Chapter Seventeen Jéva Gosvämé’s Questions and the Answers
All glories to Lord Gauracandra and Prabhu Nityänanda! All glories to Advaita and Gadädhara, who relish ecstatic prema ! All glories to the devotees headed by Çréväsa! All glories to Navadvépa‑dhäma! And all glories to näma‑saìkértana , the abode of prema . Nityänanda Prabhu was sitting in Çréväsa Öhäkura’s courtyard with tears of love for Gauräìga streaming from His eyes. From all directions saintly Vaiñëavas came, overcome by that inundation of love. At that time, Jéva Gosvämé appeared there intoxicated with love for Rädhä and Kåñëa. Offering daëòavats to Nityänanda’s lotus feet, Jéva rolled in the dust of that place. Nityänanda Prabhu affectionately asked him. “After how many days will you go to Våndävana?” Jéva answered, “The Lord’s order is supreme. Accepting that order, I must indeed go to Våndävana. But I have a few questions to ask. O Lord, for the benefit of Your servant, please answer. You say that Navadvépa and Våndävana are nondifferent. If that is so, why should one make the effort to go to Våndävana at all?” After hearing Jéva’s question, Nityänanda Prabhu answered, “This is a deep topic, so listen carefully. But as long as the Lord’s pastimes are manifest, see that the materialists do not know of this. “Navadvépa and Våndävana are one principle, one is neither less than nor greater than the other. Våndävana is the receptacle of rasa , the goal of the living entities, but one who is not qualified cannot receive that nectar. Therefore, that same dhäma has mercifully become Navadvépa, where the living entities can attain qualification for that nectar. In other words, Rädhä and Kåñëa’s pastimes are the highest of all transcendental mellows, therefore one has no immediately right to them. “After many lifetimes of austerity one reaches the stage of knowledge.When that knowledgematures, one inquires about this rasa . But there are always many obstacles, so to obtain the great
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