Transcript
  • 1. KRISHNAS RECIPROCATION from Ananda-vrindavana-campu, Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.32 with commentaries, and Krishna Book

2. PART 1 Verses 15-16 3. sabhjayitv tam anaga-dpana sahsa-llekaa-vibhrama-bhruv sasparanenka-ktghri-hastayo sastutya at kupit babhire r Ka had awakened romantic desires within the gops, and they honored Him by glancing at Him with playful smiles, gesturing amorously with their eyebrows, and massaging His hands and feet as they held them in their laps. Even while worshiping Him, however, they felt somewhat angry, and thus they addressed Him as follows. 4. r-gopya cu bhajato 'nubhajanty eka eka etad-viparyayam nobhay ca bhajanty eka etan no brhi sdhu bho The gops said: Some people reciprocate the affection only of those who are affectionate toward them, while others show affection even to those who are indifferent or inimical. And yet others will not show affection toward anyone. Dear Ka, please properly explain this matter to us. 5. The gopis thought What gentleman would call for his beloved, only to send her home again? What gallant would show his affection, and then abandon his darling in the dead of night, in the jungle? What hero would neglect his heroine and show no remorse at her tears? 6. The gopis inquired from one another, We exhibit our love for Him without reservation. Why doesnt Govinda reciprocate with us? Does He relish some perverse pleasure from abandoning us in the dead of night? 7. We should question Him in paradoxical language so that He will be forced to admit His ingratitude. Posing a general question about love, we shall confirm our own submission and reveal the true intent of our hearts. 8. Sri Krishna had awakened romantic desires within the gopis, and they honored Him by glancing at Him with playful smiles, gesturing amorously with their eyebrows, and massaging His hands and feet as they held them in their laps. 9. Even while worshiping Him, however, they felt somewhat angry, and thus they addressed Him as follows. 10. The gopis said, "0 joy of our eyes, now please give us answers on one topic. Dear Krishna, we are ordinary women of Vrindavana, and we do not know much about Vedic knowledgewhat is right and what is wrong. 11. We therefore put a question to You, and since You are very learned, You can answer it properly. 12. Thus, being desirous of proving with His own words that the Supreme Lord is ungrateful, the gopis, acting according to ordinary custom while hiding their real intention, inquired from Him. 13. THE GOPIS QUESTIONS 14. Who is the best, most honest, loving person? 15. First type of person Some people reciprocate the love only of those who show love toward them, 16. Second Type of Person while others show love even to those who are indifferent or inimical 17. Third Type of Person Yet others will not show love toward anyone. 18. (Oh, Krishna, Which type are you?) Dear Krishna, please properly explain this matter to us. You are the most knowledgeable among all moving and non-moving entities. Please consider and give Your reply." 19. WHAT THE GOPIS WERE REALLY ASKING 20. Do You have Love, Indifference, or Enmity for Us? Even though there are these three different possibilities, we cannot ascertain which is the fact. 21. If You Have Love for Us, is it Conditional? No, since one who has conditional affection gratifies those persons who will help him achieve his personal desires, and does not neglect such persons. You, however, have tried to kill us by burning us in the fire of separation from You. 22. Or is Your Love Unconditional? No, since You abandoned us in the depth of the night within the fearful forest, and since even when You saw how much distress we felt You were not at all bereaved. 23. Are You Indifferent? No, since we see that You act to cause our happiness and our suffering. 24. Is It Perpetual Enmity? NoYou often show love for us. 25. Is It Enmity from Unfavorable Reciprocation? No, because we have done nothing inimical toward You. 26. PART 2: KRISHNA ANSWERS Nine Kinds of Persons Verses 17-19 27. r-bhagavn uvca mitho bhajanti ye sakhya svrthaikntodyam hi te na tatra sauhda dharma svrthrtha tad dhi nnyath The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: So-called friends who show affection for each other only to benefit themselves are actually selfish. They have no true friendship, nor are they following the true principles of religion. Indeed, if they did not expect benefit for themselves, they would not reciprocate. 28. bhajanty abhajato ye vai karu pitarau yath dharmo nirapavdo 'tra sauhda ca su-madhyam My dear slender-waisted gops, some people are genuinely merciful or, like parents, naturally affectionate. Such persons, who devotedly serve even those who fail to reciprocate with them, are following the true, faultless path of religion, and they are true well-wishers. 29. bhajato 'pi na vai kecid bhajanty abhajata kuta tmrm hy pta-km akta-j guru-druha Then there are those individuals who are spiritually self- satisfied, materially fulfilled or by nature ungrateful or simply envious of superiors. Such persons will not love even those who love them, what to speak of those who are inimical. 30. Krishna looked at them very sweetly with sidelong glances. Then just to satisfy them, He gave a humorous answer imbued with a special taste that could revive a person from death. 31. PEOPLE WHO RECIPROCATE THE LOVE ONLY OF THOSE WHO SHOW LOVE TOWARD THEM 32. Krishna said, "0 dear slender-waisted gopis. People who show affection for each other only to benefit themselves are actually selfish. They have no true friendship. Indeed, if they did not expect benefit for themselves, they would not reciprocate. 33. They are just like merchants. They give in loving affairs as much as they get from the other party. Practically there is no question of love. It is simply self-interested or self-centered business dealing. 34. There is no permanent dharma, and no prema with such persons. In such relationships there is no feeling of friendship, and consequently no happiness, nor is there religiousness, since their ulterior motives are obvious 35. Even those without a tinge of loving affairs are better than these merchants. 36. THOSE WHO SHOW AFFECTION EVEN TO THOSE WHO ARE INDIFFERENT OR INIMICAL 37. Two TypesPure Devotees and Family Some people are compassionate toward all souls, or like parents, naturally affectionate. They lovingly serve even those who fail to reciprocate with them. 38. Dharma and prema are lasting in such persons. They feel the happiness and distress of those they love like their own, even when there is no reciprocation. 39. Pure Devotees Prahlada is such a devotee who loves those who are ungrateful. 40. Pure Devotees Oh, thin-waisted women! This middle question, like your beautiful waist, describes your pure love for Me. You love Me even when I do not reciprocate. Indeed, my lack of reciprocation is to show the world this pure love of yours! 41. Family Members Mothers and fathers continue to love ungrateful children. This family love is not as elevated as the love of pure devotees for all living beings. 42. UNGRATEFUL PEOPLE Four Types 43. atma-aramahthe self-satisfied A person who does not have desire for external enjoyment, and takes delight in the self alone 44. apta-kamahthose who have already attained their material desires A person who, though he or she is interested in external enjoyment, has satisfied all desires, and therefore does not want enjoyment from othersFully satiated to overflowing, such souls achieve whatever they desire, and destroy any impediment obstructing their happiness. Whether they are loved or not is of no consequence, for they have no need to fulfil and thus require nothing from anyone. 45. akrita-jnahthose who are ungrateful This person desires to take enjoyment from others, but is not aware of what others have done for himThis is a foolish person who does not know how to reciprocate 46. Although capable of reciprocating the love of others, they are distracted by sense objects, and so never consent to help those from whom they have received benefit. Their natural characteristic is ingratitude. 47. guru-druhahthose who are inimical to those who help them This person is one who does not acknowledge what others have done for him or her, and rather shows excessive hatred towards them 48. guru-druhah type #1when there is cause for hatred Such ungrateful persons are of a lesser degree 49. guru-druhah type #2hating a protector A person who envies and hates those who protect and care for him or her 50. guru-druhah type #3causing harm to a loyal friend Such persons not only hate and envy but actually cause harm and injury to a person who was faithful to them. 51. SUMMARY OF THE NINE PERSONS 52. 1. Selfishbusiness exchange 2. Selfless giving a) Pure devotees b) Family 3. Indifferent a) Self-satisfied spiritualist b) Materialist with all desires fulfilled c) Ungratefulfoolish d) Inimical 1) Hating with cause 2) Hating those who protect 3) Injuring those who are loyal Nine Types 53. The gopis wondered.. You are not any of the persons you described in your answers to the first two questions. You are not a selfish materialist, not a merciful devotee, nor a mother or father. Please tell us which of the ungrateful persons you are. 54. PART 3: WHY KRISHNA SOMETIMES DOES NOT RECIPROCATE Verses 20-22 55. nha tu sakhyo bhajato 'pi jantn bhajmy amm anuvtti-vttaye yathdhano labdha-dhane vinae tac-cintaynyan nibhto na veda But the reason I do not immediately reciprocate the affection of living beings even when they worship Me, O gops, is that I want to intensify their loving devotion. They then become like a poor man who has gained some wealth and then lost it, and who thus becomes so anxious about it that he can think of nothing else. 56. eva mad-arthojjhita-loka-veda svnm hi vo mayy anuvttaye 'bal mayparoka bhajat tirohita msyitu mrhatha tat priya priy My dear girls, understanding that simply for My sake you had rejected the authority of worldly opinion, of the Vedas and of your relatives, I acted as I did only to increase your attachment to Me. Even when I removed Myself from your sight by suddenly disappearing, I never stopped loving you. Therefore, My beloved gops, please do not harbor any bad feelings toward Me, your beloved. 57. na praye 'ha niravadya-sayuj sva-sdhu-ktya vibudhyupi va y mbhajan durjara-geha-khal savcya tad va pratiytu sdhun I am not able to repay My debt for your spotless service, even within a lifetime of Brahm. Your connection with Me is beyond reproach. You have worshiped Me, cutting off all domestic ties, which are difficult to break. Therefore please let your own glorious deeds be your compensation. 58. I do not immediately reciprocate the affection of those who worship Me, so I am not the first type of person who does business exchange. 59. I do not show compassion to those who are indifferent, so I am not the second category of person. 60. Yet I am very merciful, as much as you are, being the ideal example in the answer to your second question. That is, I am the person who worships even if the object of worship does not respond. 61. One should not think that only if I am present that I respond, and if I am not present, I do not respond, for then my promise I will respond accordingly as they worship me, would be broken. 62. I am also situated beyond the four types of people given in My answer to your third question. I am not atma-rami, completely self-satisfied and absorbed in meditation, for I have been attracted by your piteous conversations. 63. Furthermore, as the benevolent benefactor of every living entity, I am not indifferent to the needs of the countless jivas throughout His creation. Do I not fulfil the desires of everyone? How then, can the allegation of indifference be levied against me? 64. I am self-satisfied due to possessing unlimited, self-sufficient opulences. But when I savor the love of my devotees, I come to hanker for their service and renounce my station as the topmost atmarama 65. I am also not apta-kami, free from any desires. (Being subjugated by His devotees love, He feels the need to protect and maintain them. Although He needs nothing, He cant help but fulfil the desires of His devotees. Because His devotees only desire to serve Him, He becomes obliged to welcome and reciprocate their love.) 66. I am not a guru-druhi, a cruel person hating those who help Me. I am not an akrta-jnah, an ungrateful person. (Krishna gives Himself to one who offers only a Tulasi leaf, or a little water, or even who says His name indicating something else. Thus He cannot be ungrateful.) 67. For the Aspiring Devotee Who has not Attained Prema For those surrendered souls who worship me through nama kirtana and other means, I do not respond in order to make their worship more perfect. Not seeing me, those surrendered souls develop humility. 68. For the Aspiring Devotee Who has not Attained Prema Everything I have done has been useless, because I am an offender, and could not get a drop of mercy. I am most unfortunate. Constantly thinking in this way, bhakti grows prominently, devoid of lust and anger. 69. For the Aspiring Devotee Who has not Attained Prema Seeing them suffer in lonely places, I endure pain a thousand times more than theirs. What can I do? Their sincere prayers amaze Me, but their hot tears scorch My heart and their faint of despair causes Me to swoon. Still, for their sake I wait in silence. I endure it all to ripen their love. 70. For the Devotees who have Prema I do not immediately respond or show Myself to those who worship Me, because I want to intensify their loving attachment to Me. 71. For the Devotees who have Prema They then become absorbed in remembering Me, just like a poor man, who has gained some wealth and then lost it, can think of nothing else. I respond to them additionally, but in a covered way. 72. Special Devotees You gopis are not in the categories of those who have not attained prema, or those who have attained it. You are the limit of devotees. 73. Krishna spoke with regret, I have done something very regrettable, which was very improper for me. Devotees such as you have never existed, in the past, do not exist now, and cannot exist in the future. 74. It is not possible increase or decrease your attraction for me at all, by one atom or by a huge amount. Therefore I desired to show the other prema bhaktas the great glory of your prema in separation. 75. Krishna cannot repay the gopis You gave up all family connection to serve me, but I have not given up my family for you. Therefore my promise to reciprocate is broken with you. I cannot repay you for your service. Please be happy with your own service. 76. Then the gopis began to consider Though as the Supreme Lord, he is full of all qualities, though he is devoid of all faults, though he knows all about our love for him, in order to establish our superiority, in order to make himself a debtor to us, he has performed this act of giving us up. 77. We, who wanted to defeat him and criticize for his conduct with our riddles, have been most unvirtuous in intent, whereas he desired to establish our excellence. We can never be like that! We have finally been defeated by his prema.


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