Codeword for Sahajiyas

01-28-2007, 06:56 PM

Codeword for Sahajiyas

Q & A with Swami B. V. Tripurari

"Both love in union and love in separation are most venerable. These
are not topics for neophytes to argue about, using them as weapons for
fighting amongst one another."

Q. I understand that in Gaudiya Vaisnavism devotees sometimes desire to
have a romantic relationship with Krsna. Please explain something about
this.

A. In discussing Krsna's relationship with the gopis, Sri Rupa Goswami
mentions two possible types, sambhogecchamayi and tad-bhavecchamayi.
The former is the role of a gopi who has a direct love affair with
Krsna and the latter is the role of assisting a gopi group leader who
has a direct love affair with Krsna. Although both are mentioned, in
Gaudiya Vaisnavism the latter is considered preferable. According to
both Sri Jiva Goswami and Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti, it is the
principal form of conjugal love in relation to Sri Krsna that devotees
in our lineage aspire for.

Gopis in this mood love both Radha-Krsna, but with stronger attachment
to Sri Radha. These handmaids of Sri Radha feel that assisting in her
relationship with Krsna is even more desirable than uniting personally
with him. Sri Rupa Goswami also terms this sentiment bhavollasa-rati.
Over time devotees have also referred to it as Radha-dasyam,
manjari-bhava, and so on. It is the unique emphasis of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu.

For more information read the following Sanga: Bhavollasa Rati: Love
for Radha-Krsna Combined
http://www.swami.org/sanga/archives/...four/m202.html

Q. I read a contentious article in which the term manjari-bhava was
referred to as the codeword for prakrta-sahajiyas (imitation devotees).
Can you comment?

A. My writing previously received a similar critique by the same
author. In answer to a Sanga question, I wrote a brief explanation of
the term bhavollasa-rati. After my reply was published, the author of
the article you refer to wrote a personal attack against me, at that
time labeling bhavollasa-rati the "codeword for sahajiyas." Now, in a
recent article he himself uses the term bhavollasa-rati, citing Rupa
Goswami's Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu.

In response I wrote that I first read this term in one of the books of
Srila Sridhara Maharaja, referring to his Bengali translation of
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, published with Sri Jiva's commentary, wherein
the term bhavollasa-rati is used and discussed. At the time he was
adamant that the term could not be found anywhere in the publications
of Srila Sridhara Maharaja.

As for the term manjari-bhava, it is found in Sripad Bon Maharaja's
commentary on Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, a book approved by Srila Sridhara
Maharaja. While it is true that Srila Sridhara Maharaja did not
regularly use this term, he certainly discussed the subject as recorded
in his published lectures. Indeed, information on the relationship
between Radha-Govinda and the manjaris is found in practically all of
his books, as it is not possible to enter into a comprehensive
understanding of Gaudiya Vaisnavism without this knowledge.

For example, Srila Sridhara Maharaja informs us in Sri Guru and His
Grace, "Even the sakhis in madhurya-rasa cannot enter where
Radha-Govinda are united privately, but the manjaris are allowed there.
They are the younger section, and that is the highest rasa. So the
highest point of our attainment, of our aspiration is there,
rupanuga--Rupa Manjari. She is the leader of all the manjaris and there
the highest quality of union in rasa is found.

"So in that highest stage of the mixing of Radha-Govinda--free play of
Radha-Govinda--these manjaris, the younger girls, they can have
admission. But the grown-up sakhis they cannot have admission there.
New recruits come to manjari class, up to manjari class. And the
manjari has got that sort of special advantage under the leadership of
Rupa Manjari. So they get the best advantage there, the most sacred
type of pure service is open to the manjaris in Radharani's camp. So
Rupanuga position, the most profitable position, has been given out by
Mahaprabhu. That is the highest limit of your fortune. This has been
shown. Beyond hope, our highest prospect lies there in that subtle camp
of Sri Rupa, Rupa Manjari, Rupa Goswami. So the sampradaya of
Mahaprabhu is known as Rupanuga sampradaya. There is located our fate,
our fortune."

Q. In that article the idea was presented that spiritual union with
Krsna is a lesser experience than that of love for him in separation.
Would you be so kind as to comment on this?

A. Gaudiya acaryas have expressed nuanced differences of opinions on
this subject, and sometimes an acarya will glorify union and at another
time the same acarya will glorify separation. For example, my own siksa
guru, Pujyapada B.R. Sridhara Deva Goswami said, "When Radha-Govinda
are alone in union, the highest quality of rasa is to be found in their
lila." However, he also said, "Dedication in its highest state is union
in separation."

To speak conclusively on this subject, one must be well acquainted with
the Goswami literature that deals specifically with it. It is a vast
topic. The terms vipralambha and sambhoga refer to union and separation
in conjugal love and in prema-bhakti there are four types of each of
these. In the other rasas of Vraja, union and separation are termed
yoga and ayoga, and because Radha's manjaris are her servant friends,
yoga and ayoga are also pertinent to their bhava as dasis of Sri Radha.
Three types of yoga and two types of ayoga are discussed in the Goswami
granthas (scriptures).

For the most part, service in separation is emphasised because
separation is the low tide of the ocean of prema, during which one can
enter her waters. Sri Caitanya taught this by his example in the final
years of his lila. He meditated on lilas overflowing with Radha's
feelings of separation from Krsna, such as her song to the bumblebee
(Bhramara-gita). Sadhakas should follow his example. In the first
stages of prema, there is also a particular type of love in separation
known as purva-raga (for those engaged in kamanuga) or utkantha (for
those engaged in sambandhanuga), which prepares one for one's initial
union with Krsna in his manifest lila in Vrndavana. In the Bhagavata we
also find that the course that the kamanuga sadhana-siddhas passed
through involved intense separation, which paved the way for their
eventual union with Krsna. In the poetry of the Bhagavata, they died in
separation before coming to live in love with Krsna.

While the importance of separation has been illustrated in brief above,
it is clear that such separation begets union. The secular theory of
rasa, which Rupa Goswami employed to explain the nature of bhakti-rasa,
teaches that the purpose of love in separation is to foster love in
union. Thakura Bhaktivinoda has cited this idea in his commentary on
Siksastakam 7, which is about love in separation. Thus union should not
be dismissed. Indeed, we seek the union of Radha-Krsna, and Rupa
Goswami writes in his Ujjvala-nilamani that the highest expression of
love of God, called madanakhya-mahabhava, is experienced only in union.
However, this union contains within it feelings of love in separation.
Furthermore, when other acaryas, such as Sanatana Goswami, have
extolled the virtues of love in separation, it is the invisible union
that is experienced in such separation that makes the separation
glorious. Thus the two, love in union and love in separation, are
inextricably intertwined like two banks on the river of divine love.
Both love in union and love in separation are most venerable.

To intelligently discuss all this in context, one must be well studied.
Most importantly, one must be highly realized to understand this topic
in any real depth. Sometimes neophyte devotees not well acquainted with
the literature like to create arguments, citing their own teacher
without much understanding of the context in which he or she has spoken
in favor of union or separation. These are not topics for neophytes to
argue about, using them as weapons for fighting amongst one another. In
this regard Pujyapada B.R. Sridhara Maharaja says, "We should not
indulge in these topics carelessly. That will do some harm in our real
realization in the future."

Q. B. R. Sridhara Maharaja wrote, "Our Guru Maharaja (Bhaktisiddhanta
Saraswati Thakura) in Kartika Mas in Radha-Kunda and Vrndavana chanted
asta-kaliya-lila (eight-fold daily pastimes of Radha-Krsna) composed by
Bhaktivinoda Thakura, but I do not do that. I very strictly confine to
the lower level, than even Guru Maharaja gave, (what he allowed is) a
little higher. I am very strict about that (not allowing what he
allowed)." Here Srila Sridhara Maharaja is saying that he was more
conservative than his guru in regards to chanting and discussing
Krsna-lila. Shouldn't this be the standard?

A. Among disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta there are variations in
practices. Taking into consideration time and circumstances, the guru
of each mission decided what was appropriate for his disciples. Almost
all branches of Gaudiya Matha chant the asta-kaliya-lila verses of
Bhaktivinoda Thakura for the entire month of Kartika, but in his
mission Srila Sridhara Maharaja did not do so. Does this make the
others wrong or make them sahajiyas?

On some points Srila Prabhupada was more conservative than Sridhara
Maharaja and on other points he was less so. Srila Prabhupada rarely
used the term "manjari," but we do often find it in the vocabulary of
Pujyapada Sridhara Maharaja along with an explanation and emphasis not
often found in Srila Prabhupada's writing. In fact, at one point Iskcon
leaders wrongly labeled Sridhara Maharaja a sahajiya, proclaiming his
discussion of Radha-Krsna lila too intimate for Srila Prabhupada's
disciples. In reference to variations, differences, and disagreements
among Godbrothers and Godsisters, Srila Sridhara Maharaja called for
soft dealings rather than harsh confrontation, saying that whenever
possible we should try to be generous with one another regardless of
differences.

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sangaeditor (AT) swami (DOT) org Date: Sunday, January 28, 2007, Vol. IX, No. 2
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