Srila-Govinda-Maharaj-Mahamantra

The Opulence of Vraja

Svarūp Dāmodar explains the supremacy of Kṛṣṇa’s homeland to Śrīvās Ṭhākur.

Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj often quoted and relished this section of Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta (from Madhya-līlā Chapter 14), which was spoken during the Lakṣmī Vijay festival on Herā Pañchamī day in Śrī Purī Dhām.

śrīvāsa hāsiyā kahe,—śuna, dāmodara
āmāra lakṣmīra dekha sampatti vistara [203]

Smiling, Śrīvās Ṭhākur said, “Listen, O Dāmodar! Consider the grand opulences my Lakṣmī Devī.

vṛndāvanera sampad dekha,—puṣpa-kisalaya
giridhātu śikhi-pichchha-guñjāphala-maya [204]

And consider the opulences of Vṛndāvan: flowers, sprigs, red ochre, peacock feathers, and guñja berries.

āmāra lakṣmīra sampad—vākya-agochara [213]

My Lakṣmī Devī’s opulences are incomparable!

dugdha āuṭi’ dadhi mathe tomāra gopī-gaṇe
āmāra ṭhākurāṇī vaise ratna-siṁhāsane [214]

Your gopīs boil milk and churn it into butter. My Goddess sits on a jeweled throne.”

nārada-prakṛti śrīvāsa kare parihāsa
śuni’ hāse mahāprabhura yata nija-dāsa [215]

In the mood of Nārad Muni, Śrīvās Ṭhākur laughed. Hearing this, Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s intimate devotees smiled.

prabhu kahe,—śrīvāsa, tomāte nārada-svabhāva
aiśvarya-bhāve tomāte, īśvara-prabhāva [216]

Mahāprabhu said, “O Śrīvās, you have the mood of Nārad, and you are under the influence of the Lord’s opulence.

i̐ho dāmodara-svarūpa—śuddha-vraja-vāsī
aiśvarya nā jāne i̐ho śuddha-preme bhāsi’ [217]

Svarūp Dāmodar, however, is a pure resident of Vraja. He floats in pure divine love and has no awareness of opulence.”

svarūpa kahe,—śrīvāsa, śuna sāvadhāne
vṛndāvana-sampad tomāra nāhi paḍe mane? [218]

Svarūp Dāmodar said, “O Śrīvās, listen carefully. Do you not remember the opulence of Vṛndāvan?

vṛndāvane sāhajika ye sampat-sindhu
dvārakā-vaikuṇṭha-sampat—tāra eka bindu [219]

The opulence of Dvārakā and Vaikuṇṭha is just a drop within the ocean of the natural opulence of Vṛndāvan.

parama puruṣottama svayaṁ bhagavān
kṛṣṇa yāhā̐ dhanī tāhā̐ vṛndāvana-dhāma [220]

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the possessor of all opulence, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, is the proprietor of Vṛndāvan Dhām.

chintāmaṇi-maya bhūmi ratnera bhavana
chintāmaṇi-gaṇa—dāsī-charaṇa-bhūṣaṇa [221]

The land, homes, and ornaments on the feet of the gopīs there are all made of wish-fulfilling jewels.

kalpa-vṛkṣa-latāra—yāhā̐ sāhajika-vana
puṣpa-phala vinā keha nā māge anya dhana [222]

There is a natural forest of wish-fullfilling trees and creepers there, and no one desires any wealth other than its fruits and flowers.

ananta kāma-dhenu tāhā̐ phire vane vane
dugdha-mātra dena, keha nā māge anya dhane [223]

There are unlimited wish-fulfilling cows there that roam from forest to forest. They give only milk, and no one there desires any other wealth.

sahaja lokera kathā—yāhā̐ divya-gīta
sahaja gamana kare,—yaichhe nṛtya-pratīta [224]

The natural speech of the people sounds like delightful singing there, and their natural movements appear like dancing.

sarvatra jala—yāhā̐ amṛta-samāna
chid-ānanda jyotiḥ svādya—yāhā̐ mūrtimān [225]

All of the water is like nectar there, and the joyful, spiritual light there is most relishable.

lakṣmī jini’ guṇa yāhā̐ lakṣmīra samāja
kṛṣṇa-vaṁśī kare yāhā̐ priya-sakhī-kāya [226]

There the qualities of the goddesses there surpass those of Lakṣmī Devī, and Kṛṣṇa holds His dear friend the flute in His hand.

Brahma-saṁhitā (5.56):
śriyaḥ kāntāḥ kāntaḥ parama-puruṣaḥ kalpa-taravo
drumā bhūmiś chintāmaṇi-gaṇa-mayī toyam amṛtam
kathā gānaṁ nāṭyaṁ gamanam api vaṁśī priya-sakhī
chid-ānandaṁ jyotiḥ param api tad āsvādyam api cha [227]

‘In Vṛndāvan, goddesses are the lovers; the Supreme Lord is the beloved; the trees are wish-fulfilling trees; the land is made of wish-fulfilling jewels; the water is nectar; speech is song; movement is dance; the flute is Kṛṣṇa’s dear friend; and the light is spiritual and joyful. Vṛndāvan is thus supremely relishable.’

Bilvamaṅgal Ṭhākur:
chintāmaṇiś charaṇa-bhūṣaṇam aṅganānāṁ
śṛṅgāra-puṣpa-taravas taravaḥ surāṇām
vṛndāvane vraja-dhanaṁ nanu kāma-dhenu-
vṛndāni cheti sukha-sindhur aho vibhūtiḥ [228]

‘In Vṛndāvan, the ladies’ anklets are made of wish-fulfilling jewels, and the trees, whose flowers are used for amorous decoration, are wish-fulfilling trees. Vraja’s wealth is its herds of wish-fulfilling cows. Oh! Vṛndāvan’s opulence is an ocean of joy!’”

śuni’ premāveśe nṛtya kare śrīnivāsa
kakṣa-tāli bājāya, kare aṭṭa-aṭṭa hāsa [229]

Hearing this, Śrīvās Ṭhākur began to dance, rapt with divine love. He slapped his palms against his sides and roared with laughter.

vraja-rasa-gīta śuni’ prema uthalila
puruṣottama-grāma prabhu preme bhāsāila [232]

Hearing about the glories of Vraja, the Lord’s divine love swelled, and He inundated the village of Puruṣottam with it.

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