When the transcendental vision disappears and the lack of devotional service is felt it becomes hard to tolerate the resultant misery. Sometimes the premika devotee even faints, but when the beloved deity responds the swoon may subside. When there is no vision there is again lamentation and prayers for devotional service. In this way it … Continue reading The whole heart must be given to Rādhārāṇī

Kṛṣṇa became Gaura to taste the Love that Rādhikā feels for Him, and after He had experienced that He also wanted to taste the nectar of the kiṅkarīs' service. While He relished the mood of the mañjarīs the Lord's body became formed like a turtle, or sometimes His limbs would loosen and stretch out. Śrī … Continue reading Śriman Mahāprabhu tastes mañjarī-bhāva

The Kaustubha-gem and the Syamantaka-jewel are friends, like two devotees whose friendship is centered around Śrī-Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. The kiṅkarīs' friendship is also based on their service to Śrī Radhika. How wonderful is the friendship of Rūpa and Raghunātha! The friendship of Kaustubha and Syamantaka is just like that, accomplished through the līlās! This cannot be … Continue reading Try to be always awake!

When the devotee becomes advanced in smaraṇa he no longer thinks: "I'm doing smaraṇa". He feels as if he is directly experiencing the līlās in transcendental revelations. When the practising devotees have a little such experience within their minds they think: "I've gotten a response!", but that is not so. [It is not the real … Continue reading Revelations will come

When the greed of a rāgānugā aspirant leads him down the road of rāga, keeping his beloved object in the centre, then it awakens a special taste for the forms and pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His associates. At first the greed of an aspirant will be scattered over many different subject matters and cannot … Continue reading More about sacred greed

The sādhaka does not concoct his own path and he does not want his independent conceptions; he depends on the words of the ācāryas. His prayers will be very pure when he serves the Gosvāmīs' syllables by hearing and chanting them. Each of these syllables is filled with the flavor of worship and the great … Continue reading Syllables Of Nectar

Also during the stage of sādhana there must be relish according to one's own rasa at the time of meditation. This relish according to one's relationship (with the deity) arises while identifying oneself with one's svarūpa. Taking shelter of the lotus feet of Śrī Guru will remain fruitless if this relationship with the deity is … Continue reading Support for the weak sādhakas

In his svarūpāveśa Śrī Raghunātha has placed the sindūra-stripe onŚrīmatī's part, and now he sees himself making red spots all around Her tilaka. The deity of his vision appears before him. The only way to attain rāga bhakti is deep sacred greed, and Śrī Raghunātha's heart is filled with that intense yearning. The more the … Continue reading Mercy will descend

Can there be any doubt that the devotees who are surrendered to Śrī Rādhā and who are absorbed in mañjarī bhāva are floating endlessly on the waves of rasa? The lives of such devotees are thoroughly pervaded by the highest experience of rasa, this is proven by the books written by the sensitive rasika saints. … Continue reading The mercy of the ācāryas

Śrī Raghunātha suffers intolerable agony because he cannot attain his beloved deity, and then again he relishes the flavours of Svāminī's devotional service in a transcendental vision. After bathing Svāminī he dried Her off, dressed Her and made Her braid, and now he will make a tilaka-mark on Her forehead. How can the devotee continue … Continue reading One-pointedness