Manasa sevā

 Nārada said : You have told me, O guru, everything I wanted to know regarding the Lord. Now I want to hear about unsurpassed path of contemplation i.e. Manasa Sevā.

Śiva replied : Your question, O vipra, is good. Wishing the best for the whole world I shall tell you about it even though it is a secret. Therefore, listen to what I shall say.

Servants, friends, parents, lovers of Hari, all eternal and full of good qualities, live in here in Vṛndāvana, O best of sages, just as they are described in Purāṇas, in their prakata līla. So they exist in the land of Vṛndāvana in their nitya līla. He comes and goes between forests and cowherd village eternally and herds cows with His friends without killing of demons. His lovers also, thinking themselves His paramours, please their dearest in secret.

One should think of oneself there among them in the form of an enchanting woman, possessed of youth and beauty, just past puberty, conversant with many arts and crafts suitable for Kṛṣṇa ̍s enjoyment, but who, though requested by Kṛṣṇa, is supposed to enjoyment with Him.

A follower of Rādhā, intent on her service, loving Rādhā even more than Kṛṣṇa, bringing about, out of love and with great care, meetings of those two every day and overwhelmed with joys of their service. Visualising oneself in this way, one should perform service there beginning from Brahma Muhūrta until late night i.e. Aṣṭa kāla līla sevā.

Nārada said : I want to hear of Hari’s daily līla, as it really is. Without knowing that līla, how indeed can Hari be served in one’s mind?

Śiva said : I don’t know that līla of Hari is, O Nārada, go to see Vṛndadevī, she will describe this līla to you. Not far from here, near Keśī Tīrtha, lives that servant of Govinda, surrounded by her friends.

Sūta said : Being thus advised, Nārada circumambulated Śiva and overjoyed bowed repeatedly to him. Then that truest of sages went to the residence of Vṛnda. Vṛndā too, seeing Nārada, bowed repeatedly and said : O best of sages, how it is that you have come here?

Nārada replied : I want to hear from you of the daily deeds of Hari. Describe to me them from the very beginning, if I am fit to hear it, O beautiful one!

Vṛnda said : Even though it is a secret, I shall tell you, O Nārada, for you are devoted to Kṛṣṇa. You, however, should not reveal it. This is the greatest mystery. In the midst of beautiful Vṛndāvana, which is adorned with 50 bowers, in a bower of desire trees, in a cottage of divine jewels They - Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are asleep on a bed, intensely embracing each other. Though they are awakened after a while by birds, who follow my orders, They feel such a joy in their intense embrace and such a distress at the thought of breaking it, that they do not want to get up from a bed even a little. Then, being repeatedly awakened from all sides by groups of Sārikās and parrots with various speeches, they rise from bed. Seeing the couple sitting up, their joyful girlfriends then enter and serve Them as is suitable for that time. Once more at the words of Sārikās, couple gets up from their bed and returns to their homes, filled with fear and anxiety. Being awakened at daybreak by His mother, Kṛṣṇa, along with Baladeva, rises from bed and after brushing His teeth goes with his mother’s permission to the cowpen surrounded by His friends. Rādhā too, is awakened by her friends, O vipra, and she rises from her bed. After brushing her teeth, she rubs oil unto her body. Then, going to the bathing platform she is bathed by her servants. She next goes to her dressing room where her friends decorate her with various ornaments, fragrances, garlands and unguents. Then she after carefully begging permission from her mother-in-law Jaṭilā, is called along with her friends, by Yaśodā to cook fine food for Kṛṣṇa at His house.

Nārada asked : Why does Yaśodā call Rādhā to cook, if there are good ladies, headed with Rohiṇī, at Kṛṣṇa’s house, who can cook?

Vṛnda replied : O great sage, previously a boon was given to her by Durvāsā, as I have heard earlier from Katyāyanī, that “Whatever you cook, O lady, shall be, by my grace, as sweet as nectar and will increase duration of life of its eater!” Thus, good lady Yaśodā, fond of her son, daily calls her thinking : “In this way my son will be long living through His desire for tasty food!” Hearing that Rādhā should go to the house of Nārada and being permitted to go, she too is pleased and she goes there along with her friends and cooks. Kṛṣṇa, having milked some cows and had others milked by His friends, returns at the request of His father to His house surrounded by friends. Having rubbed His body with oil, He is bathed happily by His servants. Wearing clean clothes, garlanded, His body anointed with sandalwood, appearing with His hair parted in two above His neck and forehead, beautified by curls and sandalwood mark on His forehead, shaped like a moon, His arms and hands shining with bracelets, armlets and jeweled rings, with a pearl necklace shining on His chest and makara shaped earrings, He, being repeatedly called by His mother, takes the hand of a friend and enters the dining room, following Baladeva. Then, He along with His brother and friends, enjoys different kinds of food, making His friends laugh with variety of jokes and laughing along with them. After eating and rinsing His mouth, He rests for a while on a shining cot, dividing up and chewing betel nut given to Him by His servants. Kṛṣṇa, dressed as a cowherder, with the herd before Him, is followed down the path to the pastures affectionately by all the residents of Vraja. Bowing to His father and mother and with glances at the rest of the gathering, He turns them back, as it is proper and heads towards the forest. After entering the forest He plays with His friends for a while. He happily amuses Himself with various games in that forest. Then, tricking all of them, He goes joyfully, accompanied by only two or three dear friends to the tryst eager to meet His dear one. Rādhā too, after seeing Kṛṣṇa going to the forest, returns home and out of desire to be with her dear one, she on the pretext of worshiping sun god, fools her elders and goes to the forest in order to gather flowers. Thus, They two with great effort meet in the forest and spend the day there happily in various games. Sometimes They are seated on a swing together and are pushed by their friends. Sometimes Hari, His flute having dropped off from His hand and being hidden by His lover, is scolded by His “insulted“ girlfriends, as He searches for it. They keep Him laughing with many jokes there. Sometimes happily entering a forested stretch that is blown by spring breezes, They sprinkle each other with sandal and flower scented water using sprinklers and smear each other with ointments. Girlfriends too, sprinkle Them are sprinkled in return by the couple throughout those groves filled with spring breezes. O twice born, sometimes couple along with their friends becomes tired from various games suited to those various moments and finding the base of a tree, O most true of sages, They sit on shining seats and drink honey vine. Then, becoming intoxicated by that honey vine, Their eyes dropping with sleep, They take a hold of each other’s hands and fall to the arrows of desire. Desiring to make love They enter a bower along the path, Their words and minds faltering and then They enjoy themselves there like leaders of elephants. Their friends too, being intoxicated with honey, their eyes laden with sleep, all lie down in pretty flowers all around and Kṛṣṇa too, as being all powerful, visits all of them simultaneously in separate bodies, being repeatedly urged on by His dearest. After giving them pleasure like a king of elephants does to his female elephants, He goes with His dearest and them to the pond in order to play. The couple with Their friends enjoy Themselves splashing water on each other. They then adorned with clothes, garlands, sandal paste, shining ornaments right there on the shore of that pond in a shining, bejewelled house. I arrange fruits and roots in advance, O sage, and Hari eats first, served by His beloved. He then goes, accompanied by two or three ladies, to a bed made of flowers. Being served with betel nuts, yak tail fans, foot massages and so forth, He is smiling and thinking of His dear one. He is pleased by them. Rādhikā too, when Hari is asleep, though her breath is with Him, she eats His remnants among her friends. She is pleased in her heart. Then after eating a little, she goes to the bedroom to gaze on the lotus like face of her lover like a Cakora bird gazing on the moon and ladies there offer her His chewed betel nut. She eats betel dividing it among her friends. Kṛṣṇa, covered with cloth, wanting to hear their uninhabited conversation with each other, though not asleep, pretends as He is and they, learning the truth, somehow from inference, wake faces, bite their tongues with their teeth and look at each other’s faces. As though dissolved in ocean of embarrassment, they do not say anything for a while. Then, after a moment, they pull the cloth from His body and say : “A fine sleep you have gone to!” making Him laugh and laughing themselves. Thus, the pair, enjoying Themselves with Their friends with various humorous remarks, taste happiness of sleep for a while, O truest of sages! Then They sit happily among Their friends on a broad, shining seat and wagering each other’s garlands, kisses, embraces and clothes, play dice with love amidst the banter of merriment. His dear one scolds Him when though beaten, He says “I have won!’ and begins to take her garlands and things. After being scolded, Kṛṣṇa with His hand on His lotus face becomes despondent and makes up His mind to go on saying “If you have defeated me, O lady, let what I waged, kisses and so forth, be taken!” She does just that. He behaves like that to see furrowing of her brow and to hear her scolding speech. Then, both hearing the words and calls of parrots and Sārikās, They, desiring to return home, leave that place. Kṛṣṇa, taking leave of His lover, heads towards cows and she goes to the temple of the Sun along with her circle of friends. Going off a little ways, Hari turns back and putting on the disguise of a Brāhmaṇa, goes to the temple of the Sun. There He is invited by girlfriends and He helps them in worshiping the Sun with fabricated Vedic hymns pregnant with humour. Then clever girls, recognising Him as their lover, becomes absorbed in ocean of joy and lose all track of the self and others. In this way they spend two and a half Muhūrtas, O sage, and then gopīs go to their houses and Kṛṣṇa goes to the cows. Kṛṣṇa joins with all his friends and collecting together cows from all around, returns to the village joyfully playing His flute. Then Nanda and all other cow herders, including women and children, hearing the sound of the flute of Hari and seeing surface of the sky spread with a veil of cow dust, give up all their activities and go to Kṛṣṇa, anxious to see Him. On the main road, at the gate of the village, where all the residents of the village wait as Kṛṣṇa approaches them and greets them properly in succession with looks, touches, words, smiling glances. He greets cowherd elders with verbal and physical obeisance and prostrations. He greets His parents and Rohiṇī, O Nārada, and with decorum through indications of His side long glances, He greets His beloved. Thus, after being suitably greeted by those residents of Vraja and after taking cows into the cow shed, at the request of His parents, He goes home along with His brother. After bathing and having something to eat and drink there, He, with permission of His mother, goes again to the cow shed, desiring to milk the cows and after milking some, having some milked and some watered, He who pursues hundreds of feelings, returns home with His father. There, along with His father, His uncles, their sons and Balarāma, He eats varieties of foods. Some chewed, some sucked and so forth. Thinking of Him, Rādhikā then, even before being asked, sends cooked foods to His house through her friends and Hari, praising those dishes, enjoys them along with His father and others. He then goes with them to the assembly hall which is replete with bards and other performers. Girlfriends, who previously brought food, return with many of those dishes and some of Kṛṣṇa’s leftovers, sent by Yaśodā. Bringing it with them, they offer all to Rādhikā and she then, having eaten along with her friends, in proper order, waits surrounded by them, ready to meet her lover. I then send some friend from here who guides her to a house made of shining jewels in this bower of desire trees near Yamunā. Dressed in attire suitable for either a light or dark night, she departs surrounded by her friends. After watching various wonderful performances there in the assembly hall, listening beautiful songs of Kātyāyanī, and then pleasing performers with money, grains and other things according to custom, Kṛṣṇa, honoured by people there, returns home with His mother and friends. When after feeding Him, His mother leaves, He comes here unnoticed to the house appointed by His lover. Joining each other, those two enjoy here among the forests for two and a half Muhūrtas of night / 7 and a half hours ?/, they enjoy various amusements headed by the circle of Rāsa dance, dance of love and much laughter. Then sleepy lovers enter the bower unnoticed by birds and being alone fall asleep on an enchanting bed made of flowers, being served there by their personal servants. Thus entire daily activity of Hari has been described to you. Even sinners are liberated by hearing this, O Nārada!

Nārada said : O lady, there can be no doubt that I am fortunate to have been blessed by you, for Hari’s daily līlā has been revealed to me now!

Sūta said : Having said this, after circumambulating her and being worshipped by her, Nārada, the best of sages, disappeared, O Brāhmaṇa. I too, have made all this known in proper order.

One should forever utter with utmost care unsurpassed pair of mantras, as this was previously received by Rudra from Kṛṣṇa. By Him it was told to Nārada and Nārada told it to me. Now, after performing purification, I have told this to you. You too, should keep this most amazing secret confidential.

Śaunaka said : I have achieved my goal by your direct grace, O guru, since you have revealed the secret of secrets to me.

Sūta said : devoting yourself to these truths and reciting mantras day and night, no doubt you will attain to the service of Him without delay. I too, O Brāhmaṇa, go to the eternal abode of Supreme in the company of the guru of Gurus, daughter of Bhānu - Rādhikā, and of the Lord of the cowherd girls. This most purifying account, great in might, was told by Maheśa. Those devoted human beings who hear it, will go to eternal realm of Acyuta. It bestows fortune, fame, long life, health, desired objectives, success, causes attainment of heaven and liberation, he will not in any way return again from the realm of Viṣṇu.

So ends Vṛndāvana Mahātmya, 83rd chapter in Pātala Khaṇḍa, 5th section of Padma Mahā Purāṇa.