Śrīmatī is (5) the ocean of lāvaṇya. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī defines lāvaṇya as follows in his 'Ujjvala Nīlamaṇi': muktāphaleṣu chāyāyās taralatvam ivāntarāpratibhāti yad aṅgeṣu lāvaṇyam tad ihocyate     "The luster that gushes out of each bodily limb like the luster shining out from inside pearls, is called lāvaṇya." Śrīmati is the ocean of lāvaṇya, or … Continue reading ŚRĪ RĀDHĀ EMBODIES THE SEVEN OCEANS – part 5 (The ocean of wine)

Śrī Rādhā is (4) the ocean of deep compassion, always showering Her devotees with the nectarstream of Her mercy. Those who have been touched by the nectar of that compassion, can testify. In the eighth canto of his 'Vṛndāvana Mahimāmṛta', Śrīpāda has drawn a very sweet picture of how Śrī Rādhā showers Her maidservants with … Continue reading ŚRĪ RĀDHĀ EMBODIES THE SEVEN OCEANS – part 4 (The ocean of ghee)

Śrī Rādhā is (3) the ocean of vātsalya. Vātsalya means love for the poor and the fallen. Just as Śrī Rādhā is an inexhaustible storehouse of amorous rasa She is also a great ocean of vātsalya-affection. The writers of the rasa śāstras (aesthetic scriptures) say that the vātsalya rasa is not compatible with the madhura … Continue reading ŚRĪ RĀDHĀ EMBODIES THE SEVEN OCEANS – part 3 (The ocean of yoghurt)

Śrīmatī is  - (2) - the only ocean of anurāga. ānurāga means mahā-bhāva. ānurāga is ever-fresh and ever-astonishing. Śrīmatī thinks Kṛṣṇa's sweetness is ever fresh and She always has more taste for His sweetness, so She always relishes it. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī writes in His 'Ujjvala Nilamaṇi' (Sthāyibhāva 104): ko'yam kṛṣṇa iti vyudasyati dhṛtim yas … Continue reading ŚRĪ RĀDHĀ EMBODIES THE SEVEN OCEANS – part 2 (THE OCEAN OF MILK)

A siddha-pranali consists of the guru-pranali, a channel of gurus, in their siddha-forms (manjari-svarupas). One's own guru, his guru, and the subsequent gurus traced back to the associates of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu form the guru-pranali. In due course of time, a guru in a Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya reveals the details of his own siddha-form, of … Continue reading The concept of siddha pranali in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition

When will Śrī Rādhā, Who is an ocean of cleverness, an ocean of anurāga rasa, an ocean of motherly affection, an ocean of very deep compassion, an ocean of elegance, a nectar-ocean of glistening transcendental forms and an ocean of play, be manifest in my heart? (Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi , verse 18) Tika: Śrīla Jīva … Continue reading ŚRĪ RĀDHĀ EMBODIES THE SEVEN OCEANS – part 1 (THE SWEET-WATER OCEAN)

Śrī-Śrī Rādhā Rasa Sudhānidhi UJJĀGARAṀ RASIKA NĀGARA SAṄGA RAṄGAIḤ KUÑJODARE KṚTAVATĪ NU MUDĀ RAJANYĀM SUSNĀPITĀ HI MADHUNAIVA SUBHOJITĀ TVAṀ RĀDHE KADĀ SVAPIṢI MAT KARA LĀLITĀṄGHRIḤ (17) O Rādhe! After You blissfully spent the night enjoying pastimes with Your rasika lover in a kuñja, I bathe You and serve You some honey-sweet eatables. When will You … Continue reading Wonderful Radha-dasyam

The ultimate cause: 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." The path of rāga mārga is very rarely attained and hard to understand, and it is very difficult to enter into … Continue reading Rāgānugā-bhakti: From interest to perfection

Śrī Śrī Lilā Kiśora Yugala (the playful youthful Couple) are playing madhura vana vihāra (sweet forest pastimes), admiring the beauty of the springforest with Their girlfriends. Śrīpāda is there in his kiṅkarī form, engaged in Their service. The forest is filled with different kinds of blooming flowers surrounded by humming bees. The cuckoos create a … Continue reading Radha´s forest of playful pastimes