In the next verse the author further explains why Kṛṣṇa assumed the form of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Kṛṣṇa desired to know the glory of Rādhā’s love. "Why is She so much in love with Me?" Kṛṣṇa asked. "What is My special qualification that attracts Her so? And what is the actual way in which She loves Me?" It seems strange that Kṛṣṇa, as the Supreme, should be attracted by anyone's love. A man searches after the love of a woman because he is imperfect—he lacks something. The love of a woman, that potency and pleasure, is absent in man, and therefore a man wants a woman. But this is not the case with Kṛṣṇa, who is full in Himself. Thus Kṛṣṇa expressed surprise: "Why am I attracted by Rādhārāṇī? And when Rādhārāṇī feels My love, what is She actually feeling?" To taste the essence of that loving exchange, Kṛṣṇa made His appearance in the same way that the moon appears on the horizon of the sea. Just as the moon was produced by the churning of the sea, by the churning of spiritual loving affairs the moon of Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared. Indeed, Lord Caitanya's complexion was golden, just like the luster of the moon. Although this is figurative language, it conveys the meaning behind the appearance of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The full significance of His appearance will be explained in later chapters.
Loving exchanges
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 7 - 12
Devotees who are correctly situated in a transcendental relationship with Kṛṣṇa are attracted by loving features, not by a godless display of opulences. The playmates of Kṛṣṇa, the friends of Kṛṣṇa and the parents of Kṛṣṇa never want Kṛṣṇa to show His opulences. They are so immersed in pure love that they do not even know that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In their loving exchange they forget that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated that the boys who play with Kṛṣṇa are all highly pious souls and after many, many births they are able to play with Kṛṣṇa. Such boys do not know that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They take Him as a personal friend.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 3
One has to fix his mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead constantly. When one is accustomed to thinking of one of the innumerable forms of the Lord—Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, Rāma, Nārāyaṇa, etc.—he has reached the perfection of yoga. This is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā: a person who has developed pure love for the Lord, and whose eyes are smeared with the ointment of transcendental loving exchange, always sees within his heart the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The devotees especially see the Lord in the beautiful blackish form of Śyāmasundara. That is the perfection of yoga. This yoga system should be continued until the mind does not vacillate for a moment. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ: the form of Viṣṇu is the highest individuality and is always visible to sages and saintly persons.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Preface and Introduction
CC Adi-lila
If one patiently hears about the glories of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu and Śrī Advaita Prabhu—and Their devotees, devotional activities, names and fame, along with the mellows of Their transcendental loving exchanges—one will learn the essence of the Absolute Truth. Therefore I have described these (in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta) with logic and discrimination.
There is a principal cause for Lord Kṛṣṇa's appearance. It grows from His own engagements as the foremost enjoyer of loving exchanges.
CC Antya-lila
The affectionate loving exchanges between Jagadānanda Paṇḍita and Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued in this manner, exactly like the exchanges between Satyabhāmā and Lord Kṛṣṇa related in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Anyone who hears about the loving exchanges between Jagadānanda Paṇḍita and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, or who reads Jagadānanda's book Prema-vivarta, can understand what love is. Moreover, he achieves ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
When one actually becomes situated on the transcendental platform, he becomes steady. Unless one is so situated, his position may not be steady and he may fall down. When one is actually situated transcendentally, there is no fear of falling down. This stage of understanding is technically called sthāyi-bhāva. There are even stages beyond this position, and they are known as vibhāva, anubhava, sāttvika and vyabhicārī. After one attains these, there is actually an exchange of rasa, or transcendental activity with the Supreme Lord. This exchange in loving reciprocation between the lover and the beloved is generally called kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa. It should be noted that the transcendental loving exchanges stand on the steadfast position of sthāyi-bhāva, as explained before. The basic principle of vibhāva is sthāyi-bhāva, and all other activities are auxiliary for the development of transcendental love.
Nectar of Devotion
In a direct relationship of conjugal love, there is laughter, astonishment, chivalry, lamentation, anger and dread, but there is no ghastliness. These expressions are considered to be great reservoirs of pleasure. When these seven kinds of ecstatic loving exchanges are manifested, they attain the status of steadiness by which the taste of conjugal love expands.
In his book Stavāvalī, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī has prayed for the mercy of Rādhārāṇī, who was so captivated by the flute vibrations of Kṛṣṇa that She immediately asked information of His whereabouts from residents in the Vṛndāvana forest. Upon first seeing Kṛṣṇa, She was filled with such ecstatic love and pleasure that She began to scratch Her ears. The damsels of Vraja and Rādhārāṇī were very expert in talking cunningly, so as soon as they saw Kṛṣṇa they began their talkings; and Kṛṣṇa, pretending to go for some flowers for them, immediately left that place and entered into a mountain cave. This is another instance of eager loving exchanges on the parts of both the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa.
No one, while remaining on the material platform, should discuss these different descriptions of bhāva and anubhāva by quoting different statements of transcendental literatures. Such manifestations are displays of the transcendental pleasure potency of the Lord. One should simply try to understand that on the spiritual platform there are many varieties of reciprocal love. Such loving exchanges should never be considered to be material. In the Mahābhārata, Udyama-parva, it is warned that things which are inconceivable should not be subjected to arguments. Actually, the transactions of the spiritual world are inconceivable to us in our present state of life. Great liberated souls like Rūpa Gosvāmī and others have tried to give us some hints of transcendental activities in the spiritual world, but on the whole these transactions will remain inconceivable to us at the present moment. Understanding the exchanges of transcendental loving service with Kṛṣṇa is possible only when one is actually in touch with the pleasure potency of the Supreme Lord.
Nectar of Instruction
Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī advised that one should renounce worldly association and keep company with the devotees (saṅga-tyāgāt sato vṛtteḥ). The International Society for Krishna Consciousness has been established to facilitate these six kinds of loving exchanges between devotees. This Society was started single-handedly, but because people are coming forward and dealing with the give—and—take policy, the Society is now expanding all over the world. We are glad that people are donating very liberally to the development of the Society's activities, and people are also eagerly accepting whatever humble contribution we are giving them in the shape of books and magazines dealing strictly with the subject matter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
The life of the Kṛṣṇa conscious society is nourished by these six types of loving exchange among the members; therefore people must be given the chance to associate with the devotees of ISKCON because simply by reciprocating in the six ways mentioned above an ordinary man can fully revive his dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In Bhagavad-gītā (2.62) it is stated, saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ: one's desires and ambitions develop according to the company one keeps. It is often said that a man is known by his company, and if an ordinary man associates with devotees, he will certainly develop his dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
There are so many departments of yogis. Now, they also enjoy. The whole process is to concentrate upon the viṣṇu-mūrti, Viṣṇu form, within the heart. And unless there is pleasure, there is no enjoyment, what is the use of controlling the senses and focusing the mind on the Supreme Supersoul within the heart? There is pleasure. What sort of pleasure that is? That pleasure is ananta. Ananta means endless. Endless. Yoginaḥ. Yoginaḥ. Ramante yoginaḥ anante. Anante means that pleasure is not endless. That pleasure, why it is not ended? Because spirit is eternal and the Supreme Lord is eternal, therefore reciprocation of their loving exchanges, they are eternal. They are eternal. The living spirit is eternal, the Lord is eternal, and their exchange of feelings, or loving feelings, that is also eternal. So one who is intelligent, they should refrain from this sensual enjoyment of this material body which is flickering, which is not in essence, and should seek such enjoyment of spiritual life.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Ram means enjoy. We want enjoyment, but we do not know how we can have permanent enjoyment. When you have got permanent enjoyment by reciprocation of transaction with the Supreme, then that particular accepter of our reciprocation is called Rāma. That means by... We enjoy the loving exchange between God and ourselves. That position is called rama. But if you have no idea what is God, how we can exchange our feelings, then there is no question of rama. Rama means when we are in position of exchanging our loving attachment to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then He's known as Rāma. The capacity in which He accepts our service, loving service, is called Rāma, ramante.
The story of Ajāmila is that he was a son of a brāhmaṇa, and he was very nice boy. He was married, and he was acting just like a brāhmaṇa boy. One day he went to collect some flowers and some wood from the forest for his father's worship. His father was worshiping Deity, and he was helping. On the path he saw that one śūdra and his wife, without any shame, they were embracing and kissing. This young boy became attracted. Therefore this system, that loving exchange or affairs should not be exhibited on the street. This is not very civilized form. In India it is not at all allowed. It is calculated indecent. There is punishment by law. But here the practice is different. But why it is so strict according to Vedic scripture? Here is the example. A young man was passing, and another young man and girl was embracing. Naturally he became excited.
Festival Lectures
So we are seeking pleasure within this material world. That is imitation. That is not real enjoyment. But the basic principle of enjoyment is there. Here there is imitation enjoyment, love between young boy young girl. So wherefrom it comes? It is there in Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise how it can come? It is not possible. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). This loving exchange between young boy, young girl is there. Kṛṣṇa is also enjoying there. The gopīs, the young girls, Kṛṣṇa is young... The exchange of love between father and son, mother and son; the exchange of love between friend and friend, the exchange of love between animal and man...
Initiation Lectures
So those who are going to be initiated, they should understand that chanting of the holy name means directly associating with the Supreme Lord. So as I have given several times the example of the iron rod and the fire: if you touch the iron rod with the fire, it becomes warmer, warmer and then red hot. Similarly, when you chant offenselessly the holy name of the Lord, gradually you become purified, and when we chant holy name without any offense, then we immediately live at the shelter of Lord Kṛṣṇa. When we are almost free from contamination, then we become liberated, and when we chant purely the holy name, we are situated on the lotus feet of the Lord. And the more we go on chanting, we enjoy loving exchange affair between the Lord and ourself.
General Lectures
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the real position. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. Anything which is all-attractive you generally love.
Guest (1): So the particle of man of the Supreme Being is all-love.
Prabhupāda: Yes. You are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. You want to love somebody, and Kṛṣṇa wants to love you. This is loving exchange. But instead of loving Kṛṣṇa, you are trying to love something else. That is your trouble. The love is there in you and Kṛṣṇa, and when the love will be exchanged between you and Kṛṣṇa, that will be perfection of life.
Purports to Songs
Nitya-līlā means the pastimes, or the loving exchange, affairs between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, that is eternal. That is not temporary. We should not think that Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa pastimes, loving affairs, is just like the business of a, of a young boy or girl, as we see in this material world. Such loving affairs is not at all loving affairs. They are lusty affairs, and they are not eternal. Therefore they break. Today I am in love with somebody and next day it breaks. But Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa līlā is not like that. It is eternal. Therefore that is transcendental and this is temporary.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1969 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: We are pushing our Back to Godhead to the general mass of people to the first condition, first status of enlightenment. And then those who are becoming enlightened, coming forward, "Swamiji, or the society, please make me a member. Please initiate me," he is coming forward, understanding his position. So that is second stage, to train him how to awaken his, that dormant love of God. That is another stage, training. Sambandha abhidheya. Then, when he is actually in love of Godhead, then he can understand the higher status of loving exchange between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa and the Vṛndāvana. This is third, third stage, yes. And the fourth stage is paramahaṁsa stage, who is always enjoying. Santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti... When one is completely merged in the ocean of love of Godhead, he will relish in any condition of life Kṛṣṇa, present. Kṛṣṇa present means, Kṛṣṇa present, His name present, His form present, His līlā present, His paraphernalia present. Everything. Kṛṣṇa is not alone. We are not impersonalist. As soon as we say, "Kṛṣṇa," Kṛṣṇa means with His name, fame, opulence, entourage, pastime, etc. So Back to Godhead generally deals in two stages of understanding, the, to awaken the relationship and to train them. Although our aim is... That is our aim, to come to the highest platform of loving exchange, but generally, we are dealing with the mass of people. Therefore our propaganda should be how to, by reasoning, by philosophy, by science, by argument, how to convince him that he is in illusory stage.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Yogeśvara: ...there is giving. There is also taking. But it's not... The person who has achieved this ultimate perfection, whenever he takes, he immediately gives it to someone else.
Prabhupāda: That's all right. The transaction between two lovers, one gives, another takes. Sometimes one gives, another takes, another gives, and one takes. This is exchange. Similarly, feeding. I give something to my beloved to eat something. He also gives me something. I eat also. Similarly, I disclose my confidence unto my beloved. My beloved also discloses her or his confidence. These are loving exchanges.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda:
- dadāti pratigṛhṇāti
- guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati
- bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva
- ṣaḍ-vidhaṁ prīti-lakṣaṇam
Six kinds of loving exchange. One of them is bhuṅkte bhojayate. (Hindi conversation) This is, out of the six items, the two items. (Hindi) Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti. (Hindi) This is the science of love. Everything is there.
Ram Jethmalani: What are the other four? You told us two.
Prabhupāda: What is that?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He is asking what are the other four symptoms of loving exchanges.
Prabhupāda: These six is sufficient.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You gave two. He wanted to know what the first...
Prabhupāda: Oh, dadāti pratigṛhṇāti, to give and to accept. And (Hindi), to give him food, and when he offers, take it. You open your mind to him and let him open his mind to you.
| Page Title: | Loving exchanges |
| Compiler: | Siddha Rupa, Matea, Visnu Murti, Tugomera, Labangalatika, Ananda Sri |
| Created: | 21 of Jan, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=1, SB=1, CC=5, OB=6, Lec=7, Con=3, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 23 |