“These loving pastimes of Sri Sri Râdhâ-Krishna are extremely confidential, and those who are in servile and parental moods cannot conceive them. The sakhis alone are entitled to enter these pastimes. They arrange these leelâs and without them it is impossible for these pastimes to become enjoyable. The sakhis arrange the pastimes and they are the ones who relish them. No one other than the sakhis can partake of these leelâs. Therefore it is necessary for a devotee who wishes to serve Râdhâ-Krishna in the kunja, to surrender unto the sakhis, and follow in their footsteps. There is no other way to achieve this goal.”

– (Sri Chaitanya-Charitâmrita, Madhya, 8^th ch)

Srimati Râdhârâni has five types of sakhis –

“tâstu vrindâvaneshwaryâh sakhyah panchavidhâ matâh,

sakhyashcha nityasakhyashcha kâshchana,

priyasakhyashcha parama-preshtha-sakhyashcha vishrutâh.”

Meaning – “Sri Vrindâvaneshwari has five types of sakhis –

1. sakhi (girl-friends)

2. nitya-sakhi (eternal sakhi)

3. prân-sakhi (beloved sakhi)

4. priya-sakhi (loving sakhi)

5. param-preshtha-sakhi (supremely loving sakhi)

Param-preshtha sakhis such as Lalitâ and Vishâkhâ are samasnehâ, that is, they have equal love for both Râdhâ and Krishna. In spite of this, they are proud of the fact that they belong only to Sri Râdhâ. The prân-sakhis and nitya-sakhis such as Kasturi and Mani-manjari are Râdhâ-snehâdhikâ that is they love Sri Râdhâ more than they love Sri Krishna. They are also called manjaris. This is a special Kaliyug since Sri Sri Gourânga Mahâprabhu has appeared in this yug. The Goswâmis such as Sri Rupa, Sanâtan, and Raghunâth etc. have performed bhajan following in His footsteps. They have instructed us to perform bhajan under the subjugation of Râdhâ-snehâdhikâ manjaris only. This manjari-bhâv-sâdhanâ is the highest spiritual level that a living being can possibly attain by means of his spiritual practice.

Anyway, when the Braja-ramanis who were overwhelmed with bhâv, heard the flute-song played by the Sri Krishna, the Supreme Sorcerer, they pretended as if it was not affecting them and started describing the sweetness of the flute to their soul mates. This ‘I-don’t-care’ attitude is their ‘sanchâri bhâv’ or passing mood. They were trying to show that although the flute is very sweet indeed, it was not having any impact on them. The Brajabâlâs are full of mahâbhâv. Their love is like an ocean. In this ocean many bhâvs rise and fall like wavelets. They are – boredom, sorrow, humility, don’t-care attitude etc.

“These sanchâri bhâvs cause exultation in the ocean like love and then disappear.”

– (Sri Bhakti-Rasâmrita-Sindhu, 2.4.3)

In fact, the Braja-beauties are not only extremely loving, but they are also treasure troves of bashfulness, self-control, seriousness and many other excellences. It is just that Shyâmsundar’s sweet flute is so captivating that it has managed to arouse extreme madness in even such exalted women as the gopis and have destroys their virtue and self-control! The maddening flute was causing such upheaval of emotions in the gopis that sometimes they felt like yoginis^[1], at other times like viyoginis^[2] and ultimately like unmâdinis^[3]. They had lost appetite and sleep due to deep anxiety. They gaze fixedly at fresh clouds, chant the name of Shyâm and weep under the pretext of smoke entering their eyes.

“nobin pâuser meen marana nâ jâne.” – Bengali proverb.

Meaning – “A fish of the new rainy season does not know death.”

The state of the gopis was exactly the same. They have already plunged in the Shyâm-love. They were full of expectations. They had not calculated what was in store for them – joy or sorrow. Now they were burning so much that they were near to death. In the beginning they had explained very nicely to their hearts – “O innocent heart! Why are you so restless? Control yourself. I am a chaste wife belonging to a decent family. I live in my husband’s home. Someone is playing a flute in some faraway forest, why should you care? Why are you so much agitated to see Him? And suppose you do get to meet Him, then what will you do? You stand to gain nothing. He is a moon in the sky, while you are a dwarf.” But alas! Their hearts understood nothing. Day by day, they became so restless and vociferous that the gopis reached a point of no return. Now they simply set themselves afloat in the river of ras.

Sri Krishna’s all-mesmerizing flute-song and all-captivating sweet face carrying the flute filled the minds of the Brajadevis as they started to describe the venu-mâdhuri to their dear sakhis. Of the gopis, Srimati Râdhârâni is Krishnamayi, since –

“krishnamayi, krishna jâr antare bâhire, jâhâ jâhâ netra pore, tâhâ krishna sphure.”

Meaning – “Srimati Râdhârâni is full of Sri Krishna; He manifests Himself wherever Her gaze falls.” – (Sri Chaitanya-Charitâmrita)

Sri Krishna is naturally within Her and outside Her. In addition to this, when She desired to describe the sweet flute-song to Her dear sakhi, ‘nâshakan smaravegena vikshiptamanaso nripa (Srimad-Bhâgavatam)’ – Her heart was completely agitated by the highly excited waves of passion rising in Her ocean-like mahâbhâv.

The gopis were immersed in fathomless bhâv. Profound ecstasy pervaded their heart and body. Their voices were choked. They were covered with tears and goose bumps. Thus these mahâ-bhâvavatis revealed that they were the living embodiments of Sri Krishna-prem.

When Shukadev Goswâmi remembered their bhâv-âvesh^[4], he too was immersed in the same sentiment. In this state of immense bhâv, he describes to Mahârâj Parikshit the sweet form of Murali-Manohar^[5] revealed in the hearts of the mahâ-bhâvavati gopis.3-4.

barhâ-peedam natavaravapuh karnayoh karnikâram

vibhrad-vâsah kanaka-kapisham vaijayanteencha mâlâm,

randhrân venoradharasudhayâ purayan gopavrindair-

vrindâranyam swadaramanam prâvishadgeetakeertih.5.

Translation

Sri Krishna was groomed like an exquisite dancer, with a stunning crown of peacock-feathers and flower-buds adorning His ears. He wore a golden yellow robe and vaijayanti garland round His neck. He was filling the pores of the flute with the nectar of His lips, and His sakhâs were glorifying Him in various manners. Thus He entered Shridhâm Vrindâban that was already decorated with His beautiful holy foot-prints. 5.

Geetâmritalesh Explanation

he mahâ-bhâvavati Braja-beauties started describing the all-mesmerizing flute-song to their param-preshtha sakhis, yet they were so full of mahâbhâv, and Sri Krishna’s sweet pastimes and stunning beauty overwhelmed them so much that they were stupefied in bliss. Therefore they were unable to describe Govinda’s all-captivating flute-song. The all-knowing Shukadev Goswâmi sat in meditation and saw that sweet Govinda Who revealed Himself in the hearts of the mahâ-bhâvavati gopis and described Him to Mahârâj Parikshit in this verse. It is one of the ambrosial verses from Srimad-Bhâgavatam that describe Sri Krishna’s mâdhuri. The Vaishnav-toshani explanation of this verse quotes another verse from Srimad-Bhâgavatam –

“yan- darshayatâ grihitam, vismâpanam swasya cha soubhagarddheh param padam bhushanabhushanam martya-leeloupayikam swayogamâyâbalam -angan-iti.”

In ‘Sanâtan-Shikshâ’ of Sri Chaitanya-Charitâmrita we find Sriman-Mahâprabhu beholding the sweetly gorgeous Sri Krishna and reciting this shlok. He has rendered a breathtaking explanation of this verse as follows –

“Sri Krishna has many pastimes, of which His pastimes as a human being are the best. His original form is like that of a human being. In this form He is dressed like a cowherd boy. He carries a flute in His hand, and on the threshold of youth. He is groomed like a dancer-hero. All this is just suitable for His pastimes as a human being.

My dear Sanâtan, listen how gorgeous Sri Krishna is! Even a minute portion of Sri Krishna‘s handsomeness can merge all three worlds in the ocean of love and attract all living entities.

Sri Krishna‘s internal, spiritual energy, called Yogmâyâ, who is a transformation of pure goodness, reveals His brilliantly beautiful form to the world. This jewel like form is the most confidential treasure of the devotees. This form is manifested from Krishna‘s eternal pastimes.

Sri Krishna’s beauty is so extraordinary that it attracts even Him and forces Him to crave for His own sweetness. He is the eternal repose of all excellences such as beauty, ras, etc. In fact He is called ‘swa-soubhâgya’ (own good fortune).

Ornaments caress that wonderful body, but the transcendental body of Krishna is so beautiful that it beautifies the ornaments He wears. Therefore Krishna‘s body is said to be the ornament of ornaments. Enhancing the wonderful beauty of Krishna is His three-curved (tribhanga) style of standing. Above all these beautiful features, Krishna‘s eyes dance and move obliquely, acting like arrows to pierce the hearts of Srimati Râdhârâni and the gopis. When the arrow succeeds in hitting its target, it agitates their hearts.”

– Sri Chaitanya-Charitâmrita, Madhya, 21.101-105)

“Sweetness is the quintessence of divinity, and it is present in the maximum degree only in Brijdhâm. Shukadev Goswâmi, the son of Vyâsdev, has described these pastimes of Krishna throughout Srimad-Bhâgavatam. Hearing these descriptions, the devotees become inebriated with divine prem.” – (Sri Chaitanya-Charitâmrita, Madhya, 21.110)

Srila Shukadev Muni is very much acquainted with the extreme sweetness of this verse. After all –

“Sri Vyâs-nandan^[6], who loves the devotees of Sri Vishnu, was attracted by the great qualities of Sri Hari, and therefore He studied this great text called Srimad-Bhâgavatam (for the benefit of the devotees).” – (Srimad-Bhâgavatam, 1.7.11)

Srimat Jiva Goswâmipâd has explained this verse in his Krama-sandarbha commentary that–

“Vyâs-nandan Srila Shukadev Muni was merged in relishing the bliss of the Impersonal Brahman. He was afraid that he would be entangled in Mâyâ; therefore he remained in his mother’s womb for twelve years. Then Vyâsdev prayed to Sri Krishna to give him the blessing that illusion would never grasp him. This assured Shukadev. However as soon as he emerged from his mother’s womb, he deserted his home. When he was wandering naked in the forest, he looked so resplendent that the wood-cutters saw him and mistook him to be a ghost. They approached Vyâsdev and sought a remedy from him. Vyâsdev understood that they were referring to his son and concluded that the only way to attract his Impersonalist son was to recite the nectarine Srimad-Bhâgavatam. He taught the wood-cutters this very shlok that was drenched with Sri Krishna’s extraordinary sweetness. When the wood-cutters recited this verse to him, Srila Shukadev Muni ran towards them. The frightened wood-cutters sought refuge with Sri Vyâsdev. Then Vyâsdev made Shukadev sit near him and made him study the entire Srimad-Bhâgavatam. Thus, the verses that describe Sri Krishna’s sweet beauty are so glorious.”

“Sri Krishna is so exalted that He is more attractive and more pleasing than anything else. He is the greatest of all ras. By His own strength, He forces one to forget all other ecstasies.

A slight whiff of His sweetness can very easily make us forget the happiness derived from material enjoyment, material liberation and mystic or yogic perfection. Thus the devotee is bound by Krishna‘s mercy and His exceptional power and qualities.

When we fall in love with Krishna because of His sweet qualities which are the essence of all sweetness, no logical argument or scriptural injunctions can bind us.”

– (Sri Chaitanya-Charitâmrita, Madhya, 24.38-40)

“Krishna has unlimited transcendental qualities. The devotees are attracted by His exceptional beauty, mellows and fragrance. Different devotees are attracted by different qualities. For example, the four child-sages [Sanak, Sanâtan, Sanandan and Sanat-kumâr] were attracted to the lotus feet of Krishna by the aroma of the Tulsi that had been offered to Him by His devotees. On the other hand Sri Shukadev Goswâmi was attracted by His sweet pastimes.”

– (Sri Chaitanya-Charitâmrita, Madhya, 24.43-46)

Poet Jaydev has written in Sri Geet-Govindam –

“chandraka-châru-mayura-shikhandaka-mandala-valayita-kesham,

prachura-purandara-dhanu-ranu-ranjita-medura-mudira-suvesham.”

The Bengali Mahâjan poet has translated this verse from Sri Geet-Govindam very sweetly in the following manner –

“Who tied His chudâ so high and decorated it with peacock-feathers such that it now steals the hearts of all fair maidens? It appears as if someone has brought the rainbow down from the sky and it is now beautifying this new fund cloud (Shyâmsundar’s hair). Moreover, who entwined the chudâ with garlands of mâlati and mallikâ? It looks as if the treasure of the gods, River Gangâ, is flowing in curves around the Nilgiri Mountain.”

Poet Govinda dâs has drawn inspiration from Jaydev –

“The pinnacle of His chudâ is decorated with peacock-feathers and further beautified with garlands of mâlati. Its fragrance maddens both the male and female bees that hover around it humming loudly.

O my sweet friend! Who says Kâmdev (the Love-God) is ‘Ananga’ (body-less)