Is Manjari Bhava in Goswami Books?

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

The answer is YES!

But it is also true that the specific word manjari or the phrase “manjari bhava” IS NOT FOUND in Chaitanya Caritamrta, Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, Brhad-bhagavatamrita, or the Srimad Bhagavatam.

Why manjari bhava is not directly mentioned in Chaitanya Caritamrita? Early during his stay at Radha-kunda, Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja wrote Govinda-lilamrita in Sanskrit, which is full of manjari names and sevas.

Then at the end of his life at Radha-kunda, he summarized all the Goswami’s books and teachings (all written in Sanskrit) in simple Bengali language so the masses of Gaudiya Vaisnavas, mostly Bengalis at that time, could easily understand the basic tenets of Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy.

Since manjari bhava is a confidential aspect of Mahaprabhu’s teachings, Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja did not deem it fit for mass distribution. Thus he did not directly mention the words manjari or manjari bhava. But he did not avoid or overlook it either. Throughout the Chaitanya Caritamrta, Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja mentions terms like “gopi-bhava” “smarana” “siddha-deha” “cinte” (meditate) which are all directly related to manjari and manjari bhava.

Nevertheless, the practice of raganuga bhakti sadhana and gopi-bhava is integral to the teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Thus, the word and phrase MANJARI and MANJARI BHAVA, along with the meaning and the practice of worshiping Radha-Krishna in madhura-rati as a sakhi maidservant, dasi (aka manjari, kinkari) of Sri Radha in manjari-bhava, IS MENTIONED and specifically described in the following important books of our Gaudiya Vaisnava Goswamis and Purvacharyas

Goswami & Gaudiya Vaisnava Acharya Books Describing Manjari Bhava:

1] Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī’s Stavāvalī (especially Vilāpa Kusumānjali)

2] Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Stavamālā (especially Utkalikā Vallari)

3] Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Ujjvala Nīlamaṇi (a few verses)

4] Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura’s Prema Bhakti Candrikā (extensive description)

5] Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura’s Prārthanā (extensive description)

6] Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī’s Saṅkalpa Kalpadruma (extensive description)

7] Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī’s Kṛṣṇa Bhāvanāmṛta (extensive description)

8] Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī’s Rādhā Rasa Sudhānidhi (extensive description)

9] Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī’s Vṛndāvana Mahimāmṛta (extensive description)

10] Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja, Govinda Lilamrita (extensive description)

Sad Goswami’s ki jai! Manjari Bhava Upasana ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!