Apr 152014
 

1654404_10152249448784929_1845577006_nGiriraj Swami read and spoke from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 1.46–81.

“At the Ratha-yatra, Lord Chaitanya recited the following verse:

seita parana-natha painu
yaha lagi’ madana-dahane jhuri genu

‘I have gotten that Lord of My life, for whom I was burning in the fire of lusty desires.’ (Cc Madhya 1.55)

“All the scriptures proclaim that the gopis’ love for Krishna is completely pure and spotless, free from any material taint ofselfish desire. So, when Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the mood of the gopis says that he is burning in the fire of lusty desires, He really means that He is burning in the fire of separation—separation from pleasing Krishna. The gopis know that Krishna is pleased by their service more than anyone else’s. And because their only ambition is to see Krishna happy, they want to serve Him, not for their own happiness, but to give Krishna the highest transcendental pleasure. But they express their desire in terms of lust, or selfish desires—also to please Krishna.” —Giriraj Swami

Ratha-yatra Morning, Dallas, 2014