Glories of Srila Rupa Goswami

Ter Kadamba: The Sacred Place of Bhajan:

Srila Gurudev (Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaj) would often call everyone to Ter Kadamba in Nandgaon, where Srila Rupa Goswami Pada would perform Bhajan. Why? Due to the significance of Ter Kadamba. “Kadamba” means tree, and “ter” means to call out in a very affectionate manner. So, Krishna would climb the tree branch and call out the names of his cows and gopa friends during the daytime. At night, Krishna used to call out to the Gopis, especially Srimati Radha Thakurani, from that same spot on the tree. This is why the name became “Ter Kadamba.”

Importance of Ter Kadamba:

Now, what is the importance of this place (Ter Kadamba)? Krishna himself said,

“ananyāś cintayanto māṁ, ye janāḥ paryupāsate
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ, yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham”
Bg. 9.22

“One who always worships Me with exclusive devotion, whatever they don’t have (yoga), I carry on My very shoulders and deliver it to them. ‘Kshem’ means I protect and preserve whatever I have.”

For example, as you saw about Arjun Mishra in the commentary of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, similarly in our Sampradaya, knowing that Sri Madhavendra Puri Pada would not eat and would not even ask anyone for food, and would just keep doing Bhajan 24 hours a day, Krishna Himself, in the form of a small boy, carried a milk pot for him. This is called “yoga.” But is Srimati Radhika any less than Krishna? She is the most worshipable of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas; She is even the worshipable of Vrajendra Nandan Shyamsundar. So, she is no less than Krishna in any aspect.

So, Srimati Radharani challenged Krishna at Ter Kadamba and said, “You are too brave these days. You are the crown prince. And you say that those who worship you with exclusivity, you carry and deliver whatever they don’t have. What’s your greatness in this?”

Affection: The Stepping Stone in Bhajan:

Now see what Srimati Radhika did. See how much she is affectionate to her devotees. Affection alone is the stepping stone in one’s Bhajan. Those who have affection for their Gurudev’s divine lotus feet, Guru sevak’s feet, and the divine feet of Vaishnavas will generate that much affection for the Lord (Thakurji) as well. This affection goes to the Divine Lotus feet of Sripad Nityanand Prabhu and then eventually Sriman Mahaprabhu. When affection reaches the Divine feet of Mahaprabhu,

“yathā yathā gaura-padāravinde, vindeta bhaktiṁ kṛta-puṇya-rāśiḥ |
tathā tathotsarpati hṛdy akasmād, rādhā-padāmbhoja-sudhāmburāśiḥ ||”
(Caitanya-candrāmṛta: 88)

The greater the magnitude of devotion unto the Lotus feet of Sriman Mahaprabhu, the same will be transferred spontaneously unto the Lotus feet of Srimati Radharani automatically. Now, Srimati Radharani was challenging Krishna. She said, “What is your greatness in giving milk to your exclusive devotee? Did you ever prepare foodstuffs for them and let them have it? Never. Because you don’t know how to prepare delicious foodstuffs yourself.”

Divine Pastimes: Radharani’s Loving Service:

When Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Sanatan Goswami were together discussing Harikatha, at that time Srila Rupa Goswami started wondering, “Oh, he is my elder brother and also my Guru. He has come here, but there’s nothing available with me that I can prepare for him to eat. What will I make him eat?”

Time kept on passing while they went on discussing Harikatha. Time, tide, and death wait for none. Srila Gurudev (Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaj) used to say, “Time, tide, and death wait for none.” And as you all know, the second wave of COVID is almost over, but the third wave could be around the corner; no one knows, because death doesn’t wait for anyone. So what did Srimati Radharani do? When she saw both of them discussing Harikatha, she couldn’t stop herself.

Like Krishna says – 
“tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada, yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktāḥ”
Krishna is telling Narada Rishi, “Wherever My devotees praise My Name,
Form, Qualities, and Pastimes, I am present there.”

So is Srimati Radhika any less than Krishna? No way! Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Sanatan Goswami were only praising the qualities of Srimati Radhika. So she came there in the form of a small girl of Braj. And she carried a milk pot with her, along with rice and sugar. What was the reason she had come? Because she wanted to listen to her glorification from both of them. Like Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur says, “Sri Radha Krishna Padakamale, Sunahu Nija Gungaan.” So Srimati Radharani came to hear about Her glorification, in the form of a little girl.

But neither of them didn’t bothered with the presence of the little girl and kept on discussing Harikatha. Radharani thought that they should not recognize Her anyhow, so She started talking to them about something random. She said, “Baba, you have been discussing Harikatha for so long already. Do you not have to eat anything?” Still, both of them paid attention.

“Don’t you have to do bhajan?” They did not pay attention.

“See, Baba, my mother has sent milk, sugar, and rice. Take it, and I am going. Make a kheer and serve Thakurji and eat.”

This was not the time for them to listen to anyone. They did not pay attention. Then she stood there listening and then asked, “Baba! Should I make the kheer? But Baba, I can’t delay more, otherwise mother will scold me.”

What did she do? From where she lit the fire, in minutes she made the kheer. After making it, she said to both Srila Sanatan Goswami and Srila Rupa Goswami that she was leaving, and if she delayed, her mother would scold her. She left. Now, who had made the kheer? The one worshiped by Krishna, worshiped by Gaudiyas, Srimati Radha Thakurani. Whom Rupa Manjari (Rupa Goswami) is serving, and to whom Shyamsundar is also serving. And after serving kheer to Krishna, Srila Rupa Goswami gave it to Sanatan Goswami. When he tasted a little of it, his body felt a transcendental feeling (harsha, kampa, romancha, vivardha); he was trembling and couldn’t say anything.

He asked, “Rupa! Did you wish for anything?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Tell me, what is our responsibility? To serve Radhaji or to get service from Her?”
Srila Rupa Goswami said, “Our responsibility is to serve Radhaji.”
Then Srila Sanatan Goswami told him that the kheer was made by Radhaji.

“What were you thinking?”

Srila Rupa Goswami told, “You are my Guru, my elder brother. There was nothing, and I had no time to go for Madhukari (begging). If I had something, I would have given it to you to eat.” This is what I was thinking. Sanatan Goswami said not to repeat this.

Now the question may arise, not today, not tomorrow, but in the future, someone may ask, “How did Srila Sanatan Goswami come to know that the kheer was made by Radhikaji?”

Srila Rupa Goswami is Rupa Manjari. Srila Sanatan Goswami is Lavanga Manjari in unmanifested Vraja. What do they do every day? In unmanifested pastimes, wherever they happen, they come with Radhaji from Javat to King Nanda’s palace. Radhaji cooks food for Krishna. After Krishna eats, then Radhaji, then Her Sakhiyan (girlfriends), and then the manjaris eat the prasadam.

Every day, the Manjaris used to get the prasadam. That is why, as Srila Sanatan Goswami touched the kheer with his mouth, he understood. Just like when someone plays Guruji’s recorded voice, we will know Guruji’s voice because we have heard it before. So, like this, Srila Rupa Manjari, Lavanga Manjari have already tasted the kheer many times. That is why he said that this was made by Radhaji.

So, Radhaji challenged Krishna, “What have you done? You have never made prasadam and given it to anyone, but I can prepare delicious food.”

This is why at Ter Kadamba, Radharani gave the challenge, so Krishna made prasadam for everyone. There are more things. Read Srila Rupa Goswamipad’s scriptures, like in Bhagavat, from 1-9, which have Sambandha Tattva Gyan, and then from the 10th, it has Prayojana Tattva Gyan, Ekadash, Dwadash, Abhidheya Tattva. Similarly, Srila Rupa Goswami’s scriptures have Sambandha Tattva, Prayojana Tattva, and Abhidheya Tattva. Which is Sambandha, which is Prayojana, which is Abhidheya Tattva, we will tell later. Right now, we have to go to Rupa Goswami’s Samadhi and Bhajan Kutir. There we will worship and offer flowers and come back because it is time for Paran at 9:30 am; otherwise, you will not receive the Ekadashi benefit.