Why the devotees in Iskcon or particularly the devotees of Gaudiya sampraday are taught Manjari bhav??

hare krsna

there is no offense pr but it depends on sadhaka's bhava.i would like to quote saraswati thakur regarding it.

Shri Radhika is realizable as the Counter-Whole of the Personal Absolute. She is the Predominated Moiety of the Absolute-Whole. Shri Krishna, in regard to Shri Radhika is the Predominating Moiety. The conception of Male and Female refers to the principle of Personality. As both Personalities are fully Divine, no grossness or inadequacy of the corresponding mundane conception need be imported into the subject. But it is imperative to admit the absolute logical validity, under the reservation of inconceivability by our present understanding of the conception of the Divine Pair possessing actual Male and Female Spiritual Forms.

Shri Radhika is the Eternal Associated Counter-Whole of Shri Krishna, Her Male Consort. Shri Radhika is the source of all individual souls whose function is to be employed in the service of Shri Krishna by the alternative methods of loyal conscious submission, neutrality or actual opposition. The individual souls serve Shri Krishna as constituents of Shri Radhika. When they forget that they are constituents of Shri Radhika they forget the nature of their own selves, and engage in the abnormal activities of the mundane plane.
The relation between one individual soul and another is that of obeying each other as constituents of Shri Radhika in the performance of their allotted service of Shri Krishna. To use a mundane analogy all individual souls are spiritual females in a subordinate position to Shri Radhika, whose service of Shri Krishna they naturally share by their nature as constituents. The objects of endeavor of the individual souls is to learn to obey Shri Radhika. Only by obeying Shri Radhika can they serve Shri Krishna.
Shri Krishna is the only Object of all worship. Shri Krishna alone is the Recipient of all service. No individual soul can be the recipient of any service on his own account or on account of any other individual soul.

Shri Krishna alone is Godhead. Shri Radhika alone serves Shri Krishna. This is the only Absolute Truth. Shri Krishna is the Ultimate Source of all real Receivers of service. Shri Radhika is the Ultimate Source of all real renderers of service. The infinite variety of the Pastimes of Shri Radha-Krishna constitutes the only Reality.
Shri Radhika is the Predominated Moiety of the Absolute. In other words, the Predominating Moiety of the Absolute is not the full Integer. The Absolute Nature of the Personality of Shri Radhika is fully on a level with the Absolute Personality of Shri Krishna. Shri Krishna is the Consort of Shri Radhika. The Absolute is both Pair and Singular Person.
Monotheism is so dear to the heart of all rational persons in this age that very few people would agree to accept Two Gods, even if they are assured that They are complimentary to Each Other. The numerical reference is illogically allowed to limit the Absolute. It is considered to be binding on the Absolute to be a singular Entity in the ordinary sense. But the pseudo-monistic view is calculated to destroy the Personality of Godhead into Void of the Undifferentiated Brahman. No theist should be prepared to reduce the Divinity, Whom he is to worship, to the Absolute Zero.

Shri Radhika is eternally distinct from Shri Krishna. Shri Radhika is the Predominated Moiety of the Absolute, whereas Shri Krishna is the Predominating Moiety. Shri Krishna is Male, Shri Radhika is Female. They are Two Distinct and Complimentary Persons. But neither of Them are Male or Female in the limited worldly sense. The Absolute Male and the Absolute Female are from the worldly point of view a sheer contradiction in terms. But this apparent contradiction is also really accommodated in the Absolute in defiance of all canons of our so-called rational judgement. It is this astounding fact that makes the Absolute the concentration of all mellowness, instead of making Him devoid of all mellowness.

Jiva—Feminine Entity

The individual soul (jiva) is a feminine entity by her proper nature. This is so because all entities, except the Divinity, are subservients. The singularity of the Predominating Absolute has to be recognized without reservation. There is, however, also an Infinity of Divine Personalities. But all Divine Personalities are fully Divine. None of Them have got any Master. The milkmaids of Vraja are the expanded forms of Shri Radhika and identical with Her. But the jiva does not belong to the category of the associated constituent counterwhole of Shri Radhika. The jiva soul belongs to the decentralized plane of manifestations. Shiva is the divine Centre of the Principle of this decentralized existence. Shiva is consorted for this purpose with Mahamaya. Shiva and Mahamaya are closely connected with jiva. But the connection of jiva with Shiva and Mahamaya is not identical with his connection with Shri Krishna and Shri Radhika. The connection of jiva with Shiva and Mahamaya is established only when he is disassociated from the service of Shri Radha-Krishna.
Neither Shiva nor Mahamaya can give the jiva the service of Shri Radha-Krishna. On the contrary, their function is to delude the jiva into desiring certain covetable things of this world for his own advantage. Shiva is independent of Krishna. Shiva is a divine person. In this sense Krishna and Shiva are identical. Shri Krishna never consorts with His deluding potency. The Divinity of Shiva is adulterated with non-divinity whereas Shri Krishna is eternally unadulterated with maya. The service of Shiva and Mahamaya is not only incompatible with the service of Shri Radha-Krishna but implies positive aversion to the service of Shri Radha-Krishna.

Madhura-rati is the highest form of prema, and an individual soul even in the stage of ragatmika bhakti considers herself a maid called manjari whose service is guided by the dearest Rupa Manjari and others who in turn are subservient to the eight sakhis— Shri Lalita, Vishakha, Citra, Indulekha, Campaklata, Rangadevi, Tungavidya, Sudevi— who are the counterparts of Shri Radhika. They are all engaged in the aprakrta services of their beloved Shri Krishna for His absolute pleasures, and no one else. Their complete satisfaction lies in the absolute pleasure of their beloved.
The physical body of this world can never reach the lotus feet of the Lord. Hence a sadhaka in raganuga bhakti, who may be a man or a woman in this physical world, develops the aprakrta body of a gopi called a manjari if his or her raga is awakened in the wake of the Vraja gopi. Specifically, she is a manjari, with a particular name, conception of her form and beauty, particular age, costume, specialized service (seva), and grove (kunja) where she receives and serves the Divine Couple Shri Radha-Krishna. The individual in raganuga bhakti meditates inwardly, looking upon himself or herself as a handmaid of Shri Rupa Manjari, who is the personification of the rupa— beauty of Shri Radha, which beauty is the projected Absolute Beauty of the Absolute Lord Shri Krishna. Shri Rupa Manjari guides the individual handmaid in the fold of Shri Lalita Sakhi, who in turn engages the handmaid in the specialized services of Shri Radha-Krishna.

So long as one is in the fetters of Maya and misidentifies oneself with one’s physical body and changeable mind, one must necessarily undergo the rudimentary way of Vaidhi Bhakti, controlled and guided by scriptural prescriptions supported by favorable arguments and reasons. Such a spiritual novice when he makes tangible progress in the long and scripturally controlled path of Vaidhi Bhakti may develop, listening to the Bhagavata and allied scriptures that deal with the transcendental Pastimes of the Supreme Lord Shri Krishna, a spontaneous and intensely eager craving in his or her heart for being enabled to follow in the footsteps of any of the Four Categories of the dearmost Associates of Lord Krishna in Vraja in regard to Their feelings and applied sentiments to the Dearest Shri Krishna, viz. Dasya (as a servant) Sakhya (as a friend), Vatsalya as parents or Madhura (as consorts). When such a longing for Vraja-Bhava is strongly and genuinely achieved, such an individual is no more bound by the restrictions of scriptural injunctions or human reasoning and arguments. The soul soars in the higher realm of burning feelings for the service of Lord Krishna in subordination to any of the Bhavas of the four categories of the eternal Associates of the Lord of Vraja, which may awaken normally in the heart without any forced imagination. Such a sadhaka i.e. practicing spiritual life, is no more and cannot be kept any more restricted by scriptural regulations and mere human waves of feelings. In this stage, the individual serves by words and deeds the Supreme Lord and His dearest Associates like Shri Rupa and Shri Sanatan in the same manner in which they had lived in this world, consonant with the basis directions of the scriptures, by chanting and listening to such scriptures like the Bhagavat that deal with the transcendental Pastimes of Lord Krishna in the company of His dearmost Associates. While maintaining a normal and restricted life of spiritual practices in body and words, the individual, in whom the intense longing for the bhavas of Ragatmika-Eternal-Associates of the Lord is awakened, conceives mentally, in accordance with the genuinely awakened Vraja-Bhava either as that of Gopi or Nanda-Yasoda or Shridham-Sudham, Citraka-Patraka, a siddhadeha—a permanent spiritual body, which shall correspond to and be favorable and fit for serving the Lord under guidance of the dearest one of the dearest Associate of Lord Krishna, for whose bhava a craving has been aroused in the heart of such individual so that he or she may engage himself or herself in the service of Lord Krishna and His dearest Associates in the particular sthayi-bhava as a servant or friend or as a maid, and such services are rendered mentally in the siddhadeha or spiritual body so conceived. Thus an individual, whether a man or a woman, in the stage of spiritual both in Vaidhi-Bhakti and Raganuga-Bhakti in the Sadhana stage, must necessarily serve God and His devotees by words and deeds in the physical body by chanting and listening to the Name of God, listening to the scriptures and by worshipping in the temple as prescribed by the scriptures.

Internal remembrance can occur by the power of kirtana, and only then is solitary service possible.” Nirjana-bhajana or smarana, exclusive solitary devotion unconscious of the environment is not at all possible for beginners.

Shrimati Radharani and Her own Shri Radha Kunda were Shrila Prabhupada’s life and soul. He used to become overwhelmed with loving sentiments whenever he described the glories of Shrimati Radharani and Her merciful nature. The collection of verses called Radha-rasa-sudhanidhi, by Shrila Prabodhananda Saraswati, was very dear to Shrila Prabhupada. I still remember how Shrila Prabhupada’s voice would choke in loving ecstasy and his eyes would become tearful as he was reciting verses from that holy book. (“I offer my obeisances in the direction of the breeze coming from the stirring of the garment of the daughter of King Vrishabhanu. That breeze makes Madhusudana feel very satisfied.”) Equally dear to him was Vilapa-kusumanjali, by Shrila Raghunatha Dasa Goswami. He interpreted for us with deep feelings of love many such scriptures and verses glorifying Shrimati Radharani. His extreme attachment for the lotus feet of Shrimati Radharani is expressed in his own name Varshabhanavi-Dayita Dasa (“servant of the Beloved of Shrimati Radharani, Krishna”). (“O Radharani, why should I keep this life if You are not merciful to me? What need is there for me to reside in Vraja? O lotus-eyed One, without Your mercy, I do not want Krishna, the killer of demons.”—Vilapa-kusumanjali)

Shri Rupa Manjari Pada

                              Just prior to the withdrawal of his manifest lila, my causelessly merciful Divine Master, Shrila Saraswati Thakur, handed me over to the holy feet of that Divine Personality by having me sing the glorious prayer unto his lotus feet, Shri Rupa-manjari-pada. Despite my lowliness, when will – disregarding all my various qualifications and disqualifications – Shrimad Rupa Prabhu grace me with the dust of his holy lotus feet?
                              Shri-rupa-manjari-pada, sei mora sampada, sei mor bhajana-pujana — my everything is Shri Rupa Goswami’s holy feet. We are to discuss so many classifications and positions of rasa: santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, madhura . And in madhura-rasa Radharani’s camp is special. Then again there are so many gradations of sakhis. Then there is a class of the manjaris, the younger girls, and they have more freedom to approach: when Radha and Govinda are in union in a private environment, the manjaris can still approach. They have such freedom to visit Them. If any materials of service are necessary, the sakhis send the manjaris to that place. The sakhis do not approach there. In that way the manjaris enjoy the best confidence. The most secret service of both can be supplied through the manjaris In the highest position they have free entrance, and their leader is Rupa Manjari. She is understood to be the leader of the whole group of younger girls, the manjaris , therefore in madhura-bhajan she is all-in-all. This has been taught to us by Narottama Thakur. For us – and the younger batch – she is our highest resort.
                              Sei mora sampada – my wealth is there in her feet. Sei mor bhajana-pujana – my worship and service is also in her. Sei mora prana-dhana, sei mora abharana – the very wealth and gist of my life is there; and the ornaments of my life, if any there may be, that is within her grace. Sei mor jivanera jivana – indeed, the very life of my life, if there is anything, that is also her. I am for her pleasure.
                              Sei mora rasa-nidhi – if there is anything, the source of any and all desirable ecstasy is only to be found there. The mine, source, and fountainhead of all rasa is there in her feet. Sei mora vancha-siddhi – and if I am to expect any other fulfillment in life, that is also there in her feet. Sei mor vedera dharama – if any duty is recommended by the Vedas for me, I would like that such duty be at her feet.
                              Sei brata, sei tapa – if at all there is any desired accumulation from any penance or observance of vows, that is also to be found there – sei mora mantra-japa – and the continuous repetition of a mantra in japa all ends there: all things have only one end in my case, and that is that they all meet in different phases in the feet of Rupa Manjari. If she is satisfied then the variegated nature of all sorts of my devotional practices are satisfied. Sei mor dharama-karama – and any of my conceptions of duty or activity of any phases of form all have one end and meet in one point: the holy feet of Rupa Manjari.
                              Anukula habe viddhi, se-pade hoibe siddhi – I only pray to the controller who is at the root of all these arrangements of affairs in this world, “Please connect me there. Oh Absolute Manager, may you grant my prayer that all my tendencies may go to attain her favor. Nirakhibo e dui nayane – and it will be so very intense and concrete as if I can see it with these eyes. It will not be vague, abstract, or imagination, but I want the most concrete realization by the grace of the Absolute Manager.”
                              Se rupa-madhuri-rasi, prana-kuvalaya-sasi—what sort of high class beauty is there in her holy feet! I want to jump. Let my heart be a lotus.
                              There are two classes of lotus: the white lotus came from the sun and the red from the moon. The kuvalaya is a mixture of the two. The luster of her body will feed me day and night as the life of my life which is compared to a kuvalaya . The kuvalaya is fed and nourished by the luster of the moon, and her holy feet are the moon, and my very vitality is likened to the lotus. May the luster of her beauty maintain and nourish my heart of hearts. Praphullita habe nisi-dine – and the lotus of my heart will grow by that ray, and dance.
                              Tuya adarsana-ahi – this is my prayer, but what is my present condition? My present condition is in the negative side, my Mistress. My present position is such that without having a sight of you, Your Grace, my heart will burn into ashes. That is my present position. Garale jaralo dehi – this is just like the poison of a cobra which produces pain within my heart. I have been bitten by a snake, and what is that snake? It is that I am not getting any direct contact with you, Your Grace. The serpent’s poison has captured my heart and I am going to die. Ciro-dina tapita jivana – and this is not a sudden thing, but from the beginning I have been suffering this sort of pain of separation from such a beautiful and hopeful life of fulfillment.
                              Ha ha rupa koro doya, deho more pada-chaya, narottama loilo sarana – but I have now reached the extreme position and for the last time I am begging for your favor; otherwise I am going to be finished.
                              This was composed by Narottama Thakur in praise of Shrila Rupa Goswami. In this way he has given us light of the higher quarter of bhajan life. This sampradaya is named as the Rupanuga-sampradaya, and our Guru-parampara and all these things are adjusted according to that. And the Lotus Feet of Shri Rupa Manjari are the sum and substance of the life and precepts of Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur.

Once, Radharani left the rasa-lila when She saw that all the gopis were being dealt with almost equally by Krishna. Equal treatment towards one and all did not satisfy Her. So She decided to display a composition of singing and dancing to please Krishna in a most wonderful transcendental way. Radharani showed Her skill in various ways, and then at the last moment, She suddenly disappeared. And as Krishna was engaged in that combined singing and dancing, He suddenly found that Radharani was absent. So He left everyone to search for Radharani. He met Her on the way, and after walking for some time, Radharani told Him, “I can’t move, I can’t walk anymore. If You would like to go on, You will have to carry Me. I cannot go further.” And suddenly, Krishna disappeared.
A disciple of Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura once asked him why Krishna had disappeared in such a way. But our guru maharaja was very disturbed to hear such a question. In this lila, Krishna is apparently showing some disregard for Radharani. So our guru maharaja, by his very nature, could not even tolerate such a question. He had so much partiality towards Radharani that he was not disposed to hear anything against Her. And so, in a rather excited mood he answered, “Do you find any devotion here? What bhakti do you find here that you have asked me this question?” The question was rejected. He could not tolerate even an inquiry regarding that pastime.

When asked “Who are the Gaudiya Vaishnavas?”, Shrila Prabhupada replied that they are the devotees of Shrimati Radharani (Shri Upadeshamrita, p. 236). He called himself Shri Varshabhanavi-dayita dasa (the servant of the beloved of Shrimati Radharani).
                              He said that Shrimati Radharani, who is the transcendental energy of Shri Krishna and the personi?cation of Shri Krishna’s pleasure potency (Hladini-svarupa Para Shakti), is the spiritual master of all devotees. Indeed, She is even Krishna’s Guru: Krishna learns to be an actor and dancer as Her disciple. All the pure devotees who are not worshipping Shri Krishna in the mellow of conjugal relationship (madhura rasa) know Lord Nityananda to be their original spiritual master. But the original spiritual master of those who worship Shri Krishna in madhura rasa is Shrimati Radharani. (Shri Upadeshamrita p. 27)
                              Shrila Prabhupada said that Shrimati Radharani is Shri Krishna’s eternal consort; She is the crest jewel of the gopis. No one is more dear to Krishna than Shrimati Radharani. Shrimati Radharani is not inferior to Shri Krishna in any way. It is Shri Krishna Himself who enjoys Himself in two separate forms, as the enjoyer and the enjoyed. Shri Krishna’s beauty is so stunning that He Himself becomes enchanted by His own beauty. But if the beauty of Shrimati Radharani were not greater than that of Shri Krishna, She could not enchant Krishna, who can enchant the whole universe. That is why She is called Bhuvan-mohan-mohini. She is the effulgence of Shri Krishna, who is like the full moon (Krishnachandra). Shri Krishna is the sum total of all ecstasy, all beauty. He is the original reservoir of all wealth, prowess, and knowledge. So the greatness of Radharani, who is the ashraya and vishaya of this most perfect Person, Shri Krishna, is beyond the limit of human knowledge—even beyond the limit of understanding of many liberated souls. (Shri Upadeshamrita pp. 330–1)
                              Whenever Shrila Prabhupada talked about Shrimati Radharani, he would become overwhelmed with the symptoms of deep loving ecstasy. Shrila Raghunath Das Goswami’s famous composition Vilap-Kusumanjali consists of verses addressed to Shrimati Radharani in the mood of intense separation, as Shrila Dasa Goswami is an intimate servitor of Shrimati Radharani in his eternal identity as Shri Rati-manjari. (The manjaris are young pre-teen girls who serve Shrimati Radharani.) Shrila Prabhupada could quote from memory all 104 verses of Vilap-Kusumanjali, and tears would ?ow from his eyes. He was always in a mood of separation from Shrimati Radharani.
                              Every Radhashöami day (the appearance day of Shrimati Radharani), Shrila Prabhupada would display the symptoms of deep ecstasy while talking about Shrimati Radharani. Following is an excerpt from a lecture given by Shrila Prabhupada on the day of Radhashöami in 1931 at the Saraswat Naömandir of Shri Gaudiya Maöh.

Let that personi?cation of supreme magnanimity, Shrimati Radharani, who is always eager to collect the mercy of the Supreme Lord on behalf of all living entities, appear in our hearts and make Her presence known. Let Her appearance be our object of worship. Without submission to the one whom Govinda considers to be everything to Him (sarvasva), we do not realize the meaning of the word “sarva”. “Govinda sarvasva”—“sva” means “one’s own”, “sva” means “wealth”. If we have the one who is Govinda’s own wealth—the one who makes Him wealthy; that wealth is everything to Govinda—if She becomes the object of our worship, then we will understand what worship is. If after reading the 18,000 verses of Shrimad Bhagavatam we do not come to know about Her, then our reading was in vain.
                              If by some unknown sukriti we get the association of those who are close to Shri Vrishabhanunandini (Shrimati Radharani), if we are are fortunate enough to hear about Her, then we can get the inspiration to proceed towards our supremely bene?cial goal. She is everything to the son of Nanda who is the reservoir of all ecstasy, and we will never attain devotional service to Govinda without serving Her and Her servitors.

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Gourab Saha December 15, 2011 at 5:26pm

Lots of thnkx for instructions Prabhuji and Mataji!! Mine is sakhya bhav and I consider Krishna as the sole friend of my soul. In the spiritual world, this sakhya bhav is diametrically opposite to the mundane friendship. It's almost closer to conjugal relationship and it gives me great pleasure. I had the mercy of the association of a great devotee and the gift is this bhav where I float. But I have a friend. Her love for Krishna is spontaneous and intense. She has the mood of Radharani, and she recently had a debate with some of the devotees of ISKCON regarding their practising of Manjari bhav . So I asked the question. Thnkx for guiding.
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Gourab Saha December 15, 2011 at 10:50am

Hare Krishna!!! I respect manjari bhav!!! But one of the saints in Vrindavan told me that Radha bhav is even higher than manjari bhav because there is a speciality in Radha bhav which is absent in manjari bhav and i.e. 'anurag'. Through anurag, Radharani relishes the ever increasing beauty of Krishna. Indeed, Krishna's beauty and sweetness can be fully realised and relished through radha bhav. Lord Chaitanya gave us the gift of majari-bhav but He himself was Krishna with emotions of Radharani and He took Radhabhav just to taste the supreme beauty and sweetness of Lord Krishna. But my question is, if someone has radhabhav and if he/she wishes direct interaction with Krishna, will it be an offense on his/her part? As Prabhupada says there is no restriction in the spiritual world and one can worship Krishna in any bhav and even in Srimad Bhagavatam, we find the gopis and queens having direct interaction with Krishna.
- Volunteer
  
  Mohini Madhavi > Gourab Saha December 15, 2011 at 4:13pm
  
  first let's deserve such like position by chanting and purifying our dirty heart then Krishna will think of that surely.
  - manitabh > Mohini Madhavi December 15, 2011 at 10:25pm
    
    hare krsna
    
    pamho agtsp
    
    yes i agree with u matajee its possible only when our anarthas are removed and we come to the platform of ashakti and ruchi. i just wanted to share what i have heard and read regarding the discussion.
    
    your servant
- manitabh > Gourab Saha December 15, 2011 at 1:24pm
  
  hare krsna
  
  there is no offense pr but it depends on sadhaka's bhava.i would like to quote saraswati thakur regarding it.
  
  Shri Radhika is realizable as the Counter-Whole of the Personal Absolute. She is the Predominated Moiety of the Absolute-Whole. Shri Krishna, in regard to Shri Radhika is the Predominating Moiety. The conception of Male and Female refers to the principle of Personality. As both Personalities are fully Divine, no grossness or inadequacy of the corresponding mundane conception need be imported into the subject. But it is imperative to admit the absolute logical validity, under the reservation of inconceivability by our present understanding of the conception of the Divine Pair possessing actual Male and Female Spiritual Forms.
  
  Shri Radhika is the Eternal Associated Counter-Whole of Shri Krishna, Her Male Consort. Shri Radhika is the source of all individual souls whose function is to be employed in the service of Shri Krishna by the alternative methods of loyal conscious submission, neutrality or actual opposition. The individual souls serve Shri Krishna as constituents of Shri Radhika. When they forget that they are constituents of Shri Radhika they forget the nature of their own selves, and engage in the abnormal activities of the mundane plane.
                                The relation between one individual soul and another is that of obeying each other as constituents of Shri Radhika in the performance of their allotted service of Shri Krishna. To use a mundane analogy all individual souls are spiritual females in a subordinate position to Shri Radhika, whose service of Shri Krishna they naturally share by their nature as constituents. The objects of endeavor of the individual souls is to learn to obey Shri Radhika. Only by obeying Shri Radhika can they serve Shri Krishna.
                                Shri Krishna is the only Object of all worship. Shri Krishna alone is the Recipient of all service. No individual soul can be the recipient of any service on his own account or on account of any other individual soul.
  
  Shri Krishna alone is Godhead. Shri Radhika alone serves Shri Krishna. This is the only Absolute Truth. Shri Krishna is the Ultimate Source of all real Receivers of service. Shri Radhika is the Ultimate Source of all real renderers of service. The infinite variety of the Pastimes of Shri Radha-Krishna constitutes the only Reality.
                                Shri Radhika is the Predominated Moiety of the Absolute. In other words, the Predominating Moiety of the Absolute is not the full Integer. The Absolute Nature of the Personality of Shri Radhika is fully on a level with the Absolute Personality of Shri Krishna. Shri Krishna is the Consort of Shri Radhika. The Absolute is both Pair and Singular Person.
                                Monotheism is so dear to the heart of all rational persons in this age that very few people would agree to accept Two Gods, even if they are assured that They are complimentary to Each Other. The numerical reference is illogically allowed to limit the Absolute. It is considered to be binding on the Absolute to be a singular Entity in the ordinary sense. But the pseudo-monistic view is calculated to destroy the Personality of Godhead into Void of the Undifferentiated Brahman. No theist should be prepared to reduce the Divinity, Whom he is to worship, to the Absolute Zero.
  
  Shri Radhika is eternally distinct from Shri Krishna. Shri Radhika is the Predominated Moiety of the Absolute, whereas Shri Krishna is the Predominating Moiety. Shri Krishna is Male, Shri Radhika is Female. They are Two Distinct and Complimentary Persons. But neither of Them are Male or Female in the limited worldly sense. The Absolute Male and the Absolute Female are from the worldly point of view a sheer contradiction in terms. But this apparent contradiction is also really accommodated in the Absolute in defiance of all canons of our so-called rational judgement. It is this astounding fact that makes the Absolute the concentration of all mellowness, instead of making Him devoid of all mellowness.
  
  Jiva—Feminine Entity
  
                                The individual soul (jiva) is a feminine entity by her proper nature. This is so because all entities, except the Divinity, are subservients. The singularity of the Predominating Absolute has to be recognized without reservation. There is, however, also an Infinity of Divine Personalities. But all Divine Personalities are fully Divine. None of Them have got any Master. The milkmaids of Vraja are the expanded forms of Shri Radhika and identical with Her. But the jiva does not belong to the category of the associated constituent counterwhole of Shri Radhika. The jiva soul belongs to the decentralized plane of manifestations. Shiva is the divine Centre of the Principle of this decentralized existence. Shiva is consorted for this purpose with Mahamaya. Shiva and Mahamaya are closely connected with jiva. But the connection of jiva with Shiva and Mahamaya is not identical with his connection with Shri Krishna and Shri Radhika. The connection of jiva with Shiva and Mahamaya is established only when he is disassociated from the service of Shri Radha-Krishna.
                                Neither Shiva nor Mahamaya can give the jiva the service of Shri Radha-Krishna. On the contrary, their function is to delude the jiva into desiring certain covetable things of this world for his own advantage. Shiva is independent of Krishna. Shiva is a divine person. In this sense Krishna and Shiva are identical. Shri Krishna never consorts with His deluding potency. The Divinity of Shiva is adulterated with non-divinity whereas Shri Krishna is eternally unadulterated with maya. The service of Shiva and Mahamaya is not only incompatible with the service of Shri Radha-Krishna but implies positive aversion to the service of Shri Radha-Krishna.
  
  Madhura-rati is the highest form of prema, and an individual soul even in the stage of ragatmika bhakti considers herself a maid called manjari whose service is guided by the dearest Rupa Manjari and others who in turn are subservient to the eight sakhis— Shri Lalita, Vishakha, Citra, Indulekha, Campaklata, Rangadevi, Tungavidya, Sudevi— who are the counterparts of Shri Radhika. They are all engaged in the aprakrta services of their beloved Shri Krishna for His absolute pleasures, and no one else. Their complete satisfaction lies in the absolute pleasure of their beloved.
                                The physical body of this world can never reach the lotus feet of the Lord. Hence a sadhaka in raganuga bhakti, who may be a man or a woman in this physical world, develops the aprakrta body of a gopi called a manjari if his or her raga is awakened in the wake of the Vraja gopi. Specifically, she is a manjari, with a particular name, conception of her form and beauty, particular age, costume, specialized service (seva), and grove (kunja) where she receives and serves the Divine Couple Shri Radha-Krishna. The individual in raganuga bhakti meditates inwardly, looking upon himself or herself as a handmaid of Shri Rupa Manjari, who is the personification of the rupa— beauty of Shri Radha, which beauty is the projected Absolute Beauty of the Absolute Lord Shri Krishna. Shri Rupa Manjari guides the individual handmaid in the fold of Shri Lalita Sakhi, who in turn engages the handmaid in the specialized services of Shri Radha-Krishna.
  
  So long as one is in the fetters of Maya and misidentifies oneself with one’s physical body and changeable mind, one must necessarily undergo the rudimentary way of Vaidhi Bhakti, controlled and guided by scriptural prescriptions supported by favorable arguments and reasons. Such a spiritual novice when he makes tangible progress in the long and scripturally controlled path of Vaidhi Bhakti may develop, listening to the Bhagavata and allied scriptures that deal with the transcendental Pastimes of the Supreme Lord Shri Krishna, a spontaneous and intensely eager craving in his or her heart for being enabled to follow in the footsteps of any of the Four Categories of the dearmost Associates of Lord Krishna in Vraja in regard to Their feelings and applied sentiments to the Dearest Shri Krishna, viz. Dasya (as a servant) Sakhya (as a friend), Vatsalya as parents or Madhura (as consorts). When such a longing for Vraja-Bhava is strongly and genuinely achieved, such an individual is no more bound by the restrictions of scriptural injunctions or human reasoning and arguments. The soul soars in the higher realm of burning feelings for the service of Lord Krishna in subordination to any of the Bhavas of the four categories of the eternal Associates of the Lord of Vraja, which may awaken normally in the heart without any forced imagination. Such a sadhaka i.e. practicing spiritual life, is no more and cannot be kept any more restricted by scriptural regulations and mere human waves of feelings. In this stage, the individual serves by words and deeds the Supreme Lord and His dearest Associates like Shri Rupa and Shri Sanatan in the same manner in which they had lived in this world, consonant with the basis directions of the scriptures, by chanting and listening to such scriptures like the Bhagavat that deal with the transcendental Pastimes of Lord Krishna in the company of His dearmost Associates. While maintaining a normal and restricted life of spiritual practices in body and words, the individual, in whom the intense longing for the bhavas of Ragatmika-Eternal-Associates of the Lord is awakened, conceives mentally, in accordance with the genuinely awakened Vraja-Bhava either as that of Gopi or Nanda-Yasoda or Shridham-Sudham, Citraka-Patraka, a siddhadeha—a permanent spiritual body, which shall correspond to and be favorable and fit for serving the Lord under guidance of the dearest one of the dearest Associate of Lord Krishna, for whose bhava a craving has been aroused in the heart of such individual so that he or she may engage himself or herself in the service of Lord Krishna and His dearest Associates in the particular sthayi-bhava as a servant or friend or as a maid, and such services are rendered mentally in the siddhadeha or spiritual body so conceived. Thus an individual, whether a man or a woman, in the stage of spiritual both in Vaidhi-Bhakti and Raganuga-Bhakti in the Sadhana stage, must necessarily serve God and His devotees by words and deeds in the physical body by chanting and listening to the Name of God, listening to the scriptures and by worshipping in the temple as prescribed by the scriptures.
  
  Internal remembrance can occur by the power of kirtana, and only then is solitary service possible.” Nirjana-bhajana or smarana, exclusive solitary devotion unconscious of the environment is not at all possible for beginners.
  
  Shrimati Radharani and Her own Shri Radha Kunda were Shrila Prabhupada’s life and soul. He used to become overwhelmed with loving sentiments whenever he described the glories of Shrimati Radharani and Her merciful nature. The collection of verses called Radha-rasa-sudhanidhi, by Shrila Prabodhananda Saraswati, was very dear to Shrila Prabhupada. I still remember how Shrila Prabhupada’s voice would choke in loving ecstasy and his eyes would become tearful as he was reciting verses from that holy book. (“I offer my obeisances in the direction of the breeze coming from the stirring of the garment of the daughter of King Vrishabhanu. That breeze makes Madhusudana feel very satisfied.”) Equally dear to him was Vilapa-kusumanjali, by Shrila Raghunatha Dasa Goswami. He interpreted for us with deep feelings of love many such scriptures and verses glorifying Shrimati Radharani. His extreme attachment for the lotus feet of Shrimati Radharani is expressed in his own name Varshabhanavi-Dayita Dasa (“servant of the Beloved of Shrimati Radharani, Krishna”). (“O Radharani, why should I keep this life if You are not merciful to me? What need is there for me to reside in Vraja? O lotus-eyed One, without Your mercy, I do not want Krishna, the killer of demons.”—Vilapa-kusumanjali)
  
  Shri Rupa Manjari Pada
  
                                Just prior to the withdrawal of his manifest lila, my causelessly merciful Divine Master, Shrila Saraswati Thakur, handed me over to the holy feet of that Divine Personality by having me sing the glorious prayer unto his lotus feet, Shri Rupa-manjari-pada. Despite my lowliness, when will – disregarding all my various qualifications and disqualifications – Shrimad Rupa Prabhu grace me with the dust of his holy lotus feet?
                                Shri-rupa-manjari-pada, sei mora sampada, sei mor bhajana-pujana — my everything is Shri Rupa Goswami’s holy feet. We are to discuss so many classifications and positions of rasa: santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, madhura . And in madhura-rasa Radharani’s camp is special. Then again there are so many gradations of sakhis. Then there is a class of the manjaris, the younger girls, and they have more freedom to approach: when Radha and Govinda are in union in a private environment, the manjaris can still approach. They have such freedom to visit Them. If any materials of service are necessary, the sakhis send the manjaris to that place. The sakhis do not approach there. In that way the manjaris enjoy the best confidence. The most secret service of both can be supplied through the manjaris In the highest position they have free entrance, and their leader is Rupa Manjari. She is understood to be the leader of the whole group of younger girls, the manjaris , therefore in madhura-bhajan she is all-in-all. This has been taught to us by Narottama Thakur. For us – and the younger batch – she is our highest resort.
                                Sei mora sampada – my wealth is there in her feet. Sei mor bhajana-pujana – my worship and service is also in her. Sei mora prana-dhana, sei mora abharana – the very wealth and gist of my life is there; and the ornaments of my life, if any there may be, that is within her grace. Sei mor jivanera jivana – indeed, the very life of my life, if there is anything, that is also her. I am for her pleasure.
                                Sei mora rasa-nidhi – if there is anything, the source of any and all desirable ecstasy is only to be found there. The mine, source, and fountainhead of all rasa is there in her feet. Sei mora vancha-siddhi – and if I am to expect any other fulfillment in life, that is also there in her feet. Sei mor vedera dharama – if any duty is recommended by the Vedas for me, I would like that such duty be at her feet.
                                Sei brata, sei tapa – if at all there is any desired accumulation from any penance or observance of vows, that is also to be found there – sei mora mantra-japa – and the continuous repetition of a mantra in japa all ends there: all things have only one end in my case, and that is that they all meet in different phases in the feet of Rupa Manjari. If she is satisfied then the variegated nature of all sorts of my devotional practices are satisfied. Sei mor dharama-karama – and any of my conceptions of duty or activity of any phases of form all have one end and meet in one point: the holy feet of Rupa Manjari.
                                Anukula habe viddhi, se-pade hoibe siddhi – I only pray to the controller who is at the root of all these arrangements of affairs in this world, “Please connect me there. Oh Absolute Manager, may you grant my prayer that all my tendencies may go to attain her favor. Nirakhibo e dui nayane – and it will be so very intense and concrete as if I can see it with these eyes. It will not be vague, abstract, or imagination, but I want the most concrete realization by the grace of the Absolute Manager.”
                                Se rupa-madhuri-rasi, prana-kuvalaya-sasi—what sort of high class beauty is there in her holy feet! I want to jump. Let my heart be a lotus.
                                There are two classes of lotus: the white lotus came from the sun and the red from the moon. The kuvalaya is a mixture of the two. The luster of her body will feed me day and night as the life of my life which is compared to a kuvalaya . The kuvalaya is fed and nourished by the luster of the moon, and her holy feet are the moon, and my very vitality is likened to the lotus. May the luster of her beauty maintain and nourish my heart of hearts. Praphullita habe nisi-dine – and the lotus of my heart will grow by that ray, and dance.
                                Tuya adarsana-ahi – this is my prayer, but what is my present condition? My present condition is in the negative side, my Mistress. My present position is such that without having a sight of you, Your Grace, my heart will burn into ashes. That is my present position. Garale jaralo dehi – this is just like the poison of a cobra which produces pain within my heart. I have been bitten by a snake, and what is that snake? It is that I am not getting any direct contact with you, Your Grace. The serpent’s poison has captured my heart and I am going to die. Ciro-dina tapita jivana – and this is not a sudden thing, but from the beginning I have been suffering this sort of pain of separation from such a beautiful and hopeful life of fulfillment.
                                Ha ha rupa koro doya, deho more pada-chaya, narottama loilo sarana – but I have now reached the extreme position and for the last time I am begging for your favor; otherwise I am going to be finished.
                                This was composed by Narottama Thakur in praise of Shrila Rupa Goswami. In this way he has given us light of the higher quarter of bhajan life. This sampradaya is named as the Rupanuga-sampradaya, and our Guru-parampara and all these things are adjusted according to that. And the Lotus Feet of Shri Rupa Manjari are the sum and substance of the life and precepts of Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur.
  
  Once, Radharani left the rasa-lila when She saw that all the gopis were being dealt with almost equally by Krishna. Equal treatment towards one and all did not satisfy Her. So She decided to display a composition of singing and dancing to please Krishna in a most wonderful transcendental way. Radharani showed Her skill in various ways, and then at the last moment, She suddenly disappeared. And as Krishna was engaged in that combined singing and dancing, He suddenly found that Radharani was absent. So He left everyone to search for Radharani. He met Her on the way, and after walking for some time, Radharani told Him, “I can’t move, I can’t walk anymore. If You would like to go on, You will have to carry Me. I cannot go further.” And suddenly, Krishna disappeared.
                                A disciple of Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura once asked him why Krishna had disappeared in such a way. But our guru maharaja was very disturbed to hear such a question. In this lila, Krishna is apparently showing some disregard for Radharani. So our guru maharaja, by his very nature, could not even tolerate such a question. He had so much partiality towards Radharani that he was not disposed to hear anything against Her. And so, in a rather excited mood he answered, “Do you find any devotion here? What bhakti do you find here that you have asked me this question?” The question was rejected. He could not tolerate even an inquiry regarding that pastime.
  
  When asked “Who are the Gaudiya Vaishnavas?”, Shrila Prabhupada replied that they are the devotees of Shrimati Radharani (Shri Upadeshamrita, p. 236). He called himself Shri Varshabhanavi-dayita dasa (the servant of the beloved of Shrimati Radharani).
                                He said that Shrimati Radharani, who is the transcendental energy of Shri Krishna and the personi?cation of Shri Krishna’s pleasure potency (Hladini-svarupa Para Shakti), is the spiritual master of all devotees. Indeed, She is even Krishna’s Guru: Krishna learns to be an actor and dancer as Her disciple. All the pure devotees who are not worshipping Shri Krishna in the mellow of conjugal relationship (madhura rasa) know Lord Nityananda to be their original spiritual master. But the original spiritual master of those who worship Shri Krishna in madhura rasa is Shrimati Radharani. (Shri Upadeshamrita p. 27)
                                Shrila Prabhupada said that Shrimati Radharani is Shri Krishna’s eternal consort; She is the crest jewel of the gopis. No one is more dear to Krishna than Shrimati Radharani. Shrimati Radharani is not inferior to Shri Krishna in any way. It is Shri Krishna Himself who enjoys Himself in two separate forms, as the enjoyer and the enjoyed. Shri Krishna’s beauty is so stunning that He Himself becomes enchanted by His own beauty. But if the beauty of Shrimati Radharani were not greater than that of Shri Krishna, She could not enchant Krishna, who can enchant the whole universe. That is why She is called Bhuvan-mohan-mohini. She is the effulgence of Shri Krishna, who is like the full moon (Krishnachandra). Shri Krishna is the sum total of all ecstasy, all beauty. He is the original reservoir of all wealth, prowess, and knowledge. So the greatness of Radharani, who is the ashraya and vishaya of this most perfect Person, Shri Krishna, is beyond the limit of human knowledge—even beyond the limit of understanding of many liberated souls. (Shri Upadeshamrita pp. 330–1)
                                Whenever Shrila Prabhupada talked about Shrimati Radharani, he would become overwhelmed with the symptoms of deep loving ecstasy. Shrila Raghunath Das Goswami’s famous composition Vilap-Kusumanjali consists of verses addressed to Shrimati Radharani in the mood of intense separation, as Shrila Dasa Goswami is an intimate servitor of Shrimati Radharani in his eternal identity as Shri Rati-manjari. (The manjaris are young pre-teen girls who serve Shrimati Radharani.) Shrila Prabhupada could quote from memory all 104 verses of Vilap-Kusumanjali, and tears would ?ow from his eyes. He was always in a mood of separation from Shrimati Radharani.
                                Every Radhashöami day (the appearance day of Shrimati Radharani), Shrila Prabhupada would display the symptoms of deep ecstasy while talking about Shrimati Radharani. Following is an excerpt from a lecture given by Shrila Prabhupada on the day of Radhashöami in 1931 at the Saraswat Naömandir of Shri Gaudiya Maöh.
  
  Let that personi?cation of supreme magnanimity, Shrimati Radharani, who is always eager to collect the mercy of the Supreme Lord on behalf of all living entities, appear in our hearts and make Her presence known. Let Her appearance be our object of worship. Without submission to the one whom Govinda considers to be everything to Him (sarvasva), we do not realize the meaning of the word “sarva”. “Govinda sarvasva”—“sva” means “one’s own”, “sva” means “wealth”. If we have the one who is Govinda’s own wealth—the one who makes Him wealthy; that wealth is everything to Govinda—if She becomes the object of our worship, then we will understand what worship is. If after reading the 18,000 verses of Shrimad Bhagavatam we do not come to know about Her, then our reading was in vain.
                                If by some unknown sukriti we get the association of those who are close to Shri Vrishabhanunandini (Shrimati Radharani), if we are are fortunate enough to hear about Her, then we can get the inspiration to proceed towards our supremely bene?cial goal. She is everything to the son of Nanda who is the reservoir of all ecstasy, and we will never attain devotional service to Govinda without serving Her and Her servitors.
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Mohini Madhavi December 14, 2011 at 3:53pm

Hare Krishna Gourab Saha Prabhu, please accept my humble obeisances! all glories to Srila Prabhupada!

In Kali Yuga we just chant the Holy Names, dance before the Deities, eat Prasadam and when we get purified Krishna and Guru will show us in which bhav we have to serve to Krishna.

Nobody yet told me that i have to worship Him in the Manjari Bhav or as a lover. no. But all senior Devotees and Srila Prabhupada says that we have to be servants of servant's servants. And when time comes everything will be revealed. In the reality our position there is already solved. Who we are? what is our service...? everything.

Manjari bhav is considered the highest bhav. In the reality in Spiritual world Cows, Trees, Gopas, Gopis all are in equal bliss. They do not feel that someone's happiness is more than their own.

Your servant,
- manitabh > Mohini Madhavi December 14, 2011 at 5:00pm
  
  Hare krsna mataji
  
  all of our previous acharyas are serving in the mood of a maidservant of radharani which is the highest bhava.it all depends upon the individual devotee to which bhava he is inclined .we have to cultivate our particula bhava to serve krsna and its personal. some one may argue that its not right but srila rupa goswami confirms it in Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (1.2.295):
  
  sevä sädhaka-rüpeëa
  siddha-rüpeëa cätra hi
  tad-bhäva-lipsunä käryä
  vraja-lokänusärataù
  "In the transcendental realm of Vraja [Vraja-dhäma] one should serve the Supreme Lord, Çré Kåñëa, with a feeling similar to that of His associates, and one should place himself under the direct guidance of a particular associate of Kåñëa and should follow in his footsteps. This method is applicable both in the stage of sädhana [spiritual practices executed while in the stage of bondage] and in the stage of sädhya [God realization], when one is a siddha-puruña, or a spiritually perfect soul."
  
  this is applicable both in sadhana stage and sadhya stage.
  
  ys
- manitabh > Mohini Madhavi December 14, 2011 at 4:53pm
  
  hare krsna pr
  
  pamho manjari bhava is the highest aspiration of gaudiya vaishnavas. mahaprabhu came to give this ujjvala rasa to this world, to serve radha krsna yugala .we never want to serve krsna alone but we want to serve both radha and krsna, particulary radharani. this is gaudiya vaishnava siddhanta which rupa and raghunath das goswami have taught us and we have to follow it.
  
  ys

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