Çré Annadä Ekädaçé Issue no: 44 28th August 2016 Gopi-gita Features Lord ’s Disappearance From The Rāsa Dance Editorial

Gopī-gīta Srila Sukadeva Goswami

Krishna’s Re-appearance In The Rāsa Arena His Divine Grace A .C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

The Glories Of Srimati Radharani Srila Krishnadas Kaviraja Goswami

The Sakhīs Of Vraja Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur

The Process Of Becoming One Of ’s Girlfriends Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura Issue no 44, Page — 2 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Lord Krishna’s Disappearance that most beloved gopi. In yet another place, the gopis From The Rāsa Dance saw signs that led them to imagine that Krishna had Editorial been tying the hair locks of that gopi. These thoughts brought pain to the minds of some of the gopis. Because of the special attention She received from When Sri Krishna suddenly disappeared from the Krishna, that gopi thought Herself to be the most arena of the rāsa dance, the gopis, whose minds fortunate woman. She told Krishna that She could were fully absorbed in thoughts of Krishna, began walk no further and that He would have to carry looking for Him in the various forests of . Her on His shoulders. Hearing these words, Krishna They asked all the moving and nonmoving creatures consented and suddenly disappeared. Now alone in a where Krishna could be found. Finally, they became secluded place, that gopi felt extremely anguished. She so distraught that they began imitating His pastimes desperately began looking for Krishna everywhere. themselves. Being unsuccessful, She sat down and cried most After this, the gopis resumed their search for piteously. When the gopis found Her in that state, all Krishna. While searching in all places, at last they their hearts melted in deep sympathy. They then heard saw the footprints of Krishna. And, they also noticed from Her what had happened. All the gopis then went footprints of another gopi (Srimati Radharani) beside out together to look for Krishna in the forest. They His! Seeing the two sets of footprints, some gopis went as far into the forest as the moon-rays could became disturbed in their minds, while others declared reach. Unsuccessful in finding Krishna, they went that surely this gopi must have perfectly worshiped back to the banks of the Yamuna river praying for His Lord , to have gotten the good fortune of audience. There they sat and simply sang Krishna's being alone with Krishna. Further along the path the glories in utter helplessness. gopis came to a place where only one set of footprints The gopis had dedicated their minds and very lives were visible. Seeing this, they concluded that Krishna to Krishna, and thus with His disappearance, they must have carried that gopi on His shoulders! In were beside themselves with the transcendental pain another place, only the toes of Krishna appeared in of separation. Their crying which appears like misery, his footprint. Here the gopis concluded that He must actually shows their exalted state of transcendental have been reaching up to pick flowers for decorating bliss. As it is said in Caitanya Bhāgavata (Madhya- khanda, 9:240)

yata dekha vaiṣṇavera vyavahāra duḥkha niścaya jāniha sei paramānanda sukha

‘Whenever one sees a Vaishnava acting unhappy, one should know it for sure that he is actually experiencing the highest spiritual bliss.’ Thus each of the gopis began addressing Lord Sri Krishna according to her individual mode of ecstasy, and they all prayed for Him for His mercy. As the pastimes of Krishna spontaneously arose in the minds of the gopis, they made prayers in the form of a song. These prayers relieve the agony of those suffering from separation from Krishna and bestows supreme auspiciousness. They sang: "O Lord, O lover, O cheater, when we remember Your smile, Your loving glances and Your pastimes with Your boyhood friends, we become extremely agitated. Remembering Your lotus face, adorned with locks of blackish hair coloured by the dust of the cows’ feet, we become irrevocably attached to You. And when we remember how You followed the cows from forest to forest with Your tender feet, we feel great pain." Previously when the gopis were looking at Krishna, they had felt the blinking of their eyelids intolerable, for it blocked their vision of Him for a fraction of nityaà bhägavata-sevayä top right 3 Issue no 44, Page—3 a second. Now, in their separation from Krishna the O greatest of personalities, You have repeatedly saved gopis considered a single moment an entire age. us from all kinds of danger - from poisoned waters There is not even the slightest trace of lust in the hearts of Yamuna, from the terrible man-eater Agha, from of the gopis. The ecstatic sentiments for Lord Krishna the great rains, from the wind demon, from the fiery that the gopis expressed may appear like symptoms of thunderbolt of , from the bull demon and from the lust, but in reality they are manifestations of their pure son of Maya dānava. desire to satisfy the Supreme Lord's spiritual senses. This is confirmed in the Caitanya- caritamrita (Ādi na khalu gopīkā-nandano bhavān 4:165), where the gopis’ is discussed: akhila-dehinām antarātma-dṛk vikhanasārthito viśva-guptaye ātmendriya-prīti-vāñchā—tāre bali ‘kāma’ sakha udeyivān sātvatāṁ kule kṛṣṇendriya-prīti-icchā dhare ‘prema’ nāma O friend, You are not really the son of the gopi , ‘The desire to satisfy one’s own senses is called lust, but rather the indwelling witness in the hearts of all while the desire to satisfy the senses of Kṛṣṇa is called embodied souls. Lord prayed for You to come prema, love of God’. and protect the universe, and You have now appeared in the Satvata dynasty.

viracitābhayaṁ vṛṣṇi-dhūrya te caraṇam īyuṣāṁ saṁsṛter bhayāt kara-saroruhaṁ kānta kāma-daṁ Gopī-gīta śirasi dhehi naḥ śrī -kara-graham Srila Sukadeva Goswami O best of the Vrishnis, Your lotus-like hand, which is gopya ūcuḥ held by the Goddess of fortune, grants fearlessness to jayati te ’dhikaṁ janmanā vrajaḥ those who, being afraid of material existence, approach śrayata indirā śaśvad atra hi Your feet. O lover, please place that wish-fulfilling dayita dṛśyatāṁ dikṣu tāvakās lotus hand on our heads. tvayi dhṛtāsavas tvāṁ vicinvate vraja-janārti-han vīra yoṣitāṁ The gopis said: O beloved, Your birth in the land of nija-jana-smaya-dhvaṁsana-smita Vraja has made it exceedingly glorious, and thus Indira, bhaja sakhe bhavat-kiṅkarīḥ sma no the goddess of fortune, always resides here. It is only jalaruhānanaṁ cāru darśaya for Your sake that we, Your devoted servants, maintain our lives. We have been searching everywhere for You, so please show Yourself to us. O friend, You destroy the suffering of the people of Vraja, O hero in the eyes of all women, Your smile shatters the false pride of Your devotees, please accept śarad-udāśaye sādhu-jāta-sat- us as Your maidservants and show us Your beautiful sarasijodara- śrī -muṣā dṛśā lotus face. surata-nātha te’ śulka-dāsikā vara-da nighnato neha kiṁ vadhaḥ praṇata-dehināṁ pāpa-karṣaṇaṁ tṛṇa-carānugaṁ śrī -niketanam O Lord of love, in beauty Your glance excels the whorl phaṇi-phaṇārpitaṁ te padāmbujaṁ of the finest, most perfectly formed lotus blossoming in an autumn pond. O bestower of benedictions, You kṛṇu kuceṣu naḥ kṛndhi hṛc-chayam are killing us, Your maidservants who have given themselves to You freely. Isn’t this murder? Your lotus feet destroy the past sins of all embodied souls who surrender to them. Those feet which follow viṣa-jalāpyayād vyāla-rākṣasād the cows in the pastures of Vraja, are also the eternal varṣa-mārutād vaidyutānalāt abode of the goddess of fortune. Since You once put Your feet on the hoods of the great serpent Kaliya, now vṛṣa-mayātmajād viśvato bhayād please place them upon our breasts and take away the ṛṣabha te vayaṁ rakṣitā muhuḥ lust in our hearts. Top Issue left 4 no 44, Page — 4 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Your smiling, Your sweet, loving glances, the intimate pastimes and confidential talks we enjoyed with You - all these are auspicious to meditate upon, and they touch our hearts. At the same time, O deceiver, they also very much agitate our minds.

calasi yad vrajāc cārayan paśūn nalina-sundaraṁ nātha te padam śila-tṛṇāṅkuraiḥ sīdatīti naḥ kalīlātāṁ manaḥ kānta gacchati

O master, O dear lover, when You leave the cowherd village to herd the cows, our minds are disturbed with the thought that Your feet, more beautiful than a lotus, will be pricked by the spiked husks of grain and the rough grass and plants.

dina-parikṣaye nīla-kuntalair vanaruhānanaṁ bibhrad āvṛtam ghana-rajasvalaṁ darśayan muhur manasi naḥ smaraṁ vīra yacchasi

At the end of the day You repeatedly show us Your lotus face, covered with dark blue locks of hair and madhurayā girā valgu-vākyayā thickly powdered with dust. Thus, O hero, You arouse budha-manojṣayā puṣkarekṣaṇa lusty desires in our minds. vidhi-karīr imā vīra muhyatīr adhara-sīdhunāpyāyayasva naḥ praṇata-kāma-daṁ padmajārcitaṁ dharaṇi-maṇḍanaṁ dhyeyam āpadi O lotus-eyed one, Your sweet voice and charming caraṇa-paṅkajaṁ śantamaṁ ca te words, which attract the minds of the intelligent gopis, ramaṇa naḥ staneṣv arpayādhi-han are bewildering us more and more. Our dear hero, please revive us, Your maidservants with the nectar of Your lips. Your lotus feet, which are worshiped by Lord Brahma, fulfill the desires of all who bow down to them. They are the ornament of the earth, they give the highest tava kathāmṛtaṁ tapta-jīvanaṁ satisfaction, and in times of danger they are the kavibhir īḍitaṁ kalmaṣāpaham appropriate object of meditation. O lover, O destroyer śravaṇa-maṅgalaṁ śrīmad ātataṁ of anxiety, please put those lotus feet upon our breasts. bhuvi gṛṇanti ye bhūri-dā janāḥ surata-vardhanaṁ śoka-nāśanaṁ The nectar of Your words and the descriptions of svarita-veṇunā suṣṭhu cumbitam Your activities are the life and soul of those suffering itara-rāga-vismāraṇaṁ nṛṇāṁ in this material world. These narrations, transmitted vitara vīra nas te ’dharāmṛtam 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 O hero, kindly distribute to us the nectar of Your lips, are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who which enhances conjugal pleasure and vanquishes grief. That nectar is thoroughly relished by Your spread the message of Godhead are most munificent. vibrating flute and makes people forget any other attachment. prahasitaṁ priya-prema-vīkṣaṇaṁ viharaṇaṁ ca te dhyāna-maṅgalam aṭati yad bhavān ahni kānanaṁ rahasi saṁvido yā hṛdi spṛśaḥ truṭi yugāyate tvām apaśyatām kuhaka no manaḥ kṣobhayanti hi nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 44, Page—5 kuṭila-kuntalaṁ śrī -mukhaṁ ca te feet will be hurt. Our life rests only in You. Our minds, jaḍa udīkṣatāṁ pakṣma-kṛd dṛśām therefore, are filled with anxiety that Your tender feet might be wounded by pebbles as You roam about on When You go off to the forest during the day, a tiny the forest path. fraction of a second becomes like a millennium for us — From 'Sārārtha-darśinī, Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakur's because we cannot see You. And even when we can commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (Bhāgavata Purāṇa) » Canto 10: The eagerly look upon Your beautiful face, so lovely with Summum Bonum » SB 10.31: The Gopīs’ Songs of Separation » Verses 1-19 its adornment of curly locks, our pleasure is hindered » Translated by Srila Bhanu Swami » Published by Srila Mahanidhi Swami. by our eyelids, which were fashioned by the foolish creator. Krishna’s Re-appearance In The Rāsa Arena His Divine Grace pati-sutānvaya-bhrātṛ-bāndhavān A .C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada ativilaṅghya te ’nty acyutāgatāḥ gati-vidas tavodgīta-mohitāḥ When Lord Krishna finally reappeared among kitava yoṣitaḥ kas tyajen niśi the assembled gopis, He looked very beautiful, just befitting a person with all kinds of opulences. In the O Acyuta, You know very well why we have come Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated, ānanda-cin-maya-rasa- here. Who but a cheater like You would abandon pratibhāvitābhiḥ: Krishna alone is not particularly young women who come to see Him in the middle beautiful, but when His energy - especially His of the night, enchanted by the loud song of His flute? pleasure energy, represented by Radharani - expands, We have completely rejected our husbands, children, He looks very magnificent. The Mayavada conception ancestors, brothers and other relatives, just to see You. of perfection—an Absolute Truth without potency— is due to insufficient knowledge. Actually, outside the exhibition of His different potencies, the Absolute rahasi saṁvidaṁ hṛc-chayodayaṁ Truth is not complete. Ānanda-cin-maya-rasa means prahasitānanaṁ prema-vīkṣaṇam that His body is a transcendental form of eternal bliss bṛhad-uraḥ śriyo vīkṣya dhāma te and knowledge. Krishna is always surrounded by muhur ati-spṛhā muhyate manaḥ different potencies, and therefore He is perfect and beautiful. We understand from the Brahma-saṁhitā As we think of the intimate conversations we had with and Skanda Purāṇa that Krishna is always surrounded You in secret, as we feel the rise of desire in our hearts by many thousands of goddesses of fortune. The gopis and as we remember Your smiling face, Your loving are all goddesses of fortune, and Krishna took them glances and Your broad chest, the resting place of the hand in hand on the bank of the Yamuna. goddess of fortune, our minds are repeatedly bewildered. It is said in the Skanda Purāṇa that out of many Thus we experience severe hankering for You. thousands of gopis, 16,000 are prominent, out of those

vraja-vanaukasāṁ vyaktir aṅga te vṛjina-hantry alaṁ viśva-maṅgalam tyaja manāk ca nas tvat-spṛhātmanāṁ sva-jana-hṛd-rujāṁ yan niṣūdanam

O beloved, whose all-auspicious appearance vanquishes the distress of those living in Vraja’s forests, our minds long for Your association. Please give to us but a drop of that medicine, which counteracts the disease in the hearts of Your devotees.

yat te sujāta-caraṇāmburuhaṁ staneṣu bhītāḥ śanaiḥ priya dadhīmahi karkaśeṣu tenāṭavīm aṭasi tad vyathate na kiṁ svit kūrpādibhir bhramati dhīr bhavad-āyuṣāṁ naḥ

O dearly beloved, Your lotus feet are so soft that we place them gently on our breasts, fearing that Your Issue no 44, Page — 6 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä 16,000, 108 are especially prominent, out of these 108 eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto gopis, eight gopis are still more prominent, out of those govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi eight gopis, Radharani and Candravali are even more prominent, and out of these two gopis, Radharani is the "I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who most prominent. resides in His own realm, Goloka, with Radha, who — Taken from KṚṢṆA, The Supreme Personality of Godhead » Chapter 32 : resembles His own spiritual figure and who embodies Kṛṣṇa Returns to the Gopīs. the extensions of Her bodily form and who are imbued and permeated with ever- ecstatic potency (hlādinī). The Glories Of Srimati Radharani Their companions are Her confidantes, who embody Srila Krishnadas Kaviraja Goswami - blissful spiritual rasa." The beloved consorts of Lord Krishna are of three mahābhāva-svarūpā śrī-rādhā-ṭhākurāṇī kinds: the goddesses of fortune, the queens, and the sarva-guṇa-khani kṛṣṇa-kāntā-śiromaṇi milkmaids of Vraja, who are the foremost of all. These consorts all proceed from Radhika. Just as the fountainhead, Lord Krishna, is the cause Sri Radha Thakurani is the embodiment of of all incarnations, so Sri Radha is the cause of all mahābhāva. She is the repository of all good qualities these consorts. The goddesses of fortune are partial and the crest jewel among all the lovely consorts of manifestations of Srimati Radhika, and the queens are Lord Krishna. reflections of Her image. The goddesses of fortune Of these two gopis (Radharani and Candravali), are Her plenary portions, and they display the forms Srimati Radharani is superior in all respects. She is the of vaibhava- vilāsa. The queens are of the nature of embodiment of mahābhāva, and She surpasses all in Her vaibhava- prakāśa. The Vraja-devīs have diverse good qualities. Her mind, senses and body are steeped bodily features. They are Her expansions and are in love for Krishna. She is Krishna's own energy, and the instruments for expanding rasa. Without many She helps Him in His pastimes. consorts, there is not such exultation in rasa. Therefore, there are many manifestations of Srimati Radharani to ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis assist in the Lord's pastimes. tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ Among them are various groups of consorts in Vraja who have varieties of sentiments and mellows. They help Lord Krishna taste all the sweetness of the rāsa dance and other pastimes.

govindānandinī rādhā, govinda-mohinī govinda-sarvasva, sarva-kāntā-śiromaṇi

Radha is the one who gives pleasure to Govinda, and She is also the enchantress of Govinda. She is the be- all and end- all of Govinda, and the crest jewel of all His consorts.

devī kṛṣṇa-mayī proktā rādhikā para-devatā sarva-lakṣmī-mayī sarva- kāntiḥ sammohinī parā

The transcendental goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krishna. She is the central figure for all the goddesses of fortune. She possesses all the attractiveness to attract the all- attractive Personality of Godhead. She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord." ‘devī’ kahi dyotamānā, paramā sundarī kimvā, Krishna-pūjā-krīḍāra vasati nagarī nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 44, Page—7 ‘Devī’ means resplendent and most beautiful. Or The Sakhīs Of Vraja else it means the lovely abode of the worship and love Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur sports of Lord Krishna. Vrajanatha: Babaji, who are the nitya-siddhas, and kṛṣṇa-mayī - kṛṣṇa yāra bhitare bāhire who are the sādhana-siddhas? yāṅhā yāṅhā netra paḍe tāṅhā kṛṣṇa sphure Raghunatha dasa Babaji: The complete embodiment of Sri Krishna’s svarūpa-śakti is Srimati kṛṣṇa-mayī means one whose within and without are Radharani. Her immediate personal expansions are Lord Krishna. She sees Lord Krishna wherever She the aṣṭa-sakhīs, the eight principal gopis. They further casts Her glance. expand as the nitya-siddha gopis, who are kāya-vyūha, kṛṣṇa-mayī means that She is identical with Lord bodily expansions, of Srimati Radharani. They are all Krishna, for She embodies the mellows of love. The nitya-siddha, eternally perfect, and not in the category energy of Lord Krishna is identical with Him. Her of jīva-śakti; they are an exclusive class of their own, worship (ārādhana) consists of fulfilling the desires being the expansions of the svarūpa-śakti of Krishna, of Lord Krishna. Therefore, the Purāṇas call Her Srimati Radharani. Radhika. The sakhīs of Vraja in general attained perfection “Truly the Personality of Godhead has been through rāgānuga sādhana-. Later they worshiped by Her. Therefore, Lord Govinda, being associated with the nitya-siddha expansions of Srimati pleased, has brought Her to a lonely spot, leaving us Radhika. In this way, they are examples of sādhana- all behind.” siddha jīvas. By the mercy of Srimati Radhika, they Therefore, Radha is parama-devatā, the supreme were imbued with the hlādinī-śakti and thus were able goddess, and She is worshipable for everyone. She is to live on the same planet as Krishna (sālokya) and the protectress of all, and She is the mother of the entire serve the Divine Couple with the nitya-siddha vraja- universe. gopis. Radha is the original source of all the goddesses When they attain perfection, the devotees engaged of fortune. She fully represents the six opulences of in rāgānuga-bhakti sādhana in mādhurya-rasa, Krishna. Therefore, She is the supreme energy of Lord become sakhīs, i.e. gopi friends of Srimati Radhika. Krishna. Other sādhakas practice vaidhī-bhakti with deference to śāstric import to please Krishna in mādhurya-rasa. sarva-saundarya-kānti vaisaye yāṅhāte Later when leaving their bodies, these practitioners of vaidhī-bhakti may serve Krishna in Dwaraka as sarva-lakṣmī-gaṇera śobhā haya yāṅhā haite His married queens. The practice of taking shelter of the Goddess of Vraja, Srimati Radharani, and Her The word ‘sarva- kānti’ indicates that all beauty and vraja-gopis is beyond the scope of vaidhī-bhakti, the luster rest in Her body. All the laksmis derive their path of regulative devotion. Only those who nurture beauty from Her. rāgānuga-bhakti internally and practice the vaidhī- Kānti may also mean all the desires of Lord Krishna. bhakti disciplines externally will obtain the perfection All the desires of Lord Krishna rest in Srimati of service to the Divine Couple in Vraja. Radharani. Srimati Radhika fulfills all the desires of —From Jaiva Dharma of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakura » Chapter Twenty-one » Lord Krishna. This is the meaning of sarva-kānti. Lord Nitya-dharma: , and Prayojana. Krishna enchants the world, but Sri Radha enchants even Him. Therefore, She is the supreme goddess of all. The Process Of Becoming Sri Radha is the full power, and Lord Krishna is the One Of Radha’s Girlfriends possessor of full power. The two are not different, as Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura evidenced by the revealed scriptures. They are indeed the same, just as musk and its scent are inseparable, or pañca-sakhī madhye cāra, nitya-siddha rādhikāra as fire and its heat are non-different. se sakale sādhana nā koilo Thus Radha and Lord Krishna are one, yet They have sakhī boli' ukta jei, sādhana-prabhābe tei taken two forms to enjoy the mellows of pastimes. To vraja-rāja pure bāsa pāilo promulgate prema-bhakti (devotional service in love of Godhead), Krishna appeared as Sri Krishna Caitanya Amongst the five groups of Radharani'ssakhī s, four are with the mood and complexion of Sri Radha. eternally situated in their perfect roles (nitya-siddha). — Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta » Ādi-līlā » Ādi 4: The Confidential Reasons for the They did not have to perform any ritualistic sādhana to Appearance of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu » Verses 69-100. achieve their position. The fifth group is the gopis who have newly attained residence in Vraja by dint of their Issue no 44, Page — 8 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä nitya-sakhī-krpā-bale, tat-sālokya-lābha-phale sevā kore śrī-rādhā-śrī-hari

There were some great munis and personified śrutis who worshipped in the mood of the gopis, following in the footsteps of one of Radharani's girlfriends. Then, by the power of that nitya-sakhī's affectionate favor, they ultimately attained a residential place in that sakhī's abode, where they eternally serve the Divine Couple Sri Radha and Sri Hari.

devī-gana sei bhāve, sakhīra sālokya-lābhe kṛsa-sevā kore sakhī ho'ye vrajera vidhāna ei, gopī binā āra keho nā pāibe vraja-juva--dvaye

Similarly, many groups of goddesses (devīs) have also become Radha's sakhīs by this process. They are now absorbed in kṛṣṇa-sevā. This is how a sincere soul becomes one of Radharani's eternal girlfriends – accepting the mood of a sakhī, one must render eternal service for the pleasure of Krishna in the abode of sādhana. another sakhī. There is only one real principle which governs entrance into Vraja, that is, one must achieve sei sakhī dvi-prakāra, sādhanete siddha āra the mercy of one of Srimati Radharani’s sakhīs. It is sādhana-para boliyā ganana absolutely impossible for anyone to attain ecstatic eternal service of the young couple of Vraja in any siddha boli' ākhya tāńra, gopī-deha hoilo jāńra other way. kori' rāge jugala-bhajana —From Śrī Śrī Gītā-mālā » Part 4 » Rupanuga-bhajana-darpana » Song 18 » Translation by Dasaratha-suta dasa » Published by Nectar Books. These new sakhīs are of two varieties - those who are still performing sādhana in their present bodies as sadhaka manjaris and those who are already situated in their spiritual bodies beyond the rules of sādhana. Those who attain perfection and receive the body of a gopi are called siddha, and they continuously worship the Divine Couple in spontaneous love (raga).

kṛsākṛsa muni-jana, tathā upanisad-gana je nā loilo gopīra svarūpa !! Sri Sri Nitai Gaurchandra Jayati !! sādhana ābeśe bhaje, siddhi tabu nā upaje vraja-bhāva-prāpti aparūpa NBS E-Magazines. E-books. Education There are many great saints who are attracted by Dedicated to Lord Krishna, but who haven't achieved the topmost His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada perfection of receiving the form of a gopi. The personified Upaniṣads are also in this category. For subscriptions please visit Self Study Course Although they are all absorbed in their regulative our website: www.nbsmag.com worship of the Lord, their eternal spiritual siddhi still An easy way of studying Çrémad-Bhägavatam Our heart felt thanks to Isha Prakash Das for helping as Copy Editor, hasn't fully awakened; for the mood of Vraja is very Vrajsevika Dasi for her and Bengali Translations and wonderful and rarely attained. Rasa Manjari Devi Dasi for her assistance. Quotations from the books, letters, and lectures of je je śruti-muni-gana, gopī haya su-bhajana His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada korilo sakhīra pada dhari' ©Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. ©All the paintings are copyrights of their respective artists. nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 44, Page—9

Bhāgavata Vidyālaya A Project to open Śrīmad-Bhāgavata schools in every town and village.

With the intention of serving the mood and mission of Srila Prabhupada, a humble attempt is made to open a Bhagavata School in each area. This certified course, exclusively based on Śrīmad- Bhāgavatam, is essentially for the congregational devotees. It can be conducted anywhere, in tem- ples, farm communities, places of congregational gathering or at houses of congregational devotees. Those leaders who are willing to open a Bhagavata school can register with us on the follow- ing link: www.nbsmag.com/vidyalaya. Features 1. A weekly program mainly lead by the congregational leaders for their congregation members. 2. It would be a three-hour session which includes Kirtan, Reading, Lecture and Question / Answers 3. In each session one chapter of Srimad Bhagavatam will be covered. 4. A maximum of 15 students per session is advised. 5. Each session will be conducted by two to three teachers. 6. Students Handbook and Appropriate Teachers notes will be provided. 7. There will be a Bhagavata Festival after completion of each level. 8. Students will get encouragement for writing articles and giving lectures. 9. This program is free of cost. Self Study Course Nityam Bhagavata-sevaya A Fortnightly E-Magazine for serving An easy way of studying Çrémad-Bhägavatam Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Despite knowing about the glories of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Nityam Bhagavata-sevaya (NBS) E-magazine was we still find it difficult to make it a part of our everyday started on December, 2014 on Mokṣadā Ekādaśī exclu- life. We have come across many devotees who are in fear to sively for serving Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. We are present- even start reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam just thinking about ing various topics from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with the its vastness. help of the commentaries of Srila Prabhupada and the We have a solution by which one can make Śrīmad- previous acharyas. Bhāgavatam its life and soul. For subscribing to self study For viewing previous issues visit our page: http://www. course visit our page: http://www.nbsmag.com/self-study. nbsmag.com/emagazines.