HOW TO DEVELOP SPIRITUAL WEALTH IN ANUGATYA

“O Śrīmatī Rādhikā there is no limit to the ocean of śyāma-rasa, the waves of which toss You to and fro. O Śrīmatī Rādhikā, when will you give me darśana and in this way anoint my eyes with Your beautiful form and pastimes.”
The followers of Rādhārānī always act under guidance. Even if they are inspired in the heart from Rādhārānī and Kṛṣṇa to do something, they will wait sometime before acting. For example: if they have a dream where they are instructed to make a temple and do some service, they will not act on that at once. They will wait for more inspiration or another dream or further confirmation. They will always be patient and once they see sufficient signs they can understand that it is time to fulfill Kṛṣṇa’s or His beloved’s desire.
We see that Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda waited for a long time before going to the West, even after he received the instruction directly from Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda.
Now we have love for our minds and senses. This is jaḍa-rati. We consider a friend to be anyone who helps us in our endeavors to gratify our senses, and anyone who gets in the way of our desires and enjoyment we consider to be our enemy. This is the opposite of true rati, which is possessed by Rādhārānī and the gopīs. When we become completely absorbed in this transcendental attachment, we will be able to serve in Vraja. We will then pray, “When will Rādhārānī accept me and give me permission to serve Her?”
We should learn to be patient. The expert sādhaka will always wait for appropriate inspiration, confirmation, and guidance. Sense-enjoyers are always running about impulsively and recklessly, but in spiritual life, sādhakas must be patient.
Take care before acting. When you collect spiritual wealth you will feel the impulse to spend it by sharing with everyone, but if you do, you will not collect any interest and your spending will make you bereft of spiritual wealth.
One’s spiritual wealth must be preserved and developed, only then can it increase and enable you to reach Vṛndāvana-dhāma. Many spend their spiritual wealth when being tested by māyā.
She will offer you followers and adoration and if you then share your spiritual wealth with them, your spiritual life will be spoiled.
Everyone must progress through their own sādhana.
So without the order of Rādhārānī or Her followers, you should not give this mood or wealth of vraja-rasa to anyone. Let it develop within yourself before you try to give it. Independent actions yield inauspicious results. Sādhakas who are eager to reach the service of Rādhārānī must always act under guidance and wait for confirmation of inspiration. If you are ordered directly by the gopīs in any particular way, you are ready and can act on your inspiration.
Prabhupāda Sarasvatī Ṭhākura did extreme sādhana in Māyāpura. He chanted three lakhs of harināma daily, bathed in the Gaṅgā, wore only one cloth, and so on. But it was only when Mahāprabhu and His associates appeared before him and instructed him to start the Gauḍīya-maṭha and to preach, that he put this particular practice to rest and began his preaching mission.
If we act according to our own desire we will never meet with success. Learn to be patient and protect your own sādhana at all costs. Do not rush ahead. When you get a taste of this vraja-rasa, your inclination will be to share it with everyone, but this stage is a dangerous one. If you are not careful you can lose your love once more.
kṣarantīva pratyakṣaram
anupama-prema-jaladhiṁ
sudhā-dhārā-vṛṣṭir iva
vidadhati śrotra-puṭayoḥ
rasārdrā san mṛdvī
parama-sukhadā śītalatarā
bhavitrī kiṁ rādhe tava
saha mayā kāpi su-kathā
O Rādhe! When will You and I speak together, Your every syllable like a matchless ocean of love, a cooling, sweet, gentle, delightful, shower of nectar cascading on the ears?
“O Śrīmatī Rādhikā, when will the fortune of speaking with You and hearing Your sweet words, which are filled with so much love and which are a cooling gentle shower of nectar, be mine? Now I cannot directly hear You or speak with you. I have no direct relationship with You, but without this I have no chance of developing vraja-rasa in my service, there in Vṛndāvana. So please reveal Yourself to me. Your words to me will be like immortal nectar flowing into the decaying caverns of my ears. Please let that flow of nectar come into my ears and flow into my heart. With a heart full of nectar I will be able to understand and serve You, Your beloved, and the Vrajavāsīs.”
Prabodhānanda Sarasvatīpāda prays, “O Śrī Rādhike, Vrajeśvarī, Kṛṣṇa is so anxious to see You. He seeks training from the gopīs and in a very humble mood asks them how He can please Rādhārānī.”
Kṛṣṇa goes out to the forest and, come heat, cold, or rain, serves the creepers, cows, other animals, and all the Vrajavāsīs. He thinks, “By serving the followers of Rādhārānī and all the Vrajavāsīs, She will be pleased and accept Me.”
O Śrī Rādhe! When a person once relishes the nectar of Your holy name, Kṛṣṇa becomes filled with love for him, makes no record of his offenses, and considers giving him the greatest gift. Who, then, can approach the pinnacle of the glory possessed by those whose only thought is to serve You?
Kṛṣṇa constantly chants the holy names of Śrīmatī Rādhārānī and when He sees someone chanting Her names, even if He knows that that person is a sinful offender He clears away all that person’s sins and protects him. If even a very unqualified person chants “Rādhe Rādhe!” and desires to serve Śrīmatī Rādhārānī, he will be graced by Kṛṣṇa and will quickly become qualified to enter Vṛndāvana and serve there. A person who has greed for rādhā-dāsyam crosses over all obstacles by Kṛṣṇa’s help and mercy. No one can obstruct that person because Kṛṣṇa is protecting him. Kṛṣṇa says, “This is my duty, I am always protecting the followers of my Rādhārānī, whether anyone else helps them or not.”
Srila Prabhodhananda Sarasvati Thakura ki Jaya! (excerpted from Sri Sri Radha-Rasa Sudha Nidhi; available from: dasrasikmohan@gmail.com )