Rupanugas Vaisnavas

Strong faith in the self-realized Guru, and in the entire guru-paramparä, is the backbone of bhakti. If you do not have such strong faith, your life is unsuccessful.

That strong faith brings you to akhaëòa-guru-tattva (the embodiment of the complete principle of guru), Çré Baladeva Prabhu. You will ultimately see that Gurudeva is the manifestation of Çré Nityänanda Prabhu or Çré Baladeva Prabhu. If you pray for something from your Guru, Nityänanda Prabhu and akhaëòa-guru-tattva Baladeva Prabhu will at once arrange everything. This is because Gurudeva is not separate from Çré Nityänanda Prabhu.

You should not think that Çréla Bhaktivedänta Swämé Prabhupäda has discovered something new, and that we are ‘Prabhupädänugas’. Some think, “Just as there are rüpänuga-vaiñëavas, so we are Prabhupädänuga.” This conception is completely ignorant.[1] All our äcäryas have told us to follow the rüpänuga-vaiñëavas.

Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu inspired within the heart of Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé the essence of all spiritual truths: knowledge of the Vedas, Upaniñads and all other scriptures. Then, by the Lord’s mercy, Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé knew Mahäprabhu’s heart:

When will Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé Prabhupäda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet? (Çré Prema-bhakti-candrikä 1.38)

By the mercy of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé manifested many books, such as Çré Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu, Çré Ujjvala-nélamaëi and Çré Upadeçämåta. He explained everything about vraja-bhakti in Çré Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu and Çré Ujjvala-nélamaëi, and he wrote the latter especially to give gopé-prema.

He explained in Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu that bhakti can be experienced in five moods and five kinds of services: çänta, däsya, sakhya, vätsalya and mädhurya. Among them, three are prominent: sakhya, vätsalya and mädhurya. The mood of the Vrajaväsés, the residents of Vraja, is vraja-bhakti; the mood of the gopés is mädhurya-rasa in vraja-bhakti; and the mood of Çrématé Rädhikä is the pinnacle of vraja-bhakti.

Those who follow the path of rägänuga in any rasa other than maïjaré-bhäva in mädhurya-rasa are not rüpänuga. Those following the path of sakhya- and vätsalya-rasa are rägänuga, but they are not rüpänuga. Those who follow in the personal mood of Çré Rüpa-maïjaré and Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé are actually rüpänuga.

What is the mood of Rüpa-maïjaré? She is a däsé, maidservant, of Kåñëa and Rädhikä, but with an inclination towards Çrématé Rädhikä. Actually, she is a däsé of Çrématé Rädhikä, and in this way she serves Kåñëa also. If Çrématé Rädhikä is happy, then Kåñëa will automatically be happy. If Kåñëa has been neglecting someone but that person has taken shelter of Çrématé Rädhikä, then Kåñëa is bound to accept him.

Only by the mercy of Çré Gurudeva can one receive the mercy of Kåñëa; without his grace the living entities cannot make any advancement, nor can they be delivered. Meditating three times a day on the glories of Çré Gurudeva and reciting stava-stuti, I offer prayers unto his lotus feet. (Çré Gurvañöakam, verse 8)

Suppose you have made a mistake and committed an offense at the lotus feet of Çré Kåñëa, or you have neglected Him, but at the same time you have taken shelter at the lotus feet of your qualified Guru. In that case Kåñëa may forgive you. Çré Guru will tell Kåñëa, “You must forgive him. You are bound to forgive him, because I have accepted him.”

On the other hand, if Kåñëa is about to accept that person, but Guru is neglecting him and is upset, then Kåñëa will also neglect him.

In the same way, even if Kåñëa has neglected someone, if that person takes shelter of the lotus feet of Çrématé Rädhikä, Kåñëa is bound to give him special mercy.

If you develop pride in being Çrématé Rädhikä’s exclusive maidservant, then very quickly you will meet Gokula Käna. (Çré Rädhä Bhajana Mahimä 5)

[1] “Unless you become rüpänuga, you cannot understand the Gauòéya philosophy.”

(Nectar of Devotion. Våndävana, October 18, 1972)

At the time of his divine departure from this world, Parama-püjyäpada Çréla Bhaktivedänta Swämé Mahäräja ordered me, “You should serve me by performing my samädhi ceremony.” He knew the meaning and significance of entering samädhi, as well as the proper procedures to be performed at that time.

Samädhi is a Sanskrit word consisting of the two syllables, sama-dhi. Sama means “the same” and dhi means “intelligence.” When the pure devotee takes samädhi, it means that upon departing from this world he enters the same level, position and spiritual mood as the personal associates of his worshipful Deity. He is serving in that realm according to his own svarüpa (constitutional form), with equal qualities, intelligence and beauty as those associates. Çréla Swämé Mahäräja’s worshipful Deity is Çrématé Rädhikä, and he serves Her under the guidance of Her personal associates, the maïjarés.

Your Çréla Prabhupäda has preached about Lord Jagannätha-deva, Çré Kåñëa-Balaräma and various manifestations of Çré Çré Rädhä-Kåñëa. But from his writings, books and personal meetings and visits, I am absolutely sure that his worshipful Deity is Çrématé Rädhikä, and he sees Çré Kåñëa as Her Beloved.

At the time of Çréla Swämé Mahäräja’s entering samädhi, his desire was to assist Çrématé Rädhikä in that very place where She renders Her services to Çré Kåñëa. He was one with the mood of Her maidservants, and he requested my service at that time.

The leader of the maïjarés, Çré Rüpa-maïjaré, serves Çrématé Rädhikä when Rädhikä wants to meet with Kåñëa. In the dark of night she dresses Rädhikä in black clothes, and ties Her ankle-bells in such a way that they will not make any sound. At the time of dressing Rädhikä, she may decorate Her with a necklace, with the Syamantaka jewel as its centerpiece. At that time she may say, “This jewel is the friend of Çré Kåñëa’s Kaustubha jewel.” In this way, Rädhikä is reminded of Her pastimes with Lord Kåñëa and bestows all Her mercy upon Çré Rüpa-maïjaré, who always gives so much uddépana (inspiration) to Her bhäva.

If one has the mood to assist in his Guru’s service to Çré Rüpa-maïjaré or Çrématé Rädhikä, he renders the best service. I do not know why Çréla Swämé Mahäräja gave me the mercy of giving him uddépana as he entered samädhi. I performed this service by decorating him with tilaka and by writing certain sacred mantras with sandlewood paste on his chest. These decorations indicated his personal services to his worshipful Deity, Çrématé Rädhikä.

Just before his departure from this world, he requested me to sing Çré Rüpa-maïjaré-pada:

The lotus feet of Çré Rüpa-maïjaré are my dearmost treasure. They are the topmost object of my worship and inner devotional practices. (Çré Rüpa-maïjaré-pada 1)

Her lotus feet are my most cherished wealth, more dear than my own life. They are the exquisite ornament of my life, and indeed, the very essence of my existence. (Çré Rüpa-maïjaré-pada 2)

This is the best saìkértana of Çré Rüpa-maïjaré, who can lead us to Rädhikä’s service. While I sang this bhajana, I saw that Çréla Swämé Mahäräja’s face was sometimes colored with one transcendental mood and sometimes with another. I requested my brahmacäré, Çeñaçäyé prabhu, to sing with me as I personally performed this kértana for him – just as I did for my Gurudeva at the time of his entering samädhi. There were many similarities between my dékñä-guru, Çréla Bhakti Prajïäna Keçava Gosvämé Mahäräja, and Çréla Bhaktivedänta Swämé Mahäräja. I did what Çréla Swämé Mahäräja ordered me to do for him, and I feel so fortunate that he gave me this service. 

Also just before his departure, he ordered me: “You should advise and help my disciples, all GBC (Governing Body Commision) devotees, and all devotees connected with me.”

I did not think I could help them at that time, for I considered them higher in rank than myself. I thought, “They have so much guru-niñöhä, faith in the lotus feet of their Gurudeva. They are far more advanced than I am. They know the conclusive truths of the Kåñëa Consciousness philosophy better than I. How can I help them?” But my çikñä-guru gave some inspiration in my heart.

By Çréla Swämé Mahäräja’s inspiration I came to know that many disciples were misunderstanding his real identity. They were guessing that his constitutional form is that of a cowherd friend of Kåñëa. When I heard this, I experienced so much pain in my heart for them – they did not have accurate knowledge or feelings about him. I realized that it is my duty to give them faith in the complete conception of him, that he is in mädhurya-rasa. Sakhya-rasa is included within mädhurya-rasa [See Endnote 1], so sakhya-bhäva is also within him.

There are two ways to see our Gurudeva, and in this connection an analogy can be given of the Himalayan Mountains. The height of the Himalayas is one thing and its depth is another. We can somewhat see its height, but we cannot see what is hidden deep within the ground. We saw that Çréla Swämé Mahäräja collected a large number of disciples throughout the world in practically no time; we saw all varieties of his height. He loved everyone, and everyone felt, “He loves me so much.” We also saw this in our Guru Mahäräja.

However, we cannot know how deep Çré Guru is. Çréla Swämé Mahäräja used to sing Çré Gurvañöakam with a profound mood and tears in his eyes – in samädhi. He did not see who was looking at him and who was not, who was taking part and who was not. He was simply absorbed in singing and playing his karatälas.

The first four verses of Çré Gurvañöakam contain very high subject matter that we can realize and see. But at present we cannot realize the next two verses:

At every moment Çré Gurudeva is experiencing intense greed in his heart to taste the unlimited sweetness of the holy names, forms, qualities, and pastimes of Çré Çré Rädhä-Mädhava in Våndävana. I offer my prayers unto the lotus feet of Çré Gurudeva. (Çré Gurvañöakam, verse 5)

Çré Gurudeva is always present with the sakhés, planning the arrangements for the perfection of Yugala-kiçora’s amorous pastimes (rati-keli) within the kuïjas of Våndävana. Because he is so expert in making these tasteful arrangements for Their pleasure, he is very dear to Çré Rädhä and Kåñëa. I offer my prayers unto the lotus feet of Çré Gurudeva. (Çré Gurvañöakam, verse 6)

Only one who is equal to his self-realized Guru can understand his depth. A kaniñöha-adhikäré (novice devotee) and a madhyama-adhikäré (intermediate devotee) cannot guess how deep his feelings are. They cannot begin to imagine the fathomless moods of kåñëa-prema and rädhä-prema in their Guru’s heart. Without being an uttama-adhikäré, a topmost pure devotee, one cannot understand.

Kaniñöha- and madhyama-adhikäré devotees can see his height, his aiçvarya (opulence), the way in which he collected disciples and very quickly preached all over the world. But it is more valuable to see his depth. He has not collected disciples just so we can experience his height. Ultimately, he brought us to him with the sole aim of giving us his deep thoughts. Of course this will take time; it could take many births to realize this.

When I look towards him and remember his orders, I become moved, knowing that he is engaged in nikuïja-yüno rati-keli-siddhyai. The main reason he came was to give this very same service. {See Endnote 2} He came to obey the orders of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, Nityänanda Prabhu [See endnote 3] and Çré Çré Rädhä and Kåñëa, but he had to spend a great deal of time laying the groundwork for this.

His Gurudeva was in a similar situation. Çréla Prabhupäda Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura has said, “I came to give some valuable conceptions in rägänuga-bhäva, but I could not do so in the way I desired. Most of my life was spent in sweeping and cutting jungles.”

This type of preaching is essential. Without preaching vaidhé-bhakti the main thing cannot be given, because vaidhé-bhakti is a prerequisite for further advancement. Çréla Sarasvaté Öhäkura also used to say that when the Mäyäväda philosophy is present, there can be no preaching of bhakti. We will therefore have to cut the jungles of atheism, Mäyäväda, sahajiyäism and other non-Vedic philosophies. We will have to spend time defeating their arguments.  

Now I think that by obeying Çréla Swämé Mahäräja’s orders, I have been fortunate to play a small role in this deeper mission. If I can inspire rägänuga-bhakti in the hearts of devotees, I will see that I have fulfilled the orders he gave me. This is the best service I can render to his lotus feet.

When you are situated in rägänuga-bhakti, you will be able to factually see his relationship with Çré Çré Rädhä and Kåñëa in gopé-bhäva. Then you can deeply think of his services to the Divine Couple in nikuïja-yüno rati-keli-siddhyai.

He used to sing daily, “Jaya rädhä-mädhava jaya kuïja-bihäré gopé-jana-vallabha jaya giri-vara-dhäré.”

Çréla Swämé Mahäräja has so much transcendental greed to serve Kuïja-Bihäré. A cowherd boy does not have these sentiments and exalted conceptions. {See Endnote 5} The reference to gopé-jana-vallabha in this song is also in our gopäla-mantra, and it filled his heart. He desired to give the service of gopé-jana-vallabha as performed by the gopés.

He saw that there were only a few in this world who were qualified for this; the number could be counted on one’s fingers. Thus, in order to gradually bring his audiences to a level of understanding, he preached about Lord Jagannätha-deva and established Deities of Çré Sétä-Räma and Çré Kåñëa-Balaräma.  

The gopés also spoke about Räma-Kåñëa in Çrémad-Bhägavatam, but they were not referring to Balaräma. Balaräma is sometimes called Räma, but the gopés were indicating Ramanéyä-Kåñëa, that is, Çré Kåñëa the enjoyer of Çré Rädhä. The gopés’ Räma is Kåñëa. Qualified devotees, who have actually received the mercy of their Gurudeva, will understand this.

The best service I can render to his lotus feet is to give even an atom of the feelings of these exalted conceptions to his disciples and followers.

“Without the gopés, these pastimes between Rädhä and Kåñëa cannot be nourished. Only by their cooperation are such pastimes broadcast. It is their business to taste these mellows. (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 8.203)

“Unless one practices devotional service himself, he cannot teach it to others. This conclusion is indeed confirmed throughout the Gétä and Bhägavatam.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 3.21)

“The Vedänta says that God is änandamaya, full of bliss and pleasure, and we are part and parcel of God, we are also of the same quality. Änandamayo ’bhyäsät. So our whole process is to join the supreme änandamaya, Kåñëa, in His dance party. That will make us actually happy.” (Bhagavad-gétä 6.1 Los Angeles, February 13, 1969)

“ ‘Unless you take shelter under the shade of the lotus feet of Nityänanda,’ rädhä-kåñëa päite näi, ‘it will be very difficult to approach Rädhä-Kåñëa.’ This Kåñëa consciousness movement is for approaching Rädhä-Kåñëa, to be associated with the Supreme Lord in His sublime pleasure dance. That is the aim of Kåñëa consciousness. So Narottama däsa Öhäkura’s advice is ‘If you actually want to enter into the dancing party of Rädhä-Kåñëa, then you must take shelter of the lotus feet of Nityänanda.’ ” (Purport to Nitäi-Pada-Kamala, Los Angeles, December 21, 1968)

“Without the help of the gopés, one cannot enter into these pastimes. Only one who worships the Lord in the ecstasy of the gopés, following in their footsteps, can engage in the service of Çré Çré Rädhä-Kåñëa in the bushes of Våndävana. Only then can one understand the conjugal love between Rädhä and Kåñëa. There is no other procedure for understanding.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 8.204-205)

“The means for returning home, for going back to Godhead, is devotional service, but everyone has a different taste in the Lord’s service. One may be inclined to serve the Lord in servitude (däsya-rasa), fraternity (sakhya-rasa) or parental love (vätsalya-rasa), but none of these can enable one to enter into the service of the Lord in conjugal love. To attain such service, one has to follow in the footsteps of the gopés in the ecstasy of sakhé-bhäva. Then only can one understand the transcendental mellow of conjugal love.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 8.204-205, purport)

Relato Histórico do Inicio do Vaisnavismo no Brasil em 1973, com A.C. Bhaktivendanta Swami Prabhupada, e os demais momentos importantes que se seguiram com a continuidade evolutiva do Estabelecimento de Grandes Acaryas Vaisnavas, sendo Srila Sridhara Maharaja a partir de 1.980 e atualmente Srila Narayana Maharaja.