The Rāsa Dance: Introductory

Next, Twenty-ninth Chapter. Heading: "The Rasa Dance: Introductory."

Next paragraph.

In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, it is stated that the rasa dance took place on the full-moon night of sarat season. From the statement of previous chapters, it appears that the festival of Govardhana-pūja was performed just after the dark-moon night of the month of Karttika. Thereafter the ceremony of Bhratrdvitiya was performed, and then the wrath of Indra was exhibited in the shape of torrents of rain and hailstorm and Lord Krsna held up the Govardhana Hill for seven days, up to the ninth day of the moon. Thereafter, on the tenth day, the inhabitants of Vrndavana were talking amongst themselves about the wonderful activities of Krsna. And then next day, the Ekadasi day, was observed by Nanda Maharaja, and on the next day, Dvadasi, he went to take bath in the Ganges and was arrested by the men of Varuna, and he was released by Lord Krsna. Then Nanda Maharaja, along with other gopas, were shown the spiritual sky.

In this way, the full-moon night of sarat season was finished by that time. The full-moon night of Asvina is called saradiya-pūrnima. Therefore it appears from the statement of Srimad-Bhagavatam that Krsna had to wait for one year more before He had enjoyed the rasa dance with the gopis next year. So at the age of seven year, seventh year, He lifted up the Govardhana Hill. Therefore, rasa dance took place at the age of His eighth year.

From Vedic literature it appears that when a theatrical actor dances amongst many dancing girls, such group dance is called rasa dance. Krsna, when He saw the full night of the sarat season, decorated with various kinds of seasoned flowers, especially the mallika flowers, which are very fragrant, He remembered the gopis' prayers to the goddess Katyayani that they wanted to have Krsna as their husband. And in order to fulfill their desire, He thought that the full night of the season sarat was just suitable for having a nice dance amongst them so that their desire could be fulfilled to have Krsna as their husband.

In Srimad-Bhagavatam in this connection the exact word used is bhagavan api [SB 10.29.1].

This means although Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He has no want to be fulfilled because He is always full with six kinds of opulences. Still, He wanted to enjoy the company of the gopis. This means that this is not ordinary dancing of the young boys and the girls. The specific word used in this connection in the Srimad-Bhagavatam is yogamayam upasritaḥ [SB 10.29.1]. This yogamayam upasritam means that this dancing of Krsna with the gopis were on the platform of yogamaya, not mahamaya. Dancing of young boys and girls within this material world, they are in the kingdom of mahamaya, or the external energy. Therefore the situation is different from the rasa dance of Krsna with the gopis on the platform of yogamaya.

The difference between the platform of yogamaya and mahamaya is stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta as difference between gold and iron. From the point of metallic view, the gold and iron both are metals, but the quality is completely different. Similarly, although the rasa dance and Lord Krsna's association with the gopis appears like ordinary young boys and girls mixing together, but the quality is completely different, just like gold and iron. This difference is appreciated by great Vaisnavas because they can understand what is love of Krsna and what is lust.

On the mahamaya platform, such dance take place on the basis of sense gratification. Both the boy and the girl dancers have within themselves the desire for sense gratification. But here, when Krsna called the gopis by sounding His flute, the gopis very hurriedly rushed towards the spot of rasa dance just on the transcendental desire of satisfying Krsna. So the author of Caitanya-caritamrta, Krsnadasa Gosvami, has explained that lust means sense gratification, and love means the sense gratification but it is for Krsna. In other words, all activities when they are acted on the platform of sense gratification are called material activities. But when they are acted on the sense of satisfying Krsna, then it is spiritual activities. On any platform of activities, the principle of sense gratification is there. But in the spiritual platform, the sense gratification is for the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna, whereas in the material platform it is the sense gratification of the performer.

For example, in the material platform, when a servant serves a master, it is not on the basis of satisfying the sense of the master, but it is on the platform of satisfying the servant's senses. The servant would not serve the master when there is payment stopped. That means the servant engages himself in the service of the master just to satisfy his senses. On the spiritual platform, the servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead serves Krsna without any payment, and as such he continues his service in all conditions. That is the difference between Krsna consciousness and material consciousness.

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From the above statement it appears that Krsna enjoyed the rasa dance with the gopis when He was eight years old. At that time, many of the gopis were married, because in India, especially in those days, girls were married at very early age and some of the girls even give birth to child at the age of twelve. There are many instances. Under the circumstances, all the gopis who wanted to have Krsna as their husband were already married to different husbands. At the same time, they continued the hope of Krsna being their husband. Under the circumstances, the attitude of the gopis with Krsna were paramourous; therefore the loving affairs of Krsna with the gopis is called parakiya-rasa. This parakiya-rasa means that a married man or married wife who desire another extra wife or extra husband, this is called parakiya-rasa.

Actually, Krsna is the husband of everyone, because He is the supreme enjoyer. The gopis desired Krsna to be their husband, but factually, on the condition, there was not possibility of Krsna being married with all the gopis. And because still they unduly continued their natural tendency to accept Krsna as the supreme husband, the relationship between the gopis and Krsna is called parakiya-rasa. This parakiya-rasa is ever-existent in the Goloka Vrndavana of the spiritual sky, although there is no possibility of inebriety of the parakiya-rasa in the material world. In the material world the parakiya-rasa is abominable, whereas in the spiritual world this parakiya-rasa is the superexcellent relationship with Krsna and the gopis. There are many other relationship with Krsna: as master and servant, as friend and friend, as parents and the son, as lover and the beloved. Out of all these rasas, the parakiya-rasa is considered to be the topmost.

This material world is the perverted reflection of the spiritual world. Just like perverted reflection of a tree on the bank of a reservoir of water, with the topmost part of the tree is seen on the lowest status; similarly, this parakiya-rasa, when pervertedly reflected in this material world, this is the lowest abominable condition. When people, therefore, imitate the rasa dance of Krsna with the gopis, they simply enjoy the perverted, abominable condition of the transcendental parakiya-rasa. There is no possibility of enjoying this transcendental parakiya-rasa within this material world. It is stated, therefore, in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that one should not even imitate this parakiya-rasa dance of Krsna even by dream or imagination. Then they will be drinking the most venomous poison.

Next paragraph.

When Krsna, the supreme enjoyer, desired to enjoy the company of the gopis in that full-moon night of the sarat season, exactly at very moment, moon, the lord of the stars, appeared in the sky in its most beautiful feature, as it is known by everyone that the full moon night in the sarat season is the most beautiful night in the whole year. In India there is a great monument called Taj Mahal in Agra, a city in the Uttar Pradesh province, and the tomb is made of first-class marble stone. And during this night of full moon night of sarat season, even many foreigners go to see the beautiful reflection of the moon on the tomb, and it takes a great fair[?] in this condition. This full moon night is celebrated for its beauty.

When the full moon rose on the eastern side of the horizon, it looks everywhere tinged with reddish color, as if with the rising of the moon the whole sky was smeared by red kuhkuma. The example is given in this connection just like when a husband long separated from the wife comes back home, and after coming back, the system was that the husband decorates the face of the wife with red kuhkuma. Similarly, this long-expected moonrise of sarat season was compared that the moon, just after appearing on the eastern side, smeared over the wife with red kuhkuma. In other words, the appearance of the moon accelerated the desire of Krsna to dance with the gopis by many, many times.

All sides were decorated with nice flowers; the atmosphere was cooling and celebrating. When Lord Krsna began to blow on His flute, at that time the gopis all over the Vrndavana become very much enchanted, because the attraction of the vibration of the flute becomes a thousand times enchanting on account of the favorable condition rising of the full moon, making the whole horizon reddish and the atmosphere calm and cool with blooming flowers all over Vrndavana. All the gopis are by nature very much attracted to Krsna's beauty, and when they heard this vibration of His flute in this condition, naturally they also became apparently lustful for satisfying the senses of Krsna.

Thus immediately after hearing the vibration of Krsna's flute, they left their respective engagements everywhere and began to proceed to the spot where Krsna was standing. And while going very swiftly, all their earrings were swinging with great acceleration. All of them thus rushed towards the place which is known as Vamsivata. Some of the gopis were engaged in milking the cows, but immediately she left the milking business half finished and immediately became anxious to go to the spot where Krsna was playing His flute. Some of them just collected the milk and put the milk pan on the oven for boiling, but she did not care that the milk would be over-boiled and fall down, but immediately left that place for seeing Krsna. Some of them were feeding their small baby on the breast milk, and some of them were engaged in distributing foodstuff to the members of the family, but still, all of them left all such engagement and immediately began to rush towards the spot where Krsna was playing the flute.

Some of them were engaged in serving their husband, and some of them were themself engaged in eating their foodstuff, but they did not care either for such service to the husband or eating themself, but immediately they left. Some of them wanted to decorate their face with cosmetic ointments, and some of them wanted to dress themself very nicely before going to Krsna. But unfortunately they could not finish their cosmetic decoration or placing the dress in right place on account of their too much anxiety to meet Krsna immediately. The decoration on the face was hurriedly and half-hazardly finished, and the dress of the lower part was put on the upper part of the body and the dress of the upper part of the body was placed on the lower part of the body.

Next paragraph.

All the gopis thus being too much hurried and leaving their respective places, their husbands, brothers and fathers were all struck with wonder as to where they were going so hurriedly. Because young girls, they were being protected either by the husband or by the elderly brother or by father, and all of them prohibited them to go to Krsna in that way, but they did not care for any one of them. The reason is when a person becomes attracted by Krsna and becomes in full Krsna consciousness, he does not care for any worldly duties, even though very, very urgent. In other words, Krsna consciousness is so nice that it gives relief to everyone from all material activity.

Srila Rūpa Gosvami has written a very nice verse in this connection wherein he advises the role of a gopito another gopi. He says, "My dear friend, if you desire to enjoy in the company of material society, friendship and love, then please do not go to see the smiling figure of Govinda, who is standing on the bank of Yamuna and playing on His flute, dazzled by the glaring beams of full moonlight." Srila Rūpa Gosvami indirectly instructs that anyone who has been captivated by the beautiful smiling face of Krsna has lost all attraction for material enjoyment. This is the test of advancement of Krsna consciousness. That is to say, a person advancing in Krsna consciousness must lose interest in the affairs of material activities or for the matter of personal sense gratification.

Next paragraph.

Some of the gopis were factually detained not to go to Krsna by their husbands, and by force they were locked up within the room, and being unable to go to Krsna, they began to meditate upon the transcendental form of Krsna within the room by closing their eyes. They had already the forms of Krsna always thinking within the body…, within the mind, and proved to be the greatest yogi, as per statement in the Bhagavad-gita that a person who is constantly thinking of Krsna within his heart with faith and love, that person is considered to be topmost of all yogis. Actually, a yogis meditation is concentrating his mind unto the form of Lord Visnu. That is real yoga. Krsna is the original form of all visnu-tattvas. The gopis who could not go to Krsna personally, they began to meditate on Krsna as perfect yogi.

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In the conditioned stage of the living entity, there are two kinds of results of fruitive activities. The conditioned living entity who is constantly engaged in sinful activities, he has got a different result, suffering; and a conditioned living entity who is engaged in pious activities has got also separate result, namely material enjoyment. But in both the cases, either in material suffering or in material enjoyment, the enjoyer or sufferer is conditioned by the material nature.

The associate gopis of Krsna who assembled in the place where Krsna appeared from different groups. Most of the gopis are eternal companions of Krsna, as it is stated in the Brahma-samhita, ananda-cin-maya-rasa-pratibhavitabhiḥ [Bs 5.37]. This means that in the spiritual world, the associates of Krsna, especially the gopis, they are manifestation of the pleasure potency of Lord Krsna. That means they are expansion of Srimati Radharani. But when Krsna exhibits His transcendental pastimes within the material world in some of the universes, at that time not only the eternal associates of Krsna gopis come, but others also who are being promoted to that status from this material world, they also join. Under the circumstances that the gopis who join Lord Krsna's pastimes within this material world and coming from the status of ordinary human being, if they had any torrents of resultant fruitive action, their meditation on Krsna purified them fully from the reaction of karma by constant meditation. Their severe painful feelings on account of not being able to see Krsna made them free from all sinful reactions, and their ecstasy of transcendental love for Krsna in the absence of Krsna was to end their all reaction of material pious activities.

The conditioned soul is subjected to birth and death, either by pious activities or sinful activities, but the gopis who began to meditate on Krsna, they transcended both positions and became purified as good as the gopis already expanded by pleasure potency. In this way, all the gopis having concentrated their minds on Krsna in the spirit of paramourous love became fully uncontaminated by all fruitive reactions of material nature, and some of them immediately gave up their material bodies developed under the modes of three material nature.

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When Maharaja Pariksit was hearing Sukadeva Gosvami explaining the situation of the gopis in the matter of their assembling with Krsna in the rasa dance, and when he heard that some of the gopis, simply by concentrating on Krsna as their paramourous lover, became freed from all contamination of material birth and death, he inquired, "The gopis did not know that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They accepted Krsna as a beautiful boy and considered Him as their paramour, and still how it was possible to get free from material conditions thinking of a paramour?"

The idea is that Krsna or any ordinary living being, qualitatively they are one. The ordinary living beings, being part and parcel of Krsna, they are also Brahma, but Krsna being the Supreme, He is Parabrahma. If it is possible to get free from the material contaminated stage simply thinking of Krsna for them, why not others who are also thinking of somebody, either husband or son or somehow or other thinking of another living entity, and the living entities being also Brahma, why they are not freed from the contaminated stage of material nature?

This is very intelligent question, because there are always atheist class of men imitating the position of Krsna. Especially in these days of Kali-yuga, there are many, many rascals who think of themselves as good as Krsna and mislead people that thinking of him is as good as thinking of Lord Krsna. Pariksit Maharaja, appreciating the future dangerous condition of blind followers of rascal imitation Krsna, put this question, and fortunately it is recorded in the Srimad-Bhagavatam to warn innocent people that thinking of ordinary man and thinking of Krsna is not on the same level. What to speak of ordinary man, even thinking of the demigods cannot be equivalent with the thinking of Krsna.

This is also warned in Vaisnava tantra, that anyone who puts Visnu or Narayana or Krsna on the same level of the demigods, such person is called pasanḍa, or the person rascal number one. So on hearing this question of Maharaja Pariksit, Sukadeva Gosvami also replied him as follows: "My dear King, this question is already answered to you before this incidence."

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As Pariksit Maharaja wanted to clear the situation very intelligently, similarly, his spiritual master answered him also very intelligently that "Why you are asking again the same subject matter which is already explained to you? Why you are so forgetful?" The spiritual master is always on the superior position, so he has the right to chastise his disciple in this way, although Sukadeva Gosvami knew the mind of Maharaja Pariksit that he did not put the question for his understanding; he simply put that question for warning to the future innocent people that they should not think of others equal to Krsna.

He reminded Pariksit Maharaja about the salvation of Sisupala. Sisupala was always envious of Krsna, and even on account of his enviousness he was killed by Krsna. But on account of Krsna's being the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he also got salvation simply by seeing Krsna. Then what to speak of the gopis, who are so dear to Krsna? If the envious person can get salvation simply by concentrating his mind on Krsna, then what to speak of others who are always thinking of Krsna in love. There must be some sort of difference between the enemies and the friends. If Krsna's enemies could get freed from material contamination and become one with the Supreme, then what to speak of so much dear friends like the gopis of Krsna.

Besides that, Krsna is Hrsikesa. It is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita, and in this connection Sukadeva Gosvami also said that Krsna is Hrsikesa, the Supersoul, whereas an ordinary man is conditioned soul, he is covered by material body. Krsna and Krsna's body are the same, because He is Hrsikesa. Any foolish person making a distinction between Krsna and Krsna's body is also fool number one. Krsna is Hrsikesa and Adhoksaja. These two particular words have been used by Pariksit Maharaja in this connection. Hrsikesa is the Supersoul and Adhoksaja is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, transcendental to the material nature. Just to show favor to the ordinary living entities, out of His causeless mercy He appears as He is. Unfortunately, foolish person, they mistake Him as ordinary person and they become eligible for being pushed into the hell. Sukadeva Gosvami reconfirmed the position of Krsna that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, imperishable, immeasurable, free from all material contamination of…

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Krsna, tape number twenty-nine, dated 31st August, 1969. Chapter Twenty-nine continued.

So Sukadeva Gosvami continued to inform Maharaja Pariksit that Krsna is not ordinary person. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, imperishable, immeasurable, without any material qualities but full of spiritual qualities, and He appears on this material world out of His causeless mercy. But whenever He appears, He appears as He is, without any change. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita. Lord says that "I appear in My spiritual potency." He does not appear under the control of this material potency. The material potency is under His control. That is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, that the material potency is working under His superintendence. This is also confirmed in the Brahma-samhita that the material potency, known as Durga, is acting just like a shadow moves with the movement of the substance.

Therefore, the conclusion is that somehow or other if you become attached to Krsna or attracted by Him either on account of His beauty or quality or opulence or fame or strength or renunciation or knowledge, or even by lust, even by anger, even by fear or affection, friendship, everyone should somehow or other be attracted by Krsna; then his salvation and freedom from this material contamination is assured.

In the Bhagavad-gita, Eighteenth Chapter, it is also stated by the Lord that anyone who is engaged in the preaching work of Krsna consciousness is very dear to Him. Because the preacher has to face so many difficulties and obstacles for preaching pure Krsna consciousness, and sometimes he has to suffer bodily injuries, and sometimes he has to meet with death also. So all these things are taken as great austerities on behalf of Krsna, and Krsna therefore said that such preacher is very, very dear to Him. If Krsna's enemies can expect salvation simply by concentrating his mind on Him, then what to speak of persons who are so dear to Krsna.

Therefore the conclusion should be that those who are engaged in the preaching work of Krsna consciousness in the world, their salvation is guaranteed in all circumstances, although such preachers never care for such salvation because factually anyone who is engaged in Krsna consciousness or devotional service, their salvation is already achieved. Sukadeva Gosvami therefore assured King Pariksit that he should not be astonished how it so happened. He should always be rest assured that anyone attracted by Krsna must attain liberation from material bondage because Krsna is transcendental and the master of all mystic power.

Next paragraph.

When all the gopis assembled in this way before Krsna, He began to speak to them, welcoming them, as well as discouraging them by jugglery of words. Krsna is the supreme speaker. He is the speaker of Bhagavad-gita. He can speak the highest elevated subject matter of philosophy, politics, economics and everything. And what to think of His speaking before the gopis, who were so dear to Him? He wanted to enchant them more by jugglery of words, and thus He began to speak as follows.

"O the ladies of Vrndavana, you are very fortunate and you are very dear to Me. I am very much pleased that you have come here. I hope everything is well in Vrndavana. So please order Me, what can I do for you. What is the purpose of coming here at this dead of night? Kindly take your seat and let Me know what can I do for you."

In this way, when Krsna began to receive them very officially, showing all kinds of etiquette, the gopis who came to Krsna for a different purpose of enjoying His company, dancing with Him, embracing Him and kissing Him, they felt surprised that Krsna was treating them as ordinary society woman. Therefore they began to smile amongst themselves and, very eagerly and surprisingly, was hearing Krsna talking in that way. Then Krsna began to instruct them: "My dear friends, you must know now it is dead of night, and the appearance is very fearful. It is fearful…

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[What Follows is Out of Sequence].