Goloka

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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padaṁ dūrataraṁ tad vai tat-sukhānubhavas tathā

padaṁ dūrataraṁ tad vai tat-sukhānubhavas tathā |
tat-sādhanam api prārthyam asmākam api durghaṭam ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.61)

“[Śrī Nārada along with Uddhava to Gopa Kumāra:] Indeed that very far off abode [i.e., Goloka], the experience of the bliss there, and even the means of attainment (sādhana) of that, is to be prayed for and [is] difficult to attain even for us.”

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aho kila tad evāhaṁ manye bhagavato hareḥ

aho kila tad evāhaṁ manye bhagavato hareḥ |
sugopya-bhagavattāyāḥ sarva-sāra-prakāśanam ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.88)

“Aho! I certainly consider that [i.e., the figure, qualities, pastimes, and so forth of Śrī Hari in Goloka] alone the manifestation of the essence of the entirety of the most confidential Bhagavattā of Bhagavān Hari!”

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tādṛg bhagavati premā pāramaiśvarya-dṛṣṭitaḥ

tādṛg bhagavati premā pāramaiśvarya-dṛṣṭitaḥ |
sadā sampadyate naiva bhaya-gaurava-sambhavāt ||
kevalaṁ laukika-prāṇa-suhṛd-buddhyā sa sidhyati |
lokālokottaro yo’sāv atilokottaro’pi yaḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.82–83)

“Prema of such nature for Bhagavān certainly cannot be attained by means of constant vision of [his] paramount aiśvarya because of the ensuance of fear and reverence [i.e., because fear, reverence, and other sentiments that obstruct the manifestation of that prema ensue from focus on Śrī Bhagavān’s paramount aiśvarya]. That [i.e., prema which follows the beautiful prema of the residents of Vraja, as described in BB 2.5.81] is attained only by means of the mentality of [Śrī Bhagavān’s being like] the friend of one’s prāṇa as in the world. It [i.e., such prema] is that which is beyond the lokas and non-lokas, and which is beyond even that which is above the lokas [i.e., beyond even Vaikuṇṭha].”

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sa ca tad-vraja-lokānāṁ śrīmat-premānuvartinā

sa ca tad-vraja-lokānāṁ śrīmat-premānuvartinā |
kṛṣṇe śuddhatareṇaiva bhāvenaikena labhyate ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.81)

“And that [i.e., Goloka] is attained only through one-pointed, exceedingly pure bhāva for Kṛṣṇa which follows the beautiful prema of those residents of Vraja.”

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ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis

ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis
tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ |
goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi ||
(Brahma-saṁhitā: 5.37; cited in Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.7.92; Ujjvala-nīlāmaṇi: 3.55; Locana-rocanī-ṭīkā and Ānanda-candrikā-ṭīkā on Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi: 4.3; Bhagavat Sandarbha: 96; Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha: 177, 186, 188; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.4.72, 2.8.161)

“I serve him, Govinda, the Original Person, the existent Self (Ātmā) of all who resides solely in Goloka and solely with they who by their own nature are potencies ever-manifest [alt., ever-imbued, or, ever reciprocally adored] with rasa constituted of consciousness and bliss.”

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śrī-goloke nikhila-paramānanda-pūrāntya-sīma

śrī-goloke nikhila-paramānanda-pūrāntya-sīma-
gambhīrābdhau janani gamanaṁ sādhaya sva-prayāsaiḥ |
yasmiṁs tās tā vividha-ratayas tena nāthena sākaṁ
yātrā-mātrān madhura-madhurāḥ santataṁ saṅghaṭante ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.7.75)

“[Mahārāja Parīkṣit:] O Mother, endeavor by your own efforts to go to Śrī Goloka, the deep ocean of the ultimate reaches of the outpouring of the totality of the highest bliss, just by journeying into which those [indescribable] variegated, sweet, sweet delights together with that Nātha [i.e., Śrīmad Madana Gopāladeva] take place constantly [i.e., endeavor to journey there because only there will all your desires be fulfilled to the greatest extent].”

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tatrāpi gokule tasya mādhurī sarvato’dhikā

tatrāpi gokule tasya mādhurī sarvato’dhikā ||
caturdhā mādhurī tasya vraja eva virājate |
aiśvarya-krīḍayor veṇos tathā śrī-vigrahasya ca ||
tatra aiśvaryasya—
kutrāpy aśruta-pūrveṇa madhuraiśvarya-rāśinā |
sevyamāno haris tatra vihāraṁ kurute vraje ||
krīḍāyāḥ yathā pādme—
caritaṁ kṛṣṇa-devasya sarvam evādbhutaṁ bhavet |
gopāla-līlās tatrāpi sarvato’timanoharā ||
śrī-bṛhad-vāmane—
santi yadyapi me prājyā līlās tās tā manoharāḥ |
na hi jāne smṛte rāse mano me kīdṛśaṁ bhavet ||
veṇoḥ, yathā—
yāvatī nikhile loke nādānām asti mādhurī |
tāvatī vaṁśikā-nāda-paramāṇau nimajjati ||
cara-sthāvarayoḥ sāndra-paramānanda-magnayoḥ ||
bhaved dharma-viparyāso yasmin dhvanati mohane ||
mohanaḥ ko’pi mantro vā padārtho vādbhutaḥ paraḥ |
śruti-peyo’yam ity uktvā yatrāmuhyaś chivādayaḥ ||
cara-sthāvarayoḥ sāndra-paramānanda-magnayoḥ ||
bhaved dharma-viparyāso yasmin dhvanati mohane ||
śrī-vigrahasya, yathā—
asamānordhva-mādhurya-taraṅgāmṛta-vāridhiḥ |
jaṅgama-sthāvarollāsi-rūpo gopendra-nandanaḥ ||
yathā tantre—
kandarpa-koṭy-arbuda-rūpa-śobhā-
nīrājya-pādābja-nakhāñcalasya |
kutrāpy adṛṣṭa-śruta-ramya-kānter
dhyānaṁ paraṁ nanda-sutasya vakṣye ||
(Laghu-Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.520, 526–526, 530–533, 538–539)

“Even therein [i.e., even in regard to the three abodes—Gokula, Mathurā, and Dvārakā], his [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s] sweetness in Gokula is superior to all [i.e., to his sweetness in Mathurā and Dvārakā]. … Only in Vraja [i.e., Gokula] shines the fourfold sweetness of his power, play, flute, and beautiful figure. Regarding [his] power therein: ‘Being served by multitude of sweet powers unheard of before anywhere else, Hari sports there in Vraja.’ Regarding [his] play, as in Padma Purāṇa: ‘All of Kṛṣṇadeva’s activities can certainly be astonishing. Even among them, [however,] his līlās with the gopas and gopīs are the most charming of all [i.e., are more charming than his līlās as a king in Mathurā and Dvārakā].’ In Śrī Bṛhad Vāmana Purāna: ‘[Bhagavān:] Although I have many well-known charming līlās [e.g., the līlā of being tied around the belly by Yaśodā], when I remember the rāsa-līlā, I do not know what becomes of my mind.’ Regarding [his] flute, as follows: ‘All the sweetness of the sounds that exist throughout the entire world become engulfed in an atom of the sound of the flute. A reversal of the nature (dharma) of [all] mobile and stationary beings, who become absorbed in intense, paramount bliss, can occur when the enchanting flute resounds [i.e., mobile beings can become stationary, and stationary beings can become mobile].’ … Regarding [his] beautiful figure, as follows: ‘An ocean of nectar filled with waves of incomparable sweetness, the figure of the Son of the gopa’s king delights [all] mobile and stationary beings.’ As in the Tantra, ‘I will describe the supreme meditation on the Son of Nanda, the tips of the toenails of whose lotus feet are worthy of lustration by the beauty of the figures of crores and crores of Kandarpas [i.e., Kāmadevas], and whose pleasing luster is unseen and unheard of anywhere [else, i.e., including even in Mathurā and Dvārakā].’”

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