NITAAI-Veda.nyf > Spiritual Questions & Answers > 2007 QnA Swami Gaurangapada > Bathe in Radha Kunda or not |
Title: Bathe in Radha Kunda or not
User: Swami Gaurangapada Date: 2007-03-14 06:33:31
Maharaja, please can you
let me know if is it okay to bathe in Radha Kunda or one should just do
acamana. I heard that Srila Prabhupada forbade his disciples to bathe in Radha
Kunda.
Answer by Swami
Gaurangapada:
"Indeed, Lord
Krsna gives ecstatic love like that of Srimati Radharani to whoever bathes in
Shri Radha Kunda even once in his life." Shri Chaitanya Charitamrita
Madhya lila 18.10
" Srila Rupa
Gosvami recommends that even if one cannot live permanently on the banks of
Radha-kunda, he should at least take a bath in the lake as many times as
possible. This is a most important item in the execution of devotional
service." Shrila Prabhupada in NOI Verse 11 purport
The word
"bathing" is used by Shrila Prabhupada seven times in the
verse 11 of Upadeshamrita quoted below and the commentary. Why would he recommend
us to bathe there in his books repeatedly if he does not want us to bathe
there? Infact bathing in Radha Kunda repeatedly constitutes the topmost
spiritual activity in creation and is recommended by all our acharyas including
the foremost Shrila Rupa Goswami. Our Prayojana Acharya Shrila Raghunatha dasa
Goswami used to bathe a minimum of 3 times daily in Radha kunda.
Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu
Himself bathed in Radha Kunda and applied the transcendental mud all over his
body and set the example for all of us to do so.Shrila Prabhupada refused some
disciples because they were jumping in and swimming in the waters showing
disrespect to Shri Radha Kunda. So he said like that in a lecture in 1976. They
did not know the proper way to bathe in Radha Kunda which is to first offer
parikrama, then dandavats, then prayers and then to slowly enter the waters
wearing a new cloth and then immerse oneself three times in the water by
remaining standing in one place,offer prayers or recite the Radha Kripa
Kataksha Stotra and come back and again offer dandavats and soo on.
Shri Chaitanya
Charitamrita Madhya lila 18th Chapter:
TEXT 3
TEXT
ei-mata mahaprabhu nacite
nacite
慳rit'-grame asi' 慴ahya' haila acambite
SYNONYMS
ei-mata -- in this way; mahaprabhu -- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu;
nacite nacite -- dancing and dancing; arit-grame -- in the village known as
Arit-grama; asi' -- coming; bahya -- sense perception; haila -- there was;
acambite -- suddenly.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu danced in ecstasy, but when He arrived at
Arit-grama, His sense perception was awakened.
PURPORT
Arit-grama is also called Arista-grama. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
understood that in that village Aristasura had been killed by Sri Krsna. While
there, He inquired about Radha-kunda, but no one could tell Him where it was.
The brahmana accompanying Him could also not ascertain its whereabouts. Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu could then understand that the holy places known as
Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda were at that time lost to everyone's vision.
He therefore discovered Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda, which were
two reservoirs of water in two paddy fields. Although there was very little
water, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was omniscient and could understand that
formerly these two ponds were called Sri Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda. In this
way Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda were discovered.
Madhya 18.4
TEXT 4
TEXT
arite radha-kunda-varta puche loka-sthane keha nahi kahe, sangera
brahmana na jane
SYNONYMS
arite -- in the village known as Arit-grama; radha-kunda-varta --
news of Radha-kunda; puche -- inquires; loka-sthane -- from the local people;
keha
-- anyone; nahi -- not; kahe -- could say; sangera -- the
companion; brahmana -- brahmana; na jane -- does not know.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked the local people, "Where is
Radha-kunda?" No one could inform Him, and the brahmana accompanying
Him did not know either.
Madhya 18.5
TEXT 5
TEXT
tirtha 憀upta' jani' prabhu sarvajna bhagavan dui dhanya-ksetre alpa-jale
kaila snana
SYNONYMS
tirtha -- holy place; lupta -- lost; jani' -- knowing; prabhu --
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sarva-jna -- omniscient; bhagavan -- the Supreme
Personality of Godhead; dui -- two; dhanya-ksetre -- in paddy fields; alpa-jale
-- in not very deep water; kaila snana -- took a bath.
TRANSLATION
The Lord then understood that the holy place called Radha-kunda
was no longer visible. However, being the omniscient Supreme Personality of
Godhead, He discovered Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda in two paddy fields.There
was only a little water, but He took His bath there.
Madhya 18.6
TEXT 6
TEXT
dekhi' saba gramya-lokera vismaya haila mana preme prabhu kare
radha-kundera stavana SYNONYMS
dekhi' -- seeing; saba gramya-lokera -- of all the people of the
village; vismaya haila -- became astonished; mana -- the minds; preme -- in
ecstatic love; prabhu -- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kare -- does; radha-kundera
-- of Radha-kunda; stavana -- prayers.
TRANSLATION
When the people of the village saw Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu taking
His bath in those two ponds in the middle of the paddy fields, they were very
much astonished. The Lord then offered His prayers to Sri Radha-kunda.
Madhya 18.7
TEXT 7
TEXT
saba gopi haite radha krsnera preyasi
taiche radha-kunda priya 憄riyara sarasi'
SYNONYMS
saba -- all; gopi -- the gopis; haite -- from; radha -- Radharani;
krsnera
-- of Lord Krsna; preyasi -- most beloved; taiche -- similarly;
radha-kunda -- Radha-kunda; priya -- very dear; priyara sarasi -- the lake of
the most beloved Radharani.
TRANSLATION
"Of all the gopis, Radharani is the dearmost. Similarly,
the lake known as Radha-kunda is very dear to the Lord because it is very dear
to Srimati Radharani.
Madhya 18.8
TEXT 8
TEXT
yatha radha priya visnos
tasyah kundam priyam tatha
sarva-gopisu saivaika
visnor atyanta-vallabha
SYNONYMS
yatha -- as; radha -- Srimati Radharani; priya -- beloved; visnoh
-- of Lord Krsna; tasyah -- Her; kundam -- lake; priyam -- very dear; tatha --
similarly; sarva-gopisu -- among all the gopis; sa -- She; eva -- certainly;
eka -- alone; visnoh -- of Lord Krsna; atyanta -- very; vallabha
-- dear.
TRANSLATION
"慗ust as Srimati Radharani is most dear to Lord Krsna, so Her lake,
known as Radha-kunda, is also very dear to Him. Of all the gopis, Srimati
Radharani is certainly the most beloved.'
PURPORT
This is a verse from the Padma Purana.
Madhya 18.9
TEXT 9
TEXT
yei kunde nitya krsna radhikara sange
jale jala-keli kare, tire rasa-range
SYNONYMS
yei kunde -- in which lake; nitya -- daily; krsna -- Lord Krsna;
radhikara sange -- accompanied by Srimati Radharani; jale -- in the water;
jala-keli
-- sporting in the water; kare -- performs; tire -- on the bank;
rasa-range -- His rasa dance.
TRANSLATION
"In that lake, Lord Krsna and Srimati Radharani used to
sport daily in the water and have a rasa dance on the bank.
Madhya 18.10
TEXT 10
TEXT
sei kunde yei eka-bara kare snana
tanre radha-sama 憄rema' krsna kare dana
SYNONYMS
sei kunde -- in that lake; yei -- anyone who; eka-bara -- once;
kare snana
-- takes a bath; tanre -- unto him; radha-sama -- like Srimati
Radharani; prema -- ecstatic love; krsna -- Lord Krsna; kare dana -- gives as
charity.
TRANSLATION
"Indeed, Lord Krsna gives ecstatic love like that of
Srimati Radharani to whoever bathes in that lake even once in his life.
Madhya 18.11
TEXT 11
TEXT
kundera 憁adhuri' -- -- yena radhara 憁adhurima'
kundera 憁ahima' -- -- yena radhara 憁ahima'
SYNONYMS
kundera -- of the lake; madhuri -- sweetness; yena -- as if;
radhara -- of Srimati Radharani; madhurima -- sweetness; kundera -- of the
lake; mahima
-- glories; yena -- as if; radhara -- of Srimati Radharani; mahima
-- glories.
TRANSLATION
"The attraction of Radha-kunda is as sweet as that of
Srimati Radharani.
Similarly, the glories of the kunda are as great as Srimati Radharani's.
Madhya 18.12
TEXT 12
TEXT
sri-radheva hares tadiya-sarasi presthadbhutaih svair gunair
yasyam
sri-yuta-madhavendur anisam pritya taya kridati premasmin bata
radhikeva labhate yasyam sakrt snana-krt tasya vai mahima tatha madhurima
kenastu varnyah ksitau
SYNONYMS
sri-radha -- Srimati Radharani; iva -- like; hareh -- of Krsna;
tadiya -- Her; sarasi -- lake; prestha -- very dear; adbhutaih -- by wonderful;
svaih
-- own; gunaih -- transcendental qualities; yasyam -- in which;
sri-yuta
-- all-opulent; madhava -- Sri Krsna; induh -- like the moon;
anisam -- incessantly; pritya -- with great affection; taya -- in association
with Srimati Radharani; kridati -- performs pastimes; prema -- love; asmin --
for Lord Krsna; bata -- certainly; radhika iva -- exactly like Srimati Radharani;
labhate -- obtains; yasyam -- in which; sakrt -- once; snana-krt -- one who
takes a bath; tasyah -- of the lake; vai -- certainly; mahima -- glories; tatha
-- as well as; madhurima -- sweetness; kena -- by whom; astu -- can be; varnyah
-- described; ksitau -- on this earth.
TRANSLATION
"態ecause of its wonderful transcendental qualities, Radha-kunda is
as dear to Krsna as Srimati Radharani. It was in that lake that the all-opulent
Lord Sri Krsna performed His pastimes with Srimati Radharani with great
pleasure and transcendental bliss. Whoever bathes just once in Radha-kunda
attains Srimati Radharani's loving attraction for Sri Krsna. Who within this
world can describe the glories and sweetness of Sri Radha-kunda?'"
PURPORT
This verse is found in the Govinda-lilamrta (7.102).
Madhya 18.13
TEXT 13
TEXT
ei-mata stuti kare premavista hana
tire nrtya kare kunda-lila sanariya
SYNONYMS
ei-mata -- in this way; stuti kare -- offers prayers; prema-avista
-- overwhelmed by ecstatic love; hana -- becoming; tire -- on the bank; nrtya
kare -- dances; kunda-lila -- pastimes of Radha-kunda; sanariya -- remembering.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu thus offered prayers to Radha-kunda.
Overwhelmed by ecstatic love, He danced on the bank, remembering the pastimes
Lord Krsna performed on the bank of Radha-kunda.
Madhya 18.14
TEXT 14
TEXT
kundera mrttika lana tilaka karila
bhattacarya-dvara mrttika sange kari' laila
SYNONYMS
kundera -- of the lake; mrttika -- earth; lana -- taking; tilaka
karila --
formed tilaka; bhattacarya-dvara -- with the help of Balabhadra
Bhattacarya; mrttika -- earth; sange -- along; kari' -- making; laila -- took.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then marked His body with tilaka made from
the mud of Radha-kunda, and with the help of Balabhadra Bhattacarya, He
collected some of the mud and took it with Him.
Upadeshamrita Verse 11:
Translation and Commentary by Shrila Prabhupada:
"Of the many objects of favored delight and of all the
lovable damsels of Vrajabhumi, Srimati Radharani is certainly the most
treasured object of Krsna's love. And, in every respect, Her divine kunda is
described by great sages as similarly dear to Him. Undoubtedly Radha-kunda is
very rarely attained even by the great devotees; therefore it is even more
difficult for ordinary devotees to attain.IF ONE SIMPLY BATHES ONCE within
those holy waters, one's pure love of Krsna is fully aroused."
PURPORT
Why is Radha-kunda so exalted? The lake is so exalted because it
belongs to Srimati Radharani, who is the most beloved object of Sri Krsna.
Among all the gopis, She is the most beloved. Similarly, Her lake, Sri
Radha-kunda, is also described by great sages as the lake that is as dear to
Krsna as Radha Herself. Indeed, Krsna's love for Radha-kunda and Srimati
Radharani is the same in all respects. Radha-kunda is very rarely attained,
even by great personalities fully engaged in devotional service, not to speak
of ordinary devotees who are only engaged in the practice of vaidhi bhakti.
It is stated that a devotee will at once develop pure love of
Krsna in the wake of the gopis if he once takes a bath in Radha-kunda. Srila
Rupa Gosvami recommends that even if one cannot live permanently on the banks
of Radha-kunda, he should at least take a bath in the lake as many times as
possible. This is a most important item in the execution of devotional service.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura writes in this connection that Sri Radha-kunda is
the most select place for those interested in advancing their devotional
service in the wake of the lady friends (sakhis) and confidential serving maids
(manjaris) of Srimati Radharani. Living entities who are eager to return home
to the transcendental kingdom of God, Goloka Vrndavana, by means of attaining
their spiritual bodies (siddha-deha) should live at Radha-kunda, take shelter
of the confidential serving maids of Sri Radha and under their direction engage
constantly in Her service.
This is the most exalted method for those engaged in devotional
service under the protection of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In this connection
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes that even great sages and great
devotees like Narada and Sanaka do not get an opportunity to come to
Radha-kunda TO TAKE THEIR BATHS. What, then, to speak of ordinary devotees? If,
by great fortune, one gets an opportunity to come to Radha-kunda AND BATHE EVEN
ONCE, he can develop his transcendental love for Krsna, exactly as the gopis
did. It is also recommended that one should live on the banks of Radha-kunda
and should be absorbed in the loving service of the Lord. ONE SHOULD BATHE
THERE REGULARLY and give up all material conceptions, taking shelter of Sri
Radha and Her assistant gopis. If one is thus constantly engaged during his
lifetime, after giving up the body he will return back to Godhead to serve Sri
Radha in the same way as he contemplated during his life on the banks of
Radha-kunda. The conclusion is that to live on the banks of the Radha-kunda and
TO BATHE THERE daily constitute the highest perfection of devotional service.
It is a difficult position to attain, even for great sages and devotees like
Narada. Thus there is no limit to the glory of Sri Radha-kunda. By serving
Radha-kunda, one can get an opportunity to become an assistant of Srimati
Radharani under the eternal guidance of the gopis.