Page 2 - August-2025

Bhagavan also (api) made up his mind (manaç-cakre) to
revel (rantum) with the gopikäs. ‘Also’ is used here because the
gopikäs had already committed to a romantic relationship with
Krishna when they performed the Kätyäyané Vrata. Seeing
those nights (rätréù), where the flowers of autumn were in full
bloom (çaradotphulla-mallikäù), he decided that the time for that
reveling had come. And so, he took refuge in his yoga-mäyä
(yoga-mäyäm-upäçritaù).
So, the question now is: why did Bhagavan choose the
autumn season? And why did he take refuge in yoga-mäyä?
The Season of Wisdom
In Ramcharitmanas, Tulasidasji equates the monsoon to
Räma-bhakti, where the grace of Bhagavan rains down and nourishes
the beautiful qualities of the heart, yielding a bountiful crop of
devotees. Çarad, or autumn, is the season that comes right after the
monsoon. It is the time when the waters of the rivers and lakes
become clear, and leaves fall from the trees. The inner autumn is
when the lake of the mind becomes clear, and the leaves of
attachment dry up and fall. It is the season of jïäna and vairägya.
2
It is in this environment of wisdom and dispassion that
the most passionate of Krishna-léläs is set. Thus, despite all
outward appearances, the räsa is not a lélä of lust and wanton
indulgence. Instead, it is a lélä of transcending desire and
attachment, of letting go of all indulgences in order to attain
Bhagavan.

2 In a similar vein, Bhagavata Mahatmyam famously personifies jïäna and vairägya as the
sons of Bhakti.

Through Karma, Bhakti, or Jnana
Yoga, reach Him. Awaken to that
SUBHA VARMA PATHIAL plane of Consciousness and come
Newberg, OR, U.S.A. to experience Krishna-mayam-jagat.
Swami Chinmayananda

Tapovan Prasad 48 August 2025