Radhe Radhe!

Recently a good friend of mine found a discrepancy in the tika of Srila Vishvanatha Cakravartipad to the Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, verse 1.2.295.

Unfortunately, the translation I used until now is not really accurate and the meaning led us to a bit of “confusion”.

Here is the original Sanskrit:

sādhaka-rūpeṇa yathāvasthita-dehena | siddha-rūpeṇa antaś-cintitābhīṣṭa-tat-sevopayogi-dehena | tasya vrajasthasya nijābhīṣṭasya śrī-kṛṣṇasya yo bhāvo rati-viśeṣas tal-lipsunā | vraja-lokās tv atra kṛṣṇa-preṣṭha-janā śrī-rādhā-lalitā-viśākhā-śrī-rūpa-mañjary-ādyās tad-anugatāḥ śrī-rūpa-sanātana-gosvāmi-prabhṛtayaś ca teṣām anusārataḥ | tathā ca, siddha-rūpeṇa mānasī-sevā śrī-rādhā-lalitā-viśākhā-śrī-rūpa-mañjary-ādīnāṁ anusāreṇa kartavyā | sādhaka-rūpeṇa kāyiky-ādi-sevā tu śrī-rūpa-sanātanādi-vraja-vāsi-janānām anusāreṇa kartavyety arthaḥ | etena vraja-loka-padena vraja-stha-śrī-rādhā-candrāvaly-ādyā eva grāhyāḥ | tāsām anusāreṇaiva sādhaka-dehena kāyiky-ādi-sevāpi kartavyā | evaṁ sati tābhir guru-pādāśrayaṇaikādaśī-vrata-śālagrāma-tulasī-sevādayo na kṛtāḥ | tad-anugatair asmābhir api na kartavyā ity ādhunika-sauramya-matam api nirastam | ataeva śrī-jīva-gosvāmi-caraṇair apy asya granthasya ṭīkāyāṁ durgama-saṅgamanī-nāmnyāṁ tathaivoktam | tad yathā— vraja-lokās tv atra kṛṣṇa-preṣṭha-janās tad-anugatāś ca tad-anusārataḥ

The translation I used until now:

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura’s Commentary

One performs service with sādhaka-rūpa—the present body—and with the siddha-rūpa—the body which is suitable for serving Vraja Kṛṣṇa in the particular type of rati or bhāva one desires, and which appears through inner contemplation, with a desire for a particular rati directed to one’s beloved Kṛṣṇa situated in Vṛndāvana (tad–bhāva-lipsunā). 

One should follow after the dear devotees of Kṛṣṇa such as Rādhā, Lalitā, Viśākhā, Śrī Rūpa-mañjarī and those following after them—persons such as Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmīs (vraja-lokānuṣārataḥ). Accordingly, one should perform mental service in one’s siddha-rūpa, following after the examples of Śrī Rādhā, Lalitā, Viśākhā, Śrī Rūpa-mañjarī and others.

In one’s physical body, one should perform services using one’s body, following after persons such as Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmīs situated in Vraja.
By the word vraja-lokā, one should understand persons situated in Vraja — Rādhā, Candrāvalī and others.
Following after them, one should perform service using one’s physical body also.

Some modern persons following the sauramya-sampradāya think that since persons such as Rādhā did not perform services such as surrendering to guru, following Ekādaśī vows, and serving śālagrāma and tulasī, we also need not do those activities. That idea is defeated here.

Jīva Gosvāmī in his commentary has explained this with the words vraja-lokās tv atra kṛṣna-preṣṭha-janās tad-anugatāś ca tad-anusārataḥ: vraja-lokā means those dear to Kṛṣṇa (like Śrī Rādhā etc.) and persons following after them (like Śrī Rūpa etc.); one should follow in their footsteps.

The confusion arises from the sentence “Following after them, one should perform service using one´s physical body also“.

Here it seems that Srila Vishvanatha Cakravartipada seems to agree with Srila Rupa Kaviraja who claimed that we should follow the gopis for example with our material bodies too [i.e. dress as them]. This can never be since Srila Vishvanatha Cakravartipada vehemently opposed this doctrine of Srila Rupa Kaviraja.

Fortunately enough, I found a much better translation of this tika in the book “Acting as a way of salvation” by David L. Haberman.

Let us look at his translation and everything is crystal clear:

One performs service with sādhaka-rūpa [the present body] and with the siddha-rūpa [the body which is suitable for serving Kṛṣṇa in Vraja] in the particular type of rati or bhāva one desires, and which is meditated upon (antaś-cintitābhīṣṭa) through inner contemplation with a desire for a particular rati directed to one’s chosen beloved of Kṛṣṇa, situated in Vṛndāvana (tad–bhāva-lipsunā).

One should follow the dear devotees of Kṛṣṇa such as Rādhā, Lalitā, Viśākhā, Śrī Rūpa-mañjarī and those following them [persons such as Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmīs] (vraja-lokānuṣārataḥ).

Accordingly, one should perform mental service in one’s siddha-rūpa, following the examples of Śrī Rādhā, Lalitā, Viśākhā, Śrī Rūpa-mañjarī and others.

In one’s physical body, one should perform services using one’s body, following persons such as Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmīs situated in Vraja.

[Some say that] the word Vrajaloka refers only to Sri Radha, Candravali, etc… [i.e. the gopis], who are situated in Vraja, and that all types of performative acts [seva], including the physical, are to be done in a manner that imitates only them [i.e., imitates the gopis].

Therefore, since taking refuge at the feet of a guru, the eleventh day fast [ekadasi], the worship of salagrama stones and the tulasi plant, etc…, were not done by them, then those of us who follow them should not do these things either.

This is the opinion of the contemporary Sauramya [followers of Rupa Kaviraja, living in Surama Kunja in Vrindavana] which has been rejected. 

Jīva Gosvāmī in his commentary has explained this with the words vraja-lokās tv atra kṛṣna-preṣṭha-janās tad-anugatāś ca tad-anusārataḥ: One should follow in the footsteps of the dear associates of Kṛṣṇa in Vraja (vraja-lokā) and others loyal to them.

So, clearly Srila Vishvanatha Cakravartipada rejects the idea of following the gopis with our sadhaka-deha.

His solution to the confusion which has arisen at his time is clear and it represents the true siddhanta of Gaudiya Vaishnavism:

Accordingly, one should perform mental service in one’s siddha-rūpa, following the examples of Śrī Rādhā, Lalitā, Viśākhā, Śrī Rūpa-mañjarī and others.

In one’s physical body, one should perform services using one’s body, following persons such as Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmīs situated in Vraja.

Jay Sri Radhe.

Thank you, dear David L. Haberman. Again.