Category:Following in the Footsteps of Krsna's Associates
Theme Analysis
In the ultimate stages of spiritual realization, the strict, awe-and-reverence-based worship of the Supreme Lord gives way to spontaneous, intimate love (rāgānugā-bhakti). However, Śrīla Prabhupāda strictly warns that this intimate love cannot be manufactured or approached directly. To enter the highest spiritual realm of Goloka Vṛndāvana, a liberated soul must place themselves under the direct guidance of one of Kṛṣṇa's eternal associates (nitya-siddhas) and follow strictly in their footsteps.
A dominant theme in this category is the necessity of choosing a specific mellow (rasa) and following the corresponding resident of Vrajabhūmi. For example, those desiring parental affection must follow Nanda Mahārāja or Mother Yaśodā; those desiring friendship must follow Sudāmā or Śrīdāmā; and those desiring the highest mellow of conjugal love must follow the gopīs, ultimately placing themselves under the care of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that without following the gopīs, it is impossible to attain Kṛṣṇa in Vrndavana. Even the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, was denied entrance into the rāsa dance because she refused to follow in the footsteps of the gopīs. When a devotee achieves this intense, spontaneous covetousness to serve like the Vṛndāvana residents, they transcend the rigid injunctions of the śāstra and become fully immersed in pure, ecstatic love.
- The Precondition of Liberation: Śrīla Prabhupāda stresses that one can only aspire to follow the eternal associates of Vṛndāvana after becoming completely freed from material contamination through regulative devotional service.
- The Necessity of an Intermediary: Direct intimate service to Kṛṣṇa is impossible. One must serve as an assistant, following in the footsteps of a specific eternal associate (such as a servant, friend, parent, or gopī).
- The Supremacy of the Gopīs: To achieve the highest perfection—devotional service in conjugal love—one must strictly follow the footsteps of the gopīs. Not even the goddess of fortune or the personified Vedas could bypass this rule.
- Transcending Rules (Rāga-mārga): When a devotee develops intense, spontaneous attachment (rāgānugā-bhakti) by following the Vrajavāsīs, they transcend the strict reasoning and injunctions of the scriptures, operating purely on ecstatic love.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: In The Footsteps of Kṛṣṇa's Eternal Associates - Following Rāgānugā-Bhakti.
Subcategories
This category has the following 3 subcategories, out of 3 total.
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Pages in category "Following in the Footsteps of Krsna's Associates"
The following 59 pages are in this category, out of 59 total.
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A
- A pure devotee follows in the footsteps of the gopis and worships the gopis as follows, "Let me offer my respectful obeisances to all the young cowherd girls, whose bodily features are so attractive"
- Akrura's journey to Vrndavana is exemplary. One who intends to visit Vrndavana should follow the ideal footsteps of Akrura and always think of the pastimes and activities of the Lord
- All those who have tried their utmost to do good for others but have failed despite all honest endeavors should approach Sri Krsna or His bona fide servitors, following the footsteps of Marshal Arjuna
- Although Krsna was not present before her, Kunti offered her prayers to Him as if she were in His presence face to face. This is possible for anyone following in the footsteps of Kunti
- Arjuna accepts Sri Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and any commentary on the Gita following in the footsteps of Arjuna is real devotional service to the cause of this great science. BG 1972 purports
- At that stage (devotional service in spontaneous love) the devotee can follow in the footsteps of one of the eternal associates of Krsna in Vrndavana
B
- By adopting the mood of the associates and friends of Radharani and following in their footsteps, one can ultimately achieve the perfectional stage of being transferred to Goloka Vrndavana, the transcendental abode of Krsna
- By following in the footsteps of such associates and by entering under their eternal guidance, one can acquire an intense desire to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- By following in the footsteps of the inhabitants of the planet known as Vrajaloka or Goloka Vrndavana, one can attain the shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Krsna
- By spontaneous nature they (the raganuga devotees) become attracted to some of the eternal devotees such as Nanda or Yasoda, and they try to follow in their footsteps spontaneously
D
F
I
- If anyone wants to enjoy the childhood pastimes of the Lord (Krsna), then he has to follow in the footsteps of the residents of Vraja like Nanda, Upananda and other parental inhabitants
- If one develops devotional service and attachment by following in the footsteps of the Vrajavasis, he attains raga-marga-bhakti, or devotional service in attachment to the Lord
- If one follows in the footsteps of the inhabitants of Vrndavana out of such transcendental covetousness, he does not care for the injunctions or reasonings of sastra. That is the way of spontaneous love
- If one lives a family life following in the footsteps of Lord Krsna's family members, one can achieve all four of these principles of success simultaneously by making Krsna the center of all activities
- If someone simply desires conjugal love, but does not follow in the footsteps of the gopis, he is promoted to association with the Lord at Dvaraka
- If we can simply follow in their (the inhabitants of Vrndavana's) footsteps, even to a minute proportion, our lives will surely become successful, and we shall enter the spiritual kingdom, Vaikuntha
- In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said that no one can receive the real favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead without following in the footsteps of the gopis
- In the dasya-rasa one follows in the footsteps of servants like Citraka, Patraka or Raktaka. In the friendly sakhya-rasa one can become a friend like Baladeva, Sridama or Sudama
O
- One in this pure state of devotional service gradually develops the desire to follow in the footsteps of an eternal associate of Krsna
- One should place himself under the direct guidance of a particular associate of Krsna and should follow in his footsteps
- One who worships the Lord by following in the footsteps of the inhabitants of Vrajabhumi attains Him in the transcendental planet of Vraja, where He is known as the son of Maharaja Nanda
- Only after the stage of liberation from material contamination can one actually aspire to follow in the footsteps of the devotees in Vrndavana
- Only one who worships the Lord in the ecstasy of the gopis, following in their footsteps, can engage in the service of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna in the bushes of Vrndavana
- Otherwise, how could Uddhava aspire to follow in their footsteps? Another instance is Lord Caitanya Himself
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- The advanced devotee who is inclined to spontaneous loving service should follow the activities of a particular associate of Krsna's in Vrndavana
- The authorities in the Vedic literature who are known as the sruti-ganas worshiped Lord Krsna in the ecstasy of the gopis and followed in their footsteps
- The devotee has to follow in the footsteps of the eternal associates of Krsna in Goloka Vrndavana
- The goddess of fortune, Laksmi, wanted to enjoy Krsna and at the same time retain her spiritual body in the form of Laksmi. However, she did not follow in the footsteps of the gopis in her worship of Krsna
- The gopis have set the standard of devotion for the whole world. One who follows in the footsteps of the gopis by constantly thinking of Krsna can attain the highest perfectional stage of spiritual life
- The personalists who follow in the footsteps of the inhabitants of Vrndavana or strictly follow the path of devotional service are elevated to the personal abode of Krsna
- The personified Vedas, "And, as far as we are concerned, being different demigods in charge of the different parts of Vedic knowledge, we are always following in the footsteps of the gopis. Thus we hope to attain the same perfection"
- The process of spontaneous service - following in the footsteps of the gopis, who are the denizens of Vrndavana - is transcendentally more advanced and is the process whereby Radha and Krsna are worshiped
- This (that Krsna refresh our heart) is not a concoction of childish imagination but a factual experience of spiritual realization. One who has sincerely followed the footsteps of Krsna or His bona fide servants has also realized this simple truth
- This old man was instructed by Narada to follow in the footsteps of Nanda Maharaj, and thus success was achieved by him
- Those attracted by the conjugal love between Radha and Krsna must follow in the footsteps of the gopis. Only then is it possible to enter into the Lord's service in Goloka Vrndavana and directly associate with Radha and Krsna
- Those devotees express their feelings in such a way that they automatically melt with ecstasy, and many transcendental symptoms become manifested in their bodies. Anyone desiring advancement in DS must follow in the footsteps of such devotees
- Those who are actually interested in understanding the SP of God, Krsna, and who follow in the footsteps of Arjuna should understand that Krsna not only theoretically presented Himself as the Supreme, but actually revealed Himself as the Supreme
- To follow in the footsteps of Rasala, the personal attendant of Krsna in Goloka, or to follow Krsna's friends, like Sridama & Sudama, or to follow Nanda & Yasoda, devotees in parenthood. Ecstatic love for Krsna is never manifested directly with Krsna
- To perform devotional service means to follow in the footsteps of Radharani, and devotees in Vrndavana put themselves under the care of Radharani in order to achieve perfection in their devotional service
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- We must always remember, however, that such eagerness to follow in the footsteps of the denizens of Braja (Vrndavana) is not possible unless one is freed from material contamination
- We Upanisads can also taste the nectar of His lotus feet by following in the footsteps of the gopis
- When a devotee follows in the footsteps of the devotees of Vrndavana, his devotional service is called raganuga bhakti
- When one becomes deeply affected by the devotion of the residents of Vrajabhumi and tries to follow in their footsteps, he does not care for the restrictions or regulations of the revealed scriptures. This is the characteristic of one in raga-bhakti
- Wherever he may be, one must always think about life in Brajadhama and about following in the footsteps of a particular devotee in the service of the Lord
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