Radha-Prema Makes Krsna Mad

By Gour Govinda Swami - 6.9 2019

Srimad-Bhagavatam 9.21.13-16:

tasya tribhuvanadhisah

phaladah phalam icchatam

atmanam darsayam cakrur

maya visnu-vinirmitah

​

sa vai tebhyo namaskrtya

nihsango vigata-sprhah

vasudeve bhagavati

bhaktya cakre manah param

​

Translation & Purport

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta

Swami Srila Prabhupada

​

“Demigods like Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, who can satisfy all materially ambitious men by giving them rewards they desire, then manifested their own identities before King Rantideva, for it was they who had presented themselves as brahmana, sudra, candala and so on. King Rantideva had no ambition to enjoy material benefits from the demigods. He offered them obeisances but because he was factually attached to Lord Vishnu, Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he fixed his mind at the Lord Vishnu’s lotus feet.”

​

“Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura has sung:

​

anya devasraya nai, tomare kahinu bhai,

ei bhakti parama karana

​

If one wants to become a pure devotee of the Supreme Lord, one should not hanker to take benedictions from the demigods. As stated in Bhagavad-Gita (7.20); kamais tais tair hrta jnanah prapadyante ‘nya-devatah: Those be fooled by the illusion of the material energy worship gods other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, although Rantideva was personally able to see Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva he didn’t hanker to take material benefits from them. He rather fixed his mind on Lord Vasudeva and rendered devotional service unto Him. This is the sign of a pure devotee whose heart is not adulterated with material desires.”

​

anyabhilasita-sunyam

jnana-karmady-anavrtam

anukulyena krsnanu-

silanam bhaktir uttama

​

“One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Krsna favourably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.”

​

Lecture by

Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja

​

radhika-carana padma sakala sreyera sadma

jatane je nahi ardhilo

radha-padmankita dhama brndabana jar nama

taha je na asroy korilo

​

radhika-bhava-gambhir citta jeba mahadhir

gana-sanga na koilo jivane

kemone se syamananda rasa-sindhu-snanananda

labhibe bhjhoha eka-mane

​

radhika ujjvala-raser acarya

radha-madhava-suddha-prem vicarya

​

je dharilo radha-pada parama jatane

se pailo krsna-pada amulya-ratane

​

radha-pada vina kabhu krsna nai mile

radhar dasir krsna sarva-vede bole

​

chodata dhana-jan kalatra-suta-mita

chodata karama geyan

radha-pada-pankaja madhurata sevan

bhakativinoda paraman

​

“One who has failed to carefully worship the lotus feet of Srimati Radhika which are the abodes of all-auspiciousness, who has not taken shelter in the transcendental abode known as Vrndavana which is decorated with a beautiful lotus flower named Radha, who in this life has not associated himself with the devotees of Radhika, who are very wise and whose devotion for Radha is very deep, how will such a person ever experience the bliss of bathing in the ocean of Lord Syama’s sublime mellows. Please understand this most attentively.”

​

Srimati Radhika is the teacher of mellows of conjugal love. The pure love between Radha and Madhava are to be discussed and contemplated. The devotee, who cherishes the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani with great care, obtains the lotus feet of Krsna which are like priceless jewels. Without taking shelter of the lotus feet of Radha one can never meet Krsna. The Vedic scriptures declare that Krsna is the property of the maidservants of Sri Radha. Having abandoned wealth, followers, wife, sons and friends and having given up all materialistic activities and speculative knowledge, one should become absorbed in the sweetness of service to the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani. This is Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s solemn declaration.”

​

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura is Radharani’s man, own man, radha-nija-jana. What he says we have to accept. Without Srimati Radharani’s mercy one cannot approach Krsna, anukulyena krsnanu-silanam means: as Srimati Radharani serves Krsna and gives all pleasure to Krsna. Similarly one should render loving devotional service, loving service to the lotus feet of Krsna. This is the purport of anukulyena krsnanu-silanam, anukulyena – favorably, serving Krsna, favorably. This word ‘favorably’ is a word in English language but it has very deep purport. What is favorably? Srimati Radharani renders loving service unto Krsna. She gives all pleasure to Krsna. She never expects anything for Herself. That is anukulyena krsnanu-silanam and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has said like that. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote another very nice song:

​

sata koti gopi madhava-man

rakhite narilo kori’ jatan

​

venu-gite dake radhika-nam

‘eso eso radhe!’ dakoye syam

​

bhangiya sri-rasa-mandala tabe

radha-anvesane calaye jabe

​

‘dekha diya radhe! Rakhoho pran!

boliya kandaye kanane kan

​

nirjana kanane radhare dhori’

miliya paran judaya hari

​

bole, ‘tunhu vina kahara rasa?

tunhu lagi’ mor baraja-basa’

​

e heno radhika-carana-tale

bhakativinoda kandiya bole

​

‘tuwa gana-majhe amare gani’

kinkori koriya rakho apani

​

“Millions of lovely cowherd damsels are unable to please the mind of Madhava although endeavoring very hard to do so. The flute song calls the name of Radhika and Lord Syamasundara calls out into the night “Come here, come here Radha.” When He goes in search of Srimati Radharani, at that time the rasa dance comes to a halt. In the groves of Braja, Krsna weeps and calls out, “O beloved Radha, please appear before Me and save My life.” Embracing Radhika in a lonely grove Krsna regains His life and souls and is relieved. Krsna says to Radharani, “Without You, where is the question of a rasa dance? Where is the question of rasa dance? I live in Vraja only because of You, otherwise I won’t live in it,” Weeping at the lotus feet of Srimati Radhika, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, “O Srimati Radharani, count me among your personal associates. Make me Your maidservant and please keep me as Your own.”

​

This is Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s prayer at the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani. So without this, nobody can understand what anukulyena krsnanu-silanam is, favorably serving Krsna.

​

This is a deep purport, very deep purport. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura has explained that anukulyena krsnanu-silanam means anukula – favorable. This word ‘favorably serving’ in English is very difficult to explain. This word favorable is not an adjective to service. It is adjective to Krsna. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura says, this anukula, favorable is neither an adjective nor an adverb to the word service. It is an adjective to Krsna, anukulyena Krsna. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura explains that anukula Krsna means only Radha’s Krsna not anybody else’s Krsna. He is not Candra’s Krsna and for that purpose anybody else’s Krsna. He is only Radha’s Krsna. That is anukula Krsna.

​

Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Purusottama, still He is completely bound up with the love of Radha. He is mad after Radha-prema, Krsna becomes mad after Radha-prema yes and most definitely Krsna becomes mad after Radha-prema, becoming mad after Radha-prema is what He does? How He behaves? He does not know anything.

​

Krsna becomes mad after Radha-prema, Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, completely full. How He’ll become mad? Now the question is who becomes mad? Let us first analyze this.

​

Generally speaking, one who has some deficiency that person becomes mad, isn’t it? How is it that Krsna becomes mad? Do you believe that? It is a fact that this cannot be understood by general people, an ordinary person cannot understand how Krsna becomes mad after Radha and what He does? Just to see! Just to have a glimpse of Radharani! What He does?

​

He spends the whole night in the courtyard of Radharani’s mother-in-law. The name of Radharani’s mother-in-law is Jatila. Krsna is very much afraid of her. That Jatila will use very harsh words towards Krsna. He is afraid, but still, Krsna spends the whole night in the courtyard of Radharani’s mother-in-law.

​

In the courtyard there is a berry tree. Behind that berry tree, He is just hiding. He spends the whole night just to have a glimpse of Radharani. Is it not madness? He spends whole night just behind the berry tree in that courtyard.

​

Sometimes just to get a touch of Srimati Radharani, Krsna comes in disguise putting on the dress of a barber’s wife, naipatni. In that form, Krsna comes. In the guise of a barber’s wife He brings very nice scented reddish alta and says,”Oh, Radharani will you please come, I’ll paint Your feet with this nice alta I have brought.” Is not this madness?

​

Sometimes Krsna also comes in the guise of the wife of a washer man, yes, to wash the clothes of Radharani. He comes in that form. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has said like this. In the guise of the wife of a washer man. He comes and begs, “Radharani, will you please give Your garments, I’ll wash them very nicely for You.

​

Krsna comes in so many forms, in disguise to just have a touch of Radharani. This speaks of the madness. Krsna becomes mad, completely mad after Radha, Radha-prema. Therefore Krsna says, Radha vina tenho ara kar’ naya. Krsna only belongs to Radharani. He doesn’t belong to anyone else. He’s only Radharani’s Krsna.

​

Therefore Radharani is leftist and Candravali is rightist. Radharani’s nature is leftist nature, bamya swabhava; thereby Radharani shows the last limit of love for Krsna and Krsna gets pleasure. Just to enhance the leftist mood of Radharani He sometimes goes to Candravali’s camp. Radharani will become, abhimani, sulky. Then She will say,”No! Don’t allow! Don’t allow Krsna anymore to enter into My kunja, don’t allow Him! Such an ungrateful wretch! Untrustworthy! Undependable! No one should rely on Him!”

​

Two sakhis, Visakha and Lalita stood guard at the door of Radharani’s kunja. When Krsna comes they say, “Get out from here! No admittance! Where have you been? Why did you go to Candravali’s camp?”

​

This is a nice story. So Krsna becomes mad. Mad for Radharani. Why a man becomes mad? What are the reasons that a man becomes mad?

​

There are three reasons, three causes are there why a man becomes mad. Number one, if someone pays too much attention to a particular subject matter, he’ll become mad. Much attention means that he thinks so much about that subject matter that he becomes mad.

​

The second reason is one’s capacity to contain something. What you can contain or what is your capacity. If something is beyond your capacity to contain then you’ll become mad. Example is of a fifteen watts bulb. If a hundred watts of supply is provided to this fifteen watts bulb then it will burst. This is beyond capacity. If something comes that is beyond one’s capacity to handle then one may become mad.

​

Third one is, if someone’s knowledge becomes covered up he may become mad. If pure knowledge becomes covered up he may become mad. These are the three examples why a person becomes mad.

​

If we analyze we can understand these three reasons are not applicable for Krsna at all. No. No. No. Because Krsna is purna-brahma completely full. Why would He think of something else? And how His knowledge will be covered up? Maya covers the intelligence, however maya cannot touch Him, He is mayadhisa and He’s the master of maya. He cannot become maya-dasa. He’s mayadhisa. So there is no question of the covering of His knowledge. That is also not applicable.

​

Krsna is the reservoir, complete reservoir of all mellows, rasas, yes. He’s paramananda-rasa-svarupa. Why would He feel some deficiency and think of something very intensely and become mad? If you analyze we’ll find these three reasons are not applicable to Krsna. In Krsna-Prema Taragnini, Srila Rupa-pada has said:

​

krsnera vicara eka achaye antare

purnanananda rasa svarupa sabe kahe more

​

ama haite anandita haya tribhuvana

amake ananda dibe aiche kon jana

​

ama haite jara haya sata sata guna

sei jana ahladite pare amara mana

​

Krsna’s own thought. He thinks purnananda rasa svarupa sabe kahe more, I am the reservoir of all mellows, completely full. Ama haite anandita haya tribhuvana, only I can give pleasure to the three planetary systems. Is there anybody that can give Me pleasure? I give pleasure to everybody, the three planetary systems get pleasure from Me. Is there anybody who can give Me pleasure?

​

ama haite yara haya sata sata guna

sei-jana ahladite pare mora mana

​

“If somebody is there who is hundreds times more qualified, only he or she can give Me pleasure, otherwise nobody can give Me pleasure.” Krsna is completely full, purna-brahma. “One who is more than Me, only he can give Me pleasure. Is there anybody?” So these are meditatively Krsna’s own thoughts. If you analyze then we can understand that these three reasons of becoming mad are not applicable to Krsna.

​

This is wonderful. Krsna becomes mad because of Radharani’s incomparable love, atulniya-prema. This is very wonderful and Krsna’s own words:

​

tanhara parthama vancha kariye vyakhyana

krsna kahe, -‘ami ha-i rasera nidana

​

purnananda-maya ami

cin-maya purna-tattva

radhikara preme ama

karaya umatta

​

na jani radhara preme ache kata bala

ye bale amare kare sarvada vihvala

​

radhikara prema-guru, ami-sisya nata

sada ama nana nrtye nacaya udbhata

​

I shall explain His first desire. Krsna says, “I am the primary cause of all rasas. I am the full spiritual truth and made of full joy but love of Srimati Radharani drives Me and mad. I don’t know the strength of Radharani’s love. Radha’s love with which She always makes Me mad, overwhelms Me. The love of Radharani is My teacher and I am Her dancing pupil, disciple. Her prema makes me dance various novel dances.”

​

This quote is from Sri Govinda Lilamrta, Krsnadas Kaviraja Goswami has quoted this:

​

kasmad vrnde priya-sakhi

hareh pada-mulat kuto ‘sau

kundaranye kim iha kurute

nrtya-siksam guruh kah

tam tvan-murtih prati-taru-

latam dig-vidiksu sphuranti

sailusiva bhramati parito

nartayanti sva-pascat

​

“O My beloved friend Vrnda, where are you coming from?”

“I am coming from the feet of Sri Hari.”

“Where is He?”

“In the forest at bank of Radha-kunda.”

“What is He doing there?”

“He is learning dancing.”

“Who is His master?”

“You!”

“Your image, Radha, revealing itself in very tree and creeper, in every direction is roaming like a skillful dancer, making Him dance behind.”

​

nija-premasvade mora haya ye ahlada

taha ha’te koti-guna radha-premasvada

ami yaiche paraspara

viruddha-dharmasraya

radha-prema taiche sada

viruddha-dharma-maya

​

“Whatever pleasure I get from tasting My love of Srimati Radharani, She tastes ten million times more than Me by Her love. Just as I am the abode of all mutually contradictory characteristics, so Srimati Radharani’s love is always full of similar contradictions.”

​

These are all about Radha-prema. All glories to Radha’s love. This is another verse from Dana-keli-kaumudi, Srila Rupa Goswami:

​

vibhur api kalayan sadabhivrddhim

gurur api gaurava-caryaya vihinah

muhur upacita-vakrimapi suddho

jayati mura-dvisi radhikanuragah

​

“All glories to Radha’s love for Krsna, the enemy of the demon Mura. Although it is all pervading, it tends to increase at every moment. Although it is important, it is devoid of pride. And although it is pure it is always beset with duplicity.”

​

That Radha-prema makes Krsna mad, yes, factually makes him mad. Srila Visvanath Cakravati Thakura has mentioned like that, in the words of Krsna.

​

Krsna’s own words, Krsna thinks. “I am Saktiman, possessor of all energies. I possess all different potencies. I am all powerful, omnipotent saktiman. “I am completely full in all pleasure and I am completely transcendentally nitya-jnanadi-mayo, full of transcendental knowledge. That, I am. But I am so mad after Radha-prema. Radha-prema makes Me so mad, so much so that in that madness what I do, I don’t know. I don’t know what I do.”

​

Sometimes Krsna becoming afraid of Radharani’s mother-in-law Jatila and spends the whole night behind that berry tree in the courtyard of Radharani’s mother-in-law. Yes, just hiding behind that berry tree, He spends the whole night. Is it not madness?

​

Sometimes Krsna sits on the road through which Radharani will pass, yes. He sits there for a long time waiting because Radharani will pass by on the road.

​

Sometimes just to have a touch of the body of Radharani, Krsna comes in the guise of a barber’s wife. And also sometimes He comes in the guise of the wife of a gardener making nice flower garlands. “Yes, I have brought very nice flower garlands for you Radharani. Shall I put them around Your neck?”

​

Sometimes He will also come in the guise of a beggar woman with a nice scent, sandalwood paste. “I have brought this scented sandalwood paste for You Radharani. Shall I decorate Your face? Shall I decorate Your breast?”

​

Sometimes also Krsna becomes so mad that seeing the golden creeper svarna-lata, He will become that creeper made of gold thinking Radharani will embrace very tightly. These are all symptoms of madness. Sri Radha-prema makes Him mad, yes!

​

Sometimes He sits on the path of Radha, hoping She will follow the same path. When Radharani passes He just takes some dust and smears His whole body and dances. Yes! This is a symptom of madness.

​

Sometimes when Radharani will be taking bath in the Yamuna, upstream. Krsna at the same times takes bath downstream because “some of the flowers from Her braid may come floating and touch Me and Her kunkuma powder will come floating and touch Me, touch My body.” In that way He takes bath in the downstream when Radharani is taking bath in the upstream. Is it not a symptom of madness? This is a symptom of madness.

​

Sometimes chanting the name of Radha, dancing like a madman in the forests of Vrndavana, in Vrajabhumi, Krsna also dances on the bank of Radha-kunda singing the name of ‘Radha.’ Sometimes He is sitting on the bank of Yamuna crying and crying for Radha, Yes, crying for Radha. He cries, “Radhe! Radhe! Radhe!” These are all symptoms of madness. Yes, it is true that Krsna becomes mad for Radharani.

​

So this is Radha’s Krsna. This is anukula Krsna, Radha vina tenho ara kar’ naya. Krsna doesn’t belong to anybody but Radha. He only belongs to Radharani. Krsna is completely submitted to Radha-prema. He sometimes becomes afraid, “I may loose it, I may loose it!”

​

All Gaudiya Vaisnavas are followers of Srimati Radharani. Following under the guidance of Radharani they develop Radha-prema, otherwise nobody can render loving service to Krsna because Krsna is only submitted by Radha-prema. Even Candravali’s Krsna is not anukula Krsna, only Radha’s Krsna is anukula Krsna.

​

Prayojana-tattav-acarya, Srila Raghunatha Dasa Goswami says, “If Krsna, standing alone calls me, I won’t go. Krsna standing alone without Radha, call me, ‘Come, come!’ I won’t go there. But if Krsna is there with Radharani even though He is not calling me, I will run there very swiftly,” He says like that.

​

This is anukula Krsna, favorably, favorably serving Krsna. This is the purport. As Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakura has explained, not everyone can understand this. There is a very deep purport in it. The only ones who can understand are those devotees who have given up varnasrama-dharma, given up karma-pana, given up karma-misra-bhakti or jnana-misra-bhakti, given up everything. Sarva-dharman parityajya, abandoned all dharma, given up all the teachings of Veda, Vedanta, Upanishads, Gita and Mahabharata. Everything they have given up. They are anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam. No other desires they have. Karmis desire material enjoyment, jnanis desire material liberation but the dear devotes are completely devoid of those desires. They only desire how to get the mercy of Radharani and develop such love. That is anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady.

​

They are very dear devotees, servants and maidservants, kinkaris, as Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, “O when I am a kinkari, a maidservant of Radharani.” That is called manjari-bhava, sakhis, maidservants of Radharani’s dear sakhis are manjaris and that is manjari-bhava. Only they can understand anukula Krsna, Radha Krsna otherwise nobody can understand it.

​

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his song Saranagati, Gitavali, Gita-Mala, Kalyana-kalpataru, he has written so many songs about this. We sang two songs.

​

Sri Krsna’s Three Desires

​

Therefore in Caitanya-caritamrta it is discussed, Krsna is thinking like that, how to understand it, sri-radhayah pranaya-mahima kidrso. What is Radharani’s love? I cannot understand. What is My beauty that Radharani relishes? I cannot understand. And what pleasure or happiness Radharani gets tasting the mellow of My beauty? I cannot understand.” These three greeds are there. To fulfill the three kinds of greeds Krsna came as Gaura because as Krsna He couldn’t understand these things. So this is anukulyena krsnanu-silanam. Try to understand the purport of anukulyena krsnanu-silanam.

​

anyabhilasita-sunyam

jnana-karmady-anavrtam

anukulyena krsnanu-

silanam bhaktir uttama

​

One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Krsna favorably. What is this ‘favorably?’ This word has deep purport. As Radharani serves Krsna, accordingly, without desire for material profit or gain, fruitive activities or philosophical speculation, that is called pure devotion, word has deep purport. As Radharani serves Krsna, accordingly without desire for material profit or gain, fruitive activities or philosophical speculation, that is called pure devotion.
​