11 May 2024
[A question by Ms. Thrylokya]
Swami replied:- The Gopikas saw husband in God Krishna. The Veda also says that God alone is male and any soul is not only female but also a wife of God because God is the maintainer (Bhartaa or husband) of the world including all souls, which are maintained (bharyaa or wife) by God. These Gopikas were the topmost sages doing penance for God in their previous millions of births. Hence, their angle of the concept was correct because for such angle, the climax true love or devotion to God was the basis and not the hormonal lust. But, this sacred concept should not be exploited by the ordinary souls, which brings a lot of problems in the smooth administration of the world. Hence, the tradition gave the reverse advice, which is also justified in view of the safety of the majority of the society. It is true logic to say that God Krishna is human being but every human being is not God. Garuda is a bird but every bird is not Garuda. Hanuman is a monkey but every monkey is not Hanuman. Nandi is a bull but every bull is not Nandi. Therefore, this advice is in the welfare of the society only, but not logically and scripturally a true concept. Hence, even though the wife sees her husband as God, the husband shall not really feel that he is God! It is an advice for the wife and not for the husband! If you say that the soul is God and hence, husband can be God, it is not correct because the wife is also a soul and is God. This concept of the exceptionally devoted Gopikas is very rarely applicable to an exceptional devotee like Miira (incarnation of Radha) and not applicable to ordinary souls.
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