Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Bengal, from Sanskrit and Bengali Sources c9.s2.7.4

c9.s2.7.4

Nārada now comes on the scene and narrates to the awe-stricken Gopa-kumāra the wonders of Vaikuṇṭha-loka, incidentally theologising a great deal on the theory of Avatāra and the worshipping of images (Pratimārcanā). Nārada advises him to go to Ayodhyā, Mathurā and Dvārakā, which places are next visited. At Ayodhyā the Gopa-kumāra meets Hanūmat worshipping Rāma; and on Hanūmat's direction he goes to Dvārakā (Ch. IV). The fifth chapter describes the visit to the Yādavas at Dvārakā, where the Gopa-kumāra meets Uddhava. Nārada appears again, and advises the Gopa-kumāra to visit Vṛndāvana, which is in reality the earthly Goloka; he describes briefly the Līlā of Kṛṣṇa and instructs him as to the means of witnessing this eternal divine sport (Ch. V). The last two chapters (VI, VII) are occupied with the visit to Mathurā and Vṛndāvana, with a description of the entire eternal Nitya-līlā of Kṛṣṇa, including Govardhana-dhāraṇa, Kāliya-damana and Rāsa, and the whole is concluded with the attainment of the grace of the deity. The chief object, thus, of the second part is to establish that Vṛndāvana is the real paradise of Kṛṣṇa, where the unmanifest (Aprakaṭa) eternal sport of Kṛṣṇa becomes manifest (Prakaṭa) to him alone who is blessed with real Bhakti for the deity.