Narada Bhakti Sutra - Post 32

Sutra 20. Astyevamevam.

(There are such and such instances. Examples do exist of such perfect expression of Bhakti. So it is.)

Evam evam: such and such, thus and thus (Udaharanam: example)

Asti: exists, there is.

The next Sutra will illustrate the view of Narada.

Bhakti is exactly as described in the foregoing aphorism.

Sutra 21. Yatha vrajagopikaanaam.

(As for instance, in the case of the cow-maids of Vraja or Brindavan.)

Vrajagopikaanaam: in the case of the Gopis of Vraja; the cow-maids of Vraja or Brindawan.

Although there have been great devotees like Sri Suka, Uddhava, Valmiki and others, Narada mentions the illiterate women of Vraja, as examples of the highest devotion. They played with Sri Krishna and identified themselves with Him in complete devotion.

They cared not for family tradition, reputation and personal comfort in order to live in perfect devotion to Lord Krishna. They said, “Wherever we look, we find Shyama in the dark rain cloud, in the black pupils of our eyes, in the dark Tamal tree leaves, in the blue waters of Jumna, in the blue sky etc.”

Pure, divine love definitely exercises a levelling influence. It removes all inequalities and brings the lover and the Beloved on the same level. It results in the fusion of personalities.

The Gopis were the crest-jewels among the devotees of the Lord. The love of the Gopis to the Lord cannot be adequately described in words. They dedicated their bodies, minds, possessions, souls, and their all to the Lord. They always sang the Lord’s glories with their voices choked with emotion.

Lord Krishna spoke to them, “You have cut all domestic ties for my sake. I cannot repay the debt of yours by serving you even for the life time of a celestial being. Please relieve Me from this liability out of your own generosity.”

The Lord says, “The Gopis have given themselves up to me, their heart and soul. They think that I am their life. They have abandoned all their closest relatives for my sake. I ever support those who cast aside all worldly pleasures for my sake.”

(Bhagavat X-46 chapter, verse 4. )

Th Gopis surrendered all their actions at the lotus feet of Lord Krishna. They experienced acute agony if they missed His presence even for a moment. When they heard the sweet, melodious flute of their beloved they left their houses while milking the cows. 

With minds absorbed in Krishna they rushed forth to where their lover was, without taking notice of each other. They gave up their household duties, with clothes and ornaments all in disorder, they hurriedly went to Krishna. 

Dear All,

Throughout the posts under this theme, it is experienced that the author mentions / writes something on a post and finds that in the next sutra / within the next few Sutras, the same subject is being dealt.

Yesterday, he had to write on the Gopis when the subject was "Vyakulta" and today, he finds the Sutra itself is on the Gopis!!!

All His will!!

For understanding the divine love which Gopis had for their Krishna, one has to exist as / in the state of a Gopi heart of heart / one has to reach that state of Ananya prema towards God, otherwise, the love of Gopis portrayed in Rasa Leela can never be understood by human beings with perverted mind.

If one looks at the Rasa Leela as a sport between a male and many females, then he / she has not even understood 0.1% of the divine love Gopis had for Krishna.

For them, Krishna was not a male and they were not female.

At the peak of their Prema for Krishna, they had lost their identity as female totally, they forgot that they were human beings, that they were in Brindavan, that it was a moon light, that Krishna was a male, that they were sporting with Krishna. 

All that existed was LOVE in its SUPREME ESSENCE.

With a human mind which discriminates between male and female, which recognizes the biological / physical attractions / sex etc between a male and a female, the divine love of Gopis for Krishna can never ever be known or experienced!!

Love.