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SrI:
SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:
Dearest srivaishnavas,

This is the last of three posts on the subject. 
Question 4: Still, one thing is not understood. Deva sthrees could
have simply got married to KaNNan and enjoyed Him as His spouses. 
They could have got their prayers fulfilled; instead, why should 
they be born as Gopa sthrees, leave their husbands, in-laws, 
children and run to KaNNan? Why should KaNNan allow this? How can 
this be establishment of Dharma? This act is against the manushya 
dharma.

Answer: Firstly there are two issues that need to be understood. The
husband-wife, father-son relations are all not permanent- everyone
knows. These all come due to this sareera sambandham (due to the
association with this body); For this body, these relations come. 
They
are present as long as this body exists. After that these relations
vanish. In next birth different parents, children, spouse etc.. Thus
the relations are only temporary and are for this birth; Being a 
wife, husband is due to the body taken by this Jeevathma and these 
roles will change next birth.

But the relation between Paramathma and Jeevan is always permanent. 
He is Swami; We are dAsars. This is always so. It is natural for all
jeevaathmas. It is no way associated with the body of jeevathma and
does not change when bodies change for various births. Whatever 
number of births we take; this relation will never ever change. 
unthannOdu uRavEl namakku ingu ozhikka ozhiyaadhu, Govinda â?" says 
GodhA PiraaTTi.
Hence desiring for the Lord, devoted to Him, performing service to 
Him are all to be sought after. They are normal for jeevathma and are
perfectly in accordance with dharma, saasthrAs. This is to be 
actually the welcome one and should necessarily be sought after by 
every jeevan
for redemption. To achieve that and in course of achieving the same,
if there is a choice between this versus the bodily relation, one can
choose the relation (eternal) with the Lord. There is absolutely
nothing wrong with that. Kaikeyi wanted to coronate Bharathan and let
him separate from the Lord Rama. But Bharatha, who wanted to serve 
the
Lord, brushed aside even the bodily relation of Kaikeyi as his mother
as she was the stumbling block for that service. He hated her for 
such
thoughts and preventing him from performing kaimkaryam for Rama. For
us, the Bhagavad, BhAgawatha anubhavam alone is prime and important.
It is in line with our nature. If the relations are in line with this
want of ours and they work towards, support the same for us, then 
they
can be with us; if they work against this and do not support our
Bhagavad BhAgawatha anubhavam, they can be brushed aside like
Bharathan. Nothing wrong. The cowherd women did that. It is no way
termed as incorrect; in fact, it is most appropriate for jeevaathma 
by
its nature.

This is very clear in Srimad Bhagawatham. When KaNNan sees them
devotedly running towards Him leaving the elders, husbands, children,
and others- and asks: "what do you want me to do for You all? Go back
quickly and serve your husbands. Do not leav the dharma meant for
women and ladies, wives and mothers? This not correct. Do not come
here. If you want, you do keerthanam, sing my name, utter my name and
think of me from your hoems. Go home.".

Gopikas could not control their tears; Their throats choked; their
eyes welled. Their hearts broken; Their words did not come out of
their mouths, tongues refused to co-operate due to the emotions and
sorrows. Mouths quivered. Our KaNNan- our Lord- KaNNan- is he saying
this? Our only Master, Swami- to Him we belong to- does He ask us not
to come to Him any more and ask us to go back? They started appealing
to Him.

yathpathyapathyasuhadhAmanuvrtthiranga sthreeNAm swaDharma ithi
DharmavidhA tvayOktham |
asthvEvamEthadhupadESapadham tvayeeSE preeShtO bhavAmsthanumruthAm
kila bandhurAthmA ||

kurvanthi hitvayi rathim kuSalA: sva Athman nithyapriyE
pathisuthAdhibhiraarthidhai: kim |
thanna: praseedha paramEswara maasma ChinDhyA ASAm bruthAm tvayi
ChirAth aravindha nEthra ||

Husband, children- serve them- You are advising us. Let that be 
there.
You are the permanent relation for all jeevans. You are darling 
bandhu
too for us. You are the AtmA for us as well. Due to our puNya,
paapams, the karma phalam, there is only dukkham (sorrows) due to
these relations and association with them. What is the use of that?
You are Priyaml darling for us. The buddhimaans (intellect) realizing
this eternal relationship with You and Your darling form, ParamAthmic
nature, would get eternal enjoyment from You only. ParamEswaraa!
PankajaakshA! Lotus eyed lord- most merciful One! Please bless us; do
not break the love that we have for You from time immemorial and for
long time.

This is what is Parama hitham for Jeevathma. Most pleasing to the
Lord as well.One should have longing for Bhagavad vishayam,. Interest
and longing for other matters- one should attempt to get rid of. For
that one should wlawys contemplate on : God alone is eternal relation
for us; All others are only temporary; Due to karma, these relations
exist. Thes sukhams, dhukkhams are due to Karma. This is what is
insctruced bt Sage Yaagnyavalkya to MaithrEyi and is in
BrahadhAraNyaka Upanishad.

Gopikas realized this from their experience; and enjoyed His
relationship with them. KaNNan also [as is His nature as the most
merciful Lord who runs to devotees to be with them] blessed them with
such experience. This greatest ultimate of all saasthrAs is
established to us in this Gopika charithram. KaNNan also, in order to
establish this wonderful Bhaagawatha saasthra dharmam, made this act
as His leelA; and blessed them especially. He wanted His avathAram to
glorify this jeevathmA's longing for association and relationship 
with
Him for ever and desire for enjoyment of His swaroopa, roopa
sowndharyam. That was one of His yet another special [visEsha] Dharma
sthApanam. Thus, it lays down the path for the highest Vaishnava,
prapannan quality and way of life and establishes the most wonderful
way of VaidIka life. Gopikas are the highest form of devotees and
prapannans the world has ever seen. This is the greatest of Upanishad
DharmA; the pinnacle of saasthrAs; The jeevathmAs' nithya niroopAhika
ananhaarya sEshathvam is well established in Gopika Charithram.

The Paramabhakthi [intense devotion] of Gopa sthrees! What a great
devotion! What a mind set of Them ! what a manO bhAvam! All deeds
completely in accordance with saaathrAs- [not disliked or hated by
even their spouses!] These marvelous dhiva chShtithams of KaNNan as
leelAs should always be contemplated, enjoyed and read, listened to 
by
us; if one does that, the desire for lowkika kaamam would vanish; the
desire for sensual pleasures would disappear slowly and KaNNanukkE
Avathu kaamam (desire for KaNNan alone) would linger and grow in us.
Swamy desikan says: This charithram on Gopikas is the best medicine
for the diseases [like Kaama, krodham] in our minds; This is the one
praised and prayed by Rishis and Saints.

raagAdhirOga prathikAra bhUtham rasAyanam sarvadhaSAnu bhAvyam |
AsIdhanuDhyEyathamam muneenaam dhivyasya pumsO dhayithOpavhOga: || 
[4.101]

Srimad BhAgawatham also mentions bhakthi parAm prathilabhya kAmam
hadhrOgam ASvapahinOthi aChirENa DhIra: - based on which swamy 
Desikan
composed the above sloka. Here, the sains follow this charithram and
and declare and enjoy as the Grandest One- says Swamy. He refers to
Sri NammAzhwAr "kuravai aacchiyarOdu kOttathum" and then "en appan
than maayangaLE ninaikkum nenjudaiyEn.. [I am blessed with the mind
that contemplates only on my Father's leelAs and dhivya 
chEsthithams].

Thus we enjoyed the Gopika charithams. We need to touch upon one of
last slokas of Yadhavaabhyudhayam before completing this series for
completion's sake. That tells us how one should enjoy the
KrishnAvathAram.

nAreeshtaChhA miyamithadhiyO nAkanAThESwarathvam
samyOgE Cha pravaNamanasa: SASvatham brahmacharyam |
athraikasyAm purinivasatha: sarva lOkADhikathvam
niDhyAyantha: swarithamatharan dhustharAm thasya leelAm ||

The subjects discussed here are:

1. Bhagawaan Sri KaNNan is Devaadhi Devan- He was always at the beck
and call of Gopika girls. Once when one girl complained to Him that
her legs are paining and can not keep walking. He lifted her and
carried her on His shoulders. Thus he listens to his devotees and
allows himself to be at their service. But we should not be misled to
believe that He is not the Lord; He listens to these young girls of
Gopas and the young Gopa boy friends. Though he does that, He is the
lord of all Devas; Devaadhi Devan. Devendra, Brahma, et al came and
prayed to Him and praised Him.

We are bounded to someone due to our karma and its association on us.
It is mandate on us; There is no esacpe and it is due to our karma
bandham. For SarvEshwaran, it is not the case. He is bound down and
tied down to devotee's pleas and requests due to his own sankalpam.
"kaTTuNNa paNNiya peru maayan- paNNiya is important. All this is due
to His mercy and anugraham on the devotees and that's why comes Sri
KrishNAvathArams says Srimad Bhagawatham. anugrahA bhakthAnAm
maanusham dhEhamAsThitha: Thus listening and heedimng to the request
of His devotees, He thus becomes easily accessible and sowlabhyan.
That is His Greatness; That is the greatness of Sri KrishnaavathAram.

KaNNan alone is SarvEshwaran; He alone due to His sowlabhyam blesses
the devotees should be fully and properly understood â?" this is 
what is
contemplated by KaNNanallaal Deivam illai; [There is no God other 
than
KaNNan]. Can there be any one equal to Him with such Parathvam and
still exhibit such greatest sowseelya, sowlabhyathvam!

2. KaNNan- who was involved in his affair with sthrees- is eternal
Brahmachaari! -

KaNNan had 16000 women as his spouses and was conducting his family
with each one of them individually â?" as seen and enjoyed by Sage
Narada. He also had enjoyed being united with Gopa sthrees. In spite
of all these, KaNNan is declared as the eternal ever Nithya
Brahmachari. When Pareekshith was born from utthara's womb, it feels
as a charcoal [due to AsvatthAmA's asthira's power]. The only lineage
â?" heir from Paandava vamsa was Pareekshith and hence they were 
grief
struck looking at the lifeless char coal child. It was told by one of
the elders that if pure Bramachari's foot touches the child, it would
be alive; become normal and active- said KaNNan. But none dared come
near as they felt scared that their true nature would be revealed.
[Sri Ramanuja defines the term Brahmacharyam in GitA BhAshyam 
as: "not
having even a thought at any time that women are the objects of
enjoyment". What a great and wonderful definition!]

Thus, since none came forward, Bhagawaan KaNNan himself come forward:
If I am the true purest Brahmachari and if I am SarvEshwaran, let the
child come back alive and become normal." He touched the baby's body
in full with His divine Lotus Feet. Immediately the baby became fair
complexioned and was full of life, alive and crying.. In front of
everyone, this had happened. This is mentioned by Swamy Desikan:

vimOhanE vallabagEhineenAm na brahmacharyam bibhidhE thadhIyam |
sampathyasthE bAlakajeevanam thath sathyEna yEnaiva sathAm samaksham 
||

Thus KaNNan is the purest Brahmachari is Sathyam. It was also true
that He had played and enjoyed with cowherd women; 16000 spouses; How
could that both be possible. Answer is: Only Bhagawaan can make that
happen. We should never ever equate Him with us. Sage Narada once â?"
came into Krishna's palace saw KaNNan welcoming him and asking his
wife to bring waters for argyam, pAdyam etc.. and honoured the sage;
in the next house he went into and saw KaNNan eating with his wife
serving him; third house he saw Him doing ThiruvArAdhanam; fourth
house, he was playing dhAyam with his wife; The wonderstruck Narada
came out and after some time, all KaNNans came out to become one to
board the chariot and reach the palace. He realized the Lord's
Iswarathvam and sang in praise of Him; The Lord too replied to the
Sage: oh Brahma rishI! I am the one instructing DharmA; I am also
following the same in strict sense; I have come here to protect
dharma; and establish the same; Do not worry."

He conducted his grahAsthama dharmam with His 16000 spouses; with no
grievance from any one; KaNNan Himself says in GitA: DharmAvirudDhO
bhUthEshu kAmOsmi-. Swamy Desikan also says:

AvidhitharaChanEna swEna pArThAya gItha:
Swayamajani kaama: kO(S)pi DharmAvirudDha:

It is possible only for Bhagawaan; The ultimate GrahasthAsramam and
the love, desire's extent therein was well established here and to
establish that dharma, this leelA of KaNNan was played. By the GopikA
charithram, the greatest Upanishad Dharmam was established and shown
to usâ?¦

The Lord's ThirumEni (Body) is completely Suddha sathvam; 
aprAkrutham-
unaffected by matter (that we se and have); Hence, His natural
Brahmacharyam can never change; It is also told that with His mere
sankalpa (will), He gave the sambOga sukham to Gopikas. Sage Suka 
says
the same in: avarudDha sairEtha: his brahmacharyam thus never changed
or was affected. KaNNan only blessed them with His grace and 
anugraham
and granted what they desired for; He never desired the same for; He
did not consider them as objects of enjoyment and hence in Ramanuja's
definition he was full Brahmachari and Nithya Brahmachari.

3. The One who resided in the corner of Dwaraka is the Lord of entire
worlds; when Jarasandham came to fight in the battle field, KaNNan 
[in
order to protect the people from destruction from the battle] built a
city in the centre of an ocean and stayed there with His people.
Jaraasandhan and others mistakenly thought that He felt scared and
hence ran away; They laughed at His running away with fear. But as a
matter of fact, they were completely shivering with fear.

It is completely wrong to belittle KaNNan as the one staying in a
corner of Dwaraka city; He is the Lord of all; He is Devas' Devan. He
is the One who grants to these Devas what they grant to their
devotees. As a matter of gratitude, they gave little of what He had
given them, when he built this Dwaraka city. KubEra gave away some
wealth; Varunan gave Him some horses; Devendra gave the paarijatha
tree etc.. They grabbed the opportunity to show their gratefulness.

One should enjoy KrishNAvathAram thus and contemplate on His glorious
deeds and leelAs. Then only can one get rid of the maayaa (samsaaric
affliction). If one learns in half baked manner about His dhivya
chEshthithams, then we will end up arguing with kutharkam and never
ever be able to cross the ocean of samsara. Thus with Gopika
charitham, the highest Upanishad saasthrA and VaidIka dharmam is
established.

We should place our heart and mind at the lotus Feet of KaNNan and
Swamy desikan thus established the same in Yadavabhyudhayam.

Anything found good in these posts is only due to the wonderful
original article written by Sri U Ve Dr Vasudevachar Swami from Swamy
Desikan's excellent analysis. Mistakes, errors, omissions are 
entirely mine

Sarvam SrI KrishNArpaNamasthu
AchAryan ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam
Regards
Namo Narayana
dAsan madhavakkannan






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