Overcome with grief, Sri Krishna exclaimed, “How terribly sad! I had performed such remarkably sweet pastimes in Braj! How happy I was there! Forget performing such leelâs here, I can’t even describe them. I have just one loving devotee, like the Brijwâsis – and that is – Bâdarâyani (Shukadev); he will narrate this most confidential Braj-leelâ to a small degree with profound love to his dear disciple Parikshit. In fact, it is due to such rasik orator as well as rasik audience that this most confidential ras of Braj-leelâ will spread in some places in the Kaliyug.”

(Commentary – Undoubtedly, Sri Krishna’s leelâ has such unimagimable impact. The effect of Braj-leelâ is the most impressive, since Sri Krishna expresses His sweetness to the fullest extent in Brijdhâm. This is because the Brijwâsis possess the sweetest prem. If He tries to describe Braj-leelâ Himself, the memory of Braj-prem depresses Him so much that He cannot express it any more. However, the devotees who worship Him in the sweet mood, spontaeneously get a vision of these leelâs.)

Parikshit said, “Dear mother! When Sri Bhagavân started praising the immense fortune of Brijdhâm, Sri Uddhav, the best of ministers, was afraid that He would again swoon in love-ecstasy, and then they would have a problem. Therefore he signaled to the queens to come in front of the Lord. Then he made Mâtâ Devaki and Rohini enter with food-items. After this, he told Baladev tell Him that Sri Nârad had arrived.

Sri Bhagavân smiled and asked, “Why is Nârad not coming here directly, as he usually does? Who stopped him at the gates today?” Sri Uddhav replied jovially, “O Master! His own shame and fear have obstructed him.” Hearing this, Sri Bhagavân arose and brought Nârad inside. He said, “O Nârad! O the best of my well-wishers! You are so eager to please me. O best of rasiks! Today you have brought me great joy!

O Devarshe! Although the memory of dear ones spark a fire of viraha in the heart which results in untold suffering, immense sorrow and misery, yet that grief results in supreme happiness. Hence it is more glorious that the joy of milan. It arouses an indescribable ecstasy that is much more than that felt during milan. This heartache arises from prem and reaches the peak during viraha. Yet the climax of sorrow results in ecstasy—this is a fact that only a rasik can appreciate. He knows how the sorrow of viraha evaporates, bliss pervades the heart, and we can reside very happily as if we are experience the joy of milan. In this manner, we get a continuous sphurti of the beloved and joy overwhelms the heart.

(Commentary – Bhajanânanda (the bliss of performing bhajan) is more than brahmânanda (the joy of merging with Brahman), while premânanda (the joy of eternal love) is greater than bhajanânanda. However the viraha-sorrow that arises out of prem is more than the ecstasy of milan. The premik realizes a supreme bliss that is much more than all of these and it is inexpressible.)

Due to this, although the heart is suffers the pangs of separation, we are highly miserable and we want to forever cry, we feel extremely sad when we do not crave for our beloved in sorrowful viraha. Dear Devarshe! No one desires sorrow—all of us want happiness. Hence I would like to comment that—ice is the opposite of fire; yet whe we touch ice, at first our hands and feet become numb, and as we continue to touch it we feel aburning sensation as if we are in contact with fiery coals. However we do know that we are not touching burning coals, rather we are in contact with ice, which is its opponent. The cold sensation is true, and not the buring, since our skin cannot possibly burn in the absence of heat. Similarly, the sorrow of a lover in viraha is false, and in reality, he is happy.

(Commentary – Sri Krishna-prem is joy personified. When we feel sorrow and craving that arise out of Sri Krishna-prem, then we should know it to be a pleasure. However it is true that in this world, the separation of lovers is indeed very painful.)

There are some who do not like the sorrow of viraha, yet they welcome viraha as ‘supremely favorable’. Why?  Please know that a lover considers any situation that reminds him of his sweetheart as the ‘elixir of life’. A lover hates anything that makes him forget his beloved—it is worse than death! Although it is impossible for him to forget his darling, if she comes to his memory in a special way, he feels thankful and happy. He feels as if someone has blown new life into him. The zenith of love is wonderful and special. At this stage, the memory of a sweetheart is as ecstastic as getting an exquisite life.

Dear Devarshe^[1] ! Today you have brought a special memory of the Gopikâs – you have done me a great favor! I am supremely pleased with you; please ask me for a boon !”