“If you accept the Nitya, you must also accept the Lila. It is the process of negation and affirmation. You realize the Nitya by negating the Lila. Then you affirm the Lila, seeing in it the manifestation of the Nitya. One attains this state after realizing Reality in both aspects: Personal and Impersonal. The Personal is the embodiment of Chit, Consciousness; and the Impersonal is the Indivisible Satchidananda. Brahman alone has become everything. Therefore to the vijnani this world is a ‘mansion of mirth’. But to the jnani it is a ‘framework of illusion’, The vijnani enjoys the Bliss of God in a richer way. Some have heard of milk, some have seen it, and some have drunk it. The vijnani has drunk milk, enjoyed it, and been nourished by it.”
Sri Ramakrishna Parmahamsa
The avatars of Vishnu have never been easy to understand. Even after many thousands of years, humanity is still full of questions and debates about them. Did the Vamana avatar wish to show the world Bali’s pride (at being a great giver of charity) or his devotion (at offering his own head/self to Vishnu when challenged). Is Lord Narasimha the fiercest form of the Divine or the most loving, willing to fulfil even the most impossible conditions for his bhakta. Was Rama an emotional, besotted husband with a deep attachment to his wife, or was He simply the epitome of ideal action and behaviour in every moment?
If these relatively straight-forward avatars are difficult to grasp, then forget about understanding Krishna, the most colourful and multi-dimensional of all, who moreover, seems to take special pleasure in performing playful leelas that often confuse and trick mortal minds. Beyond His acceptance as the purnavatar, some sects in India even consider all the other avatars as emanating from Krishna who is identified as ParaBrahman, the Supreme.
The Technology of Love
Krishna has captured the hearts and minds of Bharat and beyond in a way unlike any other form of Divinity. There are many reasons for this deep fascination – and attraction. Some obvious ones are how Krishna so easily inserts Himself into any human experience, so readily meets you where you are at and thereby, so understandably and logically, serves as the substratum of all existence. Among children, noone is more adorable than Gopala, when the Infinite decides to appear as a dark-hued babe, sucking His big toe as He lies on a banyan leaf. As a lad, none is more charming than Kanha, who keeps everyone alert and alive with his pranks and joyful antics. As a lover, no one is more attractive than Shyamsundar, the colour of rainclouds. Beyond Vrindavan, the sweetheart of the gopis transforms into the most valiant warrior, Yogeshwar, lord of Yoga, the highest teacher and guru, the staunchest friend, the fiercest adversary and the most astute statesman.
Where Shiva inspires the withdrawn yogi in you and Shakti seeks to overwhelm you with unbridled Life, Krishna demands that you relate. That you reject nothing, withhold no emotion, and fully embody Shiva and Shakti in your human experience. Find your own personal bhava – your natural mood toward the Divine as inspired by His Grace. This may be the attitude of a friend of the Divine, of a parent, child, disciple or even lover. Krishna shows that wherever in life you are, whatever you are thinking or feeling, there’s always right there, a place for Him. The Infinite is everywhere. You cannot escape Him so you may as well accept – this is Krishna’s call. Understanding the reason for His unbridled Willingness to be with you in any and every way – is to know Him as your own Self.
Secret of Rasa Lila
It is said that after Sri Veda Vyasa had compiled all the Vedas and composed the 17 Puranas, he still felt incomplete and not fully satisfied. A Brahmrishi of the highest order, he was puzzled by the niggling feeling of ‘something missing’. Sage Narada then advised him to write of the glories of Sri Hari, recounting His leelas and remembering His attributes. Thus Veda Vyasa came to write the Bhagvata Purana which finally brought Him the feeling of Fullness and the highest joy and love.
Those who follow the path of bhakti to the Saguna form of Brahman i.e. Brahman with attributes, will say that there is some intrinsic desire in the human being to know and feel the Infinite here, on Earth. To know the Infinite in form and present to our human experience. That is why we are also attracted to gurus and sages who reflect that pure Brahman. We love to bathe in their presence, listen to them speak and watch their Grace-inspired actions and movements.
We long to know the Infinite that is not merely like space and Emptiness, but the Infinite that walks the Earth. We are attracted to His leelas, His plays and stories in form, which act as a bridge to transport us from the Earthly existence to the transcendental realm. And as humans, we want to love and be loved.
To cherish the transcendental rasa of loving that Lord, the bhaktas say, is not only the highest bliss, but also the reason the universe was created! In this realm, Love is the only currency. The yogic methods of dhyana are transcended, the bliss of knowing the Nirguna Brahman also left behind, and now God is the lover, the friend or the child who invades your Being and plays the rasa lila of two in Oneness. All emotions and actions, no longer being forcefully curbed in yoga or burned in the fire of jnana, become Divinised and fall into rhythm with the cosmic symphony – the music flowing from Govind’s flute. The soul becomes absorbed into a personal love play with the Infinite. Krishna takes birth in the human form.
Happy Janamashtmi
P.S. The subject of Lila is very difficult to speak about and mostly misunderstood. It is not something accessible to the material intellect and the relationship with Krishna is at a soul/transcendental level while knowing Him as your own Soul. The expression of this in the world may happen to some extent or not. Practicing bhava outwardly is meant to make the inner and outer bhakti seamless but obviously, the inner is the primary. Also, Krishna may express in human form but is not to be understood as human at any time or associated with materiality in any way, but always Transcendent to the human play.
See also:
To Fight or Not to Fight? Krishna’s Deeper Message in the Gita
Krishna Quotes (Bhagavad Gita)
The Endless Song (Tiruvaymoli)
