However, Lord Caitanya's greatest gift was His teaching that Kṛṣṇa can be treated as one's lover. In this relationship the Lord becomes so much attached to His devotee that He expresses His inability to reciprocate. Kṛṣṇa was so obliged to the gopīs, the cowherd girls of Vṛndāvana, that He felt unable to return their love. "I cannot repay your love," He told them. "I have no more assets to give." Devotional service on this highest, most excellent platform of lover and beloved, which had never been given by any previous incarnation or ācārya, was given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja, quoting Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, writes in the fourth verse of his book, "Lord Caitanya is Kṛṣṇa in a yellow complexion, and He is Śacīnandana, the son of mother Śacī. He is the most charitable personality because He came to deliver kṛṣṇa-prema, unalloyed love for Kṛṣṇa, to everyone. May you always keep Him in your hearts. It will be easy to understand Kṛṣṇa through Him."
Beloved (CC)
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Preface and Introduction
When Kṛṣṇa played upon his flute, all the gopīs, or cowherd girls, were attracted by the sound and left their household duties, and when they came to Him, He danced with them. These activities are all described in the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. These gopīs were childhood friends of Kṛṣṇa, and many were married, for in India the girls are generally married by the age of twelve. The boys, however, are not married before eighteen, so Kṛṣṇa, who was fifteen or sixteen at the time, was not married. Nonetheless, He called these girls from their homes and invited them to dance with Him. That dance is called the rāsa-līlā dance, and it is the most elevated of all the Vṛndāvana pastimes. Kṛṣṇa is therefore called Gopīnātha because He is the beloved master of the gopīs.
CC Adi-lila
The descent of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Personality of Godhead, is very purposeful. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that one who knows the truth about Śrī Kṛṣṇa's descent and His various activities is at once liberated and does not have to fall again to this existence of birth and death after he leaves his present material body. In other words, one who factually understands Kṛṣṇa makes his life perfect. Imperfect life is realized in material existence, in five different relationships we share with everyone within the material world: neutrality, servitorship, friendship, filial love and amorous love between husband and wife or lover and beloved. These five enjoyable relationships within the material world are perverted reflections of relationships with the Absolute Personality of Godhead in the transcendental nature.
“If one cherishes pure loving devotion to Me, thinking of Me as his son, his friend or his beloved, regarding himself as great and considering Me his equal or inferior, I become subordinate to him.
“If My beloved consort reproaches Me in a sulky mood, that steals My mind from the reverent hymns of the Vedas.
The informal language used between lover and beloved is indicative of pure affection. When devotees worship their beloved as the most venerable object, spontaneous loving sentiments are observed to be lacking. A neophyte devotee who follows the Vedic instructions that regulate those who lack pure love of Godhead may superficially seem more exalted than a devotee in spontaneous love of Godhead. But in fact such spontaneous pure love is far superior to regulated devotional service. Such pure love of Godhead is always glorious in all respects, more so than reverential devotional service rendered by a less affectionate devotee.
The spontaneous attraction of Śrī Kṛṣṇa for His dearest parts and parcels generates an enthusiasm that obliges Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs to meet together. To celebrate this transcendental enthusiasm, there is need of a sentiment of separation between the lover and beloved. In the condition of material tribulation, no one wants the pangs of separation. But in the transcendental form, the very same separation, being absolute in its nature, strengthens the ties of love and enhances the desire of the lover and beloved to meet. The period of separation, evaluated transcendentally, is more relishable than the actual meeting, which lacks the feelings of increasing anticipation because the lover and beloved are both present.
As long as one is in material, conditioned life, strict discipline is required in the matter of moral and immoral activities. The absolute world is transcendental and free from such distinctions because there inebriety is not possible. But in this material world a sexual appetite necessitates distinction between moral and immoral conduct. There are no sexual activities in the spiritual world. The transactions between lover and beloved in the spiritual world are pure transcendental love and unadulterated bliss.
The beloved consorts of Lord Kṛṣṇa are of three kinds: the goddesses of fortune, the queens, and the milkmaids of Vraja, who are the foremost of all. These consorts all proceed from Rādhikā.
"O my beloved friend Vṛndā, where are you coming from?"
"I am coming from the feet of Śrī Hari."
"Where is He?"
"In the forest on the bank of Rādhā-kuṇḍa."
"What is He doing there?"
"He is learning dancing."
"Who is His master?"
"Your image, Rādhā, revealing itself in every tree and creeper in every direction, is roaming like a skillful dancer, making Him dance behind."
Viṣaya and āśraya are two very significant words relating to the reciprocation between Kṛṣṇa and His devotee. The devotee is called the āśraya, and his beloved, Kṛṣṇa, is the viṣaya. Different ingredients are involved in the exchange of love between the āśraya and viṣaya, which are known as vibhāva, anubhāva, sāttvika and vyabhicārī. Vibhāva is divided into the two categories ālambana and uddīpana. Ālambana may be further divided into āśraya and viṣaya. In the loving affairs of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, Rādhārāṇī is the āśraya feature and Kṛṣṇa the viṣaya. The transcendental consciousness of the Lord tells Him, "I am Kṛṣṇa, and I experience pleasure as the viṣaya. The pleasure enjoyed by Rādhārāṇī, the āśraya, is many times greater than the pleasure I feel." Therefore, to feel the pleasure of the āśraya category, Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
"The gopīs saw their beloved Kṛṣṇa at Kurukṣetra after a long separation. They secured and embraced Him in their hearts through their eyes, and they attained a joy so intense that not even perfect yogīs can attain it. The gopīs cursed the creator for creating eyelids that interfered with their vision."
"O dearly beloved! Your lotus feet are so soft that we place them gently on our breasts, fearing that Your feet will be hurt. Our life rests only in You. Our minds, therefore, are filled with anxiety that Your tender feet might be wounded by pebbles as You roam about on the forest path."
"O My beloved gopīs, you have renounced social customs, scriptural injunctions and your relatives for My sake. I disappeared behind you only to increase your concentration upon Me. Since I disappeared for your benefit, you should not be displeased with Me."
For this contradiction I see only one solution: the joy of the gopīs lies in the joy of their beloved Kṛṣṇa.
As mentioned above, the gopīs are the predominated lovers, and Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the predominator, the beloved. The love of the predominated nourishes the love of the predominator. The gopīs had no desire for selfish enjoyment. Their feeling of happiness was indirect, for it was dependent on the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa. Causeless love of Godhead is always so. Such pure love is possible only when the predominated is made happy by the happiness of the predominator. Such unadulterated love is exemplified when the lover deprecates her happiness in service that hinders her from discharging it.
The gopīs know Kṛṣṇa's desires, and they know how to render perfect loving service for His enjoyment. They perform their service expertly for the satisfaction of their beloved.
"Just as Rādhā is dear to Lord Kṛsṇa, so Her bathing place (Rādhā-kuṇḍa) is dear to Him. She alone is His most beloved of all the gopīs."
Rādhā is the beloved consort of Kṛṣṇa, and She is the wealth of His life. Without Her, the gopīs cannot give Him pleasure.
“The sage Bharata has said that the mellows of lover and beloved are equal. But he does not know the mellows of My Vṛndāvana.
The most beloved goddess of fortune resides on the chest of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, yet she too, earnestly praying, begs for the joy of service at His feet.
Even the beloved girlfriends of Lord Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, the gopīs, the dust of whose feet was desired by Śrī Uddhava and who are more dear to Kṛṣṇa than anyone else, regard themselves as Kṛṣṇa's maidservants.
"O My Lord, O My husband, O most dearly beloved! O mighty-armed Lord! Where are You? Where are You? O My friend, reveal Yourself to Your maidservant, who is very much aggrieved by Your absence."
Ananta Ācārya was a reservoir of all good qualities. No one can estimate how great he was. Paṇḍita Haridāsa was his beloved disciple.
Īśvara Purī appeared in a brāhmaṇa family and was the most beloved disciple of Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī. In the last portion of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Antya 8.28–31), it is stated:
- īśvara-purī gosāñi kare śrī-pada sevana
- sva-haste karena mala-mūtrādi mārjana
- nirantara kṛṣṇa-nāma karāya smaraṇa
- kṛṣṇa-nāma kṛṣṇa-līlā śunāya anukṣaṇa
- tuṣṭa hañā purī tāṅre kaila āliṅgana
- vara dilā kṛṣṇe tomāra ha-uka prema-dhana
- sei haite īśvara-purī premera sāgara
"At the last stage of his life Śrī Mādhavendra Purī became an invalid and was completely unable to move, and Īśvara Purī so completely engaged himself in his service that he personally cleaned up his stool and urine. Always chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and reminding Śrī Mādhavendra Purī about the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa in the last stage of his life, Īśvara Purī gave the best service among his disciples. Thus Mādhavendra Purī, being very pleased with him, blessed him, saying, "My dear boy, I can only pray to Kṛṣṇa that He will be pleased with you." Thus Īśvara Purī, by the grace of his spiritual master, Śrī Mādhavendra Purī, became a great devotee in the ocean of love of Godhead." Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī states in his Gurv-aṣṭaka prayer, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ’pi: ** "By the mercy of the spiritual master one is blessed by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Without the grace of the spiritual master one cannot make any advancement." It is by the mercy of the spiritual master that one becomes perfect, as vividly exemplified here.
Śrīnātha Paṇḍita, the forty-ninth branch, was the beloved recipient of all the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Everyone in the three worlds was astonished to see how he worshiped Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes in his Anubhāṣya, “In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (203) it is said, "Bhāgavata Ācārya compiled a book entitled Kṛṣṇa-prema-taraṅgiṇī, and he was the most beloved devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu." When Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited Varāhanagara, now a suburb of Calcutta, He stayed in the house of a most fortunate brāhmaṇa who was a very learned scholar in Bhāgavata literature. As soon as this brāhmaṇa saw Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he began to read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. When Mahāprabhu heard his explanation, which expounded bhakti-yoga, He immediately became unconscious in ecstasy. Lord Caitanya later said, ‘I have never heard such a nice explanation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. I therefore designate you Bhāgavata Ācārya. Your only duty is to recite Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes in his Anubhāṣya, “Sadāśiva Kavirāja and Nāgara Puruṣottama, who were father and son, are described in the Caitanya-bhāgavata as mahā-bhāgyavān, greatly fortunate. They belonged to the vaidya caste of physicians. Text 156 of the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā says that Candrāvalī, a most beloved gopī of Kṛṣṇa's, later took birth as Sadāśiva Kavirāja. In texts 194 and 200 it is said that Kaṁsāri Sena, the father of Sadāśiva Kavirāja, was formerly the gopī named Ratnāvalī in Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. All the family members of Sadāśiva Kavirāja were great devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Puruṣottama dāsa Ṭhākura sometimes lived at Sukhasāgara, near the Cākadaha and Śimurāli railway stations.
In this way mother Śacīdevī and Jagannātha Miśra, having obtained a son who was the husband of the goddess of fortune, had all their desires fulfilled. Their house was always filled with riches and grains. As they saw the beloved body of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, day after day their pleasure increased.
In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.8.45) it is said, "Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is worshiped with exalted hymns by all the Vedas and Upaniṣads and by great personalities through sāṅkhya-yoga in the mode of goodness, was considered by mother Yaśodā and Nanda to be their own little son." Similarly, Jagannātha Miśra also considered Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu his beloved little boy, although He is worshiped with all veneration by learned brāhmaṇas and saintly persons.
Murāri Gupta could not be called even a brahma-bandhu because he was born of a vaidya family and according to the social structure was therefore considered a śūdra. But Kṛṣṇa bestowed special mercy upon Murāri Gupta because he was a beloved devotee of the Lord, as stated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The purport of Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura's elaborate discussion of this subject is that no qualification in this material world can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, yet everything becomes successful simply through development of devotional service to the Lord.
CC Madhya-lila
Devotional service in conjugal love is described briefly in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, but it is very elaborately discussed in the Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi. This book describes different types of lovers, their assistants, and those who are very dear to Kṛṣṇa. There is also a description of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and other female lovers, as well as various group leaders. Messengers and the constant associates, as well as others who are very dear to Kṛṣṇa, are all described. The book also relates how love of Kṛṣṇa is awakened and describes the ecstatic situation, the devotional situation, permanent ecstasy, disturbed ecstasy, steady ecstasy, different positions of different dresses, feelings of separation, prior attraction, anger in attraction, varieties of loving affairs, separation from the beloved, meeting with the beloved, and both direct and indirect enjoyment between the lover and the beloved. All this has been very elaborately described.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is specifically mentioned here as being gaura, or of fair complexion. Kṛṣṇa is generally known to be blackish, but when He is absorbed in the thought of the gopīs, who are all of fair complexion, Kṛṣṇa Himself also becomes fair. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in particular felt separation from Kṛṣṇa very deeply, exactly like a lover who is dejected in separation from the beloved. Such feelings, which were expressed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for nearly twelve years at the end of His pastimes, are described in brief in this Second Chapter of Madhya-līlā.
""O My Lord! O dearest one! O only friend of the universe! O Kṛṣṇa, O restless one, O only ocean of mercy! O My Lord, O My enjoyer, O beloved to My eyes! Alas, when will You again be visible to Me?""
"O My Lord! O most merciful master! O master of Mathurā! When shall I see You again? Because of My not seeing You, My agitated heart has become unsteady. O most beloved one, what shall I do now?"
In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, jāḍya is explained as loss of memory brought about by severe shock due to separation from the beloved. In that state of mind, one loses all concern for loss and gain, hearing and seeing, as well as all other considerations. This marks the preliminary appearance of illusion.
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura quotes Rūpa Gosvāmī as follows: "The loving propensity of the āśraya (devotee) toward the viṣaya (Lord) becomes so ecstatic that even after enjoying the company of the beloved, the devotee feels that his enjoyment is insufficient. At such a time, the lover sees the beloved in different ways. Such a development of ecstasy is called anurāga. When anurāga reaches its highest limit and becomes perceivable in the body, it is called bhāva. When the bodily symptoms are not very distinct, however, the emotional state is still called anurāga, not bhāva. When bhāva ecstasy is intensified, it is called mahā-bhāva. The symptoms of mahā-bhāva are visible only in the bodies of eternal associates like the gopīs."
All the accusations made by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu against His beloved devotees actually showed His great appreciation of their intense love for Him. Yet He mentioned these faults one after another as if He were offended by their intense affection. The personal associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sometimes behaved contrary to regulative principles out of intense love for the Lord, and because of their love Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself sometimes violated the regulative principles of a sannyāsī. In the eyes of the public, such violations are not good, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was so controlled by His devotees' love that He was obliged to break some of the rules.
The spiritual realm of Vṛndāvana is always spiritual. The goddess of fortune and the gopīs are always present there. They are Kṛṣṇa's beloveds, and all of them are as spiritual as Kṛṣṇa. In Vṛndāvana, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person and is the husband of all the gopīs and the goddess of fortune. The trees in Vṛndāvana are wish-fulfilling trees. The land is made of touchstone, and the water is nectar. Words are musical vibrations, and all movements are dancing. The flute is the Lord's constant companion.
“When a woman is separated from the man she loves or a man is separated from his beloved woman, neither of them can live. It is a fact that they live only for each other, for if one dies and the other hears of it, he or she will die also.
After seeing the impudence of the goddess of fortune, Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī wanted to inform Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu about the superexcellence of the gopīs' loving affairs. He therefore said, “My Lord, I have never experienced anything like the behavior of the goddess of fortune. We sometimes see a beloved wife becoming proud of her position and then frustrated due to some neglect. She then gives up caring for her appearance, accepts dirty clothes and morosely sits on the ground and draws lines with her nails.
“"The various symptoms manifested in a woman"s face, eyes and the other parts of her body and the way she moves, stands or sits when she meets her beloved are called vilāsa.’”
“"When Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī was decorated with the ornament of lalita alaṅkāra, just to increase Śrī Kṛṣṇa"s love, an attractive curve was manifested by Her neck, knees and waist. This was brought about by Her timidity and apparent desire to avoid Kṛṣṇa. The flickering movements of Her eyebrows could conquer the powerful bow of Cupid. To increase the joy of Her beloved, Her body was decorated with the ornaments of lalita alaṅkāra.’
“"Just as Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is most dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa, so Her lake, known as Rādhā-kuṇḍa, is also very dear to Him. Of all the gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is certainly the most beloved."
""O dearly beloved! Your lotus feet are so soft that we place them gently on our breasts, fearing that Your feet will be hurt. Our life rests only in You. Our minds, therefore, are filled with anxiety that Your tender feet might be wounded by pebbles as You roam about on the forest path.""
"That aspect of prema in which the melting of the heart for the lover is concentrated is called sneha, or affection. The symptom of such affection is that the lover cannot for a moment remain without the association of the beloved." A description of māna can be found in Madhya-līlā (Chapter Two, verse 66). Similarly, a description of praṇaya is also there. As far as rāga is concerned, the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (3.2.87) says:
- snehaḥ sa rāgo yena syāt sukhaṁ duḥkham api sphuṭam
- tat-sambandha-lave ‘py atra prītiḥ prāṇa-vyayair api
"That stage at which affection for the beloved converts unhappiness into happiness is called rāga, or attachment. When one has such attachment for Kṛṣṇa, he can give up his own life to satisfy his beloved Kṛṣṇa." Anurāga, bhāva and mahābhāva are described in the Sixth Chapter of the Madhya-līlā, verse 13. The purport to that verse explains adhirūḍha-mahābhāva.
“‘"My dearmost Kṛṣṇa, You are worshiping Me and giving up the company of all the other gopīs, who wanted to enjoy themselves with You." Thinking like this, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī considered Herself Kṛṣṇa's most beloved gopī. She had become proud and had left the rāsa-līlā with Kṛṣṇa. In the deep forest She said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I cannot walk any more. You can take Me wherever You like." When Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī petitioned Kṛṣṇa in this way, Kṛṣṇa said, "Just get up on My shoulders." As soon as Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī began to do so, He disappeared. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī then began to grieve over Her request and Kṛṣṇa's disappearance.’
This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.55). Parīkṣit Mahārāja asked Śukadeva Gosvāmī why Kṛṣṇa was so beloved by the residents of Vṛndāvana, who loved Him even more than their own offspring or life itself. At that time Śukadeva Gosvāmī replied that everyone's ātmā, or soul, is very, very dear, especially to all living entities who have accepted material bodies. But that ātmā, the spirit soul, is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. For this reason, Kṛṣṇa is very dear to every living entity.
“"King Bharata was very eager to attain the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, who is called Uttamaḥśloka because poems and prayers are offered to Him for His favor. In his youth, King Bharata gave up his attractive wife and children, as well as his beloved friends and opulent kingdom, just as one gives up stool after passing it."
“"O my Lord, I do not have any love for You, nor am I qualified for discharging devotional service by chanting and hearing. Nor do I possess the mystic power of a Vaiṣṇava, knowledge or pious activities. Nor do I belong to a very high-caste family. On the whole, I do not possess anything. Still, O beloved of the gopīs, because You bestow Your mercy on the most fallen, I have an unbreakable hope that is constantly in my heart. That hope is always giving me pain."
"When the lover and the beloved meet, they are called yukta (connected). Previous to their meeting, they are called ayukta (not connected). Whether connected or not connected, the ecstatic emotion arising due to not being able to embrace and kiss each other as desired is called vipralambha. This vipralambha helps nourish emotions at the time of meeting."
"Meeting each other and embracing each other are aimed at bringing about the happiness of the lover and the beloved. When this stage becomes increasingly jubilant, the resultant ecstatic emotion is called sambhoga." When awakened, sambhoga is divided into four categories:
(1) pūrva-rāga-anantara—after pūrva-rāga (attachment prior to meeting), sambhoga is called brief (saṅkṣipta);
(2) māna-anantara—after māna (anger based on love), sambhoga is called encroached (saṅkīrṇa);
(3) kiñcid-dūra-pravāsa-anantara—after being a little distance away for some time, sambhoga is called accomplished (sampanna);
(4) sudūra-pravāsa-anantara—after being far away, sambhoga is called perfection (samṛddhimān).
The meetings of the lovers that take place in dreams also have these four divisions.
"When attachment produced in the lover and beloved before their meeting by seeing, hearing and so on becomes very palatable by the mixture of four ingredients, such as vibhāva and anubhāva, this is called pūrva-rāga."
The word māna is also described in the Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi (Vipralambha-prakaraṇa 68):
- dam-patyor bhāva ekatra sator apy anuraktayoḥ
- svābhīṣṭāśleṣa-vīkṣādi-nirodhī māna ucyate
"Māna is a word used to indicate the mood of the lover and the beloved experienced whether they are in one place or in different places. This mood obstructs their looking at each other and embracing each other, despite the fact that they are attached to each other."
The two gross meanings refer to regulative devotional service and spontaneous devotional service. There are also thirty-two subtle meanings. Under the heading of regulative devotional service, there are sixteen meanings based on understanding the word ātmārāma to mean (1) a servant of the Lord as His personal associate, (2) a personal friend, (3) personal parents or similar superiors, (4) a personal beloved, (5) a servant elevated by spiritual cultivation, (6) a friend by spiritual cultivation, (7) parents and superior devotees by cultivation of devotional service, (8) a beloved wife or female friend by cultivation of devotional service, (9) a mature devotee as a servant, (10) a mature devotee as a friend, (11) a mature devotee as a parent and superior, (12) a mature devotee as a wife and beloved, (13) an immature devotee as a servant, (14) an immature devotee as a friend, (15) an immature devotee as a father or superior, and (16) an immature devotee as a beloved. Similarly, under the heading of spontaneous devotion there are also sixteen various associates. Therefore the total number of devotees under the headings of regulated devotees and spontaneous devotees is thirty-two.
“By executing regulative devotional service, one is elevated to the platform of an eternally perfect associate, such as a servant, friend, superior or beloved woman. Each of these is of four varieties.
“Among those who have perfected themselves by devotional service, there are servants, friends, superiors and beloved damsels. Similarly, there are four types of mature devotees.
CC Antya-lila
“"When one hears praise from his beloved, he outwardly remains neutral but feels pain within his heart. When he hears his beloved making accusations about him, he takes them to be jokes and enjoys pleasure. When he finds faults in his beloved, they do not diminish his love, nor do the beloved"s good qualities increase his spontaneous affection. Thus spontaneous love continues under all circumstances. That is how spontaneous love of Godhead acts within the heart.’
""Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is offered sublime, poetic prayers by those trying to attain His favor. Thus He is known as Uttamaśloka. Being very eager to gain the association of Lord Kṛṣṇa, King Bharata, although in the prime of youth, gave up his very attractive wife, affectionate children, most beloved friends and opulent kingdom, exactly as one gives up stool after excreting it.""
“"O dearly beloved! Your lotus feet are so soft that we place them gently on our breasts, fearing that Your feet will be hurt. Our lives rest only in You. Our minds, therefore, are filled with anxiety that Your tender feet might be wounded by pebbles as You roam about on the forest path."
"O My Lord! O most merciful master! O master of Mathurā! When shall I see You again? Because of My not seeing You, My agitated heart has become unsteady. O most beloved one, what shall I do now?"
"A dear lover strung a garland and placed it on the shoulder of his beloved in the presence of her co-wives. She had raised breasts and was very beautiful, yet although the garland was tainted with mud, she did not reject it, for its value lay not in material things but in love."
This is Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s lamentation for Her beloved Kṛṣṇa, who was away from home. A woman whose husband has left home and gone to a foreign land is called proṣita-bhartṛkā. Lamenting for Kṛṣṇa in the same way that such a woman laments for her husband, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī said, "My dear friend, where is the glory of the family of Mahārāja Nanda, who wears a half-moon ornament on His head? Where is Kṛṣṇa, whose hue is like that of the indranīla jewel and who plays so nicely on His flute? Where is your friend, the best of all men, so expert in dancing in the circle of the rāsa dance? Where is He who is the real medicine to save Me from dying of heart disease? I must condemn Providence, for he has caused Me so many tribulations by separating Me from Kṛṣṇa."
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “"O wife of the deer, Lord Kṛṣṇa has been embracing His beloved, and thus the kuṅkuma powder on Her raised breasts has covered His garland of kunda flowers. The fragrance of this garland is flowing here. O my dear friend, have you seen Kṛṣṇa passing this way with His dearmost companion, increasing the pleasure of the eyes of all of you?"
“‘To stop the bumblebees from landing on the face of His beloved, He whisked them away with the lotus flower in His hand, and thus His mind was slightly diverted.
""My dear friend the doorkeeper, where is Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of My heart? Kindly show Him to Me quickly." With these words, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu addressed the doorkeeper like a madman. The doorkeeper grasped His hand and replied very hastily, "Come, see Your beloved!" May that Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu rise within my heart and thus make me mad also."
"A relative or intimate friend is always fearful of some injury to his beloved."
“All the gopīs entrusted their silken garments and ornaments to the care of their friends and then put on fine white cloth. Lord Kṛṣṇa, taking His beloved gopīs with Him, bathed and performed very nice pastimes in the water of the Yamunā.
“After performing such wonderful pastimes, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa went up on the shore of the Yamunā River, taking with Him all His beloved gopīs. Then the gopīs on the riverbank rendered service by massaging Kṛṣṇa and the other gopīs with scented oil and smearing paste of āmalakī fruit on their bodies.
"Dear bumblebee, Lord Kṛṣṇa has no residence here, but we know Him as Yadupati (the King of the Yadu dynasty). We know Him very well, and therefore we are not interested in hearing any more songs about Him. It would be better for you to go sing to those who are now very dear to Kṛṣṇa. Those women of Mathurā have now achieved the opportunity of being embraced by Him. They are His beloveds now, and therefore He has relieved the burning in their breasts. If you go there and sing your songs to those fortunate women, they will be very pleased, and they will honor you."
“When a beloved gopī shows symptoms of anger toward Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is very satisfied. Indeed, He is extremely pleased when chastised by such a gopī. She shows her pride suitably, and Kṛṣṇa enjoys that attitude. Then she gives up her pride with a little endeavor.
“My happiness is in the service of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa's happiness is in union with Me. For this reason, I give My body in charity to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, who accepts Me as His loved one and calls Me His most beloved. It is then that I consider Myself His maidservant.
Today, Sunday, November 10, 1974–corresponding to the 10th of Kārtika, Caitanya Era 488, the eleventh day of the dark fortnight, the Rāma-ekādaśī-we have now finished the English translation of Śrī Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī’s Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta in accordance with the authorized order of His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Gosvāmī Mahārāja, my beloved eternal spiritual master, guide and friend. Although according to material vision His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda passed away from this material world on the last day of December, 1936, I still consider His Divine Grace to be always present with me by his vāṇī, his words.
| Page Title: | Beloved (CC) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Gopinath |
| Created: | 02 of Aug, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=73, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 73 |