Guardiões da Devoção
"Famous Mirabai"
by Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaja
Devotee: Maharaj, I have heard one story, I wanted to know, you can tell me if it is true or not. It is about Mirabai, famous Mirabai, the woman devotee, and Jiva Goswami.
Srila Sridhar Maharaj: We do not know that. So far we know, that Mirabai’s devotion is that of some mistype, not real type of devotion. Because her devotion only confined to Krsna and not any mention of any devotees. Krsna, where there is only mentioned the king that is imperfect. King means, so many ministers, generals, queens all these things… King is not one. So, Krsna is not one, the swarup shakti is there.
And that is real Krsna. And the other Krsna is a Krsna creation, a mental creation, a concoction. That is reflection of Krsna maybe in this world. Where we cannot see that Krsna with his different rasas is surrounded by different servitor groups. That is real Krsna. True Krsna is of that conception, that is in swarup shakti, otherwise in this area maya the sattva guna and Krsna has come and I and Krsna. And Krsna surrounded by his swarup shakti servitors that is real krsna, Chid-vilas. And in the transcendental world in His own position Krsna is such, and by crossing them, without caring to see them, my direct contact to Krsna that is a dream, that is an imagination, not reality.
So Gaudiya Math people and their acharyas and their consideration can not give assertion to so many sentimental, emotional that maybe, but the bottom the foundation is wrong. That sentiments can not give us Krsna, all those sentimental things. But Krsna is not alone and without submitting to his eternal devotees we can never approach Him properly.
The proper approach towards Krsna can not but be through his devotees. Not direct contact or contract to get Him is possible. Hare Krsna
Devotee: so direct service…
Srila Sridhar Maharaj: Of Krsna never possible for the tatasta shakti, Jiva.
Devotee: So their direct service will be to the servitors, the servants of the servant.
Srila Sridhar Maharaj: Through the servant of the servant that service that is realistic conception of service of Krsna. Otherwise that is imaginary. It is not measured by the amount of tears or amount of dancing or so many things.
Devotee: Maharaj, they say that she took initiation from Jiva Goswami.
Srila Sridhar Maharaj: No, we don’t find that. In the songs of Mirabai such things are not present. Some connections, something is known. She also insulted Jiva Goswami. It is told, that Mirabai came to see Rupa Goswami and Rupa Goswami, at that time she was in a particular mood, he said, ‘I don’t like to see any lady now.” Then she told, “Oh, he thinks himself to be a man. I think, the only man in Vrndavan is Krsna and all else are women.” With that remark she went away. This also was mentioned in “Bhakta-mal” grantha. And that is not very authentic book. It is a collection about the lives of many devotees of different types, but not very authentic.
Devotee: Maharaj, I have heard, she is a gopi on Chandravali’s side.
Srila Sridhar Maharaj: We did not hear it and we do not accept it. But in that case she will have to given recognition of Chandravali, the gopis, Nanda and Yashoda, and Vrndavan, so many things must come for her praise. Only Krsna is the object of her praise, admiration and all are diminished. She cannot see the greatness, the nobelness of the paraphernalia, only Krsna – this is artificial. “If you want to be My devotee, become devotee of the devotee. One who is the devotee of the devotee he is My real devotee.” And I cannot recognize the greatness, the nobelness of the devotee of Krsna and diminishing them “I am good and Krsna is good” and all are diminished. What is this! No better person than myself, only Krsna and myself, and all others are diminished. This is madness. Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna.