Madhura Bhakti (sweet devotion) was discovered, developed and dragged to climax by the devotees only and not by God. It is the main theme of the scripture Bhāgavatam. Without understanding the topic, some religions try to mock at Hinduism. For the first time in 5000 years, Shri Swami is explaining why this is the highest scripture that gives salvation to the soul in 7 days. The triad (Tripuṭī) of this topic is also highest since 1) Gopikas (Gantā) are the highest reborn sages, who were being worshipped even by angels, 2) Kṛṣṇa (Gamyam) is the highest form of incarnation (Paripūrṇa tamaḥ) and His highest abode is Goloka, which is higher than Brahma loka and 3) The path (Gamanam) adopted to reach the highest goal was liberation from all worldly bonds including the bond with life-partner in which even worldly justice is opposed (Sarvadharmān... Gītā).
Read these articles to know more on Madhura Bhakti.
Shri Anil asked: If the love of the Gopikas to God Krishna was pure, devoid of lust, how did it result into a physical union? What was the need for physical union if it were pure love?
Swami replied:- Lust is from the point of souls only and the response of God towards them is for their satisfaction. I have told this point in the love of Magdelene towards Jesus and the love of some ladies towards Mohammad...
[Ms. Thrylokya asked:- Swami! What is the final message given by Gopikas in refusing the advice of God Krishna that they should go back to their homes, otherwise, they will face horrible hell?]
Swami replied:- God is greatest and hence, greater than anything and anybody as said in the Veda (Na tat samaścābhyadhikaśca…). Therefore, God is greater than even the advice of God. The love related to the greatest...
Smt. Lakshmi Lavanya K asked: Namaste Swami. You are always saying that God is real husband of all souls and all souls are His wives, then how could sex between Lord Krishna and Gopikas becomes illegitimate! I feel this was legitimate and sex between Gopikas and their husbands was wrong because both are wives of Lord Krishna. How could anyone say that sex between two ladies is legitimate. Please clarify. Thank You Swami.
Swami replied:- The word husband (Bhartaa) means maintainer and the word wife (Bhaaryaa) means maintained...
Shri Ganesh V asked: Padanamskaram Swamiji, Why did the Gopikas want to have illegitimate sex even when Lord Krishna warned against it? According to a recent answer given by you regarding lust Vs love, you clearly mentioned that Gopikas aim to have sex with Lord Krishna was to please Him and not their selfish lust which was non-existent. Then why did the Gopikas want to have illegitimate sex despite Lord Krishna warning against it? If Lord Krishna warned against it...
Ms. Bhanu Samykya asked: Padanamaskaram Swami, Lord Krishna orally told to Gopikas to go away to their houses when they approached Him in the midnight. But, Krishna internally was moved by their strength of devotion in not going back and was pleased with their opposition. We usually think that one should follow the words of God to please God. But, this incident always makes me doubt the words of God. Is God pleased more if we don’t follow His words? What is the correct measure...
Ms. Thrylokya asked: Gopikas were sages. They did a lot of penance in their previous births for God and sacrificed lust for hormonal sex by refusing even the most beautiful heavenly dancers during their penance for God. In this way, they sacrificed their selfish happiness for the sake of God by deviating from even the marriage-promise on God. When they have burnt their selfishness by their penance, why most Gopikas...
[Ms. Thrylokya asked: On this holy day of 'Holi', I would like to ask the following question. What is the difference between love and lust? How can we apply this concept in the topic of sweet devotion of Krishna and Gopikas?]
Swami replied: Forget about sweet devotion of God Krishna and Gopikas for some time and go into the basic spiritual concept, which is that the worship of God is the best if it is devoid of aspiration for any desire for the sake of self-happiness...
Smt. Sudha Rani asked: Paada Namaskaaram Swami. Thank You for Your enormous grace, Swami. Shirdi Sai is worshipped as Baba and Satya Sai is worshipped as Sai Maa. In every avatar, You enjoy the devotion of ample of climax devotees. Could You please reveal the way of devotion of those devotees who worshipped Shirdi Sai or Satya Sai or any of the recent Naraavataraas with Madhura Bhava...
Shri Sathi Reddy asked:- The Gopikas, who were Sages in previous lives, offered their body to God Krishna and reached the highest position of Goloka. I feel that the Lord should be at the highest position because He took the punishments of their sins and suffered. Please comment.
Swami replied:- Gopikas did not reach Goloka by offering their bodies alone to Krishna...
Shri Kishore Ram asked: Swamiji, Lord Krishna tested the Gopikas on the three strongest bonds (wealth, children and life partner). Did Lord Krishna perform these tests secretly or was this known to His eight wives as well?
Swami replied:- God Krishna performed the test of the bond with life-partner very secretly...
Smt. Priyanka asked:- Swami! You appreciated Gopikaas for sacrificing their lives after Krishna left His gross body. At the same time, You told that Krishna did not relish such sacrifice of the Gopikaas. While mentioning fan devotion also, You told that the fan commits suicide on hearing the death of his hero. How to correlate these points?
Swami replied:- Sacrifice of life for the sake of God is really appreciable from the angle of the love of the devotee to God. But, from the angle ...
Ms. Thrylokya asked: Swami, You said that Gopikas maintained the devotion based lust towards Krishna because they were the highest sages doing penance for God from several billions of births. When they could maintain such devotional love based lust towards God, how did the majority...
Shri Hrushikesh asked: Dear Swami, In continuation to Your answer to the question about Sweet devotion. I have the following questions. Can we say that Females are more fortunate than males because they have the opportunity to show Madhura Bhakti? Kindly clarify. Is there anyway a male can also show the same Bhakti towards Swami being born as a Male or has to wait for a female birth? Namaskaar to Your Lotus Feet, Hrushikesh
Swami replied:- The external body is only a dress to the soul as told in the Gita. The dress is selected by God as per the requirement of the stage of devotion. Of course, the doctrine of deeds and fruits also plays its own role in deciding...
Shri Hrushikesh asked: Dear Swami, Salutations to Your Lotus feet. I request You to kindly help us with answers for the following questions.
In one of the recent answers given to Lakshmi Thrylokya about the sweet devotion to God, male souls may fight on the ground that partiality is shown to female souls only since male souls are denied of sweet devotion...
Ms. Thrylokya asked: Swami, in the same birth, Krishna tested the Gopikas competing with their children in stealing the butter, which is the joint test for money (butter) and issues. In this test, He became their child. In the same birth, Krishna tested the Gopikas competing with their husbands while dancing in Brundavanam in which He acted as the real husband. Between the same people, in the same birth...
Ms. Thrylokya asked:- Regarding the sweet devotion to God, male souls may fight on the ground that partiality is shown to female souls only since male souls are denied of sweet devotion. What shall be our answer to such a question?
Swami replied:- There was a person called Dhanurdaasa, who was always attracted by the beautiful eyes of his wife and he always was holding an umbrella over her so that no effects of sunlight result. While coming...
Ms. Thrylokya asked (on phone):- Swami! this has reference to Your answer given to the question asked by Smt. T Sudha Rani (My mother) some time back. You told that Radha was kept as a secret wife of Krishna and Krishna did favors to Radha by meeting her secretly every fortnight in Dvaraka because love with gaps and secrecy has very deep strength, which could not be given to the 16108 official wives...
Smt. Priyanka asked: Padanamaskaram Swami, Thank You for explaining regarding both Sati devi and Chandralekha. You said that they both should have controlled their emotions by doing peaceful analysis instead of giving in to their extreme emotions. Swami, please forgive me if the following thoughts are not correct. Can You please clarify another doubt expressed below regarding controlling...
Shri Anil asked: Padanamaskaram Swami, Kindly answer the following questions, at Your Lotus Feet-anil. 1. Gopikas were sages who conquered hormone based lust by their intense penance in the previous births. In such a case, how did the thought of lust arise in them (even though it is loved based lust) towards God Krishna...
Ms. Laxmi Thrylokya asked: - Swami, can You send a message on Madhura Bhakti or sweet devotion in the form of very brief points in nutshell based on which a set of audio-videos can be prepared since it is a very crucial topic. I feel that this way of representation is very essential. I will be very happy if each point is confined to a single sentence.
Swami Replied: - 1. God Kṛṣṇa is the highest form of God as said by scriptures (Paripūrṇatamaḥ sākṣāt…