Astakala lila book - Who is Advaita das

Hare Krishna

I have just seen this book as above, (my wife acquired it). I personally find it makes Lord Krishna look almost mundane, who is so qualified that they can read such topics and thus cheapen the supreme position of the Lord. Why don't more and more devotees read Bhagavad-gita again and again, instead of trying to jump before they can crawl, and thus putting themselves on an artificial platform, it makes me angery to be honest

Ananta Purusottama das

Dear Ananta Purushottama,

First of all, the Astakala Lila Padavali is not written by Advaita Das. It is written by Sri Raya Sekhara, a respected pada-karta of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. The themes follow closely the narrations of Govinda Lilamrita (by Sri Krishna Das Kaviraja) and Krishna Bhavanamrita (by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti).

If you feel uneasy with the contents of the book, perhaps you should not read it. However, I do not think it is your position to be the judge for the rest of the world. What you and your wife are doing is of course between the two of you, but please do not extend your judgement beyond the walls of your household.

You may wish to note that in the scriptures, there is no such restriction banning anyone from reading these topics. In fact, one who becomes eager upon hearing such themes is considered most fortunate (Caitanya Caritamrtita, 2.22.52). This is called the path of bhakti following in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

One among the very first verses of the tenth canto of the Bhagavata (10.1.4) declares the purifying potency of narrations of Sri Krishna's pastimes.

nivRtta-tarSair upagIyamAnAd
bhavauSadhAc chrotra-mano-’bhirAmAt
ka uttamazloka-guNAnuvAdAt
pumAn virajyeta vinA pazughnAt
“Description of the qualities of Sri Uttama-sloka is sung and relished in the minds of those whose thirst for the mundane is quenched, and it is the remedy for material existence as well. Who else than a butcher could keep himself away from hearing such descriptions?”

Srimad Bhagavata (10.33.39) states:

vikrIDitaM vraja-vadhUbhir idaM ca viSNoH
zraddhAnvito ’nuzRNuyAd atha varNayed yaH
bhaktiM parAM bhagavati pratilabhya kAmaM
hRd-rogam Azv apahinoty acireNa dhIraH
“Filled with faith, one who hears or describes the loving sports of Sri Krishna and the young maidens of Vraja will quickly drive away the heart-disease of lust, become sober, and attain supramundane devotion of the Lord.”

In their commentaries on this verse, both Jiva and Visvanatha praise the glories of hearing of the amorous sports of Sri Krishna and the gopis, unequivocally declaring it the most powerful among all forms of sadhana.

The same is echoed in Sri Govinda Lilamritam (1.5), the first among our Astakala-lila-granthas:

yat pItaM zrutivAG manobhir anizaM tRSNApradaM tvadbhutaM
saMsArAmaya hAryapi praNayajonmAdAndhya mohAdikRt
zazvac carvitam eva bhUri rasadaM dehAdi hRt puSTidaM
taj jIyAd amRta spRhA haram idaM govinda lIlAmRtam
“All glories to Sri Govinda Lilamrta, the immortal nectar pastimes of Sri Govinda, which defeats the nectar of the demigods and the desire for liberation, constantly bestows a wonderful thirst to the ears, words and mind whenever it is drunk, that cures the disease of material life, yet producing delusions and blindness of loving intoxication, and gives inexhaustible relish, even if it is consumed again and again, nourishing even the body.”

Thus it is beyond doubt that hearing and reading such pastimes is purifying for the heart. However, there is a key word to be found in Bhagavata 10.33.39: shraddhanvitah -- "Endowed with faith." If one has no faith in these statements of the scripture, one should not hear such pastimes. One who does not believe the verdict of the scriptures on how the pastimes of the Lord are fully transcendental, mistaking them for mundane dealings, should be cautious. As said in Sri Gita (4.40):

ajJaz cAzraddadhAnaz ca saMzayAtmA vinazyati
nAyaM loko ’sti na paro na sukhaM saMzayAtmanaH
“The ignorant person who has no faith, riddled with doubts, will perish. For the doubting soul, there is no happiness either in this world or in the next.”

However, if one is in such an unfortunate condition that he mistakes the divine sports of the Lord for mundane activities, I believe neither the author nor anyone else in the world is responsible for this. He alone is, and he should rectify his own condition before he judges the rest of the world. Of course it is convenient to blame others for the lack one experiences oneself to alleviate one's own experience of deficiency. Do not be angry if others experience narrations of the Lord's amorous pastimes greatly inspiring and purifying, making rapid advancement on the path of spiritual life. You should rejoice on their behalf and try to become like them.

I missed this bit of inquiry in the header of the topic, "Who is Advaita das?". Advaita Das is a disciple of the late Sri Nikunja Gopala Goswami. The Vaishnava community feels indebted for him for his dedicated years of service during which he has exquisitely presented dozens of Gaudiya Vaishnava texts in English, texts which most of the Western community of Vaishnavas would be deprived of without his dedicated endeavors. He is currently based in Holland, spending time in Sri Vrindavan Dham whenever resources permit. Prior to his residence in Holland, he lived as a recluse in Navadvipa and Vrindavan for numerous years, becoming acquainted with the local culture, learning fluent Bengali and associating with numerous mahatmas. You can view his catalogue of publications at http://madangopal.com/ .

Dear Ananta Purosottama Das,
It may, or may not be of interest to you, that because of Adwaita Dasji's selfless service in presenting the Gaudiya Vaisnava granthas in English, that many devotees are finding out about the richness and depth of the teachings of Sri Caitanya presented by the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan and their followers, which are not revealed by Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita. Furthermore, it is because of his translations that some of the prominent preachers, Gurus, and sannyasis in ISKCON are sharing some of this nectarean information with the ISKCON audience through their lectures, although the credit of their resources are obscured.

As Madhava has pointed out, if you feel disturbed about Sri Radha-Krsna's conjugal love affairs described in the books that portray Their eternal daily lilas, then you shouldn't read it. Better try to understand the philosophy more.