One who wants to relish Kṛṣṇa's sweetness to the utmost must take complete shelter of Śrī Rādhā. Śrīpāda Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī writes in Rādhā Rasa Sudhānidhiḥ (261): kvāsau rādhā nigama padavī dūragā kutra cāsau Kṛṣṇas tasyāḥ kuca mukulayor antaraikānta vāsaḥ - “Where is Rādhā, who is hard to perceive by following the Vedas, and where is … Continue reading Who else can perform such a clever, intimate service?

Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī is an eternally liberated maidservant of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, so he is the greatest authority, the ācārya of the (Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava) sampradāya (tradition) and by following in his footsteps one will surely attain this service. He gave the perfect example to the practising devotees with his sādhana-maya jīvana, his life, that was … Continue reading Our greatest authority

Tulasī watches on the bank of the kuṇḍa how Rādhā and Śyāma have a huge fight inthe water. The sakhīs rebuke Śyāma, saying: "Śyāma! Don't splash our sakhī like that! Has She ever done that with You? Just see how much She suffers!", but Śyāma does not listen. Svāminī becomes mad from His splashing, although … Continue reading Divine watersports

Śrī Raghunātha dāsa sees a sweet pastime with his spiritual eyes: He sees himself as Tulasī Mañjarī, dressing up Śvāminī for Her rendezvous in the moonlit night. To camouflage Her she has to dress Her up in fitting clothes and ornaments, so she dresses Her in a swan-like white sārī, anoints Her body with white … Continue reading Moonlit night rendezvous

Every verse of Vilāpa Kusumāñjali shows the sweetness of Śrīla Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī's love for Śrīmatī Rādhikā. The sweetness of each of Her limbs constantly causes a stir in his heart. Although he is eternally liberated, he still relishes the sweetness of devotion-in-practice. That shows how relishable devotion is, even in the stage of practice … Continue reading The very life-force of sādhana

One summer-evening Śrī Raghunātha dāsa sits on the bank of Śrī Rādhākuṇḍa, anxiously weeping and desiring Śrīmatī’s devotional service.Then he suddenly sees Śrī Rādhikā with Her sakhīs on the bank of the kuṇḍa with the Lord of their life, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. How charming Śrī Rādhākuṇḍa’s beauty is! All around there are many blooming lotus flowers … Continue reading Beautiful Radhakunda

When Kṛṣṇa plays His all-enchanting flute, Śrīmatī rushes out to meet Him as a forceful river goes forward to meet the ocean. Just as during the rainy season the current of a river becomes very forceful and floods its own banks (dukūla), similarly the Gaṅgā-river named Rādhā overflows the restrictions of Her du kula (two … Continue reading Like an overflowing river

Śrīla Siddha Kṛṣṇa dāsa Bābājī, who lived in Govardhana, prayed as follows: hā hā prāṇeśvari! tuyā viccheda anale; niravadhi prāṇa mora dhiki dhiki jvale e duḥkha sāgara hoite uddhāra koriyā; śrī caraṇe rākho more kiṅkarī koriyā heno dina ki hobe tava śrī mukhera vāṇī; karṇete śunibo āra nūpurera dhvani tomāra lāvaṇyāmṛta nayana caṣake; kobe vā … Continue reading A most beautiful prayer

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 … Continue reading The compass for the practicing rasika devotees