Post by Uttamasloka on Jul 21, 2019 21:08:55 GMT -5
I've been having a private eMail discussion with a small group of devotees regarding the issue of whether the jiva's relationship (rasa) with Krsna is inherent, or pre-determined, or whether it is a product of the jiva's desires, as developed over time in the association of devotees.
Based on Srila Prabhupada's many statements, we all thought that relationship was predetermined. But Srila Prabhupada also told us repeatedly in his books to carefully study the books of the previous acaryas to learn the finer details of Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy and its abhidheya - raganuga-bhakti.
This is my latest response to that group of devotees. I thought it would be interesting to share it here.
I was pondering our discussion and had some additional insights I wanted to share. It’s a bit long, but stay with me until I make my conclusive points.
First of all, the qualification to practice raganuga-bhakti is lobha/greed - intense desire - specifically to attain a relationship with Krsna in Vraja-lila similar to a particular Vraja-vasi, whose raga and bhava embodies or exemplifies one’s awakening aspirations. Not only must we follow that Vraja-vasi, but we will be situated in their group, or sub-group, for eternity.
And, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura explains in Ujjvala-nilamani that one must have prema for the Vraja-vasi one follows that is not less than one’s prema for Krsna. In his commentary in Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi, Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains more about the nature of the primary relationship with one’s chosen sakhī leader:
It has previously been explained in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu that attaining the position of a gopī cannot take place without rāgānugā-bhakti. And without following after the nitya-siddha-gopīs, rāgānugā cannot be perfected. Rāgānugā means to follow after those gopīs who have rāga. Those three types who follow the nitya-siddhas attain perfection like the nitya-siddha gopīs but they exist eternally in a slightly lesser position than the nitya-siddha gopīs that they follow.
…According to the principles of rāgānugā-bhakti a person should follow a desired gopī while having affection for her not less than one’s affection for Kṛṣṇa. If one follows a gopī while having less affection for her than for Kṛṣṇa, it would not be much different from vaidhī-bhakti. Even vaidhī-bhakti cannot be perfected without following devotees. Therefore, in rāgānugā-bhakti, persons who desire to follow a sakhī with more affection for Kṛṣṇa must not have less affection for that sakhī than for Kṛṣṇa. UN, 8.137 Commentary
It will be a different flavor of prema of course, but it is another significant relationship and not just a euphemistic or conceptual ‘following’. It is an eternal relationship of great significance.
So how will anyone know who to follow or what their particular raga and bhava are in the context of Vraja-lila? The details of the personalities of Radha's asta-sakhis and principle manjaris are not given in Srimad-bhagavatam in the 10th canto. Nor are any details given for the principle sakhas.
Those details are only available in the books of the previous acaryas after Lord Caitanya, ie: Govinda-lilamrita, Krsna-bhavanamrita, Dana-keli-kaumadi, Radha-Krsna-ganoddesa-dipika, etc, etc. Only in those lila books do we find detailed interactive exchanges between these Vraja-vasis and Krsna, which reveal their unique natures, personalities and moods.
Without being exposed to those details of these personalities one will not be able to develop an attraction to a Vraja-vasi, whom one then wishes to follow and emulate. This is all part of the proactive process of becoming qualified for raganuga-bhakti. That process is not passive. We don’t just chant and wait for a lightening bolt to hit us during japa.
Along with chanting, hearing and immersion in the Vraja-lila books is also absolutely essential for one’s progress. If you don’t hear the lila, how will you become attracted to it? You won’t. Hearing the lila is the very cause of the attraction necessary to approach being qualified for raganuga-bhakti.
In his commentary to Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi, Viśvanātha Cakravartī writes:
The independent activities of the Lord however, are for the benefit of the devotee. To show mercy to the devotees the Lord performs such pastimes. A person who has taken a human body, on hearing these pastimes, becomes completely dedicated to the Lord. The pastimes have a power like that of jewels, mantras or herbs so that they produce complete dedication to the Lord. They do not create sinful effects.
…Thus, just from hearing constantly and becoming addicted to any topics of Kṛṣṇa, one attains perfection, and if one hears topics of the rāsa-līlā one attains even higher perfection. One should always hear and become addicted to the five chapters on rāsa-līlā. UN, 3.27, commentary
From Jaiva-dharma:
Vijaya: What is irregular hearing (krama-hīna-śravaṇa-daśā)?
Gopala Guru Gosvāmī: Krama-hīna-śravaṇa-daśā is hearing about kṛṣṇa-līlā in an irregular and unmethodical manner. Hearing kṛṣṇa-līlā with irresolute intelligence results in this sort of unmethodical śravaṇa, because such hearing does not enable one to realize the relationship between the various līlās, and thus, rasa does not awaken in his heart.
Vijaya: Please explain about systematic hearing (krama-śuddha-śravaṇa-daśā).
Gopala Guru Gosvāmī: Rasa only awakens in one’s heart when kṛṣṇa-līlā is heard methodically or in a regular order with resolute intelligence. When one hears the aṣṭa-kālīya-nitya-līlā (eternal eightfold daily pastimes) separately from the naimittika-līlās (occasional līlās such as Kṛṣṇa’s divine birth and so on), then his śravaṇa is krama-śuddha. Only this krama-śuddha śravaṇa is desirable on the path of bhajana.
If one hears kṛṣṇa-līlā in the krama-śuddha manner, the sweetness and charm of the līlā is gradually conceived, and the inclination to perform rāgānugā-bhajana appears in the heart of the listener. At that time he thinks within himself, “Aho! Subala has such a wonderful sakhya-bhāva for Kṛṣṇa. I will also render loving sevā to Kṛṣṇa like him in sakhya-rasa.”
This type of strong affinity is called lobha (greed). The performance of kṛṣṇa-bhajana with such lobha, following the sweet bhāvas of the vraja-vāsīs, is called rāgānugā-bhakti. I have given the example of sakhya-rasa, but this type of rāgānugā-bhakti is also performed in all the four rasas, beginning with dāsya. JD, Chapter 40, Pages 854-855
Having understood all of that, now let’s recall the verse and commentary from Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu where Jiva Gosvami explained that a particular type of rati (love) develops after many lifetimes of impressions (samskaras) from sadhu-sanga and sadhana. By the time it becomes focused on one type of rati, eg: madhurya-rasa, it will appear to be natural and spontaneous and no one will be able to change your mind or heart.
In Rāga-vartma-candrikā, Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains very revealing details regarding this greed:
There are two causes for the appearance of greed:
(1) the mercy of Kṛṣṇa
(2) the mercy of another anurāgi devotee
There are again two kinds of mercy bestowed by a devotee:
(1) mercy bestowed by a rāgānugā devotee in a previous life – praktana
(2) mercy bestowed by a rāgānugā devotee in the present birth – adhunika
The praktana devotee takes shelter of the lotus feet of a rāgānugā guru after the greed has arisen in him, and the adhunika will get that greed only after having surrendered to the feet of such a guru.
It is said (BRS, 1.2.309): “The only causes of the appearance of greed are the mercy of Kṛṣṇa or His devotee. Therefore, some call the path of rāgānugā-bhakti, pusti mārga (the path of mercy).” RVC, 1.6
So it is very clear that one may be blessed by Krsna to acquire greed, ie: become qualified to practice raganuga-bhakti as delineated above, or one may be blessed by another raganuga bhakta - sadhu-sanga.
Thus, Srila Prabhupada's statements that one’s desired relationship will arise naturally and spontaneously when one is sufficiently advanced, holds true, and when seen in the light of the knowledge presented above, given by Lord Caitanya and the previous acaryas, we can understand the underlying details more clearly, as well as the full context.
In other words, that relationship was not always there in a dormant state. The only thing dormant is the ‘potential’ or ‘eligibility’ for a relationship, and once that potential is unleashed by receiving the seed of bhakti, one will eventually develop that to the point of being fixed on one type of rati, a process that takes many lifetimes.
The very nature of love implies the voluntary giving of such love, and the idea of an inherent, pre-established relationship is completely averse to that idea. Where is the question of love if it’s already pre-determined that you are going to love Krsna in that way because you were pre-programmed to do so? That is not love. Love must be given freely or it isn’t real love. It must be a product of one’s desires, given freely and willingly. Otherwise, it isn’t real love and certainly not prema.
Krsna want us to love him according to ‘our’ desires to have a relationship with him in a particular way, in a specific lila. It’s ‘our’ choice. Krsna facilitates the fulfillment of that desire by giving us association of various types of devotees to stimulate and nourish those desires according to how they are manifesting at any given point in our progress. That happens over many lifetimes and we may bounce around exploring different types of rasas until one finally becomes dominant for various reasons and influences.
Once one has determined beyond doubt, the type of relationship they desire with Krsna in Vraja-lila, then it makes sense that one would seek out like-minded association of similarly inclined devotees. Others, who are not fully awakened as such, will benefit from associating with those devotees who are on the raga path and that association may or may not influence them towards a similar rasa. In any case, it will most certainly be very beneficial one way or another.
These details of the abhidheya are only available in the books of the previous acaryas where they delineate these things elaborately for our understanding and benefit. And it’s very important to understand that this process is not primarily about certain types of external practices. Externally, vaidhi-bhakti and raganuga-bhakti appear to be the same. The difference is entirely internal.
Raganuga-bhakti is about an internal transformation of one’s identity. THAT is the key to understanding raganuga-bhakti. It is the transformation of one’s identity from one’s temporary material false ego, to one’s eternal spiritual identity in Vraja-lila.
Once you know what type of relationship you desire, you then must conceive of a suitable identity through which that relationship will be exhibited. That identity does not yet exist. It is not somewhere in the spiritual world in a trance or coma. You cannot contemplate your spiritual desires in the context of your material identity. It doesn’t work that way. A new identity is developed and manifest internally via meditation during raganuga-bhakti bhajana.
From Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu:
Remembering the Vṛndāvana form of Kṛṣṇa and His dear associates who have inclinations for service similar to one’s own, absorbing oneself in hearing topics related to them, one should always live in Vraja. BRS, 1.2.294
Following after the inhabitants of Vraja, one should perform service in one’s physical body (sādhaka-rūpa) and in one’s siddha body (siddha-rūpa), with a desire for a particular bhāva [of a Vraja associate - vraja-lokānusārataḥ]. BRS, 1.2.295
From Jīva Gosvāmī’s commentary:
Sādhaka-rūpa refers to the physical body of the practitioner. Siddha-rūpa refers to the body which is suitable for one’s desired service, and which has been developed by internal meditation. (siddha-rūpeṇa antas-cintitabhiṣta-tat-sevopayogi-dehena) One serves with a desire for the particular bhāva or rati of an associate of Kṛṣṇa situated in Vraja.
From Viśvanātha Cakravartī’s commentary:
One performs service with the sādhaka-rūpa – the present body – and with the siddha-rūpa – the body which is suitable for serving Vraja Kṛṣṇa in the particular type of rati or bhāva one desires, and which appears through inner contemplation, with a desire for a particular rati directed to one’s beloved Kṛṣṇa situated in Vṛndāvana.
One should follow after the dear devotees of Kṛṣṇa such as Rādhā, Lalitā, Viśākhā, Śrī Rūpa-mañjarī and those following after them – persons such as Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmīs. Accordingly, “one should perform mental service (mānasi-sevā) in one’s siddha-rūpa”, following after the examples of Śrī Rādhā, Lalitā, Viśākhā, Śrī Rūpa-mañjarī and others. In one’s physical body, one should perform services using one’s body, following after persons such as Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmīs situated in Vraja. [end]
Our material bodies are created as a direct result of our accumulated material desires from one lifetime to the next. We have no idea how we are unconsciously creating our next body by our current desires, but that is precisely what is taking place. So the science of bhakti is to ‘consciously’ create our eternal spiritual body by focused meditation, with intense desires for that relationship and identity. THOSE desires are what Krsna fulfills or awards us at the stage of bhava - the sadhya of sadhana.
An important point to grasp is that Vraja prema only exists in Vraja-lila and nowhere else. It only exists in the hearts or ragatmika devotees who reside in Goloka Vrndavana. You will not find one single statement in sastra or by the previous acaryas that Vraja prema can be covered by maya in the hearts of the tatastha-sakti jivas. It is literally impossible for that to be true.
Since we were never in Vraja-lila, there is no possibility that we could have Vraja prema in our hearts, pre-installed but never manifest. That type of prema can only exist in Vraja-lila and nowhere else and it can only exist if one has an active relationship with Krsna in that lila. The tatastha-sakti jivas have none of that.
Therefore, Srila Prabhupada could not have meant what he said literally because he knew these truths. Thus, we can easily and logically conclude that Srila Prabhupada was only referring to the ‘potential’ for prema in our hearts. And when he said everyone has an eternal relationship with Krsna, that is also true. But it must be discovered as described above. It is not predetermined or preexisting. That is not what Srila Prabhupada meant.
Based on Srila Prabhupada's many statements, we all thought that relationship was predetermined. But Srila Prabhupada also told us repeatedly in his books to carefully study the books of the previous acaryas to learn the finer details of Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy and its abhidheya - raganuga-bhakti.
This is my latest response to that group of devotees. I thought it would be interesting to share it here.
I was pondering our discussion and had some additional insights I wanted to share. It’s a bit long, but stay with me until I make my conclusive points.
First of all, the qualification to practice raganuga-bhakti is lobha/greed - intense desire - specifically to attain a relationship with Krsna in Vraja-lila similar to a particular Vraja-vasi, whose raga and bhava embodies or exemplifies one’s awakening aspirations. Not only must we follow that Vraja-vasi, but we will be situated in their group, or sub-group, for eternity.
And, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura explains in Ujjvala-nilamani that one must have prema for the Vraja-vasi one follows that is not less than one’s prema for Krsna. In his commentary in Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi, Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains more about the nature of the primary relationship with one’s chosen sakhī leader:
It has previously been explained in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu that attaining the position of a gopī cannot take place without rāgānugā-bhakti. And without following after the nitya-siddha-gopīs, rāgānugā cannot be perfected. Rāgānugā means to follow after those gopīs who have rāga. Those three types who follow the nitya-siddhas attain perfection like the nitya-siddha gopīs but they exist eternally in a slightly lesser position than the nitya-siddha gopīs that they follow.
…According to the principles of rāgānugā-bhakti a person should follow a desired gopī while having affection for her not less than one’s affection for Kṛṣṇa. If one follows a gopī while having less affection for her than for Kṛṣṇa, it would not be much different from vaidhī-bhakti. Even vaidhī-bhakti cannot be perfected without following devotees. Therefore, in rāgānugā-bhakti, persons who desire to follow a sakhī with more affection for Kṛṣṇa must not have less affection for that sakhī than for Kṛṣṇa. UN, 8.137 Commentary
It will be a different flavor of prema of course, but it is another significant relationship and not just a euphemistic or conceptual ‘following’. It is an eternal relationship of great significance.
So how will anyone know who to follow or what their particular raga and bhava are in the context of Vraja-lila? The details of the personalities of Radha's asta-sakhis and principle manjaris are not given in Srimad-bhagavatam in the 10th canto. Nor are any details given for the principle sakhas.
Those details are only available in the books of the previous acaryas after Lord Caitanya, ie: Govinda-lilamrita, Krsna-bhavanamrita, Dana-keli-kaumadi, Radha-Krsna-ganoddesa-dipika, etc, etc. Only in those lila books do we find detailed interactive exchanges between these Vraja-vasis and Krsna, which reveal their unique natures, personalities and moods.
Without being exposed to those details of these personalities one will not be able to develop an attraction to a Vraja-vasi, whom one then wishes to follow and emulate. This is all part of the proactive process of becoming qualified for raganuga-bhakti. That process is not passive. We don’t just chant and wait for a lightening bolt to hit us during japa.
Along with chanting, hearing and immersion in the Vraja-lila books is also absolutely essential for one’s progress. If you don’t hear the lila, how will you become attracted to it? You won’t. Hearing the lila is the very cause of the attraction necessary to approach being qualified for raganuga-bhakti.
In his commentary to Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi, Viśvanātha Cakravartī writes:
The independent activities of the Lord however, are for the benefit of the devotee. To show mercy to the devotees the Lord performs such pastimes. A person who has taken a human body, on hearing these pastimes, becomes completely dedicated to the Lord. The pastimes have a power like that of jewels, mantras or herbs so that they produce complete dedication to the Lord. They do not create sinful effects.
…Thus, just from hearing constantly and becoming addicted to any topics of Kṛṣṇa, one attains perfection, and if one hears topics of the rāsa-līlā one attains even higher perfection. One should always hear and become addicted to the five chapters on rāsa-līlā. UN, 3.27, commentary
From Jaiva-dharma:
Vijaya: What is irregular hearing (krama-hīna-śravaṇa-daśā)?
Gopala Guru Gosvāmī: Krama-hīna-śravaṇa-daśā is hearing about kṛṣṇa-līlā in an irregular and unmethodical manner. Hearing kṛṣṇa-līlā with irresolute intelligence results in this sort of unmethodical śravaṇa, because such hearing does not enable one to realize the relationship between the various līlās, and thus, rasa does not awaken in his heart.
Vijaya: Please explain about systematic hearing (krama-śuddha-śravaṇa-daśā).
Gopala Guru Gosvāmī: Rasa only awakens in one’s heart when kṛṣṇa-līlā is heard methodically or in a regular order with resolute intelligence. When one hears the aṣṭa-kālīya-nitya-līlā (eternal eightfold daily pastimes) separately from the naimittika-līlās (occasional līlās such as Kṛṣṇa’s divine birth and so on), then his śravaṇa is krama-śuddha. Only this krama-śuddha śravaṇa is desirable on the path of bhajana.
If one hears kṛṣṇa-līlā in the krama-śuddha manner, the sweetness and charm of the līlā is gradually conceived, and the inclination to perform rāgānugā-bhajana appears in the heart of the listener. At that time he thinks within himself, “Aho! Subala has such a wonderful sakhya-bhāva for Kṛṣṇa. I will also render loving sevā to Kṛṣṇa like him in sakhya-rasa.”
This type of strong affinity is called lobha (greed). The performance of kṛṣṇa-bhajana with such lobha, following the sweet bhāvas of the vraja-vāsīs, is called rāgānugā-bhakti. I have given the example of sakhya-rasa, but this type of rāgānugā-bhakti is also performed in all the four rasas, beginning with dāsya. JD, Chapter 40, Pages 854-855
Having understood all of that, now let’s recall the verse and commentary from Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu where Jiva Gosvami explained that a particular type of rati (love) develops after many lifetimes of impressions (samskaras) from sadhu-sanga and sadhana. By the time it becomes focused on one type of rati, eg: madhurya-rasa, it will appear to be natural and spontaneous and no one will be able to change your mind or heart.
In Rāga-vartma-candrikā, Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains very revealing details regarding this greed:
There are two causes for the appearance of greed:
(1) the mercy of Kṛṣṇa
(2) the mercy of another anurāgi devotee
There are again two kinds of mercy bestowed by a devotee:
(1) mercy bestowed by a rāgānugā devotee in a previous life – praktana
(2) mercy bestowed by a rāgānugā devotee in the present birth – adhunika
The praktana devotee takes shelter of the lotus feet of a rāgānugā guru after the greed has arisen in him, and the adhunika will get that greed only after having surrendered to the feet of such a guru.
It is said (BRS, 1.2.309): “The only causes of the appearance of greed are the mercy of Kṛṣṇa or His devotee. Therefore, some call the path of rāgānugā-bhakti, pusti mārga (the path of mercy).” RVC, 1.6
So it is very clear that one may be blessed by Krsna to acquire greed, ie: become qualified to practice raganuga-bhakti as delineated above, or one may be blessed by another raganuga bhakta - sadhu-sanga.
Thus, Srila Prabhupada's statements that one’s desired relationship will arise naturally and spontaneously when one is sufficiently advanced, holds true, and when seen in the light of the knowledge presented above, given by Lord Caitanya and the previous acaryas, we can understand the underlying details more clearly, as well as the full context.
In other words, that relationship was not always there in a dormant state. The only thing dormant is the ‘potential’ or ‘eligibility’ for a relationship, and once that potential is unleashed by receiving the seed of bhakti, one will eventually develop that to the point of being fixed on one type of rati, a process that takes many lifetimes.
The very nature of love implies the voluntary giving of such love, and the idea of an inherent, pre-established relationship is completely averse to that idea. Where is the question of love if it’s already pre-determined that you are going to love Krsna in that way because you were pre-programmed to do so? That is not love. Love must be given freely or it isn’t real love. It must be a product of one’s desires, given freely and willingly. Otherwise, it isn’t real love and certainly not prema.
Krsna want us to love him according to ‘our’ desires to have a relationship with him in a particular way, in a specific lila. It’s ‘our’ choice. Krsna facilitates the fulfillment of that desire by giving us association of various types of devotees to stimulate and nourish those desires according to how they are manifesting at any given point in our progress. That happens over many lifetimes and we may bounce around exploring different types of rasas until one finally becomes dominant for various reasons and influences.
Once one has determined beyond doubt, the type of relationship they desire with Krsna in Vraja-lila, then it makes sense that one would seek out like-minded association of similarly inclined devotees. Others, who are not fully awakened as such, will benefit from associating with those devotees who are on the raga path and that association may or may not influence them towards a similar rasa. In any case, it will most certainly be very beneficial one way or another.
These details of the abhidheya are only available in the books of the previous acaryas where they delineate these things elaborately for our understanding and benefit. And it’s very important to understand that this process is not primarily about certain types of external practices. Externally, vaidhi-bhakti and raganuga-bhakti appear to be the same. The difference is entirely internal.
Raganuga-bhakti is about an internal transformation of one’s identity. THAT is the key to understanding raganuga-bhakti. It is the transformation of one’s identity from one’s temporary material false ego, to one’s eternal spiritual identity in Vraja-lila.
Once you know what type of relationship you desire, you then must conceive of a suitable identity through which that relationship will be exhibited. That identity does not yet exist. It is not somewhere in the spiritual world in a trance or coma. You cannot contemplate your spiritual desires in the context of your material identity. It doesn’t work that way. A new identity is developed and manifest internally via meditation during raganuga-bhakti bhajana.
From Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu:
Remembering the Vṛndāvana form of Kṛṣṇa and His dear associates who have inclinations for service similar to one’s own, absorbing oneself in hearing topics related to them, one should always live in Vraja. BRS, 1.2.294
Following after the inhabitants of Vraja, one should perform service in one’s physical body (sādhaka-rūpa) and in one’s siddha body (siddha-rūpa), with a desire for a particular bhāva [of a Vraja associate - vraja-lokānusārataḥ]. BRS, 1.2.295
From Jīva Gosvāmī’s commentary:
Sādhaka-rūpa refers to the physical body of the practitioner. Siddha-rūpa refers to the body which is suitable for one’s desired service, and which has been developed by internal meditation. (siddha-rūpeṇa antas-cintitabhiṣta-tat-sevopayogi-dehena) One serves with a desire for the particular bhāva or rati of an associate of Kṛṣṇa situated in Vraja.
From Viśvanātha Cakravartī’s commentary:
One performs service with the sādhaka-rūpa – the present body – and with the siddha-rūpa – the body which is suitable for serving Vraja Kṛṣṇa in the particular type of rati or bhāva one desires, and which appears through inner contemplation, with a desire for a particular rati directed to one’s beloved Kṛṣṇa situated in Vṛndāvana.
One should follow after the dear devotees of Kṛṣṇa such as Rādhā, Lalitā, Viśākhā, Śrī Rūpa-mañjarī and those following after them – persons such as Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmīs. Accordingly, “one should perform mental service (mānasi-sevā) in one’s siddha-rūpa”, following after the examples of Śrī Rādhā, Lalitā, Viśākhā, Śrī Rūpa-mañjarī and others. In one’s physical body, one should perform services using one’s body, following after persons such as Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmīs situated in Vraja. [end]
Our material bodies are created as a direct result of our accumulated material desires from one lifetime to the next. We have no idea how we are unconsciously creating our next body by our current desires, but that is precisely what is taking place. So the science of bhakti is to ‘consciously’ create our eternal spiritual body by focused meditation, with intense desires for that relationship and identity. THOSE desires are what Krsna fulfills or awards us at the stage of bhava - the sadhya of sadhana.
An important point to grasp is that Vraja prema only exists in Vraja-lila and nowhere else. It only exists in the hearts or ragatmika devotees who reside in Goloka Vrndavana. You will not find one single statement in sastra or by the previous acaryas that Vraja prema can be covered by maya in the hearts of the tatastha-sakti jivas. It is literally impossible for that to be true.
Since we were never in Vraja-lila, there is no possibility that we could have Vraja prema in our hearts, pre-installed but never manifest. That type of prema can only exist in Vraja-lila and nowhere else and it can only exist if one has an active relationship with Krsna in that lila. The tatastha-sakti jivas have none of that.
Therefore, Srila Prabhupada could not have meant what he said literally because he knew these truths. Thus, we can easily and logically conclude that Srila Prabhupada was only referring to the ‘potential’ for prema in our hearts. And when he said everyone has an eternal relationship with Krsna, that is also true. But it must be discovered as described above. It is not predetermined or preexisting. That is not what Srila Prabhupada meant.
Why would they leave this out, if it is the ONLY way to attain Braj?