Krishna & Gopis - His Rasa Lila

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Sri Krishna and His Raas Lila

 

Raas Lila with Gopis and Radha,

the milkmaids of Vrindavan

 

Raas Lila forms the most enchanting and the most devotional play

(Lila) of Sri Krishna. It depicts the supersensual love between

milkmaids (Gopis) of Vrindavan and Sri Krishna. However, it must be

remembered that child Krishna was just about ten years of age at that

time. All this love for Gopis in general and Radha in particular

should be seen as divine love between atman and paramatman, without

any physical or carnal element. We human beings may not understand the

celestial beauty and spiritual content of such love between a man and

a woman, but it is not the fault of Sri Krishna or the Gopis; we must

blame ourselves if we see the whole episode with impure mind, if we

get feeling of attraction between flesh and flesh in this Lila.

 

Sri Krishna now started going to forest regularly with his cows. As

the cows grazed in the loneliness of forest, Sri Krishna would play

most melodious tunes on his flute. The clear skies, soft breeze, and

newly blossomed tress with lush green foliage made the atmosphere

pleasant, enchanting and cool. Peace, bliss, and love exuded all around.

 

The Gopis (milkmaids of Vrindavan) were captivated by the sweet melody

of Krishna's flute, unable to control their feelings towards Him.

Forgetting their household duties, their children and husbands, these

youthful lovers of Sri Krishna rushed to forest to have the company of

their beloved. [This is known as relationship of a devotee with the

attitude where the Lord is 'sweetheart'; Madhur Bhava as it is called.]

 

Their heart and mind was occupied with the virtues of the Lord of the

Universe, Paramatman Krishna. Praising the beauty and love of Sri

Krishna, the Gopis were immersed in His Bhakti in its highest

manifestation - para bhakti - where union of Atman with Paramatman was

the goal sought. Body, mind, and thoughts vanished even while in body;

transcendental joy and bliss was all that mattered. What to talk of

Gopis and Radha (best amongst the Gopis), even the trees and shrubs,

flowers and leaves, birds and animals all surrendered themselves to

the sweet music of captivating flute. Hence, Sri Krishna is also known

as 'Muralidhar' (One holding the Flute).

 

Evenings changed into nights, the full moon spreading its bright but

pleasant light to make the night shine with gaiety and desire to

unite. Sri Krishna with a peacock feather in his hair, adoring the

loveliest yellow silk cloth on his beautiful celestial dark body, the

flute kissing his rosy lips, and the gracious dance that he performed,

all this was beyond the grasp of any mortal on the earth. The Gopis

oblivious to the time of day rushed to the Tulasi (Sweet basil) Grove

to meet Sri Krishna in this prime mood of Love.

 

Then the divine Raas Lila would to be enacted. The leader amongst the

Gopis, Radha by name, the most beautiful and greatest exponent of

Madhur Bhava, Love Power of Lord Krishna, losing her ordinary

consciousness would start dancing in tune with Chitchor (one who has

stolen the mind and heart - another name of Sri Krishna). Other Gopis

would encircle this divine pair and thus would the Lila continue whole

night. [it still continues night after every night in Vrindavan, and

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Vallabhacharya, Surdas and a few more saints and

Holy people have had visions of these Raas Lilas at Vrindavan in their

lives).

 

Heavens and earth would come to standstill; gods and demigods of

heaven - kinnaras, gandharvas, and yakshas - would enjoy Raas Lila

peeping down from their abode in the high sky. They would fill the

grove with fragrance of celestial freshness and sweetness of heavenly

music, while stars and the moon would stop in their orbit in awe and

joy, becoming brighter and cooler to allow Raas Lila to reach its peak

of eternal bliss.

 

However, this supernatural delight brought feeling of superiority and

pride in the hearts and minds of the Gopis. "Why, the Lord Himself is

dancing with me. Has anyone else such a fortune? Others are inferior

to me", so would think a Gopi. And to rectify this defect of vanity

and pride, Sri Krishna would vanish for a moment! The restless Gopis

would search Him here and there, running from one tree to another,

from one shrub to the next, inquiring 'have you seen my Krishna?

Please tell me where he has disappeared.' And when the pangs of

separation would become too unbearable, the Gopis would cry and lament:

 

"O my friend, please arrange my meeting with Him, I cannot stay alive

without Him. Where has He gone? What wrong have I done that He now no

more loves me? I have given everything to Him, and now how shall I

survive! My body, mind, emotions, thoughts, home and children, husband

and family I have sacrificed in his favor. O my friend, bring Him to

me; otherwise this life force is sure to leave from my heart. Bring

Him to me or take me to Him; I shall wash His feet with tears from my

eyes, I shall clean his feet with my long hair. I shall do everything

and anything that might appear impossible for a human being. These

pangs of separation are no more possible to tolerate, don't you feel

my skin is dry and parched, burning in the separation from the

Beloved! Don't you see my eyes have lost their entire luster, my

breath is irregular, my mind is not steady, and my heart is pounding

in fear! O friend, have you seen my Krishna!"

 

Such and many more songs are composed in the Vaishnava tradition of

literature in India, which bring tear to every eye, which express the

pang of separation as writhing of heart like a wet towel. From

medieval time to this date, scores are songs are composed, ballet and

dramas enacted, with wonderful description of Raas Lila. From Kashmir

in the north to Kanyakumari in the south, from Dwaraka in the West to

Manipur in the east music is played in all Vaishnava temples with

madhur bhava as the main ingredient eulogizing this 'out of the world'

feat of Sri Krishna and Radha.

 

No one has captured the heart and mind of the masses with such fervour

as Sri Krishna has. Not for nothing, He is the most adored deity in

His many varied and beautiful divine forms. In his gesture of supreme

love towards Radha and Radha's love for Him, Sri Krishna blessed her

thus: 'O Radha, for centuries to come people would take your name

first and then mine.' And thus devotees chant 'Radhe Krishna; Radhe

Krishna', in ecstasy of madness; Radhe Krishna having become the

Mantra for Final Liberation!

 

* C. S. Shah

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Source: An old message from another board

- International Forum for Neovedantins

----------------

 

Jaya Sri Radhey!

 

, pyari_h <no_reply> wrote:

 

> To understand correctly about the magnificent, highly esoteric 'Maha

> Rasa' pastime of Lord Radha-Krishna, the seeker has to approach a

> "Rasik Saint of Vrindavana". Not all Masters have the 'adhikaara' -

> right of realization to reveal nor all the seekers have the

> deservedness to grasp the subtle sublime aspects of 'Vraja Rasa'

> and only those rare, eligible, deserving souls are enlihgtened by

> their respective God-realized Rasik Masters.

 

> But I'll post some articles by many other Hindu scholors and devotees

> who have attempted to describe some aspects about 'Maha Raasa' of the

> Divine Couple.