Eternal Associates of Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Question: Are all the 16000 queens of Dvārakā nitya-siddhas, like the eight prime queens of Kṛṣṇa? I’m curious to know if there are some sādhana-siddhas queens among them, too?

Answer: All the queens of Krishna are nitya-siddhas.

Question: It’s stated in the Rāmāyaṇa that Mahirāvaṇa kidnapped a nāga-kanyā named Chitrasenā and forcefully married her. When Mahirāvaṇa abducted Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa to pātāla loka, Chitrasenā agreed to tell Hanumāna about the death secret of Mahirāvaṇa on the condition that Hanumāna would persuade Śrī Rāma to marry her. At the end of the scene, when Rāma learned about this matter, He blessed Chitrasenā that, although He could not marry her in this life, when He descends as Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Chitrasenā will be born as Satyabhāmā and thus become His wife. Isn’t Satyabhāmā an eternal associate/wife o Krishna?  If this is correct, isn’t Chitrasenā a kṛpā-siddha or an aṁśa/part of the eternal queen Satyabhāmā?

Answer: Satyabhāmā is an eternal wife of Kṛṣṇa. Citrasenā, however, is a kṛpā-siddhā. She merged into Satyabhāmā. Many times the eternal associates of Kṛṣṇa have another personality within them and may be addressed by the name of that person. For example, Pradyumna is the eternal son of Kṛṣṇa in Dvārakā, but he is also sometimes called Kāmadeva, one of the heavenly gods, who was burnt by Śiva. When Pradyumna was born in bhauma-līlā, Kāmadeva merged into him.

The devas were ordered to take birth on earth to participate in Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. They became members of the Yādava family by merging into the eternal associates. Later on, during the Mausala-līlā at Prabhāsa, where all the associates of Kṛṣṇa were killed, these devas were killed or separated from the eternal associates, so that they could go back to their respective places in svarga. The eternal associates remained in Dvārakā. They did not go to Prabhāsa. Being eternal, they cannot be killed.

Question: After this pastime, did Chitrasenā become an individual queen of Kṛṣṇa or did she merge in the body of Satyabhāmā forever?

Answer: She became a part of Satyabhāmā during bhauma-lilā and later a servant of Satyabhāmā.

Question: But both are separate personalities. How do they relish their services remaining in one body? How do I understand this?

Answer: This is beyond material logic. 

Question: When all the demigods become Yādavas in Kṛṣṇa-līlā, they serve the Lord by merging into the eternal associates of Kṛṣṇa. But it is said that after the mausala-līlā at Prabhāsa-kṣetra, the eternal associates remain in Dvārakā in aprakata-līlā, while the demigods return to their abodes. Were 125 years of service sufficient for the devatās to attain the eternal Dvārakā dhāma after their death, or did they have to do sādhanā like a sādhaka to attain the eternal Goloka?

Answer: The devatās have to perform sādhanā to attain a place in the eternal Goloka. 

Question: In the times of Ramayana, demigods disguised themselves as monkeys. They served Lord Rāma in accomplishing His mission. Could these demigods go to Ayodhyā after the completion of the Manvantara? Or did they go to Ayodhyā during the same līlā?

Answer: The demigods went to Ayodhyā after the Manavantara was completed.

Question: Why do the demigods give boons to atheists/asurās etc. when they know that these beings misuse the boons and destroy goodness? Similarly Mo,ther Chanḍī, pleased with the sādhanā of the rākṣasas, gives special powers to them although she knows the characteristics of the demons. How do I understand this?

Answer: This is out of their benevolence. They give because they are pleased at that time. Such is the mind of great people. You do not have to compare them to yourself.

Question: Do the demigods feel helpless that they cannot deny? Are they forced to do it?

Answer: No. They have their free will—as I said, demigods confer boons because they are benevolent. 

Question: How to understand that a personality like Kubjā, who has material lust (desire for physical union or sādhārani-rati), gets a chance to take part in Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes and enjoys Kṛṣṇa’s association?

Answer: Kubjā must have done sādhanā for this. Kṛṣṇa fulfills the desire of His devotees. He says that four types of people worship Him. He satisfies all. He blesses His devotees as per their bhāva.

Question: How can lust exist in a spiritual body?

Answer: There is no lust in the spiritual body.

Question: Did Kubjā have a material body before Kṛṣṇa touched her?

Answer: Yes.

Question: After Kṛṣṇa touched Kubjā, did she receive a spiritual body by Kṛṣṇa’s svarūpa–śakti?

Answer: Yes, she got purified.

Question: If Kubjā’s body was spiritual, why did she feel lusty after Kṛṣṇa? Bhakti means to please only Kṛṣṇa, like the gopīs, who are without kāma or lust.

Answer: There are various levels of bhakti. You are only thinking of uttama–bhakti.  There are sakāma bhaktas and niṣkāma bhaktas. And even those who are on the path of uttamā bhakti may not be free of lust during their sādhanā stage. Bhakti manifests at various levels.