Overview

In this article, Śrīla Bhakti Pramoda Purī Gosvāmī contrasts the spiritual atmosphere of Vraja-maṇḍala and Gaura-maṇḍala, arguing that Vraja-maṇḍala has preserved exclusive devotion to Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, whereas Gauḍa-maṇḍala has been influenced by Śākta ideas. Its central theme is that the name ‘Śyāmā’ properly refers to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, not Mahāmāyā. To illustrate this point, he quotes a traditional devotional song from Vraja in which ‘Śyāmā’ unmistakably refers to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. This article was first published in The Gauḍīya in 1950.

Śrī Vraja-maṇḍala and Śrī Gauḍa-maṇḍala are non-different realities. Yet it is a matter of great sorrow that even today, while throughout the eighty-four krośas of Vraja-maṇḍala there still prevails a distinctly spiritual atmosphere, no such condition is to be seen in Śrī Gauḍa-maṇḍala. In Navadvīpa-maṇḍala, where Svayaṁ-Bhagavān appeared as Gaurahari, the premāvatāra, and inundated the entire world with a flood of divine love, many currents of thought opposed to prema are now flowing, greatly disturbing the society of devotees.

Only recently, under the pretext of celebrating Rāsotsava, the disgraceful events that occurred in the town of Navadvīpa – the wild revelry of drunkenness that took place – have become a stain upon Gauḍa-deśa, the land of Mahāprabhu, a disgrace difficult for its inhabitants to erase.

In Vraja there are no songs except those of Kānu (Kṛṣṇa). This truth can still be clearly perceived today. The children, the elderly, the women, the noble and the lowly, the farmers, labourers, porters, hawkers, cart-drivers, watchmen, kings and subjects, the wealthy and the poor, the learned and the ignorant – all sing kīrtanas and songs concerning the pastimes of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.

Although in recent times people from various regions have attempted to establish the worship of different gods and goddesses according to their own material desires, together with songs glorifying them, these efforts have not been able to diminish the eternal character and unique identity of Vraja.

Among all the extraordinary yet simple residents of Śrī Vraja-maṇḍala, whenever the name ‘Śyāmā’ is spoken, everyone understands it to refer to Śrī Vṛndāvaneśvarī, Śrīmatī Vṛṣabhānu-nandinī. But in Gauḍa-deśa, the doctrines of sensualism and sectarian Śākta philosophy have become so influential that almost everyone understands ‘Śyāmā’ to mean the deluding material energy, Mahāmāyā – the sovereign mistress of the material modes who bewilders those who are averse to Kṛṣṇa. They have no conception whatsoever of Yogamāyā, the spiritual potency, the mistress of Gokula, the internal spiritual energy who satisfies those who are favourably disposed towards the Lord.

From the fully manifest domain of the cit-śakti arise all the activities of the spiritual realm. From the taṭasthā-śakti, or jīva-śakti, which is an atomic manifestation of the cit-śakti, arises the world of the jīvas. And from the acit-śakti, which is the shadow-manifest domain, arise all the activities of the unconscious (material) world. This is accepted by all the śāstras. If one merges spirit and matter into one undifferentiated principle, one contradicts established philosophical conclusions.

Although the Lord’s potencies are not, in their essential nature, merely two, four, or ten separate entities, nevertheless, according to the varying degrees of their manifestation and influence, the śāstras describe them in diverse ways. This diversity and distinction can never be abolished.

Just as Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the possessor and source of all potencies (śaktimān-tattva), so Śrīmatī Vṛṣabhānu-nandinī is the embodiment and source of all divine potency (śakti-tattva). She alone is ‘Śyāmā.’

The children, elders, and women of Śrī Vraja all know Śrī Rādhikā alone by the name ‘Śyāmā.’ As evidence of this, a few verses from a song commonly sung throughout Vraja are quoted below. This song may be heard from the mouths of almost every class of resident in Vraja:

jaya mādhava madana murārī
rādhe-śyāma śyāmā-śyāma
jaya keśava kali-mala-hārī
rādhe-śyāma śyāmā-śyāma

Glories to Mādhava, Madana-Murāri! Rādhe-Śyāma! Śyāmā-Śyāma! Glories to Keśava, the remover of the impurities of Kali-yuga! Rādhe-Śyāma! Śyāmā-Śyāma!

sundara kuṇḍala naina viśālā,
gale sohe vaijantī-mālā
yā chavi kī balihārī
rādhe-śyāma śyāmā-śyāma

Beautiful are His earrings, and broad are His lotus eyes; Around His neck shines a garland of Vaijayantī flowers. I offer myself again and again to that enchanting beauty. Rādhe-Śyāma! Śyāmā-Śyāma!

kabahūṅ lūṭa lūṭa dadhi khāyo,
kabahūṅ madhu-vana rāsa racāyo
nācata vipina-vihārī
rādhe-śyāma śyāmā-śyāma

At times He steals and feasts upon yoghurt; At times He performs the rāsa dance in Madhuvana. The Forest-Enchanter dances in delight. Rādhe-Śyāma! Śyāmā-Śyāma!

gvāla-bāla saṅga dhenu carāi,
vana-vana bhramata phire yadu-rāi
kāṅdhe kāmara kārī
rādhe-śyāma śyāmā-śyāma

Together with the cowherd boys He grazes the cows; The Lord of the Yadus wanders from forest to forest. A woollen blanket rests upon His shoulder. Rādhe-Śyāma! Śyāmā-Śyāma!

curā curā nava-nīta jo khāyo,
vraja-vanitana pai nāma dharāyo
mākhana-cora murārī
rādhe-śyāma śyāmā-śyāma

Stealing fresh butter again and again He relishes it; Thus the women of Vraja gave Him His famous name, “Murāri, the Butter Thief.” Rādhe-Śyāma! Śyāmā-Śyāma!

eka-dina māna indra ko māryo,
nakha ūpara govardhana dhāryo
nāma paḍāyo giridhārī
rādhe-śyāma śyāmā-śyāma

One day He humbled the pride of Indra. Upon the tip of His little finger He lifted Govardhana Hill. Then He became known by the name Giridhārī. Rādhe-Śyāma! Śyāmā-Śyāma!

duryodhana ko bhoga na khāyo,
rūkho sāga vidura ghara khāyo
aise prema pujārī
rādhe-śyāma śyāmā-śyāma

He would not partake of Duryodhana’s royal feast. Instead He accepted Vidura’s simple meal of leafy greens. Such is the pūjārī of prema. Rādhe-Śyāma! Śyāmā-Śyāma!

karuṇā kara draupadī pukārī,
paṭa lipaṭa gaye vana-vārī
nirakha rahe nara nārī
rādhe-śyāma śyāmā-śyāma

When Draupadī cried out in distress, He bestowed His mercy – garment upon garment He caused to appear without end. Men and women looked on in astonishment. Rādhe-Śyāma! Śyāmā-Śyāma!

Although Śrīla Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī formerly enacted the pastime of appearing as a resident of Gauḍa-deśa, he nevertheless understood ‘Śyāmā’ to refer only to Śrīmatī Vṛṣabhānu-nandinī, the enchantress even of Śyāma (Kṛṣṇa), his own worshipful mistress. He never accepted the world-bewildering Mahā-māyā as ‘Śyāmā.’

In the eleventh verse of his Prārthanāmṛta, Śrīla Dāsa Gosvāmī writes:

śyāmā-śyāma nikāma kāma-samarojjṛmbhita-sthanācyutālaṅkṛti

The wonderfully beautiful couple known as Śyāmā and Śyāma – Śyāmā is Rādhā, and Śyāma is Kṛṣṇa etc.

Hence, the expression ‘Śyāmā-Śyāma’ refers to Śrī Rādhā and Śyāma. It is true that one of Śrī Rādhārāṇī’s sakhīs is also named Śyāmā, but in this śloka, it is Śrī Rādhārāṇī Herself who is intended.

(Translated by Swami Bhaktivijñāna Giri)

About the Author: Śrīla Bhakti Pramoda Purī Gosvāmī

Śrīla Bhakti Pramoda Purī Gosvāmī appeared in a respectable brāhmaṇa family in Gaṅgānandapur, East Bengal, in 1898. After accepting initiation in 1923 from Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he served his guru in the publication department of Śrī Gauḍīya Maṭha. In 1947 Śrīla Purī Mahārāja accepted sannyāsa from his godbrother, Śrīmad Vaikhanasa Mahārāja and continued to edit various periodicals published by his godbrothers, such as ‘The Gauḍīya’ and ‘Caitanya Vāṇī.’ He was expert in arcana (Deity worship) and was renowned for his nāma-ruci (taste for the Holy Name) and deep Vaiṣṇava humility. Śrīla Purī Mahārāja departed this world in Jagannātha Purī in 1999.