Who Carries the Scent of Krishna?
BY: GAURAHARI DAS
Aug 16, VRINDAVAN, INDIA (SUN) — When I was a Christian I once read a verse in the New Testament that struck me deeply, and then years later I again found a similar statement in Rupa Goswami’s play Vidagdha Madhava. Saint Paul said something like, we preach about Jesus because in this way we carry the scent of Jesus to others. In a similar vein, Rupa Goswami said in the introduction of his play:
“Although the poetry in my play is not very beautiful, the wise will take delight in it, for it bears the scent of Lord Hari. What wise man will not bow his head and respectfully drink well-water that has washed a Salagrama.”
Both Saint Paul and Rupa Goswami were authorized in their own unique way to carry the flavor and scent of their beloved Ista devas because they had an authentic relationship with their worshipable Deities firmly established. Why did Paul preach and write about the glories of Jesus and why did the liberated associates of Lord Caitanya write books? Only such authorized devotees can deliver this scent of their worshipable Dieties so that we neophytes in this world can begin to realize that God is real and present when we hear about Him through His authorized representatives.
Of course, Rupa Goswami’s book Vidagdha Madhava is generally meant for highly qualified devotees who are already expert in relishing spiritual rasa because its subject matter deals with Krishna’s lila. Still their are other powerful devotional books geared to deliver this scent of Krishna by way of his merciful Kali Yuga incarnation, Lord Caitanya. Caitanya-caritamrita, translated by our beloved Srila Prabhupada, and Caitanya Bhagavata (not translated by him) are a must to read again and again. Association with Lord Caitanya by way of hearing or reading about Him from the authorized devotees who wrote these books can awaken attraction and love for Krishna very easily. That is why they were written!
Vrndavan das Thakur, author of Caitanya Bhagavata said in many different places of his book statements like, “Anyone who reads this pastime will surely become a servant of Lord Caitanya”. “I give this benediction anyone who reads this pastime will develop love of God”. These kinds of statements are repeated over and over again throughout his book. Do the benedictions of a pure devotee come true? Of course they do! Those who believe in the truthful words of these acaryas are very fortunate. Nowdays, in the age of Kali there may be alleged realized leaders of our Bhakti societies who do not emphasize deep emersion and worship of Lord Caitanya as the easiest and most practical way to develop a relationship and taste for topics of Krishna. If one is more interested in name, fame, wealth and followers then the treasure of Gauranga lila is hidden far away from them. Most unfortunate are those who become their followers.
I wonder sometimes how many of us devotees are taking advantage of the mercy which is so freely flowing from Lord Caitanya's golden devotees' books about Gauranga’s lila? It is well known that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati said the first book that he advised to read was Caitanya Bhagavata, one hundred times. Then Caitanya-caritamrita. These books deliver the scent and flavor of Gauranga very easily. Gauranga’s qualities, nature and pastimes are non-different from Krishna's. One naturally gets association and the ability to relish the scent and flavor of Krishna when going by way of the path of Gauranga lila first. Srila Prabodhanananda Saraswati said in his famous book, Caitanya-candramrta, “One dives into Gaurangas lila and surfaces in Krishna Lila”. On this safe path very shortly one will also begin to relish the scent of the real Krishna lila, through reading books by authors like Rupa Goswami and others.
I feel some concern for the devotees who jump intensely and exclusively into topics of Radha Krishna’s intimate lila and neglect profuse emersion in topics of Gauranga lila first. Vrndavana das Thakur says in his Caitanya Bhagavata, Madya lila, chapter one:
"All glories to Lord Gaura Candra, a stalwart amongst all religious preachers, the safe bridge to the spiritual sky.”
If one goes directly to Radha Krishna first one may be deviated from tasting real spiritual rasa or genuine loving affection, which is the only means to know Krishna in reality. Instead so many mental concoctions and erroneous ideas may develop about who Radha and Krishna are and how to attain their association. According to Caitanya-caritamrita there are unlimited mundane creepers that can imitate the authentic bhakti lata bija. In other words, there are unlimited obstacles to attaining the real deal here. Only Lord Caitanya is effortlessly clearing our path of these stubborn bewildering obstructions if we develop the intelligence to take his shelter.
If one sincerely applies his attention to reading or hearing authorized books about Gauranga lila, then the rasa that is given is very real and not an imitation. Only in this way can we have hope to distinguish the difference between real Bhakti and its imitation. Gauranga gives genuine spiritual taste and attraction to Himself without any qualification, other than a little faith and association with Himself through the authorized books of His devotees. This is why Lord Caitanya is the safe bridge and there is no danger - because Gauranga is not interested in fooling us, who are already foolish enough as it is. He is so wonderfully magnanimous in this way!
Of course, if we are supremely fortunate we will meet a living highly advanced devotee of Gauranga and hear from them these books, or something composed from their melted hearts about Lord Caitanya or Krishna Lila. If we read these authorized books we will naturally develop such qualification to recognize a genuine devotee who loves Gauranga. Only by the mercy of Lord Caitanya and his devotees can we begin to understand by personal experience what spiritual rasa is. In this way will we be able to know who else is authentically relishing spiritual rasa. There is an old saying, “Takes one to know one”. Otherwise we may easily be fooled by some alleged Rasika devotees who are prominently displaying themselves now in Kali yuga, but who have secretly disguised ulterior motives.
Krishna’s mood is not the same as Gauranga's mood in delivering rasa. Krishna is looking for qualification and taking into account our offenses. Gauranga is in a magnanimous mood of giving qualification and taste for his loving service freely. Devotees who are striving to attain real Krishna Consciousness through difficult austerities and by the strength of their own penances are going about things in the wrong way. Only relishing the mundane mellow of false pride is the result of going that route. In Caitanya Bhagavata, Lord Caitanya exhibited the pastime of kicking out of his closed kirtan an austere Brahmin ascetic who only drank milk. He said this was not the path to attain association with Him. Gauranga said even if a candela (dog eater) surrenders to Him, sincerely he accepts him. Even a beginning devotee who takes unreserved shelter of Gauranga lila begins immediately walking on the path of spontaneous love, becoming indifferent to the rules and regulation of the Vedic injunctions. That was the purpose of Gauranga's decent, wasn’t it? Lord Gauranga said:
Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 4.15-16 - "The Lord's desire to appear was born from two reasons: the Lord wanted to taste the sweet essence of the mellows of love of God, and He wanted to propagate devotional service in the world on the platform of spontaneous attraction. Thus He is known as supremely jubilant and as the most merciful of all."
Adi 4.23 - "'Devotional service rendered to Me by the living beings revives their eternal life. O My dear damsels of Vraja, your affection for Me is your good fortune, for it is the only means by which you have obtained My favor.'"
This affection for Krishna, the good fortune of the gopis, which they developed by undergoing the most severe and difficult austerities in previous millenniums, is now being given by association with Lord Caitanya and his devotees through their books, without charge! Who will believe this? It's stated everywhere in so many places in the two books, Caitanya-caritamrita and Caitanya Bhagavata, that one will develop love and affection for Lord Caitanya by reading or hearing (best) these authorized books.
There are many instances of people became lifelong loving devotees of Jesus by finding a Bible or even a piece of the New Testament laying around somewhere. Does the Bible have more power than our devotional literatures about Gauranga lila? The Bible only has more power than Gauranga’s lila if one's faith in achieving the scent of Krishna is diverted to some other method of attaining the platform of honest spontaneous attraction. Maybe it’s time to believe in what our real Acaryas are telling us, and take advantage of this benediction of Lord Gauranga and his devotees. They were empowered to write these books for us to also begin to relish the scent of Krishna in the proper way.
