About this site
The genesis for this site occurred during a lecture. The speaker was detailing the origins of poetic language as spoken by vaishnavas, especially regarding personal relationships enacted on the transcendental level, far beyond reach or comparison to those of the material realm. This poetic language is in its zenith in the upper echelons of Bhakti (devotion) as displayed between Krishna and His intimate associates. The mood of devotion in this topmost form was again exemplified in the pastimes of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu 500 years ago.
There is much debate about the origins of modern language. What is clear is the evolution from Greek to Latin, and then diversification into German, French, and English. Languages of other nations followed similar fracturing due to the onward march of time and movements of people. Prior to the ancient Greeks, language becomes a mystery to many people. There are those of us who believe the origins of language can be found in Sanskrit, the language of the Vedas. Dissenters may argue that Sanskrit is a derivative of an Indo-European language. This ludicrous claim is easily dismissed by the fact that there is no record of such a language ever being spoken or written. Sanskrit is described in the Vedas as being the original language not only of this planet, but also higher planets, and indeed the spiritual realm, where it is said that every step is a dance and every word a song. The 400,000 verses of the four primary Vedas are all composed in poetic meter, and spoken musically and melodiously.
This rich literary tradition dates back many millennia, and in a cultural context is noticeable even today in various music and dance forms, such as Bharata Natyam, as expounded by Bharata Muni in the famous text, 'The Natya Shastra'. The authentic derivitive of the dramaturgical constructs of Natya Shastra are further enhanced by the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan, contemporaries of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Rupa Goswami has clearly delineated the bona-fide mellows of devotional expression in his book 'Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu'(The Nectar of Devotion), in order to distinguish between genuine transcendence and imitative expressions of emotion or devotion.
This knowledge continues to be imparted into the hearts of enquiring souls to the present day. The agency for dissemination is the chain of disciplic succession. The transference of spiritual knowledge is not some cheap mystical trick performed in exchange for money. Nor is it attained by modern hatha yoga posturing which may at best afford some psychological benefit. Genuine spiritual knowledge is offered freely by a realized soul to a sincere enquirer. In this matter I direct all and sundry to the translations and commentaries given by His Divine Grace A C Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupada.
The means to understanding is enacted by the process of devotional service under the guidance of such a spiritual master. In this purified behavior the means and the end are the same, thereby affording a taste of spiritual bliss even whilst entrapped in the cage of this material body and mind. As described in the invocation to Bhagavad-gita, "I was born in the darkness of ignorance, and my spiritual master has opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge." Srila Prabhupada (1896-1977) translated over 70 volumes of poetic majesty into English, and from there to all major languages. He comes in the direct line of succession from Lord Krishna, and remains an accessible touchstone for transference of spiritual knowledge. The books remain an open secret, appreciated only by those with sincere desire for higher truth free from mundane wrangling.
Genuine devotion is not a self centered, impersonal, or voidist understanding, but is tangible reality. The relationships of this world, although real, are comparable only in so much as they are a perverted reflection of the joyous reciprocation between Krishna and His companions. There are five primary relationships exhibited in multifarious arrangement in the spiritual realm. They are 1: passive, 2: active, 3: friendship, 4: parental, 5:conjugal. Srila Prabhupada writes in His introduction to Bhagavad-gita, "Arjuna was in a relationship with the Lord as a friend. Of course there is a gulf of difference between this friendship and the friendship found in the material world. This is a transcendental friendship which cannot be had by everyone. Of course, everyone has a particular relationship with the Lord, and that relationship is evoked by the perfection of devotional service. But in the present status of our life we have not only forgotten the Supreme Lord, but we have forgotten our eternal relationship with the Lord. Every living being, out of many, many billions and trillions of living beings, has a particular relationship with the Lord eternally. That is called svarupa. By the process of devotional service one can revive that svarupa and that stage is called svarupa-siddhi, perfection of ones constitutional position.
One of the many qualities of a vaishnava devotee, is that of being poetic, as exemplified by the Acharyas in disciplic succession. My feeble attempts are very much those of a materially conditioned soul. I hope one day I may emulate those great souls in all sincerity, and at that time and with purified consciousness, invite Lord Krishna to come, dance on my tongue, and give value to the words I speak. Your servant,
Rakshana das
There is much debate about the origins of modern language. What is clear is the evolution from Greek to Latin, and then diversification into German, French, and English. Languages of other nations followed similar fracturing due to the onward march of time and movements of people. Prior to the ancient Greeks, language becomes a mystery to many people. There are those of us who believe the origins of language can be found in Sanskrit, the language of the Vedas. Dissenters may argue that Sanskrit is a derivative of an Indo-European language. This ludicrous claim is easily dismissed by the fact that there is no record of such a language ever being spoken or written. Sanskrit is described in the Vedas as being the original language not only of this planet, but also higher planets, and indeed the spiritual realm, where it is said that every step is a dance and every word a song. The 400,000 verses of the four primary Vedas are all composed in poetic meter, and spoken musically and melodiously.
This rich literary tradition dates back many millennia, and in a cultural context is noticeable even today in various music and dance forms, such as Bharata Natyam, as expounded by Bharata Muni in the famous text, 'The Natya Shastra'. The authentic derivitive of the dramaturgical constructs of Natya Shastra are further enhanced by the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan, contemporaries of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Rupa Goswami has clearly delineated the bona-fide mellows of devotional expression in his book 'Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu'(The Nectar of Devotion), in order to distinguish between genuine transcendence and imitative expressions of emotion or devotion.
This knowledge continues to be imparted into the hearts of enquiring souls to the present day. The agency for dissemination is the chain of disciplic succession. The transference of spiritual knowledge is not some cheap mystical trick performed in exchange for money. Nor is it attained by modern hatha yoga posturing which may at best afford some psychological benefit. Genuine spiritual knowledge is offered freely by a realized soul to a sincere enquirer. In this matter I direct all and sundry to the translations and commentaries given by His Divine Grace A C Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupada.
The means to understanding is enacted by the process of devotional service under the guidance of such a spiritual master. In this purified behavior the means and the end are the same, thereby affording a taste of spiritual bliss even whilst entrapped in the cage of this material body and mind. As described in the invocation to Bhagavad-gita, "I was born in the darkness of ignorance, and my spiritual master has opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge." Srila Prabhupada (1896-1977) translated over 70 volumes of poetic majesty into English, and from there to all major languages. He comes in the direct line of succession from Lord Krishna, and remains an accessible touchstone for transference of spiritual knowledge. The books remain an open secret, appreciated only by those with sincere desire for higher truth free from mundane wrangling.
Genuine devotion is not a self centered, impersonal, or voidist understanding, but is tangible reality. The relationships of this world, although real, are comparable only in so much as they are a perverted reflection of the joyous reciprocation between Krishna and His companions. There are five primary relationships exhibited in multifarious arrangement in the spiritual realm. They are 1: passive, 2: active, 3: friendship, 4: parental, 5:conjugal. Srila Prabhupada writes in His introduction to Bhagavad-gita, "Arjuna was in a relationship with the Lord as a friend. Of course there is a gulf of difference between this friendship and the friendship found in the material world. This is a transcendental friendship which cannot be had by everyone. Of course, everyone has a particular relationship with the Lord, and that relationship is evoked by the perfection of devotional service. But in the present status of our life we have not only forgotten the Supreme Lord, but we have forgotten our eternal relationship with the Lord. Every living being, out of many, many billions and trillions of living beings, has a particular relationship with the Lord eternally. That is called svarupa. By the process of devotional service one can revive that svarupa and that stage is called svarupa-siddhi, perfection of ones constitutional position.
One of the many qualities of a vaishnava devotee, is that of being poetic, as exemplified by the Acharyas in disciplic succession. My feeble attempts are very much those of a materially conditioned soul. I hope one day I may emulate those great souls in all sincerity, and at that time and with purified consciousness, invite Lord Krishna to come, dance on my tongue, and give value to the words I speak. Your servant,
Rakshana das
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