I like the comparison, of the love of Srimati Radharani to a mirror which reflects the qualities of Krishna – as she discovers more and more qualities of Krishna , her love is just responding to those qualities. In this way, the love of Srimati Radharani is eternally growing. This explains the nature of love in the spiritual world and how one is increasing in one’s devotional service and one’s devotional experience eternally. Krishna becomes captured by this love which increases his experience of love; so that exchange eternally continues.
The topmost relationship in the spiritual world is parakiya rasa, which is a forbidden relationship of paramours. Not the conjugal love within marriage but forbidden relationship of paramours – those stolen moments are considered to be the topmost.Gopis cannot openly associate with Krishna – that is not possible because it is socially not acceptable that they mix with Krishna . Many are married, others are young girls under the authority of their parents – how can they openly mix with the young boy in the village? It is not possible. Therefore, in the relationship between Radha and Krishna it is not possible that they openly meet, as there are many obstacles. Some stolen moments are there which are very precious for that reason. There is great eagerness to finally have the opportunity to meet Krishna ; that is usually very difficult.
When Srimati Radharani encounters Krishna , she is overwhelmed. It is described that when Radha sees Krishna in public that she cannot help but smile, but she is hiding that smile. So her smile is practically not visible, it is slightly there, by the corner of her lips, but Krishna notices that smile and therefore he also starts mildly smiling, also controlling his smile. Srimati Radharani notices that Krishna is seeing that she started smiling and therefore she begins to smile more. Krishna notices that she has noticed that he had noticed that she was smiling and therefore Krishna begins to smile more. Then she notices that Krishna has just noticed that she had noticed that he was noticing that she was smiling… and in this way, they go on with noticing until in the end, they cannot control the smiling anymore! So in this way, there is the intimate exchange but at the same time, it is covered by the separation. The essence of parakiya rasa is separation. The mood between Radha and Krishna is always one of separation with some stolen moments of coming together and then again increased separation. This is the basic theme of that topmost love.
I find very interesting this image of the love of Srimati Radharani being a mirror reflecting the qualities of Krishna and then eternally discovering more qualities because it shows how one eternally makes spiritual advancement – there is no limit to it! It is very profound and it does not just apply to only Srimati Radharani, it applies to all devotees – especially to all the eternal associates of the Lord and even to us! We are also discovering little-by-little, more and more, about the nature of Krishna and the qualities of Krishna . Maybe, at this stage, our love is not very developed but some attraction is there – it is unavoidable even! One of meaning of the word Bhagavan, as told by Srila Jiva Gosvami, means,‘Krishna is irresistible, you have to worship him!’ So this is the situation – there is no question of not coming to the point of loving Krishna !
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