Imlitala

Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami

From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:

At the time of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes in Vraja, the ancient imlī (tamarind) tree that stood here was enormous. That tree has since disappeared, and a new imlī tree stands in its place.

Midway through rāsa-līlā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa disappeared in order to dispel the other gopīs’ pride in their good fortune (saubhāgya-mada) and to soothe Priyājī’s māna. He followed Priyājī to Śṛṅgāravaṭa, where He began to decorate Her with flowers. At that time, the other gopīs, who were searching for Kṛṣṇa, came closer to the place where Rādhikā and Kṛṣṇa were. Śrī Kṛṣṇa requested Priyājī to leave with Him, but She said, “I am unable to walk. You can carry Me on Your shoulders.” Kṛṣṇa squatted down, indicating that Priyājī should sit on His shoulders. Just as She went to do this, Kṛṣṇa disappeared again. Now, She also called out in separation, “O Nātha, O Ramaṇa!” and fell down unconscious. The other gopīs became very distressed to see Her in this condition.

Having left Śrīmatī Rādhikā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa began to feel deep separation from Her. Sitting under an imlī tree on the bank of the Yamunā, He became so absorbed in thinking of Her that His bodily lustre turned golden like Hers. In connection with this incident, our most worshipful oṁ viṣṇupāda Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja has presented a wonderful verse that penetrates the heart:

The transcendental sentiments that lay within the heart of Śrī Gurupādapadma are profound and full of excellent siddhānta. It is the bhāva of the mañjarīs, the maidservants of Śrīmatī Rādhikā, to feel that Kṛṣṇa should indeed experience great distress when He is separated from Śrīmatī Rādhikā. They become very pleased to see this distress, and arrange Kṛṣṇa’s meeting with Rādhā at that time. This bhāva is prominent in Śrī Rūpānuga Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas.

While visiting Vraja some five hundred and fifty years ago, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu resided for several days at Akrūra-ghāṭa. Daily, He would come to this very beautiful Imlītalā-ghāṭa on the bank of the Yamunā, where He was immersed in bhāva as He chanted the holy names of the Supreme Lord Hari. He bestowed His mercy upon the Rājapūta Kṛṣṇadāsa here.

One day, while Mahāprabhu was staying here, some people requested Him to come to Kālīya-hrada and take darśana of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who they said was again manifesting His pastimes there at night. Mahāprabhu told them to wait for a few days. Nonetheless, crowds of people began to throng to Kālīya-daha at night. At last, it became evident that the spectacle on the Yamunā was nothing more than some Muslims in a boat catching fish. A light was burning on the bow of the boat. When the fishermen on the bow stood up and moved about, it appeared as if someone was dancing. The boat looked like a serpent, and the burning light like the serpent’s jewel. When the facts were revealed, Mahāprabhu said to the people, “Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa does not manifest such pastimes before the masses of ordinary people of Kali-yuga. Such pastimes appear only in the hearts of pure devotees.” Some days later, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya proceeded to Nīlācala via Sauroṅ and Prayāga.

It is said that several years ago someone cut into a branch of the ancient imlī tree here and blood oozed from it. The person who severed the branch realised that he had committed an offence and repeatedly prayed for forgiveness. Residents of the dhāma believe that liberated great souls (siddha mahātmās) are still performing bhajana in Vṛndāvana in the form of the trees and creepers.

Rajashekhara Dasa

From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:

This is the famous tamarind tree where Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would sit and chant the holy name on His japa beads. The word ‘imli’ means ‘tamarind’ and ‘tala’ means ‘tree’. (Tamarindus-Indicus-amlika). This sacred place is also known as Tentuli-tala and the Sanskrit words ‘tentuli-tala’ also mean ‘tamarind tree’. At the present time only the trunk of the original tamarind tree can be seen because the origonal tree died some years ago. Just beneath the tree is a small shrine known as Shri Chaitanya Baithaka, where a Deity of Lord Chaitanya can be seen sitting in meditation. This is the actual spot where Lord Chaitanya used to sit and chant japa.

Imli-tala was formally located on the bank of the Yamuna River but unfortunately the Yamuna has now moved some distance away, however the ancient riverside ghata is still known as Imli-tala Ghata. In ancient times Seva Kunja covered a much larger area than it does today and Imli-tala was not very far from Rasa-sthali where the rasa-dance pastimes took place. Previously the entire area bordered by the River Yamuna from Madana Ter Ghata to Dhira Samira Ghata, was part of Seve Kunja. Imli-tala was Lord Chaitanya’s favorite place in Vrindavana and He came here every morning to chant on His beads while admiring the beauty of the river Yamuna. Imli-tala has special significance, as it was a place where both Radha and Krishna had experienced the ecstasies of vipralambha-bhava, on different occasions when They were somehow or other separated from one another.

It is said that after His month-long parikrama of Vraja Mandala, Lord Chaitanya was longing to reach Vrindavana so that He could have darshana of Imli-tala and relish the same mood of vipralambha-bhava, love in separation that Radha had experienced at this same place. To satisfy His innermost transcendental desire, Lord Chaitanya spent over a month staying in Vrindavana, so that He could spend His time at Imli-tala. It is said that Imli-tala was one of Radharani’s favorite places in Vrindavana, and whenever She was somehow or other separated from Her beloved Krishna, She would come to this tree by the banks of the Yamuna and experience the emotions of vipralambha-bhava, or love in separation. And this is considered to be the reason why Lord Chaitanya chose Imli-tala as His personal place of bhajana.

While in Vrindavana, Lord Chaitanya stayed at Akrura Ghata and every day He would walk to Vrindavana and spend the morning performing solitary bhajana at Imli-tala. The Chaitanya-charitamrita says. “The next morning Shri Chaitanya returned to Vrindavana and took His bath at Chira Ghata. He then went to Tentuli-tala, where he sat down to rest. The tamarind tree named Tentuli-tala was very old, having been there since the time of Lord Krishna’s pastimes. Beneath the tree was a very shiny platform. Since the Yamuna flowed next to Tentuli-tala, a very cool breeze blew there. While sitting there, Lord Chaitanya happily observed the beauty of Vrindavana and the water of the River Yamuna. Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used to sit beneath this old tamarind tree and chant the holy names of the Lord. At noon He would return to Akrura-tirtha to take His lunch.”

It must be acknowledged that for Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Imli-tala has more significance than even Radha-kunda. This is because Lord Chaitanya spent only one day at Radha-kunda, whereas He came every day for over one month to sit and chant japa at Imli-tala. Therefore it can be concluded that the inner purpose of Lord Chaitanya’s pilgrimage to Vraja was to have darshana at Imli-tala and perform bhajana at the place where Radha experienced Her most ecstatic emotions of vipralambha-bhava. It should be noted that whereas Radha-kunda is a place of Radha and Krishna’s meeting together (sambhanda), Imli-tala is a place of Their separation (vipralambha), which is the pinnacle of transcendental emotion. During the time that Lord Chaitanya spent at Imli-tala, His own mood of separation from Krishna dramatically increased and by the time He returned to Puri, He became absorbed day and night in the uncontrollable emotions of Radha-bhava, the same as Radha’s own emotions when She is separated from Krishna.

In the book ‘Teachings of Lord Chaitanya’, two distinct categories in the relationship of conjugal love are described and they are sambhoga and vipralambha. On the sambhoga platform, the categories are unlimited, but on the vipralambha platform they are just four in number. They are: the ecstasy exhibited before the lover and beloved meet; the ecstasy experienced between them during the meeting; the state of mind experienced by not meeting; and the state of mind experienced after meeting fearing further separation. Furthermore, when the emotions of vipralamba reach the highest point of expression that is called maha-bhava which was manifested by Radharani and the gopis of Vraja.

It is said that on one occasion when Radharani was feeling acute separation from Krishna, She came and sat here beneath this tamarind tree and began chanting Krishna’s names over and over again. As She began remembering Her pastimes with Krishna, tears began to flow incessantly from Her lotus eyes as She entered into the mood of ecstatic separation known as maha-bhava. Radharani was so absorbed in thoughts of Krishna, that Her golden colored complexion began to slowly turn a bluish-black color known as shyama, the same color as Krishna’s own bodily complexion. Such was the emotion experienced by Radharani. It is said that on one occasion when Lord Chaitanya was sitting here at Imli-tala and chanting Krishna’s names, He was also overcome with the mood of separation from Krishna and His golden bodily complexion began turning the same bluish-black color of Krishna’s form, just as Radharani’s complexion had also changed.

Besides Krishna, only the nitya-siddha devotees like the gopis of Vraja exhibit maha-bhava. Radharani is the embodiment; the very epitome of that maha-bhava and in the Chaitanya-charitamrita Radharani is described as being ‘maha-bhava-svarupa’, or in other words the personification of maha-bhava. Therefore the gopis have said, “The personality of maha-bhava is our Queen, Sri Radha Thakurani. She is the mine of all good, the jewel of Krishna’s beloveds.” (Adi.4.68-69). Because Radharani is the epitome of maha-bhava or ‘maha-bhava-svarupa’, Her own ecstasy of maha-bhava exceeds that of all the other gopis and this unique feature is known as Radha-bhava. With regard to maha-bhava, Shrila Prabhupada says, “Therefore the devotees say Krsna is Madana-Mohana, He can captivate Madana. But Radharani is Madana-Mohana-Mohini. She captivates even Madana-Mohana. That is the highest stage of maha-bhava, Radharani’s stage.” Shrila Prabhupada also says, “Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is sometimes explained to be radha-bhava-dyuti-suvalita, or characterized by the emotions and bodily luster of Shrimati Radharani.”

In another pastime here at Imli-tala, during the course of the rasa-dance in nearby Seva-kunja, due to being overcome with mana or lovers pique, Radharani suddenly disappeared from the rasa-mandala and noticing Her absence, Krishna began franticly searching for Her everywhere but was unable to find Her. Knowing that this particular tamarind tree was one of Radharani’s favorite spots, Krishna came here hoping that She would eventually arrive there. Sitting beneath the tree, Krishna began to experience the symptoms of maha-bhava due to acute separation from Radha and began chanting Her name over and over again. Due to the intensity of Krishna’s transcendental emotions in separation from Radha, His complexion began to turn a brilliant golden color, the same as Radha’s own divine body. Just at that moment, Radharani arrived there accompanied by some of Her girlfriends and was amazed to see the golden color of Krishna’s body. When Krishna became pacified after being reunited with His beloved Radha, She wanted to know the reason behind the wonderful golden form that Krishna had exhibited. Krishna explained that after suddenly losing Her association during the rasa-dance, He came here in a deep mood of separation from Her and began chanting Her name over and over again, at that moment He began to experience Radha’s same intense mood of separation and His bodily complexion automatically started to turn a golden color just like Hers. After hearing this explanation Radharani was completely amazed. Krishna then informed Radha that during the Kali-yuga, He would once again appear on earth in order to experience Her unique emotion of separation while exhibiting Her same golden complexion when He would appear as the ‘Golden Avatara’ Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The Ananta-samhita says, “The Supreme Person, Shri Krishna Himself, who is the life of Shrimati Radharani; He who is the Lord of the universe in creation, maintenance and annihilation, appears as Gaura, O Maheshvara (Shiva).” As it is said by the Vaishnava acharyas, “Shri krishna caitanya – radha Krishna nahe anya – Both Radha and Krishna have now appeared as Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu”