Krsna's Golden Mood

In Vraja, the madhurya pastimes of Radha and Krsna oscillate between meeting and separation, like a river flowing between two boundaries --- the embankment of meeting and the embankment of separation.

In that form, every limb of Krsna is covered by every limb of Srimati Radhika. Moreover, in this Bhuta-Milana, the prevailing complexion is Radha's effulgent luster, the radiance of molten gold.

Owing to this extraordinary temperature and profuse perspiration, the sakhis try so many ways to cool Her off, but nothing works. Applying cooling candana, placing Her on a bed of cool lotus flowers, fanning with the peacock fan and camara, and many other things have no effect whatsoever. Radha's temperature does not go down until later, when, at the request of Srimati Yasoda, She begins to cook for Krsna.

When Srimati Radhika is cooking, She is very happy. Radhika is cooking at numerous stoves at the same time and moving among them very quickly. With great astonishment the manjaris notice that, in spite of being in the midst of all these burning stoves, Radhika is now very cool, and there is no longer a need for fanning.

It is the vipralambha bhava, the separation mood, which generates the heat.

The paramount reason that Krsna comes as Gaura is to fulfill several inner longings. In this regard He is thinking, "That mahabhava is there in the core of Her heart and I have to get it, otherwise my desires will never be fulfilled. How am I to get it?"

Srila Rupa Goswami has mentioned that Krsna, who is very expert in the art of stealing, entered into the heart of Srimati Radharani and stole it by putting Radha in the fire of separation. [Some say He begged it].

Radha's heart can be softened in the same way we soften wax -- with fire. Krsna first puts Radha into the fire of separation. Then, when Radha felt the fire of separation in Her heart, Her heart softened, and Krsna was able to enter.

Then He entered deeper and deeper into the deepest region of the heart of Srimati Radhika, seeking that mahabhava. This special union of Radha-Krsna is called, "Bhavan-Milana".

This metamorphosis from golden sannyasi to blue cowherd boy had been seen previously by Ramananda, when, as Visakha, he had witnessed this same transition during a pastime in Krsna lila. Therefore, seeing this transition was not a striking surprise or overwhelming experience, because he had seen it before.

So the sequence begins with Ramananda beholding a golden sannyasi [Caitanya Mahaprabhu].

Then, the second form displayed by Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Sri Syamasundara Krsna, the dark blue cowherd boy.

Next Ramananda says, "Now what do I see? It is as if a wonderful and beautiful doll, the murti of a gopi, is standing in front of You, covering all the limbs of Your body with Her golden luster. I am directly perceiving that in that form You are holding a flute to Your lips, and Your lotus eyes are dancing here and there, displaying a mood of deep hankering". [ibid., verses 269-270].

So for this third exhibition, Krsna is inside. The previous Syama form is now inside, covered up with the effulgence of the golden doll, Radharani. Nevertheless, even though Krsna is overcoated with Her golden complexion, some blue luster from His body is showing through. Consequently, Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj tells us, "antar krsna bahir gaura". ["sapphire blue on the inside; golden on the outside"].

Sri Sri Radha-Vinodabihariji are the presiding Deities in several Vaisnava temples. When first installed, some Vaisnavas were curious to know why both the Deities have the same color. They respectfully asked Srila Acarya Kesari, "In our Gaudiya Sampradaya and elsewhere, Srimati Radhika’s vigraha is made of white marble and Sri Krsna’s vigraha is made of black marble. Why is it that both the vigrahas which you have manifested are of white marble?"

When Srimati Radhika exhibits jealous anger, Sri Krsna becomes completely absorbed in feelings of separation from Her. As He becomes more and more absorbed in thoughts of Her, His bluish radiant luster disappears, and He helplessly accepts Srimati Radhika’s golden luster. The body of Sri Krsna who carries the flute remains unchanged, but His luster becomes golden. It is this very form of Sri Krsna who is worshipped in the temples as Sri Vinodabihariji. So both deities are the same color.

As a result of the previous displays, Sri Ramananda Raya then asks Mahaprabhu, "What is the cause of what I see". [verse 271].

Mahaprabhu then responds to Ramananda with pensive siddhanta. However, Ramanada is not satisfied. He suspects that there is still more to see:

"My dear Lord, please give up all these serious talks. Please do not conceal Your real form from me." [verse 278]

"My dear Lord, by Your causeless mercy You have appeared before me to grant me liberation. Please be merciful to me and tell me without duplicity what is the reason for Your manifesting such a form." [verse 281].

"tabe hasi' tanre prabhu dekhaila svarupa
'rasa-raja' 'mahabhava'----dui eka rupa" [verse 282].

"Smiling, the Lord therefore showed to Ramananda His personal form as Rasaraja-ahabhava......."

Fifth: Mahaprabhu then shows to Ramananda the Bhavan-Milana, how Sri Krsna is entering into the heart of Srimati Radharani. [This Bhavan-Milana is not revealed in either the Srimad-Bhagavatam or the Caitanya-caritamrta].

Raya Ramananda had never seen Bhuta-milana or Bhavan-milana, and now he was seeing them directly before his eyes. They are so wonderful that when he saw them, he fainted. Previously, in the shape of Visakha, He had seen the transformation of a Golden Sannyasi into Syamasundara, but he had not seen the wonders of Bhuta-milana and Bhavan-milana. In consequence,

"Ramananda Raya lost consciousness in transcendental bliss. Unable to remain standing, he fell to the ground". [verse 283].

During the night at the Gambhira, Srila Raghunatha Das Goswami Prabhupada is absent. Swarup Damodar is there, and Raya Ramananda is there, but not Ragunatha, who, in aprakrita lila, is Rati Manjari.

In aprakrita lila, the manjaris are tadatma with Srimati Radhika. In consequence, the emotional ecstacies experienced by Srimati Radhika simultaneously are experienced by the manjaris. These moods that are transmitted to the manjaris include Vipralambha-bhava. Everything that Srimati Radharani feels in separation comes out in the body and mind and soul of the manjaris.

So Rati Manjari is naturally tadatma with Radhika. Consequently, Raghunatha dasa Goswami is therefore tadatma with Mahaprabhu....... because Mahaprabhu is Radhika. The person is yet Krsna, but in the Gambhira everything about that person is Radha.......the mentality, the moods, the complexion, the disposition, the emotions, the mahabhava, ...... all the personality constituents of Sri Gauranga are Radha. More than that. The person Krsna has even forgotten who He is. He is completely absorbed in the spiritual body and sentiments of Radharani. He is not knowing that "I am Krsna". No. He is only feeling that "I am Radhika". Krsna has become Radhika.

So when Mahaprabhu is drowning in a state of vipralambha-bhava, so is Raghunatha. Therefore, if Raghunatha das were at the Gambhira, he would not be able to console Mahaprabhu [as do Ramananda Raya and Svarup Damodara]. Raghunatha dasa would not be able to console anybody. Indeed, he is the one who would need consolation, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu would have to console him! Therefore, Dasa Goswami necessarily is not there in the Gambhira at that time.

Summarized concisely:

It is only Srimati Radhika, and no one else, from whom vipralambha-bhava is absorbed by Rati Manjari.

Rati Manjari appears in Caitanya Lila as Dasa Goswami.

Dasa Goswami is absorbing vipralambha from Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Therefore, who is Mahaprabhu?

Moreover, when he was in his internal consciousness [swarup siddhi; samadhi; antar dasa], Dasa Goswami frequently prayed to his dearmost aradhyadevi, Srimati Radharani, situated in Goloka Vrndavan. On the other hand, when he was in external consciousness, perceiving our present world, he again prayed to the very same Radhika as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In his external consciouness when he wanted to pray to his aradhyadevi, he prayed to Mahaprabhu, because Dasa Goswami recognized that Srimati Radhika and Caitanya Mahaprabhu are his same dearmost Swamini. In one case only the name is Caitanya, but both are the same Radhika.

We can now appreciate Mahaprabhu's personality [at least for the Gambhira] as it is comprehended by such a pure devotee as our very own treasured Acarya, the esteemed Srila Ragunatha Dasa Goswami. His automatic, inherent apperception is that of a devotee with an astute, eminently situated, highly advanced consciousness.

We have presented these vipralambha examples to help us understand that the personality of Mahaprabhu is a person......and, [at least in the Gambhira], that person is one hundred percent Srimati Radharani.

Parts of the above article are from the Sri Ramananda Samvad. A sweeping commentary by Srila Prabhupada on this Samvad is available under the title of "In Search of the Ultimate Goal of Life".

When Krsna comes as Gauranga, He has His own agenda. That agenda is explained in "Srimati Radharani's Beautiful Mood".

Nitai-Gaura, Krsna-prema, Radhe! Radhe!
Anantacarya dasa.

Sources for this document:
1) The Sri Caitanya Caritamrta of Srila Krsnadas Kaviraj Goswami, with translation in English by His Divine Grace, Om Visnupad Sri Srimad A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: Madhya Lila, Chapter 8.

2) Several lectures, both published and unpublished, spoken by Om Visnupad Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj Gurudev, wherein he lucidly explains some of the topics touched upon in this article. For example, see, "The Disappearance Day of Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja, Oct. 7th, 2006".

3) The Rays of the Harmonist, Volume 1, Number 1, containing a lecture spoken by Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj entitled, "The Fainting of Ramananda Raya".

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