On vipralambha-seva - What are the proper moods of service?

This topic has surfaced in a number of earlier discussions. Anyhow, it seems to not be clear, so let us have another go at it.

First, some basics regarding sadhana and the object of contemplation.

In our lila-smarana-sadhana, we contemplate on the eight-fold daily pastimes of Radha and Krishna, conceiving of ourselves as the hand-maids (manjaris) of Sri Radha, who accompany her throughout the day, rendering various services in accordance with any necessities that may arise. The eight-fold daily pastimes (asta-kaliya-lila) are known as the aprakata-lila, or the "unmanifest" pastimes. This means that these pastimes are not manifest in this world, but rather unfold eternally in the spiritual sky.

Aside aprakata-lila, there is also prakata-lila, which means "manifest" pastimes, or the pastimes of Krishna that appear in this world, in which he is born, displays his childhood pastimes, enjoys his youth in the forests and fields of Vraja with the young maidens of Vraja, then going to Mathura, and onwards to Dwaraka, and so forth.

As already said, the former category of sports, namely aprakata-lila, are the object of our contemplation. Our aspiration is to serve Sri Radha throughout the day in whichever situations may arise. Therefore, there is no question of aspiring to serve in "separation" or "union". To suggest that either of the two is something we should specifically strive for is foolishness. We strive to serve throughout the flow of the eight-fold daily pastimes in any and all situations that may arise. Suggestions neglecting this ideal are made in ignorance of the prayojana-tattva of Gaudiya Vaishnavas.

Does the meaning of vipralambha-seva apply also to serving our Guru out of seperation?

Not really. We use the terms vipralambha and sambhoga primarily in the context of Radha-Krishna-lila. Of course, in principle you could use these words in just about any context where the direct meaning of the word applied, but taking the meaning in its original context, it doesn't really apply here.

Why is there service in separation of guru? There is no separation from guru.

Not yet for you. But for many other devotees there is.

I was thinking in terms of our eternal connection via guru-pranali and siddha-pranali, which we are hopefully all contemplating on. Of course there is a physical separation there, eventually, but that is there even in the guru's lifetime when we are living in a different country. sudUra-pravAsa. But in the realm of lila, we are most of the time together with gurudeva or guru-manjari, serving under his / her guidance and so forth, so there is no separation as such in there.

Of course we always lament and remember the disappearance-days of all mahatmas who have graced this world with their presence.

Sounds like you are saying that the relationship with Sri Guru in realm of lila is eternally the same. I thought Vipralambha to be another variety in Lila...
So, being Sri Guru always present in the heart, as the Lord is, why would a sadhaka feel separation from one and not to the other?

Sri Guru is present in both Gaura-lila and Vraja-lila in their respective svarupas. In the realm of lila, while you may be separated from Radha and Krishna, you are still commonly nearby the guru. Hence the aspect of separation there is less from guru than it is from Radha-Krishna.

It is not a matter of presence or absence in the heart. Right now we (most of us, anywya) are not in a position to experience much of either separation or union in the context they appear. When the lila unfolds in your heart, then within that lila-realm in your svarupa you will experience vipralambha. If there is no identification with svarupa, how can there be vipralambha?

Dandavats. All glories to the Vaisnavas.

I think this is definitely a concept in which most are rather misinformed especially those coming with an ISKCON/GM background. The more I have learned about the practice and meditation the more I am astonished on what my initial conceptions were. Maybe there are sects in which their practice and meditations resemble those talked about in IGM but I believe all in all there is a fear of the unknown or at least a line of misconception based on piecing together different comments by others as well as experiences with some that were immature in their own understanding of what they were indeed practicing.

In my short time of practice I have been dumbfounded by the notion that such meditation would lead to sexual agitation as it seems to be the exact opposite.

Anyhow… just some early morning thoughts.

Radhe Radhe!

Aspiring to serve the Vaisnavas,
Rasaraja dasa

Ditto to that! Seems like the old straw-man(jari) argument really was pretty far from the truth.

It still sounds like the relationship with Sri Guru in Lila is static and with Sri Radha-Krishna is dynamic…

Why only separation from Krishna and not from Guru? Does the Guru never plays hide and seek with the sadhaka, like in Gopal Kumar’s case, for example?

I'm sorry, I don't follow. Static and dynamic?

Excuse-me, the topic is delicate and I’m most probably not making the proper use of the language; I’m not finding the words and expression to articulate the idea.



That is what I mean by static and dynamic, or better say with Krishna, there is variety, while with Guru seems to be the day-by-day-activity.

I'm maybe looking for Lilas with Sri Guru (separation; passion; adventures; happiness; suffer), perhaps...?

Even the daily flow of lila, and the separation and meeting, follow a common pattern. When Krishna goes to the fields, there is separation. When they meet at Radha-kunda, there is union. When Krishna returns home, there is separation. And so forth.

Actually, the matter of vipralambha and sambhoga is only indirectly relevant to manjaris. They are not independent nayikas who consider separation and union with Krishna as overly relevant, rather they share a great concern over the moods of their Svamini as she burns in the scorching fire of separation. The manjaris are most of the time also with Radha, so there is no great separation there as such in terms of the daily lila.

The lilas with the guru in his svarupa are experienced as subservient to the common cause of Sri Radha's service, there are no independent adventures as such. In other words, a vishaya-ashraya relationship does not really evolve there, rather the manjaris join their hearts as one vast ashraya of devotion.

Madhava, in every sphere of activity there is variety. The Bhurloka plane is supposed to reflect what is actively happening in the realm of the ongoing Nitya-Lilas. As so, the picture you are giving here displays an environment of certainties and predictable events…

Are then the sweet Nayikas the fortunate ones that as a result of their direct interaction with the divine couple able to taste the unknown elements of the next act? In this scenario, it appears that as the Lila unfolds, the delicate and tender Manjaris are procrastinated from the unexpected touch of the unknown moments. In other words, are the surprises (unusual events) a reserved ticket for the Nayikas, only, while the Manjaris are over protected?

Moreover, are we, in the realm of Bhurloka, getting an extra free ticket to ride on the uncertainties of this world, while the habitants of Sri Goloka rides the eternal boat of certainties, only?

Again, where are those unpredictable and the unusual events in Lilas?

No, it is not like that.

OK, your turn, please.

Of course there is variation there, but the general eight-fold structure stays. At times, Radharani is in Varshan, and at other times, she is in Yavat. New events unfold forever, as the lila is unlimited. There is no question of "static" there.

You're going to work, say eight to four, and you keep a lunch break in between, and you have two days off for the weekend. Is there no variety there, is each day a replica of the other? Everyone's life basically follows a certain daily course.

There is also no question of concern over certainty or uncertainty. We, as sadhakas, know with a certain degree of certainty the flow of the daily lila, but the parshadas participating in the lila ride on a rollercoaster of emotions that may be somewhat unconceivable for us, emotions that make it all seem ever-new and ever-fresh, always wondrous and novel regardless of repetition or lack thereof.

Your answers on this matter is correct and I have no conflict with that whatsoever.
However, being everything a reflex of spiritual dimension, I’m a bit surprise that thing works in a way that it is how things were suppose to happen. The unpredictable factor seems not to be a concern to the Supreme Almighty in His abode, perhaps.

Nevertheless, compared to the Parsadas and their privileges in the Nitya-Lila, your answer justify the relative position of the Sadhaka. In other words, the "uncertainties" in the actual Lila maybe there for the privileged Ragatimikas, not for the regular Sadhaka who follows the rules to attain the desired perfection.

Novel situations aside the narrations you've read arise when the lila flows in the heart, when you are somewhat accomplished in svarasiki-upasana, when your focus is deep and so forth. Even without them, for the beginning sadhaka the regular astakaliya-schedule with all the services and so forth it entails is plenty enough to chew on. When you've memorized Govinda-lilamrita by heart, you may worry about novelties arising in the lila. There is little point in seeking them before we have assimilated the content that is already readily available in the writings of our rasika-acharyas.

I don't think I said or implied that anywhere. Life both in this world and beyond follows certain established patterns. It isn't (generally) erratic with wild changes from one day to the next, everything topsy turvy and upside down.

If Krishna didn't generally come to Radha-kunda every day for mid-day, how could Radharani burn in the fire of deep viraha when one day he couldn't show up, blocked as he was by whatever other concerns? If there is no pattern, there can be no surprises, as surprises by definition are anomalies in the common pattern.

Hum. It is not that I doubt the (positive) uncertainties in the beyond world. Rather, I just have been questioning the certainty and security that a practitioner may project into his meditations.
For example when you said:

So that was the type of "security" that made me think about the “absence of uncertainties”. Which in the case of eternity, uncertainty is like the wind that carries the fragrances and extra flavors into the Lilas; the momentum. However, in the case of a practitioner, security can be the hindrance.

Our main uncertainty in the stage of sadhana is the impurity of heart, which makes the attainment of sphurti a great uncertainty.

Well, perhaps the uncertainty is the only certainty in this world, while certainty is the uncertainty in the other world... Otherwise, what would be the meaning for the suddenly bite of the snake Vipralambha?

The uncertainties derived by the deep bite of Vipralambha, forms the playgrounds for Yugal-Kisore’s madness to Each-Other. Consequently, uncertainty is superior to certainty in the spiritual realm of bhavas.

Why, oh why, do we always need to judge things as superior or inferior? Vipralambha is superior to sambhoga? They complement each others, there cannot be one without the other.

It is not exactly a matter of superior or inferior as you pointed out; The Lila needs pattern as the pattern needs the surprises. No surprise, no varieties. No varieties, the pattern remains static. Hence, no Vipralambha; nor flavors.

One complements other, however, there is a need for varieties and Vipralambha is specifically very taste.

After researching (navigating) on the controversial aspects of Vipralambha & Sambhoga, I found this elaborated essay by Jagat-ji:

“This last section is particularly important. Jiva is arguing that separation adds to the pleasures of lila, but only because it is followed by union. He is also saying that longterm separation is a condition only found in the prakata lila.

The purpose of these arguments is to show that the lila has to end with union, not with separation, as is apparent in the BhP, etc.”

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2.5 Samrddhimat sambhoga
Samrddhimat sambhoga is defined by Rupa as follows:

48. UN 15.207;
durlabha-lokayor yUnoH pAratantryAd viyuktayoH/
upabhogAtireko yaH kIrtyate sa samRddhimAn//

“When due to separation forced upon them by external forces over which they have no control, a couple are long unable to see one another, the extreme experience of pleasure [they experience upon union] is called "completely fulfilled happiness".(48)

Jagat continues:

“Jiva draws attention to the word paratantrya, and draws out the implication that the enjoyment of this highest state of union (upabhogatireka) commences with such a sense of helplessness, which is not a prerequisite in the other types of separation. The union that follows implies the resultant dissipation of this helplessness. He points to Rupa's own description of the svakiya heroines (UN 3.5), the wives in Dvaraka, who are stated expressly to serve Krishna daily, a-para-tantrah, in complete independence. But since the queens never know this state of helplessness, neither can they experience the great joy that comes after being separated due to “external forces over which they have no control.” For again, “not without separation can union reach its fulfillment.”

http://jagat.wisewisdoms.com/articles/showarticle.php?id=27

Many thanks to Jagat-ji for the beautiful approaching on this subject.

Thanks Madhava-ji for sharing some interesting insights on the subject; It is always a pleasure!