Sri Vilapa kusuma?jali of Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami - Volume One
By Sivarama Swami (Author)sri-radhika-prasadartha?
vilapa-kusuma?jali?
nirmito yena tasmai sri-
dasa-gosvamine nama?I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Sri Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami, who, in his unwavering desire to please Srimati Radhara?i, disclosed the contents of his heart by composing this plaintive flower-offering of prayers, Sri Vilapa-kusuma?jali. The service of V?ndavana?s residents is the ultimate teaching of the Vedas and the ultimate spiritual attainment. Devotees desirous of attaining this spontaneous loving service must both follow the inhabitants of Vraja and engage in service to the Vraja-vasis. This jewel of Gau?iya Vai??ava literature, Sri Vilapa-kusuma?jali, represents Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami?s ultimate fulfilment of Lord Caitanya?s instruction to him to write books for future generations of devotees to teach them the process of attaining that goal, and ultimately service to the lotus feet of Srimati Radhara?i.anarpita-cari? cirat karu?ayavatir?a? kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasa? sva-bhakti-sriyam
hari? pura?a-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandipita?
sada h?daya-kandare sphuratu va? saci-nandana?May the Supreme Lord who is known as the son of Srimati Saci-devi be transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, he has appeared in the age of Kali by his causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered before: the most sublime and radiant mellow of devotional service, the mellow of conjugal love.In commenting on this verse, Srila Prabhupada emphasised that the gift of conjugal love was never bestowed by any acarya or incarnation previous to Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And the Lord not only made this form of prema accessible, but he also taught by his example how it should be practised.Both Srila Prabhupada and Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati ?hakura taught that perfection in celestial V?ndavana was attainable only through spontaneous devotion, following either an eternally liberated gopi or gopa. In this mood  Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami penned Vilapa-kusuma?jali, revealing the contents of his heart in ardha-bahya-dasa, half internal, half external consciousness?as both a gosvami-sadhaka, and as Rati-ma?jari.Exquisitely presented with 4-colour, high-quality paper, gilt-edged and with original artwork, this book is truly literary and visual art, a unique and beautiful production that takes the reader on a magnificent journey with Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami and Rati-ma?jari into the intimate and longed-for world of service to the lotus feet of Srimati Radhara?i.All glories to the glistening touchstone seated in the crown of the personified Vedas, Sri Vilapa-kusuma?jali, the devotional radiance of which pierces the heart?s deepest recesses and awakens a desire to become the object of a gopi?s mercy.640 pages
Hardbound
Gilt-edged
150x230mm / 5.9x9in