Radha-Govinda reciprocate with me.
Radha-Govinda, sometimes I write as if
I am intimate with You, but
actually I am not. I am no gopi,
no gopi-manjari or gopa.
I am just a fallen soul.
But by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra
over and over, they say I come close
to You, for You are the heart of the maha-mantra,
made up exclusively of Your names and uttered
as a prayer to be engaged in Your service.
When I worship my arca-vigraha
and take Your darsana with a prayer
to see You as non-different from Radha
and Krishna in Goloka Vrindavana,
I do not see You as an idol.
So I am not Your
confidential associate, but I
appear to come close to You
by my sadhana and practices.
I call my asrama “Viraha Bhavan”,
which means “the place of
separation” from Radha and Krishna.
I cultivate feelings of separation
from Vrindavana by situating You
in a kunja of flowers and plants
meant to resemble a forest bower
in Vraja. I read books
(and post them on Facebook) like
Padyavali and Stavavali
to relish Your amorous pastimes,
although I may not be qualified.
I read the Krishna book, The Nectar of Devotion
and Caitanya-caritamrta to relish
the same. I don’t
want to presume, but
since all living beings
are Your parts and parcels
meant for loving
service, I want to
be situated in my constitutional position.
I am grateful Radha and Govinda
reside with me in Viraha Bhavan.