Sri Krishna Kathamrita
Tav k QaaMa*Ta& TaáJaqvNaMa(
tava kathämåtaà tapta-jévanam
Bindu
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Issue No. 234 Çré Annadä Ekädaçé 5 Sept 2010 Circulation 3,330
• Greater than Krishna
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Highlights
• Raval, The Birthplace of Radha
Srila Narahari Chakravarti Thakur’s Çré Bhakti-ratnäkara
• This Daughter of Yours
Jnana Dasa
• The Glories of Radha
Srila Baladev Vidyabhusan’s Aiçvarya Kädambiné
Greater than Krishna
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupada
In the last verse of his Çikñäñöakam, Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu gives us this instruction, äçliñya vä
päda-ratäà pinañöu mäm adarçanän marma-
hatäà karotu vä. Adarçanam — everyone wants
to see Krishna, but a pure devotee says, “No, if
you don’t like to see me, that’s all right. You can
break my heart. I may always pray to see you. But
if you do not come and instead break my heart,
that is also accepted by me. I shall still worship
you.” This is pure devotion. Not that, “I asked
His Divine Grace
Krishna to come before me dancing and he did A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
not come. So I gave up this nonsense, and now
the Krishna consciousness movement has no value return back anything for your love.” Krishna,
for me.” Like that. the Supreme, the all-powerful, was unable to
This is Radharaëi’s attitude. When Krishna left repay the debt he considered that he owed to
Vrindavan, all the gopés passed their days simply the gopés. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu therefore said
crying for Krishna. But they never condemned ramyä käcid upäsanä vraja-vadhü-vargeëa yä
Krishna. Krishna was also thinking of them, kalpitä. There is no better worship than what
because the gopés are the topmost devotees. was conceived by the gopés. Therefore, the gopés
There is no comparison to the devotion of the are the topmost devotees. And amongst the go-
gopés. Therefore Krishna was always obliged to pés, Srimati Radharaëi is the topmost. Therefore
them. Krishna said to the gopés, “You have to Srimati Radharaëi is greater than Krishna. ·
be satisfied with your own business. I cannot — From a lecture on Bhagavad-Gétä, London, 4 August 1973.
next column
Issue Two Hundred Thirty-four, Page — 2 Top right 2 é[q k* Z<ak QaaMa*Ta ibNdu
top left 2
Raval, The Birthplace of Radha came running from all directions, chanting the
holy name of Lord Hari and exclaiming, “O
Adapted from the fifth wave of
brother, see this jewel amongst the sannyäsés.”
Srila Narahari Chakravarti Thakur’s
Çré Bhakti-ratnäkara Everyone became mad while drinking the nec-
tar of the Lord’s moon-like face. Greatly happy,
In the fifth wave of Sri Bhakti Ratnakara, Narahari they spoke to one another, “I have concluded
Chakravarti Thakur glorifies the birthplace of Srimati that he is definitely Krishna. By his own will,
Radharani. In this first excerpt, he quotes Raghava
he is wandering throughout Vraja in this form.”
Pandit’s discussion with Srinivas Acharya while
Someone else said, “By seeing this golden
touring various places in Vraja.
complexioned form of the Lord, I am unable to
ahe çréniväsa dekha e ‘rävala’-gräma speak, although I wish to.”
ethä våñabhänura vasati anupama
After saying these things, by the mercy of Sri
çré-rädhikä prakaöa ha-ilä eikhäne
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu the people became agi-
yähära prakaöe sukha vyäpila bhuvane
tated in love and tears flowed from their eyes. After
O Srinivas, just see Raval, the village where Ma- manifesting his transcendental pastimes here, the
haraja Vrishabhanu happily resided. Sri Radhika ap- Lord, along with the sanoòiyä brahmana, went on
peared here and by her auspicious appearance the to Mathura. O Srinivas, this place where Radhika
whole world became filled with joy. (5.1809-1810) performed her enchanting childhood pastimes is
gändharväyä jani-maëir abhüd yatra saìkértitäyäm most confidential.
änandotkaiù sura-muni-naraiù kértidä-garbha-khanyäm
gopé-gopaiù surabhi-nikaraiù samparéte ’tra mukhe
rävalyäkhye våñaravi-pure préti-püro mamästäm
[Srila Raghunath Das Goswami, in Vraja-vilasa- Näma-tattva
stava, text 90, prays as follows:] Praised by jubilant
devas, rishis, and human beings, the womb of Rising Sun of the Name
Kirtida is like a mine from which the precious gem Sri Lakshmidhar
Sri Radha appeared. May I be filled with love for
Raval — the place of Maharaja Vrishabhanu, which The poet Sri Lakshmidhar is considered to be a
is surrounded in all directions by surabhi cows, godbrother of Srila Sridhar Swami, the famous Oris-
cowherd boys and gopés. san commentator on the Bhägavatam cited by Sri
Seeing Radha’s beauty on the occasion of her Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The below verse is from
appearance, her parents became agitated in love Lakshmidhar’s book Bhagavän-näma-kaumudé,
and were unable to take their minds away from which describes the glories of Krishna’s holy names.
her. Desiring auspiciousness for their daughter, aàhaù samharad akhilaà
sakåd udayäd eva sakala-lokasya
they gave various gifts in charity. Who can de-
taraëir iva timira-jaladhià
scribe this scene? Only fortunate souls can see. jayati jagan-maìgalaà harer näma
Sri Radha would wander around with many other
As the rising sun immediately dissipates all the
girls and her mother felt joyful while watching her.
world’s darkness, which is deep like an ocean, so
Maharaja Vrishabhanu and his associates would
the holy name of the Lord, if chanted once without
sit and watch her. In this way there was no limit
offenses, can dissipate all the reactions of a living
to the happiness in Raval.
being’s sinful life. All glories to that holy name of the
O Srinivas, after coming from Gokula, Gau-
Lord, which is auspicious for the entire world! ·
rachandra and his associates stayed here for — Quoted in Rupa Goswami’s Padyävalé, text 16, and in Cc.
some time. He became overwhelmed with ec- antya 3.181.
static love when he saw Raval. What to speak
of others, even Ananta Sesh cannot adequately
describe his feelings of ecstatic love for this
place. When Lord Gaurahari was here, people
Sri Krishna-kathamrita Bindu Issue
top right 3 Two Hundred Thirty-four, Page — 3
Top left 3
Narahari Chakravarti Thakur also composed a
song in this connection:
äju ki änanda våñabhänura mandire
janmilä rädhikä-devé kåttikä-udare
Who can understand the great joy in Vrishabhanu’s
house when Radhika appeared from the womb of
Kirtida?
diçä daça kare älo-rüpera chaöäya
ye dekhe bäreka tä’ra täpa düre yäya
Sri Radha’s effulgent form illuminated the ten direc-
tions. Whoever once sees her is freed from the threefold
miseries.
sukomala tanu jini kanaka-lavané
ähä mari! kibä prati aìgera balané
Her body is extremely soft and her complexion is
like molten gold. Alas! How is it possible to describe
the exquisite movements of her limbs?
janané-janaka-dhåti dharite nä päre
kata sädhe cändamukha dekhe bäre bäre
Seeing her beauty, her parents could not control
their excitement and repeatedly looked at her moon-
like face.
jaya jaya kalarave bharila bhuvana
gäoye maìgala-géta gopanäré-gaëa Kirtida shows a picture of Krishna to baby Radha
All the elderly gopis sang auspicious songs and the
entire universe became filled with the sound of “Jaya! This Daughter of Yours
Java!” Jnana Das
bäjaye vividha bädya parama rasäla
näcaye sakala loka bale, — bhäla bhäla e tora bälikä, cändera kalikä
dekhiyä juòäya äìkhi
The sounds of various instruments enchanted ev-
hena mane laya, sadäi hådaye
eryone and people began dancing as they exclaimed, pasarä kariyä räkhi
“Very good! Very good!” This daughter of yours resembles the budding moon.
dadhi dudha haldi aìgane chaòäiyä Her sight soothes my eyes. I feel as if I should always
häsaye häsäya kata bhaìgi prakäçiyä
keep her deep within the crevices of my heart.
Turmeric, yogurt, and milk were scattered in the
çuna våñabhänu-priye
courtyard for the occasion and the cowherd men ki hena kariyä, kolete rekhecha
laughed and made others laugh with their gestures. e hena sonära jhiye
vipra, vandi-gaëe däna kare nänä bhäti (Chorus) O Kirtida, beloved of Vrishabhanu! How
dekhi ghanaçyäma o nä raìga sukhe mäti beautifully you have placed your golden-hued daugh-
The brahmins and the singers were offered valuable ter on your lap. Please listen to what I say.
gifts and Ghanashyam (Narahari Chakravarti Thakur), taòita jiniyä, vadana sundara
says that although he is seeing this scene, he is unable mukhe häsi äche ädhä
to relish its happiness. gaëake ye näma, se näma räkhuka,
ämarä räkhiläma rädhä
Bibliography
—Çré Çré Bhakti-ratnäkara. Bagh Bazaar, Calcutta. Gaudiya Her beautiful face overpowers the brilliance of light-
Mission. 1987. (Bengali) ning, as she slightly smiles. Let the astrologers suggest
—Çré Çré Bhakti-ratnäkara. English translation by Kusakratha
Das. Ras Bihari Lal and Sons. Vrindavan.
any suitable name, but I’ll only call her Radha.
Issue Two
Top left 4 Hundred Thirty-four, Page — 4 é[q k* Z<ak QaaMa*Ta ibNd
Top right 4
svarüpa lakñaëa, ati vilakñaëa
tulanä diba vä kiye
mahäpuruñera, preyasé ha-ibe
soìaribä yadi jéye
Her natural characteristics are so extraordinary,
how can they be compared to anything else? Mark
my words, O Kirtida, one day she’ll be the beloved
of a great personality.
duhitä baliyä, duùkha nä bhäviha
iìho uddhäriba vaàça
jïänadäsa kahe, çunechi kamalä
iìhära aàçera aàça
Don’t be distressed that you’re blessed with a
daughter, for she’ll deliver your entire lineage.
Jnana Das says, “I’ve heard that even Lakshmi Devi
is an expansion of her expansion.” ·
— Translation by Krishnabhishek Das, assisted by Uddhava Das and
Bhakta Biplov Belel.
Click to listen to Gour Govinda Swami sing this
song: http://www.archive.org/details/EiToraBalika
The beautiful daughter of Maharaja Vrishabhanu
Bibliography
— Bhakti Jivan Harijan Maharaja. Çré Çré Gaura-pärñada
Caritävalé. Bagh Bazaar, Calcutta. Gaudiya Mission. 1987.
The Glories of Radha
(Bengali) Srila Baladev Vidyabhusan’s
— Satish Chandra Mukhopadhyaya (editor) Vaiñëava Aiçvarya Kädambiné 5.21-22
Mahäjana-padävalé, Jïänadäsa-padävalé. Basumati Sahitya
Mandir. Kolkata. No date. (Bengali) yäà varëayantaù kavayo’pi vibhyuç
candräravindädi ninindur uccaiù
dhyänena yasyä nitibhiç ca çaçvat
pramodam uccair hådayeñu bhejuù
Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu When poets attempt to describe Sri Radha they beco-
A free bi-monthly service provided by: me filled with awe and they loudly rebuke the moon,
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Every kind of transcendental glory and opulence is
Gopal Jiu Publications is a branch of the International
Society for Krishna Consciousness, Founder-Acharya His manifest from Sri Radha’s sidelong glance. Even Lord
Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is not
Quotations from the books, letters, and lectures of His Divine Grace A. able to describe them all. ·
C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada ©Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Bibliography
International. All other materials, unless specified, © ISKCON — Baladeva Vidyabhushan. Çré Aiçvarya-kädambiné. English
Bhubaneswar/Gopal Jiu Publications. All rights reserved. Blanket translation by Sri Kusakratha Das. The Krishna Institute. Los
permission is given to redistribute Bindu in electronic or print Angeles. 1987.
form provided no changes are made to the contents. — Baladeva Vidyabhushan. Çré Aiçvarya-kädambiné. Sanskrit
from www.granthamandira.org.
