Question: We have read in a book from another temple that union is higher than separation and we are having some problems understanding the explanations given there. In the past we have always read in books by Srila Swami Maharaja Prabhupada and Srila Guru Maharaj that vipralambha, separation, is the highest mood in Krsna consciousness. How are these statements compatible?

Srila Maharaj replied: My feeling is that even after one thousand births more, such persons as wrote that statement (in that book from another temple) will never be able to understand what is vipralambha and what is contained there. Mahaprabhu stayed twelve years in Gambhira tasting the separation mood of Srimati Radharani to Krsna extremely, and that is the super-expression of Krsna-prema. Such super-expression came out through vipralambha, otherwise it is not possible to tase Krsna-prema. We can get some idea of how deep it is, that Mahaprabhu took the Form of Radharani's bhava and kanti, and that is not the mood of union, but of separation.

Everyone, including even a child goat, in this mundane world knows what union is, therefore it is not necessary to teach anyone to enjoy: they already know, so it is not necessary to clarify that for anyone. But all the attentive energy is to be used for what? What is not known is the transcendental mood of separation. Why was such mood tasted by Mahaprabhu again and again? Mahaprabhu's feeling always returned to the tasting of that vipralambha - the mood of separation from Krsna. The subject matter of Mahaprabhu's lila was to taste what deepest degree of feelings were felt by Srimati Radharani.

It is not possible to express by language the mood of separation that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu tasted in Gambhira, but Srila Krsna Das Kaviraja tried to show something in Sri Chaitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, second chapter. Throughout the whole of Chaitanya-caritamrta the mood of separation is present. And why do we say that this is the supreme mood of the play of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Just what degree of bhava is in Srimati Radharani that Krsna appeared as Mahaprabhu in order to take Her mood and taste that? Who is the enjoyer? What is enjoyment? And, who is being enjoyed through the mood of suffering?

Everyone knows enjoyment, especially conditioned souls involved with sexual enjoyment, and thinking it gives the highest happiness within this mundane world, but he who can say that the highest super-painful mood of separation can give the supreme feelings - the only one who can say that is Sriman Mahaprabhu.

One sloka expressed by Kaviraja Goswami about Madhavendra Puri's feeling of the mood of separation from Krsna is:

ayi dina dayardra-natha he mathuranatha kadavalokyase
hrdayam tvadaloka-kataram dayita bhramyati kim karomy aham
ei sloka hahiyachen radhara thakurani

This sloka was extremely expressed by Srimati Radharani, and through Her super-mercy Sripad Madhavendra Puri also tasted it at the last moment of his life. After that, only Sriman Mahaprabhu, and no one else, is qualified to taste it fully - this is the opinion of Srila Kaviraja Goswami.

You try to consider the following. What is it that Krsna cannot taste Himself? What is it that Krsna wanted to taste, that He appeared in the Form of Mahaprabhu? Why did Krsna take the mood and colour of Radharani and what was His tasting matter (object)? What did Krsna taste in the Form of Mahaprabhu during His Pastimes here? What mood did Mahaprabhu show in Puri-Dham, especially in His Gambhira-lila, and why did He faint to see Krsna in Kurukshetra in the Form of Jagannatha. Why did Chandidasa write one poem:

lakha lakha yuga hiye rakhanu
tabu hiya judana ha gela

(Meaning: Why did Radharani say She couldn't be satisfied by embracing Krsna for millions of millions of years?) What mood is expressed here?

What mood of tasting is given by Sri Kaviraja Goswami in expressing Mahaprabhu's Antya-lila in Sri Chaitanya-caritamrta second part, second chapter?

That which Radharani tasted in separation of Krsna when he did not return but sent Uddhava to see Vridavan, Mahaprabhu tasted that Vramara-gita in an intoxicated way continuosly for twelve years like a mad man. If such souls are foolish then all the residents of Vrndavan, including the Gopis, are foolish. Why didn't they get straight into a chariot, like a taxi, and go just half an hour to Mathura instead of foolishly living in Vrndavan?

But if that author (of the book you mention) with his conception wants to taste the mood of union he will immediately become pregnant, then what will be for him?

What was it that Rupa Goswami expressed in a praising way about the mood of Krsna-prema in separation when he said - pidabhir nava-kala-kuta, etc (CC Madhya 2.52) - the power even of a young cobra's poison is defeated by Krsna-prema of separation?

Actually I am not eager to give answer to this, but I am only remembering the mood of Srila Guru Maharaj and Srila Swami Maharaj. I am extremely hating to give any answer to this question of childish mood praising union. That is, everybody knows the position of union.

I know what is hell, and I have some experience about heaven, but I do not know what is the destination of one who wants to criticize the dearmost associates of Radharani as well as Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanyadeva. He has not even the smallest idea about Krsna consciousness, especially about the twelve years of Mahaprabhu's living in Gambhira, and the mood of Radharani tasted by Mahaprabhu, the non-different Form of Krsna. Can you say what kind of destination awaits such a person? If the residents of hell see such a person they must be fearful of him and need to make a new hell for him.

We have taken refuge at the lotus feet of Srila Guru Maharaj and therefore Krsna has been gracious to give us protection from the concocted ideas of the foolish. If you read only Srila Guru Maharaj's books and try to serve only in his line, you will be joyful and worry-free, and very quickly you will make progress on your transcendental homeward journey.

© Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Mission 2008