Prayer to the Lotus Feet of Krsna

[Gauracandra 1]

The following is another poem called "Prayer to the Lotus Feet of Krsna" written by Srila Prabhupada on boad the ship Jaladuta, September 13, 1965. For this one I'll only type in the translation without the Bengali verses.

 

Prayer to the Lotus Feet of Krsna

 

I emphatically say to you, O brothers, you will obtain your good fortune from the Supreme Lord Krsna only when Srimati Radharani becomes pleased with you.

 

Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, who is very dear to Lord Gauranga, the son of mother Saci, is unparalled in his service to the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna. He is that great saintly spiritual master who bestows intense devotion to Krsna at different places throughout the world.

 

By his strong desire, the holy name of Lord Gauranga will spread throughout all the countries of the Western world. In all the cities, towns, and villages on the earth, from all the oceans, seas, rivers, and streams, everyone will chant the holy name of Krsna.

 

As the vast mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu conquers all directions, a flood of transcendental ecstasy will certainly cover the land. When all the sinful, miserable living entities become happy, the Vaisnavas's desire is then fulfilled.

 

Although my Guru Maharaja ordered me to accomplish this mission, I am not worthy or fit to do it. I am very fallen and insignificant. Therefore, O Lord, now I am begging for Your mercy so that I may become worthy, for You are the wisest and most experienced of all.

 

If You bestow Your power, by serving the spiritual master one attains the Absolute Truth -one's life becomes successful. If that service is obtained, then one becomes happy and gets Your association due to good fortune.

 

My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, because of my association with material desires, one after another, I was gradually falling into a blind well full of snakes, following the general populace. But Your servant Narada Muni kindly accepted me as his disciple and instructed me how to achieve this transcendental position. Therefore, my first duty is to serve him. How could I leave his service? (Prahlada Maharaja to Lord Nrsimhadeva, Bhag. 7.9.28)

 

O Lord Krsna, You are my eternal companion. Forgetting You, I have suffered the kicks of maya birth after birth. If today the chance to meet You occurs again, then I will surely be able to rejoin You.[Note: Srila Prabhupada suffered several heart attacks during his journey on board the Jaladuta]

 

O dear friend, in Your company I experience great joy once again. In the early morning I will wonder the cowherd pastures and fields. Running and frolicking in the many forests of Vraja, I will roll on the ground in spiritual ecstasy. Oh when will that day be mine?

 

Today that remembrance of You came to me in a very nice way. Because I have a great longing I called to You. I am Your eternal servant and therefore I desire Your association so much. O Lord Krsna, except for You there is no other means of success.

 

 

[viji_53 0]

According to Vaishnava Philosophy you can have God's grace easily through Mother of Universe. So surrender to Lakshmi & She will recomend you to Lord Narayana. Krishna likes His devotees more than anything else. Radha is His dearest devotee. So if you surrender to Radha, Krishna likes you more.

[nitai 0]

> So if you surrender to Radha, Krishna likes you more.

 

Well or you could surrender to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Who is Radha Krishna combined.

 

He is more merciful than Krishna because He has the mood of Radharani.

 

Actually we (gaudiya vaisnavas) are followers of Radharani, not Krishna

[viji_53 0]

Why you people separate Radha & Krishna. Where ever Gopikas are there Krishna is present there. We can not seperate them. That is what Krishna shows Udava when Udava asks Krishna why He miss His Gopikas somuch? The combination of Radha & Krishna also indicates the union of Jivatma & Paramatma. If you seperate Krishna from Radha you are separating Paramatma from jivatma. Chaitanya Maha Prabhu personifies himself as Radha to enjoy the union with Lord Krishna. He did not say that Radha & Krishna are seperate. Radha is an example of simple love to attain God.

[nitai 0]

>Why you people separate Radha & Krishna.

we don't, we worship Them both.

but we cannot approach Krsna without Radharani's mercy.

 

>The combination of Radha & Krishna also >indicates the union of Jivatma & Paramatma.

I am sorry, this is speculation. Do you have any sastric reference?

Radharani is not jivatma, nor does she represent the jiva. She is Krsna internal pleasure potency -> shakti tattva.

 

>Chaitanya Maha Prabhu personifies himself >as Radha to enjoy the union with Lord >Krishna.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna with the mood of Radharani. Not to enjoy union, but separation, which is higher. Krsna wanted to know what Radharani feels for Him.

 

>Radha is an example of simple love to >attain God.

simple love? Radharani has love for Krsna which no one can surpass. She is the topmost devotee. No one has so much love for Krsna as She does.

 

Jaya Radhe,

Nitai

[viji_53 0]

Radha is one of the Gopicas. It is referred in Bhagavatam. I also meant simple love for bhakthi. Krishna wanted to show to the world that if a Jiva is like Radha he can attain Him. Krishna tells in Dasama skandam of Bhagavatam that He is indebted to Gopikas for ever. All Gopicas loved Krishna & attained Him. Chaitanya Mahaprabu took Radha as a special example who attained Krishna because of her extraordinary devotion to Krishna. It does not mean other Gopikas love or devotion is less.

[nitai 0]

dear viji_53 Prabhu,

>It is referred in Bhagavatam.

does it say that Radharani is jivatma? I don't think so...

 

here is some sastric reference how important Radharani is in relation to the other gopis.

 

This is from Srila Rupa Goswami's Bhakti Rasamrtasindhu:

 

The gopi named Radha (“She who is devotion personified”) is supreme. Though Krishna

“dominates” some gopis and “owns” the hearts of others, Krishna himself, the source of all bliss, is dominated and enthralled by the blissful beauty and charms of Sri Radha. The other gopis gain their ability to similarly affect Krishna depending on how closely they are associated with Sri Radha. Most removed is Taraka, who belongs to a group of girls that are competitive towards Radha. Next is Pali, who belongs to a group who are neutral to Radha. Next is Syama, who belongs to a group who are friendly to Radha. Next is Lalita, who belongs to Radha’ s own group of intimate friends. The more removed one is from Radha, the less affect one is able to have on Krishna.

 

>I also meant simple love for bhakti.

Radharani has no love for bhakti, Her expansion is Bhakti personified (Bhaktidevi)

 

This is the definition of bhakti also taken from Bhakti rasamrta sindhu by Srila Rupa Goswami:

“Devotion” or “Bhakti” is an endeavor intended to please Krishna. When this endeavor is free from

the impurities of ulterior motive and not overshadowed by other endeavors, it is “Uttama Bhakti”

or “Pure Devotion.”

 

>Krishna wanted to show to the world that if jiva is like Radha he can attain Him.

 

We are followers of Radharani, but we do not imitate Her. We cannot imitate Her because there is no one equal to Her.

 

> Krishna tells in Dasama skandam of Bhagavatam that He is indebted to Gopikas for ever. All Gopicas loved Krishna & attained Him.

 

Yes, I fully agree, I never said that this was not true.

 

> It does not mean other Gopikas love or devotion is less.

 

No their love for Krsna is not less, but Radharani is the topmost gopi, so Her love and devotion is greater than of the other gopis. One cannot say that their love is less, and so diminishing their love, their love is inconceivable, still Radharani's love is unsurpassed and even greater, that is why Krsna was curious how deep Radharani's love was for Him. That is why he assumed Lord Gauranga's form.

 

By the way, beautiful verses jayasriradhey-ji. Anyway, I don't want to get into an argument of who is right and soforth. But I just wanted to take away some misconceptions.

If you like references, please do not hesitate to ask. When one talks according guru sadhu and sastra, then one will never go wrong.

 

I remain, your humble servant,

Vinod-bihari dasa