I have a secret name which I don’t like to use in public or with just anyone. But the story behind it is too hard not to tell, and plus – I already published the name on three records that lots and lots of people bought, not to speak of all the articles and booklets I wrote under this name… so…. let’s talk about it.
But please, don’t go calling me by this name unless you have a real reason too, or I ask you to. It is a special name, I don’t want to overuse it, nor do I want to downplay the importance of the name my parents gave me: Victor Damien DiCara!
This way we can keep it “secret” even though it’s not really a “secret secret.”
This “secret” name of mine (given to me by my Guru) has three parts. The first is “Vraja.” To explain this word I will have to explain the Spiritual Universe – because it refers to the upper esoteric edge of the spiritual domain.
The Universe
We cannot measure the universe. It is infinite. But this infinity is said to be only “one-fourth” of the greater infinity of total existence!
The Light
Outside this material, infinite, universe is a borderland, which is “brahmajyoti” – the place of simultaneous non-existence and undifferentiated non-being.
Beyond the Light
Outside the brahmajyoti is the vaikuntha. this is a place of infinite, unlimited and unbounded shapes, sounds, touches, tastes, and scents. To be fair, there are also infinite sensations in our own material universe. But these are in a state of infinite “recyling”. In the vaikuntha universe, the infinite sensations are not recycled by time. Being unaffected by time they are always being experienced “for the first time” and do not decay and transform in a negative sense.
Levels of Infinite Form
the vaikuntha has various levels or planes in correspondence with the various rasa – the various flavors of relationship. There are mainly 5 flavors.
Peace
The first flavor is shanta – equipoise and content.
This is the vaikuntha which borders on the brahmajyoti. it is a place where there is very little activity to speak of, it is only slightly different from brahmajyoti. the difference is that one is aware of existing and aware of the existence of the supreme, and there is happiness derived, unlimited happiness, from that awareness
Service
the next flavor is dasya – assistance.
This is a vast layer of vaikuntha with many sub divisions when you get into detail (since there are many subdivisions of this rasa). More or less this accounts for 99% of the Vaikuntha realm, the lower realm – the shanta realm - is a thin edge towards the “bottom” of Vaikuntha, and the upper realm is a thin edge towards the “top.”
In this place, spiritual beings (potentially you or I) take actual personal forms of an unlimited and unfettered nature, and actually interact directly with God in the mood of assisting him.her (Vishnu/Lakshmi – god goddess pair, though technically here in this layer they are better named Lakshmi-Narayana, or so they say).
These layers of Vaikuntha proceed higher and higher as the relationship between the assistive soul and the divine Godhead becomes more and more active, direct and intimate. I have heard that Ayodhya Dhama – the abode of Sita and Rama – exists in it’s pristine form at the upper border of this level of Vaikuntha.
Friendship
The next flavor after dasya is sakhya – friendship
This is a small, esoteric layer above the rest of the Vaikuntha layers. On this layer, spiritual beings (you and me) become so immersed in their relationship with God that they don’t care anymore to focus on the formal fact that he is God, etc. etc. they want to serve God in ways that bring him more happiness than a formal servant is capable of. Therefore they become his “equals” and joke with him and play with him here.
This level of Vaikuntha is the entry border of Vraja-dhama. Vraja is composed of 12 divine forests, and the shakti making these forests is the Goddess Vrinda-devi. True friendship with God occurs here in these forest settings.
The way godhead manifests himself at this level of reality is in the form of Krishna – who is very agreeable, loveable and open to being treated as an equal (not a “god”) by those who love him.
Protectiveness
Beyond friendship there is vatsalya-rasa – protectiveness or “parenting.”
This occurs within specific areas of Vraja-dhama, for example in the Gokula forest. There, Godhead manifests himself not simply as Krishna but specifically as baby-Krishna. His mother, father, aunts, uncles, nurses (and even the animals especially the cows) all enjoy relating to him as their child.
When friendship becomes so intense, one becomes protective of ones friend. When that protective feeling develops fully, one becomes more parental than friendly. These beings (you or I could potentially become one among them, especially in a supporting role) relate with godhead so intimately that his status as God is completely forgotten (by him as well, by the way) and he becomes dependant on them for his very survival and sustenance.
Romance
Beyond parental love there is sringar-rasa or “madhu-rasa” – romance.
This includes all the former flavors, of course.
- There is utmost adoration for godhead as in shanta-rasa.
- There is desire to actively be useful to godhead, as in dasya-rasa.
- There is freedom from formal restrictions of how one can be useful, as in friendship (sakhya).
- There is the overwhelming desire to protect and nurture, as in parenting (vatsalya).
- But now there is a new trait – one desires to please godhead in every manner possible, especially in the direct and erotic sense.
This rasa occurs mainly at Radha-kunda, a special lake surrounded by eight groves at the foot of Mount Govardhana in Vraja-dhama.
Back to my Name – Kishor
That explains “Vraja” the first word in my name. The second word is “Kishor” – Vraja Kishor. To explain this I will need to explain how the three intimate flavors (friendship, parenthood and romance) differentiate themselves within the realm of Vraja.
The differentiation here in Vraja is not made by space anymore, but by time. By age to be specific.
Krishna manifests as a child to allow the bliss of parental love. He manifests as a boy to allow the playful excitement of friendship. But he manifests as a teenager to experience and share the deep joy of divine romance.
The name for godhead as this romantic teen is Vraja-Kishor.
Dasa
The final part of my secret name is “Dasa”… Vraja Kishor Dasa.
We souls, you and I, we could possibly – through enlightenment – become one of the souls who relates to Krishna romantically – though the highest romantic bliss is to be had by those souls who are enlightened to partake in serving and assisting (“dasa”) the beings who are already deep in that esoteric spiritual divine romance – for example, the Gopis, the queen of whom is Sri Radha.
