Tag Archive for: RadhasSeva

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Radharani’s Manjaris: Tattva & Lilas 002

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

This series of posts will present facts (tattva) regarding the identity, moods (gopi-bhava), intimacy and sevas of Srimati Radharani’s beautiful and talented handmaidens known as manjaris, kinkaris, or dasis.

Also we will present many astonishing and wonderful lilas to highlight the manjaris most personal and confidential sevas to Srimati Radhika and Her dearest Priyatama Shyamasundara.

The information here is based on the commentaries of Advaitavamsa Acharya 108 Sri Ananda Gopala Goswami and 108 Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja taken from “Vilapa Kusumanjali” and “Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi” translated by Sri Advaita Dasji.

Manjari Tattva: Separation in Vraja Bhajan

When the mind is very agitated by feelings of separation from Radha and Krishna the loving devotee may feel helpless or unfortunate, unable to see an end to it. However, when accomplished devotees experience strong feelings of love-in-separation from Radharani, they sometimes get a vision, sphurti, of Srimati which helps them stay alive. Then there’s no end to the bliss one feels in being close to the beloved again!

This constant succession of meeting and separation from Srimati Radhika puts the devotee in an indescribable condition. The pain of separation becomes so severe that it wipes the remembrance of the just-experienced bliss of union out of the mind. In such a condition only another such vision can keep the devotee alive. This is the specialty of the love of Vraja and it is the great treasure of the Vraja-rasa-upasaka.

Manjari Tattva: Acquaintance with Radhika

Can the devotee continue if one does not even get slightly acquainted with Radharani? How can we advance towards someone we have never seen, who is beyond our purview?

Such a devotee laments, “I could not get acquainted with Swamini Radha who is everything to me! I never even think of the maidservice of Sri Radha, to whom my merciful Guru has introduced me! My bodily consciousness is so strong, everything is averse to the mood I desire! What a waste of life if I don’t even get slightly acquainted with Radhika who makes even the supreme master of all material and spiritual worlds faint just by casting a single sidelong glance at Him!

“Yet at the same time I am drawn towards Radharani’s lotus feet by a strong desire to reach them. O Swamini! If You just once stay in my thoughts or in my dreams, then I will be consoled! Please respond, O Swamini! Just tell me once “You are Mine!” I am sitting here at Radha-kunda just waiting for that and nothing else!”

When the devotee is so anxiously and exclusively waiting, everything else will become insignificant and one will slowly be drawn to Radharani’s lotus feet through one’s experiences. The soothing moonlight that emanates from Sri Radha’s beautiful toenails will illuminate the heart of any devotee who develops such intense devotion. Not only that, but Krishna Himself will come running to anyone who meditates on Sri Radhika’s lotus feet and who hears and chants about Radha. Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

Manjari Lila: Applying Radha’s Footlac

Radha-Madhava are enjoying in a kunja and Tulasi manjari, who is non-different from Swamini in heart and body, is fanning Them. Nagara Shyam then eagerly sits down at Swamini’s feet to decorate Her.

Praneshvari orders, “Smear footlac around My feet!” Shyam starts the job holding Radha’s feet to His chest, but then Krishna gets lost in their sweetness while looking at them. Impatiently Swamini says: “What are You doing? Quickly put that lac on! What will My sakhis say if they see Me like this?”

But Krishna sometimes holds Radha’s feet to His chest, sometimes kisses them, and sometimes also paints some lac on them with trembling hands. Noticing Krishna’s inability to get the job done, Srimati says, “O Sundara! It’s obvious You cannot do it! Tulasi, come, put on My footlac!”

This makes Shyam think to Himself: “Alas! How unqualified I am!” Getting Swamini’s order, Tulasi softly pushes Shyam aside while saying: “Move over!  Through You it will never be done, so I’ll do it!”

Radharani’s manjaris ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe! 

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Radharani’s Manjaris: Tattva & Lilas 001

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

This series of posts will present facts (tattva) regarding the identity, moods (gopi-bhava), intimacy and sevas of Srimati Radharani’s beautiful and talented handmaidens known as manjaris, kinkaris, or dasis.

Also we will present many astonishing and wonderful lilas to highlight the manjaris most personal and confidential sevas to Srimati Radhika and Her dearest Priyatama Shyamasundara.

The information here is based on the commentaries of Advaitavamsa Acharya 108 Sri Ananda Gopala Goswami and 108 Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja taken from “Vilapa Kusumanjali” and “Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi” translated by Sri Advaita Dasji.

Manjari Tattva: Forms of Seva

Just as Radhika is the personification of the topmost maha bhava, Radha’s maidservants are the personifications of seva rasa (the divine mellow of service). Their very forms are made of seva rasa. No one understands Radha-Krishna’s desires as well as Radha’s manjaris. The maidservants are like the Cintamani-stones that fulfil the desires of both Radha and Krishna.

Sometimes Krishna pitifully prays to the manjaris for Radharani’s mercy. In the same way, when Radhika desires to meet Krishna, She also takes shelter of the kinkaris, who are one with Radha’s heart. Within Their minds Radha Shyamsundara praise the wonderful seva expertise the manjaris.

All the activities of Radhika’s maidservants are meant for the pleasure of Radha-Madhava. Indeed, they lose themselves in the ecstasy of serving Yugala Kishora and are thus blessed with the sweet savour of Their love. The experience of the sweetness and beauty of serving Shyama Ju as Her kinkari is incomparable.

The manjaris can understand what Swamini needs during Her pastimes with Krishna and they know what pastimes will be played. So they go ahead of Lila Yugala and decorate the kunja accordingly before Radha and Krishna get there.

They make a bed with one pillow for only one person to lie on. They know by experience what pastime will be performed! Kishori Rai’s sakhis know that the kinkaris have entrance into the intimate pastimes, so they engage them accordingly.

Manjari Lila: Kick Krishna Out of the Kunja

One day Swamini is angry with Shyam, so Krishna comes to Her kunja dressed as a girl trying to please Her. But Swamini gives a hint to Tulasi manjari to kick Krishna out of the kunja, saying, “I will not look at this cheater anymore! I will keep the wealth of My honour! Subala’s friend has entered My kunja disguised as a girl! Stop Him!”

Tulasi then tells Krishna: “O rogue! There are no demons here that You can delude in Your enchanting dress like Mohini! We are Radha’s kinkaris, we understand all Your tricks! Realize Your own deceitfulness and get out of this kunja!”

Manjari Tattva: Eagerness for Swamini’s Seva

When one becomes absorbed in one’s spiritual identification (siddha deha) one can give up the false identification with the material body. When the devotee experiences the taste, smell, form, sound and touch of sweet Radha, one starts yearning greatly to attain the Radharani and always prays: “Your surrendered devotees experience the pinnacle of bliss. But I am so unfortunate that I don’t feel anything!

“O Vrndavana! Where is that Divine Couple, tell me! In which kunja must I search? I’m calling, but They don’t respond! How can I be satisfied?”

In this way, the practicing devotee will slowly attain the stage of divine madness. If Swamini appears sometimes like a lightning flash, only then there will be consolation!

Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami was always very eager to attain Radha and Krishna, and always lamenting without a moments peace. The service of Sri Radha is only understood with the proper feelings, which one will attain by the mercy of the great devotees like Sri Rupa Goswamipada and Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami.

Dasa Goswamis prays: ‘Ha Swamini! You are playing in the forest around Radha-kunda, which is Your favorite place in Vraja! There’s no more beautiful place for You and Your Priyatama to play than this one! But I’m so unfortunate that I cannot see You, although I’m living in this forest around Your kunda!’

Radharani’s Manjaris ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Essence of Raganuga Bhakti

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

In 6 verses (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.291-296), Sri Rupa Goswamipada teaches the main principles and practices of raganuga-bhakti. After learning these at the feet of my teacher, we wrote this article about cultivating manjari/gopi bhava as a handmaiden, dasi manjari of Srimati Radharani.  

A raganuga sadhaka pursuing the madhurya-rati of Sri Krishna’s ragatmika devotees in Vrndavana will mainly concentrate on the different sevas and feelings of a few manjaris. The supreme goal of a sadhaka manjari is the happiness and pleasure of Sri Radha, and Her beloved Sri Krishna.

Gaudiya Vaisnava sastra mention over 150 different sevas of the manjaris. The sadhaka will read about the different sevas performed by the manjaris Sri Rupa, Tulasi (Raghunatha Dasa Goswami), Vinoda-vallari (Visvanatha Cakravarti), and Campaka (Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura), and as described in Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi. While meditating on Radha-Krishna’s eternal Vraja-lilas, the raganuga sadhaka will think, “I am serving, assisting, and helping Radharani along with these manjaris and my Guru sakhi manjari.”

The sadhaka can also think, “I am meditating on all these different sevas. But sometimes I am all alone with Sri Radha or with others. I am taking the lead and personally doing all these wonderful sevas for Radhika’s pleasure throughout the day and night (asta-kaliya-lila).”

While reading about the sevas and interactions of the four manjaris mentioned about, I will observe and relish their feelings and intimate loving exchanges with Radhika, Krishna and one another. I will personally identify with those feelings as being my own, or at least what I am aspiring to attain. 

Being Radha’s kinkari or loving manjari, I possess tad-tad bhavecchatmika bhava or devotion. This means I only desire to identify with, nourish, and experience the quality but never the quantity of the ecstatic feelings i.e. bhava that Sri Radhika relishes within Her heart during Her intimacies with Syama. I share Radha’s feelings but not Her enjoyment.

As Radha’s confidential manjari, I am also bhava-tadatmya, which means I am one in feelings and thoughts with Radhika. Radha is in my heart and I am in Hers. This is my natural svabhava, the very way I am. Whatever Radha feels produces the thoughts of what Radha needs, which immediately manifest in my mind as I carefully focus at every moment on perfectly serving and pleasing my Pranesvari Sri Radha. Thus Radha never has to tell me what to do because I already know.

Radha’s anxieties and needs are all that matters to me, and not the bliss and incredible transcendental ecstasy that automatically arises by attending to Swamini. Radha is the sole mistress of my life. I am totally made of service. I exist only to serve and please Radha throughout the day. Radha’s joy is my joy—Radha’s distress is my distress.

“O Radha! I am Yours! I am Yours! I cannot live without You. So please understand this and bring me to Your lotus feet.”

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!  Sri Sri Sita Advaita Prabhu ki jai! Sri Gurudeva ki jai!