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EDITORIAL  Krsna's Opulences In Perspective BY PARAMANANDA DAS EDITORIAL, Mar 2 (VNN) — Dear Prabhus and Maharajas and didis. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga. Srila Narayana Maharaja's translation of the Bhagavad Gita has inspired many to study the Gita again with great vigor, and my dear friend and godbrother Madhava Prabhu told me about his comparing that Bhagavad Gita with Srila Prabhupada's and reading both and that is indeed very nectarean. Some think that they have no need for the Bhagavad Gita to enter Vraja Bhakti. That is however a very mistaken idea. Bhagavad Gita is the basic understanding of Krsna Consciousness, and though not that basic in many ways, even after being a devotee for many years, we may still not be perfect in sense control etc., as our minds and intellects may still not be fully fixed in Bhakti 24/7. In order to appreciate Krsna's madhurya lilas, His very sweet pastimes in Vraja, the knowledge of his aisvarya helps us to get to that point, however once a devotee understands that Krsna's Vrindavana lilas are more opulent than even His Dvaraka lilas then certainly he/she will focus their attentions on the Vraja Lilas of Sri Krsna. Srila Visvanatha Cakravati Thakura who left this world according to our vaisnava calendar on Sunday the 17th of February has written a very beautiful prayer that helps us understand and appreciate Krsna as the master of all opulence also. Many demons appreciated Krsna's power but were jealous of Him being the supreme Lord. Just like Sisupal, Dantravaka, Kesi, Kamsa the list is long, also Asvathama wanted Krsna's Sudarshana Chakra and was another demoniac personality. The devotees in Vrindavana love Krsna whether He is God or not. They don't even need to worry about it, as Krsna's opulence disturb their love for Him, if they where to think of Him as the Supreme opulent Being. However Krsna and His opulence are sweet, and nectarean when seen for what they are, thus Srila Visvanatha Chakravati Thakura, though in eternal service of a manjari under the guidance of Srila Rupa Manjari, has written this "Svayam Bhagavattastaka" that is eight prayers glorifying the master of 6 opulence, namely Nanda-tanayah, the darling son of Nanda Maharaja. Verse 1 Sva Janmany aisvaryam balam iha vadhe daitya vitater yasah partha trane yadu puri matha sampadam adhat param jnanam jisnau musalam anu vairagyam anu yo bhagaih sadb hih purnah sa bhavatu mude nanda tanayah "May Nanda's son, who is full of six opulences, who from His very birth was supremely opulent,who displayed supreme strength by killing a multitude of demons,who became supremely famous by protecting Arjuna, who manifested supreme wealth at Dvaraka,the capitol of the Yadus, who spoke supreme transcendental knowledge to Arjuna, and who exhibited supreme renunciation in the Yadus fratricidal war be pleased with me." In the Visnu purana it is stated: Aisvaryasya samagrasya, viryasya yasasah sriyah jnana vairagyayas caiva, sannam bhaga itingana: "Full wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renounciation - these are the six opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead". Though apparently Dvaraka appears more opulent than Vrindavana that is not so. Even the dust particles in Vrindavana are Cintamani, and have been glorified even by Lord Brahma in his Brahma Samhita. Devotees like Uddhava aspire to be a dust particle in Vraja, so the most exalted devotees, the Gopis of Vrindavan may touch their head with their lotus feet. Srila Prabhupada used to sing this sloka with great love: "Cintamani prakara sadmasu kalpa vrksa." Teaching us the real focus on Govinda, in His abode of Kalpa vriksa trees, and Surabhi cows, surrounded by millions and millions of Gopis headed by Srimati Radhika, playing His flute in a three fold bending form, with His beautiful Lotus eyes, bedecked with peacock feather. Krsna having the color of the monsoon clouds. What can be more opulent than this? Contact VNN about this story  Send this story to a friend
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