16 / Varieties of Love for Krsna
Parental Relationship

In the attitude of the denizens of Vrndavana, such as Nanda Maha-
raj and Mother Yasoda, is to be found the ideal transcendental con-
cept of becoming the father and mother of Krsna, the original Per-
sonality of Godhead. Factually, no one can become the father or
mother of Krsna; but a devotee’s possession of such transcendental
feelings is called love of Krsna in parental relationship. The Vrsnis
(Krsna’s relatives at Dvarak4) also felt like that. So spontaneous love
of Krsna in the parental relationship is found both amongst those
denizens of Dvaraka who belonged to the dynasty of Vrsni, as well
as amongst the inhabitants of Vrndavana.

Spontaneous love of Krsna as exhibited by the Vrsnis and the
denizens of Vrndavana is eternally existing in them. In the stage of
devotional service where regulative principles are followed, there is
no necessity of discussing this love, for it must develop of itself at a
more advanced stage.

Persons desiring to follow in the footsteps of such eternal devotees
of the Lord as the Vrsnis and Vrndavana denizens are called raganuga
devotees, which means that they are trying to attain to the perfection
of those devotees. These raganuga devotees do not follow the regula-
tive principles of devotional service very strictly, but by spontaneous
nature they become attracted to some of the eternal devotees such as
Nanda or Yaégoda, and they try to follow in their footsteps spon-
taneously. There is a gradual development of the ambition to become
like a particular devotee, and this activity is called raganuga.

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