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Gaudiya Discussions Archive » PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY
Discussions on the doctrines of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Please place practical questions under the Miscellaneous forum and set this aside for the more theoretical side of it.

Gaura Gadadhara - Gaura Gadadhara worship



gauranga - Thu, 23 Jan 2003 02:53:58 +0530
Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada explained how there were two kinds of separation: the separation of Radha Krsna viccheda (separation) and Gaura Gadadhar viccheda - separation of Gauranga from Gadadhara; Gadadhara from Gauranga. Gaura Gadadhara viccheda is even more spiritually important than Radha Krsna viccheda. This was all explained near Cuttack on the Mahanadi River ghat called Gauragadai-ghat (the only place of Gaura Gadadhara viccheda), the place where Gauranga Mahaprabhu sent Gadadhara back when He was leaving Puri one time. Gadadhara gave up his ksetra sannyasa. Gauranga sent Him back. Then He explained that this is considered more important because Radha Krsna lila is vivarta-vilasa, but Gaura Gadadhara lila is vaicitra-vilasa. This was an esoteric teaching from the instructions of Raya Ramananda, which are the highest teachings of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. This whole subject is also dealt with in the Caitanya-caritamrta Anubhasya by Sarasvati Thakura.
Madhava - Thu, 23 Jan 2003 04:37:46 +0530
QUOTE
Gaura Gadadhara viccheda is even more spiritually important than Radha Krsna viccheda.

Why is this so? Viccheda means vipralambha. In his Ujjvala Nilamani, Rupa Gosvamin has elaborately discussed the varieties of vipralambha in the pastimes of Yugala Kishora along with the varieties of sambhoga which take place after the separation is over. One can hardly apply this to Gaura-Gadadhara, as vipralambha and sambhoga take place between lovers.

The emotions between Gaura-Gadadhara do not ascend to the same dimension as the bhava exchanged by Radha and Krishna. Rather in Gaura-lila this pinnacle of bhava is manifest in one form, in the form of Sri Gauranga, who experiences within Himself the flurry of emotions taking place at the time of viccheda. The essence of Gaura-lila is absorption in Radha-Krishna-lila in the wake of Sriman Mahaprabhu's bhava. Why should the bhava exchanged between Gaura-Gadadhara take precedence over Radha-Krishna?



QUOTE
Then He explained that this is considered more important because Radha Krsna lila is vivarta-vilasa, but Gaura Gadadhara lila is vaicitra-vilasa.

Would you elaborate on the concepts of vivarta-vilasa and vaicitra-vilasa please? Prema-vilasa-vivarta is mentioned in the Ramananda Samvada. It refers to the whirlpool of deep emotions experienced in the pastimes of Yugala Kishora. However, I have never heard of the term vaicitra-vilasa before. "Vaicitra-vilasa" literally means "a wonderful pastime". How is it defined? What is the source of this term?