In Srimad Bhagavatam, one finds Krishna attracting all women, who are ready to accept Him as their husband. It is said, that He is called Madan, the enchanter of the Cupid, thus He can attract both men and women. What is so attractive in Krishna that He can attract the both sexes??? Does He attract the men in the same way as He attracts women?? In Krishna lila, we don't find any men getting attracted by Krishna's beauty, even though they can't help admiring His sublime beauty, but we don't find them entering into a conjugal relationship with Krishna like the gopis. So, what attracts men to Krishna??
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Thankx prabhuji for sharing ur views!!! I, think the unity of Pramatman and Jivatman forms the basis of the conjugal love. While dancing with Krishna, a time came when gopis lost their body-consciouness and entered into perfect samadhi like gopis. Krishna Himself says in Srimad Bhagavatam, that while the gopis used to think about Him, they used to lose their body consciouness, and used to shout like mad women-'I'm Krishna!! I'm Krishna!!' That was the state of perfect samadhi. While gopis touched Krishna, they felt a kind of horripilation which is usually felt by Paramhamsas, a kind of divine afflautus!!! I think, even if a man touches Krishna in the same mood, He will experience the same trance!! So, I think we all have a particular kind of relationship with Krishna which lies buried, we have to dig it out and polish and re-establish it. So since the relationship is on the spiritual plane, sex will least matter. If men r not attracted by His beauty, then He can't be 'all-attractive.' So I think, it's not about men or women, it's all about the soul being attracted by the Supreme Soul.
The book Bhakti-Rasamrta-Sindhu (Nectar of Devotion) written by Sri Rupa Gosvami and summarised by his divine Grace Srila Prabhupada provides detailed explanations of different relationships that one can have with Sri Krsna including conjugal attraction.
Taking his permission, I will quote some parts of the book which provide answers to your questions.
"The development of conjugal love for Krishna is not manifested in women only. The material body has nothing to do with spiritual loving affairs. A woman may develop an attitude for becoming a friend of Krsna, and similarly, a man may develop the feature of becoming a gopi in Vrindavana. How a devotee in the form of a man can desire to become a gopi is stated in the Padma Purana as follows: In days gone by there were many sages in Dandakaranya. Dandakaranya is the name of the forest where Lord Ramachandra lived after being banished by His father for fourteen years. At that time, there were many advanced sages who were captivated by the beauty of Lord Ramachandra and who desired to become women in order to embrace the Lord. They knew that although Ramachandra was an ideal king and could not accept more than one wife, Lord Krsna, being the full-fledged Personality of Godhead, could fulfill the desires of all of them in Vrndavana. Lord Ramchandra remained silent, and His silence shows that He accepted the prayers of the sages. Thus, they were blessed by Lord Ramachandra to have association with Lord Krsna in their future lives.
Conjugal love is divided into two classifications - namely, conjugal love as husband and wife and conjugal love as lover and beloved. One who develops conjugal love for Krsna as wife is promoted to Dwaraka, where the devotee becomes the queen of the Lord. One who develops conjugal love for Krsna as a lover is promoted to Goloka Vrndavana, to associate with the gopis and enjoy loving affairs with Krsna there. We should carefully note, however, that this conjugal love for Krsna, either as a gopi or as a queen, is not limited to women. Even men can develop such sentiments, as was evidenced by the sages of Dandakaranya."
In the Srimad Bhagavatam first canto,the following is mentioned.
"The Lord is always described as the parama-purusa, or the supreme male personality. Thus the affection between the Lord and the living entities is something like that between the male and the female. "
In the Srimad Bhagavatam fifth canto, the following is mentioned.
"Everyone should perfectly understand that Krsna is the real husband of all living entities, who are described in the Bhagavad-gita as prakrti (female), not purusa (male). In Bhagavad-gita (10.12), only Krsna is addressed as purusa:
You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal divine person. You are the primal God, transcendental and original, and You are the unborn and allpervading beauty. Krsna is the original purusa, and the living entities are prakrti. Thus Krsna is the enjoyer, and all living entities are meant to be enjoyed by Him.
One word of caution though. From the Srimad Bhagavatam first canto:
" Unscrupulous persons go immediately to the Tenth Canto and especially to the five chapters which describe the Lord's rasa dance. This portion of the Srimad-Bhagavatam is the most confidential part of this great literature. Unless one is thoroughly accomplished in the transcendental knowledge of the Lord, one is sure to misunderstand the Lord's worshipable transcendental pastimes called rasa dance and His love affairs with the gopis. This subject matter is highly spiritual, and only the liberated persons who have gradually attained to the stage of paramahamsa can transcendentally relish this rasa dance."
It is very important to ensure that we progress through the regulated instructions and practices before reading topics of conjugal affairs or lust can easily capture our minds even in a subtle way.
I hope these explanations are sufficient but let me know if more information is needed. There is a limitation in the number of characters that can be posted in one reply.
Yes, that I understand, I think the question is not quite natty, what I meant to say is , can men enjoy madhur ras with Krishna?? If so, what becomes the attracting factor that attracts men to Him?? Is it the same that attracts Gopis to Him, i.e. the transcendental beauty??? Or does men get attracted to Him in the mode of sakhya rasa ??? Because, in Krishna lila, we don't find any man enjoying madhur ras with Krishna??
Replies
Thankx prabhuji for sharing ur views!!! I, think the unity of Pramatman and Jivatman forms the basis of the conjugal love. While dancing with Krishna, a time came when gopis lost their body-consciouness and entered into perfect samadhi like gopis. Krishna Himself says in Srimad Bhagavatam, that while the gopis used to think about Him, they used to lose their body consciouness, and used to shout like mad women-'I'm Krishna!! I'm Krishna!!' That was the state of perfect samadhi. While gopis touched Krishna, they felt a kind of horripilation which is usually felt by Paramhamsas, a kind of divine afflautus!!! I think, even if a man touches Krishna in the same mood, He will experience the same trance!! So, I think we all have a particular kind of relationship with Krishna which lies buried, we have to dig it out and polish and re-establish it. So since the relationship is on the spiritual plane, sex will least matter. If men r not attracted by His beauty, then He can't be 'all-attractive.' So I think, it's not about men or women, it's all about the soul being attracted by the Supreme Soul.
Dear Prabhu,
The book Bhakti-Rasamrta-Sindhu (Nectar of Devotion) written by Sri Rupa Gosvami and summarised by his divine Grace Srila Prabhupada provides detailed explanations of different relationships that one can have with Sri Krsna including conjugal attraction.
Taking his permission, I will quote some parts of the book which provide answers to your questions.
"The development of conjugal love for Krishna is not manifested in women only. The material body has nothing to do with spiritual loving affairs. A woman may develop an attitude for becoming a friend of Krsna, and similarly, a man may develop the feature of becoming a gopi in Vrindavana. How a devotee in the form of a man can desire to become a gopi is stated in the Padma Purana as follows: In days gone by there were many sages in Dandakaranya. Dandakaranya is the name of the forest where Lord Ramachandra lived after being banished by His father for fourteen years. At that time, there were many advanced sages who were captivated by the beauty of Lord Ramachandra and who desired to become women in order to embrace the Lord. They knew that although Ramachandra was an ideal king and could not accept more than one wife, Lord Krsna, being the full-fledged Personality of Godhead, could fulfill the desires of all of them in Vrndavana. Lord Ramchandra remained silent, and His silence shows that He accepted the prayers of the sages. Thus, they were blessed by Lord Ramachandra to have association with Lord Krsna in their future lives.
Conjugal love is divided into two classifications - namely, conjugal love as husband and wife and conjugal love as lover and beloved. One who develops conjugal love for Krsna as wife is promoted to Dwaraka, where the devotee becomes the queen of the Lord. One who develops conjugal love for Krsna as a lover is promoted to Goloka Vrndavana, to associate with the gopis and enjoy loving affairs with Krsna there. We should carefully note, however, that this conjugal love for Krsna, either as a gopi or as a queen, is not limited to women. Even men can develop such sentiments, as was evidenced by the sages of Dandakaranya."
In the Srimad Bhagavatam first canto,the following is mentioned.
"The Lord is always described as the parama-purusa, or the supreme male personality. Thus the affection between the Lord and the living entities is something like that between the male and the female. "
In the Srimad Bhagavatam fifth canto, the following is mentioned.
"Everyone should perfectly understand that Krsna is the real husband of all living entities, who are
described in the Bhagavad-gita as prakrti (female), not purusa (male). In
Bhagavad-gita (10.12), only Krsna is addressed as purusa:
param brahma param dhama
pavitram paramam bhavan
purusam sasvatam divyam
adi-devam ajam vibhum
You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal divine person. You are the primal God, transcendental and original, and You are the unborn and allpervading
beauty. Krsna is the original purusa, and the living entities are prakrti. Thus Krsna is the enjoyer, and all living entities are meant to be enjoyed by Him.
One word of caution though. From the Srimad Bhagavatam first canto:
" Unscrupulous persons go immediately to the Tenth Canto and especially to the five chapters which describe the Lord's rasa dance. This portion of the Srimad-Bhagavatam is the most confidential part of this great literature. Unless one is thoroughly accomplished in the transcendental knowledge of the Lord, one is sure to misunderstand the Lord's
worshipable transcendental pastimes called rasa dance and His love affairs with the gopis. This subject matter is highly spiritual, and only the liberated persons who have gradually attained to the stage of paramahamsa can transcendentally relish this rasa dance."
It is very important to ensure that we progress through the regulated instructions and practices before reading topics of conjugal affairs or lust can easily capture our minds even in a subtle way.
I hope these explanations are sufficient but let me know if more information is needed. There is a limitation in the number of characters that can be posted in one reply.