50 minute read
Ma¯gal§cara£a
n§ma-ªre¢±ha° manum api ªac¦-putram atra svar¡pa° r¡pa° tasy§grajam uru-pur¦° m§thur¦° go¢±hav§±¦m r§dh§-ku£¨a° giri-varam aho r§dhik§-m§dhav§ª§° pr§pto yasya prathita-k¥pay§ ªr¦-guru° ta° nato ’smi I bow down to the beautiful lotus feet of my spiritual master, by whose causeless mercy I have obtained the supreme holy name, the divine mantra, the service of the son of ®ac¦-m§t§, the association of ®r¦la Svar¡pa D§modara, R¡pa Gosv§m¦, and his older brother San§tana Gosv§m¦, the supreme abode of Mathur§, the blissful abode of V¥nd§vana, the divine R§dh§-ku£¨a and Govardhana Hill, and the desire within my heart for the loving service of ®r¦ R§dhik§ and M§dhava in V¥nd§vana.1
om ajñ§na-timir§ndhasya jñ§n§ñjana-ªal§kay§ cak¢ur unm¦lita° yena tasmai ªr¦-gurave nama¤ I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.2
Advertisement
1 Mukta-carita 4. 2 Gautam¦ya-tantra 7.10–11.
29
¼uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i
nama o° vi¢£u-p§d§ya kr¢£a-pre¢±h§ya bh¡-tale ªr¦mate bhaktived§ntasv§min iti n§mine
I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhup§da, who is very dear to Lord ®r¦ K¥¢£a, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
namas te s§rasvate deve gaura-v§£¦-prac§ri£e nirviªe¢a-ª¡nyav§dip§ªc§tya-deªa-t§ri£e Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Bhaktisiddh§nta Sarasvat¦ Gosv§m¦. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.3
etan nirvidyam§n§n§m icchat§m akuto-bhayam yogin§° n¥pa nir£¦ta° harer n§m§nuk¦rtanam
O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all, including those who are free from all material desires, those who are desirous of all material enjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge.4
n§rada-v¦£ojj¦vana sudhormi-niry§sa-m§dhur¦-p¡ra tva° k¥¢£a-n§ma k§ma° sphura me rasane rasena sad§
3 Prabhup§da-pra£ati. 4 ®r¦mad-Bh§gavatam 2.1.11.
30
Ma¯gal§cara£a
O life of N§rada’s v¦£§! O flood of the waves of sweet nectar! O holy name of Lord K¥¢£a; please sweetly appear on my tongue.5
v¥nd§vane ’apr§k¥ta nav¦na madana’ k§ma-g§yatr¦ k§ma-b¦je y§¯ra up§sana In the spiritual realm of V¥nd§vana, K¥¢£a is the spiritual, ever-fresh Cupid. He is worshiped by the chanting of the K§ma-g§yatr¦ mantra, with the spiritual seed kl¦m.6
k§ma-g§yatr¦-mantra-r¡pa, haya k¥¢£era svar¡pa, s§rdha-cabbiªa ak¢ara t§ra haya se ak¢ara ‘candra’ haya, k¥¢£e kari’ udaya, trijagat kail§ k§mamaya K¥¢£a, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is identical with the Vedic hymn known as the K§ma-g§yatr¦, which is composed of twenty-four and a half syllables. Those syllables are compared to moons that arise in K¥¢£a. Thus all three worlds are filled with desire.7
kathañcana sm¥te yasmin du¢kara° sukara° bhavet vism¥te vipar¦ta° sy§t ªr¦-caitanya° nam§mi tam Things that are very difficult to do become easy to execute if one somehow or other simply remembers Lord Caitanya Mah§prabhu. But if one does not remember Him, even easy things become very difficult. To this Lord Caitanya Mah§prabhu I offer my respectful obeisances.8
5 ®r¦ Stava-m§l§, N§m§¢±aka 8. 6 ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Madhya-l¦l§ 8.138. 7 ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Madhya-l¦l§ 21.125. 8 ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Ýdi-l¦l§ 14.1.
31
¼uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i
hast§malakavat-tattva° ªr¦mad-bh§gavatasya ya¤ darªay§m §sa j¦vebhyas ta° ªr¦-j¦va-prabhu° bhaje I worship ®r¦la J¦va Gosv§m¦, who revealed the essence of the ®r¦madBh§gavatam, just as one reveals a cherry plum fruit in one’s palm.9
priya-svar¡pe dayita-svar¡pe prema-svar¡pe sahaj§bhir¡pe nij§nur¡pe prabhur eka-r¡pe tat§na r¡pe sva-vil§sa-r¡pe ®r¦la R¡pa Gosv§m¦, whose dear friend was Svar¡pa D§modara, was the exact replica of ®r¦ Caitanya Mah§prabhu, and he was very, very dear to the Lord. Being the embodiment of ®r¦ Caitanya Mah§prabhu’s ecstatic love, R¡pa Gosv§m¦ was naturally very beautiful. He very carefully followed the principles enunciated by the Lord, and he was a competent person to explain properly the pastimes of Lord K¥¢£a. ®r¦ Caitanya Mah§prabhu expanded His mercy to ®r¦la R¡pa Gosv§m¦ just so he could render service by writing transcendental literatures.10
vair§gya-yug-bhakti-rasa° prayatnair ap§yayan m§m anabh¦psum andham k¥p§mbudhir ya¤ para-du¤kha-dukh¦ san§tana° ta° prabhum §ªray§mi I was unwilling to drink the nectar of devotional service possessed of renunciation, but San§tana Gosv§m¦, out of his causeless mercy, made me drink it, even though I was otherwise unable to do so. Therefore he is an ocean of mercy. He is very compassionate to fallen souls like me, and thus it is my duty to offer my respectful obeisances unto his lotus feet.
9 See B§lato¢ani, quoted in Tattva-sandarbha, introduction. 10 Caitanya-candradoya-n§±aka 9.30.
32
Ma¯gal§cara£a
harir api bhajam§nebhya¤ pr§yo mukti° dad§ti na tu bhaktim vihita-tad-unnati-sattra° m§thure dhanya° n§m§mi tv§m Generally Lord Hari gives mukti, but not bhakti, to His worshippers. O Mathur§, to you, who gives a great sacrifice of pure bhakti and who are very auspicious, I offer my respectful obeisances.11
premautkyena vicintyat§° vilu±hanai¤ sarv§£gam §yojyat§° dehasy§sya samarpa£ena sud¥¨ha-prem§ samasth¦yat§m r§dh§j§nir up§syat§° sthira-cara-pr§£¦ha santo¢yat§° ªr¦-v¥d§vanam eva sarva-parama° sarv§tman§¢riyat§m Think of V¥nd§vana with love, roll in the dust of V¥nd§vana, offer your entire body to the service of V¥nd§vana, and thus develop firm love for V¥nd§vana. Furthermore, worship the birthplace of ®r¦mat¦ R§dh§r§£¦, and satisfy the moving and nonmoving living entities who reside in V¥nd§vana. In this way take shelter of V¥nd§vana, the best of all holy places.12
vraja-bhuvi mura-ªatro¤ preyas¦n§° nik§mair asulabham api t¡r£a° prema-kalpa-druma° tam janayati h¥di bh¡mau sn§tur uccair priya° yat tad ati-surabhi-r§dh§-ku£¨am ev§ªrayo me May very dear and fragrant R§dh§-ku£¨a, which for one who bathes in it immediately creates in the land of the heart a desire tree of pure love rare even among the gop¦ beloveds of Lord K¥¢£a, be my shelter.13
govardhano jayati ªaila-kul§dhir§jo yo gopik§bhirudito hari-d§sa-v§rya¤
11 Mathur§-m§h§tmya 1. 12 ®r¦ V¥nd§vana-mahim§m¥ta 1.5. 13 ®r¦ R§dh§-ku£¨§¢±aka 2.
33
¼uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i
k¥¢£ena ªakra-makha-bha¯ga-k¥t§rcito ya¤ sapt§ham asya kara-padma-tale ‘py av§ts¦t Glory to Govardhana Hill, the king of mountains, the hill the gop¦s declared was the best servant of Lord Hari, the hill personally worshiped by Lord K¥¢£a when He stopped the indra-yajña, the hill that for seven days rested on His lotus hand.14
c§turyaika-nid§na-s¦ma-capal§p§¯ga-ccha±§-manthara° l§va£y§m¥ta-v¦ci-lolita-d¥ªa° lak¢m¦-kat§k¢§d¥tam k§lind¦-pulin§¯gana-pra£ayina° k§m§vat§r§¯kura° b§la°n¦lam am¦vaya° mahurima-sv§r§jyam §r§dhnuma¤ I worship a dark bluish youth, ®y§ma, in whom culminate the principal stimuli for amorous love, who causes R§dh§ to become languid with the beauty of His dancing sidelong glances, and who in turn becomes languid by the sidelong glances of ®r¦ R§dh§ and Her friends. The waves of that boy’s nectarean beauty engender extreme thirst in the gop¦s’ eyes in the same way that the gop¦s’ nectarean beauty makes Him thirsty to see them. And in response to R§dh§’s wistful glances and nectarean beauty, He eternally enjoys loving pastimes with the gop¦s on the bank of the Yamun§. I worship that bluish youth, who is the source of the god of love, and who has attained unchallenged dominion over love’s sweetness.15
v§ñch§-kalpatarubhyaª ca k¥p§-sindhubhya eva ca patit§n§° p§vanebhyo vai¢£avebhyo namo nama¤ I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vai¢£ava devotees of the Lord. They can fulfil the desires of everyone, just like desire trees, and they are full of compassion for the fallen souls.16
14 ®r¦ B¥had-bh§gavat§m¥ta 1.1.7. 15 ®r¦ K¥¢£a-karn§m¥ta 3. 16 Traditional Gau¨¦ya Vai¢£ava prayer, source unknown.
34
vande ªr¦-k¥¢£a-caitanyadeva° ta° karu£§r£avam kal§v apy ati-g¡¨heya° bhaktir yena prak§ªit§
I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord ®r¦ Caitanya Mah§prabhu. He is an ocean of transcendental mercy, and although the subject matter of bhakti-yoga is very confidential, He has nonetheless manifested it so nicely, even in this Age of Kali, the age of quarrel.
®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Madhya-l¦l§ 22.1
Introduction
To fulfil Lord Caitanya’s desire that K¥¢£a consciousness spread to every town and village of the world, ®r¦la Prabhup§da founded a spiritual organization and named it the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). He derived the inspiration for this name from the following verse by ®r¦la R¡pa Gosv§m¦:1
k¥¢£a-bhakti-rasa-bh§vit§ mati¤ kr¦yat§° yadi kuto ’pi labhyate tatra laulyam api m¡lyam ekala° janma-ko±i-suk¥tair na labhyate “Pure devotional service in K¥¢£a consciousness cannot be had even by pious activity in hundreds and thousands of lives. It can be attained only by paying one price—the intense greed to obtain it. If it is available somewhere, one must purchase it without delay.” (Pady§vali 14)2
“K¥¢£a consciousness” is ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s succinct but substantially concentrated translation of the Sanskrit phrase k¥¢£a-bhakti-rasa-bh§vit§ mati¤, “to be absorbed in the mellow taste
1 See ®r¦la Prabhup§da-l¦l§m¥ta, volume 2, pages 129–30. 2 Quoted in ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Madhya-l¦l§ 8.70.
37
¼uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i
of executing devotional service to K¥¢£a.”3 In his purport to this ªloka ®r¦la Prabhup§da writes, “[This] verse refers to devotional service rendered out of intense greed…spontaneous loving service of the Lord without extraneous endeavour.”4 ®r¦la Prabhup§da often said that the way to awaken this greed for spontaneous loving service is to associate with pure devotees. The successful outcome of keeping such company is to acquire love for K¥¢£a, the only means by which one can attain Him.5 And where can one find such sublime association? Prabhup§da wanted it to be available in ISKCON. He states: “It is only this institution, this K¥¢£a consciousness movement, that is teaching people how to see K¥¢£a.”6 Thus he makes it clear that the intended mission of the Society he so painstakingly nurtured from its inception is that it become a spiritual institution in which its members, by following his teachings, would awaken the spontaneous devotion with which to purchase K¥¢£a and then provide the kind of association that would help others do the same.
The Meaning of “K¥¢£a Consciousness”
In 1966 a friend suggested a name for ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s new Society that would be more familiar to Westerners: the International Society for God Consciousness. But ®r¦la Prabhup§da rejected the title as vague and unscientific. He insisted that the name of his Society include the words “K¥¢£a consciousness” because people could then identify his society with a concrete conception of God.7 The name accommodates both devotion to the countless expansions of K¥¢£a and the confidential essence of the teachings of Lord K¥¢£a and Lord Caitanya.
3 See Lecture, ®r¦mad-Bh§gavatam 1.2.12, Los Angeles, 15 August, 1972. 4 ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Madhya-l¦l§ 8.70, purport. 5 See Lecture, ®r¦mad-Bh§gavatam 1.2.12, Los Angeles, 15 August, 1972. 6 The Journey of Self-Discovery, II. Superconsciousness, Everyone Can See God, pages 41–42. 7 See ®r¦la Prabhup§da-l¦l§m¥ta, volume 2, page 129.
38
Introduction
Avat§ras of K¥¢£a descend in every age, but the appearances of ®r¦ K¥¢£a and Lord Caitanya are extremely rare, occurring only once in every twenty-four hours of Brahm§, or once in every 8,640,000,000 years on earth.8
Lord K¥¢£a and Lord Caitanya come to give more than just the religious system (yuga-dharma) for a particular age. They come for a confidential reason as well: to distribute spontaneous loving devotion to K¥¢£a. When K¥¢£a appears, He brings His eternal companions to earth to display the highest limit of loving exchange, known as vraja-prema. 9 As Lord Caitanya, K¥¢£a appears with the same associates. Dressed as s§dhus instead of cowherd people, the Lord and His devotees teach the world how to awaken that same vraja-prema. Thus Lord Caitanya inaugurated the means to perfection—chanting Hare K¥¢£a—and inundated the world with the ecstasies of perfection, the taste of the four mellows of the Vraja-v§s¦s’ love for K¥¢£a.
In K¥¢£a’s original home, Goloka, the four mellows of love are the pure moods of servitorship, friendship, parenthood, and conjugal love. To guide persons to vraja-prema Caitanya Mah§prabhu first inspired them to give up deceitful religion and engage in devotional service according to scriptural injunctions. When purified, neophytes could, by chanting the Hare K¥¢£a mah§-mantra, develop attachment for K¥¢£a’s form, qualities, and pastimes and then spontaneously serve the Lord.
To serve with spontaneous devotion means to cultivate a mood of love similar to the love of one of the Vraja-v§s¦s. In this regard ®r¦la Prabhup§da quotes Bhaktisiddh§nta Sarasvat¦ çh§kura: “In the d§sya-rasa one follows in the footsteps of servants like Citraka, Patraka or Raktaka. In the friendly sakhya-rasa one can become a friend like Baladeva, ®r¦d§m§ or Sud§m§. In the v§tsalya-rasa, characterized by parental affection, one can become like Nanda Mah§r§ja and Yaªod§, and in the m§dhurya-rasa, characterized by conjugal love, one can become like ®r¦mat¦ R§dh§r§£¦ or Her lady friends such as Lalit§ and Her serving maids (mañjar¦s) like R¡pa
8 See ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Ýdi-l¦l§ 3.10, with purport. 9 See ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Ýdi-l¦l§ 4.15–16, purport.
39
¼uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i
and Rati. This is the essence of all instruction in the matter of devotional service.”10 We should note that we are meant to follow in the footsteps of K¥¢£a’s eternal associates, not attempt to replace or become them. The aspiration to become, for example, Nanda Mah§r§ja or Viª§kh§-dev¦ is antithetical to the very mood of pure devotion.
To be K¥¢£a conscious, then, means to qualify oneself for spontaneous devotion in one of the four mellows of vraja-bhakti as exemplified by K¥¢£a’s eternal companions. Because this understanding is confidential, ®r¦la Prabhup§da rarely spoke of it in public and wrote about it only sparingly in his books. Yet because it is the essence of K¥¢£a consciousness, His Divine Grace did talk about it, did write about it, and did expect thoughtful devotees to understand and carefully pursue it.
For instance, in 1974 when ®r¦la Prabhup§da greeted his disciples in V¥nd§vana at the first major international ISKCON festival, he encouraged them to reflect on and aspire for this perfection. He also warned that such a confidential quest, the goal of which is suitable for paramaha°sas, must be approached with great caution and reverence. He explained that the first steps in the quest included understanding K¥¢£a and His devotional service by studying the first nine cantos of ®r¦mad-Bh§gavatam. That initial study complete, their hearts purified, devotees could then hear K¥¢£a’s pastimes in the Tenth Canto and develop attraction for the service of His associates. Following in the footsteps of R¡pa Gosv§m¦ and Raghun§tha D§sa Gosv§m¦, devotees could finally hear K¥¢£a’s pastimes with the gop¦s without mistaking such l¦l§s for mundane romantic affairs. This was the path to perfection.
“So this is my request,” Prabhup§da concluded, “…you have come to V¥nd§vana; try to understand what is V¥nd§vana-dh§ma, what is R§dh§-K¥¢£a, but very cautiously, very…carefully… Go through the [Pañca-tattva]…gradually, you’ll be able to understand…that is the highest perfection…this is Caitanya Mah§prabhu’s philosophy, that §r§dhya-vastu, the worshipable
10 The Nectar of Instruction 8, purport, page 73.
40
Introduction
Lord, is K¥¢£a. And as He is worshipable, His dh§ma is also worshipable…follow the footsteps of ®r¦ Caitanya Mah§prabhu. Then we’ll be favoured by the grace of K¥¢£a to understand Him and His pastimes with R§dh§r§£¦.”11
Implied in the above quotation is an important aspect of K¥¢£a consciousness: Although every mellow of pure devotion is perfect and complete, the mellow of conjugal love is transcendentally superior to all the others.12 This topic is elaborately explained in Lord Caitanya’s talks with R§m§nanda R§ya and in His teachings to R¡pa Gosv§m¦. The conclusion is that only recipients of the gop¦s’ mercy can understand R§dh§ and K¥¢£a’s loving affairs, and only those who follow in the gop¦s’ wake can serve in these most confidential expressions of the Lord’s pleasure potency. No one else is qualified. ®r¦la Svar¡pa D§modara Gosv§m¦ praises ®r¦ Caitanya Mah§prabhu for revealing this secret and distributing the conjugal mellow through the sa¯k¦rtana movement:
anarpita-car¦° cir§t karu£ay§vat¦r£a¤ kalau samarpayitum unnatojjvala-ras§° sva-bhakti-ªriyam hari¤ pura±a-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sand¦pita¤ sad§ h¥daya-kandare sphuratu va¤ ªac¦-nandana¤ “May the Supreme Lord who is known as the son of ®r¦mat¦ ®ac¦dev¦ be transcendentally situated in the innermost core of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has descended in the Age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered before: the most elevated mellow of devotional service, the mellow of conjugal love.” (®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Ýdi-l¦l§ 3.4)
To clarify even further the meaning of “the mellow of conjugal love” (unnatojjvala-rasa), ®r¦la Prabhup§da describes it as the perfection of becoming a confidential maidservant of ®r¦mat¦ R§dh§r§£¦. In his purport to the eleventh verse of ®r¦ Upadeª§m¥ta,
11 Lecture, V¥nd§vana, 14 March, 1974. 12 See ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Madhya-l¦l§ 19.231–34.
41
¼uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i
he writes that such perfection is indeed the most exalted method of devotional service for devotees eager to return to Goloka V¥nd§vana. The process of achieving this goal is to reside either physically or mentally in V¥nd§vana, preferably at R§dh§-ku£¨a, to take shelter of ®r¦ R§dh§’s confidential maidservants, and under their direction to engage constantly in Her loving service. In time, devotees thus absorbed give up their bodies and return to the spiritual world. There they serve ®r¦ R§dh§ just as they had done in their meditation on the banks of R§dh§-ku£¨a during their lifetime. ®r¦la Prabhup§da goes on to say, “The conclusion is that to live on the banks of R§dh§-ku£¨a and to bathe there daily constitute the highest perfection of devotional service. It is a difficult position to attain, even for great sages and devotees like N§rada. Thus there is no limit to the glory of ®r¦ R§dh§-ku£¨a. By serving R§dh§-ku£¨a, one can get an opportunity to become an assistant of ®r¦mat¦ R§dh§r§£¦ under the eternal guidance of the gop¦s.”13
These are but a few aspects of the wonderful legacy ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s followers have inherited and which are implicit in the words “K¥¢£a consciousness.” Gaura Kiªora D§sa B§b§j¦ once said that offenseless meditation on the syllables of the holy name would reveal one’s svar¡pa.14 Similarly, studying the meaning of the words “K¥¢£a consciousness” through ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s teachings will guide us to our eternal identity and to K¥¢£a.
His Divine Grace’s teachings have been painstakingly en shrined in his books, and they dispel all doubts about how to become K¥¢£a conscious. Thus devotees serious about following ®r¦la Prabhup§da can always turn to his books for guidance. Still, devotees sometimes reminisce about how much easier it was to practise K¥¢£a consciousness when ®r¦la Prabhup§da was with us. ®r¦la Prabhup§da easily resolved all controversies and answered all questions clearly.
There is no arguing about the value of ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s physical presence (vapu). However, His Divine Grace taught his followers not to be overly dependent on the temporary body — even
13 The Nectar of Instruction 11, purport, page 89. 14 See Prabhup§da Sarasvat¦ çh§kura, page 55.
42
Introduction
the temporary body of the spiritual master.15 He considered his eternal instructions (v§£¦) more important than whatever his disciples could glean from his physical presence. To neglect or ignore those instructions would demean his mission—a transgression we should avoid at all costs. ®r¦la Prabhup§da said often and explicitly that serious study of his books would fix devotees in a life of voluntary austerity and give them a broad perspective of K¥¢£a consciousness according to the Gau¨¦ya understanding. With such a perspective devotees would be able to understand the importance of applying K¥¢£a consciousness in their own lives as well as preaching it to others. ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s books held all the answers—how to practise devotional service and how to fulfil all spiritual aspirations. By continually discussing his books among themselves, his followers would become perfect in K¥¢£a consciousness. To neglect such discussions would be to put themselves in harm’s way. ®r¦la Prabhup§da writes, “All the devotees connected with the K¥¢£a consciousness movement must read all the books that have been translated (the Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, ®r¦mad-Bh§gavatam, the Bhagavad-g¦t§ and others); otherwise, after some time, they will simply eat, sleep, and fall down from their positions. Thus they will miss the opportunity to attain an eternal, blissful life of transcendental pleasure.”16
In summary, by faithfully assimilating and following ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s teachings, devotees will naturally develop spontaneous attachment to K¥¢£a. In time, the devotees’ mature spontaneous attachment will inspire K¥¢£a to reveal their spiritual identity (siddha-deha), their relationship with Him (rasa), and the loving devotion by which to purchase Him (prema). Thus under ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s guidance, members of ISKCON who follow Prabhup§da’s v§£¦ strictly, will unquestionably return back home, back to Godhead.
15 Letter to Tu¢±a K¥¢£a, Ahmedabad, 14 December, 1972. 16 ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Madhya-l¦l§ 25.278, purport.
43
¼uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i
Reading ¼r¦la Prabhup§da’s Books
We have mentioned the importance of reading ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s books, but the subject requires further consideration. This section briefly explores the realm of how to study ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s books. ®uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i is, after all, mostly about hearing and reading.
Of all the Vai¢£ava authors I study and have learned to know and love, ®r¦la Prabhup§da is the one who continues to amaze me the most. Devotees know the extraordinary potency of his writings, which have made K¥¢£a known throughout the world. Yet how many devotees fully appreciate how much knowledge ®r¦la Prabhup§da condenses in what appears to be a simple and effortless presentation of K¥¢£a consciousness? In plain English, with everyday examples, ®r¦la Prabhup§da makes elevated devotional moods, complex philosophical concepts, and intricate linguistic nuances understandable even to laypersons. Indeed, the spiritual truths in ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s purports are like hidden veins of gold that when mined reveal pure nuggets of transcendental wisdom. Devotees who scrutinize ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s books tend to observe that he often embeds in a few phrases instructions for readers at many levels of advancement. Thus his teachings are simultaneously relevant to neophytes, intermediates, and the advanced.
But devotees who neglect to read Prabhup§da’s books, or who read them superficially, cannot perceive His Divine Grace’s many-levelled guidance. They then lose their taste for hearing and for following his directions, and eventually they fall away from the path of pure devotional service.
What constitutes superficial reading? When readers fail to see the deeper meanings an author intends, their reading is said to be superficial — they see only a shallow, unsubstantial gloss of words. Shallow too is their attempt to separate the author’s intended meaning from the greater context of his overall teachings, the scriptural texts they illuminate, and the writings of previous §c§ryas.
44
Introduction
One example of a shallow approach to ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s books is the misreading of his description of spontaneous devotional service in the second chapter of The Nectar of Devotion. ®r¦la Prabhup§da writes,
Now this s§dhana-bhakti, or practice of devotional service, may also be divided into two parts. The first part is called service according to regulative principles: one has to follow these different regulative principles by the order of the spiritual master or on the strength of authoritative scriptures, and there can be no question of refusal. That is called vaidh¦, or regulated. One has to do it without argument. Another part of s§dhana-bhakti is called r§g§nug§. R§g§nug§ refers to the point at which, by following the regulative principles, one becomes a little more attached to K¥¢£a and executes devotional service out of natural love. For example, a person engaged in devotional service may be ordered to rise early in the morning and offer §rati, which is a form of deity worship. In the beginning, by the order of his spiritual master, one rises early in the morning and offers §rati, but then he develops real attachment. When he gets this attachment, he automatically tries to decorate the deity and prepare different kinds of dresses and thinks of different plans to execute his devotional service nicely. Although it is within the category of practice, this offering of loving service is spontaneous. So the practice of devotional service, s§dhana-bhakti, can be divided into two parts—namely, regulative and spontaneous.17
A superficial reading of this text may lead devotees to misconstrue it as the complete definition of r§g§nuga-bhakti. With such a misconception they may accept the definition of spontaneous devotional service as no more than rising automatically for ma¯gal§rati, dressing the deity nicely, and making plans for service. But this definition is incomplete because it fails to consider what ®r¦la Prabhup§da says elsewhere in his books on the subject, or
17 The Nectar of Devotion, chapter 2, page 21.
45
¼uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i
what §c§ryas such as R¡pa Gosv§m¦ say. In the quotation under discussion, ®r¦la Prabhup§da is giving examples of how devotees behave when they develop “natural love” and “real attachment.”
But for a complete understanding of spontaneous service, one must look carefully at what ®r¦la Prabhup§da says about it directly, for instance, in chapter sixteen of The Nectar of Devotion. There he says, “Persons desiring to follow in the footsteps of such eternal devotees of the Lord as the V¥¢£is and V¥nd§vana denizens are called r§g§nug§ devotees, which means that they are trying to attain to the perfection of those devotees…There is a gradual development of the ambition to become like a particular devotee, and this activity is called r§g§nug§. We must always remember, however, that such eagerness to follow in the footsteps of the denizens of Vraja (V¥nd§vana) is not possible unless one is freed from material contamination. In following the regulative principles of devotional service, there is a stage called anartha-niv¥tti, which means the disappearance of all material contamination… When one is actually spontaneously attracted to the loving principles of the gop¦s, there will be found no trace of any mundane contamination in his character.”18
Here ®r¦la Prabhup§da clearly defines spontaneous devotion as the pure ambition to serve K¥¢£a like the Vraja-v§s¦s, a definition consistent with the one R¡pa Gosv§m¦ gives in Bhakti-ras§m¥tasindhu.19 To this ®r¦la Prabhup§da adds a second component: freedom from unwanted habits. In ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s definition, therefore, practising spontaneous devotion cultivates the ambition to serve K¥¢£a like the Vraja-v§s¦s and begins after the stage of anartha-niv¥tti.
Thus we should understand the first of ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s statements above in relation to the second. The second says that the chief symptom of spontaneous devotional service is the genuine greed to serve K¥¢£a in the mood of the Vraja-v§s¦s. It also says that the earliest such greed manifests itself when devotees are
18 The Nectar of Devotion, chapter 16, page 125. 19 See Bhakti-ras§m¥ta-sindhu 1.2.292.
46
Introduction
free of material contamination. The first statement says that devotees in whom such spontaneous devotion has appeared will rise early, dress the deity, and practise other acts of devotion out of real attachment rather than out of duty.
The proper understanding of the first statement, therefore, is that all spontaneous devotees have a natural attachment for devotional practices. It does not say what a superficial reading may infer—that devotees who rise early and dress the deities are necessarily on the path of r§g§nug§-bhakti.
In this way, devotees should be attentive while reading ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s books. They should not take ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s statements out of the context of his entire teachings, teachings that are a window to the teachings of the previous §c§ryas. Instead, they should make an effort to understand his writings in a holistic way. ®r¦la Prabhup§da worked hard to write his books. Shouldn’t we, his followers, show our appreciation for his labours by working just as hard to understand them?
Concluding Words
®uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i uses ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s teachings as a template—along with references to the books of our previous §c§ryas — to systematically present the devotional practices and perfection of vraja-bhakti, “K¥¢£a consciousness.” I am an insignificant disciple of a great master, yet by the encouragement of ®r¦la Prabhup§da, the embodiment of all masters and professors of conclusive truth, I have taken up this work. I pray that it pleases him and all the Vai¢£avas. As I write I become more confident that my words will be of value to the ISKCON I love so much, but because even the best of efforts is covered by some fault, I humbly request my learned readers to correct any mistakes they may find and to forgive my shortcomings.
47
Part One Mixed Devotional Service
brahm§£¨a bhramite kona bh§gyav§n j¦va guru-k¥¢£a-pras§de p§ya bhakti-lat§-b¦ja
According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of K¥¢£a. By the mercy of both K¥¢£a and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.
®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Madhya-l¦l§ 19.151
CHAPTER ONE
The Seed of Devotion
The subject of devotional service is a vast ocean. To summarize even a drop of it seems impossible. May the mercy of ®r¦ Caitanya Mah§prabhu, which makes even impossible things possible, descend to bless this humble effort.
This first chapter describes the nature of devotion in general, how it awakens, how it begins to develop, and how a person becomes eligible for devotional service. Also mentioned is how the impure motives of conditioned souls cover devotion to produce varieties of mixed devotional service. The thrust of this book is pure devotional service, but mixed devotion is discussed first so that the reader may better understand the workings of devotional service in general and later the rareness of pure devotion (uttama-bhakti). Furthermore, this knowledge will allow the reader to analyse the nature of his or her devotion to determine whether it is pure or mixed. Hopefully the information provided here will inspire the reader to advance in devotional service.
Knowledge of Relationship
Genuine devotion rests on knowledge of the soul’s relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sentiment devoid of
53
¼uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i
such knowledge, no matter how well-intentioned, can mislead even the most sincere seeker. This section explains why knowledge of the Supreme Lord’s relationship with His energies (sambandhajñ§na) is essential for those wishing to avoid being misled.
The Vedas, Pur§£as, Ved§nta-s¡tra, and ultimately ®r¦madBh§gavatam speak of devotional service either directly or indirectly. The teachings of ®r¦ Caitanya Mah§prabhu consistently analyse scripture in terms of three categories. In fact, all standard commentators, including Lord Caitanya Himself, say that every ªloka of Ved§nta-s¡tra can be placed into one of these three categories.
sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana n§ma ei tina artha sarva-s¡tre paryavas§na “One’s relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, activities in terms of that relationship, and the ultimate goal of life [to develop love of God]— these three subjects are explained in every aphorism of the Ved§nta-s¡tra, for they form the culmination of the entire Ved§nta philosophy.” (®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Ýdi-l¦l§ 7.146)
Sambandha-jñ§na comprises knowledge of four subjects: the Supreme Lord, the living entities, the material world, and their interrelationships. Abhidheya is the means the living entities use to practically apply that knowledge, and prayojana, the perfection of devotional activities, refers to pure love of God and how it is shared between the living entities and the Lord. 1
To acquire knowledge of relationship is the primary duty of every Vai¢£ava, and in fulfilling this duty it is best not to forget or underestimate the importance of studying ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s books. Transcendental knowledge is like the weapon a well-trained soldier takes to the battlefield. In the absence of such a weapon, a soldier faces certain defeat at the enemy’s hands. Similarly, unless devotees are sufficiently educated in sambandha-jñ§na, their efforts on the battlefield of devotional activities will surely meet with setbacks or downfall.
1 See ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Ýdi-l¦l§ 7.146, purport.
54
The Seed of Devotion
®r¦la Prabhup§da certainly emphasized that knowledge of relationship is a prerequisite for advancing in devotional service as well as for preaching K¥¢£a consciousness, but he did not say that one has to become a scholar to be his disciple. The simple-hearted devotee can receive transcendental knowledge by hearing from realized souls and by purely chanting the Hare K¥¢£a mah§-mantra. For example, ®r¦la Prabhup§da said, “…even you do not read the books, simply if you take part in these three things, chanting, dancing, and taking part in eating the pras§dam, your life will gradually progress in spiritual advancement of life…then some day will come…that you will understand what is K¥¢£a. And as soon as you understand K¥¢£a, then after leaving this body you go back to home, back to Godhead…”2 In short, even if devotees do not read books to acquire sambandha-jñ§na, they can gain it by chanting purely, and in that way proceed.
Still, all aspirants, whether through study, hearing, chanting, or any combination of the three, must acquire sambandha-jñ§na. The absence of such knowledge obstructs progressive devotional ser vice. ®r¦la Prabhup§da writes, “…Self-realization is the position of the liberated state. One understands his constitutional position by knowledge and vair§gya, renunciation. Without knowledge, one cannot have realization. The realization that one is the infinitesimal part and parcel of the Supreme Spirit [sambandha-jñ§na] makes him unattached to material, conditional life. That is the beginning of devotional service. Unless one is liberated from material contamination, one cannot engage himself in the devotional service of the Lord.”3
Bhaktisiddh§nta Sarasvat¦ çh§kura also writes, “Without knowledge of transcendental truth, no one’s heart can be spiritually attuned to Lord K¥¢£a. If one lacks knowledge of his relationship with K¥¢£a, then the proper execution of devotional service in relationship to Him is impossible.”4 And çh§kura Bhaktivinoda stresses the need for knowledge of relationship in the
2 Ratha-y§tr§ lecture, London, 13 July, 1972. 3 ®r¦mad-Bh§gavatam, 3.25.18, purport. 4 Pr§k¥ta-rasa-ªata-d¡¢a£¦ 26.
55
¼uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i
following statement: “As long as the j¦va is not firmly established in the knowledge of sambandha-tattva…[he will be unable to] disperse the mist and clouds [of anarthas] from his heart…In this state the j¦va cannot chant the pure name of K¥¢£a, his chanting [being] polluted by unwanted things.”5
K¥¢£a spoke Bhagavad-g¦t§, predominantly sambandha-jñ§na, to resolve Arjuna’s dilemma and empower him to surrender.6 Caitanya Mah§prabhu imparted extensive sambandha-jñ§na to San§tana Gosv§m¦ and R¡pa Gosv§m¦. And ®r¦la Vy§sadeva preserved the teachings of Lord K¥¢£a and Lord Caitanya to give light in this Age of Kali.7 Subsequently, all spiritual masters in the line of Vy§sadeva train their followers in the sambandha-jñ§na spoken by ®r¦ K¥¢£a and ®r¦ Caitanya Mah§prabhu.
It is the duty of every aspiring devotee to cultivate the knowledge left by Vy§sa and received so reverentially by great souls such as Arjuna, San§tana Gosv§m¦, and R¡pa Gosv§m¦. Readers not versed in the topics of sambandha-jñ§na are advised to seriously study the references cited above. Space does not permit a thorough study of the subject here. This book is mainly about the process of cultivating our relationship with K¥¢£a and the breathtaking results of awakening love for Him. It presumes that the reader has at least a grasp of the foundational knowledge of the K¥¢£a conscious philosophy. Readers who have heard attentively and who have assimilated this knowledge are in a position to taste the ripe fruit of this book’s teachings.
The Definition of Devotional Service
This section defines devotional service and briefly discusses its primary (svar¡pa) and marginal (ta±astha) characteristics (lak¢a£a).8
5 ®r¦ Hari-n§ma-cint§ma£i, chapter 3, page 20. 6 See ®r¦mad-Bh§gavatam 3.4.32, purport. 7 ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta (Antya-l¦l§ 20.82) refers to V¥nd§vana D§sa çh§kura and all others who describe ®r¦ Caitanya Mah§prabhu’s pastimes “Vy§sadeva”. 8 See Waves of Devotion, Eastern Ocean, First Wave, Introduction, pages 29–34.
56
The Seed of Devotion
The ny§ya-koªa dictionary of logic defines svar¡pa-lak¢a£a as a thing’s fundamental nature and ta±astha-lak¢a£a as the secondary nature that further defines it.
The following initial definition of devotional service rests on the Pur§£ic reference cited by J¦va Gosv§m¦ in Bhakti-sandarbha. There he quotes from the Garu¨a Pur§£a as follows: “Now I shall describe devotional service to Lord Vi¢£u. By engaging in such service, one attains everything. Only devotional service and nothing else pleases Lord Hari.”9 ®r¦ J¦va then gives the etymological sense of the word bhakti by quoting another text from the same sm¥ti:
bhaj ity e¢a vai dh§tu¤ sev§y§° parik¦rtita¤ tasm§t sev§ budhai¤ prokt§ bhakti¤ s§dhana-bh¡yas¦ “The noun bhakti derives from the verbal root bhaj (to serve). Therefore the wise say that bhakti, which refers to the best of all spiritual paths, means devotional service.” (Garu¨a Pur§£a, P¡rva-kha£¨a 231.3)
Some readers may question why this section does not begin with the better-known definition of pure devotional service (any§bhil§¢it§-ª¡nyam…) given by R¡pa Gosv§m¦ at the beginning of Bhakti-ras§m¥ta-sindhu.10
The reason is that this book follows the example of our siddh§nta-§c§rya, J¦va Gosv§m¦. Although defining pure devotion in the same way that R¡pa Gosv§m¦ defines it, ®r¦ J¦va first paves the way to that definition by anchoring Lord Caitanya’s teachings to the Vedic tradition. The Sandarbhas begin by basing Gau¨¦ya Vai¢£ava philosophy on conventional Vedic sources— ªruti and sm¥ti, especially ®r¦mad-Bh§gavatam. After chapter one in this book, we will centre our discussion on R¡pa Gosv§m¦’s seamless definition of pure devotional service.
9 See Bhakti-sandarbha, anuccheda 216. 10 See Bhakti-ras§m¥ta-sindhu 1.1.11.
57
¼uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i
Continuing with J¦va Gosv§m¦’s initial definition, in the first of the two Pur§£ic verses mentioned above, the phrase “by engaging in such service, one attains everything” indicates the marginal characteristic of bhakti; and in the second verse, the word “service” (sev§) indicates its primary characteristic.11
Here a doubt may arise whether the word bhakti may also apply to the dedication shown by demigod worshippers, or to the self-worship of some impersonalists. ®r¦la Prabhup§da rejects this proposal. He writes, “The English word ‘worship’ cannot be used in the same sense as bhaj. Worship means to adore, or to show respect and honour to the worthy one. But service with love and faith is especially meant for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One can avoid worshiping a respectable man or a demigod and may be called discourteous, but one cannot avoid serving the Supreme Lord without being thoroughly condemned.”12
Devotional service is easy to perform and is accessible to all. It is the singular means to know the Lord and the spiritual process recommended by the Lord Himself. K¥¢£a concludes the Bhagavadg¦t§, for example, by asking all human beings to reject without fear all forms of religiosity in favour of exclusive devotional service to Him.13 And sage Kavi tells Mah§r§ja Nimi that the Lord personally prescribes only devotional service as the actual solution to repeated birth and death.
ye vai bhagavat§ prokt§ up§y§ hy §tma-labdhaye añja¤ pu°s§m avidu¢§° viddhi bh§gavat§n hi t§n “Even ignorant living entities can very easily come to know the Supreme Lord if they adopt those means prescribed by the Supreme Lord Himself. The process recommended by the Lord
11 See Bhakti-sandarbha, anuccheda 216. 12 Bhagavad-g¦t§ As It Is 6.47, purport. 13 Bhagavad-g¦t§ As It Is 18.66.
58
The Seed of Devotion
is to be known as bh§gavata-dharma or devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (®r¦mad-Bh§gavatam 11.2.34)
The above ª§stric quotes, among many others, confirm the definition of bhakti cited earlier from the Garu¨a Pur§£a: Bhakti is ser vice rendered exclusively to the Supreme Lord Vi¢£u, its principal characteristic is service to Him, and its marginal characteristics are the perfections achieved by its practitioners.
How Devotion Awakens
The Bhagavat-sandarbha lists bhakti among the Lord’s various spiritual or internal energies.14 ®r¦la Prabhup§da often points out that devotional service, as a manifestation of K¥¢£a’s internal potency (svar¡pa-ªakti), is intrinsically nondifferent from Him. It logically follows, then, that since K¥¢£a is fully independent, so is bhakti.15 Viªvan§tha Cakravart¦ çh§kura establishes this in the first chapter of his M§dhurya-k§dambin¦. There he cites ®r¦mad-Bh§gavatam to show that devotional service is unmotivated and uninterrupted (ahaituky apratihat§); in other words, that it is fully independent.16 The §c§rya gives many arguments based on both ª§stra and logic to support his thesis. çh§kura Bhaktivinoda also writes, “Devotional service is independent. It does not depend on knowledge or renunciation,” svatas tad-apek¢§-ª¡ny§ svatantr§ ca.17 Accepting the conclusion that bhakti is fully independent, it is therefore more accurate to say that it manifests itself than to say it is acquired.
That said, certain questions remain unanswered: How and why does bhakti manifest itself? And why does it manifest itself to some j¦vas and not to others?
In answer to the first question, ª§stra states that devotion primarily manifests itself to the j¦vas through the medium of
14 See ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Ýdi-l¦l§ 5.84, purport. 15 ®r¦mad-Bh§gavatam (1.1.1) begins by asserting that K¥¢£a is sva-r§±, “fully independent.” 16 See ®r¦mad-Bh§gavatam 1.2.6. 17 ®r¦ Amn§ya-s¡tra 125.
59
¼uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i
a pure devotee. ®r¦ Caitanya Mah§prabhu explains, “Unless one is favoured by a pure devotee, one cannot attain the platform of devotional service. To say nothing of k¥¢£a-bhakti, one cannot even be relieved from the bondage of material existence.”18
But there are exceptions to this rule. K¥¢£a’s direct mercy and the Vedic literature may also award devotional service. For instance, N§rada-bhakti-s¡tra states: mukhyatas tu mahat-k¥payaiva bhagavat-k¥p§-leª§d v§, “Though primarily one attains devotional service by the mercy of the great devotees, one may also attain it from a small particle of the mercy of the Supreme Lord Himself.”19 Similarly, contrary to the opinions of some philosophers, the seed of devotion can also be received from ª§stra. ®r¦la Prabhup§da states, for example, that it is available from the Bhagavad-g¦t§.20
In whichever way beginners receive the seed — the standard way from saints, or an exceptional way from K¥¢£a or ª§stra—the company of pure devotees is necessary to properly cultivate it. And if under valid and exceptional circumstances such company is unavailable, K¥¢£a may act as the pure association from within. The Lord says: “To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me. To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.”21 In his purports to these verses, ®r¦la Prabhup§da gives the conditions under which even less intelligent devotees in exceptional circumstances receive the Lord’s direct guidance: they must display a sincere effort to become K¥¢£a conscious, engaging constantly in the Lord’s loving service.
The answer to the second question, “Why does bhakti manifest itself?” lies in the compassionate nature of devotion itself. Again, Viªvan§tha Cakravart¦ çh§kura, in the first shower of his M§dhurya-k§dambin¦, discusses this point directly. His conclusion
18 ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Madhya-l¦l§ 22.51. Lord Caitanya substantiates His argument by quoting ®r¦mad-Bh§gavatam 5.12.12. 19 N§rada-bhakti-s¡tra 38. 20 See Renunciation Through Wisdom 1.9. 21 Bhagavad-g¦t§ As It Is 10.10–11.
60
The Seed of Devotion
is that the bhakti in the hearts of certain devotees impels them to give bhakti to others. Thus devotion is self-manifesting. Bhaktidev¦ impels pure devotees to share devotion by invoking their compassion for the conditioned souls. This empathy is illustrated most wonderfully in the following prayer by Prahl§da Mah§r§ja:
pr§ye£a deva munaya¤ sva-vimukti-k§m§ mauna° caranti vijane na par§rtha-ni¢±h§¤ nait§n vih§ya k¥pa£§n vimumuk¢a eko n§nya° tvad asya ªara£a° bhramato ’nupaªye “My dear Lord N¥si°hadeva, I see that there are many saintly persons indeed, but they are interested only in their own deliverance. Not caring for the big cities and towns, they go to the Him§layas or the forest to meditate with vows of silence [mauna-vrata]. They are not interested in delivering others. As for me, however, I do not wish to be liberated alone, leaving aside all these poor fools and rascals. I know that without K¥¢£a consciousness, without taking shelter of Your lotus feet, one cannot be happy. Therefore I wish to bring them back to shelter at Your lotus feet.” (®r¦mad-Bh§gavatam 7.9.44)
That bhakti inspires compassion in a devotee is consistent with the idea that devotion is self-manifesting. But since devotees are the central figures in bestowing devotional service, the third question needs recasting. Rather than saying, “Why does devotion manifest itself to some j¦vas and not to others?” the better question is, “Why do devotees give devotion to some j¦vas and not to others?” The answer to this recast question has two aspects: the first relates to the discrimination of preachers who distribute devotion, the second to the receptivity of the j¦vas who accept it.
The apparent partiality of devotees who distribute K¥¢£a consciousness has to do with the level of advancement they have achieved. There are three classes of devotees: the neophyte, the intermediate, and the advanced (pr§k¥ta, madhyama, and uttama, respectively). Neophyte devotees are rarely inspired to give devotion to others. Rather, they are self-centred, concerned only with their own advancement. In contrast, the vision of the
61
¼uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i
uttama-bhaktas is so elevated that they see everyone, even the nondevotees, as fully engaged in bhakti; therefore they see no need to preach. They may influence the atmosphere of the world by their elevated devotional activities, but generally they do not consciously preach. In this way, the lowest and highest devotees generally do not give devotion to others.
That leaves the intermediate devotees as the natural medium for distributing bhakti. For this reason ®r¦la Prabhup§da repeatedly exalts the intermediate devotee preachers. He writes, “Such an advanced devotee is called a madhyama-bh§gavata, which indicates that he has attained the intermediate stage between the neophyte and the perfect devotee. Generally a devotee in the intermediate stage becomes a preacher. A neophyte devotee or an ordinary person should worship the madhyama-bh§gavata, who is a via medium.”22 ®r¦ Havir describes the way in which the intermediate devotees discriminate:
¦ªvare tad-adh¦ne¢u b§liªe¢u dvi¢atsu ca prema-maitr¦-k¥popek¢§ ya¤ karoti sa madhyama¤ “An intermediate, second-class devotee shows love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is friendly to all devotees, and is very merciful to neophytes and ignorant people. The intermediate devotee neglects those who are envious of devotional service.” (®r¦mad-Bh§gavatam 11.2.46)
From this definition it is clear that although the intermediate devotees are friends to all, in order to give devotion they discriminate among different classes of persons. They see those who already have bhakti, the devotees. They see those who are eligible and receptive, the neophytes and the ignorant. And they see those unwilling to accept devotional service, the envious. The intermediate devotees choose to give devotion to the neophytes and the
22 ®r¦mad-Bh§gavatam 11.2.46, cited in ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Madhya-l¦l§ 16.72, purport.
62
The Seed of Devotion
ignorant. For this reason, some persons receive bhakti and others do not.
Although preachers are generally intermediate devotees, sometimes neophytes and very advanced devotees also distribute K¥¢£a consciousness.
When fully realized first-class devotees like ®r¦la Prabhup§da or his guru mah§r§ja preach, they adopt the discriminatory vision of the second-class Vai¢£avas. In other words, they “come down” to the intermediate platform. But because they remain elevated transcendentalists, the potency of their speech is much greater than that of the regular intermediate devotees. They display this preaching potency by touching a greater number of souls and by the relative quickness with which they elevate these souls. The reason for this superior spiritual influence is that great souls always carry the Supreme Personality of Godhead in their hearts. ®r¦madBh§gavatam explains:
“My dear Lord, You are glorified by the selected verses uttered by great personalities. Such glorification of Your lotus feet is just like saffron particles. When the transcendental vibration from the mouths of great devotees carries the aroma of the saffron dust of Your lotus feet, the forgetful living entity gradually remembers his eternal relationship with You. Devotees thus gradually come to the right conclusion about the value of life. My dear Lord, I therefore do not need any other benediction but the opportunity to hear from the mouth of Your pure devotee.”23
In glorifying ecstatic devotion, çh§kura Bhaktivinoda briefly describes the amount of spiritual potency devotees at different stages of advancement can instil in other Vai¢£avas and in non devotees. He says that devotees at the stage of love can give such love to anyone; devotees at the stage of ecstasy can raise devotees to ecstatic devotion and nondevotees to taste; and serious practitioners, who are not yet liberated, can give nondevotees faith.24
A lack of true discrimination handicaps neophyte devotees. Sometimes they see devotion where there is none and sometimes
23 ®r¦mad-Bh§gavatam 4.20.25. 24 See ®r¦ Caitanya-ªik¢§m¥ta, chapter 5, page 145.
63
¼uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i
they condemn advanced devotees. In fact, everyone’s spiritual status, including their own, bewilders them. That they awaken devotion in others has more to do with the piety of the recipients than their own meagre influence. Nonetheless, by the Lord’s mercy, sometimes even third-class Vai¢£avas instil devotion in the hearts of others.
This completes the answer to the first aspect of the third question concerning how preachers discriminate while distributing devotion. Now let us turn to the second aspect: the receptivity of the persons to whom the devotees preach.
As already established, for devotion to awaken in a person, that person must hear from devotees. The ability to hear depends on both opportunity and receptivity, and both of these depend on the piety of the potential hearer. Since devotion is self-manifesting, the type of piety meant here cannot be material. It must be spiritual, and more specifically, spiritual piety coming from devotional service.
How do nondevotees, who by definition are not interested in devotion, come into contact with devotional service?
They do so unknowingly. The devotional piety brought about by such unwitting acts of devotion is called ajñ§ta-suk¥ti.
What kind of acts constitute ajñ§ta-suk¥ti?
A nondevotee may, for example, show a simple act of kindness toward a Vai¢£ava without knowing what a Vai¢£ava is — perhaps by giving a donation. The same kindness shown to an ordinary person would be counted as material piety, but shown to a Vai¢£ava the piety accrued is devotional. This piety by which one becomes receptive to K¥¢£a consciousness is also called bhakty-unmukh¦ suk¥ti. In the absolute sense, this type of piety is the only good fortune a living entity acquires. Pious activities that bestow material opulence (bhogonmukh¦ suk¥ti) or by which one merges into the Supreme Lord’s existence (mok¢onmukh¦ suk¥ti) are not truly fortunate because they distract from the real goal of life.25
25 See ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Madhya-l¦l§ 22.45, purport.
64
The Seed of Devotion
The Caitanya-carit§m¥ta provides an example of ajñ§ta-suk¥ti.26 Prak§ª§nanda Sarasvat¦, the leader of the M§y§v§d¦ sanny§s¦s in Benares, was criticizing Caitanya Mah§prabhu, thinking Him an ordinary man. When the Lord visited him, Prak§ª§nanda personally greeted Him and seated Him in the assembly of sanny§s¦s. This respectful behaviour offered unknowingly to the Supreme Lord was the ajñ§ta-suk¥ti by which Prak§ª§nanda became qualified to hear from Caitanya Mah§prabhu and later to become a Vai¢£ava.
Now we have a complete answer to the third question. Persons who receive devotional service do so because of their own receptivity combined with the discriminating initiative of Vai¢£ava preachers.
There are unlimited ways in which these general principles are applied in practical life. Sometimes persons with little ajñ§ta-suk¥ti will hear from a great devotee like ®r¦la Prabhup§da and only after many years display symptoms of devotion. Sometimes a very receptive person will hear from a neophyte devotee and quickly take to devotion, surpassing even his or her vartma-pradarªaka-guru,27 as did Dhruva Mah§r§ja with his mother. And sometimes a person with little piety will quickly advance to pure devotion, as did M¥g§ri after meeting N§rada.
Modern-day Vai¢£avas tell stories of how they were introduced and initially trained in K¥¢£a consciousness by devotees who had left devotional service to indulge in sinful acts. Later, these same Vai¢£avas found serious practitioners of ideal conduct to follow. These are some of the many ways in which people receive and accept pure devotion. But the foremost and overriding consideration, one that saints and scripture constantly emphasize, is the mercy of pure devotees, whose hearts overflow with compassion for conditioned souls.
26 ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Ýdi-l¦l§ 7.62–65. 27 ®r¦la Prabhup§da comments in ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta (Madhya-l¦l§ 8.128), “One who first gives information about spiritual life is called the vartma-pradarªaka-guru or spiritual master.”
65
¼uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i
The Seed of Devotion
On the subject of how devotion awakens, another question arises. What is it that living entities receive when devotion becomes manifest in them? This subject is extremely important, because a clear grasp of it paves the way for a thorough understanding of devotional service in both its pure and mixed forms.
It is the seed of devotion, the bhakti-b¦ja; more precisely, the seed of the creeper of devotion, the bhakti-lat§-b¦ja. As ®r¦ Caitanya Mah§prabhu says to R¡pa Gosv§m¦,
brahm§£¨a bhramite kona bh§gyav§n j¦va guru-k¥¢£a-pras§de p§ya bhakti-lat§-b¦ja “According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of K¥¢£a. By the mercy of both K¥¢£a and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.” (®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Madhya-l¦l§ 19.151)
Since the phrase “seed of the creeper of devotion” is figurative, what is it more precisely?
It is the transcendental knowledge received from pure devotees that awakens our latent love for K¥¢£a.28 ®r¦la Prabhup§da elaborates: “The methods, rules, and regulations by which one is perfectly trained in devotional service constitute the bhakti-lat§-b¦ja, or seed of devotional service.”29
After submissively receiving the seed of the creeper of devotion, the j¦vas must embrace that transcendental knowledge in order to sow it in the garden of their heart. The devotee-gardeners must then regularly water that seed with the nectar of devotion
28 See ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Madhya-l¦l§ 22.107. 29 ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Madhya-l¦l§ 19.152, purport.
66
The Seed of Devotion
in practice (s§dhana-bhakti), especially the divine elixirs of hearing about K¥¢£a and chanting His names. The essence of what this book will teach is how to hear and chant in a way that allows the seed of devotion to fructify. ®r¦la Prabhup§da adds to this watering process an additional duty: giving the message of Godhead to others. This should be carefully noted. ®r¦la Prabhup§da includes preaching in his description of the watering process. He writes, “The seed of devotion cannot sprout unless watered by the process of hearing and chanting. One should submissively receive the transcendental messages from spiritually advanced sources and chant the very same messages for one’s own benefit and for the benefit of one’s audience.”30 In other words, s§dhana-bhakti includes preaching, and preaching nourishes one’s devotional creeper as well as the devotional creepers of others. Lord K¥¢£a and Lord Caitanya are especially inclined to preachers.31 Who, then, can estimate the extra benefit preachers receive from the rain shower of Their special mercy?
The general principle illustrated by the example of the bhakti-lat§-b¦ja is that every action begins with an inaugural seed. Moreover, spiritual or mundane, pious or sinful, any action begins with the seed of knowledge.
In this regard ®r¦la Prabhup§da gives an illuminating commentary: “Everything has an original cause, or seed. For any idea, programme, plan, or device, there is first the contemplation of the plan, and that is called the b¦ja, or seed. The methods, rules, and regulations by which one is perfectly trained in devotional service constitute the bhakti-lat§-b¦ja, or seed of devotional service. This bhakti-lat§-b¦ja is received from the spiritual master by the grace of K¥¢£a. Other seeds, called any§bhil§¢a-b¦ja, include karma-b¦ja and jñ§na-b¦ja. If one is not fortunate enough to receive the bhakti-lat§-b¦ja from the spiritual master, he instead cultivates such seeds as karma-b¦ja, jñ§na-b¦ja, or political, social, or philanthropic b¦jas. However, the bhakti-lat§-b¦ja is different from these other b¦jas.”32
30 ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Ýdi-l¦l§ 2.117. 31 See Bhagavad-g¦t§ As It Is 18.68–69. 32 ®r¦ Caitanya-carit§m¥ta, Madhya-l¦l§ 19.152, purport
67
¼uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i
Here ®r¦la Prabhup§da broadens the concept of b¦ja. The type of knowledge persons receive corresponds to the type of seed they sow in their hearts. Further knowledge of a subject, as well as actions inspired by that knowledge, cultivates the seed into a creeper that matures and bears its own distinctive flowers and fruit.
Devotees dedicated to achieving spiritual perfection would do well to seriously meditate on this line of reasoning. They should carefully contemplate the effect submissive hearing of mundane topics unrelated to K¥¢£a has on the heart. That kind of hearing sows nondevotional seeds. Seeds caused and nurtured by mundane movies, music, books, education, magazines, even idle thoughts, compete with and suppress the growth of the delicate creeper of devotion. Only three decades after ®r¦la Prabhup§da’s disappearance, it is common to hear of initiated devotees frequenting mundane movies and listening to rock music, things virtually unheard of while ®r¦la Prabhup§da was with us. Such devotees appear callous to or at least uninformed about the catastrophic effects such habits have on the garden of their hearts. In our information-crazed age, the world is a jungle-maze of mundane creepers that strangle the hearts of conditioned souls with their tendrils and poison them with their fruit. The only path out of such bewilderment is the focused cultivation of the bhakti-lat§-b¦ja as it grows luxuriant under the sun of pure devotion.
It is impossible to discuss completely the countless creepers that grow from various types of worldly knowledge and that perpetuate material existence. As ®r¦la Prabhup§da says, there are social, political, and philanthropic seeds, to name a few. But some seeds, although not seeds of pure devotion, do contain knowledge of concepts that are partially devotional. These seeds contain a semblance (§bh§sa) of the creeper of pure devotion and are therefore called §bh§sa-bhakti-lat§-b¦jas.
Two kinds of seeds produce a semblance of the creeper of devotion: transcendental knowledge polluted with the desire for material enjoyment (karma-b¦ja) and transcendental knowledge polluted with the desire for liberation (jñ§na-b¦ja).
How does a person acquire the seed of the semblance of devotion?
68
The Seed of Devotion
Many religionists and philosophers from both Vedic and non-Vedic schools of thought consider devotional service a means to attain either sense gratification or liberation. Accordingly, they incorporate either the spirit of enjoyment or the spirit of indifference into the concept of devotion. When these schools’ proponents disseminate such distorted knowledge, they propagate the seeds of the creeper of bhakty-§bh§sa. These creepers have as their flowers and fruit elevation to heavenly planets and liberation, not love of God. Persons who receive such seeds are less fortunate because had they received the pure bhakti-lat§-b¦ja they would have cultivated pure devotion and quickly tasted the fruits of direct service to the Lord. Instead, they continue to rotate in the cycle of birth and death.
Many well-known proponents of such semblance of devotion live under the cultural umbrella of Hinduism. Impersonal philosophy (M§y§v§da) and Western materialism have polluted the eternal theology (san§tana-dharma) of the Vedas33 and have given rise to countless impure ideologies, many of which use the name bhakti. Although persons of Indian origin often say, “I know all about K¥¢£a,” what they often know is a distorted picture of the Absolute Truth, a philosophy that artificially tries to make everything one without distinction. To such so-called knowers of the truth there is no difference between themselves and God, and that distorted picture impels them to a kind of worship of the Lord in which they perform rituals, chant mantras, and offer prayers in the hopes of achieving material opulence or becoming God. What such practitioners don’t know is that their brand of spirituality is but a semblance of devotion, a cause for rebirth — often in lower species of life.
Persons who have received the seed of the semblance of devotion can have a change of fortune by coming into contact with pure devotees, but they must hear submissively and openly admit their previous misconceptions. In this way they become eligible for devotional service and its perfections.
33 San§tana-dharma is a well-known name for devotional service in practice. See the introduction to Bhagavad-g¦t§ As It Is, page 17.
69
¼uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i
In summary, the type of knowledge persons receive determines the type of seed they sow in their hearts. Living entities fortunate enough to receive transcendental knowledge from pure devotees get the opportunity to practise pure devotional service, but those who receive impure or distorted knowledge continue to rotate in the cycle of birth and death. Only when they meet pure devotees does the door to pure devotional service open. It is for this reason that K¥¢£a extols transcendental knowledge:
na hi jñ§nena sad¥ªa° pavitram iha vidyate tat svaya° yoga-sa°siddha¤ k§len§tmani vindati
“In this world, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism. And one who has become accomplished in the practice of devotional service enjoys this knowledge within himself in due course of time.” (Bhagavad-g¦t§ As It Is 4.38)
This concludes the discussion of the seed of the creeper of devotion and the first chapter of ®uddha-bhakti-cint§ma£i. The next chapter discusses the first sprouts from the creepers of pure and mixed devotion—pure and impure faith, respectively.
70
