Herein we present a sweet selection of tikas from the great rasika-achcarya, Sri Jiva Goswamipada. Studying his commentaries on Srimad Bhagavatam “Venu-gita”, will fill your heart with joy and inspire you to love and serve Radha and Krishna more and more. Jai Jai Sri Radhe!
SB 10.21.15
The Vraja-gopis: “When the rivers hear Krishna’s flute-song, their waters become agitated out of desire and move around in whirlpools. Presenting offerings of lotus flowers with the arms of their waves, the rivers embrace Murari’s lotus feet.”
Tika: Unable to hide their emotions, the Vraja-gopis attribute their emotions to an inanimate object out of intensity of attraction to Krishna. Yamuna and Manasa-ganga come close and listen attentively to Mukunda’s supremely blissful raga which frees one from all suffering. The whirlpools indicate their agitated state.
Yamunaji first grasps Shyam’s feet, and then embraces Shyam by surrounding His chest with water. The rivers give up their natural course of flowing to their husband the ocean. The gopis think that the rivers are more fortunate than they since hearing Shyam’s flute does not help them reach perfection.
Vraja-gopis: “We cannot stop the course of household duties. We do not have many long arms by which we can embrace even one of Krishna’s feet to our breasts.” The gopis see the rivers as conscious entities.
SB 10.21.16
“In the company of Balarama and the cowherd boys, Krishna plays his flute loudly as he herds all the animals of Vraja, even under the full heat of the summer sun. Seeing this, the cloud out of love constructs an umbrella out of water droplets for the sake of his friend.”
Tika: Not being able to conceal their emotions, the Vraja-gopis imagine emotions in unconscious entities. In this verse they hide their feelings by describing the sakhya-rasa of the clouds. The cloud is Krishna’s friend because he is the same color. The gopis think, “The cloud is most fortunate and we are unfortunate since we cannot even see Krishna sufficiently.”
The truth is this. Krishna plays the mallara-raga to attract clouds, and some gopis now make a poetic image.
SB 10.21.17
“The Pulinda women of Vraja become disturbed seeing kunkuma on the grass. This powder is from the breasts of Radharani. The Pulindas smear it on their faces and breasts, and feel fully satisfied and anxiety free.”
Tika: The gopis now describe their madhura-rasa and reveal their emotions.
The Vraja-gopis: “What can we say about the good fortune of the Pulindas who have attained a relationship with Krishna. But we are not as fortune as they! We are more lamentable than these outcaste women.
“We desire to touch Krishna’s lotus feet colored with the beautiful, charming sri kumkuma from the breast of his lover. On seeing an object which is related to their lover, the Pulinda women desire association of even that object which gives them some relief, but we have no relief at all. Thus, they are perfect, whereas we are unfortunate.” By describing the kunkuma as sri the gopis indicate that the special gopi is Radha.
One time Radha fainted because of attraction to Krishna’s flute. To relieve Radha of fainting, Krishna reverently touched Radha’s kumkuma covered breast with a petal which had touched his foot. This being the first time Krishna touched Radha, he then left quickly since Krishna was feeling shy.
This verse indicates that the gopis all have purva anuraga because there is absence of envy.
SB 10.21.18
Sri Radha: “Of all the servants of Hari, Govardhana Hill is the best! O sakhis! This hill is blissful from touching the feet of Krishna-Balarama, their calves, cows and cowherd friends. Govardhana gives all kinds of necessities—water for drinking, honey, very soft grass, caves, bulbs and roots.”
Tika: By talking about other subjects in Vraja, the gopis hide their emotions. They point to Govardhana with their fingers, since they live near Govardhana. Hari indicates that Krishna takes away all the sins, suffering and hearts of everyone in the universe.
Radharani: “Govardhana is the best servant, hari-dasa varya, among all servants. His superiority is shown by the fruits he offers. He feels great joy at the touch of Krishna-Balarama’s feet, with hairs standing on end, perspiration, and tears of sprouting shoots and flowing with water drops. He gives honey, cool clear water to drink, waterfalls, pleasant sitting places, and caves equipped with jeweled beds, chairs, lamps and mirrors. With these items Govardhana serves Krishna. O young women! This is our great misfortune.”
Govardhana gives joy to Krishna’s feet by making his stones warm or cool according to the season. Govardhana takes pleasure in supplying opportunities for Krishna’s playful pastimes. Govardhana is always anxious to encourage Krishna’s pastimes. By touching Govardhana, one gets the bliss of touching Krishna’s feet which are forever walking upon the sacred mountain.
SB 10.21.19
“O Priya-sakhis! When Krishna-Balarama walk through the forest with their friends and cows, they carry ropes to bind the cows’ legs at the time of milking. As Krishna plays his flute, the mobile entities become inert and the trees sprout shoots in ecstasy. This is most amazing.”
Tika: Since Krishna travels far tending cows, he gives joy to all the living beings over a wide area. The gopis feel most unfortunate, being cheated of seeing Krishna. The cowherd boys are objects of Krishna’s mercy and they serve Krishna in various ways, but the gopis are not qualified to perform such service. This verse indicates the Vraja-gopis’ complete absorption in Krishna.
Vraja-gopis: “O sakhis! On the pretext of herding cows Krishna wanders in the forest with his friends and brother and appears like a cheater. Krishna is a powerful flute player vibrating attractive, invisible notes like a bewitching mantra. Krishna is thus a big cheater. The others follow him. Therefore, we should not hear his flute filled with a bewitching spell. Otherwise, our minds will be bound up by the two binding ropes.”
In this way, the gopis express their sorrow at being completely bewildered.
Bhagavata Amritam 06 by Sri Jiva Goswamipada
Bhagavata Amritam 05 by Sri Jiva Goswamipada
Venu Gita (SB 10.21.15-19)
Herein we present a sweet selection of tikas from the great rasika-achcarya, Sri Jiva Goswamipada. Studying his commentaries on Srimad Bhagavatam “Venu-gita”, will fill your heart with joy and inspire you to love and serve Radha and Krishna more and more. Jai Jai Sri Radhe!
SB 10.21.15
The Vraja-gopis: “When the rivers hear Krishna’s flute-song, their waters become agitated out of desire and move around in whirlpools. Presenting offerings of lotus flowers with the arms of their waves, the rivers embrace Murari’s lotus feet.”
Tika: Unable to hide their emotions, the Vraja-gopis attribute their emotions to an inanimate object out of intensity of attraction to Krishna. Yamuna and Manasa-ganga come close and listen attentively to Mukunda’s supremely blissful raga which frees one from all suffering. The whirlpools indicate their agitated state.
Yamunaji first grasps Shyam’s feet, and then embraces Shyam by surrounding His chest with water. The rivers give up their natural course of flowing to their husband the ocean. The gopis think that the rivers are more fortunate than they since hearing Shyam’s flute does not help them reach perfection.
Vraja-gopis: “We cannot stop the course of household duties. We do not have many long arms by which we can embrace even one of Krishna’s feet to our breasts.” The gopis see the rivers as conscious entities.
SB 10.21.16
“In the company of Balarama and the cowherd boys, Krishna plays his flute loudly as he herds all the animals of Vraja, even under the full heat of the summer sun. Seeing this, the cloud out of love constructs an umbrella out of water droplets for the sake of his friend.”
Tika: Not being able to conceal their emotions, the Vraja-gopis imagine emotions in unconscious entities. In this verse they hide their feelings by describing the sakhya-rasa of the clouds. The cloud is Krishna’s friend because he is the same color. The gopis think, “The cloud is most fortunate and we are unfortunate since we cannot even see Krishna sufficiently.”
The truth is this. Krishna plays the mallara-raga to attract clouds, and some gopis now make a poetic image.
SB 10.21.17
“The Pulinda women of Vraja become disturbed seeing kunkuma on the grass. This powder is from the breasts of Radharani. The Pulindas smear it on their faces and breasts, and feel fully satisfied and anxiety free.”
Tika: The gopis now describe their madhura-rasa and reveal their emotions.
The Vraja-gopis: “What can we say about the good fortune of the Pulindas who have attained a relationship with Krishna. But we are not as fortune as they! We are more lamentable than these outcaste women.
“We desire to touch Krishna’s lotus feet colored with the beautiful, charming sri kumkuma from the breast of his lover. On seeing an object which is related to their lover, the Pulinda women desire association of even that object which gives them some relief, but we have no relief at all. Thus, they are perfect, whereas we are unfortunate.” By describing the kunkuma as sri the gopis indicate that the special gopi is Radha.
One time Radha fainted because of attraction to Krishna’s flute. To relieve Radha of fainting, Krishna reverently touched Radha’s kumkuma covered breast with a petal which had touched his foot. This being the first time Krishna touched Radha, he then left quickly since Krishna was feeling shy.
This verse indicates that the gopis all have purva anuraga because there is absence of envy.
SB 10.21.18
Sri Radha: “Of all the servants of Hari, Govardhana Hill is the best! O sakhis! This hill is blissful from touching the feet of Krishna-Balarama, their calves, cows and cowherd friends. Govardhana gives all kinds of necessities—water for drinking, honey, very soft grass, caves, bulbs and roots.”
Tika: By talking about other subjects in Vraja, the gopis hide their emotions. They point to Govardhana with their fingers, since they live near Govardhana. Hari indicates that Krishna takes away all the sins, suffering and hearts of everyone in the universe.
Radharani: “Govardhana is the best servant, hari-dasa varya, among all servants. His superiority is shown by the fruits he offers. He feels great joy at the touch of Krishna-Balarama’s feet, with hairs standing on end, perspiration, and tears of sprouting shoots and flowing with water drops. He gives honey, cool clear water to drink, waterfalls, pleasant sitting places, and caves equipped with jeweled beds, chairs, lamps and mirrors. With these items Govardhana serves Krishna. O young women! This is our great misfortune.”
Govardhana gives joy to Krishna’s feet by making his stones warm or cool according to the season. Govardhana takes pleasure in supplying opportunities for Krishna’s playful pastimes. Govardhana is always anxious to encourage Krishna’s pastimes. By touching Govardhana, one gets the bliss of touching Krishna’s feet which are forever walking upon the sacred mountain.
SB 10.21.19
“O Priya-sakhis! When Krishna-Balarama walk through the forest with their friends and cows, they carry ropes to bind the cows’ legs at the time of milking. As Krishna plays his flute, the mobile entities become inert and the trees sprout shoots in ecstasy. This is most amazing.”
Tika: Since Krishna travels far tending cows, he gives joy to all the living beings over a wide area. The gopis feel most unfortunate, being cheated of seeing Krishna. The cowherd boys are objects of Krishna’s mercy and they serve Krishna in various ways, but the gopis are not qualified to perform such service. This verse indicates the Vraja-gopis’ complete absorption in Krishna.
Vraja-gopis: “O sakhis! On the pretext of herding cows Krishna wanders in the forest with his friends and brother and appears like a cheater. Krishna is a powerful flute player vibrating attractive, invisible notes like a bewitching mantra. Krishna is thus a big cheater. The others follow him. Therefore, we should not hear his flute filled with a bewitching spell. Otherwise, our minds will be bound up by the two binding ropes.”
In this way, the gopis express their sorrow at being completely bewildered.
Sri Jiva Goswamipada tikas ki jai!
Jai Jai Sri Radhe!
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