Çré Annadä Ekädaçé Issue no: 218 11th September 2023

The Medicinal Nectar

The Gopés’ Songs of Separation Association Through Feelings of Separation
Srila Sukadeva Goswami His Divine Grace
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
The Medicinal Nectar
Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakura Deep Feelings of Separation
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Why Are The Gopés Superior?

Srila Sanatana Goswami
 Issue no 218, Page — 2
The Gopés’ Songs of Separation
Srila Sukadeva Goswami
The gopés said: O beloved, Your birth in the
land of Vraja has made it exceedingly glorious,
and thus Indira, the goddess of fortune, always
resides here. It is only for Your sake that we, Your
devoted servants, maintain our lives. We have
been searching everywhere for You, so please
show Yourself to us. O Lord of love, in beauty
Your glance excels the whorl of the finest, most
perfectly formed lotus within the autumn pond.
O bestower of benedictions, You are killing the
maidservants who have given themselves to You
freely, without any price. Isn’t this murder? O
greatest of personalities, You have repeatedly
saved us from all kinds of danger from poisoned
water, from the terrible man-eater Agha, from
the great rains, from the wind demon, from the
fiery thunderbolt of Indra, from the bull demon
and from the son of Maya Danava. You are not
actually the son of the gopé Yashoda, O friend, but
rather the indwelling witness in the hearts of all
embodied souls. Because Lord Brahma prayed for
You to come and protect the universe, You have
now appeared in the Sätvata dynasty.
O best of the Våñëis, Your lotuslike hand, which
holds the hand of the goddess of fortune, grants
fearlessness to those who approach Your feet out
Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org
nityaà bhägavata-sevayä
of fear of material existence. O lover, please place
that wish-fulfilling lotus hand on our heads. O
You who destroy the suffering of Vraja’s people,
O hero of all women, Your smile shatters the
false pride of Your devotees. Please, dear friend,
accept us as Your maidservants and show us Your
beautiful lotus face. Your lotus feet destroy the
past sins of all embodied souls who surrender
to them. Those feet follow after the cows in the
pastures and are the eternal abode of the goddess
of fortune. Since You once put those feet on the
hoods of the great serpent Kaliya, please place
them upon our breasts and tear away the lust in
our hearts. O lotus-eyed one, Your sweet voice
and charming words, which attract the minds of
the intelligent, are bewildering us more and more.
Our dear hero, please revive Your maidservants
with the nectar of Your lips. The nectar of Your
words and the descriptions of Your activities are
the life and soul of those suffering in this material
world. These narrations, transmitted by learned
sages, eradicate one’s sinful reactions and bestow
good fortune upon whoever hears them. These
narrations are broadcast all over the world and
are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those
who spread the message of Godhead are most
munificent. Your smiles, Your sweet, loving glanc-
es, the intimate pastimes and confidential talks
we enjoyed with You all these are auspicious to
 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä
meditate upon, and they touch our hearts. But at
the same time, O deceiver, they very much agitate
our minds.
Dear master, dear lover, when You leave the
cowherd village to herd the cows, our minds are
disturbed with the thought that Your feet, more
beautiful than a lotus, will be pricked by the
spiked husks of grain and the rough grass and
plants. At the end of the day You repeatedly show
us Your lotus face, covered with dark blue locks
of hair and thickly powdered with dust. Thus, O
hero, You arouse lusty desires in our minds. Your
lotus feet, which are worshiped by Lord Brahma,
fulfill the desires of all who bow down to them.
They are the ornament of the earth, they give the
highest satisfaction, and in times of danger they
are the appropriate object of meditation. O lover,
O destroyer of anxiety, please put those lotus feet
upon our breasts. O hero, kindly distribute to us
the nectar of Your lips, which enhances conjugal
pleasure and vanquishes grief. That nectar is thor-
oughly relished by Your vibrating flute and makes
people forget any other attachment. When You
go off to the forest during the day, a tiny fraction
of a second becomes like a millennium for us be-
cause we cannot see You. And even when we can
eagerly look upon Your beautiful face, so lovely
with its adornment of curly locks, our pleasure is
hindered by our eyelids, which were fashioned by
the foolish creator.
Dear Acyuta, You know very well why we have
come here. Who but a cheater like You would
abandon young women who come to see Him
in the middle of the night, enchanted by the loud
song of His flute? Just to see You, we have com-
pletely rejected our husbands, children, ances-
tors, brothers and other relatives. Our minds are
repeatedly bewildered as we think of the intimate
conversations we had with You in secret, feel
the rise of lust in our hearts and remember Your
smiling face, Your loving glances and Your broad
chest, the resting place of the goddess of fortune.
Thus we experience the most severe hankering for
You. O beloved, Your all-auspicious appearance
vanquishes the distress of those living in Vraja’s
forests. Our minds long for Your association.
Please give to us just a bit of that medicine, which
counteracts the disease in Your devotees’ hearts.
O dearly beloved! Your lotus feet are so soft that
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Issue no 218, Page—3
we place them gently on our breasts, fearing that
Your feet will be hurt. Our life rests only in You.
Our minds, therefore, are filled with anxiety that
Your tender feet might be wounded by pebbles as
You roam about on the forest path.
— Çrémad-Bhägavatam (Bhägavata Puräëa) » Canto 10: The Summum
Bonum » Chapter 31 » Verses 1–19 » Translations by Disciples of His Divine Grace
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
The Medicinal Nectar
Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakura
"The gopés say, 'O Krishna, You exactly resemble
Dhanvantari, the best of physicians. So, please give
us some medicine, for we are suffering from the
disease of romantic desire for You. Don't hesitate
to give us the medicinal nectar of Your lips freely,
without our paying a substantial price. Since You
are a great hero in giving charity, You should give
it without any payment, even to the most wretched
persons. Consider that we are losing our life and
that now You can restore us to life by giving us
that nectar. After all, You have already given it to
Your flute, which is simply a hollow bamboo stick.'
"Krishna says, 'But the diet of people in this world
is the bad one of attachment to wealth, followers,
family and so forth. The particular medicine you've
requested should not be given to those who have
such a bad diet.'
"The gopés say, 'But this medicine makes one
forget all other attachments. So wonderful is this
herbal drug that it counteracts bad dietary habits.
Please give that nectar to us, O hero, since You are
most charitable.'"
— Çrémad-Bhägavatam (Bhägavata Puräëa) » Canto 10: The Summum
Bonum » Chapter 31 » Verse 15 » Sarartha Darshini by Vishvanatha Chakravarti
Thakura » Translated by Srila Bhanu Swami.
Association Through Feelings of Separation
His Divine Grace
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
The gopés of Vrindavan were so attached to
Krishna that they were not satisfied simply with the
räsa dance at night. They wanted to associate with
Him and enjoy His company during the daytime
Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya
 Issue no 218, Page — 4
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also. When Krishna went to the forest with His
cowherd boyfriends and cows, the gopés did not
physically take part, but their hearts went with
Him. And because their hearts went, they were
able to enjoy His company through strong feel-
ings of separation. To acquire this strong feeling
of separation is the teaching of Lord Caitanya and
His direct disciples, the Six Gosvämés. When we
are not in physical contact with Krishna, we can
associate with Him like the gopés, through feelings
of separation. Krishna’s transcendental form,
qualities, pastimes and entourage are all identical
with Him. There are nine different kinds of de-
votional service. Devotional service to Krishna in
feelings of separation elevates the devotee to the
highest perfectional level, to the level of the gopés.
It is stated in Srinivasacarya's prayer to the Six
Gosvämés that they left the material opulences of
government service and the princely status of life
and went to Vrindavan, where they lived just like
ordinary mendicants, begging from door to door.
But they were so much enriched with the gopés’
feelings of separation that they enjoyed transcen-
dental pleasure at every moment. Similarly, when
Lord Caitanya was at Jagannatha Puri, He was
in the role of Radharani, feeling separation from
Krishna. Those who are in the disciplic succes-
sion of the Madhva-Gauòéya-sampradäya should
always feel separation from Krishna, worship His
transcendental form and discuss His transcen-
dental teachings, His pastimes, His qualities, His
entourage and His association. That will enrich
the devotees to the highest devotional perfection.
Feeling constant separation while engaged in the
service of the Lord is the perfection of Krishna
consciousness.
— Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead » Canto 10: The Summum
Bonum»Chapter35»ByHisDivineGraceA.C.BhaktivedantaSwamiPrabhupada.
Deep Feelings of Separation
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
yugäyitaà nimeñeëa
cakñuñä prävåñäyitam
çünyäyitaà jagat sarvaà
govinda-viraheëa me
Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org
nityaà bhägavata-sevayä
The word yugäyitaà is simple and direct. The
phrase govinda viraheëa expresses deep feelings
of separation. Self-realized rasika devotees have
divided vipralambha, or the mood of separation,
into purva-raga, mana, pravasa, and so on. Yet
the recondite import lodged deep within this
çloka composed by Lord Caitanya is that the
devotee living in this world need only relish the
separation of purva-raga. The scriptures also say
that the mood of viraha, or separation, has ten
attendant conditions: pondering, sleeplessness,
perturbation, emaciation, pallor, incoherent
speech, being stricken, madness, delusion, and
death (or unconsciousness).
In Caitanya-caritämåta [Antya-lila 20.40-41]
Lord Caitanya says,
“In My agitation a day never ends, for every mo-
ment seems like a millennium. Pouring incessant
tears, My eyes are like clouds in the rainy season.
The three worlds have become void because of
separation from Govinda. I feel as if I were burn-
ing alive in a slow fire.”
“O Govinda, the world is simply an immense
void in Your absence. My eyes are raining tears
like monsoon-laden clouds, each batting of an
eyelid seems to last a millennium.” This is an
excellent example of vipralambha-rasa. The çloka
intends to point out that for the jata-rati devotee,
it is absolutely essential that he seek to experience
vipralambha-rasa, and not care for sambhoga, or
enjoyment.
In material life, viraha or separation causes only
grief, whereas on the transcendental plane it pro-
duces exultant ecstasy even though it seems like
acute anguish. Vipralambha nourishes sambhoga,
or enjoyment. As a matter of fact in prema-vaicitra,
or variegatedness of love within the vipralam-
bha-rasa there is sambhoga, but only externally.
Vipralambha is marked by incessant and intense
recollections of Krishna and His pastimes, and
in fact one never forgets Krishna. This is the su-
per-excellent stage of bhajana.
The over-indulgence in sambhoga exhibited by
the pretentious group known as the gaura-nagari,
who are not actually sincere followers of Lord
Krishna, is due to hypocrisy; it simply causes
obstacles on the path to pure devotion. Their
sambhoga is nothing more than self-aggrandize-
ment and selfserving pleasure. It is bereft of pure
 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä
devotion to Krishna. If one inderstands the meam-
ing of the following çloka, then he will not allow
himself to be goaded into enjoying his senses, and
hereby as an excuse try to present Lord Caitanya as
a pleasure-seekers, or nagari [Caitanya-caritämåta,
Adi-lila 4.165]:
“The desire to gratify one's own senses is kama
(lust), but the desire to please the senses of Lord
Krishna is prema (love).”
The esoteric import of Lord Caitanya's pastimes
is that although Lord Krishna has accepted the
sentiments of an asraya-tattva, or a pure devotee,
He is always situated in the mood of vipralam-
bha. Jéva is asraya-tattva; for him to fully relish
sambhoga-rasa and give it full expression he must
take shelter of vipralambha, or the mood of love
in separation. To propagate and exhibit this truth
Lord Krishna appeared as Lord Caitanya who is
eternally the embodiment and incarnation vipra-
lambha-rasa. Devotees should discard any notions
of endeavoring for sambhoga-rasa, since such an
attempt will certainly end in failure.
Other scriptural statements supporting this çloka:
From Kåñëa Karnämåta [41]:
amüny adhanyäni dinäntaräëi
hare tvad-älokanam antareëa
anätha-bandho karuëaika-sindho
hä hanta hä hanta kathaà nayämi
"O Supreme Shelter of the destitute, Hari, You
are an ocean of mercy. Alas, O alas! Without seeing
Your lovely, face, how shall I live through these
wretched days and nights?"
Sri Madhavendra Puri's words as recorded in
Padyävali [400]:
ayi déna-dayärdra nätha he
mathurä-nätha kadävalokyase
hådayaà tvad-aloka-kätaraà
dayita bhrämyati kià karomy aham
"O compassionate Lord of the helpless, O Lord
of Mathura! When will I be able to see You? Your
absence has made my stricken heart extremely
anxious. O my beloved! What am I to do now?"
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Issue no 218, Page—5
From Ujjva1a-nilamani [64]:
cintätra jätarodvegau tänavaà malinäìgatä
praläpo vyädhir unmädo mohomåtyurdaçä daça
"Srimati Radharani is completely smitten, and
She is experiencing a limitless ocean of suffering
as the ten conditions of separation wash over Her.
She experiences pondering, sleeplessness, pertur-
bations, and grows emaciated and pallid. While
speaking incoherently, She is stricken, becomes
mad and deluded, and swoons almost to death."
— Çré Sanmodana Bhäñyamon Çré Çikñäñöaka of Srila Bhaktvinoda Thakur
» Translated by Sarvabhavana Das.
Why Are The Gopés Superior?
Srila Sanatana Goswami
yä vai çriyärcitam ajädibhir äpta-kämair
yogeçvarair api sad-ätmani räsa-goñöhyäm
kåñëasya tad bhagavataù prapadäravindaà
nyastaà staneñu vijahuù parirabhya täpam
Aren’t all devotees of Krishna equally glorious
for renouncing their families and whatever else
prevents them from approaching Krishna? Yes, but
the intimacy of the gopés’ surrender makes them
special. Krishna’s lotus feet are worshiped by the
goddess of fortune with all the opulence at her
command; she serves her Lord’s feet by massaging
them, and she attends Him in various other ways.
Brahma, Rudra, Indra, and other demigods also
worship Krishna’s feet, and so do the mahat-tattva
and the other elements of creation; the demigods
and the elements over which the demigods pre-
side worship Krishna’s feet by performing Vedic
sacrifices and carrying out His orders. Self-satisfied
liberated sages also worship with devotion those
same feet, aiming at them as the supreme goal of
life. The great masters of bhakti-yoga worship His
lotus feet within their purified hearts by hearing
and chanting Krishna’s glories with pure love. But
the worship performed by all these elevated souls
(with the exception of the goddess Laksmi) is for
the most part only mental; rarely does Krishna
grant His darçana to these demigods, sages, and
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 Issue no 218, Page — 6
devotees. The gopés’ worship of Krishna’s lotus feet
is much more intimate.
The words kåñëasya tad bhagavataù indicate this
intimacy. The pronoun tat ("that") implies that
even before the räsa dance the gopés were already
intimately familiar with the supreme beauty of
Krishna’s feet. And after Krishna left the gopés at
the very beginning of the räsa-lélä, they spent some
time vividly remembering those very feet in the
ecstasy of separation. Though these were the same
lotus feet worshiped by Sri, the goddess of fortune,
the gopés realized them in a special way, as the feet
of the darling young son of Yasoda and Nanda. The
lotus feet the gopés repeatedly held to their breasts
during the räsa dance were thus the most excellent
embodiment of all beauty. By holding Krishna’s feet
in this way, the gopés were completely relieved of
the pain of separation. Certainly, then, the gopés
are the greatest devotees, because they worshiped
Krishna’s feet not merely by meditating on them
but by holding them physically in their embrace.
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nityaà bhägavata-sevayä
Because the feet they worshiped were the feet of
the Supreme Lord in the form of Krishna, the gopés
are superior to the demigods, headed by Brahmä.
Because the gopés touched those feet directly, the
gopés are superior to the self-satisfied sages. Because
the gopés held those feet to their breasts, the gopés
are superior to the masters of yoga. And because
the association of the gopés with Krishna occurred
during the räsa-lélä, the gopés are superior even to
Maha-laksmi.
As Uddhava describes how the gopés, during
the räsa dance, obtained relief from the distress of
separation, he harbors the concern that the feelings
of separation the gopés suffer now are much more
serious. Now that Krishna has left them to go to
Mathura, Uddhava doubts whether even a skillful-
ly delivered message from Krishna can do much
to console them. Although Uddhava has done his
best, the effect will most likely be negligible. But in
any case, he himself has been deeply affected by his
meeting with the gopés. He has imbibed the spirit
 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä
of their special prema, and in that mood he has
prayed to take birth in Vraja in any form of life, be
it a bush or other plant, that may be touched by
the dust of the gopés’ divine feet. Because Uddhava
could properly value and learn from the love of
the gopés, it was him Krishna chose to carry the
message to Vrindavan.
Like Uddhava, Srila Sukadeva Gosvami took to
his own heart the gopés’ mood of devotion to Krish-
na. At the end of the Tenth Canto, Srila Sukadeva
expresses this mood when he praises Krishna’s
Dvaraka queens:
yäù samparyacaran premëä
päda-saàvähanädibhiù
jagad-guruà bhartå-buddhyä
täsäà kim varëyate tapaù
"How could one possibly describe the great aus-
terities performed by these women who perfectly
served Him, the spiritual master of the universe,
in pure ecstatic love? Thinking of Him as their
husband, they rendered such intimate services as
massaging His feet." [Bhägavatam 10.90.27]
Even though Srila Sukadeva, while speaking this
verse, uses the term bhartå ("husband") rather
than jära ("paramour"), he is actually thinking of
the gopés of Vraja and burning in the fire of their
ecstasy. But he dares not mention this, out of fear
that in ecstasy he would lose his self-control.
Even in modern times, and even among men,
there are great devotees who are known to have
attained pure love for Krishna in the mood of the
gopés. No one should doubt this, thinking that for
male devotees the mood of the gopés is incompat-
ible. Anyone well versed in the epics and Puräëas
will know the example of the austere sages of the
Dandaka forest. When the sages saw the beauty
of Sri Raghunatha (Lord Ramacandra), they be-
came attracted in the conjugal mood and wanted
to enjoy having Him as their husband. In the
Uttara-khaëòa of Çré Padma Puräëa, Lord Shiva,
speaking to his wife Parvati, describes that history:
dåñövä rämaà harià tatrabhoktum
aicchan su-vigraham
te sarve strétvam äpannäù
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samudbhütäç ca gokule
hariù sampräpya kämena
tato muktä bhavärëavät
"When they saw Lord Hari in the beautiful form
of Ramacandra, they at once wanted to enjoy Him.
Thus, they all took birth as women in Gokula and,
by their lusty attraction to Lord Hari, obtained Him
as their husband. In this way they gained liberation
from the ocean of material existence."
The Kürma Mahä-puräëa also states:
agni-puträ mahätmänas
tapasä strétvam äpire
bhartäraà ca jagad-yonià
väsudevam ajaà vibhum
"By performing austerities, the wise sons of Agni
took birth as women and obtained as their hus-
band Lord Vasudeva, the unborn and unlimited
source of creation."
— Çré Båhad Bhägavatämåta of Srila Sanatana Gosvami » Volume Three »
Chapter 7 » Text 151 » Translated by Gopiparanadhana Das.
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