In Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism, when one takes refuge of the feet of a sadguru, the faithful devotee is introduced to his mañjarī- self who is a maid of Śrī Rādhā.

Thereafter, along with hearing and chanting, he has to constantly meditate on his true self and be absorbed in rendering devotional service mentally, throughout the day according to the instructions of the Gosvāmīs.

Like this, hearing chanting and following the principles of good conduct in this external material body while meditating on devotional service rendered to Rādhā – Kṛṣṇa in the spiritual form should go on simultaneously.

Bāhya antara ihāra dui to sādhana;
Bāhye sādhaka dehe kore śravaṇa-kīrtana
Mone nija siddha deha koriyā bhāvana;
Rātri-dina cinte vraje kṛṣṇera sevana

“Devotional practise is of two types – external and internal. One should hear and chant in the external material body, while one should serve Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa in Vraja, all day and night by meditating on one’s spiritual body”.
– (C. C.)

Then there is one more secret.

The devotee is introduced to his identity of a young boy in service to Śrī Mahāprabhu in His pastimes at Nabadwīp. The same devotee renders devotional service simultaneously in both the pastimes (Nabadwīp and Vṛndāvan). He thus obtains the great fortune of relishing perfect sweetness in the realm of love. He meditates on the service rendered to Mahāprabhu. When Mahāprabhu, absorbed in the hymns sung by Svarupa Gosvāmī becomes engrossed in relishing the nectar of Vṛndāvan in the mood of Rādhārani, and His associates are also engrossed in relishing the nectar of Vraja according to their own moods, then the devotee too gets absorbed in rendering devotional service to Govinda in Vraja in his original form of a Mañjarī.

In this way, devotional practise continues in two spiritual forms. Due to very deep meditation the devotee gives up paying profound attention to his material body and gradually becomes absorbed in his twin spiritual forms.

On attaining success in devotional practise, the devotee is awarded the crowning glory by offering him the right to render twin devotional service in both the pastimes in his spiritual forms as meditated by him, at the time of his death.

Narottama dāsa Thākur has said – “Here I shall get Gouracandra and there – Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa”.

In devotional practise, this is the highest point of spiritual psychology and it is the highest mellow in the soul of a devotee. This is the maximum extent to which the marginal potency of the Lord (Jīva-śakti) can progress in the realm of spiritualism,
“sā kāṣṭhā sā parāgatiḥ”.

Meaning – “It is the zenith of spiritual state”.

To practise devotion in the mood of a mañjarī is the very deep secret of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism. To worship in the mode of a Gopī has been mentioned in ancient purāṇas, tantras and many wise saints have described it in texts that belong to the рrе-Caitanya period.

Śaṭhakopācārya has mentioned worshiping in the mood of a Gopī in Pātāla Khaṇḍa of Padma Purāṇa, Rudrayāmal Tantra and Sahasragīti. ācārya Nimbark Svāmī has spoken of Rādhā – worship. We find worshiping in the mood of sakhī in the descriptions of great saint poets such as Jayadev, Caṇḍidās, Vidyāpati etc.

But from the above-mentioned texts we do not get a clear idea of the characteristics of the mañjarīs or the maids who possess more affection for Śrī Rādhā. There is no very definite layout about devotional practise in the mood of a mañjarī in these texts.

This is the novel discovery of the followers of the lotus – feet of Śrī Caitanya, such as Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has endlessly and specially described the Madhura – Rasa of the Braja – beauties who are the highest resort of splendent Rasa in Ujvala – Nīlamaṇi wherein he has described those incidents that are beyond the scope of Bhakti Rasāmṛta sindhu. Here he has given clear indication of the characteristics of the Mañjarīs as well as devotional practise in the mood of mañjarī.

The Gosvāmīs such as Rūpa and Sanātana are the eternal mañjarīs of Braja –
“Twin splendent bodies”.
They have descended in the age of Kali as associates of Goursundar, the united form of Rādhā – Kṛṣṇa and have unraveled the secret of devotional practise in the mood of mañjarī in their texts for the welfare of mankind.

Stavamālā by Rūpa Gosvāmī, Stavāvalī by Raghunātha Dās Gosvāmī, Saṅkalpa-kalpadrum by Viśvanāth Cakravartī, Prema-Bhakti Candrikā and Prārthanā by Narottam Dās Ṭhākur are overflowing with transcendental mellow of the Mañjarīs.

By relishing these texts, connoisseur devotees will find equanimity with their own Mañjarī – bhāva and they will feel blessed to relish the nectar of the Divine couple.

The practising devotee who wishes to relish Rasa and is yearning to obtain the mood of a Mañjarī should follow this process –

(1) vipralambha Rasa (the Rasa of separation) – at the end of mid – day pastime at Rādhā-kuṇḍa –

“hṛdaya – dayitalīlā – snigdha dugdhaih prapūrṇa tanu –
kanakaghaṭī sa subhruvo’syah sakhīnām
nayana-mudam atānīt sāśu vairasyam āptā viraha –
viṣa –  vivarṇa netra – santaptaye’ bhūt”
– (Govinda Līlāmṛta 18.94)

Meaning – “Śrī Rādhā’s body resembles a golden urn filled with the cool milk of the pastimes of the darling of Her heart (Kṛṣṇa). Thus She brings joy to the fine – browed sakhī-mañjarīs. But now She becomes the cause of their grief by becoming pale and sorrowful stung by the poison of separation.”

Here the subject is Rādhā who is grief stricken due to separation from Kṛṣṇa, the object of love are the mañjarīs, the paleness of Rādhā due to separation and sorrowful looks are excitant causes. Sighs etc. are the activities. Tears and paleness are silent activities, depression and humility are the passing moods. These moods together nourish the bhavollasa rati of the devotee who possesses greater affection for Rādhā, resulting in the Rasa of separation.

Devotees practising in the mood of mañjarīs should equalize their moods with that of the sakhī- mañjarīs. Meaning, in one moment the devotee thinks in the mood of a mañjarī that he is present in the place of the pastimes in the spiritual form which is worthy of serving Rādhā- Kṛṣṇa and again he thinks that he is a devotee reading or hearing the pastime of separation. Thereafter relish occurs when he equalizes his feelings with those associates having similar moods. This means that the devotee feels the same pain of separation as Rūpa Mañjarī did.

(2) Example of Rasa of Union – (intimate Union) –

ityuktvā smita candrikārcita-mukhīr ālir vilaṅghya vrajan
rādhāyā nidadhāv urasyurumadāt pāṇiṁ yadā mādhavaḥ
kandarpaḥ sa hi kaṁ na darpa matanod āpāda-śirṣaṁ saraiś
cakre jarjaram eva tat-tanu-yugam romodgama vyājataḥ
– (Śrīkṛṣṇa Bhāvanāmṛta 9.25)

Meaning – “Hearing these humorous and witty words of Mādhava, the Sakhīs were thrilled and filled with great bliss, their blooming lips resplendent with the moon of soft smiles. The King of Wit immediately crossed over to them and as soon as he placed his hand with fierce pride on the bosom of Rādhārānī, Cupid covered the forms of the young lovers totally with arrows in the form of goose–flesh”.

Here the subject is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. The objects of love are the mañjarīs, the humor while collecting flowers, and Kṛṣṇa touching Rādhārānī are the excitant causes; soft smiles, fluttering glances are the gestures; goose – flesh, shivering and perspiration are silent activities; joy and pride are passing moods. These moods together nourish the bhavollasa rati of the devotee who possesses greater affection for Rādhārani, resulting in the Rasa of union.

The practising devotee should once consider himself to be a sakhī-mañjarī, an associate of the pastime and next think of himself to be a reader of nectarine pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. The resultant of this equanimity is a oneness with the mañjarī having similar feelings and hence he is able to relish the Rasa of union. In this way the devotee practise in the mood of mañjarī is able to relish the four types of Rasa in separation such as purvaraga and four types of Rasa in union such as short, narrow etc.

“tad anubhavamayaṁ Rasasāraṁ svānubhavamayena rasenaikatayā vibhāvya pivata” – (Prīti-sandarbha)

Meaning – “The devotee yearning for the mood of mañjarī should assume oneness with the relish of the eternally established mañjarīs (e.g. Rūpa Mañjarī). Then their feelings will flow through the devotee thus enabling him to gain access to the Rasa”.

In his purport to Alankāra Kaustubha, Viśvanātha Cakravartī has written –

“Atha Rasa sākṣātkāre paripāṭī yathā – ādau śravaṇa-kīrtanādi bhajanānāṁ paunaḥ punyāt ānandarūpāyā rater āvirbhāvaḥ tadanantaraṁ vibhāvādi samavadhāna daśāyāṁ rateḥ sākṣātkāraḥ. Tadanantaraṁ ratir eva rasa-svarūpā bhavati. Tad-uttaram punas tair eva vibhāvādi karaṇai Rasa-svarūpa bhavati. Tad uttaraṁ punas tair eva vibhāvādi karaṇai rasa-sākṣātkāraḥ”.

Meaning – “The method of gaining access to Rasa is – first, the appearance of extremely joyful passion due to repeatedly hearing the Divine literature that is filled with the moods akin to our own desire, and glorifying whatever we hear. This is followed by more splendid experience due to absorption in such thoughts. After this the passion transforms into Rasa. Then we again experience the moods of vibhāva, anubhāva, passing moods and silent activities, ultimately gaining access to Rasa or experiencing ‘Rasadarśan’.”

Srila Ananta das Babaji