(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 23 September 2012, Durban, South Africa, Radhastami Lecture)
Krsna is the all attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sri krsna-akarsani, devotional service can attract Krsna. Srimati Radharani is in the maha mantra, present in the word ‘Hare’. The word ‘Hare’ represents devotional service. Devotional service is of a very wonderful nature because as described in the Nectar of Devotion, devotional service is sri krsna-akarsani.
Krsna is known as Acyuta because Krsna never fails to notice any service rendered to him. In that way, service rendered by any devotee, anywhere in the three worlds, is always noticed by Krsna and Krsna reciprocates. Still, amongst all devotees, there is one devotee who is the topmost devotee and that devotee is Srimati Radharani!
The followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is really the originator of this Hare Krsna movement, are taught to understand that no one can please Krsna more than Srimati Radharani. Therefore, rather than to aspire to serve Krsna directly, we are aspiring to become the servant, of the servant, of the servant of Srimati Radharani – a hundred times, a thousand times, a hundred thousand times, a million times, gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-anu-dasa (Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 13.80). It makes sense and this actually is the mood of Vrndavana.
Vrndavana is a place which is different from any mundane place in this world like where we appeared and where we are trying to perform our own pastimes. Everyone is busy trying to create their own pastimes but these pastimes which we are performing are pastimes for our pleasure. But Vrndavana is of a different nature. The entire existence of Vrndavana is only for one purpose which is to please Krsna and everything within Vrndavana is meant for that pleasure of Krsna, hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate (Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 19.170).
In Vrndavana, pathways are made of transcendental gems and these gems are also devotees of the Lord. These gems are simply there to please Krsna. The bodies of water at the side of the pathway contain many beautiful birds and wonderful lotus flowers and so on, and all are there simply for the pleasure of Krsna. When Krsna places his lotus feet in the river Yamuna, the water plants in the Yamuna hold onto Krsna’s lotus feet and will not allow Krsna to move his feet out of the Yamuna again. The Yamuna then stops flowing and begins to show little whirlpools of ecstasy because Krsna’s lotus feet are in her waters. How could she flow and move past Krsna when his lotus feet are there!? There is no flowing! So in this way in Vrndavana, all the residents are absorbed in Krsna prema, prema-antaranga, deeply absorbed in such love of God.
