This article might not be for seekers who are not aware of the internal meaning and position of Rasika Acharyas and also for those who are not practising Krishna Consciousness, are not aware of the exalted position of Sri Radha, Krishna, Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu.
As Srimati Radharani inspires me at the time of writing this, I would highly recommend sincere devotees to read the article Different Manifestations of Guru and all about Guru Tattva before going ahead with this one.
If you are a sincere seeker in the preliminary stage or are a practising devotee in vaidhi bhakti marg (bhakti by rules and regulations), you might read this article to enhance your greed (lobha) and desire (lalsa) for prema-mayi raganuga bhakti (spontaneous devotion) and stepping into the inner confidential vraj-prema-bhakti.
If you are new, you must read the beginner's spirituality guide here, and if you have some idea about Krishna Consciousness, then you must read Advanced Spirituality Guide to augment your devotional life further.
This article on guru tattva requires the seeker to have a slight idea of the position of Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu, Ananga Manjari, Rupa Manjari (Goswami) before attempting to read this. So, do go ahead if Srimati Radharani inspires you from within. This article is only for the sincere devotees who want to go deep in their bhajan.
I have humbly written this only for my own meditation as inspired by Sri Vrindavan Dham and by recalling the vani (words and teachings) of Rasika Acharyas. You can go through it and analyse it for your own bhajan (devotional life) and see how Sri Radha and Sri Vrindavan Dham inspire you internally.
Read each of the sections before approaching the next section (as this is a pretty intimate discussion).
Nityananda Prabhu as Param Guru Tattva
So, Balarama Ji or Nityananda Prabhu (who are non-different) are considered as param guru by exalted Gaudiya Saints. It is also said that Krishna is the original guru tattva who manifests as Balarama Ji (in Krishna Lila) or Nityananda Prabhu (in Gaur Lila).
The book 'Demystifying The Mystical Vrindavan' is the essence and crux of this entire website.
If you are considering to dive into the final goal of our Vedic Scriptures and spiritual life, and if Radharani inspires you, do get a copy of the book .
Nityananda Prabhu is the ocean of mercy, and more merciful than Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Mahaprabhu is none other than Krishna in the mood of Srimati Radharani and came to experience the topmost Radha Dashyam and Radha Snehadika bhav (which is the core inner confidential rasa or mode of worship of Gaudiya Vaishnavas).
In keeping in line with this and relating it to Nityananda Prabhu, the confidential aspect about Nityananda Prabhu is that he also cherishes the Radha Dashyam bhav as he is none other than Ananga Manjari, who is the younger sister of Srimati Radharani in Nitya Goloka Vrindavan.
In Gaur Lila, Nityananda Prabhu is more in the bhav (mood) of Ananga Manjari rather than Balarama Ji if one looks at it from an inner perspective of prema-bhajan.
It is evident in the fact that Nityananda Prabhu (while in Gaur Lila) used to sit and meditate at Nityananda Vat, or Sringar Vat on the banks of Yamuna in Vrindavan.
Sringar Vat is a rasa sthali and it is here that Krishna ties the hairs of Sri Radha after the confidential rasa-dance (which is well described in the book Krishna Bhavanamrta). Though, one should not jump to read this book directly and follow this order of books to approach confidential vraj-prema-bhakti.
Many might get bewildered that how can Balarama Ji enter rasa sthali and meditate? Rasika Vaishnavas explain that the inner mood of Nityananda Prabhu at Sringar Vat is not in the mood of Balarama Ji but rather of Ananga Manjari.
Nityananda Prabhu is Nitya Ananda (or he is eternally in bliss). Ananda here means not only pleasure but the Hladini Sakti of Lord (who is none other than Radharani who offers pleasure to Krishna). Therefore, only Ananga Manjari as Nityananda Prabhu can give the Nitya Ananda to devotees and is the most merciful, even more than Krishna!
Krishna is the only Purush and everything else is Prakriti. You might read this inner meaning of Hladini Sakti and all other Sakti of Lord to understand the inner tattva.
Without the mercy (kripa) of Nityananda Prabhu (Ananga Manjari), it is impossible to gain entry in Vrindavan Prema Rasa.
Ananga Manjari as Guru Tattva
As inferred from the earlier section, Nityananda Prabhu is none other than Ananga Manjari.
As Aindra Prabhu mentions in his book, Ananga Manjari (who manifests as Nityananda Prabhu) is second Radharani.
Ananga Manjari manifests as Jahnava Maiya as well as Nityananda Prabhu. Jahnava Maiya is the consort (wife) of Nityananda Prabhu.
There are more confidential aspects to the discussion of the relationship between Krishna, Balaram Ji, Radharani, Nityananda Prabhu, Ananga Manjari, Jahnava Maiya and the swarup (identity) of this sprouts internally by only kripa and kripa (mercy) of Premi Rasika Vaishnavas.
Chanting of Hare Krishna Mahamantra sincerely guides the sincere seeker internally.
Also, manjaris (Check 5 Types of Sakhis) are non-different from Sri Radha but just exist for providing pleasure to Sri Radha. They look and act exactly like Sri Radha but just for Radharani's pleasure. They don't want anything for their own. For them, their only wealth is when Radharani is with Shyamsundar at all times. They control Sri Radha and are younger to Srimati Radharani in age.
Ananga Manjari engages the mukhya and up manjaris in service of Radharani.
Rupa Manjari as Guru Tattva
Srila Rupa Goswami who is Rupa Manjari in Nitya Goloka Vrindavan writes in Ujjavala Nilamani that Ananga Manjari is chief of all up manjaris and Rupa Manjari is chief of all mukhya manjaris.
Rupa Manjari is also a up manjari and engages all mukhya manjaris in service of Radharani via Ananga Manjari.
Gaudiya Vaishnavas are also called as Rupanugas or followers of Srila Rupa Goswami.
This inner bhav of Gaudiya Vaishnavas is of das anudas mood (also popularly called as the servant of servant mood). The real meaning of servant of servant is that Radharani is served by Lalita Sakhi, who is served by Ananga Manjari, who is served by Rupa Manjari, who is served by mukhya manjaris.
In fact, as Aindra Prabhu writes in his book, the truth is that for the vraj-prema-rasa upasaka (seeker), the thought of das anudas is a burden. For them, it is das anudasi or a maidservant of Sri Radha.
Das anudas has a subtle component of purush (male) bhav and hence, when looked from a deeper inner vraja-prema-bhakti perspective, this das anudas is nothing more than false pride for the seekers who have adhikar (eligibility) for prema-bhajan and are in the manjari mood of Radha Snehadika and Radha Dasyam Bhav. The inner mood for das anudasi is of a maidservant (manjari) of Radharani.
This discussion is very confidential and sprouts in the heart by kripa (mercy) of only Rupa Manjari, who is the guru-tattva for Gaudiya Upasak (seekers). She engages the seekers in service of Ananga Manjari and eventually to Srimati Radharani.
Ananga Manjari and Rupa Manjari - Inner BIG Confidential Secret
Rupa Manjari as guru-tattva gives the confidential rupa (form) of Divine Couple in seeker's heart. The devotee begins to meditate that form by kripa of Rupa Manjari. Then as the intensity of this remembrance of that confidential form of Divine Couple gets further thickened and non-stop, the kripa of Ananga Manjari blesses the seeker. The meaning of ananga is "to merge".
This kripa of Ananga Manjari helps the seeker to merge the two distinct form of Sri Radha and Sri Krishna to one, who now to the seeker, are seen in each other's arms in nav-nivritta-nikunj (the most confidential groves of Vrindavan).
At this stage, the devotee can't see their Swamini Sri Radha and dear-most Krishna separated away from each other.
The pinnacle of separation is incidentally the highest when Divine Coupe are together in groves of Vrindavan, in each other's arms, are looking at each other's eyes and tears are coming out from their eyes which eventually amplifies the intensity of separation inspite of they being with each other!
This is the Prema Vaicittya Bhav of topmost maha-madhurya prema bhakti in vipralmabha bhav, and it is from here that Hare Krishna Mahamantra descends to give the fallen souls the highest prema rasa! You must read the very inner confidential meaning of Hare Krishna Mahamantra here.
This is the magnanimity of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and hence he is the audarya avatar (most magnanimous avatar) who gives the highest vraja-prema-rasa to the lowest (the conditioned souls of Kali Yuga).
Ananga Manjari and Rupa Manjari manifest the completeness of Divine Couple and prema bhajan in the seeker's heart. As the prema gets thickened, the devotee completely loses their bodily identity and now, they see themselves as eternal maidservant (manjari) of Sri Radha.
Only Sri Radha's happiness is their prime aim now. They don't have a desire of their own.
Slowly, the complete identity or swarup (with ekadasha bhav) along with guru-manjari's identity sprouts in heart of the seeker with further greed, and now they act as an instrument of Lord externally, though internally, they are always in mansi seva in their vraja-swarup to their guru-manjari, Rupa Manjari, Ananga Manjari and Radharani (who is the original guru tattva).
Krishna, Mahaprabhu and Radha as Original Guru Tattva
Our dear Krishna's guru is our Swamini Srimati Radharani. Krishna has 16 arts, and for every art of Krishna, Radharani has 4 more arts. So Radharani has 64 arts. It is from Sri Radha that Krishna learns to play His flute on the 5th note.
This path of vraja-prema-bhakti can't be approached with sadhanbal or vaidhi bhajan (own devotional strength). It can only be via kripabal (mercy) of Rasika Acharyas, Guru Manjari, Rupa Manjari and Ananga Manjari.
When one approaches this path with sincerity, surrender and as the heart gets cleansed, it sprouts in the heart that the guru tattva is non-different from Srimati Radharani. It is realised that guru is none other than Radharani's expansion, and there is no difference.
The inner meaning manifests in the heart and it is very confidential. Hare Krishna Mahamantra guides the sincere seeker very quickly to the inner aspects of vraja-prema-rasa.
Jai Jai Shri Radhe!
Hare Krishna!