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Home , Abhidheya, Balarama, Goloka, Prayojana

Sri Pavitropana Ekadäsé Issue no:117 11th August 2019 Lord And The Jivas Lord Balarama Visits Vrindavana Five Ways Lord Balarama Assists Sri Sukadeva His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada

Balarama’s Räsa-lélä Baladeva Prabhu Is The Source Of Both Srila Das Thakura And Gokula Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura

Lord Balarama And The Jivas Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Circulaton 29, 449 Issue no 117, Page — 2 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä remember His family members, especially Lord Balarama Visits Vrindavan His father and mother? Do you think He Sri Sukadeva Goswami will ever come back - even once - to see His mother? And does mighty- armed Sukadeva Gosvami said: O best of the remember the service we always Kurus, once Lord Balarama, felt eager to did for Him? For Krishna’s sake, O visit His well-wishing friends, and thus descendant of Dasharha, we abandoned He mounted His chariot and travelled to our mothers, fathers, brothers, husbands, Gokula. Having long suffered the children and sisters, even though these anxiety of separation from Krishna and family relations are difficult to give up. Balarama, the cowherd men and their But now, O Lord, that same Krishna has wives embraced Lord Balarama. The suddenly abandoned us and gone away, Lord then offered respects to His parents, breaking off all affectionate ties with us. and they joyfully greeted Him with And yet how could any woman fail to prayers. [Nanda and prayed,] trust His promises? How can intelligent “O descendant of Dasharha, O Lord of city women possibly trust the words of the universe, may You and Your younger one whose heart is so unsteady and who brother Krishna ever protect us.” Saying is so ungrateful? They must believe Him this, they raised Sri Balarama onto their because He speaks so wonderfully, and laps, embraced Him and moistened Him also because His beautiful smiling glances with tears from their eyes. Lord Balarama arouse their amourous desires.” then paid proper respects to the elder “Why bother talking about Him, dear cowherd men, and the younger ones ? Please speak of something else. If He all greeted Him respectfully. He met passes His time without us, then we shall them all with smiles, handshakes and similarly pass ours without Him.” While so on, dealing personally with each one speaking these words, the young cowherd according to age, degree of friendship, women remembered Lord Shauri's and family relationship. laughter, His pleasing conversations with Then, after resting, the Lord accepted them, His attractive glances, His style of a comfortable seat, and they all gathered walking and His loving embraces. Thus around Him. With voices faltering out they began to cry. of for Him, those cowherds, who The Supreme Lord Balarama, the had dedicated everything to lotus-eyed attractor of all, being expert at various Krishna, asked about the health of their kinds of conciliation, consoled the dear ones [in Dvaraka], and Balarama in by relaying to them the confidential turn asked about the cowherds’ welfare. messages that Lord Krishna had entrusted [The cowherds said:] O , are all our Him with. These messages deeply relatives doing well? And Rama, do all of touched the gopis’ hearts. Lord Balarama, you, with your wives and children, still the Personality of Godhead, resided in remember us? It is our great fortune that Vrindavan for the two months of Madhu sinful has been killed and our dear and , and during the nights He relatives have been freed. And it is also our gave His cowherd girlfriends conjugal good fortune that our relatives have killed pleasure. and defeated their enemies and found In the company of numerous gopis, complete security in a great fortress. Lord Balarama reveled in a garden by the Honoured to have the personal audience River. This garden was bathed in of Lord Balarama, the young gopis smiled the rays of the full moon and caressed by and asked Him, “Is Krishna, the darling of breezes bearing the fragrance of night- the city women, living happily? “Does He blooming lotuses. Sent by the demigod Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 117, Page—3

Varuna, the divine väruëé liquor flowed joyfully rained down flowers, and the from a tree hollow and made the entire great sages praised Lord Balarama’s heroic forest even more fragrant with its sweet deeds. aroma. The wind carried to Balarama the As His deeds were sung, Lord Halayudha fragrance of that flood of sweet liquor, and wandered the various forests with His when He smelled it He went to its source. There He and His female companions girlfriends as if inebriated. His eyes tettered drank väruëé. As the Gandharvas sang from the effects of drinking the väruëé His glories, Lord Balarama frolicked within liquor. Exhilerated with joy, Lord Balarama the brilliant circle of young women. He splendidly sported various flower garlands, appeared just like Indra’s elephant, the including the famous Vaijayanti. He wore a lordly Airavata, enjoying in the company single ear ring, and beads of perspiration of she-elephants. At that time kettledrums decorated His smiling lotus face like snow- resounded in the sky, the Gandharvas flakes. The Lord then summoned the www.ibmedu.org Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya Issue no 117, Page — 4 Top left 4 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä came out Goddess Kanti presented Him with blue garments, precious ornaments and a brilliant necklace. Lord Balarama dressed Himself in the blue garments and put on the gold necklace. Anointed with fragrances and beautifully adorned, He appeared as resplendent as Indra’s royal elephant. Even today, O King, one can see how the Yamuna flows through the many channels created when it was dragged by the unlimitedly powerful Lord Balarama. Thus she demonstrates His prowess. In this way, His mind enchanted by the exquisite charm and beauty of Vraja’s young ladies, all the evenings passed as if a single night for Lord Balarama as He frolicked in Vraja. —Srimad-Bhägavatam » Chapter 10: 65. Lord Balarama Visits Vrindavan » Verse: 1- 34 .

Yamuna River so that He could play in her Balarama’s Räsa-lélä waters, but she disregarded His command, Srila Vrindavan Das Thakura considering Him drunk. This angered Balarama, and He began dragging the river with the tip of His plough. dvau mäsau tatra cävätsén [Lord Balarama said:] O sinful one madhuà mädhavaà eva ca disrespecting Me, you do not come rämaù kñapäsu bhagavän when I call you but rather move by your gopénäà ratim ävahan independent volition. Therefore, with the tip of My plough I shall bring you here Balarama’s räsa-lélä is described by Sri in a hundred streams! Thus scolded by in his Båhad-vaiñëava- the Lord, the frightened river-goddess toñaëé commentary as follows: “In this Yamuna came and fell at the feet of Sri way Sri Baladeva first solaced those gopis Balarama, the beloved descendant of who were attached to Krishna and thus Yadu. Trembling, she spoke to Him the fulfilled the principle purpose of His visit. following words. Rama, Rama, O mighty- In this way He exhibited His affection armed one! I know nothing of Your for the residents of Vraja. Thereafter prowess. With a single portion of Yourself He enjoyed spring pastimes with other You hold up the earth, O Lord of the gopis.” He then says, “Regarding the universe. My Lord, please release me. O words ratim ävahan, rati refers to the soul of the universe, I didn’t realise Your original mellow, ädi-rasa, or conjugal position as the Supreme Godhead, but love, the prefix ä means ’properly,’ and now I surrender unto You, knowing that the word vahan means ’having received.’ You are always kind to Your devotees. Because He is rämaù, He is expert in Thereupon Lord Balarama released conjugal affairs. He is also the Supreme the Yamuna and, like an elephant king Lord, so He is very expert in the various with his entourage of female elephants, types of conjugal pastimes mentioned in entered the river’s water with His gopi the Käma-çästras. Or the word täù can companions. The Lord played in the also refer to those gopis who are greatly water to His full satisfaction, and when He afflicted out of separation from Krishna Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 117, Page—5 and whose only desire was to see Him. confidential.’ The word rämaù in this verse Therefore, Balarama resided in Vrindavan refers to one who is qualified for enjoying.” for two months in order to please the gopis In his Krama-sandarbha, of Vraja by performing conjugal pastimes writes: “The gopis refered to in this verse at night. By the use of the word ca it is as Balarama’s gopis are those who played understood that Lord Balarama remained along with Krishna’s gopis after in Vrindavan for more than two months, the killing of Shankhacuda. It should be because the gopis were greatly afflicted understood at this point that these gopis by feelings of separation and because remained chaste, following Krishna’s Lord Baladeva is most merciful and gives instructions. There is no mention of these happiness to everyone.” gopis receiving the touch of Balarama in In his Laghu-toñaëé commentary, Sri His earlier Vraja pastimes; there is only Jiva Goswami writes: “The word gopénäà some mention of their strong attachment in this verse refers to other gopis, for the for Balarama. Therefore Krishna mercifully use of the word gopi does not always requested them to protect their chastity for refer to Krishna’s gopis. One may say the pleasure of Balarama.” In his Båhat- that both subject matters are the same— krama-sandarbha, Jiva Gosvämé writes: Krishna enjoyed pastimes at night with “’He pleased His gopis’ means that He the gopis, and Baladeva also enjoyed pleased His own group of gopis.” pastimes at night with the gopis—so there In his Särärtha-darçiné commentary, is no difference between Krishna’s gopis Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura has and Balarama’s gopis. In reply to this it quoted Sridhara Swami as follows: “The may be said that no one should have such conjugal affairs of the gopis mentioned doubts, because the gopis described in in this verse relate with those gopis who the previous räsa pastimes are different had either not taken birth when Krishna from these gopis. Therefore one should enjoyed His räsa-lélä pastimes or who understand that Balarama’s gopis are were too young to take part. This is the different. So Sri Baladeva expertly pacified standard understanding of the previous Krishna’s beloved gopis and then went to äcäryas. Our Prabhupada, Sri Sanatana those gopis in whose presence He was Goswami, has stated that these beloved once teased by Krishna. At that time , gopis of Balarama were those who had Krishna said, ’My dear older brother, the joined Krishna’s beloved gopis in the Holi gopis are desiring the touch of Your broad pastimes after the killing of Shankhacuda.” chest and the embrace of Your two arms.’ — Sri Caitanya » Ädi-khaëòa » Chapter 1 » Verse 25 These joking words indicated that although » Translated by Bhumipati Dasa. Balarama did not make contact with those gopis at the time, it would take place in the Five Ways Lord Balarama Assists future. His Divine Grace There no mention that after Krishna A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada killed Shankhacuda and enacted the Holi pastime with His beloved gopis that these gopis, described as subordinate to Krishna’s According to expert opinion, Balarama, beloved gopis, received Krishna’s touch. as the chief of the original quadruple Therefore, it should be understood that forms, is also the original Sankarshana. Krishna instructed these gopis to carefully Balarama, the first expansion of Krishna, protect their chastity for the pleasure of expands Himself in five forms: (1) Maha- Balarama. According to this, it should be Sankarsana, (2) Karanodakashayi, (3) understood that Krishna solaced these Garbhodakashayi, (4) Ksirodakashayi, and gopis as explained above. (5) . These five plenary portions The word kñapäsu means ’most are responsible for both the spiritual and www.ibmedu.org Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya Issue no 117, Page — 6 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä material cosmic manifestations. In these entity. This majestic power of unlimited five forms Lord Balarama assists Lord spirit emanates on the upper portion Krishna in His activities. of the luminous sphere morphing into The first four of these forms are the most charming Gokula or eternally responsible for the cosmic manifestations, existing Goloka, exceedingly beautified whereas Shesha is responsible for personal by the assorted display of effulgence. service to the Lord. Shesha is called , Some designate this region as the abode or unlimited, because He assists the of the Supreme , or the original Personality of Godhead in His unlimited fountainhead. Hence Gokula, which is expansions by performing an unlimited identical with Goloka, is the supreme variety of services. Sri Balarama is the . The same sphere shines as Goloka servitor Godhead who serves Lord Krishna and Gokula respectively by its upper or in all affairs of existence and knowledge. transcendental and lower or mundane Lord Nityananda Prabhu, who is the same position. servitor Godhead, Balarama, performs the Sri Sanatana Goswami has told us as same service to Lord by constant follows in his Çré Båhad-bhägavatämåta, companionship. which embodies the final essence of all the —Sri Caitanya-caritamrta » Adi Lila » Chapter 5 » text 11, books of instructions: " Krishna displays His Purport. pastimes here in this land as He is used to doing in Goloka. The difference between Baladeva Prabhu Is The Source Of Both the two planes lies only in their locations Goloka And Gokula as high and low; that is, in other words, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Krishna plays exactly the same role in Goloka as He exhibits on the local plane of Gokula. There is practically no difference Gokula, like Goloka, is not a created between Gokula and Goloka save that this mundane plane. Rather, this display of the what exists in the shape of Goloka in the Supreme Lord’s unlimited potency and His upper region is the same as Gokula on the propagating manifestation is of unbound mundane plane when Krishna showed His character. Baladeva is the mainstay of that various activity there. Sri Jiva Goswami has energetic manifestation. The transcendental also inculcated the same in the Bhägavata- entity Sri Baladeva has two aspects viz., sandarbha of his 'Six Treatises.' " To infinite spiritual manifestation and infinite ascertain the plane of Goloka Vrindavan is accommodating space for insentient gross the eternal abode of Krishna and Goloka things. The single quadrantal material and Vrindavan are identically one, and universe will be discussed in the proper though both are identical, yet Krishna's place. The triple quadrantal extensions of inconceivable energy has made Goloka the transcendental infinitary field of the the acme of this spiritual kingdom and almighty is known as Vaikuëöha-dhäma. Gokula of province forming There lamentation, perishabiliy and non- a part of the mundane plane which is cognition are conspicuous by their absence. also a manifestation of triple quadrantal This unlimited, self luminous realm is vibhüti (conducting majesty). Poor human the fully spiritual majestic foliation. This understanding cannot possibly make out very majestic extension also portrays the how the extensive triquadrantal, which manifested lofty rich feature of the vaster is beyond human comprehension, can unlimited region or greater atmosphere be accommodated in the limited nether which has its resplendent location wholly material universe of a uniquadrantal beyond the realm of mundane nature, on disclosure. Gokula is a spiritual plane, the further shore of Viraja surrounded by hence his condescended position in the the halo of or indistinguishable region of material space, time, etc., is in no Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 117, Page—7 Causal Ocean way restricted but unlimitedly manifested Lord Balarama And The Jivas with his full boundless propriety. But Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura conditioned souls are apt to assert, by their limited senses, a material conception in “In Goloka Vrindavan, Sri Balarama regard to Gokula so as to bring him below manifests unlimited nitya-pärñadäs, the level of their intellect. Though the eternal associates, belonging to the jiva eye of an observer is impeded by a cloud category for the service of Sri Krishna. when gazing at the sun and though the tiny Similarly, in , Lord Sankarsana cloud can never really cover the sun, still manifests unlimited nitya-pärñadäs also the clouded vision apparently observes of the jiva category for the service of Sri the sun as covered by the cloud. In just Narayana. These nitya-pärñadäs are the same way the conditioned souls with eternally engaged in serving their object their obscured intelligence, senses and of worship, the Supreme Godhead, who is deliberations, accept Gokula as a piece of absorbed in transcendental rasa ( mellows). measurable land. We can see Gokula from They are eternally situated in their svaräpa Goloka which is eternal. This is also a (eternal identity), remain constantly mystery. The attainment of final beatitude engrossed in satisfying their beloved is the success in attaining one's eternal Lordship, and possess empassioned self. The success in identifying the true attraction and affection for the Lord that self is finally achieved when the screen of never diminishes. They are eternally highly gross and subtle coils of conditioned souls spiritually empowered, being imbued with is removed by the sweet will of Krishna. the cit-çakti ( internal energy) of the Lord. However, the idea of Goloka is seen to differ They have no connection with maya— from Gokula until the success in unalloyed indeed they are even unmindful of her very devotion is achieved. The transcendental existence. They are permanent residents plane of infinite spiritual manifestation of the spiritual world and are very far away having thousands of petals and corolla like from maya. These jivas are fully absorbed those of the lotus, is Gokula, the eternal in relishing the bliss of devotional service abode of Krishna. to their beloved Lord. Self centred material — Sri samhita 5.3 » Purport by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta joys and their consequent sorrows are Saraswati Thakura. totally alien to these eternally liberated souls. Due to pure spiritual love (prema) www.ibmedu.org Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya Issue no 117, Page — 8 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä being their life and soul, they do not even held as the captives of maya, and thus, in know that lamentation, death or fear lieu of our original transcendental status, actually exist. we are in this miserable situation.” “Also, countless, infinitesimal jivas Vrajanatha asked, “Dear master, I emanate from Karanodakashayi Maha understand that the jiva is the taöasthä- , lying within the Causal Ocean, çakti of the Lord and is situated at the taöa, whose glance impregnates the mäyä-çakti. junction, of both worlds. However, why As these jivas are the neighbours of maya, are some jivas subsequently engrossed they witness her variegated manifestations. in material existence, while others are The symptoms of the general mass of jivas elevated to the spiritual sky?” (as discussed earlier) are also present Raghunatha dasa Babaji replied, “The in these jivas. However, because they transcendental qualities of the Supreme are minuscule in size and situated at the Lord Sri Krishna are also present in the margin, their constitutional nature is to jiva, but up to a very small degree. The look at both the material world and the quality of free will natural to Sri Krishna is spiritual sky. Their marginal condition therefore innate to the constitution of the makes them vulnerable because—up to jiva but is minute in quantity. When the jiva this point of time—they have not been makes proper use of his independence, endowed with cit-bala, the strength of he becomes consciously connected with spiritual potency, which is imparted by the Sri Krishna. Conversely, by misusing his mercy of the Supreme Lord. Those amongst independence, he separates himself from them who desire to enjoy material nature the Lord and is attracted to exploiting and become absorbed in matter and are thus reveling in the material nature. Developing eternally enthralled by her. Conversely, the despicable quality of false pride, he those endeavouring to serve the Divine thinks, ’I am the enjoyer of everything I Worshipable Object, upon receiving survey.’ Thus, the five levels of ignorance— His mercy, are elevated to the spiritual tämisra, rebellious rejection of the Lord’s world. Therefore, my son, we are in a service; andha-tämisra, considering death most wretched state. Having forgotten our to be the final conclusion; tamas, ignorance devotion and service to Sri Krishna, we are of one’s position as a jiva; moha, the illusory !! Sri Sri Gaurchandra Jayati !! bodily conception of life; and mahä-moha, ISKCON attachment for material enjoyment—cloud Bhagavata Mahavidyalaya the pure spiritual consciousness of the is a branch of jiva. The sole cause ofthe jiva becoming International Society for Krishna Consciousness Founder-Äcärya: His Divine Grace either liberated or conditioned lies in the A.C. BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupāda proper or improper use of his minute Editor independence.” Brajsunder Das —Jaiva , Part Three: The Jiva, the Eternal Individual Copy Editor Spirit Soul » Chapter Fifteen: Nitya-dharma and , Isha Prakash Das and » Translated by Bhaktivedanta Book Saìskrit Editor, Trust, Int. & Sarvabhävana däsa. Vrajsevika Dasi Assistance Rasa Manjari Devi Dasi Lila Devi Dasi

Quotations from the books, letters, and lectures of His Divine Grace A.C. BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupada ©Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. ©All the paintings are copyrights of their respective artists.

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