Sri Prathana (Compiled from Hari-Katha)

Introduction The Six Gosvamis are the fulfillers of Caitanya Mahaprabhu's inner-heart desire (manobhista). Srila Jiva Gosvami is the footstep follower of the other Gosvamis. His three main followers were Narottama das Thakur, Srinivasa Acarya, and tya-mananda Prabhu. Srila Jiva Gosvami taught them as well as other Vaisriavas all the scriptures like the grimad-Bhagavatam, the Vedas, Vedanta, Upanishads, and the books of the Gosvamis.

Srila Jiva Gosvami also taught these three Occupy’s the different prayers and stutis found in the Srimad Bhagavatam like Bhisma-stuti, Kunti-stuti, Veda-stuti, and Dhruva-stuti, the teachings of Prahlada Maharaja, the prayers of Vrtrasura, the Brahma-stuti, Garbha-stuti, and the different prayers of the demigods and goddesses to Krsna. Along with this, he taught many books like the Brahma-sathita and Krsna Karnamrta. For the most part, prayers and studs are directly meant for the Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna. But the anuragamayt-ragatmika-vrajavasis do not pray or do stud to Krsna. In the Sri Caitanya Caritamrta (Adi 4.26), Srila Kaviraja Gosvami has written:

priya yadi meina kari' karaye bhartsana veda-stuti haite hare sei mora mana,

If My beloved chastises Me in a sulky mood, then that steals My mind away from the formal prayers and glorifications of the Vedas.

Krsna says that if the gopis make fun of Me or abuse Me, then still this is extremely dear to Me, more so than even the glorification of the Vedas. The anuraga found in the hearts of the rdgdtmika-vrajavasis is meant exclusively for the pleasure of Krsna and it controls and pleases Him.

Srila Jiva Gosvami taught and engaged Prabhu-traya-Narottama das Thakur, Srinivasa Acarya, and Syamananda Prabhu-in the study of the specialities and bliss found in parakiya-rasa. He also helped them cultivate this mood internally for themselves.

The Vrajavasis are most near and dear to Krsna. If anyone praises or glorifies them, then Krsna becomes extremely pleased. Especially, if any one performs kirtana or extols the glories of the Vraja-devis, then Krsna feels eternally indebted to them.

na paraye 'harri niravadya-samyujam sva-sadhu-krtyarii vibudhdyusdpi val] ya mabhajan durjara-geha-s'rrikhaldh sarhyrkya tad vat) pratiyatu sddhund grimad-Bhogavatam (10.32.22) I am unable to repay My debt for your immaculate service, even within a lifetime of Lord Brahma. Your ties with Me are beyond reproach. You have worshiped Me, abandoning all domestic ties, which are difficult to become free from.

Therefore, please let your own glorious actions are compensation in themselves. Narottama Thakur first published Sri Prema-bhakti-andrika to teach us how to come under the guidance of the Yata-devis, manjaris, sakhis, and Sri Guru's internal form s a sakhi (guru-rupa-sakhi). He has shown us there how to ray to guru-rapa-sakhi. radha-sanmukha-sarhsaktith sakhi-sariga-nivasinim tam ahath satatarh vande guru-ruparh parath sakhim I eternally worship Sri Guru in his form as an exalted sakhi in the association of Sri Radha and the other sakhis.

tvarh gopika vrsa-ravesa tanayantike 'si sevadhikarini guru nija pada padme dasyath praddya kuru math vraja kanane sri radharighri-sevana-rase sukhinith sukhabdhau

Stava-kalpadruma

O Gurudeva! You are absorbed in an ocean of bliss and you can grant transcendental service. You are the dear gopik6 of Srimati Radhika. Please give me the shelter of your lotus feet, so that I can be happily engaged in the transcendental service of the Queen of Vraja, Srimati Radhika.

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