An Inquiry into the Nature of Rādhā’s

Handmaids
(Mañjarı̄-svarūpa-nirūpan.a)
Version: 0.1

by
Kuñjabihāri Dāsa Bābā

translated from Bengali

by
Jan Brzezinski

November 10, 2001

ii
Contents

Translator’s Preface v
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

An Introduction to Mañjarı̄-bhāva xi

1 Sthāyi-bhāva: The Dominant Mood in Erotic Divine Love 1

1.1 An Overview of the Concepts of Sacred Rapture . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 The Person Qualified to Experience Sacred Rapture . . . . . . 2
1.3 Kr.s.n.a is the Object of Divine Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3.1 God’s majesty and his sweetness . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3.2 Kr.s.n.a in his form as ”the charmer” is the object of the
gopı̄s’ love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.3.3 Kr.s.n.a is the original god of love or kāmadeva . . . . . 9
1.4 The cowherd girls of Vrindavan are the repositories of compe-
tent affection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
1.5 The dominant mood of erotic divine love . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1.5.1 Madhurā rati . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
1.5.2 Samarthā rati . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
1.5.3 Kāma-rūpā bhakti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

iii
iv Contents

1.6 Kāmānugā bhakti and its two divisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

1.7 The dominant mood of the lady-loves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
1.8 Different examples of the attainment of perfection by aspirants
on the path of desire for physical union with Kr.s.n.a . . . . . . 27
1.8.1 The Vedas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
1.8.2 Gāyatrı̄ Devı̄ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
1.8.3 The sages in Dan.d.aka forest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

A About the Author 31

Translator’s Preface

It may be asked why this relatively recent work on an aspect of Gaud.ı̄ya

Vais.n.ava theology should be selected for translation. It is not a modern
treatment of theology, but one that is extremely traditional in its approach:
its purpose is to flesh out that which Gaud.ı̄ya practitioners have for gener-
ations accepted as the ultimate goal of their practice. However, as Kuñja
Bihārı̄ Dāsjı̄ himself explains in his introduction, although the concept of
mañjarı̄-bhāva is the highest ideal of Gaud.ı̄ya Vais.n.avism, it was not written
about as a topic in its own right by the authors of the Gaud.ı̄ya canon.

The word mañjarı̄ in its sense as a servant-girl of Rādhā does not seem
to have been used anywhere prior to Śrı̄ Rūpa Gosvāmin’s writings and even
then it is not found in a large number of his works such as Vidagdha-mādhava,
Lalita-mādhava, Dāna-keli-kaumudı̄, Ham . sa-dūta, Uddhava-sandeśa, Laghu-
bhāgavatāmr.ta, etc. The mood of the mañjarı̄s, called bhāvollāsā-rati has
been identified and defined in the Bhakti-rasāmr.ta-sindhu, written in 1463
Śaka, i.e., AD 1541, but the word mañjarı̄ itself is nowhere used. In fact,
the first occurrence of the term in the corpus of Rūpa’s oeuvre is in Ujjvala-
nı̄laman.i, which was likely finished in 1464 or 1465 Śaka, i.e. AD 1542-3.
There the names of Kastūrı̄ Mañjarı̄, Man.i Mañjarı̄ and Lavaṅga Mañjarı̄
are found and they are identified as Rādhā’s maid-servants.

In the Rādhā-kr..sn.a-gan.oddesa-dı̄pikā, which was written in 1472 Śaka,

i.e. AD 1550, the names of eighteen chief mañjarı̄s are listed. Of these, the
first name mentioned is that of Rūpa Mañjarı̄. Rūpa Gosvāmin is identified
as an incarnation of Rūpa Mañjarı̄ in the Gaura-gan.oddeśa-dı̄pikā of Kavi
Karn.apūra (AD 1571) and it is thus felt that out of humility he did not write
about her in any work prior to the Rādhā-kr..sn.a-gan.oddeśa-dı̄pikā, but in
this, his very last book, he could not avoid mentioning her name. Another

v
vi Translator’s Preface

early occurrence of the term is found in Jı̄va Gosvāmin’s Mādhava-mahotsava

(AD 1555), where the names of Kastūrı̄ Mañjarı̄ and others are mentioned.
Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmin worshipped the Divine Couple as a follower
of Rūpa Mañjarı̄, as is clear from his Stavāvalı̄. Indeed, it is evident from a
verse in the Vilāpa-kusumāñjalı̄ that even though he had spent many years
in the company of Kr.s.n.a Caitanya Mahāprabhu in Puri as the protege of
Svarūpa Dāmodāra, it was not until he came to Braj in 1535 that he was
introduced to the concept of serving Rādhā and Kr.s.n.a as a mañjarı̄. Thus
Raghunātha writes at the end of his Muktā-carita: ”Holding straw in my
teeth, I beg repeatedly to become a speck of dust at Rūpa’s lotus feet, birth
after birth.”
In the Gaud.ı̄ya Vais.n.ava school, Rūpa Gosvāmin and Raghunātha Dāsa
Gosvāmin are particularly held to be the exemplars of worship in the mood
of the mañjarı̄s. Of the two, Rūpa Gosvāmin is the guru of Raghunātha Dāsa
Gosvāmin.
Rūpa’s elder brother Sanātana describes himself as Rādhā- dāsyecchuh.,
”one who desires the service to Rādhā,” in his Br.had-bhāgavatāmr.ta (2.1.21).
The sum and substance of Sanātana’s own commentary to the word rādhā-
dāsyecchuh. is that such a person desires only to be the servant of Madana
Gopāla’s most dear Rādhā. He considers that the obtention of such service
is all perfection to him; from this all things even beyond his own desires are
attained automatically. From this it is clear that service to Rādhā is the
extraordinarily supreme great goal of spiritual life.
It is evident, then, that the subject matter of Mañjarı̄-svarūpa-nirūpan.a
rests on a presumed understanding of the entire corpus of Gaud.ı̄ya Vais.n.ava
theology, a post-graduate course, as it were. It is for this reason that the
work, despite being published for the first time only in 1963, is of great value
for those who seek an understanding of Gaud.ı̄ya Vais.n.avism theology, with-
out a knowledge of which misconceptions are bound to arise. Furthermore,
since Kuñja Bihārı̄ Dāsjı̄ used the model of Rūpa Gosvāmin’s works on di-
vine aesthetics as his model, it is difficult to understand this work without
a knowledge of the language of the stheticians. The insufficiency of English
to duplicate the subtle differences in the terms which are used for the var-
ious sthāyi- bhāvas is particularly noticeable. Words like ”love”, ”feeling”
or ”affection” are customarily used to translate prema, bhāva or sneha, but
the English words here do not reflect the hierarchical character that Rūpa
 vii

Gosvāmin intended for these terms. Other terms such as rati, bhāva and
sthāyi-bhāva approximate each other, and are translated variously as the
dominant mood, affection, love. They refer to the particular relational qual-
ity of the affective mood. Though these terms are to some extent explained
in the text, the reader is advised to familiarize her or himself with the Bhakti-
rasāmr.ta-sindhu and Ujjvala-nı̄laman.i, which are the sources of this termi-
nology.
In its original form, this translation was an English rendition of Kuñja
Bihārı̄ Dās Bābājı̄’s Mañjarı̄-svarūpa-nirūpan.a as well as a shorter supple-
ment to that work, Mañjarı̄-bhāva-sādhana-paddhati, which is represented in
this final version as chapters eight and nine, ”The mañjarı̄s’ sacred rapture
in separation and in union” and ”The practice that leads to becoming a
handmaiden.” Upon completion of the first draft, it was evident that there
was some overlap in the two books and that there was a more natural way to
integrate their contents. This led to more editing of the original text through
the addition of (generally short) bridging comments which are not identified
in the text as mine. Any footnotes in English are mine. Although I made
a concerted effort to find the original texts for all references used by Kuñja
Bihārı̄ Dāsjı̄, some were regrettably never found.
Several Sanskrit and Bengali verses have been translated into English
verse. At no time did I intend to translate all verse in this way, but I did not
feel that these efforts diminished entirely the meaning of the originals and
could not bring myself to reduce them to prose. For this I apologize.

Acknowledgments
I first of all thank Ananta Dās Bābājı̄ Mahārāj for approving the publication
of this translation as well as for making his biography of his spiritual master
available to me.
I would like to thank Neal Delmonico for doing a thorough re-edit of
the introduction, which he first published in the rather short-lived review
Time after Time in 1986. The use of English translations for the titles of
Sanskrit and Bengali books is his innovation and I hope that he will forgive
me for abandoning this convention in the later chapters. I am also indebted
to Dr. Delmonico for his translation of the problematic word rasa as “sacred
viii Translator’s Preface

rapture.” The Sanskrit term is multi-valenced and it should not be thought

that any single English word could be used across the board as a synonym for
it, yet for the greater part of this text, ”sacred rapture” at least adequately
conveys rasa’s character as an ultimate religious experience.
Steve Rosen is also to be thanked for republishing the text of the intro-
duction in The Journal of Vais.n.ava Studies, thus bringing the same material
to a wider audience including Sinisa Kosic (Rādhāśaran.a Dāsa) of Zagreb,
Croatia, whose letters inspired me to bring the entire text to publication.
An important note of thanks is reserved for Joseph O’Connell, of St.
Michael’s College at the University of Toronto and to Katherine Young, pro-
fessor of religious studies at McGill University, both of whom are masters in
the art of friendship and encouragement.
It would also be inappropriate for me not to thank all those other teachers,
too many to name, through whose kindness I possess the little knowledge I
have. Knowing them all to be manifestations of the Paramātman, I bow
down to them in reverence.
And last, but not least, I thank my wife Anne, who always stands by me.
Jan Brzezinski
May 21, 1997

pFy
qsArEfEfrAnEp cdýpAdAn^
DFrAn^ mrdmDrA\– mDo, smFrAn^ .
vACEt k BEv tTAmtEsDp
rAn^
™F!ppAdkEvtAsrs\ EnpFy ; 1 ;
pı̄yūs.a-sāra-śiśirān api candra-pādān
dhı̄rān maranda-madhurām . ś ca madhoh. samı̄rān
vāñchanti ke bhuvi tathāmr.ta-sindhu-pūrān
śrı̄-rūpa-pāda-kavitā-surasam . nipı̄ya (1)
After having drunk just once
the delicious juice of Rūpa Gosvāmin’s poetry,
who on this earth desires the rays of the moon,
said to bring the dewy essence of ambrosia?
 ix

And who would wish

for the sweet, dulcet breezes of spring
or the waves of the ocean
of the nectar of immortality?

p[yEt k srbEl rmZFytA\ tA\

mdAEknF EvkckAÑnp”l#mF .
sMp
Z fArdsDAkrmXl\ vA
™F!ppAdkEvtAsrs\ EnpFy ; 2 ;
paśyanti ke sura-bali raman.ı̄yatām. tām.
mandākinı̄ vikaca-kāñcana-padma-laks.mı̄m
sampūrn.a-śārada-sudhākara-man.d.alam . vā
śrı̄-rūpa-pāda-kavitā-surasam
. nipı̄ya (2)

After having drunk just once

the delicious juice of Rūpa Gosvāmin’s poetry,
who would look upon the beauty
of the garden of the gods,
or upon the beauty of blooming golden lotus flowers
in the Ganges of the heavens,
or upon the disc of the full moon of autumn?

k vA rsAlmkl vElJ{ktAEn
fvEt EkàrvD
klkEWnAdAn^ .
kÒq mÒklkoEklk
Ejt\ vA
™F!ppAdkEvtAsrs\ EnpFy ; 3 ;
ke vā rasāla-mukules.v ali-jhakr.tāni
śr.n.vanti kinnara-vadhū-kala-kan..thi-nādān
kuñjes.u mañju-kala-kokila-kūjitam . vā
śrı̄-rūpa-pāda-kavitā-surasam
. nipı̄ya (3)

And of those who have drunk just once

the delicious juice of Rūpa Gosvāmin’s poetry,
x Translator’s Preface

who would still listen to the sweet buzzing

of the bees as they taste the mango flowers,
or to the song of the wives of the heavenly choir,
or the sweet song of the koı̄l in the forests?
An Introduction to
Mañjarı̄-bhāva

y-y -P
Et lvA¬rZ lGn=ytm nFnA\ mn,

-p£\ mo"sKAE’r>yEt JV(yA-vAmAnAdEp .
þMZ-t-y mkd sAhEstyA fÇot k, þAT n
B
yA>jmEn jmEn þcEynF Ekt -phA=y/ m ;1

Oh Mukunda, giver of liberation!

Who in the world is there with the courage
to pray for the gift of sacred love,
of which the slightest manifestation,
when brushing against the minds of the great sages,
makes them forget the happiness of liberation?
My prayer therefore to you is this:
that I should simply desire for such prema,
and that this desire should increase forever,
in this world, birth after birth.

yāra sphūrti lavāṅkura

laghu haite laghupura
sparśamātra ātmārāma mane
āsvādita moks.asukha
tatkāla kari vimukha
lı̄lāsvāde kare āsvādane
ke hena sāhası̄ jana
1
Attributed to Rūpa Gosvāmin, Stavamālā

xi
xii An Introduction to Mañjarı̄-bhāva

māge hena premadhana

kintu eikariye prārthana
se prema pābāra lāgi
tr..sn.ātura anurāgı̄
prabala utkan..thā anuks.an.a
jalavinā yena mı̄na
duh.kha pāya āyuhı̄na
sei mata pipāsita haiyā
cātaka jalada yaiche
cakoracandrikā taiche
raba anya sakala bhuliyā 2

Those self-satisfied sages who are directly experiencing the happi-

ness of liberation immediately become indifferent to that pleasure
simply upon coming into contact with the fractionally germinated
seed of prema; what person is there in this world so bold that he
would pray for such wealth? I, therefore, am praying only that
always, in every one of my lives, I should constantly develop a
great thirst and enthusiasm for attaining that great prize that I
should remain forgetful of all else and thirst for it in the way that
a fish plucked from its pond craves for a return to water, as a
cātaka bird thirsts for the appearance of a cloud, or as the fabled
cakora seeks the rays of the moon.

Brahmānanda is the name given to the joy found in the transcendentalist’s

realization of universal spiritual identity. This pleasure is so highly lauded
by its proponents that it is said to make all worldly pleasure, even that
of being an emperor or universal creator like Brahmā, appear completely
insignificant. Yet this brahmānanda itself becomes an object of scorn for
one who has attained the fortune of getting even the slightest scent of kr..sn.a-
prema, or love for Kr.s.n.a. Prema is therefore the ultimate goal of life, or the
prayojana-tattva.
There are unlimited varieties of prema, but there is a vast difference in the
measurement of these various types. According to Viśvanātha Cakravartı̄’s
commentary on the varieties of heroine in The Blazing Sapphire (Ujjvala-
nı̄laman.i), the four measurements are: atomic, comparatively substantial,
2
An unidentified Bengali verse translation of Rūpa’s verse above.
 xiii

great and exceedingly great.3 In those persons whose devotional taste has
not yet developed (ajāta-ruci ), prema is present only in atomic quantity; the
prema is only barely detectable and consequently, the Lord’s giving of himself
to such devotees is also just barely visible. At the opposite extreme, prema
is found to be extremely great only in the person of the Queen of Vrindavan,
Śrı̄matı̄ Rādhārān.ı̄. There, because prema is present in its fullest possible
manifestation, Kr.s.n.a is also in complete subordination to her. Sacred love
(prema) is great in all the residents of Vrindavan and therefore Lord Kr.s.n.a
accepts the role of a subordinate to them also. The Lord submits himself to
devotees like Nārada, in whom sacred love is greater or lesser, in proportion
to their devotion. When the Lord consents to become a subordinate to his
devotee, i.e., in a case where love is either great or exceedingly great, his
majestic aspects remain completely hidden in the way that the potencies of
a feudal baron, though relatively manifest before others, are subdued before
in the presence of an emperor.
The strength of Rādhā’s love is further eulogized in the Jewel Box of
Sacred Love (Prema-samput.ikā, 54):

lok’yAt^ -vjnt, prt, -vto vA

þAZEþyAdEp smzsmA yEd -y, .
ÊfA-td=yEtblF shsA EvEj(y
þm
{v tAn^ hErErBAEnv pE£mEt ;
As a strong lion defeats many elephants
and then becomes further nourished
and strengthened by feeding on them,
so too does sacred love,
when exceedingly great,
conquer all obstacles before it,
whether they come from this world or the next,
from enemies or from family members,
from one’s own body or the things connected to it,
or even from that dearest one,
3
From the commentary by Viśvanātha Cakravartı̄ on Rūpa’s Ujjvala-nı̄laman.i, 5.6.
(ed.) Pandit Durgaprasad and Vasudeva Laksmana Shastri Pansikar, reprinted (Delhi:
Chaukhamba Sanskrit Pratishthan, 1985), 105.
xiv An Introduction to Mañjarı̄-bhāva

who is the object of the love itself.

Even if those obstacles are as vast
as the immeasurable Mount Meru,
sacred love will conquer them,
and having conquered,
will become more strong and vital.

Sacred love is the essence of Kr.s.n.a’s internal potency which is known as

the hlādinı̄ or bliss-giving energy.4 This energy manifests in different types of
devotees and therefore appears in four basic varieties known as servitorship,
comradeship, guardianship and the sweetest affection known as “mistress-
ship”. This mistress-ship is called sweet love (madhurā rati ) because it is
the most relishable of the devotional emotions. It is of three types: common
(sādhāran.ı̄-rati), compromising (samañjasā-rati ), and competent (samarthā-
rati). Of these three, the last is considered the most perfect. In the Bhakti-
rasāmr.ta-sindhu (1.2.283-86), Rūpa Gosvāmin has described this competent
love as kāma-rūpā-bhakti or devotion which has the form or appearance of
sexual attraction:

That devotion or love which makes the desire for sexual union
submit to it and take on its own form, i.e., makes it function
only for the purpose of Kr.s.n.a’s pleasure, is known as kāma-rūpā-
bhakti. Where such devotion exists, all efforts are made only
for his happiness and never for one’s own pleasure or satisfac-
tion, even though externally or superficially this desire for Kr.s.n.a’s
pleasure may appear like a desire for one’s own sexual satisfac-
tion. This kāma-rūpā-bhakti is widely known to exist only in
the cowherd girls of Vr.ndāvana. Learned persons have given the
name of sexual attraction (kāma) to the love of the cowherd girls
for Kr.s.n.a because in the multifarious expressions of sweetness,
such sports as embracing, kissing and other amorous activities
take place. Even great devotees like Uddhava adore the spirit
of the cowherd girls because it transforms the essentially selfish
sexual desire into pure devotional love or desire for the Supreme
Lord’s sensual enjoyment. These devotees desire to attain that
level of devotion, but remain forever unable.5
4
Śrı̄ Jı̄va, Durga-saṅgaminı̄ on Bhakti-rasāmr.ta-sindhu, 1.3.1.
5
Brs, 1.2.283-6.
 xv

In The Story of Gopāla (Gopāla-campū)6 and The Treatise on Sacred

Love (Prı̄ti-sandarbha), Jı̄va Gosvāmin writes that the Lord gave Uddhava
a position in his life in the spiritual world of Goloka, but even so, Uddhava
was unable to obtain the form of a cowherd girl or the true identity of one.
This does not mean that Uddhava’s position is not extremely elevated.
According to the larger Nectar of the Lord’s Devotee (Br.had-Bhāgavatāmr.ta,
2.1.16), there are five kinds of devotees: (1) the devotee in knowledge (jñāna-
bhakta), such as Bharata Mahārāja, (2) the pure devotee (śuddha-bhakta)
like Ambarı̄s.a Mahārāja, (3) the devotee in sacred love (prema-bhakta) like
Hanumān, (4) the devotee entirely fixed in sacred love (prema-para-bhakta)
like the five Pān.d.ava brothers, and (5) the devotee completely absorbed in
and moved by sacred love (premātura-bhakta) like the Yādavas, amongst
whom the chief is Uddhava. Each of these divisions is superior to the one
preceding it. Nevertheless, although Uddhava stands in this position as su-
perior to all the above-mentioned devotees, he cannot attain to the ultimate
standard of devotional sentiment which is known as the mood of the cowherd
girl (gopı̄-bhāva).
Devotion to Kr.s.n.a in the form of sexual desire (kāma-rūpā) is further sub-
divided into two divisions. One entails desiring to be a mistress to Kr.s.n.a.
This is called sambhogecchāmayı̄, or devotion formed of the desire for a di-
rect sexual relationship with the Lord. The second division is called tad-
bhāvecchātmikā devotion arising out of a desire for the feelings of Rādhā, i.e.,
devotion which approves of and follows in the wake of the “leading lady’s”
affairs with her leading man, Kr.s.n.a. This second category is the one into
which the devotion of Śrı̄matı̄ Rādhārān.ı̄’s girlfriends (sakhı̄-s) falls.
Amongst Rādhārān.ı̄’s girlfriends there are again several divisions, all of
them belonging to the spirit of tad-bhāvecchātmikā devotion. Some of the
girlfriends have equal love for both Rādhā and Kr.s.n.a; others are more in-
clined to either one or the other of the Divine Couple. Those who are more
favorable to Śrı̄matı̄ Rādhārān.ı̄, Kr.s.n.a’s leading lady, are known as rādhā-
snehādhikā; these are also known as the mañjarı̄-s, or flower buds. Rūpa
Gosvāmin has given their unique affection or devotional sentiment a special
name, that of bhāvollāsā-rati (Brs., 2.5.228), for they consider themselves to
be exclusively the maidservants of Śrı̄matı̄ Rādhārān.ı̄, even over and above
Śrı̄ Kr.s.n.a himself.
6
Gc, ii.37.11.
xvi An Introduction to Mañjarı̄-bhāva

Pure devotional service, the general definition of which is given at the

beginning of the Ocean of the Nectar of Sacred Rapture (Bhakti-rasāmr.ta-
sindhu, 1.1.6: anyābhilās.itā-śūnyam ...), namely that it is completely free
from any other desire, finds its most perfect actualization in this spirit of
Śrı̄matı̄ Rādhārān.ı̄’s maidservants, bhāvollāsā-rati.
The love of the cowherd girls of Vr.ndāvana is called “competent” (samarthā)
because it has the power to control Kr.s.n.a, to make him who is the Supreme
Lord (“capable of doing anything he pleases, or of not doing it, or of chang-
ing from one mode of action to another according to his whim”) incapable
of paying back the debt which he feels to them. He himself admits to this in
the Śrı̄mad-bhāgavata (Bhāg., 10.32.22). Śrı̄matı̄ Rādhārān.ı̄ is the chief of
Vr.ndāvana’s milk-maids; she is the presiding deity of this competent devo-
tion. Nevertheless, she herself is incapable of creating any change or trans-
formation in the determination of the mañjarı̄s to exclusively serve her, their
mistress.7 Even though she is the source and abode of the unlimited god-
desses of fortune, she feels herself to be indebted to the mañjarı̄s. She is the
reservoir of unlimited compassion and is always anxious to fulfill the desires
of all the devotees, but the mañjarı̄s only desire is service to her, and they
will have nothing else of her. These are confidential and difficult facts which
are not known to all, secrets of which only the select few can comprehend.
In section 63 of Prı̄ti-sandarbha, Jı̄va Gosvāmin has shown that the
Supreme Lord enjoys four types of pleasure: one from simply being situated
in his being, one which comes from his immeasurable opulences, another
arises from his mind; and the last and best is that which is derived from the
love of his devotees.8
In the Bhāgavata Purān.a (10.86.59), the Lord is described as the “devotee
of his devotees.”9 Similarly, it is written in the Caitanya-bhāgavata (3.2.478):

kr..sn.a tāhā pūrn.a karena māge bhr.tya

bhaktavāñchā pūrti bhinna nāhi anya kr.tya

Kr.s.n.a gives whatever is prayed for by his servant. He has no

activity other than to fulfill the desires of his devotees.
7
See Ujjvala-nı̄laman.i, 8.88-9, Vr.ndāvana-mahimāmr.ta, 16.94.
8
BgvdAnd, Kl E’DA -v!pAnd, -v!pfÅAnd– . aEtm– E’DA mAnsAnd
e˜yA nd– . t/Ann tdFyq mAnsAndq BÅAnd-y sAm}A>y\ dEf tm^ .
9
BgvAn^ BÄBEÄmAn^
 xvii

Rūpa Mañjarı̄ appeared as Rūpa Gosvāmin when Lord Gaurāṅga, the

combined form of Rādhā and Kr.s.n.a appeared on this earth. The following
incident from his life will help make the above statement clearer. Rūpa
Gosvāmin would perform his worship at a place called Tero Kadamba which
lies halfway between Nanda Gram and Javat (Yāvat.a) in the area of Braj.
One day he thought to himself that if he only had some milk and sugar he
could prepare some khı̄r (sweet condensed milk) to offer his deity and then
serve it as sacred remnants (prasād ) to his spiritual master, Sanātana. A few
moments later, a young girl came there carrying milk and sugar which she
gave to him, telling him to make condensed milk (khı̄r) for his deity. Having
done this she went away. Rūpa then did as he had been told; he boiled the
sugar and milk down into the thick, condensed milk and offered it up to the
Lord. Afterwards he gave the sacred remnants to Sanātana to enjoy. While
Sanātana was eating, he was seized by uncontrolled spasms of ecstasy. When
he had calmed down somewhat, he inquired from his brother where he had
gotten his ingredients. Rūpa told him the story of the Vrajavāsı̄ girl. Upon
hearing the entire account, Sanātana became immediately aware that it had,
in fact, been Śrı̄matı̄ Rādhārān.ı̄ herself who had come personally bearing
gifts for them. Because Rādhā was their goddess and they were her servants,
the proper relation of served and servant had been reversed. He therefore
strictly forbad Rūpa from accepting such gifts in the future.10

Sanātana Gosvāmin called this servitude to Śrı̄matı̄ Rādhārān.ı̄ “the most

unique and elevated of all spiritual goals” in his commentary on his own work,
The Nectar of the Lord’s Devotee (2.1.21).11 Prabodhānanda Sarasvatı̄, the
spiritual guide of sixty thousand ascetics, elaborates on this idea in his Nectar
of the Greatness of Vr.ndāvana (2.35):

Dyo lok mm"h ErBjnpro DyDy-tto_sO

Dyo y, k ZpAdAMbjrEtprmo zEÉnFfEþyo_t, .
yAfodyEþyo_t, sblsãdt, goEpkAtAEþyo_t,
™Fm’dAvn˜y EtrsEvvfArADk, sv m
ˆ^En ;

10
Narahari Cakravartin, Bhakti-ratnākara, 5.1311-1330.
t-y sv sADArZ-y prmmhAPl-y þAØO tdEctm^ sv sADArZ\ prmmhAsADn\ EnEd fEt
11

s¬Ft ytFEt .
xviii An Introduction to Mañjarı̄-bhāva

Glorious are those persons who desire to climb out of the well of
material existence and attain liberation; even more glorious are
they who have dedicated themselves to the service of the Lord.
Even more elevated are those who have become attached to the
lotus feet of Śrı̄ Kr.s.n.a. Those who love the husband of Queen
Rukmin.ı̄ are superior again to them; more praiseworthy still are
those who are dear to the son of Yaśodā. More glorious again are
those who have made friends with the comrade of Subala. More
glorious again than them are those who worship the Lord as the
lover of the gopı̄s. Yet standing at the head of all the devotees
in creation are those whose thoughts have been washed away by
the great flow of sacred rapture emanating from the daughter of
King Vr.s.abhānu, Rādhā, and worship her above all.

That devotion which has been described in the introductory verse to the
Vidagdha-mādhava (and then quoted in the Caitanya-caritāmr.ta) as “the
most elevated of all sacred erotic raptures” is this affection of the girlfriends
of Rādhārān.ı̄ who care even more for her than they do for Kr.s.n.a himself.
This bhāvollāsā-rati love which exults in the divine feelings (of Rādhā) is
the crest-jewel of all mystic achievements. It is the special gift of Caitanya
Mahāprabhu’s limitless mercy.

unnata ujjvalarasa prema bhaktidhana

kono kāle prabhu yāhā nā dena kakhana
se dhana dibāre kaliyuge kr.pā kari
yei deva avatı̄rn.a hemavarn.a dhari
sim. ha sama sei deva śacı̄ra kumāra
hr.daya kandare tabha sphuru anibāra 12

anEp tcrF\ EcrAt^ kzZyAvtFZ , klO

smp Eytmàto>>vlrsA\ -vBEÄE™y\ .
hEr, prVsdrEtkdMbsdFEpt,
sdA ãdykdr -Prt v, fcFndn, ;13
This elevated, effulgent, taste of sacred rapture
12
An unidentified Bengali verse translation of the following verse by Rūpa Gosvāmin.
13
Rūpa Gosvāmin, Vidagdha-mādhava, 1.2.
 xix

is the wealth of devotional love;

the Lord never gives it at any time;
yet, out of his mercy, he came in this Age of Quarrel
to distribute this treasure to the world,
becoming incarnate in his golden form.
The son of Śacı̄ is like a lion;
may he dwell in your hearts forever.

Mahāprabhu infused all of his power into the heart of Rūpa Gosvāmin,
his dearest associate, and had him reveal to the world what was actually his
own heart’s desire. In the Caitanya-caritāmr.ta (2.19.105-7) it is said:

kr..sn.a-tattva bhakti-tattva rasa-tattva prānta

saba śikhāila prabhu bhāgavata siddhānta
rāmānanda pāśe yata siddhānta śunila
rūpe kr.pā kari tāhā saba sañcārila
śrı̄rūpa hr.daye prabhu śakti sañcārilā
sarvatattva nirūpan.e pravı̄n.akarilā

The Lord taught Rūpa the truths about Kr.s.n.a, devotion to him
and sacred sthetics, as well as the conclusions of the Bhāgavata.
Those conclusions which he had heard from Rāmānanda Rāya he
compassionately infused into Rūpa. The Lord infused his power
into the heart of Śrı̄ Rūpa and made him expert in explaining all
these truths.

™Fc{tymno_BF£\ -TAEpt\ yn B
tl .

so_y\ !p, kdA m\ ddAEt -vpdAEtkm^ ;14
When will that Rūpa,
who has estabished on earth
the heart’s desire of Śrı̄ Caitanya,
bestow on me a place at his feet?
14
Narottama T.hākura, Prema-bhakti-candrikā, 2.
xx An Introduction to Mañjarı̄-bhāva

Caitanya Mahāprabhu himself resided in the whorl of Rūpa’s lotus- like

heart in the form of the raptures of the Bhāgavata Purān.a for the purpose
of giving himself to the unfortunate souls of the world. As a result, Śrı̄la
Rūpa Prabhu was able to produce two master works on the varieties of spiri-
tual experience: Bhakti-rasāmr.ta-sindhu (The Ocean of the Nectar of Sacred
Rapture), and the Ujjvala-nı̄laman.i (The Blazing Sapphire).

dekhiyā nā dekhe tāre abhaktera gan.a

ulūke nā dekhe yaiche sūryera kiran.a 15

The non-devotees cannot see directly what is before their eyes,

just as an owl is unable to see the bright rays of the sun.

In the twelfth verse of the Manah.-śiks.ā (“Instructions to the Mind”),

Raghunātha Dāsa writes:

mn,Ef"Ad{kAdfkvrm tmDryA
EgrA gAy(yÎ{, smEDgtsvA T tEty , .
sy
T, ™F!pAng ih Bvn^ goklvn
jno rADAk ZAtlBjnr×\ s lBt ;

One who recites this poem becomes a follower of Śrı̄ Rūpa Gosvāmin
and his group and receives the jewel of worship of Rādhā and
Kr.s.n.a in the forest of Gokula.

Baladeva Vidyābhūs.an.a [Baṅgeśvara Vidyābhūs.an.a ?] in his gloss on this

verse expands the idea by saying:

One should follow in the footsteps of Rūpa Gosvāmin and his

group (i.e., Śrı̄ Gopāla Bhat.t.a, Śrı̄ Sanātana, Śrı̄ Lokanātha, etc.)
and live in Vr.ndāvana serving Rādhā and Kr.s.n.a. Because Rūpa,
as his [Raghunātha Dāsa’s] own guru, is recognized as the best,
he is described as the leader of the group.16
15
Cc, 1.3.69.
sy
T, ™FgopAlBÓgo-vAEm™FsnAtngo-vAEm™FloknATgo-vAEmþBEty
Tn sh vt mAn,
16

s cAsO !p–Et t-yAng, . ™F!p-y -vgz(vn ™¤(vAt^ y
TAEDp(vnoEÄ, .

 xxi

Raghunātha Dāsa also designated Śrı̄ Rūpa as the chief among the six
Gosvāmins in another book, The Story of the Pearls (Muktā-carita, 1) where
he writes the following final auspicious dedication:

aAddAnA rd{-tZEmd\ yAc pn, pn, .

™Fmdý
ppdAMbjD
El, -yA\ jmjmEn ;
Taking straw in my teeth,
I make this one prayer again and again:
May I become a piece of dust
at Śrı̄la Rūpa Gosvāmin’s lotus feet,
birth after birth.

The conclusion, therefore, is that if one wishes to get a full appreciation

of the inner desires of Śrı̄ Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then he should know that
he has no other alternative but to follow whole-heartedly in the footsteps of
Śrı̄la Rūpa Gosvāmin.
In Bhakti-rasāmr.ta-sindhu (3.6.2), the five chief types of sacred feelings
are described with their component ingredients in an detailed fashion. There,
sacred erotic love (madhurā rati ) has been described as the most excellent;
nevertheless, in spite of its excellence, it was described only briefly; the ex-
tensive description being reserved for The Blazing Sapphire. Rūpa himself
explains why:

EnvAnpyoEg(vAd^ d!h(vAdy\ rs, .

rh-y(vAÎ s\E"=y EvttA½o_Ep ElHyt ;17

Those renunciates who are excessively inclined to asceticism, those

who are unable to distinguish between the erotic affairs of the ma-
terial world and spiritual eros, and those who, although devotees,
are indifferent to the erotic mysticism of the Bhāgavata Purān.a,
17
From Śrı̄ Jı̄va’s comm.: Envq þAktf½ArrssAMyd÷A ™FBAgvÿ
tAd=y-mAdýsAE’rÄ vnpyoEg(vAd^ ayo`y(vAt^. From Śrı̄ Viśvanātha’s comm.: t/
ht/ymAh Envq þAktf½ArrssAMyd÷A ™FBAgvtAd=y-mAd^ rsAE’rÄ vnpyoEg(vAd^
ayo`y(vAEd(yT ,
xxii An Introduction to Mañjarı̄-bhāva

are not qualified to hear about sacred erotic rapture, and since it
is also esoteric and difficult to understand, it has been described
here in only an abbreviated way although it is a huge topic.

In the above-mentioned two books of Rūpa Gosvāmin, the first division

of erotic devotion called sambhogecchā-mayı̄ (that of devotees who desire to
be Kr.s.n.a’s lovers) has been described extensively with all ingredients neces-
sary for the production of its form of rapture, or the experience of transcen-
dental emotion. However, the second division of this erotic devotion called
tad-bhāvecchātmikā (the type consisting of a desire to share those feelings),
which is the possession of the sakhı̄s and mañjarı̄s, who are imbued with a
spirit of complete dedication and service to Rādhā, has not been described
in such a far-reaching manner in any book. Still, some details of this type
of devotion have been provided in those and a large number of other works,
albeit somewhat obscurely. It would be a difficult task for an ordinary person
to put these details together in an orderly fashion for contemplation, yet for
the practitioners of the devotional life who yearn for the mystic perfection
of direct service to the Divine Couple, knowledge of them is an absolute
necessity. Without knowing these different characteristics, in what models
would aspirants eager for the mood of a mañjarı̄ take inspiration? By which
moods would they find happiness and with whose feelings should they seek
to empathize? For this reason, a complete familiarity with the dominant
emotions, the specifiers, notifiers and so forth of the mañjarı̄s is an absolute
necessity.
In the Muralı̄-vilāsa (The Sport of the Flute) (Chapter 6), Jāhnavā T.hākurān.ı̄
replies to a question of her adopted son and disciple, Rāmāi T.hākur (Rāmacandra
Gosvāmin) about the moods of the mañjarı̄:

Rāmāi T.hākur said, “Please continue. Tell me about this love

called bhāvollāsa. Where is it found?”
Mother Jāhnavā answered, “Dear one, listen carefully. This bhā-
vollāsa-rati can only be found in the holy land of Vr.ndāvana. The
Lord’s abode of Vr.ndāvana is even beyond the reach of the gods.
There, the ever youthful Divine Couple reigns supreme. Serving
them raphsodically day and night are hand-maidens like Śrı̄ Rūpa
Mañjarı̄ and Śrı̄ Anaṅga Mañjarı̄ who possess this bhāvollāsā rati.
 xxiii

The happiness of the Divine Couple is their happiness; they know

nothing else. Always immersed in an ocean of bliss in the service
of Rādhā and Kr.s.n.a, they are oblivious to time. Their love, which
delights in feeling, like a companion mood, aims at giving plea-
sure to Kr.s.n.a; it feeds and nourishes the love between Rādhā
and Kr.s.n.a. They are all identical with Śrı̄matı̄ Rādhārān.ı̄; they
merely possess different bodies. One life, one soul, all are ex-
pansions of Rādhā. When she and her lover are at the height of
rapturous intimacy and the hair stands erect on Rādhā’s body,
the very same phenomenon occurs on the bodies of her girlfriends.
They experience seven times the pleasure that Rādhā does. Some-
times, on some excuse, she arranges their erotic meetings with
Kr.s.n.a, seeing which her happiness increases thousands of times.
This is a description of bhāvollāsa love, because of which the Lord
said in the circle dance, ’I am unable to repay you gopı̄s for the
love you have shown me.’”

The process of attaining bhāvollāsa love is described by Narottama Dāsa

T.hākur in his famous Moonbeam of Sacred Love (Prema-bhakti-candrikā),
Song One:

yugala kiśora prema, yena laks.a bān.a hema,

hena prema prakāśila yārā.
jaya rūpa sanātana, deha more premadhana,
se ratana mora gale hārā.
prema bhakti rı̄ti yata, nija granthe suvekata,
kariyāchena dui mahāśaya.
yāhāra śravan.a haite, parānanda haya cite,
yugala madhura rasāśraya.

The love of the Divine Couple is as pure

as gold refined thousands of times;
may glory crown Rūpa and Sanātana
who revealed this treasure to the world.
Oh please be kind and give me that treasure of love
and I will wear it as a pendant around my neck.
In their books, these two great ones
xxiv An Introduction to Mañjarı̄-bhāva

have clearly shown all the intricacies of sacred love.

Hearing their works produces
the greatest joy in the heart
and shelter in the erotic rapture of the loving Couple.

In the Stavāvalı̄ of Raghunātha Dāsa (Svasaṅkalpa-prakāśa-stotra, 1):

anArA@y rADApdAMbojrnm^
anAE™(y vdAVvF\ t(pdA¬A\ .
asMBA y t‰AvgMBFrEcAn^
kt, [yAmEsDo rs-yAvgAh, ;
Not ever having worshipped once the dust
that sprinkles from Śrı̄matı̄’s lotus feet;
not having taken shelter even once
of Vraja Dhām, marked with her dainty tread;
not ever having spoken with the souls
so laden with a weighty love for her
how foolish those who think that they can plunge
into the secret nectar sea of Śyāma!

And from the Padyāvalı̄ (14),

k ZBEÄrsBAEvtA mEt, ‡FytA\ yEd kto_Ep l<yt .

t/ lOSymEp m
Symkl\ jmkoEVskt{n l<yt ;
Oh friend, if you should find it anywhere:
that heart absorbed in Kr.s.n.a rasa so rare
be quick to buy, how much the soul’s in need!
In that bazaar is posted just one price;
millions of pious works will not suffice,
the only cost is paid in coins of greed.

Where does such spiritual greed come from? Rūpa Gosvāmin writes in
Bhakti-rasāmr.ta-sindhu (1.2.292):
 xxv

t(BAvAEdmADy ™t DFy dp

"t .
nA/ fA-/\ n yEÄÑ t¥oBo(pEl"Zm^ ;18

When one has some perception, from hearing the Bhāgavata Purān.a
or other books on the Lord’s sports written by rapturous devo-
tees, that all of Kr.s.na’s senses are pleased by the feelings, beauty
and qualities of the residents of Vraja such as Nanda and Yaśodā,
an attitude arises that is indifferent to scripture or argument and
is a symptom of the development of eagerness or greed (lobha).
This attitude is, more specifically, the innate, spontaneous desire
for the sweetness of those various moods: “May I also have the
same kinds of feelings and qualities.”

Even though spontaneous attraction to the mood of the residents of

Vr.ndāvana is so natural, not all persons develop it instantly upon first hear-
ing about it. The Caitanya-caritāmr.ta (2.22.87) says: tāhā śuni lubdha haya
kono bhāgyavān, “Some rare fortunate soul develops this greed when he hears
the glories of the residents of Vrindavan.”
One needs the mercy of a devotee endowed with this spirit himself and the
candidate must be possessed of certain qualities on his own, a certain lucidity
or clearness of mind, before such greed can appear. Therefore, Rūpa says
in Bhakti-rasāmr.ta-sindhu (1.2.309) that it is kr.paikalabhyā, “only available
through the mercy of the Lord and his devotees.”
In the Bhakti-sandarbha (Treatise on Devotion) (310), Śrı̄ Jı̄va describes
the development of greed in the following way:

A devotee whose heart is clear like a crystal will find that when
the rays of the moon-like devotion of the residents of Vraja fall
upon it, it lights up and takes on that glow itself, i.e., eagerness
manifests itself in his heart. Then a curiosity about the dealings
or feelings or passions of the eternally perfect residents of Vraja
such as Nanda, Yaśodā, etc., arises in the practitioner. In other
words a desire to know more about the patterns of their feelings
occurs and he develops a taste or hunger for those patterns.19
18
v}jvAEsnA\ ™Fk Z y, BAv, t(sjAtFyBAvAØy loB, ( c‡vEt pAd, ) —
fA-/yEÄEnrp"t‰AvAEdmADyA EBlsn\ loBo(pl "Zm^ ( mkddAsgo-vAmF )
19
tAdfrAgsDAkrABAssm¥Estãdy-PVFkmZ, sADk-y t(pErpAVF vEp zEcjA yt
.
xxvi An Introduction to Mañjarı̄-bhāva

The candidate who is qualified for practicing devotion in pursuit of erotic

passion (kāmānugā bhakti ) is further described in Rūpa Gosvāmin’s Bhakti-
rasāmr.ta-sindhu (1.2.300):

™Fm
Et mADrF\ þ#y t¥FlA\ EnfMy vA .

t@bAvAkAE°Zo y -y-tq sADntAnyo, ;

Those who have seen the beauty of the image of the Lord or who
have heard about his sports with his lovers, from their “falling in
love” (pūrva-rāga) to the ecstasies of the circle dance, and who
have become eager for the feelings of either the heroines or their
friends are qualified for the practice of one of the two types of
this form of devotion.

Jı̄va’s commentary on this verse is as follows:

Previously [in verse 1.2.292], only the process of hearing was men-
tioned. Now it appears that it is necessary to see Kr.s.n.a’s form
also. Seeing Kr.s.n.a’s images, certainly, is also dependent on hear-
ing, for without hearing, there is no possibility that the Lord’s
beauty or activities will spring into reality. Moreover, even with-
out seeing the image of the Lord, hearing of his sports will be
effective.20

Who then is not qualified? Expanding on a previously quoted verse from

Bhakti-rasāmr.ta-sindhu (3.5.2), Vis.n.u Dāsa writes in his commentary on
Ujjvala-nı̄laman.i (1.2):

1. This spiritual discussion is unedifying for those who, though they are
devotees of Kr.s.n.a, have no inclination toward erotic sacred rapture and
for those who, considering the Lord’s erotic dalliances to be the same
as mundane sexuality, feel dispassion or lack any taste for them.
20
t-yA-t‰AvAEdmADy EnfMy ™(vA kvl\ ™vZ\ y(p
v mÄ\ t/ t t-yA, þ"Z
_Ep t-y
™vZ-y sAhAymv[y\ m`yt i(yEBþt\ yE’nA m
ltdý
plFlA-P
t , . t¥FlA™vZt
t(þ"Z\ EvnAEp kAy krm^ .
 xxvii

2. Although there are many devotees in erotic sacred rapture, still, not
all of them, because they lack the proper aptitude, are proficient at
tasting rapture. For them, this discussion is difficult to grasp.

3. It is improper to discuss this topic before those whose minds are deeply
absorbed in the path of injunctions, who, because of having various ten-
dencies, are by nature unaware of the path of passion. The superiority
of the path of passion means, after all, that there are unlimited lesser
natures unsuited for it.

This conception of the mañjarı̄ is as difficult to comprehend as it is rare.

Yet, as it is extremely important we have no other recourse than that of fa-
miliarizing ourselves with it. Although such a task is beyond the capabilities
of an uneducated, foolish and most unqualified person such as myself, still,
because of the indomitable influence of this holy land and of the blessings of
the Vais.n.avas, who are all embodiments of Śrı̄matı̄ Rādhārān.ı̄’s compassion,
I have been inspired to take up this task with enthusiasm.
xxviii An Introduction to Mañjarı̄-bhāva
30 An Introduction to Mañjarı̄-bhāva
Appendix A

About the Author

The author of this book, Kuñja Bihārı̄ Dās Bābājı̄, was a Tewari Brāhman.a
from Meshya, a small village near Jhalda in the district of Purulia in north-
western Bengal. He was born Kuñja Kishor Tewari on the Jhulan Purnima
of 1896, the only son of Nilakamal Tewari and Muktamala Devi. He became
interested in religious subject matters as a boy, learning the Bengali versions
of Mahābhārata and Rāmāyan.a from his uncle, Nilamadhab Tewari. It would
appear that the Caitanyaite religion was not well known in the area at the
time and his first religious attraction was to the Rām-carit Mānas of Tulası̄
Dās. It was only in the mid-1920’s that he first encountered the Bhāgavata
Purān.a with Rādhāvinoda Goswami’s translation and commentary.
As is often the case in such circumstances, Kuñja Kishor’s parents worried
about their only son’s religious interests and had him married at a young age
in order to assure his commitment to the family.
Even though he had only limited formal education, Kuñja Kishor opened
a primary school in his village where he taught for twenty years. His primary
interests continued to be religious, but at the same time, he engaged his stu-
dents in the nationalist (Svadeshi) movement by growing cotton and spinning
it for the purpose of making homespun cloth. He was particularly influenced
by Nibaran Chandra Dasgupta, the publisher of Mukti magazine, which was
the main organ of the Congress party in the district. Nibaran Chandra was
also a Vais.n.ava who saw independence as a means for improving the status
of the Caitanyaite religion. Kuñja Kishor was much influenced by his teach-
ing, in particular, his attitude toward the proliferation of religious leaders in

31
32 Appendix A. About the Author

Bengal claiming to be incarnations of God. He was also introduced by him

to some of the more subtle aspects of the Caitanya-caritāmr.ta teachings.

In 1922, Nilakamal Tewari died. Kunja Kishor followed the obligatory

mourning rituals ending with the śrāddha ceremony, but shortly thereafter
he fell ill and for about eight months was repeatedly attacked by strong fevers.
After this long illness, Kuñja Kishor underwent a period, which lasted for
about a month and a half during the rainy season of 1923, of what he himself
described as unmāda, ”insanity”. He experienced this time as one of great
joy and liberty, claiming to have had visions of Rādhā and Kr.s.n.a and hearing
divine sounds, etc. In his later life looked back on this period as a precursor
of his experiences as a adept in Rādhā Kun.d..

In spite of all these distractions, Kuñja Kishor’s school continued to be a

success with many of its graduates going on to win scholarships for further
study. Thus, though he tended to use the school as a platform for religious
and political activity, there was little objection from the school inspectors.
One of his stranger classroom practices was to keep a human skull, found in a
field, on display in order to remind his students of the impermanence of life.
Gradually, the school grew and a new building with the aspect of an ashram
was erected in the middle of a field and was given the name Sevāśrama. A
three-day Vais.n.ava festival, which continues to be held there annually, was
inaugurated by Kuñja Kishor’s uncle Subal Chandra Tewari.

In the early 1930’s, the influence of Sahajiya and Baul teachings began
to be felt in the district and some close friends of the Tewari family also
became members of these sects. Kuñja Kishor felt very fortunate to meet a
Vr.ndāvana Vais.n.ava who was travelling in the area at the time. From him he
learned about many aspects of Vais.n.ava teaching as preserved in Vr.ndāvana,
including the disciplic succession and the importance of the siddha-pran.ālı̄
in Gaud.ı̄ya Vais.n.ava tradition. Kuñja Kishor had been initiated by Gopal
Chandra Thakur Goswami of Jhalda when only ten or eleven years old. He
now took steps to recover the knowledge of siddha-pran.ālı̄ which was the key
to further advancement on the spiritual path. With renewed enthusiasm and
armed with this deeper understanding of the orthodox tradition, he managed
to convert several of his Sahajiya and Baul neighbours to the path of pure
Vais.n.avism. This caused a stir and the Bauls started in a campaign of
criticism against Vais.n.ava orthodoxy. A great assembly was called together
at the Sevāśrama in November, 1934, to establish the supremacy of the
 33

orthodox movement. Many guest speakers from all over the Vais.n.ava world
were invited, led by the scholar Vrajendranath Chakravarti of Jhalda. The
result of the meeting was that the influence in the district of the various
Tantric subsects of Gaud.ı̄ya Vais.n.avism was seriously impaired.
Unfortunately, only a few weeks after this success, Kuñja Kishor’s wife
died in childbirth. He continued his life as a teacher for several more years as
he fulfilled his responsibilities towards his two daughters, Vinodinı̄ Devı̄ and
Janakı̄ Bālā, seeing to their education and marriage. During this time he
continued to organize large assemblies in the name of the Gaud.ı̄ya-Vais.n.ava-
Dharma-Sam . raks.in.ı̄ Sabhā (”Council for the protection of the Gaud.ı̄ya- Vais.n.ava
religion”). Those who had been initiated were encouraged to find out their
siddha-pran.ālı̄, while those who were initiated in heterodox movements were
encouraged to seek reinitiation. He collected money so that mr.daṅga and
kı̄rtana classes could be given at Sevāśrama and formed a kı̄rtana group
with the students who participated.
Word of Kuñja Kishor’s close adherence to the Vr.ndāvana orthodoxy
reached the ears of Kr.s.n.a Caitanya Dās Bābājı̄ of Rādhā Kun.d., also originally
from Jhalda, who wrote to him saying that he felt that Kuñja Kishor must
have been a friend of his through many lives. The kindness of a great monk
like Kr.s.n.a Caitanya Dāsjı̄ had a deep effect on Kuñja Kishor and his interest
in material life diminished further. In 1937, during the Kumbha period (mid-
winter), he went to Rādhā Kus.d. for a month’s holiday and accepted Kr.s.n.a
Caitanya Dāsjı̄ as his śiks.ā-guru, taking the Pañca-tattva and other mantras
from him, as well as instructions about worship. Kr.s.n.a Caitanya Dāsjı̄ died
a year later.
In 1939, Kuñja Kishor went back to Braj with his mother, this time
for good. He was immediately initiated into the renounced order of life by
the renowned scholar Advaita Dās Bābājı̄ of Govardhan, receiving the name
Kuñja Bihārı̄ Dās Bābājı̄. A few months later his mother also took the
renounced order from Advaita Dāsjı̄, receiving the name Mādhavı̄ Dāsı̄. She
continued to live in a room near the Gopa Kuwā at Śyām Kun.d. before dying
in 1944.
Kuñja Bihārı̄ Dāsjı̄ found a cottage at Brajānanda Gherā, and with the
help of donations received from his countrymen, he was able to greatly im-
prove the building. In it, he established a publishing house which he named
the Kr.s.na Caitanya Śāstra Mandir after his śiks.ā-guru. He published not
34 Appendix A. About the Author

only numerous books such as Bhavakūpe Jı̄ver Gati, Paratattva Sammukhya,

Bhakti- kalpa-latā, Bhakti-rasa-prasaṅga and Mañjarı̄-svarūpa-nirūpan.a, but
many paintings and charts as well. The well-known scholar of Vais.n.ava
history and Bengali literature, Biman Bihari Majumdar, used Bhakti-rasa-
prasaṅga as a required text for his M.A. course at the University of Patna.
In his introduction to the Mañjarı̄-svarūpa-nirūpan.a, Kuñjavihārı̄ Dāsjı̄
writes that his first acquaintance with the mood of the mañjarı̄ was through
his renunciation guru, Śrı̄ Advaita Dāsa Bābājı̄ of Govardhana, whom he
called the foremost scholar of the Vais.n.ava world, especially in the matter
of sacred sthetics or rapture. From that time on he became especially in-
terested in the subject and began collecting references to the mood of the
mañjarı̄ whenever he came across them, paying special attention to the dif-
ferent ingredients necessary to produce the experience of sacred rapture in
that mood. Later on, he had the opportunity to live for a long time with
another great scholar and resident of Rādhā Kun.d., Dı̄naśaran.a Dāsa Bābājı̄,
and was able to study thoroughly all the literature on the subject. During
that time, most of the materials found in this book were compiled. Later,
other residents of the Kun.d. gave their encouragement and through financial
help received from a number of sources, these materials were published as
An Inquiry into the Nature of Rādhā’s Handmaids.
Kuñja Biharı̄ Dāsjı̄ made a great number of disciples, several of whom
later became abbots of Rādhā Kun.d.. His most celebrated disciple, Ananta
Dās Bābājı̄, is a great scholar in his own right, who has published numerous
works from the Kr.s.n.a Caitanya Śāstra Mandir. Kuñja Bihārı̄ Dās’s influ-
ence continues to be felt in his homeland which its inhabitants identify with
Jharikhand, the wild jungle country through which Caitanya passed on his
way from Purı̄ to Vr.ndāvana in 1513, avoiding the more frequented route
along the Ganges. The proportion of bābājı̄s living in Rādhā Kun.d. who
come from the westernmost part of Bengal is well over 50%. Vais.n.avism in
Puruliya district (where I had the opportunity to go in the winters of 1983
and 1984) continues to bear the strong stamp of the practices found in Rādhā
Kun.d..