Vrajendra-nandana Śrī Kṛṣṇa alone is the Kāma-deva (the transcendental Cupid). To satisfy His divine desires, the eternal manifestation of countless varieties of entities in the category of āśraya (one who is the shelter of rasa) is perpetually revealed. It is only when the innate service attitude of a living entity goes away that the sense of distinction from the Lord arises within it. At that time, the living entity, having the mentality of ‘I am the controller’ indulges in the misconception of ‘ahaṁ brahmāsmi’ (I am the Supreme Lord), thus becoming an impersonalist and believing in the illusion of oneness with the Absolute. Alternatively, the living entity may fall into the category of materialistic enjoyers, thus keeping the despicable desire to enjoy opulence like Lord Nārāyaṇa Himself. Only a living entity, forgetful of its service attitude, adopts numerous identities such as ‘Bāula,’ ‘Karttābhajā,’ ‘Sahajiyā,’ or ‘Gauranāgarī,’ while imagining itself to be Kṛṣṇa and sees women of this world as the gopīs, considering them as objects of personal enjoyment. Instead of serving Kṛṣṇa, they position themselves as the object of service. In another deviation, under the guise of being ‘Gauranāgarī,’ they develop a mentality of enjoying Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu Himself. Another living entity, who has forgotten its service attitude, then becomes absorbed in following a-daiva (un-spiritualized) varṇāśrama-dharma. Such individuals perceive the entertainment or pleasure of women as their prime duty and rationalize, “If I do not protect (maintain) the creation, how will the Creator’s creation be preserved?” This misguided sense of responsibility takes hold of their hearts. Some others engage in practices such as bathing in the Gaṅgā-sāgara to obtain a husband, performing acts like godāna (cow donation) and ghoḍādāna (horse donation), undertaking pilgrimages, or observing arduous vows (vratas) involving various austerities. At times, they take shelter of Patañjali’s system of yoga, assuming themselves to be ‘unliberated’ and attempting to attain liberation through meditation.
Having deviated from the true religion, which is fulfilling the desires of the transcendental Kāma-deva (Śrī Kṛṣṇa), we register ourselves in the ranks of the bubhukṣu (those desiring material enjoyment) or mumukṣu (those desiring liberation) communities and engage in various endeavors accordingly. At times, to deceive the public, some proclaim, “I do not belong to the bubhukṣu or mumukṣu communities; I am a great devotee.” Through such advertisement, they attempt to gather wealth, women, or false prestige, which is like viṣṭhā or stool, and thus, being disguised in the garb of a deceitful devotee, they even seek to present themselves as the 'Lord'.
The sādhus (saintly people) say: "Do not allow yourself to be enchanted by the alluring guise of the two witches named bubhukṣā (desire for material enjoyment) and mumukṣā (desire for liberation), nor embrace them under any circumstance. Bathing in the sacred Gaṅgā-sāgara to obtain a transient and ‘decaying husband’ is utterly futile for us."
If only the radiance of the toenails of the Supreme husband (master) Śrī Kṛṣṇa-candra illuminated our hearts — if we were so fortunate — then we would become kiṅkarī (maidservants) of the kṛṣṇa-preyasīs (beloved devotees of Kṛṣṇa), rushing to the rāsa-sthalī while hearing the vaṁśī-dhvani (divine melody of His flute). During this transcendental journey, our material male or female bodies would dissolve into the five elements. Unlike the Sakhī-bhekī pretenders who, driven by a desire to enjoy Kṛṣṇa, dress their material male bodies as "Sakhīs" (female companions) to deceive themselves and others, those whose hearts are graced by the radiance of Kṛṣṇa’s toenails are free from such misguided notions. The sixty-thousand sages of Daṇḍaka Forest were captivated by the beauty of Śrī Rāmacandra. Later, they took birth in the transcendental houses of the gopīs.
O seekers of your own supreme welfare, O most fortunate and noble souls, abandon artificiality. Renounce artificial garb, artificial sentimentality, artificial devotion, or false devotion. Give up the worship of mundane women and effeminate moods. Surrender yourself to the service of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, to the servitude under Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī. Just as Śrī Vṛṣabhānunandinī serves Śrī Hari, just as Her attendant group of companions always serves Her in all respects, and just as the mañjarīs remain constantly engaged in the service of Vṛṣabhānunandinī who is surrounded by the Aṣṭa-sakhīs, in the same way, engage the tendencies of the feminine mood in such service.
When Bhavānī, Brāhmaṇī, Indrāṇī, Rambhā, Tilottamā, Sarasvatī and such potencies are deluded by external considerations, their thought is, "My mortal husband is named Rudra, Brahmā, Indra, or some other devatā or man." But upon becoming inclined toward the service of Hari, they too can understand that Śrī Hari alone is the one true husband, that Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is Kṛṣṇa’s most beloved, and that service to this Śrīmatī and Her attendant group of companions is indeed the true service to the eternal Lord and Husband.
Only when one offers everything that belongs to them to the Supreme Lord, are they truly “liberated.” Miserliness in offering one’s all is indeed “bondage” or “Hari-vimukhatā” (turning away from Hari).
kāminīra kāma, nahe tava dhāma, tāhāra mālika kevala yādava.
"Your place is not in the enjoyment of women; its only master is Supreme Lord Yādava."
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tomāra kanaka, bhogera janaka, kanakera dvāre sevaha mādhava.
"Your wealth gives rise to the mentality of enjoyment; therefore, you should use it in the service of Lord Mādhava."
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vaiṣṇavī pratiṣṭhā, tā’te kara niṣṭhā, tāhā nā bhajile labhibe raurava.
"Develop firm faith in the honor of being a Vaiṣṇava, and if you do not engage in devotion in this way, you will ultimately attain the hell known as Raurava."
Śrī Ṭhākura Jhāḍu did not consider his mortal wife to be a wife in the material sense (i.e. only for mutual enjoyment), and he engaged her also in Hari-bhajana. The story of Bilvamaṅgala and Cintāmaṇi is well known. Cintāmaṇi once said to Bilvamaṅgala, “If you were as attached to the Lord as you are to me; if you abandoned your attachment to material objects and directed this very effort toward the Aprākṛta Kāmadeva (transcendental Cupid Kṛṣṇa), then wouldn’t it have led to great auspiciousness for you?” It is proper for each one of us to deeply imbibe the essence of Cintāmaṇi’s instruction to Bilvamaṅgala and renounce both the male or enjoyer ego and the female or material-consort ego. When Bilvamaṅgala’s attachment and perception of womanhood in the material Cintāmaṇi were dispelled, and a service mood arose toward the transcendental Cintāmaṇi, only then did the Lord appear before him in the form of the transcendental Cintāmaṇi.
The enjoyer, Kṛṣṇa, is certainly not an object to be enjoyed. He is not a "Gaurāṅga Nāgara" such that someone could succeed in enjoying Him through seductive deceit. Such perverse intelligence in the living being is indeed the pinnacle of Hari-vimukhatā (turning away from Hari). Somagiri, appearing in the form of a guru, removed Śihlanamiśra’s external propensity — that is, the mentality of enjoying Kṛṣṇa — and as a result, Miśra came to be known as "Bilvamaṅgala."
Just as wife is to be engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa, in the same way, wealth must also be engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service. One must not indulge in enjoying wealth, nor should one engage in superficial renunciation of it out of a desire to attain prestige. Do not regard wealth as "women" (i.e. as a means to enjoy with women) or as "material"; instead, consider it as spiritual. "sarvaṁ khalvidaṁ brahma” (Everything, indeed, is Brahman) — that wealth which serves Śrī Hari is wealth in the same category of Brahman. Such spiritual wealth assists in the Hari-bhajana, and facilitates both the devotees of Hari and the service of Hari. To renounce something favorable to the service of Hari out of the materialistic view that it is mundane — what else is it other than false renunciation or a subtle desire for material prestige?
Engage your everything in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Be cautious! Do not, in the name of "Hari’s service," accept gold, women, or prestige as a shelter for deceit and duplicity. Such attempts are nothing but Hari-vimukhatā (turning away from Hari). The Hari-sevonmukha Jīvan-mukta-puruṣa (those who are inclined toward the service of Hari and are liberated while in their present body) offer everything for the service of the Lord. One whose every action is for Kṛṣṇa — he alone is truly liberated.
You will be able to study works such as Śrī Gīta-govinda or Aṣṭādhyāyī composed by Jayadeva, Rādhā-rasa-sudhā-nidhi of Śrī Prabodhānanda, Vilāpa-kusumāñjalī of Śrīla Raghunātha, Govinda-līlāmṛta of Śrīla Kavirāja, Kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāmṛta of Śrīla Cakravartī, the lyrical dramas of Śrīla Rāya, Vidagdha-mādhava of Śrīla Rūpa, and the Padāvalīs of Śrī Caṇḍīdāsa and Vidyāpati; you will acquire qualification to enter in these topics — only when you are able to free yourself from the current of thoughts of the external world which are dominated by enjoyment. This treasury of divine fortune has been kept open only for you — you alone will be its true heirs. Upon becoming sincerely inclined toward service, your individual qualification will awaken in one of the five rasas which will be as per your nitya-siddha-svarūpa (eternal & perfect spiritual form). Without being "liberated," there is no qualification for the service of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa belongs solely to Rādhārāṇī. Except through the service of Rādhārāṇī, there cannot be any access to the service of Kṛṣṇa. Be earnestly eager to become a kiṅkarī — a cherished attendant — of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, who is endowed with a natural, eternal attraction for the mellow of madhura-rasa. This is my message, up to this point.
