Yesterday we heard that the vraja-kumārīs were disturbed, suffering and had great tension. Why? Their families were arranging their marriage ceremonies and were offering them to others. Then they would be divided and contaminated. This life is very useful. If once, one comes into asat sāṅga, bad association, then everything will be lost. It is not possible to bring one back from bad association and to clean one and offer again.
The gopīs had this knowledge. After millions of years of austerity, they offered themselves to God. They did not want to offer themselves to any other. If any paraphernalia is first offered to anyone else besides God—that is not pure.
mādhava, bahuta minati kori toya, dei tulasī tila, deho samarpinu, doyā jāni nā chāḍabi moya
Śrī Vidyāpati
With Tulasī I offer my body to God. Is this good? Should I offer the senses and mind? Offer the soul. This is the property of God. If I steal this and cheat and misuse it; take it away from God, then the soul is contaminated. How can I offer that and use it for God? The gopīs were performing austerity for this. But now they came to Vraja-maṇḍala and were afraid; people also had desire to share this property. It was not reserved. There was no other help for protection. Then they were very sad. Like when a flower blossoms, there is no guarantee where it will go. When a fruit is ripe, who will take it and where it will go—there is no guarantee. The gopīs were thinking and became very sad. Their parents were talking and trying to make relation with any others. They were trying to help, they thought, but their desire and the Vraja-devīs’ desire was different. Their parents, mostly their mothers, aunts and others said, “Why aren’t you eating properly? Why are you not bathing or dressing properly? What is your trouble? What austerity are you performing? Are you worshipping Umā, Lakṣmī, Brahma—who are you doing austerity for? Who gave you this advice? Please tell us. Now you are young kids; this is not the right age for doing upāsanā. Is this mantra and Guru right?”The gopīs’ mothers requested them to eat and sleep properly, but they did not hear. They did not sleep in their beds, anyhow they passed the night. Then they woke very early; then in the early morning they went to the Yamunā. Before, they had collected flowers, made garlands, and cooked directly, and the family was very happy. But now they did no more. Why? Their heart had this great pain. They all went to the bank of the Yamunā and sat there crying. On the other side, earlier, Kṛṣṇa would wake in the early morning and come at three thirty to all the gopīs’ houses in Vraja-maṇḍala. He went to this house and then the others. He moved and ate many preparations of the gopīs. He collected and gave to the sakhās as well. Now everything was dry in Vraja Bhūmi. The mothers were also disturbed. They had love for Kṛṣṇa; they call and invite Kṛṣṇa to come to their home, but now their house has some problem. They have daughters, and their daughters are disturbed. Therefore their minds were also not pleased. Around one month had passed without Kṛṣṇa coming. Then they were more disturbed. They thought to go for Kṛṣṇa’s darśana, but something kept them back. Kṛṣṇa was also sad now and did not eat or sleep well. Yaśodā Mātā called Paurṇamāsī, and said, “O Bhagavatī, Kṛṣṇa has not eaten or slept for like a month; he doesn’t play or talk with us. He is very disturbed. What is His sickness? Please help Him.” Paurṇamāsī said, “There is no problem, but, there is one condition. Kṛṣṇa daily goes to the forest with the sakhās. You give Him dry foods; you cook and send many preparations to the forest with your servants. By the time He eats this it is old and cold. Kṛṣṇa eats with His friends in the afternoon at one or two, and you cook in the early morning.” Yaśodā Mātā said, “I have no desire to send Kṛṣṇa in the forest with the cows and calves. I have many servants that can go; if He doesn’t go it is better.” “No, He must go, it is good for Him. If He stays at home His condition will become worse. But in the afternoon, Kṛṣṇa should eat fresh food. You give Kṛṣṇa food in the morning and He eats in the afternoon—this is not healthy for Him.” “What should I do? What is necessary?” “You should send some servants to the forest in the afternoon—they will help prepare fresh food there.” Then Paurṇamāsī changed the subject, “The Vraja-devīs, mañjarīs and gopīs come daily to Nanda-bhavana. Are they coming or not now?” Yaśodā Mātā said, “No.” “Why not? Have you inquired?” “No.” “If Kṛṣṇa has no friends, and Kṛṣṇa is alone, then how will He be happy?” Yaśodā Mātā thought, “Yes, when the gopīs and mañjarīs come in the early morning, they cook many preparations and then Kṛṣṇa eats very well according to His choice. But for a long time they haven’t come.” Yaśodā Mātā said, “I will go and find out today.” She sent news, “Why aren’t the gopīs coming?” Their parents said, “They are very disturbed. They don’t go here and there; they only weep and are gloomy all day and night.” Then Yaśodā Mātā understood the problem. She went near the mañjarīs and asked, “Why are your disturbed? Why don’t you come to my house anymore?” The gopīs said, “Our parents desire to send us out of Vraja-maṇḍala. We have desire not to leave. We would rather come to your house and become permanent servants there.” Yaśodā Mātā said, “Don’t worry, you should come and cook at my house in the mornings and then return to your homes.” The gopīs were a little pacified and Yaśodā Mātā left. Then the gopīs went and met with Paurṇamāsī-devī. She said, “Now I will arrange a good program that will be permanent.” Then the girls came on the bank of the Yamunā. The time was right after cāturmāsya. Bhagavatī Paurṇamāsī appeared and told them, “I have a siddha mantra. I will give you this mantra; chant it for one month. By chanting this mantra, all your desires will be fulfilled and you will never be sad. This is permanent. No more disturbance or trouble will come. Eat once, but only haviṣyānna.” Haviṣyānna means—one cooks grains and eats them only with a little salt. Bhagavatī Paurṇamāsī told them, “Don’t massage your bodies with oil, or use soap, or dress nicely. Live very simply for one month—don’t wash your hair, and so forth. Eat once a day. Sleep on the ground, not on any wooden bed, and wear white dresses. Follow this vrata carefully and chant the mantra I give.” Then daily in the early morning, the gopīs came to the bank of the Yamunā in many groups. They took bath in their wet clothes before the sun rose. While bathing, they prayed to Yamunā-devī, “Oh Yamunā, you are very famous in Vraja-maṇḍala. You appeared in Vraja-maṇḍala to fulfil the desires of all. If anyone offers you respect and has faith in you, then you fulfil their desires. We are bathing in your waters; you are the near and dearest sakhī of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa bathes in your water and you completely embrace, kiss and serve Him. Your body mixes with His; you have very sweet friendship. You are not distant to Him. We take shelter of you and offer ourselves to your lotus feet. May you also enter our body and clean and purify it.” This is very pure and sweet help. Gaṅgā, Yamunā, Godāvarī, Kāverī, Tāpti, Narmadā, Sindhu—God Himself arranges all holy rivers to help people in this world. By drinking water, people’s thirst goes. But the body has many types of heat and anarthas. How can these leave? Therefore the holy rivers are present. Like mothers bathe their own children, similarly, Gaṅgā, Yamunā and other holy rivers wash the heat and anarthas of the living entities. The gopīs bathed in Kālindī Yamunā’s rasa and were nourished. First they bathed and prayed to Yamunā and worshipped her, then sat on her bank. They became very pleased. It was very cold in the winter season, but they had no trouble. Yamunā-devī is the daughter of the Sun-God. Yamarāja and Yamunā are brother and sister. Both are helpful. If anyone takes shelter of Yamunā-devī then Yamarāja will not disturb them. He will not enter them in his registry for entrance into hell. Kṛṣṇa is very happy with one who takes shelter of Yamunā-devī. Yamunā is the near and dearest of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is pleased because Yamunā-devī gives all good qualities. Now the Vraja-devīs were ready to begin their worship. They did not know the process of worship. Then by the inspiration of Yamunā-devī, they made a deity with the sand. First they cleaned the area, sweeping and washing it with water. Then they quickly made deities and gave āsana, ācamana, pādya, arghya, puṣpāñjali and offered bhoga. Then in groups, they chanted this mantra. How did they do pūjā? They made sand deities and it was as if the Deity appeared Herself and was manifest there. First, every morning, they prayed, “O Devī, Kātyāyanī, Maha-yoginī, Adhīśvarī, please appear here. Hear our request. Then take us with you nearby Kṛṣṇa.” Therefore svagātam, svagātam, svāgatam— they prayed with this address very politely and with a humble mood. They decorated the area with beautiful flowers and gave an āsana. Then they made the area fragrant with incense and perfumes. They gave many offerings and said, “Please accept this Devī; you are respected. Please offer our presentation to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and bestow the association of Kṛṣṇa upon us. May Kṛṣṇa’s family be our life and soul. May we make sweet relation with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we pray to you, please accept our argya.” They said, “Next we offer you ācamana, washing your hands and face with sweet water. Please give us the chance to wash Kṛṣṇa’s face, and allow us to kiss Kṛṣṇa. Therefore make us qualified. Bring us near Kṛṣṇa.” They don’t only offer ācamana, water. Then the gopīs say, “We are offering pure butter, ghee, yogurt, sugar and honey— madhuparka. Take this madhuparka Devī. Offer this sweet thing to Kṛṣṇa. May Kṛṣṇa take it and be pleased.” The gopīs thought, “Kṛṣṇa will definitely take this and be pleased.” Giving madhuparka means making relationship. This is like a ring ceremony. First marriage engagement is symbolised by this madhuparka. If any young girl gives some food or drink with her own hand to a boy, then this is like making an engagement with him. So this is ring ceremony, this will be on your hand and you will continuously be with it. This is prema-rasa; this is the meaning of madhuparka. Then they gave ācamana and took nice oil and a paste, with a good smelling perfume mixed in and they massaged the body of the devī. They said “Devī, please take this oil and offer it to Kṛṣṇa, and massage it onto the body of Kṛṣṇa. Give us a chance that we may be able to go and offer this to Kṛṣṇa. His body is very soft and we will smear it on Him.” The gopīs thought, “Kṛṣṇa’s body is very soft. If we go with thousands of hands and massage Kṛṣṇa, how can He tolerate this? Then they give gandha to cool Kṛṣṇa’s body. Now it is time for ārati. We will hear more tomorrow. Hari-katha spoken by Sripada Premananda Prabhu; rendition by Rasik Mohan Das This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.If Guru is bona-fide, then mantra is bona-fide. Mantras are present in śāstra, but who has siddhi with that mantra and who has relation with the mantra devatā, and who has completely offered themselves to the mantra’s devatā—that person is real guardian and Guru.