The great teachers of devotion say:

“What is natural for the perfected souls is the target of the practicing devotees”.

The example given by the great devotional teachers of yore is the compass for the practicing rasika devotees of Vṛndāvana. When this example is to be invigorated one must awaken one’s svarūpāveśa. It is the nature of bodily consciousness that the mind and the intelligence remain attached to dull, perishable matter, but the beauty of svarūpāveśa has no connection or relation with anything of this material world. Why would such a person like anything in the material world? Raghunātha was as wealthy as Lord Indra and his wife was as beautiful as an angel, but he gave it all up and fully surrendered at the lotus feet of Śrīman Mahāprabhu.

I am acquainted with so many people of this world, but I’m not at all acquainted with my beloved deity!
In his Manaḥ Śikṣā Śrī Raghunātha says: “Although I managed to give up lust and anger and so, the shameless dog-eating woman of the desire for distinction is still dancing in my heart! How can beautiful love ever touch my heart then?” – pratiṣṭhāśā dhṛṣṭā śvapaca ramaṇī me hṛdi naṭet kathaṁ sādhu premā spṛśati śucir etan nanu manaḥ – This desire for distinction does not allow the natural love for the lotus feet of the beloved deity to come in the heart.
The root cause of this pollution is identification with the material body. In his svarūpāveśa the practicing devotee must certainly experience that “I don’t have anyone else but You in this world!”

Unless one thinks like that one cannot proceed towards the lotus feet of the beloved deity. Out of eagerness for his beloved deity the practising devotee can not sit quietly. He feels like a deer pierced by an arrow, so he eagerly comes to Vṛndāvana, hoping to catch a glimpse of his beloved.

Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung:

sukhamaya vṛndāvana, kobe hobe daraśana,
se dhūli mākhibo kobe gāya
preme gadagada hoiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nāma loiyā,
kāṅdibo beḍābo ubharāya

“When will I see blissful Vṛndāvana and smear its dust on my body? When can I lovingly roll around there, chanting the names of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa and weeping profusely?”

nibhṛta nikuñja yāiyā, aṣṭānga praṇāma hoiyā,
ḍākibo hā rādhānātha boli
kobe yamunāra tīre, paraśa korobo nīre,
kobe pibo karapuṭe tuli

“I will go to the solitary arbours and fall flat on the ground, crying out: “O Lord of Rādhā!” When will I go to the bank of the Yamunā, touch her waters and drink it with the cups of my hand-palms?”

āra kobe emon hobo, śrī rāsa maṇḍala yābo,
kobe gaḍāgaḍi dibo tāya
vaṁśīvaṭa chāyā pāiyā, parama ānanda hoiyā,
poḍiyā rahibo tāra chāya

“O, when can I go to the circle of the Rāsa-dance and roll around there? When will I become most happy by getting shaded by the Vaṁśīvaṭa-tree and when can I stay in that shade?”

kobe govardhana giri, dekhibo nayana bhari,
kobe hobe rādhākuṇḍe vāsa?
bhramite bhramite kobe, e deha patana hobe,
kohe dīna narottama dāsa.

“When can I fill my eyes with the view of Govardhana Hill and when can I live at Rādhākuṇḍa?” The lowly Narottama dāsa sings: “When will my body fall while I wander around there?”

Śrīpāda Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī has said:
kadā syāṁ śrī rādhe cakita iha vṛndāvana bhuvi – “Hā Rādhe! When can I live in Vṛndāvana in great astonishment, remembering the wave of Your nectarean pastimes? When will I look all around for You, thinking: Now You have come, I understand I’m getting it!?”

This eagerness for experience will swiftly bring the līlās before the eyes.
“Although I am living in Vṛndāvana I don’t experience anything. I have so many things to say about it, but actually my heart is empty. I want to get some result from my life of devotional practice. Even if I can just spend my time with the hope that “You are my mistress!”, then I will attain You!”

Srila Ananta das Babaji