The gorgeous red tomatoes, piled high in the hot West African sunshine, suggested a huge success.

Just two years after the region’s economically vital crop was decimated by a fly-borne virus, university experts found a gene that conferred resistance and bred it into the tomato seeds.

The science was so efficient that the tomatoes quickly overwhelmed the local canning facility in Mali’s capital, Bamako. But in the same two years, European buyers found other providers. Mounds of tomatoes, and with them the labor of numerous poor African villagers, sat and rotted.

“At that point in 2007,” says one of the researchers, Molly Miller Jahn, then with Cornell University and now a professor of agronomy at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, “I just said, I am never doing this again.”

By failing to take full account of all aspects of what the community and its crop needed to rebound—to be “resilient”—the researchers and their U.S.-government sponsors failed the people they had come to help, Jahn says.

Michael R. Springborn has seen the ways that diverse factors affect resilience. An assistant professor of environmental science and policy at the University of California at Davis, he works on helping to save the chinook salmon that spawn in the Sacramento River before heading out to the ocean.

He has found that strategies that help the most salmon arrive at the ocean during optimal feeding conditions can give the population a sharp boost. But helping to space their arrival may be the better long-term strategy for ensuring a resilient population, given the likelihood of seasonal variations in those optimal conditions.

Stephen R. Palumbi, a professor of biology at Stanford University, is trying to find the key to resilience of coral threatened by a warming Pacific Ocean. A crucial breeding ground at the bottom of the food chain for fish and other species, coral is dying off at alarming rates, but a patch in American Samoa is faring surprisingly well. The key to its resilience may be genetic, says Palumbi, which raises hopes that traits found in the Samoan reef could be incorporated into other corals.

Forty years after the ecologist C.S. Holling coined the term “resilience,” the concept appears to have its most solid grounding in his discipline. Ecologists looking for the best way to manage natural resources have adopted Holling’s notion that they should develop and encourage systems that, in his words, “can absorb and accommodate future events in whatever unexpected form they may take.”

To do that, they attempt to keep options open, view ecosystems in the context of their regions, and emphasize variability.

Agriculture in the United States provides good examples, says F. Stuart Chapin III, a professor emeritus of ecology at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. Much of the corn and wheat planted domestically has been bred for maximum efficiency in terms of grain volume, water use, and disease resistance. That, however, leaves the crops with little natural variability, meaning a new design is needed each time a pest finds a way to break through the genetic defenses, Chapin says.

“So they’re always sort of working against the laws of nature,” he says.

There is, of course, a belief that the natural world knows best what it needs, and that people shouldn’t be trying to shape it at all. As such, theories that value resilience automatically have at least one fundamentally subjective component: Researchers and policy makers generally don’t see the earth that predates humans as an optimal original state. “Obviously the best thing for the environment is to kill ourselves,” Jahn says.

Read the entire Chronicle of Higher Education article, here.

Review by Janne Kontala

Karnamrita Das (Christopher John Cox) is a long-time practitioner of bhakti-yoga. Initiated to the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition by the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon), A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami, he has experienced first-hand both the idealistic phase of a young spiritual movement, its growing pains, and its development into a more mature society. This development overlaps with his personal bhakti-yoga career. Through his writing we get glimpses into the inner world of a dedicated spiritualist, whose trials and experiences have resulted in a balanced and mature understanding of everyday spirituality. The dominant impression is that of a life-long spiritual adventure; fortunately for the reader, Karnamrita’s adventure has yielded realizations that he is now offering to share with others.

Too often, on any yoga path, we either have the total beginners guides, á-la Feng Shui for Dummies, or the classic sacred texts, which have stood the test of time, yet may be hard to penetrate (try reading any classic commentary on the Yoga-sutra or Upanishads to see what I mean). Karnamrita’s book falls in between these extremes. Unlike its stated purpose, “…this book is primarily for those new to bhakti…” (p. xv), it is not new-comers stuff. We are told openly about the challenges we are about to meet if we persevere on the spiritual path.

Despite the fact that the book has plenty of quotes from the classic bhakti texts, it is not heavy reading. Karnamrita never uses the quotes to place himself on a pedestal, nor to hit the reader on the head with the Truth. Throughout the book he is with the reader, explaining his personal realizations about the particular ideals he has found relevant on his journey. And quite often, he speaks to us not as a teacher, but rather as a friend, who wishes to share something wonderful he has found. We may even recognize: “Oh, I have experienced something similar. How wonderful to hear how he has gone through the same tribulations that I am currently struggling with!” And after all his struggles, Karnamrita is still there, continuing on his path, making further progress and full of optimism.

Despite the format of the book—it is a collection of seemingly unrelated blog-entries he has written over some years—the overall reading experience is not one of jumping around. On a deeper level, the feeling behind his various ideas remains the same: encouraging, compassionate, wise, and introspective. This is true even when he chooses to discuss topics like politics. When he does, I notice myself wanting to disagree with him, and I believe he wouldn’t mind! When he suggests that the world needs more spiritually enlightened leaders, I find myself thinking, “Haven’t we sufficiently seen the corrupting influence of power, both in mundane and religious contexts? How about focusing on our own backyard?” Yet during moments like that, I feel like I am engaging in a conversation rather than protesting against an opposite view. Reading the book I notice becoming fascinated by the thought of sharing ideas and perspectives with the author. To me, this is not only a sign of talented writing, but of a friendly attitude that is carried across by his words.

In this friendly, conversational spirit, I would like to offer some remarks that may serve as points of consideration to future writing projects, especially those that end up as books. First of all, I heartily welcome the author’s stated intention to write another book completely dedicated to people who don’t know anything about bhakti-yoga or Gaudiya Vaishnavism. There are moments in this book, where he writes in such a mood, but then on the next page, the message is clearly directed to people who are already experienced and familiar with much of the tradition and practices he represents. A sharper focus on a single target-audience would improve the effect of the text. Another point is about editing. I can understand that collecting blog texts into a book can reach a new audience, and I am personally grateful for this effort, as I wouldn’t have read this on the web. So I am not complaining, but just stating a wish: professional editing would have been a worthwhile investment to make the book more user-friendly.

These remarks notwithstanding, I found the book to be a diamond—and not an uncut one—and the fact that it could be further polished does not in any way diminish its value. I hope that sincere spiritual seekers will find this book. I do believe that despite speaking from the perspective of an insider in a particular spiritual tradition—bhakti-yoga as presented by Iskcon—Karnamrita’s writing will have much to offer to seekers on other paths as well. And if I am right on this, then Karnamrita is after all also partly right when he states that he intends to write to those new to bhakti. But I do think one needs to have some experience on some spiritual path in order to be able to appreciate the depth of Karnamrita’s ideas.

Give to live can be purchased here, while Karnamrita’s blog can be found here.

The following excerpt originally appears in Follow the Angels, available here.

The advent day of Gadadhara Pandita is on amavasya, on the night of the dark moon. Mahaprabhu came in the full moon, purnima, and he drew the entirety of internal wealth from Gadadhara Pandita. Mahaprabhu made him quite empty. He sent Gadadhara Pandita on a black night in the hot summer season. In Mahaprabhu’s case, he descended on the night of the full moon during a very good season. Krishna descended in the middle of the lunar period. Radharani also appeared in the middle. When they combined as one, they appeared under the full moon. But Gadadhara Pandita appeared under the blackest night.

Gadadhara Pandita appeared and disappeared during the summer season, under the new moon. Mahaprabhu took the fullest advantage from Gadadhara, and sent him to the most negative position. Gadadhara Pandita gave himself voluntarily to him. His very heart was drawn by Mahaprabhu, bhava-kanti. And he, just like a shadow, gave the entirety of his wealth to Mahaprabhu. Gadadhara Pandita was a shadow, running after him as if his heart had been stolen. This person stole all his wealth, and he was fully dependent on him. Like a shadow, he is moving after him.

Radharani has two corresponding moods: she is Radha in Krishna lila, and in Gaura lila, the mood of distribution, she is Gadadhara. In Gaura lila, Krishna Gauranga appears with the bhava-kanti of Radharani as Gadadhara, the man standing by his side like a niskincana, one who has lost everything. He is standing there just like a facsimile, only a carcass, only the form without the spirit.

But Gadadhara has so much inner attraction for Mahaprabhu that it surpasses all of his other associates. In Gadadhara we find personified love for Gauranga. No such degree of love for Gauranga can be found anywhere else. Next in affection is Svarupa-damodara. Then come Rupa and Sanatana, in the madhurya-lila connection; then Nityananda, and Saci-Mata in the vatsalya connection. Advaita Prabhu and Srivasa Pandita also have love for Mahaprabhu, but their devotion is of another type. It is not so deep from the point of view of love, but a respectful attachment.

Gadadhara Pandita tolerated injustice his whole life. All wealth was plundered from his heart. As with Radharani, everything is ransacked by Krishna to enhance his lila. And the real owner, he is treated as if he were bankrupt. Gadadhara is bankrupt in his own wealth; that is his position.

He is wholly dedicated to Mahaprabhu. Gadadhara Pandita’s position, the part he played, was something like that of Radharani: her heart stolen by Krishna, the empty body still standing. Radha-bhava-dyuti-suvalitam naumi krsna-svarupam—he was fully engrossed in the conception of Sri Gauranga. Gauranga took everything from him, so he had no other alternative; he was fully absorbed, captured completely by him.

We find his activity throughout his whole life was like this. Of the other devotees, some were ordered to go to Vrindavana, and some were allowed to go there, but though Gadadhara Pandita wanted to visit Vrindavana with Mahaprabhu himself, he was denied. When Jagadananda Pandita asked to go there, Mahaprabhu, with hesitation, granted him permission, “Yes, go there, but move always under the guidance of Rupa and Sanatana.” He also gave him some special instructions. But Gadadhara Pandita was not allowed to go there.

He was the expansion of Srimati Radharani herself, yet his peculiar position was such: the Queen of Vrindavana, but now transferred to Navadvipa. His position had become just the opposite; he could not enter Vrindavana! He prayed for permission, but Mahaprabhu did not give it. He said, “No, stay and live here.” And he had to do so. Sri Gadadhara Pandita represents the predominated moiety of the whole. The whole consists of predominating and predominated moieties, and he represents the predominated half. He is one half of the Absolute Truth.

We may look to the outer aspect of Gadadhara; his bhava has been taken, emptied. Rukmini means daksina, not vama. The vama nature is a little aggressive, and fights with the lover. Daksina tolerates everything, whatever comes, only with a defensive attitude. That is daksina, that is the mood of Rukmini. So when Mahaprabhu plunders the spirit of Radharani, the rebellious vama nature, what remains is comparable to Rukmini—a passive seer, without any power to assert, only an onlooker. An onlooker—tolerating everything, a very pitiable condition that elicits kindness and sympathy from everyone.

Just see what he is and what she is, and what is her position now. See how her lover has taken everything from her, looted everything from her, leaving her as a beggar wandering in the street. Radharani, when ransacked to such a degree by Krishna, becomes Gadadhara, the pitiable figure. But her wealth cannot abandon her forever. She is the proprietor; the owner cannot be far off. After a long time, all must come to her again, someday. And those who serve her in her day of distress will receive a great remuneration when she recalls her property.

Gadadhara is the asraya (shelter) and Gaura is the visaya (enjoyer). But visaya has taken the mood, the nature of asraya. That is Gaura, both shelter and enjoyer combined. When Krishna assumes the characteristics of Radhika, he is Gaura. The inaugurator of nama-sankirtana, that is Gaura-Narayana. He is visaya-avatara, the incarnation of enjoyment. Gauranga is Radha-Krishna combined; he is Krishna in the mood of Radhika. He has accepted the nature of Radhika.

When he is searching after himself, trying to taste what sort of ecstasy is in himself, that self-searching Krishna is Gauranga. He is trying to understand himself, what sort of ecstasy is within him. Krishna in the mood of his devotee, that is Gauranga: introspection, self-seeking, searching for his own wealth.

He is also distributing it to others. He is inquiring about himself and distributing that personally to the public. That is Gauranga, showing how he should be served by serving himself. He is demonstrating to the public how he should be served. And for that he took the mood of Radharani, to search after himself. What is there? Why should others come to him, what is he that so attracts them? And then he is giving himself to others. Krishna is guru. When Krishna himself is guru, then he is Gauranga—guru-rupa-hari guru-rupa-harim.

Gadadhara Pandita is radha-bhava-dyuti-suvalitam. The entire wealth of Radharani’s feelings, her sentiments, mood, and even her luster were taken by Krishna. Radharani voluntarily gave all these things. “I can’t allow you to roll on the earth with your body. I shall enfold you.” That emptiness we find in Gadadhara Pandita; he is running after Mahaprabhu as his shadow. But he is not poor. It is his wealth that has given Mahaprabhu such a dignified position.

Some even think that he is superior to Krishna himself, that magnanimous Gauranga, the public deliverer of Krishna. For our interest, on behalf of the fallen souls, Gaura has come to us for general relief work. We cannot but think that he is greater than Krishna. And Gadadhara Pandita’s contribution is there in him. In the high summer, in the darkest night, Gadadhara Pandita appeared. But that does not mean that we should underestimate him. What is his reality, his nature as Radharani, we have to inquire, understand, and realize.

Gadadhara Pandita disappeared on amavasya, during the dark moon. Bhaktivinoda Thakura also passed away under the dark moon. Prabhupada has written, gadadhara din dhari paiyaca gaurahari. Prabhupada noted something common to Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Gadadhara Pandita, that they disappeared on the same day. In this connection Bhaktivinoda Thakura received the grace of Sri Gauranga. Bhaktivinoda is a favorite of his; Prabhupada has revealed this.

In another place he wrote that the eternal pastimes are always going on in Navadvipa dhama. Sometimes they are underground, invisible to us, and sometimes on the surface. Nitya-lila always is invisible to us. Now, suddenly, these two personalities have come to the surface, Gadadhara Pandita and Svarupa-damodara. Both have come. Svarupa-damodara came as Gaura-kisora and Gadadhara Pandita came as Bhaktivinoda Thakura. This is not to be given expression in any and every place. This is concealed truth, not to be expressed everywhere and anywhere. This is the fact: they are always here, continuing their own function, their participation in the lila of Gauranga. Sometimes it is underground, sometimes over-ground, but it is always difficult to recognize them.

Prabhupada wrote, “I suddenly found Svarupa-damodara as Gaura-kisora, and Gadadhara Pandita as Bhaktivinoda Thakura – they most graciously gave me that sort of vision. I could see them as two parsadas, the eternal companions of Gauranga. I found that.” It is mentioned in the conclusion to his Caitanya-caritamrta Anubhasya, “Here, in Navadvipa dhama, the eternal pastimes are going on continuously; only those who have got that deep vision can perceive it.”

gadadhara mitra-vara, sri svarupa-damodara
sada kala gaura-krsna yaje
jagatera dekhi’ klesa, dhariya bhiksuka-vesa
aharaham krsna-nama bhaje
sri gaura icchaya dui, mahima ki kava muia
prakrta parisada-katha
prakata haiya seve, krsna-gaurabhinna-deve
aprakasya katha yatha tatha

Prabhupada says,

It is very difficult to perceive the sweet will of Sri Gauranga, but if we can lift ourselves to that level, we see that Svarupa-damodara Gosvami and Sri Gadadhara Pandita are always engaged in their service here in Navadvipa. Sometimes it is suppressed and sometimes it is appearing on the surface. In that plane all is going on by the sweet will of Sri Gauranga, without any restriction. But now I find that those two have appeared on the surface as Srila Gaura-kisora Dasa Babaji and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. I have seen it with my own eye of divine service. But this is not to be advertised, not to be given publicity anywhere and everywhere; people will laugh at it. But this is my heartfelt conclusion.

Once, I was going to compile the very gist of the Bhagavatam. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has compiled one-thousand slokas in his Bhagavad-arka Marici Mala—I had in mind half of that, at least three-hundred slokas to represent the whole Bhagavatam. I composed an introduction for that book and this sloka is there –

nilambhodhi-tate sada sva-viraha ksepanvitam bandhavam
srimad-bhagavati katha madiraya sanjivayan bhati yah
srimad-bhagavatam sada sva-nayanasru-payanaih pujayan
gosvami-pravaro gadadhara-vibhur-bhuyat mad-eka-gatih

May Gadadhara Prabhu be my exclusive goal, the destination of my whole life. He is sent to engage in a particular duty on the shore of that infinite ocean. The infinite ocean is there and just on the shore he is sitting, and what is he doing? What is his duty? Aksepanvitam bandhavam—he’s giving consolation to his friend. And who is that friend? It is Mahaprabhu, who is madly searching for his own self. He is mad! Aksepanvitam—in a very distressed condition. He is greatly afflicted with separation from his own self. Gadadhara is such a friend! He is  giving some wine to give him relief from that pain. And what is that wine? That is bhagavati-katha—the discourse of Srimad Bhagavatam of Krishna and Vrindavana. He is distributing, serving the wine of bhagavata-katha to his friend who is suffering from the extreme pain of the separation from his own self.

Such is severe separation. Sva-viraha—he is searching in separation from his own self and it is so painful. He is afflicted and to remove his affliction, Gadadhara is serving some wine, and that wine is coming from the discourse of the Srimad Bhagavatam—the Vrindavana story.

Sanjivayan bhati yah—he is enlivening his life giving that wine of Krishna katha. Srimad bhagavatam sada sva-nayanasru-payanaih. Asru means articles of worship, and what are the articles for the worship of the Bhagavatam? His own tears—he is worshipping the Bhagavatam with his own tears.

Gosvami-pravaro gadadhara-vibhur-bhuyat—may I be blessed with the grace of Gadadhara Pandita, the master of the Bhagavatam from whom Mahaprabhu listens to the Bhagavatam. I invoke his mercy.

The following is an installment of our classroom series: Sri Upadesamrta, with Illuminations by Srila B. R. Sridhara Deva Goswami, published by Gosai Publishers, 2009. View past installments, here.

Smarana and Kirtana

Some acaryas are of the opinion that smarana is more important than kirtana, because smarana is exclusively connected with consciousness, or is more concerned with the subtle part of our existence. They feel that smarana is the most effective form of sadhana. But our Guru Maharaja, Jiva Goswami, and also Kaviraja Goswami Prabhu laid stress on kirtana—especially for beginners. Our Guru Maharaja clearly said that smarana, in a lower position, is injurious. We should take to sankirtana.

kirtana-prabhave, smarana haibe
se kale bhajana-nirjana sambhava

Smarana can only occur by the power of kirtana, and only at that time is solitary bhajana possible. (Vaisnava ke? – 19)

When one is exclusively devoted and unconscious of the environment, then one may go on with his smarana within. But this is not at all possible for the beginners. Jiva Goswami Prabhu says, yadyapi anya bhaktih kalau kartavya tada kirtanakhy bhakti- samyojanenaiva—all other forms of sadhana must be subservient to kirtana. This is the preaching of Mahaprabhu, because in Kali-yuga, kirtana has its own characteristic. If any acarya has stressed smarana anywhere then that only means that kirtana is relative to the material environment and smarana is independent of material consideration. With this consciousness they may have recommended that smarana is highest. But this is not accepted in a general way.

The sahajiyas are fond of smarana rather than kirtana. They are followers of the secluded life and in their mind they go on with smarana. They collect information of their age, their identification as a particular sakhi, and her place of attendance in a particular lila under the guidance of particular sakhi, in a particular place in Vrindavana—all these things. They are required to go on meditating on these things with their socalled devotion. This is the process of the sahajiyas. But we do not attend to that practice—it is all imagination. They are not fit for that plane. They do not have any real sambandha-jnana or actual knowledge of their relationship with Krishna. They only go on with their habituated repetition of a particular mental speculation. The stage of anartha-nivrti and the progress based on that is not be accepted by them.

That which they consider to have achieved is a mere concoction. They are not aware of the actual facts. It is all self-deception, but they think it to be smarana. Gaura-kisora Dasa Babaji Maharaja has given an example. Babaji Maharaja used to live in a very small hut on the banks of the Ganges. Another gentleman, imitating him, erected a similar cottage nearby and went on imitating Babaji Maharaja—doing madhukari, sitting and meditating, wearing his cloth in such a way, eating, not eating, taking bath, and some days not taking bath. Then one day Babaji Maharaja remarked, “Only by entering a labor room, a girl does not produce a child. Many things are necessary beforehand.”

In other words, by imitating a paramahamsa, bhajana cannot be practiced. The sahajiyas are laboring hard externally to produce some child, but our Guru Maharaja said that it is not an easy thing.

muktanam api siddhanam
narayana parayanah
su-durlabhah prasantatma
kotisvapi mahamune

O great sage, among many millions that are liberated and perfect in the knowledge of liberation, one may actually be a devotee of Narayana. Such devotees, who are most peaceful, are extremely rare. (Bhag. 6.14.5)

na uthiya vrksopari, tanatani phala dhari
dusta-phala karile arjana

If you want to collect the fruits by shaking the tree, but not by climbing the branches then you will only get the fruits that are bad. (Kalyana-kalpataru 1.18)

Imitation is Not Success

Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that if one wants some fruits without taking the labor of climbing the tree, then what sort of fruits will he get? You have to climb the tree and then you can get the fruit. Otherwise it is only your imagination. Suddha-sattva – the plane of pure goodness means that one must have connection with the real plane, yet there are so many planes:

upajiya bade lata brahmanda bhedi jaya
viraja brahmaloka bhedi paravyoma paya
tabe jaya tadupari goloka-vrindavana
krsna-carana-kalpa-vrkse kare arohana

The creeper of devotion sprouts and begins to grow until it penetrates the coverings of the universe, crosses the Viraja River, passes through the Brahmaloka until it reaches the spiritual sky. From there, it continues to grow until it reaches Goloka Vrindavana where it wraps around the desire tree of Krishna’s lotus feet. (Cc. Madhya 19.154)

Mahaprabhu says that when the creeper of bhakti rises up to Goloka she has to cross these planes – first Bhur, Bhuvah, Svah, Maha, Jana, Tapa, Satyaloka, and Brahmaloka. But the sahajiyas do not care to know what is Viraja, what is Brahmaloka and what is the Brahmanda. They will only go to a guru, get some mantra and go on meditating. But at such a stage, if they meditate on the lila of Radha-Govinda, then instead of Radha- Govinda lila they will get entangled with the ladies and gents of this world. They will be entangled in the domain of lust and will have to go to hell instead of going up to Goloka. Imitation is not success—imitation degrades. The mind is another thing. The mind is not sraddha for sraddha is connected with the soul and the mind is connected with matter. The mind is material.

Therefore the mind cannot produce sraddha. Sraddha is an original, fundamental thing. When sraddha awakens, the mind vanishes. Darkness cannot produce light – when light comes, darkness vanishes. Similarly, when truth comes, all mental speculation vanishes. There is subtle and gross – bhumir apo’nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca. Earth, water, fire, and air are gross and mind, intellect, and false ego are subtle. The mind is a product of the material potency, apara-sakti, and the jiva is a product of the spiritual potency, para-sakti—the principal potency. Mano-dharma, mental speculation, has got nothing to do with truth. Mano-dharma is drawn from the material world, the world of misconception. Avan-manasa gocara—the mind cannot reach to the stage of perceiving the truth proper. It is only related to mundane things. The mind comes from the false ego and is made up of the exploiting tendency. We have to get relief from that. We are surrounded by such poisonous thoughts.

danam sva-dharmo niyamo yamas ca
crutam ca karmani ca sad-vratani
sarve mano-nigraha-laksanantah
paro hi yogo manasah samadhih

Giving in charity, prescribed duties, observance of rules and regulations, hearing the scriptures, pious activities and sacred vows – all these are undertaken to subdue the mind. Indeed, concentration of the mind is considered to be the greatest type of yoga. (Bhag.11.23.45)

All types of sadhana demands that the mind should be destroyed—mano-nigraha-laksanantah. There may be different forms and types of sadhana, but they all agree on this point—the mind must be finished.

maya-bhartajanda-sanghasrayangah
sete saksat karanambhodhi-madhye
yasyaikamsah sri-puman adi-devas
tam sri-nityananda-ramam prapadye

I offer my full obeisances unto the feet of Sri Nityananda Rama, whose partial representation called Karanodakasayi Vishnu, lying on the Karana Ocean, is the original purusa, the master of the illusory energy, and the shelter of all the universes.

The Godhead’s desire to bestow liberation—his compassion—requires another world. Thus from the trans-spatial, timeless realm of Vaikuntha, the world of time and space manifests, and in the above verse, Krsnadasa Kaviraja identifies the deity from whom our world issues forth. Maha Sankarsna of Vaikuntha incarnates as Karanadakasayi, also known as Mahavisnu. He is the adi avatara, the original avatara through whom all other avataras appear. He is sometimes described as having thousands of heads and hands for this very reason: innumerable avataras manifest through him.1 In this verse, Sri Krsnadasa refers to him as “adi deva puman,” the original Person/God. However, he is the original God only in terms of those manifestations of the Godhead who cross from up to down (ava-tara), from the trans-spatial realm into time and space. Rather than presiding as Maha Sankarsana does, far beyond maya—mayatite— in his form as Mahavisnu, he is the master the maintainer of maya—maya bharta. And here the objective world of time and space is referred to as an “egg.” The words “aja” and “anda” speak literally of “unborn eggs.” The master of maya manifests the cluster of unborn eggs. With his glance of consciousness that arouses matter, nature takes shape and the multiverse is formed. The un-hatched, egg-like universes are said to be so numerable that they emanate form Mahavisnu’s pores. The truth is that they are numberless, as the entire expanse of time and space knows no bounds. The attempt to measure it with any finality is the folly of the influence of maya-sakti. Maya means “illusion” and well as “to measure.” And the measure of its illusory power is itself inestimable.2

Furthermore while the universes are said to emanate from Mahavisnu, in another sense they are unborn in that even when unmanifest, the entire multiverse remains within the body of God. As the Bhagavad-gita declares, the world rests within the unmanifest form of God—jagat avyakta murtina. He is the soul of the world that is his body. In other words, the world is dependent upon him as the body is dependent upon the soul. But unlike our souls, which are dependent upon our bodies to act in this world, the Godhead is in no way dependent upon the world. Objections to such panentheism with regard to the world’s imperfections being God’s imperfections—if the world is in some sense God, it’s flaws are God’s flaws, as well—do not hold up. Not only does the dependent relation between the world and God run only one way (the world being dependent, God not), but moreover the world’s defects do not affect God.

The word “karana” in this epithet for Mahavisnu—Karanambodhi-—means “cause.” He is the first cause, even as he himself has nothing to accomplish, depicted as he is floating comfortably on a raft within the “causal ocean”—karana ambhodhi— an ocean of cit that is causal only in that it is the resting place of the first cause. And the world of Mahavisnu’s concern, his jurisdiction, is the world of cause and effect—the realm of karma as opposed to the realm of lila. While he is involved in this world as its creator, his participation is nonetheless distant. He is more of a witness, whose watch or glance sets the world of karma in motion, while he himself remains aloof from karma’s influence. As first cause he is merely expressing his fullness, and thus the world is manifest out of joy and not for any necessity on the part of the Godhead. The One, it is said, becomes many out of ananda, a love that transcends reason. The sutras of Vyasa concisely state it thus; lokavat tu lila kaivalyam: “The motive of God in manifesting the world is only sport, as we see in ordinary life people sometimes dance for no reason other than joy.” In other words, his “creation” is motiveless and thus lila. But in the srsti-lila we find lila transitioning into karma. The two, lila and karma, are worlds apart. However, Mahavisnu’s sristi-lila sets the world of karma in motion. While he does not enter this world, he glances at it and thus his amsabhasa or reflection of himself in the form of innumerable jivas merged in homogeneity enters the world, one which lacks causal closure.3

At first sight, dualism appears palpable in the world of Mahavisnu. There is consciousness and there is matter, two different substances very much unlike one another. Consciousness is the mover, while matter is moved. In today’s world some would be quick to ask that if consciousness moves matter, why can’t we observe the interaction between the two? Perhaps the best answer to this query, which implies that dualism is false and consciousness is not causal, lies in exploring the depths of the implications of the very power to observe. In other words, the act of observation itself is above matter’s pay-grade, and when it is understood as such through spiritual practice, the reality of consciousness’ causal role becomes evident. One has to do the spiritual math—sadhana.

However, in Mahavisnu’s world, matter, having been moved, also moves itself, and to a large extent. The Gita states that through misidentification with matter the jiva thinks that it is the doer of that which is in actuality done by matter.4 In other words, the brain is responsible for much of what we mistakenly think to be a product of our volition—for much, but not for everything. Nor are we a brain. The neural causal connections discovered by modern science are as influential to our behavior as neuroscience claims to be, but they are not the cause of consciousness itself. Consciousness is only dependent upon the brain in the manner that a driver’s speed is dependent upon the particular car he is driving. Consciousness expresses itself relative to the body it identifies with. And it experiences the world vicariously, witnessing through neuronal causal connections involving interactions between subtle (mind) and gross (brain) matter, which in and of themselves do not experience at all. And as macrocosmically there is power in the glancing—the witnessing of Mahavisnu—microcosmically there is also power in the witnessing of the individual observer, the jivatma. Indeed, often something particular happens only because someone is present as a witness.

Thus, arguably substance dualism in the strictest sense is not entirely at play in Mahavisnu’s world. While consciousness is causal, at the same time matter causes much of what we mistakenly attribute to consciousness, and furthermore both consciousness and matter are not entirely different substances. Matter “shapes” the extent to which consciousness is expressed and in this sense alone consciousness is partially dependent upon matter, an idea not foreign to a number of today’s prominent thinkers.5 Furthermore, both matter and consciousness are saktis of Bhagavan and therefore the world of Mahavisnu is a nondual/monistic world consisting of God (the energetic) and his saktis (its energies) that have no existence independent of him. Jiva-sakti and maya-sakti are different from one another in that one is animate and the other inanimate, one conscious the other unconscious, but they are united as energies of their energetic source, with which they are both one and different.

As the glance of Mahavisnu lights the world, he himself becomes engulfed in effulgence.6  With the addition of light, the otherwise dark world is illumined with self-awareness and the power of observation The light of jiva-sakti illuminates and activates the shadow of maya-sakti. The movements of the shadow are a product of light, its partial presence. Because the jivas are an amsabhasa of Mahavisnu, they constitute only partial light and thus cast a shadow. The interplay of partial light and the shadow it casts is the dance of this world, a dim reflection of the lila that animates the world of light—the dhama (light/abode) of Vaikuntha. As a partial manifestation of Vishnu, the jivas bear the stamp of individual identity/ego that he presides over. The Sanskrit word for ego is “ahankara,” literally “I maker.” Thus one’s sense that “I am” comes from Mahvisnu. We are; and we are his, as well. It is he from whom ourselves and the world of our experience issue forth, such that he may experience compassion.

1. Laghu-bhagavatamrtam
2. Bhagavad-gita 7.14
3. Causal closure is the idea of classical physics that the natural world functions as a closed system with no scope for input from anything outside of itself, anything supernatural, be it a soul or god. However, causal closure does come into question to some extent when one considers quantum physics, within which uncertainty is acknowledged.
4. Bhagavad-gita 3.27
5. Edelmann, Johnathan B. Hindu Theology and Biology, Oxford Press 2012 p. 88
6. See Jiva Goswami’s commentary on Brahma-samhita 5.8

In Bhagavan’s creation there is great diversity, and much of humanity’s struggle to advance has involved learning to include all types of people fairly within society. Among human beings there are differences in nature, sex, race, ability, size, weight, skin and hair color, handedness, intelligence, nationality, culture, faith and so on. Understanding these differences, Kapiladeva has solemnly instructed mankind as follows: “As the blazing fire of death, I cause great fear to whoever makes the least discrimination between himself and other living entities because of a differential outlook. Therefore, through charitable gifts and attention, as well as through friendly behavior and by viewing all to be alike, one should propitiate me, who abide in all creatures as their very self.”1

Of all human differences, perhaps the most sensitive and difficult to address are those pertaining to sex and gender. The Vedic literatures mention three categories of sex: 1) virile males, 2) fertile females and 3) men and women of mixed gender qualities who are impotent with the opposite sex.2 This third class of gender, known as napumsa or tritiya-prakriti in Sanskrit, is the focus of this article. It involves a minority of people traditionally addressed in archaic English as “eunuch” or “hermaphrodite” but more accurately known today as homosexuals, transgenders and the intersexed (LGBTI, “queer” or “gay,” collectively).3 Bisexuals are also included in this category although typically they are not impotent with the opposite sex.4

Modern society’s treatment of sex and gender minorities is one of the most prominent social issues of our day and for this reason, Hindus should not avoid discussing or addressing it. Nations of the world vary greatly in their treatment of gay people with some advocating condemnation through a penalty of death, others granting full acceptance and legal equality, but most resting somewhere in-between. The global Hindu community also exhibits great variance in its attitude and approach toward LGBTI people, in accordance with the many different gurus, sects, temples, and congregations that guide and express our faith.

The following five profiles of LGBTI Vaishnavas and Hindus are typical of people I come across in my work with GALVA-108, the Gay And Lesbian Vaishnava Association. Names have been changed for privacy reasons but otherwise the experiences described herein, both good and bad, are accurate and real. Hopefully these examples will cause the reader to reflect upon his or her own treatment of sex and gender minorities, especially in regard to the verse cited above.

Intersex.5 Kumar is an intersex man of Indian descent living in Western Europe. His family members are Shaivite and he was born with ambiguous genitalia. Diagnosed with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH), an intersex condition causing XX-chromosome female fetuses to develop both physically and neurologically along the male path, Kumar was surgically altered to appear female and raised as a girl (Kumari). However, he displayed masculine behavior in childhood and, as a teen, experienced attraction only to women. Kumar eventually switched his identity from female to male, much to the embarrassment of his traditional Hindu family who initially cut off all contact with him. Kumar had a female partner for many years but could not marry her due to being legally female. His gender assignment surgery as an infant, which he had no voice in and now regrets, caused many physical and emotional complications throughout his life. Kumar maintains his faith in Lord Siva and identifies with Sri Ardhanarisvara (Siva’s half man, half woman form) and Sikhandi, a character from the Mahabharata who was raised as a girl but later became male. He follows celibacy and occasionally attends temple ceremonies but mostly practices his faith at home.

Transgender.6 Anjali is a transgender woman living in India. Her family is poor and not especially religious but observes many traditional Hindu customs. Born as a boy (Arjuna), Anjali played and behaved like a girl from a very early age. When her parents chastised her for this, Anjali would cry and dream about becoming a woman one day. Despite the many efforts of her parents, Anjali was never able to become the masculine son they so desired. Tensions eventually estranged her from the family, with the exception of one loving aunt, who recognized Anjali’s hijra qualities and taught her about the goddess Bahucara.7 In her late teens, Anjali was sexually abused by men, introduced into prostitution and ended up in the streets of a large Indian city. She eventually connected with the hijra community, which she happily joined. While her life remains difficult and filled with social abuse, Anjali values the friendship and support she receives from her fellow hijras. Free to dress as a woman full-time, Anjali faithfully worships goddess Bahucara and is considering castration or, preferably, a modern-day transsexual operation if she can ever afford it. Interestingly, Anjali feels welcome at all the traditional Indian temples she visits but not at the more western-associated ISKCON centers, perhaps due to cultural differences and misunderstandings about the third sex.

Lesbian.8 Satyabhama (Satya) is a lesbian living in North America. Her family is Christian but Satya converted to Gaudiya Vaishnavism through the Hare Krishna movement in her late teens, not long after realizing she was attracted to women. Satya’s treatment as a lesbian in the Hare Krishna movement has been a rocky road to say the least. Initially she kept her same-sex attraction a secret but when social pressures to marry became unavoidable, Satya confided her lesbianism to friends and the word eventually got around. Temple authorities insisted she marry a man and in one particularly ugly incident, Satya was raped by a so-called Vaishnava under the plea of “curing” her homosexuality. Her arranged marriage soon ended in failure and Satya left the Hare Krishna mission, although never within her heart. After much time and difficulty, Satya eventually got her life together and established a long-term relationship with a fellow Vaishnavi. She and her partner, now legally married, faithfully worship Radha-Krishna at home and regularly attend their local temple as a celibate same-sex couple, where they are quietly accepted.

Gay Man.9 Kartik is a young gay man of Indian descent living in a South East Asian country with a large Hindu population. His family members are moderately conservative Sri Vaishnavas. Kartik has always been attracted to men ever since he can remember and has never felt any attraction for women. As a closeted teenager, Kartik was very interested in spiritual life and considered joining the ashram at a temple attended by his family. Temple authorities were very friendly to Kartik and heartily encouraged him to join. However, one day Kartik naively confided to a temple elder that he was gay and the friendly treatment immediately stopped. The temple devotees no longer spoke to Kartik or answered any of his e-mails. Both he and his family were received coldly at the temple and Kartik was crushed, his faith shaken. Now in his early thirties, Kartik still visits the temple on occasion but feels alienated there. He has few friends and no fellow gay association other than through the Internet. Kartik’s parents accept him but not his homosexuality and still harbor delusions of him someday “growing out of it” or “finding the right girl.” For his part, Kartik has given up trying to explain homosexual orientation to his parents. He is still a virgin and maintains his faith in Vishnu but wonders if he will ever be able to find a suitable male partner and lead a happy life of his own. “Straight guys are given full social support as soon as they need to marry,” Kartik says, “but gay men are treated like pariahs and forced to fend for themselves.”

Bisexual Man.10 Amit lives in a small city in central India. His family worships Durga, Ganesha, and various other devas although Amit himself converted to Gaudiya Vaishnavism while attending college. Amit is a deeply closeted bisexual man. He is mostly same-sex attracted but has some feelings for women also. Because of this, Amit bowed to family and religious pressures to marry and has two daughters with his wife. Nevertheless, he is having doubts about his decision to marry. Amit’s attraction to men has gotten the best of him lately and secret rendezvous’ with anonymous male partners have become a fairly regular occurrence. Despite his better judgment and religious training, Amit’s need for male companionship overwhelms him, even with all the risks involved. While his life appears ideal on the outside and his secret is as yet unexposed, a tempest is brewing inside Amit. He wishes he could be a better devotee of Krishna but cannot seek counsel because he fears complete rejection. Amit wonders if he would be happier living single or with a male partner. Either way, Amit has little luxury to ponder such choices in modern-day India, and thus the façade goes on.

Several examples regarding the treatment of sex and gender minorities can also be found in the Vedic scriptures. For instance, in the Mahabharata, Maharaja Virata kindly accepts the crossdressing Brihannala into his kingdom and engages her in teaching the fine arts to his daughter, Uttara.11 Significantly, Maharaja Virata does not neglect Brihannala, drive her from his kingdom or force her to dress as a man. Rather, he accepts Brihannala’s nature as it is, addresses her as female and offers her a residence within his palace. A similar positive example can be found in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya, when transgender dancers are offered gifts by Jagannatha Misra and invited into his courtyard to entertain and bless the newborn child, Nimai.12 There are furthermore several positive examples of homosexual men and women in the Kama Sastra, wherein such people are demonstrably accommodated within the fabric of Vedic society and culture.

One lone example of ill treatment toward the third gender can be found in the Vishnu Purana, where the Yadavas notoriously ridicule Garga Muni as being an impotent man of the third sex. The ridicule and (likely) false accusation, however, results in Garga Muni’s anger and the creation of Kalayavana, a demonic king who later terrorizes the Yadu clan.13 Interestingly, the Artha Sastra specifically forbids the vilification of third-gender men or women (kliba) and imposes a small fine for the offense, whether the targets are actually third-gender or not.14

Other verses from the Artha Sastra, Manusmriti, and Vasistha Dharmasutra enjoin parents to provide at least some minimal maintenance for their third-gender offspring and instruct a king to do so when there are no relatives.15

Overall, the consensus of Hinduism supports the idea of caring for and befriending every member of human society, including sex and gender minorities. My spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, elaborates on this as follows:

In all communities in human society—including the brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas, sudras, candalas, etc.—and in the animal kingdom—including the cows, dogs, goats, etc.—everyone has his part to play. Each is to work in cooperation for the total benefit of all society, which includes not only animate objects but also inanimate objects like hills and land…. Another hint we get from this statement is that the candalas, or the untouchables, are also not to be neglected by the higher classes and should be given necessary protection. Everyone is important, but some are directly responsible for the advancement of human society, and some are only indirectly responsible. However, when Krsna consciousness is there, then everyone’s total benefit is taken care of.16)

My hope is that examples like those presented in this article will touch readers and consequently improve their treatment of not only sex and gender minorities, but all living entities everywhere. Hare Krishna!

“One who is not envious but who is a kind friend to all living entities…he is very dear to me.”17

1. Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.29.26-27
2. To cite just one example: “A male child is produced by a greater quantity of male seed, a female child by the prevalence of the female; if both are equal, a third-sex child (napumsa) or boy and girl twins are produced; if either are weak or deficient in quantity, a failure of conception results.” (Manusmriti 3.49) Definitions and examples of the third sex can be found in the Sushruta Samhita (3.2), Caraka Samhita (4.2), Kama Sutra (2.8 and 2.9), and Narada-smriti (12.11-13).
3. There is some diversity of opinion as to the exact percentage of homosexual, transgenders, and intersex people within any given society, but most studies place homosexuals at around 3-6 percent, complete transgenders at 1 in 3,000, and the chronically intersexed at 1 in 36,000.
4. Bisexuality can vary greatly but general consensus places the number of people with significant bisexual attraction at approximately 10 to 15 percent of any given population. A bisexual may be predominantly attracted to the opposite sex, predominantly attracted to the same sex, or equally attracted to both.
5. Intersex, often called “hermaphrodite,” “asexual” or “neuter” in archaic English, refers to people born with ambiguous genitalia or having both male and female anatomy in various ways. The Sushruta and Caraka Samhitas mention more than twelve different types, which correspond to known modern conditions and are known as napumsa, nisarga, vataretas, etc.
6. Transgender, often called “eunuch” or “hermaphrodite” in archaic English, refers to people who by nature identify and behave as the opposite sex. Such people may castrate themselves or undergo transsexual operations. The Sushruta Samhita (3.2.42) refers to transgenders as “shandha.”
7. Sri Bahucara-devi is an expansion of the goddess Durga and a patron deity of transgenders, the hijra and transsexual operations. The term “hijra” is Arabic in origin and refers to members of a transgender cult in northern India.
8. Lesbians are known as “svairini” (literally, “independent women”) in Sanskrit and are described in detail in the Kama Sastra, where they are also addressed as “tritiya-prakriti” or a third sex (See Kama Sutra 2.8).
9. Gay or homosexual men are referred to as “kliba” (literally, “impotent with women”) in the Sushruta Samhita (3.2) and described as men who by nature are only aroused by engaging in various sexual acts with other men. They are described in much detail in the Kama Sastra and addressed as “tritiya-prakriti” or a third sex (See Kama Sutra 2.9). Gay men are often called “eunuchs,” “catamites,” or “hermaphrodites” in archaic English. I mention this since many Sanskrit-to-English texts are nineteenth-century translations and commonly use the older, outdated terms.
10. Sanskrit texts refer to bisexuals as “kami” (or “kamini” for women) and “paksha.” The former term refers to those who are attracted to both sexes simultaneously whereas the latter indicates people whose attraction switches back and forth periodically. The Narada-smriti strictly forbids homosexual men from marrying women but permits it for bisexuals if they can demonstrate arousal for females (See Narada-smriti 12.14).
11. Mahabharata, Virata Parva, chapter three
12. Tape-recorded conversation between Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva dasa dated April 5, 1967.
13. For a short narration of this pastime, see Srimad Bhagavatam 10.50.44, purport
14. Kautilya Arthasastra 3.18.4-5
15. Artha Sastra 3.5.30-32, Manusmriti 8.274, Vasistha Dharmasutra 19.35-36.
16. Krsna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (Prabhupada). Herts, England: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1996. (Vol. I, pp. 245-246.
17. Bhagavad-gita, 12.13-14

By B. R. Sridhara Deva Goswami

vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattvam yaj jnanam advayam
brahmeti paramatmeti
bhagavan iti sabdyate

 Those who are seers of the truth speak of the undivided Absolute Truth in three phases—Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan.1

All-permeating, all-comprehensive and all-controlling—the three phases of the Absolute. Then Mahaprabhu gave the fourth phase: that is the Krishna conception. Sundaram—that loveliness of the Absolute, to attract everyone for his service toward him. Neither the controller, nor the accommodator, nor the innermost substance is the highest conception of the Absolute, but it is the capacity of attracting everyone, to concentrate the center of interest of everyone by beauty and natural love. Not by forceful control; to attract every atom towards him for the fulfillment of our existence: that is the highest aspect of the Absolute, and that was given by Mahaprabhu. The natural attractor of all, giving them all possible fulfillment. Who can give fulfillment of the inner aspiration of everyone? That aspect is the highest and that fulfillment is possible by anandam, rasam—beauty, love, and affection. Neither the controlling, nor accommodating, nor permeating aspects of Paramatma, Brahman, and Bhagavan, but svayam Bhagavan; the God of God, the God of all gods.

There is an aspect that is drawn to his own beauty and also distributes that beauty. Just as in the heart we find that blood is circulated to every corner and from there, the blood is again drawn towards heart for purification. Giving and taking, all-attracting and distributing to all: that is Sri Caitanyadeva. There the combined effort of the positive-negative is together. In Vrindavana, the positive and negative are separate with their own paraphernalia and they are continuing their pastimes. In Svarupa-damodara’s sloka we find:

radha krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini saktir asmad
ekatmanav api bhuvi pura deha-bhedam gatau tau
caitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna tad-dvayam caikyam aptam
radha-bhava-dyuti-suvalitam naumi krsna-svarupam2

Svarupa-damodara refutes the idea that first there is Krishna and then Mahaprabhu. Both are eternal. When they are combined – radha-krsna-pranaya-vikrtir. Who is Radha? She is not separate from Krishna. Krsna-pranaya—the beauty or the love that is in Krishna—that is Radha and so that cannot exist separately. They are both one but they are separated for a particular practice in Vrindavana. They are one divided into two halves, positive and negative, with their own paraphernalia. They showed their very beautiful pastimes there. And again, they become one in Sri Caitanya—radha-bhava-dyuti-suvalita—the color and the mood of Radharani within Krishna. I have mentioned in my Prema-dhama-deva Stotram:

atma-siddha-sava lila puma-saukhya-laksanam
svanubhava-matta-nrtya-kirtanatma-vantanam
advayaika-laksya-puma-tattva-tat-paratparam
prema-dhama-devam-eva naumi gaura-sundaram

This is the all-conquering conclusion: the highest conception of the ultimate reality must also be the highest form of ananda, ecstasy. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krishna, ecstasy himself, tasting his own sweetness and dancing in ecstatic joy. His own holy name is the cause of his ecstasy, expressed as dancing, and the holy name is the effect of his ecstasy, expressed as chanting. The cause is the effect. The dynamo is creating ecstatic energy which makes him dance, and his chanting distributes that ecstasy to others. I offer my obeisances to that beautiful Golden Lord, Gauranga-sundara, the divine form of Krishna prema.”3

Matta-nrtya—just as a madman, without any object, dances. This example is given by the philosophers, matta-nrtya. A madman is dancing. What is the cause? He has got no idea, but he is dancing. So the Absolute, in ecstasy of his joyfulness, is dancing. And when he is chanting he distributes himself to the public. I have pointed out in this verse that dancing is the symptom of the fullness of ecstatic joy and kirtana means to distribute himself to the outside, to the environment. When these two signs are found in full then he cannot but be the Absolute. The Absolute Truth has got his own fulfillment and he is also dynamic in character, distributing that fulfillment to others. That is found in Sri Caitanyadeva—the highest type of Absolute.

Madhurya in Vrindavana and audarya in Navadvipa. They are two compartments on the same level. On the highest level of ontological conception there are two compartments. One is confined within himself, and another distributing that to other quarters; attracting everyone towards them and distributing everything towards all. Two phases of lila are generally found there. To us, Gaura lila is more useful because our prospect is there. Through Mahaprabhu only can we have entrance into the other aspect of his lila—when it is given by him, by his given method. If we approach him, we are sure to have entrance into that lila.

yatha yatha gaura-padaravinde
vindeta bhaktim krta punya-rasih
tatha tathot-sarpati hrdya-kasmad
radha-padambhoja-sudhambu rasih

As devotion unto the lotus feet of Sri Gaurasundara is attained by a greatly pious person, inevitably the ocean of nectar which is the service of the lotus feet of Sri Radha is accordingly born within his heart.4

As much as we are able to connect ourselves with Gaura lila, automatically we find that without any trouble we are already present in Krishna lila. We are carried to the camp of Radharani in Vrindavana. We have to cover this ontological aspect.

Percolated by the mercy of Sri Gauranga, try to approach Srimati Radharani. Then there will be no possibility of any contamination entering our heart and disturbing us in that plane. Sri Gauranga will impede that contamination. If we have the shelter of Gauranga we can be sure that we will very safely, smoothly, and intimately attain the service of Srimati Radharani.

The above article was adapted from Krishna Talk 156, available here.

1. Bhag.1.2.11
2. Cc. Adi 1.5
3. Prema-dhama-deva Stotram 66
4. Caitanya-candramrta 88

Verse 8
tan-nama-rupa-caritadi-sukirtananu
smrtyoh kramena rasana-manasi niyojya
tisthan vraje tad-anuragi jananugami
kalam nayed akhilam ity upadesa-saram

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.

Illumination by B. R. Sridhar-Dev Goswami

There are five stages of the sadhaka. First is the hearing stage—sravana-dasa. The second stage is varana-dasa—acceptance by the guru and the disciple. Then sadhana-dasa—the attempt for realization will begin. This stage is full of struggle; up to sadhana-dasa it is a little painful. Then apana-dasa—the stage of realization. That is very sweet and one feels peaceful in bhava bhakti. Whatever pain is seen there is only apparent. Finally there is prapana-dasa—attainment, the stage of full self-surrender and distribution to others. One is finally detached from relativity and enters into that divine connection. By analysis these are the five stages of sadhana bhakti.

Sometimes we may be misguided into thinking that we must not study books and analyze things, “Why is this knowledge necessary? Jnana is anti-devotional. What is the necessity of knowing what is what? I shall go on chanting the Name and wherever there is any lecture explaining Bhagavatam or Caitanya-caritamrta, I will avoid that. That is all knowledge – “jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva!” We may go on taking the Name, and whenever there is some explanation about devotion we try to avoid it. But this is not good, because if we hear from the proper source we will get some sort of knowledge that gives us impetus for going on in our sadhana.

When any illumination or revelation is coming through a real agent who is higher than us, we should be very earnest to hear those things. That will consolidate our position and help us to go ahead in our sadhana. That should not be eliminated as mere knowledge. That is siddhanta. Who is Krishna, how he is Svayam-Bhagavan, who is Narayana, what are the twenty-four layers of misconception, what is Vaikuntha and Goloka, who is Baladeva, what are the different rasas—if all these things are being explained and I say, “Oh no, it is all jnana, I must dismiss it and take the Name,” then this is foolishness. Such thoughts should be considered as indolence. This knowledge will advance our faith most profoundly and such discussions should be automatically invited.

Twenty-Four Hours Service

One western gentleman once stated that there are many conceptions of religion in different parts of the world, but we do not find any conception of religion where twenty-four hours a day can be devoted to the service of the Supreme Lord. Not only Sunday, not only twice in the day, not only thrice in the day, but every hour and second devoted in the service of the Supreme Entity with nothing left behind. That is never to be found anywhere but in Gaudiya Vaishnavism. This sort of service is only possible in kirtaniya sada harih and in the asta-kaliya lila of Sri Krishnacandra himself in the madhurya-rasa.

Madhurya-rasa is the total rasa, and the most intense of all rasas. It is all accommodating. Twenty-four hours engagement in the service of Krishna is only possible in madhurya-rasa. There is the possibility of tiredness in all other rasas, even vatsalya-rasa. Sometimes the father or mother may think, “I am too tired, I shall make arrangements a little later.” But in madhurya-rasa, there is no such reaction. Of course, all these things are of a very high order.

Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has shown, as has Kaviraja Goswami in his Govinda-lilamrta, the eight praharas—twenty-four hours service. One prahara is a fourth part of a day or night. Twenty-four hours is divided into eight praharas, and this is known as asta-kaliya. Visvanatha Cakravarti has written about this in his Sri Krishna-bhavanamrta. There he has given the asta-kaliya lila in radha-dasyam—how the she-friends and servitors of Radharani have their twenty-four hours duty in the camp of Radhika in Her service. Radharani is already wholly given to Krishna, there is no question and their twenty-four hours program is explained elaborately by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. However, Sri Krishna-bhavanamrta is for the higher students only.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura also explained these things in Jaiva-dharma but with great caution. We have gone through Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s writings, but we did not miss his warnings. We must be practical in our attempt for such things are not imaginary. Some westerners think that eastern philosophy is something like imagination so they pass through it very quickly without giving attention to so many steps. This means they are self-deceivers.

One who desires real sincere improvement will not omit any steps. Sraddha, sadhu-sanga, bhajana-kriya, anartha-nivrtti, ruci, asakti, then bhava. They must be true to their own self whether they have followed each of these steps. Raga-marga proper begins at bhava-bhakti. Up to the awakening of real bhava one must follow vaidhi bhakti and anartha-nivrtti in order to be sure that attraction for any charm of this material world has gone altogether. But those who are self-deceivers want it very cheaply. They want to buy very cheap food without proper payment. Dhira means a master of his own senses. Only such a devotee is qualified to try to enter into this flavor, not those who are not masters of their own senses.

naitat samacarej jatu
manasapi hy anisvarah
vinasyaty acaran maudhyad
yatha’rudro ‘bdhi-jam visam

One who is not a great controller should never imitate the behavior of ruling personalities, even mentally. If out of foolishness an ordinary person does imitate such behavior, he will simply destroy himself, just as a person who is not Rudra would destroy himself if he tried to drink an ocean of poison.1

Due to ignorance, if anyone ventures to enter into this domain even mentally, then, vinasyati—he will be doomed. If he is not Shiva, if he takes poison, he is sure to die. Siva drank poison but it became an ornament on his throat. But one who is not Shiva, if he takes poison, he will die. One who is not dhira and has no control over their senses, if they venture to enter into this domain, they are sure to die. This warning is given in Bhagavatam by Sukadeva Goswami. It is nectar, but still you must come and take it properly. There is a possibility of mistaking it for your awkward enjoyment and then you will be doomed forever.

The higher literatures for the highly realized souls should not be propagated in a very broad way. They are only meant for a very select few who can come up to that mark and have entrance to discuss and think and work according to that high direction. But the general requirement is sraddha for Mahaprabhu and sraddha for Krishna Consciousness. Madhurya-rasa in particular and parakiya—these two planes may be misunderstood by the general people. It is beyond their conception that we can relate with God as a wife or mistress. As a wife maybe possible to accommodate, but as a mistress of God? That is impossible! The conception of Godhead and the conception of His mistress at the same time are impossible to conceive for the ordinary intellect.

Who Will Take Such a Risk?

Our Guru Maharaja once told us that there was one scholar in Dacca University who used to teach Sanskrit literature to the post-graduate students and there was one girl who was his student in that class. That gentleman was a good scholar and he used to teach from the books written by Rupa Goswami—Ujjvala-nilamani, etc. Prabhupada objected to this, “What is he teaching? This subject matter is not for school students. Only the highest religious preachers have entrance in that domain and he is taking it like this!” Later, it so happened that that gentleman married that young girl. When that happened our Guru Maharaja explained that this occurred because that fellow did not understand the dignified position of Rupa Goswami. Such high topics should not be brought to the ordinary people. It should be kept for selected people only, such as those who are on the level of Uddhava:

asam aho carana-renu-jusam aham syam
vrndavane kim api gulma-latausadhinam
ya dustyajam sva-janam arya-patham ca hitva
bhejur mukunda-padavim srutibhir vimrgyam

My desire is to become a blade of grass or a creeper that grows in the forest of Vraja. In that way, it will be possible for me to receive the dust of the feet of those great personalities who have worshiped the lotus feet of the great liberator, Mukunda. The dust of the feet of these great personalities is sought after even by the Vedas. Leaving aside the affection of their own kith and kin, which is ordinarily impossible to give up, the Gopis of Vraja have sacrificed everything for the satisfaction of Sri Krsna.2

Sva-janam arya-patham ca—we must be willing to sacrifice the relationships of those whom we consider to be our kith and kin, our own intimate friends. Arya-patha – those who are recommended by the stalwarts or the leaders of the gregarious society should also be given up. So much risk! Who will come forward to take such a risk? A bad name and even the least help we can expect from our nearest and dearest. All eliminated! Taking the fullest risk to cast ourselves towards one who is an Autocrat – but beautiful. Such a degree of sacrifice was considered to be the highest even by Uddhava, the greatest of the devotees, whom Krishna Himself describes in His own words:

na tatha me priyatama
atmayonir na sankarah
na ca sankarsano na srir
naivatma ca yatha bhavan

Neither Brahma, nor Siva, nor Sankarsana of Vaikuntha, nor the goddess of fortune Laksmidevi, nor even my own self is as dear to me as you. You are my favorite, Uddhava.3

And Uddhava speaks so highly about the Gopis. Such things are not to be dragged into the ordinary intellect of the common audience. That is srutibhir vimrgyam—even the Vedas are only showing the direction for they cannot fully express it. It is the highest point of revelation. They can only point from a distance and show that Krishna lila is the highest lila on this side. We can’t express that—this is the attitude of the revealed scriptures of the highest order. You should not venture to drag the whole thing into this mundane world. We must keep this on our heads.

Pujala raga-patha gaurava-bhange—the very tenor of the preaching of our Guru Maharaja was this. He worshipped the patha, the way of raga – the highest love. He did not try to bring it down here. Hold this on your head—the raga-patha, the way of love to attain him! Tread all possible stages of learning with a respectable attitude about the Supreme. Always keep the highest form of love affairs above your head. Otherwise, if you think you have obtained that, you are finished! You are doomed! It is not so cheap! Don’t try to make it very cheap. It is very difficult.

The preceeding is an installment of our classroom series: Sri Upadesamrta, with Illuminations by Srila B. R. Sridhara Deva Goswami, published by Gosai Publishers, 2009. View past installments, here.

1. Bhag. 10.33.30
2. Bhag.10.47.61
3. Bhag. 11.14.15