Raganuga Bhakti -- Questions and Answers
Q. But what about sravana, varana, smarana, apana and prapanna? The internal cultivation of these stages of raganuga, bhava and prema-bhakti is explicitly given in the sastras. Isn't it misleading to tell devotees to "just forget about that and go chant Hare Krishna and preach?"
A. In an article entitled Nam Bhajan by Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, two kinds of devotees are said to be prema-ruruksu (endowed with intense greed to achieve love of Godhead by the grace of the holy name of Krishna). These are the viviktanandis (also known as bhajananandis) and the gosthyanandis. Bhajananandis engage in a method of worship of the holy name that is called nirjana-bhajana. Like Shrila Haridasa Thakura, they chant 3 lakhs of holy names daily (i.e. 196 rounds of Hare Krishna Mahamantra within 24 hours time), and they avoid contact with outsiders as much as possible. Gosthyanandis are preachers who mix with the public in order to spread Krishna consciousness throughout the world.
Preaching is a gosthyanandi activity. Shrila Prabhupada explained in a Shrimad-Bhagavatam lecture of 1976: "There are gosthyanandi and bhajananandi. Bhajananandi is interested for his own welfare, or they think it that he is not competent enough to preach; therefore he does not go for preaching work. Sva-vimukti-kama: 'Let me look after my own affairs.' 'Oil your own machine.' So this is another stage, and other stage is a devotee taking all risk, preaching for the benefit of the whole human society. He is called gosthyanandi,increasing the number of devotees. That is preferred by Krishna. It is said in the Bhagavad-gita, ya imam paramam guhyam mad-bhaktesv abhidasyati: 'Anyone who is engaged in preaching this confidential science of Bhagavad-gita, 'na ca tasmad manusyesu kascid me priya-krttamah, 'nobody is dearer to Me than he is.' So if you want very quickly recognition by Krishna, go on preaching Krishna consciousness. Even if it imperfectly done, but because you are sincere in whatever capacity you have got, if you preach, then Krishna will be very much pleased."
Both gosthyanandis and bhajananandis perform raganuga nama-bhajana, a deep personal worship of the holy name of Krishna, which is what we do as japa and mantra-dhyana (Gayatri meditation). Thus both gosthyanandis and bhajananandis strive to pass through the stages of sravana (attentive hearing of the holy name), varana (acceptance of the holy name in the heart), smarana (constant remembrance of the holy name), apanna (full absorption of the mind into the holy name) and prapanna (attainment of one's svarupa in Krishna's pastimes). But since the preacher is most dear to Krishna, the Lord is most inclined to help the gosthyanandi attain perfection in nama-bhajana.The gosthyanandi makes rapid advancement in nama-bhajana by the sincerity of his preaching efforts.
Q. Would there be something wrong with an advanced devotee utilizing methods of nirjana-bhajana in his worship of the holy name
A. Shrila Prabhupada did not take to nirjana-bhajana even at the last stage of his manifest pastimes on earth. He remained engaged in preaching work to the end, and it is quite clear that he expected his disciples to follow his example. Previously, when gosthyanandi devotees grew old and physically feeble, they might go into seclusion in order to devote themselves fully to japa and remembrance of Krishna. But nirjana-bhajana was forbidden by Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura because he saw that the mind of modern man is too prone to pollution by thoughts of woman, wealth and fame. He therefore ordered his disciples to remain always engaged in sankirtana, and in this way reach the perfectional stage of raganuga nama-bhajana. He wrote in verse 19 of Vaishnava ke:
shridayitadasa kirtanete asa
kara uccaih svare harinama-rava
kirtana-prabhave smarana svabhavese
kale bhajana-nirjana sambhava"
This Shri-dayita dasa (His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura - the humble servant of the all-merciful Shrimati Radharani) simply desires to be absorbed in the nectar of spreading the glories of Lord Krishna's holy names. My dear mind, now let us loudly chant the holy names of Krishna so we can continuously remain in the ocean of transcendental nectar. The congregational chanting of the holy names of Krishna awakens the transcendental quality of natural spontaneous loving remembrance of Lord Krishna (including the Lord's form, qualities and pastimes). Only at that time does the confidential realization and pure practice of nirjana-bhajana in loving devotional service to Their Lordships Shri Shri Radha-Krishnabecome possible.
A. In an article entitled Nam Bhajan by Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, two kinds of devotees are said to be prema-ruruksu (endowed with intense greed to achieve love of Godhead by the grace of the holy name of Krishna). These are the viviktanandis (also known as bhajananandis) and the gosthyanandis. Bhajananandis engage in a method of worship of the holy name that is called nirjana-bhajana. Like Shrila Haridasa Thakura, they chant 3 lakhs of holy names daily (i.e. 196 rounds of Hare Krishna Mahamantra within 24 hours time), and they avoid contact with outsiders as much as possible. Gosthyanandis are preachers who mix with the public in order to spread Krishna consciousness throughout the world.
Preaching is a gosthyanandi activity. Shrila Prabhupada explained in a Shrimad-Bhagavatam lecture of 1976: "There are gosthyanandi and bhajananandi. Bhajananandi is interested for his own welfare, or they think it that he is not competent enough to preach; therefore he does not go for preaching work. Sva-vimukti-kama: 'Let me look after my own affairs.' 'Oil your own machine.' So this is another stage, and other stage is a devotee taking all risk, preaching for the benefit of the whole human society. He is called gosthyanandi,increasing the number of devotees. That is preferred by Krishna. It is said in the Bhagavad-gita, ya imam paramam guhyam mad-bhaktesv abhidasyati: 'Anyone who is engaged in preaching this confidential science of Bhagavad-gita, 'na ca tasmad manusyesu kascid me priya-krttamah, 'nobody is dearer to Me than he is.' So if you want very quickly recognition by Krishna, go on preaching Krishna consciousness. Even if it imperfectly done, but because you are sincere in whatever capacity you have got, if you preach, then Krishna will be very much pleased."
Both gosthyanandis and bhajananandis perform raganuga nama-bhajana, a deep personal worship of the holy name of Krishna, which is what we do as japa and mantra-dhyana (Gayatri meditation). Thus both gosthyanandis and bhajananandis strive to pass through the stages of sravana (attentive hearing of the holy name), varana (acceptance of the holy name in the heart), smarana (constant remembrance of the holy name), apanna (full absorption of the mind into the holy name) and prapanna (attainment of one's svarupa in Krishna's pastimes). But since the preacher is most dear to Krishna, the Lord is most inclined to help the gosthyanandi attain perfection in nama-bhajana.The gosthyanandi makes rapid advancement in nama-bhajana by the sincerity of his preaching efforts.
Q. Would there be something wrong with an advanced devotee utilizing methods of nirjana-bhajana in his worship of the holy name
A. Shrila Prabhupada did not take to nirjana-bhajana even at the last stage of his manifest pastimes on earth. He remained engaged in preaching work to the end, and it is quite clear that he expected his disciples to follow his example. Previously, when gosthyanandi devotees grew old and physically feeble, they might go into seclusion in order to devote themselves fully to japa and remembrance of Krishna. But nirjana-bhajana was forbidden by Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura because he saw that the mind of modern man is too prone to pollution by thoughts of woman, wealth and fame. He therefore ordered his disciples to remain always engaged in sankirtana, and in this way reach the perfectional stage of raganuga nama-bhajana. He wrote in verse 19 of Vaishnava ke:
shridayitadasa kirtanete asa
kara uccaih svare harinama-rava
kirtana-prabhave smarana svabhavese
kale bhajana-nirjana sambhava"
This Shri-dayita dasa (His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura - the humble servant of the all-merciful Shrimati Radharani) simply desires to be absorbed in the nectar of spreading the glories of Lord Krishna's holy names. My dear mind, now let us loudly chant the holy names of Krishna so we can continuously remain in the ocean of transcendental nectar. The congregational chanting of the holy names of Krishna awakens the transcendental quality of natural spontaneous loving remembrance of Lord Krishna (including the Lord's form, qualities and pastimes). Only at that time does the confidential realization and pure practice of nirjana-bhajana in loving devotional service to Their Lordships Shri Shri Radha-Krishnabecome possible.
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