There is so much astonishment and “wow” in these few sentences in the middle of this one purport of Srila Prabhupada…
“The Lord Govinda is engaged there in herding the surabhi cows as His natural occupation. These goddesses of fortune can be seen automatically if we are attracted by the bodily features of the Lord. The impersonalists cannot observe such goddesses of fortune because of their dry speculative habit. And those who are artists, overtaken by the beautiful creation, should better see to the beautiful face of the Lord for complete satisfaction. The face of the Lord is the embodiment of beauty. What they call beautiful nature is but His smile, and what they call the sweet songs of the birds are but specimens of the whispering voice of the Lord.” (purport SB 1.11.26)
What jumps out at me is, first, that if we are attracted to the Lord we’ll automatically see his goddesses of fortune. Well, now, wouldn’t that be nice….to be in the presence of his consorts, his goddesses. Yes. Indeed. Sometimes it is said that if we get attached to his consort we’ll see him and here it is said that if we are attached to him we’ll see his consorts. Wherever one starts to taste this ambrosia, all the variegated flavors will be there, in different consecutive order depending on the individual.
What I notice next is that beautiful nature is his smile. Around me is a plethora of tropical plants, ocean, expansive sky that is often interrupted by rainbows… and such is his smile! “A yogi should similarly meditate on the most benevolent smile of Lord Sri Hari, a smile which, for all those who bow to Him, dries away the ocean of tears caused by intense grief.” (SB 3.28.32) So….if we meditate on beautiful nature as the Lord’s smile, our ocean of tears will be dried up and we will find the peace we seek.
What intrigues me last is that the sweet songs of the birds are the Lord’s whispers. Outside my window, early morning, the tropical birds sing sweetly at this very moment. I think the most variety of bird songs I have heard, however, is in Australia. Here in Hilo, Hawaii, there are even singing frogs at night–once I was on a phone call to a friend in Vrindavana during the time the frogs sing and she thought they were parrots singing! Are the singing frogs also the Lord’s whisper? Ah, now a second kind of bird has joined the chorus as I write. What is the Lord whispering to us? “Come to the place of love, beauty, and selflessness, free of envy and pride”? Oh, now a third bird has added some cooing, and a fourth type, now, also…..
May we all hear, in the singing birds of beautiful nature, the whisper of God coming through his smiling lips, and thus, gaining attachment to his form, automatically see him surrounded by his many goddess of fortune.
audio class on meditating on Krishna in the world