Today is most auspicious as it is the appearance day of Srila Shyamananda Prabhu and also today we honour Baladeva Prabhu’s rasa–lila. Many people complain about Baladeva Prabhu, “Oh, he did not perform a rasa dance, because Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and only Krishna performs a rasa dance. So, how is it possible that Baladeva also performs a rasa dance?” However, in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Shukadeva Gosvamipada very clearly explains Baladeva Prabhu’s rasa dance with the gopis. We will discuss Baladeva Prabhu’s rasa dance later.
First, I briefly want to speak about the character, teachings and contributions of Shyamananda Prabhu. Shyamananda Prabhu was born in Orissa, in a place called Dharendragaon. His birth name given by his parents was Duhkhi. And when he took initiation from Hridaya-chaitanya, his name became Duhkhi-Krishna dasa. Later, when he received the mercy of Srimati Radhika, his name became Shyamananda Prabhu.
What does duhkhi mean? Duhkhi means unhappy.
kṛṣṇa bhuli’ sei jīva anādi-bahirmukha ataeva māyā tāre deya saṁsāra-duḥkha
Chaitanya-charitamrita (Madhya-lila, 20.117)
[Forgetting Krishna, the living entity has been attracted by the external feature from time immemorial. Therefore, the illusory energy [māyā] gives him all kinds of misery in his material existence.]
All of the baddha-jivas, conditioned souls, are wandering in the cycle of repeated birth and death, and suffering many kinds of distresses from maya, so they are unhappy— that is called duhkhi. Actually, the reason Shyamananda Prabhu’s parents named him Duhkhi was because they previously lost many children, and being born last, his parents named him Duhkhi. When he received the maha-mantra and took initiation from Hridaya-chaitanya, his guru gave him the name Krishna dasa. What does Krishna dasa actually mean? This is called our eternal parichaya, meaning our identification. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has composed one song:
(jīv) kṛṣṇa-dās, e biśwās, korle to’ ār duḥkho nāi
Radha-krishna-bol-bol (2) by Bhaktivinoda Thakura
[But if you try to understand that your position is eternal servitude to Krishna, then all your troubles are over.]
If conditioned jivas think, “I am the eternal servant of Lord Krishna,” then all of their misery and distress will disappear. When the bonded soul, baddha-jiva, takes shelter at the lotus feet of a bona fide guru, receives mantras and performs bhajana and sadhana, at that time, he is actually Krishna dasa.
‘Keha māne, keha nā māne, saba tāṅra dāsa’ – that means whether you accept it or not, you are the eternal servant of Lord Krishna.
jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’ kṛṣṇera ‘taṭasthā-śakti’ ‘bhedābheda-prakāśa’
Chaitanya-charitamrita (Madhya-lila, 20.108)
[It is the living entity’s constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Krishna because he is the marginal energy of Krishna and a manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord.]
In Chaitanya-charitamrita, Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami has given this conception, siddhanta— all the living entities are the eternal servants of Lord Krishna. That means the jiva’s svarupa–anubandhi, the spontaneous nature of the soul, is to serve Krishna. Do you understand? This is called svarupa–anubandhi-vritti. The nature of jivas is to serve Krishna. That is called a servitor mood; seva–vritti is inside all of the jivas.
So, by taking shelter on the lotus feet of a bona fide guru and receiving mantras, your sambandha–jnana, knowledge of relationship will come. Afterwards, you slowly will realise that you are the eternal servant of Lord Krishna. Thus, by rendering services of bhajana and sadhana under the guidance of a bona fide guru, you will come to realise your transcendental constitutional form or siddha–deha.
nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhu naya śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya
Chaitanya-charitamrita (Madhya-lila, 22.107)
[Pure love for Krishna is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.]
Transcendental Constitutional Form
Krishnadasa Kaviraja very clearly provides evidence in Chaitanya-charitamrita. Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte means taking shelter at the lotus feet of a bona fide guru and giving up all kinds of anarthas, unwanted things, from your heart. And when your heart is shuddha-sattva, a ray of prema will come from the eternal associates of the Vrajavasis and manifest in your heart. At that time, you will realise your transcendental constitutional form.
Srila Jiva Gosvamipada very clearly explained this in Priti-sandarbha, also Vishvanatha Chakravarti and all of our Gosvamis have described it similarly. When jivas come from the tatastha–shakti region, at that time, they have one potency of rasa in their hearts. Then, only by the association of a sadhu, a pure devotee, will those things manifest. Understand this process.
Like a mustard seed, all of the potency is in the mustard seed, its leaves, roots, everything is already inside the seed. In the same way, the things in the seed of bhakti will manifest only by the association of a sadhu. Sahajiyas think and say, “No, only by the association of high classed madhurya–rasa–sadhus will your madhurya–rasa or conjugal moods manifest.” But this conception is completely wrong.
Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja also said these things from Srila Jiva Gosvami’s Priti-sandarbha. If you planted five kinds of seeds on the bank of the Yamuna river, bitter melon seeds, mango seeds, and others, and provide them all with equal water, same climate, same everything, each unique plant will manifest according only to the specific potency of each seed.
This means that if you have planted a bitter melon seed, a mango tree will not sprout, only a bitter melon tree. Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja also gives supporting evidence that each jiva will realise his own transcendental constitutional form with the association of a sadhu, according to the individual potency of each jiva. Do you fully understand this concept?
I will give another example. Narada Rishi gave mantras to Dhruva, Prahlada and many different disciples. All have different moods; some of his disciples were dasya, some sakhya, some vatsalya, and so on. Why? Narada Rishi’s disciple Dhruva and his disciple Prahlada Maharaja and many other of Narada Rishi’s disciples received mantras from him, but according to their different potencies, different bhavas or moods manifested.
You may recall from Jaiva-dharma, where Bhaktivinoda Thakura speaks of Babaji Maharaja’s two disciples, Sri Vrajanatha and Vijaya Kumara. Both of them received the gopala-mantra from Babaji Maharaja. But one disciple was in sakhya–rasa and the other was in madhurya–rasa. What was Vrajanatha’s rasa? Sakhya–rasa, and Vijaya Kumara is in the conjugal rasa or madhurya— shringara–rasa.
In this way, our Gosvamis explain that your rasa will never change by the association of a devotee. Always remember this verse in the Chaitanya-charitamrita:
nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhu naya śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya
Chaitanya-charitamrita (Madhya-lila, 22.107)
And what is krishna–prema? Eternal and transcendental.
Shiksha-Guru-Tattva and Diksha-Guru-Tattva
Returning to Krishna dasa, Shyamananda Prabhu received mantras from Hridaya-chaitanya, and when his Gurudeva gave him diksha-initiation, he named him Krishna dasa. During that time, he was known to everyone as Duhkhi-Krishna dasa. So, Duhkhi-Krishna dasa came to Vrindavana and met with Srila Jiva Gosvamipada. In Vrindavana resided Jiva Gosvamipada’s three prominent shiksha-disciples, Narottama, Shyamananda and Srinivasa Acharya. Narottama dasa Thakura received diksha–mantras from a very high classed, exalted Vaishnava, Lokanatha dasa Gosvami. And Srinivasa Thakura took initiation from Gopala Bhatta Gosvami.
Shyamananda Prabhu received diksha–mantras from Hridaya-chaitanya. However, all three of them took shelter at the lotus feet of Jiva Gosvamipada. They never discriminated between their diksha–guru and shiksha–gurus. In our Krishna consciousness we say, “Sukshma–vichara,” enter into this conception very minutely. Krishnadasa Kaviraja very clearly explains in Chaitanya-charitamrita that your shiksha–guru and diksha–guru are on the same level, do not try to discriminate who is higher and who is lower.
śikṣā-guruke ta’ jāni kṛṣṇera svarūpa antaryāmī, bhakta-śreṣṭha, — ei dui rūpa
Chaitanya-charitamrita (Adi-lila, 1.47)
[One should know the instructing spiritual master to be the Personality of Krishna. Lord Krishna manifests Himself as the Supersoul and as the greatest devotee of the Lord.]
Krishnadasa Kaviraja explained there are no differences between diksha–guru and shiksha–guru. So always offer the same respect to your shiksha–guru and diksha–guru, but Gurudeva always explained, only if your diksha–guru and shiksha–guru are on the same level. Thus, Narottama dasa Thakura, Shyamananda Prabhu and Srinivasa Acharya, all gave respect to Jiva Gosvamipada as if he was their diksha–guru.
In Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu-bindu, Gurudeva also very nicely explains this diksha–guru-tattva and shiksha–guru–tattva. This is very important. Nowadays, many people cannot understand, and they do not want to offer the same respect to their diskha–gurus and shiksha–gurus. Also, if a shiksa–guru is not on the same level of Gurudeva, your diksha–guru, but you are thinking they are on the same level as your Gurudeva, this is an offence, aparadha.
Very carefully try to understand this philosophy, this shiksha–guru–tattva and diksha–guru–tattva. Read Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu-bindu and read Gurudeva’s explanation, then you may fully understand. So Narottama, Shyamananda and Srinivasa Prabhu learned all the Vaishnava philosophies, vedanta-darshana and all the philosophies of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu from Jiva Gosvamipada. Srila Jiva Gosvami is the direct disciple of Srila Rupa Gosvami, and Jiva Gosvamipada learned all vedanta–darshana, tattvas and everything from Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya’s disciple, Madhusudana Vachaspati.
Because when Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu discussed all the advaitavada–tattva–sidhanta to Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, his disciple Madhusudana was present and spoke everything he heard to Jiva Gosvamipada. When Jiva Gosvamipada arrived at Kashi (Varanasi), he learned everything from Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s discussion on vedanta–darshana with Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya. In this way, Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya’s disciple Madhusudana Vachaspati told everything he heard to Jiva Gosvamipada.
Thus, Narottama, Shyamananda and Srinivasa learned all tattva–siddhanta from Jiva Gosvamipada. While Shyamananda Prabhu was staying in Vrindavana, near Jharu-mandala, he would everyday ask Jiva Gosvamipada, “Gurudeva, what is my service? What will I do now?” Jiva Gosvamipada replied, “Okay, so everyday you will clean this place in Vrindavana.” Who wants to become a sweeper in Vrindavana? Who wants this?
This type of service is not so easy. If you stay in the temple for some time, you will see that cleaning the temple is very difficult, then you may just leave Vrindavana. It is not so easy to become a sweeper in Vrindavana, this is true. Maybe only for one or two days you will enthusiastically clean the temple and the toilet— it is very difficult to be a sweeper. This is actually true, all of our Gosvamis, especially Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvatipada explained in Radha-rasa-sudha-nidhi, “I want to become one of the sticks on a broom used to sweep in Vrindavana.”
yat-kiṅkarīṣu bahuśah khalu kāku-vānī nityaṁ parasya puruṣasya śikhaṇḍa-mauleḥ tasyāḥ kadā rasa-nidher vṛṣabhānu-jāyās tat-keli-kuñja-bhavanāṅgana-marjanī syām
Radha-rasa-sudha-nidni (8)
[When will I become a sweeper in the forest courtyard where, surrounded by many maidservants, the peacock-feather-crowned Supreme Personality of Godhead speaks His appeal to The Nectar Ocean that is Sri Radha?]
Srimati Radhika in a Sulky Mood
This is a very nice and beautiful shloka. We may want this, but it is not so easy to become a sweeper in Vrindavana. Why? Because if no anubhuti, feelings arise, then how will you become the sweeper of Vrindavana? Especially in the kunja of the Divine Couple Radha and Krishna. Prabodhananda Sarasvatipada realised this and composed this verse:
yat-kiṅkarīṣu bahuśah khalu kāku-vānī nityaṁ parasya puruṣasya śikhaṇḍa-mauleḥ tasyāḥ kadā rasa-nidher vṛṣabhānu-jāyās tat-keli-kuñja-bhavanāṅgana-marjanī syām
Do you know its meaning? It is a very beautiful and high aspiration, akankha— meaning, our desire. ‘Yat-kiṅkarīṣu bahuśah khalu kāku-vānī’ – Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but when Srimati Radhika showed mana, She kicked Krishna out of Her kunja. At that time, Manini Srimati Radhika (Srimati Radhika in a sulky mood) strictly ordered Her girlfriends, Lalita, Vishakha and especially Rupa Manjari not to let Him in.
Srimati Radhika said, “I do not want to see any black things. Those who are blackish are complete big cheaters, I do not want to see anything black. Understand? I do not even want to even see your black hair, you should cover your black hair with a white cloth. Also, cover your eyebrows. Cover your blackish eyebrows with sandalwood paste. Not even a black bee can enter My kunja.”
‘Viśantaṁ strī-veśam subala-suhṛdam’ – Srimati Radhika said, “I know the friend of Subala...,” She did not utter Krishna’s nama, instead She said, “I know the friend of Subala, He is coming in the disguise of Shyamala-sakhi. O Rupa Manjari, go to the doors of My kunja and stop Him.” Rupa Manjari was very strict, so she went to the kunja door and stopped Krishna from entering.
Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvatipada remembered this lila and composed this verse: ‘Yat-kiṅkarīṣu bahuśah khalu kāku-vānī nityaṁ parasya puruṣasya śikhaṇḍa-mauleḥ’ – Krishna, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is now folding His hands and paying His obeisances at the lotus feet of Rupa Manjari. And what was Rupa Manjari doing then? Chastising Him, “O You can’t enter this kunja.” Then Krishna was crying, tears were rolling down from His eyes, and with so much humility He rubbed His nose on the ground. So, ‘kāku-vānī’ – Krishna was very humble and with a choked throat He could not speak.
Prabodhananda Sarasvatipada is hankering, “I want to become one stick in the broom at the kunja, and everyday I will clean that kunja.” This is our high aspiration, akankha. Called kunja–seva, this is our highest aspiration. In Chaitanya-charitamrita, Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami also briefly mentions, “Kuñjasevā pāite sei pāya,” once you completely surrender to the lotus feet of the sakhis of Srimati Radhika, you will be eligible to get this kunja service.
rādhā-kṛṣṇera līlā ei ati gūḍhatara dāsya-vātsalyādi-bhāve nā haya gocara sabe eka sakhī-gaṇera ihāṅ adhikāra sakhī haite haya ei līlāra vistāra
Chaitanya-charitamrita (Madhya-lila, 8.201-202)
[The pastimes of Radha and Krishna are very confidential. They cannot be understood through the mellows of servitude, fraternity or parental affection. Actually, only the gopis have the right to appreciate these transcendental pastimes, and only from them can these pastimes be expanded.]
Even those who are devotees of dasya, sakhya and vatsalya–bhavas are unable to enter this kunja–seva. Only those who are devotees of madhurya, shringara–rasa are able to perform these types of services. So everyday, according to the instruction of Srila Jiva Gosvamipada, Duhkhi-Krishna dasa would clean there with a broom.
Remember these types of lilas. Especially while chanting the holy names, remember the sweet pastimes of Krishna.
tan-nāma-rūpa-caritādi-sukīrtanānu- smṛtyoḥ krameṇa rasanā-manasī niyojya tiṣṭhan vraje tad-anurāgi-janānugāmī kālaṁ nayed akhilam ity upadeśa-sāram
Upadeshamrita (8)
[While residing in Vraja, under the guidance of a resident of Vraja-dhama, one should spend all their time engaging the mind and tongue in chanting the holy name and remembering the Lord’s divine form, qualities, and pastimes. This is the essence of all instructions.]
This is the essence of the instructions of Rupa Gosvamipada: how we should chant the holy names, and how we should serve guru and Vaishnavas. Rupa Gosvamipada has written everything in his Upadeshamrita. Many times, have our Vaishnavas and Gurudeva explained this. Every year they would explain Upadeshamrita, from the first to last shloka. I will not deeply enter into these philosophies, I will only briefly mention these things. How we should chant the holy names, and how we can realise our transcendental constitutional form, siddha–deha.
Shymananda Prabhu in Vrindavana
In this way, Shyamananda Prabhu cleaned that kunja in Vrindavana everyday. Even Brahma, Shiva and Narada are always afraid to get these types of services. Do you know of the Brahma–stutis? There, Brahma says, “I am not qualified to take birth in Vrindavana.” And what else did Brahma say? He said, “I want to take birth in ‘yad gokule ’pi katamāṅghri-rajo-’bhiṣekam’. Brahma said “I am not qualified to take birth in Vrindavana, I want to take birth in Gokula, in vatsalya–sthana. I do not even want to become any trees or any gopi.” Why?
Because he was very afraid, “O, how can I possibly become a tree of Vrindavana or a gopi? It is impossible for me.” Who are all the trees and creepers of Vrindavana? Those with a high classed mood, madhurya–bhava. And they are all the very nearest and dearest of Krishna. In Stavavali, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvamipada explained how all the trees and creepers of Vrindavana are the very nearest and dearest of Krishna and also serve Krishna.
Brahma was thinking, “How can I possibly take birth in Vrindavana? It is better if I take birth in Gokula.” What kinds of services are there in Gokula? What will he do there? Brahmaji was saying, “I will take birth in Gokula as a stone.” After the Gokula’s sweepers cleaned the houses of the Vrajavasis’ and returned to their homes, they rubbed their feet on that stone. This means that after the sweepers clean the toilets of the Vrajavasis’, they come back home and rub their feet on a stone. Brahmaji said, “I want to become that stone.” So I always explain, for you to take birth in Vrindavana and become a sweeper is not so easy. But according to the instruction of Jiva Gosvamipada, Shyamananda Prabhu would everyday clean that place near Jharu-mandala.
Some of you may have also heard the story of when Duhkhi-Krishna dasa found one ankle bell bracelet. After finding the bracelet, he offered it to Jiva Gosvamipada and Jiva Gosvamipada told him, “Don’t give these things up, keep it very carefully and secretly with you.” And then very early in the morning one young girl from Vrindavana, a cowherd girl, came and asked Duhkhi-Krishna dasa, “O, did you find something? Did you find something here?” Then Krishna dasa answered, “Yes, I found one ankle bell bracelet.” Then, the Vrindavana village girl said, “Those ankle bells belong to my girlfriend, you should return them back.” Krishna dasa told the village girl, “No, no. I will not give it to you. Whomever this ankle bracelet belongs to should come and I will give it to Her.” At that time, the young girl became very angry and she used many harsh words to Krishna dasa, “O you are a babaji, why do you want to see the face of a young girl?” She used many harsh words, “Oh, you are not a babaji, you are a cheater. You have come here to Vrindavana to look at some girls.” But, Jiva Gosvamipada had told Duhkhi-Krishna dasa, “Don’t give these ankle bells away.”
Thus, Duhkhi-Krishna dasa insisted, “No, no. I will not give it to you. You can use any harsh words, but I will not give it to you.” Krishna dasa continued, “Whoever this belongs to, She should come.” At last she said, “Ok, my sakhi, She does not look at others’ faces.” So Krishna dasa proposed, “Ok, She can come here and I will put the ankle bells on Her feet.” Then, that young girl, Lalita-devi said, “Okay, I will bind your eyes with a blind fold.” And after this argument, they at last compromised, and the young girl tied a blindfold onto his eyes, and Krishna dasa tied the ankle bells on that young girl’s foot.
When Krishna dasa touched the lotus feet of Srimati Radhika, he realised the mercy of Srimati Radhika, and all kinds of lilas manifested in his heart. Then, Srimati Radhika became very pleased, and She took some dust from an ankle bell and placed a bindi on him, between his eyes. At that time, Jiva Gosvamipada gave him the name Shyamananda. Shyama means Srimati Radhika. One name for Radha is Shyama and ananda means pleasure. Hence the meaning of the name Shyamananda is one who gives pleasure to Srimati Radhika. After She was pleased, Srimati Radhika put on bindi in the middle of his two eyes. For this reason, in his sampradaya, they still apply tilaka the same way, and place one dot in the middle of both eyebrows. In this way, Shyamananda Prabhu received the mercy of Jiva Gosvamipada, and also the mercy of Srimati Radhika in Vrindavana.
What does that mean? If you stay in Vrindavana, ‘tishthan vraje’, where will you stay? There are many places in Vrindavana, but shastras explain where you must stay. Wherever the sweet madhurya-lila is, you must stay there. Those who are bhava-sadhakas, high classed, exalted sadhakas, want to stay in Vrindavana in a specific place. Here it explains, ‘tishthan vraje’. Rupa Gosvamipada has written in Upadeshamrita, “You must stay in Vraja.”
Because what will you become if you stay in Mathura? A servant of Kubja. If you want to become the servant of Kubja, you must stay in Mathura, no problem. Do you understand? If you want to become Kubja Dasa, then stay there. If you want to become the servant of Chandravali, where will you go? To Gauri-kunda, very close to Govardhana. If you reside in the dhama, you will realise these things. So, where will you stay? We just sang this song, ‘Radha-padamkita-bhumi’. Try to understand the mood of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. He has written this verse, ‘radha-padamkita-bhumi’ – in the place where Srimati Radhika’s footprints are— in that place you stay.
You can even stay in Ter-kadamba, where Rupa Gosvamipada performed bhajana and sadhana. It is located in the middle of Yavata and Nandagaon. Or you can stay on the bank of Radha-kunda, where Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Vishvanatha Chakravarti and all of our Gosvamis performed bhajana and sadhana. Actually, we are not bhava-sadhakas, so we are staying here and there, and associating with many kinds of devotees, so nothing is really coming to us. This instruction is actually for those who are bhava-sadhakas. Those who are bhava-sadhakas, when they stay in those places, automatically, all sorts of uddipana, stimulations come in their heart.
rādhā-kunḍa-taṭa-kuñja-kuṭīr govardhana-parvata, jāmuna-tīr
Radha-kunda-tata-kunja-kutira (1) by Bhaktivinoda Thakura
[The cottage in the grove on the banks of Radha-kunda, the great Govardhana Hill, the banks of the Yamuna…]
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura sang this song of uddipana, stimulation. We are visiting these places, but no uddipana is arising because we are not bhava-sadhakas. If you are coming to this stage and associate with high classed, exalted devotees, you will very quickly realise these things. And you may also reside in Navadvipa-dhama as it is especially important to stay in Navadvipa-dhama. What will very quickly occur there? All of your moods will manifest. Because in Navadvipa-dhama, there are no any considerations of aparadhas or offences,
‘kṛṣṇa-nāma’ kare aparādhera vicāra kṛṣṇa balile aparādhīra nā haya vikāra
Chaitanya-charitamrita (Adi-lila, 8.24)
[There are offences to be considered while chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. Therefore, simply by chanting Hare Krishna one does not become ecstatic.]
If you go to Vrindavana-dhama or if you chant the holy names, first, consider the aparadhas, offences. Or chant Gaura, Nityananda:
caitanya-nityānande nāhi e-saba vicāra nāma laite prema dena, vahe aśrudhāra
Chaitanya-charitamrita (Adi-lila, 8.31)
[But if one only chants, with some slight faith, the holy names of Lord Chaitanya and Nityananda, very quickly he is cleansed of all offences. Thus as soon as he chants the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, he feels the ecstasy of love for God.]
There are no considerations of aparadha-vichara, no aparadha-vichara is found there. Where should you especially stay? ‘Aparadha bhanjana pitha-sthali’. What happens to all of your offences when you go there? They are destroyed. They are destroyed if you stay there or if you stay in Godruma, where Bhaktivinoda Thakura performed bhajana and sadhana, and especially if you stay in Svananda-sukhada-kunja. So in this way, shastras provide evidence, yet we are not qualified, and we are not associating with high classed devotees. So, how will these types of moods possibly manifest in our hearts? Try to understand the instructions of Rupa Gosvamipada:
tan-nāma-rūpa-caritādi-sukīrtanānu-
smṛtyoḥ krameṇa rasanā-manasī niyojya
tiṣṭhan vraje tad-anurāgi-janānugāmī
kālaṁ nayed akhilam ity upadeśa-sāram
Upadeshamrita (8)
[While residing in Vraja, under the guidance of a resident of Vraja-dhama, one should spend all their time engaging the mind and tongue in chanting the holy name and remembering the Lord’s divine form, qualities, and pastimes. This is the essence of all instructions.]
Thus, Shyamananda Prabhu received the mercy of Srimati Radhika and also of Jiva Gosvamipada. Then, Jiva Gosvamipada instructed Shyamananda, Narottama and Srinivasa, “You should go and preach. Perform your bhajana and sadhana and also preach, help others.” So, Narottama, Shyamananda and Srinivasa took all of the books and put them on a cart, a bull cart, and started to travel from Vrindavana towards the road. And what did Vira Hamvira and his followers do in the middle of their journey? They stole all of their books.
Because they wrote an advisory on the cart, “These are very valuable and precious things.” Then many people thought, “Perhaps they are carrying some valuable jewels, gold or pearls.” And when they took rest at night, Vira Hamvira and his followers stole all of their books— they took everything. Afterwards, Narottama dasa Thakura and Shyamananda left, but Srinivasa Acharya decided he would stay there. Srinivasa Acharya thought, “O, I will not leave without getting all of these books back. I will not leave until then.”
Thus, Srinivasa Acharya stayed behind, in the place where Vira Hamvira’s followers stole their property. One day, Srinivasa Acharya gave a class on the Srimad-Bhagavatam, specifically he spoke on the Bhramara-gita, which is a very high class katha regarding separation moods. That day, Vira Hamvira also attended this class. Upon hearing the katha, his heart melted and he took shelter at the lotus feet of Srinivasa Acharya. He told Srinivasa, “O my followers stole all of your books. They thought you were carrying gold or jewels, but we found these books instead.”
Next, Vira Hamvira completely surrendered to the lotus feet of Srinivasa Acharya and he returned all of his books. Srinivasa Acharya made the many disciples in that place where Vira Hamvira resided. But, where did Narottama dasa Thakura go? He went to Orissa. Shyamananda Prabhu also went to Orissa on his preaching mission. Then, Srinivasa Acharya came back to Bengal and he also continued preaching and composed many kinds of rhythms, chanda. In this way, we notice the character of Shyamananda Prabhu. These teachings of their lives, how they completely surrendered to the lotus feet of a bona fide guru, and especially how they gave respect to their diksha-guru and shiksha-guru are all very important teachings. If you perform bhajana and sadhana in a similar manner, you will one day achieve your perfected goal.
Date: 2 April 2007 Location: Russia
Transcriber: Sanatana dasa (USA) Editor: Chandrika dasi (UK), Sanatana dasa (USA) Integrity check: Divya-premamayi dasi (Slovakia) Proofreader: Damodara dasa (UK), Sanatana dasa (USA) Image: Ananda-svarupini dasi (Poland)
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