Gaudiya Philosophy

20/04/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗮𝘆𝗮 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘆𝗮: 𝗔 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 🌸✨

Today marks the super-excellent and auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya. In the Vedic tradition, the word 'Akshaya' means "not perishable," "everlasting," or "inexhaustible". It is a day so powerful that any endeavor—spiritual or material—started today is 100% guaranteed to be successful.

ᴡʜʏ ɪꜱ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴅᴀʏ ꜱᴏ ꜱɪɢɴɪꜰɪᴄᴀɴᴛ?
- 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘄𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Lord Brahma created the universe (brahmanda) on this very day. He also created barley, the root of all grains, which is traditionally offered to Lord Krishna today.
- 𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗴𝗲: It marks the beginning of Satya-yuga.
- 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀: We celebrate the appearance of Lord Parasurama and the day the holy river Ganges descended to Earth.
- 𝗦𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘀: Today is the start of Chandana-yatra, where the Lord (such as Lord Jagannatha) is smeared with cooling sandalwood paste. It is also the day the doors of the Badri-narayana temple in the Himalayas open for the first time after winter.
- 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆: In 1941, the Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti was established on this day by Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja.

ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴀɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏ ᴛᴏ ᴏʙꜱᴇʀᴠᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴅᴀʏ ꜱᴘɪʀɪᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ?
1. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁 & 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗮: Increase your chanting of the Holy Names and spend time reading shastras (scriptures) or listening to hari-katha.
2. 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗮 (𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲): Apply sandalwood paste (chandana) to the Lord or to the foreheads of Vaishnavas.
3. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆: Perform jala-dana—the charity of offering water to others.
4. 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: Offer roasted barley flour (jau sattu) mixed with milk and jaggery to the Lord.

ᴛʜᴇ "ᴛʀᴜᴇ ɢᴏʟᴅ" ᴏꜰ ᴀᴋꜱʜᴀʏᴀ ᴛʀɪᴛɪʏᴀ 🔑
While many people rush to buy physical gold today, the deeper spiritual meaning of "purchasing gold" is to receive diksha mantras (spiritual initiation) from a Guru. This "spiritual gold" is the only thing that is truly eternal and leads to perfection in life.

May your spiritual journey be successful and everlasting! 🙏 Hare Krishna!

15/04/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗩𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗶 🌳🌿

Vrinda Devi is the master of Vrindavana. In that forest, Vrinda or Tulasi are prominent. All the trees, flowers and creepers are secondary, but there is a prominence of Vrinda. Vrinda is the master of the whole forest of Vrindavana. She manages to meet Radha and Krishna, to meet Gopis with Krishna, and to meet any jiva who has been qualified, and they can reach the level of prema. When they enter in Vrindavana, and they come from the womb of any Gopi, then this Vrinda helps them to meet Radha and Krishna. Without the help of Vrinda Devi, none can meet Krishna, Radha, or any nitya-siddha Gopi 💫

Do you know Yogamaya Paurnamasi? She manages everything in the whole eighty-four kros of Vrindavana. Yogamaya managed everything. All the pastimes of Krishna are managed by Yogamaya. Yogamaya means 'to add’; to meet with Krishna, to serve Krishna. Everything that happens, from birth to last, from morning to morning, Yogamaya manages everything. And in Vrindavana, in groups, only Vrinda Devi manages everything. All the secret things. If Srimati Radhika is meeting with Krishna or any Gopi, then especially Vrinda Devi has to manage everything. [If] Vrinda Devi [would not] manage, no pastime of Krishna in groups would take place 🪄

So you should know the difference between Yogamaya and Vrinda. Both are the same. The manifestation of Yogamaya is Vrinda Devi. She is none other than Vrinda Devi. But when she controls everything from top to bottom, then she is Yogamaya. And when she manages to meet the Gopis and Krishna - Srimati Radhika and Krishna - then this is the function of Vrinda Devi. She is managing there in Vrindavana. The dance of Gopis with Krishna, all was managed by Vrinda Devi. Yogamaya was also there, but there was a prominence of Vrinda Devi. [At the place] where Krishna and Radha and all the Gopis are playing, Yogamaya will not go directly [there]. She will be like Paurnamasi. But Vrinda Devi will go, she has so many functions and has to perform all [kind of service] 🦜🌺

Then, what is the function of Vrinda in this world? The function of Krishna in this world is to attract all the conditioned souls so that they may perform [devotional] service of Krishna. So they will be liberated from [Maha] Maya and then they will receive some [devotional] service to perform to Krishna. When Radha and Krishna descend to this world, Vrinda Devi also descends [with Them]. If Krishna, the Gopis and this Vraja-lila is not there, how she can help all the conditioned souls to make them qualified and to engage in Krishna's service? This is a big problem 🌏

Krishna Himself becomes Saligram and Vrinda Devi becomes Tulasi. Anyone can serve Saligram with Tulasi.. [she is] everywhere available. Everywhere is Tulasi, especially in India. Lakhs and lakhs Tulasi are here and there, without planting. But in Western country it is difficult, because she is so soft - like Radha and Krishna. They come to Vrindavana, so Tulasi also comes there. In whole India she is sufficiently [present]. We can have some Tulasi and we can worship Saligram 🌿🪨

Those who will do parikrama of Tulasi, who plant Tulasi, who will worship Tulasi, who will do pranaam to Tulasi and take caranamrita of Tulasi, will be liberated. Gradually they will have the association of very bona fide Vaishnavas and they will have a bona fide Guru. Then they [will] cross shraddha, nishta, ruci, asakti, bhava and prema. If Tulasi was not here, we could not have worshipped her. Without worshipping Vrinda, we can’t enter Vrindavana. Vrindavana means Vrindavana forest, and then we can’t serve Radha and Krishna 🌳

Krishna does not take anything if Tulasi is not placed on any maha prasadam. He will not take any water if Tulasi didn’t touched that. In the evening, you should not pluck her leaves. Instead, offer her leaf within your mind or we can place a dry Tulsi leaf [when offering bhoga] which has fallen from her. On Dvadashi tithi, we don't worship Tulasi and give water to her. On Sunday there is no restriction, only on Dvadasi day 🚫

We should try to observe all these things. We can light a [ghee] lamp and perform arcana/arati [worship] of Tulasi. Tulasi is so causelessly merciful. She helps any conditioned soul to make him qualified for the service of Radha and Krishna 🪷🧿

There is a pastime in the Padma Purana about how Krishna became Saligram and how Tulasi became this plant. But it is not exactly true because in Goloka Vrindavana dhaam there is no bad quality. No one have any envy to each other and they can’t curse each other 💞 Only to help poor knowledged persons who are not qualified, third class persons and general persons, this story has been given. If we want evidence, we should take it from Srimad Bhagavatam or the books of Srila Jiva Goswami, Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami, like Hari-bhakti-vilasa is a bona fide book. I’m telling [evidence] from these things.

So without Vrinda Devi we can’t go forward in [this] bhakti line. There are many stories about Vrinda Devi which are written in the Padma Purana etc. 🪔📚

- Sri Srimad BV Narayana Gosvami Maharaj, Vraja Mandala, India, November 1996 🌸✨️

13/04/2026

𝚂𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐

"Srimad Bhagavatam says: jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva: It is a defect to want to understand everything about divinity. Knowledge may be a qualification here in this world, but in relation to the transcendental truth of the highest order, the tendency to want to know everything is a disqualification.

We want to know the value of everything. We want to have the key to everything in our possession. But this is really a bar to progress. If we assert ourselves in this way, we rather lose what confidence we might have in divinity, and there will be some delay in extending the key to us. If a servant, upon getting employment in the master’s house, is very eager to be entrusted with the house keys, then the master will suspect him. So to want to know everything is a type of disease, it is an enemy to our progress.

This is, of course, difficult to accept. But still, it is true. Surrender is everything. What cultivation of knowledge do we find in the gopis—the most exalted devotees of Krishna? What was their acquaintance with scripture? Nothing.

What we understand to be “standard purity,” what we think to be knowledge—all these things are disqualifications in giving pleasure to the absolute."

- excerpt from the book 'Loving Search for the Lost Servant' by Sri Srimad Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar-dev Gosvami Maharaj 🌸🙏🏽

07/04/2026

"Ga onverstoorbaar verder op het pad van bhajana en je zult zeker gekwalificeerd worden voor dienstbaarheid. Je zult nooit verstoken blijven van de zegeningen van je spirituele gids. Dit is mijn liefdevolle zegen."

03/03/2026

29/10/2025

🪷 "[Today] is the tirobhāva of Śrīla Gadādhara dāsa Gosvāmī. Śrīla Gadādhara Paṇḍita Gosvāmī and Śrīla Gadādhara dāsa Gosvāmī are two different personalities. Śrīla Gadādhara dāsa Gosvāmī’s śrīpāṭa, residence, is Ediyadaha.

It is said that he is the manifestation of Radharani’s efflugence. He made even the most disobliging people chant kṛṣṇa-nāma. This was his glory. The Muslim administrator, Kāzī, was antagonistic to religion and cruel. One evening Śrīla Gadādhara dāsa Gosvāmī fearlessly visited Kāzī’s residence and asked him to chant harināma. Intimidated, the Kāzī promised, “I will chant Hari’s name tomorrow”. Then Śrīla Gadādhara dāsa Gosvāmī responded, “You have just uttered the name of Hari now, thus, where does the question of tomorrow arise?” This is Śrīla Gadādhara dāsa Gosvāmī. He was preaching alongside Nityānanda Prabhu. So he was in sakhya rasa but later he became a mādhurya rasa devotee [Here “became” means that he was sometimes in sakhya rasa and sometimes in madhurya depending on the service that is to be rendered. Just like Balarama Prabhu or Nityananda Prabhu who can be in any of the four rasas depending on the service that is needed to be rendered.]

She who during Kṛṣṇa’s incarnation was Candrakānti, the manifestation of Rādhārāṇī’s opulence, has become Gadhādhara Dāsa by Gauranga’s side. Balarāma’s beloved Purnanānda has also entered into him for some special purpose. (Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā 154-155)

Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura has made the following comments on Gadhādhara Dāsa’s identity in Kṛṣṇa līlā: “He is Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s effulgence. Just as Śrīla Gadhādhara Panḍita Gosvāmī is Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī Herself, so Gadhādhara Dāsa is an incarnation of Her bodily luster. In the Lord’s incarnation as Kṛṣṇa with the emotions and bodily luster of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, he is that bodily luster. In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā, he is said to be the manifestation of Rādhā’s opulence. He is counted amongst the followers of both Gaura and Nityānanda."

- excerpt from the lecture of Sri Srimad Bhakti Vijñana Bharati Gosvami Maharaj, Visuddha Caitanya-vani 🌸🙏🏽

26/10/2025

sʀī sʀīᴍᴀᴅ ʙʜᴀᴋᴛɪśʀīʀūᴘᴀ sɪᴅᴅʜāɴᴛɪ ᴍᴀʜāʀāᴊᴀ's ɴᴇᴄᴛᴀʀᴇᴀɴ ᴀᴅᴠɪᴄᴇ

(1) Obtaining the shelter of the lotus feet of a genuine guru is, without a doubt, a matter of both great fortune and great dilemma for the baddha-jiva. If, however, a fortunate soul has a sincere longing and ardency to attain a true guru, he does so by the mercy of Sri Krishna.

(2) The baddha-jiva is extremely insignificant; it is impossible for him to realise the magnitude of Sri Guru.

(3) One who, birth after birth has accumulated bhaktiunmukhi-sukriti, or spiritual merits leading to bhakti, will, in one birth, come face to face with the devotee of Sri Krishna, Sri Guru, by Sri Krishna's mercy. By the mercy of that krishna-bhakta (Sri Gurudeva) one hears krishna-katha from his mouth and gradually experiences the appearance of devotion in one's heart. By the light of the sun, one sees the sun. Similarly, in the light of the sadhu's mercy one can comprehend the sadhu's svarupa (eternal nature), and an acute hankering awakens to engage in hari-bhajana in the shelter of his lotus feet.

(4) The sadhu mercifully gives mantra initiation (diksha) and instructions (siksha) in the path of hari-bhajana to that sincere and surrendered person.

(5) As a result of accepting the shelter of a sadhu's lotus feet, a person performs hari-bhajana, and as he gradually becomes free from anarthas, he becomes cognizant of the nature of the transcendental reality.

(6) Only a sadhu who knows the imports of all sastras, who is devoted to Bhagavan and who is intent on bhajana, is a genuine guru. Those who speak in order to appease the fancies of the baddha-jiva's mind and thus try to attract it are not worthy of the title guru; rather they are the jiva's enemies. Never associate with them no matter how fond of their charming words you may be.

(7) Know that the entirety of instructions given by the karmis, jnanis, yogis and pseudo bhaktas to the jiva so he can obtain his own pleasure contain no message of eternal, supreme auspiciousness. The association of such persons is always to be rejected, no matter how enjoyable it is.

(8)) One cannot understand that the association of nondevotees brings utter inauspiciousness until, as a matter of fortune one achieves the pure devotee's mercy, which results from Sri Krishna's grace.

(9) The words of pure devotees are contrary to our sense gratification. No matter how pitiless and harsh their words may seem if we can sincerely submit to them with our body, mind and words, our eternal welfare is assured.

(10) Maha-bhagavata Vaishnavas are the eternal, dear associates of Gaura-Krishna. If a jiva has not accumulated an unlimited amount of bhaktiunmukhi-sukriti, the darsana and shelter of such Vaishnavas does not come within the scope of his fortune.

(11) Merely maintaining the arrogance that one has received the mercy of suddha-bhaktas does notactually award that mercy or the position of being their disciple.

(12) A genuine disciple is just as rare as a genuine guru.

(13) Sri Bhagavan, as antaryami, resides in the hearts of all. Since pure devotees are the antaryami of even Bhagavan, they can serve Him according to His internal desires and thus please Him. Thus they are known as bhagavat-preshtha. Even after becoming the genuine disciple of such a person, one must understand the inner desire of Sri Gurudeva and serve him accordingly.

(14) One cannot charm Sri Gurudeva with a display of external emotions, gestures and formalities. If one becomes a disciple without sincerely surrendering oneself at Sri Gurudeva's lotus feet, it is like trying to cheat a blacksmith regarding iron and one is bound to be cheated of his own welfare. (A blacksmith's primary occupation is working with iron.)

(15) Only at the time of Sri Gurudeva's disappearance can one recognise the actual identity of his disciples. One can then understand who has approached Sri Guru with what intention.

(16) Even after taking shelter of a sad-guru's lotus feet, some disciples secretly strive to occupy the seat of Sri Gurudeva at the time of his disappearance. Their acceptance of the shelter of Sri Guru's feet was merely deceit. They are, in fact, hostile and inimical to guru.

(17) Moreover, some disciples try to misappropriate the opulence and paraphernalia intended for the service of Sri Guru-Gauranga. This is not understood while Sri Gurudeva is still present, but after he has disappeared from this world, it assumes a terrible form. Know these disciples to be hypocrites, enjoyers and offenders.

(18) Even at the time of Sri Gurudeva's manifest presence, some try to control their godbrothers instead of regarding them as worshipable. Thus they become severe offenders of the Vaishnavas.

(19) Those who have been appointed to the position of temple-manager, but who do not serve in mutual cooperation with others and are reluctant to give due respect to their godbrothers, are sense enjoyers, that is, enjoyers of the matha. Instead of serving Bhagavan they are greedy to enjoy His property. They are a disgrace to the title "disciple".

(20) Many, who are disciples in name only, even try to destroy the institution when Sri Gurudeva disappears because the honour they receive decreases at that time. These people are most inimical to guru and most certainly condemned to hell.

(21) Those disciples who deviate and engage in numerous acts of malice against Sri Guru when he disappears were undoubtedly hidden deceivers at the time of his manifest presence.

(22) Those in the stage of sadhana, who are not careful about obeying Sri Guru and avoiding offences to Vaishnavas, fall down even though they may have reached an elevated level.

(23) Those who take shelter at the lotus feet of a sadguru with a desire to do hari-bhajana should simple-heartedly follow Sri Gurudeva's instructions with their body, mind and words. If they fail to drive extraneous desires from their hearts, the prohibited endeavours for karma and jnana will present numerous deterrents to remaining on the path of suddha-bhakti.

(24) If the disciple's heart is not clean, Sri Guru's heart does not reflect in it. Only out of immense fortune does the moon of bhakti that exists in the heart of Sri Gurudeva, maha-bhagavat, manifest within the heart of the disciple.

(25) A simple-hearted disciple, who desires his true benefit, practically never meets a bad end.

(26) A disciple surrendered at the lotus feet of a sad-guru should always keep in mind the teachings from "Sri Rupa-siksha" in Sri Caitanya-caritamrita. In this way he should serve Sri Guru without duplicity, and with utmost caution he should cultivate the limbs of sravana and kirtana of sri hari-katha.

(27) If the sadhaka's life lacks simplicity and caution, he will achieve the opposite of his cherished ideal.

(28) Among all the jivas who are wandering throughout the universe, one who has accrued spiritual merit over many lifetimes obtains the seed of the creeper of bhakti, or sraddha. This takes place when the jiva, by Krishna's mercy, is favoured by His dear associates. Endowed with that sraddha, the disciple as a gardener, plants that seed in his heart. He waters it by hearing and chanting the instructions flowing from the mouth of SriGurudeva. Thus by these activities, the creeper sprouts and gradually climbs to the lotus feet of Sri Krishna.

(29) That creeper of bhakti passes beyond this universe, and beyond the Viraja River, Brahma-loka and Paravyoma, the spiritual sky, and goes to Goloka Vrindavana where it climbs the kalpa-vriksha (wishfulfilling tree) of Sri Krishna's lotus feet. The gardener, still in this world, continues to irrigate the creeper with the water of sravana and kirtana and thus welcomes the fortune of tasting the fruit of prema.

(30) If, in the stage of sadhana, innumerable weeds, such as the desire for enjoyment, liberation, material gain, worship and fame grow, as well as the tendency to engage in prohibited behaviour cheating, violence, and so forth - then the main plant cannot grow. At the time of watering it, the sadhaka will first cautiously cut the weeds so that they don't grow.

(31) One fault can arise that is most detrimental to the bhakti-sadhaka. It is known as vaishnava-aparadha and it can either uproot or cut the creeper of devotion like a mad elephant uproots a plant. As a result, the creeper of devotion immediately dries up. Therefore, the sadhaka is to remain diligent to ensure this does not happen. If gurva-avajna (disobeying guru) and vaishnava-aparadha occur, all one's sadhana-bhajana is destroyed.

(32) I have instructed those who have taken shelter of me to always remain cautious in this regard.I have tried to the best of my ability to repeat the instructions of Sri SriMahaprabhu, His associates and our Sri Guru-varga. Nevertheless, those who remain inattentive and consequently not cautious about committing offences to great personalities or about uprooting the weeds cannot be helped. After I leave this body, none of you [my followers] should commit offences and thus act to cause even slight damage to the institution. If all of you cannot cooperate to perform hari-bhajana together according to my instructions, it is better that you either enter household life or move to a place of pilgrimage and perform hari-bhajana.

16/10/2025

"Krishna is not alone. A king is always present with his entourage, his great establishment. If one is really to approach the king, it must be done through the proper channel. Krishna is always surrounded by a big hierarchy, a big bureaucracy, and one cannot approach Krishna directly. He whose approach is real must select a proper channel. He cannot but praise those devotees and revere them for their magnanimity. It is only by their help that we can get the nearness of Krishna. Should we think it possible that one can take a jump across the whole system and approach the king? It is unreal.

Someone may be externally engaged in such a way that apparently he is a great devotee of Krishna, but if he eliminates the devotees, that devotion has not taken real shape; it is a vague thing. He is far away from Krishna.

I noted when we were preaching in South India, that whenever any gentleman who was a renowned devotee in a particular place approached our Guru Maharaj, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada, he used to ask such men, “Under whose guidance does your devotional service to Krishna go on?” Generally they used to say, “No, no, I am directly concerned with Lord Krishna, and Lord Rama.” Then, when they went away, we heard our Guru Maharaj say, “He has no devotion.” That person was dismissed as an imitation devotee. That is a vague kind of devotion. It has not taken any particular shape because he is ignoring the asraya, the shelter-giving devotees in the positions surrounding the Lord. That is the great test of devotion."

- excerpt from 'Sri Guru and his Grace' by Sri Srimad Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Dev Gosvami Maharaj 🌸

🙏🏽 To reach Krishna, we must honor those who are dear to Him. Real devotion flows through genuine connection — through Guru and His devotees

💫 Tag or share this with your mentor, or devotee friend who helped you grow in your spiritual life!

10/10/2025

𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐤𝐚 🪷

It was during this month, while feeling separation from Krsna, that the gopis lamented, "We are not fortunate like the deer in this forest. People say they are foolish, but they are not so. We are foolish, because we don't know how to love Krsna like these deer. When prema is very high, it breaks all boundaries. These deer, although by nature very shy, have broken all boundaries by their intense love for Krsna. They gave up their shyness, they approached Him, and they are exchanging their hearts feelings with Him through their loving glances. We cannot do this, and therefore we are unfortunate. We will be lucky if we can die and take birth as deer in our next life. In that way we can see Krsna and approach Him when He is cow-grazing."

In this month the gopis remembered that when Krsna plays on His flute in the forest, the cows become stunned. With eyes of transcendental emotions the gopis see both Krsna and the cows, and further lament in their mood of separation. They see that although it is the nature of animals to spend their time in eating, when Krsna plays His flute these cows forget to eat and instead pick up their ears to hear. Humans have very small ears, but cows have large ears, like cups. Through the cups of their ears these cows drink the nectar of Krsna's flute playing, and when they taste it they forget everything else. They have grass in their mouths, but they forget to chew. Even the calves, who were drinking the milk from the udders of their mothers, are like this. The milk is coming into their mouths, but they have forgotten to swallow. They simply stand with tears gliding down from their eyes, and they embrace Krsna in the core of their hearts.

The love of the cows is not as high as that of the gopis, but due to the nature of their own prema, the gopis think the cows are greater. Those who are maha-bhagavatas, and what to say of maha-maha-bhagavatas like the gopis, see their own love and their own mood in all others. Yet they think, "I am unfortunate; I have no love."

In this month, Sri Radhika lamented in separation:

purnah pulindya urugaya-padabja-raga
sri-kunkumena dayita-stana-manditena
tad-darsana-smara-rujas trna-rusitena
limpantya anana-kucesu jahus tad-adhim
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.21.16)

["The aboriginal women of the Vrndavana area become disturbed by lust when they see the grass marked with reddish kunkuma powder. Endowed with the color of Krsna's lotus feet, this powder originally decorated the breasts of His beloveds, and when the aboriginal women smear it on their faces and breasts, they feel fully satisfied and give up all their anxiety."]

This is an example of Radhika's madanakhya-mahabhava (the highest ecstatic love for Krsna). Here She glorifies the aboriginal girls who live in the forest, and She says that they are lucky – whereas She is not. In the morning time, when they walk around Giriraja Govardhana, they see some red kunkuma powder on the grass and go to pick it up. This kunkuma came from the lotus feet of Krsnacandra when He was returning home in the early morning on the damp grass, but it originally came from the breasts of His beloved. The Pulindi girls think themselves to be very fortunate to obtain this kunkuma. Simply by their smelling the fragrance, Krsna appears in their hearts, and then they smear that kunkuma paste all over their bodies and faces and thus meet with Krsna in their hearts. There He fulfills all their desires.

Radhika is thinking that these Pulindi girls are fortunate, but more fortunate is the grass because it was directly touched by Krsna's feet. Even more fortunate is that beloved gopi from whose breasts this kunkuma has come. That gopi is Radhika Herself, but because of Her madanakya-mahabhava she forgets this – and instead glorifies others.

Govardhana-puja also took place in this month. All the Vrajavasis worshiped Giriraja Govardhana and performed Annakuta Mahotsava. Seeing this, Indra became very angry and created torrential rain, and Krsna cut away his pride. In this month, Indra came and worshiped Krsna after his pride was cut, all the demigods performed kirtana, and Krsna received the name Govinda.

Saradiya rasa-lila was also performed in this month. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam:

sri-badarayanir uvaca
bhagavan api ta ratrih
saradotphulla-mallikah
viksya rantum manas cakre
yoga-mayam upasritah
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.29.1)

["Sri Badarayani said: Sri Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full in all opulences. Yet upon seeing those autumn nights scented with blossoming jasmine flowers, He turned His mind toward loving affairs. To fulfill His purposes He employed His internal potency."]

Although Krsna is Bhagavan, and although He is atmarama (taking pleasure within) and aptakam (fully satisfied), in this month He became inspired by the beauty of the Vrndavana forest. There, in the middle of the night, He left his home and took shelter of Yogamaya:

drstva kumudvantam akhanda-mandalam
ramananabham nava-kunkumarunam
vanam ca tat-komala-gobhi ranjitam
jagau kalam vama-drsam manoharam
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.29.3)

["Lord Krsna saw the unbroken disk of the full moon glowing with the red effulgence of newly applied vermilion, as if it were the face of the goddess of fortune. He also saw the kumuda lotuses opening in response to the moon's presence and the forest gently illumined by its rays. Thus the Lord began to play sweetly on His flute, attracting the minds of the beautiful-eyed gopis."]

He began to play on His flute, and the flute sound entered the hearts of the Vraja gopis. They became mugdha, completely bewildered and, forgetting everything else, they ran into the forest to meet with Him.

In this month, the gopis who were locked inside their homes were brought to Krsna by a mood of their very strong fire of separation from Krsna. By this viraha-tap, any imperfection in the moods of those who did not yet have sufficient association with the nitya-siddha gopis was completely burned away. By deeply meditating in intense separation they at once met with Krsna in their hearts and embraced Him. These sweet pastimes took place in this month.

In this month the gopis saw the footprints of Radhika and said:

anayaradhito nunam
bhagavan harir isvarah
yan no vihaya govindah
prito yam anayad rahah
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.30.28)

["Certainly this particular gopi has perfectly worshiped the all-powerful Personality of Godhead, Govinda, since He was so pleased with Her that He abandoned the rest of us and brought Her to a secluded place."]

"This gopi, whom Krsna has taken alone into the forest, leaving all the rest of us, is most fortunate." In this way, all the Vraja gopis give honor to Srimati Radhika in this month. When Krsna disappeared from rasa-lila, the gopis cried and sang in separation the verses from Gopi-gita. One example is as follows:

tava kathamrtam tapta-jivanam
kavibhir iditam kalmasapaham
sravana-mangalam srimad atatam
bhuvi grnanti ye bhuri-da janah
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.31.9)

["The nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one's sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent."]

This verse is so sweet and powerful that when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard it from the lotus mouth of Maharaja Prataparudra, He told him, "You have given me so many valuable jewels. I have nothing to give you in return; I have only have my self, so I am embracing you." When Mahaprabhu embraced Prataparudra Maharaja, the bhavas and sweet meanings of the verses of Gopi-gita manifested in his heart.

In this month Krsna told the gopis of Vrndavana:

na paraye 'ham niravadya-samyujam
sva-sadhu-krtyam vibudhayusapi vah
ya mabhajan durjara-geha-srnkhalah
samvrscya tad vah pratiyatu sadhuna
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.30.22)

["I am not able to repay My debt for your spotless service, even within a lifetime of Brahma. Your connection with Me is beyond reproach. You have worshiped Me, cutting off all domestic ties, which are difficult to break. Therefore please let your own glorious deeds be your compensation."]

Krsna said, "O My dear gopis, you have left all other obligations, including your families, and all other dharmas for me. This is very difficult to give up, but you have left all this for my happiness only. Therefore, even if I have a lifetime as long as Brahma, and even if I will serve you for many such lifetimes, still I would not be able to repay you. I would always be indebted to you for the love you have given me."

After describing these pastimes of Rasa-lila and Gopi-gita, Srila Sukadeva Gosvamipada stated:

vikriditam vraja-vadhubhir idam ca visnoh
sraddhanvito 'nusrnuyad atha varnayed yah
bhaktim param bhagavati pratilabhya kamam
hrd-rogam asv apahinoty acirena dhirah
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.33.39)

["Anyone who faithfully hears or describes the Lord's playful affairs with the young gopis of Vrndavana will attain the Lord's pure devotional service. Thus he will quickly become sober and conquer lust, the disease of the heart."]

Bhagavan Sri Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is transcendental and His katha (descriptions of His glories and pastimes) is very powerful. Of all types of such katha, the katha of His servants is more powerful, the katha of his friends is more powerful, the katha of his parents in vatsalya-bhava is still more powerful, and the katha of His sporting with the young brides of Vraja is the highest and most powerful katha. It is so powerful that if even a fallen or sinful person hears it with faith, it can purify him. If one understands this and hears this katha, gopi-prema must enter into that person's heart, kick aside all anarthas, and turn him into a parama-bhagavata, topmost devotee.

In this month, Krsna killed the demon Sankasura and cut the jewel from his forehead. He then entered the company of all the gopis, who were all wondering to whom He would give that jewel. Krsna was thinking, "If I give the jewel to one, the others will be upset." Therefore, to avoid an argument among the gopis, Krsna gave the jewel to Baladeva Prabhu, who gave it to Madhumangala, who gave it to Srimati Radhika.

In this month Krsna killed Aristasura, and as a result of that killing Radha K***a and Syama K***a were manifest. That pastime took place today, (Oct 28th) and this holy day is called Bahulastami.

In this month, Krsna killed the demons Kesi and Vyomasura, and in this month Akrura came to Vraja and took Krsna and Balarama to Mathura. Krsna also killed Kamsa in this month.

In this month Krsna and Balarama performed the upanaya-sanskara (sacred thread ceremony). Because they had been brought up in Vraja, they have the mood that, "I am a cowherd boy and Mother Yasoda and Nanda Baba are My parents." However, Vasudeva and Devaki think, "We are the real parents of Krsna. It is part of the Vedic tradition that parents arrange for the upanaya-sanskara of their child, so if we arrange this function for Krsna, the impression will come in his heart that, "Vasudeva and Devaki are My parents." They tried to do this, but they failed. Krsna had already received the Radha mantra from Bhaguri Rsi. He received this mantra when He was in Vraja, but at that time He had no upanaya-sanskara. His upanaya-sanskara was performed in Mathura according to the duties of ksatryas.

Gargacarya gave Krsna the brahma-gayatri mantra, and when Krsna heard this mantra He fainted. Why? Radhika is the predominating deity of gayatri. Then, after His fire yajna, Krsna was looking for his mother and called out, "O Mother, where are you?" Devaki was standing near Him, but Krsna did not approach her – for He was looking for Mother Yasoda. In this way, although the Mathuravasis made the plan to give Krsna the sanskana that He is the son of Vasudeva and Devaki, it failed. This pastime took place in this month.

𝗦𝗿𝗶 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗥𝘀𝗶 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗞𝗿𝘀𝗻𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗹𝗮-𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗮 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗸𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵, 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗸𝗿𝘀𝗻𝗮-𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻. 𝗪𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲; 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀. 𝗪𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 – 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗽 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗹-𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶, 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗸𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗮, 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗿𝗶 𝗗𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗮𝗺, 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮, 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗵𝗮-𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗮, 𝗼𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗸𝘂𝘁𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗵𝗼𝘁𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗮, 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶-𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗮 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 – 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗮 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴. 𝗪𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗞𝗿𝘀𝗻𝗮-𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗵𝗮-𝗞𝗿𝘀𝗻𝗮 𝗬𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗮 🪔

- Sri Srimad BV Narayana Gosvami Maharaj, Vrindavana, India, 28 October 2002 🌸