What is ‘mati’?

“When someone is able to arrive at the right conclusion that is in accordance with the scriptures, it is called ‘mati’.”

“âshlishya va padaratâm pinashtu mâm

adarshanân-marmâhatang karotu vâ,

yathâ tathâ vâ vidadhâtu lampato,

mat-prâna-nâthastu sa eva nâparah.”

Meaning – (Sri Râdhâ said) – “O sakhi! I am the maidservant of Sri Krishna’s lotus-feet. He may embrace me and make me His Own or hurt me terribly by not giving me darshan, or may enjoy Himself with any other woman like a debauchee. He may do whatever He likes – and yet I will consider Him to be the Lord of my soul forever and ever, and nothing else.” (Sriman-Mahâprabhu has spoken this verse and has explained it so wonderfully in a poetic manner that the reader must look it up in the 20^th chapter of the Antya-leelâ of Sri Chaitanya-Charitâmrita.)

In the bhâv of mati Sri Râdhârâni said, “O Krishna, O Shyâmsundar – You are attractive to the whole world – You have stolen my heart. I am discarding mân, please give me darshan.”

Saying this Srimati started crying loudly -“Hâ Krishna! Hâ Krishna!” Immediately Sri Krishna appeared before Her and said, “No, no, my beloved, don’t cry. I have not gone away – I was just there. If I have offended You, please do forgive me.” Hearing His entreaty, She again became hot. Now She assumed the bhâv of the adhirâ-madhyâ beloved.

Who is adhirâ-madhyâ beloved?

“A sweetheart Who sends away Her lover using strong words is called ‘adhirâ-madhyâ’.” – (U.N.5.37)

Example-

(Srimati Râdhârâni said) – “Ohe Enemy of Kamsa! You don’t have to ring the bells of Your lies! Keep Your lies to Yourself! These cunning milkmaids have brainwashed You completely. The garland You are wearing is giving You away, since only they wear such garlands on their high raised bosom. Better get out of here quickly! You dare not remain here a moment longer!”

So in this mood of adhirâ beloved, Srimati, trembling in anger, said – “You fickle One! You Who run behind others’ wives! You Who are locked in embrace with milkmaids! I don’t want You!”

Sri Krishna disappeared. As soon as She lost His darshan Sri Râdhâ’s mind was again clouded with misery. She became helpless and did not know what to do. She cried out -“O Ocean of mercy! Please come – O! Please come at least once! I am mad – ignorant – foolish – impatient – I say so many foolish things in anger and amarsha. Should You take all this to heart and discard me so? I am always committing offences, I know. Please forgive me and give me darshan. You are an ocean of mercy. O kind one! Please have mercy on me, give me darshan and save my life!”

The merciful Sri Krishna immediately appeared and said -“O my darling! Can

I ever discard You? Whatever You may say, I am always Yours. You are simply showing mân, thereby torturing Yourself and then You are insulting me. Please be happy with me. When She heard Sri Krishna’s beseeching words Sri Râdhâ Who was full of bhâv, expressed a mood called avahitthâ¹ that follows amarsha. She assumed the bhâv of a dhira-pragalbhâ beloved.

Who is dhira-pragalbhâ?

“A beloved who is indifferent to love-making and carefully conceals her feelings, is called dhira-pragalbhâ.” – (U.N.5.53)

Example-

Once when Pâli (a Gopi) showed mân, Sri Krishna knit a garland with His own hands and told Pâli, “My dear! See, I have made such a wonderful garland for you, please wear it.” Pâli said, “I am observing some austerity, so I am unable to put on Your garland now.” After some time Sri Krishna again implored her -“Dear, do speak soothing words with me.” Pâli said, “The Brahmins who are very strict and well-versed in ras have instructed me to keep a vow of silence. Hence I am incapable of speaking clearly.” Sri Krishna said, “Alright dear! If by talking you will be breaking your vow, then please do not do so. But at least sit silently near me for some time.” Pâli replied, “O great sweet-talker! Who does not wish to sit near You? But my wicked father-in-law is calling me; otherwise I would have surely sat with You.” In this manner, Pâli expressed great anger through her politeness.

Here Sri Râdhâ has assumed the mood of dhira-pragalbhâ beloved. She said -“O my Lord! We are Brijwâsis; You have always protected the Brijwâsis, Who will be so foolish as not to talk to You? But I have been instructed by the Brahmins to hold a vow of silence. Hence if I don’t speak with You, please do forgive me.” When She spoke thus, Sri Krishna disappeared. Now Sri Râdhâ became extremely agitated. She thought Shyâmsundar would never return any more. She became playful.

Definition of ‘playfulness’

“When the mind is full of both love and grudge, it gives rise to playfulness.”

– (U.N.)

In this mood, Srimati decided, at this moment if my sweetheart returns I shall not let Him go. I will put my arms round Him and say – ‘Now I won’t let You go.’ In this bhâv She called out, “O Raman! Please come once. You are my sweetheart, please return just once.” When Srimati was calling out like this Her desire to obtain Sri Krishna reached a zenith. She extended Her arms and rushed forward to embrace Her sweetheart but drew a blank. The vision had gone. Then She started crying bitterly and said – O the Pleasure of my eyes! Whither are You? Alas Alas! Please give me darshan – just once – please save me by giving me darshan. O my Delight! When will You appear before me?”

Sriman-Mahâprabhu had relished this verse in the mood of Sri Râdhâ in His divine love-crazy state. Srila Kavirâj Goswâmipâd has described it in the second chapter of Madhya Leelâ in Sri Chaitanya Charitâmrita–

“The Lord was ecstatic with love and full of Krishna-vision. Immersed in this bhâv He expressed pranay and mân. He rolled on the earth and glorified Krishna, sometimes He expressed arrogance and sometimes mân. At times He criticized Krishna while the next moment He would praise Him.”

(Mahâprabhu said) – “You are the Master of all, and forever engaged in Divine sports, You may sport with all the women of the world. Nevertheless, You are my darling; my heart is ever absorbed in You. I am fortunate that You have come to me. You attract all the women of the world and cause pleasure to all of them. You are ‘Krishna’ (the Supreme Attractor) – You attract everyone, who can do mân with You?

You are very playful; You cannot stay in one place. This is not Your fault. You are an Ocean of mercy, and my soul mate. I am never angry with You. You are the soul of Vrajadhâm, and the Protector of Brijwâsis. You are so busy and have no time. You are my delightful lover and You come to me to give me happiness, this is but an indulgence of vidagdha. O Pleasure of my eyes! You are my sole Treasure and life! Please do not discard me so. Alas! Alas! Please give me darshan again.”

Sriman-Mahâprabhu spoke in this manner and expressed all the symptoms of ecstasy such as stupefaction, shivering, perspiration, paleness, tears, hoarseness and goose bumps. He laughed, cried, danced, sang, ran here and there and fell unconscious on the earth.”

– (Sri Chaitanya-Charitâmrita – Madhya.2.56-62)

In the siddha deha (as Sri Râdhâ’s sakhi), the poet is begging Sri Krishna to fulfil Sri Râdhâ’s prayer. As Sri Râdhâ’s sakhi, she is expressing the feelings of amarsha etc. When the Krishna-vision disappears, she again prays to Him to meet Sri Râdhâ and shows feelings such as outsukya. Now you may ask, that only sakhis (which means, in siddha-swarup alone) express bhâvs such as amarsha and outsukya, then how come Lilâshuk is expressing such bhâvs in the sâdhak state? Srila Kavirâj Goswâmipâd replies –

As a rule one can reach only till the state of prem in the sâdhak body, however by Sri Krishna’s mercy Sri Lilâshuk had attained anurâg (which is a high stage of love) while he was still in the sâdhak body. He expressed great thirst for Sri Krishna and hence it was possible for Lilâshuk to express all those bhâvs in the sâdhak body itself. As a sâdhak, he is expressing humility and outsukya. So he is praying to Sri Krishna by calling out “O Lord! O darling!”

Srila Bhatta Goswâmipâd said, “O Ocean of mercy! If You have come here, why are You not coming before me?” The poet is full of a great longing for His darshan. Hence he is begging Him, “O Lord! O You who are ever engaged in Divine sports! When will You give me darshan?” (meaning, when will You give me darshan while performing sweet pastimes with Sri Râdhâ and the other Gopis). When will You become a ‘pada’ or emblem for my eyesight? (‘pada’ also means ‘emblem’) This means – “When will You anoint my eyes with the sweet ras of Your Divine love-sports? O Darling! O Extremely kind-hearted One!” What if Sri Krishna asks, “Who will receive my kindness?” So the poet is saying, “Bhuvanaikobandho”, meaning, “You are the one and only Friend of each and every living entity — You help everyone without any selfish motive.” Sri Krishna may say, “But don’t you think it is very difficult to be friends with everybody at the same time, since the living entities of this world are all engaged in fighting with each other?” So the poet says, “But You are ‘Krishna’; You attract everyone and give them pleasure. You are sachchidânanda.”

Srila Bhatta Goswâmipâd has explained ‘Krishna’ as –

“‘Krishi’ means ‘eternal’ and ‘na’ means ‘bliss’. Together the word ‘Krishna’ means ‘The One Who is eternal and blissful’ Who is none other than The Supreme Brahman. Whoever is eternal and blissful, He has to be conscious. Hence the eternal, conscious and blissful Supreme Brahman is none other than Krishna.”

‘Chapal’ means ‘restless’. It shows that He is restless to protect His devotees. In Mahâbhârat (5.58.21) we see –

“Draupadi has called out to me – ‘Hâ Govinda!’ And has put me in debt! This debt is increasing in my heart and refuses to go away!”

Sri Krishna is the only One Who is capable of showing complete mercy.

This proves how much Sri Krishna cares for His devotees. He blows away everyone’s every sorrow. Hence the poet is saying – “O One and only Ocean of mercy! We need mercy that will destroy all our misery; You are the Ocean of that mercy. You are most capable in this matter. Kind people may want to help others in sorrow. But they are not always capable of doing so. This only makes them sad.”

When a kind person is not able to help one in sorrow, he only feels sad. Sri Krishna alone is an expert in protecting the entire creation. Hence we can call only Him as kripâmay (merciful).”

Sri Krishna alone has the majesty to fulfil all the requests of all living beings. The poet is addressing Him as ‘O Raman’ meaning, ‘You cause pleasure, and hence you are ‘Raman’. He is expressing the desire to get His darshan – “O delight of my eyes! You are so delightful that You soothe my eyes. Life becomes worthwhile when You appear before our eyes.”

Sripâd Chaitanyadâs Goswâmi says – When the Krishna-vision disappeared, Sri Lilâshuk uttered this verse in great humility. “O my Lord! You are always engaged in playing, so You are unable to feel my sorrow.” In extreme misery, he is crying -“Alas! Alas! When will You give me darshan?” He is showing the reason why Sri Krishna will give him darshan – “O my Darling! You can feel the sorrow of Your dear one so I cannot give up the hope that You will give me darshan.” What sort of a Darling are You? “You are the one and only selfless Friend in the whole universe. You are the Universal Friend, and I am surely not out of this universe. Moreover, You are ‘Krishna’, which means You attract everyone with Your beauty, name and qualities. You draw everyone close to You and make him Your own – hence You are the true Universal Friend. Then why am I not able to obtain You? Because You are ‘chapal’, (One Who never remains still, or moves freely.) But why do I still hope to obtain You? Because You are ‘karunaikasindho’ (One and only Ocean of mercy). And after all, You are my Master! O Raman! You are my most desirable Sri Sri Râdhâraman!! You are coupled with Srimati Râdhârâni – hence You are the delight of our eyes — exciting — the harbinger of supreme bliss!”

A very expert explanation indeed! 40.