Separation from Guru
The separation that you are feeling on account of my physical absence is a good sign. The more you feel such separation the more you will be situated in Krishna consciousness. Lord Chaitanya felt this separation, and his process of approaching Krishna is the feeling of separation. (Letter to Ballabhi. 22 April 1967.)
Yes, the ecstasy of separation of spiritual master is even greater ecstasy than meeting with him. (Letter to Jadurani. 13 Jan 1968.)
Please be happy in separation. I am separated from my Guru Maharaja since 1936, but I am always with him so long I work according to his direction. So we should all work together for satisfying Lord Krishna, and in that way the feeling of separation will transform into transcendental bliss. (Letter to Uddhava. 5 March 1968.)
Our business is to chant and glorify the holy name of Krishna, and wherever we may remain, Krishna is with us. Krishna is within your heart, Krishna is within my heart. So, spiritually, there is no question of separation, even physically we may be in a far distant place. (Letter to Syam. 30 August 1968.)
Our meeting and separation in the material world is like the flowing tide of the river. During the flowing tide of the river, so many different floating articles meet together, and with the flowing they again become separated by the movement of the waves. That is the way of material life. But our separation, although it resembles exactly in the material way, it is completely different. In the spiritual world, separation is more relishable than meeting. In other words, in spiritual life there is no separation. Separation is eternal, and meeting is also eternal. The separation is simply another feature of meeting. (Letter to Brahmananda.
3 April 1969.)
So far I am concerned, I do not factually feel any separation from my spiritual master because I am trying to serve him according to his desire. That should be the motto. If you kindly try to fulfill my mission for which you have been sent there, that will be our constant association. (Letter to Hamsaduta. 22 June 1970.)
Mood of our Sampradaya
In the śāstra it is said: vṛndāvanaṁ parityajya padam ekaṁ na gacchati — “Krishna does not go even one step from Vrindavan.” He is so much attached to Vrindavan. So how is it that we see that Krishna left Vrindavan and went so far away to Mathura and did not return for many years? No. Krishna actually did not leave Vrindavan. However, since Krishna left Vrindavan, all the inhabitants were simply thinking of Krishna and crying. That was their business. Mother Yasoda, Nanda Maharaja, Radharani, all the gopīs, all the cows, all the calves, and all the cowherd boys — their only business was to think of Krishna and cry in separation.
Krishna can be felt, Krishna can be present more acutely in separation. That is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teaching — to love Krishna in separation.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has written, śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me — “Everything is vacant without Govinda, without Krishna.” [Śikṣāṣṭaka 7] That is the highest perfection. When we see that everything is nothing and only Krishna consciousness is there, that is the highest. That is the gopīs. Therefore, the gopīs are so exalted. They could not forget Krishna for a single moment. When Krishna was going to the forest with his cows and calves, the gopīs at home were disturbed in their minds, “Oh, Krishna is walking bare-footed. There are so many stones and nails. They will prick Krishna’s lotus feet, which are so soft that we think our breasts hard when Krishna puts his lotus feet on them.” They are absorbed in these thoughts and crying. They are so anxious to see Krishna return home that in the evening they are standing on the roof watching, “Now Krishna is coming back with his cows and friends.” This is Krishna consciousness. Krishna cannot be absent from a devotee when he is absorbed in thoughts of Krishna. This is the process of Krishna consciousness.
Kuntidevi was very anxious that Krishna will be absent. But when Krishna will be absent physically, he will be more present within the mind of the devotee. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teaching is vipralambha- sevā. He has shown this by his practical life. He was searching out Krishna. He was crying, tears were coming like torrents of rain from his eyes, and he was feeling everything vacant for want of Krishna. This is separation, vipralambha. There are two stages, sambhoga and vipralambha. When he is personally present, personally meeting, and personally embracing, that is called sambhoga. And when there is separation, that is called vipralambha. These are two ways that a devotee can be benefited. (Lecture in Los Angeles on the teachings of Queen Kunti. 1 May 1973.)
The gopīs of Vrindavan were so attached to Krishna that they were not satisfied simply with the rāsa dance at night. They wanted to associate with him and enjoy his company during the daytime also. When Krishna went to the forest with his cowherd boyfriends and cows, the gopīs did not physically take part, but their hearts went with him. And because their hearts went, they were able to enjoy his company through strong feelings of separation. To acquire this strong feeling of separation is the teaching of Lord Chaitanya and his direct disciplic succession of gosvāmīs. When we are not in physical contact with Krishna we can associate with him like the gopīs through feelings of separation. Krishna’s transcendental form, qualities, pastimes, and entourage are all identical with him. There are nine different kinds of devotional service. Devotional service to Krishna in feelings of separation elevates the devotee to the highest perfectional level, to the level of the gopīs. (Kṛṣṇa Book, chapter 35.)
Those who are in the disciplic succession of the Madhva-gauḍīya-sampradāya should always feel separation from Krishna, worship his transcendental form, and discuss his transcendental teachings, his pastimes, his qualities, and his entourage. That will enrich the devotees to the highest devotional perfection. Feeling constant separation while engaged in the service of the Lord is the perfection of Krishna consciousness. (Kṛṣṇa Book, chapter 35.)
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