Highest and Rarest

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Vaishnav Seva Programme, Bangaon,
31 January 2021, part 7

We have heard so many scriptures: Srimad Bhagavad-gita, Garuda Purana, Agni Purana, Vishnu Purana, Padma Purana, there is also a Purana about Sivji Maharaj—we have seen so many scriptures, we have heard so many scriptures, and we have read so many scriptures, but somebody can ask, "You say that Bhagavatam is the highest scripture, why is there no mention of Srimati Radharani's glories? Why is Her Name not even mention in it?" Do you know that there is no mention of Srimati Radharani's Name anywhere in Bhagavatam? Her devotion is so high that when Sukadev Goswami was speaking Bhagavatam, he became reserved and did not mention Her Name: it is not good to have this kind of topic written or spoken in public. That is why Sukadev did not mention Her Name. However, he did speak about the great devotion of Prahlad Maharaj.

মধুর বৃন্দা বিপিন-মাধুরী
প্রবেশ চাতুরী সার ।
বরজ-যুবতী ভাবের ভকতি
শকতি হইত কার ? ॥

madhura vrnda-vipina madhuri
pravesa chaturi sara
varaja-yuvati bhavera bhakati
sakati ha-ita kara?

Who would have the great expertise needed to enter into the sweetness of sweet Vrindavan? Who would have any qualification for the Vraja-gopis' ecstatic devotion?

The devotion of the Vraja gopis is uncomparable—it is impossible to even utter anything about it. If Gauranga had not come, who would have known about it? If we were not worshipping Gauranga, then we would have known nothing about the devotion of the Vraja gopis, we would have not understood anything about the madhurya lila of Krishna (the pastimes and glories of Sri Radha and Sri Krishna). That is why it is said: Who has the power to tell about all this? He who has taken Radharani's heart and halo has this power, nobody else. Gauranga Mahaprabhu came to this world having taken Sri Radha's heart and halo, and He is the one who revealed the glory of Radharani in this world. Except for Him, nobody else has ever done it or could have done it.

Among the Vraja gopis, there are first gopis, then sakhis, and finally manjaris. The devotion of manjaris (Rupa Manjari, Lavanga Manjari, and others) is exceptional—they are young girls, younger than nine years old, and their love for Krishna is absolutely exclusive. However, they never cross Radharani. That is why it is said:

মধুর বৃন্দা বিপিন-মাধুরী
প্রবেশ চাতুরী সার ।
বরজ-যুবতী ভাবের ভকতি
শকতি হইত কার ? ॥

madhura vrnda- vipina madhuri
pravesa chaturi sara
varaja-yuvati bhavera bhakati
sakati ha-ita kara?

Who would have the great expertise needed to enter into the sweetness of sweet Vrindavan? Who would have any qualification for the Vraja-gopis' ecstatic devotion?

Who has the power to speak about the devotion of the Vraja gopis? Vasu Gosh Thakur wrote it very nicely in this song. The devotion of the Vraja gopis is extremely highest. They do not know or even want their own happiness. "Nija sukha bhuli, sudina-hrdaya: forget our own happiness and have a very humble heart." They have forgotten their own happiness...

[Clamour coming from the kitchen.] They are cooking and talking, and their spit is falling on what they are cooking. So, all Vaishnavs will take their remnants. Very good... You must keep quiet. You can only chant "Krishna, Krishna" quietly. The problem is that you cannot concentrate your mind on anything. There is a saying in English: too many cooks spoil the broth (Bengali: অতি সন্ন্যাসীতে গাজন নষ্ট)...

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