If we are not our bodies but souls then what is gopa and a gopi?

[Enlightened 0]

If we are not our bodies but souls presiding in our bodies then plz tell me how we get the difference between a gopa and a gopi?

 

I mean, doesn't what "sex" you are pertain to the body?

So, how is some one a gopa and not a gopi? and how is some one a gopi and not a gopa?

 

What is the difference...

Answer my question plzzzzzzzz.

 

 

thank you in advance.

 

[theist 1]

Neither does gopi or gopa refer to the material body.

[Narayanidd 1]

My dear vaisnava,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

In response to your post.

 

Yes, what "sex" one is does pretain to the bodily platform however, the gopas and gopis are not on that platform. The difference arises from each souls eternal relation with the Lord.

 

The soul who's desire is to serve the Lord through congugal relations is a gopi and the soul that wishes to serve the Lord as a friend is a gopa. Both are pure devotees of the Lord the only difference is how they choose to worship Him.

 

hope this helps.

Your servant,

Narayani d.d.

[Enlightened 0]

thanks i get it now.

[Guest guest]

Can a girl worship god as her friend... i am just curious. Now if she does is she a gopa or a gopi?

[livingentity 0]

Narayani devi dasi's post above.

 

 

Can a girl worship god as her friend... i am just curious. Now if she does is she a gopa or a gopi?

 

 

[Narayanidd 1]

My dear vaisnavas,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

That is a very good question that I will research. As far as I have read the gopis did not ever see Krsna as a friend but only as a beloved. I don't remember reading in any scripture of Lord Krsna having a "female" friend. Women either wanted to be His mother, His consort, or His humble servant.

If anyone knows of an example please post I would love to know more.

thanks.

Your servant,

Narayani d.d.

[livingentity 0]

Question from guest...

 

Can a girl worship god as her friend... i am just curious. Now if she does is she a gopa or a gopi?

 

 

This answers....

 

what "sex" one is does pretain to the bodily platform however, the gopas and gopis are not on that platform. The difference arises from each souls eternal relation with the Lord.

 

The soul who's desire is to serve the Lord through congugal relations is a gopi and the soul that wishes to serve the Lord as a friend is a gopa. Both are pure devotees of the Lord the only difference is how they choose to worship Him.

 

 

[Enlightened 0]

So guest, it is basically an irrellevant question.

 

[Guest guest]

 

these things are revealed to the qualified soul,

many people try and enter into these realities

prematurely in the desire for the exploitation

of bhakti to get position or fame.

 

Knowing this the process is set up in such a way

as to regulate the activities of those who

have such a desire to enter prematurely into

rasa with Radha Krishna for the purpose

of gaining position or fame , for them the

process of nama sankirtan and sadhu sanga is not enough

and they will seek out the rasa shastra in order

to force themselves into rasa lila as gopis, so the process of raganuga bhakti is created for them, they will

follow that process and become purified of the desire

for fame and position.

 

the rest will be satisfied in having the opportunity

to serve the guru engaged in nama sankirtan, elevating

the conditioned souls to love of god, they will find their destiny in the loving association of the other like minded

souls engaged in that sankirtan lila, which is actually

non different from Krishna lila and at the same time

the entrance into it.

 

 

[Enlightened 0]

excuse my ignorance, but why would some one try to love krishna for a position? I mean, isn't serving krishna as a gopi or a gopa a thing that takes away ego?. If this takes away ego and makes you realize who you really are, then where is the notion of position coming from?

 

Anyway, i also have another question for you: well if we are all souls where did we have the "qualification" coming from? I mean, krishna himself says 'i am in every one', so if he is in every one then every one is qualified... right?

 

You are probably going to reveal my own ignorance to me... well plz do so by answering these questions. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

sudszy /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Guest guest]

 

people all the time are engaged in activities

even spiritual acitvities for a variety of reasons,

some follow the yoga process in order to gain

mystical powers enabling them to gain power over

the material world, the yoga process promises

the yogi that if he follows a particluar path

of austerities he will gain mystical power, of course

it is a ruse, the process itself purifies the participant

of that desire and brings him to a higher realization,

that better then attempting to control material nature

which is impossible and the cause of suffering,

elevating your consciousness to the highest plane

will gain you admittance to the realm of

the highest ecstacy, and only when the person

gives up trying to lord it over nature is that

available.

 

so even in Bhakti yoga there are various types of people

drawn to devotional service for various reasons,

the process itself purifies the desire for exploitation

and transforms the desire for profit or position

into prema or love of god, which in it's pure form,

suddha-bhakti ,is free from the desire to enrich oneself

by the performance of bhakti and is the natural eternal

consciousness of the jiva , giving love for the sake

of love, not for the sake of gain.

 

as for your second question, everyone in their pure

uncontaminated state of consciousness is qualified

for the highest realm of association, that is our birthrite, but due to the exploitative desire to be the

lord and master of all we survey our qualification

has become covered over.

 

the pure consciousness is described as a bright gem,

that gem has become covered by layers of dirt and is

not able to reflect light in a brilliant pure

way , the yoga process cleanses away the dirt and uncovers the natural ability of the soul,qualifying

him to associate with god on god's level.

 

[Guest guest]

I get it now,

 

=) thanks

 

- enlightened

[Guest guest]

There is one pasttime with Krsna. He was sick and said that He would be cured only by the dust from the feet of His pure devotees. No one dare to put the dust of their feet on the Lord's head. Of course everyone present was a pure devotee but by Krsna will to perform this pastime they were bewidered. Finally Krsna says "Go to Vrindavan and tell the Gopi's to come, they will surely help Me for they are My best firends." So we see that the Gopis are Krsna's friends. Everyone in the spiritual world is.

No we are not this MATERIAL body but soul. But this spirit soul has a form... a role in which it plays in the Spirritual Kingdom. Who knows we may be a rock in the Spiritual Sky. : ).