In Glorification Of Krsna's Flute

[Paramananda das]

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  — My dear Vaisnava friends. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. 

All glories to the lotusfeet of my Gurudeva Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja and my Param Gurudeva Srila Bhakti Prajana Kesava Maharjaa

In the Ujvala Nilamani it has been stated: Visakha devi describes Krsna's flute to Srimati Radharani: "As it touches His splendid teeth, Krsna's flute looks like a crystal wand. Where it touches Krsna's red lotus palm, it looks like a ruby stick, and where it touches Krsna's blue lotus cheek it looks like a sapphire. Look ! In this way Krsna's flute looks like these three different jewels."

Krsna uses the Venu flute to attract to Gopis, like Venum kvanantam from the Brahma Samhita. 

Srila Prabhupada describes that the Venu flute has 6 holes. And it is 6 inches long. The Murali has a hole at the end and four holes on the body. And that flute is 18 inches long . The Vamsi flute is 15 inches long and nine holes. 

 . 

I used to sleep on the roof at the Krsna Balarama Mandir when I was serving there one summer, and at night sometimes you hear this beautiful flute playing coming from the Yamuna side, who it was I can't tell, but these flutes have an enchanting tune in themselves, what to speak if Krsna's plays these flutes. It is explained that Lord Siva and Brahma are so learned in all arts like music but even they become totally bewildered in the musical compositions of Krsna's flute. Sometimes the demigods wife's fall out off their airplanes while hearing Krsna playing the flute during the Rasa Lila. 

CC madhya lila 21. 141-44 also tells more about the influence of Krsna's flute. 

"The sound of Krsna's flute spreads in four directions. Even though Krsna vibrates His flute within this universe, its sound pierces the universal covering and goes to the spiritual sky. Thus the vibration enters the ears of all inhabitants . It especially enters Goloka Vrindavana Dhama and attracts the minds of the young damsels of Vrajabhumi, bringing them forcibly to where Krsna is present"

"The vibration of Krsna's flute is so aggressive, and it breaks the vows of all chaste women. Indeed, its vibration takes them forcibly from the laps of their husbands. The vibration of His flute attracts even the goddesses of fortune in the Vaikuntha planets, to say nothing of the poor damsels of Vraja". 

"The vibration of His flute slackens the knots of their underwear even in front of their husbands. Thus the Gopis are forced to abandon their household duties and come before Lord Krsna. In this way all social etiquette, shame and fear are vanquished. The vibration of His flute causes all women to dance. " "The vibration of His flute is just like a bird that creates a nest within the ears of the Gopis and always remains prominent there, not allowing any other sound to enter their ears. Indeed, the gopis cannot hear anything else, not even to give a suitable reply. Such are the effect of the vibration of Lord Krsna's flute. "

Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada writes in his purport to this verse: "The vibration of Krsna's flute is always prominent in the ears of the Gopis. Naturally they cannot hear anything else. 

Constant remembrance of the holy sound of Krsna's flute keeps the Gopis enlightened and enlivened, and they do not allow any other sound to enter their ears. Since their attention is fixed on Krsna's flute, they cannot divert their minds to any other subject. The vibration of Krsna's flute is represented by the Hare Krsna Maha mantra. A serious devotee of the Lord who chants and hears this transcendental vibration becomes so accustomed to it that he cannot divert his attention to any subject matter not related to Krsna". (CC Madhya lila 21. 141-44) 

(These verses was spoken by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to Sanatana Goswami) 

Now the question may be raised where does Krsna play His flute? So many places, like at the Yamuna. Yamuna tira vanacari. Vamsivata is one of the places by the Yamuna. 

The gopis has glorified the flute playing Krsna and His flute in the 10th Canto, chapter 21 , text 7 to 20. 

The Gopis said:

"Oh friends those eyes that see the beautiful faces of the sons of Maharaja Nanda are certainly fortunate. As these two sons enter the forest, surrounded by Their friends, driving the cows before them, They hold Their flutes to Their mouths and glance lovingly upon the residents of Vrindavana. For those who have eyes, we think there is no greater object of vision. "

"Dressed in charming variety of garments, upon the which Their garlands rest, and decorating Themselves with Peacock feathers, lotuses, lilies, newly grown mango sprouts and clusters of flower buds, Krsna and Balarama shine forth magnificently among the assembly of cowherd boys. They look just like the best of dancers appearing on a dramatic stage, and sometimes They sing." 

"My dear Gopis, what auspicious activities must the flute have performed to enjoy the nectar of Krsna's lips independently and leave only a taste for us Gopis, for whom that nectar is actually meant!The forefathers of the flute, the bamboo trees, shed tears of pleasure. His mother the river on whose bank the bamboo was born, feels jubilation , and therefore her blooming lotus flowers are standing like hair on her body. "

(Obviously the Gopis are a bit transcendentally jealous of the flute by stating that nectar of Krsna's lips belongs to them them , but the flute are more fortunate in the eyes of the Gopis as He the flute can enjoy kissing Krsna at every step, however no one is more blessed as the Gopis as their love for Krsna is the highest. Actually Krsna's flute is a person and appears in Lord Caitanya's pastimes as a devotee. )

"Of friend Vrindavana is spreading the glory of the earth, having obtained the treasure of the lotus feet of Krsna, the son of Devaki . The peacocks dance madly when they hear Govinda's flute, and when other creatures see them from the hilltop , they all become stunned. " "Blessed are all these foolish deer because they have approached Maharaja Nanda's son , who is gorgeously dressed and is playing on His flute. Indeed both the doe and the bucks worship the Lord with looks of love and affection". 

"Krsna's beauty and character create a festival for all women. Indeed , when the demigods wives flying in airplanes with their husbands catch sight of Him and hear His resonant flute song their hearts are shaken by Cupid, and they become so bewildered that the flowers fall out of their hair and their belts loosen. " 

"Using their upraised ears as vessels, the cows are drinking the nectar of the flute song flowing out of Krsna's mouth. The calves , their mouths full of milk from their mothers moist nipples stand still as they take Govinda within themselves through their tear-filled eyes and embrace Him within their hearts. "

(Such a wonderful thing is described by the Gopis, that the cows and the Calves become stunned by love, and tears are flowing from the eyes of the calves and cows, and MILK is flowing more due to love from the cows and meanwhile the calves are not drinking due to the love and ecstasy being felt and becoming like stunned, which is one of the symptoms of ecstasy , vyabhicari bhava. )

"Oh Mother, in this forest all the birds have risen onto the beautiful branches of the trees to see Krsna. With closed eyes they are simply listening in silence to the sweet vibrations of His flute, and they are not attracted by any other sound. Surely these birds are on the same level as great sages. " "When the rivers hear the flute song of Krsna, their minds begin to desire Him, and thus the flow of their currents is broken and their waters are agitated, moving around in whirlpools. Then with the arms of their wave the rivers embrace Murari's lotus feet and holding on to them, present offerings of lotus flowers". 

(there are 4 more verses of this chapter) 

Srimad Bhagavatam's most important part is the description about Krsna's pastimes and especially the Vrindavana pastimes. Why is this? 

Because it relates to pastimes of Krsna in His primary form as Govinda, the Adi Purusha, svayam Bhagavan form. And in Vrindavan Krsna is most complete with all 64 qualities as described in" Nectar of devotion", there is 4 qualities that Krsna in Vrindavan manifest that even Dvarkadish Krsna does not manifest:

1) Krsna is the performer of wonderful activities 
2) Krsna is surrounded by loving devotees
3) Krsna's attractive flute
4) Krsna's exquisite beauty
So this flute playing of Krsna is very special, it is explained that Krsna has different flutes and he also plays different melodies for different purposes. There is 3 kinds of flutes that Krsna uses. 

1) Venu 
2) Vamsi 
3) Murali 

There are 8 different tunes that Krsna plays 

1) Demigods like Lord Brahma and Lord Siva's meditation is broken and they forget everything in astonishment and Lord Anantadeva sways His head like in hypnosis. 
2) Second tune makes the Yamuna flow backwards 
3) Third tune makes the moon stop moving 
4) Fourth tune makes the cows run to Krsna and get stunned listening to the flute 
5) The 5th note attracts the gopis and make them come running to him
6) 6th Tune makes the stones melt and creates autumn season 
7) 7th note manifests all seasons 
8) 8th Note is meant exclusively for Srimati Radharani, it takes Her name and calls for Her, and She comes running to Him putting Her cloth wrong and mascara also. 

Srila Rupa Goswami has written some beautiful verses regarding Krsna's flute. 

Sakhi mama niyati hatayas
tad dasana bhagyam astu va ma va
punar api sa venu nado 
yadi karna pathe patet tad evalam 

"O friend , I am very unfortunate. If the sound of Krsna's flute fell once again on the pathway of my ears, I would not care even wether or not I had the fortune to see Him" (This is from Padyavali, a book by Rupa Goswami)

Another vers from there is:
"When will Lord Madhuripu's(Krsna's) sweet flute music, which dances with a lotus foot on the unapproachabel braided hair of the goddesses who are the Upanisads suddenly enter my ear"?

Because Krsna's flute always attracts the Gopis away form their duties they want to steal that flute, these pastimes of the gopis stealing Krsna's flute is described in the books of the Goswamis, like in the 10 chapter of Govinda lilamrita. (written by Krsna das Kaviraja)

Especially Srimati Radharani is expert to steal Krsna's flute, and after doing so she passes it on to another Gopi and who passes it on to another Gopi and so on, so that finally Krsna have a hard time to locate His flute. He uses this as an excuse to embrace them and search them to see if they each indivdually have the flute. 

Rupa Goswami describes on such transcendental theft in his Padyavali:

"Silencing Her anklets by placing them on Her arms as golden armlets, and carefully observing Krsna's eyes for any sign of His becoming startled, smiling Radha stole the flute from His lap. "

And so many pastimes take place due to the staling of Krsna's flute and thus Srimati Vrindadevi has glorified Krsna's flute:'O flute!Although you are from the smallest of all good families, your dynasty became glorious , since you caused all these wonderfull pastimes of Radha and Krsna!" (Govinda lilamrita vers 132 of 10th Chapter)

Srimati Radhika sometimes glorifies the flute as explained by Rupa Goswami: "O flute who is so dear to Krsna, when you grant Me your mercy I will also give you many benedictions in return. I will bless you , saying, "May you become faultless. May your heart become filled with the nectar from Krsna's lips. May you become very eloquent. may you become charmingly slender. May you become the object of Lord Krsna's worship. "

"Oh flute you have blessed Me by giving Me the emptiness in your heart, your lightness, the dryness of your body , and your eloquence in constantly chanting the holy name of Krsna, the king of Vraja. 

WHY DO YOU NOT GIVE ME THE NECTAR OF KRSNA'S LIPS, which you drink, turn into song , and shamelessly use to enchant the entire world and bring it under your control. " Rupa Goswami quotes other great vaisnavas prayers and hankering in his Padyavali: "May Kesava who sweetly playing the flute, a peacock feather in His hair, blackened with dust, decorated with a wilted forest flower garland, tired , handsome, and a festival of happiness for the gopis eyes, returns with the surabhi cows at the days end, grand auspisciousness to you all". 

"Here our Lord herded the calves , and here He played the flute". I pray that I may pass my days shedding tears as I speak these words on the Yamunas shore". 

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is decorated with yellow kadambha flowers. A yellow dhoti girds His waist, He enjoys playing sweet flute music in the forest garden. I pray that my heart may become fixed on Him. "

All glories to Krsna's flute. 

Your servant
 Paramananda das

[Paramananda das]

In his Vraja Vilasa, Srila Raghunath das Goswami has also glorified Krsnas flute:

48

The fortunate flute deeply drinks the nectar of Lord Krsna’s lips day and night. I offer my respectful obeisances to this flute, which, with it’s transcendental music, weakens the pride of Srimati Radhika.

49

Neither the flattering cajoling words spoken by Krsna’s gopi messengers nor the many hints, allegorises, and joking instructions spoken by Krsna’s cowherd friends nor Krsna’s personally falling at her feet and begging Hr to forgive Him nor even the harsh criticisms spoken by her intimate friends who are able to rout the proud jealous anger residing in Srimati Radha’s heart. Only Lord Krsna’s flute, disdaining all previous useless attempts, was able to very easily chase away that jealous anger. Let us glorify Lord Krsna’s exalted and powerful friend, His flute.

50

Pleased by the music of Lord Krsna’s flute, the best of the peacocks perform a great festival of dancing in the forest by the shore of a lake. Gracefully moving he delights enjoying transcendental pastimes in the forest. Meditating on this, we ardently yearn to see that dancing king of the peacocks.

[Paramananda das]

(3)

sumano'lańkṛta-śiro guñjā-prālambanāvṛta

puṣpa-kuṇḍala barha-srak patra-vādya-vinodaka

 

3) O Krsna, Ornamented with garlands of gunja and a garland of peacock feather, wearing flower-earrings and sumana flowers on Your head, You take pleasure in playing a flute made from a leaf.

 

by Sanatana Goswami from his Krsna Stava

[Paramananda das]

"My  dear gopis, what auspicious activities must the flute have performed to enjoy  the nectar of Krishna's lips independently and leave only a taste for the gopis  for whom that nectar is actually meant. [CC.  Antya. 16.140]

"'Although  the nectar of Krishn's lips is the absolute property of the gopis, the flute,  which is just an insignificant stick, is forcibly drinking that nectar and loudly  inviting the gopis to come drink it also. Just imagine the strength of the flute's  austerities and good fortune. Even great devotees drink the nectar of Krishna's  lips after the flute has done so. [CC.  Antya. 16.144]

"This  flute is utterly unfit because it is merely a dead bamboo stick. Moreover, it  belongs to the male sex. Yet this flute is always drinking the nectar of Krishna's  lips, which surpasses nectarean sweetness of every description. Only in hope of  that nectar do the gopis continue to live. [CC.  Antya. 16.144]

"That flute  is a very cunning male who drinks again and again the taste of another male's  lips. It advertises its qualities and says to the gopis, 'O gopis, if you are  so proud of being women, come forward and enjoy your property- the nectar of the  lips of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.' [CC.  Antya. 16.125]

"Thereupon,  the flute said angrily to Me, 'Give up Your shame, fear and religion and come  drink the lips of Krishna. On that condition, I shall give up my attachment for  them. If You do not give up Your shame and fear, however, I shall continuously  drink the nectar of Krishna's lips. I am slightly fearful because You also have  the right to drink that nectar, but as for the others, I consider them like straw.' [CC.  Antya. 16.126]

Sri  Radha adressing the flute: "Oh flute you have blessed Me by giving Me the  emptiness in your heart, your lightness, the dryness of your body , and your eloquence  in constantly chanting the holy name of Krsna, the king of Vraja. WHY DO YOU NOT  GIVE ME THE NECTAR OF KRSNA'S LIPS, which you drink, turn into song , and shamelessly  use to enchant the entire world and bring it under your control. "

"The nectar  of Krishna's lips, combined with the vibration of His flute, attracts all the  people of the three worlds. However, if we gopis remain patient out of respect  for religious principles, the flute then criticizes us. [CC.  Antya. 16.127]

"This flute  is nothing but a dry stick of bamboo, but it becomes our master and insults us  in so many ways that it forces us into a predicament. What can we do but tolerate  it? The mother of a thief cannot cry loudly for justice when the thief is punished.  Therefore we simply remain silent. [CC.  Antya. 16.129]

"That is  the policy of these lips. Just consider the other injustices. Everything that  touches those lips-including food, drink or betel-becomes just like nectar. It  is then called krsna-phela, or remnants left by Krishna. [CC.  Antya. 16.130]

"Even  after much prayer, the demigods themselves cannot obtain even a small portion  of the remnants of such food. Just imagine the pride of those remnants! Only a  person who has acted piously for many, many births and has thus become a devotee  can obtain the remnants of such food. [CC.  Antya. 16.131]

[Paramananda das]

The  Glories of Krishna’s Flute From Brihad-Bhagavatamrita Part Two, Chapter Five, Text 140-149

140. "Aho! Just as Sri Krishna  is the most extraordinary of all incarnations, in the same way His flute, which  like the most supremely beloved object always rests in His lotus hand, is extraordinary.  My tongue is incapable of even touching its glories."

141. "Still, by His mercy  and according to my capacity, I will describe the glories of the flute,  so listen carefully."

142. "Because that enchanting  bamboo flute has touched Sri Krishna's bimba-fruit lips, its vibration can accomplish  things that He could not with His own lotus mouth or through the words of the  Upanisads, Vedas, Puraras and other Sriptures."

143. "Upon hearing that  vibration, the demigods and perfected souls who were travelling in their airplanes  with their wives all fainted in ecstatic love, and Indra, Sri Shiva and Sri Brahma  became mystified and forgot their knowledge of brahma (transcendental substance) - in other words, this doubt arose in them: 'Is that which we meditate on brahma,  or is this flute melody brahma?'"

144. "Upon hearing that  vibration, the great sages' samadhi was broken and symptoms of ecstatic love manifested  on their bodies. That flute melody even interrupted the orbit of the moon and  other planets, which are eternally travelling on the wheel of time."

145. "How can I describe  the good fortune of the cowherd men? In their thoughts and behaviour they were  always indifferent to their bodies and everything related to their bodies, they  had offered their very souls to the lotus feet of Sri Krishna, they were devoid  of any worldly or other-worldly desires, and solely because their wives were very  dear to Krishna, they even offered pranama to their wives."

146. "The sons of those  gopas always accompanied Sri Krishna like His shadow. When, desiring to see the  splendour of the forest, Sri Krishna would go away from them for even one minute,  then not seeing Him they would become extremely distraught. And quickly running  to Him, they would receive great satisfaction from touching Him."

147. "Hearing the vibration  of the flute, the supremely exalted Sri Radha and vraja-gopis, who to meet with  Sri Krishna had abandoned their husbands, sons, religious principles, and shyness,  attained mahabhava in such a way that becoming spellbound in the simultaneously  sweet and poisonous thoughts of Him, they completely forgot their own selves and  became motionless like pillars."

148. "Please hear more of  the astonishing wonders of that flute melody. When the cows, calves, bulls, deer,  the birds who reside in trees, the birds and other living entities who reside  in the water, the trees, rivers, clouds and other entities who are devoid of intelligence  heard the vibration of the flute, they all abandoned their respective natures."

149. "Upon hearing the melody  of the flute, moving living entities became motionless and motionless entities  like stone melted and began to move. In other words, the conscious became as if  matter, and matter became as if conscious. Plunged into a great ocean of prema-rasa,  they all exhibited symptoms of ecstatic love."

[Paramananda das]

the Gopal Gayatri mantra is the sound of Krsna's flute given to Lord Brahma

5 minutes ago · Like

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  Paramananda Das BS 5.24: Then the goddess of learning Sarasvatī, the divine consort of the Supreme Lord, said thus to Brahmā who saw nothing but gloom in all directions, "O Brahmā, this mantra, viz., klīḿ kṛṣṇāya govindāya gopī-jana-vallabhāya svāhā, will assuredly fulfill your heart's desire."
  BS 5.25: "O Brahmā, do thou practice spiritual association by means of this mantra; then all your desires will be fulfilled."
  
  BS 5.26: Brahmā, being desirous of satisfying Govinda, practiced the cultural acts for Kṛṣṇa in Goloka, Lord of Śvetadvīpa, for a long time. His meditation ran thus, "There exists a divine lotus of a thousand petals, augmented by millions of filaments, in the transcendental land of Goloka. On its whorl, there exists a great divine throne on which is seated Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the form of eternal effulgence of transcendental bliss, playing on His divine flute resonant with the divine sound, with His lotus mouth. He is worshiped by His amorous milkmaids with their respective subjective portions and extensions and also by His external energy [who stays outside] embodying all mundane qualities."
  
  BS 5.27: Then Gāyatrī, mother of the Vedas, being made manifest, i.e. imparted, by the divine sound of the flute of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, entered into the lotus mouth of Brahmā, born from himself, through his eight ear-holes. The lotus-born Brahmā having received the Gāyatrī, sprung from the flute-song of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, attained the status of the twice-born, having been initiated by the supreme primal preceptor, Godhead Himself.
  
  BS 5.28: Enlightened by the recollection of that Gāyatrī, embodying the three Vedas, Brahmā became acquainted with the expanse of the ocean of truth. Then he worshiped Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the essence of all Vedas, with this hymn.
  
  BS 5.29: I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the first progenitor who is tending the cows, yielding all desire, in abodes built with spiritual gems, surrounded by millions of purpose trees, always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds of thousands of lakṣmīs or gopīs.
  
  BS 5.30: I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept in playing on His flute, with blooming eyes like lotus petals with head decked with peacock's feather, with the figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and His unique loveliness charming millions of Cupids.
  
  BS 5.31: I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, round whose neck is swinging a garland of flowers beautified with the moon-locket, whose two hands are adorned with the flute and jeweled ornaments, who always revels in pastimes of love, whose graceful threefold-bending form of Śyāmasundara is eternally manifest.

  about a minute ago · Like
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  Paramananda Das Lord Brahma was initiated directly by Sarasvati the Goddess of   learning and by Sri Krsnas flute (By Krsna Himself)

  a few seconds ago · Like

[Paramananda das]

Śrī Brahma-saḿhitā 5.27
atha veṇu-ninādasya

trayī-mūrti-mayī gatiḥ

sphurantī praviveśāśu

mukhābjāni svayambhuvaḥ

gāyatrīḿ gāyatas tasmād

adhigatya sarojajaḥ

saḿskṛtaś cādi-gunuṇā

dvijatām agamat tataḥ

SYNONYMS

atha — then; veṇu-ninādasya — of the sound of the flute; trayī-mūrti-mayī — the mother of the three Vedas; gatiḥ — the means (the Gāyatrī mantra); sphuranti — being made manifest; praviveśa — entered; āśu — quickly; mukha-abjāni — the lotus faces; svayambhuvaḥ — of Brahmā; gāyatrīm — the Gāyatrī; gāyataḥ — sounding; tasmāt — from Him (Śrī Kṛṣṇa); adhigatya — having received; saroja-jaḥ — the lotus-born (Brahmā); saḿskṛtaḥ — initiated; ca — and; ādi-guruṇā — by the primal preceptor; dvijatām — the status of the twice-born; agamat — attained; tataḥ — thereafter.

TRANSLATION

Then Gāyatrī, mother of the Vedas, being made manifest, i.e. imparted, by the divine sound of the flute of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, entered into the lotus mouth of Brahmā, born from himself, through his eight ear-holes. The lotus-born Brahmā having received the Gāyatrī, sprung from the flute-song of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, attained the status of the twice-born, having been initiated by the supreme primal preceptor, Godhead Himself.

PURPORT

The sound of Kṛṣṇa's flute is the transcendental blissful sound; hence the archetype of all Veda, is present in it. The Gāyatrī is Vedic rhythm. It contains a brief meditation and prayer. Kāma-gāyatrī is the highest of all the Gāyatrīs, because the meditation and prayer contained in it are full of the perfect transcendental sportive activities which are not to be found in any other Gāyatrī. The Gāyatrī that is attained as the sequel of the eighteen-lettered mantra is kāma-gāyatrī which runs thus: klīḿ kāma-devāya vidmahe puṣpa-bāṇāya dhīmahi tan no 'nańgaḥ pracodayāt. In this Gāyatrī, the realization of the transcendental pastimes of Śrī Gopījana-vallabha after perfect meditation and the prayer for the attainment of the transcendental god of love are indicated. In the spiritual world there is no better mode of endeavor for securing the superexcellent rasa-bedewed love. As soon as that Gāyatrī entered into the ear-holes of Brahmā, he became the twice-born and began to chant the Gāyatrī. Whoever has received the same Gāyatrī in reality. has attained his spiritual rebirth. The status of a twice-born that is obtained in accordance with one's worldly nature and lineage, by the fettered souls in this mundane world, is far inferior to that of the twice-born who obtains admission into the transcendental world; because the initiation or acquisition of transcendental birth as a result of spiritual initiation is the highest of glories in as much as the jīva is thereby enabled to attain to the transcendental realm.

about a minute ago · Like

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  Paramananda Das so Lord Brahma got the Gopal Gayatri mantra from Sarasvati and the Kamadeva Gayatri from Krsna Himself