Goloka – Anuśīlana.in

sthānaṁ gopī-gaṇa-kuca-taṭī-kuṅkuma-śrī-bharārdra

sthānaṁ gopī-gaṇa-kuca-taṭī-kuṅkuma-śrī-bharārdra-
śrīmat-padāmbuja-yuga-sadā-prīti-saṅga-prādāyi |
jijñāsos te janani kathito’śeṣa-sandeha-ghāṭī
goloko’yaṁ madhura-gahana-praśna-bhāvānusārāt ||
vaikuṇṭhasyāpy upari nitarāṁ rājate yo nitānta-
śrīmad-gopī-ramaṇa-caraṇa-prema-pūraika-labhyaḥ |
vāñchā-vāñchopari-guru-phala-prāpti-bhūmir yadīyā
lokā dhyātā dadhati paramāṁ prema-sampatti-niṣṭhām ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.7.77–78)

“O Mother,
In accord with the sweet and deep mood (bhāva)
Of the inquiry of you who are desirous to know
The place which is a bestower
Of eternal loving connection
With the two blessed lotus feet [of Śrī Kṛṣṇa]
Moistened by a beautiful mass of kumkum
From the slopes of the gopīs’ breasts,
And which is a destroyer of all doubts,
This [place, known as] Goloka—
Which shines profoundly beyond even Vaikuṇṭha,
Which is attainable
Only by means of an extraordinary abundance of prema
For the feet of blessed gopīs’ Beloved,
Which is the land of the attainment
Of the great aim
Of our desires and [that is] beyond our desires,
And the people belonging to which,
As they are meditated upon,
Grant paramount fixity in the wealth of prema—
Has been described [by me to you].”

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aho golokīyair nikhila-bhuvana-vāsi-mahitaiḥ

aho golokīyair nikhila-bhuvana-vāsi-mahitaiḥ
sadā tais tair lokaiḥ samanubhavanīyasya mahataḥ |
padārthasyākhyātuṁ kati vivaraṇāni prabhur ahaṁ
tad āstaṁ tal-lokākhila-parikarebhyo mama namaḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.6.380)

“Aho!
How many descriptions can I articulate
Of that paramount object
Eternally experienceable in full
By those people of Goloka
[Who are] Honored by the residents of all the worlds?
Thus,
Let my obeisance be [offered]
Unto all the companions [of Śrī Kṛṣṇa] in that plane [of Goloka].”

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evaṁ tatra ciraṁ tiṣṭhan martya-loka-sthitaṁ tv idam

evaṁ tatra ciraṁ tiṣṭhan martya-loka-sthitaṁ tv idam |
māthura-maṇḍalaṁ śrīmad apaśyaṁ khalu tādṛśam ||
tat-tac-chrī-gopa-gopībhis tābhir gobhiś ca tādṛśaiḥ |
paśu-pakṣi-kṛmi-kṣmābhṛt-sarit-tarv-ādibhir vṛtam ||
tathaivāvirataṁ śrīmat-kṛṣṇacandreṇa tena hi |
vistāryamāṇayā tādṛk-krīḍā-śreṇyāpi maṇḍitam ||
tat kadācid itas tatra kadāpi vidadhe sthitim |
bhedaṁ nopalabhe kañcit padayor adhunaitayoḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.6.371–374)

“In this way, after staying there [i.e., in Goloka] for a long time, I perceived this blessed district of Mathurā situated in the mortal world to indeed be such [i.e., to be just like Goloka], to be filled with those very blessed gopas and gopīs, those very cows, and similar animals, birds, insects, mountains, rivers, trees, and so forth, and to verily be likewise also adorned with series of similar sports being expanded never-endingly by him—blessed Kṛṣṇacandra. Thus, I dwell sometimes here [i.e., in Bhauma Vraja] and sometimes there [i.e., in Goloka]. Now I do not perceive a distinction between these two places at all.”

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teṣāṁ tu śokārti-bharaṁ kadāpi taṁ

teṣāṁ tu śokārti-bharaṁ kadāpi taṁ
paraiḥ prakārair anivartyam āptataḥ |
janāt sa vikhyāpya janeṣu sarvato
vrajaṁ priya-prema-vaśo’cirād gataḥ ||
vidagdha-mūrdhanya-maṇiḥ kṛpākulo
vraja-sthitānāṁ sa dadat sapady asūn |
tathā samaṁ tair vijahāra te yathā
visasmarur duḥkham adaḥ samūlakam ||
yadi ca ko’pi kadācid anusmared
vadati tarhi mayā śvapatā bata |
kim api duṣṭam ananvayam īkṣitaṁ
saruditaṁ ca bhayād bahu śocati ||
cireṇa gopāla-vihāra-mādhurī-
bharaiḥ samākṛṣṭa-vimohitendriyāḥ |
na sasmaruḥ kiñcid atītam eṣyad apy
amī vidur na vraja-vāsino janāḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.6.348–351)

“Making known among the people [i.e., the Yadus and others] everywhere through a credible person [such as Uddhava] that that [i.e., the ineffable] profusion of their [i.e., the people of Vraja‘s] sorrow and distress was inexorable by other means [i.e., by any means other than his returning to Vraja], he [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa] without delay went to Vraja, being captivated by the prema of his dear ones [there]. He, the crest-jewel of the artful, overcome with compassion, immediately gave vital airs to the residents of Vraja [who had been as though without them in his absence]. He enjoyed with them such that they forgot that [i.e., the suffering of separation from him] along with its root [i.e., Akrūra’s coming to Vraja, his going to Mathurā, and so on]. And if ever anyone would remember [that separation from him or its suffering], then [in confusion or distress] one would say, ‘Bata! What sort of inauspicious inanity has been seen by me as I was dreaming [since Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s ever leaving Vraja is utterly impossible]!’ and grieve profusely with lamentation out of fear [thus demonstrating the manifest presence of the Vraja-vāsīs’ special, paramount prema verily in every respect]. These people residing in Vraja soon did not remember anything of the past [i.e., they soon lost all awareness of Kṛṣṇa’s ever having left Vraja] and did not think of the future [i.e., they never thought that he would leave again], their senses being fully attracted and engrossed by the profusion of sweetness of Gopāla’s play [there in Vraja with them].”

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tathaiva kāliya-damaḥ punaḥ punas

tathaiva kāliya-damaḥ punaḥ punas
tathaiva govardhana-dharaṇaṁ muhuḥ |
parāpi līlā vividhādbhutāsakṛt
pravartate bhakta-manoharā prabhoḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.6.356)

“So indeed the subduing of Kāliya occurs again and again. So indeed the lifting of Govardhana occurs repeatedly. Various other astonishing līlās of Prabhu captivating of the minds of bhaktas too take place repeatedly.”

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āraṇya-veśo vicalat-kadamba

āraṇya-veśo vicalat-kadamba-
mālāvataṁsāmbara-bārha-mauliḥ |
saurabhya-saṁvāsita-dik-taṭānto
līlā-smita-śrī-vikasan-mukhābjaḥ ||
kṛpāvalokollasad-īkṣaṇāmbujo
vicitra-saundarya-bharaika-bhūṣaṇaḥ |
go-dhūlikālaṅkṛta-cañcalālaka-
śreṇy-āvṛti-vyagra-karāmbujāṅguliḥ ||
dharā-tala-śrī-bhara-dāna-hetunā
bhūmi-spṛśor nṛtya-vilāsa-gāminoḥ |
sujātayoḥ śrī-pada-padmayor javad-
uccālanollāsa-bharair manoharaḥ ||
kaiśora-mādhurya-bharollasac-chrī-
gātrābhra-kānty-ujjvalitākhilāśaḥ |
tatratya-nitya-priya-loka-citta-
grāhyādbhutāneka-mahattva-sindhuḥ ||
sva-dīna-loka-priyatā-niyantrito
balād athotplutya samīpam āgataḥ |
tad-īkṣaṇa-prema-vimohitaṁ hi māṁ
gale gṛhitvā sahasāpatad bhuvi ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.6.56–60)

“With forest garb,
Kadamba garland, earrings, and peacock feather crest swaying,
The extremes of the directions
Fully scented with his fragrance,
Lotus face blossoming
With the splendor of a mild, playful smile,
Lotus eyes beaming with a glance of grace,
An abundance of variegated beauty
As his preeminent ornament,
The fingers of his lotus hand eagerly engaged
In retaining his locks
That had become decorated
With the dust raised by the cows,
Captivating the heart
With abundances of elation—
The high steps of his superb, blessed lotus feet
Moving with the joviality of dance
And touching the earth
For the sake of granting an abundance of blessedness
Upon the earth’s surface—
All directions illuminated
By the cloud-like luster of his blessed figure
Shining with an abundance of the sweetness of adolescence,
An ocean of numerous, astonishing greatnesses
Constantly perceptible to the minds
Of his dear ones present there [i.e., in Goloka],
And controlled by his fondness [i.e., prema]
For this humble person of his own [i.e., me (Gopa Kumāra)],
He then,
Forcibly jumping,
Came near me—
I who was overwhelmed with prema
Just by the sight of him—
Grabbed hold of my neck,
And suddenly [i.e., unintentionally] fell to the ground.”

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tatraiva sādhanaṁ satyaṁ sādhu sampadyate’cirāt

tatraiva sādhanaṁ satyaṁ sādhu sampadyate’cirāt |
vaikuṇṭhopari vibhrājac chrīmad-goloka-yāpakam ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.253)

“[Śrī Nārada to Gopa Kumāra:] Truly, there alone [i.e., only in the land of Vraja within the district of Mathurā], the sādhana that is a cause of attainment of blessed Goloka above Vaikuṇṭha is aptly accomplished without delay.”

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vyavahāro’sya teṣāṁ ca so’nyonyaṁ prema-vardhanaḥ

vyavahāro’sya teṣāṁ ca so’nyonyaṁ prema-vardhanaḥ |
vaikuṇṭhe paramaiśvarya-pade na kila sambhavet ||
tādṛśī sāpy ayodhyeyaṁ dvārakāpi tato’dhikā |
ataḥ sa lokaḥ kṛṣṇena dūrataḥ parikalpitaḥ ||
sukha-krīḍā-viśeṣo’sau tatratyānāṁ ca tasya ca |
mādhuryāntyāvadhiṁ prāptaḥ sidhyet tatrocitāspade ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.85–87)

“That dealing of he and of them [i.e., that dealing resembling that of worldly kinsmen (laukika-bandhu) between Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa and his bhaktas in Goloka which was discussed in BB 2.5.81–83] which is increasing of the prema of one another [i.e., of the prema of them both for one another mutually] is certainly not possible in Vaikuṇṭha, the domain of paramount aiśvarya. Even that [domain experienced by you known as] Ayodhyā, and even Dvārakā beyond that [because of its exceedingly paramount aiśvarya], is similar [i.e., is similar to Vaikuṇṭha in that paramount aiśvarya is greatly prominent in those two domains and thus they are not suitable places for such dealings which resemble that of worldly kinsmen and which increase the prema of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and his bhaktas for one another superlatively]. Therefore, that plane (loka) [viz., Goloka] has been established far away [from Vaikuṇṭha, Ayodhyā, and Dvārakā] by Kṛṣṇa. That special form of bliss and play of he and of they there [i.e., of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and his associates there in Goloka], possessed of the ultimate limit of mādhurya, can be accomplished [only] in that appropriate abode [viz., Goloka, i.e., only in that abode most appropriate for the flourishing of the prema of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and his associates for one another].”

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ete na vaikuṇṭha-nivāsi-pārṣadā

ete na vaikuṇṭha-nivāsi-pārṣadā
no vānarās te na ca yādavā api |
goloka-lokā bhavad-eka-jīvanā
naśyanty aśakyā bhagavan mayāvitum ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.7.238)

“[Śrī Baladeva appeals to Śrī Kṛṣṇa as he remains bound within the coils of the serpent Kālīya:] These are neither associates residing in Vaikuṇṭha, nor the forest monkeys, nor even the Yādavas. The people of Goloka, they whose life is you alone, are dying, and are unable to be saved by me, O Bhagavān!”

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sā go-pradhāna-deśatvāt sarvā śrī-mathurocyate

sā go-pradhāna-deśatvāt sarvā śrī-mathurocyate |
goloka iti gūḍho’pi vikhyātaḥ sa hi sarvataḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.80)

“[Śrī Nārada along with Uddhava to Gopa Kumāra:] Śrī Mathurā—that [region] in entirety [i.e., including the whole of the land of Vraja]—is called Goloka because of [its] being a region wherein cows (go) are pre-eminent. Although confidential, it is certainly renowned everywhere.”

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