OK. Here’s why I made the call to change some of the traditional writings that may or may not properly be called scriptures. What is a scripture anyhow?
When I received ekadas bhav from Lalita Prasad Thakur, Babaji, he also taught me to remember the pastimes of Radha Krishna using Rupa Goswami’s Sri Sri Radha-Krishnayor Asta-kaliya-lila-smarana-mangala-stotram. I have no problem with that. I currently use Advaitadasa’s translation. Thank you.
This work is a very brief outline of the pastimes of Radha Krishna throughout the 24 hours of the day. The practitioner is to remember the pastimes and engage in those pastimes in one’s spiritual body. With just an outline to go by, the practitioner has a lot of freedom to imagine the pastimes in different ways.
I’m better at remembering and imagining than I am at “visualizing” per se. Reading books describing Radha Krishna’s pastimes is most pleasing to me. I have long wanted to read Govinda Lilamrita, which more fully describes the pastimes throughout the day. I just finished reading Advaita dasa’s translation last night.
It was so disappointing. Radha is portrayed as extremely emotionally unstable. She’s always torn between loving Krishna and being angry at him and rejecting him, and there’s just far too much rejection for my taste. I might describe her as a drama queen, in need of life coaching, in need of Prozac, etc. I’m always thinking, “Come on, give the guy a break. You know that’s just the way he is and that he loves you the best. Look. He’s broken hearted. What more do you want?”
Then there’s the relationship between Krishna and his mother. She’s always soaked by her tears and breast milk as she fondles him. And I thought Jewish mothers were a bit much.
There were certainly some good parts in the book that I would want to keep. However, what I would like is an electronic copy of the translation so that I could delete sections I don’t like and rewrite others. The book is in need of a major edit and rewrite. It would be even better if Advaitadasa did it.
I also have his translation of Raya Shekhara’s Astakala Lila Padavali which I can’t bring myself to read. In it Ray Shekhar mixes himself in the pastimes using his male practitioner name. It seems so inappropriate.
So I’m looking for some good literature describing the erotic pastimes of Radha Krishna that I, my wife and other Westerners can relate to. Post-modern feminine ideals are much different than16-17th century Indian feminine ideals which I come out in the writings of that period. Some books are better than others.
I’m also reading Sri Madhava Mahotsava which is a quite nice description of how Radha became the Queen of Vrindaban. It needs less editing. I started Krishnahnika Kaumudi last night. It’s another shorter 24 hour pastime book. Next I’m reading Sri Vrindavana Mahimamrita, a book of poetry by Prabodhananda Sarasvati.
As a life long seeker myself, open to both Eastern and Western religious ideas, I consider this book a portal to enlightenment. […] If more people read this book, the world will be a better place.
As a life long seeker myself, open to both Eastern and Western religious ideas, I consider this book a portal to enlightenment. […] If more people read this book, the world will be a better place. — Nori Muster, author
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