Seventh Period of Devotional Practice (7th Yāma Sādhana)
‘Prema vipralambha’— Transcendental Divine love in separation
[Internal symptoms of realized state or highest objective— ‘Premabhakti’]
7th Verse of Śrī Śikṣāṣṭaka
Symptoms of separation grief— even a moment’s separation from Govinda will be considered as an epoch, tears will roll down from the eyes like rainfall, realization of the voidness of the whole world.
Srila Bhaktivinode Thākur’s writing:
Due to separation grief, these symptoms will be manifested— every day is spent with anxiety, one moment of separation is equal to an epoch, tears are rolling down from the eyes like the clouds of rainy season, voidness of three worlds, due to extreme separation grief from Govinda, burning sensation like inextinguishable fire made with husk yet life is not collapsing.
Śikṣāṣṭaka song seven
Indication of pastimes of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa at dusk
Srīmati Rādhikā, as per advice of Vṛndā Devi, at dusk wearing garments of black and white colour, suitable to dark and bright fortnight respectively (with the desire to hide herself from the detection of others), in the company of sakhis (confidantes), with female messenger (gopī), goes to Sanket Kuṣja (particular suggested grove) under wish-yielding tree, saturated by beautiful sacred surroundings at the bank of the Yamuna to meet beloved Kṛṣṇa at the appointed time and place.
On the other side, Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes at dusk— Kṛṣṇa has satisfied all His personal associates except gopas (milkmen). The gopas are disheartened not to get scope to serve Kṛṣṇa, but as Śrī Kṛṣṇa is Omniscient, He knows the minds of the milkmen. When milkmen want to exhibit some interesting games and sports with skillfulness and Kṛṣṇa is invited to come to the special meeting place to see the sports, Kṛṣṇa immediately accepts the proposal and goes to the meeting place to see nice skillfulness of the gopas and the sports and wrestling activities. Kṛṣṇa is so much attracted by seeing the sports, He is requesting to demonstrate different sports, one after another. Affectionate mother Yaṣodā Devi is very much worried on seeing the son not coming from the meeting and going to bed. Yaṣodā Devi is repeatedly calling the son for going to bed to sleep, but the son is not coming. Such is the nature of restless children. Yaṣodā Devi goes herself to Kṛṣṇa to pacify the child and to ask the wrestlers to stop showing wrestling and their skillfulness. She brings the child to bed and sings songs to make the child sleep. When Kṛṣṇa has sound sleep, Nanda Mahārāja and Yaṣodā Devi are happy. They also go to bed for sleep but what happens— Kṛṣṇa being attracted by pure devotion of Rādhā, secretly leaves the bed and goes to Sanket Kuṣja (the said particular grove) to meet Rādhārāni at dusk. I remember such Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.
Lila kirtan seven