SRADDHA TO PREMA
(I) SRADDHA: Faith in the Supreme Being Sri Krsna, i.e. the faith that by
serving Him alone everything else is served wholly and completely, as by pouring
water at the root of a plant all its branches twigs and leaves are fed. Sraddha
is aroused in the heart of an individual in bondage, but his association with
saints and by listening to the injunctions of the Scriptures. Sraddha is of two
kinds viz. (a) mundane, and (b) spiritual.
The spiritual Sraddha or firm faith is the seed of Bhakti (Cf. Bhakti Sandarbha)
(II) SADHU SANGA: Company of Sadhus or Saints. This means an individuals eager
desire to be in the company of a Sadhu in order to learn the methods of
spiritual practices for God realization alone and for no other purpose. But who
is a Sadhu?
According to Bhagavatam, Canto XI, Chap. 11, Slokas 29 to 31, the following are
the qualities of a genuine Sadhu or Saint: A Sadhu is kind; he cherishes
animosity toward none; he smilingly endures even the bitterest miseries; he
loves Truth as the vein-blood of his life; he never allows any evil thought to
pollute his mind; he looks upon all with equal love and compassion; he does not
entertain any kind of mundane desires to darken his mental quantum; he is
self-controlled, amiable and pure in character; he remains farthest from any
attempt to accumulate for his future subsistence and does not beg anything form
anybody; he is abstentious and peaceful; he is steady in his mind; he depends
absolutely on the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna, and remains in constant remembrance of
the Lord; he is patient, solemn, magnanimous and undisturbed even by utmost
provocations and turmoils; he has control over hunger, thirst, lamentations
,infatuation, birth and death; he does never aspire after respect for himself,
but is always respectful to others; he is friendly to all; his heart is full of
compassion for others; he is fully conversant with the real nature of God; and
he is erudite. To keep company with such a one in person, thought and through
discussions is Sadhu-sanga.
(III) BHAJANA-KRIYA: Spiritual practices (in the stage of bondage). This
Bhajana-Kriya is twofold viz.
(a)Nistha i.e. rigid following of listening to and singing the glories of the
Supreme Lord and (b) Anistha, i.e. slackness in spiritual practices. This
slackness in spiritual practices may be due to six different circumstances, viz.
Utsahamayi-early zeal in Bhakti like a child's first attempt at reading the
First Primer, thinking that it has become a great scholar, which slowly
declines;
Ghana-tarala- or thickened liquidity, i.e. sometimes progressive and sometimes
retrogressive processes of spiritual practices of Bhakti like the intensity
and slackness of a student in his studies.
Vyudha-Vikalpa-this is like a married man, vacillating between resolutions and
doubts. At times such a sadhaka resolved to remain in his householder’s life
in the company of his wife and children, relatives and friends, and devote
himself to spiritual practices of service to God, i.e. Bhakti, and again the
next moment he resolves to cut off all ties with his blood relations in order
to devote himself completely to a spiritual life. Such a vacillating state of
mind of a devotee is called Vyuha-Vikalpa Anisthita Bhajana-kriya, which means
a vacillating state resulting in slackness in Spiritual practices.
Visaya-Sangara-i.e.fight against the temptations of wroldly enjoyments. In
this state of slackness, the devotee sometimes overcomes allurements of
worldly pleasures and sometimes he is duped by them. Of worldly pleasures and
sometimes he is duped by them;
Niyama-Aksama-unstability in determination. In this state of slackened Bhakti
the Sadhaka fails to stick even to his strong determinations;
Tranga-Rangini- Even when a Sakhaka (one in his bondage engaged in spiritual
practices) is over whelmed by a desire for spiritual advancement and is
engaged in spiritual practices, he is drifted away by the powerful forces of
the tide or worldly gains, name and fame, etc. Such a state is called
Taranga-Rangini.
IV) ANARTHA-NIVRTTI: Cessation of the obstacles and the defects that cloud
Bhakti. These obstacles are four:---
(1) Obstacles arising out of impious thinking and wrong doings, as wel as
fivefold miseries, which are---
Avidya-to mistake a changeable and transitory object for an eternal entity.
Asmita--to misidrntify one's own self with one's gross physical body and one's
subtle body (mind, intelligences and ego);
Raga--attachment to objects of sense-experiences viz. form,(rupa),taste
(rasa), smell (gandha),touch (sparsa) and sound (sabda) corresponding to fire,
water earth, air and ether;
Dvesa-anger against opposition to the enjoyment of the senses;
Abhinivesa-to misconceive one as dead when the physical body and the
phenomenal objects of physical enjoyments are destroyed.
(2) Obstacles arising out of pious actions done either in this life or in
previous births, which offers enjoyment here inthis world or hereafter in heaven
(svarga). Enjoyment in this world or in heaven as a result of pious deeds are
obstacles to the attainment of Bhakti--they are like deep clouds that cover the
Moon of Bhakti.
(3) Obstacles arising out of ten offences done to the Name of Krsna and
thirty-two offences comitted in the services of Arcana i.e. worship of the
Deities in the temple. One should know them in detail so that spiritual
practices of Bhakti might no be overclouded.
(4) Obstacles arising out of Bhakti itself, that is, from a non-rigid state of
sadhana Bahkti. It is possible that one is carried away by the desires for
Bukti, i.e. for enjoyment of pleasures of heaven as a minor god, or desire for
Mukti (Sayujya-Mukti), i.e. self-annihilation by way of a desire to merge into
the Absolute Brahman, or be desires for worldly gains, name and fame, etc. One
has got to be very careful about these subtle temptations that may lead one
astray from unalloyed Bhakti. After there is a complete cessation of the
above-mentioned fourfold possible obstacles, there are five impediments to the
practices of elementary Bhakti for a Sadhaka-a devotee in bondage, viz.
Laya-to feel ever increasing drowsiness while singing listening to and
remembering the glories of the Godhead;
Viksepa-to maintain mundane associations while practising even the external
forms of Bhakti;
Apratipatti-disinclination fo rBhajana or spiritual endeavors even when
realising one's Laya and Viksepa
Kasaya-instinctively prone to anger, avarice, vanity, etc;
Rasasvada- to think of sensual enjoyments and worldly pleasure while negaged
in Bhajana practices of Bhakti.
To be compeltely freed from all the above-stated obstacles, which overcloud
unalloyed Bhakti is Anartha-Nivrtti.
(V) NISTHA: Firmness in the striving for the unfolding of Bhakti. When the
obstacles of Laya, Viksepa, Kasaya, etc. are almost removed form the path of
Bhakti of such a Sadhaka, the stediness that he then arrains is called Nistha.
This Nistha or firmness in Bhakti can be of two different forms:---
(1) Steadfastness that directly concerns Bhakti which is again of three forms,
viz.
Physical, such as worship in the temple, listening to the Scriptures,
prostrated obeisances befvore the Deities in the temple and before the Guru or
Spiritual Master, circumabulation of the Temple of God and the sacred places
of pilgrimage associated with His Divine Descents in his world;
Verbal,such as chanting the Name of God, telling beads and reading aloud His
glories;
Mental, such as remembrance of and meditationon the Divine Name,
Transcendental Form and Beauty, supra mundane limitless Qualities, spiritual
Realm, Associates and Entourage, and Eternal Pastimes of the Lord.
(2) Steadiness in relation to things which are favorable to Bhakti. No dsire for
one's own respect, being respectful to tohers, freindliness, compassion,
gratitude, self-control, mental tranquility, tolerance, and such other qualities
as are helpful to the development of constancy in Bhakti.
(VI) RUCI: Liking or Taste. When a strong taste for listening to the glories of
the Lord becomes much more agreeable than talks on mundane things, then such a
mental taste of the devotee is called Ruci. This Ruci or taste for the singing
of the glories of God is of two forms, viz.
a)to pay equal attention to all aspects of Bhakti without paying any particular
attention to the less important aspects of Bhakti and
b)to feel agreeably affected for the various traits of Bhakti, keeping in view
the more important and the less important aspects thereof.
(VII) ASAKTI: Attachment. When taste for services of the Supreme Lord develops
into full-grown maturity and the Lord alone becomes the sole object of life,
then such an intensity fo spiritual practices by a devotee creates a clue-like
attachment for the Lord in his heart. This attachment for the Lord is like the
foliage of the all-wish-yielding Creeper of Bhakti in the form of loving service
of the Supreme Lord, the Godhead, which very soon brings forth the Flower of
Bhava and the Fruit of Prema.
This Asakti cleanses the heart of the devotee and makes is so transparent that
the Lord's Reflection appears therein in such a way as if the Lord has appeared
before the devotee in person. In the beginning the Sadhaka, i.e. a devotee in
the early stages of spiritual practices purposely turns his mind towards the
Supreme Person and soon his mind is spontaneously and constantly fixed on Him.
In this stage of Asakti, if the devotee be in the midst of even worldly gossip,
his mind will turn unawares to the Lord and be attached to thinking about Him.
His soul now begins to relish the supreme sweetness of the incomparable Beauties
of Sri Krsna, the Lord. All worldly talks and worldly affairs become boring and
unbearable to him.
(VIII) BHAVA: When the above-explained Asakti or attachment along with Ruci or
spontaneous taste softens the heart, mind and ego, and all reasoning faculties
reach a point of melting, it is called BHAVA. This BHAVA is the innate nature of
the self-same Potency (Svarupa-Sakti) or Internal Potency (Antaranga-Sakti) of
the All-powerful Supreme Lord and is like the Aurora immediately preceding the
rise of the sun of Prema.
(1) Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, East Wave 3, Sloka 1.
When a devotee attains to the stage of Bhava-Rati, the following nine traits are
fully developed in him.2
(2) ibid sloka, East, Wave 3 12-13
He wastes not his time even for the twinkling of an eye without being
constantly engaged in his bhajana, i.e. intense spiritual practices.
The mental equilibrium of such a devotee remains perfectly calm and composed
even if there be causes of extreme excitement.
He develops a natural apathy for worldly objects;
He is unassuming even though possessing all noble qualities.
He has a firm faith in the realization of God in this very life and meeting
with His Beloved Lord.
He develops an intense longing for his Beloved Lord;
He constantly sings the Name of his Beloved Lord;
His attachment for singing the glories of the Lord remains steady;
He passionately loves Vrndavan-the Eternal Realm of the Transcendental
Pastimes of the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna.
The Madhurya-kadambini describes the following further characteristics of
Bhava-Bhakti.
This Bhava is also called Rati;
The fragrance of the Flower of Bhava-Bhakti of a devotee forcibly attracts Sri
Krsna the Lord, like a bee;
When the devotee reaches the stage of Bhava,he anoints the Lord with
Bhava-scented Oil of Affection, squeezed out of the Sesame of his mental
Quantum. The Lord is also overwhelmed by enjoying the Bhava-Bhakti of his
devotee.
Such a devotee in Bhava-Bhakti is adored even by the gods however lowly in a
society in which he might have been born;
When Bhava is awakened in the heart of a devotee, his soul is drenched by
showers of tears of Prema, being overfilled with emotions of inexplicable joy
due to his experiencing and realising the supplenes of the dark-blue Body of
Sri Krsna, the ruddines of the Corners of His Eyes and the Ends of His Lips,
the silveriness of His gentle Smile and the yellowness of His Robes;
He feels at intervals to have listened to the soothing music of His Flute, the
sweet jingling of the tinkling Anklets of His Feet; and the Lord's Own
charming and fascinating Voice; and he remains ever eager to taste Them again
and again.
He feels an immensely delightful sensations of occasional touch of the tender
Hands and the Feet of the Lord, and he is thrilled to smell the gladenning
Odour of His Body;
He sometimes feels His Presence, and is drowned in the stream of ecstasy;
again, he feels that the Lord has forsaken him, and he is thrown into the
depth of the pang of separation;
The devotee in Bhava-Bhakti experiences the above-mentioned conditions not
only when wide awake, but also in deep sleep as also in dreams;
IN the stage of Bhava, the devotee strongly identifies himself with his
siddha-deha or eternal cit body, i.e. a supramundane all spiritual and eternal
body, (which is encaged in the gross and subtle physical bodies in the state
of bondage of an individual), and forgets his wrong, "I"-ism or egoism of the
physical body; he has now attained the stage of absolute freedom form the
bondage of the gross physical body and the subtle mind and perverse egoism;
Though such a devotee tries to hide his spiritual experiences from
worldly-minded folks, they become manifest in the company of genuine, freed
and passionate devotees; to the ordinary people, expressions of such
supra-mundane experiences appear like madness.
This Bhava, which is otherwise called "Sthayi-Bhava" , i.e. permanent trait of
relation between the individual atma and the Parama-Atma or Godhead, are FIVE
primary, and SEVEN secondary. The Five primary Sthayi-Bhavas are:---
Santa-rati: or indifference, i.e. when the individual self in the Eternal
Realm, such as, the Cow, or the stick, the Flute, etc. does not take the
reciprocal initiative but is accepted by the Lord Himself out of His Own
prerogative. In the Realm of the Lord, nothing is inanimate–everything is cit
or animate. But the Objects of Santa-rati appear as inanimate as They allow
themselves to be utilized or not by the Lord.
Dasya-rati: or servanthood. The Servants like Citraka, Patraka and others are
the eternal Servants of the Lord, and they serve the Lord as their Beloved
Master.
Sakhya-rati: or friendship. The friends of Sri Krsna, like Sridam, Sudama,
Vasudama, Suvala, Madhumangala, Ujjvala, and others always serve the Lord as
their Most Intimate Friend.
Vatsalya rati: parenthood. The Parents of Sri Krsna, like Nanda, Upananda,
Sunanda, Yasoda, Rohini, Devaki and others eternally serve Lord Sri Krsna as
their Most Affectionate Child.
Madhura-rati: Consorthood. The Queens of Dwaraka, such as Rukmini, Satyabhama,
Jambavati, and others, eternally serve the Lord as their Most Beloved Husband,
while the Gopis of Vraja (the Vraja-Gopis) eternally serve the Supreme Lord
Sri Krsna as Their Most Intimate Beloved with an unrestricted and supremely
intense dedication to the all-out satisfaction and absolute delight of the
Lord--there is absolute self-effacement of the Vraja-Gopis in Their Sthayi or
permanent Madhura-rati for the Lord, for the Lord’s absolute and unrestricted
Enjoyment.
The Sthayi-bhava combined with the four ingredients of Vibhava , Anu-Bhava,
Satvika and Sancari, develops into an inconceivable Concrete Form out of the
transcendental and absolutely spiritual mellow-sweetness which is called Rasa.
The Supreme Lord SRIKRSNA IS RASA (Cf..Sruti: Raso vai sah). All this will be
explained in the text of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu.
(IX) PREMA When Bhava develops to such a ptich that is completely softens the
mental quantum of the most advanced devotee and creates a sense ofintense
"my-ness" for the Beloved Lord and gladdens the heart beyond all measure, it is
called Prema. 3:
(3) Bahkti-rasamrta-sindhu, Easst, Wave 4, Sloka 1.
This Prema may manifest itself in a devotee in two different ways, viz. (a) as a
development of Bhava, and (b) as arising from the Grace of the Lord.
(a) PREMA arising from Bhava: In this aspect of Prema, it becomes normal and
spontaneous as a vow, as it were, in the life os such a devotee to be
completely and constantly engaged in listening to, chanting and singing the
endearing Name of the Lord; he is deeply attached to his Most Beloved Lord and
a profound fondness for Him overhwelms him; all his reasoning faculties are
dissolved and melt into divine emotions; he then forgets all social decorum,
and gives away like a mad person sometimes to shreiks of loud laughter,
sometimes to bitter weeping, sometimes to shouting; again, he is merged in the
melody of music of singing the Lord’s limitless Qualities, and sometimes
dancing in ectasy.4
(4) Bhagavatam, Canto XI, Chap 2, Sloka 40.
(b) PREMA arising from GRACE OF THE LORD: The damsels of Vraja read not the
Vedas, served not the saints, undertook no religious vows, performed no austere
penances, and yet they achieved Prema for the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna, because of
His causeless Grace only. 5
(5) IBID, Catjno XI, Chap 12 Sloka 7.
PREMA is again of two different natures according to the two different Aspects
of the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna Himself, viz. (I)His All-majestic Aspect,and
(ii)His All-beauteous Aspect.
PREMA for the All-majestic Aspect of Lord Sri Krsna (as in Vaikuntha), which is
called "Aisvaraya", and for the All-majestic-All beauteous Aspect of the Lord
Sri Krsna. (as in Dwaraka and Mathura) which is called "Aisvarya-Madhurya" is
restrictd by a conscious knowledge of awe and reverence, and it is called
Vaidhi-Bhakti; while a spontaneous attachment and and fond liking for the
All-beauteous, All-attractive Aspect of Lord Sri Krsna in Vraja alone, which is
called Madhurya, is without any restriction whatsoever on the Supra-mundane
Love-dalliance, and is called Ruci-Bhakti.
The Majestic Divnity of Sri Krsna (Aisvarya) always consists of–(1) All-majesty,
(2) All-attracting, (3) All-beauty, (4)All-dominance, (5) All skillfulness and
craftiness, and (6) All-desirous, Sri Krsna’s Associates in Vraja had this
Madhurya-Prema for Him in the form either of the devoted Servant, or of the
intimate Friend , or as the affectionate Son, or as the Divine consort with the
feelings of intimacy, filial affection and conjugal love or consortship without
restrictions,social or any other, resepctively.
PREMA has two more important aspects as mentioned in Madhurya kadmbini, viz.
PREMA in its intrinsic nature is itself a dense, consolidated and Ecstatic
bliss or Ananda. PREMA once awakened never ceases even if there be strong
grounds of a break or cessation:
PREMA possesses the supreme power to attract even Sri Krsna, Who is the
All-attractor.
When the Sun of Prema dawns in the perfectly cleansed and transparent heart of
the Prema-bhakta ( a devotee who has attained Prema), the following
characteristics become natural and normal with him:---
All forms of "my-ness’ and attachment of a Prema-bhakta for his
body-mind-soul and those related to the body-mind are completely directed to
Sri Krsna alone. His "my-ness{ is attracted by Sri Krsna like a magnet
drawing a clean piece of iron.
As a greedy and hungry man’s desire for palatable dishes never ends even if
he has eaten much of them, so also a Prema-bhakta’s burning desire and
solicitude for Sri Krsna have no end when once he has attained Him, rather
the longing increases all the more. To a Prema-bhakta in his pangs of
separation from his beloved Lord, his own dear friend appear like a dry well
without water; his own home pricks him like a house of thorns; food tastes
like severe beating; praise seems like the venom of a snake-bite; the
different limbs and organs of his body become a heavy burden to him; the
solacing words of friends sound platitudinous and even bitter; sleep is
death to him; existence of the body seems to him as God’s punishment; what
more, even meditation on the Beloved by such a Prema-bhakta in the agonies
of separation, cuts asunder, as it were, his very soul;
Like a covetous thief, the Prema-bhakta loses all powers of distinguishing
between good and evil;
As the soothing rays of the moon cool the scorching heat of a thousand suns,
so also the union with Sri Krsna removes all the pangs of separation from
the heart of a Prema-bhakta who has acquired this wealth of Prema;
Overpowered by these anxieties of Prema of His devotee, Sri Krsna reveals to
him His matchless Beauty, extraordinary Loveliness, incomprehensible
Adolescence, soul attracting handsomeness, limitless magananimity, and
fathomless Compassion and such other Divine Qualities. The devotee who as
ascended the ladder of Prema and has thus been blessed by the Lord
experiences such a divinely wondrous and luminous pleasure as far outweighs
the pleasures that a tired traveller experiences at midday in the scorching
rays of the summer-sun in the midst of hot sands of a vast desert when he
suddenly finds a densely shaded banyan tree full of thick foliage with all
its branches and twigs, or the pleasure that a wild elephant enjoys being
drenched in a cool water-fall after it has escaped half burnt form the huge
forest fire;
After an individual souls has attained Prema by his or her spiritual
practices, he or she now beholds the Lord face-to-face with the sarsana-rati
or attachment of vision, and realises that this luinous expereience fare
excels all the experiences he or she had at a the stage of Bhava-Bhakti;
This experience is of the following order:--
First: With the eyes (soul’s organ of visual perception);
Second: With the nose (soul’s perception through the organ of Smelling);
Third: With the ears (soul’s perception through the organ of hearing);
Fourth: With the tactile sense (soul’s perception though the organ of
touch);
Fifth: With the tongue (soul’s faculty of tasting).
Out of His magnanimity Sri Krsna occasionally makes the devotee experience
in his Prema the beatitude of His Beauteous Sweetness all at once with all
his supra-mundane and transcendental senses;
At the time of revealing His Person before His devotee in the stage of
Prema, the Lord responds favorably to the devotee’s nature of sadhana or
spiritual practices.
So far the different stages in the gradual development of PREMA starting from
SRADDHA to PREMA, have been dealt with by Sri Rupa Gosvami in
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, and we have given here just a summary of the same. It
will however, be necessary to explain here in a nutshell how Prema further
unfolds itself into SNEHA, MANA, PANAYA, RAGA, ANU-RAGA, BHAVA and MAHABHAVA in
relation to the transcendental Love-Pastimes in Madhura-rati, i.e. supra-mundane
wifehood and mistresshood of the freed soul (which is no more misidentified with
the physical and mental bodies) in relation to the Supreme Godhead in His
Husbandhood and Paramourhood respectively, there being absolutely nothing
mundane and physical in it, though it may sound so.
serving Him alone everything else is served wholly and completely, as by pouring
water at the root of a plant all its branches twigs and leaves are fed. Sraddha
is aroused in the heart of an individual in bondage, but his association with
saints and by listening to the injunctions of the Scriptures. Sraddha is of two
kinds viz. (a) mundane, and (b) spiritual.
The spiritual Sraddha or firm faith is the seed of Bhakti (Cf. Bhakti Sandarbha)
(II) SADHU SANGA: Company of Sadhus or Saints. This means an individuals eager
desire to be in the company of a Sadhu in order to learn the methods of
spiritual practices for God realization alone and for no other purpose. But who
is a Sadhu?
According to Bhagavatam, Canto XI, Chap. 11, Slokas 29 to 31, the following are
the qualities of a genuine Sadhu or Saint: A Sadhu is kind; he cherishes
animosity toward none; he smilingly endures even the bitterest miseries; he
loves Truth as the vein-blood of his life; he never allows any evil thought to
pollute his mind; he looks upon all with equal love and compassion; he does not
entertain any kind of mundane desires to darken his mental quantum; he is
self-controlled, amiable and pure in character; he remains farthest from any
attempt to accumulate for his future subsistence and does not beg anything form
anybody; he is abstentious and peaceful; he is steady in his mind; he depends
absolutely on the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna, and remains in constant remembrance of
the Lord; he is patient, solemn, magnanimous and undisturbed even by utmost
provocations and turmoils; he has control over hunger, thirst, lamentations
,infatuation, birth and death; he does never aspire after respect for himself,
but is always respectful to others; he is friendly to all; his heart is full of
compassion for others; he is fully conversant with the real nature of God; and
he is erudite. To keep company with such a one in person, thought and through
discussions is Sadhu-sanga.
(III) BHAJANA-KRIYA: Spiritual practices (in the stage of bondage). This
Bhajana-Kriya is twofold viz.
(a)Nistha i.e. rigid following of listening to and singing the glories of the
Supreme Lord and (b) Anistha, i.e. slackness in spiritual practices. This
slackness in spiritual practices may be due to six different circumstances, viz.
Utsahamayi-early zeal in Bhakti like a child's first attempt at reading the
First Primer, thinking that it has become a great scholar, which slowly
declines;
Ghana-tarala- or thickened liquidity, i.e. sometimes progressive and sometimes
retrogressive processes of spiritual practices of Bhakti like the intensity
and slackness of a student in his studies.
Vyudha-Vikalpa-this is like a married man, vacillating between resolutions and
doubts. At times such a sadhaka resolved to remain in his householder’s life
in the company of his wife and children, relatives and friends, and devote
himself to spiritual practices of service to God, i.e. Bhakti, and again the
next moment he resolves to cut off all ties with his blood relations in order
to devote himself completely to a spiritual life. Such a vacillating state of
mind of a devotee is called Vyuha-Vikalpa Anisthita Bhajana-kriya, which means
a vacillating state resulting in slackness in Spiritual practices.
Visaya-Sangara-i.e.fight against the temptations of wroldly enjoyments. In
this state of slackness, the devotee sometimes overcomes allurements of
worldly pleasures and sometimes he is duped by them. Of worldly pleasures and
sometimes he is duped by them;
Niyama-Aksama-unstability in determination. In this state of slackened Bhakti
the Sadhaka fails to stick even to his strong determinations;
Tranga-Rangini- Even when a Sakhaka (one in his bondage engaged in spiritual
practices) is over whelmed by a desire for spiritual advancement and is
engaged in spiritual practices, he is drifted away by the powerful forces of
the tide or worldly gains, name and fame, etc. Such a state is called
Taranga-Rangini.
IV) ANARTHA-NIVRTTI: Cessation of the obstacles and the defects that cloud
Bhakti. These obstacles are four:---
(1) Obstacles arising out of impious thinking and wrong doings, as wel as
fivefold miseries, which are---
Avidya-to mistake a changeable and transitory object for an eternal entity.
Asmita--to misidrntify one's own self with one's gross physical body and one's
subtle body (mind, intelligences and ego);
Raga--attachment to objects of sense-experiences viz. form,(rupa),taste
(rasa), smell (gandha),touch (sparsa) and sound (sabda) corresponding to fire,
water earth, air and ether;
Dvesa-anger against opposition to the enjoyment of the senses;
Abhinivesa-to misconceive one as dead when the physical body and the
phenomenal objects of physical enjoyments are destroyed.
(2) Obstacles arising out of pious actions done either in this life or in
previous births, which offers enjoyment here inthis world or hereafter in heaven
(svarga). Enjoyment in this world or in heaven as a result of pious deeds are
obstacles to the attainment of Bhakti--they are like deep clouds that cover the
Moon of Bhakti.
(3) Obstacles arising out of ten offences done to the Name of Krsna and
thirty-two offences comitted in the services of Arcana i.e. worship of the
Deities in the temple. One should know them in detail so that spiritual
practices of Bhakti might no be overclouded.
(4) Obstacles arising out of Bhakti itself, that is, from a non-rigid state of
sadhana Bahkti. It is possible that one is carried away by the desires for
Bukti, i.e. for enjoyment of pleasures of heaven as a minor god, or desire for
Mukti (Sayujya-Mukti), i.e. self-annihilation by way of a desire to merge into
the Absolute Brahman, or be desires for worldly gains, name and fame, etc. One
has got to be very careful about these subtle temptations that may lead one
astray from unalloyed Bhakti. After there is a complete cessation of the
above-mentioned fourfold possible obstacles, there are five impediments to the
practices of elementary Bhakti for a Sadhaka-a devotee in bondage, viz.
Laya-to feel ever increasing drowsiness while singing listening to and
remembering the glories of the Godhead;
Viksepa-to maintain mundane associations while practising even the external
forms of Bhakti;
Apratipatti-disinclination fo rBhajana or spiritual endeavors even when
realising one's Laya and Viksepa
Kasaya-instinctively prone to anger, avarice, vanity, etc;
Rasasvada- to think of sensual enjoyments and worldly pleasure while negaged
in Bhajana practices of Bhakti.
To be compeltely freed from all the above-stated obstacles, which overcloud
unalloyed Bhakti is Anartha-Nivrtti.
(V) NISTHA: Firmness in the striving for the unfolding of Bhakti. When the
obstacles of Laya, Viksepa, Kasaya, etc. are almost removed form the path of
Bhakti of such a Sadhaka, the stediness that he then arrains is called Nistha.
This Nistha or firmness in Bhakti can be of two different forms:---
(1) Steadfastness that directly concerns Bhakti which is again of three forms,
viz.
Physical, such as worship in the temple, listening to the Scriptures,
prostrated obeisances befvore the Deities in the temple and before the Guru or
Spiritual Master, circumabulation of the Temple of God and the sacred places
of pilgrimage associated with His Divine Descents in his world;
Verbal,such as chanting the Name of God, telling beads and reading aloud His
glories;
Mental, such as remembrance of and meditationon the Divine Name,
Transcendental Form and Beauty, supra mundane limitless Qualities, spiritual
Realm, Associates and Entourage, and Eternal Pastimes of the Lord.
(2) Steadiness in relation to things which are favorable to Bhakti. No dsire for
one's own respect, being respectful to tohers, freindliness, compassion,
gratitude, self-control, mental tranquility, tolerance, and such other qualities
as are helpful to the development of constancy in Bhakti.
(VI) RUCI: Liking or Taste. When a strong taste for listening to the glories of
the Lord becomes much more agreeable than talks on mundane things, then such a
mental taste of the devotee is called Ruci. This Ruci or taste for the singing
of the glories of God is of two forms, viz.
a)to pay equal attention to all aspects of Bhakti without paying any particular
attention to the less important aspects of Bhakti and
b)to feel agreeably affected for the various traits of Bhakti, keeping in view
the more important and the less important aspects thereof.
(VII) ASAKTI: Attachment. When taste for services of the Supreme Lord develops
into full-grown maturity and the Lord alone becomes the sole object of life,
then such an intensity fo spiritual practices by a devotee creates a clue-like
attachment for the Lord in his heart. This attachment for the Lord is like the
foliage of the all-wish-yielding Creeper of Bhakti in the form of loving service
of the Supreme Lord, the Godhead, which very soon brings forth the Flower of
Bhava and the Fruit of Prema.
This Asakti cleanses the heart of the devotee and makes is so transparent that
the Lord's Reflection appears therein in such a way as if the Lord has appeared
before the devotee in person. In the beginning the Sadhaka, i.e. a devotee in
the early stages of spiritual practices purposely turns his mind towards the
Supreme Person and soon his mind is spontaneously and constantly fixed on Him.
In this stage of Asakti, if the devotee be in the midst of even worldly gossip,
his mind will turn unawares to the Lord and be attached to thinking about Him.
His soul now begins to relish the supreme sweetness of the incomparable Beauties
of Sri Krsna, the Lord. All worldly talks and worldly affairs become boring and
unbearable to him.
(VIII) BHAVA: When the above-explained Asakti or attachment along with Ruci or
spontaneous taste softens the heart, mind and ego, and all reasoning faculties
reach a point of melting, it is called BHAVA. This BHAVA is the innate nature of
the self-same Potency (Svarupa-Sakti) or Internal Potency (Antaranga-Sakti) of
the All-powerful Supreme Lord and is like the Aurora immediately preceding the
rise of the sun of Prema.
(1) Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, East Wave 3, Sloka 1.
When a devotee attains to the stage of Bhava-Rati, the following nine traits are
fully developed in him.2
(2) ibid sloka, East, Wave 3 12-13
He wastes not his time even for the twinkling of an eye without being
constantly engaged in his bhajana, i.e. intense spiritual practices.
The mental equilibrium of such a devotee remains perfectly calm and composed
even if there be causes of extreme excitement.
He develops a natural apathy for worldly objects;
He is unassuming even though possessing all noble qualities.
He has a firm faith in the realization of God in this very life and meeting
with His Beloved Lord.
He develops an intense longing for his Beloved Lord;
He constantly sings the Name of his Beloved Lord;
His attachment for singing the glories of the Lord remains steady;
He passionately loves Vrndavan-the Eternal Realm of the Transcendental
Pastimes of the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna.
The Madhurya-kadambini describes the following further characteristics of
Bhava-Bhakti.
This Bhava is also called Rati;
The fragrance of the Flower of Bhava-Bhakti of a devotee forcibly attracts Sri
Krsna the Lord, like a bee;
When the devotee reaches the stage of Bhava,he anoints the Lord with
Bhava-scented Oil of Affection, squeezed out of the Sesame of his mental
Quantum. The Lord is also overwhelmed by enjoying the Bhava-Bhakti of his
devotee.
Such a devotee in Bhava-Bhakti is adored even by the gods however lowly in a
society in which he might have been born;
When Bhava is awakened in the heart of a devotee, his soul is drenched by
showers of tears of Prema, being overfilled with emotions of inexplicable joy
due to his experiencing and realising the supplenes of the dark-blue Body of
Sri Krsna, the ruddines of the Corners of His Eyes and the Ends of His Lips,
the silveriness of His gentle Smile and the yellowness of His Robes;
He feels at intervals to have listened to the soothing music of His Flute, the
sweet jingling of the tinkling Anklets of His Feet; and the Lord's Own
charming and fascinating Voice; and he remains ever eager to taste Them again
and again.
He feels an immensely delightful sensations of occasional touch of the tender
Hands and the Feet of the Lord, and he is thrilled to smell the gladenning
Odour of His Body;
He sometimes feels His Presence, and is drowned in the stream of ecstasy;
again, he feels that the Lord has forsaken him, and he is thrown into the
depth of the pang of separation;
The devotee in Bhava-Bhakti experiences the above-mentioned conditions not
only when wide awake, but also in deep sleep as also in dreams;
IN the stage of Bhava, the devotee strongly identifies himself with his
siddha-deha or eternal cit body, i.e. a supramundane all spiritual and eternal
body, (which is encaged in the gross and subtle physical bodies in the state
of bondage of an individual), and forgets his wrong, "I"-ism or egoism of the
physical body; he has now attained the stage of absolute freedom form the
bondage of the gross physical body and the subtle mind and perverse egoism;
Though such a devotee tries to hide his spiritual experiences from
worldly-minded folks, they become manifest in the company of genuine, freed
and passionate devotees; to the ordinary people, expressions of such
supra-mundane experiences appear like madness.
This Bhava, which is otherwise called "Sthayi-Bhava" , i.e. permanent trait of
relation between the individual atma and the Parama-Atma or Godhead, are FIVE
primary, and SEVEN secondary. The Five primary Sthayi-Bhavas are:---
Santa-rati: or indifference, i.e. when the individual self in the Eternal
Realm, such as, the Cow, or the stick, the Flute, etc. does not take the
reciprocal initiative but is accepted by the Lord Himself out of His Own
prerogative. In the Realm of the Lord, nothing is inanimate–everything is cit
or animate. But the Objects of Santa-rati appear as inanimate as They allow
themselves to be utilized or not by the Lord.
Dasya-rati: or servanthood. The Servants like Citraka, Patraka and others are
the eternal Servants of the Lord, and they serve the Lord as their Beloved
Master.
Sakhya-rati: or friendship. The friends of Sri Krsna, like Sridam, Sudama,
Vasudama, Suvala, Madhumangala, Ujjvala, and others always serve the Lord as
their Most Intimate Friend.
Vatsalya rati: parenthood. The Parents of Sri Krsna, like Nanda, Upananda,
Sunanda, Yasoda, Rohini, Devaki and others eternally serve Lord Sri Krsna as
their Most Affectionate Child.
Madhura-rati: Consorthood. The Queens of Dwaraka, such as Rukmini, Satyabhama,
Jambavati, and others, eternally serve the Lord as their Most Beloved Husband,
while the Gopis of Vraja (the Vraja-Gopis) eternally serve the Supreme Lord
Sri Krsna as Their Most Intimate Beloved with an unrestricted and supremely
intense dedication to the all-out satisfaction and absolute delight of the
Lord--there is absolute self-effacement of the Vraja-Gopis in Their Sthayi or
permanent Madhura-rati for the Lord, for the Lord’s absolute and unrestricted
Enjoyment.
The Sthayi-bhava combined with the four ingredients of Vibhava , Anu-Bhava,
Satvika and Sancari, develops into an inconceivable Concrete Form out of the
transcendental and absolutely spiritual mellow-sweetness which is called Rasa.
The Supreme Lord SRIKRSNA IS RASA (Cf..Sruti: Raso vai sah). All this will be
explained in the text of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu.
(IX) PREMA When Bhava develops to such a ptich that is completely softens the
mental quantum of the most advanced devotee and creates a sense ofintense
"my-ness" for the Beloved Lord and gladdens the heart beyond all measure, it is
called Prema. 3:
(3) Bahkti-rasamrta-sindhu, Easst, Wave 4, Sloka 1.
This Prema may manifest itself in a devotee in two different ways, viz. (a) as a
development of Bhava, and (b) as arising from the Grace of the Lord.
(a) PREMA arising from Bhava: In this aspect of Prema, it becomes normal and
spontaneous as a vow, as it were, in the life os such a devotee to be
completely and constantly engaged in listening to, chanting and singing the
endearing Name of the Lord; he is deeply attached to his Most Beloved Lord and
a profound fondness for Him overhwelms him; all his reasoning faculties are
dissolved and melt into divine emotions; he then forgets all social decorum,
and gives away like a mad person sometimes to shreiks of loud laughter,
sometimes to bitter weeping, sometimes to shouting; again, he is merged in the
melody of music of singing the Lord’s limitless Qualities, and sometimes
dancing in ectasy.4
(4) Bhagavatam, Canto XI, Chap 2, Sloka 40.
(b) PREMA arising from GRACE OF THE LORD: The damsels of Vraja read not the
Vedas, served not the saints, undertook no religious vows, performed no austere
penances, and yet they achieved Prema for the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna, because of
His causeless Grace only. 5
(5) IBID, Catjno XI, Chap 12 Sloka 7.
PREMA is again of two different natures according to the two different Aspects
of the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna Himself, viz. (I)His All-majestic Aspect,and
(ii)His All-beauteous Aspect.
PREMA for the All-majestic Aspect of Lord Sri Krsna (as in Vaikuntha), which is
called "Aisvaraya", and for the All-majestic-All beauteous Aspect of the Lord
Sri Krsna. (as in Dwaraka and Mathura) which is called "Aisvarya-Madhurya" is
restrictd by a conscious knowledge of awe and reverence, and it is called
Vaidhi-Bhakti; while a spontaneous attachment and and fond liking for the
All-beauteous, All-attractive Aspect of Lord Sri Krsna in Vraja alone, which is
called Madhurya, is without any restriction whatsoever on the Supra-mundane
Love-dalliance, and is called Ruci-Bhakti.
The Majestic Divnity of Sri Krsna (Aisvarya) always consists of–(1) All-majesty,
(2) All-attracting, (3) All-beauty, (4)All-dominance, (5) All skillfulness and
craftiness, and (6) All-desirous, Sri Krsna’s Associates in Vraja had this
Madhurya-Prema for Him in the form either of the devoted Servant, or of the
intimate Friend , or as the affectionate Son, or as the Divine consort with the
feelings of intimacy, filial affection and conjugal love or consortship without
restrictions,social or any other, resepctively.
PREMA has two more important aspects as mentioned in Madhurya kadmbini, viz.
PREMA in its intrinsic nature is itself a dense, consolidated and Ecstatic
bliss or Ananda. PREMA once awakened never ceases even if there be strong
grounds of a break or cessation:
PREMA possesses the supreme power to attract even Sri Krsna, Who is the
All-attractor.
When the Sun of Prema dawns in the perfectly cleansed and transparent heart of
the Prema-bhakta ( a devotee who has attained Prema), the following
characteristics become natural and normal with him:---
All forms of "my-ness’ and attachment of a Prema-bhakta for his
body-mind-soul and those related to the body-mind are completely directed to
Sri Krsna alone. His "my-ness{ is attracted by Sri Krsna like a magnet
drawing a clean piece of iron.
As a greedy and hungry man’s desire for palatable dishes never ends even if
he has eaten much of them, so also a Prema-bhakta’s burning desire and
solicitude for Sri Krsna have no end when once he has attained Him, rather
the longing increases all the more. To a Prema-bhakta in his pangs of
separation from his beloved Lord, his own dear friend appear like a dry well
without water; his own home pricks him like a house of thorns; food tastes
like severe beating; praise seems like the venom of a snake-bite; the
different limbs and organs of his body become a heavy burden to him; the
solacing words of friends sound platitudinous and even bitter; sleep is
death to him; existence of the body seems to him as God’s punishment; what
more, even meditation on the Beloved by such a Prema-bhakta in the agonies
of separation, cuts asunder, as it were, his very soul;
Like a covetous thief, the Prema-bhakta loses all powers of distinguishing
between good and evil;
As the soothing rays of the moon cool the scorching heat of a thousand suns,
so also the union with Sri Krsna removes all the pangs of separation from
the heart of a Prema-bhakta who has acquired this wealth of Prema;
Overpowered by these anxieties of Prema of His devotee, Sri Krsna reveals to
him His matchless Beauty, extraordinary Loveliness, incomprehensible
Adolescence, soul attracting handsomeness, limitless magananimity, and
fathomless Compassion and such other Divine Qualities. The devotee who as
ascended the ladder of Prema and has thus been blessed by the Lord
experiences such a divinely wondrous and luminous pleasure as far outweighs
the pleasures that a tired traveller experiences at midday in the scorching
rays of the summer-sun in the midst of hot sands of a vast desert when he
suddenly finds a densely shaded banyan tree full of thick foliage with all
its branches and twigs, or the pleasure that a wild elephant enjoys being
drenched in a cool water-fall after it has escaped half burnt form the huge
forest fire;
After an individual souls has attained Prema by his or her spiritual
practices, he or she now beholds the Lord face-to-face with the sarsana-rati
or attachment of vision, and realises that this luinous expereience fare
excels all the experiences he or she had at a the stage of Bhava-Bhakti;
This experience is of the following order:--
First: With the eyes (soul’s organ of visual perception);
Second: With the nose (soul’s perception through the organ of Smelling);
Third: With the ears (soul’s perception through the organ of hearing);
Fourth: With the tactile sense (soul’s perception though the organ of
touch);
Fifth: With the tongue (soul’s faculty of tasting).
Out of His magnanimity Sri Krsna occasionally makes the devotee experience
in his Prema the beatitude of His Beauteous Sweetness all at once with all
his supra-mundane and transcendental senses;
At the time of revealing His Person before His devotee in the stage of
Prema, the Lord responds favorably to the devotee’s nature of sadhana or
spiritual practices.
So far the different stages in the gradual development of PREMA starting from
SRADDHA to PREMA, have been dealt with by Sri Rupa Gosvami in
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, and we have given here just a summary of the same. It
will however, be necessary to explain here in a nutshell how Prema further
unfolds itself into SNEHA, MANA, PANAYA, RAGA, ANU-RAGA, BHAVA and MAHABHAVA in
relation to the transcendental Love-Pastimes in Madhura-rati, i.e. supra-mundane
wifehood and mistresshood of the freed soul (which is no more misidentified with
the physical and mental bodies) in relation to the Supreme Godhead in His
Husbandhood and Paramourhood respectively, there being absolutely nothing
mundane and physical in it, though it may sound so.
Comments