(Photo courtesy of Krishna.com)
Prabhupda: So any question?
Madhudvisa: Prabhupada, could you tell us something about Krsna's rasa-lila?
Prabhupada: (pause) Krsna's rasa-lila should not be discussed in public meeting. It is most confidential. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu never discussed. He discussed Krsna's pastimes, lila with gopis, with His confidential, very confidential circle. Or those who are... Lord Caitanya had many thousands of followers, and... He was not discussing even within these five persons, sri-Krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi, Nityananda, Advaita, Gadadhara, Srivasa, and Himself, these five persons. So when He was at Navadvipa, He was not discussing even with them, what to speak of others. He set up this example so that in future people may be very cautious. Because unless one understands what is Krsna, how he can understand Krsna's pastime? So this discussion of rasa-lila is the summit of Krsna consciousness. It is not ordinary thing. They're purely spiritual. There is nothing material. But because we are not completely free from material concept of life, we may think that Krsna's lila is something like this material. So that is offense. But that is the ultimate goal, to understand Krsna's rasa-lila. But you have to wait for relishing that Krsna's rasa-lila, to become more perfect in Krsna consciousness. Anarthapagamam. Anartha means when one is freed from all anarthas. But it is so nice, even those who are with anartha, misgivings, if they are devotee, if they have got full surrender unto Krsna, so they also will derive benefit. Krsna's rasa-lila means that Krsna was adopted or foster child. Is that foster child? Yes. So, of Nanda Maharaja. His father exchanged. His father Vasudeva wanted to save Krsna, and he brought from Mathura to Vrndavana, Gokula. And Nanda Maharaja had a daughter. So he placed Krsna on the lap of Yasoda and took away the daughter, and this daughter was given to Kamsa for killing. Just see, there is selfishness. He wanted to save his own son and wanted to kill Yasoda's daughter. (chuckling) You see? So this is not selfishness; therefore we shall misunderstand. That daughter was not ordinary child, she was the material energy herself, Durga. So when Kamsa took that child by the leg and wanted to, what is called? Slash? Smash, yes. Smash on the stone, the daughter slipped from his hand and appeared as Durga, that "You fool, you want to kill me. The boy, the child who will kill you, is already born. Don't try for killing me. He's already born."
So Krsna, up to sixteen years, He was in Vrndavana. Naturally, there were many children, boys and girls. They played together. So they were very... Krsna, everyone loved. Vrndavana means simply center figure is Krsna, and everyone loves. So some of the girls, they loved Krsna, and a girl's loving means she wants Krsna as husband. But according to Vedic concept, the girls are married at the age of twelve to sixteen years, and boys are married from twenty to twenty-five years. So all the girls were married mostly, but Krsna was not married. And some of the girls were not married, but all the girls, they were very fond of Krsna. So from the childhood they were friends. So Krsna used to play His flute, and all the girls would come. So this rasa-lila was performed on this day, the Krsna, in the full moon night, He played the flute, and the girls assembled and there was dance. There is similar dance, just like ball dance in your country. But the specific significance of this dance was that Krsna bifurcated Himself in so many boys as many girls there were, and they began to dance in pair. That is sum and substance of rasa-lila. So if you go to Vrndavana and if you like to dance with Krsna, the facility is for you. That is the ultimate goal of our life. If you want to love Krsna similarly as the gopis loved, you can have the chance. Or if you want to love Krsna as His cowherds boyfriend, that chance is also there. If you want to love Krsna as child, that chance is also there. Any capacity you try to love Krsna... Krsna is ye yatha mam prapadyante [Bg. 4.11]. "Anyone who worships Me or loves Me in any way, I am prepared to answer." He can answer... Just like Nrsimhadeva. Because Hiranyakasipu wanted to love Krsna by becoming enemy, so He also answered as enemy. So there are twelve kinds of reciprocal exchange—seven secondary and five primary. So all these rasas... Rasa means rasa. Rasa means humor. All these humors are present even in this material world in different way, as perverted reflection of the spiritual rasa. Nothing can be new here, but here it is a reflection only. Reality is there. So the five primary principles of loving affairs is there in the Vaikuntha world. And Krsna consciousness means to practice Krsna consciousness while we are in this material body, and after giving up this body, we enter into the spiritual realm for factually participating with Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness movement. So if you want to enter into the rasa-lila, if you desire like that, so you love Krsna in that way, as the gopis. Then you'll have the same perfection. There is no difficulty. It is not at all difficult. Simply you practice. But you have to forget the rasa-lila of this material world. (chuckling) Otherwise there world then you play havoc. That risk is there. Yes. "Krsna enjoyed with so many girls, so let me also become Krsna and enjoy." That is finished everything. (laughter) (pause) (baby laughs) Oh, she is appreciating. (chuckles) Yes. Thank you. Come on. Reach. So we'll have kirtana or this record or we'll close our meeting?
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