The spiritual successors of the six Goswamis

MuralidharDas · November 19, 2003

<div align="center"> <h2> The spiritual successors of the six Goswamis </h2> by Muralidhar das

krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-parau premamrtambho-nidhi

dhiradhira-janapriyau priya-karau nirmatsarau pujitau

sri-caitanya-krpa-bharau bhuvi bhuvo bharavahantarakau

vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau

</div>

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Six Goswamis, namely Sri Rupa Goswami, Sri Sanatana Goswami, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami, Sri Raghunatha dasa Goswami, Sri Jiva Goswami and Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami, who are always engaged in chanting the holy name of Krishna and dancing. They are just like the ocean of love of God, and they are popular both with the gentle and with the ruffians because they are not envious of anyone. Whatever they do they are all-pleasing to everyone, and they are fully blessed by Lord Chaitanya. Thus they are engaged in missionary activities meant to deliver all the conditioned souls in the material universe.

- Sri Sri Sad-Gosvami-astaka, verse 1, by Srinivas Acharya

Srinivas Acharya was the son of Padmanabha Bhattacharya, a class friend of Nimai Pandita. His home was in the Nadia district of West Bengal. Padmanabha was from a brahmin family and a pandit. He married at Yajigram near Katwa. One day, when Pradyumna Bhattacharya was going home from his father-in-law's house, he heard that Nimai Pandit had come to Katwa to take sannyas. Padmanabha knew Nimai Pandita as a great scholar and a charming figure in all respects, so he went to see what was happening.

A sannyasi of the Shankara school, Kesava Bharati, had a big ashram there in Katwa. People had gathered to see Mahaprabhu and they were behaving like mad people, crying and wailing. Pradyumna Bhattacharya came and watched. He thought, "Nimai Pandit is taking sannyas? What is this? Nimai Pandit is an inconceivable scholar and he has a very beautiful form. Nimai Pandit has an all-capturing, commanding presence and he has come to take sannyas! We cannot conceive of life in Nabadwip without him! How will his mother feel? He is even leaving his young wife to take sannyas. This is shocking!" With this feeling he came to see the sannyas of Nimai Pandit.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: <blockquote> Pradyumna Bhattacharya was struck dumb to find what was going on there. There were two parties. One party, under the direction of Mahaprabhu, was requesting Bharati to do the function as soon as possible. Another party stood there saying "No! This young boy can never be given such a sannyas life! You Bharati, we won't allow you to give sannyas to this boy. You have come to spoil our society. It can never occur!" In this way it went on. Padmanabha was watching, and finally Mahaprabhu's will prevailed. Everything subsided in the afternoon and the sannyas ceremony began. Then finally, it was done.

Mahaprabhu told Bharati "I have got this mantram of sannyas in a dream. Please see whether it is the real mantram or not." He spoke it into the ear of Bharati. Bharati said, "Yes it is all right. This is it. Take it." In his way he took sannyas. And when it was time to give the sannyas name Kesava Bharati was thinking, "What name should be given?" At that time there was some sound from above: "Sri Krishna Chaitanya!" Bharati took that name and the name was given to our Lord. Padmanabha had waited so much, so long, so far, to see all of this. After this Mahaprabhu started towards Vrindaban chanting the name of Krishna and the sloka of Bhagavatam of the tridandi bhiksu: evam samasthaya paratma nishta upasidham purva tamai mahadbhir aham tarisyami duranta param (I shall cross over the ocean of nescience and become firmly fixed in the service of Lord Mukunda.)

Mahaprabhu went off towards Vrindaban and Padmanabha returned to his own village half-mad, always saying, "Sri Krishna Chaitanya". Whenever anyone would say anything to him he would reply, "Sri Krishna Chaitanya." No other word would come out of his lips. Only "Sri Krishna Chaitanya, Chaitanya, Chaitanya." So a name was given by the public - he was known as Chaitanya Das from that time. Of course, he recovered somewhat after some time. </blockquote>

When Mahaprabhu was in Puri, Padmanabha went to see him along with his wife. Mahaprabhu told him, "You have got a very good son as a devotee and his name will be Srinivas". So when Padmanabha came back to his home Srinivas was born in his house. Srinivas was very beautiful and a born scholar. His father Padmanabha left home when Srinivas was very young.

Automatically Sri Chaitanyadeva and Nityananda came in the mind of Srinivas and their lila was surcharged within him. He had no other tendency. When he was about fifteen, he came to Nabadwip to see the birthplace of Sri Gauranga. He sat near the house of Mahaprabhu, at the bathing ghat on the banks of the Ganges. He was idly sitting there, a boy of fifteen.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: <blockquote> He did not know anything, or even himself: he doesn't know himself. In this way, Visnupriya devi saw him and had pity. She took the boy to her home and fed that boy. </blockquote>

Srinivas went to meet Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Puri. But after going about three fourths of the distance he heard that Chaitanyadeva has left the world. What to do? He continued his journey.

When Srinivas arrived in Puri, Gadadhara Pandit was there and they met in the Tota Gopinatha temple. Gadadhara Pandit embraced Srinivas and told him, "I am waiting for you Srinivas. My Lord has ordered me to teach you the Srimad Bhagavatam. You will explain the Bhagavatam to the whole of Bengal: you will be an unprecedented lecturer on the Bhagavatam. But still you won't be able to read my book because the letters are half-washed away by the tears. So go and get a fresh book, go to Srikhanda, and taking my name try to secure a copy of the Bhagavatam. Bring it here and I shall teach it to you".

Srinivas Acharya returned to Srikhanda in Bengal and secured a copy then returned to Puri. But when he reached Puri he heard that Gadadhara Pandit had left this world. Srinivas was disappointed. He thought, "I am such a distressed soul. Wherever I am going, the object I adore has just been removed a little before I arrive. First Mahaprabhu disappeared, then Gadadhara Pandit, who gave me some hope that he would teach me the Srimad Bhagavatam. What ill fate I have got!"

Then what to do? He went away. But Gadadhara Pandita's will was there, so that when Srinivas went to read the Bhagavatam he found that the understanding of everything is rushing to him.

Srinivas, Narottam and Shyamananda started for Vrindaban to have darshan of Rupa, Sanatana, Gopala Bhatta and others. Raghunatha Bhatta was also there in Vrindaban. Srinivas, Narottam, and Shyamananda started from Bengal but when they were only a few miles away from Mathura they heard that Sanatana Goswami had passed away. The people were saying that Sanatana Goswami, who had been the prime minister of Bengal, who had renounced that position to become a penniless servant of Mahaprabhu, who had captured the whole of Vrindaban within his heart, that Sanatana has passed away. This was a great disaster for the devotees in the land of Vrindaban.

Srinivas and his friends thought that Rupa and Raghunatha, Sri Jiva and Gopala Bhatta, are still living. Somehow they dragged their feet forwards, walking on and on until they reached Mathura. There they heard that last night Rupa Goswami had left this world. Oh! what hopeless and cursed souls we are! Coming so near and yet we could not see those two generals of Mahaprabhu. Mahaprabhu had sent two of his generals to Vrindaban to carry out his orders and to establish the kingdom of the Gaudiya Vaishnava there.

Then, somehow they dragged their bodies to Vrindaban and when they arrived they found that evening aroti was going on in the Govinda Mandir with very great splendor. A great crowd was there. Rupa Goswami had just passed away, so with a feeling of mad bereavement and suffering, the devotees were madly chanting his name. The aroti was going on in this way. Srinivas could not stand that sort of wave, that sentiment in the mood of separation, and he fainted there at the Govindaji temple. When he regained consciousness he found that Jiva Goswami was engaged in discussion with some of his followers there. Srinivas woke up and he did what was necessary and proper at that time. And so it was, that Srinivas, Narottam and Shyamananda started to live and do bhajan in Vrindaban.

Srinivas Acharya took initiation from Gopala Bhatta, Narottam Thakur took initiation from Lokanatha Goswami, and Shyamananda from Jiva Goswami.

There were many incidents in the meantime. Jiva Goswami was there and Sri Jiva was in charge of all the books written by Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami. After a time, when Srinivas, Narottam and Shyamananda were going to return to Bengal, the treasured books were placed in a wooden casket and given to the charge of Srinivas Acharya. He was found to be more educated and to have more scriptural knowledge, so the books were given in his charge. Jiva Goswami instructed him, "Take the books, copy them and preach in Bengal. We shall see to the preaching in this side of the country but in the land of Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu the books will have good circulation so you may take the books there." Srinivas took the books and the three departed on two bullock carts.

The big casket was loaded on one cart and they travelled by the main road. That road One night the carts were on the road and Srinivas, Narottam and Shyamananda were sleeping somewhere nearby. In the night the book box was removed. When they woke in the morning they found the cart was empty. The big wooden box with the books was gone! They were horrified. Those three devotees tried their best to search nearby but they could not find any clue.

Shyamananda and Narottam, feeling disappointed, left the place for their own home. But Srinivas Acharya could not. "I was specially selected and given the responsibility of keeping these higher scriptures, and I cannot go back home without doing anything to get the shastras back. How can I do it?"

He wandered like a madman here and there. This beautiful young boy who people thought was mad. They thought this young boy's head is cracked. Here and there he was wandering, crying and chanting.

There was a zamindar, a chief of the aborigines, whose name was Birhambir. He was a chief of that locality and he had some attraction for devotion and the Bhagavatam. Every day he held a class on the Bhagavatam regularly in his house in the afternoon. His guru was someone by the name of Vyasa. Vyasa used to explain the Bhagavatam and many devotees used to come to hear Bhagavatam from him. Srinivas was passing his days like a madman here and there but somehow he heard about the lectures and went there to hear the Bhagavatam. He was eager not to express himself but he knew he was an educated man, a good scholar, especially of the Bhagavatam. No one else knew that and he also did not give any hint of that. Then one day Vyasa was explaining something wrong and, unconsciously, Srinivas could not check himself and pointed out the mistake. "You are explaining the meaning in this way, but the proper meaning will be that." Then the attention of all the devotees present, including the king, fell on that boy.

Who is he? Vyasa, who was explaining Bhagavatam, was also charmed. "We all took him to be a madcap but he is pointing out such fine points. Who are you?"

The questions became very intense and Srinivas had to admit that, "I am a wretched soul. This Bhagavatam, and so many other very high level Vaishnava scriptures, I was taking from Vrindaban, in a big box, a box filled up with those Vaishnava scriptures, but theives came and stole them from here, about a year or so ago, and still I am wandering around in search of those books."

"Oh!" then they knew. Birhambir had an astrologer who used to predict what is what, and where. When that box filled with scriptures was near to his capital he called the astrologer and asked him, "What is there on that bullock cart?" Those chiefs of Vishnupur were all robbers, looting princes. The astrologer told the king, "There are very highly valued jewels in that box". Then Birhambir managed, by his own men, to steal the box, and they took the box in his house. Birhambir opened it and found many holy books. He closed the box and kept it hidden. After hearing from Srinivas, he said, "Oh, you have lost those books. You are an owner of that? That casket is here in my house. We have taken it. My astrologer told me that many valuable jewels were contained in there and being misguided we took them."

Then Srinivas came back in his light again. He went and fell prostrate there and asked them to get some articles of aroti, then he began to offer aroti to the books, the shastra, the representation of Krishna and His devotees. He began worshipping the books and after aroti he opened the trunk. Then he sent information to Narottam and Shyamananda and they came back to Vishnupur. After this Birhambir and many people of the place became Srinivas's disciples.

Birhambir did much service for the Gaudiya Vaishnavas. His capital city of Vishnupur gradually developed many, many temples. A large number of temples were established in that place that are still standing today. They had very strong rulers from that time and they would force their subjects, "You must take the Harinam mantra, chant Hare Krishna, or otherwise we will banish you from here." The rule of the king was so much so that even an ordinary cultivator, after finishing his work and before going to bed, he would think, "Oh, I must take that mallika, I must obey king Gopala Singh's order to chant Hare Krishna." In this way everyone would chant Hare Krishna. Otherwise, if there was information that someone did not take the Name then he would be banished from the kingdom. The whole line of kings after that were Vaishnavas.

Srinivas Acharya went from Vishnupur to Yajigram near Katva and with the help of Narottam, Shyamananda and Virbadhra the son of Nityananda Prabhu and Jahnava devi, and the sons of Adwaita Prabhu, Srinivas Acharya began extensively preaching the Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy, the message of Srimad Bhagavatam: the Bhagavata Dharma. They also preached in parts of Bihar and Orissa as well. The transcendental flow, the wave of inundation came, by this trinity of Srinivas, Narottam and Shyamananda. The new wave of the ocean of devotion was spread by the combination of these three devotees who came after Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu. These three held up the torch of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas in the years after the departure of Mahaprabhu.

Narottam Thakur went to the Manipur side, to Assam, and almost the whole of Manipur was captured by him, including the king. So in Manipur we generally see that the Manipuris are disciples of Narottam Thakur and his succession. He has done such extensive preaching in that side. And in Bengal, Nityananda Prabhu and Srinivas Prabhu preached very extensively, while in Orissa it was Shyamananda Prabhu who preached extensively among the people.

Years before, when Mahaprabhu went to Ramakeli after taking sannyas, he came to a place on the northern side of the river Padma. Mahaprabhu began calling out "Narottam, Narottam," but his associates could not understand why. "Why is he taking the name of Narottam here?" This Bhagirathi river which flows through Nabadwip Dham is the small branch of the Ganges and the big branch is known as the Padma river, which flows into Bangladesh. Just on the opposite side of the banks of the Padma, across the big branch of the Ganges, a wealthy kayastha zamindar family was living, and Narottam was born later into that kayastha family.

Narottam's elder brother was named Krishnachandra. He was a big zamindar, a small king. From his early childhood, Narottam had some natural inclination towards Mahaprabhu, Radha Govinda and Vrindaban. He did not marry, but he was given to the devotional life. Gradually, he found his friend in Srinivas Acharya.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: <blockquote> It is said that in his youth Narottam came to see Nabadwip Dham. Together with Srinivas, Narottam began the circumambulation of different parts of Nabadwip. Before this, Jiva Goswami was shown the different parts of Nabadwip Dham by Nityananda Prabhu. Then Ishana, the old servant of Mahaprabhu's house, showed Narottam and Srinivas all the nine islands of Nabadwip. Ishana explained the pastimes of Mahaprabhu's place to them. Afterwards, exclusively given up to a life of devotion, Narottam met Shyamananda. Then these three went to Vrindaban together and they lived in Vrindaban for some time. Narottam Thakur tried hard and got initiation from Lokanatha Goswami. </blockquote>

Lokanatha Goswami's original house was in the Yashohara district. Lokanatha went to Vrindaban and lived the life of a sannyasi and his peculiar habit was that he did not like to mix with anybody. His apprehension was that to talk with a man would mean to break his continuous memory of Krishna. So he did not like to meet with anyone. So much so that he did not even store any water for visitors to drink. Not even a glass. In this way, if any guest were to come and ask him for some water, he could honestly say "I don't have any drinking water." His water pots were always empty. In such a strict way he used to keep up his continuous devotional life without any gap. Lokanatha did not like to accept anyone as his disciple. He was very determined, thinking, "I won't initiate anyone."

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: <blockquote> Narottam Thakur felt "I must have my initiation from this noble man, this great man." But he knew that Lokanatha had already vowed not to accept any disciples. Srinivas Acharya took initiation from Gopala Bhatta. Shyamananda got initiation from Jiva Goswami, initiation again. And Narottam was inclined towards Lokanatha Goswami. But how to get initiation? He tried to find out. </blockquote>

In the early morning Lokanatha Swami used to go out and pass stool before he took bath and performed worship. Narottam found that place and began to cleanse the area in a careful way. After a few days this caught the attention of Lokanatha Goswami. "Who is cleansing this place? I come to pass stools in this place but someone has found out. Who has been coming and cleaning this place and purifying it?" Then he detected and caught Narottam. Lokanatha asked him, "Why have you come to do this without my permission?"

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: <blockquote> Narottam fell flat at his feet and began crying. Narottam said, "I want your blessings, your grace. Without that my life is useless. Please be kind on me. I am a wretched man. I have come from Bengal. You please beat me." Lokanatha Goswami was defeated, and at last he gave initiation to that single person Narottam. </blockquote>

Narottam in his turn later inundated the whole of Northern Bengal with Krishna consciousness and the whole of Manipur came under his influence, under his grace. He gave initiation right and left. In Northern India and Eastern Bengal, Assam and Manipur.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj has mentioned that this is very similar to the case of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji had no disciples besides Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. But Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur himself preached very widely and gave initiation to many thousands of people.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: <blockquote> We find Narottam Das Thakur says, "When will Lokananath take me and connect me with Rupa Goswami?" Narottam Thakur is praying, asking, when will my guru Lokanatha take me by hand and offer me to Sri Rupa Prabhu, Sri Rupa Manjari. The absolute consideration of Guru Parampara is evident there in that prayer.

Our guru parampara is Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanya (radha-krishna nahe anya), Svarupa Damodara, Rupa, Sanatana and then Narottam Thakur. Then Viswanatha, then Baladeva, and Bhaktivinode Thakur. Mostly they have no body connection at all but only the connection in the line of spiritual flow of the same order and intensity and height. It is siksa-guru-parampara, not diksa-guru. Physically they had no connection but are connected only through the flow of the spiritual knowledge that has come from here and there. The degree of spiritual knowledge that has come down, that is to be accepted. And they are all in madhura rasa.

When I was initiated by Prabhupada, at the time of initiation he told me something about Hari-katha, the pastimes of the Lord. I was a newcomer when I came out. Vasudev Prabhu was conversant with siddhanta, with spiritual knowledge, with shastric (scriptural) knowledge. He asked me, "What did Prabhupada say after your diksa initiation?" I told that such and such things were told by Prabhupada just after diksa. Vasudev Prabhu told me, "You are a very fortunate one because Prabhupada told you at the time of diksa about Radharani's group". So the madhura rasa connection is there. And also when Prabhupada was passing away he asked me to chant a kirtana, Sri Rupa Manjari Pada, composed by Narottam Thakur. The Rupanuga sampradaya: knowledge and education of the rupanuga bhajana. Even the sakhis who are in madhura rasa, those sakhis cannot enter the place where Radha-Govinda are united privately, but the manjaris, the young girls, they are allowed there. They are the younger section and that is allowed. And that is the highest rasa. When that rasa is produced in their private union the manjaris can have some taste of it, but even the sakhis cannot. So the highest point of our attainment, of our aspiration is there in rupanuga bhajan. Service to Sri Rupa Manjari. Sri Rupa Manjari is the leader of all the manjaris and there in her group the highest quality of union, rasa, is to be found. So there is this Rupanuga sampradaya. The members, they have the greatest fortune.

The disciple must see that "My guru has got suddha-nama". Not only that, but the disciple sees the direct touch or presence of the leader of the particularly sweet rasa, of madhura rasa in his Guru. You may see Radharani, Lalita, Visakha, Rupa Manjari, in a particular group, you may see that there in Sri Gurudev.

nikunja-yuno rati-keli-siddhyair

ya yalibhir yuktir apeksaniya

tatrati-daksyad ati-vallabhasya

vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

(I worship the lotus feet of the Divine Master, who is extremely dear to the Supreme Divine Couple who sport in the groves of Vraja, because he is very expert in those appropriate engagements that are performed by the sakhis in order to serve the amorous Pastimes of the Divine Couple.)

Prabhupada told us, "My guru Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji is Guna Manjari." But if I have a deeper vision I can see Radharani there. A deeper vision. He is seeing Gurudev is a manjari. But if we get a further insight then we shall be able to see Radharani there. Higher or deeper you may say. First there is Paramatma, then deeper than that there is Krishna. Where there is Krishna, all is there. The deeper vision. That is for Krishna's pleasure. However He likes He can show Himself, "Come see everything!". A soul's deeper sraddha can carry him so he is drawn personally to Krishna. Or this deeper sraddha can draw us personally to Radharani. Faith, sraddha, can give you anything and everything. Faith. Faith of different quality. Faith of different intensity. Variegated faith. Hare Krishna. Faith gets you nearer and nearer. Different faith takes me nearer.

Faith comes from faith, from sraddha. Devotion, bhakti, comes from bhakti. It is ahaituki apratihata. So bhakti is the cause of bhakti. Nothing else can produce bhakti. Nothing else can produce faith. Just as from one candle another candle is lit. So faith from the heart of a devotee can be transferred into another. The Guru, the sadhu, extends faith.

The different classifications of faith are there. The different types of faith. Krishna is my friend, Krishna is my master - in this way, the classifications of faith are there. </blockquote>

Very rarely, by the will of the Lord, we find that the type of faith changes. In the case of Gaudiya Vaishnavas we find this of Shyamananda Prabhu, who was Hridaya Chaitanya's disciple. His faith changed from sakhya to madhura through a special grant of Lalita devi.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: <blockquote> Shyamananda was initiated in sakhya rasa from Hridaya Chaitanya, then he went to Vrindavan. In the very early morning he was taking the name of Krishna while walking. Suddenly he found a golden anklet on the pathway. A leg ornament. He took it, and put it in his bag. And with the touch of that leg ornament he felt ecstatic joy within himself and great energy for chanting hari-nama. Going on, he was feeling intensely inspired while taking the name of Krishna on his lips. He was sometimes looking back towards the place where he got that anklet when suddenly he found that one divine girl was searching for something in that place.

He came back and said, "What do you search for sister?"

She told him, "My mistress Radharani has lost her anklet somewhere here. I have come to collect that."

"Oh, I have got it. I have collected it. Is it this?", he said. She replied, "Yes."

He gave it to her, to Lalita Devi. Then she took the anklet and put it on his forehead and a permanent spot was there on his forehead. A mark of that anklet. Then Lalita Devi disappeared.

Shyamananda was more enthusiastic, "What did I see today here!"

Shyamananda couldn't rub the mark off his forehead. He couldn't efface it. And he felt his tendency towards service under the guidance of those girls awaken within himselft. From the friend circle (sakhya-rasa) his mental conversion came automatically towards madhura rasa. He felt it and he consulted Jiva Goswami, "This is the case. What to do? Irresistibly I feel within that I must serve Krishna under the direction of these divine damsels. I feel that sort of service mood even though I previously got admission into sakhya rasa from my gurudeva and I'm trying to cultivate that sakhya rasa, that mood of the friendly circle."

Jiva Goswami said, "You have got such wonderful grace from the upper class and you may take initiation in this madhura rasa from me." And yes, Shyamananda took further initiation from Jiva Goswami. </blockquote>

This act was not concealed. Gradually it came to be known to the public and his previous guru Hridaya Chaitanya came to know that Jiva Goswami had again initiated Shyamananda Prabhu. Hridaya Chaitanya addressed the assembly of Vaishnava in Vrindavan, saying "This Goswami has done wrong. He has enticed my disciple and this is against Vaishnava etiquette."

Then they called for Jiva Goswami to give an explanation for this but Jiva Goswami did not go. He sent Shyamananda. "Shyamananda, go and explain your position."

Shyamanana went and stated, "This is the fact, which forced me to change my course of life," then he explained about his meeting with Lalita Devi.

Many of them there did not believe him. Shyamananda told them that, "I got the sign, this nupur tilak on my forehead. If you do not believe it then you may efface this sign."

They tried but failed. Then they gave recognition to Shyamananda. "Yes it is possible."

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: <blockquote> Radharani, internally, previously asked Subal about this. To Subal she communicated, "I am taking one of your servitors within my camp." Amongst the leaders there was some understanding of the transformation. So it is possible that this type of conversion may happen. By special interference of the will of those high officials or of Krishna himself it is possible.

It is achintya bhedabheda. Krishna says, "I am everywhere, I am nowhere. Everything is in me, nothing is in me. Try to understand this peculiar wonderful adjustment of mine. Everything is with me. Try to follow this understanding."

Krishna is an autocrat: "do this thing, that thing!" He is not under any law. The beauty, the absolute beauty Sri Krishna, is not under law. We hear a thousand times, "He is above all". Above all, and transcendental. Still our habit is such that we want to bring everything within the fist of our understanding. But He is adhoksaja (transcendental).

Srila Jiva Goswami has given many things in his Sat-Sandarba. For the protection of the higher truth Jiva Goswami has given so many things applying reasoning since otherwise we may be defeated by any other party in discussions of Vedanta. Jiva Goswami his given this Sat-Sandarba and for the protection of the higher truth he has given so many things employing reasoning. But Krishna, he is adhoksaja.

Love can give love, no other thing. That is the original conception: ahaituki apratihata. None other than Love can produce Love. Love is self-existent. It is the most fundamental substance. None can produce Love but Love, Krishna. None can give. Only Love can give Love, and everything. The most original conception of the Absolute Cause is that the Absolute is Love. One plane of existence: our home. That plane is the home of everyone and we are banished from our home. Let us go directly home! But why should we go home? Because there is infinite causeless affection in that plane. A most affectionate abode, our heart-touching, heart-fulfilling home. Home: sweet, sweet home.

So to go to Krishna means to go home. All are friendly there. There is nothing of strictness, no strict duties and obedience or any harsh treatment. Nothing of the type. So much familiarity, so much intimacy is never to be found anywhere else. This is the universal call: "Go home!" And our home is a sweet home. </blockquote>

Why should we have to take to any path of penance. A path of penance, or any other dry discussion about this thing or that thing. It is not necessary. Only the path of attraction, that is to be roused within us. So, Guru Maharaj said we must preach about Krishna. Preach that Krishna is the embodiment of love and beauty. It is our unavoidable necessity. The heart's demand from the innermost core of the heart. Guru Maharaj said we must go and preach this message and that it is for all living beings. Every soul is possessing a heart, a heart will be there: bhidyate hrdaya grantis, your false mental concoctions, you sham heart, your ego, all those encasements must be smashed and the real self within will come out and go towards Krishna consciousness. Your inner necessity of your inner ego will direct you. It will attract you and draw you towards that goal: love. Through that process we have to go home.

bhidyate hrdaya-granthis, chidyante sarva-samsayah

ksiyante casya karmani, mayi drste 'khilatmani

Sri Krishna says, "When I am seen as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the knot in the heart is pierced, all misgivings are cut to pieces, and the chain of fruitive actions is terminated."

-(Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.20.30)