Eternal Rasa

livingentity · April 22, 2003

PRABHUPADA: The change is taking place in this material world. There all tastes are fixed up, rasa, eternal, eternal rasa. Every one of us has a different taste of associating with Krishna, and that will be realised when one is liberated.

HANSADUTTA: So that's fixed already.

PRABHUPADA: Yes. When you are liberated, you will understand in which way you are related with Krishna. That is called svarupa-siddhi. But that is attained when you are actually perfect in devotional service. Just like in our family we enjoy different rasas. We have got one kind of relationship with wife, one kind of relationship with sons and daughters, one kind of relationship with friends, one kind of relationship with servants, one kind of relationship with property. So similarly, Krishna... The whole creation is His family, and He has got relationship in that way. So why the son will change his relationship into husband and wife?

HANSADUTTA: I see.

PRABHUPADA: Yes. Because every relationship is very palatable.The gentleman, the head of the family, his relationship with wife and his relationship with servant is as much palatable. There is no question of changing. Not that "I am tasting this rasa at the present moment. Then I will get better rasas." No. That is not... Everyone thinks, "My rasais the best." Although there is comparative gradation, but everyone thinks. These things are explained in Chaitanya-charitamrita. Why don't you see?

HANSADUTTA: And Nectar of Devotion.

PRABHUPADA: Yes. Everyone thinks, "My relationship with Krishna is the best."

HANSADUTTA: So it's not a matter of aspiring to some--

PRABHUPADA: No, there is no question of aspiring, because he is already situated in the best of relationships with Krishna. Even the trees in Vrindaban, they want to serve Krishna silently in that way, supplying fruits and flowers. That is their ananda. Everyone enjoying the supreme bliss. When Krishna comes, takes a flower or fruit, that is their enjoyment.

(Srimad-Bhagavatam lecture, 10 February 1971, Gorakhpur)

Kishalaya · April 22, 2003

"PRABHUPADA: The change is taking place in this material world. There all tastes are fixed up, rasa, eternal, eternal rasa. Every one of us has a different taste of associating with Krishna, and that will be realised when one is liberated. "

Thank You livingentity ji for the Prabhupaada quotes!

I cannot help but agree 100% with Prabhupaada here. Whatever small insignificant experience I have collected in my journey in Krishna Consciousness, my conclusions seem to get more and more aligned with what Prabhupaada said.

There are, however, other views (not certainly something that I can vouch for) also among "traditional" Gaudiya vaishnavas that a taste for a relationship can be developed by sufficient association with devotees in that particular relationship and that the svaroopa may be a function of the mood developed, not something that is inherently present in a baddha jeeva.

Kishalaya

theist · April 22, 2003

There are, however, other views (not certainly something that I can vouch for) also among "traditional" Gaudiya vaishnavas that a taste for a relationship can be developed by sufficient association with devotees in that particular relationship and that the svaroopa may be a function of the mood developed, not something that is inherently present in a baddha jeeva.<<

This subject is way past me though of course we are all curious. The natural question for the "traditionalist" would be why did that jiva come into contact with particular realized soul.

Someone may argue that the Lord brought them together so the aspirant would "develop" that svarupa that was really already inherent in the soul.

gHari · April 22, 2003

I particularly enjoyed the article today on VNN that recorded a spontaneous revelation by Sridhara Maharaja at http://vnn.org/editorials/ET0304/ET21-7999.html

Near the end, he describes the thickening of relationships with Sri Krsna from santa through madhurya very nicely.

gHari

Kishalaya · April 22, 2003

"This subject is way past me though of course we are all curious. The natural question for the "traditionalist" would be why did that jiva come into contact with particular realized soul."

Their answer is that previous (or recent) samskaar -- i.e. personality traits developed in previous (recent) lives, attracts a soul to a particular taste. This samskaar is due to engagement with maayaa. Of course, samskaar can also lead one into maayaa away from God, however due to past "sukriti", -- service (somehow knowingly or otherwise) rendered that is favourable towards developing bhakti, the soul is attracted to God.

Kishalaya

Kishalaya · April 23, 2003

Of course at our platform, we can only speculate. We won't know what is what, and such understanding is not necessary for Krishna consciousness.

The main problem I see with "traditionalists", is that the influence such a paradigm has on the mundane sphere. The conception of "lower" rasa and "higher" rasa is often so much highlighted to a point of distortion. Things like vaikuntha-vaasis are "lower", Gods in Goloka "kick out" people doing vaidhi bhakti etc. (Well, in my case, such Gods do not inspire devotion :-).

Maayaa baddha jeevas often forget that the "lowest" in Vaikuntha is maayaateeta -- absolutely beyond maayaa. Simply by their desire, in a snap, they can liberate the whole universe, e.g. Vaasudeva Datta.

Kishalaya