Krsna-lila

Expressions researched:
"Krsna's lila" |"krishna-lila" |"krsna-lila" |"lila of krishna" |"lila of krsna" |"lilas of krsna"

Notes from the compiler: Not included "Radha-Krsna lila"

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

SB 10.1 Summary:

When Śukadeva Gosvāmī finished describing the dynasty of Yadu, as well as the dynasties of the moon-god and sun-god, Mahārāja Parīkṣit requested him to describe Lord Kṛṣṇa, who appeared with Baladeva in the Yadu dynasty, and how Kṛṣṇa performed His activities within this world. Kṛṣṇa is transcendental, the King said, and therefore to understand His activities is the occupation of liberated persons. Hearing of kṛṣṇa-līlā is the boat by which to achieve the ultimate goal of life. Except for an animal killer or one who is following a policy of suicide, every intelligent person must strive to understand Kṛṣṇa and His activities.

SB 10.8.21, Purport:

For a highly exalted devotee, kaivalya, merging into the existence of the Supreme, appears no better than hell (narakāyate). But here one can simply think of the crawling of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma in the courtyard of Nanda Mahārāja and always merge in transcendental happiness. As long as one is absorbed in thoughts of kṛṣṇa-līlā, especially Kṛṣṇa's childhood pastimes, as Parīkṣit Mahārāja desired to be, one is always merged in actual kaivalya. Therefore Vyāsadeva compiled Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 9.4, Purport:

This is the process for writing transcendental literature. A sentimentalist who has no Vaiṣṇava qualifications cannot produce transcendental writings. There are many fools who consider kṛṣṇa-līlā to be a subject of art and who write or paint pictures about the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa with the gopīs, sometimes depicting them in a manner practically obscene. These fools take pleasure in material sense gratification, but one who wants to make advancement in spiritual life must scrupulously avoid their literature. Unless one is a servant of Kṛṣṇa and the Vaiṣṇavas, as Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī presents himself to be in offering respects to Lord Caitanya, His associates and His disciples, one should not attempt to write transcendental literature.

CC Adi 10.8, Purport:

Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita's wife, Mālinī, is celebrated as an incarnation of the nurse Ambikā, who fed Lord Kṛṣṇa with her breast milk, and as already noted, his niece Nārāyaṇī, the mother of Ṭhākura Vṛndāvana dāsa, the author of Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, was the sister of Ambikā in kṛṣṇa-līlā. We also understand from the description of Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata that after Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's acceptance of the sannyāsa order, Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita left Navadvīpa, possibly because of feelings of separation, and domiciled at Kumārahaṭṭa.

CC Adi 10.14, Purport:

In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (54), Śrīla Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi is described as the father of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī in kṛṣṇa-līlā. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore treated him as His father. Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi's father was known as Bāṇeśvara or, according to another opinion, Śuklāmbara Brahmacārī, and his mother's name was Gaṅgādevī. According to one opinion, Bāṇeśvara was a descendant of Śrī Śivarāma Gaṅgopādhyāya. The original home of Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi was in East Bengal (now Bangladesh), in a village near Dacca named Bāghiyā, which belonged to the Vārendra group of brāhmaṇa families. Sometimes these Vārendra brāhmaṇas were at odds with another group known as Rāḍhīya brāhmaṇas, and therefore Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi's family was ostracized and at that time was not living as a respectable family.

CC Adi 10.40, Purport:

When Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned from Gayā, Mukunda Datta gave Him pleasure by reciting verses from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about kṛṣṇa-līlā. It was by his endeavor that Gadādhara Paṇḍita Gosvāmī became a disciple of Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi, as stated in Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa, Chapter Seven. When Mukunda Datta sang in the courtyard of Śrīvāsa Prabhu, Mahāprabhu danced with His singing, and when Lord Caitanya for twenty-one hours exhibited an ecstatic manifestation known as sāta-prahariyā, Mukunda Datta inaugurated the function by singing.

CC Adi 10.62, Purport:

It is stated in the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (145) that the two famous parrots named Dakṣa and Vicakṣaṇa in kṛṣṇa-līlā became the elder brothers of Kavi-karṇapūra, namely Caitanya dāsa and Rāmadāsa. Karṇapūra, the third son, who was also known as Paramānanda dāsa or Purī dāsa, was initiated by Śrīnātha Paṇḍita, who was a disciple of Śrī Advaita Prabhu.

CC Adi 10.67, Purport:

Śrīdhara presented a squash to Śacīdevī to cook before Lord Caitanya took sannyāsa. Every year he went to see Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Jagannātha Purī. According to Kavi-karṇapūra, Śrīdhara was a cowherd boy of Vṛndāvana whose name was Kusumāsava. In his Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (133) it is stated:

kholā-vecātayā khyātaḥ paṇḍitaḥ śrīdharo dvijaḥ

āsīd vraje hāsya-karo yo nāmnā kusumāsavaḥ

"The cowherd boy known as Kusumāsava in kṛṣṇa-līlā later became Kholāvecā Śrīdhara during Caitanya Mahāprabhu's līlā at Navadvīpa."

CC Adi 10.70, Purport:

Jagadīśa Paṇḍita was formerly a great dancer in kṛṣṇa-līlā and was known as Candrahāsa. Regarding Hiraṇya Paṇḍita, it is said that once when Lord Nityānanda, decorated with valuable jewels, was staying at his home, all night long a great thief attempted to plunder these jewels but was unsuccessful. Later he came to Nityānanda Prabhu and surrendered unto Him.

CC Adi 10.134, Purport:

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised Pradyumna Miśra to learn the science of Kṛṣṇa from Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya. As Subala always assisted Kṛṣṇa in His dealings with Rādhārāṇī in kṛṣṇa-līlā, so Rāmānanda Rāya assisted Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His feelings of separation from Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya was the author of the Jagannātha-vallabha-nāṭaka.

CC Adi 11.23, Purport:

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes in his Anubhāṣya, “In the Caitanya-bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa, Chapter Five, it is stated that Sundarānanda was an ocean of love of Godhead and the chief associate of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu. In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (127) he is stated to have been Sudāmā in kṛṣṇa-līlā. Thus he was one of the twelve cowherd boys who came down with Balarāma when He descended as Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu.

CC Adi 11.29, Translation:

Parameśvara dāsa, said to be the fifth gopāla of kṛṣṇa-līlā, completely surrendered to the lotus feet of Nityānanda. Anyone who remembers his name, Parameśvara dāsa, will get love of Kṛṣṇa very easily.

CC Adi 11.40, Purport:

The son of Sadāśiva was Puruṣottama Ṭhākura, and his son was Kānu Ṭhākura. The descendants of Kānu Ṭhākura know him as Nāgara Puruṣottama. He was the cowherd boy named Dāma during kṛṣṇa-līlā. It is said that just after the birth of Kānu Ṭhākura, his mother, Jāhnavā, died. When he was about twelve days old, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu took him to His home at Khaḍadaha.

CC Adi 11.55, Purport:

Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura was an incarnation of Vedavyāsa and also a friendly cowherd boy named Kusumāpīḍa in kṛṣṇa-līlā. In other words, the author of Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura, the son of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura's niece Nārāyaṇī, was a combined incarnation of Vedavyāsa and the cowherd boy Kusumāpīḍa. There is a descriptive statement by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura in his commentary on Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata giving the biographical details of the life of Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura.

CC Adi 12.81, Purport:

Kaṇṭhābharaṇa, whose original name was Śrī Ananta Caṭṭarāja, was the gopī named Gopālī in kṛṣṇa-līlā.

CC Adi 17.302, Translation:

In kṛṣṇa-līlā the Lord's complexion is blackish. Holding a flute to His mouth, He enjoys as a cowherd boy. Now the selfsame person has appeared with a fair complexion, sometimes acting as a brāhmaṇa and sometimes accepting the renounced order of life.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 8.255, Purport:

If one is not liberated and listens to a relation of the rāsa dance, he may remember his own mundane activities and illicit connections with some woman whose name may also be Rādhā. In the conditioned stage one should not even try to remember such things. By practicing the regulative principles, one should rise to the platform of spontaneous attraction for Kṛṣṇa. Then and only then should one hear about rādhā-kṛṣṇa-līlā. Although these affairs may be very pleasing both to conditioned and to liberated souls, the conditioned soul should not try to hear them. The talks between Rāmānanda Rāya and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are conducted on the platform of liberation.

CC Madhya 16.281, Purport:

Although it is very difficult to enter into the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa pastimes, most of the devotees of Vṛndāvana are attracted to the rādhā-kṛṣṇa-līlā. However, since Nitāi-Gauracandra are direct incarnations of Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa, we can be directly in touch with Lord Balarāma and Lord Kṛṣṇa through Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu. Those who are highly elevated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness can enter into the pastimes of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa through the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. It is said, śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya: "Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu is a combination of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa."

CC Madhya 18.55, Purport:

In the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave) it is also said:

ei kāmyavane kṛṣṇa-līlā manohara

karibe darśana sthāna kuṇḍa bahutara

kāmyavane yata tīrtha lekhā nāhi tāra

"In this Kāmyavana, Kṛṣṇa performed enchanting pastimes. Here you will be able to take darśana of many ponds and other transcendental spots. I cannot even describe in writing all the sacred tīrthas found at Kāmyavana."

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 5.45-46, Purport:

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.33.30), Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī says:

naitat samācarej jātu manasāpi hy anīśvaraḥ

vinaśyaty ācaran mauḍhyād yathā rudro ‘bdhijaṁ viṣam

"Certainly one who is not the Supreme Personality of Godhead should never, even within his mind, imitate the activities of the transcendental rāsa-līlā of Kṛṣṇa. If out of ignorance one does so, he will be destroyed, just as if he were to imitate Lord Śiva, who drank poison produced from the ocean."

CC Antya 7.147, Translation:

Previously, in kṛṣṇa-līlā, when Lord Kṛṣṇa joked with Rukmiṇīdevī, she took His words seriously, and fear awoke within her mind.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 28:

The fact is that those who are always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and mature, pure devotional service are given the chance, after death, to gain Kṛṣṇa's association in one of the universes within the material world. Kṛṣṇa's pastimes are continuously going on, either in this universe or in another universe. Just as the sun globe is passing over many places across this earthly planet, so kṛṣṇa-līlā, or the transcendental advent and pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, are also going on continuously, either in this or another universe.

Krsna Book 28:

The mature devotees, who have completely executed Kṛṣṇa consciousness, are immediately transferred to the universe where Kṛṣṇa is appearing. In that universe the devotees get their first opportunity to associate with Kṛṣṇa personally and directly. The training goes on, as we see in the vṛndāvana-līlā of Kṛṣṇa within this planet. Kṛṣṇa therefore revealed the actual features of the Vaikuṇṭha planets so that the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana could know their destination.

Krsna Book 46:

Those in the most exalted position of devotional service and ecstasy can live with Kṛṣṇa always by remembering His pastimes. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has given us a transcendental literary work entitled Kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāmṛta, which is full with Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. Exalted devotees can remain absorbed in Kṛṣṇa-thought by reading such books. Any book of kṛṣṇa-līlā, even this book, Kṛṣṇa, or our Teachings of Lord Caitanya, is actually solace for devotees feeling separation from Kṛṣṇa.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:

Just like there are so many professional chanters. Not here. In India. Their business is... Because people like chanting, so they have made this chanting business. Or professional Bhāgavata reader. People like reading of Bhāgavata. There are many expert Bhāgavata readers. They can show many caricature just to attract people, and such people, generally, they describe the rāsa-līlā of Kṛṣṇa. Because rāsa-līlā is resembling just like dealings between young boys and girls, so they take that part, particularly, rāsa-līlā. Easy way.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 22, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa says, "I appear in this material world. I appear just like ordinary child appears. I take birth." Actually Kṛṣṇa does not take birth. If you read Bhāgavata, you will see how He appeared. Anyway, even if you take Him that He appeared as the son of Vasudeva or Mother Yaśodā... You can say that He played just like a child in the hands of Mother Yaśodā. So that's all right. But you try to understand what kind of, this child display or līlā of Kṛṣṇa in front of Mother Yaśodā. That is required. Janma karma me divyam (BG 4.9). That is all divine, transcendental.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Montreal, August 3, 1968:

As there are different things of different value, similarly, in each name there are potencies of the Lord. But there is degrees of potency. Just like rāma-līlā and kṛṣṇa-līlā, pastimes. Both of them are the same thing, God. But in the rāma-līlā you find less potential exhibition of the Lord, but in kṛṣṇa-līlā you find full potential manifestation of Lord. So degrees of potency... Although it does not mean the Rāma is less potent. No. Rāma is also the same potency. But under circumstances He exhibits a partial potency, not full potency. But kṛṣṇa-līlā, you will find full potency.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

So this is the process of civilization. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means perfect civilization, perfect advancement of civilization, according to the direction of the Vedas. We do not concoct anything, any meaning. Just like why you are reading this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? This is the beginning of understanding Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The professional readers, they immediately jump to the rāsa-līlā of Kṛṣṇa. They think that Bhāgavatam means that rāsa-līlā of Kṛṣṇa. Because it appears like ordinary boys and girls, so they like it. No.

Lecture on SB 1.5.30 -- Vrndavana, August 11, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa wants that one should understand Him tattvataḥ. Not that superficially to take Kṛṣṇa, that "He was very fond of the gopīs, and let us hear the līlā of Kṛṣṇa." Why Kṛṣṇa's gopīs' līlā? Why not Kṛṣṇa's līlā killing the demons?

Lecture on SB 1.5.30 -- Vrndavana, August 11, 1974:

So we should take any līlā of Kṛṣṇa as Supreme. Not that simply the most confidential... The vṛndāvana-līlā, Kṛṣṇa's līlā with the gopīs, is the most confidential līlā. We should not entertain this confidential līlā unless we are liberated. It is very difficult subject. And because they cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa's līlā, they imitate, they fall down. There are so many things. We do not wish to discuss.

Lecture on SB 1.5.30 -- Vrndavana, August 11, 1974:

If we are actually serious about advancing in kṛṣṇa-līlā, then we must know first of all what is Kṛṣṇa, what He desires, and how we shall act. Then we can enter into the confidential part of Kṛṣṇa's līlā. Otherwise we shall misunderstand and fall down.

Lecture on SB 1.7.12 -- Vrndavana, September 11, 1976:

This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is another Purāṇa, history. We have already explained. So sometimes a class of devotees known as sahajiyā, they say that "What we have got to do with the narration of Kurukṣetra battle?" They immediately jump to the kṛṣṇa-līlā, directly with the gopīs. And Kṛṣṇa's activities in other field, they think it is useless. But that is not the fact. Anywhere Kṛṣṇa is acting, that is transcendental—the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, historical references, description, so superficially it appears that what a devotee has got to do with this battlefield? But battlefield or no battlefield, wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, that is transcendental.

Lecture on SB 1.7.15 -- Vrndavana, September 13, 1976:

So Kṛṣṇa's pastimes is going on. Somewhere, or elsewhere it is going on. Therefore His pastimes are called nitya-līlā, nitya-līlā-prakāśa. This vṛndāvana-līlā is nitya-līlā: it is going on continuously somewhere or other within this material world. And the spiritual world, it is permanently there. So the Pāṇḍavas, they are associates of the nitya-līlā. They are not ordinary human beings. Wherever there is kṛṣṇa-līlā, they go. Therefore Arjuna asked Kṛṣṇa that "How can I believe that You, first of all, many millions of years ago You spoke this philosophy to the sun-god?"

Lecture on SB 1.7.16 -- Vrndavana, September 14, 1976:

It is stated in the Bhāgavatam, apahinoti, bhaktiṁ pratilabhya apahinoti kāmam.. If one is eligible to hear the dealings of gopīs and Kṛṣṇa, the result will be he'll forget the lusty desires of this material world. Therefore it is not for all. These dealings of gopīs and Kṛṣṇa is meant for the liberated person. They can hear, not the ordinary persons. Therefore this kṛṣṇa-līlā is given in the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So don't jump over. First of all you try to understand Kṛṣṇa, Acyuta. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ (SB 1.1.1).

Lecture on SB 1.7.16 -- Vrndavana, September 14, 1976:

The Bhagavad-gītā is the ABCD, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins when one is actually Kṛṣṇa conscious. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). Then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins. So don't jump over the kṛṣṇa-līlā or jump over Rādhā-kuṇḍa unless you are a liberated person. This is the instruction. Acyuta. You must be also acyuta—not falling down from the standard of pure devotional service. Acyuta-gotra.

Lecture on SB 1.8.32 -- Mayapura, October 12, 1974:

So to understand kṛṣṇa-līlā... So therefore we have to understand Kṛṣṇa-līlā, Kṛṣṇa, from these books, Bhāgavata, Bhagavad-gītā, but not directly. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends, bhāgavata giyā paro bhāgavata sthāne. Just try to understand Bhāgavata or Bhagavān from the realized soul, not from the professional man.

Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Los Angeles, May 4, 1973:

Just like in kṛṣṇa-līlā, Kṛṣṇa was stealing butter. So the neighboring friends of Yaśodā-mātā, was complaining... It is not complain; it was just to see the fun of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa was sitting, and they were complaining. They were seeing the bodily feature, how Kṛṣṇa is feeling. So other ladies complaining, "Mother Yaśodā, your son comes to our house and steals butter. You see. We try to conceal them in a darkness so that this boy cannot see. But still He finds out. So better you take away all His ornaments because the jewel, light of the jewel, helps Him to find out the butter pot." So Yaśodā said, "Yes, I'll do that. I'll take away all these ornaments. Yes." Then they say, "No, no, it is useless. Oh, this boy has got some effulgence of Himself. Without ornaments He can, He can also find out."

Lecture on SB 1.15.32 -- Los Angeles, December 10, 1973:

Nitya-līlā means the janmāṣṭamī is going on. His govardhana-līlā is going on. Everything. Everything, what He displayed when He was present, that is going on. Just like the sun. Now it is half past seven. Now, half past six, there is sun somewhere. The half past six, it is not that because the sun has passed half past six, in this country, therefore there is no more half past six. Half past six is somewhere. Is it not? Half past six is there. Similarly, it is not that because Kṛṣṇa has now finished His janmāṣṭamī, therefore no more janmāṣṭamī. Janmāṣṭamī is going on. This is kṛṣṇa-līlā.

Lecture on SB 2.3.25 -- Los Angeles, June 23, 1972:

These rascal Vedantists, they try to kill Kṛṣṇa. They want to become himself Kṛṣṇa, the so-called Vedantists. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). The purpose of reading Vedānta means to understand Kṛṣṇa. So without understanding Kṛṣṇa, without being trained up how to understand Kṛṣṇa, if one reads about Kṛṣṇa's rāsa-līlā, he'll go to hell. Because he has got the tendency of this easy sex, so he thinks, "Kṛṣṇa is like us." And therefore, for ordinary men, this kṛṣṇa-līlā... Kṛṣṇa-līlā means they simply understand kṛṣṇa-līlā means Kṛṣṇa's rāsa-līlā. That's all.

Lecture on SB 3.25.35 -- Bombay, December 4, 1974:

These are the Vedic description of Kṛṣṇa, not that the devotees have imagined some... Just like Māyāvādī says, "Just imagine the form of God." God's form cannot be imagined. That is not God. Anything imagination is not fact. It must be factual. And the factual information you get from the Vedas. Not only you get the Vedas, when Kṛṣṇa was present on this earth He exhibited His rūpa, His form, His activities, His līlā. Everything He exhibited so kindly. So you have to think of this kṛṣṇa-līlā, Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's activities. Janma karma ca me divyam (BG 4.9). They are divine. They are not material, because Kṛṣṇa has got divine body, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). But to favor us, because devotees are always anxious to see, therefore He comes.

Lecture on SB 3.26.7 -- Bombay, December 19, 1974:

So we are conditioned soul, but the Supersoul... The Māyāvādī philosophers, they do not admit the existence of Supersoul. They think there is one soul. We are... They speak of our conditioned life as līlā. This is not very good philosophy. One has got the body of a hog, and he is eating stool, and the Māyāvādī philosopher says that it is līlā. God is eating stool; it is līlā. Just see the philosophy! Because we say kṛṣṇa-līlā... Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is dancing with the gopīs or playing with the cowherds boy or becoming the child of mother Yaśodā. We say it is līlā.

Lecture on SB 3.26.40 -- Bombay, January 15, 1975:

So people may be astonished, that "They are reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Why they are discussing the action and reaction of fire?" Generally, they think Bhāgavata reading means rāsa-pañcādhyāya, bas, immediately jump over to the rāsa-līlā of Kṛṣṇa. Actually to know God means to know everything in detail. Kasmin tu bhagavo vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. That is the Vedic injunction. If we understand Kṛṣṇa, then we must understand also how Kṛṣṇa's different energies are working. That is called tattvataḥ. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3).

Lecture on SB 3.28.18 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

So we have to become advanced in spiritual understanding. And people, the so-called artists, they indulge in Kṛṣṇa's pictures, His dealings with the gopīs. That is not very good. That is misleading. People may think, and actually that happens. If without being mature, without being advanced in spiritual consciousness, if one tries to understand or see Kṛṣṇa-līlā with the gopīs, then he will be misled. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu, you will find, rigidly He discussed this Kṛṣṇa-līlā with very confidential devotee, Rāmānanda Rāya, not with others. He never discussed with Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya or Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī. He discussed on philosophy of Māyāvāda, but not on Kṛṣṇa-līlā.

Lecture on SB 3.28.18 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa-līlā He discussed with Rāmānanda Rāya, most confidential devotee. And to understand Kṛṣṇa, Vyāsadeva has devoted nine chapter, nine cantos. And then, from Tenth Canto, he begins Kṛṣṇa-līlā.

Lecture on SB 3.28.18 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa-līlā is the face of Kṛṣṇa, smiling of Kṛṣṇa. So here we have to practice to see the different parts of the body gradually from down. We first of all see His lotus feet, then gradually... So that is described. The two feet, they are called the first chapter, in the First Canto, Second Canto. In this way we must go. Everything is very scientifically arranged. If we take it in chronologically, according to the instruction of the śāstra, then it will be very easy.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969:

If Kṛṣṇa is transcendental whole spirit, similarly the Rādhā or His expansion, Her expansion... It is explained in the Brahma-saṁhitā, ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). This is expansion of the quintessence of spiritual energy, ānanda-cinmaya. Ānanda means blissful, and cinmaya means spiritual. So all kṛṣṇa-līlā, all Kṛṣṇa's activities, they are manifestation of His spiritual internal potency.

Lecture on SB 5.6.5 -- Vrndavana, November 27, 1976:

So if we want to do something, we must inquire from guru, sad dharma (indistinct). We must follow. We should not manufacture things, that "This way I shall be able to satisfy Kṛṣṇa." No. Sādhu (indistinct). If I discuss about Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa līlā in my neophyte stage, Kṛṣṇa will be pleased. No. You must first of all purify yourself by the regulative principle. And when you are completely free, then from the material conception, then you understand what is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa līlā.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-62 -- Surat, January 3, 1971, at Adubhai Patel's House:

So these things are being shown regularly in the cinema. What character will be formed of the young men? By seeing once, this Ajāmila, he fell down so much, and our boys and girls are seeing these things every day in the cinema. So what kind of character you can expect from them? These are the instruction to be taken from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. But generally people go to hear Bhāgavatam to the professional reciters when the rāsa-līlā of Kṛṣṇa is described, because they think, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is doing this, embracing a nice girl. So this is very nice."

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-62 -- Surat, January 3, 1971, at Adubhai Patel's House:

Those who are advanced devotee, those who are liberated from material contamination, they should try to understand what is rāsa-līlā. That is described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that one should not even imagine the rāsa-līlā of Kṛṣṇa. But it is meant when one is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is for them only.

Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Allahabad, January 16, 1971:

Kṛṣṇa-līlā is not of material nature. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Anyone who knows factually, in truth, he only is immediately liberated. Just try to tally.

Lecture on SB 7.9.3 -- Mayapur, February 17, 1977:

In the Vaikuṇṭha there is no chance of exhibiting this anger and fighting. That is not possible. Therefore He induces His devotee to "Go to the material world and become My enemy, and I shall fight. I shall become angry," because in the Vaikuṇṭha, spiritual kingdom, there is no chance. Everyone is serving; everyone is friendly. Some relation... Where is the question of fighting? But fighting spirit is there; anger is there. Where He shall exhibit? And therefore Kṛṣṇa incarnates, He becomes angry, and a devotee becomes enemy, and this is Kṛṣṇa-līlā, nitya-līlā. It is going on.

Lecture on SB 7.9.5 -- Mayapur, February 25, 1977:

Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu is addressing Kṛṣṇa, ayi nanda-tanuja. "O Kṛṣṇa, who is born out of the body of Nanda Mahārāja..." Just like the father is the body—giving person, seed, seed-giving father, similarly, Kṛṣṇa, although He is the origin of everything, but still, He is born by the seed of Nanda Mahārāja. This is Kṛṣṇa-līlā. Ayi nanda-tanuja patitaṁ kiṅkaraṁ māṁ viṣame bhavām-budhau. Caitanya Mahāprabhu never addressed Kṛṣṇa, "O the almighty." This is impersonal. He says, ayi nanda-tanuja, limited, "son of Nanda Mahārāja." Son of Nanda Mahārāja. So this is bhakti. He's unlimited. Just like Kuntīdevī was surprised that, when (s)he thought that Kṛṣṇa was afraid of Yaśodāmayī. That śloka you know. So he was, she was surprised that "Kṛṣṇa who is so exalted and great that everyone is afraid of Him, but He has become afraid of Yaśodāmayī."

Lecture on SB 7.9.7 -- Mayapur, February 27, 1977:

To clear the matter, Arjuna inquired that "Kṛṣṇa, You are of my age. How I can believe that You spoke this philosophy so many millions of years ago?" So what Kṛṣṇa replied, you know, that "My dear Arjuna, both you and Me, we appeared many, many times. The difference is that you have forgotten. That means you were also present at that time because you are My nitya-siddha friend. Whenever I appear, you also appear. But you have forgotten; I have not forgotten." That is the difference between jīva and śiva, or Lord, that we are minute part and particle of the Supreme; therefore we may forget. But Kṛṣṇa does not forget. That is the difference. So nitya-siddha. Prahlāda Mahārāja is to be understood as nitya, mahā-bhāgavata, nitya-siddha. They appear to complete the līlā of Kṛṣṇa.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 10, 1973:

The same thing, as we are pervertedly enjoying in this material, the same thing is there (in) spiritual life. That is Kṛṣṇa exhibiting. When He appears on this earth, He practically shows how you can enjoy also with Him. That is Vṛndāvana līlā. Practical manifestation. But we are not taking to that. We are taking this Vṛndāvana līlā of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is māyā, Vṛndāvana is laya. Now simply place your nose and thinks of something impersonal, that is perfection. No? That is not. This is fact, ramante, unless you are many varieties, there cannot be enjoyment. Ramante yoginaḥ anante. Ramante, this very word, one who is engaged, he is called iti rāma-padenāsau paraṁ brahmābhidhīyate (CC Madhya 9.29). This is the meaning of Rāma. Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā-Rāmaṇa, Rādhā-Mādhava.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.5 -- Mayapur, March 7, 1974:

The Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot understand; therefore they think that "This Kṛṣṇa-līlā is māyā." Therefore we call them Māyāvādī. Everything... Māyā māyā, neti neti. They take Kṛṣṇa also as māyā; therefore they are called Māyāvādīs. Because a living entity comes in this material world accepting this material body, similarly, when Kṛṣṇa comes, they think that He has also a material body. This is Māyāvādī.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.8 -- Vrndavana, March 15, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa rotates His touring. There are innumerable universes, and in every moment there is Kṛṣṇa-līlā is going on. That is called nitya-līlā. The example, I have given several times. Just like the sun is rotating within the orbit. Now it is, say, eight o'clock at night. But at this time, there is six o'clock, seven o'clock, nine o'clock, ten o'clock—everything is there. Similarly, every moment, Kṛṣṇa's līlā is going in some of the universes. There are innumerable universes. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40).

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.8 -- Vrndavana, March 15, 1974:

So in each universe, Kṛṣṇa-līlā is going on. And in rotation, after some lakhs of years, again Kṛṣṇa comes on this planet. This is... Therefore Kṛṣṇa's līlā is nitya-līlā. So just to attract us, that "You are fond of dancing. Why don't you come back to Me and dance with Me?" this is Kṛṣṇa's business. "Why you are rotting in this rotting dance? You want association. You want sporting. Why don't you come to Me and take part in My sporting with the cowherds boys?" This is invitation of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.367-84 -- New York, December 31, 1966:

Just like Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa-līlā, the manifestation of Kṛṣṇa and His different pastimes in this material world. In the..., on this earth was manifested, that thing is going on, nitya-līlā. As I have several times explained to you that the sun, sunrise and sunset, is going on every moment. Every moment.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.367-84 -- New York, December 31, 1966:

You inquire by, by communication you'll find in some country, there is always sunrise and some country there is always... Any country, you'll find. Similarly, kṛṣṇa-līlā, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, are going on in some of the universes, in any of... There are innumerable universes. In some of the universes He is there already.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.367-84 -- New York, December 31, 1966:

So kṛṣṇa-līlā means beginning from His childhood, up to the age of sixteenth year, when He performed the rāsa-līlā, this is actual kṛṣṇa-līlā. And beyond that līlā, when Kṛṣṇa left Vṛndāvana and came to Dvārakā, that is not kṛṣṇa-līlā; that is Vāsudeva līlā, Kṛṣṇa in His Vāsudeva feature, that līlā. It is stated that Kṛṣṇa never goes out of Goloka Vṛndāvana.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.385-394 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

Nitya means eternal. Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, appearance and dis..., disappearance, is continuous and eternal. There is no stoppage. Lord Caitanya says, bujhite nā pāre līlā kemane 'nitya' haya. Ordinary persons, common men, cannot understand how kṛṣṇa-līlā, Kṛṣṇa's appearance and disappearance, can be eternal. Generally, we think that Kṛṣṇa appeared five thousand years before; now He's no longer.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.385-394 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda vigraha. His form is eternal, blissful and full of knowledge. This material body is not like that. Therefore we cannot understand how kṛṣṇa-līlā is eternal, continuous eternal.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.385-394 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

That is being instructed by Lord Caitanya:

dṛṣṭānta diyā kahi tabe loka yadi jāne

kṛṣṇa-līlā—nitya, jyotiścakra-pramāṇe

Jyotiścakra-pramāṇe. Jyotiścakra means orbit of the planets. The, a planet is moving in its orbit continually.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.385-394 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

Similarly, Kṛṣṇa-līlā is also just like an orbit. He's giving very nice example: orbit of the earth, orbit of the moon, orbit of the sun.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.385-394 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's līlā, exactly after certain millions of years, it will be seen in this planet. Similarly, there are innumerable universes, and it is moving from this, that, this, that... Now, just like kṛṣṇa-līlā, just Kṛṣṇa born at, at the prison house of Kaṁsa... Vasudeva, father, and Devakī, mother. Immediately, as soon as the child is born, the next, the next universe, there is birth. So same very thing. Just like now it is quarter to eight according to sun calculation. Immediately, you'll find some other place quarter to eight. Immediately you'll find quarter to eight in other place. Immediately... So quarter to eight you cannot change. Quarter to eight will exist within this movement of the sun planet or earthly planet. Anywhere, somebody, somewhere must be there quarter to eight. At any time. Even at 12 o'clock at night you inquire, "What is quarter to eight of the sun planet?" you'll have. Is it not a fact? This is called nitya-līlā. How nicely Caitanya Mahāprabhu has described.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.385-394 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

So Kṛṣṇa-līlā is always going on like that. Kṛṣṇa's birth, Janmāṣṭamī... We observe Janmāṣṭamī. But that Janmāṣṭamī is going on every moment. Janmāṣṭamī is going on. Kṛṣṇa's nitya-līlā. Kṛṣṇa-līlā-nitya, jyotiścakra-pramāṇe. Jyotiścakre sūrya yena phire rātri-dine. Now here it is also, in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, it is said that here sūrya is also on the orbit. Sapta-dvīpāmbudhi laṅghi' phire krame krame. Sapta-dvīpa. Now, according to Vedic calculation, this earth has seven, I mean to say, islands. Just like crossing the sea, we have come to your country from India. The crossing the sea means there are different islands. Now you can calculate the Asia, Europe, America, and, and, how many?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.385-394 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

There are fourteen Manus in one day of Brahmā. So kṛṣṇera līlā-maṇḍala caudda manvantare. So in the fourteen maṇḍalas, the, the I mean to..., the orbit of kṛṣṇa-līlā is, I mean to say, circumambulating. So He is..., He is seen in the Manu's life, in the fourteen Manu's life. There are fourteen Manus. In each Manu's life, there are seventy-one catur-yugas, in each Manu's life. In the twenty-eighth catur-yuga, Kṛṣṇa, in the Dvāpara-yuga, appears. There is mathematical calculation. Soayāśata vatsara kṛṣṇera prakaṭa-prakāśa. And when He is in this universe, He remains here for 124 year, 125 years. When Kṛṣṇa was here He was for 125 years. And when He was in the battlefield, His age was about 100 years, almost 100 years. Because, just after finishing the battlefield, He went to Dvārakā, and, after some days, He disappeared.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.385-394 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

So within these 125 years, all the pastimes that Kṛṣṇa displayed during His presence, all those things are going on in each and every universe, just like the sun planet is moving from one place to another. This is the idea of Kṛṣṇa-līlā.

alāta-cakra-prāya sei līlā-cakra phire

saba līlā saba brahmāṇḍe krame udaya kare

So saba līlā. And all the activities, they are manifested in either of the so many brahmāṇḍas. So at every second you just divide that 125 years into seconds and all, less than second, what it is? Of course, I do not know... But if you divide in that way, then you can calculate how many universes are there. How many seconds are there in one hour?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.385-394 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

So Lord Caitanya says, "Just like the time calculation of the sun is always present in the orbit of this earthly planet, similarly, in the orbit of Kṛṣṇa-līlā, everything is happening in some universe." That is called nitya-līlā. Because it is happening eternally and continually, in either of innumerable planets, which we cannot calculate, therefore His pastimes, appearance and disappearance are all eternal. We are not worshiper of a dead thing. Just like if a foolish person says at night, "Oh, sun is finished." How? "I cannot see. Because I don't see in the sky, it is finished." Similarly, the foolish person thinks, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is..., I cannot see; therefore He's finished." This is foolish calculation. Now, from the description of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we can understand that Kṛṣṇa is not dead and gone. He's present always and every time, everywhere. And if we are sincerely in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that Kṛṣṇa is always with us, He gives us protection, His mercy is there.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.391-405 -- New York, January 2, 1967:

So we have already discussed how kṛṣṇa-līlā, or the pastimes, different manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's pastimes during one hundred and twenty-five years, beginning from His birth up to the disappearance, as many pastimes there are, they are being manifested in some of the universe, out of the innumerable universes. So God is never dead. Kṛṣṇa is never dead, as some of the modern philosophers, they are putting forward the philosophy of "God is dead." God is dead for those who are following the owl philosophy. Owl has never seen sun, or it does not like to see the sun. Therefore the owl says, "There is no sun." Similarly, the atheistic philosophy is... There are so many logic. Just like the owl philosophy, the frog philosophy, the camel philosophy and the dog philosophy, the hog philosophy—there are so many philosophies. So only the persons who are, who have got two hands and two legs, but they are counted amongst the animals. And therefore they cannot think of the eternal, blissful existence of the Supreme Lord at all times.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.391-405 -- New York, January 2, 1967:

So similarly, in some of the brahmāṇḍas, or universes, there is already present Kṛṣṇa-līlā; Kṛṣṇa is there.

There is another Bengali verse, very nicely:

adya 'pi akāri līlā gaura-rāya

kona kona bhagavane dekhibāre pāya

Lord Caitanya's pastimes going on, still going on, but some of the fortunate devotees, they can see. Anything, God's pastimes, that is perceivable through devotional service. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Only way. This is the process. No other process. No amount of speculation, no amount of academic education, no amount of philosophical discussion can..., one can... It is confirmed in the Vedic literature: nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhya, na bahunā śrutena. Na ayam ātmā... This self-realization is not possible. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhya, simply by discussion, nobody can arrive. Nobody can understand what is self-realization, what is Supreme Soul, the Absolute Truth. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena, na medhayā. Medhayā means one who is, who has got very good brain substance, he also cannot. Simply by agitating the brain, brain substance, one cannot understand. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhya, na bahunā śrutena, na medhayā. Śrutena, one who is highly educated, very good scholar, he also cannot understand. Then, what is the pro...? Janena saba puruṣe tena labhya: a person to whom God reveals Himself, he can understand. So we have to wait for that and for God's mercy. We have to be engaged in loving, transcendental service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then He'll reveal.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.391-405 -- New York, January 2, 1967:

So far the forms of Kṛṣṇa are concerned, they're also unlimited. Śākhā-candra-nyāye kari dig-daraśana. So śākhā-candra-nyāye. There is a logic, śākhā-candra logic. What is that? That the sun, uh, moon, at night, is far, far away, but one is pointing out that we can see the moon through the branches of the tree. So there is a location. So through that location one can see the moon. Similarly, although kṛṣṇa-līlā and Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, Kṛṣṇa's forms, no human being can describe, still, as far as possible, Lord Caitanya says, this śākhā-candra logic: just like the branch of a tree is far away from the moon, still, one can see it by perspective view through the branches of the tree.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.395 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:

In some brahmāṇḍa Kṛṣṇa is born, Janmāṣṭamī. It is finished here. In other brahmāṇḍa, again Janmāṣṭamī. Every moment. This is pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. Kona brahmāṇḍe kona līlāra haya avasthāna. There must be some... The same example: quarter to eight is somewhere. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's līlā, it is eternal. Somewhere it is going on. And you have no experience of one brahmāṇḍa, what to speak of innumerable brahmāṇḍas.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu was requested by one of His devotees that "Sir, You have so kindly come. Please liberate all the living entities of this brahmāṇḍa, and You take them with You to Vaikuṇṭha. And if You think that they're so sinful they cannot be taken away, then please give all their sinful actions to me. I shall suffer. You take them." This is (not) Vaiṣṇava's philosophy, that "You suffer. I'll go to Vaikuṇṭha."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.395 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, "Suppose I take all the living entities to Vaikuṇṭha. Do you think that the māyā's business will be stopped? No. This brahmāṇḍa is one of the mustard seeds in the bag of mustard seeds." In the bag of mustard seeds, can anybody count how many mustard seeds are there? So here it is called kona brahmāṇḍa. This is one of the brahmāṇḍa, universe. And there are so many universes that is just like this one seed of mustard. One grain of mustard seed, and there is a bag of mustard seeds. That is kona brahmāṇḍe. So in each brahmāṇḍa Kṛṣṇa's līlā is going on. Now you count. This is Kṛṣṇa. They become very cheaply God, Kṛṣṇa, but they do not know what is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they take it so cheaply, that "Anyone can become God. Anyone can become Kṛṣṇa." Mūḍha. Māyayā-apahṛta-jñānāḥ. These rascals they say like that. But they do not know what is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.395 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:

So Kṛṣṇa-līlā is going on in the spiritual world, but by Kṛṣṇa's desire that spiritual world also comes down in this material world. Just like a big man, he lives in his palace, but if he likes he can go anywhere, and he has the same facility of his palace by arrangement. Similarly, when Kṛṣṇa comes within this material world, He has all the paraphernalia of his Goloka Vṛndāvana līlā. As such this Vṛndāvana is as good as the original Vṛndāvana. Ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa, tanaya tad-dhāmaṁ vṛndāvanam. This Vṛndāvana is not ordinary place; it is the same Goloka Vṛndāvana. By Kṛṣṇa's omnipotency the same Vṛndāvana is duplicated. It is possible. That is called nitya-līlā. Wherever He likes, He can bring in Vṛndāvana and He can have His pastimes. So this temple, do not think that it is Hyderabad place. No. It is Goloka Vṛndāvana.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- Bombay, January 3, 1973:

It is now visible on this planet, or on this city, but again six-thirty, again, in another city, six-thirty in another city, six-thirty another city. It is not very difficult to understand. That six-thirty's continuing. That seven-thirty's continuing. That eight-thirty's continuing. Every minute and second is continuing. Simply you have to know where it is. You immediately try to know by phoning the other city, other, on the other country, you'll know that this six-thirty, or seven-thirty or twelve-thirty or the set up or rising of the sun is continually going on, here or there. Similarly Kṛṣṇa's appearance, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, everything is continually going on: sometimes in this universe, sometimes in another universe, sometimes another universe. In this way it is going on. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's līlā is called nitya-līlā. Nitya-līlā, eternal. It is not for the time when Kṛṣṇa appeared.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- Bombay, January 3, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa's līlā, it is not an invented, we are worshiping Kṛṣṇa as something imaginary, some artistic picture. No. It is nitya-līlā. Kṛṣṇa is fact. Govindam ādi-puruṣam. He's ādi. Advaitam acyutam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣam. Purāṇa-puruṣam. The oldest man. Purāṇa means oldest. Oldest, Purāṇa-puruṣam. Puruṣam means person. Nava-yauvanaṁ ca. But whenever you'll see Kṛṣṇa, He's just a perfect young boy, nava-yauvanaṁ ca. You'll never see Kṛṣṇa's picture as He has become old, He has grown some big, big beard and... No. Kṛṣṇa, you'll never see. Kṛṣṇa is just like a twenty-years-old young boy. Nava-yauvanaṁ ca. Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). He is not to be found in the Vedas. There is, but we miss. In the Ṛg Veda, in the Atharva Veda, Kṛṣṇa is there. Vedeṣu durla... But the ordinary man cannot find.

Festival Lectures

Gundica Marjanam Cleansing of the Gundica Temple, Lecture (the day before Ratha-yatra) -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

Paraṁ Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth. Now, in this material world there are different features of sense gratification. Sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa, whether they are a loving affairs or pastimes of this world? That is his question. Just like here young boys and young girls meet together, they try to enjoy life. Whether Kṛṣṇa's līlā, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes with the gopīs, is the same thing? No. That is the philosophical presentation. He gives the reason that Kṛṣṇa is Paraṁ Brahman, but here in this material world we see that parama-brahma, to become attached to Paraṁ Brahman or to realize Paraṁ Brahman, a person, an intelligent person, gives up everything within this world. That is the philosophy of Lord, I mean to... Śaṅkarācārya. He says that this world is false. Paraṁ Brahman is... Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. So cultivate yourself to realize Paraṁ Brahman. And his process is sannyāsa. Give up, renounce this world.

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- London, August 29, 1971:

So try to understand Kṛṣṇa. And when Kṛṣṇa want to enjoy, what kind of enjoyment that shall be? Try to understand this point. Kṛṣṇa is so great; God is great, everyone knows. So when the great wants to enjoy, then what quality of enjoyment that should be? That is to be understood. Rādhā-kṛṣṇa... Therefore Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī has written a verse, rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtiḥ. The loving affairs of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa is not ordinary, these material loving affairs, although it appears like that. But one who cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). Mūḍha, rascals, fools, they understand Kṛṣṇa as ordinary man. As soon as we take Kṛṣṇa as one of us... Mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritāṁ, paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ. These rascals, they do not know paraṁ bhavam. They try to imitate Kṛṣṇa's līlā, rāsa-līlā. There are many rascals. So these things are going on. There is no understanding of Kṛṣṇa. To understand Kṛṣṇa is very difficult.

Varaha-dvadasi, Lord Varaha's Appearance Day Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 31, 1977:

So Kṛṣṇa comes therefore, personally appears and exhibits His enjoying love in Vṛndāvana. He brings His friends, His girl-friends, boy-friends, everything, His father, His mother, and shows that "The enjoyment which you are seeking, that is there in the spiritual world with Me. See how I am enjoying." Just so that we may have our brain cleared that if we enjoy with Kṛṣṇa, we can enjoy the dance, the paternal love, the conjugal love, the friendly playing with boys, with animals, who is in the garden, in the forest, in the water-same thing is there. Everything is there, all the sporting, but spiritual. So this is Kṛṣṇa's līlā. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis (Bs. 5.37). So we are seeking pleasure within this material world. That is imitation. That is not real enjoyment. But the basic principle of enjoyment is there. Here there is imitation enjoyment, love between young boy young girl. So wherefrom it comes? It is there in Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise how it can come? It is not possible.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Bertrand Russell:

Prabhupāda: This is actually knowledge. And one who does not know how to (indistinct) the supreme, but suppose blindly he accepts, "Kṛṣṇa is supreme," he also derives (indistinct). Just like fire: either with scientific knowledge you touch, or without any knowledge you touch, the fire will act. Similarly, Krsna is the supreme. Either you study scientifically or not study, He is supreme. So somehow or other, if one goes to supreme he becomes purified. That is, that is the defect of the modern man. Therefore they question, question about the līlā of Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs. Gopī means, gopī is actually surrendered(?) to Kṛṣṇa in love. Kṛṣṇa is faithful(?). But Kṛṣṇa, He is the supreme. Their lusty desires become purified and they became the first-class devotees. Therefore Lord Caitanya was so strict as a sannyāsī to allow women to come to near to His (indistinct), He says, ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇa yā kalpitā. So there is no superior mode of worship than it was conceived by the damsels of Vraja, because they loved Kṛṣṇa blindly, without any reservation, without any return. Mad after Kṛṣṇa.