Saturday, January 19, 2008

Opposition Parties

If various moods (mellows-exchanges) were not present in their pure forms in the transcendental world they could not exist in this world, so Srila Rupa Gosvami has written about all the gopi's moods for our benefit.

Jealous of Candravali, Srimati Radhika told Lalita, Visakha, and all Her sakhis, "Candravali does not know even the ABC's of love and affection. Since she has no real mana (transcendental loving anger due to jealousy), no sulky mood, how can she please Krsna? She will never be able to please Him." The prema of Candravali is called grta-sneha. Grta means ghee. It has the quality of being very soft and smooth, but it is not sweet. The prema of Radha is called madhu-sneha. Madhu means honey, which is both soft and smooth, and also sweet. Even if Radhika abuses Krsna, or even if she is in maan, Her mood is very attractive and wonderful. All become happy to see Her activities, and their love becomes more intense. Therefore, in all situations, Her madhu-sneha prema can be called "soft and sweet." Radhika continued, "Candravali is very soft in her dealings with Krsna. Even if she sees that Krsna has committed an offense to her lotus feet and, in front of her, He is meeting with other gopis, she will generally not become sulky. She may sometimes do so, but not often. Without this sulky anger, no one can serve Krsna, or please Him. She does not have a trace of love and affection, so I don't even want to hear her name. Never mention her name in My assembly."

Candravali likewise told her sakhis, "I don't want to hear the name of Radhika. I don't even want to hear the name of the star constellation called anuradha. Why not? Neither the experts on the subject of love, nor the great sages and munis, appreciate the mood of Radhika; nor do the yogis and rsis meditate on the mood of Radhika, nor do they appreciate Her name. Those rsis who always meditate upon Krsna's lotus feet never attract Radha to their hearts. Those who want to peacefully meditate on the lotus feet of Krsna become disturbed if they think about the moods of Srimati Radhika. In fact, Her name alone makes then tremble and become disturbed. That very same Krsna fell at the feet of Radhika, and still She rejected Him and said, 'I don't want You here. O black Krsna, get out of My kunja.' So don't utter Her name, and don't even utter the word anuradha."

Radhika and Candravali both speak in this way, but Radhika's love and affection is superior. The highest truths of Radhika's madhu-sneha prema have been described, in minute detail, in Srila Rupa Gosvami's Ujjvala Nilamani. They have not been disclosed in Srimad Bhagavatam, or in the books of Sri Jayadeva Gosvami, or by previous acaryas. Only Srila Rupa Gosvami has revealed these intimate moods, in Vidagda-Madhava, Lalita-Madhava, and here in Ujjvala Nilamani.

Once, a sakhi of Srimati Radhika asked Her, "O Radhike, why are you so jealous of Candravali? What is the fault that Candravali has the same desire? You want to make Krsna happy and Some of the young gopis were speaking to Sri Radha ; Candravali has the same desire. So what is the harm if She takes some of your workload? Let her do so." Radhika replied, "Yes, you are speaking the truth, but Candravali does not know at all what will please Krsna and make Him more and more happy. I'm bound to be jealous of her and in competition; otherwise Krsna will never be happy."