Śrī brahma-saṁhitā 5.37
ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis
tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ
goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
Synonyms
ānanda — 极乐; cit — 和知识; maya — 组成; rasa — 风味; prati — 时时刻刻; bhāvitābhiḥ — 全神贯注于; tābhiḥ — 与那些; yaḥ — 他; eva — 当然; nija-rūpatayā — 以他自己的形象; kalābhiḥ — 他喜乐能量组成部分之人; goloka — 在哥楼卡·温达文; eva — 当然; nivasati — 驻留; akhila-ātma — 作为众生之灵魂; bhūtaḥ — 他存在于; govindam — 哥文达; ādi-puruṣam — 原始之人; tam — 他; aham — 我; bhajāmi — 崇拜.
译文
我崇拜原始之主哥文达，他与茹阿达驻留在他自己的国度哥楼卡，茹阿达拥有与他类似的灵性形体，是拥有六十四项技艺的喜乐能量的化身，她的躯体形象的拓展化身为她的密友（sakhīs），陪伴在她身旁，充盈着他永远极乐的灵性茹阿萨，生机勃勃。
要旨
虽然绝对之主和他的能量是同一存在，他们依然永远以茹阿达和奎师那这两个独立实体存在。无论是喜乐能量还是超然的主奎师那，不可思议的śṛṅgāra-rasa（爱恋）均存在其中。这种茹阿萨（醇美属性）的vibhāva（扩展）有两种，分别是ālambana（支持）和uddīpana（刺激）。其中 ālambana也有两种，分别是āśraya（被支持）和viṣaya（支持者）。Āśraya指的是茹阿达本人和她自己形象的拓展，viṣaya指的是奎师那本人。奎师那是哥文达，哥楼卡之主。牧牛姑娘们是这茹阿萨的āśraya的副本。奎师那与她们一起在哥楼卡永远醉心于各种逍遥。Nija-rūpatayā的意思是“以由喜乐能量显现的品质。”六十四项艺术与技艺分别是：（1）gīta，歌唱之艺；（2）vādya，演奏乐器之艺；（3）nṛtya，舞蹈之艺；（4）nāṭya，戏剧之艺；（5）ālekhya，绘画之艺；（6）viśeṣakacchedya，用彩色油膏和化妆品来画脸和身体之艺；（7）taṇḍula-kusuma-balī-vikāra，用米和鲜花做供奉之艺；（8）puṣpāstaraṇa，制作花床之艺；（9）daśana-vasanāṅga-rāga，用物品清洁牙齿、衣物，彩绘身体之艺；（10）maṇi-bhūmikā-karma，制作珠宝之艺；（11）śayyā-racana，铺床之艺；（12）udaka-vādya，在水中演奏音乐之艺；（13）udaka-ghāta，泼水之艺；（14）citra-yoga，搭配颜色之艺；（15）mālya-grathana-vikalpa，设计花环之艺；（16）śekharāpīḍa-yojana，佩戴冠冕之艺；（17）nepathya-yoga，在更衣室穿衣之艺；（18）karṇapātra-bhaṅga，装扮耳坠之艺；（19）sugandha-yukti，使用香水香氛之艺；（20）bhūṣaṇa-yojana，佩戴首饰之艺；（21）aindra-jāla，变魔术之艺；（22）kaucumāra，一种艺术；（23）hasta-lāghava，手上的花招之艺；（24）citra-śākāpūpa-bhakṣya-vikāra-kriyā，制作各种沙拉、面包、点心和美食之艺；（25）pānaka-rasa-rāgāsava-yojana，制作可口的饮料，用红色给面团染色之艺；（26）sūcī-vāya-karma，针线活与织布之艺；（27）sūtra-krīḍā，弹琴之艺；（28）vīṇā-ḍamuraka-vādya，演奏鲁特琴和小型X形鼓之艺；（29）prahelikā，编谜解谜之艺；（29-a）pratimālā，一首接一首吟诵诗歌以训练记忆或技艺之艺；（30）durvacaka-yoga，说话难住他人之艺；（31）pustaka-vācana，吟诵书籍之艺；（32）nāṭikākhyāyikā-darśana，表演短剧和小品之艺；（33）kāvya-samasyā-pūraṇa，解读深奥的诗节之艺；（34）paṭṭikā-vetra-bāṇa-vikalpa，设计制作盾牌、棍棒和弓箭之艺；（35）tarku-karma，用纱锭纺纱之艺；（36）takṣaṇ，木工活之艺；（37）vāstu-vidyā，工程学之艺；（38）raupya-ratna-parīkṣā，检测银器和珠宝之艺；（39）dhātu-vāda，冶金之艺；（40）maṇi-rāga jñāna，给珠宝染色之艺；（41） ākara jñāna，矿物学之艺；（42）vṛkṣāyur-veda-yoga，用草药制药或治疗之艺；（43）meṣa-kukkuṭa-lāvaka-yuddha-vidhi，懂得如何斗羊、斗鸡和斗鸟之艺；（44）śuka-śārikā-prapālana (pralāpana)?，会养鹦鹉，听得懂公母鹦鹉之间的对话之艺；（45）utsādana，用香水治疗或净化人之艺；（46）keśa-mārjana-kauśala，梳头之艺；（47）akṣara-muṣṭikā-kathana，用文字或手语交流之艺；（48）mlecchita-kutarka-vikalpa，精于雄辩或诡辩之艺；（49）deśa-bhāṣā-jñāna，听得懂地方方言之艺；（50）puṣpa-śakaṭikā-nirmiti-jñāna，懂得上天的声音所作的语言，或会用鲜花制作玩偶车之艺；（51）yantra-mātṛkā，机械工之艺；（52）dhāraṇa-mātṛkā，使用护身符之艺；（53）samvācya，谈话之道之艺；（54）mānasī kāvya-kriyā，在心中作诗之艺；（55）kriyā-vikalpa，编制一部文学作品，或开药之艺；（56）chalitaka-yoga，以他的名字建造神殿之艺；（57）abhidhāna-koṣa-cchando-jñāna，使用辞典和仪表之艺；（58）vastra-gopana，用布料包裹之艺；（59）dyūta-viśeṣa，会特定的赌博之艺；（60）ākarṣa-krīḍā，玩骰子或磁铁之艺；（61）bālaka-krīḍanaka，使用孩子的玩偶之艺；（62）vaināyikī vidyā，严守纪律之艺；（63）vaijayikī vidyā，赢得胜利之艺；（64）vaitālikī vidyā，黎明时用音乐唤醒主人之艺。
所有这些技艺在哥楼卡王国都有他们各自永远可见的永恒形象，是茹阿萨的原料；在物质维度，灵性能量瑜伽玛亚毫不吝啬地将这些技艺展现在乌茹阿佳的逍遥之中。因此圣茹帕说，sadānantaiḥ... santi tāḥ，即奎师那永远以他在哥楼卡的无限逍遥展示他的美。有时，这些逍遥的变幻展示也会在物质层面看到。至尊主圣哈利，也会伴着他所有随从展示他的出生等等逍遥。遵从奎师那的意愿，神圣的嬉戏能量会将适宜的灵性情感注入他的随从心中。在物质层面展现的的逍遥是他的可见逍遥。所有这些逍遥在哥楼卡都有其不可见的形式，远超物质知识的眼界。在他的可见逍遥，奎师那在哥库拉、玛图茹阿和杜瓦尔卡逗留。有些逍遥在这三个地方看不到，只能在温达文的灵性地点里可以看到。
通过上述结论可以明确得知，可见和不可见逍遥之间没有区别。使徒吉瓦·哥斯瓦米在他对这一诗节的评注，在他对《Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi》的注解，以及他在《Kṛṣṇa-sandarbha》中写到，“奎师那的可见逍遥由他的灵性能量创造。因为有物质的功能，因此在限制能量（玛亚）的作用下，这些逍遥会展示出特定的特征；但是这些特征并不会存在于超然的领域。消灭恶魔，不法的恋爱关系，出生等等，都是这种特例。牧牛姑娘是奎师那喜乐能量的扩展，因此毫无意义是他自己的。因此他们之间的关系怎么会是不法的？他可见逍遥中与牧牛姑娘的不法男女关系，只是超然存在的物质倒影。”圣吉瓦·哥斯瓦米的话背后隐含的含义是，只要讲清楚，就不会在读者心中留下疑惑。圣吉瓦·哥斯瓦米是我们超然真理的传教士。他总是受圣茹帕和萨纳坦的支配。不仅如此，在奎师那的逍遥中，他是曼佳瑞之一。因此他通晓所有超然存在。
有些人无法理解圣吉瓦·哥斯瓦米的话中的要点，因此他们自行解读，将注意力集中在毫无用处的争论上。圣茹帕和萨纳坦说，可见和不可见的逍遥之间没有真正和本质的差别，差别只在于一个显现在物质维度，另一个不是。在超越世俗的展示中，无论是观看者还是被看对象都拥有绝对的纯粹。有的人非常幸运，得到奎师那的青睐，他能够挣脱世俗的束缚和观念，在初习期领悟到各种茹阿萨的滋味，从而进入超然的领域。只有这样的人才能看到和品味完美绝对的哥楼卡纯粹逍遥。这种领悟世间罕有。还有一种人，他虽然存在于物质维度，通过达到服务的境界得到奎师那的恩典，从而觉悟灵性能量的品味。这样的人能够在哥库拉的物质逍遥中看到哥楼卡逍遥。这两种寻求真理之人当然有差别。除非人已经达到完美的超然境界，否则他残留的局限必定会阻碍他观看哥楼卡逍遥。而且，超然的视域有赖于自我觉悟的程度。因此得见哥楼卡非常罕有。
只有那些过度沉迷世俗的被束缚的灵魂没有奉爱的眼睛。其中有些人身陷虚幻能量的五光十色，无法自拔，还有一切人受分离性知识的左右寻求自我湮灭。虽然他们可能也看到了至尊主宰在物质中展示的逍遥，但他们只能对这些可见的逍遥有一个物质的看法，而这种看法毫无超然存在。因此，对哥楼卡的觉悟程度有赖人自我觉悟的程度。这背后蕴含的法则是，虽然哥库拉像哥楼卡一样圣洁，毫无糟粕，但其依然在灵性能量瑜伽玛亚的作用下显现在物质层面。在超然的领域，无论是可见还是不可见之物都没有这个有限世界才有的不洁、污染和不完美；差别只在于寻求绝对之人自我觉悟的程度高低不同。不洁、不完整、异物、幻觉、愚昧、不圣洁、完全匮乏、微不足道毫无意义、粗糙粗鄙——这些都只出现在被物质自然愚弄的受制约灵魂的眼里、智慧、心意和自我之中；这些与超然的本性毫无关系。人越是脱离这些污秽，越能觉悟无属性的绝对。经典中揭示的真理毫无糟粕。但是追寻这些存在的知识之人，他们的觉悟会有缺陷或没有缺陷，取决于他们个人觉悟的程度。
上面列举的六十四项技艺，确实只毫无保留地存在于哥楼卡。这些技艺的不完整、毫无意义以及粗糙只取决于追寻绝对知识之人自我觉悟的程度。根据圣茹帕和声萨纳坦，所有这些哥库拉可见的逍遥，均完全纯粹，不受所有哥楼卡限制的制约。因此，按照同样的标准和推理，超然的独有的爱恋关系也存在于哥楼卡，不可思议又纯粹。灵性能量玛亚展示的一切都是纯粹的。因此，既然上述的爱恋关系也由瑜伽玛亚创造，其必然没有一切污染，属于绝对的存在。
我们先暂停，来思考一下绝对存在本身到底是什么。圣茹帕·哥斯瓦米说，pūrvokta-... sārataḥ。对于这些诗节，圣吉瓦·哥斯瓦米经过深思熟虑，认定这超然的爱恋关系是vibhrama-vilāsa，即看起来违和；比如出自瑜伽玛亚之手的出生等等逍遥。
在解释tathāpi... vraja-vanitānām这部分内容时，圣吉瓦·哥斯瓦米表达了他的深刻的解析。通过看起来错误的 vibhrama-vilāsa展示的喜乐的逍遥，是瑜伽玛亚的杰作，这一点也得到茹帕和萨纳坦的论断的认可。尽管如此，既然圣吉瓦·哥斯瓦米确认哥楼卡与哥库拉无异，那就必须承认哥库拉的所有逍遥背后都是超然的存在。丈夫是通过婚姻关系将自己与一位女士绑定在一起，而情人则用爱去赢得他人妻子之爱的人，他跨越道德常规，受冲动的驱使，这冲动让他把她的爱当做一切和终极目标。在哥楼卡，并不存在婚姻这样的职能。因此，自然也就没有丈夫一说。另一方面，既然这些牧牛姑娘是自我支撑的真实存在，并没有以婚姻关系和其他人绑定在一起，因此也不可能有妾室身份。也不可能有svakīya（婚姻）和parakīya（通奸）状态这两种独立存在的实体。在物质层面可见的逍遥里，婚姻形式的职责确实存在。但奎师那超越这一职责范畴。因此才说一切爱的职能都是瑜伽玛亚的精心策划。奎师那越过那职能的界限，品味类似爱恋的超然茹阿萨。然而，也只有在物质层面，在被物质覆盖遮住的眼里才看得到这个由瑜伽玛亚展示的跨越貌似道德职责的逍遥，但是在奎师那的逍遥并不存在这样的轻佻之举。爱恋逍遥毫无疑问是所有茹阿萨的浓缩精华。如果说这不存在于哥楼卡，那这是对哥楼卡的严重藐视。并不是说在无上非凡的哥楼卡王国就没有无上道德的对茹阿萨的品味。所有化身的源头奎师那以一种特定的形象在哥楼卡品味同样的茹阿萨，以另一种特定的形象在哥库拉品味。尽管这种爱恋形式在物质的眼中看来貌似跨过了合法的职责，但某些形式一定有存在的道理，即便是在哥楼卡。Ātmārāmo 'py arīramat, ātmany avaruddha-saurataḥ, reme vraja-sundarībhir yathārbhakaḥ pratibimba-vibhramaḥ以及其他经典文本都表明自得其乐是奎师那特有的属性。奎师那在他恢弘庄严的灵性王国，将他自己的灵性能量展现为拉克施蜜，并将她作为已婚伴侣来享受。因为这种婚配的感受占压倒性地位，因此茹阿萨以道德的形式最高只能到仆从（dāsya-rasa）的境界。但是在哥楼卡，他将他的灵性能量分拆分为数千位牧牛姑娘，忘记主人的心态，永远与她们进行爱恋逍遥。只要还有主人的心态，就不可能有极致的难以接近的茹阿萨。牧牛姑娘永远天生的心态是要做别人的婚配妻子。奎师那同样为了回应这种心态，报之以爱恋之情，在他最爱的亲密伙伴笛子的协助下，从事茹阿萨以及其他爱恋逍遥。哥楼卡是永恒自我觉悟的茹阿萨的天地，超越有限的认知。因此在哥楼卡，能够实现对爱恋茹阿萨情感的领悟。
这就是威严的本性，在外琨塔王国，没有对所有化身源头的父母亲情这种茹阿萨。但是在哥楼卡，所有至为甘美的天地，唯有那原初的、充满自我意识的茹阿萨之情感依托存在。在那里能看到南达和雅首达，但是没有出生这件事。因为没有出生这件事，南达和雅首达的父母亲情这一自我意识情感便失去了父母真正存在的基础，但是这是他们的情感依托的本性，参见jayati jana-nivāso devakī-janma-vādaḥ。然而，为了觉悟茹阿萨，这种自我意识情感依托是永恒的。在爱恋茹阿萨中，如果相应的纳妾和爱恋自我意识情感只不过是永恒的依托，那就没什么好责怪的，这也不会有违经典。当那些哥楼卡的超然存在显现于乌茹阿佳，那么在现象世界中这两种自我意识情感就会更容易被世俗的眼光察觉，差异仅止于此。在父母亲情茹阿萨中，南达和雅首达作为父母的情感会在出生这样的逍遥中变得更显著，在爱恋茹阿萨中，牧牛姑娘们相应的纳妾的情感会在她们与阿比曼纽、哥瓦尔丹等的婚姻中显现。实际上，无论在哥楼卡还是在哥库拉，都没有牧牛姑娘的丈夫这种独立的存在。因此经典宣称，牧牛姑娘和她们的丈夫没有两性的亲密行为。出于同样原因，茹阿萨的权威导师圣茹帕写到，在超然的爱恋茹阿萨中，男主角有两种，分别是婚姻中的丈夫和情人，patiś copapatiś ceti prabhedāv iha viśrutāv iti。圣吉瓦在他的评注中写到，patiḥ pura-vanitānāṁ dvitīyo vraja-vanitānām，表明奎师那在哥楼卡和哥库拉是永远的情人，在外琨塔和杜瓦尔卡是丈夫。在哥楼卡之主和哥库拉之主身上，情人的身份得以完整呈现。奎师那故意跨出他自得其乐的品质，是因为他希望和别人的妻子相会。作为别人的妻子正是牧牛姑娘依托的情感。在现实中，她们没有单独和独立的丈夫存在；尽管如此，她们的自我意识情感让她们本性就是其他人的妻子。因此，所有特性，即“渴望越过职责的边界成为情人”永远存在于至为甘美的天地。在乌茹阿佳，这一特质会以更具象化的形式，向尘世眼光之人有限度地揭示自己。
所以在哥楼卡，类似世俗的妾室和妻子的茹阿萨之间有不可思议的既不同又相同。在哥楼卡，这两者没有不同，这两者有不同，这两种说法都同样正确。爱恋关系的精髓是终止了物主的心态，搁置物主就是搁置爱恋关系享受他自己的灵性能量，或者说是没有婚配制约的享乐。这两者合二为一种茹阿萨，兼容两种情况。在哥楼卡这真的既相同又不同，而在世俗之人看来会留下一个不同的印象。对于哥楼卡的男主角哥文达，丈夫和恋人这两个身份共存于他一身，超越所有虔诚和不虔诚，没有丝毫粗糙。哥库拉的男主角同样如此，虽然瑜伽玛亚会导致不同的觉悟。若有人主张瑜伽玛亚展现的都是最高的真理，是灵性能量的创造，因此爱恋关系的印象也是真实的，对此的回应是，在茹阿达品味中确实存在一种没有任何冒犯的类似情感上的自我中心主义，因为这并非没有事实依据。然而由于物质评判而产生的不道德的印象是冒犯的，而且无法存在于纯粹灵性的国度。实际上施瑞帕德·吉瓦·哥斯瓦米已经得出正确的结论，与此同时也发现反之也一样不可思议的正确。根据经验去争辩婚配和纳妾只是徒劳无益，那都是错误而且满篇废话。认真读完施瑞帕德·吉瓦·哥斯瓦米的评注的人，以及怀着公正不倚的评判的反方，不会再有任何真正的疑惑从而继续维持他的反对态度。至尊主纯粹无暇的奉献者所说的都是正确的，不会考虑任何无益的利弊得失。然而，在他们的争论中却有神秘之处。以世俗标准做评判的人无法加入纯粹奉献者之间满是爱心的争论，因为他们自己缺乏纯粹无暇的奉爱，他们总是倾向把他们自己缺陷的偏见和反对观点灌输给奉献者。对于Rāsa-pañcādhyāyī, gopīnāṁ tat-patīnāṁ ca这个诗节的评论，施瑞帕德·萨纳坦·哥斯瓦米已经在他的《Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī 》中给出结论，而这一结论也被真正的奉献者施瑞帕德·维施瓦纳特·查夸瓦尔提毫无异议地郑重采纳。
每当有对于纯粹觉知逍遥，比如哥楼卡的分歧时，我们应该谨记源自圣玛哈帕布和他的同游们的神圣双唇的珍贵建议，即绝对真理永远的特性是具备超越物质现象多样性的灵性多样性；但是他绝不是没有特征。神圣的茹阿萨因为具有四重鲜明特征——vibhāva、anubhāva、sāttvika和vyabhicāri——的多样性而迷人，这茹阿萨永远存在于哥楼卡和外琨塔。藉着瑜伽玛亚之力，为了造福奉献者，哥楼卡的茹阿萨显现为物质层面的vraja-rasa。哥库拉茹阿萨中能见到的一切都能在哥楼卡茹阿萨中见到，而且是更清晰的形式。因此，爱恋与纳妾的差别，所有不同人物各自茹阿萨的多样性，大地、水体、河流、山丘、门廊、凉亭、母牛等等，哥库拉的一切都存在于哥楼卡，而且是以更适宜的方式展现。唯一的独特之处在于，那里没有人类对于这些超然存在的物质评判的尘世概念。哥楼卡的概念会按照对乌茹阿佳各种逍遥的觉悟程度而展现出不同比例，因此很难画出一个清晰的界限，哪些是物质的，哪些是没有污染的。奉爱的眼睛越是涂上更多爱的眼影，超然的概念就越能逐渐显露自身。因此不需要再做任何无助于灵性认知的假设推敲，因为哥楼卡的实质性知识是不可思议的存在。用思考过程去追寻不可思议之物就像敲打空谷壳，结果肯定一无所获。因此，人义不容辞的责任是，不要只是努力去想，而是要通过修习纯粹奉爱来获得对超然的体验。任何会导致产生没有特征想法的做法，都必须不惜一切代价避免。免除一切物质概念的纯粹无暇的parakīya-rasa是最稀罕的成就。这就是哥库拉逍遥中讲述的内容。受他们纯粹自发之爱指引的奉献者，应该将他们的奉爱服务专注在那讲述的内容。他们将实现达到更有益于觉悟境界的基本原则。满怀世俗的受制约灵魂修习的非法性行为的奉爱活动，是禁忌的世俗不敬。我们的使徒施瑞帕达·吉瓦·哥斯瓦米的心对这种修习非常厌恶，因此促使他赐予我们他对这个主题的盖棺定论。纯粹外士纳瓦的职责是接受他的论述中的真正精神。对阿查尔亚不敬，转而宣扬有违于他的不同教义，这是极大的冒犯。
Śrī brahma-saṁhitā 5.37
ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis
tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ
goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
Synonyms
ānanda — bliss; cit — and knowledge; maya — consisting of; rasa — mellows; prati — every second; bhāvitābhiḥ — who are engrossed with; tābhiḥ — with those; yaḥ — who; eva — certainly; nija-rūpatayā — with His own form; kalābhiḥ — who are parts of portions of His pleasure potency; goloka — in Goloka Vṛndāvana; eva — certainly; nivasati — resides; akhila-ātma — as the soul of all; bhūtaḥ — who exists; govindam — Govinda; ādi-puruṣam — the original personality; tam — Him; aham — I; bhajāmi — worship.
Translation
I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, residing in His own realm, Goloka, with Rādhā, resembling His own spiritual figure, the embodiment of the ecstatic potency possessed of the sixty-four artistic activities, in the company of Her confidantes [sakhīs], embodiments of the extensions of Her bodily form, permeated and vitalized by His ever-blissful spiritual rasa.
Purport
Although the Lord Absolute and His potency are one and the self-same existence, still They exist eternally as separate entities, as Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. In both the ecstatic energy and the transcendental Lord Kṛṣṇa, there exists śṛṅgāra-rasa (amorous love) whose quality is inconceivable. The vibhāva (extension) of that rasa (mellow quality) is twofold, viz., ālambana (prop) and uddīpana (stimulation). Of these ālambana is twofold, viz., āśraya (supported) and viṣaya (supporter). Āśraya signifies Rādhikā Herself and the extensions of Her own form and viṣaya means Kṛṣṇa Himself. Kṛṣṇa is Govinda, Lord of Goloka. The gopīs are the facsimile āśraya of that rasa. With them Kṛṣṇa indulges in eternal pastimes in Goloka. Nija-rūpatayā means "with the attributes manifested from the ecstatic energy." The sixty-four activities in fine arts and crafts are the following: (1) gīta-art of singing. (2) vādya-art of playing on musical instruments. (3) nṛtya-art of dancing. (4) nāṭya-art of theatricals. (5) ālekhya-art of painting. (6) viśeṣakacchedya-art of painting the face and body with colored unguents and cosmetics. (7) taṇḍula-kusuma-balī-vikāra-art of preparing offerings from rice and flowers. (8) puṣpāstaraṇa-art of making a covering of flowers for a bed. (9) daśana-vasanāṅga-rāga-art of applying preparations for cleansing the teeth, cloths and painting the body. (10) maṇi-bhūmikā-karma-art of making the groundwork of jewels. (11) śayyā-racana-art of covering the bed. (12) udaka-vādya-art of playing on music in water. (13) udaka-ghāta-art of splashing with water. (14) citra-yoga-art of practically applying an admixture of colors. (15) mālya-grathana-vikalpa-art of designing a preparation of wreaths. (16) śekharāpīḍa-yojana-art of practically setting the coronet on the head. (17) nepathya-yoga-art of practically dressing in the tiring room. (18) karṇapātra-bhaṅga-art of decorating the tragus of the ear. (19) sugandha-yukti-art of practical application of aromatics. (20) bhūṣaṇa-yojana-art of applying or setting ornaments. (21) aindra-jāla-art of jugglery. (22) kaucumāra-a kind of art. (23) hasta-lāghava-art of sleight of hand. (24) citra-śākāpūpa-bhakṣya-vikāra-kriyā-art of preparing varieties of salad, bread, cake and delicious food. (25) pānaka-rasa-rāgāsava-yojana-art of practically preparing palatable drinks and tinging draughts with red color. (26) sūcī-vāya-karma-art of needleworks and weaving. (27) sūtra-krīḍā-art of playing with thread. (28) vīṇā-ḍamuraka-vādya-art of playing on lute and small x-shaped drum. (29) prahelikā-art of making and solving riddles. (29-a) pratimālā-art of caping or reciting verse for verse as a trial for memory or skill. (30) durvacaka-yoga-art of practicing language difficult to be answered by others. (31) pustaka-vācana-art of reciting books. (32) nāṭikākhyāyikā-darśana-art of enacting short plays and anecdotes. (33) kāvya-samasyā-pūraṇa-art of solving enigmatic verses. (34) paṭṭikā-vetra-bāṇa-vikalpa-art of designing preparation of shield, cane and arrows. (35) tarku-karma-art of spinning by spindle. (36) takṣaṇa-art of carpentry. (37) vāstu-vidyā-art of engineering. (38) raupya-ratna-parīkṣā-art of testing silver and jewels. (39) dhātu-vāda-art of metallurgy. (40) maṇi-rāga jñāna-art of tinging jewels. (41) ākara jñāna-art of mineralogy. (42) vṛkṣāyur-veda-yoga-art of practicing medicine or medical treatment, by herbs. (43) meṣa-kukkuṭa-lāvaka-yuddha-vidhi-art of knowing the mode of fighting of lambs, cocks and birds. (44) śuka-śārikā-prapālana (pralāpana)?-art of maintaining or knowing conversation between male and female cockatoos. (45) utsādana-art of healing or cleaning a person with perfumes. (46) keśa-mārjana-kauśala-art of combing hair. (47) akṣara-muṣṭikā-kathana-art of talking with letters and fingers. (48) mlecchita-kutarka-vikalpa-art of fabricating barbarous or foreign sophistry. (49) deśa-bhāṣā-jñāna-art of knowing provincial dialects. (50) puṣpa-śakaṭikā-nirmiti-jñāna-art of knowing prediction by heavenly voice or knowing preparation of toy carts by flowers. (51) yantra-mātṛkā-art of mechanics. (52) dhāraṇa-mātṛkā-art of the use of amulets. (53) samvācya-art of conversation. (54) mānasī kāvya-kriyā-art of composing verse mentally. (55) kriyā-vikalpa-art of designing a literary work or a medical remedy. (56) chalitaka-yoga-art of practicing as a builder of shrines called after him. (57) abhidhāna-koṣa-cchando-jñāna-art of the use of lexicography and meters. (58) vastra-gopana-art of concealment of cloths. (59) dyūta-viśeṣa-art of knowing specific gambling. (60) ākarṣa-krīḍā-art of playing with dice or magnet. (61) bālaka-krīḍanaka-art of using children's toys. (62) vaināyikī vidyā-art of enforcing discipline. (63) vaijayikī vidyā-art of gaining victory. (64) vaitālikī vidyā-art of awakening master with music at dawn.
All these arts manifesting their own eternal forms are ever visible in the region of Goloka as the ingredients of rasa; and, in the mundane sphere, they have been unstintedly exhibited in the pastimes of Vraja by the spiritual (cit) potency. Yogamāyā. So Śrī Rūpa says, sadānantaiḥ... santi tāḥ, i.e., Kṛṣṇa is ever manifest in His beauty with His infinite pastimes in Goloka. Sometimes the variant manifestation of those pastimes becomes visible on the mundane plane. Śrī Hari, the Supreme Lord, also manifests His pastimes of birth, etc., accompanied by all His paraphernalia. The divine sportive potency fills the hearts of His paraphernalia with appropriate spiritual sentiments in conformity with the will of Kṛṣṇa. Those pastimes that manifest themselves on the mundane plane, are His visible pastimes. All those very pastimes exist in their nonvisible form in Goloka beyond the ken of mundane knowledge. In His visible pastimes Kṛṣṇa sojourns in Gokula, Mathurā and Dvārakā. Those pastimes that are nonvisible in those three places, are visible in their spiritual sites of Vṛndāvana.
From the conclusions just stated it is clear that there is no distinction between the visible and nonvisible pastimes. The apostle Jīva Gosvāmī in his commentary on this śloka as well as in the gloss of Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi and in Kṛṣṇa-sandarbha remarks that "the visible pastimes of Kṛṣṇa are the creation of His cit (spiritual) potency. Being in conjunction with the reference to mundane function they exhibit certain features which seem to be true by the influence of the limiting potency (Māyā); but these cannot exist in the transcendental reality. The destruction of demons, illicit paramourship, birth, etc., are examples of this peculiarity. The gopīs are the extensions of the ecstatic energy of Kṛṣṇa, and so are exceptionally His own. How can there be illicit connection in their case? The illicit mistress-ship of the gopīs found in His visible pastime, is but the mundane reflection of the transcendental reality." The hidden meaning underlying the words of Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, when it is made explicit, will leave no doubt in the minds of the readers. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī is our preacher of transcendental truth. So he is always under the influence of Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana. Moreover in the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa Śrī Jīva is one of the mañjarīs. So he is conversant with all transcendental realities.
There are some who, being unable to understand the drift of his statements, give meanings of their own invention and indulge in useless controversies. Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana say that there is no real and essential distinction between the līlās visible and nonvisible, the only distinction lies in this that one is manifest in the mundane sphere whereas the other is not so. In the supermundane manifestation there is absolute purity in the seer and the seen. A particularly fortunate person when he is favored by Kṛṣṇa, can shake off worldly shackles and connections, enter the transcendental region after attaining the realized taste of the varieties of rasa that is available during the period of novitiate. Only such a person can have a view and taste of the perfect and absolutely pure līlā of Goloka. Such receptive natures are rarely to be found. He, who exists in the mundane sphere, can also realize the taste of cid-rasa by the grace of Kṛṣṇa by being enabled to attain the realized state of service. Such a person can have a view of the pastimes of Goloka manifested in the mundane līlā of Gokula. There is certainly a difference between these two classes of eligible seekers of the truth. Until one attains the perfectly transcendental stage he must be hampered by his lingering limitations, in his vision of the pastimes of Goloka. Again, the vision of the transcendental reality varies according to the degree of self-realization. The vision of Goloka must also vary accordingly.
It is only those fettered souls who are excessively addicted to worldliness that are devoid of the devotional eye. Of them some are enmeshed by the variegatedness of the deluding energy while others aspire after self-annihilation under the influence of centrifugal knowledge. Though they might have a view of the mundanely manifested pastimes of the Supreme Lord, they can have only a material conception of those visible pastimes, this conception being devoid of transcendental reality. Hence the realization of Goloka appears in proportion to eligibility due to the degree of one's self-realization. The underlying principle is this, that, though Gokula is as holy and free from dross as Goloka, still it is manifested on the mundane plane by the influence of the cit potency. Yogamāyā. In visible and nonvisible matters of transcendental regions there is no impurity, contamination and imperfection inherent in the world of limitation; only there is some difference in the matter of realization in proportion to the self-realization of the seekers after the Absolute. Impurity, unwholesomeness, foreign elements, illusion, nescience, unholiness, utter inadequacy, insignificance, grossness—these appertain to the eye, intellect, mind and ego stultified by the material nature of conditioned souls; they have nothing to do with the essential nature of transcendence. The more one is free from these blots the more is one capable of realizing the unqualified Absolute. The truth who has been revealed by the scriptures, is free from dross. But the realizations of the seekers of the knowledge of these realities, are with or without flaw in accordance with the degree of their individual realization.
Those sixty-four arts that have been enumerated above, do in reality exist unstintedly only in Goloka. Unwholesomeness, insignificance, grossness are found in those arts in accordance with the degree of self-realization on the part of aspirants after the knowledge of the Absolute. According to Śrīla Rūpa and Śrīla Sanātana all those pastimes, that have been visible in Gokula, exist in all purity and free from all tinge of limitation in Goloka. So transcendental autocratic paramourship also exists in Goloka in inconceivable purity, judged by the same standard and reasoning. All manifestation by the cit potency. Yogamāyā, are pure. So, as the above paramourship is the creation of Yogamāyā, it is necessarily free from all contamination, and appertains to the absolute reality.
Let us pause to consider what the absolute reality is in Himself. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī says, pūrvokta-... sārataḥ. In regard to these ślokas Śrīpāda Jīva Gosvāmī after mature deliberation has established the transcendental paramourship as vibhrama-vilāsa, something seemingly different from what it appears to be; such are the pastimes of birth, etc., accomplished by Yogamāyā.
By the explanation tathāpi... vraja-vanitānām, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has expressed his profound implication. Joyous pastimes by the medium of seeming error, vibhrama-vilāsa, as the contrivance of Yogamāyā, has also been admitted in the concluding statements of Rūpa and Sanātana. Still, since Śrīpāda Jīva Gosvāmī has established the identity of Goloka with Gokula, it must be admitted that there is transcendental reality underlying all the pastimes of Gokula. A husband is one who binds oneself in wedlock with a girl, while a paramour is one who, in order to win another's wife's love by means of love, crosses the conventions of morality, by the impulse of the sentiment that regards her love as the be-all and end-all of existence. In Goloka there is no such function at all as that of the nuptial relationship. Hence there is no husbandhood characterized by such connection. On the other hand since the gopīs, who are self-supported real entities are not tied to anybody else in wedlock, they cannot also have the state of concubinage. There can also be no separate entities in the forms of svakīya (conjugal) and parakīya (adulterous) states. In the visible pastimes on the mundane plane the function in the form of the nuptial relationship is found to exist. Kṛṣṇa is beyond the scope of that function. Hence the said function of the circle of all-love is contrived by Yogamāyā. Kṛṣṇa tastes the transcendental rasa akin to paramourship by overstepping that function. This pastime of going beyond the pale of the apparent moral function manifested by Yogamāyā, is, however, also observable only on the mundane plane by the eye that is enwrapped by the mundane covering; but there is really no such levity in the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. The rasa of paramourship is certainly the extracted essence of all the rasas. If it be said that it does not exist in Goloka, it would be highly deprecatory to Goloka. It is not the fact that there is no supremely wholesome tasting of rasa in the supremely excellent realm of Goloka. Kṛṣṇa, the fountainhead of all avatāras. tastes the same in a distinct form in Goloka and in another distinct form in Gokula. Therefore, in spite of the seeming appearance, to the mundane eye, of outstepping the bounds of the legitimate function by the form of paramourship, there must be present the truth of it in some form even in Goloka. Ātmārāmo 'py arīramat, ātmany avaruddha-saurataḥ, reme vraja-sundarībhir yathārbhakaḥ pratibimba-vibhramaḥ and other texts of the scriptures go to show that self-delightedness is the essential distinctive quality of Kṛṣṇa Himself. Kṛṣṇa in His majestic cit realm causes the manifestation of His own cit potency as Lakṣmī and enjoys her as His own wedded consort. As this feeling of wedded consorthood preponderates there, rasa expands in a wholesome form only up to the state of servanthood (dāsya-rasa). But in Goloka He divides up His cit potency into thousands of gopīs and eternally engages in amorous pastimes with them by forgetting the sentiments of ownership. By the sentiments of ownership there cannot be the extreme inaccessibility of the rasa. So the gopīs have naturally, from eternity, the innate sentiment of being others' wedded wives. Kṛṣṇa too in response to that sentiment, by assuming the reciprocal sentiment of paramourship, performs the rāsa and the other amorous pastimes with the aid of the flute, His favorite cher ami. Goloka is the transcendental seat of eternally self-realized rasa, beyond limited conception. Hence in Goloka there is realization of the sentimental assumption of the rasa of paramourship.
Again such is the nature of the principle of the majesty that in the realm of Vaikuṇṭha there is no rasa of parental affection towards the source of all avatāras. But in Goloka, the seat of all superexcellent deliciousness, there is no more than the original sentimental egoistic assumption of the same rasa. There Nanda and Yaśodā are visibly present, but there is no occurrence of birth. For want of the occurrence of birth the assumed egoistic sentiment of parental affection of Nanda and Yaśodā has no foundation in the actual existence of such entities as father and mother, but it is of the nature of sentimental assumption on their parts, cf. jayati jana-nivāso devakī-janma-vādaḥ, etc. For the purpose of the realization of the rasa the assumed egoistic sentiment is, however, eternal. In the rasa of amorous love if the corresponding egoistic sentiments of concubinage and paramourship be mere eternal assumptions there is nothing to blame in them and it also does not go against the scriptures. When those transcendental entities of Goloka becomes manifest in Vraja then those two egoistic sentiments become somewhat more palpable to the mundane view in the phenomenal world and there comes to be this much difference only. In the rasa of parental affection the sentiments of Nanda and Yaśodā that they are parents becomes manifest in the more tangible form in the pastimes of birth etc., and in the amorous rasa the corresponding sentiments of concubinage in the respective gopīs become manifest in the forms of their marriages with Abhimanyu, Govardhana, etc. In reality there is no such separate entity as husbandhood of the gopīs either in Goloka or in Gokula. Hence the śāstras declare that there is no sexual union of the gopīs with their husbands. It is also for the same reason that the authorized teacher of the principle of rasa, Śrī Rūpa, writes that in the transcendental amorous rasa the hero is of two different types, viz., the wedded husband and the paramour-patiś copapatiś ceti prabhedāv iha viśrutāv iti. Śrī Jīva, in his commentary by his words patiḥ pura-vanitānāṁ dvitīyo vraja-vanitānām, acknowledges the eternal paramourship of Kṛṣṇa in Goloka and Gokula and the husbandhood of Kṛṣṇa in Vaikuṇṭha and Dvārakā etc. In the Lord of Goloka and the Lord of Gokula the character of paramourship is found in its complete form. Kṛṣṇa's deliberate overstepping of His own quality of self-delightedness is caused by the desire of union with another's wedded wife. The state of being another's wedded wife is nothing but the corresponding assumed sentiment on the part of the gopīs. In reality they have no husbands with independent and separate existence; still their very egoistic sentiment makes them have the nature of the wedded wives of others. So all the characteristics, viz., that "desire makes the paramour overstep the bounds of duty." etc., are eternally present in the seat of all "deliciousness." In Vraja that very thing reveals itself, to an extent, in a form more tangible to persons with mundane eyes.
So in Goloka there is inconceivable distinction and nondistinction between the rasas analogous to mundane concubineship and wifehood. It may be said with equal truth that there is no distinction in Goloka between the two as also that there is such distinction. The essence of paramourship is the cessation of ownership and the abeyance of ownership is the enjoyment of His own cit potency in the shape of abeyance of paramourship or enjoyment without the sanction of wedlock. The conjunction of the two exists there as one rasa accommodating both varieties. In Gokula it is really the same with the difference that it produces a different impression on observers belonging to the mundane plane. In Govinda, the hero of Goloka, there exist both husbandhood and paramourship above all piety and impiety and free from all grossness. Such is also the case with the hero of Gokula although there is a distinction in realization caused by Yogamāyā. If it be urged that what is manifested by Yogamāyā is the highest truth being the creation of the cit potency and that, therefore, the impression of paramourship is also really true, the reply is that there may exist an impression of analogous sentimental egoism in the tasting of rasa free from any offense because it is not without a basis in truth. But the unwholesome impression that is produced in the mundane judgment is offensive and as such cannot exist in the pure cit realm. In fact Śrīpāda Jīva Gosvāmī has come to the true conclusion, and at the same time the finding of the opposing party is also inconceivably true. It is the vain empirical wranglings about wedded wifehood and concubinage which is false and full of specious verbosity. He who goes through the commentaries of Śrīpāda Jīva Gosvāmī and those of the opposing party with an impartial judgment cannot maintain his attitude of protest engendered by any real doubt. What the unalloyed devotee of the Supreme Lord says is all true and is independent of any consideration of unwholesome pros and cons. There is, however, the element of mystery in their verbal controversies. Those, whose judgment is made of mundane stuff, being unable to enter into the spirit of the all-loving controversies among pure devotees, due to their own want of unalloyed devotion, are apt to impute to the devotees their own defects of partisanship and opposing views. Commenting on the śloka of Rāsa-pañcādhyāyī, gopīnāṁ tat-patīnāṁ ca, etc., what Śrīpāda Sanātana Gosvāmī has stated conclusively in his Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī has been accepted with reverence by the true devotee Śrīpāda Viśvanātha Cakravartī without any protest.
Whenever any dispute arises regarding the pure cognitive pastimes, such as Goloka, etc., we would do well to remember the precious advice from the holy lips of Śrīmān Mahāprabhu and His associates, the Gosvāmīs, viz., that the Truth Absolute is ever characterized by spiritual variegatedness that transcends the variegatedness of mundane phenomena; but He is never featureless. The divine rasa is lovely with the variegatedness of the fourfold distinction of vibhāva, anubhāva, sāttvika and vyabhicāri and the rasa is ever present in Goloka and Vaikuṇṭha. The rasa of Goloka manifests as vraja-rasa on the mundane plane for the benefit of the devotees by the power of Yogamāyā. Whatever is observable in gokula-rasa should be visible in goloka-rasa, in a clearly explicit form. Hence the distinction of paramourship and concubinage, the variegatedness of the respective rasas of all different persons, the soil, water, river, hill, portico, bower, cows, etc., all the features of Gokula exist in Goloka, disposed in an appropriate manner. There is only this peculiarity that the mundane conceptions of human beings possessed of material judgment, regarding those transcendental entities, do not exist there. The conception of Goloka manifests itself differently in proportion to the degree of realization of the various pastimes of Vraja and it is very difficult to lay down any definite criterion as to which portions are mundane and which are uncontaminated. The more the eye of devotion is tinged with the salve of love, the more will the transcendental concept gradually manifest itself. So there is no need of further hypothetical speculation which does not improve one's spiritual appreciation, as the substantive knowledge of Goloka is an inconceivable entity. To try to pursue the inconceivable by the conceptual process is like pounding the empty husk of grain, which is sure to have a fruitless ending. It is, therefore, one's bounden duty. by refraining from the endeavor to know, to try to gain the experience of the transcendental by the practice of pure devotion. Any course, the adoption of which tends to produce the impression of featurelessness, must be shunned by all means. Unalloyed parakīya-rasa free from all mundane conception is a most rare attainment. It is this which has been described in the narrative of the pastimes of Gokula. Those devotees, who follow the dictate of their pure spontaneous love, should base their devotional endeavors on that narrative. They will attain to the more wholesome fundamental principle on reaching the stage of realization. The devotional activities characterized by illicit amour, as practiced by worldly-minded conditioned souls, are forbidden mundane impiety. The heart of our apostle Śrīpāda Jīva Gosvāmī was very much moved by such practices and induced him to give us his conclusive statements on the subject. It is the duty of a pure Vaiṣṇava to accept the real spirit of his statements. It is a great offense to disrespect the ācārya and to seek to establish a different doctrine in opposition to him.
