The Creeper of Devotion Grows
oṁ viṣṇupāda paramahaṁsa parivrājakācārya
Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja
The Creeper of Devotion Grows
THE CREEPER OF DEVOTION GROWS The information in this booklet is a compilation of lectures by Çré Çrémad Bhaktivedanta Näräyaëa Gosvämé Mahäräja. Chapter 1, Who Is Gäyatré? – was spoken by Çréla Bhaktivedanta Näräyaëa Mahäräja on his appearance day in Alachua, Florida, February 1, 2003. Chapter 2, The Bhakti-latä-béja – In early July 2002, three hundred devotees gathered from France, Germany, England, Italy, and America to hear the hari-kathä of Çré Çrémad Bhaktivedanta Näräyaëa Gosvämé Mahäräja in Toulouse, France. Every evening he gave class from Caitanyacaritämåta, leading up to the topic of Çré Rüpa-çikñä, and within that, he discussed the topic of the seed of the bhakti creeper. He specifically requested that his lectures on this subject be published. This lecture was spoken by Çréla Bhaktivedanta Näräyaëa Mahäräja in Toulouse, France, July 6, 2002. (Transcriber: Rädhikä däsé. Editors: Çyämaräëé däsé and Premavaté däsé. Typist: Bimala däsé) Chapter 3, The Creeper of Devotion Grows - Part 1 & Part 2 – A lecture on Caitanya-caritämåta, Madya-lélä Chapter 19 – Çré Rüpa Çikñä was spoken by Çréla Bhaktivedanta Näräyaëa Mahäräja in Toulouse, France, July 7, 2002. (Transcribers: Janaké däsé and Rädhikä däsé. Editor: Çyämaräëé däsé. Typist: Basanti däsé.) Chapter 5, Impressions of Bhakti – from the booklet comprised of Çrémad Bhaktivedanta Näräyaëa Gosvämé Mahäräja’s dictation on February 23, 2003 in Olpe, Germany. A special thank you to everyone who donated towards the printing cost of this booklet. Mostly Premlatä däsé from Perth, Western Australia. First Edition 500 copies. ISBN: 978-0-6450973-7-5 © 2022 ÇRÉ GIRIRÄJA GOVARDHANA GAUÒÉYA MAÖHA - MURWILLUMBAH AUSTRALIA SOME RIGHTS RESERVED. EXCEPT WHERE OTHERWISE NOTED, CONTENT ON THIS BOOK IS LICENSED UNDER THE CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTION-NO DERIVATIVES 4.0 INTERNATIONAL LICENSE.
To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/ Website: www.purebhakti.org.au For digital publications visit: https://issuu.com/purebhaktisocietyaustralia
The Creeper of Devotion Grows
This publication is a humble offering to Çréla Bhaktivedanta Näräyaëa Gosvämé Mahäräja for the 101st anniversary of his divine appearance in this world. Presented to His Divine Grace on the occasion of his Vyäsa-püjä festival 1 February, 2022.
oṁ viṣṇupāda paramahaṁsa parivrājakācārya
Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja
Çré Giriräja Govardhana Gauòéya Maöha Murwillumbah Australia
Table
of
Contents
Chapter One Who Is Gāyatrī?
1
The Secret Truth About Gāyatrī 1 Vyāsadeva Manifested All His Knowledge in the Heart of Śukadeva Gosvāmī 2 The Meaning of Vyāsa 3 The Mantra of Vyāsa-pūjā 3 Give Proper Respect to All the Rūpānuga-ācāryas 4 The Proper Channel Through Which to Worship Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa 5 I Cannot Express the Feelings of My Heart Towards My Gurudeva 6 Gurudeva Is Situated in Everyone’s Heart 7 Śrīla Swami Mahārāja Showed Great Honour for Our Guru-paramparā 8 Try to Sincerely Fulfill the Desire of Your Gurudeva 10
Chapter Two The Bhakti-latā-bīja 13 Śrīdāmā Defeats Kṛṣṇa in a Wrestling Match I Shall Not Touch You! Kṛṣṇa-sevā-vāsanā - The Desire to Serve Kṛṣṇa The Disciple Nurtures the Seed Kṛṣṇa-Prema Is Already in Our Hearts in Seed Form The Spiritual Master Gives ‘The Seed’ of Inspiration Kleśaghnī and Śubhadā - The First Two Leaves that Manifest Every Desire Is Fulfilled by Bhakti The Expert Spiritual Master Can Look in the Heart of Any Living Entity If the Field of the Devotee’s Heart Is Not Fertile The Heart Has Become Like Stone These Anarthas Are Like Holes The Five Prominent Limbs of Devotional Service By Over-Watering the Seed, it Will Rot in the Ground The Two Kinds of Śraddhā The Scale of Transcendental Śraddhā Will Gradually Increase
Chapter Three - Part 1 The Creeper of Devotion Grows
14 16 16 17 18 19 20 20 21 24 25 25 26 27 27 29
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Faith Is the Sprout of Bhakti Life’s Maintenance Will Be Automatically Taken Care of India Is Very Conducive for Spiritual Life The First Two Leaves of the Bhakti Creeper Appear Gradually the Second Pair of Leaves Sprout Give Up at Once Whatever Is Unfavourable for Bhakti All Material Desires Reside in Brahmāṇḍa
32 32 34 35 35 36 37
All Material Desires Keep You Bound Here The Bhakti Creeper Crosses Beyond the Virajā River The Bhakti Creeper then Goes to Paravyoma The Bhakti Creeper Stops at Rādhā-Kuṇḍa When the Seed of Love of God Matures At Rādhā-Kuṇḍa the Devotee Serves Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Conjugal
38 38 39 40 40 41
Chapter Three - Part 2 The Creeper of Devotion Grows
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Gradually His Spiritual Body Manifests Do Not Criticise Anyone Sādhu-saṅga Will Save You What Is the Meaning of Asat-saṅga? The Two Kinds of Unwanted Creepers A Semblance of Bhakti Some Lacking of Intimacy More Mamatā Is Present in Vātsalya-bhava To Serve Rādhikā Is the Ultimate Goal of Our Life Whatever Mood Is Present in the Soul A Breeze from the Bhakti-rasa Ocean Touched Me
46 47 48 49 49 51 52 53 53 54 54
Chapter Four Impressions of Bhakti I Became Immersed in Emotion My Kula-guru Gave a Series of Classes on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam That Nagara-kīrtana Had a Great Impact upon Me I Was Very Deeply Impressed and Influenced A Marriage Festival Was Held The Chief Superintendent Was Visited by Devotees from Śrī Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti I Became Completely Renounced at Heart I Resigned and Left to Meet My Gurujī Mother of the Maṭha He Began to Engage Me in His Personal Service My Last Material Attachment Has Gone Anaṅga-Mohana Brahmacārī Falls Severely Ill with Tuberculosis He Immediately Sent a Telegram to My Family I Cannot Live Without Sādhu-Saṅga What Is the Use of Strength Without Bhakti? Can You Tell Me what Is Viśiṣṭādvaita-vāda? Your Renunciation Is Real and Your Knowledge of Tattva Is Complete
57 58 59 60 60 60 61 61 62 63 63 63 64 65 65 66 67 68
nitya-lélä praviñöa-paramahaàsa-añöottara-çata
Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura Prabhupäda
nitya-lélä praviñöa-paramahaàsa-añöottara-çata
Çré Çrémad Bhakti Prajïäna Keçava Mahäräja
nitya-lélä praviñöa-paramahaàsa-añöottara-çata
Çré Çrémad Bhaktivedanta Näräyaëa Gosvämé Mahäräja
Chapter One
Who Is Gāyatrī? My heartly daëòavat praëäma at the lotus feet of my spiritual master, nitya-lélä praviñöa oà viñëu-päda Çré Çrémad Bhakti Prajïäna Keçava Gosvämé Mahäräja, my entire guru-paramparä, and my çikñä-guru, nitya-lélä praviñöa oà viñëu-päda Çré Çrémad Bhaktivedanta Swami Mahäräja. Today we are going to observe guru-püjä, or Vyäsa-püjä. First of all, we should know what is guru-püjä and what is Vyäsa-püjä. Both are the same. Çré Kåñëa Dvaipäyana Vedavyäsa divided the one Veda into four. Then to reconcile, because it was difficult to extract the essence of the four Vedas, he wrote Brahma sütra (Vedänta-sütra).
The Secret Truth About Gāyatrī Vedavyäsa explained that the essence of the meaning of the brahma-gäyatré comes from oàkära. Gäyatré is feminine gender. Who is Gäyatré? We hear that she is the wife of Brahmä, but you should know what has been told in the gäyatré-mantra: ‘bhargo devasya dhémahi’. Bharga means power; that is, hlädiné-çakti, or mahäbhäva-svarüpa (Rädhikä). The supreme reservoir of kåñëa-prema is Rädhikä. We learn that Gäyatré is the wife of Brahmä, but who is she actually? 1
Who Is Gāyatrī ?
She is a gopé. Kåñëa had told Yogamäyä, “You should somehow try to give this gopé to Brahmä; otherwise, she cannot be parakéya (My paramour beloved)”. All the gopés are married to other gopas. Kåñëa therefore ordered Yogamäyä to also arrange this for Gäyatré-devi, so that her love and relationship with Kåñëa could be parakéya. This is why Gäyatré was given to Brahmä in marriage. From the beginning she had no love for Brahmä; she loved only Kåñëa. Parakéya mood is the topmost mood, and Gäyatré became the maidservant of Rädhikä by that mood. We see that the essence of all the Vedic literatures is Gäyatré. Gäyatré is Rädhikä, or Her maidservant, and that mood may come to anyone who serves this mantra. This is a special thing. My heart told me that I should tell you this secret truth about Gäyatré. This is a secret; I never told this before.
Vyāsadeva Manifested All His Knowledge In the Heart of Śukadeva Gosvāmī All these truths have been clearly revealed by Çréla Vyäsadeva in the first verse of Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Had he not come to this world, “everything would have been nothing.” He revealed this gäyatré-mantra, as well as the catur-çloka of Çrémad-Bhägavatam and its explanation, and he especially revealed the highest love of the mahäbhäva of Çrématé Rädhikä. He revealed the meaning of Çrémad-Bhägavatam, he manifested all Puräëas and especially the Mahäbhärata, and the essence of all these scriptures is the same. Çréla Vyäsadeva first taught his four disciples – Jaimini, Vaiçampäyana, Paila, and Aìgirä – and he especially taught his dearest one, Çréla Çukadeva Gosvämé. Çukadeva Gosvämé was not only his son, but also his dear-most disciple. Çréla Vyäsadeva manifested all his knowledge in the heart of Çréla Çukadeva Gosvämé, who then preached it everywhere.
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The Cre e pe r of De v otion G rows
The Meaning of Vyāsa All äcäryas, and also their disciples in our entire guruparamparä, are so much indebted to those who are in the line of Çréla Vyäsadeva. You should therefore know the meaning of Vyäsa. Suppose there is a circle. If from any point of the circumference a straight line is drawn, passing through the centre to the other end, this is called Vyäsa (diameter). The diameter is always straight and covers all 360 degrees of the circle. It always divides the circle in half, making it 180 degrees. This is Vyäsa.
The Mantra of Vyāsa-pūjā This Vyäsa touches everywhere in the entire world. Çréla Vyäsadeva revealed the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he revealed Rädhikä, and he revealed all other knowledge; and we are thus unlimitedly indebted to him. Our whole guru-paramparä is indebted to him, and it is for this reason that the mantra of Vyäsa-püjä is: näräyaëaà namaskåtya naraà caiva narottamam devéà sarasvatéà vyäsaà tato jayam udérayet [“Before reciting this Çrémad-Bhägavatam, which is the very means of conquest, one should offer respectful obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, Näräyaëa, unto Nara-näräyaëa Åñi, the supermost human being, unto Mother Sarasvaté, the goddess of learning, and unto Çréla Vyäsadeva, the author.” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam, 1.2.4)]
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Who Is Gāyatrī ?
In other words, this is the mantra for worshipping Vyäsa, who is the origin of Vyäsa-püjä. We first offer praëäma to Näräyaëa, who is Kåñëa Himself – näräyaëaà namaskåtya. Then, “naraà caiva”. Some say that in this connection naraà ca means Arjuna, and there is no harm in that1, but generally it means Nara-Näräyaëa Åñi here. Then, “devéà sarasvatéà” – Sarasvaté Devé. “Vyäsaà tato jayam udérayet” – and then to Çréla Vyäsadeva. By offering praëäma in this way, one can then read or explain Mahäbhärata, ÇrémadBhägavatam, Vedänta-sütra, and all the Puräëas. This mantra has been given in Çrémad-Bhägavatam, the Puräëas, Mahäbhärata and elsewhere.
Give Proper Respect To All the Rūpānuga-ācāryas Today is guru-püjä. A disciple can observe this day in honour of any äcärya, but it is especially for those following the footsteps of Çréla Vyäsadeva. It is especially for those who are preaching the glories of Rädhä-Kåñëa and pure bhakti everywhere. On that guru’s birthday, he performs the püjä of Çréla Vyäsadeva, vyäsa-païcaka, kåñëa-païcaka, païca-tattva, äcärya-tattva, guru-paramparä-tattva, and so on. By worship of these seven païcakas, one worships his entire guru-paramparä, from top to bottom. By serving and performing püjä of Kåñëa, everything is completed – tasmin tuñöe jagat tuñöaù. Yet, we will have to give proper respect to all the äcäryas, especially the rüpänuga-äcäryas. You are saying that today is my birthday; but I do not think it is my birthday. My birthday is on Gaura-pürëimä, the day my Gurudeva gave me transcendental birth. Still, you tell me, and 1. It is stated in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (4.1.59): “That Nara-Näräyaëa Åñi, who is a partial expansion of Kåñëa, has now appeared in the dynasties of Yadu and Kuru, in the forms of Kåñëa and Arjuna respectively, to mitigate the burden of the world.”
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The Cre e pe r of De v otion G rows
the people of this world think so also, that my birthday is today. We observe Vyäsa-püjä on this worldly birthday, but our real birth is that transcendental birth, which has been given by our guru – our father, and our mother is actually mantra. You should think like this. On his own birthday, a guru, äcärya, or disciple offers püjä – to please his Gurudeva. anyäbhiläñitä-çünyaà jïäna-karmädy-anävåtam änukülyena kåñëänuçélanaà bhaktir uttamä [“The cultivation of activities which are meant exclusively for the pleasure of Çré Kåñëa, or in other words the uninterrupted flow of service to Çré Kåñëa, performed through all endeavours of the body, mind and speech, and through the expression of various spiritual sentiments (bhavas), which is not covered by jïäna and karma, and which is devoid of all desires other than the aspiration to bring happiness to Çré Kåñëa is called uttama-bhakti, pure devotional service.” (Bhakti-rasämåtasindhu 1.1.11)]
The Proper Channel Through Which To Worship Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa What is the meaning of kåñëa änuküla? Who is the Kåñëa referred to here? He is äçraya-vigraha. He is Kåñëa, but äçraya Kåñëa. In other words, he is Çré Gurudeva. Through him we can gradually reach the lotus feet of Kåñëa, Hari, as viñaya Kåñëa. This is the proper channel through which to worship Rädhä and Kåñëa or Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. If he can please his Gurudeva, not only externally but internally as well, then Vyäsa-püjä is truly observed. We should try to realise the internal ways in which Gurudeva pleases his Gurudeva. 5
Who Is Gāyatrī ?
yasya deve parä bhaktir yathä deve tathä gurau tasyaite kathitä hy arthäù prakäçante mahätmanaù [“Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed.” (Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad 6.23)]
I Cannot Express the Feelings of My Heart Towards My Gurudeva Apply this çloka (anyäbhiläñitä-çünyaà ...), totally and fully, at the lotus feet of your Gurudeva. I now realise something of the glories of my Gurudeva, and I cannot express the feelings of my heart towards him. He was a great ocean of mercy. He took me from the well of stool, and he wanted to place me in the ocean of rasa – into çré bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu and çré ujjvala-nélamaëi. By his special mercy I touched something of the glory of their truths regarding prema, snehä, mäna, praëaya, räga, anuräga, bhäva, and mahäbhäva up to mädanäkhyä. I have understood something, but whose glory is this? I was not a learned person, and I was very insignificant. I know that I had no qualification at all; I was fully ignorant. However, by touching Gurudeva’s lotus feet and by hearing his hari-kathä, I received from him all the various kinds of knowledge that I am giving to the world. I am not giving it; they are inspiring me, and it is by their mercy that I am doing anything. When I remember this, I become overwhelmed. How glorious is his mercy! If one does not touch the real glory of his Gurudeva and serve him totally, how can he please him?
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The Cre e pe r of De v otion G rows
A true disciple knows that his bona fide gurudeva is like Kåñëa, as it is written in all çästras. Çréla Süta Gosvämé has said: süta uväca yaà pravrajantam anupetam apeta-kåtyaà dvaipäyano viraha-kätara äjuhäva putreti tan-mayatayä taravo ‘bhinedus taà sarva-bhüta-hådayaà munim änato ‘smi [Çréla Süta Gosvämé said: “Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto that great sage [Çukadeva Gosvämé] who can enter the hearts of all. When he went away to take up the renounced order of life [sannyäsa], leaving home without undergoing reformation by the sacred thread or the ceremonies observed by the higher castes, his father, Vyäsadeva, fearing separation from him, cried out, ‘O my son!’ Indeed, only the trees, which were absorbed in the same feelings of separation, echoed in response to the begrieved father.” (ÇrémadBhägavatam 1.2.2)]
Gurudeva Is Situated in Everyone’s Heart Gurudeva is sarva-bhüta sthitaà (situated in everyone’s heart), like Kåñëa. Kåñëa is everywhere, and similarly you can never hide anything from your Gurudeva. You want to hide so many things, like your lust and worldly desires, but Gurudeva knows even more than Kåñëa, because he is so near to Kåñëa. You cannot cheat him. If you try to cheat him you will be cheating yourself – so do not try to do so. Reveal your heart to the lotus feet of your Gurudeva. Then you can know how to please him.
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Who Is Gāyatrī ?
Śrīla Swami Mahārāja Showed Great Honour for Our Guru-paramparā Parama-püjyapäda Çréla Bhaktivedanta Svämé Mahäräja knew and followed the order of his Gurudeva, and he preached that mission throughout the world. He has gone everywhere in the world – in jungles, in the midst of oceans, on the top of mountains, and in dangerous places like the middle of swamps (Alachua, Florida). I went to many places, like Çaraëägati and Gétä-nagari, and everywhere I saw his glory. I think also that this was the glory of Çréla Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvaté Gosvämé Prabhupäda and Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura. If they had not ordered and inspired him, and if my gurudeva had not given him sannyäsa, from where would these qualities have come?1 Some want to establish him as the ädi-guru and last guru, thinking that before him there were no bona fide gurus and after him there will be no bona fide gurus. This is a bogus idea, and an offence at his lotus feet. Çréla Swami Mahäräja never said or wrote this. He showed great honour for our guru-paramparä, and especially to the rüpänuga-äcäryas in our line. He has not done anything independently. He has written the translation of Çré Caitanya-caritämåta and Çrémad-Bhägavatam, and he has glorified Kåñëa. He has done nothing new; he has given the same wine in a new bottle, just as all our previous äcäryas have done. The first wine was given by Çréla Vyäsadeva; this credit goes to him. He is Näräyaëa; otherwise, he could not have done this. 1. Of course, Çréla Prabhupäda’s perfection is eternal. This is merely a reference to his naravat-lélä, human-like pastimes, in which he is setting example for us conditioned souls. Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja says the same thing about Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, regarding His naravat-lélä; that if He had not received harinäma and Gopäla-mantra from His gurudeva, Çré Isvara-puripada, He would not have been able to accomplish His mission.
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On this day, a disciple or äcärya bows down at the lotus feet of Çré Gurudeva, from where he has obtained all kinds of knowledge. You should especially know that tattva-jïäna, knowledge of established philosophical truths, is not sufficient. From where will the mood to weep, as the gopés used to weep, come? Çrématé Rädhikä is always weeping, intoxicated in kåñëa-prema. Kåñëa laments and suffers for Her, but He does not become so maddened. There are many manifestations of Rädhä dancing with Kåñëa, but for Rädhikä there is only one Kåñëa. Vyäsadeva is himself Näräyaëa, and he has revealed all this. You should perform guru-paramparä püjä, beginning from your gurudeva, then to the rüpänuga guru-varga, and so on. 1. guru-païcaka (Çré Guru, Parama-guru, Parameñöhi-guru, Parätpara-guru, Paramaparätpara-guru); 2. äcärya-païcaka (Çré Çukadeva, Rämänuja, Madhva, Viñëusvämé, Nimbäditya); 3. Vyäsa-païcaka (Çré Veda Vyäsa, Paila, Vaiçampäyana, Jaimini, Sumanta); 4. sanakädi-païcaka (Çré Sanaka, Sanat-kumära, Sanätana, Sanandana, Viñvaksena); 5. kåñëa-païcaka (Çré Kåñëa, Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha); 6. upasya-païcaka (Çré Rädhikä, Kåñëa, Gaura, Gadadhara, Çré Gurudeva); and 7. païca-tattva (Çré Kåñëa Caitanya, Nityänanda, Advaita Äcärya, Gadädhara, Çréväsa). So, I want to perform my guru-püjä, or Vyäsa-püjä. We have not learned that we should collect abundant puñpäïjali from our disciples. A guru’s first duty is to worship his Gurudeva and guru-
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Who Is Gāyatrī ?
paramparä, as well as the seven païcakas. You should know this and try to follow it. It is not that the guru makes a big ‘Vyäsa-püjä’ book, glorifying himself, and takes all the money and presentations for himself. This is an offence. Çréla Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvaté Öhäkura used to say that he would first offer anything given to him unto the lotus feet of his Gurudeva, Çréla Gaura Kiçora däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja. When thousands of disciples used to present offerings at his lotus feet, at the end of the presentation he would say, “I am taking it all and offering at the lotus feet of my Gurudeva. This is not my property.” You should know all these truths. We are not going to follow new, modern devotees of here and there. We want to follow the line of Çréla Prabhupäda Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvaté Gosvämé Öhäkura and others in our guru-paramparä, like Parama-pujyapada Çréla Bhaktivedanta Svämé Mahäräja. I want to follow in their footsteps. I want to first do guru-püjä, then guru-paramparä püjä, and then to the others. If you want to make some offerings, I will take it and give to the lotus feet of my Gurudeva.
Try to Sincerely Fulfill the Desire of Your Gurudeva I am offering whatever you have all offered to me unto the lotus feet of my guru-päda-padma and guru-paramparä – beginning from Brahmä and coming down to Çréla Bhaktivedanta Svämé Mahäräja – and to the devotees of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu who will appear in the future. I am doing praëäma to all of them: hoiyächena hoibena prabhura jata däsa sabära caraëa vandoì dante kori’ ghäsa
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The Cre e pe r of De v otion G rows [“Holding a straw between my teeth, I submit myself at the feet of all the servants of Mahäprabhu that were or will be.” (Çré Vaiñëava-Vandana verse 6)]
I request one thing of you. Try to sincerely fulfill the desire of your Gurudeva. You will see that if you are sincere, all the Vedas, and all kåñëa-tattva, mäyä-tattva, guru-tattva, rädhä-tattva, and all other tattvas will enter your heart and you will be pure devotees. I am now offering all you have offered me – all your çraddhä, honour, love and affection – unto the lotus feet of my Gurudeva and guru-paramparä. First, our guru-paramparä kértana should be performed – “kåñëa hoite catur-mukha.” Gaura premanande!
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Chapter Two
The Bhakti-latā-bīja
Ç
répad Mädhava Mahäräja: Çréla Gurudeva has ordered me to explain the verse: brahmäëòa bhramite kona bhägyavän jéva guru-kåñëa-prasäde päya bhakti-latä-béja
[“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 Kåñëa. By the mercy of both Kåñëa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.” (Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 19.151)]
By the causeless mercy of guru and Kåñëa, the devotional practitioner can receive the seed of bhakti. Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja: Who will receive the seed? Çrépad Mädhava Mahäräja: The sädhaka.
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The B hakti-l atā-bī j a
Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja: Why did you say sädhaka? Anyone can receive it. Çrépad Mädhava Mahäräja: By the combined causeless mercy of guru and Kåñëa, any living entity can receive the bhakti-latäbéja. In this verse, ‘guru kåñëa’ has two meanings: It means ‘by the combined mercy of çré-guru and Çré Kåñëa’, and it means that guru is a manifestation of Kåñëa. Guru and Kåñëa are non-different, and this is confirmed in the Caitanya-caritämåta: guru kåñëa-rüpa hana çästrera pramäëe guru-rüpe kåñëa kåpä karena bhakta-gaëe [“According to the deliberate opinion of all revealed scriptures, the spiritual master is non-different from Kåñëa. Lord Kåñëa, in the form of the spiritual master, delivers His devotees.” (Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädé-lélä 1.45)]
By the causeless mercy of äçraya-bhagavan (the spiritual master), the living entity can receive the bhakti-latä-béja. This bhakti-latäbéja is the desire to serve Kåñëa. How will this desire to serve Kåñëa manifest in the heart? It manifests by hearing hari-kathä from the bona fide guru and bona fide Vaiñëavas. If we try to hear Kåñëa’s pastimes with faith from Gurudeva, and also from pure Vaiñëavas, the desire to serve will appear in the heart. I would like to give some examples from the pastimes we have heard from our Gurudeva and from the Vaiñëavas.
Śrīdāmā Defeats Kṛṣṇa in a Wrestling Match One time, Kåñëa and His sakhäs like Çrédämä, Madhumaìgala, and others were wrestling with one another, and eventually Çrédämä came out the winner and Kåñëa was clapping alone. Seeing this, the sakhäs asked Him, “Kåñëa, why are You clapping so 14
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much?” He replied, “Because I defeated Çrédämä in the wrestling match.” Meanwhile, Durväsä Åñi, who was sitting and watching the whole scene, could not decide whether Kåñëa was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or just a mundane boy. He watched in amazement as the boys debated with Kåñëa. Çrédämä challenged Him, “Kåñëa Kanhaiyä, how can You say that You defeated me? All the sakhäs are eyewitnesses; they all saw that You were on the ground on Your back, underneath me. Therefore, I am the winner.” Kåñëa replied, “But My nose was pointing up, and he whose nose points down is the loser; so you are the loser!” Just then they saw that a bäbä was sitting nearby and staring at them. Being causelessly merciful, Kåñëa, along with Çrédämä and the other sakhäs, desired to give him His darçana. He said, “Let us ask this bäbä; he saw everything.” Then, approaching Durväsä Åñi He said, “Bäbä, I am the winner and Çrédämä is the loser. Is it not?” Durväsä simply sat there and remained silent, for he was completely bewildered by what was taking place. Çrédämä then said, “Bäbä, please speak the truth. Don’t lie like Kåñëa; please don’t lie. I am the winner and Kåñëa is the loser. It is not fitting for a saintly person to lie. If you lie, the sin of lying will strike you.” Durväsä Åñi remained sitting, and staring, and now he was also somewhat trembling. Coming very close and looking at him, Kåñëa said, “Why aren’t you replying? Are you dumb?” Çrédämä added, “Bäbä, why are you not replying? Are you deaf?” In his bewilderment Durväsä Åñi tried to say something, but he could only stutter, “What should I say? I don’t know what to say.” Now Kåñëa told Çrédämä, “Oh! This bäbä is bogus! He does not know anything.” Kåñëa pulled on the beard of Durväsä Åñi and said, “O 15
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bäbä! Are you dumb or are you deaf? Why aren’t you answering us?” Çrédämä joined Him, and also pulling on Durväsä’s beard said, “Yes, are you deaf or are you dumb?” The sakhäs finally said, “Let us go. He does not know.” By being in good association and hearing hari-kathä like this from a bona fide guru or Vaiñëavas, one will gradually develop the desire to be the friend of Kåñëa, to play with Him as one of His sakhäs. This is very good. Now I will repeat another pastime.
I Shall Not Touch You! Mother Yaçodä had given Kåñëa a bath, and a few moments after being bathed and dressed very nicely by His mother, Kåñëa rolled on the ground and made His clothes dirty. After that He came to her, demanding to be picked up. She told Him, “No! I shall not touch You! You are dirty; You are a naughty boy. I have just given You a bath and dressed You so nicely, but You went and rolled on the ground. I shall not touch You!” Närada Muni had been watching the whole scene and thought to himself, “How fortunate is Mother Yaçodä! The Supreme Personality of Godhead wants to come and sit in her lap, and she is chastising Him, saying, ‘No. Don’t come and touch me. You are a naughty, dirty boy.’”
Kṛṣṇa-sevā-vāsanā
The Desire to Serve Kåñëa By hearing this type of hari-kathä from Guru and Vaiñëavas, one may gradually develop the desire to serve Kåñëa like Mother Yaçodä and Nanda Bäbä. This desire is called kåñëa-sevä-väsanä, and it is the bhakti-latä-béja. 16
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Now I want to give one last example. Once, Kåñëa wanted to console Çrématé Rädhikä and to apologise for upsetting Her due to His notorious activities. He came to meet with Her, but She told Him, “Hari hari jähe, Mädhava jähe. Mädhava kaitava bäòham. O Hari, You should go away from here! O Keçava, go away! O Mädhava, go away from here!” The maïjarés of Çrématé Rädhikä can also chastise Kåñëa. Without their permission, Kåñëa is not allowed to enter Rädhikä’s kuïja. The desire to serve the Divine Couple in a mood of Rädhikä’s maïjarés is also called kåñëa-sevä-väsanä. How does it come? By being in good association and hearing pastimes like these from Çré Guru and Vaiñëavas, the greed or the desire to serve Kåñëa can enter the heart of the sincere disciple by their mercy. This is the desire to serve Kåñëa: kåñëa-sevä-väsanä, and it is the bhaktilatä-béja. I have given three examples of how kåñëa-sevä-väsanä comes by good association: in friendship (sakhya-rasa), in a paternal mood (vätsalya-rasa) and in the mood of a paramour lover (mädhuryarasa). If someone who hears these pastimes develops the desire to serve Kåñëa in any one of the relationships, we should know that he has been given the bhakti-latä-béja by the causeless mercy of Çré Guru and Kåñëa. This is the meaning of guru-kåñëa-prasäde päya bhakti-latä-béja. If anyone obtains this béja, his life will be successful.
The Disciple Nurtures the Seed Çyämaräëé däsé: Çréla Gurudeva has ordered me to give the translation and meaning of this verse.
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After taking births within the millions of species of life from a time immemorial, the living entity finally meets the spiritual master and receives the seed of bhakti from him. The spiritual master does not plant the seed himself; rather he gives it to the disciple who then becomes like a gardener, mälé-haïä, and plants the seed in his own heart. The disciple then nurtures and nourishes the seed by watering it with the process of hearing and chanting under the guidance of the guru, and in this way the seed begins to sprout.
Kṛṣṇa-prema Is Already in Our Hearts in Seed Form This verse has many beautiful deep meanings. It is stated in Caitanya-caritämåta: nitya-siddha kåñëa-prema ’sädhya’ kabhu naya çravaëädi-çuddha-citte karaye udaya [“Pure love for Kåñëa is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.” (Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 22.107)]
It is not that the spiritual master is giving a seed of something that is not already in the heart of the living entity. Nitya-siddha kåñëa-prema: Kåñëa-prema is already lying dormant, latent within our hearts, in the same way that the seed of any tree or plant has everything about that tree or plant already within it in potency. For instance, a mango seed has within it the tree, its branches, leaves, flowers, fruit, and even the flavour and aroma of the fruit. Everything is already there in potency. Similarly, kåñëa-bhakti, kåñëa-prema, is already in our hearts in seed form. Our entire 18
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spiritual form, services, dress, hairstyles everything is there. This is also stated in the verse: jévera ’svarüpa’ haya—kåñëera ’nitya-däsa’ kåñëera ’taöasthä-çakti’ ’bhedäbheda-prakäça’1 The living entity is eternally kåñëa-däsa, and therefore everything about him is already there. We are eternally qualitatively the same as Kåñëa and quantitatively different from Him. If kåñëa-prema is already there in a dormant state as a seed in the heart, what then is meant by the statement: the spiritual master gives the seed? In answer, the äcäryas have given us the example of a certain planetary constellation called çväti-nakñatra. When the rain comes at the time of this constellation, it has a special effect on different living entities. For instance, the oysters within the ocean have the potency to produce pearls, but unless the rains of the çväti-nakñatra fall onto the water in which the oyster lives, the pearl is never developed. Likewise, an elephant has the potential to produce a gajä-mukta (elephant pearl), and if that particular rain falls on the elephant, this pearl appears. Another example is the cow; when this rain falls onto the hoof of a cow, gaurocana, a yellow-gold pigment that is used in unguents, appears. Also, the snake has the potential to produce a jewel, and this happens when the çväti-nakñatra rains fall on its head.
The Spiritual Master Gives ‘The Seed’ of Inspiration Similarly, every living entity has an eternal relationship with Kåñëa in one of the five rasas. This relationship is eternal; but it cannot be developed without the inspiration of the spiritual master. It is he who gives ‘the seed’ of inspiration, and teaches the disciple how to water it by proper hearing and chanting. 1. Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 20.108
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Kleśaghnī and Śubhadā
The First Two Leaves that Manifest When the seed first begins to sprout, the first two leaves that manifest are called kleçaghné and çubhadä. Upon the appearance of these two leaves, all kinds of kleça, sufferings, such as ignorance, attachment, envy, and fear begin to fade away. At the same time, all kinds of çubhadä, good qualities, appear, like tåëäd api sunécena: humility, offering respects to others, and not desiring any for oneself. The seed that produced these two leaves is called çraddhä. In Caitanya-caritämåta there is a very nice verse: ‘çraddhä’-çabde—viçväsa kahe sudåòha niçcaya kåñëe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kåta haya [“Çraddhä is the confident, firm faith that, by rendering transcendental loving service to Kåñëa, one automatically performs all subsidiary activities. Such faith is favourable for the discharge of devotional service.” (Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 22.62)]
Every Desire Is Fulfilled by Bhakti Simply by engaging in the service of Kåñëa, everything is accomplished. Every desire that I have in this material world, including the desires for liberation and for mystic powers, is fulfilled by bhakti, in the same way that the leaves and branches of a tree are automatically watered by watering the root of the tree. The belief in the above statement is called çraddhä. As Çrépäd Mädhava Mahäräja said, the tendency to serve Kåñëa, kåñëa-seväväsanä, is inspired in the heart by the guru.
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The Expert Spiritual Master Can Look in the Heart of Any Living Entity An expert gardener is able to know the characteristic quality of a seed just by looking at it; he will know what kind of tree will grow from it, what kind of water is needed, and how much sunlight it should have. He can also expertly nourish that seed so that one day it will become a healthy tree. Similarly, the expert spiritual master can look in the heart of any living entity not only the heart of his disciple, but of every living entity in any species and he can tell what type of seed of bhakti is there and what kind of relationship he has with Kåñëa. The spiritual master can also nurture that relationship and actually give the perfection of kåñëaprema by his guidance. Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja: [addressing Sundara Gopal däsa] Give the gist of what was said in two or four lines. Sundara Gopal däsa: Taking birth within the millions of species since time immemorial, the living entity may become extremely fortunate to come into contact with a pure devotee. For this, he must have performed some sukåti, such as celebrating Janmäñöamé or other good activities. When this sukåti matures in his heart, he will come to the pure devotee and have natural faith to hear the hari-kathä that is coming from his lotus mouth. The potential to serve Kåñëa in a particular relationship is dormant within the heart of every jéva, and when the living entity listens to hari-kathä from a pure devotee, the seed of bhakti may enter his heart. He may develop kåñëa-sevä-väsanä, the tendency to serve Çré Kåñëa. Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja: What is the result of that väsanä (desire)? Sundara Gopal dasa: The result is that bhakti creeper will begin to flourish. 21
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Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja: He will think, “Oh my life will be successful.” Sundara Gopal däsa: He will take initiation from a bona fide spiritual master and his life will be supremely successful. Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja: He has this conviction: By serving Kåñëa, all the other activities of my life will automatically be accomplished. ‘çraddhä’-çabde—viçväsa kahe sudåòha niçcaya kåñëe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kåta haya [“Çraddhä is the confident, firm faith that, by rendering transcendental loving service to Kåñëa, one automatically performs all subsidiary activities. Such faith is favourable for the discharge of devotional service.” (Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 22.62)]
What is the meaning of this verse? Sundara Gopal däsa: To have çraddhä means to have the firm conviction that by serving Kåñëa, nothing else needs to be done. Just as when you water the root of a tree there is no need to water the leaves: it will flourish by watering the roots. Similarly, by serving Çré Kåñëa and guru, there is no need to perform any other activity. Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja: Can that devotee, without effort, maintain his life? Will money come or not? Will he be able to nourish and support his family simply by that çraddhä? If he is serving Kåñëa and making no effort to support his children, will that support be accomplished or not?
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Sundara Gopal däsa: Kåñëa promises in Gétä that He will maintain that person who engages all his energy in His service, and in the service to his Gurudeva. Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja: Very good, thank you. From today on, you should all try to have the firm belief that by serving Kåñëa your lives will be successful, and that your maintenance and everything else will automatically be taken care of. With this firm belief, you will not need to do anything except chant and remember Kåñëa. I am repeating these very important topics again and again, in order that you may come to realise them. Try to realise this: if you are serving Kåñëa, your whole life will be successful; you will not need to do anything for your worldly necessities. In this way, instead of doing anything for your maintenance, you will perform all devotional activities: çravanaà kértanam viñëoù smaraëaà pädasevanam. Çréla Mahäräja now calls out to another devotee at the back of the hall, Akhileça däsa: Stand up and tell the purport of all that we have discussed. You are German, so speak loudly [the devotee begins to speak softly.] Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja: Speak more loudly like a lion. Speak as I do, otherwise I will erase your name from the list of those who are German. [Germans should be bold.] Akhileça däsa: At the beginning of your class, you spoke on the verse from Caitanya-caritämåta: brahmäëòa bhramite kona bhägyavän jéva, wherein it is described that the living entity is wandering throughout the universe and taking birth among the 8,400,000 different species of life. Then, by great good fortune he meets the spiritual master who gives the seed of bhakti-latä.
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Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja: What is that seed? Akhileça däsa: The desire to serve Kåñëa. Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja: This is the inner symptom. What is the outer symptom? Akhileça däsa: The outer symptom is that he has çraddhä and accepts initiation from a bona fide spiritual master. Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja: Not only this. He has firm faith, çraddhä, in the words of guru, Kåñëa, and çästra. With this faith will come the desire to serve. Moreover, he will think, that whatever has been stated by them is all right, that there is nothing wrong in their words. Akhileça däsa: Then he begins to cultivate the bhakti-latä, becoming an expert gardener. Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja: What does a soul do when he receives this bhakti seed? Akhileça däsa: He plants it in his heart, and gives it the proper nourishment of hari-kathä and good association.
If the Field of the Devotee’s Heart Is Not Fertile Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja: Very good. You should know that Gurudeva gives the seed of bhakti, the bhakti-latä-béja, but if he sees that the field of the devotee’s heart is not fertile, it will not be possible for the creeper to sprout what to speak of bear fruit. If the aspiring devotee examines himself, he will also see whether or not the field of his heart is barren, and whether or not there are only stones on that barren land.2 He must therefore first of all plow his 2. Before the disciple’s desire to serve Kåñëa is present in the real sense, the spiritual master carefully removes his obstacles, anarthas, and misconceptions. This is what is meant by plowing the field. Then, after the field is fertile, the spiritual master will give
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heart, making it soft, and he must apply fertiliser; otherwise it is not possible that a creeper can sprout there. He must remove the stones by plowing, and when he sees that the land is now fertile, he will put the seed of the desire to serve Kåñëa in his heart.3
The Heart Has Become Like Stone Due to unlimited material desires, the heart has become like stone. How can the devotee remove them? Sukåtis are accumulated by serving Hari, guru, and Vaiñëavas, and it is by these sukåtis that the disciple will have the desire to give up all unwanted anarthas. Lust is the greatest anartha. The devotee should remove it at once; he must take it out.
These Anarthas Are Like Holes Strictly follow the regulative principles; no smoking, gambling, meat eating, illicit sex, etc., and give up duplicity and hypocrisy at once. These anarthas are like holes, and whatever water the devotee collects to nourish his seed will come out again through these holes, without having touched the bhakti-latä seed. The gardener should first of all make the necessary arrangements. He should repair the holes and then remove the rocks from his heart, and in this way he can plant the seed of bhakti.4
the seed. The aspiring disciple may want to plant the seed before this process has been completed, but that seed will not fructify. Therefore, the disciple first hears from the spiritual master how to overcome his obstacles in the form of anarthas, etc.) 3. Descriptions of this can be found in the Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä Ch.12: Cleansing of the Gundica Temple) 4. These represent different stages of the heart of the conditioned soul.
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The Five Prominent Limbs of Devotional Service What will he do first? Çravanaà, çravanaà, çravanaà. He will first of all hear continuously from a bona fide guru, and after some time, when he becomes expert in hearing, he can try to do kértana, to speak. Who is actually performing kértana? Vyäsadeva, Çukadeva Gosvämé, and others like them. One should hear just like Parékñit Mahäräja heard Bhägavatam from Çréla Çukadeva Gosvämé. This is çravanaà kértanaà. These nine limbs, çravanaà, kértanaà, viñëoù smaraëam, etc. are important, and out of these nine, five are prominent: sädhu-saìga, näma-kértana, bhägavata-çravaëa mathurä-väsa, çré-mürtira çraddhäya sevana “One should associate with devotees, chant the holy name of the Lord, hear Çrémad-Bhägavatam, reside at Mathurä and worship the Deity with faith and veneration.” (Caitanyacaritämåta, Madhya-lélä 22.128)
sakala-sädhana-çreñöha ei païca aìga kåñëa-prema janmäya ei päìcera alpa saìga “These five limbs of devotional service are the best of all. Even a slight performance of these five awakens love for Kåñëa.” (Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 22.129)]
If anyone engages in these five practices, beginning with sädhu-saìga, and if within sädhu-saìga he performs, näma-kértana, bhagavad-çravaëa, mathurä-väsa (residing in Mathurä, Våndävana, Navadvépa or any other holy tértha) and çré vigraha-sevä, he will quickly attain kåñëa-prema. If he is committing offences, however, this is very dangerous for him, and kåñëa-prema will not appear in his heart. 26
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By Over-Watering the Seed, it Will Rot in the Ground The gardener takes the seed, plants it in his now fertile heart, and waters it. He won’t pour too much water in the beginning, by chanting, “Goopé, goopé, goopé.”5 This is too much water, and by over-watering the seed in the beginning, it will not sprout; it will rot in the ground instead. One should study the character and activities of Çré Prahläda Mahäräja, Jagäi-Mädhäi, Çréla Haridäsa Öhäkura, Çréman Mahäprabhu and Nityänanda Prabhu, and Çréla Raghunätha Däsa Gosvämé. This is the appropriate water for the seed. The seed will become totally rotten if you try to water it in the beginning by hearing the confidential secrets of añöa-käléyalélä, like rasa-lélä and other pastimes enjoyed by Rädhä and Kåñëa in the groves. So be very careful. The qualification to hear these topics will come automatically if you sincerely follow the process; but in the beginning stage, one should gradually try to develop çraddhä, niñöhä, ruci, äsakti, rati, and so on. Do not hear all these confidential pastimes before you have attained these stages.
The Two Kinds of Śraddhā There are two kinds of çraddhä: one is worldly çraddhä, worldly faith, and the second is transcendental faith. Worldly çraddhä is always komala, shaky and very weak. On the other hand, if one has transcendental çraddhä (like Haridäsa Öhäkura) he will think, “Even if you cut me into thousands of pieces, I will not give up my chanting and my worship.” 5. This refers to those who artificially imagine a relationship with the gopés, or imagine that they are themselves realised in their gopé identity, but connect themselves instead with worldly sentiments. ‘Goopé’ simply means there is no spiritual meaning to such a person’s imagined connection with the gopés, although he is chanting, “Gopé, Gopé.”
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You can now judge for yourselves if you have transcendental çraddhä or not. Without transcendental çraddhä you cannot develop; therefore, from today you should promise, “No matter how many problems may come; even if the greatest problems come to me, I will never give up my chanting and remembering Kåñëa.” Only by having a mood such as this will the bhakti seed sprout; otherwise, it will take a very long time. Sädhu-saìga is always required, for without it your faith will always be weak and you will eventually give up following the process. If you do not follow the process, even if your bhakti-latä-béja has already sprouted it will eventually dry up. Gaura premänande! Devotee: You said that when transcendental çraddhä comes, one does not care if he is cut into pieces; he will still chant and remember. But you also said at another time that when transcendental çraddhä first appears, one serves out of fear and respect, and duty, according to çästra, and he considers that if he does not serve, he will go to hell. My question is: how can the çraddhä of one who serves Kåñëa out of fear and duty be strong enough to be called transcendental? Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja: Without transcendental çraddhä, you cannot develop in your bhakti, and therefore you must first of all come to that stage. Until transcendental çraddhä has developed, çraddhä will be mixed; it will be both worldly and transcendental. However, by practice under the guidance and association of Gurudeva, transcendental çraddhä will gradually develop, and at the same time worldly çraddhä will gradually disappear. When full transcendental faith has developed, you will be like Haridäsa Öhäkura.
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Devotee: In Jaiva Dharma it says that everything is coming by chance; so, does bhägyavän, good fortune, mean chance? Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja: It can be said that the atomic jéva has fallen by chance, that we get Kåñëa’s mercy by chance, and you are gathering sukåtis by chance. But the word ‘chance’ has a deep meaning. Kåñëa is guru, and He is very merciful. He is called caitya-guru. As caitya-guru, He inspires the devotee from within: “A Vaiñëava has come. You should go and inquire from him.” He will inspire, and the devotee will go. As well as inspiring the devotee from within, He will also appear externally, as the guru. In our current conditioned state, we do not see this; we merely see it as chance. But this ‘chance’ has really come by the management of Kåñëa. All chance is managed by Kåñëa; He is the root of all chance. It may be said that these opportunities come about by chance, but actually, no worldly language can express transcendental ideas. Worldly words cannot touch proper sentiments or convey proper siddhänta; there are bound to be mistakes.
The Scale of Transcendental Śraddhā Will Gradually Increase Devotee: Çréla Gurudeva, please kindly tell us: on which level do we have transcendental faith? Is it niñöhä, ruci, äsakti, or what? Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja: It will begin from the beginning and slowly increase. As your ignorance and anarthas are removed, faith becomes stronger. At the stage of ruci faith is very strong, and it is then transcendental. Something of transcendental faith or bhakti is somewhat in all devotees, and as much as you continue to hear in the association of Vaiñëavas, meditate on what you have heard, and try to go deeply in these topics, your çraddhä will increase and gradually all anarthas will disappear. Bhakti is there
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at the beginning, but it is at the lowest point. Then by chanting, hearing and remembering Kåñëa in sädhu-saìga, the scale of transcendental çraddhä will gradually increase and simultaneously worldly çraddhä will decrease. Devotee: Çréla Gurudeva, can you please give the definition of duplicity and hypocrisy? Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja: If what is in the heart is different than what comes from the mouth, it is duplicity. If in our hearts we want to have some position, to cheat others, or to make money, but outwardly we are saying, “Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa,” that is duplicity. Someone may say, “I can give you kåñëa-bhakti; I have a passport and visa for Goloka Våndävana. Pay me at least ten thousand Euros and I will give them to you.” This is hypocrisy and duplicity. If we say, “They should quarrel, and I will get worldly gain by that,” that is duplicitous. Duryodhana wanted that there be war, so that he would get the royal throne. Similarly, if we think that we should engage in arguing and quarreling with others, or engage others in quarreling, so that we will be worshipped and given a special position, then we are duplicitous. Duryodhana was duplicitous, but the Päëòavas had no duplicity. Gaura premänande!
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Chapter Three Part 1
The Creeper of Devotion Grows
T
he senior disciples of my çikñä-guru, Oà Viñëupäda Çré Çrémad Bhaktivedanta Svämé Mahäräja, who have become somewhat weak after his divine departure, are now receiving new life. This was my main objective. I wanted to obey the words of my çikñä-guru, to go wherever necessary to re-inspire his disciples and followers, and I think that we have been successful. Many thanks to the devotees who have left everything for the past seven days to come and hear hari-kathä. My blessings to all the devotees – that they will become very strong. I advise you all to follow the path as directed by Çréla Bhaktivedanta Svämé Mahäräja. For those of you who have not been following, I request that you once again follow his instructions – in the real sense. You should once again meditate on the dékñä mantras he gave you, remembering everything that he told you regarding brahma-gäyatré, guru-mantra, guru-gäyatré, gaura-mantra, gaura-gäyatré, kåñëa-mantra, and käma-gäyatré.
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Faith Is the Sprout of Bhakti You will not develop very much by chanting harinäma by yourself, but if you chant in the association of superior Vaiñëavas and follow your guru’s instructions, some fruit will come from your chanting. Caitanya-caritämåta states: upajiyä bäòe latä ’brahmäëòa’ bhedi’ yäya ’virajä’, ’brahma-loka’ bhedi’ ’para-vyoma’ päya (Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 19.153) [“As one waters the bhakti-latä-béja, the seed sprouts, and the creeper gradually grows to the point where it penetrates the walls of this universe and goes beyond the Virajä River, which is lying between the spiritual world and the material world. It attains Brahma-loka, the brahman effulgence, and penetrating through that stratum it reaches the spiritual sky and the spiritual planet Goloka Våndävana.”]
The word upajiyä means ‘gradually developing’. In the beginning of the practice of bhakti there are many anarthas, and therefore there is no strong belief in the words of the Vaiñëavas, Kåñëa, and çästra. However, if one continues to hear hari-kathä in the association of Vaiñëavas, faith will develop. This faith is the sprout of bhakti, which is the desire to serve Kåñëa.
Life’s Maintenance Will Be Automatically Taken Care Of When one has this faith, he knows that by serving Kåñëa his life will be successful, and he has the conviction that everything required for his life’s maintenance will be automatically taken care of. In this way he can use most of his energy in service to Kåñëa, by chanting His names and remembering Him. Gradually, 32
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two leaves appear from the sprout of the bhakti creeper: kleçaghné (the disappearance of suffering) and çubhadä (the appearance of auspicious qualities) and after that two more appear, and then again two more. In the very beginning, before taking dékñä, when one begins to chant in the association of devotees, he may have some faith in the devotees but he does not yet realise the importance of taking shelter of a bona fide guru. The Vaiñëava guru in whom he has strong faith tells him that he should take initiation; not only harinäma, which can be given easily, but also dékñä initiation. He replies to that Vaiñëava, “I am chanting as you have told me, but I have no taste. I have so many anarthas, and so much lust and desire for sense gratification.” The guru tells him, “Take initiation; don’t delay.” He tells the guru, “I want to take it, but I don’t want to shave off my dreadlocks.” He wants to be like a female. He likes the mood of ladies, and ladies who cut their hair short want to be like males. Gurudeva finally concedes, “Then remain as you are. I will not initiate you.” Another person, however, becomes ready to take shelter of the guru; he will very easily give up his unwanted habits and paraphernalia. Those who hesitate do so because they fear that their desires for sense gratification will not be fulfilled, whereas one who has strong faith will surrender at once, and thus his relationship with the spiritual master becomes very strong; he will obey his gurudeva’s every instruction. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu told Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé, “Go to the Ganges, take bath, and shave. Be like a gentleman.” Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé immediately left for the Ganges, where he shaved, and he also gave up his valuable blanket. He made his life very simple.
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India Is Very Conducive for Spiritual Life Spiritual life is difficult to practice in Western countries. One cannot live like those who live in India – very simply and easily. This is because the atmosphere in the West is unfavourable for that. It is not possible to go anywhere without the use of a car or similar transport, and in some places, it is sometimes so cold that you will have to wear many thick and heavy garments. There are so many things you cannot avoid in the West, whereas India is favourable for spiritual life. In the West one requires money to walk from here to there, for the airport, and for this and that. But this is not the case in India, where there is not even the need for shoes and socks. It has therefore been said, ‘bhärata-bhümi sädhanabhümi’. In Bhärata, India, there is no need for more than the barest of necessities. Jagannätha Puré, for instance, is neither too hot nor too cold; and in Våndävana you can beg madhukäré (alms of prasädam) from almost any householder, because practically no one there eats meat, eggs, or fish, and most of them do not even smoke. It is very easy to maintain oneself in a spiritual way because so many residents of the dhäma are brahminical. Any sädhu can beg bhikñä (alms), and most of the householders will gladly give him whatever he requests. Here in the West, however, you will have to buy everything yourself, and you will also have to cook for yourself; hardly anyone will give you anything. Therefore, India is very conducive for spiritual life. bhärata-bhümite haila manuñya-janma yära janma särthaka kari’ kara para-upakära [“One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India (Bhärata-varña) should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people.” (Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 9.41)] 34
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This utkaëöha (eagerness) is essential: “I must live in India so that I can do bhajana.” It is stated in Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé’s Bhaktirasämåta-sindu: kleça-ghné çubha-dä mokña-laghutä-kåt su-durlabhä sändränanda-viçeñätmä çré-kåñëäkarñiëé ca sä [“Pure devotional service brings immediate relief from all kinds of material distress. It is the beginning of all auspiciousness. It minimises the value of liberation. It is rarely achieved, it automatically puts one in transcendental pleasure, and it is the only means to attract Kåñëa.” (Bhakti-rasämåtasindhu 1.1.17)]
The First Two Leaves of the Bhakti Creeper Appear When the disciple begins to follow the process of bhakti in the real sense, by chanting, hearing etc., the first two leaves of the bhakti creeper will appear: kleçaghné and çubhadä. The symptom of the appearance of the first leaf, kleçaghné, is that the disciple will see that the problems of his life are decreasing. Duùkha-nivåtti – duùkha means unhappiness, and nivåtti means decreasing. All kinds of sufferings quickly disappear. Then, with the appearance of the second leaf, all kinds of favourable qualities begin to appear, and this is called çubhadä in Sanskrit. At this time many people begin to honour and pay respects to that sädhaka. They give him everything he requires for maintaining his life: someone gives fruits, another gives cloth, another gives shoes, etc. Kåñëa is making arrangements for his maintenance.
Gradually the Second Pair of Leaves Sprout Gradually the second pair of leaves sprout, and they are called mokña-laghutä-kåt and sudurlabhä. At the stage of mokña-laghutä-kåt, 35
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the devotee no longer desires worldly sense gratification or even mukti; and in fact, he sees liberation as insignificant. The word sudurlabhä means extremely rare, and it refers to rägänuga-bhakti. That rare bhakti, sudurlabhä bhakti, now makes its appearance, and thus the devotee becomes kåñëa-karñaëa; he can attract Kåñëa. Kåñëa-karñaëa is one of the leaves of the third pair, and the other leaf, sändränanda-viçeñätmä: (condensed and unlimited happiness) now manifests.1 At that time the devotee becomes overjoyed because Kåñëa may sometimes give him His darçana. By the mercy of Nityänanda Prabhu, when Çré Kåñëadäsa Kavirajä Gosvämé went to Våndävana, he saw its beauty. He saw it as it was at the time when Kåñëa was there. By the influence of bhakti, Kåñëa and His abode will also manifest to you, and then your life will be successful. Before this stage, when the devotee is at the stage of niñöhä (steadiness), unwanted desires and anarthas are somewhat gone. Then, after niñöhä comes ruci (taste), and then äsakti (natural attachment for bhajana and the object of bhajana) manifests. These are some of the stages of sädhana-bhakti, and in this way the devotee gradually advances.
Give Up at Once Whatever Is Unfavourable for Bhakti If you see that after many years of trying to practice sädhanabhakti your lust, desire for sense gratification, and anarthas are not disappearing, you can understand that there is something wrong with you, or with your guru. If the guru cannot help you to give these up, you should give up that guru. The real guru is he who can help the devotee in his Kåñëa consciousness. If your guru is not doing sädhana-bhajana, or chanting harinäma, but is always managing, making money, and keeping a big bank account, he is 1. See Endnote 1.
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bogus and he should be rejected. If your guru is bona fide but there is still something wrong, you should try to repair the problem. Give up at once whatever is unfavourable for bhakti, and in this way your bhakti creeper will develop.
All Material Desires Reside in Brahmāṇḍa upajiyä bäòe latä ’brahmäëòa’ bhedi’ yäya ’virajä’, ’brahma-loka’ bhedi’ ’para-vyoma’ päya [“As one waters the bhakti-latä-béja, the seed sprouts, and the creeper gradually grows to the point where it penetrates the walls of this universe and goes beyond the Virajä River which is lying between the spiritual world and the material world. It attains Brahma-loka, the brahman effulgence, and penetrating through that stratum it reaches the spiritual sky and the spiritual planet Goloka Våndävana.” (Caitanyacaritämåta, Madhya-lélä 19.153)]
Upajiyä bäòe latä ’brahmäëòa’ bhedi’ yäya: All material desires reside in brahmäëòa (this universe) like, “I will be king,” “I will be Prime Minister,” “I will be President,” “I want to have all varieties of happiness and sense gratification.” Hiraëyakaçipu received a great boon from Brahmä, but that boon could not liberate him from the brahmäëòa. It was within the brahmäëòa. Your creeper of bhakti will dry up if you are thinking about how you will maintain yourself in this world, or if you desire sense gratification, or if you want to go to heaven. This is also within the brahmäëòa. Your bhakti-creeper is still within the universe. If you would like to be like Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanätana, and Sanat Kumära (in their previous life as brahmavädés), or even if you have become like Brahmä, with the ability to create and so forth, your creeper is still inside the brahmäëòa. 37
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All Material Desires Keep You Bound Here Try to realise the nature of this brahmäëòa. All material desires keep you bound here. If your bhakti is pure, you will not have any worldly desires; so try to act in accordance with the principles ordained in the following çloka: tan-näma-rüpa-caritädi-sukértanänusmåtyoù krameëa rasanä-manasé niyojya tiñöhan vraje tad-anurägi-janänugämé kälaà nayed akhilam ity upadeça-säram [“The essence of all advice is that one should utilise one’s full time – twenty-four hours a day – in nicely chanting and remembering the Lord’s divine name, transcendental form, qualities and eternal pastimes, thereby gradually engaging one’s tongue and mind. In this way one should reside in Vraja (Goloka Våndävana dhäma) and serve Kåñëa under the guidance of devotees. One should follow in the footsteps of the Lord’s beloved devotees, who are deeply attached to His devotional service.” (Çré Upadeçämåta 8)]
If you cannot be in Våndävana physically, then meditate on Våndävana. If you always chant and remember Kåñëa under the guidance of a rasika-tattvajïa Vaiñëava, then your bhakti will increase.
The Bhakti Creeper Crosses Beyond the Virajā River The Virajä River is not covered by jïäna (mental speculation), karma (fruitive activities), yoga (mystic powers), tapasya (severe austerities), etc. In a sense, neither rajas, nor tamas (the material modes of passion and ignorance) is present in the Virajä River;
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only çuddha-sattva (pure goodness), is there. In another sense, sattva, rajas and tamas are there, but they are mürchit (sleeping, or lying dormant). They can wake up at any time, however. [This means that the jéva may again fall victim to the material energy even if he is situated in the Virajä River, because there is no positive spiritual activity there.] The bhakti creeper crosses beyond the Virajä River and by-passes Brahma-loka.2 What is Brahmaloka? In this çloka (upajiyä bäòe latä …) Brahma-loka does not refer to the residence of Lord Brahmä. It refers to the impersonal brahmajyoti. By brahma-jïäna (knowledge of the impersonal aspect of the Absolute Truth), one may enter and merge in brahma, and at that time he thinks, “I am brahma.” But bhakti-devé can easily cross over this Brahma-loka, and in fact she does not even see it.
The Bhakti Creeper then Goes to Paravyoma The bhakti creeper then goes to paravyoma3, which is beyond even Çiva-loka. Paravyoma, where there is no mixing in brahma, is divided into two sections. The lower of the two is like Vaikuëöha, but is not actually Vaikuëöha, and the jéva can also go there. [It is the Vaikuëöha planet within the material world, and it is called Räma-priya Vaikuëöha. In that realm there is sevä-sukha-uttara. There, the devotee wants to serve Lord Näräyaëa, but he also wants the happiness accrued from the attainment of the four spiritual opulences. That desire for happiness is not like ours, for the devotees there do not have material bodies; still, that desire is not pure. In the higher section there is prema-sevä-uttara; the devotee only wants to serve Näräyaëa with love.] 2. “Outside of the Vaikuëöha planets is the impersonal manifestation of Çré Kåñëa, which is known as Brahma-loka. On the other side of Brahma-loka is the spiritual käraëa-samudra, or Causal Ocean. The material energy exists on the other side of the Causal Ocean, without touching it.” (Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä Chapter 5 Intro.) 3. Spiritual sky. (Vyoma means sky, and para means transcendental.)
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There is great aiçvarya (opulence) in the Vaikuëöha planets: one can have the same bodily features as Näräyaëa (särüpya), he can live on the same planet with Him (sälokya), he can have equal opulence (särñöi), and he can have association with the Lord. But a Vaiñëava never wants these four types of liberation; he solely wants to serve. Näräyaëa-loka, Nåsiàha-loka, Räma-loka (Ayodhyä), and many other such lokas are within the paravyoma, and the bhakti creeper passes beyond all of them. It crosses beyond Näräyaëabhakti, Nåsiàha-bhakti, and Rämacandra-bhakti. The devotee will say, “I don’t want that,” and that creeper then goes to Goloka.
The Bhakti Creeper Stops at Rādhā-Kuṇḍa Goloka is also divided into three sections: Dvärakä, Mathurä, and Gokula. The bhakti creeper very quickly passes through Dvärakä and Mathurä and comes to Gokula. From Gokula, it goes to Våndävana, and then, within Våndävana, it goes to Nandagaon and Varñäëä. From there it very soon goes to Govardhana and from there to Rädhä-kuëòa. Rädhä and Kåñëa are playing there in Rädhä-kuëòa, and the creeper is serving Their lotus feet there. That is where it stops. It produces fruits and flowers that give pleasure to the Divine Couple Çré Çré Rädhä Kåñëa. Many maïjarés also come to that Rädhä-kuëòa, which is full with beautiful flowers and sweet fruits.
When the Seed of Love of God Matures Where is the gardener (caretaker of the seed) at this time? He is still in this world, but what stage is he in? If his creeper is within the brahmäëòa, he is a kaniñöha-adhikäré, whereas at the stage of
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bhäva-bhakti it has passed through the brahmäëòa, the Virajä River, Çiva-loka, etc., and went up to Näräyaëa-loka, or Vaikuëöha-loka. Then, when the seed of love of God (bhäva-bhakti) matures and transforms into the ripened fruit of vraja-prema, and it is then that one’s bhakti is able to pass all other places – including Goloka.
At Rādhā-Kuṇḍa the Devotee Serves Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Conjugal The creeper takes shelter of Mother Yaçodä in Gokula, and after that it takes shelter of the gopés, then Våndävana, and then the shelter of Govardhana. Within Govardhana, the creeper takes shelter of Rüpa-maïjaré and then under the guidance of Rüpamaïjaré and Anaìga-maïjaré, it goes to Rädhä-kuëòa. There, at Rädhä-kuëòa, the devotee serves Rädhä-Kåñëa Conjugal, with a tendency towards Çrématé Rädhikä. The creeper can go only up to there – there is no place after this. If there is a tree, a creeper will climb all over it, covering it entirely. In the same way, the bhakti creeper is now covering all rasas, especially mädhurya-rasa, and the devotee can serve RädhäKåñëa Conjugal in every way. This is the inner meaning of the words: tabe yäya tad-upari ’goloka-våndävana’ ’kåñëa-caraëa’-kalpa-våkñe kare ärohaëa [“Being situated in one’s heart and being watered by çravaëa-kértana, the bhakti creeper grows more and more. In this way it attains the shelter of the desire tree of the lotus feet of Kåñëa, who is eternally situated in the planet known as Goloka Våndävana, in the topmost region of the spiritual sky.” (Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 19.154)] 41
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Question: Gurudeva, you seemed to say that at bhäva-bhakti one can go to Näräyaëa-loka, and at prema one can go to Våndävana. I thought bhäva is just the less condensed state of prema. One has the same mood of devotion, devotion to the same iñöadeva, but it is simply not as developed. You seemed to say that the bhävabhakta changes his iñöadeva when he reaches prema. Çréla Näräyaëa Gosvämé Mahäräja: After bhävavästa (the stage of bhäva-bhakti), prema will come. If the devotee is on the path of vaidhé-bhakti, then he goes to Näräyaëa-loka. If he is on the path of rägänuga-bhakti, vraja-rägänuga, then he will go directly to Vraja. There are two destinations – one coming from the execution of vaidhé-bhakti and another coming from rägänuga-bhakti. Question: So, it is not that the bhakti creepers of all bhävavästa devotees go to Näräyaëa-loka. Only those in vaidhé-bhakti. Çréla Näräyaëa Gosvämé Mahäräja: Yes. How can I tell all these things in a moment – at one time?
[*ENDNOTE 1: (Taken from Çréla Näräyaëa Gosvämé Mahäräja’s lecture of June 8, 2001 in Holland.) What is it that is sudurlabhä? It has been told in Çré Upadesämåta that even devotees like Närada cannot attain that kind of bhäva-bhakti. What is sudurlabhä? To serve Rädhä-Kåñëa Conjugal like the Vrajaväsés is very rare. Even for premé-bhaktas it is very difficult to attain this. Yat preñöhair apy alam asulabhaà’. [“Undoubtedly Rädhä-kuëòa is very rarely attained even by the great devotees; therefore, it is even more difficult for ordinary devotees to attain.” (Upadesämåta text 11)] Even for those who have love and affection, this kind of bhäva-bhakti, this rägänuga-bhakti and rägätmikä-bhakti, are very, very, very rare. This is called sudurlabhä.
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The Cre e pe r of De v otion G rows In comparison, it is very easy to go to Vaikuëöha. You know that Ajämila quickly went there. How did he attain this? He was only calling out the name of Näräyaëa with reference to his son. By this chanting, nämäbhäsa came, and then four associates of Näräyaëa, holding çaìkha, cakra, gadä, and padma in their four hands, came to him. They explained to him the glorification of these Names. We see here that even nämäbhäsa is so high, and what to say of çuddha-näma! After their discussion, Ajämila returned to external consciousness and left his wife, children and everything else. He went to Haridvära where he took bath in the Ganges, and there he adopted the mantra and process given him by the four Viñëudütas. By chanting and chanting, prema for Näräyaëa came, and by this prema Ajämila went to Vaikuëöha. It was not by nämäbhäsa that he went there. No one can go to Vaikuëöha by nämäbhäsa. One can only attain that realm by pure çuddha-näma. Still, in Vaikuëöha there is some opulence. Anyone can easily go there, but to go to Vraja is very high. Rüpa Gosvämé has explained all these things. The fifth leaf on the creeper of bhakti is sändränanda-viçeñätmä. What is viçeñätmä? You should know this. You know sandhiné, saàvit, and hlädiné. [“The transcendental potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by which He maintains His existence is called sandhiné. The transcendental potency by which He knows Himself and causes others to know Him is called saàvit. The transcendental potency by which He possesses transcendental bliss and causes His devotees to have bliss is called hlädiné. The total exhibition of these potencies is called viçuddhasattva…” Cc.Ädi 4.62 purp.)] On the platform of sandhiné, anything transformed by sandhiné is called çuddha-sattva. When the essence of hlädiné and saàvit mix together and appear on the platform of sandhiné, or çuddha-sattva, this is called viçeñätmä.
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The Cre e pe r of De v otion Grows - P a rt 1 What is the meaning? Hlädiné is directly Çrématé Rädhikä Herself, who is svarüpa-çakti. The highest mood of that svarüpa-çakti is the mood of hlädiné. This hlädiné mood in its highest stage, madana, is not even in Kåñëa, and it is this madana that Kåñëa wants to taste and realise. This mood is found only in the essence of hlädiné, who is Rädhikä Herself. The moods in Rädhikä, the moods of how to serve and please Kåñëa, is called mahä-bhäva. What is bhäva? Bhäva is coming from saàvit. Saàvit is the potency of knowledge, but when that knowledge is condensed, it is transformed into bhäva, and bhäva is transformed into snehä, mäna, praëaya, räga, anuräga, bhäva, and mahä-bhäva. This mahä-bhäva is the moods in Rädhikä. These moods are thus the essence of saàvit and hlädiné, the moods of serving Kåñëa in the highest way, and they come on the platform of çuddha-sattva. What is sattva? It is any transformation of sandhiné. Within sandhiné, any jéva who is liberated is called çuddha-sattva, and Kåñëa and His sväàça or manifestations are called viçuddha-sattva. Jévas are not viçuddha-sattva, but they may be çuddha-sattva. Açuddha-sattva are those who are not liberated, çuddha-sattva are liberated, and viçuddha-sattva refers to Kåñëa and His all incarnations including Viñëu. When viçuddha-sattva will combine with the essence of hlädiné and saàvit and comes in a jéva, that essential mood to serve Kåñëa will be sändränanda-viçeñätmä; otherwise not. This is a very elevated topic.]
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Chapter Three Part 2
The Creeper of Devotion Grows
W
hen one’s creeper of devotion matures and one comes to the stage of an uttama-bhägavata1 (the highest stage of devotional perfection), crossing bhäva-bhakti and coming to prema-bhakti, at that time the devotee can go to Vraja (the highest abode of the Lord), and especially to Rädhä-kuëòa (the most confidential place of the Lord’s pastimes). 1. One who is expert in logic, argument and the revealed scriptures and who has firm faith in Kåñëa is classified as a topmost devotee. He can deliver the whole world. (Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 22.65) The uttama-adhikäré, or highest devotee, is one who is very advanced in devotional service. An uttama-adhikäré is not interested in blaspheming others, his heart is completely clean, and he has attained the realised state of unalloyed Kåñëa consciousness. According to Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé, the association and service of such a mahä-bhägavata, or perfect Vaiñëava, are most desirable. (Nectar of Instruction Text 5) One who perceives [just like the gopés] his own bhagavad-bhäva, ecstatic mood of attraction towards Çré Kåñëacandra, in the hearts of all jévas and sees all beings within Çré Kåñëacandra is an uttama-bhägavata. (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 11.2.45)
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Gradually His Spiritual Body Manifests In bhäva-bhakti sädhana, the devotee is still here in the material world. How is he tasting the fruits of his bhakti? He is engaged in añöa-käléya-cintana, meditation on the eight-fold daily pastimes of Rädhä and Kåñëa. He tastes all these pastimes in his heart. He has a strong desire: “When will I go to the place where the fruits of love of Godhead are situated?” Gradually he comes to the stage wherein he gives up this body, his siddha-çaréra (spiritual body) manifests, and in a moment, he goes there to serve under the guidance of the gopés. What to speak of the sädhana-bhakti practices before the stage of bhäva-bhakti, even if he is in bhäva-bhakti, and he is about to complete bhäva-bhakti, still there is chance that his anarthas may return. This is because from bhäva-bhakti up to but not including prema-bhakti, one’s anarthas are sleeping (dormant). When prema manifests, at that time all anarthas will be destroyed.2 2. Four types of anarthas have been mentioned, namely, those arising from previous sinful activity, from previous pious activity, from näma-aparädha, and from cultivation of bhakti. They have five grades of anärtha-nivåitti (nullification): limited to one anärtha (eka-deça-vartiné), affecting many anarthas (bahu-deça-vartiné), almost complete (präyiké), complete (pürëa), and absolute (ätyantiké). Thus, immediately after starting performance of devotional activities (bhajana kriyä), there is nullification but it is limited, according to the famous logic: The town burned, the cloth is torn. In other words, when we hear that a town burned, we can imagine that some of it must still be existing, or if a cloth is torn, the pieces are still existing. By continued practice, with the appearance of niñöhä, the eradication is pervasive (affecting many anarthas). With the appearance of rati or bhäva, the eradication is almost complete. With the appearance of prema, the eradication is complete. With the attainment of the Lord’s association, the eradication is absolute, with no possibility of their reappearance. Thus, if one thinks that the following occasional episodes demonstrate anartha arising even after attaining the lotus feet of the Lord, by one’s intelligence he should throw out that thought from his mind. (Mädhurya-kaòambiné, Chapter 3)
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Do Not Criticise Anyone Do not criticise any Vaiñëava – but Vaiñëava must be real. In fact, do not criticise anyone, whether that person is wrong or right. Criticism will take time, that time will be wasted, and that person’s bad qualities will come in you. So, don’t criticise. yadi vaiñëava-aparädha uöhe häté mätä upäòe vä chiëòe, tära çukhi’ yäya pätä [“If the devotee commits an offence at the feet of a Vaiñëava while cultivating the creeper of devotional service in the material world, his offence is compared to a mad elephant that uproots the creeper and breaks it. In this way the leaves of the creeper are dried up.” (Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 19.156)]
Häté mätä means ‘mad elephant’. If that elephant sees banana trees, or any other trees and plants, he will uproot them. He will pull them out of the ground from the root. Mad elephant refers to offences to Vaiñëavas. Do you know the ten offences to chanting of the holy names? Try to know these mahä-aparädhas, great offences.3 Do not commit them, even in a dream. 3. The offences against the chanting of the holy name are as follows: (1) To blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives for propagating the holy name of the Lord. (2) To consider the names of demigods like Lord Çiva or Lord Brahmä to be equal to, or independent of, the name of Lord Viñëu. (Sometimes the atheistic class of men take it that any demigod is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viñëu. But one who is a devotee knows that no demigod, however great he may be, is independently as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, if someone thinks that he can chant “Kali, Kali!” or “Durga, Durga!” and it is the same as Hare Kåñëa, that is the greatest offence.) (3) To disobey the orders of the spiritual master. (4) To blaspheme the Vedic literature or literature in pursuance of the Vedic version. (5) To consider the glories of chanting Hare Kåñëa to be imagination. (6) To give some interpretation on the holy name of the Lord. (7) To commit sinful activities on the strength of the holy name of the Lord. (It should not be taken that because by chanting the holy name of the
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Sādhu-saṅga Will Save You Let people do what they want to do. If you can help them, you should help. If they will not hear you, then give them up. Do not waste your time for them. That is why, at the time of sädhana, the devotee creates some fencing – so that aparädha (offences) will not come. What is that fencing? It is sädhu-saìga, association with pure devotees. Sädhu-saìga will save you; otherwise, you are bound to do so many wrong things. Even in joking, you may offend someone. I see nowadays that it is very easy to commit offences. Even to hear offensive words is also an offence, so do not hear offences. Ladies should try to maintain their chastity, not divorcing daily and marrying again and again. If you have already divorced, don’t marry again. Never, never, and never. One time is enough. This instruction is for men too. If your wife has divorced you, don’t marry again; don’t repeat that wrong thing. Otherwise, where is your bhakti? Make a determination, “I will not do so.” What new experience will be there with a new wife or husband? It will be the same thing that you have already tasted. This divorcing and re-marrying is like a burning fire. Oh, you will be burnt forever. Lord one can be freed from all kinds of sinful reaction, one may continue to act sinfully and after that chant Hare Kåñëa to neutralise his sins. Such a dangerous mentality is very offensive and should be avoided.) (8) To consider the chanting of Hare Kåñëa one of the auspicious ritualistic activities offered in the Vedas as fruitive activities (karmakäëòa). (9) To instruct a faithless person about the glories of the holy name. (Anyone can take part in chanting the holy name of the Lord, but in the beginning one should not be instructed about the transcendental potency of the Lord. Those who are too sinful cannot appreciate the transcendental glories of the Lord, and therefore it is better not to instruct them in this matter.) (10) To not have complete faith in the chanting of the holy names and to maintain material attachments, even after understanding so many instructions on this matter. (Nectar of Devotion 8)
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What Is the Meaning of Asat-saṅga? asat-saìga-tyäga,—ei vaiñëava-äcära ‘stré-saìgé’—eka asädhu, ‘kåñëäbhakta’ ära [“For a Vaiñëava, the standard behaviour is to avoid the association of ordinary people not interested in kåñëa-bhakti. Such common people are, first, those who are too materially attached, especially to women4, and, second, people who are not at all devotees of Lord Kåñëa. Vaiñëavas should avoid the company of these two kinds of people.” (Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 22.87)]
Do not associate with those who are not chanting and remembering in the authorized process, those who are lusty, and those who are associating with lusty persons. Everyone should follow this instruction. If a lady or a man is always divorcing, do not associate with them. Boycott them. Then bhakti will come; otherwise, it will not.
The Two Kinds of Unwanted Creepers kintu yadi latära saìge uöhe ’upaçäkhä’ bhukti-mukti-väïchä, yata asaìkhya tära lekhä [“Sometimes unwanted creepers, such as the creepers of desires for material enjoyment and liberation from the material world, grow along with the creeper of devotional service. The 4. “…for man the woman is woman, and for the woman the man is woman. Not that woman means a particular class. Woman means which are enjoyable. So, in this material world, the man is enjoyable by the woman, and the woman is enjoyable by the man. For both of them, viñayiëäm sandarçanaà atha yoñitäà. Yoñit means enjoyable.” (Lecture by Çréla A. C. Bhaktivendanta Svämé on Çrémad-Bhägavatam, Våndävana, 10 September, 1976.)
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Being ‘cruel’, try to cut out all worldly desires. If there are worldly desires – to marry again and again, and to make money, what should you do? Throw out those unwanted creepers, meaning weeds, from the field. There are two kinds of unwanted creepers. One is joined to the main creeper, and one looks like the creeper, but is separate. Regarding the separate unwanted creeper, the weed, if water will be poured these weeds will grow. They will be showered with the water, and thus the main creeper will not be able to grow. So, they should be uprooted and thrown out. All worldly desires should be uprooted and thrown. Coming from the root of the original creeper, there may be some branches that need to be trimmed, so trim them. Only the main, central creeper should remain, and all extra branches should be trimmed. What are those extra branches? Näräyaëabhakti (devotion to Lord Näräyaëa, Kåñëa’s expansion as the Lord of Vaikuëöha), mathureça-bhakti (devotion to Kåñëa’s expansion as the Lord of Mathurä), dvärakä-bhakti (devotion to Kåñëa’s expansion as the Lord of Dvärakä), räma-bhakti (devotion to Kåñëa’s expansion as Lord Rämacandra), and other types of bhakti. Being ‘cruel’, trim them. What will remain? Vraja-bhakti. There are five ‘branches’ in Vraja, but do not cut or trim them; rather, keep them aside. Have honour for all five branches, but cultivate only parakéya-bhäva to serve Rädhikä and Kåñëa. Only this creeper should remain, and then you can go to Rädhä-kuëòa and serve Çré Çré Rädhä and Kåñëa there. Your creeper of devotion will then reach Våndävana, 50
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from Våndävana it will go to Govardhana, and from Govardhana to Rädhä-kuëòa; the final point of destination. This is paramapuruñärtha, the highest attainment of the living being. There is nothing beyond this goal, which can only be obtained by çuddhabhakti, or pure bhakti.
A Semblance of Bhakti Question: You were saying that one remains within the brahmäëòa (this material universe) even if he has a desire to be like the four Kumäras: Sanat, Sanak, Sanätana, and Sanandana? Çréla Näräyaëa Gosvämé Mahäräja: You could not understand. Sanat, Sanatana, and so on, are present in the brahmäëòa. [From lower to higher, the planetary systems of the universe are:] Bhü, Bhüva, Svaù, Mahar, Jana, Tapa, and above this, Sanat, Sanaka, Sananda, and Sanätana Kumäras reside in this higher realm where the fruits of mystic yoga, namely aëimä, mahimä, and laghimä, and so on can be tasted. [The four Kumäras are pure devotees. They have attained the perfection of yogic powers, but they themselves have no desire for them.] You will have to give up the desire for all these things. Higher than those realms is Brahma-loka (the planet of Lord Brahmä), then Virajä (the place in between the material and spiritual worlds), then the brahmajyoti (the area of impersonal light surrounding all the infinite Vaikuëöha planets), and then Vaikuëöha-loka. It is not easy – not easy – to reach beyond all these realms. First, we should know the meaning of sädhana-bhakti.5 The practices of bhakti performed by you are actually a semblance of 5. Sädhana-bhakti is the engagement of the mind and senses in the angas of bhakti for the purpose of attaining bhäva-bhakti. This bhäva is a potentiality which eternally exists in the heart of the jéva and is manifested in the heart purified by sädhana (by the mercy of a nitya-siddha, a living sad-guru). (Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 22.105)
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bhakti, not pure bhakti. When your object will be to attain rati, or bhäva-bhakti, then your sädhana will be true sädhana-bhakti.
Some Lacking of Intimacy The sädhana of Dhruva is not pure bhakti. Understand? It is sakäma-bhakti, because he had worldly desires. Prahläda Mahäräja’s bhakti was not so pure [in the sense that he is not a Vraja-bhakta. In this context, ‘pure’ refers to ‘being devoid of the understanding of God’s godhood’. In this connection, ‘not so pure’ does not mean that he had material desires.] There was a sense of opulence there – thinking that the Supreme Lord has all opulence. Prahläda’s bhakti is called jïäna-bhakti, meaning bhakti mixed with the awareness (jïäna) of the Lord’s majesty. Hanumän’s bhakti was very good – He was always serving Räma – but he cannot embrace Räma or give his food remnants to Räma. He cannot defeat Räma in mock fighting. So, there was some lacking of intimacy [Hanumän has less sense of the Lord’s godhood than Prahläda; but he always worships Räma in awe and reverence]. The Päëòavas have more bhakti than Hanumän. Arjuna could sleep with Kåñëa, play with Kåñëa, and Kåñëa could give His sister in marriage to him. Still, some sense of Kåñëa’s opulence came to Arjuna [when Kåñëa revealed to him His Universal Form] and disturbed his bhakti; that time he trembled with fear. So, there is still some lacking in intimacy. Arjuna could give his remnants to Kåñëa, and he and Kåñëa can eat from the same plate; but his bhakti was not like that of Uddhava. Uddhava was with Kåñëa, as His friend, prime minister, guru, servant, and so on.
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More Mamatā Is Present in Vātsalya-bhava Superior to Uddhava are the Vrajaväsés – Nanda Bäbä, Mother Yaçodä (Kåñëa’s parents), and Dämä and Çrédämä (Kåñëa’s cowherd friends). They can easily defeat Kåñëa. If there was something in their mouths, Kåñëa would take that from their mouths and eat it very happily. If He is defeated by His friends, then He becomes more happy than them. He always fears Mother Yaçodä and Nanda Bäbä. The cowherd boys have so much mamatä (sense of ‘mineness’ or ‘possessiveness’) toward Kåñëa, but not like that of Mother Yaçodä. The cowherd friends were only playing with Him. They did not care if He ate anything or not, or slept or not. They were always playing, playing, playing. More mamatä is present in vätsalya-bhava (the mood of a parent).
To Serve Rādhikā Is the Ultimate Goal of Our Life And still more mamatä resides in the gopés. Kåñëa wants that Mother Yaçodä should sleep at night, so that He can run away. Run away to where? To meet the gopés. Among all the gopés, Candrävalé and Rädhäräëé are most prominent, and within Rädhikä’s group, Lalitä, Viçäkhä, and Citrä are like Rädhikä, but not in all respects. The gopés experience the advanced stages of love from snehä (heart melting), to mäna (loving jealous anger), praëaya (a sense of oneness with Kåñëa), räga (deep attachment), anuräga, bhäva, and mahäbhäva – rüòha and adhirüòha (further stages of unalloyed love) – but not mädana. Mädana (the highest stage of love) is only in Rädhikä, and to serve this Rädhikä is the ultimate goal of our life. There is nothing beyond this.
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Whatever Mood Is Present in the Soul Among the various rasas (relationships with Kåñëa), you can have çänta (a neutral relationship), däsya (servitude), sakhya (friendship), and vätsalya (parental love). You can serve Näräyaëa (the opulent Lord of Vaikuëöha), you can very easily go to Dvärakä (where Kåñëa lives as an opulent prince) if you like, and you can serve Jagannätha, Baladeva, and Subhadrä. There are so many goals and so many processes. It depends on you. Actually, it does not depend on you, but on the constitutional position of the jéva (your soul). Whatever mood is present in the soul, our relationship with Kåñëa can go up to that. Regarding those who are attracted to Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu and have somehow come in His line, we can believe that they have vrajabhakti. Such souls are very rare in this world. So, go on doing all these devotional activities.
A Breeze from the Bhakti-rasa Ocean Touched Me Standing on the shore of the bhakti-rasa ocean, the ocean of the mellows of pure devotional service, I have explained something to you. Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé tasted one drop of that ocean; I have not tasted anything. I have not tasted the nectar from that ocean, but a breeze from it came and touched me. My Gurudeva told us, “I have tasted that nectar; so, if you want to taste it, then follow me.” I am trying to follow, and in the meantime the air came. I have tasted that air, which makes the heart cool, soft, and sweet. I want to give this to you, but be qualified. Follow me totally. Give up whatever is not favourable for following, and accept only what is favourable. Be like Çréla Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé. He left his father, mother, wife, and
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society, and took shelter of the lotus feet of Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Caitanya Mahäprabhu gave him to Svarüpa Dämodara, and his bhakti desires were fulfilled. I explained this in brief, but try to follow. Don’t be weak. Now it is time to take päraëa (breaking the ekädaçé fast with some grain, etc.). Be ready. Be neat, clean, and pay your dues. Make a booklet of these classes. Revise the text so there will be nothing wrong in it, and then publish it. Take this wealth in your pocket. Don’t forget it.
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Chapter Four
Impressions of Bhakti
I
was born in 1921 on the amävasyä (dark-moon) night in the month of Mägha (January). This is what my parents told me. My father’s name was Paëòita Balesvarnäth Tivari and my mother’s name was Çrématé Lakñmé-devé. They were both devotees of the Çré-sampradäya, initiated according to all rules and regulations, and both were expert in devotional music. My father was also expert in wrestling, singing, and all types of social affairs. He was humble, well-bred, and most importantly, highly religious and conversant with Vaiñëava principles. At the time of my birth, my family’s guru (kula-guru) gave me the name Çréman Näräyaëa Tivari in accordance with the sign of the zodiac. From my birth I was very simple-hearted and innocent. My mother told me, “You would not cry; you would remain seated wherever you were placed. For that reason, everyone called you Bholänätha (a name of Lord Çiva meaning ‘god of the innocents’). As my parents were very religious, I was also religious, even from my early childhood. To possess bhakti is not merely a result of practice for one birth, but many births. Throughout my childhood I was always chanting, “Räma, Räma, Räma, Räma, Räma, Räma.” Thus, my fortune must have been the result of impressions in my
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heart (saàskäras) due to taking good association and being of religious temperament in my previous births. As a child I used to attend religious festivals with my father and hear classes on Çrémad-Bhägavatam, Rämäyaëa, Mahäbhärata, and other scriptures. In the evenings, when my father had finished his family duties, he would sometimes personally recite Tulasédäsa’s Rämäyaëa to me, and sometimes Mahäbhärata – from beginning to end.
I Became Immersed in Emotion At that time many village people would also come and listen to him with faith. My impressions were such that even in my childhood I would cry for hours whenever I read the Rämäyaëa of Tulasédäsa, and whenever I stopped crying, I would start reading again. I became especially immersed in emotion upon reading about Rämacandra’s exile, His abandoning Sétä, and Sétä’s entering Pätäla. I became so immersed that I used to see the battle between Räma and Rävaëa in my dreams, and I would also see Hanumänjé performing his various services. In one dream, at 4 o’clock in the morning, I saw Räma, Lakñmaëa, Sétä, and Hanumän descending from an airplane right before my eyes, their divine effulgence radiating everywhere. But then, when I went to touch Their feet, They disappeared. At that time, I became so blissful. Throughout my school years, I ranked first or second in my class in academics. In sports, especially in high school, I won first place awards in the one-mile and five-mile races, and in the long jump, high jump, cycling races, and boating. No one dared enlist his name for a long race unless he planned to compete for second
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place, because everyone knew, “Näräyaëa will come first.” I also participated in musical programs and debates in Sanskrit.
My Kula-guru Gave A Series of Classes on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Once, when I was sixteen or seventeen, my kula-guru gave a series of classes on Çrémad-Bhägavatam in our Tivaripura village. As a great Sanskrit scholar, he would recite every çloka in a melodious voice and then explain its meaning to the crowd of pious listeners that had gathered from the neighbouring villages. On those occasions, I had the opportunity to render personal service to him – decorating the lecture hall, preparing his seat, placing the Bhägavatam on his lectern, and then listening to his lectures very attentively. My father also contributed greatly to these programs, by organising the daily ärati of the Bhägavatam and then distributing prasäda at the end of each program. The Çrémad-Bhägavatam classes were completed after one month, at which time a magnificent yajïa was held, followed by a grand feast of the Lord’s mahä-prasäda. My kula-guru showed me much affection for my services, and he left a great impression on my life. In this way I became increasingly immersed in the moods of devotion and gradually acquired a taste for kåñëa-bhakti. The Mahaviri Jhanda Festival (in honor of Hanumänjé) once took place on the banks of Gaìgä near my Village, in Ahalyäväli – the area where Çré Rämacandrajé had liberated Ahalyä from Gautama Åñi’s curse, where Viçvämitra’s residence was situated, where Räma and Lakñmaëa killed the demoness Täòakä, and where Räma shot His arrows at Märéca and Subähu in order to protect Viçvämitra’s yajïa. It was a great festival, at which many thousands of people gathered.
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That Nagara-kīrtana Had a Great Impact upon Me Various games and wrestling matches were played, which were attended by numerous good sportsmen, and my father also participated as he had versatile talents. It was at this festival that I heard and saw, for the first time in my life, a nagara-saìkértana with thousands of people dancing and singing, “Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma Hare Hare, Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa Hare Hare.” That nagara-kértana had a great impact upon me. When I was in class nine of high school, I received a book that was entitled “The Life-History and Precepts of Nimbärka Vaiñëaväcärya” as a prize for winning a Sanskrit debate. As I read about the äcärya’s perfect Vaiñëava demeanour, his deeds, his attachment for harinäma, and his rigorous sädhana, I now began to acquire real taste for kåñëa-näma. It was from this book that I learned that all the Lord’s potencies are present in harinäma.
I Was Very Deeply Impressed and Influenced I liked history very much, and I used to get top marks in that subject. In one of the history books I once read a brief description of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. When I saw His picture, with His long wavy hair, and when I read about His absorption in kértana, I was very deeply impressed and influenced.
A Marriage Festival Was Held I was betrothed at the age of sixteen or seventeen, while I was still studying in high school. However, according to Indian custom a wife joins her husband only after the official marriage ceremony, when they are mature. Thus, when I became twentyone or twenty-two years old, a marriage festival was held for me,
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and at that time my wife came to live with me. But very soon after that, I left.
The Chief Superintendent Was Visited by Devotees from Śrī Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti After high-school, because I was good at sports, without any effort I was able to get a position in the police department. The police station was located in the Dumka district of Bihar, at Shahad Ganja, on the banks of the Ganges. All the officers there were happy with me, including the chief superintendent, who was a very religious Bengali. About three years after I began my employment at the police station, the chief superintendent was visited by a party of about ten devotees from Çré Gauòéya Vedänta Samiti in Navadvépa. Among them were prapujya-caraëa Çré Çrémad Narottamanända brahmacäréjé, Çré Çrémad BhaktiKuçala Nåsiàha Mahäräja, and Çré Rädhänatha däsa (who later became püjyapäda Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Mahäräja). The speaker, püjyapäda Narottamanända brahmacäréj, narrated the life history and glorified the character of Çré Prahläda Mahäräja in the superintendent’s house for seven days.
I Became Completely Renounced at Heart Although at that time I did not know Bengali very well, I would sit through the lectures, and in reciprocation with my faith püjyapäda Çré Narottamanända brahmacäréjé became very affectionate towards me. After each lecture, he would leave aside all food and drink to sit with me and speak hari-kathä in English throughout the night.1 1. Çréla Gurudeva’s servant, Çrépäd Mädhava Mahäräja adds, “Püjyapäda Narottamanända brahmacäré did not know Hindi and Çréla Gurudeva did not know Bengali, so they spoke in English.”
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Püjyapäda Narottamanända brahmacäré was a very learned person, and he was especially a learned scholar in ÇrémadBhägavatam. After listening to his hari-kathä for those seven days and receiving his affection, I became completely renounced at heart. I wanted to leave my government position and go with the devotee party, but I could not get permission because of the chief superintendent’s and everyone else’s affection for me. They would not let me go. The superintendent asked me, “Why do you want to go? You will soon be promoted.” I immediately thought of an excuse to leave, and replied, “This is true, but I want to start my own business, so there will be no loss in my going.” When I also told him that in the future, I want to do kåñëa-bhajana, he asked, “Do your parents agree to this?”
I Resigned and Left to Meet My Gurujī I replied, with the understanding that Gurujé and the Vaiñëavas are my actual parents, “Yes, they do.” I then resigned and left that place, but I did not go home. I went directly from there to Çrédhäma Navadvépa to meet my Gurujé. I arrived at the Navadvépa-dhäma railway station at twelve midnight, and wondered, “How will I be able to find the äçrama in Navadvépa? I do not even know the address. Who can I ask at this late hour?” I didn’t know how Gurujé knew I would be coming that day, but he knew and Narottamanända brahmacäréjé also knew; so, they had sent püjyapäda Vamana Gosvämé Mahäräja, lantern in hand and accompanied by another brahmacäré to find me. The sight of the two of them approaching made me very happy.
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Mother of the Maṭha Together with them I arrived at the maöha easily, where I saw Narottamanända brahmacäréjé, my Gurujé, and many other Vaiñëavas. That day was the eve of the Navadvépa-dhäma parikramä. The person in charge of the maöha at that time was Çré Narahari Öhäkurajé, a god-brother of my Gurujé and an extremely dear disciple of his Gurudeva Çréla Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvaté Prabhupäda. Because Çré Narahari Öhäkurajé took care of everyone in the maöha, especially the children, he was affectionately called ‘mother of the maöha.’ He would chant harinäma throughout the day and night, binding his çikhä to a ceiling beam at night so that he would not fall asleep while chanting. Wherever he would go during the day, he continuously chanted harinäma.
He Began to Engage Me in His Personal Service I was a recipient of his abundant love and affection. Without anyone’s instruction or awareness, I began sweeping the floors in the maöha, cleaning the cooking pots, and performing a variety of other services. Shortly after Navadvépa-dhäma parikramä was completed, I received both harinäma and dékñä initiations. Gurujé soon became satisfied with my sevä and saw my taste for harikathä, and thus he began to keep me with him and engage me in his personal service. I then started to cook for him and wash his clothes, and I listened to his hari-kathä.
My Last Material Attachment Has Gone That I had previously been a police officer was a distant memory. Everything from the past was left behind. In 1945, just before the beginning of the Kartika parikramä in Vaidyanätha-dhäma I
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went with my Gurujé to the Chinchura Gauòéya Maöha, where I continued listening to his hari-kathä and doing sevä. It was there that I met prapuja-caraëa Çréla Bhakti Pramoda Puré Mahäräja, and where Gurujé engaged me in personal service to him. I began rendering him so many services, such as cooking and giving him water for drinking and bathing. One of my daily services was to accompany him to the nearby Gaìgä where he would bathe, and I would bring my loöa, my last remaining possession from my previous äçrama. One day, while he and I were in the Gaìgä, the current took my loöa. As it floated away, I considered, “This is good. Now my last material attachment has gone.”
Anaṅga-Mohana Brahmacārī Falls Severely Ill with Tuberculosis In the following year, I again accompanied Gurujé to the Vaidyanätha-dhäma parikramä. Later, after the parikramä was completed, Gurujé continued to travel and preach. During that preaching tour, Anaìga-mohana brahmacäré, who was living and travelling with Gurujé and who would also sing kértana for him, fell severely ill with tuberculosis. I was appointed to serve him; at which time I would bring him medicines from a long distance and even clean his body after he passed stool. I took care of him in every respect. One day, as he sat right next to Gurujé, he began vomiting blood. I went with Gurujé to bring him to a famous homeopathic doctor in Calcutta, and on the doctor’s advice we stayed nearby a holy place famous for Lord Çiva’s Jyotir-liìga Temple in Deogarh (the abode of the gods), in Jharkand, Bihar at Siddhavadi. When that and other treatments did not work, Gurujé admitted him to a tuberculosis hospital.
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He Immediately Sent a Telegram to My Family Sometime later, I was at a railway station where I met a cousin from our village who was working as a guard there. When he saw me sitting on the train, he boarded it and embraced me. With great happiness he said, “It’s been so long since you left, and you have not sent us a single message. Where are you residing these days?” I told him my address. I was so simple-hearted that I told him. Upon leaving me, he immediately sent a telegram to my family, soon after which my mother, father, brother, friends, wife, and many important people of the village – a crowd of ten or fifteen – arrived at the maöha. Then, as my mother wept loudly, they all made a concerted effort to convince me to return to them. Although I was ill at that time, I told them, “Don’t worry. I will come with you.” I offered praëäma to Gurujé and went with them to the village. Upon my arrival, my mother and all other relatives performed püjä to Bhagavän in great jubilation, while a band of musicians played on their instruments. Prasäda was distributed, and people from all parts of the village – now extremely happy – came to see me.
I Cannot Live Without Sādhu-saṅga The next day, my father invited several prominent scholars, as well as the heads of our village and nearby villages, who were wealthy, highly respected, educated, and knowledgeable. He organised a large meeting, attended by a great number of people, including my school friends who came to see me with curiosity. They all tried very hard to convince me to live at home and continue to follow religious principles there. Many of them cited examples from the Mahäbhärata and the Rämäyaëa. Some said that Prahläda Mahäräja was a gåhasta and that the Päëòavas, also,
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performed bhajana-sädhana while living as gåhasthas. All present made the following recommendation to me: “Perform bhajana at home, as they all did.” “But there is no sädhu-saìga here,” I replied. “And therefore, there is no one to instruct me in such a way that my sädhana-bhajana in the path of bhakti can increase. This is unacceptable to me. I cannot live without sädhu-saìga.”
What Is the Use of Strength Without Bhakti? Some others retorted, “Then follow brahmäcarya, and at the same time remain at home. Be religious, and at the same time become powerful like your paternal grandfather. Oh, your grandfather was so strong that he would remove bullock carts from the mud. He would untie the bulls and free the carts with his bare hands. When two big buffaloes would fight with the aim of taking each other’s lives, he would take a stick in his hand, strike one buffalo on one side and the other on the other side, and cause them both to run in different directions. Become like your grandfather.” I replied, “The elephant is also strong. But what is the use of strength without bhakti? I do not want to become strong like that. I want to become strong in bhakti.” Çrémad-Bhägavatam (11.9.29) states that without bhakti life is useless: labdhvä su-durlabham idaà bahu-sambhavänte mänuñyam artha-dam anityam apéha dhéraù türëaà yateta na pated anu-måtyu yävan niùçreyasäya viñayaù khalu sarvataù syät “The human form of life is attained only after numerous births of transmigrating through the millions of species. Although this human body is impermanent, it offers the highest benefit.
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Therefore, until the body lays down and dies another time, if a man is intelligent, he will whole-heartedly and immediately endeavour to fulfill his mission of life and achieve his greatest welfare. He must avoid sense gratification, which is available even in the animal species.”
Can You Tell Me what Is Viśiṣṭādvaita-vāda? Then, my seventy-five-year-old paternal uncle, who was the head of one of the other villages, a very important man, and a great scholar, asked me, “All right, then, since you have become a sädhu, can you tell me what is viçiñöädvaita-väda?” I replied that in order to understand viçiñöädvaita-väda, one must first know about kevalädvaita-väda and çuddhädvaita-väda (purified dualism); not only that, but one must also know about acintya-bhedäbhedatattva. Then, one by one, I began to define kevalädvaita-väda and all the other theories (vädas). I told my uncle that kevalädvaitaväda, the teaching of Çaìkaräcärya, is the worship of the niräkära, nirviçeña, niraïjana, nirguëa Brahman, the Absolute Truth devoid of form, speciality, qualities, and designations. According to Çré Rämänujapäda’s theory of viçiñöädvaita, the jéva and the material cosmos are specialities of Brahman; although all the energies of the Lord are one, each keeps its individuality (vaiçiñöya). Madhväcärya’s conception is called çuddhädvaita-väda and it stresses on the five eternal differences: the difference between jéva (the eternal living entity) and God, between jéva and jéva, between God and matter, between matter and matter, and between matter and jéva.
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Your Renunciation Is Real and Your Knowledge of Tattva Is Complete Then, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s acintya-bhedäbheda-tattva states the one Supreme Personality of Godhead manifests Himself in many, and in this way all diversities are in Him and He is in all diversities although He is nevertheless different from all of them. Thus, by the transformation of His inconceivable potencies, everything is simultaneously one with and different from Him. I explained that all the other philosophies are vädas, meaning theories, but the acintya-bhedäbheda philosophy, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s conception, is a tattva, a truth. It combines the ideas of all the other conceptions, and it is marked by the predominance of pure bhakti. I told my uncle and all those present that acintyabhedäbheda is our conception, the conception of our Gurujé. Hearing my explanation, my uncle rose from his seat, embraced me, and said, “You have found a real guru. You have attained sädhu-saìga. Your renunciation is real and your knowledge of tattva, the established philosophical reality, is complete. From now on, I will not say a word to discourage you.” The meeting ended in this way, and all the people left. That is enough for today; later I will tell more. There is no need to elaborate on any events other than those about my life in the line of bhakti. Write about me as I have written about my Gurujé. You can follow that example, describing my preaching. You can also discuss how, after coming to the maöha, I went on so many pilgrimages throughout India. I have written about these in my Gurujé’s life history. You only need the dates, the years, the what, and the where. I went to Badrénätha, Dvärakä, and South India two or three times.
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The Creeper of Devotion Grows
“W
here is the gardener (caretaker of the seed) at this time? He is still in this world, but what stage is he in? If his creeper is within the brahmāṇḍa, he is a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, whereas at the stage of bhāva-bhakti it has passed through the brahmāṇḍa, the Virajā River, Śiva-loka, etc., and went up to Nārāyaṇa-loka, or Vaikuṇṭha-loka. Then, when the seed of love of God (bhāva-bhakti) matures and transforms into the ripened fruit of vraja-prema, and it is then that one’s bhakti is able to pass all other places – including Goloka.” — Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja
Excerpt from Chapter 3 - The Creeper of Devotion Grows
International Pure Bhakti Yoga Society
Çré Giriräja Govardhana Gauòéya Maöha - Murwillumbah Australia
