18 November 1996
The following was spoken by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja while on Vraja Mandala Parikrama, at Prema-sarovara.
Prema has two sides—samyoga (meeting) and viraha (separation). They are also known as milana and vipralambha. The stage of prema-vaicittri is also experienced by Rukmini, Satyabhama and the Queens of Dvaraka to some extent. They would address a Kurari bird and say, “You are also experiencing separation from your husband like how we do. You are continuously weeping and only wish to be with your husband.” In this way, ten examples were given. But the separation of the Gopis is far greater. There is meeting in separation and separation in meeting. Srila Rupa Gosvami has described why Krsna left Vraja to go to Mathura. This place in particular especially inspired Him to do so.
He saw that when Madhumangala chased the bumblebee away, he told Srimati Radhika, “Now I have chased Madhusudhana away; he will never return.” Although Srimati Radhika was lying on Krsna’s lap, She began to bitterly weep and say, “Madhusudhana (Krsna) has gone away? Madhusudhana has gone away! Now I will not be able to meet Him?” She then fell unconscious on Krsna’s lap. Krsna thought, “How astonishing this is! If I continue to stay here, Radhika will experience so much difficulty. I cannot bear to see Her experience such difficulty. Therefore, I will have to leave and go far away. In this way, She will continuously think about Me and become immersed in an ocean of separation. And that separation will be the cause of Our inner meeting and Radhika’s happiness. Thus, I will go to Mathura and Dvaraka.”
When Krsna left Vraja, the Gopis had two means of sustaining their life-airs—sleep (nidra) and murchha (becoming unconscious). When the Gopis would fall unconscious to the ground, they would remain still and their separation would be alleviated. They would also be pacified when they would fall asleep. But after Krsna had left Vraja, these two friends of theirs (nidra and murchha) also left them. Now they could no longer fall unconscious to the ground and neither could they fall asleep. They would experience indescribable separation from Him. Unable to witness such separation, Krsna thought, “If I go far away from here, the Gopis will become immersed in such separation that they will meet Me in their hearts. The Gopis will then decorate themselves, clothe themselves and feed themselves for My happiness because they will perceive Me directly in front of them. While performing their household chores and even while laughing, they will think, ‘Krsna has not left us! He is here among us!’”
This is milana (meeting). They will look at the Tamala tree and embrace it while thinking, “I am embracing Krsna.”
He could no longer tolerate their separation. He thought, “Our meeting will inevitably take place in separation. And then, they will be happy—otherwise not.” Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has explained these moods. This was the real reason that Krsna left Vraja to go to Mathura. All other reasons are artificial. Some say, “Krsna left Vraja to kill Kamsa, Jarasandha and other demons.” But this is only secondary. This is the real reason. We should take the dust of this place and go to take darsana of Sri Prema-vihari.
*Submitted by Govardhana dasa.
