Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Feeling separation (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"feeling Your separation" |"feeling like Caitanya Mahaprabhu, separation" |"feeling of separation" |"feeling separation" |"feeling the separation"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lord Caitanya is playing how you can become mad without seeing Kṛṣṇa. That is higher stage.
Lecture on BG 15.15 -- August 5, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda, you've mentioned several times in recent lectures that a pure devotee can see Kṛṣṇa everywhere, that He's never out of your vision, and at the same time in Śikṣāṣṭaka prayers Lord Caitanya explains that "Govinda, I am feeling Your separation to be twelve years or more. I'm feeling the world vacant in His absence." Could you explain this?

Prabhupāda: Yes. He's playing how you can become mad without seeing Kṛṣṇa. That is higher stage. It cannot be explained, but when you gradually go higher and higher you'll understand.

Gosvāmīs said that "Kṛṣṇa and gopīs, Rādhārāṇī, where you are all?" "Either near the Govardhana Hill or on the bank of the river Yamunā, where you are?" This is called bhajana, devotion in separation, feeling separation.
Lecture on BG 16.13-15 -- Hawaii, February 8, 1975:

This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's statement. "If I had any drop of love for Kṛṣṇa, how I could live so long without Kṛṣṇa?" Śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me. So this is love of Kṛṣṇa, that "How can I live?"—separation from Kṛṣṇa. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy. And the Gosvāmīs followed them. They never said that "Now I have seen Kṛṣṇa." Never said. The Gosvāmīs... Caitanya Mahāprabhu also said that "I was dreaming Kṛṣṇa. Why you got Me awakened? I lost the chance." But the Gosvāmīs, they said that

he rādhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-sūno kutaḥ
śrī-govardhana-kalpa-pādapa-tale kālindī-vane kutaḥ
ghoṣantāv iti sarvato vraja-pure khedair mahā-vihvalau
vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau

They were simply feeling separation. In Vṛndāvana they lived, but they never said, "Last night I saw Kṛṣṇa was dancing." Never said. They said that "Kṛṣṇa and gopīs, Rādhārāṇī, where you are all?" He rādhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-sūno kutaḥ: "Where you are?" Kālindī-vane kutaḥ govardhana-kalpa-pādapa-tale: "Either on the..., near the Govardhana Hill or on the bank of the river Yamunā, where you are?" This is called bhajana, devotion in separation, feeling separation. So in this way we shall increase our aspiration more and more. That is required. That āśā, that hope, that expectation, will lead us to the topmost platform of devotion.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

"Feeling separation of Govinda." How? "One moment is equal to twelve years," yugāyitam. One yuga means twelve years.
Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Los Angeles, August 21, 1972:

"Feeling separation of Govinda." How? "One moment is equal to twelve years," yugāyitam. One yuga means twelve years. One moment appearing. Sometimes we have got experience, if we want to see something, it is called expectant psychology. I am expecting something, somebody, that my friend or my lover is coming. So on the door, if there is "koot," "Oh, you have come? No, no. He has not come." The one moment is twelve years. Such kind of separation, when we feel for Kṛṣṇa, that means all dirty things are over. And something for Kṛṣṇa, something for sense enjoyment, that means still the dirty things are there. But the more we engage our time, nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā, the dirty things becomes cleansed, gradually. Just like when you are hungry, you are given foodstuff, you eat. The more you eat, your hunger is satisfied. You feel strength, you feel satisfaction. Similarly, the more you advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you feel comfortable, released from the material discomforts. In this way, naṣṭa-prāyeṣu. Gradual process.

Even Lord Rāmacandra is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and still He had to accept so many troubles. They were loitering in the forest, feeling the separation of Sītā-devī.
Lecture on SB 1.7.43 -- Vrndavana, October 3, 1976:

Another example is that because Lord Rāmacandra took Sītā in the forest... From moral principle, He should not have taken Sītā. Pathe nārī vivaryaya(?). The moral principle is that when you are going out of home, you should not take your wife with you, pathe nārī vivaryaya, because there may be so many dangers. That actually happened, Sītā-devī, because Lord Rāmacandra was ordered to go to the forest. Not Sītā-devī, neither anyone, neither Lakṣmaṇa. They, out of their own affection for Lord Rāmacandra, they decided to go with Him. But because Sītā-devī went with Rāmacandra, so many catastrophes happened. She was kidnapped, and there was fight, and the whole dynasty of Rāvaṇa was killed, and so many things happened. So this instruction that pathe nārī vivaryaya. And another lesson is, even Lord Rāmacandra, He was attached. Naturally one is attached to his wife. So if we become attached to a woman, then we have to face so many dangers. This is another instruction. Even Lord Rāmacandra is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and still He had to accept so many troubles. They were loitering in the forest, feeling the separation of Sītā-devī. So many things happened.

Real Caitanya Mahāprabhu sampradāya is that he should be feeling like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, separation.
Lecture on SB 1.10.14 -- Mayapura, June 27, 1973:

Direct contact is not possible. Neither that is the way of worshiping by the method of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. That is sahajiyā-vāda. "I am talking with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is snatching my cloth." There is a book, one lady has written, his (her) experience, that Kṛṣṇa comes, He talks with her and snatches her cloth. She has written openly. But this is not Caitanya Mahāprabhu's way. There is one gentleman, Mr. Raya, in Poona, and he has got also woman. Everyone must have a woman, parakīyā. This is sahajiyā-vāda. This is sahajiyā-vāda. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu never said, "This is the parakīyā-rasa: one should have one woman." No. He observed complete sannyāsa life. Rather there was very, very severe, rigid restriction about women. But now, these sahajiyās, they are going on in the name of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu: āula, bāula, karttā-bhajā, neḍā, daraveśa, sāṅi sahajiyā, sakhībhekī, like that, so many. They are apa-sampradāya. Real Caitanya Mahāprabhu sampradāya is that he should be feeling like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, separation.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu also taught us like that. He was searching, "Where is Kṛṣṇa? Where is Kṛṣṇa?" and feeling separation.
Lecture on SB 1.15.33 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1973:

Ekānta-bhakti means unalloyed devotion. This is the secret of devotional life. Even God is not physically present, a devotee can be very much exalted by devotional service. That is the teaching of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Because the sahajiyās... Sahajiyā means persons who take things very easily, according to his sense perception, manufactured. They are called sahajiyās. But these Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava, the devotees following the footprints of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they are not sahajiyās; they are devotee of the Adhokṣaja. Beyond the sense perception, still, they are devotee. This is the secret of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava. Beyond the sense perception. Just like Gosvāmīs. They were living at Vṛndāvana. And what sort of living? Simply in separation and search. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also taught us like that. He was searching, "Where is Kṛṣṇa? Where is Kṛṣṇa?" and feeling separation. Just like you feel sometimes with your lover separation and you search, this is our process. Always feel separation from Kṛṣṇa and try to search out. This is ekānta.

How you will feel separation unless you love? And you simply worship the Supreme in a feeling of separation, then that is perfection.
Lecture on SB 1.15.33 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1973:

So it is the question of advancement. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His followers taught us that if you feel separation... How you will feel separation unless you love? And you simply worship the Supreme in a feeling of separation, then that is perfection. Then that is perfection. Therefore the Gosvāmīs, their prayer, their method of worshiping the Lord at Vṛndāvana... They left their ministerial post and went to Vṛndāvana by the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So what was their process? The process was tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat. They gave up their materialistic way of life as very insignificant. They were ministers. They were ministers. Their associates were very big, big men. But tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati. Maṇḍala-pati means leaders, leaders of the society, poli..., big, big politician, businessmen, important men. Because they were minister, everyone used to come to see, and they were associated with. But they gave up.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

There are different phases of loving affairs, and the feeling of separation is one of them.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.6 -- Mayapur, March 30, 1975:

Just like Lord Rāmacandra. Lord Rāmacandra, He is Supreme Personality of Godhead. Why He felt so much separation that to rescue Sītādevī He fought with Rāvaṇa? He's self-sufficient. Why He should feel separation from Sītā? This question may be raised. But actually there are different phases of loving affairs, and the separation is also one of them. The separation, feeling of separation, is one of them. We have got experience in our present life that intense love... Still there is feeling of separation. All these things are there in the spiritual world. Only perverted reflection of those spiritual feelings are manifested here in this material world. Therefore it is called perverted reflection. But everything is there, but they are not material. We should always understand that. Kṛṣṇa is perfect, Rādhārāṇī is perfect, and They are always constantly accompanied. Then why there is separation? And still, there is separation. So these are very high-grade understanding.

So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu means Kṛṣṇa feeling separation, or Rādhārāṇī feeling... Rādhā-bhava-dhyuti-suvalitam. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taken the position of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī—how to feel separation from Kṛṣṇa. This is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Festival Lectures

As Rādhārāṇī is always in feelings of separation of Kṛṣṇa, similarly, in the position of Rādhārāṇī, Lord Caitanya was feeling separation of Kṛṣṇa.
Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- London, August 29, 1971:

These are, of course, very transcendental, great science. One who is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and well conversant with the śāstras, they can understand. But still, we can discuss from the śāstra. When Kṛṣṇa wanted to understand Himself, He took the tendency of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. And that is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Rādhā-bhāva-dyuti-suvalitam. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa, but He has accepted the propensities of Rādhārāṇī. As Rādhārāṇī is always in feelings of separation of Kṛṣṇa, similarly, in the position of Rādhārāṇī, Lord Caitanya was feeling separation of Kṛṣṇa. That is the teachings of Lord Caitanya, feelings of separation, not meeting. The process of devotional service taught by Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His disciplic succession is how to feel separation from Kṛṣṇa. That is Rādhārāṇī's position, always feeling the separation.

We have to follow the footprints of the Gosvāmīs, how to search out Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī, Vṛndāvana, or within your heart. That is the process of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's bhajana: feeling of separation, vipralambha, vipralambha-sevā.
Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- London, August 29, 1971:

So we have to follow the footprints of the Gosvāmīs, how to search out Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī, Vṛndāvana, or within your heart. That is the process of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's bhajana: feeling of separation, vipralambha, vipralambha-sevā. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, feeling the separation of Kṛṣṇa, He was falling down on the sea. He was coming out of His rest room or His bedroom and going out at dead of night. Nobody knew where He has gone. So that was His searching. This process of devotional service is taught by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Not that very easily, "We have seen Kṛṣṇa or seen Rādhārāṇī in rāsa-līlā." No, not like that. Feel the separation. The more you feel separation from Kṛṣṇa, you should understand that you are advancing. Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa artificially. Be advanced in separation feeling, and then it will be perfect. That is the teachings of Lord Caitanya. Because with our material eyes we cannot see Kṛṣṇ

In this way, if one feels the separation of Kṛṣṇa, that "Kṛṣṇa, I want to see You, but I am so disqualified that I cannot see You." These feeling of separation will make you enriched in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Jagannatha Deities Installation Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.13-14 -- San Francisco, March 23, 1967:

Govinda dāsī: Uh, well, could you tell about Lord Caitanya asking where is Kṛṣṇa and falling in the water? Or would that be not blissful?

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Very nice. Your question is very nice. I'm very glad. Lord Caitanya, He was the greatest symbol of kṛṣṇa-bhakta, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So just see from His life. He never said that "I have seen Kṛṣṇa." He never said that "I have seen Kṛṣṇa." He was mad after Kṛṣṇa. "Where I can see Kṛṣṇa? Where is Kṛṣṇa? Where is Kṛṣṇa?" He was mad after Kṛṣṇa. That is the, I mean to say, process of Caitanya philosophy. It is called viraha. Viraha means separation. Separation. "Kṛṣṇa, You are so good, You are so merciful, You are so nice. But I am so rascal, I am so full of sin, that I cannot see You. I have no qualification to see You." So in this way, if one feels the separation of Kṛṣṇa, that "Kṛṣṇa, I want to see You, but I am so disqualified that I cannot see You." These feeling of separation will make you enriched in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Feeling of separation. Not that "Kṛṣṇa, I have seen you. Finished. All right. I have understood You. Finished. All my business finished." No! Perpetually think of yourself that "I am unfit to see Kṛṣṇa." That will enrich you in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

General Lectures

This Gauḍīya-sampradāya, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's, in Caitanya Mahāprabhu's descendants, our line of God realization is that separation, feeling of separation. Not that we have got Kṛṣṇa within our hand.
Lecture -- Los Angeles, February 2, 1968:

They were thinking that "Kṛṣṇa's body is so delicate, so soft, that we, when we take His lotus feet and place on our breast or chest, we think it is hard, very hard for Him. So Kṛṣṇa is walking in the forest. There are so many particles of stones. They are pricking, and how much Kṛṣṇa is feeling pain." This thinking made, caused their crying, "How Kṛṣṇa is feeling pain." And the whole day, they will think of Kṛṣṇa like that, and when Kṛṣṇa will come back from the pasturing ground, then they will be relieved that "Kṛṣṇa has now come back." This was their business. Now, this sort of thinking of Kṛṣṇa does not require any riches or any high parentage or any beauty or any education. So we have to develop such Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Our, this Gauḍīya-sampradāya, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's, in Caitanya Mahāprabhu's descendants, our line of God realization is that separation, feeling of separation. Not that we have got Kṛṣṇa within our hand. No. The feeling of separation, worship of Kṛṣṇa by feeling of separation is better than the worship by directly meeting. Vipralambha-sevā.

This is a feeling of separation, how the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana felt separation from Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

Jagannātha festival significance is that when Kṛṣṇa left Vṛndāvana... Kṛṣṇa was raised by His foster father, Nanda Mahārāja. But when He was grown up, 16 years old, He was taken away by His real father, Vasudeva, and They left Vṛndāvana, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, two brothers, and They were resident..., Their kingdom was in Dvārakā. So in Kurukṣetra—Kurukṣetra is always dharma-kṣetra, pilgrimage—there was some lunar, solar eclipse, and many persons from many parts of India, they came to take bath. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma and Their sister Subhadra, They also came in royal fashion, with so many soldiers, and so many..., just like king. So these residents of Vṛndāvana, they met Kṛṣṇa, and especially the gopīs, they saw Kṛṣṇa, and they lamented that "Kṛṣṇa, You are here, we are also here, but the place is different. We are not in Vṛndāvana." So there is a long story how they lamented and how Kṛṣṇa pacified them. This is a feeling of separation, how the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana felt separation from Kṛṣṇa. So this... When Kṛṣṇa came on chariot, that is called Ratha-yātrā. This is the history of Ratha-yātrā. So any pastimes made by Kṛṣṇa, that is observed in ceremonial form by the devotees. So that is Ratha-yātrā.

We should not imitate. We should follow the regulative principles. But some day will come when you'll be feeling the separation of Kṛṣṇa as death, as good as death.
Lecture -- Los Angeles, January 15, 1969:

So we should not at once try to rise up to the rāga-mārga, or spontaneous. It is not an artificial thing. When one is, I mean to say, raised to the platform of spontaneous love, there is no question of falling back. During rāga-mārga, or regulative principles, there is chance of falling back because that is not mature. But when it is mature, then there is no falldown. At that time, without Kṛṣṇa, without serving Kṛṣṇa, nobody can live. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He said that "I have no love for Kṛṣṇa." Just try to understand. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "I have no love for Kṛṣṇa." Why? Then why You are crying? So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "I am crying just to make a show to others that I am a devotee. Actually I am not a devotee. If I would have been actually devotee, how I am living without Kṛṣṇa? I should have died." This is ecstasy. "If I had any love for Kṛṣṇa, how I am living without Kṛṣṇa?" That means, "I do not love Kṛṣṇa."

So these are the highest stage. We should not imitate. We should follow the regulative principles. But some day will come when you'll be feeling the separation of Kṛṣṇa as death, as good as death.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu was feeling separation of Govinda, Kṛṣṇa, so intensely that He was thinking one moment as twelve years.
Pandal Lecture -- November 14, 1971, Delhi:

And when he chants Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra in ecstasy, then he is in deep love of God. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He showed the example, He was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and was fainting, and He was crying. And He writes in His eight ślokas,

yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa
cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam
śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ
govinda-viraheṇa me

He was feeling separation of Govinda, Kṛṣṇa, so intensely that He was thinking one moment as twelve years. yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam. So these are mahābhāva. Great transcendental ecstasy can be achieved simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu was simply feeling separation. He never said that "I have seen God." Similarly, Gosvāmīs, the ṣaḍ-gosvāmīs, they are also following the cult of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Pandal Lecture -- November 14, 1971, Delhi:

"Anyone who is engaged in preaching the cult of Bhagavad-gītā, no one is dearer to Me than he." (break) ...in preaching... (break) That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's cult. He says, marma-hatāṁ karotu vā adarśanān: "You just break My heart by not being visible." The Vaiṣṇava devotees, they are not very much anxious to see God. They know, "Why God shall come to me? He is so busy, He has got so many business. Let me do my duty." The Gosvāmīs in Vṛndāvana... Caitanya Mahāprabhu also said, as I repeated the śloka, govinda-viraheṇa me. He was simply feeling separation. He never said that "I have seen God." He never said. Similarly, Gosvāmīs, the ṣaḍ-gosvāmīs, they are also following the cult of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He rādhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-sūno kutaḥ. Simply searching out, "Where Rādhārāṇī? Where You are? Where the Lalitā, Viśakha, where you are? Where is Nanda-sūna, the son of Mahārāja Nanda, Kṛṣṇa? Where You are all?"

Purports to Songs

Because one who is feeling separation from the Lord, he is feeling also, "When I shall see Him?" So this anxiety, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa: "A moment is seeming to Me a millenium, hundreds and millions of years' separation." That is love.
Purport to Parama Koruna -- Atlanta, February 28, 1975:

Govinda-viraheṇa: "Being separated from Govinda, God, my life is vacant." This is required. It doesn't matter whether you follow Christianity or Hinduism or Muslimism. Whether you are feeling vacancy, everything vacant without Kṛṣṇa, without God—that is the test. Yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa. Every moment... Because one who is feeling separation from the Lord, he is feeling also, "When I shall see Him?" So this anxiety, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa: "A moment is seeming to Me a millenium, hundreds and millions of years' separation." That is love. If you love somebody and if you... Of course, in the material world, this love is not possible. There is no love in the material world. It is all lust. So love means loving God. That is love. So the Caitanya Mahāprabhu is teaching this, yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam: "I am feeling one moment as a millenium, being separated from Kṛṣṇa. And the torrents of tears are coming just like torrents of rain." And śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvam: "And the whole world is seeming to Me vacant," govinda-viraheṇa me, "being separated from Govinda." This is love. So it doesn't matter what religious system you are following, but the result should be this, that you should be mad after God. That is the test.

Page Title:Feeling separation (Lectures)
Compiler:Labangalatika, Matea
Created:16 of Nov, 2009
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=17, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:17