Relevance of Krishna lila outside Vrndavana - How do Rupanuga Vaisnavas hope to serve?

I have questions that I'm really embarrassed to ask.

There are many lilas of Krishna that I think are fantastic, but I don't completely understand their relevance in terms of our goals as aspiring Rupanuga Vaisnavas.

For example, I have recently been looking again at Sri Hansaduta and Uddhava Sandesa of Srila Rupa Goswami. Both of these books focus on the sentiments of the residents of Vrndavana after Krishna left for Mathura. They are beautiful, but I wonder: as a sadhaka is my place to aspire to serve such lilas? Or to aspire for these types of sentiments of seperation? Rupa Goswami himself has writen these books, but how do his followers remember these pastimes? Isn't the primary hope of a Rupanuga sadhaka to serve Radha and Krishna in terms of Their asta kaliya lila pastimes in Vraja? Do we also hope to serve Radharani and Her sakhis after Krishna has left for Mathura?

And again, I love Caitanya Caritamrta, the bulk of which focuses on Mahaprabhu's lila as a sannyasi outside of Navadwipa. Mahaprabhu expresses many many deep emotions in seperation from Krishna while at Ratha Yatra, in Gambhira, etc. These expressions are certainly relishable, but I'm not sure how they relate to our sadhya. Do Rupanuga Vaisnavas hope to see (and serve) the dancing of Mahaprabhu as a sannyasi at Ratha Yatra, etc.? Isn't our primary hope to serve Mahaprabhu in his lilas as a grihasta in nitya Navadwipa?

No need to be embarrassed!

Great questions!

See what the learned ones have in store...

There are indeed myriads of narrations that do describe the flow of the aSTa-kAlIya-lIlA in the writings of our AcAryas. One facet of the prakaTa-lIlA is the deep agony of vipralambha taking place on account of sudUra-pravAsa. the unbearable state of separation by a long distance. Another is pUrva-rAga, the preliminary attraction that precedes the first meeting. Their relevance for contemplators of aSTa-kAlIya-lIlA is understood in terms of the potential and the preliminary.

If there were no conception of the preliminary, of all that led to the wonderful relationship between the two, our vision of the lIlA would be stripped of its emotional fullness. We would merely see the story as it unfolds, but be deprived of all that led to the story and of all that made it so wonderful.

If there were no conception of the state that might possibly follow the time spent together, if we lacked a vision of the gravity of the potential, how could we appreciate the depth and intensity of the love involved in the relationship?

As for whether the mañjarIs still aspire to serve Radha after Krishna has gone to Mathura, what else could they possibly do? Verily, they are made of her service! There is nothing else for them in life, Radha's friendship and affection is all they know and all they have ever dreamt of. How could they abandon her at such a crucial moment, at such times of grief and need for support and assistance?

The final pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu tangibly demonstrate the summit of the potential of the intensity of separation within Sri Radha's heart.

Radhe Radhe!

I can't believe I missed this thread amongst all of the other dealings on GD!

I don't know that I have much to add on top of what Madhava has written. I believe the emphasis, for us, in understanding the heartfelt sadness and separation from Krsna, and how we serve Sri Radhika in such separation, is definitely monumental for us to understand. The more depth of understanding one approaches the whole of ones relationship within these lila’s the more ones seva and meditations on serving our Svamini will increase in intensity and focus. Their is that "rollercoaster" in feelings of happiness when Sri Radhika is with her dear Krsna and sadness when they are separated especially as one experiences first hand the emotions and separation felt by Sri Radhika.

Rasaraja dasa