The goal

ataeva gopī-bhāva, kari aṅgīkāra, rātri-dina cinte rādhā, kṛṣṇera vihāra
siddha-dehe cinti kare, tāhāṅñi sevana, sakhī-bhāve pāya rādhā, kṛṣṇera caraṇa
[CC 2.6.228-229

“You all must accept gopi-bhava, and day and night think about Radha-Krishna’s pastimes while mentally serving the Divine Couple in your siddha deha. By practicing raganuga-bhakti like this, you will definitely attain sakhi/gopi-bhava and the lotus feet of Radha-Krishna.”

The way – raganuga bhakti

karma, tapa, yoga, jnana, vidhi-bhakti, japa, dhyana |
iha haite madhurya durlabha ||
kevala ye raga-marge, bhaje krishne anurage |
tare krishna-madhurya sulabha ||
[CC 2.21.119]

“Sweetness is very difficult to attain through fruitive activities, austerity, yoga, intellectual speculation, vidhi-bhakti, recitation of mantras or meditation. The sweetness of Sri Krishna is easily attainable only for the one who affectionately worships Him on the path of raga.”

sakala jagate more kare vidhi-bhakti |
vidhi-bhaktye vraja-bhava paite nahi sakti ||
aisvarya-jnanete saba jagat misrita |
aisvarya-sithila-preme nahi mora prita ||
[CC 1.3.15-16]

“Everyone in this world worships Me through vidhi-bhakti. Vidhi-bhakti has no power for attaining the feelings of Vraja. The devotion of the world is mixed with knowledge of My divine prowess. I do not delight in love diluted with prowess.”

raganuga-marge tanre bhaje yei jana |
sei-jana paya vraje vrajendra-nandana ||
[CC 2.8.221]

“He who worships on the path of raganuga will attain Vrajendranandana (Sri Krishna) in Vraja.”

prema-rasa-niryāsa, karite āsvādana,
rāga-mārga bhakti loke, karite pracāraṇa.
[CC 1.4.15]

“I have come to this world to taste the essence of ecstatic Krishna prema and TO PREACH RAGANUGA-BHAKTI to the people [what to speak of the devotees!]”

vrajera nirmala raga,
śuni bhakta-gaṇa,
rāga-mārge bhaje yena,
chāḍi dharma-karma.
[CC 1.4.33]

“When My devotees hear about the immaculately pure love of the Vrajavasis, they will worship Me on the PATH OF RAGANUGA BHAKTI, and thereby give up their duties within the varnashrama-system.”

prema-rasa āsvādila,
vividha prakāra,
rāga-mārge bhakta bhakti,
kare ye prakāre,
tāhā śikhāila līlā,
ācaraṇa dvāre.”
[CC 1.4.264-5)

“I relished the mellows of love in various ways. And through My pastimes I TAUGHT THE DEVOTEES HOW TO PRACTICE RAGANUGA-BHAKTI.”

The “How To Do”

bāhya antara ihāra, dui ta’ sādhana, bāhye sādhaka dehe kare, śravaṇa-kīrtana
mane nija-siddha-deha, kariyā bhāvana, rātri-dine kare vraje, krishnera sevana
[Cc. 2.22.156-157]

“O Sanatana Gosvami! There are two types of sādhana in rāgānugā-bhakti: external and internal. In the external sādhaka body, the devotee performs śravaṇa and kīrtana. Internally, within the mind, one should meditate on one’s own siddha-deha and mentally serve Sri Krishna day and night in Vraja.”

krsna-tad-bhakta-karunya-matra-labhaika-hetuka
pusti-margataya kaiscid iyam raganugocyate
[BRS 1.2.309 ]

“The mercy of Krsna and His devotees is the only cause of attaining raganuga-bhakti. Some call this type of devotion pusti-marga.”

tat tad bhavadi madhurye srute dhir yad apekshate |
natra sastram na yuktim ca tal lobhotpatti lakshanam ||
[BRS. 1.2.292]

“When one hears about the sweetness of their feelings and so forth, and a desire for attaining the same awakens in the consciousness without dependence on scripture and logic, this is a symptom of the awakening of greed (lobha).”

“There are two causes for the appearance of the aforementioned sacred greed: The mercy of God or the mercy of another anurāgī devotee. There are again two kinds of mercy bestowed by a devotee: prāktana and ādhunika. prāktana means mercy bestowed by a rāgānugā bhakta in a previous life, and ādhunika is mercy bestowed in the present birth. The prāktana-devotee takes shelter of the lotus feet of a rāgānugā guru after the sacred greed has arisen in him, the ādhunika will get that sacred greed only after having surrendered to the feet of such a guru. It is said (in Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu): “The only causes of the appearance of sacred greed is the mercy of Kṛṣṇa or His devotee. Therefore some call the path of rāgānugā bhakti also puṣṭi mārga (the path of grace).”
(Srila Vishvanatha Cakravartipada, RVC)

Now it will be described how the rāgānugīya bhakta gradually advances through the stages of anartha nivṛtti (cessation of bad habits), niṣṭhā (fixation), ruci (taste), and āsakti (attachment to the beloved deity) up to the stage of prema (love of God) and the direct attainment of his beloved deity.
[Srila Vishvanatha Cakravartipada, RVC]

ajata-tadrisa-rucina tu sad-viseshadara-matradrita raganugapi vaidhi-samvalitaivanushtheya |
tatha loka-samgrahartham pratishthitena jata-tadrisa-rucina ca |
atra misratve ca yatha-yogyam raganugayaiki krityaiva vaidhi kartavya ||
[Bhakti-sandarbha 312]

“Those in whom such taste (ruci) has not awakened, but who have a special interest for it, should engage in a mixture of raganuga and vaidhi. For the sake of establishing an example for the people of the world, the one in whom such ruci has awakened will do the same. Therefore, as appropriate, raganuga should be performed together with vaidhi.”

“If one thinks: ‘Let me attain such sweet feelings also’, after hearing about feelings such as the transcendental erotic feeling towards Kṛṣṇa of His associates (the gopīs) in Vraja, then one need not wait for favorable sanctions from the revealed scriptures or logical arguments.”
[Srila Vishvanatha Cakravartipada, RVC)

sevā sādhaka-rūpeṇa siddha-rūpeṇa cātra hi
tad-bhāva-lipsunā kāryā vraja-lokānusārataḥ
[BRS 1.2.295]

“Following the inhabitants of Vraja, one should perform service in one’s physical body and in one’s siddha body, with a desire for a particular bhāva.”

Jīva Gosvāmī’s Commentary

“Sādhaka-rūpa refers to the physical body of the practitioner. Siddha-rūpa refers to the body which is suitable for one’s desired service, and which has been developed by internal meditation. One serves with a desire for the particular bhāva or rati of an associate of Kṛṣṇa situated in Vraja (tad-bhāva-lipsunā). One should follow in the footsteps of the dear associates of Kṛṣṇa in Vraja (vraja-lokā) and others loyal to them.”

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 is meditated upon (antaś-cintitābhīṣṭa) through inner contemplation with a desire for a particular rati directed to a beloved one [associate] 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.”

sādhaker jokhon rāganugā mārga lobha hoy,
tokhon sad-gurur nikaṭa prārthanā korile tini sādhaker
ruci parīkṣā koriyā tāhār bhajan nirṇoyer
saṅge saṅge siddha-deher paricaya koriyā diben

“When the sadhaka’s lobha for raganuga bhakti is awakened, he approaches his gurudeva with great humility and ask for instruction.
If he does so, the bonafide guru first examines the disciple’s taste and then, along with devising the appropriate bhajan introduces him to his own siddha identity.”
(Śrī Caitanya-śikṣāmṛta, Part 6, chapter 5)

mane nija siddha‑deha kariyā bhāvana –
“Use the mind for contemplating your siddha deha.”
[CC 2.22.157]

siddha dehe cinti kore tāhāi sevana –
“Visualize your siddha deha and mentally serve in that form.”
[CC 2.8.228]

Which bhava?

ataeva gopī-bhāva, kari aṅgīkāra, rātri-dina cinte rādhā, kṛṣṇera vihāra
siddha-dehe cinti kare, tāhāṅñi sevana, sakhī-bhāve pāya rādhā, kṛṣṇera caraṇa
[CC 2.6.228-229]

“You all must accept gopi-bhava, and day and night think about Radha-Krishna’s pastimes while mentally serving the Divine Couple in your siddha deha. By practicing raganuga-bhakti like this, you will definitely attain sakhi/gopi-bhava and the lotus feet of Radha-Krishna.”

pādābjayos tava vinā vara-dāsyam eva
nānyat kadāpi samaye kila devi yāce |
sakhyāya te mama namo’stu namo’stu nityaṁ
dāsyāya te mama raso’stu raso’stu satyam ||
[Vilāpa-kusumāñjalī 16]

“O Goddess! I pray for nothing from you at any time
other than single-minded service to your lotus feet.
If you should say, “Become my friend, my equal,”
then my answer is, “I offer eternal obeisances to such friendship.
I bow down to it, but in truth I pray
that my taste for being your hand-maid
should ever increase, yes, increase forever.
This is my prayer, and this is my vow.”

tāmbūlārpaṇa-pāda-mardana-payo-dānābhisārādibhir
vṛndāraṇya-maheśvarīṁ priyatayā yās toṣayanti priyāḥ |
prāṇa-preṣṭha-sakhī-kulād api kilāsaṅkocitā-bhūmikāḥ
kelī-bhūmiṣu rūpa-mañjarī-mukhās tā dāsikāḥ saṁśraye
[Vraja-Vilasa-Stava 38]

“I take shelter of Śrī Rādhikā’s maidservants, headed by Rūpa Mañjarī, who always engage in serving betel leaves, massaging the feet, serving water, and arranging for the Divine Couple’s secret trysts. These maidservants are even more dear to the great Queen of Vṛndāraṇya (Śrī Rādhikā) than the prāṇa-preṣṭha-sakhīs (the girlfriends who are dearer to Her than life), and She is therefore not at all shy before them!”

śrī rūpa mañjarī āra, śrī rati mañjarī sāra,
lavaṅga mañjarī mañjulālī.
śrī rasa mañjarī saṅge, kasturikā ādi raṅge,
prema sevā kore kutūholī

“Blissfully render loving devotional service with Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī, Śrī Rati Mañjarī, Lavaṅga Mañjarī, Mañjulālī Mañjarī, Śrī Rasa Mañjarī, Kasturikā and others.”

e sabhāra anugā hoiyā, prema sevā nibo cāiyā,
iṅgite bujhibo sab kāja.
rūpe guṇe ḍagamagi, sadā hobo anurāgī,
vasati koribo sakhīra mājha

“I will follow in their footsteps and render loving devotional service. Simply on their hints I will understand what is my duty. I will always be passionately absorbed in Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa’s forms and qualities while I reside amongst the sakhīs.”

vṛndāvane dui jana caturdike sakhīgaṇa,
samaya bujhiyā rasa sukhe
sakhīra iṅgita hobe, cāmara ḍhulā’bo kobe,
tāmbūla yogābo cāṅda mukhe.

“When Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are enjoying in Vṛndāvana, surrounded by Their girlfriends,
I will understand the time (for service) in rasika bliss. When will I get a hint from these girlfriends to wave a whisk-fan and place betel-leaves in Their moon-like faces?”

yugala caraṇa sevi, nirantara ei bhāvi,
anurāgī rohibo sadāya
sādhane bhāvibo jāhā, siddha dehe pābo tāhā,
rāga pathera ei se upaya

“I constantly think of the service of Their lotus feet and I will always stay there in great devotional attachment. Whatever I think of during my spiritual practice, this I will attain in my spiritual body. These are the ways of the path of rāga.”
[Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura]

sama snehā viṣama snehā, nā koriho dui lehā
kohi mātra adhika snehā-gaṇa
nirantara thāke saṅge, kṛṣṇa kathā līlā raṅge
narma sakhī ei sab jana

“Equal affection for Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa or more affection for Kṛṣṇa than for Śrī Rādhā – do not become attached to that. I will just speak about preference for Śrī Rādhā! They are always in Her company, blissfully telling Her about Kṛṣṇa. They are all called narma sakhīs.”
[Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura]

The source of all success

nikunja-yuno rati-keli-siddhyai
ya yalibhir yuktir apekshaniya
tatrati-dakshyad ati-vallabhasya
vande guroh sri-charanaravindam

“The spiritual master is very dear, because he is expert in assisting the gopis, who at different times make different tasteful arrangements for the perfection of Radha and Krsna’s conjugal loving affairs within the groves of Vrndavana.
I offer my most humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.”

yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado
yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto ‘pi
dhyayan stuvams tasya yashas trisandhyam
vande guroh sri-charanaravindam

“By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of Krsna. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement.
Therefore, I should always remember and praise the spiritual master. At least three times a day I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master.”
[Srila Vishvanatha Cakravartipada]