Jagad Guru Chris Butler - Siddhaswarupananda - Practical Wisdom

by Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode

8 / Astama-yama Sadhana
Pastimes at Night
Prema-bhajana-Sambhoga (Devotional Love)

The nistha, or firm faith of a devotee who has achieved perfection in pure devotion, with complete dependence on Krsna, is described in the Siksastaka (8) as follows:
aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam adarsanan marma-hatam karotu va yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah (1)

Let Krsna tightly embrace this maidservant, who has fallen at His lotus feet. Let Him trample me or break my heart by never being visible to me. He is a debauchee, after all, and can do whatever He likes, but He is still no one other than the worshipable Lord of my heart.

I am a maidservant at the lotus feet of Krsna. He is the embodiment of transcendental happiness and mellows. If He likes He can tightly embrace me and make me feel oneness with Him, or by not giving me His audience, He may corrode my mind and body. Nevertheless, it is He who is the Lord of my life.

by Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode

Decorating Radha-Krsna is described in the Stavavali, Seva-saikalpa-prakasa-stotra (9): sphuran-mukta gunja mani sumanasam hara-racane mudendor lekha me racayatu tatha siksana-vidhim yatha taih samkanthaptair dayita-sarash madhya-sadane sphutam radha krsnavayam api jano bhusayati tau (12) May Indulekha, who is my guru, instruct me in the art of making beautiful garlands of pearls, jewels, gunja and different flowers, so that I can charmingly decorate Sri Sri Radha and Krsna within the jeweled mandira in the middle of Radha-kunda.

In the mood of separation, the Gopi-gita should be read. The gopis declare therein, Srimad Bhagavatam (10.31.9), that one who distributes the nectar of krsna-katha is the most munificent person.
tava kathamrtam tapta-jivanam kavibhir iditam kalmasapaham sravana-maigalam srimad atatam bhuvi grnanti ye bhuri-da janah (13)