Why Was Svarupa Damodara Closer to Lord Mahaprabhu Than Rupa Gosvami?

Question: Sri Svarupa Damodara and Sri Raya Ramananda were with Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Gambhira and could understand His internal moods. They offered Him uddipanas (stimuli that invoke remembrance of His divine pastimes). But Srila Rupa Gosvami is none other than Rupa Manjari herself. She directly witnessed the meetings of Radha and Krishna and Their most intimate pastimes, even more so than Lalita (Svarupa Damodara) and Vishakha (Raya Ramananda). So why wasn’t Rupa Gosvami personally close to Mahaprabhu?

Sri Srimad BV Vana Gosvami Maharaja: Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is absorbed in the mood of Srimati Radhika, and Her mood is instantly reflected in the hearts of the manjaris. This is unbearable. If Srimati Radhika faints, the manjaris immediately faint too. Who can withstand this? Just imagine — everyone fainting together! (laughter) That’s the reason. Mahaprabhu was experiencing the moods of Srimati Radharani, and only Svarupa Damodara and Raya Ramananda were able to be with Him during such times.

The second reason is for loka-shiksha — instruction for the people of the world. Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis held a position lower than that of Svarupa Damodara and Raya Ramananda. If senior and junior devotees both ask Gurudeva a question, he will respond to each according to their level. For example, if you ask me what bhava is, I will first ask whether you know the definition of shraddha. If not, then how can I explain sthayi-bhava to you? But if an elevated devotee asks me the same question, I will answer in a different way. Answers are given according to the adhikara (qualification) of the one asking.

If you want to understand what sthayi-bhava is, then you must first know concepts like shraddha, asakti, and all the stages leading up to bhava. Only then will you be able to understand sthayi-bhava, and love in its various forms such as prema, sneha, mana, anuraga, and pranaya. Who is asking, and what exactly they are asking — that is what matters. That’s why Gurudeva used to say: “A perfect question receives a perfect answer, but if the question is imperfect, the answer will be accordingly limited.”

For example, one devotee has been associating with Guru and Vaishnavas for twenty years, and another has been practicing for only one or two years. Who has a higher level? I don’t look at how many years you’ve been practicing; I look at your understanding and your level of realization. And that can be known by the kind of questions you ask.

If someone says, “Maharaja, please tell me what madanakhya-mahabhava is. I don’t understand it,” I will say, “Be patient, you will understand. Your question is very sweet, and I’m very happy you asked it, but please be patient. I’ll answer you in about twenty years.” (laughter) And if the devotee keeps insisting, I will begin by explaining what sukriti, sadhu-sanga, and so on are. That is the process.

Link: https://gurudevtv.com/2016/12/31/31-12-16-morning-walk-brazil/

Date: 31 Deceember 2016 Location: Brazil

---

Transcriber: Chandrika dasi (UK) Editors: Sanatana dasa (USA) Integrity check: Divya-premamayi dasi (Slovakia) Proofreader: Chandrika dasi (UK) Photo: Navina-krishna dasa (Holland)