Service comes first

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 10 May 2014, Bhaktivedanta Manor, England, Caitanya Caritamrta Adi Lila 8.31)

Sometimes, we have seen that people have discussed the svarupa of Srila Prabhupada, of what it might be, and some have suggested that it might be sakhya-rasa (friendship with Krsna), and even some publications have made points about it. Whatever that may be – I am not going to enter into debate on this – but sometimes it is stated as a part of evidence that Srila Prabhupada placed Krsna-Balaram as the principal deities on the altar in Vrindavan. However, if we study the Caitanya Caritamrta and read in the purports about Krsna and Balaram being installed in Vrindavan, Srila Prabhupada says that he particularly has installed Krsna and Balaram because they are not different from Gaura-Nitai. In this purport, Srila Prabhupada says the same thing; he basically repeats Narottam das Thakur: nitāi-pada bine bhāi, rādhā-kṛṣṇa pāite nāi – without the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda one cannot attain Radha and Krsna.

So we go through Krsna and Balaram, through Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, and then Vrindavan may be revealed to us.

Otherwise, what is the point!? See, what happens is that we will enter into the pastimes of Radha and Krsna and will find them very inspiring! There are very beautiful descriptions of wonderful stories – Krsna drawing dolphins on the breasts of the gopis – wow, dolphins! It is kind of intriguing to the mind but at the same time, when a liberated soul, when one who has love for Krsna hears such narrations then it is sufficient to satisfy the heart. But when one does not have that love of God, then such descriptions may be very intriguing, nice, exciting, and we want to hear more to satisfy curiosity. But it will not be enough to capture the heart exclusively, and other desires will remain and then again one will desire his own pastimes in this world with the opposite sex. In other words – it is not adequate.

So first comes serving Lord Caitanya. It is explained that in the relationship with Krsna there are five rasas (conjugal, parental, friendship, servitorship and neutrality), but that in the relationship with Lord Caitanya there is only one, the relationship of dasya, of servitorship. It is so because Lord Caitanya is acting as a spiritual master, and in the relation to the spiritual master there is only servitorship, nothing else. So, in the same way, in the relationship with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu there is dasya, only servitorship. And by serving Caitanya Mahaprabhu, by taking up his mission to spread mercy to somehow or other engage anyone and everyone in devotional service, in that way one becomes absorbed.