In the concluding portion of “Krśńa and Supra-Aesthetic Science”, the last discourse of this book, the following two especially devotional shlokas have been referred to:
Jaya Vrndávana jaya naraliilá jaya Govardhana cetanashiilá,
Jaya Náráyańa Náráyańa Náráyańa Náráyańa he,
Jaya Shrii Yamuná jaya Vrajareńu jaya kuiṋjavana gopikáveńu,
Jaya Náráyańa Náráyańa Náráyańa Náráyańa he.(1)
Gopálapálaḿ Shishupálapálaḿ Shriikrśńacandraḿ satataḿ
namámi.
These two shlokas are the verbal expression of the particular devotional feeling that the jiivas realize on the eve of their total merger into the Cosmic flow, having arrived step by step at the pinnacle of devotion. This appendix is intended to explain the underlying import of these two shlokas.
Vrindávana. The presence of Vrajagopála in Vrindavana is a symbolic expression of the Cosmic presence in the spiritual stratum. Normally that presence remains beyond the psychic periphery of unit beings. Vrindavana in this case does not represent the physical Vrindavana. It represents human sentimentality, the sweetest recesses of the human heart.
The subtlest, the most delicate, portion of the human mind is the controlling point of human cordiality. When the human mind is focused on that particular point, it starts to experience the Krśńaliilá [Krśńa’s pastimes with His devotees]. The human heart, which is Vrindavana, is the nucleus of all the warmth and sweetness of the human mind. Human beings are always eager to rush towards the mohanatattva [supreme attractive force] which lies covert in the inner Vrindavana. Parama Puruśa also enhances the degree of spiritual attraction and increases the jiivas’ desire to rush towards Him. Due to this intense spiritual attraction the mind refuses to entertain any other psychic object. One may try in vain to persuade the mind to desist from thinking of Krśńa, but even then the mind will think of Krśńa and nothing else. Human beings at that stage lose their ordinary propensities and cling to their spiritual object alone. Thus microcosmic bearing is turned into Macrocosmic bearing.
Ucát́an man ná máne várań,
Shudhu tári páne chut́e yáy.
[The restless mind rushes towards Him not caring for anything else.]
The person who has intellectually understood this sweet Entity but who has not brought Him within the domain of realization is really bhágyahata [unfortunate]. The one who has realized this Entity is really bhágyabán [fortunate]. He or she listens to the divine music of the magic flute and is transported in joy. Therefore a mystic poet has said:
Adyápi ámár Krśńa bánsharii bájáy,
Kona kona bhágyabán shuńibáre páy.
[My beloved Krśńa plays His flute even today. Only the lucky ones get to listen to His music.]
At that stage all the discriminating tendencies of spiritual aspirants are obliterated, the intellect ceases to function, and Vraja Krśńa, Párthasárathi Krśńa, the naraliilá of Krśńa, the physical Vrindavana, even the dust of Vraja [Vrajareńu], all become fused into one. Strangely enough, in the human mind where innumerable thought-waves rise and fall, there remains only one thought, the thought of Vrindavana. Naraliilá. Let us come to naraliilá. The question arises, if Parama Puruśa, or Krśńa, constantly remains in the inner Vrindavana of the human heart, then what is the necessity of His assuming human form in order to come in contact with microcosms. Why this naraliilá – the taking of human form by Parama Puruśa to fulfil His divine mission? Parama Puruśa has two manifestative aspects – nityánanda bháva [Parama Puruśa in His original and impersonal form], and liilánanda bháva [ Parama Puruśa in His operational expression]. Krśńa came to earth in the form of Mahásambhúti for the restoration and dissemination of devotion and spiritual bháva. To highly-evolved spiritual aspirants, the naraliilá of Parama Puruśa is as sweet as His Prabhuliilá, or nityánanda bháva. So the devotee who has established perfect parallelism with the Cosmic flow of Parama Puruśa is bound to sing the glories of naraliilá.
Govardhana cetanashiilá. “Govardhana” in common parlance refers to the Govardhana Mountain where Lord Krśńa played His divine sport. However, the subtle significance is this: Go means the indriyas, and vardhana means “nourishment”. So govardhana means “that which sustains and develops the indriyas”. And cetanashiilá means “living stone” [a stone which expands in volume over time]. Due to the desire of my beloved Krśńa, the indriyas and microcosmic minds develop like a cetanashiilá. When the entire capacity of the indriyas is pinnacled, the indriyas become suspended in the mind, and the mind becomes suspended in Parama Puruśa. To the extent that the indriyas are not developed, people think that Parama Puruśa is as inaccessible as a jewel lying at the bottom of the ocean, as the stars in the sky. Conversely, when the indriyas are developed, one feels that He is no longer inaccessible. Hence jaya Govardhana cetanashiilá.
Shrii Yamuná. Just as there is a Yamuna River in the physical sphere, in the subtle psychic sphere also there is a certain flow which leads microcosms towards Parama Puruśa. It was by the Yamuna that Shrii Krśńa used to move, playing His divine sport. To the devotees the Yamuna remains a hallowed memory.
Vrajareńu. “Vraja” ordinarily means the land of Mathura where Shrii Krśńa played His unique and historical role, and reńu means dust particles. Vraja in the philosophical sense implies movement while getting joy. When spiritual aspirants move towards Parama Puruśa, it does not denote physical movement but psychic movement. This movement in the world of bháva is called vraja parikramá [circumambulation in the psycho-spiritual sphere]. This vraja parikramá is a sacred act. Just as in the naraliilá of my beloved Krśńa every dust particle of Vraja became sacred due to the holy visits of countless devotees, so the bhávareńu of the paths of the psycho-spiritual world, trodden by countless sádhakas, is equally sacred. Hence the heart of the devotee sings jaya to Vrajareńu.
Kuiṋjavana. In ordinary parlance, kuiṋjavana means an arbour, a small place surrounded by foliage. In the spiritual sphere, kuiṋjavana implies a very secret cavity in the human heart from where Parama Puruśa sends out His irresistible divine call to His numerous devotees. This kuiṋjavana is the favourite haunt of Shrii Krśńa. If it had not been for kuiṋjavana, from where would He have sent out His divine call?
[Gopikáveńu. Veńu means “bamboo flute”, and gopikáveńu means “a flute which emits melodious notes regaling the hearts of devotees”.]
Hence gopikáveńu and kuiṋjavana are equally dear to devotees. When the jiivas are about to merge their microcosmic existence in the Macrocosmic existence, they become confused. They remain in ecstasy while thinking about physical things such as Govardhana, cetanashiilá, Shrii Yamuná, Vrajareńu, kuiṋjavana and gopikáveńu. They make no differentiation between things of the mundane and spiritual worlds. They sing the glories of naraliilá at one moment, and at the next moment they sing the glories of Parama Puruśa, or Náráyańa. However, the mental balance is tipped in favour of Parama Puruśa, Náráyańa.
Finally arrives the long-awaited aparokśa anubhúti [direct realization]. In that auspicious moment the sádhaka fully comprehends the hidden import of the supreme stance and cries out in joy, “O Parama Puruśa, I couldn’t realize You until now. But now I understand that You are that very Gopálapálaka, Shishupálapálaka.”
Here gopála means the jiivátman. That is, gopála means the forces of light. Go, as I have already said, means indriya, and gopála means the reflecting plate of the indriyas, that is, the jiivátman. Parama Puruśa is “Gopálapála” [pála means “protector”] because He is the lord of all jiivátmas.
He is also Shishupálapála. “Shishupála” here means the forces of darkness. So Parama Puruśa is also “Shishupálapála” because He does not annihilate those forces, but instead creates a congenial environment for their evolution to higher stages of existence. It implies that just as the Lord protects the virtuous in a positive way, He also protects the wicked in another way which is proper for them. He is the protector of both sinners and saints. Hence I salute that Shriikrśńacandram, Krśńasundaram [Krśńa the Beautiful], the repository of endless virtues. I salute Him not a million times, but always, in every fraction of a second.
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