6THE SECOND CALLO king, the bhaktas of BrajaHeard the sound of the flute.It mesmerized all sentient beingsAnd transported the Svaminis of BrajaInto a mood of dalliance. (Bhagavat 10/18/6)The sound of Krishna’s flute was the reason for the Gopis’ blissful song. Hearing its elixir as a tone, they spontaneously began to praise their beloved Hari. They forgot everything and actually began to participate in the lila from the privacy of their homes. They became witnesses to Hari’s play.The first call of Krishna’s fluteContained fire and created overwhelming desire.The second call contains the nectar of His lipAnd removes the separation and distanceThey feel from Hari.When the Svaminis of Vrindavan rose to hear the second song of Shri Krishna’s flute, they attained its nectar. They became wise with exalted understanding. It gave them the inspiration to sing.King Parikshit is listening to the story. He is a ruler of men and righteous, yet the subtlety of Krishna’s ras is beyond him. He listens to the lila with the aim of liberation. As he is not seeking the nectar of devotion, he cannot grasp the essence of lila and so its full meaning is not discovered by him. Still, he is fascinated by the account because the call of Hari’s flute is:Enchanting to all,Regardless of position or aptitude.It is all-attractiveLike Krishna.Within the notes of the fluteResides Hari’s "prameya bal"His power of grace.Everyone is effortlessly attracted.The Svaminis were fascinated with Krishna even before they heard the song of His flute. When Hari’s tones filled their ears, the Svaminis were enchanted and they started to sing. Their lives became filled with lila dalliance.The song entered their earsAnd then filled their noble hearts.In the form of song, the pure praise.Now we will be blessed with the Svamini’s descriptions of the lila. Their visions arose because of the flute. They had a unique situation: every morning their husbands would leave to herd cows in the forest with Krishna. Since the Svaminis had nowhere to go and their husbands would not return until the end of the day, they had ample, uninterrupted free time to explore the inner recesses of their lila hearts. They were free from other occupations and could totally engage in focusing on Shri Krishna’s lila.They sang, they rejoiced, and were obliviousTo all the pains of the world.They dallied in the ocean of Supreme Bliss.No longer obstructed by overwhelming desiresThat blocked their bhakti-filled hearts.Hari’s nectar has made its way into their souls. It has completely penetrated their beings. The effect is the song in praise of the flute and its fluid Krishna nectar. The Svaminis sing thirteen songs in praise of Hari’s flute. Now they are able to sing and there is a divine order to their flood of devotion.Their first song tells of their union with Krishna, the second, of their separation. The petal of love has two sides. Ras flourishes when the cycle of love is lost, searched for and found. This all occurs within their inner and outer lilas. Their inward expression of devotion is separation.Union is found in Hari’s outward manifestation. When the Svaminis hear the call of Krishna’s flute, both the ras of union and separation arise. At times they flow into each other.In the third song, the Svaminis sing with some jealousy about the flute and how it is positioned close to Shri Krishna’s lips. How it is so filled with His nectar that it can pass it on to others, even to the trees.Then a Svamini sings of the unrestricted movement of Shri Hari’s feet in Vrindavan and how their appearance has blessed the world.The following six songs reveal the blissful effects the call of the flute had upon the blessed ones who were able to hear.The Svaminis tell of what happened to the deerWho worshiped Krishna with their eyes.They speak of the Apsaras, those heavenly womenWho were overpowered by Hari’s presence.The Svaminis speak of the way cows stopped chewing their beloved grass when they heard the call. They go on to describe how the birds, those sages from another era, gazed in meditation upon Hari’s lila. The Svaminis relate to us how rivers stopped flowing and the way clouds provided Krishna with shade and offered Him their essence.Amazing are the effects that flute had upon the blessed subjects of Vrindavan. Everyone was enraptured by the call and their world became exalted and sublime. Their experiences are the subject of this lila song. We learn of their divine conditions through the love-intoxicated voices of the Svaminis.The next two songs by the Svaminis are in praise of Hari’s flute and how it establishes bhakti, the devotional yoga. The devotion we witness in the Vrindavan mode should never be interpreted to be something mundane.Bhakti is purifyingAnd supports contradiciton.If the exalted nature does not arise, then all that is common would be seen as divine and true divinity would be unrecognized. When lila arises, impurities vanish and then there is transformation.When the unconscious becomes conscious,When rivers stop their flow to listen,The greatness of bhakti is revealed.Hari’s lotus feet uplifted tribal women who were devoid of proper initiation to lila. Bhakti makes the unworthy worthy. All contradictions are resolved and made perfect within devotion.The lilas of Shri Krishna follow no norm, they blatantly challenge the known and accepted movements of the world. When Shri Krishna herds His cows through the Vrindavan glades, the entire forest becomes pure. Everything and everyone attains their perfect position, conversant with the nature of Hari’s unending, increasing bliss.Due to the intensity of Hari’s love, many of the Svaminis were unable to bear His first call. Now that they have fathomed His second call, they regained composure and can praise Krishna’s Bliss Form. The surge of His loving nature is fully contained and overflows into song. A Svamini begins:7THE ULTIMATE REWARDO friends, we know that the rewardOf beholding the sons of Nanda,Balaram and Krishna as theyPlay their flutes andHerd their cows through Vrindavan forests.It is the fruit of having eyes.It is the endowment of the senses.Having experienced this we now have no useFor any other enlightenment or liberation. (Bhagavat 10/18/7)"We experience Krishna with our eyes, we feel Him through all of our senses. Hari is the desire, the festival of our hearts. To imbibe Krishna’s form is the ultimate reward.To have conversations with God,To behold Him, to embrace HimIs what we live for.To please Him,To serve Him,To touch Him,To taste the nectar of His lips.We need to thoroughly enjoy HariUntil every hair on our bodiesStands erect with bliss."We have heard the nectar of His flute and now savor His fragrance everywhere. We approach Krishna directly and stand in His joyful proximity. We integrate all of these bhavas continually into our devotion. Understand us. We know that the fruit of attaining human form is to use God-given senses to experience God. To join them in Hari’s pleasure.To behold Him with eyes.Or better yet, with all senses.To imbibe His form, His divine essence.For us, that alone is the reward."We have no use for that liberation of merging into Brahman where the ability to taste and discern Him is annihilated. We Svaminis of Braja know that Krishna is Brahman and have been blessed with the ability to know Him through all of our senses."Senses have the power to experience divinity and those who deny this truth are trapped in a totally dark room and claim, "Our eyes are useless.""To them we say, ‘Open the door, let in the lila-light.Allow the fruit of vision to emerge. Don’t deny your eyes and senses the reward of beholding Shri Krishna.’""Why forbid senses the right to perceive? Why look at perception as some sort of disturbance? Why consider the world to be impermanent or mayic? Can’t you digest cognition?Liberation for those who knowHow to employ the sensesIn Shri Krishna’s pleasureAppears to us as pure bondage."The enlightened devotional state will never arise if perceptions and feelings that are Hari-connected are considered as obstacles. The only obstructions we see are those that keep us from experiencing Krishna’s nectar.You need to leave behind only one thing:That which is not for His pleasure."Not even the liberation of the aspiring Yogi can compare to our reward. We taste Krishna, we behold Him with eyes and senses. If we merged with Hari, we would not be allowed the opportunity to experience Him. If you wonder what the Srutis, the holy scriptures, the authorities on the subject of liberation have to say about all of this:We Svaminis are the those Srutis!We are the experts on the nature of the Divine Reward."We have come to Vrindavan as dairy-maids, but we embody the highest insights of the Upanisads. What we expound upon in our scriptural word form can never contradict true spiritual experience."Some aspirants realize Brahman only from the inner recesses of their soul. They disregard that same Brahman when He appeals to their senses. They may sever their worldly ties but:The reward for those who experienceKrishna Bliss within and withoutThrough all channels of perception,Stands far above thoseWho know Him merely as impersonal Brahman,Devoid of all attire."We have come to this decision as a group. Before we incarnated here with Hari, we were the words and lines of the scriptures. Once, we were blessed with the sight of Vrindavan and requested Hari to have a part in His lila. Our gathering here in Vrindavan encompasses a vast body of sacred lore. Our teachings on the subject of liberation are most elevated.These are the teachings of the congregated Svaminis.We are the various incarnations of scripture,Our findings span the breath of divine word.O friends, we are of one mind and heart."We are united in our obsession with Krishna. What we reveal to you are the undiluted ras teachings. We have experienced them."We observe Krishna as He enters and wanders through the Vrindavan groves. He is accompanied by His band of joyful cowlads. They have gathered together to herd their cows. We behold with purified eyes and senses Krishna and his older brother Balaram leading the group.Blessed are those who can see Him.Even more blessed are thoseWho can savor Hari rasWith all of their senses."Those cowlads who are with Krishna are not as blessed as we Svaminis. They herd cows with Krishna, they have His friendship, but are not connaisseurs of the refined mood. The forests they roam not are the glades of the Svaminis romance. Although their bhava is totally pure, they do not have access to the "nirguna-lila", the amorous Krishna-Svamini lila.That space is reserved for usAnd is beyond anything material."Krishna uses time; it is one of His instruments. The forest lila, His cowlads and everything in Vrindavan appears within its boundaries. Krishna has come with His friends.They are in Krishna’s timeAnd are Krishna’s age."They appeared for the causeless sake of lila. They walk with Him behind the cows and help other herders who occasionally become too tired to track down strays."The Svaminis observe this entire lila.Balaram and Krishna are together, butKrishna’s bhava and beauty overshadows Balaram’sAnd the Svaminis see only Krishna’s face."Our love is one-pointed, We see the beloved’s face everywhere. All forms have become His expansions. Our love for Hari is whole."Some Svaminis who understand lila-ras can hear the flute’s divine melody. Other Svaminis hear the call and imbibe His lotus-like face into their hearts. Shri Krishna’s darshan deeply penetrates their intelligence, minds, reason and individuality. Hari siezes those lovers’ hearts and minds. They know of no higher reward.There are some other bhaktas who can only hear the flute. They find it enchanting and are carried away by its melody. They do not fathom it’s full spiritual range. They focus on its musical element and are interested in learning how to play. They consider, "We would like to learn to play as well as Krishna."But the Svaminis who yearn for Him see Krishna’s face. They receive the fruit of having eyes. The most blessed ones savor Him with all their senses, they are "nirguna", beyond all qualities. The ones who just see Hari have a particular virtue."Now we will describe to you the nature of Shri Krishna’s ras- form using a description of what He wears when He herds the cows with His brother Balaram."8KRISHNA RASKrishna and Balaram place mango leaves behind their earsAnd wear peacock feathers as crowns.Graced with lotus malas around Their necks,They wear yellow garments.Their attire is remarkable.Krishna is surrounded by His cowlads.They are singing of the lila.The two brothers appear like renowned actors,Performing upon the stage of the world. (Bhagavat 10/18/8)"To understand the nature of ras listen carefully to our descriptions of Krishna’s attire. Their peacock feathers are secured to Their heads with yellow turbans. They tuck mango leaves behind their ears and long garlands made of fresh lotuses grace their necks and swing over their yellow dhotis. Their garb is very striking. They are with Their friends and everyone is singing."When we observe Krishna and His lila, our experience of ras increases.Krishna uses a combination of divine deluding mayaAnd His own attributes to create a spellbinding attire."For the development of bhakti ras in those who are eligible, Balaram incarnates with Shri Krishna with four types of ornaments.In the mango leaves there is ras,In the peacock feather, form,In the lotus garland, fragrance,His yellow clothes, like concealing maya,Screen His essential form."What Krishna wears has great inner meaning. His embellishments create ras. The lila-nature of his adornments is known to His bhaktas through devotion."The mango leaves adorn His ears; they represent the foundation of ras and the state of Love. O friends, the mango fruit contains nectar and the fresh tender mango leaves that Krishna adorns Himself with support the nectar of the fruit. They cultivate the fruit and allow it to appear. Those leaves provide the necessary nourishment for the mango nectar to arise.RR When Krishna uses mango leaves for his adornment, He is telling us that:Pure ras arises from Me.Ras takes refuge in Me."Then His peacock feathers, with colorful eyes, manifest with form to keep the ras flowing. Krishna ties them to His head. They flutter with His movements and are a catalyst for the nectar. This is called "vyabhichari" bhava, a transitory feeling that strengthens the ras and spreads its wonder all about.They create Attachment."When bhava arises in the form of those peacock feathers, the inner meaning of ras scripture is understood: He is comprised of pure bliss. Then the bhakta becomesAddicted to God."That divine state is expressed by Shri Krishna’s flower garland. This third lila component is called "anubhava". It is an external manifestation of a feeling, of a bhava conveyed by a look or gesture. "Anubhava" is indicated in Hari’s lotus garland and demonstrates the bhakta’s experience of Krishna."Upon inhaling the fragrance of the lotus, its effect is seen in facial expression; eyes speak of the sweetness. It is a direct experience of ras and that lotus reminds us of Krishna’s delicious embraces."The fourth element in the magical performance is His yellow shawl. It is dazzling and conceals, like maya, His bliss form. Too much exposure can interfere with the ras, thus the divine character is always veiled.Krishna exposes and conceals HimselfTo maintain the magic and majesty of ras."The firm mood of love is created, revealed, enhanced, experienced and hidden by mango leaves, peacock feathers, lotus garlands and yellow cloth."Many bhavas appear from the mango leaves. They are rajas and therefore create activity. The peacock feathers are tamas; they promote an obstinate and firm love in Hari’s form. The lotus garlands are sattva; they allow the sensitive soul the understanding that ras exists within all things. Krishna reveals:In mango leaves I am perfect ras,In peacock feathers I am beautiful,In lotus garlands I am aromatic,In my shawl I am hidden."When actors or poets perform on a stage and their words enter the listeners’ ears and hearts, this speech can produce a ras. They can make the audience laugh or cry. The listener becomes engaged and experiences the ras of the performance. In a similar way, the Svaminis experience a profound ras from Krishna’s lila performance. Although He is not before them, His lila manifests through their song about the flute."Krishna wears mango leaves to show that the fruit of devotion is filled with ras. When that is understood, knowledge arises and is accompanied by insight into the Nectar-Nature of things, an inner comprehension of ras. This sprouting of correct lila-appreciation is displayed in Krishna’s peacock feathers. When there is an understanding of the nature of the fruit, that it is filled with perfect ras,There is experience."When this transformation occurs, the brilliance of bhakti is seen in the face and detected in the eyes. To show this progression, Krishna wears flowers and becomes spellbinding.Mango leaves show love.Peacock feathers reveal divine attachment,While Krishna’s lotus garland demonstrates addiction."When there is addiction, the bhakta can no longer live without Him. A yearning for Him becomes constant.""Shri Krishna suddenly remembers, ‘There should be some covering. I will not reveal everything.’"To protect ras there must be discretion and Krishna accomplishes this with his "pitambar", His yellow shawl. It is the mayic curtain, the protector of secrets.Only when ras appears can it be tasted.Once tasted there is dance and beauty.In lila Krishna reveals esoteric ras.Know it to be the supreme secret arisingIn the company of the Vrindavan Svaminis."All of the rases have converged within Hari’s attire. Ras arises when the three qualities of tamas, rajas and sattva intermingle and make nine different impressions. Ras varies infinitely according to its components. Any ras that is connected to Krishna becomes Krishna ras regardless of attributes. Shri Krishna is pure ras and His ras is enhanced and nourished by the songs and instruments of His companions."Balaram and Krishna are splendid. They shine brightly when they are surrounded by their circle of friends. Krishna’s cowlad associates are innocent boys. The ras they enjoy with Krishna is simple and natural. Their dance, song and instruments are all equally balanced and exalted, yet at times their dance excels."Krishna is beyond law, yet He also contains it. Balaram and Krishna appeared before our eyes as seasoned actors who have studied their parts well in accordance with the sacred rules of drama. As they move about Braja, they always appear as if they are on a stage. Krishna is the best because His drama is purely divine.Their dance is rajas,It has movement and passion.When they embellish it with song,Their dance becomes sattva, so very pure."At times Krishna and His friends sing and move their hands in beautiful flowing motions.This presentation is renownedIn the world of conscious beings.And is effortless."We have explained the nature of ras. Now see how it is obtained.Desire is naturalThe sound of Krishna’s fluteTransforms it.9THE BAMBOO FLUTEO Gopis, what meritorious actHas that bamboo flute performedThat has allowed itTo enjoy at will our property,The nectar of Krishna’s lips!What is really surprisingIs that the ras it cannot enjoyIt passes on to the rivers and trees.They have become so noble and utterly thrilledThat they gush with/pour forth tears of bliss. (Bhagavat 10/18/9)The Svaminis know that the ras they worship Krishna with, now as before, is the Love-Elixir. This inspires one to say,"Even if that flute does not imbibe directly the nectar of His lips, it appears as if it does. Then again, our Krishna would never stoop to enjoy a bamboo flute. He delights only in women and that reed is the wrong gender. The nectar of His lips is reserved for us. We stand united and Laxshmi lives within each of us.Everyone knows that only the goddess of beautyHas the right to enjoy Him!"A real man would never enjoy a reed like Krishna’s flute. Imagine taking delight in such a thing! It does not even have human form. It is totally impossible for Hari to delight in it. But we should also consider:Divine things are always filled with consciousnessRegardless of what they are or where they live."We should sit down as a group and all the Svaminis should consider this important matter of Krishna’s relationship with that flute!What has that bamboo reed doneTo be allowed the exalted reward ofConnection with Shri Krishna’s lips?"The fruit of dharma corresponds directly to actions. It is the law of karma. Now we should all deliberate upon the dharma and practice of that flute. Only then can we understand how it came into such intimate contact with our Beloved.Dharma is perfected in the Vedas.We may appear as dairy-maids,Yet we are the manifested divinitiesOf those holy words, appearing in human form.RR"Our incarnations are high yet we still cannot fathom the dharma of that common reed. After all, what virtue can a stick of wood have? We have undergone all the necessary spiritual practices in this and other births. Our path lies in compliance with the Vedas. We have not contradicted the spirit of the sacred law in word or action. Besides this vast wealth, we are also divine women. Compared to us, what possible merit could that flute have that allows it contact with Shri Krishna’s lips!"A cloud of doubt arises in the SvaminisConcerning the rewardKrishna freely givesTo a river reed."O Gopis, we need to consider this matter carefully. But look:That flute is a man,Impossible for Krishna to enjoy.It has entirely the wrong form.RR"That flute could not have received the real reward. It has no sadhana and without practice, there is no reward. Yet it did receive the reward although it lacks integrity in both practice and fruit. The only thing to consider at this point is the meaning of the word "venu" or flute.The rapture of the "venu",Shri Krishna’s flute,Makes the joy of the worldAs well as the bliss of BrahmanBoth appear worthless."One other positive thing we can say about that flute is that it affords its own pleasure to others. We also acknowledge that Shri Krishna puts the flute to His nectar-filled lips. We remain confused about whether that reed achieved its position through its own efforts or by the strength of Shri Krishna’s grace?We do not believe that a reward as excellent as KrishnaCan be attained through effort or practice.In the light of grace,Prescribed practice appears inadequate."For us, Krishna is Damodar. He falls under the sway of the bhaktas who have humility. Krishna was Damodar when His mother Yashoda tried to bind Him, but was always short of rope. When she became overwhelmed by her inability to bind Brahman, she began to weep. At that point Krishna became Damodar and although Boundless, allowed Himself to be bound.Krishna’s lips are the abode of yearningUnattainable through any discipline."To taste ras, you need a tongue or at least some sense organ that that reed lacks. What can it know of nectar?" Then another Svamini explains,"I think the flute can enjoy ras because the scriptures claim that, ‘His nectar entered the vegetable kingdom.’"I realize we have been claiming that Krishna’s flute is unworthy of His ras, but what if it is Hari’s wish to bestow the priceless gift? After all, He showered that immortal elixir upon women who looked upon Him as a paramour. He has given His ras to others who would appear unworthy to us. What would stop Him from spreading that grace to a flute? It is amazing to me that we Svaminis of Vrindavan have been blessed with some of His nectar! Apparently that reed has reaped the same good fortune."That flute has even excelled us by giving the rivers and the trees any ras that it could not imbibe. It nourishes the trees and the rivers the way a good son would support his aging parents. Its mother is the river, its father the trees. It knows how to pay respect to its source and elders by affording them an overflow of Hari’s nectar.The river imbibes the ras.It is thrilled with joyAnd feels bliss upon bliss."Bhaktas who experience a flood of inner bliss find their hairs standing on end. Look what has happened to that river. After imbibing the flute’s ras, her hairs stood on end and appeared as lotuses in her waters. This is a testimony to the thrill of her inner experience.The lotus is considered to be the best of flowers.If that river was not thrilled with inner blissThen instead of blooming lotuses,The river would breed algae."Through the grace of Krishna’s flute, that blessed river imbibed God’s essence. Now Laxshmi, the goddess of splendor has decided to live within lotuses for it is said that,When something excellent is seen,A person can not overcomeThe desire to possess it."Seeing those fine lotuses, Shri Laxshmi, the consort of our Krishna, first desired them and then entered them. She can fully enjoy the lotus as one of her forms."The flute not only blessed its mother, the river, but also turned its graceful attention towards its father, the trees. When the trees imbibed Hari’s ras, they exuded sweet nectar and fruit suddenly appeared on their boughs. All of this could not have occurred without the introduction of Krishna’s ras.To be totally full of bliss,To have your hairs stand on end,These are not common experiences,Yet in Vrindavan, even trees and rivers have them."It was after they had contact with that flute that this remarkable transformation of nature took place. This is why we consider the trees and rivers to be so noble. They are like holy men whose hairs stand erect with bliss on their bodies after imbibing Hari’s dharma into their hearts. Tears pour from their eyes; they are in devotional rapture. The rivers and the trees of Vrindavan have attained this same state. It all happened after they imbibed Hari’s ras,The river blossomed with lotusesThe trees bore fruit."Now hear of Shri Krishna’s lotus feet as they play in Vrindavan."
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