Vraja – Anuśīlana.in

kevalaṁ tat-padāmbhoja-sākṣād-īkṣāvaśiṣyate

kevalaṁ tat-padāmbhoja-sākṣād-īkṣāvaśiṣyate |
taj jape’rhati nāsaktiṁ kintu tan-nāma-kīrtane ||
śrīman-madana-gopāla-pādābjopāsanāt param |
nāma-saṅkīrtana-prāyād vāñchātīta-phala-pradāt ||
tal-līlā-sthala-pālīnāṁ śraddhā-sandarśanādaraiḥ |
sampādyamānān nitarāṁ kiñcin nāsty eva sādhanam ||
sañjāta-premakāc cāsmāc catur-varga-viḍambakāt |
tat-pādābja-vaśīkārād anyat sādhyaṁ na kiñcana ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.1.103–106)

“[Gopa Kumāra thinks:] Only direct vision of his [viz., Śrī Madana Gopāladeva’s] lotus feet remains [for this brāhmaṇa to attain]. Thus, he needs attachment not to japa but to kīrtana of his [viz., Śrī Madana Gopāla’s] names. There is certainly no means of accomplishment (sādhana) other than worship of Madana Gopāla’s beautiful lotus feet (1) in which saṅkīrtana of his names is abundant, (2) which is being practiced plentifully with conviction (śraddhā), direct observation (sandarśana), and adoration (ādara) of the places of their [i.e., those lotus feet’s] līlās, and (3) which is [thus] a complete bestower of results beyond [even one’s] desires. There is [also] no object to be accomplished (sādhya) other than this [viz., such worship of Madana Gopāla’s lotus feet], (1) by which prema becomes manifest in full, [since such worship is that] (2) which is a belittler of the catur-varga [viz., dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa], and [that] (3) which is a captivator of his lotus feet.”

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yat tāta tāsām api dhairya-moṣakaṁ

yat tāta tāsām api dhairya-moṣakaṁ
yā vai kula-strī-kula-pūjitāṅghrayaḥ |
rūpeṇa śīlena guṇena karmaṇā
śraiṣṭhyaṁ gatā hanta mahāśriyo’pi yāḥ ||
yad-darśane pakṣma-kṛtaṁ śapanti
vidhiṁ sahasrākṣam api stuvanti |
vañchanti dṛktvaṁ sakalendriyānāṁ
kāṁ kāṁ daśāṁ vā na bhajanti lokāḥ ||
kiṁ varṇyatāṁ vraja-bhuvo mahimā sa tasya
yatraiva tat sa bhagavān vitanoti rūpam |
yat tādṛśa-prakṛtināpy amunā sametā
nānyatrikā dadhati bhāvam ime’pi tadvat ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.109–111)

“O dear one, can that greatness of the land of Vraja be described, [that land of Vraja] alone wherein that Bhagavān [viz., Śrī Kṛṣṇa] manifests that [supremely astonishing] form [of himself] which is a stealer of the composure even of they [viz., the gopīs] whose feet are worshiped by women of noble families and who by virtue of [their] figure, character, qualities, and actions are possessed of superiority even to Mahāśrī [i.e., Mahālakṣmī]; [that form of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa found only in Vraja] by seeing which people curse the Creator, the maker of eyelids, praise even he of a thousand eyes [viz., Indra], desire that all [their] senses become eyes, and attain not what sort of state [i.e., attain all sorts of extraordinary states], since even they who are from elsewhere [e.g., the residents of Vaikuṇṭha and Dvārakā] even [when] together with he of such nature [viz., Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa of Vraja] do not possess bhāva like them [i.e., the people of Vraja]?”

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vrajaḥ sa nandasya guṇaiḥ svakīyair

vrajaḥ sa nandasya guṇaiḥ svakīyair
vilāsa-bhūr āsa mahāvibhūteḥ |
yasyāḥ kaṭākṣena jagad-vibhūtir
vaikuṇṭha-nāthasya gṛheśvarī yā ||
yasyaika-vṛkṣo’pi nijena kenacid
dravyena kāmāṁs tanute’rthino’khilān |
tathāpi tat tan na sadā prakāśayed
aiśvaryam īśaḥ sva-vihāra-vighnataḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.104–105)

“By virtue of its own qualities, that abode of Nanda—even one tree of which can produce with any aspect of itself all the desired objects of any seeker, and by the sidelong glance of which the magnificence of the world exists—has become the play-land of she of great magnificence [viz., Mahālakṣmī], the Mistress of the household of the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha. Still, Īśa [viz., Śrī Kṛsṇa] shall not always manifest that particular splendor (aiśvarya) on account of obstruction to his own sporting [i.e., if he were to do so, and thus he doesn’t manifest it always but rather only when doing so is suitable].”

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mādhvīka-jaitra-madhura-svaram akṣarāṇām

mādhvīka-jaitra-madhura-svaram akṣarāṇām
uccāraṇād vijita-veda-vid-ādi-garvam |
kṛṣṇārtha-tṛṣṇa-rasa-bhāva-kulākalaṅkā-
laṅkāram īritam api sphuṭam atra gānam ||
(Gopāla-campū: 2.37.38)

“That the sweet sound of which
Is victorious over spirituous liquor,
That by [just] pronunciation of the phonemes of which
The pride of those conversant in the Vedas and others
Is thoroughly defeated,
That the flawless ornaments within which
Are the rasas and bhāvas arising from thirst for the sake of Kṛṣṇa—
Certainly even [such] speech here [i.e., in Goloka]
Is [fit to be considered] singing
[And thus how marvelous is the actual singing here?].”

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atra vidhi-mārgeṇa rādhā-kṛṣṇayor bhajane

atra vidhi-mārgeṇa rādhā-kṛṣṇayor bhajane mahāvaikuṇṭhastha-goloke khalv avivikta-svakīyā-parakīyā-bhāvam aiśvarya-jñānaṁ prāpnoti | madhura-bhāva-lobhitve sati vidhi-mārgeṇa bhajane dvārakāyāṁ śrī-rādhā-satyabhāmayor aikyāt satyabhāmā-parikaratvena svakīyā-bhāvam aiśvarya-jñāna-miśra-mādhurya-jñānaṁ prāpnoti | raga-mārgeṇa bhajane vraja-bhūmau śrī-rādhā-parikaratvena parakīyā-bhāvaṁ śuddha-mādhurya-jñānaṁ prāpnoti |
(Rāga-vartma-candrikā: 2.6)

“In this regard, from worship of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa by means of the path of injunction (vidhi) one attains in the Goloka situated in Mahāvaikuṇṭha awareness of [Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s] Godhood (Aiśvarya-jñāna) and a bhāva that is indiscriminate between svakīyā and parakīyā [i.e., a bhāva that possesses no specificity as to whether Kṛṣṇa’s beloveds are ‘his own’ (svakīyā), meaning, his wives, or ‘another’s’ (parakīyā), meaning, the wives of others]. When one [i.e., a sādhaka] is desirous of madhura-bhāva, from worship by means of the path of injunction (vidhi) one attains awareness of [Kṛṣṇa’s] sweetness (mādhurya) mixed with awareness of [his] Godhood (Aiśvarya-jñāna) and svakīyā-bhāva [i.e., the perception that Kṛṣṇa’s beloveds are his own wives] by virtue of [one’s then] being a companion of Satyabhāmā on account of the oneness between Śrī Rādhā and Satyabhāmā in Dvārakā. From worship by means of the path of attachment (rāga) one attains pure awareness of [Kṛṣṇa’s] sweetness (mādhurya) [i.e., awareness that is free from awareness of his Godhood (Aiśvarya)] and parakīyā-bhāva [i.e., the perception that Kṛṣṇa’s beloveds are ‘another’s’] by virtue of [one’s then] being a companion of Śrī Rādhā in the land of Vraja.”

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rāga-bhakti vidhi-bhakti haya dui-rūpa

rāga-bhakti vidhi-bhakti haya dui-rūpa |
svayaṁ-bhagavattve bhagavattve prakāśa dvi-rūpa ||
rāga-bhaktye vraje svayaṁ-bhagavāne pāya |
vidhi-bhaktye pārṣada-dehe vaikuṇṭhete yāya ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.24.84–85, 87)

“There are two forms [of bhakti]: rāga-bhakti and vidhi-bhakti. There are two forms of manifestation [of Brahman in response to these two forms of bhakti]: as Svayam Bhagavān [i.e., as Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Gokula] and as Bhagavān [i.e., as the various forms of Bhagavān found elsewhere]. By rāga-bhakti, one attains Svayaṁ Bhagavān in Vraja. By vidhi-bhakti, one reaches Vaikuṇṭha in the body of a companion (pārṣada) [of Bhagavān].”

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gavāṁ keva kathā kṛṣṇa te te’pi bhavataḥ priyāḥ

gavāṁ keva kathā kṛṣṇa te te’pi bhavataḥ priyāḥ |
mṛgā vihaṅgā bhāṇḍīra-kadambādyāś ca pādapāḥ ||
latāni kuñja-puñjāni śādvalāny api jīvanam |
bhavaty evārpayāmāsuḥ kṣīṇāś ca sarito’drayaḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.6.116–117)

“[Baladeva to Kṛṣṇa in Dvārakā:] Why talk like this [only] of the cows, O Kṛṣṇa? The animals, birds, and trees like the bhāṇḍīras and kadambas—they all too are dear to you. The creepers, multitudes of bowers, and greenswards have all offered their lives to you alone. The rivers and hills too are emaciated [in your absence].”

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kṣaṇa-mātraṁ ca tatratyair adṛṣṭe’smin na jīvyate

kṣaṇa-mātraṁ ca tatratyair adṛṣṭe’smin na jīvyate ||
vṛkṣādibhis tv antarite kadācid
asmin sati syāt sahacāriṇāṁ bhṛśam |
śrī-kṛṣṇa-kṛṣṇeti mahāpluta-svarair
āhvāna-bhaṅgyākulatā sa-rodanā ||
vraja-sthitānāṁ tv ahar eva kāla-
rātrir bhaved eka-lavo yugaṁ ca |
raviṁ rajo-vartma ca paśyatāṁ muhur
daśā ca kācin muralīṁ ca śṛṇvatām ||
ayaṁ hi tat-tad-vipineṣu kautukād
vihartu-kāmaḥ paśu-saṅgha-saṅgataḥ |
vayasyavagaiḥ saha sarvato’ṭituṁ
prayāti nityaṁ svayam agrajānvitaḥ ||
yatrātimattāmbu-vihaṅga-mālā-
kulīkṛtāly-āvalī-vibhrameṇa |
vicālitānāṁ kamalotpalānāṁ
sarāṁsi gandhair vilasaj-jalāni ||
tathā mahāścarya-vicitratāmayī
kalindajā sā vraja-bhūmi-saṅginī |
tathā-vidhā vindhya-nagādi-sambhavāḥ
parāś ca nadyo vilasanti yatra ca ||
tat-tat-taṭaṁ komala-bālukācitaṁ
ramyaṁ sadā nūtana-śādvalāvṛtam |
svābhāvika-dveṣa-visarjanollasan-
manojña-nānā-mṛga-pakṣi-saṅkulam ||
divya-puṣpa-phala-pallavāvalī-
bhāra-namrita-latā-taru-gulmaiḥ |
bhūṣitaṁ mada-kalāpi-kokila-
śreṇi-nāditam aja-stuti-pātram ||
vṛndāraṇye vraja-bhuvi gavāṁ tatra govardhane vā
nāste hiṁsā-haraṇa-rahite rakṣakasyāpy apekṣā |
gāvo gatvoṣasi vipinatas tā mahiṣy-ādi-yuktāḥ
svairaṁ bhuktvā sa-jala-yavasaṁ sāyam āyānti vāsam ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.6.103–111)

“[Rohiṇī to Padmāvatī:] When he [viz., Kṛṣṇa] is unseen by those situated there [i.e., the people in Vraja] for even just a moment, they cannot live. O virtuous lady, whenever he is concealed [from their vision] by trees or anything else, tearful heartache will immediately arise in his companions along with a gesture of calling out [to him] in highly drawn-out tones, ‘O Śrī Kṛṣṇa! O Kṛṣṇa!’ Indeed for those situated in Vraja [i.e., those such as Śrī Rādhikā who remain back in the village while Śrī Kṛṣṇa is out for the day with his companions in the forest herding the cows], just the day can become [like] a night of destruction [i.e., it can feel as long as the night of universal dissolution] and one instant [can feel like] an epoch (yuga). Some [indescribable] state [of near madness arising from profound prema] comes about for those [residents of Vraja who can be observed daily to be] constantly watching the sun [in the afternoon since it indicates how close it is to the early evening when Kṛṣṇa will return to the village], the dust [which rises when Kṛṣṇa and the cows are approaching the village], and the path [by which Kṛṣna will re-enter the village] and listening for the flute [which Kṛṣṇa plays as he re-enters to the village]. Out of eagerness, he [viz., Śrī Kṛṣṇa] of his own accord goes out daily surrounded by his herds of animals and accompanied by his elder brother to roam all about with his companions, being desirous of sporting in those [completely ineffable] forests [of Vṛndāvana and so on] (1) in which there are lakes of sparking water [filled] with the fragrances of lotuses and lilies swaying [back and forth] because of the frolicking of swarms of bees frenzied by flocks of highly excited water birds, (2) in which the land of Vraja’s companion, she [of immense ineffable beauty] the daughter of [Mount] Kalinda [viz., the River Yamunā], replete with greatly astonishing variegatedness, and other similar rivers like those coming from the Vindhya Mountains [i.e., the Carmaṇvatī (Chambal)] and elsewhere, shine [alt., play], and (3) [in which] there are those [completely ineffable] delightful banks [of those river and lakes] that are (a) loaded with soft sand, (b) always topped with fresh grass, (c) filled with various charming birds and animals sporting [together] having given up their natural enmity [towards one another], (d) decorated by creepers, trees, and shrubs bowed by the weight of the rows of their splendid flowers, fruits, and sprouts, (e) made resonant by flocks of maddened peacocks and cuckoos, and (f) recipient of the unborn one’s [viz., Brahmā’s] praise [as expressed in SB 10.14.34 and elsewhere]. There is no need even for protection of the cows there in the forest of Vṛndā, in the land of Vraja [i.e., in the village of Nandīśvara and so on], or in Govardhana [since all of these places are] free from violence and theft. Those [ineffably exalted] cows, accompanied by the buffaloes and so on [i.e., goats and other animals], go out in the morning, partake of grass along with water, and at will return from the forest to the village in the evening [and thus it is not that Kṛṣṇa has to herd them, that the people of Vraja require and force Kṛṣṇa to do so, or that he suffers while doing so, but rather that Kṛṣṇa goes out each to day to herd them of his own free will out of his own desire to sport with them and his beloved companions in the midst of the forests, mountains, rivers, and lakes of the land of Vraja and by doing so he rejoices immensely].”

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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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kadācid darśanaṁ vā syād vaikuṇṭhādi-nivāsinām

kadācid darśanaṁ vā syād vaikuṇṭhādi-nivāsinām |
śrī-kṛṣṇa-viraheṇārtān iva paśyāmi tān api ||
kadāpi teṣu vraja-vāsi-loka-
sādṛśya-bhāvānavalokanān me |
jātānutāpena bhavet tato’pi
prema-prakāśāt paramaṁ sukhaṁ tat ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.6.378–379)

“Sometimes sight of the residents of Vaikuṇṭha and elsewhere [e.g., Ayodhyā] can occur. [When it does,] I see even them to be as though distressed by separation from Śrī Kṛṣṇa. As a result of a manifestation of prema [within me] because of the sorrow produced by sometimes not seeing the bhāva similar to the people residing in Vraja in them [i.e., in the residents of Vaikuṇṭha and elsewhere], I feel that paramount joy [which is experienced in the company of Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Goloka and Bhauma Vraja] to be [present] even there [i.e., in those residents of Vaikuṇṭha and elsewhere].”

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