25 Transcendental Qualities of Srimati Radharani

[philosoraptor]

Namaste Shivafan,

I'm not clear on how you concluded that I am somehow unfavorably disposed towards Krishna-bhakti, Krishna-bhaktas, or ISKCON. I can assure you that none of these is the case. Nor am I opposed to discussing Krishna-lIla publicly. On the contrary, I like to think I relish it.

My specific objection is to public discussion of some of these highly intimate details that are not found in shAstra/based on AcArya's personal vision. I think it is too easy for unqualified people to misunderstand them. As I have been told by some of my ISKCON friends, the pasttimes of Sri Krishna are to be respected and not to be revealed without consideration for the qualification of the audience. It is only out of respect that I point this out.

regards,

[ShivaFan]

Namaste Philosopheraptor

Thank you for your kind advise that people such as myself and others are unqualified to learn that Radharani has a pet deer. In part, I see the larger truth in what Smaranam means by Premanjana, in fact his use of the term mascara was fitting and I hope that such sharing of such wonderful knowledge is allowed.

I am wondering if the 25 Qualities of Radharani came from an authorized book of an authorized Gaudiya or even perhaps BBT or ISKCON publication? If so, should it not be made public?

Mahaprabhu who be very public in so many of the things shared which were already noted. And Chaitanya, during the time many Hindus were being killed for even saying the name of God in public, was in the streets shouting the names of God and sharing the pastimes of the same at the risk of His own life.

But I do enjoy hearing about such pastimes from those advanced devotees such as Smaranam when they see it is appropriate to share them. I understand your concern, and certainly you are having my own best interests in mind when you feel that such as myself should not be told about Radha's deer, I will take this into consideration in the future. I do have to be honest though, if a devotee wants to enlighten me about the pastimes of Lord Muruga, or Rama, or the words of the Saints and mystics in the future I will be careful, my only problem is the love inside that seems to want to reach out to God may make me all ears to the information.

But I am very happy today! Because I knew you have nothing against Krishna Bhaktas, and in one way all of this talk about Radha helped clarify! I knew it was the case, and I hope you will consider me if and when you can teach me how to be the same.

Om Namah Sivaya

[smaranam]

...

Prabhuji, thank you first of all, for your association, and for your very kind words.

I am just a devotee like you are. Also, to clarify, i am not a member of ISKCON technically, although Shrila PrabhupAd, his disciples and grand-disciples are certainly among my shikshA gurus. Like you i also relish stories of Vallabhacharya's 84 baithaks, and try to pick nectar from his PushTi Margiya descendants. You know Shyamsundar sent me to all these, but sometimes He also teased "Who asked you to read so much?"

That "NOTE" i had written in the end after some thought, was certainly not meant for you!
It was meant for others, who may not be interested in devotion to KRshNa and as you predicted, may look at all this as a fairy tale. It was merely a request - to put on the premanjana, mascara.

Your humility and strong interest in learning about the Lord's pastimes, as well as how you approach the subject, itself makes you qualified to hear what is on this thread.

I understand Philosoraptor's point, but 95% of what is here is indeed from ShAstra:

1. Radha Sahasranama : NArada PancharAtra (acharyas give many references from NArada PancharAtra and from NArad Muni in general - including the important quotes like harer namaiva kevalam)

2. Radha KRpA katAksha : Urdhvamaniya tantra (conversation between Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati)http://nitaaiveda.com/Compiled_and_I...Stava-Raja.htm

3. Maay, de chandra khilaouna laay (Maay, chandra khilaouna lai de) - not shastra, but composed By a rasik bhakta guru, Jagatguru Krupaluji Maharaj

4. Radha's sister, nitya - prAN sakhis , KRshNa's prAN-sakhas, Golok - Bramhavaivarta purAN (Ganga turned into a river in the Lord's Lotus Feet, Bhageerath Muni called Her to earth, and Shiva held Her in His JatA to dampen the force, ShridAma, Tulasi-ShankhachUDa leading to Tulasi-Shaligram are all sourced in Golok and found in Bramhavaivarta PurAN). I read some parts of a hindi naration, showing KRshNa was alone at first, then Radha, Narayana, Shiva, Lakshmi, Gauri, BrahmA, Saraswati, and then creation.

5. KRshNa's cowherd pastimes, carrying winner friend on shoulder, tRNAvrta, bakAsur vadh, cows etc. : Shrimad BhAgvat purAN Canto 10

More about cows by Vishwanath Chakravarti ThAkur, found in AC Bhaktivedanta Swami purport to SB 10.35.19. Bramha samhita ref. about Surabhi cows in purport to SB 8.8.2

6. Gopi Yutha, ashta sakhis : a consistent narration by several acharyas in various sampradAy independantly

-- Nimbarka, Chaitanya, Rupa Goswami, Ramanuja, South Indian Alvars (12) including Andal, Vallabhacharya.

-- Nimbarkacharya revealed about Radha's sakhis and taking shelter of Radha, but it was Lord Chaitanya, KRshNa in the internal mood of Radha and external mood of an ideal pure devotee, who revealed about manjaris, and a lot more details. He did not write anything except the Chaitanya ShikshAshtak, but transfered divine vision to His disciple Rupa Goswami who wrote the books.

Also Jiva Goswami wrote BRhad BhagvatamRta is also a recommended book that is not shastra, but Jiva Goswami has shown through a story of spiritual journey of a boy called Gopal, how serving KRshNa and His eternal associates in VrndAvan is the highest and sweetest.

Om namo bhagavate vAsudevAya~

praNAm

[smaranam]

http://www.astrojyoti.com/brahmavaivartapurana.htm
http://www.gauranga.org/files/brahma_vaivarta_purana.pdf
http://www.4shared.com/office/wlaEafRh/brahma-vaivarta_purana_-_unabr.html

[ShivaFan]

Namaste Smaranam!

As you state: "That "NOTE" i had written in the end after some thought, was certainly not meant for you! "

Of course I know that Smaranam! I never thought that even for a second. I really learn from you and I agree with you both in regards to the insights you have, and in the need to wipe our eyes authorized love to really see.

Thank you for everything, there is so much I can learn from you! It doesn't matter if you are ISKCON or not, you have all the qualifications to speak on authority regarding these matters, there is NO doubt in my mind on this. When I first met you, I knew so little about you, but now you have proven such insights that I almost feel I have known you are a great personality from somewhere in the past!

Anyway, whatever the case, thanks!

[philosoraptor]

Truth be told, Radha's pet deer does not bother me. Talk about Radha bringing the omnipotent Sri Krishna under her control, on the other hand, does strike me as something that could easily be misleading to non-Vaishnavas.

I'm glad as always, that unnecessary recourse to sarcasm does not obstruct the consideraton of a good point.

regards,

[ShivaFan]

Namaste Philosopheraptor

What about Lord Shiva, is He a non-Vaishnava? Is he allowed to hear the pastimes? What about Lord Ram? Isn't He a devotee and bhakti of Shiva? Is He a non-Vaishnav?

Who is a non-anything?

I do not know the answer, but I think guru knows.

Are you a guru?

This is not good measure of our time to go on and on as to who can hear what, who is non-this or that. There is better ways for our time?

Let's just let it rest.

Shanti, Shanti, Shanti