Supreme light of Krishna’s glory transforms the whole world into light, writes Dr ASHA GOSWAMI
Self communion begins thus — what word can describe that personae, messenger of love and non violence, and supreme teacher of unique religious practices, ideals and worship to god — “in the name of nature’s worship, social services [lokasamgaraha], doing one’s dutiful acts in earnest, seeing God as identical with the best of the species in the world.”
While traversing his glory, the words dissolve and the persisting silence is followed by pronouncing Shri Krishna, the great wonderheld: Chitram aho vichitram aho. He is the one lord who fills the whole world with his glory and supereminence and with his raasa play, which is beyond the reach of speech and mind when we the jivas as spectators are blessed with experiences of his majestic closeness and proximity which he had provided to each and every gopi participating in that dance.
He thereby leads them to forget their specific individuality [ahamkritabhaava] and merge in that samadhi in the dance form, which is eternal as it occurs every moment in the infinite space of consciousness representing Vrindavana which also sounds akin to the very human heart that longs for him. His movements during this raasa dance samadhi provide us with a spectacular vision and glimpses of his perennial leela [play] which he has to perform non-stop in the form of furthering the mundane world with all its requisites. We, the countless jivas representing the gopis, are not mere spectators of this cosmic play or leela of the lord but are also participants discharging individual specific roles of our life which are also the part and parcel of his eternal leela, known as raasa.
The best of the leelas of the lord is his eternal act which is going on since ages during all the kalpas for redeeming his true devotees. The chamber of thisleela of the lord which is known as raasamandala signifies a circle of a definite space situated in a true Krishna devotee’s pure heart which is endowed with intense love and devotion for the lord. The lord’s raasa in company of the gopis and Radha, who are nonetheless the embodiments of the lord’s own energies, makes us realise his omnipresence when we experience him as providing close proximity to each and every gopi participating in theraasa.
However, each and every enlightened jiva may experience the same state within his spiritual seat at the head of what is known as ‘a thousand petalled lotus’ ie, sahasradalakamala representing Vrindavana, the abode of Nanda who himself is the embodiment of the sweetened devotion, known as madhuraabhakti. This is because he is the main force behind bringing in Shri Krishna’s blissful form as Nandakumara who has served as a great medium for fulfilling a devotee’s urge to experience the highest fellowship with Krishna. And this blissful personae is none other than the son of Nanda at Gokula and the sportive youth playing with the gopas and thegopis at Vrindavana.
According to the Bhagavata Purana, his manifestation as ‘All Bliss: Raso vaisah’ is best experienced by a gopi during raasa; the gopi who sat there like a yogi fully immersed in blissful state of enjoying monistic relations between her and the lord just like that between a jiva and the supreme Brahma’s exclamations, “I am the soul of the Universe; substrate of mind, sense, gunas and everything in the universe.” Such experience of thegopi sounds similar to that of a yogi who, once having enjoyed the spiritual bliss in the form of theraasa dance, is repeatedly experiencing the same within her/his consciousness with the help of the awakened kundalini power and the mental faculties which are represented by Radha and the gopis engrossed in the spectacular movements of theraasa dance.
Moreover, his playing the flute during raasa’s enactment representing the infinite sweet musical sound “Om” generated from every cosmic sphere, signifies word of God and manifestation of truth in the form of spiritual delight which is transferred through the breath of Almighty’s lips and serves as summon call to his true devotees to come back to their lord who being endowed with the finest essence of all things that are most beautiful, is Krishna, synonymous of an all-attracting beauty force acting within its inherent attractiveness which is sweet and filled with blessings.
Thus, his glory being unsurpassed there, draws a maxim that to think of him, salute him and worship him, cleanses one’s sins at once: Janasya sadyo vidhunoti kalmasham, known and remembered through varied names, epithets due to his unique physical traits and marvellous acts. His typical dark hue with its sensitive magnetic effects attract all the beings to himself so he is rightly called shyama, ‘shyaayate gacchati manah asminniti shyamah’.
But, due to his motto of unceasing action he is also best known by the most attractive name, Krishna, signifying, ‘one who is always tireless in action:Aklishtakarman’. Herein lies the supreme light of his glory which transforms the whole world into light itself. Infinite is his power. Whatever is manifested as the name and form in this universe and every person here with varied temperaments, constitute his variegated personae. Through spiritual knowledge, he is experienced as the infinite space as well as the infinite time. Through religiocentric approach, he is experienced as all eternal, omnipotent and omnipresent.
Through the medieval age bhakti, he is experienced as the most adorable and lovable personal god following strictly all the patterns of Indian mythology. His all majesty, lordship, glory blended with lofty, pure, self-sacrificing nature sound similar to that of the Greek deities Aphrodite and Adonis. While his sensual personality traits sound like those of Egyptian gods Isis and Osiris. His Bhagavad Gita teachings proving storehouse of supreme knowledge are source of aspirations and guidance to the countless people all over the globe. While, his enchanting personae smiling, dancing among all the beings representing the gopas andgopis, entices them to live up to his ideals.
The writer is a noted Indologist and authority on Krishnaite studies