independent, she also has to work under the guidance of the Supreme Authority; so don’t go to māyā, but go to He who is the Master of māyā. Tan-māyayāto budha, ābhajet tam — na tu māyām. Although māyā is coming to capture the soul because of his weakness of co-operating with her, still, budha, which means sumedha — the pious souls — will go for relief to the Master of māyā. This is the decision of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Tan-māyā means tasya māyā  — His māyā. Māyā is not the highest entity; she also has her Master. So when the temptation comes in you to perform a bad deed you must file an appeal for help to the Supreme Authority, and not to māyā.

In the Bhagavad-gītā also the Lord says:

aivī hy esa guṇamayī, mama māyā duratyayā
mam eva ye prapadyante, māyām etāṁ taranti te

«This trimodal supernatural or alluring deluding potency of Mine is practically insurmountable. However, those who exclusively surrender unto Me can certainly surpass this formidable fantasy.»

Māyā, misunderstanding, is troubling the fallen souls, but misunderstanding itself cannot give them relief. The Prime Cause of misunderstanding — He alone can give them relief «So don’t go to that side, come to Me. By My instruction that māyā will leave you. She’s more powerful than you; daivī — she has higher backing, So you must try to seek your relief from the higher office, and not approach directly to māyā. That will not be helpful to you. If you have My slightest backing, you can easily escape from that māyā.»

Misunderstanding is there, but it is not very powerful inasmuch as it does not have its own support — it is not independent. It is also dependent on truth. Truth has the better position over misunderstanding. So your transaction should always be with the truth, with the positive. And what is positive truth? Sat-chit-ānandam: unassailable existence, self-consciousness, and fulfillment. It is fulfillment in itself. In Hegelian philosophy, unassailable existence is described as ‘by itself and for itself.’ The conscious element in the middle has been suppressed in that philosophy. The Absolute Truth feels His Self-consciousness. He feels that He exists. Stone existence may not feel its existence, but soul perceives his existence; he is cit or chetana — conscious. But his consciousness is not perfect. It has some want, some demand, some hankering for a higher life. Ānandam or rasa is beauty, harmony, love. That is the conception of the fullest integer: having existence, consciousness, and also fulfillment. Not only hankering or knowing is present, but that which is to be hankered for or known about is present there, and that is ānandam. Ānandam and sundaram are synonymous.

I saw that some of the European philosophers have translated this word ānandam as ‘beauty,’ as in ‘Reality the Beautiful.’ We find that to be very near to the conception of Kṛṣṇa. Probably it was the philosopher Martineau, a very good linguist and a poet of high style, who proposed that the ultimate element is ‘Reality the Beautiful.’ Wordsworth hinted at ‘eye-beauty’ and ‘earbeauty.’ In one poem Wordsworth described a girl of his dreams. He wrote that she was a village girl, and there was a brook alongside that village. He says that the jingling sound of the brook contributed to her beauty. Many scholars tried to give some interpretation to this conception, but one Bengali scholar, Harināth De, who was a master of thirty-two languages, gave the interpretation: ‘ear-beauty contributed to eye-beauty.’ His explanation was very taking to me. The ear-beauty, the beautiful sound of the brook, added to the appearance of that girl; that means that ear-beauty, or sweet sound, contributed to eye-beauty. Eye beauty, nose-beauty, touch-beauty, etc., all are ānandam, rasam, or beauty in the broadest sense.

In another Upaniṣadic word, it is stated, satyam, śivam, sundaram. Śiva means maṅgalam. What is the criterion of maṅgalam? Amaṅgalam means mortal: mortal is amaṅgalam (inauspicious). And immortality is śivam, maṅgalam (auspicious). So śivam means immortal, and that means conscious, as found in the soul. Soul is immortal. So, stone is mortal, but soul is immortal. Therefore, soul proper is śiva; but we see that the soul is vulnerable. Supersoul is beauty, sundaram. That is concrete reality as the independent and fullest representation of existence. All other existences are but partial representations of the Absolute. Sundaram is satisfaction; the soul is dissatisfied, and for stone there is no question of satisfaction; it possesses only mere existence. But soul is dissatisfied, even though he is an eternal unit of self-consciousness. The words Śiva, Mṛtyuñjaya and Mahādeva mean ‘free from mortality or change; eternal.’ But mere eternity is not sufficient. Only rasam or sundaram can fill the gap. So sundaram is the object of our quest. If wherever we go and whatever we do is examined minutely it will be detected that we are searching after beauty, after fulfillment, after sundaram, after rasam.

na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ
durāśayā ye bahir artha-māninaḥ

«Those whose minds have been polluted by mundane sense-pleasure, and who hold respect for sense-enjoyers addicted to external mundane pleasures — they cannot know of the glories of Lord Viṣṇu, the exclusive refuge of those desirous of attaining the supreme goal of human life.»

Externally and ignorantly, it may be seen that we are in quest of this and that — duty, money, sensepleasure (dharma, artha, kāma); but this is an external and partial examination of things. But with a deep examination it must be found that we are eagerly searching for only rasam, sundaram: the fullest satisfaction, and not for partial, temporary so-called pleasure. So dharma, artha, and kāma cannot satisfy our inner hankering. Not to speak of them, even liberation (moksa) from the present flickering hankering is not the goal, and this is the finding of the scholars. Mere liberation from the negative side is an artificial life. Life must have its fulfillment. Everything has its fulfillment and necessary position. It is not meant for nothing! Zero cannot be the conclusion of the whole existence. Infinite is the conclusion, not zero. So mere liberation — to remain as in a long, deep slumber — that is destructive and inconclusive. That cannot be the object of creation or the object of our existence. The other side must be searched out — the chid-vilāsa (the transcendental dynamic plane). And where can we get that? Here in this world is exploitation, and there is just the opposite: dedication.

Bhakti is dedication, after surrender to the centre. As I mentioned earlier, we have drifted into separate interest. Now we must give up that separate interest and enter into the undivided family; we must accept the guardian. We have been advised to enter the guardian-ruled family. We have to adjust ourselves to live in a family under guardianship. But we shall strive to understand that life under a guardian is the wholesome and healthy life. We need not search after our full independence, for that independence cannot solve the problem we are faced with. There is no doubt that we are in the midst of a problem. Apparently, it may be thought that by independence the problem may be solved. But it is wrong.

The scriptures and mahājanas come to our help: «No! At present you may think that independence will give you proper satisfaction of your inner heart, but really, it is wrong. Your apparent thought is your enemy. You want to get out of any circumstantial infringement, and if you get freedom you’ll be happy — this is wrong. Rather, the opposite is true. You should try to live in a joint family. You must be accommodative; you must correct your nature. Your independence is your enemy.»

This must be understood. This independence that apparently seems to be your friend is really your enemy, and you must learn how to live together with others.

You cannot separate yourself from the environment; it is not possible. That is death, samādhi, or the infinite slumber. That is no life, that is no answer, that is no solution. You must live with many. You must see that you are a part of the whole, and that only your spirit of independence is disturbing you. And you must try to save yourself from the hands of your ‘friends.’ «God, save me from my friends, my so-called friends.»

Only surrender can give you relief, can give you the real, higher life. You will be able to understand that from your innermost heart. In Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa has repeatedly hammered this rāga-dveṣa — apathy and sympathy (rāga-dveṣa-vi-muktais tu, Bg. 2.64) Those two are your enemies. Apathy for something and sympathy for something — these are your enemies! Be independent of those two enemies, and concentrate yourself towards your guardian. Know that He is not partial. Your first consideration should be that the guardian is not partial. «I am guardian, but I am friendly to you all (suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām, Bg. 5.29). Don’t leave this thought! I am your guardian, but at the same time I am your friend. Don’t forget this, otherwise there alone is the danger in your whole life.»

Be optimistic, don’t be pessimistic. You are good and all around you is bad, and withdrawal from everything and everyone will give you real bliss? Don’t be so selfish-thinking. That is your environment; they should be relied upon — they also have goodness in them. So try to adjust yourself with them. Tat te ’nukampām (Bhā: 10.14.8): all our situations in life occur by His grace. Especially try to adjust with the Guardian who is at the bottom of all movement and all creation. Have faith in Him, and through Him, approach your environment. Then everything will be properly adjusted.

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said:

sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ paśyed, bhagavad-bhāvam ātmanaḥ
bhūtāni bhāgavaty ātmany, eṣa bhāgavatottamaḥ

We can attain the highest position in this way. Whatever and whoever we come across, we must see it at the central interest and not from provincial or local interest. Go straight to the centre: bhagavad-bhāvam. Then, ātmanaḥ. Try to see the centre in everything, and then in connection with or through the centre, come to approach your environment. First go to the centre, and from the centre, knowing your relationship with the centre, come to adjust with your surroundings and company. What is a person’s relationship to the centre, and what is my relationship to the centre? Considering these two factors, I shall ascertain what shall be my relationship with that person. My connection with everything and everyone should be ascertained through the centre. My relationship with others must be calculated from the central interest, not the local or partial interest between them. That will be wrong, and that is the root of all evil. This separate relationship is not wholesome. Only go straight to see things through the eye of the interest of the centre, and your relationship will descend (sarva-bhuteṣu yaḥ paśyed, bhagavad-bhāvam — ātmanaḥ). Next, bhūtāni bhagavaty and then ātmani — vice versa: what is God’s relationship with the thing, and what is the thing’s relationship with God; and according to that calculation, you come into adjustment with them, with your environment. Then you are out of danger. But eliminating the central interest, if you want to mix together and get your local benefit satisfied in the meantime, you’ll be in danger (yo māṁ paśyati sarvatra . . . pranaśyati, Bg. 6.30; sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ paśyed . . . esa bhagavatottamaḥ, Bhā: 11.2.45).

So the environment is not bad. We are suffering from misunderstanding, māyā (na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum), and that misunderstanding should be cleared. We shall try to live anywhere and everywhere, and we shall see the environment as all-loving, if we have that deep vision to see who is at the basis of all of us, if we find Him. It is also mentioned in the Upaniṣads that in pure consciousness, one can see nectar everywhere — in the wind, in the ocean, in the plants, in the stars — everywhere.

Try to recognise that your situation is full of honey  — full of nectar. Don’t try to see only the outer cover. Your vision must be deep enough to see the real position. Then you will find everything is like nectar to you. Śṛṇvantu viśve amṛtasya putrāḥ. This clarion-call is coming from the Veda: «O you sons of nectar! Attempt to listen to my words! You are really sons of the nectar lake. Why should you be like poison? Are you a poisonous unit? Are you now down-trodden to become units of poison? But your real, innate self — you are a drop of the nectar ocean!» Śṛṇvantu viśve amṛtasya putrāḥ — «Awake! Arise! Arise to your self-consciouness that you are a drop of the nectar ocean! Try to realise it!»

«Your attachment to the outer cover — not only the covers outside but of yourself also — all are covers in reality. Don’t be a ‘cover-calculator.’ Dive deep into your own self, in the existence of your environment. Dive deep, and you will find all nectar, no poison. Poison is a thing superficial to your real conception.» To make much of the cover of things, ignoring the substance within, is nothing but cover transaction (na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ, durāśayā ye hahir artha-māni-naḥ). It is poisonous.

In this world, we may think we find something to be beautiful, but beauty in local interest is not real beauty.

We have to be able to distinguish between the central interest and the local interest. Beauty for individual possession is poison. We are desirous of independence to enjoy that local beauty. This is the trap. But beauty is meant for the service of Kṛṣṇa. Everything is meant for Him — there we will find real beauty. The real nature of beauty is present in that which is attractive to Kṛṣṇa. Beauty should be measured from the central consideration. The danger lies in consideration of beauty from the separate interest viewpoint.

What is beauty? An object to be enjoyed. To be enjoyed by whom? If by me, then I am lost. Everything is meant for Him, and we have to enjoy beauty like that. If that is possible, we are alright. Whenever we see anything beautiful, it must come to our minds, «Oh, Kṛṣṇa will be able to enjoy this very much.» Our mentality should be like this. Our mentality should be centre-centred’: «Whatever good I see will immediately remind me that Kṛṣṇa will enjoy it very much.» The tasteful — «Kṛṣṇa has enjoyed this curry; I shall enjoy it subsidiarily. My position is dependent upon how Kṛṣṇa has enjoyed.»

Everything should be seen through Him, and only after that — ’mine.’ Sarva-bhuteṣu yaḥ paśyed bhagavad-bhavam — ātmanaḥ. ‘Mine’ should mean ‘how Kṛṣṇa has enjoyed.’ Eveything may be fittingly enjoyed by Him. I must be Kṛṣṇa-centred. Then other centres such as beauty to be enjoyed by any other person, not to speak of oneself, will be recognised as risky and poisonous. Beauty — everything — is to be enjoyed by Him. It is meant, it is created, it is sustained — for Him. We must reach this understanding, for this is to be situated in the deepest plane. This is nirguṇa, transcendental. Otherwise, all is saguṇa, or superficial. Get out of the saguṇa, the waves of local interest. That may be centred in a family, a village, a country, a species, or human society to the exception of birds, beasts and insects — the circle may increase, but it is still limited. But properly adjusted, we want nothing less than Kṛṣṇa, so everything must be connected with Him and seen through His interest. My interest should not entertain any independent friendship with anyone. Everything should be done on Kṛṣṇa’s account. Negotiation, transaction, and future prospect — everything is for the centre, Kṛṣṇa. In this way, everything will come to me through the Absolute Good. Then all the poison will be eliminated and whatever comes to me will be mixed with nectar.

So whatever we contact must come via Kṛṣṇa or His bona fide servant — Gurudeva or Vaiṣṇava, whose cause is inseparable from Kṛṣṇa’s. We can rely upon them. Somehow, everything must percolate through the Absolute Good — not vulnerable or limited goodness — but the Absolute Good. Via that, all transactions between the plurality must be checked and sent as prasādam (merciful remnants) from the centre. That should be the proper attitude. And that is really sweet.

If we can come into that plane, we shall feel this. Otherwise, our actions will be performed as duty, by scriptural injunction and so on. But if we can reach the plane of the Absolute Good, our own soul or existence and practical life will bear testimony for us that this life is the topmost, and without it, we cannot live.

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Thākura says, «Esaba choḍata parāṇa hārāu̐: Śrī Vṛndavana and its surroundings so intensely awaken my remembrance of Kṛṣṇa; and if these things are taken away from me, I shall lose my very life. They are sustaining me, because they are encouraging me to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are all encouraging and helping me towards Kṛṣṇa consciousness in different aspects. Whatever I see there, rādhā-kuṇḍa-taṭa-kuñja-kuṭīra, govardhana-parvata-yāmuna-tīra (the dwelling in the groves on the banks of Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa, the holy Govardhana mountain, the banks of the holy Yamunā river) — reminds me in such a sweet way, taking me towards Kṛṣṇa conception and Kṛṣṇa-līlā, spreading nectar in my heart. If I am to leave them, then I shall leave my existence. They are all around me; they are so encouraging and life-giving to me. They are so fulfilling to my life — indeed, they are more than my life! Kusuma-sarovara, mānasa-gaṅgā, kalindanandinī vipula-taraṅgā (the holy lake midway between Mathurā, Govardhana, and Rādhā-kuṇḍa, the river at the edge of Govardhana, the rolling waves of the Yamunā); khaga-mṛga-kula, malaya-bātāsa (the birds and animals, the breezes of spring) — what a sweet contribution all these things offer me! Kṛṣṇa is very near to me! I would die without them. Such beauty, the whole thing takes me with lightning speed directly towards Kṛṣṇa consciousness, towards His Associates and His pastimes with Them. That is direct nectar, and that will come in me.»

rādhākuṇḍataṭa-kuñjakuṭīra
govardhanaparvata yāmunatīra
kusumasarovara, mānasagaṅgā
kalindanandini vipula-taraṅgā
vaṁśīvata, gokula, dhīrasamīra
vṛndāvana-taru latikā-vānīra
khaga-mṛgakula, malaya-bātāsa
mayura, bhramara, muralī-vilāsa
veṇu, śṛṇga, padachihna, meghamālā
vasanta, śaśāṅka, śaṅkha karatālā
yugala vilāse anukūla jāni
līlāvilāsa-uddīpaka māni
esaba choḍata kā̐hā nāhi
yāu̐ esaba choḍata parāṇa hārāu̐
bhaktivinoda kahe, śuna kāna
tuyā uddīpaka hāmārā parāṇa

The grove-dwelling on the banks of Rādhā-kuṇḍa,

Govarddhana mountain, the banks of river Yamunā;

Kusuma-sarovara lake, Mānasa-gaṅgā river,

The rolling waves of Yamunā, daughter of the sun;

Place of the Rāsa dance, and Gokula, the gentle breezes,

The trees, vines, and Vetasa palms of Vraja;

The birds and animals, the sweet air of spring,

The peacocks, bumblebees, the flute’s sweet song;

Flute, horn, His footsteps, range of clouds in the sky,

Season of spring, the moon, the conch, hand-cymbals;

I know all these things are nourishing the

pastimes of the Divine Couple,

I can feel they arouse the holy pastimes of the Lord;

I can never leave all these things so dear to me,

Without them I know I’ll surely die;

Hear me, O Kān, says Śrī Bhaktivinoda:

You are the only light of my life.

This is Vṛndāvana. Vṛndāvana is so friendly, so sweet, so near to us, and such a wellwisher of ours. We are quite at home there — sweet, sweet home. Svarūpe sabāra haya, golokete sthiti: in our innate and innermost existence, we are members of that plane. Now we have come out, and we have scattered our consciousness all over the surface. Cover, cover, cover — there are so many layers, and they are all dry things. And the substance, the spirit, is within. Eliminating this bodily cover, the mental cover, the liberation cover, the Vaikuṇṭha cover — then I may enter into the land of Vraja. Vṛndāvana resides within me, if I can find my friends everywhere. They are my friends and relatives, and they will give me all-pleasing experience, ecstasy. Mahāprabhu came with this news for us. «Oh, you are a child of that soil; why do you suffer here, my children, my boys? Why do you suffer? Amṛtasya-putrāh: you are a child of that soil, and you are suffering so much, coming in the desert? Your home is so resourceful, so sweet, and you are running in the desert? What is this? Come! Leave this poisonous charm, this suicidal charm. This charm, māyā-charm, misunderstanding charm — this is suicidal. Leave this apparent charm! This is poisonous, like a witch. The witch has charmed you here and made you spellbound. Come along with Me! I shall take you to your home which is so very sweet!»

In general, this is the call of Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu and Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu. Don’t try to think yourself a master of so many siddhis like aṇimā, laghimā, vyāpti (becoming small as the atom, lighter than a feather, all-pervading, etc.). The thought that you can play with miracles is all lower conception. With mukti (liberation), then siddhi (yogic supernatural mystic powers), you will have to encounter so many traps and obstacles that your very existence will be at stake. To the South there is the Bhimarula-varuli, the hornet’s nest of unfulfilled desires (karma-kāṇḍa); to the West, there is the Yakṣa, the deceitful ghost representing the death of merging into the Absolute by supernatural yoga-practice (yoga-siddhi); and to the North there is the Ajagara, the black python representing the death of merging into the Absolute Brahman by the liberationists on the path of knowledge (jñāna-mārga). They wall all bewilder you. But most naturally and with the least effort on your part, Lord Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu will take you to the Eastern side, to the wealth that is within your heart. That is universal, spacious, sweet, and most intimate. There is your home, all are mutual wellwishers there. That is the gift of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu. Gaura Hari bol.