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you; wherefore ask such favours as you may desire.' When Sri Krishna so spoke, the Traditions said: 'Oh Lord, we regard all thy forms, such as Nárayan and others, as Brahmá, invested with attributes, in regard to which our belief is not full. And as to that which we call (usually) by the term Brahmá, the form of which is without attributes, and which is different from the indestructible Brahmá,-that form is beyond the reach of our mind, and our speech therefore beyond our knowledge. We request thee therefore to cause us to see that form.' Thus spoke the Traditions of the Vedas. Thereupon Sri Krishna, the most excellent being, showed them his all occupying heaven, and allowed himself to be seen. The kind of sight which the Traditions had on that occasion is thus described :On that occasion, the Traditions, having seen the form of Sri Krishna, commenced to praise him thus: 'Oh, Sri Krishna, thy form is more beautiful than even a crore of Kámdevas, at the sight whereof desire is produced in us. Please, therefore, satisfy our hearts' desire, so that we may enjoy with thee in the form of women. If thou wishest to grant our request, this is what we require.' When the Traditions of the Vedas spoke thus, the most excellent Being said, 'Oh, Traditions, this your hearts' desire is very difficult to be satisfied, and very difficult to carry out; however, as I consent thereto, your hearts' desire shall be satisfied; but it will not be satisfied just now.' He further said, 'When the Sárasvat age shall arrive, you will be born as gopis in Vrij. There, in the forest of Vrindá, I will gratify your desires in a chorus, and your adulterine love for me will exceed all (other love). By means of such a love you will gain me, and your object will be thus accomplished.' In this manner Sri Krishna told the Traditions to gain him by adulterine love. These traditions of the Vedas, who became the Gopikás, are called the traditional persons.

"In the same way it is related in the Rámayan as follows:(When) Sri Ramachandraji proceeded to the forest of Dandaka (he found) there sixteen thousand Rishis (Sages) called Agnikumár performing penance. These Rishis, on seeing the person of Sri Rámachandraji, became enamoured. Thereupon, folding their hands, they made a request to Sri Rámachandraji thus: 'Oh Lord, a desire is produced in us to enjoy with thee in the form of women. Wherefore be pleased to gratify this our hearts' desire.' Rámachandraji thereupon, having been pleased, granted their request (by saying), This, your hearts' desire, will be gratified during the incarnation of Krishna.' Hence these Agnikumár Rishis became gopis in Vrij,

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whose name is Agnikumár Gopikás. The tale thereof is recounted in the Kurma Purán, and also in Atharva-veda, thus: These Agnikumár Rishis, having been born as woman in Vrij, also attained the most excellent Being with the Traditions.'

"Thus it is related in the Vedas and Puráņas at various places that by whatsoever faith this soul may serve God, Hari gratified her desires accordingly. If there be any sin committed in the adulterine love, why did Sri Krishna and Sri Rámachandraji grant them their wish to be women. They would have been displeased with them, and then have punished them. But God is all form. He is in the form of father, and he is in the form of husband; he is in the form of brother, and he is in the form of son. In whatsoever shape one may wish to love God, his wishes are complied with accordingly. Nandráyji and Vásudevji asked the boon of the son-form, and their wishes of having God for their son were granted. The gopis loved God as their paramour, and he became a paramour, and made them happy. And this the ignorant say is sin. How contrary is what they say to the Vedas and Puráņas. On this subject a devotee has said in the Sáki (verse) thus: 'What can the ass who feeds on the dunghill know the pleasures of gardens? Sugar is his death, the world's refuse his life.' Meaning, the asses who feed on the dunghills, what do they know of the pleasures of gardens? that such and such pleasures are to be had in the gardens! By eating sugar the ass dies, and by eating the rubbish that lies on dunghills he lives.

"Similarly those devotees who long for the Para-brahma (Divine Spirit), their life is sustained by this very adulterine love. What could the non-devotees know of this love? They wish for the love

of hell. (To them) to get (good) bodies, women, and property is to meet with God. Even by experience it is clearly known that there is no love like adulterine love. We are therefore enjoined in the Sástras to feel in Hari a love like the adulterine love. For see! although the adulteress may be engaged in the household work, yet day and night her mind is directed to the object of meeting her paramour; and if her paramour goes to a foreign country, in consequence of her separation from him, she does not relish her food, does not like to wear good ornaments, and by the excessive grief consequent on the separation she even gives up her life. To feel such love towards God is described in the Sástras as the most excellent thing. Of such love these fools say that it is loathsome. But it is nowhere mentioned that by the adulterine love we should carry on a criminal intercourse with God; because our souls are not

qualified like the gopis, nor could our souls have immediate connection with God. We will illustrate this by an anecdote. A certain woman was one evening going to her paramour. At the same time a Fakír was sitting in her way praying to God. But as it was dark she did not observe the Fakír, and accidentally struck him with her foot in passing, of which she was unconscious. Just then the Fakír did not say anything; but when that woman returned, the Fakír addressed her thus: 'Oh hussy, you struck me with your foot and passed on; but then, my attention being fixed on God, I did not speak.' Thereupon the woman replied thus: 'Had your attention been so fixed on God, you would not have been conscious of my having struck you with my foot. See, owing to my contemptible love in my paramour, I did not obscrve you, and was not even conscious of having struck you with my foot. Oh man, had your love really been in God, and your attention fixed upon him, how could you have known of my foot having struck you?' No sooner had the Fakir heard this than he seized his own ear, and prostrated himself at her feet and said: 'Oh mother, what you have now observed is true. From this day I have adopted you as my spiritual guide.' In this anecdote also a lesson is drawn from love. As Dattatraya Rishi derived instruction from twenty-four things, so should we draw the moral from the adulterine love."

We shall now see how the position of their sectaries is strengthened by a further citation from the works of Gokulnáthji, in a tract written by him in the Brijabháshá, entitled Rasabhávana" (Love Faith). It is as follows:

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"Thus came Krishņa to be called a great charioteer (a warrior). Similarly in this Pushti system (i.e. doctrines taught by Vallabháchárya), the most excellent Lord himself having conquered millions of Sváminijis in the Vrij devotees' forest of sexual enjoyment, came to be called a great charioteer. Therefore he began to dance with Sri Sváminiji (the chief mistress) when he could not cope in dancing with Sváminiji, and was defeated in other sexual commerce.

"Thereafter the female companions (of Sri Sváminiji) having collected all her hair, and twisted it with a string, and tied it into a knot, wherefore the same should be regarded thus:-The string in the form of Sri Sváminiji, and the hair in the form of Krishna, having coupled together after enjoying in a contrary

manner.

"There are maidens in the house of Jasodáji (mother of Krishna; they regard Krishna (who is now a child) as their husband. maidens, therefore, prepare a swinging bed instead of a cradle, whereon they lay Krishna, and enjoy with him.

"The Lord plays with the followers of Pushti Márga (i.e. followers of Vallabháchárya). Such play is fearful to the opponents, whereas such play is poetic happiness (ecstacy) to devotees or initiated.

"The elephant's ivory toys are (symbolic) of the internal desires of Sri Sváminiji (the chief mistress). So when she goes into the forest Sri Sváminiji, by means of those toys, she enkindles (in him) the desire to amuse or enjoy like elephants.

"Sri Chandrávaliji, and Sri Yamunáji, and the virgins, and all the married women of Vrij, join together in an humble speech to Sri Sváminiji thus: 'Let us become your servants. We are not like you. We are your servants. How can we reach God in your presence? Still we are yours.' Having heard this humble speech, Sri Sváminiji addressed them us: Though sagacious and possessed of the sixty-four good qualities, yet she is guileless; though the foremost among the accomplished, yet she is guileless.' Wherefore Sri Sváminiji, seeing the humility of all the females, was pleased, and spoke thus: 'Your name is Vrij Ratna (i.e. the jewel of Vrij), for you are the jewel in Vrij; for there is no other love as the love of husband which you cherish towards God. Therefore you are the most excellent among the excellent. Therefore your love for him is greater than mine. Firstly, you keep yourselves always holy; you have no connection with any gopi. Even sons, husbands, etc, in this world are for show in the world's intercourse, but they have no connection with you. And, secondly, you are harmless. You are useful in your sexual commerce. You have no harm or jealousy in you. Thirdly, you are penetrated with the passion of love. Your passion is for the different modes of sexual commerce. You are very dear in my heart. In your coupled form, you act as our servants, and with affection wait on us. Therefore Sri Sváminiji. being pleased, tells God thus: 'Because they are dear to you, they are exceedingly dear to me. They should be therefore allotted separate groves, so that you might carry on sexual commerce separately with them.'

"Then Sri Sváminiji produces from her person millions of female companions. They were named Lalitá, Visákhá, and so forth. Those that were exceedingly skilful and beautiful in sexual com

merce are called Lalitá; those that are very expert in the inverted and other postures or positions (at sexual commerce) are called Visákhás."

Here we have an exaltation of the Prem Ságar itself. Its most voluptuous verses are less lascivious than this; and "Love Faith" here mantles with its wings "the Ocean of Love," hovering over the deep abyss.

A remarkable instance of how strongly these doctrines impress the imagination of young females is related by the same Gokulnathji, in his account of the two hundred and fifty-two devotees of his father, Vithalnáthji, the Śri Gosáinji Maháraji. It is written in Brijabháshá. The following is the story :

"Now there was Ganga Kshatriáni, a female devotee of Sri Gosáinji, who was living in that Máhában. This is an account of her. The mother of that Gangábái was very beautiful, and she was also very good looking, and she was in the bloom of her age. On one occasion Gosáinji went to the Máhában and put up at the house of a Vaishnava, and that Kshatriáni was then residing close to the house of that Vaishnava. That Kshatriáni paid her homage to Sri Gosáinji, when she witnessed a very great beauty equal to a crore of Kandrapas. Feelings of lust were then excited in that Kshatriáni, and she then became very much enamoured; so that she did not feel easy without seeing Sri Gosáinji once daily. So she daily got up and came to Sri Gokul, and having seen Sri Gosáinji, she used then to go to her house; and she constantly said in her mind, 'Were I to meet him in a solitary or private place, the wishes of my heart would be fulfilled.' But she could not find an opportunity. Then one day that Kshatriáni thought in her mind, 'When Sri Gosáinji goes to the privy I will go there.' So one day that Kshatriáni remained concealed in the privy, and afterwards Sri Gosáinji went to the privy, when that Kshatriáni said, "Maháráj, pray fulfil the wishes which I have in my heart.' But Sri Gosáinji refused, saying, 'I do not know anything about that matter.' That Kshatriáni then became very obstinate, when Sri Gosáinji, getting angry, said, "Do not be obstinate, and the wishes of your heart will now be fulfilled without your leaving your house. These are my prophetic words, and therefore you may go home.' That Kshatriáni, having heard these words

Kandrapa is a god of love.

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