During the wee hours of one beautiful morning, I received my first experience of who I am in Golak Vrindavan (Eternal Abode of Krsna) or Second Divine Unmanifest. It was akin to a paradise which will only exists in the romantic novels or as described in the poems of great beauty and peace. It is the ‘Shangrila’, from where no one wants to ever return.
Golak Vrindavan is a mystical, harmonious valley stretching for many miles in different directions. The tall trees with creepers that wound gently around their trunks were so massive that their branches and leaves hid the ocean blue skies from view. A plethora of wild, fragrant flowers bloomed all around. The forest emanates the delightful fragrances of sandal wood, basil, jasmine, lotuses etc. The sweet and enchanting sound of waterfalls and gurgling rivers flowing through the forest could be heard intermingled with the sound of birds chirping, bees humming, crows cawing, cuckoos cooing, and peacocks ruffling their feathers as they danced ecstatically. How difficult not to lose yourself there!
A cool breeze blew through the entire lush, green valley, carrying the aromatic pollen of the Champaka or Pandanus flower engulfing the entire forest with its sweet fragrance. The water from the waterfalls, rivers and lakes with their beautiful swans, when touched creates an amazing cooling effect and peace within entire being, just like the touch of Krsna’s lotus feet. In the midst of this, on a Cadamba (Neolamarckia) tree which spread its branches across either side of the river like a rainbow, hung a beautiful swing decorated of various kinds of wild scented flowers. In that swing I saw myself seated in the arms of Krsna, our feet touching the water of the flowing river and with every movement of the swing made me go crazy in the divine ecstatic love for my Krsna.
I became speechless and exulted in this profound experience which is embedded deep within my heart. I then went to my Master and narrated this entire experience to him. As I started to describe it, I began to cry profusely, with floods of tears rolling down my cheeks and at the same time my Master also started to cry along with me. At that time I merged and became one in the Divine ecstatic love with my Master. I never ever wanted to come out of that blissful state. Then my Master mentioned to me who I was as Krsna’s Gopi – He said I was Chandravali, who is Radha herself. It is said that Radha is Krsna’s own self. Krsna splits himself as Radha, the female aspect of him in order to experience what it is to Love Krsna.
In reality there is no real entity called Radha. Radha is an illusory entity. Radha, the imaginary entity, has been created for one to understand what it is to become the highest devotee of the Lord. The various stories of Krsna and Radha have been written so that the devotees can imbibe this knowledge and be able to develop such a kind of Love and devotion for Krsna. In reality when a devotee reaches this highest form of Pure Love for Krsna, Krsna then finds his Radha in that devotee. Then the devotee becomes one with Krsna in mind, body and soul while being immersed in the sweet nectar of bliss through every pore of his/her being. The devotee’s heart beat then chants only the Divine name of the Lord. Love oozes from every pore of his/her being. He/She lives in an intoxicated state in God, serving the purpose of the Lord in this Universe.
With this back-ground let me now explain what Golak Vrindavan is. Who is this Second Divine Unmanifest and the Supreme Person who lives in this highest planetary realm? Let me tell you as expounded to me by my Master.
Golak Vrindavan is the place where the Gopis live, performing various kinds of pass-times with Krsna. I have described this place in the above paragraphs. In Golak Vrindavan everything from the cows, to the trees, flowers, rivers, Gopis/Gopas everything is Krsna Himself. It is the Abode of the Supreme Person – Krsna, who is the Personification of ‘Supreme Love’.
The Abode is Krsna’s body and Krsna lives in Golak Vrindavan as the Supreme Divine Person. Krsna lives with his eternal consort RadhaRani and all other Gopis and performs his leelas (divine play). Besides Krsna’s coterie, only those who have attained single pointed devotion to Krsna by taking birth as human being in many lives to perfect themselves on the path of Spirituality by practicing love and devotion to the Lord will be eligible to get entry into Krsna’s abode.
The Second Divine Unmanifest is called the Supreme Divine Consciousness (SDC). Supreme – Highest, Divine – Godly, Unmanifest – That which ‘IS’ but cannot be understood with the body, mind and senses. Hence, the one which cannot be ascertained by proof but only with Faith is called the Supreme Divine Consciousness/Krsna/God/Jesus. The SDC is full of knowledge, effulgence and bliss. That is why it is also called the SatChidAnand – Truth, Consciousness and Bliss.
With the grace of my Master I have been able to pen this wonderful experience in a string of words. Thank you for reading and do watch out for my next write-up about Kali Ma appearing in a photograph of mine which I shot at Dakshineshwar.
