Introduction 7

We have often heard the phrase ‘‘love of Godhead.” How far this love of Godhead
can actually be developed can be learned from the Vaisnava philosophy. Theoretical
knowledge of love of God can be found in many places and in many scriptures, but
what that love of Godhead actually is and how it is developed can be found in
Vaisnava literatures. It is the unique and highest development of love of God that
is given by Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Even inthis material world we can have a little sense of love. How is this possible?
It is due to the love which is found in the Godhead. Whatever we find within our
experience within this conditional life is situated in the Supreme Lord, who is the
ultimate source of everything. In our original relationship with the Supreme Lord
there is real love, and that love is reflected pervertedly through material conditions.
Our real love is continuous and unending, but because that love is reflected per-
vertedly in this material world, it lacks continuity and is inebriating. If we want
real transcendental love, we have to transfer our love to the supreme lovable object—
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the basic principle of Krsna con-
sciousness.

In material consciousness we are trying to love that which is not at all lovable. We
give our love to dogs and cats, running the risk that at the time of death we may
think of them and consequently take birth in a family of cats or dogs. Thus love
that does not have Krsna as its object leads downward. It is not that Krsna or God
is something obscure or something that only a few chosen people can attain.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu informs us that in every country and in every scripture there
is some hint of love of Godhead. Unfortunately no one knows what love of God-
head actually is. The Vedic scriptures, however, are different in that they can
direct the individual in the proper way to love God. Other scriptures do not give
information on how one can love God, nor do they actually define or describe
what or who the Godhead actually is. Although they officially promote love of
Godhead, they have no idea how to execute it. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu gives a
practical demonstration of how to love God in a conjugal relationship. Taking the
part of Radharani, Caitanya tries to love Krsna as Radharadni loved Him. Krsna was
always amazed by Radh§arani’s love. “How does Radharani give Me such pleasure?”
He would ask. In order to study Radharant, Krsna lived in Her role and tried to
understand Himself. This is the secret of Lord Caitanya’s incarnation. Caitanya is
Krsna, but He has taken the mode or role of Radharani to show us how to love
Krsna. Thus He is addressed: ‘‘t offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme
Lord who is absorbed in Radharant’s thoughts.”

This brings up the question of who Radharani is and what Radha-Krsna is.
Actually Radha-Krsna is the exchange of love. This is not ordinary love; Krsna has
immense potencies, of which three are principal: internal, external and marginal.
In the internal potency there are three divisions: samvit, hladini and sandhini. The
hladin7 potency is the pleasure potency. All living entities have this pleasure-seeking
potency, for all beings are trying to have pleasure. This is the very nature of the
living entity. At present we are trying to enjoy our pleasure potency by means of
the body in this material condition. By bodily contact we are attempting to derive
